Life happens

Sorry I've been gone so long. I promise it won't happen again.

While I was away from this blog, two things occurred that I will add to cyberspace, though they really don't deserve much mention.

First, my tomato plants finally died. Hopefully, my fall garden will fare better.

Second, I went through a three-day reading marathon trying to finish Bleak House. I then realized why I take so long to read Dickens' novels. See, the problem with any novel is that a novel usually has a plot that requires every single page between the covers in order to be properly told. Novels with many pages tend to either 1) have many characters who interact in many ways, thus creating a very intricate plot or 2) have an excessive amount of "padding".

Padding can be just about anything: characters who could easily be cut out, plot points that tend to be repeated with different points of view, themes that get stressed with the subtlety of a sledgehammer... or, as is usually the case with Dickens, descriptions that seem to go on and on and on and on with a detail that seems quaint in today's "sum it up in 30 words or less" society.

For three days I tried to finish Bleak House... and by the end of the three days I put it down for a rest because Bleak House happens to fit both 1) and 2), though I will admit BH has a lot less padding than some other novels I've read. However, by the time I reached the part where one of the characters spontaneously combusts, and they're about to hold an inquest, not because it's necessary to move the plot along but because Dickens' editor didn't feel people would be willing to believe a character could spontaneously combust so let's trot out the forensics so people won't stop reading the story... sorry... got off track. As I was saying, it's such a detailed affair that I ended up putting the story down. In a few more days, I think I'll pick it up again, skim the inquest for any relevant info and get back to the plot.

In the meantime, I've been feeling the itch to write again. For those who don't know, I put off writing so that I could focus on my family. Here's hoping I'll be able to get the itch under control before it forms a rash.