Friday, August 20, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
First Contact
Part 1
Ceasair watched as the trapdoor opened again, and the female human came once more through the opening. She lifted up her eyes, saw him, and her eyes widened in shock.
Wordsworth saw a humanoid male...six feet six in height if he was an inch, with symmetrical features, bronze skin...bronze as in the metal bronze, not a tan...and the musculature of a weight lifter. He wore a silver space suit (all space travelers, from all worlds that had independently developed space travel, wore silver spacesuits. There was a reason for this, which Wordsworth would learn much later.)
“Asvara chuli ne!” Ceasair said to her, putting desperation into his voice.
Wordsworth could only blink at him. “What? Do you speak English?” she said, drawing out every word.
“Asvara chuli ne!” Ceasar repeated urgently. (You must help me!)
Why couldn’t he speak English, Wordsworth fretted. Didn’t he have a universal translator, or at least a Babelfish, and if not, why not?
“Asvara chuli, ne,” Ceasar repeated again.
“Klaatu borada nikto?” ventured Wordsworth, without really expecting that it would do any good. And she was right. But he seemed to be asking for something, and then...he put his hands together, as if he were praying, as he repeated his strange saying. He needed her help, desperately, it seemed.
“Come down into the library,” Wordsworth said. She beckoned for him to go through the trap door, and Ceasair complied. Then, she followed him down, closing the trapdoor behind her.
Part 2
The sentient spaceship, Tanhi, perched, invisible, on the roof of the Polar Bear Library.
She (for all craft, on all worlds, are shes) ran through all of her memory banks, desperately trying to compute a way to prevent Ceasair from wreaking havoc on this world.
She could not send a distress signal to any other ships, let alone any other planets. Ceasair had sabotaged her transmission equipment.
Was it possible to depend on the law enforcement representatives of this planet? She had no choice. But how could she contact them?
If Tanhi had had a visage, she would have smiled. Of course. She sent a pulse of energy into the command console...and the cloaking device switched off. There was a shimmer, and then her sleek, needle-nosed lines appeared, pointing toward the sky.
Tanhi was now visible to anyone who had the eyes to see it. If the vehicles of the law enforcement representatives had computers...and surely they would have computers...she would be able to communicate with them, and they in turn would be able to communicate with their masters.
And Ceasair would find that edifice which he had just entered, had become his tomb.
Vocabulary
symmetrical - well-proportioned, as a body or whole; regular in form or arrangement of corresponding parts
bronze - an alloy consisting of copper and tin
alloy - a substance composed of two or more metals, or of a metal or metals with a nonmetal
fretted - to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontentdesperately - made reckless or dangerous because of despair or urgency
wreaking - to inflict or execute
havoc - great destruction or devastation
transmission - the broadcasting of electromagnetic waves from one location to another
representative - standing or acting for another or others
visage - the face, usually with reference to shape, features, expression
vehicles - a conveyance moving on wheels, runners, or tracks, such as a cart, sled, automobile, or tractor
tomb - an excavation in earth or rock for the burial of a corpse; grave
Cultural References
Klaatu borada nikto - in the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still, these are the instructions from the alien Klaatu that prevent the robot Gort from destroying the earth.
universal translator - in Star Trek, a device that translates English into alien languages, and vice versa.
Babelfish - in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a fish-shaped alien that feeds on thoughtwaves, and thus translates alien languages into the language of te individual who has the Babelfish in his or her ear.
Ceasair watched as the trapdoor opened again, and the female human came once more through the opening. She lifted up her eyes, saw him, and her eyes widened in shock.
Wordsworth saw a humanoid male...six feet six in height if he was an inch, with symmetrical features, bronze skin...bronze as in the metal bronze, not a tan...and the musculature of a weight lifter. He wore a silver space suit (all space travelers, from all worlds that had independently developed space travel, wore silver spacesuits. There was a reason for this, which Wordsworth would learn much later.)
“Asvara chuli ne!” Ceasair said to her, putting desperation into his voice.
Wordsworth could only blink at him. “What? Do you speak English?” she said, drawing out every word.
“Asvara chuli ne!” Ceasar repeated urgently. (You must help me!)
Why couldn’t he speak English, Wordsworth fretted. Didn’t he have a universal translator, or at least a Babelfish, and if not, why not?
“Asvara chuli, ne,” Ceasar repeated again.
“Klaatu borada nikto?” ventured Wordsworth, without really expecting that it would do any good. And she was right. But he seemed to be asking for something, and then...he put his hands together, as if he were praying, as he repeated his strange saying. He needed her help, desperately, it seemed.
“Come down into the library,” Wordsworth said. She beckoned for him to go through the trap door, and Ceasair complied. Then, she followed him down, closing the trapdoor behind her.
Part 2
The sentient spaceship, Tanhi, perched, invisible, on the roof of the Polar Bear Library.
She (for all craft, on all worlds, are shes) ran through all of her memory banks, desperately trying to compute a way to prevent Ceasair from wreaking havoc on this world.
She could not send a distress signal to any other ships, let alone any other planets. Ceasair had sabotaged her transmission equipment.
Was it possible to depend on the law enforcement representatives of this planet? She had no choice. But how could she contact them?
If Tanhi had had a visage, she would have smiled. Of course. She sent a pulse of energy into the command console...and the cloaking device switched off. There was a shimmer, and then her sleek, needle-nosed lines appeared, pointing toward the sky.
Tanhi was now visible to anyone who had the eyes to see it. If the vehicles of the law enforcement representatives had computers...and surely they would have computers...she would be able to communicate with them, and they in turn would be able to communicate with their masters.
And Ceasair would find that edifice which he had just entered, had become his tomb.
Vocabulary
symmetrical - well-proportioned, as a body or whole; regular in form or arrangement of corresponding parts
bronze - an alloy consisting of copper and tin
alloy - a substance composed of two or more metals, or of a metal or metals with a nonmetal
fretted - to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontentdesperately - made reckless or dangerous because of despair or urgency
wreaking - to inflict or execute
havoc - great destruction or devastation
transmission - the broadcasting of electromagnetic waves from one location to another
representative - standing or acting for another or others
visage - the face, usually with reference to shape, features, expression
vehicles - a conveyance moving on wheels, runners, or tracks, such as a cart, sled, automobile, or tractor
tomb - an excavation in earth or rock for the burial of a corpse; grave
Cultural References
Klaatu borada nikto - in the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still, these are the instructions from the alien Klaatu that prevent the robot Gort from destroying the earth.
universal translator - in Star Trek, a device that translates English into alien languages, and vice versa.
Babelfish - in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a fish-shaped alien that feeds on thoughtwaves, and thus translates alien languages into the language of te individual who has the Babelfish in his or her ear.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Ceasair and the Tanhi
Within the invisible spaceship, the pilot, Ceasair, took a deep breath. He had never been on Earth before, but in all the inhabited galaxies of the world, the bipedal/humanoid shape was the shape that had evolved , indeed, was the only one that could evolve...the same spores that had evolved into life on planet Earth had been the ones that brought life to the planets in other galaxies and other universes as well.
And he had watched on the viewscreen as Wordsworth had discovered his invisible spaceship, and he had recognized the expression on her face and knew exactly what she intended to do.
"You think you've trapped me in this pitiful solar system, Tanhi," Ceasair said aloud, coldly, addressing the space craft. "Well, you are wrong. You couldn't turn off your sensors, could you, and I know exactly where I am, and what's below me. This world's universe is my oyster."
The Tanhi made no response.
"Open the hatch."
The Tanhi, as a sentient space craft, was in rather the same position as the earth's robots of Isaac Asimov, who were under the dominion of the Three Laws of Robotics. Every race, when it reached the technological ability to produce sentient robots or, in the Tanhi's case, spacecraft, always built in some safegaurds. Therefore, although the Tanhi was able to prevent an unauthorized pilot from travelling across dimensions at will (a very dangerous practice for the untrained), it had to obey all the usual commands a pilot might give.
Therefore, the Tanhi opened the hatch.
Ceasair stood poised in the hatchway for a few seconds, breathing in the nitrogen-oxygne content of the air, then stepped through the hatchway, through the cloaking device (oozing through it rather like the liquid silver Terminator 2 had looked, before assuming recognizable human form) and then the Tanhi closed the hatch behind him and Ceasair, the most dangerous criminal in the history of Planet Ex, stood on the Earth.
Vocabulary
evolved - to come forth gradually into being; develop
galaxy - a large system of stars held together by mutual gravitation and isolated from similar systems by vast regions of space
universe - the totality of known or supposed objects and phenomena throughout space; the cosmos (there are many solar systems in a galaxy, and mnay galaxies in the universe.)
dominion - the power or right of governing and controlling; sovereign authority
safegaurds - something that serves as a protection or defense or that ensures safety
Cultural References
This world's universe is my oyster - "The world's your oyster" is a phrase that has been used since Shakespeare's time to mean that the world's pearls (which are found in oysters) are there for the taking of anyone who can discover them. Ceasair is paraphrasing this famous saying, for a purpose that will become clear as this blog continues.
Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics - Science fiction author Isaac Asimov formulated positronic robots in 1941, and the laws that they must follow. Other fiction writers from that date forward, when talking about robots, have usually referenced the law when pointing out that their robots either did, or did not, follow the laws.
liquid silver Terminator 2 - Terminator starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as a robot assassin, wearing the guise of a human. In Terminator 2, he has been programmed to help the fugitive John Connor and his mother, and a new Terminator, the T-1000, who is not a robot but rather is composed of "a mimetic polyalloy", a liquid metal that allows it to take the shape and appearance of anyone or anything it touches. Ceasair is not a Terminator, but when he steps through the cloaking device his body is bathed in a silver light that gives that effect.
And he had watched on the viewscreen as Wordsworth had discovered his invisible spaceship, and he had recognized the expression on her face and knew exactly what she intended to do.
"You think you've trapped me in this pitiful solar system, Tanhi," Ceasair said aloud, coldly, addressing the space craft. "Well, you are wrong. You couldn't turn off your sensors, could you, and I know exactly where I am, and what's below me. This world's universe is my oyster."
The Tanhi made no response.
"Open the hatch."
The Tanhi, as a sentient space craft, was in rather the same position as the earth's robots of Isaac Asimov, who were under the dominion of the Three Laws of Robotics. Every race, when it reached the technological ability to produce sentient robots or, in the Tanhi's case, spacecraft, always built in some safegaurds. Therefore, although the Tanhi was able to prevent an unauthorized pilot from travelling across dimensions at will (a very dangerous practice for the untrained), it had to obey all the usual commands a pilot might give.
Therefore, the Tanhi opened the hatch.
Ceasair stood poised in the hatchway for a few seconds, breathing in the nitrogen-oxygne content of the air, then stepped through the hatchway, through the cloaking device (oozing through it rather like the liquid silver Terminator 2 had looked, before assuming recognizable human form) and then the Tanhi closed the hatch behind him and Ceasair, the most dangerous criminal in the history of Planet Ex, stood on the Earth.
Vocabulary
evolved - to come forth gradually into being; develop
galaxy - a large system of stars held together by mutual gravitation and isolated from similar systems by vast regions of space
universe - the totality of known or supposed objects and phenomena throughout space; the cosmos (there are many solar systems in a galaxy, and mnay galaxies in the universe.)
dominion - the power or right of governing and controlling; sovereign authority
safegaurds - something that serves as a protection or defense or that ensures safety
Cultural References
This world's universe is my oyster - "The world's your oyster" is a phrase that has been used since Shakespeare's time to mean that the world's pearls (which are found in oysters) are there for the taking of anyone who can discover them. Ceasair is paraphrasing this famous saying, for a purpose that will become clear as this blog continues.
Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics - Science fiction author Isaac Asimov formulated positronic robots in 1941, and the laws that they must follow. Other fiction writers from that date forward, when talking about robots, have usually referenced the law when pointing out that their robots either did, or did not, follow the laws.
liquid silver Terminator 2 - Terminator starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as a robot assassin, wearing the guise of a human. In Terminator 2, he has been programmed to help the fugitive John Connor and his mother, and a new Terminator, the T-1000, who is not a robot but rather is composed of "a mimetic polyalloy", a liquid metal that allows it to take the shape and appearance of anyone or anything it touches. Ceasair is not a Terminator, but when he steps through the cloaking device his body is bathed in a silver light that gives that effect.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Invisible Rocket Ship
Wordsworth returned the hammer to her belt, and then placed both hands in the air and pushed forward until they came into contact with the rocket ship again. She pressed as hard as she could...it was there, she could feel it, she wasn't imagining this.
Now, what was she going to do about it?
Why in the world would a rocket ship land on the top of the Polar Bear Library? Was it some kind of terrestrial craft, which had just come down accidently? Or did it actually originate from beyond the stars?
Wordsworth grinned. It would be so cool if a door in the ship would suddenly shimmer into existence, and Captain Kirk walked out to say, "Hi, we've come for your help. Know any whales?"
But that was fiction, and this was fact. Although as it happened she did know a few cetaceans, being a frequent visitor at the North Star Aquarium.
"I could also introduce you to a few pinnipeds," she said to the imaginary Kirk inside her head.
Enough of this. She was dithering. What was she going to do?
She could call someone, have them come, and by the time they came the rocket ship could have taken off again...and she'd have no proof that it had ever been here. People would doubt the veracity of her claims and she couldn't blame them.
But...what if she were to spray paint the cloaking device? If the spray paint would cling to the cloaking device...or forcefield or whatever it was...she could then take a picture of it with her cellphone and at least have some kind of evidence to show people.
Wordsworth hurried back down into the library.
Vocabulary
terrestrial - pertaining to, consisting of, or representing the earth as distinct from other planets
originate - to begin at, to start from
cetaceans - Any of various aquatic, chiefly marine mammals of the order Cetacea, including the whales, dolphins, and porpoises, characterized by a nearly hairless body, anterior limbs modified into broad flippers, vestigial posterior limbs, and a flat notched tail
pinnipeds - belonging to the Pinnipedia, a suborder of carnivores with limbs adapted to an aquatic life, including the seals and walruses
dithering - to act irresolutely; vacillate
veracity - correctness or accuracy
forcefield - region of space throughout which the force produced by an agent or several agents, such as an electric charge, is operative
Cultural References
Wordsworth grinned. It would be so cool if a door in the ship would suddenly shimmer into existence, and Captain Kirk walked out to say, "Hi, we've come for your help. Know any whales?": Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. The Enterprise crew (albeit in a Klingon vessel) must go back in time to find a whale, to transport to the future, so that it can communicate with a whale-like species who requests for communication are destroying the Earth.
Now, what was she going to do about it?
Why in the world would a rocket ship land on the top of the Polar Bear Library? Was it some kind of terrestrial craft, which had just come down accidently? Or did it actually originate from beyond the stars?
Wordsworth grinned. It would be so cool if a door in the ship would suddenly shimmer into existence, and Captain Kirk walked out to say, "Hi, we've come for your help. Know any whales?"
But that was fiction, and this was fact. Although as it happened she did know a few cetaceans, being a frequent visitor at the North Star Aquarium.
"I could also introduce you to a few pinnipeds," she said to the imaginary Kirk inside her head.
Enough of this. She was dithering. What was she going to do?
She could call someone, have them come, and by the time they came the rocket ship could have taken off again...and she'd have no proof that it had ever been here. People would doubt the veracity of her claims and she couldn't blame them.
But...what if she were to spray paint the cloaking device? If the spray paint would cling to the cloaking device...or forcefield or whatever it was...she could then take a picture of it with her cellphone and at least have some kind of evidence to show people.
Wordsworth hurried back down into the library.
Vocabulary
terrestrial - pertaining to, consisting of, or representing the earth as distinct from other planets
originate - to begin at, to start from
cetaceans - Any of various aquatic, chiefly marine mammals of the order Cetacea, including the whales, dolphins, and porpoises, characterized by a nearly hairless body, anterior limbs modified into broad flippers, vestigial posterior limbs, and a flat notched tail
pinnipeds - belonging to the Pinnipedia, a suborder of carnivores with limbs adapted to an aquatic life, including the seals and walruses
dithering - to act irresolutely; vacillate
veracity - correctness or accuracy
forcefield - region of space throughout which the force produced by an agent or several agents, such as an electric charge, is operative
Cultural References
Wordsworth grinned. It would be so cool if a door in the ship would suddenly shimmer into existence, and Captain Kirk walked out to say, "Hi, we've come for your help. Know any whales?": Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. The Enterprise crew (albeit in a Klingon vessel) must go back in time to find a whale, to transport to the future, so that it can communicate with a whale-like species who requests for communication are destroying the Earth.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
The Space Ship on the Roof
Wordsworth opened the trap door that led onto the flat room of the Polar Bear Library, and climbed up and out onto the roof. She'd never been up there before, and for a few seconds she took some time to look around at the earth below her.
Then she looked down on the roof. It was covered in scorch marks. The roof had been painted, long ago, with a special type of paint that reflected heat upward...similar to what was used on the space shuttle. This had happened during the global warming scare when everyone was supposed to reduce their usage of fossil fuels. It had been hoped that by deflecting the heat of the sun from the library's roof, it would cost less to air-condition the interior of the library.
Wordsworth wondered, now, if that special paint had actually saved her life. Because those scorch marks were pretty severe, and if the roof had not been protected by it, perhaps it...whatever it was, Wordsworth reminded herself...might have actually burned through the roof, the ceiling, and the entire library!
Gripping the hammer firmly with one hand, and holding her other hand outstretched, Wordsworth crept toward the center of the roof.
And stopped, for her hand had indeed connected with something solid. Smooth, sleek, solid...and invisible. A space ship!
Vocabulary
scorch - to parch or shrivel with heat
reflecting - to cast back (light, heat, sound) from a surface
deflecting - To turn aside or cause to turn aside
severe - harsh; unnecessarily extreme, grave; critical
sleek - trim and graceful; finely contoured; streamlined
Then she looked down on the roof. It was covered in scorch marks. The roof had been painted, long ago, with a special type of paint that reflected heat upward...similar to what was used on the space shuttle. This had happened during the global warming scare when everyone was supposed to reduce their usage of fossil fuels. It had been hoped that by deflecting the heat of the sun from the library's roof, it would cost less to air-condition the interior of the library.
Wordsworth wondered, now, if that special paint had actually saved her life. Because those scorch marks were pretty severe, and if the roof had not been protected by it, perhaps it...whatever it was, Wordsworth reminded herself...might have actually burned through the roof, the ceiling, and the entire library!
Gripping the hammer firmly with one hand, and holding her other hand outstretched, Wordsworth crept toward the center of the roof.
And stopped, for her hand had indeed connected with something solid. Smooth, sleek, solid...and invisible. A space ship!
Vocabulary
scorch - to parch or shrivel with heat
reflecting - to cast back (light, heat, sound) from a surface
deflecting - To turn aside or cause to turn aside
severe - harsh; unnecessarily extreme, grave; critical
sleek - trim and graceful; finely contoured; streamlined
Friday, January 22, 2010
The Space Ship
Wordsworth looked up at the roof of the library in disbelief. She had seen a space ship...she knew she had. It had shimmered and disappeared in the space of a few seconds, but she had seen it.
She didn't wear glasses, so she couldn't go through the cliched routine of taking them off, cleaning them, and then putting them back on to see if the spaceship was still invisible.
Invisible, she thought. It must have a Cloaking Device, like in Star Trek.
Wordsworth was a devoted fan of Star Trek: The Original Series, and not so much so of The Next Generation or Voyager, and definitely not a fan of Deep Space Nine or Enterprise.
"The original Star Trek had such.... joie de vivre, she'd say. Mankind on Earth had conquered all its problems and brought peace to the strs. But the subsequent series were so...depressing...with the stars full of wars between alien species, death and destruction, suffering and dying..she much preferred the optimistic view of the first series. And the fact that every episode of Star Trek: TOS ended with a fight between Kirk and the villain was merely an added bonus.
Wordsworth had left her purse in the library...and in her purse was her cellphone. She didn't want to waste time going in to get it and making a phone call, but she had to. She'd seen way too many TV shows where some silly woman -- and less often, some silly guy -- had gone to investigate a strange occurrence all by herself, without telling anyone else where she was going or when she'd be back, only to disappear and be found dead months later, or, in TV shows of a less grim nature, tied up in some back room, ready to be rescued by the handsome hero of the show.
But who could she call?
Wordsworth returned to the library, and quickly recountedwhat had happened, writing quickly on a sheet of paper: "I've seen a rocketship land on the roof of the library, and I am going up to investigate."
She placed the sheet in a prominent position on her desk, easily seen. Then, she dug her cellphone out of her purse and transferred it to her pocket. She would not call anyone, yet, but if something strange happened on the roof...if, for example, an energy beam of some kind knocked her off the roof, or simply repelled her, she would then call someone.
Should she bring a weapon?
Wordsworth looked around the library. The common trope (a common theme used in storytelling) used in science fiction stories, at least throughout the 1950s, was that the aliens always came in peace. But from the 1980s onward, they more likely came to eat or enslave. She would take no chances. But there were no useful weapons in a library....well, perhaps a screwdriver from the toolkit kept in the alcove that had the ladder that led up to the roof.
Wordsworth vacillated between a hammer and a screwdriver, and finally selected the hammer. She pushed this through one of her beltloops so that it hung securely, then, taking a deep breath, she climbed up the ladder and pushed open the trap door that led to the flat ceiling of the library.
Vocabulary
cliched - A trite or overused expression or idea
Cloaking - Something that covers or conceals (not to be confused with a cloak, a garment that is worn)
joie de vivre - a French phrase, "joy of life"
subsequent - following in time, order, or space
species - A kind, variety, or type (of animals, of businesses, of professions)
optimistic - expecting a favorable outcome
investigate - to examine systematically
recounted - To narrate the facts or particulars of (not to be confused with "a recount" - to re-count numbers or votes.
trope - a common theme used in storytelling
vacillated - to go indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another
She didn't wear glasses, so she couldn't go through the cliched routine of taking them off, cleaning them, and then putting them back on to see if the spaceship was still invisible.
Invisible, she thought. It must have a Cloaking Device, like in Star Trek.
Wordsworth was a devoted fan of Star Trek: The Original Series, and not so much so of The Next Generation or Voyager, and definitely not a fan of Deep Space Nine or Enterprise.
"The original Star Trek had such.... joie de vivre, she'd say. Mankind on Earth had conquered all its problems and brought peace to the strs. But the subsequent series were so...depressing...with the stars full of wars between alien species, death and destruction, suffering and dying..she much preferred the optimistic view of the first series. And the fact that every episode of Star Trek: TOS ended with a fight between Kirk and the villain was merely an added bonus.
Wordsworth had left her purse in the library...and in her purse was her cellphone. She didn't want to waste time going in to get it and making a phone call, but she had to. She'd seen way too many TV shows where some silly woman -- and less often, some silly guy -- had gone to investigate a strange occurrence all by herself, without telling anyone else where she was going or when she'd be back, only to disappear and be found dead months later, or, in TV shows of a less grim nature, tied up in some back room, ready to be rescued by the handsome hero of the show.
But who could she call?
Wordsworth returned to the library, and quickly recountedwhat had happened, writing quickly on a sheet of paper: "I've seen a rocketship land on the roof of the library, and I am going up to investigate."
She placed the sheet in a prominent position on her desk, easily seen. Then, she dug her cellphone out of her purse and transferred it to her pocket. She would not call anyone, yet, but if something strange happened on the roof...if, for example, an energy beam of some kind knocked her off the roof, or simply repelled her, she would then call someone.
Should she bring a weapon?
Wordsworth looked around the library. The common trope (a common theme used in storytelling) used in science fiction stories, at least throughout the 1950s, was that the aliens always came in peace. But from the 1980s onward, they more likely came to eat or enslave. She would take no chances. But there were no useful weapons in a library....well, perhaps a screwdriver from the toolkit kept in the alcove that had the ladder that led up to the roof.
Wordsworth vacillated between a hammer and a screwdriver, and finally selected the hammer. She pushed this through one of her beltloops so that it hung securely, then, taking a deep breath, she climbed up the ladder and pushed open the trap door that led to the flat ceiling of the library.
Vocabulary
cliched - A trite or overused expression or idea
Cloaking - Something that covers or conceals (not to be confused with a cloak, a garment that is worn)
joie de vivre - a French phrase, "joy of life"
subsequent - following in time, order, or space
species - A kind, variety, or type (of animals, of businesses, of professions)
optimistic - expecting a favorable outcome
investigate - to examine systematically
recounted - To narrate the facts or particulars of (not to be confused with "a recount" - to re-count numbers or votes.
trope - a common theme used in storytelling
vacillated - to go indecisively from one course of action or opinion to another
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Crash
The space ship was a sentient one, which means that it was, in a way, alive. It could see through its sensors and process what it saw. It could also sense that its dimensional engines were no longer working. It realized that if it crashed into something, it could be destroyed. And it knew that if it was destroyed, its sentience would end.
Therefore, the ship, which was called Tanhi, immediately cut out its power engines, as well, and "hit the brakes."
The trajectory of the ship continued to bring it right toward the Polar Bear Library, but now it was slowing down precipitously. It also flashed, very briefly, on the Distant Early Warning (DEW) sensors, but too quickly for anyone to see it.
Tanhi fired its retro rockets, and landed...very gently...on the roof of the Polar Bear Library.
Inside the building, Wordsworth was alone. The rest of the complement of her fellow librarians had left just minutes ago. But she had wanted to do some research with one of the books in the reference section, and those books were not allowed out of the library...even if one was a librarian!
Wordsworth heard a tremendous crash on the roof above her, and the very building itself seemed to shake. [The concept of "very gently," when talking about a rocket ship, is a relative one.]
"What the..." said Wordsworth.
She ran out of the building, turned to look up, and saw the sleek lines of a rocket ship, its nose pointed toward the sky.
As she looked at it...it shimmered and disappeared.
Vocabulary
sentient - having the power of perception by the senses; conscious
sentience - capacity for sensation or feeling
"hit the brakes" - When a phrase is surrounded by quotation marks, that is alerting the reader that the phrase is being used to convey a certain meaning. For example, the driver of a car "hits the brakes" with his foot. A rocket has an entirely different braking system! But using that phrase conveys the same meaning.
precipitously - to bring about suddenly
retro rockets - a small, auxiliary rocket engine, part of a larger rocket vehicle, with its exhaust nozzle pointed toward the direction of flight, for decelerating the larger rocket or separating one stage from another
complement - the full number of officers and crew required on a ship, not to be confused with a compliment: an expression of praise, commendation, or admiration
very building itself seemed to shake - a poetic way of emphasizing the subject of the sentence. "Very" in this context means "being such in the true or fullest sense of the term"
relative - something having, or standing in, some relation to something else, not to be confused with a family relative, such as parents, aunts, etc.
shimmered - to appear to quiver or vibrate
Therefore, the ship, which was called Tanhi, immediately cut out its power engines, as well, and "hit the brakes."
The trajectory of the ship continued to bring it right toward the Polar Bear Library, but now it was slowing down precipitously. It also flashed, very briefly, on the Distant Early Warning (DEW) sensors, but too quickly for anyone to see it.
Tanhi fired its retro rockets, and landed...very gently...on the roof of the Polar Bear Library.
Inside the building, Wordsworth was alone. The rest of the complement of her fellow librarians had left just minutes ago. But she had wanted to do some research with one of the books in the reference section, and those books were not allowed out of the library...even if one was a librarian!
Wordsworth heard a tremendous crash on the roof above her, and the very building itself seemed to shake. [The concept of "very gently," when talking about a rocket ship, is a relative one.]
"What the..." said Wordsworth.
She ran out of the building, turned to look up, and saw the sleek lines of a rocket ship, its nose pointed toward the sky.
As she looked at it...it shimmered and disappeared.
Vocabulary
sentient - having the power of perception by the senses; conscious
sentience - capacity for sensation or feeling
"hit the brakes" - When a phrase is surrounded by quotation marks, that is alerting the reader that the phrase is being used to convey a certain meaning. For example, the driver of a car "hits the brakes" with his foot. A rocket has an entirely different braking system! But using that phrase conveys the same meaning.
precipitously - to bring about suddenly
retro rockets - a small, auxiliary rocket engine, part of a larger rocket vehicle, with its exhaust nozzle pointed toward the direction of flight, for decelerating the larger rocket or separating one stage from another
complement - the full number of officers and crew required on a ship, not to be confused with a compliment: an expression of praise, commendation, or admiration
very building itself seemed to shake - a poetic way of emphasizing the subject of the sentence. "Very" in this context means "being such in the true or fullest sense of the term"
relative - something having, or standing in, some relation to something else, not to be confused with a family relative, such as parents, aunts, etc.
shimmered - to appear to quiver or vibrate
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Rocket Ship
As Wordsworth continued her filing, and the rest of the librarians continued with their end-of-the-day tasks, the rocket ship drew closer and closer to Earth.
The ship was large enough to be picked up by Earth’s Distant Early Warning System, but none of the tracking systems recorded it, because it was not coming through normal space. Instead, it was slicing through dimension after dimension, like a drill boring through the pages of a book.
The pilot of the ship was a biped, humanoid in shape. He sat in the command chair, his fingers flying over the controls on the command console in front of him, as he desperately tried to gain control of the errant craft.
Nothing was working...nothing was going to work... The pilot came to that conclusion. His fingers stopped moving over the controls. There was only one thing for it, he decided. He sat back in the command chair and flipped open the left hand arm rest. Nestled within it was a red button. Interestingly enough, red buttons meant the same thing on practically every humanoid-occupied planet in the universe...(though few of their occupants had ever journeyed beyond their own planet’s atmosphere).
The pilot brought his fist crashing down on the button.
Immediately, the rocket ship's dimensional engine’s stopped firing. That meant that the rocketship could travel through no more dimensions...whichever dimension it was in was the dimension in which it would stay.
It also meant that the next time the ship attempted to pass through an impenetrable object by side-slipping into another dimension, it wouldn’t be able to do it. Instead, it would crash into that impenetrable object.
The pilot only hoped he would survive that crash.
Vocabulary
dimension - in science fiction terms, other universes that mirror ours.
biped - a two-footed animal
errant - deviating from the regular or proper course; not to be confused with its secondary meaning, such as "journeying or traveling."
dimensional engine’s - in science fiction, it's necessary to invent equipment and terminology. The reader, especially those who aren't technologically inclined, must simply extrapolate what the item named is being used for.
extrapolate - to infer (an unknown) from something that is known; to make an educated guess.
Nestled - to lie or be located in a sheltered spot
side-slipping - to slide sideways in a downward direction, toward the center of the curve described in turning
impenetrable - not penetrable; that cannot be penetrated, pierced, entered
The ship was large enough to be picked up by Earth’s Distant Early Warning System, but none of the tracking systems recorded it, because it was not coming through normal space. Instead, it was slicing through dimension after dimension, like a drill boring through the pages of a book.
The pilot of the ship was a biped, humanoid in shape. He sat in the command chair, his fingers flying over the controls on the command console in front of him, as he desperately tried to gain control of the errant craft.
Nothing was working...nothing was going to work... The pilot came to that conclusion. His fingers stopped moving over the controls. There was only one thing for it, he decided. He sat back in the command chair and flipped open the left hand arm rest. Nestled within it was a red button. Interestingly enough, red buttons meant the same thing on practically every humanoid-occupied planet in the universe...(though few of their occupants had ever journeyed beyond their own planet’s atmosphere).
The pilot brought his fist crashing down on the button.
Immediately, the rocket ship's dimensional engine’s stopped firing. That meant that the rocketship could travel through no more dimensions...whichever dimension it was in was the dimension in which it would stay.
It also meant that the next time the ship attempted to pass through an impenetrable object by side-slipping into another dimension, it wouldn’t be able to do it. Instead, it would crash into that impenetrable object.
The pilot only hoped he would survive that crash.
Vocabulary
dimension - in science fiction terms, other universes that mirror ours.
biped - a two-footed animal
errant - deviating from the regular or proper course; not to be confused with its secondary meaning, such as "journeying or traveling."
dimensional engine’s - in science fiction, it's necessary to invent equipment and terminology. The reader, especially those who aren't technologically inclined, must simply extrapolate what the item named is being used for.
extrapolate - to infer (an unknown) from something that is known; to make an educated guess.
Nestled - to lie or be located in a sheltered spot
side-slipping - to slide sideways in a downward direction, toward the center of the curve described in turning
impenetrable - not penetrable; that cannot be penetrated, pierced, entered
Almost Closing Time
It was thirty minutes until closing time. Wordsworth pressed the button that rang a muted chime throughout the library. The soft, gentle tone caught everyone's attention without shocking them. Then she spoke into a phone that was connected to a loudspeaker that also could be heard throughout the building.
“Attention library patrons. The library will be closing in thirty minutes. If you need to obtain a library card, please do so now. The computer system will be shut down in fifteen minutes, so please save your work now. Thank you.”
Wordsworth put the handset, or receiver, back on the cradle, and then rose from her desk.
In another fifteen minutes, she would repeat the announcement. At that time, she would inform the library guests that they should check out their materials immediately. The motive or purpose behind the two announcements was to have the last patron leave the library well before closing time, so the staff could lock the doors! Then the librarians and other library staff could finish up their work for the day, and strive, or at least attempt, to leave the building themselves in a reasonable amount of time.
Wordsworth walked through the library, curious to see how many people were still seated in the lounge area, and in the study carrels , the little desks running along the far wall, which had windows looking out on a pond. In a far corner, she saw one of her friends, Stefan Parker, reading a book. As she approached him, she saw him grimace, shake his head, and shut the book with a loud report.
That's the way Stefan always shut his books...slamming them closed so that a loud "snap" distubed everyone near him. A few people thought he did this just to annoy them, but Wordsworth was of a different opinion. She thought that Stefan became so immersed in the stories he was reading, that he felt it necessary to jar himself out of that fictional world by slamming the books closed, so as to shut those characters in, and the loud noise served to reassure himself that he was back in the real world.
“Something wrong, Joe,” she asked. “Why did you make such an unhappy face?”
Joe held the book up so she could get a good look at its cover. “The author of this tome is wildly successful. He’s got a winning formula and he’s made millions of dollars from all his books. But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s not a very good writer!”
Wordsworth recognized the name and agreed. He wrote technothrillers, all of them written to a formula. His books were very popular at the library.
“But you grimaced, Joe,” Wordsworth said. “You made a face of disgust. What particular piece of prose did you dislike?”
“Well, here, let me read it to you.” Joe opened the book again, found the page, and read aloud.
“’An excellent suggestion,’ Meade demurred. ‘I’ll put a call in to the Secretary of State right away.’”
Joe closed the book with a snap. “Okay, Wordsworth,” he said. “What’s wrong with that sentence?”
“Easy, said Wordsworth. Since Meade is saying, “An excellent suggestion,” you can infer or deduce from that that he thinks it is a good idea. But the descriptive word the author uses is demurred. And demurred doesn’t mean you agree with someone! It means you disagree with them!”
“Exactly,” said Joe. “This author uses the wrong word all the time. For example, listen to this: Rising to his feet, he thought of Lisa as he gazed at the damaged car, then felt a pang of anger gradually swell from within.”
Wordsworth wrinkled her nose. “You’re right. People feel a pang of regret, or of remorse, or even of hunger, but they don’t feel a pang of anger.”
“Exactly. He should have said something like, 'He felt a jolt of anger, or a surge of anger. And then there’s this one. “The pool maintenance director willfully parted with his water quality analyzer in exchange for a case of beer.”
Wordsworth nodded again. “He’s misusing the word willfully. The word he should have used is willingly – the director handed over the water quality analyzer without argument or hesitation. The word willfully means something else altogether, like stubbornness. “He willfully threw the analyzer on the ground to break it,” something like that."
“Of course you know what he means to say," said Joe, "based on the context of the sentence, but it’s still pretty annoying. You'd think a proofreader or editor would catch these mistakes.”
“You’re a good writer, Joe. Why don’t you try to write a book?”
Joe laughed. “That’s the difference between this guy and me. He’s a lousy writer, but he finishes his books. I’m a great writer, but I’ve never finished any book I’ve started. No wonder I’ve never been published.”
“Time to stop making a joke of it,” Wordsworth said bracingly. “It’s time you made a serious effort to write something. If you lose interest in your book halfway through, start out by writing short stories, instead!”
Joe nodded. “I think I’m going to give it a try. Well, I’d better head home. See you later, Wordsworth.”
“See you.”
Vocabulary
Muted - of low intensity and reduced volume; softened
Handset - a telephone having a mouthpiece and earpiece mounted at opposite ends of a handle
Cradle - any of various supports for objects set horizontally, as the support for the handset of a telephone
Inform - to give or impart knowledge of a fact or circumstance to
Motive - the goal or object of a person's actions
Strive - to make strenuous efforts toward any goal
Carrel - a table or desk with three sides extending above the writing surface to serve as partitions
Grimace - a facial expression, often ugly or contorted, that indicates disapproval, pain, and so on
report - a loud noise (not to be confused with someone making a statement or giving information, as in a "report card."
immersed - plunged or sunk in, fully covered
jar - to conflict, clash, or disagree (not to be confused with, you know, a jar! to keep things in!)
tome - a book, especially a very heavy, large, or learned book; or one that pretends to be
Prose - the ordinary form of spoken or written language, as opposed to poetry or verse
Demurred - to make objection, especially on the grounds of scruples; take exception; object
Infer - to derive by reasoning; conclude or judge from premises or evidence
Pang - a sudden feeling of mental or emotional distress or longing
Willfully - unreasonably stubborn or headstrong
Willingly - cheerfully consenting or ready
Bracingly - 1) strengthening; invigorating; 2) of, pertaining to, or serving as a brace
Other terms
water quality analyzer - a device that tests water to see what chemical components are containted within it.
“Attention library patrons. The library will be closing in thirty minutes. If you need to obtain a library card, please do so now. The computer system will be shut down in fifteen minutes, so please save your work now. Thank you.”
Wordsworth put the handset, or receiver, back on the cradle, and then rose from her desk.
In another fifteen minutes, she would repeat the announcement. At that time, she would inform the library guests that they should check out their materials immediately. The motive or purpose behind the two announcements was to have the last patron leave the library well before closing time, so the staff could lock the doors! Then the librarians and other library staff could finish up their work for the day, and strive, or at least attempt, to leave the building themselves in a reasonable amount of time.
Wordsworth walked through the library, curious to see how many people were still seated in the lounge area, and in the study carrels , the little desks running along the far wall, which had windows looking out on a pond. In a far corner, she saw one of her friends, Stefan Parker, reading a book. As she approached him, she saw him grimace, shake his head, and shut the book with a loud report.
That's the way Stefan always shut his books...slamming them closed so that a loud "snap" distubed everyone near him. A few people thought he did this just to annoy them, but Wordsworth was of a different opinion. She thought that Stefan became so immersed in the stories he was reading, that he felt it necessary to jar himself out of that fictional world by slamming the books closed, so as to shut those characters in, and the loud noise served to reassure himself that he was back in the real world.
“Something wrong, Joe,” she asked. “Why did you make such an unhappy face?”
Joe held the book up so she could get a good look at its cover. “The author of this tome is wildly successful. He’s got a winning formula and he’s made millions of dollars from all his books. But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s not a very good writer!”
Wordsworth recognized the name and agreed. He wrote technothrillers, all of them written to a formula. His books were very popular at the library.
“But you grimaced, Joe,” Wordsworth said. “You made a face of disgust. What particular piece of prose did you dislike?”
“Well, here, let me read it to you.” Joe opened the book again, found the page, and read aloud.
“’An excellent suggestion,’ Meade demurred. ‘I’ll put a call in to the Secretary of State right away.’”
Joe closed the book with a snap. “Okay, Wordsworth,” he said. “What’s wrong with that sentence?”
“Easy, said Wordsworth. Since Meade is saying, “An excellent suggestion,” you can infer or deduce from that that he thinks it is a good idea. But the descriptive word the author uses is demurred. And demurred doesn’t mean you agree with someone! It means you disagree with them!”
“Exactly,” said Joe. “This author uses the wrong word all the time. For example, listen to this: Rising to his feet, he thought of Lisa as he gazed at the damaged car, then felt a pang of anger gradually swell from within.”
Wordsworth wrinkled her nose. “You’re right. People feel a pang of regret, or of remorse, or even of hunger, but they don’t feel a pang of anger.”
“Exactly. He should have said something like, 'He felt a jolt of anger, or a surge of anger. And then there’s this one. “The pool maintenance director willfully parted with his water quality analyzer in exchange for a case of beer.”
Wordsworth nodded again. “He’s misusing the word willfully. The word he should have used is willingly – the director handed over the water quality analyzer without argument or hesitation. The word willfully means something else altogether, like stubbornness. “He willfully threw the analyzer on the ground to break it,” something like that."
“Of course you know what he means to say," said Joe, "based on the context of the sentence, but it’s still pretty annoying. You'd think a proofreader or editor would catch these mistakes.”
“You’re a good writer, Joe. Why don’t you try to write a book?”
Joe laughed. “That’s the difference between this guy and me. He’s a lousy writer, but he finishes his books. I’m a great writer, but I’ve never finished any book I’ve started. No wonder I’ve never been published.”
“Time to stop making a joke of it,” Wordsworth said bracingly. “It’s time you made a serious effort to write something. If you lose interest in your book halfway through, start out by writing short stories, instead!”
Joe nodded. “I think I’m going to give it a try. Well, I’d better head home. See you later, Wordsworth.”
“See you.”
Vocabulary
Muted - of low intensity and reduced volume; softened
Handset - a telephone having a mouthpiece and earpiece mounted at opposite ends of a handle
Cradle - any of various supports for objects set horizontally, as the support for the handset of a telephone
Inform - to give or impart knowledge of a fact or circumstance to
Motive - the goal or object of a person's actions
Strive - to make strenuous efforts toward any goal
Carrel - a table or desk with three sides extending above the writing surface to serve as partitions
Grimace - a facial expression, often ugly or contorted, that indicates disapproval, pain, and so on
report - a loud noise (not to be confused with someone making a statement or giving information, as in a "report card."
immersed - plunged or sunk in, fully covered
jar - to conflict, clash, or disagree (not to be confused with, you know, a jar! to keep things in!)
tome - a book, especially a very heavy, large, or learned book; or one that pretends to be
Prose - the ordinary form of spoken or written language, as opposed to poetry or verse
Demurred - to make objection, especially on the grounds of scruples; take exception; object
Infer - to derive by reasoning; conclude or judge from premises or evidence
Pang - a sudden feeling of mental or emotional distress or longing
Willfully - unreasonably stubborn or headstrong
Willingly - cheerfully consenting or ready
Bracingly - 1) strengthening; invigorating; 2) of, pertaining to, or serving as a brace
Other terms
water quality analyzer - a device that tests water to see what chemical components are containted within it.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The End of the Day
Wordsworth looked up from her desk to find an Alutiiq teenager standing before her. (The Alutiiq are the indigenous people of Kodiak - its original inhabitants, not to be confused with the Eskimo, an umbrella term covering both the Yupik and Inuit.)
“Yes, can I help you?” she asked.
“I want to start a blog,” he said. “Is there someone here who can help me?”
“Sure. I am the resident computer expert.”
He blinked at her. “You mean, you live in the library?”
Wordsworth grinned. “No. The word resident has several meanings. For example, if I were to say, "I'm a resident of Kodiak," that means I live in Kodiak. When I say I’m the "resident computer expert," that means I’m the person who works here who knows most about computers.”
"Oh, I see," said the teenager. "Whew. I hear people on TV – on hospital shows, you know – talk about being residents of the hospital. I always thought it meant they lived inside the hospital."
Wordsworth grinned again. "For most of them, it probably seems like that. They work a lot of hours. As a matter of fact, I think in the early days, they did live in the hospital. That's probably where the term started. Residents are doctors, or physicians, who know all about general medicine, and are on the staff of a hospital to narrow the focus of their studies."
"It’s so confusing when the same word means three different things," said the teenager.
Wordsworth nodded. "That’s where you have to think about the context of where a word is used. Most of the time you can tell what a word is supposed to mean by how it is used in a sentence. (Always assuming that the person using it, uses it correctly in the first place, she thought to herself.) Anyway, let’s go get on a computer."
Wordsworth helped the boy sign on to one of the websites that offered free host space for bloggers, and created his blog. Then she said, "Okay, now it's time to write your first blog entry. I always call it a manifesto."
“What’s a manifesto?” asked the teen.
“You’ve heard of a ship’s manifest?” asked Wordsworth. “That’s a list of all the cargo that it is carrying? Well, the word manifesto comes from the same source. It means a list of all the goals that you want to accomplish with your blog. You’re explaining it at the very beginning so everyone who reads your blog knows what you want it to be.”
The teen laughed. “My mom says my love of music manifests itself by how loud I play my radio.”
Wordsworth nodded. "Yes, that’s another usage. Playing your radio loud is one manifestation, or part of a list, of what you love about music. If you tap your hands to the beat, that's another manifestation of how you love it."
The teen nodded. "Okay, I understand. Well, I think I’m ready to work on my own now. Thanks so much."
"Sure, no problem," said Wordsworth with a smile. She returned to her desk and looked at her watch. Another fifteen minutes and she would have to make the announcement that the library would be closing, and another fifteen minutes after that, the library would close.
As Wordsworth sat behind her desk, putting away some files, events were happening outside the library that were to have far-reaching consequences.
A rocketship was hurtling toward the Earth, out of control. Its trajectory – its flight path – was going to bring it down right on top of the library.
“Yes, can I help you?” she asked.
“I want to start a blog,” he said. “Is there someone here who can help me?”
“Sure. I am the resident computer expert.”
He blinked at her. “You mean, you live in the library?”
Wordsworth grinned. “No. The word resident has several meanings. For example, if I were to say, "I'm a resident of Kodiak," that means I live in Kodiak. When I say I’m the "resident computer expert," that means I’m the person who works here who knows most about computers.”
"Oh, I see," said the teenager. "Whew. I hear people on TV – on hospital shows, you know – talk about being residents of the hospital. I always thought it meant they lived inside the hospital."
Wordsworth grinned again. "For most of them, it probably seems like that. They work a lot of hours. As a matter of fact, I think in the early days, they did live in the hospital. That's probably where the term started. Residents are doctors, or physicians, who know all about general medicine, and are on the staff of a hospital to narrow the focus of their studies."
"It’s so confusing when the same word means three different things," said the teenager.
Wordsworth nodded. "That’s where you have to think about the context of where a word is used. Most of the time you can tell what a word is supposed to mean by how it is used in a sentence. (Always assuming that the person using it, uses it correctly in the first place, she thought to herself.) Anyway, let’s go get on a computer."
Wordsworth helped the boy sign on to one of the websites that offered free host space for bloggers, and created his blog. Then she said, "Okay, now it's time to write your first blog entry. I always call it a manifesto."
“What’s a manifesto?” asked the teen.
“You’ve heard of a ship’s manifest?” asked Wordsworth. “That’s a list of all the cargo that it is carrying? Well, the word manifesto comes from the same source. It means a list of all the goals that you want to accomplish with your blog. You’re explaining it at the very beginning so everyone who reads your blog knows what you want it to be.”
The teen laughed. “My mom says my love of music manifests itself by how loud I play my radio.”
Wordsworth nodded. "Yes, that’s another usage. Playing your radio loud is one manifestation, or part of a list, of what you love about music. If you tap your hands to the beat, that's another manifestation of how you love it."
The teen nodded. "Okay, I understand. Well, I think I’m ready to work on my own now. Thanks so much."
"Sure, no problem," said Wordsworth with a smile. She returned to her desk and looked at her watch. Another fifteen minutes and she would have to make the announcement that the library would be closing, and another fifteen minutes after that, the library would close.
As Wordsworth sat behind her desk, putting away some files, events were happening outside the library that were to have far-reaching consequences.
A rocketship was hurtling toward the Earth, out of control. Its trajectory – its flight path – was going to bring it down right on top of the library.
Vocabulary
indigenous - originating in, or characteristic of a particular region or country
umbrella term - a term used to inlcude items in a broad category. Doctor is an umbrella term for physician, surgeon, resident and so on, although each term has its own meanings...they all practice medicine.
resident - living or staying at a place in discharge of duty
physician - a person engaged in general medical practice, as distinguished from one specializing in surgery.
manifesto - a public declaration of intentions, opinions, objectives, or motives
trajectory - the curve made by a projectile, such as a ball or a rocket. in its flight
Cultural References
Eskimos - When Europeans, such as the French and the British, first discovered the lands now called Alaska, Canada and Greenland, they already had indigenous inhabitants. Over the years the term Eskimo came to be applied to all of these inhabitants, when in fact each of these native races referred to themselves in their own language. In addition, native people have come to dislike the term, preferring that they be addressed by their correct names. The Alutiiq, therefore, are the indigenous people of Kodiak Island, with their own language. The Aleuts also live in Alaska. The Yupik live in Alaska and in Russia. The Inuit live in Canada.
Introducing Wordsworth
Trelane Scott worked as a librarian for the Polar Bear Library on the island of Kodiak, in Alaska.
She was young, in her early twenties, relatively tall for a woman at 5 feet 8 inches, slender, with short black hair and strikingly light blue eyes.
Her nickname was Wordsworth. When she met new people, they sometimes asked how she had acquired , or received, that nickname.
"Are you a fan of William Wordsworth?" they would ask. William Wordsworth was a famous English poet who lived from 1770 – 1850.
And Trelane was always happy to explain where her nickname really came from.
"Wordsworth was the name of the obsolete man in the Twilight Zone episode of the same name.
Wordsworth was a librarian, and since there were no longer books, let alone libraries, in the state in which this story took place, there was no need for a librarian. But Wordsworth refused to be re-assigned to a different type of job; he refused to let the practice of reading books die out.
Because of this, Wordsworth, who is a small man -- meek and mild -- is called before the Chancellor, a "perfect male specimen" to learn his fate. His fate is to be executed.
Wordsworth can choose the manner of his execution, and asks that a bomb be placed in his small apartment, set to explode at midnight. Wordsworth invites the Chancellor to his apartment. The Chancellor comes, expecting Wordsworth to beg for his life. Instead, Wordsworth locks the Chancellor into the apartment with him.
The government has placed television cameras inside the room, so that an audience can watch and see how this meek and mild man reacts as the time for his death draws nigh (comes closer and closer). However, Wordsworth stays strong...he is not afraid of death. The Chancellor, however, grows more and more terrified and finally breaks down in tears. He begs Wordsworth to let him out of the room. Wordsworth unlocks the door and lets the Chancellor escape, or run away. Then, the bomb explodes.
The next day, the Chancellor, who has shown his cowardice in front of an audience, is also condemned to death."
"And so," Trelane would always finish, "that meek and mild librarian has always been an inspiration to me."
Vocabulary
acquired - to receive, to earn, to purchase, to obtain, to take possession of
obsolete - of no use, out-of-date, no longer needed
fate - a declaration of what must be
Chancellor - the title of various important judges and other high officials
execute - (in this context): to be killed with official sanction
sanction - (in this context): approval
draws nigh - phrase meaning 'near in space or time'
terrified - greatly afraid
escape - to get away, avoid punishment
Cultural References
William Wordsworth - (1770 – 1850). A poet who introduced the Romantic Age in English literature (placing emotion (not necessarily "romantic love" over science in novels).
Twilight Zone - an American science fiction anthology (series in which each story is complete in itself, rather than an on-goig story)from 1959-1964.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Manifesto
Wordsworth and the Visitor From Planet X is a serial story in the form of a blog that will teach its readers new vocabulary on a daily basis.
Why bother to cram for the SATs or the ACTs when, by developing a love of reading, you can not only increase your vocabulary but also your knowledge of the world at the same time, over the course of several years. No need to worry about "freezing' while taking the test, as you'll be drawing on knowledge gained over months if not years.
The Visitor From Planet X materializes in a library, and meets Wordsworth, the librarian on duty. Before the Visitor can leave the building, the Library is sealed by the Micromegas, who intends to capture the Visitor. But while the Visitor may be trapped in a single building, the books and their worlds are her escape.
Why bother to cram for the SATs or the ACTs when, by developing a love of reading, you can not only increase your vocabulary but also your knowledge of the world at the same time, over the course of several years. No need to worry about "freezing' while taking the test, as you'll be drawing on knowledge gained over months if not years.
The Visitor From Planet X materializes in a library, and meets Wordsworth, the librarian on duty. Before the Visitor can leave the building, the Library is sealed by the Micromegas, who intends to capture the Visitor. But while the Visitor may be trapped in a single building, the books and their worlds are her escape.
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