On Giving Up Smoking and Taking Up New Projects

 Hello puffins,

*The audio version of this message is attached at the bottom as usual, along with Freya’s regular photo shoot since she has been a medium-to-well-behaved girl. Please note the excessive fluff between the paws. She is very proud of that detail.

How’s it all going? I’m fine, thank you for asking. 

Well, I’m personally just very relieved the last few videos are out and I don’t have to worry about them anymore. I hope they weren’t too self-indulgent. I noticed a few discussions about whether there was some underlying theme or something to Upsilon Dies Backwards. I’m afraid the answer is no, I just thought it’d be fun, and I wrote the script not exactly sober.

If it’s quite all right, I’ll be collecting your kind patronage for this month. I’ve got the start of an idea for something at least, and I’d quite like to get hold of some footage and music and hopefully throw the thing together. There’s a thank you at the end of this message for your generous support as always.

In current events, you may’ve heard my birth country has a brand spanking new prime minister. Wherever you stand politically, you have to admit these are some fairly unusual times we’re living in – Boris Johnson. Didn’t see that one coming. And we’ll be out of the EU almost certainly by the thirty first of October. I suspect this is going to get even more interesting before it gets boring. 

Are you reading/watching anything decent at the moment? I reread The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester recently. What an absolute fucking masterpiece. If you dig my stuff for whatever weird reason, you’ll certainly dig his because he actually knows what he’s doing.

I also got hold of Exhalation by Ted Chiang. If you’re not in the know. Chiang wrote a knockout collection of short stories a while ago called Stories of Your Life and Others. One of them ended up as Arrival the movie. He’s been quite quiet for some time now, then came out with this new collection, Exhalation. I won’t spoil the thing, but just maybe definitely get hold of it if you can. Some fantastic ideas in there, and they seem to stay with you weeks after finishing the thing.

My plan is to put some videos out on the second channel too, a very self-serving one about books and movies I’ve enjoyed that I’d like to throw your way too, and another about going to Nashville and what a strong effect it had on me. So we’ll see.

I don’t have a great deal to say, real-world-wise anyway beyond: I got over being sick, the weather is humid as balls in Bulgaria, and I started the new book over several times and I think this time it’s maybe going to be okay. Or not. When I have the inklings of a first draft I’ll put up the first chapter if you like – just on Patreon I mean. Thinking about it now that sounds wicked egotistical however.

As of tomorrow in intend to spend the rest of my life as a non-smoker. I don’t smoke a lot, maybe 3 in the evenings, but it’s fucking insane considering I turned 30 recently and I can’t get away with this forever and I know it will kill me and I pride myself on being a runner, but I just like cigarettes and the little buzz you get when you combine it with coffee. A highly addictive definitely deadly combustible poison. Totally stupid. Well I’m fucking done. I really am. I’ll let you know how it goes, but it seems like a fun opportunity to experiment with methods of kicking a totally stupid addiction. If you’ve gotten off the poison sticks successfully, do let me know how you did it and congratulations. 

I have several messages I need to respond to properly through Patreon and if you’re one of those folks, nothing but apologies on my side – I’m not ignoring you. Tomorrow or Friday I’ll sit down properly and go through my emails, and actually give your messages the response they deserve. I can’t stand these, “Lol, cheers, bye” responses one gets from people online sometimes and I’d prefer not to do that to you either.

In all, a massive thank you in advance for the support, as always – I hope you’re going to enjoy the next project. Just like with everything, it wouldn’t be possible without your unbelievably kind patronage and just thank you ever so much. 

I hope you’re doing all right, wherever you are, and if you’re living in Hong Kong at the moment I especially hope you’re doing all right and much love and support from the rest of us. 

Speak soon, and I promise there won’t be another 3 month gap between uploads, 

All the best, 

Ex.