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Short story #4 “I wish to know all about you. You interest me very much.” “Is that so?” A woman stares down from her balcony into the narrow alley below. There, stands a man. He’s craning his neck up to meet her gaze. Somewhere in the distance, to the south, lightning strikes and then echoes. … Read more
Short story #3 The frost came. It settled into the desert floor, ice choking dust. Two companions trudged across a vast landscape. Glancing down at the thick-spectacle layer of ice, you could see straight through. The surface below burned red, but provided no heat. In the distance, mountain ranges signposted a path forward. Between the … Read more
“It is good to renew one’s wonder.” This is how Ray Bradbury opens The Martian Chronicles. And that’s exactly what makes his writing great—he renews that sense of wonder, a feeling that’s so easy to lose. Bradbury is best known for his novels, such as Something Wicked This Way Comes and Fahrenheit 451 (which was … Read more
Short story #2 It was a wet November night when the story broke. A thin gasp rang out across every house in every town. The world inhaled, held its breath in unison. Exhaled. Then, silence. It’d been spotted. Seven years since The Great Rain started. And now, today, the end had been written. A full … Read more
Day 13. Diary date: 14th October. After yesterday’s activities—involving a cooking class and the weekend markets in Chiang Mai—it’s time to check out what Pai has to offer. The weather is incredible today. It’s early morning. We grab a cup of coffee from the drip machine, and nurse our mugs while watching the heavens open … Read more
The erhu, often hailed the “Chinese violin”, is a two-stringed musical instrument originating from China. The “er” in erhu means two in Mandarin. It’s made from a soundbox—which can be hexagonal, octagonal, or circular in shape—connected to a long neck by two silk strings. These days, the strings are usually made of steel. The erhu’s … Read more
Short story #1 Her name is not important. What’s important is how she walked: step versus step, feet drumming against uneven cobblestone, heels dashing anxiety onto the earth’s unforgiving surface. Above, the sky stared down at her through steely eyes—closed off, overcast, and unkind. It was a cold day, yet sweat dripped down her back. … Read more
Days 11 and 12. Diary date: 12-13th October. Yesterday’s antics in Chiang Mai—What’s Chiang Mai Really Like? Wat Phra Singh & Chedi Luang—are over. Horrible nights sleep. I blame the heat and the noise of a 12 person dorm. And sometimes it’s the silence, if it’s not the noise—there are 11 other people in here, … Read more
Today, I’m going to explore science fiction through one key concept, called cognitive estrangement, and one key work: Ursula Le Guin’s The Dispossessed. But firstly, if you missed it, be sure to check out why you should read science fiction here. Ok, let’s learn some things! What is cognitive estrangement? Cognitive estrangement is a term … Read more
Day 10. Diary date: 11th October. Quite the day yesterday. Catch up here if you missed it: From Bustling Bangkok to a Warm, Weary Morning in Chiang Mai. …And so the tenth day of travel begins. We wake up today in sun-soaked Chiang Mai at Family Home Hostel after sampling the city’s night-life. Slightly hungover, … Read more