Friday, July 25, 2003

Nellita: reading so far Brought some 25 books. Didn't know which would end up on the lap. May get around to listing them. 8 were from the library. So far I've finished 2. "The Subtle Knife" by Philip Pullman was part 2 in the kids' series "His Dark Materials." Recommended by Richard Wolinsky on KPFA and now Helen and Ben, this is one good trilogy. Begin with "The Golden Compass." I'm halfway through part 3. Better than Harry Potter (bailed after 1&1/2), this holds my interest. Thought I would power through the third without stopping, but Doug's visit prodded me to get to "Touching the Void" by Joe Simpson. Incredible climbing story. I've never read of a more harrowing escape. For overall story though I'll still take Herzog. In process: Friends for 300 Years by Howard Brinton (I only read Quaker books on vacation), good old Way of Zen by Alan Watts, and God and the New Physics by Paul Davies. There's my religious quest in a nutshell. Since my Olympia trip in June I've been chipping away at Soul Mountain by Gao Xing-chien (I can't be bothered to go to the bedside table and get his name right?). I loved it at first; now it's a bit more of a chore with its never-real ghosts and demons. Still, it's mysterious; I don't know where it's going, and that's intriguing. 9:38:46 PM    comment []  trackback []

Weblogs vs. Journals Someone has to write about the difference between weblogs and private journals. The obvious difference is obvious, but in my own decision of where to record my thoughts, the difference isn't so obvious. I've always thought there was something pointless about the private journal, since I don't expect anyone to read it, I know it's not good enough to publish ever, and I have not yet gone back and read it myself. So now I'm considering keeping a similar journal, but out in public view, and that creates constraints. Complete sentences, e.g.. Coherence. Not saying anything too embarrassing maudlin or repetitious. There's an added frisson though knowing it _can_ be read by others. Will be, I reckon. And I'm too lazy to want to go back and edit it, though it could come to that. A weblog is supposed to change once it's been decided what its "Purpose" is, its intended audience. Mine on the other hand is just going to keep swinging between the public and the private, until something breaks. I'm not deciding, I'm only discovering. Essays are one thing; stream of consciousness another. I'll be sure to highlight anything resembling an essay. 9:22:54 PM    comment []  trackback []