Blog @ Work

Pain is a good thing to the body because it warns you that something is amiss. It is a warning system that without one could be very harmful and even kill you. So although it is perceived as negative it is a positive thing to prepare yourself as a human being to the dangers of the outside world, or to the notion something has to be addressed to inside your body.

Mayhem is the word for trouble, which is used to be a negative word but trouble in itself can be taken positively in a situation where an uproar is needed, for example when there is a country with a dictator and very bad circumstances for its people mayhem can cause change in government or the fleeing of the dictator which in almost every case is a good thing in the long run.

Revenge is a negative word because we don’t like the taking things into our own hands, but we have invented a whole judicial system to deal with revenge. If a murder is committed the system, aka we as the people find this wrong and appalling and we have agreed that a judge will look into that particular situation so that a proper revenge can take place. In our part of the world, revenge is institutionalized so a murderer goes to prison or the mental institution because of the wrongful act that is committed. It is a good thing dealing with the human borders in society in a civilized manner.

I am not sure to which news this is referring to, but if it refers to the new President of the USA, then I don’t tell my characters the news in as much it has no bearing on the story. Normally my stories are a-political so it lays out in a non-political setting. If it is a political write, then of course, my characters need to know the changes that are in place at the moment. It depends on what type of plot and character if there is activism, future sfi, a wilderness, or closed environment in which the action takes place.

World Hello Day has begun in 1973 by saying hello to people in order to bring peace and understanding through communication. I think it’s a lovely attempt to bring some joy in these dark times. I found ten quotes on peace that are worth reflecting on. Happy Hello Day to all!

Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. Albert Einstein.

Peace begins with a smile. Mother Teresa.

Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come. Henri Nouwen.

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. Melody Beattie.

When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace. Jimi Hendrix.

Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. Calvin Coolidge.

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves. Dalai Lama.

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace. Buddha.

Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all. George Washington.

Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence. Henry David Thoreau.

It is the phrase used when celebrities or semi-celebrities in television shows show their bedrooms. They don’t want to use the word sex on the air so they are disguising their referral to this phrase. The magic being the magical time in bed with their spouse, other half or one night stands, depending on the situation. I think real celebs that are that because they have done something important are less willing to show their intimate quarters to the public, but the has-beens and would-be celebs show it with great enthusiasm. I am not sure why because it is of no importance to me to look at another person’s bed. I am not very interested in those things. A lot of so-called celebs have money but no taste when it comes to decorating their houses. A lot look alike since it is done by the same interior decorators in the same style. And a bed is just a bed!

I agree with the first quote. Universal truths are hard to find. What’s the truth to one person is just an opinion to another. It all depends on perspective, history, and place in time. There are however things a lot of societies hold dear like: thou shalt not kill. But at the same time, there are a lot of wars, murders, and killings by governments so people break that rule all the time. I am an adept of postmodernism with great skeptics towards ideology and absolute truths. I think people and societies use narratives with their own interpretation, context, and constructs.

The second quote is somewhat complicated: power over your own mind is relative to my opinion; you cannot trust your own mind all the time. And outside events are also controllable only partly so I am inclined not to agree with the second quote.

Of course this is meant to be funny, and it is. I am also a skeptic to astrology, but I find it amusing sometimes to look at the horoscope and see what the day has in store for me, a Leo:

Sink a little deeper into those sofa cushions, Leo. The Sun is in Scorpio and your domestic fourth house until November 21, your annual time for nesting and resting at home base. Slow your pace, skip a few of the parties and curl up with a mug of turmeric tea or a good book. Focusing on home improvements; perusing interior design blogs (like this awesome place to buy and sell used furniture: https://www.aptdeco.com). Try out some new recipes or invite loved ones over and reminisce ’til your heart’s content. http://www.elle.com/horoscopes/monthly/a77/leo-monthly-horoscope/

It is that time of the year to slow down a little so this monthly horoscope is right on the spot this time.

Fritz the Cat (1965-1972). Fritz the Cat is a comic strip created by Robert Crumb. Set in a "super city" of anthropomorphic animals, the strip focuses on Fritz, a feline con artist who frequently goes on wild adventures that sometimes involve sexual escapades. It had somewhat of a cult status in my teens.

Fear and the self. If it is rescuing someone else from a house on fire you have to put aside your fear of getting burned yourself. In all other cases involving bravery, the self is mostly the factor that stands in your way. You have to be able to put someone else’s life or well-being before your own. In normal everyday life that is not something that is taught, in the military, though, they still have those values of honor and courage and bravery.

We call a story Dickensian when the emphasis is still on the poor social conditions. Tiny Tim in 2016? Dickens did not explicitly say what Tiny Tim's illness was. A possibility is rickets, a disease of children caused by vitamin D deficiency, characterized by imperfect calcification, softening, and distortion of the bones typically resulting in bow legs. Appropriate supplementation with calcium and vitamin D will lead to healing of the bony defects within days to months. Severe bowing, seen in longer-standing cases of rickets, may also resolve over a number years without requiring surgical intervention.

In this time and age, there would have been treatment for Tiny Tim if he was born in the Netherlands. Everybody here has a medical insurance and has access to health care. In this case, better food would do the trick, with vitamins supplements. If he was born in a third world country, however, the odds would still be against him.

UNICORN.
A white horse like mystical creature with a large pointed horn attached to its forehead. A symbol of purity and grace. It eats what horses like to eat: sugarplums. Sometimes they have wings and can fly. They sleep in the clouds and are woken by first daylight. A baby unicorn, only born one in two hundred years is called a flunicorn. It stays in that stage for a few months before changing rapidly in an adult unicorn. Magical powers are bestowed upon them: super strength, wisdom and the ability to talk to young maidens.

“THE UNICORN: The saintly hermit, midway through his prayers
stopped suddenly, and raised his eyes to witness
the unbelievable: for there before him stood
the legendary creature, startling white, that
had approached, soundlessly, pleading with his eyes.

The legs, so delicately shaped, balanced a
body wrought of finest ivory. And as
he moved, his coat shone like reflected moonlight.
High on his forehead rose the magic horn, the sign
of his uniqueness: a tower held upright
by his alert, yet gentle, timid gait.

The mouth of softest tints of rose and grey, when
opened slightly, revealed his gleaming teeth,
whiter than snow. The nostrils quivered faintly:
he sought to quench his thirst, to rest and find repose.
His eyes looked far beyond the saint's enclosure,
reflecting vistas and events long vanished,
and closed the circle of this ancient mystic legend.”
― Rainer Maria Rilke

We in The Netherlands don’t have Black Friday, or Thanksgiving Day. We never say thank you or show our gratitude once a year like Americans do. I like the thought of a festivity surrounded by gratitude and the celebration of friends and family. It seems like a wonderful tradition.

Although we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving Day I would like to express my gratitude for my life in general at the moment. I am a very happy person with lots to thank for at this moment in time. My health is reasonable, I have a few nice friends whom I see every now and then, my family is alright and my dog is old but healthy. I live in a nice cozy apartment and am blessed to live in a country without war, famine or any major trouble for decades now. Although the world is in turmoil and the future is uncertain with a lot of things going on at present I have hope things will turn out for the better.

Reading physical books instead of an e-reader; using my ordinary cell phone to make phone calls and text messages instead of an I-phone; doing the dishes by hand instead of a washing machine. Apart from the first one, I have an e-reader but don’t use it often; it all comes down to lack of money (I-phone) and space (washing machine). Secretly I enjoy being somewhat from the old school.

Indeed magic exists. For me it all comes down to experiencing Nature. I can be touched by a spark in the sky when I see trees or watch the clouds or enjoy a stroll outside in the pouring rain with the light of day and the smells of wet grasses and mud. But also experiencing the behavior of my dog or feel the working existence of my Muse when I write. Magic is awesome, it is a sense of awe and wonder in a mundane world, it is that sudden realization that there is more to Life that meets the eye, that I am part of a bigger picture, that there is that unknown world of fantasy, mystery and belief out there letting me know that it is real.

Perhaps the best way to approach Life is to let Life surprise you and then adjust to it. I’ve noticed that when I want to force things to happen it never does, but when I adapt to Life’s turn out and make the best of it then it works for me. I have to sort of go with the flow of things and don’t get in the way of what Life has in store for me. Life is the big picture; I am but a small part of it, a small wheel within wheels. If I make myself more important and think to take over I am in trouble. That doesn’t mean I can’t make decisions, but I have to listen to what Life wants from me first and fit my decision right in. That way everything runs smoothly and I can be happy no matter what happens.

From SB Musing and Acme who dealt with individual Russians: their cultural differences are very clear.

The Western media is biased as well, but I read only confirmation that some Russians are odd in their expressing beliefs to others. Propaganda is always the case in both Western and Russian media, and the portraits of the average Russian is not favorable. But according to research: 83 % approves of Putin as president, especially after the annexation of Crimea and the intervention of Ukraine. 60% of the Russians are thinking their country is moving in the right direction. 65% of Russians are satisfied with their freedom to choose what to do with their lives. All in all, they have a very different outlook on life as we do in the West. Tolerance toward differences for one.

I found a coin in front of the supermarket. It was right at the spot where homeless people sell their homeless newspaper to the public. I think it must have fallen out of the coat pocket of a homeless guy unnoticed. Sometimes I buy a newspaper from one of them, and paying something extra for it in order to support the homeless. Every year at Xmas time I give the guy or girl an extra bonus. One time I gave him 50 euro. I never saw him again after that. Lately, that spot in front of the supermarket is empty and I don’t see the girl with the newspapers anymore. Perhaps they found another, better spot to sell their newspaper, or perhaps she found a home and no longer needs to be there. I always feel sorry for the homeless. For some, it is a choice, but for most of them it is just sheer misfortune. It can happen to anybody. Lately, I read that also families with children have been put out on the streets because they couldn’t afford to pay their rent and lost their jobs. I think it’s awful that we as a society don’t take better care of our people. And with the autumn being cold and rainy I feel for those who have to roam the streets all day without any money. In my city, it is against the law to beg, but I try to give some money to those who ask for it because I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes.

First of all I don’t think literature is highbrow. There is only a different set of people reading and critiquing. The masses have a different look towards what reading should be. It should be entertaining and fun first. Delving into the different themes and contemplating about what the author meant is not their priority. Because life and therefore literature is prone to populism and superficiality, with reading being internet surfing for a lot of people, with people reading less books I think yes, indeed, commercial fiction is taking over. You already see the trend of blurring literature and popular fiction today. This trend will only progress.

My father was a keen collector of books. I watched his library grow over the years. When I was a child I always read the books he had on his bookshelves. I watched him read a lot. I’ve inherited that love of books and reading. In my other house, I had a great library, but I’ve sold a lot of books in recent years. When I came to live in my recent place I started over, collecting books. Now I have two cupboards full of books in my living room but I made myself the promise not to buy that many books. Lately, I bought a few books again and I had to buy a trolley only today for my study so that the latest collection would fit somewhere. My father died eleven months ago, but today he was there watching me put together that book trolley and give the new books their rightful place in my home. I think he was smiling!

The fear of not being able to cope with what happens in your life has actually come true eleven years ago. I was too overwhelmed with the violence and the death threats from clients I had a nervous breakdown because of that. I always thought that I would be able to manage my life events, but the fear of losing it became reality then. Because of that, I am always on guard, avoiding stress and hoping that I will never ever have to face a period like that again. It also made me a very cautious person, meaning that I cannot trust myself completely. I’ve lost it once; will I lose it another time? That fear has fortunately somewhat diminished in recent years but I am never totally free of that fear.

She danced a reckless zebra dance in her castle, put music on and was busy for hours with glitter and glamor. Afterward, she made dinner with veggies and one onion in a grinder. She had to cry but laughed a lot too, in silence, though, because she was no screamer. During the night she visited bars, being a cougar celebrating with men half her age. When she woke up she could not sleep again that night. The strangest dream!

I can be very short about this one. Russia is a dictatorship so I am not surprised. Putin likes to keep his citizens uninformed and prone to state propaganda and censorship so access to LinkedIn and Google is not what he wants for his citizens. I think in the free world people should always have access to the websites they want to visit. Internet is a blessing to the free world although there is a lot of rubbish on it. It should eventually self-regulate.

I think personality traits are so completely personal, it sticks like glue so there is no way you can disassociate traits from your personality. I wouldn’t like it either if traits become tradeable and go to the highest bidder or something, it would devalue the traits. So I am not for it and would not want part of this.

My personality how unfavorable at times perhaps is totally mine and mine alone. No hassle with personality traits. Of course there are traits I have less of and would want to have more of, but in order to accomplish this I have to work on my personality, I have to learn, and grow and interact with other people to obtain those traits.

According to a list I found there are more than 638 primary personality traits. The Big Five mentioned are:

Openness is appreciation for a variety of experience. Conscientiousness is planning ahead rather than being spontaneous. Extraversion involves going out with friends and being energetic. Agreeableness is, as it says, being agreeable. Neuroticism refers to worrying or being vulnerable.

In my youth, there was a Dutch television series TiTaTovenaar (translation: WiWaWizard). In it featured a so-called Grobbebol. It was a stuffed puppet made by colored threads. I remember getting a package one day for making one grobbebol. Mine was green as I recall. I just called it Grobbebol. It had no past since it was created out of woolen threads. WiWaWizard was a story about a young girl living with her father the inventor in a cloud castle. She had Grobbebolls as friends. They look like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52w0RyUDOjI. It’s in Dutch, but you can see what the stuffed puppets look like. I have absolutely no recollection of what happened with the stuffed puppet. I think it got thrown in the trash.

I didn’t have many toys in my youth since I was the girl always reading, so I got books for birthdays and Xmas. I read everything, from children’s books to my father’s library to the public library. I was always, always reading!

Chicken Soup for the Soul Day.
It’s been a long journey from where I was to where I am now. I’ve been where turmoil and fear were, I went through major despair to a good place where I am right now. Perhaps, strangely enough, the biggest thanks for getting through these past ten years is me, for not giving up and continue to go on. So I have to pat myself on the back for accomplishing this! I am not accustomed to giving myself compliments, but in this case, I will. I have no God to thank since I am an atheist, although I do believe in the power of the Universe. That Universe has been graceful to me for not giving up, for keep believing I would make it through the dark times. And eventually, I did. Of course, there are family and friends who were part of my life, but in retrospect, I was very much on my own during my ordeals.

That reminds me of my past in my youth as an ultra-left wing radical who was very busy with a group called The World Shop, trying to change the world with politics, non-governmental actions and a place where we met with like-minded folks. We were demonstrating a lot in those early years in the late seventies, early eighties of the last century. We were against the bomb and against nuclear power; pro third world and we were very busy ventilating our opinions. In those years we were sure the government had a list of left wing protesters we were on. We knew that they knew about us. Somewhere in the system, our names were on a list, we were sure about that. We didn’t care one way or the other since we made sure we were not acting against the law. After those turbulent years, we got disappointed since nothing changed. I began writing poetry and was busy with art and growing up. I left the scene and became more of a law-abiding citizen!

YouTube is a video sharing service where users can watch, like, share and comment and upload their own videos. The video service can be accessed on PCs, laptops, tablets and via mobile phones.

I just read the news on this newsfeed and was shocked: another one! I loved the music and especially the very idiosyncratic voice of Leonard Cohen. I have some CDs of him I am going to listen to today. I never read his poetry, apart from the song lyrics, but I am not surprised because he was a great singer-songwriter. A lot of people called his songs “suicide bombs” because his voice was so emotional and very distinct. He died at age 82.

It’s not common in my country to remember let alone thank our veterans, although we have a Veterans Day as well. As a small country in Europe always looking outwards we are not very patriotic. For the USA that’s different. My nephew is an active military in the USA service his whole life.

I have to thank the Americans still for liberating Europe back in 1945. This new President-elect will have a less influential role in foreign politics I believe and that is a whole new ball game since the USA was always leading in the world. We have to wait how that will progress.

Trading places (1983) Comedy where snobbish trade broker (Dan Ackroyd) got to swap places with beggar and conman (Eddy Murphy) by the hands of two millionaire brothers who place a bet of one dollar. In the end, the two become friends and millionaires and the millionaire brothers are broke.

[last lines]
Louis: Looking good, Billy Ray!
Billy Ray: Feeling good, Louis!

It makes me feel good to think about that last scene where everything is okay for the both of them. It makes me smile. I try to see this movie on DVD at least once a year during the Xmas period. It is a funny and hilarious movie and it never bores me to watch it.

Joy is the simplest form of gratitude. Karl Barth.

I try to find and cherish joy in my life every day. That means staying alert to the smallest events that happen to me. Trying to appreciate all the little things I encounter, like my sleeping dog in front of the heater, the beautiful autumn trees or the wild, rainy and windy days of November. It warms my soul and I feel joy and gratitude that I am alive.

“Writing is a 24/7 job. You live it, eat it, breathe it... the pay can be pretty lousy, but you do it happily because you love it!!! Patti Roberts.

A hobby is something you do twice a week on a Wednesday and Saturday night. Writing takes up all my time 24/7, more than ten hours a day. Of course, I am not always physically writing but I am brooding, thinking, researching or staying connected with my Muse in any shape or form. It’s indeed a way of life.

Only recently I found my fitting philosophy of life. I try to live up to it in order to stay happy and healthy.

I don’t think we are wired for music, it has to be taught. I for one don’t listen to music very often. I still am in the learning process of enjoying music more. But I do think our emotions are triggered because music can have a huge impact on the soul. It penetrates that deep and let us enjoy fully what beautiful tones there are in music.

Memories can function as motion pictures set in the past. In order to benefit fully from them, you have to take memories back into the realm of the present. That way you can play with it and create something new from it. If you don’t set boundaries you will lose yourself in the past and that will not be the best thing. Living in the past will hinder your ability to live in the moment and enjoy life as it is. Memories don’t play an important role in my life since I tend to forget quickly. I have an ‘out of mind out of heart’ attitude.

As a global citizen, I am very concerned about the outcome of this American election. My greatest fear is that Donald Trump will be elected the next President of the USA and I am so afraid for the future if this happens. But I cannot believe the American people will vote en mass for him, I give them more credit than that.

Apart from Trump being a bully, a racist, and a misogynist, I think he can do a lot of damage to the shaky balance in the world. I don’t think he is qualified to be in office dealing and managing all those important issues domestically and abroad.

He is a greedy businessman, not a leader of the nation, let alone the world. The mere thought that he could be the one starting World War three terrifies me. I know Hilary Clinton has her flaws, but I am sure she is the better choice for this coming 4 years. I am going to watch CNN and stay tuned today and tomorrow. I hope the American people vote wisely.

SCENE ONE
”Are you going to vote today?” The taxi driver asks casually.
“No, I am not,” I reply.
“Why not, it’s important enough.”
“I am not a US citizen, so I cannot vote.”
“Fair enough, but if you would which candidate would you vote for?”
“Hillary Clinton.”
“Okay, wrong answer.”
“What do you mean?”
** Stops the car. Taking out the suitcases from the back seat again**
“Today I only drive Trump supporters, I am sorry, bye.”
The taxi is driving off, leaving me baffled at the curb.

SCENE TWO
So I am in New York City on Election Day, couldn’t be in a better place. The city is buzzing and everybody is either excited or apprehensive. I see a lot of little flags, people with hats on for either Trump or Clinton and a lot of newspaper coverage: How to make sense of what’s happening on Election Day; 5 things you need to know Tuesday; Stevie Wonder: Voting for Trump like asking me to drive. (USAToday). Voting begins: Rivals make final pitches after a bitter race; Can you bring your gun to vote? (CNN) I think I stay in my hotel and watch the news.

SCENE THREE
Republicans will have their get-together to watch election returns at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee. In the conservative stronghold that is Knox County, that means it'll be a pretty big crowd, with plenty of people looking to see and be seen among their GOP friends. As races get decided, the winners will enter the hotel's ballroom and make speeches.

I hope they return to their homes at night disappointed but with a stronger sense of what the country needs. I don’t hope Hillary Clinton winning the election will polarize matters more.

Words have the power to create a feeling of bliss or of stress. I am not sure if this resonates at the level of genes, though, to me that seem a little too far-fetched to be true. But the saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" is NOT true. Words can hurt you, even to the point of hurting more than physical abuse. Bruises go away eventually; the echo of words can linger in your mind or soul for decades.

I have a hard time believing in angels or demons, although I know there are people who believe in them. I am not sure whether they exist other than in stories. I do believe however that you can have difficulties in your life and call those demons. It’s more like a metaphor. But I don’t want to jinx anything by writing about them, in a way I am a superstitious person: If you talk about something a lot then you make that visible and therefore it can have bearing on your life and in a way it exists then. So by denying them the floor I deny that they have power.

Three months ago I got a review back on a story I wrote in the first person singular. I was referring to a woman, being a female myself. But the reviewer, who was male, totally read this as being a male main character. It totally changed the perspective on the story. I thought that was rather cute. It reminded me to not fill in too many details so that readers can identify with the characters from their own perspective. Race is such a thing. If it has no relation to the plot I am not going to mention it so people of all races can identify.

I think it means that Miller thinks writers are bound to tell the truth all the time and be faithful to the power they have or the power outside of them. I agree on the last take, but not the first. Writers are lying all the time, distorting and fixing reality, making things up as they go along. But I believe we have an obligation to be faithful and sincere about what we are doing. That’s totally another matter. For the witness reference, I think he is right: writers are witnesses to whatever is out there, whatever is happening and because we can write about it, we have an obligation to tell, talk, and write about what is going on in the world. “If you want to know the world, turn to poets and writers.” That is a quote by me.

Last month’s news item is about pros and cons of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. Since I am from the Netherlands we have legalized the use of marijuana for own purposes (but NOT to grow and harvest in big quantities, that’s still illegal) and are experimenting with the distribution of marijuana by the state for medical purposes. I agree with both since I think it will be better to legalize and keep the whole business out of the criminal circuit.

Pro or con legalized medical use of marijuana? 25 of 50 US states and DC have legalized it.

Pro: it can be a safe and effective treatment for the symptoms of cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, pain, glaucoma, epilepsy, and other conditions. Dozens of peer-reviewed studies, prominent medical organizations, and major government reports are in favor, and the use of marijuana as medicine throughout world history is known.

Con: it is too dangerous to use, lacks FDA-approval, and various legal drugs make marijuana use unnecessary. Marijuana is addictive, leads to harder drug use, interferes with fertility, impairs driving ability, and injures the lungs, immune system, and brain. Medical marijuana is a front for drug legalization and recreational use.

I would love to be the owner of the ideal robot. It would function as a housekeeper/cook/cleaner since I am not much of a housewife, to begin with. In the future, I would purchase such an ideal computerized mobile MPAD 2.0 with build in voice and voice recognizer for the prize of a second-hand car, say 1000 euros. Although money is tight in my household I would buy one immediately. It would go by all colors but I would like a black and silver gray one. He, I would call him Butler, would look like the droid R2-D2 or Artoo-Detoo in the Star Wars sequel. A combination of a mechanized troll and a high-tech hoover with the possibility to enlarge so he could fit the countertop in my kitchen and do the dishes and clean windows without using stairs. I’ve always wanted a butler, and then I got one!

In 1981 an old fisherman in the Netherlands without television or radio was interviewed. He didn’t believe the first man on the moon ever existed. It was all a scam, it never happened. To his view, if men were to ever set foot on the Moon he would freeze to death, if someone ever set foot on the Sun he would fry to death. It just was not possible. He firmly believed this. Men were not supposed to be in the sky, the birds were, men should stay on earth. It was featured across the country and everybody laughed at that silly old man.

The Carina Nebula, a massive stellar nursery 7,500 light-years from Earth, reveal that new star births are destroying the very clouds of gas and dust from which they spawned. These Pillars of destruction look like giant ghostly stellar monsters to me with the changing shape of a science fiction like creature or a stellar bear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vq3HLw_4Ic . So it’s eating stars and shine in all different colors. I like the look of it. Perhaps it will be the beginning of a Sfi story about star ghosts in the galaxy eating away other stars end thereby creating little black holes in which everything in their path disappears, becomes non-matter. Of course, it would feature a human heroine or hero who would rescue the earth by changing the structure of the ghostly apparitions (How I don’t yet know) and save the Universe from disappearing and imploding in itself.