četrtek, 25. april 2013

Mitchell Zuckoff, on how he writes (on "Frozen In Time")

The following is unscrupolously copied from How I Wrote It: Mitchell Zuckoff, on "Frozen In Time" (by Neal Thompson on April 23, 2013, on Amazon. Link here.)
I found it funny and somewhat inspiring. Maybe you'll, too.

When it came time to sit and write, however, the journalist found it difficult to make himself part of the story. /.../ We asked Zuckoff to describe a few details of his writing life.

Space

I write exclusively in a book-filled, 12-foot-square office in my house, at a three-level desk crammed into a corner. On the first level is my keyboard and, to my left, a stack of documents for a book I'm either working on or should be working on. On the second level is the computer monitor, flanked on either side by more stacks of papers and high-tech tools such as scissors and a box of index cards. On the top level, to the left, is a printer, and on the right is an old-fashioned lamp with a green glass shade. From it hangs a boar's tooth necklace I was given in New Guinea. Next to the lamp is a model of the World War II plane I wrote about in Lost in Shangri-La, given to me by a friend, and metal box with an orca tooth and a dollar bill signed by everyone on the Greenland expedition I wrote about in Frozen in Time. The walls are covered with award plaques won by my wife, a photographer with The Boston Globe, along with a few I've won, which reassure me on difficult writing days. The window is on the other side of the room, which is far enough away that I can't throw myself through it on those same tough writing days.

Soundtrack
At the risk of sounding like a pretentious git, I never listen to music when I write because I'm trying to hear the rhythm of the words. I once tried listening to jazz and found myself eyeing the window on the other side of the room.

Fuel
Pretentious git, Part II: When I've reached the point in my research where I"m ready to write at length--weeks on end, usually without missing a day--I make sure I'm downing a lot of protein. Years ago, I read a great piece by Sally Jenkins of The Washington Post about writing and playing high-level sports, and one of the takeaway messages was that my natural tendency to seek a sugar high when sitting at the keyboard was about as useful as eating a bag of M&Ms to run a marathon. Having said that, when I've finished writing for the day (usually very late at night) I reward myself with something sweet, occasionally followed by a glass of port.

Words
When I'm working intensely on a book, I read books that are almost always directly related to what I'm writing--histories, biographies, sometimes technical manuals. To escape my own writing, I read The New Yorker because it cleanses some of the bad writing I'm forced to read and replaces it with beautiful voices in 5,000- to 15,000-word sonatas.

Inspiration
I'm a huge believer in the exercise-nap combo platter. I'm serious. If I exercise early in the day and take a nap, I've got the energy I need to write deep into the night.

Temptation
I mostly try to avoid questions about my writing process. No, really, I try to avoid everything. I tend to write at night, when the house is quiet, everyone including my dog is asleep, and emails aren't popping into my inbox every minute.


There you have it.

sreda, 24. april 2013

Om nom nom strawberries

This just popped up on my radar:

I got it from this site, here.
A healthy Christmas treat by Ninaroid on Flickr

Repinned from Let's Share Healthy Holiday Food Ideas by Tanya
Picture of LuxeFinds.com

Originally pinned by LuxeFinds.com . onto Christmas Ideas

četrtek, 18. april 2013

What's wrong with Star Wars prequels?

"So. If you're Qui-Gon, what do you do when one of its parts breaks down and nobody has any money?
/.../
You don't sell the BAZILLION DOLLAR ship and buy a fleet of less pretty, but completely working spaceships. That would be too sensible. Instead, Qui-Gon, in his infinite wisdom, decides to let a nine year-old enter a podrace (which he’s never completed before) in a podracer (that’s never been tested) that - and this is a fairly important detail - was BUILT BY A SMALL CHILD on the chance that this might result in winning enough money to buy the part. What could possibly go wrong? On our planet, those kind of shenanigans gets you put up on child abuse charges."



Source: http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/04/15/the-9-dumbest-decisions-in-the-star-wars-prequels?utm_campaign=twposts&utm_source=twitter

nedelja, 31. marec 2013

Halls of Valhalla - 13th Warrior

Just saw the 13th Warrior yesterday. Though I read the book some time ago, the movie is priceless with Antonio Banderas' face healing super-fast (maybe he got a nose job done by that blonde woman before he embarked on a ship back south), washing away gore and blood super-fast (yeah, since he's pretty, rain gushed down upon the face of his extremely hard), and ... a nice Here-We-Go-To-Fight-And-Die poem that can be heard both at the begining and the end.

Lo, there do I see my father,
lo, there do I see my mother, and my sisters and my brothers.
Lo, there do I see the line of my people,
back to the begining.
Lo, they do call to me,
they bid me take my place among them in the halls of Valhalla,
where the brave may live forever
.

From motion picture 13th Warrior eulogy/elegy/Death song. (Based on "Eaters of the Dead" by Michael Crichton [Wikipedia] [on Amazon].)


Since visual art works better, here is the link to the movie clip that can be found on Youtube, whence they say the song in most solemn and manly* a manner.

Also, some nice quotes from the book here.

For those curious about the truthfulness of the cited quote: the actual verse seems to be with 'brothers coming before sisters' (as usually happens with men, out of "historical" or bodily reasons), plus another line after Valhalla one:
"They bid me take my place among them in the halls of Valhalla
Where thine enemies have been vanquished
Where the brave shall live Forever
Nor shall we mourn but rejoice for those that have died the glorious death."

                                  Wikianswers: Is the Norse Prayer from 13th Warrior real or Hollywood?
 If you were considering to tattoo it on yourself, maybe consider reading this post on Yahoo answers first.


And as often happens when you dig stuff up in books or on the internet, I got carried away, but found this rather 'lovely' page, which does have also the quote mentioned, but also a nice vow for Marriage and that for a Warrior (not sure of its authenticity, though). But if true, appears to have been influenced by Christianity, anyway.


*Manly as in ungabunga, "We must kill these people before they kills us!".

četrtek, 28. marec 2013

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Lamp

This made me almost pee my pants in the university library. I highly recommend it. (Even if you don't carry humour around you all day long.)


From: Justin Flecker
Date: Sunday 6 May 2012 6.52pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Lamp

... I received your note but you cant go onto other peoples property and take things, that's trespassing. Massanutten is a wooded area and I installed that light for security. It's a safety issue. I can't help it if some of the light goes across the road, close your curtains if it bothers you.

From: David Thorne
Date: Sunday 6 May 2012 7.41pm
To: Justin Flecker
Subject: Re: Lamp

Hello Justin,

Thank you for your email. While I accept that curtains are usually the key to community accord, in this instance they would need to be constructed of eight-inch-thick lead sheeting. Last night, with my curtains closed and bedside light off, I read a book. Wearing sunglasses. Under a blanket.

Though unconvinced that blinding local fauna is the best solution, I do understand the heightened need for security living in a wooded area such as the gated community of Massanutten demands. Having formerly lived my entire life in Australia, I am unfamiliar with much of the local wildlife but I did see my first raccoon last week. I stepped outside to have a cigarette and the raccoon, sitting less than five feet away beside an up-ended bin eating the remains of a Domino's Artisan Tuscan Salami pizza, hissed at me. Surprised, I threw myself backwards, rolled several times toward the door, and sprang to my feet holding the welcome-mat above my head to appear taller. Sometime during the roll-spring-mat maneuver, probably during the roll part as it was over gravel and I was wearing shorts and a thin t-shirt so I had to take it slow, the raccoon left. Which probably isn’t as exciting a story as it should be but this isn't Borneo and I’m not Jack London.

I did see a snake the other day though. I picked up a stick to poke it with which also turned out to be a snake. Jumping back in panic, I threw it away from me, but our dog thought I was playing fetch and I had to run and jump over a creek to get away.

As such, this weekend I intend to set up a canister of poisonous gas in my yard with an industrial fan behind it. I can't help it if some of the gas goes across the road.

Regards, David.

From: Justin Flecker
Date: Monday 7 May 2012 2.14pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Lamp

Is that meant to be a threat? Put something up in your window if you don't like the light, we lived here 5 years before you even moved into the neighborhood and got along perfectly with Ryan who lived at your property before you. We went to his BBQ's and I loaned him our mower. We get along with all our neighbors. I dont know what you people do in your own country but in this country we dont go onto other peoples property and touch their stuff.

From: David Thorne
Date: Monday 7 May 2012 3.37pm
To: Justin Flecker
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Lamp

Dear Justin,

In my country, terawatt globes are reserved for police helicopter chases and warning sailors of hazardous shoals. This is despite the fact that practically every living creature there can kill you in under three minutes. Our primary spoken language is screaming.

I'm not surprised you get along well with all the other neighbours. If you put fifty children with Down's syndrome in a room there is going to be a lot of hugging.

And no, it was not a threat. It was an exaggerated response to an uncompromising stance. I was taught never to make a threat unless you are prepared to carry it out and I am not a fan of carrying anything. Even watching other people carrying things makes me uncomfortable. Mainly because of the possibility they may ask me to help.

I did consider installing a floodlight as bright as yours, but this would require some form of carrying things, electrical wiring knowledge, and access to a power supply capable of producing that amount of wattage. Probably fusion. As I am told off by my partner for wasting money when I leave the light on in the bathroom overnight, I can only speculate to what her reaction would be to an electricity bill eight times our annual income for retaliatory garden lighting. She would probably have to get a third job.

It would be much cheaper to stand in my driveway and throw rocks. I can't help it if some of the rocks go across the road. You should probably put something up in your window.

Regards, David.

From: Justin Flecker
Date: Tuesday 8 May 2012 10.01am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Lamp

Did you take our lamp again asshole? What part about not being allowed to go on our property don't you get?

From: David Thorne
Date: Tuesday 8 May 2012 10.32am
To: Justin Flecker
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Lamp

Dear Justin,

No, I did not take the light again. I relocated it again. Its current location may be discovered by deciphering the following set of clues to its whereabouts. Perhaps you could invite your friend Ryan over and treat it as a kind of treasure hunt:

1. It's in the letterbox again.
2. Look in the letterbox.

As I realise this probably won't narrow it down much for you, I will give you a third clue in the form of a riddle:

What burns with the light of a thousand suns and is in the letterbox?

Regards, David.

From: Justin Flecker
Date: Tuesday 8 May 2012 11.15am
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Lamp

I put a smaller lamp in so you can shut the f0ck up now. Don't email me again and if you ever trespass on our property again I will press charges.

From: David Thorne
Date: Tuesday 8 2012 12.02pm
To: Justin Flecker
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Lamp

Dear Justin,

What if I have a barbecue and need to send you an invitation? Is it ok to email you then?

Regards, David.

From: Justin Flecker
Date: Tuesday 8 May 2012 12.18pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Lamp

No it's not ok.

From: David Thorne
Date: Tuesday 8 May 2012 12.27pm
To: Justin Flecker
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Lamp

Dear Justin,

What if I need to borrow your lawn-mower? I can't invite people over for a barbecue and expect them to stand in long grass. Someone might be bitten by a snake. It's a safety issue.

Regards, David.

From: Justin Flecker
Date: Tuesday 8 May 2012 3.26pm
To: David Thorne
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Lamp

F*ck off back to Austria.

nedelja, 16. december 2012

Progress and Witches

  'Only in stories,' said Granny, examining the door hinges. 'And she thinks she's in charge of the stories. She bends them around herself. She thinks she's the good one.'
  'Mind you,' said Magrat, 'I don't like swamps. If it wasn't for the frog and everything, I'd see Lily's point–' 
  'Then you're nothing but a daft godmother,' snapped Granny, still fiddling with the lock. 'You can't go around building a better world for people. Only people can build a better world for people. Otherwise it's just a cage. Besides, you don't build a better world by choppin' heads off and giving decent girls away to frogs.'
  'But progress–' Magrat began.
  'Don't you talk to me about progress. Progress just means bad things happen faster. Anyone got another hatpin? This one's useless.'
  Nanny, who had Greebo's ability to make herself instantly at home wherever she happened to be, sat down in the corner of the cell. [*Greebo is a tomcat.]

  -- Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad, p.250

...

  'I heard this story once,' she said, 'where this bloke got locked up for years and years and he learned amazin' stuff about the universe and everythin' from another prisoner who was incredibly clever, and then he escaped and got his revenge.'
  'What incredibly clever stuff do you know about the universe, Gytha Ogg? said Granny.
  'Bugger all,' said Nanny cheerfully.
  'Then we'd better bloddy well escape right now.'

nedelja, 2. december 2012

Vsepovsod ljubezen

Vsepovsod Ljubezen*

Janez, Bogomirja kri,
 vsak dan znova si želi,
 da ga ljudje ljubili bi,
 v njega srcu ognja ni;
v naših srcih ogenj tli.

Bo rutke vihtel,
 z gugalnic visel,
 svoje roke si mel,
 če dnarce bo štel,
bo z nami zapel.

S Kanglico, Francozi,
 prehitro se vozi
 Merklova, Sarkózy,
 če nadaljeval' v taki prozi,
to ne bo šlo skozi.

HJa nes končno nam hrusta,
 Ja naša so usta,
 ko luknje za pusta
 zafilali bomo: tu sta!

Oni z roko v rôki ...
 Nam pa nasmeški široki
 jasnijo obraz - globoki
 zapori so, in prav visoki.

V zraku je Vsepovsod ljubezen,
oči so solzne.
 Narod bi bil jezen,
če se kdo izmolzne.

AG, Dec 2012

Še malce glasbene podlage. Besedilo se kar sklada. Pa še kul komad je.
 John Paul Young - Love is in the air: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNC0kIzM1Fo
 
Foto: Mankica Kranjec: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152254574630391&set=a.159608785390.241600.722055390&type=1&theater

(*Naslov pesmi spominja na pesem benda Cuki - Vsepovsod ljubezen, ki pa je slovenska inacica komada Love is all around, benda Wet Wet Wet, ki je bil uporabljen v filmu Stiri poroke in en pogreb, v katerem med drugim igra tudi Hugh Grant.)

nedelja, 25. november 2012

Kaj sploh DELA predsednik?

  Tudi, če se pri nas in v US&A ne bi menjali predsedniki, bi verjetno napisal nekaj takega. Ker to, kar se rabi, ni to, kar se dobi.
In tu je bistvena razlika.
  V dokumentarcu, ki sem ga videl pred kratkim (link), je bilo na steni v Buenos Airesu napisano v španščini: Če bi volitve kaj spremenile, bi jih že zdavnaj ukinili.

Lahko se ne strinjaš, dragi bralec, s to trditvijo, ali pa se strinjaš popolnoma. Osebno mislim, da prava pot in resnica, kot mnogokrat, ležita nekje vmes.
  Demokracija je postala simbol civilizacije in skorajda svobode, tako jo je vsaj uspelo spromovirati orlu čez lužo. (Glede svobode lahko vprašate ljudi, ki jih matrajo vojaške operacije in prisotnost ali pa 'zgolj' ekonomsko "nasilje" ZDA. To so skoraj isti ljudje, ki bodo raje imeli Kitajce in njihov "mehki" način. Več o tem drugič, sedaj samo link do RT.)

Paradigma demokracije je tako močna, da si skoraj nor, če govoriš proti njej. NO, precej jih govori, med drugim precej znani intelektualci. Govoré, da ne deluje dobro. Ali pa, da je praktično ni več, ampak je oligargija, meritokracija, karkoli, kar bolj realno opisuje trenutno stanje vladavine zelo majhnega števila ljudi nad planetom: neživim in živim okoljem ter vsemi živi bitji, ki ga naseljujejo, vključno s človekom. Če bi volitve kaj spremenile ...

  Ko že govorimo o spremembah: vsaj pri nas očitno ljudem ni ravno jasno, kaj dela predsednik v času miru. Torej načeloma imajo države - demokracije - zapisano vladavino ljudstva preko parlamenta (najsibo ta eno- ali dvodomni) in delovanje države zagotovljeno preko treh vej oblasti. OK, to približno vemo skoraj vsi. Ampak kaj dela predsednik? V času vojne je v večini držav predsednik glavni komandant vojske. Kaj pa v času miru?
  Predsednik je diplomat države. Govorec in predstavnik, delegat na pomembna srečanja za odprtimi ali zaprtimi vrati, kjer se dá marsikaj zgladiti ali "usmeriti". Ni pa čudodelec.
  To bi kvečjemu lahko bil prvi mož države, kar, če sem prav obveščen, pomeni "premier" (fr.; translate). (Seveda tukaj se v mislih malce izogibam ruskega fenomena Vladimirja Putina, ki je zapustil predsedniško pozicijo za toliko časa, da je lahko prevzel oblast v državi, si spremenil dolžino predsedniškega mandata (iz 4-ih na 6 let??) in na prestol v vmesnem času postavil svojega plešočega medveda. Potem pa hop, jeeee, Putin je spet predsednik. In vse upore pizd (slab prevod besed "pussy riot") je gladko poteptal.)
  Torej se Slovenija lahko nadeja novega obraza v mednarodnem prostoru. Namesto izkušenega Türka, prvega predsednika Slovenije, ki je bil že prej na mednarodnih pozicijah in deloval kot diplomat svetovnega kova, bo morda oblast "prevzel" Pahor. Človek, ki se ga bodo vsi spominjali v beli srajci z belim nasmeškom. Aha, človek, ki je dejal (kdo? link), da so mu delovanje kot premieru onemogočali "strici iz ozadja". Človek, ki kot Rocky Balboa jé surova jajca. Ki ima lase kot Ken. (O Kenu in Benu ne bi.) Dobra odločitev, braća Sloveni.
  Osebno preferenco se verjetno dá zaslutiti iz zgornjega pisanja, vsekakor pa ne nagovarjam nikogar, da se odloči v eno ali drugo smer. Enostavno bi želel, da ljudje "za trenutek odložijo delo" in razmislijo, ne koga si žele, temveč kaj lahko predsednik v svoji funkciji sploh naredi. In kako predstavlja državo.

Torej polagam na srce vsem slovenskim volilkam in volilcem, tudi tistim, ki bi raje ostali doma: premislite, koga si želite videti na mestu osebe, ki predstavlja vašo državo v tujini?
  Premetavanje blata in šivanje ter podobne dejavnosti, ki se jih v kampanjah poslužujejo kanditati držav sveta, je politična promocija (ki bi se je morda, žal, moral poslužiti tudi dosedanji predsednik Türk, a se je iz različnih - ne pravim, da nujno pametnostrateških - razlogov ni.)

  Verjetno ni odveč, če končam z nasvetom. (Ko sem že tako pameten, knede.) Ampak je nekaj soli v naslednjih besedah, sploh, ko se gremo mednarodno politiko ali trženje, biznis ali karkoli, kar diši na to (korupcija všteta).

Ko si v dvomu, sledi denarju.

  Za Ameriške predsedniške kandidate, vzemimo Georgea W. Busha ml. za primer, se že dolgo časa vé, od kod priteka denar. Ne vé se povsem natančno, niti se o tem ne govori tako pogosto, kot bi se po mojem mnenju moralo (da, veliko odgvoronost in izpolnjevanje njih prvotnih nalog pričakujem od medijev), koliko denarja priteče od kje (primer za zadnje volitve). Vendar se vé: če je dobil g. predsednik denar od naftnih ali "električnih" lobijev, potem z veliko težjim srcem podpiše Kyotski sporazum. Ali pa karkoli drugega, ki je proti interesu ... aaah, denarja (recimo banke?).

  Američani niso neumni. Vsaj vladajoči sloj, ki vleče niti ni. "Ko Amerika kihne, se prehladi ves svet", sem nazadnje slišal. Je nekaj na tem. Problem je samo, ker mi nismo Amerika, ampak malo manjša država in to zahteva drugačno politiko. Drugačen nastop na mednarodnem polju. Pahorja bodo "strici iz ozadja" prišraufali na ekonomski kol, da bo bolj "fleksibilen" v svoji marionetni poziciji. Še manjši je, kot Türk, ki bi tudi zaradi svojih izkušenj potreboval večji kol, da bi bil komu marioneta. (A zopet: ne nagovarjam nikogar k ničemur, razen k volilnbi udeležbi. Drugače voli - in o rezultatu odloči - 10 % prebivalstva.)

Med prvimi, s katerim se bo katerikoli predsednik "prijateljsko" srečal, bodo Putin in Kitajci, Merklova, potem pa dalje. No, po vsej verjetnosti. A slučajno veste, kako daleč so načrti za plinovod čez Slovenski teritorij?

Želim vam "dovolj" (link).

petek, 16. november 2012

A dip in the Eurozone

"The 17-country eurozone has fallen back into recession for the first time in 3 years, All the effort from the region’s powerhouses - Germany and France - was nullified by weakness elsewhere."

"The Eurozone recession poses a threat to the rest of the world, as any fall-off  in  demand will hit the order books of its trading partners.  For Russia, the Eurozone is its biggest trading partner, but so far revenues from energy sales have remained relatively stable.
Despite falling sharply in 3Q 2012 Russia’s GDP growth rate remained positive during the period– at 2.9%, compared to 4% in the 2Q, according to estimates by Russia’s Statistic Service.

At the moment the Eurozone, with its 332 million population, is the US’s main export customer. It is also a major source of sales for the world's leading companies. Forty percent of McDonald's global revenue comes from Europe – more than it generates in the US."

http://rt.com/business/news/euroarea-recession-3q2012-germany-778/