Writer's Block: What You'd Accomplish if Success Was Guaranteed

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The same things I'd do anyway.

I don't think a 'guarantee of non-failure' would be good. The possibility of failure makes everything worth doing, and worth doing well. Adds spice to existence. Keeps us thinking.

But if I have to make an attempted answer, I'll say "end suffering in the world".

Taking care of oneself...

From thefannishfive:

How many times a day do you...

1. Brush your teeth? Once at least, often twice, sometimes more. The real question is: how often do I floss?
2. Shower? Once, sometimes twice.
3. Check your E-mail? Often.
4. Check LJ? See reply to #3.
5. Eat? Three meals, certainly. I'm trying to make it five small meals, but that's not so easy.

A nostalgic evening...

I had a delightfully nostalgic evening with my friend Starwolf.

'Wolf collects all sorts of interesting DVDs, and he showed me three and a bit: theDoctor Strange animated movie, the remastered episode of Star Trek "The Doomsday Machine", and a Jacques Tati movie called Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot, which was funny and charming and had almost no dialogue.

Doctor Strange used to be one of my favourite comic book characters. I made my own Doctor Strange costume, and wore it to parties and conventions. But the character faded from interest and I haven't read a Doctor Strange comic in years.

This movie was surprising good: modern in style, with better voices than most animation. Doctor Strange had an interesting face with an aquiline nose, both dramatic and distinguished, which made the poignancy of his fall from being a success surgeon all the more powerful. The art had lovely touches reminiscent of the old Steve Ditko art, like the wonderful windows in the Sanctum Sanctorum and in the Ancient One's tower. (Not that I recall the Ancient One ever having a tower before, but that's okay. It was a good tower.) Dormammu was re-designed and I liked the old version better - but everything else was superb.

As for "The Doomsday Machine" - my love of Star Trek has long since faded and it's difficult to remember that once I loved that show as much as I now love Torchwood. This was never a favourite episode, either, so it was surprising how much fun it was to watch again. A few thoughts:

• There is a minor character, a techie on the Enterprise, named Washburn. Funny, I thought: the name is familiar. Then I realized: Zoe and Wash! Of course! I love writers who are fans, like Joss Whedon and Russel T Davies. And I love discovering the sources of their names.
  
  
• Leonard Nimoy as Spock is so beautiful. I'd forgotten, I really had. The shape and structure of his face is stunning.
  
  
• Though I don't like Commodore Matt Decker as a character, William Windom does a marvellous job of acting.
  
  
• Though I thought I'd entirely forgotten the episode, I remembered some of the dialogue as it continued. Even though I'd forgotten that Norman Spinrad wrote it.

'Wolf also showed me a good video-clip that was a speech about eduction about Ken Robinson. I must research it a little, but not tonight: I've been exhausted all day. So. Bed now.