Why I Write Such Crap Stories

Ushuaia in the Good Old Summertime

Just got call from Jules for more drink, but I am resisting. I've been out with Jan from 6 and want to leave it at that. A good night. Myself and Peter, Janet's housemate had it out over Dr Ledbetter, a play I'd seen him in in Edinburgh last August. I wasn't complimentary at the time. He is too nice a guy to criticise me, though it has to be said I didn't criticise the production, just the script. Anyhow sound guy, and I look forward to the new plays he and Janet are in. Janet needs more publicity and I offered to help, but any producers out there look her up on IMDB; Janet Moran. Great actress. They're both in a new version of Berkhoff's 'Metamorphosis' and an early play by Chekhov coming up soon in the Theatre Festival.

Picked up McCarthy's 'The Road' for 4.99 in Chapters. God bless Chapters. There's my next reading project.

Went to 'Waitress' earlier. I won't be disrespectful to the dead; Adrienne Shelley's debut (and last movie) holds together. However, it is as sweet as any of the lead character's pies. Once upon a time there were many 'independent' American movies, safe as houses but with a bit of quirkiness just to show they'd seen a European movie. The Sundance Institute bred a lot of these (eg. The Spitfire Grill). 'Waitress' is very much in that mould. It will not offend anyone. It pretends to wisdom. It tries some mannered scenes to be quirky. But at the end of the day it is a slight story with little to say. The old 'cookery as inner expression' ploy is used again and nice but shallow characters try to win us over. Just why Keri Russell's character does not argue with her husband sooner is a mystery known only to Shelley. It suits the story, I guess. It passes the time and hints at a future career for Shelley, but it's far from being a masterpiece.

I printed off some stories I wrote a while back to have Janet read, but reading them on the way into town, I got depressed. The stories were schlock, but I knew that. The problem was that they were badly written. Of course, I was close to them, so it's difficult to say how bad they were, but I wouldn't rate them. Even schlock has to have grace.

Anyhow it heartens me to think I can still have a day like today, even with work looming in the background. If anyone wants a schlock writer give me a shout. I can still improve.