Downloading random thoughts

[itsallovernow]

I had the weekend mostly to myself, which was incredibly welcome. I finally got my DVD's and got to watch the commentary for The Choice, which mostly just made me sad. The Season 3 packaging is so well done.

I went to see I Capture the Castle, which I enjoyed. I loved 3/4 of the book, and then just didn't like the ending, but I found the movie's interpretation of it easier to handle, because I wasn't embarrassed for or angry with Cassandra. But I wish they'd focused more on her own struggle to write. That was the most compelling thing about the book for me. Mark Blucas was also not terrible, but I saw him in a preview for a movie where his head is shaved and he's tatooed, and he was definitely hot, which hadn't occurred to me before. I was never a fan of Riley, so finding him hot in anything is kind of a surprise.

Our cable proved itself to be worth the money this weekend. I watched two hours of Looney Toons Saturday morning because Cartoon Network started a new Duck Dodgers cartoon, which I didn't watch because I had to get ready to go, but that much Bugs Bunny in space was bound to make me happy.

I also watched Failure is Not an Option on the History Channel. It was really well done, all those earnest young engineers and this amazing technology and drive and vision. The space program is something to be proud of. The risks taken and the imagination needed to believe that we could send people into space just overwhelms me.

I have also realized that I'm afraid to work on Blue Eyes at home because if I finish it, I'm afraid I won't have anything else to write. That's just so not a productive attitude, but it feels real- cold and scary like all of my crazy making ideas. Sigh.

Comments

[electricland.livejournal.com]

You will, too, have something else to write.

I know that feeling all too well and while I'm not good at combating it in myself, I'm happy to squish it in others. So, write!

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Thank you:)

[elishavah.livejournal.com]

I have also realized that I'm afraid to work on Blue Eyes at home because if I finish it, I'm afraid I won't have anything else to write.

Oh, other ideas will come along. Maybe they're staying away now because they don't want to have to compete with Blue Eyes. Once it's done, they'll pounce on you and you'll have to fight them off. *g*

And wasn't Failure is Not and Option fascinating? I've always really enjoyed those types of pieces, focusing on the engineers and "geeks" behind the space program. If you liked that... Have you seen the HBO miniseries that Tom Hanks did, From the Earth to the Moon? It's out on DVD now. But there's one episode which focuses entirely on the team contracted to build the LEM, and the trials and mistakes and wonder of going from idea (something that'll land on and take off again from the moon -- yeah, right) to reality. Really well done.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

I think everything in my brain is afraid to compete with Blue Eyes right now, but I'm afraid I'm deliberately waffling on finishing it out of fear. I do have some other bunnies running around, I guess I'm afraid as well that the finished product won't live up to expectations - particularly mine:)

And I was totally sucked in to Failure is not an Option. And I loved the part where Scott Glenn said, "Mission Control was many things. But hip was never one of them." I loved seeing all those young engineers, so eager and bright and fearless. And I now have a cruch on John Aaron (sp.). I have seen some of from the Earth to the Moon. I'll have to see if I can get it on DVD and watch the rest of it.

I also loved that moment when they see the earth come up from the other side of the moon and start reading from Genesis. I'm not religious, but that had to have been a spiritual experience.

(However, I also found myself wanting to write a drabble where John apologizes to the flight director for making him think he'd died:)

[boofadil.livejournal.com]

I have the book failure is not an option but i haven't started reading it and am now bummed that my aversion to the history channel made me miss the documentory

(However, I also found myself wanting to write a drabble where John apologizes to the flight director for making him think he'd died:)

awwww...that'd be awesome!

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

I don't know how the book reads, but the show was very well done. And I love Scott Glenn ( who narrates it). I've had a crush on him since The Right Stuff.

[boofadil.livejournal.com]

i got the book for 2 bucks at a 1/2 off the already bargain price, buy 2 get the 3rd free, double wammy sale at Hastings. that was a good day. a very good day.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Cheap books always make the day better.

[pktechgirlus.livejournal.com]

>>I have the book failure is not an option but i haven't started reading it and am now bummed that my aversion to the history channel made me miss the documentory>>

The History Channel is reshowing it tomorrow at 8:00pm and midnight!

[boofadil.livejournal.com]

thanks!

[pktechgirlus.livejournal.com]

>>And I was totally sucked in to Failure is not an Option. And I loved the part where Scott Glenn said, "Mission Control was many things. But hip was never one of them." I loved seeing all those young engineers, so eager and bright and fearless.>>

I loved how they all swore that they didn't wear pocket protectors! My uncle was an engineer for Lockheed and he wore the "official" engineer uniform: white shirt, black pants, black tie, pocket protector, black horn-rim glasses.

>>I also loved that moment when they see the earth come up from the other side of the moon and start reading from Genesis. I'm not religious, but that had to have been a spiritual experience.>>

Being of that "certain age" I remember sitting in the living room floor watching that on live television. It made me cry then. It still makes me cry. I'm not religious either but I don't think you can be a human being and not be moved by that.

"The only thing louder than a Saturn V rocket is a nuclear explosion." Amen. Watching the launches from Cocoa Beach, you would actually 'feel' the sound beating against your chest and through the ground before you would see or hear the rocket.

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

That is an unbelievably cool memory. Both the sense memory of the launch, and seeing the earth on TV.

I have very distinct memories of watching Columbia take off and land, how amazing that seemed to be, this new technology, and then of course, Challenger.

And I loved the thing with the pocket protectors as well. I've never known an engineer without one:)

[cofax7]

You must write Blue Eyes.

Because if you don't I'll have to fly down there and KILL you.

I don't DO WIPs. I don't. Because inevitably a really good one ("Razor's Edge", anyone?) will go unfinished and I'll be broken.

*starts sharpening a stick to poke Thea with*

[spoonishly.livejournal.com]

Because if you don't I'll have to fly down there and KILL you.

I. Can't. Stop. Laughing.

And I believe her too! Write faster Thea! Write!

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I definitely believe her. And she doesn't have that far to travel, either:)

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

I'm over the halfway mark, and I've convinced myself to stop stalling. I will finish it, and in a timely manner. (But I'm taking the threats as encouragement!! so thank you).

(And I agree about the WIP's. There's this little WIP called Fire Sale, and another called Life During Wartime(g), that sucked me in and have left me dangling, although I have faith in Wartime: That last chapter was wonderful.)

[cofax7]

*puts on ranty hat*

Wartime is not a WIP. It's a series of linked stories, each self-contained.

*takes off ranty hat and wanders off, pouting*

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

I know it's not a WIP. And each section does read as complete in of itself. But it's terribly well written, and compelling, and the last chapter left me wanting more, because I know (hope) that there is more to be had. (You are right, putting in the WIP category was erroneous!! and I apologize for the miscategorization.)

[scapersuse.livejournal.com]

Grr. I wish we got your History Channel instead of the Canadian History Channel. (At least tonight I do!)

Keep writing Blue Eyes! (And yes, I have already read 18B but when I tried to comment the thing was in maintenance mode or something. So I am off to try again. ;) )

(Which will mean a re-read, of course.)

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Is the Canadian History Channel Canadian history? That's cool.

[scapersuse.livejournal.com]

Sometimes. They program both, but unfortunately I don't know if it ever matches up. Tonight they had some guy speaking French, dubbed in English, talking about some diocese. Nah, not in the mood for that. ;) I want Space stuff!

(Hey, maybe they will play FINAO on Space! Never thought of that ... )

[thassalia.livejournal.com]

Well, hope you get to see FINAO. It really is well done and informative and engrossing.