affirmations

( In which I dream in a fairly straightforward manner... )

Also, things affirmed by this and by the New Year Ritual (which will no doubt, be recorded elsewhere, as it involved a goat on roller skates):

Events in life are specific, not global. Responses to them should also be specific, not global.

Mother Culture would like to be global, but is still specific. Responses to her, also should be specific and individualized.

The right way is a myth.

Response strategies should be numberless. Variation is key to survival.

affirmations

( In which I dream in a fairly straightforward manner... )

Also, things affirmed by this and by the New Year Ritual (which will no doubt, be recorded elsewhere, as it involved a goat on roller skates):

Events in life are specific, not global. Responses to them should also be specific, not global.

Mother Culture would like to be global, but is still specific. Responses to her, also should be specific and individualized.

The right way is a myth.

Response strategies should be numberless. Variation is key to survival.

Bumblebees

Discussing the paintings of Mark Ryden, who apparently paints bees, meat, astrological symbols, and Abraham Lincoln into most of his work.

kittenpants: If the artist was there, he'd just say "I like to paint meat. Bees are funny. Something like that. They're looking for deep meaning, but it's probably something like that."
Me: You should paint bumblebees. They are funny.
Kittenpants: They bumble.
Me: Yes, they do. They're fuzzy...
Kittenpants: And unlikely and unstable...
Me: And dangerous! All in the same itty bitty package.
Kittenpants: Not to mention, frequently covered in pollen.
Me: Dusty, bumbly, ponderous, fuzzy pain! What could be better than that?

Bumblebees

Discussing the paintings of Mark Ryden, who apparently paints bees, meat, astrological symbols, and Abraham Lincoln into most of his work.

kittenpants: If the artist was there, he'd just say "I like to paint meat. Bees are funny. Something like that. They're looking for deep meaning, but it's probably something like that."
Me: You should paint bumblebees. They are funny.
Kittenpants: They bumble.
Me: Yes, they do. They're fuzzy...
Kittenpants: And unlikely and unstable...
Me: And dangerous! All in the same itty bitty package.
Kittenpants: Not to mention, frequently covered in pollen.
Me: Dusty, bumbly, ponderous, fuzzy pain! What could be better than that?

Booklist 2005

triadruid's post reminded me -- it's time for a new list of reading.

Italics are in progress, things I intend to read but haven't yet are in a second list, below. Bold indicates non-fiction.

Reading/Read:
1. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
2. Jacob's Room - Virginia Woolf
3. Artemis Fowl (Yeah. Kids' book.)
4. Contact - Carl Sagan
5. The Silmarillion - JRR Tolkien
6. Reality is what you can get away with - R.A. Wilson
7. The Dosadi Experiment - Herbert
8. The Mirror of Her Dreams - Donaldson
9. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
10. The Way of the Shaman - M. Harner
11. Quicksilver - N. Stephenson
12. The Book of Lost Tales, Vol 1 - JRR Tolkien
13. Foundation - Isaac Asimov
14. Foundation & Empire - Asimov
15. Second Foundation - Asimov
16. The Hellbound Heart - Clive Barker
17. A Man Rides Through - Donaldson
18. The Book of Lies - A. Crowley
19. The Shadows of God - J. Gregory Keyes
20. Foundation's Edge - Asimov
21. Baudolino - Umberto Eco
22. A World Out of Time - Larry Niven
23. The Alchymist's Journal
24. Banewreaker - Jacqueline Carey
25. Thomas the Rhymer
26. One for the Morning Glory - Barnes
27. Witches Abroad - Terry Pratchett
28. Cryptonomicon - N. Stephenson
29. Night Watch - Terry Pratchett
30. Going Postal - Terry Pratchett
31. The Confusion - N. Stephenson
32. Green Magic - A. Greeley, ed.
33. Dark Matter
34. Foundation and Earth - Asimov
35. The Girl Who Married a Tiger and other African Folk Tales
36. Saturn's Race - Niven & Barnes
37. How Few Remain - Harry Turtledove
38. Remedial Christianity - Paul Alan Laughlin
39. From a Whisper to a Scream - Charles DeLint
40. Stroke of Midnight - Laurell K. Hamilton
41. Nightfall and Other Stories -- Isaac Asmiov
42. Anonymous Rex - Eric Garcia
43. The Gathering Dark - Christopher Golden
44. The Alchemist's Door - Lisa Goldstein
45. Earthquake Weather - Tim Powers
46. The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents - Terry Pratchett
47. Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
48. Expiration Date - Tim Powers
49. From The Dust Returned - Ray Bradbury
50. The Briar King - Greg Keyes
51. Kings of Infinite Space
52. The Charnel Prince - Greg Keyes
53. The Darkness that Comes Before
54. Sappho's Leap - Erica Jong
55. Celestial Matters
56. The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes - Ted Riccardi
57. Blink - Malcom Gladwell
58. Conan the Something, Conan the Something Else, Conan the Third Thing - Robert Jordan
59. The System of the World - Neal Stephenson
60. Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone - J.K. Rowling (re-read, for research purposes)
61. Crown of Silence - Storm Constantine
62. Interesting Times - Terry Pratchett
63. Sea Dragon Heir - Storm Constantine
64. Knife of Dreams - Robert Jordan
65. The Way of Light - Storm Constantine
66. A Garden of Pomegranates - Israel Regardie
67. Arthurian Legends
68. The Unfolding of Language
69. Drinking Midnight Wine - Simon R. Green
70. An Armory of Swords - Fred Saberhagen, ed.
71. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Philip K. Dick

On the list to read Real Soon Now™
1. Finnegan's Wake - James Joyce
2. Metamagical Themas - Douglas Hofstedter
3. Siddhartha - Herman Hesse


As always, suggestions are welcome.

Booklist 2005

triadruid's post reminded me -- it's time for a new list of reading.

Italics are in progress, things I intend to read but haven't yet are in a second list, below. Bold indicates non-fiction.

Reading/Read:
1. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
2. Jacob's Room - Virginia Woolf
3. Artemis Fowl (Yeah. Kids' book.)
4. Contact - Carl Sagan
5. The Silmarillion - JRR Tolkien
6. Reality is what you can get away with - R.A. Wilson
7. The Dosadi Experiment - Herbert
8. The Mirror of Her Dreams - Donaldson
9. Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
10. The Way of the Shaman - M. Harner
11. Quicksilver - N. Stephenson
12. The Book of Lost Tales, Vol 1 - JRR Tolkien
13. Foundation - Isaac Asimov
14. Foundation & Empire - Asimov
15. Second Foundation - Asimov
16. The Hellbound Heart - Clive Barker
17. A Man Rides Through - Donaldson
18. The Book of Lies - A. Crowley
19. The Shadows of God - J. Gregory Keyes
20. Foundation's Edge - Asimov
21. Baudolino - Umberto Eco
22. A World Out of Time - Larry Niven
23. The Alchymist's Journal
24. Banewreaker - Jacqueline Carey
25. Thomas the Rhymer
26. One for the Morning Glory - Barnes
27. Witches Abroad - Terry Pratchett
28. Cryptonomicon - N. Stephenson
29. Night Watch - Terry Pratchett
30. Going Postal - Terry Pratchett
31. The Confusion - N. Stephenson
32. Green Magic - A. Greeley, ed.
33. Dark Matter
34. Foundation and Earth - Asimov
35. The Girl Who Married a Tiger and other African Folk Tales
36. Saturn's Race - Niven & Barnes
37. How Few Remain - Harry Turtledove
38. Remedial Christianity - Paul Alan Laughlin
39. From a Whisper to a Scream - Charles DeLint
40. Stroke of Midnight - Laurell K. Hamilton
41. Nightfall and Other Stories -- Isaac Asmiov
42. Anonymous Rex - Eric Garcia
43. The Gathering Dark - Christopher Golden
44. The Alchemist's Door - Lisa Goldstein
45. Earthquake Weather - Tim Powers
46. The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents - Terry Pratchett
47. Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
48. Expiration Date - Tim Powers
49. From The Dust Returned - Ray Bradbury
50. The Briar King - Greg Keyes
51. Kings of Infinite Space
52. The Charnel Prince - Greg Keyes
53. The Darkness that Comes Before
54. Sappho's Leap - Erica Jong
55. Celestial Matters
56. The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes - Ted Riccardi
57. Blink - Malcom Gladwell
58. Conan the Something, Conan the Something Else, Conan the Third Thing - Robert Jordan
59. The System of the World - Neal Stephenson
60. Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone - J.K. Rowling (re-read, for research purposes)
61. Crown of Silence - Storm Constantine
62. Interesting Times - Terry Pratchett
63. Sea Dragon Heir - Storm Constantine
64. Knife of Dreams - Robert Jordan
65. The Way of Light - Storm Constantine
66. A Garden of Pomegranates - Israel Regardie
67. Arthurian Legends
68. The Unfolding of Language
69. Drinking Midnight Wine - Simon R. Green
70. An Armory of Swords - Fred Saberhagen, ed.
71. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? - Philip K. Dick

On the list to read Real Soon Now™
1. Finnegan's Wake - James Joyce
2. Metamagical Themas - Douglas Hofstedter
3. Siddhartha - Herman Hesse


As always, suggestions are welcome.