Monthly Archives: December 2013

Happy New Year from the Maison des Girrafes

New Year Greetings from Heidi the dog; Saffron the dog; Elvis the cat; Ted the cat; Emma the cat; Naughtypants (Not His Real Name), the cat; Buttons the rabbit; Sid the corn snake; Yentl the python; Squirty Benson Wilberforce III, … Continue reading

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Reads Of The Year

Great minds, it is said, think alike. For example, just as I was planning this post, I learned that Professor S. C. of London had posted his reads of 2013. The distinguished crystallographer, though, described all 26 of the books he’s … Continue reading

Posted in Bill Bryson, Books, chris beckett, daniel davis, david mitchell, marcus zusak, mercurio d rivera, michael chabon, moorcock, Neil Ansell, Science-fiction, Writing & Reading | Comments Off on Reads Of The Year

The Future Is Here

Many years ago when the world was young (OK, it was 2007), Tor put out an anthology of 100 very short stories from the ongoing Futures SF series, devised by me back in the last millennium. The anthology was received … Continue reading

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Notebooks

Back in 2009 the day, in a discussion on the recently archived Nature Network, I mentioned that I liked to draft blog posts the old-fashioned way. I wrote that “It is easier to get started with a pen and paper than a … Continue reading

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Where in the world was Cath in November?

Photo quiz time! Can you name the cities in the photos below? Some of these are easier than others (I’ve tried to put the hardest ones first), so extra points if you can also name the building(s) in the photos!

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Seasonal Lists (and the REF)

The end of the year is, by custom, the time for lists. Lists of best (or worst) photos, opening book sentences, or celebrity fashion faux pas; lists of those who died or those who made their film/book/TV/sporting debuts. Think of … Continue reading

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Gunning for a better life

It’s been over a year since the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and little remains of the resolve that seemed to develop within the American public to “do something.” I was taking advantage of glorious weather … Continue reading

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In which nature imitates science

On the walk from my house to Russia Dock Woodlands, you have to pass by a particular hedgerow. Like all good hedgerows, it’s thick and impenetrable and rustling with unseen bird life. And it produces lots of bright-red berries, which … Continue reading

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Party Time

Since it’s the festive season, at least in my part of the world, it seems appropriate to post about parties, but what follows is far from confined to Christmas, or the associated office party. It could just as well be … Continue reading

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