Daily Prompt: The Great Expectations of a Golden Oldie

Posted in Challenges by angloswiss

Tell us about one thing (or more) that you promised yourself you’d accomplish by the end of the year. How would you feel once you do? What if you don’t?

Anemone

There were great expectations when I planted my anemones in March and they have been fulfilled. This is the first, so he was sent ahead of the others to tell them it is safe, come on and flower. As it was the first, he was in such a hurry that one of the petals got lost on the way. However, nothing is perfect, and even with one less petal, he is still doing his job.

Otherwise I do not promise myself anything as it is not so sure that by the end of the year I will remember what I promised myself. I still have great expectations of being discovered as a great writer, story teller, famous author, but there are still a few months to go until December, so why the rush? I did promise myself to blog every day, but this is easier said than done. My followers, fans, disciples and others may have suffered under withdrawal when I disappeared for a week to London to see my dad. My pages were empty, neglected, but I returned to continue my blog epos. There were circumstances, beyond my control in the blogging world, a great new look. This too had birth pains, it was no longer so great, it remained new, but together we are strong and the grid showed itself stronger than all of us.

So, where was I? Had a small interruption, as the lawn was mowed and there were a few edges that had to be ripped out by hand. I love doing that, really an outlet for pent up emotions. As said, there were no real promises so I do not have to try to accomplish anything. I discovered that it is possible to write a novel with Amazon, something called Kindle Direct Publishing. For a lazy golden oldie like me this would be the solution. My work would be published, I just have to know what to write and begin. I am thinking about it, but you will all be the first to know when it has arrived.

I decided to should do some sort of fitness training. A half hour walk during the day would be a great idea: breathing the fresh air of the countryside, climbing hills and walking untrodden paths in nature’s landscape. Unfortunately it was raining when I had this idea. I did not give up, so I decided to go to the local supermarket (by car). I wandered half an hour exercising my legs, pushing the trolley for support, and applying arm exercises picking out the goods I wanted to buy. I was really proud of myself when I returned and decided to do this at least three times a week, but I usually do, so I suppose that does not count.

Thinking of the title of this prompt, I am reminded of the book Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. There was a little boy, Pip, who was promised Great Expectations. He was under the impression the promise originated from a rich elderly lady who often invited him to her home, mainly to be a companion to her adopted daughter or whatever. However, Pip was wrong; the promise of Great Expectations came from an escaped convict that Pip once helped when he was a boy. The convict had come into money and decided to repay Pip. So you see how disappointing Great Expectations can be especially as Pip had an eye on the adoptive daughter as a sort of reward (this all happened in the last century so I suppose that sort of thing took place in those days). I must say the government of my country also have great expectations, are always making promises, but they seem to have the same problems as me, they forget what they promised.

That is why I do not really bother. There will be no disappointment at the end of the year and even if I do not win my Pulitzer or Nobel prize, it is OK. And now for something completely different: I will upload this masterpiece and afterwards clean my window blinds. I noticed they are full of sticky pollen and that cannot wait until the end of the year.

Daily Prompt: The Great Expectations of a Golden Oldie

18 thoughts on “Daily Prompt: The Great Expectations of a Golden Oldie”

Marilyn Armstrong

20/05/2014 at 17:34

I published through Amazon Direct. They are pretty good. You get much better distribution with them than most self-publishers. It is, after all, Amazon. Otherwise, keeping expectations compact and achievable works for me. I think.

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- Martha Kennedy
  
  20/05/2014 at 19:27
  
  I use Lulu. You can distribute your work through Amazon even if you don’t publish through Amazon. 🙂
  
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  - angloswiss
    
    20/05/2014 at 19:32
    
    I know Lulu also. Living in Switzerland, it is not so easy to choose. I chose BoD for my first and only self-publication, but they are not really any good for promotion, although I do not blame them with my first effort. I do not even know if I will write something but I always have a space for it in my intentions.
    
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    - Martha Kennedy
      
      20/05/2014 at 20:07
      
      Promotion is the hard part. You can pay promoters in Lulu (and Amazon) to do that for you. It turned out that one of my really good friends from high school turns out to be a very dynamic and successful book promoter. I’m going to see if she’d take on my two novels.
      
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Martha Kennedy

20/05/2014 at 19:26

Ah Pip. The sad thing about Pip’s story is that it was thrust upon me when I was only 14. Tis a pity. 🙂 http://marthakennedy.wordpress.com/2014/05/20/the-line-tight-or-slack/

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- angloswiss
  
  20/05/2014 at 19:31
  
  I remember reading it in school, but not with devotion and last year the Germans brought out a new translation. It sort of activated memories, Mr. Swiss bought the new translation and I did a re-read of my original Charles Dickens copy, Coupled with watching an old b/w english film with Mr. Swiss, we spent a few Great Expectation days at home. It seems that Dickens could not really be sure how he wanted the book to end and wrote a couple of endings. Did Pip come together with Estella or not – I dont think so, but that wasn’t the point of the story really. Anyhow I redisovered Great Expectations.
  
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  - Martha Kennedy
    
    20/05/2014 at 19:35
    
    I think that sounds very cool. Maybe that’s my summer book! Last summer I discovered Jane Gardam. She’s wonderful.
    
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MaggieMay

20/05/2014 at 19:57

Publish something on amazon! Than I can read it on my kindle 😉

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- angloswiss
  
  20/05/2014 at 20:05
  
  I probably will, but first of all it has to be written and secondly I have no idea what to write about.
  
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  - MaggieMay
    
    20/05/2014 at 20:07
    
    As I thought I would have a bazillion good answer brain went *poof*!
    
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schattenengel

21/05/2014 at 20:44

I hope the flowers in your garden will not only enlighten the beauty of nature but also your mood for the whole year 🙂

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