Soonish

by Kelly & Zach Weinersmith 

Amazing technologies that may be here in the next decade, or century. Or not. The Weinersmith's discuss Fusion, programmability matter, bio printing, space travel, and many other innovations that can happen Soonish. 

Island of the Lost.

By Joan Druett

In the 1800's, ships frequently crashed on Aukland island, south of New Zealand.  

The story focuses on two ships that crashed on Aukland island a few months apart. One set of survivors thrived. The other suffered massive casualties. What made the difference?

Druett points out a few key differences, leadership being a key difference. One captain was positive and tried to make things better. The other because depressed and was fatalistic about their doom.

Ten Little Soldiers.

by Agatha Christie.

This is the first Cristie novel that I've read. What a wonderful little murder mystery! I loved it. 

A City on Mars

​by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith

A funny and pessimistic look at what it would take for humanity to settle space. There are two deep lessons that drive many of the authors' conclusions. 

First, that people will continue to be people. Being in space won’t change that. Space won't magically make humans better people. Politics, economics, legal systems and human biology won't miraculously change should we develop space settlements.

Second, everything in space wants to kill you. Take your worst case outcome for climate change on Earth. Life in space would still be orders of magnitude more difficult than life on Earth. Building a space settlement requires confronting many deadly problems that will take decades, if not centuries of investment to solve. 

Example… martian soil basically contains ground glass and toxic chemicals (perchlorates.) Gardening in such an environment isn’t as simple as building a sealed greenhouse and bringing in seeds, water and fertilizer. The sharp edges of martian  dust and soil wear everything that rub against it and could cause lung diseases similar to asbestos lung. The perchlorate will poison us. 

The Island of the day before

 Umberto Eco

The story of a man stranded on an island that straddles the international date line. This is during the 1600s when the date line and how to measure longitude were massive scientific challenges. The story then is about the be came to this island, and what happens then. 

As with many Eco novels, there is a lot of well researched arcane knowledge woven into the story.

The Hobbit

 By Tolkien

My first time reading the Hobbit. A fun fantasy adventure novel.

Small talk

How to talk to anyone & The fine art of small talk

Conversation and small talk are skills like many other things. You have to put effort into it and practice. That is my challenge. I want to improve at small talk, but the desire isn't strong. I am fine being quiet by myself. Mostly I desire small talk ski!!s so people don't feel awkward when they sit next to me and I say next to nothing.