Fall Whirlwind
Wow, it has been a whirlwind of a November. It’s almost already over and I don’t know where the time has gone. If you read the last post I wrote, I was supposed to be taking November off for some much needed writing time. However, a little less then a week into writing, I got called to Kentucky to do some video work for my sister’s nonprofit, Hopeful Farm. I got back into town last Sunday and after a week with little computer access, I’m playing “catch up” and also putting together all the video footage that I shot. Anyway, I’ll just have to fit book writing back into my schedule.
Fiction Book
The first week in November I was able to pump out some writing, so I’ll give you a bit of background on my fictional book. Basically, I’ve always been fascinated with spy stories like Young James Bond, Alex Rider and Artemis Fowl. But I’ve also been disappointed with the authors’ lack of redeeming story plot and excess objectionable material. In short, I decided to write a spy story set in the future without all the trash and with some good morals thrown in. I’m not going to give out many more details, and I’m not even going to post an excerpt, however, now you know what my fictional book is going to be about.
Nonfiction Book
I’m not giving out any clues on my nonfiction book. The only thing I’m going to say is that it is a Christian nonfiction book! Does that surprise you?
Thanksgiving
I was in Kentucky when they started playing Christmas music. Actually, I was in a store in Kentucky when I first heard it. At that point, I wanted to calmly walk up to the manager and STRANGLE HIM! However, I didn’t do that because people normally think that is rather inappropriate. When I got back in the car, I was relieved that I couldn’t find a radio station that played Christmas music. I put it off as some random fluke that the store was already playing it.
Now, you have to realize that I was in Kentucky with my older sister and she happened to decide that it was time to buy some new cloths. She dragged me around to a few stores and the last one on the list was Macy’s. I don’t normally have a problem with Macy’s, (except that they let their buildings fall apart), so I didn’t go into Macys intending to strangle the manager. However, I did come out of the store with my ears ringing from “J-I-N-G-L-E Bells!” Yeah, and I didn’t buy anything in there either. Who in their right mind would pay $75.00 for a shirt? I assumed that the stores had just made a pact with the Devil. At least the radio was keeping to the high road.
It didn’t take them long to cave in, though. The next day, I was in a church van with a group of kids when the pastor turned on the radio so he could find Christmas music! How heathen can you get? I mean they actually sang along with the radio to “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
It’s not that I don’t like Andy Williams, Bing Crosby or even Nat King Cole. God totally rest those merry gentlemen! I just don’t like to hear them singing their hearts away before it’s the most wonderful time of the year again. After Thanksgiving, I will be playing the music and singing along like any other normal American fool, but please don’t play that music before I’ve finished eating my turkey! You’ve got four days to wait. Ready, set, and stop playing the darn ol’ Christmas music before Thanksgiving Day!
Oh, and as a note, Christmas Carols don’t include songs like Jingle Bell Rock. Those are usually just called “Holiday Hoopla!”
Hey Eric!
It’s a good thing that I decided to check out your blog to urge you to post! I ended up finding several new posts that I somehow missed the update on…
I can’t stand Christmas music before Thanksgiving. Honestly. And when they start setting up the Christmas tree tents in late October… *wrinkles nose*
**I just got your email! Haha..**
Anyways, I’m glad you had a good November, and let us know when you publish your books! That sounds so awesome!
~Grace
Oh my goodness…. the mall here put up Christmas decorations in mid-October… i was so upset!
haha!
I’m glad you’re doing well! :]
People do seem in a hurry to crank those Christmas songs out early! How funny…
Oh, neat! You’re exercising your creativity through novel writing! Great idea. I can write the screenplay for it when you’ve completed it.
I’ve been thinking about some new literary projects to work on as well, since I’m almost done with The Crusading Chemist venture.
~Amanda~
P.S. –
I’ve never seen Rex act aggressive toward people. I don’t know what happened – my guess is that he was wandering around on someone else’s property when we didn’t realize it (also strange, as he rarely leaves home) and he paid the price for trespassing.
~Amanda~
Eric! Is this going to mark the beginning of regular posts?
Yeah, I don’t especially like Christmas carols before December too (but I was singing then along with the guitar, which I can now play well enough to enjoy, since that’s all I could think of at the time). However, there are few well known Thanksgiving songs that people care to listen to, as most of them are hymns. Maybe someone just needs to write some new ones.
Not to imitate the anti-Christ or anything, but I actually was disappointed when doing some shopping today that the stores were *not* playing Christmas music.
That was so fun to read! I haven’t listened to the local radio station in ages, so I’m not sure if they’re playing Christmas music yet… I hope not. I mean, I’ve been listening to tons of Christmas music over the past two months (I love it) but I’m not ready to hear it on the radio or anything yet… I don’t usually like what they play on the radio, either. Even on Christian radio, they play Christmas songs that aren’t realy *Christian* Christmas songs, which is kinda sad. But I’ve been stocking up on my Christmas CDs & can’t wait till after Thanksgiving.. first on the agenda will be decorating my personal tree & listening to Christmas music!
ps: hope your writing goes great!
I can’t wait to read your story! I agree about that Christmas stuff, it’s too early.
Alright you smartie pants. When you get old like us, you’ll be turning up Christmas music in the church van, too!
)
Nancy is coming over tomorrow night to get your coat. She’s going to give it to Claire when she sees her soon.
I’m learning all about my new blog and just LOVE it!
Thanks again,
Cindy
Yeah, it’s waaaaay to early to playing Christmas Music, let alone decorating for it.
I cannot wait for you to publish your book! Can I have the first copy?
I agree… over here, though, you gotta agree with them. There’s nothing between Halloween and Christmas, cuz the British don’t celebrate Thanksgiving the same time as we do (I wonder why, haha).
I still hold off on playing Christmas music (apart from the Messiah) until after Thanksgiving.
Playing it, however, is another story, as Christmas orchestra stuff starts at least mid-November, if not before.
Christmas songs too early drives me crazy too. But I haven’t heard any in stores yet. Even our local Christian radio station begins playing Christmas music on THANKSGIVING DAY! I wish they would play “thankful” songs and wait until the next day for Christmas. *sigh*
But I don’t like those “Christmas classics” either… (Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, etc.) I just like the carols.
Um, do I need to beg for mercy (or run for cover)? *I started playing our Christmas music collection back in September* Of course, I’m generally rather strange that way. Sometimes I just get the hankerin’ for good ol’ Christmas music, carols and even (yeah, I know) secular, so I turn it on. Yet, admittedly, it does irk me a bit when the stores jump into it so early. I guess ’cause they’re public.
Speaking of carols… nah, I’ll save that for later. Don’t wanna’ talk your ears off (or type your eyeballs out or something like that). Glad to see you back blogging, not that I’m one to talk.
Merry… er, Happy Thanksgiving!
-Melanie
I wholeheartedly second your sentiments! I come from a culture where Christmas starts on December 24 at 5 p.m. and lasts for 12 days. Putting the tree up before the morning of the 24th seems like criminal activity to me… And to be honest, I like Norwegian Christmases a whole lot better.
-Maria
You would fit right in with my family. Jake and Nick are adamantly against “Christmas in July”, as they call it. I share your frustration… Thanksgiving is completely passed over.
(I, too, want to strangle the manager when I hear Christmas music playing in stores two months before Christmas. Especially when the music is jazzed-up Christmas carols.)
Interesting side note: ‘Jingle Bells’ isn’t actually a Christmas song. It was originally written as a Thanksgiving carol.
In Christ,
Emily
I get so cross when people get too excited about Christmas in November. Of course, I go into decorating mode on the first of December and start digging out the fake Christmas tree and everything that goes with it. I just wish we had more tinsel. *grumbles* But although I take over the house at Christmas time, there is seriously a time for everything, and November is NOT the time for Christmas. All the carols are old by the time Christmas comes around when they start them too early.
But what can I do about it? Nothing much, so I put up with it and try not to go shopping during November.
~Justyne