I have been meaning to delete my TwitterX'd account for some time now and finally got my act together to do it! Despite many happy years and friendships forged - before Elon Musk - I can no longer continue to support its toxic presence in the social media world. Out with the old and in with the new, this is my account on Buesky: @ormelling.bsky.social. If you're on there, let me know and I will follow you back. ##Bluesky #X #Twitter (Photo: Warner Bros)
Received my complimentary copies of this fabulous journal about fantasy and fantasy authors. I was interviewed by one of their writers in Tokyo, during my speaking tour of Japan in May of this year. That "O.R. etc" on the lefthand side is me. I cannot read the article yet as I've only begun to study kana or Japanese script including hiragana, katakana (for foreign words and names) and kanji. But I can tell you that it includes first-time translation into Japanese of the early chapters of my most recent book PEOPLE OF THE GREAT JOURNEY, a work of magic realism for adult readers (offered free in PDF on my website). Yes there are fairies in the book but also a lot of intense and painful subject matter not appropriate for younger readers.
I was interviewed recently for a promo video about the Certificate in Immersive Storytelling course at Ireland's national college of technology and design IADT (Institute of Art, Design and Technology). A micro credit course that introduced me to the wonderful world of XRimmersive and AI tech. A new way to tell stories! Ideal for my cosmic sci fi tale dealing with our planetary climate crisis. Short version posted on LinkedIn and TwitterX. Longer version on CFA course page. #XR #Immersive #creativetechnology
My accommodation in Tokyo was the glorious International House of Japan in Roppongi which provided a spacious room with large desk, shelves, Wifi. and Japanese screens opening to a balcony. Perfect for working. Breakfast was enjoyed overlooking a Zen Garden in which I could walk day or night. And the tea lounge and lobby were used to hold meetings and interviews. It was also within minutes of a walk to a Metro subway, Shinto shrine, vast bookstore, cafes, shopping plaza, Asahi TV ... #Japan #writingcommunity #speakingtour
Whether it's the landscape or the people, Japan is truly magical. Met a Faerie king at one of my readings - Itabashi Library in Tokyo.Tadgh (stage name @bardoffairyhill on TwitterX) is a Celtic storyteller, speaks Irish, plays the lyre and has visited Ireland several times. As for Fujisan (the sacred mountain of Fuji) it is a dream to see, an aisling vision. #Ireland #Japan #IrelandinJapan #writingcommunity
Hit the ground running in Japan. Left Ireland May 1st in the morning and arrived in Tokyo May 2nd in the evening. Shinjuku-Goen National Gardens, Meiji Shrine and Omoide Yokocho ("Piss Alley") with pals first met in Outer Mongolia, taste of Shibuya with Irish poet, professor & haikuist Andrew FitzSimons, thrilling 4-hour deep dive into Kabuki and 2-hour spiritual experience with Noh, train to Yamanashi Prefectural Library in Kofu to see exhibition of Nishina Sachiko, one of my readers who grew up to be an artist. The library featured both our books. Lunch and visit to Yumeya "Dream Bookstore". #Japan #writingcommunity
We're drawing near to my speaking and research tour of Japan. Getting very excited. This is the latest flyer promoting my talk (front and back). Waseda is the university from which Haruki Murakami - one of my favourite authors - graduated, and many of his characters also. #Japan #writingcommunity #cultureireann #cultureireland
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University, May 14, 2024. It's
getting nearer! Dashing about with
last-minute preparations. I'll be doing
some research as well as my talks on
haiku, haibun and Kabuki Theatre.
#Ireland #Japan #speakingtour
It's getting nearer! My presentation is all green and gold, how Irish can ye get. The maps in my Japanese translations are, of course, in Japanese script and there will some in my text slides also: 日々旅にして、旅を栖とす "their journey is life, their journey is home" (Matsuo Basho, Oku no Hosomichi). Also some Irish: Is an turas i n-ailithre é an saol "life is a journey through a foreign land" (ancient Irish poem). And I'll be blathering away in three languages. #nihongo #gaeilge #Japan #Ireland
This is my new home environment whenever I put on my VR headset and where I spend time in between exploring worlds and apps. I can move around in my space station apartment, sitting or standing. Recently spent some time relaxing on the sofa watching 3D TV on a big screen. Then I headed off to VR Animation to join a wild quantum race that dashed through dimensions. After linking my whatsapp to my headset, I was able to share photos I took with my Oculus camera. #Metaverse #VR #XR #Creativetechnology
It was a deep dive into gaming, animation, AI, XR/immersive tech and more, including a networking meet-up hosted by WiiT (Women in Immersive Tech) Europe, open to all. As well as international speakers on two main stages, there were art installations and gaming arcades (indie and giants). Got AI'd by AIAIAI.AI: The Forgettable Art Machine by Amsterdam artist Matthias Oostrik. Stayed with a Fulbright Scholar pal in the Seamus Heaney Centre and wound up giving a talk on AI/XR/immersive tech to her 3rd year creative writing class at Queen's University. 
