No I’m not dead, I’m the walrus. Well actually I’m not that either, but here is an update on what I’ve been doing and writing and a blurb from a longer piece that is coming together quite nicely thank you.

Despite reports to the contrary I have not fallen off the face of the Earth.  I am in the middle of shipping our product to China and the Philippines at work and my writing has been focused on a longer piece. 

I have made a goal to complete a novel length work in 2009 and submit it for publishing.  Being the geek that I am I have created an excel spreadsheet that measures my progress towards the mythical 100,000 word mark.  Here is a snapshot of one of the graphs.

I will cross the 20% threshold tonight.   Woo Hoo!

If you want the spreadsheet let me know I think it is pretty cool.

For your reading pleasure, here is a brief snippet from the Jeremy story I am focusing on.

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“She’s set fire to the tree! She’s burned the bridges!”

“What!” Shouted several voices at once but by then they were all running for the door. Outside the sun still shown though we’d been working for a whole day, the lack of night still threw me off. I don’t think I would ever get used to it.

We all saw the smoke from a tree across the plaza billowing up into the sky. I saw the crackling flames lapping at the branches and leaves, it didn’t look fully engulfed yet but I could see the fire grow as I watched.

There were city fire brigades already assembling around the tree, they were dowsing the surrounding wood structures and nearby trees in a white substance, soon the whole area around the conflagration looked like it was covered in snow. We all watched as the tree flared and sparked and cracked in painful fiery death.

Everyone except The Magregor, as soon as he saw the flames going up the tree he started looking around the sky in all directions. He was the first to spot it.

“Look THERE!” He shouted, heads turned to look where he pointed. “A ship of the empire!”

I saw it then, its black gleaming hull suspended from a red balloon emblazoned with a black dragon. She was magnificent.

“She’s coming in fast.” Said Maggie who stood to my right.

“Aye, she has no intent of stopping.” Responded Carth.

The airship sailors’ curiosity and admiration could be heard in their voices.

“She’ll have to be careful of the updrafts from the flames.” Said another.

“Look, she’s doused her canvas with water.” Said still another.

“Aye the skipper’s a ripe crazy one that one.” Said the Magregor.

She came right over the top of us, barely 100 feet above our heads, we could hear the shouts of the captain as he ran his crew tightly. Nobody thought of guns, it all happened so fast. The engines were revving and slowing as the Captain fought to hold his course straight for the burning tree.

That’s when we saw Miranda in her green cloak clinging to the highest branches. She’d timed it close, almost too close the flames might still claim her before the rescue? We all watched the show in wonder as the black and red airship dropped a wide net off the stern of their vessel as they approached the burning tree.

We held our breaths as it swooped down on the tree, the captain almost pointing the bow directly at the treetop. It seems that he must have heard the airshipman who spoke of the updrafts, for he was ready. The airship was buffeted and its nose rose quickly as it passed over the leading edge of heat. We could see Miranda climb up to the tip of the trunk upon which she clung, up and up until she wrapped her legs around the highest point and then reached as the shadow of the hull passed above her.

The net came over her and she grasped the bottom of it and was away. Dangling like a fish on a hook.

We watched as the black and red airship dwindled into the distance taking with it Miranda, she’d escaped.

“Gentlemen, we no longer have surprise on our hands.” Said the Magregor.

Greg goes to China!

Hello to all my loyal readers.  Have you been wondering why there has been no stories as of late?  I’ve been busy as snot.  We’re in ship cycle right now and I’ve been putting the plans for my great China escapade together.

Over the next week I will be traveling to China for work. I will be posting on techrivet.com about my observations and thoughts on the experience.  It’s gonna be a great trip; certainly for me and hopefully an interesting read for you.

I’d like to take this moment to recognize Microsoft, who I work for, and the forward thinking team and group I am part of.

I work for the Unlimited Potential Group.  We’re focused on the emerging markets and bringing Microsoft technology to bear in the effort to raise everyone’s quality of life.  To quote our mission statement: “Ultimately our mission is to enable sustained social and economic opportunity for those at the middle and bottom of the world’s economic pyramid—the next 5 billion people.”

I won’t be discussing what I am doing for Microsoft in China (although it is quite cool), but intend to focus on the personal experiences and people I meet.  I will of course be looking at it from a technical perspective whenever appropriate.  Hopefully it will keep you entertained.

So tune in.  I’ll be posting here as often as I can, hopefully at least once per day and perhaps more than that.  I depart for China on the 19th of July and return on the 26th.