Those who follow the news will be aware of one of the attempted distractions which has just been offered– the voting for the logo of the proposed US Space Force. I was saying to my brother, who makes a living designing logos, that they mostly look like something designed to appear in a film for children from the early 1960s.
So, here’s a film for children from the early 1960s, to distract you from the distraction.
I’m sure we were all having an innuendo-fueled giggle, too.
While we’re here– did anyone go out for a gander at Mars on Tuesday when it was at its closest approach? Back when I got my camera, I also got a reasonably good telescope which son and I took out after sundown on that auspicious night.
It was… underwhelming. The lad peered in, said, “That orange dot is Mars?” and sighed a little when I confirmed it. It was not a complete loss, though. We got to see the tiny specks of four Jovian moons (and I’m convinced I made out the banding of the planet) and Saturn was showing off his rings excellently. Also, there was an owl hooting in a nearby tree, which pleased us both.
† I did not actually finish the first draft. I had one of those moments of realization as sleep takes hold, which makes the receiver sit up with a gasp in a flourish of bedclothes. In this particular case, I realized (once again) that the point of view was not the right one for the story I was telling– an observer more than a participant, and I could certainly look through a participant. Rather than trudge along to the end of the draft, I called it quits and embarked immediately on the adjusted version. Since the utility of the first draft is, for me, mainly to get the narrative outside my head, I was far enough along that I’m content with the shift from edit-resistant hand-written work to banging away on a keyboard where, if not careful, I’ll spend ten minutes swapping “which” and “that” out of a single sentence.
The page count is low because I got robbed of today’s writing session through the requirements of having to live a life in modern society (more specifically, dealing with car repairs).
I swapped Parkers but not ink, because I was weary of the 45 but the cartridge I filled for it was far from empty. If you’ve several nice pens at hand, there’s no call to tolerate one that isn’t attending to its duty.
Oh, right–
3. The 45 is going into the workshop this weekend; I’m not going to leave it in a semi-functional state.
The Friday film is a very silly one this week, and appears here mainly because I am a bit of a Fillion fan-boy.
I will repeat here an objection I frequently air when watching action films– cars, including Jeeps, are not immune to small-calibre weapons fire. My disbelief can only suspend so hard, especially after the window stunt.
The world has been awfully fraught this week. I’m not going to refer to the big news item that’s been horrifying all of us except by this allusion, but the fact of it pushes me to put up something for the Friday Film that is innocent and restorative of hope.
For those who would like to see an earlier incarnation of the same sort of thing, the National Film Board of Canada has a bunch narrated by Peter Ustinov.
I don’t advocate hiding from the unhappy truths of the world, by the way, at least not as a firm policy. Sometimes, though, a respite is needed.
WHAT: First draft of a different Cat with Blue Fur contest entry, which I was going to call “Touch Not the Cat” but I don’t want the Mary Stewart connection. I have also managed to avoid the final commitment to submission of “Gone to See the Cat”, which I really must get at, anxieties be damned.
HOW MUCH: Seven manuscript pages, which is meaningless if you get to “done” and then don’t show anyone. Get one with it, thou craven poltroon!
As one given to occasionally holding forth, I know how much fun it can be. I am some great way off from doing so on the subject of writing, if indeed I ever get near the steps of that pulpit. However, today’s Fraudulent Found Friday Film presents a chap who has earned the platform, and is pretty entertaining when he gets going. A warning, though– it’s rather long, and the talk is a little salty.
The next week I’ll likely not be looking in too often, as I’m not attending the Regular Job and home’s manifold distractions are apt to reduce my internettery. I may, if the timing is convenient, let you know what pen I’m using (since this is clearly the only reason 9/10ths of readers appear).
The fact that next week starts with Valentine’s day has some small bearing on the matter, but there is also the Regular Job’s period of serious effort just past, and a basement full of entropy that needs some order imposed upon it. I may even update the website a little….
Today’s pen (which, for those who are interested in this sort of trivia, was borrowed by three people over the lunch break, and neither it, I nor the borrowers have suffered any damage): Waterman C/F
Today’s ink (not quite what they were expecting in terms of colour): Diamine Steel Blue
A very brief note today, as the current incarnation of the cold snap has apparently congealed my muse. The reunited friend I mentioned yesterday, who has recently plowed through all this nonsense (a masochist, clearly) commented to me that I must have a devil of a time coming up with all those ink names.
I disclaim that degree or sort of creativity. The names of the inks are taken from the bottles, and in many cases are the efforts of highly-paid professionals. Noodler’s is an exception in this as well as so many other things, being an essentially one-man operation, but that man isn’t me. Some names are better than others, of course– “Racing Green” gives one a thrill of association with the early days of Jaguar at Le Mans, while “Lie de Thé” is potentially off-putting if you think about it too hard.
Co-incidentally enough, a non-ink item drifting around The Regular Job is on topic. A big chocolate bar has been set out of communal consumption, the wrapper of which is dark with gold lettering which a glimpse misreads, transforming “Lovely Night” to “Lonely Night”. A huge lump of chocolate dedicated to loneliness? Not, perhaps, the best line of marketing, although with Valentine’s Day impending and the implicit judgement upon the unattached the associated efforts to sell stuff contain would make that at least an honest item of advertsing– “Alone? Why not gorge?” I’ll see if I can’t make off with the wrapper for scanning.
Happily, I have more than many bottles of ink to keep me warm.
Today’s pen: Waterman C/F
Today’s ink: Diamine Steel Blue
What's up at Ravens March. 
