I'm starting to get into TED talks (TED stands for Technology, Education and Design). Here's a talk by Julie Taymor, one of the creators of the Lion King on stage, my favorite musical of all time.
In the video below, she talks about the challenges of doing anything creative, and how sometimes you have to just look at the line in front of you and keep moving. There are a few graphic images in the video, but it's a great talk. While on a Writer Work Day, my dad and I keep mom updated via txt. We have a lot of fun joking around.
I'll be at the OC Children's Book Festival on October 4, 2015. I may even be doing a presentation (I'm a little nervous about that).
You'll meet all kinds of authors, artists, and performers—there's always a lot going on, and it's free to get in. Check it out! And if you go, don't forget to stop by and visit. I'll post my booth number soon as I get it. At least once a month, I take a writer work day with my dad. It helps to get a lot done in one day. The trick is to plan fun breaks (like crawdad fishing!) and to keep moving. When you get tired of writing (writing is hard work!) move to new location. Moving helps wake you up so you can write some more. Click through the slideshow below to see how my day went. In my June 29th post, I reviewed The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms. I mentioned that the movie was based on The Fog Horn, a short story by Ray Bradbury. Today I read The Fog Horn, and I enjoyed it. The story takes place in a lighthouse. On a foggy night, Mcdunn and Johnny see something moving in the fog. When the fog horn moans its warning, something answers from “the deepest Deeps.” The story gets more exiting from there. You can find the The Fog Horn in the collection, The Vintage Bradbury. The story was first published in the Saturday Evening Post (1951). Here’s the original illustration from the magazine. And heres an image from The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms. You can see the similarities! Read the story. It’s a lot of fun.
Today, June 29th, is Ray Harryhausen’s birthday! To celebrate I watched The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. This is the first movie in which Ray did the animations all by himself. The story was inspired by The Fog Horn, written by his old friend, Ray Bradbury. The beast is actually a dinosaur called the Rhedosaurus that was frozen in ice for over 100 million years. I thought it was interesting that when the Rhedosaurus ate a policeman, it looked a lot like the T-Rex eating Gennaro in Jurassic Park. Steven Spielberg is a big Harryhausen fan. My favorite part is the ending. The Rhedosaurus is destroying an amusement park. The hero scientist and a sniper ride to the top of a roller coaster to get a clear shot. I wanted them to miss. In 1953, it cost $210,000 dollars to make The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, which is a fraction of what a monster movie would cost today. Here a link to a little documentary about the making of this classic. Today I made Triple Berry Jam with blueberries, strawberries and raspberries. Delicious! Homemade jam tastes so much better, and it’s fun to make. To get started, you need a few canning tools and supplies. They’re pretty affordable, and you can use them again and again. With your canning tools ready, here’s the recipe I modified slightly from Pomona’s Universal Pectin. Check out their website for more great recipes.
INGREDIENTS
Note: To make calcium water, use the packet of calcium powder and directions that come with the pectin. DIRECTIONS Fill your Granite Ware pot 3/4 full with water. Set to boil. Also fill a small pan with water. Set this to boil too. Thaw frozen berries in microwave on timed defrost. Mash berries with a potato masher. It’s easier to do this in small batches. Watch out, berry juice can stain pretty good. Put mashed berries in a pan. Add the lemon juice and calcium water. Cook on medium heat. Stir constantly. In a small bowl, mix pectin and sugar. When the berries start to boil, add the mix. Turn heat on high and stir for 1 minute. Then reduce heat to low and stir occasionally. Simmer for a few minutes. By now your small pan of water should be boiling. Slip the jar lids into the boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer about a minute. This will soften the rubber on the lids to create a better seal. Using the magnet from your canning kit, remove and dry the lids. Set out your jars. Using the funnel from your canning kit, fill each jar to 1/4 inch from top with hot jam. Screw the jar lids on tight. Place the jars on the Granite Ware rack, and insert the rack into the pot of boiling water. Make sure the water completely covers the jars. Put the lid on the pot. Set timer for 10 minutes. You can use those 10 minutes to clean up. Cleaning as you go makes things easier. Or you can clean up later, which is what I usually do. Today, I played DragonVale and practiced cartwheels in the living room. Ding! Turn off the heat. Using the vinyl-coated tongs that came with your canning kit, carefully remove the jars from the pan. Let the jars cool at room temperature. As the jars cool, the lids will pop down. If you're nearby, you'll actually hear the "pop." That’s how you know they’re ready. Put the jars in your refrigerator. Let them cool overnight. You’ll have fresh, delicious jam in the morning! Now just put the jars in your refrigerator. Let them cool overnight. You’ll have fresh, delicious jam in the morning! |
Nara DuffieTeen fantasy novelist and TEDx speaker. I love nature, books, movies, origami, singing, cooking, knitting, roller coasters, dogs, and a lot of other things. Archives
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Nara Duffie: The Monster Realm |