About Me

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Australian philosopher, literary critic, legal scholar, and professional writer. Based in Newcastle, NSW. My latest books are THE TYRANNY OF OPINION: CONFORMITY AND THE FUTURE OF LIBERALISM (2019); AT THE DAWN OF A GREAT TRANSITION: THE QUESTION OF RADICAL ENHANCEMENT (2021); and HOW WE BECAME POST-LIBERAL: THE RISE AND FALL OF TOLERATION (2024).

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Taking things easy for a bit

I've been fighting a bacterial chest infection - something I'm a bit prone to - for the past few weeks. Every time I'm almost better, I go and do something like... well, like doing most of the driving on a one-day 600 mile trip. I was almost better this time last week, then did that trip on Wednesday and threw myself into a lot of hard work when I got home (I was enthusiastic about catching up with a mountain of things that had built up while I was away for a fortnight).

So, I'm going to have to take being sick more seriously - even though it's a pretty low level illness - actually get some needed bed rest, and stop staying up until 2 am, as is my habit. Apart from anything else, it's no fun not being allowed to kiss people I want to kiss (yes, beloved reader, you know who you are) for fear of infecting them. :(

This is my way of apologising that blog entries will be a bit sparse and brief until further notice, and that people whom I owe work (such as editorial comments on material for JET) may find that I'm not as quick as I'd like to be.

On the plus side, I'm finally getting around to reading Neil Gaiman's American Gods - the kind of book that I keep putting off because of its length - and am loving it.

11 comments:

Russell Blackford said...

"yes, beloved reader, you know who you are"

I'm now waiting for the "It's me!" comments from all the most unlikely individuals.

Athena Andreadis said...

Taking time to be decently sick is viewed as decadent luxury these days. American Gods is vintage Gaiman, though Zelazny did it better, in my opinion.

Go Democrats said...

I hope you feel better soon!

Steve Zara said...

Get well soon Russell.

Brian said...

I wonder if your pet troll will claim this as proof that (s)he's bettered you somehow?

Que te mejores doctor doctor!

Bill LaLonde said...

American Gods was the first Neil Gaiman that I read, and is still my favorite.

I hope you get well soon.

Russell Blackford said...

Well, I finished American Gods - and I really did love it right to the end. I recommend it to anyone with time to read a nice long (but engrossing) book. :D

It's the best thing by Neil G. that I've read yet, but I still have a few things by him to catch up on.

Over the past couple of days, I also read his little novel Odd and the Frost Giants, which is for young readers, but, hey, I'm young at heart. I totally enjoyed that as well.

Thanks for the good wishes, everyone. I'm feeling much better for a couple of rather quiet days and some more antibiotics. But I must learn my lesson this time and take things as easy as I can until I'm completely better. Young at heart I may be, but not as young of immune system as I once was.

Anonymous said...

Hope you feel better soon!

Jerry

nichole said...

That was a good book. I've got to get ill so I can find time for Asimov's Foundation and Earth.

Feel better!

Ophelia Benson said...

Get better!

A lingering chest infection is a very tiresome thing. The usefulness of the ability to breathe is something I simply can't emphasize strongly enough.

Blake Stacey said...

You better get well soon — where else on the Internet will we find a place to argue about the relative strengths and weaknesses of different Neil Gaiman works? Is there a transhumanist theme in "Goliath"? Just what is the relationship between Heaven and the Silver City in Sandman: Season of Mists? And who is the other gay character in Neverwhere?

In all seriousness, I hope you make a speedy recovery.