| Entree 163 |
[November 17th, 2009 » 12:40pm] |
Greetings from Belize!
Hello, everyone. Just so you know, you shouldn't expect to see a whole lot out of me in this next month before Christmas. This is because I'm finishing up my teaching certification in Belize, which, if you aren't familiar with it, is a small Central American country on the border of Mexico and Guatemala. Here, I'm teaching a fifth grade class, which is called Standard IV. Most of my students are ten years old. :)
I hope that you are all enjoying your winter. Me too! The temperature her is subtropic, with a gentle breeze that the children find so cold that they wear jackets and caps. I think it's shorts and sleeveless weather, however, and I'm loving the bay here in Corozol, which is as warm as a bath.
Today is my first day teaching. The first class didn't go as well as I'd like. However, I learned a great deal and have every hope that the science class on fossils that I'm about to give will be even better!
Pray for me or be thinking of me! I'll try to update every so often. I hope that you're all doing well, whether that's working or moving (woo, Lee!), or whatever else. See/Speak with you all a Christmastime!
Love, Jess (Swiss).
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| Entrée 162 |
[November 1st, 2009 » 10:53am] |
Calling all Christmas Prompts:
Tis the season once again! Call it cliche, but I adore the winter holidays, especially Christmas. Part of this stems from how much pleasure I get from giving gifts (as some of you know very well), and for the last several years I've offered to fill writing/art/video prompts as presents for my friends.
So! Especially since I'm heading out of town soon, it would be nice to get an idea what everyone would like to have. Comic, Sandra? Who, what genre, any details? Story, Clara, Lee, etc? Let me know what I can write for you - a tad of specific really helps.
Loving you all loads. Please let me know soon. :)
Swiss
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| Book Review - Star Trek / #24 / Killing Time by Della Van Hise |
[October 26th, 2009 » 5:53pm] |
This is one of the more fanservice-oriented pieces of writing among the published novels, but hey - I like it! A reminder to readers: This is part of a larger archive, and the focus is Dr. Leonard H. McCoy.
#24 – Killing Time by Della Van Hise
Many of the Star Trek novels can seem like published fanfiction…but in this case it’s a good thing! Killing Time, does all the things that make fanfiction great – it has crazy, indulgent scenarios, male bonding, fanservice – only, in this case, it maintains excellent, high-quality writing too. The result? Just wow. To summarize, a shift in dimensions causes the Enterprise to merge with another universe. In this alternate world, Spock is captain, Kirk is a lowly ensign, and Vulcans are in charge of the Federation. It involves insanity, role reversals, and McCoy as the personal slave of the Romulon Praetor! With a collar! Yeah, fanfiction. But so, so good.
Rating: 5
( Read the Full Review )
Link to the full Leonard H. McCoy Guide
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| Book Review - Star Trek / #11 / Yesterday's Son by A.C. Crispin |
[October 24th, 2009 » 11:20pm] |
Another book review; I'm trying to be responsible and type up the ones lying neglected beside my desk. Remember that these are updates to a bigger archive, and the purpose is to breakdown the involvement of an indivigual character - Dr. Leonard McCoy!
#11 – Yesterday's Son by A.C. Crispin
This book is famous for tying up potential loose ends from the episode “All Our Yesterdays.” In it, archeological evidence reveals that, while trapped in the ancient icy wasteland of Sarpeidon, Spock helped conceive a child. Feeling bound by duty, he travels back through the Guardian of Forever and retrieves his son...who is, unfortunately, already an adult. An absolutely stunning piece of work by a creative and capable writer. My favorite part of the story is the fact that McCoy adopts Spock’s kid. :)
Rating: 5
( Read the Full Review )
Link to the full Leonard H. McCoy Guide
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| Book Review - Star Trek / #50 / Doctor's Orders by Diane Duane |
[October 23rd, 2009 » 11:24pm] |
My first additional book review is up! I actually have another fifteen novels sitting on my desk which I haven't typed up yet. Hopefully, there are a few people out there who'll appreciate this breakdown of the books for one of the characters whose presence is not necessarily a given - Dr. Leonard McCoy!
#50 – Doctor’s Orders by Diane Duane
My absolute favorite book. The basic premise is that Captain Kirk decides to torment McCoy by leaving him in charge of the Enterprise while he goes down to a planet’s surface. Unfortunately, he then disappears. Then a Klingon ship shows up, and Dr. McCoy has to use his wits as a doctor and a psychologist – rather than as a commander – to keep them all alive until they can find the captain.
Rating: Strong 5 (BEST NOVEL EVER).
( Read the Full Review )
Link to the full Leonard H. McCoy Guide
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| Entrée 161 |
[October 19th, 2009 » 7:46pm] |
Today I was inspired by ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) firebomb to do a post about my real life, rather than only posting stories, comics, or stick-figure videos. Especially because I haven't had much time for creativity as a direct result of this aforementioned "Real Life", aha.
Student teaching is going well. Though, of course, it has its ups and downs. For example, today was a down day; I tried to do an activity on the embalming process which went over poorly, and I’m also being plagued by a bone-deep worry that I'll never figure out the kind of flawless classroom management that my current supervising teacher exercises. He makes it look so easy. But then, I know I invest far too much concern in these things, and even that may be partially sabotaging me. It's good to be aware of flaws, of course, but there's a certain magic quality to being able to just ride the current.
Other news: I love the song "It’s My Life" by Bon Jovi. I hate first dates (he got there a few minutes early and started eating without me!). I just finished rereading "Self-Reliance" by Ralph Waldo Emerson, which always clears my head, and I love the passage in the bible from 1 Corinthians 13: 8-12. I also love yummy cabbage sautéed with just a little soy sauce, red bean paste, toast with butter, and 1 pt. Weight Watcher Oreo snacks. AND WISCONSIN APPLES (by George, Sandra, that was the best apple I've ever eaten).
The end. :)
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| Entrée 160 |
[October 15th, 2009 » 12:10am] |
Title: Pet Names
Artist: Swiss
Genre: House M.D.
Character(s): Rachel Joy Cuddy, Wilson
Warning: Naughty language being misunderstood by a four-year-old.
Summary: Rachel has some problems at preschool because of her vocabulary.
Sample:
View it: (here).
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| Star Trek Guide / The Fandom |
[October 10th, 2009 » 4:19pm] |
The Fandom:
Disclaimer: I won’t claim that this is a comprehensive list. I’ve found it difficult to find really good quality writing, especially when those with romantic content are taken off the table (which this archives does; there are certainly enough archives out there which focus on romance and far too few which spotlight friendship/brotherhood). That being said, I’ll add here any recommendations that I find exemplary. Please feel free to comment on other “must-read” examples.
( Fiction )
( Media )
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| Star Trek Guide / The Novels |
[October 10th, 2009 » 4:11pm] |
The Novels:
These books are a mixed batch of the good, the bad, and the ugly. No one author wrote more than a few contributions, and for that reason, they are full of contradictions, inconsistency, and plain old awful. One of my worst complaints is that some writers simply “forget” key characters – Dr. McCoy being one of the most typical losses. That being said, Some of these books ARE truly excellent literature and many more are worth at least a casual look. Since there are over a hundred of them, however, I’ve attempted to cull out the best and worst as I go through them.
The Authors:
If you are looking at a second-hand bookshelf and don’t have a guide on hand, here are the writers with whom you just can’t go wrong:
(1) – J.M. Dillard (a truly good story teller with great characterization and insight).
(2) – Diane Duane (easily the most capable writer of the series, if occasionally verbose).
Note: Because Dr. McCoy’s involvement and the readability of a novel aren’t necessarily the same thing, I’ve also given each book a star rating. Any with three or above is worth reading, a four or five star rating emphatically so.
( Read Onward )
UPDATED: 10/24/09
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| Star Trek Guide / The Films |
[October 10th, 2009 » 4:10pm] |
The Films:
Geriatric Star Trek! Okay, I’m joking, but only slightly. The films pick up the adventures of the crew after the five year mission has ended and Captain Kirk and the others face life after the Enterprise...and without one another. There are people who consider these some of the worse films ever made, but I think that witnessing the Kirk-Spock-McCoy relationship at full maturity tends to make up for its weaker moments. Plus, they have at least two parts that absolute ripped by heart from my chest, plus several that left me laughing fit to rupture.
( Read Onward )
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