Gillian Polack's Blog, page 223
November 11, 2011
Remembrance Day
I took my minute's silence this morning and remembered all those who have died in war. I especially thought about Uncle Max, who I I've only ever met through my mother's and grandmother's memories. Then I stopped a bit longer and thought of the resolution of the Papal Schism through the election of Martin V, and the death of Ned Kelly and of that moment in 1974 when Gough* said "Well may we say God save the Queen..." Then I stopped to think "is there anything I've forgotten to remember?" Today is like Tisha b'Av, very steeped in remembrance, much of it sorrowful. Mostly, though, I think of those who died in war, for they have earned that minute of memory.
PS I have heard about poppies and fields in Flanders so often today that I'm hoping no-one will mention them in comments.
*Who I met some years ago (because he came across to a conversation I was in to talk to the other party, who happened to be an old university acquaintance of my mother and also involved in that 1974 event) and he was wearing a pale pink shirt with no jacket and my hero-worship shattered. Big men should not wear pale pink shirts with no jacket. And yes, I say this every year. Whitlam was nice and even charming, but I'm short and my eyes were level with a vast expanse of pale pink and it was disconcerting.
PS I have heard about poppies and fields in Flanders so often today that I'm hoping no-one will mention them in comments.
*Who I met some years ago (because he came across to a conversation I was in to talk to the other party, who happened to be an old university acquaintance of my mother and also involved in that 1974 event) and he was wearing a pale pink shirt with no jacket and my hero-worship shattered. Big men should not wear pale pink shirts with no jacket. And yes, I say this every year. Whitlam was nice and even charming, but I'm short and my eyes were level with a vast expanse of pale pink and it was disconcerting.
November 10, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-11-10T20:53:00
I keep meaning to blog, but instead I write novel. All the fascinating incidents of my life will remain unreported, alas, as I play with the even more fascinating incidents in my time team's lives. This may well be the case until the weekend, when bits of the dissertation are supposed to return and kick me where it hurts*. Then I'll be working on that, and no doubt will be far more easily distracted.
What's really interesting about the novel is that I have a little translation-thing happening. I start to write dialogue for my people-who-actually-belong in 1305 and something in my mind says "Can't use that idea, the concept didn't exist. Need different wording because the implications of *those* words are impossible in my languages. "
In other not-news, my brain keeps confusing Dante with Petrarch. This is because for some entirely obscure reason I can't associate Petrach with the Vaucluse. I've been there and walked where he walked and I still can't see it in my mind. It's a bit odd.
About the only news today, really, is that I'm guilty of overwork (again) but that it's work I love. In other words, I'm having a very fine week.
*Presumably this means I'll be able to tell people "I have a kick-ass dissertation."
What's really interesting about the novel is that I have a little translation-thing happening. I start to write dialogue for my people-who-actually-belong in 1305 and something in my mind says "Can't use that idea, the concept didn't exist. Need different wording because the implications of *those* words are impossible in my languages. "
In other not-news, my brain keeps confusing Dante with Petrarch. This is because for some entirely obscure reason I can't associate Petrach with the Vaucluse. I've been there and walked where he walked and I still can't see it in my mind. It's a bit odd.
About the only news today, really, is that I'm guilty of overwork (again) but that it's work I love. In other words, I'm having a very fine week.
*Presumably this means I'll be able to tell people "I have a kick-ass dissertation."
November 7, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-11-08T10:19:00
Today's list is rather long and I've only finished three things from it. Today, in other words, is not a day for being bored.
I have inspiration, however, to get me through (or maybe to entice me from one task to the next). I have one more Angry Robot book to read and then I'm caught up with my Angry Robot reading and then i get to post my thoughts on all those lovely books (some of which were actually angry). I have two brand new novels to read for Aurealis. I have the new MD Lachlan from Pyr. And I have some words to write of my own. These things will inspire me to do the less exciting bits of the list. I won't get to the MD Lachlan today and I may only nibble at the edges of the Aurealis reading (for my list today is a long one) but looking at those ARCs and contemplating their contents makes me happy.
The balance for this (for life is as full of darkness as light) is that my body corporate issues are still happening. This time I've paid, but it has faded from their record. This is not the first time *that* has happened. My crystal ball tells me I shall be making more phonecalls. Also, there is housework and it must be done. Also, I am drinking the very last of my coffee from France.
I have inspiration, however, to get me through (or maybe to entice me from one task to the next). I have one more Angry Robot book to read and then I'm caught up with my Angry Robot reading and then i get to post my thoughts on all those lovely books (some of which were actually angry). I have two brand new novels to read for Aurealis. I have the new MD Lachlan from Pyr. And I have some words to write of my own. These things will inspire me to do the less exciting bits of the list. I won't get to the MD Lachlan today and I may only nibble at the edges of the Aurealis reading (for my list today is a long one) but looking at those ARCs and contemplating their contents makes me happy.
The balance for this (for life is as full of darkness as light) is that my body corporate issues are still happening. This time I've paid, but it has faded from their record. This is not the first time *that* has happened. My crystal ball tells me I shall be making more phonecalls. Also, there is housework and it must be done. Also, I am drinking the very last of my coffee from France.
gillpolack @ 2011-11-07T15:48:00
The weekend away hasn't cured me, but it's certainly led to me feeling better. Thank you, Cat and Michael!
While I was away the only work I did was read 3 books for an interview I'm conducting sometime soon. It's a watch-this-space kind of thing.
I've come back to some of the work that kindly delayed the last few weeks, so I shall have a busy rest-of-month I need to write 15-20,000 words of fiction, and work on the Great Medieval Project. The dissertation will come back into my life starting from next weekend, so I have a few days to make sure I'm caught up on everything else and to start in on the novel and etc. Much etc. December's going to be a bit frantic unless I can head it off at the pass and do some solid work now.
This is where I check my chocolate supplies. My coffee supplies are fine because I found a nice coffee down the coast, at the local market.
While I was away the only work I did was read 3 books for an interview I'm conducting sometime soon. It's a watch-this-space kind of thing.
I've come back to some of the work that kindly delayed the last few weeks, so I shall have a busy rest-of-month I need to write 15-20,000 words of fiction, and work on the Great Medieval Project. The dissertation will come back into my life starting from next weekend, so I have a few days to make sure I'm caught up on everything else and to start in on the novel and etc. Much etc. December's going to be a bit frantic unless I can head it off at the pass and do some solid work now.
This is where I check my chocolate supplies. My coffee supplies are fine because I found a nice coffee down the coast, at the local market.
November 5, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-11-05T23:11:00
I've just had a rather wonderful 5 November. No fireworks or bonfires or anything more than noting the date in passing, for I am in rural NSW and their dates of historical memory are other. So, what have I done today? Finished the second of the three ebooks I brought for review, had a dip inCat's pool, listened to some rather nice tunes from some rather nice voices, went walking by the ocean and dipped my toes (and even my knees) into the Pacific, watched X Men First Class, drank a significant amount of homemade liqueur and ate alcoholic bullaces with vanilla icecream (also merguez, but that was earlier), went to the local markets and bought coffee and tomatoes and local eggs. I think that's all. Now I shall lie in bed and watch Stargate on a giant TV (Cat and Michael spoil their houseguests) and make a start on my 3rd book.
Tomorrow is all about Mogo. Not the zoo, because I am not really a zoo person. Besides, if I open the window to my right I can hear the lions cough in the night. Instead, we're visiting shops and the botanic gardens and we're going swimming.
If this weekend doesn't improve my health, then I'm probably a lost cause.
Tomorrow is all about Mogo. Not the zoo, because I am not really a zoo person. Besides, if I open the window to my right I can hear the lions cough in the night. Instead, we're visiting shops and the botanic gardens and we're going swimming.
If this weekend doesn't improve my health, then I'm probably a lost cause.
November 4, 2011
Gary MacMahon's Dead Bad Things (Angry Robot)
I took a long lunch and read an Angry Robot book during it. I thought I should report back immediately, since the last two books I read I took notes and haven't actually reported on. Next week I may try to find the notes and be more caught up.
Gary McMahon's Dead Bad Things is a quick read. This is just as well, because it's also a nasty read. Oddly, the end isn't as emotionally tough as the beginning - it's as if McMahon puts all the foulest things upfront and softens them (not a lot) to reach a conclusion. It's not quite as tight as Pretty Little Dead Things, but it's still a very tense, very nasty horror novel and I read it quickly and this afternoon so that - just like his previous novel - I wouldn't have to carry it to bed.
The world building works best when it's focussed on the characters. His characters are convincing, even some of the ugliest. There is a bit of repetition in motives, so by the end I was wondering just how many personality types peopled his world, but it worked in the context of the novel, reinforcing the themes and making MacMahon's universe a place I don't want to even be seen near. What I liked particularly was that despite the speed of the narrative and the lack of backchat and private lives, he did manage to get this sense of character and a nice sense of the world actually existing. One reason I don't read much horror of this sort is because not nearly enough writers remember to ground their horror in enough of the everyday so that the reader can feel it. MacMahon succeeds very nicely in this, using very few words.
And now, having scared myself silly, I shall return to the land of SF criticism.
Gary McMahon's Dead Bad Things is a quick read. This is just as well, because it's also a nasty read. Oddly, the end isn't as emotionally tough as the beginning - it's as if McMahon puts all the foulest things upfront and softens them (not a lot) to reach a conclusion. It's not quite as tight as Pretty Little Dead Things, but it's still a very tense, very nasty horror novel and I read it quickly and this afternoon so that - just like his previous novel - I wouldn't have to carry it to bed.
The world building works best when it's focussed on the characters. His characters are convincing, even some of the ugliest. There is a bit of repetition in motives, so by the end I was wondering just how many personality types peopled his world, but it worked in the context of the novel, reinforcing the themes and making MacMahon's universe a place I don't want to even be seen near. What I liked particularly was that despite the speed of the narrative and the lack of backchat and private lives, he did manage to get this sense of character and a nice sense of the world actually existing. One reason I don't read much horror of this sort is because not nearly enough writers remember to ground their horror in enough of the everyday so that the reader can feel it. MacMahon succeeds very nicely in this, using very few words.
And now, having scared myself silly, I shall return to the land of SF criticism.
gillpolack @ 2011-11-04T12:32:00
I'm taking a lunch break. This is because my brain is full.
Of all the books I had to finish by the weekend, I only have one to go. I still have to make notes from one of the others (lots of bookmarks, very few notes) but then I'll be finished with a whole (small) stack. And five of them can go back to the library! And I only have one book to pick up at the library. Look! Numbers diminish!
I'm taking 3 work-related novels with me over the weekend and two fun ones. I don't know if I'll have a lot of time to read, but one must be prepared. Besides, all this diminution and loss of a whole (small) pile of books has me excited. If I can do it twice in a week (counting the Aurealis catch-up on Monday), maybe I can do it three times? And then maybe I can achieve a miracle and do all those Angry Robot comments I promised, way back when.
There's a bottom line, of course. The bottom line is that when I get the many thousands of words I sent my supervisor back, with annotations, sorting out where I've gone wrong and how to fix it and where to go from there is going to eat up a lot of time. If I can catch up with everything else, then it'll all be a doddle. if I don't then I'll be working very hard. Since I'm a lazy sod, I'd rather do the reading now.
If I read very quickly, after lunch, maybe I can fit in half an Angry Robot book as well as Kerslake's Science Fiction and Empire? I have until 4 pm, after all, before I get a whole weekend off.
Of all the books I had to finish by the weekend, I only have one to go. I still have to make notes from one of the others (lots of bookmarks, very few notes) but then I'll be finished with a whole (small) stack. And five of them can go back to the library! And I only have one book to pick up at the library. Look! Numbers diminish!
I'm taking 3 work-related novels with me over the weekend and two fun ones. I don't know if I'll have a lot of time to read, but one must be prepared. Besides, all this diminution and loss of a whole (small) pile of books has me excited. If I can do it twice in a week (counting the Aurealis catch-up on Monday), maybe I can do it three times? And then maybe I can achieve a miracle and do all those Angry Robot comments I promised, way back when.
There's a bottom line, of course. The bottom line is that when I get the many thousands of words I sent my supervisor back, with annotations, sorting out where I've gone wrong and how to fix it and where to go from there is going to eat up a lot of time. If I can catch up with everything else, then it'll all be a doddle. if I don't then I'll be working very hard. Since I'm a lazy sod, I'd rather do the reading now.
If I read very quickly, after lunch, maybe I can fit in half an Angry Robot book as well as Kerslake's Science Fiction and Empire? I have until 4 pm, after all, before I get a whole weekend off.
November 3, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-11-03T16:19:00
I'm engaged in self-definition today.
While my time travel novel is certainly science fiction, it doesn't fit with other time travel novels. In fact, at this moment I'm not at all certain that time travel novels fit with each other. I spent a bunch of time last year identifying what other novels did when they explored time travel. I took notes on it. I dreamed about it. And now I've decided I have no idea where it fits in my dissertation.
A taxonomy of time travel novels is something I still need to think about, about, obviously, but isn't relevant to me right now. Pity. I have lots of very thoughtful notes*.
Anyhow, although I'd established what went into other novels, I couldn't fit mine in. Despite obvious period choices, it doesn't even match Crichton or Willis. My tropes are different. My underlying assumptions about character interaction and arcs are wholly different. I'm closer to Willis than Crichton, but still, I wasn't certain that I was in the same sub-genre. This was disconcerting. I set out to write an answer to their novels, in a way, why their history was not our past and could not be pur past, and my answer took me out of the sub-genre I'd expected to write in. And suddenly I had 3/4 of a novel and didn't know where it belonged. I knew it belonged somewhere. My gut feeling was that I was writing something that was still very science fictional. but what sort of SF? Where does this creature belong?
So where did it fit, if not with the time-travellers? Just now I remembered H Beam Piper. I think I'm writing an alien encounter novel. The moment I thought 'alien encounter' the choice to focus on the characters and their interplay became standard, not exceptional, and the politics and implications of the scientists' choices became an aspect of the sub-genre. Thank you, Fuzzy Sapiens!
I still don't know if I need this for the dissertation, but I certainly needed it for myself.
*You know you're doing advanced study when lots of very thoughtful notes turn out to be entirely irrelevant to the whole.
While my time travel novel is certainly science fiction, it doesn't fit with other time travel novels. In fact, at this moment I'm not at all certain that time travel novels fit with each other. I spent a bunch of time last year identifying what other novels did when they explored time travel. I took notes on it. I dreamed about it. And now I've decided I have no idea where it fits in my dissertation.
A taxonomy of time travel novels is something I still need to think about, about, obviously, but isn't relevant to me right now. Pity. I have lots of very thoughtful notes*.
Anyhow, although I'd established what went into other novels, I couldn't fit mine in. Despite obvious period choices, it doesn't even match Crichton or Willis. My tropes are different. My underlying assumptions about character interaction and arcs are wholly different. I'm closer to Willis than Crichton, but still, I wasn't certain that I was in the same sub-genre. This was disconcerting. I set out to write an answer to their novels, in a way, why their history was not our past and could not be pur past, and my answer took me out of the sub-genre I'd expected to write in. And suddenly I had 3/4 of a novel and didn't know where it belonged. I knew it belonged somewhere. My gut feeling was that I was writing something that was still very science fictional. but what sort of SF? Where does this creature belong?
So where did it fit, if not with the time-travellers? Just now I remembered H Beam Piper. I think I'm writing an alien encounter novel. The moment I thought 'alien encounter' the choice to focus on the characters and their interplay became standard, not exceptional, and the politics and implications of the scientists' choices became an aspect of the sub-genre. Thank you, Fuzzy Sapiens!
I still don't know if I need this for the dissertation, but I certainly needed it for myself.
*You know you're doing advanced study when lots of very thoughtful notes turn out to be entirely irrelevant to the whole.
November 2, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-11-02T17:49:00
Today was very quiet at work. This afternoon I've done a bit of reading for the various things I'm reading for right now (only 7 books to read this week - what a slacker I'm becoming!). And I just received a delightful phonecall. I have a work experience student in December!
November 1, 2011
gillpolack @ 2011-11-01T18:12:00
I danced eleven dances today (including Joc Batranesc), won not a single choc coin at the Cup and drank two glasses of bubbly. I'm hurting, but I've earned it.
My pieces for December/January are shaping up (three different looks at fiction over 100 years old: one drawing on what friends like and why and if they can't tell me why then I shall simply wonder aloud, one about the same question given to a very specific group of critics, and one about my own preferences) and the last ordinary review piece for the year is also underway.
I'm not supposed to be working on my dissertation until I hear back from my supervisor, but I was doing a bit of back reading and I realised I had an approach for one of the vagrant chapters, so I shall finish with that back reading and write up my notes and hope that I hear from my supervisor before I go too far astray.
I haven't done anything else of note since I last posted. I meant to work on maps, but it didn't happen because I can't find my tracing paper. I meant to do a lot of things, but the high pain days are continuing and that slows me down a bit. The amazing thing is that I danced. All slow dances, but a full class worth. This means that my breathing is finally under control (still much medicated, but under control) and that the chest infection is gone, and that my overall fitness is so much better than it's been in, oh, four years. I'm not well enough yet to dance regularly again, but I have really missed that group of people and the dancing and the wondering why a song would be called "Apple Come to Me!" (seriously "Tapuach Hineni") and the integration of folkstuff in with the other stuff and so this morning was rather wonderful. Even if I didn't win anything on the Cup.
My pieces for December/January are shaping up (three different looks at fiction over 100 years old: one drawing on what friends like and why and if they can't tell me why then I shall simply wonder aloud, one about the same question given to a very specific group of critics, and one about my own preferences) and the last ordinary review piece for the year is also underway.
I'm not supposed to be working on my dissertation until I hear back from my supervisor, but I was doing a bit of back reading and I realised I had an approach for one of the vagrant chapters, so I shall finish with that back reading and write up my notes and hope that I hear from my supervisor before I go too far astray.
I haven't done anything else of note since I last posted. I meant to work on maps, but it didn't happen because I can't find my tracing paper. I meant to do a lot of things, but the high pain days are continuing and that slows me down a bit. The amazing thing is that I danced. All slow dances, but a full class worth. This means that my breathing is finally under control (still much medicated, but under control) and that the chest infection is gone, and that my overall fitness is so much better than it's been in, oh, four years. I'm not well enough yet to dance regularly again, but I have really missed that group of people and the dancing and the wondering why a song would be called "Apple Come to Me!" (seriously "Tapuach Hineni") and the integration of folkstuff in with the other stuff and so this morning was rather wonderful. Even if I didn't win anything on the Cup.
