During the game night tonight with friends, my character's mind got switched with that of a giant poisonous chicken.
Sufficed to say, getting in character was more than a little difficult. The chicken, however, seemed to have no trouble adjusting to its new existence.
Happy Halloween, y'all.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
But why, WHY is he dancing Mamá?
Sorry, couldn't think of a good title so I threw up the last thing I heard on TV....And now I can't even remember what it was from. Meh, either way, it works I think. Better than those dang goofy cavemen at least.
Weyall... two weeks have passed by quickly. Though, to be honest, not a whole heck of a lot has happened, this past week especially. I've just been so dang tired these nights, and I guess there just wasn't a whole lot going on. (Also, doing stuff is haaaard.) Still, it's my fault. Gotta get out there and do stuff if I want...stuff...to do. Yeah. Anyway, it does mean I've been able to get a fair amount of stuff done at home. Finally gave my room a good cleaning, got all the laundry done, set up some plans for the coming week, and, most importantly, got a lot of research done for graduate school.
Sounds like I'll have to wait for a while to take the GRE, but I'll be able to take it online. Interestingly, I may also be able to do the entirety of my Masters online too, but that's definitely going to be a last resort. Going away to college, meeting new people, being in class in a new place away from home...it all really made a difference in my life, and I'd really hate to cut out a chance for greater experiences. But if it comes down to it, it will be nice to be able to keep working full-time and get the degree. To tell the truth, one of the best looking options right now would be going back down south to the Claremont Graduate University, since they seem to have a lot of resources for grads from the 5C's. But for the moment, I'm just saving up and enjoying myself for awhile.
I've also managed to get a lot done on my writing, though there isn't much to show for it, heh. These last few weeks largely revolved around writing projects that weren't directly connected to the bigger story. I've been reading a lot of these goofy little online horror pieces affectionately called Creepypasta (bastardized from the copy-paste function, the way these stories tend to spread), and I've tried writing a few myself. In general, as is the case for most online literature, the vast majority of the stuff out there is pretty awful, but there are a few gems. They're generally not real bloody or grueling (unlike the turn the horror movie industry has taken over the last decade, ugh), but try hard to manipulate those basic insecurities and fears that we all have. They make you question just how safe you are, or how much you know about the world; in short, they get under your skin. Hence, creepy. I've written a bit of horror stuff before now for RPG stuff (and my favorite session I ever ran, and one of the few that didn't run waaaay over time, was basically Lovecraftian horror themed), and what I wrote isn't TOO bad, but not quite good enough to share. Also not done. But I can say it revolves around the concept of infinity, and how people deal with it.
On the big story, I've got a major question to ask you all. I've been considering transferring the whole thing over to first-person narration. It would mean a fair deal of work in rewriting, and I would have to be very careful to maintain the character as someone very different and separate from myself, but I think it would save a lot of time overall and give a clearer view of the concepts I'm trying to deal with. So! With that in mind, what do you all think about reading stories (that is, fiction) from the first person as opposed to third? Any opinions on really good first and third person stories you've enjoyed, or you thought did a particularly good job of it?
I said to myself this was going to be a short post, and I think in that spirit I'll cut it off here. To make up for the lack of overall information, please enjoy a few tasteful YouTube videos I spent waaay more time than justified surfing for this weekend:
I think this one is real...
...and this one just rocks...
...and this one is actually a pretty good 'explanation' of the Lovecraft stuff I was talking about, but in glorious children's show format!
And that's all for now. :)
P.S. I just learned how to embed youtube videos, can you tell? :D
Weyall... two weeks have passed by quickly. Though, to be honest, not a whole heck of a lot has happened, this past week especially. I've just been so dang tired these nights, and I guess there just wasn't a whole lot going on. (Also, doing stuff is haaaard.) Still, it's my fault. Gotta get out there and do stuff if I want...stuff...to do. Yeah. Anyway, it does mean I've been able to get a fair amount of stuff done at home. Finally gave my room a good cleaning, got all the laundry done, set up some plans for the coming week, and, most importantly, got a lot of research done for graduate school.
Sounds like I'll have to wait for a while to take the GRE, but I'll be able to take it online. Interestingly, I may also be able to do the entirety of my Masters online too, but that's definitely going to be a last resort. Going away to college, meeting new people, being in class in a new place away from home...it all really made a difference in my life, and I'd really hate to cut out a chance for greater experiences. But if it comes down to it, it will be nice to be able to keep working full-time and get the degree. To tell the truth, one of the best looking options right now would be going back down south to the Claremont Graduate University, since they seem to have a lot of resources for grads from the 5C's. But for the moment, I'm just saving up and enjoying myself for awhile.
I've also managed to get a lot done on my writing, though there isn't much to show for it, heh. These last few weeks largely revolved around writing projects that weren't directly connected to the bigger story. I've been reading a lot of these goofy little online horror pieces affectionately called Creepypasta (bastardized from the copy-paste function, the way these stories tend to spread), and I've tried writing a few myself. In general, as is the case for most online literature, the vast majority of the stuff out there is pretty awful, but there are a few gems. They're generally not real bloody or grueling (unlike the turn the horror movie industry has taken over the last decade, ugh), but try hard to manipulate those basic insecurities and fears that we all have. They make you question just how safe you are, or how much you know about the world; in short, they get under your skin. Hence, creepy. I've written a bit of horror stuff before now for RPG stuff (and my favorite session I ever ran, and one of the few that didn't run waaaay over time, was basically Lovecraftian horror themed), and what I wrote isn't TOO bad, but not quite good enough to share. Also not done. But I can say it revolves around the concept of infinity, and how people deal with it.
On the big story, I've got a major question to ask you all. I've been considering transferring the whole thing over to first-person narration. It would mean a fair deal of work in rewriting, and I would have to be very careful to maintain the character as someone very different and separate from myself, but I think it would save a lot of time overall and give a clearer view of the concepts I'm trying to deal with. So! With that in mind, what do you all think about reading stories (that is, fiction) from the first person as opposed to third? Any opinions on really good first and third person stories you've enjoyed, or you thought did a particularly good job of it?
I said to myself this was going to be a short post, and I think in that spirit I'll cut it off here. To make up for the lack of overall information, please enjoy a few tasteful YouTube videos I spent waaay more time than justified surfing for this weekend:
I think this one is real...
...and this one just rocks...
...and this one is actually a pretty good 'explanation' of the Lovecraft stuff I was talking about, but in glorious children's show format!
And that's all for now. :)
P.S. I just learned how to embed youtube videos, can you tell? :D
Sunday, October 9, 2011
A quick one while I'm away
Wait, what? I swear I had something clever with that title, and then...*poof*. Meh, in any case, it's that time again, and I need to make up something to write for this time. Because honestly, for me these last two weeks have not done a lot more than exist. Don't get me wrong, they've been good, and some stuff has happened, but they've just kind of moved on by, you know? Bleh, enough droning on. Here's the beef!
Work is...well, work. Not exactly fun, but necessary, useful, profitable, and even slightly self-satisfactory. Donations have slowed waaay down from the cooler weather and the end of the yard sale days, and as per most things here, that's both good and bad. It means less junk and fewer unknown substances to wash out of my shirts, but also less to do and more time wasted searching for random jobs to take care of. For example, on Tuesday I spent most of the day going through all the books and holiday boxes we had stored outside the building. It was nice because it was generally kind of private out that far, and I could do it at my own pace and really make sure I did a good job; but honestly, that's really not what I should be doing in my job on a usually-busy day of the week. Similarly, we've gotten a big influx (ok, 3 people) of community service people, the majority (2) of which are only really needed outside. This means I need to find jobs for them to take care of, as I stand there in the empty rear parking lot struggling to figure out something for ME to do. Thankfully, the two I work with are remarkably diligent and careful in their work, at least compared to some of the service workers I've had to deal with before, where the time-spent-texting vs. work-done ratio sometimes reached 10 or 15 - 1. They haven't minded the crappy cleaning jobs I've had to stick them with, at least as far as I can tell. The only thing keeping us all moving is the Halloween rush; between that and some good sales, we've actually had some really good profit days. Personally, I've been kind of perversely hoping it'll rain a lot more so I can run around and move all the boxes and tarps and things. It's fun, makes time go by quickly, and keeps us all occupied; the downside, of course, is that we lose massive amounts of merchandise to water damage. A WORTHY SACRIFICE TO AMUSE MEEEEE--
One fun thing is I've had a lot of chances to hang out with Lakeport friends this week. Spending time at various people's houses, seeing movies (Real Steel, while silly and predictable as all heck, was undeniably a lot of fun to watch), and just spending loads of time talking and catching up. It's nice to have friends you can just shoot the breeze with without having to really talk about anything, you know? Speaking of which, note to self: don't talk so much around Lakeport friends. I worry I might be getting to be a bit of a bore around them. No, seriously, despite what you may know of how much I talk, around them, I talk A LOT.
Haven't gotten much done on the story lately, sadly. Time's been taken up with friends, shopping (I seem to be running out of everything this week), and trying to catch up a bit on sleep. Also on other writing projects too, at least. A bit of poetry, a couple of short papers on all kinds of topics, a few rants...the usual stuff. It's weird, I just about always feel like writing more of the big story, but every time I start thinking about it, I realize just how much more needs to be done on it, and it kind of crushes my creative spirit. I've got to get back in the mindset that none of it should be work, and all of it is something fun I'm doing just for me. Just fun, not work, and so very very easy to just pick up and chicken scratch on even for just a few minutes. I'll get there, you'll see!
Also, DJ Hero is a wonderfully fun time sink. I have no regrets about (all) those hours. Good night!
Work is...well, work. Not exactly fun, but necessary, useful, profitable, and even slightly self-satisfactory. Donations have slowed waaay down from the cooler weather and the end of the yard sale days, and as per most things here, that's both good and bad. It means less junk and fewer unknown substances to wash out of my shirts, but also less to do and more time wasted searching for random jobs to take care of. For example, on Tuesday I spent most of the day going through all the books and holiday boxes we had stored outside the building. It was nice because it was generally kind of private out that far, and I could do it at my own pace and really make sure I did a good job; but honestly, that's really not what I should be doing in my job on a usually-busy day of the week. Similarly, we've gotten a big influx (ok, 3 people) of community service people, the majority (2) of which are only really needed outside. This means I need to find jobs for them to take care of, as I stand there in the empty rear parking lot struggling to figure out something for ME to do. Thankfully, the two I work with are remarkably diligent and careful in their work, at least compared to some of the service workers I've had to deal with before, where the time-spent-texting vs. work-done ratio sometimes reached 10 or 15 - 1. They haven't minded the crappy cleaning jobs I've had to stick them with, at least as far as I can tell. The only thing keeping us all moving is the Halloween rush; between that and some good sales, we've actually had some really good profit days. Personally, I've been kind of perversely hoping it'll rain a lot more so I can run around and move all the boxes and tarps and things. It's fun, makes time go by quickly, and keeps us all occupied; the downside, of course, is that we lose massive amounts of merchandise to water damage. A WORTHY SACRIFICE TO AMUSE MEEEEE--
One fun thing is I've had a lot of chances to hang out with Lakeport friends this week. Spending time at various people's houses, seeing movies (Real Steel, while silly and predictable as all heck, was undeniably a lot of fun to watch), and just spending loads of time talking and catching up. It's nice to have friends you can just shoot the breeze with without having to really talk about anything, you know? Speaking of which, note to self: don't talk so much around Lakeport friends. I worry I might be getting to be a bit of a bore around them. No, seriously, despite what you may know of how much I talk, around them, I talk A LOT.
Haven't gotten much done on the story lately, sadly. Time's been taken up with friends, shopping (I seem to be running out of everything this week), and trying to catch up a bit on sleep. Also on other writing projects too, at least. A bit of poetry, a couple of short papers on all kinds of topics, a few rants...the usual stuff. It's weird, I just about always feel like writing more of the big story, but every time I start thinking about it, I realize just how much more needs to be done on it, and it kind of crushes my creative spirit. I've got to get back in the mindset that none of it should be work, and all of it is something fun I'm doing just for me. Just fun, not work, and so very very easy to just pick up and chicken scratch on even for just a few minutes. I'll get there, you'll see!
Also, DJ Hero is a wonderfully fun time sink. I have no regrets about (all) those hours. Good night!
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