Day: January 27, 2010

It’s because in the last several days I have come across Zeus and Lopsided Cat openly and enthusiastically grooming and gently headbutting each other in open, conspicuous places, followed by a casual glance over to me as if to say “What? You have a problem with two male cats showing their affection for each other in their own home?”

For the record, I do not. Indeed, I celebrate their feline gayness, inasmuch as two cats who have had their gonads removed can be said to be gay, which I think is a fair amount, since “gay” encompasses more than physical sexuality and gonads (or lack thereof). And anyway, what sort of hypocrite would I be if I supported same-sex marriage but viewed my two male cats tongue-bathing each other and thought, dude, that’s just wrong. It’s not. Go, Lopsided Cat and Zeus! I wish you joy.

That said, it is kind of sudden. Lopsided Cat has generally viewed Zeus as something of a nuisance, to be smacked about whenever the younger cat got too uppity but otherwise to be ignored. For Lopsided Cat to go from benign neglect of his fellow cat to open affection seemingly in the space of a few days is a little weird. But then, I don’t speak cat. Maybe this has all been simmering under the surface, like how in all those romantic comedies the leads can’t stand each other and then suddenly they’re mad for each other. This is like that. With cats. Who may be gay.

I know some of you are thinking, “yes, yes, but what does Ghlaghghee think about this turn of events?” She is perhaps unsurprisingly perfectly okay with it. Ghlaghghee has always struck me as an unusually tolerant cat (although she, like Lopsided Cat, has to been known to smack around Zeus when he gets out of line), and so her apprehension of these current events seems to be along the “Oh. Huh. Well, okay, then” line. Which of course is just fine with me. It’d be sad to have to have a talk to her about embracing diversity, not the least because I don’t speak cat. So that’s one awkward discussion avoided. For which I think we are all grateful.

Like the size and form factor (the bezel could be shaved down a bit), and can see this or something like it eventually replacing my netbook and allowing me to skip a dedicated e-reader entirely. On the other hand, in the real world outside Steve Jobs’ head, a modern computer should be able to handle multitasking, so I’m not entirely sure what’s the problem there. I suspect I’ll hold out from getting the first generation version, especially as I so recently purchased an iPod Touch, and wait to see what the early adopter complaints and their fixes are before considering this for a purchase.

In the meantime, my little netbook has the same screen size, a faster processor and more memory, multitasks, features a real keyboard which doesn’t cost extra, and overall cost less than the low-end iPad by about $200. I can wait.

I’m already being asked if my books will be available on the iPad. As Macmillan (which owns Tor) appears to be part of that book thing Apple’s doing with the iPad, my guess is, uh, probably?, at least as far as my Tor books are concerned. Although of course the random and haphazard nature of ebook distribution being what it is, honestly, I can’t say which books and when or anything else.

But more to the point, again, people: Why do you think I know these things? I’m finding out about the iPad at the same time as every other human not working at Apple or one of its partners. I don’t know. Nor, I suspect, does any other author you might wish to ask this question to today. When I do know, I’ll tell you. Beyond that, this post still applies.

(photo above snaked from this iPad unveiling recap from GDGT)

Many of you know that writer Kage Baker has been fighting against cancer in the last several weeks and months. To that end, the Green Man Review has just posted the following note from Kage’s sister:

Kage’s doctor has informed us she has reached the end of useful treatment. The cancer has slowed, but not stopped. It has continued to spread at an unnatural speed through her brain, her lungs and – now – reappeared in her abdomen. It is probably a matter of a few weeks, at most.

Kage has fought very hard, but this is just too aggressive and mean. She’s very, very tired now, and ready for her Long Sleep. She’s not afraid.

We’ve been in a motel the last week or so, in order to complete her therapy. I’ll have her home in her own bedroom by the weekend, though, so end of life care can take place in more comfortable surroundings.

I met Kage a few times, most notably in 2007 when I was on my book tour, and she, I, Harry Turtledove and Cory Doctorow were on a panel at the LA Times Festival of Books. It was a delight to have met her then, having been a fan of her work, and she was gracious and good company. Her work is stuff I look forward to.

With that in mind, and in celebration of a life in words, here’s a new story by Kage Baker: “The Bohemian Astrobleme,” just posted to Subterranean Magazine Online, and in the same universe as her recent novella “The Women of Nell Gwynne’s”. If you’re a fan, you’re going to love it; if you’re new to Kage’s work, you’ll see why you’ll be wanting to catch up on her canon.

All my best thoughts are to Kage, her sister, her friends and loved ones. Thank you, Kage, for all your words and stories. They are wonderful.

Wait, what? The State of the Union address is tonight? Someone was supposed to tell me these things.

Also, what is Obama thinking? Doesn’t he realize that he’s going to get swamped by the release of the Apple Tablet? This is madness!

Mmmmm… Apple Tablet.

Dear Whatever commenters:

WordPress’ spam detection has the last couple of weeks been bumping a few more of you into spam and moderation queues than is usual. I’ll be working on tweaking the backend, but in the meantime if you post a message and it seems to go nowhere, don’t panic, and don’t assume I’ve suddenly banned you (unless, you know, I’ve said to you “you are now banned.”). Just relax and I’ll go through the spam and moderation boxes as I generally do a couple of times a day, releasing comments. Thanks.