Yeah, I know those were similar to yours. I should have done this listing before you, so it'd look like you copied me, and not vice versa. ;) The first four items were taken from a Word document called "Goals" that I wrote about a year ago, actually.
Good questions. The answers are not so good, because I don't really have concrete ones. Your sister asked a similar question about missions and I'll tell you basically the same thing. I don't feel called to a particular type of mission, yet, but I want to do something. One of my simple (though serious) ideas was to take Bibles to USF (university) and hand them out and get into discussions with people.
For an instrument, I've always had interest in the trumpet -- or more dubiously a trombone. 'Gotta love the brass. My problem: some lack of coordination and rather slow thinking (not to say I'm dumb :P).
A somersault? Who can't do one of those? It's been a long time, though, so possibly not. ;) You must have been rowdy! LOL! We used to do indian noises, too. There's a picture of my sister Grace climbing the walls. :D
Um. That didn't even cross my mind about the spitting, but I guess you're right. :P lol. I've tried a couple times in the pass, but apparently not enough to get the hang of it.
You didn't think the Gladiator was violent?! Hehe. Yeah, The Patriot was violent, but violence doesn't bother me, usually. 20 times?! Whoa! Probably only 5-7 times for me.
Yes... I was definitely rowdy. Sometimes I wish I still was. =P My energy lacks these days. Makes me worried about what I'll be like in ten years.
Oh yeah. Gladiator was definitely violent... but I was too caught up in the lives of the characters to notice it as much. The violence in The Patriot made more of an impact on me, for some reason. I'll never forget moment of raw pain Mel Gibson protays when he's hacking into that guys back. *shudders*
As for the check marked stuff... I'll have to demonstrate on an audio post sometime. Lol, Joanna, Melody and I started the inside joke awhile back and it's grown since. Now everyone is involved.
Gladiator was definitely violent... but I was too caught up in the lives of the characters to notice it as much.
=) Excuses. =P Yeah, that one part in The Patriot was a little over the top, but it added one of those deep emotional elements that enriches a movie. I love movies that explore the psychological workings of the mind or that are rich with realistic emotional flare and unique personality. That's one reason I liked Anne of Green Gables -- er, still do. =P
I think I know what this check marked stuff is. When you say, "Awwwww," the graph of the pitch goes down and then way back up like a check mark! Light bulb over the head --> ?:)
You know. I really miss Johanna around here. =/ I hope she returns sometime again soon, because her comments add so much spice to our little world.
I love movies that explore the psychological workings of the mind or that are rich with realistic emotional flare and unique personality.
Exactly. Those are the kinds of movies that actually make an impact on me. The others... well, I forget them as fast as it takes to watch them.
Anne of Green Gables, eh? Seems to me that you aren't the only guy around here who has a soft spot for those movies. ;) I used to have a friend just like Anne. She was down-right pretty special.
When you say, "Awwwww," the graph of the pitch goes down and then way back up like a check mark!
LOL, yeah. That's pretty much the general idea -- With huge exaggerations on the pitch change. When Melody does it, her last strain of "awwww" is usually falsetto. =P
Well, then, we've got to keep it alive for old-times' sake! *laughs*
Johanna will be back, I do predict. One of these days, like Aaron, she'll reappear.
You know, when the others (Missy, Mark, and Korina) were watching Anne of Green Gables here recently, I told Missy that Anne reminds me in personality of you to a certain degree, and she agreed. That post of yours about the ivy didn't do anything to ruin that impression. =)
Well, then, we've got to keep it alive for old-times' sake!
*snickers and laughs*
Actually. I had a really looong chat with her yesterday, which was totally awesome. Johanna said that we should expect her back anytime... Yay! Hopefully sooner than later. ;-)
Updating her bio before she returns is a high priority, so that might take awhile. Like a great mountain looming in the distance... you KNOW you have to get around to it, but the thought of summing your life in several paragraphs is overwhelming to comprehend. Heh. I procrastinated on mine for months. Horrible! (And embarrassing, too, I might add).
Lol. Well, thank-you. I'm glad the ivy post was enjoyed, as inspiration was really what filled me in the composing of it. Today Becky and I were talking about creative writing, and it suddenly hit me that I really enjoy visual brainstorming. It makes life so... beautiful, you know? =)
Johanna said that we should expect her back anytime...
Indeed. =)
I don't think that not updating your bio should be embarrassing since there's nothing wrong with that, unless it were indicative of a lifestyle of procrastination. Besides that, probably no one really knew or was bothered that it was outdated.
Visual brainstorming helps invigorate creativity, I'm sure. Creativity really is one of the greatest assets of intelligence. It's probably one of the major mental deficiencies of animals. Yeah, visual brainstorming, and creativity in general, can go a long way in turning the ordinary into the extraordinary through the mind's eye.
Someday you'll have to write a novel. It's fun! Plus you get to weave in thought-provoking ideas and messages that may impact people's lives. Have you ever seriously tried? (I'm sorry if I asked that before and forgot.)
I don't think that not updating your bio should be embarrassing since there's nothing wrong with that...
I don't think the procrastination factor would embarrass me most about having an old bio. It would be the outdated, silly information I wrote about myself two years ago that would mis-represent who I am today. =)
Then again, such tiny varying discrepancies between the two would probably stand out to me more than they might to the average person stopping by.
As for the rest of you... hopefully by now you would know who I really am, bio or not. =)
Oh... and as for your latter question no, I can't remember you specifically asking about this before. =)
I've doodled around with story-type writing before, but when it comes to actually trying to develop a sane plot for the doodling, my brain experiences immediate wipeout. =)
But. I can't really say I've seriously tried to work through my "wipeouts" either, so perhaps I'm only experiencing a mental block I could easily get past after investing more effort into thinking through it all. Yeah... I think that's it. =) I need to give story writing a better chance.
I enjoyed looking through some of your plot to VIM this week. Samuel said the story part was really good (not to mention entertaining because he sees bits of you in it). so I'm hoping to read part of that next week. =)
Another friend of mine is in the middle of writing a suspense novel so I've enjoyed his material as well. =) Knowing the author makes the writing all that much more interesting I think.
Do you have other friends who write/are writing their own books?
Interesting. Did you know that J.R.R. Tolkein started writing LOTR several times and then discarded what he had and started over? Many authors have struggled with plots, I think.
Doodles. So you've starting with mini-stories and tried to work those into a larger story? That's a creative approach. Yeah, I'm sure you could overcome the wipeouts with a little more effort.
Missy often struggles with plots... and so do I. The plot for VIM has undergone hundreds of changes since I started work on it in 2001. You may find many inconsistencies in the plot outline, since it was written for myself and I never bothered to revise the entire thing to be perfectly consistent. I keep the most recent plot revisions in my head, and that's the only place where it's all put together, really.
Yes, you'll find many bits of me in the story. In fact. The two main male characters are both like me in certain ways, though Tom/Jevity is more like what I desire to be spiritually (apart from his vengeful part).
Just so you know, the story is meant to start slowly... like a tiny cloud building in the distance and growing into a mighty thunderstorm. There's little suspense or depth of plot in the first part. (Oops, now you won't want to read it. =P) I hope you'll really enjoy it, though.
Did you know that J.R.R. Tolkein started writing LOTR several times and then discarded what he had and started over? Many authors have struggled with plots, I think.
No, I was not aware of that fact... Rather interesting, and perhaps somewhat encouraging to think about, seeing how great his trilogy of books turned out so well.
So you've starting with mini-stories and tried to work those into a larger story?
Hmm. I don't know if I could actually say I've ever tried working my snatches of writing into a bigger story. Most of the time my pieces are quite different than the others, so I can't imagine fitting them together very well. It's just fun to experiment around, I suppose. Have you started on any other books besides VIM?
I keep the most recent plot revisions in my head, and that's the only place where it's all put together, really.
That makes sense. I imagine it would be hard to keep track of writing down all the details in your actual plot document... especially because your story is rather complex. 2001 was five years ago! =) You've been working on this one for quite awhile, I guess. Have you ever had to go back and edit any major parts of what you've written of your story so far?
(Oops, now you won't want to read it. =P)
Lol... I think your forewarning hardly discouraged me. ;) Several weeks I finished reading the whole bit of VIM you sent Samuel awhile back. =) I was going to write you an e-mail to tell you how much I enjoyed it, but alas! This comment has beat me to it. =P You have an excellent writing style, and although (as you mentioned) the beginning starts out slow, the story held me captivated the whole way through just the same. You describe life on Heimis with such detailed description I can't help but wish there was some way I could visit this planet of your imagination... When will there be more? =) I can't wait to read the rest.
Yes, you'll find many bits of me in the story. In fact. The two main male characters are both like me in certain ways.
*grins* I did. =) I'm curious -- In what ways, specifically, would you compare yourself to Chad and Tom? *consults VIM outline with interest*
Oh... lastly, I just wanted to say I really liked this line of your book. I copied it down. "To him only something that lasted was valuable and meaningful. To him a friend today who isn’t a friend tomorrow was no friend ever."
Well, in the past I've started three or four other stories, but got stuck or realized that the stories weren't structured enough since there weren't any plots for those. Finally, I decided, "Okay, if I really want to finish a story I'd better start with an overall plot, otherwise it's like building a house without a blueprint." =P So... I'm sticking to this story until it's finished.
I'm certainly glad to hear that you found it interesting and entertaining enough to read through. =) Thank you. I'm always glad for compliments, too. Part of the reason the story is hard to write is because I do try to imagine details about the society and technologies being used. Every so often I get motivated to write quite regularly on the story, but of recent it's been slow going, to say the least. I can't say when there will be much more... But when it's done or when there's a good deal more, I'll be sure to let you know. =)
Hmm ... let's see. Looking at the list of personality traits, I'd say that Chad is like me in that he's:
* opinionated (me to a lesser degree) * determined (much of the time) * enjoys challenges (um... mostly) * thoughtful and a philosopher * a romantic (I'm going to make him more so than me, I think) * emotional * friendly (certainly like to be, anyway).
Some of the other traits may fit me to a lesser degree.
For Tom probably these fit the best: * a melancholy and phlegmatic (exactly =P) * introverted (somewhat more than I'd like to be).
Other similarities are that Chad was a programmer and dreamed of being a policeman, and Tom disliked city and saw the value of evangelism. There are probably other finer points of similarity, but I think that covers most of it.
Yikes! All of that was about me...
Well, I think you'd do very well at writing a novel, though I haven't heard any fictional writing of yours. What kind of things have you written about? =)
Good questions. The answers are not so good, because I don't really have concrete ones. Your sister asked a similar question about missions and I'll tell you basically the same thing. I don't feel called to a particular type of mission, yet, but I want to do something. One of my simple (though serious) ideas was to take Bibles to USF (university) and hand them out and get into discussions with people.
For an instrument, I've always had interest in the trumpet -- or more dubiously a trombone. 'Gotta love the brass. My problem: some lack of coordination and rather slow thinking (not to say I'm dumb :P).
A somersault? Who can't do one of those? It's been a long time, though, so possibly not. ;) You must have been rowdy! LOL! We used to do indian noises, too. There's a picture of my sister Grace climbing the walls. :D
Um. That didn't even cross my mind about the spitting, but I guess you're right. :P lol. I've tried a couple times in the pass, but apparently not enough to get the hang of it.
You didn't think the Gladiator was violent?! Hehe. Yeah, The Patriot was violent, but violence doesn't bother me, usually. 20 times?! Whoa! Probably only 5-7 times for me.
What's this "check marked" stuff all about?
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Oh yeah. Gladiator was definitely violent... but I was too caught up in the lives of the characters to notice it as much. The violence in The Patriot made more of an impact on me, for some reason. I'll never forget moment of raw pain Mel Gibson protays when he's hacking into that guys back. *shudders*
As for the check marked stuff... I'll have to demonstrate on an audio post sometime. Lol, Joanna, Melody and I started the inside joke awhile back and it's grown since. Now everyone is involved.
Reply
Sometimes I wish I still was. =P Lol.
Gladiator was definitely violent... but I was too caught up in the lives of the characters to notice it as much.
=) Excuses. =P Yeah, that one part in The Patriot was a little over the top, but it added one of those deep emotional elements that enriches a movie. I love movies that explore the psychological workings of the mind or that are rich with realistic emotional flare and unique personality. That's one reason I liked Anne of Green Gables -- er, still do. =P
I think I know what this check marked stuff is. When you say, "Awwwww," the graph of the pitch goes down and then way back up like a check mark! Light bulb over the head --> ?:)
Reply
You know. I really miss Johanna around here. =/ I hope she returns sometime again soon, because her comments add so much spice to our little world.
I love movies that explore the psychological workings of the mind or that are rich with realistic emotional flare and unique personality.
Exactly. Those are the kinds of movies that actually make an impact on me. The others... well, I forget them as fast as it takes to watch them.
Anne of Green Gables, eh? Seems to me that you aren't the only guy around here who has a soft spot for those movies. ;) I used to have a friend just like Anne. She was down-right pretty special.
When you say, "Awwwww," the graph of the pitch goes down and then way back up like a check mark!
LOL, yeah. That's pretty much the general idea -- With huge exaggerations on the pitch change. When Melody does it, her last strain of "awwww" is usually falsetto. =P
Reply
Johanna will be back, I do predict. One of these days, like Aaron, she'll reappear.
You know, when the others (Missy, Mark, and Korina) were watching Anne of Green Gables here recently, I told Missy that Anne reminds me in personality of you to a certain degree, and she agreed. That post of yours about the ivy didn't do anything to ruin that impression. =)
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*snickers and laughs*
Actually. I had a really looong chat with her yesterday, which was totally awesome. Johanna said that we should expect her back anytime... Yay! Hopefully sooner than later. ;-)
Updating her bio before she returns is a high priority, so that might take awhile. Like a great mountain looming in the distance... you KNOW you have to get around to it, but the thought of summing your life in several paragraphs is overwhelming to comprehend. Heh. I procrastinated on mine for months. Horrible! (And embarrassing, too, I might add).
Lol. Well, thank-you. I'm glad the ivy post was enjoyed, as inspiration was really what filled me in the composing of it. Today Becky and I were talking about creative writing, and it suddenly hit me that I really enjoy visual brainstorming. It makes life so... beautiful, you know? =)
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Indeed. =)
I don't think that not updating your bio should be embarrassing since there's nothing wrong with that, unless it were indicative of a lifestyle of procrastination. Besides that, probably no one really knew or was bothered that it was outdated.
Visual brainstorming helps invigorate creativity, I'm sure. Creativity really is one of the greatest assets of intelligence. It's probably one of the major mental deficiencies of animals. Yeah, visual brainstorming, and creativity in general, can go a long way in turning the ordinary into the extraordinary through the mind's eye.
Someday you'll have to write a novel. It's fun! Plus you get to weave in thought-provoking ideas and messages that may impact people's lives. Have you ever seriously tried? (I'm sorry if I asked that before and forgot.)
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I don't think the procrastination factor would embarrass me most about having an old bio. It would be the outdated, silly information I wrote about myself two years ago that would mis-represent who I am today. =)
Then again, such tiny varying discrepancies between the two would probably stand out to me more than they might to the average person stopping by.
As for the rest of you... hopefully by now you would know who I really am, bio or not. =)
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I've doodled around with story-type writing before, but when it comes to actually trying to develop a sane plot for the doodling, my brain experiences immediate wipeout. =)
But. I can't really say I've seriously tried to work through my "wipeouts" either, so perhaps I'm only experiencing a mental block I could easily get past after investing more effort into thinking through it all. Yeah... I think that's it. =) I need to give story writing a better chance.
I enjoyed looking through some of your plot to VIM this week. Samuel said the story part was really good (not to mention entertaining because he sees bits of you in it). so I'm hoping to read part of that next week. =)
Another friend of mine is in the middle of writing a suspense novel so I've enjoyed his material as well. =) Knowing the author makes the writing all that much more interesting I think.
Do you have other friends who write/are writing their own books?
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Doodles. So you've starting with mini-stories and tried to work those into a larger story? That's a creative approach. Yeah, I'm sure you could overcome the wipeouts with a little more effort.
Missy often struggles with plots... and so do I. The plot for VIM has undergone hundreds of changes since I started work on it in 2001. You may find many inconsistencies in the plot outline, since it was written for myself and I never bothered to revise the entire thing to be perfectly consistent. I keep the most recent plot revisions in my head, and that's the only place where it's all put together, really.
Yes, you'll find many bits of me in the story. In fact. The two main male characters are both like me in certain ways, though Tom/Jevity is more like what I desire to be spiritually (apart from his vengeful part).
Just so you know, the story is meant to start slowly... like a tiny cloud building in the distance and growing into a mighty thunderstorm. There's little suspense or depth of plot in the first part. (Oops, now you won't want to read it. =P) I hope you'll really enjoy it, though.
Nope. I don't know anyone else writing novels.
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No, I was not aware of that fact... Rather interesting, and perhaps somewhat encouraging to think about, seeing how great his trilogy of books turned out so well.
So you've starting with mini-stories and tried to work those into a larger story?
Hmm. I don't know if I could actually say I've ever tried working my snatches of writing into a bigger story. Most of the time my pieces are quite different than the others, so I can't imagine fitting them together very well. It's just fun to experiment around, I suppose. Have you started on any other books besides VIM?
I keep the most recent plot revisions in my head, and that's the only place where it's all put together, really.
That makes sense. I imagine it would be hard to keep track of writing down all the details in your actual plot document... especially because your story is rather complex. 2001 was five years ago! =) You've been working on this one for quite awhile, I guess. Have you ever had to go back and edit any major parts of what you've written of your story so far?
(Oops, now you won't want to read it. =P)
Lol... I think your forewarning hardly discouraged me. ;) Several weeks I finished reading the whole bit of VIM you sent Samuel awhile back. =) I was going to write you an e-mail to tell you how much I enjoyed it, but alas! This comment has beat me to it. =P You have an excellent writing style, and although (as you mentioned) the beginning starts out slow, the story held me captivated the whole way through just the same. You describe life on Heimis with such detailed description I can't help but wish there was some way I could visit this planet of your imagination... When will there be more? =) I can't wait to read the rest.
Yes, you'll find many bits of me in the story. In fact. The two main male characters are both like me in certain ways.
*grins* I did. =) I'm curious -- In what ways, specifically, would you compare yourself to Chad and Tom? *consults VIM outline with interest*
Oh... lastly, I just wanted to say I really liked this line of your book. I copied it down. "To him only something that lasted was valuable and meaningful. To him a friend today who isn’t a friend tomorrow was no friend ever."
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Well, in the past I've started three or four other stories, but got stuck or realized that the stories weren't structured enough since there weren't any plots for those. Finally, I decided, "Okay, if I really want to finish a story I'd better start with an overall plot, otherwise it's like building a house without a blueprint." =P So... I'm sticking to this story until it's finished.
I'm certainly glad to hear that you found it interesting and entertaining enough to read through. =) Thank you. I'm always glad for compliments, too. Part of the reason the story is hard to write is because I do try to imagine details about the society and technologies being used. Every so often I get motivated to write quite regularly on the story, but of recent it's been slow going, to say the least. I can't say when there will be much more... But when it's done or when there's a good deal more, I'll be sure to let you know. =)
Hmm ... let's see. Looking at the list of personality traits, I'd say that Chad is like me in that he's:
* opinionated (me to a lesser degree)
* determined (much of the time)
* enjoys challenges (um... mostly)
* thoughtful and a philosopher
* a romantic (I'm going to make him more so than me, I think)
* emotional
* friendly (certainly like to be, anyway).
Some of the other traits may fit me to a lesser degree.
For Tom probably these fit the best:
* a melancholy and phlegmatic (exactly =P)
* introverted (somewhat more than I'd like to be).
Other similarities are that Chad was a programmer and dreamed of being a policeman, and Tom disliked city and saw the value of evangelism. There are probably other finer points of similarity, but I think that covers most of it.
Yikes! All of that was about me...
Well, I think you'd do very well at writing a novel, though I haven't heard any fictional writing of yours. What kind of things have you written about? =)
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