The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 09

[MillieDynamite]

Keep dry on your journey, or your @Rustyoznail's rust will get rustyier.

Coffee is most welcome. I'm driving to a funeral for one of Bec's childhood friends.

A five hour trip each way.

 

[NotWise]

I got a couple Lit pages into my new story and the more I wrote the more it felt like the couple of Nick and Laura belonged in an 80's sitcom. I liked Nick's name, so Laura got renamed to Rachel. Nick and Rachel seems a little less trite to me.

I could be wrong, but would anyone care?

 

[MillieDynamite]

I've got an outline of a story featuring Nick and Nora Carlsen, who are amateur detectives. Carlson is roughly the Danish or Norwegian equivalent to the last name Charles. The working title of the story is The Fat Man!

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I got a couple Lit pages into my new story and the more I wrote the more it felt like the couple of Nick and Laura belonged in an 80's sitcom. I liked Nick's name, so Laura got renamed to Rachel. Nick and Rachel seems a little less trite to me.

I could be wrong, but would anyone care?

My main two female characters are Laura and Rachel. Very different personalities, to me!

Laura had over 100k words of her first series written with her name being Karen, but then in mid-2020 the Karen meme took off and there was no way her character would be taken seriously as a Karen, so her name had to be changed.

Oddly, while I try to use common names for various characters, and was beginning to run low on male names, I don't think I've ever written a Nick. I may put one in!

 

[NotWise]

My main two female characters are Laura and Rachel. Very different personalities, to me!

Laura had over 100k words of her first series written with her name being Karen, but then in mid-2020 the Karen meme took off and there was no way her character would be taken seriously as a Karen, so her name had to be changed.

Oddly, while I try to use common names for various characters, and was beginning to run low on male names, I don't think I've ever written a Nick. I may put one in!

It's pretty easy to change names as long as you always spelled the name right, and (because of the possessive) either the new and old names both end in "s" or neither ends in "s."

My characters are about 30 in the story, so I went to the internet and found out which names were common in 1994 and picked two I liked: Nicholas and Laura. Their names as a couple didn't start sounding cliche until I wrote for awhile.

Nick (Nicholas) was originally a Greek name, so I found a common Greek surname for him and he became Nick Sideris. I liked the name so I stuck with it.

I gave Laura the surname Holland for no reason other than it sounds like Haaland for our departing Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland. I still like the surname, but I went back to the 1994 list and picked Rachel. I know a Rachel (fierce redhead, not as eccentric as her mother), but aside from both being intelligent she doesn't have much in common with my character.

Hmm. Maybe I should make the fictional Rachel's mother really, really eccentric.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

It's pretty easy to change names as long as you always spelled the name right, and (because of the possessive) either the new and old names both end in "s" or neither ends in "s."

My characters are about 30 in the story, so I went to the internet and found out which names were common in 1994 and picked two I liked: Nicholas and Laura.

Yes, earlier today I edited a story to change the names of three of the characters, because they'd originally been partly inspired by people I knew, so I'd used their names for convenience. Even though the story went off in directions that none of them would do, and the characters were very different from their namesakes, I didn't want anyone reading to come to any conclusions, accurate or otherwise.

So I pasted it into Google Docs and did Find & Replace, going through case by case. Just as well. Turns out it doesn't recognise capitalisation or spaces, so wanted to change mark and market as well as Mark...

I often look at lists of names for various years and countries, and ones of surnames. My stories of scientists need lots of international names with both forenames and surnames, to be mentioned in passing. Any that are around 20th in popularity get used, especially if there's a couple footballers or politicians with the name (or I just flick through my work directory and mix and match). 'Owens' was unexpectedly popular in Iowa, so I picked it, as it's also quick to type!

 

[JGittes]

I got a couple Lit pages into my new story and the more I wrote the more it felt like the couple of Nick and Laura belonged in an 80's sitcom. I liked Nick's name, so Laura got renamed to Rachel. Nick and Rachel seems a little less trite to me.

I could be wrong, but would anyone care?

You and I are the same age but have different views on associating particular names with character traits.

My strongest association with Laura is the former First Lady, Laura Bush. She was America's second most popular woman during the aughts, behind only Ophra. So, my initial assumption when reading the name is competence, strength, loyalty, and stubborn independence—not trite at all. My second thought is the 1944 film noir Laura, starring Gene Terney. While the film is a logical mess, as most noirs are, the film's style over substance adds mystery and sexiness to the name.

Rachel will always be the personification of a certain 90s sitcom. I can't help it. I know it's trite, but the current British Chancellor of the Exchequer had to overcome my initial feeling she would be like the "naive, spoiled rich girl," Rachel Green.

In my mind, any couple named "Nick and ____" is automatically filled in as "Nick and Nora" from the Thin Man books and films. They're a great couple. I've name-checked their screen relationship to describe a couple in two of my stories.

 

[Candy_Kane54]

Thanks for the tip on cleaning coffee pots. I've got a fresh pot going and some chocolate cake donuts on the counter. As always, I'm over in the corner drinking my Earl Grey and arguing with my Muse and not getting much written ...

 

[MillieDynamite]

Morning all, just wrapping up breakfast. Donny and Cat have finished their food and are happily gazing out of the window at (I assume) nothing. I'm having a second cup of Jo, wishing my lovely Jo hadn't left for work. I have returned to my normal schedule up at 5 AM write until Jo leaves, Donny is up, fix and eat breakie, and rest for a few minutes before trying to write a bit in between, MOMMY help do this or that until he leaves for school at 12:30.

 

[MrPixel]

Rachel will always be the personification of a certain 90s sitcom.

Interesting. I don't make that association, but that is most definitely because I was not a fan of the show, nor any of the other NYC-based sitcoms that were all about the neuroses of a lifestyle I did not understand.

That said, mine is "Heather". Maybe there's a bit of Heather Lockyear behind that, but over the years it's been reinforced by meeting Heathers who have also been drop-dead gorgeous blondes. One of my wife's doctors is such a Heather, as is a good buddy's ex.

I definitely don't have your image of "Laura". But that's because the first girl I sorta dated (jr. high school-level "dating") was a Laura. She was the piano accompanist to my flute performances. She was the first girl who took me into her bedroom and closed the door behind us. Her intent was to make out, obviously, but since we were 12, it was the classic "girls mature before boys" situation. So I was behind the curve and didn't get it when she put on a record of another piano-flute duo to mask her intentions. Memory is strong here - she was very pretty and had a rockin' figure, and was still a major looker when we reacquainted at our 20th HS reunion.

Bottom line? I'm unlikely to use "Heather" and "Laura" in any of my stories. Mental images are too vivid.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I intend to use a lesbian couple named Violet and Corky in a story sometime in the future. It will be a nod to the sexual discovery of the undeniable fact I liked women more than men. I watched when Mum and Pops were at a chamber of commerce banquet about three months after they became my foster parents. Of course, I knew I didn't like men before that because of all the abuse by my father and as a (not quite) teenage runaway.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

How are you feeling, Millie?

 

[ChloeTzang]

For some reason, I'm thinking about one of those strange ones with chocolate in it. Is that odd, or perhaps just the meds killing tastes for seven decades of plain, straight-out-of-the-pot coffee?

Love those flavored coffees. I have a caramel-flavored espresso right now, except it's about 4 espressos and frothed milk in a normal coffee mug. Should keep me going until I finish work and get home.....might not need the car after 4 espressos. LOL

 

[ChloeTzang]

Anyone know a quick and easy way to clean the buildup in the coffee pots?

I run vinegar and water thru the coffee machine, followed by flushing it with straight water a couple of times. For the pot I just use boiling water and a lot of detergent with a bottle brush to scrub and if I really go crazy I'll toss it in the dishwasher after that.

 

[Candy_Kane54]

There's a fresh pot of coffee on and for those who like flavors, I dug out a couple of bottles of Torani - Hazelnut and Irish Cream that TxRad had stashed up in the cabinet. We have cupcakes with cream cheese icing on the counter and the teapot is hot for anyone who wants a cuppa.

As usual, I'll be over in the corner trying to put words on paper, and likely failing miserably ...

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Oh, Candy! That all sounds delicious, but I'm allergic to it - every time I eat such, I break out in fat.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Morning all, I hope you're getting those gifts purchased and wrapped up. I'm still on the mend, but I feel better and better. Today, the Doc said my lungs are nearly clear. My SATs are back up to 97. Can 98 or 99 be far away? My nooning cup of magic is too cool now, so gonna get a new one.

 

[NotWise]

I saw something this afternoon that I've never seen before.

About fifteen minutes after I got to my office there was a loud drumming from outside, north of the building. I got up and looked out the window to see what was going on. Initially I thought I was watching a Native American dance in the courtyard of the apartments across the street then realized it was a Native Mexican dance.

There was an alter backed by the Mexican flag and flanked by two banners of the Virgin of Guadalupe. There were four drummers beside the altar and twenty dancers in front of it. Four of the dancers where in white, red, and gold costumes and acted as leaders and the other sixteen were in black, red and gold costumes and usually arranged in two lines of eight, perpendicular to the altar.

They danced for a half hour. It must have been exhausting, especially for the lead dancers. The dance changed now and then but it never stopped. The dancers used a variety of percussion instruments, and there were calls from time to time. I could make out "viva" and "Guadalupe." Near the end the beat became subdued and the dancers approached the alter in groups to kneel. Then they fell back into their rows and the lead dancers led the group of onlookers to the altar.

It ended when two of the lead dancers picked up the banners of Guadalupe and led the dancers and spectators out of the courtyard.

I hit Google right away when it ended. Today is the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

It's also L'escalade de Genève day. Celebrated in Geneva by smashing chocolate cauldrons filled with marzipan vegetables and yelling 'Ainsi périrent les ennemis de la République!' Thus perished the enemies of the Republic!

Apparently the besieged citizens held off an invasion by Savoy, by pouring hot vegetable soup over the city walls. (Swiss friend has now arranged for a marmite to be brought over, so is less sad to miss it).

 

[NotWise]

The Christmas candy has arrived! We get a shipment every year from one of my wife's friends. The candy's ok, but I'm holding out for the cookies, and those come closer to Christmas Day.

And Nick and Rachel are arguing on the sidewalk. She's missed her bus. He needs to know what she wants, and when it's all over they need to be friendly again. I'm folding some complicated things into dialogue.

 

[Duleigh]

Excuse that loud banging noise you're hearing. That's me beating my head against my monitor. It's been quite busy here, not the least of which was my phone dying and the unnamed carrier making replacement nearly impossible. I sent in an essay - Stormwatch, a Readers Guide. Basically an essay on what I was planning to do with the series and how I was going to clean up the time line... and it was REJECTED!

Ummm... It only had 500 words. ME! The 750 word story guy failed to be verbose enough to make it to the pages of Lit.

It's been a rough month.

 

[NotWise]

Excuse that loud banging noise you're hearing. That's me beating my head against my monitor. It's been quite busy here, not the least of which was my phone dying and the unnamed carrier making replacement nearly impossible. I sent in an essay - Stormwatch, a Readers Guide. Basically an essay on what I was planning to do with the series and how I was going to clean up the time line... and it was REJECTED!

Ummm... It only had 500 words. ME! The 750 word story guy failed to be verbose enough to make it to the pages of Lit.

It's been a rough month.

You only need to add one word for every two you already have. Get to work!

 

[Duleigh]

You only need to add one word for every two you already have. Get to work!

All I had to do was include the SECOND PAGE that I spaced out when I submitted . (I need a fresh monitor to bash, I've worn this one out)

 

[NotWise]

All I had to do was include the SECOND PAGE that I spaced out when I submitted . (I need a fresh monitor to bash, I've worn this one out)

You're just makin' work for Laurel.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Well, Christmas is sorted. Most of the things I've ordered won't turn up until after Christmas, including the golden retriever pup. He's only two weeks old, and we meet the parents Sunday.

We've been looking for another dog for a while. Bec wanted a pug, or a French bulldog, or a (shudder) Chihuahua. I wanted a dog that I could take for walk and not look silly. (No offence intended, Duleigh).Personally, I like labradors, so I think this is a good compromise.