This one landed on my (virtual) desk a couple of weeks ago or so, and I find it so nice I couldn’t avoid joining, especially because it’s somebody that loves speculative fiction as much as I do that nominated me. So thanks to Stuart Charles Flynn and his excellent blog – and if you’re a SFF geek like us, make sure to check it out.
Next requirement is to talk about self in 7 interesting facts (since funny and interesting are both categories where humans seem to have a lot of different views about, I will bar “interesting” and stick to facts, randomly picked in a November’s rainy Scottish day):
1- I live in Edinburgh, Scotland. I’ve spent several years in East Asia, a place I love and that I try to visit once a year to say hello to friends, enjoy food and get new fancy gizmos – not necessarily in this order.
2- I wanted to be an astronaut, which proved impossible in the place I grew up. The second best was astrophysics, this one early abandoned for maternal unhappiness about the choice (she thought I was too dumb number-wise: she was probably right, but as anything people prevent you to do, it will stay and hit you back with a vengeance). As a result, I am a social scientist that uses heavy maths on the job… and still enjoys astrophysics.
3- My first SF book was Stranger in a Strange Land, in a (bad) translation and heavily censored for content, as I’ve discovered years later when reading the original. Which convinced me of an important thing. See next entry.
4- I try as much as possible NOT to read translations, but originals, even when I’m obliged to keep a translation handy. This is one of the reasons why I studied many languages (there’s more of course, e.g., the fact that in a multicultural environment – at Christmas we count seven nationalities around the table – you don’t have a lot of choices). I’m not able to speak and write all of them, but I’m reasonably good with passive skills, which, for my purposes, is more than enough.
5- No matter how poor the translation, Heinlein was what made me fall in love with SF, and writers like Arthur C. Clarke, Alfred Bester, PKD, and, more recently, Stephen Baxter and KSR, kept me hooked. I don’t see an end to this addiction of mine. Which leads straight to…
6- … Japanese manga and anime, all of them. I have an insane passion for Leiji Matsumoto (Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Space Battleship Yamato, Galaxy Express 999), Yoshiyuki Tomino (the Gundam franchise), Masami Kuramada (Saint-Seiya), Gen Orobuchi (Black Lagoon, Psyco-Pass) and many others. It has been like that since I was in primary school, and now that I’m an university lecturer is not getting any better, rather the opposite. BTW: I watch anime in Japanese with English subtitles, which adds a layer of perversity to sheer lunacy. Sigh.
7- If I had to die of intoxication – not so uncommon nowadays – and I could select how, I’d have some hard choices to make. I’m a heavy coffee drinker and love dark chocolate, without even mentioning illegal goodies (mescaline-flavoured herbal infusion, anyone? haha, just kidding). I think, however, I would eventually choose death by bubbles – after all, I’m a tech-diver – drowning in a sea of French champagne. Tattinger rose, please, and I’ll rest in peace for eternity.
My turns to nominate 15 bloggers for the award. Not sure how should I “post” on their website, I assume since I’ll “ping” them by listing their blog address here they’ll get informed somehow… Anyway, that’s my list (I tried to avoid including the ones I follow that have already joined, but I might have missed some posts and a few of them will get a double nomination. Apologies, people, but take it as a token of esteem).
Now, the only thing I have to add is the list of the rules to participate.
1) Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
2) List 7 interesting facts about yourself.
3) Nominate 15 other bloggers and inform them by posting on their site.
4) List the rules and display the award.
Looking forward to more lovely blog facts to read.
Thanks Stephen. Very interesting answers.
Thanks 😉
Thank you for tagging me! I honestly am not a fan of blog awards BUT you are the second blogger to tag me so what the heck. This one sounds like fun. And you made me laugh when you say you watch anime in Japanese with English subtitles. Ha ha:-)
Looking forward to reading you, Tammy!
Thanks for the nomination, Steph! This is my first, and my honored. Now I know what my post for this week will be. (smile) Cinda
Can’t wait, Cinda 😀
Great interview and glad to know more about you… I guessed you lived in the UK. but didn’t know that you were in the Great Scotland… Curious facts… I am listening to Amy Macdonalds these days… almost every day…
I loved your answers to the second question.
Congratulations on the award… All my best wishes. Aquileana ⭐ .-
Hello Aquileana, I like her too! I nominated you for the award, would love to read your answers 😉