Bugs
Talking to people about stuff, that’s when my brain works. Like today, I realised that if Roger Penrose is right about consciousness being a quantum phenomenon, then potentially through a mechanism like quantum entanglement something like telepathy is possible. We could all be connected together because at quantum levels space and time stop existing. Which is pretty cool. I can’t prove it because despite having a heavy basis in the sciences, I chose the arts at degree level, but if any scientists are reading, go ahead, knock yourselves out. Also because all quantum theory is just that, theory. Wouldn’t have done it if not talking to someone about Vedic mathematics. As some people know, from talking to me, or rather me talking at them and the conversation corkscrewing off in any and every direction.
Dynamic interaction is always the way forward.
But I was really here to say: William Gibson’s writing partner Tom Maddox, cyberpunk guy, has free writing at http://www.dthomasmaddox.com/.
And more comics from my youth, the Zoids at http://www.zoidstar.com/comics.html. Some of these, particularly the Black Zoid, are written by the great Grant Morrison. I remember being affected by the story where the Namer is fighting a baddie and you don’t see the end of the battle, because I became convinced he had been replaced by the baddie. It might have been the start of my long obsession with being replaced by an evil version of yourself. (That’s kind of where Looking Glass came from.)
Take it back, Sapphire, Time’s your special friend…
http://www.lookinarchive.com/homepages/sapphireandsteel/picturestripindex.html
Sapphire and Steel was something I’d heard of obliquely through reading Doctor Who stuff. The DVDs were cheap at HMV and I watched them. Stupid Rob, poor Tully, cunning Silver, Dr Hibbert as Lead, the man with no face, the transuranic heavy elements, the wobbly credits… It is fantastic. It’s slightly mad, slightly opaque. It’s more fantasy than science.
David McCallum immediately became a hero for the arrogant, cold, headstrong portrayal of Steel. Steel is like House twenty years earlier but in a not quite human, but not alien way. The fact that Joanna Lumley is a celebrity suddenly made sense.
These strips are a pretty good indicator and Arthur Ranson’s art is perfect. Arthur’s another of those artists I wish I could draw like.
Moods
Scott Lynch has revealed recently that he is suffering from depression and panic attacks. Depression isn’t great. It’s had it’s grubby paws over a couple of my friends and affected the families of people I know.
Joseph Conrad was a sufferer. He put it in his books and we suffered with him. Churchill, he did too.
People have suggested in the past that I might have it. But I think what I have is a lack of hope. Because I know how depression strikes people and I don’t think it ever hits me that bad. And always always I swing back so I think what I feel is just a shadow of what sufferers feel. But that’s enough to know that it must be bad.
I think about these people and wish there was an easy solution. I hope the writing sometimes fixes things. I write for that. I know that reading helps me, and exercise, and learning, when I’m unhappy and feeling lonely. (That and writing long indulgent confessional posts that I take off the blog after a couple of hours.)
This week I read Young Sherlock Holmes by Andrew Lane and Above the Snowline by Steph Swainston. Both are good books, though I don’t know I’d recommend Above the Snowline as an uplifting read, it is a strong one. I am convinced that Swainston hasn’t got a high opinion of women, but that fits with Storm Constantine, another female author who wrote a story about how the next step in evolution would only be applicable to men. Even with that story about the kid and the dog which was cribbed from somewhere else, I still like Above the Snowline, not least because it has Lightning in it. No doubt she borrowed the story on purpose, but still. Andy does a good job with the Young Sherlock Holmes but then I’m a fan of his from his Doctor Who and Randall and Hopkirk days so that’s no surprise to me. It is exactly what you’d expect, if a bit James Bond-y with it - though less James Bond-y than the film. I got a proof copy to review, but I think it comes out in June sort of time.
And I’m teaching myself PHP and MySQL. Which is a relatively simple language.
And I’m stopping myself from buying the Titan hardback collections of the Steel Claw and the Spider. But darn it, it’s tough.