Kurt R.A. Giambastiani's Blog, page 76
May 9, 2013
Paint it Red
A bit ago, I alluded to a project I’ve undertaken: refinishing the front door. Yesterday, that project took a bad turn. Short version: We opted for a stain, but used one of the new water-based stains. The result was disastrous, and I was so displeased with the gummy, uneven result, that we decided to go […]
May 8, 2013
Exit 175
Exit 175 water bubbles up through concrete and macadam past stone and brickwork a quiet spring a seeping thread of clear water it cleanses my singing tires rises in hissing mist makes rainbows in the rising sun the natural worldlives on despite manmade bonds lies quietly beneath my feet like grass in cracked pavement
May 7, 2013
Spit in the Ashes
I’m in serious Writing-Avoidance Mode. May brings the first Mother’s Day and my mom’s birthday since her passing in December. Family business and concerns literally wake me up at night. My day job has been a frenzy of frustration and chaos. I can’t focus on anything requiring mental acuity for very long, so the garden [...]
May 6, 2013
Mint Condition, One Owner
Amazon wants to sell your used ebooks. Yep, it’s true. Amazon wants tosell your used e-books, and a lot of people are really, really upset by it. “It’ll ruin author’s livelihoods,” some say, and “It’ll destroy the publishing industry” say others. BTFU. Before we all go running through the streets with our hair on fire, [...]
May 3, 2013
The Air is Full of Spices
I used to pooh-pooh spice blends. Yes, I was that stupid. My reasoning was three-fold. When I was growing up: Most “spice blends” were just with some seasonings tossed in to bump up the price. I never knew what was in a pre-packaged “spice blend.” They were pretty awful. In addition, nothing bugs me more [...]
May 2, 2013
XX vs XY
When I build my characters, I like a full picture. As I practice this craft, I get better at it. My pictures are more complete each time, and one reason for this is Observation. Observation teaches two things. First, it shows me actual characteristics, physical and mental, that I can use to build my characters. [...]
May 1, 2013
My Chariot of Fire
Today, the buzz in Seattle is not: The NBA kibosh on movingthe Sac’to Kings to Seattle The Anarchists arriving for their annual May Day (aka Loot&Pillage Day) festivities The opening of Boating Season Today, the buzz in Seattle is the possibility of a warm, sunny weekend in Spring. Yes, the news is That Big. People [...]
April 30, 2013
Doggerel Day Afternoon
Over the weekend, I experimented with the “clustering” technique, with mixed success. It is a great idea generation tool, and similar to Ray Bradbury’s morning word association ritual, can seemingly bring something out of nothing. It needs a seed, a kernel from which to grow, so it’s not literally “from nothing,” but that kernel can [...]
April 29, 2013
25 Hz
the number on her breath— inward, louder outward, gentler my scent pulled in peace exhaled jewel eyes half-lidded surrounded by safety in this moment my hand along her fur —is a purr of love at 25 Hz
Artistic Temperament
A recent episode of “The Good Wife” made me laugh out loud. (In case you didn’t know, “The Good Wife” is not a comedy.) In the episode, the management at a (rather ill-defined) software development firm referred to their staff as “artists.” Yes, that’s right; we were supposed to believe that this firm not only [...]
