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Praetorium Honoris

Thursday, November 16, 2017

What Are Ya Gonna Do?


Yup, big Sopranos fan here. That line of Tony's, "What are ya gonna do?" has become my mantra as of late. The world is insane, there are far too many idiots running loose, and there seems no end to it. I used to write about that sort of thing from time to time, the occasional rant as it were, but life is too short to worry and fret about the stuff you can't control.

So yeah, "What are ya gonna do?"



So, the other day my natural curiosity about certain things drove me to look up the word "idiot." I use it a lot, especially in the car, so I decided to see what its origin was.
Idiot is a word derived from the Greek ἰδιώτης, idiōtēs ("person lacking professional skill", "a private citizen", "individual"), from ἴδιος, idios ("private", "one's own"). In ancient Greece, people who were not capable of engaging in the public sphere were considered "idiotes", in contrast to the public citizen, or "polites" (πολίτες). In Latin the word idiota ("ordinary person, layman") preceded the Late Latin meaning "uneducated or ignorant person". Its modern meaning and form dates back to Middle English around the year 1300, from the Old French idiote ("uneducated or ignorant person").

...

An idiot in Athenian democracy was someone who was characterized by self-centeredness and concerned almost exclusively with private—as opposed to public—affairs. Idiocy was the natural state of ignorance into which all persons were born and its opposite, citizenship, was effected through formalized education. In Athenian democracy, idiots were born and citizens were made through education (although citizenship was also largely hereditary). "Idiot" originally referred to a "layman, person lacking professional skill". Declining to take part in public life, such as democratic government of the polis (city state), was considered dishonorable. "Idiots" were seen as having bad judgment in public and political matters. Over time, the term "idiot" shifted away from its original connotation of selfishness and came to refer to individuals with overall bad judgment–individuals who are "stupid". (Source)
Quite honestly, I think the Greeks were on to something there.


About writing a book, or three...

Putting together a blog post takes two to three hours a day, on average. (Yes, even the crappy ones take that long.) I really enjoy this blogging thing, it's therapeutic, fun (for the most part), and every now and then I learn something. (Look into a topic and see all the stuff one didn't know.) While I truly enjoy having Juvat cover Mondays, with Tuna the occasional Tuesday (or a Monday double post), if I don't blog for a couple of days I get antsy, I need to blog, I think I'm addicted to it. (Cheaper and healthier than smoking, go ahead, ask me how I know.)

So I need to do this. Which takes time away from actually writing something that no one will see the next day. Truly, I enjoy the feedback I get from you, the readers, in the form of comments and page hits. I've been doing this long enough to recognize when the spambots have come to visit, page hits go through the roof. Normally it runs between 500 and 700 a day.

So yesterday, I indulged myself in a little fictional exercise, I didn't really have a good topic to write about and the dream mentioned in that post provided a starting point. I really enjoyed doing that. So yeah, somehow I need to make time to write that book. Even if it's just a paragraph a day, I need to start it.

After all, I don't want to make Valory wait until I retire and Wayward Sailor is itching to proofread/edit any offering I might produce.

So yes, I'm working on it, I'm not going to wait until I retire (December 2019 is the current plan), and I really want to gain fame and fortune.

Or at least be able to say, "Hey, I wrote a book."


What are ya gonna do?





Write a book is the correct answer to that last question.

34 comments:

  1. I am looking forward to the book.

    I wasn't kidding about volunteering as a Beta reading.





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  2. Ya got a good start yesterday, a darn good start. Was always impressed with your Napoleonic posts too. Learned something about idiot as well, it's a good descriptor. I prefer dumbass even though it lacks the gravitas, guess I lack gravitas also. Good luck with your new task and am looking forward to it.

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  3. I figured you would be a good writer back on the "Rock" when you started the "WCS comix". Even though I can only occasionally rub enough words together to write something, it IS therapeutic. Glad you found this outlet instead of smoking (yes, I remember when you started smoking!) I still love Robert Heinlein's opinion of writing - 'Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.' ;-)

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    Replies
    1. I still have those, somewhere, I think.

      Might have been lost in one of the wife's periodic "everything must go" frenzies.

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    2. I'm afraid I'm the one in this household who goes through the "everything must go" frenzy!

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    3. I'm a pack rat. In the past when asked, "What do you need that for?" I always answered, "I don't know, but someday I will need that."

      I usually need it two weeks after it gets dumped as "excess to requirements."

      Sigh...

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    4. I do have to admit, I'm a packrat about a few things. Computer hardware and software (I still have an old Kaypro "portable" with the CP/M OS installed and also copies of DOS 3.3 on floppies), books (I never get rid of books) and tools.

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    5. The Missus Herself often remarks on all the obsolete computer stuff I have laying around.

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  4. I am often asked, "What are you, writing a book?"

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  5. Thanks for the post. As a former managing editor, ( of the magazine ' Military ' ), I would be happy to assist you in any way. I think that you would produce a fine book.

    Paul L. Quandt

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    1. I have many issues of 'Military' stashed away as reference material.

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    2. RHT447:

      How far back does your collection go? I was with ' Military ' quite some time ago.

      Paul

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    3. Paul,

      I joined the California State Military Reserve (CSMR) in 1983 (served until 2001). IIRC, 'Military' started up shortly after that. Somewhere around then I got a subscription. I'm not exactly sure what I still have as we moved to Texas a few years back, and some of that stuff is still in boxes. As much as I would love to be in a position to build a separate wing for a library, I am not. I have had to cull out my magazine subscriptions over the years as I just ran out of room. When I get a chance to dig in some boxes, I'll post back here and let you know.

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    4. I would love to add a library wing to Chez Sarge!

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    5. OAFS- I was with ' Military ' from 1988 to mid 1989. As I recall, 19 issues worth.

      RHT447- I understand about having unpacked boxes due to moving, we have unpacked boxes, some from three or four moves ago. When/if you unpack them, check on page four to see if my name appears.

      Paul L. Quandt

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    6. Cool.

      Thanks for the update Paul.

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  6. Funny how you mention blogging as a replacement for smoking.
    That wasn't the plan, but that's kinda wnat happened.

    You should write a post about Valory (HSWHTPFIHC).

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  7. "What are ya gonna do?" I dunno...bada bing bada boom?

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  8. OFF TOPIC ....had to laugh Sarge, i was over at Dailytimewaster and saw that Phantom pic and said Sarge would love that...turns out I was right...couldn't tell from the roundel whose it was, the munitions on board looks like those loitering cruise missile with mini munitions on board it could deploy when a target was spotted ?? maybe i read too many Jane's Defense mags LOL man that's an evil looking F-4 ...

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, sweet looking and deadly at the same time.

      You gotta love it!

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    2. If you're not already watching it...I highly recommend MINDHUNTER on Netflix, one of the best cop duo's i've seen in quite awhile.

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    3. I'll give it a look, though I'm not a big crime drama guy. It does look interesting.

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  9. Neither the talent nor the drive here but you do. Go for it.

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  10. What are ya gonna do? Retro post!

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Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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