Spring colors are actually more fun to look at than Fall
colors, but they don’t always work as well in a camera. But I
like this shot of the lavender turning from its dull winter grey
to Spring Green.
![[lavender]](https://i0.wp.com/serpentpublications.org/laymusic/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/lavendar.jpg)
The Walk for Hunger performers will be playing a slightly
expanded version of the Walk for Hunger program at the ALL Gallery, 246 Market St.,
Lowell, at 1:30 PM, Saturday, May 15. It will also be the first
day of Sharon
Levy‘s gallery show Earthly Connections
III.
There’s a flyer
for the concert. Please print it out and post it, especially if
you live in the Lowell area.
This will probably mean that the first two Tuesdays in May will
be performers’ only meetings, and that dropin meetings of the
Cantabile Band will resume on May 18.
You never used to see black squirrels in this part of the
world, but in the last 5 years or so, several have taken up
residence in my neighborhood. They’re a bit smaller than the more
usual grey squirrels. This one was in the park this morning.
![[black squirrel]](https://i0.wp.com/serpentpublications.org/laymusic/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/blacksquirrel.jpg)
We played:
People who aren’t playing the Walk for Hunger should
remember that the rehearsals in April are limited to those who are
playing it. People who are playing should remember that the
Tuesday rehearsals are compulsory, and no longer “Drop in, come
when you feel like it, music will be provided.”
We played:
Next week, March 31, will be a regular dropin meeting, at 7:45 PM at my place.
April meetings will be restricted to people playing the Walk for Hunger on May 2.
In spite of the unusually warm weather we had most of the last
week, the garden is still only just getting started. Places
with more sun sprang into bloom some time ago, but our back yard
still thinks (correctly) that it’s March.
Here are what I think are going to be daffodils:
![[daffodil buds]](https://i0.wp.com/serpentpublications.org/laymusic/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/daffodils.jpg)
And here’s a crocus bud that pushed its way through a tough oak
leaf:
![[crocus and oak leaf]](https://i0.wp.com/serpentpublications.org/laymusic/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/crocus.jpg)
We played:
There will be two more dropin meetings before we start formal
rehearsals for the Walk for
Hunger: March 23 and March 30, at 7:45 PM at my place.
In April the Tuesday meetings will be restricted to the people
playing the Walk. Dropin meetings will resume in May.
If you’re not playing with us, come and hear us on May 2,
between 10 and 3, on Greenough Boulevard across from the Cambridge
Cemetery.
I was surprised when I learned that having joined the
Anticipation SF Convention last year, I not only got the right
to vote on the Hugo Awards last year, but I get to vote for the
nominees this year.
For how organized the voting procedure was (they sent you a
packet of most of the nominees as ebooks), the nomination
process is surprisingly free-form.
I wasn’t able to find a list of eligible works anywhere. Some
of the blogs I read had lists of what their authors had that was
eligible, and a couple of them offered to send voters free
copies. I don’t make any pretense of following the shorter
forms. And although I would like to be aware of good new
science fiction and fantasy novels, I’m not at all sure that
always happens.
So I did my best. I nominated four novels:
I was cheating a bit on Makers, since I haven’t
finished reading it yet, but it’s clearly a good novel.
I also nominated The God Engines by John Scalzi, in the Best
Novella category.
I probably wouldn’t have read it if he hadn’t sent any
nominator who asked a free copy, but it is well-written,
although I hope there are other good novellas to read before I
have to vote.
I nominated District 9 and Star Trek
in the Dramatic Presentation, Long Form category, and tor.com in the Best Related Work
category. There should probably be some specific online
categories, but there aren’t yet.
Lately, every time I wanted a picture for the blog I didn’t
have my camera, and every time I took a picture with the cell
phone, I ended up apologizing for it. So when Woot had a good price on an Casio
Exilim camera, I bought it.
It arrived today. It’s a good size for sticking in your
pocket, and seems to take pretty good pictures:
![[Sunny]](https://i0.wp.com/serpentpublications.org/laymusic/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/sunny.jpg)
I always use Sunny for my test subject. Then I noticed the
Birthday cards, and took them too:
![[cards]](https://i0.wp.com/serpentpublications.org/laymusic/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/cards.jpg)
I watched this
movie last night because I’m going to be nominating Hugo awards
and this seemed like a likely candidate for a nomination.
It’s a surprisingly good science fiction movie. I found it
very unpleasant to watch because of all the violence, so I only
gave it two stars at netflix, but really, Hollywood doesn’t
“get” science fiction that well at all often. It’s about first
contact with aliens, who get treated like a “lesser breed” by
the South African government. There’s lots of blowing things
up, and a creepy makup job as the main character gradually turns
into an alien.
You get to nominate 5 movies, and I’m sure this should be one
of them. Whether I’ll vote for it when the time to vote comes
is another question. I would really like there to be a movie
that’s as good that I actually enjoyed watching. The only other
candidate I’ve seen so far is Star
Trek, and it’s certainly not as good Science Fiction,
although I really enjoyed watching it.
http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=laymusicorg-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B002SJIO5E&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr
http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=laymusicorg-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B001AVCFK6&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr
LayMusic.org 