Margaret’s Song

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  There was a king in Thule,  True even to the grave;  To whom his dying mistress  A golden beaker gave.  At every feast he drained it,  Naught was to him so dear,  And often as he drained it,  Gush’d from his eyes the tear.  When death came, unrepining  His cities o’er he told;  All to his heir resigning,  Except his cup of gold.  With many a knightly vassal  At a royal feast sat he,  In yon proud hall ancestral,  In his castle o’er the sea.  Up stood the jovial monarch,  And quaff’d his last life’s glow,  Then hurled the hallow’d goblet  Into the flood below.  He saw it splashing, drinking,  And plunging in the sea;  His eyes meanwhile were sinking,  And never again drank he. “Margaret’s Song” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) in “Faust. Part I.”

NaNoWriMo

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November is National Novel Writer's Month (NaNoWriMo).  I am not posting any blogs during November, except for any that may be related to NaNoWriMo, my novel specifically. 

My wife and I will be writing on separate projects, aiming at at goal of at least 50,000 words, or a 175-page novel by November 30, 2010.  So far, I have a nice 5 chapter novel charted out and am rather excited about the whole endeavor.  Can't tell you what it is (where would the fun be?) but you may catch a hint of what I am writing by taking a glance at my "Currently Reading" list, to the right, on this blog.

Perhaps you happen to be in the Columbia area, and would like to join us for some lunch-time write in's.  Bring your laptop, your plots or the seat of your pants (depending on how you write) during the noon hour (or longer, depending on your schedule) to the campus of Columbia International University (this is not a CIU sponsored event):
  • Thursday, November 4, in the Student Center, Main Dining Room (noon)
  • Thursday, November 11, in the Student Center, Rikard Dining Room (noon)
  • Thursday, November 18, in the Student Center, Rikard Dining Room (noon)
  • Tuesday, November 30, in the Student Center, Rikard Dining Room (noon)
Until then, please enjoy this quote by G.K. Chesterton: "There is a great man who makes every man feel small.  But the real great man is the man who makes every man feel great."

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