Word Count: Zero

Last night after work the only trick or treating I was with the kids on was the Trunk and Treat -- an event where Halloween displays are set up in vehicle trunks -- at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church. Martha did stop by the office where I work with the kids in costume (Jeffrey as a red M&M, Sarah as an emoji, and me as Doctor Strange; for more on that, see yesterday's post) and took photos of us. Once again, she took my photo when I wasn't smiling -- but that's characteristic of Strange.


Clothahump the wizard from Alan Dean Foster's Spellsinger series makes this point to Jon-Tom, the human spellsinger (that's a magic worker who needs an instrument to focus sorcerous abilities) he unwittingly dragged from our world into his, in the series' fifth book The Paths of the Perambulator:


You must try to understand that wizardry is a solitary profession. We who practice it have little time to develop social graces or refine interpersonal relationships. As the world's greatest wizard, I have had to endure the weight of reputation for more than a century. As a result I sometimes tend to forget that I am dealing with mortals less versed in life as well as in the intricacies of my art. I fear my impatience sometimes carries over into rudeness.


I'm not even a wizard (nor am I a turtle as Clothahump is; the main world of Spellsinger is dominated by intelligent mammals, birds, and insects) and I know MY impatience sometimes carries over into rudeness! And what is that about referring to non-magic users as "mortal"; Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place did the same thing, which makes me wonder if there's some connection between using magic and extreme long life!


Could be ... the Ancient One, Marvel-Earth's precious Sorcerer Supreme who taught Strange, had had the job for five hundred years before he came into the picture and it's a safe bet the people of Tibet (where Strange originally found the Ancient One in the comics, as opposed to a why-needlessly-provoke-China choice of Nepal for the upcoming movie) may live slightly longer than your average person reading this post does, but not that long.

And look at my title and that is true -- while I'm finishing this post, I have made notes on this month's National Novel Writing Month project (and not even many of THOSE)! So if today I'm not here that much, you'll deal with it. I know I will. Kids brought in candy hauls from about twenty houses besides, and by the time I met them they didn't want to go out more as it had been raining off and on the whole day. My seraphic shield was just not as focused as it should have been ...


Anyway, I've writing to do. Toodles!

David

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