It’s become clear to me as I slip towards The Big Birthday that nothing is more important than the pursuit and discovery of joy. Even in the simplest of moments, I find myself aware of how every moment holds the capability to bring a tiny glimmer of wonder.
With that intention at the forefront of my mind, joy seems to present itself more easily. Like when you’re buying a car and suddenly you see the make and model you want on every turning. Finding joy can easily be like that. Seeing the way sunlight kindles the inner glow of a flower. The scent of woodsmoke or charcoal when you light a barbecue. Even the tapping of a keyboard on a bright April morning, with the sun just above my eye line.
Yeah, I know, all a bit woo, but I never said I didn’t have hippie tendencies.
Yesterday brought us to Oxford, to a joyous union with friends old and new, under dreaming spires and a flawless blue sky. It was a moment which could have been tinged with sadness, but instead was an utterly beautiful day. A celebration, an affirmation of life’s endless capacity for delight.
This chapter of The Swipe is dedicated to Kate and Bryan. Onwards and upwards, my darlings. Joy awaits.
Wherever you are, whenever you are, however you find joy, welcome to The Swipe.
Rob is reading…
Constellations, a new story by Jeff Vandermeer, the creator of the Southern Reach novels. The central narrative thrust—a group of people wandering through an increasingly strange and hostile landscape—will be familiar to fans of his work. But Constellations frames the story in a setting more akin to surrealist cosmic horror. Not sure it’s a piece which will broaden his appeal, but if you’re a fan of Vandermeer’s work, this is a real treat.
Rob is watching…
The Residence and Man On The Inside on Netflix. A pair of quirky detective tales, seemingly very different (an investigation of a murder in the White House versus a threat to funding in a small American liberal arts college) but united by common techniques. The journey is more important than the destination. The stories are full of red herrings, twists, shocking revelations, the sleuths in each both eccentric and charming. There’s no sense of threat or danger, but both shows are excellently written and expertly move things along. If you like your ‘tec tales darker, look elsewhere. These two are unapologetically cosy.
Rob is listening…
to this deep cut (at least for me) from The Monkees. The perception of the group as a fake, a bubblegum confection designed to sell a TV show was easy to disprove—all four were talented musicians in their own right and quickly moved past the ‘hey hey’ days to forge their own path. Me and Magdelena is frankly gorgeous, a lovely, swooning mix of folk and country which Mike Nesmith would finesse into a whole new genre.
Rob is eating…
Pork. Specifically a shoulder portion which I picked up from Morrison’s for just over three quid. Rubbed with a spice and salt mix I picked up from a garden centre, tumbled in the pressure cooker for an hour with cider, stock, a pasilla chili and some root veg. The rind got another hit of salt, then a slow roast in the oven until super-crispy. Piled juicily onto tortillas with all the fixings and some of the pork rind crumb over the top, the meal gave mutant Tex-Mex vibes but hit all the right spots. A high street coffee would have cost me more.
Rob’s Low-Key Obsession Of The Week…
I’ve watched this three times in a row so far. In case you’re wondering, I believe it’s some sort of silicone, although I initially would have sworn it was sugar for rock candy. Whatever it is, the process is mesmerising.
As an SF fan, I am very on board with the idea of invented languages. As a writer, I try to come up with my own terms. I could never create anything on the scale of the folks who brought us Na’vi or Klingon, though. As for Tolkien, that guy was just showing off.
I believe every shop needs a guard beast, if only for the vibes. This collection of pics is a joy-giver of the finest sort. Worship.
The Bodega Cats Of New York City
I’m delighted to see the imminent publication of one of the great lost pieces of Ninth Art—Rick Veitch’s five-issue run on Swamp Thing which led to a somewhat controversial final story. Spiked by DC and never completed, I can’t wait to see what Rick and his creative team have in store.
If you’ll excuse me as I indulge in a second comic-related post—here’s film-maker Duncan Jones on his long-gestated adaption of a beloved 2000AD character. Will it be as good as Dredd? The all-CG approach may limit the film’s appeal, but I for one will be there on the eventual day of release.
This one’s the product of idle curiosity while thinking about spies. We have an MI5 and MI6. What happened to the other four? Well, naturally, there’s more to the story. Who knows, maybe there are other departments we know nothing about!
A eulogy, of sorts, for a beloved American burger chain which by all accounts has lost every element which made it special. Roger Ebert is well-beloved as a film writer, but his work on food should be as celebrated.
The writers and editors of Britain’s Only Magazine, The Fence, continue to surprise and delight. Here’s a tale of sex, aging and deep, profound embarrassment. I’ll say no more. Dig in.
If I wanted, if I was remotely interested, I could spin up an AI instance to gather up links, format them in a blog-shaped wrapper, add a bit of contextual preview and schedule a Swipe post for a 10AM drop. Which would render the whole exercise entirely rendundent. I don’t do this because it’s easy. It often isn’t, and I’m working up to the wire to get you your goodies. But that’s the fun—that’s the joy of it. The process should not be smooth and easy.
This quote from Marie LeConte popped up on the feeds yesterday, which makes me think a lot of writers are thinking as I do. The Swipe is a weekly compendium of my interests, thoughts and feelings, organised in a way I think—I hope—is entertaining and amusing. Of course, I’ll never know for sure. But then that’s the point, isn’t it? Whatever you think of this weekly indulgence, it’s all me, all mine, and I stand by every decision along the way.
There’s some excellent storytelling coming out of Threads right now. Please enjoy this tale of a dungeon and a girl who plays the game in her own way.
Finally, delightfully, the time has come to present this meme from Miss Congeniality. I don’t think we’re even going to need a jacket today, folks!
Let’s have a dose of The Damned as our Outro. Fifty years old, still as loud, proud and ugly as ever. There’s a load of clips on YouTube from their anniversary show at Wembley Arena, which I urge you to seek out and play loud. I coudn’t resist this 2017 blast through Smash It Up, which shows Vanian at his best, right in amongst it.
See you in seven, fellow travellers.
EXCUSES AND HALF TRUTHS 