Just can't find anymore decent fantasy fiction. But i should say, low tech setting with mysticism instead of "fantasy fiction" perhaps. So sick of reading bad fantasy fiction that I'm going back to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The Hobbit was very much a story for children. LOTR though is also still very child oriented actually. Love the level of detail and just showing normal life in the Shire before the quest starts. Reminds me of Mel Gibson's Apoptaliptica (sp). Made one care about the slaugther a bit by spending some real time showing the tribe happy in the beginning. Who cares otherwise? And usually not enough time is put into this.

Then of course there's Rothfuss giving LOTR as an example of too much detail about the setting. (sigh). I wonder if LOTR would even get published today?

Anyway, there's also just a nostalgia attached to LOTR such that reading it is enjoyable. And i wonder, why virtually no one has written more stories that have hobbits? Dwarves and elves are OK but not hobbits?

Little silly but I ordered a map of Tolkien's Middle Earth. Eh. GRR Martin's Westoros too. What the hell. The HBO show is done surprisingly well.

Moderate to hard intensity runs. Logged on Garmin.

Otherwise what to say that matters?

It's still the last instant of the world. I start a new job tomorrow. Looks like my new bosses/coworkers are more intelligent. Although old job was pretty good. Biggest complaint was just that coworkers were a bit boring. This new job though ought to be better... 10 hour days instead of 14 hour ones. Research!! Chance to play the cello daily. Possibly go running more often.

I'm running a half marathon next saturday. Worried I haven't properly prepared.

My health is wonderful. Sleeping well. Lots of energy. Joints feel good. (Excepting aches and pains that go along with running.)
Loving the hot weather. Now have a second frog in the pond. Water lilly looks like it's going to be huge this year. Ravenous fish though are eating the hyacinths and I don't want to put so much food in this year like I did last year. Can't have the fish multiplying every year like they did last year. Just won't have many floating plants I guess.

Thinking I should start some new creative hobby. No one would listen to my music. (Although I'm possibly going to work on improving gear still, maybe eventually will record more music.) But as no one could be bothered to give 5 minutes to listen, it makes it pretty hard to bother writing. Was thinking of drawing/painting. Thing that holds me back on that is that I've so rarely seen anything done by anyone else that I considered worthwhile. Ordered a Beksinski book though.

running is on garmin thus not here.

Started kol nidre on cello.

Less than two weeks till new job that is 5 8 hour days instead of 3 12+ hour days. Hoping this will be better for me. Hope my cello playing improves. Running too, though I'm less hopeful on that. Right now wish I hadn't entered a half marathon as I feel too slow to bother with that distance. But, shall do "omega training" starting 5 days out, hopefully. (Unless fertility stuff coincides.) And the effects of that for longer distances will be interesting to see. Worried I'll run really abnormally fast, but then be incredibly sore/tired and make a bad first impression in new job.

Recently partly read some book, Bachiyr (33AD) by David McAfee, about vampires plotting to kill Jesus. Has a lot of nice elements. Not a christian but the idea of a really good person getting horribly killed long ago, is somehow very compelling. Always liked Paar Lagerkvist's Barrabas. This though is written so just damm stupidly that it's almost kind of blasphemous.

Also a collection of short stories on Kindle, don't have it with me now, about fantasy preTolkien. First story about elves, which strongly highlighted the theme of verdancy, something I hadn't seen any other writing do. But, it makes strong sense. And reminds me of myself and all my seed sprouting, etc. Currently have pots hanging from the wisteria trellis. Planted more ribbon grass. Bought another wisteria, etc.

4 days left in current job, thank you that it's over. Yesterday was pretty insane. The AMA idiot at the end was almost too much. Definitely can drop the optimism bias about this job now. Thank some magical higher power that it's over.

More steady state runs of at least 6 miles. Have half marathon in less than a month. Today did 6 miles in steady 52:54. Could have gone faster but maybe not a lot. Only did 22 miles this week in 4 running days. Need to do longer runs. Next week hopefully will do a few 7 milers. But just not interested in 10 minute miles so probably neglecting the longer runs.