Arthur C. Clarke is dead

So is Philip K. Dick and Madeleine L'Engle. Terry Pratchett is slowing down a bit, but not much, so far. I am encouraging Chris to seriously think about science fiction and fantasy writing as a career or a hobby. There are always openings for exciting new writers in the parallel universe realm "Think of this way, Chris. You are a natural - you've spent time in mental institutions in two countries on two continents, you have personally encountered aliens, you write well (you can never emphasize this enough), and you know something about physics, mathematics and music. This is world class stuff!"

I am reminded of a scene in the movie Orange County, where the father expresses skepticism about his son's professed desire to be a writer. "A writer! What could you write about? You're not opressed or gay." The father is acknowledging a fundamental truth here. It helps to be a bit of an outsider when it comes to a career as a writer.