Sunday, February 2, 2014

#ROW80 1ST QTR 2014 - SUNDAY CHECK IN - ONCE AGAIN, IT'S THE STUPOR BOWL!!!

It's that time of year again, when we bid adieu to the American Football Season with the annual Super Bowl. This year, we have the Seattle Seahawks vs. the Denver Broncos. I'm still kinda hoping that that San Francisco 49'ers will show up, but that would just be bad sportsmanship, which the NFL will not tolerate, unless they will; everybody clear on that? It just depends on who's being unsportsman-like. Apparently, Richard Sherman doing his impression of a mad dog foaming at the mouth, and screaming, practically incoherently at Erin Andrews, who appeared to fear for her life, wasn't it. 


At least, Sapp isn't the one flappin' his jaw, here.

No, that just got everyone so riled up for two weeks of non-stop jabbering and carrying on so much that Warren Sapp thought it was time to pretend he was relevant again and take on Michael Strahan, who has tons more class than Sapp. The last time I saw ole' 99 (he played in Tampa, thus I am familiar with him personally), he was mouthing off to some poor kid in a wheelchair at a boxing match I was attending. The kid had the audacity to ask Sapp for an autograph. Asshole. I love it when athletes assume an imprimatur that is entirely bogus, forgetting all the while that it is us, the common folk who actually pay THEM, to watch them play. Sapp falling on people does not make for a better defensive tackle than Michael Strahan and Sapp is a thug; yes, I said it! A thug, with his thuggish ways, thuggish mouth and thuggish attitude towards his fans. 



Still, one hell of a fine writer!

But, I didn't start out to write an article about the shortcomings of players in the NFL. This is about goals, not of the touchdown kind. This is about writing goals and other goals outside of that as well. The writing has been coming along, albeit, not as quickly as I would like it to. But really, who says, "Gee, I want to drag out this process for the next forty years! THAT'S my goal!" I was looking at a list of books that Stephen King has written over his lifetime and was astounded. The amount of prose this man has churned out is impressive and although I cannot say that I am enjoying "Under the Dome" or "Needful Things," at least I can hold another author's published work in my hands.

Sometimes, I think King stopped writing with heart after "Dead Zone" or "Different Seasons" and just went into pap-mode, because the writing now seems forced; and the humor isn't really funny. His tragedies, although still Grand Guignol-like, and horrific and sad, fail to really move me. The characters aren't real in his later books. Or, maybe I am just reading with a different eye. The funny thing is, I still enjoy Dean Koontz, who has written nearly as many books, but has deepened his approach to his characterizations, while shortening the length of his overall stories. I don't know. If I go back and read certain passages in "Dead Zone" I cry, so I know it's not me.


I wonder if I could get this in blue?

Anyway, my health has been, (fingers crossed) excellent. Today, we moved the last of my furniture out of storage where it had been after the loss of the 2nd house. I am stronger than I have been in decades and am up to 112 pounds. For me, a miracle. I walk as much as I can (2 miles a day is easy) and have had no further incidents with would-be muggers.  As a matter of fact, I think I saw one of the men in the grocery store, and he took one look at me, my glasses and cane. I went into my "Gort" mode, and "stared" at him as he backed slowly up the cereal aisle. My friend, Alex, who had been an aisle over, came up and said, "Mary, what did you do to that man? He just put his basket down and left." I told Alex, "He needs to leave... earth... permanently. I hear Neptune is lovely this time of year". And left it at that. Alex knows better than to ask.

Everything from the storage unit is sort of shoe-horned into this place, so it's probably time for a garage sale. Our landlord put a shed out back for us, so we have lots of stuff in there, but so much needs to go. It's good to be back and trying to write again. This week is also the much-awaited #IWSG. Let's hope I get up in time on Wednesday to make that one! Have a happy Super Bowl and in honor of the event, I am going to post a link to last year's observations on the AFC Championship. Happy #ROWing and see you on Wednesday! 



4 comments:

Rose B. Fischer said...

King lost me after "Needful Things." I've never been sure if it was the bike accident or what, but he's still as writer I point to as an example/role model a lot. :)

ViolaFury said...

@rose,

Thanks for stopping by, Rose! I bought "Needful Things" for .50 cents at our local thrift shop, and it's just hard going; too precious, I think. I did enjoy "Duma Key," which takes place in Florida and was somewhat later after his accident. In fact, elements of it are incorporated into the book, tangentially, but it is still not up to his previous works. As a writer/philosopher and someone who makes a difference, I look up to him; his opinions are cogent and wise. Thanks again for the visit! ~Mary

Beth Camp said...

Though I'm glad the football season is over (the commentators are still yakking it up), I enjoyed watching the game and rooting for the She-Hawks. Your mention of King makes me want to reread his later stuff (which I haven't done . . . yet). But his book on writing still sings. May you have a very good week. One without muggers and with lots of words.

ViolaFury said...

Beth,

Interesting you should mention his book on writing and how it "sings". "Danse Macabre" is one of my very favorite reads for form, analysis and content. He also is just flat-out hysterical, when he mentions the "siren-song of crap". I so relate to that. Give me a horrible, badly made horror movie any day! Thanks for the visit, Beth! xoxo