I am: John Brunner His best known works are dystopias — vivid realizations of the futures we want to avoid. Which science fiction writer are you? And here I thought I was Gord Sellar. (But then again, the quiz asks which science-fiction writer you are, not which would-be science-fiction writer you are.) Ah well, if I have to be any other SF writer, Brunner’s a good choice. But the cravat has got to go.

I hate these things but I couldn’t resist. Via Verba Vita Est: 1) My uncle: I’ve lost count. 2) Never in my life: will I read all the books I own. 3) When I was five: I was very small for my age. Really. 4) High school was: a nightmarish experience that taught me that while the idea of all people being equal is nice, it’s not really true. 5) I will never forget: the first poem I ever wrote. 6) I once met: Dewey Redman. He sat with me during breaks at a gig he played with Jane Bunnett …

This is not a post about zombies with strange dietary habits. For those of you who have in email or in person asked after her, Lime is fine. She’s in the neurology department, which is the hardest one so far, it seems, and she’s been working long, long hours there. Yesterday we had dinner together on her first evening off since starting there—she picked up some Japanese on the way over—and when I asked how her day had gone, she said, “I saw brains today. Oooh, listen,” and whipped out her phone to play back a sound file she’d recorded …

I’m taking suggestions for this T-shirt idea, which I think will be the first one I get made: “Have you accepted ____ as your personal saviour?” is the quote, and I’m just wondering what to put in the blank. Should it be: “Rational discussion”? “The Enlightenment”? “Secular Humanism”? “Science”? And whose picture should I include, with a halo? For science, I’d guess a picture of Einstein. For Secular humanism, maybe Betrand Russell. Anyway, ideas are welcome. I may do up a few. I betcha there’s a small market in the world for it, but an ardent one.

I have no idea why the ajeoshi needed to check with the picture in the menu. I said it very clearly, “Be Bim Man Du Han Na Chu Sae Yo.” It’s only five syllables, and then repeated the relevant syllables three times more: “Be Bim Man Du Yo.” I’ve said it many, many times before to people and they’ve never seemed to have a problem understanding. Koreans sitting with me always express annoyance when I order and waitresses just aren’t listening, or are too freaked out to hear a white face saying Korean words to pay attention to the words …

If anyone’s wondering why I’ve been relatively quiet, it’s because I’m currently busy with the following: Reading a friend’s manuscript for criticism. Working on two (2) short stories, one of which is still the time travel story and the other of which, a tale about some kids in a futuristic international school who run into a different set of questions about copyright, exploitation, and voyeurism. There’s other reading I’m doing some on the side, as well. I’m also trying to get into a proper exercise routine which involves swimming and cycling in decent amounts. I’m getting schooled over at the …

I thought I’d get a chance to finish reading these stories sent to me by a fine SF writer who, because she’s Korean American, I thought might be of interest over here and decided to interview. But two things had to get done first: one, I had to respond to Marvin’s thoughts over at New Sophists’ Almanac, and two, I’m reading a friend’s manuscript so I can offer her some comments on her new novel draft. Oh, and three, we’ve had test week and I’ve decided to revamp my approach to one or two books. But after that, I’m going …

According to the Dead Celebrity Soulmate Search, I’d go well with Mata Hari. I have no idea what that says about me. via Tedious and Brief?