Posted on February 1, 2010 - by sarahsamudre

A “bloop” in time…

Alright, so now that I’ve broken the blog in for 2010, let’s get down to business.

LOST STARTS TOMORROW.

I’m not going to get into the intricate theories until after I see the season premiere. Honestly, since the producer’s said they won’t be focusing on DHARMA and a lot of other aspects, I want to wait to see the first two episodes to even get a feel for what Lost WILL tackle in their final season. There is so much for them to do plot-wise and character-wise, and a good fan will be accepting that not all areas of interest will be explored in the 18 episodes we have left.

But one piece of plot exposition I’m confident of seeing is, of course, the mysterious The Black Rock: how it came to the Island and WHY.

We’re all pretty sure this is the ship we saw on the horizon at the end of season five, as Jacob and the Man in Black discussed the nature of man and an age-old battle waged between them over who was right. But what we don’t know is, if it is the Black Rock, how did it get into the middle of a mountain-filled, densely forested island looking like this:

That ship was not blown there via tsunami or hurricane. It would’ve been ripped to shreds.

Well, I believe the answer came last week during a Lost recap on ABC. You know, those annoying pop-up episodes that say things like, “This is Kate. She is also a survivor. She likes to run away from things” or “This is Jack. He is also a survivor. He likes to fix things.” I know a lot of fans skip those episodes, but if you’re one of those people, you’re making a mistake. ABC throws a lot of redundant information in there, but every so often there is a gem.

Keep reading to find out what…

(more…)

Posted on January 31, 2010 - by sarahsamudre

Sometimes It Takes a Month to Start a Year

I wanted to start the blogging year off with a personal post about the way I view New Year’s goals and hopes. In the following post, you’ll read nothing about the weight I hope to lose or the habits I’m giving up or the regimen I’m placing myself on. I know I’m young, but I feel I’m old enough to begin to grasp that external goals set in January can be an incredible exercise in frustration. There are things I hope for this year, and things I will hold myself to, but they’re of a different quality than the kind of resolutions I used to set. With this post, I just want to reflect on the way last year ended and what’s taken me so long to even blog about it in the first place. Life is always tougher and stranger than I plan for at the start of every year and month and week. So this year, I’d like to start out differently.

But first, background. How did the last year end for me?

So a little over a month and a half ago, Vasant and I finished our apartment. He and my father started working on this four years ago (although serious construction started in 2008). While we’ve been going to school and working, every spare minute of Vasant’s time was invested into our place. And this Christmas, we finally woke up in our cozy hobbit hole of an apartment.

Keep reading below the link: (more…)

Posted on November 24, 2009 - by sarahsamudre

Thanksgiving (updated with pictures!)

So it’s almost here! One of my favorite holidays of the year! The preamble to the Christmas season! The holiday that kicks in the teeth of any diet you’re on and says “Sorry sucker! That stuffing smells too good to pass up!”

This year I am in a rush to finish up my novel (91,000 + words, currently) and Vasant is in a rush to get us into our new place by the beginning of December (carpet and fireplace go in this next week, and hopefully we’ll get a housing inspection by the first weekend of December). In fact, while I tend to the turkey on Thanksgiving, Vasant and my Dad will be in the apartment working. Between school, catching the swine flu in October, and being behind on our ever-pressing deadlines to finish this book and construction by December, we’re spread unbelievably thin.But despite the craziness of this fall, there is so much to give thanks for. When I turn 28 this December, I’ll be able to say I’ve completed a novel. We’ll be in our own place, that Vasant BUILT. We’ll be closer than ever to graduation, and with so many projects off the table, we’ll be able to start working on screenplays for Vasant & I’s grad school portfolio. Ever onward and upward.

For more Thanksgiving update and the elaborately thought out Thanksgiving menu, click ‘more’…

(more…)

Posted on September 23, 2009 - by sarahsamudre

5 Years Ago

… 5 years ago I fell the first bit in love with my future husband, after years of not-really-caring about him. This post is to celebrate that.

5 years ago, I had already known Vasant Samudre for a couple years. He was best friends with my best friend Todd. Our acquaintance had been a Mr. Darcy/Elizabeth Bennett type of acquaintance. We’d been introduced, by our gregarious, red-haired, Bingley-esque friend Todd, but hadn’t gotten along. I thought Vasant was proud. While all of Todd’s other friends quickly became my friends as well, Vasant stayed withdrawn, didn’t talk at parties, didn’t talk to me when I hosted the parties. I assumed he didn’t care for me as a person, which meant, of course, I didn’t care for him that much as a person.

That was the first two years of knowing each other, from 2002 through 2004. It was cool indifference that could, at times, be extended to pleasant socialization, if forced by Todd, to interact with each other.

But on September 23rd, 2004, something changed…

(more…)

Posted on September 11, 2009 - by sarahsamudre

Eight Years Ago Today

9/11 Memories:

Was looking through a photo album of 9/11 and began to cry again. Like I have, like we all have, every year for the last eight.

I was in bed that morning, and as odd as it sounds, I woke up feeling something was wrong. I went upstairs and turned on the TV, a sinking feeling in my chest. I don’t watch the news in the morning. I usually read. But that morning I felt I had to turn on the TV, and flip to CNN. As I turned on the TV, I remember thinking how strange I felt, breaking my routine, listening to a nagging feeling in my gut, wondering if there really was something wrong.

Something was incredibly wrong.

The first tower had been hit.

I sank to my knees in my living room, my hand held up to my mouth until it was between my teeth. I began to call my parents, my friends, and told people to turn on the news or radio. No one could believe what we were seeing. But then the second plane hit.

And both towers fell.

I stayed in front of television for hours. Until that evening. And I hated that I was in front of the television, when people were injured, scared out of their minds, and threatened in New York. It didn’t feel like it was enough to just watch and feel sympathy. It was a sickening feeling that took hold, as the hours went on and the news cycle began to repeat on itself.

I remember kids that night on the street corners waving flags and holding candles. I remember the wave of patriotism and grief that united us, even if the unification was brief. I remember feeling simultaneously bonded with everyone, and small and cut off as well. We all wondered what was next, we all felt grief, and everyone not in New York, DC or Pennsylvania, felt unsatisfied with just watching the news. We felt powerless if not there to pitch in. We volunteered, waved flags, and marched to war.

I remember today. I remember the brave men and women who died to save those who were dying. I remember that a nationally unifying wave of patriotism led us into a war that had nothing to do with today. I remember that a moment as great as 9/11 can feed our fear, make us frenzied and easy to manipulate. I don’t want to forget how people came together to help each other in the days that followed. I don’t want to forget the stories of those who died, who survived, who sacrificed. And I don’t want to forget what happened the next year. I don’t want to forget how the wrong type of patriotism can creep in so easily with the pure type of patriotism. I don’t want to forget.

Because we all know that if we forget history, we will repeat it. And while this day should never happen again, if similar circumstances ever befall our great nation, I hope we will have the same courage, the same devotion to each other, but remain calmer when it comes to doling out reactionary, misapplied retribution.

That is my September 11th remembrance.

Posted on August 29, 2009 - by sarahsamudre

Psychological Hiccups

In a flash a heart is slain
you have to ask in all this pain
Was your heart too soft?
Was your love in vain?

- Copeland, “Love Affair” Eat, Sleep, Repeat ♫ http://blip.fm/~cipry

(a post about the psychological struggles of the middle of this novel)

(more…)

Posted on July 6, 2009 - by sarahsamudre

Book Summer

Six years ago, I started writing a book called The Ashes. It began as a rambling analogy to something I was trying to communicate to my mother when we were out on a walk. It was a hot spring day, we were walking along the country roads, past the white fences protecting horses and alpacas and the other animals you find out here. I was talking to her about generational politics, tradition, problems people my age found with the church but what drew us to the ideals of the Church described in Acts. She wasn’t understanding, or rather (at that time only) was taking it so personally on behalf of people her age that she was missing my point. So I wove a tale about three women in one house, a deceased patriarch named Peter and a history of community parties the Grandmother and Grandfather had held that the granddaughter, Chloe, starts up again. Over the last 6 years, the story has evolved from just a simple analogy about the idealism of the young, the strictures of middle generations throughout all of time, and the examples that the elderly can forget that their own youth has set. It has taken on a life of its own that lives apart from its message and is just a damn fine story in its own right.

Read about what I’m doing after the jump:

(more…)

Posted on May 13, 2009 - by sarahsamudre

England Trip Thus Far

So I’ve been here for five days so far, and having (as usual) a wonderful time. This is my third trip to London, and being as third time is the charm, Vasant and I have skirted jet lag COMPLETELY on this trip. Although, that may have something to do with the fact that we don’t have a regular sleep schedule anyway.

Our first day in town we went to the British Musuem (my fifth time there- I can’t get enough of musuems).​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

I love the Persian art the British Musuem has. Most of these pieces come from Persepolis.

​

​

Necklaces for British chieftains.

​

Two fantastic headpieces from the Roman Britain Era.

​

​

Death mask found at Sutton Hoo.

​

This is one of my favorite pieces. It’s a clock- when it was operational, it was designed to move across the dining table on the hour, firing little cannons, with music, and parading figures around its gilded deck.

​

​

Ancient Persian door fittings, guarded by Persian Sphinxs

Those are just a few of the pieces I really liked. From there we took Mom out to tea at Fortum & Masons (waste of money unless you’re paying for the experience alone, and even then I’d say go elsewhere). And if you ever want to have the best tea on the face of the Earth, for my money, got the White Heather Tea Room in Victoria, Canada. Best. Scones. In. Universe.

The next day we did Oxford and Blenheim Palace, where we saw some scenes from 20th Century Fox’s Gulliver’s Travels (Jack Black, Jason Segel and Emily Blunt were on set). I took a couple pictures of the costumes, but didn’t take any of the actors, because I felt really weird doing that. I did accidentally get Emily Blunt in the distant background of one photo, but I feel weird posting it. So my cousin Kevin, who doubts until he sees photos, will have to wait until I get back to see someone famous. But here are some set shots:

The scene we saw them shooting involved Emily Blunt and Jason Segel “looking up” at Jack Black’s Giant Sized Gulliver. Emily Blunt was screaming and there was smoke, and again, I felt really weird being there, like I needed to leave unless I was there to work. It just felt kind of odd looking at something I want to do professionally without being there for a reason. SOooooooOooo… I left and those are all the photos I’ll post!

We went into Blenheim’s gardens after the insanely boring (always boring) tour of Winston Churchill’s birth room and personal effects. I love the library however. The one room that is the most fascinating in the whole of the palace and you can only look at the spines of the books from behind metal lattice work. TORTUROUS.

This insanely weird statue fascinates me. I photograph it every time I visit. The feminine head looks so wistful, and slightly sad, atop her beastly body.

Her twin, however, just looks perturbed.

Just in case you’re wondering if this place looks familiar, it does. It’s used in dozens of movies, one of my favorites being Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet.

The next day we went out to Herstmonceaux Castle and Battle Abbey in Kent. Battle is one of my favorite spots in the UK, purely because I’m such a history geek. Herstmenceaux was “meh” for that reason. Pretty structure and gardens, but no huge historical significance. Speaking of which, we went to the National Archives (where Emily did her internship) and saw the Domesday book and a bit of the Magna Carta earlier that day. They had a map of the Roanoke Colony and underneath said the colony failed after 10 months “due to lack of provisions”. That’s all it said on the placard. Isn’t that like saying Amelia Earhart disappeared due to lack of fuel in her plane? Very weird that they’d just say it failed due to lack of provisions. One of history’s big mysteries and that’s all the say. Wonder why the historical slant. A BIG slant.

Anyway, Herstmonceaux Castle. Best part about it was a mother duck with her chicks chasing us all down, whining like a puppy (I didn’t know ducks did that) for our food. Mom gave the duck a cracker, but that wasn’t enough. It wanted Vasant’s latte.

So that’s our trip so far. Today Vasant and I went over to Notting Hill to find a Paul’s Boulangerie for breakfast (< Coffee rant> only reliable coffee chain in London- if you’re from Seattle and are a coffee junkie, avoid London Starbucks. Total crap. If you’re from any other part of the states though, you may not notice. < /end coffee elitist rant> )

Tomorrow Emily graduates, we’ll take Dad to the White Tower and Somerset House, and then Friday is York! Saturday and Sunday- I forget what we’re doing, but we return to the States on Monday. And Tuesday I’ve got a linguistics midterm, oh joy of joys.

Hope the pictures upload well.

Posted on April 18, 2009 - by sarahsamudre

Playing Catch-up.

So I’ve been having some serious “not the kind of thing one twitters about” medical issues this last month. I have sadly been unable to keep up regular entries on the site.

I don’t know who RSS feeds this, or checks it regularly, but to anyone who visits this site often, or happens upon it now randomly- I put it to you:

WHAT should I write about this weekend?!

If I only have time for one post this next week, what should I write about? My book or how to find good connections on Twitter? Those are the two topics I want to write about, but I don’t have the time to write about both. I either want to write about two characters in my book and how they’re evolving in a surprising way- or make good on a promise I made my friend Danielle; namely, to write a post on how to find great people to follow on Twitter. Both seem like good ideas, and eventually I’ll do both. But for now, I feel scatter-brained and indecisive. Any input?

Posted on March 19, 2009 - by sarahsamudre

Stick To What You Do Best: Facebook and the Writing on the Wall

Facebook deciding to copy Twitter is a sign the social media giant is in trouble of tripping over itself.

When it comes to life-casting, sharing information and networking, my first experience of social media was with Live Journal. I was on there regularly from 2001 until 2005, when I discovered Myspace (before all the tweens did). I kept using LJ, but noticed as Myspace began being adopted by everyone, LJ was changing it’s features to look more like Myspace. Myspace inevitably did the same thing the following year as a bunch of the literate types exodused for the less-cluttered, more aesthetic Facebook. Myspace tried to clean up its profiles and added a bunch of features to copycat Facebook, but it was too late. The writing on the wall for any social media site is when it looks behind at the competitor and gives up its edge to conform to competition.

With that said, it should be no surprise that as Twitter’s star rises, Facebook would get worried. Facebook already tried to buy out Twitter: Facebook’s Thiel Explains Failed Twitter Takeover – BusinessWeek. When that didn’t work, Facebook decided it would copy Twitter, saying that real-time streams were the future of social media. Unfortunately for Zuckerberg, it’s only ONE road to take in that bright new shiny future and 95% of us doubt that it’s the right road for Facebook to take.

The ensuing smack down…

(more…)