Prepping for NaNoWriMo & Jumping Slightly Ahead of Myself

I've put my current writing aside while I prep for NaNoWriMo. Part of that preparation is Holly Lisle's Think Sideways course. I'm using one of the ideas generated during the coursework as this year's nanonovel. The techniques and lessons learned so far are helping me with plotting and characterization, and I think I will feel ready to just write come November 1. Plus, most of what I've learned so far (and I'm not even done with the course yet!) can be applied to other ideas I'm working on. In fact, this'll help with the duality issue I've been having with one of my characters (that story is on the backburner while I prep for this year's NaNoWriMo). I think I'll be able to pinpoint what exactly is wrong and where; I'm very excited to jump ahead and rework the idea using techniques I've learned. For now though it's best for me to focus a bit on what I'll be writing this November.

In fact, many of Holly's techniques will help me with the web series idea, too, since I've been having problems with that as well. But I'm jumping ahead of myself again. (One step at a time, D.!)

Speaking of jumping ahead, I've just received in the mail business cards I ordered from VistaPrint. Yes, business cards. I figure something semi-professional looking that states my interests in writing (and filmmaking) & has my contact info. on it will aid me in realizing my dreams. I know that sounds a bit silly, but if I have a card that says I'm a "writer" or "filmmaker" (aspiring!) that I can pass out at networking events or classes/workshops, I feel I will come across less nervous (scribbling my name & email addy on a tiny scrap of paper becomes an illegible mess to anyone but myself) and more willing to learn & gain experience. Plus, at the end of a long day, when someone looks over the contact info. collected at a networking event, I figure a neat, professional card will have more of an impact than a hastily written note on a torn piece of paper. Don't you think? "Yes, I'm a writer. Keep in touch." "If you need an extra hand on your film, I'm willing to learn. Here's my contact info." "Oh, yes, I sell some of my photos online. Here's my card. Take a look. Drop me a line."

Today was an okay day at work but still stressful so it's the little things (like the business cards!) that keep me motivated to continue pursuing that which interests me the most. Creative opportunities ahead .. I can't help but feel a bit excited and hopeful. When I finish my nanonovel, I have every intention of revising and then sending out queries and proposals. When I have a few episodes of my web series written out to my satisfaction, I will start filming and posting the series online. And there are other things cookin' in the not-so background. I'm trying my best not to jump ahead of myself. :)

* I'm still involved, though from afar, with S.'s film "Passengers of 7D." The website will be update once the film goes into post, I think. (I just remembered I have to get my bio to Sharifa!) I'd intended to blog about my film experiences at New Film Nation (formerly Beanywood) but haven't gotten over there much lately. (research! writing! work!) I'll point you over there once I've posted a few updates. For now if you're interested in the film, check out the site. More info. will be available as the film nears completion.

Farscape Burbank Convention 2008: Con Book List

It's that time again .. Con Books for the Farscape Convention in Burbank!

Just in case you're interested, but haven't visited the link yet, the list is here at Terra Firma Scapers. And just in case you want to see the list without clicking on it, then read on. ; )

The List
To help you read the list .. Actor, Person who's doing the con book, Deadline, Email address, Any instructions

- Claudia Black Camerascaper (deadline Oct 25th) camerascaper@cinci.rr.com

- Ben Browder Selena (deadline Oct 17th) bensconbook@hotmail.com

Ben's Con book theme - Send in your favorite recipe - if you're from the south all the better ... make it your favorite southern recipe. You could finish off the submission by adding your avatar or your wonderful signature. Most folks know Ben is from the south - born in Memphis and grew up in the Carolinas. I also heard that when Ben first went to Canada for SG-1 he lived on nothing but cottage chesse. So if you have a great cottage cheese recipe you could send that. If you don't cook and can't think of anything to write - make an email postcard (1 sided only) from your area with a local flavor and then just say "This is (insert your name or on-line name) sending a big hello from ..." (wherever you live.) Nothing witty or clever required.
Someone suggested a leather theme so that leaves a lot to the imagination ... perhaps a leather clad Crichton postcard with a cottage cheese recipe

- Francesca Buller PkGrl (deadline: November5th) farscapeprincess@yahoo.com subject: Fran's Con book

- David Franklin Camerascaper's hubby (deadline Oct 25th) camerascaper@cinci.rr.com subject: David's Con book

- Kent McCord bandrui (deadline not listed!) Bandrui7@aol.com Subject: Kent's book submissions limited to 8 X 10 size

- Virginia Hey Camerascaper (deadline Oct 25th) camerascaper@cinci.rr.com Subject: Viginia's Con book

- Raelee Hill ScorpSik (deadline Oct 5th) anthony.fripp@ntlworld.com Subject: Raelee's Con book

Raelee's Con book Limit size of submission to 4 3/4" X 7 1/2" (the book is small).
Theme: - Creativity! ... be it art, wallpapers, poems, limericks, haiku, jokes, podcasting, nametags, avatars, beading, knitting, crochet, embroidery or cross-stitch... if you've created something - it does not have to be a Sikozu creation - just show off your skill. Tell Raelee what you like to create and include a photo/picture if possible. Has Farscape inspired your creativity?

- Anthony Simcoe AmméLeep (deadline Oct 1) AmmeLeep@Gmail.com

Theme:- D'Argo LIVES!!!


Here are the 'rules'

- Nothing profane or lewd - if you wouldn't say it or show it to your Mother then don't say it or send it to the cast
- If you are going to include photos with other people in them please make sure you have everyone in the photo's permission to do that
- Limit the size to no more than an 8" X 11" page - unless the individual Con book maker specifies otherwise
- No stories, fan fiction, scripts or anything that could be considered an item for publication - the cast are NOT ALLOWED under their contracts to receive such submissions
- Poems, limericks, haikus and personal salutations are okay as are notes wishing the cast all the best in their current and future work
- You can submit almost anything that is meaningful to the cast member and you
- Cast members who have appeared in other shows can have references to those shows, too, but primarily we are here for Farscape
- Try to submit in recognized formats that most of us have on our computers such as MS Word/Works or Word Perfect. Avoid software that is not widely available as not everyone has access to specialty programs.
- The people compiling the individual Con books reserve the right to reject or edit any submission they feel could be offensive, inappropriate or just too long for inclusion

Any questions? Email the appropriate person doing the particular con book. :)

Think Sideways

Yay! day off! feels so good .. and sleepy :)

I've been writing & editing. I need to finish a vid I'm working on. I don't think I'll be doing any of that today though. Too sleepy. As you probably know already, I've been struggling with finishing some projects so I sought out something to help with that. I enrolled in an online writing course called "How to Think Sideways," and registration is open until September 8 so I'm giving it a little plug. I know there are a lot of writers on LJ who might find this beneficial. I'm only into the sixth week of it, and the course is self-paced so I can go my own speed. Sadly, some weeks I don't have a lot of time to read the materials (yay for self-pacing - I get to it later as time permits), but the course has been interesting so far regardless. If you decide to sign up, I suggest doing all the assignments even if they don't seem to apply toward you & your writing or you don't get how it's going to help. The course is supposed to help you to get in touch with your muse at will and not at the whimsy of your muse. *g* It's a different way of thinking & approaching stories for some people, and it's an invaluable excercise in the way a professional writer like Holly does it.

It's geared toward fiction writers (book authors), but the information can be applied across most (if not all) disciplines, I think. Although I have several projects I'm working on (still trying to finish last year's nanonovel, working on web series idea), I'm following the course, step-by-step to come up with a previously unimagined project on a deadline. Already I've found a few little tricks that can be used with my current projects. :)

From the site ..

Would you like your writing to take off in directions that surprise even you?

With this self-paced course, "How to Think Sideways", full-time author Holly Lisle can help you whip your muse into shape with proven techniques that will open the floodgates of your creativity.

Every writer has read a book and wondered how the author came up with that plot twist, seemingly from left field. With this course , Holly is not only going to stimulate your idea generation, but will show you how to do it on a deadline. She will also show you how to effectively plan your projects as well as walk you through the beginning, middle, and ending sections of your novel.

Lee Masterson, an author from Australia, had this to say about the course:

"Holly, I've been writing professionally for a living for the past 9 years and your Lesson 1, Break the Thinking Barriers, made me think long and hard about what I've been doing all this time and what I'd rather be doing - and why I haven't been doing it all this time. Thank you for the wake up call - and thanks also for the brutal honesty."

This course, delivered in weekly lessons, includes:

- Monthly video that covers the month's main topic
- Weekly lessons with assignments
- Weekly technique demonstrations
- Monthly checklist of all steps to take
- A monthly Q&A made up of questions taken from the course forums
- Private workgroups (optional)
- Class discussion forum to interact with other students

Writers spend hundreds of dollars taking courses to learn more about their craft. At $47 a month, "How to Think Sideways" goes above and beyond, showing you how to make the most of your imagination.

This course is only open until Monday, September 8th, so enroll now.
Click here to find out more.

I also put some photos up on ImageKind if anyone is interested in taking a look. :)

I think I will go do a little research on an unrelated topic now. lol





* cross-posted from LJ

Maybe I'll Use the Duality

Since my last post I was thinking about my M.C. a lot and playing around with her character. She seems like two different people at this point, and maybe she is. Maybe it's two sides to the same person, different aspects of her personality and frame of mind depending on the day or the situation. Maybe she's a Gemini. Maybe I'll use that dual nature of hers in the story. She does feel a connection to another character and isn't accepting at face value what others are saying about him; she sees another side of him that others insist isn't there. Maybe the problems I'm having with her are actually a *good* thing. Maybe it's all connected in there, and I'm just discovering that now. If so, it'll make finishing that much easier and editing a lot more fun. Hm.

I think I'll play with that whole idea as I work on the altered-style journal (kind of like a collage or scrapbook with visuals and words).

Some Writing Updates

So this year's nanonovel was a bust (ie, not finished in time). It's still not finished at this very moment, but I am working on it. I think I will use an altered journal-style notebook to record the nanonovel's ideas and themes. There are very distinct images and moments I imagine and until I have a handle on it all and on what it means to me, to the characters and to the story itself, it might help to have these themes represented both with written descriptions and visuals. I haven't tried anything like that before, but I really think it will help connect things as I write. I'm continuing to write in the NaNoWriMo way - don't think, just write! - which is difficult because I like the control that comes with planning & plotting all the details,. This way of writing is interesting, too. I'm discovering a few things here & there, not enough about the characters, but I've uncovered a brand new character whom I've grown very fond of.

I think part of the problem is the main character. I like her but maybe not as much as I like some of the other characters, and I still don't know her very well (not as well as I should, imo). I don't really understand her yet. She keeps morphing in the way that I see her, and although that's a curious idea in itself, it's not supposed to be. I may have to rename her. Maybe she and her name are two different people, and at some point I'll figure out which person I'm actually writing about. I just don't know at this point. *sigh* I'm determined to continue writing, however, until I reach the end, and I'm hoping to figure it all out when I go back to reread. (I'm trying so hard not to reread, rewrite, revise as I write, and to leave all of that until the very end. It's very, very difficult!)

I'm also writing out a web series idea. I'm following S.'s advice. Just write. Forget about format. Just write. Formatting will come later. It may not be perfect at this point, but once I have it all down, on paper instead of in my head, I can rework some things and find ways to connect it all. Then hopefully I can get the dialogue down right, and S. & others will read & advise. :)

As I write out the web series, other ideas keep popping into my head so there are all sorts of paper scraps and scribbled notes all over the place. *g* It'll be nice once I finish something and then go on to the next stage of prep. (I guess I'm technically in the "development" stages of it all) I want to finish the Beanie idea (well, one of several Beanie ideas) as well. Maybe film that this summer before she gets any older!

NanoNoveling and Other Things

This year's nanonovel is going well. I'm still behind on my word count, but I'm ahead of where I was last year, I think. With the writer's strike on, less television means more writing for me.

I feel just a little guilty writing when the WGA writer's strike is happening, but I can support them in other ways. I hope the AMPTP realizes how valuable good writers are and pay them accordingly; writers simply want to secure their future in the age of digital media. They create the words that come out of the actors' mouths after all! It all starts with pen on paper .. or fingers to keyboard. Actually, it starts with an idea, but it's the writers who first make the idea come alive on paper. If it's not written down, the idea will never become a reality, no matter how amazing the idea or how wonderful the cast and crew are. The writers are the first step of many, but it's an important step in the storytelling. Just as important as good directing and brilliant acting.

Busy with insurance research, film festival research, lots of research! lol But it's all good. I'll be relieved when the insurance research is over though. That is very time consuming and exhausting, especially when the person I'm doing the research for doesn't give me much in feedback. *sigh*

Oh! and this year's Farscape Creation Con won't be the last one after all. That means I have a chance of attending in 2008! The big obstacles are money and my fear of flying. As long as the money situation is better next year, I'll only have to deal with the anxiety issues. It'd be great if I could go on a plane full of Scapers, a whole plane full of flight buddies! Of course, the stewardesses might not enjoy a rowdy plane of Scapers, but it certainly would set my mind at ease. Ooh, and maybe Signal Room will play next year, and I'll finally get to see them perform live! Bonus! :)

2007 Farscape Con Book List

I copied the following information from TerraFirma and am sharing it with all those who haven't yet seen the list. Please check http://terrafirmascapers.com/index.php?topic=18377.0 for updated information on con book listings and for more info. on what a con book is. If *you* would like to do a con book for one of the Farscape actors, directors, etc., not yet listed, please volunteer here.

"As a courtesy to the con book organizers, please do your best to send your submissions in before the due date.

Please remember NOT to submit unpublished written works such as short stories, scripts, etc. The cast members may not read unpublished works due to legal issues that could arise at a later date."

CON BOOK RECIPIENTS (and ORGANIZERS and due dates when they're available):

Claudia Black (Aeryn): Camerascaper - due October 20 - send to camerascaper@cinci.rr.com (Put Claudia's Con Book in subject line.)

Ben Browder (John): Elnea - due October 20 - send to BensFanBook@mac.com. (400 words or less, please.)

Francesca Buller (M'Lee, roNA, Raxil, Ahkna): Captain Aeryn Sun Crichton - due October 8 - send to captain_aeryn_sun_crichton@yahoo.fr . (Put Fran's Con Book in subject line.)

Gigi Edgley (Chiana): visionary nixa - due October 14 - send to gigiconbook@jeny.co.uk .

David Franklin (Braca): Camerascaper - due October 20 - send to camerascaper@cinci.rr.com (Put David's Con Book in subject line.)

Paul Goddard (Stark): BlueBanikBaby - due date October 14 (tentative) - send to conbook4paul@gmail.com . (Details: Also, I would like to make a special request for submissions - I ask that anyone who has or even just has listened to a copy of Paul's CD would write a quick review of it. At least a paragraph - detailing what you thought. His music is obviously very important to Paul, and I thought this would be a good way to show support! The usual Stark-related stuff is great too.)

Rebecca Riggs (Grayza): Camerascaper - due October 20 - send to camerascaper@cinci.rr.com (Put Rebecca's Con Book in subject line.)

Lani Tupu (Crais): jagwriter78 - due October 14 - send to jagwriter78@yahoo.com (Put Con Book in subject line.)

*cross-posted all over the place*

Farscape, SciFi and Creation

I know others have posted this already, but just in case anyone missed the info., here it is again.

Go to http://www.scifi.com/farscape and sign up/register your email address to be notified of updates regarding the Farscape web series. This is a great way to let SciFi know how many people out there are interested in Farscape on the web. ;)

Because of the web series news, Creation is currently conducting a poll asking whether or not they should continue with Farscape-related cons or leave this year's Burbank con as the last one like they originally planned. Click on the link below to cast your vote.
http://www.creationent.com/cal/farscape.htm

*cross-posted all over the place*

Writing and Film and .. *sigh*

I've written more in the past week than I have all summer, and it's a wonderful feeling. Research and other preperation work for NaNoWriMo (I want to finish it this year!) along with exploration of film ideas have inspired me to take pen to paper again. *sigh*

When I haven't written in awhile, I forget how much I've missed it. Jotting down a few lines and ideas, trying to connect thoughts and themes, playing around with dialogue snippets to get a better sense of a particular characters, it's all flowing out of me right now, and it feels *so* good! I really wish I was home to work in my notebooks and not here at the computer at work. :)

An added motivational spark was the email I received from Solonia over the weekend. The wheels are currently in motion for P7D, and somehow that knowledge has energized me. I've been in a better mood this week than I have (consistently anyway) in quite some time. I'll have to ask S. about pointing people to the film site; I'm not sure if she wants that done yet or not. ;)

2007's Walk for Hunger

It's that time of the year again! : )

The Walk for Hunger is Sunday, May 6, 2007. Join 40,000 Walkers and 2,000 volunteers and be part of the effort to end hunger in Massachusetts!

You can walk all 20 miles or just part of the route. Buses are available at each checkpoint to bring you back to the Common. Walk with classmates, coworkers, a religious group, friends or family!

Volunteers are also needed to hand out snacks, water, and more. It's a great family activity, so bring the kids, wear the free volunteer T-shirts, and teach your children about giving back. Bring a group, or come by yourself and meet new people. Volunteer for a morning or afternoon shift, or stay all day - it's up to you.

Whether you are beginning or continuing your commitment to helping hungry people, there is something for everyone! Learn more and register online at www.projectbread.org/walk.

I'll be walking again, of course. If you would like to sponsor me in this year's Walk, you can do so by donating online at my Walk WebPage. Or, if you'd like to donate by check, send me a message, and I'll give you the address to send it to. And thank you!

*cross-posted all over

You Are a Hand Painted Egg

Classy and gorgeous - with attention to every detail.

What Kind of Easter Egg Are You?

Aurora Awards - Nominations Open!

Nominations for the Aurora Awards, recognizing the best in Farscape fan fiction, are now open until February 7. See the site for all the details.

For most of the categories, simply fill out the form on the nomination ballot. Categories not on the ballot are sponsored by other groups so you'll need to check each group's site for details.

The Society Against Cruelty to Crichton (SACC) is proud to sponsor two categories this year: Best Action/Adventure (short, medium, long) and Best Characterization: John Crichton. Please visit the SACC site for details or simply email your nominations with the following info.:

Your Name:
Your Email:
Category:
Author:
Author Email: (if available)
Story Title:
Story URL:

For info. on all the sponsors, please visit the Aurora Awards Live Journal community.

*Choose wisely. Only one nomination per category, please.

Failure of #53

Ah, well, I've failed item 53 of my 101 in 1001 list: Complete the NaNoWriMo 2006 challenge. Sure, November isn't over yet, but I'll have only an hour or so each day (except for maybe Sunday where I might have two or three) until November 30 to write the remaining 36,015 words to complete this year's NaNoWriMo challenge. My inner editor keeps holding me back from any productive writing sections (2000 words or more in an hour should be easy). Where's my inspiration? It's flown away, along with the rest of the month. *shrugs* There's always next year.

I think I'll just do more prep work on my story, more research, plotting, character development. I don't want to abandon the story entirely. :)

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you have a relaxing day filled with friends, family and good food and that you have much to be thankful for next year, too. ;)

Codename: Celery*

While my fellow Scapers are hanging out in Burbank, I've been writing and researching my NaNoWriMo novel (NanaMoomoo). I'm glad today's very chilly because I've been feeling like, as my mom would say, a chicken with its head cut off lately, so today I have the perfect excuse to sit, watch movies, enjoy some soup and write! I felt creative last night and actually enjoyed what I wrote (still have to update my word count) even though it might not be any good; I'm resisting my natural inclination to rewrite each sentence until I'm happy with it before moving on to the next section. I did that last year, and as you may imagine I didn't get very far. So this time I'm not turning back and rereading the passages until I have to.

I'm feeling positive about crossing off #53 on my 101 in 1001 list at the end of this month.

Oh, and for anyone who's interested, I've posted my review of the DVD "The Gift" over at the movieblog site. =)

* obscure reference to a conversation at the Boston NanNoWriMo kickoff party at Applebee's *g*

Signal Room in Burbank, CA!


Click Above!

gif from TerraFirmaScapers.com
Signal Room

Con Book List 2006

Creation's Official Farscape Convention takes place in Burbank in November, and once again con book season is upon us.

The deadlines are approaching, so if you'd like to send a message, picture, poem, recipe, whatever (no nudity! no fan fiction or unpublished fiction!) to be hand delivered to the cast of Farscape, now's your chance. (And yes, if you're wondering, they *do* read every note that's sent to them and look forward to the con books every year.)

The list is here: http://www.watchfarscape.com/forums/showthread.php?p=765709 and below:

* Gigi Edgley (Chiana): LilMiss - due October 1 - send to Calijirl@gmail.com

* David Franklin (Braca): jagwriter78 - due October 8 - send to davidsbook@farscape-online.de

* Raelee Hill (Sikozu): teddybear82 - due October 8 - send to raeleesbook@farscape-online.de

* Ben Browder (John): Elnea - due October 15 - send to BensFanBook@mac.com. (See additional info in Post 36, below.)

* Dave & Lou Elsey (Creature Shop): Aruna7 - due October 15 - send to nana_fleur_de_ren@yahoo.fr

* Paul Goddard (Stark): deadman - due October 15 - send to lastrideusa@yahoo.com. Put "Paul's Book" in title of e-mail.

* Kent McCord (Jack Crichton): deadman - due October 15 - send to lastrideusa@yahoo.com. Put "Kent's Book" in title of e-mail.

* Claudia Black (Aeryn): blueaeryn - due October 15 - send to blueaeryn@gmail.com

* Francesca Buller (M'Lee, roNA, Raxil, Ahkna): camerascaper - due October 15 - send to camerascaper@cinci.rr.com. Send any pictures in jpeg format.

* Jonathan Hardy (Rygel's voice): camerascaper - due October 15 - send to camerascaper@cinci.rr.com. Send any pictures in jpeg format.

* Lani Tupu (Crais): Aruna7 - due October 15 - send to nana_fleur_de_ren@yahoo.fr

* Wayne Pygram (Scorpius): Aruna7 - due October 15 - send to nana_fleur_de_ren@yahoo.fr

* Anthony Simcoe (D'Argo): kalishjirl - due October 23 - send to katratzi66@freenet.de

* Tammy Macintosh: kalishjirl - due October 23 - send to katratzi66@freenet.de

* Rebecca Riggs (Grayza): kalishjirl - due October 23 - send to katratzi66@freenet.de

* Guy Gross (Music): divinedaydreams - due October 31 - send to bookscaping@comcast.net

* Virginia Hey (Zhaan): divinedaydreams - due October 31 - send to bookscaping@comcast.net

Signal Room in Burbank 2006

As most of you know, the Creation Farscape Convention in Burbank's coming up soon .. November 3-5. Ben Browder (John Crichton), Wayne Pygram (Scorpius), Raelee Hill (Sikozu), Gigi Edgley (Chiana), Kent McCord (Jack Crichton), Anthony Simcoe (D'Argo), Paul Goddard(Stark) and Dave & Lou Elsey (Farscape makeup & creature designers) are all going to be there.

Wayne and Anthony's band (Signal Room) will be there as well. The tickets are sold seperately from the regular convention tickets so I'm posting this as a reminder to anyone who's planning on attending the convention - if you want to see Signal Room play, buy your tickets now! If enough tickets aren't sold, Signal Room won't be coming. The cut off date for the final decision is going to be October 15. Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door assuming enough tickets are sold in advance! The ticket price is covering the cost of flying the band in, putting them up in the hotel and equipment rental - that's it. Stephen Edwards put it very plainly here.

So if you want to see them play and were figuring on buying your tickets when you arrive, rethink that and buy the tickets now. Not only is it $10 cheaper, but if you wait until you arrive in Burbank to pick up tickets, you might not get to see Signal Room play at all because they might not be there. Just a little FYI.

There's a nice little message from Anthony & the gang at Creation's site and at the band's website. For anyone who's on My Space and hasn't realized it yet, Signal Room is there, too, which is kinda cool.

Lastly, they're holding a competition for a backup singer (assuming they get to play in Burbank, that is). So if you ever imagined yourself singing on stage with Scorpius (hee!), check out their website for the details. SignalRoom.com

BNU

Well, I failed miserably in my attempts at avoiding Mochaccinos at lunch time. I felt really stressed yesterday and immediately got one while out at the bank, out of habit. *sigh* I got one today on purpose. ;P

So I haven't saved any money this week .. S'okay, I guess. There's always tomorrow. I *did* sign up for a class at Barnes & Noble University and ordered the books online (since they aren't available at my local library). I can't afford it, but I really wanted to try out the online classes. I'll figure it all out somehow. :)

Caffeine for Books

This week I'm not having any Moccachinos because they're so expensive and because all that sugar and caffeine is not good for me. Hopefully with the extra cash I'll save, I'll have enough to purchase a book or two for one of the classes at Barnes and Noble University. There are several classes that I'd like to take. All the classes are free, but you must buy the books for the course you're taking. This wouldn't be a problem normally, but with the restricted cash flow I'm dealing with, I can't justify spending $40 or more on books that I won't want to keep as reference and that I'll have a hard time selling back online. *sigh* Classes start this week, but I think the signup date is until June 12th (next week) so I have a little time yet.

Seven on Sunday: Dream House


from Patrick's Weekender

Consider your "Dream House." Now name seven features, either of the house or the lot itself, that would be required for it to really be your "Dream House."

Okay, since it's a "Dream House," I'm going to go with my "dream" house. :) By the way, it's difficult narrowing it down to only seven features. *g*

1. Large property with a very big backyard
2. At least one hidden/secret room
3. Guest House on the property
4. Labyrinth-like gardens
5. Library
6. Theater/Video Screening Room
7. Big Front Porch

Recent Finishes

Booking Through Thursday

1. What are the last five books that you finished reading? J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," Noah Lukeman's "The First Five Pages: A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile," the Little Golden Book "The Lion's Paw," "Owen & Mzee: The True Story Of A Remarkable Friendship" and "The Rescuers"


2. How long did it take you to read them? Collectively? One to two years .. I haven't had much time to actually finish any of the books I've started. *sigh* The last five books I've read have all been fairly short (*g*); the longest book of the five was "The Socerer's Stone." lol "Harry Potter" took me about a month or so to read because I was doing other things at the time and never really sat down to read it. I received "The First Five Pages" one or two years ago as a Christmas gift and read that over a few days. I read "Owen & Mzee" though while browsing in a bookstore so that was only a few minutes to finish that one. "The Lion's Paw" and "The Rescuers" were read to my niece recently. :)


3. Did you enjoy reading these books? Why or why not? Yes. "Harry Potter" was better than I was expecting. I originally skimmed the book when it first came out but never took the time to read it properly (until a few months ago). At my sister's urging I set aside time to read it recently and was pleased; I'm looking forward to the other books in the series. I liked "The First Five Pages," but it really didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. I've always liked "The Lion's Paw" and the story of "The Rescuers" so it was fun to read them to my niece. I enjoyed "Owen & Mzee" a lot; that book was a real treat. The cover caught my attention as I was browsing one day, and I ended up reading the book in the aisle. It was a very interesting, touching story, and the pictures were great. I instantly fell in love with the orphaned baby hippo and the giant tortoise. When I get some pocket money, I'm buying that book for my niece.

Teacher Appreciation Week

I found this on the LJ of tarzanic and thought I'd pass along.

**
Copied from tarzanic's post and the original post about Teacher Appreciation Week on the LJ of nickless:

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week, with Tuesday being National Teacher Day. It's not always on the calendar and other than a photocopied note in your mailbox from the principal, a generic email from the superintendent, and maybe a potluck lunch from the parent association, it's not like there's a lot of fanfare. But sometimes during that week, you'll get a card from a student, former or current, that makes it seem like Christmas.

So do me a favor. Sometime in the next week or so, drop a note to one of your former teachers. Include your name, what subject/grade they taught, and which year(s) you were in their class - they'll probably remember you. Tell your second grade teacher that she was your favorite. Tell your Lit teacher thanks for inspiring your love of British poetry. Tell your fine arts teacher that even though you know you had no talent, you appreciated having a place where you could indulge your love of music/sculpture/whatever. Tell your Bio teacher how you still remember that one lab that was so interesting. Tell your Civ teacher that while you hated his class because he made you work so hard, once you got to college you realized that he had prepared you for life after high school more than anyone else. Tell your Algebra teacher thanks for putting up with you, period.

It doesn't have to be fancy - hell, it doesn't even have to be a real card; an email is fine. If you're not sure where they're at, just send it to them in care of the school. Chances are, the staff there will know where they've gone to and how to get in touch with them, even if they've retired. And nowadays, most schools have a website with email addys or links.

When you see all the junk in the papers about testing requirements and budget cuts and low salaries and apathetic kids & parents, a short paragraph on a notecard might seem like a little thing - but trust me, it makes the job worth all the other crap.

If you decide to participate, be sure to let her know. :)

**
I think this is a wonderful idea so I just might do this next week. Unfortunately one of my favorite teachers is now in prison, and I don't really think it'd be appropriate to send him a note (though he'll probably appreciate it). I'll have to choose another teacher; I really liked most of them actually. : )

May the Fourth Be With You

May the Fourth Be With You! I saw that link on yahoo and couldn't resist clicking on it. What Star Wars fan could?

There's a little poll on today's (May 4, 2006) page at Star Wars: What's New asking if you acknowledge May 4th as Star Wars day. Most people (58% as of this post in my blog) have answered What? Why? The poll closes May 9 so you have time to make your opinion known. ; )

Oh! From September 12th through December 31st there will be a special DVD release of the Star Wars trilogy which will include the original theatrical versions of the trilogy. "That means you'll be able to enjoy Star Wars as it first appeared in 1977, Empire in 1980, and Jedi in 1983." Yes!!!!

** for fun, here's a little quiz: Which Fantasy/SciFi Character Are You?

Who am I? Well, I've taken this quiz before, and it seems I always get the same result (no matter how much I want the result to be Princess Leia! *g*):

A venerated sage with vast power and knowledge, you gently guide forces around you while serving as a champion of the light.

Judge me by my size, do you? And well you should not - for my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us, and binds us. Luminescent beings are we, not this crude matter! You must feel the Force around you, everywhere.

Six Degrees of Booking

Booking Through Thursday

This was suggested by Mary.

Connect any six books in your library to each other by any way you want. One book will remind you of another because the author's name is similar, a fictional character shows up in someone else's book, another author is talked about by characters in a book, maybe the same friend recommended both books, or whatever. Books from a series count as one entry in your list.

1. In Weiss & Hickman's Dragonlance Chronicles: Dragons of Autumn Twilight lifelong friends, newly reunited, find themselves on a quest whose success or failure will determine the survival of their world - Krynn. The Companions, who include a kender, a knight, a dwarf, a half-elf, and a mage, always remind me of another group of travelers on a similar quest except this group is known as

2. The Fellowship of the Ring. In Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring there are hobbits, a knight, a dwarf, an elf and a wise, powerful, very old, bearded wizard called Gandalf the Grey. Another wise, powerful, very old, bearded wizard appears in

3. J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone. Dumbledore is the head of Hogwarts, the school for wizards that Harry Potter attends. Harry isn't the only boy wizard destined for greatness who learns his craft at a school for wizards, but unlike Harry, who had no idea that he'd any magic ability until he was accepted into Hogwarts,

4. Ged had been taught simple magic skills and spells by his aunt before receiving any formal training in magic. Talented but impatient Ged chooses to continue his studies on Roke Island at the School (for sorcery) instead of staying with his mentor Ogion. In much the same way that Ged had originally left his village to follow Ogion in Ursula K. LeGuin's A Wizard of Earthsea, becoming Ogion's apprentice and developing his magical abilities,

5. Luke had left his home on Tatooine and learned how to "feel" the Force from the Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi whose presence is still felt, at least by Luke, in Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire, a novel which takes place five years after the movie Return of the Jedi. In the original Star Wars films, Obi Wan Kenobi was played by actor

6. Alec Guiness, author of My Name Escapes Me.

Seven on Sunday: Languages

from Patrick's Weekender

Not counting English, name seven languages you'd like to be able to speak fluently.

(in no particular order)

1. French
2. Portuguese
3. German
4. Gaelic
5. Welsh
6. Russian
7. Japanese

Booked by 3 for April: ABC

from Shelly's Book Shelf

Name 3 books you liked, titles which start with A, B, C (one per letter).
1. "The Annotated Alice," Lewis Carroll (author), Martin Gardner (editor), John Tenniel (illustrator)
2. "Black Beauty," Anna Sewell
3. "The Complete Film Production Handbook, Third Edition," Eve Light Hothaner

Name 3 authors you like whose names (given or surname) start with A, B, C (one per letter).
1. Isaac Asimov
2. Ray Bradbury
3. Lewis Carroll

Name 3 books on your To Read list with titles starting with A, B, C (one per letter).
1. "Arthur the King," Graeme Fife
2. "The Beekeeper's Apprentice," Laurie R. King
3. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Horse and His Boy", C.S. Lewis

Walk for Hunger

On Sunday May 7 I'll be participating in Project Bread's 38th Annual Walk for Hunger in Massachusetts. The money that I raise by walking the 20-mile route of the Walk will go directly to help hungry people across the state receive a hot meal and groceries in their own neighborhood.

Through the Walk for Hunger, Project Bread feeds hungry people throughout the state by supporting 400 emergency food programs, as well as making nutritious food available through other kinds of community organizations such as health care centers, after-school programs, and summer programs for children.

Please consider sponsoring me in my walk or making a donation directly to Project Bread.

Are you considering walking and want to find out what to expect? Visit The Walk for Hunger: Event Information!

Booked by 3 for March: Repeats

from Shelly's Book Shelf

1. Do you reread books? Yes, sometimes. I wish I had more time to reread more.

2. If yes, which ones have you reread and why?
Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass because they're my favorite stories. I've also reread Ray Bradbury's Farenheit 451. I reread reference books, history books, puzzle books and some others like that when I want to look up certain information or work on puzzles and such. I also reread children's books because my little niece likes to read certain ones over again. Right now, one of her favorites is the Little Golden Book The Lion's Paw.

3. If not, would you want to if you had the time and if yes, which ones?
I plan on rereading the Earthsea books, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and a few others.

Jill Carroll Released

If you haven't heard or read the news yet, Christian Science monitor writer Jill Carroll has been released in Iraq. I'm sure we'll be hearing more about it in the upcoming weeks.

On a side note, my friend S. will not be traveling again to Iraq to help the CPT as she first thought. That's all on hold for now.

The remaining three CPT hostages (Harmeet Singh Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember) were rescued by a joint U.S. and British military operation. They're unharmed, and I'm sure they and their families are not only grateful but ecstatic.

There are a lot of articles out there related to their rescue if you google for them. Here are a few.

Reassing Presence in Iraq
CPT Press Release
More of the Rescue

Still missing is Christian Science Monitor journalist Jill Carroll. Prayers and good thoughts are with her and her family. I hope they receive good news as well soon.

Tom Fox

I've been meaning to post this for a week now.

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) member Tom Fox, along with three of his colleagues - Harmeet Sooden, Jim Loney and Norman Kember, was abducted on November 26, 2005. His body was found on March 10, 2006; he'd been murdered. His teammates are still missing, held hostage by the people who took him, and there's been no word on how they are, as far as I know.

Tom's blog: Waiting in the Light
CPT photo gallery: http://www.cpt.org/gallery/
Memorial for Tom on CPT site: http://www.cpt.org/memorial/tomfox/main.php
Letter from Sheila* to Tom: I want you all to know him more
from AP, 3/11/2006: Quakers Remember U.S. Hostage's Mission

I wanted to make a little list of sites for others to visit, to learn about Tom Fox and about the group he worked with. I wanted to post quickly so anyone who's surfing through or stopping by my site to see what's up with me will see the little collection of links and will hopefully visit them, read through them, and if not, then, in the very least, I hope whoever stops by will take one moment to remember Tom and all the others who've been kidnapped or tortured in Iraq & elsewhere, remember their families and friends. What I ask is that you think about the people. not the governments, not the war. Think about the people living there, dying there, the family & friends left behind. Soldiers, police, peace activists, shopkeepers, taxi drivers, children in the street .. I think many of us tend to forget that each of those people has a face, a family, a story of his or her own. In the news, it all blurs, and everyone on all sides becomes nameless and faceless. It's not done on purpose, but it makes it easier for the rest of us to forget and for some of us (on any & all sides of an issue) to place blame and to hate the others. We're all others. It just depends on what side of the fence you're standing on.

Please take a moment to read through, look at the photos and reflect.

* I just read an email from my friend Sheila*, a former CPTer who knew Tom while she was over in Iraq. She's decided to return to Iraq for a month to help out the CPTeams in Baghdad because of staffing problems and to relieve the current team that's there. Please keep her in your thoughts. Thanks. :)

Music and Ployes

On Friday the 19th I went to see Cristina Branco perform which, of course, inspired me to download some of the songs she sang from Ulysses along with some more songs by Amalia Rodrigues (see also Wikipedia or a host of other sites on the web) and Misia. :) I'd planned on seeing Cyanide Valentine at T.T. the Bear's Place in Central Square (Cambridge) tonight since it'd tick off an item from my 101 in 1001 list. More than that, I'd really like to see Jake perform. :) The timing is wrong though with the train, and I'm too tired to deal with cabs tonight. I didn't budget for a taxi or an overnight stay in town so .. I guess I'll have to wait for next time to see Cyanide Valentine.

I bought a package of ployes from the Bouchard Family Farm (in the supermarket - I didn't actually visit the farm itself) last weekend and am anxious to give it a try. No milk, no eggs, no fat, no cholesterol - just add water! (hee!) I figured since it's a French Acadian thing my uncles would get a kick out of it, too, so I showed it to my sis for her next hiking trip, when it's her turn to cook. She thought it most excellent. : )

10 to Try

*originally posted on my livejournal

from 10 on Tuesday

10 Things You'd Tell Other People to Try
1. Farscape
2. Caldo Verde aka Kale Soup
3. Whale watch
4. Snorkeling
5. Taking a cruise
6. Seeing some of the sights in their favorite city as if they were a tourist
7. Swan boats in the Public Garden, Boston
8. Attending an awards show that they usually watch on TV (instead of just wondering what it'd be like to be there)
9. Stargazing
10. Something they never tried before

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I watched that last night for the first time. Wow. And .. Wow. That was fantastic!

I've only read "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," but now, I really want to get a hold of the other books if only to read Goblet of Fire for myself. That movie rocked. The stakes have gone up in a major way.

My sis promises me they get better, too. J.K. Rowling's strategy of writing each book so the readers will grow up with Harry Potter is ingenious. What I mean is that each story and the method of telling that story matures with each book, as Harry matures, and as the reader herself matures with each book. It makes perfect sense to do it that way, and wow, it works in this film.

I'll have to rewatch before making any sensical statements. For now .. Wow.

Signed by the Author

from Booking Through Thursday

This week's questions are from Cate.

1. Do you have any books that are signed by the author? Yes, I have four.


2. Do you have a story behind the autograph? The first autograph is from Keith R.A. DeCandido for "House of Cards." He signed it at my first Farscape convention (my second science fiction convention ever) in NYC (2001). I have a copy of "Neverwhere" signed by Neil Gaiman that I had signed at Worldcon in Boston (Noreascon Four) 2004. I also have two books signed by writer Traci Briery.

Your Brain's Pattern

Your mind is a creative hotbed of artistic talent. You're always making pictures in your mind, especially when you're bored. You are easily inspired to think colorful, interesting thoughts. And although it may be hard to express these thoughts, it won't always be.

What Pattern Is Your Brain?

Some thoughts on The Sorcerer's Stone

A few weeks ago I finally finished "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling, much to my sister's delight. Having only skimmed the book when it first came to the states, I couldn't remember much of what had happened when the I went to see "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" in the theater. I really enjoyed that movie and the sequels I've seen so far (I haven't had the opportunity to see "The Goblet of Fire" yet!), but my sister kept insisting that I read the book. "You have to read the book," she said. "If nothing else, I'll have someone to talk to about it." So I did.

It was much better than when I'd skimmed through it the first time. There's something to be said for actually reading a book and not simply skipping through the pages to get a sense of it. *g* I was expecting to find in the book a lot of extra material that couldn't be in the movie; there's always more information in the book form of a story. I noticed two things (the most). First, I think they did a great job making the book into a movie. Most of the parts that were changed didn't differ greatly from the book; they were more of a summary of what was going on. That said, I have to mention the second thing I noticed. There was a fundamental change in the frequency that one character appeared in the movie as compared to the book. I was really surprised that Neville Longbottom had more of a role in the original story than we were led to believe in the movie. He was present when the students performed their detention in the woods with Hagrid, not Ron. My sister tells me that Neville plays a growing role of importance in the books that follow. I find this very interesting. Just what is the significance of Neville Longbottom? There must be a reason for it. Hm.

Soon I'll be adding the next book to my To-Read list.

Traveling the Silk Road

While surfing the net last night, I found a wonderful site called Riversleigh Manor. It's a collaboration of websites and blogs meant to inspire, and inspire they do. I really enjoyed looking at 2005 The Silk Road Advent Calendar; each numbered day is a link to a "map" of the silk road with creative projects, writings and a little bit of history.

Mentioned (and pictured) often were altered books. They looked really cool, and so I searched online for more on altered books. It turns out there's a whole society of Altered Book Artists, The International Society of Altered Book Artists (ISABA). There's a wonderful site showing how to make mini altered books. More on altered books can be found here. I want to make one now! :)

A sampling other sites connected to the ones above:
Soul Food Cafe
Cave of Enchantress
Hermitage Publications
Nina's Treehouse
Riversleigh and The Lemurian Faraway Tree

Have fun exploring!


*(I added the labyrinth pic to emphasize the way I see these sites interconnecting. The way they link up makes surfing through the sites an artistic journey of sorts. Too cool)

St. Valentine's Day

My little neice called earlier to wish us a happy Valentine's Day or, more precisely, "Happy Christmas Tree Valentine's Day"! *g*

I actually didn't remember it was Valentine's Day for most of the day except when others reminded me. I've never been involved with anyone on this holiday so I've never really celebrated it. My mom, however, gave me a box of chocolate. :) So yay for chocolate! :D

I thought I'd post a few links on the history of Valentine's Day for anyone who's ever wondered. The History Channel's site has fun trivia facts among other things. Did you know there were 192 million Valentine’s Day cards exchanged annually? Well, according to The History Channel's site, there were.

This site has interesting tidbits, too, including a section on Valentine traditions. For example, in Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. It doesn't say when this was a tradition so it might not be in practice anymore.

AmericanCatholic.org gives a little history as well.

Of course, Wikipedia has a section on St. Valentine's Day, too.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Booked by 3: Children's Books

from February's Booked by 3

Name your 3 favorite children's series.

1. Alice in Wonderland books
2. LeGuin's Earthsea books
3. The Chronicles of Narnia books

*runners up might be Mary Norton's Borrowers books and the Choose Your Own Adventure Series

Name your 3 favorite non-series children's books.

1. The Velveteen Rabbit (Margery Williams)
2. The Rocking Horse Secret (Rumer Godden)
3. Where the Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak)

*"The Velveteen Rabbit" is a definite favorite. I love the other two as well, but since I can't think of any other books at the moment, I'm not sure if they're really favorites or just in the top 10-25 favorites. *g*

Name 3 favorite children's book characters.

1. Alice from Lewis Carroll's Wonderland books
2. Laura Ingalls
3. Nancy Drew

* runners up: Pippi Longstocking, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Gandalf (from "The Hobbit"), Winnie the Pooh, the pokey little puppy (hee!), and Anne of Green Gables!

****
"A good book is the best of friends, the same to-day and for ever." - Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810 - 1889)
quote from Book Quote of the Month

Reason to Blog

from Question of the Day

Why did you start blogging in the first place?

It happened suddenly. I'd heard about blogging for awhile, and my sister kept telling me how cool it was. I didn't quite understand how it was different than any other website until one of my friends sent me a link to her blog. From there I followed a link to another (mutual) friend's blog (on Live Journal). So I was lurking at some friends' blogs and suddenly the blogging-bug hit me; I wanted a way to share online finds, thoughts that plague me during the day, fun tests & quotes, without bulk-mailing my friends. *g* I started my own blog (this one) and realized that weblogging is a bit addictive. lol Since then I've started other blogs as well. *g*

Somehow the world of web logs fascinates me. I might actually starting video-blogging soon. ;-)

"Interlopers" Audiobook and Paperback (signed by Ben Browder)

There are only three days left to place your bid in the special Farscape Webmasters Association auction.

From the website:

You may remember that Ben Browder did the reading on the Buzzy Multimedia
audio book of Alan Dean Foster's novel, Interlopers. Ben signed an audiobook
set for the Farscape Webmaster's Association to auction off as a fundraiser,
and to our surprise and delight, he included the paperback copy of the novel
which he read in preparation for doing the audiobook! Both items are signed by
Ben, and the book has a great note on the title page. The books are now up
on eBay in an auction that ends Feb-11-06 10:17:26 PST.

All proceeds of this auction go to the Farscape Webmaster's Association's "To
Be Continued...." Fund to support fan efforts to promote Farscape, including
fan tables at conventions this coming con season!
Check it out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6603060541_

Genius Test

But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.

-- Carl Sagan (1934-1996)


** I happen to like this quote a lot. (hee!)

Oscar Nom for Dave Elsey!

Congratulations to Dave Elsey (Farscape alum!) and Nikki Gooley for their joint Achievement in Makeup nomination for “Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith” (20th Century Fox)!

“Crash” (Lions Gate) got a nomination for Best Screenplay (Screenplay by Paul Haggis & Bobby Moresco and Story by Paul Haggis), Film Editing, Directing (Paul Haggis) and Best Picture (Paul Haggis and Cathy Schulman, Producers). I haven't seen this one, but Paul Haggis is the man who brought us "Due South"! *bg* I will forever love Paul Haggis, Paul Gross and Jay Semko in much the same way that I get warm and fuzzy over Chris Carter, David & Gillian, and Mark Snow. Just like I will forever adore David Kemper & Brian Henson, Ben & Claudia, and Guy Gross.

Yay for the Wallace and Gromit nomination! :D

I'm curious to see who ends up winning the Oscar for Visual Effects, too. The competition seems tough in that category:
"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”
“King Kong"
“War of the Worlds”

To see the complete list on nominations, click here.

* cross-posted from my live journal

A Killer Within on Lifetime!

Next week's a treat for Ben Browder and C.T. Howell fans. "A Killer Within," the independent murder mystery film by Brad Keller, comes to Lifetime this Tuesday. This suspense/thriller stars C. Thomas Howell, Sean Young, Ben Browder, Dedee Pfeiffer and Giancarlo Esposito. I'm both a Ben fan (no, really? *g*) and also a fan of independent films (and filmmaking) so this is a cool combo for me. =)

"A Killer Within" premieres on Lifetime this Tuesday (1/17) at 9pm est and repeats on Wednesday (1/18) at 4pm est.

* Please pass the word and tune in Tuesday night!



The movie's site is really cool, too, if you want to check that out as well. ; )

101 in 1001 Days

from 101 in 1001 days.

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as new year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Start Date: Friday, January 13, 2006
End Date: Friday, October 10, 2008

My 101
1. Get my ears repierced.
2. Publish this list on the web. (posted 1/12/06)
3. Go to the Chinese New Year celebrations in Boston’s Chinatown.
4. Video some of the Chinese New Year celebrations.
5. Read M.A. Bernier’s “Dragonstone.”
6. Read one of the Pratchett books that Digger lent me.
7. Cook something in my crockpot.
8. Take a dance class.
9. Get my driver’s permit.
10. Spend a day without once going online. (completed 11/24/07)
11. Go on a real, honest-to-goodness date.
20. Take a class through either the BCAE or the CCAE.
13. Complete at least five things on my 2006 New Years Resolutions list. (failed - alas!)
14. Write in my diary at least once a month until the 1001 days are over. (failed!)
15. Read at least two of the unread books on my bookshelf. (failed)
16. Get my driver’s license.
17. Take a film/video class. (completed 6/1/07: Making Media Now)
18. Read a book by Lois McMasters Bujold (the author Mreen always recommends to me).
19. Start an IRA.
20. Get my finances back under control (pre-2004 at least), specifically my credit cards. (failed)
21. Make a dentist appointment. (completed 2/22/06)
22. Go to the doctor’s. (completed April 2007)
23. Go one week without soda. (completed 3/8/06)
24. Go one week without a sweet frozen coffee drink. (completed 3/3/06)
25. Go one week without a sugary sweet junky snack food. (completed 3/8/06)
26. Go for a walk after I get out of work at night at least three times a week come this Spring. (failed! - it's already June, and I haven't been getting out of work early enough this Spring to go on any walks)
27. Take a Tai Chi or martial arts class.
28. Try one new thing every month, no matter how small, for at least six months. :)
29. Take a cruise.
30. Visit Missy.
31. Visit Martha’s Vineyard.
32. Visit Canada.
33. Take a Boston Duck Tour.
34. Go to Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. (completed 8/2/07)
35. Visit the Quincy Tea Room.
36. Finish a cross-stitch project.
37. Go on a picnic.
38. Go snorkelling again.
39. Take the MENSA test.
40. Buy Sims2. (completed 06/08/06)
41. Complete (and then post) the WIP meme that I saw on someone’s LJ awhile back.
42. Attend a fancy, dress up event in Boston or NYC (other than the Emmys).
43. See a play or musical. (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)
44. Take a tour at the Day House.
45. Get a pen pal. (I used to have many. *g*)
46. Work on the possibility of an Escapade 2007/2008 convention. (it's not a financial possibility)
47. Get the Boston Scapers site up and running.
48. Look into having a FS or a film table for Norwoodopia Day.
49. Attend another Farscape convention.
50. Work on a film with Solonia.
51. Make another music video.
52. Submit the above music video to the 2006 Farscape Creation Con in Burbank. (completed 10/6/06)
53. Complete the NaNoWriMo 2006 challenge. (failed)
54. Finish at least one of my written works in progress. (failed)
55. Submit one of my finished stories for publication in a magazine.
56. Submit one of my finished stories for publication with a book publisher.
57. Film a movie of my own.
58. Submit the film to at least three festivals.
59. Finish my torturemazes website.
60. Work with S. on her video web series or make a video web series of my own. (failed)
61. Participate in the 26 Things meme.
62. Make the FS commercial I’ve wanted to make.
63. Produce something for the purpose of airing it on my local cable station.
64. Write a screenplay. (failed)
65. Organize Ella photos in an album.
66. Replace at least five of my VHS tapes with DVDs.
67. Make a plan for a family reunion.
68. Catalogue all the CDs I own.
69. Catalogue of all the DVDs I own.
70. Catalogue of all the VHS tapes I own.
71. Copy all least ten pages from one of my old diaries (from elementary school)
72. Put the VHS tape my aunt & uncle had made for my grandmother onto DVD.
73. Make a list of all the books I own. (in progress)
74. Get my old LCIII files onto my current laptop .. somehow. (in progress)
75. Buy a back up hard drive. (one was actually given to me as a gift; I'll consider this item completed)
76. Watch at least two of the Chinese videos my dad sent me. (completed 4/1/06)
77. Transfer T.’s vids to digital form as she had requested.
78. Write an actual letter (not an email, not a card) to a friend.
79. Visit M&B and little Liam. (completed!)
80. Go to a film festival.
81. List my top 100 movies. (in progress)
82. List my top 100 books. (in progress)
83. Watch three episodes of Firefly in full. (completed 3/18/06)
84. Watch the new Battlestar Galactica mini series. (completed 4/1/06)
85. Get together with my friend C.T. (technically completed 3/25/06, though the circumstances weren't happy)
86. Call Gno. (completed 3/9/06)
87. Make an audio blog post.
88. Visit my local library and get reaquainted with it since it was re-done.
89. Visit my great aunt Esmeralda.
90. Visit with my living grandmother. (completed 07/11/08)
91. Visit my dad more. (failed)
92. Get better aquainted with all the bells and whistles on my laptop. (failed)
93. Get better aquainted with all the bells and whistles on my camcorder.
94. Get better aquainted with all the bells and whistles on my new digital camera.
95. Dye my hair auburn.
96. See Cyanide Valentine live.
97. Give Laura her Emmy tape back. (completed)
98. Introduce my dad to his granddaughter.
99. Sell 10 items on ebay.
100. Start another 101 things to do when the 1001 days near their end.
101. Complete all the items on this list. (failed *sigh*)

Days Left: 0
Tasks Remaining: 69

Happy New Year!

I wrote for more than an hour in my diary today. I feel semi-accomplished. Before I return to either video editing or playing with my Sims families, I decided to skim the Daily Meme for some posting inspiration and found one I liked.

My first meme of the new year. :)

Don't think of them as Resolutions. Think of them as Goals or even just "Things You'd Like." But list up to seven things you hope to accomplish before 2006 draws to a close.

1. Make a dentist appointment.
2. Start an IRA or another such retirement plan for myself.
3. Get my finances back under control (pre-2004 at least).
4. Finish at least one of my written works in progress.
5. Film. (either on my own or working with someone else)
6. Complete the 2006 NaNoWriMo challenge.
7. Submit one of my finished stories for publication. (hopefully for publication)

Posted as part of this week's Sunday Seven challenge.

Happy New Year!



May everyone's New Year's Eve celebrations be fun and safe. May 2006 bring much health, happiness and success! :D

Fun in Flash

For your surfing pleasure, may I suggest the following (click the links!):

1. The War of the Worlds in 30 seconds with bunnies
warning! spoilers! *g*

2. The Excorcist in 30 seconds with bunnies
warning! spoilers! *g*

3. Angryalien.com (Here you'll find a whole host of little animated movies in Bun-O-Vision, including the ones above.)

4. http://samorost2.net/ .. no, there are no bunnies at this one, but it's a really cool Flash puzzle game (hee!)

5. Treasure Box is back! Yay! :D

Merry Christmas Tree

I think that'll be my new holiday wish/greeting for people. Have a merry Christmas tree. My little niece wished us that this weekend. She was so excited. Christmas trees, lights, people smiling, lots of joy, especially for her. At the annual Christmas eve gathering, she was a hit with all the relatives who hadn't seen her in two years. They commented on how happy and polite she was. *g* When anyone asked, she would say she wanted a Christmas tree from "Santa comin' to town." Sometimes she sang "Jingle Bells" though not to the "guys upstairs." On Christmas day she was given a little kitchen set from her parents and trains, books and a baby doll from us. She also received a vacuum cleaner which she *loved*. She was busy cleaning up the living room most of the day. *bg* We also watched "Polar Express." (more trains! yay! *vbg*)

We learned a very valuable lesson though. Too many gifts equal an overwhelmed child. Also, assemble the toys and put the batteries in *before* you wrap the gifts. You'd think we would've learned this on her birthday, but no. :p

Somewhere in there the meaning was lost, too. My niece had been excited about the day we remember Jesus' birthday (that's how we had all explained Christmas to her), and she was still excited when the day came, but it seemed so rushed, like a blur. I wish we'd taken a little more time to slow it all down for her .. and stressed more quiet moments. She didn't even have a chance to listen to the Christmas record I was playing in the background. I used to love listening to the music on the record .. and the stories. *sigh*

It was a good day but a blur, like I said. Saturday night, I'd gone to bed without heading out to midnight mass. Sunday morning we finished some wrapping, some cleaning, got dressed, and my sister and her family arrived. A blur. A very nice blur .. but a blur.

Gift highlights: (that I received)
- a little photo puzzle with my niece as the picture
- a digital camera
- more Alice
- a faster notebook with more HD space (we transferred all my files, preferences, programs, etc., last night)
- a new Sims game
- a cute hat and scarf, some socks & tights (yes, I like these things! I walk to work so they keep me warm)
- a jewelry box

Mostly Music Musings

We finally put our tree up last night. No, it's not real; it's a fake tree but looks quite nice. The best part is that there are no needles on the floor. Also, it doesn't make me sneeze. :P

My little neice has been saying she wants a Christmas tree whenever someone asks her what she'd like for Christmas. She's easy to please. Give her some crackers, some fruit, maybe a few berries, and my little neice is in heaven.

I'm off to do some Christmas shopping in a bit. I'm actually starting my shopping today. (see my problems with procrastination) Hopefully, I'm not required to do much talking on this trip because my voice is on the verge of leaving me. It left me Friday around 8pm and Saturday around 5pm. I'm hoping I can make it last until 8pm again, at least. *sigh*

There was a Christmas meme on Live Journal that I wanted to do and post here, but I can't find it right now so instead, I'll mention the three bands that are on My Space that you should have a listen to. Cyanide Valentine has a cool MySpace page, including a blog there (and on the main site). I was showing my mom because she adores Jake Z., and I think, after the holidays, I'll pick myself up the "Let It Riot" CD. So far my favorite song is Freaks; I can imagine it in a cool indie film with the lead strutting down the street as his fellow "freaks" posse join him one by one. :P Of course, I haven't listened to all the tracks yet, so there might be another favorite on there, *and* there will be a new album coming out sometime next year, I guess. :)

I also showed my mom The Slackers page on MySpace which I recently discovered. I showed her a pic of G., and she kept asking me if he sang in Portuguese and was amazed & impressed they were wearing suits. *bg* I played the music samples to give her an idea of the style of music. That's another one I want a new CD of. I have "Question" and downloaded the song Have the Time from online (such a cool song), but I want to check out their other stuff as well.

Last but not least, Signal Room has joined MySpace. Check them out here and add them as a friend if you're a MySpace member. They are a great up&coming band out of Australia. I have their latest CD "The Day You Ran Away" and am hoping they'll do another soon. I was lucky enough to attend an accoustic performance in NJ last year (2004); it'd also be nice if they did more shows though, especially stateside, but I suppose that's all costly and time consuming so I doubt I'll get to see them perform live again any time soon.

I don't know what it is about me, but for some reason, people tend to give me coats as gifts. Maybe I look like I'm chilly a lot of the time? I suppose that's possible. It's also winter in New England, and today's weather chilled me to the bone. *brrrrr* I can only imagine how frozen I looked today as I walked to various destinations and back again, but I have to say, for the record and for anyone who might be thinking of getting me another coat, that I'm the type of person who wears a coat until it's worn out. To make matters more complicated for coat-giving friends and family, I already have two long winter coats (one wool) and at least three short coats. I guess one can never have enough coats for the winter, and some people aren't even lucky enough to own one really good winter coat so I can't really complain, and I'm not complaining, just noting this peculiarity out loud.

Copied from many people:

A lot has been said about how to prevent rape.

Women should learn self-defence. Women should lock themselves in their houses after dark. Women shouldn't have long hair and women shouldn't wear short skirts. Women shouldn't leave drinks unattended. They shouldn't dare to get drunk at all.

instead of that, how about:

if a woman is drunk, don't rape her.
if a woman is walking alone at night, don't rape her.
if a women is drugged and unconscious, don't rape her.
if a woman is wearing a short skirt, don't rape her.
if a woman is jogging in a park at 5 am, don't rape her.
if a woman looks like your ex-girlfriend you're still hung up on, don't rape her.
if a woman is asleep in her bed, don't rape her.
if a woman is asleep in your bed, don't rape her.
if a woman is doing her laundry, don't rape her.
if a woman is in a coma, don't rape her.
if a woman changes her mind in the middle of or about a particular activity, don't rape her.
if a woman has repeatedly refused a certain activity, don't rape her.

if a woman is not yet a woman, but a child, don't rape her.
if your girlfriend or wife is not in the mood, don't rape her.
if your step-daughter is watching tv, don't rape her.
if you break into a house and find a woman there, don't rape her.
if your friend thinks it's okay to rape someone, tell him it's not, and that he's not your friend.

if your "friend" tells you he raped someone, report him to the police.
if your frat-brother or another guy at the party tells you there's an unconscious woman upstairs and it's your turn, don't rape her, call the police and tell the guy he's a rapist.

tell your sons, god-sons, nephews, grandsons, sons of friends it's not okay to rape someone.

don't tell your women friends how to be safe and avoid rape.
don't imply that she could have avoided it if she'd only done/not done x.
don't imply that it's in any way her fault.
don't let silence imply agreement when someone tells you he "got some" with the drunk girl.
don't perpetuate a culture that tells you that you have no control over or responsibility for your actions. You can, too, help yourself.


If you agree, repost it. It's that important

"In almost all of the above, inserting the words "have sex with" instead of rape apply. Because so damn many people don't realize having sex with someone who is unable to give legal consent or legally not allowed to do is rape." - uisceboo

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone's day was wonderful. I have so much to be thankful for.

L_squaredd posted a list of what she's thankful for so I thought I'd do the same (in no particular order). Last year's list is here.

- my family
- my friends
- my health and the health & happiness of my family
- the clothes in my closet
- the roof over my head
- the food on my table and in my fridge
- that I have a job
- my books
- my boss who lets me take time off to go on silly trips and to help my sis at her daycare
- my cat Tigger who, despite his age, still acts like a cuddly, playful kitten at times
- that I live in an area of the U.S. where the seasons change
- my iBook
- moments I get to spend with my family
- the ability to walk, to see, to hear, to speak, to write, to breathe
- my camera and my camcorder
- chocolate
- the people in my life who make me smile
- a working sink
- my safety
- my life

Today, I feel blessed.

Procrastination Update

A few posts back, I wrote a bit about my procrastination woes of late. I've since ticked a few items off that list.

- I got my hair cut on Friday. It's now skimming the tops of my shoulders. So, it's still long enough for the cold weeks ahead, but it's short enough to feel weightless, which is nice. =) Since I had around two years of growth being chopped off (hehe), I donated my hair to Locks of Love. They make wigs out of donated hair for children who have lost theirs (for example, cancer patients).

- I finished all my con book entries before the deadlines. Yay!

- I burned my music vids on DVD before the Creation Farscape video contest deadline for this year's Burbank convention. I hadn't heard anything though, so I assumed that none of mine were chosen. After all, why would they be when there are so many talented vidders out there already with so many beautiful vids to their names? Creation announced at the con that they received 60 entries and chose 20 of them to show at the convention. Jo notified me over the weekend that one of my vids actually played at the convention! Herdthinner was at the con, saw the vid, and called Jo who then emailed me. :D

Although I'm still trying to figure out why they did pick mine and why that particular one out of the two I submitted, I can't help but be excited and pleased. Anyway, if you want to watch my video, it's online here: Happy Happy Joy Joy.

There's a lot wrong with it and that needs to be redone, but I think it gets the point across regardless, and I hope it's entertaining. Comments and criticism (if it's constructive) are welcome because that's how I learn what to keep, what to do differently, etc., for the next time. ; )

I feel semi-accomplished. *g*

Welcome, Baby Liam!

Congratulations to M. and B. who welcomed a precious new life into the world on November 14. May health, happiness and a good night's sleep be yours. ; )