Hello Dolly!

Well, we finally got our rain - all 6.5" of it, overnight, thanks to Hurricane Dolly. The tiny trickle of a stream that meanders a few blocks from my house was terrifying this morning. I've never been so glad my house didn't back up to a stream. Though picturesque on most days, I'd be worried about losing the dog or, you know, most of the yard and the house. Driving in was a treat, it was still raining and there were enormous puddles all over the road. Man, they really slow you down when you hit one - I figure that's somewhat like what driving into a pool of water would feel like. Speaking of pools and water, I really wish they'd show us the latest and greatest Top Gear episodes instead of showing us a 'new' season that we haven't seen but it several years old. I also wish they wouldn't edit so much out of them. The only way we were actually able to see Billie Piper's made-up lap and her incredible see-through black top was by the power of the internet. Shame on you, editors!

The Twilight saga wank is glorious. I hope someone will let those of us who aren't going to read it know if all the spoilers are true! Of course, if it's as bad as people think we'll see masses of book burnings and hospital admissions from people who are taking this a *wee* bit too seriously. However, since I know I have people on my f-list that read the series, I would request that any real spoilers not be discussed here. Same goes for the post I plan to make about epilogues later. Though I'm teetering on the edge of 'shouldn't spoil it for people' and 'oh my god you have to warn them!'

And speaking of leaks, I'm trying to convince someone to write a best-selling teen saga with me, just so we *can* release really, really, really bad phony copies of the last book in the series. My idea so far (thought up in a few minutes of typing, so they need some refining):

1) Write a wacky, best-selling first book of the series.
2) Write a best-selling sequel.
3) Repeat #2 anywhere from 1-5 times.
4) Have a much-anticipated final book.
5) Write 10-20 'fake' copies of the book (making sure each copy has something a portion of the fanbase will react violently to), have them printed, and be sure ALL of them get 'leaked'.
6) Bask in the amazing amount of internet wank and speculation, complete with pictures of the 'actual books' and accusations of shenanigans. The hype would be legendary.
7) Retire to a secluded island with the vast fortune you'll amass, not only from sales of the last book, but limited edition, signed collector's copies of the 'fake' books.

So. You need a supernatural twist, but something original. I mean, vampires have been done to DEATH. Uh... not werewolves, but what about a shape-shifter? SERIOUS drama could be had there! The whole angsty double-life melodrama! That would be perfect. At least one of the shape shifters could be someone's pet, and another one is two different people... each vying for the same (ordinary, average, but oh so ~*special*~) girl's attention. AH! He's both a jock and a nerd, because he wants to see if she'll love him for who he is underneath... (yes, there are plot holes in that, but coherency is NOT NECESSARY). Turns out his 'normal' state is some weird energy-form and they way they are intimate is just MIND-BLOWINGLY AWESOME.

Then, in the last book, they have a little shape-shifter baby that tragically turns itself into a teacup and is broken by a guest during a tea-party.
Okay, we all know I'll never do it, but... I'm still looking for NaNo ideas, so maybe...? Yeah, that NaNo thing that I'm NEVER GOING TO DO AGAIN that I always end up doing? Yeah, that. Though I don't think I want to attempt another CYOA, that was killer. Oh, hey, anyone want to earn some stuff or money by turning path_of_undeath into interlocking pages I can put on my web site? It was a pain coding it last time, I don't want to go through it again...

And speaking of challenges, I signed up for the Ravely Ravelympics! I'm competing in the Afghan Marathon, and will attempt to complete my Tetris Afghan in the 17 days of the Olympics. Wheeeee!

That's just not cricket

All I have to say is that if they accidentally create a black hole and suck the earth out of existence right before Lego Batman is released I will be mightily ticked off.

(Disclaimer: all of the science I know of this comes from Blasphemy by Douglas Preston, which I was listening to and thus prompted my intern to tell me about the real-life project. Thanks a bundle, intern! Now I have the worry of impending doom coupled with my mounting excitement for the game release...)

Also, death by black hole was the subject of discussion between Mr. Smeddley and myself on our daily walk last night. After going back and forth on the pros and cons (Cons: the whole 'relative time' aspect is really, really, really creepy, because while you would die instantly in your reality, you'd go on for a long, long time in the 'real world' as your time slows as you approach the event horizon, and that's just freaky. Pros: to you it should be relatively quick and probably painless, and we don't know enough about black holes and there just might be something on the other side? Of course, you'd have been stretched out into space spaghetti to get through the black hole, so...) and it finally landed on the 'top ten ways to die' list because, come on, it's certainly interesting and it'd be uncharted territory.

I'm sure our neighbors think we're insane, yes.

SHOES!

I really, really, really want these Mary-Jane style shoes. AND! They have them in a size 6EE. I'm going to order some tonight, but the question is... what color?

Black: is classic, but I have a bunch of black shoes, from flats to solid chunky pumps to spikey 4 1/2" heels.

Brown: I've been looking for a decent pair of brown shoes, though I only have one, maybe two things I can think of that I'd wear them with. Still, it opens up the possibility of buying more brown, and if I got off my butt I have fabric I can make a bunch of skirts out of that is brown-ish.

Navy: oh, how it is hard to find navy shoes! And I have a lot of blue I'd wear them with. As long as the style looks okay in that color? They're the front-runner, I think.

...and once I get them I if I really like them I may or may not go back and order the other two pairs. <.< >.>