| Books |
[Jul. 12th, 2009|12:12 am] |
25. Let Your Life Speak: Listening For the Voice of Vocation by Parker J Palmer.
Been feeling a bit "at sea" lately, so I thought this might help me find some direction. I like Palmer's style: He doesn't pound you with the Religion like many other self-help book authors. He's Quaker, and I think that is reflected in his approach. Athiests and Agnostics can also enjoy this book, if they are, like me, feeling on shaky ground about their current and/or chosen profession.
To summarize the reading I've done this year:
( Read more... ) |
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| Studs Terkel, would that we had listened |
[Jul. 11th, 2009|03:06 pm] |
“That there are some who were untouched or, indeed, did rather well isn’t exactly news. This has been true of all disasters. The great many were wounded, in one manner or another. It left upon them an ‘invisible scar’….The suddenly-idle hands blamed themselves, rather than society. True, there were hunger marches and protestations to City Hall and Washington, but the millions experienced a private kind of shame when the pink slip came. No matter that others suffered the same fate, the inner voice whispered, ‘I’m a failure.’”
From Hard Times recorded by Studs Terkel |
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| Dragon Egg |
[Jul. 11th, 2009|11:53 am] |
I have an Egg! Not sure how this works. I think you are supposed to click on it?
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| (no subject) |
[Jul. 11th, 2009|11:46 am] |
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Feelin' good. Am full of bacon and eggs. You? |
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| Bird! |
[Jul. 11th, 2009|06:15 am] |
Ohhhh, Bird, Bird, Bird,
Bird is the Word! |
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| Casting about |
[Jul. 10th, 2009|04:14 pm] |
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Anyone have a recipe for pickled cherries that they like? |
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| Sweet to tongue and sound to eye |
[Jul. 10th, 2009|12:08 am] |
Back from the first evening of Readercon, which was really excellent.
I heard Jennifer Pelland read an amazing story, which will be in the Dark Faith Anthology in 2010. It was a September 11th ghost story, and I have to admit I was skeptical when she announced that was the theme (which she did so people could opt out up front in case the very idea was too upsetting), but it was really brilliant. When she finished I had to leave the room right away because I didn't think I was capable of speaking without a) gibbering, or b) crying. I'd buy the anthology just for that story.
I also attended a panel entitled The Origin of Character in Breakthrough of the Mind, which was interesting (and which I took notes during, but they'll have to wait until I've slept).
And then, the evening's programming being over, Moss and I went to the Goblin Fruit Summer issue launch party, where, as Moss pointed out, everyone really looked like they were at a Goblin Fruit party. There was homemade mead, delicious food, beautiful music, and scads of general merriment. Alas, there was also a lot of heat in that tiny hotel room, so I had to beg off at a quarter past eleven to get some fresh air. My guess is that they're still going strong.
I'll close with a picture of Caitlyn Paxson (who had a truly delightful poem in the Winter 2008 issue of Goblin Fruit) playing the harp. It should give you some small sense of the evening.
Click on the image for the larger version if you so desire. |
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| Readercon |
[Jul. 9th, 2009|03:41 pm] |
Armed with a year's worth of preparation and experience, I'm going back to face the beast for a second time. I'm not signed up as a volunteer, but I feel I'll have enough going on without that to make this year's Readercon experience much better than last year's.
Last year:
* Going in, I Didn't know anyone except Moss.
* It was my first time at a con.
* I had no plan of attack.
This year:
* I may be reading poems in the Goblin Fruit/Mythic Delirium reading tomorrow and the Rhysling Poetry Slan on Saturday. It's not definite since there are time limits and reading priority goes to official Readercon guests, but I'll definitely be at these two events with a potential purpose.
* The Goblin Fruit Summer launch party is tonight, and I'm planning to attend and meet new people in setting a smaller than the vastness of the whole con. Plus, they will automatically have something in common with me, since I assume anyone there will love Goblin Fruit.
* I'm carpooling with a local friend, so I will arrive with at least one person I already know.
* I'm planning to sign up for the speculative poetry workshop that Mike Allen is running. Yay structured time! Bonus: by the time said workshop happens, I should already have met some of the people in it.
* A bunch of people from the writing workshop I did last Fall should be there, and we may be having dinner tomorrow night.
* ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) asakiyume is coming on Saturday! This year I know her better than I did last year, so the idea of meeting up with her is more exciting than nerve wracking.
* I found out last Friday that I was accepted to Viable Paradise, so if I run into people associated with that, I will have a reason to introduce myself. Though that still might induce panic as they are OMGstrangers!!!1!
* Thanks to attending other cons and actively reaching out (in my very reserved way) to the local SFF community, I have a much better chance of recognizing faces in the crowd this year.
If you are planning to attend and want to meet up, let me know! |
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| Writer's Block: Duos |
[Jul. 9th, 2009|01:23 pm] |
Dr. Rodney McKay and Dr. Jennifer Keller, from Stargate Atlantis (though this may be because we just finished Season 5). Second: Jack and Ianto, from Torchwood. |
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| Fail (Or: I am not a Good Samaritan) |
[Jul. 7th, 2009|03:21 pm] |
Drove past a hitchhiker, didn't stop to pick him up. I know there are tons of safety reasons not to do that, especially for a woman alone in a car who's physically incapable of defending herself, but what it boils down to is that I didn't help someone who needed help. I drove right by.
There was another time I failed to help someone that has really haunted me. Rob and I had just finished eating at a restaurant and had a take-home bag in the car. There was someone begging for change at the intersection. The light changed from red to green, we drove a quarter of a mile or so... and I realized we could have given the man the take-home bag of food. The food I hadn't enjoyed much, but didn't want to go to waste. We drove home.
I don't really want a discussion about what I should have done in either situation or whether it's right for me to regret these choices. What I'd like is to hear about times when you could have helped someone and chose not to; the times that have stayed with you through rationalizations and reasoning. |
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| Where Should I Start? |
[Jul. 6th, 2009|01:57 pm] |
I must admit I have always used the wordpress platform to build my sites. Like many of the other new people I don't know a whole ton about how to use the Live Journal Platform...yet. My latest website, Adwords Management was built completely on wordpress. How hard would it be to make this site in Live Journal. I'm not sure if I should use a theme that looks similar to this one or if I should just find a new theme..
Is there anyone else here who has recently transformed from a WP user to Live Journal? If so, I'd love to hear your suggestions on how I should get on the fast track of completely understanding and using Live Journal.
Any theme suggestions would be awesome!
Looking forward to your feedback!
Brent Folger
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| Still getting this error on this error with fotoup.pl |
[Jul. 6th, 2009|12:44 pm] |
$ ~/bin/fotoup.pl --gallery="2009-06-Raleigh" --under="2009" *.jpg
Reading local files...
001/008 [12.50%]
002/008 [25.00%]
003/008 [37.50%]
004/008 [50.00%]
005/008 [62.50%]
006/008 [75.00%]
007/008 [87.50%]
008/008 [100.00%]
Getting challenge...
Checking for existing files...
To upload: 8 from data, 0 from receipt
Uploading from data: CIMG0124.jpg
Adding to gallery: 2009-06-Raleigh
>>> ERROR: [Error 211] Invalid argument: Malformed date:
>>> (will try again in 5 seconds)
Uploading from data: CIMG0124.jpg
Getting challenge...
Adding to gallery: 2009-06-Raleigh
>>> ERROR: [Error 211] Invalid argument: Malformed date:
>>> (will try again in 5 seconds) |
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| Twitter on LJ |
[Jul. 6th, 2009|11:36 am] |
| [ | Tags | | | lj | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  awake | ] |
Now that loudtwitter is gone, I have a poll for you:
Poll #1425811
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: AllShould I find a replacement for loudtwitter so my tweets show up on my livejournal? |
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| yesterday rocked |
[Jul. 5th, 2009|02:16 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  happy | ] |
yesterday, after the day before almost screwing upp my pie crust, in the morning i finished making my cherry pie (still too liquidy inside, but tastes really good) and blueberry goatcheese muffins. didn't seem like anyone would show up, maybe PhotoJill for dinner, but that's ok. I did some required Axia business, then we went to the parade.
I shouted at O'Malley to re-form his band, cried a LOT at the fire and EMT trucks (I'm sappy), appreciated some excellent advertising (liberty tax service's foam liberty-spikes hats) and pretty darn good dancing/stepping/drumming. At the parade we found out ComplexAnarchy would also be coming by later.
We come home, Ironkite gets the beef (and now pork--C-A avoid beef) tenderloins on the grill. People show up around 7ish (ends up being 5 of us) , we talk, have cider and beer, and we eat. The beef is absolutely amazing.
Then at 8:30, head to fireworks. it's about almost a mile away, the super-close spots are taken, but we end up on a slopey part of a hill where others have trouble sitting, and Ironkite was smart enough to bring a blanket, so I laid back. It's nice to not be setting off the fireworks -- the smileys and the blue spirals were my favorite.
Come home, decide to watch Buckaroo Banzai, which Photo had never seen, with the "unknown facts" subtitle track, which Anarchy had never seen.
Had more "I need to retake classes, my undergrad degree didn't really take" dreams last night, but I fell asleep with Zanther at my head and Lucy along my leg, then in the "morning" today, Ironkite and I watched another few episodes of Space Cadets.
Now I'm on the glideybench, and after i finish this post, I'm back to reading Dazzer and X-men and related titles (1985ish). Then I have some more Axia to do later today.
I just wanted to document some pure contentment. (I really have to never do my parents' 4th of july "party" again -- our low key stuff is so much more satisfying.) |
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| For the Birds |
[Jul. 3rd, 2009|10:46 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  accomplished | ] |
The Battle Hymn of Cloud Cuckoo Land
By Neil "The Poet" Swanson-Chrisman
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the plumage of the Birds,
Their dazzling feathers blazing like the shining of the world,
Their beaks are sharp, their claws are out, their wings are all unfurled!
The birds go flapping on.
Flapping, flapping through the day sky,
Flapping, flapping through the night sky
Hear them singing so joyously
As the birds go flapping on!
I have seen them build their nests in a hundred different trees.
They’re collecting nectar, and honey from the bees.
The birds control the planet, from the mountains to the seas!
When they go flapping on!
Flapping, flapping through the forests,
Flapping, flapping through the beaches,
From tropics to th’ arctic reaches,
When the birds go flapping on!
The birds have conquered Heaven and the birds have conquered Earth!
From the gods in Mount Olympus to the humans down in Perth
When they shake their slingshots, we laugh at them with mirth!
While we go flapping on!
Flapping, flapping go the sea birds,
Flapping, flapping go the free birds,
Wouldn’t you just like to be birds?
While the birds go flapping on! |
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| cherries were on sale |
[Jul. 3rd, 2009|10:06 pm] |
So I got a ton of cherries, so instead of the "blueberry halfbaked pie from allrecipes, I'll be making cherry pie (crust from Cook's Illustrated Dec 2007, linked here somewhere, filling from Cook's Illustrated July 1995). I'll also be doing CI's french potato salad (not mayonnaise-y at all, don't remember the year, it's just propped open downstairs),and blueberry muffins of awesomeness (at least I'm hoping for awesomeness -- totally new recipe for me).
Ironkite will be doing something with a beef tenderloin and probably many other manly things.
Since I'm not trapped in WV, we'll get to see our local parade -- not sure about the quest for fireworks -- we may just sit back on our new bench and see what we can see. |
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| Baltimore |
[Jul. 3rd, 2009|08:21 am] |
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I'm still having a good time in Baltimore. Martin is a sweetie. He is rewiring my brain with endless episodes of the Wire. Had dinner with Tania and Rob last night, which was fun. I'd never had Lebanese food before, but I've had hummus, tabouli, and pita and so the experience wasn't too different from other Middle-Eastern dining experiences. The wine was yum and the Lebanese doughnuts were likewise tasty. The company, of course, was wonderful. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jul. 2nd, 2009|02:14 pm] |
I don't understand the appeal of immortality. To an extent that's suicidal tendencies, the gnawing doubt that even what little life I have is worth living. When the time comes that I realize the self-preservation instinct will no longer enough to keep me waking each morning, I imagine that as a relief.
Experience operates on steeply diminishing returns. Live long enough and I'll have felt every great thrill, made every great realization, known every great friend that my brain can encompass. Everything else will be weakened by the intellectual buffers of constrast and comparison. My memories are sewn-together pieces of previous experience, a patchwork of patchworks. There are a limited number of original fabrics. One day I'll run out.
Life is a gift because it's short.
So an endless afterlife, heavenly or horrid, would ultimately grow dull. Resurrection without memory hardly counts as immortality at all. But if memory of those many lives is received after the fact...how embarrassing! What's worse than remembering how many times I've made the same mistakes? How much lifetimes of pain can one soul take?
So I guess one day I'll be gone. Hope it's as much a relief then as the idea is now. |
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| Update |
[Jul. 1st, 2009|02:49 pm] |
Rob and I are on our anniversary vacation. We were in Philadelphia for a wedding on Saturday (which was a lot of fun), stayed in the Hilton overnight (which was probably our worst experience in a hotel ever; we'll never be staying in a Hilton again), and then drove around Philadelphia and had a nice early dinner on Sunday (our 5 year anniversary).
Monday, we went to my dentist in Edgewater to see what's going on with my jaw. He's having a splint/guard made for me to wear and wants me to take muscle relaxers non-stop for a week or so. I was told the appointment would cost around $190. The total, because the quote hadn't included the splint (even though it really should have), was $800. Not a pleasant surprise. We then spent a few hours visiting our friends Bob and Graham, who own the 201 Bed and Breakfast on Prince George Street in Annapolis.
Yesterday, we drove to Rehobeth Beach to visit my f/Friends Anne and Jim. That was a lot of fun as well; we hadn't seen them for a while. We got home about an hour ago...
To a message from my rheumatologist's office, reminding me about my appointment on Monday and "reminding" me that the office has moved from Annapolis to Crofton. This was the first I'd heard of the move, and it's really upsetting me. I can't drive myself to Crofton. This means I need to find another rheumatologist. I've found one in Easton who, ironically, seems to be a member of my Quaker Meeting; but her office only accepts new patients when they've been referred by another rheumatologist. So, I need to make my appointment Monday somehow. Rob's been trying to call his mom since we got home to see if she could drive me, but the line's been busy.
I am trying to stay calm about this. But my current rheumatologist is the best I've ever had; my jaw's been hurting now for a while; I might need to switch meds... This is not an ideal time for me to have to start shopping for a new rheumatologist, especially since my choices are so limited. There's a shortage of rheumatologists as is, to have to find one that's within my 30 minute driving range just complicates things a lot.
And the muscle relaxer is making me tired and cranky. Because I have no energy, I have no patience.
This is not the news I wanted to come home to today.
[EDIT: Rob's mom can drive me on Monday.] |
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| Seeking personal stories for my book on teens, heavy metal, video games & the occult |
[Jul. 1st, 2009|11:57 am] |
I am gathering stories for a book that will help parents understand why their teens are interested in certain media, mainly heavy metal music, video games (especially violent video games), and/or alternative spiritual paths. Ultimately, I'm hoping to bridge the communication gap so that anxious parents can lay their fears to rest -- rather than assuming their kids are on a path to violence or self-destruction.
So, I'm looking for input from folks who developed an interest in any of these things as teens, and am hoping you'll respond to the following survey(s) to provide stories from your life. Information you provide may be used in the book, but will be used anonymously unless you request otherwise. Please feel free to answer all three.
Thanks so much, in advance, for sharing your stories.
Teenagers and the occult:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=pr9Vh1nvRGTFJmiwBanKHA_3d_3d
Teenagers and heavy metal music:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=y3V0s1T83wwcd7ltk3K4Gg_3d_3d
Teenagers and video games:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Poqn7fJBgDlUd0gPdTXVCQ_3d_3d
(Please distribute this link far and wide. I'm already posting these to some forums, but if you know of welcome audiences, chime in here. Thanks. :) ) |
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| Shameful Confession of the Week |
[Jul. 1st, 2009|12:26 pm] |
Part of me wants to keep reading this book just so I can tack it up on my LJ like an antelope head over the fireplace of a 1920's big-game hunter.
(it really is a good book...just there are so many books that are also good...and I am lazy and starting to wonder where all my reading is "getting me"...which is a dreadful thing to wonder.) |
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| (no subject) |
[Jul. 1st, 2009|01:47 am] |
I had a surprisingly climactic yet calm birthday. That's...the best possible combination.
But creepily, as I was watching an episode of The X-Files Season 4(thanks Mum! Great gift!), Mulder made a Michael Jackson joke, or a meta-Jackson joke. "There's a Michael Jackson joke in here there somewhere, but I can't quite find it," he says before the corpse of a de-pigmented black man. It's like he knew. Spooky, "Spooky." |
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| The Birds |
[Jun. 30th, 2009|06:04 pm] |
The Birds Cast photo. Can you see me? I'm the puffin!
Opens July 11th at 7:30 AM! |
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| (no subject) |
[Jun. 30th, 2009|03:20 pm] |
I have a tendency to bully people I respect when I'm in discussion with them. I'm so certain that I have the correct answer to every question that when they disagree with me I assume I have not explained my side of the argument well enough. I start sentences with, "No because", "More to the point", or "Except there isn't". If I were a good advertiser I'd use "Yes, and", "Absolutelty, additionally", and "Right, also".
To understand someone, I must accept what they have just said as true. That horrible thing. That insanity. True. Then ask myself how it might be true. What I would have to believe to make it true. How that truth affects other truths. We all make logical sense to ourselves.
We're not stupid. We've thought this through. |
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| Book |
[Jun. 30th, 2009|08:15 am] |
23. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder.
This is the story of one man, Doctor Paul Farmer, who makes great changes in the practice of preventing TB in poor communities world wide, and has a life-long commitment to the people of Haiti. His organization, Partners in Health (PIH) is committed to providing preferential treatment options for the poor. They are pretty awesome, and Dr. Paul Farmer is pretty much a saint.
Enthused with the spirit of this biography, I decided to contribute to the micro-lending industry (thanks, Muhammad Yunus!) by lending to Kiva.org, a very fine organization that disburses your money to whomever you wish among the needy via a variety of micro-lending institutions. I've lent to two women in Sudan who are trying to start/expand their own businesses. Visit their site, it is cool! |
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| Buffy vs Edward |
[Jun. 29th, 2009|05:50 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  chipper | ] |
Via a friend of mine, a mashup of Buffy vs the creepy vampire from Twilight. Is good. |
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| Peace |
[Jun. 29th, 2009|03:22 pm] |
"They say we don’t have the stomach for war. I tell them they don’t have the stomach for peace. Peace is going into a room with people you hate and coming out with an agreement."
(Henry Rollins) |
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| Cultural explorations |
[Jun. 29th, 2009|12:13 pm] |
I know a lot of folks are tired already of the Michael Jackson coverage. I'm listening now to Talk of the Nation, where Neal Conan is interviewing Lenny Kravitz about him. But when we live in a culture where our mythic figures are flesh-and-blood human beings who are mortal and can die, we have to publicly as well as privately process those losses. These aren't gods who die and are reborn each year -- they die and are gone, for good, and those who resonated with a given figure need time and conversation and reflection to reframe their understanding of that relationship.
On another topic, I'm trying to find out what today's teens are listening to, specifically the modern-day equivalents of bands like Metallica, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, WASP, Marilyn Manson etc. -- loud, guitar-driven, "shocking" dark music. I'm already hearing from some parents that their kids are listening to the older stuff. Maybe there isn't anything new; if there isn't that would make my task much easier, but if you know of any such bands kids are listening to now, please leave a comment. |
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| Jena 6 |
[Jun. 29th, 2009|02:39 pm] |
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The Jena 6 Trial has concluded. However, only a naive person would think that this is the end of the problems in Jena. Still, a better outcome was achieved than I had expected at the beginning of the trials. Our Justice System still needs an overhaul. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jun. 29th, 2009|09:29 am] |
Had a bit of a fever and a headache last night. Took an aspirin and slept. Am feeling better today. Wonder what it was all about?
Also, saw Up w/ Martin. It was good! I loved the dog jokes, and there seemed to be more in it than is noticeable on first viewing: this is definitely one I will watch again. |
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| Black Hat |
[Jun. 28th, 2009|03:29 pm] |
My job is process-oriented rather than goal-oriented. It's not nearly so important that any particular task is finished than that every single task gets at least a little progress every day. Libraries refer to their business metrics as "circulation". It's critical that everything keep moving. Proactive anticipation of future problems rather than reactive assumption of more obvious ones. Not a job for heroes.
As a nation, and a species, we have no shortage of them. A hero sees problems and rushes in to solve them. The more dire and visible the problem, the more heroes burst forth from their humble skins and lend a hand. When the going gets tough --
--but they don't prevent problems. They don't think that far ahead. Heroes work entirely within a reactive frame. Watch a movie, read a book, listen to a news story, click on the TV... the archetype is clear. Who hatches plans? Who anticipates difficulties? Who manages risk? Not the hero.
George Bernard Shaw's serpent says: "Some men see things the way they are and ask, 'Why?' I dream things that never were, and ask 'Why not?'"
The villains over at the CDC are watching H1N1, the flu for which they were designed, and already we know they'll lose either way. If no disaster occurs, they will be mocked for overreacting and return to obscurity. If deadly pandemic sweeps the world, they will be blamed for not doing enough. Witness how the villains over at FEMA managed pre-Katrina... how the villains at the State Department managed pre-9/11... how the villains at the Federal Reserve were managing the unfolding economic crisis. Nevermind the villains who succeeded in their plots. They are invisible to us. We've forgotten their names.
Every one of them wishes he or she could be a hero. Could sweep in once the city was clouded with smoke and dust, once the city was drowned, once the banks had collapsed. Sweep in and rescue survivors. Heroes thrive on destruction and chaos, and they receive every accolade for their efforts. They are at their best when thousands are already dead, yet they can save two, five, fifteen --
-- but villains run the world. |
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