Monday, February 28, 2011

Lame Post USA!

Hi, all!

This will probably be a pretty lame post. Despite all my grand plans, life has contrived to do what it wants and not what I want! (Not that this is anything far from normal, mind you! Heh heh)

Work has been super busy, meaning I couldn't go look at blog posts or pictures, and the last two weekends have been full. Not that either is a bad thing. Just puts other things behind.

Two weekends ago it was ConDFW. I had a great time. Reconnected with a ton of friends. Was even lucky enough to have been on three panels with the Guest of Honor, Brandon Sanderson. (More books to possibly add to the already precariously tall TBR pile.)

This weekend, I went as an attendee to the DFW Writers Conference. There were some awesome classes and lots and lots of authors totally focused on doing pitches and networking with other writers. I had a mixed bag in that I had some not good things happen (left my suitcase at home, tried to go through the wrong toll-tag booth, set up the alarm clock at the hotel and it didn't go off so I was a half hour behind schedule, a friend got sick), and then some super awesome things (Candance let me join her and others for lunch, Pat grabbed me and dragged me to dinner, met and connected with some great peeps, met @KristenLambTX and @ColleenLindsay in person, got to tease Alex).

Meeting Kristen Lamb was a little surreal. I didn't even realize it was her when I showed up for the building a platform class. Then it was like POW! So I had to grab my iPhone and Tweet about it and threw in @ChuckWendig while I was at it. She and I talked for a minute about him and here I was holding a face-to-face and a virtual conversation with people who'd just been names and letters on Tweetdeck before. Very cool!

And for you writers out there, keep your eyes and ears open to find out about Colleen Lindsay's Sekrit Projekt. I'm trying to get into the beta of this very exciting project, which I think could be a great boon to aspiring authors and even published authors everywhere.

I did get to see a movie this past weekend on Friday, but had to get up so early on Saturday I didn't get to do a review. (Heck, I couldn't even watch the Supernatural episode for this week! And it looked like a doozy! Season 6 is better than Season 5 somewhat - yay!) But I will have this upcoming weekend to myself, so hopefully a lot of catching up will occur (despite the fact there's deadlines and unexpected projects looming! Eek!)

So wish me luck getting back on track. I've a feeling as close as several conventions fall this year, there might be more than one instance of lameness coming my way! Eek!

Have an awesome week, ya'll!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Picture Kaleidoscope 2/23/11

Been a super busy week! But got some nice pics.

First up is Selina Rosen. Too adorable with the baby with a superman cape. :)


Aren't they cute...!

This picture link it to an utterly amazing photo. A one in a million shot of a perfectly round droplet about to hit more water. Gorgeous!
Shared by @petapixel - drop

From @ChuckWendig - The Mystery! (I love the purples and the shine! A very odd yet beautiful picture!)


This one I loved how the sun was nestled in the clouds. (Thought I was going to go blind taking it! lol. Couldn't see right for a while.)












Shared by @ChuckWendig - Back to the Future - Irina Werning is recreating pictures with the same subjects years later. It's really fascinating. And a little weird. :)


Another of my sunsets. With spring coming, I won't be able to get many more of these.















From @ChuckWendig - Angry Birds - and yeah he looks way mad!



And I'll leave with a tranquil scene this week. :) Enjoy!


Have an awesome week, ya'll!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Mind Sieve 2/21/11

Super busy week and while I made a list of stuff to go sift through and then share if worthwhile, hurrying to see how many I can actually check out for this week.

ConDFW was a blast, but totally disrupted my usual time allotments for things. lol. Oh well! :P



Conferences

Shared by @DFW_Writers - Conferences are all about Networking. (Too true! And something I need to do better at. I'm almost as bad as the lady mentioned in the blog. People who know me are shocked to discover that until I get to meet someone, I'm way shy.) :)



Fan Fun

From @feliciaday - Felicia Day breathes fire into the Dragon Age Series. (She wrote and is in this new web series. Go Felicia!)



Publishing

From @literaticat - Why publishing takes forever! (Slow, slow, sssslllllooooowwwww - been there, done that, and it's not just for the Big Boys either. :P)



Social Media

Shared by @ChuckWending - Ten mindful ways to use social media. (I know I don't do as good as I should on these. :P)

From @KristenLambTX - Introverts and Extroverts on Twitter. (Plus flash back to the 80s!):P

From @KristenLambTX - More Twitter tips! Don't be a Debbie Downer Twit! (Good stuff. And never forget, once on the internet, it's there forever! Dum dum dum!!!!)



Writing Advice

Shared by @ChuckWendig - Writers and Unrealistic Goals! (Too true!)

From @ChuckWendig - The WritersSurvival Guide. (Some very good points!) NSFW!


Shared by @DelReySpectra - To Blurb or Not To Blurb. (I've actually run into this! I'm also too chicken to ask for someone else to do it for the same reasons. lol)

Shared by @DelReySpectra - When the writing's not working. (Some good tips here!)

From @KristenLambTX - POV - Point of View. (This is one of the biggies for beginning writers.)

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Picture Kaleidoscope 2/16/11



Say 'Hello' to the newest member of our family - Serenity. My daughter has never had a dog, so now she gets to enjoy one and all the extra maintenance that comes from having a puppy. She's totally adorable! An American Bulldog, or so I've been told. All I know is that it's a fuzzy wuzzy for momma to pet! Heh heh





From @elizadushku - See, I'm not the only one who likes pics of cool lookingskies. :P Boston at the airport.

Speaking of skies, I caught several unusual sun poses this past week. Here's one of them:


I love that weird orange glow.












From @Astro_Clay - Athabasca Glacier in Alberta/British Columbia, Canada. Sucker is HUGE!

And from super giant cold stuff we go to small stuff...

From @ChuckWendig - as he shows us how to trap bubbles


And here's the Big Orange Ball!


Have a great week, ya'll!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Mind Sieve 2/14/11

Welcome to another week of awesome links to great posts by all sorts of awesome peeps! Enjoy!



Fan Fun

Shared by @Doallas - Jules Verne - links to loads of things Jules Verne in different mediums!

Shared by @DelReySpectra - Star Wars home crafts ideas. Some of these are ADORABLE!

From @NathanFillion - That's right. Because you wanted it, you DEMANDED it, I'm now the Green Lantern. (Whoot! So cool!)




Free Reads

From Jerry Davis, a free piece of Flash Fiction called Cacophony Now! Anyone from Fort Worth, Texas will totally relate. Heh heh.



Writing Advice

Shared by @ColleenLindsay - How to get Published! Nice, quick breakdown for fiction and non-fiction with extra resource links!

From @MCalvani - Writing Goals for those with families.

Shared by @ChuckWendig - Marketing as story telling. (Nice and insightful post.)

Shared by @ChuckWendig - Beware self proclaimed 'experts' on the Internet. (Good food for thought, peeps!)

From @KristenLambTX - Taking Risks in publishing - Don't Eat the Butt.

Shared by @KristenLambTX - Publishing isn't for Sissies - Embracing the Obvious.

From @KristenLambTX - Twitter tips #4.





Just in for Valentines!

From @ChuckWendig - Video Games Super Team - lovely post about games, marriage, and significant others. Adorable!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Movie Review - Gnomeo & Juliet

Gnomeo & Juliet


Starring: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Ashley Jensen, Michael Caine, Matt Lucas, Patrick Stewart, Jason Statham, Stephen Merchant, Hulk Hogan and more


Directed by: Kelly Asbury Screenplay: Kelly Asbury, Mark Burton, and more. Music by: Chris Bacon, James Newton Howard and Elton John


Premise: A modern retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, except with lawn gnomes. And a happier ending. :)


Review: First off, this movie was totally CUTE! The unusual venue for the premise was adorable. And right off they tell you upfront it's a retelling of Shakespeare's play and almost immediately deviate from it for fun. (The 'play' begins on stage and at the end the cast does a rather unusual presentation of the characters as they would in live theater.)


There are a lot of little details when you get first shown the scene of where the play will enact itself. The 2B or not 2B was hilarious and sneaky. Many lines are quoted or should I better say misquoted, on purpose even, although they give you a little jolt of recognition all the same, which was a lot of fun. (Needless to say there's a lot in this movie directed at the adults more than the kids.) Even William Shakespeare makes an appearance! I thought the film even had a touch of West Side Story running through it as well (lawnmower racing, booyah!).


I didn't realize Elton John's deep involvement with the film until the credits. Not only was his music seeded through out, he was also an executive producer. Several visual jokes are also centered around the singer and were adorable. (Again extra bits that will mean more to the parents than the kids. But there's plenty there for the younger viewers as well.


Several minor characters make the film (though Juliet's ninja sequence had me totally falling in love with her!). Nanette, the pond frog, as Juliet's confidant, was a total hoot and added a lot of flavor. Paris, the pink flamingo, I also enjoyed very much. The tiny red hat gnomes and the super commando bunnies were hilarious. And Spot, the ceramic mushroom/dog was also very cute. Alas, the sad plight of the little red fish will have you feeling sorry for him through the whole thing. lol.


One of the best spots in the film is an infomercial, of all things! The Terrafirminator ad was awesome! (I love the page and a half of disclaimers for the thing - including not being meant for residential use. ROFL!)


One little detail that so made the movie for me was the added clinking sounds of pottery as the gnomes moved about. Firmed their reality in a strange way. So kudos for that lovely touch.


Overall there aren't many surprises, but the presentation was adorable and many of the side characters totally endearing. All the voice actors were excellent and with the added talent of the artists, you can totally immerse yourself in this little tale set in Verona Lane.


Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby is on the fence between Full Matinee Price and Better on Cable)

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Picture Kaleidoscope 2/9/11

Well, the weird weather this week made for some cool photos (once I bundled up and went OUTSIDE to take them). lol. A whole lot more snow and ice than last year's February debacle. Dang!




This one shows just how deep it is. My footprints just outside the door!
















Shared by @ChuckWendig - Red Cardinal on an ice covered tree branch - gorgeous!



Here's a quick pic of the gaggle of birds way happy we put out seed.
















Shared by @PeterShankman - Liu Bolin - Chinese artist that plays chameleon in his art (I'd seem some of his stuff before. It's pretty amazing!)




Last but not least, I'll leave you with a pic of my poor snowed down pagoda.


Monday, February 07, 2011

Mind Sieve 2/7/11

Got stuck at home almost all of last week due to unheard of amounts of snow and ice in Dallas! Just when the ice was going away, icy snow took it's place. It's been INSANE! (Probably because two north football teams were playing in the Superbowl here. They brought it with them! *gasp* At least they felt at home?)

So this let me try to catch up some on writer matters a little, so this week's showing will hopefully be better than last week's. :P


Contests

Shared by @yabookscentral - Win your Dream Gown - ($300 gift card) open for 13+ and is international!

Shared by @LucienneDiver - Win a Kindle or Nook for Valentine's.

From @DeidreKnight - Win an iPOD Nano from On The Hunt



Conventions/Conferences

From @DFWCon - DFW Writer's Conference - why and how it came to be!



Fan Fun

Shared by @crispintreeman - Gigantor as a prop to sell wireless laptop connections. So COOL!



Games

Shared by @NAME - 3rd Birthday - new game for Parasite Eve has Agent Walker (Yvonne Strahovski) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) doing some of the voices. YES!



Podcasts

Shared by ME! - New Broad Universe podcast - topic is Faith and Fear (readings and more)

Several of my friends are also doing podcasts. I've linked to WanderRadio before, and this time out I figured I'd point you in the direction of two more. Melanie and Jerry are both funny, very likable people, and nutty, too! heh heh (There are NOT safe for work and can get explicit! You've been warned.) The first podcast center is called ""Don't Quit Your Day Job". Currently up is Episode 127 - where Melanie lisps through her Invisaligns, Patrick discusses his past in the porn industry, Jerry explains MediaFly to us all, and Stacy...well, Cthulhu knows where she is. (I was told the podcasts are really supposed to be about writing but.. lol)EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING

The second one is called "Slow Death in the Afternoon" and Episode 5 is up for consumption. Their tag line is "Join Dan and Jerry as they follow the Absinthe Muse into places they shouldn't really go. Ever." He tells me it is a niche market for absinthe enthusiasts. (Who knew?) EXPLICIT CONTENT WARNING

Though I have "In the Service of Samurai" serialized as a podcast over at Podiobooks.com, I personally haven't jumped into the wagon yet. One of these days I will be able clone myself and enjoy and do so much more than I can now. Right? RIGHT?! lol


Science

Shared by @emoontx - The search for Earth 2.0



Writing Advice

From MorganMandel - Throw Editing questions at Editors on Mondays

From @ChuckWendig - What makes a good story?

From @ChuckWendig - Self-publishing reality check!

Shared by Kathy Sullivan - Money flow for Traditional and Indie Pubs

From Kathy Sullivan - Libraries and Research



That's it for last week. Enjoy!

Sunday, February 06, 2011

Movie Review - The Mechanic

(Inclement weather kept me from going to the movies on Friday but we went Sunday! Bwahahaha!)

The Mechanic



Starring: Jason Statham, Ben Foster, Tony Goldwin, Donald Sutherland and more.

Directed by:Simon West Story: Lewis John Carlino Screenplay: Lewis John Carlino and Richard Wenk Music by: Mark Isham


Premise: A corporate assassin is asked to kill his mentor after he sells out an op. Feeling guilty, Arthur takes his friend's volatile son under his wing.



Review: The Mechanic is a remake of a film by the same name from 1972 staring Charles Bronson and Jan-Michael Vincent.


I'm quite happy to say they kept the best parts of the original and added even more fun. Some good twists on top of the original ones, too. And a ton of action sequences and assassin goodness.


Mr. Statham is well know for his action films like the Transporter series and continues to provide much entertainment in that area. Ben Foster was very believable as the grieved and anger infused, trigger happy son who pretty much can only learn his lessons the hard way.



So if you like action, lots of guns, some explosions, intrigue and what have you, this film is for you! The violence does get somewhat graphic and bloody and there's some sexual content, so the rating is serious on this one. Be advised.


Rating: 4 out of 5. (Hubby rating - worth full price of admission)

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Picture Kaleidoscope 2/2/11

Welcome to another week of pics!

First I present to you a fiery sunset! (Sky is on fire! Run for yours lives!) :P




There are some cute little seasonal birds that show up around our house in winter. I put the word out on Twitter and Facebook to try to find out what kind they were. The verdict was Junco Birds. Here's a link to a nice pic of one. The one I tried to take with the phone was a major fail. Really need to learn to keep the camera charged.

And speaking of birds...
From @ChuckWendig - Titmouse - they do exist!

Shared by @ColleenLindsay - Hello Kitty Dalek. No joke! Too funny.

From by @HuffPostGreen - Artificial Reefs - cool looking stuff!

Another weird one this week...
Shared by @KimberlyRPauley - a car literally covered in grass instead of a paint job. And driving it around town!

I do these posts in advance and last week was hellish, so didn't get to troll or take as many as I would have liked. Hopefully will have plenty more next week.

I'll leave you with fiery sunset redux!

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