2.24.2008

Sunday Seven: Take One

It's been one of those days -- I want to write, but I'm not feeling particularly inspired in any one direction.

Perhaps it's because I unearthed the very first short story I ever wrote in college.

And it's awful. Dreadful, really. In "I'm-a-twenty-year-old-with-some-angst-and-a-thesaurus" kinda way.

To be honest, there are a couple of good parts and I still like the basic concept. I can see what I was trying to convey. But the execution. Oy. And it's a riot to read because there's not one contraction in the whole piece. Making it obviously written by a Journalism school student moonlighting as a fiction writer.

It was enough render my usual writing hard-on completely flaccid and useless.

I am kicking around the idea of taking what I wrote 20-some-odd years ago and re-writing it. Might be a good exercise for me. I entertained the idea of sharing the original story here on the blog, but decided against it. Probably don't want to see it all the damn time -- or open myself up for the inevitable but entirely appropriate criticism it would garner. It's OK for me to criticize my youthful self -- not sure I want others to.

So I went hunting for a meme to at least give me something off which to bounce my creative balls. Spanish Fly for Writers.

In that spirit, I give you my interpretation of a Sunday Seven. From the very witty and literate blog, Patrick's Place. C'mon. How can you not appreciate a blog with the tagline " Fighting Double Standards and Poor Grammar Since 2004." Awesome.

This is the first Sunday Seven meme he offered, just over two years ago -- so I figured it was as good a place as any for me to start.

Here goes -- and as always, please feel free to comment or share. I live for that stuff, you know.

Rank the seven sins in the order that you most often commit them, one being the sin you’re usually most guilty of, seven being the sin you’re usually least guilty of.

Anger is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.

Envy is the desire for others’ traits, status, abilities, or situation.

Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.

Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.

Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.

Pride is excessive belief in one’s own abilities, that interferes with the individual’s recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity.

Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.

My rankings:
1. Lust
2. Pride
3. Sloth
4. Envy
5. Gluttony
6. Greed
7. Anger

I vacillated on the top two slots -- both are almost interchangable with me. But went with Lust as number one. Blame it on my hormones.

And perhaps Gluttony and Sloth -- the primary reasons for My Fat Tuchus -- should be closer together. But I think *knock on wood* I have the gluttony thing kinda under control (thanks, damn NutriSystem), while the exercise thing is still a bugaboo with me.

OK. Spill it. How do your deadly sins match up against mine....

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