“Theory of the leisure class”
Gold leaf, ground sapphire:
in the English book of hours,
the longest day of the year turns a page
in the season of spending
no sumptuary law can curb—
but today’s meditation has been interrupted
by a panicked feathery clatter:
a wood pigeon, ungainly in rosy waistcoat,
distracted on the way to Ascot
by an ornamental cherry at my window.
The SyFy Channel has announced its intentions to adapt the movie The Adjustment Bureau into a series. The movie was based on Philip K. Dick’s “Adjustment Team”
Loren reviews Falling Glass
Courtesy of Furious D, here’s a little film trailer for a low-budget production of H. P. Lovecraft’s “The Whisperer In Darkness.”
Honestly, isn’t that a great trailer? Aren’t you interested in seeing this movie?
I know I am, and–here’s the thing–I hate H. P. Lovecraft’s body of work. All that nihilism, and the whole the-universe-is-more-horrifying-than-you-can-imagine Cthulhu Mythos, is to me not only depressing and demoralizing, but full-out blasphemous.
But this trailer is irresistable. The people who made it (and, we assume, the film) are having so much fun, first in telling a story they enjoy, and then in re-creating the whole atmosphere of a 1930s horror film, that all their love shines through (which is ironic when you’re dealing with Lovecraft material).
Bravo.
J. Christian Adams, formerly of the Department of Justice, has a book on his experience there, arguing that the current administration has refused to enforce laws they do not agree with. Injustice: Exposing the Racial Agenda of the Obama Justice Department
And so the 2011 Norsk Høstfest is over. I got home yesterday night, exhausted as usual, though this one was actually less strenuous than most. Crowds were noticeably smaller, though the attendees had money to spend and the venders did fine. Personally, smaller crowds don’t bother me a bit.
No pictures, I’m afraid. Brought my camera, but never used it.
Much of the relative easiness was because we had two teenage boys to help with the sword fighting, so I only had to do a couple fights per show. Gradually I got used enough to the battle axe to do some crowd-pleasing shield hewing, but my victory tally stands at one. (I think I’d have won more if one of my teenage opponents had understood what constitutes a “hit” in axe fighting. We do not allow chopping at bodies with axes. That would be… irresponsible.)
Had an interesting encounter the last day. A young man came to me and asked if I knew much about Norwegian folklore. I said I probably knew as much as anybody in the group. Then he asked me about an idea about trolls that had been expressed to him by one of the festival vendors. I said I didn’t know where that person had gotten such an idea. I’d never encountered it, either in the myths or the folk tales.
The young man’s response was odd. He asked me if there were anybody else in the group who would know. I found this irritating. It sounded as if he was just looking for someone to reinforce his opinion. I referred him to Ragnar, who (oddly enough) referred him back to me to buy my books. He bought all three that I had for sale—or rather his mother, who seemed to be attending him, bought them for him.
Then I figured out what the problem was—or at least made my guess. I suspect the young man has Asperger’s, and I just wasn’t speaking his language. When I said I didn’t know where the idea came from, he took me to mean I knew nothing about the subject.
I fear he won’t make much of my books if that’s his problem.
Which makes me feel a little guilty, though when I think about it, it’s not my job to tell people whether they qualify to buy my books or not. (Except for small children. I generally don’t sell them to children.)
Final observation—I don’t much like Country music, but I never get tired of “Ghost Riders In the Sky.”
Here are few verses to sooth your soul this afternoon. Put down that third martini and read this from James Russell Lowell:
There came a youth upon the earth,
Some thousand years ago,
Whose slender hands were nothing worth,
Whether to plow, to reap, or sow.
Upon an empty tortoise-shell
He stretched some chords, and drew
Music that made men’s bosoms swell
Fearless, or brimmed their eyes with dew.
Then King Admetus, one who had
Pure taste by right divine,
Decreed his singing not too bad
To hear between the cups of wine
And so, well-pleased with being soothed
Into a sweet half-sleep,
Three times his kingly beard he smoothed,
And made him viceroy o’er his sheep.
Here’s a troll quote in honor of Andy Rooney, who retired from 60 Minutes, his last essay being broadcast yesterday. Here’s an unflattering take on his career by Judy Bachrach of Obit Magazine.
Today is the last day of the festival, the most taxing day of all. Not only do we–for some reason I’ve forgotten–do four combat shows on Saturday, rather than three, but when it’s done tonight we tear down our camp and pack our vehicles for the trip home tomorrow.
One traditional aspect of Viking events for me is wondering (as I leave for the destination) what (not if I have, but what) I’ve forgotten. This year my big mistake was a conscious one. Conscious but stupid.
For years people have told me that I tend to overpack. So as I was leaving the house, I started to pick up my brief case and said to myself, “I don’t need this. I’ve got my laptop case. Don’t need both.”
Wrong, of course. I’d forgotten that the brief case held 1) some information on our next event that I was supposed to give to some people, and 2) the DVD of my book trailer, which I could have run on a continuous loop for advertising, if I’d thought to bring it.
As for my success in fighting, not very good. Didn’t win a single bout yesterday. Despite what Ragnar always says, youth and speed do frequently defeat old age and treachery.
NPR listeners picked 100 Scifi and Fantasy novels this summer, and SFSIGNAL has produced a helpful chart for this list. On it, you’ll see a strong logical flow of questions and answers like this:
Where should I start: Fantasy or SciFi?
No, I’d rather not be seen in that area of the bookstore.
We won’t tell. Prefer a drama?
No. I just watched The Notebook last night?
Postmodern mind-bender?
No.
Interested in Dystopian fiction?
Yes. I’m a sucker for worst case scenarios.
Totalitarian or world gone mad?
Madness
Do manufactured humans interest you?
No.
Which question most frightens you?
Who needs Free Will?
Recommended: A Clockwork Orange
Or take this example:
Where should I start: Fantasy or SciFi?
No. Can’t I have both?
You can have it all. Into the future or the past?
Future
Math Geek?
Yes.
Recommended: Anathem
