Thoughts for today - some of which have been collecting dust for a while until I had enough to offer in a little clump like this

If the paperwork/press release that accompanies a review copy of a science fiction novel is so complicated that it makes my head spin, then it’s pretty darn likely, that I won’t be interested in reading the book. Honest to gods, if the press release makes me go “huh?”, then Houston, oy, have we got a problem. And it's inevitably book one of the trilogy. (or the endless series) It doesn't help to describe the thing as "high-concept' either or to give me "it's a cross between X, Y and Z" - inevitably those are three books which have NOTHING, zip zero zilch, in common with each other. Except they're science fiction. Lesson Number Two: don't make the reviewer's head hurt. (Lesson number one for me tends to be "don't get so damn cute with individual names or the names of a race or society that the name is unpronounceable. I sound stuff out when I read. If you create the Clthorghglsmrf of the planet HRsmogRflgng, I'm probably going to quit early on.

Moving on,

There are several things out there that for years I’ve accepted as good and cool and recently realized I’ve no idea why. Many of these comes from books on architecture and design, some from catalogues. The earlier books are library books about Arts & Crafts movement, about Greene & Greene, Macintosh and Wright, stuff like that. Where I read about “clinker brick” as if I have a CLUE what that is. Or “quarter-sawn oak”. I know it means something with class and good quality. NO IDEA what it is. (by the way, if you don't know Arts and Crafts design or Greene and Greene, but you do watch "Numb3rs", Charlie's house. Nuff said?)

Then there are “cutting horses”. Some years back, I read a book where heroine rode them/trained them. Did something with them. I had no idea at all what they were but I was somehow still impressed. Isn't that lame of me? Then again, I dunno what quarter horses are either. (Don’t write in to tell me – I will have looked all this stuff up by the time I post it, if I haven’t already!)

Most recently, it’s been “microfiber”. I’ve been seeing that many many many articles of clothing are made with microfiber and I’m supposed to be impressed, apparently, as that’s a good thing. One day, poof, the microfiber was upon us. It’s like waking up in a mini-version of a Le Guin universe (see LATHE OF HEAVEN) where “it’s always been that way” and you were away from the universe that day. Or missed the memo.

Anyone else have one for the list – one of those “everyone but me knows what it is” feelings? That you were just left behind that day?