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!
My site was nominated for The Blogitzer! My site was nominated for Best Blog Design!

My site was nominated for Best Blog of All Time! My site was nominated for Hottest Mommy Blogger!


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!



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Comments:
Very interesting. I really enjoyed reading these details. Thank for coming by my list.
 
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. :)
 
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.
 
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*
 
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... !!! :)
 
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. :-)
 
I think you can be a rockstar at any age...it's the attitude and ability, after all :-)
 
Nothing wrong with your rock star Walter! He may become the most popular. :)

Check out my TT.
 
I'm liking Walter. I hope to see more of him.
 
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!
 
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!!!
 
I love older characters (and real people) who have retained their youthful passion for living their dreams. Walter sounds cool!
 
Walter sounds great, and congrats on the nominee! Off to vote...
 
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
 
I love how you combined two memes together. Way to go! ;) Walter's a cool dude -- very real. Great work!!!
 
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.
 
I can imagine Walter all the way! Great character and an asset for your book!
Thanks for visiting my collections TT!
 
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.
 
Why shouldn't a rock star be named Walter?
 
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.
 
Of course a rocker can be called Walter! Wally? I don't think so, but Walter at fifty with greying hair, yes.
 
Wylie's so lucky - she gets her own rockstar. sigh. Great post Susan. xxx rhi
 
I don't know about a rock star named Walter, but I used to know a guy name Walt who certainly rocked.
 
Walter sounds like a great guy!
Thanks for coming by my T13
 
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.
 
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
 
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.
 
Congratulations on your thinking blogger award!
 
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.
 
The thinking blogger award has gotten around, hasn't it?
Great post!
 
Kewl :)
 
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.
 
Of course you can be a rocker regardless of how far up the mountain you climb.

I think Walter sounds wonderful!
 
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?
 
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!
 
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
 
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!
 
Walter the rocker...

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

Happy TT my friend!
 
What a great list and Walter sounds cool!
 
I bet I know what he'll be doing when he's eighty.
 
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!
 
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*
 
I think Walter is a great name for a rocker! Happy TT13!
 
I'm going to tell my good friend Walter that he missed his calling!

Thanks for stopping by my blog.
 
Interesting topic. Walter's a intersting topic to say the least. Great list.

Aline
 
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!
 
Hell yeah! Rock on Walter!
 
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