Well, next week is Tsubasacon, so I'll be there, and not here. Unfortunately, the nature of the internet service provided in the hotel is through that webTV thing, so I won't be able to update nightly as I had originally intended. If I get the chance to get there again next year, I'll be sure to chekc hotels more thoroughly ahead of time and find one that lets me plug in, or log on to their net directly with my computer. I will post my full report probably on Tuesday or Wednesday following the convention, I'll need time to rest, and it'll also allow me time to get the pictures I hope to take uploaded and such too.
Yesterday was the last day to post submissions for the commemorative project, I'll go through all the comments to be sure I didn't miss anyone's submissions, then I'll read through every one I got and decide the three I burn from there. Trust me, the next time around I do this, you're all going to be more involved in the process, I promise that. So I no longer have the need to post the project details in my posts anymore, that will give me more space to work with.
I finally got that tattoo picture that I'd been promising for weeks, well months actually now. The new camera is a Canon, and it takes great pictures to say the least. Not too bad a shot given I was working the camera myself. Anyway, it's a little washed out by the flash, but that's pretty much how the thing looks after being recolored. I'm up in the air on having it recolored again, but I think I should at leasst get my dragon's line art put together first before I worry about the kanji anymore.
Comments:
beyblader:
I didn't notice that detail right away myself, but it stuck out in my mind. It's nice to have more accessible interactive features like that on the site, that's for sure. It's a small start, but a step in the right direction none the less.
At first I wasn't going to agree with you about the "coporate" site idea, it just didn't seem to fit very well. That changed after I saw something on site here which made me think about it in detail. Theotaku.com started down the corporate road with the podcast. Closing the article and review hubs was another step in that direction, adding a former staffer from one of the big anime licensors further still drives that point. Add to that what I've seen recently, and the point is too clear not to miss. I'm kind of weird this way, but here's a timeline of things for you, just so you see how my mind works on things:
- May 9, 2006: Adam first mentions the podcast in his blog.
- May 20, 2006: First podcast episode posted on theOtaku.com.
- May 21, 2006: Adam's first acknoledgement that the podcasters got negative feedback.
- July 15: 2006: The infamous Episode 9. My comment to that posting says everything.
- July 19, 2006: My own blog entry on the infamous Episode 9.
- July 30, 2006: Adam's first posts about closing the articles and reviews hubs.
- July 31 2006: Adam follows-up on his previous post after getting some serious feedback.
- August 15, 2006: Adam's official Articles and Reviews hubs retirement post.
- Monday, July 29, 2007: Adam promotes the newest news staffer, Gia, the head writer for FUNimation's now defunct animeOnline project.
- August 21, 2007: Epic fan art contest announced.
- August 22, 2007: Epic fan manga contest announced.
- August 31, 2007: Wallpaper contest is announced (not related to the other two in terms of sponsor).
- September 24, 2007: Adam announces in his blog that a theotaku/myotaku member and contributor to the upcoming Art of Otaku Sessions, spin-off of the original Art of Otaku e-book, will be a guest artist at the New York Anime Festival (NYAF sponsors the fan art and fan manga contests).
In a nutshell, putting all that together is what made me realize you were right about the "corporate" direction of the site. I don't really know why, but a couple of the comments for that last item rubbed me the wrong way, to the point I'm choosing to withdraw my interest in participation for the fan art contest myself. I'll finish the picture up and post it here as a regular piece, but I won't enter it in the contest.
I get that reaction all the time when I associate things with Beethoven's chamber pot. Maybe I should use a cleaner simile/metaphor thing, whichever it is.
AngelBest Dream:
I do have a few new things in the works, but most of it is old hat. I think I can say this has been my least productive year to date, only because I got hit really hard way back at the start by a lot of stuff at once and I'm still trying to recover from all that in some ways. The project list is quite long too, hopefully I'll start to see some progress in it as I go to work on each piece.
Yeah, I've been around limited-minded people since I moved to WV, there are a few good people here, I just seem to end up in contact with the ones who aren't. One step at a time is all I can take to try to see some culture come into this area.
Magnus Lensherr:
Yeah, I think I should do a lizard man since that's kind of my going theme in both my writing and drawings at the moment. Actually, my lizard man soda jerk will probably be the picture I use (I'm still working on it at the moment) for that, unless I get a better idea along the way.
I promised you some numbers regarding my novel a long time back, so here they are now that I have them set pretty well. It has about 31,000 words (the actual word count is 30,641), and in standard manuscript format spans 158, 8.5 by 11 inch pages (very close to A4 size paper). I understand the time lag in the publisher's responding, and I certainly appreciate it for what it's worth. It would be cool to get a "yes" to the project in January, cause that's my birth month, but even a "no" will be helpful to me in terms of polishing the story further to make it more appealing to the next prospect which I have yet to locate.
Yeah, I'll be heading out to a convention, my first time at one, so I have no idea what to expect or anything. I couldn't have gotten there without some help along the way, I'll have a really nice formal thank you to post after the convention. Since I don't really feel comfortable in large crowds of people myself, I know I'm going to be more than a little tense down there, but it should be fun all the same.
Thanks for the well wishes. The group's admin has gone through and cleaned out a lot of the bots, and I think he's moderating registrations now too to keep them from just signing up and posting their junk.
GIDRA:
Kind of busy, kind of unlucky at the same time. Usually when I have a moment to get online, I end up fighting with the connection to get it to work. Eventually things will smooth out I hope.
Thanks. I promised the admin I'd mention it here (that reminds me I've got one other place to bring it up), and go from there. I never promise anything by way of recruitment, because all of that is subjective and people either want to join or they don't.
I'm not releasing any specifcs of the story yet, I'm holding off till I get a green light on publication, then I'll be able to be more open about the contents of the book since the ball will be rolling at that point. I can say that while it's technically defined as "Young Adult" science fiction (only because one of the characters isn't "normal"), the audience age isn't significant, anyone of almost any age could read and probably get something from the story. I will post a short exceprt when the time is right though, but till then, I'll be tight lipped about details.
Oddly enough I didn't start out writing, I started out dictating to a tape recorder, then I got bored of that and actually sat down with a typewriter (yes, a typewriter, which I still use on occasion) and tapped out a short. You kind of have to find the right medium for your release of the creative energy, and that changes with time, make no mistake about it. I write on computers now mostly, but I still find some comfort in writing up a short story with pen and paper once in a while.
The double-life standard is an old one, but it works for me in terms of characters. I like to see characters who seem to be one thing, but are really something else in the long run. Haku is indicitive of that kind of character. He has multiple levels to his personality that makes him a believable character.
It's finally up there!
Of course I'll post the pictures I take. That'll be part of the coverage I promised that's getting me to the convention in the first place.
Shonigoneyes93:
I've ridden 14 miles in four hours straight once, but that was on a flat trail, and I wasn't in a hurry that day. This time of year most people will be busy, even I'm still working on my projects, at least the proposal is out of the way for the time being.
Sure it's a beautiful landscape, the state parks are nice, the Rail Trail is nice, and there are a few good people here, but 90% of the people here leave a lot to be desired, no bones about it. When you have people in the state government blame you for one of their bureau's discriminations, you'll understand that to it's fullest. Aside from that, being bullied by arrogant blow-hards who couldn't grasp the concept of home schooling bittered me on the people here quickly. I've brought it up with people before, but have you ever noticed that the John Denver song never once mentions people in it?
Almost Heaven, West Virginia,
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River,
Life is old there, older than the trees,
Younger than the mountains, growing like a breeze.
Country roads, take me home,
To the place, I belong,
West Virginia, Mountain Momma,
Take me home, Country roads.
All my memories, gather 'round her,
Miner's lady, stranger to blue water,
Dark and dusty, painted on the sky,
Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye.
Country roads, take me home,
To the place, I belong,
West Virginia, Mountain Momma,
Take me home, Country roads.
I hear her voice, in the morning hour she calls to me.
The radio reminds me of my home far away.
And driving down the road I get the feeling,
That I should have been home yesterday . . . yesterday.
Country roads, take me home,
To the place, I belong,
West Virginia, Mountain Momma,
Take me home, Country roads.
Take me home, Country roads.
Take me home, Country roads.
Take Me Home, Country Roads
By, John Denver, Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert
See what I mean? Back in the 70's he knew something most people don't. Scary thing is, I can sing that song on key(one of very few English songs I can), a capella, without looking up the lyrics. I can also do the Japanese reversion for Whisper of the Heart from memory, and I think the next time I have to sing-along at a function of some kind (they do that song a lot around here), for spite, I'll do the Japanese one to annoy the people around me.
There are some nice features of landscape here, but I can't honestly tell you one place I've been where the people are genuinely outgoing and friendly to strangers. There's almost always that air of alterior motive to their saying "hi" and talking to you. They want to know everyone's business is what it is.
Things should start to simplify here soon I hope.
BASH:
Given that more of the problem is Verizon being stupid, I think you're right about that.
Yeah, there's a lot of crud on the info superhighway, that's for sure.
They say patience is a virtue, but I say I lost that virtue long ago. Waiting really is hard no matter what the outcome is. It's tough, but it has to be done. I just hope I can find other publishers who'll take unsolicited proposals while I'm waiting for the answer to this one. Being my first one, I have the strong suspicion that it will be rejected, but that's part of the process too.
Now that I know the proper format to write in, which I didn't before I began my lasst manuscript, I'll do that stuff from the start. It's the reformatting somethign that's already done that's a real headache. My sarcasm should also be noted in the all caps REALLY of the REALLY fun part being editing.
Well, it remains to be seen just how much of that is PR and how much of it is serious. I'll be holding them to their word though, and I'll rip into Regal if it's WV theatres choose not to show the stuff after being offered it next time.
For the people who've lived their whole lives here, I'm sure it is ideal, but she has not been nearly that welcoming to my spirit in more ways than she has been, so I just don't really feel at home here, I never have, and I never will.
