Auld lang syne, anyone? What a night.
Spent New Year’s Eve at Forest Park for the big 04Eve celebration. LOTS of people. They had estimated maybe 30,000+ people might come…today’s estimates have over 100,000 people thought to have streamed through the park. As you can imagine logistics was a pain, but overall I though it quite grand. Lots of activities, all free (what more could you ask for?) and the most wonderful seat for fireworks you could wish for. Jess, thanks for going, sorry you had to leave early and glad you got home ok. It was nice to meet you Marty, thanks for the champagne and of course you are gay. The couple of gay guys I’ve met have all been pretty cute, funny, and they like me…I’m just not their type 
In case you were wondering, yes, drunkeness occurred. Strange how nights at Alex’s always end interestingly.
More later when I’m not quite so tired from a) walking nearly the entire western part of Forest Park and b) staying up waay to late the last few days. Happy 2004!
Author: etoiline
:// John Howe :: Illustrator [ News ] John Howe (Illustrator-cum-LotR Artistic Everyman) is cool. And he did some covers for Robin Hobb’s books. Doubly cool.
This is a nice article about RotK. But beware !!!Spoilers!!!
A good book is a good friend
Standard<MAP NAME=”boxmap-p8″><AREA SHAPE=”RECT” COORDS=”14, 200, 103, 207″ HREF=”http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1″ ><AREA COORDS=”0,0,10000,10000″ HREF=”http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/aspiretothest-20″ ></MAP><img src=”http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/rcm/120×240.gif” width=”120″ height=”240″ border=”0″ usemap=”#boxmap-p8″ alt=”Shop at Amazon.com”>Today was the second day I encountered this random guy wearing pink Converse sneakers on the way to work. You have to be pretty secure with yourself to wear pink, but a guy in pink sneaks? Ah well. If it makes him happy…
But in case you’re wondering about the title of this entry, the book to the side I purchased on Christmas Eve while I was out at Chevy’s with my mom. I started reading it that night and finished it late Sunday morning. So I read a little over a hundred pages a day. Not spectacular pacing, but better than I usually do, and I have the excuse of a holiday in there as well. But this writer, Robin Hobb…her previous two trilogies are amazing, and the trilogy Golden Fool is a part of is wonderful as well. You just keep reading and reading, wanting to know what happens but not wanting it to end…or that’s just me, perhaps. But it is inspiring read such books, it makes me want to write something that would move people that way. I hope that someday I can see my name on the cover of a book that I’m proud of. Wouldn’t it be nice if my New Year’s resolution was to finish the book? Hah. I need new computer before I’d feel comfortable doing that. And I still need to figure out how it ends Any ideas? Take a look at what I’ve got so far (for public viewing, anyway… there’s more chapters that only special people see. You have to email me if you want access for them…) and let me know what you think! Last night I turned on the comp only to just reread some of what I’d previously written. I do sound much different now than when I started. I’ll have to go over the whole thing someday and change lots…but for now, just get a draft. A huge draft. I wonder how many pages it is already. All the chapters are at least ten pages long, typed single-spaced, and there’s six plus a prologue finished…many thousands of words already and so much left to go. Would be nice to finish chapter 7 before the end of the year, but as that’s in a little over a day I don’t think it will happen…
I want the third book of the Tawny Man trilogy to come out now! Sigh. If only I lived in England it’s already out there, but here we have to wait for February. So impatient am I! Better get writing on my own in the meantime…
PromoGuy’s Monday Mission 3.52
1. So, what did you get for Christmas? Quite a lot. I’m very satisfied, because quite a bit of my haul was LotR-related and that makes me very happy. And books…and sweet-smelling stuff. Yay!
2. Are you returning any gifts you were given for Christmas? I’m not, but my parents are returning some stuff from me. Ah well. Can’t win ’em all.
3. For me, the best part of Christmas being over is that there will be no more Fran Drescher “Old Navy” commercials. Ugh, bring back Morgan Fairchild! What is the best part of Christmas being over? Er. Not having to wrap any more presents? New tv episodes instead of the Christmas-movie-of-the-week? It’s a toss-up.
4. Used to be, we would always get together with friends and have Margaritas on New Year’s Eve (though time has passed and friends drift apart, so not anymore, sadly). My Grandma always makes sure to eat Black Eyed Peas on N.Y.E. I know of another couple who “do it” on NYE, and time it to reach their “peak” right at 12:00 AM! Do you have any traditions each year for New Year’s Eve? Usually my parents have a party…this year I’m not sure if they will, and Alex is having a party I might go to, AND they’re starting the centennial celebration of the St. Louis Olympics and World’s Fair AND the 200th anniv. of the Louis & Clark expedition on NYE, so there’s a plethora of activity to start a new tradition with!
5. If you could go back into 2003 and change just one thing, or get a “do over,” what would you do? I honestly don’t know. There are probably little things I’d like to change but I can’t think of, but my biggest regret, if you care to know, is that I didn’t write more in a coherent form. I managed to write tidbits but I’m still only one chapter closer to the end of Moonstone.
6. Is there anything you want to accomplish in 2004 that seems within reach? Wouldn’t it be nice to say, Oh, I finished a book in 2004? Sigh. I hope to get my name on a scientific paper next year. That would be cool. Not quite as cool as my name on the cover of a novel, but you get the idea.
7. Is your online personality very different from what it would be like if I were meeting you in “real life?” I hope not. I hate being superficial or fatuous. Although maybe I make myself out to be more a supergirl than I am…who knows? Only you, really.
BONUS: What you gonna do when you get out of jail? Go see LotR: RotK? 😉
12/25/2003 – Movie Review: The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King – Happenings – Chattanoogan.com A review that had me laughing…I love being amused by LotR.
Another amusing cartoon…take note, Academy!
1. What was your biggest accomplishment this year? Keeping a job for a few weeks over seven months…here’s hoping for a long time more!
2. What was your biggest disappointment? Not writing enough.
3. What do you hope the new year brings? More knowledge, more confidence in myself for work.
4. Will you be making any New Year’s resolutions? If yes, what will they be? Err. I really should start working out again, but we all know how that is going to turn out, eh? And writing…I should try the tried-and-true writer’s trick of writing a bit each day. But I’m so lazy that I hate to turn on my laptop because it takes so long.
5. What are your plans for New Year’s Eve? I’ll either be at Alex’s or my parents. Probably my parents. I don’t know. Not like I really want to get sloshed, so if my parents do end up having a party, I guess I’ll be there. Tradition is nice, sometimes.
Happy Boxing Day, all ye English!
A pretty good haul
Standard<MAP NAME=”boxmap-p8″><AREA SHAPE=”RECT” COORDS=”14, 200, 103, 207″ HREF=”http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1″ ><AREA COORDS=”0,0,10000,10000″ HREF=”http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/aspiretothest-20″ ></MAP><img src=”http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/rcm/120×240.gif” width=”120″ height=”240″ border=”0″ usemap=”#boxmap-p8″ alt=”Shop at Amazon.com”>Since it’s late I’ll just mention that I’m happy with what I got this year (no keyboard, but then again, I wasn’t really expecting anyone to get me something that expensive) and I did clean up on the LotR stuff. Whee! LotR Trivial Pursuit and Monopoly, a Legolas&Gimli on horseback toy, a HUGE calendar, and a Weapons and Warfare book. Also some books Dad got at auction at work.
Finally got Mom a copy stand, pasta maker, and smoothie blender…and I hope Dad likes what he got. He liked the flipbook of Albert Pujols anyway…
Hope your Christmas went well! Enjoy your gifts/day off/just plain day. And happy Boxing Day to the British
Merry Christmas, everyone
StandardGrown-up Christmas List from Amy Grant’s Home for Christmas album
Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee.
I wrote to you with childhood fantasies.
Well, I’m all grown up now,
But still need help somehow.
I’m not a chile but my heart still can dream.
So here’s my lifelong wish,
my grown-up christmas list,
not for myself, but for a world in need:
No more lives torn apart,
and wars would never start,
and time would heal all hearts.
Ev’ry one would have a friend,
that right would always win,
and love would never end:
This is my grown-up christmas list.
As children we believed
the grandest sight to see
was something lovely wrapped beneash the tree.
Well, heaven surely knows
that packages and bows
can never heal a hurting human soul.
No more lives torn apart,
and wars would never start,
and time would heal all hearts.
Ev’ry one would have a friend,
that right would always win,
and love would never end:
This is my grown-up christmas list.
What is this illusion called the innocence of youth?
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth!
There’d be…
No more lives torn apart,
and wars would never start,
and time would heal all hearts.
Ev’ry one would have a friend,
that right would always win,
and love would never end:
This is my grown-up christmas list,
this is my only lifelong wish,
This is my Grown-up Christmas List.
God bless us, every one.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Cor 13:13
O star of wonder, star of night,
star with royal beauty bright,
westward leading, still proceeding,
guide us to thy perfect Light.
Merry Christmas!
Monday. It’s time to go
Standardbut I’ll answer some questions anyway. And yes, I did see RotK again this past weekend, and it was quite good, again. My parents liked it too, though my mother is quite sure she knows why the movie won’t win best picture at the Oscars. Ah well.
Q: Does billy Boyd sing in the Soundtrack? A: Yes, yes he does, and quite well too, on track #5, The Steward of Gondor. Quite a moving scene in the movie. I just love his accent. Go Scotsmen. Also, Viggo Mortensen sings in Elvish on track 17, The Return of the King (a ten minute long track! Viggo only sings a short bit in it.)
Q: Inama Nushif A: Well, if you want to anything about it, I suggest you look at this post or this post (first is better, since it has a link to the composer’s website). Then you should rent the Children of Dune miniseries and watch (and listen) for the scene it’s played over. Such a good scene.
Q: Will Orlando Bloom answer my letter? A: Now how am I supposed to know that? I mean, if I had ever written him a letter mayhap I would know if he responds, but alas, being neither Orlando Bloom nor his publicist I can’t help you.
And in the same vein: Q: Does Billy Boyd fancy me? A: I honestly don’t know, but to make you happy, I’ll say of course. I’ll be sure to pass that onto him the next time I see him… yeah.
I should mention that the midnight premiere started at 12:17 am on 12/17 (by my watch, anyway) and that the reason I see the midnight premiere is because the atmosphere is so much better. For instance, you knew people were going to cheer at the appropriate moments at the MP, but there were only two places for cheering at the saturday matinee…Legolas’ Mumakil moment and Eowyn vs. the Witch King. And there was some polite golf-clapping at the end, vs the rather thunderous applause at the MP…so much more fun at the midnight showing. Where else are you going to find all these people in cloaks yelling at the screen?