Thoughts on Scarlett Johansson

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(And yes, I have to update this more beyond cooking and updates)

Some friends and I at Crossroads Alpha were discussing Scarlett Johansson, who seems both very visible and clearly not trying to coast on her role as Black Widow.  We also discussed how in Hollywood, actresses have to make their own way in a system that often works against them.  Now Ms. Johansson seems to be a very smart person, a great actress, and pretty savvy - she’s had a hell of a career if one checks it out, so I figure she has a plan.

It struck me that she often does unusual roles as of late, has always touched on SF, and doesn’t mind doing crazy weird stuff at all.  It struck me that, in short, I think what she’s doing is building a “home” in some genres which also gives her the luxury of branching out and experimenting – and her association with SF as well as experimental films is perfect for this.  She could go do a few crazy SF movies and an art film and no one would bat an eye – and it gives her a broad base to work out a continuing career.

In many ways, I see her becoming a bit like Sigourney Weaver, beloved in genre spheres giving her a solid base for anything else – and someone that people respect.  I get the impression Ms. Johansson likes to mix it more, but I see some kind of underpinning similarities.

But I think it’s clear she’s working on a serious, long-term career.  That’s as respectable in the crazy world of films as any great role one may have, because it is a weird business to be in.  Makes me think that in the decades to come, she’s going to bring a lot of great work to the screen.

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

Steve’s Update 7/20/2014

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Yes, an update and recipes?  As you may of guessed I realized need to do more here.  What can I say, the last few months have been insane.

So what’s up?

The Writing Prompt Generator is being slowly improved.  I think it’ll probably be done in a month or two – I’ve got a few more ideas to develop in the mean time.  You can see a larger update at The Codex.

I’m still working on Way With Worlds, and took a break from discussing Sex and Worldbuilding to focus on skills.  Next i’ll return to the rewrites.  At this rate I think it may be up to a year before I’m finished with this, seriously.

At MuseHack we’ve got a lot of interviews coming, and I’m moving to doing things in a more “projectized” manner.  My first is my “Geek Catalog,” listing ways for people to get involved as Geek Citizens.  I’ve also got some posts coming on how we can make people aware of good works.

I’ve got no definite speaking engagements the next month or so, but we’ll see more near the fall.  I’m also reviewing my con schedule and planning to broaden out a bit.

So that’s it!  What about you?

 

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

Japanese Curry, Healthy Variant

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Remember when I said I was trying to make a faster, healthier version of Japanese Curry?  Here’s one of my attempts.  Really you puree a few things,cook, and then combine a few things.  That’s it.

Now is it good?  Well . . .it’s mediocre.  Thats’ not bad for a first time, but it just doesn’t have the depth of my other versions.  On the other hand it’s healthier and a lot faster.

I’m thinking that the arrowroot is actually a mistake and that I need the oat flour from my old recipe. Continue reading →

Japanese Curry – Final Version (With More To Come)

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Well this is it.  I have reached my goal of creating a Japanese Curry that was homey, enjyoable, that is reasonably healthy,  and that can be made and frozen without too much trouble.

I actually considered it done when a visitor gave it their stamp of approval.  You kinda want that outside opinion.

So I’m “locking” this recipe as officially done.  Now I am still experimenting with trying to make it a bit healthier (namely cutting the spread and possibly replacing the tomato paste), and am working on a super-fast, super-healthy version.  But this, as far as I concern is not just a milestone, but a complete, legitimate recipe that meets my goals

Makes 3 servings.  It scales up rather well – you can cook two or three batches at once without taking too much time.

Continue reading →

Steve’s Update 7/15/2014

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Hey gang, what’s up?

Well first, as you saw the Writing Prompt Generator at Seventh Sanctum is in a crude Alpha, and I am taking feedback.  I’m improving it slowly but surely, though it’s going to take time.

At Muse Hack you can expect to see a spate of interviews and a new, more series-oriented take from me as I try tackling various issues with a less regular format and more a focus on addressing certain issues or following certain focuses.  Just stay tuned for now ;)

Otherwise, actually not much going on.  Work has me busy.

What about you?

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

Steve’s Update 7/6/2014

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Well I just had a week off, and of course that means . . . OK I didn’t do much.  I really collapsed and relaxed.  But what you’ll want to know is . . .

  • I have the crude Alpha of my Writing Prompt Generator up – and I need feedback!  Go there and start trying it out and suggesting your favorite lines!
  • I’ve also gotten most of my recipes compiled into one document and plan to release it when I’m done.  And yes, I have to post more here anyway.  The last few months were crazy.

About it for me.  As the summer comes around I need to get back to my con plans, with Celesticon and Con-Volution coming up . . .

You?

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

Steve’s Update 6/25/2014

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Pretty wiped out, but I am working on a Writing Prompt generator at Seventh Sanctum.  Wanted to share some results!

  • She lived for fame, but would die for knowledge, which was really annoying.
  • This is a story about unemployment and a tactical officer.
  • This is a story that concerns evil, drug addiction, and an astronomer.
  • It was Monday, the day of hate.
  • Around here, everyone has a story about injustice and a manager.
  • On Saturday I become a medical officer.
  • I have a story about ambition and a time traveller – a story everyone knows.
  • I have a tale about getting old and a nanotechnologist – my story.
  • Abigail knew that good requires fame.
  • It was Wednesday, the day of authority.

I also plan to release it in Alpha so people can give feedback.

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

Blasts From The Past For Me

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My group was talking online and they found some resources that just take me back . . .

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

Disney’s Descendants . . . No

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I can’t say I’m a fan or not a fan of Disney.  Disney’s omnipresent enough it sort of doesn’t make sense.  But their upcoming show Descendents, which is a school drama where the children of four villains experience (?) redemption among the children of heroes sounded sort of like Ever After High envy . . . and the first picture isn’t promising.

DESCENDANTS_IMAGE

Now I won’t cast aspersions on the young actors.  If Disney taps you for some big, if insane, effort, you go. You get to play a Disney Villain, which almost without exception are a heck of a lot of fun.  But as for the characters:

  • Jay, Jafar’s son doesn’t look like the descendent of any kind of wizard.  He looks a bit too generic thug-bad-boy.  Could someone give him something wizardly looking?
  • Carlos, son of Cruella De Ville is definitely rocking the retro-80′s hair look with his mom’s signature color scheme, and his clothing color scheme is also appropriate.  I kinda dig the semi-Billy Idol.  It’s just this is not the son of a fashion icon – in his case “did your mom dress you this morning” should be a compliment.
  • Mal, Malefecent’s daughter needs some kind of horn getup.  She’s not even Maleficent-like (take a hint from Carlos).  Also we’re not exactly talking “sorceress” here.
  • Evie, the Evil Queen’s daughter  . . . well not sure on this one either, costume-wise.  Needs something more like mom.

So really it looks like Generic Punks causing trouble.  I’m still figuring out how the descendent of a world famous fashion icon ends up in a magical world.  Maybe mom got a taste for dragon skin dresses and things went terrible wrong.  Which is probably better than this plot.

Go look at Disney Characters As Warriors.  Far more awesome.

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

 

On The Oregon Shooter

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As you probably heard, the shooter apparently was on a campaign to kill sinners according to his diary.  It shocked his church and family, and it seems fairly obvious he was pretty troubled.

The thing is everyone is talking about how they were surprised.

I think by now, we’ve heard so many times that “oh, he shouldn’t have done that” or heard how “how surprising this is” to think that maybe we should stop being surprised.  It’s clear that when people miss someone is on the way to a violent breakdown missing it is no surprise because it happens all the time.

It’s up to us to watch out for each other.  Not keep watch on each other, we don’t need some panopticon police state in our heads (we’ve got enough would-be’s in the world).  We need to make sure we’re there to ensure our friends and family and neighbors don’t fall into the darkness.

It’s up to us to pay attention for when things look like they’ll fall apart.  It may not be a mass shooting (and for all of you I hope it never is), but it’s realizing someone may have a drinking problem, or is losing their way and falling in with radicals, and so on.

It’s up to us to actually care about each other as opposed to expect people to follow some rote behavior that will inevitably cause them to snap or snap worse.

When someone snaps and there’s surprise, that’s no surprise.  That’s a problem.

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.