I've been feeling a little un-grounded lately, I'm busy all the time and I don't seem to ever have any space to sit and actually think about the things that I'm doing. This week-end and the last, however, have been great  - a nice reconnection with the things that excite and stimulate me.

Last week-end Zack and I saw the Necks at the Barbican, they ( Read more... )

Ursula K. Le Guin has written a little piece on her website quite rightfully pointing out the ridiculousness of a comment made by J.G. Ballard's American publisher in his obituary.  It's a real feat of solipsism to believe that Nineteen Eighty-Four and Brave New World are not Science Fiction; yeah that's right Weil, you are intellectual, literary ( Read more... )

 I meant to post ages ago about seeing Fever Ray at Ether at the Royal Festival Hall... am doing it now:

I was so excited about getting tickets to this gig: The Knife are my favourite band, and I failed to see them on their ONE tour, so getting to see Karin play as Fever Ray was very exciting a prospect! Fever Ray were supporting Royksopp (who are ( Read more... )

 I just saw on the Guardian that JG Ballard has died. I'm truly upset by the news, which surprises me. His books and stories were instrumental in pointing my reading in interesting directions and opening my teenaged mind up to all sorts of fascintating ideas. He's one of the very few writers whose books simultaneously charge me with a desire to ( Read more... )

 Ooooh, I'm so excited-- I just booked tickets to go and see "Night of the Living Dead" at the Prince Charles on Saturday, and China Mieville is introducing the film! Not only do I get to see one the awesomest horror movies EVER in the cinema, but I get to listen to the amazing China Mieville speak too, yay oh yay!

( Read more... )

 The Guardian has been doing a 1000 books you must read thing for a while; they do it by genre, kind of.. anyway... this is the SF and Fantasy section...and seeing as I just Luurve SF and Fantasy I couldn't resist re-'printing' it here... ( geeky obsessive compulsiveness at work under the cut... )

 My world is a place of morbid introspection and mythic gloom once again: The Knife's Karin Dreijer Andersson has released her solo album (under the name Fever Ray) online, Yay!
Haven't really had a chance to listen properly to the whole thing yet, but here's the video for the single "If I Had a Heart", it is reeeeally creepy:

Click to view

Instructions: Leave a comment and I will go to your profile and choose a band/musical/music artist from your interests. Then you go to your journal and give your ten favorite songs from this show/by this person/band.

O.K.... So, missfoxie chose The Knife for me.. so yay, my very favourite band!... but that makes it extra hard.

Some info for anyone ( Read more... )

 I've been terribly absent from LJ for a while, and, well, I just can't be bothered to do a big catch-up type post... suffice it to say I still have not got a job... had a few interviews but yay global credit crisis thanks for making it all extra easy !...arghh...

Anyway... I just really wanted to post some pretty pictures from two art installations ( Read more... )

 This was a list from the Telegraph: the 101 best books, or the perfect library. I think it's a pretty funny list, so am repeating it here.

Bold, I have read.
Underlined, my favourites.

• The Classics :
  
  • The Illiad and The Odyssey by Homer.
    
  • The Barchester Chronicles by Anthony Trollope.
  • Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
  • Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift ( Read more... )