D. Paul Harrison - Experienced Points - 6/15/2021
Hello!
Missed a day, but rather than guilting myself about it, just getting back to it. This is growth. I mean, I think.
I’ve been slowly cutting back on nicotine, and this has been making me both sleep and feel better. I always worry if I completely cut it out - no gum, no mints, et al - I will wind up on the other end, dumber. I’m not trying to 100% quit, but want to not do it compulsively. It’s more about control, than health, but I suppose I also want my blood to not do weird stuff.
I’m a bit unbalanced between day job work, where I am doing very well, and takes up a lot of my creative juice, with my creative work. But, that’s part of the purpose of this log of my activities. I’ve always felt like I was doing more creatively when I would work more hours, but I know this is a false memory. I got good at, and this isn’t just creatively, getting something done when it needed to be done.
I’m a good theater tech, but I also can pull a pretty well produced show out of my ass in a week. The distinction between these things is something I’ve struggled with a lot, especially when I am setting my own deadlines.
It’s been unbearably hot in Austin, and my air conditioning is turning itself off in demand response pretty often. This is stupid, and I wish the government cared, but we’re likely to start getting blackouts, again. Good times.
What I’m writing
“Metal Eggs” 1500 word flash fiction story (750/1500 words done)
Somewhat treating this first draft as an outline, and close to finishing. I know the bulk and the point I am attempting to make, but as usual, am getting bogged into details.
I wonder, sometimes, if I would be better served taking a script and then converting it. I love, and am good at, writing dialogue, and stage directions flow easier. Then, converting those into scenes.
Probably just something I need to get better at. That’s the theme for today.
What I’m reading
The Player of Games by Iain M. Banks
Wanted to re-read something I find comforting, so back to the Culture series. It was also the anniversary of Iain M Banks’ death recently, so is a good time for it.
This was what sold me on the series, and is where I recommend people start reading the series. The first book, Consider Phlebas, I only like in retrospect.
This story, about a professional game-player and game-designer in a Utopia deciding he needs to go on An Adventure, and it goes terribly, has always resonated with me, and mostly in a positive way. The protagonist comes off as unlikable because he is used to being the best at something - so as soon as he is removed from that context, he keeps the same arrogance, and it sucks for everybody.
Getting out of your comfort zone helps, but also, don’t think being good at one thing means you are good at everything. We could all learn that lesson.
Every book called “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Marvel Unlimited, mostly re-reads. Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s (called DnA) Annihilation event, leading to Annihilation: Conquest and then the 2008 Guardians of the Galaxy book is some of my favorite comics.
In my collection I had as a kid, I was utterly fascinated by the original Guardians stories, which dealt with the legacy of the Avengers in a mythic way, while telling its own interesting stories.
When the reboot happened, I was excited. It’s a completely different thing, despite the legacy characters showing up every once in a while, and defined the path of the cosmic stories of Marvel comics to this day. These are the Avengers - specifically the 60s Avengers, in some ways - for space. A group of weirdos and outcasts who join together because they seem to be good at solving problems.
The Bendis run was a flagrant attempt to bring it in line with the movies, but not badly. The current Al Ewing run explicitly has a statement of “We are super-heroes here in the galaxy”, which is great way to take it. Coming up soon is The Last Annihilation crossover from Ewing, which I am definitely looking forward to.
Weirdest parts: Annihilators by DnA was a team of “ass-kickers” who were heavy hitters in Marvel cosmic and proactively would beat the shit out of problems. I’m sad it was cancelled, but presages Ewing’s Ultimates series in a lot of ways. A group of overwhelming powerful, ancient, and smart people get together and you are going to both solve and have a lot of problems.
What I’m playing
Chicory: A Colorful Tale
Getting deeper into this, and liking it more and more. It has the feeling of a Zelda game, which I didn’t realize until I got access to an overworld map and was like “oh shit, squares.”
It’s, simply, delightful. Colorful, nice, beautiful, and sad. I definitely recommend it.
Goodbye
Thanks for reading! Things are progressing, I think. I feel good and hopeful and whatnot, which won’t last, but at least there’s this record here.