The Christmas Nut Roll Log Post

Dear Forgers,

I was to write my post today with some ideas that I had for writing a ghostly Christmas story in time for, well, Christmas. Not just any ghostly Christmas story, but one that would become an instant classic, like a Dickens or an Irving or a M.R. James. A Christmas story with memorable ghostly things and magical wishes coming true and a moral so deep, so unquestionably right, that you will be counting the temperature drops until I have published it. Or them. What if I had a collection of such notable stories? And drawings, too – some with color – and insightful quotes from my stories captioned below them?

New York Times #1 Best Seller 

“Classic Christmas (and somewhat gayish) Ghost Stories” 

By R.S. Friendlykins

Yet, I am embarrassed to say, that I can’t explore my ideas with you, because I can’t write them down, not even in a post.

Yes – absolutely I was about to do so. I was ready to flesh out those Christmas thoughts, but something stole my attention. Oh, no worries! It wasn’t that old self-doubt we writers (especially me) wrestle before we begin a new project. It’s not that writers block, either, we must pin to the mat with a knee crush. Nor is my hesitance to post the result of absolute fear. I don’t believe that I could really write a Dickens classic, yet, certainly, I am not afraid to give it try. Foolish, perhaps, but I will always try, I tell you.

Yet, to write a post on Christmas ghost stories is not going to happen today...even though I did research the subject extensively. I looked up A Christmas Carol to refresh my memory of the story format as well as the setting. I read further to understand Dickens’s inspiration leading me to look up Washington Irving’s tales. Irving had me dig a little deeper for other writers and their tales, and that's when I re-discovered my interests in M.R. James. Of course, I had to understand the whole premise of writing a Christmas ghost story, so I read up on the old English tradition of sharing frightful stories on Christmas Eve (and how Dickens revived it). I was truly enthused to give it a shot myself. So, I wanted to share my enthusiasm with you in a post for this week.

I cannot.

Not today, Forgers.

Maybe another time. 

Because, sadly, something less important and wickedly odd has drawn my attention away.

Just to my left and next to my laptop stands a 2-pound bar of Pearson’s Salted Nut Roll Log stuffed in a big red can.

And, while this can claims it’s “perfect for Holiday Sharing”, its contents and my endless guessing as to what a 2-pound nut roll looks like is not allowing me to share my Christmas ghost story ideas with you.

You might ask how a 2-pound salted nut roll ended up on my desk. Ah, but dear Forger friend, can you see how that’s not important? My roommate bought it for my dad, if you must know. For Christmas. You see, he knows my dad seeks out nut roll logs whenever he finds a gas station along that part of the highway old enough and dusty enough and spooky enough to have gas stations that sell them. 

Again; how the nut roll ended up on my desk is not important.

The substantial question to ask is, “Hey, Friendlykins! How can a Pearson’s nut roll log – salted – sap away your creative juices, especially for a post devoted to a fantastic idea for a soon-to-be classic Christmas ghost story and for a blog that you deeply respect and love and have been a devoted author for several remarkable years?”

Well....

Did I mention it’s 2 pounds?