So, who else...

does gratuitous amounts of research you will never need or use in any way?  I now know things like how many bishops there were in sixth century britain (according to the catholic church?  Zero.  According to Irish and welsh oral tradition?  LOTS.  Given that Welsh monasticism has historically been idiosyncratic, I'm not actually seeeing a contradiction here...), the coats of arms of dozens of knights not appearing in this story, the fact that Cornish oral tradition has on one occasion  been proved correct after 3600+ years, the historicity of Sawney Bean, how to build a Roman castrum, that contrary to the democratic myth of Camelot most of the Knights of the Round Table were nt only nobles, but royals in the direct line of succession to their respective thrones, the fact that women were allowed to equip and lead battle groups to the Crusades (okay, I've GOT to find a way to use that one...).

I like learning.  And when I am stuck on writing, learning usually happens instead.

How about you guys?

Word count and a couple other things.

166 words from somewhere in the middle of A Stain Upon His Hands.  46  words on Tumulus.  85 words on, of all things, Trimalchio's Tale.    Nothing from the Knight of the Star-sequel-expansion-thing side of things except some more bits of research and plotting, which all things considered is probably for the best.  Word-count wise, I'm running at about 125% of my goals, which is pretty nice.  I haven't missed a day yet, and obviously I am blogging a little more than five days a week, which is nice, though I don't feel I've yet gotten to the point of reliably saying something interesting every day, which isn't one of my resolutions, but is still a goal I aspire to.

In other news, I'm seriously thinking of taking a week off from talking about politics -- which is at this point more of a big deal for my facebook than my blog, but still.  Right now everything is making my blood boil, and while I still believe the rhetoric of partisan politics in general and the right in particular was gone too far, I intend to practice what I preach, and cool down before I feel my own rhetoric has followed suit.  A week in which I read and learn, but let myself breathe, calm, and stay silent is both a privilege and a luxury.  And a not-inconsiderable exercise in willpower.  We'll see.