Sky Coyote

Sky Coyote by Kage Baker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The second in the series.
This time around the story is told from the perspective of a male character (far better than a teenage girl). The main character, is sardonic, logical and jaded; just my kind of man.
With a brief cameo from Mendoza (the girl from the first book) Sky Coyote take place further along in time filling in the space that the author intends this series to go. While there is not traditional plot, intrigue or suspense, the novel tells a tale. This tale takes a good poke at religion, science and philosophy.
This could have made a good stand alone book, but it was nice to know some of the back story. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who needs a fast pace intensity or anyone who is easily offended.
One of the gripes I have about the author is that she often writes long pieces of dialog that can be easily skipped without loosing any story or development. However I do enjoy making fun of people through wit an irony.



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Cyborgs will rule the world

In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I grabbed this book randomly and was excited to see the premise: Teenage cyborg, time traveler. Weird right? And at least worth trying out. So that's what drove me through all hundred and three pages (plus I like history)
The first quarter of this book is interesting, with great ideas and a humor that reminded me of Kurt Vonnegut.
The other three quarters were well... a 17 year old cyborg in 16th England who falls in love. Sound more like a sci-fi romance? It was.
I really wanted to like this book, I didn't hate it but I didn't love it. I would certainly recommend to an young geeky girl. But as a guy reading about this girl's teenage angst, hormones and delusions was annoying.
This however was the author's first book (i could tell in the writing) of an eight book series so I'm going to give it a chance.



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The End

The Harsh Cry of the Heron by Lian Hearn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


From beginning, formation and end this book and the series are everything you'd expect in a Japanese story (that's kind of a hint if you read or watch Japanese stuff).
From an American mind set so much of this seems like lunacy. I read through this book hating so many of the characters. I cringed at their actions scowled at their selfishness, cursing them for narrow minded ideas. And while it got me riled up I love that at got me involved.
I did feel that the book was too long, 200 pages longer than the others. Or maybe it was too short, as the conclusion wrapped up a handful of loose ends in the last 20 pages.
Thankfully I wasn't disappointed, annoyed or angry as I can be with some series books. But again I warn you that to feel comfortable with this series you should understand Asian culture.



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The wrap up

Brilliance of the Moon by Lian Hearn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is and excellent climatic rap up for the events that occurred over the previous 2 novels. There's nothing I can say that won't give away what happens. We all know that things will end in war but what we care about is how the characters survive. Or don't.
The best thing (and this is one of my favorite things to happen in books)is that the afterword tells us that the next book is 15 years later. I always enjoy reading the, where are they now, stories.



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Development

Grass for His Pillow by Lian Hearn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The second book of the series and it's better that way.
If this were a stand alone book it would be a flop. However, if you're reading the series it's not that painful. The entirety of the novel is character, world and plot development. There are now amazing fights or unexpected developments.
What we see happen is the characters grow and the reasons for acting become more clear.
The best thing about this book is that you now when it ends that the next book will be full of conflict.



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Ups and downs

I'm beginning to understand crime. 

Once a long time ago a teacher asked me why I thought crime was more common in poorer neighborhoods.  As a sage sixteen year old I answered, "Because they're frustrated.  They don't have any options or anyway to escape."  The words made sense and I was right, but I didn't truly understand. 

At the time I didn't understand; today I do.  As time slips away and the inevitable approaches my options dwindle.   To many people the obvious route is to find a job so that I can survive.   Physical survival has never been a concern.   Just like any street corner kid knows that if they need to eat they'll figure out a way, legal or otherwise.  The thing that isn't apparent to those on the outside, the ones who want to help, who donate and pity, is that the survival of the human spirit is paramount.  In a way I'm lucky to have had a chance to view life from a different angle.  If I had grown up in the ghetto, amongst the poor and desperate,  I would have thought that there was only one way to live.  Seeing everyone as a threat or a target.  Fighting everyday for every inch  because  I didn't know that all those negative emotions feed each other.  Anger begets anger.  Anger makes you angrier.  Anger makes people angry at you.   Anger stops people from wanting to help you, give you a chance.  Soon enough anger is your only option.  Anger, depression, bitterness, they're all the same.  They all have the power to destroy your humanity. 

I've been looking for a job, despite the looks of disbelief I see on people's face.  Forty or fifty resumes sent out, zero replies since December.  Well paying jobs and minimum wage jobs  alike. Maybe I'm not trying hard enough, maybe I need to walk door to door calling a every one over and over, badgering them into at least interviewing me.  Maybe even at minimum wage I won't be able pay for a place to live and the relative bills  new and old, keep my car, take care of my cats, fend of the impending lawsuits. 

My options shrink and my future with it. 

I have little control over what's happening.  As much as that kid who walks past drug dealers every morning to get to school.   I know, however, that  money trouble, pain, sickness loss  and all the rest of it will always be there.  It will come and go at random intervals and varying intensities.  You can't avoid this, no one can avoid this.  But when its bad, when there is no escaping the tidal wave coming at then all you can do is go with the flow.   Fighting against it is a waste of energy, energy that should be spent on saving your soul. There's nothing wrong with being angry or depressed.  It's when you let those types of emotions control you, when you send that flood of destruction to fight the forces that are beating you down that is wrong.  If you fight fire with fire all you'll have left is ashes. 

So I wonder, as I sit talking with friends and family, if they think that I'm taking things well.  Or maybe they think I don't care.  Mostly likely they come to the conclusion that I've cut myself off from the world.   I would like to tell them the truth as cold and calculated as it might sound.  Screaming and crying won't help anyone.  It won't make the situation better and it won't help them feel any better.  But there is something else.  I'm afraid that if I let my head go under the water, even for a second, I'll drown.  I'll lose my soul and the person who I was will cease to exist.  My thought, idea and dreams will vanish.  It will all be replaced my a twisted version, something forged in anger. 

I know I'm beginning to sound melodramatic. The first thing some one would say to me is that I was over exaggerating.  But I would ask them this, have they ever been in this deep,  treading water in currents to strong to fight, not knowing where you're going and at the same time knowing that the sea was filled with sharks ready to strike at any moment?  This is my life, sitting in an apartment all day, alone, powerless because I can't get a job, helpless because I can't stop anything and knowing that in the next fifteen day everything I built will be taken from me.  Even after it's all gone they'll want more.  Then I'll ask, is it hard to believe that I'm wondering if crime is a solution to some problems? 

And for a second my head goes underwater and I can see the sharks. 

I'm beginning to understand crime.

Gia

Probably shouldn't be wasting time painting since I'm trying to unload all my paintings.  This popped into my head in a dream and it looked interesting.
A bit hippy for my taste.

Hello again

Where have I been?

Well, I was in Utah for a couple of day.  I've just barely recovered from the 11 hour drive there and 11 hours back.

So the question is have I been working on the book or the writer's block project.  The answer is no.  Have I been watching too much Netflix?  Is their too much Netflix.  I've been binging on horror flix, most of which were quite terrible, but a few decent ones.  If you're curious I can recommend a few.  The interesting and unexpected result... well not to unexpected be I'm often inspired by crappy writing-- anyway the result was a couple of ideas for some short stories.  Hopefully I can get to them all before I forget them.  I don't tend to post stories in blogs but if you ask nice I'll put it on my figment.com account.

Speaking of accounts.  I just went through my fineartamerica.com account and lowered all the prices of my paintings by 60%.  I have too many and I can't take them with me so I have to get rid of them, fairly quickly.  Some can go to the right home for a discount, not counting shipping.

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/hero-sin.html

Not an expert

I've had far too many thoughts roaming around in my head lately.  Most of them are useless, in so far as that I can't do anything with them.  The terrible part is that they're driving me crazy; keeping me up at night or just breaking my train of thought.  A few nights ago I couldn't sleep at all because I was busy writing my Presidential acceptance speech.  Then when I was through with that I developed a revolutionary international law.

Here's how it goes (remember I'm neither a politician, lawyer or well versed in international law):

The basic idea is that each country should be responsible for the actions of those citizens who act outside of government sanctioned activities.  In more basic terms UN member nations who's citizens cause, enable or through speech inspire violence in another country should be required to police those citizens.

The intended result would be to hamper terrorist activities that are launched on foreign soil.  While the actually locating of said criminals would be more theory than fact, it's more about governments being required to stop such activities.  One of the bonuses would be that speech calling for criminal activities against foreign governments.  It would cause the ideas to go "underground" but at the same time seriously limiting the number of people who are reach but such speech.  This law could be extended toward the drug trade as well.

To help with these situations the UN would institute a police branch the works somewhere between the military peace keeping force and investigators.  The interference of this branch would not be compulsory at first but an aid that governments can call on if needed.  If the UN finds or believes that the law is not being properly kept then the police branch would be sent in.  Now the initial reaction would most likely be that no country should be governed by any one but itself.  While this may be true the positive ramification out weigh the patriotic angst.  When you're the leader of a country filled with millions of people you find it hard to trust anyone else.  There is to much at stake.  But a law like this would serve as a stepping stone.  As a leader I would feel much more open to any country who promised to stop any of it's citizens who threatened or acted against my country in a private war.  Not only that but the prevention of these activities in my own country serves my purposes as well.  We can not hope to unite the entire planet under one rule and on law but we can work to function as a cohesive system that supports, gives and gets when needed.

With all this said one of the draw backs would be some government abusing this law.  Using it to silence victims or dissidents who speak out against ruthless dictator.  The solution would be in the police branch investigating the situation.  That however wouldn't be enough the UN would have to take a larger part in overseeing governmental abuses in its member nations.  That is something I don't think they are willing to do seeing as how they most often prefer sanctions rather than intervention.  Then again this (to any non-American) sounds exactly like what all the other countries are complaining about, America starting wars everywhere it walks.  The thing about it is that we as a global community are required to maintain a certain level care for people all over the world.  Just as we lend aid to countries damaged in natural disaster we intervene in political affairs with equal destructive capabilities.

I come in peace

Been away for a while.  Kinda of failing on my projects and operation.  Hope this makes up for it.

Resignation

Project Typist

I still haven't gotten around to trying out the exercise and writing experiment.  Mostly because I'd prefer to be alone when I did it.  I have this crazy image in my head what I would look like; sitting in front of my computer furiously typing for 15 minutes then suddenly I get up and start doing jumping jacks.  After after 50 repetitions I stop and go back to my computer.  This happens 8 times all the while I'm focused on my own little world not saying a thing to anyone.

Sounds a little like something out of a David Lynch film.  Which reminds me I need to work on my backwards speaking.

Meanwhile, like I had ranted about before, I feel as though this project is limiting my ability write.  If I can't find the time and situation to run these experiment I don't write.  In my head I'm thinking, why waste valuable writing if you're not using for the experiment?  On that note I'm on a bit of a kick to just say, screw it.  Or to paraphrase (and tagline) myself from a comment I posted on some gal's blog (see operation blog post coming soon), write irresponsibly.

Sometimes I start to take writing too... seriously.  That's not what I mean, but the point is that I stress out about it, as if it's a job and I have a boss and a deadline and if it's all not done right then I'm going to get chewed out and fire and then no one will want to hire me again.  That's something the plebs do (no offense).  I'm good at what I do, damn good and I don't have to try to be good.  I'm not sitting in the corner with the other struggling writers making out character sheets and worrying about plot points.  I don't spend three years writing a single book (I spend 2 months then don't do anything with it for 3 years).  So what I'm I doing wringing my hands hand and creating drama where there is none.  I am not a high-school kid writing poetry in their journal and being sad because no one will understand why I'm so sad.

I'm good at what I do and the only reason I'm not just writing with reckless abandon is my boss.  And my boss is me.  Like every other boss I'm an idiot, giving ridiculous deadlines, asking for top of the line work and demanding it be efficient and economically viable.

It's time to quit working for myself and start screwing around and having fun.

8 usable blocks

Project Typist

The other day I was having a conversation with my wife about scheduling.  More specifically about how I'm always trying to make or get on a schedule and then consequently getting frustrated.  Which in retrospect is true, though I can never quite figure out what went wrong.  I usually just blame the situation and people for being so unpredictable.  Not to say that I'm not right but I could possibly be semi-wrong.  My wife suggested that the crux of the issue lays in the fact that I function on a cycle that is just under 2 hours.

The theory is that I can't a lot time for activities in anything but increments of 1 hour and 40 minutes.  So when something takes 2+ hours it means that two blocks of my 8 usable blocks are consumed.  Meaning that if I have six things to do that I have a narrow margin of time to get them in to my schedule.  But if something comes up that slows one of these tasks down or an extra task comes up it can potentially use up the last 2 remaining blocks.  Suddenly I have absolutely not time at all and my schedule is fully booked.  That's not even the real problem.  The problem is that I tend to actually schedule things in 2 hour increments, so my calendar is saying one thing but my mind wants another.  In my perception I'm double booking activities and rushing to get things done before my time is up.

It's stressful and a little disheartening.  Sitting down and writing has become this delicate balance of time and ideas.  No matter how hard I try I can't find the time to sit down and write and it seems to be my fault.  I'm not quite through with project typist, it's still a good experiment with some valid ideas.  I don't know how I can actually work it into my functional life.

At this point its been about 2 weeks since I've work on any fictional writing.  As well, I haven't painted or done any creative work.  I put it down to stress, distraction and poor habits.  The thing about that is I say screw it, just have to punch the wall and walk on through so I took these pictures of my cats.

Stage 2

Operation Blog

Seeing as how I'm riddled with writer's block I though it was about time to move on to stage 2 of this operation.

What is stage 2 you ask?  Stage 2 is what I call, "the first approach".  One can't expect people to come to you for no reason.  And while those with money might used advertisement I don't have money.  That leaves me with doing some foot work because (and this is going to sound a little too religious for my taste) give what you want to get.

So, for each blog account I will look for five other bloggers on that account and follow them actively.  This may be a little difficult since some of the accounts don't have any "follow" functionality.  The blogs I find should be interesting, with original content and contain something I'm interested in (also, I'm not going to take the easy out and pick a celebrity blog).

Ain't got the time

Project Typist

I've begun to believe that my current lifestyle is not cohesive with a regular schedule.  This makes it nearly impossible to set a consistent work time thus making it this section of the experiment impractical.  With that said, For me, schedule writing is a bad system to counter act writers block.

Even if I pretended that I had a normal day, coming home from work, having dinner then sitting at a desk to write, I still don't think its a good system.  The time that life interrupts this schedule I'd become angry and resentful of the who or why.  The time that I might be distract I'd feel like I wasted my time.  And just because you sit at a desk at the same time everyday doesn't mean you'll know what to type or have any ideas.  At the very best it's a good psychological way to trick your brain into thinking.  The thing for me is that I never have a problem thinking about new things, theorizing and coming up with project.  I have ideas that I'll never see done because I have too many ideas.

But fear not, this project goes on.  I'm skipping to the next one on the list: Exercise.  This system is based on the theory that increased blood flow to the brain will get you thinking.  Hopefully you've caught the fault (see above).  I was just saying that I have no shortage of thought.  Despite that I think this one might have some credibility.  It doesn't, however, have anything to do with blood flow.  I think that a brief exercise will help shut off the brain allowing you subconscious to go to work.  A large problem with writing and writer's block is over thinking.  Worrying about and focusing too much on something that is not a big deal and can be fixed later.

For this experiment I will do 50 jumping jacks ever 15 minutes.  I should note now that I have to reduce the experiment time to 2 hours due to lack of time in the day.  Since in the control I hadn't exceeded that 2 hour mark the numbers should be okay.  Though, you might argue that psychologically 3 hours might have made a difference.  So I'll repeat the control at the end.

P.s.  If you're wondering why theirs a delays between these project post it's because I have writer's block!

P.P.S  In case you didn't do the math that's 400 jumping jacks.

Sometimes

Project Typist
Sometimes nothing works out.
After a long time, a few interruptions and a lot of thought the system of scheduled writing needs to be more complex.  At least for this experiment.  The reality of life is that I can't say that every day I will be free from this time to this time.  Perhaps it's just my life but I think that isn't very likely.  I think that there is no guarantee for any artist that they can control the world.
Well... Other than ignoring it. And that works mighty fine.  I've written 2 books and created a dozen paintings by ignoring the world.  The trouble is that when you come back you find you've only pissed off your friends and family.
So the question is, how do you balance, control, flexibility, reality and disassociation?
Until then I'll be skipping the scheduled writing.

Redo

Project Typist

Day 2.0 – Scheduling - The best laid plans... This is one of the major reasons I don' believe creating a schedule for writing is a functional system. Things come up; little things, important things and things that need to get done. While writing is important, and to a certain extent I consider it my job, there are tasks that must be completed in order to live. So today I didn't write. It isn't the first time and it won't be the last time I planned to work and something came up. In fact quite often something changes and things happen. It could be worse, there were previous situation when I had a writing schedule and people ignored it. Or at the very least didn't understand how disruptive it was to have a conversation as I'm trying to work.

But beyond every day life and circumstance interfering with mice and men, there is practicality. Yes, a regular writing time will help train my brain to start up on queue. It does in a sense impose an unwritten rule that you aren't allowed to write at any other time. Will writing off schedule ruin the mental training? Will all the good words and ideas get used before the designated time? Will writing too often burn me out? Will forcing myself to write when I have nothing to say degrade the quality of my work?

0 words typed.

1 PM

Project Typist

Day 1 – Scheduling – Today I'm am working on scheduled writing. I began writing at 1pm, like I planned to do over the next couple of days. Just prior to getting to work I fall asleep for an hour long nap. I almost didn't wake up. Despite feeling exhausted I got to work. Since I watch TV during the control I decided to watch TV during this session. I wrote for nearly an hour, a lot of dialog, then I hit a plot point I hadn't thought through. Trying to figure out what happens next stressed me out so I stopped.

606 words typed.

Doing it Hemingway

Project Typist
Day 3 – Control – Drinking and writing just like the masters. I’ve read several theories that drinking doesn’t help the artistic mind and may actually hinder it.  I may not have written as much as day 2 but I felt like I was on a roll.  I was still watching Robotech while working. I Wrote for an hour but was distracted for nearly 30 minutes.
484 words typed.

A Page

Project Typist
Day 2 – Control – Still working on Rhodes still watching Robotech. Listened to music while working.  Worked for an hour and a half then got bored and worried that the plot line was getting confused. Spent a good while re-reading the end of Rendered Fat to remember what was going on. Also it felt like there was too much dialog. I’m also hungry, the cat wants attention and I want to cut my hair. 730 words typed.
For anyone who doesn’t know the average words per page is about 500.

Control

Day 1 – Control
I’ working on the sequel to Rendered Fat which is currently called Rhodes.  Before I set to work there were 7,113 words.  I sat on the couch watch TV as I typed.  It had been a while since I last wrote so I didn’t expect it to go well.
I lasted 30 minutes.  Brought down by distractions and sleep. After browsing the internet briefly I decided to nap.
It’s debatable whether or not my distraction and sleepiness could be a psychological or scheduling reaction. Either way I typed 397.  Who knows if they were good or bad.

Project Typist

“Writers block” is defined as a writers inability to form words into sentences and sentences into information, either fictional or non-fictional. This experiment does not intend to discover the cause of this issue, whether biological or physiologic. The purpose of the experiment is to find realistic and efficient solutions to writers block. There will be 3 section in this experiment. Section 1^st will be the control, writing unaided by any systems. The 2^nd will contain theories proposed by online sources. The 3^rd will be theories developed by myself (some based of section 2 results) and adjusted over time to increase performance. Each theory will be measured based on the number of words typed over 3 hours.

Section 1 - Control

Creating a true control is a challenge. The control should be written at a non-specific time and a non-specific location. It should attempt to not incidentally engage any of the theories above. Thus the control should be the same writing project every time. There should be no breaks and it should be up to standard. I however cannot deduce a solution to the idea that if writing in the middle, or working on other sections of the project is a solution, then continual writing will change the area of the project that is being worked on. I think that the best solution is to write as close to my normal habits.

Section 2 – Outside Theories

1. Implement a writing schedule – Choose a time a write every day at the same time. An addition suggestion is to write only a limited amount of words at the same time, ie 500 words.
2. Exercise – Based on the theory that increasing blood flow will help the brain function at a better efficiency.
3. Start in the middle – Move to a section of the work that interests you more.
4. Multiple projects – Work on multiple projects at the same time. Theorizing that the problem may be the project.
5. Write bad – A theory that the problem is a result of too high a standard.
6. Listen to music -
7. Take a break – Theorizing that a brief rest will help the mind focus. Shower, walk, drive, nap or read.

Section 3 – My Extrapolations

Still have to come up with them.

Operation Blog

Stage 1 of operation blog is to create blog accounts on multiple sites.  The objective is to discover which sites are easier to use and connect with more people.

Ease of use will be determined by myself and based solely on person preferences.  These preferences include but are not limited to: Blog layout, ease of posting, back dating and queuing.

Blogs will be judge for connectivity based on number of comments and members/followers. For example on my tumblr account I had 8 followers within a month and have had a number of people like and repost my posts.

I now have 7 blogs including my tumblr account but not including my twitter account.

cassiangrey.tumblr.com

cassiangrey.blogspot.com

cassiangrey.livejournal.com

cassiangrey.xanga.com

cassiangrey.sosblog.com

cassiangrey.wordpress.com

cassiangrey.joeuser.com
and my Twitter user name is cassiangrey