I was in Croatia. Now I'm back. I'll tell you all about it soon. You'll remember my pleasure at having seen Jon Courtney Grimwood in Bratislava. Well, here is Ken MacLeod in Zadar.
More Slovakian, Serbo-Croat and other exciting sightings as I get 'em, folks. Zbogom!
Blogger says "Say you live in Albuquerque, count the Smashing Pumpkins among your favourite bands, and like sushi. Blogger makes it easier to find people who share your interests."
But what if you don't? I like Albuquerque (it has three or four very good secondhand bookshops and a nice pub called the Cedar Tavern), but I've never heard anything by the Smashing Pumpkins and I don't like sushi all that much. Though I woud have said a year ago that I didn't like it at all. Now I quite like small bits of it in small doses. Give it time. Perhaps this time next year I'll be a sushi fiend in a Smashing Pumpkins T-shirt, living in the EconoLodge in Albuquerque, where dried leaves roll into the empty swimming pool. Come to think of it, I don't know where you get sushi in Albuquerque.
Stephen Donaldson lives there. You could ask him. Actually, many sf and fantasy writers live in New Mexico - the "Land of Enchantment", as the airport bus tells you, endlessly, on your way to the car hire lot.
Today's food: hamburger/spinach noodles with chicken, chilli, baby corn, mangetout, green beans, peppers, spring onions and ginger.
Today's books: Soon I will be Invincible/Spook Country
Tomorrow's destination: Croatia
Back home, but with little to say for myself.
At the wedding I went to in Scotland, all the women knew a sort of line dance called The Slosh. I asked one of the men how it was that they all knew these individually simple, but (taken as a routine) moderately complicated steps. He said: "It's a thing women know." We left it at that.
I got sent Charles Stross's Halting State, which I think is out in America, but is not published here until next year. God knows what the Americans will make of it. It's very Scottish (though know he isn't, not really). I think it's very good fun.
I am accepting bids for anyone needing summarised or sent up (in the manner of Jorge Luis Borges, Lee Child, Jay McInerney or Robert M Pirsig), if only to give me an excuse to read something other than the thousands of review copies clogging my in-tray. Perhaps it ought to be William Gibson, once I've read the new one. But all offers considered.
Bear in mind I have other bogs and stuff, not to mention a day job writing, and it's the summer holidays. If it's quiet here, I may just be sitting in the garden. And?
Have been very busy with great directors (see Telegraph blog and obits archives). Am now going away for three or four days. I hope Alain Resnais doesn't die. Rent L'annee derniere a Marienbad or Hiroshima Mon Amour if you've never seen them. Fin.
