feeding change

In a society so fixed on dates to dictate their emotions, this is the time of year when everyone thinks about how they will improve themselves and their lives in the time to come. In reality, we all do this everyday, but the dominent media of our society tell us that now is the time when we really must think about changing ourselves. Whatever, even a stopped clock tells the correct time twice a day.

So here they are for 2004:

1. stop using cliches in my ‘infant blog’ – to steal a term from chandrasutra

2. write more.

That’s it.

As a writer, these resolutions will surely put me on the path to prosperity (however you define it). It follows that writing more will bring more success, which will bring more happiness, which is the ultimate goal of all resolutions anyway.

So, to ensure the fulfilment of this resolution, last week I set out a challenge to myself. I have already failed it on several occasions, but actually typing it out will put me under more pressure to succeed.

My challenge is to write a chapter a day for my new kids book.

I have the idea and I’m ready to spit out a first draft, which are always terrible and should never be fretted over. The book will be an ‘easy reader’ running about 15 000 words, over 12 chapters. So each chapter is only about 1000 words. 1000 words a day of a first draft is doable (I’m telling myself this, not you).

Since throwing down this challenge, I’ve written three terrible chapters and I’m well on my way to finishing a dispicable fourth. It’s painful to read, but I see the nuggets in there and know where it needs work.

I’ll describe the story in greater detail in a future post, but right now I should get back to writing! And if you’re a writer reading this: Close this window and get back to it!!

Have a good end to ‘03. Be seeing you in ‘04.

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This is a new blog, so it?s still evolving into whatever it?ll be when it?s done evolving, which won?t be anytime soon. One thing I have thought about is the name of this page, feed. I was proud when I came up with it and started building the page in merry isolation.

I figured feed would be a great title because that?s what I was doing with this page: just sending stuff out for others to consume. I was happy with the positive slant to the title feed.

But then, as with all ideas in this wired (and not wired) world, I figured I?d give it a google and see who else had thought of it (I?m not na?ve enough to think that I was the first). And that?s when I found M.T. Anderson?s book ?Feed?.

I?ve been a big fan of Anderson since 1999, when I read ?Burger Wuss? during my shifts at a major Canadian bookstore that bought out the other major Canadian bookstore. Anyone who has ever worked in a fast food restaurant or was ever 16 must read “Burger Wuss”.

And anyone who has ever interacted with the internet must read ?Feed?. The plot, while very good, is to me, less important than the frame with in which the whole story is set.

Here?s a quote from the blurb on the Candlewick website:

?For Titus and his friends, it started out like any ordinary trip to the moon – a chance to party during spring break and play around with some stupid low-grav at the Ricochet Lounge. But that was before the crazy hacker caused all their feeds to malfunction, sending them to the hospital to lie around with nothing inside their heads for days. And it was before Titus met Violet, a beautiful, brainy teenage girl who knows something about what it?s like to live without the feed-and about resisting its omnipresent ability to categorize human thoughts and desires.

M. T. Anderson has created a brave new world – and a hilarious new lingo – sure to appeal to anyone who appreciates smart satire, futuristic fiction laced with humor, or any story featuring skin lesions as a fashion statement.

Identity crises, consumerism, and star-crossed teenage love in a futuristic society where people connect to the Internet via feeds implanted in their brains.?

That dystopian view of the feed is much more accurate than my positive, hopeful, ?I?ll feed you and you feed me? crap. But I?m keeping the name and tipping my hat to M.T. Anderson, who is poised to become one of the next important writers for future young minds. Check out ?Feed? and pick it up for a young consumer close to your heart.

BTW: Did you know that word ?dystopia? isn?t recognized by the spellchecker in Word 97? Not surprising.

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With yesterday’s capture of Santa’s evil brother, kids around the world are excited at the prospect of an “incident-free” Christmas.

Good Santa has given strict orders to his troops in Iraq to dish out sackfuls of Christmas cheer to as many Iraqi children as possible, whether they want it or not.

“Regardless of their religion,” the man in red told a press conference yesterday, “these poor children need to learn the meaning of Christmas, goddamnit!”

Word is that many of Evil Santa’s rebel elves will continue their campaign of holiday disruption. But there is no doubt that the world is definitely a better place with this bearded menace knocked off his sled.

Evil Santa was last seen bundled in a sack, on his way to the North Pole to face some serious Klaus-Kickin’ justice.

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I’m Googled therefore I am

Are you a Googlebator? Go on, you know you are.

For many on the web (well, me at least) checking your Google ranking is as habitual as wiping your nose with your sleeve. And now finally somebody has given it a name. That means it exists now, right?

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