Of course, it is impossible for me to sum up in any meaningful way what has gone on in my life over the past year and a half. Fortunately, most things remain the same. I still work at the same two places, I still live in the same house (and will be paying it off for quite a while), I still live with many cats, although some are new and some have passed away. My life is mostly peaceful and calm.

I can't sum up everything I've read or watched in all that time, so let me just recall a few very recent things.

"I Shudder at Your Touch" was an anthology of sexually themed horror stories, ranging from the 19th century to moder works, and varying in mood from comedy to gore. A pretty good collection. The best story was "The Swords" by Robert Aickman, a very subtle and mysterious psychological horror story which really captured the strange terrors of human sexuality.

"None So Blind" was a collection of science fiction stories by Joe Haldeman. Good, solid stuff.

"The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins was an uncomprimising atheist manifesto. Not much in the book was new to me, but Dawkins writes clearly and with wit and style. Sure to stir up arguments.

Most of the old movies I watch are broadcast on Turner Classic Movies. I caught a couple of cult classics hosted by Rob Zombie. THE CONQUEROR WORM (American title for WITCHFINDER GENERAL) was a bleak tale, very well acted, of human cruelty and depravity, set during the time of Cromwell. It didn't always convince me that I was looking at the past, but it was very well done. WEST OF ZANZIBAR was one of Lon Chaney's weird and shocking silent films, weaving a grotesque tale of revenge.

We also saw SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER, based on the play by Tennessee Williams, which goes beyond mere Southern Gothic into genuine horror territory. The character played by Katherine Hepburn, and her dead son (seen only briefly in flashback) might as well have been vampires, based on their weird actions and strange mansion, with its lush garden full of exotic jungle flora.