I have a headache. Once again the ten-minute job has turned into the
two-hour aggravation. For some reason (I suppose there's a reason, though
I'm sure I'll never find out what it is),
Netscape decided to mess with the html code I saved for updating
causing Notepad to dispense with all formatting when I saved the
updated code. Go figure. (I know it was Netscape's problem because I saved
the same code using IE Explorer and Notepad had no problem with the
changes. What I don't know is why I was inspired to switch over to IE
Explorer and save the code anew. The Muse of Programming must have
been attending.)
Anyway, the day started out well. Beautiful mild weather. And, for a
wonder, I felt good when I got up. I took my apple and tea out on the
back porch and read a few chapters of Kinky Friedman's
murder mystery, Greenwich
Killing Time, then went to get cleaned up. Janice showed up just as I was
getting out of the shower and we went for a walk. The walk was just
the exercise I needed, and Janice filled me in on her doings. When
we got back we sat on the back porch for a bit, then I went over to
the stand to work. Unfortunately, that's where my cousin found me and
gave me the "simple" website changes to be done ASAP. Well, they're
done now, but it's two hours later than I'd like it to be. See,
I've been taking care of myself, not staying up and getting overtired...
I was planning on doing some reading. I am enjoying the Friedman
book. It whips right along. Interesting, too. His books hadn't come
my way before and when I saw him on Charlie Rose last week I decided
to look them up.
I think I mentioned
that I was working on Eric Idle's Road to Mars. Haven't
finished it, though. I probably will, but it hasn't held my interest--
no story, really. I also picked up and read Morris West's
Eminence-- mostly. The problem with that one was that though
the main character, a Cardinal Rossini, and the situation, the politics of
electing a new Pope, were very interesting, ol' Morris
decided to pull his punches. He gave the Cardinal an old love interest,
reintroduced her into his life, then, just when the Cardinal's life
was going to get really interesting, Morris killed her off, letting
the Cardinal off the hook. Rats. It would've been a helluva good
story if the Cardinal had retained his vocation, his honor, and been
elected Pope all the while having a living ex-lover and illegitimate
daughter in town-- and, if you couldn't see that all coming
on page two, you must live in an alternate universe! Ah, well. Next
time, Morris. If you're really
interested in reforming the Catholic Church, you should buckle down
show them the way. But then, why should you be any
different from the rest of the hacks?
Lot's of writers avoid the nitty-gritty, the really, really
interesting issues. Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
avoided it in Tempting Fate: the vampire Saint Germaine was
saved from having to reveal his true nature to his adopted daughter
when she was viciously killed by Nazi troops at the age of 15. Not
only did she not have to deal with his revelation, neither of them
had to make a decision as to whether she should become a vampire
herself...
And John D. MacDonald avoided letting Travis McGee
deal with love and marriage in The Green Ripper by viciously
killing off the girl-- and that was odd because Trav has already been
married once in The Turquoise Lament and that had been
handled quite nicely...
Hrmph. The worst thing about both those
books was that the authors sent our heroes on senseless killing
rampages in the name of revenge. What crap! Come on, guys, deal with
the tough questions! Illuminate the human experience! Any hack can
kill off a character and wallow in violence and destruction. It
takes a Writer to to deal with living characters and Life.
Pfui. I'm going to bed. And even though it's way past my bedtime,
I'm going to read for a while. Sometimes the books turn out to be
gems. And reading a really good book is restful...