Now I’m here; now I’m not.
As someone who cannot drive (and before you jump to conclusions, it has nothing to do with how I’ve driven in the past), and as someone who is currently highly annoyed with TSA, I find transporters to be the perfect solution. Say I want to visit my grandma in New Jersey while I’m in South Dakota. I jump on the transporter, beam over there, and have a nice cup of tea with her. Then I beam home in time for dinner. It’d be perfect.
Now, obviously, if we have transporters we need to have a few other jobs involved. First, we’ll need some kind of transporter beam blocker, because if we have this transporter where I can transport whatever I want wherever I want, then what is keeping me from transporting a bomb into the white house? Or my exboyfriend’s bedroom?
Secondly, we’d need to have doctors and scientists thee to prove to everyone time and time again that transporters are safe. It’s just like the cell phones cause brain cancer idea.
Third, we’d start to have groups study and perfect the transporter, very much like cars. We’ll always want a faster, cooler, smaller, or whatever else transporter to make it easier to carry around.
Fourth, we’d need more fitness clubs, because if no one has to walk to get from point A to point B, people are going to need to go to the gym more to stay in shape.
Lastly, we need retailers of the transporters, very much like they sell cell phone plans now.
So all this results in a stimulus to the economy, which is always really good.
That all being said, transporters might not be that far off. Apparently, they have found a way to theoretically transport someone, which raises a whole new bunch of questions, but besides that, is very cool.
However, that may not be totally strange. Here’s an article from Newsy that explains what scientists did and why they think it is a big step. I’m not sure I follow a lot of it, but it gives some ideas to think about transporters in the future.
So, what are your opinions on transporters? Do you even want to see them?
Why One Should Read Classics.
Although I tend to write more science fiction than anything else, and I find that science fiction classes are not always the easiest to find, I have a special place on my inner bookshelf for classics. I actually read enough classics in highschool, and as such, I will never say not to read a classic merely because it is old.
Because of that, I have come up with five reasons why you should read classic books as writer.
1) They are all well written.
That may seem silly, I know, but think about it this way. You go to WalMart or Barnes & Nobel, and you pick up a book that is said to be a New York Times bestseller. That book may be popular, but it was written–what?–two years ago? Who says where it will be in the next five.
Compare that to we’ll say a Jane Austin book. That book has been around for almost two hundred years. By the mere fact that it is still read two hundred years after it was written, we can be pretty certain that it is good.
3) They didn’t waste words.
Two hundred years ago, they didn’t have computers. They didn’t even have typewriters. All books were handwritten, copy by copy. Personally, if I had to write each copy of my story out, I probably would have given up writing a long time ago. I most certainly would be very careful not to use any more words than I need to. So they demonstrate good writing, while not saying too much.
2) They have some of the best examples of good writing.
All writers look to find the best examples of dialogue, narration, character development, ect. At least, all writers should be. Why not read how to develop these from books that are older, and from a time when people spent more with each other? This goes back to the last one, but still stands on its own, because sometimes the best way to see how a character develops the best is to read it from a really, really good book.
I have done that with The Three Brides, and it actually worked for character development.
Now, besides that, many of them were written in a time period when it took a lot less to shock people. As such, you can see how to take something small and make it serious.
4) They’re not all bad.
This sounds really bad, coming from someone who has been singing about the praises of classics. However, when I first thought about reading classics, I thought, “Boring.” Really! With the exception of Hemmingway, I have found very few classics that are truly boring. And what is better to say?
“I don’t like Hemmingway.”
“Why not?”
“He’s just so old!”
Or
“I don’t like Hemmingway.”
“Why not?”
“I’ve read two or three of his books and they just didn’t sit with me. Not to mention he’s not that clean.”
5) They are long.
This is an added bonus. See, what would you rather read? A two hundred page book where you get friends and then lose them, or a five hundred page book where you can gain your friends and keep them longer before you lose them? Personally, the longer the book the better.
So where do you find these books? There are numberous itouch apps that have them, so you can carry them around. I don’t know if ibook does (I just downloaded that.) but look around and you can find some.
Also, Project Gutenburg contains a lot of out-of-print books for free. I’d suggest starting with either the top 100 downloaded books or by starting with one of my favorite authors, Charlotte Mary Yonge.
Anyone have any other recommendations on what to read?
Character Strengths
My school has this curriculum about how everyone has individual strengths and we need to all develop them to make ourselves a better person. Although I disagree with the presentation how they do it, using these 34 strengths can be useful in writing.
We all know that characters need weaknesses. However, sometimes characters get so packed full of weaknesses that they fail to have any strengths. Characters, just like people, need a balance of everything. As such, here is a list of strengths as taught by my school. You can find the website here, if you are more interested, although the website does not reflect any of my opinions. (It actually looks like they’re selling something, but I just took the list from the site.)
| Achiever® | People strong in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive. |
| Activator® | People strong in the Activator theme can make things happen by turning thoughts into action. They are often impatient. |
| Adaptability® | People strong in the Adaptability theme prefer to “go with the flow.” They tend to be “now” people who take things as they come and discover the future one day at a time. |
| Analytical® | People strong in the Analytical theme search for reasons and causes. They have the ability to think about all the factors that might affect a situation. |
| ArrangerTM | People strong in the Arranger theme can organize, but they also have a flexibility that complements this ability. They like to figure out how all of the pieces and resources can be arranged for maximum productivity. |
| Belief® | People strong in the Belief theme have certain core values that are unchanging. Out of these values emerges a defined purpose for their life. |
| Command® | People strong in the Command theme have presence. They can take control of a situation and make decisions. |
| Communication® | People strong in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters. |
| Competition® | People strong in the Competition theme measure their progress against the performance of others. They strive to win first place and revel in contests. |
| Connectedness® | People strong in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason. |
| Consistency® | People strong in the Fairness theme are keenly aware of the need to treat people the same. They try to treat everyone in the world fairly by setting up clear rules and adhering to them. |
| Context® | People strong in the Context theme enjoy thinking about the past. They understand the present by researching its history. |
| Deliberative® | People strong in the Deliberative theme are best described by the serious care they take in making decisions or choices. They anticipate the obstacles. |
| Developer® | People strong in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction from these improvements. |
| DisciplineTM | People strong in the Discipline theme enjoy routine and structure. Their world is best described by the order they create. |
| Fairness TM / EmpathyTM | People strong in the Empathy theme can sense the feelings of other people by imagining themselves in others’ lives or others’ situations. |
| FocusTM | People strong in the Focus theme can take a direction, follow through, and make the corrections necessary to stay on track. They prioritize, then act. |
| Futuristic® | People strong in the Futuristic theme are inspired by the future and what could be. They inspire others with their visions of the future. |
| Harmony® | People strong in the Harmony theme look for consensus. They don’t enjoy conflict; rather, they seek areas of agreement. |
| Ideation® | People strong in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena. |
| Inclusiveness® / Includer® | People strong in the Inclusiveness theme are accepting of others. They show awareness of those who feel left out, and make an effort to include them. |
| Individualization® | People strong in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively. |
| Input® | People strong in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information. |
| Intellection® | People strong in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions. |
| Learner® | People strong in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome, excites them. |
| Maximizer® | People strong in the Maximizer theme focus on strengths as a way to stimulate personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into something superb. |
| Positivity® | People strong in the Positivity theme have an enthusiasm that is contagious. They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do. |
| Relator® | People who are strong in the Relator theme enjoy close relationships with others. They find deep satisfaction in working hard with friends to achieve a goal. |
| Responsibility® | People strong in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty. |
| Restorative® | People strong in the Restorative theme are adept at dealing with problems. They are good at figuring out what is wrong and resolving it. |
| Self-Assurance® | People strong in the Self-assurance theme feel confident in their ability to manage their own lives. They possess an inner compass that gives them confidence that their decisions are right. |
| Significance® | People strong in the Significance theme want to be very important in the eyes of others. They are independent and want to be recognized. |
| StrategicTM | People strong in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues. |
| Woo® | People strong in the Woo theme love the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over. They derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection with another person. |
If you care, mine are Responsibility, Ideation, Learner and Individualism.
Concerning living in space
The best one for me to know was about the space sickness, since I was having a character turn off the gravity in his ship. Wonder if he can still do that….?
Some random possibilities.
I’m just throwing out some random things that you may find useful when writing.
Excessive yawning can be a symptom of a brain tumor.
A side effect of hypothyroidism in babies is they become very small and mentally retarded. (I’m not sure why I thought that to be of note, but I wrote it down when I heard it.)
When a plant exploded, what happened was that the water erupted from wherever it was stored, flash-vaporized into steam, and then reacted with the metal to cause the whole building to come down.
People with Aspergers have problems with overstimulation.
People’s short term memory lasts about thirty seconds. After that, it goes into the long term memory. We don’t always remember it because some memories become little deer trails in words and others become superhighways, based on how often we’ve accessed the information. But, theoretically, if someone could speed up their short term memory, could they then have a better memory?
Cultural crossovers almost always start with food. And therefore, food is the backbone of cultural diversity.
Calcium is the means by which all muscles in the body contract, from the finger muscles for typing to the heart. So if someone removes all calcium from a body, or inhibits all the calcium, that person dies. (I know, morbid. Sorry.)
To create a world
Do you make helps for your stories? (i.e., portraits of characters, maps, glossaries, character indexes, family trees, &c.)
What if….?
Since science fiction is all about the “what ifs,” this should be perfect for many people?
What is one invention that you can’t wait for? Have you written a story about it?
And yes, this is a total steal from the contest on Critters, but I won’t steal any of your ideas, though I honestly shouldn’t be telling you about it either, because then it’s more competition for me. :)
Paddles!
During many movies and TV shows, we see a patient goes flatline, he’s basically dead, and the doctor and rescue team swoops in, grabs the paddles, shock him a few times and he walks out of the hospital in two hours.
In movies and TV shows. Generally speaking, in ONLY movies and TV shows.
Why is that?
Because if the person is in a true flatline, meaning there is no electrical activity in the heart, paddles, or defibrillation as it is known in the medical world, will do nothing.
So, a few comments on this, so your stories are a bit more accurate.
1) If a patient is flatline (asystole), the patient needs two drugs. A) Epinephrine. B) Vasopressin. With epinephrine, you can give that as many times as you want, spaced about every three minutes I think it is. With Vasopressin, you can only give that once and that is all. Keep in mind that this i when the heart has completely stopped.
2) If you really want to shock a patient, they need to be in ventricular fibrillation (V-Fib) or Ventricular tachycardia without a pulse, otherwise known as V-tach without a pulse. In common language, the ventriculers are going really, really fast, which will manifest as a fast heart rate.
3) There are these things called automatic defibrillators in many public locations. With these things, anyone can shock a patient, because it’s all automatic. You attach the pads, run the read cycle, and then the machine will tell you whether or not you can shock the patient. I’m sure there’s a video out there if you are very curious.
Abigail
always a writer 