I hope everyone had a great Christmas. We really dove in this season. Lots of family and friends. I don’t think we’ve listened to this much Christmas music in many years. Some of it brought tears to my eyes as I remembered the days when I was one of eight kids in a very Catholic household with a mother who loved her children and Christmas. Sung the right way, ‘I’ll be Home for Christmas’ gets me every time.
In the “I told you so” category, the US streaming service Hulu has picked up George RR Martin’s ‘Wildcards’ novels, which I have written about, for film production. Fascinating and original material, which combines science fiction, alternative history and incisive social commentary all in one package.
A prominent philosopher has declared that conscious thought is an illusion our brain uses to help it understand reality. I read the article and I can’t say I completely understand the argument. And it ends in a kind of, ‘so what?’ sentiment.
Take a look at SpaceX’s BFR rocket. It is going to be called The Starship and if they are serious about this, we will see people in significant numbers on Mars in the next 20 years. I sympathize with the idea that being a one planet species is a gamble. In the past volcanic eruptions have covered the world in dust, (like in 536 AD) starving millions. New viruses have devastated populations (like in 1919) and human evil has started wars (take your pick) of unimaginable violence.
Let’s hope 2019 is a year where we can take a path of growth, peace and community.
A poem I wrote this week:
An Early Winter Walk The snow falls thick on soft, black ground Brown grey branches lined with white Forest quiet broken only by whining faraway tires Water still runs fast and free