The New Hobbit Hole

[HairOfTheDog]

To avoid algae, the best thing is to avoid any direct sunlight on the tank. Nothing can control it if there is sun. But I also have a fairly out-of-control population of snails. So many that once every six months or so I collect a couple hundred and trade them back to the fish store in exchange for plants or something. They give me a nickel apiece for them, and sell them for a quarter.

[Sam Cree]

Hey LCS, I noticed that my nephew is reading a book on our founding fathers by Joseph Ellis. I read an article from Insight Magazine that was posted on FR that said Ellis was a complete fraud (he's the main guy, this century anyway, who accused Jefferson of being Hemming's lover). What do you think?

On a side note when we went to the wedding in Atlanta last month our hotel was hosting a "Thomas Jefferson Reunion." That meant that several hundred black folks, all Hemmings descendants were there. They were pretty loud, having a party, and very nice and friendly.

[Overtaxed]

Must need snails then. The tank is in a corner that never gets direct sunlight.

[JenB]

Ewww.. this fish thing is yuckier than I thought. Snails?

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

Thanks for the support! :)

I've actually been thinking of posting parts of the story on our homepage, once I get them to the point of being readable. That's going to take a while! But I'll be glad to point y'all to it once I have something up.

Have I mentioned Rose is an aspiring writer too? She actually has sold some non-fiction articles, and is currently working on the outline for a fiction series. It's going to be SF as well... if she ever finishes the outline and actually starts writing it, LOL!

[HairOfTheDog]

I have extras! Want some snails? They have a kind of algea sucking fish too, but snails do well, they are the tank's little janitors. And they reproduce like crazy so just get a few!

[HairOfTheDog]

Snails aren't yucky at all! - They have neat little shells with different shapes!

OT... You may be able to grab some snails from a local lake or pond too... That is how I go mine, by accident when I was collecting plants once.

[Sam Cree]

In our saltwater tank we merely scrub the glass once in awhile, the same as you scrub a boat bottom if it sits still too long.

'Course the tropical fish are the natives where we live. I've got 5 fairy basslets, purple and yellow + 2 sea urchins. The starfish died, but I'll pick up another, they're easy to care for. My basslets are well into their second year and have grown quite a bit.

My daughter has goldfish in her dorm that are in their second year, they are not feeders, though, which she thinks don't live too well.

[JenB]

Outlines? What are those? ;-) Seriously, I find they cramp my style. I have notes and write scenes when they hit me, but often my story is as much an adventure for me as for the characters!

I got a bit done tonight...it's hard, I need to write up to a scene I did that's a major turning point so I can see where to go from there. And I need to write about more characters than just the two main ones. Oh, and my dialogue needs work. Otherwise it's Hugo material!

[Overtaxed]

Want some snails?

The tank's not mine, but I'll ask.

[ksen]

...I can't seem to get any sort of love scene right.

Your path is clear, you need to do some more research.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Ellis was a complete fraud (he's the main guy, this century anyway, who accused Jefferson of being Hemming's lover).

I've got the book myself, haven't read it yet (still reading about the Punic Wars). Ellis got in big trouble for lying about his (non-existant) Vietnam War service. Not sure where he stands on the Hemmings story, he was not the one who came up with it in this century. As I understand it, the black Hemmings are almost certainly descendants of a Jefferson, the theory about TJ was started by a contemporary political muckraker, is based mostly on the apparent fact that Sally Hemmings was the half-sister of Thomas Jefferson's deceased wife.

I don't know how accurate Ellis is on history where he doesn't claim to have been there.

[Corin Stormhands]

I've not named my "country" yet. I've named the principle characters, but I'm not happy with the names. I need to fine tune the story line, then do some research.

[Corin Stormhands]

From what I understand, while this is pretty, it is hard on the fish, since there are fewer square inches of air surface.

I was wondering that earlier tonite. Wondering if I'd left enough "air space" for them. Mine isn't filled to the top like that one, but is filled to about 3 inches below.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

they reproduce like crazy

They are hermaphrodites, so I think one is sufficient to get a crowd. Too bad they are not considered edible.

[Corin Stormhands]

Sounds like he needs a real tank with pumps and plants and things.

My son is now asking for a turtle and a bird. I said "oh great, let's kill some really expensive pets..." We didn't have much luck with hermit crabs either. But from what I understand they rarely last for the trip home from the beach.

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

I have one story that's been kicking around in my head for close to two years now. I've made a chapter-by-chapter outline of it; I have all the main characters named, with a little bio for each one; and I've only written small scraps of two chapters.

The story that my muse started hitting me over the head with on Sunday is little more than an idea. I don't have an outline, I don't know any of the characters (except the protagonist) and I only have a vague notion as to what the story is going to be about. But I've written most of the first chapter since Sunday, which is more than I've managed to accomplish on any other story, so I'm going to run with it.

Rose is completely different. Her story outline is currently at 72 single-spaced pages (she's been working on it almost exactly a year.) She's planning it to be a multi-volume epic series. I keep telling her to start writing already, but she feels she needs the outline finished first. No idea when that will be......

Every piece of writing advice I've read says that to be a better writer, you have to write. So even if you only got "a bit" done tonight... that's still good work! :)

[Overtaxed]

My son is now asking for a turtle and a bird.

Time for the "you can't have everything you want" routine?

[JenB]

Unfortunately once I name a character, the name sticks. It's too bad because it means I have a lot of lame names, and a lot of names that always have to go together...

I did my research last winter, wrote up a long history and such for my country, did a map, all that stuff. Hopefully it's enough. Currently I'm at just over 50,000 words.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

Tropical fish and a complete tank system is much simpler than fishbowls once the tank is established.

That is true, but you can also use it with goldfish. One advantage of goldfish is that they like the same temperature that humans do, with tropicals you need a heater, unless you live down Sam Cree's way, and don't have an A/C. You hardly ever have to change water with a filter and pump, just add it occasionally.