This weekend, we went out, and I prepped for class. So, I didn’t get any writing finished. OK, that’s bull. I finished “Every You, Every Me” on Friday. It took me most of the day, and it probably should have taken me two days. Writing takes a lot out of me: to do it right takes concentration and persistence. I can usually muster about three hours of that a day before my brain turns to cheesy grits. I blew my whole creative wad for the weekend on Friday. That’s OK, since I had course prep to do, anyway. Besides Saturday was so beautiful, it was impossible to stay inside.

I have two more short story ideas lined up. One will be a quick write, I hope, maybe a couple days and not more than 2000 words. The other will be a bit longer and incorporate ideas from the first, but project them 3000 years in the future. It’ll be a good ol’ space adventure story. I’m psyched to get to both. Maybe this week, if teaching doesn’t get in the way. Autumn helped me with some awesome names last night, so I gotta get started soon.

I read much of Lawrence Lessig‘s Remix and Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange this weekend. I’m teaching both this week, though not in the same class. I’ve taught both before, and I’ve read the Burgess at least four times.

Lessig’s a smart dude, and probably the most insightful and sober voice on intellectual property today. His Remix discusses the disparity between RO (read-only, professionals) and RW (read-write, amateurs) culture: copyright laws favor the former and criminalize the latter. For no good reason. He supports and sees the value of both types, and argues that both need to be protected. However, the way current copyright law is written, it supports an old fashioned economy based on dead media — you know, the tape deck or VCR collecting dust in your attic. Laws that governed copies were easy to enforce in a world where technology made it difficult if not impossible to copy. This has changed, but copyright has not. Therefore, we are criminalizing a generation of copiers, remixers, and computer users — amateur RW culture. Lessig’s a moderate in his thinking, so he should appeal to most thoughtful readers.

A Clockwork Orange is a postmodern classic about choosing to do the right (or wrong) things, being young, and learning the importance of community, morality, and expression. Its appeal for me lies in its proto-cyberpunk style: it’s gritty, unapologetic, and ultraviolent, with plenty of the old in-out-in-out. It’s also a cautionary tale of youth and its relationship to the larger social order, about growing up and ultimately choosing to be a responsible member of society. Burgess’ novel ends on an optimistic note (perhaps it was the influence of the 60s when it was written?): Alec grows up. Famously, that’s where Kubrick differed with Burgess and why the film is ultimately more sinister: Alec doesn’t grow up. The monster is free again at the end, making Kubrick’s vision much more pessimistic. For Burgess, redemption is possible; for Kubrick, maybe not.

We were able to hang out on the porch Saturday night, something Autumn and I have not done together in a while. Saturday was a beautiful spring day, and Dan and Monica invited us over for a few drinks and some conversation. Creighton was there, and I even go to see Anna (more on her soon). We had a great time; we need to do this more often, especially now that the weather is getting nice.

The weekend saw some tragic news, too. A colleague-friend’s son passed this weekend. When an unexpected death occurs, we are all left looking for answers, shocked that we’re ultimately so fragile and helpless. My heart goes out to her and her family. I just wish there was more I could do. I’d even say a prayer if I thought it would do any good at all. I could quote some poetry or say something inspirational, but ultimately death comes down to silence, confusion, and impotence. I’m so sorry.

Burgess’ novel constantly asks “What’s it going to be then, eh?” He means to prod us into answering — into moving — into making a bloody choice. The responsibility is in our hands, ultimately. Yeah, it’s a shitty world sometimes, but as long as we have hands, a heart, and a brain, we must act — keep moving. Even if we do the wrong thing. We can blame others, society, even the gods, but, like Oedipus learns: Apollo ordained his fate, but it was his hands that finally fulfilled it.

That’s a good question to ask at the beginning of each day: “What’s it gonna be then, eh?”