Writing: NaNoWriMo and the OmniDirectionalWriter

I haven’t written a post about NaNoWriMo this year so I thought that now would be a good chance to change that.

There. Wrote about. Bye!

Just kidding… mebbe?

A friend of mine started a new blog about writing. I met her when she was a copywriter for a college store company. She was working on her creative writing skills in her non-work, non-knitting hours when she left to go to another state. Writers, Cats and Knitting. Why do they seem to go together so well? Anyhow, while working with her at the time, I told her of NaNoWriMo, but for some reason the idea of writing an unedited 50,000 word novel didn’t appeal to her and I never convinced her to join the chaotic fun. When she dropped me a note this year admitting she took a step into the chaos finally, I was stunned with happiness. I had forgotten about it this year until another friend mentioned it the weekend before it began, so I had no preparations and no plans to write this year. After finding out Deborah finally took the dive AND started a blog, how could I not participate at least a little?

So now, I have started writing using one of the writing tools I found in the ‘fun stuff’ section of NaNoWriMo… How far am I? Well… I did say it was just a LITTLE didn’t I?

Gimme a break, okay! I am moving this month… and I helped with a film festival–oh didn’t talk about that either, oops, will have to get to that another time–Let’s just say I was really busy already, okay? I’ll see if I can make 10,000 before the month ends… is that ok with you?

There. That widget has the 10,000 word goal. (24% complete at the time of this posting, watch it for more change!)

Ok… well, I really should be writing so I am gonna go now. Good luck in your own writing and please let me know what you are doing and post your username so we can encourage each other! What is you theme?

Tags: blogs, nanowrimo

Event: New York Comic Con and Anime Festival 2011

I wrote this the week following the convention, but never finished writing it… as usual. I really should know better by now. Anyhow, this is my write up from the week following the con.

This past weekend was the Annual New York Comic Con and Anime Festival. This is the second year of the merging of the two cons and I have to say it was definitely something to see. Although it still felt as if the Anime Festival is being shoved into a deep dark corner, it was an improvement over last year.

My health status was low this weekend and I had no way of regaining points, so while I did go to see the hordes of zombies…er sorry, people! attending, most of my knowledge of the con comes from Kario of Apostrophe D as he reported them to me.

The theme this year was apparently “Zombie”. With the upcoming release of The Walking Dead, hundreds of people shambled to the con to consume brains, drink blood, and get a first glimpse of the much acclaimed series.

Read more…

Misc: Read Your Lessons!

For various reasons, I have been unable to attend the current Japanese session. I was going to study independently in the meanwhile when I could. I made the mistake of trying to review the previous material and get it stuck in my head. Apparently, that just made me bored. I have almost no vocabulary so I was hoping the current list would stick if I read it over and over again.

When the review method didn’t work and I felt irritated, I decided to take a break and instead read some manga in the Japanese language. I don’t know much kanji, but the since the level of the manga I’m choosing to read is meant for middle school children, there are ways around not knowing much of the kanji. However, the vocabulary is still an issue. Some of the meanings can be gleaned from the context, some from the images and context, but most of the unknown works and grammar must be referenced. And it turns out my Japanese-English dictionary, while good for a beginner, is frustratingly useless for Intermediate and higher levels. I have gone through three volumes of Otomen like this. I will have to read it again, but i had about 60-80% comprehension depending on the chapters. Bakuman is a little harder and that is what I reading now. Although I have already read it in English, there is still so much that I can’t quite grasp as read.

Last night, I was feeling particularly like learning. After all those failed reviews and with it getting so close to having to rejoin the class, I decided to finally push forward and proceded to start inputting the new vocabulary into my head. The first word that matched a word I didn’t know from the mangas when I had tried to look them up was a coincidence, right? Well, then what about the 6 other words that I tried and failed to look up that were new in this vocabulary list? Yeah. I could’ve had a bit more comprehension if I had stopped the last chapter and started the new one as I should’ve done.

Lesson? Read ahead, then go back and review. I am running out of ‘easy’ Japanese manga, all I will have after I finish this manga is stuff I can’t read yet… must go shopping! So many books I want in Japanese, which one should I get next?

Tags: japanese

Miscellaneous: Cog looking for Machine

COG LOOKING FOR MACHINE

Hi, I am a cog. I work well with other cogs and gears and can also fit correctly near the levers, handles and buttons. I am better than most cogs as I have many uses in which can make myself fit into little corners and expand to fill whole new functions. I have even been known to correctly warp an already functioning machine to work more efficiently with less friction and gears. Although being a cog can be boring, I am not able to shape well into levers, pedals and dials from this position so I am I am in search of a new machine. The current machine I am connected to has become efficient and the well-worn gears are slowly being replaced by new ones. While this machine is running well, I have been twisting and warping less. If you know of a machine that needs a cog who can warp, expand, contract and just fit, please send the engineer my way.

—-

That is a cog brooch from Steampunk Jewelry by Treasure Cast, Inc. I wouldn’t mind having one too. There is a lot of pretty things on that page I wouldn’t mind having.

Tags: cog, machine, steampunk, Writing

Lyrics: I Will Stand

Here’s the thing. I learned this song. I know most of the melody and I know how it goes, but I also know I missed some transitions in phrases and lost some of the fancy parts that vocalists would know, but I can’t for the life of me find it anywhere on the internet. If you know where I can find the music to it, even sheet music, writer, producer, sound, whatever… Please let me know. In the meantime, enjoy this song I learned for a graduation ceremony in 7th Grade.

———

There are Truths that always are for certain.
There are things that never should have been.
All injustice and crimes against our brothers
are those things that pull apart all men.

Let the Truths that last throughout all ages
those of Hope and Love and people hand in hand
be the Truths that fill our hearts with love
and the Truths that make us take a Stand.

I Will Stand for those who may have fought but lost,
always gave their best at any cost.
Stand alone and be proud!
Step out from the crowd!
I will Stand, I will Stand, I will Stand.

Let today be the start of new tomorrows
Let tomorrow be a dream that never dies
Make each thought and deed count for somethings
May you learn from those who have grown wise.

Show you care about a friend in darkness
Let him know by reaching out your hand
Make a pledge to be the one to finish every goal
Make a pledge to always take a Stand.

I Will Stand for those who may have fought but lost,
always gave their best at any cost.
Stand alone and be proud!
Step out from the crowd!
I will Stand, I will Stand, I will Stand.

I Will Stand for those who may have fought but lost,
always gave their best at any cost.
Stand alone and be proud!
Step out from the crowd!
I will Stand, I will Stand, I will Stand.

I will Stand,

I will Stand,

I will Stand!

Miscellany: Steampunk and Twitter

I was looking for a topic to write about quickly since if I do another Drama review I would need to take the time to get the images and links I love to do, but I couldn’t come up with something.

Asking my buddy, Enna, gave me a couple ideas, but both are topics that can be covered widely and take just as much time. So, time to be general.

Do you know what Steampunk is? It’s been around a while, but it only seems to be making it into mainstream consciousness lately. Generally, it is a divergent path of technology where steam is used to power everything, from computers to spaceships and more. People have a tendency to wear Victorian Era clothing and carry around a dozen or so of technological devices. I have have seen some rather awesome cosplay at the cons and I have on occasion wanted to create some steampunk design items such as a keyboard and monitor.

There is just so much to explore and talk about in this topic. What steampunk do you do or know about or enjoy …. or all the above?

I like to follow some people on twitter who aren’t necessarily real. One can find the entire crew on Serenity out there if one looks well enough. I also enjoy some humorous people such as Wil Wheaton, Brent Spiner and Unshelved co-creator Gene Ambaum. There are celebrities and non-celebrities and semi-known and famous people in my list. As well as fictional persons, authors, editors and book publishing companies and websites. There are so many good things to list I just can’t list them all. If you are curious, mebbe you can see what I see by looking at my list of people I follow on twitter: @niaskywalk

Random: Coffee

Steamer is steamed milk.

Cafe Misto is a regular brew coffee with steamed milk.

Latte is espresso coffee with steamed milk.

Cappuccino is espresso coffee with steamed milk.

Cafe Cortado is espresso coffee with steamed milk.

I like to get my steamed milk with Toffee Nut. Could use one right now LOL.

Espresso drinks are fun to make. You can see there are several names there, the difference is the coffee/milk/foam ratios. At home, I make lattes. The have the most milk and I love making the foam.

j-drama: Bloody Monday

Bloody Monday and Bloody Monday 2 starring Miura Haruma. I admit, I didn’t go to watch this drama because of any synopsis. I was going through a fansubs website and was distracted by an image they use. Two guys that reminded me a bit of the twins from Ouran High School Host Club… but not at all. I looked them up, found a fan vid montage that made them into a couple, but I was hooked by the short shots of the acting and one of the guys was the impressive main actor from Samurai High School, so I was just gonna watch the first episode, but, as is so often the case lately, I got hooked. These two were not the only good actors. The whole show was quality and intriguing.

Right, I haven’t explained this manga turned live-action thriller yet.

Two years ago, Takagi Fujimaru, the son of a police detective in a special crimes unit called THIRD-i, is caught hacking by his father. He cleans up his ways, goes to school and helps his mostly absent father with his sister who needs a new kidney. Everything is going fine, he has friends in the photo club and he hasn’t been hacking. Just playing ero-games and creating games for his sister. Hey, he’s in High School. Suddenly, his father is framed in a murder and goes on the run. There is a very dangerous threat occuring in Tokyo, a violent, deadly bio weapon called Bloody X is being smuggled in and tested by a terrorist cultist organization who decides that Tokyo should be wiped out. With no one left to turn to, the THIRD-i unit asks Takagi to reawaken the hacker Falcon and help them stop a single terrorist threat. Almost before Falcon awakens, his sister is kidnapped and they hold her life in exchange for demands that only Falcon could fulfill. As Falcon struggles to continue protecting the ones he loves, he is pulled further and further into the wiles of the terrorist group who seems to have it out for Falcon as much as for Tokyo.

The story starts out rather light compared to how dark it gets as it goes along. Every hour of the show is thrilling and suspenseful. The actors all very convincing and the story griping. Bloody Monday was so successful in its run, they announced an unprecedented second season with the same actors. It too was a roller coaster of emotion and thrills.

I really enjoyed this series. I hope if you decide to watch it you will enjoy it and let me know

Tags: bloody monday, dramas

Manga: Bakuman

Bakuman
by OHBA Tsugumi and OBATA Takeshi
Japanese: Shueisha / Weekly Shonen Jump
English: VIZ Media

This is a story about two classmates who decide to tackle the world of manga publishing. MASHIRO Moritaka is an artist of excellent skill, but he is just wasting his time away not thinking of the future and just floating along and getting by after his mangaka uncle worked himself into an early grave. TAKAGI Akito is the top of the class every exam and has excellent writing skills and reasoning ability, but he wants something more from life than just mere existance at the top. While sitting in the back of the room, Akito has a chance to see his classmates as no one else can see them and finds the perfect way to finally get into his dream of creating manga. He approaches the reluctant Moritaka with his proposal and discovers a way to inspire the artist to finally find a position he wants to strive toward: creating manga like his uncle.

I don’t know how they do it, even though it is literally written out in this series, but the creators of DEATH NOTE* have come together once again to create an engaging, even addicting series, about breaking into the world of manga creation and publication. They illustrate throughout this story just what it takes to be a mangaka of any level. The two join together to overcome many obstacles including rejections, bad stories, raw editors, other mangaka and the battle for the votes of the readers.

Read more…

Tags: manga

j-drama: Maou

Maou is “The Devil”. This j-drama sort of jumped out at me when I was searching for a different show. Eventually, I found the one I was looking for, but in the meantime, I picked up Maou.

I wasn’t sure what to think of this show, would I like it or not? The synopsis didn’t grab me, but the visual did for some reason. Since I have already given into the inevitable and started watching random Asian dramas, I decided to check out the first episode.

Maou is a Japanese version of the Korean drama, Mawang. A young police detective from a wealthy family has a shady past and a man with a grudge against him has become a lawyer. There is also a psychic girl who can get after images from objects. Eleven years have passed when the brash young detective receives a strange express package from someone calling himself Amano Makoto. Inside the box is only a single red envelope containing tarot card. No other notes or instructions. This simple delivery heralds a series of events best described as ‘Justifiable Self-Defense’ as the unknown assailant leads the detective’s friends and family into traps designed to look like accidental death.

From the moment the show opens up until its opening credits, I was hooked. The opening credits pulled me in even more. The fantastic art and motion on the screen made the song [Truth] by the pop group Arashi come to life. Before the opening credits were finished, I was already downloading the rest of the series.

The young police detective is played by Ikuta Toma, who I had decided was a great actor from seeing him in Hana Kimi Ikemen Paradise 2007. The devil lawyer is played by the leader of the group Arashi, Ohno Satoshi. He plays the character very spookily and I would love to have him creep me out in another show.

I am only through the first four episode of the series, but already I am dreading the end. This devil of a lawyer is coming up with some sneaky tricks and each one is tormenting his target.

UPDATE: I have finished the series. It is chilling and heartbreaking and I was right to dread the ending. This is a series I will be watching again and again. Though I was a little (a very little!) disappointed with Ikuta Toma’s acting from time to time, the acting by Ohno Satoshi was fantastic as he switched between devil and angel guise over and over again.