Minutiae

And another week has found us.  Dang it, I guess I need to find a new hiding spot.

Actually, things aren't going badly at all, I just got really screwed up by the time change yesterday for some reason.  Isn't an extra hour a good thing?  Shouldn't I feel all rested and raring to go, and super excited about entering week two of my novel-writing experience?  Instead, I just feel like I want to pass out.  Sigh.  I was exhausted all frikkin' day yesterday.  It isn't like I stayed out late on Saturday--I did go to a party, but I was home by eleven, and in bed by midnight, because that is sadly just how I roll.  With the time change, I even got that much lauded extra hour of sleep, so my getting up early for church actually equated to getting up at my normal time.  I don't get it, I really don't.  Oh well.  It will get better, because it must, yes?

Even though Sunday was a total bust, I did have a lovely and productive Saturday.  I finished up my very last "have to" crochet project of the year (a birthday present).  I have a few things I want to make for other people for Christmas or just to be nice, but they are all two day projects, tops.  If I was really motivated I could get them all done within a week, I am sure.  Heck, yesterday wasn't even that wasted, I just felt like I was in another reality zone or something.  But I made some pretty decent progress on my second read through of The Gathering Storm (which is very good because my husband finished Towers of Midnight last night and from the hints he's been dropping all week I am ready to get on that), and I even got some writing done, yay!

I am currently at 14,723 out of 50,000 words.  That's 29% completion after one week.  Huzzah!  Of course, that percentage is just out of the minimum required word count.  I am not sure where I am on the completion percentage of the story itself.  But it feels like I am making good progress.

Last night I watched what was, apparently, the season finale of Sherlock's first season on PBS.  Holy crap.  I can't believe they ended it like that!  I mean, I can't believe they would end an episode like that, let alone a whole season.  That's just mean, BBC, mean.  On the plus side, I got my shipment notice from Amazon on Friday that the DVD of Sherlock (and season five of Doctor Who) had shipped, so it will be arriving tomorrow.  Awesome! 

I also found out last week that NBC's Undercovers was canceled, which is a bummer, because it was one of my favorite new shows.  But, that is the way the television ball bounces, I suppose.  I am pretty used to the shows I enjoy right off the bat because of their quirky humor getting axed with ridiculous swiftness. 


I have a few links for you that I was thinking of centering blog posts around, but now I think those ships have sailed.  So I thought I'd just share the links so you can still enjoy the articles.

Jo Walton did a really interesting response piece about the genre of science fiction and how it might not actually exist.  That's right here.  I feel like I kind of agree with her on this, I've been thinking for a long while that I enjoy a lot of extremely different things that are all classified as science fiction, and sometimes it seems like the only thing they have in common, apart from being smart and entertaining, is that they are classified as science fiction.  Anyway, it's a pretty interesting read, give it a go. 

And, finally, someone over at Tor.com did a really interesting article about Star Wars, examining how the current generation of fans is kids, and how they are being introduced into the universe through the cartoon series.  That's here.  It's a great comparison of how people from different generations of the fandom see the series, and who they identify with, and who they want more of, and what they think is "silly" and "awesome." It's an amusing read, especially if you've ever gotten into a conversation with another fan about Star Wars and wondered if the two of you were actually talking about the same franchise.

Distraction By Animals

So, I know I promised you a book review, and I am working on that, but it is not looking like it will happen today.  You may be asking why, and lucky for you, I will tell you.  Because today I went to the zoo.  A friend of mine that just recently moved out of state is back in town for the weekend with her son and so we decided to get together this morning and go to the Fort Worth Zoo.  Oh it was glorious.  I love the zoo.  I love zoos period.  My favorite place on the entire planet is the St. Louis Zoo.  Which is awesome.  And free.  But I digress.  I offer up for you some of the highlights of the trip, in photo form.  Enjoy.

Baby Girl finds the Wooden Fence Exhibit fascinating.

A kangaroo that is actually out and about (usually they are all hanging out along the very back wall of their exhibit).

Lions in all of their majesty.

Baby Girl watches the penguins swim around.

The white tiger strikes a pose.

A goat plotting his escape from the petting zoo.

I don't think I'd be half so set on never leaving Fort Worth if I didn't love the zoo here so much.  A good zoo is an important thing. 

It's not all just cute animals and babies though folks, I also have a few links for you to fun things I found this week. 

Here's a nifty article about ten television series you should watch on DVD now that they've ended their run and have been released in full.  I find it very interesting that out of the shows on this list that I haven't seen, only one of them isn't on my list of series I'd like to watch someday (or already in my Netflix queue). 

And Jo Walton over at Tor.com has a nifty theory on what sometimes happens to books you love when you don't reread them for a while.  Jo Walton has a few books out, one series of which has been described as Jane Austen with dragons, which I totally want to read.  I love her articles on Tor, so I can't wait to actually read one of her actual stories, her writing style just makes me happy. 

And lastly, I will close up by taking the opportunity to tell you about a wonderful little webcomic called Gronk.  This is an absolutely adorable story about a monster who decides she doesn't want to be a monster and so heads off for our part of town.  She is found by a human who takes her in and it follows this new family as they try to adjust to each other.  It's drawn by Katie Cook who has a wonderful artistic style and who is clearly all kinds of awesome, because not only has she done licensed work for Marvel and DC, but she's also done licensed Star Wars art as well.  I mean, come on.  Anyhoo, check it out if you get a chance.  It's only been going for a few months and is just a once a week update, so there's not too much to catch up on, but what is there is pure win.  Today's strip is an excellent example.

And on that note, fair readers, I bid you adieu.  There's some darkspawn in the Deep Roads just begging to have me destroy them.