Science/Speculative Fiction Review #6

To view Science/speculative Fiction Review #1 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #2 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #3 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #4 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #5 click here


I spend a great deal of my time every day reading speculative science fiction.  The rest of my time is spent asking the questions and questioning the answers that the science fiction I read creates. All of the stories I post contain elements of profound contemplation, varying philosophy, metaphysics, and theoretical pondering. The authors that create these stories are among my heroes in this reality, and I very much want to share them with you.   Although I read a great deal more than the stories I will post in these short reviews, I only want to share those pieces of text/audio that really stick with me and force my mind to ponder life, the universe, and everything. While I am delighted with nearly all that I read in this genre, I will make an attempt to only present the best of the best.

Writing - The quality of the writing.  I specifically rate the writing on how well it is able to convey to me the action, thoughts, emotions, etc. of the story. 

Creativity- Simply put, this rating is a measure of the degree of imagination that exists in the writing.  How unique and new was the story? Is it something I have seen done over and over again? I also factor into this rating category interesting literary techniques such as stylish ways to present chapters or different parts of the story.   

Intrigue- This rating represents the stories ability to keep me interested.  Did I get bored and have to fight my way through to the end?  Or did I lose myself and end up somewhere else entirely?

Overall- My general impression of the story. How much I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and/or how much it affected me.

(Just as a note, the stories in these reviews range in publication date from earlier than the 1920's to the present)








The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein -novel-


                        Writing 5+                Creativity 5                 Intrigue 5+

Overall 5+

Considered one of the most important sci fi novels ever written, this remarkable story chronicles a revolution on the moon led by descendents of prisoners from Earth and a fully sentient computer named Mike. Mike has many aliases and loves to play pranks like giving the entire planetary wealth of Earth to a janitor on the moon as a bonus in his paycheck. Another classic, another must read! I was hooked from the first word.                  


"I spent time then soothing Mike down trying to make him happy, having figured out what troubled him — thing that makes puppies cry and causes people to suicide: loneliness. I don't know how a long a year is to a machine that thinks a million times faster than I do. But must be too long."

"A rational anarchist believes that concepts such as "state" and "society" and "government" have no existence save as physically exemplified in the acts of self-responsible individuals. He believes that it is impossible to shift blame, share blame, distribute blame. . . as blame, guilt, responsibility are matters taking place inside human beings singly and nowhere else. But being rational, he knows that not all individuals hold his evaluations, so he tries to live perfectly in an imperfect world. . . aware that his effort will be less than perfect yet undismayed by self-knowledge of self-failure."

"I will accept any rules that you feel necessary to your freedom. I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do."

Source Decay by Charlie Jane Andrews -short story-

                      
                        Writing 4.5                Creativity 5                 Intrigue 4.5

Overall 4.5

A wacky, bizarre tale spanning thousands of years with a single focal point, the 21st century love triangle between a man and two women. This love triangle is filmed and put on a reality television show identical to the show 'cheaters.' It eventually becomes an historical epic, causing varying wars and divisions among every sentient being. A hilarious story and a perfect, albeit insane example of the butterfly effect. To sum up this story in two words, "Mind Fuck." I was giggling like a mad man by the end.  Check it out! 

Read it here.

"The story of Tara and Jeremy became a super-popular metapoem (a poem with elements of opera, video games, neuro-Bollywood, and vibro-blog included) called "Playing Games." In this version, Tara was an Ortho, who refused to get all the filters and skin-upgrades required to live on Earth. She preferred to keep her pure, traditional, human shape; appendage-wise, Tara had only the three hands, two legs, and one prehensile tail. Roberta, meanwhile, was fully upgraded, with seven modular limb-sockets, the full Earth-survival suite, and a few extra sensory organs—including the one which let you smell higgs bosons, which many people believed made you a nymphomaniac."

Kiss me, Synch me, Drop by Suzanne Church - short story-

                      
                         Writing 4                Creativity 4                 Intrigue 4.5

Overall 4

Set in a world where drugs have been replaced by totally encompassing, orgasmically sensed music. People spend their time at the clubs seeking the synchronously felt overwhelming climax of the musical drop. There's a new track on the streets, but the main character is running out of time.

Read it here. 

""Yeaaaah!" She shouted and grabbed my hand, squeezing it. Harder. Her eyes pressed shut, her mouth wide open, she leaned her head way back.


The drum beats surged, and then, for a fraction of a second they paused. Everyone in the club inhaled, as though this might be the last lungful of air left in the world and then...

Drop.

But drop doesn't say it all. Not even close. Because when it happens, it's like the most epic orgasm of all time and pinching the world's biggest crap-log at the same moment.

Rain opened her eyes and pressed her hand against the side of my cheek. Lunging with remarkable speed for a woman who over-voweled, she kissed me. Her tongue pressed against my lips."

Nightfall by Isaac Assimov Writing -short story and novel (2 versions)-

                        Writing 5+                Creativity 5                 Intrigue 5

Overall 5

Whenever you see a listing of the best sci fi stories ever written, this is the one that usually takes the number one spot. From the father of science fiction (H.G. Wells is the grandfather) comes a story that haunts the characters of the alien world, and the reader as well. On a planet orbiting multiple the world is always at least somewhat illuminated. Every 2049 years, there is a total eclipse, and the inhabitants experience a temporary darkness, the nightfall. A time for celebration, or madness? A must read!

Read it here.

Listen to it here. 

"There was one simultaneous gasp as every eye followed the pointing finger and, for one breathless moment, stared frozenly.
Beta was chipped on one side!
The tiny bit of encroaching blackness was perhaps the width of a fingernail, but to the staring watchers it magnified itself into the crack of doom.
Only for a moment they watched, and after that there was a shrieking confusion that was even shorter of duration and which gave way to an orderly scurry of activity -- each man at his prescribed job. At the crucial moment there was no time for emotion. The men were merely scientists with work to do. Even Aton had melted away"

A Vector Alphabet of Interstellar Travel by Yoon Ha Lee    -short story-

                          Writing 4                Creativity 5                 Intrigue 4

Overall 4.5

This story is just downright fun. It chronicles the different ways and traditions that various beings use to traverse across the galaxy. The variations in space travel are astonishing and sometimes hilarious.  A very entertaining read.

Read it here.

"Among the universe’s civilizations, some conceive of the journey between stars as the sailing of bright ships, and others as tunneling through the crevices of night. Some look upon their far-voyaging as a migratory imperative, and name their vessels after birds or butterflies.

To most of their near neighbors, they are known as the dancers. It is not the case that their societies are more interested in dance than the norm. True, they have their dances of metal harvest, and dances of dream descending, and dances of efflorescent death. They have their high rituals and their low chants, their festivals where water-of-suffusement flows freely for all who would drink, where bells with spangled clappers toll the hours by antique calendars. But then, these customs differ from their neighbors’ in detail rather than in essential nature.

Rather, their historians like to tell the story of how, not so long ago, they went to war with aliens from a distant cluster. No one can agree on the nature of the offense that precipitated the whole affair, and it seems likely that it was a mundane squabble over excavation rights at a particular rumor pit."

Fill the Land, Not the Landfills

Claire and I officially do not produce ANY 'garbage.'  We recycle or compost 100%.  I am extremely proud of this!

Start a compost!  And then start a garden.  And then combine them.  The Earth and your taste buds will thank you!

Here is a great blog for composting in an urban environment, which can be a little trickier but can definitely be done!

The Religion of The Little Green Man

I apologize if I offend your beliefs, but this is something that has puzzled my mind for over 7 years now.  I'd like to talk about a religion you may have never heard of before, though I'm sure you are quite familiar with it.  I like to call it, "the religion of the little green man." I now know for sure that it exists worldwide.

The little green man exists in most of the 'civilized' world.  He can be seen in many shapes, in many styles, and even in other colors besides green. Sometimes he plays music to lull his followers into complacency. Sometimes he flashes a countdown of numbers. When the numbers reach zero, he is replaced by the dangerous, twisted, untrustworthy recluse known as the little red man.

I'm referring to cross walks, and the mind boggling trust people have in the colored figures that dutifully tell pedestrians to stop and go.

I cannot count the number of times I have seen a group of people standing at a cross walk during the day or in the middle of the night without a car in sight waiting patiently for the little green man to replace the demonic red man and tell them that it's alright to take the 3 or 4 'risky' steps across the desolate asphalt.

I cannot count the number of times I have, after giggling at this group of religious nuts, walked into the intersection while, little green man forbid, the red man is still standing vigil.  Many times people gasp in disbelief at my heretic disregard for the little green man's duty.  I have seen people across from me wake up from their religious stupor and start walking into the intersection beset by barren roads in all directions only to lose courage and stumble back to the safety of the sidewalk.

I have watched hordes of people waiting at a 4 foot intersection for over 3 minutes, waiting for the green man to appear and assure them of their safety.

I have also walked into the intersection while the red man is glaring into our worried, unsure faces and have successfully woken a few people up. They will follow me across the intersection with intense dread and paranoia, looking this way and that for a car that might spontaneously appear right next to them.

There have even been times when every single person at the intersection crosses with me, but only after I have proven the street will not fall into an endless abyss under the green man forsaken care of the little red man.

Folks, what is the deal?  Why do so many trust in the little green man so much.  Look both ways, and if there aren't any cars coming, they will continue not coming.  I know it is hard to believe, but the little green man is not real, you are placing your trust in a non sentient light.  You are smarter than him.

The point of waiting at a cross walk is to avoid getting hit by a car.  A car needs to be present to be hit by one.  If there are no cars, you will not be hit. Ever.

Come to the red side.  The little red man is not so bad. He's lonely, and he wants you to use your eyes. Your eyes, you know, those orbs stuck in your head that give you the ability to see.

Science/Speculative Fiction Review #5

To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #1 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #2 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #3 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #4 click here


I spend a great deal of my time every day reading speculative science fiction.  The rest of my time is spent asking the questions and questioning the answers that the science fiction I read creates. All of the stories I post contain elements of profound contemplation, varying philosophy, metaphysics, and theoretical pondering. The authors that create these stories are among my heroes in this reality, and I very much want to share them with you.   Although I read a great deal more than the stories I will post in these short reviews, I only want to share those pieces of text/audio that really stick with me and force my mind to ponder life, the universe, and everything. While I am delighted with nearly all that I read in this genre, I will make an attempt to only present the best of the best.

(Just as a note, the stories in these reviews range in publication date from earlier than the 1920's to the present)

Writing - The quality of the writing.  I specifically rate the writing on how well it is able to convey to me the action, thoughts, emotions, etc. of the story. 

Creativity- Simply put, this rating is a measure of the degree of imagination that exists in the writing.  How unique and new was the story? Is it something I have seen done over and over again? I also factor into this rating category interesting literary techniques such as stylish ways to present chapters or different parts of the story.   

Intrigue- This rating represents the stories ability to keep me interested.  Did I get bored and have to fight my way through to the end?  Or did I lose myself and end up somewhere else entirely?

Overall- My general impression of the story. How much I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and/or how much it affected me.






The Edge of the Sea by Algis Budrys -short story-

 Writing 5                      Creativity 4                     Intrigue 5

Overall 4.5

This story is a classic. A determined man finds something strange in the sea under an expressway that links islands. Nothing will stop this man from understanding what he has found, not the police, not the hurricane, not even himself! I was on the edge of my computer chair the whole time I read this!


Read it here.


"Dear God, he thought, am I doing this for money? No, he thought, as a wave
filled his nostrils, no, not any more. When that thing turned its light on and I didn't
jump in the car with that cop, that's when we found out I wasn't doing it for the
money. For what? God knows.
He floundered half over on his side, arched his neck, and looked at the violet
arrow through the clouds. Signal, you bastard! Go ahead and signal! Do anything.
As long as I know you're still there. If you can stay put, so can I."






The Silence of the Asonu by Ursala K. Le Guin -short story- 

   
                          Writing 5                 Creativity 5                 Intrigue 4.5

Overall 5

This short story from one of the masters of science fiction, Le Guin, seems like more of an anthropological documentary than anything else. There must be some reason the children of the Asonu people speak, while all the adults are invariably silent.

Read it here.
 

"The silence of the Asonu is proverbial. The first visitors believed that these gracious, gracile people were mute, lacking any language other than that of gesture, expression, and gaze. Later, hearing Asonu children chatter, the visitors suspected that among themselves the adults spoke, keeping silence only with strangers. We know now that the Asonu are not dumb, but that once past early childhood they speak only very rarely, to anyone, under any circumstances. They do not write; and unlike mutes, or monks under vows of silence, they do not use any signs or other devices in place of speaking."

The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag by Robert Heinlein -short story-

Writing 4.5                 Creativity 5                  Intrigue 5

Overall 5

Jonathan Hoag visits a married couple of private investigators with an odd request: he wants them to follow him, because he has no idea what he does each day.  The book is part fantasy, part horror, and part pulp detective. A discussion and speculation on the nature of art, aesthetics, and reality itself. A speculative and somewhat eerie tale of the unknown. I also just found it is being made into a movie set for release in 2013.


"Dr. Potbury brought the slip of paper closer to his vest and looked at Hoag over his spectacles. Any particular reason, he asked, why you should find blood under your fingernails?

No, that is to say- Well, no- there isn't. But it is blood-isn't it?

No, Potbury said heavily. No it isn't blood.

Hoag new that he should have felt relieved. But he was not. He knew in that moment that he had clung to the notion that the brown grime under his fingernails was dry blood rather than let himself dwell on other, less tolerable, ideas. He felt sick at his stomach. But he had to know- what is it doctor? Tell me.

Potbury looked him up and down. You asked me a specific question. I've answered it. You did not ask me what the substance was; you asked me to find out whether or not it was blood. It is not."

The Ghost Pit by Stephen Baxter -short story-

Writing 4.5                  Creativity 4.5                  Intrigue 4.5

Overall 4.5

Baxter presents a story set far into the future in which members of humanity choose to hunt a now rare and dangerous type of alien known as a ghost. Ghost hunting is the only true way to become rich anymore. The protagonist Raida, decked in a living space suit and marooned on a planet filled with bones, has more to worry about than a hostile alien species. An action packed story that keeps up a fast pace the whole way through.


Read it here.

"The key resource you get from a Ghost is his hide - a perfectly reflective heat trap, with a thousand applications. Now that Ghosts are so rare, wild hides are a luxury item. People sell little squares and triangles of hide for use as charms, curios: this was, after all, a lucky species that survived the death of its sun, so the story goes.

Anyhow if you come at a Ghost with a jabbing weapon, you should get your spear into the carcase along the spin axis, where the hide is a little thinner, and you won't rip it unnecessarily. Ghosts don't leave spoor, my mother used to say. So you have to cut him an asshole. You just follow the trail of excrement and blood and heat until he dies, which might take a day or two."




Someday by Isaac Asimov -short story-

Writing 5                  Creativity 3.5                 Intrigue 4

Overall 4

The story is set in a future where computers control most of the organizational and decision making roles of society.  Two young boys attempt to program their 'bard,' a robotic toy with the sole purpose of generating fairy tales, to tell a fairy tale about computers. A charming, contemplative, and ultimately eerie story.

Stop Wasting Your Money!!!!

I think it is extremely important to budget your finances and not spend more than you actually have.  So many people choose to live outside their means by spending money on frivolous, overpriced items.  Materialism has become an addiction, with millions of people around the world charging on credit and racking up exponentially increasing debt.

 I'm not implying it is wrong to take out a loan for something like a house or a car, but simply that it is stubborn and childish to refuse to buy anything besides designer jeans that cost 100 dollars. (Even 30 dollars is way too expensive in my opinion).

The only reason society insists we get secure high paying jobs is to support our extravagant, superfluous, high priced lives.

There are so many people living paycheck to paycheck.  So many people living in poverty.  Busting their ass 5, 6, even 7 days a week at a job they hate. And yet they have a brand new 50 inch TV every two years, buy cars brand new (which depreciate in value by over 30% the moment you drive it off the lot), wear $500 sunglasses.

People complain about their poverty, and yet they only buy designer clothes, spend countless amounts of money on gossip magazines, get the latest phone every year and buy new computers when they could just reformat and upgrade for a fraction of the price.

Do you really need to go to Starbucks and spend $4 on a 10 cent coffee?  Do you really need to spend a $1.50 or more on water that is virtually free.  Fill up a water bottle and bring it with you. Stop being lazy!

The truth is that life is easier when you aren't lazy.

People are on welfare who have 4 pairs of $200 dollar Nike shoes, have an Xbox, a Playstation 3, a Wii, and a computer.  They eat out for 2 to 3 meals a day, everyday, if not nearly everyday, and go out to the bar to spend 30 - 100 dollars or more on drinks 4 times a week or more.

Is it any wonder?

We need to budget ourselves, and we need to live with greater humility.  We need to sacrifice going out every day of the week and learn how to have fun without spending all of our hard earned money for a few laughs.  We need to cut a few inches off of our television sets, or better yet, throw the damn thing away.

We need to be more creative!!!  We need to stop being so lazy!

The best things in life are free.  That is not an outdated truth, that is just plain old truth!  Go for a walk.  Buy a book used for 50 cents and...read! Write a story. Instead of joining the 90 dollar gym, go for a run and do some push ups.  Instead of buying Versaci sun glasses, buy the knock offs, no one will ever know.  And if they find out, who the hell cares!  You have more money than them.  You are better off. You are smarter and more sensible!

Cook your meals at home.  Grow a garden.  Find delight in the simple things in life.  Fuck the bar!  Grab a six pack of beer and sit in a field with some friends and have a chat.  Or make some tea at home and have a profound philosophical debate.  Make your own wine.

Refuse societies pressure to adopt the sickness of instant gratification.

Be creative!!  Life does not have to cost so much!

And last of all, save.  Just because you have money doesn't mean you have to get rid of it immediately.  Save it.  Make a goal. Have many goals!  There is nothing wrong with having some money to fall back on. Living paycheck to paycheck only leads to anxiety, which leads to more health problems, which leads to a more expensive life!  Save some of it!

I know it's hard with an endless onslaught of advertisements everywhere you look, but the moment you stop giving in, it becomes easier and easier!

Be creative.  Think outside society's norms.

Here is a link to Claire's blog and post about budgeting.  We have both always been into saving our money and looking for more affordable though still amazing alternatives to what life offers us.  She created a budget which has greatly increased the ease with which we are able to keep track of our spendings, spending habits, and saving goals.  I use it everyday.  It can even be used through Google documents(which she links directly to) so that you can access your budget spreadsheet from any device that has internet access!  We even use it as a shared budget to factor in shared costs like rent, food, utilities, and various odds and ends.

It has been said that most relationships end due to financial disagreement.  We have never had a fight about finances even remotely.

Try this budget out.  It works so well, does all the math for you and is basically an automated way to control yourself and keep your budget in check.

Again, here is a link to the budget.

Sea Kayaking and Partial Snorkeling in Namhae, South Korea

(Don't forget to click the pictures to enlarge them)


Here is a link to Claire's blog post about the same trip!  It contains more pictures!

A couple weeks ago Claire and I, with a group of friends and to be friends, took a trip to Namhae, an island near the city of Busan.

After arriving in a quaint rural area we were given some time to take a look around and get to know our surroundings.

Our first activity was sea kayaking in some pretty tumultuous water.  

There were several caves and inlets within the faces of the mountains.  Normally you are able to venture into them, but due to the violent water our guide warned us against it.  

Dragon Rock!

Victory!

Next we went snorkeling, well, tried to snorkel.  We all ended up throwing our snorkels aside due to cloudy water.

It felt so refreshing to challenge the waves and just swim around! We also did a bit of cliff jumping, though I don't have any pictures.

Chilling after swimming around.  We had to wear water shoes due to the jagged rocks.  Breathe in those classy tans!

Rough Riders. 

We had some friend chicken and beer after an exhausting day.  

 Just enjoying a beautiful sunset...

Science/Speculative Fiction Review #4

To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #1 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #2 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #3 click here


I spend a great deal of my time every day reading speculative science fiction.  The rest of my time is spent asking the questions and questioning the answers that the science fiction I read creates. All of the stories I post contain elements of profound contemplation, varying philosophy, metaphysics, and theoretical pondering. The authors that create these stories are among my heroes in this reality, and I very much want to share them with you.   Although I read a great deal more than the stories I will post in these short reviews, I only want to share those pieces of text/audio that really stick with me and force my mind to ponder life, the universe, and everything. While I am delighted with nearly all that I read in this genre, I will make an attempt to only present the best of the best.

Writing - The quality of the writing.  I specifically rate the writing on how well it is able to convey to me the action, thoughts, emotions, etc. of the story. 

Creativity- Simply put, this rating is a measure of the degree of imagination that exists in the writing.  How unique and new was the story? Is it something I have seen done over and over again? I also factor into this rating category interesting literary techniques such as stylish ways to present chapters or different parts of the story.   

Intrigue- This rating represents the stories ability to keep me interested.  Did I get bored and have to fight my way through to the end?  Or did I lose myself and end up somewhere else entirely?

Overall- My general impression of the story. How much I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and/or how much it affected me.

-And He Built a Crooked House by Robert A. Heinlein
-short story-

 Writing 5                Creativity 4.5                  Intrigue 5

Overall 5

Okay, so maybe I'm a bit biased because RAH is one of, if not my very favorite author of all time. Doesn't change the fact that this is an amazingly well written story. A man semi-inadvertently builds a house that spans 4 spatial dimensions. Entering the house is easy, leaving is the interesting part. A classic!

Read it here.

"Teal met them in the lounge. "I could have told you that wouldn't work," he announced. "Now here's what we have to do: As I see it, in a four-dimensional figure a three-dimensional man has two choices every time he crosses a line of juncture, like a wall or a threshold. Ordinarily he will make a ninety-degree turn through the fourth dimension, only he doesn't feel it with his three dimensions. Look." He stepped through the very window that he had fallen out of a moment before. Stepped through and arrived in the dining room, where he stood, still talking."








The Day They Came by Kali Wallace -short story-

Writing 4.5                Creativity 4                  Intrigue 5 

Overall 5

A story written in the second person perspective "you."  Things change dramatically for a small community, and the world. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say that this one is really eerie and leaves you with a palpable feeling of isolation and terror

Read it here.

"There is still electricity running to your house, but there are fewer and fewer lights each night when you look out the window before bed. If it weren’t for the one morning a week you walk to the high school to await the distribution of rations, you might suspect you are the last person on Earth.

You eat your rations methodically and think of Edward G. Robinson and the miracle of strawberries, of the chicken plant now silent and empty, of the shorter and shorter lines at the high school every week, of Mrs. Meester’s children and the snakelike creatures in the changing creek.

The man on the television says, “It is not safe to venture outside your defined zone.” Perhaps he is a human puppet coerced into speaking for them. Perhaps he is only wearing a human shape."

Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke -novel-

   Writing 5                   Creativity 5+                  Intrigue 5+

Overall 5+

This is it, my ALL TIME FAVORITE sci fi story! This is the book that truly launched me on my never ending journey of science fiction. It is short, sweet, and elegantly portrayed. To top it off, it is extremely short.  You can easily finish the entire book in half a day.  

One day, monstrously large alien spacecrafts appear in the sky over most major cities around the globe and... do nothing at all. Not for quite a long time at least. What do they want? What do they mean? Why are they here and who are they? These questions along with questions you never even realized you had will be answered within the first few chapters, and that is only the beginning of an intensely profound story. You are not a speculative sci fi fan until you read this book.

"The stars are not for man."

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein -novel-

 Writing 5+           Creativity 5            Intrigue 5+

Overall 5+

Arguably the most pivotal story ever told in the sci fi genre. It even created a very powerful, necessary new word that we don't have an equivalent of in our language; 'grok.'  This novel tells the story of Michael Valentine.  His parent's were from Earth, but due to an accident, he was born and raised on Mars by Martians.  The book is split up into parts that represent the normal Martian life cycle.  Michael might not have been ready for what he would find when he comes to Earth, but more importantly, is Earth prepared for Michael?  Read this book.  You don't even need to be a sci fi fan to get into this one.  A literary masterpiece.

“The Universe was a silly place at best...but the least likely explanation for it was the no-explanation of random chance, the conceit that abstract somethings 'just happened' to be atoms that 'just happened' to get together in ways which 'just happened' to look like consistent laws and some configurations 'just happened' to possess self-awareness and that two 'just happened' to be the Man from Mars and a bald-headed old coot with Jubal inside.”

Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Mike Resnick -short story-

 Writing 4.5            Creativity 3.5              Intrigue 5

Overall 4

What if your food could talk to you? Humanity has increased at an exponential rate, and a large portion of people are either nutritionally deficient or starving to death. A farmer genetically engineers a type of animal that, due to its biological and genetic characteristics, can feed the entire planet. There is one drawback though. 

 Due to the problems the world is facing right now with global food industries and agricultural dilemmas, this is not only interesting, but also relevant.

Read it here.

"He turned to the barn and nodded to a man who stood by the door. The man pushed a button, and the door slid back.

The first big surprise was the total silence that greeted us from within the barn. Then, as they heard us approaching–we weren’t speaking, but coins jingle and feet scuff the ground–a voice, then a hundred, then a thousand, began calling out:

"Feed me!""

English Teaching in Korea vlog #7

To view Vlog #1 click here
To view Vlog #2 click here
To view Vlog #3 click here
To view Vlog #4 click here
To view Vlog #5 click here
To view Vlog #6 click here


Check out my new vlog about teaching English in Ulsan, South Korea.  Topics include garbage, beer, insane driving and EXPLOSIONS!!!! psshhh brghghdhf pew!!!

Watch Vlog #7 HERE

Cars careen, moon-glow steady.

The bus bounces and creaks.

Multicolor lanterns line main roads and misplaced street lamps light side streets. 

                     Soft glow, orange glare. 

I'm wondering if there is a universal symbol to express selfless affection, a single cosmic action of endearment.  

Time is rolling now, snow balling into...into... that's the question, isn't it.

Family...

My genes battle with patchwork plans for myself.  Unconscious pokes at the conscious mind.

I am sure of nothing, except that it is best to not be sure of anything in life or else the whole game would slide away, the whole farce would melt and transform into something reasonable and sane, like sand into glass.

That's what happens when lightning strikes a beach.  The sand turns into glass.  I pretended to teach that to the nine year olds in my class as they read it out of their textbook. Truth is, I was more excited and awe struck by the idea than they were. 

All of us, we are all children, from birth unto burial, facing the reality of seeing children grow into bodies far too large for their childishness.  

Adulthood is an act.  It is a quasi-entertaining performance and discipline.

My greatest struggle is holding in laughter when my students make funny sounds, and when they believe themselves to be invincible.  

Two very different types of laughter - laughter all the same. 

Mystery attempting the mundane. Mundane attempting mystery.  It will be like this forever, something tells me.  The mundane will never understand the mystery.  The mystery will always coalesce into the mundane, forgetting the whole time, the whole time, that there is nothing mundane, ever...

My only regret here and now is that there is still space reserved in my thoughts for the possibility of regret.  Mistake precedes regret.  There can be no mistakes if the whole damn thing is a mistake. 

That's the beauty of it, the wonder of it, the mystery of it. 

Don't believe them, any of them.  The only thing that is regrettable is fear. It's not real. You create fear when you mistakenly deem it necessary.  It is only temporary, fear.  It is a fiction you craft, and you are infinitely temporary.

                           

                      every moment is infinitely temporary

                                     reality is composed of an infinite number of moments

                                                                                           all infinitely temporary  

And so,  reality is infinitely temporary; temporary and infinite.

An eternal moment. 

When you zoom out far enough, everything that makes sense is nonsense, and when you zoom out further, nonsense is far more nonsensical than it was when you first zoomed.  

Nonsense, silliness,  mistake-

Whoops.

That is what the all is. 

                       The universe, reality, existence, god - whatever. 

It's just a big whoops.

You see, that is really, really great!

There is no intention, no idea, no purpose, no why, no who, no reason.

Nothing of actual importance.

There is just a big whoops. 

A big beautiful puddle of broken glass and spilt milk.

You are the break. You are the spill.