Bill Leisner

more cat pictures

Nothing of significance to post tonight, so here's a little something to amuse you.

Well, amuse me, anyhow.

So, I'm back home again, and I'd like to apologize to all for my seemingly zombie-like behavior throughout the weekend.

Friday unfortunately set the tone... ( Read more... )

On Saturday( Read more... )

And on Sunday, I rested.( Read more... )

Then on Monday, I flew home. The end.

As publicly announced at Shore Leave last night... I am writing a new novel in the Star Trek: The Next Generation series! The title is Losing the Peace, and it follows Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and his band of Merry Men in the aftermath of the world-changing events of Dave Mack's Destiny trilogy. This will, of course, be the first paper publication I will have written all on my own -- or as Mr. Mack said to me after the announcement, "You're gonna own this bitch!" (I almost just wrote "botch" right now, which perhaps is closer to the truth.)

I am, of course a) stoked, and b) nervous as hell. More the latter than the former.

So, I'm heading out in just under an hour for the airport, and from thence to Hunt Valley, Maryland. Looking forward to seeing those of you I'll see there there!

Below is the Entertainment Weekly's list of 100 Classic Movies of the past 25 years. Bold the ones you've seen, underline the ones you plan to.

( In case anyone actually gives a damn, click here )

Caffiene and sugar just aren't doing the job anymore, not after a three-day weekend, anyhow.

Maybe I need to take up cigarettes?

Why is everybody on my friends list making such a big to-do about watching Wesley Crusher's send-off episode of TNG this weekend...?

From Yahoo News, via Think Progress:

An independent market-research firm, AIMRCo (Adult Internet Market Research Company), has discovered that many websites focused on adult or erotic material have experienced an upswing in sales in the recent weeks since checks have appeared in millions of Americans' mailboxes across the country.

According to Kirk Mishkin, Head Research Consultant for AIMRCo, "Many of the sites we surveyed have reported 20-30% growth in membership rates since mid-May when the checks were first sent out, and typically the summer is a slow period for this market."
Jillian Fox, spokeswoman for LSGmodels.com, one of the sites reporting figures to AIMRCo, added, "In a June 15, 2008 survey to our members, thirty two percent of respondents referenced the recent stimulus package as part of their decision to either become a new member, or renew an existing membership."

Can there be any question now that we're in a recession? Time was, most guys would be using this $600 for a night with a first-class hooker, but budgets are being stretched tighter and tighter...

Snurched from just about everyone....

The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read six of the Top 100 books they've printed.

1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Underline the books you LOVE.
4) Reprint this list in your own LJ so we can try and track down these people who've read six and force books upon them.
( Read more... )
So that's fifteen. I'll take it.

(I'll also take some pride in not having read The Da Vinci Code...)

It's funny. There are days when it feels like every single sentence is an impacted molar that you just have to pull and pull on until the sweat runs down your brow... and then there are days when you just cruise along, throwing down just-right words one after the other, and then look back and see you've blown right past your goal.

The truly funny part? The scene I did today, the one that came so easy and all? One I didn't know I needed in the book until yesterday. And one that, as of right now, I have no idea where it will be going over the course of the rest of the novel.

TrekMovie.com now has up an excerpt of A Less Perfect Union (an extended version of the one that appeared in ST Magazine), a Q&A with yerz truly about said story, and the first review of that same story:

Leisner takes an outstanding ‘what-if’ premise but, doesn’t fully make the most out of it. The original content of the story, particularly surrounding T’Pol, is intensely interesting, but much of the remainder of the story focuses on a blending of several Original Series episodes (or at least their most memorable moments) and is less satisfying.

When Leisner drops the TOS homages and focuses on original storytelling, the story works… very well! But when he falls back on the familiar lines of so many episodes, it falls flat. Many ‘in-continuity’ stories suffer from the micro-universe syndrome, but Leisner was free to disregard established continuity and so there was no need to include every single tip of the hat to TOS that he possibly could.

In short, the storyline is outstanding, the execution is a bit uneven. The tale has potential, but it falls a little bit short of where it could be.

Not exactly a rave, but how upset can I be when he singles out the "original" work I did as working best?

Still, when I quote this review in the future, I believe I shall just use: "... outstanding..."

I am home after a long weekend visit back east, as the whole Leisner clan got together for the baptism of my newest niece, Audrey. Not only was this my first oppotunity to meet the little one, but also my first time meeting her eight-month-old cousin, Madison -- who is right in the middle of teething and wasn't particularly interested in another uncle.

Her older sister, Taylor, I had not seen in about two years, since just before her first birthday. She didn't know quite what to make of me... but fortunately, she had the benefit of her ten-year-old cousin, Jordan, who taught her that Uncle Bill is there to be jumped on, ridden on, hit with squirt guns, and otherwise abused. Quick learner, that Taylor.

Needless to say, no significant progress on the Sooper Sekrit Projekt got done over the weekend.

This may be more self-serving bullshit... but we'll miss ya, George.

Geoff "troll_bridge" Trowbridge reminds me that Shore Leave is mere weeks away. Weeks! Three, to be precise. How did that happen?

Even sooner -- i.e. tomorrow morning -- I am winging my way back to NYS to attend my newest niece's baptism. This will also be my first opportunity to meet my second-youngest niece, who did not make it to Nana's house this past Christmas.

The only downside, of course, is having to deal with Northworst -- where at least the beverages are still complimentary!*

(*required $5 cup rental fee.)

AAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!

*headdesk*
*headdesk*
*headdesk*
*hairpull*
*headdesk*
*hairpull*
*hairpull*

*deep breath*

*headdesk*

A quick bit of amusement for you:



(Yes, I do have better things to do today than surfing YouTube...)

Wrote 862 words today, being the semi-official relaunch of Sooper Sekrit Project 2008. Right in my daily goal range... or what would have been my goal range if not for this re-launching business. And rather too close to the lower limit of that already-low range, for a non-office day.

Eh, it's something, anyhow. One bite at a time...

Have an awesome one, dude!