Before I hang up the laundry

[cleolinda]

I don't know why, but I feel like I've been fighting my NaNo story uphill the whole month--I switched over from Black Ribbon solely because Black Ribbon was not doable in a month, due to the research yet outstanding, and I don't know that I ever recovered from that. I've had a hard time getting into the new story's mindset, and it's pissing me off, because I've only got 20,000 words and I don't see how I'm going to make up 30,000 in a week. I got a lot of valuable writing and planning done, so I'm not saying it's a total wash. It's just that I keep thinking of things I'd rather be writing.

On the other hand, there's only a week left, so there's probably no point in raising the white flag yet. I am, on the other hand, thinking of writing something quick, unrelated, and much shorter that I have a feeling people would appreciate a lot more. (Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies.)

(Horoscope of Eerie Aptness: Sometimes, to get a better view of the big picture and the world around you, you need to peer into your own heart. Base your actions today solely on what you want -- not on what you think other people want. It is time you relied on yourself as the best judge of a potentially tricky situation. You don't have to ask other people what to do this time. You know the right answer, and you know what to do. Use charts you've drawn to navigate these waters.)

Rep. Rangel will seek to reinstate draft. The interesting thing is his motive for doing so:

Rep. Charles Rangel (news, bio, voting record), D-N.Y., said Sunday he sees his idea as a way to deter politicians from launching wars.

"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way," Rangel said.

Several affiliates nixing Simpson interview.

Michael Richards goes on racist tirade during comedy act. Includes video.

Study: TV's youth obsession backfiring as baby boomers, who the 18-40 category was, in part, originally supposed to cater to, are now 49 and up.

Research shows benefits of cranberries: "Cranberries are among the top foods with proven health benefits, according to Amy Howell, a researcher at Rutgers University."

Peter Jackson will not be involved with making The Hobbit.

Guaranteed to divide fans: Alfonso Cuaron Talks a Possible Return to Potter Films. "I was in [director David Yates'] office and since they are doing the Harry Potter movie right now David was talking to Jo and said, 'Hey, Jo wants to talk to you,' and she just wanted to tell me that she really liked Children of Men and you know, it is just one of those opinions that really counts. She is a woman that I deeply admire." Awwwww.

Comments

[enid-keaner.livejournal.com]

If Alfonso returns, I'll actually enjoy watching a Harry Potter film! God, I hope he does.

[ethelreda.livejournal.com]

Alfonso for the win!

[rebel-waltz.livejournal.com]

yes!

[gaminette.livejournal.com]

Regarding Peter Jackson not making the Hobbit: I'm a bit puzzled by the post you linked to:

As you know, there's been a lot of speculation about The Hobbit. We are often asked about when or if this film will ever be made. We have always responded that we would be very interested in making the film - if it were offered to us to make.

Um, noooooo. I had only ever heard that Peter Jackson did not have any interest in ever making the Hobbit. Plus I heard from him himself at the Lincoln Center event in January of, uh, was it 2003? The story wasn't linear enough or something. He said no no no. Sheesh. >_<;;;;

[alpheratz.livejournal.com]

The story wasn't linear enough or something.

Really? But there's like, one "Meanwhile, on the other side of the Misty Mountains" moment, but other than that, I can't imagine that it would be nearly as hard to adapt as LOTR. It's a pretty straightforward quest story.

[honorh.livejournal.com]

Psst! It's Michael Richards; he just played Kramer.

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Serves me right for copying (and *then* rewording) someone else's link. I thought the name looked strange, but couldn't quite put my finger on why.

[emargaret.livejournal.com]

You know how I feel about Cuaron...

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

And Rowling loves him! COME ON!

(You know, OOTP is going to be the first movie Steve Kloves hasn't scripted. I'm going to be interested to see if the cohesiveness/understandibility suddenly improves.)

[fengi.livejournal.com]

I'd be interested to see what you think of my assertion National Novel Writing Month might actually be a bad idea. (http://fengi.livejournal.com/580680.html)

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Well, I know I have at least one regular commenter who will definitely agree with you...

I think that maybe the thing about NaNo is that it's just not compatible with everyone's writing processes. I'm not sure now that it's compatible at all with mine, because mine involves a lot of planning and layering and squirreling away, and I'm actually fairly productive compared to a lot of people. The one point I'd really disagree with you on is that I *do* think it's better to write something than nothing, and I think NaNo was started in part to give people a way--"Write anything, it can be crap, it doesn't matter"--to get over their fears and start writing. I actually think you have to write a *lot* of crap before you start to get good; I was just fortunate enough to have written reams of crap when I was a teenager. And as a result, I'm fairly confident in my own process, I mimicked a lot of styles until I found my own, and I got a lot of practice in. The only thing I'm terrible at--the one part of the process, I mean--is finishing things, which is why I thought that NaNo might be useful for me. Except that--and maybe it was useful to me, in that I was able to learn this--I don't think my process will allow me to gun it for 30 days under pressure. I'm *shit* under pressure.

I guess what I'm saying is, I can see how NaNo might not work for some people, and how it might work for others, because there are a lot of people who are too afraid to write at all, and NaNo is sort of a "safe space" where they can focus on quantity, removing that internal inhibition.

[bardintraining.livejournal.com]

I'm way too chicken to click on the Richard's video...

I didn't even much like reading To Kill a Mockingbird.

[decor-noctis.livejournal.com]

After having a small part of my soul die upon reading that PJ isn't doing the Hobbit, its condition's been upgraded to PVS in the hope that Cuaron does another Potter film. Please, God, do HBP.

[corkdorkdan.livejournal.com]

I don't think there's anything wrong with working on different projects to get to your 50K for NaNo. I mean, it might not be exactly what the rules are, but isn't one of the points just to exercise your craft? To use the marathon analogy, isn't the point just to get some "exercise" and feel some sense of accomplishment?

[greyduck.livejournal.com]

Technically speaking, my successful NaNo wasn't a single story. See, I finished the story and had 10k remaining, and I was so annoyed with what I'd done up to that point that there was no way I could stand doing in-fill.

So I wrote a short story. It may, in fact, be the best piece I've ever written. Tacking that plus a short "interview segment" onto my existing novel brought me to about 51,000 words.

Did I cheat? I don't believe so, as my Mary Sue lead character appears in all three elements, and even if he didn't... well, screw 'em if they can't take a joke, or some-such.

[gaiamyles.livejournal.com]

Hey! Here's something for your linkspam, if you'd like. This is just one of those cases where I think everyone involved needs to be added to all the prayer lists they can!

Earlier this morning in Huntsville, AL, a bus fell off an interstate on-ramp carrying students back to Lee High School. The news are saying now that there are two confirmed dead and 23 others in the hospital. I happened to drive by and see the wreck before I heard about it on the news, and the bus itself isn't pretty. From what I understand from the radio broadcasts, they're expecting to confirm more dead before the day's out. There's news articles from the Huntsville TV stations here (http://www.whnt.com/Global/story.asp?S=5707284), here (http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=5707904), and here (http://www.waaytv.com).

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Eeeek--I'm in Birmingham myself, you know. I'd been nosedeep in a book all day and hadn't checked the news at all--thanks for letting me know.

[rebel-waltz.livejournal.com]

if Alfonso Couron directed another Harry Potter film i would be so happy. isn't it the writers who decide what content gets put into the films? it's that ass they've got writing the screen plays that needs to be fired.

and what the hell @ the Kramer thing. that was insane.

[kismeteve.livejournal.com]

Rangel's logic sucks. I've always known that; I guess he's just decided to tell it to the whole country.

[ironclad1609.livejournal.com]

Bummer about the Hobbit :(

Not sure about how I would feel about Cuaron coming back to Harry. I enjoyed the Prisoner movie, but still find Goblet the best, by far. Oh well, I am sure he could do well. Children of Men was great.

[bigeyedrabbit.livejournal.com]

Re: the O.J. Simpson book:

"I and senior management agree with the American public that this was an ill-considered project," said Rupert Murdoch, News Corp. chairman.

Ummm. File that one under NO SHIT.

[rockgeisha.livejournal.com]

Score one for my boss, Daddy Rupert!

[hulamoth.livejournal.com]

Maybe a total draft could deter politicians from signing off on wars. But then, if that's so, why hasn't mandatory service led to peace in Israel?

Okay fine, that's an unfair analogy.

Still, I'm not entirely convinced that it would be enough of a deterrant.

[lylassandra.livejournal.com]

My fiance has dual Israeli/American citizenship and he once told me he has to get a waiver or whatever every time he visits so he won't be drafted.

[iwanabspaghetti.livejournal.com]

Props to the guy calling Michael Richards on his [lack of a] post-Seinfeld career.

[lylassandra.livejournal.com]

Speaking of Black Ribbon, I just got around to reading it last night after having had it bookmarked for forever, and I finished it all in an hour and NOW I HATE YOU WHAT HAPPENS NEXT AHHHHHHHH.

Needless to say, I found it quite good. =) It feels short, partially perhaps because of how qickly you jump into the plot-- it's not like a lot of novels that give you all the "status quo" scenes to get you attached to characters before it sends them off on Quests to Forbidden Forests/Mountains/Garbage Cans. But it definitely hooked me fast, and I already feel invested in the characters.

Also, I sense a distinct Stoker influence. =)

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was originally writing it on the fly (after a few months of noodling) as a month-long serial. I'm in the middle of expanding it now with more Victorian/steampunk stuff, so it won't seem quite so abrupt. It still moves pretty quickly, but the "quest" itself is expanded.

[elven-minority.livejournal.com]

On using the draft as a deterrent... correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Alfred Noble and the scientists who invented the atom bomb respectively invent their explosives with the intention of stopping wars from ever popping up again?

[pinstripe-bindi.livejournal.com]

PoA remains my favorite HP movie, even though GoF is so far my favorite book. So count me as someone who'd be excited to see Cuaron back at the helm.

[barrelgoddess.livejournal.com]

Cuaron's return would be welcomed by me, that's for sure. For all the screenplay flaws(which I honestly blame on Kloves, as I commented to another poster above; I've been irritated by his scripts for the movies for years), PoA was a lovely film and I much preferred the feel he gave it to the feel that Columbus gave the first two. Remus' weird mustache notwithstanding. o.o I dunno who's responsible for that decision, though.

[sorchar.livejournal.com]

The problem with Rangel's idea is that politicians are reaalllly good at keeping their sons off the front lines.

[lylassandra.livejournal.com]

Not to mention anyone else with money.

[skeletonhorse.livejournal.com]

Re: the Michael Richards vid. The recording was pretty bad, but that pic of Mel Gibson beneath the article? Is the scariest thing I've ever seen. His eyes are glowing, SRSLY. O_o

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

That may not be the last word on the Jackson/Hobbit thing

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117954301.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

[mustang-bex1126.livejournal.com]

Bunny!


sorry, my 5-year-old self ran away with my brain for a minute.

Rangel's draft suggestion

[jmkelly.livejournal.com]

As the article mentions, Rangel's done this before. It helps keep him in the headlines.

As a citizen, I agree with his logic. If we had a draft, even the full-of-holes kind of draft we had in the Vietnam War years, the Iraq war might never have happened.

As the father of a 17-year-old boy, I totally disagree.