(Learning About) Machine Sex - Candas Jane Dorsey

This is an interesting concept, about the notion of sex being better with machines because they don't have all the baggage that comes along with human partners. They don't have emotions or moods and they don't expect much else from their partner. Humans on the other hand, have feelings and complex thought processes. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for at least one party of a relationship to be in it for sex and nothing more.

I think the story, which I loved by the way, is talking about love and relationships in general. It seems to point out that sometimes people feel used for sex. While it's true that the majority of committed relationships are probably bred out of genuine care, there are some bad apples out there! Angel, to me, represents the women who have been or who feel they have been duped by men. No matter what she does, her encounters with them end in disaster. They don't want her for her personality, they simply want her because she's a woman.

While the story did end kind of somberly, it didn't seem overly sad to me. Its a representation of how the world really is at times. That said, it can go the other way. Men aren't always the ones who just want a piece!! And, as Angel's friend points out - love does exist out there somewhere, it's just a matter of finding it.

Rat - James Patrick Kelly

I enjoyed this story! To me, it brings to life alot of real-life issues. Although it did have elements of science fiction, the underlying concepts were very realistic. Drug problems truly are a major concern in today's society. As Rat sells his "dust" the destruction that drugs can cause becomes more and more clear. When the "dead" people try and attack him, it made me think of all of the addicts who would do just about anything to get their fix.

Great story. It grabbed me from the very beginning and I really liked the message that it drove home. SAY NO TO DRUGS!!!! Haha.

The Gernsback Continuum - William Gibson

Well I can't really say that I enjoyed the story. I was confused throughout most of it. The photographer, from what I can gather, is trying to see what the 80's will be like as he is living in the 30's. Then he seems to decide that the 80's are much too ideal and wants to get back to his own world or reality. This is what I got from the story. I'm not too sure of a point, other than the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. Maybe the author is telling us to be happy with what we have and to stop being so wishful for something else.

2064, Or Thereabouts - David R. Bunch

This story is about a cyber person who is searching for the meaning of life. It's strange that such an un-human creature is having such human-like thought processes. The cyber person is searching for the true meaning of life but seems unable to come up with any answers. Everybody wonders this at some point, so perhaps the author is making the point that there is not necessarily an answer to this difficult question. Your life is what you make of it, and no matter who you are or "what you're made of" you may never stumble upon the answer. It was a sad story for me. It reminded me that I personally don't know the meaning of life and made me wonder if anyone really does. Good story, but it certainly wasn't uplifting ...

Damon Knight & "The Handler" - Presentation

Since I am unable to upload the PDF for our presentation I am linking it from Amanda's blog.
Please click here.

Alpha Ralpha Boulevard - Cordwainer Smith

This story grabbed my attention from the very beginning. I would like to meet the Instrumentality to see why they chose to do certain things, such as have Paul and Virginia come out French following the Rediscovery of Man. I think there was more to it, since Smith put such an emphasis on the language and the fact that they were indeed French. Im not sure though if it was meant to be a negative or a positive spin ...

I think the story functions on two levels. It seems to point out the pros and the cons of both living in a world where real danger exists and in a world where there is no fear and everything is pre-determined. It put an interesting spin on things and strangley enough, despite the bad things that happens at the Alpha-Dingo, made me appreciate that I live in a free world that has not already decided my fate.

Good News From The Vatican - Robert Silverberg

I enjoyed this story alot. I took it to be an extreme indication of what could become of us if we continue to have such a reliance on computers and other types of machinery. It made me think of all the things that we, as humans, used to do manually and now have done for us by machines. We have machines to cook our food, machines to transport us around the world and machines that clean our clothes. And that, obviously, is just to name a few. Although the idea of a robotic pope is a little far fetched, who knows what technological advances will cook up next ..

I found it interesting that half of the characters were against the idea of having a robotic pope while the other half were all for it. It seems to be symbolic of the hesitation of some people, even today, to rely on technology to help complete their everyday tasks. Some people worry that we are losing touch with what it is to be human and are moving into a world goverend by computers and machinery.

Plus, the idea of a pope that will never die doesn't sound all that great to me. I mean not that you would want him to die anytime soon, but it's nice to change things up every once in awhile ...

Making It All The Way Into The Future On Gaxton Falls Of The Red Planet - Barry N. Malzberg

Well I wouldn't want to live on this Mars! Although the Bastille Day festivities sound fun. I don't have too much to say about the story. While I didn't dislike it, I also didn't find it overly appealing. I do like that the author gave the story a kind of ironic ending. It made me chuckle ... but not very hard.

Frozen Journey - Philip K. Dick

I found this to be a very entertaining little story! As a psychology major, the story's focus on the unconscious, neuroticism and extreme guilt were of great interest to me. It's almost like Dick had an Introduction to Psychology text-book sitting beside him while he wrote this one!

The idea of a ship thinking as a person would was new to me. It's unfortunate that Victor wasn't able to realize that Martine arriving to planet LR4 was, for the first time in ten years, complete reality. It's almost as if he had become entirely numbed to anything but the memories fed to him by the ship.

It's interesting to note that no matter what pleasant memories the ship tried to put into his mind, Victor always brought forth some kind of negative twist. His neurotic and anxiety-ridden tendencies were so prevalent that he was unable to relive a positive memory without tarnishing it in some way....

I've decided to read the list backwards this week. Therefore, this is my first "machine story". Although I'm fine with the fact that my car can't speak to me as I drive (I like my music just fine) it's a pretty interesting concept and made for a good read!

Midnight News - Lisa Goldstein

It's an interesting concept that the author decided to give Helena, a nursing home resident who would normally have almost zero say in decision making, the power to save the world. Helena was "noticed" for the first time when given this power. She was no longer just another old, useless and bothersome lady. She was finally receiving attention, people were listening to her stories and the public was doting on her every wish.

I enjoyed the story. It made me think about all of the people that have come before me. Maybe we don't give them the time and the credit that they deserve.

Out Of All Them Bright Stars - Nancy Kress

I thought this was a heart-warming story about the difference between being a biological human and having humane thoughts and ideals. It seems to me that apart from Sally, the humans in the story have been dumbed down by the college in regards to what they should think of the polite blue aliens. It's ironic that the old couple that comes in every Friday night has never left a tip, but the blue alien treats Sally with respect and dignity.

The story made me think of people that I have encountered in my own life who would fit into the "Charlie and Kathy" category while others are more of a "Sally". There are so many people in this world who lose themselves in ideas and beliefs that are pounded into them by the media, the government or other institutes. They stop thinking for themselves and allow the opinions of other to become opinions of their own.

Sally, for what seems like the first time in some time, was treated well and given attention by an alien. John, who doesn't seem to have a racist bone in his body, feels that he doesn't make a difference. I think he is misled. .. he seems to have made a big difference in Sally's life. He gave her an idea of what humans could be like if they weren't so prejudiced and unable to accept differences in others. Unfortunately, that probably won't be happening any time soon and Sally knows that she will continue to live in the world represented by Charlie and Kathy.

Interlocking Pieces - Molly Gloss

I enjoyed this story alot. Interesting topic - a cerebellum transplant. I also found it interesting that Teo found Dhavir doing a puzzle, such an intricate task and something that she could no longer do with her limited motor capabilities. Maybe this was used to bring forth the idea that pieces by themselves are not very useful, but when put together they form the full picture. Sort of how Dhavir's cerebellum will complete Teo as a human being ...

Im not sure that I see how this fits into the category of Science Fiction though. There didn't seem to be anything sci-fi ish about it to me unless I missed something !

A Few Things I Know About Whileaway - Joanna Russ

Hm .. a plague that wiped out all men. Banning words such as "he". Women that cut their hair with clamshells. Children that are created from two ovum. (One body mother & one other mother). Interesting.

These children of Whileaway obliterate their instructors with bombs?! Sheesh .. they must have some pretty bad instructors on that planet. And this country, of total female inhabitance, does not practice monogamy at all. Again, interesting.

Well this story was very different. Im not sure that I really enjoyed it, but it had some interesting concepts. Genetic surgeons, for example. The idea of middle-dignity, three quarters dignity and full dignity was a different take on the journey from childhood to adulthood.

I particularly liked the beginning of the last paragraph: "I am a liar. I have never been to Whileaway." It made me think "Well then why did you go to the trouble of making all of this nonsense up?!" I'm also wondering what kind of influence the author was under while writing the story ... it's definitely original!

The Women Men Don't See - James Tiptree Jr.

I think this story is a very interesting take on discrimination against women! Don can't understand for the life of him how these two women, Ruth & Althea Parsons, could be so calm. It doesn't seem to alarm them that they are stranded in the middle of nowhere with no guarantee of a rescue. But Ruth & Althea Parsons had a plan of their own.

Judging by her preparatory actions, Ruth had a pretty good idea that they were likely to encounter aliens in that part of Mexico. The story mentions that her and Althea were taking a pretty round-about way to get to their destination, leading one to believe that there was an ulterior motive. It also mentions that she worked for the government, so perhaps she had gained some sort of intellect in regards to alien sightings in the area.

Ruth and Althea were awfully adament in their belief that females will forever be unequal to men. Adament enough to risk venturing into the unknown in the hope of finding something better than life on Earth as a woman.

Im wondering about the intended message of the story. My thought is that it's implying that although we have come a long way, gender equality will never be 100% present. These two women in particular felt it necessary to take their chances on leaving this earth for a planet that may be more geared towards equal opportunities for all genders.

And The Angels Sing - Kate Wilhelm

I think this week's reading list has been the most enjoyable yet. For me anyway. There has only been one story that I haven't loved (Kyrie) but all of the others have really grabbed my attention. I thought that this one was great as well. I like that something alien happens in the life of a human-being. Instead of being sci-fi like from the very beginning, this one starts off as any other story may.

I found it funny that Eddie was so inclined to refer to this genderless alien as a "she". It is explained that it is definitely not female, as it had nothing in the way of genitalia. It made me think that Eddie was desperate for this alien to be a girl. He doesn't seem to be well liked, mainly on account of his weak character. People don't know how to take a man who does them so many favors but will not allow for any sort of repayment. It is implied that his wife left him and he moved to the middle of nowhere to get away from the busy New York life. Because he is without a lover and without any close companions, the idea of this alien being a "she" would have been very inviting for a man like Eddie.

This is definitely an interesting take on women as aliens. For what seems like the first time, women are not being portrayed at all in a negative view. If anything, Eddie - the male, is the weak character throughout the story. Because Eddie refers to the alien as being a "she", I came to think of her as being female as well. Therefore it seems to me that women aliens in this story are being represented in a postive, take-charge light.

His Vegetable Wife - Pat Murphy

While I really enjoyed the story, it was sad to read about this woman (Who is not actually even a woman) and the abuse that she endures from Fynn. For some reason, even though she is most definitely not human, I envisioned her as one. It seems to me that Fynn is the real alien or monster-like figure while the man-made wife encompasses much more human qualities. This seems very ironic to me!

I was glad that she killed him. Not that Im in favor of murder or anything, but hey - she got him back. And planted him - haha!!

Good story!

After The Days Of Dead-Eye 'Dee - Pat Cadigan

This story really drew out my sympathy for Merridee Percy. She encompasses your typical objectified woman who is treated as a total un-equal by her husband. He wouldn't take her camping because she would be a bother on account of her rheumatism problems. When it says, "...and she was safely at home, no rheumatism acting up, watching this shadow", my heart really ached for her. It made me think about all of the women in this world who are watching their lives pass them by as their husbands dictate what they can and cannot do. Although conditions have improved, I can think of several women who are trapped in relationships such as this. I've gotten a little bit off track but this is a topic that I have given a lot of thought to in the past. I guess it saddens me to think about how it would feel to have your life controlled by somebody else's hands .. it sort of makes me nauseous .. Merridee talks about living in her house with Brett for the past 500,000 years which really drives home the idea that her life is nothing but a serious of monotonous days that bleed aimlessly into one another.

Anyway, when Merridee wakes up on the morning after her first encounter with the alien, she convinces herself that it didn't actually happen. She is in a state of denial. She's constantly trying to convince herself of this, by focusing on things such as the idea that a "monster" like that could not exist in a world with sweepstakes and cut-rate magazine subscriptions! But of course, she really did see the alien. I think it's really symbolic that she blows the alien to pieces. It, just like Brett, wanted her to remain confined to her home while having knowledge of what she was missing in the outside world. Merridee wasn't having it! She blew the alien AND that idea to pieces, called it a son of a bitch and walked away.

The Start Of The End Of It All - Carol Emshwiller

Wow I loved this story! Definitely my favorite so far. It struck me as odd that the old woman did not describe her experience in such a way that conveyed shock and disbelief to the reader. Either the aliens have been there for a really long time or the lady has been severely drugged and/or brainwashed. It's funny because it almost made me less shocked to find out that these invading aliens had impregnated the woman with minnow-like spawn.

It's interesting to note that this woman warmed up to Klimp, whether it was by her own choice or because she was drugged/brainwashed, with the expectation that he would be nothing like her ex-husband. He doesn't leave the toilet seat up and he squeezes the toothpaste from the bottom of the tube. The story also says that these Aliens only pair up with divorcees ....

So it seems like she is out to get revenge at the end of the book when she tells them to go live in the Love Canal. I like that the story is portraying a woman who, in the end, takes charge of a situation by seeking some sort of vengeance for the wrongdoing that she has experienced at the hands of a "man". (Not really a man persay, but man-like)

Overall I thought the story was great. I found it to be a relatively easy read in terms of deriving a point and making sense of the situation. I'd like to read more by Carol Emshwiller if the rest of her work is anything like this!

Kyrie - Poul Anderson

So far this week, this has been by far my most difficult read. It's not that Im not understanding what Im reading, but that I'm having problems in distinguishing how it all fits together to form a story. A story that I understand anyway.

Im trying though .. What I've gotten out of it is that it begins on Luna (The moon), Eloise Waggoner being a Special communications technician on the Supernova Sagitarri expedition. As I continued on with the story, I did get a sense of what goes on as they carry out their expedition, but I have yet to derive a point or theme. I mean it's obvious that Eloise is a very boring, monotone typish person who has embarked on this journey in the hopes of finding some excitement. But beyond that .. I don't see how everything fits.

Im assuming, though, that Poul Anderson wrote the story with some sort of intention. He must have been trying to convey SOMETHING. I have to say Poul, I don't think you did a very good job ....

When I was Miss Dow - Sonya Dorman Hess

I guess the first thing that I should say is that I really loved the way that the story begins ..

"These hungry, mother-haunted people come and find us living in what they like to call crystal palaces, though really we live in glass places, some of them highly ornamented and others plain as paper".

It really made me think "Okay, this opening must be giving a general idea of what this story encompasses". And it really does. The hungry mother haunted people are humans. The humans are exploring a planet that is inhabited by Protean aliens.

This male alien is given the task of transforming into a "she" and going to work for Dr. Arnold Proctor as a way of obtaining money. The Warden of her group transforms "him" into Martha Dow, a thirty-something year old lab assistant.

I think the story is interesting in the sense that it seems to be suggesting that we can only "become someone else" for so long. Then we have to go back to our core identity. As I was reading, I was hoping that Martha would stay Martha. But she didn't, and I think that might be a main point in the story.

All in all, I liked this!

How Beautiful With Banners - James Phish

Well .. this was interesting! I didn't mind reading this story at all, mainly because it was exciting to see what kind of crazy scene was going to unfold next.

I basically took from the story the idea that Dr. Ulla Hillstrom (with a slash through the "o") is entirely consumed with her science career, alotting zero time and/or attention to anything else. Her marriage has ended, she doesn't have much esteem and is avoidant of all things intrusive to her career driven life.

Ulla seems to be romantically tied to her bubble. She almost seems to personify it as she "pushed the cozy bubble away from her breasts and tried to stand up". If you didn't know she was talking about a bubble, you'd think she was talking about her lover!

So while she is outdoors in her virus suit (This being the first time anyone has ever done this for more than five or ten minutes), a flying cloak came to investigate this strange thing. Her bubble couldn't withstand the conditions (or maybe it just couldn't withstand her) and took off.

I think the story suggests that while it's good to have other interests, you should always take some time for yourself. Maybe James Phish is saying that it can be very easy to end up with nothing if we get lost in everything but our own well-being.

I also noted that Phish used a couple of metaphors throughout the story which really made the absurdity of Ulla's situation come to life. Although I think that I understand the main elements of the story, Im definitely looking forward to some further clarification in class!

Homelanding - Margaret Atwood

This story, especially at its description of caverns and prongs, had me laughing for the first page or two. At first, well until the end, I knew that I loved the story but I didn't exactly know how it would be classified as science fiction. But then when I realized that the woman (Shes a cavern, remember) is describing life on earth or maybe life as Canadians to an alien, it all came together.

Then I got thinking about how her description is so very accurate yet seems so odd! It's never occured to me that maybe the life that we take to be so ordinary and natural would be absolutely ridiculous and silly to someone or something from another planet.

I really enjoyed this story. It put life into perspective in a pretty humorous way and allowed for the realization that life as we know it may only be "normal" to us because it's all we know.

Strange Wine - Harlan Ellison

Again, I really liked this story. The phrase "The grass is always greener on the other side" is what really jumps out at me after reading this. Willis Kaw is aware that he was not to born to the planet Earth and is convinced that he comes from a much better place. A place with a bright green sky and birds that do not fly, but instead skim surfaces. He thinks that he comes from a planet that does not have to deal with "bodies that decay and smell bad and run down and die (pg.353). He is sure that the anguish and the torment that comes along with being a human being is a punishment that he has been given for an unknown crime that he committed on his home planet.

While he is on earth, he dreams of going home to his planet. He has lost his daughter, his son has been crippled and he's in a loveless marriage. Once he succeeds in returning to his home planet, he realizes that life on earth was a gift to him. Life on his planet is actually much worse than on earth and Plydo falls asleep dreaming of his life as Willis Kaw on the planet Earth.

This just goes to show that we should be thankful for what we have. While it's true that life is not perfect, life could be worse. This seems to be the underlying message that the story drives home.

I do have one question though. Why "Strange Wine" ? It doesn't seem to fit in at all ..

The Mountains of Sunset, The Mountains of Dawn - Vonda N. Mcintyre

Although parts of it were gross (ie. when it describes "the old one" ripping apart the animal and crunching its bones for marrow and brains), I feel like this is essentially a beautiful story. It deals with real-life concerns such as the transformation from child to adult, dealing with death, and how to or if we should pass on values and traditions to the younger generation before we die.

I think it is interesting that these aliens were depicted in such an un-human physical way but with distinctly human thoughts and ideas. When I think of these creatures, I think of a furry bat/human/bird. Almost like an extremely furry bat with a humanish face that has the flying capacity and wingspan of a bird.

The fact that the old one speaks in old English, saying things such as "Wouldst thou have me .." while the young one speaks as we would today reinforces the generational difference between the two aliens. The way in which the old one helps to turn the young one into a man is a little bit disturbing from a human point of view, but the fact is that these aliens are not human. Maybe sex to them is differernt than our sex and so it wouldn't be gross or disturbing at all. Just a thought ..

I picked out a lot of common human concerns, such as how to deal with the loss of a loved one. Just like the young one, we often don't know how we are going to go on without this person in our lives. I drew similarities between the old one and our elderly population today. Most of them, by the time they reach the end of their lives, are no longer interested in progressing further into this rapidly advancing world. They want to retreat back into their own versions of how the world used to be.

I really enjoyed the story. I think it's wel written and put in such a way that the ideas are really driven into us through the personalities of the characters. I think that there is a little bit of these aliens in all of us !