Illusions and Delusions

The notion of perspective and its involvement in shaping (just about) everything in the story remains at the forefront of the plotting and pondering process. Toying with the idea of multiple narrators (first or third) is an option to consider, as it’s an effective, if complex method of telling the full story. Then again, having too many narrators and multiple perspectives has the potential to be too complicated, with too many tangents for the reader in which to invest their time and emotions. The A Song of Ice and Fire book saga series falls into this category, though the television adaptation has streamlined / combined / removed some of the narrative threads, for better or for worse.  While the MASC Chronicles won’t be falling into the multiple narrator rabbit hole, the expository exercise of (mentally) writing the other narrative perspectives and its place in the sequence of events will be plotted and pondered.

The illusions (or delusions, depending on the perspective) of the characters and their place in the narrative feeds into the overall shaping of the plot and the potential twists. It colors the storytelling and the validity of the narrative, leading (manipulating?) the reader toward certain biases in relation to the character’s actions in the story. Shifting the narrative from the protagonist to the antagonist (or vice versa) could potentially change the outcome of the plot (launching a flurry of speculative fan fiction). There are (almost always) reasons why good and / or bad things happen to characters. Sometimes it’s based on their actions / reactions; sometimes it’s a matter of circumstance, being at the right / wrong place and the wrong / right time. So the notion of “good” and “evil” is subjective… to a point – there are actions / traits that are exclusively good and evil by any definition (though some could argue that there is room for interpretation).

This entry is partly inspired by my current theatrical fixation of the moment (and for the next few months) – Sunset Boulevard, which I saw (again). The illusions (or delusions, depending on the perspective) the characters hold about themselves and their (perceived) place in society is colored from the perspective from which the story is told. It throws a spotlight (figuratively and literally) on how the events of the plot come to be, and what happens when those illusions / delusions are shattered.

Things in the Land of Exposition have been slow, as a frosty blanket of snow and ice fell unexpectedly (though given winter will be hanging about for the next few weeks, it should not have been a surprise) and the Real Life Brigade launching a few zingers that could / would / most likely change things (whether or not it will be for the better remains questionable). Nevertheless, lots of plotting and pondering and pondering about plotting remains the objective, with the everlasting hope of actual!writing actually!happening.

Hopefully, the illusions (delusions?) of that happening in the near future will remain intact, and I could (potentially) return to that 85K90 project thingy.

But then again writing on a strict schedule has never been my strong point, aside from my quasi-random musings for this blog. If only I could have the pantsing blog pixie motivate the planning story gnome…

Ooh, more characters for the meta series

Maybe.

I have to plot and ponder (more) about that.

NaNoWriMo (2016) Update #1

So it’s a few days into November, and NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is in full swing… for a good percentage of those participating.

Though I’m not entirely sure why I decided (once again) to attempt the challenge of writing a 50,000-word novel within 30 days – I’ve yet to succeed or even make it to the halfway mark in the past four years – I’ve blogged about three of the four attempts thus far, and it’d be odd to not blog about this year. Also, while I could choose to develop and (potentially) actually!write any one of the multitude of stories contained within the MASC Chronicles, or any of the other works-in-progress bouncing about in my head, this year’s attempt is Something New.

I hope.

The origin of the (quasi?) new story came about randomly two entries ago, even though it’s been a lingering nugget of an idea, hidden (almost) in plain sight – the basic premise for the 2016 NaNoWriMo is that there’s a device (not quite sure if it’s an actual thingy, an app or something completely different) that can instantaneously extract thoughts directly from the mind and on to a Word-like program and / or on to paper (for those who are still vintage like that), and the potential chaos / hilarity that can ensue when literal thoughts are transcribed in real time. I suppose this type of story would fall under  science fiction, with perhaps a morsel of mystery, a smidgen of suspense, and (maybe) a hint of humor.

The working title for this story is The Mind Writer.

Beyond that, and the aforementioned premise, not much else has been fleshed out – the time, place and reality in which the story takes place is currently in a kind of limbo, though in a way the process and the premise take on a meta quality, as the existence of this device thingy would help enormously in the writing of the story about the existence of this device thingy and the things that might happen if this device thingy existed.

Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey. (kinda)

Clearly, the overall structure of this story is still in a nebulous state, somewhere in the ether of the Mind.

That’s about all I have thus far.

Epiphanies Grand and Quasi

During the course of the writing process (including the Blogging Era) pondering and plotting has led to epiphanies of varying degrees. Some were interesting notions that led to plot twists, while others were of such epic quality that its very existence changed the foundation of the narrative arc. A smattering of the former appeared, disappeared and reappeared (albeit with minor differences) over the years, while the presence of the latter was rare yet monumental. Each successive Grand Epiphany adds to the overall status of the various works in progress, most of which have been for the MASC Chronicles (one expanded the series from a Simple three book trilogy to an Epic three part series saga), though some of the epiphanies have led to the creation of (or at least the possibility for) another story series, the most recent being Tales from the Land of Exposition, the quasi-meta series which may or may not include snippets from this blog; though from a certain point of view, these blog entries could possibly turn into a collection of essays written in real time – a kind of live journal, though I never actually used LiveJournal itself; I don’t think I was that tech savvy back in those days…

But I digress.

Ideas come in many shapes and sizes, and the inspiration from which they arrive range from the commonplace to the unexpected. For a lot of writers, brilliant story and or character ideas are dreamt up (in and out of one’s philosophy) in quasi-inconvenient places (in the shower, on a crowded subway, or in those fleeting moments before REM sleep kicks in) where they live in the limbo of the mind before they are written (either by pen or via computer) for limited posterity, filed away to be expanded upon or referenced at a future date. Inspiration can also derive from external sources – friends, entertainment media, or real world events; insertions of such ideas can potentially change the narrative arc or character traits, opening the door to infinite possibilities (hopefully ones that have not already been done).

Plotting, pondering and planning for such circumstances, and incorporating them (wherever plausible) is a feat worth undertaking – though there does come that time where the plotting, pondering and planning gives way to actual!writing.

That time will come.

But not quite yet.

Character and world building (along with its history and consequences) takes precedence, though a multitude of scenes and conversations among the (ever expanding) cast of characters have been mind-written, from almost every perspective and with various sequences of events, all with the objective (if that’s the right word) of figuring out the narrative structure that makes the most semblance of sense (so that the plot twists are unexpected and mind imploding).

There’s work to be done, and magic to do (just for you) though no actual magic will be included…

So far.

Time will tell.

It always does.

Meta For Metaphors

I like metaphors.

It’s fun to create ones for other to decipher, and it’s equally fun to attempt to find them in other people’s works. Though whether or not metaphors are actually present is entertaining, and quite the mental exercise.

Anyway.

This is not too surprising for those who regularly (or even quasi-regularly) follow the (usually random) musings within this blog. I ramble about the goings on of the Muses, the meanderings of the plot bunnies and (fairly recently) the antics of the Real Life Brigade – all of whom (at varying degrees) reside in the Land of Exposition, and are frequent visitors to the Character Development Inn, playing the Game of Genres.

Read into what you will from all that.

I constantly (albeit not that consistently) plot and ponder what types of metaphors to formulate for my characters and the environs in which they find themselves. The potential (inevitable) direction to twist history / reality so that the world in which the aforementioned characters live is different than the one of which we know gives ample opportunity for symbolism and metaphor. It’s similar to television shows such as Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Quantum Leap, Sliders (to name but a few, and I’m sure by naming those particular examples, I’ve dated myself) where assumptions and preconceived ideas are questioned, reversed or obliterated altogether. It makes one question the status quo and why things happened the way they did / do (justly or otherwise).

The pondering and plotting continues, along with the refining and reorganizing of narrative arcs, character relationships and exposition. The main (epic) work in progress, the quasi-cryptic and nebulous MASC Chronicles is in the process of being reassessed and plot points are being fed into the (in)famous (?) FanGirl Meter (patent pending) to purge the high melodrama and cliches.

Not an easy task, considering there’s about 20 years’ worth of plot points, character development and outlines to sift through. Deciding which to revive, which to revise and which to repel will be revealing.

I also like alliterations.

The foundation is there (somewhere buried deep amid the quagmire of distractions and digressions), and the new / old idea of paying homage to the four names which have miraculously survived (relatively unscathed) through the decades of my writing journey has become an interesting plot twist.

While I’ve written about the Power of Three (and multiples thereof) and its significance, the Rule of Four (not to be confused by the novel of the same name) has emerged as a new(ish) thing. Though I’m not too superstitious about the connotation of the numbers three and four within the Chinese culture (the enunciation of three sounding similar to “birth” and four sounding similar to “death”), it’s there in my subconscious.

Come to think of it, that might be a useful plot twist in and of itself.

… and there goes yet another plot bunny.

As those who regularly follow this blog, it’s written directly into WordPress in real time, with minimal edits along the way, so essentially it’s a weekly snapshot of a long (winded) stream of consciousness.

Updates (of a kind) from the Land of Exposition:

Not too much is going on, at least on a grand scale – plots are being plotted, Muses are musing and the Real Life Brigade is distracted by the multitude of tasks of cleaning house and reorganizing themselves in a coherent manner.

The Tales from the Land of Exposition will be written; exactly when is anyone’s guess.

Then again, this entire blog might very well be part of The Tales from the Land of Exposition.

Hidden in a metaphor.

Oh, and the four names that survived the Journey (and have guaranteed themselves a place in the MASC Chronicles – the exact place and their role within that reality) are (in no particular order) as follows:

Charles Goldman.

Lucinda Huntley.

Alec Hartledge.

Aldrich Manfield.

Remember those names.

Though for most of them, I can’t recall the exact origin behind those names…

 

Doubts and Digressions

Sometimes I wonder why I keep writing this blog even though I rarely (ever) have anything substantial to add to the (lack of) progress in the writing process for the various literary works in progress. Despite my discipline and (uncanny) ability to actually!write something for this blog on a weekly basis within a (usually) short span of time, the words that are written and posted here rarely have anything to do with the aforementioned works in progress. Ideas buzz about in my head, various storylines, snippets of exposition, conversation and inner monologue, yet they remain stored in the mainframe that is my brain, though sometimes the aforementioned are random and absurd and probably should remain untold (perhaps they’ll resurface as bonus features in the far off future).

For those following this blog (are there any?), most of what will be written here is not so new – I’m sure I’ve expressed these thoughts, musings and doubts (many times) in previous entries. Sometimes I wish I could apply the same discipline I have for writing for this blog to the actual!writing of my works in progress. (I can almost hear the retort of “Yes, you should stop complaining and actually apply that discipline to the actual!writing process” – I know of one fellow aspiring writer who would say this to me, though probably with saltier language and sarcastic emojis).

If only I had a TARDIS (and a sonic screwdriver) to find the time (and energy) to really!focus on plotting, pondering and actually!writing. Things in the Land of Exposition are hectic and unstable, as the fallout from the Real Life Brigade implosion resulted in tiny yet substantial aftershocks – the pollen is floating in the air, mingling with the omnipresent bacon aroma, creating minor tectonic shifts from all the sneezing. The clean-up has been exhausting, coordinating the meager resources to contain the multiple inquiries, projects and other things that pop up unexpectedly. Most of the Muses have departed from the Land of Exposition, citing reasons to recharge, reflect and recover; the plot bunnies keep bouncing about, attempting to make sense of what has happened. The Character Development Inn remains nearly empty, even though its cupboards have been restocked with an array of interesting foodstuffs.

As much of the time has been spent reorganizing, regrouping and resting from the efforts to get things back to normal (or whatever passes as normal these days), not much time has been spent on the finer nuances of the MASC Chronicles, Carpe Noctem or the Tales from the Land of Exposition. The ideas are there (the interesting, the meh and the absurd) yet the urge (and the energy) to organize them in a coherent fashion is lacking (at the moment).

Or in other words, I’m literally exhausted from Real Life to write. Yes, this will most likely sound like an excuse (and to be honest, at times it probably is) – it’s a flimsy excuse for my lack of progress while other writers are able to crank out stories (of varying lengths). Logically, I shouldn’t compare the speed of my progress (which is currently at a glacial pace) to anyone else’s (whether they’re trotting along at a brisk pace or speeding down the highway), but it’s kinda human nature to compare oneself to others.

Everyone moves at a different pace, and everyone has different circumstances in their lives that impact on their ability to plot, ponder and actually!write.

Of course, I could have used the time I spent writing this entry to go actually!write (or plot and ponder) the aforementioned works in progress.

Then again, if I did that, then this entry wouldn’t exist, and I’d be behind in the weekly updates writing about how there’s a lack of progress in the writing process.

Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey.

Brief aside – I’m feeling optimistic about the new companion, and curious about the direction Doctor Who will take in the next series/season (though I wish we didn’t have to wait until next year). On the other hand, Game of Thrones started its new season with interesting twists and turns – now that the TV show has caught up (for the moment at least) with the book series, everyone is on an even playing field – no one (aside from author George R.R. Martin, and the TV showrunners) knows what will happen next.

Enough blathering here (again) – off to plot and ponder.

Again.

The Authorship Question

“How much of your book is autobiographical?”

It’s among the standard questions authors are asked when the topic arises, and the answer can range from being obvious to obscure – sometimes there’s a direct correlation to the writer’s own experiences, and other times it’s purely removed from any aspect of the writer’s “real” life. Then again, (unless the story in question actually is an autobiography) there would be some smidgen of the writer’s own reality within the story he/she is writing, as the idea itself came forth from his/her imagination. It would make sense that there be some truth within the fiction.

Figuring out how much (if any) is hidden in the stories is the tricky (fun?) part.

I would like to think that an author includes some aspect of their real life into their stories – whether it be a character trait the protagonist (or antagonist) possesses or an element within the narrative arc. Inspiration comes from many places, and life events can be transmogrified into a work of fiction, regardless of genre.  The people one meets and the places one visits influence your perspective and factor in how you go about in this world (whether or not there is a world beyond this world is questionable, and would make for an interesting story in and of itself).

Then there’s the issue of writing style and tone, which can be reflective of the writer or serve as a facade to further confuse readers with regards to the writer and his/her “true” identity. It becomes a question of discerning between the public and private persona – how he/she chooses to present themselves to the world may or may not be how he/she truly is. The degree to which an author is like the characters they create is variable – sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, and maybe not at all. That’s the fun in writing fiction – the limits to which one can stretch the imagination are endless, and (especially when writing mystery/horror stories) the (often horrible) things one can do to fictional characters is cathartic (and won’t lead to prosecution so long as they remain on the written page).

The authorship question would arise if scholars in the far distant future would attempt to ascertain the identity of a particular work of literature, should such a question arise. This would be relevant if the authorship of a work of literature is questionable  – as in the case of the works of William Shakespeare (who died 400 years ago today, and is the quasi inspiration of this entry). As a theater dork/geek/nerd, it’s fascinating that the mystery of whether or not Shakespeare wrote the plays (and/or the sonnets) endures to this day. There are loads of theories that other (perhaps not as famous) playwrights “actually” wrote the plays, from the plausible to the absurd (there isn’t enough time to go through all the theories at great length, so I won’t).

Anyway.

These days, there are intricate algorithms that can analyze a writer’s work and identify a writer in question, should there be an authorship question – there are even websites that can analyze a piece of writing and compare it to other (notable and famous) writers. So the authorship question may no longer be questionable if there is an identifiable piece of writing attributed to said writer.

Maybe.

So, how much of my writing is autobiographical?

Yes. (and that’s all I’m prepared to divulge at this time)

(Almost) Three Years Later…

So nearly three years have passed since I started this blog, chronicling the journey (or lack thereof) of writing the stories I plotted out many, many moons ago; since then many things have changed.

Yes they have, though it might not seem so, given the lack of actual!writing or actual!imparting of actual!details about the actual!narrative…

(OK, I might have been a bit overzealous with the exclamation points, but they’re there to their point…)

Anyway.

As the anniversary of this journey is (quasi) fast approaching, another round of reminiscences, reflections and regrets (?) is forthcoming. (Alliteration seems to be the Name of the Game in recent weeks.) New projects had been created, plotted and pondered, and inevitably never finished (a recurring theme), while older projects have been arranged, rearranged, discarded and revived along the way. A brief foray into the world of NaNoWriMo (which I misspelled throughout my foray into that mythical land), both the camp version in April/July and the regular version in November resulted in some (but not that much) actual!writing, and the (Captain Obvious) realization that my writing process does not work on a set schedule (at least outside these weekly updates/musings/whatnot).

The main WIP is still out and about, though more about than out, as I tend to keep an aura of mystery about it, lest I need to rewrite/revise any details after the fact. Other quasi-stand alone projects have come forth from the main epic saga (the elusive MASC Chronicles), as well as the creation of the Land of Exposition and the Follies that have happened within, mainly from the efforts of the Real Life Brigade.

In writing those entries (the updates, the mini-tour, etc.), it almost seems as if I’m focusing on the “wrong” genre – that essay writing and absurd streams of thought are the genre (or rather format) from which I should be writing. Most of what is written here is spontaneous, quasi-rambling and (for the most part) unedited from the time the words are typed into WordPress to the time the “Publish” button is pressed and the entry is shared on Facebook.

(I probably should have created a Twitter presence at the start, but I don’t have the time to monitor it, and maintain using it as I should – maybe someday when actual!writing is actually!written, I might start one). Then again, considering all the trolling, passive aggressive commenting and other tedious (and often juvenile) nonsense that goes on there, I might not bother to do so until I really have to.

As a confirmed introvert (I took several online quizzes confirming this status), it’s not too surprising that not that much detail is revealed (or at least I don’t think so), which also explains the lack of omnipresent presence on Social Media. As the plots sequence of events falls into place, the subplots and tangents are squared away, and a sense of normalcy returns to the Land of Exposition, trace details on what the heck I’m actually!planning to actually!write will be revealed.

And maybe, just maybe, I’ll reveal what “MASC” stands for.

Maybe.

Quasi-updates for the State of the Land of Exposition:

An air of uncertainty, instability and general confusion lingers in the (still) bacon-infused atmosphere.

*cue dramatic music*

No one knows what will happen next.

Maybe.

Further Updates from the Land of Exposition

Taken from the Musings of Plot Bunny #126;88-O.G.

Celestial Time Stamp: 525600-32297/1117.94

Weather: Dark and stormy, with a 88.6% chance of melodrama

Quasi-dark times loom upon the horizon.

Things in the Land of Exposition have imploded in a Technicolor fashion. The Real Life Brigade have lost the plot – figuratively and literally (but mostly figuratively, using alliterative metaphors that make no sense whatsoever, which is probably the point). Restless, frustrated and generally irritated at everything, they’ve crossed that invisible line of demarcation to wage a new(ish) battle for anarchy and nonsense.

The analysis of the Land Mines proved to be the ultimate red herring – the lingering aroma of maple syrup, mixed with the infusion of bacon and coffee created an aura of complacency that everything was going to be all right. Easter eggs wrapped in purple knitted scarves appeared upon all the monitors within the FanGirl Meter (patent pending), [raspberry] jamming the signals and creating havoc. The Muses attempted to contain the chaos, but the virus proved to be evasive and strangely melodic, with a conga beat. Many of the plot bunnies succumbed to the conga beat, shaking their bushy tails with alarming precision.

The choreography is hypnotic, impressive in its coordination and style.

But I digress.

Meanwhile, the scientist and philosophers on loan from the University of Universal Knowledge have admitted temporary defeat in their miscalculation with regards to the significance of the land minds. They have since retreated from the Land of Exposition, taking a few of the purple plaid land minds as a reminder of their failure (and a nifty souvenir).

The remaining uncoordinated plot bunnies have gone underground to regroup and to formulate a counteroffensive that is not overly offensive. According to the kitchen staff (who had remained fairly neutral in the initial skirmish) the Character Development Inn is nearly empty, as the plot ninja aligned with the Real Life Brigade have commandeered the space to chart their findings from their extensive analysis of data. The impact from the results of the aforementioned data is questionable, and will probably take even more time to properly process. Despite their resurgence, it seems there is still unrest amid the leaders of the Real Life Brigade, as they plot and ponder their next move.

How things will turn out in the near (and far) future remains to be seen.

Not much else can be said about the State of things, but warning signs have been placed around the borders of the Land of Exposition:

Absurd times ahead.

Nonsense lies beyond the point.

Logic will not help you here.

*end Log*

More Updates From the Land of Exposition

Extract from The Tales from the Land of Exposition – Journal of Plot Monitor #9

Celestial Time Stamp: Earlier than Expected

Weather: Congested, with bouts of intermittent nonsense

Things in the Land of Exposition are (almost) back to status quo, though random flare-ups from the Real Life Brigade pop up every now and then. The changes in the weather patterns have cause mild chaos and the aroma of caramel lingers in the air – a welcome addition, given the perpetual scent of bacon and maple syrup, a clear indication that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, along with the omnipresent aroma of coffee, which fuels the muses and plot bunnies within the Land of Exposition via osmosis. No one knows who (or how) perfected the art (craft?) of infusing the atmosphere with pure caffeine. It just happened.

Ideas float about the air like the morning mist, swirling about the foliage – a rolling fog of possibilities attempting to find the “right” path to actuality. Characters within the MASC Chronicles, both quasi-established and quasi-stuck in limbo pace the length of the hallowed halls of the Character Development Inn, wondering when they’ll be able to do the things they’re supposed to do, and where their narrative arc will lead. Plot points appear and vanish with numbing regularity – most get logged in and brought to the Vault, with the hopes of being used in the distant future.

Organization is a key component, though never quite executed properly – names change, personalities switch, and narrative arcs move from one time frame to the other (and back). The FanGirl Meter (patent pending) makes valiant attempts to find the logic in the mess, applying its semi-awesome powers to outside projects -freelance editing is a relatively new venture in honing its core functions while fine-tuning the (new) sarcasm feature.

Inspiration flurries in from unexpected places, causing the aforementioned ideas to shift accordingly in an effort to re-examine perspective and purpose. Reality and fantasy collide, with a dash of the absurd – logic seldom finds its voice amid the chatter. Dragons, wizards and vampires battle each other (and among themselves) to be heard – the Plot Bunnies have created a side business in betting on these skirmishes, which in and of itself is an amusing distraction from the actual!writing that should be happening but isn’t.

Despite the distractions and digressions, or perhaps because of them, hope lingers about – the hope that somehow, someday, something will be written down, either via keyboard or via pen and paper, and that something will be worth all the procrastination and false starts.

Time continues to march on, albeit in a perpetual wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey manner. Efforts to hone enough concentration to get to the end of that (very long) rainbow are optimistic.

At least for the time being – things have a strange way of changing (for better or for worse), which is part of the adventure/mystery that is the World of the Writer.

The Value of Humor

It’s a well known fact that comedy is hard. For the most part, it’s subjective, dependent upon the cultural, ethnic, political and/or religious context from which the joke originates. It’s also constantly evolving, as perspectives / attitudes on race, ethnicity and religion changes – certain words and jokes considered funny decades/centuries ago are now deemed offensive. It’s a fine, fine line between hilarity and heresy, and finding that balance is key in any medium.

The Meta entries were a quasi-attempt to write something comedic or at least something not overly (melo)dramatic, though the context in which my quirky (geeky) brand of humor might be lost for those who don’t understand the references. [For those interested, or haven’t noticed, I tend to sprinkle references to musical theatre, Star Wars, and Doctor Who (among others) throughout these blog entries, because I’m that much of a dork). Then again, most of the blog entries are quasi-humorous, or at least mildly entertaining, all without intending to be – sometimes I feel I’m attempting to write in the wrong genre…

Anyway.

The inspiration for this entry (a quasi-return to essay topic writing) came from my recent theatre excursion (as often happens as the “other” side of my writing life slowly emerges) seeing the off-Broadway production of Old Hats (I’ll be working on that entry for my other blog after I finish this one). The show is essentially comprised of comedic skits (mostly in mime) with musical interludes in between skit – the humor within the show transcends time and is relevant for all ages.

Then again, humor on stage (and screen) is different than humor in stories, as the visual and audio component is removed, and left dependent upon the reader’s sensibilities and experiences. I’m a fan of the Bryant and May novel series by Christopher Fowler as well as the Thursday Next novel series by Jasper Fforde, both of which infuse humor amid the mystery – sprinkling touches of absurdity and running gags throughout the series arc. I aspire to write the kinds of stories they write, with some of the other literary elements thrown in for good measure.

Quasi-update on the State of things in the Land of Exposition:

• The snow has melted away and left muddy puddles everywhere – the Dance of the Snowflakes has been prohibited under pain of being bopped by the Mallet of Doom.
• Most of the Land Minds have been found, and defused. It’s still a mystery why they all smell like maple syrup.
• The uneasy truce between the Real Life Brigade and the Literary Muses remains intact, though pockets of panic appear every now and then – wherein they often turn their bright eyes around.

That’s about all that needs to be said about that.

Onward and something.

I don’t even know if any of this makes any sense.

Oh well.

Back to the writing board.

Again.