Tag: Briefly Considered

In a way, we live a form of ceteris paribus acting as if variables in flux will not impact one another nor us, and, indeed, expecting life will settle back to what we are accustomed to — all things being equal — without even the nervous glance over the shoulder.

As I edit this long piece of fiction, I find poorly chosen words and descriptions in my rough, hand-written draft. In both speaking and writing, I am not careful — this morning I wondered whether I needed to use spade or shovel. Spade was the correct choice, although I do not use the word often. Articles such as — Types of Shovels — open up worlds.

I keep dictionaries of landscape, tools, architecture,wild flowers and other guides to the natural and built worlds on my desk. I enjoy studying the words and relations and yet often they are too precise for the character. Knowing what would be correct for this character or for that character requires not just the books of words, but also a careful ear to the way the people characters are built up as they speak of things they do and use.

Building on a thought of Orwells, for some characters recognizing the spring wildflowers are pretty may be enough, but for another, recognizing the specific trillium is a minimum. And leveling descriptions requires a similar discernment.

Nicholas Stern this week warned that the value of and risks to young people are greatly underestimated in assessments of climate change. (https://bit.ly/2ZxZSAp).

Now, who is surprised. The value of nearly everything is undervalued in the pursuit of profit particularly for the fossil fuel industry . And Hunger Games and similar media demonstrate we all know; we mostly choose to ignore the cold fact of that dismal future. But young people are generally disregarded when balanced against present value.

I’m not about to draw heavy conclusions or comparisons, but the situation reminds me of the late ’60’s Steppenwolf song:

America, where are you now?

Don’t you care about your sons and daughters?

Don’t you know, we need you now

We can’t fight alone against the monster

When did journalists decide readers know every name that floats on the Internet Sea. An article references a person in the headline, but does not quickly identify what the individual does. I am poorly versed in popular culture, but still how hard is it to write, ‘the actor, Phyllis…, or Jimmy…, the acclaimed expert…

If you don’t, I’m headed to a new browser tab where attention being what it is, I’m not likely to return to your legacy news source to add clicks.

Similarly, remind me who you are talking about in a long article where that expert is quoted in the second paragraph then referred to by last name twenty-seven paragraphs later. Why force me to scroll up and down, up and down in an attempt to find that name or again head to a new tab.

Please remind me even when you think I should know or be able to remember. I do not and cannot.

Reading a book on the history of technology this morning, I spent a little tine thinking about the author’s use of “poor countries” in place of the misnomer “3rd world” (the 2nd collapsed 30 years ago), “global south”, or “post-colonial”.

“Poor” is the point whatever the cause exploitation, corruption, resource-deprived. The full phrase, poor countries, forces those of us in the rich countries to give the why of this situation some attention. And if this is a new thought to you then you might take a look at the works of @jasonhickel. For while poor might suggest those who have not worked hard to some, that is hardly the point here, is it.

Off and on the last week or two, I have been reading Roger Deakin and listening to the @teamdeakins podcast managed by James and Roger Deakins. Each man is English and forenamed Roger with just a bit of a different surname. Deakin is the late English naturalist; Deakins, the English cinematographer.

Both men are accomplished, famous and noteworthy for the brilliant, thorough manner of work. And from this distant, viewer and reader, both men cone across as humble and generous. What strikes me when I speak of them to others is the limited overlap of acquaintance. Those who read Deakin are offhandedly aware of the cinematographer; those immersed in Deakins may not know the writer. Of course, there are, must be, a significant number of people who are taken by both Rogers, I just have been running along the edges of focused groups..

I write longhand using mechanical pencils and fountain pens; for the most part – 2mm leads kept sharp and fine nibs preferred. Another time, I will write about preferences. Today just a word about the disappointment of two pens: Kaweco Sport and the TWBSI Eco – pens I like but which have not stood up well.

The Sport was my favorite toss in the pocket pen with a nib which worked well for me. And then, it began to leak while closed. Fortunately, the seal kept the ink in the pen. I own two and both developed the same problem. Perhaps, the problem was a bad run of cartridges. When I’m feeling flush, I’ll see. Meanwhile, I put in a new cartridge and keep the pen upright when I am not using it.

The TWBSI Eco similarly disappointed but differently. I own three and use one filled with red ink for editorial markings. The pen works well and fills easily. The other two Ecos each developed a problem where the tines separated from the feed shoulder. I may try a bit of glue some long Saturday afternoon.

Straightup, I admit to sloppy skills and habits on keyboards – thumbs, two- through ten-fingered. On the phone, I hit the b and n frequently rather then the space bar creating a three word sequence connected withbthosebletters. Spellcheck will not offer a replacement. Surely someone at Apple has the same problem. And just as likely AI could be used to suggest removing the letter and replacing it with a space. And I’d like such a solution without whatever other suggestions, auto correct or the like.

As I switch from my school blog to this post-school blog, I want to work in irregular but serial posts. And so, I will begin with a series under the title here numbered sequentially. I am not looking to be profound nor conclusive but rather noting quickly matters that catch my attention.

I will try to limit the frequency of what astonishes as well as what annoys, but certainly both will be featured here from time-to-time. It seems like a paragraph or, perhaps two, should suffice. If you have something to add or to shake your head over what I write, you are welcome to comment.

And, yes, I am leaving Fairbanks this year. I don’t see it so much as retirement as going to work on other matters. My thoughts on this business a week ago at Leaving Fairbanks Schools.