When I think of May Day, I think of may pole dances, picnics, family gatherings at the park.
Although after reading Stephen T McCarthy's Battle of the Bands post on the less harmonious aspect of International Workers Day, I'm not so inclined to celebrate. But as happens with so many things that intrigue me, I decided not to let one reference get me down. I opened a new tab and entered MAY DAY into Google search.
The CNN link said a lot the same as Saint Mac's Wikipidia, and I got a lot more interesting info by clicking on The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) article. Of course I did not stop there - but you don't want all those links, lol. Suffice it to say, this rabbit hole about, basically, Labor Unions, which brings to mind gang violence . . Hey, did y'all see GANGS OF NEW YORK? Great movie, which I did not have time to look up on NetFlix last night because it led me back to my own research on gang violence for my novel. Which let me pretend those distracting hours were "research" for, ya know, revision ideas. Or perhaps another story start . . .
This month's IWSG question of the month is: What is the weirdest/coolest thing you've ever had to research for your story?
As you can see from my opening paragraphs, I'm not sure I can succinctly answer this question. I find just about everything I research fascinating. I've found cool and weird in places I did not expect to see by following link, or changing my mind about what to research.
Thanks everyone for stopping by. Now that A-Z is over the IWSG sign-up list must seem pretty small, huh?
Thanks to Alex for the creating this monthly group, and to his co-hosts Nancy Gideon, Tamara Narayan, Lisbet, Michelle Wallace and Feather Stone, for taking the time to visit as many of us as possible.
34 comments:
At that point, you might as well watched Gangs of New York anyway.
It's almost overwhelming the amount of things most of us don't know or have never seen.
Hi Donna - I just am constantly looking at new things or rather things I'd no idea about - I love it ... so much that I do write the odd blog post up. I don't belong here ... but am always visiting ...the A-Z been there and done that! - cheers Hilary
The history of labor unions is an interesting one! Gangs, sounds about right!
Keep at it, going off task is what it's all about! Those hours just fly by and the original question that you had and went in search for, still isn't answered. LOL That's what research means! :)
I can get lost down the rabbit hole researching ways to promote DLP's books. There's so much out there and some of it you really have to dig for.
I research a lot for work as a contract writer and am constantly getting sucked into the rabbit hole. I really enjoy learning about things I didn't know about.
Can sure keep going down and down and down the research rabbit hole. But at some point we have to stop and write indeed, as we'll never know everything.
On May Day here in Los Angeles a whole bunch of people gathered in the park and hit each other with poles instead of dancing around them. It was no picnic for sure.
Actually they had a much smaller turn-out than expected and most of the people behaved in comparison to some rallies around the world.
I loved Gangs of New York. My DVD copy has some great documentaries on the topic and that led me to even more research on that topic. If you're still interested in reading more there is an outstanding book on the topic called Five Points by Tyler Anbinder. That author must have done a lot of research to compile his incredibly detailed history of the area and the gangs.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
As Eeyore said:
"Thanks for noticing me."
~ D-FensDogG
[Link:) Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews...
It's like every link leads to another and another and you can spend all day on one topic. It's wonderful and evil all at once. LOL
You know, I did see Gangs of New York, and hated it. I know there's always been a pattern of violence in the world, but seeing it up close that like kinda breaks my heart.
I was fortunate enough to have lived in Germany for a few years and saw how they celebrated in their small towns for May Day. Awesome. They played pranks on the neighbors. Lots of fun. We woke up to find our BBQ on the neighbor's roof. Good times. Good times.
FYI, I made the big move away from Blogger and can be found at:
Elsie Amata
Love the title about the rabbit hole. Interesting.
' Juneta @ Writer's Gambit
But you find so many interesting things down the rabbit holes, don't you?
Oh, I love doing that, jumping from link to link. Before you know it, a dozen windows are open at the same time. All of them have something interesting to say and lead somewhere else, often equally interesting. Research was so much more streamlined before the internet, when you just went to the library, ordered 3 or 4 books on the subject, and that was all.
Yes Donna, after the A-Z those poor exhausted souls are licking their wounds. Research is so fascinating, i find it hard to stop.
Alex: yeah, its still on my mind to watch it.
Hilary: you do a lot of fabulous research for your posts. Makes them quite interesting, and I have gotten lost in your links too on occasion, lol.
Yolanda: exactly.
L Diane: I'll bet its harder to find accurate Publishing info as opposed to just general info on any other topic.
Natalie: its good to have an excuse to search out interesting topics.
Pat: yeah, I know
Arlee: Thanks. Five Points will definitely go on my TBR list.
St Mac: no problem. Thanks for giving me something to post about :)
Elizabeth: agreed :)
Crystal: I think I had to watch it a couple times to really "get it". Yeah, it is very violent.
Elsie: What fun, a new site to explore, lol. Thanks.
Junetta: thanks
Loni: YES
Olga: sad to say I love internet searches more than those books.
Denise: I'll bet you like the travel links best :)
Research is one of those wonderful yet necessary distractions from writing that makes our stories richer.
Haha, the trail of an author doing research has to make for some interesting reading!
I love research! I look forward to getting sucked down the rabbit hole. No rabbit hole, no story. I admit my last research project was a problem as there was very little text online or on bookshelves. I had to depend on old photographs. Hmm… maybe that’s why I wasn’t able to write the book.
So true. I find that all the other related stuff becomes a source of fascination when I'm in research mode.
Yes! I get sucked down that rabbit hole! I love researching, watching documentaries, TV shows that show you "How It Was Made," etc. I have a Hoarder's Brain - full to bursting with strange tidbits I can't bear to throw away! lol
Lynda: not all distractions are worthless, lol.
Gwen: ooh yeah, a good story concept.
VR: you have piqued my curiosity! What topic possibly can't be found online? Maybe THAT's the story you should write?
Joy: if I have an addiction its probably research.
Lexa: I never put quite that label to it: hording. But it does fit.
I love research rabbit holes! Funny, if I'm writing a book set in a certain time I tend to avoid other fiction set in that time -- but will happily watch tv shows and movies in the name of research!
It's great when research takes you in unexpected directions. If nothing else, I always love to expand my knowledge base! And as for becoming a distraction, if a new story idea is planted that's even better than what you've done before, then it's surely time well spent.
I haven't seen Gangs of New York, but it does look good. Makes me wonder how gang violence has changed over the years.
My brain works like that, too, and one little question I need to answer for something I'm writing can easily turn into an hour of researching... well, whatever keeps leading from one thing to another. On the plus side, I am a wealth of useless knowledge.
I've been off researching, so I'm late getting around to blogs. Once in a rabbit hole, I tend to stay there and follow it to some absurd end.
Deniz: well, at least you are getting in some guilt-free viewing time :)
Nick: yeah, but there are so many new-story distractions, lol.
Tamara: I've done some research in that area, and the basic principles seem the same, there are just modern ways to bully people.
Beers: I think being a writer means we are all a wealth of useless info.
C Lee: nice to see you tunneled me into your nexus :)
I'm always doing that. Getting lost in the rabbit hole of the net. One link leads to another and the click-baits are time-consuming, too!
Research is always fascinating, no matter what the subject. :)
I love research and spend considerable time doing it.
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The history of labor unions is an interesting one! Gangs, sounds about right!
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