LET THE MADNESS BEGIN!

 NaNoWriMo time!  20-pack of Diet Dr. Pepper (already minus 1)--check.  Krispy Kreme--check.  Cheez-Its--check.  Ibuprofen--check.  Plot? Who needs plot!  LET'S DO THIS!  Word count for day one: 1700.  Let's keep it going!

Preparing For NaNoWriMo

Once again, sanity has forsaken me as I look forward to National Novel Writing Month this November.

My goal for this year is finishing the novel I started last fall, Steampunk Apocalypse (title pending).  I only got about 12,000 words in last year, and I've only written about 3,000 since then.  Time to beef it up by another 50,000!

This will be my fifth year and (hopefully) my third victory.  My first year (sophomore year in high school) I wrote Psychic, my first novel (2008).  I loved writing it, but I hated (and still hate) the ending, so that'll have to be re-written at some point in time.  Psychic was actually inspired by my Freshman-year Power Rangers phase, believe it or not.  The main character, Bridge, was very much based off of the Bridge from Power Rangers SPD (and was the reason I never really looked to get it published--I don't really want to get in a copyright battle with Disney).  It was so much fun to write, and I still have my notes and scribbles, as well as the self-published bound volume of the original draft!  Psychic was about a police cadet with psychic powers who ends up being taken in by an academy of other psychics in Romania and helping them with their fight against the hostile supernatural.

My second novel (2009) was Continuity, the story of Agent Annabel Lee of the United States Secret Service, and the bodyguard of Madam President.  While exasperated by her employer's childishness and overall disregard for rules and formality, Annabel still thought she had a pretty great job.  The story begins with a day where a Nuclear bomb is detonated in Washington DC, and it's Annabel's job to get Madam President out of danger and then find a way to survive herself and find out what's happened.  I really loved writing this one--this was inspired by my Secret Service phase and by two TV episodes: a History Channel special on what would happen if a 10-tonne nuclear device did detonate in DC and by an episode of my then-favorite TV show, "Surviving Disaster", about this same scenario.  I never finished this one, I couldn't figure out where I wanted it to go.  But it's about seventy percent done, so I'll finish it one way or another!

2010 was a mixture of bits and pieces of stories and novels that I wanted to finish but didn't.  There were three bits to this one: Continuity, and two new fanfics--a Naruto one titled I Didn't Name You based off of the names of the Akatsuki members translated into Chinese (be me) and how those characters reflected on them (inspired by the song of the same name by the band called 'Ellie Come Home') and a VOCALOID one called Voicebox, which explored a sort of Maximum Ride look at VOCALOIDS, if they were real and had mechanical voice boxes implanted in them in labs.  The prospect was something I just thought up one day and really got interested in.

Last year, 2011, was the first year for Steampunk Apocalypse--and this year it will be finished!  A little bit about the actual story: it takes place in a post-apocalyptic Earth, where the remains of the planet are ruled by "the Agency".  Here's the official NaNoWriMo summary I wrote up yesterday (I'm too lazy to summarize all over again):

In the distant future, the post-apocalyptic remains of Earth are ruled by a single organization referred to simply as "the Agency". Within the Agency are 26 Agents (one for each letter of the Roman alphabet), humans engineered to carry out the tasks and will of the Agency. Though they're genetically engineered, the Agents consider themselves to be perfectly human--but when the Agency announces a series of upgrades in the near future, that one belief is compromised. With these upgrades, they will become faster, smarter, stronger, quicker to heal--and more ruthless and unquestioning. Is it worth it to live without your humanity or is it better to die as yourself? These two are the only options the Agents have.

So that's that for my NaNo history!  Next month will no doubt be filled with chocolate, Dr. Pepper, all-nighters and lots and lots of ibuprofen.  To those who are also participating: good luck, and may all your plot holes be filled with pudding.

Of Novels and Cheez-Its

You know, I used to post on here fairly frequently--I haven't done that in a looong time. I'm not quite sure why I don't anymore; maybe it just doesn't have the novelty it used to, or because it's kind of like ranting to myself (really the only comments I see on here are Chinese spam one-liners with no context to what I actually wrote--not that I'm trying to guilt-trip people into commenting, you guys can do whatever the crap you want *shrug*), or maybe I just don't have that much to say anymore. Although I certainly hope that I haven't just run out of witty comebacks to things--that would be fairly distressing to me.

But what the hell, I guess I'll try writing stuff again, if only for the sake of killing time (please note that this should be read as "procrastinating"...why doesn't Blogger have footnotes?)

I'm starting my third week of my sophomore year of college...I hate college. I grew up on campus, so there wasn't really that "novelty" to me; I sat in on lectures when I was like six, there's no "mystique" to any of this...maybe I'm just sick of it (hardly surprising). I'm still an Asian Studies major and studying Chinese and Japanese. I'm really out of practice in Chinese (I haven't had a Chinese class in a year now), so I currently know a lot more Japanese--but I just love Chinese in a way that I don't really feel for Japanese. Chinese was the first language I started studying (of my own volition; elementary-school Spanish does NOT count), and I've invested so much time and passion into it over the years. I love the sound of Japanese, but when I hear Chinese--even when I don't understand it--it just feels like home. But I couldn't get into the 201 class for it, so I'm in Japanese 102 for now.

 I'm also taking a sewing class--three hours a day, twice a week. It's really frustrating and time-consuming, but I HOPE it'll be worth it; I spend enough time and effort (and money) on cosplay costumes that I think I can justify it...maybe.

I'm living in the dorms right now--my roommates are both really awesome (both with 'K' names), and I love the apartment and everything...I just hate the 30-minute uphill trek up to campus. THAT sucks.

I haven't gotten much writing done in...a while. I haven't ENJOYED writing in a while, either, which worries me. When writing becomes a chore, something is the HELL wrong. Same with reading, which is REALLY freaking me out. So no progress on any novels or fanfics (which is very frustrating, because I hate disappointing my reviewers so much TT.TT) These past few weeks have been grueling, and I really want a few days to just RELAX...unfortunately, this will not happen. BYU doesn't BELIEVE in fall break. Or spring break. Or humanity and goodness and violence (which can SO be grouped together, thank you very much).

Plans for this fall: I'm in the middle of making cosplay costumes for Anime Banzai 2012: Juvia Loxar (the short hair/when she enters the guild outfit and a dance outfit from a chapter cover) and Haku Yowane (whom I ADORE, but the costume is a little annoying...mostly those stupid stripes on the pants). That's really all I'm up to lately; watch anime instead of doing homework, scramble to finish homework, waste time and then curse that there's not enough time to finish my essays, and then back to Naruto, One Piece, and Cheez-Its. Oh the joys of higher education.

Fun Things~

I'm a big fan of Puella Magi Madoka Magica (espeically Kyoko!!!) and tonight, I found cosplay wigs and pictures of genderbent PMMM characters! This made me unbelievably happy ^^ Those of you who haven't seen this show, GO WATCH IT. Soooo good! And because this made me so happy, I thought I'd share :3

Winter Semester Blues

Ugh.....*siiiiiiiigh* Where to begin...

I'm three weeks away from finishing up my winter semester at uni, and I can't hate it more. Oh well. I got a surprise visit from my best friend this week (got to keep her for a full 7 days!) and am now done with midterms. At BYU, unfortunately, "Spring Break" is nothing but a myth TT.TT I also have a terrible cold. It's really bad -.- (Just when I'd recovered from my stint in the ER! It's always something...)

On a lighter note, I have been introduced to the wonders of Cabin Pressure and Sherlock. The BBC is truly a wonderful thing =w= I also saw The Hunger Games today and absolutely loved it! It was fabulous!! I have also been rewatching (read as "re-becoming seriously obsessed with") the Star Wars movies. Of course, this means watching the movies, reading the novels and series, playing the Phantom Menace card games, watching YouTube tributes, playing hours and hours of Lego Star Wars...you get the picture.

I've had zero artistic inspiration lately and am feeling pretty dang depressed. All in all, I can't wait for summer break, where I can just relax, read books, listen to my music, and work on costumes and props.

College Update

I figure I should actually start posting about my LIFE again -.-

So this is the first full week back in college after the Christmas break, the beginning of my second semester. This semester I'm booked up with Japanese 101, Film, Irish Dance, and American Heritage (bleah!). I'm not that happy to be back, but it sure beats sitting around and doing nothing, so I guess I should enjoy it or whatever.

Sigh. Anyway, I haven't been getting ANY writing done lately. I have ZERO inspiration or motivation for my fanfics (my poor readers! TT.TT I'm trying, really!) and I'm totally stuck on my novels (both, unfortunately). My best friend was SUPPOSED to come out to UT and hang out (and help me write!), but unfortunately...she went to Disneyland instead. Can I blame her? No. Can I try? You betcha!

In other news, we got a puppy! Her name is Liesel and she's about 2 1/2 months old. She's a border collie mix and VERY cute.

Props, Props, Props!

Awright! So for some of my costumes this year, I'm going to making some serious props. These be them!

Lightning Farron (Final Fantasy XIII) AKA my dream costume

Survival Knife

Used mostly by Hope (squee! such a cute lil angst muffin! XD). A gift from Light's sister Serah.

Pauldron

Lights up, issued by GC (Guardian Corps), who Light used to work for.

Necklace

Actually omitted from some cutscenes; forgotten? Shouldn't be too hard!

Blazefire Saber

*siiigh* holy &)(_*^%%&^%&^. That about sums it up. Because I'm an overachiever with this stuff, my friend Alyssa and I (thank frickin heavens for physics majors with interests in prop work!) are trying to make it so it actually transforms. It'll be a real challenge!

Juvia (Fairy Tail) She's such a riot!
Umbrella

Yeaaaah, I can't imagine me using this either -.- Oh well! In cosplay, nobody cares about who you REALLY are! XD

Maka (Soul Eater) The one I need the quickest!
Scythe

Yeah, this one shouldn't be too hard. I've already got it planned out, actually ^^;

Costumes? Ugh. One thing at a time TT.TT