Transformation

FROM DARREN'S BLOG:

VARIETY ARTICLE

This morning Variety reported that REPO has three songs that are eligible for an Oscar for best original song.

CHASE THE MORING
CHROMAGGIA
ZYDRATE ANATOMY

This is a HUGE HUGE step for REPO. While it doesn't mean we are officially nominated yet - it means we are in the running to be nominated!

January 6th all of the original songs will be screened and then voted upon. So all you REPO FANS keep your fingers crossed, and say your prayers. As we need all the help we can get.

This is a very big and important step for us... Hopefully people in the industry will begin to see what all this craziness is about.

xoxo,
dlb

_________

so an official nod would be stellar. I can't wait to hear what comes next for Repo.

"No audience for Repo LGF? Give us a fuckin' break. We Started This Op'ra Shit!!!" (-scrap)

... in Tampa, anyway. I've been flyering - especially downtown. I plan to do one last push today, and hopefully the turnout will please Janice. She worked so hard to get Repo in Tampa. The numbers aren't to her liking, but geez! We only had a week to garner interest!

Tampa Theater (outside):

Tampa Theater (inside):

Yeah, it's frickin gorgeous inside.

Tonight they're hosting a farewell party for Repo with a Goth Carnival thing. I can NOT wait to go. Guh, today is going to be so long. =..

On a lighter note, if all things go to plan, I will get to go to Satanica's New Year's Eve party in Toronto. The people of the Repo Boards continue to amaze me. There might even be a Repo Road Trip of Repo fans! That'll be fun. I have an idea what we'll be listening to on that trip lol

IF YOU'RE IN OR NEAR TAMPA, PLEASE COME HANG OUT WITH ME AND SEE REPO! YOU WON'T REGRET IT!

Plus anyone I see tonight that I know personally will definitely be getting a Christmas present from me.

.... What?

I was told bribery is an excellent source of advertising...

no?

*pout*

so tonight was a success!

for the first time, I asked "Have you heard of Repo! the Genetic Opera?" and people actually said YES!

*FANGIRL SQUEE MOMENT OF EPIC PROPORTIONS*

We had about 150 each of the original 300 I requested, but it's all good. leigh's cousin Danielle, and her roommate, were good enough to come help me at the last minute.

She knew almost every corner of this place. i didn't take this pic, because I forgot my camera, but here's a taste:



Ybor City, FL (right smack in the middle of Tampa) is a great historical part of the city, with tons of culture and whatnot. it's also a bit iffy to travel alone because there are people there who wouldn't have a problem pulling you into a dark alley and mugging you.

Thankfully, Danielle and Travis agreed to come with me, showed me where to go, and helped me with my schpiel.

Oh, at one of the shops we stopped at, we asked if we could put fliers down on his counter (which already had fliers and whatnot). He said "do you have tickets for me?"

Danielle kinda laughed and was like "what?"

I said "Oh we're not a promotions company. We're just fans trying to get the word out."

and he said "Well, any time I take event fliers, I require tickets." and he was dead serious.

So I said, "Ok, I have $10 in my pocket that will get you a ticket. Is that ok?"

and he said "absolutely" and took my $10 and wrote the show details on the bill. then he cleared some of the shit COMPLETELY OFF his counter for everything we gave him which included the postcards, miniposters and modified review fliers.

So yeah, this, plus all the cards that have disappeared from the employee break rooms in my office building = hope for success with Repo!

And tomorrow night before I head home from work, I'm going to drop a quick hi-howdy to J LaRose while he's there, and then go home and get some much needed rest. I think my anemia isn't going away, and I'm afraid to go back to the doctor. If I do another blood test and it's way down again, I'll have to do iron shots or a blood transfusion.

I'm a little scared of that. =/

So I had lunch with Janice (who works at the Tampa Theatre) and am getting all kinds of nifty printed stuff to hand out. Planning a gorilla stunt at a movie theater somewhere for tomorrow night, possibly Channelside!

To find out more about the showings, etc, you can visit the Tampa Theatre's website! (click) Hope to see you there! <3

It was so much fun and I give a huge thanks to Satanica and Scrappy. Thanks to Darren, Terrance and Paris Hilton for calling in and participating with us fans! Thanks to Jake Reardon for popping in and listening! We'll have to have you on as a guest soon love!

And of course! Of COURSE! Thanks to all the listeners who listened live, called in or stopped by to listen to the archived show. YOU GUYS ROCK!!

We had some echoing issues, so we'll have another test show on Sunday night at 10pm. hopefully we'll get that cleared up for the rest of our shows. I personally think it was a combo of Skype and the wifi internet connection I had here at the hotel!

Anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about can go to BlogTalkRadio.com/RBR to view our radio show profile, or go here to listen to the first official show archive: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rbr/2008/11/26/our-first-show

I've had a great vacation thus far. Pretty much haven't done a damn thing but sit on the balcony and watch the waves. I know some people like to do a bunch of busy things when they're on vacation, but I've been busy. for months now I've been busy.

It's a nice crisp 58 degrees outside today, and we're actually GOING someplace *gasp* lol we're visiting the Brookgreen Gardens here in Myrtle Beach, SC. Yesterday my husband was nice enough to take me to Barnes & Noble to chill for the afternoon. Yes. Barnes & Noble. I don't get to hang out when I'm home, so just having a coffee, smelling the pages of the books... ah it was the ultimate in unwinding for me. Pics

My REPO car decal, made thanks to Snakechaarmer (Leigh) <3


My husband - srs bzns @ hand...


Me n mah coffee


the photoshop magazines I would soon be begging for


We got back to the "apartment" (hotel) in time to do the 2nd Repo Radio Test show.
Me on teh balcony




and then after all was said and done and I got offline, I needed to take a walk. So camera, tripod and husband in tow, we went down to walk on the beach...


I love taking pics w/ a long exposure setting. Fun to play with!

Tonight is the first Repo Radio show. Our test shows went well - I think I have a much better understanding of how things are supposed to go, and I have high hopes that we'll have a good turn out. I've already had something like 200 listens on our shows, and that's just the test shows! XD

Can't wait to talk to Darren and Terrance again tonight. I'm hoping they like this idea of a Repo Radio station. The fans sure do seem to like it :D

See you all tonight!

RBR Network - Repofans Bombarding the Radio

Click to see the full-sized image...


So yeah!

Posted this on my myspace blog.... reposting it on my blogger blog because I feel guilty for not using it more often...

November 21, 2008 - Friday

I'm pretty sure, at least. People love free stuff, and what's better than free candy?

So we must be doing something right. The Orlando showing of Repo is almost sold out! If it's sold out by Halloween I'll work it to my advantage:

"Repo sounds amazing doesn't it?!?" *imagine the clapping from the RHPS fans*

"Well I've got bad news, good news, and GREAT news!

"First up, the Orlando Road Tour event is sold out! That's the bad news. The good news is, I hold a certificate in my hands -" *imagine me waving a home-made cert* "-to the LAST TWO TICKETS!! Good luck in the contest tonight!"

*pause for effect*

"Oh, and the great news? If you want to see this flick, all you need to do is TELL SOMEONE. Isn't that great? You tell the theater manager, here, or at the Enzian, wherever, that you MUST see Repo, that all your friends want to see it too, and WTF isn't it playing when it comes out on Nov 7th?!?!? I have details up on the Orlando Army MySpace profile, the Repo message board.... You tell the manager of a theater you want to see it.

"If enough people say they want to see it, the THEATER can email the director and request it DIRECTLY. If you need that information, please see me or one of my team members after the show tonight and we will give you the scoop!"



I can't. Friggin. Wait.

on myspace:

Good Morning Darren, (and darren, and terrance),

I read your blog entry this morning and it convinced me to write my own message. As I said in my comments, I forgot how good praise feels on the receiving end and I didn't consider the stress you all must be under right now.

I'm only 25, but for the last year I've been lost in such a monotonous loop, I was afraid that I was melting into the walls. I am an executive assistant and nothing of my creative talent is used there. I have a 2-year degree in Mass Communications that pretty much takes up space on my wall - and that's all it does.

But then, about six months ago I found out about Repo. It took me a while to wake up and notice what was going on, but after about a month, I was on the boards every day. I was connecting with people. And when the Tour was announced, I jumped in HEAD FIRST and I'm still glad I did. I've made friends, which can be hard for me. I'm getting a chance to be a part of something I think is worth my time and love. Repo is a new experience for me in most corners of my life. I have never been a part of something that is so much fun.

The best part is, though, that I'm finally feeling AWAKE. I'm a part of a community. I'm constantly thinking of ways to do more for Repo. My husband thinks I'm expecting special treatment, but he doesn't understand how special it feels just to have a place where creativity and community is openly accepted and shared. THAT'S what's special to me.

And you guys are working so hard for something you believe in. How can your fans NOT fall in line and agree? You lead an international community, all of you, and you've given a lot of people a gift in the form of Repo.

I'm sorry my letter is so long, but I hope it's lightened your heart. Thanks to Repo, I'm feeling so great, and that is because of you. I hope that LGF finally realizes the potential of Repo and you all get the success you deserve.

So thank you, sirs, from the bottom of my heart.

Kristin

Kristin,

These letters never get old, and every time I read them I feel 'warm'. Who would have thought the SAW guy is a softy on the inside.

This movie is so important. Not only for what it is, but for what it is doing to fans. I wish LGF could see that.

Your words are too kind.

Are you going to one of the CITY TOURS? If so which one!

Can't wait to meet you!

Darren

Aww, only a softy could put so much love into a project going a decade strong! I promise not to flaunt your softness though haha

Yes, I've already secured tickets to the Orlando showing. I'm heading up the Orlando Army Street Team in fact!

We are so excited that you guys are coming to town. And I wanted to ask you about a party in Orlando, but then someone mentioned that you'd probably be super tired so I didn't want to be too demanding. =)

I'm looking forward to meeting you, too. Oh, and THANKS for overnighting the flyer pack last month. They were well received at RHPS!

Cheers,

Kristin

So I've met some amazing people on the boards at repo-opera.com

Mainly, they are in the Orlando area, and we're all working together to promote Repo! The Genetic Opera. We worked the room at an RHPS (Rocky Horror Picture Show for all you unwise peoples) hosted by the Rich Weirdos this past weekend.

It. Was. A. Mazing.

Just saying.

It was.

Pictures (click)

REPO POLO IN UNIVERSAL CITY WALK



We handed out homemade CDs and glow sticks and flyers that were overnighted to me from Mr. Bousman... (Not the CDs and the glow sticks, but the flyers.... and okay, it was probably Mr. Bousman's assistant, but that's besides the point!) We even got mad shout-outs from the emcee, Logan - so cute - and our Criminologist of the night, Steve, had a Repo Flyer up every time the spot light was on him! So COOL!

I've already arranged to show up to the Halloween showing which will be 500 people, guaranteed to sell out (it does every year)! I'm planning a prize pack for one of their Rocky Horror Contests - idk, a costume contest or something. It will have a number of things, but the only items I've decided for sure are two tickets to the screening of Repo! at the Enzian theater in Orlando ('cause it's going on tour).

I'm going to set up a Repo links box ... which... I have no idea why it took me so long to think of that at all. (I know right? *facepalm*)

Check out those places OFTEN. There are constant updates and cool stuff going on, especially on the forums! Come say hi to me - I'm krisb on there. (http://www.repo-opera.com/board)

http://sweetnovicane.livejournal.com/918502.html

I didn't write it, but I loved it, because it's almost exactly what happened to me. Go, read, enjoy.

One of the first things that was posted on Repo's Website. I really love this song - all of the songs I've heard, actually. If you get a chance to troll YouTube or go to Repo-opera.com this weekend, there are quite a few different vids to check out...

"Mark it Up" - both the actual film clip and the featurette
"Zydrate Anatomy" film clip
"Legal Assassin" Featurette (this one is actually my favorite - because ASH is my fav, duh)
and then there's the "17" film clip (embedded below)

Here's the YouTube Vid for "17":



the Lyrics:
SHILO
Seventeen! Mama drama's got to go, dad
Seventeen! Nothing's gonna bring her back
Seventeen! Experiment with something living
Seventeen! 'Cos I'm sweeter than 16

ALL
Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey (x2)

(CHORUS) SHILO
(Seventeen!) I've always longed for true affection
(Seventeen!) But you compare me to a corpse!
(Seventeen!) Stay with the dead, I'm joining the living
'Cos I'm freer than sixteen!

ALL
Hey hey hey hey!
Hey hey hey hey! (x2)

[Joan Jett solo]

SHILO
Something's changing...
I can feel it...
I'm seventeen now
Why can't you see it?
Seventeen and you can't stop me
Seventeen and you won't boss me!
You cannot control me father,
Daddy's girl's a fucking monster!

... I won't do anything to you, except maybe beg.

So this is my first photoshop posting. Just a few notes up-front:

1. I use a wacom tablet to create almost everything I do in photoshop. If you attempt to perform the following task without a tablet - no matter the brand - you may just lose your mind.
   Get with the times.
   Get a tablet if you're going to use photoshop.
2. I'm using Photoshop CS3 to make these, and am providing the steps I used in that program. The steps you use may vary depending on the version and/or brand of program you're currently using.
3. I hope you enjoyed the tip. I'll be posting more - at least two a week if I try really really hard.

And before you question me on the seemingly contradictory term of "funny nightmare", let me explain: I had a dream that was scary during the actual dream, but it was so funny when I woke up from it.

We on the same page? Good. 'Cause here's what happened...

I've been doing a mighty fine lot of surfing on the net these last coupla weeks, seeing what other people have to say about Repo! The Genetic Opera. I've also seen and read interviews from different actors/actresses regarding their thoughts on the fans (of all different stuff, but mainly BTVS).

In particular, I was laughing and shaking my head because Anthony Stewart Head (below) was talking about being held subject to a mob of fans at one of the Comic Cons, as well as various experiences with people trying to sneak a picture of him on the train, or approaching him when he's trying to have dinner with his family, etc etc etc.

I was thinking about that last night - about how ridiculous people can get when it comes to a celebrity. There is no way I'd do that to somebody. I just couldn't be that rude to someone who was obviously trying to spend time with their family, you know?

Well, here's where the nightmare part comes in. (Are you ready for this?)

I dreamt that I met ASH and I acted like a total idiot. I couldn't stop myself. It was like an out-of-body experience. I could see myself gibbering and doing every stupid thing a fan does - everything I've mentally spurned.

I had absolutely no will of my own.

And he had to call the police on me! I went to jail for harassment!! Can you believe it? ME?

I had to laugh at myself this morning. I mean, really, who dreams about that? Most people who dream about meeting their favorite celebrity often have a very different, pleasing outcome. Not that I would know about that sort of thing.

My brain spits crap like this at me instead of the fun stuff other people report.

Which is entirely unfair. Completely and entirely unfair.

So... I forgot to post an update on the fanfic front. I've been approved and posted as an author on Dusty's Of Demons and Destiny Giles site (under Giles/Buffy Authors, of course). Yeah, I had such a good day when I found out she was finally updating her website!

You can visit my author page here: KrisB on ODD

I am very proud of my story Family Fun, which I wrote a post about a few months back. It's a fun little piece where Xander and Willow are turned into little kids. Of course, it's up to Buffy and Giles to take care of the mini-scoobies until they can figure out how to fix 'em. And, as a matter of my own craziness, there is the beginnings of a relationship between Buffy and Giles. Hah!

Oops, dinner's done. Gotta go. Later!
K

So I've been checking out some different boards regarding my fav actor, Anthony Stewart Head (click for imdb listing), and I found out that he's going to be in a major role (not that piddly one-liner crap like with Sweeney Todd) AND it's a musical (ABSOLUTE SQUEE MOMENT in and of itself!) AND it's going to be a ROCK MUSICAL!

Can you tell I'm super excited?

If not, let me just say - I'm super excited.

Here's the place to go to see the trailer: Repo-opera.com

Here's a link to one of the Blog posts by the filmmaker (same guy responsible for the SAW movies): blog posting

Here's a link to the MySpace profile that has 3 songs from the soundtrack posted (it sounds pretty cool!): Repo-opera on MySpace

And finally, here is a picture that I found on google (whom I really really love).

click to see the full-sized image

No bread. No pasta. No cookies, cake, crackers, pie, pastries...

None with wheat in it, any way.

No, I am now living gluten free. I rely on the more expensive, unknown realm of rice and alternative-grain products. (Though I must say, rice pasta w/ alfredo sauce, so yum.)

I've not had any migraines, heartburn, weight gain or upset stomach since I started (except for when I inadvertently ate wheat). I'm losing weight without even going to the gym, though I plan to go back immediately.

I'm going to South Africa in October 2009. That's 15 months from now. I plan to reach all my goals for weight loss and health optimization by that time.

Fascinating isn't it?

I promise to write more later, at home. I also have a plan to write four Photoshop posts a month, two Health Watch posts, and two Goal Progress posts. I'm hoping it will help keep me on track with my goals. :)

By now all my friends and fam know that I have Celiac's and Barrett's. Yay me with all the GI stuff, right?

So, Barrett's is the worst of it. I take some pills, hopefully it goes away. If I hadn't found out about this, it could've become cancerous, like, years down the road. Thank God I got anemic and needed a camera stuck down my throat.

It's a good thing. Really.

So I went to Jen's house this weekend (along with Sarel, Sara and Tabby). Jen's never met Tabby, so it was sort of a welcome to the family thing. I made dinner, Jen-aka-mini-Betty-Crocker made, like, four deserts, and Jen's friend Tina brought the appetizer. Booze was brought. So was the funk. (haha) So we ate, we drank, and we were very merry. Fun was had by all despite the following:

1. Dave, Jen's sig other, totally forgot and didn't schedule time off, so he was way late getting there.
   
2. We needed more Jolly Ranchers to make - gasp - more Jolly Ranchers. On the way to WallyWorld (btw, Jen, could you live any farther from civilization? I mean really, wtf? How can you live someplace where it takes you thirty minutes to get to a frickin' Wal*Mart???), Sara's glasses broke, and she couldn't see ANYTHING. Plus the evil Vision Center Lady at WallyWorld said she didn't have time to help (it was about thirty minutes before the Vision Center was scheduled to close!!).
   
3. When we got back, I discovered Sarel hadn't taken dinner out of the oven and the cheese was all crusty and charred. Which, everyone said was fine, but I was still a little miffed. The presentation was ruined. It's not his fault, though. I should have stayed with him and kept an eye on it. All my fault. Mine mine mine.

So, I wrote a response to a challenge on Of Demons & Destiny (great Gilesean site, btw, should you wanna know)... anyway, so the challenge is this: Willow and Xander are turned into little kids and it is the responsibility of our favorite chosen duo to watch over them until the little tykes can be returned to normal. It is a Buffy/Giles pairing, but I have kept it pretty light. According to Fanfic.net's guidelines, it is a K+ rating, and that's only 'cause there's a kiss and little nakkie toddlers running amok for a few minutes.

Here's the link to the story: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4195871/1/Family_Fun

And I've already received a review!!!! So, read on:

The following review has been submitted to: Family Fun Chapter: 6

From: Mayhem Managed (blocked)
Reply URL: Blocked
-------------------

Aww. That was cute. I usually don't see Buffy and Giles as being viable 'ship material, but in this case you pulled it off really well. There was just the right amounts of humor vs. sorrow - the "are you my new mommy" question and subsequent "raging self-pity" were extremely believable (and heart-tugging).

The only real criticism I have is a technical one - some way of demarcating page breaks would have been nice. Aside from that, though, it was a nice read.

The article from TBO.com....

Deputies: Teens Made Video of Beating For Web
By NEIL JOHNSON The Tampa Tribune
Published: April 6, 2008
Updated: 04/06/2008 08:08 pm

TAMPA - Six teenage girls took turns punching and kicking Victoria Lindsay while others made a video recording of the beating, which went on for 30 minutes.

Two other teens kept watch outside, even knocking on the front door to tell the girls they were making too much noise and that neighbors were becoming curious, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

While they were beating her, the girls taunted Lindsay, bragging that they were going to post video of the attack on YouTube and MySpace, according to an arrest report.
Deputies last week arrested eight teens accused of taking part in the March 30 beating, which left Lindsay with a concussion, damage to her left eye and ear and numerous bruises, the sheriff's office reported.

Stephen Thomas Schumaker, 18, of 6020 Calendar Court W. in Lakeland, was arrested on charges of false imprisonment and battery. He was one of the lookouts, according to his arrest report. Schumaker was released after posting $5,000 bail, jail records show.

Schumaker could not be reached for comment Sunday night, but his father, Robert, said his son had no involvement in the beating.

Robert Schumaker said he talked to neighbors who told him his son was not at the house acting as a lookout.

"They didn't do anything," Robert Schumaker said of his son and another teenage boy, also arrested and accused of being a lookout. "I would like for the detectives to listen to the neighbors and clear my son's name."

The six girls accused of attacking Lindsay were arrested on the same false imprisonment and battery charges, both third-degree felonies. The teens, whose ages are unknown, were charged as juveniles and booked into the Polk County Juvenile Assessment Center.

Lindsay's father said the teens attacked her to make a video that might become popular on YouTube, the video-sharing Web site. But the mother of one of the girls arrested said Lindsay had provoked the other teens by threatening and insulting them on the MySpace social-networking Web site.

According to Schumaker's arrest report, here's what happened:

Lindsay showed up at a friend's house on Calendar Court, down the street from Schumaker's, where she had been staying while having problems with her parents. Her friend and another girl started yelling and threatening her. After walking into her room, Lindsay was confronted by another girl, who insulted and threatened her. The girl hit Lindsay in the face several times, then slammed her head into the wall, knocking her out.

Lindsay woke up on a couch surrounded by six girls, who took turns punching and kicking her. She tried to leave several times, but the girls held her down and blocked her from leaving. The girls drove the victim to another house and let her get out of
the car, but with the warning: "If you go to the police, the next beating will
be worse."

Deputies recovered the video, which shows the beating and the teens blocking Lindsay's attempts to escape. The sheriff's office is expected to release the video and a transcript early this week.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. Reporter
Neil Johnson can be reached at (813) 259-7731 or njohnson@tampatrib.com.

Posted by ( krisb ) on April 9, 2008 at 9:02 a.m.
While I agree that the parenting abilities of these teens' "parents" should be called into question, all of these "kids" are old enough to know what they were doing was wrong. It's high school, all drama drama drama, end of the world, big teen angst hour. I mean, who hasn't idly thought about smacking their enemy after nasty words are said?

The difference lies in the fact that these girls not only acted on the impulse, they cornered their victim. They "imprisoned" her, humiliated her, showing a sadly unsurprising level of cruelty. How can anyone here think that this is justified? I'm sure the video clip on this site is mild compared to the rest of the footage - tbo wouldn't want to upset their readers too much, after all.

I challenge all who have stood in defense of the attackers to consider this: if your kid sister, or childhood friend, or daughter, were attacked like this... if she was cornered and humiliated and pummeled on the head by six different people... would you really be okay with that? Just because she supposedly said something these girls didn't like? This isn't a movie, people. You don't get to cheer if teenaged vigilantism is acted out. Laws were broken. A girl has suffered permanent physical damage that she will have to live with for the rest of her life. Would you defend the attackers if it were personal? Call out for justice? Or, if your current example is anything to go by, would you
just seek your own revenge, law forgotten, and go after the attackers yourselves?
Yeah, I thought so.

Let these teens face their sentencing. We should expect juveniles to be held responsible for their actions, especially with such a serious offense. Though it makes my heart heavy to know they might "get off light", there is an equal chance that the judge they get will not be lenient in the least. And if they don't learn their lesson the first time, the next will most likely be more serious, and cause even more heated discussions.

Also, just a brief note, blaming myspace and youtube is crazy. It's like blaming the internet for porn. Porn was around long before Al Gore invented the net, and so was unnecessary violence. MySpace is a social networking site, and I, like many of the commenters before me, use it to keep in touch with out-of-state friends and family. You can't blame the site for the people who misuse it. Like I said... that's just crazy.

So... yeah, if you agree/disagree/don't care, drop me a line. Let me know. I may or may not post current event stuff, based on your response! How's that for pressure?

I thought it was a nice touch... *pout* Okay... so my humor is lacking while I'm fighting the plague. Give a girl a break or something... yeesh... [end transmission]

...has been announced. And WooHoo, a British show is makin' it stateside! NBC announced their fall lineup. It included series or miniseries called "Merlin." My current favorite Brit, Anthony Head, has been cast to play the role of Uther Pendragon, Arthur's father.
You can find out just a smidge more here: http://www.nbc.com/Primetime/Merlin/index.shtml

This site should have more info about it as it gets closer to air time, though.

How very exciting! I've not been watching much of any TV, but this is something I will MAKE the time to watch... or at least, record, and watch at my leisure. =)

Just as a note, I checked Mr. Head's profile on IMDB to see if I could find anymore, but got sidetracked by the discussion boards at the bottom of the page. There were a few different discussions, but the first one to catch my eye said "what was his line in sweeney todd?" This is a very valid question, thought I, because I don't remember what the hell he said either. I was too busy turning to my husband and gasping "Hey, that's ASH!" I totally missed the line. So in I go, only to find that there are TONS of people who had the same reaction... they were yelling out "Hey, that's Giles!" in the middle of the theater, and missed the line as well.

Brought a chuckle to my otherwise sick day. (yeah, i'm sick. stupid antibiotics)

I've posted another fanfic... or rather, submitted it to two different websites. I submitted it to BuffyGiles.net and ODD (Of Demons & Destiny on vampirecows.com). I'm hoping that they get their updates done soon. I'll be so excited when I can go to a popularly-visited site and see something I wrote there. Even if it is just fanfic.

More randomness later. I'm at work and don't wanna get the evil eye. =)

... has absolutely nada to do with basketball in my world. It's been kinda crazy, and I'm still lacking in the energy department, although I don't ALWAYS feel tired now.

I went for a follow-up with the doc and thought I'd post an update. The good news is there is a marked improvement in my numbers. The bad news is... it isn't much.

My blood count went up from 8.5 to 9.4 (should be 12.5). My iron went up from 16 to 21 (should be between 40 and 130). And, I don't have the numbers, but apparently, I don't have very much in the way of "stored" iron -- that is, when our natural iron levels get low, we have a bit of back-up iron that helps out. The doctor said she was very worried and we would need to work to raise that as soon as possible.

I have an appointment to see a hematologist on 4/11 regarding the Alpha Thalassemia. You'll know more when I do.

I plan to pick up on my blogging again, so you should see more in April than you did in March. We'll just see how it goes. =)

Yes, it's supposed to say fiend, not friend...

Last night I went bowling with my husband, parents and sisters (Tabby is included as a sister... it's just easier than going into details as to who is what at this point). We played two games all together, then Bill and Mom went home, and us "kids" played another two rounds. It was a blast.

Just so you'll have a clear understanding about me - I usually suck at bowling, as a rule. So I really only go to have fun. On the first game, I got a 53. Bad, huh? Then on game 2, I got a 60. After my parents left, I got an even 100 (obvious improvement, eh?). Then in game 4 I got a 70-something. But really, what did you expect? It was 1am when we finished game 4. I was pretty tired.

I wanted to go bowling not only because it's really fun and somewhat active, but because I signed Sarel and I up for a bowling fundraiser for my office. I didn't want to show up and get a terrible score. And I really didn't want to use the bumpers. So I went today and bowled for the kids' sake, and I had a blast! Even though we didn't get to finish the game - our time ran out because our balls got stuck in the return dohickey. I have pictures of the empty ball return loop and of the guys laying on the floor working on it... Ah, the memories.

As for the game itself, I only had the 10th frame to go, but I was already at 84, so I was very excited. I hit pins at least once a frame, and sometimes avoided the gutter all together. It was so much fun. I'm pretty disappointed that we didn't get to finish, but oh well. It was fun anyway.

I've already begged to go bowling more often. Sarel and I really enjoy ourselves, and it's a nice little stress reliever. It gets us out of the house, away from work, and usually hanging out with people we like. A little later, when I get home, I'll add another post with a few pics of last night and today.

To learn more about the fundraising event, click here.

Oh, and just FYI, my follow-up with the PCP (primary care physician) is this week. When I get out of that, I'll make sure to update everyone. Ta.

Because I go out so rarely, I thought I'd post a little account of my Saturday evening. It started around 3:30 in the afternoon - my sister called wanting to know pricing for a few different things in Orlando (which is just a little ways away from us). She invited Sarel and I, but Sarel didn't want to go. He needed to work.

So I arranged to meet my sister at her apartment by 5:30 and we were out of there by 6:15. We made it to I-drive by 7:30, and after a few u-turns, made it to the side of town we were looking for.

We decided to eat at Cafe Tu Tu Tango, which was right next-door to our final destination: Pirate's Cove Putt-putt Golf Course. Cafe Tu Tu Tango is an amazing little restaurant. Click here to see their website. And while we were there, three local artists were painting and selling prints. I actually purchased one - it's a bad-ass looking tree titled Methuselah - from one of them. He was my favorite of the three. His name was Jason Sipple (of Orlando), and you can find his website here. He does commissioned portraitures of people and pets, but that's not the only thing he does. (His website takes a little while to load, but it's worth it to see thumbnails of his work... go check it out when you have some time, or if you're in the area, visit in at Tu Tu's)

We went mini-golfing and had a blast. Tabby (my sister's fiance) nearly took a guy's head off after she hit her ball too hard. Later, we found out that the ball went down the hill, bounced across the parking lot and glanced off the side of a little red car. She cried for two holes after we found that out... poor Tabby. She's too tender-hearted for her own good. We got ice cream and Sara and I decided we'd take Tabby to Ripley's Believe it or Not museum to cheer her up.

We got to Ripley's around 11:30pm. They close at 1 am (thank goodness). My favorite memory of that was right at the beginning - there was a preserved, five-foot long sperm whale "dork" hung up on the wall. I pointed it out to both of the girls and laughed my ass off at their disgusted reactions. The "ewwww"s were treasured greatly.

All in all we had a great time. We hit Denny's when we got back to our neck of the woods. Boy... you see and meet some interesting people at Denny's at 2am. But that's another story for another time.

I finished reading Duma Key by Stephen King on Wednesday night. (You may remember - I got this book for Val-day from my hubby...) I began reading it on Sunday (2/24). I'm sure you can guess, because I finished it in four days, that it was a great book. Not impressed? This monster of a hardback is about 2.5 inches thick. Hefty.

• The Talisman - written in conjuction with Peter Straub. (My first SK experience; I've read it 3 times and plan on a 4th before the miniseries comes out)
• The Green Mile - recent series. (I shouldn't have to tell you that the books are better than the movie)
• Bag of Bones
• Dreamcatcher
• Misery - excellent!!

As promised, I finished On Writing by Stephen King. I can say with all the confidence and bluster of a young fan, that he is a frickkin' genius. He is humble, with a history that took me by surprise.

It was described by The Wall Street Journal as follows: "Remarkable and revealing... Memoir, style manual, autobiography - the inspiring On Writing seems almost unclassifiable." (according to the first page)

That's it, really. I have no qualms or doubts about reading it again. More than likely I'll be reading it with a notepad and pencil in hand. There were absolute gems held within those pages, and I can't wait to start implementing them into my writing. I already write more like him, which he assures in the book is perfectly natural, but it's with great satisfaction that I find the words are still mine.

I'm still able to write in my own voice.

I've just been given the go-ahead to tell it like I see it, and not in the pretty fluffy words that are imposed on us by uptight teachers and professors.

In the last few days, I've read the pages aloud to my husband, either while he's watching TV (I love our DVR), or working... but mostly it was while he was driving during our commute home from work. And the sections I read to him have sparked conversations that were important for both of us. My husband is no idiot, thank God, and he understands how important writing is to me. He is also another perspective on what may impress me. Help me see something I'm not considering, or applaud my ability to point out something he missed.

Something else that's important to me: my husband doesn't believe me to be an idiot, either. I think he also sees how happy just reading about writing makes me. He sees how encouraged I am by reading Mr. King's book. He assured me that he has faith in my abilities, and that I have the kind of raw talent that could be molded by Mr. King's advice (when compared to another author I've been reading who approaches writing like there's a map you can follow and find success buried under that damned X).

In case you're wondering, I'm deliberately referring to SK as Mr. King because I've never met the man, don't know him personally at all, and therefore refuse to address him as Stephen or any other derivation. I'm not just some whack-job fan who thinks she can emulate him and become rich and famous. I am however, a very real fan. I'm serious about developing the craft... if I have any talent to be developed, that is. And as he says in the final pages:

"Some of this book - perhaps too much - has been about how I learned to do it. Much of it has been about how you can do it better. The rest of it - and perhaps the best of it - is a permission slip: you can, you should, and if you're brave enough to start, you will. Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink. Drink and be filled up."

Went to the movies for the first time in a long while and saw Jumper with Hayden Christensen (lil' Darth in the recent Star Wars chapters), Diane Lane and Samuel L. Jackson. It's about a guy who develops the ability to "teleport" when he was but a mere teenaged boy. It was purely by accident, by his understanding. He'd fallen in a frozen-over river, been swept under the ice by the current, and under the threat of death, "teleported" himself to the public library.

You realize pretty much immediately that you're being drawn into love with the kid. His mom took off when he was five, his dad was a real jerk. And he had this hopeless, puppy-dog love for a girl named Millie. Oh, not to mention he was picked on heavily (the bully called him "Rice bowl", which I learned later was because his name is David Rice).

He sees the potential for this power, and decides to run away. ("If my mom could run away, so could I"... which proves to be quite a little tie-in, trust me) What is a fifteen-year-old to do? He hops on a bus and flees to New York City. Rents a room the size of my guest closet and learns more about his abilities.

He realizes that if he can visualize the place he needs to go, he can be there. He just has to close his eyes and concentrate, and wham, he's on the top of the Empire State Building.

You can see where this is going right?

1) What the hell is he going to do for money? Well, he goes to a bank, sees the inside of the vault, and there you have it. Money.

2) What kind of future does this life of crime lead him? Well, golly, he can't get caught 'cause he doesn't touch anything but the stuff he takes. Eight years down the road and he has posh apartments, travels the globe daily, and shows himself to be increadibly lazy (there is a small part where he's sitting on his designer couch in his designer apartment and can't reach the remote... instead of LEANING over, he teleports to the other end of the couch for the remote).

3) Where's the conflict? Enter Samuel L. Jackson, playing Roland the paladin. A "knight" who tracks down jumpers with his organization in tow. And when he finds these "jumpers" (the people who can teleport), he traps them and kills them.
Aha! That's satisfaction right there - plenty of conflict. Because suddenly, a lead breaks free and they find our friend, David the Jumper. He flees, after grabbing a token bag-full of cash, and goes home.

I won't outline the entire film. I will say that I have a love-hate attitude for it, though.

It has originality going for it. The special effects and "powers" expressed were impressive and fun to watch.

The short list of items I found annoying is a little longer...

Open ending, almost hopeful that the studio would have a reason to make a sequel. Gag.

Cardboard motives, cardboard love story, cardboard cardboard cardboard. There's only so much fiber you can take in before you're stuck in the potty room wishing you'd never done whatever it is that brought you there in the first place.

As much as the populace has enjoyed it in the past, the "story of the golden-hearted criminal" motif is getting just a smidge old. What's pathetic is that I was hoping they (the writers of this movie) would actually tackle the "hard" angle - have him use his abilities to make money legally. A naive notion, yes, not the least of which was encouraged by my having not seen the preview. Instead, we're expected to embrace his bank robberies because he leaves IOUs. (WTF? What kind of person leaves an IOU from a bank robbery? and how is he going to pay it back? Robbing another bank? Gag again.)

All in all, glad I saw it. Was a nice little break from reality, and like I said, originality helped to dampen my other concerns. I'm a little miffed that I paid $17+ bucks (2 tickets and a soda later...) to see it, but not enough to actively complain about it or anything.

I can assure anyone reading that if a sequel comes out, I'll wait for it to hit DVD. The only real draw to seeing this imaginary sequel will be to watch someone of significance die, and see how the other characters react. That's the only way the sequel could interest me I think, which is sad. It's pretty bad when a character must suffer to get my attention. Poor things.

It has been confirmed that I have low-iron anemia. But what was also discovered is that I am also "probably" genetically predisposed to it. I have either Thalassemia or Alpha-thalassemia, both mild and not prone to generate typical anemic symptoms, according to my PCP (primary care physician). However, because my iron levels got low, anemia developed and - tah-dah! - I'm now required to take medication.

I have to visit a gynocologist next week to make sure that there are no... erm... "womanly" causes for the iron-drop. And I am expecting a call today or tomorrow to confirm my appointment with a hemotologist (a blood guy, for all you laymens) to confirm my PCP's diagnosis on the Thalassemia. Gah, what a mouth-full.

Just a few fun facts about my visit:

Downside - my iron was VERY low, per my bloodwork. Average iron levels in a person are between 40 and 175. I was a whopping 16. (Oh the joy of being special, right?)

Upside - I've lost four (4) pounds since my last visit two weeks ago. I don't know if it's because I'm avoiding wheat or if I've been on such restrictive terms for the last week and a half while trying to get the tests done for the doc. Still... four pounds is four pounds. Rejoice and be glad in it.

Now, just for the fun of it, I looked the thalassemia terms up via Google and found their definitions. (thanks, medterms.com!)

Thalassemia: Not just one disease but rather a complex series of genetic (inherited) disorders all of which involve underproduction of hemoglobin, the indispensable molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The globin part of hemoglobin is made up of 4 polypeptide chains (usually 2 chains of one type and 2 chains of another type of chain). In thalassemia, there is a mutation (change) in one of the types of globin chains. Depending upon which globin chain is affected, the mutation typically leads to underproduction (or absence) of that globin chain, a deficiency of hemoglobin, and anemia.

Alpha Thalassemia: The problem in the thalassemias is with globin production. The thalassemias are classified according to the type of globin polypeptide chain that is underproduced. The alpha chain is involved in alpha thalassemia (and the beta chain is affected in the more familiar beta thalassemia).
In alpha thalassemia, the heterozygous state (with a single gene for alpha thalassemia) is innocuous or harmless. There are no symptoms or at most mild anemia, because there is another gene still able to make alpha chains.

Literally, my Saturday just flew by when I wasn't lookin'. I woke up - barely - with a headache. I managed to eat the breakfast my husband thoughtfully provided after my shower, but by noon, I was down for the count. I took a two-hour nap and woke - again, barely - with my headache intact. I went into the living room and stretched out on the couch, my head on Sarel's lap, and he rubbed my forehead and temples for me.

Can you believe how good he is to me?

And then, by the miracle of a few doses of Extra Strength Tylenol, I was able to join my husband and his employers for dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse.

Which was okay, even though I'm not supposed to be eating beef, or salad, because of these diagnostic tests I'm supposed to be taking for the anemia stuff. It was okay because I was able to make due, quite to my own pleasure, with a slab of salmon, a baked potato and a bit of shrimp & lobster corn chowder. (*yummm!*)

We were going to go see the 10:10pm showing of Cloverfield later on after dinner, but we went back home, and by 9 o'clock, I was again visiting the land of the sleeping. Poor Sarel got excited - he hasn't been able to leave the house much the last couple of weeks because he hurt his ankle - and didn't get to go to the movies.

" 'm sorry," I mumbled, wiping drool from his thigh, "Don' feel up to it."

Yeah, I know, I pretty much sound like a drunkard when I'm sleepy. It's cute and funny when I'm not being a bear.

Despite his aching ankle, my husband pulled off a lovely Valentine's Day for me - which, I might add, was unnecessary... I told him I wasn't expecting anything. Maybe a smile and a guarantee of a good mood.

Instead, when I came home, I first noticed that the lawn work was done - grass mowed, edges edged. When I went inside, it was to find him pulling dinner out of the oven. Say it with me, now: AWWW!

Yes, so, I'm almost to the point of passing out - still anemic, after all - and go change into comfy PJ-type clothes. When I finally emerge from the bedroom, there's a card and a book waiting for me at my spot on the couch. (Let me tell you, if this weren't a family-friendly blog, I'd give you a hint at just how much I liked the card he picked... *wink, wink, nudge, nudge, knowhatImean?*) And the book was one I didn't even realize was out - the latest Stephen King release: Duma Key. I have, much to my shame, been distancing myself from Mr. King, expecting him to stop writing any day. I should have known that his retirement intentions were subject to abandonment. As soon as I've finished it, I promise to post a lil review for ya'll. I have no doubts it will be great.

Don't you think all this deserves a kiss, a hello? I did, too.

So I went into the kitchen and kissed him and hugged him and generally made all kinds of wifely promises that you'll never hear me speak aloud to anyone else. And then I sat down at the table and poked around on his laptop while he did dinner-related things, and out of nowhere noticed a vase of a dozen red roses. (See left)

Aw, I love getting flowers. Makes me feel all girly and loved. Such a sweetie, my guy.

I buried my face in the blooms and took a huff worthy of the big bad wolf. Of course I made pleased noises and told him again how appreciated his efforts were.

We sat down in the living room to eat dinner while we watched the latest episode of "Breaking Bad" (click here if you've not heard of this brilliant show). When we were finished eating, he took the dishes into the kitchen and washed them. As if he needed to top it off, he came back bearing chocolate... Not just any chocolate, but my absolute FAVORITE - Lindt Truffles. And a Flake Bar.


I promise he enjoyed his Valentine's present... you just won't get details on that particular escapade. *insert devilishly sated grin here*

I love Valentine's Day.

This morning I picked up a coffee through the Starbucks "drive-thru", which isn't a daily habit, but certainly something of which I partake frequently. The craving struck me that I should get a cookie. I only get a cookie craving once every four years or something. Must be the leap year syndrome. Don't ask me what my rationalizations were at the time - I can barely remember them as it is.

But I definitely remember wanting a cookie.

I asked for a sugar cookie, to which I was told "We don't have any. Do you want a Black and White cookie instead? It's kinda sugary."

And me, I just went with it. Again, I don't know why, really. Maybe it was her suggestive tone - like it was just as good, a worthy substitute for my sugar-cookie-needs.

"Okay," I say. "Sure. I'll have one of those."

She gives me my total, and I'm glad they don't have a little camera by the order screen, because I fully balked. Who would willingly pay $2 for a damn cookie?! Apparently I would, because I didn't complain or change my order. I just drove around and paid for it.

I waited patiently and was handed my coffee first - a Venti Iced Non-fat Light Ice No Whip White Mocha Latte if you must know - and then my little baggie with my surprise cookie inside. So off I go, my drink in the cupholder and my cookie propped in the passenger seat, ignored while I finished singing along to my BtVS Once More, With Feeling Soundtrack CD. (Yes, I am one of those crazy people you see in the morning, singing along full-blast with whatever the hell it is I am listening to... And I like the BtVS:OMWF Soundtrack because - duh - it's my fav episode. So I sing along and it helps me wake up, getting my brain in gear.)

Once I've finished singing like an idiot, I pull my cookie bag onto my lap and reach in, watching the road and paying little attention to what my hand is doing. I feel out the cookie, noting silently that the thing is almost as big as my head, and only slightly smaller than your average cowboy belt buckle. I tear off a piece and was surprised at how spongy it felt. Like... you know, a stale pancake or something.

I pop the piece in my mouth, and it's exactly NOTHING like a sugar cookie. It's more like a, well, a pancake with that hard confectioneer's sugar icing coating the top of it. I barely manage to keep it in my mouth.

So now, not only do I NOT have a sugar cookie, I have a dry, cold pancake with sick icing on it. I blindly pick off the icing within the confines of that little paper bag, putting the plain mock-cookie-pancake substance in my mouth.

Which is quite nice without the icing. So I ate as much as I could and balled up the rest in that paper bag. Didn't want all those crumbs and icing bits spilling out into my car.

I have decided, though, that I'll not be hoodwinked into ordering something other than what I wanted ever again. Who the heck wants an old pancake instead of a sugar cookie anyway? The consistencies of each edible are considerably different, and all-together unsatisfying if you were expecting one over the other.

So, last week, I was diagnosed as having anemia, though my doctor had no clue as to which kind because it was your basic, run-o-the-mill blood screening. (I didn't know there were whole different kinds, either - don't feel bad.) Apparently, the average blood count number is 12.5 for women, and I was all the way down to 8. My doctor told me that 7 is the actual "line" to cross into manditory-blood-transfusion territory. So, yay me. Caught it in time.

It would explain why I've been lucky to stay up past 8 o'clock for the last month, and a whole slew of other "symptoms" that I'd mistaken for pregnancy. Yes, I thought I was with child, and even got scared and excited and started thinking of names. Last Thursday was a real bummer, but I'm also VERY glad I wasn't diagnosed with something off-the-wall, like Thyroid Disease, or Diabetes.

I called my mother after my appointment and told her very calmly that I'd been told I was anemic, and that I'd originally gone in for a prego test.... because honestly, I needed to talk to her about it, but I was NOT going to tell her I was suspicious that I might be expecting. My mom has been looking forward to Grammy-status since I got married six years ago. I wanted to be really, really sure before I told her.

And I was quite proud at how she didn't try to ask about potentially future plans for making her a grandchild of her very own. She kept on-topic - my low blood count. And oh, by the way, almost every woman on my mom's side of the family has been anemic at least once in some point of their lives! Yeah, that's a good thing to know, don't you think? That's right up there with knowing cardio and cancer history, because you can die from it just as easily!

But she'd just found that out herself, so I didn't freak. I just said "Oh, okay. I'll tell my doctor."

Today I got to get more blood taken away - kind of ironic, isn't it? They need to find out why I have a low blood count, so they take more blood out. You'd think they'd try to find another way to test for that, anemia being a blood problem and all. They used a giant frickkin' needle that looked more appropriate for livestock and had to fish - yes, I said FISH - for my vein. (Apparently my veins are very strong and just as afraid of needles as my eyes are)

When they were finally done, I was sent on my way. My arm aches in a phantom sort of way. It only tweaks with actual discomfort if I lift anything or twist/bend it a certain way. It'll stop doing that in a while, though, so I'm not overly concerned.

My follow-up appointment with the doc is next Thursday morning. I look forward to finding out if I have a special kind of anemia, and what hoops I'll need to jump through to correct it. Updates as they become available.... whether you want to know or not.

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I know it's lame, but I just had to come back and mention that I recently finished the book, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.

It's a WONDERFUL book. Well-written, acclaimed, yadda yadda. Anyone who enjoys reading should give it a try. I warn you: the cover calls the story "gritty" for a reason, but it is still, over-all, a very pleasant, very entertaining book. It took me by surprise and left me aching to find out where I could get hold of Ms. Gruen's other books. When I've acquired and read them, I'll let you know.

I purchased - quite by accident, mind you - the Book Club edition, which houses in its last few pages an interesting interview of the author, as well as some in-depth and thought-provoking discussion questions.

The story captures the imagination, delving into an unknown realm and revealing secrets to us like it's child's play. I never knew anything about circuses or even all that much about Depression-era America.

And, as a matter of course, the characters were amazing. Some were comical, others maniacal. With this novel, delivered to your hands is a reintroduction to the past, a family... oh, and love, and jealousy, and all those fun human interactions we wrap ourselves around, cheering the characters on in silent, sadistic glee.

The ending is somewhat whimsical, but I won't spoil it for you. It's worth reading the whole book to find out what happens in the end. And it's a fitting end, if I do say so myself.

Click here to see a review at novelstore.blogspot.com
Click here to see what Amazon has to say about it

I had a blog that was hosted on my home server, and due to some weird spamming thing, I've finally given up on the damn thing and decided to start fresh. Not that I'm particularly sure anyone will read this blog any more than they read the previous one, but it should prove a nice reprieve. So, yes, for all who wondered, my blog title has two meanings:


1) This is my second attempt at a blog.

2) I am an avid Buffy the Vampire Slayer (tv show) fan - with fanfiction obssessions and everything! (henceforth referred to as BtVS)


Hm, I suppose a short introduction is in order. Mostly these posts will be about any and everything. I hope to take a more active role in this blog than my previous one. I tend to swing wildly on the pendulum between the whimsical and down-right snotty (if I'm upset about something, of course).

I have a husband and a dog, both of them cute and clingy and all-together my favorite beings on the planet. I'll have to post some pictures soon.

I live in Florida - oh great and soggy state, the penis of our country. I suppose I'm not the only person to notice that eventually everything ends up down here? Don't worry, I don't plan to rant - I'm generally tired of expounding on the not-greatness of this place, mainly because people just keep moving here! Like this is some kind of oasis where they will bask their days away. Sadly, I have no sympathy for these people when they complain that it is too hot in the summer. I do, however, politely remind them that they moved down here because it was too cold anywhere else, and maybe it was time they talk about the project that's due next Tuesday?

As soon as I can chew through my restraints, I'm bolting for the Carolinas, or possibly even Virginia. Lovely places, all of them. I hear they actually exhibit all four seasons. For someone born 'n' raised in perpetual summer, that sounds like a little slice of heaven just calling my name. As for the rest of me, well, you'll see it over time. I have great aspirations to post the antics of my Dilbert-esque office and even more to share a piece of the goings-on of my life as they come to pass. Not because I think I'll be famous, but because it's fun and kills time.

So... How does one end these things? Thank you for your time?

Surely that's a bit formal...