неділю, серпня 22, 2004

Suspicion and Moving

I just saw the Alfred Hitchcock movie by that name. I highly recommend it for the thrill value, it is certainly suspenseful. The premise is this- a 'well brought up' young lady falls in love (in an extremely short period of time) and marries her Mr. Wonderful. He turns out to be not so wonderful and has a nasty habit of gambling away large sums of money. A sequence of events makes his wife suspect he is planning to do away with her in the permanent sense. No one seems to understand and there are several interesting, thouroughly classic Hitchcock twists in the story. I was a trifle disappointed that... oh never mind, I shan't spoil the ending though I will say this- The wife is NOT killed by rampaging sheep. This idea was actually suggested while watching the movie- along with several other strange ideas, none of which turned out to be correct. Personally, I think that the plotline you begin to outline in your head is probably more interesting (in a slightly morbid way) than the actual one. I shall say no more, least I spoil things.

In other news! I am moving to a glorious sunny place- even though I really don't like hot weather. You may ask-why am I moving to such a place if I don't like it? I'll tell you- because it's cheap! I really would rather move to Prague. Seriously, Prague. I've heard it's gorgeous and has lots and lots of beautiful churches. I shall go someday and see them. And bring lots of film. And attempt in vain to NOT look like a tourist. I hate looking like a tourist. Tourists don't really have fun. They think they do, but they don't. It's so much more fun to live in a country! Heh, maybe I should go to Ukraine with the PeaceCorps? Nah, boring. I don't think I agree with PeaceCorps ideology and they seem to do more harm than good. Like the UN? And possibly some US actions? >shrugs< Well, I think I must wrap up this post, 'The wolf is hungry, the hour is nigh, no more need-' wait a minute, that's not a really appropriate quote.

Kudos to any who get my obsrefs. And know what obsrefs are!

четвер, серпня 19, 2004

Origins of the Title

"'Somewhatlost'? What kind of a name for a blog is that?" my critical muse Edrahil asks.
"You should know," I answer. "Your creator thought it up after all."

The inspiration for somewhatlost came to me as I pondered random parts of LotR, searching for something LotR or SILM related that would make a pleasing title. In hindsight 'HouseofFeanor' might have been interesting. 'Nargothrond' was taken >curses, foiled again.<, and so I continued randomly pondering. Until it hit me. "Not all those who wander are lost. The old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not touched by the frost." "So you're going to call it 'deeproots', right?" ValKyriene guesses.
Edrahil glares at her and returns to his work.
"No," I smile. "It shall be- 'Somewhatlost'!"

It was inspired. I do wander, but I know where I want to go in the long run. However, sometimes I forget, or lose my way slightly. Hence 'somewhatlost' not 'wanderingbutnotlost' nor 'neverlost', just 'somewhatlost'.

That actually fits me quite well, I tend to look 'somewhatlost' at times, and feel it more often than I look it as I observe the crazy world around me and the crazier people that inhabit it. Not that I make a particular claim to being normal (Who wants to be a setting on a dishwasher/street in Nebraska/town in Illinois?), I'm just differently crazy. >grins< ValKyriene grins at this, Edrahil sighs and looks skyward. "Why me?"

вівторок, серпня 17, 2004

And Now For Something Completely Random!

AKA
SW Kick for No Apparent Reason!

But this being me, it is no ordinary SW kick, so if you are expecting to find ranting/raving about any of the recent movies or books- you're looking in the wrong place. I'm a classic Rogue Squadron nerd and fairly proud of it. For whatever reason my muses have suddenly decided to drag me forcefully into finishing one adventure of my favourite four (Wedge, Tycho, Wes and Hobbie), and starting another...>groans<. Hence the following. I re-read this http://www.wam.umd.edu/~dilli/writings/orac.html

I took the "Which New Republic pilot do you belong with" quiz on Quizilla and a few other quizzes too, but unfortunately lost the results. Darn. Socks.

And I looked over this again.

Five Pilots and A Baby

Pilots are always in demand, in almost any military, it seemed, and the Alliance was no exception, thus, the events that occurred were singular and the odds of them happening were a million to one. So of course, they happened.

Wedge was hovering in that odd, even dreaded, state between wakefulness and sleep, where some things were exceptionally clear, and others foggy and dreamlike. An example he would have offered, had he been awake enough to care, was that his eyes were firmly shut and he wished for them to remain so. It was a small way in which sleep had a hold on him. His hearing, however, was, fortunately or not, exceptionally sharp. He heard his wingman snoring the sleep of those lucky few who had been injured and given painkillers with a sedative - before the order came down from High Command that only basic treatment was to be given to prevent impairment. He sighed and tried to adjust himself in his uncomfortable bunk. Then he heard it. It was a thin, reedy cry, high pitched and erratic.

A baby? Wedge groaned. He and the other members of his squadron were stuck in off-base housing, which meant such things as loud music and, yes, squalling babies, were not unusual. Wedge pulled his pillow out from under his head and stuck it over his head, attempting to muffle the noise. The attempt failed. After twenty minutes of sporadic howling, Wedge decided he would get no more sleep that night and that he might as well take in the sunrise- so what if it was two hours away? There was a balcony at the end of the hall, there might be a view, even in a city… Stopping only to belt on his blaster, the pyjama-clad squadron leader opened the door- and nearly tripped over the baby.

"What the-?!"

It was a baby, no mistaking it, a human baby, a small, pink thing wrapped in a green woollen jersey that stopped in mid-howl to stare at him. Well, the floor was no place for anyone to leave a baby, Wedge thought, dazed. He picked it up carefully. It gave an experimental howl that trailed off sloppily. Holding the baby as best he guessed was correctly, Wedge tried hard to think, not the easiest thing to do at three in the morning with a small child with a prodigious lung-capacity. Maybe the baby had been left outside the wrong doorstep- that had to be it! There were four apartments on the floor his squadron occupied, Tycho and he shared one, Hobbie and Wes had another, Plourr had the third, and the fourth…was unoccupied, he remembered belatedly as he walked over to it and stopped in front of the door with the ‘do not enter’ tape liberally plastered across it. The baby, which had been silent for a little while, started to howl again as he stood there. Wedge sighed and walked over to the balcony. The baby stopped. Slowly, Wedge added two and two and made four. The baby did not howl as he walked. It made strange noises and it seemed to dribble a lot, but it did not howl… Thus it was that Wes, the only early riser of the lot, found him pacing the hall.

"Wedge are you- what is that?" he gaped.

"It’s a baby, Wes, shut your mouth, your jaw is dragging on the floor," Wedge said with a yawn. The baby gave a single, drawn out howl. Wedge looked haggard. "It was asleep too, for maybe twenty minutes until you spoke up." Wes continued to gape as Wedge explained, over the howling, the events that had led to his pacing the corridor. "-and as soon as it’s a reasonable hour, someone has to take it to Social Services."

Wes had a strange smile on his face as he delivered the deathblow to that idea. "Wedge, this world’s in such turmoil, they’re not even sure who’s in charge. Social Services hasn’t been working for a few years here."

"But…"

"Besides, on this world it’s hardly necessary, people look out for their families. No one would just leave their child on a stranger’s door…"

"Except someone did," Wedge said.

Wes sighed. "It’s too early…"

"’Morning, sir," Plourr Illo said, closing her apartment door behind her. "’Morning, Wes. Sir, is that yours?" she asked with a grin.

Wedge had a bad feeling that the day was not going to go well at all.

When everyone was awake and mostly coherent, with the possible exception of Tycho, a decision was in the process of being made. Wedge was all in favour of taking the child to the nearest planetary authorities, but Wes reminded him and everyone that such authorities had not been in operation for a while. Plourr had no objection to the baby staying on, but she insisted that if it did, everyone would have to help raise it. Hobbie predicted disasters as usual and Tycho fell asleep halfway through the discussion.

Finally, Wedge surrendered to the inevitable. "All right, we’ll keep the baby," he said, "but only until the Alliance can place it, the Force alone knows how they will."

"Um…" Plourr, who had been holding the baby, now held it at arm’s length. "I think it needs to be changed."

"Wes, go buy things for it," Wedge said. "Plourr when he gets back, catch up with us at the base. Tycho, you and Wes are babysitting."

"Uh? Sure," Tycho said and went back to sleeping.

"Why does he have to stay?" Hobbie asked. "Why can’t Plourr stay?"

"What, just because I’m a woman?"

"No, because you’re not as crazy as he is, and I want an apartment to come back to," Hobbie said.

"Nevermind, we might have fun," Wes said, taking the baby from Plourr. "Yes," he announced to it. "You’re gonna have lots of fun with Uncle Wes, aren’t you?"


(Possibly to be continued)

неділю, серпня 15, 2004

Silmarillion Parody!

Here for your delight or horror, follows...

Parody of the Silmarillion
OR
The Confused Memories of a Teen Reader

(Scene: a dark foggy place. A girl walks on stage with a microphone)

Girl(Tapping mic): Um..testing 1,2,3 is this on? Think so, anyway err...(looks up)Eru? Sir? Are you sure this is a fitting punishment? I mean there-
(There is a loud thump, like someone dropped a piano.)
Girl: Uh...I guess that's a yes! Well, um... (Now in bright chirpy voice)Hi Everyone and welcome to the Confused Memories of a Teen Reader, me. Tonightwe focuse on The Slama- The Semil- er...(Chews nail and looks at script that'appeared' in hand)
FANS: THE SILMARILLION!!!
Girl(Brightens): Yeah! The Samil-
FANS: SILMARILLION!
Girl(Sigh): What they said! Where was I? Oh yes. In the beginning there was the Music and the Music was with Eru and Eru was-
(Loud groans from the fans)
Scary sounding Fan: Skip it!
Girl: Who said that? (Looks around)
Scary sounding fan who is Melkor stands up out of the fog: I did.
Girl(Trembling): M-m-e (Seems to be stuck in a stutter)
Impressive sounding voice: Leave off!
(Manwe steps out of the fog, followed byVarda)
Manwe: Now look Melkor, I want to hear the rest of the story and if you don't, you can go back to the Void. (Frowns) How did you get in here anyway?
Melkor: The door. (A door lights up)
Varda: Well if you're not going to leave, then please sit down and don't interrupt again, you're scaring our guest. (Turns to the girl) Please continue!
(Melkor goes back to his seat)
Girl: And the Music was of Eru and the voices of the Valar joined with his and all was peaceful until they noticed someone singing off-key.
Melkor: DID NOT!
FANS: DID TOO!
Melkor: DID NOT!
Varda(putting a hand to her head): Children! Please!
(Silence, for now!)
Girl: The off-key singer whose evil melody tried to take over the world was-
Varda: Dear, perhaps for the sake of peace, we should skip this?
Girl: Ok. Then after the song sang the world into being the elves came and theworld was beautiful and M-m-e- HE got chained up
(Growl from Melkor) And anyway, I didn't think that was too much to do with the Sumaril-FANS: SILMARILLION!
Fan that sounds suspiciously like Feanor: IF YOU MISPRONOUNCE MY BEAUTIFULJEWELS JUST ONCE MORE-
(Fans that look supiciously like his sons sit on him)
Redheaded son of Feanor who is missing a hand (Smiles at the narrator): Continue please!
Girl: Okaaay! Then Thingol built his Halls of Stone-
Dwarven sounding fan: The DWARVES built the Halls of Stone.
Girl: The Dwarves built Thingol's Halls of Stone and Thingol married Melian a Maia that kept butterflies-
Melian: Nightingales!
Girl: Nightingales. Umm...then Feanor created the Silmo- Silmi-
FANS: SILMARILLS!!
(The complaining begins again)
Feanor: Shut up! This is the best part of the story!
(Booing and fighting break out in the audience)
Girl (Continuing quickly): Feanor created the precious jems-
FAN with strange voice: Precioussss? Iss it oursss? Our preciousss?
Feanor: Wrong story Smeagol, go catch some fishess.
Smeagol: Ssssmeagol isss going!
Girl: And at least he said they were the most beautiful things in the world but no one could really know because-
Feanor: THEY WERE!(Feanor is sat upon by his father, mother, stepmother, wife, sons, and Huan the Talking Dog)
Girl: Because he kept them locked up and only wore them for fiestas.
FAN1: What's a fiesta?
FAN2: Is that some kind of chariot?
FAN3: Isn't that Rohirric?
FAN4: No you dumb Noldo, a fiesta's a ship!
FAN1: Well that makes sense! He only wore them for ships? Come on!
FAN3: Who are you callin' a dumb Noldo, ya sissy Teler!
FAN4: Sissy is it? I'll show you!
FAN3: Yeah?
FANS1&4: Yeah!
(Fighting errupts yet again. Manwe claps his hands to call for attention, but no one's listening. Melkor taps him on the back and whispers something. Manwe shrugs. Melkor lets out a demonic scream- nothing happens. Varda sighs and clears her throat. All fighting ceases instantly.)
Girl: Umm... And the Jewels were stolen by M- HIM and HE killed Feanor's dad and Feanor swore an oath-
Other son of Feanor with nice voice: Don't remind him- or us!
Girl: And so it was that they came to Middle Earth
FAN2: Middle _Where_? Y' mean Arda?
FAN4: Ahem, you seem to have completely forgotten THE KINSLAYING.
(Collective groan from the audience.)
FAN1: Not AGAIN!
FAN5: The HORROR!
FAN4: I see...dead people...
FAN1: I might be able to explain that, you see, we are dead.
FAN2: NOO!!!!
FAN3: You HAD to remind us, didn't you!
FAN4: Listen, the Teleri have many grievances, this is only the worst one. Why is it we are almost always forgotten? Why do people think of us as strange if we like to sing? WHY WERE WE SO DARN EASY TO KILL?? I'LL TELL YOUWHY, 'CAUSE NO ONE CARES!! (Starts sobbing)FAN1: There there, I care!
FAN4: I know...(sniffs)
Girl: Can I continue? Please?
FAN4: WE WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN!!
FAN1: Of course not!
Girl: Then the Noldor came to Arda and there were many battles and Men appeared.
FAN holding a comb: Them! Great!
FAN holding a harp: Oh stop being such a snob Saeros! You deserved what you got for teasing Turin!
Saeros: Huh! So the 'Friend of Men' is going to give me a lecture?
Finrod: Not that it would do much good, you won't listen.
Saeros: I just don't get you! I mean, letting yourself get killed for oneof them!
Finrod: There are a lot of things you don't get Saeros, this isn't the first, nor will it be the last!Saeros: Oh really!
Finrod: Yes, really.
Varda: Finrod, Saeros, break it up!
(Silence)
Girl: And umm...then lots of people started building hidden cities. Gomd-
FAN7: GONDOLIN!
Girl: Nagarath-
Finrod: Nargothrond.
Girl: And Thingol's halls. And the men moved west and Fingolfin dueled the Dark Lord and died.
Fingolfin: Am I left handed?
Girl: Huh?
Fingolfin: Am I left handed?
Girl: I...I don't know...
Fingolfin (holds up a book with the cover showing his fight against the Dark Lord): I could have sworn I was right handed. And my hair's the wrong color! Who makes these books anyway?
Girl(shrugs and continues): Beren and Luthien met and fell in love and Luthien was the fairest being ever to walk the ea-
Angry voice: WAS NOT!
Luthien: Was too!
Arwen stands up: WAS NOT!
Luthien: Ahem, Arwen. I was half elven, half Maia. You were half elven.
Arwen: Huh!
Luthien: Petty jealously doesn't become you dear.
(Arwen sticks her tongue out at Luthien and sits down again.)
Girl: But Luthien's bride price was a Silar- S-i-l-m-eril!
FANS: SILMARIL!!!
Girl: So Beren and Luthien stole a jem from Me- HIS crown-
Finrod: And I died.
Huan barks.
Luthien (looks at him): And Huan died too, but that was later.
Girl: And Maedhros and Maglor tried to-
Curufin and Caranthir interrupt: Not them! Us!
Girl: Tried to steal the jem from Beren and almost got killed and almost killed Beren and Dior got killed after Thingol got killed and Turumbar killed Beleg-
Turin: It was an accident!
Beleg: You had to remind me!
Girl(rapidly speeding up): And Gwindor's girlfriend fell in love with Turin and Gwindor died and she died and he married his sister and they both died, then their parents died and the dragon was already dead but not before he incited the sister-
Nienor: I have a name!
Girl: To kill herself and Doriath and Gobdel-
FAN1: Gondolin!
Girl: all fell and Nargothrond had fallen before that and Maedhros fell off a cliff with a Samer
FANS: SILMARIL!
Girl: And Maglor threw the other one into the sea and Earendil made the first spaceship so the elves won the spacerace because Earendil's Surmar
FANS: SILMARIL!!
Girl: became a star and Numenor was created but it sank and everyone who was still alive lived bitterly and sadly to the end of their days though occasional adventures and battles livened things up.
(Total silence, broken by the occasional sob. Everyone seems slightly shocked that that's it.)
Girl (Nervous chuckle): With no further ado, I will now introduce Peter Jackson, a man with a plan. His act is entitled: Lord of the Rings OR Confused Dreams of a Man Who Once Read this Book in 10th Grade and thought: THAT WOULD BE A BRILLIANT MOVIE. Goodbye and goodnight!
(Exits quickly.)
Peter Jackson: Umm...hey! Big turnout tonight!
FAN7: Hey, if he cut some characters from LOTR, don't you think we could cut one act Varda?Varda (considers): All right, but wait until all the Valar have left, we didn't see anything until it was too late.
(EVIL LAUGHTER FROM THE AUDIENCE)
THE END!

пʼятницю, серпня 13, 2004

First Post!

At long, long, last, the story begins. Actually, it's not just one story, but many, almost a tapestry of stories, you might say. And they all wait to be written, and thus woven into existence.
>ahem<
Okay, I'm done being poetic. Now I'm going to be about as straightforward as I get. Here, I hope to record my thoughts, rants, opinions, short stories, reviews, and lots of other random things that I will think of as I write. Should you wish to tag along/ read, do not expect regular updates, I am a college student. Please give constructive criticism whenever possible and be aware that my mini-balrog (I am adopting one soon!) will enjoy all flames directed at me and attack on command.
That's about the long and short of it, and thus my introduction is completed! Let the celebration begin!