Stinklings

I am so happy to be typing this write now: I am writing again.  Can you believe it?  For the first time in something like seven years, I’ve actually been able to put words and sentences together to form coherent thoughts!  And I’m not fighting to do it, either.  Not anymore, at least.  Something happened to me, I don’t quite know what.  And now, I feel like I can write again.

I know that the Stinklings must have helped in a major way.  Yeah, I know, I know, I’m not the first to come up with that name, but I did come up with it on my own, and that’s good enough for me.  Inspired by the Inklings, Emery, Haley, and I have started our own private little literary group.  We’ve decided to pick a genre, take a month to write a story in that genre, and then read and critique each other’s works.   

Our very first genre is horror.  And, while my story isn’t very scary, I’m completely thrilled that I actually wrote one; it’s has been so long.  I think I may have figured out what has been going wrong for these past seven years.  A little thing known as distraction.  You see, normally what happens is that I write a thought or a sentence, and then immediately take a mental break.  What this means is that I alt-tab and read email or news or any other thing available on the web. 

This time, however, whenever I automatically went to minimize the window and do something else, I forced myself not to, and continued to write.  It was weird at first, almost like swallowing bile, but eventually, the urge sort of abated.  Now, it’s barely there, the desire to get distracted.  The result is that I am able to write again.  Not terribly well, mind you, but enough to give me hope again. I look forward to at least getting back to where I was freshman year of college, which I feel was when I was at the top of my game.

I’m currently working on another scary story, this time trying my damnedest to make it scary.  I’m trying to incorporate a lot of the little things that scare me, and hopefully this will translate to a reader.

As I said, we’re casting Brutal Legend, which is a great game hampered by some gameplay choices that I don’t quite agree with.  Which is a shame, since I love the story, writing, characters, music, and setting.  Jack Black really does make a fantastic lead. 

Tonight is our first readthrough with the cast of our next Not One Zombie film.  Very excited!

Heh, as you can see, I have a long road ahead of me, writing-wise.  But, this time, I have a bike.

Jooligh

July has been a pretty busy month for me.  First, my little brother came down to visit, which was awesome.   The first night he was here, we got well drunk for our Canadia Day cast.  In fact, he pounded, like, seven of my shots like a monster and had nary a hangover the next day.  Then, we went to Medieval Times- his first, my second.  It was great.  The food was delicious, our knight- red- was imperious as heck, and I got to yell.  It was so much fun.  Then, we went to the beach for the Fourth of July. Went swimming, got hammered by waves, nearly lost all our clothes and towels in the surf and then chilled in the pool for a bit.  After that, we had some tasty food and then watched the fireworks.  Also, we saw a motorcycle on fire on the way home.  Kinda looked like the Ghost Rider had a bit too much to drink and crashed.

Then we did a tabletop night, and the following day we took Keith to Kesh.  On Sunday, we had the premiere for Lots Caste.  It went so well, better than we ever thought.  Jerry did an awesome job with the catering.  Everyone loved it.  I was really pleased that both Miguel and Luis were able to come.  On Monday, we went out to a place that Valentine knows and set off the rest of the fireworks we’d bought.  It was so much fun.  We had giant screamers that soared into the air and detonated like real fireworks, roman candles, bottle rockets that we stuffed into a can and set off all at once, little firecrackers like you see in movies, and totally rad mortars that THUMP when they fire off and explode like bombs in the air.  Those were by far our favorite, and when I travel up to PA I’m going to buy a bunch that we can fire off.

After all that awesomeness, including a trip to Congo River Golf, I had to take Keith back to the airport, which was a real bummer.  It had been a really great week, and it was very good to see him.  I miss my family a lot sometimes, and seeing them, even briefly, is a balm to my soul.

After seeing Keith off, I had a day to laze about and do nothing, then it was off to Daytona to start prepping for Unknotted 2.0.  About two days of cleaning, decorating, dressing, and troubleshooting.    I don’t want to go too much into what it was on here, just in case anyone ends up playing in the next iteration, but it was nearly perfect.  I kept a record of my entire experience as a tech for the weekend and we will be using it to prepare for the next release.  Haley really built an amazing game.  Every participant was completely wowed by the experience.  She and Gogas put in over five months of work, and it really showed.  Gogas’ work was dizzying in its complexity and cleverness. 

Once we wrapped on Unknotted, I had a weekend of OLD, then I had to write my Hunter game.  I have six players, three of whom had not ever played in a Hunter game before.  I worked really hard on it, because I feel like Haley and Andrew have independently set bars pretty high.  It wasn’t a perfect game, but it went well.  And, luckily, I understand what could use shoring up for the next session.  I’ll be working on those areas while writing the next session, which should be in about two weeks.

So, in addition to all that, plus the cast, I’ve entered into an agreement with Haley, Bailey, and Emery to write a monthly short story, basically emulating The Inklings.  Our first genre was horror.  I wrote something in the genre, but not scary, as I’d hoped.  Honestly, I haven’t been able to write anything since around 2007, so the fact that I was able to actually finish a story was enough to keep me in high spirits for at least a day.  It was thrilling to be able to get to the end and think ‘done.’  It’s been years since I’ve felt that.  What a great feeling.  So, while my story isn’t scary, I’m happy with it.  Because it’s complete.  And, I’m looking forward to reading the others’ works.

Oh, yeah.  Haley and I also recorded a test podcast.  And we’ve also been keeping up with the cast.  Goonch’s birthday was a lot of fun- a lot of alcohol was slung about that night.  We played God of War 2 for Haley’s dad, and have been working through Brutal Legend, which has such great atmosphere and writing.  All in all, pretty busy, and what’s cool about it all is that it’s all been busy in a content-creation sort of way.  I like that. 

EDIT- Oh my gosh!  I forgot one of the best parts!  I met and got Doug Smith’s autograph!!!  I bought three ACTUAL production cels used for Golden Boy!  AND HE SIGNED THEM!  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Civentures

First off, I’m a total Civ noob.  Don’t really understand a lot of the intricacies and mechanics, don’t have a firm grasp on the different elements of play.  I have something like 14 hours in it, a good chunk of that from the cast, spouting nonsense about pincer movements and the like.

I first tried to load up a game I’d started when I first bought the game, and quickly found myself overwhelmed and with no real idea of the strategy I’d planned. So, I decided to start up a new game.  Small map.  Pangea.  Four players.  I’d play as America, the closest thing I could figure to Canadia.  The players turned out to be me, France, Songhai, and the Huns.

I started out building my cities and sending a settler or two out.  Before long, I came across France.  We seemed to be okay with each other.  Sometime soon after that, I settled a city within site of his.  A few turns later he tells me not to settle near him.  I agree to his terms.  I return to my civ building, creating military units, workers, a few works, and the like.  I have a few sorties with the barbarian tribes, earning respect and gratitude from the city-states scattered across the map. 

Suddenly, out of nowhere, France denounces me.  What the heck? I think.  I haven’t gone anywhere near them.  I take a bit of a stiff-necked approach to the response.  I tell them they’ll regret it.  At this point, my main city, Washington is on the northern coast, France is to the southeast, just east of my outlier city, tiny Philadelphia.  A few turns later, and France declares war on me. 

They send an army to march on Philadelphia, which is barely defended.  I scramble the few units I have south to meet their attack.  The city itself bunkers down for war.  Many turns pass as the French aggressors break themselves on the walls of Philadelphia, my citizens fighting with a ferocity that surprises even me.  Undermanned and alone, Philadelphia is besieged for a number of turns.  Both my other cities are struggling to train up soldiers, but it doesn’t seem like they’ll be able to send them south in time.

Suddenly, France pulls back, allowing my defenders to fortify until healed.  They launch another offensive, once more meeting the staunch defenders under my banner.  Shockingly, France sues for peace.  Their terms are tremendously generous, and I, relieved that my tiny city survived and bested the impressive French army, agree to their request. 

But I do not forget.

Years pass as I continue my advance.  I build more cities, train troops, and expand my borders.  Before long, our borders are touching.  France tells me not to settle near them.  Remembering what happened last time, I resist their demands and begin assembling my troops on the border. I want to draw them into a war.  This does not go unnoticed and France publicly denounces me. I ally myself with the city-states nearby and buy more land near France. 

As expected France declares war, as I’d hoped.  The war that follows is lengthy and savage.  I tear apart their outlying cities and slowly and with some losses, advance to the coast, besieging their last two cities.  While at war with France, Songhai wants me to declare war on the Huns, who had previously attacked a city-state I’d allied with.  I had sent them some troops and beat back the aggressors.  However, I tell Songhai that I will in time.  I don’t want to fight a two front war.  Eventually, after heavy fighting, France is defeated. 

I declare war on the Huns, like I promised Songhai.  I have a few troops far to the east, far from my own empire, near another city-state.  The Huns settle near them and try to build a new city.  I immediately attack it with archers and scouts.  The Huns quickly buckle and sue for peace, offering me considerable wealth and the contested city.  I accept and begin to manage this city in the far east.  I notice that their capital is just across the border.  When our treaty is over, I declare war and swiftly subdue their defenses and easily capture their capital.  The Huns are no more.

With only Songhai and me left, I am content to seek a cultural victory.  However, before too much time has passed, one of my cities is suddenly converted to Songhai’s religion.  Shocked, I discover that he had a prophet in my land.   I send my own holy man to the city to convert them back.  Then, after the holy man leaves to spread religion to one of my cities, Boston is converted again.  I return and reestablish my religion.  After that, it’s New York which is converted to Songhai’s.  I attempt to tell Songhai not to send his prophets into my cities.  Shockingly, my request is refused.  Enraged, I denounce Songhai and am denounced in turn.  War is again on the horizon.

To My Big Brother Bill

Hey, man.  I just turned thirty.  Just like you did.  Imagine that.  Only I won't turn out anything like you.  So fuck you.

Crudcast

Haley and I want to try our hands at a podcast.  Nothing earth-shaking or anything.  We just tend to have a lot of good discussions in the car, and thought that maybe we could articulate some of our ideas better in a podcast format that during our casts.  That way we can keep our casts the way they are, and for serious discussion, we'd have the podcast.

Also, Haley is playing Dragonborn right now, and she's on cloud nine. LOVING IT.

Won't Shut Up About the Matrix

I figured out one of the major problems with the Matrix sequels.  All of the fights are completely gratuitous.  No plot development, no character development, no narrative advancement, nothing essential to the story ever occurs.  Especially in the case of the second movie, if you remove all the fights, the movie doesn't change.  It just gets more boring, with all the horrible writing coming even more to light.  So, in a way, all the unmotivated violence kinda distracts you from the terrible story and dialogue.

Okay.  I think I'm done talking about the Matrix.

I've decided to play a Cajun Gangrel mudman in Haley's 1980's Vampire LARP.  I don't know how to do a cajun accent,  so I figure I just won't say much for the first game.  When I do, I'll just make sure that 'there' sounds like 'dere' and 'them' like 'dem' and so forth.  I'm sure that'll get me through a few spots.

Playing through Alan Wake again for Bailey.  It's so good.  It's probably up in my top ten of all time by now.  I even found a novelization of the game.  As soon as I finish up the game, I'm gonna tear through that book.
  

Bucket Mist

I watched The Mist last night.  I only had the single disc version, so I wasn't able to watch it in black-and-white.  Even still, I really liked it.  Very unflinching, very uncompromising.  Definitely wasn't a light watch.  And an earned tragic ending.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if I won't ever watch it again.

 I'm almost through all the behind-the-scenes and making-of featurettes for the Matrix trilogy.  The only one I have left is Revolutions.  Well, that one and the Matrix Experience.  I think that one runs about three discs.  There's a lot of good information on the production of the films, stuff that is very informative and enlightening, despite the failings of the finished product.