Notsolinear: Tumbling the Small Stuff

Rounds Go ahead. I am the calm center of the world, Bubba. Just...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:27:39 -0500

Go ahead. I am the calm center of the world, Bubba. Just waiting. Waiting for you to jump.

And when you do, I will take you by the scruff, and I will throw you on your scrawny ass. And I will nail you to this muddy ground.

Just like you want me to. Just the way you like me to.

And I know you will come back for more. And more. And again. And forever. And we will continue to face off like this. And we will continue to go our rounds.

Not gonna be much left of the tree across the street from...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:50:06 -0500

Not gonna be much left of the tree across the street from me…. (Taken with instagram)

The guys are cleaning up our trees from the October snow …...

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:47:33 -0500

The guys are cleaning up our trees from the October snow … (Taken with instagram)

Dive Yeah, I definitely think you can take ‘em all. You...

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:25:25 -0500

Dive

Yeah, I definitely think you can take ‘em all. You should go for it. Just dive in, Bubba.

Lawn Woe The reason my lawn looks the way it does goes by the...

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:00:31 -0500

Lawn Woe

The reason my lawn looks the way it does goes by the name of Rothko.

He’s taken to initiating play sessions with Honey by kicking up dirt with his forepaws.

It’s pretty effective. At getting Honey to play. And destroying the grass.

"I’m not calling this ‘nonfiction,’” he writes, “and neither do I tend..."

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 08:05:00 -0500

““I’m not calling this ‘nonfiction,’” he writes, “and neither do I tend to call anything that I write ‘nonfiction,’ because I don’t accept that term as a useful description of anything that I value in literature. The only reason this is being labeled ‘nonfiction’ by your editors is because that is one of the two binary categories that editors allow in prose.””

- Blurring the line between fiction, nonfiction: Critic’s Notebook - latimes.com

I just wrote a straight piece of “nonfiction.” It was nice to have done that because now that I’m sending it out to publications, I can say, “This is nonfiction.” But most of what I write is a hybrid of fiction and nonfiction. Which means most of the time I call it fiction, even though that isn’t entirely…well, accurate. It’s frustrating to do that.

I can sympathize with both sides of this debate. I see the need and importance for fact-based nonfiction. But I also see where sometimes in a piece, especially in certain personal reflections, the facts aren’t necessarily what matters and it can still be a “true” piece, regardless of whether a thing happened in daylight or at night or on 33rd Street vs. 34th Street.

I think the trick is in the labeling. Mystery is good. If it’s neither fiction nor nonfiction, just call it a “story.” Just call it a “piece.” I think this is a simple, common-sense solution, though I do think it makes things harder for an author to publish these pieces due to what D’Agata is saying above: that publications mostly want one of these two categories.

I’d also say: Fiction can be more “honest” and in many ways more “true” than nonfiction. Facts don’t necessarily tell the story. People manipulate facts to tell a story they want to tell all the time. This is called “politics.” If you want to write politics, then worry a lot about facts.

Boost Oh my god, when you look at him like that, you’re...

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:27:54 -0500

Boost

Oh my god, when you look at him like that, you’re just boosting his ego. Pretend he’s not there. Like this. Watch me.

One Eye Got my eye open for you.

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:32:26 -0500

One Eye

Got my eye open for you.

Learning how to master my device… (Taken with instagram)

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:30:52 -0500

Learning how to master my device… (Taken with instagram)

Delayed Gratification He says delayed gratification makes the...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:28:00 -0500

Delayed Gratification

He says delayed gratification makes the treat that much sweeter. I think he’s full of shit, but just humor him and do what he says.

Wall of hydrants (Taken with instagram)

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:43:20 -0500

Wall of hydrants (Taken with instagram)

Lake Musings Some days, I don’t think Daddy understands...

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:43:00 -0500

Lake Musings

Some days, I don’t think Daddy understands me. And I come here and I think, how can I make him see? About the ducks. (Christ, the ducks!) Or the way the water calls to me and draws me close. The way you can make out the trees reflecting from its surface, and when I stick my paw in it, a gentle circle forms and then disappears. Or about the way the goose poop smells on the sidewalk and on the grass and how sometimes it’s all I can do to keep myself from rubbing my neck all in it.

He just doesn’t understand these things. I’m afraid he never will. And the despair is almost too much to take.

But then later when I’m licking his ears, which I like to do, or when I bring him the ball and he gives me chicken, or when he’s making salads and he lowers his hand and inside is a crisp hunk of carrot, so beautiful and orange and crunchy, I realize it’s really not so bad. And maybe he gets me after all. In his own way.

And then I reckon it’s okay about the ducks.

Dr Office, waiting. Kindle, reading. First book reading on...

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:28:07 -0500

Dr Office, waiting. Kindle, reading. First book reading on ereader. Feels kinda good. Feels kinda normal. (Taken with instagram)

Kiss. (Taken with instagram)

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 14:15:39 -0500

Kiss. (Taken with instagram)

Coffee, tea, paper, Mac … (Taken with instagram)

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:24:49 -0500

Coffee, tea, paper, Mac … (Taken with instagram)

Animus Stop smelling the ground! No, really. Stop. Smelling....

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:42:39 -0500

Animus

Stop smelling the ground! No, really. Stop. Smelling. The. Ground. What’s the matter with you, Bubba? What did you say? I can’t hear you very well. Oh, you CAN’T?! Well, THAT’S kind of stupid! Isn’t it? Why can’t you? Are you dumb, Bubba? Is that it? Poor Bubba.

When this comes on my iPod, I wind up playing it another three...

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:21:55 -0500

When this comes on my iPod, I wind up playing it another three or four times. I like the rage.

Haunted Dreams No, I’ve never caught one. It haunts my...

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:36:43 -0500

Haunted Dreams

No, I’ve never caught one. It haunts my dreams. They probably taste like heaven.

God I love this so much. Schiffer broke a bottle on...

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:56:00 -0500

God I love this so much.

Schiffer broke a bottle on Morgan’s head
And I’ve been stepping on the devil’s tail
Across the stripes of a full moon’s head
Through the bars of a Cuban jail
Bloody fingers on a purple knife
A flamingo drinking from a coctail glass
I’m on the lawn with somebody else’s wife
Come admire the view from up on top of the mast

Hey little bird, fly away home
Your house is on the fire; your children all alone
Hey little bird, fly away home
Your house is on the fire; your children all alone

"There aren’t sex people and non-sex people. Sex is part of everybody’s life and that you can be..."

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:17:41 -0500

“There aren’t sex people and non-sex people. Sex is part of everybody’s life and that you can be incredibly sexual and wear a flowered dress. Also making a film of any kind puts you in a vulnerable position. Well, I feel vulnerable making erotic movies because they have to be sexy to me. Each one is like saying this is what I personally find sexy. That’s scary for me even now.”

- The Rumpus Interview With Jennifer Lyon Bell - The Rumpus.net