Which reminds me…
How come no one ever told me Lincoln was assassinated?
Under pressure/ encouragement from Amy I started watching Drunk Histories. I came to the end of Archer and wanted something light weight for when I was unwinding for bed. (Game of Thrones is NOT that thing).
Anyway, it turns out Drunk Histories is reeeeeeeally good at getting me to fall asleep. I don’t think it’s boring – but something about it just puts me out like a light. (I’ve been known to listen to a fantastic History of Rome podcast which unfortunately has the same effect. Unfortunate because I’d actually like to learn this stuff).
After listening to the first episode of Drunk Histories probably about four times, I’ve managed to glean that Lincoln was assassinated.
In a theater, no less!
I wasn’t sure if it was accurate.
I mean, this show is about DRUNK people talking about history.
Maybe it was funny because they were just making stuff up.
And I only caught snippets in my partially lucid state.
Either way, I haven’t enough points of reference to figure out if this is actual history or a made-up spoofy kinda history.
So I asked Amy and our other friend (and also history buff) Alyssa, when we went for tacos the other day.
Turns out, it was true!
But the way they reacted (!), it was like I was saying that I didn’t know that Kennedy was assassinated.
My argument that I have only been in their country for a couple of years now, and it’s all I can do to figure out what’s going on and who is who right now, let alone learn their 200 years of (what they deem is their relevant) history. I mean, the density of pop culture references I have to wade through on a daily basis is enough to drive anyone nuts.
I also started my US history studies as far back as 1590, but they, like a lot of highly educated folks I talk with about this kinda thing, seem to discount that as being relevant. It’s almost as if history only begins at the civil war, which is kind of like saying that UK history only begins with the election of Tony Blair in 1997: Pivotal in some issues in politics, but by no means representative of everything that has gone on in the 2000 years prior.
Grr.
Sigh.
Ok, rant over.
For now.
So, anyway, it seems that not knowing that one dude in semi-recent history, was assassinated, is a laughable offense.
Needlesstosay, I’m going to try and get through more of these drunk histories so that I can discover what are the popular things to know in at this point in American culture.
Heaven forbid I embarrass myself again… ;)
Library card
So as I mentioned in my author notes with Izzie (Crowley) the other month, I got a library card. Claire, a writer friend, suggested that I get one because using audible can get expensive, and if you’re limited to just one credit a month, that means you only get through 12 books in the year – and that’s not the goal.
I did as she suggested, and went downtown and registered with the good people at the main library. Then, I figured out the apps for downloading the audios to my phone.
The problem was, everything has such long wait times. It can take months to get the book you need.
This is where Claire explained that the trick is to max out your hold list and eventually they’ll “mature” and start dropping into your downloads as they become available. It’s kind of like farming in that way. Sow the seeds on the loan list, and then reap the rewards when one of the ten become available.
“You’ll rarely be without a book in a few weeks,” she promised.
She was right.
Here I am in February and I’ve already had one that I started to listen to, and then another two dropped in close succession.
If anything, I’m not having to wait anymore.
In fact, I’m rather overwhelmed by the sheer volume of material I have to get through in a relatively short space of time. I’ve taken to listening at the gym (which was when I’d otherwise be learning languages), when I’m cleaning, cooking and generally doing chores. I’ve even tried to squeeze in ten minutes here and there as I walk to the coffee shops to work, or even while I’m waking up in the mornings. That used to be sacred time.
It’s a lot, and I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to keep up.
Not only that, but by constantly consuming information, I’m missing the time I used to have to my own thoughts. I’d mull ideas, and think of new concepts. I’d process stuff I’d seen or heard. I’d think of new things to explore and talk about. New story ideas. New business ideas. New horizons.
All of that gets taken out when you’re constantly inputting new information. (I think the course I took at Imperial in physics was good for me because it was a balance of input and output – the output being the massive amount of problem solving. That fed my soul… Like writing and storytelling does.) But the more I think about it, the more I think it comes down to balance. Input and output.
So here I am right now – with a hold list that’s full, and two audio books due back very soon… Not to mention the one on military flight aptitude tests that I had to take back yesterday, having only read the first few chapters. :-/
Library books are the worst at making me feel slow and pressured!
Amazon books never do that.
Amazon books promise to stay on your shelf, or in your storage unit, as long as you want. If you need to travel the world, or get busy with work, or pick them up for a few days and then put them down again for months – they promise to still be there.
Need thinking time? They’ll be there.
Need to write down your own ideas spurred by the last chapter you read. Sure! Take your time… Read, and inwardly digest.
They’re always there.
Through thick and thin.
Sickness and health.
…
…
Library books on the other hand are the floozies of the book world.
(Oh yeah, she’s been passed around like a library book… hahaha.)
But not only that… the audio app taunts you with a count down.
Only 9 days left, *LOSER*! Read up – or you’ll lose me for good.
And the pressure adds up…
Hey – slow-coach! There are three other people waiting for this! Why are you such a moron?
I mean, EVEN IF IT’S A DIGITAL FRIKKIN’ COPY!
Hello? This was the point of going digital.
But noooooo, it seems the library system hasn’t quite caught up to this fact yet. Yeah, yeah, it’s to do with reading rights etc, but for realz?
In this day and age, we have to superimpose a limitation on digital copies, and cause excess stress?
I feel it’s like having cheap fusion-fueled space travel available, but the oil industry saying – hold up, no, back it up Musk… We’re going to regulate what you can build on earth and you can’t use fusion. You have to use oil, because we want to supply it.
Imaginary Elon Musk: But Mr. Oil Baron, if we have to use oil we will use 70% of it trying to get the weight of it out of the atmosphere.
Oil Baron: And that leaves you 30% to use to go wherever you want to go.
Imaginary Elon Musk: And then how do we get enough fuel out to our craft once they get beyond the distance of the moon?
Oil Baron: … oh, you’ll figure it out.
Imaginary Elon Musk: Yeah, we already did.
Using fusion.
Oil Baron: Oh, that newfangled nonsense. Nobody believes that works…
Imaginary Elon Musk: er, actually, yes. Yes, they do. Besides, there’s nothing to “believe in” since its science. Doh.
Oil Baron: Science. Huh. No one ever been able to show me an atom or whatever those things are that make up science.
Imaginary Elon Musk: and yet…
Sorry, I’m getting carried away, but you see my point.
Le sigh.
Off to the U
K
I sit in a café right now, with t-minus 22hours and counting before I leave the country.
I’m heading back to the UK.
Just for a visit. Don’t panic ;)
Actually – when people ask me why I’m going back they kinda run the word “family” into the question.
It always makes me giggle.
Why?
Because the truth is almost too geeky to admit to.
Family? Meh.
Friends? Yeah, I guess.
But really, this is all about my storage locker.
Yup. You read that right.
I have a storage locker in Oxford, where I stored all my stuff after I upped sticks and went nomadic.
The reason I need to visit this mysterious storage locker though, is not to check on my furniture, or boxes of clothes.
It’s because I want to retrieve my old university notes and text books.
I want to go back through all the stuff that I managed to do exams in, without really understanding the deeper meaning or significance of what it all meant.
Since recapping things like group theory, (I was able to access the course text book on Amazon <3) I’ve realized my maths likely needs a lot of work before I’m ready to hop back into the level I was playing at.
In retrieving my notes I was hoping to get that up to scratch so that understanding the physics comes more easily too. If you’ve been watching my Patreon posts you will have seen that I’ve been swatting up on group and set theory at the most basic level. Already I’m feeling more competent… but I’ve still got a very long way to go.
Why would I be doing this?... you might ask!
I mean, to some people it seems like saying you want to study maths and physics on the side is like admitting to a regular self-flagellation regime.
Well, on the surface it looks silly, but actually, I want to understand.
Just because.
On another level I feel that I need to keep feeding my mind so that I can keep producing. Without stretching my mind and going into deep focus to puzzle things out I start to feel listless and sans purpose.
In essence, studying physics feels good for my soul – like exercise and eating vegetables.
Ok, I had a tonne more stuff to talk with you about, but it looks like I’ve run out of word count. :-/
More soon in the next book.
If you liked this, do feel free to check out some of the urban fantasy stuff I’ve been doing with Isobella Crowley…. Scarlett 01: A Very British Witch
We’re up to book 4 over there.
And I’ll be back as soon as I can with Bentley 06. The beats are already written!
Thank you again for being here. I truly appreciate you <3
Ellie x
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Here are other series written by Ell:
The Ascension Myth
– known amongst the fans as “the Molly series”.
How Molly has survived military life this long, we'll never know.
When her implanted computer interface is hacked by a nascent AI, Molly has to escape.
And her biggest problem?
The swiftest and most efficient way to get out is also the most embarrassing.
Mortifyingly embarrassing.
If you your space opera with snark, action and characters that support each other, you will love The Ascension Myth where we find out if a dysfunctional genius can change the universe.
We double-dog dare you NOT to fall in love with Molly.
The Giles Kurns Chronicles
– known amongst the fans as “the Giles series”.
Giles is a roguish space archaeologist.
And a good one too.
The problem?
He's addicted to adventure.
When the continued existence of his whole world is thrown into jeopardy, Professor Giles Kurns may well have to face his biggest challenge yet...
Growing up.
Together with an old war ship, an old frienemy, and a rather spunky AI, he embarks on a high stakes journey of intrigue to uncover the truth about the Ascension Myth.
Will they solve the riddle of the strange but powerful talismans before it’s too late?
If you like fun, Indiana Jones-like adventures you'll love this series because it is a smart, hilarious, swashbuckling romp in space with characters you'll just want to take home with you.
The Second Dark Ages
Books 3 and 4. aka the “Michael series”
– Ell helped Michael (aka Yoda) out on the last two books to help him finish out the series.
And because, well, he wanted to kill his villain using… physics!
Ranger Deuces
This series lays out the (mis)adventures of Tabitha (an enhanced vampire who is off saving the universe – yes, vampires in space!) and spunky Nickie (the messed-up niece who was left behind).
Ell calls this the Nickie series, because that was her storyline. Her collaborator calls it the Tabitha series, because that’s who he wrote. And sometimes they find a middle ground and agree to disagree on stuff…
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