Blog moved

Just an update that I've moved my blog over to my own website using WordPress: A Celtic-Dragon's Blog

Pod For A Cause - Daytime Stars & Strikes for American Cancer Society

On 13th December 2009, there will be a Pod for a Cause/American Cancer Society's Daytime Stars and Strikes 2009, hosted by Destini of Big Purple Radio. Information EVENT: Pod for a Cause/American Cancer Society's Daytime Stars and Strikes 2009 DATE: Sunday, December 13, 2009 TIME: 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm EST LINKS: Pod For A Cause - Destini on BlogTalk Radio - Part 1 / Pod For A Cause - Destini on BlogTalk Radio - Part 2

Join host Destini as she holds a live marathon podcast for Cancer. All proceeds go to the American Cancer Institute in the name of Daytime Stars and Strikes. There will be interviews with 2-time Daytime Emmy winner and cancer survivor Jerry verDorn and Elizabeth Keifer and various actors from One Life to Live and Guiding Light as well surprise live guests. There will be a link for a live auction. You don't have to register to listen or call-in. Click on the links for the show and you can either listen as it streams live or call in and listen on the line or download after it's all over. Join us and help fight cancer, one research dollar at a time.

Robin Strasser (Dorian, One Life to Live) has donated a vintage 'Dorian Lord' costume for auction for the event. The winner of the auction will go to the ABC New York studios OLTL set and have picture taken with Ms Strasser in the costume and then be able to take the costume home with them. Vintage 'Dorian Lord' Costume
Other auction items for the Pod For A Cause have been donated by:

Mimi Torchin

The cast of One Life To Live

Outviews

Devlinof9

Nut-meggers

Gina L. Dartt

J Lynn Stapleton

Recorded Interviews during the Daytime Stars & Strikes event in NYC 11th October 2009:

Jerry Ver Dorn (GL/OLTL)

Liz Keifer (GL)

Orlagh Cassidy (GL)

Jessica Leccia (GL/Venice)

Zack Conroy (GL)

Jennifer Rozell (GL)

Scott Evans (OLTL)

Plus surprise call-in guests

Keep The Light On

Here's a lovely vid by Cajun (from the BPD board) to keep Guiding Light on the airwaves.

A Music Meme from Around the Net

Set iTunes (or whatever) to list tracks in alphabetical order. Then post the track name and artist of the first song for each letter of the alphabet, with a little comment if you are inclined that way. It should go without saying that you should not skip the embarrassing ones, but feel free to skip ones that aren't really tracks, or are badly labeled.

Above the Clouds - Cindy Lauper

Baby Can I Hold You - Tracy Chapman

Caledonia - The Barra MacNeils

The Dance - Battlestar Galactica soundtrack 'Unfinished Business'

Effigy - Natalie Merchant

Fallen - Sarah McLachlan

Gimme Gimme Gimme - Mama Mia! Soundtrack

Halfway Back - Grey Eye Glances

I'll Stand By You - Girls Aloud

Jig of Life - Kate Bush

Kat's Sacrifice - Battlestar Galactica soundtrack 'The Passage'

La Vie Boheme - Rent Soundtrack

MacPherson's Lament - Rawlin's Cross

Never-Ending Road (Amhrán Duit) - Loreena McKennitt

Ocean of Sorrows - Shaye

Party Non-Stop - Various Artists - Body Combat 36

Quiet Times - Dido

Rage - Jennie Muskett - Spooks Soundtrack

Sadness - Enigma/Enya

Take a Chance on Me - Mama Mia! Soundtrack

Undercover - Jennie Muskett - Spooks Soundtrack

Video Killed The Radio Star - Buggles

Walking in Memphis/James Bond Theme - Various Artists - Body Combat 36

Xena: Warrior Princess theme song

You're So Vain - Jann Arden

Zombie - Various Artists - Body Combat 36

Squeeee!!! I Got It!

I did my taxes this morning. E-filed them. Will have tax return shortly. :)

This is what I had planned for my tax return for MONTHS, if the return went well enough. I went out and bought the camera I've been oogling for about a year or so. Perhaps not this particular model, but a Canon DSLR, all the same. On Tuesday, I went up to Futureshop and took a look at it, along with the Canon XSi. And it [Rebel XS] was on sale this week. Tax return will more than pay for the cost. I had done a fair bit of investigation with regards to specifications, costs, recommendations and the Canon kept coming up on top.

Canon XS 1000D 10.1MP DSLR With 18-55mm IS Lens Kit & EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 II USM Lens Kit Package.

I also picked up a couple 4GB SD memory cards and a carry case for camera/lenses. I started playing with it this afternoon, practicing different shots and with different settings. Will work at it some more after I go through some of the helpful manuals. :) I'll be going down to Halifax (Nova Scotia) in a week and a half. Yay. Hopefully will be able to do some lovely landscape and nature photography. Especially if we manage to get out to Peggy's Cove.

Here are two shots I took last year with my Pentax Optio E30

Trinity, Newfoundland

St. John's, Newfoundland

I can't wait to see what I can do with the DSLR camera. :)

Beautiful Jewelry Pieces

A couple months ago I had spoken with a local jeweller about getting a piece done for an aunt of mine, who is a retired nurse. I wanted something special and unique. I'd first seen the jeweller at a Christmas Craft Sale over on Prince Edward Island a a little more than a year ago, then they came to the Craft Sale here in Fredericton a couple weeks later. I found a few lovely pieces that I'd picked up for friends. When they were back this past December, I had browsed their pieces and they had mentioned they do custom pieces. So I thought about it for a bit and contacted them.

The artist is Marcie Poirier, and her company is Wildabout Wampum. The pieces (both pendants and earings) are carved from Quahog and Queen Conch shells.

"Marcia creates her works by meticulously sculpting the rare purple sections of the Quahog shell and the vivid pink hues of the Queen Conch.

Purple Quahog shells occur only in specific areas where they absorb amythest on the ocean floor, making them prized finds for Marcia's jewelry.

Queen Conchs, meanwhile are larger shells found primarily in regions such as Florida, Bahamas, and similar tropical areas.

In Marcia's works, the Quahog and Conch shells are ground, carved and sanded. Many are also then accented with sterling silver highlighting." [taken from her information card]. Contact information available on her website.

The piece I'd gotten her to do was of a nurse's cap. It's just beautiful:

Bollocks! No more "Wire In The Blood"

At least as a television series.

From Val McDermid's e-Newsletter:

It’s not all good news, however. I’m very sad to report that ITV have refused to recommission WIRE IN THE BLOOD for a seventh series. All of us involved with the show have been in a state of shock since we got the news. It’s inexplicable to me. In spite of the fact that ITV have never given us a regular slot – the show has gone out at varying times of the year, on different nights and in at least three formats in terms of length – we have consistently delivered some of the highest audiences for any ITV drama. We have consistently been the most-watched show on any channel. According to official ratings figures, well over 90% of our viewers regard the show as an ‘appointment’ with the TV – ie, they don’t just watch because there’s nothing else on. The show is seen on 120 channels world-wide. It’s won awards – it’s just been shortlisted for an Edgar by the Mystery Writers of America. Year after year, Coastal have produced fantastic quality on a shoestring budget that has diminished in real terms. They’ve brought millions of pounds into the economy of the North East of England and because they’re the only company in the region producing network drama, this axing means a loss of skills and a loss of voice that goes way beyond our personal interests. For more on this, follow this link.
Wire In The Blood axed from ITV.

My next book - THE FEVER OF THE BONE will be published later in 2009 by Little, Brown. THE FEVER OF THE BONE is the sixth novel to feature clinical psychologist Dr Tony Hill and Detective Chief Inspector Carol Jordan, and yet again it takes them into uncharted waters. I’ve started work on it, and so far it seems to be taking me into uncharted waters too!

I'm hoping maybe lunchtime to venture up to Chapters to see if they have in Val McDermid's newest book, A DARKER DOMAIN in stock. They actually have it listed for $17.44 (list price is $22.95) for Trade Paperback. I'm *hoping* that the physical store has it listed for the same price as their online store. Actually might even check the Superstore. They often have newest books as well (as this was just published in North America in Jan. 09).