avg_gay_guy99

Here's a little Funny to help FList Friends on the Mend

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:32:59 GMT

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to two peeps on my FList. cattleworks I hope the drugs are awesome! gelybi69 I hope your ironic condition corrects itself with the proper medical advice. Even though Gely is a friend on my other LJ, best to give a shout-out for fairly similar circumstances (though not conditions).

Laughter often can be the best medicine, but don't hurt yourself laughing. I claim no responsibility. Nor does my health insurance policy.

Just watch crazy Susan from [title of show] begin her new part-time job. She's awesome. Some might say, contagious.

Broadway is getting cool again. Thank you Susan.

You will also be relieved to know that I'm in the middle of getting the second TAR ep of this season committed to disc. But I fucked up and forgot to hit stop on the last segment because I was typing this entry. Due to training (and the holidays) Ep Recaps are total back-burner right now. I apologize. However, the more eps I can get on disc, the closer I am to watching them (and recapping them).

Also, a small gripe. Broadway.com had their regular-joe review of A Little Night Music's opening on Sunday...

...and pardon me Deanna, but are you REALLY a "huge, huge fan of Sondheim"? Truly? HONESTLY? If you were a fan of the esteemed and legendary composer, you should have listened to his most critically acclaimed scores, let alone his Tony-winning scores by this point in your life. I realize the show is from '73, but "huge" Sondheim fans would have heard more of this score than Send in the Clowns. I mean, c'mon... casual Sondheim fans are probably more familiar with this score than you! Um, Miller's Son? A Weekend in the Country? The latter being one of his best Act One finale numbers (after Sunday and A Little Priest). Pardon me, Deanna, but Liar Liar, Pants on Fire!

For the uninitiated -- AWESOME SONGS!!! -- These are all HIGHLY recommended "gateway" songs to the brilliance of Sondheim.
A Weekend in the Country - New York City Opera - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZutBlUXUDI
Miller's Son - NYCO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouB_SMP0ziA
and for good comedic measure, You Must Meet My Wife - NYCO - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFm_LSTXlaQ

And the finales:
Sunday - (Sunday in the Park with George) concert version - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITPu7rV9h80 (apologies, I can't find a vid of the show that features the characters promenading through the park and ultimately re-creating Georges Suerat's painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte". When done properly, it sends chills down your spine)
A Little Priest - Sweeney Todd - Concert - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4z9i3R7UAQ (how else to you get your audience to sympathize with fantasies of mass-murder and cannibalism? Very dark Sondheim humor, of course) Here's the LuPone concert version with George Hearn (with better audio) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnnVd3wgTX0&feature=related

Sorry... I had to. I'm like that sometimes.

It's a special two chapter RESULTS episode!

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:43:44 GMT

Ah, the wonders of Reality TV, where they broadcast an extra hour or five just to prolong the suspense. Sadly, these chapters feature no musical numbers by has-been contestants (losers), obscure celebrities, D-listers clapping on cue in the audience, or 7-minute commercial breaks every two minutes.

It's just two chapters. And it's kind of silly to post one without posting the other. Wolfgang needs a father, and a family. What did the blood test show?

CHAPTER 14 - NEWS
http://www.nl-fiction.com/viewstory.php?sid=374&chapter=14
CHAPTER 15 - THE SURPRISED PARTY
http://www.nl-fiction.com/viewstory.php?sid=374&chapter=15

The Days of Wine & Roses

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:36:36 GMT

It was such a pleasure not having to stress about this chapter yesterday evening when I got home from work. It was lovely. I thought this one might require so heavy rewrites as it sat awaiting the editor's critical eye all week, but... I'm happy with it. I like what it has to say. And I like how it's said.

And, as I've said in other forums, it must be remembered that as far as the boys are concerned, it's still August. in the world of THAT LOOK.

CHAPTER 44 - REST
http://www.nl-fiction.com/viewstory.php?sid=281&chapter=44

Why? Because I must. I am compelled

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 06:36:30 GMT

Even chickens deserve a chance at love.

Flippa is phenomenal!

I'll add to this throughout the day

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:30:06 GMT

It's very very late right now. I took a nap earlier while waching the DVR. It's very full right now because I've got every ep of TAR15 on there and have been very lazy about moving them to disc. I watched Arsenic and Old Lace. I recorded it the other night and will probably move that to disc as well. It's a very funny play, and the movie could have been much funnier if Cary Grant's performance weren't so over the top with his screwball comedy antics. It's a classic. And it's very funny.

Napping at that point in the evening led to something inevitable--being up this late. I sat down to work a bit on an unfinished chapter of FH&C. I struggled over two pages for as many hours. Or more. It began very well. But the transition to the last half of the chapter continually did not work. Then all of a sudden it did. And the chapter took a turn in an unplanned direction, tonally.

I just came back in from a smoke to sit and write this. A thought occurred to me while smoking. The trouble I had with the previous chapter was borne out in this one. The tone originally in the previous chapter was wrong. The gathering scene was headed in the wrong direction. One character was stealing the limelight and was ultimately reduced to only a few lines. That same character plays a significant role in this chapter, and it cannot be diminished. The tone I wanted to create in the previous chapter (before the change) was to exist as such here. I couldn't support it. Thus, the chapter took the unexpected turn here.

EXPLICIT SPOILER: As the old saying (loosely) goes, beware of Greeks bearing gifts. Likewise, the son ought to be HIGHLY suspicious of gifts being presented to him. Especially considering his relationship with the gift-givers these last many years. Despite his reliably kind-hearted nature, this man has considerable emotional baggage to deal with.

Gratefully, as I've outlined the chat two chapters from here, I can support the changed tone. I'm on the fence, though, regarding who the narrator for that chapter should be. It's currently assigned to one character, and may stay that way because of an event that comes a short time later. Ultimately, it will hinge upon how much I want to live in that person's head at that point of the story. Is it better to have the narrator be a more objective 3rd party? Or should it be one of the impacted parties? So many things to consider.

In a review response earlier when I published the latest (I don't reply to chapter reviews until I post the next one) I tipped my hand a little regarding my writing process:
Thank you, my lovely resident conspiracy theorist! It's always nice to know who we're hearing from in these chapters and who we aren't. That's the lovely part of writing in the 2nd person. It's always a choice that needs to be carefully considered. Why are we hearing from so-and-so, and not a different so-an-so? Are there secrets there? Hmmm...
It's an honest reply there, to be sure. A little pot-stirring as well, lest I reveal my intentions with the story.

EXPLICIT SPOILER: Is it any wonder that up until this (published) point in the story, a certain vitally important character has NOT has a POV chapter? That is completely on purpose. I am absolutely toying with my readers. It is very Roshomon. To this point in the story, we are only getting second-person narrative accounts of the person in question. The readers need to decide what that person's intentions are based on what the other's think/say about them. I am consciously manipulating my readers with my choice of narrative style. It's fun. Especially since I know (and have not put anywhere on any paper) what the TRUTH is.

I expect to make some good progress with the next couple chapters. It will necessarily slow down again when I have to build a chapter around an outside source. That is going to be tricky. Gratefully, I know how it's going to happen, I just don't have the words. That chapter is a few away. No stressing about it now..

It's late, and nearly sleep time...again. Since I got most of my chores done today, I can devote a lot of time tomorrow to writing. But I might try to bang out a short chapter before I go back to sleep. I'm pretty energized right now about FH&C, so I think I can get 'er dun.

MORE TO COME...

Wine sounds like a good idea

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:31:00 GMT

...but of course I have none.

But no matter, I have a chapter to post instead. One chapter instead of the three I originally planned today. But no matter, the others will be coming. So here's the chapter, and now I must return to chores. Hooray for me.

CHAPTER 13- WAITING
http://www.nl-fiction.com/viewstory.php?sid=374&chapter=13

Unforseen circumstances

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:07:30 GMT

Yesterday, those included a power outage (before I got home from work) and a cable outage (lasted late into the evening), enabling me to get a LOT of reading done. I finished the assigned book in question this evening. I read the last half of the 442 page book in about 30 hours time. (aren't I awesome? whatever) Now I can get back to a few other things I have to do.

Edit the next chapter of That Look. It may need a complete rewrite.
Edit the next chapter of FH&C. Write further into the story than I am. I've changed some pre-determined publishing dates. Some readers may object.
Write the last three TAR recaps. Ugh. That's going to take HOURS!
Sleep
Eat
Frost Cookies
Decorate for the holidays.
Laundry
Housework
Watch this week's VL eps. I scanned the boards, and I really have nothing to add.
I may share a letter to Santa with my Gentle Readers that I posted on the Das Erste site this weekend. Things are not kosher in the Ollian FANtasy land. Many people upset. Even after Rebecca's foray into watersports.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with those passages in that mysterious book I found to be illuminating.

ETA: I liked the book for the most part.
sylvanwitch , have I told you lately how freakin' awesome you are? The book was more apt than I would have figured. Particularly, as the mysteries therein began to become revealed, and as a certain lady grew ill. Well done, my friend, well done! This is why you have the title you do. So smart. Poor Dick!

Just Desserts

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 06:09:00 GMT

Congrats to the winners of the Race!

All recaps will appear this week. I humbly apologize for the delay, but life (and fics) has gotten in the way. And with no Simpsons and Family Guy this evening, less to watch on the DVR. I'm watching the Round Table on today's Stephanopolufagus right now. I think I'll let OLTL get backed up in the DVR this week so I can focus on other priorities.

I even have a draft of the next chapter of That Look. On the other hand, I'm falling behind with FH&C, but where I am with the story right now, that will pretty much write itself, and I can focus on that this week. And I haven't had much time to read that pesky book the last few days. Still stuck in the same place, but I intend to step away from the computer tonight and read. My ironing is done for work tomorrow and my bag mostly packed.

In other news, I bought a comfy fleece jacket at WalMart last night. And a new hat and gloves for my bike riding so I don't freeze on the bike or get sick.

Time for a shower before curling up in bed to read.

Come one! Come all!

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 08:30:44 GMT

Truth be told, one can only delay the inevitable in all situations only so long. Like writing this chapter for instance. It had to happen, and it did, now that I finally figured out HOW to write it.

Remember when I complained months ago about writing sex chapters? That complaint still holds. It's all about trying to find a theme and a narrative framework to fit the sex into. Especially since each successive chapter lately deals with sexuality. There is one line in here where the author inserts some editorializing snark. Can you find it? You should be able to quite easily.

It should be noted, I don't dislike writing this story. Any weariness is from the anticipation of having to write it. I still love the Tiny Bed series, but 20,000 words to describe sex...can be exhausting. But I do like this story. I do. My gentle readers should understand, however, that once I'm done with this story...no PWP stories for the boys for a long...long time.

CHAPTER 43 - RELIEF
http://www.nl-fiction.com/viewstory.php?sid=281&chapter=43

Still Tired

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:51:53 GMT

And damn I still need to write a chapter of That Look. Oh, and post it. Tonight. Sheesh.

Hopefully the music helps. (I think it did, I'm editing now.)

On a RL note, one of my mom's friends suffered a HUGE loss this week. Not only is she going through a divorce from her piece of shit husband, but her father passed away this week, perhaps two days ago. We found out tonight that her mother died today as well. Ouch. Both parents were in their 80's. Very sad.

Tired

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:58:15 GMT

I'm tired.

Well, I didn't get nearly as much writing done this "weekend" as I'd hoped. Just half a page. I wound up reading a lot of old chapters of That Look to see how clearly I'd described certain parts of the boys' anatomies. Yes, we're getting to the part where they are out in the open. FINALLY.

I haven't done any other reading.

I spent all day yesterday doing laundry. We got a new oven today. My DVR is empty. I haven't dubbed any TAR eps onto disc. Maybe saturday. I haven't written the last two recaps. Maybe I'll do one tomorrow. I also have about a months' worth of Wait Wait to listen to.

I don't want to work tomorrow. But I must. And now I must run cuz I'm tired. Laterz.

With many Apologies

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:42:05 GMT

Again, a week without a TAR recap. I watched this week as well...very late, but tomorrow is my fifth day to work in a row. When you're not used to it, it wears on you, especially when you consider my days up until I get home from work have been raging on about 14-15 hours. I'm pooped. Maybe we'll see them both by Saturday. Maybe.

My DVR is getting full again.

On a good note, I am making very good progress with the mysterious book that I began to try to read last week. The introduction was torture. And I don't mind dense reading. This was...ugh. The book itself is rather an easy read. I have found many of the useful qualities of the book that were recommended to me. It's regretful that ultimately, reading the last half of the book is pointless for reasons that will become apparent later. But I shall finish it. I'm roughly 183 pages in (out of 442) and about to begin Chapter 24. My only complaint about the book, the author's editorializing in some places.

My gentle readers should note also, last week at Borders, I purchased a Hardcover book at a deeply reduced rate of $7.99. A collection by Miss Jane Austen, containing Pride & Prejudice (sans Zombies) and Sense & Sensibility. (sans Sea Monsters). It's on my night table, but no plans to read that in the near future. I should note, however, to my dismay, my least favorite episode in the book, where Lydia prattles away in the carriage...is LONGER in Austen's treatment than in the Zombies version. May Providence be kind to me, and my patience great as I try (eventually) to overcome my Prejudices.

Nothing else new to report...except that the science channel has entirely too many commercials on for their "game" show Head Games, with host Greg Proops (sp?) who has one of the most annoying voices and laughs. I won't be tuning in, despite it's minor educational promise.

I'm tired. I might not read tonight. I read last night, hoping to fall asleep. I didn't until hours later.

Okay...It's just about time to turn off the computer and climb into bed. I'm pretty damn tired. Nite!

Getting Closer

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:57:29 GMT

Whew! Another deadline I haven't missed!

We now return to the Ollian bedroom, as the boys continue their long long night of lovemaking. And to think it's only been since August that Christian walked into the flat to discover Olli sitting there waiting to explain what was in store for them.

What is in store for our blissful lovers for the next 1500 words? Find out now!

THAT LOOK
CHAPTER 42 - TONGUES
http://www.nl-fiction.com/viewstory.php?sid=281&chapter=42

GOLD! (updated)

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:29:37 GMT

There is gold down in that there garage!

'Tis the season to schlep the X-mas decorations up from the garage. Thank god they are just modest decoraions we put up here at home.

There are some old boxes I haven't taken a peek at in years, non-Christmas boxes. I opened them today. I struck some meager gold--things I have been looking for for quite a while.

First off, my friend whose b-day was just a couple weeks ago, I found the MAD magazines in question. Those are still in the garage, but I know exactly where they are. Hopefully, you will get that snarky birthday poem by Solstice.

The next find wasn't quite gold, but it shall provide some enjoyment. No, it's not porn. It's a second-hand book that came to me AGES ago. The Reader's Disgest Treasury of American Humor. The copyright reads...the year I was born. It's a collection of witticisms we no longer find in books that have collected them. These days they are only found on quote-a-day calendars.

Here's a sample:
When a certain Southerner announced that he was "a favorite son," one of his enemies roared, "That's the greatest unfinished sentence in the history of the Southland!"

The real gold, and what I have long-feared was sitting in a trash heap somewhere else in the nation, were some old cassettes. Some bootlegs of shows I've seen, including two notorious "fragments" tapes where the voice-activation was turned on, and the three hour and fifteen minute long Les Miserables was reduced to about twenty minutes. Oops. That was the second show it happened to that day. That was not a good day in Toronto. Considering how much we didn't like Aspects of Love, the less heard of that performance the better.

Other tapes in that small box are OBC's including Pajama Game, OLC's of Cats, Into the Woods, JC Superstar, more bootlegs, some from amateur productions I've been in (chorus parts, naturally). Needless to say, I'm glad I'll have the opportunity to digitize them.

Okay, it's almost time to go out to eat. Happy Turkey day! Hope you all have enough to eat, and enjoy a good day off.

Update: the roomie and I shared an untraditional dinner--at one of the nearby buffets that happened to be open today. I had sweet & sour chicken, then a taco, plus the requisite pumpkin pie. I stuffed myself.

I've been dying for chinese for the longest time. I would have had chinese about a month ago when my work-wife from my old hometown was in town for a convention. Unfortunately, she didn't bother to mention she already ate when I was on my way to pick her up. We stopped so I could grab some Subway that night. Plus she dragged one of her co-workers with us...suprise! Ugh. So much for the two of us catching up. Instead I got to watch the two of them souvenir shop. Exciting.

I popped The Pajama Game in the tape player. I've missed this soundtrack. What I've heard of the Harry Connick Jr version from a couple years ago, I haven't cared too much for. The original recording with John Raitt and Janis Paige does enough for me.

Today was a holiday exactly the way I prefer them. A day off from work where I don't have to do stupid shit like carving a turkey or do dishes for hours for six people. I even got in a nap for a couple hours this afternoon. Not that I'm anti-social, but holidays really are for children, and they're too much of a fuss for my taste. That doesn't mean I have anything against cooking for friends, I've done it on a number of occasions. I just prefer not doing it on the holidays. Turkey gets boring. And the expectation is that you MUST have twice as many side dishes as you do guests. And then you are required to eat leftovers for the next two weeks, because guests often don't want to take leftovers with them. Whatever.

If someone invites me over to their house, fine. I don't even mind helping with the dishes when I'm a guest--I was raised that way. As long as there is a dishwasher. And as long as I don't have to do them ALL. I don't even mind bringing ONE dish.

I've got a couple hours to get some writing done while I've got a load of laundry in. Time to get right on that!

I'm a pimp, too!

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 03:39:34 GMT

I did beta for this story. It was very good to begin with. It stars a very cool customer. And it's about a very bad thing.

Nicely done Silverkit! Kudos on the Sondheim quote!

YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
http://www.nl-fiction.com/viewstory.php?sid=400

The stars of this story...

Ka-reeeepy. With a capital KA.

Fie on you, I Curse!

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:53:17 GMT

Don't worry, I'm not cursing anyone.

I'm just listing to "The Mystery of Edwin Drood". I've even gone on to randomly program a track for my Datchery and Murderer on the playlist. How embarrassing if they're the same person! And how quaint that the late (and Murdered!) George Rose as the "Chairman" calls my CD player a "sound device" on the track before the first Datchery's "Out on a Limerick". Geez, the show is nearly 25 years old!

It really is a fun show if you ever have a chance to see it. And be sure that you vote for Neville and Helena to be the show's romantic couple at the end of the evening. It's very funny. (they're twins!) But that means you need to vote for other characters as the murderer and as Datchery at that performance. (The lovers' song is not on the CD.)

I love Rupert Holmes' score. (Yes, the same one from the Pina Colada song, "Escape") Patter songs and ballads styled after the late 19th Century British music hall tradition. Not as satisfying as a really good Gilbert & Sullivan score, but it's certainly worth listening to and seeing more than a few times--even at high schools.

How I would have loved to play Jasper in my youth. *sigh* Sadly, I never would have been cast in the role. I am no matinee idol, which is required of the role.

Lucky for me, in a few minutes I get to find out how I "[solved] this Dickens of a crime." (Bazzard as Datchery. Who is the murderer? The good Rev. Crisparkle. Yay!)

Did you not believe me months ago when I confessed to you that I was a bit of a nerd. It's true!

In other theatre news, Sondheim's "A Little Night Music" began previews at the Walter Kerr theatre last night in NYC with Angela Lansbury as Mme. Armfeldt. The first performance of that show on Broadway in about 35 years--HOW that happened, going so long without a revival, I cannot explain, but people have been buzzing about a revival for more than a decade. FINALLY.

I want to go to NYC. I want to see this show. I know I'll like it, Trevor Nunn is directing it. If it were Hal Prince (again), I would consider NOT seeing it. I saw Phantom the second time to make sure I didn't like it. I've seen Kiss of the Spider Woman, the Joel Gray tour of Cabaret in '87, and several other shows he's directed, and I've found them all emotionally stale and unaffecting. Dumb, but pretty. But back to Sondheim!

A favorite line from the show? On the London original cast recording, in "The Glamorous Life", Hermione Gingold's wry delivery of "Mother's misguided, la la la." I hope they keep that rewrite in the revival. That means Lansbury will have it.

Wow...I am blathering on entirely too much about show tunes. No matter, it's my day off. And I'm trying to edit chapter nine of FH&C before I post it. As I've read today, I've picked up on a theme or two that need development later in the story.

And now for some TV stuff.

Including OLTL, which I'm DVR'ing these days, my DVR is all caught up at this moment except for HIMYM from Monday, and V from last night. One Life to Live is amusing. In the three weeks it's been a feature of my DVR, THREE consecutive days have passed. Election Night lasted nearly two weeks. The following day lasted about a week. And yesterday and today are Thanksgiving. Those of you complaining about how long it's taking for time to pass in That Look, just figure that Olli is a fan of the story pacing on OLTL. I picked a good time to start watching too: a major death occurred, which has pretty much explained to me all of the family interrelations of all the characters. I certainly can do without the Todd/Tea/Ross/Dani story. Tea bugs the shit out of me, same as her bitch of a daughter. I'm down with the rest of the show. That and I tend to fast-forward through the Mitch Lawrence scenes. Roscoe Born (Mitch) was a character I enjoyed 20 years ago on Santa Barbara, but his character here is just...blech!...too slimy for my tastes.

And back to writing

I think I've tweaked enough of the new FH&C chapter. I was really really concerned about two of the transitions. With luck, I've mitigated the suddenness of those transitions to retain some of the narrator's emotional sense of what's happening. The middle part of the chap was a little, "huh? where is this coming from?' With not many words added, I hope I've clarified enough for it to make sense.

Time to edit, print, re-read, and hopefully publish!

Good news update...

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:25:51 GMT

FH&C status report:

I think I may have found myself out of the morass I was in with the new troublesome chapter, the chapter with the gathering. Two characters cut, the action was simplified, I nearly took a left turn at Albuquerque that would have undermined a later chapter, but it turned into a silver (not gold) moment. There's always a way to polish it into something shinier. It ended the way I wanted, and perhaps a bit better. I might need to add some mystery to the end, regarding motivations. We'll see.

The chapter requires a bit of editing. There are some sloppy words in there, but those are so much better than a chapter that's choppy, sloppy, haphazzard, directionless, tone-deaf, overcrowded, and many other bad things.

Most happily, the sit-com was cancelled! The sit-com nature of the previous draft was nearly completely taken away. Mainly because the character starring in that inappropriate use of a word doc was downsized to two lines. The joke that must be there is still in there, though I may need to polish that a bit more to get the wording right.

I also feel compelled to add a new chapter immediately following. This will allow for the sit-com star to do his/her thing when it might be tonally appropriate.

A public shout-out to sylvanwitchfor coming to my rescue with my Literature 911! plea. I needed a literary suggestion, and true to form, she came though with FLYING COLORS. It set my mind spinning with possibilities! Danke! Thank you! Grazi! Merci! You are awesome beyond words!

Meanwhile, the end of the story is taking shape in my head. Today was revelatory. I suspect a private post over a zamwriteris in order. I just need to find me a way to get from here (in the story) to there (the end of the story).

I've Got Good News and Bad news

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:45:17 GMT

The bad news first: no recap tonight. I've watched the episode, but I don't have it in my to write the recap. Not based on the results, just that I'm tired.

The good news: I stayed up too late writing a fouth complete draft of a troublesome chapter. Thankfully, it came together organizationally. There are some looping thoughts in there that I need to make some decisions about. Uncertainty is in the air--appropriately within the story at that point. I just need to decide whether the chapter is as focused and concise as it can be under those circumstances. In the just-published Chapter 8, Christian's POV did a similar looping thing. My readers seemed to respond. Of course that chapter had a few rewrites as well, it took a while to get there.

I'm pretty satisfied with the chapters that followed the fourth draft. One needs a little more narration in a key point, otherwise what precedes it seems a bit disingenuous.

I wanted to get to bed early last night, to back up just a wee bit in my narration here. I got away from the computer with a real live paper notebook and began to outline what the fourth draft would look like: what did I like of what was already there, what needed to go, and then how to reorganize it? Forutnately, as I got halfway through the first outline, I knew where I needed to begin, and then how to better integrate the other elements within that. Although I thought the old opening couple lines were strong, they were moved later into the chapter. They didn't get cut, so I am glad.

I suspect I may do the same with the gathering scene tonight. That half-written chapter is one holy mess! And a sit-com. It can't be a sitcom since the story doesn't lend itself to that kind of neatly-wrapped storytelling. Writing the sit-com cheats the readers, first, and it cheats the story because there are wasted story opportunities left in its wake. It makes the story un-dynamic, and I can't have that. There are important events that can be told better. I haven't yet figured out HOW.

So, gentle readers, there you have some less-cryptic fic spoilers than usual. They don't reveal much, but when my more perceptive gentle readers get to that point in the story, they might understand better what went into writing that part of it.

I do appreciate having the ability to stand back from my stories and have words for what I'm trying to accomplish, and understand why decisions are being made. I'm still an amateur at this sort of thing, but I am seeing something of a discipline in what I'm trying to accomplish with my fics. One thing I'm recognizing with this story, is the development of themes. There is a lot of discussion of childhood. There is a subtle discussion of (Christian/Catholic) religious themes, as well as some winking symbolism. (The orphan being sent from the parish of St. Anthony, for example.) I don't appreciate having things banged over my head, so I'm not trying to do that here. Just subtle things here and there to keep it all going. It's why Christof, the priest, was given the POV in Chapter 7, partly.

For those of you who care, I did a count the other evening--updated yet another spreadsheet to give full disclosure--and I'm up to 250,000 words of published fic this year. Who knew? If someone told me that was possible in January, I might have scoffed. It's something I'm grateful for. And I'm really really glad to have a readership who doesn't think my stuff is shit. It inspires hope that maybe, maybe, someday there may be a market for other work that could bring in some extra money.

Anyhoo... I've wasted enough of my time. Time to get out my pad and pen and try to outline this freakin' gathering. Minus two characters who were previously in attendance. They simply don't belong. Maybe later. Maybe not.

Thanks for reading. Catch up with you soon. And maybe it'll be a recap. I don't work tomorrow (traded, I work Saturday instead...ugh!...I work five days in a row!)

Nite!

Disorderly

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:19:49 GMT

A few thoughts.

Stayed home from work today. Wasn't feeling well. I have had more triscuits than I ought, for sure. Thankfully one of the avacados from the fridge was the perfect ripeness to a little vegetable and cheese and cracker plate for lunch. I will probably do rice for dinner. Something bland and non-aggravating for my tummy.

I've been partially enjoying a LOTR marathon (including a nap) (including some writing). I'm on the first disk of ROTK. Eomer is hot. Mmmmm. I think I also saw something really new and interesting in TT as well, but I've forgotten what that is now.

As for writing, I've made quite a bit of progress on FH&C. False progress of a sort. A chapter I re-wrote the other day to change the 2nd Person POV now reads as horribly scattered and disorganized. It was the third draft. I will head into the fourth draft tonight or tomorrow, as soon as I can get some decent proof-reading accomplished. Part of the problem with the disorganization is the need I felt to maintain some of the text from the second draft, from the old POV. As a result, the conversation where those elements are integrated is disjointed and sloppy. I think I still need an "at home" scene for the boys in this chapter, so we'll see how that pans out.

The next chapter I feel was a huge stumbling block overcome. I'd been stuck on it for at least a week, even though I'd outlined it. The chapter wasn't speaking to me as it should. I haven't proofed it yet, but I hope it doesn't take too curvy a path. I may need to punch up the end. As I wrote it I wasn't satisfied with where it was ending. I hope I don't have to cut my charming line. It's rather fun. But preciousness has no place in this story. I am very happy with a realization I made regarding certain character parallels. I need to make sure the delivery of that realization isn't stilted or forced.

The next chapter was the second of the day. It's short, as it ought to be. I fear it's sloppy, but I'll get a better handle on that when I read it. It was important to give the POV in that chapter to the Princess. (psst! for those of you lurkers and readers, that's a hint to where I am in the story when those chapters are published. You're welcome.)

The chapter after that was a moving chapter to write. It's necessary, and it's delicate.

And the last chapter I wrote today is a complete mess! Wow, how horrible is it? Bad. I wrote a sit-com. It's so obvious in its forced sentiment that I'm ashamed of it. I tried to bring in a familiar (and a requested character from the original challenge) but that person has no place in this story. Not at this point. I'm doubting whether they will have any place in this tale.

In a way, this chapter needs to flow a bit like the "Too Many Cooks" chapter in the slasher fic as the "camera" follows characters as though it is a baton-relay. Not strictly, of course, because we have to remain in a 2nd person POV, but the "star" needs to work the room. I haven't figured out their path among those in the room.

There is a joke that absolutely needs to be there. I rather betrayed my outline with an emotional moment that was reserved for two specific characters, that, becuase of the poor writing, was usurped by a third character. I'm not unhappy with the third character having that moment, not at all. And I am intrigued by an exchange which followed between two other characters. That may stay. It's a bit important.

As I sit here and think, I kind of wonder whether this unintentional sit-com might be better served by breaking it up into two segments. Doing so means publishing four instead of three chapters that day. That's right, a multiple chapter day! And really, it is for the best, it's best for the story not to play the game of suspense too obviously. Splitting the chapter of the gathering into two POVs requires further thought. I need to figure out what could be accomplished by doing that, since the previous two chapters are the steps that lead us to this happy gathering.

Ah cool, the first disk of ROTK has ended. Seems like as good a time as any to go have a smoke and then proof-read five chapters. Yay for me!

Anyhoo, thanks for listening to my ramblings as I try to sort out today's nearly-6000 word day. I may add more later.

OH! I had intended to include this earlier, but... I was reading some reviews of 2012 online. What completely escaped me was the point of those being saved on the ships in the movie are billionaires. Wow. That's a pretty harsh statement for the movie to make, even with the forced populaism of the Adrian character. There are quite a few haters of the movie out there. It's pretty incredible to see that. I'm not so much a hater as I am a disappointed-er.

Enough of that. I might watch it again when it comes on cable in about five months.

2012 - A Review

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:39:57 GMT

There are spoilers ahead. I hope my inclusion of .jpeg's doesn't fuck up my cuts.

Let’s discuss the movie 2012. I went out last night to go see it.

I wanted to see it on the big screen, since it’s got the huge special effects typical of a summer-released popcorn flick. It does. I can’t unequivocally say that I was blown away by them. Certainly, the crumbling of the west coast into the Pacific was mostly thrilling and exciting to see. Mostly. Driving a limo through a crumbling skyscraper stretches plausibility more than a little, but that was overshadowed by the subway train falling from the crumbling coast as our heroic family of regular-Joe Americans flew through Los Angeles as it fell into the ocean. I think, however, I would have liked to see more of the physical breakup of the coast than what we were treated to.

It’s also pretty remarkable that the west coast of the US falling into the Pacific didn’t wipe out the all life in the Pacific and East Asia via towering tsunamis, though I admit it would complicate the final struggle in the Himalayas. I kept waiting for that to happen. It didn’t.

John Cusack brought his kids to Yellowstone for a mini-vacation, only to have it be interrupted by the unfolding catastrophes. Their return to Yellowstone a short time before the Supervolcano erupts again pushes the plausibility envelope more than a little. While Woody Harrelson prefers to remain (and die) on his mountaintop as nature unleashes its fury, Cusack drives an RV from that same mountaintop to an airfield some distance away as Yellowstone explodes. The rippling earth before the eruption was juicy cinema, but the convenience of the journey of the RV and then the takeoff of the small airplane again pushes the bounds of believability.

It should be noted that I’m not a 2012 nut, and blessedly, the movie doesn’t belabor the prevailing conspiracy theories. Simply put, the world is going to end as we know it, and it is what it is. I appreciate that. The movie isn’t as heavy-handed in that respect as The Day After Tomorrow, but it doesn’t rise to the enjoyment level of Independence Day.

On the other hand, I am a bit of a Yellowstone junkie. If any of the science channels have on a Yellowstone program, I generally will watch them (again and again—Dr. Jake Lowenstern is an affable and nerdy geologist and volcanologist.). Volcanoes are interesting to me. Therefore, the escape from Yellowstone in this movie is, at best, clunky. It’s poor filmmaking. I can allow for some suspension of disbelief, but not as much as this part of the movie demands. The entire situation of bringing the family back to Yellowstone to get a map from Harrelson’s RV, and then the frantic drive back to the airstrip as a SUPERvolcano erupts is really too far over the top. Pyroclastic flows would have fried their collective asses—including the family waiting at the airfield—seconds after Harrelson met his maker. Those flows travel hundreds of miles an hour, and that anxious family was nowhere close to a hundred miles away. The drama of the chasm opening up under the RV was completely unnecessary.

I can buy Air Force One being licked by the killing flames of the alien ships in ID4, but escaping. That aircraft is built for similar purposes in real life. A twin engine private plane is NOT the President’s pimped ride. The writers failed big time here. Leaving some brave government lackeys at Yellowstone including one we’re supposed to care about would have been better storytelling. Liken that angle or wish to what happened to Ian Holm’s character in TDAT.

But they didn’t. And the movie meandered in Yellowstone again unnecessarily for 10-15 minutes.

The next big danger was their trip on a cargo plane flying out of a finally-crumbling Vegas. Gordon—the plastic surgeon BF of Cusack’s ex-wife who’s had a few flying lessons, and the pilot thus far (co-piloting with handsome, handsome Sasha) struggle with the controls as they fly once more between the crumbling towers of the Wynn and Encore casinos, and then the Venetian and Palazzo, and finally Paris. Forget that the direction they are traveling down the Strip (south) is implausible considering the direction in which they took off (north, presumably) from McCarran airport.

It reminded me a bit of an It Could Happen Tomorrow tornado special about an F5 ravaging downtown Dallas, where they had “Dad”, an emergency worker traveling from City Hall (south downtown) westward across a bridge on the southwest end of downtown away from the convention center to make his way to his stranded family near the EAST transfer center for the city busses—roughly 9 blocks northeast of City Hall. But I digress.

I imagine it’s been theorized the Earth’s crust will shift in such a globally catastrophic event as was being portrayed. The way it seemed to work in the movie was that the ENTIRE crust shifted as one, in which the south (magnetic) pole ended up in Wisconsin or Minnesota. Yeah, ok. If the crust were heating up as much as was being said that it would cause the events it did, wouldn’t more irregular tectonic shifts be in order? Perhaps the further subduction of the Indian plate under the Asian plate lifting the Himalayas even higher? Or South America reversing course and crashing violently into the coast of Africa? Quibbling, yes, but THEY brought it up and the way in which it was used makes little to no logical sense.

And I really hate to bring up Yellowstone again, but I didn’t understand the time frame that was used post-catastrophe. Was it just 27 days? Or was it one year and 27 days? And was there an additional stray month involved? Regardless, in that short of time—and disregarding the incredible tidal waves that swept much of the surface of the earth—the volcanic ash from Yellowstone MUST still be in the atmosphere, blocking the sun. “It’s the first sunny day,” they said. Ooookay.

I haven’t said much about the characters in this piece. Who? Oh yeah, the people who talk.

The only people you really want to care about—maybe—are the Chinese family in the foothills of the Himalayas. And President Danny Glover. And Sasha, the Russian’s pilot. What is alarmingly likeable about these characters is how little the script tried to do with them. They were what they were, basic stock characters, and uncomplicated. I felt more for them than I did for the vastly more contrived main characters, who seemed to have heaps and heaps of shit piled on them for no good reason.

The guy who plays Adrian, the junior-staffer who brings the news of disaster from India to Washington is an agreeable lad, but his populist heroism really doesn’t play with me. Or the manner in which he is initially and ultimately connected to Cusack’s character.

Because Cusack and party cause the final crisis, I remain a bit baffled by his character’s heroic treatment.

Oliver Platt as Adrian’s morally ambiguous boss is too gray of a character to really feel one way or another about. The bit with his Alzheimer’s-stricken mother is an empty exercise, and is wasted on his character.

Harrelson’s wacko conspiracy-theorist character gets too much screen time. He should have been killed shortly after Cusack’s family left Yellowstone the first time.

The Russian villain is a nice villain for the little bit of villainy he displays, but the piece itself lacks a real villain.

Tamara, who is best described as the Russian’s arm-candy, begins as a Paris Hilton caricature, seems to be redeemed as a real person, but is later reduced to caricature again because of her damned dog.

The Russian’s twin boys are cartoon bullies.

Cusack’s kids are stock characters we’ve seen before in this type of situation. They’re gosh-darn cute when in peril.

George Segal’s curmudgeonly character is useless, and only exists for Adrian’s dad to talk to. Also ultimately worthless.

Let’s finally discuss Cusack’s ex-wife and her boyfriend, the new “dad” to Cusack’s kids. While her family is away in Yellowstone, the boyfriend rightly asks her about Cusack while they grocery shop. She defends her ex- with the argument, “At least he’s published!” Really, lady? That’s all you’ve got? (Really, though, it is!) What is this, though, an argument among grad students, or among professors competing for tenure? A misplaced argument in this piece, methinks. And then tragedy! The California earth beneath their feet splits to create a deep chasm. I wonder if there is any possible way that could have demonstrated this blatant symbolism more obviously.

As a popcorn flick, the special effects deliver. Again mostly. I have no problem that the global catastrophe is presented as plainly as “it is what it is” without any discussion of morality or serious attention to conspiracy theories. There isn’t anything that can be done to prevent the coming disaster, so it’s simply a fight to survive. Fair enough.

Sadly, the movie is bloated. It is ultimately a popcorn flick, but its heart is in the same place that made Deep Impact such a mediocre movie. Too many people. Too much complication.

I’ve compared this movie unfavorably against ID4 because as “disaster and survival” flicks go, Emmerich really accomplished something with ID4. ID4 had quirky and ultimately heroic characters coming together, funny characters, and a gold-standard cast who weren’t all A-list actors. The movie was cute in many respects.

I wonder if this was harkening further back to the old disaster movies of the 70’s. Movies like the abysmal Earthquake, or the hard-boiled Towering Inferno, or the far superior (among those) Poseidon Adventure. I hesitate to add the innumerable and inferior Airport movies to the mix. They all had large casts, were overloaded with dramatic human-interest stories. Poseidon really was the best among these, in that you really come to care about the dwindling group making their way to the bottom of the ship. If it is the case of 2012 emulating this type of storytelling (of which Deep Impact is also guilty), it fails.

I can’t call 2012 a great movie. It isn’t. It’s sometimes a fun movie, but mostly not. Are they aiming for the seriousness of TDAT? That movie was heavy-handed. This isn’t. I can’t quite figure out what this movie ultimately is, other than a hodge-podge of good and bad story-telling and movie-making decisions. If you must see it, go to a matinee or use free passes. Don’t spend more than you have to.

I like my popcorn flicks to be a roller coaster ride of excitement. We were frequently riding a roller coaster, but I’m not sure it was always the same one.

Anyhoo, that's what I thought. What did you think if you've seen it?

Nothing to See

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:48:13 GMT

Since SW posted some randomness tonight, I will do the same.

In my old hometown, there was a strip mall. One store in the strip mall was "The Casket Store". Down the plaza, not too far was another store: "Boxes to Go". No lie. I think it's very funny.

I volunteered to beta a fellow author's work. They asked for a grammar check, although constructive crit isn't unwelcome. I'll reply with comments tomorrow. I have a "few" questions about one, and I need time to make sure I ask the right questions. When I beta (rarely), I REALLY REALLY try hard to make sure I don't critique from a standpoint of how I would write it. It's interesting subject matter. The other fi begins with a quote from Sondheim's Assassins. (The other has shouts out to other Sondheim shows!) How awesome is that? And to think last week I was scouring LJ for fellow-Sondheim fans. It's awesome.

Early to bed...so I can get on my damn bike. Ugh. I just need to print those fics so I can edit in my bed and then go sleepy.

Nite!

TAR15 - I forgot to mention

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:25:59 GMT

Minor TAR 15 Spoilers may be found here. Nothing relating to results, however.

In the elimination station video, Gary & Matt say they take a slightly different route, but do ultimately end up in Las Vegas, er, I mean, End City. They and Flop are still racing as decoys along with the next eliminated team. Whether or not they complete the same tasks remains to be seen.

Next week will be the 180th leg of the Amazing Race. I'll be watching.

Brian & Ericka are the only remaining team NOT to have won a leg on this Race.

Gary & Matt were the first team eliminated all season (on the ninth leg, mind you) who had won a leg.

Only THREE Races have gone longer before a leg-winning team was ultimately eliminated:

On TAR13, when Toni & Dallas (Team Moo-Fun!) lost their passports in Moscow on the 10th leg
Also on TAR6 on the same leg when Aaron proposed to Hayden upon Elimination after their disastrous encounter with keys and 3,000 locks in China on the 11th leg. Hayden was a bit of a bitch, but I was rooting for them. Aaron was cute. :)
Similarly, on TAR3, twins and models Derek and Drew met their match trying to follow the marked path to the Pit Stop on bicycles in the eleventh leg.

Yes, I am a nerd. I only wrote this to point out the factoid about Brian & Ericka and Gary & Matt.

The rest was just filler.

TAR15 - EP9 - HAGGVIK, SWEDEN to KEAVA, ESTONIA

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:04:00 GMT

I'm still completely unspoiled for this ep, even after I began to write the intro. Time to watch!

To be honest, the hay challenge in retrospect was a bit of a letdown. The editing towards the end was the most exciting thing about the challenge: would Gary find his flag before Sam? It didn’t matter in the end, because it was the last of two non-elimination legs. They essentially tortured the teams for no reason, except to keep their finish times spread out. I doubt that same spread will hold up. I see airports in their future. Meaning: the non-elimination was a pointless exercise after the less-grueling-than-it-was-last-time flag in a hay bale challenge. It would have been good to have MinorLeague (strong competitors) or Salt’n’Peppa (one of the weakest remaining teams) go home. Rather, it was Gary and Matt, the honorary bland Osmonds who were saved from elimination.

The next two weeks are elimination weeks, every second and every challenge counts if these teams hope to win one million dollar$. Let's visit our teams as they check out of the Pit Stop.

1^st – Team MinorLeague – 2:25am – Flight Time & Big Easy – They seem to have found their mojo once more. Is it back to stay?

2^nd– Team FatalAttraction – 4:12am – Meghan & Cheyne – Cracks have been forming in their solid racing form these last few weeks. Will they finally shatter?

3^rd – Team Salt’n’Peppa – 4:37am – Brian & Ericka – After Brian called mom-in-law out as a racist last week (or at best a bigot) how can they top that? Are we back to life lessons, or a very uncomfortable Thanksgiving dinner?

4^th – Team GayFicFantasy – 5:04am – Sam & Dan – Dan realized last week that shouting at his brother in the middle of that challenge wasn’t going to change the outcome. Will they emerge a stronger team and make up their time deficit?

5^th – Team Osmond – 6:29am – Gary & Matt – These bland but amiable Racers have a time penalty of a couple hours. They also have a Speed Bump challenge this leg. For all we know, the challenge might amount to finding a senior citizen sitting next to the clue box and tying their shoes to get their next clue. Can they make up their time and be one of the first four teams to check in?

Four hours separates our teams. What does the Race have in store for us Fans tonight? Let’s watch!

FIRST CLUE: Teams must race as quickly as they can from to the Ferry Port, and they must catch the next ferry to Tallinn, Estonia. It’s a 16 hour ferry ride across the Baltic, and that would be beautiful, no? All the teams took it together, because it was an equalizer. The first ferry was at 5:45pm out of Stockholm. It should be noted that Matt put on his black headband to show the other teams he meant business. Duly noted.

Once there, they had to use a set of keys they received and use one of them to open the door to at the Mustpeade Maja, where the Brotherhood of the Black Heads is located. Teams raced in their taxis to get there.

When the Osmonds got to the clue box, they had to complete their Speed Bump. They had to find a nearby Saunabuss and take a five minute sauna with strangers on a specialized bus. Have they never ridden a public bus? You can certainly find smelly and sweaty people on those without needed the sauna part of it. Not as challenging as tying someone’s shoes, but still, it wasn’t right next to the clue bus. Matt was enamored with a pretty blonde on the bus. Was she as enamored with the sweaty fat dude with pink hair? I wasn’t. [And thus I won’t post caps.]

ROADBLOCK: One team member had to go to the cellar, take a numbered candelabrum, and find the room that matched the number. Team members who completed (in alphabetical order) were: Cheyne, Ericka, Flight Time, Matt and Sam. Once they found an apparently-blank scroll in their numbered room, they had to hold it up to the candle to reveal their next destination. Flight Time, in his awesome brilliance, used a crayon to color the back thinking it might be revealed. Nope. Cheyne tried the same thing. Sam had trouble. Ericka did not. Poor Matt had trouble finding his “candle-uh-BRUH”. Hooked on Phonics isn’t for everyone, apparently.

The Clue directed them (on foot) to the Pikk Hermann Tower Garden. It was a nearby castle. Most teams had no trouble finding it. The Osmonds did not, and then couldn’t find their way in, and then they had trouble finding the clue box. How’s that black head band working out for you, Matt?

Clues from there directed them to travel by taxi to Keava. There are peat bogs there. Their next Detour would be found there. Fatal sharked Peppa’s taxi (and broke their promise to have their cabbie call for one for Peppa), and Miss AmEricka scolded Brian for giving away their taxi. Bad Brian—Ericka was right.

There was a minor tussle between Gay and MinorLeague for a taxi, and they rode together. The Globetrotters were being pricks in the taxi, with their smack-talking and not letting it go. If they were in the middle of a challenge, I can go with it, but smack-talking during a long taxi ride is just immature. They are no longer joyful to watch. Petulance is unbecoming, especially when you’re in the fucking taxi already on your way to the next challenge. The Globetrotters now have my permission to lose and be eliminated.

[In my mind, it really is different than psyching Mika out at the waterslide.]

DETOUR: Choose from either of the following two tasks.

SERVE – Play 2-man volleyball in a peat bog and score five points. Fatal got here first and completed it with relative ease. Since Gay and MinorLeague got to the volleyball bog next and there were only two, Peppa chose the Sling task. Gay and Minor had their troubles but started and finished at nearly the same time. I’m also very mad that the editors felt the need to pixelate the front of the boys’ undies as they played volleybog.

SLING – Use a slingshot and shoot radishes at a target to reveal your next clue. Peppa and the Osmonds both did this task. Peppa had some trouble with it, and the Osmonds took a few shots at the target to reveal their clue.

There was another tussle in a race for the Pit Stop, the nearby Keava Raba Overlook Tower. I’d like to know exactly what it is it overlooks, other than the bog. It is literally out in the middle of nowhere. Teams ran from their respective bog to meet Phil. The Globetrotters were the first to leave their bog. They got dressed, and then ran in the wrong direction. Gay ran the right way. Globetrotters realized their mistake and chased after the boys. Flight Time fell once on his own. Then he got tangled up with Dan (from BEHIND) and they both fell. Gay ran on, and Flight Time and Big Easy acted like big fucking babies acting all bitter about it on the mat.

Really? Dudes, this isn’t basketball. I am not a fan of basketball for exactly the reason these non-gentlemen acted. Imagine me poking you in the arm with my finger. That’s apparently a foul in their “sport”. And I forgot to remind you to slide across the floor on your ass ten feet and argue with the nearest official. This was their basketball moment, and their unsportsmanlike moment, and further justification to hate their sport and have no respect for the players of that game (game being the operative word).

Be a fucking man. Don’t fucking pout. You couldn’t pass him. You knocked yourself and Dan down. Boo fucking hoo! Maybe next time you can push a deaf kid out of the way at the clue box and whine about it. I am officially rooting for Flight Time and Big Easy and their Globetrotter Uniforms (frequently worn and getting extra help as a result, presumably) being eliminated from the Amazing Race. I have no more kind words for them.

I will now stop exemplifying petulance. :)

Teams checked in with Phil at the Pit Stop in the following order—one of them will be eliminated.

1^st – Fatal Attraction – Megan & Cheyne placed first and won a red cedar sauna. That’s random. But they raced well and showed some ruthlessness.

2^nd– Team GayFicFantasy – Sam & Dan beat out the Globetrotters because of pouting.

3^rd – Team MinorLeague – Boo Hoo. “I see that’s how the game is played,” one said. What-fucking-ever. Just go.

4^th – Team Salt’n’Peppa – They raced well, and Brian gave up their taxi. Dummy. Surprisingly, there was nothing instructive from them this week.

5^th – Team Osmond – Matt’s black headband held them back. Bad headband! If Matt hadn’t worn you, you might not have squeezed his head so tightly he didn’t know how to pronounce candelabra, let alone know what one was. Then he might have had better luck showing his dad where the big tower was. And he made Gary cry on the mat. It is seldom we are given such clear examples of why teams are eliminated. They should be very instructive to a prospective racer. Their exit leaves more exciting Racers to watch.

And those rascally, naughty show editors. Here’s what we DIDN’T see on TV. I don’t know that I’m ready to completely take back everything I said about the globetrotters, however.

Josh Wolk no longer blogs for EW.com. I’ll check to see who does it now, and I’ll let you know if they’re worth reading. I’m sad. I’ll miss Mr. Josh.

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20320123,00.html <-- new jessica isn't as witty, but it's worth a read.

Here is the Elimination Station link.

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race/video/?vs=Elimination%20Station

Did I like it? (also written before so I can copy/paste the rest in between--so my freakin' cuts work right! Ugh!)
Meh. I'm happy the boys are number two.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:05:39 GMT

Months and months ago I promised DVD extras for the Slasher Fic. Cut chapters, scenes and other insightful info. It's self-indulgent, yes. But hopefully (with regard to cut parts) it can be instructive as it relates to process.

In this case, it's a cut chapter. I include commentary why I cut it. There were several reasons. But I really like the chapter. It's a nice peek into the mind of the star of the chapter. It also informed later cuts I made in the story. It informed why I was was consciously staying out of characters' heads as the story moved forward. If we peeked into a particular characters heads (whodunit's, for example) at key moments it would have spoken clearly to their innocence or guilt. It didn't serve the mystery. As for the potentially instructive nature, I only speak about the decisions I made in these particular cases. If others take away from that any helpful thoughts on editing, good, if it works for them. If it gives them a set of questions to ask while they're writing, or a set of a type of question to ask themselves while they write and edit, then it can be helpful if they aren't questions they would ordinarily ask at that point in the writing.

My story is imperfect, but it was a significant learning experience for me. There are a few more extras to come, surely, but I have a bit more to read through to find them.

Outside of the peek behind the writer's curtain, I hope my readers enjoy what couldn't be included in the main text. It's not that long, and I hope you enjoy it.

DVD EXTRA - CHAPTER 24 - DREAMS IN THE FIRE
http://www.nl-fiction.com/viewstory.php?sid=250&chapter=68

All bets are OFF: TAR15 - Ep8 - ZOUTKAMP, THE NETHERLANDS to HAGGVIK, SWEDEN

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:31:57 GMT

Did I happen to mention, all bets are off? There is a rolled hay-bale challenge tonight, so there is no predicting who will be eliminated.

I am starting to type this recap before I watch. I want to get my thoughts about the teams down before all of my observations and predictions are blown out of the water. And please remember at the end of my last post I said, "I CANNOT WAIT UNTIL NEXT SUNDAY!" I hope I don't regret that statement.

Let me also go on the record by saying, I don't think this will be a non-elimination leg. The producers will not be kind to a team that falls very far behind due to the hay challenge. And if they do, that challenge would be rendered moot due to the airport equalizer at the start of the next leg. I don't think we'll see another non-elim until next episode to let the final four teams duke it out twice for the final three to compete for the million. We also haven't seen either an Intersection (since TAR11 - All Stars, where two teams complete each a roadblock together and then separate at the end of it), I don't expect it on an odd-numbered team week (there are five left). Nor do I see a U-Turn this episode where a U-turned team has to complete the other half of a road block before proceeding. Not this week. Not with the hay challenge. Granted, also, we haven't seen a double-length leg yet. Should we be prepared for that, with no elimination until next week because they're still racing? Again, that does afford an opportunity for equalizers. It's possible.

Backstage intrigue: As Elimination Station’s video two weeks ago told us, Zev & Justin and Mika & Canaan were the last teams to travel back to Vietnam and check in at the Station. It means that Flop and the next two eliminated teams are Racing (off-camera) as decoys. Take a look for them, just in case. Generally, the decoys will complete all remaining tasks except for the challenge immediately before the Finish Line.

So, let's get to it, and let's check back in with our teams as they check out of the pit stop.

1^st – Team GayFicFantasy – 9:33pm – Sam & Dan – They charged ahead and took a leg, while their frequent allies were defeated by both roadblocks and eliminated. The boys are all about keeping weak teams in the Race, and that strategy I admire. I hope they don’t get distracted by strategy and keep their heads in the Race. I want them to make final 3.

2^nd– Team FatalAttraction – 9:48pm – Meghan & Cheyne – We saw a little bit of stress erupt between them at the Houka challenge in Dubai. We saw a little when Meghan was herding ducks way back in Vietnam. They are strong racers, as though they are wearing blinders most of the time. And they have always been racing from the front of the pack, never placing less than 6^th. Can they edge out the competition and place in the top 4 today? Hay is probably going to cause tears—the previews told us as much.

3^rd – Team MinorLeague – 10:32pm – Flight Time & Big Easy –The Globetrotters are a joyful and easygoing team on this Race. They are lovely to watch. They have had their problems with time pieces and houkas. We have never seen them fold under pressure. I don’t expect they will have a problem with the hay, only because it is essentially a physical challenge that relies heavily on luck. I expect them to be a final 3 team unless they melt down and face a challenge they cannot overcome.

4^th – Team Osmond – 11:08pm – Gary & Matt – While these men are regular Joe farmers from the northern plains, they are boring. They haven’t been getting an illustrative edit yet on this Race. Like the Globetrotters, I don’t expect to see them get that kind of edit this week because they should do well with this outdoors/farming/physical challenge. Beware the human-interest editing in any upcoming eps, as it will likely foretell of elimination. Especially if it’s about bonding or improving their father/son relationship. In other words, if they suddenly become interesting, they are on their way out.

5^th – Team Salt’n’Peppa – 1:38am – Brian & Ericka – Miss AmEricka’s veneer has shown cracks all season. Josh Wolk really put it best last week when he criticized her for losing her cool at the smallest things, and blaming Brian’s attitude on it. She isn’t my favorite Racer, and Brian has really grown in my estimation since the early episodes, but it cannot be denied they do not deserve a place in this group of the final five teams. How will they handle the hay? Not well, I imagine. I suspect they will provide us a hearty meal of Reality TV drama and fireworks tonight! I do not want them to win.

I promise that I haven’t seen anything more than last week’s preview before this point in my writing. I expect much of my thoughts and predictions to be blown out of the water. Let’s see just how wrong I am.

FIRST CLUE: Fly to Stockholm and then travel by Train & Ferry to Tivoli Gröna Lund amusement park and find the Fritt Fall. As predicted, teams encountered an equalizer at the airport, since the first flight didn’t leave until 6:55am. But something unexpected happened at Shiphol airport that hasn’t happened all season: a flight was fully booked and all of the teams didn’t make it on that flight. Only Gay, Fatal and Minor made it onto the flight, and Salt’n’Peppa and the Osmonds had to wait until the next flight at 9:25am.

An alliance was revived between Gay and Fatal after both teams made it onto the commuter train from the airport. MinorLeague were still buying tickets when the door closed, so they made it onto the second train. This scene played out again when the Osmonds took too long buying their tickets and had to wait for the next train after Salt’n’Peppa rode out before them.

Teams rode the free fall ride to try to see an arrow that would lead them to the next clue box. Sam and Cheyne worked together, and Sam spotted the arrow. Based on the editing, no one seemed to have any difficulty finding it. Teams then ran through the park and the next clue informed them this was the Very Special Product Placement episode of the Amazing Race. They had to toss rings at cones, and once they got a cone under which was found a Travelocity Roaming Gnome (which they needed to carry all the way to the Pit Stop) could they get their next clue. Apparently this was not a proper Roadblock, so my concerns about team members getting help with the Ring Toss didn’t matter one bit. (Big Easy tossed rings for Flight Time after several failures, and Gary tossed for Matt.)

The Gnome Clue told them to drive to the Detour.

DETOUR: Choose from either of the following two tasks.

VIKING ALPHABET – When compared with the other challenge, was there any doubt no one would choose this one? Really? Who could pass up the opportunity to drive to a remote location, use a stone pillar and stones marked with Viking letters to decipher their next clue? Everyone. Everyone passed it up. So the random Viking character actor is probably still standing in the woods waiting to give anyone, simply anyone one of the stash of clues he is diligently clutching. Is it any wonder the Vikings were seen as a cruel and hateful people, after being treated this way by Reality television producers?

NOBEL DYNAMITE – This task was dy-no-mite! It’s a wonder no one said it. Or if they did, it didn’t make it to air due to copyright reasons. (Have you heard the non-copyright “alternate” version of Sweet Georgia Brown when the Globetrotters are on? It’s awful!) Since Nobel was a Swede, and he is credited with inventing dynamite, teams got a chance to blow shit up! Not shit, just dirt. After they made a bunker from sacks they had to fill with dirt.

Sam & Dan were on this task like white on rice! Rather than using the piddly shovels to fill the bags, they used their hands and were the first team in and out of there. The explosives blew up a mound of dirt under which was a metal box containing their next clue. The Globetrotters shoveled and were out of there second, leaving Meghan & Cheyne to bicker about completing the task. Gary & Matt did as well as Sam & Dan when it comes to the speed of filling their sacks, making up some of the time they lost getting lost on their way to the Detour (in a roundabout).

Ericka was concerned about her nails. In an off-course interview, Brian told us that one of the reasons they did the Race was to prove to his mother-in-law that he’s the right guy for her daughter, that a white man and a black woman make a great team! Does that mean they aren’t trying to spread the good news about mixed-race marriages to the world, that it’s just an issue close to home you need to go on TV in order to make your point? Game shows aren’t real life, Brian. If you won the million, is your mother-in-law such a shallow woman to suddenly see your white ass is the perfect man for her darling black daughter? To Ericka and Brian’s credit, I would hope that’s the case, considering Mama’s views on race.

I just question the methods. Some people would think that living a well-adjusted life of household harmony and embodying partnership and sharing might be a better way. Especially since you called out your mother-in-law as a racist on national TV! I think Thanksgiving might be a little contentious this year. You better ask for dark meat from that turkey! And serve her white meat to prove your point.

Meanwhile, back at the Race…teams were happy as pigs in shit as they blew up the…dirt and found their next clues. The clue told them to drive themselves to Bögs GÅrd farm and…find their next clue.

ROADBLOCK: One team member must…endure hell. Phil announced this as the Amazing Race Switchback. In truth, it was just a Roadblock. There were 186 huge rolled bales of hay, and only 7 flags to be found in them. Good luck teams. Lena and Kristy in TAR6 spent nearly 10 hours unrolling hay (never finding a clue—one of 20 in 270 bales) and were eliminated nearly two hours after the last team checked in.

The lucky contestants in the order of their arrival: Sam, Meghan (because Cheyne didn’t say he didn’t want to do it!), Big Easy, Brian and Gary. They had to remove the netting/binding from the bales before they could unroll them. Many of them were there for hours. Meghan whined (justifiably) about the difficulty of the task. Dan shouted at Sam from the sidelines, and Sam repeatedly told him to shut the hell up, growing frustrated with his brother and the bales. Big Easy was quiet, very quiet, while Flight Time hoped for a clue to the Pit Stop as his birthday gift. Big Easy was not enjoying this task, and there was no joy in Hayville. Brian didn’t get a strong edit early in the task, and he didn’t have a whole lot to say. Gary’s workmanlike attitude really came through for him, and Matt was impressed by him, and sat on the overturned Gnome.

Teams complained, some bickered (the Boys, really), and sidelined partners offered what support they could for this task from hell.

It is no great mystery that the Pit Stop was the next stop. And it should be apparent that there was no Race between teams after finding flags to make it to the Pit Stop. Therefore, let’s cut to the chase and discuss the teams and their arrivals.

Teams checked in with Phil (still at the farm) in the following order:

1^st – Team MinorLeague – Flight Time & Big Easy – It was not an easy contest to arrive first, and it had a little to do with luck. But, as predicted, they didn’t have much difficulty with this physical task. For their win, they won a trip for two provided by the Gnome to Turks and Caicos.

Team GayFicFantasy – Sam & Dan

2^nd– Team FatalAttraction –Meghan & Cheyne – Meghan psyched out Cheyne when she came staggering (and falling), gasping that she couldn’t do any more bales. Pulling the flag out of her pocket, she surprised her overjoyed partner and they placed second.

3^rd – Team Salt’n’Peppa – Brian & Ericka – Brian’s quiet perseverance paid off. He worked as hard as the others and luck was on his side in this task.

4^th – Team GayFicFantasy – Sam & Dan – Dan had a light bulb moment near the end of the task, and he was the one who cried on the Matt, apologizing to Sam for riding him hard (oooh, the fantasy!) during the hay challenge. Dan’s yelling wouldn’t have made his brother find the flag any faster. A lovely moment and a teaching moment for prospective Reality TV contestants. Well done!

5^th – Team Osmond –Gary & Matt – They didn’t get their very special edit. There was a moment early in the show when Gary spoke about having an extra motivation to succeed on the Race, being the oldest contestant left on the Race. Understand please that he was the oldest last week, and the week before that, and the week before that, and the week before that, and maybe the week before that. He will also be the oldest Racer next week, since the producers were kind. This was the last of two non-elimination legs on this Race. I was wrong. But they are hours behind the others, so they will need to capitalize on equalizers and complete their Speed Bump to stay in the Race. Can they do it? I am not unhappy to see them still in the Race, even if they are still boring. J

Did you watch? What did you think of the hay challenge? It was a little bit of a letdown, only because the first time was a legendary experience that went late into the cold, cold night, and Lena and Kristy remained undeterred throughout the entire affair. This one only lasted a few hours, but it still took its toll.

Meghan is probably seething and nursing her anger with Cheyne, though he had nothing but compliments for her on the mat. Ericka was wise to keep her loud mouth shut during the hay challenge, given her proclivity to criticize. I hope for and anticipate seeing a stronger team emerge from our boys, as the brotherly bond was strengthened. Who wouldn’t be impressed? I have high hopes for them.

Here is the spot where I will later insert the link for the EW.com recap from Josh Wolk.

Here is the Elimination Station link.

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race/video/?pid=KBXnwUqzhmEsZ_8wNYs_agVmWdBEm4_0&vs=Elimination Station&play=true
Ooooohhhhh! It’s a very special episode! See if the fortune teller was right about someone’s romantic future!

AND HERE IS A SUPER-SPECIAL SURPRISE FOR MY FRIENDS

http://forum.realityfanforum.com/index.php/topic,21048.msg489338.html

They’re Halloween pics from a party some of this Race cast attended in Nashville! Canaan’s costume is the BEST! Brian’s is second. Ericka’s is pretty freakin’ amazing! I’m disappointed in our Boys. They weren’t creative enough, but Meghan’s costume pretty much sucked ass, and not in a good way, so they beat her out for using their imagination.

And here is a special photo presentation to you all.
First Sam & Dan (the taller one) with Maria & Tiffany at the second Dubai Pit Stop. The all had their Baywatch moment.

And here are pics of the boys in their Dutch underwear after Golf in the Netherlands. If I'm not mistaken, Sam has done some manscaping.

They're both hot, but I'll still take Sam.