Handwriting Analysis

Mont Blanc hosted a fun event last week. They introduced some new fountain pens, watches, and other exotic wares at their King of Prussia, PA, USA location. They were good enough to invite me, and I showed up toting my favorite Mont Blanc pen, one that’s written much of several novels. Now, I’ve never been one to go in for psychics and the like but Mont Blanc had a handwriting analyst on hand, one Paula Sassi. Let me tell you dear readers of The Bent Page, this lady knew her stuff! Here’s a photo of her after the analysis discussed below. In the photo we’re chatting about my notebook.

paula_sassi

In the first place, she asked that I write out a single sentence and then my signature. She proceeded to interpret these after a few moments of contemplation. Well, she had my personality pegged, flaws and all, to such a degree that my wife nearly blacked out. No kidding! More than just general traits, she zeroed in on the specifics and I kept my mouth shut, partly out of awe and partly because I didn’t want to give her any clues. All I can say is this lady knows how to delve into your characteristics with nothing more than a few lines on paper.

Thus, my thanks go out to Mont Blanc for the invitation to a thrilling event. Plus it was interesting to see their new fountain pens as well as a few old standbys. Keep up the good work, fellows, but remember, they’re hard to wear out.

Published in: on August 3, 2009 at 1:30 am  Comments (1)  
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Great Characters

Regular television programs bore me. There are a few, however, that are outstanding for the brilliant characters they bring to the small screen. Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers are two examples that come to mind. What I like most about these shows is that they show what the general public would consider “regular people” doing extraordinary things. These guys aren’t movie stars or television heroes. They’re people out in the world making a living, doing their level best against some wicked conditions.

Regular TV, on the other hand, is populated with attempts to create characters such as the ones mentioned above. To me, these creations generally fail in that they are either over the top or not authentic. The action star who never runs out of bullets comes to mind, as does the genius detective who never misses a clue. It’s not that I seek unbridled realism, it’s that I’m looking for a more accurate reflection. By structuring the narrative correctly and populating it with better characters, I believe this goal can be achieved.

The First 48, a show about detectives trying to solve actual crimes comes close to the concept I’m trying to conjure up. The detectives are a mixed bag, some flamboyant, some introspective, but all doing what they can (and more) without the sculpted hair, stilted arguments with higher-ups, and fantasy dates in between. Furthermore, the intensity of their pursuits comes across in vivid clarity. The clock is winding down. If they don’t run down the leads and get a suspect in short order, the odds of solving the crime evaporate. That’s an example of structuring the narrative correctly, and it works very well.

Again, it all doesn’t have to be “reality.” I’ll take some science fiction, some straight forward drama, and whatever else the screenwriters can develop. Just keep it closer to the realm of possibility in the context of the given setting. That’s not too much to ask is it?

Published in: on July 30, 2009 at 12:47 am  Leave a Comment  
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Authors and Blogging

Saw this cartoon in the Wall Street Journal. Very appropriate.

wsj_cartoon

Published in: on July 9, 2009 at 10:16 pm  Comments (1)  
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Another kind of High-Ball

In earlier posts, I mentioned a novel I work on from time to time about a couple of pals whose lives intertwine between the end of the First World War and D-Day of the Second. One of them is employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad and much of the story centers around life along the lines in Eastern Pennsylvania. It’s hard to imagine what the scenery was like back then. By this I mean the large number of steam equipment traversing the countryside as well as working in massive railyards located in major cities and small towns alike. Everything moved on the rails, especially if it had to move over a long distance.

Thus, I found this video of a Union Pacific steam locomotive running out west. The term high-ball originated from a signal which consisted of a ball run up to the top of a pole, indicating to the locomotive engineer that the track ahead was clear. Thus, he laid on the coal and proceeded with all due haste. Take a look at more than 200 tons of locomotive moving at full speed.

In case you missed it, watch the video all the way through. The whistle isn’t all that clear, but it does spark the imagination. I’m grateful to all the people who post videos like this. They go a long way to making my job as a writer a bit easier. Just think, sixty or so years ago, before jet liners arced through the sky, there were hundreds of steam trains like this striking out across the nation.

Published in: on June 19, 2009 at 12:40 pm  Leave a Comment  
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