Continuing to write [369]
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Continuing to write [369]
Greetings from a house on a hill...
I have to leave here tonight. That’s the view from the window as I start to write this. It’ll be dark when I go.
#TheAction
If you are new here, welcome. I sent out my first email newsletters in the 90’s. Short updates of my travels, sent out to everyone back home, plus those I met on the way.
This more recent endeavour is a little more eclectic. I’m embracing novelty and community, exploring what we share, how we share, and where we’re going. I’d love for this to be my full-time job. Thank you to those supporting subscribers who have supported my projects so far.
What a week of contrasts.
Thank you also to all those that wished my lad well after the classroom assault he experienced. The school eventually kicked into gear, the police are finally doing their thing and my lad appears to be riding above it all. He’s been so philosophical about it I struggle to believe there is a 13 year old brain inside that body. Perhaps it’s his healthy diet of Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett.
In regards to my writing, I’ve passed 50,000 words. I am now just writing with no idea where it might go. I am collecting a bucket of stories. Many I doubt will ever see the light of day. Perhaps when I get to 100,000 I’ll know what to do.
Earlier in the week I found myself in Banbury having lunch with an old friend. Xander Cansell.
We caught up on a bunch of stuff including his strategy work and digital consultancy (Brain the size of a planet). As we stood saying goodbye I couldn’t help but pick his brains. He’s spent many years publishing books and gave me so much food for thought and I lapped it up. So much so I puked up all my existing plans on the carpark floor. I now have a puddle of possibilities and nothing but a pencil to pick through it.
So I’m just writing now. Stood on the edge and scribbling myself a suspension bridge in the hope I can get to the other side. If there is another side.
#ThePictures
Some shots taken before breakfast.
After recording my ‘Uncle’ Banjo John playing a song by Jackson C Frank I was drawn to go and learn more about the artist. John had told me that the singer was plagued with bad luck and killed himself. But after searching online it turned out he disappeared and people thought he’d killed himself. Even reported it. But he turned up homeless in New York. The story of his life is not a happy one. But if you are interested I found this slightly cheesy video that covers the main points.
I wonder if like me you’ve been taking the humble UK plug for granted.
#TheWords
Thanks to @Sizemore for sharing Elmore Leonard's ‘Ten Rules of Writing’ with me. It’s great to see them all in one place.
Never open a book with weather.
Avoid prologues.
Never use a verb other than "said" to carry dialogue.
Never use an adverb to modify the verb "said"..he admonished gravely.
Keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose.
Never use the words "suddenly" or "all hell broke loose."
Use regional dialect, patois, sparingly.
Avoid detailed descriptions of characters.
Don't go into great detail describing places and things.
Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip.
My most important rule is one that sums up the 10.
If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it."
Thinking of the people that Elon sacked.
I saw this quote here.
‘Success does not consist of selling or getting good reviews any more than failure consists of not selling or being attacked by reviewers. Success is continuing to write. Success is speaking in silence.’ ~ Gene Wolfe
#TheSound
I uploaded this podcast for supporting subscribers today…
It’s a recording of the amazing folk song featured above by a very old family friend. But mostly it’s a review of this field recorder.
If you still don’t want to fork out the price of a coffee a month to support this dispatch I’ll summaries the features of the OM system LS-P5 here.
What is it? - It’s a small digital stereo recorder weighing only 78 grams, with three microphones, 16GB of built in memory, a card slot and rechargeable AAA’s.
What can it do? - It can record in mp3, wav and FLAC to a very high resolution and you can ‘zoom’ the microphone pattern between focused and wide. It can also pair with an app and headphones to offer remote control and other cool features.
Who’s it for? - It would be great for solo musicians to record ideas and ditties, backpackers who want a micro field recorder and podcasters who would like to capture more content out and about. It would also suit videographers who are looking for a camera mounted mic or a backup lav recorder. And of course it will record meetings and conference speakers just fine.
My thoughts - It’s tiny and has great battery life. But it’s £200. That’s a lot of money for something that cannot do 32bit float. It’s over twice the price of the amazing Zoom H1n. It also has a micro USB not USB-C which seems like an oversight. It really should have been weather sealed. But I do quite like it. If you heard the podcast you will agree the sound is great.
If you are in the market for a super compact high end recorder then here is an Amazon link to the OM System LS-P5. Or if you would like a compact high end recorder and three years subscription to this dispatch then get the Zoom H1n and get subscribing.
If you thought the LS-P5 is expensive (which it isn’t really for what it can do) check out this fully wireless podcasting system. Although I have no idea how much it costs. I bet it will be more than the Rodecaster 2 though.
#TheConsumed
Me and @HighkeyLee dined at Essence Of India last night. The decor was was tired and weird (lime green and brown) but the staff were amazing and the food delicious. I can’t wait to go back. I’d share a photo but i’m running out of space. [Eye roll]
#TheThings
This couple went out on Halloween as a ‘Halloween costume couple generated by AI’. It’s brilliant.
I think the computer generated image is on the left and the real people on the right. More pics here.
On the same topic of rendered weirdness @FellowCreative linked me to this tweet of A.I generated knolling and I had a go myself. The prompt was ‘Photo of a knolling of a bloggers kit bag.’
Looks more like a fisherman’s washkit to me.
#TheThanks
I must thank the paying subscribers that pay $5/month to get all the content I share into this feed. If you are able, please upgrade to become a paid supporter. Either way… Thank you for reading.
#TheWeb
Looks like gene editing combined with engineered T cells can now create personalised cancer treatment.
This link came via Minxlj.
Thanks for adding yourself to the Documentally community map.
I’ll be heading to All Flows 2023
What if simple drug could make everyone less selfish? (Weird. I thought that was MDMA)
Transparent solar cells. Now we are talking.
#TheEnd
Thanks for reading. I’ll be heading home shortly. It’s been a productive few days. Next week i’ll be working from home. If you need a content creator or someone to train that kind of thing, let me know. Have a great weekend.
“To like many people spontaneously and without effort is perhaps the greatest of all sources of personal happiness.” ~ Bertrand Russell
And breath,
See you out there.
Over…
