Ross E. Lockhart's Blog, page 86

Twenty-four hours from home...

At the Seattle Amtrak station, catching my breath after a NASCAR-qualifying taxicab ride across the city. Jennifer's checking in while I stand guard over our luggage. Boarding in about an hour (maybe sooner), then approximately twenty-four hours from now, we'll arrive back in the Bay Area, pick up Maddie from "camp," and head on home. It's been a whirlwind trip, filled with fun, food, and family, but it's going to be nice to get back to Petaluma. And I really miss Maddie.

My tweets

Sat, 17:07 : Saturday in Seattle. Today's agenda: Figuring out how to get to Cupcake Royale and an Irish pub. And maybe a bookstore or three. Sat, 17:26 : ...but first, breakfast at Citizen Coffee. Sat, 19:03 : Have wandered into Seattle's Easy Street Records. Love the listening kiosks, built into old phone booths. Too bad they're all out of order. Sat, 19:21 : RT @FantasyFaction: Word Counts of some very popular Fantasy Epics - http://bit.ly/eeAbLn Sat, 21:53 : Didn't end up buying anything at the record store. Was hoping for Wolves in the Throne Room on vinyl. No luck. Sat, 21:56 : Did buy a couple tattered paperbacks at Mercer Street Books: Blatty's The Ninth Configuration & King's Nightmares & Dreamscapes. Nice shop. Sun, 00:10 : Hit Silver Platters, picked up WITTR "Malevolent Grain" ep and Martin Denny's "Exotica Suite" on vinyl. Delayed gratification: tt at home. Sun, 00:45 : RT @itsTheAdultLife: We live in a world where obscenity is defined as all things sexual instead of war, killing, hatred and bigotry. - @ ... Sun, 02:30 : No luck at Arundel Books, but dinner: Outstanding!

My tweets

Fri, 18:18 : RT @KameronHurley: In which I say some things about worldbuilding & encourage u to win a book w/fire-breathing cows http://night-bazaar. ... Fri, 21:32 : RT @FakeAPStylebook: Only one space after a period, unless it's my wife's period, in which case you want as much space as possible, am I ... Fri, 21:32 : RT @JohnFugelsang: Remember, kids, it's only 'Class Warfare' when you fight for the bottom 90% of the population. Fri, 21:33 : RT @NSBposse: The Night Bazaar: World Building in Fantasy: Congratulations to my esteemed colleague Katy Stauber for the relea... http:/ ... Sat, 01:09 : Headin' to a weddin'! Sat, 02:23 : RT @moodymeow: I would like you to repeat this to everyone you know - spandex is a privilege, not a right. Sat, 02:24 : RT @dburrows: Just read two great post-cyberpunk novels by Jon Armstrong, highly recommended, Grey http://t.co/KtfJdMO and Yarn http://t ... Sat, 05:04 : Had an amazing conversation post-dinner with my brother-in-law's new father-in-law about sustainable food crop production. Cutting edge!

The family that rocks together...

At EMP/SFM with Jill and the Williams Clan...

Rock on, Mama Jill!

Bram takes the solo...

And Brie, on the drums...

If Six Was Nine...

Let's get skiffy: My Dream Ride:

Part of one of my all-time favorite cinematic space ships, the Valley Forge from Silent Running:

Battlestar!

And a bug's eye view of a local landmark:

My tweets

Thu, 15:30 : Somewhere in the vicinity of Mount Shasta, snapping blurry photographs from the window of a moving train. When's breakfast? Fri, 01:01 : Goodbye Eugene. Next stop, Portland. Fri, 01:26 : Hanging out in the Pacific Parlor Car for the last few hours reading and having a conversation with a particularly precocious sixth grader. Fri, 01:29 : Now stopped; a freight train ahead on the tracks. Precocious sixth-grader has talked me into letting her play Angry Birds on my iPad. Fri, 05:11 : Hello Olympia! Fri, 05:18 : ...and goodbye Olympia! http://t.co/7R7allu Fri, 06:34 : Hello Seattle!

Snow, as seen through the window of a northbound train...

Reading manuscripts as we roll along, resting my eyes between chapters by glancing out at the snow and trees. It goes on forever...

...tire tracks and the occasional footprint.

Passing freight.

And a self portrait.

A brief stopover in Klamath Falls...

We've stopped for a little while in Klamath Falls, OR. Changing crews, I think.

The scenery has changed from tall trees to scrub and dirty snow, with scatterings of houses and distant mountains.

Breakfast in the dining car was rather good. An omelet with peppers and onions, potatoes, and a croissant for me, scrambled eggs and a biscuit for Jennifer. And the company of a couple heading home to Olympia.

And we hung out in the Pacific Parlor car awhile after breakfast, reading and watching the world roll past.

Internet access is spotty at best. I'm answering e-mail as I can, but don't be surprised if it takes me a little longer than usual to get back to you.

The world I woke up to...

The world I woke up to is one of tall trees and rivers, with patches of snow on the ground and wisps of fog suspended in the sky.

And the occasional house.

Or graffitied freight car.

All moving past at a blurred pace, like life.

My tweets

Wed, 17:19 : RT @bbeaulieu: This week over at the Night Bazaar. I talk about world building. http://bit.ly/hWjLQY Wed, 17:19 : RT @sarukie: Really enjoying "God's War". If I didn't have to work I'd spend the day finishing it. :) Wed, 17:31 : RT @MadHatterReview: New Post: REVIEW | BRAVE NEW WORLDS by @johnjosephadams http://bit.ly/gA4D98 I couldn't stand the idea of finishing ... Wed, 17:46 : RT @scntfc: nintendo gdc keynote vs ipad 2 announcement has got to be THE first world problem of all #firstworldproblems. i'll be readin ... Wed, 17:46 : RT @tobiasbuckell: Fox News 'report' on protests at Wisconsin being 'violent' shows different protest... with palm trees in back: http:/ ... Wed, 22:51 : RT @NSBposse: Bradley Beaulieu: Winds of Khalakovo Giveaway: I've given away two ARCs for Winds, but this third Goodreads give... http:/ ... Thu, 01:17 : Seattle, here we come. Thu, 04:21 : I'm sitting in the railway station. Got a ticket to my destination.

Self portrait... On a train!

And with that, the trip was on track.