Time: Linear & Cyclical

This morning, I asked AI for the effects of linear time and cyclical time on writing style and their implications for writers... and here's what I got:

Impact on Writing Style

1. Linear Time:

   • Structured, chronological storytelling with clear transitions.
   • Language often emphasizes sequence: “then,” “next,” “finally.”

2. Cyclical Time:

   • Descriptive, meditative, or repetitive styles that mirror cycles.
   • Language includes recurring motifs and timeless phrases: “always,” “again,” “eternal.”

---

Implications for Writers

1. Crafting Narratives:

   • Writers can choose linear time to create tension and resolution or cyclical time to evoke reflection and interconnectedness.

2. Worldbuilding:

   • Cultures in stories can reflect temporal perspectives. For example, a society with cyclical time might revere rituals, while one with linear time might prioritize innovation.

3. Reader Engagement:

   • Linear narratives cater to readers seeking clear direction and resolution.
   • Cyclical narratives appeal to readers interested in themes of continuity, reflection, and the broader rhythms of existence.

Chuck Palahniuk

"Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy things we don’t need."
Chuck Palahniuk

Thanksgiving 2024

Some days or dates stay with me, bringing back memories... good and/or bad.

I lost my paternal grandmother on Thanksgiving 2010. Since then, having had this beautiful person as my grandmother is the first thing I express my thanks and gratitude for every Thanksgiving.

My memoir The Petal's Whisper gathers some of the cherished moments I shared with my grandmother.

Algorithm

The word algorithm traces its roots to the name of a ninth-century Persian mathematician, Mohammad Kharazmi, as pronounced in Persian. He lived in Baghdad, though, and his name became Arabic: Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi. The Arabic al means the, an article, grammatically-speaking. Al-Khwarizmi was a scholar at the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, where he made significant contributions to algebra, arithmetic, and astronomy. As his writings were translated into Latin during the 12th century, his name was Latinized to Algoritmi. Over time, algoritmi became associated with the systematic procedures he described, eventually evolving into the modern word algorithm, now defined as a step-by-step procedure for solving a problem or performing a task.

Written By

Storytelling

One of the most iconic figures in storytelling is Scheherazade — or Shahrzad — from 1001 Nights. Faced with the threat of execution, she uses her intellect to craft captivating tales. Her brilliance and storytelling skills save her life and transform a king consumed by vengeance. Her stories often center around clever characters who use their intelligence and resourcefulness to navigate perilous situations, right wrongs, and deliver poetic justice.
https://youtu.be/SjNLuxOX3V0?si=Ry2XCkVhTYOiBrWm

A Portrait

Joy

 

Nathaniel Hawthorne

“Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind.”
Nathaniel Hawthorne

Writing & Chocolate

Writing is like making chocolate — a mix of craft and alchemy. Ideas, like cacao beans, start raw... and untamed, needing patience to refine.
Drafting mirrors tempering: melting and reshaping thoughts until they shine.
Adding flavor parallels layering emotions into a story.
Both demand balance, attention, and a willingness to get messy before they can be offered to the world.
Some savor every layer; others rush through, but the goal is the same: to create something rich and memorable, leaving a sweetness that lingers long after the last word... or bite.

A Good Story

Cat Story - Part Seven

(The previous parts of this Cat Story can be found here: 
https://afarinrava.blogspot.com/2024/11/cat-story-part-six.html)

Once I'm done editing her manuscript, Pishi Pishi Miao Miao expects me to format her book...
and design its cover, too.
She also claims she has made some sort of announcement about publishing her book on December 13.

(Until then I'm sure there will be more to the story...
but readers can expect a partial cover reveal next Tuesday.)

On This Monday

 

Approval

When the pieces of my project finally align, it feels like the universe whispers its approval, and I just want to complete the final steps and share my work.

Aim

The usage of the verb aim depends on the context:

1. aim + at + noun
used when specifying the target or goal
example:
She aimed at the target.

2. aim + to + verb
used when expressing an intention or goal 
example:
He aims to finish the project by Wednesday.

3. aim
used alone in some cases, especially in commands or casual speech
example:
Just aim and shoot.

4. aim + for + noun
used instead of "aim at" to express targeting something as a goal
example:
We aim for excellence.

Each structure slightly shifts the meaning or focus of the verb aim.

Friday

It's a gray Friday, and I'm not referring to the weather. The signs and banners of advertisement for Black Friday are all in play, and have been for a few days now, and we're still two weeks away from black Friday... so I can call it gray, or even dark gray, now, right?

Black Friday got its name back in the 1960s in Philadelphia, where police used it to describe the crazy crowds and traffic chaos on the day after Thanksgiving as people flooded the streets to start their holiday shopping — not exactly flattering. Later, retailers gave it a positive spin, tying it to the idea of businesses going in the black, as opposed to in the red, thanks to all those eager shoppers. Over time, the term stuck, and now it’s synonymous with massive sales and discounts, kicking off the holiday shopping season. 

There are other special Fridays, too. Some Fridays are tied to religious or historical events, and others are culturally or commercially defined: Good Friday, Casual Friday, Fish Friday, Freedom Friday, Orange Friday, Blue Friday, etc.

#TBT

#TBT to when I first read Anne Lamott's advice about first drafts, which, in her book Bird by Bird, she simply calls "shitty." She tells writers to start by getting something — anything — down on paper. This is still my guiding principle every time I sit down to write. 

This advice both validates the difficulty of getting started, reassuring me that it’s fine, even expected, for a first draft to be flawed and encourages me to give myself permission to write freely and embrace imperfect beginnings, clearing the way for creativity and authentic voice to emerge. 

Announcement

Cat Story - Part Six

(The previous parts of this Cat Story can be found here: 
https://afarinrava.blogspot.com/2024/11/cat-story-part-five.html)

So here I am, editing the scribblings of an alert, agile, affectionate animal...
And for what?
She plans to publish the manuscript with her mistakes anyway.

(The story will continue...
and Part Seven will be posted next Tuesday.)

Dive

Monday means a fresh start, a blank slate, and a chance to dive into something new. Monday means the day to set things in motion. Let's make this Monday the start to a week of wins, big or small. 

Time Unraveled

On Sunday morning at 5:30 am, I woke up, got dressed, and drove to Laguna Beach, California. I parked my car by Diedrich and put my stack of papers to grade and my book on my usual table in the corner. I went inside and, after the usual greetings, ordered my usual hot chocolate and cheese Danish, somehow fully aware and somewhat uncomfortable that the first contained way too much sugar and the second had all kinds of harmful ingredients. The barista handed me my breakfast, which I took to my table outside. Sitting on the chair facing the beach, I opened my book and started reading with occasional glances at the ocean and the people in swimsuits playing volleyball on the sand. 

After enjoying my breakfast and a few pages of my book, I pushed my cup and my plate back and began grading papers... After a while, I started wondering why I had so many papers, where all these students had come from, and why I had eaten such an unhealthful breakfast after being so careful with my nutrition for the last seventeen months. 

Suddenly, Pishi's loud and insistent meow woke me up in my cabin in the woods in Arkansas, and I saw Hoppoo and Looloo politely sitting by my side, staring at me and waiting for me to wake up. 

I felt disoriented, as if reality had taken a step backward, to a familiar routine from years ago, over fifteen years ago, with such vivid details of the sound, light, smell, taste, motions, and calm that had shaped my days. I'd been transported to a different version of myself, living with habits and surroundings long left behind. 

The clarity of the dream blurred with the present moment, and for a heartbeat, I didn't know which life I belonged to. I lay there for a few minutes, suspended between two timelines, haunted by a faint longing for that forgotten rhythm. 

Back to reality, I got up and took the dogs out. I then fed them and the demanding cat before making my morning tea. I sat with my mug, revisiting my dream... and thinking about time, which doesn't seem as linear as we like to think. It folds and bends, tugging memories from the past into the present... and perhaps slips fragments of today into distant dreams. Sometimes, a single moment stretches out, heavy and endless, while an entire year vanishes in a blink. It never fails to carry us forward, though, whether we are ready or not.

Possibility

A blank page may seem terrifying, 
but it's filled with possibility — 
so much possibility, in fact, 
and so much potential,
that it truly is terrifying.

So Far...

Sparkle

Ray Bradbury

“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.”
Ray Bradbury

Cat Story - Part Five

(The previous parts of this Cat Story can be found here:
https://afarinrava.blogspot.com/2024/10/cat-story-part-four.html)

Finally, she hands me the manuscript and says, "I'm done correcting your edits. You're allowed to proofread this... and don't take too long because I plan to publish this by the end of the year."

(The story will continue...
and Part Six will be posted next Tuesday.)

A B C ...

Yesterday, I was playing around on ChatGPT, going through tips for writers, and I came across this tip: “Start Each Sentence with a New Letter of the Alphabet.” So I challenged myself to write a story with twenty-six sentences, each beginning with a different letter of the alphabet. It started as a fun exercise but the challenge forced me to dig for unexpected word choices and fresh sentence structures — a playful way to jumpstart creativity. 

I was thinking about my neighbor's dog, Paco, who died on November 3, 2023. I wrote about him in the chapter "Alarm" in My Guest Book: à la Rumi. He and my Hoppoo were friends and always played together. Anyway... This is about my dogs and Paco:

A ll the dogs in the neighborhood got together.

B arks filled the air as they gathered in the woods.

C hasing tails and jumping high, they were ready for play.

D iscovering a patch of mud, the bravest pup dove in face-first.

E ager noses sniffed every inch of the mud patch and the area around it.

F eet flying, they sprinted in circles.

G rowls of playful competition broke out.

H owls of laughter erupted.

I mpromptu races broke out, with tails wagging.

J umps and flips added flair as they chased each other.

K ibble treats appeared here and there.

L icking their chops, they snatched up every crumb.

M ud-covered but thrilled, they barked in agreement: this was the life.

N oses to the ground, they sniffed out every single blade of grass.

O ne by one, they shook off the dirt.

P aws thumped against the earth in an endless rhythm of joy.

Q uick dashes and sudden stops, they played like there was no tomorrow.

R olling around, they enjoyed the coolness of the grass on their backs.

S unshine warmed their fur.

T ails wagged nonstop, each dog as happy as could be.

U nbothered by mud or mess, they embraced the chaos completely.

V oices calling their names brought wagging tails and eager barks.

W ith their big, goofy smiles, they looked exhausted but content.

X enial greetings were exchanged.

Y awns signaled the end of the adventure.

Z ipping home, they dreamed of the next time they'd all meet again.

ChatGPT

Many people use ChatGPT without knowing what its letters stand for. "ChatGPT" stands for Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer.

"Chat" indicates it's designed for conversational interactions, and GPT refers to "Generative Pre-trained Transformer," the type of model.
It's "generative" because it generates text based on prompts, creating responses dynamically.
It's "pre-trained" because the model is trained on large datasets before being fine-tuned for specific tasks, so it already has a broad understanding of language.
The word "transformer" refers to the model architecture used, which is highly effective for understanding and generating natural language.

"ChatGPT" is a model designed for generating natural-sounding text in a conversational format.

Look for Circles!

November 2 is “Look for Circles Day.” This lesser-known holiday invites us to notice circles in everyday life — from the obvious, like wheels and clocks, to the subtle and abstract, like circular routines or patterns in nature.

This can actually be an exercise in mindfulness, helping us observe our surroundings in a new way. It's a fun excuse to pause and discover hidden shapes and symmetries all around us.

I don't have to look far: I have fresh cookies on a round plate and am enjoying coffee in my cylinder-shaped cup, on its round wooden coaster, as my two dogs are curled up in a semi-circle next to me. 

Happy Look for Circles Day!

November