SciFiMonthly No. 8

The Science-Fiction-Create monthly newsletter

In this month's issue:

Welcome | Science-Fiction-Create Recap | More in SciFiNews | The Goods

Welcome

October is here, and with it fall. It's my favorite season. Haloween is the best holiday in my book; I enjoy all the spooky shenanigans. Horror and sci-fi go hand-in-hand, as do all the costumes, props, and far-fetched tales. Despite the restrictions that COVID-19 brings this year, I hope you find time and a way to enjoy the fall festivities. I'm guessing bobbing for apples is out (that was always gross anyway). But we can all still dress up, even if only for a walk around the neighborhood. 

In this October's SciFiMonthly, it's the usual fare - a few re-caps on stories from last month, noteworthy happenings in science and science fiction, and several of my likes in "The Goods."

But before all that, I wanted to update you on my YouTube Channel.

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Yes, it's still on. But things are delayed substantially. It's not for lack of effort, though. Instead, getting everything set and making quality videos - and projects - is far more involved than I could ever have imagined (alas, I always underestimate work). 

But I sure have been toiling away in the lab. It's not uncommon for me to spend twelve plus hours there each day. The work is consuming, and I believe I am making quality stuff. And watchable videos. 

All told, I have five projects filmed and ready for editing.

I could rush to get these out, but I am focused on doing this right. Formatting and editing is an art all it's own, and I am learning on the job. But it all looks promising, and I have great hopes it will be worth it. Stay tuned - live-action SciFiCreate is on the way.

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Science-Fiction-Create Recap

I received a lot of positive feedback on last month's stories. Thank you. I covered a great deal, keeping things grounded in science, but using this platform to ponder life's meaning. I appreciate all who take the time to read and share my stories. It might not all be for you, but I can almost guarantee some of it is. 

Here are details on a few.

My first story for September was a reflection on the fluidity of time. We've all lost track of it while enjoying work or play. It's funny how that happens. Is it just our perception that changes? Or is time bending around us? Read my story for an alternate perspective on the "fourth dimension."

I ponder the meaning of pretty much everything in an essay aptly titled "The universal theory in physics...and happiness?" Is there a universal theory that ties all of the universe together? And similarly, what about happiness? Is there a formula for it as well? Some physicists have turned our perspective on the universe upside down to understand reality better. We don't move through space and time; space-time is created when we move. Can the same philosophy be applied to our wellbeing?

We are a product of our environment, and many things influence who we are and what we become. I shared some of my influences this last month, detailing both the highbrow and parochial that make up who I am. Some great thinkers and awesome teachers have shaped me. And a lot of pop culture fluff too.

I wrapped up the month with a story titled, "The rabbit." It's an account of life and death in my backyard. The experience was hard to share, but I am better off for getting it out. Have a read if you haven't already.

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As always, the complete archive of my writings is available on Substack at any time. Please take some time and read a few you might have missed. And please don't forget to share my stories with others.

Show a friend:

Or better still:

Thank you, for all that you do in support of me and my creating.

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More in SciFiNews

This year I've been doing surprisingly well, despite the pandemic. I don't mind the solitude, and I am a handwashing fanatic anyway. But it turns out these aren't the only reasons I've been okay - it's also because I'm a scary movie buff. In "Pandemic practice: horror fans and morbidly curious individuals are more psychology resilient during COVID-19 pandemic," a peer-reviewed research article, the authors point out how watching and thinking about disasters helps some cope when they occur.  And you thought all that scary blood and guts stuff was rotting our brains.

Alien life elsewhere in our solar system - it's a probability scientists and philosophers (and kids staring up at the stars) have pondered for ages. While Mars is a top candidate for microbial life, so is Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, as is the dwarf planet Ceres. But Venus - surely it's too hot? Likely so on the surface. But scientists have found the chemical signature of life in the cloud environments high above the surface. While compelling, more study is needed to see if these signs are exotic life - or an artifact of an alien but dead world. 

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The Goods

Here are a few of my likes as a fan of science, sci-fi, horror, and creating. 

TV Shows - Star Trek - The Animated Series (1973; 22 episodes). From the movie's synopsis: "Often referred to as Star Trek's "fourth season" because it was created...four years after the third and final season of the original series, and because most of the original cast provided the voices. William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, and Majel Barrett reprised their characters, and some contributed other voices as well. The only major omission was Walter Koenig's Chekov, who was replaced at the navigation console by Lieutenant Arex, the three-armed alien who most prominently represented the series' freedom to create non-humanoid characters." Why I like it: The animation is lousy, but the stories are fantastic—Classic Trek in a way that often exceeds even the original series. Without constraints imposed by a live cast, the crew of the starship Enterprise take on strange new worlds in a story-driven extension of the original. It's worth a watch, or even a listen - the dialog alone exceeds many other cartoon adaptations.

Books- Strange Planet, by Nathan W. Pyle (2019). Harper Collins. From the publisher: "Straight from the mind of #1 New York Times bestselling author of NYC Basic Tips and Etiquette and 99 Stories I Could Tell Nathan W. Pyle, Strange Planet is an adorable and profound universe in pink, blue, green, and purple, based on the phenomenally popular Instagram of the same name!" Why I like it: The book is a whimsical comics-style look at the mundane through the eyes of odd little blue aliens. With smart but stilted dialog, Pyle examines everyday occurrences in ways straight talk never could. Example: in the dedication (to "Taylor"), one alien states, "I drew a vital organ being wounded." [The illustration is of a Valentine-style heart with an arrow through it.] "Critically," the other replies emphatically. It's endearing and thought-provoking. And each frame is funnier than the last. Great for kids too. 

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That's the SciFiNews for this month. But it's another full week. Friday's regular story makes it's way to your inbox tomorrow morning, on schedule. 

As always, thanks for reading. Be good.