When the Music's Over...

barnabascousins @ 2009-12-15T22:41:00

2009-12-16T03:41:25Z

If this is an example of the difference between the Lord of the Rings DVDs vs Blu-Ray I will be purchasing my third copy of these movies. For sure!

I want to play The Third Age again but I have too much Christmas stuff to do! :P After the holidays I guess.

Accomplished! Christmas ramblings

2009-12-13T05:45:50Z

I got the rest of my Christmas shopping done online yesterday, totally drew up and designed my card tonight and placed that order, finished the last 2 aprons I had to make and made Katelyn's mini hat. All that's left is sewing the ears on Rachael's hoodie and making Katelyn's.

*sigh of relief*

So good to get things done!

PLUS I got Mom's World of Warcraft working again! Ah ~ now to relax.

This week I have to get my license renewed and get a yearly physical, mail out the last 2 packages from my auctions and then I can relax and wait for presents to arrive in the mail. And I am totally going to finish re-watching 1840! I swear!

Crystal and her family are coming up next weekend to visit. So there's that to look forward to, we're going to take a family picture for Mom & Dad for Christmas, actually 3:

+ 4 daughters & 4 granddaughters
+ 4 daughters
+ 4 granddaughters

So that'll be cool, here's hoping we can pull it off.

Dolls and Christmas!

2009-12-09T06:27:10Z

I just checked FedEx and Aeso's in Connecticut, with a delivery estimate of tomorrow. PLEASE BEAT OUT THE STORM! We're supposed to get 5 - 8 inches tomorrow night so I hope he gets here before it does. Someone must be home at all times tomorrow!

Had piano lessons this morning. Told my teacher I was getting frustrated at my level as I felt she was pushing me too hard and practicing had become a total chore, so she agreed to lay off for this month and let me have fun doing Christmas Carols instead. We pieced out an arrangement of Deck the Halls today, and I played her I Saw Three Ships and It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. I've got to look at my books and pick out some carols for next week. It's nice to have a breather though.

Kitty and I decorated the outside of the house tonight, in 20 degree weather. You bet your ass we did it quickly! Then we came in and decorated out 10 foot tall plus Christmas tree. We went to a tree farm down the road a piece and picked it out. It was easily 15 foot tall, but the guy said no one bought trees that big so he was willing to cut it higher than the base for us. It's a beautiful tree, and it only cost $30! Here's a picture of it outside in the wilderness, already cut, but my Dad is 5'11" if that gives you an idea of it's height, and one of it decorated.

After that I had a sandwich for dinner and we watched The Santa Clause with Mom & Dad. Tomorrow I call Scrooged.

Random Stats

2009-12-08T06:22:36Z

According to my iTunes stats, the most played albums on my iPod are:

1. The Chemical Brothers - We are the Night
2. Morning Musume - Platinum 9 Disc
3. Buck Tick - Kyokuto I Love You
4. Goldfrapp - Seventh Tree
5. Goldfrapp - Black Cherry
6. The Cure - Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me
7. Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth
8. The Cure - The Head on the Door
9. Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
10. Goldfrapp - Supernature

Huh. I would have thought Depeche Mode would have been better represented. I do however listen to Goldfrapp a LOT, which is why they show up 3 times out of 10.

Oh Happy Day!

2009-12-06T05:00:21Z

Since it's snowing out I guess it's time to bust out my Princess Serenity Christmas icon.

I'm hoping tomorrow is calm enough so I can bring Kui outside and get pictures in her new winter dress. It's pretty rough out there now, and of course it waited until after dark to start. But there's already 6 inches on the ground so Yay! White Christmas hopefully!

My ebay auctions all went off tonight and I made enough money between those and some previous ones to get Xiao Han (Aeso). SOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED! And checking today he's IN STOCK so I don't have to wait!

Ordering now! Then I'm running off to ebay to find him a black wig.

I'm so excited!

I guess they were having a bad week or something...

2009-12-06T01:41:18Z

One DVD and I caught 3 boom mikes and 2 stagehands (though one was just a quick movement off screen so he's not represented). I'm not counting mike shadows or flubbed lines *coughJamesStormcough*

I've been dicking around today when I SHOULD have been working on Christmas presents, listening to music and making icons. These are all from 1840 (boxset 24 disc 3) I need more Quentin and Daphne because they're so damn cute together. More to come, for now I gotta do something productive.

Stuff related to Dark Shadows

2009-12-05T04:46:03Z

I've been watching 1840 again. I want to make some icons but I've been working on Christmas presents all afternoon. Maybe I'll still throw a DVD on my computer to cap for them...

I want to go to a con again! I missed the one this past summer because of $$ but I am totally going in 2010. I will finish my Aristede costume and go!

I also want to do some fanart because I haven't since May 2008, and that is something of a tragedy.

Oh and speaking of cons, I was going through some old photos I found in a box this summer and left them stacked on my scanner for months before I got around to scanning them today. Here's me and Marie Wallace at the summer 2001 con. She's so sweet!

Do I have a photo of me and Chris Pennock somewhere? I think I do... love him, he's a total sweetheart in real life.

Looking at that photo maybe I won't grow my hair that long again. Glad I got my bangs cut the other day. LOL! Why the hell didn't I before I went then?

Memnoch finished.... finally!

2009-12-03T03:06:40Z

I finished Memnoch last night... yeah. It was... terrible. Really. I got to the end and was like HOLD THE GODDAMNED PHONE. Memnoch accidentally takes out Lestat's eye as he tries to escape from Hell, only to have Maharet randomly show up with it with a note from Memnoch saying Thanks for everything! I half expected her to describe a little chibi head of Memnoch giving the peace sign next to his signature.

Holy shit, I wanted to throw the book against the wall. Why take his eye out in the first place, only to restore it? It would have been much more interesting to see him deal with it's loss and cope with it, than anything else. I couldn't help but laugh in my head either at the description of him swiveling about to see people out of his good eye, because all I could think of was Michael Keaton in Batman and his inability to turn his head.

LOL! My icon, the whole time I was reading it too, all I could think of was Fai.

The whole thing with the veil as well, why did that need to be in there? What drove her to take the characters in this direction? Personal reasons I guess. It's just grating, it's like she's preaching at you from vampire fiction. I'll take mine without thank you very much. The part after Lestat comes back with Dora was just gross. I mean, I'm a girl yes so I have to deal with it monthly, but it was still utterly disgusting. Urgh - am I going to have to deal with that in the later books?

I was also terribly upset by the supposed end of Armand, though given his whole persona it wasn't totally out of character, that doesn't mean I had to like it though. Thankfully though that wasn't his death and I've plunged into The Vampire Armand this evening, with abandon. *crosses fingers* Please don't turn to shit later. I'm kind of glad Lestat is in an emotional coma for this book because I got tired very quickly of his never ending despair. It's nice to get into the head of other characters for a while.

barnabascousins @ 2009-12-01T22:52:00

2009-12-02T03:52:34Z

People are probably going to see this all over the place because it's pretty damn cool, but for the 20th anniversary of Empire magazine (UK) they got some top name stars in for photo shoots where they recreate scenes/characters from their most iconic movies. Guess which ones are my favorite?

Gallery here

Very much this! It made my night.

This is awesome.

For Kitty.

50,141 words for the win!

2009-11-30T21:20:59Z

AH~ I finally did it! Even with all the distractions and all the days of sitting there when pulling words out was like trying to get blood from a stone I finally freaking did it.

I want to dance XD

*DANCE DANCE DANCE DANCE*

It's not finished, not by a long shot, but it's got a serious start now and I plan to buckle down and finish.

I'm not sure how much writing I'll get done in December, though I plan on at least 1,000 words a day, we'll see how I do.

Happy end of November everyone and end of Nanowrimo 2009!

It's cold in here

2009-11-28T06:49:19Z

I didn't get much writing done today, only 2200 words or so. I wanted to finish but had to take the dog to the vet, got her some antibiotics, and then when I got back Cassie, Brian and Rachael were back down for dinner.

Rachael, Kitty and I hung out after eating and cleaning up. We played Candy Land, Uno and then colored in Christmas themed coloring books. It was nice and relaxing. Then I dicked around catching up on facebook. Tried to sit down and write some more tonight but I'm just too tired to push it. I hope I can finish up tomorrow, though it's my Dad's birthday so I don't know if I'll be going near the computer at all.

My goal for December is to try and write at least 1,000 words a day. I really want to finish this story before February, and then to start on my next which is already in planning. I'm reviving an original character I originally created (yeah) for a Dark Shadows fanfiction I was writing.... well, many years ago, by the name of Arthur Wickett. He'll be getting his own story now, taking center stage in another story I started many years before that. We'll see how it goes. If we're still here in February I'm signing up for the advanced creative writing class and making 28 Days my major project.

I've been rewatching Dark Shadows 1840 on DVD lately. It's been a while since I was actively watching the show and not just playing it in the background while I sewed or was drawing or something else like that. I still need to finish the pre-Barnabas DVDs.

Anyway it's chilly in here and I'm going to turn in. Goodnight all!

Well... duh!

2009-11-27T18:25:09Z

I just had one of those moments, you know? I was writing, getting to the point where Emily was about to discover the name of the asylum Peter was in, when it struck me... Boston area.. asylum... so I put him in Danvers.

It makes sense but it cruel of me because Danvers scares the crap out of me. I would never go near the place. Not only because it was an asylum, but it was built on the land owned by Judge John Hathorne, and most of the Salem witchcraft incidents took place on the property. That and it was locked up an abandoned. Records, artifacts, everything was left behind. That's truly ghostly.

Leon used to work there, I should go talk to him about the layout of the place and such. It's been turned into apartments now, though how anyone could live there is beyond me - even if the building is really beautiful.

Happy Turkey Day!

2009-11-27T17:22:50Z

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving, ours was kind of subdued and kind of weird. Katelyn was in a mood having stayed up to the crack of dawn the night before at a friend's house and kept casting withering looks across the table at her Mother which made even me want to reach across and smack her upside the head. We think Cassie & Brian had been arguing earlier in the day, and Dad was just tired and cranky. It was really kind of disappointing. Oh well - everyone's coming over for leftovers tonight so here's hoping it's better.

Kitty and I kept with my Thanksgiving tradition and watched White Christmas after doing the dishes and cleaning up, then we watched High Society, which was wicked funny and I've been singing Well Did You Evah all morning. I need to steal the DVD from her because many icons need to be made.

I woke up before anyone else this morning and immediately hopped out of bed and called the vet for Geri who has been pulling the fur off her hind leg since Wednesday, it looks awful - then went out and took care of the animals. Other than that it's rainy and damp and cold and gloomy and I'm going to try and finish Nano today sometime.

Until later.

SOOOOO CLOSE!

2009-11-26T05:08:51Z

I took yesterday off to sew, spent most of today finishing sewing (Kui-chan has a new dress but no one will see it until it snows here and I can get some proper pictures of it because it's themed you know....) but tonight after dinner I decided to sit down and crank out as much as I could before the words dried up.

I could keep going now, but I'm beat. I managed to pound out 6,456 words tonight, finally wrapped up the few scenes I had skipped over and added a whole huge major revelation scene. I've only got 6,583 words left to go and I'm excited! I might actually pull this off! XDDDDD

Here's an excerpt of what I wrote tonight, from Chapter Five. This is a scene between Westley, Peter's older brother, and Emily, the heroine of the story and the girl in the icon. It takes place in 1926, just so you get a picture of the era. (The flashback takes place in 1909.) Please do not mind the typos, these will be fixed.

He leaned forward, looking past her into the office lobby. She turned in her chair, half expecting to see someone standing out there she had not heard come in but there was no one. She was even more startled when Westley stood behind his desk, walked around it and out to the main door and opened it. He looked into the hall and down the stairs, then satisfied that no one was about closed the door and locked it. He then returned, shut his own office door and took the seat behind his desk again. She stared at him, still half turned in her chair and uncertain of what to do. He seemed to be gathering himself somehow, then he leaned back in his chair and looked towards the ceiling. His voice was quiet but steady. “What I am about to tell you you must share with no one.” He paused and moved his head so he was staring her directly in the eyes. “You must promise me this before I go on. More than Peter's sanity but his very life depends on your promise to me that this goes no further than the office door.”

She had no idea what he meant, what this all meant, save that he was dead serious. It frightened her slightly. What did he mean Peter's life? But she filed this fear away. She turned to face him fully and dropped her head slightly to level her gaze to his own. “I promise, on my heart and soul and to God above I swear.”

He nodded. “I must have one more promise from you. No matter what I say, no matter how incredulous it seems I want you to tell me you will consider it and consider it hard before you dismiss it. I do not tell lies or spin fairy tales for my own amusement. What I am about to tell you is the truth in as much was confided in me both by my late Father and by Peter himself.”

“I believe you.” She said without hesitation. “What could you tell me that could possibly be more fantastic than what I have said happened on Halloween?”

“This.” He said solemnly, and began.

“I trust you remember that when Peter was around seven years of age he fell very ill, gravely ill. He was struck very suddenly by a fever one day, a raging fever that all but crippled him. We carried him everywhere, he couldn't eat, couldn't drink. Sometimes he went into convulsions and we had to hold his tongue to keep him from swallowing it. My Mother was so strong then. She barely slept, she was at his side day and night. Father too. My brothers and I started skipping school to watch over him so that they would sleep.

“We took him to all the doctors in the area but their prognosis was always the same, they didn't know what was causing his illness but they all believed that it would end inevitably with his death. My Mother and Father were beside themselves. How could the doctors just write him off in such a manner without trying to discover origin the of this malady? They refused to believe it, and so my Father finally decided to take him to Boston. Surely there he would find competent doctors who would quickly diagnose the source of the illness and bring Peter roaring back to good health again.

“I remember the morning they left, it was November, as it is now, cold and raining. Father had bundled Peter in blankets and his face was a burning coal above them. I kept thinking the rain would turn to steam when it touched his skin. I even caught myself watching for it. We all kissed him on the forehead, Mother held him for the longest time. I think we were all hoping for a miracle but thinking this might be the last time we laid eyes on our youngest brother. How could anyone really recover from being so ill?

“Finally Father maneuvered him into the carriage and climbed in after him. We could see them together as it rolled off down the road, Peter in Father's lap as Father held him and Father waving, grim faced but somehow hopeful.”

He paused to take a handkerchief from his pocket and blot at his forehead with it. “This part of the story was related to me by my Father. I was not there to witness it myself but I believe him for why would he lie about such a thing? It's inconceivable that he would.”

She leaned forward. “Please.” She coaxed him. “Go on.”

“They arrived in Boston and immediately Father started taking him to all the doctors and hospitals that he could. He was admitted to a few, and the tests they ran, so many tests! They wanted to keep him, and he did stay, but as hope faded at each one in turn he would move on to the next. No one knew what was wrong with Peter, not a one would venture to give a diagnosis. No one had seen anything like it! There were so many terrible illnesses it could have been but they were ruled out each in turn. Can you imagine what it must have been like for my Father? Each doctor rattling off some more terrible disease it could be, that they thought it was, only for it to turn out not to be the case? He confided that at each visit he despaired, half hoping at each diagnosis to learn the cause and for the searching to be over, yet terrified that it would turn out to be true or that it would be something even more horrible.

“Finally he ran out of doctors to visit and hospitals to go to. My Father started taking him to faith healers and herbalists, con men to be sure but he was desperate. When Peter grew too weak to even be carried about my Father resorted bringing them to his hotel room. When the staff learned that such a sick boy was on the premises they immediately threw them out on the street. They wandered until the ended up in dirty little room to rent. Father took to visiting the immigrant healers in the poor districts, they were all that was left to him, the gypsies and the peddlers of snake oils and cure alls. But nothing he tried seemed to work, Peter only grew sicker and weaker. Father said a few times he even stopped breathing and that Father had pumped his arms and breathed into his mouth until he had coughed and the breath had come back into him.

“At last there was nothing left for Father to do but sit beside him and keep him breathing, to spoon fed him water slowly and when he could take it, to wipe his forehead and pray. Father said he had truly given up, there was nothing left to do. He could only wait for Peter to die, he would never make the trip home and Father could not bring himself to face us in his failure. It was only when Father had given up all hope and sat beside Peter day and night and cared for him as best he could that a woman came and knocked on the door to his room.

“She was a young woman Father said, though it was obvious she had known very hard times. She looked half mad herself, with her wild red hair and staring blue eyes. She was dressed head to toe in black and had a black shawl over her head which she kept closed at all times with one bony hand clutching it. She was Irish, he could tell by her accent, and she carried an old threadbare carpet bag with broken handles.

“She said she had heard of him, had heard of his son and his ailments and thought she could help him. Father let her into the room and she immediately went to Peter's side, laying her hands on his face, on his forehead. She opened his eyes and peered into them, looked at his hands, at his nails, at his teeth. Finally she turned to my Father and said, 'There is hope for him yet, he has not fully changed.'

“Father was incredulous. What did she mean? Changed? But she shook her head and said she would show him and so opened her bag, reached into it and pulled out a small silver coin – or what had been one. A smaller circle had been punched out of it, it had been cut into the shape of a crescent moon. She turned to Peter but then back to my Father and told him he should not be alarmed, that what happened now she did to only show him how far his son's malady could progress if nothing was done now, tonight, for this was the last night they had to save him.

“Father didn't know what she meant, but nodded for her to continue. What could she do to him that was worse than what he suffered now? So she turned back to Peter, whispered a few words over his unconscious form and then pressed the flat of the little moon directly into his forehead. Father said he would never forget what happened next to the day he died.

“Peter screamed as soon as the silver touched his skin, he arched his back under the pain, digging his heels into the bed and reaching up to claw at the hand of the woman who held this object of agony to him. Father cried out, moved to push the woman away, but she held him back with her other hand and over her shoulder Father saw Peter's eyes come open and fix on him.

“They were an animal's eyes. Yellow as a cat's and the pupils wide and black. There were fangs in his mouth, like dog's teeth, and the sound that was coming from him was like that of a cornered, wounded animal. Father fell away from him in shock, against the far wall which he turned his face to and cried. He wept, he told me, like a small child. Finally the woman took away the coin and spoke some words over Peter which quieted him and he went back to sleep. When Father looked back he said he looked just as he did before, eyes closed, sleeping deeply, save the vivid mark on his forehead where the little silver moon had burned him.

“The woman stood, came away from the bed and to my Father's side. She apologized that he had had to see his son that way, but she had been forced to do it because there was no in words to tell him, no other way he would believe her. He asked her how this had come about, how this had happened to his son. She said Peter had been born under a bad sign, that sometimes this happened, rarely, but it did happen. It was not unknown in the old world. She said that Peter was a lycanthrope, a werewolf, a wolf man. That when the moon was full he would change into this monster with a taste for flesh and for killing. She said it was a full moon tonight and they were both lucky she had come, that she had found them, that she would help them.

“Father said he fell to his knees, almost clinging to the skirts of this woman in gratitude. She took his hand and bade him to stand. She could help him yes, but her services were not free. Father promised her anything, anything to keep Peter from becoming that monster again, that non-human boy. She opened her bag again and took out a little brown bottle of pills. It was unadorned by label or maker's mark and topped off by a cork. This she lay in my Father's hands. She said Peter must have one that day, now, that very instant, and every day for the rest of his life. They and only they would keep the beast at bay. Father must arrange for her to be paid in advance for each month's allotment, which she would send by mail when payment was received. She said it took sometime to prepare the treatment, that it must be made fresh each month or the potency would wear off, something that would endanger everyone should he allow it to pass. She said Father must never tell what had transpired here, what he had seen, what she had told him. There were laws with her people that forbade the assistance of such creatures as his son, that they should be killed upon contact, without mercy. The risk was simply too strong. She said she had done it once and vowed never to do it again.

“Father did not know how to thank her enough, and after he paid her she administered the first of the pills to Peter. Before darkness fell his fever had broken, he had woken, tired and weak but hungry and thirsty. The woman warned Father he could only have water and broth at first, that he was still too weak from the sickness, so this Father went to get while the woman sat watch over Peter and talked to him.

“Peter told me later that they spoke of dreams. She asked him if he had dreamed when he was sick and what he had dreamed of. Peter said he had dreamed of the moon, of madness, of blood. He said he had dreamed he was running along a road that stretched over a long endless plain. There was nothing in any direction her turned and that the moon had chased his as he ran, bloated and dead in the sky but watching, watching always."

This would have been awesome.... a year ago

2009-11-21T00:05:43Z

It seems Kago was hired to be the spokesperson for a Japanese cell-phone company based out of NYC. So she's there, right now, filming the commercial, a DVD and some other things.... and she's doing fan meet ups.

Why the hell couldn't this have happened a year ago when I was there?

T_T

Catching up

2009-11-20T07:05:18Z

Had a few bad days writing, but am really catching up tonight. Burnt out on words at the moment, but managed to put down 4,700 in around 3 hours and bridge a few pieces that I had skipped ahead on. I'm at 30,540 words, which puts me at 2,793 words to write to catch up by midnight of the 20th.

I think I can do it!

Looking back over it I know there's some places I am going to change things, to rewrite them or make the flow better. Sometimes I worry that the story is moving along too quickly, but it's the only pace I can tell it at.

I've still got a few missing gaps to fill in, but I've come to the end of BIG BAD THING number 1, so I feel accomplished have reached that at least.

Orange juice hates me

2009-11-15T07:02:06Z

Foolishly I decided to try and drink some low acid orange juice with breakfast this morning and then spent the rest of the day feeling like I had drank a cup of acid instead. I don't know what it is with me and orange juice but it freaking HURTS me when I drink it, like it was eating a hole in my stomach - which sucks because I really like it.

Mom and Dad had plans to go to a fiddling concert tonight, but Dad ended up working late and Mom didn't feel good so I went up to Cassie's house to make home made pizzas and have buffalo wings and watch Phantom of the Opera. Now I am singing Music of the Night and Masquerade. I need to buy the damn movie soundtrack! (I have the Broadway cast, but I want the movie cast as well).

It POURED here tonight. Torrential rains. I hope it does tomorrow too so I can get some writing done. I have a hard time writing during the day, too easily distracted, and too tired tonight to continue. I'm way behind. I'll have to write 3800 words tomorrow to catch up.

At this point I am also seriously getting bored with Memnoch. It was interesting in the beginning with the Devil stalking Lestat, both his awareness and fear of it, and this ghost of one of his victims speaking to him at the bar - but now it's just turned into non-stop religious debating and theorizing and its a slogging read. There was a bit more of Anne Rice's feminist ideals popping up in Dora, but the character's out of the picture for a moment so I didn't have to sit through that again. (I had enough with Akasha, thank you very much). Does anything happen in this book? I'm hoping that The Vampire Armand is more engaging. I want the vampires to, you know, DO SOMETHING. Yeah, that would be good.

I'm going to go get a snack and then hit the hay. Hopefully tomorrow is more productive.

Research and writing

2009-11-13T07:12:05Z

The internet is a wonderful place. Working on my story and I needed to know what kind of flashlights were in use in 1926. How easily I found my answer.

I finally hit 20,000 words. I don't think I've ever written this much continuously in my life. It feels pretty good. Also I realized I don't have to write this whole story from one point of view. I was struggling a lot with that, then tonight it just flowed out naturally from this other character's perspective. After I've gotten around BIG EVENT NUMBER ONE, which I reached tonight, I'll go back and see what I can add to the narrative. In truth there's a big part of chapter 3 missing as I was getting impatient and wanted to get to chapter four, which is the first of the BIG EVENTS and takes place at a Halloween party.

I'd put up an excerpt as I really like it, but it's 5 pages long so far so I'll spare you.

It's been TOUGH as this is my first serious, committed undertaking, but also a wicked learning experience. I really think I can do it.

Oh and I feel I should note, that though I have been trying to write this story for a couple years now, I've never gotten more then the first couple pages and a few excepts written over and over and over - so I totally scrapped everything I'd written before save the characters, the time period and the plot - and started anew. It's better for it, believe me.

Anne Rice stuff

2009-11-11T19:50:27Z

Since September 6th or so I've read:

The Witching Hour
Lasher
Interview with the Vampire
The Vampire Lestat
Queen of the Damned
Tale of the Body Thief

Right now I'm reading Memnoch the Devil and Taltos. I also bought The Vampire Armand last night just so I wouldn't have to wait to read the next book. Body Thief was the first new book of hers I'd read, I mean out of the others which I'd read before. I rather liked it, was annoyed by Louis when he wouldn't help Lestat and then loved the scene where Lestat burned Louis house down in anger. I'm glad David's a vampire now, he is too awesome a character to have lost.

Through this I have learned that Anne Rice loves the words certain words and phrases, as I'm sure all authors do.

For example cleave; as in the table cleaved to the wall, or her dress cleaved to her body or Louis cleaved to Lestat (Haha! I wish). Also abide, there was tons of stuff that neither Claudia nor Lasher could abide. Or so and so's mouth formed a perfect O which has happened more than once though I can't remember the details.

Anyway I have to get back to writing myself. I keep getting distracted.

Nano stuff

2009-11-11T05:00:43Z

15,657 words as of this writing. Spent almost all day in Bangor today running errands and hanging out with the kids, only to suddenly come down with a major headache, congestion, and random bursts of pain in my ears and at the base of my neck. Going to call it quits and just hunker down and try to catch up some other day.

For now I'm going to put on my new pjs and crawl into bed with Memnoch.

Night.

barnabascousins @ 2009-11-10T09:59:00

2009-11-10T15:03:28Z

Went out to dinner last night to an Irish pub, was pretty good, had steak and mushroom pie with HUGE chunks of garlic in it. Won't say who we went with as apparently it's a secret.

Came home and took a shower, tried to do some writing but it only came in fitful spurts. Going to try and catch up today.

Started reading Taltos, going up to Bangor today to run errands, will pick up Memnoch while I'm there. Taking the kids as they have 2 days off from school thanks to Veteran's Day and an in-service.

Another day of 60 degree weather. I'll take it.

I can still taste garlic.

barnabascousins @ 2009-11-08T19:07:00

2009-11-09T00:18:19Z

Did some target practice today with Dad, it was fun. Did about 5 or 6 rounds before my hand started to hurt. It was gorgeous this afternoon but once the sun went down the temperature dropped.

Am at 13,655 words by Nanowrimo's count, around 26 pages in Times font, 35 in courier. Not sure what the standard is as I've seen both are acceptable. Just finished writing a particularly lovely little nightmare. At first I was kind of... well this is not that freaky - then I let go and it got nice and subtly disturbing. Ah, fun.

I have totally expanded the character of one of the - well she's not a traditional villain, she's not the main hurdle to overcome, but she is an antagonist. She's deliciously cruel and kind of fun to write.

Now I think I will draw for a bit.

It feels way later than it is.

barnabascousins @ 2009-11-08T00:15:00

2009-11-08T05:16:03Z

More than anything else in sewing clothes for dolls, I hate doing the sleeves.

Hate.

barnabascousins @ 2009-11-07T12:18:00

2009-11-07T17:38:48Z

Yesterday was Mom's birthday so we took her out to see Men who stare at goats which was a very funny movie, infectiously optimistic. The army base shooting scene was a little jarring, considering events of the past few days, but the Jedi references were made all the more amusing by Ewan McGregor's casting. I'd like to get the book it was based upon.

Afterward we went to dinner at Dyshart's where Mom and Dad finally used the gift certificate we had given Dad for Father's day. I had turkey soup and toll house pie, the soup was DELICIOUS, the pie not so much. Then I came home and laid on a heating pad all night because I did something to my back and it's been a knot of burning muscles for the past 2 or 3 days. Oh, but we did run out and get Mom a box of cherry cordials and a card though Mom said she didn't want anything, Stumpy sent her flowers which was our original idea, so we went with candy. We're having a nice Sunday dinner/birthday party with Cassie and the kids tomorrow night.

Whoa - I just realized that's Frank Langella in The Box and not Christopher Lee - though they both played Dracula.

I'm about half way through Tale of the Body Thief which I am really enjoying, Lestat (in the body of Raglan James) has just gotten over pneumonia and is currently staying with the nun who took him from the hospital when he begged her not to let him die in that body. I really enjoyed his hallucinations? of Claudia's ghost taunting him throughout the first part of the book, was it his own guilt or his own subconscious or really her ghost? I'm curious as to what will happen when he goes to seek out Louis, but I've got Nanowrimo to do so no more reading until tonight.

I'm just shy of 10,000 words, which was yesterday's goal, but I'm a bit weary and the words are coming slowly. I listen to a lot of Tchaikovsky when writing, The Nutcracker Suite and Swan Lake. Music with words is too distracting. I need to buy some more classical music albums. I should probably bust out my Escaflowne OSTs.

Ah, heating pad, you are my friend.

Angel Street BJD

2009-11-03T04:05:06Z

Ararara!

I was looking at Mint on Card tonight and saw the new brand of BJD's they have are CHEAP! Like $200 WITH FACE UP! I really want to get Aeso to go with Kui, but am broke at the moment (lent $$ to the folks). This is the one I'm looking at Zazean..

Pros are he's only $200, which is LESS than half what I would pay for my original choice, Xiao Han.

Cons are he's only 60cm, which is the same size as Kui and I was looking to get a slightly bigger doll.

I kind of like the face sculpt of Xiao better, but I like Zazean's ears more. Also he is $229 cheaper.

Oh I am soooooooo tempted!

EDIT Despite the price I'm gonna hold out for Xiao because he's bigger and I prefer his face sculpt. Now I just need some $$.