Walter Jon Williams's Blog, page 51

Month Nine

It’s been nine months since my hip replacement surgery, and I haven’t done an update since November 25.  (Here’s the last one.)
I haven’t done an update because (1) it’s a depressing topic, and (2) nothing much has changed.  But it may serve as an illustration of medical services in the age of Covid, so here’s the latest.
(And to sum up ahead of time: I’m really thankful I don’t have any serious, life-threatening medical problems.  Because a lot of medical services haven’t been available these l...

First Things First

I’m isolated in my rural paradise, but it’s not like I don’t read the news.  Ten days of protest in major cities, property destruction (a certain percentage at the hands of police provocateurs), police in one place sitting down with protestors for a productive dialogue, police in another charging peaceful protestors for no conceivable reason.  Foreign countries issuing statements of support for the protestors.  The infant in the White House being denounced by his own ex-Secretary of Defense, thr...

Stimulus

Our stimulus check arrived— or rather not a check, but a debit card on the U.S. Treasury.  Apparently it’s legit.
I’m still working and my business hasn’t shut down, and Kathy is comfortably retired.  We’re not rich, but we’re doing well enough.  We don’t need the money and didn’t ask for it, and we’re self-isolating and lack for nothing but good company, and we’d rather the money went to someone to whom it would make a difference.
So we’ve decided to give the money away.
Most of the money will ...

Idiot Box for the Isolated

Here in my isolated rural paradise Ive been watching a lot more video than I usually do, and for some damn reason doing a lot less reading.  The least I can do is share my online encounters. Safe and  The Stranger,  both on Netflix.  Two of Harlan Cobens thrillers (which I havent read) have been shifted from America to Britain, apparently without harm.  Safes plot revolves around the death of one teenager and the disappearance of another, taking place in a gated community which is supposed to...

Mom’s Day

A hundred years ago there used to be a musical genre about how much people loved their mothers, M.O.T.H.E.R. being one of the big hits.  There are still songs about moms, but theyre not regulars on the Hit Parade the way they used to be. Heres a song thats only tangentially about mothers, but I couldnt quite resist it.  Have a happy Day to all you mothers out there.

Lockdown Spirits

Apparently the spirits are as tired of the lockdown as everyone else, because theyve been getting restless.  Weve been having an outbreak of strange spectral noises. For the last few weeks, Ive heard mysterious knocking noises at night, between 11pm and midnight.  It doesnt happen every night, but it happens enough to become a fairly regular occurrence. At that hour Im usually sitting in my easy chair working on my laptop, with my ear buds in as I listen to music, and then BANG BANG BANG BANG...

Cinco

Happy Cinco de Mayo, everybody!  Welcome to my virtual matanza! May 5 is the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla in 1862, in which an inferior Mexican force defeated a French expeditionary army.  In Mexico the day is celebrated only in Puebla and environs, but its widely celebrated among Mexican-Americans in the States. Some folks think this is the Mexican independence day, but its not.  Thats in September. One way to celebrate while still maintaining your social distancing is to knock back...

Ma Solitude

I woke up with this song in my head this morning, and I decided that Ive come to the pensive part of social isolation. This is songwriter Georges Moustaki accompanied by Pink Martini, and it fits my mood exactly.

Kata in the Carport

Its over six weeks since we locked ourselves away.  Its been easier than I expected.  Im used to working alone, for one thing. Im trying to start the day with kata in the carport.  Then I have lunch and spend a couple hours playing Horizon: Zero Dawn.  Im no longer clear what day of the week it is. At least Im doing a lot of writing. I totally respect any desire you may possess to get off the planet entirely.  If you want an idea of where to go, you can check out the five recommended deep...

Sculpture

Since Im hanging out at home hiding from the virus, I have very little to do, so I thought I might as well try to fulfill one of my longtime ambitions, which is to become a chainsaw artist! Theres no place that teaches this stuff, you just have to fire up your chainsaw and go to town. This ones pretty good for a beginner, right? But no, I lie. (Which I do for a living, if you remember.)  One of my neighbors had to take an old tree down, and hired an actual chainsaw artist to do the work.  The...