George Kell has passed away

I learned today that long time Detroit Tigers player & broadcaster George Kell has passed away.

Very sad news. A big chunk of my childhood was spent watching/listening to Kell and Kaline - gentlemen both - broadcasting Tigers game.

My prayers and thoughts are with the Kell family and friends today.

And the world is now a lesser place...

doing better

I am doing better now that I am on the synthroid. I woke up - really mentally woke up - for the first time in at least a couple of weeks on Monday. I have a bit more energy, and have made it through all of my scheduled shifts this week. That said, I am still sleeping a lot, and feel tired most of the time, though not nearly dead from exhaustion like the last two weeks. The doctor told me at my appointment yesterday that it might take an entire year to feel entirely better - but that I am on the mend. I do not have to see the specialist again until June, though I do have to go in for blood tests in the meantime.

Dan is the one I am worried about right now, but cannot talk about it yet due to his request. He is waiting for the results of more medical tests before he wants anyone to know what is going on with him.

All I can say is - he has been a rock for me over the last few months while I have been so horribly weak and sick - and I intend to be a rock for him, as best as I can.

in honor of the Hugos

Here is Holst's Mars from the Planets - what a kickass piece of music!

2009 Hugo Awards

Quote:
Best Novel
(639 Ballots)
Anathem by Neal Stephenson (Morrow; Atlantic UK)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (HarperCollins; Bloomsbury UK)
Little Brother by Cory Doctorow (Tor Teen; HarperVoyager UK)
Saturn’s Children by Charles Stross (Ace; Orbit UK)
Zoe’s Tale by John Scalzi (Tor)


Best Novella
(337 Ballots)
“The Erdmann Nexus” by Nancy Kress (Asimov’s Oct/Nov 2008)
“The Political Prisoner” by Charles Coleman Finlay (F&SF Aug 2008)
“The Tear” by Ian McDonald (Galactic Empires)
“True Names” by Benjamin Rosenbaum & Cory Doctorow (Fast Forward 2)
“Truth” by Robert Reed (Asimov’s Oct/Nov 2008)


Best Novelette
(373 Ballots)
“Alastair Baffle’s Emporium of Wonders” by Mike Resnick (Asimov’s Jan 2008)
“The Gambler” by Paolo Bacigalupi (Fast Forward 2)
“Pride and Prometheus” by John Kessel (F&SF Jan 2008)
“The Ray-Gun: A Love Story” by James Alan Gardner (Asimov’s Feb 2008)
“Shoggoths in Bloom” by Elizabeth Bear (Asimov’s Mar 2008)



Best Short Story
(448 Ballots)
“26 Monkeys, Also the Abyss” by Kij Johnson (Asimov’s Jul 2008)
“Article of Faith” by Mike Resnick (Baen’s Universe Oct 2008)
“Evil Robot Monkey” by Mary Robinette Kowal (The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, Volume Two)
“Exhalation” by Ted Chiang (Eclipse Two)
“From Babel’s Fall’n Glory We Fled” by Michael Swanwick (Asimov’s Feb 2008)


Best Related Book
(263 Ballots)
Rhetorics of Fantasy by Farah Mendlesohn (Wesleyan University Press)
Spectrum 15: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art by Cathy & Arnie Fenner, eds. (Underwood Books)
The Vorkosigan Companion: The Universe of Lois McMaster Bujold by Lillian Stewart Carl & John Helfers, eds. (Baen)
What It Is We Do When We Read Science Fiction by Paul Kincaid (Beccon Publications)
Your Hate Mail Will be Graded: A Decade of Whatever, 1998-2008 by John Scalzi (Subterranean Press)


Best Graphic Story
(212 Ballots)
The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle Written by Jim Butcher, art by Ardian Syaf (Del Rey/Dabel Brothers Publishing)
Girl Genius, Volume 8: Agatha Heterodyne and the Chapel of Bones Written by Kaja & Phil Foglio, art by Phil Foglio, colors by Cheyenne Wright (Airship Entertainment)
Fables: War and Pieces Written by Bill Willingham, pencilled by Mark Buckingham, art by Steve Leialoha and Andrew Pepoy, color by Lee Loughridge, letters by Todd Klein (DC/Vertigo Comics)
Schlock Mercenary: The Body Politic Story and art by Howard Tayler (The Tayler Corporation)
Serenity: Better Days Written by Joss Whedon & Brett Matthews, art by Will Conrad, color by Michelle Madsen, cover by Jo Chen (Dark Horse Comics)
Y: The Last Man, Volume 10: Whys and Wherefores Written/created by Brian K. Vaughan, penciled/created by Pia Guerra, inked by Jose Marzan, Jr. (DC/Vertigo Comics)


Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
(436 Ballots)
The Dark Knight Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer, story; Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, screenplay; based on characters created by Bob Kane; Christopher Nolan, director (Warner Brothers)
Hellboy II: The Golden Army Guillermo del Toro & Mike Mignola, story; Guillermo del Toro, screenplay; based on the comic by Mike Mignola; Guillermo del Toro, director (Dark Horse, Universal)
Iron Man Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, screenplay; based on characters created by Stan Lee & Don Heck & Larry Lieber & Jack Kirby; Jon Favreau, director (Paramount, Marvel Studios)
METAtropolis by John Scalzi, ed. Written by: Elizabeth Bear, Jay Lake, Tobias Buckell and Karl Schroeder (Audible Inc)
WALL-E Andrew Stanton & Pete Docter, story; Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon, screenplay; Andrew Stanton, director (Pixar/Walt Disney)


Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
(336 Ballots)
“The Constant” (Lost) Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof, writers; Jack Bender, director (Bad Robot, ABC studios)
Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog Joss Whedon, & Zack Whedon, & Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen , writers; Joss Whedon, director (Mutant Enemy)
“Revelations” (Battlestar Galactica) Bradley Thompson & David Weddle, writers; Michael Rymer, director (NBC Universal)
“Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead” (Doctor Who) Steven Moffat, writer; Euros Lyn, director (BBC Wales)
“Turn Left” (Doctor Who) Russell T. Davies, writer; Graeme Harper, director (BBC Wales)


Best Editor, Short Form
(377 Ballots)
Ellen Datlow
Stanley Schmidt
Jonathan Strahan
Gordon Van Gelder
Sheila Williams


Best Editor, Long Form
(273 Ballots)
Lou Anders
Ginjer Buchanan
David G. Hartwell
Beth Meacham
Patrick Nielsen Hayden


Best Professional Artist
(334 Ballots)
Daniel Dos Santos
Bob Eggleton
Donato Giancola
John Picacio
Shaun Tan


Best Semiprozine
(283 Ballots)
Clarkesworld Magazine edited by Neil Clarke, Nick Mamatas & Sean Wallace
Interzone edited by Andy Cox
Locus edited by Charles N. Brown, Kirsten Gong-Wong, & Liza Groen Trombi
The New York Review of Science Fiction edited by Kathryn Cramer, Kris Dikeman, David G. Hartwell, & Kevin J. Maroney
Weird Tales edited by Ann VanderMeer & Stephen H. Segal


Best Fanzine
(257 Ballots)
Argentus edited by Steven H Silver
Banana Wings edited by Claire Brialey and Mark Plummer
Challenger edited by Guy H. Lillian III
The Drink Tank edited by Chris Garcia
Electric Velocipede edited by John Klima
File 770 edited by Mike Glyer


Best Fan Writer
(291 Ballots)
Chris Garcia
John Hertz
Dave Langford
Cheryl Morgan
Steven H Silver


Best Fan Artist
(187 Ballots)
Alan F. Beck
Brad W. Foster
Sue Mason
Taral Wayne
Frank Wu


The John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer
(288 Ballots)
Aliette de Bodard*
David Anthony Durham*
Felix Gilman
Tony Pi*
Gord Sellar*
*(Second year of eligibility)




Three! Count them! Three! Young Adult novels up for novel of the year!(And those would be the Doctorow, the Scalzi, and the Gaiman).

Since I try to read the nominated novels every year, I am a bit disappointed by the inclusion of the Stross. I read a nominated novel by Stross every year it seems, and he is just not a writer for my personal tastes. Maybe this year's will be different? I hope so - I know he is a very well respected writer and I WANT to enjoy his work. I am hoping that it at least will not be written in second person gaming speak, computerese, and Scottish vernacular like last year's. Reading the second person POV in Halting State drove me freaking nuts.

I have already read two of the five for best novel - have the Stephenson, the Doctorow, and the Stross to go. The Stephensen book is a cinder block - probably as long as the other four nominated novels put together.

Of the two I have read, the Gaiman was charming as hell - really good, I highly recommend it, and it has already won a major award for children's books (the Newbury). That said, it is a children's book - and I am really surprised to see three children's/YA books up for best novel. As you guys probably noticed. LOL!

The Scalzi was a YA retelling of his previously nominated The Last Colony, from the POV of a teen aged character, and filling in a couple of plot holes. Scalzi did the teenaged girl POV really well, but since it is basicly a retelling of a book previously nominated, I was really surprised to see it.

For the Campbell award - Felix Gilman is a brilliant new voice - his Thunderer was a lovely literary lyrically beautiful novel that I hugely enjoyed. I have not read Durham, but have heard through the grapevine that he is also a very good writer. I have not heard of the other three.

As always, congratulations to all nominees, and I wish you all well!

on synthroid now

Since I have been feeling so crappy, I have only managed to make it through one full shift and two partial shifts at work over the last two weeks. Luckily, over the years I have not missed much time, and even after all this have 3-4 months of sick leave in my leave bank.

On Thursday I left early and caught a ride to University hospital, where I had a blood draw in preparation for my next specialist visit on upcoming Tuesday.

Yesterday the endocinologist's office called and told me to start synthroid right away. Apparently the blood labs did show that I am now in a state of hypothyroidism, and they did not want me to wait even until Tuesday to start the synthetic thyroid hormones. So they faxed a prescription to my pharmacy, and I started taking the drug this morning (it has to be taken with water only on an empty stomach, so should be taken first thing in the morning an hour before eating or drinking anything else).

So I am on the last bit of road to wellness now. They have to get the synthroid dose right, and once that happens I will be feeling well and normal for the first time in years. Thank God.

back to work

Made it back in to work last night - after missing seven work days and two weekends where I did very little other than rest and sleep. I made it through about half of the shift before being ready to collapse from exhaustion. Luckily, there was an extra person scheduled, so I could leave without disrupting anything or anyone.

I cannot wait until I start feeling better and can reclaim my life!

Came back to work getting earfuls of nasty rumors that a lot of things will be changing in bad ways simply and seemingly for the sake of messing with people. I am getting so sick of the poisonous atmosphere, but feel that I CANNOT start looking for a new job (if that is even possible in this bad economy) until I feel better. It would be too stressful for me and too unfair to my new employer.

just because it is beautiful...

things have not been so good lately

Two Thursdays ago, our elderly dog passed away. It certainly was not unexpected given his age (15 1/2 is a VERY long life for a Labrador retriever), but it has not made it any easier. The few times I have left the house since, I am still surprised when he does not meet me at the door, and am still waiting for the warmth of his warm body curled up on top of my feet every time I sit down to use the computer.

About the same time I think that my thyroid finally died from the radiation treatment I had back in January. At least I started showing all of the symptoms of hypothyroidism rather than hyperthyroidism. In fact I felt so rotten that the doctor wrote for me to be off of work for a week so I can rest. Rest I have - it is all I am capable of doing right now. Even watching television or reading a book is mentally taxing, and I nod off constantly. We will not even talk of me trying to drive - I am so tired I weave around like a drunk and it is a miracle I have not been stopped by a policeman yet.

I get to see the specialist again next week, and can perhaps start on synthroid depending on what my blood labs show. And then I will hopefully have rounded the back turn and be on the home stretch for healing and being well. I really want to feel better.