I have taken a few minutes to label the posts in my archive. I noticed that it is getting pretty big and I thought it might make it easier for anyone who wants to re-read (or hasn't been reading since the beginning) to be able to find posts that might interest them. I also thought that checking the label of new posts could help with knowing what it is you are getting into by reading. On the right side of the screen under my linked websites I now have a Labels menu. Clicking on one of the labels (like Book Reviews) will pull up all the posts that I have labeled thusly. Some posts have more than one label, but that's what happens when you meander freely like a river on a silt-covered flood plain. So give it a try and let me know if it is helpful. Write on.
R.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Going All Thoreau
On a sunny spring morning, Jack Jackson sat down by the river listening as it gurgled with pen and pad in hand. He scratch-scratched away at the pad, stopping occasionally to glance around dreamily. The willows swayed with the morning breeze and the shadows from the slopes at Jack Jackson’s back moseyed across the rippling water.
Loud crunching and crashing sounds distracted Jack Jackson from his contemplation and he glanced over his shoulder at the river-side growth from whence the disturbance came from.
Rob Roberts burst out of the willows with a curse.
“You’re ruining the serenity,” said Jack Jackson.
“You’re quite a work, freak-sauce.” Rob Roberts waved his arm toward the east. “You have to yell to hear yourself over the dammed surface mine. Don’t talk to me about serenity.”
“Why do you have to be such a smart-aleck?” Jack Jackson asked, placing his pen and pad carefully on a rock next to the river as he stood.
“What are you drawing?” asked Rob Roberts.
“It’s not a drawing, jerk-face.”
Rob Roberts picked up the pad and the pen rolled into the river with a plop. “What the hell is this?”
“It’s a poem,” replied Jack Jackson.
“It’s toilet paper.” Rob Roberts flicked his wrist and the notebook flew out over the water with a flutter of pages before descending into the river to speed away with the current.
Jack Jackson whipped the sword of his hand out at Rob Roberts’ throat. Rob Roberts grasped his neck while his breathe wheezed in and out. “I bet you don’t have any smart-alecky thing to say to me now that I’ve crushed your laranix.”Larynx, thought Rob Roberts, Larynx, as he sank back down on the riverbank.
Loud crunching and crashing sounds distracted Jack Jackson from his contemplation and he glanced over his shoulder at the river-side growth from whence the disturbance came from.
Rob Roberts burst out of the willows with a curse.
“You’re ruining the serenity,” said Jack Jackson.
“You’re quite a work, freak-sauce.” Rob Roberts waved his arm toward the east. “You have to yell to hear yourself over the dammed surface mine. Don’t talk to me about serenity.”
“Why do you have to be such a smart-aleck?” Jack Jackson asked, placing his pen and pad carefully on a rock next to the river as he stood.
“What are you drawing?” asked Rob Roberts.
“It’s not a drawing, jerk-face.”
Rob Roberts picked up the pad and the pen rolled into the river with a plop. “What the hell is this?”
“It’s a poem,” replied Jack Jackson.
“It’s toilet paper.” Rob Roberts flicked his wrist and the notebook flew out over the water with a flutter of pages before descending into the river to speed away with the current.
Jack Jackson whipped the sword of his hand out at Rob Roberts’ throat. Rob Roberts grasped his neck while his breathe wheezed in and out. “I bet you don’t have any smart-alecky thing to say to me now that I’ve crushed your laranix.”Larynx, thought Rob Roberts, Larynx, as he sank back down on the riverbank.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Ignoble Experiment
“Whoa, check that out,” said Jack Jackson.
“That is so fake looking,” Rob Roberts replied.
“How would you know what looks fake and what doesn’t?”
Jack Jackson and Rob Roberts lounged in the glow of the TV on the long, velvet couch. They argued on and on about the subtleties of the horrific movie.
“I’ll never watch another movie you pick out again,” said Rob Roberts as the credits rolled. He stood up.
“You will, and you’ll like it,” said Jack Jackson, leaping to his feet.
“Oh yeah?” Rob Roberts responded.
“Yeah,” said Jack Jackson, whipping the sword of his hand out at Rob Roberts’ throat. Rob Roberts grasped his neck while his breathe wheezed in and out. “I bet you don’t have any smart-alecky thing to say to me now that I’ve crushed your laranix.”
Larynx, thought Rob Roberts, Larynx, as he sank back down on the couch.
“That is so fake looking,” Rob Roberts replied.
“How would you know what looks fake and what doesn’t?”
Jack Jackson and Rob Roberts lounged in the glow of the TV on the long, velvet couch. They argued on and on about the subtleties of the horrific movie.
“I’ll never watch another movie you pick out again,” said Rob Roberts as the credits rolled. He stood up.
“You will, and you’ll like it,” said Jack Jackson, leaping to his feet.
“Oh yeah?” Rob Roberts responded.
“Yeah,” said Jack Jackson, whipping the sword of his hand out at Rob Roberts’ throat. Rob Roberts grasped his neck while his breathe wheezed in and out. “I bet you don’t have any smart-alecky thing to say to me now that I’ve crushed your laranix.”
Larynx, thought Rob Roberts, Larynx, as he sank back down on the couch.
The Vikings: A Very Short Introduction
If you have ever had an interest in the old savage Norsemen but did not want to wade through monstrous volumes of archeological ramblings or neo-Nazi propaganda or romanticized Viking inspired literature, than Richards’ Introduction could be the perfect match for you. With around 130 pages of text, this little volume is a pleasant read and a great back-pocket size for anyone that likes to keep something to read readily available.
The content is quite satisfying and Richards’ information is very up-to-date. I liked how well the narrative flowed—sometimes reading a history book is like reading a textbook and that is wrong. Very wrong. When I finished The Vikings, I wanted more. The book increased my knowledge and understanding of these people who dominated the middle Middle Ages and left me anxious to expand on that.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in:
Vikings
The Middle Ages
History of the British Isles (Britain, Ireland, Isle of Man, Shetland Island, etc.)
Ships or naval history
Scandinavian history
European history
Archeology
Early exploration
History of trade
Some of these subjects are merely touched on. Some have chapters dedicated to them. I found Richards had good enough insights into them to add them to the list. So read and enjoy, if you have the urge. And remember, “Valhalla, I am coming,” as Robert Plant once crooned.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
The Man and Blogging
The Man doesn't like blogging. He doesn't like shenanigans. Or anything that distracts from efficient labor. Therefore, he has blocked Blogger from me while I am at work. I noticed that the blocker is temporarily not working and thought I would shout out to them as that might miss my writing while I'm at work. Don't let The Man hold you down. Write on.
R.
R.
Friday, February 09, 2007
Back to that Writing Thing
Drawing from ironbog.eastkingdom.org
I have digressed in the last couple of posts, and I hope that is hunky dunky to y'all. I have been working on a (potentially) smaller project than my Derthal stories. I have mentioned before in an earlier post that I was considering a Viking story, and I have been looking into the feasibility of such a tale. It would be set right around 1000AD, a very rich time historically.
- Swen Forkbeard and Ethelred the Unready (another interpretation of the word could be "bad council" suggesting he listened to the wrong people if anyone, but that doesn't sound particularly catchy, does it?) were fighting over England
- Eric the Red had settled Greenland and his son Leif the Lucky had set up a seasonal fishing/hunting/trading/foraging station in Vinland (somewhere on the east coast of N. America)
- Vikings made up the personal bodyguard of the Byzantine Emperor (the Varangian Guard)and used the north/south rivers of Russia to trade in the Mediteranean, the Caspian, and the Black Seas
- The Reconquista was still going strong in Iberia (just like it would for the next 500 years)
See, pretty exciting smack happening. Note that I have completely snubbed the Franks. I say that's what they get for dominating all the Western/World Civ classes. Don't you think? Even if you don't this is my post, so there.
In light of the state of the world, and the fact that the Vikings left almost no written sources of their own gives me a lot of room to work with a story. It is going to be sweet. Elyena and I have been having some exciting discussions about the possibilities. Write on.
R
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Corporate Musings
A few thoughts for today – in my Inbox sat an Internal Announcement about a new program for cutting costs to become “a world-class organization” by asking every employee to cut $8 a day in expenses. Swell. I think it’s a great theory. How much is a box of paper clips? But the real power of the memo is under the heading “WHY SHOULD I PARTICIPATE?”
Taking lessons from the national bestseller “Good to Great,” we recognize cost savings has a tremendous impact on our transition to a world-class company. With “$8 to Great,” ALL associates are empowered to do their part.
Each week flyers highlighting a different “real-life” savings concept as well as ideas to help you make a difference will be posted in your location. We encourage you to stop and think about these concepts and continue to identify ways we can save money and do our jobs more efficiently.
In other words: If you help save money by making your job harder the piratas blanco at the top of the ladder will have more profit margin to play with. That would be a savings of at least $2080 per year per employee. And they’ll freak out if someone gets half-an-hour of overtime and act like we should be thrilled by out 3% annual raise. I’m sold.
Then I had a customer who reminds me of an old employer come in this morning to talk to My Salesman. The customer—who we’ll call Bich to protect his identity—told me to watch my bid entries because I had fat-fingered an item on a recent project. He said, “Don’t worry, I got you covered on this one. Right. My Salesman jumped in at that point to say, “You remember what we talked about? Going through each line item and double checking everything?” I said, “Are you kidding?” Bich was standing right there, but whatever. My Salesman wasn’t the one that stayed late and had to beg favors from the rest of the sales staff to get the job done. My Salesman and Bich make a great team. For example—one day My Salesman was telling me about how things were going to get better for Bich once the recession hits because “he’ll be able to pick up some good julios cheap.” I say, “So Bich is going to expand his crew during to recession to save money?” He gets this lame/timid look on his face. I can read between the lines. “So he’s going to drop the guys working for him now and replace them with guys begging to work for peanuts? Those ‘julios’ have families, bills, they’ve been loyal to Bich and done a good job for him.” In a huff, My Salesman says, “Let Bich worry about how he does business.” Yeah, I will. But don’t act surprised that I’m not jumping for joy when you ask me to call him about something so stupid that you don’t want to be the person on the other end of the line.
R.
Taking lessons from the national bestseller “Good to Great,” we recognize cost savings has a tremendous impact on our transition to a world-class company. With “$8 to Great,” ALL associates are empowered to do their part.
Each week flyers highlighting a different “real-life” savings concept as well as ideas to help you make a difference will be posted in your location. We encourage you to stop and think about these concepts and continue to identify ways we can save money and do our jobs more efficiently.
In other words: If you help save money by making your job harder the piratas blanco at the top of the ladder will have more profit margin to play with. That would be a savings of at least $2080 per year per employee. And they’ll freak out if someone gets half-an-hour of overtime and act like we should be thrilled by out 3% annual raise. I’m sold.
Then I had a customer who reminds me of an old employer come in this morning to talk to My Salesman. The customer—who we’ll call Bich to protect his identity—told me to watch my bid entries because I had fat-fingered an item on a recent project. He said, “Don’t worry, I got you covered on this one. Right. My Salesman jumped in at that point to say, “You remember what we talked about? Going through each line item and double checking everything?” I said, “Are you kidding?” Bich was standing right there, but whatever. My Salesman wasn’t the one that stayed late and had to beg favors from the rest of the sales staff to get the job done. My Salesman and Bich make a great team. For example—one day My Salesman was telling me about how things were going to get better for Bich once the recession hits because “he’ll be able to pick up some good julios cheap.” I say, “So Bich is going to expand his crew during to recession to save money?” He gets this lame/timid look on his face. I can read between the lines. “So he’s going to drop the guys working for him now and replace them with guys begging to work for peanuts? Those ‘julios’ have families, bills, they’ve been loyal to Bich and done a good job for him.” In a huff, My Salesman says, “Let Bich worry about how he does business.” Yeah, I will. But don’t act surprised that I’m not jumping for joy when you ask me to call him about something so stupid that you don’t want to be the person on the other end of the line.
R.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Riotimus vs. the Superbowl
Just wanted to take a moment to discuss the highlights of my Monday morning.
1) I walk into dispatch. There are drivers and my salesman standing around talking about winning and losing money and so on.
R: Was there a football game this weekend?
Crowd: (general hissing and booing) Just the Superbowl (spoken with condescension).
R: That's cool. Who won?
Crowd: (general hissing and booing)
Salesman: The Chicago Bears
R: I always liked the Bears
Crowd: (general hissing and booing)
I leave the room in turmoil, but I am strangely satisfied.
These fine graphs offer some stats on football injuries for them as that might be interested in that sort of thing.
2) At the water dispenser I overhear several people talking about the Superbowl. Everyone has their say and there is a long pause.
R: I decided to watch a Superbowl once, but when I turned on the TV it turned out to just be a football game.
Crowd: (general hissing and booing)
I go back to my desk and get back to work.
R.
1) I walk into dispatch. There are drivers and my salesman standing around talking about winning and losing money and so on.
R: Was there a football game this weekend?
Crowd: (general hissing and booing) Just the Superbowl (spoken with condescension).
R: That's cool. Who won?
Crowd: (general hissing and booing)
Salesman: The Chicago Bears
R: I always liked the Bears
Crowd: (general hissing and booing)
I leave the room in turmoil, but I am strangely satisfied.
These fine graphs offer some stats on football injuries for them as that might be interested in that sort of thing.
2) At the water dispenser I overhear several people talking about the Superbowl. Everyone has their say and there is a long pause.
R: I decided to watch a Superbowl once, but when I turned on the TV it turned out to just be a football game.
Crowd: (general hissing and booing)
I go back to my desk and get back to work.
R.
Friday, February 02, 2007
a'viking
The typical viking ship held 32 Norsemen, 
was ten feet wide, and only had a 3-1/2' draft,
meaning that it could go anywhere that was 18' wide (for the oars), and 4' deep. Hence their domination of Europe for close to 300 years.
I'm a viking and I'll do what I want to
Do what I want to
Do what I want to
You could do too if you sailed for Cnut
That being said, I had this swell story idea about a Norseman that goes a'viking and does whatever he wants to. After all, it's 1000 ad and who's going to stop him? I'll call him Olaf, or Sven, or Aeric. I can see it now, with my minds eye.
I actually can't see anything else because I am doing a project at work that has blinded me. Honest, I am seeing squiggly-senseless-scratched lines everywhere. And I have to decipher the meaning. And due to the nature of the project I know that it's a big fat waste of time. But that kind of thought will get me nowhere, so I will just take a moment to feel the salty spray in my face while I go exploring with Olaf. Or Sven. Or Aeric. After all, it's 16:00 on a Friday in the _______ business and who's going to stop me? Write on.
R.
PS Feel free to Google Cnut, or the 11th Century if you didn't get my verse.
was ten feet wide, and only had a 3-1/2' draft,meaning that it could go anywhere that was 18' wide (for the oars), and 4' deep. Hence their domination of Europe for close to 300 years.
I'm a viking and I'll do what I want to
Do what I want to
Do what I want to
You could do too if you sailed for Cnut
That being said, I had this swell story idea about a Norseman that goes a'viking and does whatever he wants to. After all, it's 1000 ad and who's going to stop him? I'll call him Olaf, or Sven, or Aeric. I can see it now, with my minds eye.
I actually can't see anything else because I am doing a project at work that has blinded me. Honest, I am seeing squiggly-senseless-scratched lines everywhere. And I have to decipher the meaning. And due to the nature of the project I know that it's a big fat waste of time. But that kind of thought will get me nowhere, so I will just take a moment to feel the salty spray in my face while I go exploring with Olaf. Or Sven. Or Aeric. After all, it's 16:00 on a Friday in the _______ business and who's going to stop me? Write on.
R.
PS Feel free to Google Cnut, or the 11th Century if you didn't get my verse.
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