3 Months in 1 Blog

So let me just start by saying that I am currently waiting for both Coffee and my computer to restart. With that out of the way, let me also just add that I haven't really written anything in the story since then. Is it out of my mind. Not really. I've just been either stressed, busy, or just not in the mood to write. Worse yet is that I kind of feel like putting down that book and going back to my previous one, RED, and restarting it. Why? Because I have all these ideas on how to do it better and more correctly than before that will allow me to not get stuck and actually finish it.

On that note let me describe how RED current was working out to be. There was a main character who had an interesting (no, really!) past and for some reason decided to spend his life as a detective. He gets a call out from the middle of nowhere and they ask him to find their daughter. Blah blah blah blah, more characters, and next thing you know I was in a hole.

Another important part to RED was that all the characters were based around two scenarios. The first one was that they would all be considered a "color" and as such that would turn into both their name and a bit of their personality. T he second personality was based around a dance of some sort (very subtle in the story, but one could notice it if they were looking). Although I liked the characters that this created, it did not create any seen friction that could continue into a full blown story of amazing proportions. That is a skill that I can only think I have currently been able to develop. And yes, Plots are hard to make and even more complicated to make great.

So what do I want to do to RED that changes it completely and makes it possible to complete? Well, for starters, I want to base characters and the scenes they are in off of colors. In this way I can get a much more dramatic scene (as will be seen in the re-write) as well as a possible self style to the story. I'm even considering taking it to the next level and using it in the text a bit (though most likely I wont on the first version) just to really have some fun with it. The second thing I want to do is add a little bit of LA Noir. Okay, enough of RED, that's actually not even started and I just wanted to give my friends who had read what was written an idea of why I might want to restart. Trust me, its better.

Now back to the update of my life. Lets see, went back to school for my Masters of Science in Civil Engineering and a focus in Structural Engineering. I couldn't get a job without a masters because of the economy, so I went back as I promised my parents. Had my birthday back in January, it wasn't very good. Did not do much but study and work for more of February. Had a lousy Valentines Day (expected). March came around and things finally started to get better. I got out and got to hike, which caused sore legs for a few days but I think was more than worth it. I finally got a "haircut." I put that in quotes because I donated every last inch of it. 10 inches went to Locks of Love and then what remained was shaved off for St Baldrick's Day. If you'd like to see a few of the pictures or donate towards my cause, you can find them here on the St Baldrick's Day website. I'll be adding more soon. Also, the total length was 10.5 inches and I'm glad to be rid of it. It was too long.

And finally on my update, yesterday I got stood up by all of my friends to go drinking (except Wyatt, who I accidentally stood up because I was so tired I passed out, sorry!). Today I got stood up to go hiking. Sad end of the first half of the school year, but it happens. Now on to Spring Break and then to finish up my first semester as a grad student. Never thought I'd go through so much school (cause I hate it...).

Quick Update (sorta)

Just a quick update, but I wrote a little bit more before I decided to turn in for the night. Also, I noticed I haven't done many posts this month. That made me feel bad, like I was disappointing a crowd that does not exist. So now I'm trying to make at least one a day to make up for the lack of posting I've done for the previous parts of the month.

On another strange note, this month sucks compared to the last two. Yes, I've gotten lazier and lazier as I try to force myself to continue writing. And yes, I am trying to complete this month so desperately because I know that if I do I win a huge prize and get to laugh a whole lot as my ex-girlfriend wonders how I mysteriously was able to get not 1 or 2, but 3 months of meeting a strange goal I've never tried to before. That's right, I'm trying to complete this month for the fun of amazing her and seeing her reaction. Sometimes life gives you lemons, and then you laugh cause you just saw a car explode. Sure, it might have been your fault the exhaust was clogged with lemons but who would know that.

Anyway, quick update, things got done, stuff happened, more commas where used, a person talked to me, interesting things, reviews, fans, worlds of worlds, and end quick update.

Words for the Month: 7,152 / 40,000
Total Words: 87,211

Also, note that for today I never made over 5,000 words and I never got to play my games... stupid me not working harder to get video games... Also again also, I've strangely already used lemon in my labels... how did that happen?

Curses...

And so I really did plan to write a lot more before going to sleep, but now I'm at that stage of tired where I can't think straight. Great for writing God knows what and getting ideas, bad for writing good stuff. Oh well, at least I got more words onto the paper.

If you really wanted to know, video games distracted me yet again and then later the internet died. Both kept me up late. Stupid video games, but so much fun... I'm tired and plan to sleep now.

Words for the Month: 23,598 / 40,000
Total Words: 63,641

And the New Month Begins!

So here I start on month 2 of the big idea of how I can write a book. It feels weird looking at the work I've done and thinking that I've made it so far only to have to try and do it again, but on the other side it feels great. I really know I can do it now, where as in the past I kind of flaunted around with trying to write this many words. At least I have some ideas where the story is going to go, I know what is going to at least happen all the way to the end of the chapter, and it sounds like so far my readers are enjoying the conflicts that are arising in the main character.

On other news, I've discovered that I'm really messed up as far as sleep now. For the past few weeks, to get into the writing spirit I've had to wait until 10PM or later because there was too much noise in the house. Well, I stayed up later by taking naps from 7 to 9 and now I can't seem to sleep a whole night anymore. On the bright side, I'm going to have a lot of time for writing. On the bad side, I can't sleep at night and that leaves me feeling a little messed up inside. Its like taking depression pills and I don't know why.

Other than that, I strangely felt weird not writing also. Its like somewhere in my head I want to just start talking about stuff and typing and telling stories, but I took the day off and didn't have an outlet. I didn't expect that to happen... Also, I wrote like three paragraphs or so just to feel like I had officially started this new month. Zero just sounded bad...

Words for the Month: 268 / 40,000
Total Words: 40,311

Weird Dream

So today I woke up at eight in the morning and tried typing some more for my story, but found that rather difficult with my little brother near. He won't stop talking to me. I decided that the best course of action was to go back to sleep.

I did, and I had possibly one of the strangest dreams to date. It started off simple enough, because I was in Illinois helping my parents take care of my grandparents. It was for the most part cleaning stuff and making sure their house was secure. Well, my Dad was there and he dropped the key to their house on the ground, so I picked it up and called him to tell him he did that. He told me to keep it and that it was no problem, which I thought was weird.

Then my mom finally arrived in Illinois, oddly a day after my Dad had been there. She brought a cat with her to my Grandparent's house and we were all talking while the cat played at our feet. My Mom saw I had been working on keeping the house clean and also locked-up tight, especially after I told her what my Dad had did, so apparently the Cat was my reward. That and I would have to wash all of my Grandma's cloths, which is something I never want to do.

Instead I ended up finding out a piece of information that my older brother was at a hearing by the Colorado State Courts today to solve some great mystery. Being the awesome brother that I am I did not want to go, but my Mom said it would probably be for the better if I went. So I did.

The place where the hearing was being held was a few stories up from the ground, all standing on massive steel poles. I took an elevator in the middle of the poles up to the top of the stadium thing and started wandering down rows of seats to try and find my brother. I spotted him sitting in the very first row (which was scary because we were several stories up from the ground) and he was just looking out. Now, as a reminder there were hundreds of people filling the seats behind him. So I started to wander through the crowd trying to find a seat for myself when I suddenly spotted several friends from several different parts of my life. Just to throw some names out there: Wyatt, Vicki, Kara, and then there were two other people but I can't remember who they were.

So I went over to Wyatt, Vicki, and Kara and they all had these blow-up dolls that looked slightly different from one another, but also looked very similar to me. So I started whispering to Wyatt and Vicki and they showed me a CD case big package for the blow-up doll that said Average Angry Stand-up Comedian. I laughed a little at this.

Then something happened that made me want to get closer to my brother so I could talk to him. I ended up flipping over the seats and snapping the head off of Kara's blow-up me and went down to one of the other people I know. Kara, wanting revenge decided she also wanted to get closer. Well I started to talk to this friend about Kara and my brother's relationship and then how Kara was married. It was also very weird. Then a person sitting behind us yelled at us for making a racket. Also, at the same time Vicki had plugged in an old vinyl record (plugged in by putting it on a record player attached to the seat... don't ask cause I don't know) and she had it on speaker by accident. So that started play loudly and everyone was yelling at her to turn it off, so she gave me this look that said OH MY GOD and at the same time she plugged in her headphones and switched it to personal.

Then the jury decided without a doubt that by proof of my older brother's responses that I had been telling the truth and they decided we were both A.D.D. kids that should not be contacted by the courts. So now we're on the do-not-call list for courts because we were listed for Attention Deficit Disorder.

Then I woke up. Weird dream, right?

Anyway, life gets more complicated and I'm trying to catch-up still. Hopefully I do catch-up because I feel so close to actually succeeding. Maybe start making a checklist of months I've done successfully after this?

Words for the Month: 28,580 / 40,000
Total Words: 28,580

Damn

Well, that did not go as planned. On the good side, I'm no more behind schedule than I was, I was able to break past the part that was giving me trouble, and I now have some more direction to where I'm writing. On the bad side, I'm no further caught up then I should be, I am tired as hell and lost half my day to sleep, and there is too much noise around me to write right now.

So was last night successful? Maybe, I'm not sure how to look at success right now. What I do know is I have  a lot of stuff on my mind of what I want to write which means the next few pages will go pretty quick. That should also make my friend happy because they get it a little faster too.

Words for the Month: 26,353 / 40,000
Total Words: 26,353

Tired

Besides staying up late for insomnia, I've also been sleeping through the day. This leaves me, of course, tired all day long when I actually do stay awake. In some ways this sort of sleep pattern is great, because I hate hot and that's what my room is. So I sleep through it.

Well today I couldn't do that, because I had to go to the bank to get my finances set up for the next period of time. That took forever, which I think should be every banks slogan now. "We'll make sure its right by taking the whole day to do something." Anyway, then I had to go out and find some flip-flops because mine exploded on me a few days ago. Yes, exploded is the correct term to use there.

Well now I'm more than tired, I haven't written what I need to for today or yesterday, and I am falling behind again. This is just so natural of me. On the bright side, I actually have very well planned what I want to write and I know where the story is going. So hopefully the next batch of words will come out fast and easier than when I am in a blocked zone.

Words for the Month: 11,047 / 40,000
Total Words: 11,047

Re-reading

So I'm sitting down with my friend/wife/husband's wife/food giver and we're going over what I've written so far, working out a few kinks and getting rid of some awful word choices. Well, the wonderful thing about doing this is we are both rolling on the floor with laughter as we read some of the more ridiculous thing I write.

But one portion that I still proclaim is ever so important is that I keep wanting to use a word that is not in the dictionary, or at least not in the manner I want to use it. To wasp, a new verb I say. It doesn't mean anything to deal with the damn animal we all hate, but rather is more an associate of the very wimpy counter-parts of to wisp or to whisk. Yet every time I go to use the word, she laughs at me and the computer thinks I'm a retard.

So just let it be known, I'm demanding that to wasp (or as I use it in my writing, wasping) be added to the damn dictionary. Here are my reasons:

1. it adds yet another way to briskly say the wind rustled the trees
2. it sounds cool, yet scary because of the animal regularly associated with word
3. It makes her want to read my blog because I go off on random tangents on wasping

As you can see, these reason alone provide without a doubt that the word should fucking exist in the dictionary. Seriously, if I can use it in common conversation, it should be something I can use in Microsoft Word without the program getting upset with me.

On another note, the writing goes well. We are currently working on making stuff work, which as you can tell from this sentence, it probably needs a lot of work. I just said work twice, that pisses me off. Six hours of sleep for the record.

Words for the Month: 7,379 / 40,000
Total Words: 7,379

Am I getting Sick?

I know that the previous night I had insomnia, something that most people would classify as a disease, but for me it has become something more of second nature. I don't mind having insomnia and it barely torments my mind to think I'm not sleeping at the right hours (not that I don't get a little upset after a while of no sleep). So I don't usually pay much attention to the fact that I stayed up one night and slept through the next or that I've slept a good portion of the sunlit part of my day away. So don't think of that as a disease for me, but rather just my natural body motions when I talk about it.

However, I have noticed that although my sleeping is random and all over the place, that I've been sleeping a lot more than I should be. Like yesterday, the last entry to my blog was made early in the morning. At about seven AM my time (mountain, for those that don't know), I found myself back in bed going to sleep finally. I did not wake up until dinner that night. I had the meal, then went straight back to sleep. This is abnormal for me and it has been happening a lot recently. So I'm starting to wonder if I might be getting a little sick.

On another note, I am not letting this stop me from continuing my goal for the month, for I am already continuing on writing and hopefully I will get a lot done today. I will of course give the update as to what I am at now, but I just thought I would post this out there that I might fall asleep and get less done then expected.

What I also wanted to say is that although no one has read what I've written yet, for I am still working hard on finishing up a first chapter that is sure to grab the reader and bring them into wanting to read more (as I am told I am good at this), I have noticed something very peculiar about this novel in comparison to my many other ones. You see, I'm only about seven pages into writing it (All of which are formatted to be approximately 600-900 words a page... not your average amount for those who don't know) and I've noticed that the story plays out through what the character finds and not completely through the character. This means that my readers should very much expect that the book will consist of mountains of letters, poems, notes, and other assortments of writings that the protagonist will use to continue his journey and the first chapter will very much make this clear to whomever reads. So hopefully these side-portions of the book will be as interesting as the main characters adventure, drawing the reader to want to put them together as well as they dive into other people's lives.

One last note, my family continues to show me just how annoying they can really be...

Words for this Month: 4,678 / 40,000
Total Words: 4,678