Ya wanna know what I play at work when its my turn to play the online radio?
Erin's Launch Station
Monday, April 04, 2005
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Dumb it Down
Taysha pointed out that as far as the blog was concerned - I was still on Class 3 of Creative Writing.
Let's bring you up to speed then:
NON-FICTION/ESSAY:
Assignment 1: Pick an object out of the box and write what it leads you to write. I picked a Chinesy tassel thing and wrote about a diner in Chinatown in Boston. The goal was to give the teacher an idea of our style.
Assignment 2: Write a piece about an object of your choice that brings to mind a memory and try to use the object symbolically. Also try to play around with perspective. I wrote about a dog collar and putting my dog to sleep in 2nd Person.
Assignment 3: Write a description of a place using lots of descriptive adjectives and adverbs, invoking the senses, and as few "to be" verbs as possible. I wrote about my parent's backyard - describing it as a fantastic battlefield.
Essay Assignment 1: Write a 2000 word non-fiction essay of your choice involving memoir. There were several suggestions including writing about memories that aren't yours.. like your parents meeting... or something like that. Using quotes from my grandfather's journal I wrote an essay comparing my grandfather in his 20's to me in my 20's.
FICTION:
Assignment 4: Write a scene in which the weather is a force against two people or symbolic of the relationship between two people... generally - the weather affecting people in some way. I wrote about a gay couple living in a drought area... going through a sexual drought.
Assignment 5: Write a character description in a way that reveals the wants of a character and the forces or characters acting against them without stating it. I wrote a description of "Adam" told in the voice of "Lucifer" which serves to characteristically describe Lucifer and God.
WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE NOW (I don't know what number class it is anymore.)
So far the consensus is that I'm sometimes too vague and I'm getting the point that I should "dumb it down."
ALL of these pieces are still in a "workshop" draft - we're supposed to revise them all one last time for a final portfolio thingy later.
Let's bring you up to speed then:
NON-FICTION/ESSAY:
Assignment 1: Pick an object out of the box and write what it leads you to write. I picked a Chinesy tassel thing and wrote about a diner in Chinatown in Boston. The goal was to give the teacher an idea of our style.
Assignment 2: Write a piece about an object of your choice that brings to mind a memory and try to use the object symbolically. Also try to play around with perspective. I wrote about a dog collar and putting my dog to sleep in 2nd Person.
Assignment 3: Write a description of a place using lots of descriptive adjectives and adverbs, invoking the senses, and as few "to be" verbs as possible. I wrote about my parent's backyard - describing it as a fantastic battlefield.
Essay Assignment 1: Write a 2000 word non-fiction essay of your choice involving memoir. There were several suggestions including writing about memories that aren't yours.. like your parents meeting... or something like that. Using quotes from my grandfather's journal I wrote an essay comparing my grandfather in his 20's to me in my 20's.
FICTION:
Assignment 4: Write a scene in which the weather is a force against two people or symbolic of the relationship between two people... generally - the weather affecting people in some way. I wrote about a gay couple living in a drought area... going through a sexual drought.
Assignment 5: Write a character description in a way that reveals the wants of a character and the forces or characters acting against them without stating it. I wrote a description of "Adam" told in the voice of "Lucifer" which serves to characteristically describe Lucifer and God.
WHICH IS WHERE WE ARE NOW (I don't know what number class it is anymore.)
So far the consensus is that I'm sometimes too vague and I'm getting the point that I should "dumb it down."
ALL of these pieces are still in a "workshop" draft - we're supposed to revise them all one last time for a final portfolio thingy later.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Excitable
Saturday Miriam came into the room and told me that she and Marci were planning on taking a walk to enjoy the nice day - did I want to come?
I looked at her confused thinking, "But its sunny out."
She saw my gloomy, cynical look and said, "You're coming! Get up!"
So the three of us walked to Starbucks (I squinted and furrowed the entire time). When we got there I ordered a Doppio Espresso con Panna (which is essentially a Starbucks "DoubleShot" but hot and not quite as sweet). Marci looked at my espresso and asked me, "Is that going to make you excited?"
"No, probably not."
"Is there anything that makes you excited?"
"I don't know."
So she looked to Miriam - "Miriam, does she get excited about anything??"
"No!"
So we spent the whole walk home trying to figure out if anything made me excited. (And by "excited" Marci meant something that makes one light up, act animatedly and smile.)
I came up with the following list of things that make me excited:
1) Talking about Disneyland (and other Disney parks)
2) Procurement of puppies
We concluded that the three of us needed to go to Disneyland because A) Marci claps and bounces and sings along with IT'S A SMALL WORLD and that should be fun to see AND B) Erin might get excited.
I looked at her confused thinking, "But its sunny out."
She saw my gloomy, cynical look and said, "You're coming! Get up!"
So the three of us walked to Starbucks (I squinted and furrowed the entire time). When we got there I ordered a Doppio Espresso con Panna (which is essentially a Starbucks "DoubleShot" but hot and not quite as sweet). Marci looked at my espresso and asked me, "Is that going to make you excited?"
"No, probably not."
"Is there anything that makes you excited?"
"I don't know."
So she looked to Miriam - "Miriam, does she get excited about anything??"
"No!"
So we spent the whole walk home trying to figure out if anything made me excited. (And by "excited" Marci meant something that makes one light up, act animatedly and smile.)
I came up with the following list of things that make me excited:
1) Talking about Disneyland (and other Disney parks)
2) Procurement of puppies
We concluded that the three of us needed to go to Disneyland because A) Marci claps and bounces and sings along with IT'S A SMALL WORLD and that should be fun to see AND B) Erin might get excited.
Friday, March 25, 2005
Payphone to 1-800-Cleo
So as T mentioned in her blog - we went to a psychic last Sunday. Carol (the psychic) told me, amongst other things, that I had a very long life-line and would likely live into my late 80's or 90's. This was BAD NEWS to me!! I'm supposed to die young!! This is my past-life pattern (determined by my several past-life regressions that I mostly did in high school with the assistance of a hypnotist on audio cassette) . (Strangely my mother brought this up the other day. After the psychic I took Marci over to meet Queen B. for the first time and I found them discussing it when I came back from the bathroom. Queen Barb is convinced that she bought the tapes for me. I was confused because I didn't even know she knew about the tapes! Hmmm... I suppose now I have to find them and lend them to her.)
ANYWAY... being the cynical-the-glass-is-not-only-half-empty-but-it-will-NEVER-be-full-again chick that I sometimes am... I've been thinking "Great! I'll live into 90 but I'll be crazy or homeless or in jail or stuck in a hospital with the nation battling over whether I can live or die!"
Poor Terri Schiavo! Can you belive the right-wingers or gonna vote MORE right-wing than Bush next time because of this... horrible news for us.
Yesterday I was getting my Smog Check at the new auto shop next to the mall and I got to browse in the Borders while I waited. I saw this book: http://www.sorryeverybody.com/
It was pretty funny...errr... or at least an interesting idea.
ANYWAY... being the cynical-the-glass-is-not-only-half-empty-but-it-will-NEVER-be-full-again chick that I sometimes am... I've been thinking "Great! I'll live into 90 but I'll be crazy or homeless or in jail or stuck in a hospital with the nation battling over whether I can live or die!"
Poor Terri Schiavo! Can you belive the right-wingers or gonna vote MORE right-wing than Bush next time because of this... horrible news for us.
Yesterday I was getting my Smog Check at the new auto shop next to the mall and I got to browse in the Borders while I waited. I saw this book: http://www.sorryeverybody.com/
It was pretty funny...errr... or at least an interesting idea.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Dumb stupid!
After watching the strangely fulfilling Constantine movie with Marci last night... I returned home after my 10pm bedtime needing some dinner. I whipped up some Mac & Cheese with grilled and seasoned tuna and sat down in front of the telly to eat and watch something. The only thing on other than news was SPRING BREAK SHARK ATTACK and I figured... "Ahh what the hell! I have that whole morbid curiousity thing about it so I might as well check it out." SO I managed to catch the well-acted film right after Kathy Baker made some discovery about Mr. Bad Guy "chumming the reef" and the swarms of sharks were approaching.
Then they were there.... eating people in bikinis... panic ensued. But really... not enough panic people! A shark has just taken a chunk out of your gut - its not likely that you'll survive even though you've made it back to the beach. My favorite part was when the shark grabbed the kite-surfing guy out of the air!
I finished my Mac & Cheese by the commercial break and went to bed.
The eating before bed and the dumb stupid shark attack movie then caused me to have a disturbing dream about a child actor being interviewed on Jay Leno. Jay and the kid actor got into a pool of water with the Universal Studios jaws animatronic shark for some sort of bit. Then tragedy!! The kid got caught up in the workings and, ON LIVE TV, his head was pulled right off! Blood reddened the water and shot in the air. Mass confusion!
This woke me up somewhere in the middle of the night and the horrible image is still stuck in my head!
Then they were there.... eating people in bikinis... panic ensued. But really... not enough panic people! A shark has just taken a chunk out of your gut - its not likely that you'll survive even though you've made it back to the beach. My favorite part was when the shark grabbed the kite-surfing guy out of the air!
I finished my Mac & Cheese by the commercial break and went to bed.
The eating before bed and the dumb stupid shark attack movie then caused me to have a disturbing dream about a child actor being interviewed on Jay Leno. Jay and the kid actor got into a pool of water with the Universal Studios jaws animatronic shark for some sort of bit. Then tragedy!! The kid got caught up in the workings and, ON LIVE TV, his head was pulled right off! Blood reddened the water and shot in the air. Mass confusion!
This woke me up somewhere in the middle of the night and the horrible image is still stuck in my head!
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Class 3
Last night was class 3 of Creative Writing and the teacher announced that he was going to read some of the good first first assignments aloud.
My first thought was, "Oh God! He's gonna read mine!"
My second thought was, "God Erin! Ego much?"
My third thought was, "No...no...no... he'll just read the good ones and you'll then start to think that you suck and that there's just not even a point because you won't get that good."
Fourth thought, "Well that's a sucky thing to tell yourself Erin! That's not true... you'll just hear where the bar is and then you can surpass it."
Then he read mine aloud.
Fifth thought, "See - I knew it!! I'm totally psychic!"
My first thought was, "Oh God! He's gonna read mine!"
My second thought was, "God Erin! Ego much?"
My third thought was, "No...no...no... he'll just read the good ones and you'll then start to think that you suck and that there's just not even a point because you won't get that good."
Fourth thought, "Well that's a sucky thing to tell yourself Erin! That's not true... you'll just hear where the bar is and then you can surpass it."
Then he read mine aloud.
Fifth thought, "See - I knew it!! I'm totally psychic!"
Thursday, February 17, 2005
More writing...
Monday I started Creative Writing class at PCC! I expected skinny girls with long soft sweaters and interesting hair. There were like 5 of them! What's with interesting hair and long sweaters? There was also the hard-edged t-shirt boy (who probably writes EXCELLENTLY from a little girl's perspective), a bunch of asians (its PCC!), some older folks taking the course for fun and a few "against-type" types.
Our first assignment was to take an object from a box and write what it led us to write... I ended up writing some drivel about Chinatown in Boston (I had some Chinesey curtain tassel) and that 24 hour diner that lived somewhere around there. (Though I considered writing something about T.)
Class 2 was Wednesday and the teacher lectured on whether or not there was a line between memoir and fiction which SO tied-in to my diner story-memoir-thing. The universe was aligned in that direction. I figure that whenever the universe aligns you know you're on the right path!
However - the universe was NOT aligned in my favor today as none of my alarms went off (OK so I apparently forgot to set 3 of them and the 4th "didn't take") and then I went and drove to work with my lunch sitting on the roof. I was looking forward to that lasagna!!!
Since I'm writing about writing... here's more of wot I writ:
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/buspacfi.html (For Leslie)
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/budavavaacfi.html
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/budaacfi.html
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/jowabucaho.html
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/jowalacahoti.html
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/inha.html
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/pejoecobucat.html
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/pelu1stlalab.html (T should buy this)
Iron-on patches coming soon!
Our first assignment was to take an object from a box and write what it led us to write... I ended up writing some drivel about Chinatown in Boston (I had some Chinesey curtain tassel) and that 24 hour diner that lived somewhere around there. (Though I considered writing something about T.)
Class 2 was Wednesday and the teacher lectured on whether or not there was a line between memoir and fiction which SO tied-in to my diner story-memoir-thing. The universe was aligned in that direction. I figure that whenever the universe aligns you know you're on the right path!
However - the universe was NOT aligned in my favor today as none of my alarms went off (OK so I apparently forgot to set 3 of them and the 4th "didn't take") and then I went and drove to work with my lunch sitting on the roof. I was looking forward to that lasagna!!!
Since I'm writing about writing... here's more of wot I writ:
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/buspacfi.html (For Leslie)
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/budavavaacfi.html
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/budaacfi.html
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/jowabucaho.html
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/jowalacahoti.html
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/inha.html
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/pejoecobucat.html
http://www.wickedcoolstuff.com/pelu1stlalab.html (T should buy this)
Iron-on patches coming soon!
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
New Series
I'm now presenting a new series in this blog called "That's So Erin!" This is the first in the series and its entitled "Ace Bandage."
Erin tends to get impatient and when impatient.. she tends to accidentally mess something up. In this case I was attempting to push the brand new, heavy ass, Ikea dresser against the wall. Pushing against the weak particle board, however, was not a splendid idea and I broke this "beam." I attempted to repair it with old wood glue, a ruler and an ace bandage to hold the ruler in place. Yeah... its still broken.
Things Wot I Writ
The direction I was given was "use as many keywords as possible" and "mention licensing" a lot!
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/habupochma.html
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/disneypatches.html (only the villains, Eeyore and Pooh)
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/faguybadboym.html
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/thsuwa.html
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/anasgit.html (most of 'em)
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/to80blta.html
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/rohobigliblt.html
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/arofdaacfi.html (any opportunity to mention Xena)
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/susshmamebo.html
Things coming soon - Incredibles hats, John Wayne/Superman/Peanuts metal wallets, Spike and Darla action figures
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/habupochma.html
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/disneypatches.html (only the villains, Eeyore and Pooh)
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/faguybadboym.html
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/thsuwa.html
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/anasgit.html (most of 'em)
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/to80blta.html
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/rohobigliblt.html
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/arofdaacfi.html (any opportunity to mention Xena)
http://store.yahoo.com/wickedcoolstuff/susshmamebo.html
Things coming soon - Incredibles hats, John Wayne/Superman/Peanuts metal wallets, Spike and Darla action figures
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Open For Business
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Hells yeah!!
Monday, February 07, 2005
Seussical
Yesterday I observed that talking with Leslie is rather like talking to a nursery rhyme.
Example:
Erin: Talking to you is like talking to Seuss.
Leslie: That's because I like to rhyme, its so sublime... and a good time.
Example:
Erin: Talking to you is like talking to Seuss.
Leslie: That's because I like to rhyme, its so sublime... and a good time.
Friday, February 04, 2005
And henceforth...
Lara Flynn Boyle is known to refer to herself as the LFB. I think I shall now call myself the EBL.
Lists
I have several lists that I occasionally refer to in conversation. These aren't actually lists that are written down but, rather, are stored in my head for access later. Some of them I only expect to access after I die (like my list of world mysteries that I'd like solved... what happened to Chandra... JonBenet...Nicole Simpson..etc.) but others are active. (I'm sure you've heard of "the list" that many people refer to...like "such and such celebrity is on my list"... I have one of those too.)
This is my short list of ancient/retired/old-fashioned/British phrases I'd like to incorporate into my daily vocabulary:
Fortnight - two weeks; 14 days
Example: It's been a fortnight since I've seen you last!
Tick - a second, short bit of time
Example: I won't be a tick!
(I'll add more later as I can't think of them all now.)
This is my short list of ancient/retired/old-fashioned/British phrases I'd like to incorporate into my daily vocabulary:
Fortnight - two weeks; 14 days
Example: It's been a fortnight since I've seen you last!
Tick - a second, short bit of time
Example: I won't be a tick!
(I'll add more later as I can't think of them all now.)
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
I faked it..
Happy Bunny Poker Chip Magnets
I looked up some Texas Hold'Em lingo for these descriptions... some of them are just a stretch... I really couldn't think of anything for the skull and crossbones one.
I looked up some Texas Hold'Em lingo for these descriptions... some of them are just a stretch... I really couldn't think of anything for the skull and crossbones one.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
No but seriously...
Its sick...
I watched Tipping The Velvet last Monday.. episode 1 (its a three hour BBC miniseries). Tuesday I watched 2 & 3. Wednesday I watched my favorite bits again. Thursday I watched the whole 3 hours again. Friday I wasn't home so I spent work looking at Tipping the Velvet pictures (Rachael Stirling...etc.). Saturday I was volunteering at Landmark all day and doodling Tipping the Velvet-based doodles in spare moments. Saturday night I watched half of Ep. 1 again. Sunday morning I watched the full 3 hours again. Then I realized I could make it different by watching it with the subtitles on so I watched all the little english bits that I couldn't understand because of the heavy accent.
I spent yesterday in withdrawal TRYING very hard not to watch it but I wanted to VERY BAD.
I'm renting Triumph of Love via Blockbuster online... it should arrive tomorrow. Why? Because Rachael Stirling is in it dressing like a man again!
I watched Tipping The Velvet last Monday.. episode 1 (its a three hour BBC miniseries). Tuesday I watched 2 & 3. Wednesday I watched my favorite bits again. Thursday I watched the whole 3 hours again. Friday I wasn't home so I spent work looking at Tipping the Velvet pictures (Rachael Stirling...etc.). Saturday I was volunteering at Landmark all day and doodling Tipping the Velvet-based doodles in spare moments. Saturday night I watched half of Ep. 1 again. Sunday morning I watched the full 3 hours again. Then I realized I could make it different by watching it with the subtitles on so I watched all the little english bits that I couldn't understand because of the heavy accent.
I spent yesterday in withdrawal TRYING very hard not to watch it but I wanted to VERY BAD.
I'm renting Triumph of Love via Blockbuster online... it should arrive tomorrow. Why? Because Rachael Stirling is in it dressing like a man again!
Yikes!
I believe John Coffee often referred to me as a "Supreme Bitch" or "Eleanor the Whore" or something equally fun like that in History of England class...
Take the quiz: "What Historic Woman Are You?"
Eleanor of Acquitaine
One of the first great queens of England, Eleanor was her own woman. She married the French prince at 14, but after six years of marriage and no son, she divorced him and secretly married the younger (and wealthier) heir to the English throne. Her sons were some of the greatest monarchs in English history! You must be tenacious, audacious, and brave if you're like Eleanor. Read more about her: http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/heroine2.html
Take the quiz: "What Historic Woman Are You?"
Eleanor of Acquitaine
One of the first great queens of England, Eleanor was her own woman. She married the French prince at 14, but after six years of marriage and no son, she divorced him and secretly married the younger (and wealthier) heir to the English throne. Her sons were some of the greatest monarchs in English history! You must be tenacious, audacious, and brave if you're like Eleanor. Read more about her: http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/heroine2.html
Monday, January 31, 2005
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