'How Not To Write' , Space Lettuce and Mysterious Mounds

Hello there,

                      

Seems like only a week since we last met - actually, it was.
I know I said I was going to take time out , but I had a change of heart , and my conclusion was this - to pause, however briefly, is to concede defeat, and that is not the point.

So I return to the fray, not exactly energised, but in the fray at least.

Someone once said that you lose 100% of the shots you don't take.

I can understand that .

Perhaps a little context is needed.

This blog actually started as a way of detailing my progress and efforts in the world of writing (with perhaps the occasional sidestep into my strange electronic dabblings).

I had it all worked out, and it seemed perfectly do-able.
that's also why early posts were concerned with publishing ventures and such.
As it turns out, I've decided not to detail the cut and thrust of my work -in- progress, because mechanical details of the writing process are dull - unless you're lucky enough to be a famous author, in which case people want every detail with a view to replicating your successful formula, or simply to worship at the altar of greatness.

I am neither a famous author, nor do I have an 'altar of greatness'.

However, this blog is a challenge even without the angst-laden missives from the 'ivory tower'.

Keeping things interesting is a challenge, in itself - although I find the 'stream of consciousness' thing works well for me .

Trouble is, now I'm writing about how to write.

Which I said I wouldn't - because, the truth is I don't know.

Infact, I'd go so far as to say that no-one knows, beyond certain accepted constants like spelling / punctuation, etc.

Unless of course, they invest in lots of 'How-To' manuals.

Don't get me wrong - there's a burgeoning market for self-help in the writing field.

'Writing Done Right' - actually that's not a real title, but hey - be my guest if you want to use it, just remember to credit Gordon at Invisible Words...

Infact, truth be told, if you invested in all of the practical writing aids available, you'd be dead before you could possibly read them all.

Like anything, writing is best learned on-the-fly.
In a zen style.
To learn by doing.
Ye gods, I'm full of it...

I don't advocate 'fake it 'til you make it' - I'm an old school believer in learning as much as you can about your chosen field, but hey - where there's a will, there's a way .

Back to my point - invisiblewordsonanendlessthread (one word, lower caps if you're Googling)* was begun for a specific reason.
However, my blog has assumed a life of its own and the frequency has leapt from once a month to weekly writings on a variety of subjects .

Except food.

Which is adequately catered for elsewhere (pun intended).

Although I could do food with a twist.

So how about this - humans have now grown and eaten lettuce in space.

 Romaine lettuce grown on the ISS          image © NASA

That's a first.

The pinkish glow in the image is due to the grow lights being red and blue. Although green is the most obvious colour choice, the maximum growth was obtained in the red/blue spectrum.
Good for radish and beets, then.

Apparently space-lettuce has a slightly spicey flavour, remniscent of (groan) rocket.
If nothing else, I imagine it's a pleasant change from vacuum-packed astronaut food, which to my limited understanding, only tastes like it's supposed to through the science of molecular gastronomy.

I only hope that lettuce - munching space caterpillars remain in their own cosmic eco-system.

Otherwise, the consequences on Earth could be devastating.

I've seen those old films.

'First Men In The Moon' 1964 ©u.k.

In other news...

The comet 67p/churyumov–gerasimenko reached its closest point to our sun on August 13th, and is now completing its orbit heading back to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. 

It remains to be seen whether the errant lander Philae is still hanging on for dear life, hunkered down in a darkened precipice somewhere - certainly communication with mothership Rosetta has been sporadic to say the least.

In mid December 2015, Rosetta will end its cometary pursuit, perhaps with a soft-landing to become one with the comet and Philae, an almost touching end to the historic mission.

Science continues.

And what of the enigmatic Ceres, the largest body in the asteroid belt ?

It is supposedly being surveyed as we speak, with the Dawn explorer at its closest point of orbit to the surface .

The enduring mystery of the strange 'lights' in the cratered surface must surely now be resolved - along with the new strangeness, the four mile - high plateau in the middle of otherwise flat-land...

Watch that Space

The mysterious mound on Ceres     ©NASA/JPL/Caltech/UCLA

*of course, I realise that if you're reading this, then you don't need to Google the name, but that's how I roll, as they say #pointlessinstruction