Well, the folks at National Novel Writing Month weren't kidding when they said it's hard to catch up once you get behind! I'm over 3.000 words behind now, and by tomorrow even more! I have to write tonight! It's one-third through the months and I'm nowhere near one-third to 50,000 words.
::sigh::
But first, dinner...
10 November 2008
07 November 2008
an excerpt...
From the book in progress. It's entirely likely that this, along with mush of the rest of it, will be re-written once the first draft has been completed.
___________
She continued, “They were printed with blank pages at each end, and it was on these that family trees were recorded. Many people also kept their most important papers safely folded away inside the book. They are rare these days and extremely valuable. Not just valuable because they are worth a lot of money, although that’s true-- but because the information in them often exists nowhere else.”
Emily had a way of discussing dry topics like bibles and paper so fervently, and with such interest, it was impossible not to get caught up in her excitement. The three of them sat and waited as she donned a pair of white gloves and rustled through a sheaf of papers that looked very dry indeed. They were all wondering when she was going to pull out one of these family bibles.
Instead, Emily drew three yellowed sheets of paper on which the brown ink had nearly faded away. She carefully spread them out on the table so they could all see them, and removed her gloves. “These three pages were tucked away- not in a bible, but in an early edition copy of Charles Darwin’s The Origin of the Species!”
She paused dramatically to let this soak in. When she saw they were all staring blankly at her, she sighed, and continued. “This book was one of the breakthroughs that led to modern scientific study as we know it. The man who wrote these pages was a scientist! It was his bible, you see?”
“O-oh!” the three let out nearly in unison.
___________
___________
She continued, “They were printed with blank pages at each end, and it was on these that family trees were recorded. Many people also kept their most important papers safely folded away inside the book. They are rare these days and extremely valuable. Not just valuable because they are worth a lot of money, although that’s true-- but because the information in them often exists nowhere else.”
Emily had a way of discussing dry topics like bibles and paper so fervently, and with such interest, it was impossible not to get caught up in her excitement. The three of them sat and waited as she donned a pair of white gloves and rustled through a sheaf of papers that looked very dry indeed. They were all wondering when she was going to pull out one of these family bibles.
Instead, Emily drew three yellowed sheets of paper on which the brown ink had nearly faded away. She carefully spread them out on the table so they could all see them, and removed her gloves. “These three pages were tucked away- not in a bible, but in an early edition copy of Charles Darwin’s The Origin of the Species!”
She paused dramatically to let this soak in. When she saw they were all staring blankly at her, she sighed, and continued. “This book was one of the breakthroughs that led to modern scientific study as we know it. The man who wrote these pages was a scientist! It was his bible, you see?”
“O-oh!” the three let out nearly in unison.
___________
05 November 2008
it wasn't even close.
President Elect Barak Obama!
What an amazing Election Day (and we even knew who won before midnight for a change). You should have heard Brooklyn last night!! Horns honking, people were in the streets celebrating and whoo hoo-ing for several hours after the announcement was made. An epic victory.
It's exciting to see intelligence, reason and compassion come out on top.
EVERYBODY WINS!
What an amazing Election Day (and we even knew who won before midnight for a change). You should have heard Brooklyn last night!! Horns honking, people were in the streets celebrating and whoo hoo-ing for several hours after the announcement was made. An epic victory.
It's exciting to see intelligence, reason and compassion come out on top.
EVERYBODY WINS!
04 November 2008
29 October 2008
Incidentally, I should mention that I did have good birthday, despite the following day having been poor! Spoke on the phone with my Mom and Beth and Kelley; lots of well-wishing from brothers and others, too. Later, I had a happy hour beer with Kim before her internship at the theater, then I went to Beast and saw friends. Ben met me there for dinner and gave me the above antique cigarette package, from 1878. He had made it into the beautiful card pictured above; the writing on the back even more lovely than the design on the front.
Thanks, everyone! :)
28 October 2008
holding it~
Update: Heat in apartment fixed, furniture successfully delivered and set up. Alas, the absurdity continues.
This morning, post-pee, a smallish plastic container of lotion fell from wall shelf into still-flushing toilet. Reached intrepidly into nasty freezing bowl to retrieve, but too late-- bottle surprisingly disappeared from view! Attempted coat-hanger to retrieve with no luck. Rushed out in pouring rain to hardware store for proper plunger. Result: continued failure and out $7.99 for unhelpful plunger.
Man sent by landlord with bizarre plumber equipment (some sort of vertical snake-in-a-pole with revolving handle), also had no luck. Thirty minutes later: he returned with additional man, much equipment. Currently have toilet on its side, on the floor (after sawing apart amid flying sparks!). Much mess. Water everywhere. Total nightmare.
Also: currently needing to pee again!
Welcome to year 38.
This morning, post-pee, a smallish plastic container of lotion fell from wall shelf into still-flushing toilet. Reached intrepidly into nasty freezing bowl to retrieve, but too late-- bottle surprisingly disappeared from view! Attempted coat-hanger to retrieve with no luck. Rushed out in pouring rain to hardware store for proper plunger. Result: continued failure and out $7.99 for unhelpful plunger.
Man sent by landlord with bizarre plumber equipment (some sort of vertical snake-in-a-pole with revolving handle), also had no luck. Thirty minutes later: he returned with additional man, much equipment. Currently have toilet on its side, on the floor (after sawing apart amid flying sparks!). Much mess. Water everywhere. Total nightmare.
Also: currently needing to pee again!
Welcome to year 38.
24 October 2008
Leg the uglydoll
the scrolling wall, complete.
(Most likely, more things will wind up on that wall. Little things in gold frames, oddments, etc. But the painting is finished at last.)
moomins hibernate.
This week started off wretchedly- nothing was working out, timing was all off. Puzzle pieces mismatched.
It has gotten better and better, and things have been falling into place, but today a stumbling block! Nothing so important, just irritating, and my fault. We were expecting a furniture delivery (new living room furniture- we got rid of the futon couch last night); the place told us between eleven and two o'clock, but they would call an hour ahead of time. Well, I hadn't got the call (so I thought) and jumped in the shower. Of course, this was exactly when they arrived and they only waited fifteen minutes and my phone was in the other room, so I missed them! Oh, if only they'd have hit the buzzer! Turns out my phone volume was way down, too, which was why I missed the first call. So, probably have to wait until Tuesday to have a place to sit our asses down in the living room, unless by some stroke of luck the delivery folks have time to come back later today.
On top of this (which is mostly annoying me because it was my fault), we have been without heat since it's gotten cold, and our landlord is out of town, so it's goddamn freezing in the whole apartment.
Not a very great post, after so much time going by with none, but the need to rant is always such a motivator, huh? Ha ha! Otherwise, all is well. November is just around the corner, during which I shall embark on the adventure of >NoNoWriMo, otherwise known as National Novel Writing Month, to which I look forward. I've been researching and fleshing out characters for a story I began five years ago, but never got past chapter one, which has since been dropped in favor of a better beginning. The new beginning, along with the rest of the story, has only been put into outline form, as the whole point of NaNo is to begin and complete 50,000 words in a thirty day time period.
Well, back to work and trying not to freeze. (It's amazing how cold 55-60 degrees can feel when you're indoors!)
It has gotten better and better, and things have been falling into place, but today a stumbling block! Nothing so important, just irritating, and my fault. We were expecting a furniture delivery (new living room furniture- we got rid of the futon couch last night); the place told us between eleven and two o'clock, but they would call an hour ahead of time. Well, I hadn't got the call (so I thought) and jumped in the shower. Of course, this was exactly when they arrived and they only waited fifteen minutes and my phone was in the other room, so I missed them! Oh, if only they'd have hit the buzzer! Turns out my phone volume was way down, too, which was why I missed the first call. So, probably have to wait until Tuesday to have a place to sit our asses down in the living room, unless by some stroke of luck the delivery folks have time to come back later today.
On top of this (which is mostly annoying me because it was my fault), we have been without heat since it's gotten cold, and our landlord is out of town, so it's goddamn freezing in the whole apartment.
Not a very great post, after so much time going by with none, but the need to rant is always such a motivator, huh? Ha ha! Otherwise, all is well. November is just around the corner, during which I shall embark on the adventure of >NoNoWriMo, otherwise known as National Novel Writing Month, to which I look forward. I've been researching and fleshing out characters for a story I began five years ago, but never got past chapter one, which has since been dropped in favor of a better beginning. The new beginning, along with the rest of the story, has only been put into outline form, as the whole point of NaNo is to begin and complete 50,000 words in a thirty day time period.
Well, back to work and trying not to freeze. (It's amazing how cold 55-60 degrees can feel when you're indoors!)
11 October 2008
October!
Some abstracts of my new studio in my new apartment with Ben:
wall above computer, no art on walls yet
The wall above the Queen Anne (and Leg the UglyDoll!) in progress
Get to work!
And, some images of the Atlantic Antic last weekend. Warren, Kim and I shared a booth and hawked artistic wares on the folks at the street fair.
Kim at the tables with all of our collective wares
As you can see, I've been very busy with the resin and photos lately...!
A close-to of some necklaces
New this autumn: belt buckles. Available in my Etsy shop...
More to come, but there's an update on what I've been busy with over the past month or so. On the way, eventually: images from the trip Ben and I took to Rhode Island in late September.
wall above computer, no art on walls yet
The wall above the Queen Anne (and Leg the UglyDoll!) in progress
Get to work!
And, some images of the Atlantic Antic last weekend. Warren, Kim and I shared a booth and hawked artistic wares on the folks at the street fair.
Kim at the tables with all of our collective wares
As you can see, I've been very busy with the resin and photos lately...!
A close-to of some necklaces
New this autumn: belt buckles. Available in my Etsy shop...
More to come, but there's an update on what I've been busy with over the past month or so. On the way, eventually: images from the trip Ben and I took to Rhode Island in late September.
"Reckless Example"
It can't be about me; I spell it Lizzie...
Seen in the tunnel entrance to Prospect Park last weekend.
17 September 2008
S A L E
I shall soon be moving into the House of Ben, and we had a superbly successful moving sale Saturday last-- the weather held without rain, and many walkers of the Avenue stopped to look, and to buy. (The photo above shows only a fraction of the myriad what-not 'twas for sale, as I hadn't a chance to snap a photo 'til afternoon.) A busy and fun day-- whirlwind purge of duplicates and extras before the the merging of our two homesteads.
Only a few boxes remained at the end so I have far less to pack than before, and we have a good start on saving money for a new couch, sorely needed.
post script: I'm happy to report that a few thing didn't sell (things which I'd marked pricey on purpose), so I got to keep tham after all. You know, there are some things that, once you see people looking at them like they are worthless, you just don't want to part with, despite trying to pare down.
05 September 2008
McCain
*sigh* The RNC: frat party to GOP supporters and oligarchs alike. Whoo hoo!
Not even worth much in the way of typing, but...
(1) [Sen. McCain] "...and get this country back on the road to peace and prosperity."
Really? With Four More Years of same? Who got us into all this mess? The Republicans have, after all, held 20 of the past 28 years in Washington. He has plans to "shake up" Washington DC. If he has problems with the way things have been running, why has he sided with Bush on just about everything? Is he now re-negging on the past 8 years? It simply underscores that the people in that convention hall are the ones who would be there no matter who was nominated; there is no application of reasonable thought. "When he says he will "stop leaving all our country's problems for some unluckier generation," does none of the audience realize he can only be referring their party, especially under GW Bush?
It seems as ever, all a GOP candidate need do, ultimately, is say "Democrats will raise taxes!"
(2) [audience, chanting] "USA! USA! USA!"
Hmmm... Do they mistakenly think that they are at the Olympics, or some other venue in which this country is in competition with others? Do they not realize that both parties are, in fact, of and for the USA?
UGH.
Not even worth much in the way of typing, but...
(1) [Sen. McCain] "...and get this country back on the road to peace and prosperity."
Really? With Four More Years of same? Who got us into all this mess? The Republicans have, after all, held 20 of the past 28 years in Washington. He has plans to "shake up" Washington DC. If he has problems with the way things have been running, why has he sided with Bush on just about everything? Is he now re-negging on the past 8 years? It simply underscores that the people in that convention hall are the ones who would be there no matter who was nominated; there is no application of reasonable thought. "When he says he will "stop leaving all our country's problems for some unluckier generation," does none of the audience realize he can only be referring their party, especially under GW Bush?
It seems as ever, all a GOP candidate need do, ultimately, is say "Democrats will raise taxes!"
(2) [audience, chanting] "USA! USA! USA!"
Hmmm... Do they mistakenly think that they are at the Olympics, or some other venue in which this country is in competition with others? Do they not realize that both parties are, in fact, of and for the USA?
UGH.
04 September 2008
Miserable Palin.
The RNC speeches were baseless, devoid of fact or reason, and generally nausea-inducing. Giuliani is more desperate than ever (and such a tool)! Hard to watch the speeches; embarrassing that so many were there with their hateful BOOs and misplaced applause and cheering. Sadly, the GOP has done very well by appealing to culture-clash points and derision.
I'm pasting the following bullet points on Palin here (courtesy of MoveOn.org), just because they ought to be widespread. Book-burning. Really? So sad. Please let not a single Hillary vote go to the GOP on account of this wretched woman-- er, bulldog.
• Palin recently said that the war in Iraq is "God's task." She's even admitted she hasn't thought about the war much—just last year she was quoted saying, "I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq."
• Palin has actively sought the support of the fringe Alaska Independence Party. Six months ago, Palin told members of the group—who advocate for a vote on secession from the union—to "keep up the good work" and "wished the party luck on what she called its 'inspiring convention.'"
• Palin wants to teach creationism in public schools. She hasn't made clear whether she thinks evolution is a fact.
• Palin doesn't believe that humans contribute to global warming. Speaking about climate change, she said, "I'm not one though who would attribute it to being manmade."
• Palin has close ties to Big Oil. Her inauguration was even sponsored by BP.
• Palin is extremely anti-choice. She doesn't even support abortion in the case of rape or incest.
• Palin opposes comprehensive sex-ed in public schools. She's said she will only support abstinence-only approaches.
• As mayor, Palin tried to ban books from the library. Palin asked the library how she might go about banning books because some had inappropriate language in them—shocking the librarian, Mary Ellen Baker. According to Time, "news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire Baker for not giving "full support" to the mayor."
• She DID support the Bridge to Nowhere (before she opposed it). Palin claimed that she said "thanks, but no thanks" to the infamous Bridge to Nowhere. But in 2006, Palin supported the project repeatedly, saying that Alaska should take advantage of earmarks "while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist."
I'm pasting the following bullet points on Palin here (courtesy of MoveOn.org), just because they ought to be widespread. Book-burning. Really? So sad. Please let not a single Hillary vote go to the GOP on account of this wretched woman-- er, bulldog.
• Palin recently said that the war in Iraq is "God's task." She's even admitted she hasn't thought about the war much—just last year she was quoted saying, "I've been so focused on state government, I haven't really focused much on the war in Iraq."
• Palin has actively sought the support of the fringe Alaska Independence Party. Six months ago, Palin told members of the group—who advocate for a vote on secession from the union—to "keep up the good work" and "wished the party luck on what she called its 'inspiring convention.'"
• Palin wants to teach creationism in public schools. She hasn't made clear whether she thinks evolution is a fact.
• Palin doesn't believe that humans contribute to global warming. Speaking about climate change, she said, "I'm not one though who would attribute it to being manmade."
• Palin has close ties to Big Oil. Her inauguration was even sponsored by BP.
• Palin is extremely anti-choice. She doesn't even support abortion in the case of rape or incest.
• Palin opposes comprehensive sex-ed in public schools. She's said she will only support abstinence-only approaches.
• As mayor, Palin tried to ban books from the library. Palin asked the library how she might go about banning books because some had inappropriate language in them—shocking the librarian, Mary Ellen Baker. According to Time, "news reports from the time show that Palin had threatened to fire Baker for not giving "full support" to the mayor."
• She DID support the Bridge to Nowhere (before she opposed it). Palin claimed that she said "thanks, but no thanks" to the infamous Bridge to Nowhere. But in 2006, Palin supported the project repeatedly, saying that Alaska should take advantage of earmarks "while our congressional delegation is in a strong position to assist."
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