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Random thoughts

Ireth

Myth Weaver
It was the first 500 copies in the UK that were supposed to be the only ones with the typo. Those First editions are reputed to be work up to £20K...
Is your Harry Potter Book worth £20k - Bitter Wallet
Now Ireth... How much do you LOVE that book?

I've heard that too; also that it's only those with the numbers "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1" on the page with all the copyright info which are that valuable. The numbers in my copy only go down to 4, and another friend has a typo'd copy with numbers down to 7. Makes me wonder if those are still valuable, only less so.
 

Ban

Troglodytic Trouvère
Article Team
Aaaand that's why you buy books instead of ebooks!


My advice: *SELL IT SELL IT SELL IT*
 
Alright, I read somewhere, not here, that there is no such thing as free will. I find this to be a pernicious belief that allows someone to just commit whatever crime or to not improve themselves because dammit the world is just the way it is and I am a product of that world. Asinine.
 

La Volpe

Sage
Alright, I read somewhere, not here, that there is no such thing as free will. I find this to be a pernicious belief that allows someone to just commit whatever crime or to not improve themselves because dammit the world is just the way it is and I am a product of that world. Asinine.

Well, I wouldn't exactly say that there isn't such a thing as free will, but the whole concept of "free will" is very nebulous.

I mean, the concept of free will posits that we are free to make our own decisions without interference from fate et al. Okay, fate isn't interfering. But what causes us to make the decisions that we're making? Genetics? Morals learned from other people? Whether one thinks behaviour is linked to nature or nurture, or both, the effects do not seem to be in control of the person being affected.
 

CupofJoe

Myth Weaver
There is no such thing as free will.
Yeah... that does have the ring to it of "I want to do what ever I want and not take the consequences..."
If you don't have free will, then are you nothing more than an object battered by [predetermined?] events and thereby give up all your "Human Rights"? :p
 

Russ

Istar
Alright, I read somewhere, not here, that there is no such thing as free will. I find this to be a pernicious belief that allows someone to just commit whatever crime or to not improve themselves because dammit the world is just the way it is and I am a product of that world. Asinine.

Free will means different things to different people in different fields. There is some good scientific evidence that we don't have free will in any meaningful sense. I have not come to fully accept that conclusion yet but there is good evidence out there.

The coolest part is that some of the strongest scientific proponents of the "no free will" school also work very hard on reasoning out why concepts like morality and personal responsibility are important and worthwhile.

Sure some simpletons will grab onto that mantra as an attempted free pass, but the real work in that area is amazing complex and fascinating.
 
Proud day for me. My son was playing with some of my old Star Wars toys he called Luke Daddy. Damn straight I'm saving the Galaxy. Now he wants to watch Star Wars everyday.
 

Ireth

Myth Weaver
Received critique for my flash fiction (entry for the Flying High challenge) today. At one point I mention the goddess Morrighan, who is an integral part of the main characters' backstory. My beta advised me to skip over mentioning the goddess by name, because a) Morrighan isn't actually a character in the piece, but she's mentioned in terms of her past actions, which the MCs are dealing with the consequences thereof; and b) not everyone would understand the mythology (and I'm led to assume she doesn't either).

Quite apart from the fact that having the name in there spares me a word or two of expository explanation/clarification ("the Crone Goddess" or something), I'm not sure what to do with this. Is it really that big of a deal if I include a bit of mythology that someone is led to Google in order to understand? Personally, I'm one who'd enjoy being exposed to mythologies I haven't heard of or aren't intimately familiar with, and if Googling would help me find out more, then bring on the mentions. What are others' thoughts on this?
 
C

Chessie

Guest
So I asked my son if he's enjoying school thus far.

"Nope," he responded.

"Anything interesting you're learning?"

"Oh, some stupid math stuff like rounding."

:rolleyes: Oooookay. Like seriously, this kid hates school more than any other child I've met in my life. The funny thing is that he gets pretty good grades. At least there's that. Lol.
 
So I asked my son if he's enjoying school thus far.

"Nope," he responded.

"Anything interesting you're learning?"

"Oh, some stupid math stuff like rounding."

:rolleyes: Oooookay. Like seriously, this kid hates school more than any other child I've met in my life. The funny thing is that he gets pretty good grades. At least there's that. Lol.

Might be he's just bored. I was a lot like that. I sometimes finished as fast as I could just so I could read.
 
C

Chessie

Guest
Boredom is an issue, yes. It's something we're keeping an eye on. But school in general is like a chore to him. Where as most kids we know enjoy going, he gives attitude lol. Oh, well. He doesn't have a choice to not go for another 10 years...
 

La Volpe

Sage
So I asked my son if he's enjoying school thus far.

"Nope," he responded.

"Anything interesting you're learning?"

"Oh, some stupid math stuff like rounding."

:rolleyes: Oooookay. Like seriously, this kid hates school more than any other child I've met in my life. The funny thing is that he gets pretty good grades. At least there's that. Lol.

Wait, are you saying that there are kids who actually like school? I've never met one of those (except maybe really young ones; i.e. grades 1 to 4).
 
I'm homeschooled, so, maybe I don't know, but...

I don't exactly dislike school, but are you supposed to like it? It's just something you have to do. Does anyone *like* getting out of bed and going to work every day?

I don't hate school, but it sure as heck wouldn't be my choice of a recreational activity. I need to graduate high school. So I do it. :p
 

La Volpe

Sage
I'm homeschooled, so, maybe I don't know, but...

I don't exactly dislike school, but are you supposed to like it? It's just something you have to do. Does anyone *like* getting out of bed and going to work every day?

I don't hate school, but it sure as heck wouldn't be my choice of a recreational activity. I need to graduate high school. So I do it. :p

Well, I think there are a handful (or more?) of people that like getting up and going to work. Those that have jobs they love. E.g. full-time authors much of the time. But even accountants et al if they have the personal capacity to love accounting.

The problem with school is that you're forced to do things rather than choosing (or when you choose, you have limited options). Ergo, you have to get up and go do stuff that doesn't interest you in the least. Also, you don't get paid. In fact, you have to pay them so that you get to do stuff that you don't want to do. Yeah. No thanks.
 

ThinkerX

Myth Weaver
I'm homeschooled, so, maybe I don't know, but...

I don't exactly dislike school, but are you supposed to like it? It's just something you have to do. Does anyone *like* getting out of bed and going to work every day?

I don't hate school, but it sure as heck wouldn't be my choice of a recreational activity. I need to graduate high school. So I do it. :p

Homeschooled. That explains a thing or two. That option pretty much didn't exist in my day.

School was something I endured. These days, so is work.
 

Russ

Istar
I really enjoyed school and on most days really enjoy work.

But I didn't think of school as a "recreational activity", but rather the gateway to a super cool place called university.

Also, to me, school wasn't just about the classes. I socialized, enjoyed clubs, and played a number of sports. Had a great time and would go back to university as a student for the rest of my life if that was possible.

Of course as in many things YMMV. I know some fun time authors who find the work a bit of a grind, especially if they are in a two or more book a deal contract. Could I tell you some stories about R.L. Stein in that regard...
 
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