stonetable.org

I always intended to revive the message forum after I switched the website from Postnuke to MoveableType. I decided to go with phpBB for several reasons. First, the person who wrote it is a reader of Ars Technica and its OpenForum, which I help moderate. phpBB also uses Smarty, a really cool php templating system. All in all it makes for a nice, solid system. I’ve done a little customization to try to match the theme of the forum with the main site.

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite times of year. Lots of good, home-cooked food and time spent with family. This is our first Thanksgiving in the new house, which makes it even more special. A seventeen pound turkey is in the oven and filling the house with a wonderful aroma, pumpkin and pecan pies have been baked, and in a few short hours we’ll be eating until we overdose on Tryptophan

With the four day weekend, I hope to catch up on both contract work and writing. I’ve got a few pages of longhand of my current work-in-progress to transcribe and I’m anxious to get the first draft finished. I also have a review that should be published on Ars Technica sometime next week.

This was a fun but busy weekend. Friday was Dena’s 30th birthday and our 4th wedding anniversary. We had a wonderful dinner at Luigi’s (fabulous Italian food) and a quiet evening, followed by a visit to the in-laws for some more Italian cuisine. We even went to watch the the semi-final football game from my old high school.

Sunday was a good day to rest, theoretically. I had enough work I needed to do that I don’t feel rested. In fact, I wish I had another weekend to catch up on my sleep. I guess I’ll just have to be content with the fact that this is the week of Thanksgiving. Four-day weekends are always nice. Hopefully I’ll get caught up on all my work and make some progress writing-wise.

I read this comment on Trey’s journal the other day, made at a workshop session at WindyCon:

Someone mentioned that the first draft of a story is written for the author, as she or he works out the story. Then in revision, the author works out how to best express the story to someone else—the reader.

I had a “well duh” moment when I read that. It makes perfect sense. It fits what I see in my own first drafts. I’ve made the mistake of trying to polish first drafts, and it always results in a subpar story. Part of the challenge of writing is finding what works for you. There is no forumla. It’s a journey of self-exploration, discovering the things that work for you and the things that do not. Like anything worthwhile, it takes effort and dedication. Ultimately, if you remain persistent in your endeavors, you will prevail.

Thanks to Pandemic0rgasm (one of the members Ars Technica Openforum) made a nifty new logo for me. I still need to adjust the alignment slightly, but otherwise I really like it! Thanks again, P0!

Unfortunately, clouds obscured the sky last night, making a viewing of the return of the Leonids next to impossible. At least it was warm enough that the falling precipitation was rain and not snow. Winter is coming fast this year. We had our first snowfall over the weekend, but it melted quickly.

I finally succumb to this sinus infection that had been looming for weeks. I tried to ignore it. When that failed, I ignored it some more. I’m sure the rapid changes in the weather played a roll. It’s moving into my chest now. I bit the bullet and called in sick today. I’m doped full of cold medicine. wrapped in blankets and watching Law and Order reruns on TiVo. Ugh.

Imagine the surprise of the folks at Poetry Magazine when they learned that Ruth Lilly, scion of Eli Lilly and rejected poet, had left them a $100M gift in her estate.

The magazine has operated out of the Newberry Library for years, and a lack of funds kept most of their collection of works in storage. This gift will allow them to expand, and possibly even open a building of their own where they can display the manuscripts and poems to the public. (source)

I picked up a copy of Legends 3 today from the bargain table at Borders. There are eleven different novellas, edited by Robert Silverberg. Stephen King, Robert Jordan, Terry Goodkind, Anne McCaffrey, Raymond E. Feist, Terry Pratchett, Orson Scott Card, Robert Silverberg, Ursula K. Le Guin, Tad Williams, and George R. R. Martin contributed to the anthology. An epic fantasy lovers dream and at $6.99 it was a steal, too.

I’ve only read one of the stories so far, and I felt I should say something about it, since it’s a rare treat indeed for any fan of Robert Jordan. New Spring tells the story of the meeting of Lan Mandragoran and Moiraine Damondred and the beginning of the search for the Dragon Reborn. It is one of the few stories published that take place previous to the beginning of the Wheel of Time series (another being the story of Lews Therin and the Hundred Companions raiding the Dark Ones prison) and was quite enjoyable to read. Truth be told, I had a hard time putting it down, and an even harder time resisting the urge to comment on it (an urge while I obviously failed to resist).

I’ve previously read about half of the other authors works, but those I haven’t come highly recommended. I can’t wait to read them all.

We took the train downtown [Chicago] yesterday. After a delightful lunch at the Berghoff, we strolled down State Street. Our destination was the Noble Fool theatre. We were way too early, so we shopped at the Borders next door to the theatre. I bought Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai as research for a story I’m working on. Then we headed over for the show. We’d seen the Swordsmen at the Bristol Renaissance Faire before, but those shows are always short. Their stage act was a complete show full of audience participation (some more reluctant than others). “Guido” and “Dirk” are really a class act. Through poetry and swordsmanship they draw laughter from the crowd. Be warned, they do draw on the audience for parts of their act. If you’re there as a couple, be aware that if you volunteer your loved one to the stage, you will also become part of the show.

The show is great fun for any age, young or old. If you ever have the chance to watch these two swordsmen, don’t pass it up.

I’ve got a new fantasy short story in process now. A young woman’s quest to discover the fifth tenet of her warrior faith, only what she learns isn’t what she expects. It’s moving along nicely, and I’m hoping to have a first draft done by the end of the month.