TDY

(For you laymen, that's Temporary Duty Yonder)

Kat's life is about to temporarily shift from 'The Diaries of a Wandering Muse' to 'Tales of a Renewed Cosplay Addict'. DragonCon is in 6 weeks, followed 8 weeks later by Halloween-On-A-Saturday. Much wonder will be created this year for me and mine. For the first time, I possess not only a functioning sewing machine, but, as of Friday, a functioning mannequin as well. If I were only independently wealthy, my life would be complete.

In honor of this next big step in costuming, I have launched a new blog to outline my adventures: http://arnyekmagus.blogspot.com/ (linked both above and on the lower right).

The new blog will be used to document my costumnig, of course, as well as occasional poems and various handcrafts (in other words, for humoring the non-photography portion of my right brain). All photo-related and regular life updates will continue to appear here, as usual.

OMFG

Guests at DragonCon 2009 to include Anthony Daniels (c3PO), Paul Dini, Tom Felton, Leonard Nimoy and Patrick Stewart.

~ squeeeeeeeeeeee!!! ~

GAH!

Posted in hiphop music tour dates on July 20, 2009
Adam Yauch has cancer, Beastie Boys cancel all dates


BEASTIE BOYS TOUR DATES CANCELED, ALBUM RELEASE POSTPONED
ADAM YAUCH DIAGNOSED WITH PAROTID GLAND TUMOR

Adam "MCA" Yauch of Beastie Boys was diagnosed last week as having a cancerous tumor in his left parotid (salivary) gland. Luckily it was caught early and is localized in one area, and as such is considered very treatable. It will however require surgery and several weeks of additional treatment. Fortunately the cancer is not in a location that will affect Yauch's vocal chords.
Beastie Boys have canceled all upcoming concert appearances to allow time for Yauch's surgery and recovery. The release of the band's forthcoming album Hot Sauce Committee Part 1 will also be pushed back.

Paraphrasing from a video statement on Beastieboys.com, Yauch said, "I just need to take a little time to get this in check, and then we'll release the record and play some shows. It's a pain in the neck (sorry had to say it) because i was really looking forward to playing these shows, but the doctors have made it clear that this is not the kind of thing that can be put aside to deal with later."

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

The new Potter movie was a delight to behold, but that's probably because I'm completely over the accuracy thing, and now view the movies and the books as two separate entities.

Because Draco doesn't go visit Borgin with his mummy en tow, and Luna isn't supposed to rescue Harry on the train. They made it apparent early on that this film would fall victim of much editing and alterations, moreso, if possible, than the last one. Now, I can deal with events happening slightly out of order or even in the "wrong" scenes (as long as they happen). I can understand that the things that the characters think often need to be spoken, but there's this one scene early on that I call shenanigans over. It's brilliant on screen, real M. Night Shamalan, but it just does not exist in the books so bad that it bothers me. All I have to say is, that particular domestic residence does not burn down, ever, period, complete and utter rubbish. Harry and Ginny in the room of hidden things was a bit ridiculous as well - instead I'd have liked the end of the bathroom duel to have unfolded properly as it should, in Snape's office. And there is no big battle scene at the end, at all. The bad guys walk away unscathed and worse yet, unchallenged. I know the movie people did that on purpose, because the last pair of films is rumored to be action-packed, but still… They just leave so much out I can't list it all, and have twisted the storyline so very, very much. At this point I'm sincerely wondering if they're going to manage to get the actual Hallows into the 'Deathly Hallows' movie…

But don't get me wrong, the fan in me is still well-satisfied. The Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes shop was fantastic (and I was thrilled about the re-appearance of "Fireworks," their fantastic Irish theme song from the last movie. It gets played over the credits, too). Jim Broadbent is way too tall but nonetheless a great fit for crotchety Slughorn (I just saw the Borrowers recently and I really appreciate him as an actor). Evanna Lynch is perfect as usual - what a find that girl was, love the party dress - and Jessie Cave really stood out as Lavender and gave the much needed comic relief that usually comes from Rupert Grint (if not the rose, than next to the rose, I guess!).

Speaking of Rupert, he was undeniably awesome as usual too, particularly when on the love potion. He has such an expressive face, especially when compared to Dan Radcliffe, who, believe it or not, is usually the one whose acting I'm most disappointed in. He's really good at a great many things, but the facial closeups, in which he's supposed to be experiencing all these feelings at once, I find he usually just comes off like he's setting his jaw in anger. I've got to give Radcliffe credit, though: the Felix potion scene was some of the best acting I've seen out of him in six films.

And more than ever before, the Death Eaters just blow me away (and they'd better, for there's a distinct and obvious lack of Voldemort in this flick). Alan Rickman is fine perfection in whatever he participates in (while continuing to get a bit more portly every time I see him) and has remained flawlessly consistent for six films, especially now that his character has come into full bloom in the story. Snape is a lot more complicated than these movies give him credit for, and Rickman really does a phenomenal job of conveying just enough of Snape's concealed emotions and restraint to keep his character the truest to the books out of the entire cast.

I read somewhere Helena Bonham Carter referred to as the "female version of the Joker" and I agree wholeheartedly. She was so good it made me want to abandon my principles and fix myself up as her for Halloween again (but I won't do that a second time unless I can do it properly, meaning 100% cosplay quality. Who knows, it's only July).

The other star of the film was Tom Felton, who acted circles around Radcliffe and totally stole the show, in my opinion. I can't believe how perfect that kid grew up for this role - tall and stringy like a beanpole, and he really does have that narrow, pointed face and a world-class snarl. Love his face in particular at the moment he realizes he's been discovered in the lavatory and when "Aunt Bella" kisses his cheek in the tower at the end.

I really hope Maggie Smith makes it through the end of the filming. I was a fan of hers before the Potter series, and I have to say, her eyes have gone all rheumy and she's looking grayer than I've ever seen her (and I don't mean her hair). It would be a damn shame to lose her, as she's always been a fine actress, her lines in this film were acerbic and hysterical, and I just can't imagine anyone else pulling off that brogue so well. I will miss her when she's gone.

Seems almost like they left more of the excitement out of this movie, though. When the action is there, it's great, but I seem to remember the book being a really fantastic read and more action-packed than this. But this movie is what it is -- even in book form, it had a soft overtone of being a warm-up to the final: lots of character development and revealing plot elements, kids realizing they aren't kids anymore but they aren't grownups either. However, Stephen King wrote my other favorite (coincidentally 7 volume) book series, and Book 4 was nothing but a story of the past told at a campsite. The main characters, who customarily covered hundreds of miles every book, covered about a hundred feet in the thickest book you can imagine. And considering there's 7 books in the Potter series, and what will be 8 movies, sometimes a little character insight is good and necessary.

All in all I can't wait to go back a second time with my kid. She has no idea what happens at the end. Peace out, Fawkes.

Oh yeah - CL voting underway

My husband's band apparently wants everyone to vote for them in Creative Loafing's Best of Atlanta, and seeing as I'm married to the bass player, I suppose I'm obligated to advertise the fact and vote accordingly.

Kat's Votes:
Local overall music act: Nerd Parade
Local new music act: Odist
Local vocalist: Abby Wren
Local instrumentalist: Rich Wilson
Local rock act: Nerd Parade
Local mainstream act: Nerd Parade
Local electronic act: Tricil
Karaoke Night: Metalsome

http://bestofatlanta.technomile.com/bestofatlanta.php

Bleh

I've got a migraine this morning. (Anyone who is privy to the events of yesterday can probably imagine I would have a migraine out of it.) I tried to work on some photos last night, but I had to quit halfway through to lie down.

I'm tired; that's about all I have to say. These damn headaches take a lot out of me, especially when they are stress-induced. I'm supposed to go see my little brother sit in with Jungol tonight, but I have no idea how I'm going to feel about the pain in my skull after sitting in front of a computer screen under fluorescent bulbs for the next eight hours.

It's days like these that remind me why I dislike the human race as a whole, and make me happy about my life-decisions to limit my contact with it.

Today's Rant: Social Networking Sites

Social networking sites suck.

Really, how many of them are there now? According to Wikipedia, about a billion… Perhaps I'm exaggerating, but I realized this morning how totally pointless they all are.

Where else but a social networking site can someone have a private conversation with a friend, only to have that friend post the gist of said conversation as their "status update" -- eradicating all notions of privacy by publishing the topic on what is essentially an internet billboard?

I made a Myspace account way back when because a great deal of people in my life "insisted" that I get with the times, and it was just as bad as I thought. Countless ads, slow response time, too many teenagers, spammed bulletin boards and an inbox full of friend requests from Naked-Chick-of-the-Moment (or worse). Lovely. Just what I wanted… to avoid. These days, I think I log into my Myspace account maybe twice a year. I'm too lazy to even delete it - which is a testament to how little I care.

Then came Facebook. Once again I was bombarded with emails "insisting" I make a Facebook account, that Myspace sucks (duh!) and Facebook is the new thing, so much better, blah blah blah. So, perforce, I signed up. And it was cool for all of about the five minutes in which I found a couple of people I hadn't spoken to since high school. After that? Just another stupid site. Instead of ads, we've got apps. Countless, pointless apps. Do I need a ones-and-zeros version of someone to give me a virtual hug or buy me a virtual drink? No, I don't, because that's what real fucking people are for. Do I need the same person to constantly send "Become a fan of ME!" requests -- that I have obviously repeatedly rejected -- to my box once every three days? No, I don't, because if I wanted to be a fan of whatever you're doing, I would have showed up at your show.

Facebook is better than Myspace -- which ain't saying much -- but I managed to get sick of it a lot faster than Myspace, believe it or not. I'm leaning towards deleting my account on there, too… although I'm sure if I merely deleted half the people on my "friends" list, I would be much happier. Why? Because -- besides the unappreciated snarky comments I get on the things I personally choose to share -- I've noticed that suddenly my Facebook begins to resemble one of the other evil monsters, Twitter. Status updates from EVERYONE, every five minutes. I can't sleep. Here I am at the coffee shop. Mmm, coffee. Here I am five minutes later eating the bagel that I ordered. Now I am walking out the door. Now I am smoking a cigarette and deciding where to go next. This is what is playing on my Ipod.

Can you hear the sound of me gagging? Should I find an app so you can?

I guess I was wrong, but I thought that's what Twitter was for: to "tweet" (rolls eyes) your every breath to the world -- and allow people like me to avoid having to look at it. But unfortunately the concept has migrated (or maybe at first I didn't have enough "friends" to drive me crazy), and I guess the only way I'll be able to keep a Facebook account and not go bonkers is to delete all these people who post something pointless 20 times a day. Not everything has to be important, witty or brilliant, but write something interesting, for Pete's sake! "I wrote a new song" -- awesome. "I've got a doctor's appointment" -- I'll be thinking good thoughts for you. "I wish I was somewhere else right now" -- understandable. But most of my "friends" are mere aquaintances (my close friends don't need a SNS to keep tabs on me) so I totally don't care what you had for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I don't care if you need to go to the store, and I could give a shit about your household chores. If I cared, I'd ask.

In truth, the idea of spewing the details of my whole life on the internet makes me cringe. Such a thing is on my 'What's Wrong With The World Today' list.

Don't get me wrong: I don't mind finding out what's up with my family all in one place (and I will never delete my family, no matter what you post, because you are family). And if everyone would rather hide behind a photograph and a messaging system than to give out their email addresses, that's fine too. About the only thing I find that's cool is getting invites from bands to see performances I probably would not have otherwise known about. But beyond that? Ugh. It's just not worth it.

on a roll and it's all uphill

why does man always wish to fight
what he’s been destined for
some illusion of glory and greatness
some delusion of keeping score
and when you’re listless, dull-eyed and tired
from the effort of the standards you maintain
you might try for one moment
to simply walk in the rain
remember life’s sweet pleasures
remember it’s all a gift
it’s not a contest
it’s not a game
it’s an hourglass in which to sift
constantly through the sands of time
choosing, grain by grain
a treasure, here
a beauty, there
collecting the happiness and the pain
for you hold not one without the other
and from that there’s no escape
there's death without those minutes of glory
that sustain your heart during the rape
of your senses, your strength
and your sanity
the hours of toil and misery
all for one blessed moment you cannot yet see
when the curtain parts and falls away
when the heart on your sleeve is now on display
you can do what so many cannot
what most of them have always dreamed
why do you think you can turn your back on a gift
and in doing so, somehow be redeemed
from a perfect, unattainable dream

the meaning of life is forever sought for
but the purpose of life is often ignored
to live… to bravely face the day
to walk the path into the fray
of obstacles, with head held high
to look frustration in the eye
to overcome, to learn, to grow
to love - and one thing most will never know
to use the talents you’ve been given
to the fullest – whether it means that you’re living
inside or out of the public’s view
it only matters to the heart inside you
not living up to a standard of somebody else
nor setting your goals far too high for yourself
but to live and know your limitations
is to grow within them and perfect the creations
that come from your soul
no matter what level
or skill class or ranking or scale
and no matter if it brings you success
or you fail and you keep going on
because it is who you are
it’s not something you pack up and save in a jar
to abandon the blessings with which you were created
is to spit in life’s face and be hopeless
and jaded instead of
the beautiful something you were destined to be
no matter who listens
no matter who sees