Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
Christy - Could I thing it for uth?

I have no idea whatsoever what that means.

Squeaks - Nothing to do at work? I should have stopped by more often
this week. Maybe I'll swing by on the way to the theatre tonight.

Yep, it's opening night! I haven't gotten home before midnight once
this week. It's a damn good show though, and I'm really pleased with
it. If you're in the Bay Area, come on by! Info is at my site, so come
on by.

Adriana - you be so cute!

In other news, I'm very tired.
  

    
Thing, thing a thong
Thing out loud
Thing out Throng
Thing of good thingth not bad
Thing of happy not thad.
  

    
*BLUSHING* and then,
*HIDING*

You're all sweet.  

What was the piccolo reference?  I missed it somehow.  
  

    
http://neilgaiman.com/journal/journal.asp

Tuesday, June 17, 2003 

Neil's kids have "been convinced their father was several piccolo
players short of a full orchestra for many years"
  

    
Um, I play flute & piccolo, too.  Neil is actually a few piccolo
players over the regulation number, apparently.
  

    
Overachieving as usual, then.

Adriana -- I'm beginning to wonder what you DON'T play!

Dan -- Break their hearts and show no mercy!  (I always liked that
better than "Break a leg!"  Miss Havisham shows up in the weirdest
places....)

Glen -- Thanks for explaining it to him.  Obviously, all those late
nights have left him a little wombatty.

I'm really behind on responses, and seeing as I'll be away this
weekend, I expect to get even behinder.  So I hope you all won't laugh
at me for talking about so much old news, once I do get to post.

Have a good weekend, all.  I'll share a final bit of amusement with
you before I go off to pick a dress out, pack, get a last-minute
wedding gift, wonder for the umpteenth time whatever possessed me to
accept an invitation way the heck over in Pittsburgh for *this*
weekend, and drive up there listening to Neil read _Coraline_.  So
THAT's all right.
  

    
Holy crap.  Neil's son is *gorgeous*.  And, of course, clever and
witty.  And GORGEOUS.

Sigh.  Why oh why must I be halfway between their ages?  Neil, surely
you've got a younger brother somewhere.  A single one, who likes short
chicks who tease people.

-Christy, who is neither a stalker nor a lech, she promises.  ;)
  

    
Mike has a very nice girlfriend though.

I remember him as a chubby nine-year-old.  Don't tell anyone.
  

    
I totally don't play the Theremin, but I'm willing to try.  

Mary, I agree.  Even one piccolo can be too many. 
  

    


From Holley Nowell:



Is there a pic somewhere of Neil's son? You made me curious.

I do seem to recall in some interview or another about Neil's last name that
he does have a brother. It did not say if he is older or younger or his
marital status or what he looks like.

I'd need an older brother though. Neil is younger than I am. Which makes his
son WAY younger than I am. Dear Me.


Oh. And I COMPLETED the wall in the living room and the bars over the patio
and now all I have to do is figure out an appropriate window treatment. Then
finish painting the rest of the ceiling and the living room will be done.
I've sorta started ripping out the wallpaper (very ugly) in the kitchen and
painting the primer on the walls thus exposed and I'm planning on starting
the lavender walls and ceilings of the 2 bedrooms. I'm going on vacation the
first week in July so I can hopefully complete everything then. Except the
kitchen which I hadn't originally planned to redo but there's only so much of
ugly wallpaper you can take. I may, if the bedrooms go quickly, get the
kitchen repainted as well. We shall see.
  

    
So the mosue on my iMac is acting all squirelly. I am remembering now
why keyboard shortcuts are a good thing, but it's a Mac. I am somewhat
hindered by the fact that dood--it's a mac. You need a functioning
mouse. Grr.

Also? Word to the wise: if you tell a small Mexican named Luis to hack
off all your hair? He will. I was aiming for more Allison Mack circa
April 2003, less Jean Seberg circa 1959. I imagine in a few weeks, when
it's grown out a bit, I will be a bit more philosophical about looking
like a punk-y Joan of Arc. 

http://www.loony-archivist.com/pics/jeansebergcut.jpg

In the meantime, this shall simply give me more incentive to join a
gym and get less squishy, so that the Mia Farrow in "Rosemary's Baby"
hair will look more cute and less butch, as it is currently adorning
someone shaped a bit more like Janine Garafolo...

In other news: wow. Mike G. done growed up. How come kids do that when
we're not looking? Damn them!

And I caved, and went to Women & Children First bookstore (Jeff
Mariotte has shamed me into forsaking chains and supporting independant
booksellers, and Booksense.com makes this much, much easier, I will
admit...) for their Harry Potter party and got a copy of the new book.
Unlike most of my friends, however, I will not be staying up all night
to read, as I am meeting friends for sushi tomorrow and then must
locate Gay-Mart for a suitable "Wonder Woman" gift for a friend's
graduation party that evening (she shares my amazing amazon adoration).
In fact, I'll probably not start reading it until next week, as I am
1/3rd of the way through _Thrilling Tales_ anthology right now, and any
spare minute is being spent at the keyboard trying to finish the first
draft of a 35,000 "Firefly" novella, so I'm just reading bits in bed
before I fall asleep... So, anthology first, Harry Potter second.

wow. rambly me.
  

    
Dodgy -- Mike's page is referenced on Neil's journal.  (I am still
just skimming; I haven't read and followed ALL the links since my new
assignment started in mid-April.  But I will, you know I will....)

Tara -- I don't know who Jean Seberg was, but I doubt she had blue
tips.  <g>

You're writing a book?  You're cool.

Congrats to your graduating friend.  I used to *worship* Wonder Woman
when I was six; had a golden lasso and everything.  My brother even got
me the first five issues of the early-90's run of WW for my 23rd
birthday... trouble was, the first story arc was SIX issues, so I was
left hanging.  Not from a golden lasso.  I simply LOVED the Greek
mythology background, though.  (It was in discussing this with
Benja-brother and a friend, in fact, that I first heard of _Sandman_. 
Ben said it had a lot of mythology references, I was intrigued, and
eventually Ben lent me #50.  Still haven't started on the series yet,
though, but judging from AG, I probably won't GET most of the
references.)

And so, you see, Tara...







...


















I can ramble with the best of 'em.  ;)

-Christy, who just finished _Dave Barry Slept Here_ and has started on
(mm)'s _The Stand In_.
  

    
Yay!  I won the latest limerick contest in <pre.vue.>!


Just for the record.
  

    
OK, more recent posts first.

Maure and Pam, glad you got to paint Vegas red.  Although Dodge
probably would have painted it pink, or peach.

Squeaks -- Sorry to hear about the last rat (and the table).  My mom's
kitten squeaks, so you might have some luck with that idea.  :)

I know what you mean about being behind on festival preparations.  I'm
supposed to be catching a flight out *this Friday* for the Cornerstone
festival (after a jaunt up to the Creation festival on Thursday --
both of these mainly to see Steve "Christy's Stalkee" Taylor do
concerts for the first time since 1996 -- he disappears every few years
like Brigadoon or the band Boston), and I haven't even started packing
or buying camping supplies yet.  I don't have time!  AAH!

Neil -- I talked to both my mom and my brother last weekend, and they
both asked for you.  Ben is going to be at Comicon, and I got to tell
him that you'll be there, too!  (I'm a latecomer, you remember; Ben's
been in awe of your talent for *years*.)

Dan -- How'd it go?

Safety -- Post.
  

    
Adriana -- Nice pics!  And how are things going with your mom?

Tara -- Your iMac has a mosque??  Oh no -- wait -- you said mosue.  My
mistake.

TFTP, by the way.  And percussionists who buy you ice cream sound very
cool.

Dan <827> -- Will you buy me ice cream?  I don't have any theatrical
connections, but... er... I bought Maddy ice cream once.

Maure -- Hope you're better now!  Ditto Dan's "Great pics" comment,
too.

Martha -- Glad to see opening night went well.  I guess tonight was/is
your second panel, too.  Details!  (And you did mention "Cold Calls"
an age ago, and I read it and liked it.)

Your director's comment sounds like what we get in the Composers'
Society of Montgomery County (linked in my bio); the players we hire
don't often get to play music by _living_ composers!

Oh!  The Baker prize reception was last night, wasn't it?  Please tell
us about *that*, too, and congrats!

I think I'd better get to bed.  More later.  Cya!
  

    
Ooh, one last thing, from skimming the blog just now --

Some NY appearances?  YESSSSS!!  And here I thought I probably
wouldn't see Neil until sometime in 2004, IF I was lucky.  <triumphant
little dance> Yay yay YAY!

(Too bad the Washington, DC thing won't work out, but hey, I've
learned to be grateful for anything that isn't in Chicago or freakin'
California!)  (Maybe I should go check out Terry, though.  And I did
meet Michael Dirda last year....)

OK.  Going.

-Christy

"Meanwhile, way the hell over in Finland or someplace, Vikings were
forming."  --  Dave Barry
  

    
(Not Mary or Adriana, I hasten to note, we wouldn't want to lose
either of them.)

Been fighting a roving respiratory infection for weeks and weeks and
weeks and weeks and... You didn't miss a post, Christy, I've been so
tired and cranky and whiny (can you tell?) that I've been doing the
stuff I had to and lurking here but neglecting my friends all around.

Dept. of Things I Have Done (Just) For Myself Lately: I hung and
started the cuckoo clock. It was a gift from a friend 20-odd years ago,
an honest-to-goodness Black Forest clock, and I had it up in various
homes until the place before this one when I'd packed it Safely Away
(TM) for a move. I just found it again (in the box with the Wedgwood
pieces I'm planning to sell on eBay), so I cleaned it up and hung it in
the dining room. The tick-tock is oddly comforting and I still like
the tone of the bird.

And just about a week ago I was idly cruising eBay and tripped over an
auction in its last 15 minutes--for a full set of Captain Confederacy
issues, near-mint, at a price I could beat without having to grit my
teeth at all, so those are now one of Chip's gifts for his birthday
next month. (CC was a SteelDragon Press comic, by Will Shetterly and
Vince Stone and a few issues by this John M. Ford guy.)

Of course, this being the year that we finally bought a couple of
rainbarrels for under the two main downspouts, we've had so much
rain--not a week completely clear since the snow melted--that they're
constantly overflowing, but _everything_ in my garden is growing well.
(Some things are a little scary, really--the common violets are 12-15"
high and HUGE, and the goldenrod will be taller than I am in another
few weeks.) The peonies seem to be lasting forever this year, and the
siberian iris have really taken hold. Also, the roses started about a
week ago, Golden Showers and Peace first, then the old roses, and the
others are just about to open if we really get sun tomorrow as
expected.

Pam, belated thanks for that marvelous WisCon report <753>; I was so
hoping you'd find yourself "come home" there... You did _not_ buy too
many books, you were able to carry your entire lot of acquisitions out
of the Dealers' Room without any help at all. (NEIL: It turns out that
our Reformed WisCon Virgin is also a DWJ virgin, whodathunkit? so I
made sure that _Fire & Hemlock_ was on that stack since it's my
favorite but I think you get to tell her which one next.) And I'm
utterly enchanted by the concept of retributional deification--if I'm
willing to accord someone status in some minor pantheon, do I get to
choose how they achieve it, and their attributes and aspects? The
possibilities are delightful, bwahahahaha.
  Also glad you and Maure left some of Vegas standing while you were
having all that fun.

Christy, I'll tell you what we can do: come World Fantasy Con, we'll
pick an evening (maybe Wednesday night? if the rest of everyone will be
in a little early), and you and I (and Chip), and Mike and Elise, and
Walker, and Neil if he makes it, can all settle ourselves into a decent
bar for a few hours of conversation, and we'll all teach you about
single malts. Heh. And I will personally guarantee your safe return
home, even if that means I have to stop early myself. Whaddaya think?
  Yay for winning the limerick round! "Regrettable" just seems to fit
the entire concept of limerick, doesn't it?
  Have you thought about coming up to NYC for New York Is Book Country
in September? I'm going down for that weekend; maybe we could sort out
some plans?
  I'm glad the Choir cover is still in progress, even if it does sound
like you're having a Learning Experience getting it built.
  I can't find where anyone else answered your query about Elise's
poetry, but I know where "Femme Thang" is on the web at
http://mango.lioness.net/elise/femme.html. It seriously rocks.

Martha, huzzah for good opening nights! I'd also like to hear how the
panels went--?? What you're supposed to do about that grant is write a
play... (says I, blithely skimming right by the _work_ involved, from
my position of safely-across-the-continent). It's too bad that they
don't have a solid commitment to produce it once you've written it, but
we know it'll be that good. Your opening night for a full-length play
would be a grand reason for a meet-up out there, y'know.

Tara, I think sleek-with-blue-fringe looks good on you, very sharp.
  

    
Christy: nah, I'm the epitome of not cool *lol.* It's only fan
fiction, and it's not quite a book--just a novella. I'm still working
my way up to being able to plot an actual novel. Pacing gives me fits.
Been writing for fun since I was 12, and doing the fanfic thing since I
was 17 or so. And you're right--I suspect the blue does take it a bit
beyond Jean Seberg :) I got a new mouse (or mosque) from RadioShed
yesterday, and that seems to have brought an end to my iMac woes for
the moment. And Rick the percussionist is very sweet. I had a blast
handing out with him after the two Janah shows I went to. Wishing now
I'd gotten to see the band sooner--as Mary has been trying to get me to
go for ages and ages. But I suppose things happen when they do for a
reason... Congrats on the limerick contest!

davey: thanks! I'm a bit calmer about the shorn locks today than I
have been. Having much sticky fun with styling products...
  

    
erm... make that "hanging out" (grr silly typos that make me sound
vaguely lewd grr)
  

    
Since I have no idea when she'll get here, I'll pass on the good news
on her behalf. Miss Mousey's ratty is better! Turns out a big reason
for her brush with the Big Cheese was that she couldn't chew her food.
So our own ever lovin' mistress of mice has been boiling down the
ratfood into a paste and the little dear is recovering.

Ironic though, that a testy finger biting rat can't chew...

Christy - Show went GREAT. Little fobs here and there, but we got
called back for a second curtain call on both nights, which is a great
way to start a five weekend run. Rehearsals for my next show have begun
in earnest, though, so the next few weeks promise to be particularly
intense.

And yes, I will buy you ice cream. come out and see the show and I'll
buy it for you afterwards! (yes, everything is shameless self
promotion)

Davey - The idea that Golden Showers and Peace follow a week after the
roses begin to arrive... that just creates images that are difficult
to wrap my brain around this early on a Monday. Yes, I'm a sick bugger,
but we all knew that, didn't we?

Tara - don't worry, we know you're not Vaguely Lewd. But I personally
have hope that with a little training, you will not only be Vaguely
Lewd, but Positively Naughty, and maybe even some day Deliciously
Sinful.
  

    



From HOLLEY NOWELL:


Tara: Have you looked into getting a Wonder Woman doll? Mattel makes 'em.
They're a Barbie Doll dressed as WW with the little blue skirt and the long
cape and all the rest. A very nice doll.

Tinymonster: Thanks for the info on the pic of Neil's son. Haven't found it
yet but will continue looking.
  

    
Hello everyone!  I'm back from Amsterdam.  The city was awsome. It was
my fifth visit and I still haven't seen it all.. but this time I
really tried.

Missed Neil's visit by a just a bit and missed him again in NYC when
he stopped by on the 30th. [Dammit!]  But he's coming back!  YIPPEEE!
And at the new Borders... hopefully it won't be reminicent of the
fiasco B&N inflicted on itself when he visited for CORALINE. Even the
old Borders at WTC didn't throw people out when the signing went on
into the wee hours.  I am so looking foward to WOLVES IN THE WALLS.   

By the way, there's warm buttery yellow paint named Coraline and I
think it's by Behr.  I was stunned to see it on a paint swatch while
watching "Designing for the Sexes" on House & Garden TV. Hey, they give
me some great ideas to pitch to my customers when they can't visualize
what to do with an unusual space. *grin*


Dan:  I really hope you're feeling better...that 2ft. snake thingy is
e-vil. [shudder]

Mousey:  Do you still have that t-shirt?  Made mine into a pillow and
it disappeared on me. 

Martha:  Congratulations! 

Holly:  The price of that pvc skirt is nothing, I just saw a piece of
Sandman art signed by Neil that I used to own go for $1600+ on eBay.  I
sold it 12 years ago for about $150.  ;p  
And cats should never wear clothes. Never.  Mine said so. And she's
right.  She's always right! 

Tara - I vote for "Deliciously Sinful" and imagine all the fun you'll
have working towards it. 

Dear Excessively Hetero - Spike Jonze can't do enough stuff. I loved
"Prise You" when he pretended to be the leader of a dorky community
dance troupe, but the best was the video with Bjork..and it's a classic
song whose name I can't remember right this minute.  Arrgh!

David:  You can't go wrong with GOOD OMENS.  Really.

Christy: Check out Jean Seberg in "Joan of Arc" or "Breathless" she
was an amazing actress whose career was very short lived. Just so you
know, Richard Gere starred a remake of the latter but we'll all just
pretend that it didn't happen. Like I'm doing with any Star Wars
episode after "Empire Strikes Back." 

Adriana - RE #847...you do?  The horror!  

Has anyone else picked up the tribute to Alan Moore that's currently
in the comic shops?  If not, don't miss out. Wickedly funny in places. 

Oh, guess we can stop building the ark now..it's finally dried out in
the City and I'm going to put on some SPF 50 and catch some rays.

One more thing, the ANIMATRIX rocks!  'Nuff said. ;>

  
  

    
Welcome back Rocky!

Yes, feeling much better. The two foot titanium snake with the claws
on the end is now just a memory... like the "bug" in Neo's belly in the
first Matrix.

Holy shit, that thing is REAL?
  

    
Tara -- At least now you're catching your typos before I can make fun
of them.  ;)

Neil did a magic trick?  Cool!  I should have known he'd eventually
learn a couple, having read about so many of them.  So what was it, a
coin trick?

Neil -- Glad to hear how well MirrorMask is going.  Feel free to be as
"boring" about it as you like!

And it seems my question in <783> ended up being answered on the
Journal, thanks to Georgiana.  (I'm glad you were able to reassure her,
Neil.  You were so sweet!)  The answer being:  not quite (rats!), but
getting better (good).  Still sending lots of strengthening hugs your
way, and I hope your family give you lots of nice shoulder-rubs.  Tell
'em I said so.  ;)

Had a good weekend; went to the wedding of the first non-roommate
friend I made in college.  (You Know You're at a Wedding Reception Full
of RenFest Geeks When:  The dancing starts, and several girls jump up
and start clog-dancing to the rock and roll.  <g>)  And Coraline was a
very good driving companion.  "What an extraordinary child."

And I think I just might like Stephin Merrit (sp?), judging from what
I've heard so far.

Posting so I can go get some dessert.
  

    
Mousey (via Dan) -- Glad to hear about the rat!

Dan -- Glad to hear about the show!  Good job!  (And maybe SOMEday
I'll get to see you in one....)

Holley -- I had a WW doll when I was a kid!  Got it for Christmas when
I was 6.  I think it was by Mego.

Strange that I ended up living about 20 minutes away from Lynda
Carter.

Soy milk tastes like pancake batter.  Just so you know.  Not that this
is a bad thing.

Too sleepy to post anything else... 'night, all.

Christy