Oops, missed one. We had a stop in Limon, Costa Rica. Visited a rainforest reserve. Saw lots of cool animals, including sloths and a bushmaster, one of the most toxic venomous snakes in the Western Hemisphere. Which was under the control of a handler but not in a cage or container.

Quote by Cora

I read mostly spiritual reading. The Saints are very wise and helpful. Books by Russian authors, Dante's works, although I've only read "The Inferno" thus far. And C.S. Lewis books.

Ever come across The Language of God by Francis Collins? It's about the only Christian apologetics that has clicked with me in recent years. Collins headed the Human Genome Project and the National Institutes of Health so the book is very focussed on reconciling his strong Christian faith with his acceptance of science as a way to know the world. He is a fan of Lewis and cites him. Used to be available as a free PDF but he seems to have taken that down so maybe it is back in print. He also started a foundation exploring/promoting the relationship between Christianity and science, which runs a podcast under the same title.

And Alissa in her native environment, fronting Arch-Enemy. The song is the leadoff track from their 2022 album Deceivers, the video is footage from their 2023 tour. And, yes, that really is her voice. The woman is a great "growler" who can also put out some terrific clean vocals.

Charlotte Wessels and Alissa White-Gluz are two of my favourite female voices right now. Charlotte is solo after years in the band Delain while Alissa fronts Swedish melodic death metal band Arch-Enemy. They have worked together a few times since Charlotte went solo. This song was original a patron-exclusive on Patreon but finally got a general release last week. Alissa also appeared on a track on Charlotte's first solo album and later joined Charlotte onstage for some of her first solo concerts.

Since we've had songs quoted already, how about this one from Finnish songwriter Tuomas Holopainen:

"Would you do it with me?

Heal the scars

And change the stars.

Would do it for me?

Turn loose the heaven within."

From "Ever Dream", originally recorded by his band Nightwish.

Quote by gillianleeza
Weird, warm, rainy, and foggy weather here today.

Similar around here apparently, at least when we got home from our vacation last night. Chilly this morning, but it's mostly wind chill, I think.

Yep, Ape is back. Putting on some Colombian dark roast coffee that I picked up on my trip. Teas are Irish Breakfast and Darjeeling. Washed the cold drink pitchers and refilled them with lemonade and unsweet iced tea.

So where was I? Took a cruise out of Tampa, Florida that hit:

Georgetown, Grand Cayman (meh, not impressed)

Cartagena, Colombia (my favourite stop. The old 16th century Spanish city is amazing and the new part in Bocagrande is impressive.)

Colon, Panama (We've seen most of Panama already but did visit Portobello, a somewhat rundown town of a similar vintage to Cartagena)

Cozumel (Touristy but fun)

There were some sea days salted in there where I just crashed on deck and did some reading. And some time spent in Tampa at the beginning and end. Nice aquarium there, the Riverwalk is a good stroll, and Yrbo City added some interesting history.

So that's that. Not back to work until Monday but that will come soon enought.

Later, alligators.

Quote by redwriter

Here's is a horror story (true)-I'm not looking for sympathy but I need to seek your understanding for any language errors I'm might make in the came days (weeks)---until my brain beings to function as normal.

Fact is, last Saturday morning after finishing breakfast, I suddenly past out and ended up under the table. Neighbours finally got me on a sofa until ambulance arrived-I knew little of what was going on. My senses slow arrived during the hospital journey. Arriving there, I was placed in a bed and a consultant was there immedately saying, "It seems you've had a stroke!" A stroke? Me?

This was where the horror began. The questions. "Tell me the months of the year?" Easy--"Er, December, hum May" Panic was already rising. "Try days of the week." Again--hesitation, little input. "What about your address?" Now that was simple, "One, Earlington Court" Only that was my previous address. I could not recall the address where I had lived for past thirty years.

So it went on, saying sensless things , mumbling odd words. Despite countless reassurances it was a horrific twenty four hours. Overnight I talked myself into getting months of the year in the right. Even found that a could recite me mobied phone number. Sunday went well on the way to get most things right, and all most slurring add gone. This was due to some medication which dealt with a rogue cell in the brain. Not out of the woods totally but nearer the exit

For any one who begun "THE HIGH AND THE HUMBLE" that us up to Chapter Four ( a really exciting chapter). It had been intention to produce a new chapter at least every other day. Circumstances have informed with that plan. But it was written ready for publication. So I get on with that as I recover I'm mojo

Eek. Hope you keep on the mend, Red. Strokes are scary stuff. Glad you're posting, which would seem to be a positive sign. Take care!

I am back in Canada but still a couple hours from home. Nice vacation but, truth be told, I was actually a bit homesick on this one. Be glad to sleep in my own bed again tonight.

Aagh, he beat me to it.😁 Good that others are starting to post these kind of information. Thanks, verbs.

Quote by Cora
My username was formerly epicellie.

Hey, nice to have you back. I remember you well.

I am on a cruise ship in the Caribbean right now so not onlining much. Or writing. Thought about packing along my personal laptop for sea days but Mrs. Mendalla talked me out of it. Having some ideas, though.

Been reading Nobel laureate Gabriel Garcia Marquez a bit since one of our port stops was Cartagena, Colombia where he lived for a chunk of his life and where he died and is buried. Interesting writer but a bit depressing, at least the material I have been reading. Couldn't get his famous novels from the library in time so reading shorts instead.

Fantastic information, Cora. Thanks for passing it along.

takes a Snoopy and a Woodstock

Good morning. Miserable weather but vacation looms so I'm not too broke up about it.

Coffee is a Dark Roast Nicararaguan from Las Chicas. Teas are Russian Caravan and English Breakfast. Cold drink pitchers are washed and refilled. Kettle is ready to rock for hot chocolate and other teas.

Will be scarce(r) for the next couple weeks, then hope to up my presence in February.

Later, Alligators

Coffee...must... have ... coffee.

😲

Just kidding. But I did put some Tobermory Flowerpot Island on for those who do drink the stuff. For myself and the other tea sippers, there's Yorkshire Gold and Earl Grey Cream. Kettle is ready and waiting for hot chocolate or other teas. Cold beverage pitchers are washed and refilled with iced tea and lemonade.

Welcome to the weekend, folks.

Quote by verbal
I like that The Cosmic Background call, for slipstream flash that doesn’t make much sense. I wish I understood the slipstream genre better.

It intrigues me, too, but for whatever reason I have never had much success writing weird stuff like that.

It hasn't been used yet, so I'll throw in the classic Theodore Sturgeon response to the contention that most science fiction is crap. This version, from 1958, is a bit more developed than some others. Usually people only quote the first part.

"The Revelation

Ninety percent of everything is crud.

Corollary 1

The existence of immense quantities of trash in science fiction is admitted and it is regrettable; but it is no more unnatural than the existence of trash anywhere.

Corollary 2

The best science fiction is as good as the best fiction in any field."

Apparently, Rudyard Kipling and George Orwell had similar revelations.

Kipling: "Four-fifths of everybody's work must be bad. But the remnant is worth the trouble for its own sake."

Orwell: "In much more than nine cases out of ten the only objectively truthful criticism would be "This book is worthless ..."

Ape comes in. Sniffs tea. Starts kettle.

Here's some real tea. A nice cup of English Breakfast.

After reading through the calls from Author's Publish (see thread I started), I am looking at a couple of them. There's one where "Down In The Well" might be a fit so I am thinking of taking it down from here and submitting it there after giving it an editing pass or two. And there's the Bigfoot anthology I mentioned in the thread. I am thinking about story ideas. I was a bit obsessed with cryptids as a kid and the giant ape variety (Bigfoot/Sasquatch, the Yeti) were favourites (surprised?😉).

And a Canadian outfit called Celticfrog (great name) is doing a Bigfoot-themed anthology, which is something that I have always wanted to write a story about. Deadline is Feb. 1 so I might just take a stab at submitting, my muse willing. Pays decently. CAD$100, could be more if the Kickstarter they will be running in February does well.

Quite a mixed bag as usual. Not just markets seeking submissions but a long list of contests, awards, fellowships, etc.

https://authorspublish.com/44-themed-submission-calls-and-contests-for-january-2024/

A couple samples of ones that caught my eye. First is The Cosmic Background, which is a flash fiction magazine.

"We are primarily a slipstream publication — that means we like your stories that don’t make a ton of sense. We want your giant talking frogs. We want your people with unexplained, never commented-upon eyes in their fingertips. We enjoy character-focused writing, with an emphasis on voice."

And for the anthology And One Day We Will Die, which is looking for stories inspired by the music of a band called Neutral Milk Hotel (Mangum is the founder and songwriter of the band it seems).

“Look at the inspiration material. Mangum’s surreal, opaque, and stream of consciousness writing draws inspiration from childhood fantasies, historical events (including the life and death of Anne Frank), sexual tensions, tarot, and more. Night terrors and lucid dreaming also proved a rich vein for lyrical inspiration. These songs feature characters that could be denizens of Weird and dark fantasy tales already, with names like “The King of Carrot Flowers” and “The Two-Headed Boy.”"

Walk the dog. More fun and counts as exercise (depending on the dog, some are more exercise than others)

Snow or rain?

Sara's b-day, eh. I have just the thing. A little supply of New Year's goodness that I didn't use up.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SARA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote by verbal
So, today, I am spending the day playing with Stop Motion Studio! Today I learn how to use a green screen!

So when do we get the "Verbal Studios Monsterverse"? 😜

Hey, thanks Sara. After a green Christmas and a wet Christmas week, we are actually getting some snow here finally. "I'm dreaming of a white New Year's" doesn't quite have the same ring to it, though.

Sent the year out with a bang on my other site with the classic Nightwish banger "Last Ride of the Day". Just sub "year" for "day" and it works nicely. 😋

So how was your 2023? And what are you predicting/expecting/hoping for in 2024?

(And, yes, one of the things I am expecting and hoping for in 2024 is for Nightwish's tenth studio album to hit it out of the park. Literally. Their recent concert in their hometown of Kitee, Finland was in the baseball team's stadium. Only place in the town big enough, I guess. 😜)

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. The recent renaissance of kaiju films has been wonderful for us old Godzilla fans.

And yesterday, I was mostly listening to recent work by prog giants Yes. Their work of late hasn't exactly inspired me (to be fair, I've barely paid attention since the death of original member and longtime bassist Chris Squire), but their 2023 release made at least one "best prog of 2023" list I saw so thought I should give it a whirl. It is quite good. Maybe not classic Yes (after all, the only member from that era left is guitarist Steve Howe), but very good modern prog.

From "Mirror in the Sky", their latest album, the current lineup of Yes:

I am actually listening to a mix of prog and death metal (yes, really) these days, sometimes at the same time (hi, Opeth). But a week ago, Nightwish dropped their final video of 2023. It's tour highlights from 2022-23 set to the song "Tribal" from their last album. Kind of weird how Floor is pregnant in some clips (from this past Spring) but not others (from earlier in the tour) as it switches around.

Passive, I think. I'm someone who just enjoys taking in art or artifacts and learning about them.

Art gallery or history museum?

I haven't been sick for Christmas in a long time but for a period there, often came down with flu between Christmas and New Year's. Vibes to all those dealing with illness or injury on the holidays.

Glad to hear your daughter and clan made it safely, verbs. My wife worries when our son drives between here and Ottawa (6-8 hours depending on traffic and how many stops you take) so I can't imagine how she would be if they were going cross country.

Little Mendalla and Mrs. Little Mendalla are headed home to Ottawa today. Actually saw them three times. Last night had dinner at her folks' place. Even got to see their kitty, who was staying with them at her parents' place.

So, let's get some caffeine going for the weekend, eh.

Hmmmm. Some Tobermory Grotto coffee in the coffee pot. Teas are Irish Breakfast and Earl Grey. Pitchers from the fridge are washed and refilled with iced tea and lemonade. Kettle is primed for hot chocolate and other teas.

Ouch. Not an injury you want when you're hosting stuff, eh. Healing vibes sent. And happy birthday to your dad. Making it to your 90s is still no mean feat

Back at the office for a couple days.

Started a new story about the characters from Shadows of Tan Maldrin, but I am trying something a bit different. No evil spirits or monsters, instead it's a bit of a comic fantasy with Nalia being romanced by a prince while Elera does research in far off land. Shooting to mess around with the fairy tale "girl swept off her feet by a prince" storyline.

Finally met my son's in-laws. Nice folks, as I expected from knowing their daughter. Probably heading over to their place for a reciprocal visit later in the week. Then we're down to only two weeks until winter vacay (which we have mostly planned now)! Hooray!

Good ... well, whatever it is where you are.

Kicking off the post-Christmas period with some dark roast from Las Chicas. Teas are English Breakfast and Sunday Tea. Kettle is ready for your hot chocolate and other fine teas. Cold beverages are ready.

Kicked off a new story. Kind of know where it goes but will take some fiddling, I think.

I'll take it either way (my mother used to grow her own and make all kinds of goodies with it) but with, I would say.

Strawberries as a dessert or as strawberry jam?