So let's see, what's up?
I had a relapse of some of the crud that's been plaguing me this winter, so a bit enfeebled. I expect to be under the weather to some extent till the weather warms up enough to knock the crud out of me. Probably some time in May - even though it's warm for winter, it's not actually springlike.
I registered again for the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, along with my mother and brother. I haven't trained as much as I probably should, nor have I even really looked at the NYTimes crossword since I decided to drop buying it at the newsstands when the price went to $2.50. I have the online subscription but really don't use it.
I'm also registered for another translation class at NYU, and I'm looking to submit a literary translation for NYU's Arts Festival. I don't have anything ready, but I'm looking at what works I have around that would be suitable to translate. Preferably something that hasn't already been published in English translation - to obviate the need to worry about plagiarizing - and from a personal viewpoint, if it's by a Puerto Rican or Venezuelan writer, I'd be really happy. Feel free to suggest something!
I also finished the biography of Emperor Franz Joseph I've been reading this week, and began again with the Freud bio I started a few months back and set aside (actually, took back to the library - I have my own copy now, that I can read as slowly as I please, or more accurately, am able). I have a new angle of approach to the Freud book that stems from something in the bio - the author notes Freud's ambition to become a great man, a history-making figure, and I can see a vision of Aristotle guiding Alexander, or Plato and Dion (and I'm gratified to see the Wikipedia article on Dion refers to The Mask of Apollo, great book), occurring to Freud quite naturally, what with his classical bent. That could lead down some very interesting paths indeed. I don't know yet that I actually have a story or anything to say - speculative fiction is always about here and now in some way - but I'm excited by the possibility.
And I printed out the first chapter of the torso of a manuscript at work, to look at for the first time in months, and as far as I can tell, it isn't an embarrassment of suckery. I'd even dignify it with the description of workmanlike, and some works get published without rising even that far. (I'm looking at you, Oscar Hijuelos, you overrated poser.) So I feel like continuing to work on it will be worth my time. Kewl.
I had a relapse of some of the crud that's been plaguing me this winter, so a bit enfeebled. I expect to be under the weather to some extent till the weather warms up enough to knock the crud out of me. Probably some time in May - even though it's warm for winter, it's not actually springlike.
I registered again for the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, along with my mother and brother. I haven't trained as much as I probably should, nor have I even really looked at the NYTimes crossword since I decided to drop buying it at the newsstands when the price went to $2.50. I have the online subscription but really don't use it.
I'm also registered for another translation class at NYU, and I'm looking to submit a literary translation for NYU's Arts Festival. I don't have anything ready, but I'm looking at what works I have around that would be suitable to translate. Preferably something that hasn't already been published in English translation - to obviate the need to worry about plagiarizing - and from a personal viewpoint, if it's by a Puerto Rican or Venezuelan writer, I'd be really happy. Feel free to suggest something!
I also finished the biography of Emperor Franz Joseph I've been reading this week, and began again with the Freud bio I started a few months back and set aside (actually, took back to the library - I have my own copy now, that I can read as slowly as I please, or more accurately, am able). I have a new angle of approach to the Freud book that stems from something in the bio - the author notes Freud's ambition to become a great man, a history-making figure, and I can see a vision of Aristotle guiding Alexander, or Plato and Dion (and I'm gratified to see the Wikipedia article on Dion refers to The Mask of Apollo, great book), occurring to Freud quite naturally, what with his classical bent. That could lead down some very interesting paths indeed. I don't know yet that I actually have a story or anything to say - speculative fiction is always about here and now in some way - but I'm excited by the possibility.
And I printed out the first chapter of the torso of a manuscript at work, to look at for the first time in months, and as far as I can tell, it isn't an embarrassment of suckery. I'd even dignify it with the description of workmanlike, and some works get published without rising even that far. (I'm looking at you, Oscar Hijuelos, you overrated poser.) So I feel like continuing to work on it will be worth my time. Kewl.