2017 Winter January 18 Wednesday

36 degrees this morning, walk 35:59 minutes 

Walked at a slower pace this morning, not unusual for the second day back to walking.  

Actually, I had a Doctors’ appointment yesterday and was advised the “pace didn’t matter”, it was the distance that was important.  Probably a little of each, the distance has to be long enough and the pace has to be somewhat enough to get you going.  I still like to walk the slightly faster pace.

Listening to the “Great Course” on Science Fiction, I am amazed at how little I know.  I’m not surprised I haven’t read science fiction, “Space Opera’s”, etc. but there is an entire subculture I wasn’t even consciously aware of.  

It seems that somewhere over the last 30 years I would have somehow read, heard or seen something that may me consciously aware of it!  I thought I was more aware of the world than that!

There is a lot of interesting ideas in science fiction.  Although I doubt I would have the patience or time to read the books, I like the ideas.

It is surprising how many not only items (such as robots etc.) the science fiction foretells, but science fiction has many “ideas” about the effects of space travel on other civilizations etc, environmental considerations etc.  

I do remember watching the movie “Soylent Green” years ago, actually I saw a  double feature “Soylent Green” and “WestWorld” (the movie, from 1973 or so, not the tv series), which was rather a strange experience.

He mentions about how certain “icons” in science fiction, i.e. a spaceship, means science fiction  etc.  That got me thinking about “icons” in general, as far as how other fields have “icons”.  

He also mentions the “artifacts” in science fiction.  He mentions in science fiction, an “artifact” is frequently an item which is used to create change etc.  For example, the box that provides an entry to another world etc.  

It all provides some new thoughts and new ways of thinking, I just listened to that part this morning, so will need to think about it some more.

Now that these are in my “conscious mind”, more or less, I hopefully will start noticing how the concepts are used.

Still reading “Nobody’s Fool”.  I checked out the sequel to the book “Everybody’s Fool”, but I doubt if I am going to read it  I em enjoying eating “Nobody’’s Fool”, but just don’t want to invest the time into reading ‘Everybody’s Fool”.

If I bought the book, I perhaps would read it over a period of time.  However, I checked it out and due to the “hold policy” of the local Library system, I only have three weeks to read it.  Three weeks just isn’t enough time when I have other books and magazines I want to read.

I have taken over a year to read a book (a long book) although that is normally non-fiction and not fiction. 

That’s it for now, Wednesday, January 18 2017.