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Wed Reading Meme...
May. 21st, 2014 09:36 pm1. What I just finished reading?
Same as last week - Magic Rises. I don't tend to be a fast reader - although I've realized I tend to read more carefully than speed readers. Noticed this in discussions with friends and family members. I'll remember things from a book, or pick up on things, that whirled past them. Possibly because I'm not skimming?
Weirdly, I skim a lot at work - but that's because I'm reading the equivalent of stereo instructions. This week it was the technical specifications for a clean-agent fire suppression system to be designed and installed in a data center. Determined a few things while reading it - 1) the chief of IT who co-wrote it, can't write worth shit, nor is he very good at floor plans or architectural drawings. They forgot to put in the square footage, or for that matter detail what was in the room and provide the proper dimensions. I spent two hours fighting with him over the phone yesterday - to get detailed specifications so that I can figure out the best method of procuring/buying the system. (I work for the government, you would not believe the regulations involved in buying a fire alarm system. And it depends on the method. If it is a public works? Then you have to get the approval of the agency's board of directors to use the Request for Proposal Method. If it's not a public works, then you don't. Public works is defined as construction and/or adding value to a building. Now, there's a bit of a debate at work on whether the design and installation of a fire alarm system is a public works. According to my boss - it isn't unless you have to add conduits. Otherwise you are just installing a computer or appliance, so professional service. According to everyone else - it is a public works since you are adding value to the building, and installing equipment. So, I sort of need to know if conduits are required to determine what to do next. (ie. does it go to the Board first or not?) ) 2) I know more about fire alarm systems right now than I ever wanted to know. And I'm frankly astonished that the trains run on time or at all for that matter.
2.what I am reading now?
Slowly working my way through the steam-punk sci-fi, romantic adventure The Iron Duke. Just finished reading the scene that people were whinging about on Amazon and Good Reads.
My take? These people need to broaden their reading horizons a bit (less Nicholas Sparks and more Shakespeare) or learn how to read. One or the other. A lot of the reviewers on Amazon and Good Reads, frankly bewilder me.
( spoilers )
It's more a romance novel than an adventure novel. And a wee bit slow in places. Also, the author like a lot of these modern romance novelists, feels the need to start the story when the two characters meet - which frankly is the least interesting. Their back stories are a lot more interesting and I'd have preferred a longer novel with less summarizing of the back story, and more detail. (I miss the old school novelists who did this.)
The other books currently reading are:
* The aforementioned (in a previous post) The Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo, which is surprisingly good and the best book I've read or seen on nutrition and leaky gut, ceiliac disease, etc. Not sure about the recipes yet. Need to try a few first.
Practical Paleo is jam-packed with over 120 easy recipes, all with special notes about common food allergens including nightshades and FODMAPs. Meal plans are also included, and are designed specifically to support:
( Read more... )
* Playbuilding as Qualitative Research by Joe Norris which I borrowed from one of the people that I'm co-writing an experimental play with at church. This is a book that is highly recommended to anyone who is studying social psychology, sociology, education, or the drama. Particularly recommended to play-writes and screen-writers.
Fascinating non-fictional work that discusses how various social situations or causes can be examined through a collaborative play-building. Through improve, various exercises, and sharing techniques - collaborators build a play about a specific social issue and present to an audience - often as an interactive piece. Borrows heavily from Brecht and the idea of the collapse of the 4th wall.
Some quotes that caught my attention:
1. Using both empirical and imaginative data, vignettes are devised using a variety of theaterical forms that serve as evocateurs inviting live audiences into the quest for meaning about social issues that face them.
Audiences participate in situations where they question their present stances based on listening to The OTHER.
2. Multiple perspectives make engagement more complex.
The ability to merge one's own vision with the disparate visions of others requires a unique balance of personal integrity and humility.
The stories of others are strong evocateurs for one's own stories.
I'm considering utilizing this - if and when - I get up the guts to volunteer for the Horizon's project. ( Read more... )
3.What I'm reading next?
Eh, probably the latest Dresden novel, The Skin Game, like most of my flist. But it is possible I'll grab the next book in the Iron Seas series, not sure yet - have mixed feelings about this one. It's a bit slow. Also flirting with various other novels such as the Goblin Emperor.
ETA: Had to go back and re-edit this thing 5 times, due to formatting errors. I miss the days when it didn't matter - assuming there were any outside of my imagination. We tend to think the past was better, mainly because we have deleted all the nasty stuff. My difficulty with formatting - is I lack the patience for it. It's not that I can't do it, so much as I can't be bothered. Which admittedly poses difficulties in a world - where effective communication depends primarily on how good you are at formatting.
Same as last week - Magic Rises. I don't tend to be a fast reader - although I've realized I tend to read more carefully than speed readers. Noticed this in discussions with friends and family members. I'll remember things from a book, or pick up on things, that whirled past them. Possibly because I'm not skimming?
Weirdly, I skim a lot at work - but that's because I'm reading the equivalent of stereo instructions. This week it was the technical specifications for a clean-agent fire suppression system to be designed and installed in a data center. Determined a few things while reading it - 1) the chief of IT who co-wrote it, can't write worth shit, nor is he very good at floor plans or architectural drawings. They forgot to put in the square footage, or for that matter detail what was in the room and provide the proper dimensions. I spent two hours fighting with him over the phone yesterday - to get detailed specifications so that I can figure out the best method of procuring/buying the system. (I work for the government, you would not believe the regulations involved in buying a fire alarm system. And it depends on the method. If it is a public works? Then you have to get the approval of the agency's board of directors to use the Request for Proposal Method. If it's not a public works, then you don't. Public works is defined as construction and/or adding value to a building. Now, there's a bit of a debate at work on whether the design and installation of a fire alarm system is a public works. According to my boss - it isn't unless you have to add conduits. Otherwise you are just installing a computer or appliance, so professional service. According to everyone else - it is a public works since you are adding value to the building, and installing equipment. So, I sort of need to know if conduits are required to determine what to do next. (ie. does it go to the Board first or not?) ) 2) I know more about fire alarm systems right now than I ever wanted to know. And I'm frankly astonished that the trains run on time or at all for that matter.
2.what I am reading now?
Slowly working my way through the steam-punk sci-fi, romantic adventure The Iron Duke. Just finished reading the scene that people were whinging about on Amazon and Good Reads.
My take? These people need to broaden their reading horizons a bit (less Nicholas Sparks and more Shakespeare) or learn how to read. One or the other. A lot of the reviewers on Amazon and Good Reads, frankly bewilder me.
( spoilers )
It's more a romance novel than an adventure novel. And a wee bit slow in places. Also, the author like a lot of these modern romance novelists, feels the need to start the story when the two characters meet - which frankly is the least interesting. Their back stories are a lot more interesting and I'd have preferred a longer novel with less summarizing of the back story, and more detail. (I miss the old school novelists who did this.)
The other books currently reading are:
* The aforementioned (in a previous post) The Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo, which is surprisingly good and the best book I've read or seen on nutrition and leaky gut, ceiliac disease, etc. Not sure about the recipes yet. Need to try a few first.
Practical Paleo is jam-packed with over 120 easy recipes, all with special notes about common food allergens including nightshades and FODMAPs. Meal plans are also included, and are designed specifically to support:
( Read more... )
* Playbuilding as Qualitative Research by Joe Norris which I borrowed from one of the people that I'm co-writing an experimental play with at church. This is a book that is highly recommended to anyone who is studying social psychology, sociology, education, or the drama. Particularly recommended to play-writes and screen-writers.
Fascinating non-fictional work that discusses how various social situations or causes can be examined through a collaborative play-building. Through improve, various exercises, and sharing techniques - collaborators build a play about a specific social issue and present to an audience - often as an interactive piece. Borrows heavily from Brecht and the idea of the collapse of the 4th wall.
Some quotes that caught my attention:
1. Using both empirical and imaginative data, vignettes are devised using a variety of theaterical forms that serve as evocateurs inviting live audiences into the quest for meaning about social issues that face them.
Audiences participate in situations where they question their present stances based on listening to The OTHER.
2. Multiple perspectives make engagement more complex.
The ability to merge one's own vision with the disparate visions of others requires a unique balance of personal integrity and humility.
The stories of others are strong evocateurs for one's own stories.
I'm considering utilizing this - if and when - I get up the guts to volunteer for the Horizon's project. ( Read more... )
3.What I'm reading next?
Eh, probably the latest Dresden novel, The Skin Game, like most of my flist. But it is possible I'll grab the next book in the Iron Seas series, not sure yet - have mixed feelings about this one. It's a bit slow. Also flirting with various other novels such as the Goblin Emperor.
ETA: Had to go back and re-edit this thing 5 times, due to formatting errors. I miss the days when it didn't matter - assuming there were any outside of my imagination. We tend to think the past was better, mainly because we have deleted all the nasty stuff. My difficulty with formatting - is I lack the patience for it. It's not that I can't do it, so much as I can't be bothered. Which admittedly poses difficulties in a world - where effective communication depends primarily on how good you are at formatting.