Illumination: The Fyrefly Jar Weblog

Monday, November 07, 2011

Tried to send some messages to my 80s self today. Told her to do a few things differently. I wonder if she heard me.

128 Comments:

At Fri Nov 25, 12:33:00 AM, John said…

I think all we ever have is the present.
At Fri Nov 25, 09:30:00 PM, Amy said…

Yes, agreed. Now is where it's at.
At Sat Nov 26, 06:17:00 PM, John said…

—Unless we're talking stock tips. Those I try to weasel uptime all the time.
At Sat Nov 26, 07:08:00 PM, Amy said…

Well clearly, yes, stock tips. Leading gainers on over-the-counter markets and such. Very weasely.
At Sat Nov 26, 07:59:00 PM, John said…

Speaking of which, have you seen Primer? Huge fan. Huge!
At Sat Nov 26, 10:03:00 PM, Amy said…

No, but sci-fi with "low budget" and "cult following" work for me, so I'll check it out. Just finished watching the Fabric of the Cosmos NOVA Brian Greene series, so Primer will seemingly fit in well.
At Sat Nov 26, 10:36:00 PM, John said…

I think you're in for a treat with Primer. I didn't catch any of the Greene series. Was it good? I like the idea of the multiverse because it's fun to imagine there's some world out there with a version of me in it without a head cold.
At Sat Nov 26, 11:46:00 PM, Amy said…

The series was entertaining in a light way. Lots of fun graphics. The slow pacing and simple explanations drove me batty. I wanted more complicated theory, and their audience was those who know little to start. Still, interesting ideas. The one that everything may be a projection like a hologram was a bit much to process. But, yes, in theory there may be a feeling-better you out there. With great stock tips.
At Sun Nov 27, 01:02:00 AM, John said…

I know what you mean about the slow pacing and simple explanations. It says something about the state of our education system that this is the mass market for science/space programming.

Very excited about NASA's launch Saturday morning! I hope that thing lands safely, wakes up and does good science.

This September most of my Facebook status updates were from a narrator flying toward, then acclimating to life on, Mars. One or two people "liked" the occasional entry, but no one riffed with me. A pity, too, as I was enjoying sharing daily discoveries about what it's like to work for the Mars Water Authority and raise kids at Endurance.
At Sun Nov 27, 12:51:00 PM, Amy said…

Now you make me want to read some Bradbury, imagining those speculative Facebook posts. Were the dust storms to cause any problems? Not sure why so few responses to the entries ... Did you pepper with the words "extreme" and "venturesome"? People love that.

I watched Saturday's launch online. I'm with you: I hope it all works out. In a mere 9 months, I guess we will know. I hate the name Curiosity, but no one ever asks a writer about these things, do they.
At Sun Nov 27, 05:24:00 PM, John said…

First post:

Final 72 hours before Mars insertion. Braking is just the weirdest feeling, giving me vertiginous dreams about rolling down red hills. Cannot believe this trip is almost over. Very happy with my work on the pods, but ready for a change. And amazing thing is the real work is just about to begin!

---

I'm not worried about dust. It's not the season, and anyway the new breathers can easily handle < 1 μm to 50 μm, even with electrostatics. We learned our lesson after Lucas Planum.

I like "extreme" and "venturesome." I don't see it that way anymore, though. It's just a matter of letting go of being heavy, and seeing the world as it is.

---

"Curiosity." Yeah. At least they didn't go full-on "Pepsi Science Rover." What would you have named it?
At Sun Nov 27, 09:37:00 PM, Amy said…

Nice. A strong voice. There is something about journaling -- you can get the personal and factual all in there.

Lucas Planum. Tough to find a person who will speak of that.

I do so love "Pepsi Science Rover." Effervescent. Well, if I were so close to the project to have input, I guess I would pick Inspire, thinking of the motion (like a breath) into the planet to (perhaps) find life. If that wasn't an option, I'd absolutely pick Dig Dug.
At Mon Nov 28, 01:07:00 PM, John said…

Inspire is beautiful, but Dig Dug it is. I wish I'd thought of that. Too late now, though, as I've already downloaded Pepsi Science Rover for mobile, which I'm using to chart new paths to out-of-this-world savings on airfare, movie tickets and sports apparel.

Lucus Planum. Yeah. That was before my time. I met the two survivors: Bill Gooche, now of field optics; and Penelope McCasey, director emerita of reclamation, but known more widely as founder of the arts combine. Apparently they don't talk about the storm at all; but whether that's because of the tragedy or because that's just Mars, I don't know. We have the data: it looked, and sounded, harrowing.
At Mon Nov 28, 11:30:00 PM, Amy said…

“out-of-this-world savings”: awesome.

Thought of you when I saw this piece today: http://crave.cnet.co.uk/gadgets/man-arrested-at-large-hadron-collider-claims-hes-from-the-future-49305387/

I don’t know either of them, but I’ve heard others talk of Gooche over drinks after those boring terrestrial-support conferences. Happy to talk imaging and resolution, yes, but Bill has the eyes of an old motion-capture character: dull and cold. Apparently it’s spooky on such an animated face. Did you notice that at all? As you say, maybe that’s just Mars.
At Tue Nov 29, 01:32:00 AM, John said…

That's a CNET gag, but they're spot-on about the perils of the collider. "...Kit-Kats for everyone. It is a communist chocolate hellhole and I'm here to stop it ever happening." Thanks for the link.

I'm in the middle of watching this, and if you haven't seen it I'm sure you'll want to. I stopped only to check the squirts from Earth to see if you'd written: http://on.io9.com/vVdsri. Astrophysics, poetry and Stephen Colbert.

You've totally nailed it about Gooche. Wow. I don't know all that much about his work — just that shaped-field optics is supposed to be the tip of the iceberg in action-at-a-distance physics — but his eyes are tuned to a different freq. That is for sure.

My assistant, Jensen Stennenbrauer, says the weirder thing about Gooche is that he always smells minty. What am I supposed to do with that information? Whether it's true or not, it's now my one defining impression of Bill Gooche.

Hey, was that you I saw at Armstrong a couple of years ago? You were boarding, wearing a sky-blue coverall with white stripe down the left side, and holding what I took to be a bundle of umbrellas. I've been dying to ask you about that.
At Tue Nov 29, 09:25:00 PM, Amy said…

Yeah, I know it's a gag. April first and all. I am sure the words "communist chocolate hellhole," in Carlin-esque fashion, had never been placed together before that. Amusing.

I bet I will like that video. Those three things in a mix must be good.

Hey, yeah, that was me. You’ve got a good memory for detail. And cripes, the umbrellas. Forgot about those. Technically, they were parasols. I was bringing them at Daphne’s insistence. I met her when I was at SloFood. She’s still there at R&D. Brilliant girl, but a bit wacky. Anyway, she was sure that using some kind of parasol-like thing would solve an issue of leaf burn under the panels. She had a loose prototype in mind, so I had to bring her all different kinds. You can’t imagine how uncomfortable it was to travel with those. Now that you mention it, she still owes me for that one.

Minty? How close do you have to get to pick up minty? No idea what that means either. At least Jensen can still smell things. I know plenty of people who have lost most taste and smell.
At Tue Nov 29, 11:17:00 PM, John said…

We work closely with SloFood. I had an arugula salad for lunch — the sheer decadence of the thing — made possible by your friend Daphne and your parasols, no doubt. So I am much obliged.

You're not with SloFood anymore? What are you up to?

I was happy to see you. I was at Armstrong for training, then back to Berkeley for a bit, and as soon as the window opened I took the sling to Endurance. There's so much I want to tell you. The trip, the colony, my work. Parasols and arugula. Mars.

I'm playing a wall of rain as I write this. Been listening to it for a while. I imagine this planet misses the pelt of falling water, the squish of warm iron mud.

It's late here; I have to get up in a few sols to chaperone the Junior Aerographers Society to Ma'adim Vallis. It's my first time there, so I wonder who's chaperoning whom. This stuff still blows me away.

You're right about taste loss. Too much time at forced air is an occupational hazard. We do have a team pushing back against acquired environmental anosmia, and everyone is making full use of the 11 petabyte scent library on public access. That's the thing I love most about this place: everyone here believes in solutions. Everyone here practices service.
At Tue Nov 29, 11:20:00 PM, John said…

— pfft. "Sols," I wrote. I really am tired.
At Wed Nov 30, 08:49:00 PM, Amy said…

If being poked and scraped by the ends of some parasols eventually brought some nice peppery greens to your lunch, I would say the discomfort was worth it.

I thought you may have heard. For about eight months now I’ve been with Pan Enterprise, a new think tank to drive policy toward minimizing terrestrial impact on Mars. The founders flew me to DC for a big night out, make me feel needed and important. Told me they wanted a hydrogeologist to round out the sciences and I was their first choice.

I fell for it, thinking I could really affect change, push an eco-lobby, get access to the best minds, and put out quality research. But, God, it’s boring. The people are boring and old; DC is boring and old. I put out two monographs on Scholar 1 data stream, but I am sure no one saw those.

You said everyone there believes in solutions; that is what we have here, too. But you have solution in action, it seems. Here there a lot of desire and thought and talking, all in stuffy offices. I’ve told no one this, but I miss my old job -– running across those fields and breathing in the dank air after a test spray; staining my palm with dark, wet nutrisoil to make it a map of the red planet’s branching channels.

Ma'adim Vallis is a dream! I need to know how you liked it. So tell me everything: Endurance, your work, the library, the salad.
At Thu Dec 01, 01:22:00 AM, John said…

I should have mentioned Ma'adim Vallis is an overnight, with camping at Gusev Center. I'm exhausted from corralling these kids all day, but everybody enjoyed the docent-led hike along Spirit Trail. Tomorrow we're going to undertake a dig at Gusev proper, in the shadow of Apollinaris Patera, to search for proof of an ancient lake.

It's gonna be a long day: all of these kids have already toured Authority Cryosphere Operations, and they've seen where the water really is, so I'd be surprised if many of them take the dig at Gusev seriously. More work for the chaperones.

I really can't write now, even though I've been looking forward to your letter all day. We're doubled up on occupancy, owing to low confidence in our backup condenser on the other dome (we didn't want to risk icing) so everybody's jammed in here under cold starlight, and there's basalt rock dust all over everything, Jeremy Simms!, so I've got to go.

But let me say this: If you want to do good work supporting the Mars Mode, or North to Deneb Initiative, or Mons Terra campaign, I'd say you have to leave DC — god, talk about a dead planet — and set foot here. At least join the Aeres Caucus on a fact-finding mission. There are some people up here you should meet, not the least influential of whom is Phyllis Ashe. I checked your papers — loved the qualitative stuff, and you nailed the longitudinal implications — and I would love to put the two of you together. Ashe cites you often in her own literature, I just discovered, and she's been very helpful to me, so I'm inclined to trust her.

(God, this Simms kid! Just wanna leave him outside, like Fred Flintstone with the cat!)

I should explain what I meant by trust: Not everyone up here understands what Pan Enterprise is striving for. To a lot of the union guys, the fear is, "Hey, hands off Mars," which I know is not what you're saying. Ashe can help you bridge the gap.

Hold on a second.

OK.

So look, if you come here, I know a great place to eat, and I can show you Cairn Park. You haven't been to Mars until you've added to Cairn Park under a robin's egg blue sky.

Really going now. I hope you don't miss your old job too much. You're growing a good thing and fighting a good fight, and both science and I appreciate it.

MEDI.REA.AEREPLEX//ENDR/yes//Breakthrough-In-Microgravity-Induced-Scent-Loss//acctjs
At Thu Dec 01, 09:31:00 AM, Amy said…

Thanks for responding even with your hands full like that. Glad you liked the work I posted. You have Simms and I have meetings, so I'll be brief.

I'd love to come there, get into the real science, see what I can find. I've heard of Ashe. Good work, she does. I'm not really so much on the "hands off" side -- I just wanted to tap the knowledge they'd gathered at the Enterprise -- so I think I'd fit in well up where the hard stuff is. I'd need to get my travel papers in order. Certainly something to think about. A blue sky is a beauty to yearn for these days.

Kids get bored so quickly, so keep it fresh. Maybe I'll walk to the meeting, do a little something dangerous ... get an idea of all the hiking you've been doing!
At Fri Dec 02, 12:31:00 AM, John said…

Well darned if that wasn't time well spent. Physically and mentally exhausted. Kids did a great job modeling the water flow; Ma'adim Vallis could hardly have been more captivating (the place sends my adjectives scurrying. Plus I'm tired. Did I mention that?); and Jeremy Simms saved a kid from falling a kilometer to certain death. So that was my day. Time to soak in a warm gel.

Wanted to ask whether you, like me, are a fan of John Hodgman, Jonathan Coulton and Lydia Davis. I certainly expect that this is the case, but it will please me to know for sure.
At Fri Dec 02, 06:52:00 PM, Amy said…

I have a general familiarity with all three people mentioned. I know John Hodgman from NPR (Daily Show, too?) — and his Emmy comments, of course — but I have not read his books. I have found him to be funny, and he seems rather smart. I have heard a few Jonathan Coulton songs (“Skullcrusher Mountain” I know well and really like; “Mr. Fancy Pants” was suggested to me once, and that’s pretty good). I like his voice because in it I hear the timbre of a 1970s folk singer. Lydia Davis has work in a couple of my microfiction/sudden fiction anthologies (I get one or two a year; love that form). Honestly, though, I don’t remember her from others in those collections, so I will have to read her work specifically again and get a true opinion out to you. I don’t know if those things make me a fan; it’s a good start, though.

Wow, Jeremy really came through. Sounds like an all-around success. I hope by now you are rested.

The lobbyists thought I was nuts for walking those streets, but I did it. I won’t detail the meetings, but afterward I did end up picking the brain of a Scandinavian guy who represents electrics and was on one of the first missions. (Now, he says, it’s for the young!) He wouldn’t talk until he found a place that served glogg (only in DC!). Anyway, lots he grew to love about it, but not much social contact back then. He recommends the flyboarding for a good workout. Seems the nights were rather quiet; he related how he and some other bored scientists filled a warehouse space with their own “snow” after some crafty engineering. I guess that’s sort of a legend now.

All this talk of getting in touch with nature! Now I’m more eager than ever to see the Merian Arboretum. Have you been? I hear that you can’t tell the grams apart from the organics.

Off to listen to the rest of Mars Polaris. An old Tangerine Dream comp I play for atmosphere. Is especially appropriate now.
At Sun Dec 04, 01:17:00 AM, John said…

Mars isn't necessarily only for the young; I'd say it's for the centered. I was going to say "for the prepared," as we spend months in training before we sling out, but there's no way to prepare for a new frame of reference. This is Mars. You just bring yourself to it, and if you're centered, it fits, and you can live, work, dream and dance here, because that's you. If you're merely prepared, you're faking. You're doing a job and being sociable, but you're faking it until you get to go home.

I say this to address your electrics guy's point, but also because it fits with an epiphany I had last night while drinking.

After waiting two months, I was introduced last night to a remarkable drink, ylla, the composition of which my hosts would not tell me, but I saw its final stage of production: after fermenting and distilling it, they fill an honest-to-god oak cask, 120L, with what looks like red summer moonlight: low, full and winey. This they take outside at dusk and open to the atmosphere. While the ale churns and spits, everyone sings a bawdy song called "Fuck the Inquisition (Have Another Drink)." Then they clap and cheer, reseal the cask, and bury it in the soil. Two months later the same crowd digs it up, brings it inside, pours the ale through cheesecloth and Micromesh, serves it in steins, sings a variety of drinking songs, and takes full advantage of Mars' gravity to get quite silly.

It is phenomenal. A little goes a long way.

And it's not something you can prepare for. You have to accept ylla because that's what's happening. That's why they don't tell you what it's made of, or that it's slightly hallucinogenic, or that the whole party is actually in your honor. They don't tell you they're happy you joined the family and they're all here for you; you just accept that, because that's what's happening.

If you try to prepare, you're just going to get drunk and have a good time. If you're centered, you're going to land on Mars, the paradise planet, and become a Martian.

I haven't tried flyboarding, as I'm 43; but I have seen the arboretum. I'm not a botanist. It looked pretty, and smelled like … I don't know. A memory from when I was young: rain and getting-ready-to-go? Impossible to describe. Oh, plus lilac. Was the lilac real, or grammed? As I write this I'm downloading Merian to run at home with BeThere Pro. I'll think about the scent. (So here's a letter about my plan to mull a thought about a sim about an installation about a maybe-real about a memory about a child's fleeting impression of a taste of a moment of uncertainty half-formed amid raindrops.)

Gløgg! That's what Kir Poulsen — Jensen Stennenbrauer's girlfriend on the Phobos Project — calls her cat back on Earth. That's probably neither here nor there.

I like your music selection. I'm listening to Josh Ritter's "Thin Blue Flame" from The Animal Years.
At Mon Dec 05, 02:30:00 AM, Amy said…

Decided to take a few days away from the office to relax and think and drive – actually drive! – to somewhere that means something to me, that brings back emotions and scents and sounds buried too deep. Did a lot of thinking as I streamed along, so I apologize if this message rambles a bit. Wanted to write down some thoughts before heading far into Shenandoah, so I’m parked at a side stop overlooking incredibly thick woods and a late-afternoon sun that burns like the belly of a bloomery.

Streaming along:

Seated at the sangha, feeling the bamboo switch at the point of my lower back where the shirt has risen. Then Aikido at the dojo – feeling balanced in all movements. The manner of my breathing at a friend’s open casket, and later, at the graveside, acknowledging the mud on my good shoes for simply what it is. There is a clarity that brings courage to all things.

I asked myself if there is a type of Bildung at work. Your words made it sound so. You see? So textbook again.

Mars, with short gestation, birthing this ylla, making possible the party around it. I’d like to be silly and centered all at once. Does sound like paradise.

More thoughts about navigation contests with my father, nothing to rely on but a feel for the water speed and the constellations. Deep salty breaths. Relaxing every muscle and moving with the boat. Leaning when it was time to lean and not before.

Off to find the cabin my great-grandfather frequented. Hope it’s still there, or I may be doing more thinking in my car tonight. At least I’ll have the stars.
At Wed Dec 07, 12:30:00 AM, John said…

On a drive myself the past two days. Jensen and I are rating operations at Mainstem, North Fork, South Fork, and this kid’s blowing me away. He’s up here finishing his doctorate on Tharsis, and I feel like his aide. He swears he isn’t tanked; just taps gigs of useful data in harmonious recall. Perfect grasp of every function, chart, checklist and subtle cycle, and can smell water through his suit (and kilometers of dirt). Plus he speaks union like a native.

I got your letter. I read it often. I tried to write back with description just as good, but my world is made of metal, rock, Plastiche and haze. And Mars is tough to boot.

It’s enough for me to know that up above — out west, beyond that cratered range and upheld glove — is a sky-blue dot, with poetry ringing from its Curie magnet core. Some of it escapes. Some of it washes down these chilled brick gullies. It carries me in my bobbing suit and sinks into the soil, where I’d like to think it’s joined the watershed — to help Mars breathe again some day.

And touching, too, a nick: the carve of Duende river, weighted with green bones, mosquitos, frogs and otters. The water feeds the eel, the shiners, bass and darters. It visits awhile, in its time, in nine verdant counties. Then it joins another of its kind, and, merged, they amble to a fall line, and slip into the bay. And there their heat and scent release as mist, as earth.

And graveside mud — I am sorry for your loss.

I had a lot to say about Shenandoah, beautiful daughter of the stars. I set it down, but the pressure outside’s too low. It couldn’t hold.

Checking the next station. Lights are green. Always a good sign.
At Thu Dec 08, 04:30:00 PM, Amy said…

Now I know you must have a tiny slit in that suit of yours, just enough to skew things. Have you felt recently to be on a child’s teacup ride? (Or perhaps you’ve been sneaking the leftover ylla …) You must permit Jensen to give you a tox evaluation and administer pure O2. I say this because of your very generous comment on the goodness of my descriptions. But your letters are the inspirational ones, with winey spitting ale and your thoughts on our red planet and beyond.

The log dovetails still hold; memories of this place are coming back slowly. No one has kept up the road, so that was an adventure. I could really use a rover.

Before I got too comfortable I took a walkabout: gathered red oak for firewood, crossed a poplar stand, caught the scent of the first fish I ever pulled in off a stick and string line (a flat, mossy sunfish, its mouth straining an O shape). Found a stream and slipped down to the edge, where the rounded, slate rocks almost claimed me. The water was so cold it didn’t register sensation at first, but a quick splash to my face took care of that, calling like the kinetic strike off a temple bell.

Last night in front of the small fire I started one of the ebooks I brought: Gorgonum Hymns, the newest collection of off-world poetry by Joux Thorn. This book won her the Orbit Prize, but she refused it, saying art can’t be judged. (Don’t you love saucy writers?) This one stanza joined with an image I held from your last missive:

just listen: a rush, the rust,
a swish of the grain cradle,
a beech-leaf wind, blowing spit
from the horn: just the sound
could have made these
chilled gullies, gypsum channels,
apron sediment scrape,
always in nature
the same sharp shape:
the holly leaf, the hawk talon.

See your words? Are you sure you’re not a poet?
At Sat Dec 10, 09:37:00 PM, John said…

Yep, yep. I see it. Totally. I’ve got a total case of slit-suit.

Hang on.

Jensen, can you —

Yeah.

OK. Check the pressure on —

The other one…

Right.

Is it charged?

Is it charging?

Hang on, Amy.

What am I down to, 70?

OK.

No, I don’t need yours, I need that one.

I am not panicking.

Is it charging?

Clearly, my hands are full. I’ve got that end in. Ow, that’s tight.

Sixty-eight.

Sixty-six.

(“Poetry.”)

OK. OK; nothing.

It is?

I’ve got yellow; I’m in… OK, 68. We’re positive.

What’s the soup?

Uh huh.

Uh huh.

Tox?

All right.

What’s my delta?

OK.

Where was the bell on that?

Where was the frakkin’ bell? Why didn’t —

Nope!

No, Amy did.

Amy.

From, uh, from Earth. The letters.

Nitrogen?

Woman’s intuition! How the hell should I know?

Seventy-five? Thank god. What’s the rate?

Are we confident on that? Is that going to —

No, the full spectrum.

I am not panicking.

Oh, now we get the bell. Fine. Turn that off.

Jesus.

No, I’ll talk to them.

Authority Control, Mainstem Rover, go ahead.

Negative, negative. Negative. All’s well. We had a
suit-slit situation, but no; negative. All yellow and climbing. Sealed and have pressure; chemistry adjusting.

Snyder, speaking.

Stand by. I’ll find out. One second.

Jensen? He’s asking —

Yeah.

Ah, Authority, we have 80 and climbing. Eight-zero.

Affirm.

Affirm.

Affirm.

The rate is nine-five. Niner five on a delta… four.

Affirmative.

The crotch.

Negative.

No idea, Authority.

We show — stand by.

Confirmed.

Ah, hang on a second, Authority.

(Jensen, they want to talk to you.)

…
…
…
…

Did they…

Did they…

No? OK. What did he say?

You can’t tell me?

No, I’m not sacking out back there.

Absolutely not. No, I patched it, and I’m fine.

I’m …

I’m fine.

Maybe just for a few minutes. All of a sudden, yeah.

I’m…

Amy, from Earth.

“...always in nature 
the same sharp shape: 
the holly leaf, the hawk talon.” 

Something she said. Hey, throw back my tab, will you? I’m fine. Wake me when we hit Endurance.

Thanks Jensen. Thanks, man.

You’re an amazing person, Jensen. I was just singing your praises.

In a letter.

Yeah.

Roger that.

You and me, Jensen. Best damn… Best damn...

You got me on green there? You sedated me, right?

No, no; I read the checklist. We’re good.

I would’ve done the same.

Easy on the bounces man.

I’m on green. We’re writing poetry.

“The log dovetails still hold…”

You know the way … the way back?

Lemme know if you need...

Jensen, man? She saved my life.

You both did.

Something about bells.

Bells in the gullies.

Just listen.
At Sun Dec 11, 09:57:00 PM, Amy said…

Jesus. Just … Jesus.

Yellow? I don’t know. It sounded bad.

Jensen, Jensen. Kir won’t mind if I buy Jensen a drink when I meet him? Is he too stiff-necked for that? A good handshake, you say. Then, that it will be.

Intuitive, lyrical. What can be attributed to what? Words and energy. That’s most of it.

Too restless to sleep after that. I took my scope out to a clearing, got Mars in focus. Rather small, but still. It was there. You’re there.

I was out in the morning and saw the haze of blue that gives the mountains their name. It was an indigo wash, very watercolor with a dry brush.

You’ll tell me how you are feeling now, of course. Not the type to want to sit still, I know, but try if they say so. And next I’ll tell you of the caverns. Was like another planet.
At Tue Dec 13, 10:05:00 PM, John said…

"[A]n indigo wash, very watercolor with a dry brush." See, that's lovely and so economical, and behind it, yes: the mountains.

I tried to describe your sunset, as I imagined it, but kept hashing variations on pennies or pence or whatever one calls those coins:

"Brightly traded moments of beaten copper ancien, lavished; heaping at the rangèd western wall a wealth in reaching daisies, dying..."

(Plus the word "suffused." Best I dropped it.)  

Yes, trouble in the yellow. I'm fine, thanks. Endurance kept me for six hours' observation. I was dehydrated and headachy, but I survived. I'm embarrassed you heard all that; Dicta said she was "interested."

We traced my suit slit to the Mainstem quartermaster. Dave Reynolds over there was contrite, apologized to me profusely, and they're crediting my department some number of kilocalories for the hassle. That suit was supposed to have been custom-dipped and nipped to the net, but it turned out to have been a rental. I'm grateful our rover tasted the problem and called it in.   

Jensen says he's looking forward to meeting you, and insists on buying the first round.  

— Oh, hold on. Here's Jensen:  

"Dear Amy, Yes, this is Jensen Stennenbrauer; your friend John makes a terrible patient I hear; but I promise we will keep him all together in once piece, as he is a fine friend and a finer colleague."

  I didn't know he cared! Also, and you should do this if you're free: Jensen says Kir invites you to visit her parents in Helsinki for "Joulu" — I don't know what that is, exactly — with dinner on Prophets' Day.

Her dad, Karl, is lead engineer on the Gulf of Finland Reclamation Survey, and designs and races world-class catamarans. Äiti teaches ethics and government at Cambridge. Very interesting family. Jensen's thumbing introductions to you here…

I saw Earth again last night. Something on it twinkled. Must have been your scope.

Thanks for your concern. Looking forward to hearing about the caverns. Hope all's well.
At Thu Dec 15, 10:19:00 PM, Amy said…

I am well, thanks. In fact, everything is amazingly clear today. The thrush birdsong is translatable; the clouds are easily classified. Drinking my tea took on a measured importance this morning. Such an awareness of the true nature of things.

Yes, pennies! Ocher or amber … but you have it: “brightly traded moments” is perfect.

No need to feel embarrassed. I’m glad everything worked out.

What a nice invitation. I received info from Jensen. It would be fun to talk sailing again. I will look into my schedule for Joulu.

I could talk about dripstone formation and chemical compounds, the history of it all, but that cavern day was about the role I played: a late explorer of an alien land, finding Agartha. Gold-brown and white towers, spilling lumps, stone groupings, lime anemones. Pluto’s Chasm is the perfect name for one of these wide vaults: ruler of the underworld. I felt far from a visitor to the fourth circle, though. More like little Nix, of darkness.

It was easy to separate from the teen guide and tourist group, to hang back until the lights fell in on themselves and I was in total darkness in the expansive passage. Is there such a “total” thing, even in the heart of space? I forcibly kept my eyes open (such an urge to close them) and took deep, cool breaths, my right palm on my diaphragm. This space is where my reborn mindfulness started to crystallize: It was as if I were floating. So peaceful.

Then the next tour group, and the harsh lights.

I thought I could tell you so much more, but now, after some time has passed, it’s impossible to detail. You already know rock and structure and the way to approach something so familiar but strange. You know the training and the traveling. For me this was great practice. Being centered no matter what.

I will return to DC soon, but taking this time cemented the decision that I can’t continue on with Pan Enterprise. Plans are to get in touch with the Aeres Caucus, or even Ashe, as you said. See if someone would take me on up there. We’ll see.
At Fri Dec 16, 01:45:00 PM, Amy said…

I reread my Lydia Davis: "The Sock" and "The Cats in the Prison Recreation Hall"; I also found five paragraphs in the back of one anthology: her comments on the short fiction form. I appreciate that she leaves the reader to flesh out meaning and symbol. She just tells without a heavy hand.
At Fri Dec 16, 11:30:00 PM, John said…

Thrush are amazing. You never know if they're serious:

"I'm over here! I'm over here! I'm over here! I'm not! I'm not! I'm not! I knooow! I knooow! Where are you? Where are you? Where are you? We're here! We're here! We're a bird! We're a bird! We flew! We flew! We flew! We are a bird! No I'm not; no I'm not; no I'm not! Are you? Are you? No I'm not; no I'm not. I'm over here!"

And of course all that business about twigs and the Van Allen Belt.

You and clouds and tea. Even more present to me than you and a clutch of parasols on the Moon. What stirs in the cup? What clouds above, below?

We are a bird! We are a bird! (No I'm not; I'm over here!)

Agartha. Yeah. If you read Hodgman, you'd know about the Century Toad, the Mole Men, the Molemanic Women and Thomas Jefferson. Good stuff.

I love your description of the dripstone world. Yes, the chemistry, mineralogy, are familiar. We have caverns too: pits and tubes, very deep, that trap the heat of day. But your groupings? Your cool expanse? Your living rock, with its depositions and fragile slicks? Not so much. We have such little limestone—traces, really—owing to, well, you know. You have a carbon cycle; we have—we had—a sulfur cycle. End of the line for limestone deeps.

We have plenty of zinc, actually. That's exciting. And basaltic breccia, of course. Nothing suggesting anemones … And poachers snapped up so many of the best hematite "blueberries" decades ago, at least around what became Endurance. I understand they're selling them on necklaces at tourist traps in the Mojave.

It's a different taste here. Carved out. Machined out. Every so often an ancient, dry reminder of what flowed (and flows still, as salty syrup). We have plenty of potable and crackable water, of course. That's my job.

Tell me what it was like, your floating. I'm glad you had that.

I'm glad, too, you're weighing a trip out. You have a lot to offer, and I would be delighted to sponsor you (as would Ashe, I'm sure, and anyone else who read your work). I'd love to help you with your application.

Oh, and if you have a choice of boats, I can't say enough about the MAS Barack H. Obama. Smooth sailing.
At Fri Dec 16, 11:42:00 PM, John said…

The Lydia Davis pieces I'm most familiar with are collected in Samuel Johnson is Indignant. There was one piece — I don't have the book handy — she is working on a translation (Proust?) and ruminating on old dictionaries. That's one that I always thought you'd appreciate.

I'll find the stories you mentioned. I admit they don't ring a bell.
At Sat Dec 17, 12:01:00 PM, Amy said…

I now have Samuel Johnson in hand after an enjoyable drive to a library some towns away under a weak sun wrestling with silver winter clouds and a rendition of an old Squeeze song at the top of my lungs. I read "The Old Dictionary," which I think may be the story you referenced: I like the run-on-ness about it, the comparisons, the detail. And of course I like old books. I then read a few more, and will read even more later. I realized that I have owned a copy of her book Break It Down for years, but I don't remember reading it. So many books.
At Sat Dec 17, 10:51:00 PM, Amy said…

You speak thrush! I am smiling. I did hear a lot of “Where are you?” and “Are you here?” Even one “A-meee.” And just as song has implied harmony, there was a subtext: “Listen, listen, listen.”

“What stirs in the cup”: Immediately that sentence brought back a rush of malt layered with tobacco and loam. After grad studies I went with a classmate to see the amazing river valleys of eastern India. As we passed through a muddy village one afternoon, some locals cut us off. Lots of chattering in Dzoghka, which we didn’t understand. We finally used the word “Bhutan,” and they smiled. A few women steered us into a small house. Turned out that we had to sit with the local mystic as an honor, and we didn’t want to argue.

The mystic ran her hands over Nan’s face, rubbed a thick pearlescent cream into her palms, told Nan in a few English words that her future looked fantastic. Lots of success and prestige, and damn if that’s not true today. Then the mystic pulled up a cup from the floor, steaming with a black-green tea, and passed it to me. Both bitter and sweet. I drank it until the mystic stammered an OK-OK-OK; then she had me swirl the cup and set it down. After considering the leaves, she stared off for minutes and finally said in English: You work too hard. Have fun! She cracked open this wide, crooked smile and sent us on our way.

Well, criminy, I knew that already.

If I read Hodgman. So I’m years behind on what is good. *laugh* I’ve got a list going here. You know, the tilt of Mars has changed over time. We don’t want to mess with that. I may bring up a few things one day, to keep the balance.

Cavern floating: It was lying on a soft bed under the coolest cotton sheet on a warm summer night, that fluffy-pillow, half-asleep, relaxed state where I am driving with the windows down but can trace it to the fall into a dream. Too cliché, maybe. Then it was just the relaxing feeling of the cool sheet on my skin. The slight disorientation as my ears fill with seawater the first swim under a wave that season, and then the moment the salt holds me and I release. The slow-drop Calypso charting the Great Blue Hole. My breath the gentle bob of the stream from the swallet. A hammock nap. Suspended.

Thanks for the sponsor offer. I will have to figure out how this all works. I’m sure you can guide me as necessary. Smooth sailing it is.
At Mon Dec 19, 08:13:00 PM, John said…

"So many books." Yep. Yep yep yep.

These days I'm reading Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, Money Talks by Alan Weiss, The Cornel West Reader and The Martian Chronicles.

I read Bradbury passionately when I was a kid. He was the first writer I remember wanting to write like. The second was Heinlein. The former a brilliant science fantasist; the latter a fantastic science realist — both geniuses in imagining and revealing the inner lives of their characters, and involving us in the implications of those discoveries.

Anyhoo, I've penciled in a renewed immersion in Lydia Davis following The Martian Chronicles. I got cocky with the recommendation. I admit most of my Davis is a blur — a dawning of questions, suppositions and moods. (Which isn't far from the text, now that I think about it.)

And you know what, my brothers and sisters? Cornel West goes back to the bookshelf. Can I get an amen?

The writer I've most been in touch with this year, as influences go, is Norton Juster. He was very much on my mind when I wrote this little work for hire, an e-book of fake state-based trivia for kids (forthcoming).

All true:

"If you're good with crayons, you've got a job for life in Outline, Alaska."

"The peanut shell was invented by Emmett Shell of Allergen Heights, New Jersey."

"She doesn’t like the attention, but the fact remains that Sue Streudle of Umbrellas, New York, is the nation’s most prolific naturally occurring snot volcano."

That sort of thing. Some are better than others; some are more abstruse than others. I love all 123 of them. They sound nothing like Juster, but I hope to imbue my audience with an enthusiasm for seeing the world in new ways, a la The Phantom Tollbooth — still my favorite book.

I want to return as soon as possible to the Mars sojourn, but I'm going to be very busy for the next few days, and won't be able to give it my full attention. (Work deadlines, mostly.) You're writing some beautiful stuff.

Also, I'm a few hours early, but happy birthday! I hope you spend it warm and well.

A-meee! A-meee! 43! 43! Seeds! Seeds! Seeds!
At Mon Dec 19, 10:48:00 PM, Amy said…

I'm very glad to be directed to Davis, no matter how it developed. I am sure I will enjoy the rest of the Samuel Johnson book.

Yes, Juster. 50 years. Always loved that one. I know that it set my foundation for a love of language. I read it again about 7 years ago. Worth rereading more often than that.

Wow, the trivia book! I am sure it will do really well. Very clever. I dig anything about our 50 states. For some reason I am now thinking of this "fake letters from camp" book I loved as a kid.

Had to look up the Weiss book. A million doesn't sound too shabby.

Right now I'm on Larsson's The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and Szymborska's Poems New and Collected. Larsson is more detailed than I anticipated. I take it in little bites because I read it when I am already so tired.

Thank you for the early birthday wish. Weatherman says all rain. I'll try for warm, well, and dry.
At Tue Dec 20, 02:18:00 PM, John said…

Yeah, fake letters from camp, weird laws and other facts... One of my earliest treasures — I was 8-10 — was a book of oddities concerning Mrs. O'Leary's cow, alligators as pets, etc. What a bizarre world.

All true:

Before he became our nation’s first president, George Washington once sat on a blue crab in Pinchbutt, Pennsylvania. Had he intended to? History does not say. But Washington took pains evermore to avoid Pinchbutt, now the seat of Grabbs County.

Dig and dig and dig, but there’s just no gold in Yes There’s Gold, Delaware.

One worry keeps Rungs, Rhode Island, amateur astronaut Jimmy “Gypsum” Jippman Jr. awake at night: What if the moon is farther away than even the world’s tallest ladder can reach? (Jimmy “Gypsum” Jippman Jr. ain’t an acutely accomplished amateur astronaut.)

*sigh* I amuse myself.

Wait, the 20th or 21st? Now I'm not sure. Either way, yes, warm, well and dry, with, uh, with the seeds.
At Tue Dec 20, 04:47:00 PM, Amy said…

Thank you for using "farther" correctly. You have made my day.

I just tried to say "Jimmy 'Gypsum' Jippman Jr. ain’t an acutely accomplished amateur astronaut" quickly. Not bad for a first attempt. Your next book should be twisters.

It is the 21st, but I am worth celebrating every day. *ahem* Next time you can reduce my age. 38! 38!!
At Tue Dec 20, 05:35:00 PM, John said…

The twenty-first. And 38, of course. So noted. (That's what I get for reckoning in Martian time.)

I'm all about furthering "farther" and tonguening twisters. (Said the flower-powered flyer's feather-headed, thimble-farted, flivver-buying brother.) Wait, what was the question?

Gotta go! Late for a thing at the place.
At Wed Dec 21, 03:21:00 PM, John said…

“On your birthday, if you don’t settle down,” is when Confector, the Living Birthday Cake, will eat you, according to legend in Sugarland, New York.

Hope it's a lovely day. (Officially, this time.)
At Wed Dec 21, 07:27:00 PM, Amy said…

Sugarland, New York, sounds a trifle scary. HA!

Thank you for the official bday message.
At Thu Dec 22, 02:30:00 PM, John said…

Confector is not to be truffled with, that's for sure.
At Fri Dec 23, 01:47:00 PM, Amy said…

Do you have a fact to pass on about Hawaii? I need to think about sun.

Just uploaded a large project that was due yesterday. Being late makes me cranky.

Primer is in. Will watch it soon.
At Fri Dec 23, 03:26:00 PM, John said…

It's usually colder in Crinkles, Hawaii, than it is in Crinkles, Alaska! (Or is it the other way around? No, we were right the first time.)

Awesome follow-through with Primer. I hope you enjoy it. The movie is a small-budget marvel, and I'm looking forward to Shane Carruth's next project, A Topiary.

Filing late is never fun. I tend to propose due dates that impress the client, but really jam me up. I know from crankiness. Ah well. Shake it off. I'm sure your client is delighted.
At Sat Dec 24, 03:35:00 PM, Amy said…

Crinkles made me think of French fries. Or maybe I think of them a lot and it was a coincidence. Not sure.

I see that this Carruth fellow is also working on something called Upstream Color. All seems rather secretive. That could be good.

Thanks, she is always on my side and appreciates me, which is great. It's the editor of that publication whom I have to convince regularly.

I am now imagining what it would be like to propose my own due dates. [Ahhh ... nice!]
At Sun Dec 25, 01:46:00 AM, John said…

Wow! Upstream Color is news to me, and I like to think I'm up on such things. How cool. Thanks for the tip.  

Are you thinking of French fries right now? If so, then your association with Crinkles (French fries) might well have been coincidental.

I don't have any other facts about Hawaii, but now that you've got me thinking of food…  

Donny Pepperone brought acclaim to his hometown of Grease, Delaware, after he bested a coal-fired, steam-powered pizza-eating machine in a daylong pizza eating contest. Sparks flew and the machine took an early lead, but by nightfall it was Pepperone who stood triumphant. “Ain’t no machine can do what a Pepperone was born and bred for,” Donny declared in accepting his prize: a gift certificate for one free topping of his choice.

  I'd love to talk to you about your business, particularly how you establish your value. I'm an adherent of Alan Weiss (whom I've mentioned). His Value-Based Fees is the closest thing I have to a bible. If you check it out and it speaks to you, move thenceforth to his The Ultimate Consultant. You're bound to pick up something you can put to work right away.

 Oh, hey, Merry Christmas!   

You mentioned Szymborska. I recall enjoying a couple of her pieces in The New Yorker. How's the collection going?

Here's my lead for an unwritten story about a dog. Take turns?

Night falls hard on a dog house. You only got your own ass to keep you warm. You ever slept on concrete? You ever cried all night?
At Sun Dec 25, 09:52:00 PM, Amy said…

No, I wasn’t thinking of French fries then, so I guess it was the word Crinkles that was the starting point.

The fact that Pepperone could stand triumphant and not have to act triumphant while hunched over is a win.

The Szymborska collection is fantastic. I am not reading it straight through, but doing what I sometimes do with poetry books: picking it up each week and reading a couple poems with titles that call to me. When I find I have read most, then I go back and read the book cover to cover. Poems, for me, always need to be read a few times before I retire the collection. “Discovery” is one of my favorites so far (it can be found on various websites if you wish to read it). I have been reading the book slowly because I so rarely find collections that thrill me.

I’d be happy to talk about my/our work/business. I don’t know if much of what I would say would be applicable or helpful; in fact, I am sure that I could learn much from you in how you do things. I start on it in my next note.

You may have to give me a bit of time on the lead; I’m a bit nervous that I don’t have what it takes to write out something of quality in that way. Interesting to think about.

Merry Christmas!
At Mon Dec 26, 07:54:00 PM, John said…

Consider the dog thing tabled. I wrote a bunch of dog leads this year and wanted to put one to work. Not to say I still can't...

Donny's a champ. He doesn't buckle, bend or barf. You must be thinking of Donald "Doughy" Curtis, who lost it big-time on his 101st deep-dish at the Sbarro 500 in '09. Poor guy. Well, he landed on his feet with that Bounty endorsement.

I like the way you read poetry collections.

I hope I didn't give you the impression I'm a business dynamo. Far from it. But I do tend toward clients I feel I can partner with, rather than labor under.

Had breakfast this morning with a friend and fellow Toastmaster who's been helping me develop a workshop on public speaking I'm to lead for my local business association. She and another of our friends are business consultants, and we're looking into joining forces. I'll be unstoppable yet, with the writing and the speaking and the measurable customer value.

She also pointed me to this fantastic website, which I happily recommend to your attention: www.astoriedcareer.com.

What's this, iTunes shuffle? Flight of the Conchords? Why, yes. Thank you.
At Tue Dec 27, 12:23:00 PM, Amy said…

iTunes shuffle gave me “Big Time” by Peter Gabriel. That seems appropriate for a business discussion, I guess!

The idea of “establishing value” and the Weiss approach is interesting to me. I could be totally off, but you are currently developing yourself as [part of] the value of your business: your perspective, your words, your ideas. You want this “partnering,” which I think is fantastic! You will be giving the client the package that is “you,” and you don’t want to sell yourself short.

I give my clients a specific skilled service, but I don’t offer “me” in the same way. In fact, most of my work can’t have any creative/personal “me” in it. It seems that, if I understand it, my established value comes from the skill set built on years of professional experience, time proving that I will provide exactly what the client expects, and then go beyond that to ferret out what must be changed to make it a better/correct publication. (I think this ferreting has given me a specific higher value, which clients love, because I have saved their bacon countless times.) But I am not a developmental editor, and I don’t have any say on what makes the original work into itself. I am asked to make what is there correct (to follow specific guidelines), and so I do.

(I was once asked by a tiny publisher client to be “Maxwell Perkins” for the client's first attempt at putting out a sci-fi/lit novel after having done kids' picture books. That was the last project I did for that place, needless to say.)

I have four clients, and right now I don’t need any others. They offer a nice range of work, from educational material to adult fiction to children’s books, and it’s all I can fit in. So to work on promoting myself as a business offering services would be taking time away from other things. Also, accepting a new client takes great commitment and time for me: learning the styles, the editing and production methods, ensuring exceptional work … and then I have found that the client drops away eventually. I used to have seven or eight clients, but it wasn’t worth keeping up with all of them.

Having said that, I did take a course on medical editing about three years ago to add another skill, but medical editing is like a foreign language: if you don’t use it, it goes away. So I would have to go over it all again now.

If there is a time when my main client is not a client at this current level, then I would need to reach out to my contacts, drum up more business, send out resumes, etc. I am sure I would be thinking more about value then.

How do you see joining forces with others working out? I have many freelance friends, and we have spoken of that often: forming a group to bring in clients and provide all different services. It never gets off the ground. I am eager to hear more.

Gotta run and get some of this work stuff done. Thanks for the URL. I am always interested in what others suggest will work well in business and life.
At Wed Dec 28, 12:50:00 AM, John said…

I can see “Big Time” working. What do I have now… “Waltz (Better Than Fine)” by Fiona Apple. It’s just what you must do, and nobody does it anymore. No, and I don’t believe in the wasting of time; but I don’t believe that I’m wasting mine.

I have two reliable clients, and a few irons in the fire. My bread and butter is in writing for technology companies—case studies, white papers, Web copy and bylined pieces for the trades.

For the past two months I’ve been editing—rewriting, really—a self-published resource on risk management and corporate teamwork. I met my client in Boston at an Alan Weiss conference. This is his second book, and, as my proposal summarizes:

...the author intends it to strengthen his brand and broaden his appeal to prospective consulting and speaking clients: executives of North American high-growth companies with $30 million to $2 billion in revenue. He plans to adapt his works as print books, e-books, audiobooks and speeches; and he makes his writing available to the trade press for review and excerpting.

So I charged a fair amount based on my partnership in creating that value. And got it. In advance. A fluke, perhaps.

Yes, you’re correct: I’m moving away from calling myself a copy editor or editor, and more fully embracing “consultant.” I have a lot to learn, but the fun of the job has the “me” in it, so that’s what I’m exploring. If I could make a living going straight rewrite, I think I’d be set.

This crackled: “[M]y established value comes from the skill set built on years of professional experience, time proving that I will provide exactly what the client expects, and then go beyond that to ferret out what must be changed to make it a better/correct publication.” Zanzibar! You’re hired!

(You know, your phrase, “specific higher value” in the next sentence suggests to me “specific atomic weight.” Not to Bohr you.)

I knew the name Maxwell Perkins, but not your context. Had to Wiki him. Sounds like an unpleasant project, that.

My friend Liz is a project management consultant; her friend is an organizational communication consultant. The three of us have yet to meet. So it’s in this early stage of seeing what we might have to offer. It’s all very tentative. I’ll keep you posted. Why might you want to team up with friends? Why hasn’t that jelled yet?

It sounds like you’re on the right track with your practice. You’re wicked talented, so I’m sure you’ve got a strong message to share with prospects. That said, if you’re not familiar with marketing gravity, check out this discussion, again via Weiss (about whom I’ll say no more): http://bit.ly/sP2Lbf. It might help you excel as a marketer, even though you have all the work you need at the moment.

Well, here I am at “Dinner at Eight” by Rufus Wainwright. Calling it a night.
At Wed Dec 28, 01:13:00 PM, Amy said…

Hooray for shuffle! “Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)” by Florence & The Machine! I like the Wainwright family stuff, too.

I doubt that getting what you wanted to charge in advance is a fluke. A flounder, maybe. Seriously, it sounds like you were professional and earned respect and got what you deserved out of the transaction. And tech writing. That should be a broad market, right? Good opportunities for careful, crafty, clear writers like you, I would think.

I understand that the latest tech job title is “ninja,” like “web ninja,” so perhaps you could be a “writer ninja.” I agree that you should not use “copy editor.” “Consultant” is very good for that partnering you were talking about. I read lots of articles and freelance sites, and they say that we freelance editors should always call ourselves “independent contractors,” and that’s fine and all, but really, everyone knows what I do once I offer to do it.

I am a big fan of networking and using contacts. I see that helped you in getting work. With large publishers and copy editing, it is almost always how you get on their freelancer list: know someone who knows someone. Again, my business tends to break the typical rules, though, because all of my clients were gained through “cold call” resumes to their production office or through inheriting work. One of the children’s publishers had my resume for 2 years and called me one day, and here we are. But I know that my publisher friends and even old clients would help me out with work or references if need be, and it’s nice to have that backing.

Thanks for that Weiss site. I have bookmarked it. I will work on marketing myself at some point. Nice of you to say I am “wicked talented”! Sometimes the fiction authors acknowledge me in their books or send a personal thanks, and then I get a warm, fuzzy feeling and think maybe I do have something … maybe the late hours and crazy schedules are worth it.

As far as teaming up with friends, I like the idea of working in a group environment again, bouncing ideas around and learning things from each other in person. But right now it’s not realistic for most of us. One freelancing friend lives down the street, but he is more a lone consultant type: writes nursing articles and does project management on education texts for U of Phoenix, among other things. Other friends are copy editors like I am but live some distance away from me; I think our crazy schedules have prevented us from moving forward with serious talks on how it would work. Maybe a few years down the road?

“Bohr you”! Excellent!!

Oh, that Maxwell Perkins project was not terrible, but I knew as I did it that my work was not what they wanted. Who could be Perkins but Perkins?? I can tell you how to improve sentences and be consistent but not how to develop a plot or work characters in the sweeping way they wanted. I never heard about that book, so I guess it didn’t become the next Gatsby.

You say you can see yourself doing rewriting: do you have an area you want to focus on eventually, like tech, or do you like keeping yourself open to all things?

… “Moonloop” by Porcupine Tree …
At Fri Dec 30, 12:01:00 AM, John said…

"Ballantines" by Aimee Mann.

— Which I haven't heard in forever. Ah the vagaries of shuffle.

Wait, I need a glass of water…

ah...

Now "Mother" by John Lennon (with the volume down, defeating the purpose).

Hi!

Oh, John Lennon. I can't… Hold on. I have to play this out...

— No. Bailing. Skip.

"I Wish I Could Go Back to College" (From Avenue Q: The Musical).

I haven't seen Avenue Q. Is that still playing? I just like this song. The last Broadway show I saw was Wicked. I won the ticket lottery, and sat front row, center, at the Gershwin. Way beans cool.

Now "Main Theme" by John Williams, Back to the Future.

Now a direct selection: "In Motion" by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, from the soundtrack to The Social Network, because it's awesome sonic wallpaper. Now "Complication With Optimistic Outcome" by the same.

Loop the album, and … bammo. I'm finally writing a letter.

So Facebook says you are someone I may know. Facebook can't be sure. Such knowledge exists as a non-negative, nonzero quantity. Facebook does not know. There is the issue of the 1 mutual friend. The friend exists. The friend … is mutual. Matt Pollicove as two-set positive datum abstracted in transformation toward 3-space. He exists. And we exist. We know the friend. We may know each other. Facebook claims greater than (standard deviation? Chi square? K-degrees of freedom?) zero percent connection {set} toward maximum entropic distribution {Gauss!} noncentral; noncentral; noncentral (significant). Where is Pearson? Pearson knows. Test fit! Discrete 1 friend. Nonuniform, Pearson! Find Pearson! {H}e is nonnegative, nonzero, always approaching 1.00; fit observation p-value for maximum degrees of freedom toward Pollicove, the 1 mutual friend; assign eigenvector for conjugate prior {to} prior {to} Bayes? Nonpositive, nonzero! Pearson! Test for independence to [reduce] the number of degrees of freedom! {sum!} Non-discrete {in}(Discreet) for a not-null hypothesis toward 0.50, toward 0.80 toward 0.88 toward Pearson! to set lim. Set lim. Set {lim}dependence. Non-negative nonzero? Asymptotically speaking, Facebook does not know. Facebook… regrets the… non-knowledge. Pearson knows. Find Pearson. Find… Eigen… Schwartzchild… Distant… Noncollapse… particle. Go, now, go, and let {light} = light.

...

Thanks for the suggestion: "Writer ninja." Maybe. :)

…"The Metal" by Tenacious D…
At Sat Dec 31, 02:42:00 PM, Amy said…

may \'mā\ verbal auxiliary
1a archaic: to have the ability to
b: have permission to [you may go now]: be free to
c: used to indicate possibility or probability [you may be right]

as in [“You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato.” – Dickens] or as in [“It may be that you are not yourself luminous, but that you are a conductor of light.” – Doyle] or as in [“We can never anticipate the unseen good or evil that may come upon us suddenly out of space.” – Wells] or as in [“We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” – Shakespeare] or as in [“When I have fears that I may cease to be / Before my pen has gleaned my teeming brain” – Keats] or as in [“Try them, try them, and you may! Try them and you may, I say.” – Dr. Seuss] or as in [“This call may be monitored for quality assurance.” – Geico CS phone message] or as in [“People you may know” – Facebook]

One warm day in the glorious land of Single, where there was one person, word, and object for each purpose and a purpose for each person, word, and object, the new, young king was rather bored. He yawned and stretched and scratched and thought. There had been nary a disagreement for generations—not even a scuffle among the closest of siblings, truth be told—because everything did exactly what it should. But the king was a lover of discord, and so he called his knight to court.
“Wenslas, we have a problem,” the king said while twirling his jeweled ring.
“A … problem?” Wenslas had not heard of a “problem” before.
“Yes, a problem.” The king thought a moment. “There is no other word for it. A problem.”
“A problem,” Wenslas repeated.
“Yes.” The king sighed. “I need you to get rid of Might.”
“Get rid of Might,” Wenslas said slowly.
“Yes. Are you daft?” The king was uncertain that he’d called the right man for the job.
“No, no.” Wenslas dared to come off his knees. “Get rid of Might. Yes. Do you … is there a best way, at all, for that?” No one in Single had ever had to get rid of anything before, as to get rid of something that served a purpose would mean that something was not serving its purpose, and where would that leave them?
“Erase it. Stop using it and it will go away. How do I know?” The king waved his hands in disgust.
“But, if I can ask, I just … I think we need it. Don’t we?” Wenslas spoke while inching backward.
“I have determined that May is all we need. Might has violated the principles of Single. It must be erased.” The king was very proud of himself and smiled a wide smile.
“Umm, yes, but I think that Might serves its own …”
“Might has violated the principles of Single. And you are the only one who can get rid of it, of course. I have given you a new purpose!” And with that, the king retired to his chambers, exhausted.

*******

“Salvete Flores MH 307” (Hayden) [I’m wondering I ever sang this. I don’t think so.]
“Cocaine” (Clapton) [interesting combination]
“Ave Maria” (Choir of Trinity College) [sometimes makes me cry, but not this version]
“Afterflow” (Genesis) [Giants Stadium 2007: sat next to a cool Australian couple]
“We Have Heaven” (Yes) [First Yes album I ever bought: played in my bright yellow bedroom on the little turntable!]
“The Voice” (Moody Blues) [okay, iTunes must be on a prog streak]
“Way Down Yonder in New Orleans” (The Andrew Sisters) [never been to NO]
“Take These Words” (Jadis) [had breakfast with the drummer once: nice guy]
“The Black Pearl” (Pirates of the Carribean soundtrack) [this must be on some compilation or something … I don’t own that soundtrack, but it’s kinda neat]
“Appalachian Spring” (Copland) [one of my favorite composers]
“1901” (Phoenix) [an impulse buy!]
“99 Luftballoons” (Nena) [how could this not make anybody want to dance?]

Happy New Year!
At Sat Dec 31, 10:32:00 PM, John said…

"He wants you to do what?"

Wenslas filled the front doorway entire. His wife was aghast.

"Get rid of Might," Wenslas repeated flatly. Gripping the doorframe at the sides, Wenslas bent his right leg at the knee, permitting a lanky attendant behind him to work at wrenching loose a muddy boot.

Wenslas's goodwyfe, Carol, looked up at him from the middle of the great room, clutching a wooden bowl: his lamb stew supper. She searched his eyes for clues. A game? A … malady?

Behind Wenslas, far beyond the straining attendant, springtime in Single: The tulip bloomed. Their bench and pond; their farms; the castle with its pennant; the hill and bright blue sky: vast, eggshell-thin; beyond that perhaps a thousand golden gears.

"His reason? He gave a reason?"

Wenslas surveyed his wife. He disliked worrying her. He'd never had to before. Never had to deliver discord—to drive it wooly and bleating into this her house.

Kicking back against his attendant in frustration, he lumbered inside, of a piece with his stone and wood surroundings. They met, and he accepted the stew bowl gracefully from delicate, trembling hands.

"His reason's regal, Carol. He's armed me to the purpose."

Wenslas tromped unevenly toward the hearth, not registering the cool of the earth beneath his right foot. From his left he trailed staccato mud and offal, and there he stood and ate, gazing down into hungry orange flames.

By and by he finished eating, spat out a leaf, and set the bowl a-mantel.

"Can it be done?" Carol said softly.

"What, get rid of Might?" Wenslas turned toward Carol, diaphanous, who took a half step back. She had been about to touch his elbow.

— "I should say so! If the king asks it, yes, of course. But…"

"Yes, my lord?"

Wenslas shook his head slowly. Ran his hands through close graying, russet hair. Pushed softly past Carol and sat heavily at the banquette.

"I leave the morrow. This deed's declared me."

Carol found her bravery, and her place. Kneeling, she worked to loosen Wenslas's remaining bootstrap, and soon the knight's left foot was free. She stayed at his side, wiped her hands in her apron, and waited. She shot the approaching attendant a look, and he kept his distance.

As though in a dream, Wenslas found his rooms unfamiliar. His mouth, his eyes, his brow, all worked to shape a thing uncertain. He leaned forward in his chair, toward Carol, and the fire danced.

Suddenly he spoke:
At Sat Dec 31, 10:38:00 PM, John said…

— "I was page to Potenzo, father of our young king, then squire; then stood at Potenzo's side as he ascended the throne, you remember? His first act as monarch was my Accolade; his second was declaration of peace with all the lands. How like this day it was, the breeze and honeysuckle; how the very horses frisked to hear the Coronation trumpets, and the people cheered."

"I remember, my lord."

Wenslas went on, not hearing.

— "Potenzo taught me many things: to ride well, to hunt; to protect the weak; to live the Order. He taught me all these things and more."

— He was a goodly king," Carol agreed.

— "A goodly king," Wenslas repeated automatically, still not hearing.

— "King Potenzo had but one fear, and this he did confide in me while we watched his stripling son lead a hunt for boar. He said to me, ' There may come a day, friend Wenslas, when the peace shall not hold. When all the lands forget themselves, and we … slip (this was his word) … slip into a different way of knowing. A way of the sword for the sake of the sword.' "

Wenslas swallowed. He saw his wife then, and met her frightened eyes with his.

"I knew not what he meant: a different way of knowing? Was not our peace the one true way? It had been declared. It was so. With Single purpose, peace declared did reign as reasoned. Did it not?"

"It did, my lord, and does!" said Carol.

Wenslas looked down to his weathered, empty hands. No, not empty; Carol's hands were in his.

"On his deathbed, then, Potenzo. On his deathbed, his pallor frightful gray, unnatural. His eyes gone wild. King Potenzo pulls me close. His clawlike hands dig against my mail, thus… And repeats in breath I scarce can glean but as air's shadow, 'We may slip!' To this the regal adds, 'Protect ourselves the peace against ambition. Protect the sword for peace, good Wenslas!' and dies he."

Carol, to herself: "Madness!"

"The cold air hardly warmed in passing from this warning spake Potenzo; from aside my ear I heard me this: ' Might makes right, as ever did. A single purpose owns us."

Carol's face turned ashen. "Who spake thus, my lord?"

Wenslas closed his empty hands.

"I know not."

"But—"

"I know not! It's knowledge not for knights to own!"

And Wenslas now affected, he stands and crosses to the open door to watch the blue sky darken.

Carol rises, her husband's broad back now a wall. Through fists to ears she hears him wonder weirdly:

"Whether 'twas my master come to warn me 'gainst his son, our king; or whether 'twas my madness at new loss and rising peril gleaned, I know not, and dare not offer it my throat. I am now the enemy of Might. I'll kill't."

—"Madness!" cries Carol.

He half turns back.

"I'll kill't, come what may."

******

And a Happy New Year to you! Glad we're back in touch.
At Mon Jan 02, 12:15:00 AM, Amy said…

I watched Primer tonight. Favorite line: "We're prescient." Don't hear that vocab word much in movies. I will have to process it a bit more. I liked it, the realistic dialogue and the Aaron/Abe relationship. The ripple of the bearded/farther back Aaron surprised me, which is good. I like surprises. The attic scratching. Great.

A more creative me later ... for now, a bit more reading, some sleep.
At Mon Jan 02, 05:00:00 PM, John said…

Glad you liked Primer. It rewards repeated viewings. I'm still trying to figure it out. My favorite scene is the one where they're discussing RGWU.

Aaron: What do they do?
Abe: What do you mean?
Aaron: What does it, what does this company do? Do they make things, or...
Abe: I don't know. It doesn't matter. All that matters is that the price goes up. You know, and the volume is so high that the number of shares we're trading is not going to affect the price.
Aaron: You really don't know what they do?
[No answer.]

Enjoyed your "May" scene. Had to run with it. Hope you don't mind. My dialogue is uneven, I know, and I'm not sure how knights lived. Just a little sketch. I thought your idea was clever.

Also liked your shuffle tracks. There's a definite you-ness to the list. Right now I'm "working" and looping the soundtrack to the new Muppet movie.
At Mon Jan 02, 06:04:00 PM, Amy said…

A "you-ness" ... I like that. Right now, I am playing Elbow, a group I heard on the radio recently and thought I'd try, like a new cut of shirt, I guess. Not sure how they fit yet. Working on articles about neurofeedback.

Yeah, loved that scene. I smiled! Tells a lot about their characters. (Smiled that there's French in the movie too. Good movies have something French, IMHO.) Don't know if I will ever grasp the whole movie, but it had a strong way of telling the story that I appreciate.

I really like that you run with things like that, the May scene. I had a deadline for a paranormal YA book today, so now I must really dig into what you wrote. I read it only once so far, so I need more. I doubt you were uneven, but even if you were, all is open here. I feel free to allow myself to try things out and be imperfect. It's refreshing to have a place from which I can take jumps and follow tangents. Glad to be in touch as well.

[Awesome, "Dentist!" from Little Shop. Audrey II seems rather Muppety to me.]
At Mon Jan 02, 09:11:00 PM, John said…

Can't go wrong with Little Shop! "Suddenly, Seymour" by Ellen Greene and Rick Moranis is my favorite track from the show. (To me, this is a movie first and a play second.)

I checked out Elbow on iTMS. Yeah. I can see that. I kinda liked "The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver." And "One Day Like This" offers compelling strings.

File these in my guilty-pleasures column: "Paper Planes" by M.I.A, "Blue Jeans" by Lana Del Rey, "Gold Digger" by Kanye West (feat. Jamie Foxx). Some stuff in life just fits the gym playlist, yo.

I don't listen to the radio much, but every so often a track catches my attention. I discovered Josh Ritter that way, via his "The Curse." (It and Ritter's "Another New World" are astounding, and I imagine you'd quite like them too.)

I have three new client meetings this week. One gig is fairly well in the bag, and means some welcome income. The other two are political candidates who say they want help with press releases and Web, but likely need more. I'm not sure if we're talking communication director or piecework. Guess we'll find out.
At Tue Jan 03, 12:01:00 AM, Amy said…

Just read again your May scene, and again. Impressive, you write in that style so naturally. Even having gone over many historical MSs I don't know that I could write it out like that.

to drive it wooly and bleating (!!) Wow.

Movie first and play second!! Totally. I always thought that. And yes, such a great song.

I'll have to check out those songs, yo. I hear Josh Ritter songs regularly on WFUV (Fordham U.) but don't own any yet. I often listen to FUV when I work in the mornings; it's a good mix with new artists to check out. Pandora can be good for new, too.

Candidates! I wish you well with those meetings. I'd love to hear how things go.

Okay, I am going to go and finish Dragon Tattoo tonight, damn it. It's been my whole reading life for too long! I have to move on to the next book.
At Wed Jan 04, 04:00:00 PM, John said…

Thanks for your kind words re: May. Yes, absolutely, "a staggering achievement in letters [marking] a new, profound and indelible moment in American invention."

It's been a busy week, and in writing to you I'm savoring progress on my to-do list. I'm happy to have these leads and meetings, and I love submitting proposals. I hope I can keep this momentum going. If I can, I'll consider myself to be running a bonafide business rather than "just" freelancing.

So the candidates, yes. Both of them happen to be running for register of deeds, in different districts. What are the odds? And two weeks ago I filed a case study for a software developer, profiling a register of deeds in South Carolina making use of their product. My point being: If you need to meet a register of deeds, I can probably hook you up.

How was Dragon Tattoo? I'm still on The Martian Chronicles, though last night I made the mistake of opening Gail Sher's One Continuous Mistake: Four Noble Truths for Writers. (A mistake only in that I suspect it'll delay me further in returning to Lydia Davis.)

*****

“The Preamble” (Lynn Ahrens) [Schoolhouse Rock]
“(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?" (Var.) [A Colbert Christmas]
"Hazel's House" (Richard Shindell) [sigh]
"O Superman" (Laurie Anderson) [Just a perfect thing]
At Wed Jan 04, 11:44:00 PM, Amy said…

Well I’ll be. My nightstand has a good amount of space, and I keep three stacks of books there. One stack comprises the book I’m currently reading (I’m about to start Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart) and books I started but put aside for now (The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, Crime and Punishment). Another stack is Australian poetry anthologies, in case I have a 3 a.m. craving for verse. The last stack comprises favorite books that offer short passages for immediate inspiration, relief, etc. That stack is always four Thich Nhat Hanh books and … One Continuous Mistake. In Sher’s book, I underlined in red pencil many sentences (I do this with books that become reference texts for me). Page 41: “A good reader co-writes every book she reads.” Page 118: “every poet has trembled on the verge of science.”

Dragon Tattoo kicked in two thirds of the way through; I read much more quickly after page 400. The main female character intrigues me; I do like her. But I think the author took the easy way out with some plot points, and the fact that it is first of a trilogy made the ending trail off in a not-so-satisfactory way. I felt at times that it needed to be thinned of such excessive detail. I can’t say I loved it. The suspense worked, but the reveal didn’t stay with me. My girlfriend is giving me her copies of the last two books in the trilogy; not sure when I’ll get to those, if ever.

Today I previewed in iTunes So Runs the World Away: I really like “The Remnant,” “Another New World,” “Change of Time,” “The Curse,” and “Lark” (which to me is a bit Paul Simon-ey). Then I previewed a Shelby Lynne album, which I liked too.

(Oh! I checked out the yo! set. Not my thing. But, yes, for the gym I can see it.)

Register of deeds. (Stream of consciousness led me to that Bugs Bunny where Bugs is knighting the sheriff by bashing him on the head with a scepter: “Sir Loin of Beef! Baron of Munchhausen! Milk of Magnesia!”). I had no idea there was such a thing. You might have a niche there. A busy week is great, and a shrinking to-do list is even better. Here’s to a business!

Nothing new here but two more fiction novels to edit. Sorry so mundane today.

*****
“Stars” (Simply Red)
“April in Paris” (Billie Holiday)
“I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” (Billie)
“The Name of the Game” (ABBA)
“Peg” (Steely Dan)
“The Emperor’s New Clothes” (Bill Bruford’s Earthworks)
At Fri Jan 06, 02:06:00 PM, John said…

Brief note to say I read and enjoyed your latest, and that I look forward to replying after I meet tomorrow's deadline.

Less briefly, I keep my copy of Sher wedged in with my reference (and reverence) books here at the desk. Right now it's pressed between The Subversive Copy Editor and The Practice of the Wild.

Less briefly still, what was the old Squeeze song you were singing in ref: Sat Dec 17, 12:01:00 PM? One wonders.
At Fri Jan 06, 03:41:00 PM, Amy said…

It was on the car radio, I know. "Another Nail in My Heart" ... yeah. Pretty sure. Almost positive that was it.
At Fri Jan 06, 07:33:00 PM, John said…

Hey, that's peppy! I bought it. (Or licensed it, or whatever we're doing these days. Bring back vinyl!)
At Fri Jan 06, 11:50:00 PM, Amy said…

I find they have a number of very good songs that one could sing at the top of the lungs under this weak winter sun. Ah, vinyl. Not set up, but I have a turntable, there with my old Atari, sharing stories.

Yeah, the idea of paying for the privilege of having Mr. Big Corp access on a server a digital version of the "title" I bought just doesn't do it for me. I scrabble at the ownership of the object, but it's slipping away.
At Sun Jan 08, 01:39:00 AM, John said…

Atari :)

Brain ... mushy. Butt hurts. Sanford and Son theme, iTunes? OK. I guess. Before that it was Raffi, thanks to iCloud's unsettlingly canine retrieval of my ancient purchases, long-ago believed deleted. Before that, thank goodness, "The Island" by Richard Shindell.

Repeated. Repeated. Repeated.

Up now: "With You" by Peter Himmelman, one of my favorites since college.

Aaand, met my deadline: Headway on the business book, research toward a pitch in the healthcare industry, and completed the second of two proposals for the campaign work — the fee I'm asking for which I can describe only as ballsy.

Yesterday — no, do the math, John… Um… Friday! I felt just overwhelmed. The work, yes; but I also volunteered for a bunch of side stuff, including our business association marketing committee (leading two projects), and a 15 minute speech to an estimated 125 Toastmasters at our upcoming area conference. My biggest room yet!

Oh, another Himmelman song: "Love Can Travel" from My Lemonade Stand, a collection of children's songs. This one's about two best friends, Andy and Al, who are separated by a move — and even though they "got older and they changed, one thing never did change at all…" This song always reminds me of getting a new last name and leaving Staten Island.

Squeeze and the weak winter sun, singing in abandon thereunder. I'll check out Squeeze's Essentials. I like what I hear so far.

Bugs Bunny, essential books, music notes and more when I return. Plum tuckered!

Mars, by the way. Did you hear? Dinosaur fossil. Everyone's up in arms.
At Mon Jan 09, 12:09:00 AM, Amy said…

Finishing up romance novel chapters to
Beatles “I’m Looking Through You”
Saint-Saëns “O Salutaris Hostia”
Crowded House “Weather With You”
Renaissance “Black Flame”
Yes “Starship Trooper”

There. I have left two women talking about a cowboy over popcorn in a NYC West Side apt.

Wow, I’m a bit dizzy with all you are able to do! I can understand the overwhelmed part.

I have no doubt you’ll have them mesmerized for the 15 minutes. Are you free to pick the topic of the speech? I know only basic things about Toastmasters.

Pink Floyd “Cluster One”

Did some bookkeeping this weekend. Solar calculator was out. Mailed quarterly taxes to the appropriate official government people at their official gov’t desks with their dull letter openers next to their warmers holding mugs of gritty coffee.

“With You” is really nice. One of those songs that you hope everyone can relate to.

Oh, good! “Belle” (Paige O’Hara) Beauty and the Beast soundtrack.
Then Vivaldi “Magnificat in G Minor”

No, I didn’t hear about the fossil. But I’m out of touch at this point. Amazing. I am eager to learn more.
At Mon Jan 09, 01:58:00 PM, John said…

Ah, the old high-rise gal-pal hunky-cowboy popcorn confab. A classic trope. (Frankly, I think that's what doomed Ophelia: despair over a kernel shell too-long lodged 'twixt bicuspids.)

Toastmasters is awesome. I'll bet there's a club near you. I'm a fellow member's mentor (we have a mentor program); he's calling in a few minutes to role-play a second-round telephone interview he has this Wednesday for a director position in student affairs at Columbia (I always want to write Colombia, for the incongruity). Would I evaluate his responses to a prepared list of likely interview questions? I would. I'm also sure to ask excellent follow-up questions, which he may not be expecting. I'd make a fine member of the search committee.

Yes, I can (and needs must) choose my own speech topic. It'll probably be a humorous speech, delivering some sort of value. I'll keep you posted.

I like your supposed setting for the government drudges. I'm picturing a hybrid of the offices in Ikiru and Brazil, with a "hang in there kitty" poster on the wall for good measure.

"Magnificat in G Minor" totally works for me. That's good speech-writin' music!

Re: Bugs Bunny: When I first read your piece on Single, Might and May, I ran right away to YouTube to find the “you might, rabbit, you might” clip. (My favorite moment of which is Bugs’ officious body language as he walks in a circle at the door and demands, “All right, open up, this is the police!”)

It’s not dinosaur, exactly, and it is far more ancient than the age of terrestrial dinosaurs, but it is … something. A shin, they say. Found it while drilling anchor for the beanstalk. (A boondoggle. Relay station works just fine, and somehow steers clear of Phobos). Anyhoo, we've suspended all manner of operations and they're flying in the paleontologists.

Have since led that mock telephone interview. Fun and productive!
At Mon Jan 09, 03:23:00 PM, Amy said…

I shall the effect of this hard kernel keep,
As abscess to my gum. But, good my dentist,
Do not, as some lazy periodontists do,
Show me quickly to thy sweet hygienist;
Whiles, like a puff'd and lowbred swine,
Himself sit in the back at his PC,
And playest solitaire.

I know, right? I am tired of the whole "rancher comes east to work as temporary Christmas decoration crew member and meets city window designer" plot. Ubiquitous.

Are you doing this Words With Friends thing?? John, it is like a second job, here. Jeepers. More later!
At Mon Jan 09, 04:20:00 PM, John said…

Waiting for the sequel, Snortin' Angry, in which she follows him to Montana to frilly up the steers. But there she learns his heart belongs to Maisy Asps, his grade school crush — now a potent heiress with a deadly secret. Will she stay and fight, or take that job at Glamour?

Words With Friends as a second job is fantastic. Well said. Care to play?
At Tue Jan 10, 12:20:00 AM, Amy said…

Giving up on the second fiction book tonight. Just too tired to focus!

I forgot the "Hang in there kitty" poster! Perfect. Also possible is the Joe versus the Volcano office look.

I'm no Merriam Webster, so don't expect too much. But we can give it a whirl. I'll hope for less than six vowels at a time.

More tomorrow after some REM cycles.
At Tue Jan 10, 03:53:00 PM, Amy said…

So, grilled cheese. The perfect food, practically. Comforting and warm and … well … cheesy. If I had a little café bookshop-y thing I would serve grilled cheese. I think NYC has a restaurant that is just for grilled cheese, don’t they? Gotta look that up.

Last night I felt sleep-drunk. Probably tonight, too. Three articles to finish, so it’ll be late. I worked on the two fiction books first today. In the one, the cowboy has proposed skating at Rock Center, and the designer has agreed. Apparently neither can skate, so this should make for some tush-crushing amusement.

Frilly steers. I would definitely read that. Or read it while editing. The last time I remember seeing steers is in the movie Winter’s Bone. Not a bad flick. Are steers ornery? I imagine they are ornery. (Well, they have a right to be ornery, certainly.) Besides which, they always get the cartoon billiards chalk on their horns.

Yes, we have a local Toastmasters. I checked it out once, and it turned out that an ex-friend was the secretary. It’s probable she is no longer with them, though. I am glad you enjoy it. Sounds very supportive, especially with the mentoring. I bet you were a great help with the interview.

I do love that Bugs you mentioned. “Shut up shuttin’ up!” I actually looked up some with Marvin Martian and Bugs weeks ago, to get a bit of Mars humor in there!

Speaking of which, a shin! Incredible, and a bit unbelievable. Could it be composite rock at all? Can’t wait to hear what the experts say. I’m still getting used to that alternate H. kypchakis hominin line. Not a hybrid, they insist. Strange. With all that Siberian melting, who knows what else they’ll find.
At Wed Jan 11, 10:11:00 PM, John said…

I'm inclined to agree: grilled cheese as the perfect food, practically. I know what you mean.

Interestingly, our local used bookstore (well, we have three, now that I think about it; but I only mean the one I mean) is for sale again. It's traded hands four times in the past five years. Anyway, it's an awful investment as far as bookstores go, in that Amazon, etc., but a local used bookstore/café/grilled cheesery? Yes, that might work up quite a nice margin. Hm.

But the BIG news tonight for me is my new iPhone 4S. Reserved it last night, picked it up today. Holy cats! This thing is perfect. Siri is much more useful (and accurate, and better integrated) than I expected, and the dual-core A5 chip leaves my creaky 3GS in the dust. And capacious? I'm moving up from 8 to 32GB, finally fitting in all my media and apps. Flash photography, robust performance, a Christmas morning's worth of new features… I'm happy with the purchase. Apple got this right.

"Sleep-drunk." That's evocative. I first took it as reeling from too much sleep, the opposite of what I'll bet you intended. Either way, sounds like you could use a cup of coffee.

"Another Nail in My Heart" (Squeeze) [I enjoy this song to pieces, and look forward, come the nicer weather, to opening the sunroof and singing along at the top of my lungs.]

"Life's a Happy Song" (Var.) [The Muppets. Rivals Tintin as my favorite movie in a dog's age.]

"Everything in its Right Place" (Radiohead) [Massages my brain just right]

"Songbird" (Fleetwood Mac) [It doesn't get more pianoey sweetly vocal-y than this; earns a replay]

Why does the cowboy, and not the designer, propose skating at Rockefeller Center? Does she resist? Is he, the supposed outsider, encouraging her to confront her own repressed nativeness? Is he asserting masculine bravado in attempting to beat New York at its own game? What's the point of the scene, to show that they trust each other with their inexpertise? Does this raise the stakes for one of the characters, causing one or the other to later recoil from the intimacy?

"Tonight You Belong to Me" (Patience and Prudence) [I love this song, as does anyone who's seen The Jerk]

Yes, I imagine steers are ornery, particularly Bugs Bunny's. (That poor gulli-bull maroon.) I have to watch that tonight… :)

Gas spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and synchrotron boson-tomographic shift analysis confirm biomarkers. This thing walked.

Yes, the melting! It's a whole new world you live on. H. kypchakis broke just as I slung out from Earth, and I admit I haven't kept up with the feeds and fills. What are they saying you've got there?

"Lucky" (Radiohead) [Your basic Radiohead, which sounds like your basic Muse, which is to say: fantastic.]
At Thu Jan 12, 11:37:00 PM, Amy said…

Incredibly long day. I wanted to say: Hey, exciting! Congrats on the new iPhone! 32G is fabulous, and I am sure you’ve been playing around with it for hours. It does sound like Christmas all over again. (I look forward to singing “Carol of the Alexander Graham Bell” every year.) I wish you many happy photos, calls, and applications.

And oh, I have not reeled from too much sleep in many a year.

Until tomorrow …
At Thu Jan 12, 11:50:00 PM, John said…

Until tomorrow ...
At Fri Jan 13, 05:49:00 PM, Amy said…

I'm thinking that, upon reading your new iPhone news, I must have started generating what those in the field call "subconscious new tech device jealousy." I understand that strong electrical impulses are carried swiftly through the jealous subject by the neurons, dendrite to dendrite, and then out to the fingertips, where the charge waits. In my case, that charge flew from fingertip to laptop power button and ZAP. No more laptop. Means I get my own new tech device, but it threw my day completely off.

So I planned to write earlier, but now I'm running late. Tonight rehearsals start up again for the small madrigal group I sing with. It's all for fun, with a few event appearances over the years.

Been thinking about grilled cheese cafés and the romance novel plot and music ... will have to write it all out asap.

[takes out big atomizer with a bulb. sprays throat. la la la.]
At Sat Jan 14, 12:42:00 AM, Amy said…

Mars and the moon are out together tonight. Really beautiful. The moon looks particularly crisp, very bright here. Mars flickers.

I’ve thought up the absolute worst bookstore/grilled cheese café names of all time. Check this out:
Frankenstein’s Muenster
Grill Lines
Frontischeese
Bookplate
Goethe & Gouda
Brieliography

All right, Bookplate is not the worst, but the others …

I decided to devote my listening time to one group today: Midnight Oil. Played four of their albums, and two I really liked. Not going to be a favorite band of all time, but good music I should have heard earlier than this.

I also “licensed” from iTunes the Squeeze song “Hourglass”: another peppy tune that I like and didn’t have.

The designer is acting condescending, and the cowboy has a list of things he must do while in NYC. No bravado. She thinks those touristy things are not a priority for a native New Yorker, and yet she agrees to go when he pushes gently. He just apologized for coming on a bit too strong the day before, with flowers and a bus stop kiss, so perhaps she feels that he’s capitulated a bit, or she’s liking his direct approach? It’s his POV so I can’t tell all. I must edit on to find out how this will change things. Excellent question on the point of the scene: the developmental editor wanted to know more info on that, too.
At Sun Jan 15, 12:21:00 AM, John said…

Goethe & Gouda rocked.

For the whiteboard:

The Cheesy Reader
Crusts & Covers
Cheesterton and Son
Panini Pages
Skilliterati

More asap. Turning in, slightly sad (changes afoot). And I'm sure I'll dream of grilled cheese. (This time with good reason.)
At Sun Jan 15, 09:57:00 PM, Amy said…

Watching the Golden Globes while working. Awards shows are my guilty pleasure. Something about all the glitz. I haven't seen any of the nominated movies or shows except Modern Family, but that's OK.

Cheesterton and Son. Good one. Never would have thought of that!

When the awards show ends, only Ben & Jerry's is left to motivate me to keep working. Not a bad motivation.
At Sun Jan 15, 10:53:00 PM, John said…

Ah, Ricky Gervais. I'm happy for the fact of him, though I think he's at his best in an Office-type situation. David Brent was devastating. Ricky Gervais as Ricky Gervais? The podcast is good. And I love when he gives Elmo a hard time. (Have you seen this on YouTube?)

How is "The Artist" faring? I'm psyched to see that. What flavor Ben & Jerry's? Enjoy.

New-tech envy zapped your laptop? How distressing. You don't sound as though you lost any data, just time. That's a relief. Yes, get something new. I'll try not to upgrade to anything cooler than the iPhone 4S until you're ready to move on from your new purchase, to spare you the extra volts.

Tell me about madrigal. Your part, the music, the dinner, the Trecento, the comedy, the Yes song, the Lorca poem, the Costa Rican slalom canoer. La la la.

Yes, Mars flickers. You should see it from here!

"Hourglass" is fun. I had forgotten all about it until I read your note. It joins my 80s mix.

My new favorite song: "The Story" (Brandi Carlile). Listening to it now. I'm a big fan of heartfelt yowling.

Here's one you might enjoy: "D-O-D-G-E-R-S Song (Oh Really? No, O'Malley!)" (Danny Kaye) [Baseball's Greatest Hits]. This is one I love to sing along with in the car.

More tomorrow. Don't forget to stretch!
At Mon Jan 16, 11:16:00 PM, Amy said…

*stretch, stretch* Thanks for the reminder!

The Raconteurs “Top Yourself”
Sugarcubes “Birthday”
Dave Brubeck Quartet “Everybody’s Jumpin’”

I actually own the DVDs Season 1 UK The Office, and I did not enjoy it! But I do like Ricky. He was more laid-back this year. Not a bad job. But he did start with a sexual Jodie Foster joke, and Jodie is my girl, so I was kinda put off. Yes, I do love when Ricky puts Elmo to bed. Always makes me laugh. I also love Elvis Costello’s “A Monster Ate My Big Red 2.”

The Artist did well, and so did Modern Family, so I was happy. The ice cream was Phish Food, a classic flavor.

Leopold Stokowski “Dance of the Hours”
Peter Gabriel “Biko”
Kasey Chambers “The Rain”

I can tell you only of my madrigal (although Tormato is a good Yes album): Eleven of us giving modern voice to Renaissance love, lust, spring, spirit trapped on parchment until we breathe. Our breath has some of the Renaissance in it, does it not? All matter neither created nor destroyed? Balance is essential, so I fill out the alto section. “Weep O Mine Eyes” is a favorite in our repertoire. Whomever these guys are, they do a good job: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAi3echkV3M

Ginger Rogers & Jimmy Dorsey “Let Yourself Go”
The Who “Long Live Rock”
Thomas Dolby “Pop Culture”

Danny Kaye! I see some of him in Conan O’Brien, which is why I watch Conan pretty regularly. I love The Court Jester: “The pellet with the poison’s in the vessel with the pestle; the chalice from the palace has the brew that is true!” I don’t like White Christmas, though. Holiday Inn has it all over that. I didn’t know he sang a baseball song, so thanks for directing me there.

I like “The Story,” too. Got a lot of radio play when it came out. Powerful.

So are you implying that your Mars flicker is somehow a better flicker? Hmm … is it the air temperature perhaps? The latitude? The ratio of grilled cheese restaurants? Interesting.
At Tue Jan 17, 12:09:00 AM, John said…

Just crawled home through the driving snow. Was "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol" worth the trip to the mall, knowing as I did that the weather would sour during the first reel? Meh. But the popcorn was tasty, I was pleased to put a little money in Brad Bird's pocket, and everything worked out in the end.

Whenever I see the words Golden Globes my mind conjures up The Golden Girls. Just a flash of the screen: a medium shot of the ladies in their colorful, evenly lit living room; Bea Arthur in a yellow jogging suit, furrowing her brow and pursing her lips at ... what was her name? The very old lady. Then it's gone, and I see paparazzi, elegant women in elegant gowns, the red carpet, the stage. (Then, if you're interested, I picture the set of Real People as "Skip" Stephenson throws to commercial.)

Thanks for your compliment about my scene note. Glad to know I think developmentally.

A day of Midnight Oil, eh? Cool experiment. Which two albums did you like? I just previewed the first 10 entries in the group's iTMS Essentials, which I found pretty jangly. ("King of the Mountain" worked.) Maybe it's just my mood.

Soothing my soul with Blondie. Ahh...

Still thinking about your nightstand stacks. Reassuringly categorized! The perfect guardians for slumber, and the best friends to wake up to. (More or less.) I don't have anything at bedside that must be there; mostly what's there has accreted, and I see no reason to disturb it:

A copy of Cooking For Two magazine
A sealed copy of Issue 33 of McSweeney’s Quarterly aka The San Francisco Panorama)
Chris Ware's Acme Novelty Library

Not much farther (yes?) away are my Harlan Ellison titles, gifts of a friend of a friend. Alongside, atop and ranged 'round, stacks of many other things. The letters of H.L. Mencken; commentaries on Buber; roadside geology in Colorado; some David Foster Wallace; Forster's Aspects of the Novel... It's all in there together.

I have decided to learn Gregg shorthand. I have the manual and have been pondering its squiggles and dashlets. (My nomenclature.) One day—shortly, I'll wager—I will see shorthand much as Neo came to see the Matrix: elemental and luminous.
At Tue Jan 17, 12:12:00 AM, John said…

Ooh, a rare cross-post! What did you write? Must see...
At Tue Jan 17, 12:28:00 AM, John said…

I was reporting only that Mars flickers. We, up here on Mars, find the effect disconcerting, as you might imagine. But one grows accustomed. (Has to do with the tachyon-cracking station they've built over at Tachyon Heights.)

:P

Is it tomorrow already? Need m'rest. Looking forward to rereading your newest note with brighter eyes. Lots of great stuff in there, as always... J.
At Tue Jan 17, 09:56:00 AM, Amy said…

The Golden Girls! Betty White is everywhere now. I actually like her Hot in Cleveland show, what I have seen of it. The Real People reference is great.

Sorry that Mission Impossible wasn’t a great reason to brave the elements. Just so-so, eh? Popcorn is always the reason to go.

Gregg sounds like a good challenge. Like another language? Maybe. Elemental and luminous!

I keep trying to enjoy McSweeney’s … can’t figure out why it never clicks.

Today I am trying out Third Rock Radio, NASA’s foray into the modern media. Cake is on right now. I might get a few good, new bands from it. Who knows.

The Midnight Oil albums were Diesel and Dust and 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. I’ll put those two on again sometime this month, see what comes of it. I do have Martin Sexton’s The American I want to get to also.

Back to the novel. Due date is tomorrow. Oh, and the cowboy did know how to skate. He just didn’t want to admit it and make her feel alone. *pfft* Men.
At Tue Jan 17, 01:02:00 PM, John said…

Mission: Impossible was fine. I hadn't seen any of the other Missions: Impossible, so I didn't get all the references. Lots to look at, you know, but that's as far as it went with me. The team in this movie is supposed to be disavowed, on its own, no support, no safehouses, etc. But it never lacks for gadgets, planes, money and competence, so the stakes are always academic.

PLUS! In the much cooler M:I TV series, they didn't feel the need to fill every tense moment with nervous chatter. (I'm looking at you, Simon Pegg!)

I preferred any of the Bourne movies. And, really, Three Days of the Condor.

I know what you mean about McSweeney's. I did say that ish was unopened. (I do want to read it; it's a complete Sunday newspaper!) I respect McSweeney's, though I feel it feels I'm not its ideal reader. I gave up on Bored to Death for the same reason. (Maybe if I moved to Park Slope, wore stainless steel half-rim frames and blogged about Czech cinema...)

I used to subscribe to The Believer, though, mostly for Amy Sedaris's column.

See, you say, "*pfft* Men," but I'll bet it will read as endearing. Who wrote it, a woman? A ha. :)

Happily, you've given me a lot to explore in music. MIght take some time to catch up.

Speaking of catching up, work awaits. Let's see. We'll start this afternoon's shuffle with "Good Morning Tucson" (Jonathan Coulton).
At Tue Jan 17, 06:32:00 PM, Amy said…

Quick break to say ...

Well, all right, yes, endearing to the reader perhaps. The designer just presses on matter-of-factly. But he does lace her skates for her. And yes, a woman wrote it. OK, OK. So I take back the "Men." I'm leaving the *pfft* though. :P
At Tue Jan 17, 08:11:00 PM, John said…

Oh, naturally, the *pfft* stands.

In what sense do you mean, "But" he does lace her skates for her? Does doing so mitigate his contrived fall, or, rather, as I see it, and as any developmental editor grounded in semiotics and feminist literary criticism would agree, does it condemn your antiheroine to complicity in her own patriarchal bondage, subservience and objectification?

Laces as cowboy's lariat, you see. Potent symbolism no matter who's tying or untying whom. Or is this all part of our designing woman's plan? Is she weaving a stronger web of a different kind?

Let me know whether we learn he has warm, strong hands with knowing fingers, the kind that tenderly but firmly work loose a stubborn knot from rented skates, and how he holds her calf to avoid her blade.

I withdraw my reservations. Let me know when I can buy a copy. This is sounding pretty good!

Also, this looks touristy and delicious: www.patinagroup.com/east/skateadate.
At Wed Jan 18, 09:17:00 AM, Amy said…

Skate-a-Date! So cute. I hope it's skating, then eating. I love the 50s-style logo design. These characters just sipped some cocoa beforehand. They shoulda had deep dish.

Some issues late last night, so I didn't get my work done like I should have. But the novel must go out today, so will the gal get the guy? We will see ...

More after the break.
At Wed Jan 18, 01:34:00 PM, John said…

‎500GB LaCie d2 HD quadra, a devoted primary external backup, died January 18 following a brief and chirpy illness, surrounded by data. Inactive in her church. Disliked cats. Survivors include a sister, an Apple 2TB Time Capsule from Shelburne Falls; and a cousin, iCloud, of Cupertino, Calif. A private memorial is planned. In lieu of flowers, please send monitor wipes.
At Wed Jan 18, 06:08:00 PM, Amy said…

I’m so sorry to hear of your loss today. I send heartfelt condolences and am thinking of you, Apple 2B, and iCloud during this difficult time.

In writing “But … her,” I meant that even after she acted grouchy and reluctantly agreed to go skating, he still acts gallant. Just as natural for him to back off, I would think. There is no weaving, although as a symbol nut I am fascinated by the lacing up/lariat idea. Wish I’d thought of that as I read it. He has deft hands, and she gets a light slap on the calf after the lacing (a pure rancher reaction). And by the end she does get her man. I’d like to get into detail, with my thoughts on it all, but in describing an unpublished work on a blog I feel I must be general.

Never saw Three Days of the Condor. Another one to add to the "should see" list.

I think it is more what they are not saying about H. kypchakis: not fitting the bones into the line of what we know; not explaining the larger skull, larger even than Boskop man. Any DNA results are highly guarded. It’s possible they don’t even know what they have. How does the work on the shin progress there? Have the experts arrived?
At Wed Jan 18, 10:15:00 PM, John said…

I respect your professional discretion, and I'm glad the designer got her man. I would like to read this book, so please feel free to nudge me when it hits the stacks.

Symbols! Absolutely. I'm with you on that.

Thank you for your warm condolences. We're ... it's been a long day, as you might imagine, but we're holding it together. The loss is so fresh. In the end we just decided to pull the plug, and that special light just faded. I'm thinking of you and your laptop, and really just the fragility of hardware. Are you OK? I'm sorry I didn't reach out at the time. I should have.

So I'm starting to panic just a little. { } I'm presenting this inspirational team-building dealio Saturday morning, and I haven't pulled any ideas together. All week I promised myself today was going to be The Day I Started. And I've done everything but start. Now I'm using valuable time to complain about not starting. And taking up your valuable time as well. La la la.

...

Oh, also today I wrote a short story, such as it is. I started my first batch of 100 words, and ran it back to January 1. So... carry the one... 1,800 words! I'm on the site as John Snyder. I don't know who reads these things; it certainly strikes me as a good aid to discipline.

Similarly, I undertook this year to "win" NaNoWriMo. I did not win NaNoWriMo. Got some good character sketches out of it, though. I have a solid idea for the book, though not a strong plot.

Is that the time? Jumpin' weasels! I'd better get right to work!

...

Well, the experts are months out yet, but they're driving the nanos we poured into the dig, and they're building their game plan from aboard the Stephen Hawking. You have the public feed, of course, but I've taken the liberty of adding you to my staff as a consultant, fee to be paid Pan Enterprise by none other than Phyllis Ashe, who has attached me to her department as special coordinator for environmental protection, #marsbone. I have cited you as an Authority necessity, which is true, and which sidesteps a lot of political foofraw in involving Pan Enterprise in our find.

So: You're a special coordinator's consultant, if you want the gig. If you do, I'll need your project proposal by February 1. (I miss February. We don't get that here.) You'll have full access to the nanos, the research, the colloquium, and will be a junior member of the steering committee. The only thing I would ask, and that the Authority requires, is a weekly report.

I'm aware, of course, that Pan Enterprise is going to have its own stake in our excavation and findings, and your role might change as you see fit. I just thought you'd want to see this, and lend your voice.

Anticipating your joining us, I can tell you this under restriction: they say they have most of a leg and several ribs.

Speaking of which, H. kypchakis is its own heady mystery. They just sent me up here to pump water. This is all a bit beyond me. Interesting times for sure.

Warm regards from Jensen, says Jensen.
At Thu Jan 19, 03:11:00 PM, John said…

After all that talk about Toastmasters, I bowed out. The weather's gonna be nasty, my best buddy at these things is driving separately and leaving early, and I was gonna have to give a ride to a guy I find particularly grating. That, combined with unrelated matters, outweighed everything in me eager to speak and bask in the inevitable adulation of a grateful audience this time around.

Disappointed, I gotta say. Well, this is my decision. I'm OK with it.
At Thu Jan 19, 05:35:00 PM, Amy said…

I’m glad you are OK with the decision. Disappointed, yes. It sounds like the right way to go. I don’t know, but I would think that a speech like that is something to do when you are fully present and engaged, and so it can wait.

I write most days for 100 Words but don’t finish most months, so batches sit unfinished. This year I plan to finish every month. We will see. It’s my personal motivation to write creatively, and when I am not feeling creative I spit out what’s on the surface, just to get through. I hope the process brings something good for you.

I am afraid I wasn’t completely detailed enough about Mr. Sony Laptop: He is actually in a coma. Dead, but not dead, really. He will blink one white-eye cursor on his dark face, but that is all. I think he could be partially revived by a skilled person, if I want to go that route. But maybe not. It is touch and go. I am fine, actually. Not to be mean, but I never really liked him.

I hope your Saturday morning work is going well. Started, at least. My in-box keeps filling up with article requests, and I am starting to panic. Looks like a boring weekend of clearing things out.
At Thu Jan 19, 07:00:00 PM, John said…

I struggled mightily to reconcile "neither fully present nor engaged" with "I said I would do it."

I see it like this: Center snaps the ball and it's all on you; you gotta power it up the field, hurt or no hurt. You can't worry about anything out there: the pain, the guys running at you, Coach and the cameras and the crowd. It all falls away. You hear yourself breathe. You see your guys' eyes. You know what you gotta do and you do it.

...

In the end, I have other, arguably more important things to do. Last night I dreamed I shimmied up the gym rope, rang the bell, rang it again, and slipped in languid length down to the mat amid cheers from all the guys. Total fantasy, of course. Never happen. But I woke up happy.

Yeah, the 100 Words. Eighteen hundred was good output for me. I know you're not supposed to make up lost days, but I'm starting halfway into the month, and didn't want to risk not being featured over incompleteness. So now I have the daily 100 to consider. One foot. In front. Of the other. I hope to write creatively. That's my goal. First story in the bank: we'll call that "Message in a Bottle." Now I think I'll put my dog ideas to work.

Oh, S. Laptop. It may be his time. Say what you have to say. If he's blinking, there's activity.

My MacBook Pro is showing his ("his": who knew?) age. I don't think he'll see the first robin of spring. He tires easily. Overheats on mild outings. Falls asleep in the middle of singing a favorite song. Screen's spotty. He's on his second battery, and this one's weak. "Replace Soon," the experts tell me. I think I will have to.

For more on this theme, visit Jonathan Coulton's site and find his mp3 "A Laptop Like You (Demo)", which you can play and/or buy (if you haven't already).

Ah, what to do, what to do. Well, I have some editing, of course, and a dog's story to tell. I look forward to that.

Thinking of bones that don't belong, freed by the thaw. What news H. kypchakis?
At Fri Jan 20, 09:22:00 AM, Amy said…

I agree that “I said I would do it” is important. There are those times when you must play through the pain for the team.

The loss of Sony is really affecting the works here. I am completing fewer tasks in the afternoons, which sets me back greatly. Then I’m too tired to get caught up at night. In some fashion I’ll have to get a working laptop next week. For today I’ll be away from the computer most of the time. *humph* I’ll have to visit Coulton’s site for that song.

Mars to come.
At Fri Jan 20, 02:33:00 PM, Amy said…

"Message in a Bottle" is the best thing I've read with a comb in it. Really well done.

Thought I'd try a streak of creative writing jumping off poets I like. Today: Wallace Stevens.
At Fri Jan 20, 04:56:00 PM, John said…

“Message in a Bottle” is the best thing I've read with a comb in it. Really well done. — Amy VO Maffei.

I so want that as a jacket blurb! Thank you.  

Good news today: I confirmed three new projects: one of the two political campaigns, a software developer case study, and a gig ghostwriting an e-book on publishing and marketing e-books.   

We've hit 101 comments! In commemoration, this post consists of 101 words. I was prepared to mark 100 comments with 100 words, but you got there first with, let’s see, 34 words.

“...ghostlier demarcations, keener sounds.” Heck yeah!
At Fri Jan 20, 05:47:00 PM, Amy said…

Yes, I did notice that we reached 100. Rather cool. I wanted to leave it to your response, actually, but I thought, Man, you sounded cranky in #99. No place for cranky here. So I went to add some less cranky bits, and thus 100. Good idea with the word count. I'm glad you marked it with something like that.

Great news on all that work! It all sounds interesting. Especially happy that you got one of those campaign gigs. Try to slip in "Bricka bracka firecracker, sis boom bah!" and see if it generates results.

Tonight will be more practice on "Awake, Sweet Love" by Dowland, then back for as many articles as I can crank out. The snow should hold until late, but I am eager to see it fall.
At Fri Jan 20, 08:37:00 PM, John said…

Oh, there's a place for cranky here. That's my vote, anyway.

"Bugs Bunny, Bugs Bunny, rah rah rah!" Yes, I'm sure it would generate results: "Smith Drops 'Funny Bunny' Campaign Aide" (such deviltry).

Word choice: mark vs. commemorate. You chose the correct one. I regret the error.

Vs. v. v.? (Easy, lad, easy…)

That's a lovely Dowland piece. I feel I know it. I'm sure you sing it beautifully. Enjoy the snow! We've been too long without. (I should amend that: my state has. I don't know about you in Joisey.)

You know what I feel like? I feel like a steak. I'm gonna go get a steak dinner. Feelin' pretty good.
At Fri Jan 20, 11:58:00 PM, Amy said…

And … motion passes. Cranky allowed. *whew*

I didn’t even think about the usage of “commemorate.” My editor pencil is neatly in the pocket protector around here.

The Garden State has not had snow yet this winter, so we are ready. Been so warm that my sweaters have stayed on the shelves so far.

The Dowland went well, actually. Such a nice comment, thank you. Yes, I have sung it now only three times, but I also feel like I know it.

Did you have your steak dinner? How do you like it – medium rare? well? Does that come with those little onions on it? I have not eaten red meat in about 15 years. Does that preclude our being friends?
At Sat Jan 21, 11:04:00 PM, John said…

I have to rethink my whole Words With Friends hobby: not 10 minutes ago the program barred me — outright barred me! — from playing RINDY and, when that failed, CABLEY. And these were premium point opportunities.

Now there's this news about you not eating red meat? It's been quite! a day. *sigh*

(Yeah, cranky works here. Just testing it out.)

You know, I didn't get to the steak. I do this thing whereby I intend to stand up and walk out the door, as toward food, but instead lose all track of time and keep working (or Facebooking, or what have you) until way late. The part of the world I can't edit or click, though it has dinner in it, has a hard time competing for my attention.

I'm really fine with your not eating red meat. I think that's great. The rancher in me is all, like, Git along, now; but I can handle it, and don't mind that a friend eats what's right for her. Is this still the macrobiotic thing you're up to, or some sensible middle ground?

Oh, so wait, you asked: medium. Steak's not a staple for me, and in fact I've had huge success with a detox diet (http://bit.ly/wc8UOW) that obviously restricts red meat, but it's a nice special occasion kind of thing. Yes, the little onions.

Every so often I toy with the idea of changing my last name. Dowland strikes me as a contender. I probably won't change it — all my clips and whatnot — but I admit to an interest. Here's one: John Martian, the pronunciation of which I can snootily correct in others as "Jean Martain." (Say! Jean Martain!)

OK, let me ask you this: Arrested Development?
At Mon Jan 23, 12:19:00 AM, Amy said…

I don’t get why Words With Friends would not accept CABLEY. I have owned many a cabley-knit sweater.

No, nothing like macrobiotics, but I do remember when I had read up on that. Most of my initial reasoning was that I could live without it; I just didn’t enjoy the taste anymore. Now it’s also the antibiotics and such. I try to stick to birds and fish (no shellfish, thanks) that are organic/wild. So I guess it’s the sensible end. I’ve never tried a detox. Thanks for the link; I’d like to read more. I could use more refinement in what I eat.

I like “Jean Martain.” I admit to having heard it as “Zhahn Mar-she-en” but that is the French language part of my brain striking out. In German, perhaps “Johann Marsmännchen.” I like the idea of changing names. If I ever can publish this romance novel I toy with, I want to pick a pen name. No idea what, but something. Perhaps a last name from a great-great-grandmother or something like that … in the line of women. I will try out some names on you sometime, as I am sure you can help me choose one that will catch the eye on the spine, make a person want to buy, buy, buy.

How was the inspirational team-building dealio? If it went on as scheduled, I hope it went well.

So speaking of dreams, I had one a couple nights ago. I don’t usually remember them, but this one: so odd! I was in a large, clean, bright library with wide aisles and very tall shelving. Reminded me of a large university library. I was with a woman I knew (in the dream only) and we were walking around, looking down on the tan-carpet floor to pick up any coins we could find—large, tarnished silver dollar coins, twice the size they are in life. We worked our way up to the second floor of the library, and after turning a corner, I was face-to-face with Teddy Roosevelt. Mustache and glasses and everything. And although no one told me, I knew that he had been brought there to take care of some things he never finished in his presidency. I said to him, “I want to thank you for all that you did to conserve the national parks.” And then I woke up.

What the hell??

I have heard many good things about Arrested Development but have never seen it. So I looked up some info on it, and I realized that when it debuted on FOX, I was keeping myself overly and terribly busy with building the freelance business and writing creatively, and I know I didn’t watch much television then. I must have missed it and never caught up. It’s not available yet, correct? I assume you really like it.

I want to apologize for not being able to write creatively in these notes for another little while, as I’ve been slammed with unexpected work that must get done. But I am eager to get there again. I should have a new laptop this week, which will help greatly and perhaps keep fewer cranky words regarding my work life from entering here. Fewer, that is.
At Tue Jan 24, 12:43:00 AM, John said…

Loved your late entry in Sunday’s 100 Words: New Hampshire. You’re a force, you are.

Hey, good for you, having a lot of work. I’m sure you’ll find time for longer creative stuff when it suits you.

Arrested Development is … yes, I like it a lot. It’s well written, witty and unconventional. If we both were fans we could trade quotes, but you can’t have everything. Arrested is time well spent. If you do watch it, start from the beginning.

Uh, Curb Your Enthusiasm? Stella? MMHI? BSG? FOTC? (Really reaching, here. I don’t watch much television.) Started getting into Columbo on Netflix a while back. Good stuff, that. (Hold on, I’ve got to set Columbo as my FB profile photo…)

And you know what? I’m surprised to say, but that’s about it for tonight. You know that Snoopy yawn, with the curled tongue? That’s me.
At Tue Jan 24, 06:03:00 AM, Amy said…

Hey, did I say something or do something … I don’t know. Maybe it’s the early morning hour, but I feel a tone, your words. Could be me, of course. Attuned to each impression, perhaps. It's just ...

100 Words, yeah. My girlfriend in middle school had a family house there, used to vacation with her. Brought fiction out of it. I hope you keep going on the dog.

Well … okay. [Hands sit on keyboard. Dark out.]
At Tue Jan 24, 10:58:00 AM, John said…

Your worry filled me with a flurry ... so much to say. No, no tone. Nothing wrong, nothing but the hour, yours and mine. Chalk it up to timing, someone said. (The story of my life.)

Your dream, “Zhahn Mar-she-en” and natural fish swim fast with me.

Back to work. See you tonight. Good morning, friend.
At Tue Jan 24, 12:40:00 PM, Amy said…

I thought that timing was the story of my life. Oh wait, it's timing and a low motivation to exercise regularly. That's it.

So glad nothing's wrong. Didn't mean to bring a flurry!

Until tonight, then.
At Wed Jan 25, 12:50:00 AM, John said…

All thrown off tonight. You're right, you nailed it with the exercise. I would do well to hit the gym. I used to go regularly. Had a good patch of months at least, last year. Lost 20 pounds. Then ... fell out. I went two days ago; I'll go tomorrow.

So, oh yeah, all thrown off. I mentioned this on 100 Words just now: I took a nap tonight, trying to stave off a headache. I mostly staved it. Got just a tetch around the eyes left.

What would help? Water. Lots of water. An apple, if I had one. (I don't.) A movie: Brazil, perhaps, or Outland. Something in that palette.

Is this true, what I read? You haven't felt well? I'm sorry. I hope you can shake it, whatever it is. Sending you cool thoughts.
At Wed Jan 25, 01:12:00 AM, Amy said…

Was just going to post and then you did. We are connecting that way, it seems. Yes, I am fighting some virus cold thing. I mention it below. A few days before I feel better. Thanks for the wishes.

I hope to get back to exercising in some way this year. It's whole-body good. You've proven you can lose a nice amount, so I am sure you will meet whatever goals you set now.

So I'll post what I wrote and wish for you a good early morning.

*****
I got my cranky out early on 100 Words today. A raw nose, the chills. These things happen, but I’m worn from so much of it this winter. Tea, tea.

Have I mentioned that I only just discovered in November that I like milk in my tea? I was a purist before that, refusing milk and lemon. And then my hairstylist made a cup of basic black tea for me when I was in the chair, and she put a bit of milk in it, and not wanting to be rude, I drank it and enjoyed it and with wide eyes said, What have I been missing?

I read your post tonight. I hope your head feels better, clearer. More than a year ago someone said to me, “You are an editor; you try to edit your life.” I think about that a lot.

Bought the laptop tonight: a Toshiba Satellite, 15”, 640 GB, 6 GB memory, Intel i3, other stuff like Blu-ray that comes up as standard these days. Eh. All I care about is the Internet and Word and I’m good.

Here’s something: I’ve never had HBO. Nope. Seems un-American when written out like that. So I haven’t seen those standard cable favorites. Disappointing, yes. I did watch Six Feet Under a lot.

Gotta nurse ce rhume, get some sleep. I hope to dream of Woodrow Wilson or FDR tonight. They are favorites. Real fireballs.
At Wed Jan 25, 01:53:00 AM, John said…

Assuming you're still up:

So glad to have your 112: herbal, light and clarifying, just the tea I needed. Going to bed happy.

More, as we say, tomorrow.
At Wed Jan 25, 08:20:00 AM, Amy said…

Yes, I was still up. The word happy was welcome.

Now I'm up again, hoping you are doing well today. Yesterday seemed yucky.

I ended up dreaming of many, many tic-tac-toe boards. Felt like Wargames.

Happy two months since the first post. (There's happy again.)
At Wed Jan 25, 09:21:00 PM, John said…

A strange game. The only winning move is to reply.

Happy two months! That certainly describes it for me. Gonna play it cool and just say, Yeah, right on.

Yesterday was yucky! It was. I find myself deferring things: bowing out of the speech dealio (as described); canceling on meeting a friend for drinks; telling interview sources for my client’s book, “Oh, so slammed. Let’s get together on this Thursday, Friday, Monday…”

Meanwhile I volunteer for more committees and projects; send out more proposals; surprise myself, the introvert, by introducing people and laughing with them. I just recommend an officemate, unasked, for a plum gig, just to see her face light up in smile. Just trying to build bridges, trust in life. Live it. I have so much connection in me.

It comes from this: K. and I are stopped in the marriage; we’re living separately, and I admit I’m excited to think of her as a friend, and move on. We’ve been together 14 years, married 11, and have two boys: A., 9, and B., 6. It … hasn’t worked out.

Both children of divorce, we struggled out of fear and pride to avoid this. And in the end I don’t know what’s left to do but look at assets.

From the outside looking in, I see how little I have enjoyed what I had. How little joy I brought to it. I have not forgotten, certainly; but certainly not practiced, the best of me. I miss me.

A hundred words? Christ, I have millions! I want to write them all. I want to feel my life again. Cry what became of me, and let it go. I can do better than this, I know it. “Zhahn Mar-she-en,” complete with punctuation.

So: Yucky. But also optimistic.

Meanwhile, A. and I have a publisher’s nod to develop a series of “boy books” we’re calling Uncle Abner’s Fart Collection. A. could not be happier, and that’s my goal.

Yes, please run your romance novel pen names past me. I would be psyched to help you choose.

Best to the presidents, best to ce rhume and best to young Toshiba S. Wishing you happy times together, prosperous and true.

"All At Sea" (Jamie Cullum) [And a passing train whistle].
At Wed Jan 25, 11:39:00 PM, Amy said…

It is sad to have the marriage turn; then I say, you do sound so optimistic, so ready to express your spirit, yourself. I know you will feel your life again, in many good ways. You’ll keep making people smile and having drinks and speaking to roomfuls. And the children’s books! Sounds like a great project for son and father.

Meant to tell you that I really enjoyed your 100 Words of Jan. 23. Keep writing those millions.

Toshiba S. and I have been getting along well today. Still a little strange, getting used to the newness, the different ways.

Ce rhume really has me today and my eyes are closing. More annoying than other colds I’ve had. I really want to feel better.

“A Horse in the Country” Cowboy Junkies
At Thu Jan 26, 08:47:00 PM, John said…

Thanks for your note of encouragement. What will be will be, they say they say. And yes, smiles; yes, drinks; and yes, roomfuls. Without that, what?

And out of the ashes, a fart book. I'm golden.

Thanks also for your kind words about my Greenfield piece. I suppose it's a poem. "Really enjoyed" means a lot, coming from you, as I so respect your opinion, and your talent. How might I improve the piece? How would you tweak it, if I left it on your desk?

Writing now from an otherwise empty room in Brattleboro; we've just had our Toastmasters meeting, and many of us are met for beer and Korean food a couple blocks over. I said I'd be 10 minutes.

But check this out: I read a draft today my friend Viv wrote, which rang me, happy, to my core. Funny how a little poem or bit of dialogue entrusted to you can flow like liquid life through your soul, your tissues and your bones. She watched me as I read it — I hate when people do that, because it doesn't give you space to puzzle over personal connections you might have to what you're reading, without fear of giving great offense — but after I read it my cheeks were damp. When she's ready to let it go, I'd love to share it with you. I think you'd really like it.

And now, because of course, I repair to friends and dumplings.
At Fri Jan 27, 12:18:00 AM, Amy said…

Howdi. That was nice of you to write before heading out to the gathering. Wondering if I have ever had Korean food. Is it strange not to know?

Oh, I absolutely thought it was a poem. The “— and soared!” is very Gerard Manley Hopkins of you. So you asked me about tweaking? I don’t know that it needs much of that. I guess I would say that the line “Twenty-two square miles, and Franklin County’s seat” sticks out to me as a bit too informative or plain-spoken for such a verse with rich words and music. If you feel you need the reader to know that info, is there a way to rework that? Not sure. Maybe. (Nice, too, to be respected. Because of that I need to write more, now.)

Certainly, if you would like to share the Viv piece, please do so if you can. If you reacted such, it must be a worthy work.

Working slower, blowing nose, more tired. But the laptop, oh! Big help today! I can go to bed before 12:30! woo-hoo!
At Fri Jan 27, 01:52:00 PM, John said…

Three generations later: "Oh, the 'Twenty hectares, and a great dome's footing' is very John Snyder of you." I'll think about it. Thanks!

What's with this cold of yours? I hope it leaves you stronger for your troubles.

I'm interviewing a couple of people in Germany and Turkey for my latest case study. It seems to me I should advertise my services to international companies, copyediting their English-translated Web copy. So stilted! But I think of the folks who translated it to begin with. I'm sure they're proud of their work.

"The Company completed its infrastructure investments, has a strong positioning in the market with its customer network and strong relations, experienced and very well trained personnel and is poised for rapid expansion and growth..."

You know what? Screw 'em. I'm going for it. They'll thank me.

Wandering back up the comments, plucking low-hanging fruit:

“...someone said to me, 'You are an editor; you try to edit your life.' I think about that a lot." Yes. One's greatest strength and occupational hazard. What to do when the copy won't budge? The edit won't take? The change won't track? Go around it, I guess. Tell a different story. We don't give up easily, though. No we don't.

Milk in the tea: I admit I've never considered it. Sounds delicious, the way you describe it. We have a new tea room nearby, The Queen of Cups, where I sometimes slip in for an espresso and scone. I'll ask for tea with milk next time, see what that portends. Tea always reminds me of the friend who introduced me to tea, Pink Floyd and "Scarborough Fair."

Teddy R.: My first impression in hearing about your dream was of the movie Night at the Museum, which I wasn't thrilled with, as it had Robin Williams mugging around as the Rough Rider on horseback, offering Ben Stiller relationship advice. Your dream restores Teddy's gravitas and *sigh* dreaminess. That uniform! (What do you make of the dream, in the light of day?)

HBO. No, I don't have HBO either. I'm telling you, it's all Netflix.

The Deerfield River's frothing down the rocks. I'm watching from my office window. In deciding where to live, I stipulated: walking distance of a cafe and bookstore, views of hills or mountains, nearby flowing water, and broadband service. I got everything I asked for.

"Willie" (Cat Power).
At Fri Jan 27, 03:52:00 PM, Amy said…

for now, what's overdue ...

******

Incredible opportunity. I don’t know how to express my gratitude. I mean, yes, it gets around that political nonsense, but you did get me the gig. It’s all happened rather quickly, and the potential of it! Do I sound crazed? I feel crazed, or giddy. The Obama you said, right? Not sure if I’ll have a choice …

Did you get the proposal I uploaded earlier in the week? I know it’s getting close to 1 Feb and you are terribly busy … sorry for coming down to the wire like that. You’ll see I included time needed for certain aspects of the project – access to the site, reports, analysis, like that - which will be adjusted when I see things and know more, but I know you understand. The most serious language about my role and the environmental protection is standard speak down here, so don’t let it throw you. (And the requirement for that certain drink that shows up in section 3 … just seeing if you were still awake.)

Pan is thrilled to be in at this level, obviously. I heard that a few were having meetings trying to overstep me based on seniority, but to hell with them. You’ve written my name down, and that’s that.

I’ve been acting a little like a covert agent for something more on H. kypchakis. Kinda fun to send encrypted messages and meet on a quiet park bench! Anyway, someone owed me a favor, and she knows someone Russian (Tatiana, if she to be believed) who works for another eco-lobby. We met on a warm day and she talked for a bit in that darkened Slavic tone. There is more than just one set of bones: a group, with trauma to the skulls. Sure I shouldn’t be telling you, but this too is encrypted, and how could I not?

So you’ll tell me if you get word on the proposal. I’ll start planning anyway. My best to Jensen.
At Sat Jan 28, 01:02:00 AM, John said…

Yes, I do have your packet — oh, we approve the proposal, incidentally: that will, or should, or should have come down from Piers Jenks at Pan — and we have a berth for you on the next sling out and an alternate, and quarters waiting for you here.

Piers will set you up with everything on your end, and you'll be on Pan's liability all the way out until you dock at Relay Station. Once you dock with Relay and thumb your orders, you're officially attached to Mars Environmental, and you work for Phyllis Ashe. From there, you'll ladder down to Endurance and we'll get you dirty.

But before all that… I'm a little concerned, as you've got to nail your physical, and in any event you're up against the clock with training at Interplan. They're going to run you ragged, and you still have to design a responsibility for your time aboard the Obama (you lucked out there). I'm sorry we're throwing you into this so fast, but that's your lot in life as a triple-certified Authority necessity.

Speaking of which, my friend, you certainly made a compelling case for being here. I said a proposal, not a dissertation! It'll please you to know the Committee has adopted three of your appendices as standard operating procedure on the dig. I was walking past the park on my way home today, and someone came up behind me, slapped me on the back, and said, "Smart cookie!" It was Ashe. Then she stomped off to Admin. (You ever see anyone stomp in 0.38 G? She can do it.)

I saw the bit about the drink. I smiled. Yes, agreed.

What did you think of yestersol's report about the shift analysis? They've got full vertebrae on this thing. And with the find at 10 meters, easily protected from cosmic radiation, this corresponds with our theories of minimum safe habitable zone as Mars lost the bulk of her atmosphere. I'll bet this gal was a tunneler.

Glad to see you've "dug up" a friend on H. kypchakis. I'll bet Tatiana's news explains why Natalia Polosmak, of all people, isn't on the Hawking. She got a better offer, or at least an offer she couldn't refuse.

Jensen isn't here. Probably why nothing's properly filed. He and Kir are sailing. She's part owner of a 50m^2 Manta Jasmin, and they're up there between the moons and Spirit City. I'll tell him you said hello.

You're welcome. But really, thank you. You're already an asset to the team, and I'll be very happy to see you again.
At Sun Jan 29, 01:10:00 AM, Amy said…

Sorry this will be brief, but Jesus, what kind of physical was that? Utterly wiped out. All the blood and scans, sure. Chip in the back of the neck. Innocs. Fine. But I can see why you were concerned! All that running around in the M38 non-rebreathing mask, all the hoses and sensors, and then HBOT! After that, the climb? No wonder they said “all day.” I will hear about it tomorrow. They’ll probably end up waking me! I didn’t know I had muscles there. And there.
At Mon Jan 30, 12:43:00 AM, John said…

Ha! Hope you’re feeling better. It’s all for the best, of course. Once they clear you past basic med, they’ll schedule you for a day inside the RADiCAL, which will protect you from cosmic rays. The process left my hair standing on end for a week, but that was the worst of it. Bring a good book, drink plenty of water… They’ll tell you.  

Remember Jeremy Simms, the kid in the Junior Aerographers Society who kicked up all that dust last year at Ma'adim Vallis? He’s coming into his own, grew another 10 cm, and just pulled tenure junior with Science A.R.E.S., designing interactives. I like his work.

  Anyway, he’s shadowing me here at Cryosphere Operations, and we’ve been out to the dig three times when inspections take us that far. The first time, he wanted to climb the scaffold directly above the site and peer in, and I said no, so we sat on the hood of the car in silence, watching the union guys kick up dust, survey their lines, hunch over terminals.

  The second time, we both climbed the scaffold, lay on our bellies, and looked down, but saw nothing novel in the pale dry basalt. Some scrapings.  

The third time, we climbed up, bellied down, peered in, and the dig woke up.

  — It glowed mown grass! And gibbous moon! And orgasmic blush! And rocket fire!

The pit was a swimming pool of knowledge, an open, sparking brain. We watched the nanos taste the dig in four dimensions, caress its corners and its planes, sing the story home to seekers swimming here aboard the Hawking.

Coiling orange arms of nano snaked to sidewall honey chambers, eons cold, uncrawled. All was math and inner fire. We lay and watched a world unfold.

I didn’t dare. I didn’t dare; but Jeremy whispered into this, “Hello.”

— The nano world imploded, rushed to taste this new effect, and shot its findings wide in the beat of a flat stone’s splash. An eyeball, right beneath us, watched us, waited.

We tensed.

Then the site went dark.

We lay there, dazzled, naked to the stars. The scaffolding. Something about scaffolding. We were 10 meters up, silent, still, suspended over the dried out treasure of a long-dead world.

What would —

A flash, a swirl, and the dig filled with water, warmed Caribbean. To this a hundred neon carp fed in, schooling with their bodies an eager, kindly word: “Hello.” Hello, hello.

Hello swam to see us. It bobbed and rose to reach us.

— We reached to touch! Who wouldn’t! And the greeting startled, scattered, leaching fading neon echoes into barren, cold basalt.

Then all was math again, and fractal, and the nanos back to work.

 Ten meters down, an electric, lapping sea, eroding time.

Approaching orbit, a pulsing firefly’s Hello, are you here too?

And in our suits, a griddled pair of poltergeists, glowing hot and cold and organ-filled, digesting food and swathed in earthly gases. We got the hell out of there, laughing.
At Mon Jan 30, 01:04:00 AM, Amy said…

The cold is finally lifting. I think everything in NJ is more stubborn.

Foreign language clean-up is a good market, at least from what I have seen. I am familiar with one woman who reworks ESL/EFL pieces as her whole business. So absolutely, advertise! The world needs it desperately!!

Yeah, I was so-so about Night at the Museum. I am still trying to work out that dream. The strange thing is, that day I was thinking about Devil’s Tower (iconic Close Encounters, of course), and when I researched Teddy R. after the dream, it turns out that he was the pres. who made it a landmark. Didn’t know that consciously, but maybe my brain did. I think more likely I had been muddling over different national parks I would still like to visit, and so I thought of him in the dream. Have no idea where the coins came from. So odd.

Finished the paranormal young adult book on teen shifters and a school for them, à la X-Men. I turned down an offer on another fiction book. I need to take a breath.

I have a favorite tea room, next county over. Best scones around. I often get the high tea with the little sandwiches … crazy good. Rumor is they recently got in the same tea served at the royal wedding, but I never went to check it out.

Tell a different story. I like that. No, not easily.

***
[I see a post … will read and later respond!]
At Tue Jan 31, 12:45:00 AM, John said…

Turning away fiction, eh? Send some my way. I'm too much in the real world of late. Bleah. Well, it's all a construct of one sort or another.

Hi! Fantastic weather here. What happened to winter?

Returned to the gym, back on schedule there, three days running. That's what I do, principally: run. Ten minutes on the bike, 45 minutes running on the elliptical, two minutes on the stair climber. I work in crunches and planks, but I really try to avoid aggravating my back. (The thing is, such core-strengthening exercises, carefully managed, would protect my back. Must overcome this fear.)

I'd forgotten how much energy exercise liberates. I couldn't sleep last night, and will have a tough time settling in tonight, as well.

The night before last, or whenever it was, I took myself to see the new "Sherlock Holmes" movie. Nuh uh: no italics. Always nice to see Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law have a good time on screen, and Guy Ritchie's take on Prof. Moriarty was... novel (best movie villain since Hugo Weaving's Red Skull, though neither terrified on par with Christoph Waltz as Col. Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds, but puh-leeze.) Moriarty? Holmes? Really?

And if you plan to see it — by all means, enjoy — watch for Stephen Fry to pop up in a subtle turn of movie magic. :P

...

Let's see what I can dial in on the old musictrola....

"Heart of Glass" (Blondie) ...
"Atomic"
"Fade Away and Radiate"
"Sunday Girl"

Ah, that's the one. "Sunday Girl." Always loved that. Reminds me of the fruity scent and luscious sheen of high school girls' lips (pretty girls I was much too young for). Also bubble gum, the Welcome Back Kotter trading cards I was into, my school bus, space tape, Stretch Monster, filled with goo.

Hurry up, hurry up and wait
I say awake all week and still I wait
I got the blues, please come see
What your loving means to me
I got the blues...

"My Blanket & Me" (Bob Balaban) [You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown]
"The Times They Are A-Changing" (Bob Dylan) [Watchmen soundtrack]

Oh, I see, I'm sorting alfa by artist.

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly aging
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.

The way he stresses "aging..." Chills.

...and just to break it up, "Trailways Bus" (Paul Simon) [Songs from The Capeman]

A straightforward note. Happy to be alive, to have your imagined company. Listening to music. Playing one-man catch with a Nerf football: my go-to desk toy, my "thinking ball."

Feel like I drank a Styrofoam cup of espresso with my breakfast.

Ah! Ah! "New York" (Cat Power) [I'll make a brand new start of it...] She's cool. "It's up to yoooo, Newwww York." She really bends it.

.
.
.

Too much Cat Power.

Here we go. "The Babysitter's Here" (Dar Williams). Strong POV. Do you like Dar Williams' music?
At Tue Jan 31, 12:12:00 PM, Amy said…

Your words are full of energy! Put me in a much better mood today … all up and alive. Just what I needed. You sound happy, and I am happy. I imagine you will open the windows there today, breathe in the river view, rub a hand over the beard.

I guess I should try this espresso thing you keep mentioning. I have a love–hate relationship with coffee. I adore it (and its cousin, latte), but the acid and caffeine make me a bit loopy and stomachachey at times. So I suck it down in little decaf doses, usually. But now I want to try the little cup of fuel …

Glossy, fruity lips! I guess I better get used to hearing about things like that. ;) Teasing, teasing! Ah, the backward pull of music. What is space tape?

“Sail Away” The Rapture
“Resistance” Muse

Are you a Dr. Who fan? I have back episodes of the recent run from a friend (on videotape!!) and I am desperately trying to get into it, but so far I am struggling. Not sure how to proceed, or if I should.

Hmmm … should I see “Sherlock Holmes”? Hadn’t thought about it. I do like Jude Law as an actor most of the time. As a person, eh. Seems wonky. But I loved him in The Holiday (a “girl” movie I watch over and over), in which he is a book editor. That has Jack Black, too. I am in the mood to check out Bridesmaids, actually. I need a bit of fun and laughs.

“Times Like These” Foo Fighters

The gym!! Yea! I do need to join one again. And I need cute new sneakers for it. I promised myself to get back to something this year, even if it means my own bike. Your running and routine sound great. Do you listen to music during that? I used to do the bike for 30 to 45 min, then treadmill quick walk for 10 to 15 min, then the whole weight machine routine, then end with the ball / abs. Oh, the arms I had! Again, I say. Again I will.

Yes, I really, really like Dar. “When I Was a Boy” is one of my favorite pop/folk songs. Brings tears at times. I wish I had written that idea as a poem. She’s a true writer.

“Calamity Song” The Decemberists

Oh, what do I have to do now … umm, “Temperamental Differences in Children’s Reactions to Peer Victimization.” Okay.

Wasn’t there a Poe movie coming with John Cusack? What happened with that? Oh, April 27 now. Just checked. More waiting.
At Wed Feb 01, 12:25:00 AM, John said…

Hi!

Oy, what a day.That's all I'll say about that. Plus my gym is kaput. Lost its lease over rent owed Home Depot. The gym literally, and I never sully myself with literally; but they literally only charged $9.95 a month. It was a huge, major gym. Raise the prices, we begged them! But no.

So my last day ever at this gym was bittersweet. I'll write about the scene sometime. The important thing was that I ran an hour, to see if I could. I also ran without the headphones, as I wanted to hear every single ambient thing I could hear and honor it.

Before that... Picked up four used books to ... not cheer myself, as I'm not uncheered, but ... well, one doesn't need a reason to pick up four used books. I bought them at Raven Used Books in Greenfield, Mass., between 5:05 and 5:20 p.m.

In no particular order, they are:

1. The Marx Brothers, Taschen, 2007, $4.98 [No, this was meant to cheer me, and does. Desk ref.]

B. Working by Studs Turkhill, 589 pages, $6.98 [I've always wanted to read this]

III. "Descriptionary Third" Edition, a Thematic Dictionary, written by Mark McCutcheon. ($6.50.) [Figured what the hell, it had interesting facts in it.]

Fourth, The Art of Non Fiction, by Miss Anye Rand. $7.00. [She had me at, "By the way, do not confuse clarity and precision."]

I'm gonna shut down early tonight. That should tell you. Just wanna cozy down. Saving your latest note for tomorrow.

I was a Doctor Who fan back in the day. I keep hearing good things about the reboot.

Hey, incidentally...

.
.
.
.

Might we move the party over to a new blog post, or, dare I say, e-mail? This is a far haul to keep scrolling down the o'l smartphone screen, when I check in with that.

Happy February!
At Wed Feb 01, 01:34:00 PM, Amy said…

I hear ya. Pick another blog posting to continue on here. Easier on the scroll fingers.

Illumination: The Fyrefly Jar Weblog

Monday, November 07, 2011

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