West of Mars -- the Meet and Greet: Thursday Thirteen #25 -- Inspired to think

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Thursday Thirteen #25 -- Inspired to think

I was debating this week about pulling out my soapbox and blathering about how important it is for us to be a community, whether online or in our neighborhoods or whatever. But actions speak louder than words, so here's the story:

I gave my good friend zzz

, and he turned around and gave it right back to me. At first, I was stunned and flabbergasted. But then Wylie asked me about characters on her blog and... well, I'd like to give

to Wylie for that post.

Thus... Thirteen things about Walter.

1. Walter was born because Wylie asked if a rock star could be named Walter. How could I not rise to that challenge?

2. Walter is fifty. He's been rocking for over thirty years.

3. He's a guitar purist and innovator. Think Joe Satriani. All guitar, all the time. What can it do? What are the bounds of the instrument, and how can those boundaries be pushed?

4. Walter may have thinning grey hair, but what's left gets worn back in a ponytail that makes him look more like a hippie than a rocker.

5. Walter has pretty bad arthritis and a really good doctor who keeps his hands limber through advanced pharmaceutical use.

6. Walter has a companion, Lila, who's been with him for twenty years.

7. Walter's had a number of gold and platinum records over the years. He's played for as many as 20,000 during the peaks in his career -- and as few as ten during the dips.

8. Grizzled road veteran… that pretty much says it all, right?

9. I think you have to have a certain level of smarts, savvy, and luck to have this sort of career.

10. And good people around you.

11. Hopefully, Walter expands on your idea of a Rock Star. Does a rock star have to be someone who shines all the time, like Mitchell and Trevor? Can you be a star if you've never reached the pinnacle?

12. The outtake I'll post over the weekend may actually be the start to my exploring Walter and writing a novel about him. Be sure you stop back and tell me what you think.

13. So… Wylie and others… from what little you've seen so far, CAN a rock star be named Walter?

Lest the Thinking Blogger award fun be over so fast, I'd also like to give it to Colleen Gleason. Read the outtake carefully once I post it and you'll see why.

And if you've missed it somehow, Just a reminder... go vote for me!

Back to Thinking Blogger stuff:

Here are the rules, for you newly tagged folk...

How participation works:

If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.

Optional: Display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Labels: Blogger's Choice Award, Colleen Gleason, Thinking Blogger Award, Walter, Wylie Kinson

# posted by Susan Helene Gottfried @ 7:32 PM

Comments:

Very interesting. I really enjoyed reading these details. Thank for coming by my list.

# posted by

Joan : April 18, 2007 8:46 PM

Oh wow, Susan! Walter rocks, quite literally. And yes, you can certainly be a rock 'n' roller whether you've hit the pinnacle or not -- Walter's a rocker who's in it for the long haul, for the sheer joy of the music and the experience; money and/or fame are distant secondary considerations. I could see Walter in my mind as I read about him; his name is perfect, and I like him already! I look forward to getting to know him better.

Thanks for sharing your great characters with us, author-blogger friend! Happy TT, and thanks for visiting mine. :)

# posted by

Anonymous : April 18, 2007 8:50 PM

Oops! I just realized that "Gottfried book" is also 13-letters. I'll have to read up on you and add that next time! You are on my list of authors to look for.

# posted by

Joan : April 18, 2007 8:50 PM

Thomma, be sure to tell Wylie; this is all her fault! *grin*

Joan, you just missed my jaw drop at your second comment. Gottfried Book is 13 letters; I LIKE that.

Can't wait to bring you guys the book. Hello? Publishers? Want to get on board?????

*sigh*

# posted by

Susan Helene Gottfried : April 18, 2007 8:52 PM

Ahhhh, the wonderful world of Walter! :) Now we just need a sketch of him to see how he might swagger about!

Love the character lists.

Now we just need to find you an agent... !!! :)

# posted by

Rashenbo : April 18, 2007 8:56 PM

This sounds like the start of another interesting character. And of course a rocker can be named Walter. We can't all have cool names. The name Walter just makes him more real. :-)

# posted by

L^2 : April 18, 2007 9:05 PM

I think you can be a rockstar at any age...it's the attitude and ability, after all :-)

# posted by

Anonymous : April 18, 2007 9:05 PM

Nothing wrong with your rock star Walter! He may become the most popular. :)

Check out my TT.

# posted by

Barbara : April 18, 2007 9:29 PM

I'm liking Walter. I hope to see more of him.

# posted by

Anonymous : April 18, 2007 9:54 PM

How much of this character is base ont the real Walter??
I'm starting to be lucky in our little game!!! I think I'm posting after you've gone to bed!!!
Happy TT!

# posted by

Jill : April 18, 2007 10:15 PM

Man, that was awesome, Susan! I can completely 'see' Walter in my mind's eye. He's a legend...
And who knew that an off handed comment about a rockstar named Walter could maybe turn out to be a real live novel character. Very cool.

And I'm just so darned flattered about the Thinking Blogger Award!!
YOU ROCK!!!

# posted by

Wylie Kinson : April 18, 2007 10:45 PM

I love older characters (and real people) who have retained their youthful passion for living their dreams. Walter sounds cool!

# posted by

Ann (bunnygirl) : April 18, 2007 10:46 PM

Walter sounds great, and congrats on the nominee! Off to vote...

# posted by

Joely Sue Burkhart : April 18, 2007 10:56 PM

Of course you deserve multiple thinking blogger awards.

I feel like I'm your latest stalker. Most of the blogs I've commented on today have your comments directly above mine.

HeeHee

# posted by

Anonymous : April 18, 2007 10:57 PM

I love how you combined two memes together. Way to go! ;) Walter's a cool dude -- very real. Great work!!!

# posted by

Blog : April 19, 2007 12:24 AM

I'm really glad I read this because I didn't understand the significance before of "getting tagged."

Great ideas here---I'd go with it. Love the name.

# posted by

Anonymous : April 19, 2007 3:35 AM

I can imagine Walter all the way! Great character and an asset for your book!
Thanks for visiting my collections TT!

# posted by

Tink : April 19, 2007 4:40 AM

Thinning gray hair pulled back into a ponytail - he looks just like a bunch of aging hippy rocker types that I know! In fact, I just hung out with some of them last night.

Happy TT my friend.

# posted by

Robin : April 19, 2007 4:45 AM

Why shouldn't a rock star be named Walter?

# posted by

samulli : April 19, 2007 5:10 AM

Well, I'm intrigued. I want to know more about Walter. Does he use a nickname? It says something about how & why he's stuck around the music business for so long either way.

# posted by

Darla : April 19, 2007 5:51 AM

Of course a rocker can be called Walter! Wally? I don't think so, but Walter at fifty with greying hair, yes.

# posted by

Tilly Greene : April 19, 2007 6:56 AM

Wylie's so lucky - she gets her own rockstar. sigh. Great post Susan. xxx rhi

# posted by

Rhian : April 19, 2007 8:04 AM

I don't know about a rock star named Walter, but I used to know a guy name Walt who certainly rocked.

# posted by

Lisa : April 19, 2007 8:32 AM

Walter sounds like a great guy!
Thanks for coming by my T13

# posted by

Jane : April 19, 2007 8:34 AM

This is great, Susan. It’s easy to create a standard, mundane sort of guy but it takes real imagination to craft a distinctive character like Walter. I also enjoy creating out of the ordinary characters for my stories. It makes my writing time so much more pleasurable.

# posted by

Daisy Dexter Dobbs : April 19, 2007 9:16 AM

Well, I think Walter works for someone say, 40 or over, a 20 year old rock star named Walter might have some trouble, but it works for him. Great character!

Lisa - Lil Duck Duck

# posted by

Mama Duck : April 19, 2007 9:42 AM

When I went to school in Santa Cruz, we had a club called the Catalyst that attracted rockers like Walter. Joe Satriani played there as well as the Red Hot Chili Peppers before the became famous. I can totally see Walter. Great TT.

# posted by

Rene : April 19, 2007 10:42 AM

Congratulations on your thinking blogger award!

# posted by

Mercy's Maid : April 19, 2007 11:27 AM

Walter is very cool. I actually know a guy very much like Walter, except he didn't play in a band anymore. His was a very philosophical person. And stoned. A lot.

# posted by

Unknown : April 19, 2007 11:50 AM

The thinking blogger award has gotten around, hasn't it?
Great post!

# posted by

Mo and The Purries : April 19, 2007 11:58 AM

Kewl :)

# posted by

Michelle Pillow : April 19, 2007 12:32 PM

I would say that Walter is a dyed-in-the-wool musician, especially if he didn't bother to concoct a stage name. Walter will be rockin' until he tips out of wheelchair because his friend was pushing him too fast and they hit a bump.

# posted by

Julia Phillips Smith : April 19, 2007 12:58 PM

Of course you can be a rocker regardless of how far up the mountain you climb.

I think Walter sounds wonderful!

# posted by

Anonymous : April 19, 2007 1:17 PM

Is it lame that I absolutely love the fact that you created a rocker named Walter?

Of course, I'm thinking more Grateful Dead style, but the Grateful Dead rocked, right?

# posted by

Anonymous : April 19, 2007 1:27 PM

Happy Thursday (yes, I'm a little slow today).
I love how you were inspired to create Walter and I can't wait to read more about him!

# posted by

karen! : April 19, 2007 2:35 PM

walter sounds cool.

my #29 is 13 things about my current situation stemming from my laptop power cord quitting on me last night.

http://joystory.blogspot.com/2007/04/thursday-thirteen-29.html

# posted by

Joy Renee : April 19, 2007 3:08 PM

Interesting list, Susan! Gotta say we sure do need some rock in roll stars here *grin*. Loving Walter by the way

Happy Thursday Thirteen - have great day!

# posted by

Julia : April 19, 2007 3:13 PM

Walter the rocker...

Sounds good to me :)

# posted by

Sophisticated Writer : April 19, 2007 6:00 PM

Cool beans. I love Walter! That sounds great. We'll have to see how it will pan out. Awesome.

Happy TT my friend!

# posted by

Amy Ruttan : April 19, 2007 7:50 PM

What a great list and Walter sounds cool!

# posted by

Cinnamon Girl : April 19, 2007 7:59 PM

I bet I know what he'll be doing when he's eighty.

# posted by

Anonymous : April 19, 2007 7:59 PM

I think Walter could be a rock star... but then I think Scar could be an accountant! :)
Great list...you've inspired me to think a little bit more outside the box. :)

PS - I voted for ya!

# posted by

Kristina Knight : April 19, 2007 8:37 PM

Thanks for the votes, everyone!

And don't get me started. An accountant named Scar... let's see... the scar's from a fight with a high school friend that they had the first time they got drunk together on grain alcohol. Girls dig the scar that run down his cheek, creating a jowl on the right side. Therefore, he always turns his left side to people; he never looks at them dead-on and ...

*Grin*

# posted by

Susan Helene Gottfried : April 19, 2007 8:52 PM

I think Walter is a great name for a rocker! Happy TT13!

# posted by

Rebecca : April 19, 2007 9:15 PM

I'm going to tell my good friend Walter that he missed his calling!

Thanks for stopping by my blog.

# posted by

Anonymous : April 19, 2007 9:25 PM

Interesting topic. Walter's a intersting topic to say the least. Great list.

Aline

# posted by

Aline de Chevigny : April 19, 2007 11:52 PM

It's in the character...not the name. Sometimes it seems we pigeonhole our characters by choosing a name so commonly held to expectations. Break the mold!

# posted by

Anonymous : April 20, 2007 1:10 AM

Hell yeah! Rock on Walter!

# posted by

cheesygiraffe : April 23, 2007 9:55 PM