Question meme, round two

[mrissa]

the_red_shoes asks:

1) What is your favourite physics equation? (if you have one)

The Schrödinger Equation is just so pretty. And useful!

2) What was the first short story you ever finished about?

I honestly can't tell you; I was dictating stories before I could write them down myself. (mormor1, if you remember, feel free to break radio silence in the comments.) I didn't have a problem with finishing stuff until I was in my mid-teens and standards kicked in with a vengeance. When I was 15 and 16, I was starting a lot of stories and not finishing any. I got that somewhat fixed up when I was 17: got into my current pattern of starting a lot of stories and finishing several.

The first short story I felt had serious potential was my Asimov Award winner, "In the Gardens and the Graves," which was about memory wiping.

3) What is the best thing about going back home?

I think it's all the things I didn't know would be good. I had a whole list of things that would be wonderful about moving home, and they were, but I missed more than half of the things that make my life here wonderful. I just didn't know it was all here to be found. On the other side of things, I was pretty clear on what the drawbacks would be, and they haven't proven themselves more extensive than I realized. So it's only the good stuff where I had no idea what was waiting for me. Ask the people who knew me when I was in California, and they can vouch for the fact that I was not neglecting the mosquitoes and the way you have to sweep and wash the floor every five seconds in the winter because of all the salt and gravel on the streets.

4) Have you ever written any poetry?

Yes. I have written poetry deliberately and with serious intent, and that tends to go badly. I have also written poetry spontaneously and with goofy intent, and that goes a very different kind of badly. I have been on the wagon for limericking for the better part of nine years now and intend to stay limerick-free from here on out, because once I start I can't stop, and I really need my brain not to use that rhythm for everything it does.

5) What is your favourite thing to cook?

The part of my brain that answers questions without thinking about them volunteered, "Spanish rice!" And I do like cooking Spanish rice...garlic and paprika and saffron and white wine, oh so good...and so I thought it through and figured that I can make Spanish rice tonight, and I got markgritter to agree to grill the andouille we have in the freezer, and we have the stuff for salads. So that's dinner tonight. So thanks, Moi.

Comments

[ozarque.livejournal.com]

That's a really interesting set of responses; thanks for posting them.

Breaking Radio Silence

[mormor1.livejournal.com]

Sorry I can't pinpoint a first. I guess the mechanics of writing down (or finishing) your "first" story weren't such a significant milestone to us. You were so verbal at such an early age it seems you were always weaving stories. I think we've just thought of your storytelling more in terms of it being who you are more than--or at least as much as-- something you do. Physically writing down a story was more a progression than an "aha!" moment.