Sailors on the Sea

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Starting Over at Zero - Well, Below Zero, Actually

As I suspected, now that Son knows I figured out how to put some of our music to video and post it to YouTube he wants to begin posting his songs . So, expect to see more of our home songs instead of just links to other's YouTube submissions. By the way, Son's music is much better than mine. He's only twelve, but he's been taking a class in school to help him do exactly this kind of thing. You may even get a few of his keyboard renditions, too. (Reminder to self: Son is self-teaching himself keyboards. Must contact freddie for any suggestions. Paying for lessons is currently not an option.)

I decided I will rewrite Book I - from scratch. In its current form it's just crap and no one will want to represent it, much less publish it. So, I begin again from the beginning. Well, I guess that's not entirely true. There are things which need to happen which I've already written, so it's reasonable I will incorporate that into the new draft. Maybe this time I can write something that doesn't flat out suck!

NOTE: Not expecting much to be accomplished today. Son is home from school (it's -30c/-20f here in Minnesota), and that ususally means an interruption every fifteen minutes or so. It's like clockwork. Don't really mind. I'm not alone.

8 comments:

fairyhedgehog said...

I've never been anywhere that cold. Ever. I can't even imagine it.

Bevie said...

Actually, it usually not as bad as it sounds. The key to suriviving is - don't go outside!

Seriously, though. Most of the time when it's this cold (in Minnesota anyway) the wind dies down to almost nothing. Now you just layer yourself with garments to trap body heat, wear a good set of boots, a good hat and gloves/mittens, you're fine.

Of course, I hardly ever do any of those things, which is why I'm staying home today.

Oh. I see I forgot to title my post again.

fairyhedgehog said...

What about your nose and your cheeks? There must be bits that you can't cover up.

Bevie said...

Nose and cheeks do pose their own problem. There are a couple of ways to protect oneself.

Facemasks: These are stocking caps made to be pulled down over the face. There are holes for the eyes and mouth, and in a pinch the mouth portion can be slid up. This will just leave the eyes, and blinking a lot (you can't help it anyway) will keep them from freezing.

Scarfs: Not the fashionable kind. These are knit scarfs of the same workmanship as stocking caps. You wrap your face like a mummy, leaving only your eyes exposed. Blinking rule still applies.

Parkas: These are cool! And by cool, I mean effectively warm. The military uses these when doing arctic work. The parka has a hood which extends past the face for a few inches. The rim is lined with some type of fur. Believe it or not, this really does keep the wind off your face (unless you're staring right into it). Parka's are pricey, but well worth the money if one can afford them.

What I use: Generally, I don't even wear a coat until it drops to -20c/-10f. I'm just not outside that much in winter. I rush from the building to the car, and from the car to the building. A lot of people ask me why I'm not cold. Stupid question. Of course I'm cold. But I can be cold for a minute or two without dying.

However, when it gets as cold as it is now it is actually quite dangerous to be out without protection. I wear a coat which weighs around ten pounds. I have a really cool hat which looks like something from a Canadian Lumberjack. I have snowmobile gloves (despite not having a snowmobile). And tennis shoes.

I spend as little time outside as I can.

That's the long answer. But then, when have I ever given anything but? [grin, smiles]

fairyhedgehog said...

The face mask sounds a bit like a balaclava.

Bevie said...

Yes. That's exactly what it is. I didn't know it had a name. We just call them ski masks here. (I've never been skiing.)

My son has one. I do not.

McKoala said...

Wearing shorts and a t-shirt here, heh heh. I really would die over there.

fairyhedgehog said...

I want to be where you are, McK!

Contributors

A Tentative Schedule

Monday - Progress Report
Where am I with regard to the Current Book

Tuesday - Thoughts About Writing
I was going to be profound, but let's be real

Wednesday - What Am I Learning
What can I take from what I am doing

Thursday - Work Sent Out For Review
Respondes to my submissions

Friday - Other Works of Fantasy
Some of my other fantasy writing

Saturday - The Impact of Music
How music has influenced what I write

Sunday - Venting
My 'morbid' time. A safe compromise, I think