Please read the letter wot I wrote

[altariel]

I haven't updated in a while properly, have I? So today I shall. I've been busy writing. Which is obviously good, but it turns me into a bit of a hermit who fails to notice the passage of time. I seem to have hit a creative vein at the moment, which means I'm likely to disappear again, so if I do, that's what going on. I'm turning thorts into stuff. Yeah, that's it. Thorts into stuff.

Lovely katlinel came to stay last weekend, huzzah! My kitchen did its usual trick of turning four days into mere minutes, alas, although we did fit in an emergency viewing of Roman Holiday, which has been judged by resident romcom expert mraltariel to be the best of its genre. The similarities to Notting Hill are definitely there, and I'm completely convinced now that it was an inspiration for Bujold's The Vor Game, although things aren't quite so jolly in that, of course. (My request for last year's ficathon at bujold_fic was a retelling of Roman Holiday with Gregor in the Audrey Hepburn role, so if you do happen to be in the small intersection of fans of both Lois McMaster Bujold and Dalton Trumbo, you can read the delightful job of this request that queenortart did here.)

glitterboy1 was with us for much of the weekend too; we spent one happy afternoon admiring the famous Blanket O' Love, and on the Sunday we drove out to Hemingford Grey, where we did a little adventuring across the meadow to Hemingford Abbots and also, more importantly, enjoyed the beautiful gardens of The Manor, Hemingford Grey. Some of you will know this house better as the inspiration for Lucy Boston's Green Knowe books.

The author copies of the Big Finish Doctor Who Short Trips anthology The Quality of Leadership were sent out this week. And jolly good it is too, so congrats to the editor kradical and also thank you to him for taking my story. In case I haven't said it enough on this journal, my story is called 'The Slave War', it concerns the Second Doctor, Polly, Ben, Jamie, Spartacus, Marcus Licinius Crassus, and it is about history and oppression and whatnot. It has been interesting from a writerly perspective to compare the narrative decisions I had to make about known events with what I guess were similar choices in the recent TV episode 'The Fires of Pompeii'.

Speaking of Doctor Who, I've not had much to write about this season, chiefly because I've just been enjoying it so much. Absolute delight to be sitting next to katlinel while watching 'The Unicorn and the Wasp', as she racked up a mighty score ticking off titles of Christie novels (apparently there are twenty in total). I think my favourite episode so far this season might be 'Planet of the Ood', because I keep on thinking about it, although any moment with Bernard Cribbins has to rate highly. On the change at the top, I shall miss Rusty, because I have loved what he has done with Doctor Who, but I'm sure that five+ years is quite long enough to be doing something, so here's to the new head writer and may it all continue to be smashing and to delight and make me cheer and cry and want to hug my tellybox.

My TV addiction at the moment is the peregrinations of the American democratic processes: no, not the Democratic nomination, but rather the heart-warming post-apocalyptic small-town soap Jericho. It started out oddly domestic, focusing a lot on the affair between the mayor's eldest son and the owner of the town's bar (Folks! Have you not noticed that a NUCLEAR BOMB HAS JUST HIT DENVER?!), and now has become a fascinating combination of Stephen King's The Stand (but without the fantasy) and Octavia Butler's five-minutes-in-the-future vision of America from the Parable books. Sometimes I can't tell whether it's sending up hero stories or is uncritical about them, but I like it so I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt (and I think there's even textual support for that decision). It's interesting and well thought-through, so of course it's been cancelled at the start of the season 2. Heigh ho. At least Boston Legal is back for another season, although the price does seem to be this. And this. Oh well, I don't have to watch it, like I didn't have to watch Ashes To Ashes.

FYI: I posted a while back that Le Guin had put on her website an MP3 of her reading from The Farthest Shore: there are a lot more MP3 on her site now, here, including readings from Always Coming Home.

Last night we shambled up to Wembley Arena to dehydrate while peering at the tiny distant figures of Alison Krauss and Robert Plant - Oh, that sounds grumpy! I really did enjoy myself! Highlight was the sudden realization that they were doing 'Mattie Groves' in tribute to Sandy Denny (it's the thirtieth anniversary of her death this year), and also 'The Battle of Evermore' was pretty marvellous too. It's ages since I've listened to that song, and it's still magic, even the bit about the Ringwraiths, which could be naff, but is instead charmingly artless. Or possibly artlessly charming. So a grand night out, although I suspect nothing can top Chris Leslie singing 'Reynardine' wot we heard at the Corn Exchange earlier this year.

Right, that's your lot. Back to turning thorts into stuff.

Comments

[the-wild-iris.livejournal.com]

So glad you're having a productive period, and many congratulations on the book coming out! I must look out for it.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Thank you :-) Forbidden Planet sometimes carries Big Finish books, I think - if all else fails, nick my copy!

[toft-froggy.livejournal.com]

Hooray! Glad you are still alive and are having thorts that can and shall be converted! I am going to email you in the next couple of days.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yay, email! The Yahoo address is working fine. I have thorts on your paper too, all of which are about how good it is, and about empathy, and about hermeneutics.

[toft-froggy.livejournal.com]

Ooh! I would like to hear these thorts.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

Hmm, yes, you've reminded me that I really must watch Roman Holiday!

Thank you again for the wonderful parts of the weekend that I was around for.

I'm glad that AK and RP were so good. I'd forgotten again that Mr A's post had reminded me about wanting to try their album. *makes note*

Turning thorts into stuff! Crikey, it's science fiction, right here on LJ!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Crikey, it's science fiction, right here on LJ!

Tampering with the forces of life itself!

[kerravonsen]

(laughs out loud)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

My supervisor for my master's thesis had that on a poster on his office door.

[scottpearson.livejournal.com]

Roman Holiday is brilliant, if, as a Yank, I may cop that phrase.

Jealous of seeing Krauss and Plant from any distance . . . I'm a long-time Zepp fan, and absolutely love their album.

Congrats on the writing. I've been knocked off a good run by the stress of getting our house reroofed and dealing with the contractor and such, but hope to get back at it over the weekend.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Surely you have honorary Brit status?! If not, let me bestow it now. Kazam! Or, perhaps more properly, Bingo!

It's a smashing album. They did a very spooky version of 'Black Dog' and also 'Black Country Woman'. Also 'Down to the River to Pray' with Plant as part of a backing trio. We had to sneak off a bit early in order to avoid the crush at the tube station and make our train, so we missed a couple of encore songs, which is a shame, but our days of being able to kip on railway station platforms after missing the last train back to Cambridge are long over.

We saw Plant at an open air gig in London a few years back: he was doing 'When the Levee Breaks' as a spiritual round about then (sounds amazing). Partway through the song the sky started darkening and then the rain started falling: it was like he was a shaman conjuring up weather - awesome.

Fingers crossed you get back to the writing over the weekend, I completely sympathize at getting knocked off your stride. It's good to have people around on LJ to give encouragement.

Edited to add: set list from last night here: scroll down to near the end of the page. (Review itself is a bit hard to read because of typoes and formatting problems.)

[scottpearson.livejournal.com]

Well, I did live in Birmingham for nine months, but perhaps that only makes me some sort of Brum bastard child. So I accept the honorary Brit status you've bestowed upon me. Right! . . . Everybody else quite content to join in with my little scheme of marching up and down the square?

That is a great set list. They should release a live disc.

[jhall1.livejournal.com]

That all sounds good. :)

Hemingford Grey really ought to be the name of a suave 1930s detective.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

OMG you are completely right! "Name's Grey. Hemingford Grey."

[fallingtowers.livejournal.com]

I, too, have been enjoying the current season of Doctor Who very much, which was a pleasant surprise to me (being one of the grumpy folks who found Last of the Time Lords terribly cringeworthy).

And good luck with your further writerly endeavours!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

I was a sucker for the whole of season 3, it did mad crazy things to my head. This season hasn't roused similar excitement, but I think it's been really strong and consistent. No '42' as yet!

I preferred The Fires of Pompeii

[thelastbassdiaries.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

But Planet of the Ood was good too. I'm not sure what to make of Donna, though I think she's better than the make-up perfect previous incumbents.

Only just discovered t'internet and started reading blogs and suchlike and found yours. So i thought I'd say "Hiya!"

Hiya. Hope all's funky with you. I see it is.

Should be time for our once-every-ten-years reunion pretty soon.

Re: I preferred The Fires of Pompeii

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Is it really ten years? Do I recall a tapas bar or similar on Duke Street? Or has a decade hazed memory?

Just over eight years, I think

[thelastbassdiaries.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

But you do have total recall on the Tapas bar in Duke Street. It's now a Scruffy Murphys or something equally charming.

That's Duke Street for you. Utterly delightful.

Re: Just over eight years, I think

[altariel.livejournal.com]

In the future, the whole world will be one vast Irish bar. We'll think of Starbucks as they did of Sanctuary in Logan's Run.

What's the nightclub on Duke Street called now? I think it was Lowie's last time I was back.

Re: Just over eight years, I think

[thelastbassdiaries.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

D'ya know, i've no idea!! I don't live in those parts any more. I know a couple of years ago it was called The Orange Lounge, but there were a couple of dozen dodgy-looking people outside so I didn't go in.

Liverpool is one vast Irish bar now.

Cool on the whole doc thing! I know it's a bit late (what's it been, half a decade? more? I is one lazy bassist) but Cool! Does this now mean you're Doctor U?

Awww...c'mon, it's weekend, it's the best I could do...

Re: Just over eight years, I think

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Ba-dum TISH! Yes, I am indeed Doctor U now. (I'm also the Master, but you don't have to obey me.) It was a long, bloody war of attrition drawn-out process that only ground to a halt in 2005 when it became clear I would never leave the department alone unless they awarded it to me. Seemed to work well!

Re: Just over eight years, I think

[thelastbassdiaries.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

Not obey you...? I wouldn't dare not obey you. I've seen that scary thing you can do with a single raised eyebrow...

Cool. So presumably you have your own Tardis now (and wasn't Silence in the Library flipping frightening? Will YOU ever walk in a shadow again?? Not sure if I'm more scared of shadows or statues now.) I'll be the scatty companion who saves the hour by pressing the big red button at JUST THE RIGHT TIME.

Re: Just over eight years, I think

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Good god, have I always done that eyebrow raising thing?

'Silence in the Library' was the business, although I think I'm still more freaked out by the statues - depends of course on whatever SCARY SHIT is delivered up in next week's episode. Also scary is the shadow cast on the wall by the plunger of the Dalek that lives beside our telly...

Re: Just over eight years, I think

[thelastbassdiaries.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

Oooh. Many many open-ended threads left in the last ep., and, yeah, thinking back, the statues were probably more scary...

...because they are REAL...mwahaha.

And, no, of course you haven't *always* done the eyebrow thing. Only since you were about six.

Re: Just over eight years, I think

[altariel.livejournal.com]

These were a couple of good episodes we've just had, I think. I liked 'Midnight' better, even though I think Catherine Tate and Bernard Cribbins are FOR THE WIN.

So I've only done the eyebrow thing since I've had full control over all my muscles then. Phew!

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

Hi from one hermit to another *waves*. Brilliant about the productivity! Go you.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Hi there fellow hermit! I finished the audio of Cetaganda, and I thoroughly enjoyed it this time through. It's brilliantly constructed.

[edge-of-ruin.livejournal.com]

Yay! I think I might have to listen to it again. I've a choice of both the old cassette version and the Blackstone Audio one. Remember if you want to squeeze in the Borders of Infinity novella before the joy that is Brothers in Arms it's available on-line.

(P.S. I don't think I've ever seen Roman Holiday)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Roman Holiday has *just this minute* finished on Sky Classic! But it's on again later this evening! Or else you can just watch our copy!

[brendan-moody.livejournal.com]

I don't usually buy Short Trips books- call me shallow, but the price to content ratio is too high for my tastes- but it's becoming increasingly clear that I'll have to make an exception for The Quality of Leadership.

I'm enjoying series four quite a lot myself. I usually feel during the first half of the season like I'm just marking time until the Moffat/Davies/Cornell (if applicable) episodes arrive, but there's been just enough added edge this year that that feeling didn't kick in until a couple days ago, which is just the right time for it.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Hope you enjoy QoL when you get it :-)

Every episode this season has been really smooth, they're at the top of their game I think. And we still have the Moffat episodes and the season finales to come!

[thanatos-kalos.livejournal.com]

yay for productivity! :) ::hugs::

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yay indeed! *hugs you!*

[ithilwen.livejournal.com]

Am glad to hear your creativity is blossoming right alongside the daffodils!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes, my sap has been rising too! :-D

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

Watching Jericho is a constant game of "Clever or Stupid?" I usually pick "clever", but that could just be my wide-eyed optimism that's been left unchecked (tm Wyatt Cain). I do think a lot of the writing holds up to interpretation, it's just that loose ends get left. It was originally planned out as seven seasons I think, so (I like to believe) plot points that disappear could have become important later on.

It got cancelled twice, once at the end of the first season and once at the end of the second (shortened, seven episodes). At least the second season ending isn't ungodly cliffhanger-y like the first season, even if it does leave a whole bunch of other stuff in the air. (Heather=Eowyn, y/n?)

Best of luck with being busy doing the writingz.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

It was episode 2 of season 2 last night (it's now gone weekly rather than the nightly fix I was getting with season 1). I started bouncing around with excitement when I saw the new history of America textbook.

Is there a good website with interviews with the producers and so on?

[infinitlight.livejournal.com]

There's not really a definitive Jericho website. The best is probably cbs's official site. It has behind the scenes stuff and a wikipedia thingy (which admittedly I've never been able to figure out).

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/jericho

The forums there are a bit of a mess at the moment and full of people shouting 'CBS sucks', but there is some good discussion there too if you have the time to dig back into older posts. Luckily, I have a boring job with internet access ;). Various members of producing/writing staff, cast and other crew have posted there at different times too.

Off to eat biscotti (new formula! Soft like cookies! Is there *nothing* modern technology cannot do?) and coffee now. Have a great day.

[altariel.livejournal.com]

That site looks just what I need, thank you.

Mmm, soft biscotti! Too many biscuits are spoiled by being crunchy and not chewy, and since I'm not a tea-drinker, I have nowhere to dunk.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

I am sure the loveliness was mainly due to you and mraltariel and glitterboy1. But the weekend sped by like a very fast thing indeed, and I thank you all for it, more than I can say.

I had fun watching Dr Who with you, and it was very kind of Russell T to make it an episode of references not only to NOLIJ that I actually have, for once, but also that I can even recall some of on demand.

may it all continue to be smashing and to delight and make me cheer and cry and want to hug my tellybox.

Ooh yes, this is exactly what is required.

Roman Holiday was a delight - I am glad I have now seen it.

I had a look for Quality of Leadership in a bookshop this week, but it was a rubbish bookshop and did not have it.

Thorts into stuff is very exciting indeed!

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Gah for rubbish bookshops! Tho' I think QoL might not quite have reached the shops yet (if they stock them), although Amazon and Big Finish themselves are certainly shipping.

[gaspode.livejournal.com]

We were amazingly lucky to get the 7 episodes of Season 2 Jerico that we got - They are great tho and it gave them a chance to tie up some story lines ... ANd Yay to Boston Legal .. long may it live ;)

[altariel.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm pleased to have these episodes (I still have five to come). It's like Firefly, though, isn't it: Here's a really good, imaginative, thoughtful programme - better kill that one quick! My impression is that Boston Legal keeps on getting made because David E. Kelley has so much clout.