Just yesterday, I sat to take a bite into a cookie. I hadn't put much thought into it- there was a cookie, it was on the table. I could make out chocolate chips nestling in it's golden wonderfulness. As I went to take a bite out of it though, I realised to my horror, that it was not slightly chewy as I had, subliminally, anticipated- it was, in fact, hard and slightly nut-flavoured. I realised as I sat contemplating these events, that I had not the skill to put to words my dissapointment at this turn out. I don't mean 'Oh, damn, it's not the really nice cookie I was anticipating' kind of dissapointment, it was more base, and sat in a oart of my brain that probably hadn't been used to transmit dissapointment since neolithic man noticed there weren't any more mammoths.
Anyway, the direction I was going with this, is that surely other people must have thoughts they can't put into words, and maybe there are some people that can, possibly in poetry form or something, and then they shall and everyone'll be happy. It has just occured to me that to do this, the instigators /would/ have to put their thoughts into words in order to post them. So the idea is in fact terrible. I shall, however, post it anyway because I'm a cad.

But, what you're doing here:

I don't mean 'Oh, damn, it's not the really nice cookie I was anticipating' kind of dissapointment, it was more base, and sat in a oart of my brain that probably hadn't been used to transmit dissapointment since neolithic man noticed there weren't any more mammoths.

is describing that disappointment. I know exactly how you feel, and empathise. Therefore, you are one of the ones who can...

There are thousands of things that can't be put into words. That's why we often use metaphors, to relate them to other things.

There are some things I wouldn't want to try to put into words, because they would make me think too much about them, but using metaphor, I can describe pretty much anything.

True. Terribly sorry. I'm a fraud.

I think I know what you mean. Some emotions or feelings, 'feel' of the beaten track if you know what I mean, and so are hard to describe in a way that you think others might understand, or even you might understand some time later. I'm always hoping that as I improve (if I improve) as a writer then I might be able to tap into these feelings. Having said that how do you know that anyone else has ever felt exactly that same way. If they haven’t this would make the description difficult. Perhaps that’s the ultimate challenge, perhaps not. I guess it depends on your writing style and what you want to achieve?

So no definite answers there, sorry...

By the way your description reminded me of the Austin powers film where fat b£$^ards stool sample gets mixed up with Austin’s coffee. ('ooh, it’s a bit nutty.’)

Sam

Many things, feelings and emotions go beyond words and then while we may try to share with others through the use of words, we are never quite certain that the reader's understanding of words is in line with our own.

I feel tha the very best of writers come near to achieving a very high score with their readers.

I remember years ago having my first real kiss. It awakened mamy emotions within me but I recall to this day that I experienced a slightly unpleasant taste in my mouth. In later years I learned that this could be explained in physiological terms. However I think it must have been about ten years ago I read a piece in a book where the author described his own experience in exactly the same circumstances. I felt that the author (long forgotten) and I shared something that no other person in the world had experienced for his descriptive words were perfect (for me).

Len