| Decided to go to the park with Sarah and Adam instead of the gym. It was a really nice day for a drive to Ware after work, and I don't hate that drive when it's not obligatory.
Plus I did need to stop at WM real fast. Ran into Charles while I was there. I miss my weekend Charles and Shawn time. I told them we need to get together and bring David and all go out for pizza and a beer one of these nights. That'd be good.
Then went to the park, threw around the frisbee for awhile, then went on the swings and scrambled around the playground til it was pretty dark. The drive home was all gorgeous deep ceruleans and cobalts, and this tiny little sliver of a moon.
But yeah. Definitely not as much 'workout' as going to the gym would have been, but way more fresh air and being social-active instead of solitary, and definitely happier for it.
Now I have strawberries and tea, but it's bed soon.
We were at Larry's til pretty late last night, and I didn't get a lot of sleep. Yawwwwwn.
Indeed.
Tomorrow night either gym or bike ride depending how warm it is, and maybe hanging with the roommates?
Saturday late breakfast with Zack, laundry/taxes, dinner with Jess O? Sunday groceries and I think climbing with Robbie and Larry and Adam?
We shall see. Good things. | comments: Leave a comment   |
| Strange days here in Santa Fe. One night we get a blizzard that dumps six inches of snow on us, the next day is so bright and warm that the snow is gone by noon. Many grey days, damp, overcast, chilly without being freezing. Winter is holding on.
I cannot seem to shake this crud. Taking vitamin D and C, taking various cold remedies and allergy meds, and all of them help, but I'm still congested and coughing. It's more annoying than anything else. The worst part is how tired it makes me feel. Just when I most need to be shifting into high gear, I have no bloody energy. Not much good work getting done.
Ty is on vacation too, visiting Minnesota with his lovely wife. So stuff is piling up here, and I seem further behind with every passing day.
Plus bad news on various fronts that I cannot talk about.
Ah, don't mind me. I'm just in a fool mood.
I'm going back to the DANCE. I need to kill someone. | | comments: 63 comments or Leave a comment |
| The great Suvudu cage match continues.
In round one, Jaime Lannister made short work of short stuff Hermione Granger, thanks in large part of all of you. Thanks!
In round two, however, Jaime faces somewhat larger opposition. The big green guy himself, Cthulhu of R'lyeh.
To read Suvudu's account of their clash, and register your vote, go to:
http://www.suvudu.com/2010/03/cage-match-2010-round-2-2-cthulhu-versus-15-jaime-lannister.html
As for my own version of how things might go, here 'tis:
"Books?" Jaime said. "How can books help me in a fight?"
"They can tell you more about this thing you're fighting." Tyrion dumped the dusty tomes down on the table.
"Cthulhu," said Jaime. "It sounds like the noise old men make when they're bringing up phelgm." He rummaged through the books with his good hand. They had odd titles, in languages he did not know, though he was not surprised his brother did. "Abdul Alhazared," he pronounced, leafing through a few pages. "This is written in gibberish. What tongue is this?"
"A fair question," said Tyrion, "to which I have no answer. That comes from the shadowlands beyond Asshai. But here, look at this. It is a translation of a translation of a translation, I understand." The dwarf flipped through the pages, until he found the one he wanted. "And there are illuminations. Here. This is Cthulhu."
Jaime stared. "That?"
"That."
"It's as big as Casterly Rock."
"Bigger. If Casterly Rock fell on its head it might not even notice."
"Seven bloody hells." Even if he still had two good hands, Jaime Lannister was not certain how he was supposed to fight something like that. "Those tentacles... this thing looks as though it just ate twenty giant krakens, but hasn't quite finished swallowing them yet." He sat down, and began turning pages. "Maybe if I had a dragon... "
"Maybe if you had a hundred dragons." Tyrion sat cross-legged on his stool and began rummaging through another book, called Mysteries of the Worm.
"Read. I'll do the same. You haven't much time."
"I suppose not," Jaime admitted. "What am I looking for?"
"Weaknesses."
Jaime looked at the picture of Cthulhu again. "It has eyes," he said. "A vulnerable point, perhaps. A spear through the eye will kill a dragon." How could he reach the eyes, though? The thing was taller than the Wall. "A rope and a grapnel... I could scale the damned thing, as if it were a mountain... but I'd need too good hands to pull myself up..." He did not have two good hands.
"You could have twenty good hands," said Tyrion. He did not even look up from his book. "The tentacles would catch you and pull you apart like a wishbone." He turned another page. "You had best start reading, if you ever want to fuck our sweet sister again."
Jaime started reading. It was not at all his favorite pastime, but he saw his little brother's point.
The better part of an hour passed before he looked up. "Here's something," he said. "Elder signs." He turned the book around and showed it to Tyrion.
The dwarf scratched at his nose, considering. "Hmmm. Yes. Protective wards. Those could be useful."
"I can paint one on my shield," said Jaime.
"On your shield and all over your armor," suggested Tyrion. "But paint can be stripped away too easily. Have these Elder Signs etched into the metal."
"Agreed." Jaime rose and summoned his armorer and set him to work. "Along my sword as well," he told the man. "Both sides."
Tyrion was still reading. "That's unfortunate."
"What?" Jaime poured each of them a cup of wine. This reading was thirsty work.
"Well, it says here that the mere sight of this Cthulhu will drive you mad with terror."
Jaime laughed. "What, me?" He took a sip of wine. "Sometimes a little terror just makes a man fight harder."
"They're talking about a lot of terror," said the dwarf. "Not the fight-harder kind, alas. The shit-your-breeches-and-curl-up-in-a-ball kind."
Now that was really vexing. Even covered with Elder Signs, how could he be expected to fight the damn thing if he could not even look at it? "Do I need to go into battle blind?" he asked his brother. "There was Symeon Star-Eyes, true, but he had years of experience fighting sightless. I do not. How do I even find the bloody thing?"
"Well, I imagine there will be a smell," said Tyrion. His frown deepened. "It would appear you can't kill it either."
"A thrust through the eye... " insisted Jaime, clinging to that hope.
"... is like to inconvenience it, but the thing's already dead, or undead, or... Listen to this. That is not dead which can eternal lie.
And with strange aeons even death may die."
"I doubt that I can wait aeons," said Jaime. "So the thing's a god, is it?"
"Pretty much." Scowling, Tyrion turned more pages. Then he grinned. "Oh, hold on. Here is it."
"What now?" asked Jaime.
"It's sleeping." Tyrion tapped the page. "Says so right here. And in the other book as well. Cthulhu is sleeping in R'yleh beneath the sea."
"How does that help us?" asked Jaime.
"Well," said Tyrion, "let's not wake it. If Cthulhu doesn't turn up, you win the match by default. Big fellow like that needs its sleep. I'd hate to disturb its dreaming, wouldn't you?"
"We all need to dream," said Jaime, with a wry smile. "But someone will want to it wake it up, I fear."
"A lot of someones," the dwarf confessed. "There's heavy coin down on the big guy."
He was not wrong. When Jaime strode onto the battleground beside the sea, he found more than twenty of them: priests and acolytes with bulging eyes, fish-belly white skin, receding chins, and the odd gill or two. The moment they saw him, they all started chanting, "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn,"and dancing about in a circle, their pale limbs flopping. Their eyes were all on the waves. None of them paid the least bit of attention to Jaime... until he shrugged off his cloak and let it puddle to the ground, revealing the golden armor beneath, covered over head to heel with Elder Signs.
Then they started shrieking. Smiling happily, Jaime donned his helm, and unsheathed his longsword.
The priests were slow and clumsy, at least on land. None of them were armed, and his blade went through their pale soft flesh like a fishwife's knife through a fresh catch, the Elder Signs along its length brightening with each kill. Green ichor splattered everywhere. Before long the ground was slippery with scales and webbed hands and stinking fish innards. No one was chanting anymore.
Cthulhu never showed. Jaime hoped it was having a nice dream. Maybe it has a sweet sister too.
"I think you've won this one," said Tyrion, as the sun was going down. There was no one left to dispute it. "Let's go collect our winnings. You won't believe the odds I got on you, brother."
========================
As before, post your thoughts and comments on Suvudu for your fellow fight fans. Not here, please. | | |
| This is a text message conversation that I just had with my friend Cid. i thought it was both funny and appropriate.
Me: I feel like Daniel Jackson racing to solve some puzzle before a ruin trap activates and kills them all. Except the puzzle is my life, and I think I’m the only one in danger of being crushed to death.
Cid: Haha cool
Cid: So how are things then?
Me: Well- Daniel always succeeds doesn’t he?
Cid: True. But he usually gets pretty beat up, dies, ascends and then comes back.
Me: I’m still not seeing many differences then… | | comments: 1 comment or Leave a comment |
| | Time: | 08:14 am | | Current Mood: |  good |
|
| There's nothing quite like the part of my drive to work where the sun is coming up over the river when you're on the bridge into Northampton to make you feel like the world is new and full of possibilities.
A new bright, fresh morning, with a shining sun over the pristine river and the mountains off to the side in the background.
Yup. New England ftw. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| WARRIORS was officially released today, and should be available at your favorite local bookstore.
For the latest adventure of Dunk & Egg, a new Lord John story from Diana Gabaldon, an Emberverse tale from S.M. Stirling, and original stories by Joe Haldeman, Howard Waldrop, David Morrell, Tad William, Naomi Novik, Lawrence Block, James Rollins, Robin Hobb, and many many others, go ye forth and snag a copy.
Enjoy the read! | | comments: 32 comments or Leave a comment |
| OK- the next person to give me unsolicited advice today... *twitch, twitch, TWITCH*
*goes off and fetches the giant hammer from SSB* | | comments: 5 comments or Leave a comment |
| | Subject: | Food | | Time: | 12:16 pm |
|
| (Writing down for future reference before I forget)
Yesterday:
Rice & Soy Chorizo
Cooked 2c. brown rice in veg broth
Sauteed once diced onion and one diced green pepper in oil
Added one package Trader Joe's soy chorizo
One can of diced tomatoes
Mixed in rice and fried for a couple minutes
A little wet- could drain out some of the tomato juice next time
makes a lot. use a giant pan.
good plain or with a little cheese or sour cream. or probably guacamole.
though about adding beans. decided against.
Tonight:
Meat Pies
Filling (made yesterday)
2 small diced onions
2 diced carrots
3ish finely grated red potatoes
1lb dark turkey
1lb ground beef
sage, salt, pepper, dill (thyme? rosemary? i forgot)
garlic powder because i forgot garlic
Had to use a lot of salt. Will mix in a small container of sour cream and some grated cheddar before using the filling tonight. fresh herbs would be really nice.
Dough (not done yet)
1/2c. shortening
1 1/2c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2c. cold water
Not sure how much this makes, or how many batches I will have to make to use all the filling.
Not sure how long to bake. Guessing 425 for 20ish minutes?
Hoping to bake a few tonight, but mostly hoping that this is something that freezes well. Slightly worried about the sour cream in the filling, but it does need it. Maybe I could use a cream of something soup instead? Looking for something I can make and freeze in single servings for quick meals.
Does one need to thaw frozen dough before baking?
(EDIT: relative success. Nest time, cream of something soup insted of sour cream. Maybe some shredded cabbage in addition to/instead of potatoes. 425 20 min is good. Would be really good w/ gravy over. slightly bland. potatoes arent really adding anything.)
crust x4 + filling made maybe 2doz? with filling to spare. | | comments: 2 comments or Leave a comment |
| | I'm doing alright, after a few REALLY difficult days. Even as I sit here though, somewhat calm in my own pulled-together-ness, I realize that I could probably use a hug. Sorta like when you've had a good night of moderate drinking, and are ready to curl up and fall asleep, but some part of you reminds you that you should probably have a glass of water before going to bed. Yeah- it's like that. Except I should probably have a hug. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| My completely not-emo pondering of late has been this:
Maybe it's better to be alone than to surround yourself with people who don't get you, people who revel in problems you know to avoid, people who are on very different paths in life.
I dunno- still pondering. It would be so much easier without the "alone" part of the equation. | | comments: 1 comment or Leave a comment |
| Been fighting the crud for the past week. Nothing major, just annoying. Started as a slight sore throat which crept down into my chest and now has me hacking up phlegm. The sore throat is gone now and I keep expecting the rest to be gone any day now, but the damn thing is lingering. Pisses me off. It is slowing me down at the time when I desperately need not to be slowed down. I'm running at maybe 75%, my sleep cycle is screwed to hell, and I am tiring much too easily.
Well, never mind. *cough cough*
Aside from that, life is good.
The Jets seem to have acquired LaDamian Tomlinson. Good for them, I guess. I still refuse to call him LT. There's only one LT and his name is Lawrence Taylor. Tomlinson can be LD. I hope he can still run. Replacing Thomas Jones won't be easy. | | comments: 52 comments or Leave a comment |
| "Well I heard that Marianne Forrester was an agent of the pharmaceutical companies AND the liberal media."
She was a terrible, terrible person. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| CRAP!
I just realized that yesterday was merely the tip of the iceberg. I'm totally screwed right now. I'm like a boat taking on water right now, and I need to desperately start bucketing off the water if I'm ever going to stay afloat. But truth be told, I don't have the desire or willpower to do that right now. I have very little time to re-arrange my inner self so that I can rise to these challenges before some very bad things come to pass. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| Yesterday: bad things happened. I was upset. I'm pretty sure they were life messages though, so I decided to start dissecting them at 4 in the morning and started coming up with some nifty ideas.
It both rocks and sucks to be me on a regular basis. | | comments: 2 comments or Leave a comment |
| Yesterday was awesome.
Got out of work a little late, went home and got Jessu's cake, headed over to Deerfield. Had cake and hung out with Jess and Alex and Ashley. Headed over to Northampton Brewery and met up with Amy and Darin and Dan Tolan came(exclamation point.) I'd called him to invite him, and he said he was working til, 8.. I said that's perfect, we're having dinner at 8 like down the street from his work. He said he prolly shouldn't, it was a rough day, and I said that's exactly why he should, come have a drink and hang out. And he was like you know what, yeah. I should come.
So that was good. Ridiculous funny dinner conversations, and then Dan went home and the rest of us headed off to hang out in Amy and Darin's hotel. Joined by Zack, played Apples to Apples, and patted the cutest little puppy.. Amy's dog is adorable.
Didn't get home til almost 2. Good night, friends and food and beer and cake and games. Good stuff.
Next weekend is prolly some Jess Obrzut time, which would be good.
She's been talking about moving back this way, which would also be awesome. I hope she does.
Anywho. Tea? Maybe I should do my taxes. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| I had vague sort of plans to do things today, but I haven't. It's just one of those days. It was really windy and grey and kind of neat today, hung out outside for a few, but it was a bit chilly. Nap. Did my online stuff for getting my retirement money from WM. Movies. Being lazy.
I'm sort of a little down, but it's not too strong. Dunno why.
Shrug. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| Woah...so...tons of drama happened last night.
It has a liiiitttle bit to do with me...only because someone had a crush on me, and now they have a crush on someone else....and someone else has a crush on that person that the guy has a crush on.
Basially, it's drama that we should make a movie out of. One of those crazy love triangles...or whatever.
It doesn't bother me, because I'm more than content with where I am right now (even though I still have no car etc). The only reason it concerns me, because it involves someone very close to me...and this person is in the middle of it all.
It's raining. I'm not a huge fan of rain.
Cro is this weekend...thinking about NPCing. I've never been...and I don't have money to PC, and I guess they REALLY need NPCs. My brother told me how lame the camp is, though. He said it's kind of a public place...so people are constantly around...and someone lives on the property...and the cabins have only three walls. (Twin, is this true?)
The weekend after that is RoR's first event. I haven't made a face character for that yet. I talked to Jake yesterday...explained to him I didn't and shit's been constantly hitting the fan for me...he told me not to worry about it. :)
I get to see Nick later today. It's awesome. We spent 5 days straight together...larping then hanging out. Then we didn't see each other for a few days...which is good. I don't want us to see each other every day. We still need to have our seperate lives beside our time together. We're good, though. We're both really happy. Even my mom notices. So she approves. With all the stuff going wrong in my life...which is everything....I'm not freaking out. I'm not crying. I have someone who makes me feel so amazing. Even if it doesn't last forever...it's awesome for now. This is something I don't want to think about the future with...I'm usually jumping ahead. I'm going day by day. We have fun together...we're addicted to each other....it's awesome.
Even before I met him...I was kinda in a rut....I felt like I NEEDED to settle down because that's what people my age do. I was about to give in to my ex who has been trying to get me back for years. I've hung out with him a few times....no butterflies. I was never excited to see him. Not to mention he drinks all the time, is a chain smoker, and lives 3 hours from Ware.
I met Nick...and I was like....dammmmmn. Butterflies haven't died. I like the feeling I have when I'm with him. He's mad chill. He's even amazed on how alike we are. It's nice. Like I said, even if it doesn't last forever....we're happy now.
But about what I was getting into earlier. I don't want kids yet. I don't want marriage yet. I just started getting back into larping...I REALLY enjoy it. If I go prego...now Larp. And what if I ended up marrying some dink who hates me going to a camp all weekend to sleep in a cabin with 9 guys? Psh...F that. (It's nice, cuz Nick larps...it's how we met). I also really want to visit many places. Even though I have no money right now...eventually I want to see different places.
I have just finally realized I am NOT ready for marriage and children. Not only because of money and crap...but because it's not me. At least not yet. I don't want to be chained down.
I'm happy with my life right now. Well, at least as happy as I can be without anything but loved ones. | | comments: 2 comments or Leave a comment |
| Just a reminder: tomorrow is the last day to get in your Hugo nominations for works first published in 2009. There's an online nominating ballot on the Aussiecon 4 website at
http://www.aussiecon4.org.au/
If you were a member of Anticipation, last year's Montreal worldcon, you can nominate without being a member of Aussiecon 4. Of course, all members of Aussiecon 4 can nominate as well.
I know I sound like a broken record about this, since I say the same thing every year... but nominating is the most important part of the whole process, IMNSHO. Lots of people vote every year, choosing one of the five finalists in each category, but only a comparative handful bother to nominate and determine who gets on that final ballot. It IS an honor just to be nominated -- and can be a career boost as well, especially for a new writer. If you look at the results released each year after the Hugos, you'll see that in many many cases a single nomination makes the difference between who makes the cut and who doesn't.
So NOMINATE, folks. If you don't, don't complain to me about the final ballot.
As to what you should nominate... well, that's up to you, of course.
In past years I've done a whole series of posts about books, stories, writers, and artists who I thought who were worthy of nomination. This year I don't have the time... and anyway, those postings never seemed to have much effect. So let me just say that I still think Michael Komarck deserves a place on the Best Professional Artist list, that Ian Tregillis would make a terrific nominee for the Campbell Award, that Daniel Abraham's THE PRICE OF SPRING was surely one of last year;s best novels, and that all the stories in SONGS OF THE DYING EARTH are eligible in their respective categories (short story, novelette, novella), and that THIS IS ME, JACK VANCE! should be considered for Best Related Book.
I liked WATCHMEN too, and hope it makes the list in Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form, although I fear that nothing will withstand the AVATAR juggernaut.
Now go ye forth and nominate. The clock is ticking. | | comments: 15 comments or Leave a comment |
| I get emails all the time from fans who want to be part of the filming.
Well, now's your chance.
It would help if you live in Northern Ireland. Or at least the UK or the Republic of Ireland. Some actual experience in film or television production would be good as well. I'm sorry, it really doesn't matter how much you love my books if you live in South Dakota and have no experience.
Anyway, here's the skinny:
http://northernirelandscreen.co.uk/page.asp?id=239
If you want to apply, please note the instructions therein and follow them precisely. DO NOT SEND EMAILS OR RESUMES TO ME! I will not be hiring anyone. Nor am I willing to write recommendations for people I have never met, no matter how sincere or enthusiastic you may be.
If this is something you really want, though, hey, take a shot. Can't hurt. Who knows, perhaps the stars will align, and YOU will end up being Floor Runner #2.
(No, I don't know what Floor Runner #2 does either. Possibly that's British for what we called "gopher" when I was in Hollywood. Something to do with running about the floor, at a guess). | | comments: 27 comments or Leave a comment |
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