Cyteen (Book)

Psychogenesis. Sociogenesis. Nature vs. Nurture. A little girl growing up too fast. Post traumatic stress disorder.

The 1989 Hugo Award winning novel, Cyteen by C. J. Cherryh is a well written science fiction novel that has left me deep in thought. While many science fiction novels explore physics or alien biology, Cyteen explores psychology—particularly educational psychology—and sociology. Interlaced with all the science is intrigue, politics, and some very touching moments. Cherryh does a good job of creating emotion in her reader.

Briefly, after the death of Ari, a very powerful woman, the company she headed, Reseune, not only creates a genetic clone, but also attempts to make a replicate that is psychologically and intellectually almost identical. Using detailed records, the replicate is raised in a way that parallels the original, including losing her mother at the same age. Another major character in the story is a young man, Justin, who was abused by the original Ari and now is dealing with the young replicate as she grows up. He has a lifelong companion/adopted brother, Grant, who is an azi.

Also an intricate part of the storyline is Reseune, a scientific company that is involved in such activities as creating azi, clones of humans and animals, and tapes. Azi are humans whose genes have been manipulated.  In addition the azi are given tapes— sophisticated learning programs that utilize neurochemistry—beginning a few hours after birth. Most often azi are created to fulfill a particular purpose in society, such as military. The azi are not considered to be full adults, except in a few instances of old azi. Reseune also creates replicates for people who want a clone of themselves or a child they have lost. Although these children undergo many of the same processes as the azi—including gestation in womb tanks, they are not given tapes until they are preschool age, like most children. The azi tend to be very stable thinkers. The non-azi tend to be flux thinkers.

The psychology and sociology in the book were fascinating to me. Cherryh shows how both the tapes and life events affect the characters, particularly original and replicate Ari, Justin and Grant. Cherryh discusses and illustrates how the hormone-flux system affects learning and personality. She also illustrates how tapes and real life events affect large populations and subsequent generations. Heavy stuff at times!

I thoroughly enjoyed Cyteen. Of all the Hugo winners I have read so far, it has given me the most to think about. On the down side, it is long, almost 700 pages, which could have easily been over 1,000 if the book had been typeset differently. I also feel like I need to give a warning. I found some of the content disturbing though necessary for the plot. In some people who have been psychologically or sexually abused, I would be concerned that some of the scenes could trigger some psychological issues. I am sure there are plenty of other books that carry the same concern, but I rarely encounter this in the types of books that I usually read.

Focus (Quote)

Even though I am no longer taking classes in or practicing Liuhebafa—an internal martial art— I am still finding inspiration in reading Liuhebafa Five Character Secrets by Paul Dillon. Here is a wonderful quote on focus. I especially like the imagery: feeling unfocused, imagine a tiger.

Creative Imagination (Intent) moves like a fearsome tiger.

A tiger on a hunt is single pointed, totally focused on its prey. When it moves it is awesome in its ferocity and power often bringing down animals that are larger and more powerful like a water buffalo or an elephant.

Just so, you must use this example of focused intensity when you are establishing your intention or goal. You must have the strength of purpose to stick to achieve this goal. Do not think that something is too big or too difficult to accomplish. Through experience you will see how holding onto your dream and steadily working at it can bring the most fantastic results.

Fifth Tai Chi Class of the Season

Did you ever go through one of those periods where you were feeling blah, absolutely blah? Space aliens could land and proclaim that you were their long lost queen, and you would just roll your eyes and say, “Whatever.”  I managed to eat, shower, and get to class without much incident. Before class started, I went into the Ladies Room and noticed that my ponytail was unsalvageable: a bad, bad hair day. While we initially did the Tai Chi form, Bob played a CD that he had recorded which describes what Tai Chi is and its benefits. It mildly irritated me; I couldn’t focus on the form and listen to it at the same time. I did like the section where he said that Tai Chi improves the ability to visualize.

As in previous weeks, for the rest of the class we focused on different things as we did the form. An old one, that we first focused on when we originally learned the form, was imagining that our heads were suspended from above, almost like a puppet. Conversely, we focused on sinking our weight; perhaps the most important concept in Tai Chi. This is what helps generate power. We next focused on all the big and little circles our bodies made as we moved through the different postures, working to make the circles smooth and complete. This was one of my favorite exercises of the day. We moved on to focusing on whether we were pivoting on the balls or heels of our feet and how that affected the energy in our bodies. Lastly, we paid attention to how expanded or contracted our hands were—the closeness of our fingers—in different parts of the form. I never thought about that before, and I think I might have had some of my hand positions reversed from how they were supposed to be.

We are not perky, eager students every day. We do the best we can, and forgive ourselves for not being what we wish we were. It is part of committing to a practice. Focusing and refocusing, despite any negativity, is how we grow. This is true of Tai Chi, Yoga, meditation, and, I would imagine, a lot of other practices. Sometimes it helps to admit it.

Foundation’s Edge (Book)

A worthy successor to the Foundation Trilogy. The 1983 Hugo Award winning novel, Foundation’s Edge by Isaac Asimov, keeps the reader wondering until the very end: What is really going on? Who is really pulling the strings?

Written approximately thirty years after the third book in the Foundation Trilogy, Foundation’s Edge continues the storylines of the First and Second Foundation, the Sheldon Plan, and the mule. Like the previous books, the Foundation is at a crisis point. Unlike the previous books, Foundations’ Edge contains only one story, which allows for more plot and character development, as well as more detailed descriptions. In addition Asimov has matured as a writer. The book is sprinkled with a little philosophy, a little science. At points Asimov adds some short, but beautiful descriptions of interactions between characters.

For years I purposely stayed away from reading books by Asimov; I vaguely remember that Asimov struck me as arrogant. How things have changed! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the Foundation Trilogy and now Foundation’s Edge. The books are engaging and easy to read. If I hadn’t vowed to read all the Hugo Award winning novels, I would probably continue reading the last three books—one sequel and two prequels— in the Foundation series before going on to reading anything else.

Second Foundation (Book)

“There is an endless cycle of double-double-double-doublecrosses.”

Second Foundation, the third book in Isaac Asimov’s Hugo Award winning Foundation Series, is filled with intrigue, keeping the reader guessing until the very end. Like Foundation Empire, Second Foundation consists of two stores. The first ties up loose ends from the storyline in Foundation Empire concerning the Mule, the unaccounted for variable in the Sheldon Plan. The second answers many questions pertaining to the Second Foundation and the Sheldon Plan. The introduction of a precocious fourteen year-old girl, the granddaughter of the heroine in Foundation Empire, adds to the interest of the story.

The concept of the Sheldon Plan also made me think, my criteria for good science fiction. The basic premise is that Hari Sheldon could make galaxy wide predictions into the distant future based on psychohistory and the use of complex mathematical equations. It wasn’t a precise science, but rather a statistical model. He couldn’t predict the fate of particular individuals or small groups, but rather predict the trend of the larger populations. Somehow this makes a lot sense to me. When I read news stories, I wonder what a particular factor—like the possible extinction of honey bees—means to society and political structures.

Yes, yes, I was glad that I read the Foundation Trilogy. It was fun and interesting. Next up Foundation’s Edge, written almost thirty years after Foundation Empire.

Foundation and Empire (Book)

Infallibility. An unexpected variable. Foundation and Empire, the second book in the Hugo Award winning Foundation Series, is even better than the first. This time the book is divided into two stories, both originally published in the mid-nineteen forties. In the first, Asimov shows the complete faith that the people of the Foundation have in the Sheldon Plan. (See my discussion of Foundation.) In the second, an unanticipated variable comes into play. When Hari Sheldon appears via the time-capsule video, his description of the crisis point is no longer accurate.

Perhaps because these stories are longer than the ones in Foundation, they are better developed. To me, Asimov has grown as a writer since the first book. He allows the reader to become more acquainted with the major characters. He also includes a female character for the first time in the series. As with the first book, the stories are compelling and easy to read.

Foundation and Empire ended with a cliffhanger. I can’t wait to read what happens in Second Foundation.

Fourth Tai Chi Class of the Semester

Last week subzero wind chills convinced me to stay home from Tai Chi. This week my Tai Chi lesson began as soon as I stepped out the door. The predicted snow that we didn’t get last night evidently was instead light rain. A thin coating of ice covered the sidewalks. I had a hard time getting traction to walk the half mile to the bus. So, I lowered my center of gravity—which is a lesson that Bob, our Tai Chi instructor, has harped on for years—and barely raised me feet off the ground as I walked, a type of skating movement. Years ago I took a class on Ba Gua Zhang from Bob which used that same movement. It worked; I didn’t have an issue with slipping when I stayed focused on the movement.

The actual Tai Chi was very helpful too, as always. We again focused our attention on different things as we did the form: neck and shoulders, arm and leg joints, ligaments, shifting weight from leg to leg, the fullness of each posture, and staying in sync with the participants around us. I realized I don’t have a lot of sense of my ligaments. The tightness in my neck and shoulders are my bane. Sometimes when I focus on them they relax. Other times they seem to be giving me the raspberries: “Yeah, you just make us relax. Na, Na.” Anyway, I have enough old and new things to keep me busy in practice this week.