Why not? To the stars, through hardship!
Sentential Links
Links!
:: Art does not justify being an asshole to others.
:: I have big writing goals and I have big reading goals.
:: I cannot afford to go off the map.
:: Is it okay to write utter garbage sometimes? How do you get through those lapses in inspiration and motivation? (Remember: The only way out is through. Maintain a straight line, and you’ll come out sometime.)
:: A genuinely strong female character should have these five qualities: (Hmmmm. I’m filing these away for future reference, for obvious reasons.)
More next week!
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Sunday Burst of Weird and Awesome
Oddities and Awesome abound! Only not so much this week, as I wasn’t online much. But here’s one of those things that’ll make you feel old, if you’re of a certain mindset.
When I was nine, there was a teevee show called The Greatest American Hero. In this show, aliens come down and give a schoolteacher a suit like a Superman or Captain Marvel get-up, which gives him superpowers. (Only when wearing the suit.) However, he loses the instructions, and thus our hero is unable to use the suit to its full potential. For instance, when he flies, he doesn’t do so in a Christopher Reeve-like graceful straight line or in elegant swoops as he woos Margot Kidder. No, he caroms about, flailing his arms and crashing into stuff. Fun show, if you were 9 in 1980. As I was.
Anyhow, the show had a theme song that’s pretty familiar to anyone from that time period:
Greatest American Hero went off the air in 1983, and that was that, although you’d still hear the song once in a while, and it later turned up in, among other places, as a parody in an episode of Seinfeld, wherein George Costanza used the song with his own lyrics as his answering machine’s outgoing message.
Now. As I said, Greatest American Hero last aired on February 3, 1983. This episode of Seinfeld aired Fabruary 13, 1997 — a little over fourteen years after Hero ended. And next month, it’ll be seventeen years since the Seinfeld episode aired! There’s something interesting about a pop-culture reference being almost two decades old, especially when the thing the reference was referring was more than a decade passed at the time it was made.
Anyway….
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Symphony Saturday
Here’s something new I think I’ll try doing: a weekly exploration of the world of the symphony.
In discussions of music I’ve had through the years, one topic that comes up a lot within classical afficionadoes is just what classifies a work as a “symphony” anyway. It’s generally thought of as a large-scale work for full orchestra — but then, there are symphonies for chamber orchestra, symphonies for winds, and the like. It’s generally thought of as a work in four movements — but then, you have symphonies by Sibelius with one movement, symphonies by Berlioz with five, a symphony by Schubert with two, and…so on and so on. It’s thought that the first movement of a symphony is supposed to follow the general requirements of “sonata-allegro” form, a requirement that is almost completely ignored by a bunch of symphonies I can name off the top of my head.
Some symphonies can be heard in their entirety in the time it takes me to shower. Others, though, last longer than half the time it takes to roast your Thanksgiving turkey. Symphonies are large-scale orchestral works — except for the ones that add chorus, or voices, or soloists. I had a guy complain once on one of the film music boards I frequented years ago that Howard Shore’s “Lord of the Rings Symphony” — the two-hour long program Shore arranged of his LOTR scores after the third film came out, which was performed all over the country — “isn’t a real symphony”. When I asked why, out came all the objections above, which I then followed with every counterexample I knew.
Point is, the “symphony”, as a concept, seems as flexible and changeable as the “poem” or “novel”. Ultimately, if the composer calls it a symphony, then, well, it’s a symphony. Artistic nomenclature doesn’t work like biological classification, no matter how much we all might wish it did. Just ask any fantasy or science fiction fans to define the genres, and you’ll see what I mean.
So anyway, we’ll start with one of the short ones, from fairly early on in the period when the “symphony” started to settle into something of a regular form. This is the Symphony No. 25 by Mozart, in G minor. It’s one of only two symphonies he wrote in a minor key (the other being the magnificent No. 40, also in G minor). Mozart was only 17 years old when he wrote this work, which is famous for its opening bars (used as opening credits music for the film Amadeus), but is also loaded with typical Mozartean confidence, charm, and his restrained but very clear drama.
Here we have a typical four-movement structure, with the opening movement in sonata-allegro form, followed by a slow movement, a minuet movement, and closing out with a forceful allegro finale. It’s as good a starting point to the world of the symphony as I can think of. To my ears, this work always sounds surprising and fresh, no matter how many times I hear it; those opening syncopations and Mozart’s way of alternating between moments of high drama and lingering lyricism always captivate. Enjoy!
Next Saturday we’ll flash forward in Mozart’s life to the very end.
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Instaweek
Suck it, LouisCK!
So, last week The Wife and I took a chunk of the money we received for Christmas and got smartphones. So now I can look as smug as anybody else who’s got a smartphone. In fact, I’m gonna look smug with my new smartphone right now!
Yup, that’s some smartphone, all right! I’ll bet it’s way nicer than your smartphone. Now I’m connected all the time, man! Hooray!!
And yet I can’t help thinking that something’s missing from my life…something real…like I’ve taken a step away from what really matters in life….
Nah.
Fact is, I love this thing. It’s awesome. I don’t want to be without this thing, ever.
Nah, that’s overstating the other way.
Look, it’s a phone. It’s a tool, and it’s easy to use and fun. I can’t believe how many things it does. I know, this won’t be all that shocking to anyone who’s been on the smartphone bandwagon for years, but the idea of all this online content being as available as it is just stuns me. I love having such easy access to e-mail, Twitter, Facebook, and everything else. It’s just cool. And the camera on this phone rocks. Instagram is a blast, and it’s so easy with this phone — easier, by several orders of magnitude, than my old combination of regular phone-and-tablet.
This isn’t to say that I’m on the phone more than I was before. I don’t take it to bed, and I don’t look at it for long periods when I’m at work. As many things as it can do, I have a very hard time ever seeing a phone as any kind of writing tool. I like using it to play music — the other day I listened to it for hours, during a long job at The Store — but the computer will remain my primary music tool.
Oddly, I received my first call on the phone eight days after we got them, which I find amusing — it’s funny that we’ve created these devices so that we don’t have to take calls on a thing that’s corded to the wall, and in the course of refining these gizmos, we have so advanced the technology that the very primacy of the phone call concept has fallen on hard times. When I got that call — it was The Wife — I actually had to stare at my new phone for a few seconds, as I tried to figure out how to answer the call.
Some people pull out their phones to check the time, which is farther than I expect I will ever go in my adoption of the phone for all things informational. Proof? Well, here’s the other major piece of tech I got for Christmas:
And for really old-school tech, you can’t go wrong here:
Yup: an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven. To the cookbooks, Batman!
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Something for Thursday
Happy New Year, folks, and welcome to 2014! It’s weird how, the farther I get into the future, the more looking back at the past I end up doing…but that’s a thought for another day.
Here’s a piece I had never heard before until the other night, when WNED played it during our drive home from the Trans Siberian Orchestra concert. (Yes, we went, and yes, we loved it. What’s not to love? It’s a glam metal, hair-band Christmas concert with lasers and guitars and fire and stuff. Part of me is still a thirteen-year-old kid rocking out to Van Halen, and that part of me is a happy, happy camper today.)
Giacomo Puccini is primarily thought of as a composer of operas, and rightly so, as his operas are some of the most beloved works of that genre. But he also wrote this short string quartet, called “Chrysanthemums”, apparently in a single night as tribute for the passing of a local nobleman of his day. It’s an illuminating piece to hear from a composer almost exclusively remembered for his hugely lyrical and dramatic works for the opera stage — this came from the same pen that wrote “Nessun Dorma”. There’s always more to us than we know!
Here is the “Chrysanthemums” quartet by Puccini.
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2013: Keep on flyin’.
It’s time to close out 2013 on Byzantium’s Shores. My other retrospective posts are below this one, so check them out as well. After this I won’t be posting here again until the second day of 2014! (That’s Thursday, folks. Don’t panic, now.)
I do this quiz at the end of each year, so here goes:
Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I only ever resolve to read more, write more, and eat healthier. These things, I did!
Did anyone close to you give birth?
My church’s former youth pastor did, so yay, her! She then promptly moved to Chicago, so…boo hiss! (But not really.)
Did anyone close to you die?
No.
What countries did you visit?
We never left the US this year, except for my journeys to fictional lands in my mind. But we did get in a trip to Cape May, NJ. It was a really busy year, though!
What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
My usual answer: A book on my shelf, a real book, printed by a publisher and everything, that I wrote. As I’ve already noted, I’ll be self-publishing in 2014, so keep an eye on this space! It’s coming. Oh yes, it’s coming.
What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Writing, writing, writing!
Princesses In SPACE!!! (not the actual title): two rounds of edits based on beta-reader commentary. I will make one more pass through this book, with a fine-toothed comb, and then I want to have it available by the end of 2014. (Just in time for Christmas!)
Princesses In SPACE!!! Book II: Attack of the Cloned Princesses (not the actual title): I finished the first draft at the tail end of summer, and I am now making my first pass through the manuscript. My goal is to have to my squad of beta-readers by the Super Bowl. My current plan is to have this one available, via self-pub, at the end of 2014.
GhostCop (not the actual title): First draft is done. I’ll make a run through it at some point in 2014. Not sure when.
The Adventures of Lighthouse Boy (not the actual title): Currently writing the first draft. No idea, really, when it will be done — I’m giving myself license to write as long a book as I want for this one, as it’s intended as a stand-alone novel.
Princesses III: I only have a tiny idea of what happens in that book. I don’t expect to get around to starting it until sometime in summer 2014.
GhostCop II: No idea at all what will happen here. I’m envisioning this as a series, but this one’s so far out that I as yet haven’t the faintest idea what’s going to happen in it. Winter 2014 at the very earliest.
Second book set in the Lighthouse Boy universe: That’s so far out there’s no point even thinking about it yet. Which means, of course, that my Muse will torment me with ideas for it any day now.
And finally, there’s Deliverance, eh? (not the actual title), the book I started and cranked quite a bit of words on for NaNoWriMo 2012 before I bogged down completely. I still like the idea and I’d like to revisit it someday, but…who knows when.
You may be able to tell from all this that I’m all about planning my writing career out. I don’t have time for the luxury of lack-of-focus anymore.
What was your biggest failure?
Well, I didn’t get any nibbles on the agent or publisher front. But is that a “failure”? I’m not sure that it is.
What was the best thing you bought?
The Wife and I got smartphones. Suck it, LouisCK!
Whose behavior merited celebration?
The Wife, The Daughter, and generally lots of folks!
Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I’ve really found that burying myself into work as much as possible doesn’t leave me enough time to be appalled or depressed. I’m still not thrilled with the political right in this country, but…that’s about it, really.
Where did most of your money go?
Food, bills, books. Same as most years!
What did you get really excited about?
A wonderful vacation, and the sense that I’m moving forward as a writer even as I figure I’m doing it myself!
What song will always remind you of 2013?
OK, I really had to think about this one a while, but given recent decisions about the way I’m approaching things, I came up with one that may seem a little corny. But you know what? It fits!
Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Happier. I have a good run going now.
Thinner or fatter?
Thinner! Every time I go to the doctor I’m a few pounds lighter. Not a ton, but it’s coming off, slowly and surely. I love that.
Richer or poorer?
Richer. We’re not “rich”, obviously, but a lot of hard work seems to be turning the ship in the direction we want to go, at long long long last.
What do you wish you’d done more of?
Reading and writing, of course. Walking. I love walking, and didn’t do nearly enough of it this year.
What do you wish you’d done less of?
Wasting time online instead of writing.
How did you spend Christmas?
Quietly.
Did you fall in love in 2013?
As ever, I fall in love on a daily basis.
How many one-night stands?
Zero. I’m taken, as always!
What was your favorite TV program?
Person of Interest. I’m still working on a post in my head about how well-written that show is.
Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate doesn’t work for me, so I avoid it.
What was the best book you read?
River of Stars, by Guy Gavriel Kay. (Holy shit, I never reviewed it. I just now realized that. Oy….)
What was your greatest musical discovery?
Bartok, courtesy a concert I attended with The Wife a month or so ago.
What did you want and get?
Two more finished manuscripts. A smartphone. Clarity of purpose and a sense of direction!
What did you want and not get?
An agent or a publishing deal. But hey, I’ll just do it myself. There are some power tools I have my eye on that I haven’t picked up yet. And somehow, I was never able to get on the calendar for a pieing by The Wife. I’ll just have to try and get that done twice in 2014.
What were your favorite films of this year?
We liked Thor II: Thor Harder a lot.
What did you do on your birthday?
As usual, I worked, and then we took our annual trip to Ithaca, NY for the Apple Harvest Festival. This year’s Festival was odd because they are completely renovating the public commons area in which the Festival takes place, so this year it was shunted off into a couple of different spaces. Next year should be back to normal, though.
How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Yeesh, maybe I should just retire this question, as my answer never changes. I’m all about utilitarian clothes.
What kept you sane?
Same reply as last year: Laughing; reading; writing; discovering that even though we’ve been together in one way or another for almost twenty twenty-one years, I still have ways of getting to know The Wife; singing loudly in the car when I’m by myself; torturing The Daughter with awful puns (something my father did to me, coincidentally enough!); geeking out to Star Wars and Lord of the Rings; getting hit in the face with pies. It’s awfully hard to take yourself seriously when crust, custard, and whipped cream are dripping from your face.
Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
John Oliver’s stint as host of The Daily Show was brilliant from pillar to post. Really, really well done!
What political issue stirred you the most?
I continue to be confused by the “Free enterprise will fix every problem” crowd.
Who did you miss?
Sherlock Holmes. He’d better be back soon — oh. Excellent!
Who was the best new person you met?
I’ve connected with a bunch of fellow writers on Twitter and Instagram, which is always wonderful — the more fellow travelers one has, the easier the journey. Most notable is Natasha Head, a Canadian poet.
Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013:
Read and write every single day.
And keeping the ones from years past: We learn by screwing up, so embrace your inner FAIL! The Internet is made of people. Never, ever punt. (You know, I’m serious about that one. F*** punting. Always go for it. Even if it’s 4th and 30. From your own 2.) Democracy works wonders, but it works them eventually. Not all tears are an evil. Whipped cream is a miracle substance. So is ice cream.
Use your local library! Limiting your reading to only those books you can afford to buy is madness. OpenOffice rules. Buy good tools, take care of them, don’t lend them out, and they’ll last forever. Pie is wonderful stuff, whether on your plate or in your face. Screw fashion; if it’s comfy, wear it. We’re not meant to be alone. No object fits in your hand so perfectly as your wife’s hand, and no object fits so perfectly on your shoulder as your child’s head. Let it be, and all you need is love.
Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
See, I was trying to think up a song that abounds with cheery optimism. A song with lyrics about not being stopped, not letting the rules get in the way, and making dreams come true.
So, the Byzantium’s Shores 2013 anthem is…
…and yes, I am totally serious…
…the theme song from Laverne and Shirley!
Give us any chance, we’ll take it.
Give us any rule, we’ll break it.
We’re gonna make our dreams come true.
Doin’ it our way.
Nothin’s gonna turn us back now,
Straight ahead and on the track now.
We’re gonna make our dreams come true,
Doin’ it our way.
There is nothing we won’t try,
Never heard the word impossible.
This time there’s no stopping us.
We’re gonna do it.
On your mark, get set, and go now,
Got a dream and we just know now,
We’re gonna make our dream come true.
And we’ll do it our way, yes our way.
Make all our dreams come true,
And do it our way, yes our way,
Make all our dreams come true
For me and you!
No, I will not be starting each writing day with “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Schlemiel, Schlamazel, Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!”.
And as always, in a ‘last but most certainly not least’ vein, I’d like to thank all you fine, wonderful readers for dropping by this year, either regularly or ‘once-in-a-while’. May each and every one of you enjoy a healthy, happy, and ultimately heavenly 2014!
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What I said, when I said it: the best of 2013!
I think this blog really took a marked shift in focus this year, as it feels like I did a lot less lengthy essay-type writing in this space. I’m guessing this is mainly because I put my focus almost entirely on my fiction work this year, after deciding in 2011 that it was time to stop saying “I hope to be a writer someday” and start saying “I am a writer”. My book and movie writing dropped off substantially, which dismays me a little. It’s not like I wasn’t reading and watching new stuff, but I didn’t write about it nearly as much as usual in 2013.
Anyway, here’s a selection of posts that I particularly like from the year just passing into memory. And as always, I did some (I think!) good writing for the February and August editions of Ask Me Anything!, as well as the April A to Z.
Tip your servers, folks!
Remembering the VIC-20
On Lemons
Snark sucks
Of chickens and crockpots
Let thy freak flag fly!
On ‘Bronies’ and fandom
On Roger Ebert
On personal blogging
When I was a kid, I wanted to be Bud Herseth
Hey baseball! F*** your shaving-cream-on-a-towel!
Random thoughts on Once Upon a Time
When The Muse taunts me
You’re not a special snowflake, Buffalo.
My (now useless) nomination for Twelfth Doctor
Cold-brewing coffee
The rules for reading
In praise of Bugles
On Tennyson
On Breaking Bad and binge-watching
LouisCK is full of crap.
Encyclopedia Brown’s life of crime
Favorite back roads of WNY
Snapshots from Ithaca
My rules for writing
A night with the Buffalo Philharmonic
On whining about other people’s content
Another year, another NaNoWriMo victory!
Self-publishing: Here I come!
Books I wrote about this year:
Bleyer, Me the People: One Man’s Selfless Quest to Rewrite the Constitution of the United States of America
Bujold: Cetaganda
Campbell: The Lost Fleet: Dauntless
Reese: Make the Bread, Buy the Butter
Scalzi: Redshirts
Films I wrote about this year (these aren’t all “in-depth” essays):
Amistad
Apollo 13
Casablanca
Les Miserables
Sneakers
Star Trek Into Darkness
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The year in pictures
Thanks to Instagram and the new Flickr app for Android devices, I did a lot more casual picture-taking this year, as well as a lot more posting to Byzantium’s Shores of pictorial content.
First, I did some pseudo-photoshopping involving everybody’s favorite annoying four-year-old: Caillou In Inappropriate Places, and Caillou In Inappropriate Places II. I also posted a lot of what I see as “potential cover art” here — this is stuff I’ve seen online that’s kinda-sorta the type of thing I wouldn’t mind seeing as possible cover art for volumes in the Princesses In SPACE!!! (not the actual title) series. Those posts are here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
And here is a selection of photos from the past year. More are available at my Flickr and Instagram sites.