lethargic_man | (no subject)

(no subject)

So we take the Sefer Torah out of the Ark, then (as gabbai this week) I announce the page numbers for the leyning, then I say, "As it's the eleventh of November and AJEX Shabbos, we're going to observe a two minute silence now, as it's now eleven o'clock."

And somebody pipes up: "I make it one minute to." And somebody else goes, "No, I make it eleven now." And then suddenly everyone is talking. ("Two Jews, three opinions."—Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 98a)

And I say in a loud voice, "Well, I am gabbai, and I am paskening: it is eleven o'clock." And there was two minutes' silence.

Jews. You gotta love 'em.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Indeed.

I completely forgot to ask you what the silence moment was about. Well, now I know. I think if you have let them discuss we might have missed the time and it would have been after eleven o'clock.

Well done you. I'm glad you remembered the silence, and I'm glad you were sensible about getting everyone to actually shut up. And I like the way you tell this story, too.

And I like the way you tell this story, too.

Spot the short story writer...

Bah, I put weeks of effort into my short stories and get them torn to shreds for my pains; then get compliments for a hundred words rolled straight off my forebrain. ;^b

I at least compliment your actual stories too. And only criticize them because that's what you asked me to do! And this is a very evocative post, too.

I am not a professional editor - yet - and I don't know how they compare to the rest of the slush pile, but 'Chickenshit' will stay with me for the rest of my life as an immensely powerful story. I am not usually a short story reader, but with one or two exceptions, I've always found yours thoughtprovoking and challenging.

I've more or less given up trying to send mine out, though, since there are so few markets and hundreds of writers competing for each slot, and the couple I've written aren't particularly spectacular anyway.

'Chickenshit' will stay with me for the rest of my life as an immensely powerful story.

Hah, that one I've given up on. I was out of my element writing psychological horror; and after reworking it and reworking it again, and reworking it again—the original workshopping was with the Writers Bloc (http://www.writers-bloc.org.uk/)^*—and still getting critiques implying it was badly broken, I shelved it.

* Standard disclaimer: it's actually the East of Scotland Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Writers Group, and Writers Bloc the associated spoken word group, but I find "Writers Bloc" makes a nippier title.

I am not usually a short story reader, but with one or two exceptions, I've always found yours thoughtprovoking and challenging.

Just not good enough, or (pace Jacey [WINOLJ]) lucky enough to get published. Thanks anyway.

It worked, everyone was silent for 2 minutes.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only