First: Terminal 5. You may now all officially put your fears aside. It seems to be working. And, I must admit, it’s beautiful, fun, full of good
shops and good restaurants, spacious, and even has a little shuttle train to take you from one section to another.
Second: In-flight entertainment. I actually love these long-haul flights, and mostly because I get to catch up on films that I somehow inevitably miss seeing in the cinema. “The Kite Runner” was the one I watched this time, and I loved it as much as I thought I would. I loved the book, and that usually puts me off the film. So rarely does the one live up to the other. But the
movie was able to use music and cinematography to bring you right into the middle of that culture with an immediacy that gave even greater weight to the characters and their stories. A truly lovely film.
Third: New York City in the summer. Well, there’s of course the smell, which is not necessarily bad, but is distinctive — a combination of petrol fumes, bubbling tar, strangers’ perfumes, air conditioning exhaust, and heat. I couldn’t recreate it if I tried, but it’s always there on the streets of New York when the temperatures reach beyond 80 degrees and everyone, everything slows down just that little bit. Even the breeze. But the rivers shimmer, and Central Park pulls you in and there’s a sense that something is about to happen. Watch for it. It’s just around the corner.
Fourth: Family. We don’t all get together nearly as much as I wish. But when we do, we laugh and snap and cluck and giggle and I act more like the essential me than I get to do most anywhere else.
Fifth: Electronics and the future of us all. One of my nephews has been a gadget nut since he was little, always knowing the best of the newest. This Father’s Day, he gave his dad a “Kindle” – that new Amazon electronic book reader. This gadget for me is the apotheosis of “mixed feelings.” It’s cool, neat, clever – all those adjectives a new gadget needs to be. Call me old fashioned but I’m afraid it is also the gateway to a future bookless life that I’m not so eager to enter, not only because I’ve always loved books, but also because I now find myself writing them. This i
s definitely a topic that needs to be revisited later. And again. And again.
Sixth, and last: Coming home, I opened my door to a pile of post. Given the recent state of the Royal Mail, that in itself is notable, I suppose. But in the middle of it was the book I had ordered from the Book Depository called
“Riffing on Strings: Creative Writing Inspired
by String Theory.” I discovered this book via
Tania Hershman, whose story
Secrets is featured. That would have been enough of a reason for me to buy copy, but it also amazes me to think all of this was being compiled, unbeknownst to me, while I was writing my own book which is so entwined with string theory and the latest theories in cosmology. Ideas definitely do get transmitted over space and time and it thrills me to think I have somehow been caught up in it and contributed to it. I can’t wait to read this anthology. I’m sure it will be fascinating!
That’s all for now. My bed is calling me.
Sue, tt sounds like you had a wonderful time – great Terminal 5, good movie, NW summer smells, family laughs, ah the Kindle (yeah,well)! And you’ve got your Riffing on Strings before me, I am sorry I didn’t know you to tell you about it when they were calling for submissions. I can’t wait to read it! Who understands String Theory? It’s such great fodder for fiction, though. Let us know what you think of it.
Welcome home!
Welcome home and I’m very glad you had a lovely time!!
I’ve not seen The Kite Runner yet. We’ve got it on DVD but have not had a chance to watch it…I loved the book and, like you, always worry that the film is going to be crap in comparison. I think I might make time for it now 🙂
I’m hoping to get some time with my family soon….I’ve not seen my Gran in over a year!! I think we’re going to be heading to the UK either August or September…can’t wait!!
Not heard of the Kindle – am going to go and google it!!
C x
Sue, lovely snippets, thanks for sharing. I’d love to squeeze in a trip to NY soon.