At Norwescon I got asked whether I thought video games were a narrative art form. I knew the answer — "no, I do not believe that video games are a narrative art form." But I presented my case off the cuff and wanted to spend some time examining it. IContinue Reading
On Sunday, March 30, 2008, I saw the LA punk band X at an all ages show at The Showbox in Seattle. On Thursday, October ?? (the ticket has been torn), 1982, I saw the LA punk band X at an all ages show at The Showbox in Seattle. TheContinue Reading
I can’t be the only person on the whole Internet who hates the phrase “allows you to” as part of a software description. Can I? And yet, a Googling of “hates the phrase allows you to” brings up nothing, as do any number of less specific variations. I don’t knowContinue Reading
Nearly two years ago, I complained about the planned sparkling tower of yuppiness that was to be Bay View Tower. As of March 2, 2008 the developers of Bay View Tower are refunding deposits. According to project manager Robert Howe, the project isn’t dead. But they have vacated their salesContinue Reading
At least, that was the impression that I got from the voice message that he left on my answering machine on the day of Washington State’s primary. The content was predictably uninspiring — basically a promise to keep doing exactly what our current Republican president is doing, because of courseContinue Reading
I saw a random episode of “The Big Bang Theory” last night when I was moping and thinking I might be sick. It’s been an astonishingly long time since I’ve seen a standard sitcom — you know, limited sets, obvious jokes, contrived interchangeable plots, contrived interchangeable characters, frequent pauses forContinue Reading
Bill O’Reilly, master of racial sensitivity has stated that he will not “go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there’s evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels.” Phew! What a relief! O’Reilly is only going to try to lynch the wife of theContinue Reading
The downside of having one’s husband come home from working on Norwescon at three in the morning is disrupted sleep. The upside of disrupted sleep is sometimes remembering dreams. Last night, they made the presidential candidates conduct their next debate dressed as boxers wearing red clown noses. Obama came offContinue Reading
It’s that time of year. The toys are all on sale, especially the weird ones. Which brings me to Bratz vs Barbie wars. I am of an age to have grown up with both Barbie dolls and feminist commentary on Barbie dolls, and I find Bratz kind of interesting inContinue Reading
The PI printed my letter to the editor! That’s what outrage’ll get you. Your name in print. Seeing my own name in print always gives me a little thrill.Continue Reading
Yesterday’s Supreme Court bone-throw to the American Taliban (aka the Religious Right, aka the Anti-Abortion crusade aka The People Who Read A Handmaid’s Tale and Thought it Sounded Like a Good Idea) left a lot of us stewing in outrage. If you are one of them, you can register yourContinue Reading
It’s still not April first for a while, now, so I can post this without having it mistaken for a prank: At Norwescon, on Saturday, April 7, from 3 until 6 in the afternoon, you are invited to a Goth House tea party. There will be tea, little cucumber sandwiches,Continue Reading
So, why haven’t we heard about this before? Because I was on an alternates list.You know, first runner-up. Understudy. That sort of thing. But the conference starts today. I’m aware of that. In fact, I was thinking just last week, "Ha-ha, wouldn’t it be funny if somebody dropped out theContinue Reading