Yet another voice in the wilderness

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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in the "nontacitare" journal:

July 10th, 2009
11:55 pm [Link]	Happy news Many, including myself, have been depressed lately, because of our personal situations as well as state, national, and international news. So I decided it was time to post something positive: http://www.aftercancernowwhat.com/2009/07/breast-cancer-patient-wins-lottery.html We need more good news. Current Mood: happy Current Music: "Always look on the bright side of life" Tags: current events (1 comment \| Leave a comment)
06:44 pm [Link]	Here we go again My sister-in-law's leukemia has returned. Enough with the cancer already. (I should just stop doing healing spells. They never seem to work.) Current Mood: blah Tags: family, health (4 comments \| Leave a comment)
July 1st, 2009
06:43 pm [Link]	Job possibility I've just been head-hunted by a college in Dallas, Texas. They want to arrange an interview with me. Should I say I'm interested, or am I far too likely to be burned as a witch if I go there? :-) Current Mood: curious Current Music: "American Dream," Madonna Tags: career (7 comments \| Leave a comment)
June 30th, 2009
08:21 pm [Link]	Thoughts on Health Care Reform I've been watching the congressional health care debate on C-Span. ( Read more... ) Everyone has the right to health care, regardless of social class or health. It's a matter of simple justice. Edit Here's an insightful blog post on the problems of for profit health insurance: http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2009/06/medicine-and-unfree-market.html Current Music: Cuban music Tags: health, human rights, politics (13 comments \| Leave a comment)
June 26th, 2009
12:29 am [Link]	MRI Results I received the results of my MRI (two-year cancer screening), and they came back normal. As far as my doctors know, I'm cancer-free. Current Mood: relieved Current Music: "Mask and Mirror", Loreena McKennet Tags: health (10 comments \| Leave a comment)
June 19th, 2009
11:19 pm [Link]	magical defense quiz stolen from ns_kuhimo Your result for The Which form of magickal protection would work best for you? Test... Meditation You scored -4 Chaos vs Order, 8 Occult Skills, 11 Occult Danger! You are balanced and don't have much experience with the occult, but you are in some danger of encountering something unpleasant. Prayer may not be enough, you should bolster yourself through meditation in times of spiritual stress. Take The Which form of magickal protection would work best for you? Test at HelloQuizzy Tags: magic, quiz (1 comment \| Leave a comment)
June 16th, 2009
10:18 pm [Link]	Sometimes I despair I've been meaning to blog about political issues, but the more I put it off, the more bad things kept happening. So I bring you a belated round-up. What life is like in the U.S. for people with a minority sexual orientation: http://lesyoyo.livejournal.com/123933.html#cutid1 In the wake of Dr. George Tiller's murder, some asked, "Is it wrong to murder an abortionist?" Here is a decent feminist answer to that question: http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2009/06/01/excuse-me/ The epidemic of rape in the Congo: http://shakespearessister.blogspot.com/2009/06/silence-is-enemy.html Meanwhile, Stephen Johns was murdered by a white supremecist at the Holocaust Museum, and a ten year old girl was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. I had to get these out of the way, so I can write longer posts on environmental carcinogens and the state of access to health care in this country. Current Mood: depressed Tags: current events, feminism, human rights, politics (4 comments \| Leave a comment)
12:15 am [Link]	For those who want to know what happens at SCA events http://kateryndraper.livejournal.com/25903.html Current Music: "A Health to the Company," Owain Pfyfe Tags: sca, writing (2 comments \| Leave a comment)
June 12th, 2009
11:49 pm [Link]	fantasy writer quiz stolen from jayene ( Read more... ) Current Music: folk music Tags: fantasy, quiz, writing (Leave a comment)
June 5th, 2009
12:08 am [Link]	Nine out of 10 wells drilled nationwide are fracked The industry insists fracking is clean and crucial to energy development. I really shouldn't laugh. This is a serious environmental problem. "Fracking" refers to hydraulic fracturing, a process in drilling for gas and oil that contaminates ground water. Diesel fuel, industrial solvents and benzene, known to cause cancer, are used in hydraulic fracturing. But the phrase is just so... apropos. Full article here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090605/ap_on_bi_ge/us_regulating_fracking_colorado Current Mood: amused Tags: environment, health, humor, politics, science fiction (1 comment \| Leave a comment)
May 21st, 2009
12:08 am [Link]	Bad news Not horrible news, just bad. I'll put details behind a cut for those who don't want to read about my medical issues. Don't worry; I don't have cancer. ( Read more... ) On the hand, in the mail today I received tickets to be part of a television preview audience. I'll have input into what gets shown on television! So the universe balances out. Current Mood: scared Tags: health, television (6 comments \| Leave a comment)
May 20th, 2009
12:25 am [Link]	Speculative fiction and education Does speculative fiction have a place in education? My answer: Yes, it's vital. Fiction in general and speculative fiction in particular teaches empathy and problem-solving, and encourages creativity. It provides a venue for exploring ethics and psychology. Science fiction can be used to teach scientific concepts. Speculative fiction can capture student interest in ways other texts may not. Other thoughts? Tags: education, fantasy, science fiction (6 comments \| Leave a comment)
May 17th, 2009
11:33 pm [Link]	shakespeare and science fiction What influence from William Shakespeare do you see in fantasy and science fiction? Here's what I've come up with: 1) Forbidden Planet - Tempest 2) New Moon - Romeo and Juliet 3) Classic Trek episode of Shakespearean actor who may or may not be a war criminal - Hamlet 4) Dune - Hamlet 5) Gargoyles - MacBeth 6) Sandman - Midsummer Night's Dream 7) Baltar from Battlestar Galactica - Iago from Othello 8) Mina from Dragonlance - Joan of Arc from Henry VI (Part I) 9) Dr. Who episode with Martha where they meet Shakespeare 10) Twelfth Night - a teenaged girl is stranded in an alien land and sets everything right; this theme appears in many works of fantasy, but I'm not sure if they were influenced by Twelfth Night. Others? Tags: fantasy, literature, science fiction, shakespeare (3 comments \| Leave a comment)
May 15th, 2009
11:21 pm [Link]	Defining vampires How do you define vampires? What is your favorite fictional vampire depiction? ( Read more... ) Current Music: folk music Tags: definitions, fantasy, fiction, vampires (16 comments \| Leave a comment)
May 14th, 2009
09:02 pm [Link]	My apologies I would like to formally apologize to anyone who watched the season finale of Smallville based on my recommendation. What happened? The season leading up to tonight really was much better. OK, there were a few good points. I liked the revelation at the beginning that by having saved Chloe's life earlier in the season, Clark changed history and inadvertently unleashed Doomsday upon the world. Oliver is growing on me as the tormented anti-hero of the show. And the staredown over the coffin at the end was a nice echo of Clark's and Lex's emotional showdown at Lionel's funeral from before. But... Clark, Lois, and Chloe all reverted to earlier seasons' stupidity. The music was downright painful. And they should have stuck with the "no flights, no tights" formula. Jimmy dropped his bitter, drug-addicted, cynical attitude - which had given the show a much needed edge - to revert to his "golly-gee-willikers" two dimensional persona. I really could have done without the Tess/Lois catfight. And what was with Lois' breathless "I know you can save my cousin, Red Blue Blur!"? What happened to the kick-ass, streetwise army brat whose grit and common sense had rescued Clark, Chloe, Jimmy, and Lana on so many occasions? She's always been emotionally clueless, but never helpless. And I never, ever, thought I would say these words, but the battle between Clark and Doomsday was way too short, and needed more destruction. The afor-mentioned catfight was more epic. I hate final confrontations. They bore me to tears. And yet even I recognize that the fight scene between Clark and the creature who killed Superman in the comics was pathetic. All of this past season's build-up for that? All in all, it felt like the writers wanted to capture the mood of earlier (sucky) seasons, and then tack on a Joss Whedon season finale (tm). sigh I do have a prediction, though, and this is cut for spoilers. Don't read unless you already know who dies. ( Read more... ) Current Mood: disappointed Current Music: "Somebody save me" Tags: review, smallville, televison (Leave a comment)
May 12th, 2009
10:06 pm [Link]	Television Round-Up Warning: Here be spoilers (though NOT any shocking twists from season finales.) Fringe( Read more... ) Battlestar Galactica( Read more... ) Heroes( Read more... ) Lost( Read more... ) Life on Mars (American version)( Read more... ) Dollhouse( Read more... ) Guiding Light ( Read more... ) and last, but by no means least, Smallville ( Read more... ) Tags: fiction, science fiction, smallville, soap operas, television (3 comments \| Leave a comment)
May 11th, 2009
08:54 pm [Link]	Urban legends What is your favorite urban legend? ( Read more... ) Edit By the way, feel free to include non-deadly urban legends. All this talk of Bloody Marys, banshees, and murderous vampires is giving me the creeps. :-) Tags: folklore, storytelling (19 comments \| Leave a comment)
May 10th, 2009
10:55 pm [Link]	Marcon Panels are set! I'll be on the following: Friday - 7:00 Urban Legends 10:00 Vampires in Literature Saturday - 11:30 Shakespeare's Themes In SciFi and Fantasy 8:30 Can Speculative Fiction Help Education? Sunday - 11:30 Urban Legends It should be fun. Current Mood: happy Current Music: "Hello, Stranger" Erica Neely Tags: marcon (4 comments \| Leave a comment)
May 5th, 2009
10:40 pm [Link]	Answer to Cinco de Mayo challenge ( Read more... ) Current Music: Fire in the Head, Emerald Rose Tags: history, holiday, mexico (1 comment \| Leave a comment)
05:11 pm [Link]	cinco de mayo A challenge - Why is Cinco de Mayo important? Why is it celebrated in the US? Answer without googling, please. I'll trust you to be honorable. :-) Current Music: Mariachi Tags: holiday, mexico (10 comments \| Leave a comment)

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