Comments on: Thomas Sullivan: MARMADUKE (ER…???) GOES TO COLLEGE, or WET, NAKED & SCREAMING

By: Sully

Sully — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 20:11:00 +0000

Yeah, but was it a cow or a bull?

– Sully

By: Frank Wydra

Frank Wydra — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 19:58:00 +0000

At that restaurant, what I think you had was a Philly, y'know a steak sandwich.

Cheers,

Frank

By: Sully

Sully — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 17:46:00 +0000

Janet. Well-balanced vs. schizo. I thought they were synonyms. In your case any incarnation is a pleasure to know.

– Sully

By: Sully

Sully — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 17:45:00 +0000

John, I peg you as totally eclectic, a renaissance man in the fullest sense. Any way you write a story will come out superb. Nay, have not read Card. I do think one has to keep in mind that any system that breaks things down into components is a subjective choice. Mine works for me, and I’m delighted at these posts and the emails coming in that say I at least was able to communicate same to others whose methods I admire.

James Garner as “Maverick” — that was an all-time fav of mine. Loved the reprise a few years ago where he cameoed into the silver screen version. I guess my heroes and mentors have often been flawed, picaresque rogues. They’ve made my life more than interesting, and — choke — when I look in the mirror or think about what I just did on a given day, I realize that the nut didn’t fall too far from the tree…

– Sully (Thomas Sullivan)

By: Janet Berliner

Janet Berliner — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 17:37:00 +0000

I can only second Rick and Dave. One question does come to mind: If I am all of those, am I well-balanced or schizophrenic? –Janet

By: Sully

Sully — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 17:36:00 +0000

Hey, Frank, he/she stuff has its moments, even in the example you use of steaks. I mean, how many times have we crashed at a restaurant where you had the filet and I had the filly (assuming the waitperson was of the femme persuasion)?

– Sully

By: John B. Rosenman

John B. Rosenman — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 16:54:00 +0000

As an idea man, I drink and use drugs to forget my ideas so that I can emote (no, EMOTE!) about all the bleepin things and events that bug the hell outta me. Another great column, Sully, but why do you have to make us all think so hard on Sunday? Am I an idea man when I write or an emotional guy or someone basically hung up on things and events?

I'll tell you what this reminds me of. Have you read Card's HOW TO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY?
Remember the MICE quotient, where he divides stories into four basic, overlapping types: the Milieu story, the Idea story, the Character story, and the Event story? The point is, your way of looking at things, even if some folks quibble or disagree with it, has the potential of restructuring or ordering life and writing and helping us to understand it better.

Maverick . . . that was James Garner, right?

By: Frank Wydra

Frank Wydra — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 16:05:00 +0000

Hey guy, good column or what?

Trouble is, it makes you think, which everyone knows can be dangerous. So you know, I have been touched by loyalty. And I have tasted economy; one day I had a rare round steak instead of filet. Economy tasted less mellow (lack of fat) and was a lot tougher.

But what I really want to know is why do the thing and event people drink? Or don't they?

Any case, I'm glad to see tht you have finally become politcally correct with all the him/her, he/she stuff. I did not think you would ever fall for that idea, but "time and chance happeneth." Maybe, though, you're suggesting the idea that we need a homophone pronoun to express humaness. Insidiuos, these ideas.

Great column, can't wait to see what happens to Maverick.

Frank

By: Sully

Sully — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 14:17:00 +0000

AIR AMERICA, NIGHT SHIFT — my education is sorely lacking. Thanks, amigos. It’s a two-way street. When you are the writer of a given column you get the value of the feedback — affirmations, counterpoints, extensions — which in this forum is considerable. Whether it’s from another writer or an interested non-writer, there is growth and a shortcut to experience for the essayist.

– Sully (Thomas Sullivan)

By: David Niall Wilson

David Niall Wilson — Sun, 16 Jul 2006 13:32:00 +0000

It’s funny, I read Rick’s response and realized it was nearly exactly what I was going to say – this one will take time to sink in (even though it’s not the first time I’ve heard one version or another of it…)

One thing did pop into my mind that won’t let go…

Remember the movie Night Shift? Henry Winkler and Michael Keaton work together at night — in the morgue – and Michael is an “idea man” – you know, why don’t we feed the mayonnaise to the tuna??? Skip the middle man…

I don’t know which sort of person I am. I tended to avoid college and hit the open sea with the US Navy…traveled and absorbed…

Great essay, as usual Sully…it’s an honor.

DNW