Four For Four.

Where has this year gone? It's zooming past, and seems to be getting faster. We're almost through August, and there are only four months left in 2012.

And in those four months I have four stories coming out - one per month.

Four for four. You've got to love alliteration.

The Future's So Bright...

Continuum 6 was fantastic.

I arrived home an hour or two ago, unpacked, had dinner, and I'm now writing this. As I go I'm digesting everything I learned over the weekend, and I think I'm deciding the future is something to be excited about rather than feared.

Sure, a healthy dose of respect is necessary, but I don't have to be scared. I have no idea what's going to happen - technology is not only becoming increasingly prevalent, it's becoming increasingly vital to living in the modern world. And as I get older I know it's going to become incredibly more difficult for me to keep up with advances.  Already the kids at my school are communicating, socialising, learning and living in ways that are alien to me.  What's it going to be like in 20 years time?

But there's so much exciting stuff happening. Mark Pesce, the guest of honour for the weekend, spoke about the coming technological singularity - and how it's going to affect us. (Of course he pointed out that we are now past the point of no return. Too late to run, folks!) And while I don't want to spend my life connected to an iSomethingorother, there's plenty of other good stuff there that will interest me.

And anyway, the end of the world may occur in 2012 and none of it will matter anymore.

p.s. More on Continuum 6 after I've had some sleep!

Flash Forward Gets Lost. Read The Book Instead.

On the recommendation of a couple of people, I started watching Flash Forward.

I should like it. But I don't. Even though on paper it seems to have everything I like in a show, it just doesn't work for me. I watched a couple of episodes and found I didn't really care. The actors were pretty average, the overlying romantic arcs, the cardboard characterisation (including the 'cutesy' little kid that speaks exactly like every Hollywood writer thinks normal children speak) and the poor dialogue and unrealistic response to the whole situation became quickly annoying.

It seems to me that it became overly polished, too Hollywood.  It should have been left closer to the original story, or perhaps made into a movie.  As it is I think it's heading towards another Lost. And although I really liked the idea of that program, it just quickly fell apart and became ridiculous.

Much like 2012.  Although I enjoyed the film, most of the characters were stock-standard. I must say Oliver Platt and Jimi Mistry stood out in an otherwise unmemorable cast. Amanda Peet played herself, John Cusack had trouble working up the energy, Woody Harrelson simply channeled Dennis Hopper through the caravan-conspiracy guy from X-Files.  Even though, it was a fun ride - until the last 30 minutes when it all became saccharine, soppy and ram-down-your-throat-preachy. Love one another, group hug. Did you know that spoilt evil kids can change simply because they hold a puppy?  Awwwwwww.

But I have a lot of respect for Robert J. Sawyer, and so I went and purchased the book, Flash Forward.  And boy, what a difference to the show. I can't put it down.

But if I were to flash forward, I wonder what I would see. I know what I'd like to see, but as many of the characters in the book soon discover, I think we're better off not knowing.

Unless I become a famous, rich, well respected author who has a successful show to my name.  Much like Flash Forward.