Definite Delays, but All's Not Lost · 3:24am Aug 15th, 2019
I'm not sure how it's done in the USA, and how much variety there is between the states (seriously, you numpties, clean up your act), but in Australia, tertiary students under the age of 25 are offered fortnightly government handout of a varying amount depending on your current economic standing. If you're studying full-time (upwards of 3 units a semester), this handout is guaranteed. If you're studying part-time (2 units or less a semester), you have to earn it by applying for 20 jobs a month. As soon as you get a job, you're cut from the handout scheme, because now you can support yourself.
I'm now a part-time student as of this semester. I told the Australian form of Social Services (Centrelink) that I'd be away in the USA from July 22nd until Auguest 11th, and they'd suspend my payment until I got back, as well as any responsibilities on my end as part of my new handout scheme. So, I went to my grandparents' in New Mexico, met my roadtrip buddy there as well, travel three days without showering, changing clothes or brushing my teeth, arrive at Bronycon, meet and make a lot of friends, make the same journey back, catch a mild cold on my return flight to Western Australia.
I was due for a phone interview on the 14th with my local job assistance agency, or whatever I'm supposed to call it, but no call comes. I phone them in response, and it turns out that there was a power outage and my interviewer was sick and they had no replacement. The guy I was on the phone with asked me how my search progress has been going, to which I answered I hadn't applied for any; I was away and Centrelink told me not to worry about it for this month.
Apparently that was the wrong answer: I should've been searching for jobs online while I was in America, because now I have until the 18th of this month to apply for 20 jobs that I could feasibly, realistically get, or else my payment will be suspended.
I have a con I'm a panelist of over the weekend. I'm flying out tomorrow afternoon. The con ends on the 18th.
What does this mean?
It means that, whatever happens here, it's likely I'll have to accept the first job offer that comes my way, be it full-time or part-time, and I'd have to split my time between said occupation and my current one: being a student. And let me tell you, missing two classes of university has left enough on my plate already for me to deal with (coding and consulting/freelancing units). This also means that I won't have much time, if any, to write the stuff I want to write for the next six months or so.
I'm not quitting writing. A job wouldn't be so bad, I don't think. But I can't focus on two big parts of life at once while at the same time wasting time writing what makes me happy. This is "only" for six months. I have the next chapter of Lapse chapter completed, Rob has already given it his thumbs-up, but I'm still waiting on Flutterpriest's go-ahead, and that's proving difficult as life seems to be catching up with him too.
Not so urgently that he needs to stop playing games for his Twitch account, but that's none of my business.
Love you, babe.
There's also a rewrite of an old adventure-drama that I've been making progress on, reaching approximately 76,100 words by the time of this blog post, and I'm getting positive feedback from Rob that I'd eventually like to validate with Priest as well, and maybe some others. I know, I know, too many cooks spoil the broth, but I trust these two, who aren't complete and utter shills. Seriously, they've saved some of my Lapse chapters from being a little more convoluted than they need to be.
TL;DR: I'm taking a break 5eva C ya!
On a lighter note, I suppose I ought to let the people who know/follow me what I eventually plan on writing. Consider it a teaser, in the same vein that Cyberpunk 2077 was announced way, way too early in 2013, or whenever.
Remember that most of these are just concept, and likely won't represent the final product in its entirety, if they're written at all.
In no particular order:
Meet the Empresses
A comedy featuring Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon a thousand years after they came to power, where they decide to have an interview, sharing their stories on how they faced many of the challenges the Main 6 would've faced, from world threats to the benign. A glorious use of two magnificent despots who, at their hearts, have good intentions.
Honour Among Theives
A thriller (drama?) detailing the origins of Cozy Glow and Tirek's partnership. Short story made shorter: she unwittingly earns her life and his respect by expressing admiration for how powerful he was in ages past. I felt these two deserve some special attention, especially since Cozy has been the first villain in a long while who hasn't been reformed (thank the gods).
Up There, Somewhere
A bittersweet drama about a young pegasus dealing with the fact he may never fly again, and an older Scootaloo being there to comfort them, never having flown even as the years have gone by. Always nice to see students become the teachers, and what better teacher is there than harsh reality combined with life experience?
A Sweet and Seemly Thing
A dramatic thriller and sequel to Nothing Left to Lose where Chrysalis seeks to deal one last crippling blow to her enemies that shall be felt for decades to come: to turn Flurry Heart against her family. But perhaps it won't end quite like she expected.
Heart of Stone
A romance (and the result of crack-shipping) where Sunburst falls for a pregnant Limestone, who's not sure whether she's ready to love again after having her heart broken once already, and he must come to terms with that face that he'll have to be a father as well as a friend, if he truly loves her. Also some Pie family drama regarding the Choosing Stone and whether it did or didn't work and who's to blame for what. And Marble acts tough in her sisters' stead.
Fun times, as always.
Political Charades
An alternate universe erotic romance between Nightmare Moon and Sombra, where both respect each other too much to fight one another, but love their individual freedom too much to join their kingdoms. So, they do the next best thing: frequent and very rigorous and enthusiastic visits regarding matters of "diplomacy".
No Balloon Strings Attached
A slice of life erotica featuring a woman in Equestria who's absolutely tired of all her dates with stallions going to pot, and resolves to take Pinkie up on her offer of a tumble in the sheets to bang the frustration away, as true friends with benefits do. Someone mentioned there isn't enough female humans in Equestria, and I have to agree.
I wish to do a not M-rated fic about a woman at some point as well, but for now, I'm killing three birds with one stone: someone requested woman-on-mare action, someone wanted Pinkie smut, and someone had the idea for friends with benefits. Here's the mutant offspring.
Fallout: Equestria — Absolution
A dark adventure about a raider out for vengeance getting caught up in a stable dweller's story, where she's already being hunted by someone far more dangerous, and with far greater ambitions for the Wasteland in mind. Figured I might throw my hat into the FO:E scene, this time from a perspective I don't think has been covered just yet. I'm probably mistaken, though, but what the heck. Got a little inspired by Red Dead Redemption 2's Dutch van der Linde when thinking of the villain.
***
And that's about it. Maybe I've revealed too much, maybe I've inspired some people, maybe some are going to steal these ideas. Whatever the case, these have been in my head for a while and I'd like to have a shot at them. So, in conlusion, I'm not done yet, and this is my plan for the future, maybe as far ahead as six months when the fandom will be long dead. Have a good one, everybody, and be sure to check out the next Lapse chapter when it drops.
Fregz
I'm most excited for A Sweet and Seemly Thing, and Honor Among Thieves.
Well then, this is some interesting shiz, some good story ideas galore in this //thinkthonk
I might keep an eye out for them when I can, keep up the good work Fregie and I hope things work out for ya in the long run regarding job hunting n shit.
Wow okay :V
That's quitter talk. Instead, just don't sleep, don't eat, and only work all day, study all night, and everything in between just write.
Don't worry, fam. I'll pre-read and edit. We gochie.
Meet the Empresses sounds like a cool story, Political Charades sound hawt.
All the best luck though, I hope that the job you end up with works out for you and your schedule.
The story ideas are great! Up There and A Sweet and Seemly Thing are my favorite two out of the premises.
Oof.
I mean, that's still better than here, where if you're a part-time student, you need to have a job, and if you're a full-time student, you need to have a job, because the government giving you anything would be soshullizum and that is verboten I guess. :B I avoided all that by getting a full ride and then taking out predatory loans I still haven't paid back after a decade! :')
What’s a numpty?
I particularly like "Heart of Stone" but can't type it because I have no laptop to type it in, so anyone can get the plot basically.
Take your time, mate. We’ll wait for ya.
So now you're being put through the grinder for the fact that you were doing 'as you were told', and that this doesn't line up with what the second person says is somehow your fault.
Situations like this are just so unescessary.
And such a marvelously efficient means of ensuring you have disinterested, unmotivated, and resentful staff/members in the future.
Get any instructions like that in writing in the future even if it's email, you can use it as evidence in case things like this happen. Keep a 'paper trail' of everything. Maximum arse covering.
Think of it as getting in practice for working in just about any field ever.
Turbo hugs from the UK comrade.