Funny! I hadn't seen this one. Don't ever be shy about second-time-around posting, Nathan. Even if it is the third time, we still read and like your stories. Who has time to go raking about in the abyss of Archives? Bring your favorites back!
After that heartfelt comment , really , a private confession that you shared with us so publicly, well , I certainly wasn’t expecting to read this ⬇️.
“I do my best editing on the toilet.That’s what my editor told me. Via text message. From a toilet.”😊
I could say, that confiding with us , like you just did, is one of the highlights of Substack, but in all honesty, it is just a venue, a way to pull from your heart and firmly plant the seeds of a fine story. It is you, Nathan that keeps us riveted to this ‘page’. Luckily your supply chain of words are not affected. At least not from the readers point of view. Maybe there is something to be said about multiple personalities enhancing your writing. Or, you are a strange human that goes through some form of molting. I for one just wanted to acknowledge your momentary sharing .Your own personal spinning compass, always having to reset to True North. I have a close friend who is a professor of Japanese literature. When we hike together, he bounces thoughts and ideas off of us, and it is a wonderful way to move through the forest and listen. He never put it in those exact words, but I think he has similar feelings.
Thanks so much, Lor. This is really lovely and special to hear. I deeply appreciate it.
There's certainly something to be said about having a platform to just ... write on, and to try not to feel inhibited by. Sometimes I worry about being too open, sometimes I worry I go too far, and then I realise that it's partly why I write. Whether within a tale or entirely truthful, being able to flow thoughts out freely is one of the driving forces.
I don’t judge people by their toilets but I do judge hotels. If I’m staying somewhere and the hotel bar toilet isn’t clean then you can guess most other things in the hotel won’t be that clean either! 🚽 🤢
Haha, loved it. You know Nathan, someday when your old as dirt, like me you'll be even less sure of things. Less certain. However, at even this ancient age I hold onto one absolute fact. One surety. One granite rock of certainty. I will never have an agent. Do you understand how openly I am in awe of that and how envious of you I am?...How much I secretly hate you for that?...;)....you surely know I'm kidding. Well about the hate part anyway. Enjoyed this oldie but goodie very much! - Jim
Giggling away here - belatedly of course! Nathan, so funny, but yeah, can any of us deny that we've spent a certain amount of time cogitating on the loo? I think not!
This is great writing my friend, completely unexpected but I loved it!
What a fun little piece! It makes me think of my own preference in toilets & I have to say, the Japanese spaceship ones are definitely the best. I've been tempted to nod off on my office toilet before, with the heated seat & soothing water sounds playing (I know they're there to mask your own sounds but I turn them on every time for the meditative ambience). I bet that editor would love to import one for his own house & write it off as work expense...
On another note, I really hope you can endure the worst part of your job & find some relaxation in the middle of all of it. It's understandable that you find it hard to write on top of all that. All the best!
Thanks Vanessa. Ahhh, Japanese toilets. Yes, what a joy. They really are the best.
I remember when we stayed in Kyoto that we had a super special fancy one in our otherwise very tradition accommodation. It glowed blue in the night and had a warm seat. I loved that toilet.
Brilliant! I love how you’ve introduced this and I am now slightly uncomfortably thinking of owning up to where I am currently sat writing this comment….
I've never understood the whole "hangin' out on the toilet" thing - whether it's reading, talking on the phone (!) or now, apparently, editing. What next? Madness.
Haha! This is awesome Nathan. I never read this one! But yes, no quotations works well. It gives it a nice, “Gotta keep moving” quality. “Had I been too unconcerned about toilets?” (And now I wonder the same!)
Funny! I hadn't seen this one. Don't ever be shy about second-time-around posting, Nathan. Even if it is the third time, we still read and like your stories. Who has time to go raking about in the abyss of Archives? Bring your favorites back!
Thanks Sharron, appreciate the encouragement. :)
Addendum;
After that heartfelt comment , really , a private confession that you shared with us so publicly, well , I certainly wasn’t expecting to read this ⬇️.
“I do my best editing on the toilet.That’s what my editor told me. Via text message. From a toilet.”😊
I could say, that confiding with us , like you just did, is one of the highlights of Substack, but in all honesty, it is just a venue, a way to pull from your heart and firmly plant the seeds of a fine story. It is you, Nathan that keeps us riveted to this ‘page’. Luckily your supply chain of words are not affected. At least not from the readers point of view. Maybe there is something to be said about multiple personalities enhancing your writing. Or, you are a strange human that goes through some form of molting. I for one just wanted to acknowledge your momentary sharing .Your own personal spinning compass, always having to reset to True North. I have a close friend who is a professor of Japanese literature. When we hike together, he bounces thoughts and ideas off of us, and it is a wonderful way to move through the forest and listen. He never put it in those exact words, but I think he has similar feelings.
Thanks so much, Lor. This is really lovely and special to hear. I deeply appreciate it.
There's certainly something to be said about having a platform to just ... write on, and to try not to feel inhibited by. Sometimes I worry about being too open, sometimes I worry I go too far, and then I realise that it's partly why I write. Whether within a tale or entirely truthful, being able to flow thoughts out freely is one of the driving forces.
Love the notion of molting. This feels quite apt.
Oh, now this is right up my…alley. Ok, ok, I admit it, I have long been a connoisseur of toilets. Shhh, don’t tell anyone.
Ode to the Throne…
I do like the planter idea, perhaps two in one room, one for lush greenery.
Ode to the throne - love it!
Ok, ok, whispers please, it’s a secret . 🚽🪴🤫
😆😉
That's a good idea! Oh to have a bathroom large enough!
(And don't worry, I won't tell anyone ...)
I just can't get over that the longer pieces require the toilet and the shorter ones the desk. Don't his feet fall asleep?!
Haha. Quite possibly!
Ha! Really enjoyed this one one Nathan 👏
Always enjoy a good bit of toilet humour 😁
I don’t judge people by their toilets but I do judge hotels. If I’m staying somewhere and the hotel bar toilet isn’t clean then you can guess most other things in the hotel won’t be that clean either! 🚽 🤢
Hah, yeah, very much have the same philosophy.
Thanks for reading, Dan!
Haha, loved it. You know Nathan, someday when your old as dirt, like me you'll be even less sure of things. Less certain. However, at even this ancient age I hold onto one absolute fact. One surety. One granite rock of certainty. I will never have an agent. Do you understand how openly I am in awe of that and how envious of you I am?...How much I secretly hate you for that?...;)....you surely know I'm kidding. Well about the hate part anyway. Enjoyed this oldie but goodie very much! - Jim
Haha, thanks Jim.
I'm fairly certain I'll never actually have an editor/agent. ;)
That’s funny, I was fairly certain he was real, but the conversation was fiction!
Hehe, sorry! (I have an internal agent, perhaps… 😄)
Genius. I laughed out loud. (for real)
Hehe, lovely to hear. Thank you!
I remember that one! :) made me smile, again!
😀
I haven't seen a glowing one yet! Eagerly awaiting the day when I will earn enough to afford an apartment with one of those haha.
Giggling away here - belatedly of course! Nathan, so funny, but yeah, can any of us deny that we've spent a certain amount of time cogitating on the loo? I think not!
This is great writing my friend, completely unexpected but I loved it!
Hehe, thanks, Susie. 😁 There's definitely some reality sprinkled in throughout this piece for me.
What a fun little piece! It makes me think of my own preference in toilets & I have to say, the Japanese spaceship ones are definitely the best. I've been tempted to nod off on my office toilet before, with the heated seat & soothing water sounds playing (I know they're there to mask your own sounds but I turn them on every time for the meditative ambience). I bet that editor would love to import one for his own house & write it off as work expense...
On another note, I really hope you can endure the worst part of your job & find some relaxation in the middle of all of it. It's understandable that you find it hard to write on top of all that. All the best!
Thanks Vanessa. Ahhh, Japanese toilets. Yes, what a joy. They really are the best.
I remember when we stayed in Kyoto that we had a super special fancy one in our otherwise very tradition accommodation. It glowed blue in the night and had a warm seat. I loved that toilet.
Brilliant! I love how you’ve introduced this and I am now slightly uncomfortably thinking of owning up to where I am currently sat writing this comment….
Teehee. Thanks Emily.
I've never understood the whole "hangin' out on the toilet" thing - whether it's reading, talking on the phone (!) or now, apparently, editing. What next? Madness.
Haha. I think some people are toilet hangers, others very much not.
Sometimes at work I hear people talking on the phone on the toilet. That's taking it way too far!!
Always nice to revisit the archive, especially something so amusing.
It also gives me another opportunity to reminder you to watch Perfect Days—and read The Ark Sakura, for that matter!
The Ark! The Ark! It's on the shelf. I see it every day. It is there waiting.
Thanks for the reminder of Perfect Days. One day you'll receive a message saying we've watched it!
Thanks for bringing this one to the forefront, it’s new to me…so good!
Thanks Brian!
Haha! This is awesome Nathan. I never read this one! But yes, no quotations works well. It gives it a nice, “Gotta keep moving” quality. “Had I been too unconcerned about toilets?” (And now I wonder the same!)
Hehe. Good to be able to dig things up that are from so long ago, then.
I had a friend in uni who kept a log book of thoughts for when he was using the toilet. Not quite the same thing but an inspiration here.