Category Archives: Sci-fi

Apoplocalypse! 2 – Der Zeitgeist

Thanks to last week’s commentators for all their input on apocalyptic fiction after the last post. There certainly seems to be something about the genre that appeals to people. It might be that, as J.G. Ballard said, it’s no longer possible – in the long lunar shadow of the moon landings – to create serious fiction without reference to science fiction. And as stroke blokes all over the world will know, you don’t get much more serious than the issue of continued existence.

1m 36s on continued existence in a long lunar shadow right here, buddy.

Continue reading Apoplocalypse! 2 – Der Zeitgeist

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

Apoplocalypse!

Before my stroke, I hadn’t written any creative prose – other than short pieces for my girlfriend – for years. Decades, even. After writing  a bunch of stroke-related stuff, the first post-stroke piece of fiction I wrote concerned a guy waking up in the Royal Botanical Gardens of Edinburgh with no  memory. Quite fitting, I think, for someone who had spent his teenage years among the pubs of Auld Reekie recently woken up from a major brain injury unable to remember the President, the Prime Minister, or his age. As befits a first effort, Dunedin was a little overblown, but I liked it.

“The first sound was the prehistoric cawing of a cacophony of gulls.” Really?!

But we can get to that later. First….

[First? First, sign up for the apoplectic.me Tiny Letter here.
More stroke, more absurdité, fewer pictures of seagulls.
] Continue reading Apoplocalypse!

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

The Prof Pulls Back the Curtain

Hi, everyone. The Prof is back to pull back the curtain on genius once again. Here he is on the soundtrack for Illicit Ink‘s Apollo 21 at the Edinburgh International Science Festival – but being too modest to mention his star turn as Ground Control….

Hey Friends,
New music news! We have a chunk of somewhat more modern stuff from Nerd Bait!

Continue reading The Prof Pulls Back the Curtain

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

Moon Hop

Phew! What a week!

16 April was the deadline for turning in my Spring semester portfolio. And of course Illicit Ink’s Apollo 21, co-starring Stroke Bloke, premièred the prior night at Edinburgh’s Royal Observatory on Blackford Hill. I’d like to think that Apollo 21 wouldn’t have been possible in its final, polished form without – in addition to great performances and writing by the whole team – the contributions of my super-talented Nerd Bait bandmates Steph the Brain and Professor Paul, who soundtracked the whole thing.

When I say it’s difficult to listen to this without crying, that’s a good thing. But don’t just take my word for it – thanks to 1 Proton 1 Electron for this lovely review.

[You can check out the rest of the soundtrack on Nerd Bait’s Soundcloud page.]

Continue reading Moon Hop

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

The Expedition

This week, I’ve been in LA with Longsufferinggirlfriendoftheblogbeth for the Gallifrey One Doctor Who convention. It’s been a bunch of fun.

The thing is, there’s a ten-hour outward bound flight to take, old friends to catch up with, panels to attend, and a return flight that surrounds the scheduled time for this week’s blog. Makes pulling together a stroke blog post a little tricky.

One of the panels we attended was called Faith and Fantasy, and examined “where Doctor Who has embraced – and where it’s conflicted with – matters of faith.”

Wait! Come back!

[Sign up for bonus apoplexy here.] Continue reading The Expedition

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

BRRRAAAAAIIIIIINNNNSSSS!

A good part of the past week has been taken up with research for a short story about a young transgender Hibs fan (in Lowland Scots, natch) and contemplating a creative reaction to the Christopher Orr exhibition at the Talbot Rice Gallery. So, a few nights ago, I needed to come up with something for the blog. A spark, if you will. An idea.

Ding! (h/t Videographeroftheblogmyra)

[Please think about signing up for the apoplectic.me Tiny Letter here.
I think it’s increasingly complementary to the blog. But, judge for yourself.
]

Continue reading BRRRAAAAAIIIIIINNNNSSSS!

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter

It’s Been a Great Year…

As we journey through the winter solstice festivals, it’s a time for reflection. My pal Andy likes to use Shabbat as a weekly milestone to gauge (and possibly adjust) his trajectory, noting that it’s a bite-sized amount of time that lends itself to this kind of exercise.

Passing from one calendar year to the next lends itself to a similar exercise, but taking a view of longer cycles. Having passed solstice, while dawn is staying at roughly the same time in Edinburgh, we’re slowing digging out from absurdly early sunsets and striking out towards the long evenings of summer. This is to say, I’m looking forward to packing up 2014 and embarking on 2015.

“Thank you for watching. Now go away.”

[Though, not until you’ve subscribed to the apoplectic Tiny Letter here.]

Continue reading It’s Been a Great Year…

Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter