| "When we lose the right to be different, we lose the privilege to be free." |
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| Recommended Podcasts |
[12 Nov 2009|02:02am] |
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I think I've mentioned a couple times before that of late, I listen to audio books more than music when I draw these days. Having a story told to you makes sitting still for 4-8 hours much less of a chore! As my budget for audio books is not huge, I've been taking advantage of some of the free podcasts to listen to as well. I thought I'd link a few of the ones I've enjoyed for anyone who's also looking for some listening material.
Writing Excuses - Brandon Sanderson (Fantasy author), Howard Tayler (Web comics), Dan Wells (Horror author)
I highly recommend writing excuses for anyone who's ever wanted to write their own novel or web comic. The podcasts are 15 minutes each and every week they cover a different subject. I found them very entertaining and they give you a lot to think about when writing. Coming from someone who produced 200 page failed web comic out of high school with no plan at all for what was going to happen more than 3 pages down the line, I can safely say that the importance of thinking your story through is something everyone who wants to do a comic (print or web) or novel (I think preplanning is a given there, haha) should consider. You can listen to seasons 1 and two through the archives, as there are too many episodes to have on itunes at once.
12 Byzantine Rulers - Lars Brownworth
A series of podcasts about the eastern roman empire. My friend Erich recommended these to me. The podcast covers the history of the Byzantine Empire by giving you the life stories of 12 key rulers. These probably won't be for everyone, as it is very much like having a (very good) history teacher lecture to you. But if you're in the mood for some learning, they're a good listen.
If anyone has any podcasts they favor and would like to recommend them, I'm all ears. I'm finished with Byzantine and halfway through season two of writing excuses and my stockpile is dwindling fast: Honoes! D=
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Patch Together - Eurukatt's Butterfly Cobra
Eurukatt recently submitted a rather spiffy butterfly cobra to patch together. Stop on by and comment / vote if you enjoy it and would like to see this made into something fancy and tangible.
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| NaNo 09: Day 11 |
[11 Nov 2009|11:55pm] |
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mood |
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I took the day off today. So just go look at yesterday's word count. I wanted to write, and I know what I wanted to write, but I got lazy and just read books and napped. I'll get back to it tomorrow, when I'll have comfort food to motivate me. I haven't decided on a buffalo chicken sammich [subway], a chicken bacon ranch sammich [subway], some double cheeseburgers and fries [mickey d's] or saving it for some ridiculously good chicken wings, onion rings, and lemonade from Mississippi Fried [omg yum!]
So, gang. I took a day off, and I'm still pretty ahead, and now I'm going to go play a little FFTA2 and crash. Ta, possums!
Fuck it. I'm gonna write. Back in an hour.
[one hour later]
And of course, I ended up writing pr0n. But actually, there's a few good reasons for all this pr0n.
The first scene I wrote was just a straight up throwdown. Two people doing it beause wow, it felt good and while they don't really love one another, they have a certain amount of respect for one another and...the sex is pretty good.
The second scene I wrote was between a woman and a man that she had taken on as kind of a slave. She gets with him as a matter of him being able to trust her, and her being able to trust him. That scene was also about control - who has it, who needs it, and how quickly those tables can turn.
The scene I'm currently writing now is about a man living out his fantasy. There's a little Nabokov here, but the twist is, this 16 year old girl has a goddess living inside of her and [that] is who he's getting down with right now.
And of course, the scene I excerpted earlier, are the two people that are genuinely in love with one another. Oh, and did I mention that there is some serious unrequited love? In fact, the person that's dealing with unrequited love will end up watching that entire 3rd pr0n scene and not be able to look away. Of course, Mr. Unrequited Love is bound by an oath to protect her with his life, and trust me, as he gets older [he's 18] he'll get his chance. [There is a scene with the two of them atop The Tower of Shattered Souls that I've had in my head forever but I'm not sure if that scene will make it into this book or the next one - there's enough story for this to be a trilogy unto itself...]
I'm gonna keep writing, but that's what I have done for day 11. And did I mention that I have to be at work in 4 hours?
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NaNo 09: Day 11 - an excerpt for ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) switch_heart |
[11 Nov 2009|01:09pm] |
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 creative |
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So I promised Puu [switch_heart] that I would post an excerpt [omg, there's that word again that I so can't spell] from my novel in my el jay. I'm squeamish about posting it anywhere because it's so plot-ninjaed right now I think it's ugly. But this one part here, I'm disgustingly proud of, so I'm going to post it for all to see.
BTW: Sometimes, it's not so much my inner editor that frustrates me. It's looking back at all of the [good] things that I've written in my life [Calli / Reiji, Jupes / Wufei, Rage, Nobara] and getting upset that I don't write as well as [that] anymore. If I could ever get over that frustration and feeling of inadequacy, I would write so much more than just one month a year it wouldn't even be funny.
Anyway, on to this bit from my novel:
( You think about her all the time, don't you? )
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| Copywrite Issues with Avatar and Actor Images |
[10 Nov 2009|04:31pm] |
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mood |
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 help |
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Hi, I just got this message from the director of the upcoming Yellow Face documentary. She is nearly done but she really needs help on this to see if this will end up in the final cut:
I want to use more images from the cartoon but I'm not sure of the legal implications that could come from that. The only images I have are from what people were holding at the protest.
I noticed that Racebending.com has many images from the cartoon and I wonder what problems if any you encountered.
I also was thinking of including more images of the current cast of the last airbender film. Do you know if I would run into copyright issues, and if I do need permission, what's the best way to get it?
I'd appreciate any help you can give me.
Thank you so much for your continuing support!
~Han
I'm not an expert in this so I am opening this up to you guys to help me with an answer back.
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[10 Nov 2009|12:54pm] |
There were like two different posts I wanted to make, but I saw a picture of myself from over the weekend and now I'm depressed.
WHOOO BODY IMAGE PROBLEMS
( I feel fat and ugly. I'm on the left :< )
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| NaNo 09: Day 9 |
[09 Nov 2009|09:38pm] |
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mood |
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 chipper |
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Just about 1/3 of the way through. Wrote a nice romantic scene today and wow, that ate some words. Some of the best stuff in the novel so far. I'll post that part tomorrow. But now, there's a tropical storm outside and I'm going to go sleep like a rock through it.
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| Rio Wight |
[09 Nov 2009|10:48am] |
emailed in to not go to work. couldn't imagine myself there. couldn't BE there.
Dreamed about crying, and crying--the sort of crying you do when you can't STOP tensing up. It felt amazing, and wonderful. but...it didn't make the world right. it wasnt going to be the same.
Around halloween, I was in a mood, and I didn't know why. Sitting alone at the park, I went through what I suspected to be irrational thoughts to figure out why--maybe something awful happened to someone who was close to me...I don't think i expected them to be true.
I got word that another friend of mine passed away yesterday. My head hurts. This isn't right. My friends should not die in their early twenties. I don't think I've even come to terms with Jill yet. When I think about them, it seems like they should be there, having a good time, laughing, creating--doing something amazing that's anywhere but here.
Rio was going places. he was one of the best. one of the kindest. one of the smartest...and now--gone.
Where ever you are, Rio, let peace be upon you.
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[08 Nov 2009|08:53pm] |
Discussed previously, the casting of Abigail Breslin provoked outrage and anger from those who felt that the director should have at least tried to consider finding a blind/deaf actor for the role of Helen Keller.
Political cartoonist August J. Pollak thinks that everyone is just being silly, because actors pretend to be different people all the time.
No, really.
Since he doesn't allow direct reposting, here's a link to the comic.
Here's an except from his blog post on the matter:
[h]ere we have people complaining that an actor was hired to... you know... act, instead of getting someone who can act less. The entire concept of acting is having people pretend to be other people. Unless someone thinks Breslin's performance is, I don't know, somehow going to insult the blind and deaf, I don't see what's pissing people off here.
Considering he's been an advocate against homophobic and racist humor and statements before I don't think he's being deliberately mean, just that he isn't seeing past his abled-privilege.
His e-mail address is john@xoveboard.com
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| NaNo 09: Day 8 |
[08 Nov 2009|09:55pm] |
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accomplished |
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And I wrote about 800 words worth of pr0n. In my head, it was supposed to kind of be [stylistically] like that one scene in '300' where that woman's nipples looked like baby mushrooms, but it didn't quite work out that way. I wanted to represent that the two people doing it didn't really care that much for one another but the sex was off the hook, but it ended up that they do have a mutual respect and maybe a little bit of love for one another.
But yes. Thanks to pr0n for really getting things going today.
I word raced with firstgold but I stunk at that because that's when kids started whining, hubby wanted attention, and I'm sitting there trying to write a pr0n scene that really didn't happen for me until after the time was up for the word race.
Oh, and thanks to karthur because if [she] hadn't written her 500 words, I wouldn't have been brave enough to try to write my 800 or so words. Even the smallest step is still a step, K. I'll help you take a couple more if you need me to. ^_^
There's still a lot of coughing, sniffling, sneezing, stuffy head fever over this way but thankfully the worst of that with my family is now over and I can return to my regularly scheduled insanity of going to work, coming home, drinking a beer and writing for NaNo.
Anyway, I'm going to bed. I'll catch you guys later.
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| Nekocon write up |
[08 Nov 2009|07:46pm] |
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While I wasn't able to get any video due to my camera mucking up on me, I want to report that the Racebending message was well received at Nekocon this weekend. We passed out flyers and the bookmarks from the website and also directed several people to the site through the weekend and everyone we spoke to was eager to get more information.
With some people (the Avatar cosplayers), we went head in with the subject, but with others we found our way there by other means which makes me really pleased that we have branched out into other films on the site. The King of Fighters, Chun Li and The Weapon were flicks that were able to illustrate the point to some older con goers and non Avatar fans to get active in the protest. There were a ton of people who were outraged at the casting of Kyo Kusanagi as a white man and those who were more into web comics were pissed off about the white washing of Tommy Zhao.
When it came to Avatar fans, many who weren't following the movie development that much, many were turned off not only by the casting (many stated they had expected a white Aang, but were outraged about Sokka and Katara), but were upset by the visual and character direction that M Night was going with. A more political, serious film is something that very much seems to be turning people off the to the movie (big shock there).
Over all, among con going fans, there is a very weary feeling about the movie. There were some who still said they would wait until the film got closer to release to make a decision, but there is obviously not the excitement there that Harry Potter, Hellboy, Twilight or Iron Man fans have towards their franchises. They see the changes that are being made and they don't see the series that they love which is bad news for a movie studio, but good news for the rest of us.
Katsucon is coming up in February so I'll be hitting harder there.
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