Octavia E. Butler and Writing Workshops

Octavia E. Butler's Wikipedia article mentions that workshops helped her improve her writing significantly. More so than her college curriculum. I tried to find one of the workshops mentioned, it was for minority writers and sponsored by the Screenwriters' Guild of America. The best I could find was this list: http://www.wga.org/content/default.aspx?id=1042. Something of interest to people who may have already started exploring their writing capabilities extensively and want to take it to the next level.

The Next Sci-Fi Epic

Dear Will Charles,

I LOVE your foray into creative writing. Please keep going with that! I like your style.

It is Monday morning and I feel sick. Swine Flu? Only time will tell.

Saw Star Trek this weekend. Thought it was excellent. I've decided, as I've 'decided' many times before, that I want to write America's next sci-fi/fantasy epic. I am a fan of the boy wizard, the vampires of Forks, Luke, Spock, LOST, Heroes...the list goes on. I realize that my real loves in this world have be not quite of this world. I'd like to be able to bounce ideas around. Will, will you be my sounding board?

Things to be inspired by:
Octavia Butler, fluid gender identity, rendering and surrendering the body...

Any thought?

Love,
Little Sister
(going to the bathroom to hurl...?)

People: Niki Gomez

I'm very interested in how people make themselves. I have found myself reading resumes and bios of people who do things that I am interested in. Maybe something will come of this interest. For now, here is the webpage of someone I found interesting recently. Check it.

Niki Gomez - http://www.nikigomez.com/Niki_GOMEZ_CV.pdf

Who is he? Who is Jack?

This weekend his mind abandoned his body. Heaped onto a twin sized mattress, his body laid heavily between winter sheets that were too warm for the spring weather. Hibernation manifested itself in human form as a result of heavy late night consumption of calories, fat, and sodium. The effects of this diet were apparent, the mechanical quality of breathing, the preservative inspired positioning of the limbs, and distant clicks emanating from the bowels were unnatural and slightly unnerving.

10 hours of bed rest. No movement. No interaction. A puzzle prevented the mind from returning to its normal state. A suit needed to be purchased. Needless to say, dress shoes needed to be worn in order to evaluate the aesthetic appeal of this acquisition. However, dress shoes would prevent the employment of simple kicks. The lack of kicks would reduce the feeling of hip and the feeling of hop. The reduction of energy would lead to a less fulfilling day and there certainly couldn't be any break dancing in dress shoes. Finally, shorts and a t-shirt for running should have started the day. Only 20 minutes are necessary to complete the circuit, to increase health, to feel great. To make the body feel alive. However, the mind resisted exercise. The mind resisted dress shoes and slacks. The body retreated to a hibernating state. 12 hours dissolved between the winter sheets of the mattress.

Zubar. Zubar. Greenville Ave. He walks to the bouncer. "I want to be a regular here. This is my favorite place. Hi, I'm Jack. What's your name?"

The bouncer replied , "Tibbits."

"Tid-bits?"

"Tibbits", he repeated. This time more slowly. It was clear from his expression that he did not enjoy repeating himself.

"Tibbits, its nice to meet you. I love your bar."

Tibbits looked blankly at the young man standing in front of him. He looked like a child, but his ID indicated that he was at least a few years older. With a slight twist of his neck, Tibbits motioned the young man to enter - and so he did without hesitation.

Zubar was one of many bars along the lower strip of Greenville Ave. It's facade was clearly hip, though its most basic elements could be found in a simple garden. A forest green wrought iron arch with ivy wrapping around it to give it an organic feeling. A small patio with cushioned wooden benches and tables were illuminated by warm friendly lights. The source of which remains unclear. The plush Hotel Capri and the more raw Garage .

Jack entered the bar from the patio. A DJ booth on the ground level was only a few feet to his left. There were people dancing in an open space in the front of the bar. Small U shaped booths lined the walls on the left and an unadorned bar was ready to take his order on the right.

"One bud light please." The bartender fished the brew from a cooler behind the counter and opened the bottle with professional precision.

"$4.50 please"

That is too much Jack thought to himself, handing the bartender $10. He wanted to give a good tip, he took his change and left a $1. Under his breath, "I could have bought a pack before I came...."

WillCharles: E-Waste, 60 Minutes, Edward Burtynksy, and What We Can Do Now

The article associated with the 60 minute episode on "e-waste" fails to mention one critical fact: where are these illegal electronics coming from? Are they obtained from landfills, recycling brokers or seemingly legitimate recycling plants? I doubt the latter. There are many legal electronic recycling plants that operate within the United States and around the world. Some corporations even ask their customers to send them their old products so they can be recycled. Apple Corporation is one example, they have a recycling facility in Cupertino, CA.


Nevertheless, illegal and even some legal recycling operations damage the environment and increase the incidence of miscarriage, cancer, and other health and health related problems in the surrounding population.


What can we do to prevent this from happening?


1. Gain the maximum utility from all electronics before upgrading them. When we upgrade our cell phones, computers, and other electronic devices less often it reduces the demand for electronics and the materials needed to produce them.
2. Donate used electronics to organizations that need them. There are several organizations that need computers, cell phones, printers, and other electronics to operate. One person’s donation can make a big difference at the right organization.
3. Recycle electronics like computer monitors, computers, televisions, and cell phones if they are not reused. Earth 911 has a tool on their website that allows users to locate an electronic recycling center near them. This page from Michigan has information and resources that are universally useful.
4. Self-pat on the back for being green-conscious and public-health conscious.
5. Stop the masturbatory self-congratulation and ego-inflation by sharing new recycling habits with friends, relatives, colleagues and organizations. The more people participating, the better for health and environment.


Want to know more?


I recently learned about the Canadian artist Edward Burtynsky. He has documented recycling practices in China through photography and his film (“Manufactured Landscapes”). A selection of his photographs can be found on his website http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/. On the left hand side of the screen under the label works is a link for China. Click this link and then click the picture that has the text “Recycling” over it. His work is very compelling. Images can also be found online by searching for his name in a photo search website.


People interested in this article may also be interested in learning mercury, child labor, and the gold economy.