The Walls Around Me.

I've been working from home for a few weeks now, and whereas others on social media seem to be looking for ways to remain entertained, I don't feel like I have enough free time.

I work in Digital Education for a University, and during this crisis we have been busier than we usually are as we assisted academics in getting their courses online in a hurry. Now we're focussing on assessments, as exams aren't possible, and how they're going to be handled remotely.

And in between times, I continue my studies. And so I'm planning to take a couple of days over Easter to do nothing. Got to stay sane.

I'll read, watch some film, and spend time with my wife.

We exercise daily - either going for a bike ride or a longish walk, as is legally permitted. We're doing our best to follow the guidelines and not go out. Only one of us goes to the shops, and that's generally once a week and only to get our essentials. I still hear of people ignoring the rules. Not only are they risking their own wellbeing, but the health of others around them.

Am I going stir crazy?  A little. I don't mind being at home. I wish I could devote more time to reading and writing fiction, but I have commitments and responsibilities at the moment.

In the meantime, I sure hope NASA is paying attention to the psyche of the people as it plans for 2 year missions to Mars.

I think I'll stay at home and watch it on TV.

He's So Low.

As a teenager I started to read Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles. I can remember thinking it was pretty weird, and I think I only got a few pages in.

I still have that book - I never got rid of it, but for some reason I never went back to it. Until now.

One thing that surprises me is how naive some of it is. For example, the idea that the first expeditions to Mars will be undertaken by undisciplined oafs who brawl at the drop of a hat, get drunk and throw their beer bottles in canals. They sound more like a pirate crew than our brightest and best.

Once the colonising ships arrive on Mars, they pretty much land anywhere and wander off claiming land. Even when these stories were written I find it hard to believe Bradbury thought colonisation wouldn't be controlled by authorities.

Then as soon as nuclear war erupts on Earth, everyone (and it literally is everyone apart from 2 or 3 people) board ships to desert Mars. I suspect if the story were real, it would be quite the opposite.

Many of the stories don't really fit with the others, there are inconsistencies with the world building, inconsistencies in Martian behaviours and history. Some of these stories were obviously placed on Mars simply to squeeze them into The Chronicles.

Not to say I didn't enjoy them, I absolutely loved them. Which says a lot about some of the ideas in there, but once again I am reminded that Science Fiction is not about the future, it's about us.

Oh, and the title? It's a reference to a Kenny Everett joke. "He's so low he could kick a Martian in the chronicles..."