A start.

I’m re-outlining my story.  I’m starting all over again, from the beginning, even for my notes.  It’s easier than going through and picking and choosing what to keep and what to change and all that.  Unfortunately, there’s a lot rolling around in my head and it’s hard to sort it all out in a way that can be easily understood.  My notes end up less like bullet points and more like meandering histories of every piece of information I come up with.  It’s all quite fun, really.  And as much as I’d like to just take off and go write it all out, I’m taking this one more seriously and don’t want it to suck.

It’s a good time to own an Xbox 360, I think.

The evidence? Bioshock, Half-life 2, Mass Effect, Assassin’s Creed, Mass Effect—oh wait, did I mention that one twice? Probably because it looks incredible, graphically and otherwise. I’m getting excited. The focal point of releases seems to be November, so I plan on being a little poorer that month. I had thought of getting a Nintendo DS and whiling away the hours on it wherever I please, but why commit myself to two systems when I one is really enough? Exactly. Maybe someday, Mr. DS. Someday.It’d also be a good time to own an HD television…guess my 27″ Sharp from 1994 will have to fill in for now.

World-building and style.

That’s really all my mind does when it’s free, world-building.  The general plot remains the same as the first stab I took and posted here, but I’m trying to flesh some things out and add a little more depth and background.  I don’t like vague anything, which can be a problem, mostly because a) I’m not writing a lot of this down, and b) I think a lot.  I still have a few rather gaping plot holes that need only a little historical background to fix up, that and a few subplots that need to either die or find a purpose.

Stylistically, however, I am a little lost.  I’m unsure about point of view, mostly.  I could just write it from first-person (which is my preferred but overused choice) but I think it might all be too big to see everything from just one guy.  On the other hand, third person has the benefit of allowing a larger viewpoint, allowing for much more exposition and such (which I do enjoy writing, actually—I know I’m supposed to show and not tell, but tell that to Douglas Adams) which is nice.  But then do I go into a character’s head and see their emotions and thoughts?  Or is it all observations?  I think I’m over-thinking it.

This is tough.  I just want to tell this story, if only so I can get to the most amazing ending I’ve yet conceived (which wasn’t tough considering I don’t finish half of what I start).

Oh, the early 90’s.

Can I just say that I really like the X-Files?  I went to Best Buy last Thursday and picked it up for $20.  What a deal, especially since it used to be something like $100!  Either way, it’s just amazingly good television.  Each episode still manages to strike a small bit of fear into me, even 15 years later!  I think the best part may be getting to look back at all the wonderful things that defined the early 1990’s—ugly, boxy cars, plaid, grunge, double-breasted suits  and DOS were all so cool back then.  And how fortuitous that it sounds like they are on the verge of a second X-Files movie?  Maybe it’ll be out by the time I finish the whole series, which will only cost me…$180.  Well, it’s better than $900, right?

The weird things we do.

I was standing at my register today, checking out someone’s groceries. I came to the little white bag from the bakery and held it up to the customer. “What’s in here?”
He looked back at me, tense and unsure. “Muffins?”
As helpful as it was, I usually don’t open the bags and wasn’t going to just divine how many were in there. “How many?”
“Oh. Two.”

People get all crazy-defensive whenever you ask what they got from the bakery or how many corn there are in their cart, like I should just assume they’re muffins. They aren’t always muffins, people. Let’s just remember that.

These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.

This is only a test of the WordPress.com Facebook application. I can see that you’re obviously busy. Please, don’t let me interrupt you. This isn’t important. Move along.

Let me tell you.

I haven’t been blogging much as of late for two reasons:

1. Work—lately I’ve been working at night, which is usually when I’m online and in the mood for causing a ruckus.

2. WordPress being annoying—I know, I know, I’ve talked about this before, but I really need a quicker/faster/simpler way of posting so that I don’t get all “but it’ll take me forever!” when I feel like posting. I think I may reluctantly return to whichever client was built directly into Firefox, if only because it’s one of the few I remember not being too overly-bothered by.

September brings with it the long sought-after focus I need to maintain this thing.

The Chain of Command

Perhaps I over-romanticized the idea of a late night working at Trig’s.  When it comes right down to it, it sucks.  You’re all alone, and when it gets busy, there’s little you can do if there’s a problem.  That’s all I really have to say about that.  I blocked out everything else from that night.

No more night shifts, please.

Nights.

I’ve been back at Trigs for a few weeks now, but tonight was the first time I worked past 7:00pm.  I forgot how much nicer it can be—not that it slows down, really, but the people are nicer (seriously, all the rude people must go to sleep), there are fewer bosses, fewer children, and it can be a lot more exciting and adventurous with only a handful of cashiers and baggers to back you up.  It can also be really annoying when you’re the only one left—almost literally—in the store, but thankfully that wasn’t me tonight.

That’s me tomorrow night.

Wikiwhat?

I’ve been bouncing around wikiHow this evening. It seems interesting—kind of like a user-controlled Soyouwanna, but a lot less entertaining and a lot more…mistaken, I guess. That’s the only way I can put it. Or maybe not that they’re wrong, but that they’re assuming a whole lot. Example: how to write a novel? In theory, a step by step process to writing a novel is a good idea and sounds really useful. Unfortunately, writing a novel really only has one true step:

1. Write novel.

Seriously. That’s all it takes. Everything else is great, sure—the setup, the outlines—but no two people work the same way and saying that this is how you write a novel, one-two-three, is just a little absurd.

There’s also an article about how to be cool. Huh. Wish I had that in high school.

Error-ridden nostalgia

As a Mac user, I sometimes think back longingly on the days when my PC and I were inseparable—oh what a pair we were. Thinking about he wonders of DOS, 95, 98, ME, 2000 and XP always made me smile. I’d cast a fleeting glance on my pile of 200 or so computer games that don’t work with my Mac and my heart would sink. There was always a little part of me that missed Windows, to the point where I was almost beginning to consider considering the thought of thinking about possibly getting another PC sometime before I die.

But then today I actually had to use one. I’m better now.