External Writing

ROBOWRITERS ASSIGNMENT

The assignment this week is to randomly throw together a word, an image and an object and from that develop a scene. This is a good way to exercise developing material through influence and suggestion rather than waiting for good idea to pop up in your brain toaster,

For the word, any book will do, but I think a dictionary works best. Just open it up, stick your finger in it and see what word your are pointing at. Try to resist the temptation to shop around until you find the "right" word. I just grabbed a book off the shelf behind me called The Cynic's Lexicon, a book of quotes, co,piled by Jonathan Green. I opened it up at random and and my index finger pointed at the word "selfish."

For the image, I recommend a coffee table book. I don't think a photo album is good for this assignment, unless it belongs to someone else. If you're familiar with the subjects, it will lock you in too much on what your scene can be about. Here's an image chosen at random from a book of album covers...



For the object, I recommend opening up a junk drawer or an old box in the attic, basement or the back of the closet. I think it's important the the object be small enough for you to be able to hold in your hand. I found a candle. A tapered white candle, burned about a fourth of the way down.

So, my three things are the word "selfish," a picture of three guys, perhaps Lifesavas, from a movie called "Gutterfly," and a candle.

Now let those three forces start doing the work in your imagination. I'm already imagining a guy in New York who is desperate to rise to stardom, but can't even afford, or isn't willing to spend money on, things like utilities. Or a smooth operator who invites a lady over and she finds his apartment full of candles. At first she thinks this is romantic, but then she discovers his electricity was shut off.



ONE MESSAGE. LOUD AND CLEAR. TOMORROW!

"Impeach Bush Now"
Google hits: 50,500
(up 200 from Friday)

If you just search "impeach Bush,"
it's 1,760,000 hits

Tuesday, March 4th - get your voice heard by creating a worldwide Cyber Shout. Post on your blog, message boards, comment sections, wherever you can, "Impeach Bush Now!"

In my latest Google search I found what looks to be a very well written book called Impeach the President by Dennis Loo and Peter Phillips.Dennis also has an excellent insightful blog that you can find HERE.



THE BS NEWS QUIZ OF THE DAY

Friday I asked...

"Sheetz convenience stores in Pennsylvania have upset many customers over the new ad slogan for their chicken sandwich, which is what?"

28% said "Go ahead. Lick it."
- That line never worked for me, either.

No one selected "Try rubbing it." or "Everything but the butt."
- Although, I would be more inclined to try an animal product if I knew it was sans anus.

73% got it right with "Crispy Frickin' Chicken"

According to the AP, a convenience store chain's billboard advertising its fried chicken sandwich is ruffling the feathers of some residents. Sheetz unveiled the "Crispy Frickin' Chicken" billboards at the beginning of February. The campaign is aimed at young adults, and the company did not intend to offend anyone, Sheetz said.

I never considered "frickin'" much of a swear word. It's sort of like "heck," to me. A friendly alternative to saying the worse word. The fact that people waste their time and energy working themselves up into a tizzy over such a thing is mind-boggling to me. Aren't there more important things to angry about? If the people who called and complained about these billboards put as much effort into booting Bush out of office, maybe we'd get somewhere.