November 2022 News

Happy November, family. 

We camped last month. It was refreshing and well needed. A bit cushy for my minimalist preferences but I'm not complaining. 

food is my priority while camping and we brought a ton

watching slasher flicks in the wood at night

Let's get into it shall we?

Writing

This part'll be quick. Copy edits are due to begin late Nov / early Dec. 

Meanwhile, I've updated chapter headings to have more detail and personality. Some readers might hate the wordiness of these new chapter headings. Personally I love 'em. For the most part, I just snatched a line from the chapter that exemplified the mood. Bonus points if it's ambiguous. This works so well it feels like cheating.
Examples include:

*bear in mind that final edits aren't complete and these may change*

My objective was to give readers a sense of physical location (if you read the book you'll understand why that's helpful), and a glimpse of the point of view character's mindset. 

Paludarium

I've learned that Zeal is either infinitely studyable and entertaining or numbingly boring and pointless, depending on the audience. Some of my friends can't bear to lay their eyes on it, apparently out of fear of spontaneous narcolepsy. Others want details and updates constantly. "How's the oak tree doing?" "Has mama minnow laid her eggs?"  That sorta stuff. 

I find it enthralling, luckily. It is my baby after all. The majority of the life inside has been there for about 1 month, so I began a journal of my observations. Only then did I truly appreciate how much I've learned about these plants, insects, mussels, crawfish, snails, and minnows. 

Today's report for you will focus on the death and life of an apple.

It started as a snack for snails. They loved it, but continued to wander and graze elsewhere as well.

When the apple core fell over, I noticed new life arising. (not just the penicillium expansum, aka blue mold, that enveloped the apple.)

The snails love munching certain leaves, and apple seedlings aren't exempt. I encaged these two young apple trees for their protection.

Zeal started as a way for me to attempt to maintain a somewhat enclosed ecosystem, particularly with the goal of eventually applying some of what I learn to Schala, the digital enclosed ecosystem. Lessons, confirmations, and surprises have abounded on that front. I've grown fond and protective of my collection of invertebrates, flora, and fishes. 

Kayaks

Yakkery diminishes in these cooling months, but it never dies. A couple weekends ago we rented out almost our entire stash to an outdoors club at a local university. 

Gearing up to paddle out

Off they went, never to return. Just kidding. They returned the next day.

In the coming weeks we have requests from canoeing campers and brave yakkers. 

I pledge to camp on an island before the year is out!

See you next month

dtl