David Ralph Lewis - Blog

Making it up as you go: Twin Peaks and Welcome to Nightvale

08 Feb 2018 Category: television

Spoilers ahead

I spent a highly enjoyable few months last year watching Twin Peaks, both the original seasons and the revival. Even now, twenty-seven years after the original series debuted, it remains a strange mix of police procedural and occult mysticism. The revival plunges even further into the mysticism and dream elements of the show. It’s not always entirely clear what the story is, but as an experience it is incomparable. Many parts of the show work on a dream logic, with images and moments that only seem to make sense in a subconscious way. The last episode, in particular,...

Advice to Myself: Writing and Resolutions

24 Jan 2018 Category: writing

At the start of the year, we tend to set goals and resolutions. This year is going to be the year I start eating healthy, the year I finally learn guitar or the year I start running. Then, inevitably, around this time every year, most of the resolutions are discarded or broken. Maybe they never even started.

I’m by no means immune to this. I tell myself I’m going to Do Things Better. I might even do the thing for a week or two. But by the third week in, its often forgotten about until I decide to Do Things...

Best of 2017

26 Dec 2017 Category: year in review

Much like I did last year, I thought I’d take some time to linger on what I enjoyed this year. I’ve already written up my thoughts on the terrible events in politics. This will be much more positive.

2017 in Review: Laughing at the Naked Emperor

12 Dec 2017 Category: year in review

So the year isn’t technically over yet. There’s still a good couple of weeks for things to go completely south. I’m travelling first thing next year so I thought I’d get my year in review in early.

In many ways, I feel this has been the year where those in power have revealed their true nature: incompetent, greedy and self-interested. It feels like many more people are waking up to the fact that the power structures do not serve them. There are no excuses left for the behaviour of the ruling representatives. The emperor has no clothes and everyone is...

Flash Fiction: The Problems of Renting

27 Nov 2017 Category: stories

Hello? This is Frank. I came in yesterday to pick up the keys for flat 65. OK? I don’t see why you have to look it up on the computer, it was only yesterday. I didn’t speak to one of your colleagues, no, I spoke to you. I remember you. Blonde hair. You were doing your nails. I came by about 3 pm?

Anyway, it’s about the flat. Flat 65. Eagle Court. I just said. Flat 65. That’s it. No, you don’t need the file I just need to- Ok fine, I’ll hold.

This music is terrible. Come on, haven’t...

What I learned on my break

13 Nov 2017 Category: creativity

It’s been a while, hasn’t it? How are you? Are you still doing that thing with them and everything else? Oh really? Good to hear.

I put this blog on a hiatus in the middle of July, which seems like a lifetime ago. A lot has happened in the world and in my life in the meantime. I said I would be back ‘soonish’ but didn’t expect it to be almost four months. A third of a year vanished, just like that. Although, if you look at it from another perspective, four months is a tiny blink in the vastness of...

Lies, Dreaming

22 Aug 2017 Category: publications

I’m delighted to feature again on the latest Lies, Dreaming podcast from the brilliant people at Poetry as Fuck. It’s a small little story about lost treasure. I hope you like it, let me know what you think! Find the podcast at the link below.

https://liesdreamingpodcast.wordpress.com/2017/07/31/11-treasure/

Taking a Break

20 Jul 2017 Category: update

I’m currently in the business of moving across the country. I’m packing up my whole life into boxes. Every time I move I forget how all consuming and stressful it is. Foolishly, I thought I could carry on writing this blog whilst I was moving. Clearly, I was wrong. I’ve had no time to write at all. Life has got in the way.

So I’m taking a break from this blog for a bit. I need to focus on moving and then finding a job. It will have to go on the back burner.

I’ve also made very little progress...

There is No Exit: Flash Fiction

14 Jul 2017 Category: stories

A quick flash fiction written from a prompt from Chuck Wendig once again. This time, the prompt was ‘There is no exit.

Ivor trudged home. It had been a long, hard day. He had got into the office at 7 in the morning and it was past 10 at night now. The office was struggling to complete the audit and he had to pitch in. Still, it was better than previous years, back in The Agency. His thoughts started to drift back to- No. He was stronger than that.

Suspend the outside world for a while: Thoughts on Glastonbury Festival

05 Jul 2017 Category: art

Posts on this blog have been a bit scarce for the last couple of weeks, mostly because I spent a several days in a field in Somerset. I listened to music, watched comedy and saw the odd politician. ¹ I was lucky enough to attend Glastonbury Festival, a cornucopia of delights that I have gone to since I was fifteen. This was my seventh time at the festival. I have been to others in the meantime, but it remains the original and the best. It is a marvellous tent town where the outside world is put on hold for a while,...

The Thief of Moons: Flash Fiction

13 Jun 2017 Category: stories

A story written from a prompt by Chuck Wendig at Terrible Minds. This week we had to pick a title, so I chose the Thief of Moons. Enjoy!

My mother had always told me to avoid the thief, but she never went into detail. She only offered vague warnings. Only once, when we were sat by the fire late at night, did she speak more. She had guzzled one too many gins and sat cursing him over and over.

‘I never used to be this old.’ She said. ‘The years have been stolen from me. I don’t know where they...

Battle of the Ages in the Election

06 Jun 2017 Category: politics

So there’s an election on Thursday. You might have heard of it. You probably have your own opinions one way or another. Maybe you don’t care. But either way, you have to admit, it is kind of a big deal.

The story so far: professional Cruella de Ville impersonator and unconvincing robot Theresa May surprised everyone by calling a snap election in March, mostly to shore up her majority. She ran a campaign on a cult of personality, despite having none. This and her endless slogans repeated like a skipping CD meant she plummeted in the polls. Jeremy Corbyn on...

Dispatches from the Uncanny Valley

31 May 2017 Category: art

Uncanny valley

Kodomoroid communication android by Osaka University and ATR Laboratories, Japan, c. 2014. Photo by Melissa Wiseman

As I stood before the seated figure, my stomach turned. Every part of my brain was screaming that the face before me was alien. It looked so lifelike. So much like a human. Then it moved and everything felt wrong. I moved on from the robot to the next exhibit, trying to shake the odd feeling those semi-lifelike eyes had given me.

This robot was featured in a fascinating Science Museum exhibition that...

White Noise

25 May 2017 Category: publications

Hi,

My poem White Noise is featured over on I am not a silent poet. Check it out here.

Cheers!

A Debate: Flash Fiction

25 May 2017 Category: stories

KATIE NEWSINGTON: Welcome back. A new study suggests the moon has a more abundant mineral content than previously realised. Interesting stuff. Joining us to discuss some important questions is the author of the study, Professor Ian Boffin.

PROFESSOR IAN BOFFIN: Good morning

KATIE: And on the other side we have the president of Moon Lies dot-com, Shannon Onangononon.

SHANNON ONANGONONON: Good to be here.

KATIE: Good to have you both here. Professor, if I can start with you first, could you explain what exactly you found in this study?