Friday, May 30, 2008
Wii Fit - Poor Girl
So hey. Just read this Media Bistro piece about a guy who caught his girlfriend playing with a Wii Fit in a t-shirt and underwear then put it on YouTube without her knowledge. So, he's the director of Interactive Marketing at an ad agency and she's supposedly unconnected to the Wii Fit as well. But I find it strange that a marketing director (even a young one) would do something like this without a paycheck. Maybe the Wii Fit will retroactively buy it as a commercial. It's cute, especially the guy's face at the beginning and the end. I can tell you now, I'd break up with anybody who put a video of me up on YouTube without my knowledge and permission. I hesitate to even blog about it cause I disapprove of exploiting a girl in her underwear unaware. Oh, but it's an interesting scenario and needs to be discussed. :)
All over the place
I always kinda wanted to do this, but never quite had the guts. Does anyone else think it's funny that they already know the documentary will be 52 minutes long? And I love that, "Xavier will survive" part. More like, "Xavier hopes to survive." Too bad this won't be live and ongoing as he does it. One of my favorite books is still Swiss Family Robinson and that's probably one of the reasons I like Survivor so much.
Reminds me of my friend Ryan Carpenter, a bit. Ryan's really cool. I need to put a link up to all his sites cause the adventures he has are amazing. I first met him several years ago on my first Amtrak trip to Atlanta, for my mom's birthday. He was about to hike the Appalachian Trail at the time and he's done so much more since then. Check out the latest entry where he posts pics of losing his Mountain Man haircut and beard. Amusing.
On another note, the youngest Hanson brother is a papa. So is, apparently, Clay Aiken. I think it's a publicity stunt.
And here's a great idea I think we should all embrace. I've been saying we need to do this for YEARS. Actually, what I said was that we need a 3 day work week and a 4 day weekend as well as 2 hour siestas in the middle of the day. Come on folks, get on board. Together, we can change the world. Or rising gas prices will change it for us.
Reminds me of my friend Ryan Carpenter, a bit. Ryan's really cool. I need to put a link up to all his sites cause the adventures he has are amazing. I first met him several years ago on my first Amtrak trip to Atlanta, for my mom's birthday. He was about to hike the Appalachian Trail at the time and he's done so much more since then. Check out the latest entry where he posts pics of losing his Mountain Man haircut and beard. Amusing.
On another note, the youngest Hanson brother is a papa. So is, apparently, Clay Aiken. I think it's a publicity stunt.
And here's a great idea I think we should all embrace. I've been saying we need to do this for YEARS. Actually, what I said was that we need a 3 day work week and a 4 day weekend as well as 2 hour siestas in the middle of the day. Come on folks, get on board. Together, we can change the world. Or rising gas prices will change it for us.
Sex in the City and "uncontacted tribes"
No spoilers here, this time.
First, let me say that I never watched Sex in the City except in snatches whenever my former roommate T used to watch it. I did read the book, which wasn't very good, and saw enough snatches to know that the t.v. show brought new life to it. It's not that I think the show was a bad one - I suspect that it was very well produced, written and acted.
I just can't be bothered. I'm not interested.
So no biggie. The movie's not for me. I'm not going on a rabid rant about the fact that the movie exists, but I would like to complain for a second about the fact that Entertainment Weekly, which I subscribe to, devoted over 80 PAGES of their magazine (two issues ago) to the SiC movie. WTF???? WHY??
I understand that some people will find this fascinating and will lap up every exquisite detail of the articles from varied angles. But what about those of us readers, male and female, who don't give a shit about this movie? That was a wasted issue for us because there were maybe 10 pages we could actually read. I've NEVER seen EW devote so much of an issue to a single item (a lot of an issue, yes, but not over 4/5, not 80 FREAKING PAGES). Even if they devoted 80 pages to something I cared about, I'd still wonder why they were doing it. 80 pages is a lot in a floppy, glossy entertainment magazine. I mean, why didn't they just publish an insert that those of us who don't care about SiC can throw away???
What makes me sad is the fact that I haven't seen and will likely never see SiC and I'm still willing to bet it's a better movie than Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. At least in the sense of keeping true to its universe and having a legitimate story that makes sense.
I still don't care, though. That's probably SiC's worst crime - failure to make me give a shit. Otherwise, it's pretty freaking awesome, I'm sure.
Now. "Uncontacted tribes." Yeah. Go read the article and look at all of the pictures they link to. Two thoughts. First, if they're aiming weapons at you, you have contacted them. They're not "uncontacted." Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm splitting hairs. But still. Second, what's with my suspicious mind that immediately thought - this is a hoax or an advertisement for Survivor. I love me some Survivor (been watching it my entire adult life), but I seriously wouldn't put it past Probst and Burnett. If there are "uncontacted tribes" on this planet, let's all do them a favor and leave them that way. That means, no logging their villages away and no flying aircraft over them in order to get pictures. Get it? Got it? Good.
And no matter what you think, SiC and uncontacted Amazon tribes ARE connected in a very real way and viable co-subjects for one blog post. Promise. :)
First, let me say that I never watched Sex in the City except in snatches whenever my former roommate T used to watch it. I did read the book, which wasn't very good, and saw enough snatches to know that the t.v. show brought new life to it. It's not that I think the show was a bad one - I suspect that it was very well produced, written and acted.
I just can't be bothered. I'm not interested.
So no biggie. The movie's not for me. I'm not going on a rabid rant about the fact that the movie exists, but I would like to complain for a second about the fact that Entertainment Weekly, which I subscribe to, devoted over 80 PAGES of their magazine (two issues ago) to the SiC movie. WTF???? WHY??
I understand that some people will find this fascinating and will lap up every exquisite detail of the articles from varied angles. But what about those of us readers, male and female, who don't give a shit about this movie? That was a wasted issue for us because there were maybe 10 pages we could actually read. I've NEVER seen EW devote so much of an issue to a single item (a lot of an issue, yes, but not over 4/5, not 80 FREAKING PAGES). Even if they devoted 80 pages to something I cared about, I'd still wonder why they were doing it. 80 pages is a lot in a floppy, glossy entertainment magazine. I mean, why didn't they just publish an insert that those of us who don't care about SiC can throw away???
What makes me sad is the fact that I haven't seen and will likely never see SiC and I'm still willing to bet it's a better movie than Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. At least in the sense of keeping true to its universe and having a legitimate story that makes sense.
I still don't care, though. That's probably SiC's worst crime - failure to make me give a shit. Otherwise, it's pretty freaking awesome, I'm sure.
Now. "Uncontacted tribes." Yeah. Go read the article and look at all of the pictures they link to. Two thoughts. First, if they're aiming weapons at you, you have contacted them. They're not "uncontacted." Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm splitting hairs. But still. Second, what's with my suspicious mind that immediately thought - this is a hoax or an advertisement for Survivor. I love me some Survivor (been watching it my entire adult life), but I seriously wouldn't put it past Probst and Burnett. If there are "uncontacted tribes" on this planet, let's all do them a favor and leave them that way. That means, no logging their villages away and no flying aircraft over them in order to get pictures. Get it? Got it? Good.
And no matter what you think, SiC and uncontacted Amazon tribes ARE connected in a very real way and viable co-subjects for one blog post. Promise. :)
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Some fun stuff
This amused me endlessly when I read it this morning: 19 year old gamer becomes mayor
And this...I really hope I don't get sued for copy and pasting it into my blog cause I can't figure out how to link to it (didn't see it on the website). But this MADE MY DAY, so I wanted to share it with you. See below -->
This picture was taken last week. It was the first time I invited a photographer to come to where I store all the secrets. The silver case I am holding was the original container I bought for the postcards when I started the project. I never imagined I would need to store more than the 500 postcards it holds. What you see behind me is nearly a quarter of a million secrets.
Link to Post Secret is on the right. If you haven't checked it out, go right away. Post Secret is amazing.
And this...I really hope I don't get sued for copy and pasting it into my blog cause I can't figure out how to link to it (didn't see it on the website). But this MADE MY DAY, so I wanted to share it with you. See below -->
This picture was taken last week. It was the first time I invited a photographer to come to where I store all the secrets. The silver case I am holding was the original container I bought for the postcards when I started the project. I never imagined I would need to store more than the 500 postcards it holds. What you see behind me is nearly a quarter of a million secrets.
Link to Post Secret is on the right. If you haven't checked it out, go right away. Post Secret is amazing.
Am a bad blogger, and thoughts
Already, I have broken a rule of blogging. I did not put spoiler space on my last post. Thanks to S for letting me know that without actually commenting. :) Yeah, I'm lazy and hate wasting space. But I am a bad blogger. Here you go, there's a spoiler in the post under this, beware.
So something that randomly occurs to me just about every day since I moved to Nola: everyone here is crazy. Really. There's a spectrum and most folks fall on the "charmingly nuts, completely harmless" side and some are, "let's cross the street now" and some are "lock the doors and call the cops." But everyone's crazy. Which, as I told a friend today, is probably why I fit in. It's a little frustrating when you're single and trying to date, but as a writer, it's both helpful and entertaining.
When I write at home and I stop typing for a moment, the noise of the ceiling fan keeps up the clacking in a precise, almost typewriter-esque sound. It's very satisfying, this audible illusion that I'm working. But not so helpful as it can actually delude me into thinking I'm writing. My brain is powering a phantom typewriter. It is!
So something that randomly occurs to me just about every day since I moved to Nola: everyone here is crazy. Really. There's a spectrum and most folks fall on the "charmingly nuts, completely harmless" side and some are, "let's cross the street now" and some are "lock the doors and call the cops." But everyone's crazy. Which, as I told a friend today, is probably why I fit in. It's a little frustrating when you're single and trying to date, but as a writer, it's both helpful and entertaining.
When I write at home and I stop typing for a moment, the noise of the ceiling fan keeps up the clacking in a precise, almost typewriter-esque sound. It's very satisfying, this audible illusion that I'm working. But not so helpful as it can actually delude me into thinking I'm writing. My brain is powering a phantom typewriter. It is!
The Enemies of My Childhood
If you haven't seen Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, do not read this. Unless you like having movies be ruined before you see them, as opposed to, I don't know, while you see them. Though if you haven't heard that the folks behind this monstrosity killed my childhood (specifically, mine) and exactly how they did it before now, you've been living under a rock.
SPOILER SPACE FOLLOWS
LA
LA
LA
And one more la....
One word: aliens.
Two more words: nuclear bomb.
All of the ingredients were there for a spectacular movie, which is what made me suspicious and wary. I mean, more Indy after so long away from him. Karen Allen is back as Marion and probably the mother of Indy's love child played by the spectacular actor Shia LaBoeuf and then the villain is an awesome Cate Blanchett. Soooo much goodness. My now adult suspicions warned me that you have to pay a price for that kind of goodness. I was right to be suspicious. It WAS too good to be true, much to my chagrin.
Whoever's fault it is, the story sucked. I don't even mind that obviousness of Mutt being Indy's son. I'm cool with that. I went into the movie willing to forgive a lot because I was so excited to see Indy and Marion and this world again. And honestly, hate to say it, but Mutt (aka Shia LaBoeuf) was the thing that felt most "Indiana Jones" to me in this movie. I'm there. I'm loving that Karen Allen is back, that she's the mama of Indy's love child. But WHY is Karen Allen pretty much wasted throughout the movie (yeah, she does some cool driving, but that's essentially it and otherwise, she just looks up adoringly at Indy, grinning like a hollow shell of her former spectacular cheeky self)? WHY? I was even willing to go along with the "this is the 50s, not the 3os anymore," that difference in atmosphere. But they lost me when Indiana Jones escapes his Russian captors and wanders...yes, WANDERS into an eerie fake town built as a test for a nuclear explosion. WTF? And then he hops into a lead-lined fridge, is thrown who knows how far out of the town and STEPS OUT OF THE FRIDGE WITH THE MUSHROOM CLOUD STILL BLOSSOMING BEHIND HIM. And survives.
It's not even that this is completely improbable. That annoys me, but only after the fact. The reason I was screaming no, no, no, no, no in the movie theater and am still screaming is because this was entirely gratuitous. There was NO POINT to this that makes any kind of movie sense. It's been suggested to me that it was to show the era. This is where, were I more technologically savvy than I am, I would insert a video clip of me giving you the, "I'm gonna kill you for being so unnecessarily stupid" look. You do not set the mood or indicate the era by making a character improbably survive a nuclear bomb. This was done perfectly well in later scenes. We get it, it's the 50s. We hate the Russians, they hate us. Everyone's paranoid. We get it. We would have gotten it perfectly well without the enormous jackhammer of a freaking nuclear bomb. Who thought this was a good idea? Who? I wanna go back in time and pants the person responsible while he's a vulnerable teenager. "THIS is for what you will do to Indiana Jones in 2008, suckah!"
Because one of the elements I liked about this Indiana Jones was the fact that he's now older, a bit more frail, losing family and friends like flies and still saves the day, despite it all. It was freaking scary for me to see Indiana Jones all tired and saggy, but it was an amazing chance film-wise. And they ruined it all. If he can escape a nuclear blast after wandering in the desert all night by jumping in and then out (while the mushroom cloud's still freaking there!) of a lead-lined fridge, there's no room to doubt him or worry about him. As any of my screenwriting teachers would ask - what's at stake? Yes, indeedy, what IS at stake? Yes, he's freaking Indiana Jones, but he's also a frailer Indiana Jones, out of his element in a paranoid era.
But instead, he's posing and preening throughout the movie. His lady-love is grinning maniacally and adoringly at him. They tried to re-create that delicious cheese and corniness that the best of Indiana Jones has but they really, really, really failed.
At the end of the movie, when Indy and Marion have gotten married and are walking out of the church, Mutt picks up a hat that blows in from outside. WHERE does this come from? Whose hat is it (it's not the same one Indy's been wearing throughout the movie). He picks it up and puts it on and Indy takes it from him, puts it on and swaggers out of the church with his bride. This made me sad. First of all, what's wrong with Indy wearing his hat at his wedding? That is something he would do. Why have a random hat blow in on a wind from outside the church? And if you're going to end on this kind of symbolism, you have to be fearless and make a statement. As it stands, it's sort of, "Mutt's going to inherit the whip, no he's not, Daddy's still around to take the hat." It would have been entirely appropriate for Mutt to take the hat and put it on. Period. PERIOD.
I can't even talk about the aliens. I just can't. It's too stupid to discuss.
SPOILER SPACE FOLLOWS
LA
LA
LA
And one more la....
One word: aliens.
Two more words: nuclear bomb.
All of the ingredients were there for a spectacular movie, which is what made me suspicious and wary. I mean, more Indy after so long away from him. Karen Allen is back as Marion and probably the mother of Indy's love child played by the spectacular actor Shia LaBoeuf and then the villain is an awesome Cate Blanchett. Soooo much goodness. My now adult suspicions warned me that you have to pay a price for that kind of goodness. I was right to be suspicious. It WAS too good to be true, much to my chagrin.
Whoever's fault it is, the story sucked. I don't even mind that obviousness of Mutt being Indy's son. I'm cool with that. I went into the movie willing to forgive a lot because I was so excited to see Indy and Marion and this world again. And honestly, hate to say it, but Mutt (aka Shia LaBoeuf) was the thing that felt most "Indiana Jones" to me in this movie. I'm there. I'm loving that Karen Allen is back, that she's the mama of Indy's love child. But WHY is Karen Allen pretty much wasted throughout the movie (yeah, she does some cool driving, but that's essentially it and otherwise, she just looks up adoringly at Indy, grinning like a hollow shell of her former spectacular cheeky self)? WHY? I was even willing to go along with the "this is the 50s, not the 3os anymore," that difference in atmosphere. But they lost me when Indiana Jones escapes his Russian captors and wanders...yes, WANDERS into an eerie fake town built as a test for a nuclear explosion. WTF? And then he hops into a lead-lined fridge, is thrown who knows how far out of the town and STEPS OUT OF THE FRIDGE WITH THE MUSHROOM CLOUD STILL BLOSSOMING BEHIND HIM. And survives.
It's not even that this is completely improbable. That annoys me, but only after the fact. The reason I was screaming no, no, no, no, no in the movie theater and am still screaming is because this was entirely gratuitous. There was NO POINT to this that makes any kind of movie sense. It's been suggested to me that it was to show the era. This is where, were I more technologically savvy than I am, I would insert a video clip of me giving you the, "I'm gonna kill you for being so unnecessarily stupid" look. You do not set the mood or indicate the era by making a character improbably survive a nuclear bomb. This was done perfectly well in later scenes. We get it, it's the 50s. We hate the Russians, they hate us. Everyone's paranoid. We get it. We would have gotten it perfectly well without the enormous jackhammer of a freaking nuclear bomb. Who thought this was a good idea? Who? I wanna go back in time and pants the person responsible while he's a vulnerable teenager. "THIS is for what you will do to Indiana Jones in 2008, suckah!"
Because one of the elements I liked about this Indiana Jones was the fact that he's now older, a bit more frail, losing family and friends like flies and still saves the day, despite it all. It was freaking scary for me to see Indiana Jones all tired and saggy, but it was an amazing chance film-wise. And they ruined it all. If he can escape a nuclear blast after wandering in the desert all night by jumping in and then out (while the mushroom cloud's still freaking there!) of a lead-lined fridge, there's no room to doubt him or worry about him. As any of my screenwriting teachers would ask - what's at stake? Yes, indeedy, what IS at stake? Yes, he's freaking Indiana Jones, but he's also a frailer Indiana Jones, out of his element in a paranoid era.
But instead, he's posing and preening throughout the movie. His lady-love is grinning maniacally and adoringly at him. They tried to re-create that delicious cheese and corniness that the best of Indiana Jones has but they really, really, really failed.
At the end of the movie, when Indy and Marion have gotten married and are walking out of the church, Mutt picks up a hat that blows in from outside. WHERE does this come from? Whose hat is it (it's not the same one Indy's been wearing throughout the movie). He picks it up and puts it on and Indy takes it from him, puts it on and swaggers out of the church with his bride. This made me sad. First of all, what's wrong with Indy wearing his hat at his wedding? That is something he would do. Why have a random hat blow in on a wind from outside the church? And if you're going to end on this kind of symbolism, you have to be fearless and make a statement. As it stands, it's sort of, "Mutt's going to inherit the whip, no he's not, Daddy's still around to take the hat." It would have been entirely appropriate for Mutt to take the hat and put it on. Period. PERIOD.
I can't even talk about the aliens. I just can't. It's too stupid to discuss.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
B DAY!!!!
Today is Bobbie Faye day so go get your copies of the original and the newest Bobbie Faye adventures. They make great presents and great beach books. Enjoy - I know you will. Just don't scare people because you're laughing so hard.
P.S. And just so you have ABSOLUTELY no excuse:BUY BOBBIE FAYE HERE
P.S. And just so you have ABSOLUTELY no excuse:BUY BOBBIE FAYE HERE
Monday, May 26, 2008
Maybe I was a better writer when I was 10
Here's the proof of what I say:
When I was 10, what I'd rather do than write = nothing.
Now that I'm not 10 anymore, what I'd rather do than write = anything, it seems.
Downloading music, talking to strangers in a coffeeshop, blogging, linking to just about any site on the right, reading other people's books which are "safe," cleaning my toilet (yeah, really).
Why I am currently procrastinating: I'm writing the LONGEST scene ever in my book, knowing that half or all of it will probably go but it must be written. I'm almost done, which means the scene is at its hardest. In a way, beyond its disposibility, it's one of the most important scenes. It's where a new character sees the circus performance for the first time. It's probably the only time in my book (about the circus) where a full show will be depicted. And thank goodness.
I have been writing TCB (The Current Book) since 2004 when it began as a short story in David Madden's classroom. There is an entire draft that is done (aka: Thesis) and I am rewriting the entire thing virtually from scratch. Almost everything from that first short story is gone, has been gone. It's the craziest, bravest, most necessary thing I've ever done. I have about 70 pages of the new draft and I'm so unbelievably happy with the direction this version is going except that it's coming along very slowly.
So I've been in this coffeeshop (aka "Cheers") for going on 6 hours and I haven't written word one on this tough scene. This is one for Fess Up Friday, even if it's not Friday yet. I'm logging out of this new delicious blog and I'm shutting down the Internet and I'm going to write. Dammit.
When I was 10, what I'd rather do than write = nothing.
Now that I'm not 10 anymore, what I'd rather do than write = anything, it seems.
Downloading music, talking to strangers in a coffeeshop, blogging, linking to just about any site on the right, reading other people's books which are "safe," cleaning my toilet (yeah, really).
Why I am currently procrastinating: I'm writing the LONGEST scene ever in my book, knowing that half or all of it will probably go but it must be written. I'm almost done, which means the scene is at its hardest. In a way, beyond its disposibility, it's one of the most important scenes. It's where a new character sees the circus performance for the first time. It's probably the only time in my book (about the circus) where a full show will be depicted. And thank goodness.
I have been writing TCB (The Current Book) since 2004 when it began as a short story in David Madden's classroom. There is an entire draft that is done (aka: Thesis) and I am rewriting the entire thing virtually from scratch. Almost everything from that first short story is gone, has been gone. It's the craziest, bravest, most necessary thing I've ever done. I have about 70 pages of the new draft and I'm so unbelievably happy with the direction this version is going except that it's coming along very slowly.
So I've been in this coffeeshop (aka "Cheers") for going on 6 hours and I haven't written word one on this tough scene. This is one for Fess Up Friday, even if it's not Friday yet. I'm logging out of this new delicious blog and I'm shutting down the Internet and I'm going to write. Dammit.
Step into my office
At the coffeeshop that a friend dubbed "Cheers without the alcohol," with the best seat in the house. In a little while (who knows exactly when), this will be my office. So I'm at *the* table (yes Jamey, yours) and there are only two problems with this table - the gnats/flies and the fact that everyone covets this table, so they're watching you, ready for you to leave. Hey, I do it too. Not to Jamey (I never want her to leave, even if she has *the* table), but to everybody else.
I think I've met most of my New Orleans friends in this coffeeshop. Those I didn't meet by advertising for a roommate (honestly, I've met at least one very good friend this way).
Some observations from sitting here for hours not writing (just yet):
-A newborn baby, small and wrinkly. How can they look both beautiful and like amorphous little aliens at the same time?
-A girl laughing so helplessly while I was waiting in line for my latest drink. How do I describe this? It was slightly annoying for a second, high pitched and invasive. And then, I saw her face and she was so genuinely happy about something, laughing helplessly (it's the best word, really) and the laugh was whispy because she could barely breathe. I just bet everybody in the shop wanted to know what she was laughing at. But I think that would kinda ruin it.
-I'm deleting this song I'm listening to because it's annoying. Something you'll learn about me is that I'm absolutely crazy about music. I listen to everything, absolutely everything. You'd think my iTunes playlist was for an entire extended family and not just one person. A family that can barely stand to talk to each other, but then has touching moments of reconciliation. I download almost indiscriminately and then listen, listen, listen and delete when I realize I don't so much like this or that. I often think it would be my dream job to pick music for movies. Except I have no training. Just what I like and what I don't. But every book I've ever written, I've created a soundtrack for.
Some songs from The Current Book's soundtrack:
Yael Naim's cover of Toxic
Change is Hard She and Him
Arms of a Woman Amos Lee
Safe and Sound Azure Ray
Missed Me The Dresden Dolls
Is That All There Is Peggy Lee
Night of the Dancing Flame Roisin Murphy
Secret The Pierces
Where Did You Sleep Last Night Nirvana (My Girl)
Carnival Town Norah Jones
pretty much every song from Devotcka and Circus Contraption
You'll also learn about me that I'm a huge t.v. fanatic. I'm currently looking forward to So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) tonight.
I think I've met most of my New Orleans friends in this coffeeshop. Those I didn't meet by advertising for a roommate (honestly, I've met at least one very good friend this way).
Some observations from sitting here for hours not writing (just yet):
-A newborn baby, small and wrinkly. How can they look both beautiful and like amorphous little aliens at the same time?
-A girl laughing so helplessly while I was waiting in line for my latest drink. How do I describe this? It was slightly annoying for a second, high pitched and invasive. And then, I saw her face and she was so genuinely happy about something, laughing helplessly (it's the best word, really) and the laugh was whispy because she could barely breathe. I just bet everybody in the shop wanted to know what she was laughing at. But I think that would kinda ruin it.
-I'm deleting this song I'm listening to because it's annoying. Something you'll learn about me is that I'm absolutely crazy about music. I listen to everything, absolutely everything. You'd think my iTunes playlist was for an entire extended family and not just one person. A family that can barely stand to talk to each other, but then has touching moments of reconciliation. I download almost indiscriminately and then listen, listen, listen and delete when I realize I don't so much like this or that. I often think it would be my dream job to pick music for movies. Except I have no training. Just what I like and what I don't. But every book I've ever written, I've created a soundtrack for.
Some songs from The Current Book's soundtrack:
Yael Naim's cover of Toxic
Change is Hard She and Him
Arms of a Woman Amos Lee
Safe and Sound Azure Ray
Missed Me The Dresden Dolls
Is That All There Is Peggy Lee
Night of the Dancing Flame Roisin Murphy
Secret The Pierces
Where Did You Sleep Last Night Nirvana (My Girl)
Carnival Town Norah Jones
pretty much every song from Devotcka and Circus Contraption
You'll also learn about me that I'm a huge t.v. fanatic. I'm currently looking forward to So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) tonight.
A walking bit of chaos, that Bobbie Faye
So even if she weren't my mentor and such a good friend, I would be extremely hyped up and excited about the release of Bobbie Faye's (kinda, sorta, not exactly) Family Jewels. Why? Because it's freaking hysterical and I'm in love with that unnatural disaster-in-human-form Bobbie Faye.Read the first one, Bobbie Faye's Very (very, very, very) Bad Day because you don't want to miss the craziness and it'll explain a lot of the second one (everyone wants to be an insider).
Seriously, Toni is going to be huge. And she's local, which is really exciting. The funny thing is (and not so surprising once you read the book) that people who aren't in Louisiana love these books, too. I mean, Montana and freaking Utah people are lapping up some good ol Cajun craziness. Which means, if you live in Louisiana, you'll dig it all the more.
I'm on the cusp of being in Louisiana for 10 years and one of the things I loved about reading these books was realizing that I felt like a native while reading them. Which really says more about Toni being able to write Louisiana than it does about me understanding Louisiana... LOL.
Toni gives away free signed copies like crazy, so go to her website: http://www.tonimcgeecausey.com and check out this website where she blogs every Sunday: http://murderati.typepad.com
But seriously, whatever you do, read the books.
Blogging, am now a blogger, wow, wouldn't have imagined that phrase coming out of my mouth 15 years ago
Hi folks,
My name is Emilie. You don't know me yet, but I'm a soon-to-be published, fabulously famous writer finishing my novel and working in New Orleans. To be honest, I don't know how famous I want to be. I remember thinking, when I was younger, that the good thing about being a writer is that your words, your worlds, are famous but you are not. You can still go to the grocery store and not be accosted. That used to be the sad, beautiful thing about being a writer. Stephen King, JK Rowling, YouTube, MyFace and hundreds of reality t.v. shows later, this is not always the case. Writers are stars (and yes, some always were) and people are even famous just for being famous.
So that's my way of saying I'm ambivilant about blogging. Primarily because of delicious little trainwrecks like this: Emily Gould Blogs All
I jumped into the Internet in a big way between the ages of about 16-19. Built a website, wrote fanfic and made dozens of friends I'd never actually met in person. I had people emailing me about an alternate history soap opera I was writing about Anastasia and the last of the Romanovs, and I wrote roleplay scenarios based on the characters of LJ Smith. I was a huge dork and I loved it. But then I went to college and next thing you know, classes and new friends I could actually hug took over my life. I asked my roleplaying co-writer to take over my character temporarily and then later to gracefully kill her off. And I moved on.
But the Internet's been calling me back ever since. I joined LiveJournal because my boyfriend at the time and all of our friends were on it. Enjoyed the hell out of that, but always felt a little queasy about it too. Next thing you know, everybody was on MySpace and wanted me to talk to them there. So I joined up, but hardly used my account until slowly but surely I was always there and never on LiveJournal. And the progression went on with Facebook. Collectively, I shall call these "online social networks" MyFace.
I've discovered they're useful. For keeping up with friends when I'm exceptionally busy and for getting the word out about my writing and events (and those of my friends). They also create a weird distance that must be bridged. For instance, it worries me when it's easier to write a little note on my friend's wall than to call them to say hello. Sure, I live in a new city and am away from the bulk of my friends, but that's what phones were invented for, yes? And we'll talk later about the tragic death of the letter.
So this blog will be about things I find interesting, the status of my writing and what it's like to be in New Orleans. When I sell my book, I'll break the news here. When it's about to be published, I'll harass everyone here to buy it. When I'm coming to your town, the schedule will be here. And when I'm engrossed in something cool like say, oh, Post Secret, I'll let you know with a little link like so: http://postsecret.blogspot.com/
I will not overshare about personal issues. For that, you'll have to call me and/or buy me a drink. But I think I'm about ready to be *my kind* of blogger. Let's see, shall we?
-Jill of All Trades, Master of One aka Emilie
My name is Emilie. You don't know me yet, but I'm a soon-to-be published, fabulously famous writer finishing my novel and working in New Orleans. To be honest, I don't know how famous I want to be. I remember thinking, when I was younger, that the good thing about being a writer is that your words, your worlds, are famous but you are not. You can still go to the grocery store and not be accosted. That used to be the sad, beautiful thing about being a writer. Stephen King, JK Rowling, YouTube, MyFace and hundreds of reality t.v. shows later, this is not always the case. Writers are stars (and yes, some always were) and people are even famous just for being famous.
So that's my way of saying I'm ambivilant about blogging. Primarily because of delicious little trainwrecks like this: Emily Gould Blogs All
I jumped into the Internet in a big way between the ages of about 16-19. Built a website, wrote fanfic and made dozens of friends I'd never actually met in person. I had people emailing me about an alternate history soap opera I was writing about Anastasia and the last of the Romanovs, and I wrote roleplay scenarios based on the characters of LJ Smith. I was a huge dork and I loved it. But then I went to college and next thing you know, classes and new friends I could actually hug took over my life. I asked my roleplaying co-writer to take over my character temporarily and then later to gracefully kill her off. And I moved on.
But the Internet's been calling me back ever since. I joined LiveJournal because my boyfriend at the time and all of our friends were on it. Enjoyed the hell out of that, but always felt a little queasy about it too. Next thing you know, everybody was on MySpace and wanted me to talk to them there. So I joined up, but hardly used my account until slowly but surely I was always there and never on LiveJournal. And the progression went on with Facebook. Collectively, I shall call these "online social networks" MyFace.
I've discovered they're useful. For keeping up with friends when I'm exceptionally busy and for getting the word out about my writing and events (and those of my friends). They also create a weird distance that must be bridged. For instance, it worries me when it's easier to write a little note on my friend's wall than to call them to say hello. Sure, I live in a new city and am away from the bulk of my friends, but that's what phones were invented for, yes? And we'll talk later about the tragic death of the letter.
So this blog will be about things I find interesting, the status of my writing and what it's like to be in New Orleans. When I sell my book, I'll break the news here. When it's about to be published, I'll harass everyone here to buy it. When I'm coming to your town, the schedule will be here. And when I'm engrossed in something cool like say, oh, Post Secret, I'll let you know with a little link like so: http://postsecret.blogspot.com/
I will not overshare about personal issues. For that, you'll have to call me and/or buy me a drink. But I think I'm about ready to be *my kind* of blogger. Let's see, shall we?
-Jill of All Trades, Master of One aka Emilie
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