Yesterday it was clearing but looked like peatwater. There’s this stuff romantically called Sludge Remover that apparently has a lot of bacteria noshing down on the accumulated bottom gunk, and this shows some promise. I also discovered, through internet research, that we were considerably shorted on filter medium for the waterfall, which could have something to do with the problem. I ordered what will double its capacity for bacteria.
The local weather is warming, the snow is melting off the mountains and the whole NW corner of Washington is now under flood watch. Won’t be bad—except in a few areas where people have built too close to the water. But otherwise ok.
I’m down a pound. We’re not suffering to do it. Jane’s nearing a finish on her book, and the sky is clear, in that deep northern blue.
You lost a pound? Bet I know where it went! LOL!
I don’t want it back!
I seem to recall that somebody chez vous has a shellfish problem — (You?) Thought I’d pass this along as it looks good. https://wovensunshine.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/non-shellfish-cerviche-wednesday-night-dinner/
Heh—it’s crabmeat—my only really scary allergy. I’m ok with shrimp and lobster. But even fake crab is made with crab product.
May be of interest – a conference in the UK next year:
Swords, Sorcery, Sandals and Space: The Fantastika and the Classical World. A Science Fiction Foundation Conference
29 June – 1 July 2013
At The Foresight Centre, University of Liverpool
“The culture of the Classical world continues to shape that of the modern West. Those studying the Fantastika (science fiction, fantasy and horror) know that the genres have some of their strongest roots in the literature of the Graeco-Roman world (Homer’s Odyssey, Lucian’s True History). At the same time, scholars of Classical Reception are increasingly investigating all aspects of popular culture, and have begun looking at science fiction. However, scholars of the one are not often enough in contact with scholars of the other. This conference aims to bridge the divide, and provide a forum in which sf and Classical Reception scholars can meet and exchange ideas.”
http://www.sf-foundation.org/conference
‘Heroes in Hell’ comes to mind, and there are probably others.
Wow, academics who are acknowledging that pop fiction based on their “speciality” exists! My experience in Celtic Studies is that the academics (of which I am one) rarely if ever will notice that one is involved in the world of pop fiction. Really — if I mention that I am writing a historical fantasy based on Scottish and Celtic social history, the conversation continues on right past me, as if I never opened my mouth. Suddenly one feels like a pariah and quickly learns not to jar conversational mores.
P.S. This weekend I attended a marvelous Steampunk Festival in Waltham, Massachusetts (home of the first, industrial revolution, water powered fabric mill in North America and the Museum of Industry and Innovation, which developed the event). In this, their 3rd year, they estimate 17,000 folk attended! I picked up a marvelous brass, pocket sundial and a brass sextant. I can use them for my emerging, “Lady Astronomy” steampunk persona/outfit and for my Astronomy and Geography classes.
Off topic: you might know all about this already, as I found it by following the link from Patricia Briggs’ blog to Dear Author. It’s got some very specific details on how to get your copyrights back after 35 or 40 years, even if the books are still ‘in print’.
http://dearauthor.com/features/reclaiming-your-copyright-after-thirty-five-years/
As you are so busy getting the rights to your books back so you can publish them on Closed Circle, this might be worthwhile for some of your older books.
If I understand it correctly, the timing of when you can do this, and for which books, is very specific – if you’ve missed that window you lose all chance as an author to renegotiate the publishing rights, unless you’ve got another provision that’s applicable, like the books having to stay in print and the publisher having let that lapse (which is a lot less likely once the books go digital, as keeping the ebooks nominally available somewhere doesn’t cost them).