Journal

Merlion Monday

Struck By Lightning

It’s been ridiculously rainy in the past week or two, but it’s only been in the last couple of days that I’ve been seeing flashes of lightning. While the weather doesn’t bode well for the stray cats outside of my place, we another… more unusual casualty during the weekend. It seems that the Merlion was struck by lightning on Saturday (I think) and lost a bit of his/her/its head. I suppose the bizarre portmanteau of an animal (I always think of it as something that came off of the island of Doctor Moreau) had offended nature in some way so… there you go, I guess. I’m sure they’ll patch up the creature in no time.

This does play nicely into a story I was planning, however. It had something to do with the Merlion, and I didn’t think of lightning, but now that that’s happened, I guess it’s something that works brilliantly, so pardon me if I cannibalise a bit of reality in that particular short story. Thats on the back-burner though, so it won’t be showing up any time soon.

I snipped off the article describing the incident from the papers. One for the kids, I suppose.

Though I do sometimes wonder what people think of the Merlion, both Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans. I’ve seen poems that extol it and poems that criticise it. I’ve heard amused opinions and not-so-amused ones too. All very different, and that’s why I wonder.

The Hazards Of Love Pre-order

The Decemberists’ new album, The Hazards Of Love, is available for pre-order. [via The Decemberists' Shop] No rush. You’ve missed the signed copies. (I always do, unfortunately.) I got mine with the ‘The Rake’ tee. (I’m sure that isn’t the right way to say it but just putting two ‘the’s together feels inexplicably amusing. I think I need sleep.)

The Rake’s Song is the only song I’ve heard (not being able to attend any concert and all that) and on the basis of that alone it sounds like it’ll be a great album. It’s nice to have him on a t-shirt too, that unforgiveable sod of a man, and the Carson Ellis artwork is great as ever.

Calendar Reminder

O, it’s March. Flip your calendars, people.

Not Unless…

The Space Game is a space variation of tower defence that’s really rather fun. [via The Casual Collective] I first saw it over at Kotaku. [via Kotaku] Don’t go there if you haven’t got time to waste, though.

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© 2009 a modest odyssey.