So – it’s been forever since I was going to have my posts here connect to social media. I made an effort today to form that connection correctly. I have doubts that this actually worked, but this is the test. Hopefully this will show up on my “wall” without further intervention from me.
Author Archives: Eric
Poetic
I’ve always struggled with poetry. I don’t know why, but I have. I don’t understand, but I do appreciate from time to time.
Recently I found a TED talk that involves a poem, research and possibly regret. It’s interesting and amusing and if you’ve got 15 minutes I think you should watch it. I enjoyed it very much. Maybe waking around that time this morning after a restless night contributed…
PodCasting
Once upon a time I thought I was behind the curve when it came to Podcasts. As it turns out I wasn’t so far behind after all. I’ve even met some really well known podcasters – and had them drop by Watch The Skies.
I really like being able to listen to these amazing stories. I wish there were more hours in the day that I could spend just listening to these artists work.
One podcast I’ve really been hooked on lately is PodCastle. I find myself listening to them as often as I can. I am always happy with the wide, wonderful variety they provide. Their work is top notch stuff. I’ve put my money where my mouth is, but just as important is getting the word out to others.
Go to their site, check out the stories. You won’t be disappointed.
Attention Span
I joke with people that I have the attention span of a gnat with ADD. My superhero alter-ego is “Easily Distracted Man!” but he’s not much of a hero. He tends to lose the thread of the conversation when the villain is doing the monologue thing and stop paying attention. I do get distracted and I do lack focus.
Then I saw this video: Attention Span It dared me to watch the whole thing. It actually had quite the cynical take on attention span. Some interesting statements in there – particularly the one that said something like, “soon this dare will be over and you will win or lose and nobody will know buy you”.
I watched the entire thing. I didn’t believe there was no joke or that there wasn’t some kind of tag or lesson. I had a laser like focus… only for about three minutes, but it was there.
Why am I posting about my attention? This is a round about way of trying to not apologize for having such a large gap between posts. I’m fairly certain the standard apology for not posting is one of the most used posts by any writer or blogger ever. I had made a personal commitment to getting stuff posted here and then life got in the way. In the end, I really did have that laser like focus, it just wasn’t here. What that has done has given me even more desire to get creative. Hopefully the posts will pick up the pace over the next few weeks here.
Personal Correspondence
You will be shocked, stunned and amazed to hear that I am of two minds on something. It happens so often these days I wonder if I’ve actually got some kind of split personality.
I was thinking this evening about personal letters and other correspondence that has traditionally been part of historian’s research into authors (and others). How will that sort of thing be handled for an author in this digital age? There won’t be a stack of e-mails sitting in a dusty box in the back corner of the attic. Well, the box might be there but the ability to get anything from it will be a different matter entirely.
How will this be handled? I don’t have a good answer for that. If you’ve got any thoughts or theories I’d be interested in hearing them.
What brought this up was a lengthy e-mail I had with two of the people closest to me in my life. It seems horribly narcissistic to think anybody beyond those two will every care at all about what I wrote “before” or “during” any period of my life but I couldn’t help the thought bursting forward. I spent a few hundred words discussing my thoughts on failure and how it changes things in somebody’s life. I have failed spectacularly in my life and learned quite a lot from it. I’m attempting to pass a certain amount of that wisdom along to others to help them avoid the “spectacular” portion of the failure. Regular fail should do just fine, hold the Epic thank you very much.
Here’s the part where I’m of two minds – do I share these words (edited) or do I keep them to myself?
Birthday
As I sit here there are fingers reaching up from my neck and squeezing the back of my head. I’d lift my arm to rub my head and relieve the pressure but the stabbing pain in my shoulder only allows my arm to reach the halfway point before turning back. My feet are tingling because I’ve stressed my back to the point where I should walk away from this infernal machine and rest…
Or happy birthday to me.
I’m two years gone from the answer to life, the universe and everything and somehow feel as if the answers are truly getting further away. What’s coming closer though is an amazing person that my daughter is growing up to be. I’m uncertain how that’s happening, but I am so glad that it is. Also coming closer is a day when my lovely wife will be back on her feet (both of them) with her heart completely back in working order so we can keep wandering down the road of life together (and leave behind the crutches)!
I don’t celebrate much anymore, but I did really like the ice cream cake I shared with my family on Sunday (thanks Mom!). There should be more ice cream cake in the world, I think that would help. It was a small thing to have a mini celebration, but it was nice to mark the occasion. I’m glad we had that time together as a family.
Today was particularly excellent. The adjustment bureau took the day off and my travels were so smooth and quick I was way, way ahead of schedule. Work wrapped up early and I got home early. My lovely wife grilled some chicken for dinner and I am so happy she is working her way back to being able to handle the cooking – I like what she makes better than the pitiful handful of things I can work up.
So I’m a year older, a year further along but also a year happier than I’ve ever been despite all the bumps and potholes along the way. I am really looking forward to another wonderful year.
Balticon Follow Up
The title here is a bit of a tease honestly. I don’t have enough of my thoughts pulled together to write anything even remotely coherent about the convention just now. I want to do the review justice. It was a short week back at work, but I suspect they crammed more into the schedule just to be certain they made up for Monday’s lost time. This has put the squeeze on my writing time.
Short version – it was a really good convention that once again flew past far more quickly than it should have. IF you’ve not been out to a local convention and you’re a fan, you’re missing out.
I normally hold off until the next WTS fanzine, but I think the number of weeks beyond the convention we’ll be at that point would lose some of the impact.
So – more to follow – starting with my first panel this year… the one where I was sitting next to Brandon Sanderson. Yes, that Brandon Sanderson.
Wil’s new show
I’ll start with the blasphemy just to get it out of the way – I don’t like Star Trek that much. I enjoy it, but I’m not a fanatic. For a long time I’ve said, “That’s not MY science fiction”. It was a part of a certain ensign’s career that landed him in fandom’s collective memory however, so I do understand the need for credit where it is due. In the past couple of years I’ve come to enjoy reading Wil Wheaton’s blog. I admire a lot of things about the way he approaches life in general. I love the fact that he’s so into games and gaming. I watch Table Top as soon as it comes out whenever I can (and when I can’t… it’s the internet, I can go back for it).
In case you missed it, Wil has a new show on cable. I won’t lie, I have a naked hatred for the channel he’s on. I don’t want to advertise for them. I couldn’t just ignore the new show though, so I went and watched the first episode. If you’re interested, go and check it out here.
I have decided it must be me. I’m old or something. The show was OK, but it didn’t wow me. I was hoping for at least a little insight or a segment that really worked for me. What I got was essentially talk soup for stuff I don’t watch. I wanted to like this show so much and I’m totally indifferent to seeing it again. There were some bits that made me chuckle (the dragon was very funny, but it was like 3 seconds and a totally juvenile joke) and some bits that made me wonder (signing Hugh was too long) and some stuff that was just lost on me (haven’t had cable for a long time now).
I won’t give up on the show, but I don’t know how many episodes I’ll last. I suppose all I really have to do is last a handful of episodes – if the show becomes popular I suspect it will be cancelled right away (or maybe I’m projecting toward this channel I don’t like).
Balticon 48!
I am very excited to be heading to Hunt Valley today for Balticon. For anyone that missed my original post on Facebrick – here’s where I’ll be:
Writing the Economics of Magic (Panel) (Participant), Fri 18:00 – 18:50, Salon C (Hunt Valley Inn)
Fortress Press Book Launch (Other) (Participant), Sat 18:00 – 20:00, Con Suite (Hunt Valley Inn)
Film the Raven Evermore: Films Based on the Tales of Poe (Panel) (Participant), Sun 22:00 – 22:50, Belmont (Hunt Valley Inn)
Long-term Career Planning for Creatives: Surviving the Next 10 Revolutions (Panel) (Participant), Mon 08:00 – 08:50, Chase (Hunt Valley Inn)
I am also looking forward to seeing the liar’s panel and Mark Van Name’s new spoken word show. IF you’re headed to the convention I highly suggest both of these panels!
Looking forward to seeing everyone there!
Shifting Sand
I find it a bit stunning that it’s been 2 weeks since I’ve posted here. The whirlwind that is my schedule has made time blur and shift like sand. At times I feel about as stable as sand, but I wouldn’t trade the things I do.
One of the things I do is go to conventions – and Balticon is almost here! I am really looking forward to going this weekend and getting to reconnect with folks I don’t get to spend enough time with. It looks to be an amazing weekend. IF you get the chance, get to the convention. You can find out about it here: http://www.balticon.org/ . The daily rates are posted for anyone that can’t stay the entire weekend along with a preliminary convention schedule.
I have my first panel Friday at 6 pm… and the guest of honor will be there too. I suddenly feel the need to go study economics.
Hope to see you there!