Take me down to Paradise City. . .

[rolanni]

Have I mentioned here that I Had A Better Idea re: Neogenesis?

Well, I did.  And for a brief, halcyon moment, I was relieved, because it only meant I would have to add words! (yay! adding words!), and maybe shift a scene from Here to There.

This is how writers fool themselves into doing crazy difficult things, like, oh, writing novels.  They say to themselves, "Oh, it won't be so bad!  In fact, it'll be fun!  And know That Scene you've been wanting to write?  It'll fit inside of this project just as slick as..."

You get the idea.  But what we say to convince ourselves to do these crazy things?  That's not the worst part.

The worst part is that we believe it!  Over and over and over again.  And we never, ever learn.

Which brings us back to Neogenesis: the Adding of One Scene and the Moving of Another.

If I had been honest with myself, I would have said something like, "This is going to be a massive pain in the hat; you're going to have to take the book apart by narrative lines, reshuffle the scenes so that the action in That Line doesn't all happen on Tuesday afternoon, which is another thing you'd think I'd learn, but. . .no -- and also! write bridge scenes so that the new order will Make Sense.

So, that's what I've been doing.  With luck and a tailwind, I'll finish that nonsense tonight, and get with advancing the storylines tomorrow.

In other news. . .Since both WorldCon and NASFiC are out of our reach next year, being held respectively in Finland and Puerto Rico -- and! since Steve and I will be Guests of Honor at Confluence, in Pittsburgh in August, and! since my 65th birthday is in September (hey, proximity is where you declare it), I have formed a Plan, which is that we will visit Niagara Falls for one of those whatchamacallits -- vacations -- on our way home (geography being also subject to declaration).

Now, because we take so few vacations, and mostly travel when there's a scifi convention in it for us, I'm asking you world travelers -- yes, you! -- for suggestions on what (besides the Falls, natch) we should absolutely not miss doing in Niagara Falls.  Best place to stay, best restaurants, tourist traps, walks, excursions -- the sky's the limit (well, not literally, because I don't do airplanes, though I might do a hot air balloon).

Thanks very much for your consideration and help, and now?

I gotta go build some more bridges.

Today's blog post brought to you by Guns 'N Roses, provided courtesy of the gym, which apparently has located the "All 1980s MTV All The Time" station on their satellite service.

"Paradise City" -- here's your link.

Comments

[reedrover]

I did a day trip to the falls during a wedding. I'm no help. But thank you so very much for the song which is now stuck in my head. I needed some Axel wailing in my ear.

The falls

[spacecowboy528.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately I've never been to the falls but I'm sure somebody will be helpful there. I love the little snippets of how the creative process works for you it makes it seem like we are part of it. The music at the gym could have been worse mine recently appears to be subscribing to one that is all 2010's rap all the time.

[otterb.livejournal.com]

We only spent one night at Niagara, probably 6-7 years ago, as part of a longer trip, so I don't have much to recommend. But we stayed at the Doubletree Fallsview on the Canadian side and I sprang for a room with a view of the falls, which let us sit at our high-up window and watch the fireworks over the falls that night. I found it worth the extra money. They aren't every night; you'd need to check the fireworks schedule.

[margotinez.livejournal.com]

No matter what else, be sure you take the Maid of the Mists boat tour which drives you under the falls on a tug boat (they supply the ponchos to keep you dry). It is absolutely not to be missed.

[readinggeek451]

This. It's pricey but well worth the money if your budget can stand it.

[margotinez.livejournal.com]

Current price is USD $18.25 each, for a 20 minute boat ride.

[psw456.livejournal.com]

The view of the falls is far more dramatic from the Canadian side and you can get closer. I haven't stayed there, just done two different day trips. otterb's suggestion of a room with a view, sounds just the thing though! Second the recommendation for Maid of the Mist boat ride.

[otterb.livejournal.com]

I just ran across a mention on Sarah Monette's LJ (truepenny) of the Herschell Carousel Factory Museum in North Tonawanda NY, which is, it says, midway between Niagara Falls and Buffalo. http://www.carrouselmuseum.org/

[enleve.livejournal.com]

And on the Canadian side there is a working carousel that's more than 110 years old at Port Dalhousie, which is about a 20 minute drive from Niagara Falls.
https://www.stcatharines.ca/en/experiencein/lakesideparkcarousel.asp

[otterb.livejournal.com]

I posted another comment that it told me was marked as spam, probably because of a link. So here it is without the link: I see mentioned in Sarah Monette's LJ that there's a Herschell Carousel Factory Museum in North Tonawanda NY, which (it says) is about 15 minutes from Niagara Falls.

[eseme]

This! I was going to advise that myself, knowing Sharon's love of Carousels. Tonowanda is closer to Buffalo, I believe, but I have heard nothing but good things about the museum (of course, I found out about it only a few months before i moved out of the area and was not able to go myself).

I will also note that Buffalo was the site of a World's Fair and there may be some historical stops of interest.

I bow to the prose

[ireneha.livejournal.com]

I bow to the times when the Author talks to herself. I am humbled by the results. [and I went to the story you quoted. Also quite nice.]
I know that from where you sit the writing stuff is never smooth, and the words don't "write themselves". But if writing were easy, we would all be doing it.
Again I bow to Thee brave writer, and to the books you write for me (I include Steve in these deep bows) - PS no way I'm doing a Liaden bow. Too much of me in the way.

I haven't done an overnight in Niagra Falls in many-many years. I have seen the falls from both sides (once as a child), and have watched the lights at night, and taken the Maid of the Mist. [the Maid of the Mist is a don't miss site.]
I often wished that I had taken the walking tour under the falls. "Cave of the winds"?? I don't even know if that still exists, or if safety standards closed it down.
But because it has been those many-many years (I think the last time was as a day trip from Toronto during a WorldCon), I don't have any restaurants to recommend.

And lastly, I reach that magic number birthday in March. Perhaps I should also do something special for myself. That was a good idea. Maybe a driving vacation.

RE: I bow to the prose

[margotinez.livejournal.com]

All of what you said. Including a March birthday (but with more years).

RE: I bow to the prose

[filkferengi]

For special pilgrimagen in March, someone I'm married to would recommend extensive baseball road trips, in either Florida or Arizona. For more detailed recommendations [especially restaurants, bookstores, & hiking options], you know how to contact us.

:)

[xinef.livejournal.com]

If crossing the border isn’t too much of a bother, the view is better from the Canadian side and there is a lot to do there. I’d be happy to offer my services as a free tour guide. Having grown up there and worked for the Niagara Parks Commission, I know the area well. Things I suggest: Journey Behind the Falls (by far the best way to get a real sense of the power of the falls), Hornblower cruise (Maid of the Mist on the US side, great view of the falls close up from the water level), drive along the parkway – good views of the gorge and is a pretty drive. If you are into horticulture, the green houses are excellent and there are the botanical gardens. If history, the Mackenzie Printery is a fun place to visit. Old Fort Erie and Fort George are also good. Oh, and do take the time to see the falls lit up at night, magical.
Then, of course, there are wineries with tours and tastings. Niagara-on-the-Lake is very pretty and great for window shopping.
Hope this is helpful.

[aitchellsee.livejournal.com]

Who was the distinguished feline?

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

That is a portrait of Mozart. He would have been 14 in that photo.

[jessie-c.livejournal.com]

What are your feelings regarding wobblychopters? There are several companies which fly them around the falls for sightseeing.

[redpimpernel.livejournal.com]

Queen Victoria Park, on the Canadian side, has beautiful botanical gardens. I loved them!