It feels like a green day today...
So, what have I been up to? I am recovering from a bout of IBS. I will spare you the details (my friends' mouths are dropping to the floor because this is a rarity).
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Other than that, I have been re-reading Umberto Eco's brilliant masterpiece Foucalt's Pendulum (link at the bottom of the page). I originally read this book for a World Literature class in grad school. We had to pick a book by an author not discussed in class and write a report on one theme or motif in the book. Well, if you've read any of Umberto Eco's books, you know there is never just one or two themes. I chose the mathematical theme for my report--Fibonacci--what are Fibonacci Sequences and how do they apply to the book,etc? Mind you, I am mathematically challenged, but often understand higher mathematical theories. My problem usually is I understand the theory, but not the application. Well, this time, I understood everything and how it applied to the book, which I am not going to tell you because then you won't read the book. It would literally give away a lot more than I want to in this blog.
Anyway, so while reading the book the second time, I am focusing on themes I had missed the first time. Also, I am compiling a list of people, places, and ideas that I should research, and a list of ancient books on the accounts of the Templar trials, that I should read. Yes, I am a proper nerd, and proud of it! I don't think I ever realized so much testimony existed, and I am eager to read these ancient books. Eco's history lessons and theories in this book are more than phenomenal. I like to think (cue nerdness)! I like to develop my own theories as well.This book helps me do all of that!
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Updates on my writing.....
Yahoo! Contributor's Network, as of now, ceases to exist. I did put that update on the main page, but I thought I would mention it here as well. I saved my work, but it's not all in proper format. I'm not amused, but I can always re-format a piece of work when I need to.
I was rejected from another poetry magazine, but the editor did something that I don't remember any other editor ever doing: he said I should submit other poems. He was very upbeat in his rejection letter, which made me feel better about my writing. I know rejection letters are half of the process, but I have to tell you some people do not know how to constructively criticize one's work. This time I didn't feel like a complete failure.
As for my sci-fi/fantasy/bizarro short story collection---I was void of ideas for awhile and have recently gotten back to working on it. Two of the stories I previously wrote, I submitted to magazines and one I submitted to a Writer's Digest Contest. I have not heard back from any as of yet. I am going to make try to make the current story I am working on a tad longer than 5 pages. I need some long stories or this book is going to be very short.
I'm working on some humor pieces as well.
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Quote for the Day:
All are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusions is called a philosopher.
~Ambrose Bierce
Links:
Umberto Eco's Homepage
Amazon Page for Foucalt's Pendulum