Too good for our own good?

 

11 August

After the messing about with my appointments clashing with Jan’s, we over looked the fact that we had wrote them one down wrong. Jan’s dentist appointment was for yesterday, and her scan is today. But because we both thought that they were both for today (which we also thought was for yesterday), we didn’t notice was that her dentist one was actually for yesterday. How she managed to write them both down for the same day I don’t know.  

Cops driving standard can be even worse than that of the man in the street. Where do I get that from? Watching them on telly, that’s where. In one of the documentaries that fill our screens these days there were a number of cops were driving out on rural roads and even though they were not a shout, they were cutting corners on bends and certainly seemed to be speeding to me. If they followed us doing the same, it wouldn’t take long for us to be pulled over. I remember a photo of one of their speed camera vans parked on the side of the road, on the pavement blocking a good part of it and on double yellow lines. Complaining doesn’t work simply because they know the law better than we do and will always have a ready excuse.

At the same time though, it’s a job I wouldn’t want to do, oh no. I just wouldn’t have the patience for it. How many time on those same telly programmes do we see the baddies being taken to court only for the beaks to slap their wrists; or the CPS refuse to charge them for lack of evidence after cops have put in hours of time getting it all filed correctly. It’s no wonder the cops don’t have a lot of respect from the public really, but our exasperation should be aimed more at the beaks and mamby-pamby lawyers and judges. If I had spent so much time and effort on a case and it was thrown out like, then I would lose faith in the system and I would have left it.

I’ve been wondering about whether we can be too honest and nice for our good. I was once told I’m too honest for my good, but what is ‘too honest’ I wonder. I certainly know Jan and I have been overlooked at time because we don’t push ourselves much at times. But you know what? I don’t care about what others do or say, as long as I am at peace over what I do and how I do it, let the others get on with it.

I finish vol. 3 of The Hunger Games the other day, and for the first time I can remember I actually finished vol.2 and then went straight on to the last one. I normally like to read something else in between two books by the same writer. What did I think of these books then? I can understand some reviews I’ve where criticism of the ending has been expressed. I bought this set from the Works, a wrapped set of three for £5, too good a bargain to miss really seeing the individual price is £7.99 each. On other occasions I have looked at them and thought about buying them, but what put me off was just reading the shout on the back cover. To me it was clear how the plot would progress, but without giving the details of it. Of course, goodness and light conquers all again. So maybe can’t be too good for your good, at least in fiction.           

There’s another expression that is bugging the life out of me just lately. It’s the word ‘like’ every other word. It seems that the kids of today just don’t know how to string a series of words together without using it. Kile’s mum comes out with one to; she tells us of things being said to her and she says, ‘I was like that,’ then waits a second or two before telling how she was or what she said. Dear of dear … … …

New writers are advised not to write about twins and lottery wins. Sounds sensible does that when a writer uses them as way of solving a conflict within their story. Even so, some top line writers do exactly that, Peter James comes to mind here for doing so. In my won writing I have also used both twins and a large lottery win in two separate novels. The difference is that I included the twins right from off in House of Pain and not quite the start of Finding Our Way for a lottery win. In those two novels they work out rather well and I’m pleased with the result. We are also advised that a story should have the usual start, middle and end. So I wonder why Michael Crichton, who is for me the King of weak endings. Do my novels have weak endings? I hope not, although I do leave a few open ended ready for any follow up stories. I suppose at some time I really do need to get them sorted out and back on sale.

So now it’s time for a photo …

House of Pain front cover, front and rear cover of Web od Hate. The spider web photo is one of mine.

Today’s funny …

What do you call a man with a duck on his head?
Donald.