In an effort not to distract Nanowrimo writers, I will try to use my blog as a diary for a while and write things that happened, before I forget that they happened. Yesterday, my work day consisted mostly of arguing with my father and salesperson about future manufacturing direction and succession planning. The greatest frustration is of course the power of the union boss to destroy or damage our business whenever he so chooses. Short of the Guatemalan option (any Guatemalan will tell you, as soon as one union leader "disappears", another one takes their place), the only option as far as that side is concerned is to keep a semblance of good will all around, which sometimes involves giving them what they want, which tends to only increase the union's power. Thankfully, as managers, we'd be making more money working for someone else than owning this business, so that there isn't too much of a kitty to raid. As far as succession planning goes, a semblance of a plan is emerging, albeit medium to long term, if it gets to that.
After work, Me and Kylie went to the university (Kneipp Auditorium if anyone knows where that is, near the admin block), for an Annandale state school music concert. This is where, the 2 bands, 3 string orchestra's, 2 choirs play the music to parents and others who couldn't make it to any of the eisteddfords. Belinda, being in both the senior choir and the senior band playing the clarinet, was a part. We brought Kylie's parents with us, and left the other three children with my father (or as the children call him "Doddo"). The pool there is now nearly clean, now that the salt-water chlorinator has been fixed.
The concert was very nice, although the junior band and orchestras were obviously less able. My favourite was the senior choir, based on the "goosebumps" test. When they were singing, I got goosebumps - that's how good they were. The senior band played "Shake, rattle and roll" and the (large) tambourine player did some pretty wild rock and roll stage antics, causing the crowd to ask for an encore - which they got. Read some more of "The Fork" of wich I'm now up to chapter 18. Once again, I am having trouble putting it down. I had printed out the first ten chapters on friday so I could read in bed, but when I'd finished those on sunday, I couldn't get on the net, so I just had to wait until I could get into work to print another 14 chapters. What am I going to do then? I'm glad I'm not reading a novel while it is being written - I might go crazy not knowing the ending! Maybe when I'm finished fork, I might try to read a NANOWRIMO novel written by a stranger, just for comparison. I am fairly convinced that the ones I've read are outstanding, but I haven't had too much to compare them with. In a NANOWRIMO sense, just getting to the 50000 words is something only one in five that attempt it can even do, but I think that these that I've read would be exceptional compared to others that make it. Sure, I'm not an expert, just a fairly typical reader, but isn't it what a typical reader thinks that counts? I wish I had a network of friends that liked science fiction - I have so much material for them to look at.