Coraline

I was hoping to get over to Borders yesterday and get my copy of Backup and Coraline, but my feet were all swollen up, and the bones inside hurt as they always do when this happens, so I didn't feel like all the walking that would be needed to do that.

But I read this post by Vicki Howell about the knitting involved in the Coraline movie, and I'm starting to get really excited about it. There's a link there about Althea Crome, which I've duplicated here. She did the knitting for the movie. Where you see Coraline and the others wearing sweaters in the movie, they're real, knitted sweaters.

As anyone who knows me will guess, I'm fascinated with her blue sweater with white stars. I want one! No, not a tiny one. One I can wear. But with pockets. In my opinion, the only clothes that should not have pockets are nightgowns. And some of the ones I've owned had pockets, too.

Then, this morning, I found this link from Knitty.

If you click the Coraline movie link above, you can take a tour of all the handmade stuff. It's beautiful.

I'd like to see the movie, but it wouldn't do much good since I wouldn't be able to hear it. I'd like to buy the DVD just for the beautiful art, though

John Ellis just sent me an AIM message, and we've been chatting about this. John is the producer of the Steve Canyon DVDs.

He said that our friend Kent Burton has been working on it all last year. I knew Kent when he was John's house-mate years ago and from science fiction conventions. He also animated the spiders in New Genesis. If you click that, please note that I had a small part, and it was credited to Johann DesRoches in addition to the work I did as crew (one of my credits was as handweaver!). John sent me this link, too.

The movie opens tomorrow.

I am so excited about this!

Don't forget that Lost will be on tonight!

Happy February!

This particular February boasts a distinction that other Februarys haven't had in quite a while.

It has a Friday the thirteenth.

The significance of that is that because February is 28 days long, it means that March will also have a Friday the thirteenth.

Two of them! Back-to-back!

I'm sure you're beginning to understand why some people have said to me, "You're easily amused!"

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I got tagged on Facebook, and put it up here so it would be easier to read. So, there will be three posts up today, so when you finish reading this, there are two more.

One of the entries on Facebook says, "John Ellis is predicting that facebook will blot out the sun and then swallow the earth within 7 days."

He's got a point.

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The Christmas stockings, which were done last week were picked up and paid for last night! The fact that the project is completed is a major relief for me, and it's leaving a knitting vacuum in it's wake.

I have several projects in mind that I'd like to do, but no yarn! I'd like to go out today and get some yarn, but this cold/flu/infection is hanging on, and I woke up today with my feet swollen up and my right foot hurting. It hurts enough to make me want to limp, so I'm less than enthusiastic about walking to the bus, and then walking to all the places I'd like to go. 

I have a $15 credit at Borders, and I want to use it to buy a copy of Backup. The list price for it is $20, but it's a novella, barely more than a short story. I have no doubt that it will be good, but everyone that's read it thinks the price is more than a bit stiff. Yes, I know that it's available at Amazon at a lower price, but there's also shipping, so it doesn't make a lot of difference. But my credit will mean that it'll only cost $5! So it will be well worth the price. I'm really looking forward to it.

Here's a quote from the beginning of the book:

Let's get something clear right up front.

I'm not Harry Dresden.

Harry's a wizard. A genuine, honest-to-goodness wizard. He's Gandalf on crack and an IV of Red Bull, with a big leather coat and a .44 revolver in his pocket. He'll spit in the eye of gods and demons alike if he thinks it needs to be done, and to hell with the consequences--and yet somehow my little brother manages to remain a decent human being.

I'll be damned if I know how.

But then, I'll be damned regardless.
My name is Thomas Raith, and I'm a monster.

I can't wait! It's really a book in the Dresden Files series, but it's told by Thomas, and it's an account of his adventures providing backup for Harry on a case.

I also want to buy a copy of Coraline while I'm there. Coraline has either just come out or will be out as a movie real soon now. I want to see the movie, because, as the second link will tell you, the entire world of the movie has been created by hand. And then again, it's been written by Neil Gaiman, so it couldn't possibly be bad.

And then I want to walk across the road to Radio Shack to buy some DVD cases. Then there's a walk over to WalMart, and I really need to stop at the dollar store, which is another walk. None of these trips are far in themselves, but all together, it's a lot of walking.

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I haven't been telling you about what I've been reading lately, so let me remedy that.

I joined the Folklore and Fairytales group on Ravelry. I suspect that if you're not on Ravelry, you won't be able to see the page that link takes you to. It did cause me to put up a Fairytale section in my Amazon store, though.

Anyway, they've been discussing lots of interesting books, and I've been carrying tons of them home from the Library and reading them. A large part of what I've read because of this group is from Dianna Wynne Jones. First, I reread Fire and Hemlock, which is a tale heavily based on the Tam Lin story, with a touch of Thomas the Rhymer thrown in. Then I continued with The Chronicles of Chrestomanci, Volumes I, II, and III. 

I'm currently reading the Inkheart Trilogy, having finished Inkheart and Inkspell, and I'm now partway through Inkdeath, and I'm enjoying it immensely. My library card has been getting a workout with all this! The first of these three has come out as a movie (last month) and I suppose if it does well that they'll do the other two. If anyone has read the book and seen the movie, I'd really like a review from you.

I currently have a copy of The Alchemyst lined up for when I finish Inkdeath, and it's sequel, The Magician, is on order at the library. I'm going to have to wait until May for the third book, The Sorceress, though.

These are fictional stories about a real character named Nicholas Flamel, who showed up as a peripheral character in the Harry Potter books.

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This post is starting to get out of hand in length. Blogger has just thrown a fit because I have too many tags listed, so maybe I should quit while I'm ahead.

There will be a new Fringe, The Mentalist and Leverage on tonight!

Have a good one!

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PS-- Here's a link to information on a movie that John's just finishing some work on. He's syncing dailies, so the movie is nowhere near finished.

Tagged Again

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. I'm not tagging anyone, but feel free to assume I tagged you.

1. I like to knit. In fact some people have failed to recognize me because I wasn't knitting.

2. I love science fiction, and started reading it when I was 11 years old with Robert Heinlein's Red Planet, which is a great book for kids. I also love fantasy. That extends to movies and TV, too.

3. I worked on several science fiction movies, but especially Invader and New Genesis.

4. I was one of the people responsible for putting on three science fiction conventions.

5. I've gone to a lot of science fiction conventions, and met many of the guests. I love to watch TV because I see people I know.

6. I've piloted a plane, and soloed. I belonged to the aero club while I was in the Air Force. I am a natural. I just got in the plane, flew away and did some simple aerobatics. I especially love T-34s because they're stressed for aerobatics.

7. I was in the Air Force, and on the base smallbore rifle team.

8. Places I've lived include: Philadelphia PA, Maple Shade NJ, Charleston SC, Lackland AFB, Charleston AFB, les Prevanches France, Aspen Hill MD, Washington, DC, Alexandria VA, Woodbridge VA.

9. Places I've been include: Fort Sill OK (I got to experience a sandstorm the day after Malaia was born--it's orange), Morgantown, WV, Pittsburgh PA (whether I wanted to or not), Atlantic City (back when it was fashionable and not a casino), New York City, Tampa/St. Petersburg FL, Rhode Island,  Arromanches and some of the invasion beaches, The Alamo, and Connecticut.

10. Favorite places I've visited include: le Mont St. Michel, Rouen, Brittany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Fort Shenandoah.

11. I've been either a technical illustrator or graphic artist almost all of my life.

12. I was part of a crew that installed swimming pools one summer.

13. I drove a bulldozer and helped build a lake in the western part of Virginia.

14. I used to be in SCA (the Society for Creative Anachronism) and went to live in the Middle Ages most weekends for a few years.

15. I can drive anything on two wheels, four wheels, tracks or tricycle gear. I rode a motorcycle for years.

16. I was probably the first woman ever to be assigned as a draftsman in the US military.

17. I was probably the first woman to ever taxi a place onto the Air Force ramp at Charleston AFB.

18. I helped put on an air show at Charleston AFB, and got to meet Bevo Howard on the taxiway there, and was buzzed by him during his subsequent show. I believe he had been world champion stunt pilot for 7 years at that time, although he won the title a few more times after that.

19. I was once charged by a rhino.

20. I learned to ride a horse when I was nine, and was one of the few people the stable would let loose with a horse. My sister and I used to ride in Wissahicken park in Philadelphia. I've ridden Topper, Hopalong Cassidy's horse, and I've had a horse try to roll over on me. Then he got up and tried to kick me in the head.

21. I went to North-South Skirmish Association events with my aunt and uncle and then later with friends. I especially love the canons.

22. The first rifle I fired was a 54 cal muzzle loader. I love black powder!

23. My brothers said they were the only people they knew who went to their sister for advice on ordinance. 

24. My favorite event of the year is the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival at the Howard County Fairgrounds in Maryland. It's better than Christmas!

25. I have a spinning wheel and can and do spin my  own yarn. I have also been known to card and comb wool and other fibers, weave, tat, crochet, and lucet among other things.

26. Yes, I know, I'm supposed to put up 25, but I just thought of another one. The thing I love best is creating. It doesn't matter if I'm putting together a book, movie, DVD cover, knitting pattern, sweater, art, sewing, writing, or whatever. I want to make things more than anything else.

Tagged

 Somebody else got tagged with this, but it looked like fun. You're supposed to answer with one word.

1. Where is your cell phone? Table
 2. Your significant other? None
 3. Your hair? Grey
 4. Your favorite thing? Knitting
 5. Your dream last night? None
 6. Your favorite drink? Coke
 7. Your dream/goal? Business
 8. What room you are in? Living
 9. Your hobby? Knitting
10. Your fear? Creditors
11. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Alive
12. Where were you last night? Home
13. Muffins? Good
14. Wish list item? TV
15. Where you grew up? Jersey
16. Last thing you did? Blog
17. What are you wearing? clothes
18. Your TV? 19"
19. Your pets? None
20. Friends? many
21. Your life? frustrating
22. Your mood? OK
23. Missing someone? no
24. Car? Please
25. Something you're not wearing? Hat
26. Your favorite store? ACMoore
27. Your favorite color? Blue
28. When is the last time you laughed? today
29. Last time you cried? yesterday
30. Who will resend this? friends
31. One place that I go to over and over? Borders
32. One person who emails me regularly? Holly
33. Favorite place to eat? Texasroadhouse
34. Why you participated in this survey? Bored
35. What are you doing tonight? TV

Happy Groundhog Day!

Also, for those of you so inclined, happy Imbolc! According to Wikipedia, it's a time of weather prognostication, so maybe that's where we got groundhog day. 

I don't have a groundhog, but if one where here, he would see his shadow, which means 6 more weeks of winter. It's supposed to rain this afternoon, so maybe if the groundhog slept late, we might have an early spring. Then again, it may be different where you live. Individual results will vary.

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Doctor Who is on all daytime on SciFi today, and you just missed Blink! But there are two more. Sorry I forgot to mention that yesterday. No Lost tonight.

But, tonight on NBC, they'll be bringing back Chuck, Heroes and Medium! And Chuck will be in 3D! Get your free 3D glasses where they sell Pepsi products.

Have a great day, and I hope Spring comes soon!

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PS--Crazy Aunt Purl was doing her usual crazy thing and speaking about the new year yesterday. She claims that 2009 is really almost 2010, and that tickles her for some reason. She's turned off comments, so I feel justified in commenting on her post here. 

It got me started thinking. In a few years, it'll be 2020, which, I suppose, should be voted the year for good eyesight.

Click on the first link and you can see today's post, which I won't spoil by describing it here except to say that it includes a sort of porn.

High of 56 Degrees!

The bus company around here is all mixed up.

Right now, the weather report I just looked at says the high today will be 56 degrees, but that it is currently 60 degrees. It always makes me giggle when they do this. Oh, and there is glorious sunshine, and I plan to go out when I finish this.

Anyway, on a beautiful day like today, the buses aren't running. But tomorrow, when we expect rain, the buses will be going full force. At least it will be warm tomorrow. Tuesday, when I'll have the money to do my errands, it will be snowing.

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For any of you Medieval fans, please check out the sidebar for Designs Toscano. They just sent me an email saying that I haven't sold anything through the link, so they're going to cut me off.

If you are interested in the Middle Ages or the Renaissance, please check it out. They're a great company and have stuff I know you'll love and want to buy. No kidding! My ex-husband used to work there, and bought me this from them for Christmas one year.

They always have a dozen things I want!

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On Monday evening, Chuck will be back and NBC will bring back Heroes and Medium, too. The interesting thing about Chuck is that it will be (ornate fanfare). . . in 3D! The reason I'm telling you about this now is that to see it in 3D (rather than a blurry mess) you'll need 3D glasses. It took me a bit of searching, but I eventually discovered that all this is because of Superbowl Sunday (which, for you non sports fans, like me, is today).

It turns out that the Superbowl will have a batch of commercials in 3D, so lots of places are distributing 3D glasses free. The ones I got were from Safeway, and some CVS stores are also distributing them. The distributers of Pepsi have out a drink I've never heard of before, and you can get the glasses almost anywhere that distributes Pepsi. They come in a sheet of 4 and you can punch part of them out, but you have to cut some of it out. So you have to take the whole sheet.

The SciFi Channel had Lost listed for all evening on Monday until a few days ago, but they've changed their minds at the last minute, and reruns of Lost will not be on SciFi on Monday.

I'm going to go out and enjoy the day! I hope you have weather as nice as mine so you can do the same!