This Is Getting Worrisome: On Planning, Negativity, and Blogging. Vote on What's Next. · 1:23pm Sep 14th, 2017

So, if you've read the previous blog post, you can probably guess what I'm about to say: the 'following tutorials' idea was a bust. I got as far as the modelling stage, but even then the result looks beyond salvaging for the sake of looking like the original. My best guess is box modelling simply isn't all that suited for stuff like faces: you work your way from the outside in, if that makes any sense, whereas a) box modelling seems to be better for working inside out and b) faces in and of themselves are better constructed inside out, usually starting with the eyes.

Will I be redoing Captain Blender in the near future? Probably not. I already have a Jan Zonder Vrees model that looks like him as it is, there isn't much point. Will I be following other tutorials, like I said? Maybe.

Usually, this is where I tell you what the new plan is, why the old plan failed, and what you can expect from me soon, along with the usual self-deprecation and whining about job searching and rattling hardware and such. But a thought occurred to me the other day, and upon reflection, there's a serious problem that's popped up.

I haven't made a positive blog post since the end of May.

Every time I come on here to blog, it's to say 'this failed' or 'worried about that'. Now, the reason for that is simple: not getting out much means not a lot of places to vent. This just happens to be one of my venting options. That's fine for me, notsomuch for you. So rather than try and explain away how this sickness upset my plans, or make a self-centered piece about being trans (species, mind you, not gender), I'd like to open up a little vote on what to blog about next. The topics are things that are fairly niche and personal, in the sense that you're not likely to hear it from someone else. That's me trying to be positive: give people something good they wouldn't get from any number of other authors.

Here are the blog ideas:
Unsexy Short Shorts.
A little review and discussion about the Blender Open Movie projects, how they showcase not just the software, but also the 'free'-ness of the thing. What pitfalls do they avoid, and which pits do they swan dive into?

Writing OP Characters: Saitama Versus John the Fearless.
You may recall my New Year's Resolution to read a classic book each month. While that hasn't been a complete success (again, see the May/June mess) I did get around to reading the story of Jan Zonder Vrees, or John the Fearless. The character Doldrum Whimper was inspired by, at least in part. A couple of very distinct resemblances popped up with Jan's story and that of One Punch Man. Maybe these elements aren't universal, per se, but they can be a good guideline for creators looking to try and repeat OPM's success or at least emulate its good bits.

Everything You're Forgetting About Magic.
There are some crucial differences between the concept of a priest and that of a wizard. Some attitudes will be innately different, outlooks on life. There are psychological developments to keep in mind when magic is thrown into the mix. But most of the time, these things are glossed over. I'd make a list of the more obvious ones, along with a brief and noob-friendly explanation of the biggest one: the concept of True Will.

Movie Review: The Man With the Iron Fists.
If you have not seen this movie yet, you are missing out. There is a lot to say about it, both good and bad, and the reason I'd pick this movie to review instead of any other movie I'd consider influential is... this is probably the best introductory movie to the martial arts/kung fu genre. It's not just trope-heavy; it actually explains some of the things that are taken for granted in other movies of its ilk. There are also some lessons in it for the SJW crowd, particularly as to why the diverse cast works well here when it does not elsewhere.

So, that's four options, feel free to let me know whichever one you'd prefer. Or if any will do, no problem, I can roll a die for that eventuality. As long as it's something positive. Y'all already know about the problems I run into, no need to keep repeating that.