Riba Rambles:
Musings of a Mental Magpie

Posted by Lis Riba at 10:04 PM

While looking for Hannukah gifts for Ian, I discovered the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, which teaches wine appreciation, and even found a local instructor through the BCAE. Ian's often felt his lack of wine knowledge has held him back from better bartending positions, so I encouraged him to sign up for the Intermediate class.

So as preparation for the certification test, I've encouraged Ian to go to wine tastings where he can practice his skills.

So the other day on WBUR, I heard about a wine tasting at BLM Wine and Spirits, so this afternoon we headed into Allston for the free booze experience.

Turns out, BLM offers free wine tastings every Saturday.* Thematic tastings with nice take-home flyers on the wines for folks who wish to keep records of their tastings.

^*Though they're having a tasting of Pesach wines on Sunday March 24.

I'm not much of one for wines -- another palate spoiled by Manichevitz -- but this time I lucked out. Besides the advertised "Wines of Italy" special, Michael John Simkin was there for an "informal but informational" sake tasting.

I like sake, and it was nice to be able to taste several in succession to explore the difference between sweet and dry, and learn a bit about the different types and how they were made.

Then, while Ian sampled the Italian reds and whites, schmoozing and learning what he could, I browsed around the store.

The Sofia Mini is a sparkling wine by Coppolla, sold in cute aluminum cans with sippy straws. It was also available in a bottle -- with a can inside!

Trentadue's Chocolate Amore, described as a "red dessert wine with chocolate flavor added" sounded intriguing. I'd love to try a sip, but it didn't seem worth $29.99 for an experiment. [The bottle said chocolate flavor -- not actual chocolate. Though now that I'm home, I see the website is a bit more forthcoming.]

And while the store had quite an impressive collection of kosher wines, I couldn't help but notice a few dusty well-aged bottles hidden on the bottom shelf: Kedem Sparkling Chardonay and Kedem Sparkling Merlot.

Posted by Lis Riba at 8:55 PM

I recently read John Scalzi's military SF -- Old man's war and The Ghost brigades. [Enjoyed them both, recommend 'em, and am eagerly anticipating the third book, due in April.]

It's not really much of a spoiler to say that both books included battle tactics which targeted enemy infrastructure -- take out the power generators to render an opponent helpless.

But recent developments may make first-world nations more vulnerable to such attacks than other cultures.

During the gadgets discussion at Boskone, one of the panelists pointed out how new technology meant that Africa was bypassing civic infrastructure that was once deemed necessary.

• Cellphones allow global communications without requiring the laying of phone lines.
• Cheaper solar power would likewise reduce the need for power plants and transmission wires.
• The $100 laptop under development (only for third-world countries) may be supplementable with hand-crank power.
• Portable water filtration may eliminate the need for centralized treatment plants, instead purifying the water at the destination.
• And in Flushed: how the plumber saved civilization, I read about a self-contained composting toilet that not only eliminates the need for a sewer system to safely dispose of waste, but can actually generate small amounts of power. [*]

Centralized utilities are easy targets. Take them out, and you can devastate an entire area.

If every individual home or business generates its own power and treats their own water and waste, that becomes much more difficult.

Just something that's been preying on my mind...

Posted by Lis Riba at 6:46 PM

44% obsessed with Harry Potter

How obsessed with Harry Potter are you?

Via Peg Kerr

Posted by Lis Riba at 9:00 AM

Since I know some of you will be interested...

Queen Elizabeth's godson, John Harington, translated a rather risqué passage from Orlando Furioso and circulated it around the court.

The Queen was not amused, and banished Harrington from the court until he translated the entire work.

Lulu.com is offering the book as a free (PDF) download.

Later English translations and the original Italian can be found through Project Gutenberg.

Posted by Lis Riba at 11:06 PM

Just finished reading Brother Guy's book, Brother astronomer: adventures of a Vatican scientist. Entertaining. There are some parts early on which get a bit technical; I kinda skimmed over some of his meteorite origin theories. But there's a lot of biography and history on how science and religion intermix, and the last section is a narrative on his trip to Antarctica.

I do hope Ian reads it now that I'm done, and I think my father-in-law (raised Catholic and a bit of a scientist himself) would enjoy it.

The panel on science and religion at Boskone briefly digressed into Creationists, about whom somebody^* quipped:

“These people say that God is omnipotent and all-powerful — except when it comes to knowing how to use allegory and metaphor.”

With that in mind, Teresa Nielsen Hayden provided a link to The Song of Songs -- visualized literally.

Posted by Lis Riba at 6:56 PM

On my way to lunch today, I spotted a red-breasted robin hopping in the snow by the bare branches of a leafless bush.

Just sayin'.

Posted by Lis Riba at 11:54 PM

Aw, heck with it.

For the record, here's the text of the (Hallmark) card I got Ian for his birthday:

[Front:] For my husband You're everything to me

[Behind first flap:] Yours is the smile I always look for at the end of a long, hard day. Yours is the shoulder I lean on during those times when life's daily challenges seem to be almost overwhelming. Yours is the hand I reach for when I need the gentle reassurance that only you can give. Yours is the laughter I love to hear, the gentle laughter that reminds me not to take life to seriously...

[Innermost:] Yours is the touch I long for. Yours is the love I live for. Yours are the dreams I want so much to make come true. You're everything to me. Happy Birthday

Isn't that suitably sappy?

Somebody should convince Ian to blog the other cards he received today...

And now that I've finally finished reading Old man's war, I need to get some sleep...

Posted by Lis Riba at 12:01 AM

Yup, it's not just Shrove Tuesday; it's also Ian's birthday.

Here's wishing him a happy one.

Posted by Lis Riba at 10:30 PM

You're in luck. Because certain religions commemorate tomorrow as Shrove Tuesday, IHOP is offering free pancakes tomorrow!

From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on February 20 at participating IHOPs across the country, you can get a free short stack (three) of IHOP's famous buttermilk pancakes.

Besides the publicity aspects, IHOP is doing this for charity:

For every short stack of pancakes served on National Pancake Day, IHOP guests are invited to make a donation to Children's Miracle Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children with 170 Children's Miracle Network hospitals across the U.S., or other local charities. For more information and to find a restaurant near you, visit www.ihop.com.

Cool deal?

Mind you, if you want anything else to eat or drink, it'll cost. And you should probably tip the waitstaff based on the regular list price.
IHOP also includes the following disclaimer:

* There is a limit of one free short stack per guest. The offer is valid at participating restaurants for dine-in only while supplies last, and is not valid with any other offer, special, coupon or discount.

Posted by Lis Riba at 10:15 PM

Alas, no tickets left for Merchant of Venice nor Jew of Malta for this Saturday's matinees by TFANA in NYC.

Who knew Marlowe would be so popular? And on a Shabbos showing, meaning I can't just blame the Jews.

We have a family obligation next week, which leaves Saturday March 10th as the only possible date we could see both plays (assuming any tickets are available; their site is down right now).

Posted by Lis Riba at 10:04 PM

Note: No sex here; it's fannish. This deals with the dynamics and history of Boston SF conventions, and probably won't have much interest to anyone not already involved.

This evening, Ian and I were discussing a blog post* in which somebody opined:

People are still steamed about the Letter. It's been twenty years! Let it go! There are new things to argue about!

Here's our resulting conversation:

Ian: I don't think we can put it behind us. It fundamentally shaped Boston fandom. It's like telling people to let go the 95 theses nailed to the church door!

Me: Why stop at the Reformation? What about the guy nailed to a tree?

Ian: No, Luther actually caused a schism.

Me: And Jesus didn't?

Ian: It was really more Paul's fault.

Me: What about John, George, and Ringo?

Ian: Okay, fine, the schism was Yoko's fault.

Me: I'm glad we've got that settled...

Back to the subject at hand, my gut reaction was that the fans who felt insulted by the Letter will let it go when the SMOFs stop justifying con policy by exhuming the Boskone from Hell (which is what led to the Letter). Both sides need to let go; you can't demand one group unilaterally drop 20-year-old baggage while ignoring the other folks still using it as a bludgeon.

A lot has changed over twenty years. As Ian's pointed out, we've got a whole generation of congoers who weren't even part of fandom when these events happened. And still more who only came to the Boston area after these things went down. This is ancient history for a lot of people.

And Ian's right. The Boskone from Hell and the Letter really did reshape Boston fandom. The culture of both Arisia and Boskone (the two major Boston-area cons) are reactions to those events. So we're still dealing with the aftermath today.

It would be interesting to hold a panel at either con to examine how the Spirit of '87 continues to influence the Boston SF scene. I suspect nobody wants to host it for fear it might degrade to rancor, blame and defensiveness.

That's not to say that more conversation wouldn't be useful. The last time Ian blogged about the schism, at least one fan learned something new:

We didn't spend those years out in Springfield because we wanted to run a convention inconveniently far away from our base of operations. We spent those years in Springfield because we could not get another hotel in Massachusetts.

You know, I did not know that. Every time I've heard about the big debacle, it was presented in terms as if Boskone specifically chose to leave Boston.

As you can see, a lot of ignorance and misunderstandings still need clearing up.

And for that reason, I don't think we can put this to rest until either (a) we actually discuss and deal with the issues, or (b) we wait until everybody involved in these events dies off, leaving Boston fandom in the hands of people without such baggage.

^* Yes, we actually converse about blog posts; how lame is that?

Posted by Lis Riba at 8:12 PM

There's more to February than Valentine's Day, so in honor of President's Day:

Who's Your Presidential Hottie Soulmate?

Mmmhmm, Abe the Babe... maybe not babelike in the traditional sense (he was definitely tall and dark, if not classically "handsome") but a mind that was hotter than Georgia asphalt. You could ask him anything, and he would probably know the answer, which could be very convenient. Abe was pretty reserved -- not so great with the romantic stuff, and he'd probably run and hide if you ever said "listen, we need to have a talk". But his waters ran deep, possibly deeper than any other president. Maybe even than any other mortal. Ever. And we suspect that as long as you were gentle and non-judgmental with him, he'd totally open up to you. And when he did, and you saw the true contents of his heart, your mind would be BLOWN.

via Erastes

BTW, I found myself paraphrasing part of Scott McCloud's New Adventures of Abraham Lincoln earlier today, when some coworkers were discussing a list of the best presidents. "Assassinated, damn!"
It's a good story; I'm sorry to see so many people slagging it.

Posted by Lis Riba at 8:00 AM

How to address celebrity homophobia:

Posted by Lis Riba at 10:33 PM

Ian blogged one of the cultural issues we observed at Boskone.

Leave comments in his journal, not here, please.

Snarky addendum: This year, Boskone held a panel:

The Ever-Growing Rift--Pros and Fans
Five years ago at Boskone, we discussed the fan-pro rift. It's time to look back, to see if things have gotten better...or worse. Below is what we asked then. Let's look at those questions again, five years later: In recent years, some pros view themselves as separate from the fannish community, and some fans are happy to have it that way. It used to be different. What happened? Is it getting worse? (Yes-but why?) How can this (damaging...OK, argue it if you want!) trend be reversed?

Well, isn't different standards for pseudonyms based on publication history part of the problem?

Posted by Lis Riba at 9:30 PM

How To Write Feministly-Reimagined Historical Novels

Fifteen rules, many of which I recognize in works I've unfortunately read.

Here's one from the middle, just to give you a taste:

11. All goddess-worshippers enjoy their menstrual period as a time of womanly empowerment that proves their Oneness with Nature. No woman ever suffers cramps, migraines, nausea, bloating, or uncontrollable mood swings during her womanly “moon cycle”.

Added a few minutes later: Will you look at that! Erastes has found several more similar lists for other subgenres of historical fiction. Read it and weep (tears of laughter).

Posted by Lis Riba at 8:35 PM

A friend of mine recently pointed out that this is WiP Amnesty weekend at wip_amnesty

Quoting the Community Rules,

You have till Sunday evening to post all the stuff that's been lying around your harddrive, forgotten, abused, hated on, cried over or left alone. Has it made you huddle in a corner, making cross motions? Kick it to the curb! Do you still have some vestiges of deep love for it, enough to show it the light of day, but not enough to ever finish that sucker? Let it float away!

Your chest will feel lighter. People will beg you for more, possibly. You can laugh gently under your breath at them, because the point isn't that you want to write more, it's that you want it GONE. JUST GONE. GET OFF THE HARDDRIVE.

So here are two of my unfinished gems that I'm putting out to pasture, particularly since the continuity will probably be jossed when Book Seven is released in July:

Sigh... I started this with the best of intentions: Before I wrote the first word, I actually had a rough outline and knew precisely how the story was supposed to end... and I just bogged down in the middle. A certain amount of time has to pass for the characters before the conclusion, and I ran aground trying to fill it in.

I feel particularly guilty about leaving folks hanging, since I blogged links to my drafts when it was going well.

I have added to this WiP a description of the direction I intended to continue in, for anybody who might still care...

In this case, I was inspired by StarrySummer's Space Cowboys and Wizards Crack!Challenge, intended as "an informal, fun fic (and art) challenge, involving crossovers between Harry Potter and Firefly."

Once I had the idea of how to bring the characters together, this story just flowed. Unfortunately, that was as far as I'd thought things out, and as soon as I accomplished that I ran out of gas.

I didn't have any further direction for the characters. No plot beyond the setup.

I've since teased out where and how the story could continue, but I can't seem to work up the enthusiasm to continue it. I haven't even given this draft a polish; this is nearly first draft, though

When you get right down to it, I've got a pretty lousy track record with my fanfic. At least twice as many abandoned WiPs than completed works. [That's one of the reasons I won't try to jumpstart my writing by joining any ficathons or exchanges -- I don't want to disappoint recipients until I'm better at finishing my fics.]

So, what do you say?

Amnesty?

Posted by Lis Riba at 7:35 PM

So, the convention is over; we're back home. As Ian already blogged, Brother Consolmagno is a marvelous guy with whom I could happily chat for hours.

I may write up some of the more thought-provoking ideas that I've been pondering later. For now, some quick short bits:

Books purchased at Boskone:

Books I learned about which I now want to read:

Info I intended to share with others:

 • For Sarah Smith, may I direct your attention to the LiveJournal communities for bard_in_boston, bard_slash, shaksper_random, thegreatglobe, and worlds_a_stage, plus the actrshakespeare syndicated feed.
Also, a list of Shakespearean Harry Potter fanfics, including my own modest contribution: Touchstone

 • True Life encounters between cats and Roombas can be found @ Takhisis and Tomato Nation (here's the second part). Google on cat+Roomba for other people's stories. [If you find any particular gems, please share them with me.]

 • To Teresa Nielsen Hayden, I really liked your discussion of religion with Brother Guy, particularly your remarks on the unreality of religion in many works of genre fiction. Would there be a market for an anthology focused on realistic religion in SFF, from the bake sale by Dionysians to the schism in the human sacrifice cult between those who insist upon universal donors v. the blood-type-agnostics?
In a similar vein, have you read Tanya Huff's short story "In Mysterious Ways" (collected in Stealing Magic)? It includes the god of minor conveniences, and what happens when you tick that diety off... Given some of your comments about what followers get from a religion, I thought you might appreciate it if you haven't already read it.

 • For Brother Guy, though not a genre book, I strongly recommend As a driven leaf by Milton Steinberg. We mentioned it in passing for its explorations in faith (from a Jewish perspective) set during the first century CE.
On a much lighter note, I also think you'd enjoy The Hebrew Hammer (a Jewsploitation film), if you haven't already seen it.

Delightful discoveries:

 • Tanya Huff's Vicki Nelson/Henry Fitzroy series has been picked up for television. Looks like the show will be called Blood Ties and it premieres Sunday March 11 on Lifetime. Rumor has it that Huff has been delighted with what she's seen so far, which makes me hopeful. I also learned that Tanya Huff has a LiveJournal (andpuff) and about Blood Bank, a collection of the short stories in that universe.

Clever quote:

“It not infrequently happens that something about the earth, about the sky, about other elements of this world, about the motion and rotation or even the magnitude and distances of the stars, about definite eclipses of the sun and moon, about the passage of years and seasons, about the nature of animals, of fruits, of stones, and of other such things, may be known with the greatest certainty by reasoning or by experience, even by one who is not a Christian. It is too disgraceful and ruinous, though, and greatly to be avoided, that he [the non-Christian] should hear a Christian speaking so idiotically on these matters, and as if in accord with Christian writings, that he might say that he could scarcely keep from laughing when he saw how totally in error they are.”

— Saint Augustine, The Literal Interpretation of Genesis, 408 CE
(Quoted by Brother Guy)

Dangerous temptations:

• Boston Antiquarian Book & Ephemera Fair, March 31 - April 1 at the Bayside Expo Center
• World Fantasy Convention 2007, November 1-4 in Saratoga Springs, New York

Cool inventions mentioned at the gadget panel:

• Sauvignon Bot: can analyze the chemical composition of the liquid inside a sealed bottle to determine type, brand and flavor and then suggest a complementary cheese. Sounds amusing (panelists replied "I'm looking forward to angry drunken bot" and "ever notice the second bottle is mush better than th'firs") but imagine the potential for people with food allergies.
• Hug Shirt, allowing partners to send and feel virtual hugs across a distance. As usual, the first comment was about the potential for more titillating undergarments...

Disappointments:

I didn't get to spend nearly enough time with Bear this weekend. We kept seeing one another in passing, but never had a chance to sit down and chat. :( Have to do better next time.

As I said, there are some other things I saw and discussed today that are preying upon my mind. I may write further upon them later...

Late Postscript: Also wanted to mention two vendors with some gorgeous jewelry I admired: Angelwear Creations and the magnetic necklaces/bracelets of Materialis. Pretty!
 — 9:15 pm