What-nots and Etceteras,

Remember: It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye. Then, it's a challenging scavenger hunt.

Onion Horoscope: Gemini

Apparently LKH is doing some sort of publicity 'Center Stage' thing for Barnes and Noble. Check out this question someone wrote it:

Dear Ms. Hamilton,

How difficult has it been portraying a female rapist as a protagonist?

Do you have to consciously think about the mental gymnastics she has to go through to justify her own behavior? Was the development planned like Jeff Lindsay's Dexter or did it just happen during the course of the series and you decided to continue with it?

Many times the genre of science fiction/fantasy has been used to portray things people aren't comfortable discussing in a real world setting such as racism was discussed in the original Star Trek series using aliens, do you feel discussing the psychology of a sex offender in this setting furthers understanding of it?

Thank you for the interesting perspective,
Pasty

I don't know Pasty, but I kinda love her. As far as I know, Hamilton hasn't answered her yet.

So, how is everyone this morning?

My girl started school today. We woke up late [only had about 30 minutes to get ready]. Even if her dad hadn't been planning on taking her, we so could have made it to the bus stop in time. I just wouldn't have been able to braid her hair.

I have no idea what to do all alone today. I already miss my baby!

In Love With Death
The Twilight of American fiction.
By Gina R. Dalfonzo


It's a review about the Twilight series that I am absolutely in love with.

For those of you who love books and want to discuss them in a book-club type format, I've made a new asylum!

We haven't picked out the first book yet, and we don't have the rules and stuff set up, but we're just getting started.

Feel free to join page_turners! We'll be ready and and all genres and eras.

I might not have internet connection for at least a few days starting tomorrow afternoon. Why you ask? Because my husband just signed for our new house today, and we move in tomorrow.

Blurb about book #10. So, anyone else thing April 2009 is way too far away?

Anyway, I picked up the latest of Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels. My love for Reacher knows no bounds. Just... yeah. Also, Lee Child really keeps it together and manages to write a series of books where you could pick up reading anywhere in the series and not be lost, while not making so those of us reading in order want to spork out our eyes [Alan Dean Foster, I'm looking at you].

Anyone else reading the Dresden Files or Jack Reacher series?

The first 10 movies mentioned in the comments will go into a poll to determine which order they get review in by me. So, feel free to comment with a movie! Also, you may notice that more than a couple of these have been on MST3K, but only one of them is not in the non-MST'd version. I like my movies corny! If it's cross out, then I've already reviewed it.

( Movie List... in handy table format! )

7 down and 3 more left to pick!

Okay, so my husband rented the first season of My Name is Earl last night. I had never seen this show because it looked about stupid. Well, we ended up watching the first 14 freaking episodes last night. It was freaking hilarious. It's like a Kevin Smith movie in a way: on paper it seems like the kind of thing I would absolutely hate, but when put into action, I love it.

Now, for a little secret [nothing to do with My Name is Earl]. I read Laurell K. Hamilton books. You see, I got started on the Anita Blake series back when I was a teen walking to the nearest library and borrowing as many books as I could fit into my deep coat pockets [10 average size paperbacks, if anyone's interested]. Does anyone remember those first few books? They had plot, and Richard didn't make ya wanna slice and dice a fictional character? So do I.

Now I read because it's a compulsion. I started the series and got more than 3 books in, so I have to complete it. Just like if I own two or more seasons of a show, I must own them all. Anyway, I started the Merry Gentry series because... I was desperate for something to read. Anyway, it had plot at the beginning.

Guess what? I found plot again in Lick of Frost! Granted, it's not a great plot, and Merry is even more of a Sue than ever [who doesn't want her now?], but there is a shred of a plot.

...

Should the presence of plot in a LKH book be considered a spoiler for those who haven't read it?

Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I'm still here, though! I'll be doing movie reviews again soon. However, it's going to be until mid Aug before I have all my dvds unpacked [early Aug until I actually have a house again].

So, tomorrow I'll have a list up of the DVDs I have here with me. Then, the first 10 people to comment with a movie title get that title on my next poll [that'll go up Monday]. That poll will decide the next few movies I review.

Sound like fun? BtW, hubby got me a couple of those 50 Classic... dvd sets, so it's going to be a long-ass list. prepare yourselves. You're so very lucky I friends cut.

It's that time again!!!


This month, we're taking it down to 7 days instead of 13. The 13 days will be for special occasions, like right before the next season starts, or there was just a REALLY great Chlarker episode on. You know, pretty much whenever I [the evil admin] feel like it. And, now, the themes:

* 01 Summer
* 02 Family
* 03 Applications of Stochastic Calculus and Partial Differential Equations in Financial Economics or just plain old Math
* 04 Red K
* 05 Care
* 06 Coffee
* 07 Fairytales, myths and legends

Go forth, join and post. You know what would be just as good? Going forth, enjoying and commenting!

This especially goes out to all those who have the urge to play Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, Oliver Queen, or Mercy Graves {hint, hint}...

Rules- General Info - Taken/Holds - Application - Friend Tools - profile layout
Back To The Basics- A DCU RPG Metropolis. The City of Tomorrow. Millions call it home. The rich, the poor. The good, the bad. And at the center of it all is The Daily Planet, the great Metropolitan newspaper. Little do the citizens of Metropolis know that the world's newest and greatest hero works just beyond those doors. BACK TO THE BASICS is a DC Comics-based game, focusing on Superman's early years in Metropolis. But it's a game unlike any other... BACK TO THE BASICS is a game rooted in DC Comics canon, but here, you can put your on spin on things. Here, you can choose whatever pb you want for whatever character you want to play. Here, you can combine different media versions of your character to create your own unique version. Here, you can even create your own characters to fit into Superman's world, if you choose. The possibilities are endless. And best of all, you can watch the legend of Superman unfold before your very eyes. Once you visit Metropolis, you'll be so glad you did.

( Cut because it's actually a pretty long list. )

Rules- General Info - Taken/Holds - Application - Friend Tools - profile layout
Back To The Basics- A DCU RPG Metropolis. The City of Tomorrow. Millions call it home. The rich, the poor. The good, the bad. And at the center of it all is The Daily Planet, the great Metropolitan newspaper. Little do the citizens of Metropolis know that the world's newest and greatest hero works just beyond those doors. BACK TO THE BASICS is a DC Comics-based game, focusing on Superman's early years in Metropolis. But it's a game unlike any other... BACK TO THE BASICS is a game rooted in DC Comics canon, but here, you can put your on spin on things. Here, you can choose whatever pb you want for whatever character you want to play. Here, you can combine different media versions of your character to create your own unique version. Here, you can even create your own characters to fit into Superman's world, if you choose. The possibilities are endless. And best of all, you can watch the legend of Superman unfold before your very eyes. Once you visit Metropolis, you'll be so glad you did.

I'm playing Lex Luthor.

...

I so need a Mercy. Also, we definitely need a Clark [pb: Tom Welling]. Otherwise, Lex and Lois will end up married... shit you not.

This chick. darsynia pointed her out to me. I so need to get her cd. So do you.

Okay, I have a request. Do any of you have any [preferably HQ] episode stills from BtVS S6?

I really need images of Spike, Giles, Tara, Xander and Anya. It would help ever so much!

( Cut to save you from the annoyance of SPARKLY VAMPIRES. )


Will I be reading the rest? You know I can't resist a fantastically horrific train wreck!

Hubby sent me the first 3 seasons of Ghost Hunters as well as Ghost Hunters Live from the Stanley Hotel.

I'm squeeing so hard right now.

My external drive just went completely splat. It was working fine yesterday. Today? It's gone. No warning.

I had my websites on that drive. However, I can just get all that off the website servers again, no problem.

The problem? All my music and movies were on that drive.

...


I might just cry. I'm praying there's some way to recover that information.

I've made a new layout for svtometropolis.

Check it out! You might have to hit refresh.

Is this spam? I just got an e-mail.

subj: hi

my girls and i love watching you every week. my 4yr old wants to be you when she grows up




...

Is this The Truman Show? Am I Truman?

If all of the eight desserts listed below were sitting in front of you, which would you choose (sorry, you can only pick one)! Trust me...this is very accurate!!! Pick your dessert, and then look to see what psychiatrists think about you.

1. Angel Food Cake
2. Brownies
3. Lemon Meringue Pie
4. Vanilla Cake With Chocolate Icing
5. Strawberry Short Cake
6. Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Icing
7. Ice Cream
8. Carrot Cake

( Look after you've picked a dessert. )

Smallville, you're seriously getting on my last nerve. This is not the Chloe I know and love.

You disappoint me. Seriously, you do.

Two of Us Chlark forums is holding a little Chlark celebration. Well, actually, we'll be doing this every month. You wanna know about it? Sure you do.

It's called 13 Days of Chlark, and it starts May 1st and lasts through May 13th. You can come and look at the pretties, or you can submit your own. We take vids, fics, essays, graphics, drawings, whatever. If you make it or write it, we'll probably take it.

What's that? You can'd do any of those things? You can still join in, as long as you're willing to leave feedback and potentially squee over Chlark.

The only catch is, you have to join the forum to do that submitting and/or squeeing.

So, go and check out the 13 Days of Chlark board on Two of Us Chlark Forum, read up on the rules, feel free to ask questions, and definitely feel free to join and celebrate!

( Who wants to pet the pretty kitty? )

squeaky has a poll up concerning IJ's webhosting that could affect the prices of paid accounts and he wants everyone's opinions.

Here's the basic break down:

From squeaky

One is considerably more expensive than the other, but what they are offering us is 100% top notch service. The problem is that if we choose them we will not be able to keep our paid accounts the same price. We will raise them to $20/6mo or $35/year. If we pick the other provider, which is not as well known, and isn't offering us the same level of service we will not have to raise prices at all.

//snip//

I do want to note that once we get settled in and the paid accounts are coming in at a decent pace then we will consider lowering the prices back to a reasonable level.

//snip//

{from comments}

Yeah, i'm just worried about having to raise them that far. LJ apparently has lowered their prices to lower than where we are right now (for automatic renewals), and will be lower for manual payments too if this price change goes through. Which is why I really want to clear this through all of you before I decide. Please spread word of this poll around.

So far, that's what we've got. Please go and vote in the poll.

POLL LINKY POLL LINKY

Also, don't forget to donate. There's a post about it here!


ps. You tell me what you vote, and I'll tell you what I voted. ;)

I'm freaking addicted to this commercial:
( Cut because I can )

I have my reaction to Smallville 1.01 Pilot and 7.16 Descent up at both ToUChlark and Now Showing. My linkies, let me show you them.

ToUChlark Pilot thread
ToUChlark Descent thread

And, for the non-Chlarkers:

Now Showing Pilot thread
Now Showing Descent thread

From an e-mail my MIL sent me:

( This R Trufax )

::pets IJ:: I missed you so much.

Had it not been for the Twitter account, I would have gone crazy.

This is the most pimping I generally do for my sites. Feel free to help me out, though!



Go forth, my pretties, and spread the word.

Small Favor is out.

I have a new laptop.

These are two reasons for me to be bouncing like a sugared-up toddler!

I'm feeling good.

Snagged this from grrliz on LJ.

1. Type "about:config" in Firefox's location bar
2. Find the string: browser.display.focus_ring_width
3. Double click and set the value to 0

I'm posting this because I had to google for the answer, and I needed it. It's actually easy.

First, you need to be on a computer that has iTunes. First sign in and go to the iTunes store. Then go to View Account. I had to do this by clicking on that top corner button with my iTunes id.

Where it lists how many computers are authorized on this account, there's a button that reads "Deauthorize All" that you have to click.

Yes, this means you'll have to reauthorize all of the machines you want to be able to play your music, but it's the only choice when you have one [or more, like me] computers dead to the world.

Note: You may only use this feature once per year. The Deauthorize All button will not appear if you have fewer than 5 authorized computers or if you have used this option within the last 12 months.

I did a review for SV's Veritas. My initial thoughts are here at ToU Chlark Forum, or here at Now Showing if you're not a Chlarker and still want to respond to my thoughts.

Also, I did a review for BtVS' Welcome to the Hellmouth. You can find that here. Just a warning, I get a little long winded and had to break it into two seperate posts.

Kinda spamming, aren't I?

Anyway, I just learned that Robin Williams will be guest starring on L&O: SVU. Yeah, even my mom was impressed.

Here is where I found out.

In other TV news, Sci-Fi has given the green light on production of "Caprica". Again found this at the same site as the Robin Williams news. Not sure if I'll really be interested in this show or not.

The Dark Corner [1946]
Too Late for Tears [1949]
The Man Who Cheated Himself [1950]
The Stranger [1946]
Strange Love of Martha Ivers [1946]
The Hitchhiker [1953]
Quicksand [1950]
Detour [1946]
The Scar [1948]
D.O.A. [1949]
Fallen Angel [1945]
Laura [1944]
Kiss of Death [1947]
The Asphalt Jungle [1950]
Gun Crazy [1950] (was Deadly Is the Female)
Murder, My Sweet [1944]
Out of the Past [1947]
The Set-Up [1949]
Brides of Dracula [1960]
The Curse of the Werewolf [1961]
Phantom of the Opera [1962]
Paranoiac [1963]
The Kiss of the Vampire [1963]
Nightmare [1964]
Night Creatures [1962] (was Captain Clegg)
The Evil of Frankenstein [1964]
The Curse of Frankenstein [1957]
Dracula Has Risen from the Grave [1968]
Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed [1969]
Horror of Dracula [1958] (aka: Dracula)
The Mummy [1959]
Taste the Blood of Dracula [1970]

I also got all the InuYasha movies and the first 4 seasons. I might have also gotten all of Xena on DVD.

There will be reviews... eventually. There will also be icons, maybe.

Just finished off the first four chapters online of Small Favor. You can check it out here.

I'm so ready for this book to be out. Looks like we got another big bad and we might just see Gentleman Johnnie Marcone! I'm such a fangirl.

Okay, I tried using Fireftp with Firefox, hoping I wouldn't have to go to the trouble of uploading Dreamweaver on this laptop. So far, the files will only upload the first 5kb and then claim to be finished.

Anyone else have this problem?

Windows Vista is the most ass-backwards, counter-intuitive, piece of shit software to ever run across my field of vision in a long ass time. I had to go, open cmd [making sure to right-click it and open as administrator], type in a super-sekrit code just so the hidden Administrator account would be accessible. Because, apparently, just because you have admin access, doesn't actually mean you have admin access.

In conclusion, Bill Gates employs crack-monkeys to develop his software and shit.

eta: I have photoshop again!

Still having issues with editing theme layers on IJ. Tomorrow, when I'm not feeling so frustrated I'll try to open a support ticket again. Did I mention I had problems doing that?

In other frustrating news; hard coding font colors into your journal posts should get you a prime spot up against the wall. You wouldn't even get the blindfold and cigarette.

Can't get my theme layer to save and compile without timing out. Pretty damn sure that it's my connection.

Grr.

It sucks, because I think I've got the sidebar multi-tiered tags coded like I want, but I want to change the css concerning them. Grr.

But, um...( minor spoilers for Siren. )

p.s. I totally loved Supernatural!

I am addicted to the various history channels. Well, I had History International on in the background, and realized that it was John Glover narrating it. Yeah, that made me totally happy.

However, I'm not very happy about the fact that I don't have a John Glover related icon. Bad me!

Title: Lock. Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Writer: Guy Ritchie
Director: Guy Ritchie
Outline: Four London working class stiffs pool their money to put one in a high stakes card game, but things go wrong and they end up owing half a million pounds and having one week to come up with the cash.
Starring: Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Vinnie Jones, Nick Moran, Jason Statham


This is one of those movies I go to regardless of the mood I'm in. I always end up laughing my ass off. Honestly, from the first scene Bacon [Statham] became my favorite. I have a feeling it has something to do with the actor, since I loved his characters in The Italian Job and Cellular. However, I haven't actually got a chance to see The Transporter or Transporter 2. I plan to rectify this.

My second favorite character in this would have to be Big Chris [Jones]. Something about the contrast of being a dept collector and devoted father. I find a disproportional amount of giggles out of him taking his son out on jobs and the entire time nagging his son and others around him to watch their language and tone.

I did get a personal squee out of seeing Sting in this. Speaking of music, I totally loved the music in this movie.

• Foolish Wives [1922] [IMBD]
• Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels [1988] [IMBD]
• Nil by Mouth [1997] [IMBD]
• Nosferatu [1922] [IMBD]
• Prick Up Your Ears [1987] [IMBD]
• Sherlock [2002] [IMBD]

Not sure what order they'll be in, but I'll be getting to them. If you want me to review any specific movie, go ahead and let me know. If I don't have it, and you can't get it to me, then I'll do my best to track it down.

Title: Svengali
Writer: J. Grubb Alexander (writer), George L. Du Maurier (novel)
Director: Archie Mayo
Outline: Through hypnotism and telepathic mind control, a sinister music maestro controls the singing voice, but not the heart, of the woman he loves.
Starring: John Barrymore, Marian Marsh, Bramwell Fletcher

OMG. I nearly fell over giggling in some parts. And, I do believe they were supposed to be funny. Svengali [the character] was so very self-serving and willing to use anyone around him. It was too funny. I also loved the leading lady [that's rare for me in earlier films]. She was fun and sassy, and I actually liked the way she played her character while under Svengali's control. And, honestly, she was just so very adorable.

Honestly, if you really love unrepentant and wickedly funny villains along with adorably lovable leading ladies, I would so recommend this movie to you.

So, if you got a chance to see it, let me know what you think!

Title: Beyond the Rocks
Writer: Elinor Glyn (novel), Jack Cunningham (scenario)
Director: Sam Wood
Outline: A young woman marries an older millionaire and then falls in love with a handsome nobleman on her honeymoon.
Starring: Rudolph Valentino, Gloria Swanson, Robert Bolder

I am a sucker for silent films, so it was pretty much a sure shot that I would really like this. However, I ended up loving it. At first, I was wondering of Hector was supposed to come off as creepy and self-serving, because it seemed that way to me. However, I really started to feel for both he and Theodora after they did they're best to not act on their attraction and love [well, after a few slips].

When I really started to love the movie was when Josiah finds out about Hector and Theodora being in love. I really started to feel for him. Up until that point I thought it was pretty much just there as a plot device. However, it was his attempt [and success] at sacrificing himself so that the woman he loved could be happy with the man that she loved that made me feel for him and really start to love the movie.

This is definitely worth watching over and over again. Of course, I'm still giggling at the random insert of scene-appropriate sound effects [such as the clomping of hooves and yelling/cheering/murmuring of people]. The music, however, was beautiful.

So, if you got a chance to see it, let me know what you think!

Title: Ballet Shoes
Writer: Noel Streatfeild (novel), Heidi Thomas (screenplay)
Director: Sandra Goldbacher
Outline: [taken from imbd] The story of three orphan girls (Pauline, Petrova, and Posy), adopted by an eccentric explorer, Great Uncle Matthew, and his niece Sylvia, in 1930s London.
Starring: Emilia Fox, Victoria Wood, Emma Watson, Yasmin Paige, Lucy Boynton, Richard Griffiths, Marc Warren, Lucy Cohu, Gemma Jones, Harriet Walter, Eileen Atkins


Originally I wasn't going to see this, because it sounded too close to a chick-flick for my taste. I'm glad I did though.

I can't tell you if Emma Watson can actually pull off a character that doesn't end up sounding too close to Hermione Granger, because she seemed just the same to me. However, I'm one of those people who don't have a problem with the way she played Hermione, and I can't really watch a movie one time through and pick out how an actor does this character different from others they play. All I know is she didn't suck.

I figured if I liked this movie, it would be because of the bond of the three sisters. Don't get me wrong, I loved that part of it. But what really pulled me in was the romance between Sylvia Brown and John Simpson, and the character of Petrova.

Over-all, it is a bit of a chick-flick. a lot like something you might find on the Lifetime network, but it's really good and touching, in my opinion. I so want to get this on DVD.

So, if you got a chance to see it, let me know what you think!

Just finished watching Svengali and Beyond the Rocks. Loved them both. I'll be doing a review for each of them. Thank you Shannon and Gabrielle, you are dolls.

Reading the first chapter from the upcoming Dresden Files book is one of them. Check it out:

Small Favor