16 March 2009

Another year older

My birthday was last week. It was nice. I threw a party Saturday night, with a dozen friends over. Made lots of food, ate lots of food, stayed up late (which for me is after midnight. I get up at 6 during the week.)

Two of my friends gave me books: LMB's new book in the Sharing Knife series, HORIZON, and Iain M Banks' CONSIDER PHLEBAS, now back in print in the US, apparently. I'm already halfway through Horizon. I'd forgotten some of what had happened, but there was a nice recap in an early chapter, and it wasn't even an infodump! It came out in a conversation with a new character, who they had to fill in on what Dag's crazy scheme is, and the folks who'd been around already gave reactions (you didn't tell us that part!) It's kind of like the Council of Elrond, except only a half dozen or so pages. I'll probably go back and read all 4 books at some point, once I get through my never-read list. It's marginally less dangerous than reading the Miles books, if only because there are fewer of them. (I can't read just one! Though if I had to, I'd probably pick MEMORY, though THE VOR GAME is a close second.)

Writing: I'm working on a flash story, about ghost stations in Cold War Berlin. With any luck, I should have it finished in the next few weeks (betas, editing, all that stuff).

Still waiting to hear back on the short story I submitted last month. I keep checking the status page, and they're up to mid January. So a few more weeks before I get my first rejection email ;) (Hey, I'm being realistic, here. From what I hear, you get 5 or 6 rejections for every acceptance. So.)

Tai chi: I took a class to learn half of one side of a 2-person matched set, which is based mostly in Yang style, but with elements of Chen style as well. It was pretty intense, spending 11 hours (minus breaks) Saturday and 9 hours (minus breaks) Sunday. But I learned it, and I'm practicing at home so I don't forget. I'm planning to take the 4-day course, to review the first half and learn the remainder, in May. That will be ... really damn intense.

I'm dropping my current Wednesday night class in Chen style and switching to a weapons class (which meets at an overlapping time in a different location.) I'll be starting with the short stick, which is similar to the dao broadsword (except with some different twists because of the weapon's shape). After that, I don't know yet. Whatever the teacher does in his class.

This means I'll have 3 routines to keep in practice. I think I'm going to need to set aside a bigger block of time. But what will I give up to do it? That's a hard question.

1 comment:

S Ryan said...

Oh, snap! A very VERY belated Happy Birthday!