6/10: MEDIA OF THE MONTH!!!!

OMG! It's another Media of the Month! Yeah, yeah, I skipped May. So go to THIS LINK to see May's theme! It's an awesome eco-political documentary that JUST came out called Gaslands! Watch it on HBO if you have it. Jon Stewart even did a piece on it--powerful stuff! I highly recommend watching this movie! It'll blow your mind!

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Josh Fox
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

How time flies, eh? My blog is getting so old!

So...without further ado... this month's theme?

AWESOME MUSIC VIDEO!!!!

Now...this music video is awesome because of its political imagery...not necessarily the vocals (although I think Pearl Jam rocks!). This song was nominated for a grammy in 1998. The animation was directed by the same guy who did the Batman animated series (Kevin Altieri) and Todd McFarlane, the graphic novelist for the Spawn comic book series.

The message really appeals to the misanthrope inside me. Whenever I hear this song, I have to replay it at least five times just to catch all the historical symbolisms and allusions. I could write an essay on this video, there's so much historical references in it! The futuristic elements are quite imaginative, and true to life (unfortunately!) I hope we as a species can get our act together or we might just self-destruct (as the video alludes to in the end).

Some food for thought. Cynicism, and all!

Enjoy!

Do the Evolution (Lyrics) by Pearl Jam

Woo...

I'm ahead, I'm a man

I'm the first mammal to wear pants, yeah

I'm at peace with my lust

I can kill 'cause in God I trust, yeah

It's evolution, baby

I'm at piece, I'm the man

Buying stocks on the day of the crash

On the loose, I'm a truck

All the rolling hills, I'll flatten 'em out, yeah

It's herd behavior, uh huh

It's evolution, baby

Admire me, admire my home

Admire my son, he's my clone

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

This land is mine, this land is free

I'll do what I want but irresponsibly

It's evolution, baby

I'm a thief, I'm a liar

There's my church, I sing in the choir:

(hallelujah, hallelujah)

Admire me, admire my home

Admire my son, admire my clones

'Cause we know, appetite for a nightly feast

Those ignorant Indians got nothin' on me

Nothin', why?

Because... it's evolution, baby!

I am ahead, I am advanced

I am the first mammal to make plans, yeah

I crawled the earth, but now I'm higher

2010, watch it go to fire

It's evolution, baby

Do the evolution

Come on, come on, come on

Pseudonyms...hmmm...

To pseudonym or not to pseudonym, that is the question! Tricky, tricky stuff, I tell ya! Many writers have wrestled with this question, including yours truly. And I'm going to tell you why!

For those of you who are just starting out--the writing world is very small. Much much smaller than you'd think. So everyone knows everybody else. Publishers talk--writers talk--so the things you say and do to one writer might come back months later at a different publishing press. Which is great if you're looking for good publicity...but most often, this is NOT a good thing. I hate to say it, but the publishing business is rift with pettiness.

Pseudonyms are a way for writers to protect themselves from those inside and OUTSIDE the business. If you write erotica, like me, you may not want your grandmother finding out about it. Or your boss (if you work in a conservative company!)

Also, pen names are a smart way to boost your fan base! Names that start with "A" are shelved first in bookstores. So if you want people to look at your book, changing your name so that it is placed first in line is a good way to go! Pen names also hide genders and ethnicities. If you're trying to break into a dominant homogenous market (*cough SCIENCE FICTION/HORROR cough*) it might be a good idea to make your name as neutral (*cough MASCULINE *cough ANGLO-PHONIC *cough) as possible to cut out any potential biases your readers might have which will prevent them from picking up your book.

As sad and unfair that is, this is the way publishing works! It's not about how well you can write, because we've all read books that SUCKED ass--it's about how you can SELL yourself! Those who sell themselves best, win. And don't even get me started on the politics behind book covers! But that's for another post.

So let's review the PROS for having a pseudonym, shall we? Get out your pencils and take notes, as I might give a pop quiz later!

1. Pseudonyms protect writers from those in the publishing business who want to slander the writer's name or ruin their career.
2. Pseudonyms offer privacy to writers who wish their work to remain anonymous (due to a conservative job or family matters)
3. Having a pen name has benefits when it comes to shelving at book stores (either by alphabet or marketability)
4. Pseudonyms can be gender-neutral or ethnically-neutral, which can be an advantage if the writer is wanting to break into a slanted homogenous field.

So there you have it! Pencils down, class. I'll write more on the cons for pen names next time. But for now, that concludes the introductory segment on pseudonyms!

Signed,

The Vegetarian Cannibal (aka TK Turner) -----> Note: None of which are my real names.

My triumphant return!

Yup. I'm back. And not a moment too soon! I had to take a break but now I've returned for your viewing pleasure!

Did you miss me?

I've missed you! I want to thank everyone who have visited and commented since I've been gone! I had problems at home to deal with, but I'm back now and ready for action!

:D Thank you all for your support!