Fuzzy Thoughts

Redesign – HTML5 & CSS3 Crack

Michelle — Sat, 19 May 2012 02:56:28 +0000

Finally, the redesign for this year is complete, albeit only complete enough for putting up. There are some, continuity issues and well it’s only as done as the current state of browsers will let me be done.

But hell, it’s HTML5. Way more awesome than I thought. I can easily add elements as they become supported and the degrading. Oh my, the degrading is near enough to butter that I’m pretty sure this the best scripting crack yet.

And guess what!?! Only one IE hack needed! (I know, right?)

I’m exploring it all. I should have been more up on this, and I have been implementing little things. However, I put it off until I finished Dreamer’s War. TwentyEleven made that easy to do.

The theme is based off Toolbox, with a straight up HTML5 doctype.

The next website in my sights is waiting for some crack to be ladled on. That and orcs.

Orcs, I tell you.

Rest in Peace

Michelle — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:38:18 +0000

On Friday, May 11, my great-aunt, Margaret Armstrong, passed away. I’m not really sure how I feel about this. I barely knew her. My memories of her pretty much boil down to playing the fish in a toy fishing game we played during a family reunion. I think I was about 11. She was the woman hooking presents to the fishing line on the other side of the sheet hung in my grandparent’s hallway.

The reason that this was the only memory I had of her is because, at some point, she came out to my family she was gay. And in the same letter, she told us she never wanted to speak to any one of us again. Being very young at the time, I didn’t understand it. I just knew she didn’t ever want to speak to me again for a reason that, to me, didn’t make sense. I already knew she was gay, though, I can’t remember how I learned this. Probably the same way I learned about the letter, by pretending to be asleep, when the adults were talking. (Sorry, secrets’ out, I never actually slept all that much).

There is much more to this, but really, in this context, it’s unimportant. The fact is this; I was told that she would never talk to me again. Years later when another family member sent me a letter saying the same thing the night before my wedding, I felt the same way. They assume things about me that were untrue. Whether 11 or 20, both times I felt angry. They never considered that I wanted to continue to talk to them again, regardless of who they were, because they were my aunts. They were family. Every time a family member does something stupid to this degree, I can only shake my head. I don’t give two shakes, who you fuck, who you worship, or what floats the boat for you. Just because you do something stupid doesn’t make you the antichrist, I’m still here. I don’t plan on going away. Why is it so hard for people to act human?

Either way, my great-aunt is gone. I marked it in my GEDCOM file today. I hope she was happy and that life was good for her. I hope wherever she ends up that it will only mean good things. Over the years, I thought about her from time to time. I would have loved to talk to her about her military career and some of the people she knew. I’ll never get to, nor understand her choice. I know her letter shocked my parents and they were hurt about the accusations it contained. I never saw it. All I know is that she assumed we were homophobic, without actually getting to know who we were or who we were going to be. I won’t speak for anyone else, but for me, then and now, I wish she’d asked. I wouldn’t have minded having her and her partner around.

R.I.P

Beware the Ministry of Peace

You Are Expendable

Michelle — Fri, 11 May 2012 03:14:48 +0000

The worst part of working in a field that is other than your bliss, is that you tend to just throw up your hands every once in a while. Then those words come out of your mouth that, if a supervisor heard you, would get you a security escort right quick: “It’s just a job; I’ll fake it until I can get something better.”

Okay, you may have only thought this. Really though, it’s worse than that, because if you even have an inkling of these words, chances are your employer doesn’t care. That’s right, to them you are a warm body, and if you act like anything but a warm body, your job and, sadly, more importantly your health insurance goes out the window.

Add kids to that equation, and it gets worse. Though there is a shift in this country on wellness, no one told businesses this. Many treat a lack of PTO/Sick/Vacation time as a way to say you cannot miss work for any reason. Companies that have wellness incentives, in house gyms and in office nurses all sound good. And they are. But if you look, there are employees near the bottom of the ladder who isn’t allowed to take part. If they seek healthcare on company time they are booted without a thought. It may not even be company policy. It may just be that manager or that department. That gorilla is way more than 800 pounds.

Some of you have awesome employers. Many don’t. Many have to show up to work sick, or face being fired. How can you get decent health care like that? You can’t.

So, when I read the story of a woman whose breast had fallen off, I burst into tears. She had excellent insurance through her company, but could not take the time off work to get treatment. She died, but not before having to show up to an emergency room with her breast in a plastic bag, hoping someone could put it back on.

She was expendable. She knew it. We all are. The thing is that companies know this too. As someone who struggles to follow her bliss every single day, I worry about this. Healthcare is why I couldn’t stay at home and write. Don’t mistake me. I still have no insurance, and likely still won’t for the foreseeable future. However, I still have medical bills from 2006, and 2008 I am paying off. Paying those bills, while trying to pay for my own healthcare, forced me to get another job.

I’m one of the millions who live in a healthcare black hole. Medicaid is only available to me if I give up everything I have. I have been denied health insurance from all companies except for two. Both of those wanted more money than I make in a year to insure me. I pay out of pocket, and mostly go without.

But my biggest fear, that thing raises my stress level? That one day, something cannot be ignored, and I will be the one carrying the end of my life in a plastic bag into an ER, hoping that maybe someone can just patch it up.

Jobs aren’t worth that.

No related posts.

Out Sick

Michelle — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:40:31 +0000

Sorry it’s been quiet. I am sitting on a post that is difficult to write. Then I was out for the last few days with stomach flu. Also nearing deploying the redesign (the finished version) I accidentally left up while ill.

Still ill, actually.

Sent Out!

Michelle — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:43:31 +0000

I’ve started subbing Dreamer’s War today. Progress!

Query Letter Hell

Michelle — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:40:49 +0000

I know it’s been quiet here. I’ve been wrestling with write a query letter. The pitch part has eluded me so far, though I think I’ve almost got it. I want to give DR it’s best chances of getting to the reading stages. I think I have a strong beginning and the synopsis is shaping up.

In the mean time, I’m plugging away at BK. This novel has a lot of revisions to it and chapters still to write. So I’m trying to keep my head to the ground on this one.

Writing a Synopsis

Michelle — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:34:54 +0000

I’m at that point that it is time send my novel out. That means that I have to write a synposis, which, by many accounts, is dreaded bane of writers.

The thing is…I kind of did this first.

If you follow my Twitter feed, I’ve been posting updates as I have update my 15 page scene by scene outline after I revised the novel. Then I condesed it to a 6 page chapter by chapter synopsis. Finally, I condensed that to a 4 page, three act synopsis.

Now, I am afeared.

I have a one page synopsis, but is it right? Catchy enough? Will it sell?

I’m in unfamiliar territory and it has got me a little rattled. I plan to sumbit the synopsis to my critique group this week. Despite being afraid, I hope to start submitting next week. I’ve been reseaching agents and getting my ducks in a row.

Wish there was some kind of standard. Synopsis advice runs from single spaced to double, from emotionless chronological events to action packed list of emotional and logical motives.

It almost makes me dizzy. I will do the best I can and see what happens.

Matched by Ally Condie

Michelle — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:26:06 +0000

I picked up Matched at King Soopers and was plesantly surprised by this distopian teenage drama.

Unlike many of the YA books on distopias that have popped up in the last few years, Matched doesn’t put you in the awkward choice and cross purpose dilema.

Cassia likes her life despite the restrictions and issues her Society has, but when they begin to toy with her after being matched to her best friend, Cassia is put on a path that could change her life for ever.

I really liked the characters and how nothing was as cut and dry even at its best. I look forward to reading the sequels.

The Subtle Knife by Phillip Pullman

Michelle — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:43:31 +0000

The Subtle Knife is the second book in the His Dark Materials triology. Pullman introduces us to Will, a young boy on the run who stumbles into another world when he meets Lyra, lost after following her father from her own world.

The major players from The Golden Compass are still around but scattered. They are all trying to find Lyra and Asriel, her father.

Lyra takes a back seat in this book, deffering to Will in nearly every aspect. Most the book has the characters learning secrets of multiverse travel. We find that the church from Lyra’s world has there own alethiometers and can follow the rebellion without issue. Asriel has built a fortess (and maybe traveled in time, his resources and alliances are unclear) and has plans to destroy god.

The story appealed to my love of dark fantasy but I do wish that Lyra became more than a card board cut out. Otherwise I enjoyed this story more then the last one as Will is a much more rounded character.

Devil’s Cake Vol 1 by Angi Mauri

Michelle — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:59:38 +0000

I’ve been meaning to write this for awhile now. If I can ever get this book done, I’ll be writing a lot more. Still, let’s talk about Devil’s Cake.

First of all, I know Angi. Like in real life and such. I knew her online before that, though I didn’t realize I did. I bought the first book because I like pretty pictures. If you’ve read this blog at all (all two of you) then you know my like of pretty pictures.

Devil’s Cake is about Kea, the over studious student of a private school who is tortured, really it is torture, by Zoshi/Koshi some sort of something magical. The first volume is six chapters and centers on Kea for much of the time and her problems. The thing is, Koshi/Zoshi is chasing everyone away from Kea, isolating her from her own life. It’s hard to describe without ruining it. Vol 1 sets up the mystery, with a few tantalizing pieces of the puzzle.

With Angi’s art the book is really worth buying. And guess what!?! Vol 2 is coming out. And if you’re super impatient you can read it online as well.

Read the web comic / buy vol 2: http://devilscake.smackjeeves.com/

Buy Vol 1 / Buy Art Prints: http://devilscake.storenvy.com/

Still Here

Michelle — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 02:31:44 +0000

Crunch time to get this damn thing done. Reviews will be forthcoming.

No related posts.

Writing

Michelle — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:59:34 +0000

Many of you know I’m working on a novel. I’m working on line edits, and have some minor revisons based on beta reads I’m waiting on.

It’s almost done.

I’ve been working on this novel for 10 years. Why so long? Well funny enough a bachelors in English does not give you much insight on writing a novel. In some circles, it’s actually frowned upon. I wasn’t even sure I had a novel or (or three or four) in me until I’d been working on it for a year.

Writing takes practice. People practice on short stories, essays, articles, novel drafts and even blog posts. The novel is one of the most complicated pieces of writing around today….next to a sonnet. Sonnets are the hardest form of poetry imo.

It doesn’t seem like it should be complicated. After all, what is a short story but a mini 3 act novel?

The problem is that not every story is a 3 act novel.

It could be 6 or 9 or even 1 act. You may have three characters or 3000. You have to be able to sustain the story for tens of thousands of words or worse, hundreds of thousands of words. You have to plot, describe, and kick characters in the pants. You may write 100,000 words only find you forgot a whole nother view point you had to add or that you for got which side of a river the mountain was on.

I started Without Honor as a short story. Then I realized it was long enough for a novel. I got halfway through and found out that it was only half a novel and I had to write another half. Then I realized I needed maps, outlines, character sheets. Then I had to change the begining because the end had changed. Worse I changed the ending because I realized it was much more interesting if a pivitol character said no, and therefore had to change the beginning again.

Then after writing THE END. I found out that there were threads for reglion, and a sequal that had to be polished.

Over the years writing became soemthing I did, rather than something I just wanted to do. Yet, I still had to learn to spot the mistakes, to find my darlings and kill them, and to just know when something was way more workable than not at all. And I’m still wrong.

I have other novel manuscripts in various stages of done. They are going much faster simply because I took my bruises and learned. Lately, especially over the last four years, I find I have less time for other things because I must be writing. I will get this done. I will not stop.

I just hope it all leads somewhere.

Snow

Michelle — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:26:20 +0000

At least I’m dry now.

Riding RTD is a Crapshoot

Michelle — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:39:37 +0000

For the second day in a row, the 0 failed to show at 6:50 at 17th and Market. The 6:40 left early again and so three express buses came and went before the 0 at 7:00 was ready to leave.

RTD for the Denver metro is one of the worst run bus systems in the state. Drivers often don’t know their routes, and niether do the dispatches. Buses can not be tracked, route posters are indecipherable. Every long time rider knows the dreaded beep of a bus break down, where drivers are ignored until they can no longer use gravity to keep the bus going.

The bus system isn’t cheeper or faster than driving a car. The dispatchers are often rude and never seem to know what a stop number is. I’ve had drivers try to charge me double, give me expired transfers, and refuse to stop.

When I started riding the bus regularly two years ago, I could take a bus downtown and it took about an hour to get across town. Now it takes three buses and three hours to for a trip across town at leat two to get down town, one which must be a regional or an express.

We’re all waiting for fastraks, which should be called maybe one day traks. Rtd can’t write off late trains at least.

No related posts.

Awesome Replacing Thank You?

Michelle — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:55:45 +0000

The feature at Job of Irony yesterday was QA. What they look for what they want, etc. We listened to a few calls and did some group QA’s on them.

In one call there was an absense of the words ‘Thank You’. Many dinged the call for that but the head of QA shrugged her shoulders and said, “Well, she said awesome and that amounts to the same thing. It’s another way of saying thank you.”

The room was immeadiatly split. Half were outraged, the other half stopped short. We do say awesome in replace of thank you sometimes.

Some postulated that it was an age difference. However, the head of QA was over sixty and thought it was okay. There was a stratification of Southerners and East coasters who were against it but not all of them. In the end we all put it aside.

As I think on it though, I realize it has invaded popular speech in that way. My friends do it, I do it. We use it scarcasticly, to replace great. We say awesome when we are given things, or when things are done. It doesn’t happen all the time but it does happen.

There is always that moment when you realize you’ve been saying something in a certain way and it is not how you use to say it. Is it from TV? From the internet? From our region? From our background? I don’t know, but it is interesting.

Have you ever caught yourself saying thank you without actually saying those words?

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Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin

Michelle — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:20:48 +0000

I wanted so much more from A Dance with Dragons, I really did. What I got was a rehash of Feast with a tiny nibble towards the end of the book.

The hardest part about reading this book was that I had already read a lot of it. Most of it takes place during Feast so at best it was what someone else was doing and at worst the exact same chapter with the thought bubbles reversed. It wasn’t until Martin caught up with himself that the story started getting interesting again. Of course he does away with the only piece of information in Feast that was worth while. So you could skp Feast and get most of the pertinant information, though it might be worth while to read Arya’s chapters and and the end of Cersei’s.

As for Dance, the profficy continues, I’m not sure whether John is justified or not and frankly, I cheered for Greyjoy when he jumped the wall. There is no doubt that Martin is a great writer, but he can’t seem to separate the wheat from the chaff in his own writing.

Morning Pages

Michelle — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:13:53 +0000

Since I have some extra time in the mornings and I really should do more writing not just editing the novel, I thought I’d get back into the habit of morning pages. Also this is an excuse to post here every day. I warn you, no sense may be had.

I needed a coffee cup for Job of Irony. This is a green company, which is fancy talk for more trashcans with no idea what goes in which and we’ll charge you for cups, flatware, plates and bowls. Supposedly this is also a healthly company, but I can’t use those benefits yet. Except the vending machines which say they only stock healthy snacks. However, the nutrional value of the Snickers and Twix stocked in them don’t really fall into the realm of a “healthy snack”.

So I used to have a nice tea travel mug but some how all the parts are gone making it useless. Since I already have a humungo Camel water bottle, I wanted something smaller. Travel chopsticks and Hello Kitty travel flatware aside, I wanted something pretty.

Speaking of which, those ceramic tea and coffee travel mugs look beautiful! But really, how long do those even last? How do you not break them or die from the wieght of carrying those around?

I found this nice mug at Starbucks. It is small, only 8 oz. The lid fits well, and doesn’t do anything wierd like spout or well the coffee that misses your mouth back into the cup. But the bonus is that it is decorated by a rainbow scratch paper that you scratch your self. So I put stars, dragons and a creepy bear fox thing that stares at you from the corner. That way no one will steal it. (Or that’s what I tell myself).

ooo! I got my old bluetooth keyboard to work with my phone. It’s handy for just writing, like I am now. Not so much for the editng but at least that’s still happing. I officially hate the words come, just and look. Sucky stupid line edits.

I’ve put Manali and Memorial pages away long enough that I better get to editing them so I can send them out. That won’t take nearly so long but I’m afraid that Manali may grow to 10,000 words. Then what?

Okay, time for Job of Irony.

How to Write Comic Books by Peter David

Michelle — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:17:43 +0000

I love Peter David. His sense of humor and writing style was a dear friend during my high school years in form of Star Trek books. I have enjoyed his comics and his novels.

So when I saw this book I had to pick it up.

How to write for comic books is one of the most interesting writing books I’ve picked up. His basic advice on characters, plot, and writing are priceless and filled with interesting ancedotes about writing for Marvel. The book goes into detail on who to write for the major comic publishers, format, and selling your work as well.

For the general writer, his essays on creating characters are excellent. He shows you how to give a character depth and then provides examples from major comic characters such the Hulk. The examples are priceless and for this reason alone I’d recommend this book to any writer.

For those of you wanting to write for comics, this is a must read. David gives examples for full creators as well as collaborators and valuable industry information.

Prisoner’s Base by Rex Stout

Michelle — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 02:28:09 +0000

I first became fascinated by this story watching the Nero Wolfe series with Maury Chaykin and Timothy Hutton. Priscilla Eads comes by to stay with Wolfe and Goodwin until a certain. They turn her out and she ends up dead, but that’s not the worst part. No, it gets much worse as Archie tries to solve the murder case without the help of Wolfe.

The part that fascinates me is the game prisoner’s base. Trying to get from one point to another without being tagged is a thrill for nearly everyone. When Archie is honestly trying to save Sara, an associate / one time friend of Ms. Eads, he does the best he can from across town with only a 50′s era telephone system.

The show was very close to the book. I keep reading that part over and over. I’m weird like that.

No related posts.

Delving Back into Creatures 3

Michelle — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 03:43:03 +0000

In 1996 I encountered a game on sale called Creatures.

And my addiction was born.

It was an experiment in AI. You breed norns, taught them to eat, listen to you and to communicate. They had to fight grendels.

In Creatures 2, Ettins were introduced. As were color genes, and more mutations. Then came creatures 3.

Once upon a time, I lived on alt.games.creatures. I experimented with breeds and Grendel torture. I found easter eggs. Laughed and shared my cobs. I bought new breeds, got holiday packs, and stared at the brain in the vat. In 2006, after an ettin wolfling run, I closed shop.

Last week I found out a Creatures 4 may be coming. I reinstalled C3 and docking station. Ah memories.