Old Green

Waning cold symptoms means a return to some level of productivity. I suppose yesterday wasn't too bad, as I did get a few things done. Progress on the software front and even outside briefly for a short walk to a store.

I was reading a bit of web content about some people's routine when they have to persevere to bang out some serious code. One fella doing mobile apps advocated an early rise, a run, some meditation, and power through code with lunch thrown in. The notable thing is that he had it very structured - which I think is a key element.

Part of my structure is to get a good breakfast and cup of tea to start the day. Try to remember to get on here for some free-form blog-thinking, and each morning involves reading a few pages of something totally un-work-related. That has been Chekhov plays for a while now. I just finished Uncle Vania, which was interesting.

Uncle Vania follows the structure of many of Chekhov's plays: a mix of classes, destitute poor and insanely bored wealthy. The wealthy are usually functionally poor - or at least they think they are. Pretty much each play ends with someone killing themselves. In UV, Vania takes a pot-shot at his brother in law, but doesn't manage to do him in.

They purge their lives of the ivory-tower professor and his luscious wife who is like siren attracting productive men to their complacent doom. But most interesting for me is the character of the doctor who is in this complacency zone, but still has some long speeches of a very modern environmental nature. Now, the destruction of the landscape happens to parallel the destruction of their productivity at the hands of the luscious Yeliena, who doesn't reciprocate anyone's interest, but still sucks them into her vortex.

The enviro speeches though are quite great, a real testament to how the 'green' perspective is nothing new. In 1890's Russia, there were people who could see the impact of industrialization and creeping farmland into the wilderness and express concern about it. Interesting stuff. Someone should co-opt that speech for a modern event and point out how long it has been an issue.

Anyway...
Researchinator is off to read a couple of pages of the next Chekhov play 'Three Sisters'.