Writing
Daniel the Restaurant
By T.S. Eliot (A translation from the French) The waiter deliberates about nothing: However chattersome, the dogs may not pinch his epaulets: “In my country I fear pluvial times, Of the wind, of the big sun, and of the rain; They name the day of the lesser wars.” (Bravo, cows of the … Continue reading
Michael Dukakis 124C41+
Wet blond hair fell over pale shoulder blades illuminated only by the glow of the receding city lights like microelectronic circuitry. “I don’t see how 50 metric tons of benzethydrine can just vanish into thin air,” Zoë said, toweling her hair with plush Egyptian cotton. Michael Dukakis sat up in the temperfoam bed, … Continue reading
Tenth anniversary gifts
for Donna, of course Ten seconds — a kiss. Ten minutes — hands clasped tight. Ten hours — warmth of our bodies nestled together. Ten days — a watch to count the seconds when we must be apart. Ten weeks — a secret joke only we two share. Ten months — salt tears for the … Continue reading
Lithography
After the tenth time of running the simulator, of tracing the paths of transistors plotted onto paper that fills the conference walls, I call my engineers and tell them to burn to metal. Only twelve nanometers now. The warren has gone so deep, so much farther than I could have imagined when I was cutting … Continue reading
Miss Marple, Psychic Detective
Miss Marple, psychic detective, looked over the scene in silence. A body was splayed across the red velvet blanket of a four-poster bed. “The murder victim was found wearing a tutu and tricornered hat,” she said. “Some people might find that strange, but in fact that was what Mr. … Continue reading
Remembrance of Time Defeated
The Hadronic Empress is startled awake by the sound of bleating klaxons. When she opens her eyes the flashing lights stab her vision, and she throws an arm, thin and wobbly like a chicken wing, across her face. She tries to uncoil herself from her gilded Throne of a Million Triumphs, but her left leg … Continue reading
Notes Toward a Dissertation on Books that End in Mid-sentence
What can we learn from books that end in mid-sentence? Perhaps that periods, question marks, and exclamation marks ought to get down off their high horse. By books that end in mid-sentence we mean of course only those that deliberately end thus, excluding those abrupt endings due to authorial demise like “The Last Tycoon” or historical … Continue reading
I, Roe-Bot
This was inspired by Cory Doctorow’s “I, Robot” and “I, Rowboat” and originally appeared online as part of International Pixel-Stained TechnoPeasant Day. I, Roe-Bot by Sharon Mock The salmon are spawning again.
Funeral Suppers
Of course you don’t remember Jeremy, my dear; you weren’t born yet, so you didn’t get any of him,
Sales Pitch
I used to be like you. Scraping by from paycheck to paycheck. Harrassed by debt-collectors.