It's damned near 100 degrees here--probably around 110 or so with the heat index. Hence the title. In case you were wondering, or maybe expecting some porn. Sorry. Maybe one day. Though it's unlikely.
I think I'm close to have the story I blogged about earlier ready to send to this contest. I've reworked the area I was having some problems with and it reads much better now. Still, got to tweak a few things, sort of massage it all into place, caress it into a coherent whole, nibble away at a couple of plot points . . . damn, yeah, I need to get laid. But, really, it is almost ready to send off, I think.
As I mentioned, it's hot here. Need to give Atari his bath but that will have to wait--someone was using the hose earlier, then someone else when I checked later, and now it's just too frakkin' hot to go outside. He'll get his bath in the morning. Which is fine with him.
Once I get this story submitted I'll be faced with a problem--what next? I have to be working on something. Some project, either a screenplay, story, or something musical. Or all of these. So, what's next?
I've been thinking about an idea that I've had for a long time. It's a swords-and-sorcery thing, and I think the central character could become one of those iconic characters, like Conan. The other story I sent to this contest is sort of a prelude to that--it introduces the character and sort of relates one of his defining moments. And sets up the situation that would be the heart of the story, should I decide to sit down to write it. It involes a lot of other things, too--politics, power, sex, religion--but it'll mostly be about this huge and bloody war for the survival of humanity.
The reason I'm thinking about it is because an ending occurred to me the other day for it. Which is almost (but not quite a guarantee) that I'll do it. The ending itself will require a little more thought--as it is, it's a little bit too . . . something. But I think I can handle that.
It'll be a long, complicated path to that ending, but maybe I can make it worthwhile. If I decide to write it. Part of that decision will be made for me--I want to see how the story gets received by the editor and the judges of this contest. If they dig it, it might be worth pursuing. If they don't . . . it still might be.
Speaking of Conan--I've been seeing trailers for the new Conan film, and it looks very promising. I may actually go see it. I dig the new Conan, Jason Mamoa--check out his work on Stargate Atlantis, if you're curious. Plus, the ladies really dig him, probably more than they dug Ah-nold. I was always a bit disappointed by the Conan films, mostly because I think they strayed too far from the spirit of the stories by Robert E. Howard. Yes, I've read them, all of them--there really aren't all that many--and they are awesome. I find most of Howard's other stuff to be pretty dull, but the Conan stories are vibrant, action-packed, and damned fun. I do urge you to check them out, if you haven't. I'm talking the original stories, here, by Robert E. Howard. I haven't read any of the pastiches so I can't comment on those.
So, I've given you plenty to read and watch, so run along now, watch the complete run of Stargate Atlantis, and read all of the original Conan stories. I'll be here when you come back to thank me.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Sick, twisted randomocity
I'm rewriting this story I wrote a while back. It's a bit odd, for me, in that the viewpoint character is an antihero. For those who don't know--he's basically the bad guy, and the story is told from his point-of-view.
He's a greasy little bastard, too--a pedophillic minister, though he's not Catholic. I don't give many details as to just what his denomination is, except he's Protestant, and very conservative. Anyway, he's a truly hateable f*ckwad, and I think I did a pretty good job with him. You'll want something really nasty to happen to him at the end--and trust me, you'll get your wish.
When I'm done I'm probably going to enter it into the Jounal Stone short story contest for this year. This'll be my second entry, if I think it's worth submitting. The first was a swords-and-sorcery thing I wrote as a prelude to what was going to be a mammoth series of novels.
I was actually one of the winners in this thing last hear, leading to my first published story, "Cabin Fever." I suggest you check it out.
This is the anthology m story appeared in. The other stories ain't bad, either.
For those of you who read my previous blog, yes, my friend has put her dog down. It's a terrible, sad thing.
My own dog is doing about the same. His arthritis is worse, I believe, but that's inevitable, and there's not much that can be done. He's already on the strongest medicine he can be given safely. He can still get around but only slowly, and obviously it hurts. I wish there was more I could do for him.
Anyways, that's what's on my mind this morning. I'm just writing this to delay going back into the head of this douchebag character--I guess I can't put it off any longer.
He's a greasy little bastard, too--a pedophillic minister, though he's not Catholic. I don't give many details as to just what his denomination is, except he's Protestant, and very conservative. Anyway, he's a truly hateable f*ckwad, and I think I did a pretty good job with him. You'll want something really nasty to happen to him at the end--and trust me, you'll get your wish.
When I'm done I'm probably going to enter it into the Jounal Stone short story contest for this year. This'll be my second entry, if I think it's worth submitting. The first was a swords-and-sorcery thing I wrote as a prelude to what was going to be a mammoth series of novels.
I was actually one of the winners in this thing last hear, leading to my first published story, "Cabin Fever." I suggest you check it out.
This is the anthology m story appeared in. The other stories ain't bad, either.
For those of you who read my previous blog, yes, my friend has put her dog down. It's a terrible, sad thing.
My own dog is doing about the same. His arthritis is worse, I believe, but that's inevitable, and there's not much that can be done. He's already on the strongest medicine he can be given safely. He can still get around but only slowly, and obviously it hurts. I wish there was more I could do for him.
Anyways, that's what's on my mind this morning. I'm just writing this to delay going back into the head of this douchebag character--I guess I can't put it off any longer.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Rainy Saturday randomocity
Just an update about my friend's dog that I blogged about the other day--he has osteosarcoma. Which means he's going to be put down, probably sometime this week. My dear friend Rox is devastated, as is her daughter--my goddaughter.
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So, that's why I'm so down tonight.
Do you know about Vampire Mob? It's a fun little webseries about vampires and mobsters--sort of like the Sopranos with fangs. Sort of like the movie Innocent Blood from a few years ago, except it deals more with the practical aspects of being a mobster and a vampire. Like the Sopranos. Also, there's a lot of cursing. I'm a supporting producer--it's a good show and deserves to be supported. Plus, the star, John Colella, is going to be huge. He's great. You'll see some other familiar faces, too--especially if you're a Criminal Minds fan.
As the title above indicates it's rainy. It's not heavy, and it's ended the heat wave. Unlike the other night when we had one of those storms that settled in directly overhead and just stayed there for hours, pouring rain, with continuous lightning. Poor Atari was freaked--he wanted to lay on top of me all night long. I totally understood, too--it was scary. We haven't had one like that in a very long time. Probably not since he's come to live with me, now that I think about it.
Well, that's all I have on my mind right now. What's up with you?
This is another one of those times when I wished I had one of those Stargate ring transports so I could be there for them in person.So, that's why I'm so down tonight.
Do you know about Vampire Mob? It's a fun little webseries about vampires and mobsters--sort of like the Sopranos with fangs. Sort of like the movie Innocent Blood from a few years ago, except it deals more with the practical aspects of being a mobster and a vampire. Like the Sopranos. Also, there's a lot of cursing. I'm a supporting producer--it's a good show and deserves to be supported. Plus, the star, John Colella, is going to be huge. He's great. You'll see some other familiar faces, too--especially if you're a Criminal Minds fan.
As the title above indicates it's rainy. It's not heavy, and it's ended the heat wave. Unlike the other night when we had one of those storms that settled in directly overhead and just stayed there for hours, pouring rain, with continuous lightning. Poor Atari was freaked--he wanted to lay on top of me all night long. I totally understood, too--it was scary. We haven't had one like that in a very long time. Probably not since he's come to live with me, now that I think about it.
Well, that's all I have on my mind right now. What's up with you?
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Let's play a game!
I think most of us have, at one time or another, met at least one celebrity. I've seen Clint Eastwood--didn't talk to him or anything (though my roommate at the time--in a completely separate incident--got on his nerves) but I did see him. I can tell you that he's not one of those celebrities that you have to look at a while to recognize. He looks exactly like he does in his films.
Over the years I'd run into The Nature Boy, Ric Flair, Denver Bronco/Baltimore Ravens tight end (and now CBS football analyst) Shannon Sharpe, former host of ESPN's The Sports Reporters, the late Dick Shaapp, walked past Tommy Chong in the Historic District (didn't recognize him until it was too late--sorry, Tommy).
All of those people have a special place in my heart. All of them are people I admire and respect for one reason or another. But I have yet to meet anyone who is, to me, a real superstar. So, I thought I'd compile a partial list of people who, if I wound up on an elevator with them, would probably think about calling security because I'd turn into an idiotic, raving fanboy. See names you don't recognize? That's what Widipedia is for.
Over the years I'd run into The Nature Boy, Ric Flair, Denver Bronco/Baltimore Ravens tight end (and now CBS football analyst) Shannon Sharpe, former host of ESPN's The Sports Reporters, the late Dick Shaapp, walked past Tommy Chong in the Historic District (didn't recognize him until it was too late--sorry, Tommy).
All of those people have a special place in my heart. All of them are people I admire and respect for one reason or another. But I have yet to meet anyone who is, to me, a real superstar. So, I thought I'd compile a partial list of people who, if I wound up on an elevator with them, would probably think about calling security because I'd turn into an idiotic, raving fanboy. See names you don't recognize? That's what Widipedia is for.
- Elton John
- Ringo Starr
- Paul McCartney
- Maynard James Keenan
- Adam Jones
- Amanda Tapping
- Tanith Lee
- Amy Lee
- Cristina Scabbia
- Morgan Freeman
- Andre Braugher
- Carlos Santana
- Ridley Scott
- Melissa Etheridge
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Sunday morning randomocity
My dear friend Rox's dog has something wrong with one of his legs--it's a bone issue. At this point we don't know what it is, exactly--bone cancer or some sort of disease. Either way it's devastating to her financially. So, she's set up a Pay Pal account for contributions. If you've ever had a dog in your life your life you know what a terrible time this is--you can help by contributing, even a few dollars. Every little bit helps. The URL is https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=XUXJLZVA5FA6J if you need it. Thank you for any contribution you can make.
I'm probably 90 percent done with the first draft of a treatment for a TV show pilot. I'll probably finish it today, then start rewriting it. Treatments are sort of fun to do--it's like writing a script without actually writing a script. Sort of an outline on steroids. They give producers an idea of what the finished product will be like, so they can tell if it'd be worth investing in the project. It also gives the writer a chance to think through the project and identify and resolve any potential problems in the early stages of development, which is always easier than trying to resolve them at the actual scripting stage.
It's been a lazy weekend. I need to do some stuff to get ready for my impending move--I got a ton of stuff to get rid of, one way or another. The more crap I can eliminate from my life, the better off I'll be. I got rid of one of my cheaper guitars the other day by giving it to a co-worker whose son is thinking about learning to play. Gave him this cheap little amp, too. Kid has been having a rough time--he's started having seizures and nobody knows why. His mom told me he was delighted by the guitar, which does my heart good.
ABC Family is showing all the Harry Potter movies this weekend, so I'm set as far as television is concerned. I can just leave it there and mess around the house, sit down to watch a few minutes, and still know what's going on, since I"ve seen most of them anyway. If that makes any sense.
That's about all that's on my mind right now. Visit the link above, kick in a few bucks to help her out. Trust me, it'll be thoroughly appreciated.
I'm probably 90 percent done with the first draft of a treatment for a TV show pilot. I'll probably finish it today, then start rewriting it. Treatments are sort of fun to do--it's like writing a script without actually writing a script. Sort of an outline on steroids. They give producers an idea of what the finished product will be like, so they can tell if it'd be worth investing in the project. It also gives the writer a chance to think through the project and identify and resolve any potential problems in the early stages of development, which is always easier than trying to resolve them at the actual scripting stage.
It's been a lazy weekend. I need to do some stuff to get ready for my impending move--I got a ton of stuff to get rid of, one way or another. The more crap I can eliminate from my life, the better off I'll be. I got rid of one of my cheaper guitars the other day by giving it to a co-worker whose son is thinking about learning to play. Gave him this cheap little amp, too. Kid has been having a rough time--he's started having seizures and nobody knows why. His mom told me he was delighted by the guitar, which does my heart good.
ABC Family is showing all the Harry Potter movies this weekend, so I'm set as far as television is concerned. I can just leave it there and mess around the house, sit down to watch a few minutes, and still know what's going on, since I"ve seen most of them anyway. If that makes any sense.
That's about all that's on my mind right now. Visit the link above, kick in a few bucks to help her out. Trust me, it'll be thoroughly appreciated.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Draconian: A Rose For The Apocalypse
If you've been reading this blog for a while--and I hope there are a few people out there who can say that--you'll know that I adore this Swedish Goth Metal band. Love love love them. So, I wasted no time getting their brand new one (just out today)--A Rose for the Apocalypse.
I'll just tell you up front that I love it. It's not quite impressive enough to overtake their previous release, Turning Season Within, but it's close.
Draconian has this gift of writing music that is both powerful and beautiful--a throbbing, pounding beat accompanied by a synth line or vocal that is almost heart-breakingly beautiful, or a quiet, peaceful moment that erupts into a wild, powerful cacophony that will make you wish you were holding a guitar so you could bang along. (Fortunately for me that is an option!) Female vocalist Lisa Johannson has one of those magical voices that soars over the music or blends in with it--many times her vocals are layered in with the synthesizer line in the mix. Anders Jacobsson's harsh vocals provide a nice contrast--beauty and the beast, sort of. The interplay of their two different vocal styles, the friction that results, is a large part of the charm. There's a reason I've said I want to start a Draconian tribute band. If I can find a group of musicians who can produce music like this, this powerful and this dramatic, then they'll be able to play the kind of music that regularly thunders through my brain, too.
Another secret to their success is their production--there are a lot of sublties in the mix, little things that add so much. These guys know their sound.
Favorite tunes on this one? I've only listened to it all the way through once, and there aren't any tunes on here I don't like, but I'd have to pick "The Drowning Age," "The Last Hour of Ancient Sunlight," and "Elysian Night." Subject to change after repeated listenings--of which there will be many, I can assure you.
My final verdict? An A. Buy it. Now. And get Turning Season Within, too, while you're at it. And prepare to have your mind blown. Yes, it is possible for someone to make music like this.
There's hope for us after all!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Independence Day randomocity
I think I'm finally beginning to emerge from my slump.
Over the past couple of weeks everything I've tried to write--with the exception of a couple of song lyrics--has royally sucked. I tried writing a few treatments for film and TV show ideas and they were just awful. Good ideas, just terrible execution.
This morning I made another attempt at a treatment for a pilot for a TV show and this time I think it's hanging together. So far. I'm about halfway through it. And, of course, it'll need to be rewritten a few times, but that's something I'll worry about when the time comes.
That's the real secret, really--just get it down on paper. Don't worry if it's beautiful, or perfect, or grammatically correct, or even logical. You'll have plenty of opportunities to rewrite, and nobody expects a first draft to be perfect. Get it down and then worry about making it beautiful, logical, dramatic, funny, etc. It's my boss's favorite saying--how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. The first draft is that first bte. Don't worry about the second bite, don't even think about it, until you've chewed and swallowed the first one. And so on.
To help celebrate the holiday I got some ribs from Outback yesterday, and I have to say they were lovely. Outback also has a really cool online ordering system, too. Check it out. About as easy as it can get.
As I type this Style TV is rerunning the 2006 season of Project Runway--I think that was the last season I followed the show. Fashion is one of those things that has roven to me that it is, indeed, possible for me to appreciate an art form without necessarily wanting to participate in it. That's something of a first, for me--normally when I read a great book, or see a great film or TV show, it inspires me to try to create something like that myself. Not so, with fashion--I can appreciate it without wanting to create it myself. Of course I'm the same way about the visual arts, I guess, since I have no talent for drawing or sculpture.
I do still dig the show, btw--it's the only reality TV show I'm even passingly interested in--but it usually conflicts with something else I just can't miss. Since I don't have a DVR, something has to go . . .
Oh, and if I haven't mentioned it before, I"m becoming addicted to the xkcd comic strip. Genius. It also inspired an idea in me for a web series--that, though, is something I'll need to think about for a while yet before going into any further details. But, in the mean time, if you are one of the unititiated, go to http://www.xkcd.com/ and take the plunge. You'll thank me.
So what are you doing this holiday?
Over the past couple of weeks everything I've tried to write--with the exception of a couple of song lyrics--has royally sucked. I tried writing a few treatments for film and TV show ideas and they were just awful. Good ideas, just terrible execution.
This morning I made another attempt at a treatment for a pilot for a TV show and this time I think it's hanging together. So far. I'm about halfway through it. And, of course, it'll need to be rewritten a few times, but that's something I'll worry about when the time comes.
That's the real secret, really--just get it down on paper. Don't worry if it's beautiful, or perfect, or grammatically correct, or even logical. You'll have plenty of opportunities to rewrite, and nobody expects a first draft to be perfect. Get it down and then worry about making it beautiful, logical, dramatic, funny, etc. It's my boss's favorite saying--how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. The first draft is that first bte. Don't worry about the second bite, don't even think about it, until you've chewed and swallowed the first one. And so on.
To help celebrate the holiday I got some ribs from Outback yesterday, and I have to say they were lovely. Outback also has a really cool online ordering system, too. Check it out. About as easy as it can get.
As I type this Style TV is rerunning the 2006 season of Project Runway--I think that was the last season I followed the show. Fashion is one of those things that has roven to me that it is, indeed, possible for me to appreciate an art form without necessarily wanting to participate in it. That's something of a first, for me--normally when I read a great book, or see a great film or TV show, it inspires me to try to create something like that myself. Not so, with fashion--I can appreciate it without wanting to create it myself. Of course I'm the same way about the visual arts, I guess, since I have no talent for drawing or sculpture.
I do still dig the show, btw--it's the only reality TV show I'm even passingly interested in--but it usually conflicts with something else I just can't miss. Since I don't have a DVR, something has to go . . .
Oh, and if I haven't mentioned it before, I"m becoming addicted to the xkcd comic strip. Genius. It also inspired an idea in me for a web series--that, though, is something I'll need to think about for a while yet before going into any further details. But, in the mean time, if you are one of the unititiated, go to http://www.xkcd.com/ and take the plunge. You'll thank me.
So what are you doing this holiday?
Saturday, July 2, 2011
OK, then, riddle me this one. . . or two . . .
Why is it some people, when they are out driving around and find themselves totally lost, decide to do whatever the car behind them does?
It has to be the car behind them because these people are usually driving 1 mph so there are no cars in front. And they'll continue to drive 1 mph because they have to keep a close eye on their rear-view, in case the car behind them--driven by me, most likely--flips on a turning signal. So they can turn, too.
I've had people tell me they do this. None of them have been able to tell me why they think frustrating the bejeezus out of some random stranger is the solution to their problem. I even had a big tractor-trailer do it to me once--I was trying to find a place where we were having a work-related meeting and I just couldn't get out from behind this huge rig. I made a couple of U turns and he made them, too. Only way I could get past this idiot so I could actually see where I was going was by turning into a parking lot and shooting around him after he stopped.
It is possible to have some fun with these people, though. When I lived downtown I would send these people the wrong way up a one-way street, once I figured out this is what they're doing. It's easy--just flip on your signal light as you approach an intersection and they'll make the turn. Then I would just turn off the turn signal and keep going, finally able to drive close to the speed limit. Until I get behind another lost idiot.
Also--why do people suddenly decide, while they're driving along, to suddenly put their cars in reverse? I almost got nailed twice by the same guy who does that--he'll drive by, I'll start backing out, unaware that after he got past me he put his car in reverse and is now driving backwards, and of course not even thinking to check behind him. I did get dinged in the parking lot at the grocery store by an old lady who did that--she had the nerve to start berating me bcause I was backing up. Though I was backing out of a parking space and she had come to an interesection and decided for some reason she needed to back up. Without, of course, checking behind her. She decided it wasn't that big a deal when I took out my cell phone and called the cops.
So, any of you have any ideas why people do this crap? Beyond just general stupidity, that is?
It has to be the car behind them because these people are usually driving 1 mph so there are no cars in front. And they'll continue to drive 1 mph because they have to keep a close eye on their rear-view, in case the car behind them--driven by me, most likely--flips on a turning signal. So they can turn, too.
I've had people tell me they do this. None of them have been able to tell me why they think frustrating the bejeezus out of some random stranger is the solution to their problem. I even had a big tractor-trailer do it to me once--I was trying to find a place where we were having a work-related meeting and I just couldn't get out from behind this huge rig. I made a couple of U turns and he made them, too. Only way I could get past this idiot so I could actually see where I was going was by turning into a parking lot and shooting around him after he stopped.
It is possible to have some fun with these people, though. When I lived downtown I would send these people the wrong way up a one-way street, once I figured out this is what they're doing. It's easy--just flip on your signal light as you approach an intersection and they'll make the turn. Then I would just turn off the turn signal and keep going, finally able to drive close to the speed limit. Until I get behind another lost idiot.
Also--why do people suddenly decide, while they're driving along, to suddenly put their cars in reverse? I almost got nailed twice by the same guy who does that--he'll drive by, I'll start backing out, unaware that after he got past me he put his car in reverse and is now driving backwards, and of course not even thinking to check behind him. I did get dinged in the parking lot at the grocery store by an old lady who did that--she had the nerve to start berating me bcause I was backing up. Though I was backing out of a parking space and she had come to an interesection and decided for some reason she needed to back up. Without, of course, checking behind her. She decided it wasn't that big a deal when I took out my cell phone and called the cops.
So, any of you have any ideas why people do this crap? Beyond just general stupidity, that is?
Friday, July 1, 2011
The goat and the need
I've been reflecting a bit on scapegoats lately. It's because of an idea that I'll use eventually, that goes something like this:
The FBI is called in to investigate a crime. They know the suspect is in this small town. They move in, begin asking around, and everyone points the finger at the same guy. Apparently he's a one-man crime wave--he's committed arson, burglary, made obscene phone calls, stolen cars, all sorts of things. So, why isn't he in jail?
The Feds talk to the local sheriff, who says that he doesn't bother to bring that guy in anymore, when a crime is committed--beyond a couple of petty juvenile offenses he hasn't done anything. Everything the locals accuse this guy of is a closed case--someone else was caught and convicted or plead out. The townspeople don't bother to mention this--to them, this guy did it even if someone else was arrested and convicted of it. Basically they just became convinced that this guy is a scumbag and nothing will change their minds.
You see, when people feel the need to blame someone they don't really care who it is, and it doesn't matter if it's the person who actually committed the act. We use an offense of some kind to justify our own prejuidices. That's why I try not to rush to judgement. Having been used as a scapegoat many times myself, I know what it's like to be accussed, so I have a bit more sympathy towards the accused than many others. I know what it's like to have to defend yourself against a bullshit charge. Granted, once or twice it wasn't a bullshit charge, but in those cases I've always come clean about it. When I'm guilty you'll know it, because I'll tell you.
But people will always need someone, a monster in their midst who has offended the gods and brought down all our misery.
If they can't find one they'll create one.
The FBI is called in to investigate a crime. They know the suspect is in this small town. They move in, begin asking around, and everyone points the finger at the same guy. Apparently he's a one-man crime wave--he's committed arson, burglary, made obscene phone calls, stolen cars, all sorts of things. So, why isn't he in jail?
The Feds talk to the local sheriff, who says that he doesn't bother to bring that guy in anymore, when a crime is committed--beyond a couple of petty juvenile offenses he hasn't done anything. Everything the locals accuse this guy of is a closed case--someone else was caught and convicted or plead out. The townspeople don't bother to mention this--to them, this guy did it even if someone else was arrested and convicted of it. Basically they just became convinced that this guy is a scumbag and nothing will change their minds.
You see, when people feel the need to blame someone they don't really care who it is, and it doesn't matter if it's the person who actually committed the act. We use an offense of some kind to justify our own prejuidices. That's why I try not to rush to judgement. Having been used as a scapegoat many times myself, I know what it's like to be accussed, so I have a bit more sympathy towards the accused than many others. I know what it's like to have to defend yourself against a bullshit charge. Granted, once or twice it wasn't a bullshit charge, but in those cases I've always come clean about it. When I'm guilty you'll know it, because I'll tell you.
But people will always need someone, a monster in their midst who has offended the gods and brought down all our misery.
If they can't find one they'll create one.
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