GammaGlobulin

Canterbury Tales was good for me. Was it good for you?

I am sure you are not wrong. However, editors like the now-deceased Maxwell Perkins of Scribner's provided authors with much more than just simple editing. And, acting as a sounding board is just one of many functions which Perkins provided. "Perkins was noted for his courtesy and thoughtfulness. He also recognized skilled writing wherever he found it and encouraged writers as few editors did. That Ring Lardner has a reputation today, for example, is because Perkins saw him as more than a syndicated humorist. Perkins believed in Lardner more than the writer did, and despite the failure of several earlier collections he coaxed Lardner into letting him assemble another under the title How To Write Short Stories (1924). The book sold well and, thanks to excellent reviews, established Lardner as a literary figure." (Wikipedia)

It seems to me that one important function of the editor is to provide a sounding board for the author.

Defoe! Good choice. I have enjoyed reading your comment. It seems that your neighbor's gift of a desk diary turned out to be the greatest of gifts you ever received.

Apparently, judging by unanticipated initial positive-feedback, I have, somehow, finally written an interesting and decent Topic, something I had hitherto imagined might be beyond my reach, until today. The MOTIVATION for posting this Topic, one of them at least, is to encourage those around my age to write their first book, and publish it on Amazon. We have already, in a previous Topic, spoken about ways to stay cognitively fit. Some of you have told me that you do crossword puzzles, which are of value, no doubt. However, it is my view that there are few endeavors more difficult and rewarding than writing a book of any length, over 300 pages, or even over 150 pages. And, when we consider ways to remain mentally agile, a book of many chapters takes the cake. Additionally, I happen to know that there are many here of a ripe old age who have wisdom and knowledge worthy of sharing with others. I am, sadly, not really a true member of this group since I have no stories to tell, and because I have yet to adequately perfect my writing skills. But as I stated in the OP, even a rotten writer should still make the attempt, if one has the time and the required degree of perseverance and resilience to pull it off. Personally, I very much enjoy reading travel accounts written by old guys who had the opportunity to do some traveling in Asia before Asia was taken over by backpackers, meaning the 1950s and early 1960s. This is just my personal reading preference, while making no value judgment about this particular period in Asian travel history. You might mistakenly believe that you have no story to tell, and this is most often untrue; I think. I would urge those of my age to begin writing if you have time on your hands. This might be a very constructive way to spend the rest of your lives. Did I mention that I love Joseph Conrad’s story, meaning the story of his writing career. For one thing, English, as far as I know, was not Conrad’s first language (perhaps untrue), and that he did not write his first true novel until the age of 40…Amazing, obviously. “Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, Polish: [ˈjuzɛf tɛˈɔdɔr ˈkɔnrat kɔʐɛˈɲɔfskʲi] (listen); 3 December 1857 – 3 August 1924) was a Polish-British novelist and short story writer.[2][note 1] He is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language;[5] though he did not speak English fluently until his twenties, he came to be regarded a master prose stylist who brought a non-English sensibility into English literature.” (Wikipedia) Rather an amazing feat to have written what he did. I suggest you check out the Conrad entry, for further inspiration, on Wikipedia. If Conrad can begin writing his first novel at the age of 40, then why can’t you? Certainly, there is no law against it.

Thank you for your input. I had thought that this topic might not be so interesting, in fact, even though this self-publishing on Amazon option is very interesting to me. Amazon gives anyone a voice, and one can publish immediately. In addition, one can self-promote and market one's book as much as one wishes. I agree that publishing on Amazon is not done for the money, in most cases, nor should this be the case. By the way, I apologize if my poor attempt at humor might have been construed as being insulting to anyone, something I NEVER intend, no matter my many failed attempts I make, honestly. I am interested to know that you have published on Amazon. I would like to read the stories of others who may have done the same. Have you ever considered adding your book to Project Gutenberg? I have seen many authors do this, although I am not sure what PG's policy might be concerning this.

Speaking of the book, Lolita, which I just mentioned in a previous comment, I believe that it was totally acceptable for me to be reading such a book. Why? Because, at the time of my first reading of Lolita, I was actually about the same age as Lolita, and therefore cannot be criticized for reading such a book. I have, however, chosen to NOT post a link to the Lolita book here. For one, I realize that this book remains controversial, with good reason. Secondly, this book is not offered on Project Gutenberg. Third, this book is just poorly written by some Russian who could not write one-tenth as well as my Russian hero, Dostoevsky. I don't even recommend anyone reading the book, Lolita, unless one might be more of the persuasion that I was of, when I was 13, and most inquisitive about the title of the book, and unless one is also about the same age as Lolita, who seemed to be a child having skinny arms, vulgar language, and unladylike behavior, the type of girl very foreign to me at that time. Yet, the book is still interesting if you enjoy word play and satire. So, maybe it's still good.

Having mentioned in the OP my love, since early boyhood, of Fanny Hill, allow me to post the Gutenberg HTML link to this book which was not originally for sale in the UK, having been banned for no reason at all. When I first read this book in the year 1964, Fanny Hill had been banned in the US, as well. "The seizure of copies of Fanny Hill was authorised in 1964 by a London magistrate, and an injunction to block sales of the book was granted in New York in the same year. It was also the subject of a Supreme Court judgment in 1966." (Irishnews.com, 16 January, 2019 12:25) Speaking as to how I, a wee lad of 13, obtained a copy of this book in 1964, a time before the Great Internet, I have forgotten now. Suffice to say that it proved easier for me to buy a gallon of Fuming Nitric Acid when I was aged 14 than to buy an unabridged copy of Fanny Hill when I was not yet a full 13-years of age. I can only say that I was delighted with both purchases and read Fanny Hill, cover to cover, twice, more probably thrice, before the first month was out. During the too-many years since my first reading of Fanny Hill, I have never once lost my love of Cleland’s 1748 writing style. You who have yet to read Fanny Hill may ask concerning the beauty of Cleland’s work and style. Please refer to this Gutenberg link to the original text of Cleland’s novel, published in 1949, (London), and such magnificence between the covers you will rarely read: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/25305/pg25305-images.html (You may download your Kindle version at this linked page, as well: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25305 ) Let me first give you a taste to whet your appetite: “Phœbe, herself, the hackneyed, thorough-bred Phœbe, to whom all modes and devices of pleasure were known and familiar, found, it seems, in this exercise her those arbitrary tastes, for which there is no accounting. Not that she hated men, or did not even prefer them to her own sex; but when she met with such occasions as this was, a satiety of enjoyments in the common road, perhaps, too a great secret bias, inclined her to make the most of pleasure, wherever she could find it, without distinction of sexes. In this view, now well assured that she had, by her touches, sufficiently inflamed me for her purpose, she rolled down the bed clothes gently, and I saw myself stretched naked, my shift being turned up to my neck, whilst I had no power or sense to oppose it.” For me as a prepubescent boy, this was steamy stuff, and also had the effect of improving my reading comprehension ability to the point where I was reading beyond my years other books, as well, such as my second favorite book Lolita. These days, the books Fanny Hill and Lolita are still banned in some parts of the world, and for no reason. I now wish to write a book even better than Fanny Hill this year, and publish my work on Amazon, hopefully before I lose my steam. Please enjoy the linked book, if you will.

Yes, I do agree with your points (pun intended). I also enjoy Japanese culture and art. And so you are correct that I am probably more interested in aesthetics and history of knives made in Japan than others may be. But still, I also agree that Japanese steel production and quality is also important to me, but more from a historical perspective. If I were to rely for survival on just one knife while portaging a canoe around the lakes of Timmins, Ontario, and out of easy reach of civilization, the aesthetics of the knife I chose for survival would be of no consequence in my choice. Thank you for your reply.

Dearest Friends, I must admit that people who write and self-publish their books on Amazon intrigue me. For example, what kind of SUPER ego (not super-ego) does one require to believe that what one writes is worth the reading by others? Considering my special case, I would not self-publish on Amazon to garner fame or fortune. Instead, I would write a book and publish it on Amazon solely to satisfy my curiosity concerning the type of individual who would pay to download what I had written. I would be asking, “Who ARE these people, ANYWAY!?” And then, too, I would probably need to decide on a main Topic for a book before writing it. And yet, I am not so sure that deciding on a Topic before commencing my writing would be absolutely necessary. Sometimes I just begin writing something with only the first sentence in mind, and this strategy often works well for me. What I would really like to do is to write a 400-page book similar to the novel, ‘Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure’. Cleland, his writing style and his humor, has always represented, at least for me, the epitome of the highest caliber of what is possible in fiction writing. He wrote about pleasure and phallic size without vulgarity, not a mean feat by any means. So, Yeah, any book I write must be one that is both not vulgar and also about pleasure. And further, I would like to set my fictional account in Japan (c.1910), after having read Spring Snow, Mishima’s first book in his tetralogy; I speak of the one with the cherry blossoms in the snow, and wooden bridges with young women carrying parasols as they cross these bridges to meet their young men, mostly with pleasure on the brain. There is NOTHING more beautiful than cherry blossoms in the snow. I am not sure how many days might be required to finish my book. But when finished, I could upload it to Amazon almost immediately. And there would be no need for me to send out many typed manuscripts to publishing houses in NYC, only to get turned down, most likely, by about 50 percent of them. Just having up to about five or six potential readers purchase my book for download on Amazon could be really exciting, honestly. I have plenty of time on my hands, as my friends have told me. I have lots of canned goods laid up in my larder, and there is always Grab if I run out. I would not need to leave my house, even, for the next year or so, until I reached the end of my story. I am feeling very optimistic about this, in fact. I even have a contract with a reliable local company providing me unlimited ozonated drinking water. Well, enough about MY near-term self-publishing plans. What I really want to know more about is YOUR plans for uploading your next book to Amazon, and what your Topic might be. And, what of your target audience? Will you write a children’s book, for example? Or, will you write for a more general audience? We now live in times where writing a book is so much easier than it used to be. No need for a typewriter. And, the same goes for handwritten foolscap! Please do not tell me that you have not seriously considered publishing on Amazon during recent years, because I know that you have. I know there are good and capable writers on this forum because I know that I know good writing when I see it. And, even for any rotten writers, speaking of which I am sure there are none on this forum, writing a 400-page book to be published on Amazon is totally advisable, if only from a good-health-promoting perspective. I also know there are some elderly farang here, and writing with the goal of publishing on Amazon may both improve their writing skills as well as the Syntactic Complexity of their paragraphs which, in turn, can preserve better cognitive function. And try to maintain optimum, stable serum glucose levels through consumption of protein rather than sugary treats and beverages. This, also, will improve the quality of your written word. I guess you think I might be pulling your leg a bit, but I am not. Originally, I wasn’t sure whether I should post this OP on the Chiang Mai Forum or the TV Community Pub Forum. Although, if it were permissible, which it is NOT, I would prefer to post it on BOTH forums if I could. But I won’t do THAT, of course! I will just choose the Pub, as usual, where I always feel more welcomed by the milk of human kindness, I guess. So then… What are your writing plans? When do you plan to publish? What’s your preferred writing topic? How many readers do you anticipate might download your book? Do you hope to make money off your book? Or, will you write just for the love of seeing your own words in print? Best of luck to you all, and Chok-Di! Of course, my nom de plume, Gamma Globulin, is taken. Please leave this name for my exclusive use on Amazon, if you will. And, thank you. Regards, Gamma PLEASE NOTE: I believe that I might be convinced to download your self-published book from Amazon if you would be willing to reciprocate by paying for and downloading mine. A Word of Caution: I would suggest that you never resort to enlisting the help of some AI in your writing. To do so would only alienate your readers and almost assuredly damage your reputation irreparably. Don’t even consider the AI option, please. A Final Word of Advice: Definitely DO write with as much irony as you can muster. Everybody appreciates a bit of irony, these days.

YES, thank you. I had been concerned about using groundwater here for drinking purposes. Hence...I will just continue using bottled water. As to whether or not to boil the bottled water might be warranted, I cannot say given the limited knowledge I have concerning the supplier's water source and treatment. Is it a major concern to me? Not really, and not yet. Regarding showering with groundwater, I do not like the idea of this prospect, but it is the only available option at the moment. For sure, the groundwater has been turning everything white for months and months, as expected.

I would prefer not to link to Amazon's site here. However, you can refer to the site for reviews of the knife I mentioned, easily. Here is just one excerpt from a review which you may or may not find authoritative, and there are many other reviews, as well.. "I'm 50yo in the construction trades all my life. Carried a knife since my Grandfather gave me at the age of 7. I have all kinds of knives and they all get used, they don't sit in display cases, when they stop being useful to me I give them to someone they will be useful for. " I would choose this knife for its utility as well as aesthetics considerations. Maybe I am wrong, however.

I have found during my walks around Chiang Mai that the Chihuahua Soi-dog can be extremely aggressive, though rarely fatal to strangers. I always worry that the local Chihuahuas will nip my heels. And, if this happens, I will need to have another round of rabies injections, which are not cheap. I see no place for Pitbulls in todays world, however. So far, I have had no dangerous run-ins with the Chihuahua breed, and I am thankful for my good fortune.

Yes. And.... MANY MOONS AGO, I began boiling my drinking water, starting around the year 1979, after moving to Taiwan. When I first arrived in Taipei, I lived in several very nice places, including The Grand Hotel where I stayed continuously for three years (before the fire, much later, gutted it, and before the sleazy contractors replaced the beautiful furnishings, hardwood flooring, beautiful silk rugs, etc., etc., etc., with schlock. And you might recall that The Grand Hotel, at least the second MUCH LARGER addition, was the idea of that Wellesley girl, Madame Chiang.). So anyway, in several of the places I lived, we had a water boiler that would maintain drinking water for tea at 100 degrees C. Oh so convenient, it was. Those large kettles had capacities of around 20 liters, I would guess. Maybe you have seen similar types of equipment in industrial kitchens. In fact, I love boiling water. When I moved out of these establishments and began living in houses just outside of Taipei city, the ones with those super-fast huntsman spiders, I bought a large kettle to be used on a gas stove that roared. A decent gas burner, I mean the good ones, can put out a lot of heat, and can boil a large stainless steel water kettle in no time. The trick is to find some way to cool the water back down to room temperature, a process which seemed an age, when one is thirsty. Just placing a 10-liter water kettle in the bathtub is a very slow process, as you may have discovered yourself. Maybe you know the best way to cool a water kettle? I have found that air-flow from a good fan is the fastest way and dissipates heat more rapidly than soaking it in a bathtub of cool water. So, since you asked the question, I think that it is the time required to cool the kettle that causes people to opt for filtration systems. But I definitely agree with you that boiling drinking water is the way to go, absolutely. Boiling also can help rid the water of chemicals such as chlorine, etc., etc., etc. Insecticides which have leached down to the well water, I dunno. In addition, MANY MOONS AGO I was a much happier camper in certain respects. I prefer the low tech solutions that are better than some of the modern tech being foisted off on us these days. I also fondly recall the time I returned to Naples, FL in the year 1987, after living in Taiwan for a long spell. Even upon my return to the water on offer by the city of Naples, I continued to boil my drinking water, and I looked upon what I had done, and it was good. If I had my wish, I would gladly return to my days at The Grande Hotel, and never wish for more. Give me wood! Give me wood over plastic, and natural fibers over Nylon and other man-made polymer-based textiles. There is nothing so fine as a very thick silk rug in the mornings, and incandescent light bulbs shining through expensive lampshades on top of giant porcelain lamp bases resting on a rosewood base, placed on fine Japanese-Hinoki-wood tables and Hinoki-wood dressers with heavy brass pull handles. So, please give me wood! And give me boiled drinking water, too. I very much fear that our civilized days drew to a close, decades ago, while we were not paying attention. Will the boiling of drinking water release any insecticides and ag chemicals that might or might not be contained in well water? Do tell, Sir, if you know the answer. Otherwise, I will remain a customer of my full-service Glacier supplier. I have made friends with the guy who coordinates delivery. When I call him and speak to him in passa Thai, I think that for him, just hearing my broken Thai, makes his day. He is always very helpful, for sure. Having written this reply to your comment, I must admit that I am entertaining second thoughts about a possible conversion to boiled water, and a reversion to what I recall as being happier days. I could buy a bottle of gas, and a 15 liter water kettle, and a single burner gas cooker putting out 25,000 BTU/hr, just the same as I once used. I would not need to worry about cooling time, as I now have a collection of about FIVE plastic 20-liter water bottles. Of course, this might really heat up my kitchen during the Hot Season, which would not be good. And, I am still a bit concerned about the well water at this site. I will consider you boiling-of-drinking-water suggestion, and get back to you in coming days. Note: Wood is Good. And, Plastic is Bad. The real thing is always better.

Westerners are also more likely to be top-heavy, compared to Thai people. When you fixate on gaining upper-body mass, as many do, then low balconies become more risky. "According to the International Residential Code, balconies in commercial buildings should have a height of 42 inches before being capped off with a sturdy handrail." "As for the residential buildings, they specified the railing height as 36 inches from the deck level. Ideally, railing slats should have 4 inches or less gap between them to prevent kids and pets from slipping between them." (codes.iccsafe.org) But what about Thailand? "Balconies must have railings that are at least 90 centimeters (35 inches) high, and that are spaced no more than 10 centimeters (4 inches) apart." (Quora) I recall that in Chiang Mai, the balconies that I have stood upon seemed to be around one meter off the deck of the balcony. However, I think that is too low for the sake of safety, drunk or otherwise. I would definitely like to see a minimum height of 42 inches. If I were building or renovating a condo with a balcony above the first floor, then I would go for 1.5 meters with a wide wooden railing at the top. For sure, if one is 180 centimeters in height, and muscular, then a one-meter balcony railing is too low!

Very interesting account of your travels back and forth across the bridge. However, I am left very curious about the specifics of what type of visa you are getting stamped. Also, how often you do this (annually), and how long you can stay in Thailand before you must do this again, and whether or not you can do this indefinitely. Personally, I must renew my visa once each year. However, I cannot say in all certainty that my situation will not change. Hence, my curiosity about your visa, and stampings on the Burmese side. Any info might be helpful to others, as well.

I was told sort of the same thing by the Stiebel Eltron service person. He stated that it is often the case that using the water heater at maximum flow, providing that one also has adequate water pressure (water pump pressure), will prevent scaling from occurring. During the Cold season, I am unable to use the heater at full flow because the heater is only 8000 watts max at 240 volts (my voltage here is only 220, so max wattage for heater is only about 7400 watts). But, as you say, after showering, allowing water to run through the machine, full flow and power off, might help prevent mineral scaling from forming.

Into Thin Air Good book Here is a nice bar graph, taken from National Geographic, for you showing at a glance what's happening (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/maxed-out-everest) :

As the PDF attachment from the CDC stated, using acetic acid in higher concentrations, above 80 percent, should be done with caution due to vapor inhalation potential. The pH of this product is 2.5 as already stated above, and is borderline corrosive. Therefore, the product you show, offering a concentration over 99% would need to be diluted for cleaning purposes. Great price, though!

So then, this (bacteria, parasites, molds, yeasts) is why I suggested ozonation after filtration. Also, ozonation avoids the pH issue. I once thought of buying such a system for home use, but I have moved locations too often in recent years. Concerning the pee problem in America, I doubt that Americans were drinking pee before 1990, which is the date I left the US, never to return. My main concern, as I stated from the outset, is the mineral deposits that turn everything white in the bathrooms, and that degrade the plumbing fixtures, and that cause the performance of kitchen appliances such as tea kettles to deteriorate over time. (How to remove these deposits, and how to avoid them with a resin filter, maybe.) (By the way, concerning the ingestion of pee from water supplies around the world, I do not have a Topic to post about this, but please wait for my future Post about pee as it relates to chicken egg consumption.) Concerning calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, and calcium sulfate, and any link to cancer, or any other health issues, I do know of any. About chlorine and cancer potential links, I also do not know. The Japanese, as I recall, at least in past years, did heavy chlorination of their city water supply. More hazardous for Americans has been Ag discharge into the water supply, meaning E.coli from Ag businesses. Here again, ozonation might be the best solution. Re water testing: It would be nice to see free and reliable water testing services on offer. Or, probably better, very low cost testing services which are not tied to the gov. I am certain that there are VERY FEW households that would not like to see reliable testing of their water, at point of use, performed periodically at low cost. (I want to know the pH of my water, concentration of calcium/magnesium ions, E.coli concentration, maybe pesticide and chemical contamination testing, whatever.) The bottled water delivered here is cheap. Glacier service is good. I have never tested any bottled water.

OK. I got your meaning on the second reading. I mistakenly thought you were referring to the use of vinegar, and not the use of lime, by water treatment plants. In the case of well water, the hard water problem exists even without the help of the water authorities. And, obviously, chlorine is not added. Bottled water in 20-liter jugs might be the best option. However, bottled water originates from the water treatment plant. So, back to boiling, maybe. Or, ozonation plus filtering. I am not sure what the supplier Glacier does with the bottled water. However, I do not notice much mineralization in the water kettle. I would not be surprised if they do filtering and ozonation, although I never took the trouble to ask.

Thank you. Finally, I meet someone here who actually knows what he's talking about. I am not sure what concentration of acetic acid might be optimal to circulate in a closed loop for flushing a hot water heater for shower. For that matter, who knows the optimal concentration for wiping off mineral deposits on shower and bathroom tiles, anyway. When I was fourteen I knew how to make nitroglycerine, and had the chemicals to make gun-cotton, too. But when you get older, like over 15, making nitroglycerine on a beach in LI no longer seems so interesting...All that wasted knowledge. That was probably the most dangerous stunt I ever attempted in my long life. I shudder even to think about it now. You could say that it gives me the vapors just contemplating the potential repercussions. Which reminds me that we should all be mindful when working with cleaning products, maybe also things like Drano, which can produce harmful vapors when inadvertently mixed with other cleaning products. I guess you know what you get with bleach plus vinegar...chlorine gas. Bleach plus cleaning ammonia.... phosgene gas (WW1 Mustard Gas). People should know this basic chemistry before their weekly or annual housecleaning day arrives.

You are absolutely correct about the sheath. However, I do believe that the blade actually does have a locking function. Aesthetics is always very important to me in whatever I buy. And, this is why I am attracted to this knife, in particular. I believe that the knife is assembled in China, with imported components. Apparently, there are quite a few who do use it as an EDC. I like the looks of it (much).

I kinda doubt that Makro has industrial strength vinegar. Acetic acid in much higher concentrations is nothing for the average housewife to play around with, maybe. You gotta dilute it to taste, after all. "In contact with the skin or eyes, acetic acid solutions of 80% or more can be corrosive, causing severe burns of any exposed tissue. Long-term exposure to the vapors of this substance causes chronic bronchitis and other respiratory effects, erosion of tooth enamel, and cracking and darkening of the exposed skin." (cdc.gov, https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/81-123/pdfs/0002-rev.pdf) See attached PDF... Still, acetic acid is nothing compared to playing around with fuming Nitric Acid. I once had a gallon jug of Fuming Nitic acid, and a gallon jug of Fuming Sulfuric acid stored in brown glass bottles in my dorm room while at boarding school, at age 14. I purchased both at Fischer Scientific, fischersci.com. I forget what I was going to do with it. I think I might have been planning to make NitroGlycerin, as I recall, or maybe just gun-cotton. No, I am sure it was Nitroglycerin that was on my mind. I thought that I could make it on one of the deserted beaches on Long Island, NY. Strangely enough, during those days, decades ago, it was normal for boys to experiment with things, and I was not given any disciplinary action. I think I bought the sulfuric acid for the gun-cotton, for later use. Still, I doubt that Makro sells concentrated acetic acid, just as it definitely does not carry Fuming Sulfuric or Fuming Nitric acid. pH value for fuming nitric acid is less than 1 pH value for fuming sulfuric acid is less than 1 Storage in a boarding school dormitory, and in glass bottles with hard tile floors is HIGHLY ill-advised. Other than Makro, I hope somebody knows where to get 45% acetic acid in gallon jugs (plastic this time). ACETIC ACID FROM CDC.pdf

One could even go so far as to say that the Traffic Jams on Everest are an abomination to this sacred mountain. IMHO, only. Viewing spectacles such captured in these images can most definitely tempt one towards entertaining misanthropic leanings. c2877708-7d3c-11e9-8126-9d0e63452fe9_image_hires_174238.avif