World Backup Day

Apparently, today is a day that spreads awareness on backing up your precious computer files. And so here goes my day off, rearranging all my files. But I've been playing chicken for too long, not saving my novel and other things too.

My zip drive and external hard drive haven't been updated in over two years, most of the files dating back to college. I deleted some files by accident and began to panic, but I realized they were backups of backups of backups (Inception, anyone?) because why would I save files of "novels" (that was the main folder's name) in just one area? I'm not that ridiculous. Either way, even if I lost anything of importance, I don't recall what was in the folder anyway.

So, don't be silly like me and wait to backup once a year. Do it today. And every week.

Want to check out more about today and learn how you can too, save your precious computer files? Click here.

P.S.: Man, I hate the new Blogger upgrade.

My labels say it all...

Hey everyone, sorry for no posts this week. I was sidelined by a strange stomach ailment (I promise to not tell you anymore than that) and was unable to do much other than go to work and then come home, only to pass out and sleep fitfully.

Not many things of interest have come up since then, just fighting off whatever-the-hell-I-have and thinking too much about everything else (which tends to be more common than I like to admit).

There are other things, but I'm working on those. Like my issues with social anxiety and really, the need to get out more. Part of my personality is content with not going out as much, but there are times it would be best to hang with my co-workers and friends. But blah-blah, those who've followed know this is a common problem of mine.

Either way, hope y'all, the friendly readers, are doing well. Bye for now.

On The Hunger Games movie...

The Hunger Games was an underwhelming film. It lacked the urgency, the horror, and pathos of the book. To me, this is the most grievous thing a book-to-film adaptation can do. I know the violence would've given it an R rating, but at this time, that might've been better.

It also relies heavily on the fact that its audience has read the book already. Don't believe me? Take a step back and pretend you've never read the book. Story seems a little rushed and simplistic? Characters underdeveloped? Yep. I can't believe the film did that to its viewers. I feel bad for those who've never read the books and wanted more nuance from the film. They were not the intended audience. So yeah, if you realized all that too, don't worry, you're not the only one.

"The movie is heavily faithful to the source material?" HA! And I'm a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

The movie was already plagued with casting problems (e.g. only white actresses were allowed to try out for Katinss, though the book describes her as having a dark skin tone), so without even trying, I found two more strikes against the film. And it's out.

If you've enjoyed the film, that's wonderful. Really, it is. Just please, do not tell me I'm being a spoilsport and ruining everyone's fun. That says more about you than it does me.

/rant

Would you believe I'm still not done?

Here is the latest word count...

121934 / 120000 words. 102% done!

I still need about 9000 more words in Part 4, then an additional 8000 for the epilogue, which will put this first draft at about 140,000 words.

...

Well damn. I wasn't expecting that.

*ahem* Lemme put it this way. There is no effing way the final product is gonna be longer than that.

Oh look, everybody, there goes a flying pig! I'm gonna so eat my words here!

Eff that noise, it's gonna be much longer when I redo it. Lord knows my stuff tends to do that. And that's not even counting a few scenes I forgot to add in earlier parts!

Yea! Ladies and gentlemen, this is gonna hurt!

Keep on truckin'

I've been working on various bits of writing, including the never-ending Invisible (now on the halfway point of Part 4) and a flash fiction piece to resubmit. The piece was rejected and I received an email with a ton of critique and overall good advice. After poking at it, I think it's ready for prime-time. I'll wrap it up and send it off by the end of the week, see what happens.

'Bout it from here. See y'all later...

Need to start writing more

Not just fiction, but in my journal. On here. Anywhere. I have failed to keep up with this blog and from the looks of it, 2012 seems to be the beginning of a slim year.

But I can change that and make it more of what I want to see for my long-running blog. I never started this so I could become famous or make money off of it (in all honesty, I would love to make money with my reviews, but that would have to be an independent blog), I did this because, well, I like putting my thoughts out there and the few times I receive some form of feedback is nice too.

Like I stated in previous entries, things derailed for me pretty early on in the year with my job and grad school prospects. But from joining the writers' organization and signing up for a few of the classes, along with new strategies on the job-hunting front, it is likely that I'll have a great 2012.

Sure, things are not going the way I hoped, but I can't despair for too long. The time of mourning is over.

I'm officially a card-carrying member...

of a writers' organization. Hell yeah! I also registered for a couple of upcoming classes. This has helped me a lot with my confidence as a writer. This shows me that I love the craft and want to learn new things. Even though I still didn't get into my dream grad school, it doesn't mean I shouldn't stop writing or learning more. Yeah, I did get a bit derailed due to that, along with issues of perfectionism.

A note on my perfectionism: it has been something I always struggled with since I was a child. My father was always pushing us to always be prepared. He was also one to always act like he was right. His way or the highway. Needless to say, I internalized it so much that I abandon plans and projects mostly because I'm afraid of screwing up once. That was the bane of my second job at the non-profit. That's why I'm worried about job-hunting, finishing Invisible, even writing on this blasted blog. Every day, I have to tell myself to do it and just let myself goof a few times. How else will I learn, let along finish anything?

Y'know, it's funny. Here I over-prepared on the grad school application and yet, I sent them a story that I wasn't totally feeling and here I am, not a future Michener fellow. I focused my energy on all the wrong things. If I quit worrying about the application and saw that I wasn't feeling the story, I would be preparing to move to Austin and all that jazz. So yeah, it was my own damn fault. I acknowledge that.

Huh, this has gotten me to thinking. And wanting to write. Among other really big things. Gotta go now. I got stuffs to do.

Sooo, I got a butt-ton of 45s...

I went to Half-Price Books after a long, stupid day at work, checking to see if I could stumble across some Kate Bush records. It happened once before, I found a beautiful marbled pressing of Hounds of Love there. After no success with the LPs, I found the 45s and began sorting through them. I found Dire Straits's Communique on cassette tape while going through the 45s. I began to strike gold, finding several Paul Simon and Billy Joel singles (alas, "Big Shot" ended up having a big crack across it). I went on to the other area where they had 45s. That's when I found Walter Egan's "Magnet and Steel", Elvis Costello and the Attractions: Live at Hollywood High, and a UK picture disc of Silversun Pickups's "Lazy Eye" (among others).

For the most part, they play very well, without much pops and crackles, despite that a great chunk of them were missing their paper sleeves. And so, another thing to buy in bulk: sleeves for 45s.

I never expressed much interest in 45s, since I usually end up having the songs already in their native albums, but sometimes it is cool to find your favorite song and then notice it has a rare B-side you've never heard before. It depends on who the artist is, to be honest.

Just as I was writing this, my copy of Nite Jewel's One Second of Love just arrived. And I did get the limited white vinyl version after all. Happy day!

~

This entry was brought to you by procrastination and Silversun Pickups's "Comeback Kid".

Here I go again, being a hypocrite...

I have decided to run another little experiment. Whatever new releases in literature I want, I will buy then via e-reader. So far, I purchased the following: The Fox Effect, Half-Blood Blues, and Drifting House. I have others, but those are the big releases so far. I plan on more, which I'll note as the year goes on. Much like the vinyl-with-MP3-code business, it is an attempt to get into another format of entertainment that I enjoy.

Most of the books do end up being cheaper to purchase in e-book form versus the hard copy (with my employee discount). The Fox Effect was an unusual one, it was about a fifty-cent difference between the paperback and the e-book. 

So far, I enjoy both formats. I see myself still buying hard copies and encouraging that more, but e-readers and e-books have their own purposes.

Trying anything new for 2012? Share them!