The end of the year is fast approaching and it brings to mind images of Christmas with the family, warm hot cocoa, wrapping up in your favorite blanket, and healthcare. Yes healthcare. With the deadline fast approaching people are not only frantically shopping for presents for their family but are frantically shopping for healthcare. The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) has had a rocky start to say the least, with the website crashing or failing to work properly and personal information being sent to the wrong people. Yet despite all these set backs people have finally been able to get healthcare they need.
One such individual from the Northwest is finally able to get health insurance despite his pre existing condition. He has a rare condition known as Anthropophobia Magnapede, a condition that causes him to be antisocial and very self conscience about his unusually large feet. Yes this person is Bigfoot. Bigfoot, or Sasquatch as he prefers to be called, has been approved for Healthcare. We tried to reach Sasquatch for comments on this but as we got close to him he bounded off into a fog.
This news may come as a surprise to many but we interviewed a few locals who have met with Mr. Sasquatch and one of them had this to say “I think it is great that he can get health insurance, I mean the president did say it was available to everyone.”
Another local said “I can’t believe he got approved, I know he makes a lot of money from the documentaries and the tourist attractions.”
Despite his income and local celebrity it would still be hard for someone with a pre existing condition like his to attain affordable healthcare prior to Obamacare. Now Sasquatch will be able to see a doctor whenever he needs to. He will be able to get care for his feet, which will help him find a full time job. He will be able to get help with his antisocial behavior so he can live a full and healthy life. This story is just one of a vast number of stories in which the Affordable Health Care Act has giving new hope and a second chance for someone who thought they would never get one.
Healthcare should be available to everyone, from the child who has the flu to someone battling cancer, to a lonely figure too embarrassed about his large feet to function in the rest of society. So while we are counting our blessing this years let us all be thankful that we can get the care we all need.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Monday, December 2, 2013
Motivational Monday
Some days it is hard to get out of bed, but Monday always seems like the worst. You have had the last couple days of waking up when you want and doing what you want, and the rest of the week you fall back into your routine of getting up and getting ready for work. We all have a bunch of reasons why we get out of bed on Monday but sometimes none of them seem good enough. Yet week after week we get up and go on with our lives. What are some of the things that make you get out of bed on Monday? The thought of a nice cup of coffee, the sight of a loved one, the smell of a good breakfast.
Most of us get up because we have to go to work. While some of us love our jobs (of which I would not count myself among those lucky few, unless I am getting paid to write then I would) most of us can think of a million other things we would rather do then go to work. I would love to stay home with a hot cup of coffee, a dog snuggled up next to me and write all day, or complete one of the hundred projects I need to get done on or around the house. Yet every Monday I get up 30 minutes before I have to be to work and grab a quick cup of coffee, throw on some clothes and it’s off to work. I have my reasons to work too, one of which is that I like to eat, another is I love a warm, dry place to sleep every night. But we all go to work for money so we can buy the things we need or want.
If you take a step back and really look at why we get out of bed on Monday it boils down to the fact that we want to. We might not want to go into work (though some people love what they do) but we are working toward a goal. We want to provide for ourselves through our labor and skills and be able to reach those goals we set for ourselves. It can be different for everyone, for me I go to work to provide a place for myself, my wife and our two dogs. I get up so I can try to better my life and theirs. These are things I want, this is what pulls my mind out of that warm comfortable unconscious state known as sleep and thrusts my body into action. This is what drives me to put my feet on the cold floor and get ready to go work in a hot factory for 10 hours. This is what I think of every Monday. This is what motivates me each week to punch that clock.
I am not saying I want to punch that clock every Monday, far from it. To be honest my ideal work would be at home writing, and I am working on that (hence what you are reading). Yet right now I need to punch the clock so I can survive until I can thrive. So while I am at work, surviving, I set my mind to other things. What do you want to do? How can I make this story I am working on better? What comes next in the story? How would this character react to this situation? These are questions that are going to help me thrive so I never stop asking them, and I ask them louder on Monday then any other day. So while I loath getting out of the dog pile that is my bed on Monday morning, I do it knowing that I will reach my goals and I will get the life I want and I will thrive.
So what are the questions that you ask yourself while you are surviving that are going to help you thrive? They will come through loudest on Monday so be sure to listen and remember why you get out of bed on Monday morning.
Most of us get up because we have to go to work. While some of us love our jobs (of which I would not count myself among those lucky few, unless I am getting paid to write then I would) most of us can think of a million other things we would rather do then go to work. I would love to stay home with a hot cup of coffee, a dog snuggled up next to me and write all day, or complete one of the hundred projects I need to get done on or around the house. Yet every Monday I get up 30 minutes before I have to be to work and grab a quick cup of coffee, throw on some clothes and it’s off to work. I have my reasons to work too, one of which is that I like to eat, another is I love a warm, dry place to sleep every night. But we all go to work for money so we can buy the things we need or want.
If you take a step back and really look at why we get out of bed on Monday it boils down to the fact that we want to. We might not want to go into work (though some people love what they do) but we are working toward a goal. We want to provide for ourselves through our labor and skills and be able to reach those goals we set for ourselves. It can be different for everyone, for me I go to work to provide a place for myself, my wife and our two dogs. I get up so I can try to better my life and theirs. These are things I want, this is what pulls my mind out of that warm comfortable unconscious state known as sleep and thrusts my body into action. This is what drives me to put my feet on the cold floor and get ready to go work in a hot factory for 10 hours. This is what I think of every Monday. This is what motivates me each week to punch that clock.
I am not saying I want to punch that clock every Monday, far from it. To be honest my ideal work would be at home writing, and I am working on that (hence what you are reading). Yet right now I need to punch the clock so I can survive until I can thrive. So while I am at work, surviving, I set my mind to other things. What do you want to do? How can I make this story I am working on better? What comes next in the story? How would this character react to this situation? These are questions that are going to help me thrive so I never stop asking them, and I ask them louder on Monday then any other day. So while I loath getting out of the dog pile that is my bed on Monday morning, I do it knowing that I will reach my goals and I will get the life I want and I will thrive.
So what are the questions that you ask yourself while you are surviving that are going to help you thrive? They will come through loudest on Monday so be sure to listen and remember why you get out of bed on Monday morning.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
“I need to catch my breath,” Razim said leaning against a wall in an alley. “Do we even know where we are going?” Luna stood in front of Razim her hands on her knees her light green eyes looking between both entryways to the alley. After a moment passed she stood up and straightened her hair, smoothed out her clothes and knocked the dust off her boots. Razim looked at her questioningly trying to figure out what she was doing. Finally he just asked his sister.
“I am trying to look presentable,” Luna said running her fingers through her black hair, “Miekal likes it when I look good and I think he can help us out.”
“No way!” Razim growled, “that scoundrel I don’t know what you see in him. He is such a womanizer and thief. Besides once he finds out we are wanted for killing a member of the council of eight then he’d probably turn us in for the reward they are likely putting on our heads right now.”
Luna shot Razim an angry look and stalked away. Razim shrugged and walked after her slowly. They walked in silence, shifting in and out of the crowd, keeping their hoods up. After a few blocks they entered an alley next to a bar called the Tarnished Spoon. They quickly made their way to the back and took up a position behind some discarded boxes, making sure they weren’t followed.
“Luna can I asks you something?” Razim said not taking his eyes off the street.
“I suppose so.” Luna said shortly, still a little angry at Razim.
“Why did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“You know… Why did you kill him?”
All the color drained from her face as she slowly looked at the ground. A million things flashed through her head in the that instant, the way he smelled, the cold sweaty touch of his palms, and the whizzing way he breathed. It was so vivid to her that she reached her hand up as if she could touch him. She shook her head and closed her eyes, though that did not shut out the image of him, and drew in a deep breath to steady herself.
“Well, Razim,” she said her voice barely above a whisper and tears started forming around her eyes, “I killed him because…” Her voice trailed off as the back door to the Tarnished Spoon slammed open and out stepped a man with light sandy brown hair and a crooked smile on his face. He brown eyes scanned the alley and finally settled on the boxes Razim and Luna were behind.
“Luna dear is that you? No need to be shy, Miekal is here for you.” He stepped down out of the door way into the alley and put his hands on his hips. “Now, lets see that pretty smile of yours!” Miekal said with a slight chuckle as Luna hurried over and threw her arms around his neck. Miekal stood a good foot taller then Luna and moved his arms around her slender waist. Razim stood back by the boxes and glared at the man hugging his sister.
“I am trying to look presentable,” Luna said running her fingers through her black hair, “Miekal likes it when I look good and I think he can help us out.”
“No way!” Razim growled, “that scoundrel I don’t know what you see in him. He is such a womanizer and thief. Besides once he finds out we are wanted for killing a member of the council of eight then he’d probably turn us in for the reward they are likely putting on our heads right now.”
Luna shot Razim an angry look and stalked away. Razim shrugged and walked after her slowly. They walked in silence, shifting in and out of the crowd, keeping their hoods up. After a few blocks they entered an alley next to a bar called the Tarnished Spoon. They quickly made their way to the back and took up a position behind some discarded boxes, making sure they weren’t followed.
“Luna can I asks you something?” Razim said not taking his eyes off the street.
“I suppose so.” Luna said shortly, still a little angry at Razim.
“Why did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“You know… Why did you kill him?”
All the color drained from her face as she slowly looked at the ground. A million things flashed through her head in the that instant, the way he smelled, the cold sweaty touch of his palms, and the whizzing way he breathed. It was so vivid to her that she reached her hand up as if she could touch him. She shook her head and closed her eyes, though that did not shut out the image of him, and drew in a deep breath to steady herself.
“Well, Razim,” she said her voice barely above a whisper and tears started forming around her eyes, “I killed him because…” Her voice trailed off as the back door to the Tarnished Spoon slammed open and out stepped a man with light sandy brown hair and a crooked smile on his face. He brown eyes scanned the alley and finally settled on the boxes Razim and Luna were behind.
“Luna dear is that you? No need to be shy, Miekal is here for you.” He stepped down out of the door way into the alley and put his hands on his hips. “Now, lets see that pretty smile of yours!” Miekal said with a slight chuckle as Luna hurried over and threw her arms around his neck. Miekal stood a good foot taller then Luna and moved his arms around her slender waist. Razim stood back by the boxes and glared at the man hugging his sister.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Luna and Razim on the run
Luna looked down at the dagger in her hand. It was covered in blood, in his blood, and it was the only color she could see. She looked over at the sweaty fat man as a pool of that same blood form underneath him. Suddenly Razim was in front of her and he was shouting something at her, but she could not hear what he was saying. Razim reached his hand up and shook Luna a bit. Luna jumped in shock at the touch and dropped the dagger with a loud clang. She heard the metal hit the floor as tears started to well up in her eyes. They blurred the image of her younger brother as he reached down and grabbed her hand. He turned and pulled her with him, flying through the door that lead into the backroom. Razim lead her to the middle of the room where he let go of her hand and threw open a chest. He rummaged around inside and produced a pair of short swords.
Quickly strapping one to his belt and ran to Luna and said, “Here put this on, we might have need of them, the gods know he wont need them anymore.”
Luna looked down at the sword as if it were a coiled snake.
“Luna,” Razim said, “you will be okay but we need to get out of here. If they find out what happened…”
His voice trailed off as Luna slowly reached out to grab the sword. As soon as she had it on her belt they heard a loud pounding knock at the front door. Razim cursed under his breath and motioned for Luna to follow him. He led her into the kitchen and went to the back door. A shadow could be seen behind the curtain over the sink also heading for the back door. It’s not locked Luna realized as the knob started to twist. Razim froze as the door cracked open. He felt Luna push him and before he knew what was going on they were in a dark pantry. The two held there breath as they heard heavy foot steps stride across the kitchen calling out to anyone in the house. It took only a moment for the foot steps to cross the kitchen and enter the living room, but to Luna and Razim that moment was the moment they realized they could never go back to how things were before. Luna reached down and pulled up a trap door that went into the basement. She hurried Razim inside and quickly followed closing the door behind her. She reached up and secured the latch, double checking that it was in place before joining up with Razim. The basement was full of dust and forgotten things, a small amount of light lazily filled the room from a small window on one side. It went to the front yard and Luna pondered the idea of squeezing through it and making a break for it.
“Luna over here,” Razim whispered, startling Luna out of her thought, “the old bastard may have something we could use in this stuff.”
Razim quickly produced a couple of packs and some heavy blankets. Luna gathered some cheese and dried fruit and meat and some bread and added those to the pack as well.
“What good is that stuff going to do us if we are stuck down here Luna. We don’t have any way of getting out, except that window maybe, but I think we are too big to fit through it.” Razim said has he walked around the basement.
He stopped suddenly looking at a chest with a questioning look. I was not an ordinary chest, instead it was carved with dragons battling knights. Luna noticed Razim and walked over to stand next to him. They both looked at the chest with wonder, it was clearly not made in Coranith.
“What do you think is inside Luna?” Razim said not taking his eyes off the chest.
“I don’t know, why don’t you open and see if it’s something useful?” Luna said in hushed tones looking between her brother and the chest.
Razim walked forward and pulled up on the lid, only to find that it was stuck in place. He pulled on it harder and placed a foot on the bottom of the chest to try and pry it open but with no luck.
“Quiet you idiot, do you want them to find us. Here let me take a look at it.” Luna knelt beside the chest as Razim scowled at her and walked to a group of chairs stacked against the wall.
Luna’s hands felt around the chest but she could not find a lock. She spent a moment trying to find a clue in the design on the chest when she heard a loud crash behind her. She turned around quickly to see a pile of broken chairs on top of Razim. Luna started to laugh at the sight as a shadow fell across the room, someone was looking in the window! They were shouting something and Luna could hear more voices coming. She turned and kicked the chest moving a knights sword into the belly of a dragon and the chest sprang open. She looked inside and found a small bag that seemed filled with coins. She reached in opened it and saw a number of gold and silver coins inside. Maybe she could bribe her way out of this she thought, the guards and officials were commonly known to be corrupt. She quickly shook the thought out of her head a few strands of her dark black hair falling across her face.
Razim scrambled out from under the chairs and dusted himself off. He looked over at Luna who had attached the bag of coins to her belt and was glaring at him. He shrugged apologetically as his dark blue eyes said sorry. Luna looked over at the pile of chairs and behind where they were stacked was a small door. She motioned to the door as they heard a loud thump on the trap door. Razim and Luna both pulled on the door to open it and quickly slipped inside. The passage was long and dark and Razim took the lead, feeling along the wall as he went. The passage ended at a ladder the went up into the darkness. Luna stood close to Razim, her head was swimming, she had always been afraid of the dark and it was all she could to not to scream.
“Luna,” Luna was silent, “Luna! Snap out of it, there is a ladder here and it probably goes to the street somewhere.” Luna stood paralyzed finally realizing how dark it really was. Razim made a frustrated face as he grabbed Luna’s hand. He put it on the ladder and moved her closer to it.
“Luna,” he muttered, “light is at the top of the ladder, the quicker you climb the sooner we’ll be out of the dark.” He words trailed off at ‘out’ as Luna started to disappear into the darkness above him before he could finish talking. He smiled to himself and hurried to catch up to her.
Quickly strapping one to his belt and ran to Luna and said, “Here put this on, we might have need of them, the gods know he wont need them anymore.”
Luna looked down at the sword as if it were a coiled snake.
“Luna,” Razim said, “you will be okay but we need to get out of here. If they find out what happened…”
His voice trailed off as Luna slowly reached out to grab the sword. As soon as she had it on her belt they heard a loud pounding knock at the front door. Razim cursed under his breath and motioned for Luna to follow him. He led her into the kitchen and went to the back door. A shadow could be seen behind the curtain over the sink also heading for the back door. It’s not locked Luna realized as the knob started to twist. Razim froze as the door cracked open. He felt Luna push him and before he knew what was going on they were in a dark pantry. The two held there breath as they heard heavy foot steps stride across the kitchen calling out to anyone in the house. It took only a moment for the foot steps to cross the kitchen and enter the living room, but to Luna and Razim that moment was the moment they realized they could never go back to how things were before. Luna reached down and pulled up a trap door that went into the basement. She hurried Razim inside and quickly followed closing the door behind her. She reached up and secured the latch, double checking that it was in place before joining up with Razim. The basement was full of dust and forgotten things, a small amount of light lazily filled the room from a small window on one side. It went to the front yard and Luna pondered the idea of squeezing through it and making a break for it.
“Luna over here,” Razim whispered, startling Luna out of her thought, “the old bastard may have something we could use in this stuff.”
Razim quickly produced a couple of packs and some heavy blankets. Luna gathered some cheese and dried fruit and meat and some bread and added those to the pack as well.
“What good is that stuff going to do us if we are stuck down here Luna. We don’t have any way of getting out, except that window maybe, but I think we are too big to fit through it.” Razim said has he walked around the basement.
He stopped suddenly looking at a chest with a questioning look. I was not an ordinary chest, instead it was carved with dragons battling knights. Luna noticed Razim and walked over to stand next to him. They both looked at the chest with wonder, it was clearly not made in Coranith.
“What do you think is inside Luna?” Razim said not taking his eyes off the chest.
“I don’t know, why don’t you open and see if it’s something useful?” Luna said in hushed tones looking between her brother and the chest.
Razim walked forward and pulled up on the lid, only to find that it was stuck in place. He pulled on it harder and placed a foot on the bottom of the chest to try and pry it open but with no luck.
“Quiet you idiot, do you want them to find us. Here let me take a look at it.” Luna knelt beside the chest as Razim scowled at her and walked to a group of chairs stacked against the wall.
Luna’s hands felt around the chest but she could not find a lock. She spent a moment trying to find a clue in the design on the chest when she heard a loud crash behind her. She turned around quickly to see a pile of broken chairs on top of Razim. Luna started to laugh at the sight as a shadow fell across the room, someone was looking in the window! They were shouting something and Luna could hear more voices coming. She turned and kicked the chest moving a knights sword into the belly of a dragon and the chest sprang open. She looked inside and found a small bag that seemed filled with coins. She reached in opened it and saw a number of gold and silver coins inside. Maybe she could bribe her way out of this she thought, the guards and officials were commonly known to be corrupt. She quickly shook the thought out of her head a few strands of her dark black hair falling across her face.
Razim scrambled out from under the chairs and dusted himself off. He looked over at Luna who had attached the bag of coins to her belt and was glaring at him. He shrugged apologetically as his dark blue eyes said sorry. Luna looked over at the pile of chairs and behind where they were stacked was a small door. She motioned to the door as they heard a loud thump on the trap door. Razim and Luna both pulled on the door to open it and quickly slipped inside. The passage was long and dark and Razim took the lead, feeling along the wall as he went. The passage ended at a ladder the went up into the darkness. Luna stood close to Razim, her head was swimming, she had always been afraid of the dark and it was all she could to not to scream.
“Luna,” Luna was silent, “Luna! Snap out of it, there is a ladder here and it probably goes to the street somewhere.” Luna stood paralyzed finally realizing how dark it really was. Razim made a frustrated face as he grabbed Luna’s hand. He put it on the ladder and moved her closer to it.
“Luna,” he muttered, “light is at the top of the ladder, the quicker you climb the sooner we’ll be out of the dark.” He words trailed off at ‘out’ as Luna started to disappear into the darkness above him before he could finish talking. He smiled to himself and hurried to catch up to her.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
To be a writer and the 'where's mine' syndrom
What does writing mean for me? Well in high school writing was a way for me to express myself to the world but in secret. I had to write every day for a creative writing class and I wrote about a girl I liked in high school in the hope that the teacher would read it and it would get back to the girl. It seems funny to think about it now, but that is what inspired me to write. Now I wish that I was a writer but I do little more then that. I make excuses in my head, I am too tired, I worked hard today, I spent a lot of time cleaning the house, but these are little more then excuses. I have time to write but I spend it doing other things. Just like when people are short on money they think ‘well, if I cut 8 dollars here and save .50 by using this coupon then keep doing that I will save a lot of money.’ It does not work that way, yes trimming extra expenses are good when times are lean but you got to look at the habit first. The same goes for writing, if I want to be a writer then I need to be one. I have told a few people that I am a writer but I feel embarrassed about it or awkward when I say so, then I follow it up with but I have not published or been paid to be a writer. I need to just own the fact that I am a writer and I will work hard at becoming one. Is it hard to become a writer? No and yes. First off no, anyone can write something and be called a writer. Secondly it is hard because not everyone can write something that someone else wants to read. I seem to be able to write fairly freely when I sit and focus on it but I often get distracted. It is no ones fault but my own. I could have as easily started writing and posting things in a blog a long time ago. Instead I decided to watch an old episode of Family Guy (which is a great show by the way). So, as I have told myself in the past, I need to start writing. But I tend to get into a habit of writing what ever it is I am thinking about. I don’t take the time to write a story or a novel like I should but as long as I write then I am working at becoming a writer.
A truly skilled mechanic did not start out that way, instead they started out on a old car in there parents or grandparents garage and when from there. They put a lot of time and effort into becoming a mechanic and so they have a skill that they can use to make a living. I suffer from the same attitude that is pervasive throughout my generation. It is an attitude in which they look at someone who has what they want and instead of working months or years to get that, they want it now. They want to start at the top and they want someone to hand it to them. I call this the ‘where’s mine’ syndrome. No, it is not a real syndrome, instead it is a mind set either instilled in us by our parents or by our schools. I suffer from this when I look at being a writer. I want the perks before I do the work. I want to wake up when I want, drink a cup of coffee, pet and snuggle my dogs, kiss my wife and then start the day at my computer writing. This dream can become a reality IF I work at it. Maybe it wont happen in a week or a month or a year but if I keep working at that goal I will achieve it. How do I know I will achieve it? I know because people have done it before and in this great country anything can be done. I mean if someone can glue googly eye to a rock and sell it to people then is it really the far fetched that I become a stay at home writer. I think not.
PS. Keep an eye out for my new product the pet spoon! Coming to a retailer near you.
A truly skilled mechanic did not start out that way, instead they started out on a old car in there parents or grandparents garage and when from there. They put a lot of time and effort into becoming a mechanic and so they have a skill that they can use to make a living. I suffer from the same attitude that is pervasive throughout my generation. It is an attitude in which they look at someone who has what they want and instead of working months or years to get that, they want it now. They want to start at the top and they want someone to hand it to them. I call this the ‘where’s mine’ syndrome. No, it is not a real syndrome, instead it is a mind set either instilled in us by our parents or by our schools. I suffer from this when I look at being a writer. I want the perks before I do the work. I want to wake up when I want, drink a cup of coffee, pet and snuggle my dogs, kiss my wife and then start the day at my computer writing. This dream can become a reality IF I work at it. Maybe it wont happen in a week or a month or a year but if I keep working at that goal I will achieve it. How do I know I will achieve it? I know because people have done it before and in this great country anything can be done. I mean if someone can glue googly eye to a rock and sell it to people then is it really the far fetched that I become a stay at home writer. I think not.
PS. Keep an eye out for my new product the pet spoon! Coming to a retailer near you.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Creative storytelling on the fly
This weekend I learned something about myself. I LOVE MAKING UP STORIES ON THE SPOT! Yes, I thrive on it even. I used to think I needed to plan a story out, every inch, letter, word, character, background and so on. But I learned this weekend, that just makes it harder. Some of you may know (okay probably none of you, unless you know me in person, which in that case HI!) that I play Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). Not only do I play D&D but I am the Dungeon Master (DM) for our group. As the DM it is my job to create the story, run the monsters, apply the rules and move the story along.
This weekend was different, I usually spend a few hours on Friday or Saturday morning planning out the story and the encounters and drawing up battle maps. I would even write out some of the things the Non-Player Character’s (NPC’s) would say and the description of some of the places the Player Character’s (PC’s) would visit. This often lead to me railroading the players of my game to the scenarios I spent hours working on, despite the fact that the PC’s wanted to go in a different direction. One example of this is an adventure that started with a General asking the PC’s to check on a lost patrol of soldiers. The PC’s, having just destroyed a pyramid/ziggurat (the topic was debated as to what to call it) that was producing shadow energy to raise the dead, wanted to return to town to check and see if it was okay.
A good DM would roll with it, they go back to town, talk to a few people, find that they have nothing to do and return to the general or go off on some other quest. A bad DM (which is exactly what I did) would say, well you sent your familiar to the town and the general tells you everything is okay there, so what about helping those lost soldiers? It would not be the first time I have forced my players down a path just because that is how I planned it, even though they wanted to do something else. Thankfully my players did not mutiny and rolled with my punches (even after one combat killed two of the PC’s).
This weekend I was going to run a one shot for a few members of my group and a new member. I did not feel like planning out the whole story, or even the encounters but this was going to take place in a new setting. So I came up with the idea of the setting (which is brilliant if I might say so) and a place for the characters to start. Other then that I left it up to the players to decided where they wanted to go. I planned a general feel for the new setting but made the rest up as I went and it was so much fun. My favorite was making up the names for taverns and NPC’s on the spot (though I need to remember to write them down next time) with the drunk bartender Dwarf and his Half-Orc bouncer Orog being my favorite recurring characters. The story ended a bit quickly for me but I feel like everyone had a blast playing the game and I know I had more fun that way then any other way of playing D&D.
This also opens up a whole new world of creative process for me, one where the names and details are not important at first as long as the story is moving along. If I, or in this case my PC’s, want a closer look at something or someone then we can go into the details then. The best thing about writing, and creative writing specifically, is that you don’t have to let anyone read it until you are done. So who cares if the Half-Orc bouncer is named Bob, I can always change it in post, or come up with a fun story as to why his name actually is Bob.
Thanks for reading!
This weekend was different, I usually spend a few hours on Friday or Saturday morning planning out the story and the encounters and drawing up battle maps. I would even write out some of the things the Non-Player Character’s (NPC’s) would say and the description of some of the places the Player Character’s (PC’s) would visit. This often lead to me railroading the players of my game to the scenarios I spent hours working on, despite the fact that the PC’s wanted to go in a different direction. One example of this is an adventure that started with a General asking the PC’s to check on a lost patrol of soldiers. The PC’s, having just destroyed a pyramid/ziggurat (the topic was debated as to what to call it) that was producing shadow energy to raise the dead, wanted to return to town to check and see if it was okay.
A good DM would roll with it, they go back to town, talk to a few people, find that they have nothing to do and return to the general or go off on some other quest. A bad DM (which is exactly what I did) would say, well you sent your familiar to the town and the general tells you everything is okay there, so what about helping those lost soldiers? It would not be the first time I have forced my players down a path just because that is how I planned it, even though they wanted to do something else. Thankfully my players did not mutiny and rolled with my punches (even after one combat killed two of the PC’s).
This weekend I was going to run a one shot for a few members of my group and a new member. I did not feel like planning out the whole story, or even the encounters but this was going to take place in a new setting. So I came up with the idea of the setting (which is brilliant if I might say so) and a place for the characters to start. Other then that I left it up to the players to decided where they wanted to go. I planned a general feel for the new setting but made the rest up as I went and it was so much fun. My favorite was making up the names for taverns and NPC’s on the spot (though I need to remember to write them down next time) with the drunk bartender Dwarf and his Half-Orc bouncer Orog being my favorite recurring characters. The story ended a bit quickly for me but I feel like everyone had a blast playing the game and I know I had more fun that way then any other way of playing D&D.
This also opens up a whole new world of creative process for me, one where the names and details are not important at first as long as the story is moving along. If I, or in this case my PC’s, want a closer look at something or someone then we can go into the details then. The best thing about writing, and creative writing specifically, is that you don’t have to let anyone read it until you are done. So who cares if the Half-Orc bouncer is named Bob, I can always change it in post, or come up with a fun story as to why his name actually is Bob.
Thanks for reading!
Friday, April 19, 2013
Post Number One
If anyone reads this. My name is Cody, and I am chasing my dream to become a writer. As I am sure you will notice as I post that my writing will change and improve. Thank you in advance for helping me become a better writer. As this blog goes on I am sure you will learn more about me and either stop reading or will not be able to stop. I am shooting for the latter though in my own way.
Now what will this blog cover? I have thought about this for a long time and have come down to three things. One, creative writing; I love creative writing and will be writing sci/fantasy short stories and sections of a novel I am working on. Two, political or news items I find interesting or think need to be shared. Three, topics from readers and personal antidotes. This will give my blog variety that is hard to find else where but not make it to complex by trying to cover everything, mostly topics I personally know nothing about.
With that being said welcome to the first post on my blog and looking forward to many more.
If anyone reads this. My name is Cody, and I am chasing my dream to become a writer. As I am sure you will notice as I post that my writing will change and improve. Thank you in advance for helping me become a better writer. As this blog goes on I am sure you will learn more about me and either stop reading or will not be able to stop. I am shooting for the latter though in my own way.
Now what will this blog cover? I have thought about this for a long time and have come down to three things. One, creative writing; I love creative writing and will be writing sci/fantasy short stories and sections of a novel I am working on. Two, political or news items I find interesting or think need to be shared. Three, topics from readers and personal antidotes. This will give my blog variety that is hard to find else where but not make it to complex by trying to cover everything, mostly topics I personally know nothing about.
With that being said welcome to the first post on my blog and looking forward to many more.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)