Monday, October 29, 2007

Mr. Shields hoped historians would find his minutia meaningful.

Thanks to this great teacher, I am reading obituaries today.
The title above is a direct quote, as is this:
An impish, balding man, he mimicked the inventor Buckminster Fuller, who documented his life in what he called a chronofile by pasting letters, bills and all manner of pieces of paper in a huge scrapbook for 68 years. Among other things, Mr. Shields taped nasal hair into his diary for DNA study by future scientists.

This is what I call GIFT material. There is no one to piss off and no one to contradict. I can let my imagination do what it was designed to do, and give homage to the dead by lettting their character live again-- in a new body and slightly different conflicts.

this is just one of the great things I took away from a weekend writer's conference and workshop.
I have the best non-paying job ever.

2 comments:

Family Adventure said...

Sounds like the workshop was a huge success, then?

I tagged you on my blog. Maybe use your new knowledge to the test?

- Heidi

John said...

Hmm. Nose hairs for DNA?

That's ok, I know someone at work who is having his head frozen when he dies.