Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Episode 12: Sandy's Back

In this episode, Sandy's well enough to join us for another episode. So, we blathered on for a little bit longer than our usual episodes.

Come & give a listen!
(Click to listen. Uses Flash)



Part 1: Geek Conversations

Espana is working the SF Examiner as a writer.
http://www.examiner.com/user-espana

She currently reviews the Custom Made Theatre’s production of Cory Doctorow’s Little Brother. http://www.custommade.org/

Books:
  • Jade just finished One Con Glory that Espana reviewed. It’s a really quick read and she REALLY enjoyed it.
  • Sandy: Reading the following:
    • Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. 
    • The Well of Ascension, 
    • The Hero of Ages. 
    • Readers who are fans of Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamora might also like the first book of this series, that has a very caper-like plot to take down the bad guy.
    • Catherynne M. Valente’s Deathless. Slavic folklore combined with Soviet revolution. Far better than Palimpsest, for which she was Hugo nominated in 2010.
  • Espana
    • Ken Liu
    • Reading a lot of short stories to see about nominations for Hugos.

TV Shows

  • Sandy: Anime: Full Metal Alchemist, available on Hulu in its entirety, both tv seasons and the movie
  • Espana: Fringe, Supernatural, Sherlock, and Community; ‘Remedial Chaos Theory’, UFO
  • Jade: Finished re-waching ST: Voyager, Doctor Who Christmas Special, and now re-watching some of Angel.

Part 2: Geek Crafting

Knitting:
  • Jade:
    • Finished a tam out of some left over yarn -- using a combination of Elizabeth Zimmerman (tam o’shanter hat) and the Koolhas cables by Jared Flood
    • Still working on Amused from Knitty 2008 (using a cashmere / merino blend)
  • Sandy: 
    • Halfway done on the Hobbes amigurumi: really quick and easy, cute as can be
    • drafted up a plain sock for jer husband, using math and Felici in Time traveler, size 1 (2.25 mm needles) 11 inch feet, 10.75 ankles, holy moly!
Spinning & Weaving

  • Jade: 
    • Finally finished spinning enough yarn for sleeves on my “Everyone Knows” sweater. It’s washed, fulled, and thwacked
    • weaving-wise:
      • black & acid green houndstooth scarf
      • blue, black, and light blue trial plaid piece of fabric that was sewn into a bag for the rigid heddles
      • Working on a Hawaiian plaid tartan scarf/sash that I can wear to the highland games.
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Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Episode 11: First of the Year

In this episode, Espana & Jade talk about the Hugo Award Nomination Process, and kvetch about the upcoming Gallifrey One convention. Sandy is unable to join us for the episode, but we hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

Come & give a listen!
(Click to listen. Uses Flash)


Part 1: Geeky Conversations


Events:
Hugo Award Nominations

Espana goes over how the Hugo Award Nominations work. The following was written on her blog:
 
This year for the first time members of the current, previous and future Worldcon are ALL eligible to nominate. So if you are a supporting or attending member for Renovation, Chicon ORLoneStarCon, you can submit a nominations ballot. (You do need your PIN, which will be sent out according to the schedule on the Chicon website)
  • -You can nominate in all categories but you do not HAVE to. If you only care about novels, then nominate in the novel category and leave the rest blank. It is designed this way on purpose, it means nominations are submitted by people who are interested in that area of the genre.
  • -You can nominate up to five things in each category, but you do not HAVE to. if you only think one movie you saw this year is worth nominating, you can just nominate that one and leave the other four slots blank, that's fine.
  • -You don't have to be an expert to nominate. Don't feel like you have to have seen every movie, or read a hundred books. The point is to get as many fans as possible to tell each other what they felt was awesome last year. Then the voters can take a look at the top five choices and decide for themselves.
  • -Nominations close Sunday March 11th. But you can resubmit your ballot any time until that date and only the final submission will be counted. So if you have three artists you absolutely love and want to make sure you nominate them, submit that bad boy now. Then in a month when you've thought of some more stuff you want on there, resubmit a more complete ballot.

Hugo Award Nomination Links

Part 2: Geek Crafting


Knitting:
Jade's been working on the following:
  • Finished knitting the Hiker’s Waistcoat over Xmas, washed & blocked it...then decided she did NOT like the collar, so completely unwove all ends, frogged, and re did the collar (including the 3-needle bind off).
  • Dyed silk ribbon to match the yarn color; sewed an inner twill ribbon for extra sturdyness, and sewed the button bands. .
  • Socks from the same ball as she knit for her nephew.
  • Started a new 2012 sweater (Knitty 2008 Amused) using Webs Yarn -- alpaca, merino, cashmere. Finished swatch and just started

Spinning
  • Jade's STILL working on Frank
  • She also finished up a silk/merino blend on the Ashford joy
Weaving
New section, because Jade started weaving as her Viking gave her loom for Christmas. The Purlescence Yarn girls helped warp her first scarf using a red & black marled yarn (Cascade 220).





Make it Sew
Jade & Espana kvetch about costuming for Gallifrey One.
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