About to Cut Open the Tauntaun

Tyrone: How are you settling in?
John: Good, good. I thought I might get a little depressed, you know post-pilot depression layered on the first real winter. Been shoveling almost every day, and it's been pretty dark pretty early, PLUS of course the strike means I'm a workaholic with no work. But I think I'm holding it together.
Tyrone: What are you doing today?
John: After I talk to you? Nothing. I was about to go to bed when you called. I'm whipped.
Tyrone: ...
Tyrone: You guys are three hours ahead.
John: Yep.
Tyrone: It's four-thirty in the afternoon.
John: ...
John: ... uh-oh.


Let's just say (constant snow) + (no work) + (Mass Effect) = pants optional lifestyle.

Actually, Mass Effect and Tabula Rasa being released at the same time when I'm NOT allowed to work? That's as close as I've come to a Son of Sam-like experience of God trying to tell me something.

I'll finish up the pilot-shoot experience posts this week - I don't think that counts as promotion, it's more educational for the Spec Monkeys, so I don't think I'm in violation of Strike Rules. Also, I can heartily recommend as snowed-in entertainment:

Grimwood's End of the World Blues -- near-future crime thriller tied to far-future mystery. If you've ever wondered where your 2018 AD British expat sniper and timelost cosplay princess vs Tokyo crimelords pulp novel is, wonder no more.

M. John Harrison's Light -- Quantum mechanics, interstellar chase scenes, time travel mysteries, and serial killer mathematicians. And it's not even the plotting. There's a paragraph on every Harrison page that's just such fine writing, it makes me want to quit.

Charles Stross, Glasshouse -- I'll actually go against the grain here (and I know Charles swings by, so apologies) and say that although I dug this, I didn't dig it as much as everyone else did. Once you're into the gag -- and it's an exceedingly fine gag -- the playground suddenly seems smaller. That is, I love Stross when he roams, as in the early chapters of Accelerando. This is all shorthand, I suppose, for "Write the goddam third Eschaton book, Charles."

Ken Levine retells the origin of the famous POV episode of MASH. Note to all young writers: that great idea you have to break format? You are stealing it from MASH. Even BSG steals from MASH. Its okay. Just have a little respect for ht elegacy, that's all.

Oh, and the XBox 360 now handles Divx digital files. Don't say I didn't warn ya when we're all working for the Microsoft network. Do not underestimate the value of a box that's already attached to the fun screen.

That's enough for a warm-up. Thanks for the patience during the downtime.






... And not to complain, but who the hell does a semi-famous geek need to blow to playtest 4th Editon, for chrissake?

Of course, if I find out Wheaton's playtesting and he's been holding out on me, I will be crushed. No pun intended.