Home / NaNoWriMo - Day 0

Last word count before NaNoWriMo begins [last entry]:

Words Sunday: 452
Words today: 675
Words total: 87653
New scenes: 2
Scenes total: 69

It's taken its time somewhat, but November is finally here, and with it Death By Writing. I'm fairly confident that I can hit the word count in 30 days, primarily because I'm on leave until the 14th. As I have no money at the moment it means that I'm going to be writing and surfing the internet, and that's about it.

Wish me luck!

Pikey-ville

Went south with my dad to visit Dan. After meeting him at his work, we headed into Poole for lunch and a bit of a walk round. Whilst it was nice to catch up with my bro, I was stunned at just how horrible Poole is on a Saturday afternoon. I've never seen such a concentration of overweight, ugly, pikey-and-proud mother-fuckers outside of the Concrete Kingdom of Swindon.

Sometimes I worry that I'm a snob. Not often, mind you.

Review - El Mariachi 3

Once Upon a Time in Mexico (third part of Rodriguez's El Mariachi trilogy)

Generally:
I think this is probably the strongest of the trilogy, El Mariachi being good considering it was made for about 2.5 Pesos, and Desperado being great, if a bit in love with itself. Better written than the previous two. Better direction. Just better.

Good bits:
'Are you a Mexican, or a Mexi-can't?'.
Johnny Depp; it's wrong that I should like this guy's work so much without being a gushing teenage girl with a crush.
Rubén Blades' FBI agent.
The best pork in Mexico.

Bad bits:
At times follows a checklist of things directly transplanted from Desperado. Dead girlfriend[9]: check. Gun-toting fellow mariachi: check. Early scene with guy in bar describing one of el Mariachi's shoot-outs: check.

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[9] Don't worry, that's not too much of a spoiler.

Home

Words Monday: 1038
Words Tuesday: 424
Words Wednesday: 522
Words total: 86526
New scenes: 1
Scenes total: 67

Taekwondo - Instruction?

I had an appointment with my instructor last night. The cynic in me -- on booking a time -- thought, Right, what are they going to try to sell me now?.

In fact, the first part of my meeting was to discuss how my training was going, and set a date for going for my black belt. The second part was the sales-pitch; had I ever considered starting the instructor training programme?

Whilst the praise worked on me -- he basically said I was an ideal candidate because of the way I self-correct in class and because I naturally try and take charge during group work -- I managed to say no. The cynic in me[8] couldn't help but chiming in: He probably says similar to everyone; this is a business after all.

It's true that I do sometimes put myself in a teaching role in class. It goes back to that anal-retentive side of my personality; what I do has to be perfect (hence why I self-correct), and what my fellow students do has to be perfect (hence why I take over with the lower grades). But, I can't see myself doing instructor training for a good while yet. It's not just the additional cost; over the next year I'm working towards 1st degree black belt, as well trying to get myself chartered with the ICE. Add in work, writing, and social commitments, and I just don't think I'll have the time to do it.

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[8] I'm going to start calling him What's-The-Cost Kev, because I don't much like the phrase 'the cynic in me'.

Review - Thomas Covenant 4-6

The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen Donaldson

Generally: From what follows it might appear that I wasn't too impressed with these books, but far from it. The good points far outweigh the bad. Sometimes frustrating, it is still an incredibly compelling ride. Every bit as good as the first chronicles, rich in scope, plot and characterisation. Meticulously carved and lovingly handled. In short: this is how fantasy should be written.

Good bits:
Donaldson's use of language; some of this is, simply put, beautiful.
The return of the Land -- changed immensely but every bit as real and as important -- and the introduction of new lands and people.
Linden Avery -- Awesome character. Ditto for Vain.

Bad bits:
Donaldson's use of language. I like to think I've got a pretty good vocabulary, but bloody hell someone's got an extensive thesaurus[7]. How anyone who's first language isn't English manages is anyone's guess.
It is an epic. By page 1199 I was longing to read a David Gemmell fantasy that would be over in 300 pages. The three books together in this volume are -- dare I say it? -- too much to read in one go.

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[7] Why use the word 'green' when you can use the word 'chrysoprastic', for example?

It's like The Witches, with glass roses and paper swans

The Harrow have bought Curiosity for publication some time next year.

That's one acceptance for two submissions [entry] on that story, so I'm pretty stoked. In fact I was grinning like a fool around work after I got the news. This is my first sale (He Missed the Sea having gone to Flash Me Magazine whilst it was still non-paying), so it's a pretty big moment for me.

It's like Secret Window, with caffeine-induced writing binges

National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo), is an international event intended to inspire creativity and productivity by challenging writers to write 50,000 words during the month of November. More information can be found at nanowrimo.org.

I've decided to take part in NaNoWriMo again. I didn't do it last year, but I won in 2003.

However, because I don't have a new project to start, this year I shall be invoking the Zokutou clause. Find out more here. I shall attempt to finish Home, and if I do so in less than 50,000 words then I'll make a start on Dearest . . .

Of course, the added challenge is that two years ago, I didn't do anything, so writing 50k was easy. Since then, I've taken up taekwondo, started playing rugby again, run twice a week, not to mention various other non-work distractions. This may well test my time-management skills to the limit . . .

It's like Weekend at Bernie's, without the dead guy

Friday was my birthday, and I've spent the best part of the weekend celebrating. Friday night I went out with work people and on Saturday I invited the Alumni {Big Ron, Coops, and Wes} to visit me. Had a really good weekend and managed to escape it without (a). a hangover, and (b). that nagging feeling that whilst drunk I had either done something unforgivingly embarrassing or offended someone by saying something stupid or both.

I'm counting that as a success.

Things I've learned this weekend:

1. Everyone loves mini doughnuts.
2. Work doesn't care about your desire to get out of the office early. Work doesn't believe in the four o'clock dash.
3. I need to be more careful giving people nicknames that will offend them. I came dangerously close to calling Chris 'Bandcamp'[3] to his face, and I'm guessing he wouldn't appreciate that.
4. I should never go to (Gag) Reflex again. It's just not worth it.
5. Whilst lacking in atmosphere, The Wheatsheaf is a pretty good place to watch the football.
6. David Beckham is still an idiot.
7. I have lost all faith in Sven.
8. Picklejohns on Wood St. serve a great curry.
9. The Pipers Arms used to be a gay bar.
10. Whilst using nunchaku when drunk is probably not a good idea, other drunk people think it's cool.
11. 50% of people would rather have a leg cut off than an arm.
12. On a Sunday morning after a heavy weekend, the fry-up[4] is close to being the greatest thing on Earth.

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[3] Named for his tendancy to start every story with, 'There was this one time, at Giffords . . .'
[4] Technically, it was a grill-up, but it was still damned good.

It's like Happy birthday, Charlie Brown, with a 26yo English guy

Today is cake day. Only two hours left to kill at work, and then it's off to start a weekend of birthday celebrations; with work people tonight and the alumni tomorrow.

And then, Sunday, recovering :)

Thanks to those who have wished me a happy birthday. Much appreciated.

It's like Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, with 5th years

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling

Okay, so I've now read five of these Potter books. I wasn't going to say anything about this one -- I haven't said much about the others -- but something bugged me about it. In some ways it is inferior to Goblet of Fire -- a lot of the stuff that happens outside of school is just boring -- but conversely in some ways it is better. The events in school are interesting. In many ways it's a more mature book, with HP discovering that adults are fallible and not always 'good' (which is balanced nicely with HP himself having a couple of temper tantrums). Of course, Rowling hasn't replaced that black/white distinction with a range of greys, so much as replacing it with a black/grey distinction (the bad guys are still 100% evil), but then this is children's literature.

My biggest fear for this series is that will end without Harry actually having to do anything. If I get to the last chapter and find someone explaining to Harry that the reason he won was because his mother really loved him, then I'm going to take to the streets. There was a bit of this towards the end of this book, glossing over some plot-hole with gumpf about residue of a feeling protecting him from harm. No! Bad writer! Love can't just nullify hate. Not like that[1].

I've stuck with this series because they've been enjoyable, but Rowling has to be careful. Writing for kids doesn't mean she can cheat.

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A couple of other things were buggin' me. They both involve Harry's curriculum at school. The first is that Harry and his friends have been at that school for five years now, and yet they haven't had any English or mathematics education since starting[2]. Somebody want to tell me how all of them can read (especially considering all the freakin' non-English words they keep coming across)? Someone want to tell me how all of them can write near-perfect English all the time? Someone want to tell me how they can count?

The other one -- much more serious -- is PE. They have no physical exercise as part of their education, so how come they're not all built like Dudley? It wouldn't be a problem if they kicked a football around of an evening, but all they do is attend class and sit in the library. They should all be huge, especially with all the chocolate frogs they've been eating. What is it? Does wizard metabolism work better than our muggle metabolism?

Even if you argue that quidditch is a strenuous work out, only 28 people in the entire school play it.

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[1] That's not to say that I don't believe in the redeeming power of love, the power of good to overcome evil, but there needs to be action. Someone actually has to do something, otherwise you're just cheating. You can't just have Harry standing there like a target, having shit just bounce off him for no reason. He's got to want it, and he's got to take steps to make it happen.
[2] I was going to include science in that list, but I can understand that not being needed.

Questions meme

Another meme, stolen from Dorian:

1. Name someone with the same birthday as you: -- October 7: John Mellencamp (54); Thom Yorke (37); Simon Cowell (46); Vladimir Putin (53); Archbishop Desmond Tutu (74).
2. Where was your first kiss? -- Salcs. In the woods somewhere.
3. Have you ever seriously vandalised someone else's property? -- Yep. Usually as the Fury. Not something I'm particularly proud of.
4. Have you ever hit someone of the opposite sex? -- No. Couldn't do it.
5. Have you ever sung in front of a large number of people? -- No. I inflict this special punishment on small groups of people.

6. What's the first thing you notice about the preferred sex? -- Eyes.
7. What really turns you on? -- I don't actually know.
8. What do you order at coffee shops? -- Depends on mood, how tired I am, or how hungover I am.
9. What is your biggest mistake? -- They all rank about the same. Astra vs. Bus was pretty stupid, though.
10. Have you ever hurt yourself on purpose? -- No.

11. Say something totally random about yourself: -- I was 25yo when I first went on a plane.
12. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity? -- Will Young [entry]. I still can't see it.
13. Do you still watch kiddie movies or tv shows? -- Might occassionally watch a kiddie movie under duress.
14. Did you have braces? -- No.
15. Are you comfortable with your height? -- Yes. No one else seems to be, though.

16. What is the most romantic thing someone of the opposite sex has done for you? -- Pass. Struggling to think of anything :(
17. When do you know it's love? -- Pass.
18. Do you speak any other languages? -- French, badly. Currently taking lessons.
19. Have you ever been to a tanning salon? -- Hell no.
20. What magazines do you read? -- Empire, New Civil Engineer, Metal Hammer (albeit not so often these days), martial arts magazines when the mood takes me

21. Have you ever ridden in a limo? -- No.
22. Has anyone you were really close to passed away? -- Yes.
23. Do you watch mtv? -- No. Wouldn't even if I had satellite television.
24. What's something that really annoys you? -- Everything annoys me. I'm a remarkably intolerant person.
25. What's something you really like? -- Beer :)

26. Do you like Michael Jackson? -- No.
27. Can you dance? -- Can I? No. Do I? Yes.
28. What's the latest you have ever stayed up? -- All night. Worst was going to Fusion as a kid, staying up talking and drinking at the rugby club until my 0630hrs breakfast shift at the hotel started. Most recent was after Laetitiapaul's wedding.
29. Have you ever been rushed by an ambulance into A&E? -- No. Was taken to A&E in an ambulance after Astra vs. Bus, but no one was rushing.
30. Do you actually read these when other people fill them out? -- Yes.

It's like Roadtrip, set at Taunton Deane services

Went west again. Went for a meal at the Ring o' Bells in West Alvington. It's great food and the only problem with the place is that it has too much choice; it takes at least 5 minutes to read the menu boards over the bar, during which you are watched intently by the barman (esp. if you get there early and it's not busy). You almost order steak straight away just to get him to stop staring at you.

Played with new camera. Having new toy rocks, price of new toy sucks.

Visited nan. Chopped down a bit more of her garden.

Caught a cold. Feeling like shit now, although I've stubbornly come into the office because I don't believe in taking sick days if your productivity is not affected.