Month: October 2016

An Epic Music Interlude

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 5 Comments

Quick post for the musically minded.  I recently discovered an amazing YouTube channel called Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell.  They only post about one video a month because their content takes so long to put together and detail, dealing in all manner of science such as quantum mechanics, the heat death of the universe, atoms, molecules, cells, and the very nature of being.  I highly encourage you check them out.  Maybe because I’m secretly a super villain (or not so secretly in love with one), hearing about the eventual end of all things brings me strange comfort.

They have one video on their Our Best Stuff playlist “Are You Alone (In the Universe).  I’ve watched it around ten times in three days.

The combination of existential examination and epic music is chill inducing, and they provided a link to the song in the background itself so down the rabbit I went to find Sound Cloud, make a playlist, and dub it my new editing music.

My playlist is located here if you’d like to experience it.  Along with this song Quantum Computers is beyond fantastic.  There’s a old school gamer vibe to it that I think many of you will appreciate.

What music gets you through the day or gets you through a writing session?  I have a playlist on YouTube I often use along with one of my iTunes playlist, but the Epic Mountain group will probably be my go-to for quite a long time.

Question of the Week: 10/30/16

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 27 Comments

<–Question of the Week: 10/23/16          Question of the Week: 11/6/16–>

The Question of the Week is posted every Sunday and will consist of a question followed by my answer and explanation to the same.  Some questions will only require a simple answer that could potentially be followed by an explanation.  Many questions will be writer oriented, but not all.  Everyone is encouraged to answer in the comments and discussions/follow up questions are more than welcome!

What paranormal experience(s) have you had?

When I was around eight or nine years old getting ready for school, I was in the bathroom looking at the mirror that was in front of our medicine cabinet, and as I looked I realized I wasn’t seeing myself.  I know…so cliched, but it was very weird.  This girl had lighter skin than me, more honey colored, and different features, yet she mimicked my movements as images are wont to do.  I remembered going back and forth out of the mirror and coming back to find the same reflection still before.  Then my mom called me, and I again looked away from the mirror to answer, but when I went back, the “honey girl,” was gone, and it was just me in the glass.

I wasn’t even frightened at the time.  I just thought it was weird or a trick of the light.  Even now I’m not sure if I was actually seeing what I was seeing, but the house I grew up in was…weird.  Looking back on it with adult eyes, it was always odd how frightened I was of the dining room and my fear of basements and subterranean spaces came about because my basement was super creepy. I always hated going down there and have nightmares about it to this day.  There was this discoloration on the wall that looked like an alien monster.  I know it was from the moisture of the hot water heater, but it was always unsettling.

I’ve had more random experiences where I’ve just had weird feelings.  live in a part of Pennsylvania that’s considered quite haunted, and I’ve been to Valley Forge Park at night.  Terrifying.  There are also these terrible tunnels that I refuse to drive through in the dark not to mention this graveyard near my college that friends have concurred with me on on the spookiness factor.  Then of course I have cats, and they’re always seeing the unseen hehe.

I don’t profess to being anything I’m not, and I take the scientific, rational, and logical side in most things, but I can’t deny I’ve had inexpiable feelings and seen some strange things.  It could just be I didn’t have the tools or means to explain them or it could be they defy our ability to explain them yet.

What ghost story and/or paranormal experiences have you had?

I look forward to your answers in the comments!

<–Question of the Week: 10/23/16          Question of the Week: 11/6/16–>

The State of the Writer: 10/29/16

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 6 Comments

<–The State of the Writer: 10/22/16          The State of the Writer: 11/5/16–>

A weekly post updated every Saturday discussing my current writing projects and where I stand with them.  This will include any and all work(s) in progress (WIP) be they creative writing, essays/analyses, or reviews of any type.

Project: Story
Title: The Broken Rose
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Fanfiction (FFVII) Novel
Current Word Count: 278,983
Prior Word Count: 279,446
Word Difference: -463
Status: Editing
Progress: 2nd Edit of Chapter 6

Story cover consideration

Story cover consideration

I considered the above pic for the story cover for a brief five minutes  until I settled on one much better.  I don’t remember if I posted it, but if I didn’t all the better so it’ll be a surprise.  I need to set up the WP page for the story and work on the extraordinarily long disclaimer/warnings I require for this tale.  I work best when I can piggy back off of a previous concept, so I’ll probably just see what I did for Northern Lights and emulate that.

The second edit of Chapter 6 is going…okay.  I think I might need to do a third edit, but third edits usually pass fairly quickly.  They’re more read throughs than anything else, but I will need to do a read through of Chapters 1-6 before I post (yes, I know, I’m that anal), because I’m recalling a moment in the first chapter that I should fix.  I mean, I could just go and fix it now since I know exactly what it is, but I’d rather wait and do it systematically in case there’s any more I need to correct (there will be).

November is looking like the month where I’ll begin to post.  I’d love to say to myself that I’m going to let up a bit on this edit once this occurs, but I honestly have no idea what my troll brain is going to force me to do.  I want to work on Threads of Sorrow and some of these new story ideas, but I kind of have to write what I’m compelled to write.  I’ve given up trying to fight it.

Quote: Dusk would now find them on the veranda watching the ceaseless sea.  With Sephiroth, Aeris was far less afraid, held in strong arms from behind.  His great hands were clasped below her waist in an unbreakable lock.  With the railing before and him above, the Cetra basked in the sinking sun.

Project: Review
Title: Final Fantasy Friday: Final Fantasy IV Review
Subject: Review and analysis of Final Fantasy IV
Current Word Count: 4048
Status: In progress
Progress: Drafting Story section

I split my Final Fantasy reviews into three sections: Gameplay, Story, and Music.  I guess Ratings could be counted as a fourth.  I’m in the midst of the Story section, which is obviously the longest for the first Final Fantasy with character development and a cohesive plot.  I really wish there were more fanfictions about FFIV.  I’d love to read about the time after Mist when Cecil finds himself alone with Rydia, and she’s forced to accept help from one of the men who killed her mother.  That would be quite a poignant tale.  No, I’m not writing this.  I write enough stories with that “missing mother” motif.  I’d also love to read one with the OTP of the game: Cecil and Rosa.  I’ve found a few, but there’s  a dearth of good FFIV fanfiction.

Anyway, I’m not even halfway through the story.  I’m maybe a third way in, and I have gotten to rant about my most hated character in the game and series on whole (Edward for the curious).  It’s odd.  Final Fantasy IV has Edward whom I absolutely loathe because he’s useless.  I’m also not really fond of Edge or Palom (the male twin), but it’s still one of my favorite games.  I guess Cecil as my arguably favorite main character balances it out.  I also like Kain, Rosa, Rydia, Yang, Porom, Tellah, and Golbez, too.  Eight characters compared to three isn’t bad.

I’m hoping to finish this by next Friday so I can have it for Final Fantasy Friday along with my weekly tarot post.

So my two current writing projects are Final Fantasy related at a shock to now one, VII and IV with a different of III, which is a Final Fantasy I didn’t even like, but III or rather 3 is a magic number, so maybe fortune will come my way.

Note: I drafted this last night around 3:00 in the morning so if it seems a little wonky that’s why hehe.

What are you currently working on?  Is it a creative writing project, essay, review, or something else?  Have you just started something new or are you wrapping up a long term project?

<–The State of the Writer: 10/22/16          The State of the Writer: 11/5/16–>

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Final Fantasy Friday: Final Fantasy Tarot – X The Wheel of Fortune

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 7 Comments

<–IX The Hermit                                                                                          XI Justice–>

This is my current Final Fantasy Friday post where I’ll be discussing which characters I think exemplify each card of the Major Arcana.  If this is your first time here, please head over to my Final Fantasy Tarot page for explanation.  Now onto the next card!

X The Wheel of Fortune

the-wheel-of-fortune-setzer

Picture of Setzer is located here at The Cosplay House

No this is not due to my silver hair/black clothes fetish.  I actually was never into Setzer from VI until very recently when I started reading a fellow fanfiction writer’s story I’m the Darkness, You’re the Starlight that pairs him and my favorite, Celes (whom I haven’t used yet…), but this post is not about that.

Who else could I pick for the Wheel of Fortune but a gambler who takes the highest stakes of all?  The Wheel is a card of luck and changing fortunes, and not only does the gambler encompass that, but so does the very world in which he dwells.  It goes from balance to ruin at the shift of a statue, but even in the darkness all is not lost.

The card itself is the only one in the Rider Waite deck to have the words “tarot” etched on it in a round, and it only says so if you literally come back again to that first “t.”  It could also spell “rota,” which means “wheel,” so the card is double meta.  It names the deck and it names itself, and the Wheel of Fortune (besides being a well known game show) is the focus in a song nearly everyone has heard, the line in question being “rota tu volubilis” (You whirling wheel.)

For some reason only my two year ago self knows, I was going to pick the Sphere Grid from FFX for this card probably because it resembles a convoluted wheel?  I don’t know how the two year’s younger Narcissist’s mind works, but in the parted haze my current mental machinations, I realized there would be no better choice than a man who’s very occupation is luck.  Ante up.

Mr. Panda guessed it correctly this week!  While I’m not certain of the tally, I have a feeling that he may be in the lead.  Next week is the half point, and I’ll give a detailed breakdown then.

Next week is XI Justice, which seems simple in concept, but is far more complicated in application.

Happy guessing!

<–IX The Hermit                                                                                          XI Justice–>

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The State of the Reader: 10/26/16

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 15 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 10/19/16      The State of the Reader: 11/2/16–>

A weekly post updated every Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and where I am with them in addition to what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads to make it easier for interested parties to add any books that might strike their fancy.  I attempt to use the covers for the edition I’m reading, and I’ll mention if this is not the case.  If you have a Goodreads account feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Books Currently Reading: 4

Title: The Mabinogion Tetralogy
Author: Evangeline Walton
Date Added: August 24, 2014
Date Started: July 31, 2016

Medium: Paperback
Progress: 24%

I can’t stress enough how well written this book is.  While it may take me until this time next year to finish it, I’m enjoying every moment of it.

Title: The World of Ice and Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones
Author: George R R Martin
Date Added: January 7, 2015
Date Started: February 8, 2015

Media: Hardback
Progress: 79%

I’m now on the section about the Free Cities, all “Daughters of Valyria” save for Braavos, which is decidedly not, since it was formed by former Valyrian slaves.  There was a very interesting part about a religious sect known as the Boashi’i, followers of the Blind God Boash.  An essential part of their doctrine was an extreme abnegation of self where a follower would put aside even their own names, speaking of themselves as only “a man” or “a woman” as opposed to “I,” “me,” or “mine.”  Though the cult of the Blind God died out over a thousand years ago, this mode of speech remained (ironically) among the noble classes of Lorath (another one of the nine Free Cities), and it’s how a mysterious character named Jaqen H’ghar (who initially claims to be Lorathi when Arya first meets him) speaks.  Given that he’s a follower of the Many Faced God and given that those followers also eschew their identities, this is not too odd of a coincidence.

Title: Magonia
Series Title: Magonia
Author: Maria Dahvana Headley
Date Added: January 31, 2016
Date Started: October 1, 2016

Media: Paperback
Progress: 25%

I’m totally into this book now. Something major has happened and the point of view has switched.  This answers the question why each chapter had “Aza” next to the number until I reached the current one, which now has “Jason.”  The parallels with The Fault in Our Stars are either lessened or the story has deviated away enough from that where I don’t mind.

Title: The Ghost of Buxton Manor
Author: Jonathon L. Ferrara
Date Added: August 16, 2016
Date Started: October 17, 2016

Media: Kindle
Progress: 17%

This story is frankly both sad and adorable.  You really feel for poor Rupert dying (sorry…) for human contact and how he’s drawn inexplicably to Aaron.

Fanfictions Finished: 0

In Progress Fanfictions Read: 1

Title: I’m the Darkness, You’re the Starlight
Author: runicmagitek
Fandom: FFVI
Pairing: Celes Chere/Setzer Gabbiani
Current Chapter: 14

It was quite an exciting chapter this time around, and it just sat in my inbox for weeks until I could finally read it.  I’m also ecstatic that my friend is doing better ♥♥♥

Fanfictions Currently Reading: 0

Fanfictions Added to TBR List: 0

Books Added to Goodreads TBR List This Week: 2

Title: Elric of Melniboné
Series Title: Elric
Author: Michael Moorcock
Date Added: October 21

I watch too many Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire theorists on YouTube, and today I was catching up with one of my favorites (despite some disagreement) Preston Jacobs.  He does several series about the books/show, one of which showcases the difference between book and show.  There have been many an insight garnered from this series and its theorists, not the least of which have been revelations of my own…not necessarily just towards ASOIAF. 

Martin has many influences, and in this video, Preston speaks of Michael Moorcock’s Elric series.  I think he’s mentioned him before in regards to GRRM’s obsession with white hair.  Now, I could say a great deal about this, and have in other places, but even if Martin borrowed the idea from Moorcock, it’s legitimately far older, present in Jude-Christian leanings.

Either way, I was intrigued by it and welcome the chance to read classic fantasy that serves as a foundation for what we experience today.

Title: The Metaphysical Detective
Series Title: Riga Hayworth
Author: Kirsten Weiss
Date Added: October 22, 2016

Can murder be committed from beyond the grave?  This novel I randomly found while scrolling through Goodreads asks that question, and I’m intrigued enough to want an answer.  I was also sold on the fact that Riga explores the power of archetypes through the lens of Greek mythology and tarot.  Two things which I’m quite passionate about.

Total Books on Goodreads TBR List: 523
Change from Last Week: +2

Books Added to Goodreads To Be Reread List This Week: 0

Books Purchased This Week: 2

Title: The Clockwork Scarab
Series Title: Stoker and Holmes
Author: Colleen Gleason
Date Added: August 1, 2016
Date Purchased: October 21, 2016
Media Type: Kindle
Price: $1.99

I bought this after receiving a message from Cupcakes and Machetes on Goodreads that it was only $1.99 on Kindle.  Hell yes!  Even if I hate it, I only spent $1.99.  I waste waaaaaaaaaay more money on other things.

Title: The Raven Boys
Series Title: The Raven Cycle
Author: Maggie Steifvater
Date Added: April 21, 2015
Date Purchased: October 24 2016
Media Type: Kindle
Price: $5.99

I had no idea I’d added this book so long ago.  In an attempt to separate the wheat from the chaff (and remove said chaff from my TBR list), I downloaded around 25 samples on my Kindle, and this was one of them.  I have some experience with the author due to her Shiver.  While I didn’t finish it, it’s not an Unfinished and remains on my TBR list.  The book in question is even more intriguing.  The writing is so tantalizing and lush, and I wanted more from the sample I read.  It was only $5.99, which I consider pretty cheap for a book I’m bound to enjoy.

What are you currently reading and/or what’s on your radar to read next?  What would you recommend based on my current and recently added?  As always I look forward to your comments and suggestions!

<–The State of the Reader: 10/19/16      The State of the Reader: 11/2/16–>

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The State of the Gamer: 10/25/16

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 24 Comments

<–The State of the Gamer: 10/18/16          The State of the Gamer: 11/1/16–>

A weekly post updated every Tuesday detailing my current gaming projects.  I have quite a backlog of games to either play or watch, and I’m hoping a weekly article will assist with my progress as my other accountable posts have done with reading and writing.
I have an account at Grouvee, which is a essentially Goodreads for gamers, so please feel free to friend me there!
Original source of the banner art is located here.

Game Currently Playing

Title: Final Fantasy IV
Series: Final Fantasy
Genre: RPG – Fantasy
Developer: Square
Original Platform: SNES
Original Release Date: July 19, 1991
Current Platform: Game Boy Advance
Current Platform Release Date: December 12, 2005
Date Started: October 24. 2016

final-fantasy-iv

“What’s this?!” you exclaim.  “Didn’t she already beat this game last week?  I’m sure I recall since she wouldn’t shut up about it.”  Patience faithful follower.  I did beat Final Fantasy IV.  The original Final Fantasy IV.  Then I went through all of my games in order to add them to a new/created shelf on my Grouvee list for “Owned.”  I knew I had FFIV for the PSP, but I forgot I also had it for the Game Boy Advance, which is a part of the original Nintendo DS.  So I’ve been playing this version (and another game I’ll talk about below) as I continue to plug away at the review/analysis.

Title: New Super Mario Bros.
Series: Super Mario
Genre: Platformer – Adventure
Developer: Nintendo
Original Platform: Nintendo DS
Original Release Date: May 15, 2006
Date Started: October 24, 2016

newsupermariobrothers

Along with the above, my dilemma about what to play in between Final Fantasies (oddly enough since I’m using another version of the same Final Fantasy #meta) has been resolved by this DS side-scrolling platformer.  While going through all of the games in my possession, I came across this and several others I wasn’t aware I owned.  Many of them are on my TBP list so I was pretty excited.  Anyway, I have something to play in between and it’s a handheld, which makes it even easier.

Along with the basic game, New SMB has several mini-games of the action, puzzle, and table (even set in a casino with Luigi as the dealer) variety.

nsmb-mini-games

There’s also a versus you can do, but since I only have one DS (my husband’s.  Mine disappeared a few years ago), I won’t be doing this anytime soon.

I’m currently on World 2 and having quite the trouble with Lakitu.  Speaking of which, how does everyone pronounce his name?  I grew up saying “luh-KY-too,” but when I watched a let’s play of one of the Mario games, the LPer pronounced it “LACK-uh-too” as if it rhymed with “whackadoo.”

Let me know in the comments!

Games Currently Watching

Title: Mass Effect
Series: Mass Effect
Genre: Action RPG – Sci-Fi
Developer: BioWare
Original Platform(s): Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3
Original Release Date: November 16, 2007
Let’s Player: Olizandri
Date Started: September 29, 2016

I think I’m about halfway done this watch, which makes me sad even though I have two more really long games to watch.  Olizandri just completed the “Bring Down the Sky” DLC, and, well, pretty much Shepherd literally had to catch a meteor (technically an asteroid, but semantics).  I’m more and more impressed with the level of storytelling and voice acting this game presents the more I watch.   If you’ve played ME, what’s your favorite mission?

Oh!  Along the vein of pronunciation, Olizandri says “Mako” like “MACK-oh,” which is really funny since I’d say it like “MAY-koh,” similar to how I pronounce it for FFVII, and that came about because of the sharks.  Sometimes I’m unreasonably irked by what I perceive as mispronunciation (there was this other let’s player that shall remain nameless who I wanted to hunt down and throw a dictionary at.  He pronounced Canaan “kuh-NAHN.”  WTF is that?), but Olizandri’s doesn’t bother me at all.  Maybe it’s because he’s English or maybe it’s because it would be weird to equate concentrated Lifestream and a description of glowing eyes with an all terrain vehicle *shrug*

Games Added to Play List: 11

I’m being lazy.  I don’t feel like listing out all of the games I added this week.  Feel free to check my Grouvee account, which is linked above if you’re curious what I have on my list.  I…also didn’t keep good track of the games I added anyway, and the site doesn’t really have good ways of sorting.  I’ll try to do better next week, but I make no promises.

Games Added to Watch List: 2

Since there are just two I can say one’s Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood.  I added it because it’s one of the one’s I discovered I own…or borrowed.  I think I borrowed it from my brother, which is hilarious considering the game is called “Brotherhood.”

The other is The Last Of Us.  Another discovery in my game cache.

Games Bought This Week: 1

Title: World of Final Fantasy
Series: Final Fantasy
Genre: RPG – Fantasy
Developer: Square Enix
Platform(s): PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Date Bought: October 21, 2016

world-of-final-fantasy

I have actually pre-ordered a video game, and of course it’s a Final Fantasy, which should come as no shock to anyone.  However, it’s been quite a few years since I’ve been interested enough in the series to warrant buying on release date let alone before.  I did have some encouragement from one of my fellow bloggers, Cheap Boss Attack, who said the magic words in his post about the demo: Sephiroth summon.  If you buy the limited edition (which I’m assuming you have to pre-order), it comes with such.  How could I resist? ♥♥♥

What are you currently playing and/or watching? Is it something new or old?  Is it a first time run or a replay?  What’s the genre?  Would you recommend it?  What’s on your radar to play next?

<–The State of the Gamer: 10/18/16          The State of the Gamer: 11/1/16–>

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Question of the Week: 10/23/16

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 32 Comments

<–Question of the Week: 10/16/16          Question of the Week: 10/30/16–>

The Question of the Week is posted every Sunday and will consist of a question followed by my answer and explanation to the same.  Some questions will only require a simple answer that could potentially be followed by an explanation.  Many questions will be writer oriented, but not all.  Everyone is encouraged to answer in the comments and discussions/follow up questions are more than welcome!

What’s the scariest movie you’ve ever seen?

*******SPOILERS FOR THE RING*******

I’m trying to think up Halloween type questions I haven’t already answered in my Halloween Fun Time post hehe.  While there was a question about scary movies, it didn’t get specific, and also while I did ask favorite Halloween/Halloween type movies, that doesn’t necessarily mean the scariest.  The scariest movie I’ve ever seen, the movie that made me stop watching scary movies is The Ring.

Hell to the no

Hell to the no

I saw this movie back in college with a bunch of friends.  Our university had a theater that would show fairly recent films (which is how I first saw Titanic), and we figured why not.  This lackadaisical decision would cost me.  I hid against my one friend’s shoulder through the majority of the film.

The horror started when the one girl Katie was found dead in the closet with an absolutely horrified expression distorting her gruesome corpse.  She looked as if she’d drowned and started to rot in water (…), but I said my “Nope,” at the part with the horses.  When animals are that terrified of something, you know it’s bad.

Continue reading →

The State of the Writer: 10/22/16

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 15 Comments

<–The State of the Writer: 10/15/16          The State of the Writer: 10/29/16–>

A weekly post updated every Saturday discussing my current writing projects and where I stand with them.  This will include any and all work(s) in progress (WIP) be they creative writing, essays/analyses, or reviews of any type.

Project: Story
Title: The Broken Rose
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Type: Fanfiction (FFVII) Novel
Current Word Count: 279,446
Prior Word Count: 280,583
Word Difference: -1137
Status: Editing
Progress: 1st Edit of Chapter 6

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The picture is yet another option considered for the chapter cover.  I liked the house in the background, but (and this sounds so petty), it isn’t on the side I envision it to be in the story.  The scene they’re in where it’s visible from the beach, the estate is more directly behind them not that far off to the right.

Chapter 6 is quite challenging to edit.  It’s about as long as Chapter 3 at 25 pages (the third chapter has 26) and may actually have more or equal due to the additions.  Regardless, it’s extremely heavy and verbose, and I’m trying to whittle down the latter as I’ve noticed some repeats.  I don’t want to use the same phrase or word order too often as that will make a dull read, though repetition of safety’s assurance is an important aspect of trauma recovery.

I thought I would’ve discussed the chapter title in my opening post about it, but looking back it appears I haven’t.  Heaven’s Gate is the name of the house/estate.  It can be taken in two ways and indeed is viewed different by Aeris and Sephiroth.  In being “Heaven’s Gate,” it could be considered the gateway to heaven/paradise, but there’s also the implication that it’s not quite heaven, but rather the farthest he as a fallen angel can go.  Aeris; however, sees it as paradise itself as opposed to Sephiroth who views it as an edge he can never breach.

I’m on page 88 of 95 so I’m hoping to finish the first edit early next week and the second edit by early November.  If fortune favors I’ll only need to do two…though that hasn’t been the trend especially for these longer sections.

Quote: “General’s estate sounds presumptuous,” he muttered and summer opened to his endless light.  “And it’s not just mine anymore.  It’s yours, too, my Aeris.”  He squeezed her so gently, and the maid shook a quick tear from her eye.  “Your ‘palace,’ as you would say, is called *Heaven’s Gate.”*  He sighed in his turn for her look told him all.  “Not a name I chose.  It came with the house, a long time ago, when I first arrived…”

Project: Story
Title: The Threads of Sorrow
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Retold Fairy Tale
Type: Original Short Story
Prior Word Count: 6787
Current Word Count: 6787
Word Difference: 0
Status: Critiques reviewed
Progress: On hold

I’m officially waiting until I finish editing the first six chapters of The Broken Rose before I work on this again.  I need to do the second edit based on received critiques then get myself prepared to submit.  This will be the last week I include it on this status post unless I do something with it between now and then.

Project: Essay
Title: Half a Tragedy Is Worse Than Whole
Subject: FFVII Comparative and Meta
Status: On hold
Progress: Outline Completed

The same goes for this.  It’s really hard for me to concentrate on more than one project at a time no matter how much I beat myself up.  I’m also not just working on one project as you’ll see below.  Either way, I’ll reevaluate when I’m going to work on this once the first six chapters of TBR are posted.

Project: Review
Title: Final Fantasy Friday: Final Fantasy IV Review
Subject: Review and analysis of Final Fantasy IV
Status: In progress
Progress: Introduction drafted

final-fantasy-iv

I started prepping and writing the beginning review of this last night.  I finished up the introduction, but stopped before the Gameplay section.  All of my game reviews are broken into four parts: Gameplay, Story, Music, and Rating.  I wish I could show you the extensive notes I have for the story.  That’s going to be the most involved part.

I’m planning on working on this this evening and at least drafting the Gameplay part.  If I feel up to it, I’ll work on Story.  I’d like to say I’ll have this finished by next Friday so I can have a double Final Fantasy Friday post, but I don’t like to promise things I can’t deliver.

Project: Editing
Title: The Editing of Northern Lights – Chapter 8 and an Ocean Full of Sads
Subject: Meta-analysis
Status: Copied and pasted three weeks ago
Progress: Additional analysis, formatting and proofreading needed

It’s been a while since I’ve posted an Editing of Northern Lights because I’ve been struggling to find the best day to work on it.  I was putting it on Thursdays, but that hasn’t been working out since that’s one of my editing days.  I’ve been trying to do it on Saturdays, but I have so much catching up to do on that day, it’s been nigh on impossible.

The things is I have all of the notes for Northern Lights written.  Most of them are drafted on Google Blogger, because at the time of their creation I was posted the story on that site.  Due to lack of interest (and one nasty response) I decided to discontinue posting the story there, concentrating instead on this site, Fanfiction.net, AO3,  tumblr, and Deviant Art where there was an overwhelming amount of support.  But since I’d already drafted the Editing Blog posts (as I called it at the time) there, I figured I might as well house them on the site for safe keeping.  When I go to post the next, I go to Google Blogger, copy and paste it here, and then have to go through to fix formatting discrepancies, add in additional material, and proofread.  That second one can be the most time consuming, and (of course) I have a ton of additional notes of things I want to discuss.  Since I’ve been caught up in my current project, it’s been hard to do much of anything with this, but I definitely still want to, so this is probably going to be another I’ll try to work on once the first six chapters are posted.

Ugh, I seriously feel like that’s my life.  I’m constantly and consistently waiting for when the next project is done so I can concentrate on the next.  I wish I were better at multitasking and/or I wish I just had more time.  Well better to work on my projects than complain I think, which is what I’m going to do right now.

What are you currently working on?  Is it a creative writing project, essay, review, or something else?  Have you just started something new or are you wrapping up a long term project?

<–The State of the Writer: 10/15/16          The State of the Writer: 10/29/16–>

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Final Fantasy Friday: Final Fantasy Tarot – IX The Hermit

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 8 Comments

<–VIII Strength                                                                  X The Wheel of Fortune–>

This is my current Final Fantasy Friday post where I’ll be discussing which characters I think exemplify each card of the Major Arcana.  If this is your first time here, please head over to my Final Fantasy Tarot page for explanation.  Now onto the next card!

IX The Hermit

the-hermit-cid

My choice for The Hermit is none other than Cid from Final Fantasy VI.  This decision became easier the more I thought about it.  The Hermit is a lonely figure whose time is spent in reflection, introspection, and analysis.  By these descriptions, this is clearly not the Cid of the World of Balance, but the solitary elder of the World of Ruin, the name of the island you find him on giving testament to such.

It also bears mentioning that the Cid of this time spends his (last) days taking care of the injured Celes who could be considered the “light” the Hermit is carrying.  They symbolism of this is hard to ignore, especially considering Cid can die in order to preserve this light.

Cid was a scientist who was integral in Celes’s augmentation/enhancement; however he never considered her merely a specimen, rather looking upon her as a granddaughter.  The Hermit is an individual who can shine light on things previously mysterious and confusing, and Cid certainly does this for Celes who starts off that part of the narrative as The Fool of her own story (I always loved that FFVI arguably had two main and female characters.  Terra for the first half and Celes for the second).  The Hermit is more of that wise, older figure whose purpose is to provide insight and wisdom to those fated to forge ahead.

Alternates: Matoya (I), Bugenhagen (VII), Ramuh (IX)

Initially, I’d thought of Matoya sitting in her cave with her crystal ball, but on further reflection those were the only true hermit-like qualities she possessed.  The first Final Fantasy wasn’t huge in character development, but by the time Square reached VI, they were experts at cohesive characters and their arcs.

The floating Bugenhagen from VII was another option as he was Nanaki’s (Red XIII’s) mentor and gave the rest of the party insight into the Gaia Hypothesis, which is a major theme of the game.

Ramuh in IX initially appears as old man when Garnet and the party end up on Pinnacle Rocks after fleeing Alexandria.  He imparts an old story to her about Joseph and the Goddess Bell (which is a reference to FFIII), instructing the princess to put the parts in order before he will become one of her eidolons.  The interesting thing is the story has only four parts, but five choices.  You must pick how you want the tale to end.

No correct guesses this week!  That’s okay; there are 13 more chances left.  I’ll give an update of where everyone stands in the 11th week since that’s the halfway point.

Next week is X The Wheel of Fortune.  This is a card of luck.  Care to take a gamble?

<–VIII Strength                                                                  X The Wheel of Fortune–>

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The State of the Reader: 10/19/16

/ The Shameful Narcissist / 21 Comments

<–The State of the Reader: 10/12/16          The State of the Reader: 10/26/16–>

A weekly post updated every Wednesday detailing my current reading projects and where I am with them in addition to what new titles I’ve added to my to-read list.  Title links go to Goodreads to make it easier for interested parties to add any books that might strike their fancy.  I attempt to use the covers for the edition I’m reading, and I’ll mention if this is not the case.  If you have a Goodreads account feel free to friend me!  I’d love to see what you’re reading and/or planning to read.

Books Currently Reading: 4

Title: The Mabinogion Tetralogy
Author: Evangeline Walton
Date Added: August 24, 2014
Date Started: July 31, 2016

Medium: Paperback
Progress: 22%

I seriously doubt I’m going to finish this before the end of the year seeing as I only go up a percentage a week and there are far less than 78 weeks left.  Hell 78 weeks is like a year and half so by that count I’ll be finished this by 2018  It’s okay though. I’m enjoying the read.

Title: The World of Ice and Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones
Author: George R R Martin
Date Added: January 7, 2015
Date Started: February 8, 2015

Media: Hardback
Progress: 75%

There’s a good chance I will finish this one before the end of the year and most certainly before The Winds of Winter comes out.  I’ll be lucky if the 6th book is released by this time next year, let’s be honest.

Title: Magonia
Series Title: Magonia
Author: Maria Dahvana Headley
Date Added: January 31, 2016
Date Started: October 1, 2016

Media: Paperback
Progress: 13%

I’m ready to get to the more fantasy part of this book.  The author keeps teasing it in the “everyone thinks Aza is hallucinating” or “her visions are due to her illness” type of way, and I just want to see what this magical world (that I assume is called Magonia) is like.  So far Aza’s witty for the sake of witty attitude hasn’t become too grating, and I’m hoping it stays that way.

Title: The Ghost of Buxton Manor
Author: Jonathon L. Ferrara
Date Added: August 16, 2016
Date Started: October 17, 2016

Media: Kindle
Progress: 6%

I’m enjoying this so far.  The pacing is good, the main character Rupert is both intriguing and sympathetic, and the story presents a lot of plot coupons that need to be cashed in.  It’s 400 pages, so I’ve got quite a ways to go!

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