a nice mellow end to the week. Brit’s taken off enough of the pressure that I could let him spend this morning learning more JavaScript and XML. (you never know when that stuff’s gonna be useful.) the dept. went to lunch today at Rock Pasta, which I haven’t been to in ages, and afterwards we went to Buzzard Records. picked myself up a copy of Cocteau Twins Heaven or Las Vegas. I can’t remember now if I lost that in the Xmas ’93 robbery, or the breakup with Raul, but I’m glad to have it again. 🙂
yes, the morning overall has
yes, the morning overall has definitely improved my mood. getting lots of little things done – more than anything else, responding to email (internal stuff now, not the contact form.) and doing tasks related to them.
now my mood is all
now my mood is all shot to hell. we missed the deadline to make a deposit to do early registration. grrrr. some days, there’s just too much to keep track of.
but I took a little break, leaving up my log, and went to answer some email – “how do I register” “I need a transcript” “tell me everything about all your programs” “give me my professor’s email address” etc., etc. and somehow, it made me a little calmer.
adding a new section (“chad”)
adding a new section (“chad“) to my photos. I love going through my old pictures, remembering times past. I just wish I had more. there was a long stretch, first in college, then just a couple of years ago, when I never took photos. I don’t know what I was waiting for…well, in college I didn’t own a camera, which would explain that. but it makes that whole time feel like it just dropped into a black hole. (as if having pictures would’ve helped.)
home for lunch – an
home for lunch – an absolutely gorgeous day. I’m so glad we brought the computer down to the kitchen. now I can look out on the lovely (if unmowed) backyard from my computer. while I eat my lunch…nice multitasking, eh?
feeling re-energized. solving a coding problem seems to break all those other creative blocks, and vice versa, which is why I did nothing more last night than read more of Musashi.
what a bizarre & fascinating book. Japanese historical novel, set in early 1600s, written as a serial in the mid-1930s. great rollicking story, remarkably gory tho. a fictionalization of the real life Musashi, who wrote The Book of Five Rings, which I gather is all about swordsmanship and life – the way of the sword & all that. given the time it was written, and the emphasis on the Way of the Samurai/Way of the Sword, I wonder how it fits into the political world of its day (pre-WWII Japanese imperialism, etc.). I find myself wanting to read more about the history of Japan, which I know only glancingly, despite my class in Asian Lit in college. I seem to remember that the period of puppet theater that I wrote my big paper on is about the same time as the setting of the novel. hmmm.
gonna go work on some new jewelry…..
yay! the survey works, and
yay! the survey works, and is all elegant & stuff. I’d link, but it’s only for Pierce College faculty. 🙂
ugh. tried to post about
helloooo? publish?
helloooo? publish?
sampled from an email to
sampled from an email to Q:
grrr. why do otherwise interesting people/writers have such a block about scifi? I really wanted to read what Sunshine was writing.
heavy sigh.
okay, I need to rant for a moment….
what the fuck is it with this “I don’t do scifi” thing?! yes, you were the same way, Matt. and Sharon did that too – I still remember…”oh, I can’t critique this” blah blah fucking blah. it’s just writing, for god’s sake. it’s not like it’s writing in a foreign language. yeah, it has its own history & conventions – so does young adult fiction, so does autobiography, hell, so does modern “literary fiction”! is it not literary enough? is it the made-up words & imaginary stuff? you’re telling a story. if you can handle the suspension of disbelief in reading any other work of fiction (or fact), then why is scifi so damn different?
there are ABSOLUTELY things that an informed reader of scifi can give to a writer of scifi – because people who love the genre can feel when it’s derivitive – or can recommend works that might be inspirational. but I really believe that’s true of any genre…and that well-written scifi can appeal to people who love other good writing. because if you’re doing it right, then you’re telling an interesting story. and THOSE elements are the same, no matter what the tale: technically solid writing, creative use of language, compelling characters, meaningful plot motion.
maybe I’m just a weirdo…I jump all over the place, both in reading & in writing. and I that cross-genre experience informs ALL of my writing. heck, the Japanese historical novel I’m reading right now is giving me inspiration for Aila – and is reminding me of a favorite high fantasy series.
<deep breath>
okay, I’m better. but I am curious if s/he is making this call just based on the stuff that Bruce & I sent out or what. I am resisting sending out an email with a gentler version of my rant.
<another deep breath, climbing off soapbox>
what the fuck. I guess there are some things I just don’t understand.