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Posts Tagged ‘writing’

This morning: up early, start a batch of bread, do laundry, prep a batch of household items for a Ukrainian family new to Canada, including a heavy couch that promised to be a hassle. Everything went according to plan, better than, really. Even the couch move went well.

This afternoon: The new batch of flour is strangely weak, I finished none of the pieces I planned to work on, my Scrivener short story file has developed some concerning hiccups, and (for reasons too pedestrian to get into) I was recently doused in chicken stock.

Ah well! Such is the way of things

The sun is bright, the birds sing, and a monarch butterfly has adopted one of the pine trees out back. Life is good.

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Photo by Daniel Lloyd Blunk-Fernández on Unsplash

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I’m apparently out of practice balancing the day job with other things. I also spent a good part of my day interfacing with computers, so while I relearn time-management skills, here’s a story from Ken Liu.

/can’t find the story

/now where is that link hiding?

/AI help needed!

Ah, here we are.

50 Things Every AI Working with Humans Should Know – Uncanny Magazine

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Photo by Ian Battaglia on Unsplash

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For the past few days, my inbox has been filling up with emails on advice to writers. You know the type: listicles with “What every writer should know” and “Top ten tips for writers,” that sort of thing. That’s fine as far as it goes, and depending on your progress as a writer, many of these comments may very well be useful.

Still, I can’t help thinking that my own advice would be both shorter and more broadly applicable. (And yes, when it comes to recommendations like this I am my own best customer.)

You can’t finish what’s not started.

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Photo by Adam Winger on Unsplash

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“We are cups, constantly and quietly being filled. The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.” 

― Ray Bradbury

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Photo by Nick Brunner on Unsplash

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I tested out yet another version of my tofu pudding recipe, hazelnut chocolate this time. It’s a little sweet, but I may try layering it with passionfruit whipped cream and see what that’s like. Because half the fun is in the making.

Ok, maybe not half. But it is fun.

In honor of the connection between food, experimentation and the evolution of humanity (by humans or… not), check out this short story by CB Droege in Nature.

Alfie’s ice cream
It was almost time. After months of calibration and fine tuning. After dozens of years of research, theory, testing and production. After centuries of anticipation and dreaming. The SCS Alfred Nobel, Alfie as he called himself, was finally going to try some ice cream.

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Photo by Andres Molina on Unsplash

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Sorry, can’t chat right now, I’m too busy reading the new Ilona Andrews book, Ruby Fever.

While I do feel a bit bad that it will only take me a day to read what took months to write, I’m going to inhale the book anyway. Back soon!

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Photo by Mike L on Unsplash

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It’s one of those days today, where the clouds hang low and only drizzle when you go to the mailbox or want to go for a walk. I’ve been working steadily but not getting as much done as I’d like. Such is the way of Mondays.

In honor of this deeply mediocre Monday, I give you my version of the Omnitaur. Here’s the original by xkcd:

And here is my own half-assed version. It needs more work and focus, and that’s just not happening today. And oh look, I just noticed that the bull segment disappeared somewhere along the way. Ah well!

Some days creativity doesn’t quite work. Still worth it.

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A random musing in the form of a drabble: What if finding an adult sponsor were the only way to live past your 18th birthday?

Old and New
Travis smiled as he helped Mr. Frederick with his groceries. Dead-end job? Sure, but it gave him a chance to meet a lot of elders. They usually hid behind retirement community walls, but everyone had to eat.

He slipped a Recommendation card into the last bag, between a head of broccoli and an eggplant.

“Thanks, kid,” the old man said.

Damn it, three weeks of sucking up and Mr. Frederick still didn’t know his name? All his other prospects had fallen through. Travis gave a silent groan as he counted the days to his 18th birthday.

He was so dead.

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Photo by Filip Mroz on Unsplash

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Put Something In

Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-grumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
‘Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain’t been there before.

— Shel Silverstein

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Photo by Andrew Bui on Unsplash

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I won’t lie, a nap sounds pretty good right now. Instead, I’m making yogurt, working on a design project, considering my cookbook update, and waiting for a storm to roll through.

Who knows, I might even write something.

There’s no such thing as writer’s block. There’s simply a fear of bad writing. Do enough bad writing and some good writing is bound to show up.

— Seth Godin

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Photo by REVOLT on Unsplash

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