the will to endure

5:56PM

The The Sing-Off live show sounded better than the three pre-recorded shows combined — and all three groups really did sound outstanding.

[According to scuttlebutt, NBC pulled in a few sound people that are big in a cappella circles to make what was supposed to be a throw-away talent show a little shinier because, as it turns out, the ratings were surprisingly good for the relatively small price tag attached.]

And can I just say: What a nice, feel good show! With the sole exception of Noteworthy's so-obvious-everyone's-remarking-on-it entitlement issues, all of the groups genuinely seemed to be having a good time and seemed to be genuinely supportive of each other, complete with rounds of hugs.

In any case, I think everyone going into the live show pretty much knew NOTA was going to be crowned. I called them the winners during the opening night, in large part because they do Latin-flavored pop very well, they were better than most of the other groups on the stage, and a lot of their weaknesses can be overcome via technology in the recording booth and improvements in their stage show for live performances.

And unlike some people on the NBC boards (and a couple of other chat boards I've poked my nose into), I think NOTA won the popular vote fair and square for those reasons.

(Note to my geography-challenged fellow Americans on the various chat boards I've poked my nose into: Puerto Rico is a protectorate of the United States, which means that Puerto Ricans are Americans citizens, which also means that the members of NOTA are Americans. They are not "foreigners", nor are they "illegals", nor do they need "green cards". In short: Die in a fire, you racist asswipes.)

I definitely didn't get the impression that the Tufts Beelzebubs (My homies came in second! Go 'Bubs!) were in the least bit shocked that the NOTA won. Besides, 'Bubs (and Voices of Lee) would've been looking at a fuckload of headdaches if they won the Sony contract (they were planning to split the money if they won). Does it go to the group that performed on stage? The a cappella groups as a student organizations where the membership changes year in and year out? To the universities these groups are associated with?

So, not only do I think the right group won on talent, I would also say that the right group won on "ease of dealing with the legal world of Sony for the recording contract". As a bonus, both the 'Bubs and Voices of Lee got a fantastic shot in the arm publicity-wise and financially, since a lot of people were on the boards asking for CD recommendations. Both groups will be fine,

In other news, I was shocked to spot celebrities in the audience:

• Harry Connick Jr.
  
  
• Masi Oka (aka Hiro of Heroes). As it turns out was the musical director of Brown University's all-male a cappella group The Bear Necessities when he was an undergrad student at Brown. I don't know why that makes me happy to know, but it does.
  
  
• Jack Black. Or at least someone who looked a lot like him.
  
  
• Peter Gallaggher of The OC. Turns out that he's a Tufts Beelzebubs alumni, which explains why he was sitting in the 'Bubs cheering section. Heh.
  

I also saw that the SoCals stuck around, and were clapping and cheering for the three finalists in the audience, which was really nice to see.

While there were parts of last night's show that I did fast-forward through (thank you DVR!), there was plenty I watched.

Put me on the list of people who'd like to see this show pop up again next year.

In the meantime, here's a video capture from the Sing-Off of the 'Bubs singing their melody of The Who from the second night:



This entry was originally posted at http://liz-marcs.dreamwidth.org/386629.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

11:53AM - gift doodles

Drop a comment (they're screened) with something you'd like seen drawn for someone else.

Leave me the following...

Recipient username/email:
Description/Prompt/Scene from a fic:
I want to be an anonymous benefactor: Y/N

Any fandom/character/ship eligible other than Roy/Ed from FMA. No guarantees I'll stick to the initial idea, but I'll pick randomly and doodle as many as I can before Christmas!

5:30PM - As it turns out, I'm NOT a wimp...

I woke up this morning with my lower back going into full-on bitch mode at me.

I of course blame this on the Plow Snot that had been dumped at the end of my driveway that came up to — OhSweetJeezus — my chest. Now, I admit I be short (5-feet, 1-inch in my stocking feet to be precise), but that's a fuckload of snow.

Even in snow that wasn't pushed into a tiny mount of Plow Snot, it came up to my knees, which is roughly 16 inches (I have long legs for my shortness). I figure...drifting snow. And I'm being a baby about this (I mean literally, because I was whining the entire time I cut through the Plow Snot just so I could see my car, let alone reach it.)

Thanks to my local paper, I can now officially say that I was not being a baby. My town got whammed with 14 inches of snow. So there.

And my lower back is still in full-on bitch mode, although giving myself a nice big stretch seems to make it happy and calm it down for an hour or two.

In other news, Sing-Off Live Finale Tonight! Go Beelzebubs! Okay, not a chance in hell you're gonna win, but I'll be happy if you beat Voice of Lee, if only because their fans over on the NBC community are kind of ass-hatty.

[Side note: Stay the hell away from from the NBC boards for this show if you want to prevent cranial trauma by head-desk. The FAIL is great there. And I mean FAIL on a scale that I never thought I'd witness this side of a newspaper comments section.]

This entry was originally posted at http://liz-marcs.dreamwidth.org/386310.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

2:40PM - [Danny Phantom/The Nightmare Before Christmas] Trick or Treat

Title: Trick or Treat
Author: Icka! M. Chif
Beta: Wren-chan (whom I bow to her grammatical superiority)
Word Count: 835
Rating: General
Author Notes: For waywren, for commenting she wouldn't mind seeing more of this. There is no redeeming plot value in this fic, just touching up on previous stories.
Summary: Same universe as Wouldn't You?, Disrupting the Social Status Quo and Friends in High Places. Training the Next Generation of Trick or Treaters.

( 'I –do- have some prior experience with this.' )

12:30AM - [VID] White Collar - Neal/Peter/Elizabeth - Peroxide Swing

This is not drawing. This is also not laundry. Today was decompression time though, so laundry has been pushed to tomorrow. In the process of compiling this I realised the creative niche that vidding fills for me, which is being able to sort all my squeeful thoughts and say here are all the things I love about ____. With music attached. I always feel slightly weird about vidding since I don't approach it with any intention to learn the finer details of editing or crafting a strong visual narrative, but coming to understand why I vid makes me feel more comfortable sharing what I've made.

I also feel like all the classic and contemporary big band/crooners I've been listening to while working in the lab this semester was just preparing me to fall in love with this show. Also, OT3 much? Purr.

( White Collar Vid - Neal/Peter/Elizabeth - Peroxide Swing )

Or right-click and download.

8:52AM - Sebastian and the Beast, Ch2 Pg25

Title: Sebastian and the Beast: Ch2, pg 25/26
Rating: Pg-13
Beta: yume_no_kage
Summary: Beauty and the Beast with a twist (and a wriggle)
A/N: Yeah, I ended up shortening the chapter by one because the storyboard suddenly contracted on me. I suppose it's a good thing that I'm starting to get the hang of story-flow enough to see why it would work better with one less page. *sheepish grin*

( Sebastian and the Beast Ch2, pg 25 )


[Cover]
Ch 1: 1&2, 3, 4, 5, 6&7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
Ch 2: 1, 2, 3&4, 5, 6, 7, 8&9, 10, 11, 12&13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

Colour Pages
Field Promotion

9:21AM - the sweet taste of freedom

Guess who is done with finals, omfg.

Tomorrow I am going to celebrate by doing laundry. Which doesn't seem exciting, but I am down to the Clothes I Never Wear. Which is also a good indication of what needs to go in the donate pile.

ALSO I AM GOING TO DRAW. My god, am I going to draw. Later when I am a little less DONESQUEE, I will post some shots of my projects. I am pretty damn happy with them.

2:27PM - I regret nothing.

Last night I picked up pasta for dinner from the cafe around the corner, and instead of working on our finals, J and I watched 5 episodes of White Collar.

In our defense, we were both too exhausted from work to do anything productive.

Also in our defense, we are addicted.

We will be saving the last ep for /after/ finals. I... I'm probably going to need icons. :x

6:24PM - [ART] Marvel - Teddy/Billy - Sketchy kiss thing

Doodled today because my renders in mental ray were choking my computer and taking forever.

( Sketchy kiss thing. )

9:04AM - counting down is making me crazy

I'm ridiculously behind on my lighting final. I'd been struggling with a specific hurdle, and I got past that this last weekend, but since I was working so hard on figuring out wtf my problem was in only that one area, I'm now behind on all the other parts. Oops. I console myself with the fact that it's not part of my major, I just wanted to know how to do it and now I do, so I'm good so long as I pass.

My modeling finals, while running into a few issues that are mostly hardware related are going fairly peachy. I'm not going to get them as polished as I'd like, but considering that I was spreading my time between four classes and work, I'm pretty damn happy with what I've come up with.

Wednesday... zomg. Wednesday and I'll be done for six weeks with mostly online classes in the upcoming semester. I might be working full time, but omg that I can handle. This semester has been one long steady crush of too much to freaking do. I'm mostly caught up on all my CSI TV at least (we shall not speak of SPN). J and I are one episode of Fringe behind, but we might be able to sit down for that tonight.

And now I have sipped at my tea and my fingers are warm and I should get back to rendering. Cue flaily arms.

12:00AM - Artses! For me!!!

My hd_holidays gift posted tonight and I'm all squeeful because it is gorgeous art that's so subtle and delicate and fairy-taleish. ZOMG. I heart it something fierce. \0/

Everyone should go look and tell the artist how awesome it is..and dear God, I want to live in that house so much. It would be fantastic. :D Although I suppose I'll allow Harry and Draco to live there, if they let me come visit. *G*

Two...Four...Six... by Anonymous

Also, huge thank yous to everyone who sent snowflakes earlier this week (and apologies for the belated thanks--I've been keeping myself offline in order to write the past couple of days). I meant to return the snowflake love once I got home from work on Monday night, but alas, LJ had turned the option off by the time I got to my laptop. But believe me when I say every single one of them brought a smile to my face on a day when that was sorely needed. You guys are seriously awesome. *hugs every damn one of you*

------------------

This entry was originally posted at http://femmequixotic.dreamwidth.org/438096.html. You can comment here or there using OpenID.

11:29AM - Sebastian and the Beast, Ch2 Pg24

Title: Sebastian and the Beast: Ch2, pg 24/27
Rating: Pg-13
Beta: yume_no_kage
Summary: Beauty and the Beast with a twist (and a wriggle)
A/N: End of chapter is in sight! :D (which means I get to start storyboarding like crazy for Ch3. And... *does some quick calculations* it also means I'll be starting 2010 with Ch3, whut! XD)

( Sebastian and the Beast Ch2, pg 24 )


[Cover]
Ch 1: 1&2, 3, 4, 5, 6&7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
Ch 2: 1, 2, 3&4, 5, 6, 7, 8&9, 10, 11, 12&13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

Colour Pages
Field Promotion