The interwebs are abuzz with the rumour that David Eddings died yesterday (I call it rumour because I have yet to hear a qualified source state outright that it is so)

There's a link on his US publisher's website (www.randomhouse.com main page, news section down near the bottom) that's marked "In Memoriam" which is about as close as I've come to a qualified source...all the others are blogs, tweets, and/or opinions.

He was a pretty popular author in the 80s/90s so I'd expect to see at least a small blurb hit the news agencies if it was true...

*sniffles a bit and hopes it isn't*

Well here's a new take on an old classic :-D *grin*

Straight No Chaser - 12 days of christmas

For all of the people I've been talking this up to... :-D

Reposted (with permission) from original by praetorianguard

Sirens: a conference about women in fantasy literature

Let me introduce you to Sirens. Sirens is Narrate's new event, and hopefully, an annual event for years to come. It's focused on women in fantasy literature: authors, professionals, readers, even characters. It's a lot like our Potter conferences in that it's a hybrid conference that welcomes all sorts of people, and features attendee-driven content (though this time, you have to be 18 to attend). It's a bit different from our Potter conferences in that we're deliberately keeping this one smaller and cozier. You'll have more free time to chat informally, and a much better chance to meet a higher percentage of attendees. Think not only scholarly examination, but networking weekend; not only fan convention, but retreat.

Sirens will take place October 1-4, 2009, at the Vail Cascade Spa and Resort in Vail, Colorado. Why Vail? We wanted some place cozier and more welcoming than a big hotel in a big city -- and the Vail Cascade gave us a freaking great deal: $109/night for single/double, $134 for triple/quad. There's a 6% resort fee that includes -- wait for it -- high-speed internet access and the health club. And they're giving all attendees 40% off most of the services at their fancy spa!

I know you've never been, but I have been. Lawyer camp happens at the Vail Cascade all the time, and truly, it's an absolutely lovely resort. It's got welcoming fireplaces and a great bar space and the aspens will be turning colors in the mountains and it's almost finished with its $30 million renovation -- and they, in turn, are ridiculously excited about hosting us.

Registrations are currently $150, which includes everything the conference currently offers: programming, events, afternoon classes in warrior arts, a ball, and all keynote events with food. Yup, those keynote events – one dessert reception and two lunches -- are included in all registrations. Also, Tammy Pierce is coming, and we'll have two additional guests of honor who write awesome books about warriors (and I can't tell you about one of them yet, but she's in my inbox squealing with glee and she wrote one of the best books I've read this year).

Why women in fantasy? Because women are really brilliant at this. Because they're popular, they're controversial, and they write some damned good books. Because J. K. Rowling is "J. K." because her publishers told her that boys don't read books by girls. Because Tammy Pierce writes books about girls who do "boy" jobs like spymaster and King's Champion, and Kristin Cashore just wrote a book about a girl with a knack for killing who masters herself without losing herself, and Sherwood Smith writes about girls who battle with swords and intrigue, and Cinda Williams Chima writes about a girl who bests a boy in a sword-fight to the death. (And that's just year one: warriors. Year two and beyond might be faeries or pirates or princesses – or editors.) Because Lyra and Alice and Eowyn are all badasses. Because books written in a "male" style tend to sell better -- and because the world is already full of male heroes. Because women are enrolling in colleges at rates far exceeding men, and some areas are still woefully under-studied. And because, really, we love to read this stuff, and when we polled our friends and families -- and some of you -- you did too.

Join us! Visit the website. And if you can't join us, pretty please go tell your friends and families about it. This isn't a single-fandom conference, so we want to get the word out as many places as we can that Sirens is out here, and that we're looking to discuss what inspires and interests you about women in fantasy literature. And we can't wait!

Joss Whedon cracks me up...

Sing along blog?

Swiped from gurdymonkey: When you see this, quote Blackadder in your LJ.

You wouldn't recognize a subtle plan if it painted itself purple and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing 'Subtle Plans are Here Again'

...that I am taking the notes for my programming class in XML?

Should you wish to pursue a career in teaching Psychology, the following personality traits are highly desirable:

1. Coherency

The online class was three weeks long and the only requirement was to read the textbook and take the online quizzes administered by the school software. You didn't have to lecture or even get dressed each day if you didn't want to. Your only real task for this course was to answer email and create the quizzes...There is absolutely no excuse for incoherent, poorly phrased, contradictory, and (in some cases) blatantly incorrect quiz content. It was painfully apparent that you were attempting to get students to function on the higher levels of Bloom's taxonomy - you failed...miserably...and you turned a fascinating subject into a series of tortuous tests.

2. Consistency

See aforementioned note on your overall lack of responsibility. Would it seriously have killed you to proof your syllabus for consistency? The first page says there is no discussion board component - the second page states that it is worth a quarter of your grade - the third page again says that it isn't required - the last page provides two paragraphs of instruction on how to use the discussion boards. And don't even get me started on the three separate deadlines for completion of the final.

3. Spell Check

Learn where it is, love it, USE IT!!!

Now that I have completed your crappy course on Personality Theory I proclaim you to be a sloppy, introverted, egotistical ass who should really get laid. Freud would be proud.

It took a second, but...

http://xkcd.com/380/

So yah...LJ will let you post from IM now...

Since Book 7 came out it's been quibbling over various and sundry minutiae...

So I think it's awesome that JK threw out the tidbit that Dumbledore was gay and had a relationship with Grindewald.

Now we can warm our hands over the fandom fire of "I told you so" vs. "she can't do that/how dare she/she didn't mean it." Just in time for winter ;-)

- Bold all of the following TV shows of which you've seen 3 or more episodes.
- Italicize a show if you're positive you've seen every episode.
- Asterisk if you have at least one full season on tape or DVD
- If you want, add up to 3 additional shows (keep the list in alphabetical order).

( List under the cut )

After 9 months of database crisis intervention at work I am convinced that Microsoft is the source of all evil and that there is a heretofore undocumented level of Hell known as the Microsoft level...a tenth ring composed of blue walls, white byte-style text messages, and the windows start-up chime playing constantly over the speaker system.

...or is it rather amusing that I'm in town to present at a recycling conference and there isn't a recycling bin to be found?

:: ponders the ramifications of stashing empty coke cans in her luggage to take back to the land of bountiful recycling bins ::

In other news...Dallas feels like a sauna and I still don't want to be here.

One year on, work is still of the awesomeness. I've spent quite a bit of the last year constructing scientific and engineering databases to help get some projects back on track. It's not my preferred work but apparently it paid off as evidenced by a stellar annual review, 17% raise, and promotion. There is hope that I can start transitioning back to more environmental projects as they just hired tylergrrls to take over a large portion of the database work, so very excited about that. Yay for working with people I already have a good dialogue with. That, and she's just as crazy as I am :-D

Last winter I found an adorable apartment and moved in. Within three months I moved back out because, while the apartment may have been adorable, the continued gas leak in the kitchen was not. Currently working on saving a down payment for a townhouse - the housing market has slowed down enough that I can actually afford it now...with some careful budgeting.

It seems slightly obscene to realize that I'm considering a quarter of a million dollars a good price for a townhome, but that's So Cal for you. It is also sad that the $1800 a month mortgage payment is roughly equal to the rent on a similarly sized apartment.

I missed going to New Orleans for Phoenix Rising and seeing everyone, but alas the schedule and budget both would not cooperate. Thinking idly about going to Terminus, but it will be hard to predict if the timing will work until we're a few months into the new federal fiscal year - Government contract work is fun and unpredictable like that.

In other news, there is no real news. Work, friends, more work, and the occasional random college class to keep my study skills in practice while I mull over grad school options (which work has offered to pay for, so long as it somewhat relates to my job). Life has settled down into a relatively comfortable rhythm and the future looks to be something that can be handled gracefully. All in all, a fair year in retrospect.

...so not fair that the nearest theatre playing it is in Santa Barbara...

Oh well, just down the street from the Elephant Bar so date night will just require a bit of driving first.

The Rememberall Wall

So here's the deal - you go to the wall and leave your favorite Harry Potter memory...when you first read an HP book, your reaction after the last movie...whatever, just your favorite memory associated with the HP phenomenon. At Phoenix Rising you will be able to read all of the memories from everyone. They'll later be posted on the website.

I'm not sure how it will be presented at the conference but wouldn't it be awesome if it was just a big wall of everyone's favorite Harry Potter memories? You can find yours and then sign it? What a great idea.

EPICA awards - Evian

Very cute...watch out for the sound level though.

Bit of a nasty surprise for me this week so as of this weekend I am unofficially AFK till the end of term. So apologies in advance if you're having a hard time getting hold of me - I'm not ignoring you, I swear...I've just had to reprioritize some things and for now computer time is down near the bottom of the list.

Don't ask - you don't want to know.

Stolen from lilaia...

She is Academic Girl Click on the picture below to read more: Take the 'What Kind of Girl Is She?' quiz at CookingToHookup.com

Not that much of a surprise, I suppose.

And I quote...

"A souffle that un-souffled"????

Why, oh why do they allow idiots to commentate the olympics? That's almost as bad as the snow boarding "total carnage [dude]" comment.

Dick Button - you are an ass. You may have an olympic medal of your own from half a century ago, but you're still an ass. Could you be any less charitable and plain rude in your verbal notes. WTF is up with the "un-souffle" thing? That is not a verb. Kthxbi.

Take a lesson from Scott Hamilton - he can be honest and nice at the same time.