Has it really been six months? · 6:44am Aug 27th, 2015
*checks calendar*
Well, bound 'n gag me and call me 'gimp', it has been six freaking months. Holy mothballs and half-eaten jackets!
I've been away FAR too long, it seems. Well, you know what they say 'bout long absences:
[INSERT YOUR OWN QUOTE ABOUT LONG ABSENSES HERE]
Man oh man, where to begin, where to begin...
Well, I guess I should prob' start with the basics. If you are going to read after this point, be aware that what follows isn't entirely... happy. You've been warned.
My rather long and (relatively) quiet status has been mostly due to work. As some of you may already know, I moved out of my old place and into a new one. Sadly, things sort of took a bit of a nose dive soon after. Keeping afloat hasn't been easy, requiring the aid of two jobs. Naturally, that has kept me well and busy.
On the plus side, I have food, electricity, water, and net. That's always nice to have. On the other though, most of my days are spent looking a bit like this:
Work's not been kind to me. Those wondering, yes I am still employed as a coach. However, things aren't as rosy as they were last year. Some changes in policy, plus a relocation to a high school, and I'm facing my darkest possible hour in that particular career. Worse is that the school district had to issue pay cuts after some less than savory lawsuits were filed (a couple of which were utter bull, but were lost due to failings in the justice system). With the pay and hours reduced, I'm lucky if I'm making anywhere from 200 to 250 per pay period of 15 days. Now, as some of you fellow 'muricans may know, that is no livable wage. That's where the second job came into place. Regrettably, said job—city work for the Parks and Rec. dept. for those curious—is no better hour-wise. It also recently saw a huge cutback in hours when one of the main events of the whole department was shut down after a string of fights and accidents, cutting what was once a stable 20 to 25 hours a week job, to anywhere from 10 to 12 hours. This upcoming weekend will be the last of the movie nights and concert combinations, a lone day that, at least promises a stable 12 hours over two different time periods of morning and evening.
Still, as us 'muricans probably know, pay is often not anything to really get excited 'bout, especially for those of us that are still college-bound and have no degrees to stick in our boses' faces to demand larger pay. The school district pay has been cut back from what was once a 12 dollar an hour job, to little over 10 dollars an hour. The job for the city pays even less, (9.21). I won't even go into detail on just how much that is paying after the cutback in hours (just thinking about it makes me want to jump out the nearest window).
So... it doesn't take a genius to see where I'm standing. Making matters a bit more complicated is the recent worsening of my grandmother's health, requiring me to send money over to her every month for medication. I'm still weighing the options over long-term medication, or just telling her to have that leg of hers amputated. Not that it matters, as the leg amputation would still cost 4000 or so. There are other things I could add to this, including some last-minute dental work on old fillings that have fallen out, my computer starting to fail again as slowly watch it die from another possible hard drive failure (this time, I have some back-ups in place), and my desire to own a car (which, surprisingly, I still don't own. Really dropped the ball on that one).
Bah, enough with the bitching 'n whining. Those of you reading this probably just want to know "hey, where the stories at?" Assuming there are people even reading this and I'm not just doing flapping my metaphorical gums at the equivalent of a wall.
Well, you'll be happy to know that during what little off time I manage to get while I'm not doing that most idiotic of actions known as 'sleeping', I have been attempting to write. 'Attempting' being the keyword here, just like how I have been 'attempting' to have fun, or 'attempting' to eat anything other than 99 cent cup-a-noodles (Seriously, how do they expect people to eat those things without feeling like vomiting the day after?)
pretty self explanatory, really
There are some new stories in the works. I won't really reveal any quite yet for fear that I might not be able to deliver on any of them, be it because of time constraints, or plain existential failure (make of that what you will). I cannot apologize if I sound cranky, depressed, or suicidal at this point, because I would be a filthy liar if I said otherwise. My stance on taking's one life stills stand as strong as ever, but I certainly won't be jumping out of the way of any speeding buses or trains coming my way either, not that I think I even could, seeing as I'm not as fast as I was during my high school football player days.
"Harbinger" is still happening. I'll be giving it a very juicy update this coming month, plus there's the halloween chapter to look forward to. After that, I'll drop the 'only during Halloween' thing and focus on getting it complete by the end of this year.
"Fifth" is still being worked on, though now, I have decided to conclude the already ongoing story rather than cutting it off where it last left off and going for the rewrite. That way, the new story can be a 'spiritual sequel' of sorts. Again though, not making many promises right now, seeing as it is taking longer than expected.
As mentioned earlier, there are other stories in the works. Not quite naming them yet, but expect them to appear gradually over the coming months. Most will be short, but a few will at least be a few chapters long. Nothing really that major, but I at least hope some of you will give them a read. Not that you should at this point. Again, probably just talkin' to myself at this point. Still, for what it's worth, those of you who are indeed reading this, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Or, what's left of my heart at least, heh.
Am I missing anything?
Oh yes, probably one of the few good spots happening right now. I recently joined a nice little worshop run by old friend and amazing author Solocitizen. For those that do not know, he is the guy who wrote this:
and the amazing sequel:
I highly recommend both, and not just because I helped edit them both (the first more than the second), but because they are just great pieces of literature on their own rights.
At any rate, he started the writer's workshop both as a way to help other authors get into the habit of making their writings easier to flow, but also to sort of get to know some of the community members on this site both as fans of the show (and the fiction side of things), but also as potential non-fanfiction writers in-the-making. I suggest you drop him a message and ask more details on the matter. Join us one of these days, you'll hear me do readings as well (cover yer ears if possible!). We only have a few members so far, but we are always looking for new faces. Join us. Or don't. Choice is ultimately yours.
That about covers things on this blog. Next one should hopefully be a bit more cheery. Again, apologies if this blog comes off as depressive. Just really tired at this moment. Not enough laughs to go 'round, and certainly not enough funds to keep my head away from the constant dread of losing my current home. With the holidays comin' 'round... well, you know what they say 'bout that time of year.
Im sorry things are ugh and rougher than hell. Still, thats better than here for places. 7.50 is still minimum wage in a ton of spaces.. Sadly every employer is more crooked than a sidewinder.
Yeah, i get the family issue being crappy. I hate there's no good side pay thing to massively cut down the cost of family meds there.
Teaching, ive seen so many good teachers getting sacked because they aren't with the 'innovative fads' or worse, rocking the boat with things like keeping a kid alive.
As for the stories, when they happen, they happen. Better times should be a first.
I hope things will get better for you soon. And yes, stories happen when they happen.
Although - do you know by a chance if there is any hope left for Planet hell to be updated/finished ?
It's amazing story (together with Awakening), but it looks like Solocitizen abandoned it for good...
Damn you, Garnot. Awakening was sat on my RIL list for well over a year, but I was put off by the sad tag (which, upon having read, I question the need for). Now I've read both it and the sequel (and bloody loved it), and truly am sad now as the sequel has been on hiatus for over a year.
But hell, that's a damn good universe he's crafted. Such a shame it's likely never to be fully realised. Even if he does come back to finish Planet Hell, there's at least another four stories minimum to be told to get the whole picture. Do you know if anyone else has/is planning to write a story in the same setting?
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Ouch, that's way below the wage anyone should ever even have. Downright crimilar, that is.
Family issues are a pain, yes, but I'll get through it, one way or another.
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Thanks for the well-wishes. They really are appreciated in these rather hard times.
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Ya make it sound like it's my fault. Well, I guess it kind of is, seeing as I have not been able to push Solo towards making pogress. Still, I can only do so much, especially now that all, well, everything, is happening at me. Barely get to be online as is.
regardless, I can't say for certain just when he'll get back at it. You're welcome to ask him yourself though. Do recall he's running the workshop now, so you can message me on Skype, I'll add ya to that conversation, and then you can directly ask him. Next meeting is this upcoming sunday. Maybe you can join us for some writing and live-reading while you're at it.
or not. The choise is yours.
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You're the one who got me interested enough to finally sit down and read it
And I'm certainly interested, but I'm not sure how much I can learn from a writer's workshop, as someone who doesn't write, and I'd rather not just turn up to ask about the story.
Also, I must offer my sincere apologies. I was so caught up with having just finished the stories that I completely neglected to comment on the rest of your post.
I'm looking forward to seeing these mystery projects of yours, man. Been too long since I read something of yours, and It's awesome to see you alive again. But good lord does that job stuff suck. You have my sympathies.
I just noticed the image from this journal in your sidebar and realized it was Momotaros from Kamen Rider Den-O. :O
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You are the first to notice. I'm so happy right now :D
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I need to watch more Den-O. :D
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Yes. Yes you do. We all need to.
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And now I have outlined a parody of the Kamen Rider series, crossed over with EQG. :B
halp i'm turning back into a weeaboo D:
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Do eet. DO EET!