Musical Images....

I really love Aaron Copeland.  His music is so rich in texture and variety of rhythm and sound, and not only is it sound, but it is American sound- things I associate with all that makes America what it is: bold but soft when needed, delicate and sophisticated but strong, and full of adventure. His music spans from the Appalachians to the wild lands of Texas and every beautiful country lane and big city in between.

His music visually, tactilely, olfactory, and physically inspires me to such beautiful images of America as it was in the days of the Old West, and what it can be again. I know that sounds a bit melodramatic, but that's how deeply his music stirs me.

I'm not a patriotic person by nature, but this music makes me love my country in a way I don't feel every day.  I also do not know if the bleak economy has anything to do with my constant looking back to the past, because things weren't all peachy back then-it's just something different and exciting.  That feeling is just exaggerated by Mr. Copeland's music that is full of that same energy...but I digress, I am starting to not make sense even to myself so I will stop...

The Moon...

 So the LiveJournal Writer's block question for today was about the moon:  It's the full moon today. Almost every culture has its share of lunar lore, from werewolves to lunacy to true love. Do you believe that the full moon affects our behavior or do you think it's a myth?

I have two answers to that question.  First as a human being on this earth, I think the full moon affects some people more than others.  For example I have horrible insomnia in the several days leading up to the full moon, and during and my dreams are twice as vivid as normal.  Do I think it affects everyone that way?  No, the fact that my brother and sister sleep through everything short of a bomb leads me to suspect that no, they don't have the same reactions to a full moon as I do.  I think, not to sound too new age-y, that the moon affects those more in tune with earth and it's rhythms as a whole.  I have a very strict sleep pattern that is very much dictated by light, the suns processes.  I can go to sleep whenever, but as soon as my brain sense light outside, it says time to wake up!  To me that explains why full moons keep me awake.  So I suppose just as people are affected by the earth and her cycles in different ways so too are they affected by the moon in different ways. [Sorry that was sort of long and round about way to say that.]

The second answer to that question, or perhaps its more like pondering, is as a writer.  I think as far as literature and myth go the moon represents the mystical unknown.  It is that celestial body hanging in the night sky, that for the longest time no one knew what it was!  And I think sometimes that it is that very aspect of the unknown that affects people when they see it.  Even today we can see the moon, and we know we have the technology to get to the moon, but that does not mean that me, Lainey Elise Welsch, will ever get to set foot on the moon.  That inspires awe in me, at this unsolvable mystery, that I see waxing and waning every month.  The moon has always represented mystery, and I think it should stay that way.

In my own writings my goddess of the moon Menai is represented as dark, mysterious and representative of all that is not seen, and by that I mean that which is intangible and cannot be verified by mortal senses.  I like it because it is a juxtaposition to Solaren, her sister who is the sun.  That which illuminates and makes things seen and known.  I tried to take the idea of people being affected by the moon and making it much more literal.  Menai is a meddlesome goddess who may or may not be linked to the God of War...I haven't decided yet wether or not to actually put her in Children of Destiny or save it for the mythology but she might make an intriguing companion for Ramis, and a very interesting opponent to Raoul [God of Wisdom]

Well, this has rambled on quite long enough!  I think I will actually go write now, I'm on a roll with CoD...if my wrist would just stop hurting!

Hiding...

So Kalin had his wisdom teeth out this morning and is now zonked out on the couch to my right, and Carter is laying in between the curtains looking out the window to my left and I am sitting right smack dab in the middle with nothing to do...well that's not entirely true.  I have things I COULD be doing [writing novel, drawing, working on Hook painting, re-learning how to knit...]  but my brain is just not used to doing nothing.

I really want to work on my play but I don't know how to begin the re-writes not having a freshly updated copy printed.  Maybe I'll just go off what I have printed out [if I can read through the coffee stains!]  and keep my computer on to see what I've re-written on there, and work out stuff by hand.

"Keep moving forward."  Keeps flowing through my mind and I want to have something to send Maggie like I promised, and I'm frustrated with not making any money at anything I do, and always being in debt, and...well, enough of that.  I'm going to write now...hooray escapism...

Realization

I just realized in total,[although not all updated!] I have five actual blogs!  And that is not counting Facebook notes and my DA notes, but then again I usually just cross post from my other blogs so what I have to do in order grasp some sense of sanity and keep everything updated I will create a schedule, and write it on my calendar!!  

Haha!  That will kick my butt into updating my life for all denizens of the Internet to read!

Monday:  Writing Blog

Tuesday:  Steamgear Tavern [used to be a writing group, now epistolary novelization of my steampunk play!]

Wednesday:  Tofu Toast Studios!

Thursday:  The Lamppost Beyond the Door 

Friday:  Psychedelic Llamas Present!  [this one!]

I am not sure if this will help but it will at least keep me in line with what all I have out there to keep updated.

I will have to finish outlining Steamgear and Lamppost before I can really start on it, but hopefully I will have some impetus to do so now!

More later back to work.

Grendlesmere...

For those of you over here in Blogger-ville who would like to see what rattles around in my brain while I spend most of my life driving!

My Writing Blog!

In the mean time I am trying to sum up the craziness that was this past weekend.  I will post more when my thoughts and or sanity are properly collected.

Movie Review

Today Kalin and I watched Wall-E before I left for work, and it is one of the most exquisitely created animated movies I have seen since Sleeping Beauty.  Now, you might be saying that exquisite is quite a strong word to use to describe a movie about a dirty robot, but I mean it!

The animation was beautiful, the writing was clever but not too self aware, and the humor was brilliant.  They managed the subtle humor that the adults would understand coupled perfectly with the funny 'falling down bits' that the children would love in a way Shrek could only dream of, without sex or potty humor!  [And you said it couldn't be done!]  In addition to that, there was a lovely and very meaningful message of: This is what happens when we rely solely on technology, and we don't take care of our planet. And the best part is that the film did not beat you over the head with it which only enhanced the intricacy of the writing and the movie as a whole.

It was this balance of subtle and slapstick humor that allowed the creators to craft a film where the first fifteen minutes or so had no dialogue whatsoever [or at least any we could understand] and that just made it that much more interesting!  Also the fact that the 'bad guy' was not really a bad guy and was kept that way by clever use of circumstances and how robots work made me appreciate it that much more.  Don't get me wrong, I love a good fairy tale with the hero and the 'evil' sorcerer [or whomever] that is defeated and the day is saved, but this was refreshingly different.   

I will keep this short because I could gush all day about this movie and every little bit that I like, but I will say that not only is Wall-E a great movie, with love, humor and danger but it is an important movie.  It is important not only in the message that it is sending, but the way in which it was made to send that message. 

 Take note writers, artists, animators, filmmakers, this is something to strive for!

Surviving...

So...I have survived...there were times I wasn't sure...but yes I have made it!! Through Christmas Carol-ness AND Thanksgiving Craziness!!!  And now that I have gotten through all of that I would like to make my list of things I am thankful for [borrowed from Jarred's blog]

This is in no particular order...

1. Wood fires.

2. Mornings laying in bed with Kalin and Carter under a mound of blankets.

3. Kalin's smile.  [And Kalin in general! ^_^]

4. Fingerless gloves.

5. Bic pens [cheap and reliable!]

6. Laughter in any form.

7. Heather 

8. Serena

9. My family [as crazy as they are!]

10. Painting.

11. Warm summer evenings when the mosquitos aren't so bad.

12.  COFFEE! [and not just for the caffeine content]

13.  Warm weather.

14. Trees, lots of trees.

15.  My health.

16. Kalin

17.  So far having not having to experience any major traumatic events in my life.

18.  Clean air.

19. Mountains.  

20.  My imagination, and creative abilities.

That's just a short list, there is a lot I am very thankful for this is just the beginning.  This week is a lot of preparation for my art show on Sunday.  I am very excited, but right now my main goal is keeping my fingers warm...I cannot figure out WHY her house is so cold....

More later...at a warmer time...Off to go type some more on my novel and watch more X-Files!