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Thursday, June 07, 2007This is the sort of thing that delights me to no end: Plastic made from potatoes. I've used plastics made from cornstarch and did not notice any difference, except both times I thought the quality was measurably better. I've been working on my presentation for the twenty-seventh. I've been making screen shots like crazy for the handout, and I intend to make a list of free photo editing software. I know of the Gimp and Seris, but does anyone else know of any? I would especially love to hear of any Apple-flavoured varieties, in case one of the teachers is a Mac user at home. I feel confident. Basically, I'm teaching teachers how to prepare pictures downloaded from the Library of Congress site for printing or use in their own projects. After I show them once, I'll give them time to try out what I showed them. I finished North and South It was wonderfully like Pride and Prejudice, Armitage's cotton mill owner proud of what he's accomplished, and while he works fiercely to make the place a decent one to work at, he can't help that there are things he needs to do to keep the mill open. Denby-Ashe's prejudiced young lady who means well and wants to help the poor is strong and well portrayed. I am reading Judith Tarr's Queen of Amazons, a wonderful historical about an Amazon warrior without a soul who finds it seeking out Alexander the Great. It is told from the point of view (mostly, thus far) of Selene, a warrior who has the Site, but does not want to pay the price she saw it demand of her Aunt. Yes, I said I would read something else, but I started reading it sort of by accident, and it's not easy to put aside. I did manage to begin a short story. I plan to mix several versions of the Cinderella tale, and tell it from the perspective of the Fairy. My thesis for the tale is wondering why there are so many versions of this tale in particular. Is it just a universality of experience, or something more? This is me. The caution in your tale, the one with the thousand guises. Right now my disguise is nothingness, as I follow a man, a farmer, I think, leading his donkey down the dusty path into town. The donkey is well fed, but the distance is long, yet the man had made no move to ride it, or the cart it is pulling. Kindness, then. It is confirmed when he reaches up and scratches the donkey between it’s long, dark grey ears, and says, “Not far, now. We will rest in a few minutes.” He is heavy, and soaked with sweat, so I am not sure if he was comforting himself or the animal. So what is your vice? That is what I ask, always, as I study the people I meet. Are you vain? Are you greedy? Do you let your resentments fester? Do you lust after what is not yours? His was not readily apparent, after all, if he abused his animal I could just switch his and the donkey’s souls and call it a day. Or just trade their heads. I’d done it before, and was bored by the thought. And, if you like ships go here and type sailing ships" in the search box for lots o sailing ship squee! Labels: aam, blather, sailing ships, short stories Permalink Cindy scribed this at 6:49 PM 0 comments |