I found this on kernezelda's live journal and thought I'd give it a try.

My blog is worth $2,258.16.
How much is your blog worth?

Change in Claudia's Con Book

stlscape just posted the following on the Dom:

There has been a date change for submissions to Claudia's con book - new date & time is Wednesday, October 26, 2005, 10:00 a.m. Central. (Snurched from http://terrafirmascapers.com/index.php?topic=4898.0)

So, if you've been waiting to do your entry for her book, you'll need to send it out before 10am tomorrow. Please pass the word!

Naming Hurricanes

from The Sunday Seven at Patrick's Place

There are five letters of the alphabet not involved in hurricane names.  Apparently, no one wanted to show the love to the letters Q, U, X, Y or Z.  Pick one of those five letters and come up with seven names, male and female, that you'd use for hurricanes.  (Six names would be required for the current set of six lists, and the seventh name would be a back-up in case one of the first six needs to be retired.)

Z
male
1. Zander
2. Zachary
3. Zebediah
4. Zeke
5. Zane
6. Zeus
7. Zowie

female
1. Zena
2. Zoe
3. Zenobia
3. Zara
4. Zipporah
5. Zelda
6. Zinnia
7. Zhaan

Your Personality Is

Rational (NT) You are both logical and creative. You are full of ideas. You are so rational that you analyze everything. This drives people a little crazy! Intelligence is important to you. You always like to be around smart people. In fact, you're often a little short with people who don't impress you mentally. You seem distant to some - but it's usually because you're deep in thought. Those who understand you best are fellow Rationals. In love, you tend to approach things with logic. You seek a compatible mate - who is also very intelligent. At work, you tend to gravitate toward idea building careers - like programming, medicine, or academia. With others, you are very honest and direct. People often can't take your criticism well. As far as your looks go, you're coasting on what you were born with. You think fashion is silly. On weekends, you spend most of your time thinking, experimenting with new ideas, or learning new things.

The Three Question Personality Test

Alchera Project: Beautiful Things

List/Option No. Four: It was hard to keep the lists reasonable in length, so I narrowed them down to no more than 10 (leaving off similar items, etc.) & listed them in no particular order.

Beautiful Places
1. New Zealand
2. Hawaii
3. White Mountains, New Hampshire
4. the mansions in Newport, RI
5. Cape Cod, MA
6. Shelburne Farms, Vermont
7. Europe
8. Japan
9. anywhere with a castle

Beautiful Castles
1. Neuschwanstein, Bavaria
2. Chambord Castle, France
3. Leeds Castle, UK
4. Chenonceau aka Chateau de Femmes, France
5. Linderhof Castle, Germany
6. Chaumont, France
7. Peles Castle
8. Versailles, France (technically a palace, I guess)
9. Taj Mahal (also technically a palace)

Beautiful Boston
1. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum
2. Public Garden
3. Christian Science Center
4. Boston Common
5. the Waterfront/HarborWalk
6. Beacon Hill

Beautiful Languages
1. French
2. Gaelic
3. English
4. Italian
5. Welsh

Beautiful Sounds
1. child’s laughter
2. birds chirping on a sunny spring morning
3. crickets on a quiet summer night
4. tap-dancing feet (including Flamenco or other tap-styled dance)
5. the words “I Love You”

Beautiful Songs
1. Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes”
2. Sarah McLachlan’s “Possession”
3. Enya’s “Oiche Chiun (Silent Night)”
4. Isaac Albeniz’ “Asturias”
5. Sting’s “Fragile”
6. Ave Maria
7. Judy Garland’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”
8. Israel K.’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/ What a Wonderful World”
9. Silent Night
10. Dido’s “Here With Me”

Beautiful Dances
1. Flamenco
2. Waltz
3. Tango
4. Tap Dance
5. any freestyle dance performed by a young child who was moved to dance by the music playing

Burbank Con Books 2005

The following con book list has been snurched, in its entirety, from Terra Firma. New to the world of convention books? Read Con Books 101 first.

* 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.
Claudia Black (Aeryn) - blueaeryn - due Nov. 4 - send to blueaeryn@gmail.com.  Out of respect for Claudia Black's wishes to keep her personal life private, please do NOT include certain good-intentioned and well-meaning congratulations in your letters to her. - BA
Ben Browder (Crichton) - Elnea - due Nov. 4 - send to BensFanBook@aol.com.  Please see THIS post before submitting anything for Ben's book.
Francesca Buller (MLee, roNA, Raxil, Ahkna) - Egraine - due Nov. 4 - send to Natira722@yahoo.com
Bianca Chiminello (Jenavian Chatto) - jeffrabb - due Nov. 4 - send to jeff_detours@yahoo.com.  Please follow the same submission rules as for Ben's book - jeffrabb.
Gigi Edgley (Chiana) - LoyalVassalPatsy - due Nov. 4 - send to GigiConbook05@hotmail.com
David Franklin (Braca) -  jagwriter78 - due Nov. 4 - send to jagwriter78@yahoo.com
Paul Goddard (Stark) - AerynSG - due Nov. 4 - send to AerynSG@gmail.com
Guy Gross (music) - Xenajules - due Nov. 4 - send to xenajules2@gmail.com
Jonathan Hardy (voice of Rygel, Kahaynu) - JustPlainLisa - due Nov. 4 - send to Lmd1888@aol.com (Put Jonathan's Con Book in subject line.)
Virginia Hey (Zhaan) - Deadman - due Nov. 4 - send to lastrideusa@yahoo.com (Put Virginia's Con Book in subject line.)
Raelee Hill (Sikozu) - teddybear82 - dueNov. 4 - send to teddybear82@gmail.com
Wayne Pygram (Scorpius) - divinedaydreams - due Nov. 4 - send to BookScaping@comcast.net
Rebecca Riggs (Grayza) -  jagwriter78 - due Nov. 4 - send to jagwriter78@yahoo.com
Anthony Simcoe (D'Argo) - Deadman - due Nov. 4 - send to lastrideusa@yahoo.com (Put Anthony's Con Book in subject line.)
Lani Tupu (Crais, voice of Pilot) - KCLyn - due Nov. 4 - send to kclynnn@yahoo.com

If you want to mail something for the con book, try emailing the con book organizer for his/her address. Some do accept submissions by mail; others don't.

*cross-posted to Live Journal and Greatest Journal.

Booked by 3

I'd orginally posted this in my Live Journal, but thought to myself, hey, why not post it here as well?, so here's a fun little meme from Shelley's Book Shelf.

Name up to three in each category that have moved you or stayed with you, and for extra credit (heh), quote a favorite line or passage.

1. Poem: Jabberwocky (Lewis Carroll), The Tiger (William Blake), The Road Less Traveled (Robert Frost)
quote:
- So rested he by the TumTum tree and stood awhile in thought (Jabberwocky)
- Tiger, tiger, burning bright, In the forests of the night, What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry? (The Tiger)
- Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference (The Road Less Traveled)

2. Play: A Doll's House (Henrik Ibsen), Romeo & Juliet (Shakespeare)

3. Short story or novel: The Dead Past (Isaac Asimov, 1956), Fahrenheit 451 (Ray Bradbury), Alice's Adventures in Wonderland/Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There (Lewis Carroll)
quote:
- It was a pleasure to burn. (Fahrenheit 451)
- 'No, no!' said the Queen. 'Sentence first--verdict afterwards.' (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)


Okay, so #3 is a bit of a cheat since I listed two seperate Lewis Carroll stories, but well, they're both Alice so .. I'm keeping them as is. =)

Oh! and I just found out that I haven't missed everything that I thought I'd missed due to good ol' procrastination. National Novel Writing Month starts in November! Yay! I haven't missed NaNoWriMo so I think I'll head on over there and sign up. =)

Elnea, the woman putting together this year's con book, has given permission to use the graphic wherever you'd like to spread the word. In fact, she encourages you to do so! ;P So please feel free to snurch and spread around at all your favorite Farscape and SG-1 sites.

If you're wondering what a con (appreciation) book is, please visit Con Books 101 for an explanation.

Procrastination

It's a job that's never started that takes the longest to finish.
-- J.R.R. Tolkien

Mr. Tolkien had it pegged. No job gets done if you don't start it to begin with. In my experience, putting things off is not the best course, most of the time. I've been plagued by procrastination a lot lately, and it's gotten the better of me, I'm afraid. Among the many projects that have suffered are some videos I've been working on and some writing I wanted to get started on. What Mr. Tolkien failed to mention is that the longer one takes to start a project, the more tired one becomes as deadlines loom. *sigh* I am so tired right now.

I missed the Blogging4Books deadline. I hadn't even written my entry yet, just a few lines scribbled inside my head. Still, it would've been nice to try.

I haven't yet missed the con book deadlines of Nov. 4, but I haven't yet sat down to write a message either. The deadline for Creation's Farscape video contest is Nov. 1, and I've yet to burn my vids (ones I finished awhile back) to DVD. The month is almost half over!

I have yet to schedule my dentist appointment, regular doctor's appointment or my appointment for a hair cut.

Actually, I could make a long list of items on my to-do list which I have yet to tackle. Maybe accomplishing one or two items a day will help me get back into the swing of things? We'll see.

"What is the use of a book", thought Alice, "without pictures or conversations"?

For all the bibliophiles, Lewis Carroll's original handwritten manuscript Alice's Adventures Underground is now available online (as a Flash document) in the British Library's Turning the Pages collection of books. They've got quite an impressive collection of other works as well.

(cross-posted at my Live Journal .. last month *g* .. how could I have forgotten to post this here? .. *sigh*)

I often toy with the idea of joining something like the Lewis Carroll Society or the Lewis Carroll Society of North America. Many of my friends love Alice as much as I do, but it'd be cool to be a part of one of the above societies. I think I'd learn so much more through them. ;-)

That reminds me! Was anyone else aware that the Libary of Congress has The Lewis Carroll Scrapbook?

Lastly, I stumbled upon The Invisible Library today. That is such a cool concept. Either that or I'm just easily amused. ;p

Reunion To Do

My 15th year high school reunion is coming in two months. So what do I need to do to before then? lol

1. Make sure I contact those that I know won't get the information except from me.
2. Get a hair cut.
3. Buy a new dress.
4. Buy a nice pair of shoes.
5. Visit the dentist.
6. Mentally prepare myself.
7. Add to the list as I think of more things.

Actually, I wasn't thinking of going originally, but some people I haven't seen in awhile are considering it. I'd really like to see them and hang out; we never have much opportunity to get together any more because of our schedules. Plus, it should be fun, I guess.

Ramblings Revisited

from Random Questions

1) Go to your journal's archives.
2) Find the 23rd post.
3) Find the 5th sentence in that post.
4) Post that sentence with these instructions.
5) Tag five more people.

The following sentence is from my 23rd post, "Ramblings."
It's a really fun pirate movie full of humor, adventure, swordplay, a kick eema heroine & her damsel (Mr. Shaw) in distress. (hee hee)

* I'm not taggin anyone in particular. Whoever would like to give this one a try, please feel free! ;-)

Pretend Writer: Thursday4

1. If you were a book, What would you be about? Why?
If I were a book, I'd be one of those stories about a dreamer with a quirky family who sometimes feels trapped by her life but breaks out of her cocoon to freedom (in whatever form that means to her) by the end of the book. Why? I feel that particular book would apply to me. ;p

2. If you were a movie, what genre would you be? Why?
I'd either be a quirky comedy romance or a fantasy movie. Why? I think those are the genres I'd prefer to be.

3. If you could open a restaurant, what type of food would you serve? Why?
I would serve comfort foods mostly but also international treats, like fruit-filled crepes or Spanish tapas. I'd serve during breakfast, lunch and dinner, and there would be different desserts available. I'd rotate the menu but keep basic comfort foods available at all times. I'm not sure if I'd serve a seperate brunch menu or afternoon tea menu or not. Why would I serve the types of food that I mentioned? I love to eat at restaurants that offer tasty variety and also a standard fare of home cooking inspired meals.

4. If your life was a movie, what actors/actress would play the main characters in your life? Why?
This is a tough one. I'm not quite sure who would play the main characters in my life as a movie. I'll have to contemplate this last question a bit longer and return to it at a later date.

from Pretend Writer

When you see this, post a poem in your journal.

"A Drinking Song"

Ho! Ho! Ho! to the bottle I go
To heal my heart and drown my woe.
Rain may fall and wind may blow,
And many miles be still to go,
But under a tall tree I will lie,
And let the clouds go sailing by.

-- J.R.R. Tolkien

Alchera Project: Astrological Signs


Although I'm not (yet) a member of the Alchera Project, I enjoy lurking on the site and thought one of this month's writing options was cool. So, I decided to give it a try. Maybe I'll even see if I can join the group, too. Anyway, without further ado ..

List/Option No. Four:
This month is going to deal with astrology. Whether you believe in it or not will be irrelevant as this is more about personalities than lions, scorpions and bulls. eHow.com has a collection of "How to Spot a " articles. Each article points out the most common characteristics of each sign.

~~~~~~
Capricorn
Capricorns are symbolized by the Goat, and are born between December 22 and January 19. Those born under this sign struggle with duality and with an innate need to master themselves and those around them.

* Possesses a need for control in all aspects of their lives
* Practical, serious, methodical: chooses the slow & steady path
* Hard worker
* Enjoys success
* Lust for power
* Keen sense of humor & the ability to laugh in almost any circumstance
* Enjoys material goods more than most people
* Very lucky
* Prefers museums, galleries and lectures to beaches, parties or clubs

Much of these characteristics apply to me, imo. I tend to be a bit more serious and practical than many others. I'm very willing to work slowly & quietly behind the scenes for whatever I wish to accomplish, and to patiently wait for what I want as the end result. I don't see myself lusting for power or material possessions more than others, but I definitely enjoy success and praise when it's deserved. I can't really say whether I'm especially lucky (or unlucky), but I'm definitely not a beach, party or club person.

------
I couldn't find any other sign's characteristics that matched me as well as my sun sign's. I did find a few characteristics here and there that applied.

Watch those who seem to have many unfinished projects in their life. A Gemini feels the need to be involved in a multitude of creative endeavors at all times, and subsequently has trouble finishing projects of any magnitude.

Seek out pack rats. Cancers form emotional bonds with everything that crosses their paths. Often unable to throw anything away, they can frequently be found hoarding such valuable treasures as a pair of gym shorts from junior high.

Notice those who have a strong relationship with their parents and immediate family. A friend who places a high value on familial bonds is likely to have been born under the sign of Cancer.

Cancers love to be within the secure boundaries of their own abode, and can often be found nestled under the covers reading a favorite novel.

Notice those who clearly preach their values and who wholeheartedly attempt to follow their own moral standards at all times. (Sagittarius)

The World Offers Aid

Although the world's reaction to the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina varies, offers of aid are coming from dozens of countries, over 50 at last count. Some are allies; some aren't. Some are rich; some, poor.

"I hope that will remind Americans that we are all part of the same community," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday as offers kept pouring in.
(AP: Countries Pledge Hurricane Aid to U.S.)

It's amazing; for the second time in only four years, the world has reached out to the U.S., despite ideological or political differences across many nations.

By Friday, offers had been received from Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Britain, Canada, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Venezuela and the United Arab Emirates.
(AP: Countries Pledge Hurricane Aid to U.S.)

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has offered the U.S. hundreds of doctors, nurses, experts in trauma and natural disasters, NBC News has learned. Sharon has also offered field hospitals and medical kits as well as temporary housing and told Bush in a letter that the medical assistance and other help could be deployed within 24 hours.

(MSNBC.com: Aid Pours in from around the Globe)

It seems, though, from what I've been reading, that maybe not everyone in our government is openly welcoming & accepting not only the monetary aid that has been offered but all the promises of rescue teams & equipment, medical assistance, etc. For example, the following two quotes, if accurate, seem to illustrate a willingness to help by others but a lack of willingness to accept the help offered. Maybe I'm misreading?

But Cuban President Fidel Castro said he hoped an offer made Tuesday to send 1,100 Cuban doctors would be accepted "immediately so as not to lose another minute." Castro said in a live broadcast in Havana Friday night that he had just sent a diplomatic note to the U.S. mission in Havana to make the offer a second time.
(AP: Countries Pledge Hurricane Aid to U.S.)

Bush told ABC-TV: “I’m not expecting much from foreign nations because we hadn’t asked for it. I do expect a lot of sympathy and perhaps some will send cash dollars. But this country’s going to rise up and take care of it.”

“You know,” he said, “we would love help, but we’re going to take care of our own business as well, and there’s no doubt in my mind we’ll succeed. And there’s no doubt in my mind, as I sit here talking to you, that New Orleans is going to rise up again as a great city.”
(MSNBC.com: Aid Pours in from around the Globe)

I'm hoping that I'm just misinterpreting quotes like that. Honestly, I don't want to bring politics into the rescue/recovery efforts in the states affected by Hurricane Katrina. Yet, when help is offered but is slow to be accepted, I can't help but think of politics, or worse, someone's ego about taking care of business all by his lonesome. Well, like I said, it's probably misinterpretation on my part or simply frustration. We are each doing what we can do, no matter how small or how great the effort. Comfort, supplies, monetary aid, whatever, as long as everyone is doing something, the people are evacuated and those who need medical treatment receive it, that's all that should matter right now. After all is said and done, that's when people should focus on preperations for such a major disaster next time. Now is the time, imho, to focus on getting to the people who are trapped there and on the "refugees" who've lost everything.

Help and Hope are on the way though. :) I'm guessing we'll be hearing a lot of survivor's stories over the next few weeks, or at least, I hope we do. Katrina hit not only New Orleans but other areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama (after taking a swipe at Florida). That's a large area of devastation needing help now.

Want to help the rescue efforts? Donations can be made to American Red Cross, Salvation Army. FEMA has a more comprehensive list of places to donate in this press release.

Quickie

I'm trying desperately to finish up at work at a decent hour so I'll make this fast. M. had passed this along this link to me as an example of creative blogging: http://www.jeffbridges.com/latestjul.html
I *love* his doodles! :D I need to explore this site some more, but for now I thought I'll pass on the url. Check it out. You won't be sorry.

Oh, and I saw War of the Worlds yesterday with my friend S. I loved this movie. When I returned home, I popped in the DVD of the original for comparison, and then watched Signs because I wanted to keep on the same theme. I think the newer version is a wonderful tribute to the original film as well as succeeding as a fantastic film in its own right. I could say a lot about it, but I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't seen this new Spielberg film or the original version (and there are those out there who haven't seen the original). ;)

Now if only Peter Jackson can do with King Kong what Spielberg accomplished with War of the Worlds, I'll be an even happier (and quite impressed) woman. :)

London

My heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out the people in London, to their friends & family, and to my friends in the UK. I watched & listened on the news last night as some of the survivors told their stories. (((hugs)))

Abbott & Costello, Farscape-style

John: Alright, here's the thing. I think we ambush the escort, we hit him with a rock, and we take his belt.
D'Argo: That's your plan?
John: Yeah.
D'Argo: To hit him with a rock! When they have these like shield things?
John: The shields work against pulse energy. They don't work against other things. We saw the guy get burned.
D'Argo: Yeah, but not by a rock.
John: Alright let me lay this out for you. Fire is thermal energy. Thermal energy is like kinetic energy. Rock has kinetic energy. Ergo a rock will work.
D'Argo: Oh, okay, okay, I'm with you. I have just one small little question. Who is Lou Costello?
John: Abbott & Costello. We've been over this before.

-- Lava's a Many Splendored Thing, Farscape

Forgive me for the quote post. I was so excited when I saw the clip here. Can't wait until the new Fall season! (though I'm still not sure on which syndicated network I'll see it in my area)

Music Lyric Meme: Part Two

My original post is here.

Rule #4 of the game states: Post the answers to the ones people guessed correctly. A couple of days later, post the first two lines of the ones no one got and get people to guess again.

So I guess it's about time I repost the next lines! :)

1. She lives in this house over there, has her world outside it
2. Is there a time for keeping your distance, a time to turn your eyes away?
3. High, higher than the sun, you shoot me from a gun; I need you to elevate me here
4. Somewhere there's speaking; it's already coming in; Oh and it's rising at the back of your mind
5. I can see it; I can feel it rushing in my veins; I don't like it, I don't hide it; See it in my face
6. Today is gonna to be the day that they're gonna throw it back to you; By now you should have some how realized what you gotta do
7. Innocent, and in a sense, I am Guilty of the crime that's now in hand
8. You burden me with your questions; You'd have me tell no lies
9. I don't know; I don't know which side I'm on; I don't know my right from left or my right from wrong
10. I'm not afraid of anything in this world; There's nothing you can throw at me
that I haven't already heard
11. I spend the night in a chair thinking she'll be there, but she never comes
12. Stand up; You've got to manage; I won't sympathize anymore
13. Father wears his Sunday best; Mother's tired, she needs a rest
14. When I'm walking I strut my stuff yeah I'm so strung out; I'm high as a kite I just might stop to check you out
15. Baby love, sometimes it's hard for me to tell you what I'm thinking of So I try to find a way that I can show you love What you mean to me
16. If blood will flow when flesh and steel are one, Drying in the colour of the evening sun
17. What's wrong with the world mama; People livin' like they ain't got no mamas
18. Like the latest fashion, Like a spreading disease; The kids are strappin' on their way to the classroom, Getting weapons with the greatest of ease
19. Things are gonna change and not for better; Don't know what it means to me
but it's hopeless, hopeless...
20. The wind was a torrent of darkness among the ghastly trees, the moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon the cloudy seas
21. If I, I get to know your name, Well if I, could trace your private number, baby
22. I can't believe the news today; Oh, I can’t close my eyes and make it go away
23. See the people walking down the street; Fall in line just watching all their feet
24. Don't move, Don't talk out of time; Don't think, Don't worry, Everything's just fine, Just fine
25. All I can say is that my life is pretty plain; I like watchin the puddles gather rain