I'm not comfortable tossing out platitudes anymore. I don't believe them, so why would I write them to someone I care about?
I mean, sure, things may turn out to be for the best, but I can't say or write "This is the universe's way of saying..." or "You'll land on your feet." or "It's all for the best." or other things like that because I don't believe them. They may happen, and I can imagine them happening, I hope they happen, but I don't believe they will.
So, I spend my time feeling like a dick because I can't bring myself to write or a simple phrase that may lift a spirit. I feel like a dick because I can't think of anything else to say or write other than an often repeated phrase and I freeze.
Thank goodness so much of my "interaction" with the world is on the interblags which has a nice delay so no one knows that I freeze just because I can't be pleasant in a standard, ordinary way.
Blech.
Friday, March 26, 2010
A Bad Movie
I went and saw Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightening Thief the other day. (Thank goodness for $5 Tuesdays!)
The short: don't see this movie. It's not very good.
I know I'm biased since I enjoy the books, but it's really not good.
It's hard for me to write why I didn't like the movie without going into why I like the book so much. I guess, essentially, they took out most of the stuff that I really enjoyed about the book when they made the movie. They took away the mystery of the camp. They took away Percy's journey of self discovery. They took away his best ally and mixed her character with an antagonist. They made the pettiness of the gods less petty more and epic. They took away the oracle and its prophecies. They took away the gifts from parents. They didn't have blue cookies.
And what they did have wasn't very good. The special effects didn't look good. The creatures didn't look like they were in the world of the film. The camp was there, but it was more of a training ground than a camp/home for the kids. Medusa was boring. Hades's realm looked more like the Christian version of Hell rather than, you know, the misty world of the dead.
There's so much more. I don't want to think about it.
Just don't see the movie. Trust me.
The short: don't see this movie. It's not very good.
I know I'm biased since I enjoy the books, but it's really not good.
It's hard for me to write why I didn't like the movie without going into why I like the book so much. I guess, essentially, they took out most of the stuff that I really enjoyed about the book when they made the movie. They took away the mystery of the camp. They took away Percy's journey of self discovery. They took away his best ally and mixed her character with an antagonist. They made the pettiness of the gods less petty more and epic. They took away the oracle and its prophecies. They took away the gifts from parents. They didn't have blue cookies.
And what they did have wasn't very good. The special effects didn't look good. The creatures didn't look like they were in the world of the film. The camp was there, but it was more of a training ground than a camp/home for the kids. Medusa was boring. Hades's realm looked more like the Christian version of Hell rather than, you know, the misty world of the dead.
There's so much more. I don't want to think about it.
Just don't see the movie. Trust me.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
As the Song Says
I hate the world in the springtime.
I hate when flowers are in bloom.
I hate the world in the springtime when it sunny,
Because the pollen causes pain that ain't so funny.
I hate springtime every moment,
Every moment that it's here.
I hate springtime, why, oh why do I hate springtime?
Because my headache's so severe.
(With apologies to Cole Porter and Frank Sinatra.)
I hate when flowers are in bloom.
I hate the world in the springtime when it sunny,
Because the pollen causes pain that ain't so funny.
I hate springtime every moment,
Every moment that it's here.
I hate springtime, why, oh why do I hate springtime?
Because my headache's so severe.
(With apologies to Cole Porter and Frank Sinatra.)
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
Monday, March 08, 2010
What's This?
They've been speculating about it for a while, but in recent weeks I think the speculation has become much more serious, turning into possibility aiming for probability.
Friends may be moving from where they currently live to somewhere else. Somewhere not close to where they are now.
My first thought when I realized that they may be moving far away wasn't "Good for them." or "I'm going to miss them." or "I wonder what the job possibility is?" or anything like that.
No. My first thought was to wonder how I could turn it to my advantage and I started to crunch numbers in my head. And, I'm going to admit, the advantage and number crunching had nothing to do with the potential places they may move and the possibility of getting to visit a new location and see it with people I enjoy spending time with.
I won't go so far to actually write down the specifics of what I my thought was. I don't want to be thought of as more of a jerk than what just being selfish makes me, you know?
What's worse is that a large part of me would like for my selfish dream to come true. I don't think it will. I doubt it can. But still...
Friends may be moving from where they currently live to somewhere else. Somewhere not close to where they are now.
My first thought when I realized that they may be moving far away wasn't "Good for them." or "I'm going to miss them." or "I wonder what the job possibility is?" or anything like that.
No. My first thought was to wonder how I could turn it to my advantage and I started to crunch numbers in my head. And, I'm going to admit, the advantage and number crunching had nothing to do with the potential places they may move and the possibility of getting to visit a new location and see it with people I enjoy spending time with.
I won't go so far to actually write down the specifics of what I my thought was. I don't want to be thought of as more of a jerk than what just being selfish makes me, you know?
What's worse is that a large part of me would like for my selfish dream to come true. I don't think it will. I doubt it can. But still...
Friday, February 26, 2010
The Office is Not a Reflection of Life
To borrow a phrase, "Il pleut comme vache qui pisse."
Well, not now, but earlier. From my desk, looking out the window, the rain was coming down so hard it looked like fog. Wasn't fog, though, because I could hear it pounding on the roof. Co-workers were gathered at a window mocking the people who were outside.
I think one of my co-workers is going to get fired. (What a transition, right?) This morning he played a joke on TMSV, the one who told that inane story, the one who never shuts up, the one who thinks her business is sometimes (too often) ours and our business is always hers. He took everything on her desk and moved it back to the desk that she was supposed to start using when she was promoted last year. She came in and freaked out, although I didn't hear her since she was in the back and I just don't care. Then she left and never came back.
Since then there have been whispered conversations and phone calls and such. Some people think that the problem is with TMSV because she's quick to threaten action when things don't go her way. (I have no idea if she's actually gone through with it.) Some think that they want to be prepared for Monday when she comes in and starts to throw out threats.
I disagree.
I think GICS may get fired because he's consistently late and calls in sick a lot. (Like he's in the sick day hole by something like 80 hours.) He's a hard worker and gets stuff done, but he's loud and obnoxious and quite often a jerk. He's been in lots of private meetings, although not recently, that ended with many sour faces. I think that by next Friday, he's gone.
I hope, however, that TMSV will be banished to the desk in the back. It's so much more peaceful without her around.
Well, not now, but earlier. From my desk, looking out the window, the rain was coming down so hard it looked like fog. Wasn't fog, though, because I could hear it pounding on the roof. Co-workers were gathered at a window mocking the people who were outside.
I think one of my co-workers is going to get fired. (What a transition, right?) This morning he played a joke on TMSV, the one who told that inane story, the one who never shuts up, the one who thinks her business is sometimes (too often) ours and our business is always hers. He took everything on her desk and moved it back to the desk that she was supposed to start using when she was promoted last year. She came in and freaked out, although I didn't hear her since she was in the back and I just don't care. Then she left and never came back.
Since then there have been whispered conversations and phone calls and such. Some people think that the problem is with TMSV because she's quick to threaten action when things don't go her way. (I have no idea if she's actually gone through with it.) Some think that they want to be prepared for Monday when she comes in and starts to throw out threats.
I disagree.
I think GICS may get fired because he's consistently late and calls in sick a lot. (Like he's in the sick day hole by something like 80 hours.) He's a hard worker and gets stuff done, but he's loud and obnoxious and quite often a jerk. He's been in lots of private meetings, although not recently, that ended with many sour faces. I think that by next Friday, he's gone.
I hope, however, that TMSV will be banished to the desk in the back. It's so much more peaceful without her around.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
On Time, Work, and Idioms
Today has moved surprisingly fast. Time seems to move in large jumps petween the moments I glance at the clock. It probably helps that I don't actually remember doing my work, although my desk is cleaned off, and that TMSV has been away from her desk most of the day and therefore isn't a distraction.
It was nice to be plugging along at whatever I was plugging along at this morning then look into the corner of my main monitor and see that the time was 11:00 AM, thirty minutes before lunch. It was a surprise to get back from lunch and do whatever I did then look down and notice that it was after three.
I truly have no memory of doing my work.
I must have searched and screened and scanned and data entered this morning, but I don't remember doing it.
I don't remember pulling up much to read. I do remember posting on that other blog. I don't remember playing online games. I do remember replying to comments in the last post and on other people's blogs. I don't really remember my lunch hour, but I must have left the office because otherwise I'd have to pee, probably pretty badly. Like a racehorse, I suppose, but since I've never seen a racehorse, or any horse, pee I'm not sure exactly what that mean. Although I suppose it means pee a lot because, I assume, that an animal that much larger than a human has a larger bladder than me and therefore pees a large quantity when it pees.
Where do you think the phase "pee like a racehorse" came from? Do other cultures have a similar phrase?
That's one thing I sometimes wonder about when I watch science fiction. Idioms, I mean. An alien must get really confused when a human says something was "tongue-in-cheek." Even with a translator that can translate one language perfectly into another language, would it recognize the phrase as an idiom and translate it as "humorously" or "jokingly," or would it do a direct translation of the words? Then the alien would be wondering what the human is doing with his (or her) tongue in his (or her) cheek. And isn't it hard to talk with one's tongue in one's cheek. That's assuming the alien even knows what a tongue is!
Thing should work the other way, too. I mean shouldn't aliens be going around saying things like, "Your words are feglaios on a bentomej to me." What the hell does that mean, right? Hell, even if there's some kind of context around it, maybe it's an argument that's gotten personal, does it mean the words are hurtful? Meaningless? Stupid? Unhelpful? Helpful? What?
Huh, I guess my brother's girlfriend, who's from China, has this problem. Well, on occasion. I can't remember it coming up, but she's only been in the US a few years. It was probably worse early on. Wouldn't it suck to have someone make up idioms then you use them...
You know, I bet my brother's done that to her at least once. I would.
It was nice to be plugging along at whatever I was plugging along at this morning then look into the corner of my main monitor and see that the time was 11:00 AM, thirty minutes before lunch. It was a surprise to get back from lunch and do whatever I did then look down and notice that it was after three.
I truly have no memory of doing my work.
I must have searched and screened and scanned and data entered this morning, but I don't remember doing it.
I don't remember pulling up much to read. I do remember posting on that other blog. I don't remember playing online games. I do remember replying to comments in the last post and on other people's blogs. I don't really remember my lunch hour, but I must have left the office because otherwise I'd have to pee, probably pretty badly. Like a racehorse, I suppose, but since I've never seen a racehorse, or any horse, pee I'm not sure exactly what that mean. Although I suppose it means pee a lot because, I assume, that an animal that much larger than a human has a larger bladder than me and therefore pees a large quantity when it pees.
Where do you think the phase "pee like a racehorse" came from? Do other cultures have a similar phrase?
That's one thing I sometimes wonder about when I watch science fiction. Idioms, I mean. An alien must get really confused when a human says something was "tongue-in-cheek." Even with a translator that can translate one language perfectly into another language, would it recognize the phrase as an idiom and translate it as "humorously" or "jokingly," or would it do a direct translation of the words? Then the alien would be wondering what the human is doing with his (or her) tongue in his (or her) cheek. And isn't it hard to talk with one's tongue in one's cheek. That's assuming the alien even knows what a tongue is!
Thing should work the other way, too. I mean shouldn't aliens be going around saying things like, "Your words are feglaios on a bentomej to me." What the hell does that mean, right? Hell, even if there's some kind of context around it, maybe it's an argument that's gotten personal, does it mean the words are hurtful? Meaningless? Stupid? Unhelpful? Helpful? What?
Huh, I guess my brother's girlfriend, who's from China, has this problem. Well, on occasion. I can't remember it coming up, but she's only been in the US a few years. It was probably worse early on. Wouldn't it suck to have someone make up idioms then you use them...
You know, I bet my brother's done that to her at least once. I would.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
So, yeah, we'll see what comes out.
There's snow, again in Texas. I assume Geewits is doin' fine, but is annoyed, since she hasn't posted an omigod-I'm-freaking-out-'cause-of-the-snow post. 'Course, she doesn't seem the type who'd freak out anyway.
I wish there was some snow here.
I know that if I always got a lot of snow I'd probably get sick of it and wish for the day there would be no snow at all, but I don't live there and I'd like some snow. I'd like to take a walk down the street in that brief moment of quiet after the storm. Actually I'd like to be out there during the snowstorm. Not that it matters in the place where I live.
Sometimes I think my brain is atrophying. I don't read nearly as fast as I used to. On occasion, it's hard to think about... things.
Criss, this is being very difficult to write. I set out with no aim and nothin' to say and just go, but nothing much is going to come out. Or wants to come out? Dunno.
In a few recent introspective moments, I've been wondering about souls. What would they be made of? If they're some sort of energy, we wouldn't be able to see them, would we? The only reason we see lightening is because it ionize the air around it creating a flash of plasma, right? Plus, the visible part lasts for only a fraction of a second. (Maybe I'm wrong about that.) What would sustain a soul? Why would a souls create shadows or drop temperatures?
Maybe I've been thinking about this crap because the Discovery Channel has one of those ghost hunter shows. I hate those shows. Okay, so I don't totally HATE those shows, but I HATE the way they use pseudo-science and camera tricks and act like they're doing REAL research. Locking a guy who believes in ghosts in a drawer in an abandoned morgue, in the dark, he's going to end up freaking out or feeling cold or seeing a streak of light; that's not research. Those girls who made all the accusations during the Salem witch trials actually felt cold, their skin felt cold to the touch, does that mean there were witches? Is there a God because there are people out there who say He told them to kill their kids?
GAH! It's just upsetting because once upon a time I could believe the Discovery Channel was actually about science. It's not, though. As much as I like the show, I blame MythBusters. It may have science in it, but science and learnin' isn't the point. Entertainment over information.
'Course, I'm in the minority in that whole thing. I really don't want to believe that the population chooses to be dumb, but it's hard not to.
I wish there was some snow here.
I know that if I always got a lot of snow I'd probably get sick of it and wish for the day there would be no snow at all, but I don't live there and I'd like some snow. I'd like to take a walk down the street in that brief moment of quiet after the storm. Actually I'd like to be out there during the snowstorm. Not that it matters in the place where I live.
Sometimes I think my brain is atrophying. I don't read nearly as fast as I used to. On occasion, it's hard to think about... things.
Criss, this is being very difficult to write. I set out with no aim and nothin' to say and just go, but nothing much is going to come out. Or wants to come out? Dunno.
In a few recent introspective moments, I've been wondering about souls. What would they be made of? If they're some sort of energy, we wouldn't be able to see them, would we? The only reason we see lightening is because it ionize the air around it creating a flash of plasma, right? Plus, the visible part lasts for only a fraction of a second. (Maybe I'm wrong about that.) What would sustain a soul? Why would a souls create shadows or drop temperatures?
Maybe I've been thinking about this crap because the Discovery Channel has one of those ghost hunter shows. I hate those shows. Okay, so I don't totally HATE those shows, but I HATE the way they use pseudo-science and camera tricks and act like they're doing REAL research. Locking a guy who believes in ghosts in a drawer in an abandoned morgue, in the dark, he's going to end up freaking out or feeling cold or seeing a streak of light; that's not research. Those girls who made all the accusations during the Salem witch trials actually felt cold, their skin felt cold to the touch, does that mean there were witches? Is there a God because there are people out there who say He told them to kill their kids?
GAH! It's just upsetting because once upon a time I could believe the Discovery Channel was actually about science. It's not, though. As much as I like the show, I blame MythBusters. It may have science in it, but science and learnin' isn't the point. Entertainment over information.
'Course, I'm in the minority in that whole thing. I really don't want to believe that the population chooses to be dumb, but it's hard not to.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Is this story at all interesting?
It's one a coworker's been telling all day. Feel free to be brutal, if it so inspires you. Name has been changed because that's what I do.
I've heard her tell that story at least four times today to four different people and I don't understand why it was worth telling the first time.
Here's the background: Lulu's a part-time retired secretary. Lulu hasn't been in much for the last month-and-a-half because her judge went in for surgery at the beginning of January.
And that's it!
Is the story worth telling, let alone worth listening to?
GAH!
Last night I ran Lulu at Safeway. There she was with her list and there I was with mine.
(laughs)
I mean, I was pushing pushing my cart around the store and I turned the corner and there she was, hanging over a cart, her list in hand. And there I was with my cart and my list.
(laughs)
I don't even usually go to that Safeway, you know? But the girls were down town getting their nails done and I thought, what the hell, I need to get some shopping done. And there was Lulu. At the Safeway I never use.
(laughs)
I just can't believe I saw Lulu at Safeway. With her list.
(laughs)
I've heard her tell that story at least four times today to four different people and I don't understand why it was worth telling the first time.
Here's the background: Lulu's a part-time retired secretary. Lulu hasn't been in much for the last month-and-a-half because her judge went in for surgery at the beginning of January.
And that's it!
Is the story worth telling, let alone worth listening to?
GAH!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Have You Got the Buzz?
I don't understand Google Buzz. Is it supposed to compete with Twitter? Facebook? What? I don't get it. I don't twit. I don't face. I don't think I want to buzz.
I really wish they had given me some warning before it showed up so I could take steps to not be involved.
Yes, I went and I unbuzzed everyone on my list (sorry if you were one of 'em and it upset you) and then hid the buzz link, but it really shouldn't have shown up at all unless I wanted it there in the first place.
Christ, it sort of reminds me of when Microsoft got a hold of Hotmail and started adding links and scrolls and all sorts of other crap that drove me to Gmail in the first place. What happened to just having a simple, free(ish) e-mail account that didn't try to constantly "lead" me to content that I may be interested in?
Other people may love this kind of shit, getting force fed snippets of information, but I don't.
Fuck you Google for this bullshit. From what I've checked out, you're still the cleanest free e-mail I can get (since I can take steps hide all crap I don't want to use). Let me control my fucking content before it appears. You're not making my interblogs time easier or more fun, you just creating clutter.
And I'm not a fan of clutter fucks.
I really wish they had given me some warning before it showed up so I could take steps to not be involved.
Yes, I went and I unbuzzed everyone on my list (sorry if you were one of 'em and it upset you) and then hid the buzz link, but it really shouldn't have shown up at all unless I wanted it there in the first place.
Christ, it sort of reminds me of when Microsoft got a hold of Hotmail and started adding links and scrolls and all sorts of other crap that drove me to Gmail in the first place. What happened to just having a simple, free(ish) e-mail account that didn't try to constantly "lead" me to content that I may be interested in?
Other people may love this kind of shit, getting force fed snippets of information, but I don't.
Fuck you Google for this bullshit. From what I've checked out, you're still the cleanest free e-mail I can get (since I can take steps hide all crap I don't want to use). Let me control my fucking content before it appears. You're not making my interblogs time easier or more fun, you just creating clutter.
And I'm not a fan of clutter fucks.
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
What's in a name? Returns again.
Sometimes I see a name, here at work, that's just screams at me. Today's: Enrique Goldbaum.
There's probably no story behind the name other than his parents like the name Enrique, but still...
There's probably no story behind the name other than his parents like the name Enrique, but still...
Monday, February 08, 2010
On My Mind
Why is it so much easier to figure out all the things you are not as opposed to the things you are?
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Monday, February 01, 2010
All For Today
Hourly Comicking today.
Hope to have them posted tomorrow morning, 7:45ish, PST, of course.
Hope to have them posted tomorrow morning, 7:45ish, PST, of course.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Movie Meme Thing: The Return Answers!
Original quotes. Hints.
1. Fantastic Mr. Fox, Kristofferson
5. Bubba Ho-tep, JFK
6. Moon, GERTY
8. Juno, Juno
10. Some Like It Hot, Jerry, aka Daphne
14. Alien3, Clemens
15. Majo No Takkyûbin (aka Kiki's Delivery Service), Jiji
16. Jersey Girl, Maya
17. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Judge Turpin
18. Event Horizon, Dr. Weir
20. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Jar Jar Binks
Well, that wasn't nearly as fun as last year.
1. Fantastic Mr. Fox, Kristofferson
5. Bubba Ho-tep, JFK
6. Moon, GERTY
8. Juno, Juno
10. Some Like It Hot, Jerry, aka Daphne
14. Alien3, Clemens
15. Majo No Takkyûbin (aka Kiki's Delivery Service), Jiji
16. Jersey Girl, Maya
17. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Judge Turpin
18. Event Horizon, Dr. Weir
20. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Jar Jar Binks
Well, that wasn't nearly as fun as last year.
I did the math.
Including the unpublished/not deleted drafts, I've posted a little less then 29% of the posts.
Curious.
Also, hint.
Curious.
Also, hint.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Where the jobs at?
She came to work this morning cursing under her breath. On a good day, she travels an hour, over a bridge and through hills, to get to work. She moved to her house 18 months ago when she was hired to be a lead around there. The pay was better and the commute shorter. The job... well, it didn't work out. So, she ended up working here, again.
Her complaints got louder as she got closer to people. Not louder because she was suddenly closer, but louder because the closer she got the more she raised her voice.
"I can't do this no more," she said. "Those god damned people." She shook her head. "I need a different job. I swear, those people are going to kill me." She reached her cubie and stripped off her coat. "I just can't do this no more. I'm gonna march myself into the judge's office and tell him I'm gone." She set her coffee and keys on her desk. "Tell him I can't do this no more." She left her cube. "I'm gonna find me a new job and get the hell away from here." She walked past my cube and into the judge's office. "This place is gonna kill me." She found out the office was empty and went back to her cube. "I think I can't do this no more."
After that, she continued to mumble and grumble for a while, but I couldn't hear anything specific.
Twenty minutes, or so, later, I walked past her cube on my way to the scanner and saw what she was looking at online: eHarmony.
On the way back to my desk: eHarmony.
On my way to the mail area a hour later: one monitor our crappy system, the other eHarmony.
90 seconds ago: one monitor our crappy system, the other eHarmony.
I never thought of eHarmony as a place to look for work. (You know, other than the work involved in dating and other human relationships.)
Her complaints got louder as she got closer to people. Not louder because she was suddenly closer, but louder because the closer she got the more she raised her voice.
"I can't do this no more," she said. "Those god damned people." She shook her head. "I need a different job. I swear, those people are going to kill me." She reached her cubie and stripped off her coat. "I just can't do this no more. I'm gonna march myself into the judge's office and tell him I'm gone." She set her coffee and keys on her desk. "Tell him I can't do this no more." She left her cube. "I'm gonna find me a new job and get the hell away from here." She walked past my cube and into the judge's office. "This place is gonna kill me." She found out the office was empty and went back to her cube. "I think I can't do this no more."
After that, she continued to mumble and grumble for a while, but I couldn't hear anything specific.
Twenty minutes, or so, later, I walked past her cube on my way to the scanner and saw what she was looking at online: eHarmony.
On the way back to my desk: eHarmony.
On my way to the mail area a hour later: one monitor our crappy system, the other eHarmony.
90 seconds ago: one monitor our crappy system, the other eHarmony.
I never thought of eHarmony as a place to look for work. (You know, other than the work involved in dating and other human relationships.)
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
To East or to Err
Been seriously considering not going to Easter this year.
This is the first time, ever, in my life, that it's even occurred to me not to go. I've missed two Easters. The first was missed because I was away at college, with out a means of getting back because the guy would was going to be my ride up had dropped out a week or two before. The second was because my boss, or the assistant boss, I don't remember which, was a horrible bitch and even though I had requested the day off months in advance she still scheduled me for a shift in the middle of the day and of course no one was willing to trade with me because it was fucking Easter!
I know that I've never adequately explained my obsession with Easter here. I know because I checked to see if there was a post that I could point people back to so they'd be reminded of why this is a big deal for me. And, to be honest, I don't want to explain it here, either. So, trust me when I write that it's been an important part of my life for as long as I have been alive.
Which is why I was surprised when, while I was drifting off to sleep a week or so ago, my brain told me that I didn't really want to go this year.
Part of the thought, I think, comes from the fact that WonderCon is that weekend.
Part of it comes from being pretty sure that brothers aren't going to be there.
Part of it comes from Christmas.
Part of it comes from work.
None of them are significant parts. They don't even build to a significant part. But there's enough there that there is doubt.
This is the first time, ever, in my life, that it's even occurred to me not to go. I've missed two Easters. The first was missed because I was away at college, with out a means of getting back because the guy would was going to be my ride up had dropped out a week or two before. The second was because my boss, or the assistant boss, I don't remember which, was a horrible bitch and even though I had requested the day off months in advance she still scheduled me for a shift in the middle of the day and of course no one was willing to trade with me because it was fucking Easter!
I know that I've never adequately explained my obsession with Easter here. I know because I checked to see if there was a post that I could point people back to so they'd be reminded of why this is a big deal for me. And, to be honest, I don't want to explain it here, either. So, trust me when I write that it's been an important part of my life for as long as I have been alive.
Which is why I was surprised when, while I was drifting off to sleep a week or so ago, my brain told me that I didn't really want to go this year.
Part of the thought, I think, comes from the fact that WonderCon is that weekend.
Part of it comes from being pretty sure that brothers aren't going to be there.
Part of it comes from Christmas.
Part of it comes from work.
None of them are significant parts. They don't even build to a significant part. But there's enough there that there is doubt.
Movie Meme Thing: The Return Hints
Link to the quotes.
1. Dahl
5. JFK in a wheel chair.
6. Emoticon'd Hal
8. Not Alaska
10. "Nobody's perfect." is the final line.
14. Most people think the one before this one is the best. I disagree.
15. Sweet Anime
16. No Bob
17. River of blood
18. Really wanted to be Hellraiser
20. The crappiest of the crappy ones.
1. Dahl
5. JFK in a wheel chair.
6. Emoticon'd Hal
8. Not Alaska
10. "Nobody's perfect." is the final line.
14. Most people think the one before this one is the best. I disagree.
15. Sweet Anime
16. No Bob
17. River of blood
18. Really wanted to be Hellraiser
20. The crappiest of the crappy ones.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Baby's are pretty new.
So, old friend had a baby this weekend. Or, at least, labor was induced. That should damn well mean a baby came out, right?
Anyway, congratulation to that old friend and her husband. Hope all is well and soon her family will be away so the pestering can stop.
(Also, no, I don't know the baby's sex. Just know it was had. I'm sure some of you are friends with her on Facebook and could probably know as much or more than I do already.)
Anyway, congratulation to that old friend and her husband. Hope all is well and soon her family will be away so the pestering can stop.
(Also, no, I don't know the baby's sex. Just know it was had. I'm sure some of you are friends with her on Facebook and could probably know as much or more than I do already.)
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Movie Meme Thing: The Return
A) Post quotes from favorite movies (originally 15 or 16 or 20 or whatever).
B) People respond in the comments with the movie the quote is from. (For extra special points, name the character!)
C) No cheating with the internets, because we'll all know and you don't want to be shunned as a dirty, dirty cheater right? (Although I don't really care if you cheat. Thems just the rules as pulled from another blog.) (Also, my movie one from last year is found here.)
1. "Uh, do you mind if I slide my bed roll slightly out from under the train set? It's hard to sleep in that corkscrew position."
2."You're a phony! Yes, you are! And you know what, you can't even sing! Your voice was dubbed!"
AE, Jan 21, The Great Muppet Caper(, Miss Piggy)
3."I hate that word. It's a return, a return to the millions of people who have never forgiven me for deserting the screen."
AE, Jan 22, Sunset Blvd(, Norma Desmond)
4."And on the third day, God created the Remington bolt-action rifle, so that Man could fight the dinosaurs. And the homosexuals."
AE, Jan 21, Mean Girls(, Home-schooled Kid)
5. "Would you like a Ding-Dong? Oh, I don't mean mine! I mean a chocolate ding-dong. Of course mine would be chocolate now that I've been dyed."
6. "Sam, get some sleep. You're very tired."
7."Within an inch of sunlight, the arrows begin to fly. If I am to die in battle, please, please do not let me die bewildered!"
AE, Jan 21, Camelot(, Arthur)
8. "I'm guessing it looks probably like a sea monkey right now and we should let it get a little cuter."
9."I was hiding under your porch because I love you."
AE, Jan 21, Up!(, Dug)
10. "Will you look at that! Look how she moves! It's like Jell-O on springs. Must have some sort of built-in motor or something."
11."The air is clean, the water's clean, even the dirt, it's clean. Bowling averages are way up, mini-golf scores are way down. And we have more excellent water slides than any other planet we communicate with."
Matt, Jan 21, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Rufus
12."Obviously at the place for people that weren't very generous and didn't adopt anybody. I'm at the Continental. Come over one day; we'll paint it."
AE, Jan 21, Defending Your Life(, Daniel)
13."Stand-up philosopher. I coalesce the vapors of human experience into a viable and meaningful comprehension."
AE, Jan 21, History of the World, Part 1(, Comicus)
14. "Some sort of apocalyptic, millenarian, Christian fundamentalist, uh..."
15. "You'd think they'd never seen a girl and a cat on a broom before."
16. "Man cannot live on porn alone."
17. "Oh yes... such practices. The Geishas of Japan, the concubines of Siam, the catamites of Greece, the harlots of India. I have them all here, drawings of them. Everything you've ever dreamed of doing with a woman. Would you like to see?"
18. "She tore a hole in our universe, a gateway to another dimension. A dimension of pure chaos. Pure... evil. When she crossed over, she was just a ship. But when she came back... she was alive!"
19."Why the whole bloody place is the most unspeakable matriarchy in the whole history of civilization! Look at yourself! The way your wife and her strumpet of a mother push you through the hoop! As far as I can see, American men have been totally emasculated - they're like slaves! They die like flies from coronary thrombosis while their women sit under hairdryers eating chocolates and arranging for every second Tuesday to be some sort of Mother's Day! And this infantile preoccupation with bosoms. In all time in this Godforsaken country, the one thing that has appalled me most of all this this preposterous preoccupation with bosoms. Don't you realize they have become the dominant theme in American culture: in literature, advertising and all fields of entertainment and everything. I'll wager you anything you like that if American women stopped wearing brassieres, your whole national economy would collapse overnight."
AE, Jan 21, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World(, Hawthorne)
20. "I don't know. Mesa day startin pretty okee-day with a brisky morning munchy, then BOOM! Gettin very scared and grabbin that Jedi and POW! Mesa here! Mesa gettin' very very scared!"
I'll cross-out the ones that were figured out and write the answerer and the title under it.
On Tuesday, I'll give hints to the ones not answered. On Thursday, I'll give answers to what ever is left.
B) People respond in the comments with the movie the quote is from. (For extra special points, name the character!)
C) No cheating with the internets, because we'll all know and you don't want to be shunned as a dirty, dirty cheater right? (Although I don't really care if you cheat. Thems just the rules as pulled from another blog.) (Also, my movie one from last year is found here.)
1. "Uh, do you mind if I slide my bed roll slightly out from under the train set? It's hard to sleep in that corkscrew position."
2.
AE, Jan 21, The Great Muppet Caper(, Miss Piggy)
3.
AE, Jan 22, Sunset Blvd(, Norma Desmond)
4.
AE, Jan 21, Mean Girls(, Home-schooled Kid)
5. "Would you like a Ding-Dong? Oh, I don't mean mine! I mean a chocolate ding-dong. Of course mine would be chocolate now that I've been dyed."
6. "Sam, get some sleep. You're very tired."
7.
AE, Jan 21, Camelot(, Arthur)
8. "I'm guessing it looks probably like a sea monkey right now and we should let it get a little cuter."
9.
AE, Jan 21, Up!(, Dug)
10. "Will you look at that! Look how she moves! It's like Jell-O on springs. Must have some sort of built-in motor or something."
11.
Matt, Jan 21, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Rufus
12.
AE, Jan 21, Defending Your Life(, Daniel)
13.
AE, Jan 21, History of the World, Part 1(, Comicus)
14. "Some sort of apocalyptic, millenarian, Christian fundamentalist, uh..."
15. "You'd think they'd never seen a girl and a cat on a broom before."
16. "Man cannot live on porn alone."
17. "Oh yes... such practices. The Geishas of Japan, the concubines of Siam, the catamites of Greece, the harlots of India. I have them all here, drawings of them. Everything you've ever dreamed of doing with a woman. Would you like to see?"
18. "She tore a hole in our universe, a gateway to another dimension. A dimension of pure chaos. Pure... evil. When she crossed over, she was just a ship. But when she came back... she was alive!"
19.
AE, Jan 21, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World(, Hawthorne)
20. "I don't know. Mesa day startin pretty okee-day with a brisky morning munchy, then BOOM! Gettin very scared and grabbin that Jedi and POW! Mesa here! Mesa gettin' very very scared!"
I'll cross-out the ones that were figured out and write the answerer and the title under it.
On Tuesday, I'll give hints to the ones not answered. On Thursday, I'll give answers to what ever is left.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
What's It Called When You Feel Proud and a Little Ashamed?
So, I wasn't ever planning on ever talking about this here, but, uh, well, I've been nominated for a 2009 Daria Fanworks Award. I only wrote one (complete) story and it was nominated in five categories. Wow.
So, if you want to read it, go here.
I think I'll be jittery all day long.
So, if you want to read it, go here.
I think I'll be jittery all day long.
Monday, January 11, 2010
*Ahem*
Of course it was sent on a furlough day and after 7PM.
GOVERNOR ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGERExecutive order S-01-10.
STATE CAPITOL • SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA 95814 • (916) 445-2841
January 8, 2010
An Open Letter to State Employees:
Last year, we confronted what history will record as the “Great Recession.” The state made the profoundly difficult decisions necessary to close a $60 billion budget gap, the largest in California’s history.
With our national economy still struggling to recover, California, like most other states, is now confronting a nearly $20 billion difference between expenditures and expected revenues. We are taking steps to rebuild our economy and to turn deficit years into surplus years – but it will take time and require your help.
Over the past year, you’ve helped our state deal with the challenges of a struggling economy by making your own economic sacrifice in the form of furloughs. These furlough savings are helping us preserve the safety net for many Californians and maintain essential services.
As of now, the furlough program will end as scheduled June 30, 2010. In the face of a $20 billion deficit, we are forced to call on you again to help us through the next fiscal year. That is why I am seeking the following changes to take effect July 1:In addition, through an executive order today, I will direct departments to cap the size of their workforce so that we can achieve an additional five percent salary savings in the 2010-11 fiscal year. In most cases, departments will be able to rely on normal attrition rates to meet their workforce cap by the time the fiscal year starts July 1.
- Five percent increase in your monthly employee contribution for your CalPERS pension benefit. This change will apply to all retirement categories.
- Five percent reduction in salaries. This change will apply to all employees in the executive branch, including civil service, non-civil service and non-elected officers.
I appreciate and thank you for the sacrifices that you have made and continue to make on behalf of this great state. I want all Californians to know how proud I am of your hard work, dedication and commitment.
Sincerely,
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Huh
Last night, I recognized someone on TV. And I don't mean I recognized that person like it's some celebrity or something.
I mean I recognized my brother's best friend. He was an extra on Scrubs. He gave the flashback keynote speech.
Weird world.
I mean I recognized my brother's best friend. He was an extra on Scrubs. He gave the flashback keynote speech.
Weird world.
Monday, January 04, 2010
Monday, December 28, 2009
Who Needs Sleep?
There have been many nights, recently, where I have woken up, very late or very early depending on who you are, with thoughts running through my head.
Most of the thoughts have to do with stories. Ideas for characters or plots or "interesting" developments. My brain wants me to write them down, somewhere. It's not important if I ever use the stuff, what's important is that it gets out of my head.
Of course, I never do write the stuff down. It's usually two or three in the morning and that is not a good time to turn on a light and either hunt down paper and pen(cil) or turn on the computer and wait for it to boot. Not a good time at all.
I hate my job enough, as it is, and I ask myself why I'd want to add being extremely tired to an already stupid, if not rotten, day?
And then there was last night. My brain fired off at around 2:30AM. I rolled over and tried to sleep, but my brain wouldn't shut up. It just kept rattling things off and then making connections with those things and then leaping to other ideas. It was quite a pain in the cortex, let me tell you.
I remember looking at my clock at 2:45, 2:53, and 3:01 before I got up hoping that some water would help. I stumbled to the kitchen, pulled the water from the fridge, poured half a glass, drank, then, with more confidence, stumbled back to bed. I climbed in at 3:04, put my head on my pillow, closed my eyes, and was once again bombarded by my brain.
At 3:16 I decided that maybe I had to pee and went into the bathroom. I didn't.
At 3:24 I thought maybe I was too hot, pushed back a cover, and started to shiver. Maybe just one leg out? That got me one cold leg.
I tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable and eventually did drift off, but I do remember looking at the clock and seeing 4:03, 4:29, and 5:12.
When my alarm went off and I climbed out of bed to start the process of starting my day, I decided that maybe it would be better to turn on the fucking computer or search for god damned pen(cil) and paper. At least I'd be doing "something."
Most of the thoughts have to do with stories. Ideas for characters or plots or "interesting" developments. My brain wants me to write them down, somewhere. It's not important if I ever use the stuff, what's important is that it gets out of my head.
Of course, I never do write the stuff down. It's usually two or three in the morning and that is not a good time to turn on a light and either hunt down paper and pen(cil) or turn on the computer and wait for it to boot. Not a good time at all.
I hate my job enough, as it is, and I ask myself why I'd want to add being extremely tired to an already stupid, if not rotten, day?
And then there was last night. My brain fired off at around 2:30AM. I rolled over and tried to sleep, but my brain wouldn't shut up. It just kept rattling things off and then making connections with those things and then leaping to other ideas. It was quite a pain in the cortex, let me tell you.
I remember looking at my clock at 2:45, 2:53, and 3:01 before I got up hoping that some water would help. I stumbled to the kitchen, pulled the water from the fridge, poured half a glass, drank, then, with more confidence, stumbled back to bed. I climbed in at 3:04, put my head on my pillow, closed my eyes, and was once again bombarded by my brain.
At 3:16 I decided that maybe I had to pee and went into the bathroom. I didn't.
At 3:24 I thought maybe I was too hot, pushed back a cover, and started to shiver. Maybe just one leg out? That got me one cold leg.
I tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable and eventually did drift off, but I do remember looking at the clock and seeing 4:03, 4:29, and 5:12.
When my alarm went off and I climbed out of bed to start the process of starting my day, I decided that maybe it would be better to turn on the fucking computer or search for god damned pen(cil) and paper. At least I'd be doing "something."
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
A Qusetion
Is it horribly racist of me to see the first name "D`Mitria" and assume that this person is black?
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Ten Minutes
That's all it takes, right.
Anyway,
Anyway,
- Work, for the day is soon to be over. The week, too, will eventually end. And I will be at my parents' house for the long haul probably on Saturday.
- Found out, due to bears in the ocean, but not in Hawaii, that my brother's wife and me think alike, at least when it comes to bears in the ocean, but not in Hawaii, and the fact that we think alike.
- Haven't dreamed of work for almost a year now. After the new program was introduced I had nightmares and regular dreams about work for four or five months. I don't miss 'em, but sometimes I wonder what it means.
- Been thinking about pizza a lot recently. Haven't bought any, but want to.
- Spent time wondering if I should rejoin Facebook and join up with Twitter. Only a part of me wants to. The rest knows I have plenty of time wasting possibilities already.
- Haven't seen the new Disney movie, but I really, really want to.
- I like menthol. Reminds me of wintergreen, which I also like.
- Been powering though Farscape. That show is even better than I remember.
- Close enough for leaving time.
- 'Night.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Sure Ain't Shakespeare. It Ain't Even Daniel.
There's someone who's distant in the night
curled up under down, hand under head,
waiting for the moment when things turn bright
hoping it washes away all the dread.
But even the golden rays of morning
can't push away all of the little fears
that have built over time with no warning.
Some of life's many stupid souvenirs.
That person stays curled, waiting for day,
hoping that enough small things will get better
that the little fears won't come out and prey
and squeeze and constrict like a shrunken sweater.
Always looking for a small piece of hope
to find a new and better way to cope.
curled up under down, hand under head,
waiting for the moment when things turn bright
hoping it washes away all the dread.
But even the golden rays of morning
can't push away all of the little fears
that have built over time with no warning.
Some of life's many stupid souvenirs.
That person stays curled, waiting for day,
hoping that enough small things will get better
that the little fears won't come out and prey
and squeeze and constrict like a shrunken sweater.
Always looking for a small piece of hope
to find a new and better way to cope.
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
More Obsessive Songs: The Video Edition
Colin Hay's "Overkill" -- Actually not the real video, just him singin' it live.
Jimmy Eats World's "The Middle" -- Never saw this video until today, it's kind of stupid, but I've been humming the song a lot recently.
Grizzly Bear's "Two Weeks" -- A fan video. As Heels put it when she posted it back in August: "This guy made this for the love of the music, and it's incredible."
Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear from Gabe Askew on Vimeo.
Nightshade Family's "Frankie" -- One I just watched this morning, much to my chagrin since Johnny Logic posted it last week, also a fan video. It's about where I grew up. Pretty sure I've been on that merry-go-round.
Jimmy Eats World's "The Middle" -- Never saw this video until today, it's kind of stupid, but I've been humming the song a lot recently.
Grizzly Bear's "Two Weeks" -- A fan video. As Heels put it when she posted it back in August: "This guy made this for the love of the music, and it's incredible."
Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear from Gabe Askew on Vimeo.
Nightshade Family's "Frankie" -- One I just watched this morning, much to my chagrin since Johnny Logic posted it last week, also a fan video. It's about where I grew up. Pretty sure I've been on that merry-go-round.
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
You wanna know something?
I miss overtime. And not just for the obvious reason.
I think I'd be willing to do it even if they just gave me vacation time.
I think I'd be willing to do it even if they just gave me vacation time.
Monday, December 07, 2009
"It's been a quiet week..."
Just bought tickets to go see A Prairie Home Companion, twice, when it comes to SF next month. Although people can't tell by looking at me, I'm very excited.
Thursday, December 03, 2009
Holy and Shit
Comcast moves one step closer to controlling our minds!
Look, I really like TV and movies, but it makes me nervous when the suppliers of TV get involved in the making of it.
Look, I really like TV and movies, but it makes me nervous when the suppliers of TV get involved in the making of it.
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Why does he go on so about GODDAMNED fan fiction!? But this one is short.
One of the things that's fun(nish) about writing fan fiction is that you don't have to really try to describe who the characters are.
I mean if I write the words "Deanna Troi" at the very beginning of a story everyone who chooses to read it will know who Deanna Troi is, what she is, and how she grew up. No explanation necessary. I do, however have to explain why she and Beverly Crusher are kissing and fumbling at each others gi belts after one of Worf's mok'bara classes, but I don't have to tell her life story.
I mean if I write the words "Deanna Troi" at the very beginning of a story everyone who chooses to read it will know who Deanna Troi is, what she is, and how she grew up. No explanation necessary. I do, however have to explain why she and Beverly Crusher are kissing and fumbling at each others gi belts after one of Worf's mok'bara classes, but I don't have to tell her life story.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
35000ish
And another month comes to an end.
Spent USA Thanksgiving at my parents' but ate food at uncle and aunt's house. She served food from Wednesday night to Sunday night. A different type of food each night. I missed ham night, due to pain, but the other three nights I went to were yummy. (Although, the mashed potatoes were disappointing and I learned that if your going to use a hand mixer to mash, put the potatoes into a bowl first, otherwise you leave huge chunks in the pot.)
I brought my Rock Band games and pho-instruments. The Beatles version was quite a success. (As if I expected anything less.) A request was made to bring it back for Christmas, and I will, but I'm also bringing my Wii to force my pa to play. He's such a pooper at trying new-fangled gadgets even if everyone says they're fun and he can hear the joy in their voices as they sing.
Nothin' else to report, that I can think of.
Hope all was well this last month and things will be well into the next.
Spent USA Thanksgiving at my parents' but ate food at uncle and aunt's house. She served food from Wednesday night to Sunday night. A different type of food each night. I missed ham night, due to pain, but the other three nights I went to were yummy. (Although, the mashed potatoes were disappointing and I learned that if your going to use a hand mixer to mash, put the potatoes into a bowl first, otherwise you leave huge chunks in the pot.)
I brought my Rock Band games and pho-instruments. The Beatles version was quite a success. (As if I expected anything less.) A request was made to bring it back for Christmas, and I will, but I'm also bringing my Wii to force my pa to play. He's such a pooper at trying new-fangled gadgets even if everyone says they're fun and he can hear the joy in their voices as they sing.
Nothin' else to report, that I can think of.
Hope all was well this last month and things will be well into the next.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
I can't think of anything so write.
So, I'm posting a picture my brother took, after he staged it, of course.
Click for biggers!
Click for biggers!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
An Annoyance
Not pointing any fingers or, hopefully, stepping on anyone's toes, but am I the only one who's bothered when blogger write anniversary posts?
I am, aren't I.
Everyone else out there in the blogohedron loves anniversary posts, don't they. They love being reminded that it's once again that time of year to write to one of the blogs they skim on a semi-daily basis and offer their heartfelt congratulation to a person who's been able to write on a semi-daily basis on the interporns.
I may think differently if it was just a sentence at the end of that day's post saying, "O, BTW, 2-day B mi blogs anniversary. cool." It never is, though. It's always the whole point of the post from the title to the end.
Yuck.
I am, aren't I.
Everyone else out there in the blogohedron loves anniversary posts, don't they. They love being reminded that it's once again that time of year to write to one of the blogs they skim on a semi-daily basis and offer their heartfelt congratulation to a person who's been able to write on a semi-daily basis on the interporns.
I may think differently if it was just a sentence at the end of that day's post saying, "O, BTW, 2-day B mi blogs anniversary. cool." It never is, though. It's always the whole point of the post from the title to the end.
Yuck.
Monday, November 16, 2009
What's that? We're not helping?
Got an e-mail about twenty minutes ago:
No more coming in as seven for me.
The thing that really bothers me about the letter is the part that says, "Comparing overtime to backlog, we are not addressing the backlog."
I call HORSESHIT on that one. Since my office worked fucking hard at the end of last year and the beginning of this year to get itself caught up, when the offer of overtime came from those above we started helping two other offices with the backlog from their DEUs.
The first office we started helping, back in April, sent us mail that they'd received in August 2008. When we'd finish what they sent, they'd send us a new batch that needed to be taken care of. A healthy portion of the last set of work then sent us came from September 2009. We helped to catch them up by more than a year in about six months.
The second office was doing a better and really only needed help in getting the ratings done. (I had the joy of screening the mail to make sure it actually belonged in the venue and changing the rater to our rater and then serving and scanning the rating when it was done.) I think we started doing their mail in June or July. They were sending stuff to us that they'd gotten in February. The box that I've been screening for the last week is all from September and October.
I think we've helped, just a little, to "address the backlog."
Bugger.
DWC has been tracking overtime by month. To date, the usage of overtime is, unfortunately, not making a large dent in our backlog. Comparing overtime to backlog, we are not addressing the backlog. Therefore, due to our fiscal situation, all overtime must be halted immediately. As of today’s date, November 16, overtime will no longer be paid.
If overtime is unavoidable, please get permission from your supervisor to allow time off.
No more coming in as seven for me.
The thing that really bothers me about the letter is the part that says, "Comparing overtime to backlog, we are not addressing the backlog."
I call HORSESHIT on that one. Since my office worked fucking hard at the end of last year and the beginning of this year to get itself caught up, when the offer of overtime came from those above we started helping two other offices with the backlog from their DEUs.
The first office we started helping, back in April, sent us mail that they'd received in August 2008. When we'd finish what they sent, they'd send us a new batch that needed to be taken care of. A healthy portion of the last set of work then sent us came from September 2009. We helped to catch them up by more than a year in about six months.
The second office was doing a better and really only needed help in getting the ratings done. (I had the joy of screening the mail to make sure it actually belonged in the venue and changing the rater to our rater and then serving and scanning the rating when it was done.) I think we started doing their mail in June or July. They were sending stuff to us that they'd gotten in February. The box that I've been screening for the last week is all from September and October.
I think we've helped, just a little, to "address the backlog."
Bugger.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
My First Foray Into Fandom
In the world of Daria Fandom Fanfition they have challenges for writing called Iron Chefs.
The topic came over from another discuss, but was turned into an Iron Chef and goes liked this:
I wanted to one-up the insanity level in my ficlit:
The topic came over from another discuss, but was turned into an Iron Chef and goes liked this:
Mack visits Jodie at the soup kitchen, Jodie is angry instead of disappointed, upset that Mack gets to take the last few weeks off while she works the most grueling weeks of her schedule. Mack's reasons for quitting, including paying his father off, fall on deaf ears, and he never gets the chance to invite her to Chez Pierre. She breaks it off, and Mack is kicked to the Curb. By the time school starts, everyone knows that Mack is available.My first thought was more along this line, but without the clever ending.
Let the games begin.
I wanted to one-up the insanity level in my ficlit:
Michael practically stumbled into Mr. O'Neill's empty classroom. Lunch wouldn't be over for another fifteen minutes, but he couldn't take it anymore. All those girls trying to throw themselves at him, it was flattering, but also disgusting and exhausting.
He dropped into his usual desk and put his head down. He tried not to think about it, about anything.
He heard the door open and sighed. Who tracked him down here? Who, besides himself, would voluntarily come into a classroom during lunch? Of course, if the stall in the bathroom wasn't a safe place, why should this be any different?
"Mack," said Mr. O'Neill, "what are you doing here?"
Michael looked up and said, "Nothing. Just relaxing before class."
"So you'll be in here until class starts?"
"If it's okay with you?"
"Of course," said Mr. O'Neill, smiling. "I'll be right back."
Michael thought he heard an "Oh, boy!" come from his teacher as he hurried out the door. It must have been his imagination, though.
He put his head back on the desk.
A minute or so later, the door opened and closed again. The dead bolt snapped into place.
He jerked his head up and saw Ms. Barch leaning on Mr. O'Neill's desk, pulling her blouse out of her skirt. "Skinny," she said, slapping her hand on the desk, "let's get this party started."
"Oh, my," said Mr. O'Neill.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
What's in a Name? People Edition
There's a doctor who sends many medical reports to my work. His last name is Guinney.
I just can't keep myself from wondering about his ancestry.
I just can't keep myself from wondering about his ancestry.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Some Music of My Life
I've spent a lot of time recently wondering when people stop searching for new music to listen to.
At what point do people stop tuning into radio stations that play new, or newish, music and start listening for station that play the music they listened to between junior high and, say, 27?
I don't listen to music on the radio, much. Stations piss me off with all their commercials and intros and traffic updates and inane DJ chatter, so I tend to listen to NPR because the major commercials only come twice a year and the chatter is is less inane. Still, there are those moments when I just don't want to consider anything and I'll flip through the radio. And, like most everyone else, I'll stop on songs that I recognize, songs that I can sing along with.
A few months ago, during all this overtime stuff, I started listening to Last.FM when I could. It's great fun because you put in the name of an artist you like and then it plays music by people who are similar. Without it I'd never have experienced the joys of listening to Moxy Früvous and Julia Nunes, among others. (Although the damn radio keeps trying to slip in Hootie & the Blowfish songs, which sucks seahorse scrōt.) So, in that way I've started to move out of what I know and into finding other things, even if I don't buy any CDs or songs from iTunes or wherever, I'm getting to know some new, to me at least, artists.
Still, though I wonder when people stop listening for new things. When driving through the valley on my way to the airport a few weeks ago, there were a bunch of stations claiming to play the best of the '80s and '90s, stuff for my generation. Have we, or many of us at least, already shut off our desire for new music and only want to listen to what we already know? We're only in our thirties, for Xusia's sake!
Anyway, thinking along that line led me to start thinking about my dad. He used to be a pretty big music guy. Lots of records from the '60s and '70s, but not much of anything, if anything at all, from the three decades following. Seems like he sort of quit buying, and maybe listening, to new music between the time my mom got pregnant with me and when they got married. When he discovered modern day record clubs, he bought stuff from his youth. The radio in the house was, except for days when snow was on the ground, tuned to stations claiming to play "the best of the '60s and '70s." and eventually branched out to include the '80s.
I decided to make a mix for him of artists he may have heard coming from my room when I was younger or never heard at all.
I have a few questions, though, that maybe someone out in bland (you know, blog land) might be able to help me with:
1. I have to include The Dresden Dolls. Finding this band was one of my happiest musical moments in recent years. Right now I'm planning on putting "Coin-Operated Boy" on the CD because it's the most accessible song, I think. It's fun, but not my favorite. It's not like "Dear Jenny" or "Girl Anachronism" or "Dirty Business," but are those too outrageous for my dad? Should I play it safe, or throw him into the deep end?
2. I choose Cake's "Love You Madly" because it's a fun song, but I also thought about "Short Skirt, Long Jacket" and "Going the Distance" and "Building A Religion." Maybe something else? Cake has a lot of great songs, so it's hard for me to choose. The only reason I chose "Love You Madly" is because it was the first song that popped into my head when I thought about putting Cake on the CD.
3. Semisonic's "Closing Time" was choosen because it's a good, catchy song. Hell, it was a single for a reason. (It also has a real bad ass video.) The song's excellent, there's no way for me to deny it, but it's not my favorite. My favorite is "Gone to the Movies." So do I pick my favorite song or a recognized great song?
4. The song I'm most unsure of is "Six Different Ways" from The Cure. I just really enjoy the song, but don't think it really represents The Cure. Any suggestions?
At what point do people stop tuning into radio stations that play new, or newish, music and start listening for station that play the music they listened to between junior high and, say, 27?
I don't listen to music on the radio, much. Stations piss me off with all their commercials and intros and traffic updates and inane DJ chatter, so I tend to listen to NPR because the major commercials only come twice a year and the chatter is is less inane. Still, there are those moments when I just don't want to consider anything and I'll flip through the radio. And, like most everyone else, I'll stop on songs that I recognize, songs that I can sing along with.
A few months ago, during all this overtime stuff, I started listening to Last.FM when I could. It's great fun because you put in the name of an artist you like and then it plays music by people who are similar. Without it I'd never have experienced the joys of listening to Moxy Früvous and Julia Nunes, among others. (Although the damn radio keeps trying to slip in Hootie & the Blowfish songs, which sucks seahorse scrōt.) So, in that way I've started to move out of what I know and into finding other things, even if I don't buy any CDs or songs from iTunes or wherever, I'm getting to know some new, to me at least, artists.
Still, though I wonder when people stop listening for new things. When driving through the valley on my way to the airport a few weeks ago, there were a bunch of stations claiming to play the best of the '80s and '90s, stuff for my generation. Have we, or many of us at least, already shut off our desire for new music and only want to listen to what we already know? We're only in our thirties, for Xusia's sake!
Anyway, thinking along that line led me to start thinking about my dad. He used to be a pretty big music guy. Lots of records from the '60s and '70s, but not much of anything, if anything at all, from the three decades following. Seems like he sort of quit buying, and maybe listening, to new music between the time my mom got pregnant with me and when they got married. When he discovered modern day record clubs, he bought stuff from his youth. The radio in the house was, except for days when snow was on the ground, tuned to stations claiming to play "the best of the '60s and '70s." and eventually branched out to include the '80s.
I decided to make a mix for him of artists he may have heard coming from my room when I was younger or never heard at all.
I have a few questions, though, that maybe someone out in bland (you know, blog land) might be able to help me with:
1. I have to include The Dresden Dolls. Finding this band was one of my happiest musical moments in recent years. Right now I'm planning on putting "Coin-Operated Boy" on the CD because it's the most accessible song, I think. It's fun, but not my favorite. It's not like "Dear Jenny" or "Girl Anachronism" or "Dirty Business," but are those too outrageous for my dad? Should I play it safe, or throw him into the deep end?
2. I choose Cake's "Love You Madly" because it's a fun song, but I also thought about "Short Skirt, Long Jacket" and "Going the Distance" and "Building A Religion." Maybe something else? Cake has a lot of great songs, so it's hard for me to choose. The only reason I chose "Love You Madly" is because it was the first song that popped into my head when I thought about putting Cake on the CD.
3. Semisonic's "Closing Time" was choosen because it's a good, catchy song. Hell, it was a single for a reason. (It also has a real bad ass video.) The song's excellent, there's no way for me to deny it, but it's not my favorite. My favorite is "Gone to the Movies." So do I pick my favorite song or a recognized great song?
4. The song I'm most unsure of is "Six Different Ways" from The Cure. I just really enjoy the song, but don't think it really represents The Cure. Any suggestions?
Reach for the Stars, Until You Pass Out From Lack Of Atmosphere and Tumble Back to Earth
Gettin' quite a spike in traffic thanks to this post and this link.
It won't last, but it's nice seeing lots of visitors on my Sitemeter stats.
Thanks for stopping by! I'll miss your numbers when you stop visitin'.
Also, favorite Google search, in recent days, that turned up my blog. HA!
It won't last, but it's nice seeing lots of visitors on my Sitemeter stats.
Thanks for stopping by! I'll miss your numbers when you stop visitin'.
Also, favorite Google search, in recent days, that turned up my blog. HA!
Thursday, November 05, 2009
An Observation
TMSV's laugh is lecherous, but not in that being-silly-lecherous way.
She laughs more like an old man sitting in a seedy strip club watching a 14-year old cry as she pulls her top over her head.
She laughs more like an old man sitting in a seedy strip club watching a 14-year old cry as she pulls her top over her head.
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Handwritin'
First, she did it. Today, her husband did it. I say everyone should do it.
I did it:
As usual, click for biggers, if you need to, or, for some odd reason, want to.
Also, you should know, this is me, especially in the beginning, trying to write more clearly. Usually it's small and cramped because I think words faster than I can write and drop small words and letters and then have to go and cram them in to make for complete(ish) sentences. It happened in this bit of writing where I wrote "because, to the best of my." What it looks to me like I originally wrote was "because, th best o my."
Also, I write just as straight even when there are lines on the page. I guess I see the lines more as barriers not to cross, too much, rather than what I'm supposed to write on.
A list of some others:
From So The Fish Said's comments:
I did it:
As usual, click for biggers, if you need to, or, for some odd reason, want to.
Also, you should know, this is me, especially in the beginning, trying to write more clearly. Usually it's small and cramped because I think words faster than I can write and drop small words and letters and then have to go and cram them in to make for complete(ish) sentences. It happened in this bit of writing where I wrote "because, to the best of my." What it looks to me like I originally wrote was "because, th best o my."
Also, I write just as straight even when there are lines on the page. I guess I see the lines more as barriers not to cross, too much, rather than what I'm supposed to write on.
A list of some others:
From So The Fish Said's comments:
Monday, November 02, 2009
How Should I Picture This?
They wore "coats dark and sober except for bright horizontal slashes of ... color across the chest."
Robert Jordan does this a lot. (That's part of a sentence for Lord of Chaos.) He describes the clothes of characters and says that they have slashes of color (or specific colors) across the front or in the skirt or somewhere and I have no idea how to properly picture "slashes" in clothing.
Does it mean the coat, or whatever, is sliced through to show a color beneath? Is it thin strips of color sewn onto the coat? Is it like, say, those military stripe things (see all that gear on left side McCrystal's coat)?
What does it look like?
Please tell me. It's been bothering me for years and I've only now had the courage to admit my problem.
Help!
Robert Jordan does this a lot. (That's part of a sentence for Lord of Chaos.) He describes the clothes of characters and says that they have slashes of color (or specific colors) across the front or in the skirt or somewhere and I have no idea how to properly picture "slashes" in clothing.
Does it mean the coat, or whatever, is sliced through to show a color beneath? Is it thin strips of color sewn onto the coat? Is it like, say, those military stripe things (see all that gear on left side McCrystal's coat)?
What does it look like?
Please tell me. It's been bothering me for years and I've only now had the courage to admit my problem.
Help!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Another day, another post where I don't want to say much. Why write then?
Why not?
Just because I don't want to write about the things that are on my mind doesn't mean that I don't want to write something. Hell, there was a time when I posted n...
You know what, fuck it. I'm sick of complaining, right now.
So, this is what you get and it's what I get for today.
Perhaps better stuff tomorrow, but I doubt it. I've caught up with all the work at my desk up through the stuff that came in on Monday and the stuff that's left in the in-basket looks to be about 1/3rd the size of the stuff I just finished and that covered 6 work-days and took me 2 1/2 days to finish.
Bollocks.
Why not?
Just because I don't want to write about the things that are on my mind doesn't mean that I don't want to write something. Hell, there was a time when I posted n...
You know what, fuck it. I'm sick of complaining, right now.
So, this is what you get and it's what I get for today.
Perhaps better stuff tomorrow, but I doubt it. I've caught up with all the work at my desk up through the stuff that came in on Monday and the stuff that's left in the in-basket looks to be about 1/3rd the size of the stuff I just finished and that covered 6 work-days and took me 2 1/2 days to finish.
Bollocks.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
More Good News!
Subject: 2009 California State Tax Withholding Rate Changes
This is to advise you of changes in California State Tax Withholding rates. The rate changes are for both the percentage method of withholding and the supplemental/flat method of withholding. The supplemental/flat method of withholding rate has increased from 6.0% to 6.6%. The changes will be effective beginning with payments issue dated November 1, 2009.
You may view the changes by going online to the following website and inputting your personal information:
www.sco.ca.gov/ppsd_se_paycheck_calc.html
Part of me hopes that this only affects people working for the state, but another part of me wants to share the misery with everyone.
Edit@Noon: One of the ladies in the office came over to me about this and got a little... peevish with me because I didn't get all angry over it. It's not that I'm not angry, it's just that I'm so tired being angry over this sort of crap.
Something happens so we get less money each paycheck and I get angry and lots of other people get angry and nothing happens.
I'm just tired of all this crap.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Mixed
Figured out today that after this Friday I will not be at work on a Friday until January 29. That's twelve weeks.
One the one hand, that's a lot of time where I come into work only four days a week and at least three weeks where I only have to come for three days.
On the other hand, most of that time off is because my pay was cut nearly 15%.
People around here keep saying how surprising it was to adjust to Fridays off and how hard it is to work on those days where we come in for five days. I say that's nuts. Of course it's easy to adjust to NOT doing something you dislike.
Christ.
One the one hand, that's a lot of time where I come into work only four days a week and at least three weeks where I only have to come for three days.
On the other hand, most of that time off is because my pay was cut nearly 15%.
People around here keep saying how surprising it was to adjust to Fridays off and how hard it is to work on those days where we come in for five days. I say that's nuts. Of course it's easy to adjust to NOT doing something you dislike.
Christ.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Been Trying to Catch-Up
So, there's been no reporting on my trip. To start to make it up to you, here's the bizarre statue of Bush Sr. at Houston International Airport.
For those who doubted, I told you it existed.
For those who doubted, I told you it existed.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
To Clarify, sort of
It's not so much about being back at work after being away for a while.
Yes, I have a lot of work to catch up with, but it's mindless and simple. It's more about the amazingly high stress level in the place. (I think mostly because everyone hates everyone else but tries to keep it down to a mild simmer of loathing that no one is willing to acknowledge.) The stress sort of shed itself in layers, slowly falling away, while I was gone. The moment the clock passed 8:30, and everyone was finally here, all the stress was dumped back on me.
And, so, life is not like a box of chocolates because even if you don't like the filling, at least you always get a little bit of chocolate first and can lick the chocolate to help get rid of the nasty taste.
Yes, I have a lot of work to catch up with, but it's mindless and simple. It's more about the amazingly high stress level in the place. (I think mostly because everyone hates everyone else but tries to keep it down to a mild simmer of loathing that no one is willing to acknowledge.) The stress sort of shed itself in layers, slowly falling away, while I was gone. The moment the clock passed 8:30, and everyone was finally here, all the stress was dumped back on me.
And, so, life is not like a box of chocolates because even if you don't like the filling, at least you always get a little bit of chocolate first and can lick the chocolate to help get rid of the nasty taste.
Monday, October 05, 2009
Zombie Limericks!
Sort of like that Zombie Haiku! post. (Oh, and thanks to RhymeZone for helping when I got stuck.)
He said that he wanted my brain.Please do your own and if you post it to your blog let me know in the comments.
Not those girls exceedingly vain.
'Til he munched on a chick
Who was built like a brick.
They just won't eat one who's so plain.
Being dead doesn't mean being rude.
Ripping flesh with your teeth is so crude.
So, use knife and fork
To eat human pork.
It's the civilized way to eat food.
It's hard to remember having fun
When worried about your gun.
We see all we kill.
There are more on the hill.
Soon everyone will have to run.
The safest, they said, would be malls,
With barricaded doors and thick walls.
Well, now we're surrounded
And constantly hounded,
With nothing to eat but baseballs.
I shuffle and groan every day.
For my people, it's just our way.
When we're in luck,
We chow down on Chuck,
Or that grizzled old bat, Aunt May.
Developing Artist
Watched Capitalism: A Love Story this weekend.
While I think that he'll never have a better subject than a past film, his filmmaking keeps getting better.
Don't take my word for it, though, let's go to a person who dislikes Michael Moore:
While I think that he'll never have a better subject than a past film, his filmmaking keeps getting better.
Don't take my word for it, though, let's go to a person who dislikes Michael Moore:
Most interesting is the way he positions black citizens in the Obama theme. An interview is interrupted by the news that the election is won, and we see black folk leap and cheer -- a common image during that news cycle, but (as I mentioned about the portrayal of Republicans tumbling out of the closet in Republican Gomorrah) newly piquant in a narrative context: The most traditionally despised and debased people in the country suddenly filled with optimism. The payoff comes near the end, when Moore reproduces FDR's 1944 call for a new Bill of Rights-- a late New Deal legacy that presaged Moore's own hopes for the nation. We may be aware without reminding that Roosevelt's vision -- including that of "every family to a decent home.. to adequate medical care... to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age and sickness and accident" -- went unrealized after his death.
Next we see the crowds weeping at FDR's funeral procession -- many of them African-American. Then Moore avails a stealth-shock cut -- it takes a few moments to realize that the helicopters we are next shown are hovering over the flooded homes in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, and that the terrified citizens begging for rescue are black.
I'm a terrible cynic, but the sorrow and anger at injustice I felt at what I saw, I am convinced, were not drawn by a gimp-string, nor by a clever concatenation of my own prejudices, but by the craft of a real filmmaker turning bare facts and images into art. It's political, certainly. But sometimes, if rarely, a political gesture is sufficiently inspired to cross the line.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Today is Fall
The temperature while walking to work was in the mid-40s. The breeze was heavier than gentle. The air smelled fresh. Fall has finally arrived.
Some will get into work later this morning and complain that it's soooooo cold out. I find it refreshing.
Some will get into work later this morning and complain that it's soooooo cold out. I find it refreshing.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Dear CBS,
Please rearrange your Monday night schedule to put How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory back-to-back again.
I tried the new Jenna Elfman show, I really did, but it's not good. And I like Jenna Elfman, but she's one of the two good things about it and let me tell you the other good thing isn't the plot, the writing, the "comedy," the male lead, or anything else that'd make me want to stick around.
Also, I've never like Two and a Half Men. Many others do, but I don't.
So, please, move How I Met Your Mother to nine or The Big Bang Theory to 8:30 and make my Monday night viewing more pleasurable.
*hugs*
ticknart
I tried the new Jenna Elfman show, I really did, but it's not good. And I like Jenna Elfman, but she's one of the two good things about it and let me tell you the other good thing isn't the plot, the writing, the "comedy," the male lead, or anything else that'd make me want to stick around.
Also, I've never like Two and a Half Men. Many others do, but I don't.
So, please, move How I Met Your Mother to nine or The Big Bang Theory to 8:30 and make my Monday night viewing more pleasurable.
*hugs*
ticknart
Monday, September 28, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Another God damned post about fan ficiton!?
Yeah, but this one's about me, too.
To say that I've been reading a lot of fan fiction recently is like saying that people breathe. I've been through lots of bad stuff and found a few pretty good things, but I've read way more than some may want to believe.
As I read a question crept into my mind: Why haven't I been writing fan fiction? I've been reading it off and on since 1997, why haven't I created my own? I sit and think "what if?" about nearly everything I enjoy. I wonder about the life of characters after then end or at an age that the original never went to and I think up arcs and stories, why haven't I ever put them down in writing?
(Okay, so technically, I have. There's that Voyager thing I did and a short Sliders story (Both of which need some massive editing. Like and embarrassing amount of editing.), but I haven't done any regular fan fiction writing, ever.)
In the beginning I think it was because I saw fan fiction as a fun diversion. I was in school and busy with my school work and what not. It was there for me to read and enjoy, but it wasn't something that I wanted to create myself.
When school ended I kept reading, but I had delusions of being a "real" writer. Of writing short stories and novels and having them published on paper that people paid money for. Of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people enjoying a tale spun from my thoughts. I didn't write anything much beyond a paragraph, though. Eventually, I knew I wouldn't do anything more than that and did my best to stop thinking.
Still the hope was there and I started that Fiction Friday experiment. I think there's some strong stuff in there. Good ideas and plenty of okay writing. (Also, poor editing, but that's only because I'd post 'em right after I wrote 'em. So, really, that's a different problem. Procrastination.) If wishes were ponies, I'd still be posting those on a regular basis an have more than two years worth of short stories on here.
The main problem was that I just didn't write. There were, and are, plenty of ideas in my head, but I didn't, and don't, write. I can't say why, but I don't. I guess that just not enough of me wants to.
Ce qui a été, est.
Which, pretty much, brings us up to this latest run in with fan fiction and me still not writing it.
Why not?
1. I know this one isn't true, a lot of the stuff is crap, but I've read some stuff by people who can really write. They know how to craft a sentence to support a paragraph to build a story. I even found one today that had writing in the good-to-great range.
It is real writing. There are creative plots and intriguing ideas. The writers may not create the character and too many don't know how to keep the characters in character, but they're still putting one word next to another (except for the ones written in 1337 or txtese) to create an (hopefully) original story.
2. Well, that's true, but really how often to "real" writers make money from their first several short stories. Pretty damn rare for a new writer to get published in The New Yorker.
Plus, if money was made off of fan fiction (aside from the company approved stuff) we'd see the publishers and movie/TV studios and authors come swooping in with their lawyer to crush the folks who write the stuff.
3. Also true, but at least you know that they're there because they like the characters, right?
4. What I mean by this is that I'm far more interested in putting in new characters to explore the universe without ever necessarily going near the original characters.
To better explain, hopefully: How are young wizards, in the Harry Potter-verse, in the USA trained? There are some boarding schools in the USA, but there's very few and very far between. Even the ones that do exist don't really do the whole different-houses-that-compete thing. Would there be one or two or three big schools for wizarding children for the USA or maybe all of North America that all the magical children go to? Or would it be more like a local after school program for those certain special individuals? And how did Voldemort causing trouble in England effect the wizards in the US and Canada?
That's something that I'd be more interested in exploring than what happened to Ron after he ditched Harry and Hermione in Deathly Hallows and then coming back to them or Peter Pettigrew's adventures with the Weasley family or redeeming Draco Malfoy. But is it really a Harry Potter fan fiction if it never mentions Harry Potter?
5. Whatever you write, even if people like it, you won't ever get any constructive criticism, which I think is important for any writer.
Also, once you start writing under any fandom they, or a vocal number of them, think they own the characters and therefore should be able to tell you exactly what you should have done while they call what you, probably, worked hard on a horrible piece of shit.
Oh, sure, fuck 'em, right? It's not that simple, though. As seen by 3, those are the only people who are going to be reading what you wrote. Fan fiction does not expand beyond the small part of the fanbase that reads and writes it.
6. Always a concern. Some of the original creators support fan fiction, some ignore it (or pretend to ignore it), some ask for it to be removed when they find out it's been done. Lots of the properties aren't owned by the original creators, or at least not totally, and who can tell when Viacom or Universal or Warner Bros. or Disney will have their attorneys send out cease and desist letters to the massive fan fiction websites.
7. Once you write it and put it on a fan fiction site, your part of that community. Whether it's a site that's about all fan fiction or a site dedicated to one certain character/show/book/whatever your part of a community and there are certain expectations that I'm uncomfortable with, like conversations with people. Even knowing it's via message board it makes my stomach flop.
8. I'm not. I know I'm not.
To be better than fan fiction I'd at least have to be writing something. I'm not though.
To actually be better than fan fiction I'd have to be published or filmed and have people writing fan fiction based on my stuff.
And it really bugs me that floating around in my brain is that damn thought because at least those guys and girls are writing something creative. I'm not even doing that. I'm just sitting and thinking about ideas. Nothing goes down on paper or takes up bits on the hard drive, nothing. Still, the thought is there.
I feel like I should be wrapping this up, but I don't know how. Will I continue to not write fan fiction? Will I start writing fan fiction? Will I quit the fan fiction thing altogether? I really can't say.
I have ideas. Like the one mentioned above. Hell, I even have ideas for a couple of series of stories for several different fandoms, for lack of a better word. As I wrote earlier, I just don't write. (And, yes, I realize the irony in that sentence.) I don't. I think I should, but... you know.
To say that I've been reading a lot of fan fiction recently is like saying that people breathe. I've been through lots of bad stuff and found a few pretty good things, but I've read way more than some may want to believe.
As I read a question crept into my mind: Why haven't I been writing fan fiction? I've been reading it off and on since 1997, why haven't I created my own? I sit and think "what if?" about nearly everything I enjoy. I wonder about the life of characters after then end or at an age that the original never went to and I think up arcs and stories, why haven't I ever put them down in writing?
(Okay, so technically, I have. There's that Voyager thing I did and a short Sliders story (Both of which need some massive editing. Like and embarrassing amount of editing.), but I haven't done any regular fan fiction writing, ever.)
In the beginning I think it was because I saw fan fiction as a fun diversion. I was in school and busy with my school work and what not. It was there for me to read and enjoy, but it wasn't something that I wanted to create myself.
When school ended I kept reading, but I had delusions of being a "real" writer. Of writing short stories and novels and having them published on paper that people paid money for. Of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people enjoying a tale spun from my thoughts. I didn't write anything much beyond a paragraph, though. Eventually, I knew I wouldn't do anything more than that and did my best to stop thinking.
Still the hope was there and I started that Fiction Friday experiment. I think there's some strong stuff in there. Good ideas and plenty of okay writing. (Also, poor editing, but that's only because I'd post 'em right after I wrote 'em. So, really, that's a different problem. Procrastination.) If wishes were ponies, I'd still be posting those on a regular basis an have more than two years worth of short stories on here.
The main problem was that I just didn't write. There were, and are, plenty of ideas in my head, but I didn't, and don't, write. I can't say why, but I don't. I guess that just not enough of me wants to.
Ce qui a été, est.
Which, pretty much, brings us up to this latest run in with fan fiction and me still not writing it.
Why not?
- It's hard to suppress the belief that fan fiction isn't real writing.
- You don't make money from it.
- Only a niche group is going to read it.
- I want to play in the sandbox, but play with my own toys more than the creator's toys.
- Fandom is insanity, even if there are a bunch of decent people.
- Copyright infringement.
- I'd have to join a community.
- I'm better than fan fiction.
1. I know this one isn't true, a lot of the stuff is crap, but I've read some stuff by people who can really write. They know how to craft a sentence to support a paragraph to build a story. I even found one today that had writing in the good-to-great range.
It is real writing. There are creative plots and intriguing ideas. The writers may not create the character and too many don't know how to keep the characters in character, but they're still putting one word next to another (except for the ones written in 1337 or txtese) to create an (hopefully) original story.
2. Well, that's true, but really how often to "real" writers make money from their first several short stories. Pretty damn rare for a new writer to get published in The New Yorker.
Plus, if money was made off of fan fiction (aside from the company approved stuff) we'd see the publishers and movie/TV studios and authors come swooping in with their lawyer to crush the folks who write the stuff.
3. Also true, but at least you know that they're there because they like the characters, right?
4. What I mean by this is that I'm far more interested in putting in new characters to explore the universe without ever necessarily going near the original characters.
To better explain, hopefully: How are young wizards, in the Harry Potter-verse, in the USA trained? There are some boarding schools in the USA, but there's very few and very far between. Even the ones that do exist don't really do the whole different-houses-that-compete thing. Would there be one or two or three big schools for wizarding children for the USA or maybe all of North America that all the magical children go to? Or would it be more like a local after school program for those certain special individuals? And how did Voldemort causing trouble in England effect the wizards in the US and Canada?
That's something that I'd be more interested in exploring than what happened to Ron after he ditched Harry and Hermione in Deathly Hallows and then coming back to them or Peter Pettigrew's adventures with the Weasley family or redeeming Draco Malfoy. But is it really a Harry Potter fan fiction if it never mentions Harry Potter?
5. Whatever you write, even if people like it, you won't ever get any constructive criticism, which I think is important for any writer.
Also, once you start writing under any fandom they, or a vocal number of them, think they own the characters and therefore should be able to tell you exactly what you should have done while they call what you, probably, worked hard on a horrible piece of shit.
Oh, sure, fuck 'em, right? It's not that simple, though. As seen by 3, those are the only people who are going to be reading what you wrote. Fan fiction does not expand beyond the small part of the fanbase that reads and writes it.
6. Always a concern. Some of the original creators support fan fiction, some ignore it (or pretend to ignore it), some ask for it to be removed when they find out it's been done. Lots of the properties aren't owned by the original creators, or at least not totally, and who can tell when Viacom or Universal or Warner Bros. or Disney will have their attorneys send out cease and desist letters to the massive fan fiction websites.
7. Once you write it and put it on a fan fiction site, your part of that community. Whether it's a site that's about all fan fiction or a site dedicated to one certain character/show/book/whatever your part of a community and there are certain expectations that I'm uncomfortable with, like conversations with people. Even knowing it's via message board it makes my stomach flop.
8. I'm not. I know I'm not.
To be better than fan fiction I'd at least have to be writing something. I'm not though.
To actually be better than fan fiction I'd have to be published or filmed and have people writing fan fiction based on my stuff.
And it really bugs me that floating around in my brain is that damn thought because at least those guys and girls are writing something creative. I'm not even doing that. I'm just sitting and thinking about ideas. Nothing goes down on paper or takes up bits on the hard drive, nothing. Still, the thought is there.
I feel like I should be wrapping this up, but I don't know how. Will I continue to not write fan fiction? Will I start writing fan fiction? Will I quit the fan fiction thing altogether? I really can't say.
I have ideas. Like the one mentioned above. Hell, I even have ideas for a couple of series of stories for several different fandoms, for lack of a better word. As I wrote earlier, I just don't write. (And, yes, I realize the irony in that sentence.) I don't. I think I should, but... you know.
I Figured It Out
For a long time, at least while the show was on TV, my brothers and I have been trying to figure out the first name of the first officer on the starship Voyager.
His name: Charles "Chuck" O'Tay.
Turns out the guy is Irish. I'm not sure why everyone calls him by his full name, though. Weird crew.
His name: Charles "Chuck" O'Tay.
Turns out the guy is Irish. I'm not sure why everyone calls him by his full name, though. Weird crew.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
This Week's Obsessive Songs
"Paper Bag," Fiona Apple, from When the Pawn...
I was staring at the sky, just looking for a star"Call and Answer," Barenaked Ladies, from Stunt
To pray on, or wish on, or something like that
I was having a sweet fix of a daydream of a boy
Whose reality I knew, was a hopeless to be had
But then the dove of hope began its downward slope
And I believed for a moment that my chances
Were approaching to be grabbed
But as it came down near, so did a weary tear
I thought it was a bird, but it was just a paper bag
Hunger hurts, and I want him so bad, oh it kills
'Cause I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up
I got to fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts, but starving works, when it costs too much to love
And I went crazy again today, looking for a strand to climb
Looking for a little hope
Baby said he couldn't stay, wouldn't put his lips to mine,
And a fail to kiss is a fail to cope
I said, "Honey, I don't feel so good, don't feel justified
Come on put a little love here in my void," he said
"It's all in your head," and I said, "So's everything"
But he didn't get it I thought he was a man
But he was just a little boy
Hunger hurts, and I want him so bad, oh it kills
'Cause I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up
I got to fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts, but starving works, when it costs too much to love
Hunger hurts, and I want him so bad, oh it kills
'Cause I know I'm a mess he don't wanna clean up
I got to fold 'cause these hands are too shaky to hold
Hunger hurts, but starving works, when it costs too much to love
I think it's getting to the point
Where I can be myself again
I think it's getting to the point
Where we have almost made amends
I think it's the getting to the point
That is the hardest part.
And if you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I'll pick you up
And if you court this disaster
I'll point you home
You think I only think about you
When were both in the same room
You think I'm only here to witness
The remains of love exhumed
You think we're here to play
A game of who loves more than whom
And if you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I'll pick you up
And if you court this disaster
I'll point you home
You think it's only fair to do whats
Best for you and you alone
You think it's only fair to do the same
To me when you're not home
I think it's time to make this something that is
More than only fair
So if you call, I will answer
And if you fall, I'll pick you up
And if you court this disaster
I'll point you home.
But I'm warning you, dont ever do
Those crazy, messed up things that you do
If you ever do
I promise you I'll be the first to crucity you
Now it's time to prove that youve come back
Here to rebuild.
Rebuild...
Rebuild...
Rebuild...
Rebuild...
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Are these offensive?
I ask because a woman at work put an image similar to the last one on her desktop and some think it's inappropriate and at least one is offended by it. But are they offensive and/or inappropriate?
If they are, are they only offensive and/or inappropriate in a work environment or anywhere?
Also, it was all fine until the woman with the picture announced to staff what was going on in the picture because most people in the office had no clue what it was. So, if she hadn't announced it, would the picture still be offensive and/or inappropriate?
I'm probably the only one who cares, but...
There's a Daria fan fiction series called "John Lane". Basically it's a Daria/Jane 'shipping story that decided to dodge the lesbian issue by re-imagining Jane as a guy, who has a much rougher life, and then rewriting most episodes with the new status quo.
Anyway, in the one I'm reading now, based around "Write Where it Hurts," Helen and Jake are concerned about the potential of Daria and John having sex and decide to talk to the two. Helen tells Daria that it's time for The Pill and Jake talks to John. Helen gets concerned that Jake... uh... instability may hurt the talk and goes in to... mediate, which leads to this:
Sometimes it's really hard to laugh silently here at work.
Anyway, in the one I'm reading now, based around "Write Where it Hurts," Helen and Jake are concerned about the potential of Daria and John having sex and decide to talk to the two. Helen tells Daria that it's time for The Pill and Jake talks to John. Helen gets concerned that Jake... uh... instability may hurt the talk and goes in to... mediate, which leads to this:
Helen knocked on the door and opened it.
John and Jake's laughter followed the faint "thwap" of something hitting Helen's forehead. John said, "You're right. They do stretch."
Sometimes it's really hard to laugh silently here at work.
The more I think about it...
...the more I realize that if "Come Together" had been written in the past 5 years the more likely it would have been about bukkake.
Not that it would stop my enjoyment of the song.
Not that it would stop my enjoyment of the song.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Mixed Up
About two weeks ago, Jazz wrote about how she met her Mr. Jazz. In the comments, one of her regulars said, "We should ask fellow bloggers who wouldn't object to sharing, how they met their significant other and what was it that turned them on."
This morning, Jazz posted a list of stories that other people have written who were inspired by her or inspired by others who were inspired by her, for the most part.
Okay, why am I writing about this here?
I want a story.
Sure, there are a lot of similarities in the tales these people tell (There seem to be two main types: 1. Immediate attraction by the party of the first part. and 2. People were friendly and friendly moved into more than friendly.), but there are all sorts of extra details. There are drawls and concerts and Christmas decorations and aviator jackets and rain and Zeppelin and long queues and boobs and reconnaissance and each of those things are just one little detail out of nine different stories. The uniqueness of the details really makes these sort of stories pop.
So, I want a story. I want weird little details that mean nothing and everything.
I don't want a person, but I'd really like a story. A story that's totally unique to me, but familiar to everyone who's heard or experience a moment of knowing.
This morning, Jazz posted a list of stories that other people have written who were inspired by her or inspired by others who were inspired by her, for the most part.
Okay, why am I writing about this here?
I want a story.
Sure, there are a lot of similarities in the tales these people tell (There seem to be two main types: 1. Immediate attraction by the party of the first part. and 2. People were friendly and friendly moved into more than friendly.), but there are all sorts of extra details. There are drawls and concerts and Christmas decorations and aviator jackets and rain and Zeppelin and long queues and boobs and reconnaissance and each of those things are just one little detail out of nine different stories. The uniqueness of the details really makes these sort of stories pop.
So, I want a story. I want weird little details that mean nothing and everything.
I don't want a person, but I'd really like a story. A story that's totally unique to me, but familiar to everyone who's heard or experience a moment of knowing.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
More of That Fan Fiction Stuff
For the last few weeks, my fan fiction kick has been the Daria stuff. (I'm not brave/stupid enough to log onto the adult fan fiction sites at work, so it's all safe, and so far nothing is too risqué, since I know y'all are so sensitive about that sort of thing.) (PENIS! VAGINA! VULGAR TERMS FOR BODY PARTS!)
So far, the thing that's surprised me most is how the Trent 'shippers treat their love for putting Daria and Trent together. They seem unwilling to make it simple. There's been a surprising number that don't hook them up until she's out of college and not all of them work out in a "happily ever after" way. Most of the ones who do put them together while she's in school make it fairly clear that it won't be like that forever, that eventually they'll grow apart.
It's like these people actually paid attention to the show and the characters!
Of course, then you occasionally get bits like this:
One thing, though, that sort of bothers me is how some of the 'shippers try to make Trent better, or flesh him out. (This author does it a lot.) I never thought Trent was dumb, but I still don't think he's a deep thinker. He's just a guy who wants to do what he enjoys.
Some more at 9:40 AM the next day:
Okay, here's an example of what I was writing about above, but didn't finish because I was eager to leave work. The author above wrote a story from Trent's point of view for the episode "Jane's Addition." For those who don't remember, or know, "Jane's Addition" is the episode where Daria pretty much gets over her crush on Trent. (A much more thorough summary. Transcript.) He's just too --I want to say lazy, but I don't think the guy's lazy, just not overly motivated?-- relaxed (still not the right word, but it's the best I can come up with) for Daria. She makes sure she keeps any commitments she makes. Trent isn't so worried about that.
Anyway, in "Jane's Addition" the crush ends because Daria really gets to know who Trent is. (And the end was coming, as they showed in the episode "Lane Miserables.") They'll stay friends, but that's it.
In the story mentioned above, "Trent's Equation," the author makes it clear that Trent disappointed Daria and ended her crush on him on purpose. Trent thought that the crush was having a bad effect on Daria and decided that it was better for her to be heartbroken for a while than to be entangled with him. The author, in a note at the end of the story, writes, "I believe Trent is actually a more mature character than we actually see on the show, I think his method of expressing his feelings will come across subtlety and peripherally, since he is at an age where he is much more cognizant of relationship consequences than Jane or Daria." But the author also saw Trent developing a crush on Daria when he told her that it's "[t]oo bad [she's] not a few years older [because he] could take [her] out" at the end of "Lane Miserables." Reading it that way changes a lot.
So far, the thing that's surprised me most is how the Trent 'shippers treat their love for putting Daria and Trent together. They seem unwilling to make it simple. There's been a surprising number that don't hook them up until she's out of college and not all of them work out in a "happily ever after" way. Most of the ones who do put them together while she's in school make it fairly clear that it won't be like that forever, that eventually they'll grow apart.
It's like these people actually paid attention to the show and the characters!
Of course, then you occasionally get bits like this:
She thought about it. "Yes. Sleep is good." She stretched, and suddenly remembered that she was naked under her robe, she looked down and realized that she had just flashed Trent. He looked completely discommoded, she didn't really care, she had pretty breasts.I never thought of Daria as one who really thought about whether or not her breasts were pretty. (Click for the story.) Still, a little of this isn't a horrible thing.
One thing, though, that sort of bothers me is how some of the 'shippers try to make Trent better, or flesh him out. (This author does it a lot.) I never thought Trent was dumb, but I still don't think he's a deep thinker. He's just a guy who wants to do what he enjoys.
Some more at 9:40 AM the next day:
Okay, here's an example of what I was writing about above, but didn't finish because I was eager to leave work. The author above wrote a story from Trent's point of view for the episode "Jane's Addition." For those who don't remember, or know, "Jane's Addition" is the episode where Daria pretty much gets over her crush on Trent. (A much more thorough summary. Transcript.) He's just too --I want to say lazy, but I don't think the guy's lazy, just not overly motivated?-- relaxed (still not the right word, but it's the best I can come up with) for Daria. She makes sure she keeps any commitments she makes. Trent isn't so worried about that.
Anyway, in "Jane's Addition" the crush ends because Daria really gets to know who Trent is. (And the end was coming, as they showed in the episode "Lane Miserables.") They'll stay friends, but that's it.
In the story mentioned above, "Trent's Equation," the author makes it clear that Trent disappointed Daria and ended her crush on him on purpose. Trent thought that the crush was having a bad effect on Daria and decided that it was better for her to be heartbroken for a while than to be entangled with him. The author, in a note at the end of the story, writes, "I believe Trent is actually a more mature character than we actually see on the show, I think his method of expressing his feelings will come across subtlety and peripherally, since he is at an age where he is much more cognizant of relationship consequences than Jane or Daria." But the author also saw Trent developing a crush on Daria when he told her that it's "[t]oo bad [she's] not a few years older [because he] could take [her] out" at the end of "Lane Miserables." Reading it that way changes a lot.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Some Back and Forth
We're short two clerks this week, which is three days long. That means that the people who handle the regular mail are cut in half, so I got this e-mail from SUSM:
Eventually, I figured out that her last letter meant that I'll figure out what to do with the work as I work on it, but that wasn't ever my concern, I just didn't want stuff that would take away too much time from the DEU mail I have.
She didn't even pass the mail out before she left, so who knows how much she'll give me and if she expects me to drop my regular duties to do the mail she gives me.
I know you haven’t done ADJ mail for a while, what documents would you be most comfortable processing to help out with our staff shortages this week?Our furlough days are not days off for attorneys and insurance companies, so I wrote back:
Thanks -[SUSM]
Today I have twice my normal Monday mail because San Francisco sent me a huge envelope, so please only give me things that need to be scanned, but not completed.That seemed reasonable to me. I didn't refuse mail, like I wanted to, and I didn't bring up how when I was up in Oregon no one helped out with my backlog of mail. I just asked for the easy stuff. Maybe I worded it wrong because she wrote:
Everyone is going to get behind this week, we’ll catch up though. So what docs do you want – I’ll just give you a small portion.My first reaction was "FUCK YOU!" It's no excuse that everyone is going to get behind. My second reaction was why can't she figure out the mail for me? I haven't done the "regular" mail for more than six months now, I don't know what the rules are. All I wanted was stuff that I scanned and checked to make sure it got scanned. I didn't want the ones that required me to keep checking to make sure which judge got assigned and trying to figure out where it goes or what files I have to pull and things like that. I wrote back:
Thanks -[SUSM]
I don’t know exactly what to do with all the docs, but I’d prefer the ones that just get scanned.She wrote:
I guess that means I’d rather not get any apps or stips or C&Rs or liens.
It will all come back to you – so what, petitions, NORs?Which I didn't understand the first part when I read it. My response to her:
[SUSM], I’m so confused right now.I didn't ever get a response.
I don’t care anymore. Just split the mail how you normally split it and give me a portion. I’ll figure it out as I go along and ask [GICS] and [SHTK] for help.
Eventually, I figured out that her last letter meant that I'll figure out what to do with the work as I work on it, but that wasn't ever my concern, I just didn't want stuff that would take away too much time from the DEU mail I have.
She didn't even pass the mail out before she left, so who knows how much she'll give me and if she expects me to drop my regular duties to do the mail she gives me.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Ekki Mín Orð
Veistu, ég ætla að deyja. Allir þeir vilja í raun.
Nei deyja þér en amk ég vil ekki að loka mars Ég trúi ekki. Hver veit hvað gerist í lífi, eins og aðrir. South halda þeim líka. Ekki meira en mig. Púff, eða gjaldþrot eða stökk í gang.
Ég bý í mjög stuttan tíma, taka tillit til tvær hvítar, drepa mig
Skipt bílskúr og ÉG gleypti pilla svefn kassi gegn auðvitað Èg hugsa mér. Hreint efni, ég skjal sem heild óreiðu er auðveldara að þrífa, svo að þessi maður (beygja) hreinn.
Ég var að hugsa til þess að kaupa allt að átta sinnum. That fær mig átta sig á því að fólk reynir að gera betur en litun. Þetta er ekki hluti af the mynd er mjög áhugaverð þar sem það er nýtt.
Í öðru lagi, að tala um högg-hlaupa bað í skóginum, þegar ég spurði hér, kannski ef ég er undir öðrum stöðum mínum, og popp tónlist.
Nei deyja þér en amk ég vil ekki að loka mars Ég trúi ekki. Hver veit hvað gerist í lífi, eins og aðrir. South halda þeim líka. Ekki meira en mig. Púff, eða gjaldþrot eða stökk í gang.
Ég bý í mjög stuttan tíma, taka tillit til tvær hvítar, drepa mig
Skipt bílskúr og ÉG gleypti pilla svefn kassi gegn auðvitað Èg hugsa mér. Hreint efni, ég skjal sem heild óreiðu er auðveldara að þrífa, svo að þessi maður (beygja) hreinn.
Ég var að hugsa til þess að kaupa allt að átta sinnum. That fær mig átta sig á því að fólk reynir að gera betur en litun. Þetta er ekki hluti af the mynd er mjög áhugaverð þar sem það er nýtt.
Í öðru lagi, að tala um högg-hlaupa bað í skóginum, þegar ég spurði hér, kannski ef ég er undir öðrum stöðum mínum, og popp tónlist.
Absurd Giggling
Doing the DEU stuff for work sometimes really pisses me off, although it makes me laugh at the same time because of absurdity.
I get to see the job title and the (gross) weekly earnings of these injured workers. This morning I found a person whose title was given as Clerk/Typist and her weekly income is around $1500.
And that's when I giggled in anger/frustration.
I get to see the job title and the (gross) weekly earnings of these injured workers. This morning I found a person whose title was given as Clerk/Typist and her weekly income is around $1500.
And that's when I giggled in anger/frustration.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
What it don't get, I can't use.
Okay, I admit it. A large chunk of my overtime will be going to Beatles Rock Band. The set that comes with drums and Paul's Höfner.
I'll get mine sometime next week, depending on when it's shipped.
I'll get mine sometime next week, depending on when it's shipped.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
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