I got these at the California Ren Faire I went to in April - live blades, and the most period sword I own so far.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Harry Birthday, Harry!
To celebrate Harry Potter's birthday, I'm going to post the prologue to my work-in-progress fan fic.
This fic is set after Deathly Hallows, though the prologue is not.
Note that this is an 'alpha revision' - that is, it has not been checked by an editor, unlike my other published fan fic. If you see errors of any sort, please let me know.
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter and his world. She didn't write this, however. No money is being made from this story and no copyright infringement is intended. Any reprints of this story should carry this disclaimer and identify the author as "Gridley."
Prologue: For Every Ending
Author’s Note: Even while I was reading Deathly Hallows, I kept expecting Fawkes to show up. After I got over my initial shock and awe with DH, plot bunnies formed a phalanx led by that non-appearance and charged. This story will re-use many of the features I’d intended for the pre-DH version of “Flame of Life.” I hope that those of you who were disappointed with that stories’ abandonment will read this and forgive me.
“…Harry thought, for one heart-stopping moment, that he saw a phoenix fly joyfully into the blue…” – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 30.
In the beginning, there was the Spirit.
The Spirit felt the rush of flames about it and was joyful, for it knew it need have no fear of fire. The Spirit leapt happily into the air, for it knew it could fly. The Spirit flew far from the place it had begun, for it knew it was free, and wished to explore and learn.
It was not until some time later that the Spirit began to wonder how it knew these things. How did it know that the things below were trees? How had it known that it could fly? It knew, somehow, that trees could not fly. Logically, some things could fly and others could not.
Perhaps that was the greater problem. The Spirit knew it existed, but what was it? If it knew what it was, that might explain how it knew things. It was not a tree. It looked around. It was not a lake. Lakes also could not fly. Perhaps the Spirit should not be able to fly after all? The Spirit studied its wings. Yes, they seemed intended for flight. Each answer merely led to another question: how did the Spirit know what wings were, and that they allowed it to fly?
The Spirit studied its body in more detail. It had feathered wings of red and gold. It had long, sharp talons. Well, the wings were for flying. What were the talons for?
The Spirit’s study was interrupted by a voice, seeming to appear directly in its head.
*Young one?*
*Yes?* The Spirit answered. It looked around, and saw another body, similar to its own, flying towards it from the side.
*Hello, young one.* The other body turned to fly alongside the Spirit.
*Who are you?* The Spirit asked. The Spirit hesitated, and then asked the question that it felt was more important, *Who am I? What am I?*
*We call ourselves the Reborn, for each time our bodies die we are reborn from their ashes with our souls intact. We are called many things by others. In this place, in this turn of the Larger Wheel, we are often called ‘Phoenix.’* The other body, the other phoenix, turned slightly and flew upwards, flying over the Spirit to look at it from above, coming to a halt on the other side. *As for whom I am, I am myself. I have been called by many names since I was first reborn, many, many turns of the Lesser Wheel ago.*
*Who gave you these names?* The Spirit asked. Perhaps it could go to them and get one of its own. Perhaps then it would know who it was, and how it knew things.
*We call them Sparks, for they spend such a little time, rarely more than a hundred turns of the Lesser Wheel, upon the world. When we spend time with them, they often give us names.*
*How do they know the names are the right ones?*
*They are neither the right names, nor the wrong names,* the other answered. *They are but sounds. You wish to learn who you are, do you Young one?*
*Yes!* The Spirit answered. *I know things, but I do not know how I know them. I do not know where I came from, or what I should do!*
*Do not be afraid, Young one.* The other replied, soothingly. *I will explain. When a truly great one among the sparks, strong in magic, wise in the ways of the turning of the Wheels, sharing greatly in the love of other sparks, goes knowingly and willingly to their death for the sake of others, not all of their soul takes the journey to what awaits them. A small part of it remains here, bound to the world. It is from that part that our kind is first reborn. Not even the Eldest among us knows how or why. Some of what they knew, we know. Some of what they were, we are.*
*Do they know this?* The Spirit asked, interested. This explained so much!
*No,* the other seemed saddened by this. *It is but a small piece of their soul that lights our first flame.*
*Who was I?* The Spirit asked eagerly. *Can you tell me?*
The other did not answer for a moment. *I know from whom the spark came. But do not confuse that with who you are now. You have a full soul of your own, now. You are not the same as what you came from, and it can only cause you pain to try to be the same.*
The Spirit considered this. Surely, as its body was different, it would have to be different in some ways. Very well, it would take the other’s advice. *What should I do now?*
*Each of our kind chooses their own path. Some believe that as we came from the greatest of the sparks, it is our duty to help them. We have found that our tears can heal their bodies, that our song can help their souls, and that our tail feathers can channel and strengthen the magic that some of them possess.* The Spirit turned its head, looking back at its own tail. After a moment it looked away again. *Others feel that as we are not like them, we should go our own way. They sit alone and think about what will happen when the Greatest Wheel completes its turn. They say that while the sparks have little time to think, we have much, and so we should use it well.*
*Are there many of us?*
*Less than fifty of our kind exist that we know of. Some of our kind search the world, turn upon turn of the Lesser Wheel, looking for our kind. They say there are billions of the sparks, and many other creatures, but of our kind, only the few.*
*How can so few help so many?* The Spirit was awed by the thought of how many sparks there were.
The other flexed its talons. *We are powerful, Young one. Never forget that. We have found nothing on this world that can destroy one of our kind once they are reborn for the first time. Our beaks are sharp and our talons strong. We fall only to rise again.*
The Spirit became afraid. *Is not so much power dangerous? What if we… do not use it well?*
The other sang out loud happily. *Ah! You have already begun to ask the most important questions. Part of the answer, Young one, is that we can still feel pain. Pain of the body is fleeting, but pain of the mind stays with us always, for while the sparks seem able to forget, we cannot.*
*And what is the rest?*
*Calm yourself, Young one. Not all of your answers should come from others, some you must learn from yourself. The Wheels turn, and this turn of the Least Wheel is almost complete. In the dark we will rest, and when light comes again we will go on. I had thought to aid one of the sparks in the task before him, but if you wish it, I will remain with you for some time.*
*Thank you.* The Spirit was relieved. There was so much it wanted to know! Another thought came to it. *Will the spark be all right without your help?*
*The turning of the Wheels will tell, but I suspect he will. When he had lived for but twelve turns of the Lesser Wheel I helped him destroy a great evil. He has learned much since then, and this time he need not be alone in his task,* the other paused. *And, in a way, I am with him still.*
End Prologue
This fic is set after Deathly Hallows, though the prologue is not.
Note that this is an 'alpha revision' - that is, it has not been checked by an editor, unlike my other published fan fic. If you see errors of any sort, please let me know.
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns Harry Potter and his world. She didn't write this, however. No money is being made from this story and no copyright infringement is intended. Any reprints of this story should carry this disclaimer and identify the author as "Gridley."
Prologue: For Every Ending
Author’s Note: Even while I was reading Deathly Hallows, I kept expecting Fawkes to show up. After I got over my initial shock and awe with DH, plot bunnies formed a phalanx led by that non-appearance and charged. This story will re-use many of the features I’d intended for the pre-DH version of “Flame of Life.” I hope that those of you who were disappointed with that stories’ abandonment will read this and forgive me.
“…Harry thought, for one heart-stopping moment, that he saw a phoenix fly joyfully into the blue…” – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 30.
In the beginning, there was the Spirit.
The Spirit felt the rush of flames about it and was joyful, for it knew it need have no fear of fire. The Spirit leapt happily into the air, for it knew it could fly. The Spirit flew far from the place it had begun, for it knew it was free, and wished to explore and learn.
It was not until some time later that the Spirit began to wonder how it knew these things. How did it know that the things below were trees? How had it known that it could fly? It knew, somehow, that trees could not fly. Logically, some things could fly and others could not.
Perhaps that was the greater problem. The Spirit knew it existed, but what was it? If it knew what it was, that might explain how it knew things. It was not a tree. It looked around. It was not a lake. Lakes also could not fly. Perhaps the Spirit should not be able to fly after all? The Spirit studied its wings. Yes, they seemed intended for flight. Each answer merely led to another question: how did the Spirit know what wings were, and that they allowed it to fly?
The Spirit studied its body in more detail. It had feathered wings of red and gold. It had long, sharp talons. Well, the wings were for flying. What were the talons for?
The Spirit’s study was interrupted by a voice, seeming to appear directly in its head.
*Young one?*
*Yes?* The Spirit answered. It looked around, and saw another body, similar to its own, flying towards it from the side.
*Hello, young one.* The other body turned to fly alongside the Spirit.
*Who are you?* The Spirit asked. The Spirit hesitated, and then asked the question that it felt was more important, *Who am I? What am I?*
*We call ourselves the Reborn, for each time our bodies die we are reborn from their ashes with our souls intact. We are called many things by others. In this place, in this turn of the Larger Wheel, we are often called ‘Phoenix.’* The other body, the other phoenix, turned slightly and flew upwards, flying over the Spirit to look at it from above, coming to a halt on the other side. *As for whom I am, I am myself. I have been called by many names since I was first reborn, many, many turns of the Lesser Wheel ago.*
*Who gave you these names?* The Spirit asked. Perhaps it could go to them and get one of its own. Perhaps then it would know who it was, and how it knew things.
*We call them Sparks, for they spend such a little time, rarely more than a hundred turns of the Lesser Wheel, upon the world. When we spend time with them, they often give us names.*
*How do they know the names are the right ones?*
*They are neither the right names, nor the wrong names,* the other answered. *They are but sounds. You wish to learn who you are, do you Young one?*
*Yes!* The Spirit answered. *I know things, but I do not know how I know them. I do not know where I came from, or what I should do!*
*Do not be afraid, Young one.* The other replied, soothingly. *I will explain. When a truly great one among the sparks, strong in magic, wise in the ways of the turning of the Wheels, sharing greatly in the love of other sparks, goes knowingly and willingly to their death for the sake of others, not all of their soul takes the journey to what awaits them. A small part of it remains here, bound to the world. It is from that part that our kind is first reborn. Not even the Eldest among us knows how or why. Some of what they knew, we know. Some of what they were, we are.*
*Do they know this?* The Spirit asked, interested. This explained so much!
*No,* the other seemed saddened by this. *It is but a small piece of their soul that lights our first flame.*
*Who was I?* The Spirit asked eagerly. *Can you tell me?*
The other did not answer for a moment. *I know from whom the spark came. But do not confuse that with who you are now. You have a full soul of your own, now. You are not the same as what you came from, and it can only cause you pain to try to be the same.*
The Spirit considered this. Surely, as its body was different, it would have to be different in some ways. Very well, it would take the other’s advice. *What should I do now?*
*Each of our kind chooses their own path. Some believe that as we came from the greatest of the sparks, it is our duty to help them. We have found that our tears can heal their bodies, that our song can help their souls, and that our tail feathers can channel and strengthen the magic that some of them possess.* The Spirit turned its head, looking back at its own tail. After a moment it looked away again. *Others feel that as we are not like them, we should go our own way. They sit alone and think about what will happen when the Greatest Wheel completes its turn. They say that while the sparks have little time to think, we have much, and so we should use it well.*
*Are there many of us?*
*Less than fifty of our kind exist that we know of. Some of our kind search the world, turn upon turn of the Lesser Wheel, looking for our kind. They say there are billions of the sparks, and many other creatures, but of our kind, only the few.*
*How can so few help so many?* The Spirit was awed by the thought of how many sparks there were.
The other flexed its talons. *We are powerful, Young one. Never forget that. We have found nothing on this world that can destroy one of our kind once they are reborn for the first time. Our beaks are sharp and our talons strong. We fall only to rise again.*
The Spirit became afraid. *Is not so much power dangerous? What if we… do not use it well?*
The other sang out loud happily. *Ah! You have already begun to ask the most important questions. Part of the answer, Young one, is that we can still feel pain. Pain of the body is fleeting, but pain of the mind stays with us always, for while the sparks seem able to forget, we cannot.*
*And what is the rest?*
*Calm yourself, Young one. Not all of your answers should come from others, some you must learn from yourself. The Wheels turn, and this turn of the Least Wheel is almost complete. In the dark we will rest, and when light comes again we will go on. I had thought to aid one of the sparks in the task before him, but if you wish it, I will remain with you for some time.*
*Thank you.* The Spirit was relieved. There was so much it wanted to know! Another thought came to it. *Will the spark be all right without your help?*
*The turning of the Wheels will tell, but I suspect he will. When he had lived for but twelve turns of the Lesser Wheel I helped him destroy a great evil. He has learned much since then, and this time he need not be alone in his task,* the other paused. *And, in a way, I am with him still.*
End Prologue
Monday, July 30, 2007
Fire!
I just had the always-fun experiance of arriving home to find a fire department ladder truck parked across the entrance to my apartment complex.
A quick survey found a second ladder truck inside, along with three engines and three ambulances, along with two command vehicles and several whacker-mobiles.
Image below, taken some time later.
The fire was in the adjacent building, and thanks to the sprinkler systems we have, no one was hurt.
Still, it does get the old adrenalin going to find ten emergency vehicles in your parking lot.
A quick survey found a second ladder truck inside, along with three engines and three ambulances, along with two command vehicles and several whacker-mobiles.
Image below, taken some time later.
The fire was in the adjacent building, and thanks to the sprinkler systems we have, no one was hurt.
Still, it does get the old adrenalin going to find ten emergency vehicles in your parking lot.
Guest Blogger
This week I will be guest blogging on: http://randomgirlwithrandomthoughts.blogspot.com/ . I'll be posting both here and there each day.
I'm also assigned to spend 26 hours this week in certification meetings. Please, Zarth, don't let them actually take that long. They've promised us food, but so far there's no sign of it. They're also going to be replacing the projectors in this room today. THAT looks like it will happen. I'm sure a bunch of workmen and ladders won't be at all disruptive though.
I'm also assigned to spend 26 hours this week in certification meetings. Please, Zarth, don't let them actually take that long. They've promised us food, but so far there's no sign of it. They're also going to be replacing the projectors in this room today. THAT looks like it will happen. I'm sure a bunch of workmen and ladders won't be at all disruptive though.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Odd dreams
I've had odd dreams the last couple of nights.
Friday night I had a dream that for some reason had a bunch of characters from Firefly, including Wash and Kaylee. Most of the dream was in space. I'm not sure, but I think that's the first time I've had characters from a TV show in one of my dreams.
Thursday nights would have made most psychologists happy - it was about sex. Moderately kinky sex. Most of you probably don't want details, or at least I'm going with that as an excuse.
Friday night I had a dream that for some reason had a bunch of characters from Firefly, including Wash and Kaylee. Most of the dream was in space. I'm not sure, but I think that's the first time I've had characters from a TV show in one of my dreams.
Thursday nights would have made most psychologists happy - it was about sex. Moderately kinky sex. Most of you probably don't want details, or at least I'm going with that as an excuse.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Link highlight: Dilbert
This week's link highlight is an easy one. After all, I'm an engineer. Of COURSE I read Dilbert!
I've had Dilbert moments in my job - both ways ("this would make a Dilbert strip" and "this WAS a Dilbert strip!").
For those of you who don't work in engineering jobs, yes, you really do see people put up Dilbert strips on/near their cubicles.
I'm not sure when I first encountered Dilbert. I seem to recall it was at the tail end of the 1990's, but I can't remember the first strip I saw, or anything.
Did you know they made an animated TV show based on Dilbert? I've never seen it - has anyone?
I've had Dilbert moments in my job - both ways ("this would make a Dilbert strip" and "this WAS a Dilbert strip!").
For those of you who don't work in engineering jobs, yes, you really do see people put up Dilbert strips on/near their cubicles.
I'm not sure when I first encountered Dilbert. I seem to recall it was at the tail end of the 1990's, but I can't remember the first strip I saw, or anything.
Did you know they made an animated TV show based on Dilbert? I've never seen it - has anyone?
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Out of time
Ever wonder if you were born in the wrong time? The wrong decade, century, age, etc.
Perhaps it is just a natural response to feeling disconnected from mainstream society. Perhaps it is a hunger for a perceived condition that never existed.
Perhaps it is a temporary ability to forget the wonders of modern plumbing.
Sometimes I do wish I'd been born in another age. The modern world has a lot going for it, but it seems we've sacrificed a lot along the way. Or maybe it is just revisionist history.
Maybe it is fear that we're at a cusp, and that we're truly approaching or at the point where a handful of people could destory everything we've built, dreamed, and thought about in our history.
Once we go into space to stay, we won't be under that sword of Damocles. Whatever may happen to us, some part of the race will survive. We'll be too spread out to threaten our own existance. But the Earth is just a single place, and our capabilities continue to grow.
So, we yearn for a time when however horrible things got, there was always enough left to come back. Tens of millions of people died in the second world war. Whole cities were devestated. Artifacts and art were destroyed or lost all across the globe. But we survived, and built new wonders. Nor was there really much doubt that we would.
Today might be different, and tomorrow will be.
The clock is ticking down, and we don't know how long it has left. All that we can be sure of is that if we go back, we'll have longer to go to the end.
Perhaps it is just a natural response to feeling disconnected from mainstream society. Perhaps it is a hunger for a perceived condition that never existed.
Perhaps it is a temporary ability to forget the wonders of modern plumbing.
Sometimes I do wish I'd been born in another age. The modern world has a lot going for it, but it seems we've sacrificed a lot along the way. Or maybe it is just revisionist history.
Maybe it is fear that we're at a cusp, and that we're truly approaching or at the point where a handful of people could destory everything we've built, dreamed, and thought about in our history.
Once we go into space to stay, we won't be under that sword of Damocles. Whatever may happen to us, some part of the race will survive. We'll be too spread out to threaten our own existance. But the Earth is just a single place, and our capabilities continue to grow.
So, we yearn for a time when however horrible things got, there was always enough left to come back. Tens of millions of people died in the second world war. Whole cities were devestated. Artifacts and art were destroyed or lost all across the globe. But we survived, and built new wonders. Nor was there really much doubt that we would.
Today might be different, and tomorrow will be.
The clock is ticking down, and we don't know how long it has left. All that we can be sure of is that if we go back, we'll have longer to go to the end.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
I love the smell of hot aluminum in the morning...
It smells like... well, it smells like hot aluminum. I really don't know how else to describe it.
I went down to one of the other Puget Sound area Boeing sites to look over some parts they're making for us today. I really enjoy hanging out in metal fabrication shops - there's just something about the machine tools, the chips, the smell, the atmosphere that makes me feel like things are being made. Real parts.
On the way we nearly rear-ended a guy who cut us off (really, what are you thinking, cutting off a 10-passenger van?).
I went down to one of the other Puget Sound area Boeing sites to look over some parts they're making for us today. I really enjoy hanging out in metal fabrication shops - there's just something about the machine tools, the chips, the smell, the atmosphere that makes me feel like things are being made. Real parts.
On the way we nearly rear-ended a guy who cut us off (really, what are you thinking, cutting off a 10-passenger van?).
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Song cue!
For some reason today I have "If its Tuesday, it must be Belgium..." running through my head.
I've been accused of being a walking song cue - bursting into song anytime I hear something that is or is close to a line from a song I know.
I know a fair few songs. :-)
Frankly, I think life would be better if we periodically stopped to randomly sing and do choreography, possibly advancing the plot or character development in the process.
I've been accused of being a walking song cue - bursting into song anytime I hear something that is or is close to a line from a song I know.
I know a fair few songs. :-)
Frankly, I think life would be better if we periodically stopped to randomly sing and do choreography, possibly advancing the plot or character development in the process.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Wolves
Sunday I finally made it to Wolf Haven (I've got an adopted wolf there). The wolves were mostly resting (aparently early afternoon is one of their lazy times), but it was still really cool to see them.
Wolf Haven is mostly a sanctuary for rescued captive wolves, but they are helping repopulate mexican wolves.
Cricket ("my" wolf) was mostly a white blob hidden in the grass, but she was looking at us at one point.
Wolf Haven is mostly a sanctuary for rescued captive wolves, but they are helping repopulate mexican wolves.
Cricket ("my" wolf) was mostly a white blob hidden in the grass, but she was looking at us at one point.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
My Score
THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS.
Well, after just over 7 hours, I've finished Deathly Hallows. Kinda appropraite - seven books, seven years since I found them, seven hours to read book 7, working on the seven series of airplanes for Boeing... but I don't think this means good luck for me.
Enough. The book.
Oh. Azel.
Oh. Zarth.
That woman has talent.
She may forget characters (where the #^%! was Fawkes?!!?), she may not know how many students are at Hogwarts, but oh sweet merciful Guardian can she write.
I guess I should start out by admitting I was wrong. Completely wrong. Oh, I could total up my predictions and score pretty well on a percentage basis, but I'd still be wrong. I thought that Half-Blood Prince was a fluke, and that I understood how the series worked. Nope. No way, no how.
It looks like I owe an apology to Steve Kloves, too.
I was wrong about so many characters. Not quite wrong about Neville - means vs. ends, I guess. I got the ends right after all, she just fooled me on the means even though I knew all along there were other means than wands. I wasn't entirely wrong about Ginny either, in terms of what she'd do (though I was wrong there, too), but I was completely wrong about how much she mattered to the plot. I was wrong about what would happen, and why.
I was even wrong within the book. The first time Harry saw an eye in the mirror shard and thought it was Dumbledore, I knew it wasn't him, but I tried to make a list of everyone else with blue eyes. I even spent a little time thinking Sirius' eyes might be blue.
It never even occured to me that the doe might be Snape's Patronus. I knew he was evil right up until the moment that something besides blood came from his body. Then I knew she'd redeem him, but, really, I should have seen it coming a mile away.
I really wonder if I'll ever be able to write again. Fiction, that is. I'm still in shock right now, highly emotional, I've had maybe an hour and a half of sleep in the last 26 and not enough this week on any given night, but I just can't see how I could ever create something that anyone would want to read after they read THAT. Others, certainly - I may be in the top half, even, of the fanfic authors out there, only becuase that group includes people who couldn't write a coherent sentance if they tried, but the curve goes way, way, over my level. Someone will someday make a worthy sucessor.
There's no single element. Zarth, some of them were weak enough that I could have done better. The Put-Outer can be a self-guiding portkey? Oh, please.
But I could never have written Harry Potter in the Deathly Hallows. Never in my life.
J. K. Rowling, you are brilliant. Bloody brilliant.
Well, after just over 7 hours, I've finished Deathly Hallows. Kinda appropraite - seven books, seven years since I found them, seven hours to read book 7, working on the seven series of airplanes for Boeing... but I don't think this means good luck for me.
Enough. The book.
Oh. Azel.
Oh. Zarth.
That woman has talent.
She may forget characters (where the #^%! was Fawkes?!!?), she may not know how many students are at Hogwarts, but oh sweet merciful Guardian can she write.
I guess I should start out by admitting I was wrong. Completely wrong. Oh, I could total up my predictions and score pretty well on a percentage basis, but I'd still be wrong. I thought that Half-Blood Prince was a fluke, and that I understood how the series worked. Nope. No way, no how.
It looks like I owe an apology to Steve Kloves, too.
I was wrong about so many characters. Not quite wrong about Neville - means vs. ends, I guess. I got the ends right after all, she just fooled me on the means even though I knew all along there were other means than wands. I wasn't entirely wrong about Ginny either, in terms of what she'd do (though I was wrong there, too), but I was completely wrong about how much she mattered to the plot. I was wrong about what would happen, and why.
I was even wrong within the book. The first time Harry saw an eye in the mirror shard and thought it was Dumbledore, I knew it wasn't him, but I tried to make a list of everyone else with blue eyes. I even spent a little time thinking Sirius' eyes might be blue.
It never even occured to me that the doe might be Snape's Patronus. I knew he was evil right up until the moment that something besides blood came from his body. Then I knew she'd redeem him, but, really, I should have seen it coming a mile away.
I really wonder if I'll ever be able to write again. Fiction, that is. I'm still in shock right now, highly emotional, I've had maybe an hour and a half of sleep in the last 26 and not enough this week on any given night, but I just can't see how I could ever create something that anyone would want to read after they read THAT. Others, certainly - I may be in the top half, even, of the fanfic authors out there, only becuase that group includes people who couldn't write a coherent sentance if they tried, but the curve goes way, way, over my level. Someone will someday make a worthy sucessor.
There's no single element. Zarth, some of them were weak enough that I could have done better. The Put-Outer can be a self-guiding portkey? Oh, please.
But I could never have written Harry Potter in the Deathly Hallows. Never in my life.
J. K. Rowling, you are brilliant. Bloody brilliant.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Link Highlight: FanFic
Off on the right side of the main page you may have noticed some links. I've decided to explain why those particular links are there, one per post.
Today, appropriately enough, I'll talk about the "Harry Potter FanFic by Gridley" link.
FanFic, or fan fiction, are stories written in another author's universe, often but not always involving their characters. Typically the borrowed universe is that of a professional (i.e. published in book form) author, while the fan fic is done by an amateur and published on the web for free, but this is not always the case.
The Web being what it is, most fanfic isn't worth the time it takes to find it, much less read it. Some authors object to fanfic, since they feel it violates their intellectual property. Others have adopted a "what I don't know won't hurt me" view.
Some, a rare few, have said it is OK as long as the fanfic isn't making any money, pretending to be the real author, or getting into things the author doesn't want associated with their characters (sex, gratuitous violence, etc.). JK Rowling is, luckily for us, in the latter catagory.
Harry Potter fanfic exploded on the web after the first few books came out. Dozens of websites appeared that were devoted to fanfic, generally along with a discussion bboard for the series, and maybe a gallery of fan art. Some of these sites decided that they would require authors to have editors, also amateur members of the site. These editors are often known as "beta readers" or "betas." Simply having that "first pass" quality control check greatly improved the average quality of the work on those sites, and the phenomenon spread.
I first came across Harry Potter FanFic shortly after Goblet of Fire (book) came out. Within months I was checking multiple sites on a daily basis. In the "two year summer" I read hundreds of stories. Perhaps it is their fault that I began to ask that most treacherous question in FanFic: what if?
What if... someone like Harry had existed, but had been prevented from recieving their Hogwarts letter? Such a person would have the potential to be a wizard. What if... they then had an accidental encounter with the magical world as an adult?
What if... Wormtail still had a chance for redemption?
What if... some of the Muggle borns among the wizarding world tried to apply muggle technology to the fight against Voldemort?
What if... just as a magical field can prevent electronics from working, and Chizpurfles (Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them, page 7) can 'eat' electricity in place of magic, a strong electrical field could disrupt a weaker magical one?
Shortly before Order of the Phoenix came out, these What Ifs converged on my brain and totally inhibited any other useful thoughts. In a desparate attempt to continue with my life, beginning June 5th, 2003 I wrote out over 10,000 words of fanfic (telling no one else what I was doing) in under a week. I set those words in Harry's SIXTH year, based on a number of explicit and implicit assumptions about what would happen in his FIFTH. In an effort to keep the Plot Bunnies (as they are often known) at bay, I promised that if my assumptions were correct, I'd clean it up, finish it, and apply to one of the beta'd fanfic sites for publication. I selected Gryffindor Tower, one of the sites I liked the best. The story was called "Harry Potter and the Grand Alliance."
OotP came out June 21st, 2003. I was stunned. Only ONE WORD of those over 10,000 needed to be changed to align my story with the published universe. Specifically, I in one place changed "Sirius" to "Moody."
As I began to flesh out my story, however, Gryffindor Tower fell apart, the victim of infighting among the site staff.
I thought I was off the hook, but then Sugar Quill posted a challenge, and the most determined plot bunny yet sank its fangs into my neck. On July 16th, 2003 I started writing "The Making of a Wand." I submitted it, not to Sugar Quill, but to the semi-sucessor to Gryffindor Tower, PhoenixSong.net. Somewhat to my surprise, I was accepted. On October 12th, 2003 I became a web-published author. Two days later, the prologue to Harry Potter and the Grand Alliance went up.
Twenty months and over 80,000 words (for comparison, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was about 77,000) later, I published the last chapter of what had become a trilogy (Harry Potter and the Grand Alliance, HP and the Bond, HP and the Price of Freedom).
And that is how it happened.
Today, appropriately enough, I'll talk about the "Harry Potter FanFic by Gridley" link.
FanFic, or fan fiction, are stories written in another author's universe, often but not always involving their characters. Typically the borrowed universe is that of a professional (i.e. published in book form) author, while the fan fic is done by an amateur and published on the web for free, but this is not always the case.
The Web being what it is, most fanfic isn't worth the time it takes to find it, much less read it. Some authors object to fanfic, since they feel it violates their intellectual property. Others have adopted a "what I don't know won't hurt me" view.
Some, a rare few, have said it is OK as long as the fanfic isn't making any money, pretending to be the real author, or getting into things the author doesn't want associated with their characters (sex, gratuitous violence, etc.). JK Rowling is, luckily for us, in the latter catagory.
Harry Potter fanfic exploded on the web after the first few books came out. Dozens of websites appeared that were devoted to fanfic, generally along with a discussion bboard for the series, and maybe a gallery of fan art. Some of these sites decided that they would require authors to have editors, also amateur members of the site. These editors are often known as "beta readers" or "betas." Simply having that "first pass" quality control check greatly improved the average quality of the work on those sites, and the phenomenon spread.
I first came across Harry Potter FanFic shortly after Goblet of Fire (book) came out. Within months I was checking multiple sites on a daily basis. In the "two year summer" I read hundreds of stories. Perhaps it is their fault that I began to ask that most treacherous question in FanFic: what if?
What if... someone like Harry had existed, but had been prevented from recieving their Hogwarts letter? Such a person would have the potential to be a wizard. What if... they then had an accidental encounter with the magical world as an adult?
What if... Wormtail still had a chance for redemption?
What if... some of the Muggle borns among the wizarding world tried to apply muggle technology to the fight against Voldemort?
What if... just as a magical field can prevent electronics from working, and Chizpurfles (Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them, page 7) can 'eat' electricity in place of magic, a strong electrical field could disrupt a weaker magical one?
Shortly before Order of the Phoenix came out, these What Ifs converged on my brain and totally inhibited any other useful thoughts. In a desparate attempt to continue with my life, beginning June 5th, 2003 I wrote out over 10,000 words of fanfic (telling no one else what I was doing) in under a week. I set those words in Harry's SIXTH year, based on a number of explicit and implicit assumptions about what would happen in his FIFTH. In an effort to keep the Plot Bunnies (as they are often known) at bay, I promised that if my assumptions were correct, I'd clean it up, finish it, and apply to one of the beta'd fanfic sites for publication. I selected Gryffindor Tower, one of the sites I liked the best. The story was called "Harry Potter and the Grand Alliance."
OotP came out June 21st, 2003. I was stunned. Only ONE WORD of those over 10,000 needed to be changed to align my story with the published universe. Specifically, I in one place changed "Sirius" to "Moody."
As I began to flesh out my story, however, Gryffindor Tower fell apart, the victim of infighting among the site staff.
I thought I was off the hook, but then Sugar Quill posted a challenge, and the most determined plot bunny yet sank its fangs into my neck. On July 16th, 2003 I started writing "The Making of a Wand." I submitted it, not to Sugar Quill, but to the semi-sucessor to Gryffindor Tower, PhoenixSong.net. Somewhat to my surprise, I was accepted. On October 12th, 2003 I became a web-published author. Two days later, the prologue to Harry Potter and the Grand Alliance went up.
Twenty months and over 80,000 words (for comparison, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was about 77,000) later, I published the last chapter of what had become a trilogy (Harry Potter and the Grand Alliance, HP and the Bond, HP and the Price of Freedom).
And that is how it happened.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Predictions for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
I was almost perfect on my guesses about Order of the Phoenix, completely wrong about Half-Blood Prince, but here we go again anyway.
1. Voldy is going to die. He's going to be all dead this time, not just mostly dead.
2. Dumbledore is dead. Well, as a human, anyway. I wouldn't be surprised to see him play a role as a portrait, or even a phoenix (though I don't think that's likely - it is just my "out there" theory).
3. Snape is evil. He'll play up to the good guys if they're clearly winning, but down inside he'd much rather Voldy won and he got to be his lieutenant. If he switches to the good side, it will ONLY be becuase he's ambitious and values his own survival.
4. The "RAB" was Sirius' brother Regulus, and the locket was the one seen early on in Order of the Phoenix (book) during the housecleaning. Also, I'm betting Regulus managed to destroy it as a horcrux.
5. At least one of the "ministry six" is going to die (Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna). Neville is the one I'd be least willing to sell life insurance to.
6. We haven't seen the last of Sirius. Most likely he'll get involved via those paired mirrors (one of which Harry has). How dead is Sirius? No clue.
7. Harry isn't the "heir of Gryffindor," nor any other of the founders of Hogwarts. He might turn out of have one of them as an ancestor, but only if a lot of other people do to.
8. Ginny may have told Harry she "understands" what he has to do, but she hasn't given up on their relationship. Related: assuming they both live, they will either end the book together or likely to get back together.
9. The established members of the Order of the Phoenix will also suffer casualties - at least three, say. I'm also not selling insurance to any Weasleys or Remus.
10. The first person on this list who survives will become a Hogwarts professor:
Hermione, Harry, Neville.
A lot of these may seem obvious. I've seen debate on almost all of them, however, and remember that it was obvious to me, for example, that Neville would become one of the main characters in Half-Blood Prince. Boy, was I wrong.
This list, for the first time in my predictions history, doesn't include a list of people who will definately live. That's because I don't have one. I can't name a single character I'm sure will survive. Yes, that includes Harry, Fawkes (surely there's some way to kill a phoenix and make it stick - Dementor's Kiss, perhaps?), Susan Bones... everyone. I'm not saying they'll die, I just can't say they'll live. They're in Schroedinger's Box.
1. Voldy is going to die. He's going to be all dead this time, not just mostly dead.
2. Dumbledore is dead. Well, as a human, anyway. I wouldn't be surprised to see him play a role as a portrait, or even a phoenix (though I don't think that's likely - it is just my "out there" theory).
3. Snape is evil. He'll play up to the good guys if they're clearly winning, but down inside he'd much rather Voldy won and he got to be his lieutenant. If he switches to the good side, it will ONLY be becuase he's ambitious and values his own survival.
4. The "RAB" was Sirius' brother Regulus, and the locket was the one seen early on in Order of the Phoenix (book) during the housecleaning. Also, I'm betting Regulus managed to destroy it as a horcrux.
5. At least one of the "ministry six" is going to die (Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna). Neville is the one I'd be least willing to sell life insurance to.
6. We haven't seen the last of Sirius. Most likely he'll get involved via those paired mirrors (one of which Harry has). How dead is Sirius? No clue.
7. Harry isn't the "heir of Gryffindor," nor any other of the founders of Hogwarts. He might turn out of have one of them as an ancestor, but only if a lot of other people do to.
8. Ginny may have told Harry she "understands" what he has to do, but she hasn't given up on their relationship. Related: assuming they both live, they will either end the book together or likely to get back together.
9. The established members of the Order of the Phoenix will also suffer casualties - at least three, say. I'm also not selling insurance to any Weasleys or Remus.
10. The first person on this list who survives will become a Hogwarts professor:
Hermione, Harry, Neville.
A lot of these may seem obvious. I've seen debate on almost all of them, however, and remember that it was obvious to me, for example, that Neville would become one of the main characters in Half-Blood Prince. Boy, was I wrong.
This list, for the first time in my predictions history, doesn't include a list of people who will definately live. That's because I don't have one. I can't name a single character I'm sure will survive. Yes, that includes Harry, Fawkes (surely there's some way to kill a phoenix and make it stick - Dementor's Kiss, perhaps?), Susan Bones... everyone. I'm not saying they'll die, I just can't say they'll live. They're in Schroedinger's Box.
Realist, skeptic, cynist, or pessimist?
Which am I?
I'd like to think I'm a skeptic if not a realist, but... well, talk to me! Tell me what you think!
I'd like to think I'm a skeptic if not a realist, but... well, talk to me! Tell me what you think!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Resentment
Ever had someone do something that really made your life worse, but you couldn't blame them for because it was the right thing for them?
I have that happen fairly often.
Yesterday, one of the people in my group who actually does work quit. That leaves two of us who are actually productive out of a group of six. Needless to say, our total group workload isn't going to drop, so I expect that I'll be... encouraged... to do even more overtime to compensate.
So much for getting ahead of our release curve.
Still it was, for him, the right thing to do. He'd been having a worse time than me, for less reward.
I have that happen fairly often.
Yesterday, one of the people in my group who actually does work quit. That leaves two of us who are actually productive out of a group of six. Needless to say, our total group workload isn't going to drop, so I expect that I'll be... encouraged... to do even more overtime to compensate.
So much for getting ahead of our release curve.
Still it was, for him, the right thing to do. He'd been having a worse time than me, for less reward.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Going to movies with low expectations seems to work out for me.
I went into OotP thinking of the complete absence of exposition in Prisoner of Azkaban, and the Oh-Dear-Zarth-We're-Rushed (but we're going to spend a ridiculously long time on the dragon fight anyway) feel of Goblet of Fire.
I was pleasantly surprised; not thrilled, but satisfied.
First off, major kudos to Evanna Lynch, who plays Luna Lovegood. I've never been a fan of Luna - she just didn't seem like she belonged in the story. Evanna has, IMO, taken one of the weakest characters from the books and made her one of the most interesting supporting characters in the movies (doubly impressive since she's going up against Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockheart, Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy, Gary Oldman... the list is a long one).
Further kudos to Bonnie Wright, who once again has left me with the impression that she's fully capable of handling Ginny as soon as the scriptwriters stop trimming her part. Mr. Kloves? She's due to date Harry next movie, and it isn't supposed to come out of nowhere. The whole bit with her actually facing up to Harry and telling him he's not being possessed by Voldy? Sorta important? Maybe?
The cast in general does a good job with whatever they're given to work with, however little it may be.
Which brings me to the weak point of the movie. They cut SO much out of the book. What it felt like to me was the Cliff Notes version of OotP. Most of the key points are there, but there's so much richness and depth missing.
Granted, a lot of what they cut can go without damaging the main story. Neville's plotline with meeting his parents, finding out Bellatrix is on the loose and becoming a better wizard because of it, and finally his role in the Department of Mysteries is a good one, but it adds only slightly to the main plot.
Sometimes, however, you feel like just one more minute of film time (or one minute less of overdone special effects) would have added so much. "Hey, a bunch of wizards just showed up at my door! I guess they must be friendly, even though I only recognize one of them and the last time I saw him he'd spent a year being impersonated by a Death Eater. Never mind that I just got attacked by a Dementor..."
Each movie I do tend to find one or two things that I think they did better than the book. In Chamber of Secrets I MUCH prefer the sequence of events at the climax to the one in the book (Ginny waking up before Fawkes heals Harry vs. after, etc.). In this one I like Sirius more than in the book. OK, he's still a little on the outside, and he's taking too many risks, but he's much warmer. You can really see why Harry gets so attached to him. OTOH... I don't like him being killed and then falling through the veil. Falling through the veil left his fate open-ended in the book (especially with those mirrors hanging around just waiting for Harry to remember them). But with the movie, well, "nothing stops the Killing Curse." He got hit with it by a powerful wizard. No loopholes there. He's dead, whatever the veil did to him afterwards.
Overall, this is neither the best nor the worst of the Harry Potter movies so far. It is a good, worthwhile movie, though a somewhat less worthwhile treatment of the book.
I went into OotP thinking of the complete absence of exposition in Prisoner of Azkaban, and the Oh-Dear-Zarth-We're-Rushed (but we're going to spend a ridiculously long time on the dragon fight anyway) feel of Goblet of Fire.
I was pleasantly surprised; not thrilled, but satisfied.
First off, major kudos to Evanna Lynch, who plays Luna Lovegood. I've never been a fan of Luna - she just didn't seem like she belonged in the story. Evanna has, IMO, taken one of the weakest characters from the books and made her one of the most interesting supporting characters in the movies (doubly impressive since she's going up against Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockheart, Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy, Gary Oldman... the list is a long one).
Further kudos to Bonnie Wright, who once again has left me with the impression that she's fully capable of handling Ginny as soon as the scriptwriters stop trimming her part. Mr. Kloves? She's due to date Harry next movie, and it isn't supposed to come out of nowhere. The whole bit with her actually facing up to Harry and telling him he's not being possessed by Voldy? Sorta important? Maybe?
The cast in general does a good job with whatever they're given to work with, however little it may be.
Which brings me to the weak point of the movie. They cut SO much out of the book. What it felt like to me was the Cliff Notes version of OotP. Most of the key points are there, but there's so much richness and depth missing.
Granted, a lot of what they cut can go without damaging the main story. Neville's plotline with meeting his parents, finding out Bellatrix is on the loose and becoming a better wizard because of it, and finally his role in the Department of Mysteries is a good one, but it adds only slightly to the main plot.
Sometimes, however, you feel like just one more minute of film time (or one minute less of overdone special effects) would have added so much. "Hey, a bunch of wizards just showed up at my door! I guess they must be friendly, even though I only recognize one of them and the last time I saw him he'd spent a year being impersonated by a Death Eater. Never mind that I just got attacked by a Dementor..."
Each movie I do tend to find one or two things that I think they did better than the book. In Chamber of Secrets I MUCH prefer the sequence of events at the climax to the one in the book (Ginny waking up before Fawkes heals Harry vs. after, etc.). In this one I like Sirius more than in the book. OK, he's still a little on the outside, and he's taking too many risks, but he's much warmer. You can really see why Harry gets so attached to him. OTOH... I don't like him being killed and then falling through the veil. Falling through the veil left his fate open-ended in the book (especially with those mirrors hanging around just waiting for Harry to remember them). But with the movie, well, "nothing stops the Killing Curse." He got hit with it by a powerful wizard. No loopholes there. He's dead, whatever the veil did to him afterwards.
Overall, this is neither the best nor the worst of the Harry Potter movies so far. It is a good, worthwhile movie, though a somewhat less worthwhile treatment of the book.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Misunderstood engineers?
The Boeing clipping service today popped up an article that appeared in the Washington Times. "Why we fund unneeded weapons." Basically the author argues that useless projects like the space shuttle (!) occur because the engineers that did the last big project (such as the Apollo program) need to work. "When large numbers of smart people only know how to design advanced weapons, they will always find another one to design."
Huh?
I didn't know engineers had the ability to magically create government funding, and were completely unable to find jobs in related fields if the one they were in starts shrinking.
I know a number of people here at Boeing who've only worked in the aerospace industry. I know a number who haven't, too, but setting them aside, even the ones who've only worked aerospace have had a number of highly varied jobs. They don't "only know how to design" any one thing, or any TEN things. They know how to use the modeling and database tools the company uses (and expect to have to learn new ones every decade or so, if not more often). They know how to take requirements and turn them into hardware. They know how to convince management of things. True, they'll be best at what they were doing last, but a guy with 15 years as an engineer working on "advaced weapons" is still going to be more useful to the commercial aircraft business unit than a novice right out of college. He'll be more expensive, sure, but he'll be worth it, too.
Are engineers really this poorly understood? Do people think that an auto engineer can't become a tooling engineer? An airframe engineer? Zarth, an electrical engineer, if he's willing to spend a little time at it?
Where does this guy think the "advanced weapon" engineers came from in the first place? Were they all hired right out of college and told "OK, now you're advanced weapon engineers." Is it just possible that some (a large majority, even?) were automobile engineers, HVAC engineers, and even toy engineers?
He's right that projects tend to take on a life of their own, and that maintaining the intellectual brain trust in specialized fields is something companies do. But that can be (and is) done with small research projects, not the space shuttle or the Joint Strike Fighter.
I also disagree that we don't need the space shuttle, and somewhat disagree that we don't need the JSF. Space is the future, and we need to be out there. The space shuttle has maintained the US manned presence in space since the Apollo missions ended.
As for the JSF, true, we probably don't need it today. But what if we need it tomorrow? WWII is frequently cited as a technologically revolutionary war - the first use of jet aircraft, rockets, atomic bombs, etc. But all of those were in development before the war. Wars are fought with the tools at hand - the process of developing, testing, producing, developing doctrine for, and equiping armies with completely new ones takes years. Interestingly enough, it is also a war we went into convinced of our technological superiority. We were wrong. Luckily, we had better equipment in the pipeline.
Huh?
I didn't know engineers had the ability to magically create government funding, and were completely unable to find jobs in related fields if the one they were in starts shrinking.
I know a number of people here at Boeing who've only worked in the aerospace industry. I know a number who haven't, too, but setting them aside, even the ones who've only worked aerospace have had a number of highly varied jobs. They don't "only know how to design" any one thing, or any TEN things. They know how to use the modeling and database tools the company uses (and expect to have to learn new ones every decade or so, if not more often). They know how to take requirements and turn them into hardware. They know how to convince management of things. True, they'll be best at what they were doing last, but a guy with 15 years as an engineer working on "advaced weapons" is still going to be more useful to the commercial aircraft business unit than a novice right out of college. He'll be more expensive, sure, but he'll be worth it, too.
Are engineers really this poorly understood? Do people think that an auto engineer can't become a tooling engineer? An airframe engineer? Zarth, an electrical engineer, if he's willing to spend a little time at it?
Where does this guy think the "advanced weapon" engineers came from in the first place? Were they all hired right out of college and told "OK, now you're advanced weapon engineers." Is it just possible that some (a large majority, even?) were automobile engineers, HVAC engineers, and even toy engineers?
He's right that projects tend to take on a life of their own, and that maintaining the intellectual brain trust in specialized fields is something companies do. But that can be (and is) done with small research projects, not the space shuttle or the Joint Strike Fighter.
I also disagree that we don't need the space shuttle, and somewhat disagree that we don't need the JSF. Space is the future, and we need to be out there. The space shuttle has maintained the US manned presence in space since the Apollo missions ended.
As for the JSF, true, we probably don't need it today. But what if we need it tomorrow? WWII is frequently cited as a technologically revolutionary war - the first use of jet aircraft, rockets, atomic bombs, etc. But all of those were in development before the war. Wars are fought with the tools at hand - the process of developing, testing, producing, developing doctrine for, and equiping armies with completely new ones takes years. Interestingly enough, it is also a war we went into convinced of our technological superiority. We were wrong. Luckily, we had better equipment in the pipeline.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Vegas, Baby!
Am I the only person in the United States who has never been to Vegas and has no real interest in going there?
OK, it would be fun to see some of the shows, but that's about the only reason I'd go, and travelling a thousand miles to see a show just seems a little excessive to me.
I'm not interested in gambling, and if I were I could do it quite easily locally (lots of Indian reservations -> lots of casinos).
I'm not interested in hiring a 'lady of the evening'.
I only know two people in the area, and they're not in the group of people I'll travel to see.
What else is there?
OK, it would be fun to see some of the shows, but that's about the only reason I'd go, and travelling a thousand miles to see a show just seems a little excessive to me.
I'm not interested in gambling, and if I were I could do it quite easily locally (lots of Indian reservations -> lots of casinos).
I'm not interested in hiring a 'lady of the evening'.
I only know two people in the area, and they're not in the group of people I'll travel to see.
What else is there?
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Really cool photo
On Saturday night, Boeing had all of the 787 airline representatives at an event at the Museum of Flight. At 7:07 PM, an Omega Air Refueling Services 707 landed in front of the crowd (after taking off from Paine Field in Everett). At 7:17, an AirTran 717 landed. This continued until 8:17 when an Air France 777-300ER landed. In the end, the 717, 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, and 777 were lined up nose-to-tail on the taxiway. It is the first time Boeing has had every 7-series airplane in the same place (not counting the 787, which couldn't make the flight, of course).
As a bonus, just above the 777 in the photo you can see the 747 Large Cargo Freighter, used to ferry sections of the 787 around.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Have any other bloggers out there been unable to put anything in the title fields of their posts lately? I'm not sure if this is Google screwing up, Boeing blocking useful things again, or me being stupid.
Today I took a class called "Manufacturing 101", which is a chance for engineers to make a simple demonstration panel using the same equipment and techniques the shop uses to make our panels. I love this kind of training and really think it should be mandatory for engineers - too many in my profession design things without any thought about how easy or hard it will be to make them.
For those who don't know but do care, most aircraft interior structure we build here is made of honeycomb-core Nomex panels with fiberglass or graphite sheets on top of them. This makes a very strong, very light structure that has the useful property of being basically fireproof. It is also completely unlike building things out of wood products or metals, still the two most common base materials taught in engineering classes (at least at Carnegie Mellon).
Anyway, I got to wear latex gloves for the first time in years (I carry nitrile gloves for medical use, as latex tends to make my hands sweaty, red, and uncomfortable), got strange glue residues all over my apron, and got to play with an air-powered rotary sander and glue gun. Air-powered glue guns can be tricky beasts, BTW. They tend to keep pushing out glue well after you've released the trigger.
And why on earth would anyone come to work at an industrial site like Boeing's Everett plant wearing open-toed shoes?
Today I took a class called "Manufacturing 101", which is a chance for engineers to make a simple demonstration panel using the same equipment and techniques the shop uses to make our panels. I love this kind of training and really think it should be mandatory for engineers - too many in my profession design things without any thought about how easy or hard it will be to make them.
For those who don't know but do care, most aircraft interior structure we build here is made of honeycomb-core Nomex panels with fiberglass or graphite sheets on top of them. This makes a very strong, very light structure that has the useful property of being basically fireproof. It is also completely unlike building things out of wood products or metals, still the two most common base materials taught in engineering classes (at least at Carnegie Mellon).
Anyway, I got to wear latex gloves for the first time in years (I carry nitrile gloves for medical use, as latex tends to make my hands sweaty, red, and uncomfortable), got strange glue residues all over my apron, and got to play with an air-powered rotary sander and glue gun. Air-powered glue guns can be tricky beasts, BTW. They tend to keep pushing out glue well after you've released the trigger.
And why on earth would anyone come to work at an industrial site like Boeing's Everett plant wearing open-toed shoes?
Monday, July 9, 2007
Numbers
Yesterday, Boeing formally introduced the 787 Dreamliner.
That is, it introduced it on 07/08/07.
Today, Boeing has 787,401,000 shares of stock outstanding according to end-of-day information. Also, the closing price for July 9th was $99.90. http://stockprice.whq.boeing.com/stock.htm
I'm going to go be afraid now.
That is, it introduced it on 07/08/07.
Yesterday, I rode Delta Flight 787 home.
Today, Boeing has 787,401,000 shares of stock outstanding according to end-of-day information. Also, the closing price for July 9th was $99.90. http://stockprice.whq.boeing.com/stock.htm
I'm going to go be afraid now.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
1776
A belated happy 4th of July to everyone!
As is my tradition, I watched "1776" last night. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it - it is a musical historical drama about the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
I've practically got the show memorized by now. Every time I go through it, I wish I could get a chance to play a different part in a stage production of it. In addition to the obvious draw of being John Adams, I've wanted to be John Dickinson, James Wilson, John Hancock, the Courier, Stephen Hopkins, Charles Thomson (the Secretary), Dr. Lyman Hall, and Lewis Morris. In most cases there's a particular scene or moment that I think it absolutely brilliant and that I'm capable of pulling off (if I thought I could pull off "Molasses to Rum to Slaves" I'd LOVE to play Rutledge; but that scene is, IMO, the reason that when casting the show you should give the best actor available the part of Rutledge).
The moment/scene/song I'd like to do for each:
John Adams signing "Is anybody there?" and the scenes with Abigail.
John Dickinson walking out of congress to join the army.
James Wilson explaining why he's going to vote yea on the Virginia Resolution (after carefully hiding in the background for the entire show).
John Hancock explaining his vote for unanimity on independence.
The Courier signing "Momma, hey momma." Plus, how can you resist a part where every time you come on stage you look worse than the last time, and in only one scene do you say a single word despite half a dozen appearances?
Stephen Hopkins meeting Hall.
Charles Thomson reading Washington's dispatches, particularly "Is anybody there?"
Dr. Lyman Hall for two moments: "The people are against it and I'm for it," and "Yes, Mr. Adams. I do."
Lewis Morris: "To hell with New York, I'll sign it anyway."
As is my tradition, I watched "1776" last night. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it - it is a musical historical drama about the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
I've practically got the show memorized by now. Every time I go through it, I wish I could get a chance to play a different part in a stage production of it. In addition to the obvious draw of being John Adams, I've wanted to be John Dickinson, James Wilson, John Hancock, the Courier, Stephen Hopkins, Charles Thomson (the Secretary), Dr. Lyman Hall, and Lewis Morris. In most cases there's a particular scene or moment that I think it absolutely brilliant and that I'm capable of pulling off (if I thought I could pull off "Molasses to Rum to Slaves" I'd LOVE to play Rutledge; but that scene is, IMO, the reason that when casting the show you should give the best actor available the part of Rutledge).
The moment/scene/song I'd like to do for each:
John Adams signing "Is anybody there?" and the scenes with Abigail.
John Dickinson walking out of congress to join the army.
James Wilson explaining why he's going to vote yea on the Virginia Resolution (after carefully hiding in the background for the entire show).
John Hancock explaining his vote for unanimity on independence.
The Courier signing "Momma, hey momma." Plus, how can you resist a part where every time you come on stage you look worse than the last time, and in only one scene do you say a single word despite half a dozen appearances?
Stephen Hopkins meeting Hall.
Charles Thomson reading Washington's dispatches, particularly "Is anybody there?"
Dr. Lyman Hall for two moments: "The people are against it and I'm for it," and "Yes, Mr. Adams. I do."
Lewis Morris: "To hell with New York, I'll sign it anyway."
Monday, July 2, 2007
Halfway mark
So I've reached the halfway mark of this year.
Zarth, am I tired. I'm pretty sure I've been overdoing it.
In the whole of 2006 I worked 360 hours of overtime, including 6 weekend/holiday days (most of it was just longer weekday days). I took four days of sick leave.
In the first HALF of 2007 I have already worked 285 hours of overtime, including 13 weekend/holiday days... and I've taken six days of sick leave. I wonder if the two are connected?
The amount of overtime I've worked has gone up each quarter since I was hired - that's eight consecutive quarters of increasing overtime.
On the plus side, of course, I have the money to buy a house. :-}
Zarth, am I tired. I'm pretty sure I've been overdoing it.
In the whole of 2006 I worked 360 hours of overtime, including 6 weekend/holiday days (most of it was just longer weekday days). I took four days of sick leave.
In the first HALF of 2007 I have already worked 285 hours of overtime, including 13 weekend/holiday days... and I've taken six days of sick leave. I wonder if the two are connected?
The amount of overtime I've worked has gone up each quarter since I was hired - that's eight consecutive quarters of increasing overtime.
On the plus side, of course, I have the money to buy a house. :-}
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