This postI find that when I’m not quite sure what to post about, I decide to write a string with several beads of topics on it. And that’s what I’ll do today. :)
1. Writing in this blog, or writing e-mails for that matter, is a lot more fun than doing homework. I suppose this shouldn’t surprise me. :) Oh, that reminds me — there’s something tremendously satisfying about writing e-mails (including handwritten letters as well) that isn’t quite present when blogging. Perhaps it’s because I have a clearer picture of my audience, or because I don’t feel the need to be quite so careful about what I say (since private letters aren’t archived by Google for all the world to read), or because there’s more back-and-forth (though you get some of that through comments).
2. Dr. Bruce L. Edwards spoke to us today (a Nan Osmond Grass lecture), and it was quite good. The more I learn about Lewis and Tolkien and the rest, the more I feel like they’re kindred spirits, like I would’ve gotten along just fine with them were I alive back then. WHY DID I HAVE TO BE BORN SO LATE?!?!? ;) No, really, one of the things Dr. Edwards said that stuck with me (among the many) was that Lewis said to Tolkien something like, “Well, the stories we like to read aren’t being written, so we’ll have to write them ourselves.” That’s what I ought to start doing…
3. Speaking of writing, I keep trying to write poetry and songs but I’m failing miserably. And I think I know why: I haven’t been reading any poetry or studying any songs. If I’m not immersed in the form, I’m going to run into trouble trying to create within it. I don’t think it always holds true, but I sense that’s the reason why. So, I’ll start gulping down large draughts of Wordsworth and company and see if that helps.
4. Going along with the writing theme, I was reading The Art of Fiction last night and stumbled across a passage where Gardner basically says that the third-person limited point of view is a bad choice (along with everything other than third-person omniscient). Looking back on the fiction I’ve written, most of it has been either first-person or 3rd-limited. Hmm. I’ll try 3rd-omniscient in my next story and see how it turns out.
5. For my forensic linguistics class, we have to read some trial transcripts, and I decided to read the transcripts from the DOJ v. Microsoft case (so far just the cross-examination of Gosling). Fascinating stuff, really. I’ve never really read court transcripts before but I think I’ve found a new hobby. :)
6. In the same class, the professor talked about the reason why talking on a cell phone while driving is more dangerous than talking with someone who’s in the car with you: apparently your brain subconsciously tries to construct a second reality of the speaker, based on the various auditory clues you get from them. I think it’s true, too; we try to imagine what the other person is doing, their facial expressions and body language (which we can’t get from the phone alone). Constructing this internal video stream takes processor power, so to speak. :)
7. Every week I put together a “Dating Corner” for my ward, listing what’s going on each night of the week (Monday through Saturday) that are possible date activities — plays, concerts, sporting events, etc. I’m starting to get requests from people out of the ward, and so I’m thinking about throwing together a little website to host them (it’ll be for Provo/Orem, of course), complete with e-mail notifications, RSS feeds, and user submissions. We’ll see. :)
8. After reading Edward Tufte’s book The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, I wanted to read his other two books (Envisioning Information and Visual Explanations). Naturally, I checked on my university library’s website. “Due date: 11/24/2006.” Darn, I thought to myself, some professor’s got ‘em. This was back in June or July. A little over a month ago, I decided to put them on hold. Imagine my glee when I got a notice saying they’d come in (having been recalled from the prof). So I picked them up but hadn’t really started reading them. Then, last week, I got an e-mail saying they’d been recalled and I’d have to return them by the 27th! The war was on. :) Actually, being somewhat of the peaceful type, I read them both by the 27th and returned them on time. But I’m really, really tempted to recall them again. :)
9. I think I’m getting sick. ~sigh~ My roommate’s been sick, as have two co-workers and a few classmates. Let’s just hope it’s nothing long and worn out. (But if it is, hooray for long days of reading ahead! ;P)
And no, I don’t think I’m doomed to die, at least not yet.
