Had a 4.8 extreme hill run that I didn't finish followed by at 51:09 and I think it's because I was easing up on the bike. Quit standing. Also really thought a bit about it and it seems it's just too hilly. So today I ran instead a relatively flat 3 mile course in 26:40. Which is a PR for the last 15 years. And hopefully only for a week or so.
Life is better without caffeine by the way. Thinking lately about how I need dreams to hold on to. Somehow, someway, even if they're vague, even if they maybe can't stand much scrutiny. Dreams of being good at suduko I guess. But I need a few more suduko type games. Writing fiction. Standing to write of injustice. (Must remember... though I don't want to type. Possibly something original with music that would cost money....)
Monday, February 21, 2011
The Sinners of Erspia by Barrington Bayley
What is it called when a story is about quickly traveling from world to world? I thought "Space Opera" but although this story could be defined as space opera, it's really just a vague term for sci-fi that is somewhat simplistic. Which is to say, most of it.
Bayley is a "man of ideas". No hero with an ace. No overriding sense of injustice. Not much mystery. Although finding this Klystar actually does keep this going.
Here we hop from mini Klystar planet to planet, a few maybe not sufficiently explored. This book does have tons of sex. Way more so than I thought ever got published in sci-fi back in the day. Maybe it was published fairly recently although except for the sex it reads like it could have been published many decades past. From interviews Bayley says he hasn't managed to get published in a decade and that the life of most (sci-fi/fantasy) authors is about ten years. Maybe that's what he refers to, that his style is dated now, and he can't get published anymore....
Unusual book. Has rape and murder and graphic torture yet manages to be lighthearted. Lacks seriousness. Maybe purposely so? To manage to get in the rape, etc, caused by the Ahriman bad thought projections?
Some basic ideas about mankind's general stupidity, about how we're really only half conscious. Told in third person. I think I prefer first.
I think this sort of book could be fun to write. Key is not being too serious though. In the past I toyed with ideas that were similar to this but I tried to keep them serious. Pulling off a very serious version is not easy. The idea is to just quickly roam through many different type societies. A space ship is an easy vehicle to manage it. Vance though did it in Tschai without a ship, and was even very serious. Better to start attempting something like Bayley did or Vonnegut.
What is it called when a story is about quickly traveling from world to world? I thought "Space Opera" but although this story could be defined as space opera, it's really just a vague term for sci-fi that is somewhat simplistic. Which is to say, most of it.
Bayley is a "man of ideas". No hero with an ace. No overriding sense of injustice. Not much mystery. Although finding this Klystar actually does keep this going.
Here we hop from mini Klystar planet to planet, a few maybe not sufficiently explored. This book does have tons of sex. Way more so than I thought ever got published in sci-fi back in the day. Maybe it was published fairly recently although except for the sex it reads like it could have been published many decades past. From interviews Bayley says he hasn't managed to get published in a decade and that the life of most (sci-fi/fantasy) authors is about ten years. Maybe that's what he refers to, that his style is dated now, and he can't get published anymore....
Unusual book. Has rape and murder and graphic torture yet manages to be lighthearted. Lacks seriousness. Maybe purposely so? To manage to get in the rape, etc, caused by the Ahriman bad thought projections?
Some basic ideas about mankind's general stupidity, about how we're really only half conscious. Told in third person. I think I prefer first.
I think this sort of book could be fun to write. Key is not being too serious though. In the past I toyed with ideas that were similar to this but I tried to keep them serious. Pulling off a very serious version is not easy. The idea is to just quickly roam through many different type societies. A space ship is an easy vehicle to manage it. Vance though did it in Tschai without a ship, and was even very serious. Better to start attempting something like Bayley did or Vonnegut.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Into the Labyrinth by Tracy Hickman and Margeret Weis
Long ago, more than a decade, maybe not quite two, I read some of the earlier books of this ..I guess seven part series. I really liked Alfred the Sartan, because he had such a hidden ace up his sleeve. And yet he was dismissed as an incompetent idiot (subject to great injustice). That's what it's all generally about. That made up for the negatives for the most part. Years later I come back for the heck of it to I think book six. Same sort of stuff I guess.
Negatives are that just about everyone is a blundering idiot. But then that usually is the real fantasy part about fantasy fiction. There are dragons also and that sort of thing. Blundering idiots and few characters with hidden aces. Not really enough feeling of injustice though here in book six. Skimming through the final book now. Meh.
The book just isn't very consistent. I recall at the very beginning it didn't feel quite so lightweight as Hugh the Hand was being taken to be executed. But ultimately as we spend time with the main villain (Xar) it's really just a silly bunch of books. How does one make evil that isn't ridiculous anyway? Not so easy. Imagine writing about George Bush and Dick Cheney... Horrifically dark and not remotely something to escape to, or just ridiculous. Perhaps Terry Prachett has the right idea.
Long ago, more than a decade, maybe not quite two, I read some of the earlier books of this ..I guess seven part series. I really liked Alfred the Sartan, because he had such a hidden ace up his sleeve. And yet he was dismissed as an incompetent idiot (subject to great injustice). That's what it's all generally about. That made up for the negatives for the most part. Years later I come back for the heck of it to I think book six. Same sort of stuff I guess.
Negatives are that just about everyone is a blundering idiot. But then that usually is the real fantasy part about fantasy fiction. There are dragons also and that sort of thing. Blundering idiots and few characters with hidden aces. Not really enough feeling of injustice though here in book six. Skimming through the final book now. Meh.
The book just isn't very consistent. I recall at the very beginning it didn't feel quite so lightweight as Hugh the Hand was being taken to be executed. But ultimately as we spend time with the main villain (Xar) it's really just a silly bunch of books. How does one make evil that isn't ridiculous anyway? Not so easy. Imagine writing about George Bush and Dick Cheney... Horrifically dark and not remotely something to escape to, or just ridiculous. Perhaps Terry Prachett has the right idea.
I'm writing up a research paper for a research group I'm on. I did up the first draft and got feedback from the rest of the group about it. I'm the only man on the team. It's me and around ten or so women. And all the women are managers, etc. I'm the lowest ranking person. There was one other woman who ranked as low as me but she just got promoted.
I don't think I'm going to get promoted anytime soon...? Kind of hope not. I think my people skills maybe aren't good enough. (Either because of the father I had, or how much of a dreamer I am, or just how much extreme stuff I've been through, I ultimately don't relate quite well enough, somehow.... There is also the fact I'm the only man.) But then this women who just got promoted sits in these research meetings and never says anything, while I've mostly carried the project so far and spend more time giving my opinion than most managers.
Which is a little dangerous of course. The underlings are somewhat expected to keep their mouths shut and be yesman in any corporate structure. But perhaps not too horribly so, in this particular structure. I think the people are generally very happy with my input and work. I do disagree with managers regularly. I worry a bit about doing so. Ideally, it's what I should be doing. If my managers are any good it's what they should want me to be doing. But such "ideal behavior" at times hasn't worked out for me in the past. And I'm definitely tempering it a bit more these days than I once did. Ultimately though I've always felt extreme disgust for the yesman. Those who obey authority even when they know it's wrong. Those of the Milgram shock experiment. The "good germans", etc. And so, so many people I've known in my own personal experience.
Anyway a few people suggested changes to the paper that I could have expected well enough. Really I figured it was just a first draft. But I must say making the expected changes to make it read more like other published work, will actually make it not as good of a paper in terms of actually imparting information to the reader. What I mean to say is the established writing form isn't entirely rational. And that ultimately I'm a bad writer because I try to follow the rational instead of just following the crowd. And I suppose I'll always be a bad writer for this reason. (Although the Finnish papers I read were far more rational, but I'm expected to follow the American ones...)
And then furthermore, despite my endless reading and endless attempts to write, I'll never be anything special at it. For example, I don't see the point in avoiding a repetitious structure when starting a new paragraph that explains yet another person's previous work. You make it harder to follow if with each chapter you switch things around, yet I know that's what I'm supposed to do. Same thing in that I don't think a different word/adjective should be used when you refer over and over to the same thing. Again, just brings potential pointless confusion. Finally I want to start out with a very very brief introduction of all the potential benefits of the practice change we want to make before jumping into the particulars. This way the reader sees all of them, right in one paragraph. All together, very easily compiled.
But no, that's just not how it's done. So I'll have to break that up into at least three paragraphs and make them not as brief and make it a bit harder for the reader to quickly get information from it.
So this first draft was very easy to understand, I have to now go back and make it less easy to understand and instead more like other people's papers.
So today I sit, still sick with the flu, trying to do this. And it's harder for me than it might be for another, because I'm not just copying the accepted normal way. I'm caught between doing it in what ought to be the right way, and doing it the accepted way. Trying to figure how far can I push it towards the right way. Probably not very far actually.
And this is what it's like, again and again, reiventing everything, because actually most things really don't work that well. It's a bit of a pain in the ass today. And if you carry it all the way, it makes life hell. It leaves one in torment. Take it all the way, and good luck functioning in the actual world at all.
"...there are people who are dead-alive, people who are alive-alive. The dead-alive also write, walk, speak, act. But they make no mistakes, and they produce only dead things. The alive-alive are constantly in error, in search, in questions, in torment." Yevgeny Zamyatin
It is so much better than my time working as an engineer/scientist though. There is absolutely zero tolerance for any originality whatsoever in that massive field. You have more freedom of speech and are less compelled to kiss ass in the military.
I don't think I'm going to get promoted anytime soon...? Kind of hope not. I think my people skills maybe aren't good enough. (Either because of the father I had, or how much of a dreamer I am, or just how much extreme stuff I've been through, I ultimately don't relate quite well enough, somehow.... There is also the fact I'm the only man.) But then this women who just got promoted sits in these research meetings and never says anything, while I've mostly carried the project so far and spend more time giving my opinion than most managers.
Which is a little dangerous of course. The underlings are somewhat expected to keep their mouths shut and be yesman in any corporate structure. But perhaps not too horribly so, in this particular structure. I think the people are generally very happy with my input and work. I do disagree with managers regularly. I worry a bit about doing so. Ideally, it's what I should be doing. If my managers are any good it's what they should want me to be doing. But such "ideal behavior" at times hasn't worked out for me in the past. And I'm definitely tempering it a bit more these days than I once did. Ultimately though I've always felt extreme disgust for the yesman. Those who obey authority even when they know it's wrong. Those of the Milgram shock experiment. The "good germans", etc. And so, so many people I've known in my own personal experience.
Anyway a few people suggested changes to the paper that I could have expected well enough. Really I figured it was just a first draft. But I must say making the expected changes to make it read more like other published work, will actually make it not as good of a paper in terms of actually imparting information to the reader. What I mean to say is the established writing form isn't entirely rational. And that ultimately I'm a bad writer because I try to follow the rational instead of just following the crowd. And I suppose I'll always be a bad writer for this reason. (Although the Finnish papers I read were far more rational, but I'm expected to follow the American ones...)
And then furthermore, despite my endless reading and endless attempts to write, I'll never be anything special at it. For example, I don't see the point in avoiding a repetitious structure when starting a new paragraph that explains yet another person's previous work. You make it harder to follow if with each chapter you switch things around, yet I know that's what I'm supposed to do. Same thing in that I don't think a different word/adjective should be used when you refer over and over to the same thing. Again, just brings potential pointless confusion. Finally I want to start out with a very very brief introduction of all the potential benefits of the practice change we want to make before jumping into the particulars. This way the reader sees all of them, right in one paragraph. All together, very easily compiled.
But no, that's just not how it's done. So I'll have to break that up into at least three paragraphs and make them not as brief and make it a bit harder for the reader to quickly get information from it.
So this first draft was very easy to understand, I have to now go back and make it less easy to understand and instead more like other people's papers.
So today I sit, still sick with the flu, trying to do this. And it's harder for me than it might be for another, because I'm not just copying the accepted normal way. I'm caught between doing it in what ought to be the right way, and doing it the accepted way. Trying to figure how far can I push it towards the right way. Probably not very far actually.
And this is what it's like, again and again, reiventing everything, because actually most things really don't work that well. It's a bit of a pain in the ass today. And if you carry it all the way, it makes life hell. It leaves one in torment. Take it all the way, and good luck functioning in the actual world at all.
"...there are people who are dead-alive, people who are alive-alive. The dead-alive also write, walk, speak, act. But they make no mistakes, and they produce only dead things. The alive-alive are constantly in error, in search, in questions, in torment." Yevgeny Zamyatin
It is so much better than my time working as an engineer/scientist though. There is absolutely zero tolerance for any originality whatsoever in that massive field. You have more freedom of speech and are less compelled to kiss ass in the military.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
The Krisiloff Diet by Milton Krisiloff
You have to buy the book to find out what the diet is. I bought it for my dad as this is a diet to alleviate urology issues. The diet is:
Avoid all caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods.
That's it. But he won't just tell you that for free. You've got to buy his damm book. The rest of this thin book is anecdotal stories of people who got better when they followed the diet. He also calls it the anti-inflammation diet. I wonder if he means that in the same way that is used concerning histamine and omega 3's. I doubt he's got an answer. The man's understanding is a tad on the crude side. Seems like being a urologist would be somewhat of a cushy (although depressing) job. I had previously though there was a correlation between fatty, animal based foods and prostate issues. Still do, actually. Although avoiding caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods may be a good idea, this book is still a bit close to the simplistic magic pill mindset which medicine seems to have fallen to.
You have to buy the book to find out what the diet is. I bought it for my dad as this is a diet to alleviate urology issues. The diet is:
Avoid all caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods.
That's it. But he won't just tell you that for free. You've got to buy his damm book. The rest of this thin book is anecdotal stories of people who got better when they followed the diet. He also calls it the anti-inflammation diet. I wonder if he means that in the same way that is used concerning histamine and omega 3's. I doubt he's got an answer. The man's understanding is a tad on the crude side. Seems like being a urologist would be somewhat of a cushy (although depressing) job. I had previously though there was a correlation between fatty, animal based foods and prostate issues. Still do, actually. Although avoiding caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods may be a good idea, this book is still a bit close to the simplistic magic pill mindset which medicine seems to have fallen to.
Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America's #1 Drug by Stephen Cherniske
It occurs to me that back when I was having heart palpitations I was drinking a ton of tea. It was half and half black and green tea. I thought the green tea was healthy for me. But I was probably knocking down 4 or 5 glasses day. Which actually had around 50 milligrams of caffeine each. Along with a cup or two of coffee at work. (200 to 400 milligrams more.) Plus all the damm chocolate I was eating.
I think it was the caffeine actually that caused my heart issue.
This book goes into all kinds of issues that caffeine causes even at the level of one or so cup of coffee a day. Along with the heart palpitations what was highly personally relevant was the effect caffeine has on stress. It amplifies all stress. My job is already so stressful. So I quit caffeine at least three weeks ago, and I really do feel less stress as a result.
Other issues, constipation. I was increasingly feeling constipated. Meaning I was having to push. Which is not a good thing. Would eventually lead to hemmorhoids which I'd rather not get.
So many other issues. Increased allergies. Within a year of starting coffee, eating peanuts started triggering a cluster headache. Of course lots of caffeine causes headaches also.
Sleep issues. Kept waking up, wide awake at 3 or 4 am. I seem to be keeping my sleepiness somewhat better now...
And it turns out each month on caffeine significantly decreases chances of getting pregnant. (Just a single cup of coffee causes a significant decrease!) So wife is quitting caffeine now also. I have to go today in search of teeccino for her.
Many other issues. I had considered listing them all. But to do so would just be for other people's benefit. And people generally just don't listen.
I really feel so much damm better though mentally. I can't say it's all just the lack of caffeine. But getting rid of it, combined with other issues has got me about as good as I've been. (Although it's the worst time of the year weatherwise.)
It occurs to me that back when I was having heart palpitations I was drinking a ton of tea. It was half and half black and green tea. I thought the green tea was healthy for me. But I was probably knocking down 4 or 5 glasses day. Which actually had around 50 milligrams of caffeine each. Along with a cup or two of coffee at work. (200 to 400 milligrams more.) Plus all the damm chocolate I was eating.
I think it was the caffeine actually that caused my heart issue.
This book goes into all kinds of issues that caffeine causes even at the level of one or so cup of coffee a day. Along with the heart palpitations what was highly personally relevant was the effect caffeine has on stress. It amplifies all stress. My job is already so stressful. So I quit caffeine at least three weeks ago, and I really do feel less stress as a result.
Other issues, constipation. I was increasingly feeling constipated. Meaning I was having to push. Which is not a good thing. Would eventually lead to hemmorhoids which I'd rather not get.
So many other issues. Increased allergies. Within a year of starting coffee, eating peanuts started triggering a cluster headache. Of course lots of caffeine causes headaches also.
Sleep issues. Kept waking up, wide awake at 3 or 4 am. I seem to be keeping my sleepiness somewhat better now...
And it turns out each month on caffeine significantly decreases chances of getting pregnant. (Just a single cup of coffee causes a significant decrease!) So wife is quitting caffeine now also. I have to go today in search of teeccino for her.
Many other issues. I had considered listing them all. But to do so would just be for other people's benefit. And people generally just don't listen.
I really feel so much damm better though mentally. I can't say it's all just the lack of caffeine. But getting rid of it, combined with other issues has got me about as good as I've been. (Although it's the worst time of the year weatherwise.)
I decided to just do a 4.8 mile run outside twice a week for now. Switching away from the treadmill because it occurred to me the extra padding may be messing up my running form much like the argument in favor of vibrams. That twice a week and then also 30 minutes twice a week on the exercise bike (cross training). So, similar then to powerrunning. The run is extremely hilly. Maybe a bit too hilly. But it breaks up the monotony, sort of like a roller coaster. First three runs were 57, 53, and 52 minutes. Trying to stay off my heels and I guess the second run was so much faster than the first that my calves got extremely sore. Too sore. Still very sore here for the third run which I tried to slow down on. Tried to go especially slow down the hills. Still, surprisingly, went faster.
I had done something similar years ago with good success except I kept going farther and farther and running a different route each time. 10+ mile runs. Finally hitting a very long hill 5 miles from home that destroyed my calves. Then hobbling 5 milees home. The pain caused me to give it up. This time, trying to be a bit more reasonable. Just a 4.8 mile run and the same route each time.
I had done something similar years ago with good success except I kept going farther and farther and running a different route each time. 10+ mile runs. Finally hitting a very long hill 5 miles from home that destroyed my calves. Then hobbling 5 milees home. The pain caused me to give it up. This time, trying to be a bit more reasonable. Just a 4.8 mile run and the same route each time.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Singer from the Sea, The Fresco, Grass by Sheri Tepper
None as good as The Gate to Women's Country.
Singer from the Sea was weak in that I never felt close to the heroine. Despite being a women in a society that treated women like nothing, she still felt very light. Didn't seem to be enough exploration of any fear, etc she must have felt. Also the world felt a little too light. A little too unlikely also. The evil powers seemed a bit too stupid. Although probably no dumber than George W. Bush.
There was something like the ancient greek play here from Women's Country, in the Myth of the Singer. Suggestive of Tepper following something of a formula. All in all this one just wasn't quite good enough to be worth the time.
The Fresco was a bit better. I was drawn in strongly in the beginning. The world was very real (our world). The heroine was also very real. Much better than in Singer from the Sea. But then once the main plot really got started, the heroine again became a bit light. And it became quite similar to Singer. The aliens were certainly well thought out. Tepper is very intelligent. Very wise. The setting sort of disappeared as the plot got going though. The evil people again were simplistic. But perhaps real evil is. This was sort of a feel good fantasy novel. Bordered on silly, really.
Grass. Thanks to a kindle sample I realized I read this long ago. I remembered the "hound" staring at her. Don't remember a lot though. Just that it's another absurd society unquestioning of harmful, silly social traditions.
I do think highly of Tepper though. Hard to say what more I want here. There is strong questioning of social norms. There are societies with alternative norms. I don't know. I've very little in the way of insights here. I think the mormon bigamists society in Women's Country has stuck with me the most. That book in general was far better than these three. Perhaps what was strongest to me in The Fresco was the idea that some people live like they really don't care if they live and like they kind of really want to drag you down with them.
In The Fresco, the heroine had no ace up her sleeve. Nor really in Gate to Women's Country. She did in Singer from the Sea but this fact was partially hidden from the audience. So Tepper's novels lack in this regard for me. They all suffer injustice but the injustice feels too light for my taste. I want the extreme dystopian anguish of Drizzt and that sort of ace also, that the audience is pretty well aware, Tepper only hints. Tepper leaves a lot of mystery, lots of bare hints, which is mostly OK, but not when it comes to the ace. Also sometimes she withholds in a clunky fasion.
None as good as The Gate to Women's Country.
Singer from the Sea was weak in that I never felt close to the heroine. Despite being a women in a society that treated women like nothing, she still felt very light. Didn't seem to be enough exploration of any fear, etc she must have felt. Also the world felt a little too light. A little too unlikely also. The evil powers seemed a bit too stupid. Although probably no dumber than George W. Bush.
There was something like the ancient greek play here from Women's Country, in the Myth of the Singer. Suggestive of Tepper following something of a formula. All in all this one just wasn't quite good enough to be worth the time.
The Fresco was a bit better. I was drawn in strongly in the beginning. The world was very real (our world). The heroine was also very real. Much better than in Singer from the Sea. But then once the main plot really got started, the heroine again became a bit light. And it became quite similar to Singer. The aliens were certainly well thought out. Tepper is very intelligent. Very wise. The setting sort of disappeared as the plot got going though. The evil people again were simplistic. But perhaps real evil is. This was sort of a feel good fantasy novel. Bordered on silly, really.
Grass. Thanks to a kindle sample I realized I read this long ago. I remembered the "hound" staring at her. Don't remember a lot though. Just that it's another absurd society unquestioning of harmful, silly social traditions.
I do think highly of Tepper though. Hard to say what more I want here. There is strong questioning of social norms. There are societies with alternative norms. I don't know. I've very little in the way of insights here. I think the mormon bigamists society in Women's Country has stuck with me the most. That book in general was far better than these three. Perhaps what was strongest to me in The Fresco was the idea that some people live like they really don't care if they live and like they kind of really want to drag you down with them.
In The Fresco, the heroine had no ace up her sleeve. Nor really in Gate to Women's Country. She did in Singer from the Sea but this fact was partially hidden from the audience. So Tepper's novels lack in this regard for me. They all suffer injustice but the injustice feels too light for my taste. I want the extreme dystopian anguish of Drizzt and that sort of ace also, that the audience is pretty well aware, Tepper only hints. Tepper leaves a lot of mystery, lots of bare hints, which is mostly OK, but not when it comes to the ace. Also sometimes she withholds in a clunky fasion.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
"...there are people who are dead-alive, people who are alive-alive. The dead-alive also write, walk, speak, act. But they make no mistakes, and they produce only dead things. The alive-alive are constantly in error, in search, in questions, in torment." Yevgeny Zamyatin
"True literature can exist only where it is created, not by diligent and trustworthy functionaries, but by madmen, hermits, heretics, dreamers, rebels and skeptics." Zamyatin
"True literature can exist only where it is created, not by diligent and trustworthy functionaries, but by madmen, hermits, heretics, dreamers, rebels and skeptics." Zamyatin
The Oldest Living Vampire (volume 1 and 2) by Rod Reduxxx
With the recent vampire craze plus the author's name which sounds suspiciously like a pyseudonym(sp), I expected this was something pulpish churned out by someone embarrassed to see it under their real name. But no matter, it's really quite good. Almost as good as some of Anne Rice's older stuff. Like her Interview with a Vampire, which was actually written in 1973.
I enjoyed the first book very much in that it had hardly anything to do with what one would expect from a vampire book and was more like Clan of the Cavebear. The hero marries a neanderthal even. We have alterior social norms and it's there for people to question our own in comparison. Nice but very short book.
The negative of book two was that all of book one is summarized in it, despite it having been so short, also summarized somewhat awkwardly. There is a pretty graphic description of repeated rape, but I think it's good for it to be there. Main negative is just that it's too short.
But all in all, pretty good stuff. As good as Rice, really. Better than the more teenage romance vampire stuff currently popular. I like the fictitious look at prehistoric times. Just too short.
With the recent vampire craze plus the author's name which sounds suspiciously like a pyseudonym(sp), I expected this was something pulpish churned out by someone embarrassed to see it under their real name. But no matter, it's really quite good. Almost as good as some of Anne Rice's older stuff. Like her Interview with a Vampire, which was actually written in 1973.
I enjoyed the first book very much in that it had hardly anything to do with what one would expect from a vampire book and was more like Clan of the Cavebear. The hero marries a neanderthal even. We have alterior social norms and it's there for people to question our own in comparison. Nice but very short book.
The negative of book two was that all of book one is summarized in it, despite it having been so short, also summarized somewhat awkwardly. There is a pretty graphic description of repeated rape, but I think it's good for it to be there. Main negative is just that it's too short.
But all in all, pretty good stuff. As good as Rice, really. Better than the more teenage romance vampire stuff currently popular. I like the fictitious look at prehistoric times. Just too short.
My cello teacher says I suddenly seem to have gone up a level. I have suddenly improved it seems. I think because I spent the last two weeks always playing with a drone and beat. Furthermore taking care to raise my bow on the bridge on the G and C string. And lower it in second and fourth position. And also making sure I take full bowstrokes.
Her compliment yesterday was such good positive reinforcement that I'm about to practice for the second time today, something I don't think I've ever done before. Really want to drill home some scalework.
I must say though as hard as it is drilling into me the 12 tone scale, I hesitate to ever move to alternate scales on the cello. Also haven't bothered to write any music in a long time. But have listened to my old stuff now and then and I'm generally pleasantly surprised at how good it sounds. The complete indifference everything I ever wrote really was a hugely negative effect on me. Now though I have the 25 CD changer with a song of mine randomly thrown it. And really for the most part sounding really good. Often sounding better than some famous stuff, IMO.
Her compliment yesterday was such good positive reinforcement that I'm about to practice for the second time today, something I don't think I've ever done before. Really want to drill home some scalework.
I must say though as hard as it is drilling into me the 12 tone scale, I hesitate to ever move to alternate scales on the cello. Also haven't bothered to write any music in a long time. But have listened to my old stuff now and then and I'm generally pleasantly surprised at how good it sounds. The complete indifference everything I ever wrote really was a hugely negative effect on me. Now though I have the 25 CD changer with a song of mine randomly thrown it. And really for the most part sounding really good. Often sounding better than some famous stuff, IMO.
1. I feel better when I stay away from caffeine. (coffee, chocolate and tea.) In some ways it a very slight thing that's hard to put a finger on. In other ways it's more obvious. Basically all stress is amped up. So the slight stress I might fall into at home is amplified. And the large stress at work is amplified along the same scale. The work stress is obvious. But eating chocolate (and perhaps sugar also) (and coffee/tea) seems to ruin my enjoyment of my days off also.
2. I shouldn't do any given exercise two days in a row. From powerrunning.com we see that running three times a week worked better. My own experience so far has found that once every 4 days worked best of all. Definitely though two days in a row is just a waste.
3. Similar to the thinking behind vibrams, running on a treadmill seems to teach me bad running form resulting in knee pain. (Maybe).
4. I don't feel quite as good if I eat wheat. It's like glue. Not just in my intestinal tract. I just feel less like moving. Groggy.
5. I have to eat green vegetables everyday. Helps me sleep and avoid ever catching a cold. But perhaps more than peas and green beans. Need brocoli and brussel sprouts.
6. Never exercise the day before switching over to working a 12 hour night shift.
7. Keep exercise in a comfortable zone. Was thinking of the term "ethereal exercise". But before the kindle I had the definition of 'ethereal' a little off.
8. Find a way to ensure adequate vitamin D in the winter. God I hate winter. Wish I had a greenhouse at least.
9. Stretch.
10. Avoid spicy foods.
2. I shouldn't do any given exercise two days in a row. From powerrunning.com we see that running three times a week worked better. My own experience so far has found that once every 4 days worked best of all. Definitely though two days in a row is just a waste.
3. Similar to the thinking behind vibrams, running on a treadmill seems to teach me bad running form resulting in knee pain. (Maybe).
4. I don't feel quite as good if I eat wheat. It's like glue. Not just in my intestinal tract. I just feel less like moving. Groggy.
5. I have to eat green vegetables everyday. Helps me sleep and avoid ever catching a cold. But perhaps more than peas and green beans. Need brocoli and brussel sprouts.
6. Never exercise the day before switching over to working a 12 hour night shift.
7. Keep exercise in a comfortable zone. Was thinking of the term "ethereal exercise". But before the kindle I had the definition of 'ethereal' a little off.
8. Find a way to ensure adequate vitamin D in the winter. God I hate winter. Wish I had a greenhouse at least.
9. Stretch.
10. Avoid spicy foods.
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