Although, if you've got this far, you might as well carry on, hmmm?
As an aside, it's taken me almost ten minutes to load up the photograph that was the core of this Intro, because either the PC or the phone, or the pair of them in infernal conspiracy, simply would not register the wretched thing.
Back on track, or as close as we ever get here.
I don't want you to imagine that this is going to be a long, philosophical essay about that George Pal classic "The Time Machine", which Conrad loves to bits. Art?
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| Rod about to venture into the 4th Dimension |
The 2002 remake? Hmmm. Technically impressive, if lacking in soul. Rather like me. Go on, Art.
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| Although that Sam Mumba is easy on the eyes |
"It's all very well being told what this isn't about, Conrad. What is it about?" I hear you query.
A fair question. Art?
This article. I wasn't lying, it is a machine and it does deal with time, if only measuring it rather than manipulating it. I had set it for 9:00 a.m. since I was due to both dogsit and act as curtain-recipient, and diligently sought to be up early. My sleep was disturbed by a trip to the bathroom at 7:30, and I know because I checked the
Some time later I dozily checked the clock and noted that it was still 7:30.
"What?" I puzzled. "I went to sleep again and - let me check my watch."
I did so and it was actually 10:00. Oops. Fortunate for me that this grievous failure happened on a Saturday and not the previous morning, eh?
"The Quincunx Of Time" By James Blish
Still on the subject of time, after taking the picture above, Conrad felt inspired to look up the word "Quincunx" as he had no idea what it is, although it sounds vaguely rude. The derivation is from the Latin for "Five" and "Twelve" and refers to the following pattern:
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| Yes, just like the face of a die |
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| The predecessor short story |
No! I'm not accusing Bruce of anthropagy. Although - dammit, I like "Moonlighting" enough that I'd allow him to nibble on a rib or two without prosecution.
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| You have to ask - Bruce, what have you been up to? |
No, what I refer to is a wild tangent that The Flop House ran off on whilst they were reviewing (or skewering, the two are much alike) "A Good Day To Die Hard", which is Number 5 despite having 2 in the title. I don't remember how but they suddenly began to reference "Titus Andronicus", which is one of the Barb Of Avon's plays. At one point a character has his offspring served to him, baked in a pie, which is where the tangent began. They then segued into "Titus Androgynous" and invoked Tilda Swinton and, between shrieks of laughter, David Bowie.
Maybe you had to be there.
http://www.flophousepodcast.com/
Well, there's the link, you can run along and listen. If you do, tell them that Conrad sent you.
Coincidence Or Not?
Only you can tell! One book that Conrad is slowly working his way through is "Warfare and Agriculture in Classical Greece" by Victor Davis Hanson. It's a lot more interesting than you might imagine, although yes I do speak as one who makes a habit of reading the ingredients on tinned sprats in tomato sauce or after-shave balm.
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| The very edition I possess |
Quite by chance I happened to come across another written work by VDH, rather shorter than the above.
It's a rather flattering look at the British contribution to the Allied war effort in the Second Unpleasantness, and I'd gladly link to it, except - er - I've forgotten how I got there in the first place.
Sorry about that.
What I meant was, this is the first time I've ever come across VDH on the internet since buying that book. Is that the hissing of the Coincidence Hydra I can hear?
Well, I did have a lot more, but we're at count and I don't want to stretch your sense of logic too much.
Finally -
The Quagga. Pronounced "Kwa-hah", apparently. It will all make sense tomorrow.
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| Unless it doesn't |
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