National Novel Writing Month is about to start. November first will hit the East Coast in about 43 minutes depending on how long I work on this particular post. It's a crazy idea. Spend one month cranking out a novel. (For NaNoWriMo purposes, a novel will be at least 50,000 words.) This means you're going to have to average 1,667 words a day. It also means that you have to have a pretty good plan in place.
NaNoWriMo is in it's 12th year and growing bigger every year. I'm not even sure how many people are trying it this time around. I'm one of them, and I'm not sure if I'll do any better this year than I did last year. My niece being born messed things up a little bit, last time, and I'm not expecting any nieces or nephews this time around, so maybe I'll do a little better.
If you're interested, you can still get involved. Go to nanowrimo.org to sign up and try your hand at it. The site provides lots of useful tools including a great stats page that shows you your daily average output and what you need to write to finish up on time.
If you're interested in seeing how I'm doing, you can check out my user page. I also started a Tumblr to help struggling writers that you can check out here.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Top Twelve X-men-Number 5
Shadowcat
Once there was a young lady named Katherine Anne Pryde, and when she turned thirteen, she started getting headaches and had some strange experiences like laying down on her bed and finding herself on the living room floor. She was recruited to go the Xavier's school and quickly became one of the X-men.
I was trying to decide where to interrupt myself for a moment, and that time is now. If this list were my personal favorites, and not combined with significance to the lives of the X-men, Shadowcat would be at the very top of the list. I have always been a huge fan of her character. When I first started reading the X-men, Kitty was an older woman, but sadly those days are gone. I've always appreciated her resolve, determination, and intelligence. Now back to the rest of my post.
Kitty may have started off as a goofy teenage girl (with some serious fashion sense problems), and that is because that's who she was, but she grew up pretty quickly and became an important part of the team. Her powers may not seem very impressive at first, but there is more to Shadowcat than passing through solid objects. With concentration, she can 'walk' on air and her power disrupts electrical circuits. Her powers also allow her to get places many others cannot with little or no trouble.
Kitty is a big part of some important story lines. She is the main focus of Days of Future Past. Her future self, Kate, travels back in time to try to stop the sentinels from taking over. Kitty is one of the founding members of Excalibur. Kitty has the attitude to make up for her lack of super flashy, planet destroying powers. Oh, before I forget, Kitty also phased a giant space bullet through the planet that would have killed us all. I think that in itself deserves a little respect.
Once there was a young lady named Katherine Anne Pryde, and when she turned thirteen, she started getting headaches and had some strange experiences like laying down on her bed and finding herself on the living room floor. She was recruited to go the Xavier's school and quickly became one of the X-men.
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| Kitty in her first appearance |
Kitty may have started off as a goofy teenage girl (with some serious fashion sense problems), and that is because that's who she was, but she grew up pretty quickly and became an important part of the team. Her powers may not seem very impressive at first, but there is more to Shadowcat than passing through solid objects. With concentration, she can 'walk' on air and her power disrupts electrical circuits. Her powers also allow her to get places many others cannot with little or no trouble.
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 1
Number 1-Ghost
Here it is, the worst of the worst. Yes, with effort, you can pull together a decent ghost costume, but you're never going to be scary with this costume. (Don't worry, Tricia, you're going to be a great ghost.) Where does the lameness of ghosts come from? Check out this picture for the Halloween special "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." There's a couple of reasons that Charlie Brown was dressed like a ghost. First, it shows how much effort goes into the costume-get a sheet and cut a couple of eye holes. Second, you get to see what can go wrong with the costume.
Here it is, the worst of the worst. Yes, with effort, you can pull together a decent ghost costume, but you're never going to be scary with this costume. (Don't worry, Tricia, you're going to be a great ghost.) Where does the lameness of ghosts come from? Check out this picture for the Halloween special "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." There's a couple of reasons that Charlie Brown was dressed like a ghost. First, it shows how much effort goes into the costume-get a sheet and cut a couple of eye holes. Second, you get to see what can go wrong with the costume.
Before I wrap this up, I need to make a clarification. My friend Austin wanted to see the Scream costume. I will agree that that costume is lame, but I wasn't aware that the Scream movies were supposed to be scary, at least I didn't find them that way. It works out though because when I looked up ghost costumes, I found the Scream ghost costume, so I guess it works out anyway.
So, here it is. The lamest of the lame costumes. No one, and I mean no one, can make this costume scary.
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| OK, someone might be able to make this scary, but I had to use this image for the epicness of Barney Stinson, so maybe you want to accept the challenge too. |
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 2
Number 2-Vampires
Here we are down to the last two costumes. This is where it gets really bad. This is one of the top costumes for the lazy and/or indecisive. Before I tear into this one, I need to make a confession. I was usually a vampire for Halloween. A lot of the time, I just didn't pick a costume until it was too late to do anything else. Don't make the same mistake that I did. Yes, a vampire costume can turn out quite well if you play it up, but you won't get anywhere if you just grab a pair of plastic fangs and give yourself whatever kind of cape you can scrounge up.
This is one of the quickest costumes to put together if you're desperate, just make sure you at least give yourself a little fake blood to add effect. Take it from a fellow slacker, you're better off going for something creative even if no one gets your concept. Take this example as a guide. Here we have UberNerd Sheldon as the Doppler Effect. Sure most of the people he's hanging out with have no idea who or what he is, but at least he's got something better than a last-minute vampire costume to explain.
Here we are down to the last two costumes. This is where it gets really bad. This is one of the top costumes for the lazy and/or indecisive. Before I tear into this one, I need to make a confession. I was usually a vampire for Halloween. A lot of the time, I just didn't pick a costume until it was too late to do anything else. Don't make the same mistake that I did. Yes, a vampire costume can turn out quite well if you play it up, but you won't get anywhere if you just grab a pair of plastic fangs and give yourself whatever kind of cape you can scrounge up.
This is one of the quickest costumes to put together if you're desperate, just make sure you at least give yourself a little fake blood to add effect. Take it from a fellow slacker, you're better off going for something creative even if no one gets your concept. Take this example as a guide. Here we have UberNerd Sheldon as the Doppler Effect. Sure most of the people he's hanging out with have no idea who or what he is, but at least he's got something better than a last-minute vampire costume to explain.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 3
Number 3-Witches
This one is a little tricky. At first I was feeling a little sexist by mostly focusing on male dominated costume, but honestly, with the exception of some of the gender-neutral costumes, there aren't a lot of options for girls to dress up scary. (Also, most costumes for girls are going the sexy route anyway. That's right, you too can be a sexy skunk this Halloween.)
Now I'm not here to hate on witches, just the scary movie stereotypes of them. You're typical Halloween witch that is going for the scare will have the pointy hat, the broom stick, and hopefully a long nose with a wart on the end. However, Nobody will be scared by this combination. After all, it's what you see in every movie and children's book you've ever come upon.
If you want to do the witch costume, try to go for something a little bit different. Maybe pick a specific character. (Like one of the witches from Hocus Pocus or The Craft.) That will help a lot and make you less of a cliche for the holiday.
This one is a little tricky. At first I was feeling a little sexist by mostly focusing on male dominated costume, but honestly, with the exception of some of the gender-neutral costumes, there aren't a lot of options for girls to dress up scary. (Also, most costumes for girls are going the sexy route anyway. That's right, you too can be a sexy skunk this Halloween.)
Now I'm not here to hate on witches, just the scary movie stereotypes of them. You're typical Halloween witch that is going for the scare will have the pointy hat, the broom stick, and hopefully a long nose with a wart on the end. However, Nobody will be scared by this combination. After all, it's what you see in every movie and children's book you've ever come upon.
If you want to do the witch costume, try to go for something a little bit different. Maybe pick a specific character. (Like one of the witches from Hocus Pocus or The Craft.) That will help a lot and make you less of a cliche for the holiday.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 4
Number 4-Zombie
OK, this is where the lameness really kicks in. I know that zombies are popular. I know that they are all over the place. This is part of the reason that they are so lame as a costume. I'm sure there are some creative ideas on how to pull off a zombie costume, but they are few and far between. If you plan to just paint your face white and give yourself a few scars, you're just part of the cliche-zombie pack.
Actually, that's a good idea for you. Get a bunch of your zombie pals together and wander around together with your arms out. Put together some moans and groans to add to the effect. After all, a lone zombie isn't scary at all. The main thing that makes zombies scary is the mob effect.
OK, this is where the lameness really kicks in. I know that zombies are popular. I know that they are all over the place. This is part of the reason that they are so lame as a costume. I'm sure there are some creative ideas on how to pull off a zombie costume, but they are few and far between. If you plan to just paint your face white and give yourself a few scars, you're just part of the cliche-zombie pack.
Actually, that's a good idea for you. Get a bunch of your zombie pals together and wander around together with your arms out. Put together some moans and groans to add to the effect. After all, a lone zombie isn't scary at all. The main thing that makes zombies scary is the mob effect.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Top Twelve Lame "Scary" Costumes Number 5
Number 7-Jason
OK, I'm not here to down play the scare factor of Jason or Friday the 13th, but I am here to tell you that your choice to dress like Jason isn't going to get you very far in the scare department. I know, you're wondering what Jason has that you don't have. That is really simple. Jason has music, he has lighting and camera angles. You're just a guy in a hockey mask.
Let's be honest, there are NHL goalies that are scarier than you are. At least they have a hockey stick instead of a plastic knife. This one will never work for you no matter how hard you try. Strangely enough it's still better than some of your options.
OK, I'm not here to down play the scare factor of Jason or Friday the 13th, but I am here to tell you that your choice to dress like Jason isn't going to get you very far in the scare department. I know, you're wondering what Jason has that you don't have. That is really simple. Jason has music, he has lighting and camera angles. You're just a guy in a hockey mask.
Let's be honest, there are NHL goalies that are scarier than you are. At least they have a hockey stick instead of a plastic knife. This one will never work for you no matter how hard you try. Strangely enough it's still better than some of your options.
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