I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Monday, March 5, 2012

Linkee-poo may be mad, may be blind, may be viciously unkind, but can still read what you're thinking

Elizabeth Bear on the writer's favorite pastime, waxing the cat. She gives the professional aspect to it. For me, setting up the clean room is a little too much. (Grokked from matociquala, which is kinda pointing in a circle, but I couldn't resist the joke, it's my own form of cat waxing)

Jennifer Crusie with with juice, glasses, and tables in Word. While I'm tempted to make jelly glass jokes, it's something of a serious matter. Look, you can be all full of piss and vinegar and then spill that out onto the page, but unless there is some structure there, nobody is going to get it. I'm a panster for most things. I'll pick a topic and run it to the ground. Most times. And if you are also a panster, go ahead and write the book that way. But you shouldn't rewrite that way. Or to carry her metaphor, one you squeeze the juice out, you better have it in a glass, because if you don't it's just liquid on the table top with no form. (Grokked from Jason Sanford)

Just for fun, if you're a fan of Neil Gaiman's Stardust (while the movie was entertaining, the book was way, way better), and who isn't, there's a site selling Tristan's sword (replicas). And by "selling" I mean they're on fire sale. It's a nice sword (and in case you didn't know, I loves me my sharp pointy things). If it had a basket hilt I would be hitting the buy button right now. With a basket hilt it would be very close to the schiavona, a type of sword that would have been carried by my ancestors. The schiavona is a mercenary's weapon. It is basically a basket hilted broadsword. Much of what you can find in reproductions are the Venetian version. That version was lighter, and thinner (and later) than the northern slavic style (the sword on sale goes in the opposite direction and is much wider). This wasn't a sword carried by dandies or for protection, it was a sword meant to slice through armor and kill, quickly. (Grokked from Neil Gaiman)

A cartoon explanation of the conservative position about gas prices. Reminds me when I hear the people here at work complain about gas prices when they drive the honkinest, biggest trucks (and never use them to haul anything). (Grokked from Morgan J Locke)

Chuck Wendig is enjoying Saladin Ahmed’s Throne of the Crescent Moon (which, BTW, has been generating a lot of buzz). And he's looking for more fantasy that breaks from the Tolkein/Celtic/Scandinavian realms of fantasy. If you know where he could get more of that same flavor, go tell him about it. Speaking of which, if you've already got your mitts on a copy, and you also need more of that same drug, Saladin is running a review contest and when book 2 comes out next year, you might win a copy before release date. Sure, it's a whole year between hits, but there might be Chuck is trying to find you some literary methadone to tide you over.

A UK view of the Limbaugh affair. I have to admit that I thought he went over the line with the "slut" comment, but that was the only part of his show that I heard about. Now that I've seen more of his comments, of which "slut" was the tip of the iceberg, an apology is not enough. Dear Rush Limburger (it's not clever, but it'll have to do for now), well, sirah, I would guess you would know about prostitutes. You know, having traveled to the islands with over 100 viagra pills and no female companionship traveling with you. No, you're not "just an entertainer," that much is sure. Entertainers are not the keynote speakers at political conventions, they're the warm up. And your time of pond scum politics has come to an end. Please don't let the door smack you in your sorry ass on the way out. We'd hate to give you one more jolly. Dear Conservatives, do you get it now? Or, conversely, how many times to we need to do this fire-drill before you all get it? (Grokked from Jay Lake)

I'm not sure this poll of Gov. Kasich's approval ratings shows what they think it does. Sure, his disapproval numbers are above 50, but follow the curve. It's amazing what happens when conservatives shut their yaps as Kasich has done since his ass was handed to him last November. It doesn't mean he's changed or see the errors of his ways, it's just he realizes that he needs to build the platform first before he wants to hang anybody out to dry.

Alligator Quotient: Approaching the neck. Anybody got water wings I can borrow?

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