Random

Six degrees of TRAMPOLINES!!!

Posted on August 4, 2012 by Michelle Proulx

So for those of you who haven’t heard, Canada has officially won its first gold medal. This victory is the hard work of Rosie MacLennan, who bounced her way to gold on the trampoline. Who would have thought our first gold medal would be from Trampolining?

First of all, GO CANADA! Second, GO ROSIE!

Now for the six degrees of separation part. I actually went to school with Rosie in grades 7 and 8. I remember when we were doing the gymnastics unit in gym class, and while all we athletically-challenged kids were doing forward rolls across the mats, Rosie was off at the other end of the gym back-flipping and cartwheeling to her heart’s content. I believe that was the day I bent my glasses due to my inability to do a forward roll. My mother had to take me out of school early so we could go get my glasses fixed. That probably explains why she’s an Olympic gold-medallist, and I’m sitting in my apartment writing a blog about her accomplishments.

Anyway, I’m super excited for her and her win–although probably not a sixteenth as thrilled as she is right now.

Congrats Rosie, and congrats Canada!

Categories: Random | Tags: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

3D Food Printers? Super hot guy cast in City of Bones? Sign me up!

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Michelle Proulx

The title of this post might have clued you in to the fact that today’s topic has nothing to do with writing, or self-publishing, or any of that good stuff. Instead, I will share with you a super-cool new technology I found out about, as well as several pictures of Godfrey Gao (aka the super hot actor cast as Magnus Bane in the upcoming City of Bones movie). Oh, and at the end, I will reveal undeniable (read: ridiculous) proof that God exists.

To begin: 3D Food Printers? Really?

First off, I will direct you to this website. What you will find there is a series of machines which are essentially food printers. I didn’t know such a thing was possible, at least, not outside of sci-fi movies. Clearly I was wrong.

Digital Chocolatier Prototype

The Digital Chocolatier is a prototype for a machine that allows users to quickly design, assemble and taste different chocolate candies. This machine is composed of three primary elements: a carousel of ingredients, a thermoelectric deposition cup and a user interface. Through a graphical user interface, users can select and combine the ingredients housed in the different carousel containers to create customized candies. The carousel rotates to extrude these ingredients into the thermoelectric cup that rapidly cools and hardens the chocolate, making it ready for consumption. The interface also makes it possible to save and rate favorite recipes for later use.

That’s … insanely awesome.

Yes, yes it is. And here’s an example of what it can make:

Mouth … watering …

They also have a few machines that can make actual meals. I would feel safe buying the Chocolatier, because you can’t really go wrong with chocolate, but once you start printing out lasagna, I just don’t know how good it could realistically taste. And I wonder how they’d get the texture right, if they’re squirting the ingredients out of tubes?

Still, interesting food for thought.

Hot guy time 

If you haven’t read Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones, and you have any interest in YA fiction, you should definitely check it out. It’s a fantastic read, and there are currently 4 sequels and 2 prequels, so the fun never ends. Except when you run out of books, and then the fun does end.

Anyway, one of the characters in the book is Magnus Bane — aka the High Warlock of Brooklyn. He is possibly the coolest character in the book, and he now has an actor portraying him live on the silver screen: Godfrey Gao.

Here’s another one:

He seems to have some trouble smiling. There’s got to be a smiling picture somewhere … aha! Victory.

I think I’m so enchanted with this gentleman because he’s kind of how I pictured one of the characters in my novel to look (Varrin). Although my mental image of Varrin is constantly shifting, so I might have a completely different opinion in a few months. Regardless, if I could get Godfrey Gao to star in the movie adaptation of my novel, I would probably die of happiness.

And now for something completely different …

Image creds (in order of appearance): http://web.media.mit.edu/~marcelo/cornucopia/, http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2011/04/godfrey-gao-vancouvers-louis-vuitton-model/, http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/godfrey-gao?before=1342735719, http://superadrianme.com/2012/07/01/godfrey-gao-launches-sk-ii-men-in-singapore/, http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2906770/posts?page=5

Categories: Random | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

How to Train Your Dragon LIVE SPECTACULAR!

Posted on July 7, 2012 by Michelle Proulx

You probably guessed this from the image, but I went to see How To Train Your Dragon LIVE SPECTACULAR! last night. Here’s the abridged story of the experience.

The set-up.

I went with my mother, whom I have been living with since I got back from teaching English in South Korea last November. Is it weird that I hang out with my mother? No, because she’s awesome.

We had intended to get there with time to spare, but due to a road being under construction, and half of the John Labatt Centre parking lot being reserved for performers, we barely made it in time. Luckily there was a parking lot just across the street, but we ended up in line to pay the parking attendant behind the world’s slowest coin-counter. He/she paid the $10 parking fee entirely in coins. And then it turned out he/she had miscounted, because the parking attendant had to give her back some change, further slowing down the process. Ack.

Into the theatre!

Having conquered the parking lot, we proceeded into the theatre. Now I have to say, it’s a pretty cool set-up they have going. They basically clear out this huge rectangular space, which is ringed with big boxes that can shoot out plumes of fire. And then on the back wall there is a gigantic screen onto which is projected scenery and backgrounds for the play.

The show begins …

The show started, and it was … honestly, it’s hard to describe. The acting was kind of sub-par, although that might be because the stage was so huge that the actors were tiny, and it was hard to really make a connection with them. The dragons, on the other hand, were just phenomenal. They spared no expense with this show. They had full-size animatronic dragons rolling around the floor, jumping and walking and breathing fire (well, smoke with a red light flashing from the dragon’s mouth), and it was just insanely cool.

The best part, hands down, was when Hiccup got on Toothless and flew into the air. They had Toothless attached to a rolling platform mechanism on a track on the roof of the stage, and then the cables were able to mimic Toothless swooping up and down through the air. The effect was heightened by that projection screen I mentioned, on which they had beautiful clouds and sky and … honestly, it looked like the guy and the dragon were actually flying. It was SO cool.

Holy dragons, Batman!

Then disaster struck! Toothless was supposed to take off with Hiccup and Astrid for their romantic flight … and nothing happened. “Come on, Toothless, let’s go!” shouted the actor, patting the animatronic dragon on the head. “Let’s go, buddy!” But nothing happened.

“There will be a brief pause as we deal with some technical issues,” said the announcer.

I actually really liked that part. Everything had been so seamless that I almost forgot we were dealing with giant, robot dragons. Of course they’re going to malfunction sometimes. I also wisely chose to remain in my seat, instead of heading for the bathroom like about half the theatre. Which was clever, because the problem was fixed about three minutes later, so at least 20% of the audience had to rush back to their seats and missed part of the show. Silly people.

Time for the big shampoo.

The big king dragon guy at the end was pretty cool, although they only built his head and tail. Still, they had Toothless up in the air again, and the projection screen showed lots of fiery smoke and clouds and stuff so it looked very much like they were flying. The bad dragon died, Toothless and Hiccup survived, and the actors had a big dance party to a rather boring song as they took their bows.

The end!

Has anyone seen How to Train Your Dragon LIVE SPECTACULAR? Does anyone want to? Does anyone NOT want to after reading this post? Does anyone think dragons are super cool? Does anyone like answering endless questions about their likes and dislikes? Does anyone enjoy a nice platter of assorted cheeses?

This next part isn’t remotely related to the post.

Check out this youtube video. It’s about a guy who went to North Korea and filmed his journey. It’s awesome, mostly because North Korea is crazy.

Categories: Random | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What will you do with your Leap Second?

Posted on June 30, 2012 by Michelle Proulx

People enjoying their “Leap” Second. Get it?

We’ve all heard of the Leap Year, with it’s tricky extra day in February that so confused poor Frederic in Pirates of Penzance. But did you know that there’s such a thing as a Leap Second? Or that it’s happening today?

I know what you’re thinking. Whoa. She broke out the coloured fonts–she definitely means business. And I do. Leap seconds are awesome. Check out this explanation of the Leap Second phenomenon from the Winnipeg Free Press:

PARIS — Scientists say today will stretch a second longer than any other day this year.

A team at the Paris Observatory is adding a “leap second” just before midnight to make up for a gradual slowdown in the Earth’s rotation.

Experts at the International Earth Rotation and Reference System Service make the adjustment when the planet’s movement falls out of sync with atomic clocks that measure time.

U.S. Naval Observatory spokesman Geoff Chester said a leap second is needed because the Earth is slowing down a bit from the tidal pull of the moon.

A second can be added or removed as needed every six months, but it typically happens only every 1 1/2 years.

This week’s change comes after nearly four years without a leap second — the last one was at the end of December 2008.

So how about it? We get one extra, super-special-awesome second today! What will you do with your Leap Second? I was originally going to leap in the air, in an homage to the “Leap” in Leap Second, but then I remembered that I don’t really like jumping. Also, the Leap Second happens right before midnight, and I’m usually asleep by then.

Still, Leap Second! Woot!

Image cred: http://im05.thewallpapers.org/resolution/iPad/668

Categories: Random | 7 Comments

3 Awesome Things To Get You Through Friday

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Michelle Proulx

Friday is awesome because it’s the last day of the week, but it also sucks because you have to get through the entire work day before you can enjoy your weekend. Here are some fun things I’ve found around the internet that put a smile on my face. Hopefully they’ll cheer you up, too!

#1 I Take It You Already Know

I take it you already know
Of tough and bough and cough and dough?
Others may stumble, but not you,
On hiccough, thorough, lough and through?
Well done! And now you wish, perhaps,
To learn of less familiar traps?
Beware of heard, a dreadful word
That looks like beard and sounds like bird,
And dead: it’s said like bed, not bead –
For goodness sake don’t call it deed!
Watch out for meat and great and threat
(They rhyme with suite and straight and debt).		 A moth is not a moth in mother,
Nor both in bother, broth in brother,
And here is not a match for there
Nor dear and fear for bear and pear,
And then there’s dose and rose and lose –
Just look them up – and goose and choose,
And cork and work and card and ward,
And font and front and word and sword,
And do and go and thwart and cart –
Come, come, I’ve hardly made a start!
A dreadful language? Man alive!
I’d mastered it when I was five!

#2 Star Wars Gangsta Rap

#3 The Avengers, Abridged

Note: This is an excerpt from the script. To view the entire script, click here.

The HEROES decide to bring TOM HIDDLESTON back to their BASE, because apparently DUE PROCESS applies to TRICKSTER GODS as well. Suddenly, CHRIS HEMSWORTH shows up and chastises TOM.

CHRIS HEMSWORTH

I have come to stop you, brah!

(pause)

Er, I mean, do I look to be in a gaming mood? Betwixt! Verily!

TOM HIDDLESTON

Brother, it must have taken every ounce of the All-father’s hurberble to plugurble you back to Earth. Let’s discuss it no more.

Suddenly, HEMSWORTH, EVANS, and ROBERT look around and notice it’s their first on-screen appearance together.

CHRIS HEMSWORTH

Quick, someone think of a super contrived reason for us to fight!

ROBERT DOWNEY JR.

I’ll fight you because you want to fight your brother, who I also want to fight!

CHRIS EVANS

And I’ll fight you both because I want you to stop fighting!

They proceed to act out their STATS from THE AVENGERS COLLECTIBLE TRADING CARD GAME and establish they are all EXACTLY EQUAL IN POWER, somehow. Guy on steroids, genius in a robot suit, invincible deity: basically identical.

CHRIS EVANS

Hang on a second, your hammer has decimated everything you’ve ever hit with it, you had no way of knowing my shield or Robert’s armor would protect us. Did you just attempt to straight-up murder us? Don’t change the scene, I want an answer to thi–

Happy Friday!

Categories: Random | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Evil Overlord’s List

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Michelle Proulx

So I was wandering about the internet this morning, and came across this site, which I haven’t visited in years but still fondly remember as one of the funniest things I have ever read. It is a list, entitled The Top 100 Things I’d Do If I Ever Became An Evil Overlord, and it’s hysterical. Here are some of my favourites:

8. After I kidnap the beautiful princess, we will be married immediately in a quiet civil ceremony, not a lavish spectacle in three weeks’ time during which the final phase of my plan will be carried out.

12. One of my advisors will be an average five-year-old child. Any flaws in my plan that he is able to spot will be corrected before implementation.

19. I will not have a daughter. She would be as beautiful as she was evil, but one look at the hero’s rugged countenance and she’d betray her own father.

23. I will keep a special cache of low-tech weapons and train my troops in their use. That way — even if the heroes manage to neutralize my power generator and/or render the standard-issue energy weapons useless — my troops will not be overrun by a handful of savages armed with spears and rocks.

34. I will not turn into a snake. It never helps.

44. I will only employ bounty hunters who work for money. Those who work for the pleasure of the hunt tend to do dumb things like even the odds to give the other guy a sporting chance.

47. If I learn that a callow youth has begun a quest to destroy me, I will slay him while he is still a callow youth instead of waiting for him to mature.

56. My Legions of Terror will be trained in basic marksmanship. Any who cannot learn to hit a man-sized target at 10 meters will be used for target practice.

64. I will see a competent psychiatrist and get cured of all extremely unusual phobias and bizarre compulsive habits which could prove to be a disadvantage.

80. If my weakest troops fail to eliminate a hero, I will send out my best troops instead of wasting time with progressively stronger ones as he gets closer and closer to my fortress.

85. I will not use any plan in which the final step is horribly complicated, e.g. “Align the 12 Stones of Power on the sacred altar then activate the medallion at the moment of total eclipse.” Instead it will be more along the lines of “Push the button.”

98. If an attractive young couple enters my realm, I will carefully monitor their activities. If I find they are happy and affectionate, I will ignore them. However if circumstance have forced them together against their will and they spend all their time bickering and criticizing each other except during the intermittent occasions when they are saving each others’ lives at which point there are hints of sexual tension, I will immediately order their execution.

There are also more hilarious list items in Cell Block A and Cell Block B. Check it out!

Image credit: http://seemslegit.com/post/view/3627?search=evil

Categories: Random | Tags: , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Greetings, Earthlings.

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Michelle Proulx

Welcome to my blog. For a long-winded explanation of what you’ll find here, check out the FAQ. If you’d rather not slog through several pages of increasingly-ridiculous dialogue, keep reading.

So six years ago, I wrote a book. It’s about alien abduction, romance, flashy laser gun battles, aliens with a shaky understanding of logic and morality, and a high school girl named Eris trying to find her way back home to Earth. After innumerable edits and revisions, Imminent Danger and How to Fly Straight into It is finally ready for publication. Since traditional publishing houses are wary of first-time authors, I’ve elected to go the self-publishing route via iUniverse. This means I have to pay them money, instead of them paying me, but that’s the price you pay for self-publication.

This blog is about that book. Well, currently. If people like the book, and buy the book, then I’ll hopefully make enough money to afford publishing a sequel. And then another sequel. And so on. Maybe start a different series entirely. But right now, the focus is on Imminent Danger.

It isn’t published yet, so you can’t buy it right now. But it should be ready to go by the end of Summer 2012. Check back here every few weeks to learn of any new developments. And if you’re an author looking to self-publish, I’ll be describing each step of the self-publication process as it happens to me, so stay tuned.

Talking to people is awesome. As such, you should definitely talk to me. Leave comments, email me, facebook me, anything you want. Honestly, it doesn’t even have to be related to the blog. Read a good book lately? Tell me about it! Heard a hilarious, slightly inappropriate joke? I’m all ears (not literally – that would be strange). I have a Facebook page for the book that you can also check out. If you really want to get in touch with me, I suppose that stalking me down and slipping creepy letters under my door is also an option, but I’d prefer that you take the electronic route if at all possible.

I’m new to all this, so if you think of ways to improve the blog – polls, book excerpts, contests, videos, whatever – please let me know. Oh, and for people new to WordPress.com, there’s some sort of Subscribe button you can press that will let the site email you whenever I write a new post. I promise I’ll keep them to two or less a week so that I don’t spam your inbox.

I look forward to meeting you!!!

Categories: Blog-related, My Works, Random, Self Publishing, Writing | Tags: , , , | 10 Comments

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.