| oh coding |
[Jul. 26th, 2008|11:01 pm] |
Well, my layout is somewhat of a cheerful failure right now, if ever there was one. I give up on it! No more clever copy-and-paste CSS guesswork for me! Goodbye, valiant concept of 'color scheme'! You were not meant to be. My layout desires the freedom to be random and uncalled for, absurd and distracting; fluorescent and incomprehensible; pink, even. It wants to be pink.
I don't know what happened either. We used to get along so well. |
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[Jul. 26th, 2008|11:09 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  amused | ] |
Roffle.
And while we're on the topic of Muppets, did y'all know that those two cranky old guys (Statler and Waldorf) have their own Youtube channel? I giggle.
♥ |
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| Bookstore buyings |
[Jul. 26th, 2008|10:48 pm] |
I just got back from the bookstore about an hour ago. I picked up:
Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr -- wanted this forever and neither of my two library systems have it
The Wallflower Volume 7 by Tomoko Hayakawa -- looking at it now I have the uncomfortable feeling I've already bought it but seeing as I can't find it anywhere around the house my guess is I previously read it at the library
Nabi: the prototype by Yeon-Joo Kim -- I have a long standing weakness for one shot manga. Particularly if the art looks good.
The BUST Guide to the New Girl Order edited by Marcelle Karp & Debbie Stoller -- It was on sale. >_> I saw it on my way up to the front to pay for my other books and I have a terrible inability to ignore marked down books if they look even slightly interesting.
I really wanted to buy Little Brother (great book! You should buy it too!) but I was daunted by the price of the hardcover. :/ Picking it up as soon as the paperback is released.
Spending time at Chapters made me want to work there even more. The science fiction section is in terrible need of organizing (you can't decide to sort things alphabetically by authors and change your mind halfway through! It doesn't work that way. Also the fantasy section was kind of a failure. =( It was tiny. And they didn't have Maledicte by Lane Robins. My failure impression owes a large part to that second point).
Actually their book selection was kind of weirdly biased. :/ I was going through the YA section and seeing several copies of books which kind of suck (and I say this after having read said books) and few or none of ones that I know are really good. Or maybe people just bought all the good ones already.
Also there was an entire shelf devoted to Gossip Girl. =( I can't lie, I totally read it too but there are better books that could have used some of the space!
Why is it taking so long for the swelling on my arm to go down? It's been nearly a week since I got the shot, should I be worried?
I'm really loving the July soundtrack up at Readergirlz. |
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| HIS GRAVITY IS SO LARGE. |
[Jul. 26th, 2008|08:54 pm] |
JARED PADALECKI -- A BLACK HOLE IN BOY FORM. |
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| Gbah |
[Jul. 26th, 2008|10:24 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  sleepy | ] |
Someday I will make my dad understand that checking an e-mail is really really I-swear-to-God-I'm-not-lying!really not difficult.1 On that day I will celebrate never again having to be shaken awake in the morning to check his e-mail for him.
1. Alternatively I will not-so-subtly hint that my brother is also very good at things of a computer like nature! |
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| satan settle down, keep your trousers on |
[Jul. 26th, 2008|09:36 am] |
The universe is conspiring against me going to see Batman, and, in turn, my two best friends who I've not seen in a month. First, there were three thunderstorms (count them, three) which led to the inability to finish phone conversations.
Now, some random guys my grandparents know died, and I have to go up to Newport on Sunday to stand awkwardly at his funeral. On the day that we had finally managed to work schedules around to go see The Dark Knight.
Stop messing with me, Universe, and also my Christian Bale intake.
Oh, and a drabble. For ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) tammy_drabbles. Because secretly I still want to be Tamora Pierce and marry George Cooper.
Title: seeking every one after his own elevation
Fandom: Song of the Lioness
Pairing: gennish Alex/Roger
Rating: PG+
Summary: Alex knows obsession.
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[Jul. 25th, 2008|09:17 pm] |
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I think I am going to go digging |
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| Twitter! |
[Jul. 25th, 2008|12:19 am] |
| [ | Tags | | | twitter | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  hot | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "Synchonicity II" -- The Police | ] |
( Read on... ) |
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| there's a special hell for people who talk in movies |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|11:45 pm] |
One of our Christmas presents was a gift card to the big stadium seating type theaters. We saved it in anticipation of seeing one of the big, explosive packed summer films. While the Drafthouse is really my preferred venue in so many ways, sometimes their sound is off kilter. So we finally went to see The Dark Knight and I was reminded of why we go to the Drafthouse in the first place. Some moronic guy in his thirties kept talking and vocalizing his every reaction loudly, and the theater was full of obnoxious teenagers. (At the Drafthouse, they will kick your ass out for making that much noise.) I am of the opinion that when you see a movie in a theater, you shut your damned mouth and watch in silence. This is respectful to the film AND the other people in the theater. So. Shut. The. Hell. Up. It makes me think Mike's new interest in building a home theater space is a really, really good idea. That and the fact that it cost $18 just for movie tickets.
The Dark Knight was a wonderful film. I think Christian Bale's Batman has finally hit that sort of crazy point we glimpsed in Michael Keaton's performance. It's good, and heart breaking. I love how the story is about doing what has to be done, and endurance.
Heath Ledger was really, really good. It makes me unutterably sad that I won't get to see him do more things, to see where else he could go. His performance of the Joker has a visceral terror, a madness that was candy colored in Jack Nicholson's performance. It was dark and strange and scary, and excellent. |
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[Jul. 24th, 2008|02:10 pm] |
I'm watching an HBO documentary about Heidi Fleiss, and it's disconcerting & depressing. She seems so flaky, falling apart. The crystal meth use really shows: paranoia, grandiosity, bad skin, rambling jerking speech, the half finished projects. She's out collecting rocks in the desert in the dark. The whole thing is depressing.
So she wants to open a "stud farm" in Crystal, Nevada. That wretched woman running the only bar in Crystal is such a stereotypical bitch, small minded and awful. She thinks manufactured homes are "beautiful" and that a woman with $250 in her pocket "couldn't pass a Wal-Mart" without spending the money. What I found so utterly bizarre about her attitude was that she said she would be fine if Heidi was opening a regular brothel with female prostitutes but the idea of male prostitutes was so horrible. I suspect it is less about "you won't make money off women" and more about some homophobia.
This documentary is bizarre! The editing & image choices are slightly oddball.
Lunch with ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) brienze was superbly delicious - we over stuffed ourselves on sushi rolls. I'm sleepy now. It's raining outside, bringing that lovely darkness of midday. |
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[Jul. 24th, 2008|01:29 pm] |
I've been having strange dreams.
A few nights ago, I was at Comic Con. I remember the excited feeling that overwhelms you right before you step onto the floor. And then I remember leaving and being in a shitty part of town. Someone was following me so I called my father and told him to come and get me. He dawdled and so I was forced to run from a crazy. I ended up okay, but I woke up a little scared.
Last night, I gave birth. I remember being deathly afraid of the pain. But when it actually went down, having the kid wasn't really all that bad. I could feel the sensation of a baby leaving my body but it didn't hurt at all. I remember laying back and going, "Oh. Huh. That wasn't nearly as bad as I imagined." I don't remember the baby afterwards. Or a father. I do remember being sick. Something happened after it was born and I couldn't make myself feel right. I was vomiting and I wouldn't stop. I was worried something was wrong with my insides. No one seemed terribly concerned when I voiced my worries. Then I woke up. Or the dream ended. I'm not sure.
Yeah. Weird.
I'm not one who puts much meaning into dreams, but I'm wondering what my subconscious is trying to tell me with these. |
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| A watching there must be! |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|11:59 am] |
Everyone who hasn't seen the awesomely beautiful SPN vid kroki_refur made for me should do it RIGHT NOW.
Here is her original post.
( And here's the vid )
Seriously. WATCH. |
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| Twitter! |
[Jul. 24th, 2008|12:12 am] |
( Read on... ) |
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| oh you vex me you vex me |
[Jul. 23rd, 2008|11:12 pm] |
| [ | music |
| | The Andrews Sisters - Rum and Coca-Cola | ] |
More on the potential 1920s circus game! I figure that now I should give you more canon and information on the circus and what I have in my brain area.
See this post for additional information.
Right!
( History of this circus and how it functions. )
For the game to work at its opening, here is the list of cast members most immediately desirable and playable.
( Cast list again. )
Interested people means it's time to decide on a format. Here is what I have so far:
( Format of the game!!! )
If you still want in and want to brainstorm, here is your official (for now) application to reserve a spot. Just comment here with it. As I don't even know what to call the game yet, you're not in any rush to figure things out. If you want a spot reserved and have no ideas for the character yet, just let me know which spot you want and you can apply later.
If you want some inspiration, remember that some of these characters may have been second or more generation in the Brooks circus, or came from other circuses. Some might not know their birthdates ("freaks" especially). Some might not be able to read. Some might not yet speak a lot of English (Isabella included). Some might be nasty pieces of work. Some might not. Some might have a stage name. Some might not know their real name. You can play someone as young as four or as old as, well, old. If you want to put a character, such as members of a family or a best friend or an assistant, up for adoption, simply specify who they are and I'll stick them in the cast list and add who to contact for more information. There is no fantasy in the circus other than Isabella (for canonical reasons).
Again, anyone applying a character already in DL need not actually apply. We'll have NPC journals for audience members and non-circus people, so the only thing you need to worry about now are the one or two characters you wish to play.
It would behoove you to make a LiveJournal for your character(s) now so I know who they are when they join later.
When there is something to actually join.
Specifics will be organized later. These are basic applications. We'll establish how they came to the circus as well as relationships and acts and where they live and whatnot down the road. Not too far down the road, but down the road.
If a character needs an assistant or apprentice role filled (we need one of each for the illusionist), please don't hesitate to tell me what you'd like so I can post more information and get someone to play. Or con someone you know into applying for the role.
Gameplay will not begin for a while, so there's no need to rush. I'm not looking to create a really intense game. Just something creative that builds upon itself.
It would also be snazzy to pimp this around so we get plenty of people. Bring in your friends!
(Circus history: here, here, here (1920s circus photos), here, here, and here.) |
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| Like all of us, we misjudged the weight of our desire. We undermined the consequences. |
[Jul. 23rd, 2008|04:13 pm] |
http://www.esquire.com/features/heath-ledger-last-days
To write a conceivable chronicle of Heath Ledger's final days, writer Lisa Taddeo visited the actor's neighborhood, talked to the store owners and bartenders who may have seen him during his last week, and read as many accounts and rumors about the events surrounding his death as possible. She filled in the rest with her imagination. The result is what we call reported fiction. Some of the elements are true. (Ledger was in London. He was a regular at the Beatrice Inn and the Mirö Cafe. And he was infatuated with Nick Drake.) Others are not.
This piece is a strange piece of journalism, straddling fiction and reality like smoke and echoing high ceiling white rooms with curtain less windows. It is unquestionably beautiful however and I think you should read it. |
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| The beacon is lit! Gondor calls for aid. |
[Jul. 23rd, 2008|01:57 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  bouncy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Return of the King | ] |
I watched the extended versions of Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers with my friends, and I'm currently listening to the extended version of Return of the King. I came to the following conclusions/had the following thoughts today during the marathon:
-Leaving a container of Double Stuf Oreos in front of me all day is a bad idea. (I actually left because I was having massive problems with self-control and it was making me sick.)
-I need to reread all of the LotR books again, including The Silmarillion and The Children of Hurin. My memory's a little vague on some of the specifics.
-Cuddly kittens are the best thing ever.
-Attacking kittens are great as well, but I have a bunch of cuts on my hands.
-I need to cut myself off from the Internet more often; I'll get more writing done that way.
-Denethor just might be a worse father than John Winchester. But it's a close race.
-I love all of the different character threads to pieces, but my favorite on this watch was the Frodo-Sam-Gollum one. It was probably because watching Frodo degrade from a healthy individual into an addicted/possessed shadow fit the types of stories I've been into lately.
-Gandalf fighting the Balrog in midair is still one of the best action sequences ever put in a movie.
-I found myself empathizing more toward Eowyn than Arwen this go-around, probably because of my big feminist kick. (Eowyn's still pretty whiny, though.)
-Haldir lives!
-OMG I FORGOT ABOUT PIPPIN'S SONG IN ROTK (it's going right now). WEEP.
Since I had a big day for musicals yesterday, I've been thinking a lot lately about how much I miss being in them. I even loved being in the chorus; unless my co-stars were egotistical (and they sometimes were), the bonds made were incredible. I would love to try being a lead eventually, though. I have a very good memory for lyric, lines, music, and dance moves, so I think I could pull it off.
Anyway, I know now isn't the time to get back into musicals -- I need to get a job, and I want to focus on my writing for a bit, and at some point next year, I'm throwing school back into the mix. But when I get a full-time job a few years down the road, I'm going to get voice lessons (and maybe dance lessons, too), and I'm going to start auditioning for community shows again. But there's lots to do in the meantime. I have a lot of movie musicals and quite a few soundtracks, so I can just enjoy them until the time is right to do more and hopefully improve some of my singing/dancing on my own. It'll give me a good reason to practice piano, at least.
Speaking of soundtracks, they're doing a revival of West Side Story on Broadway! And they're going to translate some of the play into Spanish, although I don't know if they mean spoken lines or song lyrics. Still! It's my favorite musical (and the last one I auditioned for, although I didn't get cast), so I'll be glad to get a new soundtrack. There's also talk of a Wicked movie, which would be AMAZING, but only if Idina Menzel or Ana Gasteyer play Elphaba (but okay, I'd see it even if someone else was cast). And I'd definitely prefer Kristin Chenowith for G(a)linda, but I'm a tad more flexible on it.
Are there any other musical nuts in the house? |
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[Jul. 22nd, 2008|11:37 pm] |
Oww. Area where I got my shot is swollen. Hurts. =( At least it's only one of them. |
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cheerful
ditzy
numb
grateful
okay