drachman

[drachman]

Infinity Afterglow at Oblivioni.org

https://oblivioni.org/2024/08/24/fleet-of-clay/

Book 3 of the galaxy-spanning sci-fi epic

Against the Glare of Darkness

Serialized Saturdays at Oblivioni.org. Books 1 & 2 at Amazon.com or a bookstore near you. (www . indiebound . org/book/9780999756928)

[https://heartofearthscifi.com

[drachman]

I’ve seen a bunch of my Jewish friends posting quotes and links to awful far-right Zionists, arguing that we need to accept so-called allies where we can, because all the progressives hate us. It’s a bad idea!

[drachman]

Rule of thumb: if I start talking about North Korea or robots, it means I’ve had too much to drink. If you choose to stay and converse further, don’t say that you weren’t warned.

[drachman]

I‘ve attended the Jack Benny fan club convention virtually for the last two years (it‘s only virtual, which in a way is too bad, but it improves the caliber of speakers), and while there have many vivid moments, the most interesting was Neil Gaiman.

First of all, really interesting that he’s a huge Jack Benny fan. His observation that Jack Benny would have made a really good Dr. Who was so interesting. Because it was true. Because it was almost certainly the first time in history that anyone had ever said it.

But also because it highlights two things - any great actor would be a really great Dr. Who. It’s the only TV character like that in history.

Also because he’s acknowledging that Benny had an acting range that was barely tapped. As Dr. Who, he couldn’t “do” the “Benny character.” It would need to be something new, funny in a Benny-esque (not Benny-ish) way, with the reluctant bravery he showed in To Be or Not to Be and especially in the relatively obscure 1935 comedy, It’s in the Air, when his persona was still developing and I guess he thought he could be a comic actor with some range.

Audere was bought as you know and I’m not writing for it anymore, I guess, but I’m trying to help build out a new site, and I think I’ll write about this.

I think a lot of people would have found this idea interesting in 1971 but not today. Jack Benny was one of the biggest stars of the twentieth century, but in less than a generation he’s fallen into near-obscurity. I wonder how many of you know who he is or even recognize the name.

[drachman]

Now that I’m a former novelist, I write Tumblr posts.

[drachman]

I realized I was getting older about ten years ago when all of a sudden Garrison Keillor was hilarious. Now I read the AARP magazine from cover to cover. And chess is thrilling. At least I’m embracing change.

[drachman]

TV Executives: “if the strike goes on, you won’t get new episodes of your favorite shows! You won’t get new movies you were looking forward to! Isn’t that terrible, what the writers are doing to you?”

Me: Bitch, that might have been an effective threat in 2007, but we have since survived a Covid shutdown and discovered ways to amuse ourselves while we waited, we can outwait this shit, too. I got a pile of shows saved I haven’t even watched yet, and a Mt. TBR waiting for me.

Compensate (and respect) your writers for their work, assholes.

[drachman]

You know why DVD.com is going out of business? Because they call their movie list a “queue,” and Americans don’t know what that is.

[drachman]

Disinformation on Facebook is real! (I mean, I’m pretty sure that Benny Goodman doesn’t have a new song out. I wish he did!)

[drachman]

I’m determined never to write another novel, or even “produce” anything. Henceforth, I’ll just sit by the seashore in my white suit, live off my royalties and play chess with Natasha. I don’t know anyone named Natasha, but she sounds like someone who plays chess. Yet even so: I still crave attention. For what? Very curious.

[drachman]

Now that I’m a retired/former novelist, I can devote my time to playing chess by the seaside. I’ve figured out the secret to winning at chess: play against people who are bad at chess.

[drachman]

Since James Corden is leaving late night, I’ve been thinking about Craig Ferguson. He was great. https://oblivioni.wordpress.com/2023/05/15/looking-back-at-craig-ferguson-and-james-corden/

[drachman]

The Sennacherib prism, commissioned by the Assyrian king in the 600s BCE. Its ten sides contain records of his conquests and achievements in cuneiform. The record culminates with Sennarcherib's 15-month siege and destruction of Babylon.

{WHF} {Ko-Fi} {Medium}

[drachman]

My latest article in Oblivioni. Ever try to find someone who's vanished from the internet? Where did they go?

[drachman]

My latest piece for Oblivioni. It’s a positive article! Don’t worry about your legacy. Life can be good without immortality.

[drachman]

I’m glad I don’t have coworkers anymore. Nothing good ever came from contact with other humans.

Dreaded Coworkers

[drachman]

Still practicing my rough animation skills. I had this sequence as a very rough storyboard lying around from when I saw Red Cliff a long time ago and I really loved it and got inspired.

I did the whole thing in Clip Studio but it was too slow and choppy to do camera work on. Will have to switch to something else in the future. Probably blender.