No Wonder I Was So Tired This Morning

Apparently I spent the night in a friend's dream:

----------

I had a crazy ass Sherlock

dream last night. It was

awesome and you were in it

----------

Well, there was a mystery

obviously and it took place

on a train for most of it. I

was Watson some of the

time. At one point you were

a person of interest

and Sherlock had to

disguise himself to get info

from you.

----------

You were dressed all fancy

and sipping a martini and

Sherlock was awkward since

I told him to flirt with you,

but you figured him out and

dropped hints about

who the murderer was.

There was a lot of chasing

and arguing

----------

At one point Sherlock saved

a child and he kept scaring

her by being weird and I

would scold him. I was a very

nagging Watson

----------

Krull

A prince and a fellowship of companions set out to rescue his bride from a fortress of alien invaders who have arrived on their home planet.

I finally watched Krull last night (in my defense... I have no defense). It was surprising in many ways - the opening scene and special effects clearly think they're actually in the original Star Wars trilogy, but most of rest of it is standard fantasy fare. Also, for every groan-worthy scene, there's a plot point that I actually found intriguing:

1. A race of cyclops created when they gave up one eye in exchange for foresight. They were tricked; the only future event they can actually see is their own death. (I would seriously like to read a short story based on this.)
2. Fire mares are the fastest creatures ever and leave trails of smoke in their fiery wake. (haha, what.)
3. The science teacher from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory makes an appearance as the short sidekick who can turn himself into various animals for laughs and eventual saving-of-the-random-child-character. (Fun character).
4. The Power of Love at the end. (One of many, many tropes in the movie.)

In a general sense it was a watchable enough movie, and had some fun elements; I'm glad to have seen it, but I doubt I'll watch it again.

American Gods - Twitter Q&A

One of the (many) things I enjoy about Twitter is the way in which it occasionally removes the barriers between the author and the audience. Case in point, Neil Gaiman spent an hour today answering questions about his novel American Gods on the @SFXmagazine Twitter account.

I missed most of the fun while out getting new glasses, so here is my attempt to read just the questions that got answered. And rebut (or support?) all my family members who think Twitter is a silly waste of time.

In reverse chronological order, and I paired questions + answers:

@neilhimself Thanks, Neil! A truly valiant effort. Much bravery under tweet-fire!

Damn it, Gaiman managed to wriggle out of the leg manacles. I knew we should have fixed them tighter.

And this is @neilhimself signing out. Thank you @sfxmagazine for the platform. Thank you Headline Books for setting it up. Hail & Farewell.

That's all I have time for. What a fine deluge of questions. Sorry if yours wasn't answered. It was like grabbing snowflakes in a blizzard.

@SFXmagazine @neilhimself #americangods What is going to happen to all of the questions you did not get to?
@sprunka I think they will float around the universe, and be answered by time, or never. #americangods

@sfxmagazine Does the Morrigan roam the America of #AmericanGods? Can a god hitch-hike on superstition or is active belief required? Thanks!
@cathyby If someone once believed, that's enough. One person's superstition is another person's worship, after all. #AmericanGods

@SFXMagazine Would Shadow and Fat Charlie get along? #americangods
@antonomasia09 I think Fat Charlie would be scared of Shadow. What Shadow would think of Fat Charlie only Shadow knows. #americangods

Outline? or just pull from the aether once you have gathered the experiences and info that open you to the story? #americangods
@PolytropicProds Every now and again I'd write an outline for what I had to do next, but it was like walking through fog #americangods

@SFXmagazine being an indian I can say that #americangods is v well researched. But were youu nervous about gettin things wrong?
@Hardigirl The things I'd get most wrong were things that people would tell me about places that they had misremembered #americangods
@Hardigirl I was terrified about getting things wrong, yes. And I did get a few things very wrong, when research failed. #americangods

@SFXmagazine So how's the latest incarnation of the Technological Kid holding up? I imagine he's matured a bit. #americangods
@justplainrii I think he has. But he's still looking over his shoulder. #americangods

@SFXmagazine Of course, I mean nicely organized questions and answers. would like to be able to reread and ponder at leisure. #americangods
@whooshing I hope someone can organise all the questions and answers -- it's a bit of a flurry... #americangods

@SFXmagazine How much of Shadow is you and how much of you is Shadow? #americangods
@halcyonhalcyoff "He's me, but I am not him." But then, that's true of everyone in the book, good & bad, male & female. #americangods

#americangods what was working with terry pratchett like when writing good omens?
@admiralross2400 That is absolutely not an #americangods question. #deceptivehashtagfail

@SFXmagazine #AmericanGods I'd love to see Shadow meet The Endless. Any possibility, or have you left them in the past?
@pdav21 For copyright reasons, I do not believe that could ever happen. But I suppose it's possible (Superman met Spider-Man) #AmericanGods

@sfxmagazine #americangods how much did Julian of Norwich's visions influence your writing?
@dpknowles I don't know. But she was definitely in the mix. #americangods

Eight Minutes to go! MUST TYPE FASTER

#americangods Are you ever embarrassed about what you did to(for) The House on the Rock? :)
@Aluhdeen It makes the House on the Rock people happy, and it brings people who love the place there, so no. Not even a bit. #americangods

@SFXmagazine Did you actually visit the attractions you talk about in the book, or did you learn about them through research? #americangods
@czeagler I visited them. Some I knew before I wrote the book, some I bumped into while writing it. #americangods

@SFXmagazine If you were choosing a band or musician to create a soundtrack for the book, who would you choose? #americangods
@wonderwoman1100 I wrote it to a soundtrack of Greg Brown, & The Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs #americangods

Hi, Neil, dear. @SFXmagazine Curious what's your favorite Art inspired by #AmericanGods (song, statue, painting)?
@GodTheMother Dear Godthemother, the HOUSE ON THE ROCK costume contest put a smile on my face that still hasn't faded yet. #AmericanGods

Where do you the see the deities of the major, modern faiths fitting into the world of #americangods? @neilhimself
@AdamLanceGarcia In much the same way that important politicians & movie stars fit into a story about poor grifters #americangods

@SFXmagazine Dear Mr Gaiman, when you wrote #americangods WHAT WERE YOU DRINKING?! Fantastic book, but I felt a little dazed upon finishing.
@TheIdleLaureate For the first third of #americangods, I was drinking Tori Amos's fine red wine. After that I had to drive home from writing

@SFXmagazine Why do you think people either really hate or really love #americangods with few ho-hummers in-between?
@TehGoob And I am fascinated that people who hate #americangods are often very clear on how they would want that story told differently.
@TehGoob I don't know. It took me by surprise. I do not know why #americangods is so divisive, although it may be a good thing.

@SFXmagazine did you ever have plans to flesh out Shadow's character further before writing Anansi Boys? #americangods
@StrangeBum My vague plan was to write another 2 or 3 Shadow stories like MONARCH OF THE GLEN & then the next #americangods novel. We'll see

@SFXmagazine Who was your favourite person/god/other to write in the book? #americangods
@ClaireyMil my LEAST favourite person to write was Shadow, as he doesn't let you inside his head, which is hard for an author. #americangods

@SFXmagazine Who was your favourite person/god/other to write in the book? #americangods
@ClaireyMil I loved writing Sam. Loved all the Zorya - they felt like relatives. Mr Ibis, Bast, Easter, Whisky Jack. #americangods

Why can't we find #americangods in brazil anymore? :(
@MariaLuiza_M I think #americangods has been out of print in Brazil for a while now, but that should change very soon.

@sfxmagazine did you travel the us while writing #americangods? including chattanooga (i'm from there)
@madasahattress I did. I bought a 2nd hand Camry and I drove, and what I saw went into the book. #americangods

@SFXmagazine why did you decide to make it a novel rather than a comic book? #americangods
@idesignwhatails I think an #americangods comic would be thousands of pages long. Writing a book it took 2 years of my life, not 10.

@SFXmagazine just read Anansi Boys in about three days and loved it, but which story was the first you thought of, it or #Americangods ?
@CircesIsland Anansi Boys came first, although it was written later. I borrowed Mr Nancy from it for #Americangods

@SFXmagazine If the present Neil Gaiman had to write the novel, do you think he could do it? #americangods
@Hardigirl The present Neil Gaiman would write a different novel, about a different time. But that's always true. #americangods

@SFXmagazine #americangods was the book difficult to sell to editors/agents?
@mshamah No. The only trouble was it was too long originally, so I cut it a bit. Now the cut stuff has been restored. #americangods

@SFXmagazine #americangods Were Norse gods always central, or did you contemplate centering it on other characters/mythoses (sp?)?
@dxferris Norse Gods seemed central as there's something so dark & fatalistic about them. Other pantheons get happy endings. #americangods

@SFXmagazine who would win in a bar fight, Mad Sweeney or Czernobog? #americangods
@DanSoloLives If Shadow could beat Mad Sweeney in a bar brawl then Czernobog could take him with ease. #americangods

@SFXmagazine What genre would you say the book belongs to? #americangods
@Hardigirl What genre is #americangods? Hmm. Is "Big Strange Book About America With Cons, Magic Tricks, Sex & Gods in" actually a genre?

@SFXmagazine How much time did you put into researching the different gods/mythologies? And who is your favorite/why? #americangods
@ekuntzsch I put about 40 years into researching #americangods, although I could only read for about 35 of them.

@SFXmagazine So can look forward to a new American Gods Book? & Will there be a follow up of Graveyard book linking in to it? #AmericanGods
@Booky_Lillz I don't think so. The Graveyard Book Universe has its own agenda. #AmericanGods

@SFXmagazine What was the most surprising thing, that you discovered writing Shadow's journey #americangods
@Enting That I needed to trust the book and not try and impose my own ideas of what ought to happen in it #americangods

@SFXmagazine is there any character from any of your other works that you feel would feel right at home in the world of #americangods?
@Snarglepip I think all of my books join up around the back. Perhaps they share a communal parking space. #americangods

@SFXmagazine Do you pick up hitchhikers? If so, have you met any interesting characters? #americangods
@MaryGaughan I always used to. I've not seen a hitchhiker in the US for about 10 years now. Still in the UK sometimes #americangods

#americangods did you intend the book to read like a road trip?
@gramophone23 Yes, very much so. #americangods is a Road Novel. partly because the endless road is something we don't have in the UK.

@SFXmagazine what part of you is contained in the character Shadow? #americangods"""
@Sevywevy I'm in everybody there. But probably my distinct lack of amazement at strange things. #americangods

I wish the #americangods hashtag had been shorter. I miss the extra characters. Oh well. Too late now. (Keeps typing like a mad thing.)

@SFXmagazine As an Englishman writing about America, did you ever feel like #americangods was something you weren't permitted to write?
@gathcreator Very much so, yes. But nobody else was going to write it, if I didn't, so I buckled down and wrote. #americangods

@SFXmagazine Why in the United States rather than England? #AmericanGods
@merlintriss Because UK Gods is a very different book. MONARCH OF THE GLEN in Fragile Things gives a flavour of it. #AmericanGods

@SFXmagazine #americangods As a 1-time instructor of World Myth, I'd like to know if you'll ever publish a studyguide/key to the book's gods
@DJStinky Possibly. I've been asked to write a Big Book Of Myth, and it may well happen. #americangods

@neilhimself @SFXmagazine Are there any new #americangods since you wrote the book?
@ianholmes I think Smartphones are rising through the ranks rapidly, as the god of telephone fades #americangods

@SFXmagazine would you ever be tempted to write another Wednesday book? #americangods
@idesignwhatails Yes #americangods

@SFXmagazine Why is the choice in songs played in the diner where Shadow and Wednesday eat dinner together? Iko Iko etc. #americangods
@justplainrii Pretty important, actually. All the song lyrics reflect on what's happening, especially if you spell sun SON #americangods

#americangods at what point in the creation & dissemination process did you realize American Gods was going to be as widely lauded as it is?
@_PBJ_ Don't know.I wasn't surprised when it was nominated for awards, was amazed it won them, am still amazed it's in print #americangods

@SFXmagazine in your books, gods are real bc ppl believe in them. If that was true, you'd still be making up stories abt them? #americangods
@AtmaSinnan No, I don't understand this one. #americangods

what scenes from the book do you think would completely ruin a film adaption of #americangods if they were removed?
@Maximumguido I think the most important thing is to try & keep the races of all the characters correct. #americangods

@SFXmagazine #americangods was the working title. Why did you decide to keep it as the final book title?
@gathcreator Everybody liked it and I never came up with anything better. It's what normally happens with my book titles. #americangods

@neilhimself Jesus doesn't appear in #americangods (he's considered aloof by other gods) but if he did, would there be multiple versions?
@ianholmes Maybe, or maybe a consensus version with satellite versions... #americangods

Did #AmericanGods narrative structure used sleight of hand because of Shadow's hobby or because it's effective to keep readers guessing?
@thefoodgeek Both of those, and because it was what the book was all about. Now you see it, oops, look over there... #AmericanGods

@SFXmagazine When can we expect the #americangods author's preferred text to come out?
@MaggieMimsy June 21 in the US and around there for the UK anniversary ed. - although the UK has had the text for 5 years... #americangods

@SFXmagazine #americangods What were Greek and Roman gods doing during the events of American Gods?
@Amarien I couldn't justify putting them in. But since then I learned about this stash of Roman coins http://bit.ly/ddAcnv #americangods

@SFXmagazine Was Mr.World really fully aware of Wednsday's plan or just another sacrificial god? Was the trickster tricked? #americangods
@StrawberreField It was a two man con, and Mr World was half of it #americangods

@SFXmagazine Were there any gods you wanted to use but couldn't find the space for in the novel? #americangods
@kevinchiat Yes, many. I had a whole section in a Japanese Internment Camp in Kansas that never made it in. #americangods

#americangods questions are flooding in (this is @Neilhimself) & I'm answering them as @replies so as not to clog everyone's twitter feed.

The one we won't get an answer to: Who is the Forgotten God? #Americangods
@Aulayan: I think I'll answer it in another American Gods book. But no, not here. Also, I think I've forgotten your question. #AmericanGods

Would you consider making American gods into a movie or TV serial? #americangods
@Jear1106 It's in the works right now. I should say no more at this time, but I do not think anyone will be disappointed. #americangods

@SFXmagazine Were there any gods you wanted to use but couldn't find the space for in the novel? #americangods
@kevinchiat Yes, many. I had a whole section in a Japanese Internment Camp in Kansas that never made it in. #americangods

*whew*

Toy Ads and Gender Stereotypes

Today's post is really just a link over to another post on How Toy Ad Vocabulary Reinforces Gender Stereotypes. The original post is worth reading, but the shortest version is this:

If you take the words from television advertising for toys marketed specifically to boys and girls (the boys’ list included 658 words from 27 commercials; the girls’ list had 432 words from 32 commercials) and throw them into Wordle, you get:



and




Those are some pretty clear divisions - and, while I'm not surprised, I am a bit disappointed.

You can also read the follow-up to the original post here.

My throat is still raw and my ears are still ringing.

First Scissor Sisters concert (at Stubb's) was definitely a success - they absolutely know how to put on a high-energy show.

Texts From Last Night

"I know you destroyed a J Beiber pinata, hid in my closet, and turned into a pineapple. Anything else I should know?"

Rabbit-Proof Fence

Rabbit-Proof Fence is the true story of Molly Craig, who, in 1931, at 14, was taken from her mother in Jigalong, a depot on one of the fences that were being constructed across the continent in an attempt to keep marauding rabbits from destroying the western farmlands. Along with her half-sister Daisy, 8, and cousin Gracie Fields, she was taken to the Moore River Native Settlement in Western Australia.

[. . .] The film would show the terrified children sprinting across stony wasteland in a futile attempt to escape the police, distraught mothers wailing in the dust, and an aged granny battering her head with a stone in impotent frustration. It would show the girls in a cage as they are transported by train to their new home and a culture of flogging and solitary confinement for those who failed to appreciate what the white man was doing for them. (Source)

I just finished watching Rabbit-Proof Fence, which was recommended by my Linguistics/Second Language Acquisition professor. She wanted us to look at a) the many ways in which a second language is definitely not taught properly, and b) the ways in which language can be legislated. While I was taking notes on these things, I also spent a large portion of the movie wrestling with whether to feel horrified or uplifted.

On the one hand, it's beyond disturbing that the officials tearing families apart apparently thought they were doing "the right thing". Kenneth Branagh in particular does a brilliant job making me want to shake some sense into him as he questions, "should the coloreds be encouraged to go back to the black, or should they be advanced to white status?" The voiceover at the end is also enough to make one weep.

On the other hand, I believe that the underlying message in the film is also one of endurance and family. The three girls (Everlyn Sampi, Tianna Sansbury, and Laura Monaghan) beautifully portray the trio who undertake an incredible trek, in an attempt to reunite with their mother. And, as we find out later, one of them actually makes the journey twice in her life.

I highly recommend this movie if you haven't seen it; I'm also adding both of the related books by Doris Pilkington (Molly's daughter) to my reading list.

Birthday Gift!

So, I don't hit my quarter-century until this summer. However, some industrious friends have already purchased my gifts (take notes, people)!

M & S returned from an antiquing trip with copies of The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Adventures of Gerard for me.

I'm jazzed because:

a) I've been meaning to branch out into more non-Holmes ACD works, because he's a good writer all around (I loved his Tales of Unease).

b) One can never own too many copies of Hound of the Baskervilles.

c) Both books are old enough to list the author as a mere "Arthur Conan Doyle" because the printing predates ACD's knighthood.

d) Old books smell wonderful.

e) The books are in rough condition, so said friends are going to have the binding redone for me.

http://www.savetxschools.org/

This morning was the pro-education rally at the Capitol, organized by savetxschools.org. It was a great experience - not as big as the March for Women's Rights I attended in DC, but definitely the largest rally I've been a part of since. With all the bad (and worse) news lately about budget and staff cuts in Austin and the rest of the state, I felt truly gratified to see how many people bussed in from around Texas to gather. Even better, the folks over at SXSW publicized the event, and I know at least a few people in town for live music also came out to the rally.

Also, the Austin-American Statesman has a lovely photo gallery up; here are a few of my own additions:

Austin's The Best

I've seen more plays in the last year and a half than in the last decade - and Austin theatre is still surprising me.

Here are the three most recent, since they're on my mind. These are all still running, by the way, so if you live in Austin go see them already:

Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, from the Palindrome Theatre Company. As a future English teacher I'm always interested in the not-often-done performances, and I'd never seen any Ibsen performances that weren't A Doll's House. (not that I have anything against A Doll's House, but a woman longs for a little variety). It was fairly impressively done, and I thought most of the actors put on a great performance. Kate Eminger also kindly answered a few of my questions afterward. I got into a debate about the scenery, which I found appropriately evocative of The Addams Family, and Ryan found somewhat distracting - if any of you see it, I'd love your opinion.

Alvida & The Airship Pirates: A Steampunk Adventure! from Weird City Theatre. Ok, so I love steampunk, and the music was from one of my favorite groups - Abney Park. My friend Ryan had me sold at steampunk, but he completely sealed the deal with "and John Carroll wrote and directed." We went last night, and I had a lot of fun. The set is nicely done, (most) of the costumes were quite good, and nearly all the writing was very funny. The fight scenes were a bit clunky, but overall it was enjoyable and the actors (who did a great job) seemed to be having as much fun as the audience.

This afternoon Ryan and I are off to see You Wouldn't Know Him, He Lives in Texas / You Wouldn't Know Her, She Lives in London from The Hidden Room. I'm excited about this one, since the format is quite a change:

From London's Look Left Look Right and Austin, Texas' The Hidden Room: You Wouldn't Know Him, He Lives in Texas / You Wouldn't Know Her, She Lives in London links US and UK actors and audiences live via Skype. Become the friends and family of the show's London/Texas lovers, and help decide if distance really does matter in this interactive, site-specific, partially improvised, original collaboration. (source)

Destroy! Destroy!

It's officially March - which means the weather has finally stopped randomly reverting to "dead of winter", like it does once a week in February around here.

I'm no longer in the hibernation mindset, and I'm very slowly dragging myself into Spring Cleaning mode. I started with the paper clutter this year; cleaning would be progressing much more smoothly if I hadn't ...well... skipped it entirely for the last five years. The stack of random paper junk I pulled off my bookshelf, out of my desk, and from my scattered files is just plain scary, especially considering how much of it should probably be shredded.

Shredding papers by hand is just no fun, and there's not a whole lot to do with the paper when you're done, except recycling. Paper that's been shredded with a machine, on the other hand, actually makes great packing material when shipping out anything that needs to be padded.

I've been hearing good buzz about the Fellowes P-12C Cross-Cut Shredder, and I'm thinking of investing in one. Even though I try to do much of my banking and bill-paying electronically, there are always documents that need to be destroyed when I'm through with them. The back student loan statements for the last couple years, for example, or the statements my credit card company keeps spending, despite the fact that I track my account online.

The Fellowes P-12C shredder has good reviews online, which is part of the reason I'm considering it. I've dealt with a couple of cheapo shredders at various jobs before, so I like to know that I'm purchasing a paper shredder that won't burn out on me after the first dozen sheets of paper:

(All opinions mine, and thanks to the ladies at the One2One network for this blogging opportunity!)

A Photo A Day, Day 3

...and by "a day" I mean "whenever the heck I feel like it". Obviously.

Tonight's photo is brought to you by my friend who does face painting and balloon art as her job. Tonight she made this on my face:

1) I am the steampunkiest of lions.

2) you can't quite tell in the photo, but there is also glitter on my face.

3) did you see the monocle? It's glorious.

A photo a day... day 2

My coworker/friend and I got incredibly lucky, and rode in the wheelhouse on the Mark Twain steamboat in Disneyland. The view is just astounding and - as an added bonus - we got to pull the cords for the bell and whistle. Ah, bliss.

A photo a day... day 1

Here's me in the bathroom at Club 33 in Disneyland, which encompassed the lunch part of our business trip. The dining area is gorgeous, the food is fantastic, and the bathroom (to quote a friend) looks like 17th-century France.

Only, you know, with much better plumbing.

I and two of my coworkers were also seated with a huge Disney fan, who had a lot of interesting stories to tell over lunch. I had a great time, and I think everyone else did too.

A photo a day...

2011 has been off to a fantastic start - I flew out to California for a work meeting at the beginning of January, and stayed a few extra days to see the Southern part of the state with friends. I'll be posting a photo or two a day until I a) run out of photos or b) forget.

Also, there are plays! coming up soon. This Friday is The Importance of Being Earnest and next week is The Tempest. I never get tired of Wilde, so that's exciting, and the play next week gives me an impetus to read Shakespeare's play before the performance...