Something one should never try to do is write multiple things at the same time. No, not in quick succession, but having multiple Word windows open, half-formed chapters on each document. It ends only with low productivity and writer’s block. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The next time Svalbard saw Spirit was a month later at another meeting.
What do you two talk about, anyway? Jan Mayen asked. It must be very interesting, since you chat the entire meeting, and shout across the room at each other if you . See, South Korea’s all the way on the other side of the room, but you’re still talking to-what’s his name again?
Spirit, Jan, Spirit. Generally, it was impolite to broadcast your conversation if you were a hair curl. What one spoke of was between them and the other person they spoke to. Due to this, and to the odd fact that Spirit didn’t usually talk to anyone but her, Jan Mayen didn’t know anything about the smiling ahoge, not even a name.
Not even other hair curls noticed Jan, he was so small. Added to the fact that he didn’t usually like to initiate conversations with others, Jan didn’t really know much about others. Neither did she, actually-the only other ahoges she’d actually spoken to were Mariazell, Nantucket, and Spirit.
And we talk about a lot of things.
That isn’t really an answer, Jan noted.
Why do you care so much, anyway? Jan didn’t say anything after that, which, for a moment, made Svalbard feel slightly guilty, but it soon passed. That hadn’t actually been an argument, after all, and just because she didn’t want to say something now didn’t mean she couldn’t say it later-after all, they had nearly forever for that. No one was interested in annexing either of them, and they floated in the same position on a constant basis.
They quite literally could not avoid each other if they tried.
Svalbard decided not to think about that. It was pointless and Spirit was saying something that was probably interesting.
What would you do if you were human?
..What?
What sort of question was that? They weren’t human and never would be. There was no point in asking such a question.
What would you do? Svalbard asked.
I asked you first!
I won’t answer until you do. That seemed to work. Spirit pouted, and began.
Hmm…if I were human, I would…I don’t know what I would do. I think I’d stay in Seoul. I’d read a lot, too…South Korea doesn’t like to read much, which is bad! If he doesn’t read, how can I?
I didn’t know you liked books, Svalbard commented.
I do! I just can’t read them most of the time…if I were human, I think I would try to read every book in the world! I almost have forever to do it.
But new books will be written while you finish other ones.
Details, details! It doesn’t matter. Now what would you do? Spirit gave her an expectant look. Svalbard still found his face disturbing, but had grown used to it by now. And she liked Spirit too much to let herself be too bothered by it.
Eh…hmm…I think I would go back to my archipelago…I haven’t been there since 1919. The last time I saw Pyramiden was when it was being built, and then it was abandoned…it’s really cold, and there are too many polar bears, and it’s dark half the year, but it’s still home, you know? Spirit would have shrugged if he had had shoulders, instead grinning wider. It was hard to see at first, though, because he was half way across the room with South Korea, nowhere near Norway.
Spirit grinned very often. For that reason, Svalbard didn’t think his smiles would be special anymore, that she would have been desensitized.
[Part 15] A tale of two hair curls [3a/?]
It ends only with low productivity and writer’s block.
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The next time Svalbard saw Spirit was a month later at another meeting.
What do you two talk about, anyway? Jan Mayen asked. It must be very interesting, since you chat the entire meeting, and shout across the room at each other if you . See, South Korea’s all the way on the other side of the room, but you’re still talking to-what’s his name again?
Spirit, Jan, Spirit. Generally, it was impolite to broadcast your conversation if you were a hair curl. What one spoke of was between them and the other person they spoke to. Due to this, and to the odd fact that Spirit didn’t usually talk to anyone but her, Jan Mayen didn’t know anything about the smiling ahoge, not even a name.
Not even other hair curls noticed Jan, he was so small. Added to the fact that he didn’t usually like to initiate conversations with others, Jan didn’t really know much about others. Neither did she, actually-the only other ahoges she’d actually spoken to were Mariazell, Nantucket, and Spirit.
And we talk about a lot of things.
That isn’t really an answer, Jan noted.
Why do you care so much, anyway? Jan didn’t say anything after that, which, for a moment, made Svalbard feel slightly guilty, but it soon passed. That hadn’t actually been an argument, after all, and just because she didn’t want to say something now didn’t mean she couldn’t say it later-after all, they had nearly forever for that. No one was interested in annexing either of them, and they floated in the same position on a constant basis.
They quite literally could not avoid each other if they tried.
Svalbard decided not to think about that. It was pointless and Spirit was saying something that was probably interesting.
What would you do if you were human?
..What?
What sort of question was that? They weren’t human and never would be. There was no point in asking such a question.
What would you do? Svalbard asked.
I asked you first!
I won’t answer until you do. That seemed to work. Spirit pouted, and began.
Hmm…if I were human, I would…I don’t know what I would do. I think I’d stay in Seoul. I’d read a lot, too…South Korea doesn’t like to read much, which is bad! If he doesn’t read, how can I?
I didn’t know you liked books, Svalbard commented.
I do! I just can’t read them most of the time…if I were human, I think I would try to read every book in the world! I almost have forever to do it.
But new books will be written while you finish other ones.
Details, details! It doesn’t matter. Now what would you do? Spirit gave her an expectant look. Svalbard still found his face disturbing, but had grown used to it by now. And she liked Spirit too much to let herself be too bothered by it.
Eh…hmm…I think I would go back to my archipelago…I haven’t been there since 1919. The last time I saw Pyramiden was when it was being built, and then it was abandoned…it’s really cold, and there are too many polar bears, and it’s dark half the year, but it’s still home, you know? Spirit would have shrugged if he had had shoulders, instead grinning wider. It was hard to see at first, though, because he was half way across the room with South Korea, nowhere near Norway.
Spirit grinned very often. For that reason, Svalbard didn’t think his smiles would be special anymore, that she would have been desensitized.
She was wrong, it seemed.