I have Bruno Bettelheim's book Uses of Enchantment, somewhere. Yet I'm less interested in Freudian readings of myth and fairy tales than other types of interpretation. But that's not the point of this. I was reading how selling is the art of story telling, (in a Medium piece here) but earlier I'd been looking for a … Continue reading Uses of enchantment
Writing
A week in the life
This week I've been up and down and around town. Things I didn't get turned into something else. Other potentialities I'd written off have re-emerged in a more positive light. And that's just this week so far. Hence, this, a partial view of most of a week in the life of me. Check email repeatedly. … Continue reading A week in the life
Holding an idea
I've had difficulty sleeping recently. It's spring messing with my sinuses, as per usual, and my brain thinking about things, also as per usual. Anyway, the week the Australian Prime Minister spoke about "abiding the law" when asked about banning conversion therapy for LGBTIQA+ people, I couldn't sleep at all. During one restless night I … Continue reading Holding an idea
Bread and circuses
News and social media can be like that scene in The Matrix where the dude is looking at the people and only sees lines of glowy green symbols. I feel like I only see, or too readily see, the bad, the sad and the maddening. There's plenty of it. Which is exactly why I resist … Continue reading Bread and circuses
Rewatch: Alien/s
I rewatched the Alien franchise (the first four films). They speak about how humans incubate fears of the dark, the unknown, of disappearing, of birth, change, life and death. Probably, I'd insert a quote from Helene Cixous or Luce Irigaray here about language, myth, the body and sexuality, but you know... Anywho, these films are … Continue reading Rewatch: Alien/s
We know what we are, but not what we may be
Every now and then I become aware of my hollowness. I'm hollow but not like a log that was once a healthy tree. No. I'm hollow like a vessel made to be filled up by something else. I take on the interests of others to fill out this human form and to make up for … Continue reading We know what we are, but not what we may be
From here to something more
To dedicate a life to the making of beautiful things is my thing. Often this has been difficult. But I'm still trying. Hence the previously mentioned University of Iowa MOOC, which I successfully completed. Yay. This course was useful for short story feedback and introducing authors I'd not read before. It was interesting seeing how people … Continue reading From here to something more
Another dose of inspo
From the vaults once more I return with yet more spam wisdom and affirmations... We begin with this below. Frankly, it is a bit mystifying but I'm glad someone can benefit from my writing where ever they are watching from and why ever they are reading. I’m gonna watch out for brussels. I will appreciate … Continue reading Another dose of inspo
Inspo’s where it’s delivered
Sometimes the will to continue with writing flags a bit. It might be that my big break, or even a little one, is around the next corner, or a decade away...but I can't bear to think on it. What I can do is search for inspiration and practical help. There are serious things to do, … Continue reading Inspo’s where it’s delivered
Schooled for life
You may have noticed media covering research about air pollution after a paper was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This study from China found air pollution increases the risks of dementia, and impairs cognition, affecting language and arithmetic test scores. Xi Chen, Yale School of Public Health: "Polluted air can … Continue reading Schooled for life
Writing Bec 