Something New

I like the idea of being a focused person. People that can narrow their field of interest and get one thing at a time done seem to accomplish more than average. There've been times in my life where I've been able to get into that kind of mode and have done very well, and during my course in Falmouth that was a nearly essential skill.

But I'm trying something different. A week or so ago I had a really neat idea for a story that I wanted to get out of my head, problem was I'm in the middle of a completely different project and not anywhere close to finishing. It was late enough in the day where I needed to write something then if I was going to write anything at all, and I've had a few nights that I just sat in front of the screen trying not to take the winking cursor in the wrong way. So I wrote what I wanted to, not what I was working on. It's not something I'm going to get back to any time soon, and my current project isn't anywhere closer to completion, but I got over 1,000 words out, and damn it that felt good!

I'm often torn between the confidence that comes from having a masters degree and the fear that comes from having no recent publications. Most of my favorite writers insist that developing your ability with the art of writing is a continuous process, that you will never write as well as you want to, and that this is not necessarily a bad thing. I like this philosophy, for one thing because it's accomodating for when I lose focus. I also believe that it's better to write something each day than only write when the mood fits the project - it keeps one from losing touch with the brain muscles that squeeze the words out.

In other news, I'm trying to upgrade to Windows 7 after a long series of mild frustrations with Vista, but my very compatible machine is being "finicky" about the change, and so I've had to adopt drastic measures to simply clear out the old. I won't find out until tonight if any of it has worked for real, so here's hoping.

And in a bout of weakness, I took advantage of a 3-for-2 deal for video games. I'm going to hold to my "write what you know at the time" strategy in the hopes that I can get enough of the productive stuff done at work to make my playtime acceptable. Wish me luck.

Missed the Point

I spent the last few minutes writing a new post without mentioning that I spent a good half hour before that reading my first posts.

It was very comforting for me to go back and see where I was this time last year, and what I was doing. Here and now, I can look back at details I forgot and smile. It's been a good year.

Fast Notes

I'm about to take my first trip to a bar I've lived by all my life. A friend is playing there (or maybe just watching friends play, I'm not sure) for the last event of its kind at this location. To be honest, I've had a frustrating day, I'm sore, I'm poor, and I don't really like dance club music, which is what this is going to end up being, but I've blown this guy off before and I hate doing that to anyone too often - he certainly doesn't deserve that - so I'm going in a few minutes.

I think I mentioned this already, but my artist is no longer mine. I haven't looked for a new one yet because honestly I need to change tracks. I can't stay on any one project for too too long, otherwise myself and my production get stale. The other web comic idea is back in the spotlight... kind of.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've made a few breakthroughs with my novel, one of those being the title change from WordWorld which I never liked to Babel Sphere - a title not as cliche as I thought at first, according to Google. I've plotted out a story that would accomplish the things a first book in a series should accomplish, if I can get a bit more of that done and find some more characters to fill it out, I think this can really work.

By the way, my trip to Kentucky went very well. I had a lot of fun, got a LOT of writing done, didn't see any weddings with only one family attending. The worst part was coming home, because within 24 hours I got majorly ill. Two and a half days off from work, never too far from a bathroom ill. I'm getting better.

I'm playing through Batman: AA again, it's still great and I'm making progress with the freeflow system. As wonderful as the gameplay and graphics are, and for the fine crafting of the story, it's really the tiny details that I love, like finding Ra's Ah Ghul in the morgue, only to notice he's missing when you come back later. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is not so honed an experience.

Last Few Hours

I'm going to take a shower, then find a quiet shop to read for a few hours, maybe have lunch, and then head back to Indy. This has been fun. I'm not looking forward to next week when the bills start coming in.

There's No SAD in Louisville...

...or maybe there is. It hit me while I was in the coffee shop that I have no real energy. I look outside and it looks awful, and at lunch I lacked my usual appetite. I may have the leftovers and my remaining cookies (thanks Mom and Grandma!) for dinner. I'm talking to Garrett over Skype tonight, I have no dire need to leave the place until tomorrow. Maybe I won't.

I feel good about my writing today so far. On my short story I made a strong beginning, if less than I wanted, but I switched to the novel concept again and made a pretty significant breakthrough, linking it to a nice piece of dialogue that came out of my head right before bed.

I've got a disc of comedy I promised to watch, so I think I'll watch it, and draw as I sip my Coke.

Unforgiving

I'm in a small coffeehouse getting some writing done while my room gets cleaned. Central Park would be lovely except it's been wet for the past two days. As I left the B&B I noticed a parking ticket for being a foot into the "No Standing" zone, only $15 but still inconvenient.

I've been playing around a bit with my BlackBerry, having just set up Facebook and installed Opera and a locking program that uses pattern drawing and not a code, all of which I really like. I'd prefer it if the alerts were simpler to change, but to date it's been a great investment.

I'm surprising myself in that I've finished a LOT of the reading I brought, more than I had any right to do. I finished a novel in a day, all but a few of the loose comics, and managed to get about 1,000 words written yesterday, all good stuff. I haven't drawn at all, I'm a little disappointed at that, but the day's still young.

Old Louisville is a gorgeous area, even under cover of rain cloud, but the variety of food isn't wonderful. I'm thinking I'll walk west for lunch, since just about everything else I've found has been east maybe something exciting will be revealed.

I should really make shit up now. Later!

First off, the accommodations are great. Enormous bed, great A/C, wonderous bathroom facilities (lacking bidet, but still!!), and a tasty if unimaginative breakfast, plus free beverages and light snacks. I may most of the day here tomorrow, especially if the weather's like they suspect it will be.

I spent today outside, not just outside the room I mean with sunlight and crap. I don't know if I'm just sitting in the "right" spots or what, but Louisville strikes me with an air of insulation, I suppose you'd call it. Everyone seems to know each other, and while they practice hospitality it's clear if they don't know you, you won't get invited to the fancy parties. I'm self aware enough to know that I can be a bit paranoid, especially when it comes to socializing with new people, but that isn't the case here. Every shop I've visited had at least two people strike up intimate conversation, once a day I've seen people shout greetings across a busy street. If one of my purposes for this trip wasn't social isolation I'd be nonplussed.

I AM nonplussed that after only one week, Daily Show and Colbert Report appear to be back in repeats.

I've read most of The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett today, and may just finish the damn thing. I've missed reading so much. Tomorrow I may write. Or read more. Both rule.