Looking for a Good Ab Workout

What, I'm going to blog about the American Election? Everyone and their uncle is doing that. Me, I'm far more self-centred.

Seriously, though, I used to be an exercise junkie. Three hours of martial arts used to be a good way to have some fun. These day, if I want to get three hours alone, I'd have to be in a hospital with something contagious.

So here's the challenge. We get up at 5:45 AM. I do the part one of my workout (15 minutes) while my wife grabs her shower. The reason for this is simple: Toddler. Someone has to be around in case she wakes up. Once my wife is out of the shower, I head down to the gym in our building, and get about another 45 minutes in part two. Now, my workout schedule is as follows:

Day 1 & 4 Part 1: Nothing. Part 2: Running
Day 2 & 5 Part 1: Shadow Boxing. Part 2: Weights
Day 3 & 5 Part 1: Calesthetics. Part 2: Martial Arts

It's a nice workout series, plenty of variety and keeps the body jumping. You'll notice, however, that Part One of Day 1 & 4 has nothing. This is where I want to put in a nice, nasty ab workout.

So, anysuggestions out there?

And by the way, congrats to the Democratic party on taking the House. We are all waiting with bated breath to see what happens in the Senate.

American Politics

To any Americans who happen to drop by, remember:

VOTE!!!

Remember you still live in a democracy (sort of). Help keep it one:

VOTE!!!

(And vote Democratic, if you want my opinion, but hey, it's your country)

How Much More Evidence Do You Need?

The world fish stocks are collapsing and will be gone in our lifetimes unless radical change takes place. With their disappearance will come starvation for many, collapse of industry, and the true beginning of the end for our environmen

Here's the story.

How much more will it take for governments to make changes? How much more will it take before sensible management strategies will be usedto allow for sustainable use, rather than wanton destruction?

Write your MP, Congressman, Senator, Prime Minister, President, and anyone else you can think of. I know I will. We need to fix this while we still can.

Because Castles Are Neat!

And for those of us who write fantasy, they're also necessary. So here's a link:

Castles of Britain

Enjoy!

Stern Warning

A link to the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change.

Since those with the money don't seem to care about the threat to people's health, wildlife, wilderness areas, crops, or housing caused by climate change, maybe a threat to their money might (note: might) make them wake up.

Doubt it, though.

Been a Long Time

Been a long loney,lonely, lonely, lonely time.

(Two points for the musical reference).

It's been one of those months where time has slipped by at high speed. I've been working, writing, editing, studying and playing with the kid. Once you get all that together, it leaves precious little time for blogging, which is too bad, because I like blogging.

(Or maybe I just like talking to myself, I'm never sure).

I've also been hanging out with a rather fun group of writers from the Twin Cities over on Wyrdsmiths. The group includes those who are published and those who are working on being published. The conversation is intelligent, and there's some excellent information about writing in their posts.

Small Magics is now two chapters and an epilogue away from going through its last draft and we are on schedule for publication. Cold Magics has taken off again and is starting to get written, though last night it was a token effort. I was tired!

So I'm back, and I'll try to do this at least once a week (yeah, you've heard that before). Meanwhile, how's everyone out there?

Geek Link!

The Mars Rover has lived 10 times longer than they expected. And it just sent back some magnificent photos of a crater. Very cool.

Here's the link.

Neat, huh?

Canadian Politics: What Conservatives don't care about

If you vote Conservative in the next election you will be voting against:

Women
Human Rights
The Environment
Heritage
Volunteers
Literacy

That is all I have to say for the moment.

Back to Work.

American Politics

What Dr. Scoville at The Vanity Press said.

Time to Start Writing Again

And I don't mean at this blog (though God knows I am falling behind on that, too).

No, I am nearly done the edit of Small Magics. Now it's just niggling little stuff and annoying bits. All the major revisions are done, and we're on schedule to have it in at the top of December. And while I wait for my talented young editor to get me the next few chapters, it's time to get back to work.

Cold Magics is the sequel to Small Magics. It starts four months after where Small Magics ends, and follows Thomas and his friends on new adventures. It was on page 310 when I had to turn my full attention to Small Magics, and now it's time to turn back to it. Fortunately, I've been working with the same characters, so I don't feel like I've completely lost track of the story.

I'm hoping to get another 100 pages by Christmas. I'm also going to be working on a play which I've been meaning to finish for some time. Fortunately, the play is an adaptation of a Victorian novel, so there's no writing required, just a good eye for editing and a picture of how I want it to turn out. Cold Magics is the first priority, though.

And once that's written, it's time to start editing The King Below. No rest for the wicked. At least, not for me. At least I'm having fun. And I've got to start thinking about what the next novel will be.

Back to work.

(and you thought I was going to stop sayng that)

The Afghan Government on Canada's Debate About Afghanistan

From the CBC interview with the Afghan Ambassador, Omar Samad.


Q: What do you think about the political debate happening in Canada now?

Samad: We obviously know that all Canadians, regardless of their political persuasions, have the right to express themselves and to take positions. All we're saying is to clarify and let's provide enough precise and accurate information for people to have a better-educated judgment about the Canadian role in Afghanistan. I think that there are certain notions that exist within society here and especially among some political interest groups that are far from reality.

Q: What are the notions?

Samad: For example, the notion that Canadians are invaders and occupiers. I would invite any of them to go and see for themselves because the Afghans have invited the foreign security to help us. The notion that Canada is following the footsteps of the United States, for example, is far from reality. The notion that we should solve the problem by bringing the Taliban into the political governance circles of Afghanistan. That would be an Afghan domestic issue that the Afghan people would reject because they rejected the Taliban mindset and ideology.

Read the rest here.

Yarrr!

It be Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Yarrr!

May your timbers be shivered, your keel nicely hauled, and your bilgerats scurvy!

Yarr!

Why Am I Not Surprised?

No need for brains or strategy to be Tory candidate: party official

Sometimes the jokes write themselves, don't they?

Broke 1000

Happened at some point today. It made me very happy. Of course, the fact that I check this blog about three times a day suggests that the actual number is around 334, but I'll take what I can get.

Made some changes in the links. Hoping to fill them out soon, or possibly move them to the other side of the page. Will seek help from those with more html speak than I have.

Now to bed!

New Blog on the List

I've recently discovered Wyrdsmiths, the blog of a writers' group in the twin cities. They are a nice bunch of folks, and have some excellent insight on the process.

I've added them to my list of fine blogs, which one day I swear I will get around to organizing. You know, in all that spare time I've got.

Reminds me, need to update my website, too.

Meanwhile, I'm at work and I'm in the clock in five...four...three...two...

Got to go!

You Lost Me, Jack

This week Jack Layton has proposed that we withdraw Canadian troops from Afghanistan and demanded an emergency debate on Canada's mission there.

I think he's half right.

I said in an earlier post that I supported the mission in Afghanistan, and gave my reasons for it. My opinion hasn't changed. I think we're needed there, and I think it is very important that we be there, and that we stay there for the long haul.

I also think that we need to talk about this as a nation.

The questions in my mind is not, "should Canadian troops be fighting?" Some battles need to be fought. The question in my mind is, "Is there as strategy for after the battles have been fought?"

It is one thing to kill the enemy, it is another thing to leave afterwards without fixing the conditions that created the enemy in the first place. Once the battles have been won, there needs to be a specific agenda for development, education, economic stability, and democracy. If these conditions are not met, we will only leave a worse situation than the one that was there before.

There was a great deal more I was going to say, but Rex Murphy said it better.

A Night Off

And I'm still sitting in front of the computer. Sigh.

The draft is done and off to my trusty editor, who has to do some miraculous turn-around if we're going to get it done in to have the finished draft to the publisher for Christmas. Still I have faith in her. Me, on the other hand...

Well, enough of this work stuff. Good night, everyone, I'm off to watch TV.

Or possibly to get working on Cold Magics (the sequel to Small Magics).

Yeah, I'm a glutton for punishment.

Goodby to Steve Irwin

Steve Irwin, best known as TV's crocodile hunter, died over the weekend.

Steve was a passionate man who loved the environment, animals, and his family. He was an outspoken advocate for reptiles, a staunch believer in protecting the wilderness, and one of Australia's greatest natural resources.

If you only saw him in action once, you'd think he was a madman. If you watched him repeatedly, you'd realize he knew exactly what he was doing, and did it very well.

Rest in Peace, Steve. The world is a poorer place without you.

A Good Friend Returns

Chet Scoville, once known to the Blogosphere as The Green Knight, is back as himself.

Chet is a longstanding friend, a professor of English, and an insightful and intelligent writer. I'm glad he's back, and look forward to seeing what shape his new blog takes.

He can be found at The Vanity Press.

Stupid Game

Given to me by a coworker Friday morning. I tried to explain to him the problem of giving a game to an addictive personality with a ton of work left to do but he gave it anyway. So here's the link. Have fun.


http://www.ebaumsworld.com/frogleap.html

Fortunately, it's fairly easy to figure out.