The good morning, good night thread

[Ed]

Another hectic day, here. Had to drive all the way down into the depths of rural Dorset today, which took me the best part of an hour, each way, to do a job that took me about an hour. A bit of a waste of time and diesel, really, but it was cool because the client specifically asked his builder to get me to do it, not one of the guys who works for me, not anybody else -- he wanted me to do it. I know it's not a big deal, but it's nice to know somebody appreciates the care that I take in the work that I do, and they're prepared to pay a premium for me to do the job.

After that, I was supposed to go on to another job for the same builder, but decided I needed the time to finish the floors over at the house I'm renovating. The carpets were supposed to go down last week, but I didn't manage to get there to repair the boards I lifted to get at the wiring and install the pipework for the heating system. Didn't get there at the weekend, either, because I had to work. Meanwhile time is rolling on and we still aren't getting any rent. Fingers crossed, we'll have somebody in there soon.

As ever, the work outlook is still uncertain, though. One of the builders I do the most work for is pricing lots of work and not getting any of it. It seems like other firms are still buying work to keep their staff on, which is a bad state of affairs all round.

I suppose it'll all sort itself out in the end

[Geoff_N]

Yeay, I survived a whole day looking after tw0-year-old grandon, Oliver, on my own. He's potty-trained... more or less... more than me, less than the neighbour's cat. I discovered he loves being dragged around daughter's house on a blanket but struggles when it's my turn for a ride.

[Geoff_N]

Off to the Chester SFF Library Book Group this saturday afternoon. It's a Desert Island Disc session. We have to pick ONE book each that we couldn't live without if stuck on a desert island. Sooo hard. I've been re-reading my favourites all month and can't make a decision. TBH I have yet to read a book that ticks all my picky boxes. I like the writing to be literary, beautiful, to take me out of the fictive dream (ha ha). I like to be in space exploring alien worlds or places. I like post apocalyptic, which usually means Earth, which contradicts my space box. I want to be awed - could be by a wonderful character or a wow factor in weird discovery. I find that most of the pre-1970 classics - eg Arthur C Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama (Big Dumb Object discovered heading for the sun and does a sling shot around it - alien artifact mystery) has a wow plot and description but is mostly Tell and only 2D characters. Very literary fantasy would be The Collector Collector by Tibor Fischer. I bet none of the group have read it. It has a marvelous premise, great writing and characters but reviewers bemoan it's lack of 'proper' ending. Stanislaw Lem's Tales of Pirx the pilot ticks just about all the boxes though is a bit dated. I am not allowed to include my own book In fact although Ray Bradbury wrote most of his pre-1970 some are well written - in a modern way. Just read Fahrenheit 451 - hardly any Tell, tight narrative and no loose dialogue tags. But only ticks some boxes unless I suggest Martian Chronicles... umm.
What would you choose?

[akaShoe]

I can never make these kinds of decisions... I usually fall back on some smartass answer like Raft Building For Dummies.

NPR has a great list of the greats (http://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139085843/your-picks-top-100-science-fiction-fantasy-books)... but again, I feel as though the article should be entitled "How To Make Your Decision Even More Difficult."

[Geoff_N]

I can never make these kinds of decisions... I usually fall back on some smartass answer like Raft Building For Dummies.

NPR has a great list of the greats (http://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139085843/your-picks-top-100-science-fiction-fantasy-books)... but again, I feel as though the article should be entitled "How To Make Your Decision Even More Difficult."

seen that list or others like it. Just about all of them were mentioned in our meeting though I've only read about half of them and would only remember enough to talk about a third. Just to be different and for its wow factor I eventually picked one not on a list, Tibor Fischer's The Collector Collector.

[delboy]

The December birthdays are now out of the way so I can turn my attention to Christmas. I actually did a bit of pressie and card (and stamp) buying on Saturday, so I think I must be ahead of the game 

That said, when I look at my diary I realise the reality is that there are only two available shopping days to Christmas so I'm going to have to plan the remainder of my campaign carefully. Still, I guess that's what they invented petrol station shops for...

[Geoff_N]

Just returned from a good writing weekend in the Peak District. Hiking past Thor's Cave in the Manifold Valley. pics and stuff in my blog at

http://geoffnelder.wordpress.com/
Includes a mini review of Chris Beckett's The Holy Machine.

[Rev. Austin]

I survived my very first book signing! If anyone would like to see some pics/a report, here you go http://theycallmepotato.blogspot.com/2011/12/doug-bradley-was-my-9th-victim.html

Everyone was really nice, I met and signed a book for Doug Bradley(!) and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Now I really, really hope I get to do more book signings, because by gum it felt good! 

[desertwomble]

Great pics, Geoff - though they make me glad I'm in the Middle East.

And Rev.? I hope you made your signature the biggest! Nice one, mate!

DW

[delboy]

Latest bit of muscial mayhem:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/w-MX26rOpZU

Some guys over at a Gretsch forum wanted short videos of folks playing their Electromatics, so this was my effort.

Derek

[Rev. Austin]

Ace! You make it look effortless haha 

[marc_chagall]

Excellent!

[Geoff_N]

So I say to a room full of my family, "You've all heard of Dan Simmons, right?" None had. "Come on, the Hyperion series, Hugo winner blah blah." I am blanked. I'm chuffed because Dan has accepted my facebook friendship and sent me a personal message, not that he knows me from a speck of interstellar dust but my opportunity to brag falls on deaf ears. Do other Doomers have this problem with family and friends?

[LashSlash]

who has family & friends??

[Ed]

Dan who?