THE DARK KNIGHT

50,116

Two days left in the month and I'm done! My novel is written. I can take that off my list to do before I die. The plan is now to take the month off and begin working on the 1st Draft. I need to flesh out the story, fix the plot and add another 70,000-100,000 words to the story. I found that having a deadline is the best thing for my creative juices so I plan to have my 1st draft completed by March 31, 2009. Next is to have someone read my story and tell me were the story falls short creatively. Then I'll work two months on fixing those problems which will be the end of May, 2009. I'll then have someone edit my novel for grammatical errors which should take at least two months which will end around the 1st of Augusts. I'll start submitting the novel to agents and publishers and take two months off and start my next novel in November 2009.

I would recommend the program to anyone who's ever thought about writing a novel but never got around to finding the time to do it. Tell them they should do it, sign up for NaNoWriMo.org

D.Y.D.'s Dewey Decimal Section:

013 [Unassigned]


Class:
000 Computer Science, Information & General Works


Contains:
Encyclopedias, magazines, journals and books with quotations.



What it says about you:
You are very informative and up to date. You're working on living in the here and now, not the past. You go through a lot of changes. When you make a decision you can be very sure of yourself, maybe even stubborn, but your friends appreciate your honesty and resolve.

Find your Dewey Decimal Section at Spacefem.com

D.Y.D.'s Dewey Decimal Section:

697 Heating, ventilating & air-conditioning

D.Y.D.'s birthday: 7/21/1976 = 721+1976 = 2697


Class:
600 Technology


Contains:
Health, agriculture, management, public relations, buildings.



What it says about you:
You are creative and inspired to make the world a better place. You can work hard on something when it catches your interest. Your friends have unique interests in common with you.

Find your Dewey Decimal Section at Spacefem.com

D.Y.D.'s Dewey Decimal Section:

454 [Unassigned]

D.Y.D. = 454 = 454 = 454


Class:
400 Language


Contains:
Linguistics and language books.



What it says about you:
You value communication, even with people who are different from you. You like trying new things don't mind being exposed to unfamiliar territory. You get bored with routines that never change.

Find your Dewey Decimal Section at Spacefem.com

18,000

I didn't think I would do it. I'm great at starting goals but I always seem to get busy doing other things and fall short. I don't want to get cocky just yet but so far so good. I've been working hard at my NaNoWriMo.org and I made 18,000 even today. By the end of the week I'll be at or over the half way point. It is weird to think that if I keep it up I'll have a 50,000 word novel. Right now it's not the best work I've done, but I think that's been my problem in the past I don't like to move on in my writing until everything is perfect which means I have a great 20 page story but I can ever seem to move past that. With this goal I'm writing a crappy well not crappy but not great story that will be finish by the end of the month. All that will remain is going back over it and editing it to completion. I hope to be able to have a finished and edited novel by the end of next year that I can be submitting to agents and publishers.
I'm sorry if I'm neglecting my many readers but I'm trying to save all my writing juice for the book. I'll try and keep you posted on my progress through the month.

Lisa Hannigan at the E-Center in Salt Lake City UT

I was so excited to see Lisa. I have seen her once before in Idaho, when she performed with her first band. I had been waiting to hear from her now that she's on her own and out of the blue I heard she was going to open for Jason Mraz.

I was surprised she opened for Jason Mraz. His music is style different from hers, and the audience wasn't as appreciative of her as I had hoped. I wasn't too surprised people in Utah don't know good music. Most of the stupid bobbleheads didn't know who Lisa was and didn't give her the respect that she deserved.

Regardless, Lisa was amazing and played like a pro. She was engaging and entertaining. Her songs were amazing. The set was great. There was variety and each song was strong on its own. She had a great stage presence. She danced and enjoyed herself on stage. Her band was great and gave her their support. Highlight songs from the show: Lille, Sea Song, Teeth, I don't know, and Keep It All. Lisa also did an amazing cover of Iron&Wine.

I can't wait to see her on her own tour with a crowd that's all for her.

Set list

1.Lille
2.Sea song
3.Ocean and a rock
4.Pistachio
5.Teeth
6.Venn diagram
7.I don't know
8.Keep it all
9.Free Until They Cut Me Down(Iron&Wine Cover)

Go to her site and buy her album.

Can I Write A Novel In One Month?

I know I have it in me, a novel. Let's see if I can't get it out and onto a piece of paper. The idea is wonderful. Write 50,000 words in one month in a novel of sorts. The editor in me hates the idea. How can I write and write and write with no editing along the way? How will I be able to make the reader understand me? Well for one thing no one will be reading my first draft, except for maybe my wife, if she would like to attempt to edit the mess I make.

My only goal in doing this is not to have her vomit after she's done. As long as I don't make her vomit I'm success right?

Cheer me on and lets see what kind of mess I can make.

It's been a long long summer

I'm writing now rather then later. I meant to prepare a perfect post that would astonish the blogging world and instead I'm writing this.

The summer started strong with some great concerts. The summer climax was The Dark Knight. I saw it nine times and hope to break an even 10 before the end of the month. My wife and I also took an archery class which was awesome. There is a real moment of Zen in the draw back and aim, right before the release. I spent my 10 year anniversary in San Francisco, we enjoyed our time the second time around, it helps the enjoyment factor when you're not running from the law. The city was beautiful, we walked everywhere and loved it. The city has it's unique architecture and culture that invites you in. I'll admit there are areas that aren't as attractive, but overall I have to say I could live there.

I'm actually finding out the more I travel, I have a few things I really need in a city. Large Body of Water. Mild Weather (mainly it can't get really hot I can handle the cold). It has to rain. There has to be a wide assortment of trees. I prefer either a large city or a small town none of these half hearted cities with marginal populations.

Which means that from San Francisco to Seattle I'd be in heaven, Chicago, Savannah (for those of you who might say Savannah is a middle city which is true, but you have to agree it's a city that demands respect), and of course New York City (who wouldn't want to live there).

The fall is looking good as well. We have a Coldplay concert, David Sedaris reading, meditation class, and fencing class. We also bought season tickets to the local theater company. Things are good.

Pearl Jam West Palm Beach, FL 6/11/08

Pearl Jam in Florida a first for me. I've been to many shows with PJ and I have to say it's always worth the journey. We got front row seats to the show and had a great time watching Kings of Leon open the show. The crowd was in a great mood and ready to get the show going and the people loved the band. If you've never heard their music its simple rock n roll.

Pearl Jam came out prompt and ready to set their tour off right. Opening with Ten's Ocean. A song I have never heard live. Every song from there to the closer was a sonic dessert. The band was loving life and playing well. It's great to see them mature, the stress and worries of their early days are gone leaving them the joy they had to begin with playing loud and live. This was a free for all tour as it didn't support an album, which meant the band could play whatever they wanted. They seemed to have a nice selection from each of their albums and even pulled out a few rare songs. It was a fun show and I can't wait to see them yet again. Here's the setlist * for song's I hadn't heard live before.


Oceans*
Severed Hand
Save You
Gods' Dice
Given To Fly
Faithfull
Unemployable
Sad
Dissident
Who You Are*
Even Flow
Low Light
Gone
Grievance
Glorified G*
Do The Evolution
Why Go
Encore 1
Inside Job
Better Man
Comatose
Rearviewmirror
Encore 2
It Rains On Me*
No More*
Alive
Yellow Ledbetter

R.E.M. at the Hollywood Bowl 05/29/08 W/The National & Modest Mouse

The National came out first and played a good set. I’m not as familiar with this band as the other two but their live show was great. I can’t wait to give their music a more in-depth listen. Their set included

1. Star a War
2. Brainy
3. Slow Show
4. Able
5. ? In My Beloved Wife? (not sure of the title)
6. Apartment Story
7. Mistake for Strangers
8. Fake Empire
9. Baby We’ll be Fire
10. Mr. November



Modest Mouse came out quickly and planned a fast set that was great. It had a lot of energy and really got the crowd ready for the main act. I’ve seen them twice before and I’ve come to learn that every show is its own. You never know what to expect from this band. Tonight was good, I don’t own all of their stuff but what I have I love and this was a great set which included.

Air Raid
1. Satin in a Coffin
2. Dance Hall
3. Dashboard
4. Fire it Up
5. Trucker’s Atlas
6. King Rat
7. ? Dreamed of Hell and Heaven but I don’t believe in either? (Couldn’t find
this one and I’m not even sure if this is the exact line Isaac sang.)
8. Float On
9. Paper Thin Walls
10. The Good Times are Killing Me
11. The View



I can’t easily tell you how many times I’ve seen R.E.M., but I can say each show is an experience that I’ll always cherish. Every tour/album has its own feel and emotions and this one was no different. The band played a clean set, and I don’t know if it was the feel of this tour or if it was because this was an early show in the tour or the place (Los Angeles) but the band wasn’t as fun to watch and interactive with the audience as in past tours. Saying this doesn’t mean the show wasn’t great but out of all of the tours I’ve seen it was one of the less entertaining ones. There were however some great moments within the show that I will always remember. Among them Ignoreland, and Let Me In. I’ve hear Let Me In a few different times and each one is great, but this time it was amazing. The band gathered around the stand up piano and played the song acoustically. It was private and gave the feeling of being with them in a studio or rehearsal. A private moment they shared with all of us. Here’s the set list

PRETTY PERSUASION
LIVING WELL
KENNETH
SITTING STILL
IGNORELAND
MAN SIZED WREATH
CIRCUS ENVY
DRIVE
ACCELERATE
HOLLOW MAN
FALL ON ME
HOUSTON
ELECTROLITE
FINAL STRAW
I’VE BEEN HIGH
LET ME IN
LOSING MY RELIGION
HORSE TO WATER
BAD DAY
WALK UNAFRAID
I’M GONNA DJ
----------------------
SUPERNATURAL
ONE I LOVE
UNTIL THE DAY
MAN ON THE MOON

Over all I’ll never go back to LA to see a show any show, the crowds there suck rocks, but it was a night I would never trade back. I meet two great security guards. They were twin brothers from Indiana trying to make it big and keeping their hearts from the blood suckers.

Death Cab For Cutie at Thanksgiving Point With Tegan and Sara 05/26/08 SLC, UT

This was my first show at Thanksgiving point, and I have to say besides the staff being rude and unhelpful, the services overpriced and being an hour late opening the doors the venue was great. Rouge Wave was scheduled to open the show, but due to weather they were unable to. Tegan and Sara also had a short set. They came out and played very well. This was my second time seeing them as an opening band, and I have to say they put on a good show. They have always been in a great mood played tight songs and engaged the crowd. I would love to see them headline a show, but they only seem to come to town as a supporting band. Their set was a nice mixture of old and new songs.

1. Walking with a Ghost
2. The Con
3. Burn Your Life Down
4. Speak Slow
5. I Bet it Stung (Dedicated to DCFC)
6. So Jealous
7. Where does the Good go
8. Nineteen
9. Back in Your Head
10. Living Room








Death Cab came out quick do to the time shortage. They played fast and didn’t mess around in-between songs. They were always as personable and pleasant with the crowd and enjoyed themselves. This was my third time seeing them play and I have to say they put on a great show.

1. Bixby Canyon Bridge
2. The New Year
3. Why You’d Want to Live Here
4. Photobooth
5. Long Division
6. Grapevine Fires
7. A Movie Script Ending
8. Where Soul Meets Body (Ben mentioned he needed to practice before coming on stage before trying fancy guitar tricks)
9. Follow You into the Dark (Ben was alarmed by the lack of clothing people were wearing for the temperature outside)
10. I Will Possess Your Heart
11. Cath
12. No Sunlight (Ben said this story is kind of about today)
13. Company Calls
14. Crooked Teeth
15. Sound of Settling
16. Manhattan Marching Band (Once Ben said that this would be their last song the crowd got upset and he said Come on you know we’ll be right back out in a few minutes, which got everyone laughing and screaming)
Encore
17. Title and Registration (Ben jokingly mentioned they had to hurry up and finish by 10 or they’d turn into pumpkins(this was a reference to the curfew the venue has to close by 10pm (It’s outside and surrounded by houses)))
18. Your Bruise
19. Transatlanticism


All in all I loved the show and wished we hadn’t missed Rogue Wave and had more time with each of the bands. I don’t think I’ll go back to the venue by choice but if a band goes there that I like I’ll still go.
Only complaint was that Tegan and Sara didn’t sell any T-Shirts in XL size. What’s that about? Don’t they think fat dudes like their music? Well I do.

The Cure, Salt Lake City 05/24/08 E Center

I've been a fan of The Cure since, the single "Friday I'm in Love" came out. I loved the video of Robert playing on the stage. A year later I meet a friend that was a hardcore Cure fan that introduced me to their other work and I have to say I've been smitten ever since. Disintegration and Faith are my two personal favorite albums. Even though I've been a fan for years I've never be able to see the live, until now. I wasn't sure what to expect but being a fan I knew I wouldn't be disappointed.

The opening band was called 65 days of static, and I have to say the name fits the band. I've never seen an opening band that was purely instrumental. I loved the music but personally I would have liked them a lot more if they had a singer, but that's me. I did however like that they samples a line from the movie SINGLES.

Robert and the band came out at 8:30. The stage had a U shaped lighting rack and four screens in the back ground that played films during some of the songs (there are parentheses with a word to describe what I saw in front of the song titles for the songs that had a film). Robert was in a good mood and talked a little in between songs but his heavy accent made it hard to tell what he was saying, besides thank you. I have to say I didn't expect them to play as long as they did. Next to Pearl Jam this was one of the longest shows I've ever seen. They didn't leave until 11:30 which was a total of 3 hours and 3 encores. It was a lot of fun. I would recommend everyone that has ever been a fan to at least see them once if they haven't already.
Ok here's the set list. For the new songs I picked titles that seemed to fit the songs so do forgive me if they aren't right. There was one song that was new that I didn't title because I couldn't really pin point a good line to use as a title.

1. (Stars) Plainsong
2. (Neon Lights) Fascination Street
3. A Night Like This
4. (Fly) The Walk
5. (Stick Figure) End of the World
6. (Painted Face) Love Song
7. (Single Cover) Pictures of You
8. (Spider) Lullaby
9. Catch
10. Perfect World- New Song
11. (Sunset) From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea
12. Other Voices
13. Sleep When I’m Dead- new song
14. Push
15. (Spinning Hearts) Friday I’m in Love
16. In Between Days
17. Just Like Heaven
18. (floating face balls) Elsie
19. Shake Dog Shake
20. (pills) Never Enough
21. Hot Hot Hot
22. The Only One- new song
23. (mirror Sign) Wrong Number
24. (B&W violent images) One Hundred Years
25. Disintegration
Encore
26. At Night
27. (m) New Song
28. Play for Today
29. (trees) A Forest
Encore
30. Boy’s Don’t Cry
31. Jumping Someone Else’s Train
32. Grinding Halt
33. 10:15 Saturday Night
34. Killing an Arab
Encore
35 Why can’t I be you

It was a great set and I have to say it could have only been better if they had stuck in Fight, Untitled, or funeral song. I would love to see them play again.

Newest Batman Trailer

Follow the link and download your own copy of the newest Batman trailer. I've seen it several times online and twice before Iron Man. it's going to be great. I'm man enough to admit that after seeing it the first time I teared up.

WATCH IT.

I Believe in Harvey Dent

I once again helped out with a little viral campagin for the new Batman movie. I got a lot of cool stuff for doing it.

Writers Groups

This one goes out to my two faithful readers. I'm sorry it has taken me five months to post to my blog. I can come up with at least three lame reasons but instead I'll act as if this disgrace never happened.

One of the major things I seem to be missing in my non-college years is constructive feedback on my writing. I miss bouncing ideas off people and working through the stale sections in a work. Yet as I really think about it even in school I didn't get a lot of feedback everyone seemed to be in a hurry to get to their work, but still more then I am now receiving.

I need to form a writing group, but again I'm not planing on stick around here for too much longer. I'd hate to start something only to leave in a year or two. It might be good experience and a perfect excuse to bail if it doesn't work out. hmmm I'll think about it.

The ticket would be to find a small group that was willing to take on the work of not only reading your work but the work of five others and coming up with beneficial comments. I think the ideal number would be 4 to 6. That way if two people don't show up you still have as least 2 more people that did show up. The hard part is finding a group that would be willing to put the time into it. Students have too much in their life to handle more reading and meetings. Parents are also too busy so you need to find people that are either just out of college or past the parenting years.

The other question is how do you weed out the crazies? I've worked at a library long enough to know that there are a lot of people that write and a lot of them are not taking their needed medication. How do you keep them from coming to the meetings or even finding out about them. I don't want to promote the group in a public place so anyone can find it but I also want people to find it. Coffee houses are the first idea then there are places like a campus but then you get the busy college kids. I wounder if there is a site that acts as a message board for groups? I'll have to hunt. But then once again that doesn't help you find people you can meet locally unless they are aware of the site and that might rule out older people.

Last question, how often do you meet? I would like to say once a month to keep it simple for everyone, but is that enough? A serious writer might want feedback on a regular basis. I think the most you could hope for would be twice a month, but if you're too strict then people might stop coming if they haven't done the reading.

If anyone has ideas let me know otherwise I'll research this the old librarian way and let you know what I find.