And Selected Shorts

 

This is the Age of Miracle and Wonder

 

The Shaow Library: Gods and Giants

I was idly browsing Amazon the other day, considering whether to buy new copies of The Elder (or Prose) Edda and The Poetic Edda (I had sent my last set to Kenny in Florida) when I ran across this old thing and was reminded that I had it ages ago. I even remember reading it some at Aunt Wimpy's house. But I don't think I'd have ever remembered it if I hadn't run across it by accident. Unfortunate cover.

Last Night's Crop

I made more illustrations from old drawings with ChatGPT last night. I must be getting better at describing what I want or something, though as usual there are elements I would want to tweak. I begin with the sexy Borrisk, followed up with a birthday card (it should read Brer-thday) that John made me in 1990. She's Walking Through the Clouds (of which there are two versions) is the least like what I had in mind, but once created I am reluctant to discard anything. The Ogre's not bad, if not as gangly as I imagined, and a little too skull-like (especially the nose); but I was able to correct certain original elements (a torch instead of a flashlight, medieval garb instead of modern clothes). Patrick the parrot-like elemental (from my story When He Awoke) was produced from the sketchiest sketch.  Perhaps my description of 'half-Leprechaun' was a little too suggestive. The Raven of Truth is another one of my oldest drawings.  I was particularly pleased with Region of the Summer Stars, which captured exactly the twilight atmosphere I was going for.

This is probably the last version of Elf and Bear I'm going to try. It is ... satisfactory, though the Elf is not as pissed off as I imagined, and Bear is smaller than I would want. Maybe he was just younger.

It is an unusual experience developing these things. While I consider how to describe the details, I remember where I was when I drew the picture, what I had hoped for it, and how I felt at the time. I had a lot of emotion invested while I was drawing stuff, and this stirs up a lot of thoughts from the past. And weird feelings about the future.

I Discover Fire

 

The Hour is Near!

 

Travels in Middle-Earth

Now this is supposed to be a Nazgul, though AI 'corrected' my Eowyn into a man. I was never great at drawing female figures, but even so ...

 

AI Redo

Last night I decided to try again with some of the less satisfactory results of my AI efforts. I decided to include the original drawings, to help with comparisons. I hope I'm getting closer to Elf and Bear; they are a little closer, but too cartoony. Where'd that sword come from? And five legs?  And as far as the Hunter goes, the figure is better, but the background is not as good. And the weapon has changed. I may tinker with E&B a little more, but I'll let the others stand as they are for now. I have decades of drawings to enhance; and a small window to do it (for free).

Saint, Forest, Ghost

I was supposed to post Tolkien Tuesday today, but I just couldn't seem to gather my thoughts or muster enough purpose. I keep going through old files and drawings, writing up prompts, and pondering possibilities.  St. Hodge was a good natured character in the Alben story; the forest picture actually had a winding path rather than a stream (I may try to correct that someday); and Silas Long was famously the werewolf on Scooby-Doo. The pumpkinheaded ghost is not Silas; he's just haunting the graveyard. Love me a pumpkinhead.

The Dragon Schemes

I've been having 'fun' enhancing many of my old drawings; for some reason they yield the most personally intriguing results; for me it's almost like having a time machine with a quick-evolution button. But ChatGPT was being obstreperous, calling everything I suggested ‘sexual,’ even poor old Borrisk, another alien from my old sci-fi series.  Then it made me wait for an hour; I was ‘loading content too fast.’ The entire session yielded one picture, ‘The Dragon Schemes.’

I'm considering getting a free trial of Chat GPT Plus for a month. I think that's what all this fumferaw from the program is hinting at. I'm thinking about it. It's only $20 a month if I decide to stick with it, if I'm remembering correctly. That's a fair chunk out of my meager entertainment budget, but I'm quickly being besotted by the whole thing.

Borrisk:

Just in case anyone wants to get their jollies. Oo-la-la!

Old Drawings Reborn: These Dry Bones Live Again

Yeah, I did like drawing Dragons and Wizards. The last two are variations of the same picture; the first one is more accurate to the original conception. I also tried 'enhancing' one of my original maps; the AI seems to have a little trouble reading my old scratchy handwriting. That should read 'Forlan Before the Morg Migration.' And the other labels are none too accurate, either. But still fun for me to look at. Reproduces some of the blue lines from the notebook paper.

2021 Diary: Business as Usual

2/23/2021: Up at 6 AM, after many dreams. Prayers and Bible.  Cartoons and caught up diary. Now take medicine. Took with a moon pie.

A little before 8 AM went out to wait. Started to bring the recycle bin in, but just at that moment the trashmen drove up and Andy came down the driveway. He waited and took the trash bins up, then Kam came out. Waited with Kam for bus, then finally took the recycle bin in.

At 9 AM I went to FD and got a few things like paper towels, chicken soup, peach slices, and Vitamin C gummies. Cleaned up, swept, opened the house, then started listening to Corey Olsen on YT from the beginning of his analysis of LOTR. Made an order for HEB and Thursday.

At 1 PM I went out and collected Kam and had a turkey and cheese sandwich. About 3 PM I started on the cabbage fry. Finished at 4:30 PM. Kam helped me and talked much about his philological studies; the boy does have a flair for comparing words and figuring out their relationships. If only we could turn that into some career!

At 7 PM I went in to clean up and made Kam liverwurst and cream cheese sandwiches for his supper. S&A came home, and Susan cautioned me about the sparsity of bread we had. I should have bought a loaf at FD! Rosary at 8 PM.

Spent the evening writing a post for NOT and then a few pages for Autumn Festival, which I then sent to John. It’s now almost 10 PM and reading (Russian fairy tales) and bedtime approach.

 

2/24/2021: Where is the year going? Almost a sixth gone already. Up at 5 AM and knew I wasn’t sleeping anymore, so watched Dragnet, and wouldn’t you know it, it was one of the few I’d actually seen. “My Three Sons” on now, which I can only tolerate. Put on my shoes and began prayers, then Bible.

Cartoons, Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup with Ritz Crackers, medicine, then wrote a short bridge between Yad and the Harvest Feast section. It’s now 7:26 AM.

Writing and researching on McQueeney School, then posting. It’s now 9:05 AM. Posted it, then laid down for a while. Up about 11:45 AM, started listening to Corey Olsen Ep. 5 a little after 12.

Kam came home a little after 1 PM as usual. I was getting ready to make stuffed peppers when Andy called me and said they wanted lasagna and bread sticks tonight. Put those in the oven about 3 PM and they were ready at 4:50 PM. The plumber came over later and worked on the washer and the sink. I finally went in at about 8:30 PM (after he was finally done) and got my share of lasagna and washed up. I listened to more Olsen, then stopped at 9:30 PM or so. Time for rosary, then bed. Legs still giving me the pip, the right leg now more so.

 

2/25/2021: Up at 6:10 AM or so; that seems to be my default time for now. Prayers and Bible. Shower and cartoons. Went out with Kam at 8 AM, to a light misty precipitation. After Susan left, I headed out to FD; got masking tape, a belt of many holes, a 2-liter Diet Coke, some Spam, hot dog buns, some chips and dip, and a Tijuana Mama hot sausage. Got home, started listening to Corey Olsen, the “Tolkien Professor”, and ate Spam dogs and chips and dip while drinking soda. Energized, I began working on the window, taping it up, throwing away the shredded curtain, sweeping up a couple of cupfuls of caterpillars, and moving the medieval flag to cover the window.  It gives the house a new feel, airier, especially around the kitchen.

At 1 PM went out and let Kam in and started preparing the stuffed bell peppers. Went in about 2 PM, then went out at 3 PM to pop everything into the oven. The groceries arrived about 3:15 PM. Took them to my house, then waited until 4:15 PM, when I sauced the peppers and fed the pets. At 4:45 PM finished cooking and took my meal out. Gave S&A some Vitamin C gummies. 5:04 PM and time to eat.

Went in at 5:30 PM and told Susan about the groceries Kam had brought home. She said Andy would be a little late. More listening to TP (Tolkien Professor – Corey Olsen LOTRO) and dipping into METV until 8:20 PM when I went in to wash up. Bed about 9:30 PM.

 

2/26/2021: Woke up about 3 AM and knew I was awake. Prayers and Bible.  Caught up diary. Set alarm clock. Mean to do a few chores like straighten the kitchen drawer and maybe I’ll get sleepy again. With all the preliminaries done perhaps I’ll be able to dedicate myself to finishing AF today. Wrote and posted on NOT about my first day of school. Now 4:30 AM and ready to try to sleep.

Up at 6 AM and watched cartoons. At 7 AM I made ramen (with onions and bell pepper from yesterday), wrote notes for the end of AF, took medicine.

Went out a little before 8 AM and talked to Andy briefly about getting the stuff for a cake for Susan’s birthday (March 2). Waited with Kam for bus, then went in. Ordered cake making stuff, egg rolls, and Big Red from HEB. Listened to TP and ate deviled ham with ritz crackers. It’s now 9:40 AM and I think I may lay down a while. Still can’t get over how different the house looks with just a few changes of window arrangements. I’ve radically moved the furniture several times without this effect.

My HEB order arrived about 10 minutes before Kam was home at 1:15 PM. Started frying taters at 2 PM and was only finished about 7 PM. Andy called about 3 PM to make squash. Went in about 4 PM to start the fish and squash. Fish done by 4:45 PM. Took S&A’s taters in at 5:45 PM. Checked my Covid-19 card and seen my second shot is on March 5. Washed up a little after 7:20 PM. Rosary at 8 PM. Now 9 PM and I feel ready to hit the hay. I’ve put off writing (real writing) on AF.

 

2/27/2021: Woke up a little after 7 AM, in time to miss the Popeye cartoons and I didn’t care to watch MGM cartoons. Prayers and Bible. Ate peaches, then chicken noodle soup with Ritz crackers. Spent much time with the “First Grade Reading List” and was surprised to find I could find pictures of most of them, and especially delighted to find the one with “The Straw Ox”. Made some spring rolls. More listening to LOTRO, then Andy brought me a couple of tacos. Laid down for a nap about 11 AM.

Up sometime in the midafternoon, continued TP LOTRO. Able to write 3 paragraphs of AF. More spring rolls. Took some trash out. The day is overcast but warm, and rather windy. It’s now 4 PM.

It’s now 11:30 PM. I’ve been watching a show given by the Signum University on FB for children, about “The Hobbit”. It covers two chapters per hour. I’ve had no supper per se but I’ve been sipping Big Red Zero and eating prunes. Although the day has been warm, I have felt shivery, so at sunset I closed the windows and put the heater on, although it will be about 60 degrees all night. The internet connection just went off, so I am starting my rosary. My legs are hurting, and I am just out of my metformin, so I am pondering if I will go to church tomorrow or not. I’ve set my clock for 6 AM anyway, so we’ll see how I feel in the morning.

Well. It’s 2 AM now and I’ve finished the series. I don’t really feel sleepy and my right leg hurts like the billy-o.

 

2/28/2021: Awake again about 6:30 AM. Leg a little better, but not much. Prayers and read the readings for the day out of the missalette. For breakfast had liverwurst and cream cheese on Ritz crackers. Watched some Phineas and Ferb and Duck Tales. Listened to more LOTR TP. At 1 PM Andy brought out some leftovers. Made some spaghetti using chopped spinach and mushrooms. Wrote a few paragraphs on AF and then reread PWOGR [The Peculiar Wooing of General Roth], which I was more impressed with than I remembered. Laid down for a nap then up again about 4 PM. Took out some recycling. Day warm but looks like rain clouds gathering.

I settled down, put on my sweater because I was shivering and plugged in the heater. I started my rosary, then Andy brought me the ends of some burritos. Ate, finished rosary, then looked at some Sunday animations. Meh. Can I sleep?

 

3/1/2021: After a night of pain and intermittent sleep, I was up about 5:45 AM. Prayers, getting dressed, cartoons. At 7:30 AM took my wash out and started it, then at 8 AM stood with Kam waiting for the bus. The weather is windy and cold and overcast, but no rain as such. Listening to more of LOTRO TP and briefly slept. At 9:20 AM went in and boiled eggs and changed wash. Made a liverwurst and cream cheese sandwich and got a jug of water. Now almost 10:30 AM. Got clothes in and listened to GGACP.

Went in about 12:30 PM and made cucumber salad, then Kam came home. More LOTRO TP. Went in at 4 PM and made couscous and fish. More LOTRO. In about 7:45 PM and washed up and made Kam’s supper. Raccoon on porch. Now 8:25 PM. Rosary. Bed about 10 PM.

 

3/2/2012: Susan’s Birthday. Awake at 6 AM. Prayers. Cartoons. Ordered medicine from HEB. Had soup with leftover couscous. Over at 8 AM to wait with Kameron for the bus. Weather clear and sunny, but a bit windy/cool. Went at 9 AM to buy butter and a birthday card from FD and ended up also getting Easter candy. Home and baked the pineapple upside-down cake for Susan’s birthday and made out the card. Back in and listening to LOTRO TP and had 2 cans of ravioli. Ready at 1 PM to let Kam in.

Went in about 3 PM to peel carrots and potatoes and cut onions and lettuce (no mushrooms this week). Put sausages in the oven. About 4 PM the exterminator turns up, then Andy, and they do that, penning the dogs up. I go in about 4:30 PM, eating my supper. A little before 7 PM Andy comes in to get me, and I go in and we sing Happy Birthday and we have cake. A pleasant little interlude altogether. S tells me KT&R are coming tomorrow. I clean up early, then spend much of the evening with LOTRO TP (we have finally got to Bree) and waiting for Kam to call for his supper, which he never does. Rosary, then fall asleep.

Notes

Susan's birthday, coming as it does at the beginning of the month, always kind of surprises me. And February, short as it is, seems to make for short entries.

 

The Robert Graves Shelf

Getting that Apuleius translation yesterday has inspired me to gather together the Robert Graves bookshelf, which is in its present state rather more scattered throughout the Archive than some other author's stuff is. Fiction, short stories, biographies (including his own autobiography), translations, collaborations, and historical studies, including sometimes works of - anthropology? - literary criticism? - both potted and potty. Tolkien described Robert Graves in 1964: “A remarkable creature, entertaining, likeable, odd, bonnet full of wild bees, half-German, half-Irish, very tall, must have looked like Siegfried/Sigurd in his youth, but an Ass.”