Random Thoughts Anew

[downer]

Looking at a book from 2017 published by Rowman. The publisher web page says it has 4 reviews. No, it doesn't. It has 4 blurbs. A search reveals the book has no reviews.

Quite a lot about Rowman makes me think that although they publish some good books, that's almost an accident. It seems to be a publisher without any standards.

I guess it's not unusual for academic books from 2 years ago to have no reviews. What proportion of academic books never get any reviews? Probably the answer is depressing.

[mamselle]

Working towards entering the writing tunnel again.

Is writing orgasmic or organic? Or a bit of both.

I'm more productive if I focus on the organic, simple day-to-day rhythms of plodding along, paragraph by sentence/paragraph. But the blend does occasionally happen, and the orgasmic "found it" moments are more fun.

I think the romanticized notion that it's all done in huff's and puffs of ecstasy--and is suspicious of any writing not so generated-- may prevent many good works from appearing.

The muse requires foreplay, it doesn't just wait around for good ideas to pop up, like yellow, lemon-lit lightbulbs in a dusky felted wool Beuys sky.

M.

[mamselle]

Double spaced by a few days...

Have I said this before?

It's a confusing place. Swallow your pride and ask for directions.

We find the bones of lost visitors, and new students' parents, all over town....

M.

[quasihumanist]

Double spaced by a few days...

Have I said this before?

It's a confusing place. Swallow your pride and ask for directions.

We find the bones of lost visitors, and new students' parents, all over town....

M.

It was laid out by the cows...

Actually, anyone who has lived in any European city will have no trouble finding their way around, because it's laid out just as any European city is, with a bunch of important places, streets in straight lines connecting the various important places with each other, basically concentric alleys close to the important places, overlaid with modifications for cars and grids where there weren't streets before 1830 (because it was formerly water that became a sewage pit).

[ab_grp]

I saw a neat article today on street layouts in major cities categorized and visually displayed via network analysis.  Here it is, in case anyone is interested:  https://appliednetsci.springeropen.com/articles/10.1007/s41109-019-0189-1  They include cities from Asia/Oceania, Europe, Latin America, Middle East/Africa, and US/Canada.

I don't use academia.edu much if at all and am trying to understand their recommender algorithm.  I frequently get emails from them stating that I read article X and, therefore, may be interested in article Y.  I have never read any of those articles X.  They are not even nearly in my field or areas of research.  If the reading of articles through academia.edu is linked to my account there, shouldn't they know what I have read or not read there? It always reminds me of the Seinfeld episode with Kramer trying to be Moviefone: https://youtu.be/qM79_itR0Nc.  "Why don't you just tell me the name of an article you've read?"

[mamselle]

I'm also on Academia, and I get similar recommendations, usually tied to an article I've downloaded, bookmarked, or put in my library.

A couple of writers are very interesting and I'm glad to know about their work; others, well...not as much.

It's also very interesting to find out what search terms have brought me to my (assuredly avid) readers' attention(s).

Sometimes it's so close, I'd like to start a conversation with them; other times, not very close at all.

Being more isolated as an independent scholar, I do appreciate even the far-off prognostications, and find some downright humorous.

I especially like the little graphs they show me about the number of visitors. It's very exciting when it gets over 5 in a day...

;--}

M.

[Thursday's_Child]

A combination of the suffering in the aftermaths of hurricanes in Puerto Rico & the Bahamas and travel down a road where the storm drains were being replaced led me to imagine an inexpensive 'hurricane safe' made from a short, pre-formed, concrete pipe section with a strong lid.  This must be firmly anchored into rock or a concrete slab.  It does not need be completely water-tight and is not for sheltering people - it's for sheltering a week or two of food, water, clothes, and other necessities.  Because it's strong but not water-tight these necessities should be double-bagged.

The recommended procedure is to place all necessities in it right before seeking shelter.  After the storm, the members of each household return, extract their supplies and set up camp.  This reduces suffering while the government and outside aid get their acts together clear airports, roads, harbors, and other major infrastructure so they can start necessary evacuations & get aid flowing.  If some basic tools are included, temporary construction of sun/rain shelters from boards and other rubble becomes possible.

I wonder if there's an engineer out there who needs a public-service project?

[mamselle]

That is a good idea. Wonder if it's grantable....might be.

My random thought du jour:

   It's harder to clear the desk in your mind....

M.

[downer]

Friend posts on social media that their pet died suddenly.

It is sad, but I also think better to go fast than slow. That's how I would like to go. But I know I can't say that right now.

[downer]

This semester I largely gave up efforts to be nice. I remained civil and even cheerful but rather ruthless.

This semester I have had 2 students write to express their appreciation of my courses. I guess it has happened before, but I was not expecting it this semester.

[paultuttle]

Working towards entering the writing tunnel again.

Is writing orgasmic or organic? Or a bit of both.

I'm more productive if I focus on the organic, simple day-to-day rhythms of plodding along, paragraph by sentence/paragraph. But the blend does occasionally happen, and the orgasmic "found it" moments are more fun.

I think the romanticized notion that it's all done in huff's and puffs of ecstasy--and is suspicious of any writing not so generated-- may prevent many good works from appearing.

The muse requires foreplay, it doesn't just wait around for good ideas to pop up, like yellow, lemon-lit lightbulbs in a dusky felted wool Beuys sky.

M.

Bolded for emphasis.

I've come to think of writers as an interesting amalgam of construction workers/home builders and medieval mystics--working in a slow, plodding, craft-y way spiced with moments of transcendent inspiration.

[apl68]

Working towards entering the writing tunnel again.

Is writing orgasmic or organic? Or a bit of both.

I'm more productive if I focus on the organic, simple day-to-day rhythms of plodding along, paragraph by sentence/paragraph. But the blend does occasionally happen, and the orgasmic "found it" moments are more fun.

I think the romanticized notion that it's all done in huff's and puffs of ecstasy--and is suspicious of any writing not so generated-- may prevent many good works from appearing.

The muse requires foreplay, it doesn't just wait around for good ideas to pop up, like yellow, lemon-lit lightbulbs in a dusky felted wool Beuys sky.

M.

Bolded for emphasis.

I've come to think of writers as an interesting amalgam of construction workers/home builders and medieval mystics--working in a slow, plodding, craft-y way spiced with moments of transcendent inspiration.

As with any craft or construction skill, its exercise may look facile to the observer, but it has taken years of regular practice to reach that level.

[Bede the Vulnerable]

Quite a lot about Rowman makes me think that although they publish some good books, that's almost an accident. It seems to be a publisher without any standards.

Hey, they published my first book.  So, yeah, you're pretty much right.

[paultuttle]

Working towards entering the writing tunnel again.

Is writing orgasmic or organic? Or a bit of both.

I'm more productive if I focus on the organic, simple day-to-day rhythms of plodding along, paragraph by sentence/paragraph. But the blend does occasionally happen, and the orgasmic "found it" moments are more fun.

I think the romanticized notion that it's all done in huff's and puffs of ecstasy--and is suspicious of any writing not so generated-- may prevent many good works from appearing.

The muse requires foreplay, it doesn't just wait around for good ideas to pop up, like yellow, lemon-lit lightbulbs in a dusky felted wool Beuys sky.

M.

Bolded for emphasis.

I've come to think of writers as an interesting amalgam of construction workers/home builders and medieval mystics--working in a slow, plodding, craft-y way spiced with moments of transcendent inspiration.

As with any craft or construction skill, its exercise may look facile to the observer, but it has taken years of regular practice to reach that level.

I wish there were a like button on these fora, apl68! I'd have broken my mouse clicking it . . . .

[apl68]

Working towards entering the writing tunnel again.

Is writing orgasmic or organic? Or a bit of both.

I'm more productive if I focus on the organic, simple day-to-day rhythms of plodding along, paragraph by sentence/paragraph. But the blend does occasionally happen, and the orgasmic "found it" moments are more fun.

I think the romanticized notion that it's all done in huff's and puffs of ecstasy--and is suspicious of any writing not so generated-- may prevent many good works from appearing.

The muse requires foreplay, it doesn't just wait around for good ideas to pop up, like yellow, lemon-lit lightbulbs in a dusky felted wool Beuys sky.

M.

Bolded for emphasis.

I've come to think of writers as an interesting amalgam of construction workers/home builders and medieval mystics--working in a slow, plodding, craft-y way spiced with moments of transcendent inspiration.

As with any craft or construction skill, its exercise may look facile to the observer, but it has taken years of regular practice to reach that level.

I wish there were a like button on these fora, apl68! I'd have broken my mouse clicking it . . . .

Thanks!

When I typed that, I was thinking back to the days when I worked with my father in the summers.  He was a bricklayer.  He made spreading mortar, "buttering" bricks with mortar, and tapping them into place look so easy!  Just a few elegant movements, with no wasted effort.  When I tried it...it wasn't so easy.  Which is why I mostly just served as a laborer making mortar and keeping him supplied with material. 

He was one of the last generation of masons to come up through the system of indenture.  He'd had to put in years of work before becoming a licensed master mason.  On an ordinary uncomplicated wall he could lay over a thousand precisely-placed bricks a day, given a laborer who knew how to keep the material boards supplied and the mortar at just the right consistency.  On special jobs, where he had to translate bizarre architectural designs into actual construction, I saw him cut bricks into prismoidal forms that are hard to describe, and get them to stick together.  I can revisit those structures now and see that painstaking work still in place, after over 30 years of sitting out in the elements.  I suppose there's something "transcendental" about that.