24 December, 2008
Dear Mainstream Media: Watch And Learn
Rachel Maddow demonstrates a level of professionalism and journalistic responsibility that I was afraid had been lost forever from contemporary media:
Bravo, Ms. Maddow!
Labels: in the news, Maddow Fangirl, personal responsibility, yay
~~ victoria on 9:05 PM ~~ 2 comments
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29 November, 2008
Phew! Made It!
I set a deadline for myself to type the words "The" and "End" by midnight last night (and, um, actually be AT the end of my story, heh!). I hit 50,000 words around 7:30 p.m. but still had to bring the story to a close. I typed "The End" at 11:49 p.m. and (thank goodness the servers weren't too loaded) uploaded and verified my NaNoWriMo victory.
This year's novel was some pretty tough slogging and there were a few days when I was fairly sure I wasn't going to see this one through. But it surprised me, as it always does, that once I started writing, the pieces would just sort of fall into place.
I had to laugh last weekend when, after I had sent my main characters to Victoria, British Columbia in search of a relative, I realized I had spent so little time there that I knew next to nothing about the city. I needed a rather exclusive neighbourhood that the relative might have been relocated to when she was a child. I looked through a couple of real estate sites and picked one that sounded swanky enough and explored it on Google Maps. As it turned out, there was an apparently large children's hospital just a stone's throw away (and this character would have been in need of care throughout her childhood). Sometimes, you can pull part of your plot out of your ass and it'll actually work! Haha!
So, anyway, I'm now 4-for-4 in NaNoWriMo and I'm in the planning stages for next November. I think I want to set aside some funds and have someone come in and help me keep the apartment clean and to find some good healthy take-away restaurants. Maybe that'll hold off at least a couple of my meltdowns. If nothing else, my hovel won't be as stinky and dusty! And I think I don't want to type anything at all between now and November 1, 2009!
~~ victoria on 10:57 AM ~~ 3 comments
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28 November, 2008
Kitteh On A Roomba: The Sequel
My dear friend Gary actually improved on this video. I cannot stop laughing!
~~ victoria on 3:55 PM ~~ 0 comments
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25 November, 2008
Little by Little: Florida Judge Rules Gay Adoption Ban Unconstitutional
This is some very good news to wake up to this morning!
''The challenged statute, in precluding otherwise qualified homosexuals from adopting available children, does not promote the interests of children and, in effect, causes harm to the children it is meant to protect,'' Lederman wrote.
The judge added: ``There is no question the blanket exclusion of gay applicants defeats Florida's goal of providing [foster] children a permanent family through adoption.''
This case centered on Frank Gill, who had been given half-brothers, ages 4 and 8, to care for around Christmastime four years ago. The boys were never able to return to their family, and Gill and his partner have been trying to adopt the brothers. According to Judge Lederman, the boys have thrived in the care of Gill and his partner.
In arguing on behalf of the Department of Children and Families, the Florida Attorney General's office made one of the most breathtakingly bigoted (not to mention just fucking stupid) claims:
Thankfully, Judge Lederman relies on actual facts and observations, rather than Religious Right talking points, when determining her ruling. (emphasis mine)
''The most important factor in ensuring a well-adjusted child is the quality of parenting,'' Lederman wrote.
However, the time for celebration is short. Judge Lederman's 53-page ruling sets the stage for a constitutional showdown. Acting on behalf of the Department of Children and Families (which I guess means only straight, God fearing families...yeesh!), the AG's office has filed a notice of appeal. And this may well be a good thing. An appeal could make this ruling binding on the entire state (rather than just the circuit it was heard in). I'm happy for Frank Gill and his family today, but there is much work to do to ensure equality for ALL families.
(h/t to Mustang Bobby on Shakesville)
Labels: equality for all, in the news, yay
~~ victoria on 10:57 AM ~~ 0 comments
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18 November, 2008
What Simon (and Mom) Will Ask Sandy Paws For for Christmas
~~ victoria on 7:36 PM ~~ 0 comments
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27 September, 2008
Quote of the Day (Year, Possibly)
"I don’t hate old people. I just don’t want to elect one. Especially one with a belipsticked bulldog crazypants as his benchwarmer."
Derek Powazek in the comments to his spot-on post about Friday night's presidential debate.
~~ victoria on 1:18 PM ~~ 0 comments
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11 June, 2008
That's Just Crazy Talk!
My Wordle cloud, representative of my blog in March, 2008.
Labels: huh, moi, navel gazing, yay
~~ victoria on 8:38 PM ~~ 0 comments
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27 April, 2008
Classic McCoy
A montage of Star Trek's Dr. Leonard McCoy pronouncing many aliens dead.
Laughing Squid has I'm A Doctor... clips as well.
(via Laughing Squid)
~~ victoria on 7:00 PM ~~ 0 comments
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20 April, 2008
Thanks For The Memories, Timber Jim
I have so many fond memories of my days hanging around PGE Park in downtown Portland (back when it was known as Civic Stadium). My wardrobe was mostly Timber Green and Gold throughout my late teens and I had the honour of interviewing Jimmy Kelly for my school newspaper (a player so popular that he received six write-in votes for the Mayor of Portland). "Timber Jim" Serrill is indelibly etched in my memories of cheering on the boys from the front row of Section 6. Always gracious, generous and humble, Jim is among the Timbers' most passionate supporters (through every iteration of the franchise) and is, in my opinion, the Mayor of Soccer City, U.S.A.
Enjoy your retirement, Timber Jim! You've earned that Lifetime Season Ticket!
| Timber Jim puts down chainsaw |
~~ victoria on 4:07 PM ~~ 0 comments
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26 March, 2008
Giving Jay Leno My Gayest Look
Melissa McEwan over at Shakesville reminded me why I refuse to watch Jay Leno and, inspired by playwright Jeff Whitty's response to Leno, has amassed a very impressive collection of Shakesville's Gayest Looks for Leno.
Yours Truly is in the mix, as is Dan Savage and Armisted Maupin (FTW!). If you'd like to send in Your Gayest Look for Jay Leno, Liss has a link to do so at the top of the "Gayest Looks for Leno" post.
edited to add: Now you can see the gallery of gayest looks for Leno on My Gayest Look. Also posted is the segment with Ryan Phillippe that prompted this response and a link to donate your own gayest look to the gallery.
Labels: extraordinaryness, FTW, yay
~~ victoria on 6:16 PM ~~ 0 comments
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22 October, 2007
That's It! I'm Hiding The Hockey Stick!
~~ victoria on 12:21 PM ~~ 0 comments
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18 October, 2007
This Makes Me Weep and Laugh
(For some reason YouTube is being all assy on my Mac, so if you're getting the endless loading spiral, just hit the play button and you should see the video.)
(h/t to Shakesville)
~~ victoria on 7:41 PM ~~ 0 comments
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23 September, 2007
WANT!
Really really want!
~~ victoria on 1:51 PM ~~ 0 comments
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08 September, 2007
Congratulations to Jane Kay!
Jane Kay, the environmental reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, was recently recognized as the top environmental beat reporter in the nation by the Society of Environmental Journalists.
In addition to being a very brilliant and gifted writer, Jane is my former neighbour in San Francisco! I used to kitty-sit for Chet and Isabel. Having been a "dog person" all my life (up to that point), I never realized how wonderful it was to hang out with kitties until Jane's furkids showed me that cats have amazing and diverse personalities!
Congratulations, Jane! It's a very richly deserved honour!
~~ victoria on 8:39 PM ~~ 0 comments
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