#ScribesAndMakers 28: How was Feb?

More productive than the last three months combined (despite being shorter), but that's pretty much par for the course after we've achieved semester turnaround.

In brief, actual writing occurred on at least four separate occasions, resulting in getting through a couple scenes. Meanwhile, the AO3 repost continues.

#ScribesAndMakers Mar 1: How much creative time this month?

Eh. Work will be busier than February, but there's March Break, but I'll be spending that as a full time Dad as my wife works.

Maybe the same as last month, meaning I could get through a couple more scenes.

#ScribesAndMakers 2: #TTMD @NaraMoore

Getting late, a few more questions to round things out:
-You mentioned having set things in the same universe with some character crossover. Was that a conscious decision, organization tool, Easter Egg for readers, other?
-Do you read manga in the original Japanese?
-Might the WebAuthorsCafe make a return someday?
-How much of a slow burn do you like in yuri, is it different reading vs writing?

Finally, any other thoughts that didn't already come up.

#ScribesAndMakers 3: Ripple?

I do prefer the ripple cut potato chips to flat potato chips, though I really don't know why. Possibly more robust in dips?

#ScribesAndMakers 4: MadLib Request

Okay, I'll take:
-Two plural nouns
-Two verbs ending in -ed
-A verb ending in -ing
-Two speaking words (eg. "said")
-Two adjective/noun combos (eg. "large table")
-An adverb
-An article of clothing
-A body part

Those last just to make it interesting. Results will follow tonight.

#ScribesAndMakers 5a: MadLib Reveal
(original to follow)

@saposcat version:

“Lots of bicycles,” Peaches yelled.

Carrie clapped. Peaches had whacked a piece of wacky clown by wrapping her hand around her skivvies, using the piece to flip open one of the towers.

Carrie approached, bluntly ignoring the extra elbow Peaches was exposing.

“Someone is whining to stay here for a while,” Carrie called.

“Or they’re whining a very terrible actor.”

#ScribesAndMakers 5c: MadLib Reveal
(original to follow)

@adaddinsane version:

“Lots of cats,” Peaches said.

Carrie ranted. Peaches had lasted a piece of sleepy cat by wrapping her hand around her bandanna, using the piece to flip open one of the dogs.

Carrie approached, coldly ignoring the extra knuckle Peaches was exposing.

“Someone is requiring to stay here for a while,” Carrie said.

“Or they’re requiring a very sleepy cat.”

(Golly, Carrie sounds threatening in this one!)

#ScribesAndMakers 5x: MadLib Reveal
(original text)

“Lots of {instant noodles},” Peaches {remarked}.

Carrie {turned}. Peaches had {grasped} a piece of {discarded wood} by wrapping her hand around her {skirt}, using the piece to flip open one of the {boxes}.

Carrie approached, {pointedly} ignoring the extra {thigh} Peaches was exposing.

“Someone is {planning} to stay here for a while," Carrie {said}.

“Or they’re {planning} a very {sad party}.”

#ScribesAndMakers 6: Choosing a title?

For the work? Generally come up with wordplay options and settle on what I like the most. ("Time & Tied" is a play on "time and tide", formerly "Time Trippers" until I learned that name was in use elsewhere. "Epsilon Project" references math epsilon as being a small change.)

For the serial entry? Whatever I like, based on what I wrote. A bit generic, so need to keep a record so I don't reuse titles.

#ScribesAndMakers 7: Communicate in sign language?

I wouldn't say communicate. I know bits and pieces from when we took a course with my daughter back when she was two or so. I remember "more", "thank you" and some letters. All ASL, I don't think I realized there was no universal standard.

#ScribesAndMakers 8: Country other than yours (Canada) that influences creativity?

Can't really escape the influence of the USA, for better or worse. To a lesser degree there's also shades of France (my in-laws are from there, my French isn't all Quebecois) and England (my father and grandparents, plus royalty on our currency).

Japan is a reach, but given I've watched anime for over half my life, read manga and written fanfic, it may be influencing me more than I think.

#ScribesAndMakers 9: Song line, guess how it continues.

Canadian Content time. Using Carly Rae Jepsen's song "Tonight I'm Getting Over You".

LINE: "It's been a real hard night. And I just hold my pillow tight."

THEN:
(1) But the more we try, no, this we can't deny.
(2) It won't love me back, no, it's not you and I.
(3) You won't know the truth, if it hit you in the eye.

#ScribesAndMakers 10: Song results

Carly Rae Jepsen's "Tonight I'm Getting Over You":
It's been a real hard night. And I just hold my pillow tight.
It won't love me back, no, it's not you and I.

Half of voters picked the correct lyric above. Either knowing a less popular song, or process of elimination, or luck.

-"...this we can't deny" is in fact from my song parody "Probability", which used this same tune.
-"...hit you in the eye" is from a song by The Clash.

Edit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBOE1aUNZVo

#ScribesAndMakers 11: Ever done 3D printing?

Nope. Saw a 3D printer once, forget where, I think some Professional Development thing. Have never felt the need (or time) for one.

#ScribesAndMakers 12: Any customizations, like an em-dash key?

Nothing occurs. I am pretty much novice level in all the things, having no motivation to figure out such details.

#ScribesAndMakers 13: Short fiction?

I don't read short stories much, unless they're part of an anthology. Weird, I know, because it takes me forever to get through novels unless it's summer. Somehow I prefer reading to take a while?

Nothing against them of course; I have some published myself. I do find them harder to write in that I always want to spin things out more, but in the right circumstances I manage.

#ScribesAndMakers 14: #TTMD with @degroof

Random mix here:
-Where did the name Pickles come from? Do you ever have difficulty naming characters?
-Are you in any of your dreams that became short stories?
-I have to know about the Adam Savage art connection, and was it during Mythbusters' run?

And then, whether there was anything else you wanted to comment on that you weren't specifically asked about.

#ScribesAndMakers 15: Time for creativity expected thus far?

Pretty much. Some words have been achieved. Could have even finished the Heather scene, but took a detour to edit an older work instead. No regrets.

#ScribesAndMakers 16: Convincing to read a book you don't care for

Might get what this is going for, but I don't know classics and hesitate on disparaging. So yuri again.

"The Executioner and Her Way of Life". Religious figure Menou tasked with eliminating characters who come to their world, and can't kill the one whose power is to reverse time. They travel together.

Great premise, superior villains, but you have to get over how time girl's a ditz, and Menou's sidekick is worse. I can't. No.

#ScribesAndMakers 17: Creative habit you've wanted to adopt?

Making more videos. Not necessarily filming, but parody lyric videos and photo sequences with song backgrounds. I'd wanted to do one for every year of my daughter's life but never made it past three.

Part of the issue is time, and part is software. I'm most familiar with Final Cut Express, which now only runs on my older Mac (with less memory). I'm not paying new subscription fees for something I'll use very infrequently.

#ScribesAndMakers 18: If your creative work could speak, what would it say about you?

'He gets distracted a lot, but gets back to us eventually.'

Also possibly, 'You need to stop editing and go try new stuff. Seriously, I'm fine, move on already.'

#ScribesAndMakers 19: How did you feel finishing most recent project?

A mix of satisfaction and sadness, as always. The first over having managed to conclude something, always taking months if not years. The second over not having anyone to share it with in person.

I've mentioned before that no one I know RL really cheers me on, as I don't write or draw things they like. Congratulations is fine, but I always have sequel thoughts, and is there a point? Well, there's always another project.

#ScribesAndMakers 20: Self-promotion.

Go figure, JUST finished my repost of "Time & Tied: Escalation" to AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/72528136/chapters/188874546

Carrie's origin story is complete. Owing to people from the future manipulating her and her friends, she now has the power to control time. It was a bumpy road that included attempted suicide by time travel.

"Time & Tied: Destruction" will start posting in about a week. Previously posted to RoyalRoadL (link on my page), for the curious. #TimeTravelAuthors

#ScribesAndMakers 21: What everyday object to photograph as art?

As many have said, could be anything. I tend to go for scenery rather than people. Sometimes for inspiration, other times for kicks.

Here's a picture sitting on my feed from last year. Party on, dudes.

#ScribesAndMakers 22: Six word story

The guests arrived. They never left.

(What amuses me about that thought is you could imagine it as a scary story... or a horror story. Which did you think of first?)

#ScribesAndMakers 23: A frood who knows where their towel is?

No, to me that feels like something you can't self identify, it needs to be external. And I've often found myself forgetting where things are in my late 40s anyway, so may not qualify.

I may sass people, however.

#ScribesAndMakers 24: Sewing kit at home?

Yes, my mom gave it to me when I moved out and it travels with me. It's in a plastic container slightly larger than a standard cookie tin.

I'm the only one who does sewing in the house. Badges for Guides, popped buttons, surgery on soother giraffes... it sits idle for months at a time, only to be very useful in emergencies. I can't thread a needle like I used to though.

#ScribesAndMakers 25: Use music as a storytelling tool?

I write song parodies. And I made up a song for "Time & Tied" that kind of fit the narrative. But really, music and story are separate entities for me. I rarely even have characters listen to music.

#ScribesAndMakers 26: Dance/move to music when you listen?

Dance no, often not even at a dance (I'm more a wallflower). Move, occasionally, depends on if I'm actively listening or doing something else. Also whether the music is suitable. (I have been known to somewhat conduct a waltz or classical music rather than sway.)

#ScribesAndMakers 27: A book that made you see the world differently?

The one that comes to mind is "How to Be an Antiracist" by Ibram X Kendi. Part of a book club. I knew some of the ideas, but the history wasn't something I'd looked into.

#ScribesAndMakers 28: Day job influence creativity?

Massively. Teaching is a job I enjoy, and it brings in money, but it also means I'm often only "job" creative (outside of July/August).

It's inspired me to do song parodies and personified math. Then ensured I couldn't have that both in class and on the web, lest students use it to track me down and see anything else I do, which might be objectionable.

It's helped me gain perspectives, and neuroses. It's exhausting.

Life goes on.

#ScribesAndMakers 29: G Riddle?

"As I was going to St Ives,
I met a man with 7 wives,
Each wife had 7 sacks,
Each sack had 7 cats,
Each cat had 7 kits:
Kits, cats, sacks and wives,
How many were there going to St Ives?"

That's the most G-rated riddle I know. (Wait, people are talking about food?)

#ScribesAndMakers 30: Birds feature in your work?

25 years of writing and drawing, can't think of a bird at all. So if any did appear, they weren't memorable.

Incidentally, the G-Riddle yesterday was solved by someone in the comments.

#ScribesAndMakers 31: Satisfied with creativity?

I had hoped to finish the bit with Heather's backstory, and I did, so I can't complain. Writing is now probably shot until some time in July, but we'll see what we can eke out.

#ScribesAndMakers Apr 1: How many creative projects?

Technically 3:
-"Time Untied", the overlong sequel to:
-"Time & Tied" which is being edited and reposted to AO3
-"Angel Pasta", an Epsilon story that had to be set aside 2 years ago, not of my choosing

There are a number of others ("Last Magical Girl", doing reviews of the BTTF cartoon, annual parodies and calendars) but they're not active in my brain.

#ScribesAndMakers 2: Imposter syndrome?

Means if things go badly, you figure you're a screwup. If things go well, you figure you're a screwup who got lucky, and people will see that eventually.

I'm an oddball. I often think I'm a screwup/imposter but don't worry about people discovering that. Means I don't angst over whether I'm good enough, but I'm lousy at accepting genuine compliments.

#ScribesAndMakers 3: Creative element to eating?

I mean, I suppose there could be. In how someone might eat a banana, for instance. But it's not something I'm keen on analyzing.

#ScribesAndMakers 4: Someone asks what you do? In person/online?

I'm a high school teacher. Which usually prompts the follow-up of mathematics, and me explaining how everyone can do some maths, don't be a hater.

Absolutely different from online, where I say I'm a serial writer, since that's what I do online. Also, if I say that in person, someone might look me up, see something they deem objectionable, and try to get me fired again. Once was enough, thanks.

#ScribesAndMakers 5: Could you do a scrapbook accompanying creative process?

Could I? Probably. If I had unlimited time. I did "Author Asides" for almost all my T&T *and* Epsilon entries, after all. With pictures of coins, sketches and other such things.

Will I? No, it's so far down the list of priorities, I won't in this decade. I suppose it could be bumped a bit higher if there was call for it. Don't see that happening.

#ScribesAndMakers 6: Had dreams inspired by creative work?

Never. Which is quite something when you consider I remember over 90% of my dreams. But they always include me in some capacity, and never my worlds or characters. (The Doctor has shown up, I grant.)

Could be my schizotypal brain doesn't want me to start confusing reality and fantasy. Possibly doesn't help that any dream inspirations the other way are sitting on the shelf for possible future use, if time allows. Who knows.