(I would say it's rough draft, but why be daft? It won't be revised; it won't be reprised. So here it is for what it's worth. Happy Holidays and Peace on Earth.)
'Twas the day before Christmas Eve and all through the dale,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a quail;
The presents were stacked by the pellet stove with care,
In hopes that Christmas Eve time soon would be there;
The Su-Su was chewing up treats on the floor,
With visions of evermore Greenies galore;
And Mom's in her Christmas shirt and Dad in his sweats,
And Grandma has a book and no peanut brittle regrets;
When out in the orchard there arose such a ruckus,
I sprang from the couch and nearly froze off my tuckus;
Away to the back door I skipped like a nerd,
Opened the slider and scared all the birds;
The snow on the fallen down apple tree,
Turned it into a beautiful winter memory;
When, what to my wandering eye should arise,
But a miniature coyote and eight tiny magpies,
With a feral gray kitten, claws lively and sharp,
I knew in a moment it was no cosplay LARP.
More speedy than Dad's wifi those animals came,
To eat at the Anderson's buffet of fame,
Look Dad, it's a coyote! Hey Mom, more magpies!
Yeah, yeah, they replied, welcome to our life.
To the top of the deck, to the bird feeder base,
The animals all coming out for a taste;
As the crumpled papers that after Mom's gift opening fly,
When they meet with Dad's garbage bags, go by the by,
So too did the animals leave the feed trough,
And back came the flickers to finish it off;
And then, in a nano, I heard from the front
The cooing and rustling of quails on the hunt.
And I crossed the living room, stepping over the dog,
And lo and behold, more Christmas stuff to blog!
The computer was on, Google Chrome to the fore,
With holiday logos and top ten lists and more;
A bundle of toys and of gifts and new booty,
How can one wait until Christmas for their looty?
The Amazon deals, how they glisten and gleam,
The Cylon tp holder, how it fulfills lifelong dreams,
And the Twitterverse glitters with holiday snippets,
While Facebook is quiet, an early morning kibbutz;
The online calm before the oncoming storm
Of soon to come a new Doctor Who Xmas yarn!
It's all overwhelming, this season of cheer,
Of family and friendship and white-tailed deer;
As I realize I've completely lost the old poem's thread,
I laugh and then decide to put it to bed;
A click of my mouse and a twist of my wrist,
And another line is written and checked off the list;
It's time to go offline and hang out with the folks,
To eat many goodies and hear fatherly jokes;
Pulling out of the house to a wide focus shot,
The snow on the gutters drips not a lot;
The wildlife twitters, 140 characters or less,
The dairy section of Yoke's moos at its guests;
And Christmas music blares from Dad's little shuffle,
Happy Holidays, friends, enjoy the kerfluffle!
XOXO
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
A few random thoughts on SPN's All Dogs Go to Heaven
It seems like most people were a bit meh on the episode. I loved it. And part of the reason is that it was incredibly beautiful. I mean, gorgeously shot. I don't know where they found the sun, but they used it to great effect, and the transitions between scenes were great. I've been looking this season for noir touches, since they had mentioned there would be a noir feel to it, and I really felt it with this episode.
Thematically, the latter seasons of SPN have been pretty noir anyway, but this season the regular directors are playing a bit with it I think. I'm not expert on it, or even particularly well-informed, but I have noticed some of the venetian blind stuff happening. And this episode brought in some forced visual angles and some hard sunlight/strong demarcation of shadow to the mix. It was awesome.
Not to mention Padalecki's performance, which was great, and seeing Ackles respond to it as Dean, also new and great. The characters and actors are all up in the air with the new dynamic and really making it work. It's fascinating to watch.
I think the reason for the title is because the Christian church historically has taught that dogs don't go to heaven because animals don't have souls. (I don't know if that teaching has changed or if they just sugarcoat it for kids and the pet-loving populace.) And that, along with all the skinwalkers of course, is relevant to the soulless Sammy storyline, and relevant to noir themes too, in ways I'm not skilled enough (or knowledgeable enough yet) to articulate. Poor Dean, Sam was his world and his world is now soulless. Part of him has to be wishing Sam hadn't come back at all.
Thematically, the latter seasons of SPN have been pretty noir anyway, but this season the regular directors are playing a bit with it I think. I'm not expert on it, or even particularly well-informed, but I have noticed some of the venetian blind stuff happening. And this episode brought in some forced visual angles and some hard sunlight/strong demarcation of shadow to the mix. It was awesome.
Not to mention Padalecki's performance, which was great, and seeing Ackles respond to it as Dean, also new and great. The characters and actors are all up in the air with the new dynamic and really making it work. It's fascinating to watch.
I think the reason for the title is because the Christian church historically has taught that dogs don't go to heaven because animals don't have souls. (I don't know if that teaching has changed or if they just sugarcoat it for kids and the pet-loving populace.) And that, along with all the skinwalkers of course, is relevant to the soulless Sammy storyline, and relevant to noir themes too, in ways I'm not skilled enough (or knowledgeable enough yet) to articulate. Poor Dean, Sam was his world and his world is now soulless. Part of him has to be wishing Sam hadn't come back at all.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
My predictions on SPN S6, unspoiled
This will be somewhat incoherent because I doubt I'll edit it. Spoilers up to episode 7.
Crowley: I think he has some angelic assistance. I don't believe he could, even as king of Hell, pull Samuel's soul from Heaven. I question whether he can get into Lucifer's cage. My thought is he knew the plan to box up Lucifer, he told Bobby he saw Sam's swan (hee) dive into the cage, and he had a plan ready for the occasion. He was able to pull Sam out at the last minute and still have Lucifer (and Michael?) fall in. But I hope he pulled all of Sam out and just stashed the soul part somewhere because I'm not sure I believe he could get into the cage once it was locked, so if Sam's soul is in there, I'm not sure Crowley can retrieve it for him.
Mothers: I think it's all about the girls this time and all the alpha male, our father, etc., par for the SPN course stuff is, this year, a red herring. The alpha vamp said: We all have our mothers. The only reason I can think for Samuel to make a deal with Crowley would be for his wife or daughter, and Deanna has never been a big part of the show. I think Mary is supposedly in Purgatory. Crowley is clever. He could threaten Samuel's descendants with something, he could find some other leverage (hee), but how much better to make Samuel want to find what Crowley wants him to find. If he's convinced his daughter is stuck in Purgatory with the freak souls, he would agree to find Purgatory for Crowley.
Why Mary would be there, if she is, is a mystery to me. Obviously Crowley couldn't put her there if he doesn't know how to get to it, so somebody else did. Maybe Zachariah when he was messing with the boys, but why he wouldn't mention it. And do the angels know where it is? Doubtful.
However...My earlier crackpot theory had to do with Kali, who was pissed about the Western Judeo-Christian apocalypse and getting beat down by Lucifer, coming back in the confusion that happened when the apocalypse fizzled out to gain some power on the continent and bring the pagans back into ascendancy. She could be bringing in the monsters from Greece and Japan that aren't usually in the states. She could have a plan or just be stirring up trouble.
But also, with the whole Mother idea, the feminine powers coming back into play after the male Christian/Jewish/Muslim god and his male archangels and mostly male (vessel-wise anyway) angels, Kali might fit in. What if the mother of the alphas is Gaia? The new showrunner is a woman, so meta-wise it would even fit if the mother goddess came back into play this year.
Anyway, like I said, incoherent, but I think it would be awesome for the pagans, for the feminine, to have a shot at ruling the SPN verse this year. You do not want to piss off the mother goddess!
ETA: Also, if in this 'verse Purgatory is for the so-called freak souls, could it also be for the pagan souls? That might keep Kali or Gaia in the game as far as that arc of Crowley trying to take it over.
Crowley: I think he has some angelic assistance. I don't believe he could, even as king of Hell, pull Samuel's soul from Heaven. I question whether he can get into Lucifer's cage. My thought is he knew the plan to box up Lucifer, he told Bobby he saw Sam's swan (hee) dive into the cage, and he had a plan ready for the occasion. He was able to pull Sam out at the last minute and still have Lucifer (and Michael?) fall in. But I hope he pulled all of Sam out and just stashed the soul part somewhere because I'm not sure I believe he could get into the cage once it was locked, so if Sam's soul is in there, I'm not sure Crowley can retrieve it for him.
Mothers: I think it's all about the girls this time and all the alpha male, our father, etc., par for the SPN course stuff is, this year, a red herring. The alpha vamp said: We all have our mothers. The only reason I can think for Samuel to make a deal with Crowley would be for his wife or daughter, and Deanna has never been a big part of the show. I think Mary is supposedly in Purgatory. Crowley is clever. He could threaten Samuel's descendants with something, he could find some other leverage (hee), but how much better to make Samuel want to find what Crowley wants him to find. If he's convinced his daughter is stuck in Purgatory with the freak souls, he would agree to find Purgatory for Crowley.
Why Mary would be there, if she is, is a mystery to me. Obviously Crowley couldn't put her there if he doesn't know how to get to it, so somebody else did. Maybe Zachariah when he was messing with the boys, but why he wouldn't mention it. And do the angels know where it is? Doubtful.
However...My earlier crackpot theory had to do with Kali, who was pissed about the Western Judeo-Christian apocalypse and getting beat down by Lucifer, coming back in the confusion that happened when the apocalypse fizzled out to gain some power on the continent and bring the pagans back into ascendancy. She could be bringing in the monsters from Greece and Japan that aren't usually in the states. She could have a plan or just be stirring up trouble.
But also, with the whole Mother idea, the feminine powers coming back into play after the male Christian/Jewish/Muslim god and his male archangels and mostly male (vessel-wise anyway) angels, Kali might fit in. What if the mother of the alphas is Gaia? The new showrunner is a woman, so meta-wise it would even fit if the mother goddess came back into play this year.
Anyway, like I said, incoherent, but I think it would be awesome for the pagans, for the feminine, to have a shot at ruling the SPN verse this year. You do not want to piss off the mother goddess!
ETA: Also, if in this 'verse Purgatory is for the so-called freak souls, could it also be for the pagan souls? That might keep Kali or Gaia in the game as far as that arc of Crowley trying to take it over.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Connie Willis at Powell's on 10/27 - A Brief Description
Connie Willis was an awesome speaker, very charismatic, humorous, and charming. She didn't read from the books Blackout and All Clear so as not to spoil them for those who haven't finished them yet. I'm about a third of the way thru All Clear and hoping for some of the strings to start being pulled together so I can see what it's really about.
She did talk a bit about what it was about thematically, which was the importance/heroism of ordinary people and small acts, which is a common theme for her work, so I'm excited to see how it all pulls together.
She gushed about Primeval for a bit, specifically one of the actors, Andrew Lee Potts, calling him the most adorable thing ever, which was fun. She also talked generally in her introduction about spoilers, Brett Favre and what not to do online, etc.
Then she told us some stories from her research that she didn't get to put in the book. Signs from department stores, a burlesque theater with an all-nude review (who, because of laws of the time, could only stand perfectly still on stage; it was illegal to be naked on stage and move around) that stayed open all thru the Blitz. She talked about how theatres closed but then reopened and people would stay thru the raids for the performance. Also, they couldn't leave the theatre until the raid was over, so the actors ended up performing after the show thru the night, doing skits and old vaudeville to keep the audience entertained.
She talked about chaos theory and told a story about Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin, who was sent to school by his father's employer after his father, a ground's keeper, saved the life of the man's son who might have drowned. Penicillin saved thousands in the war, including a man responsible for a sabotage mission against the Nazis who was captured when his mission failed. He was shown on tv by Nazi propagandists, being taken away and giving the V for victory sign.
A woman he knew from Holland sent him a Red Cross package when he was in the prison camp. He returned the favor after the war, sending her a care package when she was starving in Holland, providing cigarettes she sold on the black market to buy penicillin that saved her daughter, Audrey Hepburn.
Penicillin also ended up saving the son of the man who sent its inventor to school to become a doctor, Winston Churchill. So very cool story about little acts having big effects.
That's something she talks about a lot and I have a feeling it will be at the heart of these last two books too, so really looking forward to it.
She talked a little more about that and the Blitz and 9-11 and stories of ordinary people's heroism, which made me think of the psychologist in Passage who often reflected on that in light of great disasters like the sinking of the Titanic and the Circus Fire, etc. I think there might be a lot of Willis in that character in regards to her thoughts on that and her obsessions with people's last words, etc.
She did talk a bit about what it was about thematically, which was the importance/heroism of ordinary people and small acts, which is a common theme for her work, so I'm excited to see how it all pulls together.
She gushed about Primeval for a bit, specifically one of the actors, Andrew Lee Potts, calling him the most adorable thing ever, which was fun. She also talked generally in her introduction about spoilers, Brett Favre and what not to do online, etc.
Then she told us some stories from her research that she didn't get to put in the book. Signs from department stores, a burlesque theater with an all-nude review (who, because of laws of the time, could only stand perfectly still on stage; it was illegal to be naked on stage and move around) that stayed open all thru the Blitz. She talked about how theatres closed but then reopened and people would stay thru the raids for the performance. Also, they couldn't leave the theatre until the raid was over, so the actors ended up performing after the show thru the night, doing skits and old vaudeville to keep the audience entertained.
She talked about chaos theory and told a story about Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin, who was sent to school by his father's employer after his father, a ground's keeper, saved the life of the man's son who might have drowned. Penicillin saved thousands in the war, including a man responsible for a sabotage mission against the Nazis who was captured when his mission failed. He was shown on tv by Nazi propagandists, being taken away and giving the V for victory sign.
A woman he knew from Holland sent him a Red Cross package when he was in the prison camp. He returned the favor after the war, sending her a care package when she was starving in Holland, providing cigarettes she sold on the black market to buy penicillin that saved her daughter, Audrey Hepburn.
Penicillin also ended up saving the son of the man who sent its inventor to school to become a doctor, Winston Churchill. So very cool story about little acts having big effects.
That's something she talks about a lot and I have a feeling it will be at the heart of these last two books too, so really looking forward to it.
She talked a little more about that and the Blitz and 9-11 and stories of ordinary people's heroism, which made me think of the psychologist in Passage who often reflected on that in light of great disasters like the sinking of the Titanic and the Circus Fire, etc. I think there might be a lot of Willis in that character in regards to her thoughts on that and her obsessions with people's last words, etc.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Whatever
Mind is restless lately. Not sure if it's for external or internal reasons. Feel fine, just like I want to be doing something interesting and I'm not sure what it is. I prefer this feeling to the alternative down, low energy, can't seem to even want to try anything feeling I occasionally get, but would like to find a direction in which to aim it.
Probably means I should be trying to write something, create something, and that too often goes nowhere beyond the thought of it. But never say never, right?
I think most of my thoughts are probably too personal to put down here where anyone can see them. Why I think that, when no one much is paying attention, is mildly amusing. I do think about trying to write a blog sometime that has focus, direction, and possibly might interest others to read, but have yet to come up with something I will actually commit to because it combines interest with ideas with resolve. Apparently that combination is difficult for me. Along with things like follow-through, willpower...
Now I am getting depressed. Stupid Dark Observer and its stupid, negative commentary. Begone, Foul Beastie!
Okay, now just going into weird stream of consciousness that is unappealing when uncrafted. Blah blah blahcakes blah.
My most sincere apologies...
Probably means I should be trying to write something, create something, and that too often goes nowhere beyond the thought of it. But never say never, right?
I think most of my thoughts are probably too personal to put down here where anyone can see them. Why I think that, when no one much is paying attention, is mildly amusing. I do think about trying to write a blog sometime that has focus, direction, and possibly might interest others to read, but have yet to come up with something I will actually commit to because it combines interest with ideas with resolve. Apparently that combination is difficult for me. Along with things like follow-through, willpower...
Now I am getting depressed. Stupid Dark Observer and its stupid, negative commentary. Begone, Foul Beastie!
Okay, now just going into weird stream of consciousness that is unappealing when uncrafted. Blah blah blahcakes blah.
My most sincere apologies...
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Inside Joss' Dollhouse
The Smart Pop anthology on Dollhouse is coming out October 12th. I'm very excited to have an essay in it. I also have an advance copy I've been devouring, and it contains a lot of really interesting, well-written ideas. I'd buy it even if I weren't in it. :)
http://www.smartpopbooks.com/book/inside-joss-dollhouse
Check it out.
http://www.smartpopbooks.com/book/inside-joss-dollhouse
Check it out.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Bus ride - rare moment of contentment
Almost in writing mood. Not useful for being soon on the clock. And not having paper. On bus, having a closing shift to look forward to. Summer flying by but feeling decent. Have made some conclusions that can't really lead to anything concrete in reality but seem important. Still no good ideas on career stuff, but circling. Eventually will spiral in to an answer. See? Feeling good, not stressing. Retail summer good for me. Out of rut, more active, less conflicted. All leads to happier if less introspective me. I suspect those things are connected. But sometimes you have to stop recycling the same thoughts for a while, leave room for something new to show up. I appreciate the break. Also feel healthier with more energy which has to help. Increased work interaction also making me more socially inclined. Just a good time. Maybe that's why I need to write it down, for something to look back at and remember when down times return. Usually my journaling so depressing. Good to remember I can be content.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Good News!
I entered the Smart Pop Dollhouse fan essay contest and I won one of the spots in the anthology!!
Now I feel less pathetic about not following through on my efforts to recap the series. At least I wrote my essay, turned it in, and won a prize. And it was read by Jane Espenson! How cool is that?
I still can't believe it's happening, that I'm actually getting something published and in such an awesome venue. And I can't wait to read the other entries. It's going to be so fun!
http://tiny.cc/9vhst
Thursday, March 4, 2010
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