About to head off to the Eye of Argon reading. Have seen lots of nifty people too numerous to name here. There was (I am told) a pharmaceutical conference of some sort going on here until this morning, and they left the place a huge mess, so everything started late. The ballrooms and hallways were still covered in detritus. Certainly kept things interesting....

My reading had six people attending -- especially nice given that it was on the sixth floor in a room that wasn't even open when the reading started (I commenced the reading sitting in front of the door with folks in a circle around me) -- and I read "Letter from Guadalajara" (the More Tales of Zorro story) and bits from "The Unhappy Ones" (the Star Trek: Seven Deadly Sins story).

If you follow me on Facebook, you will see periodic updates of funny things I've heard and/or said at the convention. *grin*

Current Mood: happy
Current Music: "It's Money that Matters" by Randy Newman

In Geneva, President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev met for the first time (1985)

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

According to the U.S. Code, the Pledge of Allegiance should be made facing the flag, standing at attention, with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder. Those in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and salute. The Pledge of Allegiance is:

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one Nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

There are no such things as applied sciences, only applications of science.
Louis Pasteur (1822-95)

Current Mood: awake
Current Music: "Mourning Edition" by the Austin Lounge Lizards

Ben-Hur premiered in New York (1959)

GAMBLING CRUSADERS

In 1190, King Richard I and Philip of France jointly issued an edict regulating gambling with games of chance by members of the Christian crusading armies. No person under the rank of knight was permitted to play any game for money; knights and clergymen could play for stakes lower than 20 shillings per day and night; the monarchs could, naturally, play for whatever stakes they chose, but their attendants were restricted to stakes of 20 shillings. If any exceeded this sum, they were to be whipped, naked, through the ranks of the troops for three whole days.


Necessity never made a good bargain.
Benjamin Franklin (1706-90)

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: "Gimme What You Got" by Don Henley

Just turned in the second draft of Supernatural: Heart of the Dragon to my editors.

Next up is an article for Star Trek: The Magazine, a Dragon Precinct short story for an anthology, and the next two Farscape scripts. Then I focus on some original work for a while.....

Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: "The Shape I'm In" by The Band

Terilynn Shull wrote a review of Star Trek: Titan: Synthesis for the Airlock Alpha blog. While the review was mostly fulsome praise for jmswallow's fine novel, she was kind enough to take a moment to say something nice about me:

Only once before have I ever felt that a true Trek fan had written an authorized Trek book – and that was Keith R.A. DeCandido’s “Star Trek: The Next Generation - Q&A.”

Hey, I'll take it. *grin*

Current Mood: pleased
Current Music: "People Change" by the Randy Bandits

First I was awakened out of a sound sleep by my agent with bad news about a project. Then I went to take the recycling downstairs and got locked out of the house (the front door swung shut unexpectedly). A passer-by with a cell phone enabled me to call my landlord, who sent someone over right away, but it still took forever as I stood outside in a bathrobe and bare feet.

Yeesh.

Okay, back to revisions on Supernatural: Heart of the Dragon, which I'm fixin' to finish tonight....

Current Mood: frustrated
Current Music: "Join Together" by The Who

Affectionate cat distracts policeman in Texas from trying to write a ticket.

It's just the cutest thing -- and I can so see Aoki doing that................

Thanks to frostfox for the link!

Current Mood: silly
Current Music: "Raspberry Beret" by Hindu Love Gods

It looks like there's going to be a movie spinoff of the tragically short lived HBO series Rome.

This makes me very happy.

"Thirteen!!!!"

Current Mood: geeky
Current Music: "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" by Traffic

It's from a new source: It's by Gavin Jones, a.k.a. "The Boneman," on the blog for the Geek Syndicate podcast.

Money quote:

The most important consideration with any Farscape story is do the characters feel and sound right? I can report that thankfully this story feels like a genuine continuation of the tv series both in tone and character. Much like the recent successful Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 comic book you feel as though you can actually hear the actors voices when reading the story and like that series this is most likely due to the talent attached to the project.

Current Mood: pleased
Current Music: "Time Has Come Today" by the Chambers Brothers

I passed by a clerk who had no customers to assist, so he was reading.

His choice to peruse? The Dictionary. Seriously.

I'm reminded of Hawkeye Pierce's desire to read the Dictionary because it has all the words in it.......

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: "Mission Temple Fireworks Stand" by Paul Thorn

Don't forget: today's the day that the first issue of the new ongoing Farscape series goes on sale. It starts a great new story arc that will have consequences for many cycles to come. *grin* Plot by series creator Rockne S. O'Bannon, script by Keith R.A. DeCandido (that's me), art by Will Sliney.

There's a preview here...

Current Mood: happy
Current Music: "Hoist that Rag" by Tom Waits

Martin Scorsese born (1942)

PREDICTING THE WEATHER

From the preceding state of the weather;
the undulations of the atmosphere;
the apparent color of the sky;
the appearance of the clouds;
the wind;
the changes of temperature, with respect to heat and cold;
the apparent colors of the sun & moon.

---Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac, 1806


Old age means realizing you will never own all the dogs you wanted to.
Joe Gores (1931-)

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: "Bourée" by Ian Anderson w/orchestra

Something I said in passing the other day, but which has stuck with me:

"Even when you turn your back, you're still facing something."

Current Mood: thoughtful
Current Music: "Singing All Day" by Jethro Tull

Dr. David Livingstone first saw and named Victoria Falls on the Border of Zimbabwe and Zambia (1855)

HUNDRED DAYS

"The first 100 days" has been used on a number of occasions to describe the first three "honeymoon" months of a new political administration--during which it is assumed that radical reforms may be accomplished with less than the usual opposition. The phrase seems to have originated in 1815 to describe the period 20 March-28 June--between Napoleon's escape from Elba and the second restoration of Louis XVIII following England's victory at Waterloo. The Oxford English Dictionary credits Louis de Chabrol de Volvic, Prefect of Paris, with coining the phrase inm a speech to the king: "Cent jours se sont écoulés depuis le moment fatal où votre majesté quitta sa capitale." The archives of the Times indicate that a range of figures have had their "100 days" scrutinized, including: LBJ, Richard Nixon, JFK*, Margaret Thatcher, and Tony Blair. Most famous, however, are FDR's initial 100 days as president in 1933, during which he pioneered the New Deal.

* John F. Kennedy's presidency (20 Jan. 1961-22 Nov. 1963) is occasionally referred to as the 1,000 days.


XERISCAPE--a landscape designed to minimize irrigation
"Legoland is, among other things, a xeriscape."

Current Mood: curious
Current Music: "Stagefright" by The Band

"Some anonymous Pezhead on the Internet took exception to something I said? However shall I sleep at night. Somebody, hold me."
---daytonward

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: "Tie Your Mother Down" by Queen

After a week off, we've got a new review episode of the podcast up. First is bringing it to the table: Andrea brings Sherlock Holmes: The Archive Collection, even though she didn't enjoy it much; John tells Orenthal about the DVD releases of Streethawk and Tales of the Gold Monkey and shares some new iPhone apps.

The segments:

"A Case for Books": Andrea reviews The Fate of Katherine Carr by Thomas H. Cook and recommends The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan.

Movie reviews: Derrick looks back at the Nicole Kidman thriller, Birth.

"Couch Potato Salad": I review the new V, and also anticipate The Prisoner (this was before I actually saw it....).

"Pop Fiendish": Orenthal wishes Sesame Street a happy 40th.

You can download the episode from iTunes, from the Rift web site, or from Mevio's Rift page. Comment on the forums, or leave a message at 888-866-9010.

Current Mood: geeky
Current Music: "American Roulette" by Robbie Robertson

Both Louis Johnson of Fandomania and Andrea Speed of comiXtreme gave Farscape: D'Argo's Trial #4 a 3/5, which beats a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

Also two days from now is the release of Farscape #1, the first issue of the ongoing monthly series plotted by series creator Rockne S. O'Bannon, scripted by self, and with artwork by Will Sliney (Strange Detractors). Comics Continuum has put up a preview of the issue, though of course the good folks at io9 put up a more extensive one a few months ago....

Current Mood: pleased
Current Music: "Nil S'en La" by Clannad

Dave Thomas opened the first Wendy's fast-food restaurant in Columbus, Ohio (1969)

SEVEN THINGS FOR HEALTH

Seven things are absolutely necessary to maintain or restore health:

Fresh air; light; warmth; rest; cleanliness; and the correct selection and well-timed offering of food and drink.

The lack of only one of these requisites may hinder the exercise of a physician's skill and bring to naught both good-will and wisdom.

---Hermine Welten, How to Restore Health, c.1890


When two Englishmen meet, their first talk is of the weather.
Samuel Johnson (1790-84)

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: "Overture" by the Julliard Orchestra

Actor Edward Woodward has died at the age of 79 after a lengthy illness.

He was a fine fine actor, and he will be missed. *raises glass*

Current Mood: sad
Current Music: "Eliza" by Cats Laughing

Watched the first two episodes of the remake of The Prisoner and the latest Doctor Who special tonight. I haven't been doing much TV gabbing here due to my Chronic Rift gig -- I'm saving the reviews for "Couch Potato Salad" -- but my next review won't be for another month (for the episode that's going live this week, I reviewed V), so I'm gonna go ahead and talk about these two here.

( Spoilers for both behind the cut..... )

Current Mood: thoughtful
Current Music: "Minnie the Moocher" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Here's my schedule for Philcon 2009, this coming weekend at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cherry Hill, New Jersey:

Friday
8pm: reading (Executive Suite 623)
midnight: "Eye of Argon Reading" (Plaza IV), with Oz Fontecchio, Lawrence M. Schoen, Phil Kahn, Hildy Silverman, and Victoria Janssen

Saturday
11am: "How Faithful are Graphic Adaptations of Popular Novels?" (Plaza I), with Bill Spangler, Jonathan Maberry, Stephanie Burke, and Ray Ridenour
4pm: "Star Trek: Where Does it Boldly Go Now?" (Crystal Ballroom 3), with Lawrence M. Schoen, Samantha Kwait, Terri Osborne, and Hugh Casey
9pm: "The Art of the Collaboration" (Plaza I), with Michael Swanwick, Mike McPhail, Chris Pisano, and John Grant

Sunday
11am: "The Importance of Cash Flow for the New Author" (Executive Suite 823), with Laura Anne Gilman, Sally Wiener Grotta, Christine Norris, and Oz Drummond
1pm: "Editing Anthologies" (Plaza II), with Darrell Schweitzer, Gardner Dozois, and Danielle Ackley-McPhail

Hope to see many of you there!

Current Mood: pleased
Current Music: "The Ragpicker's Dream" by Mark Knopfler

Joseph McCarthy born (1908)

SEVEN THINGS IN THE EVENT OF RAIN

Seven things necessary when the rain prevents us from pursuing our usual occupations:

A shelter, a purse, a stove, a cup of wine, preceded by a bit of meat, a tender maid, and a cloak.

---attributed to Ibn Sukkara Al-Hashi-mi by Edward Verrall Lucas in A Boswell of Baghdad, 1917


Study the past, if you would divine the future.
Confucius (551-497 BCE)

Current Mood: tired
Current Music: "Tough Mama" by Bob Dylan & The Band

Montréal was captured from the British by U.S. forces during the American Revolution (1775)

SEVEN THINGS TO BE REMEMBERED

Never to stick pins into butterflies and other insects unless you would like to have somebody stick pins into you.
Never to carry fowl with their heads hanging down, unless you would like to be carried in that way yourself.
Never to throw stones at those harmless creatures, toads, unless you would like to have stones thrown at you in the same way.
That nearly all snakes are harmless and useful.
That it is cruel to keep twitching the reins while driving.
That you should always talk kindly to every dumb creature.
That you should always treat every dumb creature as you would like to be treated yourself, if you were in the creature's place.

---Julia M. Dewey, Ethics: Stories for Home and School, 1891


Lucky is he who has been able to understand the causes of things.
Virgil (70-19 BCE)

Current Mood: curious
Current Music: "1913 Massacre" by Ramblin' Jack Elliott

In honor of my black belt, the Forebearance (girasole, bronxbob350, helgabee, and the Infomancer) got me a new laptop! Opportunity died a while back, and I've been borrowing girasole's similar machine Rosina (which is just like Opportunity only pink).

Now, though, I have a new one that's better in every way. It's an Acer Aspire One, which runs Windows XP instead of Linux, has a better keyboard, a better monitor, and it's red!

I'm actually using it right now. I have named it Kiisu, after the transliteration of my name spelled in Japanese katakana characters as it appears on my black belt.

*happy dance*

Current Mood: happy
Current Music: some football game or other on my parents' TV

Still processing the ending. Up until then, it's great stuff, but I'm not sure the abrupt change in tone entirely works.

On the other hand, Nathan Fillion and Neil Patrick Harris are beyond brilliant, and I did laugh, y'know, a lot.

Mostly, though, I want to see more of the Pink Pummeler.....

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Music: closing credits of Dr. Horrible