As usual I've been both cranky and ill.
Someone (irritating) at work today said,
"...but i've seen you be cheerful and friendly before"
and before I could remember the cover story I replied
"It was a LIE."
So, it's out in the open. On the other hand, once one has cultivated even a minor reputation for eccentricity, nothing after that needs to make too much sense to be shrugged off as "just another thing." So you can tell the radical truth and it becomes outrageous entertainment.
"What do you think of so-and-so?"
"I love him and obsess over him in the long nights of my solitude."
Cue uproarious laughter.
It couldn't be any better if I actually wore a Jester's outfit.
But I digress.
For anyone who hasn't noticed it is pretty much the middle of the year. I considered some kind of sincere post, but I'm not up to it. The only goal-related thing I would say is that I am happy with my reading list so far this year, which has held up rather well despite being flooded this month by a series of works by Stephenie Meyer. The tally stands at 28 books in total and of these, 13 are non-fiction! Nearly exactly half!! WOOT! (gently mimes punching air so as not to dislodge reading glasses.
Of these, what books can I recommend to you my tasteful and clever audience?
A good question.
From January, Six Easy Pieces by Richard P. Feynman. Very thoughtfully re-published by Penguin in their charming $10 range (thank you Penguin and good idea going back to classic jacket designs!). Get into some Physics - it is already in you!!
February yielded some good quality reading in the form of The Consolations of Philosophy by Alain de Botton (another Penguin $10 winner). A novel about Tesla called The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt and a collection of Essays gifted to me by Mez called How to be Alone by Jonathan Franzen. I felt pretty clever by association after those highlights.
March needed a new flavour, so I read the new SF by Richard Morgan - The Black Man and I really liked it but I recommend it to SF readers with some qualifications (depending on your taste). The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman was lovely and had a little unsaid, which I like. The real standout this month was finishing The Invisibles by Grant Morrison which was a loaner from MsJaye and one of those books that infects and gives one a fever. I got through the fever, and now I can't wait to find out what I'm inoculated against or prepared for. Turns out I love anarchistic-chaos-magic. I want to do it again! (BTW for snobs - be warned - that one's a comic.)
April was quiet, I read some non-fic that was a bit dull and I re-read a favourite novel and then read a French SF novel called Babylon Babies (by Mauice Dantec, but I don't remember the translator. It wasn't Nicole Kidman so don't sweat it). I'd read some mixed reviews and of course the film (Babylon AD)was hopeless but actually i thought that the book was good. Not quite as fully anarchist chaos magical as The Invisibles, but possibly a good enough chaser. Lots of good themes and a clever central character and plenty of wild tech. I would like to read more SF from NESB (non english speaking background) as the flavours and textures are less predictable (all of which was pretty much removed for the film. Poor Vin Diesel. I bet he loved the original script.)
So May was not a big reading month, I was pretty sick, but I did finish Kimono: Fashioning Culture by Liza Dalby which I got on a whim and then was able to read nearly half of during a day of travel. It was fascinating, and I feel slightly more informed now when I watch Japanese cinema, or see modern women wearing Kimono. Actually, I'll fess up and say that I went out of my way to re-watch Memoirs of a Geisha just so I could look at all the kimono.
June, ah June. June has been the month of escapist reading. Binging on one-night-reads is something we all do sometimes, but that doesn't make me proud. In the middle of that I finished What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Darwin Knew: From fox-hunting to Whist - the facts of Daily life in 19th-Century England by Daniel Pool which I had been very eagerly awaiting. I was anticipating a detailed and exhaustive book, but actually this book ought to be subtitled "In Which Things that are Almost Obvious from The Context of the Novel are explained in length oftentimes using Quotations from Self-same Novels. Perhaps you ought to read more proper history books?"
Ah well. More than half of this puny book is pointless. I'm trying to think of a redeeming feature .... um .... it has some nice etchings.
I love to keep lists of books, I wish I'd given-in to the urge a long time ago instead of feeling furtive and dirty for wanting to do so. In a lot of ways it is a more interesting way of tracking the tides and flavours of my life than the dates of trips or the odd event. Movies and Knitting have both taken up a lot of time that I would otherwise have spent reading. But that's ok - ther'e more to come in the great Western Genre exploration, and Riley very nearly has his own bespoke cardigan.
Showing posts with label Neil Gaiman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Neil Gaiman. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Friday, September 05, 2008
Neil Gaiman Gives Away "Neverwhere"
The Magnificent Neil Gaiman is at it again.
You read that title right, you can download Neverwhere for free for a limited time.
Last year he made American Gods available as a free ebook and this year it's the dark adventure Neverwhere. It's a shorter book (for those who prefer to read on-screen) and a Gaiman classic. Go on, do yourself a favour!
First taste is free!
(btw, in case you don't know, The Graveyard Book is now only weeks away! Almost really, could be counted in days. YAYAYAYAYAYAAAY)
(AND Neal Stephenson's new novel out this month OMG a flood of riches!!)
You read that title right, you can download Neverwhere for free for a limited time.
Last year he made American Gods available as a free ebook and this year it's the dark adventure Neverwhere. It's a shorter book (for those who prefer to read on-screen) and a Gaiman classic. Go on, do yourself a favour!
First taste is free!
(btw, in case you don't know, The Graveyard Book is now only weeks away! Almost really, could be counted in days. YAYAYAYAYAYAAAY)
(AND Neal Stephenson's new novel out this month OMG a flood of riches!!)
Monday, May 12, 2008
Back at Work
Hello mundanity, thy name is Monday.
I promise to leave off on the NG thing now for a good long time (today he has some excellent suggestions today on approaching a second draft which sound very useful although as someone who writes longhand, my suggestion to myself is to get a typist on staff. oooh staff, how good would that be?!).
Another tip I've just thought of, is don't try and start a new life, new schedule, new resolution on a Monday. Really, anytime from Tuesday through even until probably Sunday afternoon is giving yourself a much better chance at things. Less pressure, less chance of getting completely body-slammed by other things. I never used to have this problem, well, let me re-phrase that. I haven't had this problem since the last time I was a monday to friday working stiff. When you work in service industries and performance industries, the Monday Issue doesn't really exist, doesn't have the same sting to it. There's just working days, and, if you're lucky, days off (or Orf, as we say in Qld). So as I'm very grateful to have regular days orf, I'll shut my trap.
I got the quote wrong yesterday. How embarrassment. It's meant to read "Action will remove the doubts that theory cannot solve." Sure, I was close, but there's no prize for second (why do people say that? Has anyone told the Olympics? They could save, like, a trillion yen on medals if they don't need to do the silver/bronze thing). Yen? That's Japanese! Shit. Hang on ....
That would be "Renminbi" in denominations of Yuan. My apologies.
In other news, I've randomly selected Tuesday 26 August 2008 as the release date for the next thingo*, which will be called "Parched" (thereby shortcutting one of the usual concerns of the second draft) (note also the clever use of a Tuesday). This date is subject to some change, but not much! Which means I must now digitus extractus and get all the little scribbley-bits typed up and looking like official paper. Scary exciting.
* book. I meant book, but felt too superstitious to say it, twitchy today. Too much tea.
I promise to leave off on the NG thing now for a good long time (today he has some excellent suggestions today on approaching a second draft which sound very useful although as someone who writes longhand, my suggestion to myself is to get a typist on staff. oooh staff, how good would that be?!).
Another tip I've just thought of, is don't try and start a new life, new schedule, new resolution on a Monday. Really, anytime from Tuesday through even until probably Sunday afternoon is giving yourself a much better chance at things. Less pressure, less chance of getting completely body-slammed by other things. I never used to have this problem, well, let me re-phrase that. I haven't had this problem since the last time I was a monday to friday working stiff. When you work in service industries and performance industries, the Monday Issue doesn't really exist, doesn't have the same sting to it. There's just working days, and, if you're lucky, days off (or Orf, as we say in Qld). So as I'm very grateful to have regular days orf, I'll shut my trap.
I got the quote wrong yesterday. How embarrassment. It's meant to read "Action will remove the doubts that theory cannot solve." Sure, I was close, but there's no prize for second (why do people say that? Has anyone told the Olympics? They could save, like, a trillion yen on medals if they don't need to do the silver/bronze thing). Yen? That's Japanese! Shit. Hang on ....
That would be "Renminbi" in denominations of Yuan. My apologies.
In other news, I've randomly selected Tuesday 26 August 2008 as the release date for the next thingo*, which will be called "Parched" (thereby shortcutting one of the usual concerns of the second draft) (note also the clever use of a Tuesday). This date is subject to some change, but not much! Which means I must now digitus extractus and get all the little scribbley-bits typed up and looking like official paper. Scary exciting.
* book. I meant book, but felt too superstitious to say it, twitchy today. Too much tea.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Manic Inspiration
It is official, Neil Gaiman is very possibly the nicest author alive.
I haven't met any dead authors, so I couldn't say otherwise, and I'm wary of hyperbole after this week, and you might be tempted not to believe me if I just say nicest person (although I think he must be right up there in the running) and actually, to my shame, I haven't met very many International Authors of Intrigue and Excitement. But of my whole life experience, and all my book gossiping, I can tell you with the utmost lack of authority, that Neil Gaiman is very possibly the nicest author alive. So there.
At the event at Kino, he signed himself nearly into oblivion. How very tired he was, how very sore his hand became, and yet, person by person, he had a smile and a quip and maybe a little drawing. Maybe I could say that Neil Gaiman has whatever the antithesis of hubris is. I'd love to know if there's a word for that. Something that covers humility, good humour and being clever.
It was inspiring to be involved in this event, and I have to confess, I did double-dip and go to "D's" the next day (in my defence, I waited until right at the end! I didn't want to cheat any first-timers!) for another hello. It does sound a little odd to be hounding the poor man across the city, but as wisdom seemed to drip from his pen, I thought it might be a good idea to be near the pen often ... well as often as possible without being pushy.
You see, I can't write like Neil, or like Jane, or like Cory, or Gibson or Le Guin, or Stephenson, or Shute or Rumi or Scott Card or any of the other dozens of inspiring authors whose stories and tales and imaginations I adore. I just write like me.
For ages I've been really down about wirting like me, and have made no effort to find out what might be good about that. I've been blind to my pictures and deaf to my voice. Hence the big gap in publishing projects, and the pulling-teethness of my "oh I want to write, but my writing is so bad I shoudn't inflict it on anybody until it is much much better" whining and prevaricating! Blah Blah Blah.
It never occured to me that real-life International Authors of Intrigue and Excitement might have had that feeling too. Someone put a question into the fishbowl about the themes in the stories and I'm going to paraphrase heavily here now (until Mez gets the tape out of the box and onto the interwebs) because Neil says something *like* "Actually I write a story and then read it and go 'oh, angels again'." and ka-ching a little light goes on in my head. I *know* I've heard generic-people say stuff like that before, or at least read it in a book, but it never hit a big gong before!
So there it is. Action will resolve the doubts that theory cannot solve. There's fresh hope and motivation. So much so that I'm telling anyone who'll listen that Publishing Project #2 will be done for August 2008.
Since Tuesday night, it's been a manic week of inspiration, of ideas and of clarity about what's needed, and what can be let go. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to go through this experience, and want to thank all the generous actions that put me into the place where I could hear that message.
I thank the loving friends who arranged the flight, and all the people who've encouraged me (from dodgy drafts, through the blog and also through Trojan Moments), I thank the store for letting me be involved, and I thank Neil who cares about even the last person in the queue.
I haven't met any dead authors, so I couldn't say otherwise, and I'm wary of hyperbole after this week, and you might be tempted not to believe me if I just say nicest person (although I think he must be right up there in the running) and actually, to my shame, I haven't met very many International Authors of Intrigue and Excitement. But of my whole life experience, and all my book gossiping, I can tell you with the utmost lack of authority, that Neil Gaiman is very possibly the nicest author alive. So there.
At the event at Kino, he signed himself nearly into oblivion. How very tired he was, how very sore his hand became, and yet, person by person, he had a smile and a quip and maybe a little drawing. Maybe I could say that Neil Gaiman has whatever the antithesis of hubris is. I'd love to know if there's a word for that. Something that covers humility, good humour and being clever.
It was inspiring to be involved in this event, and I have to confess, I did double-dip and go to "D's" the next day (in my defence, I waited until right at the end! I didn't want to cheat any first-timers!) for another hello. It does sound a little odd to be hounding the poor man across the city, but as wisdom seemed to drip from his pen, I thought it might be a good idea to be near the pen often ... well as often as possible without being pushy.
You see, I can't write like Neil, or like Jane, or like Cory, or Gibson or Le Guin, or Stephenson, or Shute or Rumi or Scott Card or any of the other dozens of inspiring authors whose stories and tales and imaginations I adore. I just write like me.
For ages I've been really down about wirting like me, and have made no effort to find out what might be good about that. I've been blind to my pictures and deaf to my voice. Hence the big gap in publishing projects, and the pulling-teethness of my "oh I want to write, but my writing is so bad I shoudn't inflict it on anybody until it is much much better" whining and prevaricating! Blah Blah Blah.
It never occured to me that real-life International Authors of Intrigue and Excitement might have had that feeling too. Someone put a question into the fishbowl about the themes in the stories and I'm going to paraphrase heavily here now (until Mez gets the tape out of the box and onto the interwebs) because Neil says something *like* "Actually I write a story and then read it and go 'oh, angels again'." and ka-ching a little light goes on in my head. I *know* I've heard generic-people say stuff like that before, or at least read it in a book, but it never hit a big gong before!
So there it is. Action will resolve the doubts that theory cannot solve. There's fresh hope and motivation. So much so that I'm telling anyone who'll listen that Publishing Project #2 will be done for August 2008.
Since Tuesday night, it's been a manic week of inspiration, of ideas and of clarity about what's needed, and what can be let go. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to go through this experience, and want to thank all the generous actions that put me into the place where I could hear that message.
I thank the loving friends who arranged the flight, and all the people who've encouraged me (from dodgy drafts, through the blog and also through Trojan Moments), I thank the store for letting me be involved, and I thank Neil who cares about even the last person in the queue.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Welcome & Intro to Neil Gaiman at Books Kinokuniya, Sydney, 6may08
Welcome one and all to Books Kinokuniya.
We’re very honoured to be hosting this author event tonight. Bookstores exist to facilitate the connection between readers & writers, and when we have a chance to do so in person it is an opportunity to celebrate our relationship & to reflect on the richness of our world.
Our guest this evening has recently been introduced (at a function similar to this one) as a God. I’m not sure how you [Neil] feel about that – but I found it a hard act to follow! I don’t know about you guys [audience] – but I’ve read a few stories about Gods, and they tend to scare the willies out of me! So rather than risk the ire of the Gods, I’d like to introduce a Champion.
Tonight is a precious chance to welcome our Champion Bard here to our hearth and hear his new story told in his voice, to have his wisdom answer our questions and to pay our respects in person. And this visit is no small gift.
That he gives so often and so much of himself – through his blog, the interviews & touring, the signings and the polite and patient answering of questions, is a marvel. And then there are the stories. The constant writing of stories that seem to gush and tumble from him in a glorious abundance. The stories that mean so much to all of us that we re-read and push on our friends. They have been recognised in all the modern ways – with awards and with the solid-state of energy so widely recognised – with money.
Maybe not enough money, sure, but the money’s starting to happen – yeah? [Neil].
So ladies and gentlemen I ask you to look now to our travelling Bard whose renown grows with every engagement. A Champion for the life of the imaginations for reading as riches, for humanity, love terror and humour.
Please make a really huge noise and much much applause for Mr Neil Gaiman.
We’re very honoured to be hosting this author event tonight. Bookstores exist to facilitate the connection between readers & writers, and when we have a chance to do so in person it is an opportunity to celebrate our relationship & to reflect on the richness of our world.
Our guest this evening has recently been introduced (at a function similar to this one) as a God. I’m not sure how you [Neil] feel about that – but I found it a hard act to follow! I don’t know about you guys [audience] – but I’ve read a few stories about Gods, and they tend to scare the willies out of me! So rather than risk the ire of the Gods, I’d like to introduce a Champion.
Tonight is a precious chance to welcome our Champion Bard here to our hearth and hear his new story told in his voice, to have his wisdom answer our questions and to pay our respects in person. And this visit is no small gift.
That he gives so often and so much of himself – through his blog, the interviews & touring, the signings and the polite and patient answering of questions, is a marvel. And then there are the stories. The constant writing of stories that seem to gush and tumble from him in a glorious abundance. The stories that mean so much to all of us that we re-read and push on our friends. They have been recognised in all the modern ways – with awards and with the solid-state of energy so widely recognised – with money.
Maybe not enough money, sure, but the money’s starting to happen – yeah? [Neil].
So ladies and gentlemen I ask you to look now to our travelling Bard whose renown grows with every engagement. A Champion for the life of the imaginations for reading as riches, for humanity, love terror and humour.
Please make a really huge noise and much much applause for Mr Neil Gaiman.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Warm Hearts
It's truly autumn here in Sydney. The trees have turned and the days are cold. When the sun is hidden by cloud the guts fall out of the day. The evenings set their chill well before the light has gone, but I am just not feeling it. There's been so much love and laughter since I arrived that I am still in a bubble.
Last night was a great catch-up in what felt like a private bar (oh *yeah* it's monday!) and L&A have opened their home to me yet again (it feels like home here) and then a long leisurely brunch with perfect eggs and perfect company in the person of the eternally effervescent Mellie down at Coogee. Footballing superstars stolling past our cafe were just wallpaper to a beautiful couple of hours. The ocean was flat, still and clear in a weird silence, but blue! Blue like your heart has sung it into being!
So it's just 3 hours now until the big NG event starts.
I'm going to go into lockdown and reach for something simple and clear.
Yes, simple and clear. Less is more.
Yes indeedy, no need for showboating, this is all about warm hearts.
Last night was a great catch-up in what felt like a private bar (oh *yeah* it's monday!) and L&A have opened their home to me yet again (it feels like home here) and then a long leisurely brunch with perfect eggs and perfect company in the person of the eternally effervescent Mellie down at Coogee. Footballing superstars stolling past our cafe were just wallpaper to a beautiful couple of hours. The ocean was flat, still and clear in a weird silence, but blue! Blue like your heart has sung it into being!
So it's just 3 hours now until the big NG event starts.
I'm going to go into lockdown and reach for something simple and clear.
Yes, simple and clear. Less is more.
Yes indeedy, no need for showboating, this is all about warm hearts.
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Remembering Neil Gaiman at Kinokuniya Sydney in 2005
I have let myself be totally over-excited this week about seeing Neil Gaiman at Books Kinokuniya on Tuesday (now only 2 sleeps to go!). In fact I've embraced my nerdy fandom and revelled in it. I've re-read American Gods, I've re-read vol 1 of the Absolute Sandman, and I'm now reading Fragile Things. I've been dipping into Hanging Out with the Dream King and just letting it all absorb into me. This might sound a bit childish and indulgent, but I assure you I have two quite sound reasons.
One, I am terrified of being deeply uncool when the time comes and sounding like a wacky, possibly dangerous psycho-lady. I am not a psycho lady (certified) and would really prefer to have my wits about me. Hence this week of gushing to whomever would listen and jumping up and down when I think no-one is looking. Moving it through the system, so to speak.
Two, it's fun.
Yeah, fun. Deal with it.
Why am I such a fan of Neil Gaiman? I can't confidently say in a concise way. I'm really hoping that by Tuesday night something coherent will coalesce because just rambling and raving is not going to set the tone well at all. In no particular order, here are some of the reasons:
he writes stories that are exciting and satisfying, he's funny, he shares things about himself and seems to trust that this will enrich his life rather than hurt him, he's a loving dad, he writes great stories, he has a very warm smile and is present (not distracted or checking his watch) when he's talking to you, he is interested and therefore interesting and he has badly-behaved hair that adds to his charm all the more. Plus he writes, and writes and writes and writes. He is inspiring and inspired.
See? Still gushing quite a bit. The last time Neil was at Books Kinokuniya was 20 July 2005 (2 years, 9 months and 16 days ago as of next tuesday night .... but who's counting?) and I didn't have a blog then, so I'm going to put the intro I did then into this post. I only had about 4 hours notice that I would be doing it, and as we'd been working towards it in the store for weeks, I was in an almost trance-like state by the time it happened. I'm told it was a great introduction! Thankfully I had my preparation notes to read later. I think it was considered good on two counts - one it was very short - two it was not the usual horrific list of awards and cliches and was delivered with absolute passion and a winning smile. You can get away with a lot if you smile. Anyway, here it is.
Welcome Speech to Neil Gaiman 20Jul05
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Sprites, Elves, Faeries, Demons, Trolls, Fans, bemused onlookers, and staff, welcome to Kinokuniya Sydney!
Today is proof that sometimes, wishes do get granted, that dreams do come true. That one day, Heroes from far & exotic lands may indeed pass through our very own village on their way between glories. They may bestow upon those of us who line the streets to cheer them, a sign, a word, a smile - and in that moment we are all woven together.
For booksellers, it is a particular pleasure to see authors & readers in one place - a joyful & sacred experience. Our honoured guest today has won so many awards & written so many books it would be beside the point to list them. Most importantly, he has reached into each of us through his stories, and with myth, with humour, with compassion & curiosity he has invited our hearts & minds to thrum.
Please, I invite you to make welcome, Mr Neil Gaiman.
One, I am terrified of being deeply uncool when the time comes and sounding like a wacky, possibly dangerous psycho-lady. I am not a psycho lady (certified) and would really prefer to have my wits about me. Hence this week of gushing to whomever would listen and jumping up and down when I think no-one is looking. Moving it through the system, so to speak.
Two, it's fun.
Yeah, fun. Deal with it.
Why am I such a fan of Neil Gaiman? I can't confidently say in a concise way. I'm really hoping that by Tuesday night something coherent will coalesce because just rambling and raving is not going to set the tone well at all. In no particular order, here are some of the reasons:
he writes stories that are exciting and satisfying, he's funny, he shares things about himself and seems to trust that this will enrich his life rather than hurt him, he's a loving dad, he writes great stories, he has a very warm smile and is present (not distracted or checking his watch) when he's talking to you, he is interested and therefore interesting and he has badly-behaved hair that adds to his charm all the more. Plus he writes, and writes and writes and writes. He is inspiring and inspired.
See? Still gushing quite a bit. The last time Neil was at Books Kinokuniya was 20 July 2005 (2 years, 9 months and 16 days ago as of next tuesday night .... but who's counting?) and I didn't have a blog then, so I'm going to put the intro I did then into this post. I only had about 4 hours notice that I would be doing it, and as we'd been working towards it in the store for weeks, I was in an almost trance-like state by the time it happened. I'm told it was a great introduction! Thankfully I had my preparation notes to read later. I think it was considered good on two counts - one it was very short - two it was not the usual horrific list of awards and cliches and was delivered with absolute passion and a winning smile. You can get away with a lot if you smile. Anyway, here it is.
Welcome Speech to Neil Gaiman 20Jul05
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Sprites, Elves, Faeries, Demons, Trolls, Fans, bemused onlookers, and staff, welcome to Kinokuniya Sydney!
Today is proof that sometimes, wishes do get granted, that dreams do come true. That one day, Heroes from far & exotic lands may indeed pass through our very own village on their way between glories. They may bestow upon those of us who line the streets to cheer them, a sign, a word, a smile - and in that moment we are all woven together.
For booksellers, it is a particular pleasure to see authors & readers in one place - a joyful & sacred experience. Our honoured guest today has won so many awards & written so many books it would be beside the point to list them. Most importantly, he has reached into each of us through his stories, and with myth, with humour, with compassion & curiosity he has invited our hearts & minds to thrum.
Please, I invite you to make welcome, Mr Neil Gaiman.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
New Year: Same Me
Hiho!
welcome back to the blog one and all!
(This is a speed blog - I've set my timer at 10mins to make myself say hello.)
I have been in denial that 07 is done and dusted, and what better day to build a bridge and get over it that the 8th?! A week and a day! So how was your Festivus? The big news here is Helen! Ex-Cyclone Helen and the Dorothea Mackellar-type floods that's she's brought to the entire eastern seaboard it seems like. I would love it if only:
a) it was less hot and humid
b) there wasn't a really big tree in my yard that the family immediately identified as a "widow maker"
c) there was decent telly and I hadn't already run out of ROME and BSG S3!
Ma and Pa have been flooded-in on the farm now and then. They're rolling in it. A temporary creek has sprung up and is winding it's way through the front paddock. Complete with swimming ducks. Three months ago, we were just hoping the olive trees didn't die. Now the tanks and dams on the property have all overflowed, and the grass is back up to waist-height. Yay! Nature, what can I say?
In other news, going back to work has been a push. Even a little break like a week can really bump me out of all my structural habits (not hitting snooze when the alarm sounds!) and combined, well, there's lead weights on my feet as I drag myself to work in the mornings. I'm sure it will pass ... I heard today that Mars has been in a nasty retrograde mood. Well, if Mars says "talk to the hand" mortals ought to take it easy!
That's my 10min folks. Hope you and yours are well, and enjoying living.
Quote for the day from Neil Gaiman's blog:
"I'm only wearing black until they invent a darker colour."
welcome back to the blog one and all!
(This is a speed blog - I've set my timer at 10mins to make myself say hello.)
I have been in denial that 07 is done and dusted, and what better day to build a bridge and get over it that the 8th?! A week and a day! So how was your Festivus? The big news here is Helen! Ex-Cyclone Helen and the Dorothea Mackellar-type floods that's she's brought to the entire eastern seaboard it seems like. I would love it if only:
a) it was less hot and humid
b) there wasn't a really big tree in my yard that the family immediately identified as a "widow maker"
c) there was decent telly and I hadn't already run out of ROME and BSG S3!
Ma and Pa have been flooded-in on the farm now and then. They're rolling in it. A temporary creek has sprung up and is winding it's way through the front paddock. Complete with swimming ducks. Three months ago, we were just hoping the olive trees didn't die. Now the tanks and dams on the property have all overflowed, and the grass is back up to waist-height. Yay! Nature, what can I say?
In other news, going back to work has been a push. Even a little break like a week can really bump me out of all my structural habits (not hitting snooze when the alarm sounds!) and combined, well, there's lead weights on my feet as I drag myself to work in the mornings. I'm sure it will pass ... I heard today that Mars has been in a nasty retrograde mood. Well, if Mars says "talk to the hand" mortals ought to take it easy!
That's my 10min folks. Hope you and yours are well, and enjoying living.
Quote for the day from Neil Gaiman's blog:
"I'm only wearing black until they invent a darker colour."
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Innocent Fantasies
This morning was a lot like yesterday morning. You know how the work week goes. Alarm clock, stiff knees, bored with breakfast, briefly ponder clothes and pull on almost exactly the same thing again.
But I got a gorgeous phone message from Mez, that she's been daydreaming that we were hanging out together today with her new puppy instead of us both going to work in separate cities. As soon as I read it, I joined in, and imagined us baking something for afternoon tea and maybe I could finally teach her that double handed patience card game. I don't know why I still teach people how to play it - I nearly always loose. I guess it's like Scrabble - I like playing it because it's a good excuse to spend time together and keep the hands busy while joking and laughing and story telling can go on.
Such innocent fantasies. How lovely to know that there's still a source of enjoyment and pleasure to be had that doesn't need a copyright permission or is sullied by a badly made movie spin-off console game. It would be better, of course, to wag work today and be teleported to your lounge room and have a laugh, but there you go. In a moment of personal revelation to you, I confide that I have these innocent fantasies much more often than any other kind.
My favourite one lately, from about 2 weeks ago, was a fully-fledged dream. I was in New York promoting the new book, and Neil Gaiman had a night free in his schedule, so we met at a family restaurant he knows and had dinner. It was good to catch up and the food was well made. Afterwards, we said goodbye on the pavement and he walked back to his friends' place and I caught a cab to the hotel. It was good to see him so relaxed.
But I got a gorgeous phone message from Mez, that she's been daydreaming that we were hanging out together today with her new puppy instead of us both going to work in separate cities. As soon as I read it, I joined in, and imagined us baking something for afternoon tea and maybe I could finally teach her that double handed patience card game. I don't know why I still teach people how to play it - I nearly always loose. I guess it's like Scrabble - I like playing it because it's a good excuse to spend time together and keep the hands busy while joking and laughing and story telling can go on.
Such innocent fantasies. How lovely to know that there's still a source of enjoyment and pleasure to be had that doesn't need a copyright permission or is sullied by a badly made movie spin-off console game. It would be better, of course, to wag work today and be teleported to your lounge room and have a laugh, but there you go. In a moment of personal revelation to you, I confide that I have these innocent fantasies much more often than any other kind.
My favourite one lately, from about 2 weeks ago, was a fully-fledged dream. I was in New York promoting the new book, and Neil Gaiman had a night free in his schedule, so we met at a family restaurant he knows and had dinner. It was good to catch up and the food was well made. Afterwards, we said goodbye on the pavement and he walked back to his friends' place and I caught a cab to the hotel. It was good to see him so relaxed.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Neil Gaiman: Gold Star Blogger
The man hisself has been to China recently, plenty of good posts about strange food etc, but this, this is pure gold:
http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/labels/giraffes.html
Still very excited about Stardust coming! Very very excited....
http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/labels/giraffes.html
Still very excited about Stardust coming! Very very excited....
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Birds & Bees
Animals are so great - really, so very great.
For example, today I learnt a lot more about bees.
I didn't realise that there were so many social elements to managing a bee hive. Nor that when a new queen starts out, there's a 3 hour orgy of sperm harvesting before she settles down for a lifetime of happy-hive making. Kewl!
Also, I made a clay owl today. A kinda 2d-3d owl. Not a sculpture, more a wall hanging. I may break the unwritten and arbitary rule about this blog not having pictures, just to share this little akimbo character with you. Craft about animals - life can be very very good!
For example, today I learnt a lot more about bees.
I didn't realise that there were so many social elements to managing a bee hive. Nor that when a new queen starts out, there's a 3 hour orgy of sperm harvesting before she settles down for a lifetime of happy-hive making. Kewl!
Also, I made a clay owl today. A kinda 2d-3d owl. Not a sculpture, more a wall hanging. I may break the unwritten and arbitary rule about this blog not having pictures, just to share this little akimbo character with you. Craft about animals - life can be very very good!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Dogs Bring People Together
Neil Gaiman blogged today about walking his dog:
You know, the best bit of having wound up with a dog, apart from the dog of course, is the walking. There are whole worlds out there I hadn't known about until I started walking them..."
and it reminded me of an incident from this morning. Sitting at my desk I could hear a dog howling and out the window there are these two beautiful hounds, wrapped around a pole with a bit of baling twine in the cold. Shivering and howling. Well what could I do but go out there to comfort them and see if I could possibly see who would leave them stranded like this (my window looks out onto the main street of the town).
Head sideways out from the door of the postoffice a straggly man watches me.
"Hey! These your dogs?"
"Yeah."
"You gonna be real long?"
"Nah" he walks towards me and he's dirt poor this guy, and nervous looking. "I'm looking for a stanthorpe phone book." (this is like saying - I'm hoping all my needs in the world are handed to me wrapped in silk)
"oh yeah, you findin one?"
"Nah".
"Right... you need a phone number?"
"Yeah."
"Well these dogs can't stay in the cold, I can look 'em up for you."
Eventually he comes in and perches on my visitor chair and we plug a few names into the whitepages online. He asks me how to spell Michelle. Lots of the people have the same surname.
"Plenty of these Clancy people."
"Yeah, we're a family of ten."
"Try Sonya" he says.
"S. Clancey," I type "where does she live?"
"Sydney" he says so I enter NSW
"Which Suburb?"
He looks right at me and just says "Sydney"
"It's a real big town" I say, "you're gonna need a suburb." But he doesn't know.
Here we are : I help him so his dogs aren't cold, and he's trying to find the phone numbers of some of his brothers and sisters whose names he can't spell for certain and who live god only knows where. He got 5 or 6 tho, and went on his way, and I'm still not sure that he was glad for the help for the truth it cost us both.
By the way Neil - congratulations on picking up the Locus awards for best short story & best collection. You so rock. And you have a cool dog.
You know, the best bit of having wound up with a dog, apart from the dog of course, is the walking. There are whole worlds out there I hadn't known about until I started walking them..."
and it reminded me of an incident from this morning. Sitting at my desk I could hear a dog howling and out the window there are these two beautiful hounds, wrapped around a pole with a bit of baling twine in the cold. Shivering and howling. Well what could I do but go out there to comfort them and see if I could possibly see who would leave them stranded like this (my window looks out onto the main street of the town).
Head sideways out from the door of the postoffice a straggly man watches me.
"Hey! These your dogs?"
"Yeah."
"You gonna be real long?"
"Nah" he walks towards me and he's dirt poor this guy, and nervous looking. "I'm looking for a stanthorpe phone book." (this is like saying - I'm hoping all my needs in the world are handed to me wrapped in silk)
"oh yeah, you findin one?"
"Nah".
"Right... you need a phone number?"
"Yeah."
"Well these dogs can't stay in the cold, I can look 'em up for you."
Eventually he comes in and perches on my visitor chair and we plug a few names into the whitepages online. He asks me how to spell Michelle. Lots of the people have the same surname.
"Plenty of these Clancy people."
"Yeah, we're a family of ten."
"Try Sonya" he says.
"S. Clancey," I type "where does she live?"
"Sydney" he says so I enter NSW
"Which Suburb?"
He looks right at me and just says "Sydney"
"It's a real big town" I say, "you're gonna need a suburb." But he doesn't know.
Here we are : I help him so his dogs aren't cold, and he's trying to find the phone numbers of some of his brothers and sisters whose names he can't spell for certain and who live god only knows where. He got 5 or 6 tho, and went on his way, and I'm still not sure that he was glad for the help for the truth it cost us both.
By the way Neil - congratulations on picking up the Locus awards for best short story & best collection. You so rock. And you have a cool dog.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Not That Much of Any One Thing
I've been tumbling one or two words around in my mental spinner and rather than getting polished, they got kinda dry and withered. So that stuffed that post idea.
Yesterday was a big day - a lot busier at work than I had hoped for and weird oversized taffic on the road (the ARMY was on the move in oversize Aliens-inspired things that I can only guess were APCs) then late at night huge trucks all with the weird super-yellow flashing lights and OVERSIZE oversize signs. One had a yaht with a keel as high as the mast (heading inland!) and of course the invasion of the watertanks proceeds apace and half a house (not as unusual as it sounds). It's in the car when I see things like this, or hear something on the radio that clashes well against something in my head that I most miss having the linked, clever tools i now associate the keyboard with (god, remember the grim days when you used to have to know what a modem was?).
I did have a notebook in the car up until recently and would scribble things as I could grab them. After one day a car passed me with the whole load of the passengers utterly loosing it watching me driving and writing I did have a minor re-think. Audrey has a much differently shaped steering wheel than the road monster - it was kinda bench-like but the drawback was that I would be beeping the horn and not realise it. So in Audrey, I can't get any traction. I think I need to find one of those little pad setups that cabbies mount on the dash to the right of the wheel just next to the side mirror area. Anyway. writing and driving don't really mix.
So I'm feeling pretty good for no apparent reason, but I'll take that (thank you very much universe) and if there is some credit, we can chalk it up to dark chocolate (Jamacian Rum today) and just knowing that Neil Gaiman is out there in the world (go now, and feel the love) and that there is half of a new William Gibson novel waiting for me at home tonight (review, yes, I've promised a review. Stay tuned, or stay "Feeded").
Yeah. Life is good!
Yesterday was a big day - a lot busier at work than I had hoped for and weird oversized taffic on the road (the ARMY was on the move in oversize Aliens-inspired things that I can only guess were APCs) then late at night huge trucks all with the weird super-yellow flashing lights and OVERSIZE oversize signs. One had a yaht with a keel as high as the mast (heading inland!) and of course the invasion of the watertanks proceeds apace and half a house (not as unusual as it sounds). It's in the car when I see things like this, or hear something on the radio that clashes well against something in my head that I most miss having the linked, clever tools i now associate the keyboard with (god, remember the grim days when you used to have to know what a modem was?).
I did have a notebook in the car up until recently and would scribble things as I could grab them. After one day a car passed me with the whole load of the passengers utterly loosing it watching me driving and writing I did have a minor re-think. Audrey has a much differently shaped steering wheel than the road monster - it was kinda bench-like but the drawback was that I would be beeping the horn and not realise it. So in Audrey, I can't get any traction. I think I need to find one of those little pad setups that cabbies mount on the dash to the right of the wheel just next to the side mirror area. Anyway. writing and driving don't really mix.
So I'm feeling pretty good for no apparent reason, but I'll take that (thank you very much universe) and if there is some credit, we can chalk it up to dark chocolate (Jamacian Rum today) and just knowing that Neil Gaiman is out there in the world (go now, and feel the love) and that there is half of a new William Gibson novel waiting for me at home tonight (review, yes, I've promised a review. Stay tuned, or stay "Feeded").
Yeah. Life is good!
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