I'm still here

It maybe over a year since I've posted on blogger. I moved things over to wordpress.
To see reviews on Paddockwood Beer, read my fiction for free, or check my few articles on Geocaching, and a whole lot more...
Head on over to http://pearcekilgour.wordpress.com

NaNoWriMo - Nov.1 - Word Count 2910

Nov.1 - Start! using zulupad pro for journaling progress, and for cross referencing. If I get ideas or information on how this new world I'm writing works, I'll dump it in there, make the wiki for it later. Most of these posts like these word count or reflections on the writing process will be done there.

For the actual writing, I'm using writemonkey. Simple clean interface, no distractions. Reminds me of WP5, blue background, white letters. No bloat ware here, self running EXE.

Once I'm done a segment I'm copying the whole thing, then dump into other word editor for word count.

2910 words on 'Unnamed' steampunk/fantasy epic, I don't need unecessary loss of time doing science research, this is pure story writing baby!

Already blogged, checked on slow cooker. Procrastination, thy name is Pearce, NO MORE!

Motivational Posters - Not just a marketing ploy

Check these out. Can't get any more motivational or meme like than these. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Calm_and_Carry_On

WWII, british government decided to make a series of posters to alert the masses. Great bit of crowd control and keep that stiff uppper lip during all the bombings. Recently (past couple months I believe) they have gained the attention of authors Warren Ellis and Cory Doctorow.

So, with the popularity in the Inventables, the Tinkerers, the Inventors, the Makers and the DIY crowd, comes ...

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/03/18/get-excited-and-make.html

And then finally for the relaxation phase...

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/10/20/breathe-deep-and-let.html

For a daily routine, it's 3 good mantras to follow.

Keep Calm and Carry On - Better than 'when in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout!'

Get Excited and Make Things - Better than 'I'll procrastinate tomorrow.

Breathe deep and Let Go of Things - This alone, will remind me to stop and be thankful, to center myself when I've had a hectic day of carrying on and making things.

So what does this post have to do with motivational posters, marketing, and crowd control memes? Not much, but it has been a distraction from me doing my 2k words for NaNoWriMo, as I don't have a plan so I'm panicing a little, I'm stressed about the flimsy plot, and the pain in my back reminds me that it's been too long since I've last got the knots out of my back... or gone to yoga. Irony, I've got it. Don't do as I do, do what I meme.

I'm still here,

Pearce Kilgour

So for a buck fifty and what I overheard is worth...

Warning : Innoculation of fact checking and seeking the truth is infectious. The following is just my opinion, if you disagree and wish to prove me wrong, bring me some facts and I can research.

Those who spread information based on fear are just as much if not as dangerous as the problem itself. They spread false information based on their own fears, and spread the paranoia into the community. For those that they convince, they put those people's wellbeing at risk. Those who don't seek out experts and ask what danger there is can only base the facts on what they've overheard. They are not arming themselves against the problem in the first place. There is an infection of ignorance which breeds in an environment of fear and it spreads like wildfire.

So what can we do to stop this?

Feed your brain with facts and common sense. You should be doing this on a daily basis. Ask an expert. Read a book. Actually read, don't skim. Avoid news services that spend more money on their video graphics than their own fact checkers and reporters. Avoid putting large amounts of speculation on things beyond your control.

If you come across those who refuse to do even one of these things, ask them to get sources proven. Call their hand, lets see the cards. Cross reference their information. If they are wrong, pass the proven facts back to who they got it from. If they refuse, they don't care about your own wellbeing. If they are right, isn't it great to be smart enough to change your mind and gather information from the correct people you've put around you?

Just remember, you'd let a neighbour change your tire for you, but would you let them perform open heart surgery on you? Would you let them invest your life savings? Would you let them tell you how to vote? So... Why would you take medical advice from them? Why would you take investment advice from them? Why would you let them tell you who should be making laws for you? The only way that I would let them would be for conversation. Or if my neighbour is a brilliant cardiac surgeon with hands of a demi god, brains and amazing spreadsheet talent of a financial wizard, and the gift of gab from a world reknown political sociologist. (If that was the case, then I'd tell them to pass me the tire iron and get to fixing things because they have better things to do with their time than helping me change a tire.)

Just because you don't have the facts, doesn't mean you can't get to them in a smarter method. The internet is easy to use, don't let it use you. Seek the truth, kill a rumor today, help a friend improve their wellbeing, you'll thank yourself for it.

I'm still here,
Pearce Kilgour

1KDay - Mattress Falling

Did 809 for the serial series, definitely a first draft on that, as I'm writing it, the plot I want to write is coming out. Will have to redo that.

But today... Golden Buddha writing challenge. The first line in the story is preset and you take it from there. Think this one would be good to develop into audio short story. Lots of dialogue and back and forth. Talon the main character is turning into my favorite 'everyman', lost artist wanderer who has more musical talent than I ever will.

I just learned how to play the stereo last week.

Basically I had to explain how a small town came to be in that situation. There's a lot more here, can definitely smell the influences of King with the weird little small towns.

Tomorrow, I will try and get strictly plotting for the serial series.

***

They had been waiting, umbrellas up, for the falling mattresses.

Talon had seen some truly bizarre sights in his time, but this scored an 11 on the weird-ometer. The entire town had come out into the fresh cold air left behind from the vicious storm. He thought it was the equivalent of taking the town through a refreshing ice cold shower. People smiled looking up at the sky, pointing here and there, laughing. Others laughed and wept openly in joy.

It was a hairy three days previous. A series of storms were pacing him ever pushing him further west. They finally caught up with him in the small town of Clover. Nothing much to the town, the only saving grace was that it had the largest mattress manufacturer in the Mid-west, and apparently the cartoonist who designed fast food icons got married here. Usually places like this didn't like strangers or drifters. Talon assured him that he wasn't strange, just his life was. The local bar needed an extra hand, just enough to put food in his stomach, roof over his head, and during the silent tense time huddled downstairs with other patrons, he found a grateful audience. Somehow his guitar managed to pierce through the rumbling and whistling sounds that shook the building above them.

There was cheering as well, and countdowns as each of the mattresses sproinged, bounced, thwapped and impacted into cars, buildings and in one case toppling over a tree.

Talon decided that they were all insane, and moved back into the doorway just as a king size mattress bounced off the pavement four feet away from where he once stood.

"Okay, they've all gone nuts."

"No buddy, they haven't. What you hear, is freedom." Frank the bartender spoke as he grinned at the sight. "You don't know their stories is all. Each and every one of them, this whole town, has been hooked into that factory for generations now."

Talon looked again outside, "I don't get it, that's the main source of money coming into the town-"

"Nevermind that, there, take a look at Harry. Blue ballcap, eye patch? He lost his eye at the factory. Father died of heart attack on the line, grandfather died on the way into the factory, slipped and broke open his skull."

Talon looked over to the lanky man that slapped his knees and pointed with his own umbrella to the one double sized mattress that arced on slow leaf parabolas into mainstreet and skidded for thirty feet before coming to a perfect stop into a vacant parking spot.

"Glenelda over there, her daughter said no, but the bastards son had other plans. Kid died two years later, overdose, suicide." The dirty yellow haired woman in the bright red sweater cried out loud, her hands smearing the mascara over her cheeks. Talon was reminded of the mourners of the middle east, a very large white trash version.

"Charlie can finally go get his boyfriend now from Chicago. There was a no-gays rule-"

"Wait, a what?"

"Owner was also the mayor. No homo's in our pure town. Can't have any of them, no sir. Bad voters, and child molestors."

"Wow, bigot, and a racist?"

"Yep, Margarette can finally bring her brothers from Los Angeles. Just barely made it past his evaluation." Frank drawled then chuckled at the woman as she danced to the sounds around her.

Talon began to understand, there was so much pain held up in this town. All concentrated in that one spot. Every hard working man, woman, and probably child in some circumstances was slaving to that machine. There was a few worried faces, but underneath, nothing but relief. Old resentments were lifted as easily as the factory was turned into billions of toothpicks. But somehow, managed to lift up every single mattress out of the factory and shoot them into the upper atmosphere.

This wasn't a rain of frogs, it was all shapes and sizes. Kings fell with Queens, while the twins and double foamed corpses bounced putting small dents in the newer cars.

"So where is the owner?"

"Lived out in that factory. Don't know how, but he was there, day and night. There was no home for him. Just the dollars. He's fourth generation. Each time the factory was supposed to be moved to the town, last minute the son comes forward and challenges it."

"Four generations of making mattresses?"

"Yep, and the small amount of hope and cheer happened about a month ago. He sold the factory to another company, took in a tidy bundle, then put himself back in the same spot. There was supposed to be a change of management, but somehow it didn't take. Rumor had it, he had investigators dig up dirt on the new manager. Must have been something bad, or believable." Frank took another look outside. "Still raining."

"Yeah. Should get the taps going, people are going to be thirsty." Talon moved inside, putting on an apron and got behind the counter.

"You kidding me? They aren't going to come in with all of this happening. Lookit those people, they will go home after this."

"But it's the evening rush."

"Talon, you really don't get it. They don't need any liquid cheer. They are going to go home, to their own beds. They'll finally get a decent nights sleep."

1KDay - Thousands of words

Posting this from public library computer terminal. So far I've read girl genius books 1+2, Fax from Sarajevo and 300 from the graphic novel section. Funny how it's placed right in the young adult reading section. I got stared at funny when I went and grabbed Maus.

Yeah. If you don't know it, go put a reserve on it from the library. This is not your average tights read. It's heavy hard hitting -human- stories. This is the stuff that they are teaching at the university under popular culture and the english department.

Nevermind that though. Kid is at the dance hall nearby getting her lessons that she's been at for the last 3.5 hours. And Dance Dad needs to get his 1K words done today. Only thing I can think of is a bizarre combination of Steampunk Romeo and Juliette versus the Empire from Star Wars. Sounds cool, but not enough time to do it justice. Maybe I'll do that story from the point of view of a paramecium.

Crap or not, I will not fear. I will write. Time and persistance will hone the writing blade.

1K A Day - The Order of Things

Todays February Writing Challenge, took another one of the 5 minute exercises and expanded it out. This one disturbed me a little as I had to recall all the things that people with obsessive compulsive behaviour. Then apply those habits and routines that they would use to start their mornings. Exercise is to show in detail through the character the effects of OCD, and not use the words "obsessive compulsive".

I wasn't disturbed at how the character got to that point, but the willing fact that I put in one event which upset the whole routine. I don't think I've done the main point of this story justice. I'll probably come back to it at a later date. Or scrap it entirely and never broach the subject again. Not unless it's for a really interesting character that I will use time and again. I am reminded of Murder on the Orient Express, where Poirot begins his nightly chores of waxing his moustache, etc. Seemed so neat and precise, think I borrowed some of that here.

As well, I've never wrote a guy character named Shannon. Until now. Apologies to those with OCD, I know I haven't described the symptoms or did enough research for this. And to guys named Shannon.

***

The Order of Things

Shannon dreamed of grid paper, immaculate and precise in white blue fluorescent. Unspoiled by mark of ink or graphite. The hint of a smile contrasted the brow which furrowed in stress. The alarm rang four times, his hand smoothly ran across the crisp linen sheets to tap the snooze button twice, then reached for the switch to turn the alarm off. He looked to the upper corner of the room that displayed the time in bright green LED's.

Blinking twice, he sat up slowly, allowing the sleep to be left behind. He swung his feet over the side of the bed into the slipper loafers. Grabbing the folded bundle of laundry from yesterday, he stepped deftly to the laundry nook and placed yesterdays clothing that he held into the washer. Taking the cups he filled the night before, added the soap and softener to the load. Nodding in approval to the awaiting chore, he stopped and looked to the upper corner of the room and was pleased that the green LED lights showed he was ahead of schedule this morning.

Shannon was comfortable in the rut of habits he had. It wasn't so much of what he did, but the precision which pleased him, the efficiency soothed against the chaos which lay outside his door. He unrolled the yoga mat in front of the clothes washer. Kneeling down he deftly fired off five pushups then lay on the mat, rolled over and fired off five situps. Eyes once again looked up to the time then stretching out his length slowly reached forward to his toes five times. His head spun a little but he was pleased at his progress so far this morning. The washer kicked into the next cycle and Shannon stood up, putting away the mat. It was a bit stubborn and would not roll right, frowning he lay it out on the ground again, and counted the hand curls it took to roll it up. He did miss the one, and reminded himself that a job can be done well the second time around. The clock reported that he was now just on time, due to his minor setback.

No time to waste, to the crisp clean bathroom, everything laid out in precise 90 degrees to the counter. Shannon found that he slept easier knowing that the specialty toothpaste he ordered came with a straight tube instead of a traditional cone tube. To stay with that would have ruined the precise lines and Shannon could not have that. He tolerated the bend in the toothbrush, barely, but managed to keep those thoughts away by counting the strokes for each tooth. When he reached 40 he moved to the next two teeth. Precisely half way through, he put more paste on the brush and continued, his tongue tingling from the paste was not unpleasant. Rinsing and swishing 10 times for each side. He allowed the luxury of only gargling once with mouth wash, and tried not to think of what would happen if he actually had to leave his house. Checking the clock in the upper right hand corner, he was still on schedule.

He quickly washed his hands and then after squirted some hand sanitizer into them. He counted the degrees as he turned the taps on the shower, then after the bathroom had sufficiently filled with steam, he forced his body under the blazing hot blast of water. After drying himself off with the one large white towel, and one small hand towel, Shannon decided it was a good start to the day.

Expeditiously walking to the kitchen, fourteen steps. Hands found bleach wipes and began running the sterilizing liquid over all of the surfaces. He stopped counting the times it took to go back and forth, as that did not match what he did yesterday. Finally after stepping on the lid pedal for the garbage, he dropped the lone sanitizer sheet in.

The toaster and coffee maker gleamed as he took them out from under the counter. Almost frowning at the fingerprints into the stainless steel surface, there was something amiss. A vibration, a sound, spilling and water. His eyes glanced upwards to the upper corner of the room noting the time then rushing to the laundry nook.

Steel cold fear and shock ran through his gut. Soapy dirty water puked forth from the washer churning out and heaving it's load. A puddle encroached the china white carpet with the inevitable speed of an iceberg. Shrieking, he ran to the supply cabinet, quickly grabbing a fresh new mop. Tearing the plastic away from it, he did manage to get the wrapper near the garbage can. Half way through mopping up the water, he stopped went back to the kitchen and dealt with the errant plastic wrapper to find his bagel was burned, and the coffee maker pinging happily that it's job was complete.

The green lights of the clock glared down at him as he rushed back to the laundry nook with papertowels and garbage bags in hand. Shannon rushed trying to sop up all of the mess and then looking to the clock again, felt another shock of guilt through his system.

He forced down the bagel then spotted his hands. They were filthy. Thoughts of all those remaining fibers of cloth, dead skin cells, and remaining dirt that was drying on his skin made his stomach retch.

Back to the bathroom, he dared not look up to the identical clocks that glared, but risking a glance, he saw the numbers flashing 12:00 over and over again. The tension ran across his shoulders as he returned to the supply cabinet, removed the 9v battery from the pack. He went to the three places where the shopping lists were kept and updated for 1 battery. He couldn't forget something if he did it that way.

Forgetting something....

He had to start over.

Back to the laundry nook, he unrolled the yoga mat across the neatly mopped floor and performed the same exercises again. This time, he unplugged the clothes washer, then returned to the bathroom again. Under the blazing hot shower until his stomach stopped heaving, Shannon decided he would have to have the washer sent out. Can't have other people in the apartment, no that wouldn't do.

Even under the shower, he sweated again, cleansing out. He would have to double time it now, out of the shower, grabbing the coffee and burned bagel and cleaning supplies he quickly clothed himself and ran upstairs.

Unlocking the door to his office, he quickly grabbed the ringing phone.

"Hello?"

"Shannon, it's John. Listen, I had a great brainstorming idea and the clients want to meet on this."

"Oh?" Another shock of fear ran through Shannons system. The anxiety built up already running rampant with the looming of the clock.

"Listen, I know you do your best from home, it's just for lunch, okay?"

Shannon looked at the green clock and saw that it was approaching lunch. He would have to hurry through his rituals before leaving the house. "Al-yeah, yes. I'll be there. Could you do me a favor though? What's the weather like?"

"Windstorm, kicking up dust from the valley, wear a hat, it might rain later on."

"Really?"

"Yeah Shannon, hey you can't grow a garden in a sterile. See you at the Barking Hound at noon."

Shannon absently hung the phone back up, saw that he had spilled a perfect quarter sized droplet of his coffee. He used the cleaning supplies then regretfully looked to the blinds. He had to work them a little, trying to remember which way they went.

The caramel sky reflected the amount of dust and wind for the day, setting a beige light into his office. Stray pieces of paper eddied and lifted up on an updraft. Trees swayed back and forth from the storm winds.

His mouth went dry. It was all falling apart. He would have to go out. Into that place. With the dirt. And the people with their greasy hands, spreading the germs. The habits wouldn't protect him out there.

But that was mother nature, dirty and invasive and the true order of things.

1k a day challege

The following is part of writing exercise/challenge from James Melzer. Write 1000 words a day for 28 days aka month of February. Found a great writing exercise site that I am going to be using in conjunction with other story writing habits, etc.
http://www.cmmayo.com/d5mwe.html

The character is one from my high school scribblings. You'd think that after so many years they would fade or become something else. The muse and flow of conciousness grabbed me tight on this one. Think with some editing I'll tighten up the grammar. Or record as short story audio wise.

*****

Recently Used

Talon patted down his pockets, looking for the familiar shape and weight of the cigarette pack in the many pockets of his leather jacket. He could still smell the stale beer and sweat from last nights concert. Finding the case, he flipped open the battered lid to find one bent cigarette, placed the butt end between his lips, then reached for the lighter. The small zippo was not in it's place, only the envelope with the words of a dead friend.

Cursing, he put the cigarette back into the pack and then rubbed more red into his eyes. Pushing the sunglasses towards the shock of white hair. Taking a deep breath and reciting the words, he knew that he would be able to get through this craving, at least for an hour or so.

That would be enough time to view the things left behind, by her.

Fumbling his pockets again, his hands shook taking the key and letter out. He could also smell the vanilla and strawberry perfume she once wore on the paper. The key was recently engraved but show the marks of recent use. He held the letter delicately, trying not to ruin her scent while the key slid neatly.

The smell of recent renovations intermixed with lingering incense of cinnamon and herbs. Talon stepped into the shadow gratefully, his eyes and lungs relaxing a little as the morning sun was too harsh for his hungover state. He almost stumbled down the stairs into the sunken livingroom, his hand grabbing at the wall for balance, hit a switch and the blinds automatically brought the morning sun back in again.

Growling at the inevitable, he took the sunglasses off and looked around. There was the couch that he slept on many nights, back in Oregon. There was the bookshelf, the pinkish stain of wine that would not come out of the yellowing wood. Her yoga mat covered in so many pillows next to the coffee table. Talon's throat constricted as he saw the graveyard of pillbottles, small herb plants, and books that littered the area. A new support pillar seemed out of place, and new, still bearing price codes.

Just another reminder about the pain she went through.

A wave of pain and fatigue rolled through Talon, as he moved through the strange combination of familiar and not. The kitchen lay beyond, and the fridge called to him. Within he found several bottles of water, draining two of them after another, the cold shock hitting his stomach which churned.

Taking a moment, his eyes saw the wok, a fine layer of dust had formed on it. Memory of stirfry and strawberry wine of a christmas past. Was there anything else here that would not remind him of her? A set of stairs lead him upwards, he carefully opened the envelope, and he paused to smell it. There was her there, but underneath that foreboding smell.

The reflected sunlight lighted up her handwriting, there were small stains on the paper. Talon realized that those were the remains of her tears. Sitting down he coughed a little, his hands becoming moist with nervousness.

'Talon, this is one of those times where I am lucid and the painkillers are not fogging my brain.
I always promised that I would get you a champagne breakfast, never thought it would take the cancer to get you into this spot. I know, I never could do things normally, but this would be an invitation you would never forget. At this point, I don't even remember what our fight was about. Only that I was better with you, and you for me. But the cancer changed that. So many nights I wanted to call, but I knew that you would endlessly dote over me. The part which makes Lonnie into Talon would have changed. And we can't have that. I do know this, for our love, it made my life more. More. But this thing that is eating away at my brain has other plans for my fantasy of reuniting. For that, I apologize for all the pain I have left for you. Know this, there was nothing on this planet that could have stopped it. Not even my new upstairs roommate. My lawyers number is on the inside of envelope. He will bring papers for all my worldly goods, even though the best part I leave for you is my love.

The first thing I hear in the next lifetime will be your laughter.
Love forever,
Jan

P.S. I think Alice would be someone to lean on. She's cute too.'

Blinking away the tears he folded up the letter and continued upstairs. Her bed was neatly made, clothing folded into neat rows. An unused sticky note pad and pen lay atop a green bundle of hospital scrubs. The alarm clocked flashed 12:00 incessantly. Talon squinted in the forgiving darkness and noticed the large velvet divider which split the upstairs.

Room mate.

Feeling a little intrusive now, and trying to think of the things he would have to say to this stranger, his fingers caught the divider and slid it back. The morning sun glinted off the huge golden form sending spikes of pain into his eyes. The room filled with a light that seemed to creep around and kill every shadow. The large Buddha statue sat contentedly, blocking the entire window.

"Room mate huh? Always loved that little bit of crazy of yours Jan."

He heard the seagulls from the bay, and tried to look out of the window. Awkwardly he had to almost sit on the statue to get a look outside. It would have been the perfect thing to wake up to every morning, or afternoon in Talon's case. A quiet part of the San Francisco bay, and in that moment, Talon thought he saw a whale tail slipping beneath the surface.

'Why did she do this? Away from her bed, sleeping downstairs beside all those things... it got that bad she couldn't climb the stairs? It's going to be a hell of a thing trying to get it removed.' Thoughts ran around Talon's head as he tried to deal with the alien and obtrusive statue.

Then it came to him, she could not put it in the livingroom, because she could not do that anymore. Living. She left Buddha there to look out at the world, to see what was going on, for her.

"Mr. Talon?" A voice floated up from downstairs.

Talon trotted down the stairs, still with fresh tears painting his cheeks. "Yeah?"

"I'm Slade, with the law firm representing Miss Janice Ravenblood's estate. I have the paperwork already for you to sign. She arranged for everything to be done as smoothly as possible. The utilities will have to go over, as she didn't have your last known address." The man spoke in crisp tones, holding the manilla envelope.

Just at that moment, Talon saw his old guitar, propped up next to the piles of pillows. There wasn't a speck of dust on it. Recently used.

"Was a hotel, barely." Talon laughed and rubbed his eyes again.

"If you wish we can get these papers signed later, this isn't a good time?"

Talon stopped and looked up at the support beam, then grinned. "No time like the present. Let's go down to the water, get a coffee, sign those papers. Some place where he can get a good look."

2008... the last post

Allright, listen up, going to be making some changes to blog. Life permitting, I will get short stories and recorded audio of stories here. As well as find a new theme... custom headers etc. Lots of things which need to be done, like read those articles on blogging and -how- to - do - blogs - right. As well as heed advice of said blogs which report 'Don't put on your blog that you should be blogging more.'

I definitely need a schedule and set time each day to write, have to save up change for laptop so I can write on the go as mobile lifestyle dictates.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy 2009.
Go social media,
Listen to free podcasts,
And for the love of all that's fun, smile and go live life,

Pearce

Random thoughts from post Hallowe'en walk

Been doing more updates on twitter than actually blogging. Think it's helping keeping the writing style to a nice brevity mix. Can one make an update as to what they are doing within 140 characters? Easily.

Origin story for Hex Ranger is being molded into a third draft in my head. Going to go with a completely different approach. Making the character into the hero is the goal. Not by scientific explosion, mutant dna, or part alien... the hero is going to -become- the hero by the decision and action they make.

I'm going to have to give them the tools later on to get out of situations that will arise. Starting off a serial series with the origin story may not be gripping or have enough of a hook to show what the series will be like. Still debating to use the origin story as a 'mid-season flashback' story. The phrase, start with an explosion and then make it bigger keeps coming up. But I don't want that hype to overshadow the actual story... other examples of that end up in the bargain bin or used as examples of what sucked in the future.

Have to find that happy medium... but apparently there are none in the yellow pages, just the usual spooky mystical psychics. None of them happy, just spooky.

Also I must keep reminding myself of Mur Lafferty's advice on Writing, "It's okay to suck." Think that will be a great mantra to go with. And there comes a great freedom for me to follow that advice. As long as I keep writing, it will get better. I'm quite sure that DaVinci picked up a few scars along the way during his own research. I am definitely going to be using the serial series for a writers tool and posting up when it's got more thumbs up by my reviewers.

Nanowrimo is here, and I will not be participating, only in spirit. The plan for the serial series will get my writing skills into order. Actually getting the time to do it on a day to day basis will be the toughest part.

Stopped by the new Indigo Books shop in town, it's surprisingly light well. Seriously, the books seem to be highlighted perfectly, and when you step back, it's not so bright. Seemed busy, graphic novels have a selection, but seems that it's only the OMG newest stuff that is on the market. At least I can order and then pickup from that location. (But any comic hound in town will still go to 8th Street Comics and books. Best place for my geek needs. ) Was pleasantly surprised that Scott Sigler's "Infected" was there in paperback and in hardcover. Picked that up, along with Ray Bradbury's 100 best stories in paperback. I've also noticed that since I started reading Bradbury, my writing style has gotten compact, more descriptive. Also been listening to Mur Lafferty's 'I Should be Writing' has been helping out a lot. Her novel Playing For Keeps was not there though. I think I'll be giving out books to people for Christmas. Either that or gift certificates, depends if it's Dec 4th and I have time to plan it out or it's Dec 24th and I'm wandering around the aisles of a drug store looking for a suitable gift.

Thinking about doing an essay/blog post on the following
- All the things I said I would be doing a post on in the past
- The immediacy of communication and how it has changed to 'Need it Now' as opposed to planning things out ahead of time. There is no foresight into our method of our communication, it merely now satisfies our need to connect. A text version of a glance across a room. For example, texting in internet shorthand, to calling and talking to people on the phone. Writing letters and how those will be truly intimate details to another person, and those words should be as touching as a gripping hug from a loved one. If the medium is the message, does this mean that we're paying 10 cents a message just to find out what one's current mood is, as opposed to talking to them face to face? Think I've played that one one, shoot, there goes another blog.
- Pirates vs Ninjas, who will win? The audience or buying market, probably the bookies. Maybe they can have a preliminary round of 'Maim the phone solicitor/marketing agent'.
- Sex
- Clutch. How they should be worshipped until they become Rock Gods. And how they are the best kept secret that rock afficianados share with only their soul mates.
- Getting things done, how I should actually be doing as opposed to planning as a form of procrastination
- Really bad pickup lines like 'Wanna see something swell?'

Handy links for this post

8th Street Comics and Books
http://www.8thcomics.com/

Scott Sigler - The FDO brings you podiobooks to make your brain melt, and turn you into a junkie wanting more
http://www.scottsigler.com/

Mur Lafferty - Reigning Queen of Podcasts, Awesome. Check out 'Playing For Keeps' for a great original take on the superhero genre. ISBW for those aspiring writers like myself.
http://www.murverse.com

Podiobooks.com - My one stop shop for downloading podcasts for my walks, driving to work.
http://www.podiobooks.com/index.php

Ray Bradbury - One day, I might come close to writing as great as his. On that day, I'll probably accidentally hit delete.
http://www.raybradbury.com/

Jonathan Coulton - Skullcrusher Mountain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV3LP7P_8a4

Clutch - Electric Worry
http://tinyurl.com/2af2fw

Until later, I'll be still hopefully writing still,
Pearce Kilgour

I have been quit for 1 Year, 2 Months, 3 Weeks, 5 Days, 9 hours, 21 minutes and 24 seconds (453 days). I have saved $2,393.89 by not smoking 5,440 cigarettes. I have saved 2 Weeks, 4 Days, 21 hours and 20 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 8/6/2007 9:20 AM

Twitter handy how -to

Found these on another website, can't find the history to give props on it. Will edit post later. I saw people through twitter messaging each other, but couldn't figure out how.

Below is a handy list.

1. View updates from your friends in your home page at http://twitter.com/home
2. View @replies sent to you at http://twitter.com/replies
3. View your own tweets at http://twitter.com/account/archive
4. See the list of people you're following at http://twitter.com/friends
5. See the list of people following you at http://twitter.com/followers
6. See direct messages that have been sent to you at http://twitter.com/direct_messages
7. See direct messages that you've sent to others at http://twitter.com/direct_messages/sent
8. Change your own settings at http://twitter.com/account/settings

Next up, actually adding tags to the postings.

5 Sentence Stories

The new writing challenge I put out, as well as keep up myself, to keep myself writing. 5 sentence stories including my characters from City of Heroes/City of Villains. You've all read up on the six word story that Hemingway did, which did briefly spark a small genre response a year or two ago.

So just to get the writing skills non-rusty, it's just a five sentence story.
For a little background here's some info on the characters.

Billy Hartlan - Original boston native, pursuing his doctorate in media studies, aspiring gonzo writer, preferred weapon in the City of Heroes, bow and arrow. (TA/A defender)

Marshal Mac'Tjembo - Member of the Diamond Corp, intergalactic defender of justice. Blue hair, orangish skin. An homage to Green Lantern? Or Nathan Brazil? Or Machiavelli?

Boggart - A boggart
Khaled Maddox - Die hard detective


If you really want to know more, head over to RPCongress.com for some roleplaying goodness on City of Heroes, Pinnacle server.


Title : So that's why he's wearing that...

Billy Hartlan spent a minute working his arm out from under the sleeping blonde, spent the next minute working the blood back into it. Looking around the dimly light apartment, he could not find his clothing. The alarm on his comm pad bleeped again, swearing he grabbed the first thing he could and put it on. The pink frilly baby-doll neglige did not cover much of him, let alone his dignity. Billy crawled out the window, bow in hand to face the Rikti bombing run, to protect the city he had grown to love.

---

Title : Mass Consumption

The forever neon night of Tokyo reflected off the silver blue hair of the alien. The investigation into Godzilla proved that it was not a refugee from Epsilon Nine. Marshal Mac'Tjembo faced the vending machines and the complexity of humanity reflecting back at him. The mistranslated english on the labels was a curious flavor to the diamond as it reflected the proper wavelength of information along his nervous system. He paid for the bowl of instant noodles and shook his head at the conflicting social decay and growth, but he kept the fork.

---

Title : This is why we stick to chess...

"Sir, I'm sorry, but you got it wrong."
"What do you mean, Boggy? It was Colonel Mustard in the Library with the Candlestick."
"No Sir, it was not."
"I hate Clue," Khaled replied as he tried to rub away the pressure in his skull.

Self-Ping

Been a while since I've posted to the AS3, figure it would be time. The following is mirrored on the best stop smoking support site / group I've found.
alt.support.stop-smoking

Been working on my writing stuff, wow, was that first draft of the serial series rough. Was happy that I finished it, but hollee... luckily I have some honest friends who critiqued and pointed out what should be glaringly obvious mistakes. Oh well, the serial series I have planned to write, will be in the cliffhanger style. Going to have sci-fi/fantasy/adventure feel to it. I'm not going to nail down a specific genre for fiction on it, as this series will be a good writing exercise tool for me. I have been looking for a small laptop, preferably used, something that I can write with, surf, maybe watch a few videos. I'd be able to get writing done in the evenings on a machine that will not be able to do video games, plus keep me busy while the kid is in her dance lessons.

Other than that, I've only had a few cravings, mainly because of the work related stress. I've had 3 different hats to wear in the last couple of weeks and my direct manager reports on my job title, "You really don't have a job title." Well at least I'm showing that I'm flexible as I'm running from Returns to Expediting to Shipping. Its been strange though, I've smelled a cigar, and it smells good, but I've smelled smokers that come back in from their cigars at work, and they reek... Just to clarify, yes I do like those coworkers.

Fall season coming up, and it seems that everything has started to break down all at once. Monitor at home computer dead, in for store credit, time to pick out a new LCD for aging eyes. Desperately need 4 new tires for the car before hallowe'en. New fridge as the current one is still making weird ass noises... yes, like the ass has a couple extra sphincters and has a muscle spasm those kind of weird ass noises. The blade thingy for the blender fell apart, can't order from Canada, nearest cuisinart dealer is Vancouver. Television red gun is starting to act up, or the other 2 guns are dying out. Kid's mp3 player is acting wonky as well. I won't really start to worry unless the roof starts to leak or the floor starts to buckle... or the walls bleed.

But other than that, I'm still here,
Pike
I have been quit for 1 Year, 1 Month, 3 Weeks, 3 Days, 6 hours, 41 minutes and 20 seconds (421 days).
I have saved $2,426.56 by not smoking 5,055 cigarettes.
I have saved 2 Weeks, 3 Days, 13 hours and 15 minutes of my life.
My Quit Date: 8/6/2007 9:20 AM

Internet Memes

Feel like you've been missing out on the memes that people refer to on the internet.

Check this out, a timeline of internet memes

http://www.dipity.com/user/tatercakes/timeline/Internet_Memes

Enjoy, and keep on talking like a pirate today.

YARRRRRRR!!!!!

I'm still here,
Pearce

Avast!

Me hearties... it be Talk like a Pirate day.

You know what to do.

If you don't, well then look it up, and have fun.

I'm still here,
Pearce

Aural fixations/The Story's the thing

(In stream of conciousness kinda writing, sorry if it jumps all over the place, just kind of the mood that I'm in right now.)

Commercial radio sucks. There, do you hear that, that's the death knell of any remaining visage of a commercial radio career for me. If you do know me, I have worked in radio in the following capacities. On-line host/DJ, News and Sports Reporter, Producer, Creative content/Writer, Sales, Janitor

My heart still remains in that field, but not the method unfortunately. If I were to go back behind a microphone, it'd be a lot different. It would definitely have to be in an XM/Sirius radio capacity. And I'd have to have enough material to carry through... more on that later. (Unless I actually get decent pay out of it, I'll probably won't return to the field. There will probably be another rant/musing about my past radio life later on.)

I've found more and more that I am listening to audio books and podcasts, with the proliferation of content, there literally is something out there for everyone. I am quite sure that if you look hard enough there will be Care Bear/Lovecraft slash fiction that has been done in audio or youtube format.

You may shudder now.

My first audiobook was Stephen King's The Mist, on casette tape, it cost 35 bucks of well saved up allowance money. It features "Kunstkopf" binaural 3-D sound. It's amazing, full environmental sound that literally puts you right there where it's happening. And they managed to do that on a casette.The full dramatic cast only added more to the story and environment. I got into more and more of the older radio theater productions, while I read Batman and the death of Jason Todd, I listened to the eerie haunting laughter of the Shadow. While Buck Rogers was on television, I was listening to X Minus One.

There are only a few other authors that I've listened to as their audio books read by some actor. My alltime favorite has to be James Marsters and the Dresden File books by Jim Butcher. Those words got me through some very long shifts of very monotonous work.

I got (re)turned onto Podcasts in the past year or so. Via City of Heroes (my mmo of choice), came Secret World, written by Mercedes Lackey. (http://www.secretworldchronicle.com/) It's great, I'd rather listen to any of that stuff than the inanities of the morning show or Drive home show.

(Besides, there are no rock stations in the town I am living in. They may claim to be, but they
aren't. There's another rant later on, all I can say is that streaming audio and podcasts are my savior.)

But the new media is the new way to go. These are the James Brown's of the Podcasting world. The hardest working authors out there. Why? Because they do their own promotions for their works. They keep in touch with their listeners and their fan base. And these authors are working their ever living (insert body part here) off, and you know what? The fact that they love to write and do these stories just adds a wonderful yummy flavor to every moment of their works.

scott sigler - http://www.scottsigler.com/
I have become a junkie, which is what his fanbase call themselves. I'm still on Infected audiobook, Earthcore is next, but I want to space it out, so I have a reserve of podcasts to fall back on. Listener discretion is advised, not for the squeamish. But could be used as a gift to that squeamish relative you really don't like. (Yes, I am a bastard.)

Mur Lafferty - http://murverse.com/
I should be writing - A must for any budding writer, family friendly podcast.
Playing for Keeps - Superhero's and Villains, but not quite the way the stereotypes go. You can easily imagine her characters choosing a specific brand of cola from the childhood they had.

JC. Hutchins - http://jchutchins.net/
Can't really comment on his stuff, I've heard that it's really good. It is on my to listen to list.

The above three are the crowning jewels of podiobooks.com, go out buy a bigger mp3 player. Buy the books from their respective sites, its really good stuff.

And for the full family drives after the kid has finished her dance lesson
Decoder Ring Theater - Full drama cast with various genres. Find your favorite.
( http://decoderring.libsyn.com/ ) So far my favorite is a toss up between Red Panda and Black Jack Justice

(Gotta love http://podiobooks.com/ , they have donation links, so if you like it, drop off a few bucks, I believe their policy is up to 70 percent goes back to author. But if you really love their
stuff, go buy their books!)

But as for keeping up with all things geek, I have to go with Big Kev's Geek Stuff.( http://www.bigkevsgeekstuff.com/ ) In jokes include playing a certain theme song from a Joss Whedon TV series whenver the show name is mentioned. I'm not so much with the action figure segment, even at times I'm thinking how much of a geek they are, and make me feel like I have a boring life. Oh well, still a good listen.

But this will never replace a book. I'm not saying that books are better, lets get that clear now.
There isn't the same tactile experience, the smell of a library alone should be done as a perfume/deoderant... It'd be the number one seller for all the boffin's out there, in the bar, trying to hook up with the throngs of singles, and then, there she was, and the smell of polished wood shelves and dewey decimal cards that gently wafted off her. (Some of you who think I'm a freak now, go right ahead, but I know there are a lot of people right now that are thinking that would be so sexy hot.)

I can foresee that the book will become a valued gift again, a printing with leatherbound. A
real investment into an experience, which is what all stories should be... whether it's words in my
ear, or on a page.

So with that, I am planning my own serial series. What genre? I'm not going to specify, but it will
most likely include all of them. Sci-Fi golden age style, fantasy for richness, horror for the
creepout/disturbing level. I think this is more to not limit the options that my characters run into.

If I find a good groove, then I'll start specifying the genre, or possibly do a genre per 'season'. Here's the general goal for this serial series, one post per week on the blog, one story taking up 4
or 8 posts. Planning for an entire year of posts. Sounds a bit intimidating, but I know I can do it,
if I get into a decent schedule.

Will these see the light of day? I'm not too sure. These will be submitted to a group of people for critiquing. And I am open to any/all opinions. The only setback is that with content changes. I won't have to rewrite a novel, but a small detail could rewrite a whole series. Anyways, if anything, it will be a decent method to use as a writing treadmill. The fat will melt off, as I need to loose some of the weight of non-consistent writing habits.

Besides, it's not like I post on a regular basis to this blog as it is. Wow, was that self depricating
or what... Dear blog, frownie face emoticon, my soul is a black pit of black-pityness of dark
emotions...I am teh suckzors... *snrk* Yeah, right.

While we are keeping it true, a quick flash from the meter...

I have been quit for 1 Year, 1 Month, 1 Week, 4 Days, 10 hours, 23 minutes.
I have saved $2,156.51 by not smoking 4,901 cigarettes.
I have saved 2 Weeks, 3 Days and 25 minutes of my life.
My Quit Date: 8/6/2007 9:20 AM

Had a major craving last week. Thought I was over that portion of the addiction. Seeing someone else smoke, and I wanted to smoke right along with them. Guess it was the stress from work piling up, needed a crutch or a release of stress. Found walking helped out. By the time I got home, I had another few chapters of Infected listened to. But I couldnt' stand the smell of my clothes, so off they went and into the shower I went.

Will I podcast the serial series... hoo boy. I figure I can, but I have to get the writing skills up
to par. Not be afraid of that dreaded second draft of ripping everything down and objectively looking at the story and seeing the general tone and flavor. But as Mur, Scott, and JC mention in Episode 99 of 'I should be writing' ( http://isbw.murlafferty.com/podpress_trac/web/279/0/isbw_show099_080828.mp3 ) , they do recommend having the book done first, and have at least 4 to 5 podcasts before promoting the book.

Good advice, and words to plan and write about. I estimate if I want to get a good base going, it will be 2 years to go, then promote the hell outta my stuff. At least by that time, the new holographic home animation kit will be out, and I'll be wondering what that next media will be for me to try my stories out on.

So current wish list is up on Amazon, and with any luck I should be able to get that home studio outfitted with the microphone, and sound buffer. Who knows maybe I could pimp myself out as a voice over actor in the meantime? Definitely have to source out a laptop, nothing too big on specs, just enough so I can write, listen to mp3 and watch the occasional video. Think I'm going to spec out either a low end 800 mhz + unit, or try out one of the MSI Wind or Asus EEE laptops. But until then,

I'm still here, and trying to write more,
Pike aka Pearce Kilgour

A better theme for Hockey Night in Canada

So just to balance things out, here's a better theme, it's from one of the guys I work with. If you like, vote for it, if you love it get your friends to vote for it.

cheers,
Pike

Hockey Night in Canada Theme

Yep, CBC is looking for a new theme, I'll post up one of the best ones, this however... may make it to Little Mosque on the Prairies style theme.

Enjoy, or not.

Return of the Geek

First day back at work after 2 weeks holidays. Walked in, half hour early so I could get my bagel toasted. (mmm... bagel and hummus, so good.) The grindstone was sitting by my desk, looking at the clock, tapping it's feet. There was a lot of work to do, but at least this time, stuff was actually done and I don't have a 2 week backlog to go through. It's about a 3 day backlog altogether, so not so bad.

I have come to the conclusion that each of my vacations are preparation training for retirement... or the retirement career. I only wore pants once the entire time, nothing but shorts for me. People are just happier in general, and in better spirits without pants.

Feels weird right now too, as the steel-toe boots for work are heavy as compared to the sandals. Oh well, not as if I don't need the exercise.

I researched out new recipes, I read a lot, watched a few movies... overall, a good vacation.

So... the retirement career. Something to work towards, imagine that.

Place to live is going to have to be on lakeshore. Small town nearby or built up around the area, House will have to be higher up above the lake, looking down. Local population will have to be large enough to support a small brewery... Will have to research some more, what will it take to become a brewer? Apprenticeship? Not much to ask for is it? Ideally that would be the retirement career for me, brewing beer and spirits for the rest of my days. Enjoying lake weather, spending a morning checking on the brewing, afternoon sampling, evening promoting.

Beats picking fly crap out of pepper.

367 days

367 days. Not one cigarette.

Plenty of cravings triggered by work stress, pain in my shoulders and from body, social stress, the after meal treat, the boredom, the socializing with other smokers... the list goes on, and I intend to keep track of them. My past posts here and on the AS3 support group show it.

And I won't forget, the cravings, the dreams, the rationalizations I tried to make. All of that subtle junkie behaviour that slides in. I won't forget the lies that it created in my habits and thoughts. And the stepping down from one patch to the next, the nicotine withdrawl dreams, the morning habit of removing the one patch, slapping on a new one.

Each and every craving denied means I'm getting closer to being normal. The progress makes me feel better than when I was smoking. But is this a path to being normal? I don't think so, it feels more like finding my control again.

(Then again, being normal is kind of overrated... it's always the black sheep of the family, the roguish personality that gets remembered. Otherwise the only memorable normal person would be Mr. Rogers, and he was ultra-normal. Seriously, extra large bucket sized normal with a side of normal, with a take out bag of normal.)

When it gets right down to it, I'm not going to let a leafy vegetable control me. I'm quite sure in a battle of wits or stomping, I will win out. Does my nicotine addiction control me? Not as much as it used to, in so many different ways. I'm still fighting back for control. It's still there, and probably will be for the rest of my life.

Have I kept up on my blog? No. Will I? Maybe, if I get time.

Have I started doing things I wouldn't have done as a smoker? Yes.

Have I saved the money that I would have spent on cigs? No. Have I found new ways to spend that money? Hell yes. Less bills, more savings plans, better weekends and in general better food.

And my student loan is paid off too. Weird. I really can't remember a time when I didn't have a student loan... and even then, I was in high school.

Recently my hometown had it's centennial. 100 years as a village. I went back, saw that not much had changed other than less people, people got older. Most of my high school class didn't show up other than my old bodyguards (more on that in a seperate post/blog if I get enough material on it together). The school and town itself has come a long way. Air hockey and fooseball tables, a small cafeteria area. Not saying it's a small town but this past year had a graduating class of 6.

And all of my past teachers have retired... scary thought. One of my past teachers voted me "the most likely to get a novel published" at my own graduation. I hope to think that I still have that in me, as I still have plenty of ideas to write, and I'm quite sure the publishers would like some more bird cage liner... errr.... submissions to read.

But my predisposition to stray off topic has still managed to keep hold... where was I? Oh yes, the 1 year done....

So what was I doing during that time when it rolled over 1 year? Was I watching my meter with baited breath? Nope, I was sleeping. It's vacation time for the next week and a half. 2 weeks of video games, catching up on movies, reading books, and just generally geeking out. Besides going back to my hometown, thats about all the travelling I'll be doing for a vacation. Besides, I have to get my geek on...

I can't promise that I won't take another cigarette in this lifetime. I can promise that I will try to stop myself in so many different ways if that situation arises. I do promise that I will laugh more and try and make others laugh more. Life is too short to not have any fun.

I can try and promise to post more to the support group but life comes up in so many different patterns and rhythms. Those who read this, are in my thoughts and equivalent of prayers/meditations, just remember, it does get better. And if not that then, try this one...

Pain shared is lessened, joy shared is increased. Thank you Mr. Robinson.

It has been 366 days without a cig, and today is looking pretty good.

This is my quit and I'm still here,
Pike
I have been quit for 1 Year, 1 Day, 1 hour, 12 minutes and 32 seconds (367 days).
I have saved $1,938.01 by not smoking 4,404 cigarettes.
I have saved 2 Weeks, 1 Day and 7 hours of my life.
My Quit Date: 8/6/2007 9:20 AM


Here's what's on my business card.

Seeker Of The Peace. Part Time Chandelier Cleaner. A Legend In His OWn Time. Oppressor Of Champions. Soldier of Fortune. World Traveller. All Round Good Guy. Progressive Time Traveller. International Lover. Casual Hero. Philosopher. Wars Fought, Bears Wrestled, Equations Solved, Virgins Enlightened, Revolutions Quelled, Tigers Castrated, Orgies Organized, Bars Quaffed Dry, Governments Overrun, Test Rockets Flown, Wives Tamed. Part time member of the Liquitarian Society of Saskatoon. (For proof of any of the listed abilities, please send 10 dollars to my paypal account, you may not get the proof, but I could use the money.)

Life is a waste of time.
Time is a waste of life
Get wasted all the time
And you'll have the time of your life.