I’m aware that I am behind on NaNo, but I am not bothered by this at all. Last year I only reached 25 000 words in the entire month, so being nearly there in just over half that time makes me feel really really good about myself. I wrote about 2000 words yesterday, which helped catch up a little.

In other news, I got a $10 discount voucher from MightyApe to use for my birthday. I promptly pre-ordered The Vampire Diaries on DVD. I got up to about episode seven, then missed about four and it just became a hassle trying to catch up. With about two months until release at the time, I just decided to wait for the box set and watch it all then. Woo.

The episode I have just watched is “A Lighthouse In A Sea Of Time”, a very special episode about the importance of literacy. Unlike a lot of other VSEs though, “A Lighthouse In A Sea Of Time” (and the episode “Deadly Force”, about dangers of improper use of guns and the importance of respect and proper care of them) doesn’t come across as preachy, and as well as getting their message across they are also used as springboards for character development.

And if nothing else, “A Lighthouse In A Sea Of Time” gives us the following quote at the end, in-story as the forward of a novel a guest (and eventually recurring) character begins to write:

The written word is all that stands between memory and oblivion. Without books as our anchors, we are cast adrift, neither teaching nor learning. They are windows on the past, mirrors on the present, and prisms reflecting all possible futures. Books are lighthouses, erected in the dark sea of time.

If books are the lighthouses, then those of us who write are the lighthouse keepers. I don’t know about you, but I quite like that idea.

I’ve been listening to Chameleon Circuit for the past few days and I thought I’d share. In the tradition of Wizard Rock (Harry Potter), they do Trock (Time Lord Rock), which is Doctor Who. And they’re good! Very catchy.

(Oh, and I hit 50 000 words for Lionheart. Woo.)