Then Your Body's Like FUUUUUUUUUUUU

Finally have some time to breathe...and to write.

My what a crazy year this has been. I'm not even sure where I'd begin if I were to talk about it. Two major papers are out of the way at least. I went real theoretical on one of them for a portion of it. I hope that it does all right because I'm not sure I even understand what I wrote. Regardless, I have resumed work on WMRR after months of doing the bare minimum. I'm closing in on the 80,000 word mark. I have a lot of work to do in terms of revising, but I've been putting a lot of thought into the characterization, the plot and the tension. Those aspects really needed a lot of development, and I think I'm finally ready to write Jason's chapter properly. I wasn't too sure where to go with his character, because up until this point, he had been the hub of antagonism so far. I don't know if I like the fact that he takes 12 chapters/70,000 words to appear. I try to make most of my characters mean something, have a central effect...well at least the ones I name. If they can all play a key role, no matter how small, that would make me happy. Jason plays a huge role...and I suppose at this point he appears near the "half-way point," but that may not be enough.

I also came up with a new segment...which I've actually written, but it will need extensive revision and maybe even a re-write. I'm not sure whether I should use the first person for it or not. The story IS being told by a character, but it contrasts so much with the style and doesn't leave enough room for the details.

As for the summer, I'm glad I won't be finished school. A massive trip this year simply would not have worked, especially in light of recent events. This opens up an entirely new wing in the castle as I can try to apply for manuscript writing again. I've put a lot of thought into it, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with the work stories idea. I'd like to write a series of stories about the jobs people do...perhaps in a place like Calgary, and link them together to construct a single narrative with reoccuring and intersecting characters. I think it could be fun and it's certainly a better idea than my last year's proposal.

I'm also planning on engaging in all sorts of entertaining activities this summer...though I'm pushing for a week-long vacation to Disney World. I really want to go to Disney World. Throw me on a few rollercoasters and I'm one happy camper. Just nothing spinny unless you want the upholstry ruined.

Short Term Memory?

I could have sworn that I posted here in the new year already, but maybe that was something else.

So, it's been quite a busy week for crazy events happening. I can't talk about half of them here, but for what I can say...things have been shaken up a bit. YES...THINGS.

I am not graduating this year. I talked to a degree advisor, and apparently I am five courses short of graduating...so I have some decisions to make. I need to determine when I take my courses and in what subjects. I also need to decide if I want to tack on a minor (which would be seven courses not five). I just need to remember that an extra two courses is an extra 1000 dollars...so yippee. One good aspect to this is that I have another chance to try for manuscript writing. It feels like unfinished business to me. I think I have a better idea for the project as well, so I'll make sure to update on that while I go.

In the meantime, I'm in the middle of trying to catch up with a lot of the activities I've been engaging in. On of them is my video editing (which is going a lot faster now that I have a computer capable of better quality encoding). I'm working on my Legends of Aranna LP, and trying to finish Dungeon Keeper 1. In the meantime, I may post some useless video to let people know I'm not giving up on the account.

As for WMRR, it hasn't gone anytwhere in awhile. I'll admit I've been distracted by games and books. Speaking of books, Republic of Thieves is finally out. I just remembered when I was writing this...only there are no books in stores, and it'll take up to a month to ship. I'm just happy that I'll get it. I've been waiting a LONG time.

One Month

And I've hardly done anything.

The last few weeks have been really tough to get through, and I haven't been motivated to do much. I didn't get into manuscript writing, my grandparents' health has taken a turn for the worse, and I've learned another extended family is probably only going to live until the new year. I've also had health problems so...whoopie.

I'm a believer in karma however, so I'm sure the situation will turn around. Eventually. My hope boat's a leaky dinghy, but I'm working on repairs. The next few weeks are crucial here...

Which brings me to the reason for this blog post. I'm not giving up on the writing, because despite all that's gone on, I still have a strong desire to write. School is going to be busy, I have two jobs, and there is the previous issues I have mentioned, so I probably won't be posting that often, or making the progress on WMRR that I want. I'm still stuck on the one chapter, mainly because I don't know how the conversation is going to run and I need to review the character and how I want him set up.


In the meantime...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5Vu1iWvpIc

I made a dodgeball video...the second one for Superman That Throw. I don't think it's as good as the first one though.

Where Is the Edge?

So addicted to the new Within Temptation album. It's bad...I MEAN AWESOME. I think they are exponentially getting better, though I'm not sure if I like The Unforgiving more than The Heart of Everything. Largely debatable I think. I like all the songs on The Unforgiving, but some sound almost the same to me. All the songs on The Heart of Everything sounded distinctly different to me. I'm just excited that they have provided more music.

Also, they have a comic based on this album. I'm tempted to look, though, other comics for other artists and bands have been pretty sub-par.


Anyway. Who's been chain viewing my blog? I got a random spike of activity yesterday for no adequately explained reason. I'm sure it wasn't anyone I know. I'm also sure it wasn't me (my own views are turned off and I haven't been here in days)...so hi random viewer. Welcome to my insanity.

Now, the reason I actually made this post was to give an update on my portfolio. It's been submitted, and I'm terrified. I'm not convinced that the writing quality was good enough. I also looked at my final story from last year. It's terrible. Well...yeah it's terrible. A lot of it works on MY logic, not the logic of everyone else. I think a large challenge for me this year will be to check for illogical aspects of my stories and to move away from the styles I'm comfortable with. It'll be hard. I just need to get in first.

Cross my fingers.

Video

Fav song from the Unforgiving

Awesomeness (sorry if I've already posted this)

40% = 100%

At least in the Fire Emblem world. Playing on hard mode is like being slapped in the face. With a fish.

Over and over.



Quick update because I'm quite ill and extremely tired.

I was reading Dan's interlude again on the train the other day and came across a lot of HORRIBLE typos. It was terrible...extremely terrible. For instance, I used "you're" instead of "your" in one sentence. That nearly killed me to read. Yes, I feel the shame.

At any rate, I went back and read it one more time to fix the really terrible parts. It still needs work, but it's readable. I realized the free-running part and the end of the chapter are actually not bad. I'm pretty happy with them. The beginning needs to be completely re-written I think, but that's not too serious. So I have a prettier version of the chapter now, which makes me happy.

Also, the new Within Temptation album is awesome. That also makes me happy. Now I'm off to sleep.


Or write some of my portfolio material...




Nah I'll just sleep. I still have five days.

Zzzzzzzzz

I haven't made a post this month, and I'm going to be away for the rest of it so....POST!

Not much has happened in terms of writing for WMRR. I've mostly been freaking out about the portfolio for manuscript writing and if the idea is feasible for this term. I'm running out of time, so looks like I'm just going to have to stick with it. I like the idea, I just may need research I won't be able to conduct based on finances and the time available. I think the road trip idea will work, I just need to outline it, work out the specifics and find two models of writing to base my own writing on. Man when did writing get so hard?

In other news, the Writer's Guild of Alberta is offering a free membership to students, which I think I'll be taking advantage of. I've been quickly learning to take the opportunities handed to me, because I've missed out on a lot because I've been to lazy or lacking in confidence to do so. I'm still upset that I didn't go to see Robert Kroetsch in Canmore, because that would have been his last event. So there's some helpful advice for all you writers (and people in general) out there. Take the opportunities when you can get them. Those opportunities, and the contacts and connections you make all come back to help you out when you least expect it.

As for WMRR...chapter 12 kind of came to a screeching halt when I realized I'd have to do a little more military research and have a complete picture of what I want discussed, what I want to happen, and what the chapter is going to bring to the story. This is a critical chapter. I know I can come back to it when all is said and done, but what happens here is going to affect a lot of what happens later.

IT'S FREAKING ME OUT MAN.

Video

Video

Video

Dude, What's the Password?

Got too many of them now since I changed them all to random codes and such a few years back. Spent about 15 minutes trying to remember my one YouTube account pass because I was logged out for some reason or another. That'll teach me to use the same password for years, get my msn hacked, change my passwords to stupid code and then forget them all when I need it most.

So in the past 12 days I have...

...

...

Finished Infamous.

...

Fini---oh wait nope.

...

Learned about Assassin's Creed Revelations.

...

...

...

Edited like crazy. Can't forget the editing.

...

...

And that's about it. Okay....what did I actually DO these past few weeks?

...

Ugh.

...

Now that I've wasted tons of digital space, time to talk about writing! Maybe some websites too. More websites, because I've just been thinking about writing. Mostly agonizing about plot points and fixing all the terrible bits. Unfortunately this is going to be most of my work. Not sure if I'm being too hard on myself or not.

I have a concrete idea for my manuscript writing class. The only downside is I might have to do some travelling across Canada and I---wait, what's the problem here? Oh yeah. Money and time. Bleigh.

So, websites and videos:

Sam and Fuzzy - Webcomic
Genderless Baby - Article
Write Like a Man - Article....*shrug*
Something to Be Angry About - Article
Skyrim Gameplay - Video
Canadian Ned - Video
No Words Exist to Explain This - Video


Hmm...I'm beginning to see my problem here...

Back

Figures. I come back from a holiday in worse shape than I left. Pulled muscles in my leg, cut my heel bad on a lava rock and my back is a wreck. Otherwise, I'm pretty rested. I'm ready to get back to editing and writing.

So I opened my WMRR document yesterday and realized I haven't touched it in about a month. That's no good. I have good starts to three chapters, which is both a plus and a negative. While I have a lot of it done, I lose the level of flow I might have had before. I'm planning on having these done in the next few weeks here so I can finally get to the official halfway mark (at least in my outline).

Had my end of the year interview for fiction writing. Came out of the course all right considering how busy I was this term and how difficult last term was being sick most of the time. I learned that I have great settings and scenarios, but need to work on tension, effect and impact. My prof called my work "timeless" in that it seems to exist out of any set time. It just runs in a loop. At any rate, I've got a lot to work on this summer. I also need to think of a novel I want to write for manuscript writing and start WRITING it. I could use WMRR, but I don't know if it would be accepted since it technically IS science fiction. The prof for the course does not want "genre fiction", though I'd like to think that WMRR is more about the characters rather than the genre.

Until I find a job, I'll be working on WMRR and editing pretty much full time. The editing will get me to the end of May/beginning of June. I also have to begin planning my Europe trip next year, finish my Dungeon Keeper video series and think about my next video series. I want to do Dead Space on hard (though I haven't finished it on normal yet), Dungeon Siege on Veteran (but I need to play through the game one more time for that), Fire Emblem (which I'm not sure will work well), Half Life on hard (already have some of this recorded, but I may start over) or Overlord (since I already started a walkthrough of that and never finished...). I also need to decide if I want to do text or voice commentary. People really seemed to like my test video of Dead Space with voice commentary. I think it'll depend on the game.

So though I don't have a job, I have tons to work on, which is nice because I can't handle sitting around and doing nothing. This is probably why I tried to do too much at the end of last term. Guess I better get cracking. Four months is not a long time.