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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/profile/blog/adherennium
Rated: 13+ · Book · Biographical · #2253657
Maybe meandering, possibly peripatetic and indisputably irregular.
So here it is.. a blog. Repository of some of my present musings and interests.

Sometimes things pop into my head that should probably stay there - it is possible I shall share at least some of them here. (Naturally I shall filter out the ones about my sordid obsession with the culinary dark arts, one has to protect the innocent!) Please feel free not to take this too seriously, much of it could wind up being snippets of things that amuse me.

Yesterday I came up with this:

Few politicians can be considered first class, but not a few are number twos.

What can I do with it? Nothing springs to mind, except perhaps blog it. Perhaps in some other life I'm a failed stand-up comedian.

I have the beginnings of an idea to introduce another player into the Mr Moonlight story, a nice visual has occurred to me, and a summoning gone wrong seems appropriate. When I finish up here I shall literally put pen to paper. I find writing at least initially longhand helps my ideas flow. When I type up what I've written, I give it a first revision at the same time, and as a bare minimum check my spellings and grammar .

I do want to keep tabs on my current reading here. I usually have several books on the go at the same time. Currently I am working through 'Pyramids' by Terry Pratchett. I reread Pratchett's books over and over - usually at work where they provide much needed amusement whilst I eat breakfast.

'The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle', by Stuart Turton was loaned to me by a friend who shares a love of murder mysteries, (especially Agatha Christie's works). It is a new take on the genre and very very clever. The protagonist occupies different bodies - a selection of the guests at the house where Evelyn is murdered. Each day he spends in a different guest, and he has been tasked with discovering the murderer - or maybe saving Evelyn from actually being murdered, it is hard to tell. The book twists and turns and is quite intriguing.

'New Science - Principles of the new science concerning the common nature of nations' is an English translation by David Marsh of 'La Scienza Nuova' by Giambattista Vico, published in 1725. Not far into this yet, I had to find a copy of the frontispiece online, as it wasn't included in the Kindle edition. The first part of the book explains the idea - and uses a detailed description of the frontispiece to convey this. So being without it would have made things somewhat harder.

'The Complete Works of Michael De Montaigne' is again a translation, this time by Donald M. Frame. Montaigne's Essays are famous, I kept reading about them, so treated myself to a nice hardbound copy to dip into - usually just before bedtime.

So there we have it - a blog entry - enjoy! (whispers almost inaudibly 'Bon Appétit).
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December 9, 2023 at 3:51pm
December 9, 2023 at 3:51pm
#1060807
Memory. A stone thrown across the surface of the water, which is time. Skips across, it is an incomplete journey, for me at least, since my memory is not 100%. I remember a series of events, and have forgotten countless moments and details and faces and sounds. The splash of the stone as it skips, the memories I have are imperfect. I may remember the gist, but when pressed, there is detail missing.

For example a conversation. Someone was so angry with me because I was always right. I watched in horror whilst they ranted about this, and did it wrong again. I know who the person is, and where we were. I don't remember what I always got right, or what she was getting wrong. It's frustrating. It might still be in there somewhere. Summoning old memories is an art perhaps. Focus helps. sometimes an instruction to myself to find it and throw it up works, (now think of the implications of that one).

Does it have to be that way? I have read of photographic memory, but I don't experience that - locked in my own mind. Would I want to remember everything? Undoubtedly not. I am thankful that I cannot remember physical pain. Memory is largely word based for me, I remember - then I narrate what I recall, imperfectly. Memory is sequential. I can follow a route in my mind, seeing inwardly the landmarks I used to navigate that route. If I smell something again, I remember it, but I cannot smell violets from memory, without that scent being present to smell in the present.

Sound is a bit easier, I can run through the words of a song (but that's partially narration of course), and hear some of the tune. I can hum or mmm-mmm-mmm the intro to Beethoven's Fifth. I can't do that for Vaughan William's Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, but when I hear it I know that I have heard it before (and like it immensely). My body remembers such things as how to ride a bicycle, or to drive a car with a gear stick. Wonder why scents are so elusive?

I remember dying - last time. Does that sound strange? Perhaps I am deluding myself, but it does explain some very strange childhood nightmares. If you are interested, I was gassed.

I was reading recently, probably on the BBC news pages, that research has shown how inaccurate our memories are. We edit them, to present ourselves in the best light. I am always a little wary of these pronouncements, though I am sure that we, i do edit to present myself to others and maybe myself in a better light, I wonder if there is a 'range of clarity' - by which I mean do some embroider more than others? Are those who are less bothered about how they are perceived edit their memories less?

Colin Wilson - a British Author who thought and wrote a lot about how humanity 'ticks' wrote something to the effect that we are like gods who constantly forget that we are gods. I have no idea if he was correct, but our ability to retain a thought for any length of time does seem to be eroded by our distraction rich environments. Which is why monks seeking enlightenment are usually depicted cross legged on top of a mountain. Although hopefully not Everest, or they'd never get any peace.

Meh, I'm rambling now. Lost the thread. Skipped to the next bit.

One last thing. I re-read something in my portfolio last week, that I didn't remember writing. I'd stated that I was writing it to be able to enjoy it when i re-read it in the future. Do you know what? I did enjoy it.
November 9, 2023 at 11:06am
November 9, 2023 at 11:06am
#1059200
I thought about adding something to follow on from yesterday's entry, but decided it was more an essay than a blog entry.

 
STATIC
What Can I Do?  (E)
A preliminary reflection on humanity.
#2308040 by Adherennium Dr of Phoolishness


November 8, 2023 at 12:08pm
November 8, 2023 at 12:08pm
#1059152
December sees the release of a trailer for the latest version of Grannies Travel Around, the enormously popular video game where you take on the role of a sweet old lady who drives about the city, visiting her friends, having her hair done, eating at American Breakfast Buffet and generally cementing her position as the kindest, gentlest, most decent citizen ever.

Outsold only by ItsMineNow, GTA has gone through no less than 5 previous incarnations, with its little old ladies just getting kinder and nicer with every release. What a world we live in, with such wonderful positive entertainments to enjoy.

The Phoolish one was day dreaming again. Increasingly distressed by the realities of a world run for and by the greedy, the selfish and the self righteous he could see that change was needed. But revolutions always seem to result in yet another layer of scum rising to the top of the chum bucket.

It isn't just the people that rule us who need to be changed. It is how we choose to run things and who and what for that matter. It is likely already too late, if even change could be initiated, but the lack of a blueprint for improvement is the major stumbling block to any future improvement.

In a very short time we will have 'Black Friday Week'. I invite you to think about that. A 'sale' period , (or a period of encouraged needless expenditure), that has spread from a day, to a week. In the UK it makes even less sense, as the Friday in question is the one after Thanksgiving, which is not a UK holiday, no matter , a viable cutting from the Black Friday has been successfully transplanted, and extended. Whilst some of us are struggling, others will be fighting to get the largest most expensive screen with which to play GTA on, or consume yet more adverts, to buy yet more items, with built in obsolescence as standard.

I don't believe that change is impossible. my own career has been quite varied, but the common denominator is that I have brought about positive change, real improvement in pretty much every role I've tackled. That blueprint needs writing, maybe a fool could have a go?
November 2, 2023 at 8:54am
November 2, 2023 at 8:54am
#1058616
I'm afraid that I've hatched another of my diabolical plots. This time it is to bring my poetry to a new and unsuspecting audience. To this end I have purchased a webcam, haven't had one of these for years. I will need to work out how to record again, but I'm sure there are a wealth of videos telling me how to do that. Then I plan to record me reading my own poetry, and post it - probably on YouTube because I'm old, but maybe on Tik-Tok too? Anyway - I will no doubt announce it in the Newsfeed when the time comes.
October 25, 2023 at 4:53am
October 25, 2023 at 4:53am
#1058032
I have successfully bound together a few pages of an article '"Towards a Science of Ideas" by Dr. Guido Enthoven in case anyone is interested, and set another article on it's way. This time I added some blank end sheets - getting fancy already! My wife is insisting I should now leap to making a book of my own poetry. The idea does appeal, though the techniques are advanced on what I've just tried. That said, about £20 would buy me the tools I would need to start. I think to be on the safe side I may try making a small blank book, to try out the stitching that a larger book would need, and the technique of making a hard cover. It looks fun, but I need to take my time and get used to what I'm doing.
October 23, 2023 at 12:04pm
October 23, 2023 at 12:04pm
#1057900
I'm putting this here in case anyone imagines it is another of my strange little fantasies such as grace the Newsfeed from time to time. For a little while I have been thinking about finding a hobby for myself. Well, after watching a stray YouTube video, (yes I know this DOES sound like a wind up), I have decided to dabble my toes in the art of book binding. Actually my ambitions do stretch a little further and I may try my hand at paper making at some point.

For now however, I have decided to try using a double fan to bind together some articles that I currently keep in a couple of folders.

Here's the link in case you are interested:



Even as I type this, my first attempt is lying under a purpose bought glass chopping board, and several weighty books as the glue dries.

The Bullet Journaling mentioned in my previous post hasn't really blossomed yet, but there's time yet
September 7, 2023 at 12:39pm
September 7, 2023 at 12:39pm
#1055305
I'm looking into trying out Bullet Journaling.

I make lots of notes, usually on single pieces of A6 sized paper, (roughly 6" x 4"), which get folded and stuffed in my wallet, or popped in my bag until they are either used and thrown away, or migrate to my desk, which has so many of the things that I've been asked to host the next winter Olympics on the desk as apparently it is the nearest thing to a snowscape anyone can find in these days of global warming/boiling.

To try is costing me nothing extra. I have a suitable notebook, plenty of pens as I'm old fashioned enough to write more than I type, and a How to Do It book that comes free with my amazon prime membership. Having watched a quick four-five minute YouTube video on the basics, I am now working my way through the freebie book.

It took me WAY to long to realise why it is abbreviated to BuJo!

If I remember (courtesy of my hyper effiencient BuJoing), I will update this blog on how it goes.
September 7, 2023 at 7:24am
September 7, 2023 at 7:24am
#1055292
My thoughts have turned to the October Prep for NaNoMoWrite.

I've enjoyed doing the prep the last two years, and am signed up for this year's October Prep month, though I do no intend to participate in NaNoMoWri. The first year I did take part, and wound up with just in excess of 50K words. Sadly after this I was thoroughly sick of the story, and hated most of what I had written. It has sat unfinished since.

Last year I knew I would not be able to take part because November was shaping up to be extremely busy at work - a prediction that proved correct, I was too exhausted to do much beyond collapse when I was done each day. The other reason was made very clear in the Prep stage. Those all important questions, "Who are you writing for?" "How are you going to market your product?" These made me realise that I am extremely unlikely to get anything published, having zero social media audience to sell to, even if I were to vanity publish, no one would even notice. Perhaps unduly pessimistic, though to my mind basically facing facts. SO I am writing for my own satisfaction, and producing 50K of insert expletive here is not what I want to do. At first the realisation depressed me. Now I realise the power of this, I only have myself to please. (Ignoring the fact that I'm a picky so-and-so.)

For this year's prep I am considering trying to develop an idea from scratch. The last two years I was working on existing ideas I had already given some thought to, and knew the main plot outline to. What I'm thinking of doing this year is picking a theme first (Day 16 in Prep), and go from there. I have also decided to set the story here and now, so it isn't going to be a fantasy, or historical setting. (I realise this might make writing a Western difficult, but I like a challenge!
August 31, 2023 at 3:59pm
August 31, 2023 at 3:59pm
#1054911
If you have ever read any self help books, you've possibly noticed that they often begin by telling you to think about and create a precise definition of what you want. This makes perfect sense, after all if you don't have any clearly defined goals, then how are you going to achieve them?

It is a deceptively easy task. Often the books will give some further help in preparing a list. Don't, for example, say "I want a lot of money." Whilst this may be true, the suggestion would be that you go further and say what you would want to buy if you had a lot of money.

You might then refine your wants list and say "I want to buy a car." Which is again quite probably true, but one of the books I read suggested that in fact you should state this as "I want a car." so as to give the universe alternative ways to provide your wants. Maybe you will be given a car by a relative that no longer needs it, or you might win a car. You might even find that if you want a car so you don't have to get a bus to work, another of your wants - a better job, also comes with a car.

Why am I rambling about this? I've been thinking about my wants. It is a hard task because I'm not sure if I even know what they are. If however, I follow my inner promptings, I want to further explore the ideas that I've spent a lifetime developing, a metaphysics with practical applications.

I know certain parts of it work really well. I suspect to go further with my ideas will necessitate the development of an actual plan, with specified goals. So, in the short term, I want a plan.
January 1, 2023 at 4:27pm
January 1, 2023 at 4:27pm
#1042456
December was brutal. The sheer amount of extra work needed to keep the shop running, as we got busier than any time before, together with my usual poor sleeping habits, and topped off with a long running battle with a cold, or flu or something, all combined to make me feel lousy and irritable, and exhausted.

I did enjoy the brief times I was able to write bits for WdC, though I would have loved to do one piece a day during advent, often I got home, ate and went to bed, it was all I was fit for.

Though I make no new year's resolutions. I am thinking about various things, and one in particular is the application of limits. Increasingly I am distracted, and it makes getting anything done really difficult. I need to define one, and only one personal goal. In all probability, this will be a writing goal, but whatever it is, I will use it to try and focus on completing something.

Since I cannot stop the endless procession of ideas through my head, I shall make use of notebooks to capture ideas, and then set them aside for later consideration, (I already do this with bits of paper, I have a lot of slips of paper in boxes, it's messy.

I once tried to explain to my wife what it is like in my head. Much of the time, it is a torrent of ideas, with connections leaping out at me, internal lists being reviewed and maintained, and it's fast. When I do slow down, it's usually through physical exhaustion forcing me to do so. Even then I have nights where the same few phrases cycle though my sleep and waking, leaving me still tired when I get up.

Hey ho.

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