Filling in a notebook

Well, so much for the daily update. Perhaps a weekly update is more realistic- yet, it HAS been Thanksgiving holidays. I'll let it slide a couple days...

I got my history of Zeppelin's in the mail. I had checked the book out from the library, but besides incurring an 69$ fine for overdue books, I tried photocopying the book until I realized I was making so many copies, I might as well buy the text. It is a terrific historical work. Well rounded, it covers the history, science, anecdotal, and technical details of the German Airships from the early part of last century. There is even a flight manual of a typical Zeppelin at the back of the book. I plan to use the Zeppelin as my "accuracy model" in developing my fantastic steampunk Airships. I love just getting in there and writing, but with a serious novel, I get a little carried away with ensuring that my world is believable. Also, studying the facets of an eccentric area of interest like massive airships gives you little factual details that enhance your ability to create a kick-ass world, such as reading that Zeppelins had tanks that collected rainwater for hygienic and drinking use... a nice touch that I would have never thought of.

In a complete tangent to this, I will say that I was pleased to hear that Nassim Taleb spoke of being a "Flaneur", in his book "The Black Swan Theory". The idea of a "flaneur", was a central focus of Walter Benjamin in the Arcades Project, was is another major inspirational source for my book. The word "flaneur" is rarely used in everyday conversation nowadays, so I was excited to hear Nassim mention it so casually, as well as in self-deprecation.

Anyway, before I wander the way of the sweet prince leaping after flights of angels, I will list several main character "archetypes" who will figure in my book.

Collectors- scientific rationalists of the 19th century, men and occasional women of the enlightenment who love to pin beetles to elegant red velvet frames and label them in pompous latin.

Vaudeville Actors- common, loud, and profane but with that professional sparkle of the cheap but clever entertainer

Antiquarians- your 19th century scientific hippy; more like liberal cultural anthropologists

Anarchists- bold, young idealists who are ready to revolt- minus communist red flags (philosophical anarchy with a cosmological scope, like G.K. Chesterton's: The Man who was Thursday. Steet soldiers for the electrics. Many young wealthy jaded men are in their ranks.

Patent Medicine Doctor- the carpet bagging, swindler selling snake oil to the masses

Record breaker Barnstormers- bold and brave men who defy natural laws with steam and machines, seeking to break previous records set by other courageous lunatics

Steam tech- any lower order worker in the assembly line of the steam engine work

Shiner- a boy or nimble smaller man who works on cleaning and polishing the glass arcades

Gear man- any self-employed mid-range worker who can fix clock-work.

Gear master- a artisan of all clockwork. Usually has a reputable shop and multiple apprentices.

Boiler man- worker who less standing than a gear-man, but indispensable regarding boilers, pipes, and plumbing.

Sportsman- a hunter who hunts big game and Naturals in the Western Territory. Likes to hunts from airships.

Naturals- the native americans who are enlightened, natural "jedis". They call themselves, "First Men".

The Society of Old Men (S.O.M.)- secret group of hierarchical "CEOs" who control the entire society through finance

Electrics- allies to anarchists, but want to replace steam with Tesla-like electricity inventions; lightning gun, radio, etc. Opposed by the Society of Old Men whose power is consolidated on steam.

Semioticians- the bureaucrats of the Society of Old Men; propagandists

Occultist- a mixture of fake spiritualists and actual sorcerers; foul magick, mixture of alchemy, machinery, and necromancy; humans used as the "motors" for mechanical manipulation

Mezmermist- hypnotists who function as doctors but propose new addictions for cures

Flaneurs- intellectuals and elite who wander through Arcadium and the worlds, seeking pleasures and diversions, observing the sad state of ignorant masses but as dilettante who seek entertainment; kow-tow to the society of old men, but do not see the real reins of control they exert on society. True capitalists and materialists. Trousered and articulate apes.
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS:

Earnest Gilbright "Gil"- millionaire playboy who is like a king of the city; must have the best of everything, must BE the best at every endeavor. (Gilgamesh)

Kidu- The natural who becomes famous in Arcadium for surviving repeated hunts. Gil pursues him, and befriends him. (Enkidu)

Scarlett- Flapper girl/vaudeville singer who Gil loves but spurns too; seduces Enkidu for money and to please Gil, but actually begins to fall for Kidu, making Gil jealous. (Temple Prostitute)

Bull Celestial- the leader of the anarchists who is a huge, charismatic, almost Theodore Roosevelt type leader. Popular nickname in the paper: Bull of Heaven (Bull of Heaven) The Hum-bolt (Humbaba) is the almost unstoppable mega-tank with a lightning gun on top. Kidu and Bull fight an epic battle.

The man with the silver glasses- Gil's handler, the enigmatic, luciferic old man behind the scenes

Nathaniel Timothy- the old man over the mountain who tells Gil how to get to Siduris house.

Siduri- tavern keeper who points the way to (Thunderbird) Utnapishtim.

Thunderbird- ancient seer; aryan/native mix; reveals secret of eternal life and happiness; the evil of dualism and control, the Aracades world, world within a world.

Interesting thoughts:

Ishtar/Shamash equal Left/Right, Good/Evil, Republican/Democrat.... false duality.

Thunderbird goes into it at the end, showing how "left/right", "sun/moon", "male/female", "shamash/ishtar" is a fallacy, like a magic norse thread woven out of impossible things, an argument between two false truths.

Guess I might hint by using symbols, I.E. eight pointed star, old men with their chess boards, etc.

The weapon that defeats the Society of Old Men is that of the First Men, the naturals.

 Victory is achieved by total defeat... the only way to ensure happiness and restore kidu (the natural man) is to  kill the snake by depriving him of his world. That means destroying our world, but I think I will show that destroying Arcadium will seem like the apocalyptic end of everything to those within the walls, but afterwards... The Western Territory beckons!

A start....

GILGAMESH + STEAMPUNK + ARCADES PROJECT = AWESOME NOVEL

I am starting this blog to hold myself accountable to my longstanding endeavor to produce a first novel, a STEAMPUNK novel no less. Even if I don't work on the novel, I hold myself to logging into this blog and documenting my "progress" or "no progress". Hopefully, it will be the latter.

In a nutshell, the concept is to take the ancient Sumerian epic "Gilgamesh" and overlay the storyline onto a STEAMPUNK setting, late 1800's, alternate historical timeline in the United States. Walter Benjamin's "Arcades Project" will influence places/characters as well as tone.

I am humbly, in my amateurish way, emulating the James Joyce the great when he wrote ULYSSES by creating a parallel in my sci-fi STEAMPUNK world to the ancient Gilgamesh World.

This blog will hopefully push my creative energy through the synergy of keeping it in my daily consciousness and public accountability.

A tough, but marvelous work that I have been researching for the last YEAR.