Hunter S Thompson's Daily (Possibly Apocryphal) Routine

As an amateur writer myself, I hope I can start living days like this in the future (but without the drugs and smokes of course!)... :mrgreen:

PoS said:

As an amateur writer myself, I hope I can start living days like this in the future (but without the drugs and smokes of course!)... :mrgreen:

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Having followed Thompson most of my life and spoken to him once on the phone [he was almost impossible to understand] I have no doubt about the authenticity of the above account. I suggest though these were days close to his death after his wife left. His genius did not come from drug use, but rather tempered his mind enough to communicate what he was thinking. He had an incredible imagination and could adopt hugely complex issues in a few sentences through "Gonzo journalism".

I was a writer/journalist for nearly a quarter century. And yes all the drugs and booze was there, although I never had to go on air on acid, I did with just about everything else, many called me Canada's Hunter Thompson.

I sobered up 25 years ago, take out the cocaine and booze, replace that with medical marijuana and, well the above is my live; get up when necessary, have coffee, fire up the vaporizer and go..............I don't write anymore. I used to make the equivalent of $120 K per year to type words and read them back. I refuse to write for free

I liked what he said about life....


"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”

Moot said:

I liked what he said about life....


"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”

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He DID have a way...

I always liked "If you stand on high enough ground and with the right pair of eyes you can almost see it; the high water mark where the progressive tide rose onto the shore and crested only to roll back on itself in all it's psychedelic glory". Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It was the then epitaph on our generation.

Disco was born soon after

PoS said:

As an amateur writer myself, I hope I can start living days like this in the future (but without the drugs and smokes of course!)... :mrgreen:

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It's a wonder the guy lived as long as he did, if that is in any way accurate. :lol:

Gathomas88 said:

It's a wonder the guy lived as long as he did, if that is in any way accurate. :lol:

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I've heard that the list above was a "tame" night. lol

Your Star said:

I've heard that the list above was a "tame" night. lol

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Must have had some of those "Ozzy Osbourne" genes I hear so much about. Lol

PoS said:

As an amateur writer myself, I hope I can start living days like this in the future (but without the drugs and smokes of course!)... :mrgreen:

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A couple days on that schedule and I'd be on the floor dead.

Fearandloathing said:

I don't write anymore. I used to make the equivalent of $120 K per year to type words and read them back. I refuse to write for free

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Have you considered independent publishing? It's never been easier to write a book and sell it online now.

PoS said:

Have you considered independent publishing? It's never been easier to write a book and sell it online now.

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Who would you recommend?

OrphanSlug said:

Who would you recommend?

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You can do everything yourself now- just write a book, hire an editor and cover designer and put it up in places like Amazon, Google Play, iStore and others. The independent book market has exploded in the past few years.

PoS said:

Have you considered independent publishing? It's never been easier to write a book and sell it online now.

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ahem...............

Where do I start? Yes and no. My writing career was all non fiction and even after I left full time employment I had a fun pastime selling guest items including op eds to various magazines some of which are still operating.
I took a two year sabbatical during which I wrote a mystery/spy/comedy novel in the 90's but became depressed in part trying to publish the damn thing. In short, I am done for now writing anything of length or depth and express my creative self lecturing in journalism applied ethics, for which they pay me and painting, where I spend what has been earned, lecturing in some late life idea there's a Van Goug in all of us.

Too many years under intense pressure to describe events either in written or spoken word imaginatively spent my share

PoS said:

You can do everything yourself now- just write a book, hire an editor and cover designer and put it up in places like Amazon, Google Play, iStore and others. The independent book market has exploded in the past few years.

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"Hire an editor"

If you can find someone willing to pay. Editing is harder than writing, and writing is harder than coal mining sometimes

Fearandloathing said:

Having followed Thompson most of my life and spoken to him once on the phone [he was almost impossible to understand] I have no doubt about the authenticity of the above account. I suggest though these were days close to his death after his wife left. His genius did not come from drug use, but rather tempered his mind enough to communicate what he was thinking. He had an incredible imagination and could adopt hugely complex issues in a few sentences through "Gonzo journalism".

I was a writer/journalist for nearly a quarter century. And yes all the drugs and booze was there, although I never had to go on air on acid, I did with just about everything else, many called me Canada's Hunter Thompson.

I sobered up 25 years ago, take out the cocaine and booze, replace that with medical marijuana and, well the above is my live; get up when necessary, have coffee, fire up the vaporizer and go..............I don't write anymore. I used to make the equivalent of $120 K per year to type words and read them back. I refuse to write for free

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Whoa...they are paying you here?

How do I get that gig?

Frank Apisa said:

Whoa...they are paying you here?

How do I get that gig?

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It would be sadly erroneous to call this "writing"

Hunter Thompson is one of my favorite fiction writers. The fact that he's primarily known for only one novel, yet still very loved for that novel, shows how talented he was in his prime.

I've read a few other works, like Hells Angels, and a few others I can't remember. Enjoyed them all.

Reading Fear and Loathing at 19 was one of those experiences where my mind was fully blown. It holds up today imo, as do some of my other favorites like Ask the Dust by Fante, and Post Office by Bukowski.

Fearandloathing said:

It would be sadly erroneous to call this "writing"

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We do not agree on a lot, Fear...but your writing is excellent. Even when I disagree strongly, I enjoy reading what you have to say...and admire the way you say it.

(I've written three books. Tried to get 'em published. Never came close. I do not like the self-publishing thing that has become so popular these days. I buy books for my Kindle from Amazon...and probably have two dozen where I've read 25 pages...and then deep-sixed 'em. LOTS of very poor writing in the self-published sections.)

PoS said:

As an amateur writer myself, I hope I can start living days like this in the future (but without the drugs and smokes of course!)... :mrgreen:

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Well, Hunter might be disappointed in ya. Like Willie Nelson who claims pot was has been muse in writing much of his music, Hunter probably made that claim himself about his writing on an occasion or two. :lol:

PoS said:

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"3:00P - Rise" :lamo

truthatallcost said:

Hunter Thompson is one of my favorite fiction writers. The fact that he's primarily known for only one novel, yet still very loved for that novel, shows how talented he was in his prime.

I've read a few other works, like Hells Angels, and a few others I can't remember. Enjoyed them all.

Reading Fear and Loathing at 19 was one of those experiences where my mind was fully blown. It holds up today imo, as do some of my other favorites like Ask the Dust by Fante, and Post Office by Bukowski.

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Hah!

I'm getting tired of my "Chomsky" nick here, so I've been thinking of changing it to: "Fante Bukowski"! :mrgreen:

Seriously!

You may also have noticed we have "Henry Chinaski" here already, too! :thumbs:

Frank Apisa said:

We do not agree on a lot, Fear...but your writing is excellent. Even when I disagree strongly, I enjoy reading what you have to say...and admire the way you say it.

(I've written three books. Tried to get 'em published. Never came close. I do not like the self-publishing thing that has become so popular these days. I buy books for my Kindle from Amazon...and probably have two dozen where I've read 25 pages...and then deep-sixed 'em. LOTS of very poor writing in the self-published sections.)

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Well, I do thank you for the compliment. It takes a good writer to notice one, I have learned. It starts when we begin to appreciate what the author is doing ..'wait, did he just...? Whether its Thompson stomping on our stereotypes or Thomas Harris chilling our bones. Not only their words, but phrases and techniques.

To be a good writer you need to READ. Not just absorb the story, but watch how the author weaves the tale...unless of course its something droll like "The Cat Who Solved a Murder."

Frank Apisa said:

We do not agree on a lot, Fear...but your writing is excellent. Even when I disagree strongly, I enjoy reading what you have to say...and admire the way you say it.

(I've written three books. Tried to get 'em published. Never came close. I do not like the self-publishing thing that has become so popular these days. I buy books for my Kindle from Amazon...and probably have two dozen where I've read 25 pages...and then deep-sixed 'em. LOTS of very poor writing in the self-published sections.)

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There's plenty of poor writing from traditionally published authors too. What independents do is give you a lot more variety- some of the best writing in the past five years have come from the independent market.

Fearandloathing said:

"Hire an editor"

If you can find someone willing to pay. Editing is harder than writing, and writing is harder than coal mining sometimes

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I do pay for editors to go through my work. It's the single biggest expense I have when I write.

:rock

Chomsky said:

Hah!

I'm getting tired of my "Chomsky" nick here, so I've been thinking of changing it to: "Fante Bukowski"! :mrgreen:

Seriously!

You may also have noticed we have "Henry Chinaski" here already, too! :thumbs:

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That would be a cool nickname :rock

That reminded me of Buk proclaiming, "I am the great Arturo Bandini", when his girl was giving him trouble. Buk loved Fante and is the reason I got to read his stuff.

PoS said:

As an amateur writer myself, I hope I can start living days like this in the future (but without the drugs and smokes of course!)... :mrgreen:

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I've seen that before.... I think it was supposed to be from somewhere in the 70s.



That's not in the least bit apocryphal for that brilliant and utterly wild man. That's a light day for him. He got really bad around the 90s (as per "The Life of Hunter S. Thompson). They had to, for example, induce an artificial coma after surgery so that he wouldn't die from DTs/withdrawal.

(I've read quite a bit he's written, and quite a bit written about him by people close to him).

Corey Seymour: "A few minutes later, as Hunter was being introduced, he plopped down on the floor of the Pool Room, Indian-Style, took his coke grinder out of his sock, and leaned forward with a hollowed-out Bic pen up his nose. This was right in front of the dais and right next to several tables of guests - including the head table with Jann and Yoko Ono and David Bowie, among others - who were now looking at me strangely, as if they were waiting for me to explain what was going on. I was trying to very consciously act normal - "Nothing weird happening here, folks" - and Hunter cracked me hard on my shin with his knuckle and barked quietly, "Shield me, goddamn it!!!" . . . "I passed by a hallway a little later during the party and saw him talking alone with Keith Richards, which was absolutely amazing to hear. It sounded like two dogs barking at one another..."

Corey Seymour: (about a breakfast): "I remember him sitting on the sofa in his robe, grinding up coke and mumbling, "Uhhh...ahh..two pots of coffee....uhhh...six-pack of Heineken...uhh...two pitchers of Bloody Marys, corned beef hash...white toast...better make that four orders of white toast...ugh..." (etc).

"The Life of Hunter Thompson. GONZO" (Jann S. Wenner and Corey Seymour), though it is written in a series of quotes from various people who knew him.


Some quote I don't feel like digging up about how he had one of the people who arranged a speaking gig pick up a package he'd mailed ahead, finding it had multiple ounces of cocaine in it. (90s).



So yeah, the OP is a rather light night.