The Gaia Hypothesis, the Medea Hypothesis...

An interesting discussion on humanity and its realtionship to the planet and causality here. Why is it that I find myself skeptical of everyone's thories?

I do intuitively like the idea that everything is the result of decision, but I'm not sure where that leads.

Science Fiction reading...

From May 14, 2009: One of my favorite sci-fi authors (Sharon Lee) has declared June 23rd Fantasy and Science Fiction Writers Day. As she puts it:

So! In my Official Capacity as a writer of science fiction and fantasy, I hereby proclaim June 23 Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Day! A day of celebration and wonder! A day for all of us readers of science fiction and fantasy to reach out and say thank you to our favorite writers. A day, perhaps, to blog about our favorite sf/f writers. A day to reflect upon how written science fiction and fantasy has changed your life.

So … what might you do on the 23rd to celebrate? Do you even read fantasy/sci-fi? Why? Why not?

Of course I read science fiction. Has it changed my life? No. Just expanded my fannishness to another venue. I've spent a lot of time in SF groups, working on SF conventions, and going to them. But SF still isn't a favourite genre (I prefer historical fiction and fantasy) - which doesn't mean some of the SF out there isn't some of the best books I've read.

When I was a kid, I wouldn't and didn't read science fiction. I adored comic books, and got my SF fix from them. Science fiction looked boring, and was all about guys, and technology.

Then I fell in love with science fiction when I read Dragonflight by Anne McCaffery and The Chrysalids by John Wyndham, both in one week, in England, when I was seventeen.

A decade later, I became involved in SF fandom, for three reasons. First: StarWolf phoned me because he'd been seeing my letters in X-Men comics. Second, I went to Maplecon II, the local SF and comics convention, and made some lifelong friends. Third, I fell in love with Star Trek and joined the local Star Trek club and discovered fanfic... and slash.

Yeah, all of that changed my life, but I've always been a book-addict and I've always been more into comics and fantasy than prose SF.

That being said, there are some SF novels that are among my favourites ever. I was just listing my favourite SF novelists this morning. ( They are... )

This is confining my list to books, rather than comic books, which would be an even longer list. And SF fanfic, like those piles of K/S zines I consumed once upon a time.

So how will I celebrate the 23rd? Hmm. Perhaps I will go to a bar and toast the genre with a Sonic Screwdriver or a Screaming Welshman. Perhaps I will reread A Civil Campaign, as I have been wanting to do.

Castle: A Death in the Family...

Tonight I watched Castle, episode 1x10, "A Death in the Family". Good plot. As usual, I loved the bits about Castle and his daughter, and the relationship with Becket is doing well.

And a very nicely set up surprise cliffhanger. Well! I watched it with maaseru, who thought Castle hadn't been renewed, but I am delighted to hear she was wrong, and I'm greatly looking forward to the show starting up again in September.