Legacy of Ashes by Tim Weiner review – it’s a history of the CIA!

I have finished reading Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA by Tim Weiner. I found it to be a very odd book.

On the one hand, I have no fault for Weiner’s research. Since I’ve been following the CIA for a while, much of it was known to me, but seeing it collected in one spot was moving – the CIA has done so much evil.

On the other hand, Weiner doesn’t follow his research to the obvious conclusion: that the CIA never worked, and never will, that people operating in secret cannot be trusted, and secret services are a threat to democracy and global stability. Which is to say, the CIA should be shut down for the good of the United States and the world.

Continue reading Legacy of Ashes by Tim Weiner review – it’s a history of the CIA!

Nearly Quit Writing This Week

I almost quit writing this past week. Art is a very rough road, and there are no clear signs to “success.” Effort and ability are not enough. I’ve got a bookshelf and tablet full of indie writers who have gone through the considerable effort of writing and publishing their works – but the truth is that few people are likely to read what they write. It is as I said: hard work and ability aren’t enough.

The flat truth: the number of writers in any given market are increasing at a much faster pace than the number of readers. The limited amount of time and money the audience has is being more finely distributed over an ever-increasing number of authors. So bad is it that it is considered de rigeur for indie writers to pay promotional sites to give away their books. It is a reader’s market, and for the readers it’s great! They get to read to their heart’s content and not pay a dime, to have a plethora of high-quality work for free, indeed, the expense is borne by the writer, not the consumer.

Continue reading Nearly Quit Writing This Week

Weight Loss Monday (on, y’know, Wednesday), Part 9

I lost about three-fourths of a pound over the last week, which is slow for me, but there was a big contributing factor: I was at a convention. Four days! This is going to be an issue, I think. It’s very easy, at cons and shows, to rationalize overeating. Since I’m an introvert, cons are inherently stressful. I enjoy them, but there is stress. So when I’m at a gas station, and I see some candy, I get it. And then, because I don’t have access to my kitchen, I end up eating at a restaurant, which rarely has healthy choices. And if I go out with other people? Add some beer into the mix. Lastly, at cons, I don’t exercise – no bike, no gym. So, duh, it’s harder to lose weight at a convention!

However, I managed to do it, if only a little.  So, yay!  Hashtag goals or somesuch.

Still, before the con, I did ride 94.8 miles that week, though I didn’t do any lifting.

Which is a boring update, which is probably why it’s so late!