Saturday, August 30, 2008

'My breath fogged up the glass ...so I drew a new face and I laughed...'




When you throw your entire life up into the air and make a decision to finish writing a book, there comes a point when it either dies of natural causes... or... every so often when you are struggling with the DEADLINE... something happens to make the adventure more magical than you possibly imagine.

That was my week...

I had originally planned for my blog this week to commence with a whimsical quote by Douglas Adams, who once said ... 'I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by. ' The reason for this was due to the fact that I have a deadline of two weeks and I'm doing my own head in from that whooshing sound! (... and not to mention the cross words I had with my business manager!)

Then... I changed my mind...
Instead of being about dead lines I decided to go for the more positive aspects of the week and how I received a number of text messages from people telling me that they liked the article in the 'Omnibus' about the book.
Changed mind... again...
On Thursday http://www.209astory.com/ went on line with a splash page and I thought I could write about how exciting it was to work with mooglemedia to get this off the ground. Then I realised that some people would not understand the term 'splash page' and I would have to spend three paragraphs explaining the concept.

Change... again...
I then thought I would discuss the editing of one of the remaining chapters of the book. NAMELY CHAPTER 8 - which originally was 26 pages long and I had to reduce it to approximately 15. I had written about it - and it become so full on that I just 'Control A'd' and deleted immediately...

And then it happened... re: the magic... and it came in the form of... a song!

It summed up everything I believe about the relationship I have '209 A Story'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkHTsc9PU2A (for those who may not know ...if you click on the underlined section (link) it will take you to the song on YouTube.) It is a song called 'I'm Yours' by Jason Mraz. It is cute and makes you smile - particular the video...

From the chance hearing of this song ... and taking the time to read through the 3 pages of lyrics... It made me stop worrying about things ie deadline ... and I realised how much I appreciate the very moment in which I find myself. You can have a read through the words yourself and see what you think...

I have no doubt it will be a number 1 hit here in Australia...

This song was released in the United States in June of 2008 and if you want to see how popular it is... see the links below - I'll warn you now... some are good and some are not so good... but that is not the point...

and that is just a few... there are literally 100's of them... and it blew me away...

... Yeah ... every day I am amazed at the things we people do and the lessons I learn...

Sorry to cut this short... but people... I have a deadline... gotta go... 'I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some. But, I won't hesitate no more. It cannot wait... I'm yours!'

Have a good week everyone and, as always - thank you for your email... btw ... I can't wait for the book to be printed either!!!!
Have a good week.
Peace
Steven
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Saturday, August 23, 2008

URL's, 3 R's & Thinking Inside the Square...


Even when you get to the age of forty there are some events and situations that still have the ability to shock... more about that later...

My week has been one of coffees, catchups, a plethora of 'u.r.l's' and many, many hours editing. For the first time this week - I realised how lucky I was to grow up in a world without the internet... not because I would not have LOVED, LOVED, LOVED to have had it while growing up ... I just think that my generation (and those before) are people who embrace technology more readily than the marketers, politicians and communities think they do. The reason we do is because we see the full potential in it's power - as oppose to people who do not even know a world without this AMAZING resource.

In terms of '209 A Story' and the life of writing - this week has been quite exciting. I finished the edits of another chapter and also received a text confirming my new email address... (steven@209astory.com). Everything involving the launch of the novel is timed by a thing called 'milestones' - it is quite exceptional and I now see why people employ specialists to organise things...

The life of a writer is quite isolating due to the nature of the business at hand. On top of this, the adventurous world(s) in which we roam are real to us - well... at least during the time we are writing ... So, one is pretty much a person who is living the life of a recluse. (perhaps this is why I am writing my blog at 5am on Sunday morning!!!!) - (No ... there's another reason for that ... you'll find out one day! ... ;-) )

With this in mind, and the fact that I have been sick of late - it was time for me to catch up with friends I have not seen for ages. Like most people, I feel incredibly lucky to have such wonderful support regarding '209 A Story' - however the cost comes in the form of stretching friendships to almost breaking points. People whom I would once see with regularity, I never appear to have time to catch up... unless it is something organised at least three months in advance... at this point - I follow a simple Idom - the squeakiest wheel gets the oil! (http://www.usingenglish.com/reference/idioms/)

This is how it works... the people who complain the most about me not being 'available' any more - well they get the first invitation... tee hee!

I always invite them via sms and always suggest a place to meet with a designated time... I only ever do coffee - as opposed to a full on dinner... (unless it is a very special reason!) - See, with coffee - it can be during the day and if I know I am meeting someone - I always arrive about three hours before and spend the entire time writing... (nothing like a deadline!)

Ok - here's my week...

Monday - Had a hot chocolate at San Churro (http://www.sanchurro.com/) (YUM YUM YUM -buddahbacci is the one to order! ONLY ORDER ONE NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU THINK YOU WANT ANOTHER!)

Tuesday - afternoon tea at Amici's in Prahran (http://www.amici.com.au/)
Wednesday - breakfast at Cafe Domain on Domain Road

Thursday (OH THURSDAY!!!!)...

During the day I caught the #16 tram to St Kilda where I had lunch at Big Mouth. (http://www.bigmouthstkilda.com.au/) and made a new friend with the fellow who was sitting on the next table to me - he was from London, his name is Jonathan and he really had a crush on the waitress!!! It was quite sweet. (no shock value here!) ... As people do these days - we just swapped... not mobile phone numbers ... but names ... 'I'll add you! (if you do not know what this means - you need to get up into the new millennium as the world is moving on far quicker than you can EVER POSSIBLY IMAGINE... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljbI-363A2Q

.... The day I was leaving my B&B in San Francisco I happened to meet the person who was taking my room. (http://grandsanfrancisco.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp)... His name was Colin and he was at the beginning of a two month, round-the-world journey... the very same day when I was homeward bound. We hit it off immediately as my tiredness was and equal match to his levels of enthusiasm - we swapped email addresses (old hat now) and said we would meet up when he arrived in Melbourne. During the week I received an email to say that he was heading back to the United States and I knew if I did not catch up with him this week - I would not see him until sometime next year...

We caught up for coffee then went out for dinner a 'Mamacas' (http://www.mamacas.com.au/). It was pleasant and we laughed much about that rainy day in San Francisco and plans for his visit to Canada - for a family wedding -in a couple of weeks. Following the meal, Colin called it a night and I decided to continue on. A friend has recently opened a new bar in South Yarra and I decided to pop in and have a look. We are getting to the shock aspect... (http://www.we-relax.com/stressful-situations/how-to-handle-someone-with-survivors-shock.htm)...

I have no problem with going out by myself - I was 17 years old when I headed off to boarding school in England - and I can tell you once you have achieved that - heading out to a night club, bar or movie on your own is EASY!!! (http://www.twyfordschool.com/)

This is where I met the 3R's and ended up dancing until 7am... (not with the 3 R's I might add at this point) - I reason I meet these people (1 girl 2 guys) was due to one of them accidentally picking up my drink (http://landingpage2.smirnoff.com/flash/?Lang=en-au&Brandd=SO&RefUrl=http%3a%2f%2fwww3.smirnoff.com%2fTemplates%2fRedirectToURLTemplate.aspx%3fNRMODE%3dPublished%26NRNODEGUID%3d%257b13AD6946-1812-448B-950B-B23BD1976E16%257d%26NRORIGINALURL%3d%252f%26NRCACHEHINT%3dGuest)

... I was on the phone to my friend Helen in Queensland at the time - and following the phone call - I struck up a conversation with the 3R's (Rita, Robert & Richard) -hmmmm - they were most interesting - Rita was from Israel, Robert from Slovenia and Richard from New York... here comes the shock value - they were in town to attend a party on Friday night - (yes... this is not a problem) ... an invitation ONLY party (The coin does still not drop with Steven at this point)... a party where the two male R's are first timers and going to 'observe only' she advised with a roll of the 'r' and a knowing smile... (I was completely lost and I just asked what she was taking about...) - well... they were going to a an Invite Only Medival Bondage Party... oh la la... 'La Douleur Exquise' (http://www.tv.com/sex-and-the-city/la-douleur-exquise!/episode/26623/summary.html)

Unsure why this shocked me for I believe people can do whatever they chose once they are a consenting adult... and as long as it is with other consenting adults... good luck to them - perhaps the rest of us are just too inhibited? However... I find that pain is not something I desire - when I have a headache I am sure it is a tumour - I almost pass out if I stub my toe ... I just don't do pain.

Regardless, as a writer you cannot and SHOULD NOT - be closed off to anyone who enters your life... it is from people such as the 3R's that I learn so much about individuals... and it does help with my characters... 9http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/jun98/lazy2.htm)
Anyhooooo, I declined an invite to attend the 'Medieval' event in Richmond (CAN YOU IMAGINE???) and danced off into the night with the other 60 or so people who were out on a Thursday Night. I ended up walking home with a smile on my face while watching people on the #72 tram - on their way to work. Some did not look happy and it got me to thinking how incredibly fortunate I am! (http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/)
I needed coffee from Starbucks (http://www.startbucks.com.au/) by lunch time on Friday - and I do believe that I did not make the 7pm news of the ABC (http://www.abc.net.au/) ... zzzzzzzzzzzzz!

Saturday - I made my way to Federation Square (http://www.federationsquare.com.au/) for a book launch during the amazingly wonderful event called the Melbourne Writer's Festival (http://www.mwf.com.au/2008/content/mwf_2008_home.asp?) Their play on words for the 2008 Festival is quite clever - 'THINK INSIDE THE SQUARE.' John Marsden (http://www.johnmarsden.com.au/home.html) launched the new Writer's Market Place - which is truly a must for any writer. And I observed lots of other writers who have the same look in their eyes - PLEASE PUBLISH ME!
I finally got back to gym last night and am very pleased I did so - because I slept incredibly well - which enabled me to get up at silly o'clock and finish my blog (http://www.209astory.blogspot.com/)

Hope you all have a good week and thanks for you email ... I am feeling much better now...
Cheers
Steven
Sorry - gotta go I am off too ... (http://www.brunetti.com.au/)!



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Saturday, August 16, 2008

My Week - The Keleidoscope




Hmmm... I thought last week was bad!

I am beginning to think that I may have broken a mirror! (maybe more than one)

My entire week has been like the photograph above. A kaleidoscope of feelings, achievements, thoughts and happenings. I have been unwell and ended up at the doctor who sent me to have xrays taken - instant fear because the last time I went to the Alfred Hospital they took one look at me and admitted me straight away!

The week started out well. I had completed another chapter edit - sent out confidentiality agreements to three people and the web design team. For this venture, I am pleased to say that I have called on a local web design team rather than going over seas for the website - SPALSH PAGE for 'http://www.209astory.com/ here we come. I went to gym to do boxing on Monday and Wednesday and I do a palates class on Tuesday... by Thursday I had no idea what was going on. Nothing seemed to work properly and boy... was I sick. I could not keep anything down. I was hot and cold and the pain in my stomach and back was incredible.

So, my blog this week is going to short... because ... I NEED TO SLEEP!

Have a good week everyone

Cheers

Steven

ps - yes, 'The Lambs Go Bar' is a real bar here in Melbourne. Come and visit and tell me what you think.





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Saturday, August 9, 2008

A Week That Makes You Go ... hmmmmmm!




I had a very difficult week... I lost my mobile phone!

A friend sent me an email empathising with my situation... she said she would prefer to lose her arm than ever lose her mobile phone!

I laughed at 'J's' comment because she is level headed, educated and an incredibly thoughtful person who would never consider expressing herself in such terms...

It got me to thinking about the characters in '209 A Story' and how each of them have a twist to their personality and/or life that is witnessed by the reader and not by each of the other characters in the book.

What sort of world do we live in when someone would find losing a limb 'easier' than losing a mobile phone?
Regardless of circumstance I always try to see a funny side to things and I did not fully understand what point J was trying to make...


.... the week progressed


By Friday... I was beside myself with a full gamut of emotions regarding my lost mobile. Seeing the funny side really was not an option and it certainly was not funny!

By Friday... I had people worried about me, people annoyed at me for not returning their messages, people who thought it was a laugh to send me a text saying - 'Hi Steve - this is my number -' with no name attached - so Steven then needs to text them back to explain that while he appreciated their text and number he did not know who they are. After 20 of these I could not work out if it said more about the technological age... or... the people I have as friends.

By Friday... I was in MELTDOWN!

So, Steven - not to be beaten - decides he is going to walk to Brunetti's in Carlton to edit Chapter 21 and have a cup of coffee - the walk would give me time to clear my mind about, 'you know what' - and also I love walking through the city while listening to my ipod.

I walked through the Royal Botanic Garden, over the river, past the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) and up to Carlton via Exhibition.

As I was walking through Fitzroy it started to rain and I did not have an umbrella. That is when I began to laugh because just when I thought my week could not have gotten worse... i was correct... it could only get better. A fellow walked past me and as we were walking in the same direction he offered for me to stand under his umbrella... guess what? - he only had one arm and boy did I laugh when he asked if I had a mobile phone number so we could catch up some time for a beer at... 'The Lamb's Go Bar' in Gore Street, Fitzroy?
Have a good week everyone -
Quick ones...
Yes, I liked the Opening of the Olympics
No, I have not been to a baseball game in the USA. I like AFL (Melbourne) and my BIG enjoyment is watching Volleyball. I follow the Serbian Men's Team - my favourite player is Ivan Miljkovic - Number 14... and my othe favourite player is the Russian, Yury Berezhko - Number 10 - Before I get email asking me if I am Serbian or Russian - the answer is no - I just enjoy the game and they happen to be my favourite players.
cheers
Steven


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Saturday, August 2, 2008

Reunions, Schedules & Defying Gravity...







Funny how sometimes in life, something that you know is going to happen occurs and when it happens ... it's just is not exactly how you expected...

A couple of years back I was on a visit to New York for a reunion of people I had known for twenty years and we all booked into the Waldorf Astoria at 301 Park Avenue. The organiser of the event had planned everything in meticulous detail... and I mean meticulous! We were each given a schedule accompanied by maps, times, subway routes and of course events that were going to continue to deepen the bonds of our friendship... hmmmm!!

If I remember correctly, at that point in my life, I was tied to schedules and the last thing I wanted to do was travel halfway around the world to find myself on a new schedule. But, being a reunion, you get to catch up with friends and as much as 'S' had scheduled everything - we could have sat in the lobby of the hotel as we just really wanted to catch up and hear about our various lives and what we had been doing for the past ten years - (as our 10 year reunion was in London).

It was a lot of fun catching up and finding out how lives change so dramatically, friendships run their course, people change their job, some lose their hair, some put on weight, others marry, divorce or come out. Some find a higher being on this journey of life, some age gracefully - (and some not!). They have kids, gain qualifications, some lose everything they own and for some who were not present, they were in our memories for their individual battles with cancer was finally over.

After three days of drinks, visits, parties, dancing and laughing much about events past - and even shedding tears for mistakes made along the way... we parted company again.

Now with the schedule placed into my journal, I was able to roam the city of New York and catch up with a new friend I had made and who asked me if I had been to see a show call... 'WICKED'?

When I said I had never heard of it, 'G' smiled, something really did change in his eyes - it was like he knew something that I didn't and he also knew how much it would change my life for good.

Upon returning to Australia, I spoke about this show (experience) to almost every person who had a pulse, and for some I was able to get across the amazement of the show... from others I would get this vacant look as if to say... 'Yeah, Yeah Rafter, I'm sure it's ok!'... they just did not understand.
Anyhoooo...

I was made aware, about a year later, that WICKED was coming to Melbourne. This news was exciting, however I only spoke about it with one person because I knew she ('A') was just as excited about it as I was... because 'A' had even sent me a text message the second she heard the news...

And here's the situation re... events happening and you think you know how it's all going to be ... well... WICKED!

I had, for so many, many months known that at some stage I would overhear someone in Melbourne talk about this show called WICKED and how amazing it all was and how they had been filled with the life changing experience... similar to me...

Well...

During this week, I was on the tram to have coffee at one of my favourite hangouts in Carlton... a place called 'Threshermans' when I came across this young couple who had been to see the show the previous night...

It was at this point when their arguement began... because she was annoyed at him for being over familiar with two girlfriends that had also went along with them. She was NOT impressed with his WICKED behaviour and as if that were not enough... I had to endure their errupting arguement for the length of Swanston Street until it became so heated that she jumped off the tram and stood on the footpath giving an obscene finger gesture to him as the tram departed the stop. (not really the way I anticipated my first response to WICKED IN MELBOURNE!)

So, while editing this week I thought about this young couple and how each person has a different memory of an event. I gathered, while I was writing about a court ball in St Petersburg, that it will be the same with '209 A Story' - some people are going to love it - it's going to be popular... and others won't read past the first chapter ... something bad... and even some will take years to ever hear about it. However, I also learned that the experience I have had with it all has been nothing less than ... WICKED!

Have a good week everyone

PEACE

Steven
ps. Go and see Wicked - it will change your life forever... opps I mean .... 'for good'
pps. The thiry year reunion is in... Melbourne! Can only just imagine what we'll look like then!
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