Another "Movie for Gamers Who Like Movies" review

I finally finished my review for Dungeons & Dragons : The Movie. I think it speaks for itself; it just doesn't link for itself.

Peace, out.

Where's the Love?

NaNoWriMo is not just a crazy idea; it is also a charity non-profit which uses its funds to build libraries in Southeast Asia. This year the target goal is $200,000. You don't have to be a writer to help out. Just hop on over to the NaNoWriMo store and make a donation. You can even use PayPal to do it!

Why not turn some of your e-bay cash into a place that will help kids read?

Cream of Coconut

Here's a bit of cooking advice. If you decide to make some kind of beef-curry dish with a Thai flair, be sure that the coconut milk you're adding to the delicious vegetables, peppers, pecans and smoked beef is actually coconut milk. Because if it is cream of coconut and you pour it into your cooking food, it is a sad, sad thing.

Yuck.

I just turned ten bucks of delicious ingredients into smoked-beef-coconut-candy. I can't even phonetically spell the noise I made when I tasted that mess.

Gross, gross, gross, gross, gross. As Anita Blake (no relation) would say, "Gag me with a spoon." Or, just gag.

Why I Like Writing

Although nobody ever asks me why I want to be a writer, I actually know why. I remember as a child being an avid reader from the first grade. My mother had taught me to read before I started school, and the stories in the first grade included a magic car - which I vaguely remember being driven by a curly haired gentleman and the car may have flown. (That's a bit sketchy... Mr. Fig was it?)

We didn't have the plethora of entertainment options then that kids have now, and my mother needed to give us something to do besides watching daytime television. (Daytime TV was geared towards the home-bound housewife at the time, and my sisters and I did enjoy the game shows, but at some point the soaps would come on, and my interest waned.)

Mother would sign us up for the summer reading program at the city library. We would check out books and read them, and sometime around the 3rd grade, I began to read anthologies of science-fiction stories. I read novels too, some of them classics of literature and others classics of children's literature. But it was the science fiction stories that really captured my imagination. Stories about people with time machines, ray-guns, rocket ships, and hyper-intelligent monkey side-kicks were my ticket to other worlds. As a reader, I sought the ambulatory effects that reading such works brought me. But at some point I realized that the stories themselves - though clearly magical works - had been created by mortal men, and that I could become such as them if I wanted to.

I could read these old anthologies, and smell the age on the paper. The fonts were different. The copyrights were from the 30's, 40's and 50's. Some of the stories had illustrations, and many had twist endings that rivaled those on the Twilight Zone. But what really struck me was that this sensation I got from reading these tales made me think that these old men, these dead men, had the same sorts of sensibilities that I had. They had the same sense of wonder, and imagination, even though they were really old - which meant that not just their stories had been captured on the paper, but also a snapshot of their thinking process. They had achieved a sort of immortality through being in print, and I liked the idea of that. I liked it a lot.

A more refined understanding of my feelings came in high-school when I learned more about Aristotle and the Aristotelian rules of drama. On the one hand, there was this famous guy named Aristotle who had produced rules for art. On the other hand, there was this guy named Aristotle who is arguably more well known now than he was 2300 years ago. And that's the magic of writing. You write to some imaginary audience and if you're published, it is possible that two thousand years ago some people may read your words and say, "Neato!"

Insanity. Insanity,

I'd say writing 12,000 words in a day is insanity.
Blogging about it later - even more insanity.
Believing anything in the last 4,000 words is even going to make sense tomorrow?
Insanity.

Punchy. I'm quite punchy now.

Making things fit

I've recovered nearly all my lost word count from losing a day doing tech work. This brings me back close to an average of 2000 words per day, not counting today. That's about what I can expect to accomplish in 90 - 120 minutes, assuming the words will come. If I averaged 1800 words for every 120 minutes that would be 15 words a minute. If I could magically avoid eating, sleeping, pooping, showering, or any other distraction and just keep up that pace I could knock out a 90,000 word book in just under 5 days. But I suspect that it would suffer slightly as my rational thinking wanes a bit after the first 48 hours of no sleeping and no pooping - something I learned in boot-camp.

But 120 minutes is 2/24ths of a day. That made me think of the way my days really play out.
Here are some things I do every day, and some time allocation:
Sleep - 6 hours (25% of my day)
Eat - 3x @ 45 min each. This will be rounded up to 2 hours. (8% of my day)
Work & Drive - 9 to 10 hours deducting lunch in the previous item. (37% - 41% of my day)
Kid time (for me this is playing, homework, diapers, etc...) 2 hours dedicated, and nickel and dimes throughout my waking hours. (8 - 50% of my day depending on circumstances.)

The point here is that the two things I know I ought to be doing are WRITING and EXERCISING. And those are the two things that if I do them give me the most satisfaction emotionally and physically - yet which I find hardest to make time for.

NaNoWriMo has reminded me that getting up at 5:00 am to do stuff is the best way to accomplish things. You only have time for stuff if you MAKE time for it. So combining the military saying of "If you have time to sleep then you have time to work" with the knowledge that if I go to bed at 10:00 pm I can get up at 5:00 am without suffering much, I've been able to meet my goals so far.

The only problems have been getting a virus which weakened me one day and emptied me the next, and trying to squeeze in some computer work. If I don't write in the morning it is terribly hard to get it done during the ensuing day. But I'm betting my best editing work will be done at night, should I ever get that far in the process.

34,000 NaNoWriMo

Well, I caught back up again. Finally. Once I get to 50,000 I think I may just collapse. Now 3/5th of my family is sick with some kind of stomach virus. I say stomach, but that's just the start of the problem.

Maybe this weekend will be very productive in writing - either way, I'm sure using a lot of paper.

An Interesting Windows XP Issue - Part 2

A few months ago I saw an article in Information Week's Langa Letter column on performing a "No Reformat, Nondestructive Total-Rebuild Option" refresh of Windows XP. This article is about an interesting problem I ran into while running the refresh trying to fix a problematic XP system.

The system I was trying to repair had been subjected to numerous internet game installs, and was running rather sluggishly. It also had problems staying connected to the Internet, and getting e-mail. Both of its browsers (IE and FIREFOX) were out of date, and the anti-virus software was expired. There was also a serious problem with the file system permissions. There were two user accounts on the system with similar names, but one was a "user" and the other was an "admin" account. However, when trying to use the admin account many of the desktop items couldn't be deleted and software couldn't be installed because the system said that the installation required administrative permissions - which it should have had, but didn't. I tried creating a new account and moving files to the new profile for the administrator. This resolved the installation issue, but not the files that couldn't be deleted. I decided it was time to run the refresh install.

The refresh went smoothly until it got to screen 17 in the process - where the system required reactivation. However, when I tried to reactivate the system an error popped up saying that the internet could not be reached. Then another message popped up saying that I had zero days to get the system registered. Then the installation was complete and the machine rebooted.

This is where the fun began. The system was configured to use the "Welcome Page" login screen. It was XP Home edition, so that's fairly common. When I clicked on the icon for the primary user (with admin privileges) I got an error message:

A problem has prevented windows from accurately checking the status of the license for this computer. You can not log on right now. Please ask a computer administrator to activate windows on this computer.

The error message flashes for a moment, then the system logs back out to the Welcome Screen. Nice. This account had administrative privileges so it seemed like that should have worked, but no. I did some research on Microsoft's Technet and came up with article 306081 which advised that with activation issues, sometimes the activation software can get corrupted. It talks you through the process of using the recovery console and expanding the activation software off the install disk to refresh it.

That didn't work.

Other websites strongly advised doing a refresh install - like the one I just did. Doh!

(Just to be safe, I did re-refresh install, but same issue.)

I went back and re-read the error message and decided that maybe it didn't want me to login as a user with administrative priviledges - but as THE ADMINISTRATOR ACCOUNT. Only problem there is that the administrator account doesn't show up on the Welcome Screen unless you boot in safe mode.

So I booted into safe mode (with and without networking) and discovered that the Administrator account gave me the same error. In my line of work - and at home, I almost exclusively use a domain and therefore the domain login screen instead of the Welcome Screen. But when I called a friend to describe the problem he mentioned that it was possible to change from the Welcome Screen to the domain login screen - if I could get logged into the system. Which I couldn't.

So I did more research and many sites out there advise that if this happens to you the best solution is to back up your data and just blow the whole system away. But I wasn't prepared to do that - I had one more thing to try. (And it works - so keep reading.)

Here is the actual solution to the problem:
1) Boot the system into SAFE MODE WITH COMMAND PROMPT. This mode of booting works and does not generate the annoying lockout error.
2) At the command prompt type "EXPLORER.EXE" This will launch the windows desktop and allow you to get to step 3.
3) Go to the CONTROL PANEL -> USER ACCOUNTS -> CHANGE THE WAY USERS LOGON. Change that disable "Use Welcome Screen" then save your settings.
4) Reboot. When the system comes up you should be able to login with the Username/Password dialog box. Use "Administrator" as the user, and whatever password your administrator account has for the password.

Now you should be logged in as administrator and able to re-run the ACTIVATE WINDOWS WIZARD and successfully get the system authorized.

I hope someone will find this information useful. I would post it at one of the myriad "Windows Tech Forums" but I'm too lazy to fill out another friggin forum sign-up even to help people.

An Interesting Windows XP Issue - Part 1

A few months ago I saw an article in Information Week's Langa Letter column on performing a "No Reformat, Nondestructive Total-Rebuild Option" refresh of Windows XP. Having experienced some of the results of doing reinstalls with Windows 98 and 2000, I was dubious but was able to successfully use the technique multiple times to clear up issues with Windows Genuine Advantage errors. As long as you have a valid CD-Key and don't mind calling India to get the approval code from Microsoft the refresh install can really do wonders for clearing up all kinds of registry problems, pesky spy-ware issues, and other sundry ailments that a non-refreshed XP is heir to.

The first problem I ever ran into with this kind of repair was when I tried to fix my sister's machine - a fairly new Dell - whose chief symptom was "slowness." As most IT Pro's know, slowness is a relative term and is very subjective based on the experiences and perception of the user. Unless the user has done benchmarks on the machine in the past and can compare them to benchmarks in the present, it is difficult to objectively say whether or not a system is really slow. But when she gave me her machine and it took me nearly two minutes to reach a non-hourglass desktop I figured that was slow for a 2.5Ghz system. The first step was to remove the cancerous "Norton System Works."

[START RANT]
Currently - in my mind - "Norton System Works" is the worst piece of software out there for home users. Users recognize the "Peter Norton" name and think they're getting something really good. But Pete's been gone for a while, and "Norton System Works" is the equivalent of tying a cement block to the back of your bike before you go out for a ride. Does it work? Does it protect you from evil? Maybe, but your system might run faster if you just turned it off and unplugged it.
[END RANT]

After cleaning her system of spyware, removing the Norton System Works and adding memory things were running faster, but I thought I would run the refresh install from the Langa Letter - but I couldn't. New Dells include a special repair partition on them and this allows Dell to do "rollback" fixes to their systems which restore it to a pristine state. That is probably very handy for modern computer users who don't want to know how to fix their system and would prefer to just back up their data and start over. However, it prevents a refresh install because the XP installer thinks you want to make the system multi-boot. In the end, I made the improvements I could and did not do the refresh install on that system. It is much faster, but I regret not being able to do that little bit extra.

The second issue I had running the refresh install came on the 17th. I'm going to make that its own post - a part II to this entry.

My First Zero-Count Day

Day 14 was my first zero word count nanowrimo day.
A long delayed opportunity to fix a PC for a family friend turned horribly wrong - and will be the subject of another posting in the future. For now, it is the 15th and I've got to get a lot of writing done before I can go to sleepy land.

-B.

We're having a fairy over tonight...

My son lost his first baby tooth today. It was kind of funny. He came into my office while I was writing on my nanowrimo project and said, "Daddy, my tooth is broken."

I stopped writing and turned around to look. I wasn't sure what he meant because he uses the word "broken" to mean a lot of different things.

He grinned a big wide grin and showed me that his lower incisor was wiggling back and forth. I immediately turned back to the computer to see if I could find out when a kid's teeth are supposed to start falling out.

He said, "I want to pull it out."

I said, "Wait, Daddy needs to find out if your teeth are supposed to come out yet. "

He said, "I did it! I fixed it. All done!"

I turned around and he had pulled his tooth out by himself. He handed it to me and told me he was going to go play trains.

The visions of having to tie a string to a doorknob stooges style, evaporated.

The tooth looked great, with no sign of decay. And it was complete, not chipped. The average age for kids to start losing their teeth appears to be around age 6. He's 5, and got his teeth at 18 weeks, so I assume he's just going to lose them early too. One down, nineteen to go.

Looks like somebody's getting a visit from the tooth-fairy.

Sprint Employee Referral Discount

OK - I've got a lot of friends who use mobile phones. If you're not stuck in some contract, here is a chance to get a special discount. Although this blog and my website are my own creations - and have nothing to do with Sprint - I know some of my friends drop by from time to time. Since by day I work at Sprint, they sometimes have special deals that I'm eligible for as an employee.

If you're one of my friends you can sign up for a Sprint Employee Referral Discount for mobile phone service.

Just go to this website: http://www.sprint.com/sero
On the site it will ask for a name and e-mail address.

Sprint Employee Name: William Blake Smith
Sprint Work E-Mail Address: Blake.Smith*sprint.com (replace the * with an @).
I'm beginning to suspect that the web-scrapers out there looking for spam addresses now look for "something at something dot com" and parse that to e-mail addresses as readily as the true-format ones. But maybe the * will slow them down a little.

This makes you eligible for either the NEXTEL or SPRINT plans, but you can check it out yourself.

To the best of my knowledge I get nothing if you sign up for this, but you get good discounts - so enjoy!

Special mention to A.V. who was the first to spot my misuse of "their" in today's posting. He wins the complimentary issue of Granny Grainer's Grand Grimoire of Grammar.

Separated at Birth?

Ok - so I'm watching "The Sword and the Sorcerer" last night. (Recharging my NaNoWriMo batteries, if you will.)

And one of the characters in the movie is clearly the guy from "Will & Grace." And after just a second I though, hmmm. How is that possible? Of course it isn't possible - but look at these two! It is freaky! (I believe if you click on the picture you get the "zoomed" version.)

And thanks to observant reader A.B. who observed that I misspelled separated in the original post. I wonder why Firefox 2 caught it in the text of the blog, but not in the Title field? Maybe I need to learn to spell better myself.

15K - at last!

I broke 15,000 today on nanowrimo! Not bad for day 7.

I like to see the profiles of the other participants and track how they are doing. It helps me work better.

It is just like John F. Kennedy wrote: Profiles Encourage!

Don't forget to vote today!

Zaruba wedding

It is done.

Cleanup Underway

The house, mind you. Not the writing. I hit around 1500 this morning, bringing my a.m. total to 6501. My p.m. total should be higher, barring unforeseen circumstances. It's getting exciting for me now because three of my characters have cliff-hangers going on, two of them more pressing than the third. These mid-nanowrimo blog-entries may be more terse as I save my letters for the project.

Observation the first: Having an outline, some simple character sketches and a map has been an absolutely different experience than any other writing project I've done. Wonderful.

Observation the second: It takes me about 20 minutes to hit the zone where the words just flow and flow. In that first 20 I hop around a bit and stare and sometimes mis-align my hands to the home keys.

Observation the third: I read that everyone who finishes this year will have their project added to Oprah's book club!!! I wrote it, and then I read it. Just now.

10% Done - 5000 word mark crossed.

If I can keep up this pace I'll have met my 50K words in 20 days. But I aim to do better than that by doing a marathon session on Saturday night and Sunday night. I'd say Friday too - but I've got to get the house cleaned up for Maddie & Sophie's first birthday.

All you Nano-Buddies out there keep up the good work! You can do this! Work hard, and edit later. Edit later. Edit later.

Work hard and edit later.

What are you doing reading my blog when you should be typing?

Mars 30+ Years Later

When I was seven years old Americans landed a spacecraft on Mars. Even though I grew up to love science fiction, this major hurtle towards our eventual colonization of the red planet had already been jumped before I read "The Martian Chronicles" or any other work on the subject. But here in the 21^st century I fail to be able to fly my car to the office. Yet I can telecommute if the boss allows it. I don't remember telecommuting being a big theme in sci-fi, but it is a real accomplishment based entirely on geek-tech.

I digress.

This is about Mars. I heard that NASA is planning a Martian "plane" mission where they'll send a plane to mars (via rocket) and let it fly around the surface of the planet taking pictures. A plane can get low enough to get very detailed photos and look for "life signs."

Which brings me to my point: Who cares?

I don't care if there was microbial life on Mars - even if it seeded Earth. What I do care about is that we should be trying (as inexpensively as possible) to seed Mars with earth's bio-matrix. By that I mean that we should scour the earth for hearty bacteria suitable for the Martian environment and dump it all over that little planet in an effort to make Mars a viable backup planet for Earth.

I think about 50% of Mars missions fail - but if the mission was a planned crash to eject bacteria everywhere, we might get better results. If I was rich (really, really, really rich) I think I'd try funding something like this. We are never going to get astronauts to fight Martian dinosaurs if we don't start working on this kind of project now!

NaNoWriMo - Wordcount

Well, I got up at 5:00 am and started writing (after the requisite cup of coffee and bowl of cereal). I hit 1500 words before my wife had to leave for work, and according to the "official" wordcount software, I broke 1700 this morning.

Track my progress here:
WBlakeSmith's nanowrimo status

I like the flash software they have for viewing your work - BUT, it cuts off the sentence at the bottom of each page, which is why I'm linking to the non-flash version. As weak as a non-edited word vomit may be, I think it suffers even more when you're missing a sentence or more every page.

But so far I'm pleased with me progress! Argh!