two and a half seasons

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41ºF, clear: welcome, Fall. Finally / at last / at long last / until it isn't, which might be tomorrow, given that it's Ohio and there are two and a half seasons, Summer, Winter, and Not-Summer/Not-Winter.

While I feel somewhat dirty including the two in the same breath, it does make for a useful (if only for me) contrast in the act of lamenting the passing of distant people: Whereas QEII's passing was more of a historical fascination – there will be another queen – not in my lifetime, probably/certainly, but there will be another – and an answer to "what happens when" – the news of Hilary Mantel's is a brutal punch because we won't be getting more Hilary Mantel books. One of the best writers who ever lived: If you haven't read the Cromwell series, read it NOW. So, so good.

Totally off the subject and profoundly unrelated to one another but a.) ABBOTT ELEMENTARY is every bit the delight its not-inconsiderable accolades suggest and then some and b.) I managed to get the trash out on time yay victory etc etc.

OLED void amelioration

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(Update, 1019: the SmurfPiss Chariot rides again.)

60ºF, clouds: gave in and bought myself the OLED Switch (podrelease reward) and will dive back into ZELDA: BREATH OF THE WILD on the big screen – though today’s main non-writing project is to replace the car battery in the SmurfPiss Chariot; spent much of yesterday afternoon caked in battery acid and corrosion what fun. The Lite goes to K so she can learn how to get thumbs working with dual joysticks, a hand-eye coordination complexity that has befuddled her since even before we started dating.

Pleased with the sound quality of the latest TSR: the Vocaster Two was definitely worth the price tag (though I could have gotten away with the Vocaster One; didn't realize that the second input was for a second physical guest but maybe someday I’ll actually use it) and the post-prod addition of music was easier than I expected (without a physical knob, I couldn't do the intro/outro over the music live).

The only solution to the post-release void is to work on more things (and upgrade to an OLED Switch). And so it is and so it goes. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

New TSR: Maud Newton

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The Fall season of my SOCIALIZED RECLUSE pod has begun as the inimitable Maud Newton, author of the absolutely brilliant ANCESTOR TROUBLE: A RECKONING AND A RECONCILIATION, joined me to discuss the ins and the outs of writing ANCESTOR TROUBLE; of “making the line well”; of Aristotle at two in the morning; of freedom from and fealty to form in books and in blogs; of creative evolution; of taking the time to get to the truth – be it via NYT-lauded books or via seven-year paragraphs published to a website; and of freeing oneself from the creative and personal boulders we push up the hills before us. You can check out our complete conversation – and pertinent linkage to buy ANCESTOR TROUBLE – here.

pod vexations

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(Update, 1227: pod episode complete and, unless I find something else to screw up, ready for release tomorrow.)

55ºF, fog fog fog: a short one today as I'm in the throes of putting together the next SOCIALIZED RECLUSE episode (should be live later this week) and fumbling / fighting with cross fades, etc: first time doing the show by adding the theme music in after I've recorded the intro/outro and the remnants of my musician's ear are flummoxed by issues rhythmic/amplification but hey I see we've reached the "FDA has to warn people not to cook chicken in Nyquil" phase of civilization so we've got that going for us.

Also, standing desk converter is brilliant. Will write more about it, maybe, once I get to more fully work with it.

nevermind

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65ºF, rain, thunder: seems like I only needed a few days off: guess I do like the ritual, the rhythm, the routine of these daily things. I'm stuck with me, sorry.

Worked this morning getting back to the initial flash of inspiration or desperation on what will prove either a distraction or something moderately worthwhile; if nothing else, my brain has ceased the concoction of alternative paths so that's as good a sign as any that i landed on the right one.

(Was I able, though, to get to this something moderately worthwhile because I wasn't clogged up with morning things here?)

Standing desk converter (apparently) arriving later today: I've made so many improvised ones over the years, it was time to splurge and invest in an actual for-real one. My back will thank me.

slowdown

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Here endeth the daily things, a return to the whenever/whatevers: lots in my brain, lots to focus on, and the point of the daily iteration fading. LAST CHRISTMAS, did, after all, come from several posts in the whenever / whatevers here so the approach DOES work and does help (also, the week categorization system makes this space more amenable to the w/w approach).

Thinking of:

"Stay at home in your mind. Don't recite other people's opinions. See how it lies in you; and if there is no counsel, offer none. What we want is not your activity or interference with your mind, but your content to be a vehicle of the simple truth."

Not putting this here for you or for anyone, really, but for me: a record made, kept.