The Invisible Library

Why Must George Lucus Taunt Me So?

This time, it’s by releasing Star Wars Episode III on May 19, 2005, the day after my twenty eighth birthday. He does it just to spite me. He knows that these films, at least the three watchable ones, are a cornerstone of my childhood, specifically because every freekin one of them was released on or around my birthday! He’s basically saying, “Happy Birthday, Keith. Why don’t you watch my crappy space opera?” Because they’re shitty, you old coot, that’s why! Because you’ve got too much money at your disposal and no one to reign you in, so every inane whim that pops into your head, ends up on the screen!! And by directing the prequels yourself, you’ve managed to preclude any artistry that might be had from your overwraught scripts by indulging your own cinimatic narcisism!!! Argh!!!!!

That Sexy, Rock and Roll-Librarian Lifestyle all the Kids are Digging These Days

I’ve been torn for some time between my calling as a Librarian and an equally strong desire to be a rock star. Now I learn I can be both:

When they[Bl��dHag] play live, Stratton and his colleagues, Sir Zachary Orgel, Dr JM McNulty and Ambassador Brent Carpenter, embrace the science-fiction life. Onstage they dress as sci-fi geeks, in thick glasses, short-sleeved shirts and ties. They throw paperbacks to the crowd. On a recent tour, enthuses Stratton, “I read a great book of stories by Alfred Bester and a book of Philip K Dick’s letters and essays.”

Metal and science fiction are a natural fit, Stratton believes. “We sing about SF and fantasy authors because of their direct connection to heavy metal in terms of borrowed names, titles, lyrics, art, themes and more. We want to make sure metalheads know the sources of inspiration for some of their favourite bands.”

To that end, their album Necrotic Bibliophilia features 15 songs about their favourite SF authors, from William Gibson to HG Wells, of whom they sing: “Writers still swipe from your most famous books/Yet they forget the social satire of your later works.” [Guradian]

Sci-fi geek metaheads on a literacy crusade; not your typical rockers but oh, do they live the lifestyle:

“Yes, we get the girls,” emails Jake Stratton, aka Prof JB Stratton, the singer with the Seattle speed metal band Bl��dHag. “Several lady librarians have kept company with us. Bl��dHag don’t make passes at girls who don’t wear glasses. No specs, no sex.”

Rock on! And make sure to return those books on time!

~Thanks to Jessa Crispin over at Bookslut for the link

A short History of Blogging

Recently, my friend, Kevin asked me how I got started blogging (he’s thinking of starting his own, an endeavor I am actively encouraging as he’s a fabulous writer and has a lot to say on various issues. But I digress…) It’s an interesting chain of events that led to the creation of the Invisible library.

I used to be an avid reader of Salon. I don’t read them as much anymore but do occasionally peruse their pages. Like many, my week was made by the new instalment of This Modern World. I’d been a fan of Tom Tomorrow’s for years, having read his strip in city-papers since undergrad. But one day, while scanning the Modern World Archives on Salon, I decided to click on the link to This Modern World’s website. I expected some little splash page, advertising a compilation of his comics, maybe an e-mail address. I had never seen, nor heard of a blog before and so was floored to find out that here was Tom Tomorrow, ranting and raving about current events, on an almost daily basis. I was immediately hooked.

It wasn’t long before I checked out his links page and discovered Eschaton. That’s what did it for me (and from what I’ve heard around the Liberal Coalition, this is what got NTodd, Mustang Bobby and many others started as well. Atrios is singlehandedly responsible for at least half the Blogosphere. Tom Tomorrow, the other half). I quickly added Kos, Making Light, Electrolite, Pandagon and the indispensable, Orcinus to my regular reading list. But something was missing.

I enjoyed reading these sites but I had something to say myself. I already had several rantings, and a few thoughtful essays tucked away on my computer but would there really be an audience for what I had to say? I thought there might be, and even if there wasn’t, at least it would give me a satisfactory outlet for the rage and frustration, as well as the whimsy, crowding my brain. So on April 15, 2003, I signed up on blogger. A year ago today, the Invisible Library opened it’s imaginary doors. And I’ve never regretted it.

In the year since, I’ve learned HTML, met a number of fascinating and interesting people, taunted trolls, denigrated the Bush administration from my digital soap box and shared some of my fiction with the world. And it’s only going to get better form here. I’m on the way to submitting my first novel for publication and soon, the wife and I will be investing in a domain of our own, through which we can further our hobbies and careers online. I’m also working on a new template for the blog, but that might have to wait until this summer, when I have a little more time on my hands. And then, there’s the Presidential Election in the fall. Things are getting interesting in the world. And I’ll be here, adding my two cents to it all. Maybe this will make a difference, maybe not but at least I can try and change the world, one word at a time.