Writing in the Dark

You know a household is serious about their Christmas decorations when:

not only are they the brightest lights, over flowing with Stuff from several stories but

they have multiple moving homemade apparatuses over a story high

and they have a crane.

If you are curious and in or near SF, go down 21st street between Sanchez and Church sometime. I'll be going back with a proper camera to get pictures and video. It is truly ridiculous. Also, I get the impression that they are about 2/3 done. It looks like a large train set is coming soon, and who knows what else to add to the ferris wheel and random golf-ball pipe-thing. Mad

Thanks Gail



It's not just the smoothness and skill and acrobatics, I'm impresssd by the seamless intersection of genres.

This year makes 20 years since I first started working faire(s). ( Read more... )

Just at MOMA (NYC)today and discovered that members and their guests can enter the Tim Burton exhibition (open to the public on Sunday, when we will have left) any day this week! Since membership plus a guest for the day is basically 2 trips for 2 people within a year it will pay for itself! So we can go on Friday! Score!

MOMA has a Tim Burton Exhibition that opens the day we leave. ARG!!!!!

Just when you think you're sort of functional with your ADD and aren't losing everything every day... enter toddler who likes to take things (especially exciting things like keys, wallets and phones) out of bags and put them in new and exciting places. Last ime my phone was in my shoe. Where is it this time?

This morning I was listening to a mix of Irish fiddle music on my Ipod player thing at a fairly mellow volume. I paused it, was playing with kiddo for a few moments. All of a sudden the player is playing "Live and Let Die" at full volume.

That was not in the mix. I didn't even realize it was on the pod. But... no remote- nothing. Kiddo playing with remote would make sense, but the remote was just sitting there by the player.

Interesting.

...at least coke ads are



check out the bit at 40 seconds. Things that would get people locked up here.

Can-Canners at Dickens traditionally have a naughty pun stage name. edge_of_within is one of the Hymen brothers (Pierce D.), and his brother is Buster. Jeremy's Escort Service's girls are similar Mona Lot, and Prudence Moorhead ("when you're in London, ask for More head".

I've started a list of pun-promising Victorian names: Mabel (U. Later), Olive (Oi Love ____), Hellen (Hell in ___), Ida, Grace, Mary (May Re___). Willa (Will I ___), Ora (Ora L. ____). Harriet (Hurry it ____ or Harry It __). Random- Patience, Chastity, I'd like to stick Victorian, better if Irish. The other trick is making the second name somewhat reasonable as an actual British name if possible. Hmmm... "Cherry" is listed as a Victorian girl's name... also Icy, Tiny... so many possibilities.

So... what silly naughty Victorian pun names can you come up with?

I'm leaning towards Hellen something. Hellen Bed is perhaps not enough of a last name. Thinking... Hell in...

I also have a character dilemma. ( Read more... )

Woot. So good to get a decent workout too... though in normal shape it wouldn't be a workout, but right now, just right. Yay can canning!

Topher is amused. Really, besides the actual fun of doing it is the resume list I get to do:

costume retail
bouncer
preschool gymnastics teacher (plus general gymnastics coach/personal trainer)
massage therapist
artist
illustrator/graphic designer
substitute teacher
bagel slinger
tight rope walker
miniature food maker
provocateur (hawker at Faire)
art tutor/teacher
Scum
can-can dancer

no, artists do not get real jobs.
can can dancer

On Cake wrecks (where there are more Steampunk cakes.

thanks Rebecca!



Must upload a picture from Sam and Liz's rehearsal dinner cake! Cat and monkey in teacup (monkey pouring bourbon into same) on top of a "Adventures of Sam and Liz" book which was all properly dogeared with a mug stain on it. Awesome!

Not fully conscious today, trying to get project done though.

My man is incredibly awesome. So lucky. More and more.

In other awesome, he ran across this artist- Liu Bolin. Wow.







In 2005, when he was living in Beijing’s northeastern village of Suojiacun, the Chinese government decided to bulldoze the area and displace Bolin and a hundred or so other artists from their homes. “Hiding in the City” is a direct result of this experience and a creative reaction to the persecution of artists in China. (By Brandt on 02-08-2009, Weirdasianews)

My current art project goes well. Need to think about the art that really impacts me and what's been in my head for a while. It occurs to me there is usually a person in it- performative. Need to do some of that.

Anthony's Cookies, on Valencia at 25th. SO GOOD. Yummy. Yummy Yummy.

Cinnamon ones. OMG YUM.

Go get Foo's Book!

Foo is all kinds of awesome and I fully expect her book to be. It's already got a starred Publisher's Weekly review. For those of you who are sticklers for historical accuracy, let it be known that (as an archeologist and person who likes things just so) Foo is too. And bring the witty banter.

Soulless is due on the shelves in 6 days, Amazon ships in 4 (there is a kindle edition), and a few brick & mortars around the world have already pipped the post! It helps her rankings muchly the more people pre-order on Amazon or who buy the book on the first day- so if you're thinking about it, don't wait!

So far it's got a starred review in Publishers weekly and a smattering of many other positive reviews. website. Online paper doll

blurb:

Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she is being rudely attacked by a vampire to whom she has not been properly introduced!

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire, and the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate. With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible.

Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

My friend "Gail Carriger" (pen name) has produced the cutest little web-thing to go with her soon-to-be-released book Souless".

Alexa Victorian Dress Up Doll. She even has a tea set.

For those of you who helped us move...

what has not ceased to surprise me was that to my knowledge no one commented on this: