Hello everybody.
Right now I’m writing like a motherfucker, putting finishing touches on a story I’ve owed someone for more than a year, so I can jump back into working on book three.
If you’re the curious sort, the title of the story (the *working* title, I should say, as I just came up with it last night) is “The Weight of Her Desire.”
I’m not sure it’s the proper title for this particular story. But even if I don’t end up using it, I think it’s a damn fine title. I’m proud of it. Titles are hard for me, because I’m very particular. And I’m not very good at throwing up my hands and saying, “Yeah, whatever. That’s good enough, I suppose….”
Since I don’t have much interesting else to say today, I thought I’d share something cool I ran into months ago. A video that instantly ignited my love for Tim Minchin, a comedian I didn’t know existed before.
Now, given that this is what I think of as content-heavy art, I feel like I need to make a statement about my position in regard to the content.
Do I agree with everything Minchin says here?
No. But I agree with about 90% of it. Maybe 85%.
That said, 85% agreement is really pretty good with me, as I am a cussed individual, and contrary.
So. Given that I dearly love that 85-90% in which we overlap, I’m willing to let the rest slide good naturedly.
And, given that I adore his artistry, his words, his comedic timing, and his biting vitriol, I figured I’d share this with y’all with the hope that it improves your day…
Yours in wasteful and ridiculous excess,
pat
48 Comments
Based on the title, this has got to be the collaboration with…uh…was it Amber Benson (???). The whole, read aloud, titillate-your-ears-and-glaze-your-eyes-with-fantastical-desire thing?
rip
Nope.
Note the subtle context clues, such as us not hitting the 450K donation goal that would trigger that bonus.
And the fact that I said I’d owed someone this story for a year.
Details shmetails…I was led instantly astray by ye old proposed title. And frankly, I assumed that your conditions were merely a cover for your “weighted desire” to engage in naughty storytelling… :)
rip
PS I miss word verification…it was really fun…
I <3 Tim Minchin – a friend of mine introduced me to his material with this very song a couple years ago, and I laughed until I was horizontal in the backseat of the car. I'm also partial to Peace Song For Palestine and If I Didn't Have You.
Love Tim Minchin regardless of whether or not people agree with what he’s saying you cannot deny that the man has some serious performing talents. Besides, anyone who writes a song against prejudice of *whispers* ginegers is ok with me :)
I was introduced to Tim Minchin through a video of his performance of “Prejudice”. I fell out of my chair laughing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVN_0qvuhhw
I love Minchin, and I really love Storm. I was lucky enough to see a preview of the animation at TAM London a couple of years ago, and I’ve been rewatching it periodically ever since.
So odd, Tim Minchin only really bubbled to the surface of my consciousness yesterday. I had seen him a few times on the TV show, Californication, and he’s being featured more heavily in this current season. But it was yesterday watching the “Experiments” series created by Derren Brown, that I had a name to go with the character, and the idea that he was comedian, and not just an actor. Now, you post this. Interesting.
I love, love, love Minchin! His White Wine in the Sun is on repeat every holiday season!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q
Yes!! I love all TM’s comic stuff and have seen him a couple of times live before but this (non-comic) song has to be one of my fave’s (though also not as well known as others I don’t think)
It actually sort of reminds me of / has the same sentiment as some of Pat’s letters to/for Oot.
I love this video. We have a “Storm” in my writing group. Last session she brought up the “we only use 10% of our brains” myth. I tried to be a bit more tactful (and with less internal rhyme) to debunk that particular myth.
I’ve loved him for quite a while, since an acquaintance performed along side him at the Edinburgh Fringe festival about 4 or 5 years ago and came back singing his praises.
His most recent accomplishment, Matilda the Musical, is supposed to be absolutely brilliant. He is a lyric/timing genius.
Minchin! The fact that you like Minchin makes my little nerdy world complete. I think my favorite is still If I Didn’t Have You, followed very closely by Mitsubishi Colt and Storm. Glad you’re finding time for fun things between charity crazy and writing crazy.
That was fantastic. Thanks for leading me to an awesome artist and poet. And comedian.
I have a great love of Tim Minchin, my sister introduced me to the song for song for Phil Daoust and Prejudice. I love him and was very jealous of my friends who got to see him in Jesus Christ super star!
So is this new story 4C’s related or a stand alone? Also, is it going to be published? Ah, I’m sure you’ll give us a heads up if it is right?
(I admit, I’ve been collecting your writing…so sorta want to know for my own sick purposes)
Also, any word on what tomorrow’s Story Board will be about? Really looking forward to watching, as always, I’ve found myself waiting all month to watch these! They’re going really well in my opinion!
Interesting video. I believe in God and taking certain things on faith but I also believe the same things about medicine that he mentions (and seemingly, hippies).
Also glad to get a brief peak into book three’s progress.
So, not to be crass or acquisitive, or anything like that, but…If one hasn’t heard anything by now, can one assume that one hasn’t won anything from the Heifer-Worldbuilder drawings? I’d love to be informed that the prizes are yet to be awarded, but I’m guessing they have.
Prizes have not been shipped yet. We’re still juggling data, updating our spreadsheets, and alphebetizing things in preparation for our pick and package party, which usually lasts a couple of weeks.
Like above poster, was deceived by conniving title :3 That 436k stares at me from the main page.
Pat! I’ve been lurking on your blog for a long time, appreciating fine words. Today I joined because… I thought I should.
Anyway, you made it to easy to guess… it’s the piece of erotica for Amber Benson :p
Make sure to make it out to T-A-R-A :)
Sorry, as above, wrong guess. It’s something for an anthology I signed on for ages ago .
Homeopathy is funny. Also, Pat, you’re super awesome. Thanks for Prometheus-ing it up all the time, with regards to anything cool ever.
That movie was pretty damn funny. And well-crafted, too.
On a very loosely related note, my five-year old son has recently declared Richard Dawkins’ “The Magic of Reality” his favorite book. We bought the book on a whim, thinking it will be nice to have a few years from now, but apparently, well-presented anti-bullshit appeals to little kids too.
BTW, Pat, the obvious question: what are the 15% you don’t agree with?
That would be a long blog all by itself. Which I just don’t have time for right now.
Suffice to say that Minchin engages in a few logical fallacies of his own.
Fair enough. I hope that eventually you do find the time, because a) it would definitely make for an interesting blog entry, and b) it would mean that at that point you’re not drowning in work as much as you surely are now.
Assuming that you’ve already watched “Prejudice” and “Confessions” by now, then. If you haven’t, don’t watch them until you need a break from working…I’ve pushed many a friend into the Tim Minchin Youtube rabbit hole, only to have them complain/thank me the next day for having stolen 2 hours of work time from them.
I would say it’s for George R.R. Martin’s Dangerous Women anthology, but he said in January he had already delivered it and your name is not in the list anyway. So I’m clueless.
I would like to add that not only is Tim Minchin’s comedic timing worthy of note, and his content for the most part truthsome and hilarious, but he is an amazing musician. Literally amazing. Listen to the Dark Side solo live version, it’s ridiculous.
Cannot phrase correctly, so I’ll limit the post to three sentences:
Tim Minchin lightens every social/political mood that has ever existed.
I am eagerly awaiting New Book + Titling.
Mention of Book Three has made my day substantially better.
Pat,
You have spiritual and religious people who love your books, and follow along with your blog. I would hope that you don’t have the same kind of condescending attitude toward them/me that Minchin does in this video.
The fact that you seem to have taken Minchin’s points personally, and that the mere link of his material apparently warrants concern that Pat might be similarly insulting to you, is likely the reason he said “That would be a long blog all by itself.”
If he does write that blog, I hope he offends as many people as his opinions will.
Which, I have noticed, is rather few. He is rather crafty with words..
Thank you for the Minchin link! I had not seen his work before. Coming from an entire family of gingers….I almost cried I laughed so hard watching Prejudice. I have always had a soft spot for a comedian with musical gifts (and WOW he has a gift), and add in that he’s a ginger Australian humanist, it cements his place in my heart. Will have to find a friend with HBO to catch him on Californication.
So, Pat, how did Old Holly come to be?
I think Minchin has indeed some flaws in this Vid. I could’t name a percentual number…it’s more the basic view.
There’s quite some prejudice in there, actually, if you look really close on the matter, but maybe you can’t speak a word without prejudice…technically…or maybe better, philosophically…
Strangely his definitions of alternate medicine just for example has its flaws too… things like homoepathy and other alternative methods have been scientifically proven in terms of effect, at least where I live. After all, it’s not yet fully proven in function, but, tell me… what on world really is, when it comes to the inner cellular systems?
So I’m slightly confused by this.
Oh, before someone hits me with a stick. I mistook the homoepathy a moment for naturopathic methods there. Some do… too much do actually from what I researched right now.
Interestingly there are effects on the line of “like cures like”, not especially those low-dose-mixing-things. I also don’t mean the ancient (funny thing though) “sympathetic magic”, like…well this rhino horn looks like a phallus…it will surely make mine bigger. No, I mean that the body’s own defense systems can be used, sometimes by the same agent that causes a disease, to overcome these. Of course these are rare cases. Most else may be placebo.
And again I learned something today.
Yay.
damn you brain! I meant to say *stimulated there, nut used.
On the topic of generally cool things… I think I saw our world’s version of your world’s “Fishery” this weekend, which was amazing.
I went to a conference on How to Make a Makerspace which took place at a place called Artisan’s Asylum in Somerville, MA. For anyone interested in learning or making cool things, it was like Disneyworld. 3D printers, laser cutters, craft studios, quilts, a giant robot leg.. Everywhere you looked there was.. stuff!
Pat, are you familiar with these spaces? (Or anyone else out there..)
I think someday I would like to start one of my own.
In addition to being a fantastic comedian/ Tim wrote the music and lyrics for the Matilda musical which (rightfully) earned stacks of awards during it’s run in London’s West End and is now on Broadway. I highly recommend to anyone in range of either London or New York, particularly if Bertie Carvel will be playing Miss Trunchbull.
~ a Tim fan and his wife
Re: the working title: sounds awfully close to “Silence, a rigorous Medusa, turns/On the lost world the stress of her regard…”
from Clark Ashton Smith. Sadly, already used, but at least by another fabulous guy, Tim Powers, for his ‘fantasy’ novel of Coleridge & Keats’ ‘Lamia.’
Yup, you did it. You made my day. :)
It never ceases to amaze me how people can take the silliest things so seriously. There are so many really true issues in the world and you are worried if Pat has insulted your religion…really?
I totally agree with what you point out here. I really don’t think Pat intentionally did or said any insult…especially their religion.
Hello Pat,
I wanted to give you congratulations on a great book, “The Name of the Wind”. It was amazingly full of life and color, the characters jumped at you out of the pages and it flowed wonderfully. I could not put it down. I just picked up the second book today and can not wait to see what is in store for the next chapter.
Thanks for taking me to a whole new world.
Hey Pat, Thanks for the link to that mans video. I actually liked most of what he said… even if he did accuse me of being a greedy, lying, mentally ill man who preys on people less fortunate. I thought a lot of what he said was smart, and I don’t blame him for his opinion… even if I think he’s a little full of himself when he assumes that everyone who has ever picked up a set of tarot cards or laid hands on a ouiji board is a manipulative, money crazed twat.
I would be interested in knowing what 10-15% of the video you disagreed with, mainly because you have such interesting views on things.
Anyways, thanks again for the video :)
I really enjoyed the article Pat. It was informative and had some tid bits into the character of you. Thanks for the tiny bit of update to the fact about the 3rd book in the series.
This was meant for February 8th blog, my apology’s.