[Stylist] Intro and my first entry

Fri Sep 27 07:10:39 UTC 2019

> 
> Hi Jewel,
> I'm so glad that this didn't actually happen to you!
> That is sort of right about English being my second language. My name means "wind" in Lithuanian. Three of my grandparents came from Lithuania to escape the Soviet Union. My parents were both born in the Midwest United States and learned Lithuanian from home as well as going to Lithuanian school on Saturdays. My parents first only used Lithuanian when talking to me, but decided when I was about 2 to have me speak in both languages so that I could interact with therapists and other instructors. My parents and I all love to read.
> Funny you should ask about the cap and gown. Yes, I will get to wear them. I wore a cap and gown yesterday, as a matter of fact, for my senior photos.
> I'm not sure what the policy on Stylist regarding swearing anymore. I'm 22 and joined the list when I was 15. I remember at the time that people would add in the subject that there was strong language (but did that really stop me from reading?) I think lately people have been more loose about that. I could also put down your/the main character's seemingly light-hearted reaction to shock at seeing the killer so soon.
New Zealand sounds great. Email addresses are hidden here, which is why I didn't see that.
Vejas 
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> On 26 Sep 2019, at 23:25, Jewel via Stylist <stylist at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Thanks for your reply Vejas!  From your name, I would hazard a guess that English is not your native 
> language, so to be a senior major in it is a real feather in your cap/mortarboard!    Do the grads 
> in your college wear caps and gowns?
> the story was, I am thankful to say, entirely fictitious.
> I could have called Sampson's killer a lot of things, but I did not want to be shown the Stylists' 
> door before I had even got across the threshold, so "a filthy apology for a human being!"  I 
> reckoned was pretty telling.
> You picked my spelling as being for English english, but the NZ in my address would identify me as 
> being a New Zealander, or if not of that specific ethnicity, at least, resident in God's Own! 
> However, I am proud  to say that I am a bred and born Kiwi:  that is:   New Zealander with my 
> ancestors having originated in Cornwall, Scotland, Ireland and Normandy via the Channel Islands.
> 
>         Jewel --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Vejas Vasiliauskas via Stylist" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, September 27, 2019 4:29 PM
> To: "Writers' Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: "Vejas Vasiliauskas" <alpineimagination at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Stylist] Intro and my first entry
> 
> 
> Hi Jewel,
> It's very nice to meet you. My name is Vejas and I am a college senior English major.
> If you don't mind me asking, are you from England? I love reading modern British books, and I just 
> guessed it because of your spelling.
> I really liked your story... I hope this didn't actually happen to You, though. Your use of 
> figurative language is great.
> My only critique of it, and this is probably just my own personal opinion, but when you tell the 
> shooter that he is a  "filthy apology of a human being", I feel that this is too light. It's 
> something I would imagine saying to a close friend or significant other in a teasing way.
> Vejas
> 
> 
> 
> On 26 Sep 2019, at 19:16, Jewel via Stylist <stylist at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I cannot sit down and work out a story!  It is up to my subconscious brain to do that, and,
> occasionally, that is what it does, not giving the smallest clue of what it is doing in its idle
> moments.
> 
> When the story is 98% complete, it will then telegraph the product of its deliberations to my
> conscious brain which will then add the final 2% in the form of polishing and addition of the 
> finer
> points.
> Having explained my writing schedule, or haphazard nature of the same, following is my 
> subconscious
> brain's last effort!  Who knows when it will put itself out again?  maybe next week, or, more
> likely, going on previous experience, NEVER!!!
> ----------------------------------
> 
>            Sampson
> 
> 
> My guidedog  jumped forward in his harness and there came from him a sound that I had never 
> expected
> to hear from such a good-tempered animal:  a threatening and "I mean business!!" growl.
> His growl was answered by the bark of a gun.
> Sampson was hurled backwards, taking me with him,  and we both fell to the ground.
> I knew, instantly, that my beloved dog was dead.
> I tried to jump to my feet, but before I could achieve that, a voice came out of the darkness: 
> a
> pleasant, and, I thought, rather cultured one:
> "Miss Blanch!  if you are wise, and believe me when I say that it would be in your best interests 
> to
> be so,  follow the example set by the, recently, departed, and stay, very ...  very ...  still!"
> What option did I have?  Sampson was dead, so I did as bid and stayed very ... very ... still!!!
> There was a soft chuckle, the click of a car door, the rumble of a well-maintained engine, and the
> slayer of innocent  dogs drove away.
> -----------------
> After a sleepless night, I buried Sampson in the front garden, under, what had been his favourite
> shade tree.
> I sat beside his grave, thinking back over the many happy years  we had worked together, 
> travelling
> the world, experiencing all the trials and tribulations plus many adventures that my job as an
> international journalist brought with it, and now,  picturing him running free, without any
> responsibilities, in the meadow on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.  Was he chasing
> butterflies?  that had been his favourite game when he was on this side of the bridge, and,
> occasionally, he, even, caught one, but I am convinced that for him to have been successful, the
> insect must have been very old and on the point of death, so I doubt that his rare successes had 
> any
> lasting impact on the continued survival of the genus!
> In the midst of my reverie,  from the direction of the gate,  came a voice that I knew well and
> would never forget:
> "Good morning Miss Blanch!"  and what a  lovely one it is for gardening!  I don't see that dog of
> yours, but I am sure that he is not far away!"
> "You filthy apology for a human being!  I cried:  "what harm did my Sampson ever do you?"
> "tut tut!:  Miss Blanch!    SUCH  LANGUAGE!  what harm had he ever done me?I confess that,
> personally, he had done none!  You and your like may claim dogs to be your best friends, but,
> believe me, not everyone is so deluded and I, being one of them, have taken it upon myself to rid
> the community of the vile creatures whenever the opportunity presents itself.
> If you are thinking that an examination of the bullet that brought about the animal's sudden 
> passing
> might lead to my identity, let me disabuse you;  I borrowed, for a short time, the gun from a
> stranger, without his knowledge, and now,  that firearm is back in his gunrack without him 
> realising
> that it was ever missing!   secondly, you may be thinking that you can identify me from my voice:
> you will never hear it again!  and with that, he walked away.
> ------------------
> An original story created and written by Jewel Blanch
> 
> 
> 
> 
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