Food for Toasters

So, I went to my local curry house dressed as Starbuck from Battlestar Galactica (the new one - hey it was the weekend!)  At first I thought they didn't understand, then I was offered this.  Mmm, tasty...

Future Music for the Masses

An interesting concert: the speakers here were arranged as to resemble an orchestra, their frequencies roughly similar to the usual orchestral layout (hence the big boomy ones at the back like the inebriated brass section).  Could this be the future of listening to classical music - without the players?  Is this the orchestra of the electronic composer?  Or are these just some cool pictures of some interesting looking speakers?

In addition to the questions raised above, this concert was meant to be 'acousmatique', i.e. music which makes you experience illusory auditory perception or synaesthesia.  And it did seem to do something odd to my cerebral cortex, although being transported to an SF-related world for a short while isn't that unusual for me.  I scrawled some words in my notebook afterwards...

Musiques acousmatiques

Dimanche 14 juillet à 18h00 - Salle Pasteur, Le Corum, Montpellier

PIERRE SCHAEFFER (1910-1995)
Suite pour 14 instruments (1949)

PHILIPPE CARSON (1936-1972)
Turmac (1961)

BERNARD PARMEGIANI (né en 1927)
La Roue Ferris (1971)

CHRISTIAN ZANÉSI (né en 1952)
Constructions métalliques (2001)

DANIEL TERUGGI (né en 1952)
Turbulences (2011)

SF Bridge

Twin Sails bridge in Poole. . .

Grave business

Researching a new short story in Bournemouth, yesterday...

Mary Shelley died on the 1st of February 1851 of what is assumed to have been a brain tumour.  She was buried in St Peter's church by her son Percy Florence and his wife Jane, who were living in Bournemouth at the time.

So long, Iain...

A very sad day for Science Fiction.  And literature in general.  Sublime in peace.

Inspirational artwork...

A friend of mine, Katrin Connolly, was inspired to create this piece of art after reading my story Gestating Elegy.  Apparently the paints used glow in UV light, although I have yet to experience this; maybe one day I'll take it clubbing!  Will post a link to her work up here soon...

Cala de Deia

The inspiration for one of my recent short stories... And Robert Graves of course...

Musings on Milford

Milford SF Writers' Workshop.  Milford alumni include: George R. R. Martin, Alastair Reynolds, Charlie Stross and now Guy T. Martland!  Check out my review of what happened in 2012 here:

The Eagle, the Dragon, the Two Wet Dogs and the Skunk