Wintry November Bliss – or -- Avoiding the Holiday Pre-Sales Pandemonium

(A Wintry November Day -- Photo Copyright 2014 by Jaz Primo)

I particularly adore a cold winter-like November day.

Today is one of those days, complete with blowing snow flurries that melt onto the pavement but stick to the newly dormant grass. Ah, I feel very happy as I sit inside all warm and toasty and sipping on a steaming mug of hot cocoa while gazing out through my picture window. It’s moments such as these when the holidays come alive in beautiful and wondrous ways.

It is moments such as these when I’m not only feeling my happiest but also most contented. These are the truly lovely moments in life worth savoring.

Today, I’m remaining indoors to write on Sunset Rising, the fifth novel in my Sunset Vampire series. I’m also getting a head start on my Christmas shopping, including some gifts for myself. (Those are gifts from my cat, Tabby, of course. She said to order an item or two from my Christmas list. She’s so very kind. If only she had her own credit card and bank account…)

(Tabby the Cat in her Perch -- Photo Copyright 2014 by Jaz Pimo)

Tabby’s also appreciating the cold weather from the safe, warm interior of our home. You may notice in the photo that she’s comfortably lounging in the basket of her cat tree that I recently assembled for her. She’s really enjoying that cat tree of hers. I’m so happy that she likes it.

(Tabby's Cat Tree -- Photo Copyright 2014 by Jaz Primo)

 Have you started your holiday shopping yet? Thankfully, I have my list mostly completed, so I’m already beginning my purchases. Have you noticed how retailers are starting their online Christmas sales earlier and earlier each year? I recently heard on a world news report that retailers expect the weekend before Thanksgiving to be as busy as the typical Black Friday and Cyber Monday following Thanksgiving. In addition, more and more stores are opening earlier on that actual Thanksgiving Day either during the morning or by mid-day. Radio Shack opens at 8am on Thanksgiving morning. *pausing* Though I honestly don’t have a clue what I might need from them. Perhaps a spare set of batteries? *shrugging* I dunno…

One thing is for certain: I won’t be out fighting the crowds on Black Friday. For those of you who will, may the Goddess rest your souls and protect you. By contrast, I plan to be at home watching either some college football games or streaming some movies or Doctor Who episodes.

Have you seen the movie Interstellar yet? It’s really good! The storyline was compelling and engaging, and Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Chastain all did an excellent job with their roles, as well as the amazing supporting cast. The special effects were out of this world (pun intended) and the depiction of a black hole was impressive. I give it five stars and two thumbs up. It’s a must-see that I highly recommend. I particularly appreciate the manner in which the writers took the time to develop the situation on Earth and present the characters in a multi-dimensional manner without rushing either. It made for a much more immersive and sympathetic audience experience. Way to go, Christopher Nolan…you did it again!

 How are you preparing for the upcoming holidays? I’d like to hear from you, so enter a comment and let me know.

The Operating System of My Dreams?

Recently, I watched an excellent, Academy-nominated 2013 film called Her. While the acting was outstanding and emotions evoked were compelling, the premise of the near-future storyline itself was especially thought-provoking. In the movie, a man named Theodore (played by Joaquin Phoenix) installs a sweeping new operating system on his computer that’s supposed to present refined artificial intelligence that interacts with the computer user. The operating system (voiced by the talented actress Scarlett Johansson) begins its independent existence by naming itself Samantha. The OS soon interacts with Theodore in a highly realistic, nearly human, manner. Over time, Samantha’s personality develops in highly nuanced fashion, eventually reaching self-realization and sentience.
I won’t spoil the film for you, but what proceeds is an emotional journey between two beings. Suffice to say, the movie made me contemplate humanity’s continued technological innovations and improvements in computer processing and operating systems development. I wonder if there will come a time in the not-too-distant future – or at least, during my lifetime – when an operating system might reach a quasi-sentient level of interaction (or simulated interaction) with people that mimics a fellow human being. Would that be a good thing, or would it merely encourage people with reclusive personalities to further withdraw from interacting with other people?
It occurs to me that there are situations or conditions where people might not have the luxury of living in areas where there are large numbers of people to interact with; in which case, having a computer-based, human-simulated entity might be reassuring for someone.
Granted, a number of films and books have examined this situation before. Consider the station computer named GERTY from the engaging 2009 film Moon starring Sam Rockwell, or Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey in which the H.A.L. 9000 computer system serves as both human nurturer and suspicious antagonist for the astronauts. Despite a series of past examples, there are always fresh human drama opportunities available for an author to mine for future novels and films on the subject. Essentially, the human experience is dynamic and there’s always a demand by readers for compelling, emotional storyline.
Perhaps I’ll consider my own future storyline. Hmm…