Popular Mechanics Ending Re-Write

In this exercise, we were asked to alter the ending of a short story - Popular Mechanics by Raymond Carver in his book Sudden Fiction.

The story is about a couple fighting over the baby when husband planned to pack and leave the family. They started with arguemnt, then each grapped the hand, or the body of the poor littly boy. The original ending hinted a tradegy ending when neither of them let go the fragile body of the little boy.
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But he would not let go. He felt the baby slipping out of his hands and he pulled back very hard. The baby was howling and trembling.

See what you did to the baby! Give it back to me. After all, it’s really mine, not yours, not yours, she contemptuously uttered. Confused at first, then vexed, confound and devastated, he let go of the baby and collapsed onto the floor.

I am not his dad, I am not his dad…I am not….., he murmured.

Running out from the kitchen, she held her baby close to her face, just to make sure the little thing was still breathing. She was still astounded by what she just said. She never planned to tell him this. But it seemed to work.

Now what? Call 911? There was no violence, at least not yet. Go to her mom’s place? It was a two-hour drive and it’s already late, but could be an option. Knocked on neighbor’s door to get some help? She didn’t know any of them. What about just go to a nearby inn? She turned around, planning to go upstairs to get some cash, only to see her husband holding chopping knife pointed towards her.

Please, don’t do that! She begged. Nonchalant as he was, he waved his arm up and all she could see was the reflection of her face on the sharp knife.

NOOOOO, the mother and son screamed hysterically, a deeply frightened sound that disturbed the silence of the snowy night.

What’s wrong, sweetie? His hand on her forehead, he gently comforted his terrified wife and wiped the sweat off from her face.
Nothin’…….nothin’… just a nightmare, she tried to sound calm and natural enough – to her own ears, at least.

What is it about?

I forget…..I don’t know. She paused. I don’t know. Well, something about the snow. She turned her face, stood up and walked towards the baby bed to avoid the eye contacts.
How could she forget? It was the 10th time she had this nightmare since the birth of the baby 6 months ago and it got more and more violent each time. Postpartum depression or a sense of guilt, the irrevocable secret had been burdening her physically, psychologically and psychiatrically.

I should tell him the truth. She could not remember how many times she struggled, out of conscience or selfishness.
The baby boy was sleeping peacefully. She touched his little face and ran through his head, letting the soft hair rested on the finger which still circled by the wedding band since a decade ago.

Walking back to her husband, she decided, once more, she would have to endure those nightmares and guilty feelings, again and again, maybe forever.

Stephen King - On Writing

I have asked around for recommendations of good writing books and many suggested On Writing as one of the best. King himself noted on the Foreword that “most books about writing are filled with bullshit” and he would try to keep his short. In fewer than 300 pages, King just did that, and did it beautifully. Earnestly, directly, and precisely, King delineated his path to a writer and his childhood in Part I - C.V.; presented us the key skills for good writing, with lots of examples, good and bad in Part II, Toolbox; and illustrated what made a good writer to better writer by addressing common writing topics such as writing genre, techniques of narration, description, dialogue, plot, character development and theme…etc.

It is a quick yet insightful read. King really had done what he preached – omit needless words. There are a couple of other “commandments” or thoughts which I find tremendously useful or refreshing: -

· If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time or the tools to write.
· The road to hell is paved with adverbs, and I will shout if from the rooftops.
· Stories are found things, like fossils in the ground. Stories are relics, part of an undiscovered pre-existing world.
· Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s.
· Starting with the questions and thematic concerns is a recipe for bad fiction. Good fiction always begins with story and progresses toe theme
· Writing fiction is like crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a bathtub (plenty of opportunity for self-doubt.) (So, King’s advice is to take story through at least two drafts – one with the study door closed and the one you do with it open)
· Life isn’t a support-system for art. It’s the other way around.

70th Day in a new place!

1998 New York

Trying hard to squeeze forward, we managed to see those 15-feet huge balloons, Mickey, Donald duck, Charlie brown…etc. I celebrated my first ever thanksgiving alongside with thousand others at the Macy Parade. Strolled along 48th Street and picked up a cold $10 thanksgiving lunch. I wondered why on earth people like to eat turkey, which I later knew and experienced a better taste one.

2000 Hong Kong

9pm, last day of the year of 1999: Back from a trip to Korea and craving for a deep soak in the tub, I found my own Y2K problem – the whole apartment was flooded with 1.5 inch of water. Long vacation means no one at work. I spent the next 5 hours draining water out and laying newspaper on the floor, with new year firework and car horns being the backdrop.


2001 Beijing

A typical Saturday started with an hour visit to the gym, followed by a dim sum lunch, which might have wiped out all the hard works. A random stroll in GuoMou (China Trade Shopping center) to check out the new arrival at H&M, stopped by Starbucks to pick up a cappuccino. Late for a facial appointment. Never mind. Timeliness is not that important in this city. Going back home with a $1.2 taxi reminded me even with all the luxurious indulgences, I was still in Beijing, a city where quality services are scare. “Sex and the city” was shown on HBO, my typical Saturday late night ritual. The next channel just announced China’s winning of Olympics 2008. I was proud, excited, and looked forward to the event. Only that who will know where I will be in 2008.

2006 Toronto

A glimpse through the window already gave me the hint that fall has silently arrived. Early morning joggers wrapped themselves in long-sleeve sweater while other passenger put on their new fall fashion – long wool jacket and leather boots. An afternoon walk was both refreshing and relaxing, with the caress of the breeze and the sound of leaves rustling. Bedford road was carpeted with a variety of fall leaves, pale yellow, orange brown and burgundy red. It reminded me a very famous restaurant in Beijing, "Green Tea House", which once collected and lay fall leaves on the floor to welcome the guests. It was also on the mid-autumn festival. Someone ever told me that the older you are, the larger the moon you would see. Tonight, I indeed saw a fuller and larger moon than all of those I had seen before. It could be my age, or, I prefer to think, I now know better to appreciate a moon

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat

I bought this book under my dad's recommendation 10 years ago. It traveled with me around the world from Hong Kong to Beijing, San Francisco, Seattle and now Toronto. Maybe the cover never appeals to me, I never read through the first 5 pages until today.

This is a book with strange tales, in fact real human stories of patients who suffer different kinds of neurological problems, such as a man who saw his wife as a hat, a disembodied lady who cannot feel her body unless staring the parts with her eyes, another woman who can only see or perceive the right side of things. These are patients who have perfect visual sense, yet different kinds of neurological syndrome that altered perceptions. Neurologist, Oliver Sacks has done a fascinating work in depicting the cases at a highly scholarlistic way with much medical details and references. At the same time, Sacks has been able to explain complicated concept in layman terms and with compassion. His stories touched the general reader with his genuine appreciation in human being, connecting science, real life and his own personal feeling. Whether you have serious interests in brain and mind, this book is both informational and entertaining.

Dressing Up for the Carnival style - Character writing

For the past 10+ years, I have used and read English primarily in business settings. Preciseness, bullet point, directness become the sole focus. Gradually, I found my creativity has been deprived of showing up ever in my writing. I started taking this creative writing through reading class from UoT and hopefully my other side of brain will get rejunvenated.

This exercise is about writing some imaginery characters who undergone some forms of transformation of mind, of state, or of body, after studying the Dressing Up for the Carnival by Carol Shields

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All over town people are putting on their costumes.

John ducked through the backdoor of Chef Wang so that his boss wouldn’t spot him. He always forgot how narrow and damp the kitchen was and his clumsy shoulders hit one of the piles of dishes. “You are late again and you broke 2 plates! I will deduct it from your salary! Anyway, go work now.” John navigated slowly into the dinning area. He never likes this job, a waiter at this shabby Chinese restaurant. But, what else can he do, a new immigrant with little English and only junior high school education. Plus, the hours are perfect, 7pm to midnight. His strategy tonight was “Camouflage”, a tactics from “The Escapist”, the only thing he ever read. Standing behind a column and listlessly watching TV, John indeed successfully avoided most customers and work.

Eleven forty-five, he sneaked through the kitchen again and dashed towards his home. His day now began and his real work started when his pushed the start button of 5-year-old Acer computer. He logged in as “Genghis Khan”, a name he has been using for the past decade. He was 10 minutes early. He started to review his kingdom. 100 more citizens joined his kin, good! Agriculture productivity has been improving, great! Another kin is starting a war with his kingdom in 20 minutes. That is not good. He quickly toggled to the section of Military Power Comparison. He had 1000 more soldiers but 50 fewer tanks and submarines. In a second, he decisively put $20 to match that gap. This was not about him, but his kingdom and his people. He could not take a chance. He then flipped through “The Escapist” for the right strategy: Britzkrieg, Carpet Booming, and then Tank Desant. All set! His mind was clear, his attack plan was organized and his troop was in shape. Then the following 30 minutes was a non-stop fight. John manipulated the troop with his fingers dancing through the keyboard, and propelled the tanks with his thumps on the fly. His started to feel sore on the wrists and fingers, yet also adrenergic.

Finally, he won, as he did in every single war. It was a lot of hard work to be the best warrior, but worth it. His people were saved; his throne was upheld and glory was maintained. John went to sleep satisfactorily to get ready for yet another challenge.


Tiffany got up and started to get ready for her first date with this guy offered by Match.com. Saturday brunch for first date was always good, more casual and more exit options. Tiffany has a huge selection of clothes from all the brand names, Gucci, LV, Armani… The problem was, they were all executive suits, nothing look like an artist would wear. Never mind. There’s still time, she could buy one.

Yes, Tiffany was going to be an artist for this first date; at least that was what her profile said on Match.com. She was a Merger and Acquisition Lawyer for a while but this never got her any response. She used to appreciate art and enjoyed painting when she was young. She justified that it wouldn’t be too much a lie to claim herself an artist. She was the first artist profiled in this city on Match.com, which explained why she got a quick response after changing her profile from lawyer yesterday. Tiffany was always the first. The first in her family to get into university; first honor student in the law school; and the first female partner at her firm. Yet she was the last one among her gal friends to remain single. She was originally skeptical about this type of online dating. But, after hearing several friends got married to people they knew through these sites and working on a couple of acquisition transactions related to online dating, she started to believe it herself. Then she practiced her smile, her most faithful disguise. But it would not be the modest type of smile when she was announced partner at her firm; nor the pathetic type when her competing colleague lost a transaction; nor a sweet smile when her client had a new born baby. Today it would be the radiant and passionate beam that would take her across renaissance, neoclassicism, impressionism and surrealism.

I Start to Blog!

I didn't understand why people blog. I am curious. Think about it, why will people read about thoughts from people they never met? For me, writing is a new challenge but I also find it therapeutic and worth a try.In fact, a recent paper published by health care researcher Joshua Smyth and colleagues demonstrated that writing really is good for both your physical and mental health.

As regard to what I am going to write, I do not have a clear theme yet. Will wait for itself to flow and take shape!