Random Things: CassaStorm, Autumn Weather, Monty Python And The Holy Grail, Colds, And Your Favorite Networking Platform

It's been a very long time since I did a post consisting of a random assortment of things I thought were blog-worthy. Since I'm attempting to get out of a slump, I thought I'd resurrect that old format just to get some words flowing. Here we go! (I know it's a bit long, but you can always skip to the categories you're interested in or ignore me entirely or take a snack break while you read this or whatever.)

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CassaStorm:

First, the news. Alex J. Cavanaugh's new book CassaStorm was released this week on the 17th, sequel to CassaStar and CassaFire, and has since reached the top 100 Space Opera books on Amazon. Huge congratulations, Alex!

Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.
     After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.
     Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could return. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

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Autumn Weather: 

Now that fall is almost officially here (well, at least in this part of the world) I've fallen in love again with the cool temperatures, brilliant blue skies, changing leaves, and the sharp, fresh smell of the air. I adore this time of year, particularly right now, which is just before the nights get so cold you turn into an ice block when getting up in the morning.

via Pixabay.

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Monty Python and the Holy Grail:

Up until two weeks ago, I'd never actually watched anything involving Monty Python (it took me only slightly less time to realize Monty Python was, in fact, more than one person). I'd seen references to Monty Python and the Holy Grail both knowingly and unknowingly, so when I noticed the library had the Holy Grail I snagged it.

Most of my response for the duration of the film was "Ah, so that's what the 'it's just a flesh wound'/Knights who say Nii/killer rabbits/airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow/knights with coconuts for horses" scene comes from!" because I'd absorbed those through the internet. Particularly the killer rabbits bit; I was especially confused before about what the heck was going on in that scene. LOL.

It's quite funny, at any rate. I'd recommend it, if you don't mind British humor.

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Colds:

I have a cold. Apparently a lot of people are getting sick right now, and I really, really sympathize with them because needing to blow your nose every half minute and having a sore throat isn't fun. Also having your brain start physically feeling like the mushy, heavy, oversensitive thing that it is; I'm getting headaches now and again, which has never really happened before, that I can think of. Sigh. Maybe I'll make soup later or something. (And keep watching copious amounts of Whose Line Is It Anyway?)

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via Pixabay.

Favorite Networking Platform:

I'm curious. Obviously, if you're reading this now and have any intention of commenting on it, you're somewhat invested in Blogger as an internet platform--but if you had to choose, which would be your favorite? Not necessarily in a "if you could only use one for the rest of your internet life" sort of way, just as a "which has the best features/layout/people in your opinion" type of query. Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc.

I like Blogger/Wordpress as blog hosts since they have a pretty open and welcoming atmosphere, at least from what I've experienced, and they give you the ability to post a huge range of content. But I'm not sure about many of the other "social networking" platforms (except for Tumblr, which is opinionated, fast-moving, and extremely image-based), so I want to know what you guys think. Preferences? Dislikes? Things you'd change about a platform you use?

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Read CassaStorm yet? Enjoying or disliking your weather? Watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail? (And if you have, any recommendations on what to watch next?) Have a cold? Don't have a cold? What do you think of networking platforms and their differences?

And if you've made it to the end of this post, here, have some virtual cookies and/or hugs. (Though seeing as I have a cold, maybe not a hug . . . how about a warm cup of tea?)


-----The Golden Eagle

I've Been Awarded!

Nutschell at The Writing Nut and Su at Cheekyness have awarded me in the past couple of weeks, so I think it's time for an awards post!

First, the Seriously Cute Award:

. . . which is adorable. Thank you, Nutschell! :) For this I have to list 5 books/movies/TV programs I've watched in the past 12 months. I've never been awarded this one before, so this should be interesting:

1. TV Program: The PBS NewsHour. I like keeping current with politics.

2. Book: The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred Kropp by Rick Yancey. I finished it earlier this afternoon, actually. I found it interesting that it says the character dies later in the story right on the first page. (Whether or not he does, I'm not saying. You'll have to read the book.)

3. Movie: I think the last movie I watched might have been the BBC's A Midsummer Night's Dream. (I know, I know . . .)

4. TV Program: NOVA. Yay for fascinating science shows.

5. Book: The Merlin Conspiracy by Diana Wynne Jones. I was sorry to hear she died this March. She was one excellent writer.

I don't think there's a set number of people you have to award for this one, so I'm just going to award six bloggers:

RaShelle Workman at A No. 2 Pencil Stat! (Don't forget to wish her a happy B-day on July 22nd!)
Madeleine at Scribble and Edit (You have to sign up for her Novel Films Blogfest.)
Bethany Elizabeth at Ink-Splattered (She posts some very interesting questions, and I love her comments.)
Krispy at A Nudge In the Right Direction (Vlogs, blogfests, memes, it's a great place to visit. Head over!)
Samantha Sotto at the blog of the same name (Her book, Before Ever After, is coming out this August.)
Tere Kirkland at The Lesser Key of Tere (I always enjoy her posts.)

And now for the the Versatile Blogger Award:

Thank you, Su! :)

Seven facts:

1. I like Blogger-in-Draft's new interface. When I first saw it a couple days ago (it had been like regular Blogger's that morning) I was frantically hovering and clicking and thinking "Wait! What does that arrow mean? Why are there drop-down menus all over the place? Why is it white and orange? HUH?!" But I like it now. The only problem I have is with the fact it's hard to see the shading in some places (or maybe it's just the angle I'm sitting) and I can't scroll through a post when I'm viewing it in the Editor. I have to use the cursor and arrow keys. But the home page is LOADING SO MUCH FASTER. Really, it's great. See (and/or use) the interface HERE.

2. Dance competition was awesome. Sure, I had to hang around for about eight hours, and yes I had only one dance, and there were over 400 numbers there, but it was still a lot of fun. And our studio took home awards!

3. I have decided what I'm going to do my website on. I mentioned before I was learning HTML in another awards post, and I want to experiment with it a little--so I'm planning to set up a website. I'm not telling you what it's about right now, though. You'll just have to see. ;)

4. I am currently listening to Maurice Andre, Trumpet Masterpieces. I love it. And he can certainly nail those trills.

5. Writing is slowing down. I did manage to write 30,000 words in June, which was my goal, but I've written little in July and it's already the 9th. I know what's supposed to happen . . . the inspiration just hasn't arrived. But I'm still optimistic about the novel right now.

6. I have an absurd number of books out on my card right now. It's over 50, I can tell you that.

7. I know I haven't been doing as much blogging lately. And I've said that before. And I know, it's about time I got back into the blogging swing--I had been following a schedule for a while there.

I've been awarded as a Versatile Blogger many times, so I'm not going to pass it on this time. (If you want to take it, though, feel free to do so!)


-----The Golden Eagle

TGI Friday? Nah . . .

My Dashboard has gone funky! There's no longer the little window with a scroll; I've tried Blogger and Blogger-In-Draft, but it's all the same. It looks like a blog page, and while it's a little big (which I don't mind) I can't see older posts that people have written. It's just giving me like 10 of them, and it doesn't reload when I reach the bottom, the way it usually does. And also, it'll sometimes tell me "You are not currently following any blogs" which is false. REALLY false.

So, I'm really sorry, but I'm afraid unless this fixes itself I'm not going to be able to comment on many of of your posts. I could go through the whole list manually, but that would take hours. I don't really want to spend hours looking at blogs because Blogger isn't working properly (I'm following over 200 and comment on even more, give me a little slack.)

In addition to the Blogs I'm Following tab not working, the list of blogs I follow is acting up. It's a bulleted list instead of the usual shaded area. At the bottom of the page, the boxes with Tool and Resources, Help Resources, etc., is huge and off their columns. It looks like this:

And like this:

Am I the only one with this issue?

-----The Golden Eagle