March 24, 2024
What’s a secret skill or ability you have or wish you had?
When I was in junior high, I sometimes tried to will a book to fly into my hand from a bookcase across the room.
Yeah. I wanted to be able to use telekinesis. Like Jean Grey of the X-Men.
Not surprisingly, my characters in Bringer of Light wind up being able to do it.
“It’s mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.” (Satchel Paige)
March 23, 2024
What is your favorite type of weather?
It depends on my mood.
I like cold weather in winter, especially on the weekend when I can take it easy and enjoy coffee properly.
I don’t mind rainy weather when I feel like being contemplative and writing.
I prefer clear sunny weather when I want to go watch a baseball game outdoors with friends and family.
I enjoy cool and dry windy weather in autumn when the falling leaves decorate the nearby temple and shrine.
What I don’t like is when the weather changes from winter in the morning to early summer by mid-afternoon, and I especially get irritated when people can’t tell the difference between weather and climate.
“You don’t need a Weatherman to know which way the wind blows…”
March 21, 2024
March 16, 2024
Who is the most confident person you know?
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self-Reliance”)
Continue Reading
March 9, 2024
My middle name is actually Thomas. I chose to use “M Thomas” as a pen name out of respect for my father, who taught me how to write. As a professional communications writer, he was responsible for lots of public documents for the NYS DMV, including traffic safety reports, driver manuals, press releases from the Governor, all sorts of “my boss will feel the need to edit this, so I will deliberately leave behind something for him to do so as he doesn’t screw up the entire thing” document.
I may or may not have adopted this strategy in my own professional work (I certainly adopted the attitude…)
Another reason is because I had a baby brother named Thomas. He passed away before reaching five months old when I was not quite 11. It had a major impact on me as a child (and indeed as the adult and as the father I am).
I have no sons. It bothers me that I may be the last Thomas in our family. For a while, anyway.
March 8, 2024
Hello, everyone, and thank you for reading!
This is a short (~8 minute) video I made to introduce the story Bringer of Light.
I’ll be posting a couple more videos in the near future about the characters, location, and science behind the story.
Check it out, and share freely!
March 7, 2024
There is nothing quite like the feeling sitting in a busy place produces, when it is quiet. The sense of empty vacancy seems more restrictive than if one were crowded, surrounded by should to shoulder hip-grinders.
There is no vibe. There are no walls of personality off which to bounce your own. How else can one tell one is alive?
March 6, 2024
What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain.
“Where are you from?”
I never understood why this question might rankle some people…until I moved to Japan.
I’ve been in Japan since 1999. “Where are you from?” was one of the first questions people asked me at the time, when I was teaching in junior and senior high schools.
No problem, I thought. I’m from Upstate.
“I’m from New York.”
Nods of understanding. “Ohhh, the Big Apple.”
Uh, no. Upstate.
“New York is a state?”
🤦♂️
March 4, 2024
For one of the models, asking the AI to start its response with the phrases “Captain’s Log, Stardate [insert date here]:.” yielded the most accurate answers.
“Surprisingly, it appears that the model’s proficiency in mathematical reasoning can be enhanced by the expression of an affinity for Star Trek,” the researchers wrote.
https://qz.com/ai-chatbots-math-study-star-trek-1851301719
March 2, 2024
Show me a completely smooth operation and I’ll show you someone who’s covering mistakes. Real boats rock.
Frank Herbert, Chapterhouse: Dune
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