THERE! I am only 2885 words behind on NaNo now (provided I still churn out another 1667 for what is technically now today - I refuse to let myself count the backlog I churned out tonight as today's writing, it belongs to the night of the 22nd). I've been so tired and got ensnared by webcomics and didn't settle down to writing until like 11pm, and wanted to sleep at 12, but.. my scene took off on me and I clung on for the ride. ^_______^ I'm so glad. I'd expected this scene to do something lovely, but I had thought it would go rather a different way...luckily I think this means a bonus for me, as I can still tie in a scene with Meres and Carey bitching out the mortals interuppting their Phisto-time, hee. <3 But this made for a much more natural presentation of a.. I hesitate to say plot-point, because I still have no fuck clue if there's an overarching plot here, though I'd love it if one showed up. But it's something that knits things more closely together, which is a very good thing.

Now to post the day's writing (I have found this to be INVALUABLE in keeping myself from going back in and editing when I should be plunging ahead with the story; also a good backup system for my own piece of mind), and get some freaking sleep.


...Thanksgiving was quite nice, btw. Last night we had our traditional Antes family Thanksgiving dinner of Chinese take-out, and Mel and I ordered probably far more than we should have but it was verygood. This afternoon was the more typical Thanksgiving dinner over at the Grandparents', with Mom and Matt, which was quite nice. Fantastic food, and a good bit of catching-up. I never see Matt very often, and I hadn't seen Grandpa in ages (he's been having some health issues that have kept him pretty home-bound, so it's been months since he's come along with Mom and Grandma to Fredonia), so it was really nice.

Heading back to Fredtown tomorrow morning - a bit sad I wasn't able to meet up with any of my Rochester buddies, but, I hadn't really expected much, being here scarcely more than a day, and it being, y'know, Thanksgiving. I miss Tom though, apparently he broke his email, and for whatever reason the phone there doesn't seem to be on, so all I've heard from him is a one-sentance email, which he sent to my email *from* my same email account. *giggles, shaking head* I head back in to work at 4 tomorrow, so it wasn't a very long vacation, but at least I was able to get out and away for a day or so, it's been... quite relaxing, really, I hvaen't had to think about a thing in a day and my mind is loving the break.

It occurs to me that I haven't discussed this possible newspaper job here at all, but I'm so not up for it right now, I've been able to ignore it for a bit and it's far more of a relief than I'd expected. Anyway I don't really have anything solid to give anyone, except that I hvae the most amazing bosses in the world and that the Fredonia/Silver Creek Pennysaver is THE most disorganized situation I have ever in my life seen.

SLEEP!

 
Y'know, I'm really not much of a digital music snob. I mean yes I brag about my freakishly large stash of mp3s, but, dude, they're mp3s. I have a handful of things in flac, only because that's all I could find a torrent of. I don't pretend to hear a difference between an mp3 and an aac. I think I've noticed a quality difference between an mp3 and lossless, but, really, my speakers are crap, and that might just have been that it was a better quality concert recording (it was from 1993) than what I'm used to listening to (usually 1980). I do feel there's a richer sound playing it from the original source, be it a cd a cassette vinyl whatever, and I totally understand the digital vs analog debate, though I'm not usually picky enough to drag around records with me instead of cds. I like mp3s because they're convenient and I can throw them around everywhere and have them where I want them when I want them.

Now all that said...

WHO THE HELL RIPS THEIR CDS TO ANYTHING LESS THAN 128kbps ANYMORE?!?!! Seriously I have not seen things with 64kbps on any website made in the last, five years at least. There is just no excuse for that anymore, at all. Audiobooks fine, it's not that big a deal, but, music? Come on DID YOU REALLY NEED THE 5MGS you saved by encoding it shittily? Really now.

...so much for raiding the music stash on the household computer. Not that the stepbrothers and I have terribly similar tastes, but I would've grabbed the BB King just to listen to. But not at 96kbps. I would've grabbed BNL and, hey, Jimmy Eat World, but, not at 64kbps.

seriously, wth.


So, yes, I am in Rochester for Thanksgiving. Mom survived the hurricane-like rain to come pick me up and bring me here, I'm now.. uh, by myself lmao. Dad's gone to bed and Mel's out a lan party with some friends. She did invite me, but, I don't really know these boys, and they're playing freaking Warcraft 3. Not even WoW, which I could at least watch, but *Warcraft*. I freaking hate strategy games, they just don't interest me at all.

Plus, my word count has fallen RIDICULOUSLY far behind and I need to at least get the stuff I wrote at Tim Horton's yesterday typed in and counted. gah this is horrible, I need to get my shit together, I'm so far behind!
...though, oddly enough, still a good 8000 words or so ahead of the *founder* of NaNoWriMo. Now that's an inspiration. XD

 
*SQUEE!!! of delight!!!* So I went to U2.com because ilike/facebook have truncated their video of "Wave of Sorrow" to cut out the song now that it's been released and supposedly u2.com has it in full though I haven't gotten that far yet.

*breathes*

I was reading the product descriptions of the JT re-release, trying to decide if it would be worth it for me to plunk down $50 or whatever for the extraspecialsupercrazybonusedition. Because really, concert video, I only watch once in a great while. Like it's lovely to have but..

..but there is a booklet of Anton photos. And things written by the boys. AND.

The dvd includes OUTSIDE IT'S AMERICA.

*dances all around the planet* Granted this makes me a little sad, because now I'm not the only one in the world who gets to see THE SNEAKY LARRY PEEKING AROUND CLOTHING RACKS!!! THE LARRY KISSYFACE!!!!!!!! So I'm no longer quite so special, BUT, really, the world needs to have access to such amazing things. And "Oh Jeannie"! And oh my goodness there's such ridiculous amounts of fangirly goodness packed into that one little half-hour special. I'm so psyched to have it in dvd form, I freaking love the fact that I have a videotape, Mom taped it from the original broadcast 'way back when I was like three, and that's amazing, but I'm terrified something will happen to the tape (like the one she'd made of the Conspiracy of Hope broadcast, which got eaten somewhere along the way and I've thus never seen).

*sits back and waits for the inundation of Larry-kissyface animated icons all 'round the 'net*


Box-set format:
The 3 disc box-set format contains The Joshua Tree CD, the bonus audio CD (both as above), and a Bonus DVD. This package also includes a 56 page hardback embossed book, featuring previously unseen Anton Corbijn photos, handwritten lyrics by Bono and liner notes by Bill Flanagan, Bono, Adam Clayton, Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, Anton Corbijn, Steve Averill, David Batstone, René Castro and a special essay by The Edge. [I cannot wait to read an Edge-essay. That's too adorable.]

Content for the Bonus DVD:
U2 Live from Paris - filmed at the Hippodrome de Vincennes in Paris, on July 41987, on the European leg of The Joshua Tree tour. The tracklist is as follows: I Will Follow / Trip Through Your Wires / I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For / MLK / The Unforgettable Fire / Sunday Bloody Sunday / Exit / In God’s Country / Electric Co. / Bad / October / New Year’s Day / Pride (In The Name Of Love) / Bullet The Blue Sky / Running To Stand Still / With Or Without You / Party Girl / 40
[*Melissa skims the playlist, nothing grabbing her, until, WAIT, PARTY GIRL?!?!?! EEEEEEEEEEE!* ... wait and "Trip"! If I remember right, they really didn't play that often, I want to say only like twice, that should be entertaining. <3]
Outside It’s America – a 40 minute documentary [*dances!* AMAZING! Too cute for definition! A fangirl MUST-HAVE.]
With Or Without You – music video, alternative version [Think I've seen it.]
Red Hill Mining Town – music video directed by Neil Jordan. [Totally seen it, thanks to Megs' Motherlode-of-all-U2-video collection.]


..the JT cd, btw, is in fact remastered etc. I'm sure I won't notice the difference personally but I'm sure some people will, it's always a good thing anyway. I have no idea if the Bonus and Box Set booklets are totally different, or the Bonus one a truncated paperback version of the Box Set.

Tracklist for the Bonus Audio CD:
Luminous Times (Hold On To Love) / Walk To The Water / Spanish Eyes / Deep In The Heart / Silver And Gold / Sweetest Thing / Race Against Time / Where The Streets Have No Name (Single edit) / Silver And Gold (Sun City) / Beautiful Ghost/Introduction to Songs of Experience / Wave Of Sorrow (Birdland) / Desert Of Our Love / Rise Up / Drunk Chicken/America

...as you can see, pretty much EVERYTHING was on the Best Of already, and we've all thus had for years. However, Race Against Time I'm pretty sure wasn't on there, and it's awesome, I love that one. Silver and Gold, I have on cassette (thanks again Mom :), Beautiful Ghost was made available on iTunes when they had the whole U2 iPod promo going. The last four are basically the reason I want this thing, pain in the butt babies making me pay all over again for things I have. But at least they're making it look pretty.

Drunk Chicken/America sounds highly entertaining, not only from the title but also the demo clip on amazon. A halfway between his live "Bullet" rants and "The Fly", I'm intrigued. I was just thinking the other day, about how bizarre it is that U2 made the leap from JT/R&H to AB, I mean really, it's a mind-boggling jump. It's sheer insanity. I don't know how they did it or made it work, but they're just as amazing on either side of that border. AB should just not have even been possible, but it happened and it's right alongside October and Boy with my top-listens. (An odd mix, I know, but I think it's that they each have such a strong mood and atmosphere.)

Y'know really, they're claiming eeeeverything, even the vinyl, will have "previously unseen Anton Corbijn photos". I'm going to call bullshit on that, I don't think they could've possibly kept that many JT photos under wraps all these years. Some may not have been seen MUCH, or in a long time, but I mean, I've seen the photos out of the freaking tour programs. Unless of course they're all the outtake photos, where Anton's finger is on the lens or something.
Oh but that would be too cute, I'd die. I love Anton.

...and it's long-past time for me to stop fangirling, because Mom will be here iiiiin, ohhh, an hour or two, and I haven't packed at all yet (though it shouldn't be difficult), and I promised Tom I'd vacuum our one lonely lil rug before I left.

Freaking addicting Webkinz. (Ameya is coming along on the trip with me - he's too soft and snugglable, I snuck him into bed last night with me after Tom went asleep so he wouldn't: a)mock me b)forbid me from bringing such cuteness so near him c)torture the poor dear. Boys.)

 
So I finally got a Webkinz yesterday - we got in PENGUINS! which is what I'd been holding out for, I knew they'd release some around Christmas, they had to, and all the cats and even the unicorn was all spiky-fur and I didn't like. But the penguin is fluffy and HAS ROSY CHEEKS!

...anyone not in touch with the elementary-middle school set (or in my case working retail), Webkinz are stuffed animals that you buy, and come with a little secret code that grant you a year's access (this is the part no-one buying realises) to the website, where you can play games and things, and earn money, and thus buy clothes and decorate a house and things with your pet. It's very bubbly and cute, though the flash is a little buggy in Firefox, I've had it hang up on me once or twice. And the games are actually decent, just cute versions of the standards really, but in large part nicely done. I'm still investigating.

I was relieved to see that they make it VERY prominent that you've only got a year before you have to renew your account (which, and this I like, you can also do by buying a new Webkin), when you go to set up your account. I was pissed to see that this information is NOWHERE on the tag (though I thought I'd read it there when we first got the things into the store? not there now, anyway). The trivia sections have different age categories, and there are a few that throw me now and again. You can actually expand and set up a whole mansion of rooms for your pet, including a yard, which I like. The one thing so far I'd like to see more of is a social aspect, interaction with other users, but again, I've only been through like half the site, so we'll see. (Anyway I'm sure they'll keep that limited, as this is designed for young'uns, and parents are now paranoid.)

Interestingly, they don't even take your email address, the ONLY info they want is your name and birthday, which they encourage you to not fake only so that you can remember it if you lose your password.


But there is one thing that made me angry. I'm playing a boggle-type game, finding words in a pile of letter-tiles. I was wondering how strict it would be about what words it allowed, it's got a large enough vocabulary so far at least. I knew it would undoubtedly not allow vulgarity, but...

The letters G, A, and Y all appeared together in a row, and though it wasn't going to give me a very high score, I couldn't resist, and tried it.

"Oops, that's not a word!" says the bow-tied teddy bear in the corner.

"Hmm, I've never heard of that word before!" he says when I try it again.

Unfortunately, this is not a mere laziness in creating vocabulary for the thing to accept, if they just threw in any dictionary you'd at least get "happiness". This couldn't be anything but deliberate, and while I realize it gets thrown around as a derogatory term, and they want to make their site as family-friendly and non-controversial as possible... thanks for excluding the sexual identity of a whole chunk of the population.

Though I do understand if it's simply that they don't think kids should be referring to sexual orientation in their crayola-colored site.

...really, I'm relieved the bear didn't tell me, "We don't allow words like that here."

 
What the hell is it with these headaches lately? I woke up with the same one again this morning, and have taken things easy all day, and taken medicine, and been able to keep it at bay but it's still made me feel sick all day, like if I move too quickly I'll get dizzy and want to puke. This freaking sucks. Staring at a screen does not do good things for it either, so writing, not going so well today.

Also I'm growing nervous as hell, I have what amounts to a job interview tomorrow morning, and I have absolutely no idea what to expect, thank goodness Tom's off work so he can get me there and back, but.. I'm so scared, though all rationality tells me not to be.

I'm so bleary and wanting to just pass out, but my lagging word count is nagging at me, plus worries about tomorrow, and Thanksgiving coming up so quick and still not having my schedule nailed down.. just a thousand little worries that keep pricking at my brain every moment and gah I'm so tired of it. If I could lose myself in a story I'd be alright but I can't..

I'll go pack a lunch for tomorrow (I work 1-9, with the interview in the morning), and make Tom something for dinner while I'm at it (I'm really not at all hungry, and I've been nibbling all day), and then go to bed. I'll curl up with my iPod and find a good book to listen to...or maybe just leave on a U2 concert for awhile. Yesterday I was listening to bits of the Hamilton U2 show I was at, and was carried away by the sheer.. oh there's no word for that vast wash of emotion that flows through the atmosphere at a concert like a U2 concert. :) But it came back to me then, and then I watched that video of Bono this morning, and.. I'm always listening to U2 here and there, but, the vast love that I have for them, came back a little yesterday and today as well, and it's amazing how comforting it is, watching them, listening to them.

So I'm all curled up in a tour shirt today. Tom was very confused, watching me watch Bono earlier, B's just sitting there singing, leaning back and forth the way he does, and I'm staring raptly, drinking in every detail, and Tom's absolutely puzzled as to why I'm so entranced...

Maybe I'll watch it just once more before bed.

 
This for my own reference as much as anything, as in the facebook video, Bono is singing with himself and speaking some words, thus making it much easier to sort out what the lyrics are. ;p

"Who has heard this song so far, this is..?"
"Ehhhhhm, well the band played on it, but they haven't actually heard the final.. because I, I never got to sing it, uh, for them in 1987, so it's twenty years later, it's strange. Although I, ehm, I got a message from Edge, last night, I posted it to him, and he said that I uh, have a future in the music business."

Wave of Sorrow

Heat haze rising, on Hell's own hill
You wake up this morning, it took an act of will
You walk through the night to get here today
To bring your children, to give them away

Oh, oh this cruel sun
Is daylight never done?
Cruelty just begun
to make a shadow of everyone

And if the rain came
And if the rain came down
["See, even the rain coming was a problem, because it took all the top-soil.."]

Souls bent over without a breeze
Blankets on burning trees ["the skeletal figures"]
I'm sick without disease
Nobility on its knees

And if the rain came
And if the rain came now
Would it wash us all away?
On a wave of sorrow
Wave, on a wave of sorrow

Where now the holy cities
Where are the ancient holy scrolls?
Where now Emperor Menelek
And the Queen of Sheba's gold?

You my bride you wear her crown
And on your finger precious stones
Has every good thing now been sold?

["This is Solomon:"]
Son of shepherd boy now king
What wisdom can you bring?
What lyric would you sing?
Where is the music of the Seraphim?
["He used to write the psalms; he was a song-writer, Solomon"]

And if the rain came
And if the rain came now
Would it wash us all away
On a wave of sorrow
Away, on a wave of sorrow
Way...


At this point, the words become a steady chant, and Bono admits, "I can't remember this bit, but it's--", and then proceeds to translate the lines after they are sung. His speaking covers up most of the song-audio, so I'm just going to trust that he's right. ;) (Note that "blessed" is pronounced "blessèd". <3)


Blessed are the meek who scratch in the dirt
for they shall inherit what's left of the earth
Blessed are the kings who've left their thrones
they are buried in this valley of dry bones
Blessed are you with an empty heart
for you've got nothing from which you cannot part
Blessed is the ego [here he laughs a bit]
for it's all we've got this hour
Blessed is the voice of truth, speaks truth to power
Blessed the sex worker who sold her body tonight,
she had used what she got to save her children's life
Blessed are the deaf who cannot hear her scream
Blessed are the stupid who can dream
Blessed are the tin can, cardboard slums
And blessed is the spirit that overcomes


"Sorry!" he laughs, ducking his head and running his hand over his (again too-short!) hair.
"When did you finish that?"
"It's uh.. uhhh.. The day before yesterday."
"Are you still looking for feedback on it?"
"Yeah." he replies bluntly, obviously embarrassed by this whole thing. HE IS TOO CUTE! *loves all over*

 
(This will be old news to some, as I neglected the message in my email for a few days, but...)

U2 IS RE-RELEASING THE JOSHUA TREE, WITH BONUS TRACKS!!!!!!! Unfortunately you're stuck re-purchasing JT (which good lord who DOESN'T own, even non-U2 people), and half of the bonus disc is things that have already been released (via the Best Of 1980-1990 and one via iTunes), BUT, still four things I'd never heard, and a whole dvd of video, looking like concert footage.

If you're a facebook person, THERE IS VIDEO THERE of B singing along with himself and explaining "Wave of Sorrow" - head over to the iLike app, and find their U2 page. It's terribly cute, he forgets the words toward the end, the little dear. <3 But there's some really lovely imagery, it's about B and Ali's trip to Ethiopia during the famine in 1985... and, uh, one of the lines is "where is the music of the seraphim?".

*slaughtered!*

Anyone not facebooky, and even those who are - there are soundclips to alllll tracks on Amazon's page for the JT re-release.

I am not pre-ordering because I just paid off my student loan payment for the month and bought groceries for the first time in two weeks, and thus, have no money. Next payday, however...