Bloglines

By the way, those of you who keep up with my blog in Bloglines might have to re-subscribe. I switched over to the new version of Blogger, and I think it messed up the subscriptions with Bloglines.

Runaways

I recently heard that Joss Whedon was going to write for a new comic book series. Since I'd never heard of it, I figured I'd better get caught up. (As my faithful readers know, I'd read Joss Whedon's laundry list if he published it.) So - not knowing what I was getting in for, I ordered Runways Vol. 1. Wow. It's the story of six teenagers who find out that their parents are supervillians. How would you feel if you found out at sixteen that your dad was Lex Luthor or the Green Goblin or...the Joker? These children/teenagers decide to run away and try to make up for their parents' misdeeds. I'm only halfway through, but it's quite a good story. I can't wait to see what Joss does with it. He so great with the teenage angst. This story just drips with angst.



On another note - Tomorrow is the start of NaNoWriMo! I'm ready to go...

Coolest thing I've seen...

...in a LONG time!
The hidden door disguised as a bookshelf!
Some day, I'm going to have a house with a library and there will definitely be a hidden door! :-)

Another funny quiz...

My sister-in-law pointed the way to this one. The first time I took it, I ended up to be Brigitte Bardot. Since I thought the picture of her was a little too revealing, I changed two of the answers that could have been answered more than one way. So I ended up as:

You are Maryiln Monroe

A classic tortured beauty You're the dream girl of many men Yet they never seem to treat you right

What Famous Pinup Are You?

Oh well...I tried. This doesn't seem to bode well... :-) It's a good thing these crazy time wasters are ridiculous! :-)

National Novel Writing Month

I've decided to tackle a monster of a challenge next month. November is National Novel Writing Month and the challenge is to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. This is approximately 1670 words per day! I am going to attempt it. Part of my reluctance to write is that I am such a perfectionist. I don't want to put any words on the paper unless the scene is perfect. Well, that's impossible.

I realized that the only time in my life that I wrote anything consistently was when I took writing classes in college. I have fond memories of Jessica and I sitting in the living room typing away furiously, trying to meet deadlines. (Every once in awhile, she could tell I was playing minesweeper by the sound of my mouse clicks. She would always get me back on track. I miss you, Jessica!)

The beauty of NaNoWriMo is that you don't have to write a good novel. It can be totally crappy. It just has to be 50,000 words. This is what I need. I need to get words on the page, so that I can then go back and edit -- seeking perfection. :-) :-) Wish me luck... Does anyone want to join me?

Jeeves and Wooster

I've just spent a delightful hour watching the first episode of Jeeves and Wooster, starring Hugh Laurie as Bertie Wooster and Stephen Fry as Jeeves. It is genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. Hugh Laurie is just amazing in his physical comedy, and Stephen Fry has the dry, dry humor down perfect. I highly recommend getting this series, based on stories by P.G. Wodehouse, from Netflix or your local rental spot. I plan on finding a copy of some of the source material as soon as possible!

What a great idea...

I'm concerned that if I misplace my flashdrive, I'll never get my life back! This might work.
How to configure your USB drives to say, "Help! I'm lost! Send me home."

On another note: Smallville is getting really good! I'm liking the Oliver Queen character. (Of course, it helps that Green Arrow is one of my favorites.) This week's episode was awesome. I hope that we are going to see Clark become Superman over the next season or two. Not mention there were hints of the Justice League. Cool.

Watch this!

This is quite the eye opener. It makes me want to support Dove products. What do you think? (No wonder I never feel pretty...I can't use a computer and make my real neck skinnier and my eyes bigger!) Crazy!

You know, some days...

...I love the things I find on the Internet. Pete Townshend has a blog -- who'da thunk it?
Pete's Diaries
(For my parents - Pete Townshend is the guitarist for The Who.)
(Also for my parents - The Who are a legendary rock band. . . You probably know them from the theme songs to the CSI shows.) :-)
:-) :-) I love you guys! :-)

My favorite poet right now

Alanis Morrisette is my favorite poet right now. Tonight, this song spoke to me. The lyrics don't do it justice and you miss out on a beautiful flute piece at the end........but it still speaks. If you get a chance, listen to the real version.

that I would be good even if I did nothing
that I would be good even if I got the thumbs down
that I would be good if I got and stayed sick
that I would be good even if I gained ten pounds

that I would be fine even if I went bankrupt
that I would be good if I lost my hair and my youth
that I would be great if I was no longer queen
that I would be grand if I was not all knowing

that I would be loved even when I numb myself
that I would be good even when I am overwhelmed
that I would be loved even when I was fuming
that I would be good even if I was clingy

that I would be good even if I lost sanity
that I would be good
whether with or without you

You can move into the Shire...

...it's in Oregon. Apparently a small group of developers have created a subdivision/ community that is inspired by Tolkien's hobbit villages. It's called The Shire:Place of Enchantment. There are some things I love about this idea and some things that I think are disturbing.

I love the idea of creating a living space that encourages community. The houses all face inward toward a common outdoor living space. There are lots of surprises with gardens, little streams, and other landscaping. There is a little amphitheater for the residents to have small concerts or just sit around with guitars on a summer night. Very cool.

I do not like the idea of creating something like the Shire from Tolkien's work. It's unsatisfying. The "hobbit holes" are basically maintenance sheds. They store lawn mowers and such. If you are going to create a hobbit hole -- I want to be able to go in, sit down at the fire, and read a good book. I like the idea of the old world, cottage architecture. I just wish that it didn't feel contrived. It's okay not have thatched roofs (unless there is some energy efficiency reason for having them.) Use local materials and create an Oregon version of Old English Architecture... They have done this to some extent and I applaud the effort. I just wish the cheesy elements weren't there. No place could ever live up to the Shire in my imagination and it seems to cheapen it to try.

However, I keep returning to the idea of community and living in the midst of such a beautiful garden. I love that. Some of the designs for the floor plans are really cool and I love all the stonework. So I'm torn. What do you think?