Thirteen dead in Washington, DC Navy Yard shooting.
Some of the dead were the much-vaunted good guys with guns: the security guards.
Maybe now we can have a discussion about reasonable gun control...?
Nah. Didn't think so.
I warn you, though: I am in no mood for bullshit. Mourn the dead, and otherwise shut up. We'll talk guns later this week.
Not today.
Thirteen dead.
Some of the dead were the much-vaunted good guys with guns: the security guards.
Maybe now we can have a discussion about reasonable gun control...?
Nah. Didn't think so.
I warn you, though: I am in no mood for bullshit. Mourn the dead, and otherwise shut up. We'll talk guns later this week.
Not today.
Thirteen dead.
It's the anniversary of That Day.
Sep. 11th, 2013 09:43 amTwelve years ago, twenty men decided to take the lives of several thousand people in a most attention-getting way.
Our world has been fucked up ever since, and it's not getting any less fucked up the more we continue to encourage fear, bigotry, violence, and greed.
I don't think things are going to improve until we remember that our first priority as a species is... the preservation of ourselves as a species. Helping each other, loving each other, embracing the differences that make us unique, celebrating the commonalities that make us one.
Today is not a day to keep the flame of vengeance alive.
Today is a day to keep the flame of hope alive.
I love you all.
Our world has been fucked up ever since, and it's not getting any less fucked up the more we continue to encourage fear, bigotry, violence, and greed.
I don't think things are going to improve until we remember that our first priority as a species is... the preservation of ourselves as a species. Helping each other, loving each other, embracing the differences that make us unique, celebrating the commonalities that make us one.
Today is not a day to keep the flame of vengeance alive.
Today is a day to keep the flame of hope alive.
I love you all.
There's A Reason I Created This Userpic
Sep. 6th, 2013 06:12 pmAhhh, DC Comics. Always with the maturity and good clean fun.
I don't think it's any secret that I've had it up to HERE with what the writers and editors at Marvel and especially DC Comics consider to be cutting-edge material, mostly because their material tends to include lots of cutting edges. But this is just frickin' nuts.
And I see the stuff in the comments on that page about the potential meta and meta-meta context. Nope, sorry, no biscuit. DC's animated wing is doing just fine without this crap; Marvel's animation is nearly as good, and of course the movies are great. No, the people in charge at DC Comics these days are the sad, repressed damaged goods people used to think were caused by comics.
I can certainly deal with violence in comics (said the guy who loved Frank Miller at the beginning of his career, long before most people had heard of him). Absolutely sexuality (said the proud owner of the three-volume hardcover Lost Girls, every issue of XXXenophile, and lots of other smutty goodness). But there are... not limits. Standards. There's an old adage about rules, and how they're made to be broken... but sometimes they're made to be followed, because they work.
Every once in awhile, someone posts an old page from the earliest days of Spider-Man or Fantastic Four, or even Superman during the Curt Swan heyday. And it's wonderful how much story and characterization Stan and Steve or Julie and Curt crammed into six or nine panels... and how there actually was story and characterization going on.
Remember the chest-burster scene in Alien? Ridley Scott famously didn't tell the cast what was going to happen, to make sure that their reactions were all believable... to force everybody in the film, and thus everybody watching the film, into a new and unknown realm of horror.
Sometimes I feel as if modern comic creators are trying to do that all the time.
It ain't the medium -- it's the people who have forgotten, or never learned, storytelling... and, possibly, how to have fun.
Thoughts?
I don't think it's any secret that I've had it up to HERE with what the writers and editors at Marvel and especially DC Comics consider to be cutting-edge material, mostly because their material tends to include lots of cutting edges. But this is just frickin' nuts.
And I see the stuff in the comments on that page about the potential meta and meta-meta context. Nope, sorry, no biscuit. DC's animated wing is doing just fine without this crap; Marvel's animation is nearly as good, and of course the movies are great. No, the people in charge at DC Comics these days are the sad, repressed damaged goods people used to think were caused by comics.
I can certainly deal with violence in comics (said the guy who loved Frank Miller at the beginning of his career, long before most people had heard of him). Absolutely sexuality (said the proud owner of the three-volume hardcover Lost Girls, every issue of XXXenophile, and lots of other smutty goodness). But there are... not limits. Standards. There's an old adage about rules, and how they're made to be broken... but sometimes they're made to be followed, because they work.
Every once in awhile, someone posts an old page from the earliest days of Spider-Man or Fantastic Four, or even Superman during the Curt Swan heyday. And it's wonderful how much story and characterization Stan and Steve or Julie and Curt crammed into six or nine panels... and how there actually was story and characterization going on.
Remember the chest-burster scene in Alien? Ridley Scott famously didn't tell the cast what was going to happen, to make sure that their reactions were all believable... to force everybody in the film, and thus everybody watching the film, into a new and unknown realm of horror.
Sometimes I feel as if modern comic creators are trying to do that all the time.
It ain't the medium -- it's the people who have forgotten, or never learned, storytelling... and, possibly, how to have fun.
Thoughts?
Sorry, Sorry, I'm Back
Sep. 6th, 2013 06:00 pmBetween SHI (shitty hotel internet) and just So Damn Much Happening before and after DragonCon, I haven't updated LJ/DW in about two weeks. Sorry, gang. I is back, and with news.
And how are you doing?
- DragonCon was moderately financially successful and amazingly fun. I had dinner at the Banquet with the Seventh Doctor, Sylvester McCoy, and TV's Spartacus, Liam McIntyre (and his gorgeous fiance Erin). My Banquet set went pretty well, as did my other FIVE sets. Busy busy busy. Saw friends, saw great costumes, did NOT see anywhere near as many of the great costumes as I wanted to. Briefly met Rob Paulsen, which was wonderful. So, many thanks to Pat Henry, Regina Kelly, Robby Hilliard, Chip Brazell, Walt, and everybody else who helped make D*Con good this year.
- During that weekend, the 2015 WorldCon bid was won by Spokane, WA. And now it can be told: I'm their Music Guest of Honor! I'm incredibly flattered and humbled and WOW I must be doing something right. Anyway, Sasquan in late August 2015 -- be there!
- I will be uploading new noise very soon. Everybody who wondered where the heck the TomBoat album was? I have it.
- Another new album of stuff you mostly haven't heard before? I have it.
- Sets from this year's DragonCon, to be put up pay-what-you-want? I have 'em.
And how are you doing?
SAVING STAR WARS Meets Make-A-Wish
Aug. 23rd, 2013 04:16 pmOur old buddy Gary Wood, the filmmaker behind Saving Star Wars, is doing something cool for the next week:
Check it out, won't you? And, if you like it, boost the signal.
Beginning today, August 23, through Friday, August 30, WoodWorks Films will donate $2.00 from every online viewing/rental of Saving Star Wars. We're excited to make this happen and hope you'll make this a Saving Star Wars/Make-A-Wish Weekend.If you haven't seen it before, SSW is a great little picture, with humor, wit, and a lot of heart. I wrote "Rock Me Amidala" for it, and I'm proud to be a part of it.
Check it out, won't you? And, if you like it, boost the signal.
New FREE* Concert - MarCon 2013
Aug. 20th, 2013 06:11 pmPay-what-you-want, complete with cover, CD label, and tray graphics. Most notable for Toyboat backing me up on "Rocket Ride", a preview of the no-really-it's-coming Tomboat album. No donation required, any donation appreciated.
Farewell, Elmore Leonard
Aug. 20th, 2013 10:59 amGreat sadness. Elmore Leonard has passed away at the age of 87. He wrote remarkable works, vivid and exciting, many of which were translated to film.
I will never forget the first time I saw Get Shorty. There's this remarkable moment with John Travolta and Dennis Farina, where Farina -- oh, just watch:
I was about to go crazy when Farina incorrectly used "e.g.", and Travolta corrected him, and I loved this movie and everything about it, and especially I loved Elmore Leonard.
Rest well, sir, and thanks.
I will never forget the first time I saw Get Shorty. There's this remarkable moment with John Travolta and Dennis Farina, where Farina -- oh, just watch:
I was about to go crazy when Farina incorrectly used "e.g.", and Travolta corrected him, and I loved this movie and everything about it, and especially I loved Elmore Leonard.
Rest well, sir, and thanks.
Orphaned Instruments Fund
Aug. 19th, 2013 09:36 amOur dear friend ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fabricdragon has an ongoing fundraiser to cover her costs for rescuing and repairing distressed musical instruments. Check it out, won't you?
fabricdragon has an ongoing fundraiser to cover her costs for rescuing and repairing distressed musical instruments. Check it out, won't you?I am bummed that I did not make GenCon Indy this year, but it was my own fault. I really didn't plan for it, and I didn't save up any money for it. Even if I had made it, it would've been a skin-of-the-teeth thing, and that ain't no way to do something like GenCon. So, next year.
Meantime, I have a lot of upcoming stuff, and you can all be part of it:
Second: The FenCon/ConChord/Back To OVFF trip. Between FenCon and ConChord, I will have about ten days to play with. Three of them will be spent in travel just getting out there; I'll likely spend a few days visiting my mom, out in Phoenix. Once I get to San Diego, I hope to spend one day up in Anaheim, at Disneyland.
I'd like at least one, and up to three, to be house concerts. If anybody's interested.
The available dates would be Oct. 8-14, depending on where I am on my westward journey -- e.g., it's much easier for me to do Texas on the 8th through 10th than on the 13th and 14th. Anywhere in Dallas, or possibly Austin; along I-20, or I-10, heading towards Arizona; or between San Diego and Los Angeles. A few hours of absolute insanity, live in your living room/den/gazebo/whatever. You know the drill: I ask a small donation; the host/hostess gets free albums and a recording of the concert; the other guests get serious discounts on merch; and everyone gets a silly, fun evening.
Just for everyone's convenience, my intention is to stay at a local hotel where possible, although we can talk about that.
Anyone interested in hosting something?
I've been thinking of doing a live video concert or three for awhile now... but the tech has always been a bit shaky. Not anymore. Concert Window has opened up the possibility of actually being able to charge admission and everything (including a pay-what-you-want option), while having WAY more robust servers than anything I could access otherwise.
So. If I had a half-hour to forty-five-minute online concert at Concert Window -- say, sometime in December -- would anybody be interested?
Meantime, I have a lot of upcoming stuff, and you can all be part of it:
- First, of course, are the conventions I will be attending.
I'd like at least one, and up to three, to be house concerts. If anybody's interested.
The available dates would be Oct. 8-14, depending on where I am on my westward journey -- e.g., it's much easier for me to do Texas on the 8th through 10th than on the 13th and 14th. Anywhere in Dallas, or possibly Austin; along I-20, or I-10, heading towards Arizona; or between San Diego and Los Angeles. A few hours of absolute insanity, live in your living room/den/gazebo/whatever. You know the drill: I ask a small donation; the host/hostess gets free albums and a recording of the concert; the other guests get serious discounts on merch; and everyone gets a silly, fun evening.
Just for everyone's convenience, my intention is to stay at a local hotel where possible, although we can talk about that.
Anyone interested in hosting something?
So. If I had a half-hour to forty-five-minute online concert at Concert Window -- say, sometime in December -- would anybody be interested?
One more time. They're down to 17 hours, with just over $500 to go. C'mon, it's our dear friends, Eric Coleman and Lizzie Crowe! You know you want to help.
I Will NOT Be At GenCon 2013
Aug. 14th, 2013 09:54 amJust too much going on, too little money, bills due, ongoing problems with my tooth, etc. I wish I could justify it; can't. I hope everyone who does make it there has a blast, and I hope to see you next year.
New FREE* Concert - ConTemporal 2013
Aug. 11th, 2013 02:28 pmSo here's the deal.
I'm not in any danger of being thrown out on the street or anything, but I have got a few pending things that I need some cash for -- dental work, GenCon, stuff like that.
So I'm working frantically to get some new concerts up, and to finish a couple of paid-for projects so I can get back to other projects, including, y'know, long-overdue new albums.
First up is my concert at ConTemporal this year. And I think I've done a pretty good job of spiffing up the package. Best possible audio. Lyrics and notes all over the individual song pages. All the JPGs for the CD, tray, and insert. (Subscribers, I'm uploading the MP3s right now, and later this evening I'll upload a disk image for you, already registered with Gracenote [sans cover art -- that's an ass-pain].)
Aaaaaand it's free. You don't have to pay a thing.
What's the catch?
None. I'm gonna start putting ALL my concerts up on BandCamp that way, and update things on tomsmithonline.com soon as well. The concerts will be free.
Unless you'd like to pay me something for them, to help support an artist.
(I repeat: Subscribers, this is already in your folder or will be within about fifteen minutes. You're good, and thanks again.)
Anyway. It was a pretty damn good concert. We had lots of fun, and a bunch of people hadn't heard my stuff, and we laughed and sang and et cetera and I even improv'd a song about a lady carrying on a conversation right near the stage, and I think managed to not offend anyone or come off looking like a jerk.
48 minutes of Tomedy (... okay, that word dies a quick death starting nnnNOW), free for nothin'.
Thanks to you all.
I'm not in any danger of being thrown out on the street or anything, but I have got a few pending things that I need some cash for -- dental work, GenCon, stuff like that.
So I'm working frantically to get some new concerts up, and to finish a couple of paid-for projects so I can get back to other projects, including, y'know, long-overdue new albums.
First up is my concert at ConTemporal this year. And I think I've done a pretty good job of spiffing up the package. Best possible audio. Lyrics and notes all over the individual song pages. All the JPGs for the CD, tray, and insert. (Subscribers, I'm uploading the MP3s right now, and later this evening I'll upload a disk image for you, already registered with Gracenote [sans cover art -- that's an ass-pain].)
Aaaaaand it's free. You don't have to pay a thing.
What's the catch?
None. I'm gonna start putting ALL my concerts up on BandCamp that way, and update things on tomsmithonline.com soon as well. The concerts will be free.
Unless you'd like to pay me something for them, to help support an artist.
(I repeat: Subscribers, this is already in your folder or will be within about fifteen minutes. You're good, and thanks again.)
Anyway. It was a pretty damn good concert. We had lots of fun, and a bunch of people hadn't heard my stuff, and we laughed and sang and et cetera and I even improv'd a song about a lady carrying on a conversation right near the stage, and I think managed to not offend anyone or come off looking like a jerk.
48 minutes of Tomedy (... okay, that word dies a quick death starting nnnNOW), free for nothin'.
Thanks to you all.
Remember that library gig I had last month? Well, I'm doing it again, 5:00 p.m. tomorrow, this time at the Caroline Kennedy Library on George Ave. in Dearborn Heights, MI (just north of Ford Road, just west of Telegraph). An hour of silly songs, and I can't remember but there might be an ice cream social.
Our dear friends Eric Coleman and Lizzie Crowe, otherwise known as Cheshire Moon, are in the midst of an IndieGoGo campaign to fund their new album. Unfortunately, they're only halfway to their goal, with ten days to go. Won't you check it out and help if you can? Thanks.
Updated DragonCon 2013 Filk Schedule
Aug. 6th, 2013 07:55 pmBookmark this page. (There are apparently some subdomain issues at dragoncon.org, so it might be tricky to get to.) Lots of fun stuff down in the regular room, Baker, including Filk & Cookies, recording workshops, Instafilk, etc.
My schedule, at the moment, is:
My schedule, at the moment, is:
- Fri 7:00 p.m. - Hyatt Int'l North (you just want to stay all night for this one -- I'm followed by the Blibbering Humdingers, the Brobdingnagian Bards, and the Lost Boys)
- Sat 7:00 p.m. - Guest of Honor Banquet (just a quick 15 minutes, but YEAH)
- Sat 10:00 p.m. - Hyatt Int'l North (another evening of coolness, kicked off by the Humdingers and followed by the Bards)
- Sun 8:30 p.m. - Hyatt Int'l North (Humdingers before, the Gekkos after)
- Mon 11:30 a.m. - Hyatt Concourse (this actually may be an hour set, rather than the normal half-hour)
WILL YOU LOOKA THAT SHIT
Aug. 6th, 2013 11:15 amThe comments on YouTube are about how much they would pay for this, but all I can think is that it's practically a seminar for how to make such art yourself. Hot off of MuseCon, howzabout linking up to some especially cool instructional videos?
A little extra love and attention for:
- Nuclear Bubble Wrap's next album, Psycho Delicacy
- Filmmaker Gary Wood's My Kid Brother's Band, about the sister of George Harrison
- Keith DeCandido's graphic novel, Dragon Precinct
- A nifty-looking game and adventure maker, Adventurenazor: When Pigs Fly
