Nikko Lee's Blog, page 29

Acadia and St. Sauveur Mountain Trails

On Wednesday, the hiking group paid a visit to one of the better known hikes on the island. The Acadia mountain parking lot was packed with cars that even bordered the road on either side. This week has really felt like summer not just because of the hot and sunny weather but the scores of people who come to MDI to get away. Living in a vacation spot means putting up with the tourists for the few weeks they inundate the area. Before long they will be gone and the quiet will return.

Leaving the crowded parking lot behind, we headed towards Acadia mountain. There is a little jog before reaching the first rock scramble. It's an indication of what is to come. Although Acadia is only 681 feet in elevation, the trail rises quickly to the summit to a spectacular view of Somes Sound out towards Cranberry island. After the adventurous climb, the way down is less daunting although it still does hold some interesting rock scrambles. Once at the bottom the easy way to return to the parking lot is along the fire road. That round trip is about 2 miles. However, we planned to tackle the neighboring mountain, St. Sauveur.

Admittedly, after a long day of work energy is hard to come by and the heat was making it doubly difficult. However, there was little time to dwell on sweating backs and tired legs as the climb up St. Sauveur began. A mere 3 feet shorter than Acadia at 679 feet, the trail up St. Sauveur offered some steep rocky trails with minimal rock scrambles. My biggest concern was missing the cut-off to head back towards the Acadia parking lot. The last time I had hiked St. Sauveur with my dog we had gotten so turned around that I ended up in Southwest Harbor with a 3 mile walk back along the road. Fortunately, the trail junction was well marked. Just shy of the summit buried within the trees, we enjoyed our cookies before claiming the peak and heading back down to the cars.

The hike took nearly 3 hours and covered about 4 miles (not counting the elevation changes). It left me tired and invigorated at the same time.

Gorham Mountain Trail

[image error]View from Gorham MountainOn Wednesday of last week, the hiking club set its sights on the Gorham Mountain trail. It's not a particularly challenging trail with only a few rocky spots, but it does offer a unique few of the south eastern corner of MDI. We started at the Sand Beach parking lot to add some mileage and traveled along the Ocean path, passed Thunder Hole and Monument Cove, to reach the trail. In all it was just over 2 miles (525 ft max elevation) and took about 2 hours to complete at a fairly leisurely pace.

View of Beehive from the Bowl TrailThe thing that struck me about hiking that particular day was that you could see where you'd been, where you were going, distant islands, and even a spectacular view of the Beehive trail. The only thing you couldn't really appreciate was where you were. But that's the way it is with hiking. The view of Beehive really gave me a better appreciation for that trail. I've been up it 3 times (always taken the back end trails down). While on it all I can think about is the breathtaking views and even more breathtaking drops. I've enjoyed this trail for its challenge, but taking the outsider's view gave me a new appreciation for it.

 

Genetic influence on sexual preference behaviors in mice

One of the coolest parts of my job is that I get to read about scientific research in all areas of mouse genetics from development to behavior. While mice and men behave very differently, behavioral research in mice can point towards genes that may influence human behaviors.

This week I curated a recent Nature article that demonstrated the requirement of genes involved in the serotonin pathway for male sexual preference for female mice.

In "Molecular regulation of sexual preference revealed by genetic studies of 5-HT in the brains of male mice." (Nature 2011 Apr 7;472(7341):95-9), Lui et al. examined the sexual preference behaviors of mice lacking tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (Tph2tm1Zfc) or lacking LIM homeobox transcription factor 1 beta in the nervous system (Lmx1btm1Zfc Tg(Fev-cre)1Esd). In both models, male mice failed to exhibit a preference for mounting female mice. They also failed to exhibit a preference for female genital odor despite having normal odorant behavior towards other smells. 

Mouse studies like this one highlight the influence genes can have on behavior.

Schoodic Point (ANP)

It turned out to be a busy weekend for hiking. Sunday the lab's hiking group tackled Schoodic Point. It's about 45 minutes from MDI on one of the many peninsula that stick out into Frenchman's Bay. What Schoodic Point lacks in trails, it makes up for in spectacular views.

Our first hike started at the Blueberry Hill parking lot at the far end of the one-way park road. We hiked to the top of Schoodic Head and back down via the Anvil. Back at Blueberry hill, we had lunch by the waterside until the incoming tide reminded us there was more hiking to be done. The afternoon hike started at the bottom of the road that leads to the top of Schoodic Head. At the top for the second time that day, we headed down the East trail and back again over the top for the third time before walking back down the road to the cars.

[image error]Although most of the trail consists of easy walking and moderate inclines, a few rocky ledges add some challenge. The East side trail is by far the steepest but consequently the shortest. Wild-life spottings included two porcupines out for a midday stroll. The first escaped my camera, but I managed a slightly blurry photo of the second.

In all, we spent nearly a full day exploring Schoodic points from the top of Schoodic Head to the wonderfully rocky shores.

Jordan Cliffs Trail (ANP)

It has been far too long since my last entry. No new science talks to report on. No word yet on the two submissions I have in to publishers or editors. No brilliant insights into the world of writing and publishing. I've been keeping up with my favorite writing/publishing podcasts (Writing Excuses, AISFP, I Should Be Writing, and Get Published) and added a few more to the cue (Flagship and The Appendix).

On the writing front, I'm nearing the last chapter of my M/M romantic erotica novella. It's the first story that I've written in a long while that has not a single paranormal element in it. Without the world coming to the end or some evil villain to vanquish, my characters have had to focus on their inner turmoil and the conflict between their feelings for each other and how being an out couple would affect their lives.

It is taking me forever to finish reading Jasper Kent's Twleve. This is probably a symptom of my normally desk-bound body wanting to be outside during this brief period between mud season and winter.

That update aside, I thought I'd share my morning hike with whomever might glance at this entry. Every weekend I try to pick a different trail in Acadia National Park (ANP) to hike. My goal is to get in good enough shape this summer to hike Katahdin in Baxter State park. Growing up on a farm in rural Quebec, I was spoiled with hundreds of acres to explore that stretched from lakeside to mountain side, from rolling fields to mixed wood forests. Now I have ANP as my playground.

Last year, I declined to go on a search because I was unsure about my hiking abilities. I was told the trail would be equivalent to the Jordan Cliffs Trail, which I hadn't hiked at the time. In search and rescue (SAR), it's important to know your limits and I wasn't sure I could be of use after a day on such terrain.

Flash forward to this week. It rained for most of the week. When the sun finally broke through the clouds on Thursday, I was itching to get outside. By Friday, I was having a hard time sitting down at my desk to concentrate on work. I decided I needed a challenge. I remembered the missed opportunity last year and decided it was time to tackle the Jordan Cliffs trail.

By nature, I am a cautious hiker. I've done the Beehive and Precipice, but I am always a little tentative when it comes to difficult trails that I haven't explored before. I knew this was going to be a challenge and I knew the misty morning would produce some slippery conditions. But after a week indoors at a desk, I was looking forward to getting out.

My starting point was the Bubble Rock parking lot. Like I said earlier, I'm working my way up to Katahdin so I added some mileage by parking pretty far from the trail head. My planned route was along the east side of Jordan pond, up the Spring trail to the Jordan Cliffs, back along the west side of Jordan pond, and finally up the east side of Jordan pond back to the car. Total mileage was 7.1 miles with a 920 feet elevation gain accomplished in 3.5 hours.

[image error]Maybe it was a good thing the fog stayed thick throughout my hike. The warning signs at either end of the Jordan Cliffs Trail is well warranted. There was plenty of exposed rock ledges, cliff scrambles, and iron rungs to scale. I have no idea how far down the drop was, but the tops of the trees were lost in the fog.

I made my way along the trail taking my time and being careful of my footing. There were a few spots that were pretty dicey. About half way through the trail, there is a log bridge far above the ground that I wouldn't have wanted to fall from. There were many times I was either on hands and knees or scooting down rock faces on my butt. One part gave me enough trouble that I had to stop and figure out how to proceed. Just before the highest point of the trail there is a rocky crevasse to scale. The drop below extended into the fog. I don't even want to guess at the distance. With short legs, large steps are harder to navigate. And this was no place I cared to make a mistake. After three aborted attempts and finding a loose rock that wouldn't support my weight, I finally found a way to clamber over the rocks and up to the rung ladders.

My favorite part of hiking/climbing is also the scariest for me. I love the tactile feel of having to use my entire body to push/pull/clamber/spring/jump/scale. It's the narrow margin for errors that kicks in my anxiety. One misstep or bad judgement or bad luck could easily hand anyone in need of SAR assistance.

It turned out to be a great hike. Only about an hour of it was really strenuous. The rest of the hike was rather leisurely. This is one of those trails you want to do the right way (start at the south end). I'm glad to have met my self-imposed challenge. Unfortunately, I did not get to see the spectacular views I know where buried beneath the fog. Now I can lounge around my place, do my chores, and get some writing done... and baking something sweet.

Longevity Medicine

My regular Genetics and Genetic Research blog site is under construction. So I will post here for those interested. Let me know if you like seeing the science side of my interests here, and I'll keep it up.

There are a few people who aren't interested in living longer, from pirates hunting for the fountain of youth to aging baby-boomers. However, the key to longevity isn't just adding years to your lifespan but adding healthy years. Recently, S. Mitchell Harman from the Kronos Longevity Research Institute spoke at the Jackson Laboratories about the state of the art in longevity research and opportunities for translation into medical practices.

We are all blessed (and cursed) by the genes we inherit. They bestow on us our potentials, limitations, and predispositions that can limit the number of healthy years we have to live. Our current medical practice is based on prevention and treatment to minimize the impact of disease with the hope of forestalling a premature death. People are living longer, but not necessarily in a healthier state. Current medical research is now turning to extending lifespan by addressing the negative effects that lead to aging and agingin related diseases.

Over the years, our cells accumulate damage from oxygen free radicals, DNA mutations, microcellular degradation, shortened telomeres, and unprocessed cellular leftovers. These global cellular stresses are thought to lead to aging. But not everyone ages as gracefully as their neighbors.

Aging is influenced by the interaction of intrinsic factors (e.g. genes and metabolism) and extrinsic factors (e.g. diet, exercise, radiation, and stress). A lot of research dollars have gone into understanding how intrinsic and extrinsic factors account for premature and normal aging.

S. Mitchell Harman highlighted the areas of focus for aging research and the prospects they offer for a medical intervention. The prominent research topics in aging and their potential for translation, include:

-Caloric restriction: Promising in rats, mice, and primates but unproven in humans. Likely operates via the mTOR pathway offering a means for chemical intervention without fasting.

-Telomerase extension: Problematic results in mice, which express active telomerase. However, reactivating telomerase in fibroblasts restores replication. Temporally controlled reactivation of telomerase in a telomerase knock-out mouse restores degeneration in testes, spleen, and intestinal crypts. In humans, active telomerase came improve immune cell health.

-Suppression of oxidative stress: Oxygen free radicals from natural processes (e.g. glycolysis) or toxin exposures (e.g. smoking) lead to increased DNA damage, decreased lipid metabolism, and increased protein damage. Resveratrol (found in red wine) and tart cherry juice have been shown to improve the oxidative stress response.

-Treatment of metabolic syndrome: Increased abdominal weight is associated with increased serum triglyceride, decreased HDL cholesterol, increased blood pressure, and insulin resistance in humans. Hormonal involvement in metabolic syndrome occurs a target for treatment in combination with diet and exercise.

Any intervention, no matter how promising, may also have unintended negative consequences. For example, the testosterone replacement to improve metabolic syndrome symptoms can increased the probability of cardiovascular events and increase the severity of prostate cancer.

Aging is a multifactorial process that offers numerous avenues for intervention. With a careful evaluation of risk benefits for anti-aging treatments, researchers hope to add years of healthy livings to the average lifespan.

Write what you love

Write what you love is often accompanied by the advice not to write to the market. It's always seemed like a catch-22 to me, unless you are one of those lucky and skilled authors whose work applies to both. The market dictates what gets published, whether it be by determining what is hot or what is over-saturated. Yet writing something just for the sake of selling it often produces a work lacking in passion.

Sometimes I see submission calls that spark my creative interest. However, my skills aren't honed to the point where I can crank out something worth submitting before the deadline passes. Writing novels to sales trends is an even bigger losing battle. By the time a subject is recognized to be popular, publishers are in search of the next trendy thing or something truly remarkable.

Writing has to be a labor of love. The hours spent plotting, writing, re-writing, editing, and polishing more often than not go unnoticed. I almost feel guilty when I consume a novel in a matter of days when I know that the author must have months or years writing it.

It goes without saying that I write for the love of stories. No one is flooding my inbox for my work. I write the stories I'd love to read. In the mean time, I keep my eyes open for submission calls. Last month I wrote a zombie erotica that got some positive feedback. I was also reminded how over-done the zombie theme is. By the time I catch on to a trend, it's already over. I didn't hold out much hope of finding a market for that story. Then a bizarre submission call popped into my inbox. I crossed my fingers and sent my story off in hopes that it would fit the call.

Whether it gets picked up or not, it was reassuring to see that something I'd written purely for the practice of writing could find a home. And I do need the practice.

Have you ever picked up a published novel and wonder how it got published? Have you ever thought you could do better?

I think these are common thoughts that run through a would-be writer. There are those one hit wonders of the literary world that for one reason or another get published against all odds and make it big. The reality is that it truly is difficult to transform ideas into words. The right person has to read your manuscript and believe in it as much as you do. Someone has to think your work will find a market.

Successful authors don't start out with the knowledge of how their novel will turn out, if it will appeal to readers, if it will sell, if it will vanish from the shelves in a matter of weeks. Authors write. Success is an after thought based on so many factors that it is impossible to predict much less guarantee it.

So I am resolved to write. Even if my words never leave my laptop, I will at least enjoy building my stories and exploring the characters that just will not leave me alone.

Currently, I am dabbling in the arena of male/male relationships. Romance and erotica are my guilty pleasures. I've never written M/M, but I loved what JR Ward has done with her Qhuinn/Blay story line. I can't wait for their book to be release. Sure the market for M/M romance is smaller than the heterosexual relationship market, but the Qhuay fans are fanatical (and mostly woman as far as I can tell).

International Steampunk City

A few years ago, I was introduced to steampunk through anime. However, I could never really put my finger on steampunk as a genre until I watched Howl's Moving Castle. It wasn't until I started looking into it more that I realized how big the steampunk community is.

Today I attended the International Steampunk City in Waltham, MA. Waltham's Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation's and Watch Factory offer a period feel setting for the characters roaming the city streets in all their goggled finery. I was reminded of walking around at a renaissance festival, only there were a lot mechanical devices.

One of the most impressive displays was the Steamachine Sculpture of Todd Douglas Cahill. Each is a functional work of art. Besides the wonderful steam machines, his workshop was filled with lathes and presses.

I saw so much more than I can described after waking up at 5AM and only getting back home a few minutes ago. The artistry and creativity of the exhibitors, vendors, volunteers, and attendees was inspiring. One vendor fused entomology with clockwork quite literally with preserved carcasses containing gears. There were steampunk-ified computers and iPods. 

If you like gears, brace, leather, and innovation, this is the place to be.

(By Nature in Metal)

(By ModVic)

Love, sex, and fiction

I've been alternating between writing and reading lately as I try to hone my skills and keep up on current fiction. While I'm working on editing a short piece of erotica, I couldn't resist pulling out the next book from my to-read pile, The Iron Duke by Meljean Brooks. Even though I am holding off on reading it until I get some editing done, I have been reading some reviews of the book.

For some reason, I find the lowest ranking reviews the most informative and entertaining. The sharpest criticisms are often honest and open-eyed. It's lovely to hear how brilliant a work is, but I want to know what didn't work for people.

I was surprised to find that one of the main negative criticisms against the Iron Duke had to do with the interaction between the characters in the central romance. If you don't want to be spoiled on one particular element of this story, don't read any further.

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You were warned. While most of the reviews I read agreed that the Iron Duke is a well-written steampunk, the main romantic couple has a rocky interaction that culminates in a rape sequence. One reviewer who gave the book a two star rating on Amazon presented an insightful review about the 'good rape' concept in romance novels.

I was floored. Good rape? Who thinks this is a good idea? Then I got to thinking about it. All too often the heroine is reluctant to enter into a sexual encounter with a hero whose desire for her is overwhelming. I have no objections to that. However, when the 'hero' entirely disregards the heroine's tears and pleas for him to stop, he becomes a thoroughly unsympathetic character in my mind.

No romances that I've ever read involved the victim falling for her rapist. Stephen Donaldson's The Gap into Conflict revolves around a non-consentual sexual relationship between two characters. However, Morn is under no romantic illusions of love towards her capture. If anything, the rapes serve to reinforce Thermopyle as a loathsome character who garners pity and revulsion. There is a vein of erotica centered around implied consent that is clearly described to prevent any confusion with rape.

The R-word is a big no-no in erotica right up there with bestiality and incest. I thought it was generally recognized that rape is not a crime of passion but of power and control. Regardless of complicating circumstances like the influence of drink and drugs, I find it hard to believe that rape can play any part in a romance.

The whole topic got me thinking about my pet peeves in romance and erotica. Let's face it, fiction is not supposed to be true to the letter of reality. Instead, it's the spirit of reality that authors try to capture. Not many people want to read about the awkward first time sexual experience. God forbid the hero lose his erection or the heroine not have an earth-shattering orgasm. However, there's honoring the spirit of reality, and then there's fantasy fulfillment.

I've written about my disdain for the sexy virgin who tricks the hero into thinking she's more experienced than she is. This inevitably leads to the first time sexual encounter that unfailingly produces the most fantastic orgasm for the virgin. I'll admit I want to read about fulfilling sexual encounters, but sometimes they become so far-fetched that I have a hard time relating to them. Here are a few of my other sex scene pet peeves:

-Diamond hard men with infinite stamina

-Women who orgasm at the drop of a hat over and over again

-Default orgasms with minimal or not stimulation

-No means yes

-Excessive gratuitous body part measurements

-Instant arousal

When I read or write erotica and romance, I want the sex scenes and the romantic emotions to make sense. I can understand Morn developing a kind of Stolkhom syndrome and dependency towards Thermopile, but she never confuses those emotions with love. I loved how JR Ward handled Marissa's first time sex experience that reflected the initially invasive feeling of having sex. I even enjoy a delicious implied sex or coerced sex erotica, provided that at some point the reluctant party gives their consent either in words, actions, or thought. When I write those kinds of stories, it is extremely important for me that my characters express their consent.

There is nothing sexy about rape. There certainly isn't anything romantic about it. Love and sex in fiction doesn't have to match reality exactly, but the further it strays from the consequences of actions the more it risks alienating reader or even insulting them.

Skill, substance, and style

Despite being a slow reader, I gobbled up JR Ward's latest in her Black Dagger Brotherhood, Lover Unleashed, in less than two days. Partly, it was because there are some sections that I skim. Mostly, it is because I am so excited to see how certain relationships develop. However, the read was not as enjoyable as I wanted it to be. In the end, I had more quibbles than kudos for the book. Then came time to post my review on Goodreads and pick those silly little stars.

Five stars just don't allow for enough of a range when reviewing a book.

JR Ward is a skilled story teller. Many of her characters are likeable and engaging. Her vampire myth is my favorite so far. And while it is one of my quibbles, she evolves some exceedingly complicated and intersecting plots. I can't complain about her writing skill or a lack of story. However, I do grumble about her plot choices and over-abundance of characters.

I think one reader on the goodreads BDB board said it best. Low reviews of particular BDB books have more to do with the featured couple than the quality of the book. I'll second that and add that JR Ward's unique style (the product name dropping, clunky slang, and many-words-strung-together-to-replace-a-few-words nouns) does as much for her writing as it takes away from it.

A rating of 2 out of 5 stars felt as if I were cheating potential readers out of a good read. Some people love couples I hate and vice versa. In the end, I bumped the rating up to 3/5. This book was quite mediocre for me because of all the extras I honestly didn't care about. I'm eagerly awaiting Qhuinn and Blay's novella - it's been promised within the next year by the Warden herself. I'm curious about the next installment in the series, even though I know it will probably be mediocre in my eyes.

It all served to remind me just why it is so hard to be a successful author.

First, you need skill. That's what I am currently working on. At this stage, I need to write, get critiques, develop my skills, and repeat. JR Ward has mad skills, even if I disagree with how she uses them.

Second, you need substance. All the skills in the world are meaningless without sympathetic or compelling characters and an engaging plot. I struggle to determine if the characters and stories I develop are strong enough and entertaining enough to capture readers attention. I'm particularly worried that Dark Heritage doesn't have the necessary HEA ending to qualify as a romance. I worry readers won't find Leif a sympathetic character. I might argue that some of JR Ward's characters are a little weak and their personalities change depending on the needs of the plot.

Third, you need to develop your own style. No one wants to read a second-rate author. By consequence of being individuals, authors have unique voices that can either add to or detract from their work. While I found JR Ward's product name dropping quaint in the first book, it got old quick. I am also in the anti-slang group, and despise the too-long-for-their-own-good words. But this is her style. I would recognize it anywhere, under any name. It is unique and different. By the ninth book, you either love it or hate it. I lean towards the later.

Yet I keep reading. Her books are like sexy alpha vampire crack. So here's an author with skill, substance, and style. If by some shift in the universe I was her editor (and knew what I was doing) I'd be getting her to carry a story line to a conclusion; I'd firm up her female characters; I'd cut out a lot of the Lessers; I'd be tempted to nix the Virgin Scribe/Omega storyline except that it accounts for Vishous; I'd tone down the slang and mutli-word nouns; etc. Would that produce a better book? Maybe, maybe not. It would be the book I wanted, but would readers at large fall in love with a toned-down JR Ward? I think not - yes I'm back to reading the Godspeaker trilogy.

As I prepare for the numerous rejection letters I will need to face, I'll remind myself to ask 'What's missing'? Skill? Substance? Style? Market? Great books never get published. Mediocre books become bestsellers with sparkly vampires.

Writing a mediocre review for a bestselling author because she doesn't write the way I want her to reminds me of how hard it is to be a successful author.