Some thoughts on an Iron Noder month
Iron Noder 2023 is drawing to a close, and I have managed, for the first time, to achieve Iron Noder status! I have to say that I've had a blast, and O boy have I learned some lessons. I'd started the month with five writeups in my Drafts that were almost ready to go, but then almost sabotaged myself with a couple of longer pieces. I didn't enjoy that, so went back to having fun writing things that just caught my attention in the moment. I learned to carry a notebook and a pen to jot down thoughts or just odd words. 10/10, would try for Iron again! So, thank you Mauler for organising it, and thus helping enable the removal of five items from wertperch's nodeshell challenge.
The other side of the month was that I was kept busy reading. I've been fascinated and delighted by so many new writeups and took my responsibility as an Iron Voter seriously, reading everything and usually spending all my votes and chings every day. If you've not yet had a chance to, take a few days to read their submissions Iron Noder Progress. Offer these brave and determined souls some feedback, tell them you love them, because they worked their fingers and creative minds to the bone. If minds have bones.
One of the best things about deciding to write more was looking for inspiration. Sometimes this came from other users or following up what they'd written. At least three of mine this month came from others' direct suggestions, so thanks to them too.
I plan to do another Brevity Quest in February (although I'm behind on sending out prizes from the last one), because damnit I enjoyed organising it. I might just do another LieQuest in April too. The one two years ago was a riot, and I could sure use a riot right now.
In other news, my reading list pile is now just below my knee. I've knocked four books off it in the past couple of weeks but it's still too high, largely because I've been adding to it and borrowing from the library. I must learn to read more, borrow less, or decline gifts of books. Current reading is Cloud Atlas (an excellent and challenging book) in bed, and The Illuminatus! Trilogy downstairs (because I've been meaning to read it for years). Neither are light reading.
I've been talking to weroland over the past few weeks. I want to buy him a beer one day. In any case, a couple of days ago during a conversation about whether he'd make his thirty, I cast my I Ching to see if he'd make it and got the following (weroland got "Contemplation and Increase"), and my mental pareidolia kicked in to predict he'd finish strong:
| Primary Hexagram |
Secondary Hexagram |
| Chun, difficulty at the beginning |
Kou, coming to meet |
The Judgement
Difficulty at the Beginning works supreme success
Furthering through perseverance.
Nothing should be undertaken. It furthers one to appoint helpers. |
The Judgement
Coming to Meet.
The maiden is powerful.
One should not marry such a maiden. |
The Image
Clouds and thunder:
The image of Difficulty at the Beginning.
Thus the superior man Brings order out of confusion. |
The Image
Under heaven, wind:
The image of Coming to Meet.
Thus does the prince act when disseminating his commands
And proclaiming them to the four quarters of heaven. |
Today is Pungenday, the 41st day of The Aftermath in the YOLD 3189
Iron node 32
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