In Grantchester that summer, he lay in a field and dreamed of machines

[sovay]

Why, yes, universe, thank you, I would love an orchestral work about Alan Turing by Pet Shop Boys. (Original article here, but not being a subscriber, about all I can do is look at the evocative photo.) What a wonderful antidote to the prospect of a straight-cast Turing movie. Tell me there's going to be a recording. Especially if the rest of it sounds anything like the live track here. I'm only sorry—and I'm really sorry—Derek Jarman isn't around to handle the music videos.

P.S. My father came over with power tools and two-by-fours and did not fix the bed per se, but he built a new partition and braced it and the frame with a lot of chocks and blocks and we did not have to buy a new bed last night. The current arrangement will last us until we can. Now I need to learn how to deal with the fact that the new air conditioner makes an ear-filling high-pitched tone that I can't sleep through, but at least I don't have to fail to sleep through it on the floor.

P.P.S. I can now announce that my short story "In Winter" has been accepted by Lackington's. They are publishing the table of contents over Twitter, so you can read the news and a teaser here and here. It's an experiment in historical fiction. strange_selkie told me to stop researching and write already. rushthatspeaks said there was no point in any version of "The Snow Queen" that was missing the robber girl.

Comments

[handful-ofdust.livejournal.com]

So glad about the robber girl story! I loved it, as you know, and I think everyone else will, too.

PS: Turing should absolutely get an orchestral work, and everything else, besides. Here's hoping the movie doesn't turn out to be as straight-washed as everyone fears.

[sovay]

I loved it, as you know, and I think everyone else will, too.

Thank you!

Turing should absolutely get an orchestral work, and everything else, besides.

This Twitter is a terrific aggregator for Turing art. It's actually really heartening.

Here's hoping the movie doesn't turn out to be as straight-washed as everyone fears.

Or suck in any of the other big-budget ways!

[handful-ofdust.livejournal.com]

You heard about the computer that convinced people it was a virtual 13-year-old boy a couple of days ago, I guess.

[selidor]

That one was a clever social hack, but advanced no further than Eliza on the Turing test spectrum.

[sovay]

That one was a clever social hack, but advanced no further than Eliza on the Turing test spectrum.

I was sorry to hear that. It still seems to be easier for people to fail than programs to pass, which says as much about people as machines.