Suffering:
Every time your emotion stirs,
In any direction.
Why?
Every time your mood shifts,
You but drift along.
Suffering: An Alternate Definition
2
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan has made my list of books I’ll always remember. As a person who believes nothing happen by accident, this is “the right book exactly, at exactly the right time”.
The Right Book
As if Robin had written this book for me. I went to art school; I do graphic and web design; I hack code to appease the Google engine god; I love old books; I admire type designers; I live in harmony with the old and the new.
Clay, the hero, bumped into his new job at a mysterious bookstore. I mysterious fell into the writing world, which requires me to read a lot, which led me to this book.
The Right Time
Just when I question if there is a place for my current project, a sci-fi, fantasy, clean story set in the near future, this book landed in my hands.
This is the prefect example of a writer putting everything he ever learned into his writing and fusing only the necessary elements to create an enchanted world. A fest I hope to conquer as well.
To Robin
It’s incredible how you managed to weave an old fashion quest in with the technologies of today. And it felt like that is the way it’s suppose to be all along.
I’ll always remember Mr. Penumbra’s 24-hour Bookstore because with a few more brain cells and a few less years, I might have been the night clark at the tall and narrow bookstore.
A Writer in Big Trouble
I’m in big trouble.
As I work on my plot,
I sense the story feels flat.
This morning,
I realized I am in big trouble.
I can’t stand seeing my heros in pain,
as if I’ll be in pain as well.
But in the end,
if my heros don’t suffer,
I, as a writer, will.
Hyphen Needed?
Other than a word being forced apart by the right margin, I have no idea when to put a hyphen between words. Thanks to Woe is I by Patricia T. O’Conner, I now know the rules.
- Use hyphen before the noun:
– Gail is the blond-haired gal - No hyphen after the noun:
– Gail is blond haired. - Alway hyphen:
– self-, quasi- - No hyphen:
– Make sense before a noun even when each is used on its own.
– Marty is a happy healthy boy.
All and Any, Singular or Plurals
Singular when:
- all = all of it / everything / the only thing
- any = any of it
Plurals when:
- all = all of them
- any = any of them
As explained in Woe is I by Patricia T. O’Conner
My errors and corrections:
- Anyone else wants to show me his toy?
- Anyone else want to show me their toys?
Reset Car Mirrors, Avoid Most Blind Spots
Heard this on Car Talk and decided to try it. When done correctly, whenever a car behind you move out of your rear view mirror, you will see the car in one of your side mirrors.
At first, this new way of adjusting car mirrors is very distressing.
- When the car shows up in your side mirror, it feels like it’s only inches away. It’s true that “Objects in mirror are closer than they appear”.
- You’ll see more actions in your side mirror.
- Must adjust the habit of watching distant traffic in the side mirrors to the rear view mirror.
But after you get use to it, it’s pretty amazing. It feels like there are no blind spots at all. I do still turn my head when changing lanes, just to be safe.
Give it a try! Let me know if you have other useful hints to add for the adjustment period.
Dead Remote? Try This Fix
The remote to my 12-year-old little stereo died. First looked online for a replacement but found something better.
I followed the tip from 1.800.Remote:
(If your remote has a switch please read the original instructions.)
- Remove all batteries
- Press each button one by one (at least once)
- Put batteries back
It works!
To be sure, I tried it after a few hours. It still works!
Saved lots of clams without adding electronic trash in the world.
A very good day!
Unsolicited Robocall
Got a robocall (a recording) on my voicemail.
It thanked me for using their service (only in their imagination), then informed me with their toll free number and web address that I couldn’t decipher.
After a search online with that number, found out who they are easily-I wasn’t the only one.
FTC says these calls are made by companies who ignore the Do Not Call list and are most likely scammers.
In this video, FTC says to hang up the phone without doing anything the call suggested.
I opted to do the following:
- Register my numbers on Do Not Call list.
- File a complaint with the Do Not Call Registry.
Even if your number is not on the Do Not Call Registry you can file a complaint about a robocall.
That vs. Which
Borrowed Woe is I: The Grammarphobe’s Guide to Better English in Plain English (3rd Edition) by Patricia T. O’Conner from the library to see if I should get a copy for myself. Not five pages into the book, she solved one of the big mysteries in English for me.
Even for native English speakers, the choice between using that and which is often made by the “that sounds right” guideline. I’m all for using one’s instinct but when I put my pen to paper, that method doesn’t work.
According to Pat, this is how you know:
- Use THAT when the clause carries the point of the sentence, otherwise use WHICH
- “…
[comma]THAT blah blah blah.”
“…[comma] WHICH blah blah blah, …”
Ends Crush in 2 Steps
Always knew the crush wasn’t what it seemed,
Didn’t know how to fix it.
No choice but let it soak
Into
My mind,
My dreams,
My spine.
Learned about your goal,
I can help you,
We can make it real,
I thought.
Understanding struck,
You don’t need my help.
Rather,
I don’t need to help you.
You are and will do great on your own.
Step 1.
Recognize my pattern.
The tie of crush backing out,
Almost undetected.
Words from a wise friend,
Wrote reflections in journal.
Oh, up till this point,
I only wanted,
Wanted you,
Wanted you to need me.
But never what you wanted.
Step 2.
Recognize my ego.
The lake of crush drained,
A few puddles remained.
I still care,
Heart still smiles,
Feelings now logical.