YOU ARE ROSEMARY
What herb are you?
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Heh heh.
What herb are you?
6 years ago
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
what herb are you?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme....
YOU ARE ROSEMARY
What herb are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Heh heh.
What herb are you?
YOU ARE ROSEMARY
What herb are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
Heh heh.
What herb are you?
The death of the greatest wizard that ever lived
Hey everybody! So, there was this contest on one of the fan fiction sites I post on, and the prompt was to write a story with the title "The Death of the Greatest Wizard that Ever Lived."
Well, it got my gears a turning, so I wrote a very short (just barely over 2,000 words) story for the contest! I haven't posted it on any of the fan sites yet, as I'm not sure how the contest people would like that, but I have posted it over at my livejournal account (mainly because it's a lot easier to read over there than if I were to post it on this blog!).
Anyway, head on over and take a look at my interpretation of "The Death of the Greatest Wizard that Ever Lived."
P.S. I'll let you know if I win anything! =)
Well, it got my gears a turning, so I wrote a very short (just barely over 2,000 words) story for the contest! I haven't posted it on any of the fan sites yet, as I'm not sure how the contest people would like that, but I have posted it over at my livejournal account (mainly because it's a lot easier to read over there than if I were to post it on this blog!).
Anyway, head on over and take a look at my interpretation of "The Death of the Greatest Wizard that Ever Lived."
P.S. I'll let you know if I win anything! =)
Monday, November 15, 2004
my dad is a japanese rockstar
So, Once Upon A Time, a Long Time Ago, in a Land Far Far Away called Austin, my dad was a member of a band called Virgin Insanity. They played kind of folk rock music and they cut a record. Unfortunately, the music was well beyond all their contemporaries, and they never really hit it very big.
25 years later, my dad receives a phone call from a fellow Virgin Insanity member named Bob (no really, that's his real name). Dad hasn't talked to Bob in as many years, and is therefore not a little surprised to hear from him.
Turns out, a man has recently contacted Bob asking for permission to cut 1000 copies of Virgin Insanity's debut album on CD.
Now every once in a while, my dad (and apparently Bob as well) has gotten a call from some vinyl afficianado asking him to sell his copy(s) of the Virgin Insanity record because there are only a few that exist and they are collectors items.
This is not, however, the reason this particular man was calling.
In fact, he wants to make CDs of Virgin Insanity's record because apparently the band has quite a cult following.
In Japan.
Apparently, the guy tried to buy a tape of the record off of a fan in Japan and they would not sell it to him! Bob, however, agreed to the deal and has begun remixing the masters on his home computer!
Out of curiosity, I googled "Virgin Insanity," and here are the results I came up with:
Apparently, the song "Time of Sorrows Gone" is a regular on the Bill Zurat show (Sundays 2am-6am) on WFMU 90.1 FM, an indy station out of New York City.
The band is listed on the amazingly all-inclusive RockRom CD, which is apparently a database of every album from every band that ever existed... ever.
The album is also listed on many various LP "want lists," which, as far as I can tell, is a place for people to post albums they are looking for in the hopes that someone will have what they're looking for. Someone was even offering a 3rd or 4th generation tape of the album. Woah.
I also found this, which seems to confirm the Japanese cult following theory.
But I think the very best thing I found was this description from the Acid Archives:
Virgin Insanity Tx "Illusions of the maintenance man" 1972 (Funky 72411)
Obscure and still fairly unknown basement folk/folkrock with short songs and male/female vocals. Hard to describe accurately (always a good sign), though comparisons drawn to the third Velvet U LP are not without merit, esp as the lady vocalist seems as tonedeaf as Moe Tucker. The sound is disarmingly honest and stripped down, and indeed the concentrated minimalist vibe of the LP seems wholly deliberate. This is not for everyone, but I was impressed.
I think I need to learn how to say "rock star" in Japanese. =D
25 years later, my dad receives a phone call from a fellow Virgin Insanity member named Bob (no really, that's his real name). Dad hasn't talked to Bob in as many years, and is therefore not a little surprised to hear from him.
Turns out, a man has recently contacted Bob asking for permission to cut 1000 copies of Virgin Insanity's debut album on CD.
Now every once in a while, my dad (and apparently Bob as well) has gotten a call from some vinyl afficianado asking him to sell his copy(s) of the Virgin Insanity record because there are only a few that exist and they are collectors items.
This is not, however, the reason this particular man was calling.
In fact, he wants to make CDs of Virgin Insanity's record because apparently the band has quite a cult following.
In Japan.
Apparently, the guy tried to buy a tape of the record off of a fan in Japan and they would not sell it to him! Bob, however, agreed to the deal and has begun remixing the masters on his home computer!
Out of curiosity, I googled "Virgin Insanity," and here are the results I came up with:
Apparently, the song "Time of Sorrows Gone" is a regular on the Bill Zurat show (Sundays 2am-6am) on WFMU 90.1 FM, an indy station out of New York City.
The band is listed on the amazingly all-inclusive RockRom CD, which is apparently a database of every album from every band that ever existed... ever.
The album is also listed on many various LP "want lists," which, as far as I can tell, is a place for people to post albums they are looking for in the hopes that someone will have what they're looking for. Someone was even offering a 3rd or 4th generation tape of the album. Woah.
I also found this, which seems to confirm the Japanese cult following theory.
But I think the very best thing I found was this description from the Acid Archives:
Virgin Insanity Tx "Illusions of the maintenance man" 1972 (Funky 72411)
Obscure and still fairly unknown basement folk/folkrock with short songs and male/female vocals. Hard to describe accurately (always a good sign), though comparisons drawn to the third Velvet U LP are not without merit, esp as the lady vocalist seems as tonedeaf as Moe Tucker. The sound is disarmingly honest and stripped down, and indeed the concentrated minimalist vibe of the LP seems wholly deliberate. This is not for everyone, but I was impressed.
I think I need to learn how to say "rock star" in Japanese. =D
drabble of the day
From the still percolating story with the working title "St. Jude's School for the Gifted...
"It doesn't look very... hygienic," Michael said disapprovingly from the back seat of the rented BMW. He had ridden with his face pressed to the glass for most of the trip from the Denver airport, watching with unabashed awe as the land slipped away from the edge of the highway into deep narrow valleys studded with aspen and granite and pine. He had been eagerly awaiting his first glimpse of St. Jude's School for the Gifted where he would be going -- no, living -- for the next nine months; now that he'd seen it, however, he really rather wished that he could stay in the back seat when his mother and father turned the car around and headed back to Denver, and from there, back home.
"Nonsense," his father said with a chortle. "You're just saying that because it doesn't look exactly like that monolith of steel and concrete you called a junior high school. This place has got history..."
Michael wrinkled his nose. History should be stored carefully under glass and artfully back lit or distilled for consumption into book form. History, to his mind, did not include rambling ramshackle buildings, faded banners, or peeling coats of paint. He physically shuddered as he wondered which of the drafty looking tenements the dormitories were.
"It doesn't look very... hygienic," Michael said disapprovingly from the back seat of the rented BMW. He had ridden with his face pressed to the glass for most of the trip from the Denver airport, watching with unabashed awe as the land slipped away from the edge of the highway into deep narrow valleys studded with aspen and granite and pine. He had been eagerly awaiting his first glimpse of St. Jude's School for the Gifted where he would be going -- no, living -- for the next nine months; now that he'd seen it, however, he really rather wished that he could stay in the back seat when his mother and father turned the car around and headed back to Denver, and from there, back home.
"Nonsense," his father said with a chortle. "You're just saying that because it doesn't look exactly like that monolith of steel and concrete you called a junior high school. This place has got history..."
Michael wrinkled his nose. History should be stored carefully under glass and artfully back lit or distilled for consumption into book form. History, to his mind, did not include rambling ramshackle buildings, faded banners, or peeling coats of paint. He physically shuddered as he wondered which of the drafty looking tenements the dormitories were.
It's 11:10 on a Monday morning -- do you know where your sanity is?
Work on Mondays is the cruelest invention of all humankind. How, precisely, are we meant to concentrate or even THINK on a Monday morning after the shenanigans that we got up to on Saturday and Sunday?
Actually, I didn't get up to a whole lot of shenanigans. I bought a pair of $58 jeans from the Gap -- which was a first for me -- and sang in an interfaith choral music festival.
I know how to party.
The music festival thing was pretty cool. It was seven different choirs from different faiths and traditions, and in between each one, a different speaker from various traditions. We all got together and sang one song as a big huge choir at the end, and the man who directed us all was ENORMOUS and treated us like a Junior high band. Probably because he was a junior high band director. Eh.
The most exciting part of the whole evening, however had to be when my choir got up to sing. We were pumpped. We were ready. We started to sing, and about three bars into the song, the pianist STOPPED PLAYING.
I wish you could have seen the director's face. I thought his eyes were going to pop right out of his head. But he kept directing, so we kept singing, and eventually, the pianist came back in with us.
Turns out the over zealous airconditioning in the Jewish temple we were singing in BLEW her music right off the piano. There was nothing she could do but stop, bend down, and pick it up!! Anyway, big kudos to us for a) not panicking, and b) not STOPPING!!! Luckily, the second song was accappella -- on purpose -- so we didn't have to worry. Thought the pianist would die from embarrassment!! =)
Brandon said we were still the best choir of the night, regardless.
Other than that, the only other big excitement of the weekend was going to see The Polar Express in 3D at the IMAX. Wow. Let me tell you, I'm sure it's a cute movie on the regular screen, but in 3D it will blow your mind. And be sure to sit near a group of kids, because it is indescribably precious to watch them all reach out and try to catch the falling train ticket. =)
Aside from the wicked 3D, the movie is generally cute. It's a bit thin on plot, but that's to be expected when you try to translate a 36 page picture book into a 90 minute movie. =)
I especially enjoyed the scene near the end when they're all waiting for Santa to show, and the elves start singing very slowly...
"You'd... better... watch... out..."
Felt oddly like a Phish concert or something, but I liked it. =)
Actually, I didn't get up to a whole lot of shenanigans. I bought a pair of $58 jeans from the Gap -- which was a first for me -- and sang in an interfaith choral music festival.
I know how to party.
The music festival thing was pretty cool. It was seven different choirs from different faiths and traditions, and in between each one, a different speaker from various traditions. We all got together and sang one song as a big huge choir at the end, and the man who directed us all was ENORMOUS and treated us like a Junior high band. Probably because he was a junior high band director. Eh.
The most exciting part of the whole evening, however had to be when my choir got up to sing. We were pumpped. We were ready. We started to sing, and about three bars into the song, the pianist STOPPED PLAYING.
I wish you could have seen the director's face. I thought his eyes were going to pop right out of his head. But he kept directing, so we kept singing, and eventually, the pianist came back in with us.
Turns out the over zealous airconditioning in the Jewish temple we were singing in BLEW her music right off the piano. There was nothing she could do but stop, bend down, and pick it up!! Anyway, big kudos to us for a) not panicking, and b) not STOPPING!!! Luckily, the second song was accappella -- on purpose -- so we didn't have to worry. Thought the pianist would die from embarrassment!! =)
Brandon said we were still the best choir of the night, regardless.
Other than that, the only other big excitement of the weekend was going to see The Polar Express in 3D at the IMAX. Wow. Let me tell you, I'm sure it's a cute movie on the regular screen, but in 3D it will blow your mind. And be sure to sit near a group of kids, because it is indescribably precious to watch them all reach out and try to catch the falling train ticket. =)
Aside from the wicked 3D, the movie is generally cute. It's a bit thin on plot, but that's to be expected when you try to translate a 36 page picture book into a 90 minute movie. =)
I especially enjoyed the scene near the end when they're all waiting for Santa to show, and the elves start singing very slowly...
"You'd... better... watch... out..."
Felt oddly like a Phish concert or something, but I liked it. =)
Friday, November 12, 2004
make a joyful noise
I think that there should be more singing in everyday life. I was in the ladies' room earlier today, and I was humming, and it echoed so nicely off the walls and tile floors that I was sorely tempted to break into song, but I resisted that temptation. Why? Well, because if anyone were to see or hear me singing in the ladies' room at work, I would probably receive a great quantity of strange looks and be known as that girl, you know, the one who sings...
But I think that we should just open up. Let it out, people! Repressing only gives you ulcers. Sing! Sing a song! Sing out loud! The whole day long!!!
Do you know why people like musicals? It's because, on some deep subconscious level, people are drawn to the idea of randomly breaking into song about everyday kinds of things: Oklahoma! Rent! Pirates! Secretly, many of us wish that our lives were like that. We long for the ability to break into song about how much we love our cats, or loathe our malfunctioning computers; we want to spontaniously errupt into perfectly choreographed dance routines with those we love, and even those we barely know. It is a deeply embedded genetic memory of a time when people who sang randomly in bathrooms, or malls, or in the workplace were not shunned as freaks or weirdos.
Did anyone see that episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that was done as a musical? BRILLIANT! Granted, their sudden onslaught of musical and choreographic talent was the result of a suave yet undeniably maladjusted demon who liked to watch people burst into flames when they got a bit too excited about their solo number, but aside from the spontanious combustion bit, it seemed like a good deal to me! People were dancing and singing in the street! Picking up the dry cleaning became a valid excuse for bursting into song!
All I'm saying is that I think people in general would be a lot happier if they thought they could get down get down get down get down get down and boogie now and again without the social reprecussions we now know are there. Singing is good for you! It frees the mind and enlivens the soul!
So do yourself a favor, and sing to someone today. They'll look at you with an expression of mild perplexion and thank you for it.
But I think that we should just open up. Let it out, people! Repressing only gives you ulcers. Sing! Sing a song! Sing out loud! The whole day long!!!
Do you know why people like musicals? It's because, on some deep subconscious level, people are drawn to the idea of randomly breaking into song about everyday kinds of things: Oklahoma! Rent! Pirates! Secretly, many of us wish that our lives were like that. We long for the ability to break into song about how much we love our cats, or loathe our malfunctioning computers; we want to spontaniously errupt into perfectly choreographed dance routines with those we love, and even those we barely know. It is a deeply embedded genetic memory of a time when people who sang randomly in bathrooms, or malls, or in the workplace were not shunned as freaks or weirdos.
Did anyone see that episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer that was done as a musical? BRILLIANT! Granted, their sudden onslaught of musical and choreographic talent was the result of a suave yet undeniably maladjusted demon who liked to watch people burst into flames when they got a bit too excited about their solo number, but aside from the spontanious combustion bit, it seemed like a good deal to me! People were dancing and singing in the street! Picking up the dry cleaning became a valid excuse for bursting into song!
All I'm saying is that I think people in general would be a lot happier if they thought they could get down get down get down get down get down and boogie now and again without the social reprecussions we now know are there. Singing is good for you! It frees the mind and enlivens the soul!
So do yourself a favor, and sing to someone today. They'll look at you with an expression of mild perplexion and thank you for it.
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Monday, November 08, 2004
general waffle
Well!
I'm pleased to say that response to chapter 20 of HP and the S of the S has been really good so far! Two of the scenes were "fits of brilliance" scenes, and thus probably deserve the praise. *sigh* It's just too bad that I don't have more of those kinds of fits...
My weekend was much too short. Saturday I spent the entire morning rehearsing with the choir for our Requiem mass on Sunday, which came off brilliantly, I thought. But MAN OH MAN was there a lot of music!! We did six mass movements, two octavos, and three hymns! AND there was a solo at communion. A LOT of music. But it was lovely. David hired two cellos, one viola, one violin and an oboe, which really rounded things out nicely.
Brandon and Rebecca (a friend from work) agreed that Bach's "How Lovely is thy Dwelling Place" was their favorite. Ha! Brandon likes fugal pieces, and Baroque music in general, I think. =) Speaking of which, I was reading a HP fan fic called "The Harpsichordist" in which a Muggle music teacher is hired to teach at Hogwarts, and there was a lovely little tidbit where they talked about "the Bach effect" and how Bach's music was magic and taken directly from the substance and existence of nature and that sometimes, magical things happen when people play his music. I couldn't agree more.
Spent most of the rest of the day Saturday AND Sunday "working" on my original idea. Actually, I was just sort of pounding out ideas and trying to filter the flotsom out of my mental ramblings. Things are going well there, I think. I have three characters sketched, (and about three dozen to go) and I've already started thinking of scenes and so on. Haven't even begun with the teachers at the school yet -- just the students so far -- but I've got time. Heck, I've got nothing but time!!
Chapter 21 has moved into the revisions process. It's quite different from my other chapters, inspired by the brilliance of The Shoebox Project (particularly chapter one which made me laugh so hard I almost fell out of my chair -- literally). It should be a kick to see what people think of it.
I'm pleased to say that response to chapter 20 of HP and the S of the S has been really good so far! Two of the scenes were "fits of brilliance" scenes, and thus probably deserve the praise. *sigh* It's just too bad that I don't have more of those kinds of fits...
My weekend was much too short. Saturday I spent the entire morning rehearsing with the choir for our Requiem mass on Sunday, which came off brilliantly, I thought. But MAN OH MAN was there a lot of music!! We did six mass movements, two octavos, and three hymns! AND there was a solo at communion. A LOT of music. But it was lovely. David hired two cellos, one viola, one violin and an oboe, which really rounded things out nicely.
Brandon and Rebecca (a friend from work) agreed that Bach's "How Lovely is thy Dwelling Place" was their favorite. Ha! Brandon likes fugal pieces, and Baroque music in general, I think. =) Speaking of which, I was reading a HP fan fic called "The Harpsichordist" in which a Muggle music teacher is hired to teach at Hogwarts, and there was a lovely little tidbit where they talked about "the Bach effect" and how Bach's music was magic and taken directly from the substance and existence of nature and that sometimes, magical things happen when people play his music. I couldn't agree more.
Spent most of the rest of the day Saturday AND Sunday "working" on my original idea. Actually, I was just sort of pounding out ideas and trying to filter the flotsom out of my mental ramblings. Things are going well there, I think. I have three characters sketched, (and about three dozen to go) and I've already started thinking of scenes and so on. Haven't even begun with the teachers at the school yet -- just the students so far -- but I've got time. Heck, I've got nothing but time!!
Chapter 21 has moved into the revisions process. It's quite different from my other chapters, inspired by the brilliance of The Shoebox Project (particularly chapter one which made me laugh so hard I almost fell out of my chair -- literally). It should be a kick to see what people think of it.
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Nanowrimo begins!
I just wanted to let you all know that thanks, in part, to this blog, my best mate Allison is participating in National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. Her goal is to write a 50,000 word novel (or 50,000 words of a novel) in 30 days.
I, for my small part, am helping her by blogging her progress for her at her new blog called Welcome to Lake Renner (and yes, my dear Brandon was inspiration for the name of the town).
I want to encourage all of you to go on over to Lake Renner and read what Allison has written and leave her a bit of encouragement. Writing is a tough thing to do, and writing 50,000 words in one month (which comes out to just under 2000 words per day) is a monumental challenge.
To put this in perspective, I write approximately 5,000 words per week, or one chapter. She is trying to do half of that in a single day -- every single day. It's a huge challenge, but one I'm sure she's up to.
More power to you, Allie, and to all the NaNo Writers out there!!
I, for my small part, am helping her by blogging her progress for her at her new blog called Welcome to Lake Renner (and yes, my dear Brandon was inspiration for the name of the town).
I want to encourage all of you to go on over to Lake Renner and read what Allison has written and leave her a bit of encouragement. Writing is a tough thing to do, and writing 50,000 words in one month (which comes out to just under 2000 words per day) is a monumental challenge.
To put this in perspective, I write approximately 5,000 words per week, or one chapter. She is trying to do half of that in a single day -- every single day. It's a huge challenge, but one I'm sure she's up to.
More power to you, Allie, and to all the NaNo Writers out there!!
"i voted"
So, today, November second twenty-oh-four, I, Lacy Boggs have done my civic duty. I have participated in the long-running and occasionally successful public experiment we call Democracy. I voted for president, congressman, senator, state representative, mayor, city council members, county supervisor, Santa Ana Community College board of governors, and more than a dozen ballot measures. My participation involved having my polling place inexplicably changed twice, going to the wrong polling place anyway, standing in no less than three different lines, filling out a provisional ballot, and being made to wait for five additional minutes for my sticker which says "I voted."
Am I discouraged? Am I disheartened or disenfranchised by this? No, I am not, and I will tell you why.
I did not have to worry about being blown up at the elementary school where I cast my ballot.
I did not have to worry about my ability to vote -- even thought I was apparently in the wrong precinct -- being challenged by poll watchers.
I did not have to wonder if I would be discriminated against, turned away, harassed, or threatened while voting based on my gender, race, creed, or political party.
I did not have to wonder if I had any hanging chads on my ballot.
Even if we do not have a clear winner when all the votes have been tallied in the wee hours of the morning, I will not have to worry that the country will fall into civil war. Regardless of who wins and who loses in the end, the transfer of power will be made peacefully and easily, which is the true measure of the success of our democracy.
On my way to work, more than an hour later than usual, and stuck in a horrendous traffic jam, I heard on NPR about a woman in Ohio. She is 103 years old and has voted in every election since women were granted the right to vote. She made me proud of the "I voted" sticker I am wearing.
If you haven't already, go out and vote. Vote your conscience, but vote. Now more than ever, every single vote counts and every single vote makes a difference. Even a voice that is stifled makes an impact. Better to speak and be heard by a few than not to be heard at all.
Am I discouraged? Am I disheartened or disenfranchised by this? No, I am not, and I will tell you why.
I did not have to worry about being blown up at the elementary school where I cast my ballot.
I did not have to worry about my ability to vote -- even thought I was apparently in the wrong precinct -- being challenged by poll watchers.
I did not have to wonder if I would be discriminated against, turned away, harassed, or threatened while voting based on my gender, race, creed, or political party.
I did not have to wonder if I had any hanging chads on my ballot.
Even if we do not have a clear winner when all the votes have been tallied in the wee hours of the morning, I will not have to worry that the country will fall into civil war. Regardless of who wins and who loses in the end, the transfer of power will be made peacefully and easily, which is the true measure of the success of our democracy.
On my way to work, more than an hour later than usual, and stuck in a horrendous traffic jam, I heard on NPR about a woman in Ohio. She is 103 years old and has voted in every election since women were granted the right to vote. She made me proud of the "I voted" sticker I am wearing.
If you haven't already, go out and vote. Vote your conscience, but vote. Now more than ever, every single vote counts and every single vote makes a difference. Even a voice that is stifled makes an impact. Better to speak and be heard by a few than not to be heard at all.
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