(no subject)

Today was much beter than yesterday. It was still more than somewhat achey, but I diddn't damage myself or my household too much (eczema aside). I haven't had the courage to fix my desk yet and I'm looking for missing papers.

The missingness of the papers means that I've managed to replace three whole shelves of dated papers with volumes of books that were otherwise adrift. They are not in order, but at least they're not toppling all over the floor. My books might like doing circus stunts, but I'd rather limit their capabilities. No need point out that this was a stupid thing to do when stuff hurts, but I need those papers!

I'm clearing another shelf tomorrow, perhaps, and I've decided that my back collection of Locus can (mostly) go. If anyone wants a drawerful of Locus (something like a fistful of sky, only with writers rather than scraps of cumulonimbus) they're welcome. Either come and pick them up, send someone else to pick them up, or email me and we can work out other means of delivery. As long as I'm not out of pocket for delivering them, anyone can have them.

The last time I sorted papers from this corner of my unit was 2004, according to dates.

If I don't hear from anyone by the end of January, I'll take them to the February CSFG meeting and it will be free for all. Or should that be a free for all? It all depends whether I mean it literaally or not, I guess.

Speaking of dates, I've found a bunch of photos from King O'Malleys from the year we launched Women's History Month there. I looked at them and realised I have forgotten all but three of the names. I need to talk to a Ryan. I promised we'd have a coffee sometime and now we have to! Not till February, though. The photos will remain on my desk to remind me of my sagging memory. Or I could invent names. What names sound like female dignitaries with senses of humour and history?

Most of my discoveries are pretty dull, but I did find alternate (and impolite) words to an ancient ditty. I exaggerate, it was probably an eighteenth century verse, but may have been the seventeenth. I'll either get back to you with a date or I'll file the thing.

I have three more places to check for missing papers before I go into panic mode. Or I could order new ones.

(no subject)

Today is a day for putting pieces together. I've found all my missing pieces of paper, I've got back door keys, I've bagged 3 big batches of paper for recycling (so that I have more space around me and the last few days won't find it as easy to repeat), and various people said various things (one of whom was capnoblivious that brought my next possible prject into clear focus.*

Right now I have to build a bibliography. I was wondering if you could help me. I need a basic list of books with accurate and easily-understandable explanations of quantum physics (for someone without terribly much formal science and only school level maths). Web pages are fine. This is so that I can ask the right questions or see if research questions can be set up. If I can't or they can't, then that will be the en dof my idea, but at least I'll hae acquired a simple understanding of something cool.

I also need to find speculative fiction books that use quantum physics in any shape or form. I'm not worried about how well the novels use quantum physics or how well they're written: it's for ideas analysis only, at this stage. The only two I can think of off-hand are Kim Falconer's trilogy and Ian McDonald's Brasyl. I know I've read more, but I can't place them. It's so much bugging me!

If any of you can think of good explanations and any fiction, I'd love to know!

All suggestions gratefully received. I'm happy to share the lists when they're done, if anyone is also interested.

PS If anyone can tell me why LJ is ignoring my formatting, I wouldn't mind knowing that, too.

*This was eaten along with the formatting. I sorted the formatting but didn't realise that  the crucial part of the sentence had not returned.  And if anyone knows why apostrophes appear in my writing where I know they don't belong, I'd be interested.  I suspect it's that my fingers copy all the wrong examples I've seen recently and my eyes don't pick it up because I know the rules and  am not sufficiently alert.  It has begun to bug me.  I keep thinking that there's one of those tiny Medieval demons  sneaking into my writing and adding apostrophes, a  little black winged demon that  once sat on a woman's left shoulder and mocked her vanity. Could someone please inform the demon that I'm Jewish and really don't need the apostrophes?

(no subject)

I'm still sorting papers and have finished breaking things for the month. Two plates and a portable fan are out of my life: it could have been worse. The fan was nearly forty years old and was plastic and cheap, so it's done well by me.

My word of the day is one I had completely forgotten. "Landwash." It means "beach," but it makes me think of dangerous coastlines and dark storms and the sea washing over the land. I'll try not to forget it this time round. Good words should not be so shamefully neglected.