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July 20th, 2009
anaka
 | 12:20 am - People are good for me.
It's been a long, hard weekend, for reasons that range from valid and true to completely illusory, from practical considerations to sheer lunacy. I've been fortunate, though, that on the nights I had the worst time, someone called me. Two someone's, in fact, one of whom we later realized I hadn't actually seen and talked to in... years. It doesn't seem possible, but it was. And thanks to their help in sort of forcibly redirecting my brain, I coped and felt a lot better and was able to turn off the worst of the emotional tap without any serious damage to myself or others.
It's odd to realize, but I tend to forget that I need people like that. I mean, not literally. I know when I need to get out more and I know when I want to talk to someone. But I forget that I can actually call people when I feel awful. I forget that being around people more often keeps me from brooding or even wanting to brood. It doesn't help me write, unfortunately, but sometimes not brooding and even making up stuff to brood about is more important.
I love my mom. I can't talk to her about my life or things that are wrong, even if it's just my emotional reaction that makes them so. She freaks out and it stresses her terribly to see me emotional. So with family not an option, it falls back to friends, and I feel awkward about imposing on my friends with emotional stuff. What I am going to endeavor to remember, however, is that I really need to get the fuck over myself. I don't need to take over someone's life, but I know people who would be happy to lend an ear and chat at me about their lives and just generally visit for a while until I felt better. I don't need to limit the pool of people for that nearly so much as I do.
So... yeah. Doing better. Thanks, Don and Nicole. You both did me a big favor, and I won't forget it. Love you guys.
Current Music: The Way You Look Tonight-Maroon 5-The Way You Look Tonight - Single
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amanofhats
 | 01:42 am - Little Fears: Butterflies
Follow its flight
It will lead you toward the light.
Sshh. Someone's coming. Quick.
Close the door.
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the_tall_man
 | 10:56 pm
Consider the flash mob.
Consider the idea of a flash corporation.
Why not?
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immlass
 | 11:12 pm - I think something is missing from the build I got.
How exactly am I supposed to screencap this DVD if VLC isn't giving me the image output option in the menu again?
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/punquinheads/pink/grumpy.gif) grumpy
Current Music: silence is golden
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rob_donoghue
 | 08:26 pm - Philosophers with Kung Fu - A Mash Up on my Mind
The Empress of Chains is dead, and the Palace of Doors is covered in black of mourning, and will remain so until one of her heirs or other claimants to the Barbed Throne manages to raise above the pack and seize it, and in the meantime the Wheel is in chaos. Without a guardian, old locks grow weak and new doors to fresh hells open every day.
( Just getting this down on paper )
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jlhlinnell
 | 07:41 pm - Really decent book
So, on the road trip back and forth from visiting the in-laws, I finished Gregory McGwire's "Son Of A Witch". I haven't yet read Wicked, but it's next on my list.
Really a great book. Not exactly a traditional novel, as it plays out as a travelogue. Not so much a plot-oriented story with a beginning, middle, and end, but it's like... snapshots of a life or segments of an epic.
The end left me... a bit confused, and waiting for the next chapter. The whole book really felt like a chapter; A really detailed, perhaps somewhat overwritten, but undeniably engaging chapter, spanning years.
Good stuff. And to whomever suggested this when I asked for a list of spiritually inspirational books - thank you. It indeed brought me much reflection on spiritual and moral questions.
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benlehman
 | 07:21 am - Thinking about writing some essays
About science vs. reason, atheism vs. scientific viewpoint on God, fundamentalism and fascism, etc.
But probably I'm just annoyed because I read another "fundamentalist atheist hating on liberal atheists" essay.
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drivingblind
 | 05:30 pm - Coming Soon
I had the honor to be a part of Family Games: The 100 Best, the follow up to Hobby Games: The 100 Best, published by Green Ronin.
Which game did I cover? You'll have to buy it to find out.
Coming soon.
Who else was a part of this? Okay, okay. Twist my arm.
( The 100 )
Pretty freaking humbling.
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dmmaus
 | 07:06 am - No skill's required
First off, you do not need skill's to make a great comic book and there have been numerous examples off such. Examples would be "Darths & Droids" and the "Order of the Stick".
- some random forum poster.
Right. Because we have no skills at all. And certainly neither does Rich Burlew.
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July 19th, 2009
elissa_carey
 | 03:14 pm - [Interstitial Arts Foundation] Interfictions
A little over a week ago, I wrote and shared with you an essay on interstitiality and what it means to me. It's a concept that has become increasingly important to me for a large number of reasons, personal and otherwise. More and more, I see art, writing, music, performance pieces, and more that simply can't be defined, or filed under one category or genre, and these can easily fall through the cracks. I am committed to IAF's mission of ensuring that these get the recognition they deserve.
Right now, IAF's biggest venture is the creation and distribution of a fiction anthology, the first volume of which was published last year: Interfictions: An Anthology of Interstitial Writing. Another volume is slated for release this Fall. In addition, we have begun planning a series of Salons in different locations (Boston, NYC, Washington D.C., etc). I'll go into more detail on Interfictions 2 and the Salons in another post. At this time I'd like to focus on the first Interfictions anthology.
The Interstitial Arts Foundation is the brainchild of Ellen Kushner (writer & host of Sound & Spirit), Delia Sherman (writer & editor), and Terri Windling (writer, editor, artist & director of The Endicott Studio). You can read a wonderful essay (by Ellen Kushner) on IAF's origins here.
The first Interfictions volume was edited by Delia Sherman and Theodora Goss. You can read an interview about them and about the book here. It was, and Interfictions 2 will be, published through Small Beer Press, an independent publisher bringing you work from the likes of Kelly Link, Greer Gilman, Poppy Z. Brite, Holly Black, and many more.
(By the way, you can still buy the first volume here. A few reviews and other links of interest can be seen there, as well as the Table of Contents below.)
Here is the Table of Contents, or what you will find upon opening the book:
Heinz Insu Fenkl, Introduction
Karen Jordan Allen, "Alternate Anxieties"
Christopher Barzak, "What We Know About the Lost Families of —— House"
K. Tempest Bradford, "Black Feather"
Matthew Cheney, "A Map of the Everywhere"
Michael DeLuca, "The Utter Proximity of God"
Adrián Ferrero, "When It Rains, You'd Better Get Out of Ulga" (translated from the Spanish by Edo Mor)
Colin Greenland, "Timothy"
Csilla Kleinheincz, "A Drop of Raspberry" (translated from the Hungarian by Noémi Szelényi))
Holly Phillips, "Queen of the Butterfly Kingdom"
Rachel Pollack, "Burning Beard: The Dreams and Visions of Joseph Ben Jacob, Lord Viceroy of Egypt"
Joy Remy, "Pallas at Noon"
Anna Tambour, "The Shoe in SHOES' Window"
Veronica Schanoes, "Rats"
Léa Silhol, "Emblemata" (translated from the French by Sarah Smith)
Jon Singer, "Willow Pattern"
Vandana Singh, "Hunger"
Mikal Trimm, "Climbing Redemption Mountain"
Catherynne Valente, "A Dirge for Prester John"
Leslie What, "Post hoc"
Delia Sherman and Theodora Goss, "Afterword: The Space Between"
Christopher Barzak, it should be noted, edited the forthcoming Interfictions 2 along with Delia Sherman.
K. Tempest Bradford is also an artist. She contributed jewelry to the IAF Auction in support of Interfictions last year, creating Button Down & Inwood Hillfor her story, and One Shoe for Anna Tambour's story.
K. Tempest Bradford's "Black Feather" inspired other artists, including this necklace by Deborah J. Brannon, ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) talkstowolves:
Rachel Pollack, in addition to writing, is known for some of her work with the Tarot and similar subjects. (I have a copy of her book The Kabbalah Tree, which examines the amazing artwork of Hermann Haindl of Haindl's Tarot.)
Catherynne Valente should need no introduction simply because I have talked about her time and again, however, I can't say enough about her. In addition to being an amazing author and wordsmith, she is a warm and creative individual. She cooks, she knits, she appreciates lovely jewelry and inspires the gypsy souls who have gathered around her. Pick up copies of The Orphan's Tales, Palimpsest, order electronic copies of her older work, subscribe to her Omikuji Project, read her serial online YA novel nicknamed Fairyland, and so much more... or all of the above! And above all, drop her a line at her LJ: yuki_onna. She appreciates feedback.
Several Auction pieces were inspired by Cat's story, "A Dirge for Prester John."
* Mia Nutick's Like A Heavy Dream
* Cris Fisher's The Lapis Tree
* Joselle Vanderhooft's The Blemmyae
You can see all the pieces supporting the first Interfictions volume at the gallery page on the IAF Auction website. As I recall, there will be another auction to support Interfictions 2, which is planned for release sometime in November. (More information on release dates, events, and how you can help support Interfictions 2 can be found here at the Interstitial Arts Foundation website.)
* * * * *
There are many creative individuals volunteering on behalf of the Interstitial Arts Foundation. Even dabblers like me are welcome; what matters is your passion and commitment and willingness to do more than anything else. What you see above is just a sampling of what's been done so far; there are many more things in the works.
Do you make portable or wearable art? How about music? Would you be interested in creating and donating a piece of your work inspired by Interfictions or Interfictions 2? Click the link to find out more! You don't have to be a professional artist, interstitial or otherwise. Proceeds go to publishing the anthologies; IAF is a not-for-profit foundation.
Other ways to support Interfictions 2 include a direct donation, and if you do so before July 31st, your name can be printed as a donor in the printed copy of Interfictions 2. Click the link for more details on who, what, when, where, and how -- because you already know why. :)
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gamera_spinning
 | 08:52 am - Zombie LARPs, the Pirate Jenny games booth at GenCon, and RPG=Role Playing Girl
I know I've mentioned this before, but The Independent Insurgency is a fabulous gaming podcast with a focus on small-press games and interviews with some excellent game designers, but it certainly bears repeating.
I was just about to post about the Thursday podcast where indie_insurgent interviews J.R. Blackwell about her Zombie LARP in development, "Shelter in Place" (which sounds like an awful lot of fun and should make it's debut at GenCon).
And then today he posted a new episode where he interviews Emily Care-Boss of Black and Green Games about Pirate Jenny, a booth of six female small-press game publishers (Booth Number 2023) at GenCon. I'm going to borrow from his show notes to tell you about some of the super cool stuff coming out of this booth:
* Julia Bond Ellingboe's Stone Baby Games is releasing the full version of Tales of the Fisherman's Wife, a game of sexy Japanese ghost stories.
* Shreyas Sampat (Mist Robed Gate) and Elizabeth Shoemaker's Two Scooters Press will have Homecoming, Elizabeth's game about the re-integration of returning war vets.
* Anna Kreider of Tasty Bacon Games has Thou Art But A Warrior, which is a Muslim knights setting supplement for Ben Lehman's Polaris, which indie_insurgent interviewed her about here.
* Danielle Lewon's Cream Alien Games has Kagematsu, a game about the seduction of a samurai by women who need his aid; Danielle is the wife of Paul Czege.
* Emily Care Boss' own Black & Green Games is going to release her game of alien exploration, Sign in Stranger.
* Kat and Michael Miller's Incarnadine Press will have Serial Homicide Unit, a game where you play civilians at the mercy of a serial killer, and the cops who are out to catch him; indie_insurgent interviewed the Millers about this game here.
On top of all that, there's some interesting new zine called RPGirl, described as "an anthology of essays by and about women who play role-playing games. We're also building a community of like-minded women gamers around the project."
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pwca
 | 07:17 pm
Struggled through my review of Terrors From Beyond the latest supplement for Call of Cthulhu.
2800 words of me not being happy with it.
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eddyfate
 | 12:51 pm - Announcing Whitechapel
Originally published at The Whitechapel Project (for MP3s and polls, click this link). You can comment here or there. For those who have followed my Twitter and LiveJournal for the past few weeks, I’ve made a few cryptic remarks about an upcoming fiction project (which, by the way, is totally unrelated to my work at my day job with CCP/White Wolf Publishing). After a while, I dropped the name “Whitechapel.” After weeks of messing around with a variety of things and seeing what works and what doesn’t, I’m now at the point where I can make a formal announcement about what the hell I’ve been working on.
Whitechapel is an interactive serialized horror novella published both in text and as an audio podcast (read by me, the author). It’ll be primarily hosted on this website (whitechapelproject.com), but I have a lot of avenues to get it in front of your eyes and into your ears as time goes on. Every two weeks, a new episode will be released, which will end with a plot point unresolved and a poll in which readers can vote on how they want the story to proceed. After a week of voting, the most popular option is used to help write the next episode.
The first episode is written, and I’m hoping to have it recorded in time for release on Wednesday, August 5th, but that’s just a hopeful target, not a firm release date.
I tried to predict a lot of potential questions, which I’ve placed below the cut. There will also be an evolving FAQ on the main site.
( Read the rest of this entry » )
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montecook
 | 10:28 am - Technojoy
Technojoy
My favorite comedian, Eddie Izzard, talks about how while some people have technofear, he has technojoy. He loves new technology, and I'm right there with him. Now that I'm past 99.99% of the hassles of transferring everything to the new computer (and getting used to some of the new aspects of it), I'm loving it. (I'm still desperately looking for a recommendation for a video card--preferably with two inputs, one of which would be DVI--that will work with a Dell Inspiron 545 without problems. Dell's been... less than helpful so far, but I knew their customer service wasn't that great going in.)
Just having a CD-Rom drive that works reliably is a thing of beauty. The one on my old computer never worked 100% right but it took me a long time to realize that was the problem.
The new computer also works with my wireless printer much better and has a faster connection (N) to the network than the old one did.
Vista has its ups and downs, but I'll upgrade to Windows 7 (for free!) when it comes out, so that's fine. I hope it keeps some of the ups and ditches the downs.
As a soldier relates to his guns, or a carpenter to his tools, I relate to my computer. As a stay-at-home writer, it's how I get my work done, how I communicate (professionally and personally), how I stay informed, and sometimes how I have fun (playing games, although I also have the Xbox 360, and of course all the regular tabletop games I play). I know that the current trend now is to have everything on a smartphone, but that kind of device really doesn't make sense for me, since it's meant to be useful on the go, and on the go is one thing I am not. At least not professionally.
Current Music: Radiohead: OK Computer
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jwz
 | 02:28 am - Eye teeth? Seriously? PLEASE DON'T LOOK AT ME.
 Blind man sees after having a tooth implanted into his eye. During the procedure, a minute section of a patient's tooth is removed, reshaped and chiselled through to grip the man-made lens which is then placed in its core. It is implanted under an eyelid where it becomes covered in tissue. The process requires a living tooth as an implant because doctors suggest there are chances the eye would reject a plastic equivalent. So a canine - which is the best option due to its shape and size - was taken out of Mr Jones' mouth. A patch of skin is then taken from the inside of the cheek and placed in the eye for two months, where it gradually acquires its own blood supply. The tooth segment is finally transplanted into the eye socket. The flap of grafted skin is then partially lifted from the eye and placed over its new sturdy base. Finally, surgeons cut a hole in the grafted cornea to let light through.
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