On Epigraphs

Lepus is essentially complete, or at least ready to be sent out for its first test in the real world with unsuspecting minds. I'm eager (and a little nervous) to see how it's received, since, like most of my stories, it's kind of an odd little duck. Not to mention that this is the very first feeler of the massive 'Tomiverse' to be reached out into the world at large. Success means that more will follow. Failure...well, I'm not really sure what will happen in the event of failure, to be honest.

The only thing that's really left to do is to finish adding the epigraphs. See, I've decided that every book, chapter, and short-story that I write will be preceded by a short quotation, and right now I'm struggling to find the right ones for the two chapters of Lepus that still lack them.

I really enjoy the process of collecting epigraphs. In the first place it gives me an incentive to read more classic literature (I've read two new Shakespeare plays over the past couple weeks) and collect tons and tons of quotations. Also, I love the symbolism, the play of subtlties involved in finding just the right quotation for each chapter. I try to pick quotes that don't just allude to what will happen, but which actually lend deeper meaning to the events, or foreshadow future developments, or hint at an unexpected interpretation. When I find the perfect quote, it's like finding the right piece of a jiggsaw puzzle or the solution to some brain-teaser: a combination of delight at my own cleverness and gratitude that such a quote exists and fits my story so well.

Though it's not just classic literature: I've made it a rule that nothing is out-of-bounds or unworthy to be a source for a quote, only provided that it fits. In Lepus, for instance, I've got quotes from Confucius, Dante, Iron Man, I Was a Teenage Werewolf (seriously) and, of course, Watership Down among others. I'm going by the same rule that applies to "Catholicity of Taste:" whatever tells the truth and tells it well is acceptable.

The delay has also given me a chance to make some last minute edits and adjustments before sending it out. I'm hoping to settle on the final two quotes this weekend and send it out for critiquing either Sunday or Monday. Exciting!

I'm Insane

I've known this for a while, of course, what with the voices in my head, my second personality, massive mood swings, and that three-week killing spree I blackmailed the media to cover up...sorry, said too much there.

But now it's been officially confirmed: I've started a personal project for fun and education of reading and summarizing the entire Summa Theologica. I'm on Question 3 of Part One right now. Somebody stop me before it's too late...

Incidentally, I've already discovered that St. Thomas eschews racism. Prima Pars Question 3, Article 3.

Life Update

I've been sick for the past couple of weeks, and while I am feeling much better now it threw off my monthly goals considerably. I have a tendency to seize excuses for not getting things done, a habit I really need to break.

In the meantime, I've reached a rather daunting decision: I need to learn how to draw. See, I have determined to illustrate my stories in addition to writing them. I tried a couple of 3D art programs (Poser, DAZ, etc), but found them disappointingly clumsy and wholly inadequate to my work. So, the only alternative is to bite the bullet and learn to actually draw the illustrations myself. As all my pencil-related-skills are woefully lacking, this is going to take a lot of work, but no alternative.

I've been doing a good deal of self-reflecting recently, and have found that I have a curious kind of permanant tenseness. Not quite sure where it comes from or (more importantly) how to get rid of it, but I know it must go if I'm ever to make any progress in crafting the life I want. More on this issue (let's call it 'the Knot') as it develops. I've also realized that I enter every conversation under the assumption that no one really wants to talk to me, but is putting up with me out of politeness. That's something rather

With my return to relative health, I have again embarked on the slow, painful process of crafting a daily schedule. So far I've had some success with working in prayer and exercise, but less with writing, reading, and studying.

The good news is that I did finish Lepus, so now I just need to go back and revise it a little (I'm redoing the whole opening, for instance) then I'm going to send it out to family and friends for review.

So, goals for May:

1. Learn Italian: need to imerse myself in la lingua Italiano.
2. Study drawing: already had some success practicing on my own, and now I'm looking to take a course at the local community college, so we'll see how that turns out.
3. Schedule. Same as always.

A Couple Random Thoughts

If I ever become a priest (unlikely, but no unthinkable), I plan on finishing up Easter Vigil Mass by shooting off a boatload of the biggest, loudest fireworks I can find. It'll both express the joy and triumph of the Ressurection and will symbolize the Harrowing of Hell by getting sleeping people out of their beds for miles around.

The above is one of the reasons I probably shouldn't be a priest.

I never know my characters until I actually sit down and start writing them. Today they started up an inprumptu philosophical debate that concluded in linking their continuity to The Beginning of the End (or at least a version of it). Now I know what some writers mean when they say their characters take on lives of their own.

Someday I'm going to compile a complete list of all the references, shout-outs, and allusions in my books. It's going to be a massive list. I have a bit of an obsession with making obscure references in my work.

I think I'm becoming addicted to certain people's company. "Just a five minute conversation. That's all I need, I swear. Oh, God, I'm gettin' the shakes here..."

I might be writing a review of Jim Cameron's Titanic for the 100th anniversary of the sinking. The trouble is that that would mean I would actually have to watch the bloody thing again. Still, I'm gonna have post negative reviews at some point (or reviews in general: I've rather fallen off of that, haven't I?), so it might as well start with a film I have a particular hatred for. Look for that at Catholicity of Taste on the 12th, but don't be too disappointed if it doesn't show.

Goals update

I think it's time to admit I'm not very good at this goals thing:

1. Establish a daily schedule and follow it for a week.
-Nope, not yet.
2. Learn to switch between B and C, as well as A, E, and D on the guitar without stopping.
-I can pretty much switch between B and C, though I really need to practice more
3. Finish cleaning out my room at my parents' house.
-Got a start, but the job was bigger than I anticipated so I'll need to try again when I have more boxes. That's what I'm planning on doing Easter week.
4. Finish at least three chapters.
-Now this I managed easily: I finished a good five chapters from Lepus.

Well, if at first you don't succeed, etc. etc. Goals for April:

1. Establish a daily schedule.
2. Finish clearing out my room at my parent's house
3. Practice guitar a lot more and perfect the B-C transition, as well as working on A, E, and D
4. Finish Lepus.
5. Learn Italian (yes, I'm serious about that: I'm going to try to imerse myself in the language this month)

See you next month for an update!

Car Troubles

                My trusty Ford Focus, Frank, failed me for the first time the other day: he simply refused to start. Turns out his fuel pump has died, which is going to cost me a pretty penny to replace. Such is life, and considering I’ve had Frank for about five years now, driving back and forth to college multiple times in him, and this is the first serious trouble he’s ever given me, I’d say I don’t have much to complain about.

                In the meantime, I’ve been making use of alternative means of transportation: namely, buses and feet. I have found riding the bus to work to be surprisingly enjoyable: very low-stress, even relaxing. I just take a seat, pull out my Kindle, and read the Autobiography of Theodore Roosevelt while enjoying the fact that this trip isn’t costing me a single gallon of gas.

                Part of what makes any experience enjoyable is the extent to which it reminds you of other experiences you may have had. Thus, for me, something like, say, being with a lot of people at once isn’t very enjoyable in part because I’ve had bad experiences with crowds and lots of people. Riding the bus, on the other hand, is something that reminds me of good experiences: of being in Europe, for instance: the bus in Rome or the subway in Paris. So I find being on the bus has a calming, soothing effect on me because it puts me in mind of good memories.

                I also have been walking more: yesterday I walked all the way home from work, a trip of a little less than an hour and a half. Those of you who saw the news will note that this meant that, for the last stage of the journey, I was walking in a storm, during which my trusty umbrella truly earned its keep: my pants and shoes were soaked, but most of my upper body stayed nice and dry (comparatively speaking). Heck, it even warded off hailstones with surprising effectiveness. So now I can add ‘walking in a tornado’ to my list of life experiences (not one I’d particularly like to repeat let me add).

                Having to walk has given me a new appreciation for it: why do I have to get in my car to drive just across the street for lunch? Why can’t I just stroll up to the mailbox outside work to drop off letters? What is an hour-and-a-half walk more or less?

                On the one hand, Frank breaking down is a major pain: it’s expensive and extends my commutes by at least a half-hour. On the other, I’m actually rather glad it happened, since it forced me to confront the fact that I use him too much: I have a perfectly functional bus system and two perfectly functional feet, I don’t need to be using so much expensive gas on short trips like that.

                I’m looking forward to getting Frank back, because I miss the independence of having a car. But I think I’ll continue to ride the bus and walk sometimes, since why spend money on what you can get for free?

Vita Nova Update

I said I'd give an update on how my goals went, and here it is:

1. Establish a Daily Schedule and follow it for a week.
- Eh, I only managed a few isolated days. Still, I enjoyed them (actually, I found them to be much more enjoyable than most days), so now I'm putting this on the list for March.
2. Learn to switch between C and G on the guitar without stopping playing.
-Well, I'm a lot better at it than I was. I intend to step up my guitar practice for March.
3. Get pictures and sword hung up.
-Pictures are all hung up (or out being framed), but the sword has given me more trouble. It took me forever to find suitable hooks and now I need to somehow make them stand out form the wall a little to fit it on.
4. Finish at least two chapters.
- Done and done! Two chapters from "The Chronicles of Hendricks" and one from "Lepus" are now in at least semi-finished states.

So, a mixed bag, but on the whole not very successful. Oh, well. For March, let's see:

1. Establish a daily schedule and follow it for a week.
2. Learn to switch between B and C, as well as A, E, and D on the guitar without stopping.
3. Finish cleaning out my room at my parents' house.
4. Finish at least three chapters.