Popcorn Day?

Apparently, this past Thursday (January 19) was National Popcorn Day.  While someday in the future this will be a part of my articles about holidays, that's not why I'm remarking on it.  At one of my jobs, we get free popcorn on Thursdays.  So this past Thursday, I find out it's National Popcorn Day and get a bit excited thinking we'll be getting free popcorn.  Ironic, huh?  Well, if you think the reason I'm typing about it is because it didn't happen, you'd be right.

Apparently, according to the guy in charge of making the popcorn on Thursdays, the popcorn machine really did not want to make popcorn.  He got it going and before the first batch has gotten started popping, the agitator stopped working.  If you've ever worked a popcorn machine, even at home, you know that the popcorn cannot just sit still in the oil as it's get heated because the kernels closest to the bottom (furthest from being able to pop out of the heat) will burn, if not the entire batch.  So, he immediately stops making the popcorn and calls maintenance to hopefully get it fixed.  Maintenance believes it's fixed and the guy managed to make a few batches of popcorn.

When he goes to make more, the agitator is once again not working.  This time he hasn't even added the kernels or oil so it doesn't need to be cleaned out from the only partially used popcorn and oil as he'd had to do previously.  So maintenance gets called again.  After the supervisor takes a look at it, they realize they have to order a new motor for the machine which means no more popcorn.  The popcorn that was previously made was gone before noon with an "Out Of Order" sign on the machine.  Go figure, right?

Did you get any free popcorn on National Popcorn Day?  What about other funny anecdotes about things going wrong?  Feel free to leave a comment about it!

Rambling of Current Events to Unknown

With all the unrest in the United States, I couldn't help but wonder about a few things this week. First, I guess I should explain a small thing, at least, small to me. I don't pay as much attention to current events as I should. It's not just that I don't have television, either. I just got tired of trying to watch the news as a kid for more of the important events and finding glorified horror stories. Quite honestly, if you're a writer and need a plot bunny, you likely don't need to go much further than the evening news.

The next thing I should explain is that when it comes to Facebook or social media of any kind, I am the least likely of persons to actually use said outlet effectively. I use Facebook as an example, but the same is true of Twitter and any other social media site I have an account with. It's not because I don't wish to connect with other people, though. I just don't heave enough time in a day for everything I want to do as well as need to do. And even though I'm of the generation that can still add, subtract, multiply, and divide using either pan and paper or a calculator; I'm not as computer savvy as people seem to think.

When users on Facebook used a rainbow filter on their profile pics back when the United States legalized same-sex marriages, I did not. It's not because I have a thing against it either. No, I honestly believe that so long as a person believes themselves in love with another person they should be allowed to be together in marriage if that's what they truly want. I'm just to lazy to edit a profile pic that shows support to something I'm just not paying attention to in the news because I have too many other things to worry about(like Christmas gifts for numerous nieces and a few nephews!)

So, after explaining that no, I'm not current events aware and that most of my information is minimum secondhand (though more likely fifthhand...) I must admit I started wondering why people have to be politically correct. And by politically correct, I mean the BS of speaking the “correct” term to describe someone's description. If I said a black man did something or claimed that someone is black because that is the color I perceive their skin to be or that someone appeared Asian by look, suddenly I'm prejudiced, according to some. These are most likely the extremists, but it colors our whole way of communicating.

The biggest thing on my mind was when did we decide saying the truth was so offensive as to reasonable grounds to call someone else prejudiced? It's not like we weren't all raised differently based on the values of those who raised us. Our experiences also likely changed our opinions as well as what we've read and watched through various forms of media. I started rewatching some old shows and I've found that when some of these shows have a strong female character, they don't make them realistic. Some books or short stories are the same. If you read fanfiction, I'm sure you've noticed that some of the characters are taken to the extreme “never wrong” standpoint. This actually annoys me and I find myself enjoying shows that center on males.

This is not the way things should be. Yes, jokes about women or blacks or gays are going to be commonplace. Just as jokes about Pollocks, geeks, blondes, and moms (I've heard numerous relating to all of these over my 29 years of life, and don't find them offensive if delivered in a way that indicates the joker is actually telling a joke) are abundant. However, when I'm reading a story or watching as a story unfolds on a screen of any kind, I want to be able to relate to the characters personalities. I referenced a quote in an earlier blogpost, Tyranny through Shamefor what we Read?, about YA reading defenders admitting that part of the enjoyment of reading YA had to to with escapism. I could not and still cannot nor will I argue this point. I agree with it. Lucky for me, this particular point plays to my advantage in this post.

When I read or watch something, yes, by now I'm very well away of what the ending is likely to be. The guy and girl end up together, the villain is defeated, and everyone lives happily ever after. Or at least that is the general premise for most stories. Sometimes it's annoying. Today I find myself looking for the romances that people seemed to fall into with their personalities rather than their hearts (mostly catered to in fanfiction.) I've started looking for more in relationships that are meant to only be either close friendships, frenemy status, or sibling-like. I'm not saying it's wrong. It's just something I'm looking for that's different. Mysteries end up with the lead detective or team figuring out the case. We know everything will be wrapped up with a pretty little bow and “happily ever after”. What we don't know and that which intrigues us, is the journeys taken. That's why we tend to be drawn in. It's the characters that keep us there. I can't get behind a female who is always right, but lords it over her friends or family or both and gets away with it. Characters that are able to manipulate everyone around them and when their victims realize it, the perpetrators are forgiven. They don't even hold or show resentment for what the person had done!

It doesn't seem realistic enough even if it's in a fantasy world. No matter how much time is given or how much someone claims to have forgiven someone, there is still a little piece of resentment in their heart at what was done to them. Mercedes Lackey managed in her Dragon Jouster series to weave it in such a way that while yes the main character held resentment toward and for a certain person due to circumstances outside of their control, the resentment was still there. It would peak through in some of the interactions when they were of equal status again. Yes the character understood and appreciated everything he'd done for him, he also resented that the man had been a part of the system and never seemed to try to fix it.

The journey is what is great. When I read I jump in head first. When I watch a show, my brain keeps trying to see things that don't quite exist or relate it to what I'm aware of. The authors and creators don't worry about being politically correct because they exist in a different world where what they say while expected to be grammatically correct isn't expected to be inoffensive. The characters take on lives of their own and it's a lot more noticeable in written works than it is in a show or movie. The nuances are in both, just more readily received through the written word rather than a visual representation.

I know I got off whatever I was originally going to type up for this post and part of that is because I managed to get sick earlier this week. In fact I got sick just as I was going to finish this post, edit it, and schedule it for posting last Sunday. It didn't happen so instead I'll just have to post this this Sunday and hope you understand what I've ranted about. Feel free to ask for clarification or rants about something else. Yes I still plan to type up Session posts for LANZ, but I'll probably start them back up after the New Year.

Yes I do plan to go over last year's resolutions and decide if they'll be the same this year or if some of them may change. Last year's resolution post can be found as  Resolutions for 2015.

Resolutions for 2015

It's New Year's Eve and most are likely getting settled in to enjoy ringing it in.  This is a holiday unlike most others and for the Gregorian Calendar occurs on December 31st while January 1st is the start of the New Year, so let me first type you all a "Happy New Year's!"

Now that that's out of the way, everyone has different traditions.  Some go out to party; others stay in.  Of those going out, some only go to a local hangout spot like a bar or bowling alley, or perhaps to a friend's place.  Other's will go to public displays ringing in the New Year, like Madison Gardens or their town bash (Greenville, IL has it's bicentennial kick-off party tonight and some will likely celebrate the New Year thusly.)  Some will watch various shindigs on TV or some New Year's special like what occurred for Christmas.  But they are all either following a tradition or trying to start a new one.

Of all the traditions out there, only one have I heard or seen regularly perpetuated (besides staying up to midnight) and that's the New Year's Resolutions.  I actually have a memorable year where I was determined not to have any resolutions because I wouldn't keep them, and I knew it.  I failed.  So this year, I'm going to share a few of my resolutions here.

#1) Keep up with my blog.
I know it's only just started, but my goal was to blog a minimum of once a week, sometimes more, not once a month.  I managed barely to keep to my Sunday Updates during NaNoWriMo, but otherwise my blogs are severely lacking and for that I must apologize.  Hopefully 2015 I will be able to follow my original plan.

#2) Project Noah
This was something that interested me because it's goal is to document wildlife around the world.  I like to travel and maybe one day I'll be able to visit more places, but as it is I don't know what everything is.  I think it would explode my head if I did.  Not only can I upload pictures of local flora and fauna, getting pictures of squirrels outside my window or a bird's nest in the mailbox(yes this did happen.  I never got a photo of it which saddened me,) but if I don't know what it is, I can ask for aid in it's identification.  It's not just for plants and animals either.  There's remains, eggs, larva, and nests available to be photographed and identified.

#3) NaNoWriMo
It'll be my third year this year and I'm determined to win this time.  Let's hope my determination is still there come November!

#4) FanFiction Uploaded
Yes, I read and write fanfiction and tend to do most it while playing with Harry Potter.  I know, I should probably try something else, but sometimes it's just a bit easier to play with known issues.  I have two works currently published and still in progress on FanFiction.Net, but I also have numerous more sitting on my computer or in notebooks.  Some of these include (but are definitely not limited to: Harry PotterXCharmed; Harry Potter time/dimension travel; Harry PotterXCircle of magic (Tamora Pierce); Harry PotterXLa Cordo D'oro; and Harry PotterXYu-Gi-Oh(two of these, one where Harry is Seto; the other one - Harry is Joey.)  I'll reread some of them only to get mad at myself because I can't figure out how to keep it moving.  Sometimes they're dry-runs for an idea for something else.  Most of the time, they are what-if scenarios that are fun to let run wild.

Well, that's all I can think of currently.  Got any resolutions you're willing to share?  What are your New Year's traditions?  Remember to be safe out there tonight and have fun!

NaNoWriMo: What is it?

Put the ice queens, princesses, witches, monsters, pirates, Doctors, and whatever other costume the kids wore away.  Halloween is almost over and now it's time to get ready to perform a phenomenal feat.

At exactly midnight, several people of varying ages around the world will stop with a majority of the rest of the world with one goal in mind - to write fifty thousand(50,000) words by midnight on November 30.  They only have from the moment Halloween is officially ended to write or type up the story they've chosen to focus on.  Why?  Because everyone has a story to tell and the world can always use another novel.  

So a nonprofit organization was created and titled National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo for short.  The goal of the organization is to inspire and motivate writers to complete a 50,000 word "novel" in thirty days.  There is no cost to try and in joining their website there's no telling how many writing buddies you may make if you go to write-ins and follow the virtual ones.

Since writing is such a solitary occupation and can often take the place or at least interfere with real life, this organized yet flexible way to connect with writers around the globe is pretty awesome.  For more information on NaNoWriMo itself, check out their website.  Otherwise, I will now inform on what few plans I have involving NaNoWriMo for the month of November.  

You can check out my page and add me as a writing buddy if you so choose for more detailed information.  So far I have a general idea that was inspired by the duet of Joliene done by two members of Team Gwen on the Voice.  Then, as I was walking to do some shopping, I started thinking about how envious we all are which lent itself to further aiding me in planning the story out.  My biggest issue is likely not losing all these ideas when they hit during NaNoWriMo what with Thanksgiving and birthdays and work and getting ready for winter and the rest of its holidays.  Don't worry though.

I've committed myself to complete this story even if I don't have names for my characters or a title for the novel and am conspicuously missing a cover image for same said novel.  In fact, I picked up a Caliber brand Memo Pad complete with pen at CVS for only $5 and made certain I have a recording device on my phone.  

Every Sunday I plan to type up a "NaNo Update."  This means there will be five.  There likely won't be much in the way of information on the first one.  I will, however, inform on general story breakthroughs (the character based off the song, whom I've been referring to as Joliene, has claimed that that is "so totally not my name in any way shape or form" which in a way is a good thing since I hope my niece by the same name doesn't become a man- or woman-eater!) as well as if interesting events occurred during write-ins.  Hopefully these blogs will help keep me on track!

County Fairs

Okay, so I meant to write like two weeks ago, but I decided to host my own pity party since I couldn't go to San Diego for Comic Con or Nerd HQ.  Then I was mad at myself for not writing, but seriously, the only thing I could have written about was what I was missing.

I mean, they have so much every year and even if I hadn't been working, I'd have had no money to go.  Then last weekend was the county fair where I live.  Now I've been to county fairs and they've always been disappointing for me.  In the beginning we just didn't have the money, but as I now can spend money that I want on what I want, I find little that I actually want.  I know that sentence is most likely a run-on, but I don't feel like fixing it.

I find the shorter town "drunk fests" or festivals are often better thanks to the parades, a better variety of both games and rides, and, sadly, the entertainment.  I've heard that my current county's fair tends to be better than the last one I would go to, but I was even more disappointed by it.  Between a lack of prizes for older generations as well as the lack of rides for the elder fair goers and the lack of interesting booths and events for those who would go later, even though they had a parade (which I had to work during), I felt that it was a let-down.

I like to think I'm rather easy to please when it comes to enjoying my time out.  I don't complain that often and am more than willing to bypass things that I want to do in favor of something someone else I'm with wants to do.  Having said that, I couldn't find anything that really appealed to me.  Games like Pop the Ballons and Ring Toss had poor prizes if one were to win, and almost every single ride was more for the younger children, not even teens, but children than anyone else.

This isn't to say that county fairs don't have some awesome draws for them or that they are all the same.  It's just one of those things that I remember TV and books making them seem so much more interesting and to have so many more attractions than what they seem to have nowadays.  I still go for funnel cakes, but other than that, what happened to what we were brought up as believing to be the county fair?