Life, Death and Ownership.

OCTOBER

In kindergarten we are told that Autumn is when nature falls asleep. That's because pre-school kids are too young to handle the concept of death. Later we learn that not everything that falls asleep can be with us again next year, at least not here.

Behind our house, the small ornamental trees are almost bare, while the Oaks and Poplars in the background are still green and thriving. The buzz of summer is becoming a memory and because the sun was warmer and the garden brighter for longer, that memory will invariably be sweeter.

However, not everything is as it seems. 

Entropy is also a product of creation and it completes all circles. In a short month or two, all the trees in this picture will be bare. It is also not unusual for a storm to claim one or two during winter, but when or how they go is inconsequential in the scheme of things. I can say that because at some later stage, hopefully much later, there will be no trees at all and no-one to take a picture of the silence that must eventually prevail. 

The paradox of this picture, is that the specially bred ornamental trees were the most beautiful to look at, but also the first to go, and the pretty Orchid isn't free but is sentenced to life in a pot. In August, all of those trees were resplendent in their different colors of lush foliage, as they shimmered in the breeze for the pleasure of anyone passing by.

This October has sternly reminded me that all we can do is appreciate each other while we are still here together because soon enough, we won't. 

Mutual regard for each other is our primary purpose here in this life because, when you think about it, everything else, and I mean every single thing, belongs to and will eventually be claimed by entropy. It means no one can really own anything, because ultimately no-one will.

October is also my last month with Ochre - Book Two of the Catalysis Trilogy. The amount of creation that was crammed between its covers was impossible to contain there, unless I also added an equal measure of entropy. The result is that by the time those trees are bare, I will no longer own it.

Go to my previous post about ME-BOOKS and download your free 3 Chapter Preview of Ochre, Catalysis and Book of Plebs.

ME-BooKs

Dear Friends, 
Mini-E Books or ME-BooKs, as I prefer to call them, are my way of giving you a small version of the real thing for your preview.  You can download it now and read it on your device at your leisure.

Each ME-BooK contains the first 3 Chapters of my current offerings as I target October 2015 as the publishing date for OCHRE, which is still subject to my final whims. 

The full sized versions are available from all major E-Book distributors from Amazon and Apple through Barnes and Noble, Kobo Books, Smashwords etc etc.  

Look for a special introductory offer on OCHRE if ordered in advance as the normal price, which is still a steal, will apply after publication.

Download_CATALYSIS_ME-Book

BOOK 1 of the CATALYSIS trilogy

Just Click the above link for
your CATALYSIS - Mini-EBook
or ME-Book 3 Chapter Preview











Download_OCHRE_ME-BooK

BOOK 2 of CATALYSIS

Just Click the link above for your
OCHRE  - Mini-EBook or ME-BOOK
3 Chapter preview











Download_Book_of_Plebs_ME_BooK


Just Click the link above for your
Book of Plebs - Mini-EBook or ME-Book
3 Chapter Preview.

Many Species - One Humanity

The continued diversion of our two species that I propose is ongoing right now and under our noses, has lately become more and more obvious by the growing intolerance of what was once a part of humanity towards the other. One insists on life but only at the expense of the other, thereby stepping back over what was once a line of demarcation between civilised and not, or human and inhuman. We might eventually refer to them as human and sub-human. 

In the greater scheme of 'Everything', our sub-human species may soon be ‘Lost’ yet paradoxically, they once proudly claimed to be ‘Chosen’ along side us.

Because of their inadequacies, they are now simply an intelligently self aware biology. They would certainly not satisfy the very rational 'Chosen' criteria defined in Catalysis.

Astrophysicists tell us that the Cat’s Eye Nebula in Draco (The Dragon Constellation) is the result of a very complex supernova. (Picture courtesy of NASA (Click))

They say we are looking at the epitaph of an approximately 5 solar mass star that literally ran out of gas, but that is just the tiniest  fraction of the full story.

There, like here, crimes against humanity raged, but let’s not be confused about the term 'Humanity'. That 'August' aspiration is more about maintaining the sacred code of civilized conduct or Natural Law, and less about the iniquities of any particular sentient or somehow accidentally intelligent and/or self aware species from our dreams or nightmares.

Ochre was truly the wonder of wonders before inhumanity tried to make it its own idol. Destiny was awakened by the affront and punished that sacrilege by sending a wayward and equally degenerate white dwarf star to reduce it to its basic components, and then spread them over the heavens for all of us to later ponder, as we now do.

When we see the catastrophic fallout from such inequities, those of us who are still human enough to ask might inquire where such errant stars of vengeance might originate? The same voice that Spoke it to the Ochre will then tell us that they intervene from the same realm of all possibilities that surround this bubble of existence, that we call our physical here and now. 

Destruction on such a scale might prompt some of us to further implore. "Who or What could call such terrible retribution into being?" 

Did you ever notice how the most sincere questions eventually generate their own answers? “Do you think Me deaf?” Comes the inevitable retort before patiently adding. “I heard you speak it, and therefore it is.”

We withdraw and quietly ask if it's possible that some of us could have evolved to be our own consequence? If so, how do we actually exercise this latent yet innate power that seems to have lain dormant within us? The ridiculous notion that we may be capable of fulfilling our own self declared and very lofty aspirations surfaces like a bubble from the calm of the depths. Or could it be, that maybe we just need to choose our words with far more care ... before speaking them aloud?

Cloisters

This Abbey, not far from where I live, was last used a long time ago. This is evidenced by the tombs of the Abbots who directed songs of praise from under the same arches where their monks prayed. These 6 visible tombs are only a fraction of the total number that also lie in other now also silent, private and closed cloisters. From where I was permitted to 'borrow' this image, even the involuntary act of living can feel like an intrusion into their world.

The ambiance easily summons a momentary illusion of a single file of monks draped in thick brown robes and singing Latin as they slowly make their way around the Abbey walls. The much revered dead still attend to their duty of adding impetus to the hopes and aspirations of others, by propelling them faster and therefore higher, so God can entertain them or not, at God's discretion.

Even though they lived in a very much darker age, these Abbots knew of the Godly Constellations, though not that their individual stars inhaled Hydrogen, breathed out Helium and burned nuclear fires in the process.

Now, so many years later in this enlightened age, most of us call that process Nuclear Fusion and haughtily look back over our shoulders on monks and their superstitious ignorance.

The monks knew nothing of what lies beyond each side of the physical membrane of this universe, nor of other species that even then were tapping into that mystery to close the vast distance and time between them, but they knew enough to call the constellations they traverse like gods, pagan. They then turned their pages to chant some more.

Lastly, there are those of us who are neither haughty, Abbots, Monks nor Star-Farers. We know that most stars of ancient constellations have worlds, and we know that some of those worlds are home to others who might think, hope, aspire and pray. They, like us would know that their worlds merely orbit around a sun, while the godly constellations twinkle gently at night, from so very far away.

There, they say, must also live the 'Priestly Castes' to serve those very distant gods from miraculous blue worlds specially provided from within themselves. Unlike the jealously remote, who may only admire from afar, those attendants are blessed by being so close they can actually touch the stuff of the Untouchable, Who would also feed and water them. Then, as a further reward for their life's devotions, they would become one with the God they served and lie in a holy place from where they may continue to sing their praises undisturbed.

THEY are just one of many people in  ...

Ochre - Book Two of Catalysis 

 - almost there.

Get up to date and read Catalysis, the prequel - http://www.denismcclean.com

Imagine Infinity.

Both Book of Plebs and Catalysis contain strong references to infinity. For people who are busy with ‘real’ stuff, it can be frustrating trying to ‘create’ time to get your head around abstract concepts like infinity. So I thought I should help by explaining how I use science with imagination to ‘See’ it, so I can then write about it.

No point in jumping the gun however, so let’s first start with the part of infinity that holds the universe we see and touch. This is the physical place where we are born, where we live and also where we leave what’s left over after we’re ‘done’.

Currently, Physics explains the universe in terms of a physical membrane which the nerds call a ‘brane’. Mathematics uses M-Theory to explain how the universal membrane or membranes (Multiverse) might work. This is very heavy stuff for people who are heavily anchored in a time equals money reality.

Wikipedia makes some references to M-Theory and membranes and I’ve left those links intact for anyone who might want to go there, but skip the next three lines if you want the Pleb’s version.

M-theory may provide a framework for developing a unified theory of all of the fundamental forces of nature. Attempts to connect M-theory to experiment typically focus on compactifying its extra dimensions to construct approximate etc.

OK - Here we go. Physics, as the name implies, is about the rules for physical things and they place a limit on how big anything can be. Physics as we understand it, can't exist beyond big, just as it can't apply beyond the smallest elemental or sub-atomic particles.

If something is too big - it will become bigger than a black hole and if it’s too small, it becomes part of gravity and/or energy and loses its physical attributes. It could be that being too physically big and being too physically small, is much the same thing. That’s a little simplistic, but it’s all the science you’ll need right now. If and when you do get time to think about it, it will make sense.

So. Our physical universe can’t contain anything bigger than a black hole nor anything smaller than fundamental gravity or energy. So now we just gather all those physical pieces of all sizes and then press them together, so they can be visualised like a flat membrane. Looking at the CD in the picture above should help. All the physical pieces of everything are now like atoms of plastic, crammed together inside our CD universe.

Let’s say all the biggest things physically possible, like black holes, are at the outside edge and all the smaller and even minuscule and tiny things, (We can imagine so many more of these) are all squeezed together getting smaller and smaller towards the inside. Everything inside the three dimensions of length, width and volume of the CD is physical and therefore conforms to physical rules. We’re almost there.

Time is the fourth dimension and happens all the time. Our futures become the present  before disappearing into the past. All possibilities are by definition possible, but they can’t all co-exist and become the present simultaneously. Some were not meant to be and pass us by, maybe because we didn’t work hard enough in creating them. It could be that we weren’t convinced of our own ability to actually create. Science also says they might happen in another universe, but let's not go there.

Creation  however, is not a physical possibility. It‘s a contradiction of physical law and must therefore come from outside the physical universe. Futures may be created from pieces of previous opportunities that were allowed to pass us by, just as they can also be totally new constructs. Some futures may be tailor made specifically for us and maybe even by us.

Imagine the tiniest fragments of futures yet to be assembled, being funnelled through the centre of the physical CD like mist droplets, except these are still hot and sticky from creation. They are so small that they’re pulled down in a hot whirlwind that whips them through the black hole in the middle of our universe. Those that fly close enough to the inside lip are mutually attracted, like static, and stick where they cool and become solid. As time passes, they coalesce and become part of the physical disk, which must then slowly expand outwards as time is also added and the history of the universe grows longer and larger. The disk expands and grows outwards in a process that might wax and wane, but never stops.

Of course, not all futures and not all possibilities will happen and some of these pieces of not yet solid physical stuff, might blow through the centre without touching, and become lost. Those future fragments might never come back again but who knows for sure. Everything is possible.

Now, every single thing that we can currently experience is physically on that physical disk. All the possibilities that may yet happen are not. They are still hovering outside the disk both above and below. Now, imagine throwing the disk away like a frisbee.  The problem here is that all stars and all light is inside the CD. So you'll need to see it with your mind’s eye as it gets smaller and smaller with distance. It will disappear from sight in less than a hundred meters, which is relatively trillions of light years. At that stage, we could say it is lost inside infinity.

There would be no physical reason to think that it could ever be found again because without something else to use as a reference point, there is no direction. There would seem to be nothing everywhere, except of course, for you. You could of course re-imagine it as it was before you threw it and decide not to, because out there, time doesn’t have to obey physics. You are above or below but either way, you are no longer bound by physics.

In my books, imagination and our ability to create is what makes futures happen and every future is possible. Infinity is so big that it contains endless possibilities for everyone that will ever live and even then, there will be infinitely more room for infinitely more possibilities. Only this kind of infinity could accommodate ‘Things’ that are larger than life itself.

It would be quite natural to wonder what might be achieved here by someone out there, especially when you can see yourself outside - looking in. 

Creativity

It seems quite a while since my favourite people and I were able to get down and dirty at Lahinch beach in West Clare. We built sand castles while the bravest of us really swam, not like the many posers with surf boards and wet suits. Then we played Goodminton or Catch. Oh, Goodminton is like Badminton except it's played with no nets and with any kind of hand held bat with a squash ball, or whatever you happened to bring or find.

Anyway, considerable thought went into all three sand castles, not all of which ended up, or even started looking like castles. As I recall there was a recreation of a scene form Mordor of Lord of the Rings fame, together with an ‘Assembled Host’. The other was a curious creation from a Japanese Science Fiction Anime with teeth for walls, or so I was told.

The one above was all I had to offer in the time available because I spent more time that I should on supporting the far corner. Let’s just say my architectural skills were found wanting. It refused to accept the diktats of my imagination. I wanted two higher layers for defenders who could be protected by small walls similar to that in the near and lower corner, but it kept collapsing. Wet sand dries very quickly under the sun and its ability to support weight incorporates that fact in the equation. In the end, I just patted it down and played ball instead. I also forgot to put in a door, but you noticed that straight away - right? Sure you did?

From a distance, as I went to retrieve the ball, a small boy was about to pass by but stopped. He was caught for some moments between the possibility of playing an angry God and utterly destroying my castle for the affront of being on his beach, or allowing his own fertile imagination to create residents, invaders or defenders and play out a major or minor drama of his own. He looked around to re assure himself that he did indeed enjoy a Godly dominion with no lesser gods to contend with, and then returned his gaze to ‘His’ prize. 

As his father disappeared down the beach with his younger sister in tow, the boy’s mannerisms betrayed the depth of the plot he’d very quickly succumbed to. All I can share with any certainty was that there was an exchange of archery and insults. The latter was clear from his haughty expression as he mouthed them. There was also at least one horse with rider and possibly two fatalities. One died quite quickly from a projectile to the heart, while the other lingered near death for some time before proceeding into an under or over world. That much we’ll also never know.

The nameless boy then left, occasionally glancing over his shoulder possibly to ensure that the outcome he created remained final, until he was out of sight. Whatever happened after that was, very obviously, no longer his responsibility.

 

Thankfully, my third book is also taking shape and like my castle, I know with absolute certainty that it will take you so very far away from where you are now. That’s apparently something that good books and mediocre sand castles have in common.

Why not get ready by picking up a copy of Catalysis or Book of Plebs and get yourself into the ‘Zone’ while I get this one ready for you.

Death of a Family

All dynasties die ... maybe that’s why they're called that. The word itself infers the decay of some ancient aristocracy with no relevance in our real world. But what if it's OUR family or OUR perceived dynasty that died? Because we only experience it once, and most likely not yet, it's a prospect that we never entertain until it strikes us. We may die - but family is immortal. Right? Wrong. Every dynasty dies - remember?
 
Family death is not necessarily a bad thing because nothing lasts forever. Evolution uses death as a tool for change so the next generation of families are made better, as in stronger and more likely to survive, more supportive or more supported perhaps. Less fickle and more robust either way.

Family is very different for every member of it and as such, is a very personal experience. Members die but if someone is expelled, then that's evidence of a structural deficiency that has already doomed it. To the surviving members, it morphs into various transitional forms, but entropy has taken too huge a bite. There is no such thing as the last family member because no man is an island and it had to be dead long before. Death is the culmination of life. It happens all the time and is the inevitable fate of everything we will ever touch.

Take it from me, we don't always see it coming. Suddenly a brother or two become insensitive and a sister or two are cold. Whispers follow tepid welcomes. They are not the same people for whom you automatically do things simply because they ask. That was the perennial and assumed reciprocity that has been broken. To them, you have become an opportunity to extract a quick buck. We're not talking big bucks but we are talking principle. They become quite abusive when you protest and you try to make sense of what comes out of their mouths but they now talk greedish. You no longer know these people and are appalled. No longer siblings but total strangers and even enemies, but the only one surprised is you, or in my case me.

Of course the apple never falls far from the tree, or so I was told, by a wise head on young but observant shoulders. That means I possibly share some blame. So I cool down enough to recall that I spent a lot of time working abroad and just assumed the same people would be there when I got back. The annual holiday at home became bi-annual and then I missed a critical wedding or whatever. Time away from family is interpreted by some as letting that membership expire.

In my experience, previously close knit families are automatically drawn to the unelected 'Committee' style of governance to fill the vacuum left when the natural order of 'Parents' has passed on. The problem with secret committees is that they may never post the minutes of the meeting in which your membership was finally and fully revoked.

A brother knew you had no membership when he played the part of the abusive landlord and the other the same while playing his lawyer. Always within earshot, the committee prepared the next 'Private' agenda.

The solution is to apologize unconditionally for expecting to be treated like family and for being outraged when you weren't. You then walk away from the dead thing, but don't forget to take the lesson painfully learned.

Seeds can't survive in the shadow of a plant that has grown too big for it's roots. It must find its own space and use the nutrients of what grew there before. Families have a lot in common with extinct empires.

As the definition of one crumbles and falls, I think it's best not to cling to it. Let it go and look away. Nearby, vibrant new families are pushing their shoots into the sun. They will surely benefit from the space you willingly vacate and from those gems of hard lessons learned. Evolution demands that we either apply them, pass them on, or lose them forever.

Regardless of how difficult they were to ingest, we should be thankful for all lessons. So, I assured my previous family of reciprocated civilities should our paths cross. Sounds sterile but no man is an island. Destiny gave us common roots which might yet produce a great purpose.

This human tragedy is nothing to those who have yet to experience it, but it shakes the foundations of our worlds when it happens to us. It might carry no significance for those born into the Ochre Worlds because they are surely very different from us - right? But - All Dynasties Die. To use a nautical term - my new book (Ochre) has built up a real head of steam and nothing can stop it now.

It's Spring - Ochre is coming

It's Spring, and to celebrate, this is a picture of a Spring Primrose that I took in my garden yesterday. You might see the leaves barely survived the recent spate of hard frosts. There are also the shriveled  corpses of two previous buds that flowered, blossomed and then died since it first introduced itself unexpectedly last Christmas Eve. I still can't believe that this little plant not only arrived three months early, but is still growing strongly before any of its kind are to be be seen anywhere else.

Ochre, which is book two of the Catalysis trilogy is not so early, but it is also growing extremely well and I can guarantee no-one will be disappointed. The Ochre Worlds were just three abstract words that I chose to describe a place I didn't yet need to visualize while I wrote Catalysis - Book 1 - Changes Imposed. When it came to putting pen on paper and write Ochre, I faced the daunting task of making them real enough to be believable by you.

To remain true to my goals, those worlds can't be illogical creations of pure fantasy. They have to satisfy science, logic, time and astrophysics, especially considering where and when I placed them. I don't like to blow my own trumpet, but the results so far have blown me away. Playing the part of 'Creator of Worlds' from their earliest inception is a 'God Like' virtual experience. You'll know more precisely what that means in a few months, when I let you have it.

My return to the comparative grind of adding words adequate to populate my/our creation is, I am guessing, close to 'cold turkey' drug rehabilitation. Anyway, aside from letting you in on the progress I'm making with Ochre, I thought I should share something that struck me while I was God, and it's this. Only when you have to assemble worlds from nothing, and produce a guarantee that they work, can you begin to appreciate the pre-existence of the raw materials needed for their assembly. That is the star stuff needed to make absolutely everything, including you and I and everything we will ever physically touch. This is the world that we live on. In turn, this makes possible the predictable physics that go some way towards making our universe measurable and explainable in words.

I believe I can write, but I also believe no words exist to describe the earlier process of producing the 'Stuff' that makes star stuff, so that they in turn can make you, me and all of physicality.

This blog also comes with an apology. The previous blogs from my website can still be seen on my Facebook page, but the problem with keeping the old website blog, was that it's limited in the way we stay in touch and I want to to know what you think. This BlogSpot let's us talk.

Thanks for your patience.

(Might put my best blogs here and then delete them from Facebook. MMMmmm)