An Old Klingon Proverb

[greygirlbeast]

No entry yesterday morning, because Wednesday was the sort of not-writing day I hate to have to write about. Hours in front of the keyboard, trying to find my way into the story to accompany Vince's illustration, and all to no avail. But yesterday went much, much better, and the solution at last presented itself, and I wrote 1,124 words on a piece that I'm currently calling "Untitled 33." With luck, I'll be able to finish it tomorrow or Sunday. Oh, and here's the image again. It's behind a cut, because like everything in Sirenia Digest (subscribe today!), it is, obviously, "mature" and "not work-safe" and likely to offend (or at least confuse) anyone who doesn't think swamp ooze is sexy (I am told such people exist, though I myself doubt it can be true):





Image Copyright © 2008 by Vince Locke



Here in Providence, we have a steady, cold rain. Spooky spent all day yesterday trying to get the wipers on the car fixed. Wasn't the motor that drives them. Wasn't the wiring. Turns out it's a switch, and they're having the find the part from a junkyard, so we're sort of grounded until the rain stops.

Also yesterday, I read "A new Pleistocene tree-kangaroo (Dirpotodontia; Macropodidae) from the Nullarbor Plain of south-central Australia."

At least one Harvard professor believes that as much as 40% of World of Warcraft players are "addicted" to the game. Actually, that story is two years old. Anyway, me, I'm just an obsessive dork stuck in a massive leveling crunch after my dubious decision to move over to an RP server (where no RP actually seems to take place). As of last night (well, this ayem about two), since the switch from Merricat to Mithwen on Monday night, the game tells me I've logged 1 day, 2 hours, 13 minutes, and 13 seconds inworld. And I've made it halfway through Lvl 17. I hope that tonight I will regain Lvl 19, and I can back off again and just do this for, you know, fun. Really, I was fine until I "had" to start over. No more playing until my eyes cross and my ears bleed. Oh, and my thanks to Sopphi for the goodies. Also, last night —— for the first time —— I reported a player over a stupid name —— "Flippasaurus." Yes, I am both the spelling and the name police. So, there. But...I am loving the game, truly.

As for the SL Howard's End sim, well, it's been a bit ignored in this wave of WoW, but I will be taking steps this evening to remedy that. I'm going to send out a notice with a list of all the approved characters so far (which is pretty much everyone). The deadline for character submission was midnight last night. Our cemetery (modeled loosely after Stonington Cemetery in Connecticut and River Bend Cemetery in Rhode Island) is taking shape, as are some of the primary buildings. But yes, we are behind. This is what happens when one (finally) becomes utterly disillusioned with SL and discovers WoW at exactly the same time.

As for the financial crisis and President Asshole's bailout proposal, I'm trying my best not to think on any of that. Near as I can tell, fretting over this great bloody mess does me about as much good as fretting over continental drift. Or watching the debates tonight.

And though it is hardly the much-praised "high road," I would like to take one small moment to gloat over the demise of DC Comics' Minx line of mangaesque/"alternative young adult" graphic novels. Back in the autumn of 2005, Peter Gross and I wasted four months rewriting proposals for what would have been a comic titled Bullet Girl, when it was clear that all Vertigo was interested in was launching Minx, and the "focus group" meetings for Minx, and making our comic as much like the forthcoming Minx books as possible. I finally walked out on the whole mess in December of that year, sick of rewriting and idiotic suggestions in the interest of capturing the attention of the TokyoPop crowd (and never mind that TokyoPop's not doing so well these days, either) and having realized that the comic no longer bore any resemblance to the story I wanted to tell. I have nothing against manga. It's fun stuff. But the whole Minx undertaking was a cynical attempt to pander and second guess, and the mess it was making of Vertigo left me disinterested in ever working with them again. I do, of course, worry for the creators who were suckered into this fiasco.

Oh...look. The platypus is getting out hisherit's pointy boots.

Comments

[dragonlady7.livejournal.com]

Stonington!
I have relatives buried there. I think that's where Ann Denison is buried. My icon is of her tombstone. She kicked ass.

That image is fascinating-- I love the style.

... Er, your page seems to be displaying an icon I've never seen before, in place of mine. So perhaps, disregard. I don't know what's up with that. A strange time/place to discover that one's journal has been hacked!

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

"As for the financial crisis and President Asshole's bailout proposal, I'm trying my best not to think on any of that."

You're not missing much. The gold-plated Ivy League assholes running the show at Treasury are about as clueless as a herd of Mormons in a dildo shop. I've met convenience store clerks with more fiscal saavy. It's to embarrassing to even approach funny.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

The gold-plated Ivy League assholes running the show at Treasury are about as clueless as a herd of Mormons in a dildo shop.

That's a keeper.

. It's to embarrassing to even approach funny.

That was sort of my impression.

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

By the way: I would be remiss if I failed to thank you for turning me onto the Dresden Dolls ... Ever had one of those moments when hearing the right song at precisely the right place and time propels you to a whole different level of perception? Mine: yesterday, 4 AM, "Backstabber." Whoo.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

By the way: I would be remiss if I failed to thank you for turning me onto the Dresden Dolls ...

You're quite welcome. They are a revelation.

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

If you don't already know 'em, you might enjoy these guys: http://www.greatbigsea.com/

[sovay]

If you don't already know 'em, you might enjoy these guys: http://www.greatbigsea.com/

Seconded; I am ambivalent about some of their more contemporary songs, but especially their traditional work is terrific.

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

... sovay's taste in music being as unimpeachable as those in lit, friends or cool BBSs. ;)

"Way-hey and away we go, donkey riding, donkey riding ..." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H347JxViMs

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I do not, but will now check them out.

[kiaduran.livejournal.com]

Or watching the debates tonight.

Gosh, I plan on getting a bag of OMGWTFBBQchips, settle onto the couch, watch with fascinated horror and ponder why I don't just give up and move to Canada and be done with it.

All my clients are freaking over their stocks tanking and are jumping up and down on me, demanding to know why I didn't tell them this was going to happen. *headdesk*

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

Gosh, I plan on getting a bag of OMGWTFBBQchips, settle onto the couch, watch with fascinated horror and ponder why I don't just give up and move to Canada and be done with it.

I'm just glad we don't have television.

All my clients are freaking over their stocks tanking and are jumping up and down on me, demanding to know why I didn't tell them this was going to happen. *headdesk*

I had no idea you were an oracle.

[kiaduran.livejournal.com]

I had no idea you were an oracle.

Evidently I am, but I am a bad one. A very bad one. No good at all. Must go sit in the corner and feel shame.

[mrs-ralph.livejournal.com]

Running away to a foreign country only works if you can tolerate being asked 50 times a day what 'your' president is thinking. I now tell people if I knew that I would have one of those £3.99 a minute phone lines or living in a cell somewhere under the Pentagon.

I suggest perfecting your Canadian accent before fleeing so you can avoid the international embarrassment I have suffered. ;-)

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

I suggest perfecting your Canadian accent before fleeing so you can avoid the international embarrassment I have suffered. ;-)

As it happens, I'm quiet good with accents.

[mrs-ralph.livejournal.com]

Run while you can still get out of the country. I expect them to close the borders any time now. I hear some place in Ireland was offering artists tax-free status which comes in handy since the US expects you to pay taxes where ever you live if you make over a certain amount of money per year but Canada should be far enough for the foreseeable future (at least until President Palin decides to annex it.)

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

"Canada should be far enough for the foreseeable future (at least until President Palin decides to annex it.)"

Which she'll no doubt do once she can identify its location on a map.

(ta-bump-bump ... Sorry, I just couldn't resist. Sarah Palin is to Presidential politics as LIFE OF BRIAN is to the New Testament ...)

[mrs-ralph.livejournal.com]

I'm sure she knows roughly where Canada is...she has to fly over it to get anywhere. She is probably aware of it as that country that is costing Alaska part of their oil pipeline revenue (or something to that effect) too. At least I assume that Canada gets some money for the pipeline too though maybe not. I am roughly as well equipped to be president as she is...I have a GED and everything! LOL

[kiaduran.livejournal.com]

I suggest perfecting your Canadian accent before fleeing so you can avoid the international embarrassment I have suffered. ;-)

One of my clients is French-Canadian - I can hide at her house in the Canadian boonies and practice my oots.

[mrs-ralph.livejournal.com]

Sounds reasonable to me. I can't get the hang of Geordie...you have to say 'fook' every third word (it is used freely as all parts of speech) and I can't get the 'oo' sound quite right. Once in a while I can pass for Canadian. I am seriously considering moving to France, throwing away my razor and seeing if I can get a job as the Wicked Witch at EuroDisney. I hear it's pretty quiet there.

[timesygn.livejournal.com]

"Gosh, I plan on getting a bag of OMGWTFBBQchips, settle onto the couch, watch with fascinated horror and ponder why I don't just give up and move to Canada and be done with it."

Happy to have you! http://www.cic.gc.ca/

[kiaduran.livejournal.com]

I've had that website bookmarked for a while now. Whenever I reach the gonna-get-my-shovel-and-start-whacking-people-in-the-back-of-the-head stage, I bop over there and dream of maple leaves and snow, lots and lots of snow.

[sovay]

anyone who doesn't think swamp ooze is sexy (I am told such people exist, though I myself doubt it can be true)

It's the cattails and weeds tattering from her skin that really got my attention . . .

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

It's the cattails and weeds tattering from her skin that really got my attention . . .

Well, by now it's probably a widely known fact that we both suffer from the same perversions.

[mrs-ralph.livejournal.com]

I estimate closer to 70% of Wow players are addicted to it to some degree. I don't get why but then I am not a gamer. I notice there isn't much rp in the guild my husband is in or between him and the people he helps level. Mostly they just chatter about tactics, gossip and rib each other about their latest hit or miss i.e. 'I see you are playing from your favorite position again...facedown in the dirt!' They are obviously having fun but they are playing the game like they played playstation games instead of like they played tabletop RP.

[greygirlbeast.livejournal.com]

They are obviously having fun but they are playing the game like they played playstation games instead of like they played tabletop RP.

Yep. That's pretty much what I see. But, in all fairness, I really don't think that the WoW interface is especially suited to genuine rp (I just wish they would call if rp).

[mrs-ralph.livejournal.com]

I suppose to some extent it is RP though more like 'costume drama' in that everyone builds a character that reflects either themself or what they wish they could be (or in the case of some teenage boys so they can have their own set of boooobies to ogle.) More than anything I guess it is a hybrid of so many different formats of gaming that it is hard to come up with a name for the format that describes it accurately.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Hello greygirlbeast--I'd just been writing about your recent piece in Not One of Us, and an LJ friend of mine linked me to this underwater exhibition (http://www.underwatersculpture.com/pages/gallery/underwater-gallery/index.htm), which seemed completely apt for that story. If you scroll to the third page of photos, there's a marvelous before-and-after of a woman's face (actually, I think there's one of a guy's face on the previous page), and further on there's a before-and-after of a still life, too. Pretty cool.