¦ dialling in from the Sky Bunker ¦
13:32 GMT, Sunday 15th February 2009. Misty sunlight is flooding through the glass canopy above my head. Only a week ago we were dealing with blizzards and storms. I love the swift variety of weather in this country...even the grey moods it has. "Lifeform" by Blame is playing though choice on the laptop, the heavy bass whumping out through the large speakers mounted on the corners of the desk: the drum and bass beat and the electronic samples merge to create a sci-fi sound. I'm playing the whole album - Into The Void - as I have done, over and over again since discovering it less than 2 weeks ago.
The last strands of the Mood cling to my senses... it gained delightful intensity during the week and now it's fading.
I stayed in bed late this morning; not surfacing until after 10 A.M., snuggled up with Jo. Then I dropped into Swampy and gunned the biscuit tin's tiny engine and made my way to the city... parked up by Dom's old place and walked along the harbourside to the Arnolfini Cafe. Americano and a Pain Au Chocolate. My head is brimming with ideas and tasks that need doing, so I spent some time jotting everything down, creating order amongst the chaos.
I have a confession to make. I'm finally reviewing Iron Man Project. Or what I mean, up until now, I've never given it a thorough review phase. It's the 3rd novel I wrote (back in the dark phase at the end of 2004 eary 2005), and came out in 2006 as part of the three-novel launch blast (alongside God Seed and Dante's Fool): I just wanted it out and done with. I've been putting off the review for weeks... one reason is because I've had a large chunk of time "off" to just relax; the other reason is I hate / dread reading my work. Ironically, I'm actually loving it. I'm getting right into the characters again and have the pleasure of opening up some scenes and re-knitting them so give more clarity and sense.
"Forest of Pagodas" has just come on and the Mood flooded my sensorium. I'm seeing scenes of Bath, Bristol and Newcastle, in my mind's eye, all caught in flurries of snow. Lovely.
I'm hoping today stretches and gives me a sense of indulgence in the things I want to do. Yesterday, Saturday, passed in the blink of an eye. Woke up fairly late and headed over to Gloucester Road, to cafe Number 1, my old haunt during the Uncertain Days of 2006 and 2007... a session of Yellow Dawn was scheduled to start at NOon, at Hagen's place, and I wanted to spent an hour or so preparing notes and local plot lines.
Sitting in a small window bay, with enough room for two chairs facing each other across the table, I took out all my books and papers and became lost in the world of Yellow Dawn. We're still play-testing the massive campaign I wrote for YD, called "Shadows of the Quantinex". For the non-RPG literate, it's a piece of work that was as intensive as writing a novel, but a story that is written to be played, rather than written to be read. If that makes sense. I launched the Beta version a year ago now, and the play-testing is probably about 3/4s of the way through. I'm relieved to say it's been a good experience... the story has held up to scrutiny and provided some real challenges to the group, and a lot of fun too. Whilst there, a young woman asked if she could share my table. I smiled and gestured for her to take the chair opposite. I got on with my stuff, but then a waitress brought over a plate bearing a hot toasted tea-cake, cut in half. The smell of cinnamon and raisins wafted across me and my stomach reminded me I'd not eaten any breakfast. I looked up at her and said, "Oh my god that smells amazing." The woman grinned, and proceeded to spread butter onto the two halves. I buried my nose back into my notes... then after 10 minutes a plate with half a tea-cake slid into my field of vision, pushed gently by the woman's hand. "Do you want it?" she asked; "My eyes are always bigger than my stomach."
I didn't say no, and I was delighted by the easy nature of two strangers sharing a pleasant moment.
Her name is Angela. So, thank you Angela, Toasted Tea-Cake Fairy.
Djr