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The Writers’ Word-Time Equivalency Scale
Let’s suppose you are a writer, and value your time spent writing, and measure your success in a given writing session in terms of words written. So far so good. This describes about ninety percent of the writers I know. Let’s take it to another level. Suppose you are behind — or perceive yourself to [...]
How to Stupefy a Small Dog
[Image: not The Pooch. Depicts the desired outcome, however.] In the Harry Potter wizarding universe, most spells are cast using incantations of a vaguely Latin(ish) form: Cruciato! Expecto patronum! Wingardium leviosa! and so on. The sole exception which I can think of off the top of my head: Stupefy! When cast in magical combat, you [...]
Real-Life Monologue (Anthropomorphism Edition)
[For information about this photo, which doesn't precisely relate to the post, see the note at the bottom.] The scene: A suburban home in northern Florida, USA. He is trying to get the household denizens out the door promptly in the morning. He has walked and scooped up after The Pooch. He has fed The [...]
Un Momento, Por Favor
[Image found at What My World's Like] From whiskey river: Visiting the Graveyard When I think of death it is a bright enough city, and every year more faces there are familiar but not a single one notices me, though I long for it, and when they talk together, which they do very quietly, it’s [...]
Sky-Blessed
[Image: 'Untitled, Hateruma-jima, Okinawa, 1971,' by Shomei Tomatsu] From whiskey river: How to Grow Clouds It takes a lot of work: it is necessary to weed very carefully, to toss out muck and small stones by hand, to kneel on the earth, bend over, dig about in the soil, water profusely, collect caterpillars, exterminate aphids, [...]
Surprised by What You Want
[Video above: "Rio," by Hey Marseilles. Lyrics at the foot of this post.] From whiskey river: I feel as though I stand at the foot of an infinitely high staircase, down which some exuberant spirit is flinging tennis ball after tennis ball, eternally, and the one thing I want in the world is a tennis [...]
Hits and Misses
Complicated here, during the last week. Not bad, just… complicated. Thought I’d sort of summarize a couple of points of potential interest, but first, a question for regular visitors: Have you had problems accessing RAMH recently? One of your number has reported getting repeated “the connection was reset by the server” errors. It’s prevented her [...]
In the Water
[For information about this photo, called "Weeki Wachee Spring, Florida," see the Note at the bottom of this post.] From whiskey river: Adrift Let my dreams while I’m wide-awake loose. Let me be drowned, baptized, in the light given me. Day comes around, night, fall, winter, spring, summer. Leaves overhead, underfoot. Waves arrive, buffets from [...]
Things vs. Other Things
Dear Internet, Sorry I’ve been so… so… casual about our relationship over the last few days.
Head Waters
From whiskey river: Have you been to the source of a river? It’s a very mystic place. You get dizzy when you stay for a while. An especially big river has several sources, and the real source, the farthest point which turns to the major stream, is moist and misty, with some kind of ancient [...]
