Going Inkless

     One of my sisters can juggle.  She may not be the only juggling sister, but she's the only one I've seen doing it.  She does pretty well.  We're not talking about flaming knives level, but she's juggled all the usual less deadly objects.  She performs smoothly on her own or with a partner.  I've only ever been able to manage three items for a very short while, myself.  It's enough to get the idea of it, though.  To be successful at the feat, you have to keep moving.  You have to do what needs to be done when it needs doing, and any break in timing could undo the whole dance.      This same juggling sister once commented that she didn't know how I managed to juggle so many things in my life.  It was long ago when I was a young wife, taking care of a home and a child, working part time and trying to start a business, and at the same time, diving into several creative projects of my own.  It's done just ...

     In ages past, primitive man huddled by a fire at night.  He did it to keep away the cold, to have protection from some wild animals and a place to cook others, and because it was a source of light in the darkness.  The fire was a reminder and reassurance of the future day, something to carry him forward with courage.  When work or travel must pause until daybreak, the fire was also entertainment and relaxation.  Staring into the flames gave him time and focus to reflect or imagine.      Naturally, he would gather his family there, and that would expand the activity to a community.  The very earliest communities were families.  Like a wolf pack, a tribe would be composed of siblings and their children, branching out into an extended family.  Generations and occasional additions from other tribes might increase the genetic distance between members, but a tribe is a family nonetheless.  And gathering the family ar...

     This week, I have been reflecting on Gen Con.  I realize that many readers may not be familiar with this event, now in its 45th year, so here's a little introduction and history.  Gen Con began as a smallish gathering of wargame fans in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  Less than 100 people participated, playing mostly military miniatures battles and a few other strategy games.  This was so much fun and considered such a success that it became an annual event, growing each year to more than 41,000 attendees at its most recent.  The convention has moved around a bit over the years, settling in Milwaukee for a time, then moving to Indianapolis a decade ago. (I first went during its Milwaukee years)  As it expanded, it became more and more inclusive.  Other types of games were represented, role-playing, card games, board games and video games.  Related interests like art, film, writing and costumes were welcomed.  Events and seminars ...

     In the week following my trip to the emergency room, I've been to and from the doctor's office a couple of times.  I've submitted to tests that were inconvenient and unpleasant, all while recovering and trying to maintain something like a normal life at home and work.  It turns out I have a combination of conditions that can be addressed and overcome, or at least endured.  Things will ultimately be OK.  However, my last doctor visit was a bit turbulent.  There was the anxiety of discovering a new ailment, the process of absorbing information and weighing treatment options, considering what path might work with my current insurance.  I was sent off to fetch medicine only to be turned away by the pharmacy because the insurance company would only work directly with the doctor on approving this treatment.  That meant a second trip to the doctor that day, and a long explanation of the circumstances.  I'm still waiting on the arran...

     It was some time around 2am on Saturday morning, and I was sitting on a hospital bed with a needle in my arm, waiting for a nurse or doctor to return.  We were at the emergency room in response to a crisis that turned out to be less life-threatening than I feared but frightening nonetheless.  Me, asking to see a doctor.  You know something had to be wrong.  So, we were sitting there at a calmer moment, and my husband reached into my backpack that he had filled hastily on our way out of the house and pulled out my notebook.      "How are you going to use this one in Ullen's story?" he asked, smiling.  This was one of those moments when it became absolutely clear that he is perfect for me.  No socks in the bag, but he brought my notebook.      I told him I doubted this particular event would work with that storyline, following a weaponsmith who had fallen on hard times in his pseudo-medieval fantasy world....

     Benjamin Franklin built a time machine.      This is probably not true, but it can be fun to think about.  He was a pretty bright guy, inventive and open-minded.  He could have done it if he really focused on the project.  Instead, he spent his time writing, making social commentary, tinkering with other stuff, and flirting with French women.  He started libraries, fire departments and hospitals.  He invented a stove and swim fins.  He fought government corruption, stood up for the rights of women, slaves and the poor, and helped found a new nation.  That guy was all over the place.  Imagine what he could have done with all that energy focused on just one task.  Perhaps in another reality, he did just that, and he made it work.  I'd like to think that he'd have a good time cavorting through the ages, watching the way societies and technology change while people remain basically the same.  Being a...

     Back in May of 2010, I wrote a post on the joys of having a little untamed greenery in your domain.  Later, in July, I followed it with a tale of the conflict of landscaping philosophies we've had with a neighbor and how we managed to assert our autonomy in the face of his hostility.  What appeared to have been resolved then was only sleeping, it seems, to wake when the neighbor felt a little cantankerous again.      A little over a week ago, I was out pruning the lilacs and trimming some of the other plants that decorate our front yard when he asked to talk to my husband.  His complaint was that our son never mows the patch of "weeds" near the fence, and he was concerned they might creep over and affect his garden.  Now, there are certain areas where the natural plants flourish and add a woodsy quality to the shady parts of the yard.  There are also areas where we have deliberately planted native perennials because they're w...