Blogging to you from the campus of the University of Maryland, where the WiFi is everywhere, and the campus food co-op has good, affordable, vegetarian food. From Kansas City to Atlanta, the flight was fine. From Atlanta to Baltimore, the flight was bumpy enough to induce the first bout of airsickness I’ve had in almost two decades.
The Atlanta airport is what the perky part of town in Blade Runner would look like, if there was one.
There must be some connection here: I’ve been told that William Gibson wrote sections of Neuromancer in Atlanta, and it’s well known that he was somewhat influenced by Blade Runner. I’m not sure if there’s any real connection here, but to me, most of Atlanta feels a little like the “perky” side of Blade Runner.
Sorry to hear about the air sickness.
Welcome back to town. I’m tied up grading all day tomorrow but I’ll be around for a little of gallery camp Sat. AM.
Thanks, Chuck. The airsickness was not fun, but it didn’t last long.
There are three specific things in ATL that remind me of the Ridley Scott movie: the disembodied voices making alternately ominous and utilitarian announcements (“The Homeland Security Department has declared a code orange. Please be on the lookout for any suspicious activities.” and “Please move to the center of the vehicle and away from the doors.”); the number of huge HDTVs displaying advertisements, flight information, weather, etc; and all the electric carts whirring back and forth with luggage and passengers. But I realized that without the seediness, the darkness, and the rain, it just didn’t quite click. Too cheery in ATL.
Matt, it was good to see you at the meeting today. Thanks for sharing your advice and expertise with us. I hope your writing goes well over the next several months. I assume we’ll be reading a few details about it on your blog, eh?