Linda Maye Adams's Blog, page 85

There be baby sea lions at the Smithsonian

When I went back to Morro Bay, CA a few years back, the sea lions were having a pretty racauous party out on the harbor platform.  They are such fun to watch.

Now the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is celebrating the birth of a new sea lion.  Some way cool pictures here to google at.  Clearly a trip to the zoo is in order.

Filed under: Entertainment, Photos Tagged: sea lions, Smithsonian, Washington DC

Rabbit Sighting

We have a little bunny hiding out in the bushes.  I’ve spotted him a few times when I’ve come outside—of course, no camera with me.  He’s a sneaky little bunny.

But he’s real cute, and really small.  I could probably fit in him in both my hands.  He’s brown with big black eyes and a little white tail.  Likes to nibble on the grass.  No idea why he picked that spot to dine, though; not with all the traffic whizzing by.

He’s starting to get used to me, though.  Stops at the bushes instead of hiding.

Filed under: Personal Tagged: Rabbits, Washington DC

Patrick Stewart sings Rawhide

Sir Patrick Stewart was the person I thought would never do something like this, but here we are: Patrick Stewart in cowboy gear and singing Rawhide and Ringo—and he’s good at it.

Filed under: Entertainment, Music, Thoughts Tagged: Patrick Stewart, Rawhide, Star Trek: The Next Generation

One of the things I like about never outlining my stories

’ve been working on a science fiction novel called The Crying Planet.   It’s set in the near future, where space travel is possible, and earth has created a command for its fleet of space cruisers.

I also did not outline it.  I don’t have any idea how it will end either.

I got the idea form an anthology call, and it kept wanting to be a novel, so I went for it and followed the characters and story down into a rabbit hole.  Had a few wrong turns, too, and dropped 7K.

Also had a character I thought was going to be important.  Nada.  She’s gone now.

Was losing the 7K painful?  At the time yes.  But it’s part of the process of writing without an outline.  There’s always going to be something that ends up coming up because it doesn’t fit as the story takes shape.

So last night, I was working on a scene between two of the characters.  I knew one thing I wanted to do, and the creative part had another thing entirely.  It popped in as the writing was flowing out, which was the term “The Crying Planet.”  I didn’t know really what I was going to do with it.

Today, I was walking to the library and trying not melt, being as it was 93 degrees out and so humid my living room windows fogged out.  Then it hits me: They have to go to the Crying Planet.

And just like that, the story changed.  Now I’m discovering what’s going to happen there.

That is just so cool.

Filed under: Thoughts, Writing Tagged: Pantser, pantsing, science fiction

Library Cat’s Job Is Saved

This reminded me of when I was in college.  The library, of course, had a library cat.  The cat was called Libby (bet you can guess why).  He looked like the cat from this article, in fact, though he was wild and didn’t want humans around except for the plate of food!

—

From NPR: Why the city council of White Settlement, Texas, decided to fire Browser, mascot and rodent hunter of the public library is not clear, but the vote two weeks ago was 2-1 to banish Browser…

Source: Library Cat’s Job Is Saved

Filed under: Books Tagged: Books, Cats, Libraries

U.S.S. Enterprise Sighting

I never expected that I would one day be able to see the Enterprise miniature from Star Trek up close.  I first saw Star Trek back in 1976, when it aired on KTLA on weekends.  I was instantly hooked.

But the rest of the world was like “Why?!!  Really?!!” A schoolmate kept sneering at me and telling me that Little Rascals was so much better (they were airing at the time on KTLA, too.  I never thought much of them).

Every time the subject came up, my guitar teacher would say that her son had worked on the set and informed me how fake the set had looked.  Translation:  The show is so fake.  Why are you wasting time with it?

I doubt if she’d seen it at all.

In fact, in watching the cleaned up episodes, I’m amazed at how well it does look.  Especially considering the budget limitations they had.

Today, I went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum to check out the miniature, which went on display Tuesday.  The model does not look fake or cheesy in person.   It looks like it could be a real ship.

Well, if you look at only one side.  The cameras only filmed one side of the ship; the other side doesn’t have any details, and wires are sticking out.

Pictures, pictures, pictures:

 

Warp Six!

 

Isn’t that detailing amazing?

 

The unmarked side. In the lower corner is a red dome. That’s the original nacelle, which is made out of wood. It was replaced so the curators could light up the ship

 

And while I was there, I had a space buddy watching my back.

 

Filed under: Entertainment Tagged: Enterprise, Miniatures, National Air and Space Musuem, Smithsonian, Star Trek, Summer, Washington DC

U.S. Navy Band takes on the oldies

This one’s courtesy of my cousin, Sonya.  The Navy band performed on the steps of the Navy Memorial in Washington, DC, singing some classic oldies.  They look like they’re having a blast!

Filed under: Entertainment, Military, Thoughts Tagged: Navy, Navy band, Navy Memorial, Washington DC

Unofficial Desert Storm Song

During Desert Storm, it seemed like the radio stations were trying to find music that clicked with the soldier.  Music was so much part of Vietnam that when the studios wanted to release China Beach, they negotiated for nearly every music right.

But the music never caught on in the same way.  When I returned though, this was on the radio everywhere.  Seems kind of appropriate for Independence Day, especially against the backdrop of Mount Rushmore with George Washington watching from above.

Filed under: Entertainment, History, Military, Thoughts Tagged: China Beach, Desert Storm, Lee Greenwood

Free Ebooks from NASA

I was checking out NASA Goddard about a tour (you know you can visit right?) and discovered they have a bunch of free ebooks.  The topics are on science and history, all relating to spaceflight.  Enjoy!

 Mmm.  Books …

Filed under: Books, Thoughts Tagged: NASA

Starship Enterprise on display at Smithsonian

The Smithsonian restored one of the miniatures of the Enterprise that was used during the filming of Star Trek.  It’s now on display in Washington, DC. (will see if I can get pictures, though Metro’s repair work will make it difficult to get downtown).

Movies and TV today have largely converted over to using computer animation—miniatures are expensive to construct.  Probably time consuming to film, too.  But I find that, despite how far technology has come, the miniatures still look more real.  They have a 3D quality that animation just doesn’t have.

I’d rather have them focus on the good stories first.  Special effects are meaningless—and still expensive—if the story isn’t that good.

Filed under: Entertainment Tagged: Enterprise, Miniatures, Star Trek, Washington DC