If it quacks like a duck?

Montero said:
I'd vaguely assumed it was the three that are allegedly banned in Officers' Messes - women, religion and politics.
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Couldn't help noticing that magic 1000 posts against your name.

Will you be following tradition -although of course it isn't compulsary :)
 
I agree with Venusian Broon, Bowler1, et. al.

Yes, hardly an insightful reply, but they've said what I would have said if they hadn't said it.
 
TheEndIsNigh said:
The nice thing about using Abbot, Prior, Monk and Monastary is the reader gives himself a preconception of the type of community, but he will already know that it isn't exactly the same set up by the time he's in there.
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There is also a danger in that. You are assuming that *your* unspoken assumptions about an abbot are the same as mine.

You also run the risk of ruffling the feathers of medieval historians, such as myself, who get all fussy and huffy and insist an abbot would never do *that*. Or will want to know if you mean an Italian 8th century abbot or a Norwegian 14th century abbot. Or, indeed, a 21st century American one.

Not all ducks are the same!
 
Montero said:
I'd vaguely assumed it was the three that are allegedly banned in Officers' Messes - women, religion and politics.
Click to expand...
close
sexuality, religion and politics.
as banned in all "polite conversation" since before I learned to talk.

naturally there are times and places to break each, but the general taboo on them in every day conversation makes the sharing of ideas and ideals harder to do.
 
hopewrites said:
close
sexuality, religion and politics.
as banned in all "polite conversation" since before I learned to talk.

naturally there are times and places to break each, but the general taboo on them in every day conversation makes the sharing of ideas and ideals harder to do.
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Thanks.

I was under the vague impression that those topics were avoided, so that everyone doesn't have a big row. However, it now occurs to me, that I've had to dodge round loud arguments about sport, usually football, to get to the coffee machine at work.
 
Montero said:
I hadn't actually noticed the clock-over. :D

What is the tradition?
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A few (quite a few actually) mark such momentous events by placing an example of their writing up for critique. Hence the link in this thread above. Although this thread was started some time after my 2000th.

Afterall, passing a x000th post count should be something to celebrate. Plus by the time that number of posts has been reached a memeber will probably have become familiar with the "usual suspects" and the thought of being 'critiqued' should hold no fears. :eek:

As I said it isn't compulsary.

(And some that do participate, dread the thought of the (X+1)000th as a result:))
 
:D Ah, right. Can't actually see a link btw...

In general nothing I want to post at the moment. Will one day when I need help - actually that should be want help. Probably need it..... :D
(Have already contributed occasionally on critiques, so am sort-of in credit ready for THE DAY :) )
 
Montero said:
Just being dim here - is that avoid info dump in my yet to be posted up here writing, or that was too much info in the previous post I made?

Thanks.
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I suspect that was Mosaix's answer to my original question. (well it's how I'm taking it) -Thanks Mosaix.

Incidentally, if you intend to go down the X000 post route, it's amazing how you become frugal with your 'serious' (post that count) posts as the milestone approaches.
 
If this is the main character, and we're going to spend time inside his world, I don't see the need to use Abbot (although I can't see any real issue with using it). Your reader doesn't need to know immediately what they do and what their role is (chances are your reader's preconceptions of what an "Abbot" is, are probably wrong anyway!). Assuming you're a half decent reader they can pick it all up along the way.
 
Gumboot: No this is a minor character. He makes his appearance, does his bit and then I cast him aside like an old dishcloth. I could use him to flesh out the text, but really I have no interest in him other than how he interacts with my young hero in a few scenes.

That's why I wanted to be a bit lazy.:)
 
Biskit said:
Memory is a bit fuzzy, but didn't Rowling say/strongly hint from the start that Harry is going to be a great wizard, and then spent 6 books showing (as opposed to explaining) how and why?
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I prefer the theory that they knew all along that Neville was the chosen one. From Cracked.com:

"Basically, that Harry Potter dude was just a distraction. The "chosen one" was Neville all along. See, the plot of all seven books revolves around the idea that Harry's life fulfills this prophecy:
The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord [Voldemort] approaches ... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies ... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not ...


The thing is, all that stuff applies to Neville, too. His parents had thrice defied Voldemort, and he was born on July 30, one day before Harry. So what power does Neville know that Voldemort doesn't? According to the theory, that could be either "the power of love" (as in Harry's case) or "herbology."

The "Voldemort will mark him as his equal" part was a little trickier, but then again it wasn't clear how it related to Harry, either. Neville had a messed up relationship with his parents, mainly due to the fact that Voldemort had them tortured into insanity. Voldemort had some serious mommy issues, too, so in that sense Voldemort made him his equal.
But the best part of the theory, the part that makes it all come together, is the idea that Dumbledore, the principal of Wizard High, was intentionally allowing Voldemort to think Harry was the chosen one just to protect Neville. While we're not saying they should have just ditched Harry in the last book and turned the other kid into the protagonist, it would have been pretty cool to have Harry find out he wasn't the center of the universe after all, if only because it would have made the character slightly less insufferable."
 
TheEndIsNigh said:
Gumboot: No this is a minor character. He makes his appearance, does his bit and then I cast him aside like an old dishcloth. I could use him to flesh out the text, but really I have no interest in him other than how he interacts with my young hero in a few scenes.

That's why I wanted to be a bit lazy.:)
Click to expand...

Ah right, I must have misread. Ignore everything I said then. :p Go with Abbot.
 
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