| Friday, December 18th, 2009 |
chefxh
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9:39a |
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low_fat_muffin
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7:28a |
Tales of Hoffman
 It's opera time again - with the MET simulcast on Saturday -- this time up is Offenbach's "Les Contes d’Hoffmann" (Tales of Hoffman). Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher (South Pacific) directs this new production, returning after the triumph of his Met Barber of Seville (seen live in HD in the 2006–07 season). Offenbach’s fictionalized take on the life and loves of the German Romantic writer E.T.A. Hoffmann is a fascinating psychological journey. Met Music Director James Levine conducts Joseph Calleja in the tour-de-force title role. Anna Netrebko is the tragic Antonia and Alan Held sings the demonic four villains. Netrebko is probably the most amazing soprano voice in opera today - so I'm very excited to see her. I saw her last spring in LaTraviata here in San Francisco. I highly recommend this theater simulcast series for opera fans or folks that appreciate fine theater. The glimpse backstage and the literal giant screen front row seat make these an event not-to-be-missed in my book. Saturday's show is very approachable for newbies to opera and should be a spectacle! :) 1pm EST - 10am PST - - these live MET Simulcasts are a tremendous treat. |
ogam
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12:06a |
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bitterlawngnome
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1:06a |
Feature Your Fringes Friday
© Bill Pusztai 2009
Shiny and black may be quite continental -
But rawhide is a girl's best friend. |
| Thursday, December 17th, 2009 |
furr_a_bruin
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8:49p |
Xmas Travel
I'll probably post more about this later, but I'm planning on departing for Oregon to see Dad for Xmas this coming Monday morning. The weather currently looks decent; here's hoping I don't have to contend with snow. I will of course have my netbook with me so there will probably be an occasional post here, but probably not too much. On my last trip I discovered some good WiFi spots - including one not too far from Dad's place. Now, I'd be happier if one of the neighbors with an open WiFi router were to have better signal strength, but this is better than nothing. |
cmpriest
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6:47p |
Real quick, why today is a day of squee
So … this morning I awoke to learn that the Czech company Triton is picking up rights on Boneshaker. This means I’ve made my first foreign rights sale! Ever! Folks, that means I have leveled up as an author. It also means that someday, people in the Czech Republic will be reading Boneshaker and that just tickles me pink :)
* No, I don’t know what they’ll call it; no, I don’t know if they’ll keep the cover art; no, I don’t know if they’ll keep the brown text; no, I don’t know when it’ll be available, etcetera.
[Crossposted to/from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.] |
low_fat_muffin
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3:08p |
 Today was the department secret santa - and I got Abbie (our intern wrangler) a bright blue Snuggy and some foofy bath products. She got me (and does she know me or what?) a rainbow coloured make-your-own-martini set. LOL! |
pink_halen
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3:45p |
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cmpriest
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3:41p |
Thanks, Evan
Via Kyle Cassidy - (beware of heartwarming ahead) - a 7-year-old boy named Evan saved up his allowance and donated all of it ($46.75) to the animal shelter from whence he adopted his cat. Get the whole story (plus a cute shot of his letter) right here at Kyle’s blog.
Thusly inspired, I went and looked up the shelter from whence we adopted Spain the Cat, nearly eight years ago now. The Pet Placement Center in Red Bank, Tennessee, is the oldest no-kill shelter in Hamilton County* — and like all shelters pretty much everywhere, it’s kept afloat by volunteers and donations.
So in honor of Evan, seven years old in Philadelphia, I put the exact same money into the paypal pot — on behalf of Spain the Cat, who was adopted as “Jeannie” in 2002. If you’ve enjoyed the exploits and photos of Spainy over the years, you are, of course, encouraged to drop a few pence into the bucket yourself.
Or, heck, throw some change at the shelter nearest and dearest your own heart.
‘Tis the season, after all.
* And at the time we adopted Spainy, I think they were the only one.
[Crossposted to/from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.] |
low_fat_muffin
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2:27p |
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songdogmi
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5:17p |
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chefxh
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11:50a |
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low_fat_muffin
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10:23a |
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bitterlawngnome
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10:56a |
Tawdry Poinsettia Porn, 3660
© Bill Pusztai 2009
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| Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 |
low_fat_muffin
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10:32p |
 So tonight was my first night as an artist and model at the Gay Male Drawing Group. I haven't done figure drawing in eons - and I was very excited to get reacquainted. There were nine guys - three of which I knew and had met outside the group - so that created a great sense of comfort. Many of the guys in drawing group have AMAZING skill - my friend Dave who invited me drew the above portrait of me in five minutes. So - I think being exposed to each of these men and their art every week is going to do me a great deal of good. I was a bit self conscious about my work after seeing the amazing stuff others were pulling off - - but with practice I'll be improving each week. When I draw/doodle I usually work on comics type characters - so that came across in my sketches tonight - and I'm sure my relationship with all three dimensions will improve as well. It was a tremendously positive experience - and everyone made me feel VERY welcome. here are two of my drawings from tonight - each model sat for ten minutes.   for the full set of drawings - clicky hereI have no illusion of being an illustrator - but I do think steady practice could help bring new things into the digital art I do for a living. and lets face it - nude at a drawing group of all men.... can't be a bad thing. :) |
songdogmi
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11:56p |
Busy with the music thang
On Friday, Dec. 18, I'm playing at a new-to-me venue, Phoenix Cafe in Hazel Park. Sharing the stage with three other performers, Kris McLonis, Johnny Ozer, and Panama Doug... show starts at 9, cover is $5. Phoenix Cafe is at 24918 John R, Hazel Park, MI 48330; free parking in the back. One interesting thing about this place is, it's BYOB. They have coffee and tea, and that's it, but you can bring in soda or (I've seen) beer. I think it's nonsmoking, too. On Saturday, Dec. 19, Finvarra's Wren will give their annual Solstice Concert at Mama's Coffeehouse at the Birmingham Unitarian Church (8:00 p.m., $12). Celtic and American traditional music, performed very skillfully on traditional instruments. This concert is one event in the holiday season that gives me all kinds of good feelings. In between, I somehow have to accomplish Christmas gift shopping and making out cards and helping my Mom get her shopping done. If it wasn't for music, I'd really dislike this time of year more than I can say. |
chefxh
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6:06p |
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cmpriest
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6:58p |
Quickie
- Nick of Time PDF — In case you were reading quickly, be aware — that link leads to a PDF download. Nick of Time is a holiday sampler of excerpts from twelve new novels, including Laurell K. Hamilton, Cory Doctorow, Scott Sigler, and yours truly … with the first three chapters of Boneshaker. That’s right, free!
- Clementine news — Right here, via Subterranean. The last paragraph of this particular set of announcements makes me all giddy! Clementine, my short novel that serves as a sort-of-sequel to Boneshaker, will be available for preorder shortly after the new year; and it’s slated to be published at the end of May, 2010.
- NAUGHTY KITTY - Honestly. I leave her alone for HALF AN HOUR to go check in on Caitlin’s cats, and this is what I return to. She set the numbers lock, shed huge tufts of hair between the cracks, and popped off the “escape” key. Little monster. Good thing she’s so damn cute.
[Crossposted to/from my website. If you'd like to comment, you can do so either here or there.] |
clarkelane
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6:16p |
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furr_a_bruin
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2:47p |
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bitterlawngnome
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9:47a |
soooo last year
© Bill Pusztai 2009
I did this last year in 2007! (remember lolcats? yeah! wow, that was so long a ago). Here it is. Just to offset the holiday cheer of that last image. |
low_fat_muffin
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6:40a |
David's Birthday!
 Today is my boyfriend Dave's birthday - he's 54. :) I just kissed him goodbye for the day - and he's all snuggled up in flannel sheets with Miss Kate. I'm so lucky to have him in my life every day. seriously!
Photo by the amazing and talented Bill Putszai ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) bitterlawngnome |
bitterlawngnome
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9:24a |
Tawdry Poinsettia Porn, 3341
© Bill Pusztai 2009
Surprisingly difficult to photograph. As someone once said ... bloody buggery pelargonidin, sweetie! Those troublesome anthocyanins. |
| Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 |
wet_in_sf
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7:30p |
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chefxh
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6:24p |
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angry