Sleep? What's that?
Well, I'm pleased so far with my posts as Brent, and I'm in the process of writing some background to Brent's storyline with Enigma and Kyle. I find that writing the actions that are happening off-stage, so to speak, help make the on-stage actions and motivations for such actions flow more easily. Kinda like writing a bio for your characters before you start your short story.
Meanwhile, I am trying my hardest not to get sucked into RP forum drama that is occurring around me. There is (and this will come to NO surprise to those of you who frequent fan fic forums) a great deal of competition among the forums, mostly because the same people frequent several different forums.
Some of these folks have been around far longer than I have (either as mortals, characters, or both), so I really can't address how they feel about the "glorious past." (My phrase, not theirs.) I personally have been a participant about five years now, always either as a mortal (whether sanctioned or not) or a rogue vampire (i.e., not a true Ricean vampire). And it has been my experience that there really WAS no "glorious past."
I mean, I confess that there was (and still is) some damned good writing out there. In fact, I consider some of my writing (as a sanctioned mortal) to be among the best. I'm proud of it and I was proud of the people with whom I wrote it. In fact, it was almost euphoric to belong to a group of writers who were willing to interact and hash out details and toss around ideas, who were willing to take as well as make good suggestions, who worked their hearts out and carried out the purpose of their parts of the given plotline with great finesse while staying true to their character.
But I go back to Enigma's mantra: If it isn't fun anymore, then quit. That what I did a year ago when I got disgusted with a leader who wouldn't lead and writers who wouldn't write. And I'm not trying to be accusatory here. The leader had personal RL problems that interfered with the ability to lead. The writers had RL problems that first interfered with timeliness and then then interfered with quality of writing (in my very vocal opinion at the time), and ultimate culminated in an attitude problem that broke the proverbial straw on this camel's back.
Pathetic when three of us who really, really wanted to write . . . so badly that we paid for the webspace ourselves (though if my memory serves, there were actually nine writers on that board at the time) . . . were hamstrung by one person who decided she wouldn't write until the leader returned while said leader's return was delayed a good six months.
Then, of course, I dropped the charade entirely and came out with who/what I really am. There goes another of the three of us who wanted to write. By the time said leader returned, my heart was no longer in it. I was gone and nobody missed me. Such is fan forum drama.
Now I have the opportunity to write again and there is a rule that addresses posting frequency. There is a rule that addresses posts that do not move a plotline along. There is a rule about over-writing another character (i.e., attributing words, actions, or thoughts to another character without that writer's express permission). There is a rule that addresses taking the whole thing too seriously. I love these rules, guys! Just in case you missed it in my last two posts!
But . . . drama abounds. And I was accused today of hoping that one of my dear friends would be done wrongly by someone who has done her wrongly before and had done me wrongly before (and has told me in no uncertain terms that she was completely justified in doing so and that she is not and will never be sorry about it), and has left a literal trail of carnage (RL emotional carnage, not fantasy vampiric stuff --grin--) in her wake for as long as I've known her (soon to be 4 years).
Uh . . . why on earth would I "hope" such a thing for someone I consider a friend? My friend's accusation cut me. Actually, no, it rather shocked me then. But the more I re-read the IM, the more hurt I was by such a ludicrous accusation.
And why was the accusation made? Because my friend considers me as fraternizing with the enemy. The RP-er with whom I have such a tainted past (whom I wouldn't trust any farther than a period on my screen) also sees the new forum as an enemy. And so she and my friend are political bedfellows in this matter. I make a comment about the RP-er with whom I have (and have had, for the last 3 years) a problem and suddenly I'm also the enemy as the wagons are circled. --sigh--
I have met with my friend's displeasure before. I know how she is (for she is passionate about the writing and about the characters, and for such passion, I can only love her, not blame her). And I also know that when things settle down again, she will remember that I've never once dealt underhandedly with her (and if she is honest with herself, she will also admit that she cannot say the same about her current political bedfellow).
I am trusting that my track-record of almost four years will overcome her hurt and anger at me right now. In the meantime, though, I shall write. And I shall praise good writing wherever I find it, and seek to improve my writing by any means possible. And I shall write because I enjoy it and for no other reason.
That being said . . .
James and Chris and I were to see League of Extraordinary Gentlemen tonight (Friday night). But instead, we ended up see The Italian Job because I was late arriving at the theatre and the only seats together were on the front row.
This is for keneally!!! --grin--
SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
I thought it was a really fun movie, but I found it a bit predictable. In fact, I actually exercised that ability to predict in several places throughout the movie. I think they could have played out the suspense with the Ukrainians better with the audience (because that was one aspect that really could have been either way if they had). But, it was basically wasted because it was mostly ignored until the very end. Still, overall, I am happy with the evening spent at the movies. Chris and James both enjoyed it, and I enjoyed seeing it with them.
Okay Nick! You can look now! --grin--
Afterward, the three of us met at Sufficient Grounds for coffee. Soooooo much fun! Chris, who is my mentee teacher and friend, with whom I do a lot of things, and who is a lot of fun on just about any occasion, came across as such a babe-in-arms!!!! --grin-- If James and I had been promiscuous as youths, Chris could have been our son. (Heh . . . provided James and I would ever have done anything like that together, which is not likely!) Anyway, James and I had a field day, teasing Chris, who took it all in stride with good humor. I think all three of us enjoyed the evening.
I can't wait to get together again with James. He said he's in the process of setting up a studio in Hillcrest, and I had already told him that I'd be hanging out there regularly whenever I'm kid-free. I can't wait to see his latest works. Also, I made him guess which vampire I'd been invited to write, and he said, "Not Lestat. You've been asked to write Lestat!?!?" --grin-- Gotta love friends who can appreciate the significance of such a thing! I think he and I will be taking a field trip to Barnes and Nobel before the end of the month so he can use my Reader's Advantage Special Discount (because God knows I'm too poor to use it before the time runs out).
Well, it's storming here. Time to post before I'm toast! --grin--
Meanwhile, I am trying my hardest not to get sucked into RP forum drama that is occurring around me. There is (and this will come to NO surprise to those of you who frequent fan fic forums) a great deal of competition among the forums, mostly because the same people frequent several different forums.
Some of these folks have been around far longer than I have (either as mortals, characters, or both), so I really can't address how they feel about the "glorious past." (My phrase, not theirs.) I personally have been a participant about five years now, always either as a mortal (whether sanctioned or not) or a rogue vampire (i.e., not a true Ricean vampire). And it has been my experience that there really WAS no "glorious past."
I mean, I confess that there was (and still is) some damned good writing out there. In fact, I consider some of my writing (as a sanctioned mortal) to be among the best. I'm proud of it and I was proud of the people with whom I wrote it. In fact, it was almost euphoric to belong to a group of writers who were willing to interact and hash out details and toss around ideas, who were willing to take as well as make good suggestions, who worked their hearts out and carried out the purpose of their parts of the given plotline with great finesse while staying true to their character.
But I go back to Enigma's mantra: If it isn't fun anymore, then quit. That what I did a year ago when I got disgusted with a leader who wouldn't lead and writers who wouldn't write. And I'm not trying to be accusatory here. The leader had personal RL problems that interfered with the ability to lead. The writers had RL problems that first interfered with timeliness and then then interfered with quality of writing (in my very vocal opinion at the time), and ultimate culminated in an attitude problem that broke the proverbial straw on this camel's back.
Pathetic when three of us who really, really wanted to write . . . so badly that we paid for the webspace ourselves (though if my memory serves, there were actually nine writers on that board at the time) . . . were hamstrung by one person who decided she wouldn't write until the leader returned while said leader's return was delayed a good six months.
Then, of course, I dropped the charade entirely and came out with who/what I really am. There goes another of the three of us who wanted to write. By the time said leader returned, my heart was no longer in it. I was gone and nobody missed me. Such is fan forum drama.
Now I have the opportunity to write again and there is a rule that addresses posting frequency. There is a rule that addresses posts that do not move a plotline along. There is a rule about over-writing another character (i.e., attributing words, actions, or thoughts to another character without that writer's express permission). There is a rule that addresses taking the whole thing too seriously. I love these rules, guys! Just in case you missed it in my last two posts!
But . . . drama abounds. And I was accused today of hoping that one of my dear friends would be done wrongly by someone who has done her wrongly before and had done me wrongly before (and has told me in no uncertain terms that she was completely justified in doing so and that she is not and will never be sorry about it), and has left a literal trail of carnage (RL emotional carnage, not fantasy vampiric stuff --grin--) in her wake for as long as I've known her (soon to be 4 years).
Uh . . . why on earth would I "hope" such a thing for someone I consider a friend? My friend's accusation cut me. Actually, no, it rather shocked me then. But the more I re-read the IM, the more hurt I was by such a ludicrous accusation.
And why was the accusation made? Because my friend considers me as fraternizing with the enemy. The RP-er with whom I have such a tainted past (whom I wouldn't trust any farther than a period on my screen) also sees the new forum as an enemy. And so she and my friend are political bedfellows in this matter. I make a comment about the RP-er with whom I have (and have had, for the last 3 years) a problem and suddenly I'm also the enemy as the wagons are circled. --sigh--
I have met with my friend's displeasure before. I know how she is (for she is passionate about the writing and about the characters, and for such passion, I can only love her, not blame her). And I also know that when things settle down again, she will remember that I've never once dealt underhandedly with her (and if she is honest with herself, she will also admit that she cannot say the same about her current political bedfellow).
I am trusting that my track-record of almost four years will overcome her hurt and anger at me right now. In the meantime, though, I shall write. And I shall praise good writing wherever I find it, and seek to improve my writing by any means possible. And I shall write because I enjoy it and for no other reason.
That being said . . .
James and Chris and I were to see League of Extraordinary Gentlemen tonight (Friday night). But instead, we ended up see The Italian Job because I was late arriving at the theatre and the only seats together were on the front row.
This is for keneally!!! --grin--
SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
I thought it was a really fun movie, but I found it a bit predictable. In fact, I actually exercised that ability to predict in several places throughout the movie. I think they could have played out the suspense with the Ukrainians better with the audience (because that was one aspect that really could have been either way if they had). But, it was basically wasted because it was mostly ignored until the very end. Still, overall, I am happy with the evening spent at the movies. Chris and James both enjoyed it, and I enjoyed seeing it with them.
Okay Nick! You can look now! --grin--
Afterward, the three of us met at Sufficient Grounds for coffee. Soooooo much fun! Chris, who is my mentee teacher and friend, with whom I do a lot of things, and who is a lot of fun on just about any occasion, came across as such a babe-in-arms!!!! --grin-- If James and I had been promiscuous as youths, Chris could have been our son. (Heh . . . provided James and I would ever have done anything like that together, which is not likely!) Anyway, James and I had a field day, teasing Chris, who took it all in stride with good humor. I think all three of us enjoyed the evening.
I can't wait to get together again with James. He said he's in the process of setting up a studio in Hillcrest, and I had already told him that I'd be hanging out there regularly whenever I'm kid-free. I can't wait to see his latest works. Also, I made him guess which vampire I'd been invited to write, and he said, "Not Lestat. You've been asked to write Lestat!?!?" --grin-- Gotta love friends who can appreciate the significance of such a thing! I think he and I will be taking a field trip to Barnes and Nobel before the end of the month so he can use my Reader's Advantage Special Discount (because God knows I'm too poor to use it before the time runs out).
Well, it's storming here. Time to post before I'm toast! --grin--