I’m helping out at Books Alive, Saturday, at GCCC’s student union (second floor). Check out the list of featured authors who will be leading sessions, as well as the local authors who will participate in book sales.

Saturday afternoon is the  Panama City  Mardi Gras, starting at 3 p.m.  at Tommy Oliver Stadium and heading south on Harrison Avenue to the PC Marina.

Friday night is the opening of the second annual Heatbeats show at the Gallery Above. The opening reception is open to the public.

(On top of all this, my daughter will be participating in a district choir event Saturday. and my neice will be bringing her family to visit for the weekend.)

Follow the links for more info. Take a deep breath. Get ready.

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Not so weird: My favorite author Neil Gaiman wins the Newbery Medal for children’s literature for his new release, “The Graveyard Book.” You should check it out, too.

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Given the opportunity to fill a display case with his art, he said he’d be glad to. Asked what he planned to put there, he said “Nothing.”

Check out the video to make sense of this:

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What that means is that we are, for all intents and purposes, composed of information. Data. And all our info is encoded in the light at the edge of the universe and projected back through space and time — a condition I’m willing to wager means we never cease to exist. All that we are, ever were, or will be is saved in the cosmic data stream.

What that has to do with belly dancing may not be clear at first glance, but follow me here.

I was a guest of the Unitarian Universalist  Church last week, and read a short story likening quantum physics to the art of crochet. (Ask a woman who crochets about chaos theory; she’ll show you her tangled skeins.) Other guests showed off artwork or rug weaving, played jazz piano or read poetry. One group performed a series of belly dances, including a snake dance that sent at least one member of the audience looking for the back door. (See photos of the event here, and watch video of the event here.)

In the midst of reflection, as I sought the invisible connections between all these people and their creative interests in an earlier effort to write this column, I ran across the news above.

The funny thing about holograms is this: All the information that makes up the image is contained in its components; a hologram can be broken into smaller sections and the original image can still be seen from each small piece. (The smaller the segment, however, the less perspective can be achieved in viewing the image.)

So this means that, in a holographic reality, each of us carries within us the whole of the universe — though the view is limited. By extension, our expressions of creativity carry within them an abiding view of the whole of our beings.

It’s a truth with which most artists were already familiar, whether they’re writers, painters, weavers, musicians — or a dancer with jewel in her belly button or a snake on her head.

In the end, it’s more than just navel gazing. Who you are and what you do reflects the universe.

Peace.

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Admission is FREE and light refreshments will be served, free of charge.

The evening will begin with jazz piano by Jeanine “Dr. Jazz” Normand, from Fairhope, Ala.

I will be reading from my fiction work, and Lynn Wallace of Gulf Coast Community College will read selections from his original prose and poetry. Both of us will have copies of our books available for purchase at our tables.

Local artist Jim Davis’ paintings will be displayed throughout the building. Jim will be showing some of his work from the 1970s and 80s that has never had a public showing before. His artwork will be available for purchase.

Rug-weaver and jewelry-maker Emily Pritchard will have her work set up for display and for sale.

The Panama City Belly Dance group will perform. Group leader Kira Burdeshaw will talk about the history and ancient traditions of the dance.

Says organizer (and flutist) Paul McAuliffe: “Last year we had a full house and hope to be just as successful this year. Please join us in our celebration of the arts!” For more information contact Paul McAuliffe at ravenbear47@yahoo.com

Maybe I’ll see you there?

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In “The Amazing Spider-Man” #583, Obama meets Spidey when the wallcrawler thwarts an Inauguration Day scheme by the villainous Chameleon (who disguises himself as Obama at one point).

Remember when Superman sparred with Muhammed Ali? I used to have this one. I think that’s Jimmy Carter in the bottom right corner:

It made me wonder who Marvel Comics would have teamed John McCain with? I’m thinking maybe Captain America, in a story set in 1944. Do you have any suggestions for teamups?

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What’s your response to The Secret? I think it’s hogwash. But can you convince me otherwise?

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Reading: Ex Machina Vol. 7; Essential Zen; The Order Vol. 2; Tori Amos Comicbook Tattoo.

Listening to: Various artists, including Death Cab for Cutie, Johnny Cash, Sting

Watching: (clearing the DVR, which had episodes of) Dexter, Life on Mars, Sanctuary, and Stargate Atlantis. The latter was the biggest surprise; this is usually a goofy sci fi romp, but it has gone off the tracks (in a good way) for its final season. The last-ever episode is this Friday, but last Friday’s (set in a parallel reality) was incredible for its visual and musical style, as well as the inevitable ending (if you equate the story to that of a Japanese samurai).

Also spent a weird evening watching two hours on the Discovery Channel about the efforts to cure the “tree man.”

Visited: Century and surrounding towns for the after-Christmas family thing; a concert by four bands at “The Bridge Venue,” which is otherwise known as Crossbridge Church.  Check out this guy, Pat, who performs as “The Cries Of.” Good stuff. Here is in via video:

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I started watching the Thundercats in 1985. I had recently moved to Gainesville and was bored one afternoon, and my TV only received a few channels on the rabbit ears.

Peace.

(And Merry Christmas!)

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Favorite new show: LEVERAGE, on TNT, from the guy who produced the best TV pilot you never saw (”Global Frequency“). It stars Timothy Hutton, that loopy chick from the British “Coupling,” and others, pulling off capers that bring to mind Ocean’s 11-meets-The A-Team. Very entertaining.

Favorite show that just ended its sophomore season: CALIFORNICATION, on Showtime, starring Fox Mulder as a writer with loads of personal problems. There are copious amounts of coupling and other adult situations, lots of bad language, and few characters with truly redeeming qualities, and that’s what makes the road to redemption intriguing. Don’t watch it with your kids or your parents, though.

Good mindless movie on DVD: WANTED, based on a comic series, starring Mr. Tumness and Lara Croft, with Morgan Freeman doing his usual quiet delivery. Lots of stylized violence in the Matrix tradition (throwing “curve” bullets, leaping across streets between skyscrapers, that sort of thing. Also, more sex and bad language, which seems to be a theme today. But the Office Space freakout/keyboard scene is worth the price of admission.

Haven’t read many comics recently, but I have the Tori Amos Comicbook Tattoo on my Christmas order. Also some vintage Vampirella (I know, I know). I’ll have to get back to you on this front later. I recently read The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch a Dark Horse graphic novella based on a Neil Gaiman short story of the same title that was quite eerie, and according to the author “mostly true.”

Online: Try to find the Harry Potter videos where some goober narrates his own version of the storyline. I laughed until I cried. Then I laughed some more. (I’m searching for the video and will post the link ASAP.) Also you should look for the “How (insert movie name) Should Have Ended.” The Lord of the Rings is awesome, and Superman isn’t too bad.

I’ve been reading Essential Zen (philosophy in the form of essays, tales, and poems), and Iron Angel (surreal science fiction that reminds me of Michael Moorcock’s stories from the end of time).

Music: Various, with an emphasis on the oddball. I listened to The Beatles and The Monkees this weekend, and have had The Psychedelic Furs and radio Christmas tunes playing in the car.

What have you been up to? Got anything to recommend?

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