CVL-Caledon Literary Group Transcript for 2019-11-21

Arkady Martine — The Hydraulic Emperor

16:48 Valibrarian Gregg I got the notecard...TY- Do you want to put one in the gold vase?
16:49 Wordsmith Jarvinen Okay, I put out announcements to the ISC and COUG groups.
16:50 Valibrarian Gregg I sent reminders too
16:50 Wordsmith Jarvinen Go ahead and replace the note in the vase, Val.
16:50 Valibrarian Gregg ok
16:51 Valibrarian Gregg The vase has the current discussion notecard
16:52 Phrynne I think I have working voice tonight, along with the tail end of the cold going around; I'll do my best not to cough into the mike.
16:52 Phrynne hi Kay
16:52 Valibrarian Gregg welcome Kay :)
16:52 KayCooper Hello :)
16:52 Wordsmith Jarvinen And what would you like to, Val. Attempt a reading, stick with discussion, ...
16:52 Wordsmith Jarvinen Hi, Kay :)
16:53 Valibrarian Gregg hhmm I am up for either- If there are those who have not read it? We could read
16:53 Valibrarian Gregg but if we have all read it- maybe discuss?
16:53 Valibrarian Gregg hehe Cat trouble
16:54 Valibrarian Gregg Welcome olopierpa :)
16:54 Valibrarian Gregg sound good Phrynne
16:54 Ololo Petya (olopierpa) hallo all
16:54 Valibrarian Gregg There is a notecard in the gold vase in front of Wordsmith
16:54 KayCooper Hi Ololo
16:54 Wordsmith Jarvinen Hi Ololo
16:54 Phrynne hello Ololo!
16:55 Ololo Petya (olopierpa) :)
16:56 Valibrarian Gregg Here is the link to our story- in case there is anyone needing it: https://uncannymagazine.com/article/the-hydraulic-emperor/
16:56 Ololo Petya (olopierpa) I downloaded it, but had no time to read it...
16:56 Valibrarian Gregg and we can use voice or text or a combination of both!
16:57 Valibrarian Gregg It is fine if you have not read it....I think you will still enjoy the discussion!
16:57 Ololo Petya (olopierpa) sure
17:01 Valibrarian Gregg It is the top of the hour....shall we begin?
17:01 Valibrarian Gregg Wordsmith?
17:01 Wordsmith Jarvinen yes
17:01 Wordsmith Jarvinen Go ahead with a welcome
17:02 Valibrarian Gregg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkady_Martine
17:03 Valibrarian Gregg Welcome Stranger
17:03 Valibrarian Gregg We are just starting
17:03 KayCooper Hi Stranger
17:03 Ololo Petya (olopierpa) hallo
17:04 Valibrarian Gregg Anyone up for reading/listening?
17:04 KayCooper I don't mind listening
17:04 Valibrarian Gregg Stranger? Have you read it yet?
17:05 Stranger Nightfire hello Val
17:05 Valibrarian Gregg https://uncannymagazine.com/article/the-hydraulic-emperor/
17:05 Stranger Nightfire have not read it
17:05 Wordsmith Jarvinen and Welcome Fiduciaa
17:05 Stranger Nightfire hello Kay
17:05 Fɪᴅᴜᴄɪᴀᴀ xᴏʟᴏᴛʟ (fiduciaa) ty
17:05 Phrynne yes, I'll read
17:06 Valibrarian Gregg yes I will read aloud
17:06 Wordsmith Jarvinen Yes, I'll read
17:06 Stranger Nightfire i could try reading
17:06 Stranger Nightfire if i can find the story
17:06 Valibrarian Gregg anyone else want to read a bit
17:06 Valibrarian Gregg https://uncannymagazine.com/article/the-hydraulic-emperor/
17:06 Valibrarian Gregg that link is our story!
17:06 Wordsmith Jarvinen https://uncannymagazine.com/article/the-hydraulic-emperor/
17:07 Valibrarian Gregg Ludo
17:07 KayCooper Hi Ludo
17:07 Valibrarian Gregg Ludo we are going to read this story
17:07 Phrynne hi Ludo
17:07 Valibrarian Gregg https://uncannymagazine.com/article/the-hydraulic-emperor/
17:07 Valibrarian Gregg and you can be a reader or just listen!!!
17:07 Valibrarian Gregg whichever you prefer
17:08 Stranger Nightfire I can see this one is not going to be an easy read
17:08 Valibrarian Gregg Wordsmith--- start anytime!
17:08 Valibrarian Gregg maybe a few paragraphs?
17:08 Valibrarian Gregg Just say "PASS" if you prefer not to read :)
17:08 Valibrarian Gregg we will go clockwise
17:12 Valibrarian Gregg great
17:13 Valibrarian Gregg Fiduciaa? next up?
17:13 Fɪᴅᴜᴄɪᴀᴀ xᴏʟᴏᴛʟ (fiduciaa) (sorry seems mic not working)
17:13 Valibrarian Gregg Is your mic working Fiduciaa
17:13 Valibrarian Gregg ok!
17:14 KayCooper yeah
17:14 Ololo Petya (olopierpa) I can't read. Please skip me.
17:14 Valibrarian Gregg Sure Ololo :)
17:16 Valibrarian Gregg no problem :)
17:18 Valibrarian Gregg Ludo? terrific~
17:28 Valibrarian Gregg yes!
17:33 Valibrarian Gregg Stranger?
17:53 Stranger Nightfire I am going to have to leave
17:54 Valibrarian Gregg bye Stranger! good to see you
17:54 Valibrarian Gregg g'nite!
17:58 Ludofun (quippe.wylder) I have to pass.
17:58 Fɪᴅᴜᴄɪᴀᴀ xᴏʟᴏᴛʟ (fiduciaa) k
18:01 Valibrarian Gregg Great story!
18:01 Valibrarian Gregg and great readings!
18:01 KayCooper *•.¸'*•.¸ ★ ¸.•*´¸.•*
18:01 KayCooper .•*★¨`• Aρρlɑuѕɛ •¨`★*•.
18:01 KayCooper ¸.•*`¸.•*´ ★ `*•.¸`*•.¸
18:02 Valibrarian Gregg So many cool images!
18:02 Valibrarian Gregg Clap Clap Clap!!!
18:02 Ololo Petya (olopierpa) :)
18:02 Phrynne that was fun
18:02 Valibrarian Gregg I liked the "sip of blood" to verify your identity!!
18:02 Wordsmith Jarvinen I think Kay liked it. :)
18:02 Valibrarian Gregg and your financial authenticity etc
18:02 KayCooper hehe
18:02 Valibrarian Gregg quite interesting
18:02 Wordsmith Jarvinen small sips.
18:03 Valibrarian Gregg yes- tiny sips
18:03 KayCooper Now I need to see The Hydraulic Emperor :/ I'm so curious
18:03 Wordsmith Jarvinen So, having listened to it, what was Aeverill's goal?
18:03 Valibrarian Gregg the idea of "immersive film"
18:03 Valibrarian Gregg we are right near it!
18:03 Wordsmith Jarvinen Who might he have been working for?
18:03 Valibrarian Gregg on the edge
18:03 KayCooper to make it so she couldn't see it?
18:04 Wordsmith Jarvinen Yes, I believe that was it, Kay
18:04 Phrynne It reminds me of a line from a Lois McMaster Bujold novel: "The only think you can't give for your heart's desire is your heart."
18:04 Wordsmith Jarvinen It wasn't to get the box, but to make her give up the emperor to get the box.
18:04 Phrynne This was so much about desire.
18:04 Valibrarian Gregg wow- sort of a revenge>
18:04 KayCooper The question is, did he do it so she would still have something left to search for, or was it some kind of revenge?
18:05 Wordsmith Jarvinen No, not revenge. Think next of who he might have been working for.
18:05 KayCooper The Qath themselves...
18:05 Valibrarian Gregg and the concept of "old earth" and obsolescence came up
18:05 KayCooper maybe they wanted to see it
18:05 Valibrarian Gregg "Julie had six points of scavenged museum data-disks, in a language no one can read anymore, and I saw how much it hurt her to give them up, and how little they were worth."
18:05 Valibrarian Gregg The theme of loss is vivid
18:06 Valibrarian Gregg Do you think he worked for Skemety?
18:06 Valibrarian Gregg or maybe he worked for the Qath?!
18:06 Valibrarian Gregg right Kay!!!
18:06 Phrynne I think he worked for the Qath
18:07 Wordsmith Jarvinen Who didn't want the Emperor to be seen?
18:07 Phrynne and when he was at the point of a gun, five years earlier, he'd worked for whoever owned the gunman.
18:07 KayCooper yup
18:07 KayCooper seems like it
18:08 Valibrarian Gregg the concept of sacrifice as something to "bid" on- having value....cool idea
18:08 Wordsmith Jarvinen I believe he worked for Skemety herself.
18:08 KayCooper very cool idea
18:08 Valibrarian Gregg The personal value makes it a treasure
18:08 Phrynne the old meaning of 'sacrifice' is 'making sacred' -- so what do the Qath consider sacred?
18:08 KayCooper It also makes the Qath a bit twisted
18:08 Valibrarian Gregg Wordsmith- I copied this same line because I love it! "Immersive film is not interactive. You’re just there, surrounded by someone’s multi-point vision, like a ghost. The film happens to you. Despite you. No matter what you do."
18:09 Valibrarian Gregg Immersive and interactive are not the same at all!
18:09 M. Enbie Traise (otherplanedweller) Definitely true, Wordsmith!
18:09 Wordsmith Jarvinen You are there as an observer, the fly on the wall.
18:10 Valibrarian Gregg this discussion has been both immersive and interactive....not sure I would want to be in an immersive experience where you could NOT interact....you don't even exist- interesting though
18:11 KayCooper It's more like how you watch tv...seems like it might be weirdly relaxing in a way
18:11 Wordsmith Jarvinen However, you can learn from those who are interacting.
18:11 Valibrarian Gregg hhmm Phrynne - good question- I think the Qath show that they value human emotion because what is "feeled" having value they understand as having meaning
18:11 Valibrarian Gregg true- there is value in relaxing in an immersive space
18:11 Valibrarian Gregg as well as interacting
18:11 M. Enbie Traise (otherplanedweller) I've been re-reading Gibson's "Sprawl Trilogy" -- the StimSims are that immersive but not not interactive medium.
18:12 Valibrarian Gregg This story gives you a lot to think about
18:12 Valibrarian Gregg oh Willilam Gibson- I keep bumping into his name lol
18:13 KayCooper So it seems that Skemety didn't want other people to see The Hydraulic Emperor, for some reason, since it is suggested that she has seen it
18:14 Ludofun (quippe.wylder) She made it, didn't she?
18:14 Wordsmith Jarvinen And Aeveril, knew the location of Skemety and was able to get the Emperor into Qath hands, safe from human eyes.
18:14 KayCooper I thought she just put 6 seconds in her film...but she didn't make it
18:14 Valibrarian Gregg yes I thought she made it...and that Mallory only saw 6 seconds for some reason
18:15 KayCooper Ohhh, yeah
18:15 KayCooper it was hers
18:15 Wordsmith Jarvinen No, Skemety made the Hydraulic Emperor, but then seemed to decide she didn't want it "seen".
18:15 Valibrarian Gregg right
18:16 KayCooper Well that makes a lot more sense then lol
18:16 Valibrarian Gregg Most references list it as lost, as it has never been distributed, and no public archive will admit to possessing it. But there is at least one print of it which survives.
18:16 Valibrarian Gregg I wonder if Skemety tried to destroy it?
18:16 Valibrarian Gregg It says..."They may be all there is to know. Skemety might have destroyed the film, or buried it, or dismantled it into component parts."
18:17 Valibrarian Gregg But Skemety put those 6 seconds into another of her films. that is interesting
18:17 KayCooper Why put a teaser of it in another film when you want to bury it?
18:18 Phrynne maybe because that's as much of it as she could stand having people see.
18:18 KayCooper Good point
18:18 KayCooper maybe it's terrible
18:18 Wordsmith Jarvinen A story with many threads to think about, including what is based on vodka and is blue.
18:18 Valibrarian Gregg yes Wordsmith- many vivid images
18:19 Valibrarian Gregg Next month- we are doing quite a few events at The Dickens Project....I wonder if we could skip December and kick off the new year with a January Literary Study?
18:19 Valibrarian Gregg What do you think?
18:20 Wordsmith Jarvinen That makes sense, given the outbreak of things to do and see.
18:20 Valibrarian Gregg ok- if you agree! We could meet at Oxbridge in January
18:20 Valibrarian Gregg and, btw- I love when we do read alouds! Brings it to life
18:21 Wordsmith Jarvinen Sounds good.
18:21 Valibrarian Gregg I must leave but this has been a great time! ty all
18:21 Wordsmith Jarvinen I do have a short short-story I rememberd.
18:21 Fɪᴅᴜᴄɪᴀᴀ xᴏʟᴏᴛʟ (fiduciaa) Very enjoyable ty
18:21 KayCooper Thanks for reading everyone
18:21 Ololo Petya (olopierpa) Thank you readers!
18:22 Valibrarian Gregg yes! thank you and have a great night
18:22 Ololo Petya (olopierpa) r
18:22 Ludofun (quippe.wylder) I need to leave too.
18:22 Valibrarian Gregg bye for now
18:22 Wordsmith Jarvinen tc all. Journey well.
18:22 Phrynne bye everyone
18:22 Ololo Petya (olopierpa) Good night all
18:22 M. Enbie Traise (otherplanedweller) How can we NOT have a "Christmas Carol" discussion? The Dr. Who Episode alone warrants it! :)
18:22 Valibrarian Gregg will be in touch about the next story
18:22 Valibrarian Gregg Wordsmith picks good ones!!
18:22 Valibrarian Gregg oh we will have a lot of discussion at the Dickens Project!!!
18:23 Valibrarian Gregg would love to see you there!
18:23 Wordsmith Jarvinen I'll see what I can do to make it there
18:23 KayCooper I might be able to make it to Dec. 3rd
18:23 Valibrarian Gregg see you soon then
18:24 KayCooper Have a good night/day everyone
18:24 Fɪᴅᴜᴄɪᴀᴀ xᴏʟᴏᴛʟ (fiduciaa) Have a lovely evening all>
18:24 Ololo Petya (olopierpa) later
19:27