Nahno McLein

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Today I really want to be a crime scene investigator. I should transform this into a story - my first hate crime novel.

Why this mood? Because I got ripped out of my dreams this morning by a loud banging on my downstairs window. First I wasn't sure about anything? Was I awake, was I sane, where was the ceiling?
Ages later, but apparently much quicker than I thought, I opened the window at the top of my bed and peeked down, where I found my awkward Polish neighbour in his non-shirt-but-huge-hairy-belly appearance.

He showed me with his hands and a few out-of-place words that someone had toppled my motorbike. Holy...
I was out, in my pants and down the stairs in no time. When I opened the front door my housemate suddenly stood among the kitchen door frame and made me jump. You see my heightened senses?

I found the bike, shattered plastic and one broken off hand bar. Makes about a few hundred bucks/quid/euro/pounds/dollars. And for what? Someone had intentionally overturned it, there is no other possibility the way it stood against the house. So now I want someone to investigate for me please and then report back to me, so I can write my best seller about how I catch the guys à la CSI.

What would you write a crime novel about?

bazonbrok.de

So, the 60x60 entries are slowly coming in now, but I hope with all you great writers out there, we will have loads more until next week.

Remember, you can write any 60 words (does not have to be in sixty seconds) and you can post or comment them on here. Exactly one week to go and I have read some great ones already.

In the beginning of the week, I had some issues with the newspaper I am writing for. The chief editor is not showing up (only happens in a University newspaper where people don't know what they are signing up for), the sub-editor thus needs to get extra help from volunteers and together they change so much in each section that the individual editors get furious about the tampering.

Writer need to accept different opinions about their work and in business they also have to allow changes to get the best result. I wonder how much is too much?

Where do you set the boundaries? When would you refuse to let someone change your work or is anything fine as long as it sells?

So we have the first blogfesters in our midst.

You can still take part until next Wednesday. Write 60 words (if you can in 60 seconds) or write for 60 seconds including something with art. Post them or comment them on my blog.

I will collect 60 entries if we get that many and this will be our personal 60x60 writer's.

Don't forget, you can also win a CSNstores voucher for $20.

More info here.

Nahno ∗ McLein ™

PS: Thank you for Donna Hole for spreading the word and also thanks to my friend Hanna la Kiw for joining the A-Z challenge in April. Everything is so exciting.

So this is my first blogfest to celebrate the first magical number: the 50th follower.
I went to a 60x60 concert this week, which gave me the idea of this challenge. 60 composers each had 60 seconds to bring give a statement through music. Interesting, but hard on the ears and strenuous on the mind. All the acoustic and sonic beats. The presenter said this has traveled from music to video to drama and others.
So why don't we writers do it, too.

First, I thought we could each write 60 words in 60 seconds. Tried it, never had more than 47, though. So this is the new blogfest challenge:

To take part, you have to:
1. be a follower. (obvious one)
2. write a piece of 60 words that contains art in any form.

Now:
3. Check for I'm, don't, It's - they count as two words.
4. post it on your blog or comment it here (don't forget link to post)
5. When: Sunday 6th - Wednesday 16th of March
6. spread the word if you can (extra points)
The winner of the CSN voucher will be announced on the 20th.

If we can get 60 pieces together, I will post the best ones as our own 60x60 collection.
If anyone manages to write decent 60 words in 60 seconds, this will be honoured of course.

And now to the prize:
CSN Stores has amazing online stores, where you can find everything from great cookware to beautiful bedroom furniture to chic lighting pieces! So the winner gets a $20 (£25 or 15€) voucher.
For UK, Germany, USA and Canada.

Have a look at these to decide if you like something: www.CSNStores.co.uk  www.csnstores.com

Nice arty book shelf from CSNstores

So here is my little piece. It's a poem that came out of the second round I tried to write for 60 seconds.

Now it's your time, have fun.

I'm so excited.
In celebration of my 50th follower, I want to host a blogfest. My very first I have to add.

CSN Stores has even asked me to use one of their $20 gift vouchers as a give away. How could I say no to that? (PS: voucher works in America, England and Germany)

www.csnstores.com

So please come back tomorrow and I will put the details of the blogfest in my next post. It should be awesome, for I have a great idea that develops something I have seen today for music, and I'm pretty sure we writer'can do just the same and be amazing, too.

Be prepared for the 60x60 Blogfest from Sunday 6th to Wednesday 9th of March.

And thank you all for following again.
Nahno

My University in Leicester, UK, is hosting a one-week event called Cultural Exchanges (10th anniversary). There are workshops, readings and performances of renowned artists and celebrities. Something I wouldn’t want to miss.

It started off with the reviewer’s perspective of Guardian theatrical reviewer Michael Billington. Very inspiring. He can use the word “hell” in non-blasphemous ways; his choice of words is immaculate.

Today, a dance performance. (see video below)
Not exactly, it was Gabi Reuter’s ‘performing arts’ performance with three partners. Such an honour to see the world premier of “Tourist”. Especially since she works internationally, currently in Nottingham and Berlin (my hometown again, we’re everywhere).
Her show, presented by the international dance centre Dance4, is an abstract tourist experience with alien languages, slow motion and cunning themes. I overheard a visitor saying, “It’s abstract, so don’t put any meaning into it.” Some younger performing arts students didn’t quite get that and thus were disappointed, saying reluctantly, “I didn’t understand it.” Personally, I thought it was a truly artistic view on a tourist feeling misplaced.

Others were also fond of the interpretation. The start was strange and dreary with its total sound eradication whereby it was easier to focus on someone’s stomach growling (not mine). Quickly it became clear that the introduction was necessary to get the feeling for the abstract world, otherwise the alien language with only a slight resonance similar to English would have felt out of place. After the comical insertion of props such as a sky-diver’s outfit, a ranger’s costume and the recurring sliding-into-the-scene alpinist, the presentation became more interactive; then finally with the play on voices, sounds and indiscernible objects it turned into entertainment.

www.geograph.org.uk

The characters made fun of each other, used echoes as special effects and made the empty stage into a full visual movie via their reactions. The end scene ended with a story in English, describing the imaginary way through a black wall in the background and travelling with the key word “behind” back to Nottingham. Very powerful for residents of the area. My favourite twist was the underlying criticism about English semi-detached houses of one of the foreign performers: “You know, these things you have here in England.”

The rest of the week will include events such as creative writing presentations, a romantic-comedy conference and what I anticipate the most, a 60x60 concert, meaning that 60 composers from around the world each play for 60 seconds either electro acoustic or sonic art music.

Find more on Cultural Exchanges on: demoncrewreview.blogspot.com/

I am very excited about the Oscars tonight. For the last two weeks I have watched about every major nominated film, which was quite a task to be honest. There wasn't one that I didn't like, but I have to say some necessitate strong stamina. Such a load of human reality can bury the emotionally fittest of us.

So here are my predictions:

Best Picture: "The King's Speech” although I would give it to Inception

theanimationempire.blogspot.com

Leading Actor:
 Colin Firth in "The King's Speech”

I think he deserves it, but James Franco in 127 Hours was way more original.

Supporting Actor
: Geoffrey Rush in "The King's Speech”


Leading Actress: 
Natalie Portman in "Black Swan"

She was amazing. I was stunned. All the other women were incredible great this year, too.

Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld in "True Grit"
I wonder why she only gets nominated for supporting role. She was not only the main character in the film in my opinion, but also the pulling factor. I guess she wouldn't stand a chance for the Leading Role Oscar, though.

cbsnews.com

Animated Feature Film: 
"Toy Story 3"
Art Direction: 
"Alice in Wonderland"
Cinematography: "The Social Network"
Costume Design
: "Alice in Wonderland"

Directing
: “True Grit”
It's probably gonna go to The King's Speech, but I don't see it as the winner. I guess I would like it to go to The Social Network.

This is random, because I haven't seen any documentaries, which is a shame.
Documentary (Feature) "Inside Job"
Documentary (Short Subject) “The Warriors of Qiugang"


Film Editing
: “Black Swan"

businessclarksville.com

Foreign Language Film
: “Biutiful"

Makeup
"The Wolfman”
Original Score “Inception”
Original Song "Tangled”
My absolute favourite. I so hope it gets an Oscar.

Animated Short Film: 
"Day and Night"

Live Action Short Film: 
"The Crush”
Sound Editing
: "Inception"
Sound Mixing: 
"Inception"
Visual Effects
: "Alice in Wonderland"
Just to say something different. Probably goes to Inception.
Adapted Screenplay “Winter's Bone" - Great film.
Original Screenplay "The Kids are Alright"
That's more of a hope. I guess it goes to King's Speech again.

Last thing to say: I'm very bad with predictions.