Jots & Tittles: Spring Began Yesterday

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Yesterday was the first day of Spring but the weather here in Tucson was disappointing; cold winds blew a succession of drizzling rains up and down the streets and across the boulevards of the city. I heard, though, that a great many areas of the nation were favored with abnormally high temperatures. Illinois, Minnesota, and some other states suffered through days and nights of summer like conditions. The news people grabbed onto it to reinforce this as further evidence for man made climate change. They lamented the lack of familiar snow and cold and ice in Northern regions. Who ever heard of such balmy weather in March?

Whine, whine, whine.

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Is there a right way to write? Must one adhere to formalized rules in order to produce a publishable piece of fiction or an acceptable fact filled memoir? It does seem so.

To be considered worthy of appearing in print, it is well established that a submitted manuscript must contain material that a goodly percentage of the population will want to read. Why else would a publisher wish to accept it if not to please a book-buying audience?

But I wonder, if that is so, if that is a commandment chiseled in stone, then why do editors cry out for original writing? And why do the readers themselves grow weary with the same old same old and complain that there is nothing new and exciting available these days?

I am convinced that truly innovative works, especially in the field of creative fiction would, if accepted by publishers, be heartily welcomed by the general public. But sad to say, this will probably not come about. Readers (and publishers) must have their Harry Potters.

Who then might submit new forms of fiction? I can think of a few. Me? Oh no! I am too timid to expose my seemingly shameful 'secret' stuff to the culturally conditioned eyes and minds of the properly educated and morally unforgiving masses of properly compliant law-abiding folks. And so it seems, does another writer of my acquaintance, although he will probably never admit it, to others... nor to himself.

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Once again, using Photoshop Elements 2.0, I merged three pictures I took of the Santa Catalina mountains while facing North at the intersection of Speedway Boulevard and Pantano Street to construct a panoramic view of the range. There is a crown of snow on some of the peaks.

(Click photo for full size view)

The change of lighting intensity caused by altering the little camera's direction relative to the sun for each of the three shots created a triple light variation in the finished product. It was immediately visible to me, but the casual viewer should not notice it. I suppose it could be fixed but I'd rather not spend the time on doing so right now.

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Word For Today

Bombast
arrogant, pompous language

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Although I did not take the picture below, it fascinated me so much that I decided to post it on the blog anyway. The photographer (Dessert Survivor) back home in Indiana has given me permission to do so.

Link to Rensselaer Adventures http://rensselaeradventures.blogspot.com/

The fascination I feel for that glimpse of swampy scenery must be related to some lingering mental whiff of Hoosier boyhood memory. Can't think of a better explanation.

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Happy Birthday

Matthew Broderick

(Bueller . . . Bueller . . . Bueller . . .)