The Week In Womble aka Ready Steady Go
Helloooooo!
Ok New Year, a lot of sleep and rest and I’m going to promise myself this gets done end of each week. Each week has been a really a mix of intense work, worry and trying t put the worry to the back of my mind. But that can’t last forever! My personal theme for 2021 is ending a lot of things that have been on back of my mind for a while. I turn 45 end of 2021 and that feels a good time to stop having stuff hanging around for ages.
So Xmas! I was very much in need for a break and took it very easy. My partner has got me a telescope (my first ever) so that should be fun! Not really watched much TV that stayed in the memory but go outside more and saw the sun and more often a lot of rain and a minor snowstorm.
As I’ve been absent a few things I did while I was locked down
- Put pictures on walls after a year in the house
- Started gardening which I really enjoy unusually
- Used all the various boxset of shower gels I have been given last couple of Christmases
- Cleansed the shelves to have more room…this did not last long
- Enjoyed walking around where I live more
November/December work went up a gear and a lot of this stopped and that’s something I’m not allowing again.
Things I listened to
A few podcasts to shout out about
The Coode Street Podcast – Special shout out to this one who did something in Lockdown I really really loved. Usually, two people talking about books for Lockdown they had the idea of doing ‘ten minutes with…’ short podcasts with a writer or genre connected person to talk about what they have been reading and what their experience of Lockdown has been. I enjoyed both the booktempting and the way people across the world all react to what the hosts ended up calling ‘this great and terrible pause’. Highly recommend this for some relaxing listening and smart insights into how SF looks at apocalypse.
Circles - a short horror mini-series about a group of people trying to address a demonic encounter in their past. Entertaining and has something to say about the need to connect with people.
Dataslate – A UK based podcast that has recently resumed with a mix of genre news, current reading or interviews. Quite refreshing to have a newish UK podcast on the books scene (also includes gaming)
Geek Syndicate – another lockdown age and a chance for me to catch up on a lovely hour-long discussion on current genre news TV and film plus rare for me comics. In turns funny, perceptive, emotional and a reminder why the genre is great.
One thing I want to do more of is podcast short stories and I’ve a backlog -trying this last thing at night is relaxing but I usually miss half falling asleep in the process so going to try and find a way to keep active and listen
What I’ve Been Watching
Doctor Who – I’m a bit hot and cold on the last season but this was a higher tempo story and I think worked much better. Giving Thirteen something to work on emotionally I think really helped the story and Daleks as a representative of uncaring law enforcement/government was a brilliant idea.
Big Hero Six – finally saw this and oh my so many feels love the exploration of grief and recovery
What Have I been Reading?
On the blog I did just before Xmas a wider six blog of booktempting so don’t think I need to do a wider wrap up but over the Xmas period
The Last Children of Tokyo by Yoko Tawada (translated by Margaret Mitsutani) - a lovely novella about generational changes and consequences of our actions on the future.
The Black Archive #50 - The Day of The Doctor by Alasdair Stuart – some impressive analysis of this episode of my favourite TV show and it’s wider history an dalso the future of it
We Are Wolves edited by Gemma Amor, Laurel Hightower & Cynthia Pelayo – smart uncomfortable horror exploring the role of women in the genre
Tales From The Shadow Booth V01 edited by Dan Coxon - a fine collection of weird horror tales to chill you
Dark Tales by Shirley Jackson – strange and also uncomfortable tales from one of the best writers in the genre ever
On The Shoulders of Otava by Laura Mauro – my final winter chiller is a wonderful tale set in 1919’s Finnish Civil War mixing winter, folklore and human cruelty
Seven of Infinities by Aliette de Bodard – a return to the Xuya universe with a murder mystery, love story and tale of people with secrets. Brilliant
Two yet to review
Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdes – a promising start to a new SF series but I liked one side of it more than the other
Intimations by Zadie Smith – a short non-fiction collection of six essays on life in lockdown. Wonderful use of language and exploration of what this experience can mean
What Am I Reading?
I’ve a few things looking at me over the week
Call of The Bone Ships by RJ Barker – hoping to finish this tonight under a blanket with world shut off. A brilliant return to this naval style fantasy.
A River Called Time by Courttia Newland – a strange alternative history of the UK where colonisation did not happen.
Neon Horror - An Anthology of Terrors By Creators from the LGBTQIA+ Community edited by Jonas Holt and Jessica F Holt – this looks a lot of fun
Made To Order – Robots and Revolutions edited by Jonathan Strahan – with stories from Brooke Bolander, Ken Liu, Sarah Pinsker and more looking at our artificial intelligent friends. One of my long standing TBR to clear
Good luck for the future – we will get there. See you in a week!
