The Sixth Extinction - Ayreon
Arjen Lucassen's formula of pulling together top singers and musicians for symphonic metal concept albums has served him and Ayreon well for many years now. This is from a live performance by Ayreon last year. I can name a bunch of the various singers who appear but I'll bet I've heard others and just don't know them on sight.
grabs a couple carrot cake cookies from Snoopy
Good afternoon. Man, this place is getting livelier, esp. with Cora coming in to do an afternoon hot beverage service. Yee-haw.
I looked at the 4 drafts I have for a sequel to Shadows of Tan Maldrin (well, one possible sequel). I think I have completely lost the plot with that planned series. Too bad, but I am going to squirrel it all away somewhere and move on, I think.
I have thoughts on a couple possible "universes" I can use for some new stories. These wouldn't be series so much as stories with a shared setting and maybe some interplay among characters. One I have scoped out a bit in my notebook. The other is rambling around my head.
For the poets among us who might have enough written to consider publishing. There is a link in the article to another that explains why the reading fees exist in the first place, but these ones don't have it.
https://authorspublish.com/102-traditional-poetry-manuscript-presses-who-do-not-charge-reading-fees/
LOL. Will that poor song ever escape the legacy of being in Pulp Fiction? I mean the original song dates so far back, it's origins aren't known. The first recording was by a Greek musician in 1927. Even the surf rock version used in Pulp Fiction actually dates to 1962, And, yet, almost everyone today associates it with that movie.
This version, interestingly, dates to the same time as the Pulp Fiction. It's jazz take from Vince Guaraldi.
Reading list from my Cruise:
A Collection of Short Stories and No One Writes to the Colonel, Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
We were stopping in his homeland (Colombia) on the cruise and I have never read the Nobel winner so I decided to do so. Very good writing and some intriguing characters and stories but a bit too morose for my mood these days.
A Brief History of Earth, Andrew H. Knoll
In 8 chapters, geologist Knoll takes us from the Big Bang to the Anthropocene. Does a good job of giving a high level look at our world's history and our place in it.
Hadrian's Wall, Adrian Goldsworthy
Nice overview history of the Roman wall that runs across Northern England. Cute anecdote about the author scratching out the "H" in "Hadrian" in a book when he was a kid so it would be "Adrian's Wall".
The End of Everything, Katie Mack
A cosmologist looks at various ways the universe could end and, in doing so, gives a good review of various current theories and speculations about it origins and nature. Good pop science in the vein of Sagan or Degrasse Tyson.
Banging my head to a band from Japan that I just stumbled across yesterday. Lovebites is all-female power metal band with a sound reminiscent of classic European power metal like Helloween but leavened with thrash (Metallica is thrash metal). They've been at it since 2016, with a break over 2021 and 2022 after losing their original bassist. These are from their first concerts after current bassist Fami joined.
Love the gospel-ish opening to this one.
And this anime theme from 2021 is a favourite of mine so far.
We got rain on the weekend but now we are back to snow.
So my wife and I have similar symptoms, but I was positive and she is negative. So clearly one of us got an erroneous result, but which? I'll keep assuming I have COVID but it does show that the rapid tests are not perfect.
Good morning!
Don't feel like sourcing coffee today and I see I still have some Tobermory Flowerpot Island so making that. Teas are English Breakfast and Raspberry Royale (a Bigelow's blend I fell hard for on the cruise).
On a sick day today. Told folks at work I'm taking this day to day but I kind of hope to be back working from home at least tomorrow.
Yeah, so apparently my "cold" is actually a certain other virus. The number "19" is involved. 🙄
But I am not too bad at the moment so I'll put on a mask and gloves and whip up some Panamanian coffee. Teas are Scottish Breakfast and Duke of Earl Grey. Pitchers of cold bevvies are washed and refilled.
Toying with stories but not really getting much going yet.
One of my favourite openings for a novel ever:
"No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man’s and yet as mortal as his own; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinised and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. With infinite complacency men went to and fro over this globe about their little affairs, serene in their assurance of their empire over matter. It is possible that the infusoria under the microscope do the same. No one gave a thought to the older worlds of space as sources of human danger, or thought of them only to dismiss the idea of life upon them as impossible or improbable. It is curious to recall some of the mental habits of those departed days. At most terrestrial men fancied there might be other men upon Mars, perhaps inferior to themselves and ready to welcome a missionary enterprise. Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us. And early in the twentieth century came the great disillusionment."
-The War of the Worlds, H. G. Wells
Good that you keep posting and that you're keeping a sense of humour about the whole thing. Seems like a good way to promote your recovery.👍
Good morning, all. Today we will do Costa Rican coffee. Teas are Yorkshire Gold and Russian Caravan.
Nursing a bit of a cold. Nothing serious, just inflamed sinuses and a cough. I wore a mask while making the hot drinks so fear not.
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.
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.
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.
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 ..."
