Marianne de Pierres

It’s me! Flamingo freak.

So, some updates from the trenches. After four and a half years, I’ve submitted my PhD. The title is Fem-punk Futures: Posthumanism, Gender, and Identity in Contemporary Women’s Science Fiction. The thesis is a case study of three fem-punk novels and my own new novel, A Once and Future Past.

I wanted to publicly thank a few people. I was about 52 when I embarked on this journey, and I was worried that I was too old to be doing it – for what gain, I wondered, other than a love of learning, and a challenge. I’m still not sure about the answer to that, but I have loved every minute of it.

So a big shout out to my wonderful sister, Nicci; my equally wonderful son, Marcus; and my supervisors, Nat Collie, Jo Robertson, and Veny Armanno who guided me through. Jane Stadler also gave me a good old shake up in the early days about what it took. I also want to wave to, and hug, my uni colleagues: Kaylen Jorgenson, Amber Gwynne, Jason Nahrung, Meri Sara, and my beautiful twin, Isobelle Carmody. You are what made this such a wonderful experience: all those coffee breaks, lunches, panicked messages, notes on my computer screen…

What comes next is unknown, but that’s kinda good.

I didn’t get into the interview stage for the Fulbright Scholarship. It was so disappointing, as I thought my application was pretty decent. But the competition was intense.  Now I’ve recovered from the news, I know I will find a way to write about Colonel Thorn. My friend’s tell me I can be very determined when I want to be. Lol. So, hell or high-water, his story will be told!

I hope at some time in the future I can work as a Creative Writing lecturer, helping to guide the next generation of creatives. But if that’s not mean to be, something else will come along.

For now, I’m going to attend to life, do my sessional tutoring, apply for jobs, finish a novel, coach basketball, and hang out with my friends.

So that’s me… what’s your news?

Life is what he got and life is what he got back.

This NBC drama was another slow burn for me. I hadn’t really seen Damian Lewis in anything before, and his damaged quirky character took a while to warm to. In fact, I think the dynamic between him and his partner Danni Reese is really what hooked me in the the end; that and the cheesy take on Zen.

Detective Reese played by Sarah Shahi is a recovering addict, intense, broody, complex and a person who takes no crap. She carries a lot of baggage and belongs to the supress and then supress a little more school. It made for some good dramatic tension.

The crime/cop stories are nothing out of the ordinary, but the through story line is strong and the motivations are well set up. Secondary character, Ted Early (played by Adam Arkin) is brilliant in his role and I enjoyed Donal Logue as Captain Tidwell. Tidwell’s character walked a fine line between sleazy and principled and was very nicely done. His romance with Reese is kinda naughty and sweet.

There are only two seasons, which, as is usual with canceled series, is annoying because nothing gets resolved.