Miscellany

[darkemeralds]

1. Coffitivity, the app I mentioned the other day that provides café sounds, is turning out to be something of a small miracle for me. On low volume, through earphones, it's like prosthetic concentration. I've been able to read! Really focus without skipping around, something I thought had been lost to me forever.

I sense that my mind is mildly but actively tuning out the pleasant babble and somehow kind of sequestering itself in a narrower space, where focused work can take place. Not only have I been able to get through boring work materials, but I'm seven chapters into Mike Carey's The Devil You Know--the actual written version. I'm very pleased about this.

2. Six days off work started this evening. A couple of them will be spent down at Lincoln City on the coast with my good pal roseambr. We always have fun at the beach.

3. An editing job has come my way. No pay--it's a swap: my time and talent in exchange for credit and referrals as I try to launch a side business. The manuscript is a health program based on some very interesting dietary restrictions. It's passionately presented by the healthcare professional who has designed it, but she's not a writer. I can see a future for myself in ghostwriting, frankly.

4. Is this pingback function on LJ new? For the first time today, I got an email notification that someone had mentioned me in a LiveJournal post. I like it! I hope DW is considering something of the same kind.

I'm testing it again right now: emeraldsedai

Comments

[azurelunatic]

I will really need to check Coffitivity out. I've been known to put on some Enterprise bridge noise to get the same effect.

Pingback was supposed to have been working years ago on LJ, but there were many problems. I'm pleased for them that they've ironed out some. It's filed for development on Dreamwidth, but I see nobody's claimed it yet. (Hmm. Perhaps I will go say something within dev earshot.)

[darkemeralds]

Thanks for the background. I trust your special powers and patiently await news that pingback might be coming to DW!

[azurelunatic]

It seems to be "I should do some tiny stuff that I did wrong the first time before I go read comics" o'clock in developer-land right now, heh. So my powers, such as they are, are limited.

[darkemeralds]

A variation of that hour appears regularly in my work calendar too!

[azurelunatic]

Meanwhile, over here it's Suspend The Fuck Out Of That Spammer o'clock.

[darkemeralds]

I salute you from over here at lie on bed with fic on kindle o'clock

[ravurian]

I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT FELIX CASTOR, AN ACTUAL BOOK WITH ACTUAL PAGES THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY READING. I AM EXCITE.

[darkemeralds]

Whoa there, cowboy. Screenfuls, not pages.

I'm enjoying it so far. The story has barely gotten underway--he's just finished his first day at the Archives and is building up his case. I like the worldbuilding, and of course I love the London setting. I'll have more to say later, I'm sure.

[ravurian]

...Oh. Well. E-reading is also acceptable. The world-building is fantastic IMO, just about the right degree of natural revelation instead of massive info-dump. For me, part of the attraction in the books was seeing a London I know - I've walked the same streets, drank at the same pubs. It's cool, you know?

[darkemeralds]

It sits very naturally in its setting. It's similar to the Aaronovitch stories in its love for architectural detail and history--in several passages I would swear I'm back in Rivers of London. Since there isn't really enough of Portland to set detailed books here, the only experience I have similar to yours is watching "Grimm." It really is kind of fun.

I'm about halfway through the book now and I'm really engaged with it.

Why don't I have a London icon? Hm...must remedy that.