Sunday, March 22, 2009

I should feel guilty about watching bad movies

I saw that new movie "Knowing" today. Oh my gawd, so very, very awful. I don't even want to talk about it, it's so bad.

I reread Naomi Novik's His Majesty's Dragon yesterday. I have a paperback version, but they were offering it as a free Sony download so I downloaded it last weekend and read it on my reader. It's a good book, although I did catch myself skimming all the battle preparations and also the battles. Also I felt guilty the whole time I was reading it that I wasn't reading a book I'd never read before, which is a stupid thing to waste perfectly good guilt on.

For instance, I should be feeling guilty about NOT WRITING A WORD for days. My productivity has bottomed out. But then, I seem to do this periodically--I'll write like a fiend for several months, then crash to a complete halt and do rereads and revisions while my brain rests.

I got out to Clear Creek this afternoon for a while--and the awesome thing I've noticed is that I'm no longer sore the next day, even after hiking one of the trails that goes more or less straight up the side of the ridge. While I was out today, I tried to think through Little Sparrow a little more. I think it's resisting me because it's just not quite ready to write.

10 comments:

BT said...

I think you and I are in the same writing space. Last night I wrote 907 words on my WIP. It's the first time I've touched it in over two weeks. I've not written a new short story of over a month.

But a break occasionally can be a good thing. Getting out and hiking through beautiful sounding country is even better.

It'll come back when it's ready.

Jamie Eyberg said...

Dang, and I wanted to see that movie. I like his movies usually.

K.C. Shaw said...

BT--I wish I could write 907 words tonight. Of course I could, but I'd have to force them out one by one, with my teeth gritted. Maybe I should, I don't know; I'm more inclined to let it all rest a little longer. You're right, it'll come back soon enough.

Jamie--I really like Nicholas Cage too (I guess that's who you're talking about--I'm not sure who the director is). He does a good job in this one, but it's really a very badly written, awkward, stilted, corny, stupid, plot-full-of-holes, trying-to-be-profound loser of a movie. Maybe you have inferred that I did not like it very much. On the other hand, my mom and I enjoyed whispering MST3K-ish comments to each other during the last half, so you might go see it for the cheese factor if nothing else.

Jameson T. Caine said...

I heard Roger Ebert gave it four stars. I love bad movies from any era and any country. The cheesier the better. Still, I'll wait for this one to hit home video.

K.C. Shaw said...

Roger Ebert must have been on crack.

Aaron Polson said...

I agree with BT...let it come when it's ready. (and I'm sooooo jealous of all the nice hiking you've been able to do)

K.C. Shaw said...

Aaron--I wish I could go every day, but at least I have Thursdays off. On Thursdays I mostly have the trails to myself. I kept meeting people today, which I hate.

Jeremy D Brooks said...

I honestly don't know why, but Nicholas Cage drives me bananas; him, and Jeff Goldblum. Absolutely bananas. Angry, almost. Which, I guess, means I'm the bananas one...but, still...

Cate Gardner said...

Oh, I was really looking forward to that movie too. Like Natalie, I'll wait until it comes out on DVD (or rather until my nephew buys it on DVD).

I set out expecting to write 5,000 words over the weekend and came in just under a 1,000. Sometimes we need to put our feet up (or wear them out in your case) and relax.

K.C. Shaw said...

Jeremy--I can't stand Jeff Goldblum. His mannerisms really turn me off of all his characters. I can see how Nicholas Cage would be the same way to some people (I like him, myself).

Cate--Oh, the movie had good special effects and it wasn't a total loss. I just couldn't stand the stilted dialogue and nonsensical plot, mostly. And the music was OVER TEH TOP!

I wish I'd written 1,000 words over the weekend!