I apologize for missing two weeks of updates in a row; the first week was supposed to be an article on moons (see the next bullet point), but I ran out of time. This Wednesday was April 1st, and I didn’t have a good idea for a joke post until late Wednesday afternoon. (Normally I just skip those kinds of posts, as there’s always someone who fails to get/appreciate the joke. So maybe it’s better that I just missed it.) In addition, I’ve been a bit deep in work lately; the semester has entered the third act, and Chekhov’s gun has vanished. In addition, some rather exciting possibilities (both short and long term) have been developing; please stay tuned for more information! Unfortunately, all of this also means that there may be more missed posts in the foreseeable future. I’ll apologize now for those as well. However, looking forward through the rest of the month, I’d like to get your feedback (dear reader) on my ideas for future posts:
- I’ve been reading up on recent research on the habitability of exomoons — in other words, can the moons of gas giants found around other stars support Life As We Know It©? — specifically because of my artwork. Both Terra Alia and Manifest Destiny include an Earth-like body orbiting a gas giant, and I find it interesting to think through what living on such a world would be like. However, having just finished a series with quite a few technical details, I realize that this could also be a bit “science-y” for many folks. So let me know — would you be interested in reading a speculative description of what living on such a moon might look like, based upon the available science?
- Reflections on my previous work and play has revealed a unifying thread — reality determines what we are able to perceive; however, what we are able to perceive (based upon past experiences and expectations) influences what we consider “real”. Is there any interest in reading my thoughts on how perception and reality interact and define each other?
- Finally, I was listening to the TED Radio Hour on NPR yesterday, and the show was about the importance of play — for adults as well as children. If you have not heard this show, I HIGHLY recommend checking it out. However, based upon this and my own experiences, I began wondering — what would it look like to take play seriously? In fact, what would it look like if we took play as seriously as we took, say, religion? I’m considering starting my own religion, where play is the fundamental center around which all of life is organized. Anyone interested in exploring this idea with me?
I’d love to get your feedback on any of these topics, either by email or in the comments below! Happy April, and have a great weekend!