Haunted* from the outside aka Obsessed

 obsession 

1510s, "action of besieging," from L. obsessionem, noun of action from obsidere (see obsess). Later, "hostile action of an evil spirit" (like possession but without the spirit actually inhabiting the body). Transferred sense of "action of anything which engrosses the mind" is from 1670s. Psychological sense is from 1901.

--Definition from Online Etymological Dictionary. An excellent resource for all people who like words. Without it, how would I know the word "Grübelsucht" ?

Today's post is about obsession, the particular kind of obsession known as "special interest" or even "the dreaded special interest."

For the past six months or so, hot air balloons have been in ascendency around here. We have launched solar balloons made out of a wacky amount of tape and black plastic garbage bags. We have had long discussions about why the Montgolfier brothers bothered to include a chicken and a duck as the first passengers--after all, as birds they have a heritage of flight. The sheep, on the other hand, was completely reasonable from an experimental perspective. At least that the consensus around here.

Finally, because we could, we sent the heart of our obsession to the 2010 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. There can be much joy in surrendering to obsession, as is evidenced in the photo.

Here are a couple of links I find interesting...

Non-Fiction and the Hatred of Fiction , which is number 11 on the list of Stuff Asperger People Like blog. It's especially interesting to me because I'm committing fiction.

... and, apropos of nothing, this amazing story The God of Cake on Hyperbole and a Half. You can learn more about Allie, the artist responsible, here.

Finally, because I have no idea how to write queries, but some people want advice on that front, here's Kristen's My Query Letter Manifesto: Part 1, which is as useful as anything I've read on the subject.

* This is not about ghosts. I do not have enough personal experience with ghosts to write about them, which is fine with me. My father was plagued by ghosts and it didn't make his life any easier. Judging from my observations of him, ghosts are upsetting. So, no ghosts. Look elsewhere for specters.