Thursday 18 October 2007

boots, bombs, and mystery

Deborah Kerr has died. Oh my …”An Affair to Remember” (sigh), “The King and I”, “From Here to Eternity” (that scene on the beach!). She was indeed a class act; a nice Scottish girl.

The Boston Red Sox have won their game tonight! Well done there. A Yankees fan myself, I root for the Sox when they are NOT playing the Yankees; Q’s grandmother is a Sox fan, uh a rabid Sox fan. There is a great deal of angst involved when one is a Red Sox fan…

I had a very productive day indeed. The weather is bloody brilliant – heavy misting rain to outright downpours and 10 to 12 degrees C. Thank you Canada. I love it! My other suitcase (the one with my clothes) arrived during the night, and was delivered to my room this morning. The FedEx package with my shoes and the Princess coat arrived shortly thereafter – so I’m dressed now.

The hotel is nice, and my room has a huge picture window, a roomy couch, desk, and tables, along with a big comfy bed, and a view of the mountains. Good lighting in the bathroom (this is important chaps believe me), and good service so far.

After an early night to bed last night, I was up this morning and downstairs to the quite nice gym (treadmills, elliptic, bikes, mats, and no free weights but the machines) for a hard run. I had a good workout, and then picked up my registration packet for the conference. At one o’clock I attended a class by Hallie Ephron on mystery writing, ergo writing a mystery. I don’t write mysteries (albeit I LOVE reading the good ones) but I think any story needs suspense. It was an excellent class. She is a clear and organized speaker who was entertaining as well; and has written quite a few successful mysteries herself. I met a couple of other writers who are from Canada.

Tomorrow is a full day of lectures, and I have a meeting with one of the agents at 1030 hours. I decided to take the pressure off myself and take the attitude of ‘listen and learn’ since this is my first conference; should anything more happen I will be thrilled. I am looking forward to learning much about the business of writing, and how to sell that writing.

I can’t believe the violence in Pakistan today; or rather I CAN believe it, but it saddens me greatly. My first thought was (because of politic real) to wonder if Musharaf had anything to do with instigating the violence against Bhutto, or if she herself may have planned it in order to stir up sympathy. What a world.

On the other hand I loved the article in The Globe and Mail today, “Swearing by what you do” which says that swearing in the workplace helps boost morale. Now that’s my kind of study!

Ciao.

18 comments:

jmb said...

OK, day one down. I often read a good mystery but have never read any of Hallie Ephron's books so will check this out when the library strike is over. Three months now!

Ah the Princess coat, for the banquet no doubt. Knock them dead.

Stay at home dad said...

This is just a trip away I assume, unless I have missed a great deal! I don't know how you keep it up, but glad you do, it's a great comfort to return...

Whispering Walls said...

Have fun LM. My favourite Canadian writer's Robertson Davies

Pig in the Kitchen said...

have a fab time lady M...i think you could write a mystery!
Pigx

Kim said...

Glad to hear you're having a great time. I knew you'd enjoy that cool weather. And rain to boot! You must be in heaven.

Yborchild said...

As is my custom I was sipping my morning coffee while delighting in reading your charming, witty, and usually clever observations of life. Yes, yes I understood ...The loss of Debra Kerr, the love scene on the beach, the horror of the violence in Pakistan and then in the next sentence quite unexpectedly, the conjecture that perhaps Bhutto herself may have set this tragedy in motion.I was aghast.
It is inconcievable to me that this woman would deliberatly allow her devoted supporters to be sacrificed. I found that comment to be extraordinarily harsh.It left me puzzled. Perhaps I am not as thorough as I need to be regarding the current situation in Pakistan.
As a rule, I am not one to disbelieve that governments and politicians are incapable of committing these sort of actions but what happened yesterday I believe wasn't one of those incidents. The idea of this woman sacrificing her fellow country men,loyal supporters at that, is incongruous and quite unthinkable.

Ellee Seymour said...

Glad you having such a great time and staying fit, as well as keeping us updated. So you like swearing do you, well, well, well.

Glitterstim said...

I looove writing conferences, and it's been so long since I've been to one (maybe 1999?). You made me miss it! I need to get back into it....in the meantime, I'll experience it vicariously through you!

Thanks!
;o) BJ

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hello, Lady M. So there you are! Sad about DK - "An Affair to Remember" makes me cry buckets. Totally with you on bathroom lighting - essential. I have the same suspicions as you re Pakistan bombing. Continue to have a good and interesting time and to tell us about it! Auguri from Sicily x

lady macleod said...

jmb

I've never read any of her work but she is a good presenter - very clear and helpful.

I'm looking forward to seeing you on Sunday - lots to tell.

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

stay at home dad

Yes, just checking out North America for a couple of weeks.

thank you for coming by

lady macleod said...

winchester whisperer

I am having fun, but I am listening so hard I'm exhausted - in a good way.

There are a lot of Canadian writers here!

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

piggy

Oh my I have never had the hubris to think I could write a mystery! You are kind, but I do love to read the good ones!

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

kaycle

Ah yes, the weather is brilliant! People keep apologizing for the weather, and I keep smiling.

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

yborchild

I hope you are right, but having spent some time involved in the political and military struggles for power in the world I don't find it without possibility.

Again, I hope you are right.

and thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

ellee

I am and I'm trying. Yes (blushing and kicking my toe under the carpet) I do enjoy cursing. I learned from the best - United States Navy Seals!

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

blogget jones

Great moniker. It is very stimulating and I feel like I'm learning a great deal.

thank you for coming by.

lady macleod said...

welshcakes

I ALWAYS cry at that movie! Q says, "Why do you watch it?" YOU know the answer yes?

thank you for coming by.