Re-name the shows you watch.

NCIS- The drool over Mark Harmon hour.

Numb3rs- Numbers. (Ha ha)

Australian Idol- Why aren't our idols as good as America's Idols?

Stargate SG1- See an archaeologist do things no real archaeologist would, but who cares because he's hot.

Good News Week- Rude, crude and bad taste, but bloody funny!

I've just been watching 'Core' on the FX channel.I remember seeing the trailers for this when it first came out, and scoffing a bit, but there are times (as witness my Irwin Allen obsession) when I'm in the mood for a bit of skiffy adventure without plucky heroes and implausible science, and this definitely fit the bill. (Giant amethyst geodes in the Earth's mantle! Diamonds the size of Cape Cod! Famous landmarks exploding! Whales!

Dearest Topaz,

Baby, I thought that kitty kats go into heat only about once a month. But, little 'Spaz, you are such an overachiever. It seems every two-to-three weeks you start rolling around on the floor, become even more affectionate, start chirping like a bird, and stick your little butt in the air. (Don't worry==indoor kitty only==she's afraid of outside.) But you only stick your butt up at me, not the others. I'm sorry, kitling, but I can't relieve your frustrations. And the boys kats are fixed, so they can't help you either. Honestly, I think this is just a habit now. Especially since you only do it for a few minutes in the evening (when I'm on the computer). In case it's not, though, I promise, 'Spaz, I'll take you to a vet soon. I just need to find one that will accept payments.

Love,
~me~

(P.S. Does this happen to any other kitties? Or is it, like I think, just a habit now?)

Today I went down to Olympia to play with Caitlin. We didn’t get to perform as much recon as we’d hoped, but we tootled around the old brewery property nonetheless and took a few pictures. Later, there was shopping and I found a vintage button-up wool skirt for thirteen dollars. Following this, there was ice cream, and we hung out lazily around her place.

Good times!
Good pictures! Lot’s of ‘em.

Click the link.

Abandoned buildings (exterior shots only, alas); cats; babies who stalk brunettes ...

[Crossposted to/from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

You know, if I was a motorcycle rider out for the day with some friends on a tour of the countryside, just cruising at 10 or 15 mph under the speed limit, and I happened to notice all the cars stacking up behind me on a two-lane road where you're not allowed to pass....

I would frakking PULL OVER AND LET PEOPLE BY, and not encourage tailgating and accidents by POKEASSING ALONG.

It's just common courtesy, you know?

Idiots.

I'm not talking!

PS - Don't forget the Hal 4 Book Launch on the 27th of May.

Third day in a row of HEAT. Amazing stuff. Yesterday and today were in the 90s; Thursday was close. It's been a dry heat so it's been pretty tolerable. Thursday and Friday I was just amazed to be able to step out of my room and not be freezing.

Snow's been going off at a rate of 10 inches or so a day at Timberline. I bet the rivers are running high.

I didn't do any writing today. Rereading Steinbeck's journals reminds me that he always took at least one and sometimes two days off a week, until he was in the heat of a passage toward the end. God, he wrestled with Grapes of Wrath. A lot was happening to him personally as well as professionally during the writing of that book. 1000-2000-some words a day. By hand. Not even typewriter, but by hand. Yow.

Also, I had things to do. House painter came by and power-washed; since he's a colleague in the district we had to talk job politics. I pulled weeds with his girlfriend for a while, until it got too hot. Then I had to turn in an accident report--minor rear-ending yesterday.

I can confidently state that when a BMW front end makes contact with a Subaru Outback rear end at around 5-10 mph, the Beemer loses. Crumpled grille and bumper on the Beemer, scratches on the Subie bumper. The bumper doesn't even wiggle on the Subie. Damn, that car's a lightweight tank. In the useful right way, of course....I have a sore right shoulder (from bracing on the stick shift) and sore right rear (from bracing on the brake).

DMV Express was by Kohl's, and I needed summer sleepwear as I couldn't find mine. Plus shorts were on sale.

Spent some time on the floor with the Big Rabbit, who at the age of five is finally ready to settle down and be a companion rabbit without destroying the environment around him. Get him gentled down yet.

And now to bed.

I wasn't around the 'net yesterday because the home network was being rearranged (the rack is now on castors!).
In the course of getting things back up, the newsserver box got unhappy.

So I'm now trying to catch up on LJ and the net in general for the last few days, but I won't be reading alt.poly or rasfc until the box with the newsserver is fixed, probably sometime this week. You'll know shortly after I do.

Let's play a writing game, instead of actually writing. I drank caffeinated soda during AND after Iron Man tonight, so I'll be up a while...

( First lines... )

http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/?p=1167

When homesickness eats at me I listen to podcasts. I listen to news broadcasts, talk shows, shows about sport, science, design, culture. I don’t care just as long as I’m hearing voices from home.

One of the my favourites is The Book Show¹. Ramona Koval’s voice and sense of humour soothe me and the range of coverage is excellent: old books, new books, local books, o.s. books, books in translation, poetry, essays etc. etc.²

Last week was all poetry. They looked at five classic Oz poems. Beginning with one of my favourites, “Five Bells” By Kenneth Slessor:

Time that is moved by little fidget wheels
Is not my time, the flood that does not flow.
Between the double and the single bell
Of a ship’s hour, between a round of bells
From the dark warship riding there below,
I have lived many lives, and this one life
Of Joe, long dead, who lives between five bells.

The reading by Robert Menzies was gorgeous and the people commenting on it were smart and insightful. I first read “Five Bells” in high school, but I feel like I never really understood it until I listened to that show. Beautiful.

Made me wish I was back home because the Sydney he describes, the harbour he describes, I know it well and I miss it so much:

I looked out my window in the dark
At waves with diamond quills and combs of light
That arched their mackerel-backs and smacked the sand
In the moon’s drench, that straight enormous glaze,
And ships far off asleep, and Harbour-buoys
Tossing their fireballs wearily each to each,
And tried to hear your voice, but all I heard
Was a boat’s whistle, and the scraping squeal
Of seabirds’ voices far away, and bells,
Five bells. Five bells coldly ringing out.
Five bells.

Someone asked me what was the last thing I read that made me cry? At the time I couldn’t think of anything but I have an answer now: “Five Bells.”

1. Which I can’t help thinking of by it’s old name,”Books & Writing”
2. Though it’d be nice if there was more YA coverage. I keep waiting for the show devoted to all the Oz YA writers storming the world: Sonya Hartnett, Margo Lanagan, Jaclyn Moriarty, Garth Nix, Marcus Zusak and so on and so forth. We are hot overseas, Book Show, honestly we are. Between us we’ve sold in more than thirty countries! Won prizes all over the place. You need to notice this world domination!

Thursday, Jodi and I shot a pilot episode. We were the only two puppeteers on the shoot, and as often happens, the only people in the room with prior puppetry experience. The puppets were charming but, to my eye, built by a stage puppeteer rather than a film and television puppeteer. How could I tell? Small details, like visible specks of glue. Now, for stage, this doesn’t matter¹ but for film work you have to be prepared for extreme closeups.

These were rod puppets and the necks were extremely thin, long and sproingy. ² Our slightest tremor translated into a giant head wiggle. On top of that, the mouth trigger would actually pull the whole head down with it. None of this violated the forty feet and a galloping horse rule, but boy howdy did it look funny in a closeup. We weren’t doing lipsync so much as headsync.

AND one of the puppets broke moments after we got there. I had a total MacGyver moment and repaired the puppet with a paperclip, gaffers tape and superglue. ³

The guys we were working for were supernice and thankfully understood the challenges pretty darn quickly. On the whole, they seemed pleased. Hopefully I’ll be able to show you some of it down the line.

1. We have a saying, “forty feet on a galloping horse” which means that if you won’t notice it while galloping on horseback forty feet away you won’t notice it on the stage either [↩]
2. Yes, that’s a technical term. [↩]
3. No, I can’t describe the repair in more detail because to do so would require explaining what the characters were which would blow the secrecy around the pilot. [↩]

Comments? -- Link

Long time reader first time poster.

Check it:

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/261

If it's a rep0ast bring on the h8.

I admit it's late and I have stomach flu, but I'm not quite getting this description for Panel 67?


hat's in the Id Vortex? The hangups, kinks, and hot-buttons that suck you in, even unwillingly—and threaten to stretch and distort story logic and characters that venture too near. In this panel, we'll talk about how we navigate the Id Vortex as readers and texts that harness its power without falling in, and the tools they use; whether and when plunging right into the vortex can be a good idea; and how stories change for readers coming in with different buttons.

Weds. picked up rental car, drove to Northampton & met with Writing Group to go over Delia's new draft of the sequel to CHANGELING (due out next year, due at the publisher's in - well, let's not get too specific....); up the next morning to the Brimfield Antiques Fair, where we discovered that it is not as easy as you'd wish to find an Antique Sideboard that holds a lot of stuff and is not more than 72" and is long enough to hold LOTS of stuff. Did acquire nice little table for front hall. Returned West to Amherst and met with WG to go over Sarah's new novel and eat wonderful food and attempt to be critical yet inspiring. And so to bed. Next morning to Storage Unit in N'hampton that is 5 times the size of NYC one and costs 75% less, moved boxes around. (Note to self: Copyedited ms. of TPOTS temporarily in Box 015, as box of TPOTS draft is full. Remember this next time someone asks for something for charity auction. Or wait until really famous? possibly dead? might increase in value) Then on to M--'s to pick up new "28 Rue St Sulpice" (website to come) silk dyed outfit to take to elisem at Wiscon. Lingered to try all new pieces on again. Begged & borrowed 2 fabulous jackets to make selves glorious & advertise friend's wares. Remembered RStS bizcards to hand to people in case they want one, too. Then back to Brimfield in the rain, found great coatrack with eagle claw feet. Figured out how to get it in car. Getting late. Drove East to tony Boston suburb, ate Chinese Food for White People (much meat, little flavor), got friends' key from under doormat, tried to stay awake while waiting for them to come home. Read Grace Paley & realized finally old enough to understand The LIttle Disturbances of Man. (Took long enough!) "The Loudest Voice" still favorite story. Even better now older. All worth it when small girl child came home & threw arms around legs, demanding kisses and why did we move to New York? we'll miss her dance recital! Got improv version of dance recital next morning. Ran out to stock car up on Trader Joe's, then showered & changed for old friend Brad's wedding. Thought would know no one there, but publishing acquaintaince (YA editor) from NYC met 6 months ago on panel for librarians in CT turns out to be sister of the bride! Small world? Not really; we get around, is all. Sun came out for wedding, everyone danced, bride-made cake best ever. Headed for home, with stop at beloved, much-missed Radcliffe Pottery Sale, swearing not to buy anything 'cause where would we put it? just looking for wedding present for (nevermind who!) - but waylaid by amazing leaf mugs & bowls. Useful. Practical. Really. (In Boston? Sale continues Sunday til 7 pm, and the Seconds are out - maybe you could get the bowl with the little dragon for just $10!)

And so, I hope, to bed -- after checking the Interfictions Auction, of course, since 4 amazing pieces are ending tomorrow.....

At the theatre last week, another patron left the washroom without washing his hands.

What made it worse it that he felt the need to dry them.

http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=768

My daughter and her friend have been holed up in her room this evening, doing “scientific experiments.” Every once in a while I’ll get updates, like so:

“Great news, dad! The eggs are GAINING OXYGEN!”

And then back into the room.

The eggs, people.

They are gaining oxygen.

I’m off to hide now.

I am still completing stuff for school and today I did some watercolors - no writing but watercolors - they turned out nifty too - I may try to scan and post them for you. I have another watercolor I need to do tomorrow and then some more painting (these are all art type painting - not house wall painting which also needs doing)

I received my Excel final test - he wants me to do it at home :))))))))))))) that is made of fabulous.

My Bio teacher - the one I've been complaining about - emailed me tonight with a study group set up for Monday. MONDAY - pfft - the bad part is they help so I will probably go - SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS

Enough is never enough.

But watercolor - Did I tell you I rather like watercolor and always have? - I want to someday be good at it.

:)

I am having fun getting to know Seattle actress Tellier Killaby. She was the lead in a Seattle filmed movie called The Falling - which I am going to try to see.

Why am I getting to know her? I have been making her into a green alien. It has been fun and a pleasure.

Singing 'Its not easy being green' among other things.

You just never know what the next day will hold in this adventure called living.

http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=767

New single from The Cure, from their upcoming album. It’s happy Cure this time, which is good, because for the last album or two, ol’ Robert Smith’s been needing a hug:

It’s called “The Only One,” incidentally. It’s no “Just Like Heaven,” or “Friday I’m in Love,” but it does the job, me thinks.

M got invited to sleep over at her cousins, and since she doesn't like watching movies, Elaine, R, and I watched Hugo-nominated film "The Golden Compass" while eating home-made pizza.

The pizza was okay, although I had to use a cheddar/mozzarella mix since we had less mozz than I thought. The sauce also turned out chunkier than I like, but the crust was fantastic. I've stopped my attempt at a cornmeal crust and have gone over to using a Portuguese Sweet Bread Crust. With that, the sauce and cheese almost are overkill.

As for the movie...this got a Hugo nomination?!? Ratatouille? Transformers? I Am Legend? Shrek the Third? Spider-Man 3? Bridge to Teribithia? Ghost Rider? The Astronaut Farmer? The Last Mimzy? Meet the Robinsons? Mister Magorium's Wonder Emporium? The Water Horse? I haven't seen many of those, but I have to believe that at least one of them is a better film than The Golden Compass. I'm willing to bet that at least 90% of them actually have an ending, which The Golden Compass did not have.

Forget about whether the books were anti-Church or not and whether the film was anti-Church or had compromised Pullman's vision. Worry instead about whether the film was worth the time we took to watch it. When it was ending, Elaine commented that it seemed to be ending but they had too much to tie up. R also was less than impressed and as a 10 year old raised with Disney TV shows, she isn't the most discerning when it comes to films.

So, are all three of us just missing something?