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Below are the most recent 22 friends' journal entries.
| Monday, November 9th, 2009 |
calanthe_b
|
10:32a |
Well, here we go.
First heatwave of the season, and it isn't even the season yet. Yes, literally and technically a heatwave - the daytime temperature won't get below 35 C until next Saturday, and then only to 34 C. Joy. On the other hand, I just booked my plane tickets and accommodation for my trip to Vancouver! The Internet is a wonderful invention for times like these... Current Mood:  content |
| Sunday, November 8th, 2009 |
calanthe_b
|
3:23p |
Computer says...YES!!!!!!
My computer is working and all virus-protected and internet-connected again! It was nothing I did - I just turned it on to do some word-processing and the little Norton icon was back, and nothing froze up, and then the Norton software started talking to me and taking tracking cookies off the hard drive, so I figured it must be prepared to do things again and tried uninstalling it...and it worked! So all the messed-up old stuff is gone, and I have reinstalled from the CD-ROM, which worked perfectly, and downloaded Firefox, and here we are! And just when I was finally getting my nerve up to try a system restore, too... But still. Almighty phew happening here! ~dances a bit~ |
| Saturday, November 7th, 2009 |
calanthe_b
|
1:45p |
Saturday dancepost.
Icky hot weather today, and it's only going to get worse until Friday... N. took the Advanced class today and was her usual uninspiring self, going too fast and not paying attention to the class as usual. Plus, I hate veil choreography where you have to drape the veil across your throat. If I have to dance, I don't want to feel like I'm choking while I do it! M. was much better in the Intermediate. Good choreography, not too rushed, and I felt like I knew what I was doing again. I have some advice re dealing with the computer situation at home from the Online Learning guys at work, so I will follow it tomorrow and we'll see how it goes. |
| Thursday, November 5th, 2009 |
news
[ theljstaff ]
|
1:15p |
LiveJournal Major Notes: Spam counter-attack, RSS feeds again, CSI Deadly Intent contest
 The empire strikes backIn recent weeks, we've taken huge steps towards blocking spam accounts on LiveJournal. In fact, we've suspended as many as 30,000 accounts in a single day! We've implemented several pre-emptive measures to prevent the creation of spam accounts, and we've honed our detection of suspicious content. Spam bots are a crafty lot, so we'll continue to refine our tactics and keep up the good fight to keep you safe from spam attacks on LiveJournal. RSS feeds againIf you're addicted to , ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/syndicated.gif) icanhaschzbrgr, or other syndicated feeds, we're pleased to report that we've resolved the update error that was mucking up your RSS feeds. While content was being pulled correctly, it wasn't being posted to the feeds themselves. Late last week, we finally nailed down what we hope was the root problem, so content should post properly. We thank you for your patience. Wii have killer CSI Deadly Intent contests! ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) c_s_iIf you're a gamer who loves CSI, have Wii got news for you! c_s_i is sponsoring killer contests. Simply post a question to a member of the CSI crew. The winner will get a free copy of CSI: Deadly Intent for Nintendo Wii (with a retail value of $39.99) and get their question answered by a member of the CSI writing team! There's also a fantastic monthly contest. To enter, join c_s_i, play the online version of CSI: Deadly Intent, and respond to a two-part query for a chance to win a Wii! Entries will be judged on composition and originality. Sorry, but you must be a U.S. resident and over 18 years old to participate. Check out the rules here. Enveloped in postcardsLast week, we asked you to send in postcards to help us decorate our drab concrete walls. Here's a photo of the results so far! Thank you so much and please keep them coming! You can mail them to Frank the Goat, Esq., c/o LiveJournal, Inc., 539 Bryant Street, Suite 210, San Francisco, CA 94107. Be sure to include your username, since we'll be giving ten random users paid account credits.  Photos of the weekIf you haven't visited our new LiveJournal photo community, you're in for an amazing visual trip. LiveJournal users from around the world will take you on a scenic journey to everywhere. Post your own pictures or kick back and enjoy at lj_photophile. You can view some of this week's awesome photos after the jump. Please start tagging with geographic location, since we'd like to track all the places around the world represented in this community. Keep on commenting too! ( Read more... ) |
| Friday, November 6th, 2009 |
deborahb
|
12:01a |
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| Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 |
deborahb
|
12:00a |
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| Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 |
calanthe_b
|
12:09p |
Job application.
Well, that's it. The job application is now wending its merry electronic way to Queensland University of Technology. It is probably not a very good application. And I am probably not a very good fit for the job. But this application has helped the other, so some good came out of it, at least. ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) overlithe, I got your email, but I haven't been game to try anything yet because of needing the computer for the job application. I will give some bits a try for tonight, but I won't be able to do the portable-Firefox thing - sorry. |
deborahb
|
12:00a |
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| Monday, November 2nd, 2009 |
deborahb
|
5:50p |
WFC 09
Alas, over already. I kept opening the blog during the week only to shut it again from severe brain drain.
Some highlights:
* Firstly, this has been my favourite WFC so far.
* Wednesday: the Caltrain from San Francisco to San Jose is a straightforward commute, though it’s not designed to accommodate suitcases. I choose to travel at midday, & fortunately the train proves to be at least as empty as I hoped.
* Dinner Wednesday night with Team Oz & Team Locus. We eat grasshoppers & mole. They’re both rather tasty. As are the margaritas in chilli-rimmed glasses.
* The hotel is awesome, & odd (’multitudinous caverns’, as Graham Joyce describes it). The function floor is in the shape of a ring, which means regardless of whether you turn left or right, the room you want is the furtherest point from where you exited the lift.
* The other floors are worse.
* Thursday: we meet to plan the Aussie Party, try on our t-shirts (custom designed by Cat Sparks), drink pink drinks (as is the custom) & catch up with friends. We check out the Presidential Suite (i.e. the party venue) & run into Tessa on the way back. The group splits for various errands, me to have tea with Tessa.
* I spy Jeff Vandermeer, who ignores me. Twice.
* I cannot for the life of me remember what I do for dinner Thursday night.
* We attend the Last Drink Bird Head party, where I accost Jeff while he’s cutting cake. I thank him for mentioning my book on his blog, & then hold my nametag up beside my face. *NOW* he remembers who I am!
* (He shouldn’t feel bad, though. I mean, Jeff Ford remembers me. Chris Roberson remembers me. But then, Jeff was kind enough to mention my book on his blog. So, it all evens out in the end.)
* The Aussie Party is AWESOME! Much Australian wine & beer is drunk. To relieve pressure on Garth, Sean, Jonathan & Justin behind the bar, Liz Argall begins to ferry bottles of white wine around the room while Jason Nahrung & I cover distribution of the red. Other Aussies wav the flag & generally impress the crowd with the mighty powers of Australia-dom: Kirstyn, Cat Jenny, Russell, Isobelle, Tessa, Anna. The Australian contingent is huge this year!
* Some of us are up until 3am, stealing the halloween decorations from some other party.
* Friday: tired. Very, very tired. Think I have a cold.
* Cat, Graham Joyce & I head out to find the Rosicrucian Temple. After an uninspiring visit in an Egyptian museum (with Graham playing the part of local guide, right down to the accent — & the begging for money), we discover the temple is actually around the corner. We arrive to find it locked, but after much persistence (& luck, really), the door opens & we’re ushered in for a Rosicrucian meditation ceremony. I find the whole thing wonderful & want to immediately sign up, but Graham spots a dark spirit sitting behind us. When I ask how a dark spirit could be in a place where the ceremonies are so joyous, Graham replies, ‘It’s the dark thing that hangs around on the edges of the light.’ … Which shuts me the hell up.
* Lunch with Graham & Jonathan (a burger that fills me up for about 24 hours), where we discuss writing & career, hurrah! Exactly the kinds of conversations I come to WFC for.
* More hanging out in the bar, then the Orbit party, then the mass signing where I sign my book! Twice! (Hey, that’s big news for this unknown Aussie.) I watch Sean & Garth’s queues with admiration.
* Then the Locus party, where at midnight we toast Charles Brown.
* Saturday: tired. Very, very tired.
* The 10am panel on Why Steampunk Now? (which I chair) turns out to be standing-room only. The panellists are all wonderful, thoughtful, smart people. Which makes my job a helluva lot easier. When it turns out Ann Vandermeer & Nisi Shawl were both in punk bands, the conversation drifts momentarily into 70s music (with Michael Swanwick waxing lyrical) & I drag it back on topic with the help of Liz Gorinsky. It really was wonderful. Thank-you to everyone who came & helped keep it lighthearted & fun — & who laughed at my jokes.
* Off for a quick trip to the Winchester Mystery House with Sean & Cat. The tour is kinda fun but leaves us all hungry to see more of the crazy house. Afterwards I chat extensively with Danel Olson about ‘the architecture of the mind’.
* Dinner with Garth & the gang, so many people I better not try naming ‘em all. Fabulous seafood platter in the hotel restaurant, makes me homesick.
* I miss the Weird Tales party because I’m so tired I’ve started to feel sick in all kinds of new ways.
* Sleep for 10 hours.
* Sunday: leisurely morning (& last trip to the dealer’s room) until the WFC banquet, where we get to cheer Margo Lanagan & Shaun Tan for their wins! Also cheers to the Nightshade crew for the best damn suits of the con (& maybe the decade).
* Two parties in the evening, followed by salad in the bar, followed by several drinks & planning for tomorrow’s long journey home.
I’m sure there was more.
Mirrored from my website at deborahbiancotti.net. You can respond here or at the other deborahb blog. |
calanthe_b
|
3:48p |
I have spent all morning sitting at home working on the application for QUT, and all afternoon sitting in my office working on the same application. the good thing about doing two applications at once is that they feed off each other, so I keep doing bits on one and thinking, Hey, I can just tweak that a little and it will be good to put in the other one!. The bad thing is, well...one application is an awful lot of work. Two is a bit brain-breaking sometimes. And my computer is still bung. Ah, well. So long as I get it ready to go by tomorrow, that's all that counts. Now I just have to hope that the cool change has come in so I don't die of 35-degree heat in early November before getting home... |
| Sunday, November 1st, 2009 |
deborahb
|
12:01a |
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| Friday, October 30th, 2009 |
lj_maintenance
[ dwell ]
|
5:17p |
Network Maintenance - Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 04:00-05:00 GMT/UTC
EDIT: If you're reading this, our maintenance is OVER! The problem was not found on our equipment, which means we'll have to work with our ISP to fix this small problem -- which also means another maintenance window in the future -- but at least we have eliminated our side. Thank you everyone, and a special shout out to rekoil for giving me a great suggestion AND also the opportunity to feel like I've just called in to a local radio station. Have a great day, night or afternoon wherever you may be. --- Hi everyone, sorry for the late notice but I'm going to have to do some testing on 1 of our 4 internet circuits TONIGHT; Friday night or Saturday morning depending on which time zone you're in. Most of us shouldn't notice any impact, though there may be some slowness or lag when I switch traffic on to our other ISP circuits and then another hit when I stop the tests. If a page won't load or times out, try hitting refresh 1 or 2 times and it should load then. If it doesn't work at all... trust me, I'll be typing really really really fast to try to undo whatever I just did. Hopefully you'll have some Halloween candy (if you're in the USA and celebrate that kind of thing) nearby to take away the bitterness of a small site outage. :( Here's the handy-dandy Website That I Always Use to get a feel for when the maintenance will start in your area. Our site traffic historically dips on Friday afternoons until Saturday morning which is why we tend to pick this time for maintenance work. ( tech details )status.livejournal.org will, of course be updated before and after the maintenance window. Or else marta will get mad at me. :D bt |
| Saturday, October 31st, 2009 |
deborahb
|
12:01a |
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| Friday, October 30th, 2009 |
calanthe_b
|
9:08a |
I am one annotated bibliography entry and a couple of drafts away from finally getting that wretched last Teaching @ University assignment submitted. It won't be in time for the application that's due in next Tuesday*, but it will be more than in time for the Massey application, which is the one I care about most. About time, too. *And isn't that a way to sort the goats from the sheep - have your due date on Melbourne Cup day! |
| Thursday, October 29th, 2009 |
news
[ theljstaff ]
|
10:53a |
LiveJournal Major Notes: Search super-tweak, postcards, and amazing user content!
In response to user comments from last week, we want to let you know that we'll remain LJ cut-free for the next month in order to get more eyeballs on our evolving newsletter. As for product coverage, that continues to be our top priority. For more granular detail, however, we recommend you join lj_releases. Super-tweak for Yandex searchSome of our beta testers expressed privacy concerns using the Yandex search engine. Here's why: Last week, when you ran a search, you could see the usernames (and only the usernames) of everyone who commented on an entry, even if that entry was switched to Private or Friends Only after it was originally indexed. You could NOT see the actual comments from Friends Only or Private posts. In response to your input, we've implemented a fix to keep all user activity currently marked Friends Only or Private completely hidden. If you'd prefer your public content not to be indexed by Yandex, click here and use the settings labeled Search Inclusion (this covers your entire journal) and/or Comment Search Inclusion (which covers comments only). To test drive Yandex search now, click here. Postcards from the edgeSeveral years ago, we asked LiveJournal users to send postcards to help us decorate our dull, white-washed offices. Since a good idea warrants repetition, we're at it again (same issue, new address). We hope you'll surround us with LiveJournal love by sending your postcards to Frank the Goat, Esq., c/o LiveJournal, Inc., 539 Bryant Street, Suite 210, San Francisco, CA 94107. We'll post snapshots right here. Be sure to include your username, since we'll randomly pick 10 lucky recipients to win free paid account time. Conquer Writer's BlockHere are some excerpts from this week's most popular question of the day: If a friend or relative makes a racist or homophobic remark, do you tend to confront them or let it slide? Are you more likely to confront them if it offends you directly or someone else who seems reluctant to speak up?- I find it easier to stand up for other people, and i wouldn't let it slide if they made a rude or hurtful comment.
- Usually if a friend makes a racist or homophobic remark, I tend to let it slide. I think that while i would not say such things myself, I have no right to censor those around me.
- This happens all of the time. I confront some relatives, but I refuse to if they are drunk or watch Fox News.
- I'd let it slide if it was just a private remark... As much as I despise bigotry and intolerance, I know that you can't change people-they have to change themselves ...
- Confront! confront! confront! Politely, but without equivocation.
- SPEAK UP. Always, always, always speak up. Letting something slide lets ignorance win. No matter if it offends me directly, or someone else, I will confront the speaker and let them know that's not ok.
- I don't get offended personally. As an immigrant, woman, gay and person of color if I took every single potentially offensive remark seriously I wouldn't get anything done.
- I punch them in the balls. With my mind.
- I do speak up, but often very timidly because I feel that I'm white and therefore I don't really have any authority to lecture someone on what's racist and what isn't...
- Generally speaking, I do not let this shit fly, because it reduces me as a person, to this non-person and it replicates the destructive discourse that makes sure that sexual minorities, racial minorities, women, people with disabilities, trans people and every intersection thereof into something other than human... And sometimes... I'm just too tired to deal with it, so I roll my eyes, make a sarcastic remark and hope the conversation moves on quickly.
For more daily questions and user comments, join writersblock. FYI, we don't want to invade your privacy, so we haven't credited individual users for their responses. We'd appreciate your feedback on this! Spotlight community of the weekWe can't resist making one last midnight trip to the ol' pumpkin patch. If you adore crazy costumes, fiendish festivities, and bottomless candy consumption as much as we do, this community has just what it takes to light up your jack-o-lantern.  halloween_fanPhotos of the weekWe received so many incredible photos, we had to close our eyes and point. We uploaded a selection of awesome images at our new lj_photophile community. Please join and start posting (try to keep the width at around 625 for the sake of consistency)! We'd love for you to tell us more about your photos! You can help us select spotlight photos by commenting on your favorites. Once again, we thank you for making our online world more beautiful! CurtainsThanks, again, for tuning in. We look forward to seeing you next week. |
calanthe_b
|
1:19p |
Guh. Dull, boring, hot, unpleasant day today. Cannot brane. Haz teh dumb. |
deborahb
|
12:00a |
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| Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 |
deborahb
|
4:19p |
The Age likes us!
*Forgot* to mention, The Age review has been transcribed by ‘the publisher’ over on her blog:
The busiest short-story writers in Australia are working in speculative fiction, a mixture of dark fantasy, science and other unsettling stuff. They are also some of the best, although largely ignored by the major local publishers. Biancotti has won various awards and been commended in international listings. She is working in the Zeitgeist of The Road and Steven Amsterdam – the apocalypse and afterwards – but at much shorter length. There are 21 short stories here. Most have the germ of a novel within them. A robot dog rusts in a decaying royal palace, but sticks to his duty. A girl slips into the interstices of Sydney. Thugs tussle over black market electricity. What Biancotti will do with more space, and a novel framework, remains to be seen. But the stories are succinct and powerful. Best ordered online, as the publisher is a micropress.
Hurrah!
Really kind of excellent. Though I am the only one to be hung up on the line, “What Biancotti will do with more space, and a novel framework, remains to be seen.”…? 
(Yes, I suspect I am, because interest & sales are up & ’succinct & powerful’ makes me feel very chuffed!)
By the by, apparently my flippant description of my novel as ‘The Great Unsaleable’ isn’t washing with several people. I *think* I read someplace that in traditional Chinese culture, it’s bad luck to talk about a newborn child in terms of its beauty, its charm, humour, personality, prospects, strength. Because if the gods hear, they’ll grow jealous & snatch the child away. So, for some weeks, the child is not named and not complimented. ‘Poor, ugly baby,’ the adults croon. ‘You’ll never amount to anything, little baby.’
Similarly, I have been trying to outwit the gods.
But, no more! People are worried the strategy will work too well & I’ll jinx myself & the gods will forget entirely to honour me. Henceforth I’m throwing away the pessimsim & working hard on proving that my novel is a charming, beautiful, honourable baby. I shall call it BROKEN, not because it *is* broken, but because that’s part of its real name, that’s what it’s about, a novel about being broken and living anyhow. A novel about shards of consciousness and subconsciousness and about how we shape the world with those.
Also, I am still getting my perverse delight from calling it BROKEN.
Excelsior!
Mirrored from my website at deborahbiancotti.net. You can respond here or at the other deborahb blog. |
deborahb
|
4:03p |
Culturally worthwhile day
Body didn’t know, last night, if it was sleepy or awake. So alternated between the two states at random, testing them out. Asleep at 11pm, awake at 1am, 2am, 3am, 4… asleep at 9am, 10am…
You see the pattern. Spent the night going to the window, burningly alert, staring out at the city. ‘Can’t wait to get into it!’ Then sleeping like the dead. Missing, ultimately, my half-made plans to see Alcatraz first thing. Next time I’m in San Francisco, I’m determined to do the Alcatraz sunset tour.
Got up, confirmed with the man on the hotel desk that my method of getting from San Francisco to San Jose (researched during the awake hours in the middle of the night) was the best available, wandered through a day just as bright but much colder than yesterday. Had Mexican again! Hurrah! This time with Jason, Kirstyn & Sir Tessa (blog links to be inserted as I remember ‘em). Wandered with the crew to Union Square where Jason & Kirstyn left to find the Golden Gate Park or the Tutankhamen exhibition (or both) & Tess & I decided to take advantage of the unreasonably strong Australian dollar & try some shopping. Victoria’s Secret, which has always fascinated me, turned out to be not quite as appealing as Peter Alexander, but the one chosen department store of all the pickings — Macy’s — offered up several delights. Some of which Sir T. is still suffering amidst a room full of Toucans. Too-much-cheesecake-not-enough-red-velvet um, cake at the Cheesecake Factory atop Macy’s got the better of me, but the hot caramel apple cider was deLISH! And tea! Mmmm, tea made properly hot. I love you, San Francisco.
More wandering, off to the Golden Gate Bridge, which is beautiful, really beautiful in the same way art deco is beautiful, classical sculpture is beautiful, mist on mountains is beautiful. Also, in the gift store you can buy canned fog. But careful opening the can, as fog dissipates on exposure to air (says so right there on the can).
Cable car rides up & down the 50-degree+ inclines of your regular SF streets (it was exhilarating, exactly like a roller coaster), us clinging to the rails for our lives because if we started rolling down the hill we’d end up in the bay within 90 seconds. It’d be just like a sheer drop off a cliff, I’m pretty sure. Dinner on Geary St — wagyu burger, yum! — and then cable cars back up Nob Hill to my beautifully posh hotel. Ahhhhh, hotel. How I’ll miss you.
Now catching up on reading via Twitter. So far:
Forget everything you’ve heard about publishing, Adam Penenberg.
42 Essential Third-Act Twists, erm, Dresden Codak?
Worthwhile Culture, Jeremy Fisher, ASA President
A brilliant day!
Mirrored from my website at deborahbiancotti.net. You can respond here or at the other deborahb blog. |
deborahb
|
12:00a |
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| Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 |
deborahb
|
2:31p |
Arrival: SF (’Frisco, that is)
Seriously, San Francisco is in good shape. The weather is perfect (I thought I was being optimistic packing t-shirts, but no. Turns out I was being pessimistic packing jeans). The Mexican is superb, especially from Hair of the Dog Cantina. The wander through Columbus Avenue, into City Lights Bookstore & that place that lets you taste the salt water taffy free, sipping the world’s grandest Chai Grande, wandering past all those wonderful weatherboard houses with the quirky windows. Then up, up, UP the damn hill towards the hotel (I knew I was in trouble when I read the Nob Hill address, but the discount on the regular room rate was so huge I figured I’d deal with it later).
A fabulous afternoon. I feel relaxed, a world away from the frustrations of the everyday. (Well, not EXACTLY a world away. I’m planning a new project or two on my return home.) Perhaps I’ll nip down to the piano lounge for half an hour (& a scotch) before bed.
And then Wednesday, on to San Jose for the beginnings of the World Fantasy Convention.
See? Aren’t these happy posts boring?
Mirrored from my website at deborahbiancotti.net. You can respond here or at the other deborahb blog. |
calanthe_b
|
10:08a |
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