Yesterday was my flight back to California, once again on a United 757 in first class.
The purser was once again male (middle-aged African-American this time), assisted by an older white woman. Back in the economy cabin, I could see another black flight attendant, as well as an Asian one. A very well-mixed flight crew!
This being an early morning flight, breakfast was served. Breakfast meal service was not as elaborate as lunch service; appetizer and dessert were skipped, leaving only the main course and some rolls of bread. I was so hungry, even after the first class meal, that I had to go buy lunch upon arriving home.
After the sleepless night, I got some sleep, but even with the extra recline of the first class seat, still not enough sleep. Seat pitch was a measly 38", barely more than the 36" in Economy Plus, and as a result, the seats didn't recline all that much. At least I got to cross my legs - impossible in 31" Economy Minus, where I normally sit.
Speaking of the economy sections, shortly after takeoff, the purser asked Economy Minus passengers not to take any Economy Plus seats, since those seats cost more. I know the real reason why passengers shouldn't switch seats - the weight balance of the aircraft. But I thought the announcement could've put a surly Economy Minus passenger or two into air rage.
When the front galley/cockpit wire barrier went up, one of the flight attendants played with it, "shocking" herself by touching the barrier, to amuse first class passengers. Now, let me see if I can visualize Sarah doing the same. (I also need to find out if these barriers are also present in other aircraft.) Martha is too bitter to have that kind of sense of humor, I am afraid though. (Also, the barrier probably didn't exist pre-9/11, when Martha was actually alive and flying.)
Despite the deficiencies, it was still a nice flight, and I was glad to see that my bag was the first out onto the baggage claim carousel. It is sweet to be a first class passenger.
25 February 2008
21 February 2008
Just finished writing my own creation legend. It was so uplifting and fun to write it out.
I might put it up on this blog in the future, if I feel like it.
For now, I'll look for another exercise to get started on. There is one about writing about my vagina, which I unfortunately can't do. But the rest seem to be fair game! (Or, I could pretend to be post-operative Sarah, and write about *her* vagina.)
I might put it up on this blog in the future, if I feel like it.
For now, I'll look for another exercise to get started on. There is one about writing about my vagina, which I unfortunately can't do. But the rest seem to be fair game! (Or, I could pretend to be post-operative Sarah, and write about *her* vagina.)
Doing writing exercises
As it turns out, my daily routine in Orlando is consisting more of evening sightseeing and less of writing. I took my weekday evenings to venture out to a nearby mall (to buy lace-trim footless tights, another favorite item of Sarah's), do souvenir shopping at Downtown Disney, and cruise International Drive.
I did, nevertheless, manage to flip through Fruitflesh and start a very intriguing exercise - writing my own creation legend. The point of the exercise is to better visualize my purpose in the world, much like in the traditions of various cultures of the world and their creation legends. Although the Bible's story of six days of creation, culminating in Adam and Eve, is the best-known legend of all, every culture has its own take on creation, and now it's my turn to write my own.
I am incorporating my personal religious beliefs, plus some of the existing traditions of some non-Western cultures, to craft a story of my coming into the world, and its very purpose. It will not only ground me better in this world, but ground Sarah and Kirsten better as well, since gender and sexuality are definitely being explained here.
Once I am done with this exercise, I will go further into Fruitflesh and work on another. I don't think I will have time to work on more than two exercises during my busy week (which is already more than halfway gone), however.
But it's great to be able to work on these exercises at all, to enrich myself and further ground myself and my novel. A public thanks to Gayle is in order, for writing Fruitflesh.
I did, nevertheless, manage to flip through Fruitflesh and start a very intriguing exercise - writing my own creation legend. The point of the exercise is to better visualize my purpose in the world, much like in the traditions of various cultures of the world and their creation legends. Although the Bible's story of six days of creation, culminating in Adam and Eve, is the best-known legend of all, every culture has its own take on creation, and now it's my turn to write my own.
I am incorporating my personal religious beliefs, plus some of the existing traditions of some non-Western cultures, to craft a story of my coming into the world, and its very purpose. It will not only ground me better in this world, but ground Sarah and Kirsten better as well, since gender and sexuality are definitely being explained here.
Once I am done with this exercise, I will go further into Fruitflesh and work on another. I don't think I will have time to work on more than two exercises during my busy week (which is already more than halfway gone), however.
But it's great to be able to work on these exercises at all, to enrich myself and further ground myself and my novel. A public thanks to Gayle is in order, for writing Fruitflesh.
16 February 2008
Some observations today
I have arrived in Orlando, aboard a United Airlines 757 in first class. Since it's Martha's primary aircraft and Sarah will work it often too, I needed to make some observations regarding protocols aboard the aircraft:
Glad to be in Orlando in any case, and hoping to make it a writing retreat that I intend it to be, in addition to a business trip and a vacation. For tonight though, I'll hit the sack early, to prepare for Disney's Animal Kingdom tomorrow morning.
- Unlike on international flights, domestic first class doesn't address passengers by name.
- There are five flight attendants on the aircraft. The purser and one other work first class, while the other three work economy.
- The first class meal service consists of three courses: appetizer of peanuts, a choice of two main entrees, and ice cream for dessert. Frequent drink service also happens. Utensils are all metal and china. Linen tablecloths are also provided, as are hot towels.
- The lavatory between first and economy cabins is used by economy passengers only. First class passengers must use the lavatory next to the cockpit.
- Speaking of the lavatory, access may be blocked by a barrier, between the first class cabin and the front galley, put up by the purser, whenever the cockpit door is open. I've never seen this wire barrier until today.
Glad to be in Orlando in any case, and hoping to make it a writing retreat that I intend it to be, in addition to a business trip and a vacation. For tonight though, I'll hit the sack early, to prepare for Disney's Animal Kingdom tomorrow morning.
13 February 2008
Are redheads going extinct?
Good question to ask, since Sarah is a redhead.
The following article says that studies claiming redhead extinction by as early as 2060 have been published by an organization linked to Procter and Gamble, but in reality, as long as redhead genes continue to stay out there, redheads will continue to appear in some frequency.
In fact, dark brunette Kirsten might have a recessive redhead gene, and that may cause Sarah and Kirsten's love child to become a redhead too - though the story will be over before the child's birth.
How Stuff Works
The following article says that studies claiming redhead extinction by as early as 2060 have been published by an organization linked to Procter and Gamble, but in reality, as long as redhead genes continue to stay out there, redheads will continue to appear in some frequency.
In fact, dark brunette Kirsten might have a recessive redhead gene, and that may cause Sarah and Kirsten's love child to become a redhead too - though the story will be over before the child's birth.
How Stuff Works
12 February 2008
For the next week or two...
Things have deteriorated at home, to a point where I have decided that I will not get any productive writing done. The atmosphere is too hostile, and I'll have to fight my way out before resuming any significant writing.
Until then, going away from time to time will be my only shot at meaningful writing.
Fortunately, Orlando awaits this weekend. I honestly don't expect to get a lot done, between my business on the weekdays and my sightseeing on the weekends. And despite booking first class, I don't expect to write on the flights either, due to the large size and wimpy battery life of my laptop; I might still try anyway if the seat next to me is empty - and I get some privacy as a result.
Weekday evenings should be fair game for doing some writing, as I expect to go out only for dinners.
To keep it easy AND productive, I will limit myself to doing exercises, instead of aiming for pieces of my novel. Those exercises can still produce material for my novel, depending on the exercise. To that end, I will pack a copy of Fruitflesh, by my mentor Gayle Brandeis, in my laptop bag. It's a book that I tend to hide due to its woman-centered focus, which my folks find objectionable; as a result, I haven't done too many exercises in it. But that WILL change during my week in Orlando.
Hoping that Orlando will be as much of a writing retreat as it is a business trip and a sightseeing vacation.
Until then, going away from time to time will be my only shot at meaningful writing.
Fortunately, Orlando awaits this weekend. I honestly don't expect to get a lot done, between my business on the weekdays and my sightseeing on the weekends. And despite booking first class, I don't expect to write on the flights either, due to the large size and wimpy battery life of my laptop; I might still try anyway if the seat next to me is empty - and I get some privacy as a result.
Weekday evenings should be fair game for doing some writing, as I expect to go out only for dinners.
To keep it easy AND productive, I will limit myself to doing exercises, instead of aiming for pieces of my novel. Those exercises can still produce material for my novel, depending on the exercise. To that end, I will pack a copy of Fruitflesh, by my mentor Gayle Brandeis, in my laptop bag. It's a book that I tend to hide due to its woman-centered focus, which my folks find objectionable; as a result, I haven't done too many exercises in it. But that WILL change during my week in Orlando.
Hoping that Orlando will be as much of a writing retreat as it is a business trip and a sightseeing vacation.
07 February 2008
Thoughts floating around my head
With the class last fall, and with the San Francisco visit last Christmas, I had lots of new ideas that could be fertile writing material for Sarah.
But I don't seem to have the motivation to move forward and actually crank out new scenes. Maybe it's just that living with the folks, and not wanting to let them know what I'm really writing about, is taking a toll.
Another thing is the fear of not writing a perfect first draft. I know it's not possible, but nevertheless, a crappy draft is my biggest fear, even though it's a necessary step.
I think I will need to do what recording artists do. Singers usually write and record about three dozen songs for an album, but only a dozen at most usually make it onto the album by the release date, and of those, only a few at most become hits. For me, this will mean writing more scenes/materials than necessary, and putting only the best/most relevant material into the final book.
There are a few teenage scenes to write, a few college and early work scenes, and of course, lots of flight attendant scenes. And I should not be forgetting Sarah's post-flight attendant days either! Let me see if I can still crank out a few scenes, rusty as my writing seems to have become.
But I don't seem to have the motivation to move forward and actually crank out new scenes. Maybe it's just that living with the folks, and not wanting to let them know what I'm really writing about, is taking a toll.
Another thing is the fear of not writing a perfect first draft. I know it's not possible, but nevertheless, a crappy draft is my biggest fear, even though it's a necessary step.
I think I will need to do what recording artists do. Singers usually write and record about three dozen songs for an album, but only a dozen at most usually make it onto the album by the release date, and of those, only a few at most become hits. For me, this will mean writing more scenes/materials than necessary, and putting only the best/most relevant material into the final book.
There are a few teenage scenes to write, a few college and early work scenes, and of course, lots of flight attendant scenes. And I should not be forgetting Sarah's post-flight attendant days either! Let me see if I can still crank out a few scenes, rusty as my writing seems to have become.
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