Cool Cons.

I was supposed to be at the Awakening Expo  last weekend. I bought a ticket at the beginning of the year, but the conference was unfortunately cancelled.

While I understand things happen, I am disappointed by the lack of transparency here.  I was told second hand (and I did check to see a refund had been issued), but the Awakening page and website never even referred to the cancellation.  The following issue of Phenomena magazine (connected with the conference) mentioned problems, which was why it hadn't been published for a couple of months. It then stated that they were all resolved and the best thing was not to mention them anymore.

That is disappointing. I had to change plans and fight to get a refund on my hotel booking. I am aware some people didn't get one. Perhaps we deserve some explanation.

But I will continue to support Awakenings, and look forward to future events.

In the meantime I am excited to be going back to Edge-Lit next weekend. This is a writing convention up in Derby, and I've enjoyed the times I have attended. This year Charlie Higson is a guest, and while he is known for his writing, I'm more of a fan of his days in The Fast Show.  Ah yes, the memories of sitting with my friend in Tokyo in the 90s, sipping beers and laughing at tapes sent over from the UK.  I'm sure he'll be fantastic.

And then the following weekend, I'll be up at the OLM conference in Hull.  And, as a superb bonus, they've announced Whitley Strieber has been added as a guest.  I met Whitley a couple of years ago at the Awakenings conference, and he was wonderful to talk to.  His presentation was superb as well. I can't wait to see you again, Whitley.

All in all a couple of good weeks lined up.  Will I see you there?

Event Horizon?

My Dad turned 87 last week, my mother-in-law turned 90. While I could only talk to my dad on a video call due to distance, my in-laws held a large celebration.  We went away for the week, staying in a rental up in Yorkshire. It was a fabulous break.

These kind of events always make me think of the past - and I'm not referring to my last post about my dog. I think about when my dad was the same age as I am now. I think about time differences. Forty years ago doesn't feel that far back to me, but when my Dad was my age, forty years before was firmly in the 50s. Even when I was a kid, and he was in his mid-30s, WW2 was only 30 years in the past. A very different time.

Last week, I realised I have known people who were born in three different centuries. As a kid, I knew people who were born in the 1800s.  They say you can't put an old head on young shoulders, but I would love to see some of those people again, and ask questions about their lives. Even my Grandfather, who did tell me stories about his younger life.  I have so many more questions now, that will never be answered.

As I mentioned, 40 years ago doesn't feel that long ago to me. The 80s, a time when I was younger and my friends and I had a lot of fun. And because we don't notice gradual change, we forget how different everything was then.

Change continues, and it's getting faster and faster. Technology is developing faster than we can manage it. The singularity approaches, and we are so close to the event horizon - if we haven't passed it already.  apart from the spaceships and trips to other planets, this is the world I read of as a young reader. And I mean that both positively and negatively, depending on which book I was reading.

But I want the interstellar ships and to see other planets. Bring them on!

Time Travelling Dog

Sometimes, when I’m playing with my dog, I think of the past.

We will be wrestling, something he loves to do. We’ll be rolling on the floor together, with his playful "Grrrrrrs", and I know he's trying to beat me. I usually let him get on top of me and then flip him on his back and rub his tummy - something else he loves. His paws, of course, have no opposable thumbs and so of course, he can’t grip anything. He does what he can, he hold things the only way he knows, and so he grabs my hand or fingers with his mouth. But he is gentle, oh so very gentle. His  jaws never push too hard, never hurt or mark me.

At these times, I often think of his ancestors, the wolves, and how 25,000 years ago, wolves wouldn’t have yet been domesticated. And they certainly wouldn't have been as small as my boy unless it was a pup. And then I think of the time my wife and I were in France. We'd been to visit Grottes préhistoriques de Cougnac, a cave which has paintings on the walls.  These pieces of art are around 30,000 years old.  And they are stunning. Simple line drawings, ochre and charcoal, unknown artists but believed to be Cro-Magnon people. Beautiful beyond words. Moving and emotional.

That night we sat under the stars with a glass of wine, and I remember thinking how some of those who lived in that area at the time, perhaps even one of the artists, might be one of my ancestors.

I thought about how they saw the same forests I did, the same sky, the same stars. It felt positively prehistoric sitting there in the middle of nowhere, and I felt an intense connection with my past, our past.

And so I still have these thoughts and memories whenever I wrestle with my dog. I often also imagine that we are transported back in time to live among them. They are amazed I have a domestic "wolf" pup, and that he plays.  He can sit when I command, and likes to have his tummy rubbed.  And without sharing a language I try to explain that they needn't worry, that they should be kind to him, not hurt him.  I try to show them that when he grabs me with his teeth he isn't hurting me, has no intention to bite. He is a good, good boy. I imagine they wan't to go and kidnap their own wolf puppy, as they have no idea where dogs came from.  But I worry this won't work and there is no way I can explain that to them.

I have no idea when my mind first linked my dog's ancestry to France and Cro-Magnums via time travel.  But it's there in my head and reminds me of its existence frequently.

Maybe I need to pay attention to it and write a story about it.

The Truth is Out There?

During the past 3 or 4 years, I've had a number of experiences that cannot be explained easily. Of course there could be prosaic explanations for some of these events, but despite a lot of thought, research and exploration, I am left without any real explanations. 

That doesn't mean I'm automatically attributing them to UFOs and the paranormal, but these are subjects which interest me greatly. I've read widely on the subject, watched videos, and spoken to others. I'm not a tin-foil hat wearing conspiracist, nor am I firm in believing they are amongst us.  I do believe there are many things which cannot be explained with our understanding of science, and I also believe the Governments know things and are hiding them from the public.

I've read widely and regularly on this topic since I was about 12 years old. I find the whole idea of conspiracy theory fascinating. I find the worlds of ufology and the paranormal completely entertaining and interesting. Like Fox Mulder, I want to believe - but unfortunately I don't think my own experiences, despite their weirdness and high strangeness, are not convincing enough for me to consider as any kind of real proof.

There are many, many podcasts for those who are interested. I try to avoid the ones where the "woo" factor is strong, the ones that wander too far into the sensational or fiction. But there are plenty of others that attempt to be balanced and objective.

I still watch every episode of Sean Patrick Hazlett's Through A Glass Darkly, and Preston Dennett's UFOs and the Paranormal. That UFO Podcast is always enjoyable and informative, while Weaponized and Need to Know have seasoned, respectable journalists exploring the topic. I first read Whitely Strieber's Communion in the late 80s and was fortunate enough to meet Strieber and ask him to sign my copy. His Dreamland podcast continues on the same themes,  Richard Dolan regularly deep dives into aspects of the phenomenon, Cristina Gomez does a great job in covering current events and interviewing guests of interest, while Paul Sinclair's Truth Proof is informative and reasonably local to my own world.

As an aside, Bryce Zabel (Need to Know podcast) is a huge Beatles fan. I had his book on the Beatles many years before I knew of his UFO interest. (BTW, Bryce. If you're ever up for a discussion on the Beatles and UFOs over a beer, let me know!)

That's enough to get started with if you are interested in the topic. I have watched checked out quite a few others and discarded them from my playlist. Like so many other things, you have to find the right podcast for you.

As for my own experiences - if you truly want the details invite me to the pub, buy me a beer or two, and be willing to share your own thoughts as well. The truth, whatever that is (and I'm not saying ETs in UFOs), is out there. We just have to search for it.

Great to Get Away

We recently spent a week in Wales, enjoying the mist, cloud and rain that seems to be Summer this year.

The weather was, for much of the week, truly like that. And while I was attempting to be humorous, we actually did enjoy it.

We stayed in a place that is away from everything. It's in the middle of fields, far from civilisation. It has no TV, and we didn't even bring computers. Wonderful getaway.

Last time we stayed there was about two years ago during the week that hit 40c. Yes, it was hot but in the late evening I sat out under clear, starry dark skies and saw some amazing things. That couldn't happen this time, but the weather brought on a different atmosphere. Moody and mysterious.

We walked along clifftops in the mist, looking down at an angry sea pummeling the rocks below, and feeling quite medieval. We sat on the beach under grey skies and ate hot pizza. We walked across fields, with our small dog enjoying all the new smells. We even lit a fire one night and enjoyed our wine.

One of my favourite bookshops is down there, and I've never been disappointed with their selection of used books. I picked up a few, and even supported them by splurging on a new one.  It was one I had thought about buying anyway, but they had it for the same price and signed by the author.

And so I read a lot. I managed to finish two books I'd already started and read four more completely. As I said - cold wet evenings with no TV or computers to distract.

And now I can't wait for my next getaway.

The Right One

When I lived in Australia, I spent several years looking for a book club to join. I never found one.

There were plenty around, just none that suited me.  Our local library ran several. I did, in fact, make an enquiry there. The librarian I spoke to suggested none would suit me. "Unless you like discussing Jodi Picoult novels for five minutes then sharing photos of your grandchildren for the next hour over tea, I don't think these groups would suit you," she laughed.

I don't have grandchildren. Nothing against Picoult, but her genre is not my kind of reading, And, as these book clubs ran weekday afternoons, I would have been at work anyway.

After I moved to the UK, I again looked for a book club. A couple of false starts, then finally I found one. I had high hopes for it. I attended for around 18 months. I never truly loved it, never really enjoyed most of the books chosen, and never really felt connected with any of the other members. (I might say, this is no reflection on the members)

It simply wasn't the club for me. Finally I decided to quit for a number of reasons. Sigh.

Fast forward to this year and I have found a book club. I became aware of this club in a most peculiar way. I took a chance, and I'm so glad I did. I am absolutely loving it. I look forward to each meeting. I really enjoy every second, the people involved, and the way it is run.

Finally, the right club for me.

It arrived at exactly the right moment for me. Just the tonic I needed - along with a couple of other things in a similar vein. 

Needs are being met but you have to give as well as receive. I'm making efforts there as well, and these efforts seem to finally be coming to fruition.

All good things come to those who wait? I'm not convinced by Violet Fane's maxim, but my patience appears to be paying off here.

Remembering Gitte

Ten years ago today, Gitte Christensen passed. A wonderful writer, a quiet achiever, all round lovely person, and a good friend.

You are never forgotten, Gitte.

Echobelly, Ocean Colour Scene and Other Assorted Blasts from the Past

Back in the 90s, while living in Japan, I started listening to Echobelly. Their first two albums were wonderful but like so much of the music I listened to in those days, I figured there was minimal opportunity for me to see them live.

A few weeks ago, that dream came true. Echobelly came to Lincoln, and I was not disappointed. They sounded fabulous, looked great, and had a fantastic stage presence. The audience was a little small, and a little quiet, but from where I was standing it appeared everyone was into the music and grooving along in their own way.

Being a small city and with one of the main venues always in financial trouble, Lincoln hasn't really attracted much in the way of music in the past 5 or 6 years - at least, not music that interests me.  Tribute bands have their place, but they're generally not really my thing. They are, however, a cheap and safe option for a cash-strapped venue.  Fortunately the venue was taken over last year by one of the local colleges, and what a change!  It's only May, and I've already seen more acts than I have in each of the past five years. And I have bought tickets for a few more in the next six months or so. Again, many are musicians I was listening to in the 80s and 90s and figured I would never get to see.

I posted recently about wanting to see more live music, and since then I have been, and also exploring the local folk scene. It hasn't disappointed. There truly are some hidden gems here in Lincolnshire.

Next up?  Ocean Colour Scene.  A long time favourite, and although I've seen Oscar and Simon as an acoustic duo, this will be my first time to see the whole band.  And I can't wait.

I see double up ahead 
Where the riverboat swayed beneath the sun 
Is where the river runs red 
Like a King who stalks the wings and shoots a dove 
And frees an eagle instead 
It's more or less the same as the things that you said

Rock the Casbah.

Spring has finally arrived, much later than usual, and it feels great.  The sky is blue and clear, the air is fresh, and the garden is coming alive again.  We spent much of last weekend replanting, weeding and generally tidying up. Hard work, but well worth it when it's so enjoyable sitting out there.

We managed to get away for a few days at the end of the month. First time I'd been overseas on holiday for several years, and it was fabulous. I even enjoyed the flights. But how can you not love three full days of wandering around Marrakesh. 

Not out first time there.  We spent a few days there on our honeymoon, and fell in love with the city then. The smells, sounds and the sights. Once again we wandered through amazing gardens, enjoying the calm away from the hectic city outside, and sipping on cool mocktails in the heat of the day. The food was fabulous, whether from small cafes or proper restaurants. And the vibe of the Medina, walking the streets, surviving the souks, and getting lost in the tiny, winding lanes. I even rocked the Casbah. What a fabulous city.

I returned home almost reluctantly. Work here is busy, but the memory of Marrakesh continues to refresh.

Why Are Fans So Awful?

It doesn't matter the fandom, so many fans are overly-critical, negative, and generally awful. If something isn't exactly how fans want it, then it is torn to shreds.

Late last year, The Beatles released Now and Then.  Many of us fans loved it, but you should have seen the discussions and comments which were simply negative - many of them before it had even been released.  Last week, the Beatles announced they were finally going to release the Let It Be film. This has been rumoured for release for many years now, and fans have been calling for it. And yet, once it was announced, fans started writing about how terrible this release would be, how it won't be this or that, won't have extras and so on. "we'd rather have a copy of the Shea Stadium show", they said. Never mind the fact as Beatles fans we have more outtakes and more unreleased material than virtually any other fandom, barring Bob Dylan.

But no, this release is going to be awful.

And talking of Dylan, the negativity towards the biopic is astounding. Timothee  Chalamet is a couple of inches too tall, the back pack he is wearing in the photos is not exactly the same as Dylan's. I even saw one comment today that said he didn't want to see this film because it will be terrible.  "My daughter hated Dune 2", he declared.  Yep, I have been wondering what his daughter thought of Dune 2, as that is how I base all my film reviews.

And then in Australian Rules football. My team, Essendon, played the biggest game of this year against last years Premiers. And it ended in a draw. Both teams played well, and my team, who has vastly underperformed for many years, were fabulous. Never gave up, chased and maintained the pressure right through the match, and were hard. Last year these fans were saying they just wanted effort.  Today, despite the pundits saying that no Essendon fan would be disappointed with the result, these fans were screaming because we didn't win.

And I'm not going to even look at the crybabies who announce often and loudly how much they hate any Star Wars film after the mid 1980s.  Sigh.

For the record, I loved Now and Then, look forward to Let It Be, think Chalamet will be a fabulous Dylan, and was thrilled with the efforts and result from today's match.

I don't care whether you (or your daughter) didn't like it.  I'll be over here making up my own mind.

More Music.

Much of my music collection has been in storage for quite a few years. Recently I've been able to access my music, and I've been able to commence sorting, organising, and completing the cataloguing I commenced way back in Australia.

It has also been really lovely to rediscover old favourites and listen to albums and tracks I'd forgotten about, or not had easy access to.  (I don't stream, for a number of reasons - and anyway, from what I've seen, some of my favourites simply aren't on those services.)

Last night I listened to an album I initially bought in 1989 or so, and haven't heard for around ten years. I was amazed at how fresh it sounded, and also how I knew the words and music so well.  It was wonderful to listen to. And I'm sure other aural delights await me as I explore my collection.

In a way, this re-access to my music, as well as going to a couple of live shows, has re-energised my love for music. I've bought tickets to a couple of other shows coming to Lincoln, and even explored the Folk Music scene in this county. And I was surprised to see that it's actually quite healthy and active.

I've known of the Folk Club in Lincoln for around a year or so, but their regular sessions clashed with another regular commitment I had.  I no longer have that, and so tonight I'm heading off to, hopefully, meet like minded people with similar tastes in music.

It can be uncomfortable joining a new group of people, but I've already had some online contact with a couple of them, and they seem really friendly and welcoming. I'm not nervous at all, and really looking forward to going.  And, as one would expect from a folk club, they meet in a pub.  Bonus!

In the next few months I have tickets to a few shows, Folk Club and Live Sessions pencilled into my calendar, and an unusual opportunity to explore new music.

Music still stirs my soul and speaks to my heart. And very often inspires my own creativity.

I'll let you know.

A Changed World

Four years ago today, the Prime Minister announced that we would commence lockdowns here in England. That was Monday evening, and by Thursday we were working from home.

I recall the Tuesday morning, where we met in the office and made plans for relocating. We had known this would likely be coming so much preparation had been done in advance, but now we were organising equipment, stationery and other needs.  It all had a sense of gravity, of seriousness and urgency. 

For some reason, we were under the impression this would be around six weeks, that it was quite temporary, and before long we'd be back in the office. Certainly, at that time, we didn't realise it would be at least 18 months, and that would not be full time in the office. In fact, in our case, we would never return full time to the workplace. 

Not only working practices have changed since those days.  The world has changed too - noticeably in many cases, much more subtly in others. People have changed, our behaviours have changed, relationships have changed. And I think the full effects of all this will not be recognised for many, many years.

I know I've changed - perhaps for the better in some ways. Certainly these lockdowns and changed work practices have affected me and those around me.

There were, of course, some lovely aspects to these lockdowns. It was a beautiful clear spring, with no traffic, little noise, clear skies and lots of insects and birds. Would that spring have been beautiful anyway, or was it the result of less pollution from cars and industry?

Not that I would want it to happen again, but I did quite enjoy the peace, the walks each day during set times, and the sense of "all in this together" and "doing it for the community".

I've recently read, over in tin-foil hat land, that there could be an event in March or April which could cause something similar to happen again. I don't think I place much credence in these wild theories, but just in case it happens and you aren't of a conspiracy mind, you read it here first! 

Live Music. Again.

It has been a long while since I went to see some live music. I think the last concert I attended was in London, about a year ago. I regularly check to see who is coming to Lincoln, just in case, but for the past couple of years, pickings have been slim.

Partly this is due to the size of Lincoln. We are a small city, with a small population, well off the beaten path. The venues we have in town are also small. The main one was in financial trouble, and was having problems attracting artists. as such, it promoted a lot of comedy nights and the like. The other, probably understanding what sells, seemed to focus on tribute act - something I've never been too fond of.

But there has been a turn around, The main one was taken over, remodelled, and has started attracting performers of note - or at least artists I'm interested in seeing. 

Recently, in a matter of days, I went to see live music at both these venues.  And I loved every second of it.

First up was Something About George, a tribute to George Harrison.  I hesitated for the longest time, but then read some reviews. It wasn't a tribute act, but a band paying tribute. The frontman talked between (and sometimes during) songs, telling George's life story, and the relevance of the songs being played. And it was good fun. Really good fun.

The second was Fairport Convention.  Someone I know told me they'd seen them in the early 70s, and figured none of those originals would be there. Of the five he saw in those days, three were still part of the band. And they were wonderful.  I have seen this lineup before, but Dave Mattacks didn't play with them last year, so it was great to see him back on drums.  And, being the lovely chap he is, he signed a couple of XTC and George Harrison albums for me.  Bonus!

Oh, and a huge shout out to Plumhall.  This wife and husband pairing were the support act, and they were fabulous. I became an instant fan.

And so I am going to go and see more live music. I've been exploring British folk music since I was a teenager, and I am aware there is a healthy live folk music scene here in Lincoln. I have thought about attending some of these events for some time, but they generally clashed with other regular activities I undertook. That has all changed, and so from this month I plan to see more live music.

And that's the way it should be!

Passing Patrons

It's been almost eight years since I moved back to the UK. And where I live is quite different to where I lived in Australia. It's certainly quieter, slower and more laid back. I love the little village in which I live, and the city is quite beautiful.

People often ask me whether I miss Australia. I have moments, of course, but what I do miss most are my family and friends.

I have plenty of friends in the UK, and people I am friendly with, but I haven't really made any mates. Those who will drop over for a pint, or to watch the footy, or just to hurl abuse and mock you. As you get older, it gets harder to make new close friends.  I think this level of friendship occurs due to shared interests, experiences or through the mutual looking for friends. By my age, most people already have their friendship circle and don't need any more. I suppose it doesn't help that most of my interests seem not to be shared by anyone around me.

On the weekend, I was in another city for a conference. A splendid time was had, and during the dinner break I headed out to find some food. I ended up in a small Indian restaurant, and shared a table with another patron, someone not attending the conference.  I really enjoyed his company, and we seemed to have so much in common. We chatted about music (similar tastes), laughed, and generally had a good time. And then I had to leave.

I said bye, and headed out. A minute or so later, I considered returning to ask if we could connect on social media, but I figured that might be weird. It's unlikely we'd ever get to hang out due to the distance between our cities, and that's what I would have really enjoyed.

Maybe I should have. You never know. We might have ended up hanging out, somehow, somewhere. But if it's meant to happen, it'll happen. So Mark, if you're out there and somehow reading this, get in touch. 

Weird, Weird, Weird Year

It's been a weird start to the year. 

I know the past few years have been weird anyway, but I had expected that to have ended by now. On top of that, there have been a few events and circumstances which have created a weird vibe.

I have had a few moments where I have seen through the veil, seen a few things for what they are, and unburdened myself of a few things.  And that has been healthy. I've also taken on a few healthier aspects, made some decisions, and changed directions with some stuff. And don't read too much into any of this. None of this is huge, life-changing stuff, just a few minor things which have eased my mind.

I am awaiting some news, hopefully good news, which I will share when I can. Something which will feel good and validate some work I've done and decisions I've made. And even if the news isn't what I hope, that's fine. Disappointing, but understandable.

Ah yes, a completely cryptic post in which I haven't really said anything. And I know if I read this in a couple of years time, I'll have absolutely no idea about what I am referring to.

Oh dear. At least it will be a mystery to keep me entertained.

Reputations.

I've been thinking about reputations recently. People, places, companies - many have reputations for this or that.  For being friendly, funny, charming, authentic, honest. And sometimes they are, but sometimes they're not.

I recently visited a market town which has a reputation for being a place which delights foodies. It also has a reputation, and promotes itself as being charming, old fashioned, and some culture. I was rather surprised to visit and see none of that. It was rather disappointing, particularly as we had driven some distance out of our way to have a look.

Of course I recognise that we all have different perceptions, we all see things in different light. But apart from a small deli and a farmers market on the way out of town, there was no indication that this village had any culinary delights to offer. In fact I really only saw chain bakeries and supermarkets. Perhaps it is a hidden gem, which they only show to special visitors.

Over the years I've been invited to meet people with a reputation. One in particular was described to me (by several people) as being "very creative and imaginative."  We met, we talked, we exchanged ideas.  Their ideas were no more creative than those of the Year 8 students I was teaching at the time.  Looking back, I now recognise that the people who had described them as such were in a world which wasn't particularly creative.  I can say how comparatively, they might have believed this person was. The problem was, I think, that this person wanted to build this reputation, and to use it to get out of doing work.  When the team was doing all the hard work, they wouldn't go, and simply said, "I'm the ideas person."

More recently I was introduced to two people at the same time. The first used a term to describe themselves which is usually only used in newspaper articles, biographies and history books.  No one would ever use it to describe themselves. In the following discussion, they then use a word and said, "But you probably don't know what that means," and then went on to explain it. (I did know, but I didn't have a chance to say so!) Not to be outdone, the second person used another term to describe themself, and then out how clever and intelligent other people thought they were. 

We conversed for around thirty minutes on a subject in which both claimed to be specialists, but neither were particularly insightful, and indeed one was completely wrong on several counts. So much for a reputation created by and for yourself.

Many times I have taught students who had a reputation for being trouble and causing problems. I would always let them know at the start of the year that I didn't care what their reputation was, I would accept them based on how they behaved with me.  I can honestly say that with only a couple of exceptions, these kids were fine with me and caused little trouble.

Reputations are there to be tested. I don't ignore reputations, but I try to not believe them and discern what people are really like.

Sometimes, with a bad reputation, all we really want is to be proven wrong.