Sorry, I've been gone again for a while. I've been way too busy tooling around, writing and re-writing, and when I do end up on LJ it's usually under the account associated with all that. :)

Still, I should check in here from time to time and see what's all up...

Like today.

Part of the thing is that I don't have the net at home and can't afford it. Which means I either check in from work or the library. I also don't have as much time to read fanfic anymore (even if I still love it). (sigh)

I do miss writing PotC fanfic big time. But if I'm going to write a pirate novel now it'll be something I can send to get published. Hm...

I did start a novel this past year, but have been spending most of my time finishing nonfic books. I swing back and forth between whether which one is more important to me--the fic or nonfic? Can't answer that yet, but right now the nonfic is winning. Clearly.

How do people find the time to get both done?

Okay, so December is winding up already...whooo...

Have a meeting and Yule Party on Dec 13 (and need to make kid gifts before then...probably some kind of treat). Need to wrap Xmas gifts and make stuff for 2 potlucks (same dern day even). Well, plus something for the potluck on the 13th. Which makes 3, count em 3 potlucks. (I wonder what I have in the cupboard)

Red Wing has a B&B Xmas Open House this coming Sunday and it would be cool to go if the weather is good. But I have so much else to do. Hmmmm

I might end up having to cook for Xmas Eve dinner at my aunt and uncle's house as she will have to work at least part of the day. As for anything else on Xmas Day, no clue yet. My mom just isn't into doing all that anymore and I've done it at her house several times and am tired of having to do all the work and having her kvetch at me. Ah, families...

Still, Xmas is my favorite time of the year (to quote a song).

What are other people's plans? Are you done shopping yet? Did you spend as much?

This past Christmas Eve 2007 my uncle died unexpectedly and then they were going to have the funeral dinner at this restaurant in a small town in Iowa. At the last minute, they chose just to have the restaurant cater the food to the church rather than having the dinner there. That morning, when they went in to start on the food, the place exploded and burned down. They all got out okay, but only managed to save a few old pictures.

They rebuilt this past spring and when I went down to Iowa in September I was planning on going to eat there, but we didn't manage it.

This past Friday night at 3:30 in the morning, the place once more started on fire and burned to the ground. No one was there or got hurt, but everything was lost...even those things they managed to save from the first fire.

This restaurant has been there as a place to eat/general store for 160 years and the family who runs it now has been in charge since the 1960's and are relatives of mine (2nd and 3rd cousins).

It was bad enough the first time since this place is the heart of this small town, but now...they are not sure they will rebuild again. I can understand why it is a question, but I hope that they will rebuild. This place was there when I was a kid and I have many fond memories of it. It was hard enough to have lost it once, but twice.

Does anyone know what legal rights to obtain medical records grandchildren may have over their (deceased) grandparent's records? This would be for the state of Iowa...

Thanks much.

Can't hardly wait til spring. Winter in Minnesota leaves much to be desired, though this year it seems most of our snow has headed south and dumped itself in Iowa. Or at least according my mom, who says its high as the roof of the shed.

March will be a busy month, but hopefully will find the time to work some more on my second book. Its been stalled out at 120 pgs of late, at least typed. I have been writing for it, but only long hand in my journal (yes, I still write everything long hand for the main part...old-fashioned me). Eventually, it has to get typed up and I use that time to do a first re-write.

Would like to sell another article. Have yet to crack "SageWoman." But it looks like "The Beltane Papers" has closed up shop, sadly. Still, "The Crooked Path" journal should be appearing next month--traditional witchcraft magazine that I hope Magus Books will get in their store. Otherwise, I will simply have to subscribe.

Am looking for a title for the eventual poetry book I hope to sell (or self-publish if need be, as I know the market for these things is slight). It will mainly have poems based on mythological or magickal creatures. Any thoughts?

Nabbed from lurkitty, an article re Bush snubbing the widow of the man who was killed and who fought to get a pent on his stone:

http://www.lvrj.com/news/9441071.html

Up to his usual tricks and bigotry I see.

New book coming out soon--check it out!!!

http://www.sussex-academic.co.uk/sa/titles/history/wilbygowdie.htm

Amazon will be carrying it...whoo hooo!!!

Finally, a book that will have more about Isabel Gowdie (hopefully including full details of the trial transcripts...I guess they had been lost for about 200 years, oh my)

Have pre-ordered it already--yummy.

Hello...yes, am alive and so is everyone I know, though a friend of mine had just crossed the 35W Bridge here in Minneapolis not 10-15 minutes before it collapsed. Watched in horror when I got home that night and turned on the tv...

Terrible, just terrible. And to think that thousands and thousands of bridges all over the US are just as bad, if not worse.

Reminded me of that song by this one country singer called "America First," where he sang about how we spend all this money elsewhere, but then don't spend the money to rebuild our crumbling roads and bridges. Sounds almost prophetic now. Of course, rebuilding roads and bridges (which is part of what govts are supposed to do) doesn't line the pockets of the big companies which make weapons and supply wars now does it?

Sad, so sad.

I do think it is time and more than time that our govt spends the money it takes in in taxes on the poor and homeless and hungry in THIS country for a change. Not to say that we can't and shouldn't help others, but shouldn't we help ourselves too?

Why bother to defend a country that is crumbling down around our ears? Especially when the very liberties we are meant to have--and that our ancestors died to create--are being taken away from us in the name of "safety" and "security." Get a clue...no one can ENSURE your safety or security or surety, and if the cost of pretending to is all the liberties that this country was founded upon then the cost is too high by far.

Oh, but I forgot. Some people think that they are only in this world to make money upon the backs (and lives) of others and don't give a rat's ass otherwise.

Time for a change.

Will light a candle today for those who died and those who were hurt and in the hopes that something good will come of what happened this week.

Hope everyone has a great 4th of July!!!!

Am off to hunt down some potato salad...then return home to do some reading, note-taking, and writing.

Just a few more days until CONvergence--whoo!!!

Meme from lupabitch:

Regardless of where you are in life, how old you are, what you've already accomplished (however much or little that may be), if there's something you want to do that you haven't had the time or resources for, if you're feeling like you may never get to it, if you feel like an utter and total failure because everyone else has done more than you have--quit posting memes and DO something about it. RIGHT NOW. Post this for others to read, and then get off Livejournal, do some research on whatever it is you want to do, and start looking for options to at least get the ball rolling--or, if what you want can't be worked with right now, acceptable alternatives that are viable in the present. Then make a commitment to putting them into motion, even if it takes a long time or if you won't get instant results. And don't you dare come up with nothing more than a list of excuses.

Just like the meme says...I'm off to do some writing. Cheers!

In answer to a recent comment, I am of a mind to plug a couple of books I found on Amazon. The series is called "Raised by Wolves" and the first two books are "Brethren" and "Matelots" or something like that. Set in the Caribbean in the 1600's they are about two men who go "a roving" and become involved. Very well written...in fact, so well written that I strongly suspect the author is a former slash writer. Apparently, there will be at least 2 more books in the series and they are HUGE books. Veddy yummy, indeed.

CONvergence is coming up quick and I (being a fool) have volunteered for 2 panels, one on Sat night and one on Sunday. The first one is about slash and the second on "Deconstructing Mary Sue," or, in other words, how do you go from writing fanfic to writing decent orig fic. Not sure yet of which outfits will wear that weekend, but suspect that a piratey one is called for on Saturday--yo, ho, ho...

Well, should get going. Have to finish my walk and then do some writing.

CHEERS!!!!

Posted a review of "A Field Guide to Otherkin" by Lupa on Amazon. Highly recommended by moi. Very well written. Saw a pic of the author on a website where she is going to be a speaker and I guess she's just moved with her hubbie to Portland. Would love to chat with her. I wonder if she is on any LJ community or yahoogroup...?

Nabbed from one of my Johnny Depp communities:

Those "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" rumours just ramped up a bit with a report from Cinema Blend suggesting that sequel number three isn't just a possibility, it's a certainity. Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush will return for the next film - nobody else from the original three films will return as the series will now center on Jack Sparrow, played by Depp, says the site - with Gore Verbinski slated to again direct.

The site's scooper says that the next film could be an out-and-out-science fiction film. "Some of the brainstorming going around involves some Jules Verne type of scenarios involving some pretty big flying machines, a man who wants to rule more than just the ocean, a encounter with the most famous and dangerous pirate of all, a race to get to a lost world (Hint, Hint) and Jack and his crew going to where no pirate has gone before".

The site's scooper says to expect the film in either 2009 or 2010

So, like June is booked up and July is booked up (at least ONE thing each weekend from now until August, like crazy I know). Weddings and gathers and circles and so on...

Welcome summer.

PLUS, but of course, going to see Pirates 3 as often as possible, with a break for the next Harry Potter movie.

PLUS, writing and yoga and pottery.

Breathing? Naw...who needs that then?

Cheers and off now to do just that. Breathing AND writing.

Does anyone know where you can get that Capt Barbossa poster, the one from AWE with the misty background and Jack the monkey on his shoulder? A reputable place...

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END has smashed the record for the biggest worldwide opening in history - the movie raked in a massive $401 million (GBP200.5 million) in its first six days of release. The second sequel in the Walt Disney-made series has already broken box office records in the U.S. for the best Memorial Day weekend debut, after making $142.1 million (GBP71.05 million). At World's End beat the previous record for best opening set by the release of Spiderman 3 earlier this year (07), which made a total of $382 million (GBP191 million) in its first few days. Walt Disney Studios spokesman Mark Zoradi says, "We knew that audiences all over the world were excited to see Johnny Depp and the rest of the fantastic Pirates cast in this latest adventure, but this record-setting response at the global box office has been nothing short of incredible. "Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End now has the biggest opening in movie history, and we're extremely proud of that achievement."

Nabbed this off one of my Pirates communities...whooeeee!!!

Okay...thanks to all those who supplied a place where you could find the rest of the canon song. I played around some more and here goes:

Hoist the Colours

The king and his men stole the queen
From her bed and bound her in her bones
The seas be ours and by the powers
Where we will we'll roam

CHORUS
Yo Ho, All Together
Hoist the Colours High
Heave Ho, Thieves and Beggers
Never Shall We Die!

Some men have died and some are alive
And others sail on the sea --
With the keys to the cage and the Devil to pay
We lay to Fiddler's Green.

Yo ho...

The bell has been raised from its
Watery grave; do you hear its sepulchral tone?
We are a call to all, pay heed the squall
And turn your sail toward home.

Yo ho...

Nine pieces of eight made to seal the fate
Of all who sail the seas
The briney deep nine lords will keep
We swear they shall not fail.

Yo ho...

With steel and blood, by powder and shot
All wicked hearts and all true
Should fear our lot, we'll not be bought
Nor bow to king nor rule.

Yo ho...

We who pass the test a'fore the mast
Will ever hold to the code
Take what we can, give nothing back
To freedom's soul we're sworn.

Yo ho...

The first three stanzas and chorus are copyright to Ted Elliot and Terry Rossi with music by Hans Zimmer and Gore Verbinski. All other lyrics supplied by Garnet.

Song...there was a song in the movie that I love, but unfortunately only a piece of it is on the actual soundtrack. More than that is sung in the movie, but I can't get that stanza because you can't hear enough of it. Does anyone know where the whole song might be found?

In the meantime, I wrote more stanzas ('ware spoilers):

( Hoist the Colours )

First off...have seen Pirates AWE three times now. Saw it opening night (but of course) and I couldn't honestly say what I thought at that time. I was a tetch bit too overwhelmed at the time. But every time I see it the movie just keeps on GETTING BETTER!!!! Man oh man...

Plot twists galore and everyone has their own agenda and magnificent battles and ships and heart-wrenching scenes and glorious humor and... (you get the picture)

Definitely, this is my summer movie of choice. As though any of you had any doubt. Hee. I doubt I will break away from Pirates for anything other than Harry Potter all summer.

Jack, oh, Jack, I adore you (as well you know) (geesh).

Yummy yum yum and a bottle o rum.