http://www.cartoonlabs.com/comics/index.php?date=2009-11-29&show=sinfest

Sinfest
Tatsuya Ishida

Breakfast buffet (biscuits with apple-cinnamon jelly! blintzes!). Panel on "Staying Focused," in which we described all the things that distract us. *g* Reading from Claim, at which someone got the oblique contemporary political commentary. (*g*) Lunch--crabmeat pizza! Awesome! Guest of Honor question and answer session (I got to talk about Shadow Unit--yaaayy! An hour out in the lobby talking to the folks with their spinning wheels, asking about equipment and techniques, and about one woman's marvelous portable wheel, a Merlin Tree Hitchhiker. Present from twistedchick delivered: a moebius shawl-scarf in the most delicious autumn colors. Just what I needed for the chilly parts of the hotel! (Thank you--it's gorgeous, and I'm so sorry you weren't able to be there.)

Quick, back to programming room! for a panel on what writers owe to the audience. Then, autograph session! tammypierce signed more books than I did. Well, okay, she's written more books than I have. *g* But I signed lots. Admired a splendid beaded coyote-head brooch...and its owner gave it to me. (!) Clear the room--time for Regency dancing! Susan did a great job as dance mistress. Only got in two dances, one completely new to us, before we had to dash to drop things off in the room before dinner. Where I discovered that Will had bought me the hat in the dealers room that I described as "The Wicked Witch of the West goes to the Ascot races." I wore the hat to dinner. *g* Good takeout Chinese, in excellent company, and some cloudberry liqueur, which was astounding. Then quick e-mail check before the Clam Chowder concert, which was hilarious and beautiful, usually simultaneously. France had brought her scissors with her to the con, and gave me a haircut, which means 2009 was bookended by GAFilk and Darkover, and haircuts from France at each one. Ahh, symmetry!

After that we darted back down to the first floor where most of the con membership was warming up for the Saturday night midnight performance of the Hallelujah Chorus in the lobby. A hundred people standing in a hotel lobby singing the Hallelujah Chorus, in parts, all the way through, is worth the trip all by itself.

Oh, and I met an attendee on a Segway equipped with a seat...also a stick horse head and a pair of coconut shell halves mounted on the right side near the hand grip to make hoof clops with. I forgot to ask him if he's named it.

Now I should go to bed. There's more fun tomorrow.

Can anyone explain to me how Avatar is not Fern Gully? Or Disney's Pocahontas? Or, heaven help us, Dances With Wolves Smurfs, as per South Park?

The only question that seems to remain unanswered in these 3 minutes of footage is whether the main character will be the typical "John Smith" and be forced to leave the idyllic land of "the savages" or if he will be able to stay so that he can gain/regain the use of his legs. One gathers that Hero actually wants to stay and help the natives because one of them has been foolish enough to have sex with him. (Does he reveal to her that he is her enemy in disguise before or after sex? Hmm.) I'm guessing he's going to be emotionally healed not only through the power of vagina but probably also the acceptance of an ethnic warrior-brotherhood which has much more Honor than the corrupt, evil brotherhood that he rode in with (with a few exceptions).

Also: who the hell would honestly be using the term "savages" nowadays, let alone in Teh Footure? Am I just ignorant on that front? It seems to me that the word is the linguistic equivalent of Snidley Whiplash twirling his mustache; it's dated, and while it serves as a sort of shorthand for the characters and plot, it's pretty heavy-handed.

And I'm gonna be honest...the moment when Main Guy starts yelling about how "this is OUR land!" was a very ugly moment for me. I mean, the guy is essentially in "blue face," and from the sounds of it trying to appropriate the Na'vi's struggles as his own as if he is one of them. Can you tell me any sort of Earthly scenario where that would be deemed the least bit acceptable, let alone laudable? I seriously lurched back from the monitor wondering: this guy is the hero?

I'm seeing very little chance for redemption unless (please, God of Cinema Justice) Sigourney Weaver's character is actually Lt. Ellen Ripley and she decides to nuke this fucker from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Torchwood fans: It's at least nice to see Myfanwy getting some work, y/y?



Also, if it is trying to be Fern Gully, it will fail miserably because I doubt Avatar has Tim Curry singing about his Toxic Love. It probably doesn't even have Batty, for crying out loud.

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Dear Frank,

Sunday I was with my boyfriend (we are both young Christians). I grabbed his laptop to go to the postsecret website. As I typed in the postsecret address the computer filled in the url with a pornography website.

I used my boyfriend's laptop again to look up postsecret and the computer filled in the url with recently visited sites about pre and post nuptial agreements.

In my attempts to read other people's secrets, I discovered his.

















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Near the Tremont Street entrance are the ashes of the American casualties in the Boston Massacre which occurred 5 March, 1770. (This is not true. The victims of the Boston Massacre are actually buried at the Granary Burying Sight. Having been there I would know).

Yes, the parenthetical comment is part of the entry.

In past years, I've made homemade, hand-stamped holiday cards, but alas I don't have time to do so this year. However, I did pick up a few boxes of cards while at the store today, and I'll get more if I need to!

Text box replies are viewable only to me, so your name and mailing address are confidential. Please don't forget to include your state, zip code, and country (if you're not in the US).

Poll #1491725 Holiday Cards
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: None, participants: 7

If you'd like to receive a holiday card from me, please leave your name & complete mailing address in the box below (max length 250 characters)

I've got two styles of store-bought cards this year. Would you like Christmas or Generic Wnter?

Pick one.

Here's the latest cartoon which took half a day to write. I still want to fiddle with details but it's good enough for the internet. I'm especially proud of the committee and overthinking jokes.

In the next day or two I'll be posting some work in progress stuff under 'friends only'.

Can't believe I got this thing done early. Sniffles be damned, I'm having a beer.

Here are today’s stats for the fabulous urban fantasy adventure about a neurotic vampire/thief and her wealthy blind client, now with Bonus! Cuban drag queen and military intrigue:

Project: Bloodshot
New Words Written: 4985 (Some added last night; only about 4000 today)
Present Total Word Count: 94,570 words
Goal: Draft Zero by December 12 -ACCOMPLISHED





Things Accomplished in Fiction: Wrapped it up, baby. Wrapped up all of it. This, ladies and gents and all others, is a Draft Zero.

Things Accomplished in Real Life: Virtually nothing. This has been eating my brain and I had to get it out, out, out. And now - best of all - I have almost 2 whole weeks to batter this puppy into a Draft One before sending it back to Anne! [:: does a little dance ::]

Reason for Stopping: BECAUSE I CAN.

[Crossposted to/from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.]

Catching up. I went to see Superior Donuts by Tracy Letts (author of August: Osage County) last week. Not at all bad, but as with his earlier play, the beginning is slow and annoying and it takes awhile to adjust to the slow pacing.

Older middle-aged widower (Michael McKean, who is terrific) owns a dying donut shop in Chicago that was opened by his father decades earlier. The play opens with two cops who frequent the shop there before it's open because it's been vandalized. Ambitious next-door neighbor wants to buy him out and expand his electronics biz. Young African American kid comes looking for a job and brings trouble. Female cop flirts with the owner, thugs threaten the kid, the owner is all angsty over being a draft dodger during Vietnam. I enjoyed it, although as my theater companions pointed out, a fight scene was utterly unconvincing and unnecessary. Definitely worth seeing before it closes in a few weeks.

Last weekend and this weekend I started watching the Buffy spinoff, Angel, with David Boreanaz. First disc with four episodes left me doubted I'd continue (jeez, I loathe Cordelia). But...since I had the second disc home I figured I'd give it one more chance, as I remember that Cordelia grew on me during Buffy. And yes, the next four episodes hooked me, especially with Buffy playing a prominent (and very moving) role in the 8th episode. Tears fell. ;-).

Last week I also watched the french film I've Loved you So Long, which features a brilliant performance by Kristin Scott Thomas that should have won her an Oscar, yet didn't even get her a damned nomination. Woman (Thomas) gets out of prison after serving 15 years for murder, and moves in temporarily with her sister and the sister's family. It's utterly riveting and moving as the viewer sees Thomas's character slowly move back into the world. Highly recommended.

Last night watched Sunshine Cleaning about two sisters who in desperation to earn a living, open a biohazard removal/cleaning service-ie. they clean up after violent and non-violent but messy deaths. I enjoyed watching Amy Adams and Emily Blunt and appreciate that the story is about the working poor trying to make a go of it (rather than the usual middle and upper middle classes) but it's only ok, not great. Worth a look.

And I finally saw Juno, which I liked quite a bit. It really is a smart, sassy little movie, just like its heroine. Good acting.

During the two movies, my DVD player started going weird. Power shut off and I had to replay fast forward to get to where I was--at first I thought it was the DVD but nope, it happened with both discs...and then the damned thing turned itself back on...uh oh. A DVD gremlin. I managed to watch both movies, with the interruptions but have just ordered a new DVD player. The old one lasted 6 1/2 years, which isn't too bad.

1

I am thankful for the amazing people in my life and the ability to do work that I love.

I am thankful that in the last year and a half I could feed my soul with the conversation and connection I was craving.

I am thankful that my turkey came out well. Moist, tender, and well-seasoned.

2

I am in Pacific Grove, near Cannery Row: John Steinbeck country. I came up with Dude to visit Dude's parents, sister, and niece. One of the best parts is collecting stories about Dude when he was younger: "He always had a girlfriend," his sister told me. "So many girls were in love with him."

"When he got divorced," his father told me, "younger women and older women would come up to me in town and say, 'How is Dude?...Tell him to give me a call."

Dude managed to look appropriately bashful.

I went on a long walk to work off the previous day's turkey and apple pie, blissing out to ocean air and exercise and Nine Inch Nails on my borrowed iPod. We had dinner at a place that served deep-fried olive-and-blue-cheese concoctions (they were good), and crayons to draw on the paper tablecloths. Afterwards Dude, his sister, niece and I went to a bar and danced to live music. Dude and I rounded off the night with the movie Pirate Radio, which I recommend, partly for its awesome soundtrack.

3

At Tribal Writer I posted the writer's show and tell: show us what's important, and tell the freaking story and why you need to write like a bad girl, part one. The latter is first in a series (and my experiment in turning essays into more blog-friendly posts).

4

Amazing to think of where I was -- emotionally and mentally and physically -- this time last year, and how far I've traveled since.

I'm thankful for that, as well.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NaNoWriMo/Home/~3/oAojbd-ViWY/3466130

Every year, several people write 50,000 words in three days and win.

Every year, hundreds of people write 25,000 words in three days and win.

Every year, thousands of people write 15,000 words in three days and win.

If you're still writing, you're still on track.

You can do it.

Chris

I’ve been working overtime to make yet another deadline on yet another an unmentionable project. As a result, I haven’t had time to blog about my amazing trip to Scotland, or anything else for that matter. Well, the deadline’s been met and I have a few desperately needed days off, so here you go.

The eight hour flight to Heathrow was truly hellish. A grungy, overcrowded sardine tin filled with fussy toddlers and TB patients. When a flyweight like me doesn’t have enough room in the trade paperback sized seats, you know everybody on the plane’s gonna be homicidal before we hit the Atlantic. Sleep was not an option.

By the time I got to Edinburgh, I was near delirious, which made my first in-the-flesh meeting with Tartan Ninja Al Guthrie even more surreal. Al already had explicit instructions to make like we were on the run from the body snatchers and chase me around the city, at least until something resembling a reasonable bedtime.

Over the next couple of days, we walked all over the city. Edinburgh is a stunningly beautiful place, despite the ongoing construction of the “cunting trams” tearing up the streets. Here in L.A., my adopted teenage city, buildings from the 1920’s are considered “historic” and the only castles were built by movie moguls, magicians and Walt Disney.

We hit the Edinburgh castle, of course, but we also visited some of the coolest cemeteries I’ve ever seen. Wandered along winding cobblestone streets and poked around in used book shops. Climbed both the Duane Swierczynski memorial staircase and the Salisbury Crags. Descended into the ancient underground city through Mary King’s Close. Al was a wonderful, patient and endlessly amusing tour guide.

Castle notwithstanding, I was really impressed with the food. I was expecting everything to be greasy, bland and starchy. Haggis with neeps and tatties and deep fried Mars bars. Truth is, Eddy-B is a surprisingly foodie city. The Dogs was hands down my favorite restaurant, with haut-vegetarian David Bann in a close second. Of course, I had haggis too, and Irn Bru. I went to a café which claimed to be the birthplace of Harry Potter, where I nearly made the cute, chubby barrista drop her lattes with my “fantastic accent.” Unfortunately, I also managed to get food poisoning along the way, not from haggis, but from a deadly salad. Figures. Should have had the deep fried pizza. But more on that later.

Tromping through castles and other historic sites was a blast, but I really had the most fun hanging with my Scottish peeps, including Russel McLean who came down from someplace much less cool to hang with us.

The last word on Eddy-B is my new favorite: Cuntybaws. I particularly like using this exclamation in a hard New York accent.

(Doesn’t Cuntybaws sound like a mean old troll who eats naughty children in a Norwegian fairy tale? He also has an ugly old sister named Fannybaws.)

I'm starting to post more and more entries as "friends only" because I'm trying to sell the gag cartoons that I'm working on. Most of the publications don't want previously published material and, unfortunately, posting them publicly on FB counts as publication. Sooo... if you want me to add you as a friend so that you can read some unfinished/unpublished cartoons, just say the word. Most of my entries will still be public but unless you speak up some entries will be blind to you.

I was going to meet minikin at 2-ish at The Mad Potter (website) to paint some ceramics, but she's been delayed by a few hours, so we probably won't get there until around 6pm. I'm going to decorate a new water bowl for the cats, as the one I did last year broke recently.

Knight got the new net lights and the rest of the Christmas decor put out this morning, so I'm eagerly awaiting dark to see how they look!

I'm thinking of actually getting offline and heading over to Starbuck's to sit and read (a BOOK) while sipping a frappuccino. I may even go shopping over at the nearby Kohl's to see if they have any winter coats that I like and that fit me, as my current coat is several years old now and starting to look rather worn out.

Yep, that sounds like a plan...