The Daily Write

Cheap

2008-08-22T08:15:00.001-07:00

“Well, let me tell ya, it’s been a long time since I saw that coming. You see that car behind me? Yes, that BMW. Well, that’s the last of it’s kind now. Ya, they melted all of them down after all the oil ran out. And then when they found out that it wasn’t just the oil that was running out, all the metals used to make electronics - they were running out too, and the only way to keep this planet running was to recycle, recycle, recycle everything.”

“You listening to me fella?”

“Oh, yeah, go ahead drink that water before the cup soaks through. You know, once we had cups that did not do that. Yah, plastics.. Oh you’ve heard of them have you? You had a sippy cup when you were a kid? Yah, once this planet was drowning in plastic.”

“Did you know there was a giant plastic trash island in the pacific? Not there anymore. Scavengers you see. There was a rush to see who could go there and bring it back to be recycled. That’s where the Greiners made their fortune. Ships.
What? Oh not those kind. Old man Greiner had a few sailing ships, you know with canvas and sails. And when the oil ran out and the only way to go anywhere on the cheap was on a sailing ship, well, that’s that you see.”

Haarm-ch. Ptui.

“What’s that?”

“No no, fella, you got it all wrong. Disgusting is when you spit in a hankerchief or a piece of paper. This way it will just degrade nat’rally. What ‘s that?”

“Oh, yeah, the birds will eat it. Don’t harm them. Nutritious, you see.”

“You can laugh now, but that is the way things used to be when my grand parents were kids. We’ve all just gone back to that time - no one has realized that we are in the good old days everyone kept talking about when this planet was on a speed rush fueled by oil. “

“Yaup. We’re back in those days. TV stations switch off at midnight. We’re back down to 12 channels on the TV. And most stores stay closed on Sundays. Family. That’s what it is. Now that we’ve gotten rid of the worlds hangover, we’re back on our regular schedule.”

“What’s that? There’s still ethanol? Or Hydrogen?”

“Ha. Ha. Ha. It’s like those scientists say boy. Economics of scale. Economics of scale. You can’t ship enough of that around to make things like they used to be. Sure, we have started doing it and as you see the prices, it’s not as cheap as the oil was. Never will be. Ha. Ha. Hurm. Ha.”

“What are you doing here boy? Why aren’t you in school?”

“What’s that?”

“Schools closed for summer? Gosh darnged it. Is it summer already? I have to remember to put in enough food for my missus and me for the winter. Gor. Time flies so fast. I couldha sworn it was spring last week…”

“What’s that? Summer started two months ago?”

“Aarg. Hurm. You pulling my leg boy? You sayin I’m somehow mentally deficient?”

“Huh. Youngsters nowadays.”

“In any case, time for me to head on back. Don’t you forget boy how this all started. None of us never saw that comin.
One day we were all in our homes and classes and factories, and the next day we were not. So don’t you go around thinking this is what life has always been. “

Friday Haiku

2008-08-22T07:54:00.001-07:00

Gone for a long time,
the writing muscle weakens -
Beginner again.

Thursday Haiku

2008-07-02T17:43:00.001-07:00

Two days traveling
to the other side of the
world - so no haiku.

Monday Haiku

2008-06-30T16:21:00.001-07:00

The shortest haiku:
meteorological.
Not quite. Needs more work.

Sunday Haiku

2008-06-29T17:16:00.001-07:00

Plans made cannot be
followed - the body demands
sleep denied all week.

Saturday Haiku

2008-06-28T21:45:00.001-07:00

Stretch, lift, point, bend, push.
The dancers sweat in the room -
a bluebird watches.

Friday Haiku

2008-06-27T17:14:00.001-07:00

Imagination:
tree tops, blue skies and mountains -
the view from my chair.

Wednesday Haiku

2008-06-25T20:59:00.001-07:00

Two lonely sail boats,
uncaring automobiles -
The sea lions bark.

Tuesday Haiku

2008-06-24T21:36:00.001-07:00

Explosion downtown,
windows rattle briefly - life
goes back to normal.

Oatmeal for breakfast

2008-06-23T18:58:00.000-07:00

For a large portion of my adult life, I'd always thought of oatmeal (or 'porridge' as I knew it growing up) as a breakfast food for children. It is one of the first solid foods given to babies, and the little ones get it while they're still at home. We got to eat grown up food (toast with butter or jam) once we'd started going to school.

That was until I started seeing someone who had a love affair with oatmeal. She would eat it for breakfast, brunch, and sometimes dinner. It was amazing to watch her cook it. She never followed directions: instead of cooking it for 30 minutes as specified, she would soak the grain overnight and once it started cooking, it was done in about 10 minutes. Made breakfasts a snap.

Of course, by this time, my definition of grown up food had expanded to include pancakes, leftover naan from the Indian place, muffins, and sometimes, cold pizza. Whatever ended up on my plate, for a long time it was not oatmeal.

I don't remember what persuaded me to try it. It may have been a particularly amorous kiss at the breakfast table that led to other things, amongst which included licking warm oatmeal off her erogenous zones. Almost like naked sushi, but with oatmeal and rated XXX. We had the kitchen blinds down, I think, since none of the neighbours complained.

Well, once I'd tried it, there was no turning back. Now I have oatmeal for breakfast. But I draw the line at brunch and dinner.

I am a little bit of a purist though: I still insist on making oatmeal the old fashioned way - none of this 'soaking overnight' business. I do experiment with adding honey, sliced bananas, blueberries, chopped pecans, dried cranberries... It's a lot of fun. I think I would miss oatmeal if I didn't get to have it when I choose. Strange really - I don't miss the girlfriend, but I would miss oatmeal. Must have been the sex.

Monday Haiku

2008-06-23T18:53:00.001-07:00

The fog is back, it's
cold outside. The children run
and scream regardless.

Sunday Haiku

2008-06-22T22:24:00.001-07:00

Long walk in the cold
windy city - sun and fog
in San Francisco.

Saturday Haiku

2008-06-21T12:38:00.001-07:00

Warm breeze, hot sunshine;
the cat sprawls on the wooden
floor - a cold shower.

Friday Haiku

2008-06-20T21:18:00.001-07:00

Sweeter than milk is
a bottle of cool water -
a hot summer day.

Thursday Haiku

2008-06-19T22:29:00.000-07:00

Little boy slaps his
forehead repeatedly - the
bug flies off unhurt.

Wednesday Haiku

2008-06-18T21:54:00.000-07:00

Writing. Another
thousand words. My life is still
an incomplete book.

Tuesday Haiku

2008-06-17T21:18:00.000-07:00

The end of the day -
memories of the work done
have faded away.

Monday Haiku

2008-06-16T13:10:00.000-07:00

Sleep comes to me now,
softly - like a finger tip
on a snooze button.

Sunday Haiku

2008-06-15T23:25:00.000-07:00

Tourists in shorts walk
along the Barbary coast -
the maidens long gone.

Saturday Haiku

2008-06-14T22:35:00.000-07:00

Sweating in the street
at the San Rafael street
fair - the dancers glow.

Friday Haiku

2008-06-13T23:45:00.000-07:00

Empty streets, the wind
blowing tendrils of cold fog -
summer in San Fran.

Thursday Haiku

2008-06-12T21:52:00.001-07:00

Melon for breakfast -
sometimes I wish I would eat
a grapefruit instead.

Wednesday Haiku

2008-06-11T23:21:00.000-07:00

Air conditioned room:
the warm breeze blows a leaf by
the dusty window.

Tuesday Haiku

2008-06-10T16:44:00.000-07:00

Bright sun shining through
the acacia trees in bloom -
my itchy eyes cry.

Monday Haiku

2008-06-09T18:39:00.000-07:00

Washing the dishes,
I had a thought: someday all
this will not matter.

Sunday Haiku

2008-06-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

Comfortable bed,
early morning sunshine - the
newspaper beckons.

Saturday Haiku

2008-06-07T23:05:00.000-07:00

A haiku a day,
that seems to be what I write -
counting syllables.

Friday Haiku

2008-06-06T07:05:00.000-07:00

Summer sunlight stirs
dust bunnies on the floor the
cats refuse to chase.

Thursday Haiku

2008-06-05T23:31:00.000-07:00

Red headed toddler
running after a pigeon -
fun times for them both.

Wednesday Haiku

2008-06-04T23:39:00.000-07:00

Juicy apricots,
golden in the sun - my sweat
drips down my forehead.

Tuesday Haiku

2008-06-03T16:34:00.000-07:00

Warm sunny day, the
high rise reaches for the sun -
concrete flowers bloom.

Monday Haiku

2008-06-02T18:11:00.000-07:00

Greeting seniors on
my way to the bart station -
autumn in the spring.

Sunday Haiku

2008-06-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

Sunlight streams through the
bedroom window - excited
kids wake up the house.

Flash fiction carnival

2008-05-31T20:24:00.001-07:00

I'm hosting the June Flash Fiction Carnival over at the Flash Fiction Carnival 2008 blog. Sharpen your pencils, (scrape off your palimpsest if you need to) and head on over.

Saturday Haiku

2008-05-31T19:24:00.000-07:00

Chihuahua trembling -
all the giants in the street
want to pinch her cheek.

Friday Haiku

2008-05-30T18:15:00.000-07:00

Hungry and thirsty,
the daily wage worker smiles -
weekend forecast rain.

Thursday Haiku

2008-05-29T21:59:00.000-07:00

Laughing bus driver -
the sun shines through the swinging
windshield wiper blades.

Wednesday Haiku

2008-05-28T14:19:00.000-07:00

Cubicle chained, the
eco-warrior ponders -
fast food or pizza?

Tuesday Haiku

2008-05-27T17:17:00.000-07:00

Keep doing what you're
doing, the world is your toy -
when it breaks, game ends.

Monday Haiku

2008-05-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

Narrow winding road,
fog, covering mountain tops -
just another drive.

Sunday Haiku

2008-05-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

Picking violets
for her lover far away -
voices on a phone.

Saturday Haiku

2008-05-24T18:38:00.000-07:00

Curled up with a book,
cat's tails swishing to and fro -
raindrops on flowers.

Friday Haiku

2008-05-23T18:15:00.000-07:00

She smiles as she leaves;
another lovely morning -
the apple tree blooms.

Thursday Haiku

2008-05-22T18:42:00.000-07:00

Smiling commuters,
hot, overcrowded subway -
summer's almost here.

Wednesday Haiku

2008-05-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

Overgrown back yard,
peeling paint, crumbling façade -
the cruel winter.

Tuesday Haiku

2008-05-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

Wind chimes ringing out,
kids stickers on a trash can -
the bus driver waits.

Monday Haiku

2008-05-19T12:58:00.000-07:00

The lonely busker
strums his guitar, ignored -
overhead a bird sings.

World building exercise 1: My take

2008-05-18T22:30:00.000-07:00

The change: Oil production collapses in the middle east, driving prices of crude oil to over $500/barrel.

1. This change happened because reality finally caught up with the overblown estimates of reserves in the ground. Back in the 70’s, the method of estimating reserves was changed, drastically inflating the available oil, yet to be pumped from the ground. Based on the pre-1970 reserves, the production crash was correctly predicted and happened as scheduled. It was not expected because people had grown to believe the post 1970 inflated estimates of oil reserves.

2. Oil companies outside the middle east, those with reserves that are still exploitable.

3. The countries in the middle east. Initial suffering is horrendous as lack of cheap energy causes their desert ecosystems to revert to an arid, pre-green state. Lack of power for water de-salination initially causes riots. The situation is salvaged by the enormous dollar reserves the countries have, which they use to snap up alternative energy companies in the US and proceed to build solar/wind power farms in the desert.

Consequences
1. - No driving anywhere you want to
- Lot more emphasis on local consumption
- Massive switch to alternative energy where possible (solar rooftop-heating for water)

2. - Public transport is welcomed (instead of NIMBY)
- Plastics become expensive, cities start putting up public water fountains
- No more air travel

3. - Focus on recycling. Existing plastics are reused to the point of disintegration.
- People start spending more time in neighbourhoods and parks in walking distance.
- Obesity starts retreating - lack of cheap energy makes junk food expensive.

World building exercise 1: The questions.

2008-05-18T22:26:00.000-07:00

From the SFF.net exercise on world building

Imagine our world after some major single social, political, cultural, or economic change has happened, then:
Answer the following questions

1. Why did this change happen, what brought it about?
2. Who enjoys/benefits from/favors this change?
3. Who dislikes/suffers from/disapproves of this change?

List the following consequences

1. Think of at least three ways the average person's daily life is different.
2. Think of at least three ways that "official" public life is different.
3. Think of at least three ways that people's behavior has changed.

Sunday haiku

2008-05-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

Patchy fog. Narrow
road - why do the cars drive fast
through the morning sun?

Building a world

2008-05-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

Just for fun, I will start building a world using Patricia C. Wrede's Fantasy world building questionairre.

The beginning

2008-05-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

I had been meaning to do this for a while now. I started out on LJ and could somehow never keep up - too many distractions, too many friends to follow. So here I am, striking out again.

This is a blog for my writing practice. I'll be the first to admit - most of the writing here will be atrocious. I will be considering this my experimental stage, a place for first drafts and scratch work and vocabulary and haikus.

Yes, one of my resolutions is to write a haiku a day. So here it starts.