Purple Bar, Deuce

Awww, yeah.

One more time, y’all.

Did it in 2006. Couldn’t in 2007, for reasons that still burn my ass to think about. And here we are, on the last day of November, 2008…and what’s that up there?

IT’S THE PURPLE BAR, BITCHES!

I did it again. Oh my, yes. And you know what else? I’m not done with the story yet. I’m headed into December, planning on writing another 50k words. Why? Because I can.

The way I see it, if helping with the Obama campaign, obsessing over the election, moving into a new apartment, and having oral surgery can’t stop me, then two finals and a job search sure as hell won’t. I’m just getting going.

See ya on the back cover!

Stats:

Days Where I Wrote: 7

Total Words Written: 50,888

Highest Daily Word Count: 8,411

2008 NaNo Novel Wordle:

Write Or Die

This guy has a future.

This is a nifty little website for those of you who, like me, have no problem sitting down to write, and staying seated…but slowly migrating from your Word document on over to the NaNoWriMo Forums, or your email, or IM.

You choose your settings and start typing in the box, and if you pause for more than a few seconds, you are punished. The punishments range from mild (a pop-up box appears and nags you to keep typing) to severe (your words begin to disappear, one by one). When you reach your word count or time goal, it stops, and you are free to copy your work onto your final document, and play again.

Watch the video. Smart guys with a sense of humor rule.

The NaNoWriMo Playlist, 2008

Here is what fills my head as I bang out Seven Hills:

Arcade Fire, Neon Bible
Beastie Boys, Hello Nasty
Blondie, “Heart Of Glass”
Carmina Burana
Chromatics, “Mask”
Fiona Apple, “Not About Love”

The Fratellis, Costello Music
The Futureheads, “Broke Up the Time”
Iron And Wine, “Sea and the Rhythm”
M83, “Too Late”
Massive Attack, “Safe From Harm”

MGMT, Oracular Spectacular
Mofro: Blackwater; Live
Mono, “Life In Mono”
Moontribe, Sound Without Walls
The Presets, “Anywhere”

She Wants Revenge, “Out Of Control”
Shearwater, Rook
Danny Tenaglia, Global Underground #10
Tori Amos, Crucify EP
TV on the Radio: Desperate Youth; Cookie Mountain; Young Liars EP; & Dear Science
The Veils, “The Leavers Dance”

…and the Electronica tab of the iTunes internet radio, as usual.

NaNo 2008: an excerpt…

photo originally uploaded by the catalyst…. 

National Novel Writing Month 2008: my workspace

photo originally uploaded by the catalyst…. 

National Novel Writing Month 2008

Yep, I’m starting a bit late.

I won it in 2006 with my novel Via De Luna, starting on time but taking the entirety of Week 2 off. I can still remember the loopy hilarity of the last days—living on party trays, Diablo merlot, and Starbucks Doubleshot coffee drinks (sometimes simultaneously).

I wrote the story on my aged Powerbook, working at an Ikea Jerker desk I’d bought while living in Richmond. I wore black fingerless gloves with purple and blue stars, that I think I bought at Hot Topic. Wordcount wars with other participants, writing sprints, and write-ins at a local bookstore were what pushed me over the top…with 50,219 words.

I kept sane with the NaNoIsms typo forum, and internet radio. Listening to techno at dawn, skating over plot holes, half-hungover and half-wired…what a way to spend a month.

Last year, illness and a breakup kept me from even registering.

That made this year’s NaNo so important. The election, and its aftermath, have stolen half my month already, though. But I work best when I’m coming from behind, anyway.

This year, I’m working at my beat-up old metal desk, writing on a Powerbook that’s soon to be replaced with a new Macbook. The Diablo’s the same, as is the internet radio; I hope to attend at least one local write-in this weekend, and I’m counting on wordcount sprints again.

The fingerless gloves are black fishnet.

I’m two years older, a bit slower and deeper. I’ve had my heart broken, again. I’ve strengthened my position in life, and come up with some cheeky plot twists. Let’s see if I can pull this off…

Veteran’s Day

Thank you to all who serve and sacrifice for your country, military and civilian.

Today is the 90th anniversary of the end of WWI, the first industrialized war, and the first major conflict of what turned out to be a bloody and conflicted century.

I can only echo the feelings of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and hope that this new century is more peaceful.

I hope that the sad lessons we’ve had to learn, both in the 20th century and in the first decade of this one, point us towards a greater desire for respect and cooperation—not just between nations, but between individuals as well, internationally and domestically. Relationships based on hatred and polarization have serious consequences in the long run.

Today of all days, it is good to remember that there is another choice.