So I'm a little less blah today

[cleolinda]

Re: General fatigue-y state of meh: I think I've figured out what the problem is. I was weirdly giddy for a week or two, and what did I do differently? I spent a lot of time outside, in the sun, swimming. This week? Rain. I think it's large quantities sunlight that I'm missing, which is... kind of a bad thing with autumn on the way. (Don't they have--what are they called, full-spectrum lamps? Some kind of lamp that can simulate sunlight? I seriously may get one for this coming winter.) So I sat outside in the sun with the dogs for ten minutes, and while I wasn't exactly giddy, I did go inside feeling somewhat better--good enough to pull out all my handwritten additions to Black Ribbon from June and July (damn, that was a thick stack of paper, by the way) and reorient myself. I also went through this evening and read what I have on the second project, the one set in Paris, in terms of what seeds I'll need to go ahead and plant. This is the advantage of thinking on big-picture levels: details might bog you down, but at least you can play with a really large scope.

Of course, I've still got the issue of what's actually at stake in the first story, and how to give it an end and a climax and not just have it stop dead with the equivalent of a "To Be Continued." You know? I mean, The Golden Compass actually does just that pretty fearlessly (I'd invoke The Fellowship of the Ring, but Tolkien didn't intend for the "books" to be split up, after all), but I just--I don't want the first Black Ribbon story to function as a hallway to another story. I want it to be a room of its own, worth spending time in for its own sake. There are other rooms you will want to visit and explore, and eventually you'll even want to take a look at the house next door (that is, series 2), but I want the first story to have its own, contained value. So... basically, I have to think of a problem, or a set of problems, to introduce and solve by the end of the first story, even if there are others unsolved. The primary "problem" in The Golden Compass is Roger and the other disappearing children; in FOTR, it's getting Frodo to Mordor, if not through it, and realizing that the Fellowship they spent the entire book gathering and maintaining is actually destined to fail. So--okay, the "room in a house" metaphor: I need to be able to close a door on that room, so that when you leave, you have something to look forward to down the hall, but there is a distinct sense of having finished and/or accomplished something in that previous room. I just have to figure out what that is.


Hilly Kristal, 75, Catalyst for Punk at CBGB, Dies.

Author suspicious of similar character on TV.

'Running with Scissors' suit settled.

Are Your Jeans Sagging? Go Directly to Jail.

"Jeshuah Fuller’s parents expected him to be born with extra fingers. The extra toes, though, were a surprise."

Huge spider web covers Texas trail. Shelob? Is that you?

Justifying Errors: Getting Hoaxed, or, It Ain't a Hoax If They Weren't Trying to Fool You.

Abroad: It Wouldn’t Be Opera Without an Outrage.

From maetang: Shaenon Garrity's Edward Gorey’s “The Trouble with Tribbles.”

Stine To Write More Goosebumps.

New Line’s fate rests on Lyra.

Zoe Saldana offered role of Uhura? I don't know if it's certain, but I like it.

‘Shoot ‘Em Up’ Diary: The Behind-The-Scenes Players; Clive Owen Embraces Joys Of Exposing Babies To Heavy Artillery (previously on Defamer: New Line Would Like to Help You Bullet-Proof Your Baby).

Emma Watson in "Ballet Shoes"; More pics of Emma Watson in "Ballet Shoes."

Owenwatch: 'ET' Amassing Celebrity Signatures For Giant Owen Wilson Get Well Card; Elle Pulls Interview "Out of Respect" for Wilson; Wilson's Suicide Attempt Could Impact 'Darjeeling' Marketing; Owenwatch: The Copycat Effect.

Batman Blows Up Building. I know I linked to something similar yesterday, but I just enjoyed the writeup on this one.

The Trailer for Stephen King's The Mist.

Richard Kelly: Southland Almost Done.

Are These the New 'Lost Boys'?

Basinger, Thornton to be ''Informers''?

New 'Sleuth' has Law, Caine, clever changes.

James Cameron's Avatar will "Blow Your Mind."

Goofy Old 'Joust' Video Game to Become Movie.

Guest EW blogger John August panics one last time before 'The Nines' hits theaters.

Mrs. Doubtfire, via Terrence Howard, saves choking reporter's life.

Comments

[lauramcvey.livejournal.com]

The deal with spectrum lamps is, you turn one on, and sit under it for about half an hour every morning. It has to be morning, or it doesn't work properly. They're expensive- I think mine cost about a hundred and thirty- but it's an absolute lifesaver during the winter.

I rented mine for a month first

[7tree-hugger.livejournal.com]

Effects are seen after 3 days usually, so the rent-first option gives you a chance to check if it will help with your problem.

A good supplier should let you try before you buy. Good luck and welcome to the SAD survivors!

Re: I rented mine for a month first

[dreamkin.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I love the feeling I get when someone unexpectedly has one of my icons on LJ :D

oooh, you made it? Tis fantastic.

[7tree-hugger.livejournal.com]

I had a minor hunt for the creator when I first saw it. Was it ok to steal?

[tiftnk.livejournal.com]

Ohhh, if you think your gloominess is even slightly weather-related, then you need one of these: Go Lite (http://www.apollohealth.com/golite.html) I purchased one last winter - they have a test you take on their website that analyzes your daily patterns. Hands down, the only thing I've found that kept me from staying in bed during the 300 days of rain we get in this part of the country. In five years, nothing else has worked (I've tried everything from heavy-duty depression meds to fake-baking). If you have a Costco near you, they generally have these, and their price is a bit better.

[dolfairy173.livejournal.com]

Full spectrum lights are amazing! So many people get depressed up here (Alaska) in the winter because of the lack of sunlight, they sell the light bulbs at Home Depot up here, but I don't know if they do in the lower 48 or not.

And not only to Full Spectrum lights help YOU in the winter, they are awesome for keeping plants alive :)

[ter369.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about your fatigue. Bleh.

I enjoy your journaling-ponders about how to plot over series (Black Ribbon) while containing each unique story.


Abroad: It wouldn't be opera without outrage.

More like nepotism, per usual, since it's Bayreuth. Erm .... the opera fans I meet have been ignoring Bayreuth productions since 1990. Harry Kupfer was the last interesting director they've had, and I just scored DVDs of the his Ring cycle on Amazon Marketplace, yaye.

[koritsimou.livejournal.com]

BALLET SHOES. Omg I loved that book as a kid!

[msilverstar]

Me too, and I just read it to my daughter (with much explanation of all the archaic situations, words and attitudes). We'll have a great time going to see that together.

[thansunshine.livejournal.com]

:| (http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/15049196.html?view=1741014508#t1741014508)

Ick, I hate fatigue. Mine's mostly set on by the fact that I'm an idiot and decided to take a zero period which gets me to school at 6:30 in the morning for class. And I don't get to sleep until late because I have so much homework anymore.

[lylassandra.livejournal.com]

I'm still excited for Black Ribbon! Take your time, I know it'll be worth it.

[palmetto.livejournal.com]

That girl in the Ballet Shoes pictures--the one who isn't Emma Watson. Is that the girl from The Sarah Jane Adventures?

[elbales]

IMDB says yes.

[catystorm.livejournal.com]

Wait, Joust? The one with the ostriches or something that fly even though they're not supposed to?

HUH?

[evilbearhunter.livejournal.com]

If you can get a SAD diagnosis, you can get a lightbox covered by insurance sometimes. Good luck with that!

[foresthouse.livejournal.com]

I get like that when I'm out of the sun too long too. I think those lamps should be mandatory. Heh.

Here's something I thought you might find interesting. My favorite musician has just come out with a new album that is getting great reviews and selling really well - and it's based on his recent experience with mental illness due to taking medication that messed up the bipolarism he didn't know he had!! I linked an interview he did here (http://foresthouse.livejournal.com/396374.html). If nothing else, you should check out his music. But I also thought you might be interested because he talks about dealing with the issues on his blog and stuff.

[last-archangel.livejournal.com]

Eeeeee. My sister was a waitress and actually served Zoe Saldana. If she gets cast as Uhura, I will have a 3-defree connection to Zachary Quinto. This makes me wants to dance for joy.

[mysticowl.livejournal.com]

Making the books that are part of an overarching series stand on their own is kind of how I view the first three Harry Potter books. Each one has a story that begins an ends in that book, within the structure of the matrix narrative, as the books progress the one-book plots become more and more intertwined with the big picture, but the first three really had a completeness in and of themselves.

[halona.livejournal.com]

So, I finally went to go see Stardust and I wanted to be sure to tell you that not only did my mother and I love it, but my dad was jealous that we went without him.
My only complaints: Tristan's mother didn't look at all aged and Michelle Pfeiffer's voice seemed overly mismatched from her appearance during her Ugly Witch scenes. Other than that: awesome!

[elsajeni.livejournal.com]

WAIT WAIT. There is a BALLET SHOES MOVIE? With the orphans who all start with P? HOLY SHIT I WILL SEE IT TWENTY TIMES.

[sprocket21.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to let you know that your latest mention of BPAL finally got me to cave and check out the site. I now have a dozen imps headed my way, including Eos, Morocco, Snake Oil, Eden, Tamora, Titania, the King of Hearts, and Midnight, and I spent all day making a giant spreadsheet of things I want to try. I blame you :P.

Oh, and I got on a circle thingy for Hunter's Moon, but Sugar Skull was full :(.

[jenny0.livejournal.com]

I love Tamora. It's feminine but not in a pink and fluffy way. It's sort of...juicy.

Also, that spider web? Yet another confirmation that I never want to go to Texas (it's like how I never really wanted to go to the Amazon anyway, then I found out they make you wear raincoats to keep off the spiders falling out of the trees, not to mention the natives catch spiders big enough to barbecue).

[neveth.livejournal.com]

Mmm. Tamora. I'm also a fan of Titania for it's delicate fruityness.

I live in North Texas. That whole web thing is making me afraid to go outside.

Yeah, the Amazon's on my list of places never to go. Like Australia. Too many things what can kill me/too many giant spiders.

[karintheswede]

I got a simulated dawn alarm clock last fall, and I heartily recommend it, but I do hear good things about the golite as well.

[christwise.livejournal.com]

I don't know, maybe I was a dumb little kid but when I first read The Golden Compass I didn't know there were more books to come and I didn't expect any. I just figured that was the end. Or like in the end of The Ninth Gate (I know) Johnny Depp just walks to the gate and we all want to know what's there but we just have to make it up ourselves.

[kauricat.livejournal.com]

I have a full spectrum (excluding UV) sunbox, and I keep it at work. When the days get short, I turn it on for half an hour to an hour (depending on how dark a month it is at the time) in the morning when I get to work, and then I turn it on again for the same period of time before leaving for the day.

Sometimes I personally don't notice the difference, but those around me do. My husband and mother have both been known to say "TURN ON YOUR BOX!!!" when I get too draggy.

[karaph.livejournal.com]

I'm actually just the opposite. I LOVE bad weather. Rain, snow, cold, grey - the sloppier the better.From the end of May until the middle of September I'm usually in such a slump, but once cooler weather hits I come alive.

From what I've read online, there is actually a kind of reverse SAD.

[paganvamp82.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on that one. I'm not a big fan of sunlight. I really don't like hot weather either. Working in a restaurant, it doesn't help.

[mamak11285.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOD THE MIST.

Watching that trailer just reminds me of how I freaked myself out at work by reading this story on break (I worked in a grocery store). The lights went out because of a storm and I had a minor heart attack.

the "10 years since college" blues

[particle-person.livejournal.com]

Are you getting the "it's been exactly 10 years since I started college and WTF has happened to the TIME" blues? I remember that my parents dropped me off at the dorm after we ate a celebratory lunch, and then later that night everyone was freaking out about Princess Di and watching the news on little TVs and talking. This is so weird.

[sea-of-tethys.livejournal.com]

The lamps are a little pricey, but they are SO worth it. Got one a couple years ago and it's made an incredible difference to my quality of life... I was really not a very functional person between about September and February, and now I am. It's a nice change :D

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

I'm excited about Ballet Shoes, but Emma Watson is way too old!