USA :: Alaska

Regarding Nov. 21 FAIRBANKS Meeting: TEMPERATURE CUT OFF

Jeano — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:17:55 +0000

If the temperature is -29 or below we will NOT meet!

Go by THIS official temperature recording: 458-3745 ext. 1113
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Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
—John Steinbeck

USA :: Alaska

Hitting 50K

Maureen Scally — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 04:59:23 +0000

At least two Alaskans have gotten that green bar indicating they've reached fifty thousand words! Yeah to our most productive Great Land Writers.

This new thread is for you to brag (you've done it, beyond your expectations, you actually managed to pull it off this year) or to moan (I'm never going to make it, I'm so far behind, I've got so much to do, how can I ever find time to catch up?).

Tell us where you're at.

I'll start with me. I'm having a good year--it looks like, barring swine flu or a computer crash, I'll make it to 50K before Nov. 30.

Which is unlike last year, when my computer died when I was at 44,000 words and I had to limp along using my husband's computer, and almost didn't make it.
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USA :: Alaska

Mat-Su Night of Writing Dangerously

Captain Lexicon — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:31:56 +0000

I heard something about this, and I don't know what, when, or where it is... could someone kindly fill me in? :)
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"Headdesk to the wall!" -Moi. And yes, NaNoWriMo does this to your brain. It's the sleep deprivation. Either that, or caffeine poisoning...
Let There Be Light :: NaNo '07, 50k
Roommates :: NaNo '08, 100k
??? :: NaNo '09, shooting for 50k peoplez!

USA :: Alaska

Fairbanks Mid-week Meeting tonight at 6

Jeano — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:55 +0000

I'll be at College Coffeehouse from 6 to 7 for all you Fairbanks area Nano-ers!

I don't know if anyone made it last week, because by the time I got there after 7 I didn't see anyone from our group, and I was having serious car problems so managed to get that fixed enough to get home.

This week I'm able to make this meeting because I have a student cancellation (I teach music lessons) so I do hope to see at least a few folks there.

And I still have some Nano stickers to give away to those who haven't gotten one yet!
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Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
—John Steinbeck

USA :: Alaska

Fairbanks Meeting Schedule!

Jeano — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:13:41 +0000

I'll be sending out emails, but to be sure you all get this:

Tomorrow, Nov. 7, 4pm at Sipping Streams Tea House on College, as previously announced: Our first Write-In (and much more!) We will be handing out the EXCELLENT Nano stickers to all attendees, so make this meeting if you can!

For you new folks: we not only do writing challenges, but we often brainstorm, help each other out with plots, do some writing exercises, get prizes (yep, I do have a couple prizes--I found one I couldn't resist getting when I was at JoAnne the other day). We also get giddy and silly and talk way too much off-topic. :o)

The rest of the month's meetings look like this:

Nov. 14: 4pm to ? Barnes & Noble Coffee Shop. In the shopping center on the Johanson near WalMart. They have great comfy chairs! B&N is open long hours, so if you can't make it at 4, come by later and join the second wave of writers

Nov. 21: 4pm to 6pm Lulu's Bread and Bagels on Chena Pump right across from Justa Store/Gas Station

Nov. 28: 4pm to ? Barnes & Noble Coffee Shop.

The Sipping Streams meeting will probably have to end at 6 at the latest as they have events already scheduled for their room.

The Barnes & Noble meetings can go on until those of you who work until 5 or 6 can arrive. This is quite handy. I might not be able to be there, but Tiana, our new CO-ML very well may be there around 6.

I think it would be great to have an alternate week night meeting for those who can't make it on weekends. As of right now, I *can* make it to these, but that might not stick through the month, depending on my work. Tiana may be able to make some of these, too.

Therefore:
ALTERNATE Weeknight meets:

Thursdays: 6pm at College Coffeehouse.

So mark your calendars and I really want to meet you!

Sending you zippy fingers for your keyboard,

Jean McD
Fairbanks ML

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Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
—John Steinbeck

USA :: Alaska

Write-Ins Over Thanksgiving?

sarah_alaska — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:21:47 +0000

Hey fellow Alaskans,
I was wondering if there are any scheduled writing events over Thanksgiving break, and if not if anyone would like to plan one? I'm afraid my procrastination has kicked in, and I keep telling myself I'll kick it into gear over Thanksgiving... I can't wait for homework to be over so I can finally concentrate on what I WANT to do. (That might be a bad sign for my major.)
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USA :: Alaska

An Anchorage appreciation

yksin — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 18:19:55 +0000

Just had our regular "third Thursday" NaNo writers get together last night at Denny's on Denali & Benson.

It's probably the last time, at least for a good long while, that many of us will be seeing Kim, who has been the municipal liaison for Anchorage for -- well, I'm not sure how long exactly, but she was our M.L. both last year & in 2007, which was my first year doing NaNo. She & her family are heading down to the Lower 48.

Thanks so much Kim for all the work you did helping to make NaNo in Anchorage a great experience. Travel safely, & stay in touch!

Appreciations also to NetheneKhthon, who's bravely & competently taken over the M.L. job here.

Between the two of you -- & everyone else too -- you've made Arctic Woolly Wrinos a pretty terrific group of people to hang out with on a third Thursday in foggy Anchorage. And lots of additional nights in November, too.
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-- Mel
(yksinainen in Gmail & AIM)
Hiljaa hyvä tulee. (Good comes quietly.)
Henkimaa.com

USA :: Alaska

[Mat-Su] Midweek Write-ins

Indigo_Visions — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:33:57 +0000

I know this is all very last minute, but I will be at Pandemonium today(Wednesday), in the cafe area, from 6pm to 8pm. Anyone is welcome to join me - they have food and a wonderful selection of drinks! There might be live music, and that area can be loud at times, so I advise bringing headphones if that sort of thing bothers you. If the place and time turn out to work well then I'll go ahead and officially add some more midweek write-ins to our schedule. :)
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Alaska/Mat-su Valley Co-ML
Website/Twitter
"Life is a journey. Time is a river. The door is a jar" - Jim Butcher (Dead Beat)

USA :: Alaska

Hey, Alaskans! Roooooll call!

Summer — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:52:05 +0000

Hey there, gang! November's getting closer... are you excited? Who all's here? Say hello, introduce or reintroduce yourself, and let us know what part of the state you're in. If you have an idea of what you're going to write this year, tell us about that, too!

I'm Summer, and I'm one of the Mat-Su MLs, so you'll meet me if you come to one of the Valley events. I'm 29, I heart typewriters, and my favorite thing right now is my new fountain pen. I have a few ideas for what I'm writing this year but haven't settled completely on one yet. Right now it's between two urban fantasy ideas and a mafia story. I've previously written about dancing poodles, disappearing geckos, the wondrous availability of poisons in grandmother's garden, and Cinderellas who didn't follow the fairy tale. Really, the dancing poodles were the high point. :)

Think that's it - sound off, everybody!
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I'm (one of your two) friendly neighborhood Mat-Su Valley ML(s). (The other one is Indigo.) If you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch - we're here to help!

USA :: Alaska

Post your AIM IDs HERE! VERY IMPORTANT!

Jeano — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:44:45 +0000

If we MLs know who you are and can add you to our buddy lists, then even if you can't enter the chat room yourself, we can pull you in!

Plus it's really, really nice to know who you are! :oD

copy this and fill in!

Name: Jeano

Nano name: Jeano

AIM name: Jmacangel

Town: Fairbanks
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Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
—John Steinbeck

USA :: Alaska

UAF students? Or people on campus often.

rachelandrea — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:35:52 +0000

Rachel here, I'm just wondering if there are students in here who might want to get together during breaks at school in the Wood Center or something and do some mini write ins. Some word wars and just checking in on how we're all doing would be nice. Let me know if any of you feel that way and we could work out scheduling. : D
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USA :: Alaska

Fairbanks and areas North and South (do you shop in Fairbanks?) SAY HOWDY!

Jeano — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 19:06:47 +0000

We have a lot to do yet: we need to set up our weekly write-ins/meetings, our bashes, and our get-ta-know-ya pre-Nano meeting!

If you have done Nano here before, then you know me, and you've met Tiana, who will be Co-ML this year. This will be just wonderful!

I've sent away for our Nano stickers, and I have some from last year (will they be collector's items? hmmm), my hideously ugly but very visible Nanowrimo t-shirt is washed and ready to be worn so you can find me wherever we meet.

So what day of the week, time, place? Do we want to have a hang out? Or rotate around to different places this year?

What days/times CAN'T you meet?

How the heck are you? :o)

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Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
—John Steinbeck

USA :: Alaska

[Anchorage] Write-ins

NetheneKhthon — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:21:31 +0000

Since they're already reserved and scheduled (where needed), and one of the ladies of Write Club pointed out that more notice is better notice, here's the write-in schedule for November in Anchorage. There are four scheduled a week, so that (hopefully) there will be somewhere for everyone to meet at least once a week. And in proper writerly fashion, everyone is welcome to come and go as they please, free from oppressive glaring for such brief interruptions.

A) Mondays (2, 9, 16, 23, 30) : 3PM to 8PM in the Children's section of the Loussac Library
3600 Denali St, Anchorage, AK 99503. The Write Club group also meets on this day at 5-ish in the children's section of the library. So perhaps we shall join forces at about that time! [waves to the very fun Write Club]

B) Tuesdays (3, 10, 17, 24) : 5PM-9PM at the Elim Cafe Conference Room
561 W. Dimond (between Arctic & C Street, in the strip mall with Gallo's across from Village Inn) (267-4288) They serve both coffee and tea, hot and cold, as well as regular cafe snacks and some meals. I'll have the brochure with me at the September & October meetings for anyone who wants to see, but I recommend visiting yourself. It's very nice.

C) Thursdays (5, 12, 19) and Wednesday the 25th: 7PM - late/late at the Denali Denny's
2900 Denali St, Anchorage, AK 99503-4025 | (907) 276-0536

D) Saturdays (7, 14, 21, 28) : 10AM – 3PM at Side Street Espresso
412 G St, Anchorage, AK 99501-2127 | (907) 258-9055‎

I'll likely bump this topic with reminders or random, "Hey, Sunday, too?" notes during November...
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Time exists on your wrist so don't panic.
-Anchorage ML (I'm... helpful? o.O)

USA :: Alaska

Contest

Caledonia Lass — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:15:14 +0000

I figured that would get your attention. For those of you on Associated Content, AC is having a contest for the best opening of a novel. $20 to the best one and you can use your opening from NanoWrimo, it is in honor of that. No less than 1,000 words and has to be posted before midnight tonight. Go check it out!

There are some restrictions if you plan to publish your book once NaNoWriMo is over. Read the guidelines before accepting the claim. But don't dawdle!

Good luck everyone.
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Visit me @ www.myspace.com/Eirdubrusai
or
www.Writing.com/authors/Relanda

USA :: Alaska

[Mat-Su] Events Calendar

Summer — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 12:17:38 +0000

HEEEEEEEEY Valley-ites (and people within driving distance of the Valley), you there?! :) We're looking to an awesome year, with some fun new stuff in the works, and I'm hoping to see you all at some of our write-ins. They're great for escalating wordcounts, and have definitely saved my butt on a few years previous.

I've put up all the currently scheduled events on a Google calendar, which I'll be updating as we add a few more midweek write-ins. I'll work on adding maps to the meeting locations as well tomorrow. Please bookmark it and check it now and then, as that's where any updates to the schedule will appear.
Here's the link:
http://bit.ly/MatSuNano

(If it comes up with no events, that's probably because you're looking at October. There are two arrows near the top - click the one on the right to go to November.)

That's all for right now (Ack, 4am, where did YOU come from?!). If you've got any questions or hopeful requests, let us know and Jean or I , or one of our helpful NaNo veterans will do our best to help out. I'll be back tomorrow, too, with a little more information about write-ins, shindigs, something dangerous, and laser-wielding penguins. Sleep well, my darlings!

Summer
who's a little loopy from caramel apples, pumpkin seeds, and 4am. Did I mention the 4am?

:)
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I'm (one of your two) friendly neighborhood Mat-Su Valley ML(s). (The other one is Indigo.) If you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch - we're here to help!

USA :: Alaska

Alaskans!! Share your plots!!

sententia — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:58:17 +0000

I figured our region needed its own 'I-want-to-rave-about-my-awesome-plot' thread, so here it is!

Mine is... well, I don't know what genre mine is, but that really doesn't matter at this point, right? (Though, if anyone has any ideas as to where it belongs, don't hesitate to share!)

Anyway, mine: basically this new guy moves/transfers into the main girl’s school/class/something, and he looks terribly familiar to her from the start. She begins talking to him, eventually revealing that she must have seen him somewhere before, but for a long time, he’s adamant that there’s no way that could have occurred. After some time, though, considering she’s terribly stubborn about it, he tells her the whole truth; that he was what I’m loosely calling her guardian angel, but was banished from that job and from heaven and is now human (more or less, and for what reason(s) I’m not sure yet). And everything is good for a while, until shit goes down. This, too, is still fuzzy, but perhaps… what if the others “upstairs” that he knew find out that he not only found her, but told her the whole absolute truth. That can’t be good, right?

Post yours, so that the rest of us can revell in the glory!!
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2008: Another Dawn (won)
2007: Paperthin (won)
2006: Lines Drawn in Red (lost)
2004: Coatia (won)
http://sixthsecond.blogspot.com -> my writing blog

USA :: Alaska

Juneau, Anyone?

RavenLunaStitch — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:27:05 +0000

I'm beginning to think that I am the only Nano in Juneau! Please, someone, let me know if I have ANY company in this 50k challenge this year! --Raven
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"It isn't who's going to let me, it's who's going to stop me." --Ayn Rand

USA :: Alaska

UAA Students!!

sententia — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 05:55:48 +0000

We needed a new thread since the forums were wiped for the new year, so I made another. :)

Were we thinking of all trying to meet up sometime this month, so all of us can meet each other at the same time before November?
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2008: Another Dawn (won)
2007: Paperthin (won)
2006: Lines Drawn in Red (lost)
2004: Coatia (won)
http://sixthsecond.blogspot.com -> my writing blog

USA :: Alaska

Chat Room Alternative - Suggestion

fictions_mosaic — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:41:49 +0000

I'd like to suggest having a chat room alternative. From 1:30am to around 6am, I wasn't able to get into AIM's 'alaskanano' or any chat room for that matter. Just the same, recently ModernEclectic started to have the same problem and is unable to get back in to 'alaskanano'. The alternative is using IRC. I do know that I mentioned it a couple times so far. There is a web based Java IRC on this website. I've used that several times for each year that I've participated including this one.

I personally don't know too many IRC programs to use, but the one I do use for Windows is mIRC and for Apple, Colloquy. I guess I could also provide instructions on how to get into the same chat. I currently have my mIRC set up to join on Nano's IRC, this way if no one's on, at least I could enter the nanowrimo chat room.

mIRC -

I can't remember what the screen shows for when you first download mIRC and use it. However, to get into the same server that nano uses is go to Tools -> Options -> Connect (To set your nickname as well as alternative) -> Servers

At the Servers portion, you click Add, Description could be Nano or whatever you shall call it with the server set to irc.goodchatting.com. After that, it's as simple as typing /join #nanowrimo for Nanowrimo.org's chatroom, or you can type /join #channelname for whatever else.

Colloquy -

It's relatively the same as the above, but in a way it's simpler. After using the application, click New and enter in all the information listed above.

This way, any problems that arises from using AIM, people can have an alternative as well as enter in NaNoWriMo's chatroom that they have on IRC for more word wars if they want to. Changing a nickname is usually done by typing in /nick Name. Obviously, just replace Name with whatever you want to be known by. This is actually the what happens when AIM is messing up for me or when no one is in alaskanano. I'd get on IRC and go to #nanowrimo
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Bide your time, and hold out hope.

USA :: Alaska

Twitter

Indigo_Visions — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:16:59 +0000

The subject of twitter came up in the chat room thread and it sounded like a wonderful idea, so for those of us with twitter accounts post your username here so we can connect and encourage each other in 140 characters doses! :)

http://twitter.com/indigounicorn
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Alaska/Mat-su Valley Co-ML
Website/Twitter
"Life is a journey. Time is a river. The door is a jar" - Jim Butcher (Dead Beat)

USA :: Alaska

Chat Room Trial Run

Maureen Scally — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:34:23 +0000

I tried both yesterday and tonight to get into the AIM Alaska Nano chatroom and failed to get in both times. The popup said "AIM error: AIM timed out.

I downloaded AIM 2.0 for Macs, thinking my new computer needed a faster program. It still wouldn't let me in. It specifically said there wasn't a problem with iChat. (iChat seems a little different on my new system software. Well, new as in 8 months, but this is the first time since I got the computer I tried using iChat.)

Has anyone else tried to get in and failed? If it's happening to everyone, maybe we should switch to something else.

Also, should we start a new thread, for AIM names so we can update our buddy lists?
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USA :: Alaska

Fairbanks KICKOFF PARTY THIS SATURDAY!

Jeano — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:03:31 +0000

Fairbanks Nanowrimo Kickoff

Upstairs in the tiny meeting room at Gullivers: we may end up playing sardines....
Gulliver's is on College very close to the College University intersection.

6-8pm

Bring paper! Pens! Brains!

Every year I make goody bags, but sadly, kiddos, I can't afford that anymore. SO, let's do it this way:

Each person bring something to share: silly pencils, pads of paper, plastic animals, maps, mugs, whatever, but bring enough to share with the group. Candy and snacks are great for keeping us writing, too! If each person brings one thing to share, we'll have the best goody bags ever!

I will bring the empty bags that we can then fill up!

It's the Stone Soup version of goody bags. :o)

See you there!
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Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
—John Steinbeck

USA :: Alaska

[Anchorage] Write-Off change of location

NetheneKhthon — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:16:52 +0000

Unfortunately, Rebekah's child has gotten sick :(. On the upside she was able to get the Denali Denny's folk to give us use of the backroom. It is still starting at 10:30. They also specified no masks with costumes.
I am sorry for the late change, hope you will not be too inconvenienced.
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Time exists on your wrist so don't panic.
-Anchorage ML (I'm... helpful? o.O)

USA :: Alaska

Looking for Homer Participants

Caledonia Lass — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:13:22 +0000

Hey all, just checking in and gearing up. Anyone in Homer? Kenai and Soldotna are just a bit too far for me to travel these days. Post here if in Homer!
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Visit me @ www.myspace.com/Eirdubrusai
or
www.Writing.com/authors/Relanda

USA :: Alaska

Chat room changes?

Indigo_Visions — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:30:23 +0000

Hey everyone! :) I just wanted to test the waters on something which I'm been mulling over for awhile. Last few years we've had a chat room, using AIM, and it was wonderful. But it was somewhat tricky to get into, and the servers liked to drop people from the chat. Not to mention some computers getting grumpy about the program. To me it seems like the problems have been getting worse with every year. All in all even at its worst its only been annoying, but still I started thinking that there must be a better way.

So! I was wondering what people thought about using a browser-based chatroom, like chatnano or tinychat. Should I see about setting one up? (If so, does anyone have an opinion about what service is the best?) Or do we want to stick with AIM?
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Alaska/Mat-su Valley Co-ML
Website/Twitter
"Life is a journey. Time is a river. The door is a jar" - Jim Butcher (Dead Beat)

USA :: Alaska