w/b 23 November

Good morning lovelies!

Happy?

This weeks’ roundup is likely to consist of lots of little cheering-up things, and affirmations, because that’s what I seem to have come across mostly. Possibly not coincidentally, but serendipitous, much?

“If you hate something, change it“, right? If I’m writing stuff here telling other people not to do things that make them unhappy, I sort of have to practice what I preach, otherwise I’m not buying into my own product! I honestly believe that your own happiness is completely based on you. Here are The 10 Rules of the Power of Positive Thinking to get you started, and in case you were unsure – what is Positive Thinking?

I’m reading Manifesto by The Barefoot Doctor, and its awesome. His website is definitely worth checking out if you’re having a bit of trouble working out what you want from the Universe.

chelseanico on Flickr

They’re making a film of The Secret!! Heehee. I’m not entirely sure how that’s going to work, but cool all the same

I had a dream about goldfish last night, that I had about five goldfish bowls in the flat, with loads of different fish in them and I was moving the fishes about so that they could be in the bowl they liked best. I looked up what dreaming about goldfish means, and Dreamforth says “To dream about goldfish predicts that you will come into prosperity and many wonderful and thrilling escapades”, so that’s exciting. I like that. I want more goldfish dreams

Wish jar

Hairdressers today, and this will determine whether or not it’s a good idea to change my hair from dark purple to white. I’m guessing that it’s going to be ‘not’, but would be awesome (’til the roots sharted showing a week later, at least!)

The Boy is doing a mooting case for his Law degree on Monday, so we need to go shirt-and-tie shopping this weekend. He’s got a lovely charcoal coloured suit, and honestly, that one scrubs up something lovely

This made me laugh

I need to finish off my Christmas shopping today, and get Mum’s birthday present. Lots of things to do!

Am off to get started on my weekend now – Have a super happy week, do lots of things that make you happy, don’t settle for just anything, and eat lots of pancakes

Purely because this makes me happy, and will become clear if you watch the Youtube….

Rah-rah-rah-ah-ah
Ro-ma-ro-ma-ma-ma
Ga-ga-ooh-la-la!! xx

Twitter can be quite the amazing tool. Or if used improperly, make one look like a tool. Fortunately, I am not here to drone on about the pros and cons of such a network device. Instead I am here to link to a hilariously hardcore blog entry I found through a link on Wil Wheaton’s Twitter feed. Yes, one can use Twitter’s powers for good.

And here it is.

There have been many times in my cubicle dwelling career where I wished beyond all unrealistic wishes that I could be so severely blunt to clueless clients. *sigh*

As I slowly give up on NaNoWriMo (because when the required daily wordcount quickly approaches 10k, is it really possible I can win this year?), guilt sets in. Guilt for not writing. Guilt for not having enough tenacity to just stick to it. And guilt for once again, failing.

Yesterday, Savannah J. Foley posted an entry on the Sudden Novel Death Syndrome, and two of the reasons she gave are 1) talking too much about the novel and 2) beginning too soon.

1. Some agree with, and some disagree with, the first rule. Thinking about it, however, that just might be the explanation (or part thereof) for me. Talking to too many people about the novel pre-first draft causes an idea to become stale and saps my creative juice. Instead of channeling the pre-writing enthusiasm toward the first draft, I use all of it on telling everybody I meet how awesome my ideas are, and how this novel is going to be the best ever. By the time I actually sit down to write the novel, it’s not very… novel anymore.

Bouncing idea off another writer/reader, however, is a different matter altogether. I still need to find the balance between the two.

2. Beginning too soon has always been a fault of mine. I begin typing the moment I have the beginning, the characters, and some semblance of the central conflict. For some, this might just be enough. Not for me, though, I am beginning to suspect. After writing the first chapter, I would sit back and think to myself, “Soooo… what’s next?” and come up blank. I have important scenes with no thread to tie them together. This thus gives rise to inane scenes with flaccid prose. Which makes me think all my writing is, well, terrible, and that the novel is frankly unsalvageable: no point in even writing it.

Detailed outlines, however, makes me feel as though I have already written the novel, since I already know everything that will happen. There’s no factor of surprise, of wanting to know more.

I wonder: how does everybody approach planning a novel? Do you do a detailed outline, or do you just write and see where that takes you, or a blend of the two?

Mostly from Google Reader:

• Betting that Brizzly will be huge
  From the LA Times; on 20 November, Brizzly went public – no more invites required (although folks can still tweet invitations)
• Brands Have A Role To Play In Helping People Find The Good Stuff
  Steve Rubel, writing for Ag Age, argues for digital curation.
• Google teams up with Tivo to give advertisers a clearer picture
  From the LA Times; “click-through count comes to TV.” (also posted to Twitter)
• How GoogleWave Is Changing The News
  The headline over-promises, but the short profiles are worthwhile. From Mashable; Chicago Tribune’s RedEye blog started a public wave on 10 Nov; Austin American-Statesman has started two public waves; TBO.com is using wave for internal collaboration.
• Social Media Editors at Big Media Outlets
  Craig Silverman, PBS, profiles four: Mathew Ingram, Globe and Mail community editor; Shirley Brady, Business Week community editor; Andy Carvin, NPR social media desk senior strategist; Jennifer Preston, New York Times social media editor.
• Taking Net Neutrality Personally
  From Robert Cringely, a look at two extremes on the net neutrality debate.
• Tools: How To Use the Google Chart API
• Visualizing California’s classrooms
  From 10000words; great example of alternative ways to envision data. (also posted to Twitter)

Looks like this might become a once-a-week post, but it’s not going to be daily. Here’s last week’s post.

Not much to say today as my energy has been incredibly low. However, I will share a link to a “New Moon” review which is brilliant, hilarious, and sobering all the same.

Spoilers are ahead, but don’t let that stop you.

The Bad, The Worse, and the WTF.

Read Here

Writers use many tools to help craft their stories. Some use outlines, others use the snowflake method, a few might use index cards, and then there are those of us who use tarot cards.

When I prep for NaNoWriMo in October, I try and create an outline of plot points and a few character sheets. Nothing too detailed because I would like the characters to help write the story and see where they take it, but nothing so flimsy I am left pounding my redhead on the desk due to lack of direction.

My plot bunny is angsty and I am currently experiencing the dreaded writer’s block.

My outline shows me how the story gets started and how it will end, yet that part in the middle? Kinda fuzzy. Currently my MC is traveling to an otherworld and though I know what her demise may or may not be, I am having frustrations over what other incidents will happen on her journey before the big ending. That is where my tarot cards come in.

Using tarot cards to ignite imagination for a writer is nothing new. Corrine Kenner wrote about it extensively in “Tarot for Writers” and my dear friend, Jaymi Elford, also discusses this technique in her blog at Shades of Maybe. Yet this is the first time I have adopted this tool for NaNoWriMo.

Since I am writing a dark fairy tale with no fairies, I figured the perfect deck would be “Tarot of the Sweet Twilight” (Artwork by Cristina Benintende, published by Llewellyn). It is dark and sweet. I love it. (Ed. Note – this is not a deck review, this is deck gushing).

The Two of Wands is propped up against my screen because the young girl looks exactly like my MC. The imagery within the cards ignites my creativity by figuring out what this otherworld looks like, to designing eccentric fairies my MC meets along the way, to possible new plot points. I could even do a tarot reading on my MC if I am so pro-actively inclined, but at the moment I am sticking with what images sparks my muse into overdrive.

So if you ever feel stuck in a writer’s rut, give tarot a try.

It’s the Eastern Orthodox feast day of Obadiah, and the anniversary of Christopher Columbus stepping his european foot on Puerto Rico.

Lostcity has been drilling down through the years on the enigmatic origins of the Brooks Restaurant in Long Island City.

The Light at the End of the Tunnel?

I am ashamed. For years, I’ve told myself: “One day, I’m going to get to the bottom of the mystery of 1890 Brooks Restaurant in Long Island City, and uncover its shrouded history.” But sloth and inertia took over, and now intrepid reader Ian Schoenherr is having all the “Eureka!”s.

via Lost City: The Light at the End of the Tunnel?.

just a warning, the bulleted links below lead to BRUTAL nature photos and GRAPHIC footage, if you’d rather not think about such things or are squeamish, feel free to skip these links:

• timesonline.co.uk has an incredible series of photos documenting a fight between a herd of hippos and a crocodile. Click here.
• I confess to participation in the debates over which top predator might win in a fight over another apex niche animal, and have done my level best to warn others of the horrible realities of chimpanzee attack- well before the famed mauling in New England, and it gives rise to a notion that Mankind’s innate desire to deforest and exterminate all other life forms upon the earth may be something necessary. Believe it or not, this stuff came up while researching Flushing Creek.

Today is the anniversary of the Gettysburg Address, as well.

Here’s the little 10 sentence speech that Lincoln was rumored to have scribbled down on the back of an envelope.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate…we can not consecrate…we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government: of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

moar funny pictures

Photo via Dr. Gloria Brame on Bilerico

Waaaaaaay back in July I participated in a collaboration project with Kyle Cassidy (zee ringleader) and roughly 22 other photographers from around the country. As a gallery in Mississippi will be displaying the project sometime this winter, I’m going back in time to show this post from a now defunct blog. Enjoy!

JULY 7, 2009

A few weeks ago I posted a vague post about how excited I was about a project I was working on. How I had a tearful, happy moment of, “Holy crap, maybe I CAN do this!” The time has come to where it’s okay to reveal it.

That moment is this: IN THE HIVE.

Kyle Cassidy (photographer, writer, creative enabler) sent a shout out back in June for volunteers. He had an idea and wanted to execute it throughout the United States and Canada. Well, you can read about the unveiling details at his LiveJournal HERE.

Over two days I took roughly a dozen photos whenever my cell phone vibrated with a message. Whatever was in front of me, I went clickenzee. Afterwards, Kyle had to sift through a total 266 shots from 22 other photographers to pick out ones he wanted showcased on the site, which ended up being about 83. Honestly, I figured maybe one or two of mine would make the cut (Kyle was adamant that ALL the photographers would be represented). To my astonishment as I perused The Hive’s portfolio, I discovered Kyle picked five of mine. Five. He thought 5 of my photos had the right composition and truly captured the Hive goal he was striving for. *soft squee*

To me, this was a big deal. Over the past year I have admired this man’s work and his artistic opinion means quite a deal to me. Think of it this way: it would be equivalent to Neil Gaiman saying your short story was splendid and may he use it in his anthology?

Yeah. Like that.

If you wish to see the portfolio, feel free to visit the Hive site. My photos are the ones from Portland, OR.

When Kyle put out the call, I was hesitant and extremely doubtful. Did I have potential? Did I have the talent to pull this off? I’ve never done anything like this before and figured it was time to step out of my comfort zone and share with the world with what I see. Kyle has shown me I do have potential. I simply need to believe in myself.

I will forever be grateful.

It’s Still Real To Dr. Beardhussein, Dangit!

It’s Go Time, brother!

“Scrambled Eggs!”

Some of the most cherished memories I have are of checking out WWF (now WWE) action with my grandparents.

Back when they still lived with us (they’re in Puerto Rico now), on Monday nights around 5 minutes until 9:00pm, I’d make myself cozy in their bed and I’d prep myself for WWF Prime Time Wrestling on the USA network. Airwolf would air right before it, and ’til this day I have that show’s theme song memorized:

DA DANANANANA NANANANA NA NA NAA NAAAAAA

…or something.

Anyway, after Airwolf was over, it’d be time for WWF wrestling action. Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan would call the matches, with Gorilla (RIP) handling the play-by-play on the side of the fan favorites, while Bobby “The Brain” Heenan (who called everyone “Humanoids” or “Ham’n'Eggers” and was nicknamed “The Weasel”) rooted for the rule breakers.

It was during those nites where I became enamored with wrestling. Guys like Tito Santana, Demolition, The Macho Man Randy Savage (say it with me: “Ooooh Yeeeaaahhh!”), The Powers of Pain, and, of course, the immortal Hulk Hogan.

Lemme tell you, ’til this day, I’m a Hulkamaniac. I will be on my deathbed, and someone’ll bring up WrestleMania VI, and I will rise up and say “HOGAN WAS ROBBED!” before collapsing.

The highlight of that time? Some poor wrestler falling from the top-rope and landing on his junk. Without fail, that would cause my Grandma to say “Scrambled eggs!”. Or, when a wrestler would go flying out of the ring, “JUEPA!”

“Austin 3:16 says ‘I just whipped your ass!’”

After a while I fell out of love with wrestling. I still paid attention peripherally, to see who was up to what. Hulk Hogan eventually left the WWF for WCW, Shawn Michaels went from being a Rocker to being The Show Stopper. Andre The Giant died. *sad face*

Anyway, after a few years, I rediscovered my joy for WWF/E thanks to the exploits of Stone Cold Steve Austin. I loved how he wouldn’t put up with shit from anybody. I loved the stunner, the middle fingers, the swagger… The whole thing was inspirational, especially considering I was coming off of a season where I let quite a few people walk all over me.

*bitter flashbacks ensue*

*snaps out of it*

So yeah, Stone Cold was my hero, d-X came about, The Rock went from some smilin’ ass-kisser to a Pro Wrestling legend. My friends and I bonded over a mutual appreciation of wrestling, shamelessly ripping off personas and factions and generally terrorizing anyone that wasn’t down with us.

“Your time is up, my time is now!”

Eventually, most of my friends stopped following it, either because of the product itself or because of a general lack of interest. I still keep up with it, as do a few other friends, and that leads me to the last section of this particular post.

Tonite! Live from the world’s most famous arena, Madison Square Garden! World Wrestling Entertainment presents MONDAY NIGHT RAW!

*fireworks*

*applause*

Yessir, me and 6 friends have floor seats (floor seats!!!) to catch the show. Wrestling has been really good lately, some fresh storylines and some compelling characters combining to make for interesting viewing.

I’m giddy for several reasons: Going with so many people, my first Raw at MSG, the lineup (John Cena, the original d-X, The Undertaker, Randy Orton, Kofi Kingston), the Guest Host–“ROWDY” RODDY PIPER (back in the summer WWE implemented a special guest host every week. think SNL’s guest host, only they get to make matches and occasionally mix it up in the ring), and the always fun train ride into the city.

It’s gonna be a great nite. I’m excited.

“And that’s the bottom line, cuz Stone Cold said so!”

Still, there will be those that roll their eyes and say some hateriffic statements regarding wrestling…and I will have retorts. Here we go:

1- “But isn’t it fake?”- Gosh, and 24, Twilight, The Wire, & The Sopranos were real? *rolls eyes*

2- “You still watch that shit?”- Um, you still smoke weed? You still listen to rap music? You still watch any TV? I’m sorry that my life doesn’t revolve around impressing other people, but I’m glad you’re still an asshole.

3- “It’s the same thing every time!”- Indeed it is, but the Yankees & Lakers just won championships, and we’ve seen those before, right?

Call Reynolds, Cuz it’s a Wrap.

Alright kids, I’m done for today. My cohorts and I made a bunch of signs, so hopefully we’ll get on TV. If we do, I’ll be sure to pause it, take a picture, and post it so you guys can catch your ol’ Uncle The Hussein proving that, indeed, It Ain’t That Serious.

As always, comments, critiques, questions and your own WWF/WWE/ECW/WCW memories can be left below in the Dr. Donda West-Christopher Wallace Memorial Comments Section.

Thanks for tuning in,

–RTH

Today is the New Moon. Every Wiccan 101 book or website will state it is an ideal time to remove blockages, start new projects, or “get back on the horse”. I was told such a thing by none other than Bear.

This afternoon I attended an open-to-the-public shamanic ritual dedicated to Bear. It was organized and performed by Lupa: author, shamanic practitioner, and the creator of Therioshamanism. You may check out her website here.

There were many firsts. It was my first time attending a shamanic ritual and it was Lupa’s first time conducting one for a group. I must say, it was a very moving experience. Other than a little bit of first-time jitters in the beginning, Lupa was inspiring and powerful as she journeyed to honor Bear.

At certain points in the ceremony, we were allowed to rattle, clap, or drum along with Lupa as she journeyed under and when she was ready to returned. I had forgotten how much I love the feel of my hands beating out a rhythm against the drum skin. How my heart bursts whenever I feel the presence of any animal guides or spirits. And how shameful I felt that I have allowed my shamanic practice to slide.

Lupa donned a bearskin (an old bear rug she rescued) and had begun dancing for Bear. Her gait was strong and pounded the ground. I could hear a low rumble of a growl. Bear appeared. When Bear’s eyes met mine, I hung my head down in tears. I knew Bear could see right through me and I did not have the energy to be scrutinized by such a powerful spirit.

After the dance, there was a moment of quiet. Those who attended opted to commune with Bear quietly and privately. That is when I got the message from Bear.

Do not be so hard on yourself. You are going into hibernation too. But it is time to put your spirituality back to being First. Before you read a book, do a meditation. Before you exercise, commune with your gods or the energies of nature around you. Before you knit, write in your journal. Before you waste hours on your computer, step back and light a candle and honor the moment you are in. Spirituality used to be your foundation and you built everything else from it. Now it is a reverse pyramid, it is at the bottom, so small and tiny and being neglected, while it struggles under the weight of everything else. You can make it First without losing any of the other activities or obligations you love to do.

I admit, that is not verbatim. Trust me, Bear is not that talkative. She has more of a direct, smack her paw upside your head approach, at least with me. The message is my personal translation and I have figured out how to incorporate it into my present moment (another lesson of mine is to live in the Now Now, not the Past Now or the Future Now, but NOW).

When the other attendees had departed, it was just us three Therioshamanism practitioners/students. We discussed where our paths are taking us and how we are incorporating what Lupa has taught us.

Today is the New Moon and today I was reminded to get back on that darn horse.

Holly: And Cloister gave to Frankenstein the sacred writing, saying, ‘Those who have wisdom will know its meaning.’ And it was written thus: ‘Seven socks, one shirt -’
Lister: That’s me laundry list! I lined the cat’s basket with me laundry list!
Holly: The Blue Hats thought it was a star chart leading to the promised land.
~Red Dwarf, “Waiting for God”

I ran across this the other day. It’s called “Project Laundry List,” and the goal is to make “air-drying and cold-water washing laundry acceptable and desirable as simple and effective ways to save energy.” There’s even going to be a movie.

I thought it was hilarious at first. Really, all this about LAUNDRY?

But then again, I’ve also found people who wash the sheets and towels of everyone in the household on a weekly basis to be just as hilarious and a little excessive. No wonder they hate laundry day.

Do I subscribe to the principles of Laundry List? Yes. I cold-wash and air-dry all my clothing. I also do a load of laundry once every two weeks or so…I wear my pants twice and do laundry when I run out of shirts. Or rather, run out of shirts I can wear to work (the tank tops and my precious Red Dwarf shirt are out…for different reasons). But when a dollar will buy you a meal or two, drying your laundry is expensive.

Do I wish more people would air-dry laundry? Yes. Dryers are rather redundant, especially here in Texas where your blue jeans will dry much faster just set out in the sun. (Or hung neatly on your shower rod, for those of you uncomfortable with leaving your clothing outside.)

I’m not going to be an air-dry laundry activist. The whole thing just seems rather ridiculous and to be focusing on that cheapens the whole push for less energy dependency. Such simple practices as air-drying laundry are part of the solution, but in my opinion it’s one that those so inclined will embrace on their own. Preaching it to people who don’t give a crap is more likely to get them scratching their heads and wondering just what the hell the green movement is on.

Further to my previous post, I am very happy to report that the 21st Century Monads, true to their promise, have released two new songs. The first, ‘W.V.O. Quine‘ is haunting in its advocacy of a partial Quineanism. In a style reminiscent of Evanescence, we are first assured of the plausibility of mathematical realism, before being brought face to face with the full horror of denying the analytic-synthetic distinction. ‘All I want to do‘ is an upbeat number which had me tapping my toes, even as I took strong objection to the lyrics’ laissez-faire attitude towards nominalism.

The thing I like best about the concept of a philosophy band, however, is that I can write things like this and lie to myself that I am doing philosophy. Lying, or rather not lying, is what I should be thinking about. I’ve set myself the reading week project of looking at truth-tellers. This sentence is true. The previous sentence is an example of a truth-teller. It strikes us that there is something out of order about truth-tellers. Getting an idea of what that something is might shed light on the nature of truth and its groundedness, and could just help us tackle the infamous cousin of truth-tellers, the Liar.

I just came across http://www.spritestitch.com – A video game inspired craft weblog. I’m not very good with arts and crafts myself, but some of this stuff makes me want to take up stitching:

Or baking:

Or to pursue knitting more seriously:

Go, check out the site at http://www.spritestitch.com!

I have not contributed to NaNoWriMo since Tuesday. I’m in a holding pattern of just over 12,000 words and I should be at 20,000 by all sensible standards. Am I worried? No. Am I stressing? Not yet. Am I motivated to ignore this blog post and sprint onward in my novel at no-holds-barred finger-lightning speed??

Nope.

My motivation is taking a nap for some reason. Small little bits on a blog it can handle, but the daunting hurdle of writing 2K or 5K makes it want to serve up a full-bodied sigh with an eye roll garnish. I’ll get my groove back, I know I will.

In the meantime, I do have my spiffy, handy-dandy, Plot Pirate Writing Altar. This baby helps kick me in the ass when I need it (BOY do I need it) and it’s a reminder on just how darn creative I can be. A few years ago, my friend Inno invited me over so we could each make one. So, blame her. With an Altoid Tin, some fimo clay, a little bit of pre-Twilight sparkles, stones, and some sturdy E-6000 I created this Altered Traveling Altar in one afternoon.

Feel free to check out more of Inno’s crafty traveling tins over yonder. You won’t be disappointed.

HIP HOP HOORAY 2009!!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN!

We stick to our roots, in combat boots, like the ones Treach wore in the year of 94. Hip Hop Hooray 2009. Hopefully this will hold ya’ll over for a little while. And please give us feedback, we love feedback!

Have a good night, and a pleasant tomorrow.

I am not a solider. I am not a warrior. Wasn’t born one, though many times I wish I had the courage of Xena, the strength of Buffy, the honor of Wonder Woman.

To those who are soldiers, who fight for what is right, who protect lives and our freedoms, I thank you.

Let us not forget that soldiers are people and thanks to photographer Kyle Cassidy, they have many amazing stories to share.