16
Everything Else / Christmasy Naming
« on: December 07, 2005, 08:00:03 PM »
I would just like to say that Ari's name is awesome.
And EUOL stole my joke that Brenna used last year.
And EUOL stole my joke that Brenna used last year.
News:
Max is a Shadowblade, a supernatural--and supernaturally competent--warrior bound to protect her witch Giselle. As a Shadowblade, Max doesn't age. She is better, faster, stronger than any ordinary human being. And she hates it. Giselle betrayed her trust to make Max what she is, and though she is magically compelled to protect Giselle and follow orders, Max works against her witch in every way she can. Continue reading Bitter Night
Review by Silk
Discuss it in our forums.
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17
Rants and Stuff / Hey SE! (And Ninja Monkeys)
« on: November 28, 2005, 07:18:08 PM »
Have you heard the Barenaked Ladies song "Another Postcard"?
I heard it today and had this image of Ninja Monkeys coming through the mail, and practically fell over laughing. I think it should be the ninja monkey theme song.
I heard it today and had this image of Ninja Monkeys coming through the mail, and practically fell over laughing. I think it should be the ninja monkey theme song.
18
Brandon Sanderson / Stupid Barnes and Noble
« on: November 04, 2005, 02:20:42 PM »
The Barnes and Noble by my house is OUT of Elantris. I was not amused. I had to order in a copy for my best friend for Christmas. Grrr.
19
Everything Else / Free Antivirus
« on: October 25, 2005, 05:43:10 PM »
Anybody know of any good free antivirus software? Or any that is very cheap? I'm broke, but I want to protect my computer now that I have it all nice and clean and connected again.
20
Writing Group / Fish needs readers
« on: June 25, 2005, 08:14:59 PM »
So I finished my third novel today...
It's contemporary YA and it topped out at 53,000 words.
Anyone interested in reading it?
I'm assuming Jeffe wants a copy (check your email) and I've promised a paper copy to Brenna, but is anyone else willing to critique for me? Chimera? Old One? Others?
It's contemporary YA and it topped out at 53,000 words.
Anyone interested in reading it?
I'm assuming Jeffe wants a copy (check your email) and I've promised a paper copy to Brenna, but is anyone else willing to critique for me? Chimera? Old One? Others?
21
Brandon Sanderson / Libraries
« on: June 22, 2005, 09:25:26 PM »
The Santa Clara library has a copy of Elantris. It's still in processing so it isn't on the shelves yet, but still.
22
Rants and Stuff / *Help!*
« on: May 27, 2005, 02:52:04 AM »
Edited for new plan.
We have a little situation. Old One is going through a very messy divorce and needs some people to help move some stuff, probably on Monday. None of this is set in stone, but I figured I'd ask if anyone in Provo (or who could be in Provo) is available.
We have a little situation. Old One is going through a very messy divorce and needs some people to help move some stuff, probably on Monday. None of this is set in stone, but I figured I'd ask if anyone in Provo (or who could be in Provo) is available.
23
Rants and Stuff / Why I shouldn't watch horror movies
« on: March 31, 2005, 01:23:09 AM »
Okay, so this probably doesn't deserve its own thread. But I want to rant about it, so oh well.
So I watched the Ring and Ring Two last week within 24 hours of each other with friends. Today I was reminded of why I should never never never watch horror movies.
The prof I TA for asked me to run to his office during class tonight and make a copy of a video tape so he could give it to a student, because he hadn't had a chance to do it. No problem.
So he gives me his keys and I go to his office. There I am alone in his office in a mostly empty building. I find the tape he wants me to copy (a very gruesome video about orphans in Romania, no less) and the blank tape, and go about figuring out how to work his system. First the TV doesn't work. Then it spontaneously starts working and after much static I get the thing to play and record. However, when I hit record, the whole thing flips out and starts playing the video all funkified. Meanwhile I'm expecting the phone to ring and tell me I'm going to die, or Samara to come crawling out of the TV. I mean really, tortured orphans, misbehaving electronics, lots of static, copies of videotapes, all I needed was some girl to appear in the corner with hair over her face and then Dr. Nelson could have found me dead in his chair with my face all twisted up. I was jumping at everything. Totally ridiculous. Doesn't help that the voiceover on the video sounds like the narrator at the Haunted Mansion.
Never did get the tape to copy (turns out it was encoded so you can't copy it) but I got my heart rate up for the day, so you know, whatever.
So I watched the Ring and Ring Two last week within 24 hours of each other with friends. Today I was reminded of why I should never never never watch horror movies.
The prof I TA for asked me to run to his office during class tonight and make a copy of a video tape so he could give it to a student, because he hadn't had a chance to do it. No problem.
So he gives me his keys and I go to his office. There I am alone in his office in a mostly empty building. I find the tape he wants me to copy (a very gruesome video about orphans in Romania, no less) and the blank tape, and go about figuring out how to work his system. First the TV doesn't work. Then it spontaneously starts working and after much static I get the thing to play and record. However, when I hit record, the whole thing flips out and starts playing the video all funkified. Meanwhile I'm expecting the phone to ring and tell me I'm going to die, or Samara to come crawling out of the TV. I mean really, tortured orphans, misbehaving electronics, lots of static, copies of videotapes, all I needed was some girl to appear in the corner with hair over her face and then Dr. Nelson could have found me dead in his chair with my face all twisted up. I was jumping at everything. Totally ridiculous. Doesn't help that the voiceover on the video sounds like the narrator at the Haunted Mansion.
Never did get the tape to copy (turns out it was encoded so you can't copy it) but I got my heart rate up for the day, so you know, whatever.
24
Rants and Stuff / Fish Picture, EUOL!
« on: February 09, 2005, 06:55:37 AM »
Come on now! It's been, what, two months?
Pictures? Pretty please?
Pictures? Pretty please?
25
Everything Else / Transformer Names
« on: January 29, 2005, 06:12:56 PM »
Okay, this is a very random question.
Did any of you play with transformers?
I need three cool transformer names, and I'm looking through the lists online, and some of them sound cool, but I don't know which ones were popular...if some of the cool names correspond to lame toys...because I don't know anything about them.
So, cool transformer names, anyone?
Did any of you play with transformers?
I need three cool transformer names, and I'm looking through the lists online, and some of them sound cool, but I don't know which ones were popular...if some of the cool names correspond to lame toys...because I don't know anything about them.
So, cool transformer names, anyone?
26
Books / Books for Low-level Readers
« on: January 01, 2005, 10:00:03 PM »
I know this is long, but I have a point. I promise.
So I was helping my mom clean up her classroom today. She teaches 8th grade English to the low level students, mostly English language learners and kids with learning disabilitys, but also kids who've just sort of slipped through the cracks and gotten to 8th grade without really learning to read. These kids hate to read, and it's no wonder why, because they feel stupid that they can't do it while it seems like everyone else can.
I was sorting my mom's library into bins according to reading level. Most of these kids are reading at a third grade level or below. As in, there are 120 kids in her classes, and only five can read at a fourth grade level--everyone else is somewhere below that. To give you an idea, Harry Potter is a sixth grade level book. So is Lemony Snicket. Bunnicula is upper fourth. Third grade level books are things like the Babysitter's club and the Amber Brown books--stuff I read in elementary school, because that's the interest level.
I was thinking, there must some books out there that are written for these kids, books in the Hi/Low market category. I mean, these kids need something that deals with real issues that teenagers care about, the kind of books that have the content of the eighth grade level books and the vocab of a third grade level book. My mom says the only one's she's been able to find are the Time Warp Trio books, which are fun (fantasy even), but don't exactly deal with real life issues. Plus, that's only one series. It makes me so sad that these kids don't really have access to the kinds of books I read in middle school. I'd never really thought about it, because I can't remember a time when I couldn't read whatever I wanted to pick up.
So here's my question. Does anyone know of any books that are like this? More to the point, does anyone have any ideas how you'd go about writing something like this, and then getting an editor to pay attention to you? If one could write a book in a teen voice, about real issues, geared toward someone with teenage emotional and cognitive capacities (as opposed to third grade, like the stuff that's available to these kids) and then aim it toward an educational market (and do it well, of course), I'd think there'd be a huge demand for it. Anyone have any ideas, or know where I could find information? EUOL? Stacer?
So I was helping my mom clean up her classroom today. She teaches 8th grade English to the low level students, mostly English language learners and kids with learning disabilitys, but also kids who've just sort of slipped through the cracks and gotten to 8th grade without really learning to read. These kids hate to read, and it's no wonder why, because they feel stupid that they can't do it while it seems like everyone else can.
I was sorting my mom's library into bins according to reading level. Most of these kids are reading at a third grade level or below. As in, there are 120 kids in her classes, and only five can read at a fourth grade level--everyone else is somewhere below that. To give you an idea, Harry Potter is a sixth grade level book. So is Lemony Snicket. Bunnicula is upper fourth. Third grade level books are things like the Babysitter's club and the Amber Brown books--stuff I read in elementary school, because that's the interest level.
I was thinking, there must some books out there that are written for these kids, books in the Hi/Low market category. I mean, these kids need something that deals with real issues that teenagers care about, the kind of books that have the content of the eighth grade level books and the vocab of a third grade level book. My mom says the only one's she's been able to find are the Time Warp Trio books, which are fun (fantasy even), but don't exactly deal with real life issues. Plus, that's only one series. It makes me so sad that these kids don't really have access to the kinds of books I read in middle school. I'd never really thought about it, because I can't remember a time when I couldn't read whatever I wanted to pick up.
So here's my question. Does anyone know of any books that are like this? More to the point, does anyone have any ideas how you'd go about writing something like this, and then getting an editor to pay attention to you? If one could write a book in a teen voice, about real issues, geared toward someone with teenage emotional and cognitive capacities (as opposed to third grade, like the stuff that's available to these kids) and then aim it toward an educational market (and do it well, of course), I'd think there'd be a huge demand for it. Anyone have any ideas, or know where I could find information? EUOL? Stacer?
27
Rants and Stuff / The problem with sisters
« on: December 26, 2004, 04:32:43 AM »
So, my 17 year old sister is dating a 29 year old guy.
That makes him 6 years older than me, and she's six years younger than me.
They've been sort of kind of not really officially yet still dating for over a year. And right now they're "talking" (whatever) in my living room. Akk.
I only bring this up because though I've talked to her about it, I have to be careful what I say because I don't want to shut down the lines of communcation between us, because that wouldn't do anybody any good. Besides that, I can't really talk to anybody around here about it because they all know her. This is probably not the best place to do this, but I need some support in my outrage here.
*screams
I mean, he's a nice guy. Granted, he's not someone I would choose to hang out with, but if I were in a situation where I was hanging out with him, I wouldn't mind, because he's not repulsive or anything. But he's 29! Am I wrong to say that that's not okay?
My parents say she can't date him, but it's like, if we don't talk about it, then it's not happening even though it is happening, which is pretty much how my parents are with everything. But that's another rant.
I think this is why I live in Utah, while my family lives in California. It's only been a week, and the madness is starting to go to my head. I want to be helpful and not just enable my sister to be stupid, but I really really really just don't know what to do at this point.
That makes him 6 years older than me, and she's six years younger than me.
They've been sort of kind of not really officially yet still dating for over a year. And right now they're "talking" (whatever) in my living room. Akk.
I only bring this up because though I've talked to her about it, I have to be careful what I say because I don't want to shut down the lines of communcation between us, because that wouldn't do anybody any good. Besides that, I can't really talk to anybody around here about it because they all know her. This is probably not the best place to do this, but I need some support in my outrage here.
*screams
I mean, he's a nice guy. Granted, he's not someone I would choose to hang out with, but if I were in a situation where I was hanging out with him, I wouldn't mind, because he's not repulsive or anything. But he's 29! Am I wrong to say that that's not okay?
My parents say she can't date him, but it's like, if we don't talk about it, then it's not happening even though it is happening, which is pretty much how my parents are with everything. But that's another rant.
I think this is why I live in Utah, while my family lives in California. It's only been a week, and the madness is starting to go to my head. I want to be helpful and not just enable my sister to be stupid, but I really really really just don't know what to do at this point.
28
Everything Else / Name That Fish
« on: December 17, 2004, 02:48:47 AM »
So, my roommate Stephanie got me a betta for Christmas. He's blueish purpleish and really really pretty. She said it reminded her of me...wonder why....
Anyway, I can't decide what to name him. Anyone want to play name that betta?
(Sidenote: What really disturbs me is that now I am no longer fishless! I'll have to rename *me* too! Or maybe I'll leave it. Now I'm just being subversive.
)
Anyway, I can't decide what to name him. Anyone want to play name that betta?
(Sidenote: What really disturbs me is that now I am no longer fishless! I'll have to rename *me* too! Or maybe I'll leave it. Now I'm just being subversive.
)
29
Rants and Stuff / Independant Study
« on: December 15, 2004, 04:28:39 PM »
So, I had this brilliant idea that I could just take my advanced language requirement through independant study. I mean, I understand french pretty well--especially if I'm reading and not speaking, so sitting in 202 drove me nuts. So I'd do independant study and get it done. No problem.
What I forgot was that I have no discipline. Things only get done when I'm excited about them. And I am not excited about this class.
I really need to get it done before my graduate application goes through, because it's replacing a grade that I'd rather not have in my GPA.
But, instead of working on it like I'm supposed to be, since I set aside this whole day to get a chunk of it done, I've spent the last hour here, wasting time.
Independant study is just not a good idea, I've decided.
What I forgot was that I have no discipline. Things only get done when I'm excited about them. And I am not excited about this class.
I really need to get it done before my graduate application goes through, because it's replacing a grade that I'd rather not have in my GPA.
But, instead of working on it like I'm supposed to be, since I set aside this whole day to get a chunk of it done, I've spent the last hour here, wasting time.
Independant study is just not a good idea, I've decided.
30
Writing Group / Fear and Doubt
« on: October 07, 2004, 05:58:32 PM »
Can I just say, I blame this post entirely on EUOL. He told me to. So there.
I quit writing today. For good. Again.
I'm just so frustrated. I mean really, who am I to think that I can write? Sure, I can write a story, no problem, but I'm acutely aware that there is a huge discrepancy between the way I write and the quality of writing that gets published. I figure, I'm just not good enough, so why waste my time and everyone else's? Leave writing to the people who can write, right?
Am I totally alone in this? I've quit so many times that people don't take me seriously anymore, but this time I think I really mean it. (Although, EUOL said he'd hold my (his) fish for ransom if I quit; which is almost a persuasive argument.) Maybe I just don't have the ego to be a writer. I mean, it doesn't really matter how many people believe in me if I don't believe in myself.
I don't mean to complain. I think my running stream of "you can do it" self talk has run out, and I'm afraid I'm spending all this time working on something I'm not going to succeed at. And that's scary.
I'm going to stop now, you know, quit while I'm behind and all that.
I quit writing today. For good. Again.
I'm just so frustrated. I mean really, who am I to think that I can write? Sure, I can write a story, no problem, but I'm acutely aware that there is a huge discrepancy between the way I write and the quality of writing that gets published. I figure, I'm just not good enough, so why waste my time and everyone else's? Leave writing to the people who can write, right?
Am I totally alone in this? I've quit so many times that people don't take me seriously anymore, but this time I think I really mean it. (Although, EUOL said he'd hold my (his) fish for ransom if I quit; which is almost a persuasive argument.) Maybe I just don't have the ego to be a writer. I mean, it doesn't really matter how many people believe in me if I don't believe in myself.
I don't mean to complain. I think my running stream of "you can do it" self talk has run out, and I'm afraid I'm spending all this time working on something I'm not going to succeed at. And that's scary.
I'm going to stop now, you know, quit while I'm behind and all that.
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