And now, I shall perform the Dying Swan.

Well, okay, I know what you're thinking: it's febrile's birthday, so where's the interpretive dance I was threatening a couple of days ago? Well, be careful what you wish for when you blow out candles around me...

(Hey, it was that or a monkey conducting the Hokey Pokey...)

answers to Friday's entry...

Time for the answer key to last Friday's "random lines" entry:

1) Tom mounts it on his disk, copies a Word document of his own to it, and then unmounts it.
Macintosh Bible, ancient Mac-cover edition.
2) Remember the days when letters were written by hand?
Macintosh Bible, 5th edition. Yes, I work with enough of the little monsters that both vintages are still appropriate on occasion...
3) When you do get to see him at last, you will not be surprised to find he is black (see COLOR CODING) and shadowy and probably not wholly human.
The Tough Guide to Fantasyland, Diana Wynne Jones. From the entry on "Dark Lords", of course.
4) No one enjoys paying taxes, although everyone appreciates the services that their taxes buy.
Caesar III manual, which is 202 pages long and not a bad read.
5) We were in a boat, or on the back of a milk-white bird. and
6) No chairs, but large dark green fur pillows to sit on, or the couch, draped with rugs and shawls like the divan of a potentate.
Rather a trick question, because I have two copies of The Silver Metal Lover on my desk. ;)
7) Certainly in any series, the smart thing to do is to rent studio space that encompasses a few standing sets.
Highlander: the Complete Watchers' Guide, Maureen Russell.
8) Strands woven in complex patterns are known as sennits.
Handbook of Knots, Des Pawson.
9) These products do not burn away completely, so only small amounts of the glue should be used if ash deposits or air bubbles are to be avoided.
The Fused Glass Handbook, Reynolds.
10) One of the otherworldly planes of existence inhabited by creatures -- some good, some evil -- that can be summoned by a mage.
The Valdemar Companion, entry on "Abyssal Plane".
11) The little creature, quite horrified, made in good earnest to cry out: fortunately her voice was strangled in tears.
Les Liasons Dangereuses, Choderlos de Laclos. Ha, betcha thought that was a fantasy novel. ;)
12) Un platoir ou une petite taloche pour egaliser la surface carrelee;
Manuel Complet du Bricolage, IE "Household Repairs en Francais", from an entry that appears to be something to do with tile-setting. I keep it around because it's about 1/4 inch thicker than my Dremel drillbits are long, and because it amuses me to.
13) "Two old mercs, sitting in the sun, passing a bottle back and forth," she said with a grin as I handed it back to her.
Technically, the ringer: my own Manuscript does live in a box on my desk, at the moment! :)
14) It failed to induce the people to pass constitutional amendments which would have enabled it to forward its socialistic program, but it succeeded in introducing, in 1911, compulsory military training for all young Australian men -- a significant innovation in the army traditions of the British Empire -- and it was the same Labor government which with enthusiasm and energy carried Australia into the World War in active support of the mother-country.
A Political And Cvltvral History of Modern Evrope (volume 2), Carlton J H Hayes. Which I have no recall of carrying into this room, much less buying, but the copyright date is 1939 so I imagine that may have had something to do with it. (IE, WWII hadn't happened to Evrope yet...)
15) tending to or capable of (contractile)
Merriam-Webster's Deluxe dictionary, 10th collegiate edition.
16) And besides, if you have followed the advice in this book, someone -- an editorial assistant, if not the editor herself -- is aware that you have sent a proposal or query letter and are entitled to a response.
Getting Your Book Published For Dummies. Which reminds me, I probably ought to be busy working out which agent to harass next instead of LJ'ing...


The odd part about this list is that only #15, the dictionary, and perhaps #12, the, well, drill-platform, besides the Manuscript which would get lost out in the main room (don't even ask. don't. even. ask.), actually "need" to be in this room at the moment; how the rest ended up here is anybody's guess, and I didn't even know #14 was on my worktable until I excavated a bit. I really ought to do some tidying-up...