Tuesday night, clinging to Halloween

[cleolinda]

Hmm. Got 1500 words or so of new material written, so that was good. It plays into Jack the Ripper mythology a teensy bit, but fortunately that's ridiculously well-documented, so I just need to brush up on my facts a bit. Oh, and since a few people have asked, I'm not doing NaNoWriMo proper this year, since I finally realized that it just doesn't mesh all that well with my process--if only because my "process" (the best word I can think of to describe it, even though it seems kind of pretentious) is kind of unruly. I can write a lot in a short amount of time, or I can write steadily for a long period of time, but I can't do both at the same time. So right now, I've been trying to do the latter--keep writing on one project TO THE DEATH, but that doesn't mean I'm moving at NaNo speeds. I've been writing for two months and I'm hoping to finish up in 6-8 weeks, which may be ridiculously optimistic on my part; I don't know. I might copy any new material written after October 31 into a NaNo file just to see how many words it ends up being, but I'm not gunning for 50,000 new words so much as I am a complete, semi-polished draft--which is actually the antithesis of NaNo. So what I'm saying is, I'm doing something very similar, only over a course of several months instead of one. So I'm kind of here with you in spirit, but my deadline isn't so pressing.

Re: Hard Candy: Stay safe! Wear red! And don't forget your scalpel!

Halloween cocktails from Martha Stewart. Today's and yesterday's icons come from marthastewart.com images, by the way.

Snopes discusses the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode that was too "horrifying" to be shown in the series' initial run.

Ten Tales of Terror: Super-short stories from six writers, including Neil Gaiman, with audio of the writers reading them as well. Except that I count more than six stories. Eh, it's all good. (Hee, "Zombie Cat.") Scroll down to the bottom for more audio as well.

(Writing-related: How Richard Russo wrestled an out-of-control novel into Bridge of Sighs.)

Is "Slutoween" Actually Scarier Than Halloween Ever Was? [Every Day Is Slutoween].

The Smoking Gun: "It's time again for another trip north to see what dirty DVDs are being seized by Canada's vigilant Border Services Agency."

Wired editor bans PR flacks.

Facebook's "secret" New York office is at ... "That is where we will all find adorable but nerdy and newly-rich boyfriends together. RACE YOU. GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE (SORTA) HOT." Have you seen the founder guy? I would totally hit that.

When Pigs Fly: The Death of Oink, the Birth of Dissent, and a Brief History of Record Industry Suicide, by someone who used to work in the music industry. "[The newspaper industry's] only choice was to innovate and find ways to compete in a new marketplace. And you know what? Now I can get live, up-to-the-minute news for free, on thousands of different sources across the internet - and The New York Times still exists. Free market capitalism at its finest."

Patrick Wolf to launch own record label.

Donovan and David Lynch to open meditation-based college.

Clam is over 400 years old.

To paraphrase an icon I saw a while ago: Tonner Voldemort is bringing sexy back. I love that you can get the doll wrapped in "baby"-themed giftwrap. You know, and scare the shit out of some poor toddler.

Harry Potter Star to Play Gay Salvador Dali. Well, Robert Pattinson--"star" may be overstating it a bit. Also: Mike Newell looks back on filming GOF now that DH is out; First Dumbledore Sighting Since The Outing! (The caption on the picture made me laugh. Hee.)

The Golden Compass: Cowboys & Indians magazine features Sam Elliott.

George Clooney Offered Lead Role in 'G.I. Joe'?

Josh Lucas Up For Trek's Pike?

Winona Ryder, Robin Wright Penn and Julianne Moore Team for 'Pippa Lee.'

Little Mermaid on Broadway Pictures.

Breaking news, by the way: Robert Goulet dies at age 73.

Comments

[jettcat.livejournal.com]

Dear Martha,
I can tell you've never tasted any of these cocktails.
Blaq Vodka tastes like shit.
signed,
A Bartender

[gannet-guts.livejournal.com]

Facebook's "secret" New York office is at ... "That is where we will all find adorable but nerdy and newly-rich boyfriends together. RACE YOU. GET 'EM WHILE THEY'RE (SORTA) HOT." Have you seen the founder guy? I would totally hit that.
Multiple times.

Dude is totally younger than me and already a CEO? I AM SUCH A FAILURE, WAAAAHHH.

Heh, the first tale of terror made me laugh.

[trash-addict.livejournal.com]

I doubt it'll get wide release, but Robert Pattinson? In a new movie? Making sweet manlove? Yay!

[christwise.livejournal.com]

Movies like that are the reason I moved to New York City.

[trash-addict.livejournal.com]

Alas, if only that were an option.

[kosher-jenny.livejournal.com]

Depends...will he have the mustache at that point?

[thansunshine.livejournal.com]

"When I grow up, I want to be a powerful gay wizard, just like you!"

BEST. EVER.

[skulkings.livejournal.com]

SO, they find the oldest living clam. Then they kill it? *sigh*

[inkytwist.livejournal.com]

...that last bit was a joke.

[skulkings.livejournal.com]

*sigh* I wasn't referring to the joke about eating it.

"The clam was alive when it was brought to the surface, but at that point, the researchers had no idea how old it was. Only after cutting through the shell and counting annual growth rings under a microscope did they date the mollusc to between 405 to 410 years old."

Saying it was alive WHEN it was brought to the surface implies it isn't now.

And then keeping cutting into it's protective shell is a pretty destructive research technique.

Just dragging some animals to the surface can shock them enough to ultimately kill them.

[arielchan.livejournal.com]

Hey Cleo!

Once again I'm conducting an LJ poll as research for a Sociology paper. This is actually the last one I'll ever do! Since the current class is Death and Dying, the subject is a bit morbid, but what better time than Halloween?

I was hoping you'd do me the favor of pimping my poll one last time. :) It's always been very helpful to getting more data.

Post is here:
http://arielchan.livejournal.com/512104.html

[linz-lou.livejournal.com]

*gasp* Just last weekend, I was at the theater waiting for The Phantom of the Opera to begin, and my cousin & I were discussing the various shows we've seen. We were talking about The Lion King, and I thought to myself, "I wonder if they'll ever do The Little Mermaid..." So, this totally made my night. It was definitely my favorite Disney movie as a kid (heck, it's STILL my favorite Disney movie).

Also, thanks for the Richard Russo link. I just recently got a signed, first-edition copy of that book. ^_^

[chaos-slave.livejournal.com]

I am totally in squee mode over TLM. I so wanted to be Ariel when I grew up.

I also can't wait for the third movie, we get to see her mother from what I have heard. I hope it is true!

[kookaburra1701.livejournal.com]

Ha ha@ slutoween.
The only time I dressed slutty my friends and I dressed up as a typical D&D group. I was in a chainmail bikini with melons stuffed down the front, and a fake beard on my face.

[morganwolf.livejournal.com]

Martha's Halloween cocktails are disappointing. I prefer a good old Diablo (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/drink/views/232183) myself; it's not black, but who cares when it's that tasty? But she redeems herself with Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Squares (http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=1528d3deb6a0f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&autonomy_kw=pumpkin%20spice%20chocolate%20chip%20bars&rsc=ns2006_m1). I made a tray for a party last weekend, put it down on the table, turned away for three minutes, went back to get one, and there were two and a half left.

[falco-conlon.livejournal.com]

Oh my lord. The comments on the Dumbledore Defamer post are HILARIOUS

"Hey Dumbledore! The word is out - you can lose the beard already."
"He has a Beard Protector just like Katie Holmes!"

CLASSIC

[emisi.livejournal.com]

Aww, that's so sad. RIP (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPtpo1OuYcs), Robert Goulet.

[maggiebloome.livejournal.com]

Zombie cat is totally awesome!

[mustang-bex1126.livejournal.com]

your icon made me lolz. I'm such a Zombie geek- I was a Zombie house wife for our Halloween Part last Friday.

[superri.livejournal.com]

Actor playing Grimsby in "The Little Mermaid" (Jonathan Freeman)= voice actor for Jafar.

[glass-radical.livejournal.com]

I wrote an opinion piece for my school paper on slutoween. Though, by school legalities, we can't call it that. I thought I would enrage the female population, instead, I united a most of our senior female class.

[artemis-archer.livejournal.com]

"Hugo was terribly upset and Irene was beside herself"

lol oh Hitchcock

And Slutoween is pretty much right. 90% of the girls I saw out this weekend were wearing skin tight costumes and falling out of their tops. I was Carmen Sandiego which was fun and badass without being skanky plus I didn't need to make changes to my poofy brown hair =D

[mysticowl.livejournal.com]

The John Langan short story, Visitor, actually happened to my mom. Dad was away, I was sick and so sleeping in her bed. I got up during the night and our doberman promptly took my place, except she didn't notice, only realized it when I came back to bed.

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

Tonner Voldemort is bringing sexy back.

LMAO!!!

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

OH EM GEE

http://www.tonnerdoll.com/gcompass.htm

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

Cool! Do you think he will do a Serafina doll! I'd be seriously tempted!

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I WANT A SERAFINA SO BAD. Also a Bellatrix, if he did one for the HP line. Man, I like my tattered brunettes, don't I?

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

LOL!!!

[cosette-esk.livejournal.com]

*Is dead from pretty outfits*

[golden-d.livejournal.com]

Not Robert Goulet! :( Sadness!

[cleolinda.livejournal.com]

I know! I'd actually started saying that I had a bad case of the Robert Goulets in the afternoons if my blood sugar dropped, what with that commercial on all the time.

Guess what I was last year?

[cosette-esk.livejournal.com]

A Tolkien fan. WIN. I had some elfy boots, a real replica sword and a legolas tshirt. Just don't ask me what I'm being this year >

[cpip.livejournal.com]

Interesting about the "slutoween" thing.

My girlfriend, for instance, refuses to dress in any costume that DOESN'T make her look sexy. It's the prerequisite for her Halloween costume. I have no objection to this, since, hey, this year I just was wearing an fake grey beard and a Seattle baseball jersey as the costume parts. (You figure it out.) I'm not going for Scary either, so hey, why not go for sexy?

[lady-moriel.livejournal.com]

Much as I love Neil, I...don't get his story. (Wait, or is that the Headless Horseman or something?) Or "Hahrabugee," for that matter.

[mycenae.livejournal.com]

Slutoween is too true. I was at a costume party Friday (admittedly at a bar) and there were four girls dressed like slutty Ninja Turtles. WHAT. How do you look at the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and think, "That could use some more T&A" ?

[jacques-louis.livejournal.com]

Oh, Patrick Wolf.

You so fine. And your voice is so...old-guy-sounding. I have a boner for that combination.

[discogravy.livejournal.com]

re: oink, jeph from questionablecontent.net just announced this jawesome shirt: http://qcjeph.livejournal.com/84667.html?style=mine (apparently OK'd by the icanhascheezburger folks...)