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Thursday, November 3, 2011

"Words, words, words." 'Michael Herr' (Aloha Friday)

Renowned author Michael Herr is back guest-blogging on this awesome Aloha Friday talking about words, words and words,enjoy... Make sure and check out Michael's website at; http://www.michaelherr.com/
ALOHA FRIDAY
November 4

It's Aloha Friday.

"Words, words, words."

I've been intrigued by words ever since I was a keiki, a little kid. Growing up around the time of the Korean War (ooops, police action), I drew hundreds of pictures featuring tanks and planes and bombs and explosions. To complete my drawings I added caption balloons so that the soldiers in my drawings said things like "Ayyyyy!" and "Charge!" and "Die!" Just words to me then.

In elementary school, I can't remember getting less than 100% on any spelling test. I could spell any word. In high school, I padded my English classes by turning in extra-credit writing. Words came easily. In college, I produced more words than ever. Words on Sartre, on Shakespeare, on philosophy and theology and English authors. My best writing during college? The love letters with which I wooed my future wife.

After college, first as a teacher and then as a school administrator, I wrote even more words. Memos and reports and requests for funding and evaluations. But nothing for myself; nothing for my soul.

Now, retired and a writer, I get to play with words again. I get to polish them and piece them together in ways that are so much more interesting to me. And some of my words come together quite nicely.

Once I've written a book, it moves from the front to the back of my mind. So, when I'm working on another book, I have to go back now and then to see what I wrote previously in order to be sure I don't contradict myself. I'm always astonished when I re-read an earlier work at how marvelous some of it is. Not all of it, but language gems pop up now and then within my work. I usually stop reading at that point, look up and in awe say, "Damn, that's good.".

I love words. I love the emails I get from other people who share their wordplay. Here's a couple of examples of the type of wordplay I enjoy:

War does not determine who is right, just who is left.

To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal ideas from
many people is research.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.

Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit, and the
person who doesn't get it.
The only difference between a rut and a groove is the depth.

My mind works like lightning. One brilliant flash and it's gone.

A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.

And my current favorite word:

Ignoranus: A person who is both stupid and an a-hole.


Much aloha.



check out Michael's website at http://www.michaelherr.com/  buy all six books for only $18


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1 comment:

James "Kimo" Rosen said...

If you haven't read any of Michael's books, I highly recommend you buy yourself or friend the complete set of 6 Novella;'s for the low price of $18 including P&H... I highly recommend all of Michael's books, I read everyone and found them all entertaining , clever and witty... I haven't asked Michael But I ma sure he would drop ship any order to a third party.