Good morning, Readers!

I'm dealing with a lot of ouchies today.  My toe is throwing a very painful revolt against the rest of me.

So, you're not getting a proper blog post today, sorry.  Instead, you're getting a couple of YouTube videos that had me excited.  First of all, there was this one, which made me laughed hysterically:

I was playing it on repeat all of yesterday afternoon.

Earlier that day, I also watched (and shared) this:

I'm so excited for this movie, you have no idea!  This is a movie I did not know I needed in my life until I saw the trailer.  Honestly, despite the rumblings I've heard around the interwebs, I think Benedict Cumberbatch was a fantastic casting choice for this film and I cannot wait (well, that was a little hyperbolic, clearly I can because I have to) to see this on screen.

​Then there was this trailer:

'Nough said.
​
And then there's this adorable otter:

That's quite enough to be getting on with, I think.  Enjoy the videos!

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

I was reading Chuck Wendig's blog - as I frequently do. He's a very entertaining writer - and he fairly recently posted this article.  It was written in response to this one.  It was, rather oddly, claiming that writing wasn't a job... for some reason.

In this article, the author was responding to an author who, upon publication of a book, found herself quite broke.  Of this Ms. Bloom, who claims that writing isn't a job, said of the broke author:

I wonder as to why this seems so strange to Ms. Bloom.  Writing is work.  It's hard, hard work... and that's the easy part.  Getting noticed, getting read, that's the hardest work of all.  Still, it is not unusual for a person suited to writing to want to make a living from it, any more than it is unusual for a person suited to accounting to want to make a living out of it.  No one scolds the accountants, however.

The problem is not that a writer wants to make a living from writing.  It's that people at large, I think, seriously undervalue the art form (this is true for most arts, I think).  Here's the thing, if you've read a book and enjoyed it, or learnt something, or was taken away to another world to forget about life for a moment, there is value in that.  And that value deserves to be compensated.

Why are people so hesitant to compensate writers for their work?  It makes absolutely no sense to me.  You received something of value.  Like any other service, that value should be paid to the writer accordingly.

This isn't just a fair exchange, though it is that.  You see, if you love a writer's work, compensating them for it enables them to continue creating the work you love to read.  If they cannot support themselves, then the writing takes a back seat to work that can.  The supply of work from that writer you love comes slower, or sometimes stops altogether.

And writers do get compensated.  They do work.  They get compensated for it.  That, my dear Ms. Bloom, is a job.  Now, if a writer doesn't get paid much, they probably have other jobs they do, either odd jobs or steady work or something.  It doesn't matter that a writer has other work, as many do, writing is still a job.  Entertaining, educating or challenging the reader is their job.

And it is right and fair that writers feel they should get compensated for their work.  Wanting to do so is not a strange wish, even if that work is writing.

I mean, now, this is just demonstrably false.  It has been managed by many, many writers.  Chuck Wendig is one.  John Scalzi, J.K. Rowling, George R.R. Martin, and many, many others manage a pretty decent living writing.

It obviously can be done.

The difference between earning a living writing as opposed to more regular, non-artistic jobs, is that making a living at writing is not easy.  You don't land the job and then start earning steady pay cheques. Getting to a spot in life where you can earn a living with writing takes an enormous effort.  You really have to haul arse.

You must network and market and make terrifying public appearances.  You have to bust your butt to get people to notice you and your writing.  it takes courage and skill and talent and persistence and patience and dedication and absolute discipline.

It is, if you'll pardon my Australianism, hard yakka.

Claims like the above, I fear, only serve to devalue the work being done, to make the work seem trivial, or unworthy, or easy​.  It's not easy.  Not by a long shot.

Not everyone can do it.  So not everyone succeeds.

However, just because a lot of people fail at making a living with their writing doesn't mean it can't be done and shouldn't be attempted.

It can be done.  And it should be fought for.

​It's a hell of a fight, so be sure you really want it before you start the battle, or you will absolutely fail.

This statement really disappoints me.  It proves to me that (some) people don't value writing at all.  Yet how less rich would their lives be if writers stopped writing?

Say goodbye to long hours on a rainy Sunday with a hot cup of tea and a good book.

Oh, dear comics, we hardly knew ye.

Adios, all kinds of cinema.  There will be no script writers.

Fare thee well, video games, who also employ writers.

There is more that writing gives us; less tangible things.  Is it because you cannot see them or hold them in your hand, you fail to acknowledge their value?

I do not fail in this regard.  I've said it before.

Books saved my life.

I have so few happy memories of growing up.  But I remember fondly the books I read, from silly and fun Choose Your Own Adventures and the Animorphs series, through to heavier reads like The Lord of the Rings, The Dark Tower series, Dune, and countless other stories that tore me away from the hurt and put me in a new place.  These books, all the books I read, provided a place of refuge against the world.  They also taught me an awful lot.

I remember being given a class assignment; choose your real life hero and explain to the class why.

I didn't have a real life hero.

My heroes were all fictional.  These fictional characters provided the role models I wanted to emulate; Frodo's courage, and Samwise's stalwart friendship. Sparhawk's honour, Sephrina's patience.

Fiction taught me more about the best humanity has to offer than anything else I've seen.  It does not surprise me one bit that my fellows who grew up reading fiction are also the kindest, bravest, most beautiful souls I know.

Books, fiction, enabled me to examine aspects of my own experience, through the lens of a character.  They enabled me to distance myself from the things that were happening to and around me, to examine them, dissect them, understand them and, ultimately, conquer them.

If Frodo could carry that ring all the way to Mount Doom, I could live through high school.

There is immeasurable value in that.  And that value should be honoured by those who receive it.

​It also seems a peculiar attitude towards the arts that the act of creation should be compensation enough.  And it is true that there is enormous satisfaction in completing a manuscript.  Satisfaction, however, does not put food on the table or hold a roof over your head.

Furthermore, there are accountants who do what they do because they love to do it.  Does the satisfaction of getting a great tax return for their client preclude accountants from earning their worth?  What about carpenters?  Finishing a cabinet is immensely satisfying.  Should that satisfaction alone be their recompense?  Of course not.  To consider it is ridiculous.

It is no less ridiculous to suggest it for writers.

Yes, writers love what they do.  So too do carpenters and accountants.

In short, writing is a job.  If you're a novelist especially, it might not be the main job, until a writer hits big and manages to earn enough to quit the various other job they may have (I am currently working two other jobs in addition to my writing), but it certainly is a job.  It's work.

And it should be treated, and compensated, as such.

Hello Baby Dragon,

I feel strange writing you this letter, because you're not my baby dragon.  You are the beautiful daughter of two very good friends, who are very much like family now.  Your parents honoured me on Sunday by asking if I would agree to become your godmother, along with another very lovely soul.

Of course I said yes.

And so now I begin the research on what being a godmother means, and what my responsibilities to both you and your parents are.  Truth is, I'm a little overwhelmed by the idea; deeply touched by your parents' faith in me, and determined to be the best damned godmother the world has ever seen.

So a few things I need to let you know.

Your parents and I are only human.  There may be a desire to idolise your parents and in so doing, forgetting that human beings have flaws (though admittedly, I'm struggling to come up with examples for your parents).  I am more flawed than most, but please know that I am always trying my best.  Though I'm not perfect, you can rely on me.  I promise.

Please, please, please don't emulate my language.  I use enough blue words to hurt the ears of the crankiest sailors.  I swear an awful lot.  Too much, really.  That said, there are times when swear words are useful and necessary, so don't feel too bad if one escapes your mouth every so often.

Part of being a godmother is being there for you whenever you need it.  If you have something you need to talk about, and don't feel like you can approach your parents, know that I will always be there.  Just pick up the phone and call, or come to my house for some tea and biscuits and we'll talk.  Nothing is taboo.  You can ask me anything.  I promise I will always be honest with you.

And now, a few words of advice.

Be kind.  It seems so simple when written, but sometimes it can be really difficult.  There are all kinds of unseen pressures that push people into cruelty.  Don't be one of those people.  Kindness sometimes take courage.

Be courageous.  This doesn't mean getting into scraps in the schoolyard.  Courage is often quiet.  Sometimes, courage is getting out of bed and facing the day.  Sometimes courage is reaching out a helping hand to someone everyone else has been stepping on, pushing them into the mud.  Sometimes courage is turning away from what is popular to do what is right.  Often courage, true courage, is uncelebrated.  There will likely be no accolades for your courageous acts of kindness.  But you will, in a surprisingly profound way, be making this world a better place.

Life can get pretty rough sometimes.  It's an unfortunate side effect of living.  Surround yourself with supportive, kind people and life will be easier.  I have been without a tribe of kind people before, and it was the most difficult, darkest time in my life.  So find other people who are kind and are courageous and make them your tribe.  And if they ever become insufficient for dealing with the vagaries of life, pick up the phone, or come over for some tea and biscuits.

Lastly, know that you are loved, and you are worthy, and that no matter what happens, you have people who are ready and willing to help you back onto your feet and chase your dreams.  I promise.

With all my love,

Your Godmother.

Good morning, Readers!

So I was given a great honour this weekend... but I can't tell you about it yet.  So you're just going to have to sit there and ponder what on earth I could be so honoured by/with.

MWAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!

In other news, yesterday after filming for Nights at the Round Table, I got to take home a secondhand PS3, with rock band and all the attachments and more than a few games.  I attached it all last night, and set up recording options, though I don't think I'll record my personal game play on the PS3 as of yet, Jon and I might play another game while we're waiting for me to be able to afford a replacement Xbox 360.  Borderlands co-op game play will have to wait until then, so we may as well fill in the time with another game.  Also, that would let me see Jon on a semi-regular basis.  He's good people and fun to chill with.

I am currently trying to find a replacement 360.  I have the hard drive from my previous one, so it's the slim or E console that I need.  I'm currently trolling (as in fishing, not as in making life hard for people trying to sell their stuff) Kijiji, but if anyone has any leads from trusted sources, I'd be eager to know.  I wish I could buy new (for warranty reasons), but I know that I can't afford it.

Anyway, back to the PS3... I tested it out last night by attempting to play one of the games it came with - God of War.  First of all, the opening credits were awesome.  Game play was weird for me.  I'm certainly not used to the controller at all... AT ALL.  That made for some interesting times.

I only died once, so there's that.

Still, the testing went well, and I'm just happy to be gaming again.  God of War is fun, and I think I'll play through that for myself (no recording).

So, thanks to Jen and Eric for the console!

And now I must ensure that all of my uploads for Sky Road Walker are correct and functioning.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

So, Pottermore released a brief quiz to discover your patronus.  I'm late writing this because I logged on to do just that.  Well, that and another thing.  But I now have my patronus:

There seems to be a theme with me on Pottermore...  It's all about the birds of prey.

I am in the Hogwarts house Gryffindor, according to the site, and also the Ilvermorny house Thunderbird.  Granted, Gryffindor is represented by a lion sigil, but a Gryffin/Griffon/Gryphon is basically an eagle with a lion's body.  And then there's the Thunderbird, which is basically a giant eagle that creates storms.

Incidentally, I quite like that Thunderbird house design... Might get that as a tattoo one day.

Anyway...

My wand is cedar with a phoenix feather core.

I mean, don't get me wrong, birds of prey are some of my favourite animals, I just find it curious that pretty much everything about my Pottermore profile is feathered and dangerous.

Alright, fellows on Pottermore, I want to know what your Patronus' are!  Go forth and quiz, then return here with news!  I'm nosy.

The other thing I was doing was creating a small page here on my website for my martial arts stuff.  It's just basic 'here's where I train, and here's where I teach, come join us if it seems like your thing' kind of page, but it's up now.  Feel free to check it out.

And now I must go, because I'm still very busy and have a lot to do.

Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

I have a fair amount of stuff to do today, so I shall keep this brief.  I shall also keep this brief because I still can't remember what I wanted to write about.

I think I might be getting old.

Some very exciting news this week as friends of mine had a beautiful baby girl.  She really is gorgeous!  I can't wait to meet her in person.  I have to say, the outpouring of love for this little one by friends of these friends has touched me deeply.  I was sobbing a bit as I read them.  I can imagine what my friends were feeling!

All of this has put into relief my life, as large life events tend to.  I cannot help but look at these friends and wonder if I'll ever find anything so well-matched... That isn't my flatmate.  I mean, I love my flatmate, but I don't love my flatmate.

You can stop with the 'you're married' jokes now, please.

Anyway, I wonder if I will ever become someone's spouse.  Will I ever be a parent, and if so, would I make a good parent?  I wonder if I should have made different choices in life.  Perhaps then I'd have what everyone else around me seems to have - their own homes, loving spouses, families...

It's not that I'm sad about my life by any stretch of the imagination.  I'm actually really happy.  But I do wonder what it would be like for me if my life had gone differently.

That's my deep thought for the day.

I now have to go make sure all the formatting is correct for my books, solicit a few more book reviews, mend some hand wraps, write and paint.

It's a full day.

I do have a question, though.  What do you imagine you'd be doing right now if your life had turned out differently?

Good morning, Readers!

I feel like I have the best ideas for blog posts while I'm walking into work, and then the moment I sit down to write them, they vanish from my head.  I swear I had something interesting to talk about.

Since I don't remember what I wanted to talk about, I'll just leave you with the latest bloopers reel from the Silver Stag Studios YouTube show Nights at the Round Table.​

It was so much fun to edit together.  It's basically just four or so minutes of laughing hysterically.  Because that's what I do.

Enjoy!

Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow.  Hopefully I will have remembered what I wanted to say.

​Ciao!