Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
Catching up on 176 posts in one sitting is hard.

Um, belated yays to Martha and a brief menage a ouch. 

Mary, yay car!

Dan, re: PS2 - It could be worse. You could have access to an X Box,
with a boyfriend who decided to be *nice* and buy you the Buffy the
Vampire Slayer game. Needless to say, his quilt was not done in time
for his 40th birthday, nor by Flying Baby With Arsenal Day, nor even by
the time I left on holiday. *Nice* in*deed*.

(ah, nothing like the lovely sounds of swearing at traffic outside to
make a girl feel like she's still at home)

Pam - had a long-winded thing to say about feeling 'dismissed', but
realized after a couple of paragraphs that I really wasn't saying
anything useful. So I think I'll just stick to the <hugs> and hope
that's something.

<pictures NightWalker in pink> And then my brain exploded,
appropriately on a Tuesday, and on the wrong side of the world even.

Dan - Funny though, once you've seen the X2 trailer 5 times, you feel
like you've seen the movie. And the websight is dead good! (so long as
all the bits are working - though they may just be opening up bits of
it at a time leading up to the opening)

Erynn - Ooh, sweetie, I'm so sorry for you dad. My grandmother's
dearest friend went through something similar a few years back. Hope he
recovers more than is expected and <hugs> aplenty.

In other news, I'm in the wrong hemisphere now. It's BLOODY HOT (which
I rather like, but in Feb?), and I'm reading all the posts with this
funny little accent - er, better not call it funny, the fabulous Miss
Tree could be reading this later and she'll start picking on ME for
talking funny down here. Incidentally, she says hello and sends out
well wishes to everyone here.

Australia is neat. And I'm hardly even jet lagged. OOOOH! And I got to
see SOOOO many GINORMOUS BATTIES flying outside the window last night!

Neil - please get well soon. And if it makes you feel a little better
in that whole 'misery loves company' way, my first outing in Australia
is to the doctor's office down the road to hopefully cure a mysterious
pain in one of my kidneys (NOT fun on the plane ride over!)

Off to make appointments.

squeaks (who's practicing saying 'arse' because it's funny)
p.s. anyone know if there's truth to the rumour that if you *request*
a multi-region dvd player in australia, they are required by law to
sell it to you?
  

    
Ok Squeaks... as a kidney stone sufferer, you have my utmost
sympathies and well wishes.

but you get no sympahties from me for being in Australia.
Lucky duck.
  

    
hey, what the hell? The Well ate my other post!
Weird...

anyway, I'll try to retype what I recall saying.

Erynn - Hope to have you in an audience some day, sans dating, as I
don't want the hubby to beat me with sticks.

I am so sorry to hear about your Dad, and hope that the does indeed
make a full recovery. I find that whole prospect just terrifying, and a
subject that has been coming up an awful lot lately. (an acquaintance
is apparantly dealing with the beginning stages of MS, and that thought
of watching something like that coming, knowing what lies ahead, gives
me the heebie jeebies)

...
arse
  

    
Squeaks!  I was just thinking about you!  It's a good time to be in
Australia (she says as she prepares to navigate her way home on roads
with snow taking up half the lanes).  How long are you over there for?

Ouch on the kidney thing!  I hope you feel better soon.

Y'know, there's a Well user called (arse).  (Short for Arsenio.)

Say hi to Tree!

Slipped by Dan.  When it rains, it pours.
  

    
Erynn--I'm so sorry about your dad.  Hope he's well soon!  And it's
good to "see" you--when the weather gets better, perhaps the Suspects
will have to road trip to Indiana......

Squeaks--have a wonderful time, and don't be sick!  ;-)

Neil--I'm so sorry you're not getting better faster.  Sending more
get-well beams your way.  (If you listen to that Janah CD, it'll cure
what ails you  ;-)  )  When we saw the band last week, Keith, the lead
singer, said he got the copy of AG I sent him, but since they're in the
studio right now, he hasn't read it yet.  I'll keep you posted  ;-) 
He was very amused by the idea that I gave you their CD, and them your
book--he says it's an art exchange. 

Just for the record, Janah was amazing, again, last Thursday.  New CD
is due this summer.  It was a lovely, refreshing change after 3.5 hours
of Civil War Hell the night before.

Pclarkson--found a place online that has them for $5.99, and I only
need about 25, so I'm using the $100 I get to buy things for my
classroom to buy them.  Our only vendors, apparently, are textbook
publishers.  But I finally got my Tube map from the London Transport
Museum.  Yay!

Must crash--our Parish mission is going on at church (tonight we
learned that Mary was a poor Jewish refugee who *did not have blonde
hair*) and I'm pooped.  It's really good, it's just that I have to get
up at 5:00 a.m., and I can't stay up this late.

Mary (not the refugee chick) (still struggling through 2 Years Before
the Mast)   
  

    
(My above post *should* have read: some days.  And, should have
included a get well to Neil.  Some days.)

Mary- it is good you found the copies and the map.

Miss-Mousey- hello (and to Tree, too.)  Have a great trip.

WorldLink has been showing footage from Iraq which included a brief
shot of a Temple of Ishtar (one of four).  It was quite beautiful,
turquoise and stone, but had suffered damage during the last war.  I
had been wondering about the sites and repercussions of such actions.
(not to mention the people, animals and ecosystem.) 

It seems our areas first Neil Gaiman meet-up has been cancelled.  
                                                               pc 
  

    
Mary: won't he B&N or Borders in your neck of the woods give you a
discount for volume of purchase AND since it's for school, perhaps make
it non-taxable?

Dan: Unfortunately, with my theater venue, it seems the only way to
get bodies into seat for plays is to have a cast made up of a large
number of children or it needs to be religious organization presenting
the production (with a large cast of children). Do know one of the
other library theaters usually has a better turnout for plays held in
their venue however it seats about a 100 less than mine and it has the
reputation/built in audience for plays. A couple of the library theater
managers sat around one day talking about attendance at plays, seems
it's easier to get people in to see films than a live performance. Some
were attributing it to the dumbing down of America.

Erynn: Hugs and well wishes for you and your father. Hopefully he's on
the road to recovery.

Maure: June in Vegas is hot (but not quite the inferno that July and
August can be). Bring sunscreen and drink lots of water. As it gets
closer to your visit - email and I'll put together "some things you
might want to do..."

Miss Mousey: As the lovely Kiwi boy Mark says, you can really get some
emotion behind saying "arse" and, as a plus, it's just a fun sounding
word. Have a lovely time in Australia and don't eat to many tim-tams.

Suzanne
(who used a case of insomnia to catch up on posts...)
  

    
Patricia - After the Gulf War there were many reports regarding the
destruction or theft of valuable historical artifacts from important
Iraqi archeological sites including the ancient city of Nineveh. And if
the horror of war and the unnecessary cost in human lives wasn’t bad
enough; then the perhaps the destruction of the Cradle of Civilization
should give us pause?  Sadly it doesn’t. 

http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/nineveh/

Erynn - All my best wishes to you for your father's recovery.  
  

    
Suzanne, it's maddening, isn't it? Well, all I can do is keep trying
to produce work that people will want to see and hope for word of mouth
will do the trick.
...
well, that and date lots of non-theatre going women and hope for a
ripple effect.
*wink*
  

    
Dan, 
Have you thought about children? A nice healthy number say 10 or 12?
Or have you considered joining a religious organization? ::winks::

Word of mouth is great... especially if you don't have a large (or
little over nil) advertising/promotion budget.  One relies on the
kindness of strangers and should that fail, the ol' faberge shampoo ad
(I told one friend and they told one friend etc -- yeah really dating
myself here) really is a godsend.
  

    
Anyone still in touch with Linda?  I think Dave Barry just linked to
her X-rated garden gnome.  (See Saturday's entry under "TASTEFULNESS
UPDATE" at http://davebarry.blogspot.com/ ).

That boy's gonna get me fired, I swear.
  

    
Tree says - YAY! Hello Well-people.

The kidney pain is gone (stupid evil UTI that was supposed to be gone
but wasn't and then attacked my kidney - but only the upper half of the
left one... weird). Only 6 more days of antibiotics and staying out of
the sun (at the hottest time of the year in Oz, with only hundreds of
outdoor things to do, of course). But yeah, I'm okay, and I have a cool
hat.

Seeing how I was able to infect this gang with 'arse' (yay!), it has
been suggested that you all join in the weasel conga song. Long car
rides with a hungry Tree can lead to strange songs being sung to
torment her boy. (come on, it'll be bigger than hampster dance!)

Neil - quit being sick. Just tell the meningitis to go away, because I
said so. And because Tree said so. (<-- and you don't want to mess
with that one)

Okay, time for pancakes.
squeaks, still upside down.
  

    
Hey, gang, I've been thinkin'...

Given that Neil's only been able to get on the computer for a few
minutes at a time, it seems unlikely that he'll get onto the Well and
see all our good wishes for him until he's better.  But he does seem to
be using that little window of time to check his e-mail.

I want to copy all the nice things we've said to him this past week
into an e-mail, so he can read them now when he could use them the
most.  Since this is a crowd that cares about copyright and all that,
though, I just want to make sure this is OK with everyone.  I don't see
why it wouldn't be; the messages will just be going to the original
intended recipient, after all, but I thought it'd be polite to let you
all know first.

If anyone does have an objection, please say so before tomorrow
morning.

-Christy

P.S.  I owe some of you hello's and various comments.  Maybe tomorrow;
I think I'll be having a snow day.  * * *
  

    
Christy, I think that's the best idea I've heard all week. Add in
another hug or dozen from me when you send it, please? (Anything else I
might think of to say will keep until I have enough brain to figure
out what it is.)

I probably won't get caught up on the rest of the conversation until
the weekend. Stay well, the rest of y'all, OK?
  

    
Suzanne ... *grin* 
I forget just how much of my history and my opinions I've made known
here. *wagging finger*

Christy ... as long as I get royalties. I want 5%
  

    
I'll have to agree with Dan.  When the "Big Book of Get Well Wishes
(featuring Neil Gaiman)" gets published I expect my cut.  

In all seriousness, I'm sad to hear about your illness, Neil - but at
least you are at home with family - not still on a European book tour.


On a completely unrelated note, I still need to figure out what I'm
going to be for my friend's daughter's Bat Mitzvah Celebration Time
Travelers Ball.  The directions are to come in either historical garb
or as your favorite time traveler.  

Since my friend told me about it just after Donnie Darko, my first
thought was to run out and get a psycho rabbit costume, but I've got no
idea where to get a mask like that - nor do I think I'm talented
enough to do the face makeup right.
  

    

Well, I took the "What SF writer will you marry? " quiz via the link
on Neil's blog..and wouldn't you know it..

Results: The only one for you is Neil Gaiman! Yeah, too bad for you
he's married. But you can join the ranks of screaming fan girls just in
case anyways. Check him out at: http://neilgaiman.com

I've never been a screaming fan grrrl, but it's nice to know I have
excellent taste in reading material.  ;p

Neil - So glad you got home before that evil bug bit you! All my best
wishes for a speedy recovery. Sending some healing chicken soup type
vibes out you. (Hey, it couldn't hurt!) 
  

    
Rocky- Thanks for the great link!
Will you be going to see Tori at Radio City Music Hall?  
I took the quiz and managed to get Neil, too. Go figure.

Christy- You *do* have the best ideas. If you contact Neil again, let
him know that Dr. Balch (_Rx for Nutritional Healing_) recommends
drinking fresh pineapple juice for the inflammation.

Suzanne- Reading and writing posts when you had insomnia was a very
good idea. It is always nice to hear from you.

My son surprised me with the Sandman postcard set today. It is
impossible for me to choose a favorite, and may be hard to actually
send out any of them.                                    pc
  

    
Rocky - Er... I got Neil too on that quiz.

Hrm.

Stop looking at me like that, dammit.
  

    
Whew!  Crazy busy, and not much time to be online lately.  So I
confess that I've only caught up with the past 50 or so posts.  Sorry
if I missed something important for someone.

First things first.  Neil!  I'm so sorry!  I had no idea you were so
desperately, hideously sick.  Sending heartfelt Well-wishes for comfort
and hasty healing.

Christy: I think the combined email to Neil is a lovely idea, and
please send my belated ones along, too.

All: Thanks so much for your responses regarding the "dismissed" post
and the post regarding creator/created.  It seems to be fairly
unanimous among both online and non-online friends that the disparity
between an artist's perceptivity in his/her art and life must be
similar to the same reasons we can all see other people's issues so
much more clearly than our own.

Martha: Hello again!  Nice to hear from you.

All SF Wellies: Walker and I are planning an Expedition to your fair
and foggy city 'round about the weekend of March 21st.  Anybody for
getting together?  Pretty please?

Is anybody planning to go to Wiscon?  I've been trying to get there
for the past couple years, but this year I'm *determined*.  Roomate(s)
would be welcome.

Maure:  We would *love* to alleviate your Las Vegas ennui with our own
eccentric selves.  And I did my own part for the economy last night by
buying a drop-dead Gothy outfit which I am probably much too old to
wear, but am determined to anyway. ;-)

Davey: Less work at WFC = more time with friends = Wheee! for us!  It
was mucho fun to talk to you Live From the Hard Rock With Walker last
night! 

Christy: Yay! for cheap car repairs.  It was so cute the way you
described it.  I had a very rude shock late last year: having to
suddenly replace the radiator and having my car broken into and CD
stereo stolen was *not* easy on the wallet, so I'm happy for anyone
whose auto adventures turn out happier.

Erynn: I have close friends who used to run what sound like excellent
Murder Mystery parties/weekends professionally, in Ohio.  Shame you
couldn't have been in the same place at the same time.  And I'm so very
sorry to hear about your dad, but happy to hear that the prognosis is
good.  *beams* to him and your family.

Miss Mousey:  I'm quite certain that your post on "dismissed" was
*very* helpful.  I'm constantly impressed by how well you express
yourself, and how clearly you see things.  And... Walker in *pink*??? 
What'd I miss?  He's got a green beard, these days.  

Glad to hear that the kidney pain is gone.  And YAY! and Hugs! to all
FOG's Down Under, Ginormous Batties and all.

Stagewalker: Do actors actually date non-actors?  I'm so
disillusioned.  And, for documenting the terrible loss of being stalked
by illnesses which steal so much from people... I highly recommend the
movie IRIS, a film about Iris Murdoch.  Kate Winslet and the Lioness
Judy Dench are stunning, as is Jim Broadbent.

And... Hail and Welcome! to all the newbies.  I'm sorry I missed your
initial posts. 

Suzanne and Miss Mousey:  Well, I've been working on a credible
"Arsebiscuits!" as a favorite phrase for all number of situations.

Walker: Neil?  I refuse to go anywhere near that quiz.  Gods know who
I might end up with.  's much too terrifying.

Wishing everybody a lovely, renewing weekend.
  

    
Separate post for News from the LAFOG front (as originally posted on
my blog).  Kindly allow me to brag on Adriana's behalf.
   
     *

We went to see The Endless play another gig at the Crooked Bar on
Saturday night, and had a blast.  Adriana and her husband Dave have
been closeted up at home writing for a few months, and they debuted
some of their new material Saturday, as well as playing old crowd
favorites.

I *loved* their new stuff.  The Endless have definitely moved forward
toward synthesizing and clarifying a sound and texture that feels
uniquely their own.  Adriana is witchy on stage--both compelling and
fey.  And their lyrics take you to that borderland that you inhabit all
alone--the place in the dark in the middle of the night where you are
all your best and worst at once.  Their music has grown, too, weaving
under and over Adriana's singing, matching mood for mood, power for
power.  Onstage, Dave has his own magic.  He's the Gatekeeper to
Adriana's Otherland, both anchoring her and moving us elsewhere,
keeping you off balance with sudden shocks like an electronic cello
opening that hits hard and then a lyrical bridge that lures you back.

As a person and an artist, I prefer the things that aren't so easily
defined.  The Endless are like that.  Adriana and Dave are like that.

And I like that alot.

Bravo!
  

    
All -- Sent the first crop of wishes to Neil yesterday, and am sending
all the new ones in a few minutes.  Thanks so much.

For the record, I believe the e-mail address I'm using is the same one
the FAQs come in on.  That's how I figured he was reading it; he was
answering FAQs whenever he popped online.  So I'm sure he'd see
anything sent that way.

Talk more later.

Christy

P.S.  Not that I mind being the Emissary of Well-ness.  (I love being
able to do nice things for someone who blesses me so impressively much.
 :)    )  Just wanted y'all to know there's a quicker way to get a
message to him than my sleep-deprived bum.
  

    
Okay.  So I broke under peer pressure, and took the quiz.

Kelly Link is my one and only.

JOY, JOY, HAPPINESS!!!

*twirl around until you're dizzy, and then fall at the feet of the
goddess she is...*

Of everyone here, prolly only Walker and Davey truly appreciate this
moment for me.
  

    
Am amused that Neil is a "raconteur d'histoire".  Am shocked that I
was able to read as much of the French article as I was.  Memorizing
all of Eddie Izzard's comedy routines *is* useful, see?  So there.

Christy--thanks for sending the get-wells to Himself.  He must be
completely stir-crazy by now.

*I* wanna see the Endless live.  Come tour, dammit!  And hire Pamela
to write your publicity material.  Great review!

I have a 3-day weekend!  I have a 3-day weekend!  It's Casimir Pulaski
Day on Monday in the great city of Chicago.  Just remember, we're "The
City That Works".

Am too tired to live.  Buggering off home now to sleep for a few dozen
hours.

Mary (who will apparently be reading Two Years Before the Mast well
into her 40's)
  

    
Pam - re: "drop-dead Gothy outfit" ...too old to wear? Er... ahh, no.

Not in the slightest. Fit you perfectly. Looked fantastic.

*wipes corner of mouth*

Yeah... anyways... getting Kelly Link is mucho-cool for you. Right on!

Davey - re: WFC... all right, fine. I'll go. I mean, why the hell not?
I can always use an excuse to check out the Smithsonian, too.

Mouse - Glad the pain is gone... and what's wrong with me wearing
pink? I happen to know, I look fantastic in a hot-pink baseball cap, as
long as there are two 1-1/2 foot tall bunny ears on either side of it
of course. So, exactly how big were the battie-bat-bats?

Maure - Vegas, baby. Vegas. I still want to convince you to join the
frolicking fun and insanity that is Blue Man Group. I know Pam is going
when we go to Vegas... but that's because I'm forcibly going to drag
her if I have to. I could drag you too, if you really want...

Mary - I want to see The Endless as well, and I live in the same damn
city. I think I'm destined not to see them. This past show, I was busy
celebrating my friend's 30th birthday (and Renewal Ceremony) by taking
him to a surprise party at a laser tag arena.

Off to look at SF plans...