December is Charity Month. Patrick Rothfuss just closed his Worldbuilders Fundraiser with the Heifer Project. But Hank and John Green of vlogbrother and Nerdfighter fame have launched Project for Awesome on YouTube.
If you're on this blog, you probably know Project for Awesome already. It's a day where YouTubers from all over post videos about their favorite charities. The point is for people to comment and rate and favorite as many p4a videos as they possibly can so that tomorrow, when people log onto YouTube, all they see on the front page are videos about charities.
There's a lot going on for this so check out the p4a2010 YouTube channel for more information on donating and raffles.
Don't forget to be awesome and donate to a good cause (whichever one you pick).
17 December 2010
16 December 2010
Possible Idea and Hitler Parodies
There is an idea that may or may not fall through within the next few days. I'll keep you updated and send you a link to said idea. And when you do find this idea, please spread the word on it.
I am also going to point out that I love these Hitler parodies. This one is about vuvuzelas at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. But I've seen one about the band selection at the 2009 Freak Fest on State Street in Madison. And I've seen one other but I can't remember what it was about, only that it was funny. So here is your starting point for your enjoyment. Go surf and tell me where you end up in an hour.
I am also going to point out that I love these Hitler parodies. This one is about vuvuzelas at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. But I've seen one about the band selection at the 2009 Freak Fest on State Street in Madison. And I've seen one other but I can't remember what it was about, only that it was funny. So here is your starting point for your enjoyment. Go surf and tell me where you end up in an hour.
09 December 2010
Across the Universe Contest Announcement
My goodness, two posts in one day? What can this mean?
It means that I found a contest that I love and want to share with everyone reading this! Beth Revies is the debut author of anticipated YA novel Across the Universe (a link to her blog is to the right of this post). In anticipation of her upcoming release in January, she's holding an EPIC CONTEST OF EPIC that is so grand I want to be able to do something like that.
The EPIC CONTEST OF EPIC will give away 100 prizes to people at random. So of course I entered my name and address. The catch is that winners are notified with the prizes arriving on their doorstep; Ms. Revies isn't going to announce the winners on her blog.
In order to win the GRAND PRIZE featuring a plethora of cool swag, you must do one of three things. 1). become a fan of the book on Facebook; 2). blog about the contest (like what I'm doing now), or 3). pre-order the book from B&N.com, Amazon.com, or your local indie bookstore.
Here is a link to the contest and the list of cool prizes. So go check it out! It's so awesome!
It means that I found a contest that I love and want to share with everyone reading this! Beth Revies is the debut author of anticipated YA novel Across the Universe (a link to her blog is to the right of this post). In anticipation of her upcoming release in January, she's holding an EPIC CONTEST OF EPIC that is so grand I want to be able to do something like that.
The EPIC CONTEST OF EPIC will give away 100 prizes to people at random. So of course I entered my name and address. The catch is that winners are notified with the prizes arriving on their doorstep; Ms. Revies isn't going to announce the winners on her blog.
In order to win the GRAND PRIZE featuring a plethora of cool swag, you must do one of three things. 1). become a fan of the book on Facebook; 2). blog about the contest (like what I'm doing now), or 3). pre-order the book from B&N.com, Amazon.com, or your local indie bookstore.
Here is a link to the contest and the list of cool prizes. So go check it out! It's so awesome!
NaNo Congrats
This is a late congratulations to those who participated in NaNoWriMo 2010.
If you finished your draft, AWESOME JOB! COOKIES FOR YOU!!
If you stopped halfway through: DON'T GIVE UP NOW! You can still finish!!!
If you completely and utterly failed: KEEP GOING! Continue your NaNo experience into December and January! (January might be best, but I don't know your own personal schedules, so it could very well not be.)
And if you're unsure of what to do with your finished manuscript, there is a plethora of things you can do. My personal favorite is printing out the entire thing and dropping it on a table. The thump of the landing papers is very satisfying no matter how much you think it sucks. The second thing would be to take a small break and start editing it. It will call for a lot of rewriting of the scenes and reworking of dialogue and character development, but that's what writing is all about. The magic happens with revisions, I say. You can also forget you wrote the thing entirely, but that's completely your choice. But why waste the idea and the month, you know?
Whatever you choose, I hope you succeed in completing that task. Good luck on revisions and don't forget to be awesome.
If you finished your draft, AWESOME JOB! COOKIES FOR YOU!!
If you stopped halfway through: DON'T GIVE UP NOW! You can still finish!!!
If you completely and utterly failed: KEEP GOING! Continue your NaNo experience into December and January! (January might be best, but I don't know your own personal schedules, so it could very well not be.)
And if you're unsure of what to do with your finished manuscript, there is a plethora of things you can do. My personal favorite is printing out the entire thing and dropping it on a table. The thump of the landing papers is very satisfying no matter how much you think it sucks. The second thing would be to take a small break and start editing it. It will call for a lot of rewriting of the scenes and reworking of dialogue and character development, but that's what writing is all about. The magic happens with revisions, I say. You can also forget you wrote the thing entirely, but that's completely your choice. But why waste the idea and the month, you know?
Whatever you choose, I hope you succeed in completing that task. Good luck on revisions and don't forget to be awesome.
01 December 2010
Reposting and Fundraisers
There is an award that's in the works that sounds very interesting. Every year, there are speculative fiction translated into English from other languages from throughout the world. The purpose of this award is to acknowledge the best book from the books translated into English. John Scalzi better explains the awards and what they're offering on his blog.
Meanwhile, there is a call for donations to help with the prize money. Because if you're awarded a prize, some money would be beneficial. For more information about donating (and the prizes that might come your way), check out this link here.
Meanwhile, I'm going to look into these speculative fiction books that are translated into English. Some of them might be really interesting.
Meanwhile, there's only a few more weeks left to donate to Patrick Rothfuss's Worldbuilders Fundraiser. (The link will take you to his blog homepage, so if you click it after December, you won't be reading about Worldbuilders.) Check out the prizes in the lottery, the store, and the auctions going on, and donate to his cause!
Meanwhile, there is a call for donations to help with the prize money. Because if you're awarded a prize, some money would be beneficial. For more information about donating (and the prizes that might come your way), check out this link here.
Meanwhile, I'm going to look into these speculative fiction books that are translated into English. Some of them might be really interesting.
Meanwhile, there's only a few more weeks left to donate to Patrick Rothfuss's Worldbuilders Fundraiser. (The link will take you to his blog homepage, so if you click it after December, you won't be reading about Worldbuilders.) Check out the prizes in the lottery, the store, and the auctions going on, and donate to his cause!
30 November 2010
Marketing Harry Potter
As I was walking out of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 last Saturday, I had this crazy vision that involved the marketing strategy Warner Brothers might use. Immediately after thinking this, I thought "My Dad should not fall into this trap!" I don't want to fall into it either. You can fall into it if you want -- that's entirely your choice. But this is the strategy *I* would use if I were in charge of marketing the latest Harry Potter movies. This is to say that this entire post is speculative and is in no way associated with the real marketing plan for Deathly Hallows.
First, they're only going to keep the movie in theaters for a few months. Perhaps once the hype has died down, they'll take it out. In June, they're going to release the DVD for Part 1. This way, everyone will buy it right before they see Part 2 coming out in July. Part 2 will stay in theaters until they start to lose money from it. Then they're going to release Part 2 on DVD. For the holidays next year, they're probably going to release both movies together on one DVD with two extra discs loaded with special features and the like.
My plan: wait until both movies are on one DVD.
I wanted to wait to buy Avatar because I had heard they were going to re-release it in theaters and then probably re-release the DVD too. But, really, no one knew what else to get Dad for his birthday. And now look what happened: there's the Geek-Version of the DVD with all the extra stuff they cut out and deleted scenes and you can watch the whole thing, including the deleted scenes in one go! I want that version for Christmas! (It shall be mine, as in, it will be with me in Madison and not with my parents.)
So Dad and the rest of my family, don't fall into this marketing trap. Be patient and wait until the entire Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is on one DVD. It's so much more cost effective.
First, they're only going to keep the movie in theaters for a few months. Perhaps once the hype has died down, they'll take it out. In June, they're going to release the DVD for Part 1. This way, everyone will buy it right before they see Part 2 coming out in July. Part 2 will stay in theaters until they start to lose money from it. Then they're going to release Part 2 on DVD. For the holidays next year, they're probably going to release both movies together on one DVD with two extra discs loaded with special features and the like.
My plan: wait until both movies are on one DVD.
I wanted to wait to buy Avatar because I had heard they were going to re-release it in theaters and then probably re-release the DVD too. But, really, no one knew what else to get Dad for his birthday. And now look what happened: there's the Geek-Version of the DVD with all the extra stuff they cut out and deleted scenes and you can watch the whole thing, including the deleted scenes in one go! I want that version for Christmas! (It shall be mine, as in, it will be with me in Madison and not with my parents.)
So Dad and the rest of my family, don't fall into this marketing trap. Be patient and wait until the entire Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is on one DVD. It's so much more cost effective.
24 November 2010
News Updates
Six more days until the end of November. Do you know what that means? It means that NaNoWriMers should be putting the finishing touches on their novels (or loosing sleep the rest of the week to do so if they haven't given up already). Keep going NaNoWriMers! You can do it! Don't give up now!
Speaking of aspiring authors and their exploits, Patrick Rothfuss is auctioning off critiques for manuscripts on his Worldbuilders fundraiser going on now. If you're an aspiring author with money to spare, bid on an editor and get your manuscript critiqued by a professional! And while you're at it, donate to Worldbuilders and get your name entered for a chance to win one of many awesome books and swag. There's even a store this year in case you want something specific (like a tee shirt or poster).
If you're unfamiliar with Patrick Rothfuss and his book The Name of the Wind, then go read it. It's great; trust me. I love it. It's a wonderful frame story about a hero telling his tale to a historian. And that's all I'm going to say on that because I discovered what it was about as I read and it made the experience even more enjoyable for me. So check it out!
In other news, hit series Buffy the Vampire Slayer is being rebooted for the big screen without Joss Whedon. Since I just heard about this, I don't have much of an opinion. I got through four and a half seasons before I stopped watching it (only because my roommate took the DVDs back to New Jersey for the holidays and didn't bring them back). But I would be willing to start up again if only for corny teen-hero goodness. Even so, Buffy without Whedon is about as sad as a Firefly reboot without Joss Whedon. Makes you really upset about the whole thing, no?
Speaking of aspiring authors and their exploits, Patrick Rothfuss is auctioning off critiques for manuscripts on his Worldbuilders fundraiser going on now. If you're an aspiring author with money to spare, bid on an editor and get your manuscript critiqued by a professional! And while you're at it, donate to Worldbuilders and get your name entered for a chance to win one of many awesome books and swag. There's even a store this year in case you want something specific (like a tee shirt or poster).
If you're unfamiliar with Patrick Rothfuss and his book The Name of the Wind, then go read it. It's great; trust me. I love it. It's a wonderful frame story about a hero telling his tale to a historian. And that's all I'm going to say on that because I discovered what it was about as I read and it made the experience even more enjoyable for me. So check it out!
In other news, hit series Buffy the Vampire Slayer is being rebooted for the big screen without Joss Whedon. Since I just heard about this, I don't have much of an opinion. I got through four and a half seasons before I stopped watching it (only because my roommate took the DVDs back to New Jersey for the holidays and didn't bring them back). But I would be willing to start up again if only for corny teen-hero goodness. Even so, Buffy without Whedon is about as sad as a Firefly reboot without Joss Whedon. Makes you really upset about the whole thing, no?
22 November 2010
Fancy Pasta recipe
**note** The following is my favorite recipe. Add/delete items as you see fit.
Ingredients:
- peppers
- mushrooms
- celery
- carrots
- zucchini
- 1 small jar of tomato sauce
- 1 package pasta (any kind)
- 1 package of beef
- Italian Herb blend
To Make:
First, cook the meat in a frying pan. As it's cooking, start boiling water. Meanwhile, begin chopping the vegetables. Personally, I keep the meat cooking until the veggies are all chopped. Once it's all cooked through, I add the vegetables. Treat the meat and veggies like a stir fry and just let it all sizzle until it's lightly toasted all around. Meanwhile, add the pasta once the water is boiling and keep that going until pasta is tender. Once the veggies are lightly brown, add the sauce. Stir that around until the sauce evenly coats the veggies and meat. Let that cook on low until the pasta is done. Once everything is finished, I like to mix the pasta with the sauce together. But if you're not the only one eating it, feel free to serve separately.
Serves roughly 1-3 people. Maybe 4. I don't know, I just know I have quite a few meals after I make this.
Ingredients:
- peppers
- mushrooms
- celery
- carrots
- zucchini
- 1 small jar of tomato sauce
- 1 package pasta (any kind)
- 1 package of beef
- Italian Herb blend
To Make:
First, cook the meat in a frying pan. As it's cooking, start boiling water. Meanwhile, begin chopping the vegetables. Personally, I keep the meat cooking until the veggies are all chopped. Once it's all cooked through, I add the vegetables. Treat the meat and veggies like a stir fry and just let it all sizzle until it's lightly toasted all around. Meanwhile, add the pasta once the water is boiling and keep that going until pasta is tender. Once the veggies are lightly brown, add the sauce. Stir that around until the sauce evenly coats the veggies and meat. Let that cook on low until the pasta is done. Once everything is finished, I like to mix the pasta with the sauce together. But if you're not the only one eating it, feel free to serve separately.
Serves roughly 1-3 people. Maybe 4. I don't know, I just know I have quite a few meals after I make this.
13 November 2010
Chicken Soup for the Ambitious Soul
And I really mean chicken soup, because it's what I made tonight for dinner. There wasn't a printed recipe I followed anywhere, so I quickly wrote one up to share with the world. I can also be a bit of an annoying and inept cook when it comes to reading recipes, so I added a few questions I would have asked if I had read one.
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup:
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
- 1 package gnocchi noodles
- 2 cans creamy chicken soup
- 1 chicken breast
- 4 mushrooms (small size)
- 1 stick of celery
- 1 giant carrot
- Italian herbs
(additional ingredients*: onion, lentils, bok choy, bean sprouts, peas, herbs that go nicely with chicken, a glass of white wine as you cook and while you eat)
Boil the gnocchi noodles in a large enough pot. While you're waiting, chop the chicken breast and fry it until it's cooked. Also slice the mushrooms, chop the celery, and slice the carrot. Once the chicken is cooked, add the vegetables to the frying pan and cook them as well. When the gnocchi is done, drain the water out of the pan. Add the creamy chicken soup to a large pot. Right away, add the gnocchi, chicken, and vegetables. Stir around until it's heated. Add the Italian herbs for flavor. Let it cook until it's really hot when you taste it.
Annoying questions I might have if I had read a recipe:
- Exactly HOW MUCH of the Italian Herbs should I add?
If you can barely see the herbs mixed in the stuff, then you've added to little. If you see giant clumps of it, then you've added too much. Add enough where you see a reasonable amount mixed in with everything.
- What do you mean by Italian Herbs?
I mean a small container with a label "Italian Herbs". I found my container at a Tesco in the UK. Hopefully there's something akin to it in the US. Otherwise, ask to see which herb would go nice with chicken or just omit the herbs entirely.
- How small should I dice everything?
Small enough to be bite size. If you have to eat it in two bites, it's too big. Take a fun size candy bar and cut it in half. That's the size the chicken and vegetables should be (roughly).
-How do you know gnocchi is done?
Gnocchi floats when it's done (which suggests that it sinks when it's not). I added a lot of water when I boiled them so this would be obvious. Make sure to stir them around a bit once a bunch of them start floating, just to make sure everything is floating and ready to be consumed.
*Ingredients I did not have in my own soup but they sound nice enough to be added in another attempt.
Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup:
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
- 1 package gnocchi noodles
- 2 cans creamy chicken soup
- 1 chicken breast
- 4 mushrooms (small size)
- 1 stick of celery
- 1 giant carrot
- Italian herbs
(additional ingredients*: onion, lentils, bok choy, bean sprouts, peas, herbs that go nicely with chicken, a glass of white wine as you cook and while you eat)
Boil the gnocchi noodles in a large enough pot. While you're waiting, chop the chicken breast and fry it until it's cooked. Also slice the mushrooms, chop the celery, and slice the carrot. Once the chicken is cooked, add the vegetables to the frying pan and cook them as well. When the gnocchi is done, drain the water out of the pan. Add the creamy chicken soup to a large pot. Right away, add the gnocchi, chicken, and vegetables. Stir around until it's heated. Add the Italian herbs for flavor. Let it cook until it's really hot when you taste it.
Annoying questions I might have if I had read a recipe:
- Exactly HOW MUCH of the Italian Herbs should I add?
If you can barely see the herbs mixed in the stuff, then you've added to little. If you see giant clumps of it, then you've added too much. Add enough where you see a reasonable amount mixed in with everything.
- What do you mean by Italian Herbs?
I mean a small container with a label "Italian Herbs". I found my container at a Tesco in the UK. Hopefully there's something akin to it in the US. Otherwise, ask to see which herb would go nice with chicken or just omit the herbs entirely.
- How small should I dice everything?
Small enough to be bite size. If you have to eat it in two bites, it's too big. Take a fun size candy bar and cut it in half. That's the size the chicken and vegetables should be (roughly).
-How do you know gnocchi is done?
Gnocchi floats when it's done (which suggests that it sinks when it's not). I added a lot of water when I boiled them so this would be obvious. Make sure to stir them around a bit once a bunch of them start floating, just to make sure everything is floating and ready to be consumed.
*Ingredients I did not have in my own soup but they sound nice enough to be added in another attempt.
I'm Donna Noble! (hell ya!)
Look which Doctor companion I'm most like!
Donna Noble
Take Which Doctor Who companion are you? (girls) today!
Created with Rum and Monkey's Personality Test Generator.
Go on! It's fun! Click the link and see who you're most like!
Donna Noble
Take Which Doctor Who companion are you? (girls) today!
Created with Rum and Monkey's Personality Test Generator.
You're Donna Noble!
Oi! Wotch it, Martian boy! The Doctor thinks he can spout all kinds of ridiculous technobabble and 'Last Time Lord Angst' at you just because he's from outer space, huh? Well, you're not having any of it! You've got a heart of gold and a will of iron, and you're a rather boggling combination of a romantic idealist and a staunch realist. But you never let logical paradoxes get to you; you prefer to shoehorn the universe into a little box of your own perception. More often than not, it fits... probably because the universe is too intimidated to argue!
Oi! Wotch it, Martian boy! The Doctor thinks he can spout all kinds of ridiculous technobabble and 'Last Time Lord Angst' at you just because he's from outer space, huh? Well, you're not having any of it! You've got a heart of gold and a will of iron, and you're a rather boggling combination of a romantic idealist and a staunch realist. But you never let logical paradoxes get to you; you prefer to shoehorn the universe into a little box of your own perception. More often than not, it fits... probably because the universe is too intimidated to argue!
Go on! It's fun! Click the link and see who you're most like!
12 November 2010
Story Confidante
Do you have a story confidante? If you get this grand idea in your head, who is the person you first tell this idea to? Does this person also bounce ideas off of you?
My story confidante is my friend (secret codename) Herb. I met her when I got involved in the local writing group on campus. She's really awesome in that she sees stories in general from a different perspective than most readers, according to her. An example would be her view of the hit book Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins as compared to other people I've talked with. While some people don't like Katniss's character in the third book, Herb loves it. She loves how it really shows how war is a destructive force that rips you as a person apart. It destroys Katniss in the Hunger Games trilogy. And Herb embraces that fact and loves how its showed to the reader.
And its this kind of perspective I value in a reader because that's how I want my stories to be interpreted. So, whenever I get an idea for something, she's usually the first person to hear about it. Such as the case this past summer. I got this idea for this book. It didn't come with a grand finale, it didn't pop out of no where and get me so giddy and excited that I just started writing without bothering where it was heading. No. This started as an idea. And my talks with Herb help to strengthen this idea. And then it became more than an idea, and it became an outline, and then several outlines. And then I took my own advice and just shut up and wrote. And then the characters did their own things and the story took a different turn. Before I knew it, I was doing something other than what I intended to do. I would bounce ideas of Herb to see if she liked them or not.
Likewise, she's been doing the same for me. She sent me an email with two different scenarios. And then she told me about a completely difference scenario. Before I knew it, I was telling her my opinion about various other scenarios that seem totally different but apparently revolve around the same central theme. I didn't mind. Although I couldn't keep track of which aspect of the theme was being brought out in each scenario, I could give her feedback on which was cliche and which was more interesting. She took my advice and stuck with the Eastern influences (I think -- she didn't really specify what made her return to them). She also listened to me when I told her that her mermaid idea wasn't strong enough to stand on its own (this she argued, but she told me that she slept on it and the urge to write it really was weaker the next day).
In a way, we shape each other's stories based on our initial opinions. When we talk about these things, we talk about how a reader might react to such and such. Most importantly, I look for Herb's responses. If she doesn't like something, I'm more likely to change it.
It's probably a bad idea I have this kind of influence that affects decisions, but not always. When I first proposed my own story to her, she didn't like a few of the characters because she couldn't fully understand their motives. Being new to me as well, I didn't fully understand their motives either, but as their writer I knew they were important enough to stick around. Although a rational part of my brain told me to drop them and write about the people Herb likes, I didn't. And now that they're more developed in my head and I'm able to describe their motives and characterizations better, Herb is more sympathetic towards them. So although she does influence my decisions, she doesn't have full control over them. Likewise, I can only do so much when I tell her to "shut up and write. I want to read what you have, for Pete's sake!" She refused to get anything solid until NaNoWriMo this month.
I don't know if we'll collaborate again like this for later stories, but for now, I like our little mutual-partnership. What about you? Do you have anyone you confide in when it comes to new ideas? Who are they to you and what is it about their opinion that you value?
My story confidante is my friend (secret codename) Herb. I met her when I got involved in the local writing group on campus. She's really awesome in that she sees stories in general from a different perspective than most readers, according to her. An example would be her view of the hit book Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins as compared to other people I've talked with. While some people don't like Katniss's character in the third book, Herb loves it. She loves how it really shows how war is a destructive force that rips you as a person apart. It destroys Katniss in the Hunger Games trilogy. And Herb embraces that fact and loves how its showed to the reader.
And its this kind of perspective I value in a reader because that's how I want my stories to be interpreted. So, whenever I get an idea for something, she's usually the first person to hear about it. Such as the case this past summer. I got this idea for this book. It didn't come with a grand finale, it didn't pop out of no where and get me so giddy and excited that I just started writing without bothering where it was heading. No. This started as an idea. And my talks with Herb help to strengthen this idea. And then it became more than an idea, and it became an outline, and then several outlines. And then I took my own advice and just shut up and wrote. And then the characters did their own things and the story took a different turn. Before I knew it, I was doing something other than what I intended to do. I would bounce ideas of Herb to see if she liked them or not.
Likewise, she's been doing the same for me. She sent me an email with two different scenarios. And then she told me about a completely difference scenario. Before I knew it, I was telling her my opinion about various other scenarios that seem totally different but apparently revolve around the same central theme. I didn't mind. Although I couldn't keep track of which aspect of the theme was being brought out in each scenario, I could give her feedback on which was cliche and which was more interesting. She took my advice and stuck with the Eastern influences (I think -- she didn't really specify what made her return to them). She also listened to me when I told her that her mermaid idea wasn't strong enough to stand on its own (this she argued, but she told me that she slept on it and the urge to write it really was weaker the next day).
In a way, we shape each other's stories based on our initial opinions. When we talk about these things, we talk about how a reader might react to such and such. Most importantly, I look for Herb's responses. If she doesn't like something, I'm more likely to change it.
It's probably a bad idea I have this kind of influence that affects decisions, but not always. When I first proposed my own story to her, she didn't like a few of the characters because she couldn't fully understand their motives. Being new to me as well, I didn't fully understand their motives either, but as their writer I knew they were important enough to stick around. Although a rational part of my brain told me to drop them and write about the people Herb likes, I didn't. And now that they're more developed in my head and I'm able to describe their motives and characterizations better, Herb is more sympathetic towards them. So although she does influence my decisions, she doesn't have full control over them. Likewise, I can only do so much when I tell her to "shut up and write. I want to read what you have, for Pete's sake!" She refused to get anything solid until NaNoWriMo this month.
I don't know if we'll collaborate again like this for later stories, but for now, I like our little mutual-partnership. What about you? Do you have anyone you confide in when it comes to new ideas? Who are they to you and what is it about their opinion that you value?
11 November 2010
In Defense of NaNoWriMo
I'm going to go redirect you all to this post by John Scalzi on his Whatever blog. Because I didn't know professional writers didn't like NaNoWriMo. And Scalzi makes some awesome points for it. Which means my respect for him just increased a smidgen.
I'm not participating in NaNoWriMo, but I know people who do and I admire them. Because it's hard being a student and writing 2,000 a day. Seriously, it is! There are papers to write and odd-ball things to read for classes. And THEN you have to do your personal work. And if the personal work doesn't get done, your weekends are suddenly so much more cramped with things to do than usual.
Keep working NaNo writers! Don't give up just because it's close to slum week! Add a new character into the mix. Continue the story. Write random scenes from random places in the plot! Just keep going because those 50,000 words don't have to be the most gorgeous writing you do on the planet. Just get it all done!
Also, when you're finished, print off your entire story and drop it. That's right. Drop it on a nice, hard floor (not carpet) or a table for the satisfying whump of completion. My friend DanPan said it does wonders.
I'm not participating in NaNoWriMo, but I know people who do and I admire them. Because it's hard being a student and writing 2,000 a day. Seriously, it is! There are papers to write and odd-ball things to read for classes. And THEN you have to do your personal work. And if the personal work doesn't get done, your weekends are suddenly so much more cramped with things to do than usual.
Keep working NaNo writers! Don't give up just because it's close to slum week! Add a new character into the mix. Continue the story. Write random scenes from random places in the plot! Just keep going because those 50,000 words don't have to be the most gorgeous writing you do on the planet. Just get it all done!
Also, when you're finished, print off your entire story and drop it. That's right. Drop it on a nice, hard floor (not carpet) or a table for the satisfying whump of completion. My friend DanPan said it does wonders.
06 November 2010
NaNoWriMo contestants, meet Dr. Wicked
Greetings fellow storytellers!
This is a late congratulations to everyone participating in this year's NaNoWriMo competition. I won't be involved this year, but come find me when April comes around and I try my hand at screenwriting. I might also have a personal NaNo some other time of the year (probably around spring semester finals, because I love to torture myself like that).
Now, NaNo folk, I know how hard it is to make that damn blinking cursor move with something you're willing to accept as your story. So here's a useful tool I recently discovered that will help me get going on my own work in progress and will hopefully aid you in your endeavors be it NaNoWriMo or otherwise.
I present to you . . . Write or Die by Dr. Wicked!
The link will take you to his blog which is updated quite frequently. Over on the right toolbar, you will see a few options. There's the Write or Die desktop edition, which is an offline edition of the program and costs $10 for a direct download. Below that, there is the Online edition, which I had just used myself. All you do is input the amount of words you want to write in the amount of time you want to write it in. Set how strict you want the program to yell at you, and off you go.
Not only do you write, but it makes you write. Isn't that awesome? A program that notices when you've stopped typing for a few seconds that goes "You aren't writing! Keep going!" The encouragements change depending on the setting you want, I believe. But it's fantastic. If you only have twenty minutes to dish out 1000 words, this will help you do it. If you can't get that first draft done because you're too distracted by things around you, this will help you too.
I read that Jodi Picoult doesn't believe in writer's block because, when she first started to write, she would only have twenty minutes here and ten minutes there. Being a stay-at-home mom, those small times add up to hours and hours on end. She doesn't believe in writer's block. When you only have small amounts of time between mommy-errands, you wouldn't either. This program will help you restrict the amount of time you have to write. And it'll scold you if you don't make your goal.
So go play with it for a while and when you're done, spread the word about it to other writers. Trust me, you'll love it as much as I do!
This is a late congratulations to everyone participating in this year's NaNoWriMo competition. I won't be involved this year, but come find me when April comes around and I try my hand at screenwriting. I might also have a personal NaNo some other time of the year (probably around spring semester finals, because I love to torture myself like that).
Now, NaNo folk, I know how hard it is to make that damn blinking cursor move with something you're willing to accept as your story. So here's a useful tool I recently discovered that will help me get going on my own work in progress and will hopefully aid you in your endeavors be it NaNoWriMo or otherwise.
I present to you . . . Write or Die by Dr. Wicked!
The link will take you to his blog which is updated quite frequently. Over on the right toolbar, you will see a few options. There's the Write or Die desktop edition, which is an offline edition of the program and costs $10 for a direct download. Below that, there is the Online edition, which I had just used myself. All you do is input the amount of words you want to write in the amount of time you want to write it in. Set how strict you want the program to yell at you, and off you go.
Not only do you write, but it makes you write. Isn't that awesome? A program that notices when you've stopped typing for a few seconds that goes "You aren't writing! Keep going!" The encouragements change depending on the setting you want, I believe. But it's fantastic. If you only have twenty minutes to dish out 1000 words, this will help you do it. If you can't get that first draft done because you're too distracted by things around you, this will help you too.
I read that Jodi Picoult doesn't believe in writer's block because, when she first started to write, she would only have twenty minutes here and ten minutes there. Being a stay-at-home mom, those small times add up to hours and hours on end. She doesn't believe in writer's block. When you only have small amounts of time between mommy-errands, you wouldn't either. This program will help you restrict the amount of time you have to write. And it'll scold you if you don't make your goal.
So go play with it for a while and when you're done, spread the word about it to other writers. Trust me, you'll love it as much as I do!
23 September 2010
Haitus announcement
I am currently abroad for the first time. But most importantly, I'm on my own. Posts will be postponed until my schedule normalizes and I can stand sturdily on my own feet again.
16 September 2010
Writers Write and I Quietly Panic
John Scalzi over at the Whatever blog posted an article today that I wholeheartedly agree with. I have no further comments on the matter because he pretty much sums them up in the entire body of the article.
Now, I would address my own problems of procrastination, but I'm going to make the excuse that I'm about to depart for the other side of the world in a few days and sort of panicking in a very quiet making-paper-cranes-and-watching-documentaries-on-the-universe sort of way. (Interesting documentaries too; there was one about time travel).
Now, I would address my own problems of procrastination, but I'm going to make the excuse that I'm about to depart for the other side of the world in a few days and sort of panicking in a very quiet making-paper-cranes-and-watching-documentaries-on-the-universe sort of way. (Interesting documentaries too; there was one about time travel).
12 September 2010
Happy Birthday to me
I turned 21 last Saturday.
Did you know that people don't tend to buy hard booze in a store when they turn 21? They usually go to bars, but I figured that since I'm now officially legal, I can do what I want. So a bottle of white zin for me it is. Even so, I was kind of surprised when the woman checking me out said not many people buy stuff on their actual 21st birthday. Who wouldn't want to exercise their right to walk into a store and confidently show their ID that says "this person is clearly 21, but thanks for checking." Perhaps it's only me, though.
I'll be looking for fellow Pokewalkers to link up with. Keep an eye out for them if you have one too. I hear you get cool stuff. By the way, does anyone know what the watts are for?
Please take a moment to say a prayer for all those who lost their lives on that day.
Finished? That's okay, I'll wait.
. . . . . . .
Are we good now? Awesome. Now let's take a moment to focus on me and my awesome gifts. I got Pokemon SoulSilver for my birthday. Also the movies Whip It and Troy. Then I got Robotech Protoculture Collection and the Fafner in the Azure boxed set. And then I bought myself a bottle of wine just because I can.
Did you know that people don't tend to buy hard booze in a store when they turn 21? They usually go to bars, but I figured that since I'm now officially legal, I can do what I want. So a bottle of white zin for me it is. Even so, I was kind of surprised when the woman checking me out said not many people buy stuff on their actual 21st birthday. Who wouldn't want to exercise their right to walk into a store and confidently show their ID that says "this person is clearly 21, but thanks for checking." Perhaps it's only me, though.
I'll be looking for fellow Pokewalkers to link up with. Keep an eye out for them if you have one too. I hear you get cool stuff. By the way, does anyone know what the watts are for?
05 September 2010
Hugos and Conventions
My congratulations to the 2010 Hugo Award winners. I didn't really follow everything that got nominated, but I will definitely follow this in future years.
Got back from my first ever convention today! Geek.kon is held in one of the first weekends in September in Madison, WI. It was small-ish and it is close to where I live. My friend talked with Chris Ayres about concept Shakespeare, how illegal fansubbing and bit-torrent downloading is destroying the anime industry, and marvel at Sheila the turtle who dressed as the turtle from the world of Terry Pratchett. Seriously. There was also a Victorian Tea Party which included a sabotage mystery not solved by me, Death Note mafia which is worth playing if you ever see it at a con (look for it in the Midwest), and a panel about the manly men of anime (in all its testosterone glory). The con raised about $800 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association; $300 from the Masquerade Ball I attended and the rest from the charity silent auction. I wanted to participate in Kon.Quest, but alas, I kept forgetting about it. Here are some pictures of awesome costumes.
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| She called it the Dress of Doom. It's very complicated. |
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| No Face going to the Masquerade Ball |
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| Dr. Horrible in the video game room |
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| Ash and Pikachu chillaxing in the lobby. |
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| Eric Vale and Chris Ayres at their Q&A Panel |
30 August 2010
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (review)
***Spoiler Alert***
If you don't want to know what happens, don't read this.
You can also view the review on my Goodreads.
This is the first book in a long time where I finished it with such a sense of excitement and awe that I could barely fall asleep even though it was almost two in the morning and I had to wake up for work at six thirty. My initial thoughts don't represent the book as a whole, just my own initial emotions on several subjects that I noticed while reading. These are something resembling those thoughts (they've had quite a bit of time to mature this past week).
The first thing that's probably on everyone's minds is the whole Team Peeta/Team Gale thing. After a special statement from the good ladies at Oops . . . Wrong Cookie, I started to feel neutral. But my natural tendency was to root for Gale despite the shared experiences of Katniss and Peeta. I thought Katniss's feelings towards Peeta weren't completely natural. Her going with Gale would have felt like a more natural relationship --- until the events in Mockingjay happened. It tore my heart that Peeta was hijacked and that Gale was becoming someone Katniss couldn't relate to. In the end, though, I'm happy for the ending of the love triangle. That was satisfying. Besides, Katniss couldn't be friends with Gale after his hand in the final events. I wouldn't be either.
Truth be told, I saw Coin's assassination by Katniss's hand coming. I didn't know I saw it coming until she met with President Snow in his rose room, but I caught the hints for it. When describing the lifestyle of District 13, I saw something resembling the control the Capitol has over its people. Then I saw Coin's ambition and the fact that she was more of a politician than a rebellion leader. I noticed a few subtle comparisons between Coin and Snow, and that's when I noticed that Coin wasn't all-good. I saw Snow wasn't all-evil when he said he wouldn't sacrifice his own children for those ends.
One of the reviews I read mentioned that Katniss wasn't in character the last hundred pages or so. I would beg to differ. I didn't notice such a change in character until Prim died; even then I find the change fully justified. You don't lose an entire squadron of the only people you trust including the two men you love and THEN watch your sister burn without some consequences. Furthermore, the entire plot of the story takes place in less than two years. That's a freaking huge amount of death and war in a small amount of time. On top of that, Katniss is only a teenager. She's seventeen!! Did anyone else have some sort of revelation at that?
In terms of how the writing went, I've noticed passages that did nothing but skim events I thought were more important. But the fact that they were part of the 'skimming passages' meant that they were less important overall -- we the readers just thought they would be important because it's what we expected from a war story. Speaking of expectations, I thought the character development neatly dived away from the standard developmental tropes. No, Katniss was not going to rise to the occasion, become a powerful victor, lead a happy life, and finally retire quietly. Instead, she retreats to herself for months afterward and leads a quiet life avoiding anything that has to do with government and politics and especially war.
I liked the closure of the epilogue. It was a very satisfying ending that says "this is the end of her story, period." I like that. I like that some stories come and some go and others are ended all too suddenly (I think of Finnick as I write that). And I like the finality of this story. It's unsettling but it has a clear message. War leaves you broken and there's nothing you can do to stop it. All you can do is live with it and hope for the best. Love it!!!
*****
If you don't want to know what happens, don't read this.
You can also view the review on my Goodreads.
This is the first book in a long time where I finished it with such a sense of excitement and awe that I could barely fall asleep even though it was almost two in the morning and I had to wake up for work at six thirty. My initial thoughts don't represent the book as a whole, just my own initial emotions on several subjects that I noticed while reading. These are something resembling those thoughts (they've had quite a bit of time to mature this past week).
The first thing that's probably on everyone's minds is the whole Team Peeta/Team Gale thing. After a special statement from the good ladies at Oops . . . Wrong Cookie, I started to feel neutral. But my natural tendency was to root for Gale despite the shared experiences of Katniss and Peeta. I thought Katniss's feelings towards Peeta weren't completely natural. Her going with Gale would have felt like a more natural relationship --- until the events in Mockingjay happened. It tore my heart that Peeta was hijacked and that Gale was becoming someone Katniss couldn't relate to. In the end, though, I'm happy for the ending of the love triangle. That was satisfying. Besides, Katniss couldn't be friends with Gale after his hand in the final events. I wouldn't be either.
Truth be told, I saw Coin's assassination by Katniss's hand coming. I didn't know I saw it coming until she met with President Snow in his rose room, but I caught the hints for it. When describing the lifestyle of District 13, I saw something resembling the control the Capitol has over its people. Then I saw Coin's ambition and the fact that she was more of a politician than a rebellion leader. I noticed a few subtle comparisons between Coin and Snow, and that's when I noticed that Coin wasn't all-good. I saw Snow wasn't all-evil when he said he wouldn't sacrifice his own children for those ends.
One of the reviews I read mentioned that Katniss wasn't in character the last hundred pages or so. I would beg to differ. I didn't notice such a change in character until Prim died; even then I find the change fully justified. You don't lose an entire squadron of the only people you trust including the two men you love and THEN watch your sister burn without some consequences. Furthermore, the entire plot of the story takes place in less than two years. That's a freaking huge amount of death and war in a small amount of time. On top of that, Katniss is only a teenager. She's seventeen!! Did anyone else have some sort of revelation at that?
In terms of how the writing went, I've noticed passages that did nothing but skim events I thought were more important. But the fact that they were part of the 'skimming passages' meant that they were less important overall -- we the readers just thought they would be important because it's what we expected from a war story. Speaking of expectations, I thought the character development neatly dived away from the standard developmental tropes. No, Katniss was not going to rise to the occasion, become a powerful victor, lead a happy life, and finally retire quietly. Instead, she retreats to herself for months afterward and leads a quiet life avoiding anything that has to do with government and politics and especially war.
I liked the closure of the epilogue. It was a very satisfying ending that says "this is the end of her story, period." I like that. I like that some stories come and some go and others are ended all too suddenly (I think of Finnick as I write that). And I like the finality of this story. It's unsettling but it has a clear message. War leaves you broken and there's nothing you can do to stop it. All you can do is live with it and hope for the best. Love it!!!
*****
26 August 2010
Bookworm Questionnaire
1. Favorite childhood book?
I didn't really read much as a child, but I remember particularly liking The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, Bridge to Terebithia by Katherine Paterson, and The Giver by Lois Lowry.
2. What are you reading right now?
There are several books. There is a large collection of Ray Bradbury stories that I'm reading whenever I run out of things to read. Otherwise, I'm dividing my time between Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins, The Last Colony by Johns Scalzi (not my choice, I left it in Madison last weekend), and Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
Y: The Last Man vol. 5. That is currently my only hold.
4. Bad book habit?
I'm guilty of looking ahead to see how many chapters are in a book. Depending on how into the book I am, I'll read the first sentence of each chapter in backwards order until I get to my current spot in the book. Horrible thing to do, really.
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Summer Knight by Jim Butcher, 2061: Odyssey Three by Arthur C. Clark, and Y: The Last Man vols. 3 and 4. All are due to go back to the library shortly because all but Y were just sitting in my room.
6. Do you have an e-reader?
No. I'm interested in renting one to try it out, but I haven't seen any services that do that yet. I don't have an opinion until I try it out because I'm interested.
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
Ha. Usually, it's one at a time. But my current predicament is contradicting this statement.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
No. I still read when I can, write when I can. Now I can write random things to the public. Hello, Public.
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
Probably Mainstream by Jay Lake. I couldn't finish it because I couldn't get a sense of story from the main character. Couldn't establish myself in this strange clock-punk world. We also had to read Robinson Crusoe for my British Literature before 1750 class.
10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
Truthfully, my sense of time is askew. The question asked "this year" and I could only think as far back as last May when summer started. So I don't have an answer for you. Instead, I'll just say Old Man's War by John Scalzi because I like the humor and the universe.
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
I guess not very often. There was one time where a friend recommended a romance book because she thought I would like it. I did, but I thought the sex was kind of pointless. Hence why I don't read romance often. And I guess Harry Dresden is a bit out of my comfort zone being a mystery. Anything for school is a bit out of my comfort zone as well.
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
If there's adventure and action with a science fiction twist, it'll tickle my fancy. I'm also prone to reading about leading ladies in medieval-esque worlds such as Tamora Pierce's Tortall series and Kristin Cashore's Graceling. If I'm the one that stumbled across it and found it intriguing, I'll consider it in my comfort zone. And if I'm intrigued and hear good things about it, I'll also read it on my own too.
13. Can you read on the bus?
Yes and no. When the bus is accelerating and going at a constant speed, yes. When it's braking, no. I don't usually read on the bus anyway. Why read when I can people watch?
14. Favorite place to read?
The living room couch in my parents' house. Also my papasan chair, my bed, and anyplace else that will allow me to recline and has good lighting.
15. What is your policy on book lending?
Please give it back at a reasonable time. If you don't, I'll bug you forever and a day.
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Only if I REALLY like a passage. Otherwise, I'm totally against it.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Not yet. I've been tempted to go back and edit a few grammar mistakes I've caught though.
18. Not even with text books?
I buy those pre-highlighted. I'm sneaky like that.
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
It is currently English because I can understand it. But I would also like to read aloud French even though I can't understand it. And I LOVE listening to Japanese. I think it's such a beautiful language.
20. What makes you love a book?
I couldn't tell you. I love American Gods by Neil Gaiman because of the subtle ways of storytelling, but I also love 2010: Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clark. Then there's the Old Man's War series by John Scalzi. I wanna say . . . characters.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
How awed I feel about it after reading it. I satisfied I feel about it afterwards. Whether I think a certain person will like it or not. Something like that.
22. Favorite genre?
Adventure/science fiction
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you didn't?)
Steampunk. Gotta read more of that some day.
24. Favorite biography?
I haven't read one of those out of Wikipedia since elementary school.
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Maybe. I have a I Hope You Dance book in my room that I re-read whenever I feel like it.
26. Favorite cookbook?
Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child only because I like the movie so much.
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
I can appreciate the art and intricacies of Paradise Lost (John Milton). It takes a ton of not-thinking to do that. I feel sorry for his daughters. Furthermore, I enjoy the discussions and the arguments that can be made from this single epic. I also like how the words are woven and how certain things are made to be eye-catching. Despite all this awesomeness, I can't stand the damn thing.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman.
28. Favorite reading snack?
Crunchy finger-snacks like popcorn or crackers or chips. Anything that requires one hand to eat.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I don't read critics. I find their views distort my views and I don't like that.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I prefer people didn't. But if I'm so mad at a book that I have to publicly rat it out to strangers, it must be a pretty bad book.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
Japanese. It's so pretty. And I'm a quiet fan of Japanese literature.
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
Paradise Lost by John Milton. Seriously.
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
35. Favorite Poet?
Lee Young-Li. We had to read one of his books in Creative Writing 300 last semester. It was gorgeous.
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
2-3 depending on what they are. A bit more if I'm reading a graphic novel in installments.
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
Once in a while. It's more common than I think, I guess.
38. Favorite fictional character?
39. Favorite fictional villain?
40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Anthologies. I'm also a quiet fan of anthologies. They're short and simple and one sitting is all they need.
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
I actually don't keep track of this. I read when I read.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Mainstream by Jay Lake. I think I mentioned this before.
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
The television. I don't like the TV being on when I'm reading in the same room.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
I don't pay attention to these. I like judging a film by it's quality as a film and not as a book-turned-film. I can write a whole blog post about this.
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
See previous answer.
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
Maybe $30. It could have been $50 when I was in high school.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
I've never heard of people doing this until this questionnaire. But it sounds like it ruins the book before you read. Is that how critics read so they can take in more in one reading?
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Lack of connection, personal schedule, slow-moving developments, annoying characters, or any combination of these.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
They are currently in boxes sorted between "hardcover" and "softcover" and "manga and comics". When I get them to my shelving unit in Madison, they will be organized by author's last name.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
I prefer to rent them, myself. Libraries are awesome. But when I buy a book, I buy it for keeps or as a gift.
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Obvious romance books. Twilight (even though it's in aforementioned boxes).
52. Name a book that made you angry.
Mainstream. I keep coming back to that, don't I. It was my most recent disappointment, that's why. But there's this one part in there that I don't understand, and it's too gross to really write about here.
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
In a small way, both American Gods by Neil Gaiman and 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clark I expected to not like.
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
Mainstream. Seriously? Clock-punk? It's almost as intriguing as steampunk! Also, Pendragon: the Quillan Games by D.J. MacHale. I hated Bobby in that one.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Harry Potter and Ray Bradbury short stories. They're my backups whenever I need something to read. Also, the Immortals quartet by Tamora Pierce. It's my favorite of hers.
23 August 2010
Shine On You Crazy Diamond
I wasn't surprised when the dark colored 4-door was quickly on my back bumper. At first, I glared at it thinking it would tailgate me. On a back country highway, I was usually the one tailgated because I liked to look at the scenery. Besides, hardly any cops are on these kinds of roads so everyone else feels obligated to blatantly ignore the speed limit signs. In any case, this one car backed off once it realized I wasn't going to go any faster.
The passing lane came and it was the one who went into the next lane about the same time I almost turned on my blinker to switch. These people were impatient. But I let them and stayed in my lane anyway -- being the last person in a line of cars. Unfortunately for them, they didn't get to pass anyone else, so now I was the one looking at their back bumper.
I didn't see the writing until we passed through a town and stopped at a light. It was written in some sort of specialized paint -- contrasted enough to see it up close but unreadable at a further distance. That writing lifted my spirits a little more. One would have to be crazy not to smile at it. It's endearing, unexpected, and shows great kindness towards the strangers that read it. I almost expected a swear word at the end, but there wasn't. Replacing the expected was the unexpected word that was what really caught my attention.
"Shine on you crazy diamond"
I tried to get a picture, but I'm sure I creeped those people out when I whipped out my camera and tried to get closer to them. I let them go and made note to write about it later, whether in journal or blog or someplace else. So now I’m telling it to you, because I think you deserve it whoever you are.
So shine on like the diamond you are, and pass it on to those who need it.
19 August 2010
The signal is returning. We have text, captain!
Sorry about the lack of postage last Monday. I aged about 55 years and joined the military. And you should too because it's awesome.
I am currently reading the second book in the series, and I will probably be reading the third this weekend and the fourth by Monday. Why not? They're all here with me. I borrowed them from a friend so they have to go back eventually. (But not now. Definitely not now.)
Meanwhile, I went to Ann Arbor, MI last weekend. I was going to post a couple pictures, but my Bluetooth seems to be out of commission. I used my camera to take pictures and the only way to get them to the computer is by Bluetooth. Mayhap that'll be my project for Monday. In the meantime, go check out John Scalzi's blog. He wrote the book series I'm reading.
I am currently reading the second book in the series, and I will probably be reading the third this weekend and the fourth by Monday. Why not? They're all here with me. I borrowed them from a friend so they have to go back eventually. (But not now. Definitely not now.)
Meanwhile, I went to Ann Arbor, MI last weekend. I was going to post a couple pictures, but my Bluetooth seems to be out of commission. I used my camera to take pictures and the only way to get them to the computer is by Bluetooth. Mayhap that'll be my project for Monday. In the meantime, go check out John Scalzi's blog. He wrote the book series I'm reading.
09 August 2010
August for NaNo!
NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, hereafter referred to as NaNo) usually takes place in November. Since I'll be abroad and most likely busy with all sorts of school work and travel weekends in November, I'm having my NaNo in August, my waiting month, but with some changes.
I'll be studying in the UK from September until January. As of now, I have an approved visa, plane tickets, a list of things to take along, and a large amount of impatience. Not to mention a brand new travel backpack that's just dying to be used. Everything is in place, except now I have to wait a whole month before anything can happen. August is my waiting month. To pass the time, I'm moving my NaNo ahead of schedule. Besides, I already have a story planned.
I'm modifying the rules a bit for myself. Instead of writing 50,000 words, I'm aiming for either 40,000 or story's completion. If the story ends at 35,000 words, I'm not going to complain. I'll just celebrate for a few days and start the editing process. No big deal. My final aim to finish writing the story.
This will effect blogging. So be prepared for late posts, missing posts, and general disorder with actual updates for the month of August.
Happy writing fellow writers!
~ story info ~
title: (not) broken
synopsis: After losing his Memories and Heart, Remen befriends his old rival who nurtures his growth into a new person. At the same time, his friends Val and Burm set out to recover the lost Memories in an attempt to save the Remen they know.
goal: 40,000 words / story's completion
current status: 15,448 words / 1,661 word debt*
book cover: for grins, giggles, and because I really liked that picture
*word debt: my marker for how many words I'm behind
02 August 2010
A Font-abulous Discovery
Whenever I start a new story, I like going through my computer's fonts to find the one that I like to see my title written with. I create my story's own logo, if you will. Just for my own use, and mostly because I need some sort of break from writing once I get two pages in and need the feel that the current project is official.
Also, just for fun, I go wandering flickrCC for pictures I could create into potential book covers for my stories. Fancies from dreams, I know, but still fun to do. It caters to the inner graphic artist in me, however amateur and inexperienced. Whenever I visit flickerCC for pictures, I use Picnik to crop, edit, and decorate the chosen material until it resembles an image in my head.
There was one time where I made a cover for a story with a logo I call the perfect logo for that particular story. It uses a certain font on the computer and I space it out in such a way that it looks cool and intriguing and you can vary it up slightly if it ever becomes part of a series. However, the fonts at Picnik did not have anything that resembled the font I use in my word processor. Those covers are a bit of a disappointment, and I'm not sure I'll find anything that'll represent that story for a very long time.
My current writing project, however, is a different story. I went to make the logo in the word processor and none of the fonts seemed to work for me. When I went to make the book cover (after a combination of boredom and the need to release some visual art energy), I found the perfect font at Picnik.
This isn't a font I can just let go. With Google at my fingertips, I went searching for this font and found something much more cooler.
Ladies and gentleman and variations thereof, I give you, dafont.com -- a very large collection of downloadable fonts for free. Donations to the font authors are encouraged, so be sure to give your spare change in exchange for fonts so diverse your eyes will spiral out of control. At this website, I managed to find the perfect font from Picnik, install it into my computer, and use it in my story's document.
Am I crazy in that I'm inspired by computer fonts? Every time I see one I really like, I want to think of a concept that will allow me to write with that one specific font!
Now I shall go and bask in my discovery. See you on Thursday.
28 July 2010
Donna Noble: Companion Extraordinaire
The first episode I truly saw with David Tennant was the episode where the Doctor becomes a physics teacher in a school and Rose works as the lunch lady. Sarah Jane Smith makes a guest appearance in this episode. Wouldn't you know, Rose and Sarah Jane have a jealousy-fight. Who does the Doctor like the most? I think I might have face-palmed. Really? I thought, I'm not watching this show for the romance. I want to see some aliens!
I wound up warming up to the Doctor and Rose as a couple. And it did break my heart when she gets trapped in another dimension. It really did. Then the Doctor meets Martha, and I thought it was kind of cool in the beginning. The Doctor is lonely and, in a way, tricks this young woman to travel with him. Martha falls for the Doctor, doesn't realize that he lied to her. I have to commend her, though. I like Martha because she stands up for herself. She was the one that said "I'm not going anywhere with you until we've had a proper chat and you tell me about yourself." At the end of her run, she was also the one who said, "I'm getting out of this relationship." Because she was in love with the Doctor, but he never gave her a second glance. Kudos go to her for doing the right thing, but there was still the companion in love with the Doctor. Was this show going to have anything that wasn't related to romance? I thought.
I loved Donna from the beginning. She was really enthusiastic about traveling through time and space. Her heart was in the right place; in fact it was always in the right place. During "The Fires of Pompeii", she's the one that pleads for the Doctor to save someone. In "The Doctor's Daughter", it was Donna that taught the Doctor how he could love Jenny. And, I don't think I will forget this one, she was the one who shouted at the human CEO in the episode "Planet of the Ood": "Of course they'll trust the first creature they see! They're born with their brains in their hands!"
And not only her heart, but her attitude in general. I mostly see it during the episode "Turn Left". When we see her initially make the decision, her mom tells her that she's a temp, temporary, and the big businessmen of London will move onto another girl by the time she's done. Donna originally responds with, "Yeah, well they haven't met me." Later in that episode, while walking to their new house in Leeds, Donna yells at someone in another house. Her grandfather tells her she can't change the world by shoutin' at it. "No, but I can try," she mutters. Do you see why I love it? She's just awesome, plain and simple.
Donna also has some of the best episodes of the New Doctor Who. There's "The Doctor's Daughter" which I don't fancy too much, but I can see where it can be revered as great. Donna and the Doctor meet Agatha Christie in "The Unicorn and the Wasp". How many Christie titles can you find the dialog? (No searching Wikipedia) Of course, the entire sequence of "Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead" was amazing. It introduces River Song, a companion with a mysterious past in the Doctor's future. Hello sweetie, spoilers. And then we have a few of my personal favorites. "Midnight" explores the Doctor alone on a bus with several other tourists when a strange creature steals a passenger's body and, eventually, the Doctor's voice. It's intense. Go watch it even if you don't like Doctor Who. Following that is "Turn Left", which explores what would happen if Donna didn't met the Doctor. That one is intense too. The series ends with "The Stolen Earth/Journey's End", which had me at the edge of my seat the entire two episodes. It brings together everyone who was ever associated with the Doctor across the multiple shows that make up the Doctor Who Universe. And the ending is just heart-wrenching. I might go cry again.
So there you have it. In my opinion, Donna Noble is the best companion the Doctor ever had since the series' revival. She's the Doctor's best friend, she has the best plot lines, and you can't help but fall in love with her. Her attitude is just so awesome.
I'm sorry for the long post. You'll get a short one on Monday.
26 July 2010
Distraction
I was going to have a long essay about either lame excuses for bad guys or why Donna Noble is so awesome. But I found this instead. You'll have to click on the link because it won't embed itself:
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/period_speech.png
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/period_speech.png
19 July 2010
Movie Review: Inception
Director: Christopher Nolan
Somehow, I managed to drag somebody to see the latest and greatest movie release last Friday. Dad and I saw it in its Ultra Screen glory, and it was beautiful.
It’s a fairly simple movie. In terms of characters and their goals, everything is announced at the beginning. Corporate big shot Saito (Ken Watanabe) wants an idea planted in his competitor’s head. Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) wants to return to his family and see his children’s faces. Ariadne (Ellen Page) wants to help Cobb get over the death of his wife Mal (Marion Cotillard). And everyone else wants to get the job done without a hitch.
This is not a movie where you can leave to refill your popcorn bowl. You miss a scene, you’ll be lost for about an hour. Each line of dialogue is carefully placed at exactly the right moment. There won’t be entire scenes explaining a simple piece of technology; it’ll be a sentence or two and then the movie moves on. I recognize this trick in a few televisions shows I’ve seen such as Angel and Doctor Who. You have to pay attention in those too.
The movie isn’t trying to outsmart you with complicated twists. Instead, it’s leading you through a plot reminiscent of the old films of yore. It does have that old-time movie feel. Here is the character, here is his trouble, this is his goal, now watch as he attempts to accomplish that goal.
It’s amazing how Nolan managed to fit some pretty sweet action and a really cool story into one two-and-a-half hour movie. My only qualm against it was the seeming lack of an arc with nearly all the characters. Cobb and Mal were the only ones who started at point A and ended up at point B in terms of character development. But other than that, this movie is great!
My favorite scene (and this would be my favorite scene) was when Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Ariadne were sitting a building with the projections looking at them. Arthur attempts to fit into the crowd with a kiss from Ariadne, but it didn’t work. His comment was “Yeah, it was worth a shot.”
The favorite character was Eames (Tom Hardy). His sense of humor and light-heartedness was a great addition to the cast.
Overall grade: A+
Somehow, I managed to drag somebody to see the latest and greatest movie release last Friday. Dad and I saw it in its Ultra Screen glory, and it was beautiful.
It’s a fairly simple movie. In terms of characters and their goals, everything is announced at the beginning. Corporate big shot Saito (Ken Watanabe) wants an idea planted in his competitor’s head. Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) wants to return to his family and see his children’s faces. Ariadne (Ellen Page) wants to help Cobb get over the death of his wife Mal (Marion Cotillard). And everyone else wants to get the job done without a hitch.
This is not a movie where you can leave to refill your popcorn bowl. You miss a scene, you’ll be lost for about an hour. Each line of dialogue is carefully placed at exactly the right moment. There won’t be entire scenes explaining a simple piece of technology; it’ll be a sentence or two and then the movie moves on. I recognize this trick in a few televisions shows I’ve seen such as Angel and Doctor Who. You have to pay attention in those too.
The movie isn’t trying to outsmart you with complicated twists. Instead, it’s leading you through a plot reminiscent of the old films of yore. It does have that old-time movie feel. Here is the character, here is his trouble, this is his goal, now watch as he attempts to accomplish that goal.
It’s amazing how Nolan managed to fit some pretty sweet action and a really cool story into one two-and-a-half hour movie. My only qualm against it was the seeming lack of an arc with nearly all the characters. Cobb and Mal were the only ones who started at point A and ended up at point B in terms of character development. But other than that, this movie is great!
My favorite scene (and this would be my favorite scene) was when Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Ariadne were sitting a building with the projections looking at them. Arthur attempts to fit into the crowd with a kiss from Ariadne, but it didn’t work. His comment was “Yeah, it was worth a shot.”
The favorite character was Eames (Tom Hardy). His sense of humor and light-heartedness was a great addition to the cast.
Overall grade: A+
15 July 2010
This Week at The Library:
Checked out two books.
- 2010: Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clark
- American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Placed on hold two books:
- Faeries of Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor
- Grave Peril by Jim Butcher
I expect to see Inception this weekend, so keep a watch for my thoughts or what it made me think of. According to the reviews, this movie is really good, well-made, well-written, directed with a sharp eye. Based on these, I am super excited to see this movie.
That is all.
12 July 2010
2001: The last time I saw that movie
This blog has been on haitus since I started questioning the nature of it. But now I’m back. And I’m going to talk about something that terrified me as a child:
2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clark and Stanley Kubrick
When I was a kid, I was scared of regular scary things like monsters and things that didn’t look natural. There used to be a tree outside my window with branches that grew long enough to touch the house. One night, I was sitting in my room, minding my own business, probably lost in a writing project somewhere, when something tapped my window. I looked up and jumped because I saw something reaching towards my window. It bounced like it was a live. An adrenaline shot later, I realized it was the tree outside my window. I never really liked that tree. I thought it was an alien.
When I say I believe in aliens, I mean that I believe in the aliens you come across on Doctor Who, the kind of beings that leave Earth alone for the most part. They can live at the same time we’re living, and maybe hover in orbit from time to time, but I don’t believe in aliens abducting humans for their own experiments. I don’t see the point in that because we’re an advanced life form not so different than those guys in flying saucers. We’re just grounded for a bit.
But what if aliens helped to shape our current society and technology? What if they just had a hand in pushing us towards the right path of evolution? And what if they did it with slabs of rock holding an unknown nature? Of all the things that scared me as a child, those giant monoliths and HAL scared me most of all.
First off, those monoliths were accompanied by some creepy music. Giant slabs of rock or no, the right music to a generic something makes a world of a difference. Case in point:
Normal chipmunk, right? No! This little guy is dramatic!
Normal piece of rock? No. The music tells you otherwise.
The second thing that scared the living lights out of me was HAL 9000, supercomputer on board the space ship Discovery. What was so scary about him? He had a calming voice and interacted nicely with the crew. And then he started to go crazy, but he kept that calming voice. But you couldn’t trust the calming voice of the supercomputer. Nope. Can’t trust the system that runs the entire ship. A supercomputer goes crazy. Growing up where computers don’t even think for themselves, it’s a scary thought. [I continue to be frightened of this during The Matrix and iRobot, who explore robots taking over humanity further. Don’t ask me about The Animatrix, I never got through it.]
I managed an attempt to get over the fear of the movie by reading the book. It made sense if you could follow along. Now I think I’m ready to try watching the movie again after ten years of avoidance. Let’s hope I can still get to bed the same night.
*Fun Fact*
Both Arthur C. Clark and Stanley Kubrick wrote the screenplay, but Arthur C. Clark wrote the novel as an explanation for the movie. I call this the first book/movie pair in history to have the movie before the book.
Other things that frighten me:
- rotating helicopter blades
- popping helium balloons
- being in the ER alone
23 May 2010
Writer’s Block . . . or lack thereof
I read an interesting phrase yesterday. While surfing around some book lists of authors I want to read, I came across the website of Jodi Picoult. While I’ve never read anything of hers, I did surf around her site because it seemed interesting. And because she’s said to be one of the greatest authors of the day.
Did you know Jodi Picoult doesn’t believe in writer’s block?
I find that interesting. And I encourage you to stop believing in writer’s block. Even if you feel you can’t write, write anyway. It’s better to edit something that’s horrible than completely write something else entirely. So go ahead and write a piece of crap. Edit, cut, revise, cut, edit --- like crazy!! And when you’re done, the worst thing in the world will be a the prettiest diamond you’ve ever written.
Stop believing in writer’s block. It does not exist.
12 May 2010
Paradise Lost in summer reading
Yes, I’ve been gone. No, I haven’t been particularly busy --- I just a). kept forgetting about blogging, b). did not find anything worth blogging about since Spring Break, and c). had to deal with reading Paradise Lost for a class. And now I’m writing a paper on that same poem.
As an epic poem read by the literary, I can appreciate Paradise Lost for its beautiful prose, marvelous phrasing, and the subtle hints and references throughout all twelve books. I can appreciate it as the only epic poem written in the conventions of Homer and Vergil and quite possibly Chaucer and Spenser, but in a language that does not require translation into the modern vernacular . . . yet. The subtle language, the references to itself, to previous written epics, to the Bible . . . it’s all amazing to have been written by a blind man in hiding from the government. Can you imagine?
And yet, as with Homer, it’s quite boring.
Seriously, I attempted to read it. But to read nine hundred (!!!) lines of intense poetry where little if anything happens in a large amount of space is so trying, especially in these modern times where it’s “direct language or bust!” You really have to enter another mindset to read it. My way of dealing with that mindset is patience, which takes quite a bit of time, which is not allotted in class. So I would try, fail, try again, and still fail. And now I’m writing a paper on it (not my failing, the paper is about Eve).
This week is finals week, and I’m getting through the week with the promise of television shows, books, and a to-do list for the summer. Here is my list:
(to watch)
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Pushing Daisies
- FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Avatar the Last Airbender
- Lost
- The Tudors
- Carnivale (though I’ve seen more than half of it already)
-
(to read)
- Neil Gaiman
- Ray Bradbury
- Arthur C. Clark
- Laini Taylor
- Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales (this may prove to be harder than it sounds)
- Y: The Last Man (books 3 – end)
- Astonishing X-Men (part 3 – end)
- graphic novels in general
-
I always add an extra point just in case. If you have any suggestions for things I might enjoy, please leave a comment below and I’ll look into it. Wish me luck on my paper!
23 March 2010
FlashForward has returned!
Which means I’m very excited. This show caught my interest when I first went to college and I’ve been keeping up with it until it was put on haitus. I am very unhappy about this haitus because the original creators stated in an interview that they were planning for the series finale to mesh-up with the date of the flash forwards. I do hope they keep that up. It’s a very interesting concept.
This is not a review, this is just me being excited.
Someone on the Hulu reviews mentioned that the character arcs seemed kind of cliche, which made me think that Flash Florward can be a bit of a cheese ball, which made me fall for it all over again. I am an uber fan of the Cheese Ball for reasons unbeknownst to me. If it can pull off corny and bad-ass-ery, I’m liable to like it.
Like Transformers and Speed Racer. Both are awesomely entertaining, but they are giant Cheese Balls. But they are entertaining, thus, I like them.
This is the kind of thing I’d like to work on someday.
19 March 2010
Where Did I Go? Comments from a Web Surfer
No where, really. But every time I think about this blog, I think about how few things I actually do outside schoolwork and writing. I don’t read as much as other people, and I have to admit, looking at things with a critical eye takes the fun out of it. So I’ve decided to also litter this blog with other things – like the cool videos I find on YouTube! And other things.
Laini Taylor is a fun blog to follow. She finds awesome writing advice including this pretty neat speech by Elizabeth Gilbert who wrote Eat Pray Love. Check it out, my roommate loves it.
I am also a fan of The Big Bang Theory. I’ve been watching that whenever I have to eat alone.
And when I’m not really doing anything else, I find random YouTube videos. Like this one. Check that out too because it’s awesome. I almost want to go on Chat Roulette to find him, but I don’t want to see a quarter of the people I meet doing inappropriate things to their webcam.
And then when that is done, I feel like listening to Owl City’s Fireflies, so that’s what I do. And my surfing goes from there.
Internet surfing makes me think of the old 90s cartoon Reboot, which I watched last year and inadvertently found this Reboot revival movement. That was also interesting. But the show features a web surfer for a few episodes who uses a surf board and talks with a slight Aussie accent.
But Reboot was made in the 90s when the Internet and its potential was just speculation. Which makes me wonder what Reboot would be like if it were revamped with today’s technology and ideologies. To prevent copyrighting, there will have to be new characters. But they’ll still feature some sort of Anti-Spyware character, the main programming character, a character for each major program on the computer, and so forth. I say we keep the binomial characters because they’re cute, personally, but that’s just me.
A friend of mine mentioned something once. He said that we’ve now gotten to the point where, if a person is smart, you don’t have to hunt for a software problem at all. If a program goes bad, just uninstall it and then reinstall it – simple fix without the hassle. And any other problems you had would also disappear. So now the common folk don’t even know how computers are run, we just know how to work them. Does that scare you? Because if computers die, a lot of people's lives will die with them (mine included).
Inevitably, I end up picturing myself in a cool-looking protective suit with a surf board and wishing that whole thing was real. Damn, that’d be fun.
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