Tom Smith

All of the 2012 Tony Awards Show promos starring Neil Patrick Harris:



This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1525938.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

And on the other end of the spectrum we have Rush.

I've been joking for years that something has to be surgically removed from those wishing to advance in the Republican socio-political-economic power structure: irony, self-awareness, compassion, empathy, something.

This is one of those times I wonder if the joke is on me.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1525616.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

I'm a huge fan of Rachel Maddow. I'm (still) a huge fan of Keith Olbermann. But someone else of whom I am a fan hasn't got enough love on this LJ, and that's Lawrence O'Donnell. Eloquent, heartfelt, a little bit vicious. Perhaps not quite as erudite as Keith, nor as personable as Rachel (how does she remain so calm and friendly in the face of some of the bullshit she gets?), O'Donnell is every bit as competent and passionate about the news and how it affects us all.

Click here for O'Donnell's amazing takedown of Mitt Rmoney's claptrap on civil rights. It's about eight-and-a-half minutes, and very much worth your time.

ETA: For those who want a transcript -- if you mouse-over the bottom of the video, you'll see "transcript". Click that, and it'll pop up to the left of the vid.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1525448.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Great sadness. One of the legends of American folk music, Doc Watson, has passed away at the age of 89.

Watson changed everything by doing what no one had. His melodic flatpicking elevated the guitar from a rhythm backup to a lead and solo instrument for folk, country, blues, and bluegrass. He also helped introduce much of the country to the folk music of Appalachia, and was still performing as recently as last month (at MerleFest, the folk festival he hosted in memory of his son Merle [who was killed in an accident in 1985].)

In other words, the man basically reinvented traditional American music.

If you've never heard his wonderful, clean style and gentle, resonant voice, here's Doc doing "Deep River Blues", and here's him and Merle performing "Summertime".

Farewell, Doc, and many thanks.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1525005.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Severe thunderstorms and tornado watches for PA, NY, and parts of New England. Stay alert, stay safe, and let us know how you're doing.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1524837.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Today we remember those who have fallen in the service of our country.

If you have any memories of friends or relatives who have given everything for us, we'd be honored if you choose to share them.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1524623.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Oh my.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1524241.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1523982.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Geek Pride Day! And Towel Day! And the Glorious 25th!

To celebrate, some of us (including me) are going to World Steam Expo. Some are going to Media West. Some are going to BaltiCon (hi, jannyblue and gorgeousgary and the_sheryl and Jody Lynn Nye and Heather Dale and Ben Deschamps and everybody else out there). Some will even head to Toronto for Anime North. And I know there are other cons out there, and many other gatherings. Wherever you go, even if you have a staycation, be safe, beat the heat, and have fun.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1523945.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Written by three schoolgirls. Here's the ep itself:



And here's the ep with a behind-the-scenes look at it:



This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1523554.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Right here. Note in particular #4 (the Hercules is spectacular), #9 (Wouldn't Samuel L. Jackson and Will Smith go together just great in Men In Black Of S.H.I.E.L.D.?), and #10 (Lego/Minimates/Minecraft Avengers cosplay FTW). And, if you read the descriptions, the captioner actually knows his/her comics lore, which is pretty damn rare for the Lamestream media.

Any good Avengers cosplay or fan art you'd like to share?

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1523440.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Sorry for the self-aggrandizing subject line, but this has only been nailed down last-second and I wanted to make sure those who might be interested actually saw my name.

Ahem! This weekend, I have three-plus performances at the World Steam Expo, taking place at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn. I have three concerts, at TEN IN THE FREAKIN' MORNING Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, as well as a convention-staff-only concert at 11:30 p.m. on Friday night.

There will be many other exciting bands, panels, and activities of interest there -- everything from panels on Victorian Flirting and an audience-participation performance of Shoggoth On The Roof to concerts by The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing and the Confabulation of Gentry (the steampunk evil-twin personalities of the Consortium of Genius, who suspiciously also have a concert slot). It should be an exemplary time for all!

It happens, of course, to also be Memorial Day Weekend. Apart from remembrance for the fallen, what are your plans for the four-day?

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1523126.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Yesterday Blackout was released, the third in Mira Grant's zombie trilogy that began with Feed and continued with Deadline. Get it. Get it now, so it affects the first-week sales.

And... Seanan reports that the film rights have been optioned.

WAHOOOOOOO!

Oh, my dear, so many congratulations. You kick ass on every level.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1522754.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1522525.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1522326.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Have at it.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1522117.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

We knew it was coming, but that doesn't make it any easier. Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees has passed away at the age of 62. People make fun of the Bee Gees, including me on occasion, but they were stellar musicians with amazing harmonies, and if there are two better angsty songs than "I Started A Joke" and "I've Got To Get A Message To You" I don't know 'em.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1521909.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

• Sat, 12:47: Daily Kos: Obama campaign “goes there” again, calls Karl Rove out on his “BS” – VIDEO http://t.co/HrikMOhC via @dailykos
• Sat, 12:58: Daily Kos: Barack Obama: Human Capitalist http://t.co/HFBhblGA via @dailykos
• Sat, 17:14: AUROR'S TALE Teaser Trailer http://t.co/ICvZ0jQX
• Sun, 00:41: 2012 Dancing With The Star Wars Stars http://t.co/DLvTjZlm

Note that they have it at night now, with a much more elaborate stage -- video screen, a second level with stairs, and pyro. This is getting pretty darn popular.



(And the Slave Leia and Amidala are gorgeous, but I simply cannot believe how hot the tall bone-white woman is. Every year, her Jedi mind tricks work on me juuuuuust fine.)


This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1521478.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Much more info at their Facebook page.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1521192.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

D'awwwwwwwwww.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1520974.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1520700.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Sadness. Singer Donna Summer has passed away at the age of 63. She had a great voice, and she was a gorgeous and gracious lady, and she will be missed.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1520415.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

ETA: Removed the second one, which vanished. Sigh.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1520215.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

From egoldberg:

Hi everyone --

For the past 4 years, producer Kristoph Klover has been dedicating sweat, passion and countless hundreds of hours of late-night studio time on a quest to deliver Leslie Fish's most evocative and crafted recording yet, capturing Leslie's personality and her guitar wizardry at its best.

Titled Avalon is Risen, this project features newly crafted recordings of Leslie's best-known and most powerful Pagan and bardic songs. Songs that are thoroughly enjoyable by Pagans and non-Pagans alike.

And I'm thrilled to announce that it's finally at the duplicators, and ready for your pre-order!

By pre-ordering, you'll be first in line to receive the first CDs on June 15th. And thanks to the Internet, you'll also receive a full MP3 album download instantaneously.

Honoring the bardic tradition of these songs, we commissioned Celtic illustrator Bradley Schenck to create a 32-page, fully-illustrated color lyric booklet that's as beautifully crafted as the CD, designed in the tradition of finely ornamented Celtic books. (And did we mention an introduction by author Diana Paxson herself?! ;-)

As an extra bonus, your pre-order entitles you a 25% limited-time discount off any of CDs or digital downloads of our other albums (featuring Julia Ecklar and friends) -- and our gratitude for your support in making this independent music possible.

-- HOW TO LISTEN & PRE-ORDER --

If you'd like to receive the the special 25% discount pricing on our other CDs, please make pre-order from this page:
http://www.prometheus-music.com/avalonpreorder.html

You can preview the entire Avalon is Risen album (and download 3 full MP3s at no charge):
http://www.prometheus-music.com/avalon.html

(If you prefer to pay check, please mail $18.75 (including domestic U.S. shipping) with your mailing address to: Eli Goldberg, 4337 15th Ave NE #412, Seattle WA. Add $11.97 for any additional CDs.)

Enjoy,
Eli

P.S. Please feel free to share this announcement with your local filk lists, friends, and anyone else who you think may be interested in this album!

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1519973.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Cover for Ozymandius #2.

At least Len, JMS, and the Kuberts are getting paychecks.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1519697.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1519427.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Korra keeps getting better and better. I'll see GoT tomorrow, as usual. Go wild.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1519158.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1519067.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

(h/t io9)

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1518689.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Behold FIBIAC.

What's your favorite site for stuff like this? I'm just starting to poke around into it, and Thingiverse is very cool but it can't be the only one.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1518375.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

(Inspired by this pic.)

( Put behind a cut for possible spoiler protection.... )

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1518291.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Phenomenal.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1518071.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Finally.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1517759.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Recently, I got a copy of Cakewalk's Sonar X1 LE Starter Kit. Let me show you why:



If you're interested, that very same LE Starter Kit is on sale for $19.99 for the next two weeks. Also on sale is the upgrade from that to Sonar X1 Studio, only $79.99.

(Just leapfrog Essential, the version between LE and Studio; the power/utility difference isn't worth the savings. The Producer edition has a few nice tools and extra instruments, but I don't really think they're worth the extra few hundred bucks for our level of sound work. On the other hand, even just the LE edition is amazing, and Studio includes some excellent tools and instruments and lets you use 64-bit plugins.)

Any other great, cheap software we need to know about?

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1517313.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

A longstanding member of the filk community, archiver_tim, is in a very bad way financially. He's about to lose his house to foreclosure, and he needs a place for him and for his stuff. Quite a bit of the stuff, he is willing to sell or even give away. Click here for more info.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1517090.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Starring Kate Beckinsale, Judy Greer, and Andrea Savage.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1516832.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Great sadness. Author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, best known for Where The Wild Things Are, has passed away at the age of 83.

Sendak's work is like a cross between that of Dr. Seuss and Edward Gorey: whimsical, detailed, unnerving, scary, and most of all engaging. I am shamed to say I am not as familiar with it as I should be, but WTWTA is fortunately damn near universal. (And, as an aside, you can get the fairly well received movie on DVD at Target on their five-buck-movies-for-kids endcap.)

Farewell, sir, and thank you.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1516620.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

• I have acquired a Crudde. Throat hurts, sometimes sharply; chest much tighter than I like; some nasal congestion; not able to sing, except softly. Not happy.
• I am seeing a doctor today. Fortunately for my Crudde, it's my new urologist. The old urologist, a gifted young surgeon who gave me the ability to pee in a minute or two like a regular person... well, her I haven't seen for a couple of years because I didn't have insurance. So, when I called in to make an appointment, turns out she's moved -- voluntarily, mind you -- to Alaska. What the fuck.
• I have insurance. Did I mention I have insurance? This is the big, big news of the spring: I got the Social Security Disability. Got the "fully favorable" ruling, which means I am on Medicare, no more waiting and hoping, I'm there baby as of April 1, and later this month I'll get my first supplemental income payment, which I think and hope will help me catch up with every damn thing. The difference this has made in my attitude the past few weeks has been phenomenal. I am once more filled with hope that things will work out all right.

Love all you guys. How's your week starting out?

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1516295.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Busy busy busy:

• The past several days have been filled with Real Life (my sister has a Master's Degree -- IN SCIENCE!), and I've been delayed on finishing up some music. Ideally, I should have a ton of stuff -- literally, two or three new concert sets and at least four new tracks -- by the end of the week. Thanks for your patience, subscribers.
• Thanks, too, for everyone waiting for me to update the main web site. That's also coming this week.
• And I've got a couple of commission songs going. 'Sfunny, but this time just four months ago I would've been -- was -- emotionally paralyzed, unable to do jack on anything. Now, I'm just warming up.
• The extra-spiffy free Piano One VST/AU for PC and Mac has been updated to version 1.2. They've improved CPU usage, and added a preset system.
• If you want a hit of instant nostalgia, and have nine or ten hours (or days) to spare, check out the online archive of Radio Shack catalogs. I used to go through those like I go through the Micro Center and Sweetwater catalog nowadays, and it's wonderful remembering all that stuff. It's a fantastic resource. And you will look at the prices for computers and parts -- especially hard drives -- and laugh and laugh and laugh until you cry as you remember that you paid those prices back then.
• Last but no way least, Steve Jackson's Ogre Kickstarter has four days to go. The original $20,000 goal has been smashed to jelly; they're currently well over $600K. If they get to $700K, SJ Games will launch another Kickstarter for a new edition of Car Wars. They've added donation levels for people to get cool T-shirts for this.

Anything else? Open thread.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1516061.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

• I'll be watching GoT tonight.
• Korra, on Saturday, was frickin' amazing -- if The Avengers hadn't been so perfect, I'd be going on and on about it. This episode was pretty much all (a) sports and (b) relationships, and it was note-perfect, top to bottom, upending every cliche and moving the show along beautifully.
• And I still have to catch up with OUAT, but I hope to do that by Memorial Day Weekend.

Your thoughts on my Big Three? And what are you watching?

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1516006.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Spoiler Thread.

ETA: Just saw the Sunday 12:15 IMAX 3D show with Anne, Leslie, and Mark.

This is the movie that will get me to buy a Blu-Ray player.

Puny god.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1515729.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

May the Fourth be with you. (Of course, for us purists, the real Star Wars Day is May 25th. But it's not much of a pun.)

Tomorrow, I go to my sister's graduation -- yay! Then I head off to Novi: I'll be performing at Comic City for a Free Comic Book Day event. The address is 43538 W. Oaks Drive, Novi, MI -- basically, in the far back corner of the shopping center on the west side of Novi Road (Twelve Oaks Mall is on the east side), back by the Kohl's and Big Lots. Roughly. Not having been in that center in a dozen years, I'll have to go hunting for it myself.

Then, Avengers on Sunday morning with Anne, Les, and Mark, and a podcast interview for Sunday afternoon. :)

How's your weekend looking?

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1515510.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

But when he's right, he's right.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1515190.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Sadness. Adam Yauch (MCA) of the Beastie Boys has passed away at the age of 48. He'd been battling cancer for a few years.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1514914.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1514692.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

Elder Scrolls MMO coming next year.

God dammit, I've barely scratched the surface of Skyrim. I've been deliberately avoiding Guild Wars and World of Warcraft for years because I know me, and if I ever start playing 'em I'll vanish into the damn aether.

And now Bethesda is gonna MMO Tamriel.

I'm doomed.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1514368.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

All about the newest Koch Bros. ad, and the Obama team's response.

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1514135.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

At $425,000, Evil Stevie promised everyone I'd do a half-hour of Ogre music. We passed that within minutes of announcing it, and the current support level is $439,764. Next stretch goal: the rambunctious return of Ogre miniatures. YEAH!



It's a good day to pimp your stuff or that of your friends -- what kinda crowdfunding projects do we still need to know about?

This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1513828.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.

If you haven't seen it, warning: Possibly triggery stuff, e.g., attempted suicide, but it all works out at the end.



This entry was originally posted at http://filkertom.dreamwidth.org/1513527.html. You may comment there or here, although LJ tends to have a livelier conversation at this time.