Movie Thoughts to Fanfiction

I'm actually having a hard time deciding what to type about for this post.  At first, I thought I would do something about tropes in film since this is the season we see a lot of repeat tropes.  It's Christmas so how do we present the meaning of the season?   Though I have to admit Disney+'s Noelle is definitely an exception that I look forward to watching multiple times.  I'll hopefully get a review about this one done by the end of this month...

But I wasn't sure how to start it or even where to focus.  Then I realized, I also wanted to get a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) timeline figured out, but that's going to be so time-consuming, I don't know how long it would take, especially since the timeline will be determined in part by which ones are considered a part of it and which ones are just extras - Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk - because there are so many remakes that putting them in one timeline will give us plot holes no matter which version to use, and then there are the television series like Agent Carter, Agents of Shield, Daredevil (which also has a movie...), and Jessica Jones.  Of course, there are more, but figuring out which ones get included and which ones are for a different universe version of the series.  There are a large number of versions of DC's iconic characters on par with the X-Men part of the MCU, though by no means is X-Men the only one in Marvel to have been recreated both on the big and small screens. 

Then I got some more ideas for fanfiction crossovers.  I got reminded of several other things I need to do to be able to write them, too.  First off, what if Wolverine was on the ship in the Riddick Trilogy?  Wolverine, a man as deadly as Riddick and with better healing ability and easier access to weapons, would definitely have some issues with the group and with Caroline Fry most importantly.  There would need to be some back story and he'd probably be able to either hear or smell the creatures living there.  I think he'd be practically on par with Riddick with a few advantages, mainly the fact that he wouldn't be as badly affected by the light, while still being able to defend himself and hear what was going on around him.  After escaping the planet, when they get picked up what if he found some of the other mutants in that floating personal museum.  Then there's how he'd react to the rest of what would occur there.  Then when dealing with the Necromongers, how would his mutant abilities change what we know to have happened?

Then I thought of if St. Trinian's was a sister school to St. Brutus' and if Harry had ended up being sent there after being expelled either before the second year or after the fourth year.  I'm a bit more enamored with it being after fourth.  Meeting the girls at the start of the first movie and setting up a system with them that allows him to keep using and learning magic without them realizing it.  After all, it was accidental magic that blew up his aunt.  This could also give Sirius Black a safe place to stay.  He might reveal himself during the second movie of St. Trinian's, but it could definitely mean a lot of different things.  One thing I could totally see Harry doing is making it so St. Trinian's doesn't have to worry about closing down...I think I'll go to work on this a bit more now.

Ever-Changing Black Friday

Alright, it's another Sunday and I almost forgot to get this one typed up.  I got severely distracted.  We got Disney+ just before Thanksgiving and then a new TV with Roku on Thursday night at the start of all the Black Friday deals.  We stop by Walmart to pick up ingredients needed to brine a turkey for this weekend (yesterday's lunch) and there are still Black Friday deals available.  A few were for things we could seriously use (more mixing bowls and other kitchen gadgets...) so there was no way we were passing them up.  Then it was the second season in Illinois for deer hunters, and of course, my husband just had to tag out.  I get up this morning and almost forgot that I hadn't sat down to type a post yet.

Since I mentioned that we took advantage of some Black Friday deals, I have to admit that if it weren't for the TV, we'd have likely not gone at all.  We needed a TV with working sound so we weren't running everything through a computer.  This means I can now watch movies while my husband is on his gaming.  The biggest problem I have with it is that it started at 6pm on Thursday evening instead of midnight.  I get it.  Times have been changing and they'll keep on changing. 

For one thing, introverts and anti-social people can actually have a voice that is heard now thanks to chatrooms and forums.  This is a good thing.  Sites like Facebook, Twitter, and when MySpace used to be a thing, help those who are less willing or likely to speak up and be heard to have a voice when a question is asked.  Facebook even has a recommendation system for people wanting to know about a great place to eat or to go shop that's not necessarily mainstream (like Walmart, Target, etc.).  Small businesses are better able to reach more of their customers than just those who live in their advertising zone thanks to being able to follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.  This also allows them to get out the word about deals - including Black Friday - to those who are likely to want to know them. 

For those who really hate getting out in the crowds, there's also Cyber Monday, a way for online shoppers to also reap the benefits of the start of the holiday shopping craze!  I will be utterly and completely honest here, I don't do a lot of online shopping.  I do some, but I prefer to go to brick and mortar stores and be able to see it in person.  It helps me determine dimensions and if I truly want something.  If I'm not willing to go to a store to get it, do I really want to spend the money for it?  This is especially true of clothing, food, and furniture.  Most of the rest, I'm more willing to shop online - especially in regards to books - but will still be more likely to shop in a brick and mortar than online store. 

With the changes made, while I'm not a fan of cutting Thanksgiving short just to get some Christmas shopping done, I will admit that I believe the stores have learned from the past.  There was no crowd waiting to enter the store.  There weren't a lot of people fighting over the last one or two of something in the first few minutes of the sales being opened up.  There were lines for the big items that would have possibly caused people to have issues shopping.  In fact, the large items were a barcode on a sheet of paper.  When you were done with your shopping you could drive to the designated pick up location and they would load it in your vehicle, making certain to mark it off your receipt- if you had a paper one - and the paper with the barcode.  We paid for our TV using the store's app since I had gift cards on it.  They couldn't really mark it off of that.

Basically, while I'm not a fan of the deals beginning on the night of Thanksgiving, promoting people leaving their families to hunt down the best deals available, I have to admit, the stores are getting smarter about ensuring their customers' safety.  Yes, people are idiots and there are likely to eventually be stampedes for things again when something comes out that is as big as the Cabbage Patch dolls, Tickle-Me-Elmo, or Harry Potter, but that can happen at any time of year.  I mean, we all see the TV portrayals of long lines waiting for the release of items or for the store or ticket booths to open for things that are hugely beloved.  After all, we love to get great deals and a great deal for something that is really wanted by someone?  They'll stampede for that, or wait outside in line for months to ensure they get it.  It's what is making counterfeiters so much money.  We've been all about having the latest and greatest that we'll spend for it and risk a lot for a great deal.  Hell, I had to remind my husband to wait until Black Friday to get a TV because he found one on sale this past summer for $170.  It was a smart TV, but only about 42in, if I remember correctly.  I reminded him about Black Friday and how electronics are almost always on sale then.  He finds a 50in smart TV with Roku for $150 and it gave me enough time to earn $55 in gift cards through Ibotta, Shopkick, Drop, FetchRewards, and ReceiptPal - none of which I've been really hardcore about using since downloading.

The tradition of Black Friday is changing - evolving with the times and what we want and like as people.  Isn't that what traditions are supposed to do?  Honor the past while still evolving and changing with the times and new things that are added?  I mean, I'm an American, and that's what America did.  We changed our culture to fit with the ideals that not every person is the same.  Yes, we have our problems and we have things that we need to change to be more accepting, but we are hugely a commerce-based country, and Black Friday, one could say is a holiday that brings out the best and the worst traits of every person on the globe.

NaNoWriMo 2019 Part 5/5

So here's the final post for this year's NaNoWriMo.  The big question is did I win?  The answer - No.  I finished with 15,145 words and that's it.  While most of that was for my Assassination Classroom and Yu-Gi-Oh crossover, I also did a small bit of work on my Percy Weasley of Harry Potter is Skull de Mort of Katekyo Hitman Reborn! crossover and one of my Gundam Wing and Harry Potter crossovers.  While I didn't succeed in reaching 50k, it doesn't mean I'll stop working on my stories.  Between my fanfiction and original works I likely have close to 200 stories being worked on with more ideas niggling into my brain on a regular basis.  Now if I could just get one to the point I would feel comfortable trying to get it published...

Anyway, I won't explain why I kept getting side-tracked from my writing this year as it would probably just feel like excuses, so instead congratulations to everyone who got some words written down this past month!  If you reached the 50K goal, extra congrats are definitely in order for you!  For those who tried but didn't reach the 50k goal, better luck next time.  At least you got something written, right?  Maybe set a lesser goal for the camps?  The first camp is usually in April.  It's also National Poetry Month, so if you're a poet, maybe you can focus on them?