Monday 16 March 2020

The Immediate Future Of Earth Real

Today, our Prime Minister asked everyone in Sheila's and my age group to stay at home for twelve weeks from this coming weekend so you might read even more posts here unless my inspiration dries up.

Or:

"When you don't understand a machine but it seems to be running smoothly, you don't tinker much."
-"Esau," p. 527.

If I become incommunicado, then possibly:

I am dead;

there is a glitch with the computer and I can't get to the shop to get it fixed.

I need to:

finish rereading "Territory";
reread "The Trouble Twisters" and "The Master Key";
find out what comes after that.

Onward, Earthlings!

10 comments:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul

Iow, I think the PM is asking people in their seventies to stay home for 12 weeks. I fear that might be very difficult for people who are still active to do. And I certainly hope you and Mrs. Shackley don't get infected by coronavirus!

Besides the works of Poul Anderson and Blish, I hope you might reread some of the books of S.M. Stirling. At long last I'm finally reading his new book SHADOWS OF ANNIHILATION. And, so far, I like it! And I'll be watching our for any Andersonian allusions he slips in.

You sometimes mention Tolkien's THE LORD OF THE RINGS, but I don't recall you commenting at length on it. How would you rate or evaluate LOTR?

I again beat my chess computer last week when it replied to 1 e4 with ...c6, the Caro-Kann Defense. So, I've been replying that gave and pondering other Caro-Kann lines.

Ad astra! Sean

Sean M. Brooks said...

I meant to say "I've been REPLAYING that game and pondering other Caro-Kann lines."

Ad astra! Sean

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,

I am not as sold on Tolkien as many. I have read the Trilogy twice, once long ago and once after the 1st film. It is a fairly un-layered, uni-dimensional narrative.

Paul.

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Sean,
Over 70s. We can go out for exercise but must avoid close contact with others.
Paul.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I thought so, re people in their seventies. I hope that idea works or helps!

Well, I am somewhat more "sold" on Tolkien than that! But not to the extent Astrid Larssen was (Smiles). Over the decades I must have read THE LORD OF THE RINGS at least ten times. It might be "uni-layered," but I believe it still has depth and solidity.

Ad astra! Sean

S.M. Stirling said...

Best of luck to you!

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

Mr Stirling,

Thank you very much. We are learning the ramifications of our new life-style.

Paul.

S.M. Stirling said...

I’m pulling in my horns too: it’s compulsory, with the coffee-shops and restaurants closed except for take-out. Oh, well, I like to cook and can work uninterrupted as long as I have electrical power and an Internet connection.

paulshackley2017@gmail.com said...

If the Internet goes, I am sunk.

Sean M. Brooks said...

Gentlemen,

I hope you both remain well and the Internet does NOT crash!

Ad astra! Sean