I don’t currently have any big ideas I need to share, but I thought I would post a quick update anyway.
Entertainment
I’m playing Elden Ring on the PS5, and loving it. This game is truly a masterpiece by Hidetaka Miyazaki, and George RR Martin’s influence shines through as well. I’m well over a hundred hours in, and not even halfway through the game. Honestly my sleep and productivity are suffering a little, but this game is a once-in-a-generation art experience*, and you’re a fool to miss it.
*Credit for the “art experience” framing goes to my friend Abi.
I flew up to Seattle for the weekend to play at GoFest. I used free miles and got a good rate at the Hotel Crocodile (a great place to stay if you don’t mind the noise, and I’m a night owl so it didn’t bother me). I do realize traveling to participate in a Pokemon GO event is full-nerd, but I’ve never claimed otherwise.
I’m reading Arkady Martine’s A Memory Called Empire and enjoying it very much, as well as Neal Stephenson’s Termination Shock. The latter is slow going, but I’m curious enough to finish it after I’m done with the former.
Writing
I’m working on a new short story What Does the Mushroom Want, a mystery-horror-sci-fi piece that takes place in the Pacific Northwest. My far-future cuttlefolk novella The Discovery at Alexandria is out for submission. My science fiction novel Saint Arcology is currently being read by my mother (my regular 2nd draft reader, she always has great feedback, thanks Mom!).
Road Trip
We got in the car (including the dog) and drove to Oregon. Short hops, no more than four hours in the car per day, and lots of visits with friends along the way. We all got along pretty well considering the tight quarters and stresses of traveling. One highlight for me was visiting friends in Portland I hadn’t seen for many years. And there were more friends in Portland I would have looked up if we’d had more time. I can definitely see the appeal of Portland life, and moving there has crossed my mind from time to time. But ultimately I have too many roots in the Bay Area, and I’m loving the San Francisco high-rise life.
Another highlight was visiting Bandon, Oregon, where my family spent many summers when I was a kid. I drove out to Bill Creek Road and took a peek at the lot where we built our cabin. The cabin is gone, replaced by a two-story house, but the surrounding woods are the same. I thought about my childhood friend Pat Lasswell, whose family had built a house on the neighboring property. Pat passed away in 2015, and we never knew each other as adults (just as well maybe — I think we probably leaned in different directions politically), but in the 80’s he was the older kid who introduced me to to D&D and other RPGs, as well as Lord of the Rings. In his obituary I read that he was a huge science fiction fan and regular attendee of Orycon.
Miss you Pat–you had an outsized influence on my life direction, and never knew. I wish I had reached out and told you that when I had the chance.
Well, didn’t mean to end on a sad note, but I never know where these posts are going. I’ll think I’ll leave this one here and write another one soon to cover some other life categories.