On writing a comedy and rainy Saturday randomocity . . .

In Stephen King's most excellent and useful book, On Writing, he says that you never really know how you feel about something until you write it down.

Damned if that isn't a true statement. I've been stuck on something for days and decided just to sit and jot down some ideas and damned if the juices didn't start flowing again. Sort of akin to the end of a bout of constipation, except the output is something rare, beautiful, and funny, instead of . . . well, crap. Hopefully.

I'm not going to go into details about what I'm working on right now except to say it's a comedy and a webseries, both of which are new territory for me. Comedy is incredibly hard to do well because if it fails, it fails completely. A horror story can still work even if it's not scary if it is suspenseful and has relatable characters. A comedy that isn't funny isn't anything but a waste of time, no matter how interesting the characters or well-written the story.

The shorter version of the above is I don't write comedy that often and I'm being reminded that there is a reason for that. I've come up with some characters that I think are interesting and quirky and hopefully the situation I'm about to throw them all into will result in some serious yuks.

This is also making me appreciate good comedy writers. Trust me, if you can write consistently funny prose, scripts, or whatever, you can write anything. Dave Barry--one of the funniest writers on earth--wrote two "serious" columns that moved me to tears. One was when his father died. The other was when his mother died. Beautiful, moving tributes to his parents, who he presented as real, flawed human beings who had his undying love and respect. I highly recommend you seek those out. Read some of his other stuff, too, if you haven't already. You'll hurt yourself laughing.

Anyways, I sat out on the balcony of my new place with a legal pad and a pen and made some notes and decided the approach I was using for this thing was all wrong. I attacked it from a different angle, and now I think I have something. Instead of being forced the story is starting to flow, naturally, and the humor will arise from the personalities and the situation instead of being forced and stupid.

Yes. Let us hope that this thing will be funny when it's done. Amen.

Post move randomicity

I got back from my final trip to Savannah today.

It's weird but cool, in a way. I now feel more positive about all this.

I'm also digging the new apartment, especially now that I've rearranged my living room so that I have some room to move around. I realized the other day that the arrangement I had before mimicked the one I had at the old place and it was really inefficient and claustophobic. Now I've got this nice clear area in the middle and I can move around.

There are a couple of things I've realized during this move, both of them totally unrelated:

• No matter what, movers will find some way to mess with you. It's happened to me every frakkin' time.
• If you drop a medicine bottle it does not matter how secure the lid is, it will come off, and every single pill or capsule or drop of liquid inside will wind up on the outside, on the ground.

I stopped and spent the night at my dad's on the way back from Savannah--it was something I needed to do but dreaded for a number of reasons. In particular, I have a lot of memories there of Atari and I could feel his ghost there many times. It just sort of tore the bandage off of that wound. Somehow I feel like he knows about this new place and approves, though, which helps. I know, I'm deluding myself, but like John Lennon said, "Whatever gets you through the night . . ."

Talyan, my goddaughter, will appear in three episodes of Two and a Half Men in a row, beginning April 9th. The final one she appears in, on April 30th, is the 200th episode, which is a really big deal. Another guest star on this episode is Kathy Bates, just so you know. Watch for Ava, the unbelievably cute little girl with the English accent.

The oven in my old apartment tripped a breaker every time I used it. I finally realized that this is no longer an issue. My plan is now to make biscuits for breakfast tomorrow. I think I remember how . . .

Anyways, that's about all I have the strength for tonight. I hope you are having a lovely weekend, wherever you are!

Pre-move randomocity

I think I've got most of the big stuff accomplished.

I move Monday and most of the stuff I've got left to do will have to be done at the last minute--like packing up my computers.

And I'm a bit scared, mostly because so far everything has gone exactly like I planned. In my experience this is the prelude to a major clusterfuck. Let's hope this feeling is just something I inherited from my mom--she was the queen of anticipating disaster--and not something that actually occurs.

I did go back into the office for a few minutes this week for a co-worker's birthday celebration. It was weird, being there, seeing my old desk with all my stuff gone. I'll get over it, though--my stuff has been shipped to the new office and will be ready and waiting at my new desk.

Yes, I still miss Atari, still feel sometimes that he's around, and I still forget that he's not going to come into the living room while I'm watching TV, wanting to be walked. I guess, in some ways, I was really lucky when he died--my best friend (and Atari's mom) and my goddaughter really helped me over the immediate aftermath, and all this moving crap has given me a ton of other stuff to concentrate on. In the mean time the gaping hole in my heart has scabbed over, I think. Plus, Talyan's success in pursuing her acting career have given me some positive things to focus on.

I do have an idea for a web series that I need to develop. I'm still at the ruminating stage with it--I won't be able to concentrate on it until after the move. I think it'll be a Good Thing, though. It's something I've never done before.

Anyways, I'll be missing all the St Patrick's Day festivities here in Savannah--in case you didn't know, we have a huge blowout every year. It's no big deal for me--I lived in the Historic District for several years and was at Ground Zero for the festivites more times than I care to remember. So, with me it's a Been There, Done That kinda thing. That many drunk people in that small a space leads to some interesting occurances. Like the argument I almost always get into with a drunk Yankee who is going on and on AND ON about how wonderful things are up north of the Mason-Dixon line and how nobody in their right mind would want to live here . . . don't get me started.

So, what are you doing this weekend? Partying? Or chilling out?

Wednesday stressing premove randomocity

So, I'm getting stuff ready for the big move.

Yes, it's stressful. I haven't moved in a long time and I've accumulated a lot of stuff. A surprisingly large amount of it is being tossed.

I have a new address, new phone number, and I'm working on getting my cable service moved, so that's out of the way. I spent an awful lot of money today on other things, today, like new mattresses, new phones, and some other stuff. Most of it will remain in the boxes it came in until I'm in the new place. I will be using the new mattresses, though--the ones I've been using are shot all to hell.

I actually find myself looking forward to it, in a way. Mostly looking forward to being done with it.

I still miss Atari. I dreamt about him last night. I still miss him, especially early in the mornings and in the early evenings, when we usually went for our walks. Last night I dozed off on the couch and I could swear for a moment he was standing there next to me, like he used to do when he wanted me to take him outside. I got his ashes from Banfield and they are on the dresser near his usual spot in the bedroom, where he spent most of his time. I reach up and touch the box when I'm back there, and talk to him like I used to. Maybe it's silly but it helps.

I just need to keep moving, keep that forward momentum, as hard as it is. One day, one day, the pain will fade, and I can remember the good things without the pain of the loss rushing back.

Sorry. I promised myself I would shut up about this, but I just can't. I do apologize. I know you understand.

Post trip randomocity

Just got in from a trip to my soon-to-be new hometown.

It was okay. Hopefully I have a new apartment. Also checked out the new office and my new desk. It's going to take some getting used to.

I still have a ton of crap to do at my current residence. I've been tossing some useless stuff--my goal is to get rid of as much as I can. Some of it--like my stereo, for instance--isn't really junk, but it's stuff I never use.

Then when I got back to town I went by Banfield to get Atari's ashes. They're in a nice little wooden box. I put them near his usual place in the back bedroom.

The good news from this week is Talyan, my goddaughter, is going to appear in two more episodes of Two and a Half Men--they shoot over the next couple of weeks. Her character name is Ava.

I'm exhausted but I can't seem to relax. Hopefully I'm just still wound up from the road. Maybe I can relax now. We'll see.

In the mean time I'm going to watch a few episodes of The Big Bang Theory. That always seems to help me get past these moods I get into.

Sick dog and Sunday morning randomocity

Atari's sick.

He had a serious bladder infection. He's been on antibiotics for almost a week and that looks to be cleared up now, for the most part--until yesterday it looked like he was peeing grape juice. Now his pee looks nice and clear.

Unfortunately this is because he's on really powerful antibiotics, which means when I get home from work there's usually a surprise or two or three hiding somewhere in my apartment.

There's another thing, though, and that's his arthritis. It's getting really bad, really fast--yesterday he couldn't make it up the stairs without my help. He can barely walk.

He goes back to the vet late this week for a follow up and they'll probably x-ray him, and I'm pretty sure it'll be time for his vet and I to have that talk. I think it's almost time to have him put down.

Hopefully I"m just being dramatic but I'm preparing myself. If this does happen I'm not sure how I'll handle it.

Whitney Houston died last night--I was chatting with a friend who is a huge fan of hers when the news came out. My friend is grief-stricken. I never listened to her music, myself--it's not my bag--but I understand those who are in serious mourning. Bon Scott and John Lennon helped me to make it through my adolescence and they both died within a month or so of each other. It was a brutal time in my life. So, even though I'm not all that affected by Whitney Houston's death, I understand those who are, and my thoughts are with her fans and her friends and family.

So, this morning, much love for everyone reading this. Peace.

No AC 100% humidity randomocity

You'd think that, since it's not even sixty degrees outside, I'd be pretty comfy.

You'd be wrong. My air conditioner is not working and my apartment is almost always about twenty degrees warmer than the outside. Which makes it around eighty inside.

I don't really know why this happens. I wish I did. I'm sure I could probably make some serious money with something that generates twenty degrees of heat but apparently does not require any power.

It's probably my downstairs neighbors--I suspect they have their heat on when temps drop below seventy. But without the AC it gets like a damned rain forest in here.

Anyways, I'm still plugging away on The Harvester of Faces. Still got a long way to go on it, as you might imagine. I really don't know how I feel about it so far--I think it's a good idea but so far there are some things that just haven't come together on it. I probably need to plot it out in a bit more detail--I don't normally work that way but in this case I think I might need to.

It's chilly outside, as I've mentioned, and rainy, and it'll probably be storming in a little while. I'm watching the AFC championship game, not particularly caring who wins--I dig the Ravens but I don't have any special hatred of the Patriots, unlike a lot of people I know. As for the NFC, I won't be able to see it, as it's on Fox, and I still haven't been able to persuade Comcast to fix my issues with the Fox feed. So, I'll watch the highlights I reckon on ESPN or something.

Speaking of the AFC championship--Steven Tyler sings the national anthem? If ever there was every a good example in support of my argument--that we should just dispense with The Star Spangled Banner before sporting events--that was it. It was awful. Even worse than the hip hop singers who "oversoul" it or the country music singers who nasal it to death.

Joe Paterno died. I really can't find it in my heart to feel sad about it. I've never been a big Paterno fan--I've always felt that he was one of those who didn't think rules applied to him and his people--but recent events have completely destroyed what respect I've had for him. To be honest, I went from a mild dislike to a deep loathing of him over the past few months.

Oh, well. That's all the news that isn't, on this front.

Saturday morning post-breakfast randomocity

It is truly aggravating trying to find an apartment in the Atlanta area when you have a big dog. Especially an Akita.

Most places don't allow pets over fifty pounds (Atari is 90) and they consider Akitas an aggressive breed (Atari has never bitten anyone and he's so old and arthritic now that he can barely walk anyway). Maybe I've found a place that'll do, though. It took a lot of phone calls. Maybe I can find a few other places, too.

On a more pleasant front, Talyan, my goddaughter, will be appearing in the Two And A Half Men episode to air on the 23rd. They actually filmed it last night. I'm very proud of her--she's going to be everywhere very soon now, I think.

I may actually start writing this novel I've been mulling over for a couple of weeks now. It's an idea that intrigues me. I'm not going into details but I'm calling it The Harvester of Faces and it's a science fiction detective story. When I'm finally done with it I'll probably self-publish it. Where it will languish in obscurity, I'm sure.

Oh, well. And it's really cold outside--well, for Savannah 23 degrees is cold.

At least it's another three day weekend--we get MLK Day off. Looking forward to not doing all that much, relaxing, maybe make a few more frustrating phone calls to apartment managers in Douglasville.

Sippin' coffee on a Sunday afternoon randomocity

I have finally found somebody who is even more stubborn about staying within his comfort zone than me. That's be my dog, Atari.

For the second time in a row we've gone to the vet so he can give a urine sample so they can check to see if his bladder infection has cleared up. Second time in a row he just would not take a piss. I know he needed to--I deliberately didn't walk him after our first walk early in the morning. They finally gave up and gave me a tray and a hypo to take home. The tray was to catch the piss when he let go after we got home, then I was supposed to draw it up into the hypo and cap it and take it back. Which is exactly what happened--two minutes after we got home he was taking an enthusiastic leak on some bushes.

He's the same way at my dad's house. He'll take a couple of leaks but not as much as I know he needs to. It makes me worry for when we move in March. We aren't coming all the way back to Savannah so he can take a piss!

But, aside from the annoyance factor, he seems to be doing fine. Other than the arthritis, which we really can't do anything about except give him meds for the pain. He's finally started sleeping on the heating pad I spent a small fortune on several months ago for him--it's designed specifically for dogs, but it's new so he doesn't trust it. He's finally figured out, though, that when those hips begin aching it feels so good to lie down on that thing.

Okay, enough grumbling about Atari.

On a completely unrelated subject, why is it the word genius is rarely used to describe women? I mean, you'll have, say, a female author who meets all the criteria--wildly creative, excellent at plotting, pitch-perfect at character development, with an uncanny knack for pacing--and you'll describe her as a great artist or something like that. Yet, if we were talking about a male author, the word genius would be the first one we'd use. As far as I know it isn't grammatically incorrect to use that word to describe a woman. Anybody know? Chime in if you do.

The woman that started me thinking about all this was Tanith Lee. Check her out, if you don't know her. She is an English author, mostly fantasy with some science fiction, and she is absolutely amazing. Yes, she is a genius. Read her Flat Earth novels, or Kill The Dead, or Sabella (all of which are available on Amazon, by the way) to introduce yourself to her work. She'll blow you away.

Don't forget to come back by here and thank me. I know you will.

Post Chinese take out randomocity

Just enjoyed some nice chicken in black pepper sauce from Bamboo Garden--mmmmm . . . Atari dug it, too, and there's enough left for lunch tomorrow, as well. I don't know how some people leave Chinese food in their fridges long enough to spoil. Doesn't last more than a couple days in mine.

I did want to bring this book to your attention. Yes, the author is a very good friend. But forgive my bias and buy it, for yourself or for anyone you know who loves vampires. This will give you a taste of what a real, traditional vampire is like.

Creatively not much is going on with me, these days. I've got ideas for stuff but nothing that jumps up and down and waves to get my attention. I'm wondering if this isn't a symptom of some sort of larger problem, maybe.

I dunno. Right now I'm not going to worry about it. I'm sure something will strike me as a worthwhile project. In the mean time I'm going to reread some of my older stuff to see if it still strikes me as good enough to publish. In particular a novel I wrote a while back that, of course, utterly failed to even get looked at by an editor or agent. I liked it at the time--let's see if I still like it after being away from it for a while.

Atari is doing well. He had a cancer scare--he went to the vet for a bladder infection and the vet noticed suspicious cells in his urine sample--but he's been declared cancer-free. As far as anyone can tell. He does have a large stone in his bladder that will make him prone to get bladder infections, but that is something he can live with. He also has an enormous spleen but the doc took samples of it and the lab he sent it do found no cancerous cells in it. So, it's just a symptom of old age.

Sort of makes me wonder just how big *my* spleen is!

Post holiday randomocity

Atari and I are back from a visit to the family home.

It wasn't too bad. We wound up having our official holiday meal at Huddle House, which was actually fine with me. I've already done the traditional turkey, dressing, etc., thing at work so I'm set for now.

And today is Black Friday where the lunatics go out to spend their last dollar getting gifts for people who they think will love them for it. Trust me--if they don't love you already ain't no amount of money you can spend that'll change their minds. You just look pretty pathetic. And broke. If the people you loved get pissed at you because you didn't get them what they want then maybe you need to re-evaluate the people you love.

As for me, I'm getting my goddaughter something, and my best friend something, and that'll be all of my xmas shopping for the year. I'll do that online, too, in a couple of weeks. Will they get me anything? Maybe. Maybe not. I don't really care. I love them both from the depths of my cold, black heart regardless.

Anyways, I'm back home, unpacked, showered, ready to relax a while. Probably finally watch the series premier of The Walking Dead, which I got from ITunes the other day. (I watched most of season two on VOD and now I'm hooked. Dammit. Just what I need. A new obsession.)

So, if you got any time off enjoy it. Don't partake of the shopping madness. Give the people on your list a thoughtful little note or something. Maybe a nice box of candy that they like. Don't go broke for them.

If they really love you that's what they'd want.

Boo, y'all randomocity

While I enjoy the idea of Halloween, in theory, I don't participate, these days.

Mostly 'cause I don't know any of the kids around here any more, or their parents, so I'm hoping they'll give my place a miss.

Halloween over the past few years has gotten kind of scary anyway, and not in a good way. Trick-or-treaters are getting older---look, if you're old enough to drive, you're too old to be knocking on doors asking for candy. You should be at a party with your friends when you reach that age, unless you're escorting a younger sibling or something.

I'm not kidding--one Halloween a few years ago I stupidly answered the door and was confronted by a group of teenages in costume who demanded money from me. They didn't get any, but still . . . I don't remember that happening when I was a kid.

So, my plan is to stay in, lights out, and listen to music or watch TV. And not answer my door

Have fun, kiddies, and enjoy the day, and leave the grouchy old coot to his life of despair.

I really need to get busy on this new tune. I've found a female vocalist who I think will do it justice, but I had to take my bass to the shop--changing the strings on that puppy turned out to be a little more complicated than I anticipated. I have another bass--a cheap four-string--but I'd rather use my bad-ass six string for this. If possible. And, of course, this song will be all about the bass line.

That's just how it works. Oh, well.

Rainy Tuesday randomocity

I may have found a female vocalist to help me with a project.

While the lyrics I have for this one song--and the ideas I have for others--aren't gender-specific, for some reason I hear a woman singing them. Maybe I've found that woman. We'll see. I haven't actually heard her sing yet, though I know she does, a lot. I'm sure she'll be fine--I'm not asking for many vocal pryotechnics or anything..

It's a little scary. I've never worked with anybody on a musical project before and I'm a bit of a control freak. Hopefully I won't turn into a raging asshole and let her put her own unique touches on the little tune we'll be starting out with. If it comes together, that is. Of course, I have to like her voice, and she has to like--and be willing to do--what I"m asking her to do. And as nuts as my life has been lately I don't know when I'm gonna be able to sit down and record this thing. I'm pretty much spent at the end of the day lately.

On another note, I saw The Thing this weekend. I dug it--I give it a B+, but only because it sort of dragged in a couple of places. If you liked John Carpenter's version you'll like this one, too. Of course the critics just don't understand it--I read one review that said it was completely unnecessary. Of course it's completely unnecessary. It's a movie, dumbass.  No movie is necessary. It's just supposed to entertain.Which this one does, I thought.

Speaking of movies, put The Devil Inside on your "got to see" list, mostly cause Talyan has a small part in it. It's not my normal thing--I'm not big on supernatural horror--but this could be kinda interesting.

And speaking of my goddaughter, I know you saw her in the Lifetime movie, Five. You can actually watch the movie from the link. Talyan is in the last segment, "Pearl." Watch for the little girl who says, "That's the best, best part!" That's her. She was awesome. And adorable. The rest of it's pretty good, too. Have a box of tissues handy when you watch it.

For those following the continuing story of Atari, he's about the same. It's getting really difficult for him to get around with the arthritis, and of course the medication is gradually losing it's effectiveness. I wish I could do more for him.

Anyways, that's what's up with me tonight.

Proud godfather and randomocity

Tonight is opening night for the play Talyan (my goddaughter) is appearing in. That's her, in the above poster. If you're in the LA area you ought to get tickets to see it. Info on the theater can be found here. Judging from the synposis it's an intense experience. I wish I could be there.

Instead I'm planning to be home, napping as much as I can. I feel like I'm coming down with something. Which is just what I need, to get sick, right now.

I need a project. I've been mulling over different ideas but nothing has really sat up and clamoured for my attention. It's beginning to get depressing.

I've never really had this problem before--coming up with something to work on. Usually there's a novel or story or musical idea waiting in the wings for me to find the time to work on it. Over the past month or so, though, nothing. Nada. Not a goddamned thing. My imagination is constipated.

Oh, well. I can be sure that, eventually, something will step forward and demand to be created. Something always does.

Just read an article that says that another recession is a sure thing now, and that it'll be worse than the previous one. Lovely. Something else to look forward to.

Oh, well. I'm just going to dwell on Talyan's big opening tonight, nap as much as I can, and extract whatever pleasure out of life I can find.

Guilty pleasures and randomocity

I'm getting caught up in Project Runway again this season.

For those who know me this could be totally astonishing. I know, I don't seem to be the type to get into fashion, but there are a couple of reasons I dig this show. Three, I can think of, right off the top of my head.

1. Fashion is an art, and as an artist I feel the need to have some sort of understanding of it--what makes something "good", something "not good", that sort of thing. I'm actually starting to get a feel for it, I think.
2. I always love to hear artists--no matter what their medium--discuss their art. It's almost always enlightening. It's cool to me to hear what the designers are thinking when they create a look according to the rules of a particular challenge. The creative process is endlessly fascinating to me.
3. Anya. I'm in love. She's so frakkin' hot. And brilliant. Well, except for last week. Though it was a menswear challenge and my new love has no experience with that. Fortunately the judges cut her some slack and let her stay. So, I can enjoy her hotness for at least one more week.

No, I'm not surrendering my man card because I dig this show. I know, it's not a guy thing, but as usual I don't care. And I'm watching a college football game right now as I type this. (UGA vs Ole Miss) So there.

While you're visiting MyLifetime.com, check out the preview for Five, a Lifetime movie that'll be airing October 10. In case you missed it, my goddaughter is in it. She's in the trailer you'll see at the above link, too, just for a second, about 40 seconrds or so in. Right after a shot of Rosario Dawson running down a hallway, there's a shot of a little girl with someone touching her face--that's my Sweets.

In a little bit I'm going to do some ideation exercises to help me come up with a new project. I've got some ideas for diffferent things but none of them are especially appealing to me right now. I need something new. Hopefully playing with a dictionary will lead to something interesting.

But not just yet. Atari wants to go walkies, like,  right now.

Pre-Falcons game Sunday randomocity

Yes, I love my Atlanta Falcons, even though they looked like a Pop Warner team last Sunday against Chicago. They play like that tonight they will lose. Again. They're playing Philadelphia, which starts Atlanta's former quarterback, Mike Vick. Yes, I loathe Vick, and not just for the dog-fighting thing. It won't be long before Eagles fans start seeing what I saw when he was in Atlanta. And then they will not be shy about showing their displeasure.

I need a project. I've made a second start on this novel but, while I am happy with what I have so far, I'm just not feeling it. I may try to do a little more on it and see where it goes, but I'm thinking it's pretty much DOA. I just don't feel like it's something I need to be working on.

This drives me crazy. I know what sort of story I want to be telling, but I don't have the actual story. It's not something I think I can explain to someone. If you are an artist of some type, though, you'll understand.

I do know that I'm not all that interested in returning to prose fiction, really. The prospect just doesn't do all that much for me, even though I'm much more likely to achieve something that way than by writing a screenplay or something. I actually have sort of a relationship with a small publisher and get asked sometimes if I have something they'd like--I always have to answer 'no' because they specialize in horror and that's not a vein I'm interested in mining right now. Believe it or not.

I'm going to work on coming up with an idea, and I'm sure something will come up, sooner rather than later. I may do another screenplay, though I'm not sure if that's worth the time right now, for a variety of reasons.

And I found out--unofficially--that I'll probably be moving at the end of December. Which means my holidays are going to be really crazy this year. I'll probably go up to Douglasville to look around for an apartment around December 1st--there are a lot of places right around the office up there, apparently, so maybe I can find something I can sort of afford and which will allow me to keep Atari. Lots of apartment complexes have this rule about no dogs larger than 60 pounds--hopefully I can find a place that doesn't discriminate.

So, root for my Falcons tonight! If you know of a decent apartment complex in Douglasville, GA, let me know!

The metaphor of the stick and other randomocity

My mom told me that when I was just learning to walk I had to hold onto this stick.

The stick was a substitute for someone's finger--I started walking by holding onto mom's finger and using that to help me keep my balance. Mom gave me the stick--it was short, just a bit longer than her finger--and it served just as well. As long as I was holding onto that stick I could walk. It was like magic.

Eventually, of course, I figured out I didn't need the stick to walk. But I've always thought this was a very apt metaphor for religion--I thought the stick was helping but it was just a stick. I was actually doing it myself. Anyways, I always found that profound.

On another subject, I just missed a wonderful little photo-op with my dog, Atari. I just went out to get my head shaved--yes, I'm bald again--and while I was there went by Cheesesteak Charlie's to get a grilled steak sandwich and some fries. Of course, when I brought them home Atari smelt the meat and started salivating.

I fully intended to give him a taste of the sandwich but just couldn't stop myself until it was gone. I did have some fries left over, though, and he likes fries, so I dumped those in his food dish. He eagerly ran over and stuck his snout into that dish and then, realizing that there wsa no meat in there whatsoever, gave me the saddest, most disappointed look ever. I wish I'd had a camera ready. It was one for the ages. He ate the fries but you could tell his heart wasn't in it.

My little mini-vacation is over today. Back to work tomorrow morning. Woo-hoo!

Post doctor visit randomocity

First, a little bragging--the trailer for the film that Talyan, my goddaughter appears in is now available. Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZkPzlxnG6w&feature=youtu.be. You can see her face, briefly, at 0:42. She has dark hair and she's seven.  The film is called "Five" and will air on the Lifetime Network on October 10.  The song you'll hear is Linkin Parks' "Iridescent."

Just got back from my doc for a routine checkup--he was giving me grief for gaining weight. I don't really know what to say, other than, "So?" I've been fat all my life. I simply don't give a shit anymore. I've lost all the weight before and it really didn't make my life all that much better. So, to hell with it.

I've been working on a new tune--I got maybe a third of it done and decided I'm not happy with it. So, I'm redoing it. It'll be a lot better now than it would have been.

So, watch the trailer, let me know how adorable Talyan is, and keep your eyes and ears open for a new tune, coming up . . . sometime.

Sunday morning drowsy randomocity

As I promised myself, I watched Alien again last night.

It was the director's cut, and I downloaded it from ITunes. I already have it on DVD but I wanted it on my IPod--the picture on that tiny screen is incredible, and listening to it with headphones helps me to hear and appreciate the sound mix better. It was an awesome and terrifying experience.

Of course, the whole point in this little exercise was to remind myself of why that film is so special, as it embodies the qualities I want to capture for my newest project, which I have decided will be a novel. Yes, it was helpful, and I came up with a couple of practical ideas, too, as to the creature that will be at the heart of the story. With any luck it'll scare the everlovin' piss out of whoever reads it.

Horror lately has been so disappointing to me. Nobody seems to be interested in being scared anymore. It's all gore--make as grisly a death as possible. It's really uninteresting, not worth watching. Plus, nobody seems to understand how to do monsters. From what I understand--I haven't seen it--J. J. Abrams understood in Cloverfield. In that one the monster is kept mysterious as long as possible--you can see what the creature does, which is create an incredible amount of death and destruction, but you don't see it. The thing remains shrouded in mystery. Which is how it's supposed to be done.

Lovecraft is a master at that sort of thing, too, and since I see Alien as sort of the progeny of Lovecraft's work, he's the basis for what I think of when I think about truly effective horror. Lovecraft at his best captured the awe-inspiring, terrifying vastness of the cosmos. Granted his prose tended towards the purple, and most of his stuff is way too wordy, but read "The Dunwich Horror" or "The Shadow Out of Time" to see what I'm talking about. The latter story is a perfect example of the last sentence in the work giving rise to a massive episode of horripilation, as H. P. himself would say. (You're on the Internet right now--look it up!)

Anyways, the very beginnings of the plot are now starting to come together. I'm going to relax a while, then have lunch, and by then hopefully I'll have enough to be able to go into my little home office and start on a basic outline.

Lunch, btw, is gonna be a nice New York strip steak, some fried popcorn shrimp, and some fries--good old surf 'n' turf.
So, stay cool! Stay out of trouble--or, if you can't, at least come over here and tell me all about it!

Watching TV on a Friday Night randomocity

So, here I am, doing what I'm usally doing at this time on a Friday night--watching TV.

It's Haven on Syfy tonight. Check it out, if you haven't already. It's a show with a ton of heart.

I'm off this Monday and Tuesday. Plan is, Monday, to take Atari to get his yearly shots and have some bloodwork done--the vet has to see if the meds he's on for his arthritis are damaging his liver. Tuesday I need to get some preventive maintenance done on my truck. Whether I actually do that or not depends on how much money I wind up dropping at the vet's.

Other than that I'm planning on plotting out this novel I've been mulling over for over a week now.

Still got a ways to go on it, really. I need a monster. Something terrible, that'll cause someone's hackles to rise, something that'll just bypass the reasonable parts of a person's brain and go straight to the reptilian places where deep-seated fears live. Yes, like Alien. In fact, part of the plan is to watch that film--the director's cut--sometime this weekend. Go back to the source material for my nightmares.

I also intend to create a sort of oppressive, claustophobic world for my characters to live in. That' still something I'm thinking about. I think the contrast between the stifling confines of the world and the characters--who are jsut trying to live their lives as best they can--will addd some texture to the whole thing, make it more effective by making you care about the characters. Because, if you don't care then you may as well be reading a newspaper.

Another storm is rolling in, and Atari's feeling antsy again. Thunder scares him and lately with had some storms that were real humdingers. I'm just hoping we get some rain to cool things off. It's a bit ridiculously hot here.

So, that's my weekend. What about you? Got any plans?