We got a ‘snow day’ this week. There was freezing rain for about 12 hours and they closed the schools. I still get that little thrill when I read the email or hear it on the radio. No school work for you today little boy. You are free. However, I spent the day in an out of consciousness as I am fighting a brutal infection that has left me with clogged sinuses and a cracking headache.
I have been writing in the new library not too far from me. It was not built in the traditional style. Instead of classical architecture, leather chairs, wood tables and shelves and quiet, it has lots of open air, glass walls, Ikea stools and kids playing video games loudly on the desktops. It is also connected to a gym, pool and two rinks. But Starbucks is even worse when my head is bad.
I listened to and read a couple of good books recently. ‘Paris in the Dark’ by Robert Olen Butler and ‘Hominids’ by Robert J Sawyer.
I enjoyed the first much more than the latter. It was a spy novel set in Paris in 1915. The setting, characters and plot were first rate. (And President Wilson is portrayed as the weasel he was.) Good enough to be literature, I think.
The other one was a classic sci fi novel about a universe parallel to ours. There is, of course, a much superior civilization in the other one, constructed by Neanderthals. They are environmentalists and there is no crime or over population or extinction of viable species. Too bad the humans won out over here, eh? Then there is a quantum physics accident and we have a visitor. Very clever and ambitious but I don’t know, a bit preachy.
I can’t ski yet (concussion) but I can skate, and I am enjoying doing that outdoors on the public rinks we have here. My wife Kelly comes some of the time. She is a good skater. The old rink I used to go to when I was a kid still has skating every Friday night. I want to go, but then I don’t. Some memories are best left as just that. And the outdoor skate feels more authentic somehow.
SpaceX test fired the rocket engine that is going to take people to Mars. That’s cool, I think.
Getting a hankering to wander a bit when I retire. Truck camping seems like a light footprint, fits right on top and no towing something behind you.
My first novel Almost a Myth is free as a digital copy on Amazon and it has climbed to number 7 on the, let me get this right ‘sci/fi fantasy – fantasy- military’ best seller list. Which is okay. Better than number 306 I guess.
Have a great week!