Another exciting milestone...

So I am at 11,500 words (approx.). It's very exciting! I think cresting over the 10,000 is a big step for me.

So here's the word count widget. I am going to try to put it up as a gadget later. Not sure how to do it though.

NaNoWriMo Update...

Reached 5,000 words for my NaNoWriMo. Still waiting for them to put up he word count widgets or APIs. I'm a bit behind but I'm working hard to catch up. Got a new computer, it was a bit distracting over the weekend. I have to make up for it now. Well I hope I can double my word count by the end of today.

Now I just have to stop myself from playing Morrowind and reading American Gods for long enough to write another 5,000 words.

Only a NaNoWriMo away...

I am going to be participating in NaNoWriMo this year. I have spent the last few months researching and outlining this novel. I am not really sure how advance it past a certain point, but my hope is that I figure it out as I'm writing it. Mostly I just want the practice that happens to come with writing 50,000 words in a month. I hope that the novel I thought up is good enough that when I finish I have something I can edit and later use, but I'd be happy so long as I finish it. Good or not. I'll try to figure out how to put up a wordcount somewhere on here to keep everyone updated on my progress. Wish me luck, I'm going to need it.

All we want to be is art...

I haven't put up a post in a while. Everything became quite hectic between the end of school and going to Spain (which was a wonderful two-week trip to Barcelona and Asturias). A lot of changes, a lot of the same. At least I have had time to enjoy myself.

On another note keeping track of finances is both annoying and infuriating. It seems like every time you spend a penny, somewhere in the universe they are charging you a dollar for doing so. Banks are horrible, scamming monstrosities trying to spin you into confusion. Then, when you're bewildered enough they start throwing mysterious charges at you, and you're too perplexed to even question them. "I don't remember making tha... oh it's from where? But I've never really been there... oh so you're saying it's because... but that doesn't make sense... I guess... maybe... uh... whatever, here's all my money. Solve it."

But on a lighter and more positive note, I have a "pocket" watercolor set and a watercolor Moleskin notebook now and I'm loving the heck out of it.

Here's a giant tree to prove it!

It's quite fun to fiddle with. I've been working on this particular piece for two days, I hope I can finish it by the end of the week and then it can end up on my DeviantArt.

I've also been enjoying my new Moleskin sketchbook. I try to sketch in it whenever I have the time or inspiration. I've also been practicing anatomical structures of animals and wings, as well as colors. Here are some of my current sketches, doodles and scribbles.

A mommy and her children. From a photograph I found online (in-progress)

 

This is from a dream I had in Spain, the picture is in progress

 

I just like the look of the black pen on the beige paper :)

I had to pull over to write/sketch this one. Extremely sudden inspiration.

 Wing tutorial on DeviantArt

 Left- From an art book I have about color // Right- Random thoughts

 Working on facial structure of different animals

Wolf anatomy from tutorial found on DeviantArt

I kind of wish I had more time to write lately. I've been able to slip in the occasional sketch or doodle, even a random quick writing of current thoughts, but I haven't really had the chance to sit down and write. It's a process for me. Joseph can just pull a little book out of his pockets and scrawl to his heart's content, I cannot.  Maybe writing comes more naturally to him, but I have never been able to write without mental preparation. Ah well, life will settle and I can get back to writing. 

*The sky is over...*

Studying for disorders of language and communication...

Looking over the powerpoints and the book for my Disorders of Language and Communication class. I'm not too worried about this exam, I don't imagine it to be difficult, but I need a good grade on it so I'm minimally stressed out. I haven't been sleeping well lately and I've been quite tired. School has been very difficult to focus on. I don't know if it's Senioritis or just stress but I feel very unmotivated. I glance through notes and am like, "good enough." It's a shame that it ends up being good enough, too. I wonder when education became so watered down. Research of previous years in education shows how much of a sacrifice school used to be. People had to pretty much focus on nothing else when they were going to school, but that's not the case anymore. Obviously, some people have a harder time than others keeping up or doing well and some people have higher standards, but for the most part higher education is far too easy. I am very hypocritical though, because I'm glad I can get through with little effort, but then those few times I have to actually apply myself, it's quite a trial. I'm not sure that I know how to study correctly or get a large amount of work done. But I get by. I wonder if I had been born in centuries past (barring the time when women weren't allowed in higher education) if I would have been able to make it to college, let alone through. College was a big deal, it was the cream of the crop (and the rich kids). Now they'll let anyone with a decent credit report or cosigning parents in.

Ah, but on a lighter note I finished Game of Thrones and now I'm hooked. Started reading Clash of Kings a few days ago and I'm about 30% in. I am working on a book review for Game of Thrones. We went to New York City on Sunday and got to see (and sit in) the replica of the iron throne HBO had made to promote the show.

You may note the white ball of fluff on my arm presuming to be Ghost. I made him a few nights ago and for my first attempt at a stuffed animal I think he turned out decent. I may try to make a version 2.0 at some point though, since this one has.... flaws...

I wish that angle had a better view of his tail. His body came out rather well, particularly the cute fluffy tail. But I'd rather just ignore from the neck up. He may resemble Tyrion Lannister a little more than Ghost.

We watched the first episode of Game of Thrones on Sunday night and it was pretty amazing. It was quite faithful, albeit with some minor alterations. I didn't mine the alterations very much. It's interesting to see how the people working on the series have a different interpretation of the characters and the scenery. I was amazed at the level of production value. The amount of time and money that must have been spent on this series is phenomenal. There were so many different settings and places. I was shocked at how intricate the armors and costumes were. The level of detail is mind-blowing.

I have had little chance to work on my novelette. I've been mostly reading The Song of Ice and Fire books and getting some projects done for school.  I'd like to get back to it whenever possible, but I foresee is being stalled to May. I can't wait for mid-May when I can sit back and say "that's all." Of course I will still have one more summer course, but that seems almost irrelevant. I am very excited for the week we're planning to spend in Spain. I don't know that it's truly hit me yet, but when it does I can't imagine being able to contain my excitement. Right now I am just waiting to get the plane tickets and I think we'll be pretty good to go at that point. Sure I was born in Cuba, but since landing here I have never stood on foreign soil. I am hoping that I will have a chance to see my family, I haven't met any of them but I'd love to. I also just kind of  want to wander around. I'm still not sure if I want a tour or if I just want to explore on my own. I'm guessing a tour is a better option for the "first-timer." 

Ah well, back to studying, I suppose.

*The sky is over...*

Sitting on a cold chair in a dark room...

I worked on that story and I finished up the first chapter. It's a little short, but I plan on expanding it a little with time. In order to better work on the story I have kept working on a map with Campaign Cartographer. It's looking pretty nice so far. Lots of work though.

Looking fancy!

The hardest part is the scale. I keep trying to figure out just how long it would take my characters to be wandering around this world. The entire first book is going to happen in those 1,000 sq. miles on the middle right (where the trees are). I must really like to make maps because I spent a ton of time working on the Pyraliss map. Using this program I should remake the Pyraliss world.

I also used a different program called Fractal Terrains. That program gave me a basic idea of the landmasses. BUT the greatest thing about this program is that it gives you temperatures, climates, altitudes, and rainfall. It's like map porn. I feel like having a realistic map like that helps shape and guide your story along. It also gives the world a more realistic feel. Also, it just helps my characters not inadvertently end up in different places that are mysteriously the same exact place (my orientation skills suck, I could never just keep track of this without something physical).

Note the list of climate on the side. I can also change it to reflect rainfall and altitudes.

I can't wait to finish the map. Updates coming soon.

*The sky is over...*

I forgot to give this a title first time around...

I am experiencing hunger.

Isn't it strange how people learn coping methods? How they find ways to work around their dysfunctions? I suppose it's not really strange, it's actually quite normal. It's something that's done every day by most adults, and maybe even some children. Teaching yourself ways to function, regardless of circumstance, that's part of the human condition.

I've always had difficulty finding a happy medium so I have two modes: panic mode or lackadaisical mode. I either care too much, or I just completely lose interest. Everyone at school always comments how I'm "so relaxed" and how they wish they were nearly as relaxed about school. Little do they know that if I didn't force myself into that state I'd probably lose my mind (as I almost have some semesters before I taught myself to cope). It is a bit frustrating though, I never quite know how to give myself the proper level of motivation to get things done. If I let myself get into a panic things don't get done anyway because I just break down. To hell with it. I just have to keep teaching myself around it.

I actually got a chance to keep reading Game of Thrones last night, it was only a little while but I got a couple of chapters read. It's fascinating so far. I'm really enjoying it, but I'm looking forward to finishing it and moving on to either the second book or something else.

I am working on a story, I may have mentioned it before. It doesn't have a title yet, but it's looking quite lengthy. I got a copy of Campaign Cartographer and am using it to make a map of the world it's in. I started to lose track of where the hell the characters were while writing the outline. Decided a map was necessary.

Added a new little guy to the previous picture:

I like how fluid he looks, I don't usually get that effect very easily. 

I'm still waiting to hear back from graduate schools. No word yet. Ah, well. Soon, I hope.

*The sky is over...*

In the cold, dark hours of the morning...

I have just realized that I never wrote a book review for the Dragonlance book I read in February. I'll have to get on that. I mostly listened to the audiobook, must be why I forgot. I finished Dragon Age II with my Anders game. I was a little shocked, mildly disappointed... and I desperately want whatever's next to happen (DLC, DA3? Who knows). Going to have to finish Fenris when I have the time. I started reading the Song of Ice and Fire series. I am enjoying Game of Thrones. It's pretty long, and I haven't had the chance to continue reading, but it's okay. I can't wait to finish it.

I was working on a presentation for one of my classes and I can't seem to convince myself to finish it... Oh lack of motivation, you pain me so... Guess I better get back to it.

*The Sky is over...*

You'll never survive 3005...

Been listening to Scars on Broadway a lot lately. I can't help but feel like the line in 3005 where he says "While you are sinking in the ocean I'll be in my spaceship still alive" is a Portal reference... Even though I know it's not. My stomach's been standing on a ledge threatening to jump lately. Quite horrible. I've sent some people down there to talk him out of it, but he's not listening. Stomach suicide is a serious problem. Stayed home today, I'll probably catch up on some homework and play more Dragon Age II. I'm pretty sure I'm almost in Act III. I'd probably already have beaten the game if I didn't insist on searching every little corner and playing several simultaneous games. It's so enjoyable though.

I continued to work on the outline for that story. It's become quite massive and has reached a much larger scale than I imagined. Pretty crazy. And I still don't have an end in sight. I wonder if I'll actually be able to write it? I'm pretty excited about it now, but for how long? I also found an old story I'd started a few years ago that I'd like to revamp a little. I don't know what to do with it though. It's a good beginning, it just lacks a reason. I think I am going to make sure I do more writing and less trolling the internet. Not that I don't love spending hours on my google reader or Reddit or Cracked filling my brain with useless knowledge, I just think I'd rather be spending that time writing or reading, or drawing for that matter.

I was sketching with my tablet for the first time in a looonggg time yesterday and this is what happened:

She's changed a little since then, and the picture's focus was redirected but I kind of like it. I should spend more time with my tablet.

Man, I could really use a lot more time in my life. Maybe when I finish school. Maybe never. We'll see. I'm kind of glad I'm getting back into the habit of blogging. I think it helps my writing when I write a lot, even if it's just garbled mess about things that don't matter all too much.

*The sky is over...*

Who knows...

I started working on an outline for a "short" story the other day and so far it has left short story territory and entered novelette lands armed with only a short sword and some rations. I rarely do the "outline" thing but I am always so busy lately that I do not always have the time to just sit and write for hours and days, so the outline helps me remember where the story was going and such. It seems to work with other some stories in the past, so I figured it couldn't hurt. I am a little irked that I can't think of an ending for this. I usually have the ending before I have anything else, I tend to work backwards. But this story is jut taunting me. Maybe my beginning and middle are not so well defined that it leads me to a proper ending. I am hoping it will come to me.

I was inspired to begin this story while playing Dragon Age II. I really love that game so far. I have two simultaneous games going (I couldn't decide whether to romance Anders or Fenris so I figured both would do). Listening to Fenris' voice I decided I wanted to write a story where someone had that voice (does that make sense to anyone but me?). That deep, manly voice thing makes me swoon (like Rammstein's Till).  I was the giddiest creature in existence when I first started playing it and Anders showed up... And then I found out he joins your party and I almost died of excitement. I was quite disappointed you couldn't romance him in Awakenings (wow, I'm really lame, aren't I?). I am really enjoying the game and wish I had more time to just plow through it. I love how much the little dialogue differences change the mood of the whole game. My first game was with a female rogue that generally goes for the "good and just" answers, my second game was as a male mage with the more humorous Hawke. It really does change the experience even if it's somewhat the same sequence of events. Also, these differences change what quests become available. I really like it. I'm as enthralled as I was with the first one.

I really like Serj Tankian's Peace Be Revenged. I can't stop listening to it. My lastfm is a bit of a douche though. It seems to not like scrobbling anything I listen to continuously so even though I listened to it upwards of 30 times the other day it seemed to only scrobble 6 or so of those plays. Oh well.

*The sky is over...*

It's always the little things...

I mentioned in the book review I posted just a few moments ago that I bought a Kobo Wifi reader from a Borders that was going out of business. I got it for a nifty $70. It is absolutely WONDERFUL. I don't care about the disparaging reviews or those who upturn their noses at it for fancier models because it does exactly what it needs to do, and that is to give me books to read. I am so excited. I read Coraline on it, as well as five volumes of a manga (Ai Yori Aoshi) I threw on there in pdf format. I was also able to buy an e-book copy of one of my textbooks and put it on there as a pdf. I'm very amused and happy with it.

I had a nice time relaxing all day at a Starbucks. I got a chance to read and play Okami-Den. I just got it (for the DS) and it's a lot of fun. So far it doesn't have that wonderful feeling that the original Okami had, but it's fun and very nostalgic in a lot of ways. Chibiterasu is adorable and very much like his mother. Although I agree that it is fun to draw with the stylus versus the PS2 controller, I don't like the game when it's not on a console because it loses a lot of its depth. It was just plain fun to run around Nippon painting trees in the ground and chopping down everything you see. I loved swimming around and trying to make lilypads just in time to not drown. It was those little extra things that really made me love that game. Feeding the animals, the expansive scenery (and don't get me wrong, Okami-Den is in the same art style) is just compressed and a little more bland. I hope it does well though. I would like them to continue making games in this art and writing style. I miss Issun and Ammy, but Chibi and that kid (I can't remember his name for the life of me) are a cute duo. I hope I can continue to enjoy the game all the way through.

I applied to my first graduate program the other day, two more to go. I'm a little worried, but also just kind of 'meh' about the whole thing. Not sure what I mean by 'meh,' just that I don't expect much. Maybe I'll get in, maybe I wont. I have little expectation. I'm kind of (very slightly) excited at the prospect of getting accepted at Old Dominion. I would really like it if I had a chance to move down to Virginia and experience life outside of NJ for a little while. I just want to try something new, fresh. I like to try new things, see things outside of my realm of comfort. I guess we'll see what happens. I think I'd feel too guilty to just up and move somewhere if I don't get accepted to a program, so I'll probably be stuck here in NJ for awhile until I find a viable excuse to go out and explore.

Sydney's sick again. Poor little guy has an infection. At least we caught it early on. The vet gave us needles with antibiotic, I couldn't bring myself to even look so my beloved does it instead. We gave her a bath the other day and she drank the water then pooped in it. Pretty gross. If I ever have children they're probably going to kill me of disgust, I'm quite squeamish.

Going to see Rammstein again in May. Looking forward to it. 



*The sky is over...*

Book Review - Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Book: Coraline
Author(s): Neil Gaiman
Read: March 2011
**All reviews I write may contain spoilers, read at your own discretion**

Coraline was a book that Gaiman began writing for his 5-year-old daughter. It began as a short story and after time escalated to becoming a short novel. Although the entire story carries an inherent creepiness to it, I expected a little more from him. This was the first book I read on my Kobo e-book reader and I was excited both by the story and the gadget. I read it all in one go, taking maybe two and a half hours. The beginning seemed a little slow, but it picked up as the pages passed. Gaiman does a wonderful job of setting up the characters and the atmosphere. When considering the target audience, it seems to have that little more that I expected. I found the use of the beldam both as a comfort (in the beginning where she is giving Coraline the attention that she is deprived of) as well as a point of incongruence (something is very obviously off about her from the very beginning).
I had seen the movies some years ago and found it to be somewhat creepier (maybe due to the visual effects), but not as well put together as the book. I found it strange that Wyborn was not a character from the original book and a little disappointing that the fairy child was replaced in the movie by another child. The cat had a more prominent role in the book (which I appreciated) taking on his and Wyborn's role in the movie as Coraline's friend, protector and guide. Although her parents grow on you in the movie, they seem to be colder and more displaced in the book, never quite giving you the feeling that they truly care about their daughter. This is distressful because it leaves you in the quandary of which is worse, being alone or being lost? Yet, there are moments where you realize that her parents are just jaded and lost in the world of adulthood.
It was an interesting read and I am excited to expand my Neil Gaiman internal library. Maybe I'll finally finish Good Omens and put that up.

Book Review: Finding Our Tongues by Dean Falk

Book: Finding Our Tongues
Author(s): Dean Falk
Read: January 2011
**All reviews I write may contain spoilers, read at your own discretion**


Having received this as a Christmas gift, I had no incoming expectations from this book. It discusses the acquisition of human language beginning with our ancestors, homo erectus, and paralelling it with the other primates' lack of any kind of verbal language. Although the author presents a very interesting view to the field of language and speech, it seems as though the book itself is largely based on repetition. I spent a lot of time reading what felt like the same pieces of information over and over again. Pieces of information that didn't even feel like they were the main goal or focus of the passage or Chapter they were in. The book is full of interesting ideas with very little research or founding to back them up. I was interested in the author's aside, commenting that hominid mothers tended to carry their babies in their left arms, keeping them close to their heartbeat which in turn could have been the precedent for right-handedness.
In the end this book did not capture my interests enough to keep me reading. After forcing myself halfway through, I gave up. The repetitive nature of the information and its lack of a solid foundation really turned me off.

Expansion of knowledge...

I have tried to keep a book journal in the last year or two and I will not lie when I say that I have been horrible at it. I am trying again though, and this time I will be trying it here on this blog. It gives me something to write about more frequently and maybe will inspire me to read more (I do not read anywhere near enough). I will name all of these entries as "Personal Book Review 'Title of Book'" just to keep it tidy-looking. I'm reading a book this moment as a matter of fact, and it will hopefully be up and reviewed soon.
I wouldn't expect any valuable or astonishing from anything I read. I also don't expect all of my reading material will be books grandeous books of well-written glory, but it's all just for my own record and if you want to read it, then good for you.

*The sky is over...*

Chains held tightly on my ankles...

I can't imagine the state we are now in, although I think about it every day, maybe every hour. This totalitarian country masked as a democracy, a place of freedom. A land of opportunity where millions die of hunger, of fear, of lack. A land where the people get exploited, receiving minimum wages for the necesary jobs that no others are willing do. This is a country that promotes living in fear. Lock your doors. Hide your children. They are coming for you. For your families and loved ones and friends and neighbors. But who are They? They are the ones that are whispering in your ear, telling you to fear. Fear is their power. Fear to travel, fear to stay in place. Your homes are not safe, your lives are in danger. Fear. Fear the world you live in. Everyone is coming for you. 
We live in a land where those with power and money do what they want, what will give them more power and more money. Trample the poor. Crush the weak. We are nothing but fodder for the cows of the rich. Even their cows are worth more than the everyday man. Freedom, they cry. It is all in the name of freedom. Of choice. We have the "freedom" to speak, and scream, and mourn, and fear, but to act is to put us all in danger. To act is to spur their fire. They do not take kindly to the prodding of their livestock. Fodder is easily disposed of with oil and fire. And there is little way out, no true escape. It is our burden. We all have far too many roots, too many ties. It's the ball at the end of our many chains. Until we find the key we can only drag ourselves so far. But here we stand, downtrodden, jaded, afraid and overwhelmed by the mountain of wrong keys.