The Ownership of Celebrities

Tuesday was a sad day. When I got home, I was greeted with the unexpected news that Professor Mick Aston had died at the age of 66. So young!  Time Team followers will know Mick (as opposed to Mick the Dig), professor of Archeology, having taught at the University of Birmingham, University of Oxford and the University of Bristol. By all accounts, he was a warm, funny and caring man who had a great enthusiasm for archeology and making it accessible and understandable to everyone.  

For almost 20 years I watched him on the television.  He was almost like a friend. And there is the crunch; I did not actually know him. (more's the pity). The media, and particular social networking, has made many celebrities more accessible. Our culture has become one of voyeurism, lapping up every smallest detail about just about everyone. Knowing the smallest details, we now feel like they are our friends.

We 'friend' not only  actual friends but also acquaintances and people who have never even met! We 'friend' companies, causes and celebrities (real or via other fans - how can you tell sometimes). Having now created a perceived relationship and false intimacy with unknown entities, we then proceed to dole out advice as we would normally only do to our closest family and friends.

Along with the trend of internet bullying, where people feel that they have the right to coerce and torment anyone without care for the consequences, there is a trend on the internet for people to attempt to contol others. Whether this is by demanding change in company policies (sometimes good), attempting to control the course of television shows (that is what writers are paid for and what producers pay to do) and even vilifying individuals in the public eye. 

Even celebrities have taken to vilifying other celebrities. Recent articles on Nigella Lawson have scolding her for being quiet. Fortunately, most have supported her. Sadly, that is not often the case. Recently Matt Smith resigned his stint playing Doctor Who. Incredulously, some of the internet rant has been damning. It seems some 'fans' are too fanatical and have voiced their feelings of betrayal over him abandoning them. (!!?!)

Firstly, please remember the courtesy and ettiquette that your mum, dad or grandparents should  have taught you. Secondly, do you really own  that person. Does anybody? 

Matt Smith is an actor. His job is to act.   He felt his time had come to move on. I am sad to see him go but I understand that it is his life. He gets to make his own career choices. We have no right to try to force him to conform to our  (selfish) vision for his life. 

Nigella Lawson is a woman who appears to be a victim of domestic abuse. Unless you have been in her shoes, you cannot know how she feels nor demand how she should act, let alone threaten to boycott her shows and deny her of a living (!!?!)

As a population, we are becoming less polite, less tolerant and more selfish. How would you feel if someone treated you in the same way? Would you tolerate the pressure on you and your personal freedom? Many of us live in countries where we have personal freedom. We are lucky! So why do we insist on trying to infringe on the freedom of others?

My grandmother   used to say 'Treat others as you would like them to treat you.'  Think about that before you send your next twitter or FB post. Then think about it again.  Maybe we can learn to play nice again. 

Just... Maybe...

Second Guessing and Over Thinking Things.

I have always had gut feelings about things. About people. About stories. About my actions. I often get 'vibes' from people. There is something that just says they are lying or they are good people. Usually I am right. I recently did a survey for a research project that was investigating how accurately people judge facial expressions. I got 34 out of the 36 correct. The average was about 25. 

My husband hates it, when we are watching a 'who-dunnit' movie and within the first fifteen minutes (or so), I declare they did it. Often I am right. Sometimes it is obvious. Sometimes I don't know why; it is just a gut feeling that I have. Maybe it is a subconscious noting of body language and facial expressions and subtle clues.

With my stories, I go with my gut much of the time. I will get a rough idea of what the storyline is and the characters that reside there. From there, I let it flow. I have remarked before that sometimes the characters have a mind of their own and can take a story in a totally different direction than I had envisaged. Unfortunately, this also means that sometimes they are stubborn and won't do anything. I am trying new methods to avoid this situation now (a story spreadsheet was one recommendation. We shall see how this works in the future.) 

However during the past year, I have been second-guessing myself. I am told this happens with the stress which has plagued me for the past year. I am told that I should not doubt myself. I keep getting told don't over think things. I am trying. 

Today, I finished inking up two scrolls I have been working on. After a few days drying, they were finally ready to have a few ink mistakes corrected (now done) and tidied up with the pencil drawings now removed. I had worked out the colours and was ready to paint. 

Then doubt crept in and I second-guessed myself. I wavered. I procrastinated. I did a little more research (always a good procrastination tool) and then decided it was too late to start painting today. I was over thinking everything. My confidence was down.

I have been learning ways of relieving stress, reducing my over thinking and trusting my 'gut' again. My writing has been very cathartic in my struggles this year. It has been one of the few things that has remained stress free and I has continued to strengthen my confidence. 

My 'gut' has also not failed me with my photography (and usually my art. Today was annoying.) When I can't write, I draw, design or take photographs. Today when I was debating colour schemes, I grabbed my camera and revisited that mushroom out front. It has now got a sibling! In the fading afternoon light, I snapped some photos  of them, this time with my Canon and not just impromptu phone camera shots. This was one of my favourites, taking advantage of the natural lighting of golden glow of the late afternoon.

Putting off til Tomorrow... Oops, it is today!

Procrastination. This is the bane of a writer's (and artist's) life. It is a familiar friend of mine. Yesterday I used the excuse of back and hip pain. (Well, it is hard to draw or write when I have a splitting headache!) I did some preliminary work on some calligraphy that I HAVE to finish this week so I will be on track for finishing the painting and illumination next week... So, I suppose that is not procrastination...

I went through my mobile phone looking for pictures I had not yet organised. I tinkered with some effects and here are some results (I like the effect of reducing the number of colours but you will need to view the images on a larger scale to get the full effect)

And that is procrastination...

I often do research for planned short stories. For example, my next short story An Eye for Detail, is set in the late 19th century. As the main character is female, I had to ensure that her trade was an acceptable one for a single woman of the times. (amongst other items I had to research). 

At the same time, more mundane research brought me to the Scrivener program.  I have been contemplating obtaining a dedicated computer program, for my writing and hopefully this one will facilitate the associated research and save time and energy. Well, that was the plan. As usual, it took me a few days just to work out the basics it, via the tutorial. Last night, I was up into the wee hours adding in some of my research. The result? This morning every bone aches, my eyes are tired and I slept in. I am hoping this won't become a regular stand off - me versus the computer! 

However, the program does have some very nifty templates that will force me to actually write down aspects of my characters that have, until now, been locked away in my thoughts. After the marathon, of last night, I have also consolidated some peripheral ideas, changed some of the heroine's background and finally pinned down the date to a much smaller timeline. I have also changed some aspects of the basic storyline. Overall, this could be a good tool... if I can only get the hang of using the program...

So this morning, I wondered what to write for everyone. I procrastinated, had several cups of tea, tinkered with some photographic images and finally decided to just simply share my day with you.

Have a  productive day!

Just Wanting to Belong

I am a Geek. I have known it for years. I have revelled in it for years. To me, a Geek is an enthusiast who is able to enjoy their interest, even if it is not mainstream. In the past, we have been in the minority, enjoying our Geekdom and the small groups of like-minded friends we have met along the way. We had a uniqueness that was all our own. And we liked it that way. 

Now our world has been invaded by the mainstream. There has been an embrace of Geekdom by many of those who used to tease us for our hobby and entertainment choices. While some have delved into our lifestyle with fervour, some are happy just to flirt with it. Reading the many blogs, spruking Geekdom, that have now become popular there is a mixed feeling on this invasion. Some die-hard Geeks resent that their world has been changed, possibly irrevokably. They resent the intrusion into their exclusive world where they united, safe from the popular set who sometimes vilified them. Now they feel they are being vilified from within the ranks.

Harsh words but it cannot be denied that united, Geeks were safer in numbers. At school, I was part of the smart kids circle. We got top marks, we loved books, science fiction and were considered the Geek set. There were about a dozen of us, creating safety in numbers. Though we did not hang with the popular kids, we were not ostracized excessively. As a group, we were invited to occasional popular parties. With one or two of the popular set, we would feel like the pet puppy who was useful as we could help out with the homework but, as a general rule, most of the A Crowd  treated us as individuals with a strange hobby. So for me, high school was not as traumatic as some of my new Geek friends. I was lucky.

Maybe this is why I don't hold the view of some of the blogs I have read on the internet. Compared to some Geeks, of my generation, I have had a sheltered life. Still, I feel that the influx of those who now identify, even in some small way, with the rest of us Geeks is a good thing. Without new blood, we will become a small incestuous group with our thoughts narrowing as we get older. Maybe this is what we are seeing in some of the essays on why Geekdom should stay pure? 

I have admitted that I did not bare the full brunt of the Geek-hate that some of the authors may have had but I had friends who did and I have still had my fair share of harrassment. The biggest issue my friends and I had were that of belonging and the need not to be excluded. There is a human need to belong and we, as Geeks should understand that need. In the past, we have embraced those who were sometimes considered outsiders, why can't we now accept the more mainstream and revel in the knowledge that we have now been vindicated? If we remain exclusive, we have the danger that we will then become the bullies, vilifying those who now want to fit in us. We no longer have to work hard to fit in with them...

We do run the risk of our niche being taken over, becoming mainstream and then the popular, gorgeous set ostracizing us anew. That is a risk we may have to take.  Maybe they now want to be part of our culture because they have seen how much fun we have? Maybe they did not wish to take it over? Here, I must  also admit, there is a little bit of me that envies the attention the new, gorgeous fans attract. It used to be skill that was deified. Now the beautiful are glorified, yet again.  But if it is just a fad, it too shall pass and they will grow bored and move on to their next fancy. But those who stay will be part of us.   And with that inclusion, we have been accepted more by outsiders and the media.

What makes a Geek anyway? The definition is fluid. Maybe some of the popular set have envied us and want to belong as well?

Be excellent to one another!

The Social Side of Marketing

Networking is a buzz word that has been around for some time now. First we had business networking, giving professionals the opportunity to create and act on business opportunities. Perfect for growing your company or business. Very quickly networking became a social phenomenon spawning Blogger, Livejournal, Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter. 

Mark Zuckerberg would probably love it if you thought that networking was a modern construct but Victorians had it down to an art form. From a girl's Debut, the social circuit involved balls and opportunities to find a suitor. The Freemasons were adept at socio-economic networking, taking it to an international level which still exists today.  Victorian Visiting cards were used to show social standing and governed, as everything in the Victorian era, by complicated and strict rules and etiquette.

Whether it is social or professional, networking is one of the best ways to 'spread the word'. In my other-professional life, I have learnt the importance of word of mouth networking. Nothing beats it for advertising! For twenty-six years my loyal client numbers have grown, by word of mouth. I have one family of regulars who now span three generations and many that span two.  

Now, as I try to grow my reborn vocation as writer and artist, I am networking in new ways. These days that also includes social networks. I have the traditional website: Karen Carlisle Creations. I am told it is old school, as it does not allow for social interaction. These days, more interactive format is required as well. Social networking is a must to be known. 

I have business cards that I hand out to people who are interested. Yesterday, my neighbour popped in for a social visit. He has a new job and the byproduct of the visit, was networking his new postition... just in case. No problem! I suggested he mention me to any of his friends that might need t-shirts and directed him to Redbubble.

Currently, I have a Facebook page Karen Carlisle Creations/ Off the Artboard/ Katdb, encompassing my differing artistic personas - both professional and re-enactment - where I can provide updates on current projects and products. I have this blog Off the Artboard, as a tool for both practicing and showcasing my writing skills. It also allows me to discuss my creative processes in my varied projects. It allows me to share a little of myself with you, dear reader. 

For, these days, share and network we must. Artists have to compete with cheaper factory lines (and unfortunately rip offs as well). Our ammunition is networking. So go forth, dear reader. If you like what you read, if you like what you see, share this with your friends. 

Wait for It or Pay for It!

On the weekend, we went to the cinema to watch The Great and Powerful Oz. I enjoyed the movie. Won't say too much (spoilers!) but it gave an explanation of how The Wizard and The Wicked Witch of the West came into being. Interesting, with enough of the feel and flavour of the original Wizard of Oz. 

This is not what this post is actually about...

While we were waiting (and waiting) for the pre-movie advertisements to finish, the couple behind us were having a loud and animated conversation. It was difficult not to hear the discussion. It was even more difficult not to comment on it. I held my tongue though, as many of you will probably know, the following is a real sore point of mine. It all comes down to copyright.

The conversation began like this:

Girl: 'Did you see Game of Thrones, the other day. I haven't had time to watch it yet'

Guy: 'I download it on TorrentFreak (I think he said) watched it straight away.'

Now, I am not a fan of Game of Thrones, but even I know that it is shown 'express from the US', on Foxtel Showcase in Australia only two hours after showing in the US. How hard is it to wait two hours! For those who don't have Foxtel , I have also read today that Quickflix has made a deal with HBO so that Australians can legally download the series for instant streaming. 

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2013/04/game-of-thrones-just-got-easier-to-stream-in-australia-thanks-to-quickflix-and-hbo/

Yet, despite this, it appears Australians are still the pirate capital for this show. (along with London and Paris) http://delimiter.com.au/2013/04/03/despite-quick-cheap-legal-option-australia-still-top-games-of-thrones-pirating-nation/

What is that I hear? I don't want to pay to download it. Tough. Foxtel viewers have to pay for it. If you want it for free, then wait til it comes to free TV... like many of us had to in the past.

The conversation continued with the girl listing a long, long list of TV shows she watches (how she had time to go to the cinema, I don't know) and the guy listing all  plus more shows that he downloads illegally so he does not have to wait for it to legally hit our screens. Apparently he does not like to wait to see them and has to see them immediately.

If you distil it down, the essence seems to be that illegal downloaders dont want to:

 1. wait for it 

 2. pay for it.

It was only recently that we were able to get Doctor Who fast tracked from the UK. We used to have to wait months for it. We didn't die waiting for it.  We learned patience and craved it all the more when we got it. So learn the words delayed gratification. All good things come to those who wait etc. Maybe this skill could prove useful in everyday life? hmmm? No one owes you a free ride.

TV shows and movies (as well as most other art, novels, music etc) are the end product of someones imagination, time spent creating the work (sometimes this could be a year or more), hard graft in finding funding and then making the final item. The final result may be for entertainment but it is also the source of income for many people and their families. 

Somewhere along the line there has to be a payoff by viewers or no one gets paid. We, as viewers, pay either by pay per view (legal download), pay for view (Foxtel or equivalent) or via advertising (waiting til it goes to free to air TV). Patience and advertising is the flip side of seeing it for free. Simple facts of life.

Not only does it take money from the artist and actors who create it but illegal downloads endanger the continuance of your favourite show, skewing the actual audience numbers. I recently saw statistics on Game of Thrones.  Apparently if the audience of 2 million who watched it legally in Australia, had actually illegally downloaded it, then the television show would not have got renewed. http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/box-seat/stop-stealing-game-of-thrones-says-us-ambassador-to-australians-20130427-2ilam.html

That is what copyright is supposed to help protect. Circumventing it will not only hurt the copyright's owner but eventually it will hurt the viewer.

Think about that for a minute. Are you willing to deny someone's family their income?  Seriously?  For the less altruistic out there, are you willing to jeapardize your favourite show being made for the sake of being impatient! 

What a wonderful world.

Most people just see the world as just the stuff that surrounds them. The streets are just streets. Unknown people are just there, sometimes annoying. Plants are just greenery. They have not looked up to the sky and seen a building for more than its street level and doorways.  Such a pity. There is so much more to the world around us! 

There is a wonderful photographer who specialises in urban scapes which he photographs at night (usually about 3 or 5am!) giving the most beautiful colours and haunting scapes. I love his work and he inspires me to do more urban work. You can see some of his work on his FB page: https://www.facebook.com/waynegrivellartandphotography?fref=ts

The buildings that surround us, particularly here in Adelaide, have so much history. My family are getting used to me stopping and just looking up to see what some of the buildings reveal as they tower above us. I took this photo some time ago. It shows the contrast of our city.  Another was taken, while (my husband was) driving under an overpass that is currently being built. 

It pays to actually look at the world around you.  There are some beautiful and unique visions that are only there for a second and possibly only seen by you! 

A recent trip to the cinema, at Marion prompted me to borrow my husband's phone again. On arrival, we found that the New York bar and grill has changed  ands and is now a Cafe Primo but the architecture still stands (I don't know for how long). How often have moviegoers or shoppers just stopped to look at the retro signage, with that Disneyland feel. Unfortunately, the camera does not do justice to the intenseness of the red circle light. On leaving, I saw the reflection of the sunset , in our car bonnet. two pictures later and the red was faded. Gone forever.

I remembered my SLR for a picnic yesterday. Even such mundane things as food, can become an interesting image.

Finally, look at the wonders of nature that surround you. The tree was a mass of colour and texture. The huge flock of cockatoos took flight, during our BBQ picnic... reminding me of the Hitchcock movie Birds.   

I must admit I am often caught out seeing something that is begging to be photographed, and I don't have my SLR with me. Realistically, I cannot take it everywhere.  It does not matter what equipment is used. Just about everyone has an android or iphone, these days - most of which have decent cameras on them. There are even websites set up specifically for the new area of photography that is growing and gaining some respect in the traditional world - coined iphonography. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhoneography

There is a flickr group specifically for iphone users: http://www.flickr.com/groups/iphoneography/

The world is a beautiful and interesting place. If only we have the eyes to see. 

Culling actually means cutting my heart out

This weekend, we scored 127 second hand books, from the local library book sale, for the princely sum of $40 in toto. Bargain! I am a sucker for booksales, particularly second hand books as I get more bang for my buck. Second hand stores, garage sales, online book stores such as Brotherhood books are like honey to me, and I am the ant.

There is, however, always a catch. Four years ago, we had a room extension, added to our house, so we could fit the boxes and piles of books, we already had. Currently we have 13 stand alone bookshelves, about 3 boxes and several piles of books... not including the 4 bags we purchased this weekend. What a happy predicament to be in... and what a gut wrenching one. 

At this moment, I am staring at tens of piles of books, all arranged in author or genre, all waiting for their new place amongst our old favourites. And here is the rub; all of those books are favourites. With limited space, we have to cull some of our existing stash but where to start? This is where I have to admit that I have cheated and started with our daughters library of books. 

Gone are the early readers and (most of) the picture books. (There are some picture books that I just cannot part with.) Gone are the chapter books. (again, most of them. There are some our daughter won't part from... yet). These once loved books are now destined to become the loved, and possibly favourite, books of our friend's younger children. 

Now comes the mammoth task of culling our beloved books, some of which I have had for almost forty years! We have made some rules:  

Rule 1: Gone are the multiple copies. We have found five already and are likely to find more, having put off this when my husband and I got together. With similar tastes (as well as vastly differing ones as well), we are bound to find several double ups... Now that would make the process so much easier. I can only hope.

Rule 2: If we have forgotten we had them, and are unlikely to read them in the next 12 months, they go (unless they are classics like Jules Verne, HG Wells, Asimov etc or Beowulf or Agatha Christie or...... you get it). Generally, this will be some of those books we bought, read and thought, meh.

Rule 3: If it is a full series, it stays. If we have only managed a few, in the series, and not found the impetus to find the remainders, then we probably don't really have a craving to read them. This equates to gone.

Rule 4: Emotional attatchments work. I am keeping my Blue Moon Rising and Forgotten Realms and Susan Cooper books. So there.

Rule 5: No one touches the Pratchett, the Dresden Files or Doctor Who books (from the 70s and 80s). 

I think that may allow us to relocate some of our books but each one removed from the shelves (or boxes or piles) feels like a piece of my heart has been cut out.  I really hate being an adult sometimes. 

Photo: (c) Karen Carlisle, taken at Mortlock Wing of Adelaide Library

Pride and Restrictions

Yesterday, I had a Jane Austin fest - the full BBC miniseries of Pride and Prejudice. I have a soft spot for the clothing, especially those long, fluid coats worn by Mr D'Arcy! Sometimes, I long for a simpler time with  more manners and ettiquette, the romance of it all (I am a big softie really) and then I slowly remember the reality, of that era, and how lucky I am to be living in the twenty-first century.

I am the daughter of dairy farmer and lay-preacher's daughter. I would not have been a great catch if I had lived in the early 19th century; I would have not had the opportunity for a University education, due to my perceived social standing and the fact that I am a woman.   Modern medicine has allowed me to survive the birth of my daughter. My life is definately enhanced by being born in the twentieth century. 

Mr Bingley compliments, "All young ladies are accomplised. They sing, they draw, they dance, speak French and German, cover screens and I know not what". With such a list of accomplishments, I am feeling a little inadequate!  On the surface of it, had I been born in Jane Austin's time and been one of the privileged classes, I would have had the time to learn, practice and hone my skills at so many artistic things that I would love to at least try some day.  I could have gone beyond basic French, kept up my school German, be able to practice my drawing and photography more than part-time. I could spend more time embroidering and catch up on my reading. I could even try dancing. 

But at what cost?  Dig deeper, and we can see the restrictions woman had then. Today, I am blessed to live in time where I have so much more freedom. I can improve my 'lot in life' by education and work - both not available to most woman in Jane Austin's time. I have modern luxuries such as washing machines and vacuum cleaners to make my life easier. But I cannot have my cake and eat it too, as they say. I need to work, at least part-time, to afford the luxuries most of us have come to expect in the 21st century.

It is interesting how, in just a few centuries, things can change. In early 19th century, we read of women who felt trapped as that is all they could do. Today, I get told I am indulging myself too much, if I concentrate on my artwork.

I can only hope to follow such an extensive list of creative pursuits in my spare time and there are just not enough hours in the day. But, I do have the option to work, study and follow my artistic pursuits. Like everything, I need to work hard to afford to do the things I enjoy. I have started the slow climb, so that my creative pursuits may, one day, produce a decent income. Until then, won't give up my day job!

Not Just For Profit

.. not that there is much actual monetary profit in being an artist anyway - at least for most of us. Honestly, who would choose a job where the most common description, used for well over a hundred years, to describe it is 'starving'? Or the track record of many artists making more money after they have died? Not the most attractive selling points for a career choice.

So what do I do it for? I have no choice, and there lies the rub. I have spent over 25 years in a well-paying profession which I enjoy but it does not give me the same satisfaction as creating something. Over the past years, I have rediscovered my 'bliss'; nothing gives me the same calmness or completeness as I achieve during or after I have actually created something. Every one has a piece of my soul embedded in it. My dear husband has commented many times, over the years, that I get grumpy when I have not 'made something for a while'. 

It does not matter whether it is writing, drawing, costume making, photography or even creating in my garden. All elicit the same endorphin-like effect. Bliss. Today, I am meeting with some of my friends for Scribes, for calligraphy and illumination, as a part of one of the clubs I am a member of. We re-create medieval and renaissance style 'scrolls' for boons given in our club. It is yet another outlet to give me my creative fix. It can take 3-6 months to create an original design, with calligraphy (writing) in a period style to match the artwork.  

Here are some examples:

And at the end, each one is given freely to someone (I often don't know) to thank them for work done. Though I do take commissions, these work is a labour of love - worth it for the smile you see on the recipients face! 

So, the answer to the question who would choose being an artist as a job? Me, because it is a passion and not just for profit.

(I won't be giving up my other part-time job in a hurry, but what a wonderful  full-time job it would be.)

Blakes 7 and Other Little Green Men

I am a fan of 1970s and 1980s BBC and UK science fiction. I loved them. I still do - Doctor Who, Blakes 7, Star Cops, The Prisoner The Avengers(I know it was 60s), Sapphire and Steele.  Yes, it was clunky. Yes, they had a non-existent budget. But, as is often the BBC's want, they made up for this in original, interesting storylines. At the time, this was all new and unseen! They did the best they could do with no CGI, handmade models and the ubiquitous BBC Doctor Who quarry. Ignore the cardboard walls and man-in-the-monster-suit alien. We used our imagination to fill in the blanks and create a high tech wonderment. 

It was the same with the original Star Wars movie. We look back it now and, with the benefit of large screen HD televisions and the pause button, we can see the lines where the Tie Fighters were matted in. Did those of us who lined up in 1977, for seven viewings of the movie, really care? No! We were excited to see something new and original (yes, I know that Star Wars was based on classic hero myths and stories) movies! While the 'remastered' copies do look more slick on HD, I still remember sitting in a small seaside town cinema, in awe of such things. 

I admit, I still prefer to watch the original cut  of Bladerunner (it may be unfashionable, but I like the Film Noir style voiceover and the atmostphere it created) and of Star Wars: The New Hope (Han short FIRST!) and, yes,  it is possibly out of nostalgia more than anything else. These were the movies and television shows that I grew up with, they fostered my love for science fiction (I was already a sucker for fantasy, having read Lord of the Rings umpteen times). They enabled me to create images, ideas and feelings that have remained with me all of my adult life and influenced my art and writing (including that SF novel I wrote in grade 12... )

Over the decades, the amount of science fiction on our screens, seems to wax and wane, depending on whether the television/movie industry thinks it is popular and they can make money. Fair enough. It is their money and it is a business for them. However, many great SF shows have been cancelled due to this (my husband still hopes Firefly will return some day). 

Babylon 5 was the first television show to really make use of CGI, to great advantage. However, they still relied heavily on great, and sometimes wonderfully thought provoking stories. Alien Nation was another of the 90s SF television shows that used the science fiction format to tackle sometimes quite emotionally charged and ethically questionable story lines, using aliens to question the ongoing apartheid and racism. Great writing and better special effects equals great science fiction. Even the less 'serious' SF shows and B grade SF movies were great fun. I still have a soft spot for Space Rangers (with Linda Hunt). 

Then we hit the past decade, when Hollywood and television discovered that making CGI blockbusters was easier than writing good storylines - to the detriment of many movies, in my humble opinion.  It is just a roller coaster ride from beginning to end. If we see more than a basic plotline, we are extremely fortunate. 

Now is the time of remakes. I guess, the movie Powers That Be have realised that their audience is wanting storylines again. Movies such as War of the World, The Day the Earth Earth Stood Still and Total Recall are just rehashes of previous movies. No original storylines here. This falls under the guise of we need to update the movie/story so it is relevant to the current generation. By this reasoning, we will have a new Total Recall every 10-15 years! Heaven forbid! This is just lazy programming.

We also have a deluge of movies based on previous work, such as comic books and novels. Hollywood has been using novels for movies since it's inception. This, at least, allows for some (hopefully well choosen) well thought out storylines. Lord of the Rings is the most obvious example here. I actually loved the movies. Khazad Dum looked exactly as I imagined it. In as similar vein, we have the many Marvel comic movies. The danger is that literary fans may not like the movie if it does not live up to their expectations, as can often happen. The advantages are that the story is open to a new audience and hopefully the original writers will receive a decent sized benefit  from it. Let's face it, at least it is not a rehash of an existing movie. 

Now were are in the time of the Reboot; which is probably a fancy marketing word to sound a lot less like remake or copying an old storyline, isn't it? Moviewise, we have had the Dark Shadows reboot, and from televeisoin, we have Battlestar Galactica and V, as examples. Personally, I was dissapointed by both.  I think they were hoping the current generation have never seen the original and others would have forgotten it. Maybe they don't care about those of us that saw the 'original' and prefer it. Why didn't they just change the character names and call it something else?   

This has even gone to the extremes of the relatively new Spiderman movies have now had a reboot to update them. This is not all creative suicide though (I hope).  Star Trek reboot (which I enjoyed, I must admit). The premise is that the reality line has been altered as consequence of events in the first movie. This allows for familiar characters, that we love, to have new updated stories. While still a bit of a cop out, at least it is not a clone of the other movies or television show. 

I just read an article on i09.com today (which was the impetus for this post), that the Sy Fy channel is finally investing (or at least planning to) in a swag of  new science fiction series. I guess, it became less trendy again. Hopefully, they will concentrate less on dubious reality tv shows, cooking shows and wrestling! Having heard there was to be a reboot of Blakes 7, I have now read it is Sy Fy that has engineered it. The pilot is to be written by Joe Pokaski (Heroes) and directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale). Let us hope that is it a well thought out and written version of one of my favourite shows, and not a rehash that will destroy the whole experience. 

Finally, my real hope is that television and the silver screen will  give writers a chance to show their originality and not just look at the statistics as to what is most likely to get bums on seat. 

As 'Number 6' said, "I am not a number!" 

Rattle, Shake and Roll

Today I am rattled. I am dealing with stress again. I am about to return to part-time work, in my other professional guise, after months off. All of my relaxation techniques are being utilized today as I have a meeting with the Powers that Be. I tried to start writing my post last night but could not concentrate; I tried to do some sketching but my hand is shaking so the curves look shite.  

I spent yesterday doing some fact research for a speculative fiction story. I have to see if I can pull out some specific historical happenings to fit in with an alternative history I have planned for a major historical figure. This follows on from some ideas that I jotted down, a few weeks back; a good thing coming out of a bad night's sleep. I was originally going to set the story in his timeline but am thinking I may move him forward and see what happens and how it would effect him (and history) when he returns. I am on a roll! I now have 9 pages of notes, just on the original historical path, and more on some plot ideas that I would dearly love to be able to fit into the puzzle.

I am planning on some endorphine-producing hard work digging in the garden after my meeting, this morning. To my surprise, over summer, about six french lavender seedlings have self-seeded themselves in the garden. I made the mistake of digging three of them out, too early in summer. They died. But then, we did have a record hot, dry summer this year. I have been biding my time, to transplant the other three. They should be tough enough; they have survived summer with minimal care. Currently, the upcoming weather report is looking reasonably mild with possible maximums to only the high twenties (Celcius). It is looking a lot safer to dig them out. So, today I will be shovelling shit (and compost) into their new homes, in preparation for their move. Quite an appropriate metaphor, really.

I have previously mentioned that my garden relaxes me. The lavender seedlings are a reminder that, no matter how bad things are, some things can survive. My grandmother used to say 'What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."  The woman was a font of knowledge! I too, can survive this chapter in my life and go on to rewrite the story.

And now for some gratuitous pics I have taken, of my husband who stands by me in my creative moods:

On Bullying against Free Thought

Intellectual discussions don't seem to be as popular now as when I was at university. I used to have the most fascinating discussions about space, space-time, bending space, black holes. I used to read the cutting edge articles and still watching docos and reading books on them. Forget the complex maths (my worst subject) but the theories and concepts are mind-bending and such fun to debate.

Philosophical  or theological discussions seem to be harder to have these days, as well. I have many friends with differing beliefs. It is fantastic! We often have to agree to disagree but have some really eye-opening, thought provoking discussions and debates along the way. But go further afield, and there seems many people who are not even wanting to entertain the thought of any alternative idea or knock down anyone who don't agree wholeheartedly with their point of view. 

I was brought up to believe that everyone has a right to their own point of view and that it is a good thing (an encouraged thing) to listen to their points of view. Even if  I didn't agree, I can find something interesting to discuss or end up on a totally unrelated (and usuallly very interesting) tangent. This creates a creative and  productive atmosphere, with intelligent, thoughtful debates on differing subjects, and a greater understanding of others, life the universe and everything.

I was encouraged to question things I believe, to explore my thoughts and others thoughts - and decide what I think - for myself. Most of all, I was encouraged to respect that others may not think the same way as me. That is what creates the variety and spice of life. However, more and more often, I now hear of bullying, monstering, flaming and downright oppression of ideas and concepts, particularly on the internet.  I am very saddened by this. People are missing out on so much when they only listen to one voice, only share one voice and ignore, or try to control, the many voices that create the choir of the world!

And now, this growing unaccepting culture is also trying to impact on writing and art. Art and writing is very personal. I do it to express my imagination and the many ideas that bombards me. It could take a decade , or more, before I get any measure of success that is credited by most of society. I have been told that I should write something more popular - popular fiction as opposed to speculative - that I should draw things that are more popular: they will sell better. Hmmm....

I do this gig because I simply cannot not write. I have to - even if it is not the most popular thing at the moment. I draw what I draw because I have to draw it. I make no excuse for that. I can do things for commission but what I love to draw will not change. It is me. 

Sadly, it seems that these days, some people want to be sheep and if you don't agree with the loudest alpha sheep, then the group tries to butt you out. Well, this chick ain't be shoved that easy. I will continue to listen to the world's choir and make up my own mind. I'd rather be a stubborn goat than a cloned sheep.

The Impatient Generation

Time was that conversing with someone in another country, meant having to board a ship, or send a handwritten letter (via ship) and it would take months to cross the major oceans to reach another continent. At least from Australia - that big island in the Southern Hemisphere that is so far from the other continents. Then later, there was the telegraph. This could still take days for messages, depending on how far from a telegraph office you resided. Then there was the overseas phone call (at exorbitant prices) and finally, what is now termed, snail mail. I miss letter writing days, pen friends and collecting the stamps. 

What I think is really awesome, is that I can sit in my lounge room, in Australia and type some words. Push a button and these words will then get seen by people in all the major continents of the world, including Russia, South America, Asia and Africa - let alone Western Europe and Northern America. These days a message on FB or a blog can be posted and it has been seen, read or replied to within seconds! This is actually mind blowing!

There was a time when the only resources, for research, was the local library - the State Library if you needed something more in depth. I usually ended up at the University Library or ordering in books on interlibrary loans - some of which could take over a month to turn up. These days we just go 'google it'... One problem is that things published on the internet don't have fact checkers to make sure that we are not reading total fabrications. Internet is also essentially ephemeral; here one day, gone the next. It is all smoke and mirrors.

I was born pre-video recorders, pre-DVD, pre-moblile phones. My friend would audio tape- yes a cassette tape! Our favourite television show (back then we had only one TV and my show clashed with the parent's show) and when we replayed it, she would narrate the visuals for me! I remember having to wait months (and sometimes years) for a television show to be aired here, in Australia. We would wait months for Doctor Who. All this is lost on the current generation who have had mobile phones, instant messaging and internet downloads at the finger tips.

Just the other day, I saw someone bitching (yes, they were quite spiteful and indignant) that 'how dare they have to wait til the next day to see Doctor Who? They should be able to download it straight away.' They did not care to wait for the official download but wanted a pirate copy NOW, as 'why should they have to pay (less than $2) for a copy when they can get it illegally... oh .. don't get me back onto copyright issues!! For now, let me just say that people seemed to have lost their patience and expect everything for nothing! It won't kill you to wait less than 12 hours! We had to wait 6-9 months or more!! 

This also translates into other areas of life and becoming a cultural norm, unfortunately. (Sadly, it is not just the internet generation either; baby boomers and X-gens can be just as impatient.) 

Dear Impatient generations,

Deal with it! Stop and smell the roses. Good things come to those who wait. Enjoy life, slow down, enjoy art and movies.. but remember someone had to make them, for you to enjoy. 

love,
Learnt the Value of Waiting.

Wicked Words!

There are some really cool words in the English language! Some have a sound that describes the word itself, perfectly. 

Orb: One of my favourite sounding words is orb; such a short word, sounding much larger than the three letters imply. For me, it conjures up the image of something very round and complete. Spherical  just doesn't cut it; it is a larger, awkward sounding word. Three syllables make it sound spikey and irritating. With orb, I feel like it implies (a round, spherical object or globe); it rolls around on my tongue, continuing round the other side, in an never-ending roll. It is possibly one of my  most favourite of words. 

Untoward: Another uncommonly used word these days but I use untoward a lot. One of my favourite phrases is 'nothing untoward'. The definition of untoward is 'improper, unexpected, in appropriate, inconvenient, difficult to work with or control or unruly (another really great word!) However none of these really sound as cool as untoward. It sound so Victorian - like someone is telling me off for 'untoward behaviour'. I know I have done something inappropriate (which sounds a little cumbersome in comparison), or even downright unruly, but how can I get annoyed about it when it was described in such a proper and polite sounding way? There is absolutely nothing untoward sounding about the word, untoward.

Flabbergasted: This is such a descriptive sounding word, meaning to be overcome with astonishment, surprise or bewilderment, astounded or possibly even appalled.All of these  connotations (another great word, by the way) are embodied by this one word. Flabbergasted almost sounds like it is being spat out in exasperation. It creates an image of the 'flabbergastee' standing there indignantly waving around her arms, in astonishment. The very word, almost sounds like it is making fun of itself! 

Vivid: It does what its definition promises and evokes strong feelings or images in the mind. It is an 'in yer face' word - sharp, crisp and to the point. Vivid  is a word full of excitement and colour. In my mind, vivid  is definately red in colour, with a tinge of orange and yellow licking its edges! 

And finally balderdash! What a bomb of a word! It sounds like an expletive... but polite. I feel like I almost have to say it, while holding back the snicker that inevitably is associated with it (when I say anyway). My eyes just pop with the whole possibility of getting away with saying a word that sounds like one of 'those naughty words' that usually would end up with my mum washing my mouth out with soap. Originally, in the sixteenth century, it was apparently used to describe a frothy liquid associated with shaving. These days, it describes a senseless jumble of words. So really, it still means 'froth' and sounds like it too.

Language is evolving. With twitter and texting necessitating clipped words and sentences, changing our language to convey 140 characters per post, are we losing some of the beauty of the English language? Will we lose our ability to think and express ourselves in intricate and interesting ways or be restricted in our philosophies and thoughts, as in George Orwell's 1984? 

Is it not old fashioned to enthuse about such spiffing words as orb. There is nothing untoward about using the words untoward or vivid. I am flabbergasted that so many words are dropped from the English Dictionary, every time is revised. Some wonderful words are being lost. However, I will continue to have fun with the English language. 

Creating art with living things

Art is  not just seen or created on the easle, paper, the potter's wheel or the computer it can be seen in the everyday things around us. This is what my photography has inspired me to do - look for a beauty in everything I see, even something that is mundane or appears ugly at first glance. A shadow, a curl in a vine - all can be unique and artistic in just being. this sort of art is fleeting, ephemeral and once missed, is gone forever. The chance passing, as the sun glistens on a spiderweb; there for but a brief time, but providing the most glorious dance of light, as the web wafts in a slight breeze. 

I do not have to venture very far at all, to have inspiration for photographs. Within the confines of my very own garden, I can find many beauties - unexpected views, colour, light and shade.

It is not just photography that benefits from my garden. Today, I was cleared my head, with an hour of  graft, in the garden. I removed my beloved summer tomatoes and dug in some compost and maure.  This time is like a regeneration of my soul - the birds, the bees, the colours, the sunlight, the smell of the dirt and the endorphins; even the regular traffic noises seem to align my thoughts and emotions, grounding them to where they belong. Within the hour, the words were writing themselves. Back inside, they spilled out onto the page. (if only the computer would now behave)

But it not just recording beauty, or writing prose that is borne there. It inspires me to visual creations as well. As an artist, I see the garden. not just as a collection of plants, but as a tapestry with each view creating its own portrait. Sometimes, I can sit for hours manipulating the scenery, in my head, until a pleasing picture presents itself. Then is the task of trying to recreate the vision with landscaping and flora.  Views from the back door:

Views from the front door:                       :                                                                                

If anything, my garden has taught me to see beauty and art, in many varied places, to appreciate the moment and to enjoy it while I have it. It has also inspired me to words, pictures and living creations... and provided some food along the way.

Hoarding Heartache?

Oh, my goodness!!! I am a hoarder! But I am trying very hard to be a reformed hoarder. 

I have lived, in my house, for over twenty years. In that time I have collected many things, including household items, collectibles, costumes, clothing that does not fit anymore ... and a mountain load of paper. Paper disguised as books, old art work and prose, recipes (that have never been used), reams of photocopied information on various interests such as Historical costume re-creation and multiple copies of  pictures that I once thought were cool. (some still are).  Over the years, we have added an attic and a front room extension to house the ever-expanding collection of 'stuff'. 

This year, I have been stronger; I have culled many ill-fitting items of clothing and donated them to charity or given them away on Freecycle. I am a big fan of reuse and recycle. Repurposing items is not only good for our environment, it is fun and saves you money! It is such a waste to throw perfectly useful items away, when they are inconvenient or just not wanted anymore.  I even have a FB page: Reuse, Recycle and Grow. 

This week we started to catalogue and rearrange three of our bookshelves (We have over nine more to go). Removed, was a whole shelf of spiral, plastic folders - the ones with the clear plastic slip in sleeves. The spines announced they held papers related to gloves, shoes, hose, headwear, blackwork, extant clothing and patterns; the list went on... and on... and on.. and...

Finally, I got the best of my procrastination, and decided to tackle the pile. After four hours of exhausting work ( and much sneezing with the dust kicked up), I now have half of the pile sorted resulting in thirteen empty folders, seven full ones and nine centimetres of used paper for our 'reuse pile' (great for scribble paper). So, it is Autumn and I am doing Spring cleaning. For me, it is best to organise and downsize when I am in a ruthless, culling mood before I give in and return half of the un-needed items to 'stash'.

Life can also be a hoarding exercise, collecting too much baggage and never letting any of it go. Many things can and should probably be forgotten, especially if they are causing heartache. I think I am finally reaching a point where I can let go  and maybe I can stop hoarding some of my stresses.

Today: another day, another cup of tea, another pile to cull...

Creating (or Surviving) in a Digital World.

And this, dear readers, is why I still prefer to draw with nib pen and ink, or a pen... It took me 30 minutes to sketch my ancient dragon, about an hour to ink him. Coloured him in GIMP in about 2 hours... took the REST of the day to work out the filters I had used on the writing... (now written down... a second time). Life was much less frustrating when I was avoiding any computer enhancements to my drawings! I keep getting told it will be useful, in the end... and that honestly,  I will end up preferring it. I do agree, it is much easier to change colours and compare them; I don't have to redraw the whole thing! Digital methods do save a lot of trees and I am always up for that. This is probably one of the main reasons I am still struggling with the computer for my drawing. But, I reserve the right to judge at a later stage...
For now, I am just so relieved that I have worked out the sequence for the 'Ancient Dragon' writing for the Roleplayer Series.. phew. #5 Ancient Dragon at Red Bubble.

What I do like the computer for, is writing. I can get things written faster (and much neater). I can change my mind, rewrite and save old versions... just in case. However, when I really get stuck and find it hard to put words to the screen, I still reach for my pen and recycled paper (I use the back of already used paper) and start writing. Sometimes it is hard to decipher what I have written, if I leave it too long to rewrite it, especially if it was written at 3 o'clock in the morning (which does happen!) I had a notepad by the bed and in my handbag. I have other notebooks in my 'office'.  I then re-type up these scribblings and often do re-write #1, at this stage.

When I was in high school, we used to get a week or two to write our assignments, short stories or essays. On the few occasions, that I followed the plan that we were set, I got the worst marks for essay writing. My most successful essays were being finalised on the morning they were due. I cringe when I think of it now but it wasn't as bad as it sounds.

I did have a method, not just the one suggested by the teacher. I would start by mulling over the topic, in my head. Sometimes a few paragraphs would spill out immediately. They were written down and put in a foolscap folder or notebook. I then used to let the words swim around in my brain, sometimes almost for the full time allotted. Two nights before, I would sit down and just write - whatever came into my head - usually a paragraph at a time.

Back before we all had computers, back before we all had scanners, back before writing software, I did it all by hand. I would number each handwritten paragraphs, then physically cut them out and rearrange them in an order that made sense. I would then write any bridging paragraphs that were required to make the essay  flow more coherently. The final stage, was rewriting the whole essay into a whole, ready to hand in. I would sometimes be sitting at the classroom door, writing up the final paragraphs. But it always got me an 19 or 20/20!

Not much has changed in my writing, really; the process is still essentially the same. If I try to write something too far ahead, it does not click and is often rewritten several times. Inspirational paragraphs or sentences can get laid down early but I need to let the prose rewrite itself in my mind, at least a few times before I commit it to paper, or screen. It is much quicker and easier to rearrange paragraphs or sentences with a programme. I often will give myself a deadline to work to, so that I have a timeline to aim for.

For this bit of prose, it was a morning start on the topic which changed twice as the words formed in my creative conscience, finally settling on wrestling with digital techniques. I wrote several paragraphs on drawing, with the emphasis shifting towards writing. I edited a several sentences, rearranged a few more, shuffled a couple of paragraphs and finally wrote another paragraph to complete the segue.

This morning, was a final read-through and some more editing. Hopefully, it will satisfy.

Where have all the artists gone?

Many of us know the words;

Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to graveyards every one
Will will they ever learn?
Will will they ever learn?

I heard this again, yesterday, just after reading an article on Amazon vs Indie Bookstores. Together, they echoed a discussion I had been having, intermittently with my husband, over the past week. (It is amazing how such co-incidents happen - a bit Twighlight zone... no not the vampire book ugh!). It will be very interesting to see how this actually plays out. There seems to be a lot of big companies trying to oust the little guy out right now. Screw 'em! Don't they realise that if they push out the individual, then the world loses independent thinking and ideas that would not have been born in the stifling atmosphere bread in closed off corporations?

There seems to be a lot of action in regards to copyright and stealing of copyright recently. There has been many articles showing up advising us that newspapers are trying to get payment for quotes from them. This may at first seem that they are championing copyright, but read carefully. What they want is to have your copyright and make money if you use as little as  5 words of (what would become) theirs!

Associated Press Expects you to pay license for 5 word quotes

and another one here. and in Canada it went to court: Is this Canadian Newspaper breaking Copyright Law?

What I find interesting is that, with Canadian Law - so far at least, has upheld Fair Dealing with several paragraphs being allowed. And in Australian law, it allows for parody. This makes sense. 

How are we supposed to allow for discussion or debate, if we cannot quote appropriate statements? Or is that what big newspapers want? They want to pontificate, to force the public to see their point of view but stop anyone from putting forward another point of view. Even more interesting, is that most newspapers use copy from other sources. They always have. How else can they get their stories? They cannot be omnipotent, no matter how much they blow their collective horns! Some now want to copyright their words, even just 5 of them. So they are justified in stealing, by their definition, copyrighted words of others? 

If they do succeed, will this only be for them or will the independent author benefit as well? Hang on, they can print what THEY want due to freedom of speach...so screw the independents with not enough money to fight them? ugh.

Then there are artists. In Ausrtralia, as soon as you create a piece of work, art or writing, it has automatic copyright. This is how it should be. There are programmes and websites, such as Tineye and Google Image Search that help track down stolen copyrighted art.

I have some friends who are fantastic artists but, even in my small circle, I know of two who have had their work stolen, copied and sold from under them. One has a court case pending, so I will not name her. The thieves have stolen exact images, not even changed to claim a parody! Now that is not only illegal and immoral but downright lazy! Yet, they get away with it. I am hoping my friend - an independent artist - wins her battle. For a battle it is!

Hopefully the 'shit hitting the fan' with copyright theft and fights for restrictions and large companies trying to control all copyright, with end up with a backlash and in the ashes, the individual artist/writers benefiting and not having their livelihood stolen from them. Think about it! Look at the movies coming out of Hollywood over the years. Many are remakes or based on old television shows (the movie moguls are betting the current generation do not know shows) or comics. There are very little original movies, these days. Most that are, are from books, written independently from movie corporations. If the individual has their ideas stolen from them, we would only have large corporations (with the money to win in court) dictating this area of our PRIVATE lives as well; they will restrict what we see and hear and in the end what we can produce and think. Hello Big Brother.

What if the artists went on strike? Why should they produce artwork or books or movies, if they are to only have it stolen? Then who will create the original novels, comics, art, film, tv and images that our modern society craves? 

Just think about it.... while we are allowed. ... how does one copyright private thoughts, I wonder?

Let loose the dogs of war!

(which by the way is more than the five words!)

Myths and Legends...

Humankind has always shown creative imagination. Cave paintings can be found in Europe, Africa, Australia and many parts of the world. They tell stories about past lives and possibly the hopes of those who created these works of art. When humans started questioning their lives and the Universe, the communicated this via their art as well; Australian Aboriginal art tells stories of the Dreamland. Even before writing, humans were telling stories, weaving words to create myths and legends, many of which echo through many continents. We all share heroes and heroines, adventures of daring do, strange lands and fantastical creatures. 

My favourite is the dragon. They are large, beautiful, strong, powerful and intelligent; testosterone with wings, beauty and wiles. All of humanities strengths wrapped up in glistening armour-hard scales and (in my early-childhood-Tolkein-influenced view) encrusted with sparkling, precious jewels. Gob-smackingly beautiful. With wing-spans almost as big as a house, their muscles have to be powerful and just about every story has a dragon who outwits its attackers. Beauty, brawn and brains too!

Artistically, this has always caused me a problem. Just one day, I would love to draw a butch dragon however, when I try to draw terrifying dragons, they always end up looking cutsey. Not good unless they are aiming for lulling adventurers into a false sense of superiority. (hmm... could be an idea...) Solution: Draw just a fraction of one... Dragons are so large that we would rarely see all of it in one glance - plus I love drawing eyes... 

Roleplayer series #3 Dragons eye at Redbubble (also in print and direct sale badges and Portable Art)

While looking for a second creature drawing, for this series, I was reminded of the Cockatrice. These are interesting creatures; part chicken/Rooster and (guess what!) part Dragon! Maybe I could make this look a little more menacing? Big sharp beak and curved claws are menacing. (Have you ever been chased by an angry, territorial Rooster? Trust me - scary, painful stuff). Still not sure if it is nasty though. Maybe it was having a good day? Available at Redbubble - Roleplayer series#4 Cockatrice.

 

So, from pre-historic art, to myths, to cockatrice, to t-shirts; that is the segue for today. Happy Adventuring!

(and don't eat too many Easter eggs)