Saturday November 15 (more) to Sunday November 23, 2014
Saturday 11/15/14: Forgot to include: Reading by Jason D. Wittman at DreamHaven Books.
I won a prize: a DVD of Planet of the Cats and Revenge of the Mice. Err, Cat People and Curse of the Cat People.
***Thursday 11/20/14 From Lee Gold: "Sunday 11/16/14. World and Future Building MinnSpec meetup at Black: Coffee and Waffles. It worked well, despite my poor planning. (I thought Black would be uncrowded on Sunday. Figured about 5 people would attend, and there were about 13. Acoustics rather less favorable than I realized.)
"It devolved into several conversation groups.
"Note: Black has black coffee, but doesn't seem to have black waffles."
Blackberry syrup? (I may suggest that, but it's only a partial fix.)
"Wednesday 11/19/14. -'Cold Weather Hits All of US,'- Star Tribune story listing, front page.
"So, how well did Honolulu do at snow removal?"
Los Angeles didn't have any snow either.
Or any special cold weather last night.
***Friday 11/21/14: Outdoor Adventure Expo at Midwest Mountaineering. Earned one raffle ticket, entered one prize drawing. Picked up swag, including a device originally designed for cleaning horses' hooves and repurposed for cleaning camping footwear and other equipment.
At a sled dog table, petted a puppy not old enough to pull a sled (nine weeks.) At the "adopt a Siberian Husky" booth, petted a full-grown husky.
***Sunday 11/23/14: Back to the Expo. Attended presentation on Croatia and Slovenia, by someone who conducts tours there. I visited Croatia, back when it was part of Yugoslavia. The presenter's taste was somewhat different from mine. (Not unexpected; he warned the audience about taste differences when he began speaking and showing slides.)
***Bought an exercise device: a thick rubber ring meant for developing hand, finger, and forearm strength and for stress relief.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Thursday, November 20, 2014
November 16-19 2014.
Sunday 11/16/14. World and Future Building MinnSpec meetup at Black: Coffee and Waffles. It worked well, despite my poor planning. (I thought Black would be uncrowded on Sunday. Figured about 5 people would attend, and there were about 13. Acoustics rather less favorable than I realized.)
It devolved into several conversation groups.
Note: Black has black coffee, but doesn't seem to have black waffles.
**(Monday 11/17/14. At the Wedge Coop, a toddler and I pretended to menace each other.
Wednesday 11/19/14. -"Cold Weather Hits All of US,"- Star Tribune story listing, front page.
So, how well did Honolulu do at snow removal?
***Decision: Use much more description in writing. Synesthetic, straight sensory, emotional. Starting in January; in fiction, nonfiction, this journal.
Why not start right away? I'm scared.
***At Walker Library, I took out: Richard Kadry, The Getaway God. -"My name is Death. And it appears that I have been murdered."- That's the most interesting passage; unfortunately, it's a teaser for the next in the series.
The nasty old gods who God stole the universe from want to take it back. Which means everyone on Earth, in Heaven, and in Hell will die. Their supporters and opponents include humans, angels, demons, vampires, and four of the five persons God has split into. (The fifth is dead.)
Moderately good story. There's too much background detail explained rather than shown, and too many wisecracks, for my taste. Theological accuracy not guaranteed.
Charles Stross, The Rhesus Chart. Haven't read it yet.
Sunday 11/16/14. World and Future Building MinnSpec meetup at Black: Coffee and Waffles. It worked well, despite my poor planning. (I thought Black would be uncrowded on Sunday. Figured about 5 people would attend, and there were about 13. Acoustics rather less favorable than I realized.)
It devolved into several conversation groups.
Note: Black has black coffee, but doesn't seem to have black waffles.
**(Monday 11/17/14. At the Wedge Coop, a toddler and I pretended to menace each other.
Wednesday 11/19/14. -"Cold Weather Hits All of US,"- Star Tribune story listing, front page.
So, how well did Honolulu do at snow removal?
***Decision: Use much more description in writing. Synesthetic, straight sensory, emotional. Starting in January; in fiction, nonfiction, this journal.
Why not start right away? I'm scared.
***At Walker Library, I took out: Richard Kadry, The Getaway God. -"My name is Death. And it appears that I have been murdered."- That's the most interesting passage; unfortunately, it's a teaser for the next in the series.
The nasty old gods who God stole the universe from want to take it back. Which means everyone on Earth, in Heaven, and in Hell will die. Their supporters and opponents include humans, angels, demons, vampires, and four of the five persons God has split into. (The fifth is dead.)
Moderately good story. There's too much background detail explained rather than shown, and too many wisecracks, for my taste. Theological accuracy not guaranteed.
Charles Stross, The Rhesus Chart. Haven't read it yet.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Wednesday November 5, 2014 As I expected, Minnesota's Independence Party has lost major party status.
The party had one real success: Jesse Ventura's 1998 election as governor. The Republican and DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) parties got him elected, by choosing unpopular candidates. (Note: Back then, it was the Reform Party.)
***Freelancers Union Twin Cities After Hours event at CoCo Coworking Uptown.
CoCo's business is one which no futurist or science fiction writer predicted (to the best of my knowledge.) It provides a place for people to plug in their computers and work together. Or to work alone. They provide free coffee and tea, and there's a kitchen.
There were about 13 people at this After Hours. Largest group: people with computer-related skills. Second largest: writers, editors, copy editors, etc. Some attendees were both.
A dog attended part of the meeting, but did not give its profession.
There was an agenda, set nationwide for November After Hours. Formal (sorta) discussions were followed by socializing.
I believe some connections were made at the meeting.
The party had one real success: Jesse Ventura's 1998 election as governor. The Republican and DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) parties got him elected, by choosing unpopular candidates. (Note: Back then, it was the Reform Party.)
***Freelancers Union Twin Cities After Hours event at CoCo Coworking Uptown.
CoCo's business is one which no futurist or science fiction writer predicted (to the best of my knowledge.) It provides a place for people to plug in their computers and work together. Or to work alone. They provide free coffee and tea, and there's a kitchen.
There were about 13 people at this After Hours. Largest group: people with computer-related skills. Second largest: writers, editors, copy editors, etc. Some attendees were both.
A dog attended part of the meeting, but did not give its profession.
There was an agenda, set nationwide for November After Hours. Formal (sorta) discussions were followed by socializing.
I believe some connections were made at the meeting.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Wednesday October 22, 2014. Christian werewolf romances. Hmm; a how-to article on writing a non-existent fiction genre might be fun to do. But just in case, I googled.
And there are actual Christian werewolf romances.
Later, I tried vegetarian werewolf romances. They exist. (Presumably the werewolves are lacto-ovo-vegetarian; that is, they eat eggs and milk products.)
***Wedge Coop Annual Meeting, in the event center at St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church. Fortieth anniversary.
Not enough attendees for a quorum, as usual. Minutes for last year's meeting couldn't be approved. But voting was mostly by mail, paper ballot at the grocery, or online.
The food, catered by the Wedge's catering service, was good.
And there are actual Christian werewolf romances.
Later, I tried vegetarian werewolf romances. They exist. (Presumably the werewolves are lacto-ovo-vegetarian; that is, they eat eggs and milk products.)
***Wedge Coop Annual Meeting, in the event center at St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church. Fortieth anniversary.
Not enough attendees for a quorum, as usual. Minutes for last year's meeting couldn't be approved. But voting was mostly by mail, paper ballot at the grocery, or online.
The food, catered by the Wedge's catering service, was good.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
The Psychopath Inside: A Neuroscientist's Personal Journey into the Dark Side of the Brain, James H. Fallon, 2013
Fallon, who had investigated the brains of psychopaths, accidentally looked at a scan of his own brain. Guess what it showed.
Another relative's genealogical research turned up several murderers and others who did the kinds of things psychopaths are inclined to do.
Fallon doesn't have a significant criminal history. He's in a long-lasting marriage, and otherwise is more stable than he thought people with such brains were capable of being. He does exhibit some psychopathic traits; enough to disturb some people, and make his life less than optimal.
Informative. I'm skeptical about his speculations on why having a certain percentage of psychopaths in the population is useful to society. Otherwise, recommended.
If I'd read this last year, I would've felt superior about his failure to recognize his psychopathic traits. (He'd had little hints such as test results, and comments from colleagues.) But this year, I found out I had depression.
Fallon, who had investigated the brains of psychopaths, accidentally looked at a scan of his own brain. Guess what it showed.
Another relative's genealogical research turned up several murderers and others who did the kinds of things psychopaths are inclined to do.
Fallon doesn't have a significant criminal history. He's in a long-lasting marriage, and otherwise is more stable than he thought people with such brains were capable of being. He does exhibit some psychopathic traits; enough to disturb some people, and make his life less than optimal.
Informative. I'm skeptical about his speculations on why having a certain percentage of psychopaths in the population is useful to society. Otherwise, recommended.
If I'd read this last year, I would've felt superior about his failure to recognize his psychopathic traits. (He'd had little hints such as test results, and comments from colleagues.) But this year, I found out I had depression.
Saturday, September 27, 2014
9/22-9/26 2014
***Sunday September 21, 2014 Minnesota Speculative Fiction Writers. Scott Lynch spoke and answered questions.
Most interesting to me: the convoluted series of accidents which resulted in his first publication(s).
***Tuesday September 23, 2014. From World Building community on Google Plus:
" We are manufacturer & Exporter of stainless steel Handrail & balustrade and Architectural Hardware products from India.
We would be happy to supply customised product and OEM as per requirement of the client."
***Thursday September 25, 2014. Snow White and the Seven Satyrs. One is named Gropy, another Squeezy. But what are their other names?
Adult Children [of alcoholic and otherwise dysfunctional families] Anonymous meeting.
***Friday September 26. 2014. To Community Emergency Service for their produce giveaway. Brought bags for others to use, as I've done the last few times. Also a wounded briefcase, and a laundry basket.
A little girl was pushed a stroller around. I pretended to sit down in it, for her to push me around.
***Sunday September 21, 2014 Minnesota Speculative Fiction Writers. Scott Lynch spoke and answered questions.
Most interesting to me: the convoluted series of accidents which resulted in his first publication(s).
***Tuesday September 23, 2014. From World Building community on Google Plus:
" We are manufacturer & Exporter of stainless steel Handrail & balustrade and Architectural Hardware products from India.
We would be happy to supply customised product and OEM as per requirement of the client."
***Thursday September 25, 2014. Snow White and the Seven Satyrs. One is named Gropy, another Squeezy. But what are their other names?
Adult Children [of alcoholic and otherwise dysfunctional families] Anonymous meeting.
***Friday September 26. 2014. To Community Emergency Service for their produce giveaway. Brought bags for others to use, as I've done the last few times. Also a wounded briefcase, and a laundry basket.
A little girl was pushed a stroller around. I pretended to sit down in it, for her to push me around.
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Saturday September 20, 2014
***Dan Goodman @dsgood Sep 18
What would you expect a synesthesia coach to do? #synesthesia #writing
Bill Detty @BDetty Sep 19
@dsgood Human being, or conveyance?
Dan Goodman @dsgood
@BDetty Human being.
Bill Detty @BDetty
@dsgood Darn. Okay, she trains you to optimize your nontypical sensory perceptions. Useful in some sports that may not exist yet. And sex.
20 Sep 2014
@dsgood, September 25: Actually, synesthesia can be useful in physical activities -- including for sports which already exist. I find mine useful this way.
I gather that women are much more likely to have synesthetic responses to sex than men.
Bill Detty @BDetty Sep 20
@dsgood Sudden thought: service animals for the synesthesia-impaired.
***Book sale at Southeast Library. I bought one book: "Quotationary."
***To the Wedge coop grocery. Signed up for the Annual Meeting.
***Dan Goodman @dsgood Sep 18
What would you expect a synesthesia coach to do? #synesthesia #writing
Bill Detty @BDetty Sep 19
@dsgood Human being, or conveyance?
Dan Goodman @dsgood
@BDetty Human being.
Bill Detty @BDetty
@dsgood Darn. Okay, she trains you to optimize your nontypical sensory perceptions. Useful in some sports that may not exist yet. And sex.
20 Sep 2014
@dsgood, September 25: Actually, synesthesia can be useful in physical activities -- including for sports which already exist. I find mine useful this way.
I gather that women are much more likely to have synesthetic responses to sex than men.
Bill Detty @BDetty Sep 20
@dsgood Sudden thought: service animals for the synesthesia-impaired.
***Book sale at Southeast Library. I bought one book: "Quotationary."
***To the Wedge coop grocery. Signed up for the Annual Meeting.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)