David > Recent Status Updates

The hybrid rocket with China's booster has done its thing and the Hermes will be restocked for its return trip to Mars. Had forgotten about the 'Donner party' part of the plan to allow one person to survive if the docking didn't work out.

Narration moved from you Robbie and than director Bill Johnson to (and I don't know how to spell this name) Alaseeia, who is moving from the hospitality industry to the set of a motion picture because she was good at meeting people's needs and solving their problems (narrated by a woman, not Hanks).

I just seem to enjoy rereading this book, what can I say?

Brief chapters on writing style for your obit (don't worry too much, and remember you can hire a writer or editor to help) and the use of euphemisms for death (again, don't be too concerned).

"I don't walk out of [bad] movies -- they're too hard to make!"

Wow, not sure I tracked the "see below" chapter that was tons of emails between various people who didn't realize there were other chains going on among other people who seemed to all be associated through various connections.

Lulu the spy in 2032 chapter did not make anlot of sense to me, but I get the gist.

Roxy's memories of dad at 16, on a trip to London.

Seeing Lou the father have a marijuana experience in the CA woods that seems to lead to his becoming the record producer he was, seen through the eyes of his daughter Charlie (who was the step sister in the previous chapter). Much of the info came from the shared memory database, not direct observation.

We should write letters, he says, at least partly to have some record of the happenings in our lives.

Examples of humor in obits.

Meeting Alfred, who demands authenticity from others and is willing to scream for no reason to get it.

We meet Bix (or Beresford) and some of his family, we get a sense for what a privileged dude he is. He attends a talk about technology he's using for his huge business as he looks for what's next. Someone else in that group might be on to him, but maybe he convinces her otherwise.

Dumbledore has laid it all out for Harry, about the prophecy and what it means, how V or Harry will have to kill the other, how the prophecy might have referred to Neville. And D has explained how it is his fault that Sirius has been killed.

The climactic battle with the death waters and Voldemort at the ministry is over. Sirius is dead, V has fled, Fudge is fit to be tied, Dumbledore has essentially taken charge and has sent Harry back to Hogwarts.

I appreciate even the little I've read so far, like quoting a mortician saying "Talking about sex doesn't make you pregnant, and talking about death doesn't make you dead." And it's a bit of a reminder to think about his equation that "obituary = life story." When writing one, it's good to think of 3 questions:
1) what were they trying to do with their life?
2) why?
3) how did it work out?

Harry's sure Sirius is being tortured by the dark lord because of a dream during finals but Hermione convinces him to try to contact Sirius before leaving for London. Umbridge catches them. Hermione makes up a story about there being a weapon and leads Umbridge into the forest, where the centaurs capture her. They would've taken HP & HG, too, but Grawp interfered. Then Ron et al show up, & they'll fly on thestrals.

O.W.L.s are underway, but there's activity from Umbridge even during the nighttime astronomy final as she and accomplices try to remove Hagrid, without much success. During Harry's last test he falls asleep and has his usual bad dream, going further this time and seeing Sirius threatened by the dark lord.

Harry and Hermione got to meet Hagrid's half-bro while Ron was playing Quidditch. The meet-up didn't go great, but when they get back it seems Ron has played well and Gryffindor has won.

Fred & George have split the scene, among other things happening in recent pages. Harry saw Snape's bad memory of James P torturing him, prompting HP to risk contacting Sirius to ask about it. Seems his dad was an idiot at 15, like many seem to be (according to Sirius and Remus).