Stop And Look Around You
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I were strolling along a pier in a smaller town near the southern tip of Argentina.
We looked down and saw these two cute little friends (I think they’re seals).
Many people walked by them AND us. Some of these people had stickers on their shirts which indicated they had been on tours, tours they had paid for, tours that likely took them out to seen animals like these, tours that might not have been successful in that mission.
Here were two of the creatures they wanted to see.
And they didn’t see them.
Because these tour takers weren’t looking around them. They were focused on their destination.
Every so often, if you have a spare minute, stop and look around you. Notice the plants. Look up at the sky. Search for the unusual. Enjoy the wonder.
That might be the best one minute you’ve ever experienced.
(smiles)
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Muse Food – Monkeys Eating Pringles And Sharing Our Treats
(The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I encountered this monkey eating Pringles in Malaysia.)
A human is trekking through the forest and they encounter a cute little creature.
They want to interact with this creature. So they reach into their pack, take out candy or chips/crisps or chocolate and they then offer this treat to the creature.
This happens often in books and in movies, whether that forest is on Earth or in Space.
We share our treats, the foods that taste good to us, hoping we’ll make a connection. It is our way of saying “I want to be friends.” We do this with people and we do this with other living things.
How would the main character in your story try to make friends?
Topics: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Monkeys Eating Pringles And Sharing Our Treats
Muse Food – Pile Of Bricks And Arrangements
This sculpture in Taipei, Taiwan is…technically…a pile of (beautiful and unique) bricks.
(smiles)
It is how these bricks are ARRANGED that makes it a beautiful work of art.
Our stories are technically a collection of words. It is how we arrange them that makes them wonderful, that creates a story.
And we can arrange the words a gazillion different ways. This arrangement is what makes our stories unique, stories only we can tell.
Have fun, fellow word arrangers!
(grins)
Topics: Muse Food, Taiwan, Travel | Comments Off on Muse Food – Pile Of Bricks And Arrangements
Muse Food – Fences And Barriers
These beautiful barriers were erected around an often visited historical site in Kuala Lumpur.
They communicate a few things.
The first and foremost, it IS a barrier. That means unauthorized people should keep out of the site. That’s the primary communication of a barrier or a fence.
The barriers also tell us the site managers KNOW it is a tourist destination. They KNOW visitors to the city will be disappointed that it is under construction. They KNOW these visitors will still want to be take photos.
And they value visitors to the site and to the city.
The pretty barriers relay pride in the site. The site managers care enough about the site to make it pretty.
The images are drawings, not photographs. That relays the site managers care about the arts. They didn’t send a construction worker out to take photos. They employed an artist to sketch it.
And these barriers tell everyone this construction will be happening for a while. It isn’t an overnight closure. The site will be closed for weeks, maybe months, maybe years.
The type of fence or a barrier in a story is important. It communicates much more than ‘Stay out.’ Make your choice of fence or barrier intentional.
Topics: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Muse Food | Comments Off on Muse Food – Fences And Barriers
There Is Beauty Everywhere
(This is a photo the Dear Wonderful Hubby took while we were in Taiwan.)
There is a theory in business called The Red Car Theory.
Once you notice a red car, you tend to see red cars everywhere.
This applies to everything.
If you look for something, you’ll start to ‘see’ it, to notice it everywhere.
So look for joy. Look for smiles.
Look for beauty.
And you’ll then see it everywhere. You’ll see it in the curve of a g on a printed page. You’ll see it in the dew clinging to a blade of green grass. You’ll see it in the spark of gold in a friend’s brown eyes.
You deserve beautiful moments, my friend.
Give them to yourself.
Topics: Cyn-Sights, Taiwan | Comments Off on There Is Beauty Everywhere
Muse Food – Kuala Lumpur Tower And Partially Obstructed Views
The Dear Wonderful Hubby took this beautiful photo of Kuala Lumpur Tower partially hidden between tree branches.
We can see some of the tower, enough to know it is a tower, but not all of it.
Overheard conversations and viewed at a distance meetings in our stories are similar. Our hero/heroine can hear some of the conversation or see some of the action but not all of it.
And these gaps in their perception, their partially obstructed view, can lead to misunderstandings, sometimes amusing reactions, and in extreme cases…murder.
(grins)
Have you ever used a ‘partially obstructed view’ in your stories?
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Swans In Stavanger, Norway
If you love swans, as I do, you’ll likely love Stavanger, Norway.
They were EVERYWHERE, even in places they shouldn’t be (which was often obstructing traffic – grins). And they were GORGEOUS.
They can definitely be found near less boat traffic heavy bodies of water.
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Muse Food – Fairy Houses And Other World Building Hints
When the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I visited Iceland, we were fascinated by the fairy houses, tiny homes crafted by humans for the hidden folk.
In a story, structures like that would be a strong hint we weren’t in a purely human world. It is a hint of magic, of the paranormal, of the unknown.
And hints like these are powerful in storytelling and for worldbuilding.
Because a much beloved story technique is to, at first, make a world seem like the reader’s world here in present day Earth. That is comfortable. It is relatable. The reader can focus on the characters.
Then we slowly introduce the unusual world-specific elements, pushing the reader out of their comfort zones.
Little hints such as fairy houses or a clockwork-like clicking sound deep in a forest or upside down rain are great ways to start this transition.
Topics: Iceland, Muse Food, Travel | Comments Off on Muse Food – Fairy Houses And Other World Building Hints
Things To Do In Skjolden, Norway
Skjolden is a village. It is home to about 200 families. It isn’t large.
But there are some great hikes and some great views.
There are farms within an easy walking distance. One farm, while we were there, hosted one sheep who stood away from the buildings a bit and baa’ed loudly for over an hour. (grins) She looked healthy. I don’t know what her issues were but she certainly had some.
Some of the locals have erected sculptures and artwork also…like this giant wooden hand.
It is a fun place to visit!
Topics: Norway, Travel | Comments Off on Things To Do In Skjolden, Norway
Llamas In Skjolden, Norway
One of the fun things to do in Skjolden, Norway is to visit a nearby Llama Farm.
Visitors, for a fee, can walk the llamas and feed them.
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I watched this from outside the fence. It looked like a great experience. (smiles)
The farm is an easy and beautiful walk from the center of town.
Topics: Norway, Travel | Comments Off on Llamas In Skjolden, Norway
