Snow both physically alters landscapes and creates illusory geography. The familiar, quotidian view out your window becomes something altogether new and different after even a moderate snowfall. It’s not all wondrous fairyscapes: the roadside landscape, with its new allotment of crashed and disable cars is a reminder that the temporary physical and illusory alterations come with hidden dangers. I think both Tolkien and Lord Dunsany would appreciate that.
With any luck on eBay I’ll be opening up a stretch of space on one my bookshelves. Fingers crossed.
It ought to be clear by this point that I will not have a book out in January. We can all agree on that, right? So, how do matters stand on the writing front? Let me tell you.
“What have you been reading?” the imaginary voices in my head — those of the imagined readers of this web log — ask.
Well, I’ll tell you, phantoms and figments.
January rolled around again and with it came another opportunity to celebrate the birthday of J.R.R. Tolkien at the Kennedy School. The event added a new wrinkle this year with a room dedicated to Lord of the Rings tabletop games. I hadn’t realized there were so many of them. I’d be tempted to give the game room a shot next year if unaccompanied. However I’m rather certain the HA wouldn’t have the patience for it.
Stanley G. Weinbaum tantalizes we later generations. What else could his fertile mind produced had cancer not taken him at the age of 33?
The Snow Family
The Web Log wishes you and yours a Happy New Year. Despite a dearth of publication, 2018 was a good year for me. I hope yours suited you. 2019 looks promising, especially as far a publication is concerned. I will keep you updated.
Enough talk. Enough writing (except of course for tomorrow; I must get in my word count before the Bowl Game. But other than that, enough writing for 2018.)
Those of you who stay up late enough to watch the ball drop, have a good time. For the rest of us, may our neighbors keep the noise down and let us get some rest.
MBW and the HA flew to Mexico several days ago. I will join them briefly for Christmas before flying back. Oh, what joy, flying on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day, two of the most relaxing travel days of the year. But what this enforced solitude at home means for purposes of this web log is that I caught up on several movies many of you saw months ago.
Time, then, once again for me to provide my pointlessly late opinions.
I may have mentioned that I have a substantial commute to work. Others might not consider forty minutes each way substantial, but I do. The point is that I spend a great deal of time each week in the car. Some might spend this time listening to the radio: music or new or talk. I listen to books.
December again. How did that happen? If seems like I’ve only just finished washing up the Thanksgiving dishes. And now I’m neck-deep in stringing lights along the rain-gutters, hanging ornaments on a tree, and vacuuming up glittering refuse from homemade Christmas card creation.