Welcome to Becoming a Cat Parent

It's finally happened everyone. I am no longer responsible for my own well-being. I now get to look after the well-being of a furiously fluffy fur baby who hisses every time I get a little too close.

I've taken in my cat Karma.

Karma is my 12 year old cat. She'd been living with my mom until circumstances changed and it was decided that Karma would come to live with me - no I don't feel like elaborating. She has spent most of the past week hiding under my bed.

When I was younger I missed her a lot when I was away at school and after I moved away from my mom. I loved visiting her when I was at my mom's house - even if she constantly hissed at me or sat on my suitcase when it was time to pack up.

I'll be honest, I very much enjoyed not having the responsibility of looking after a pet (or another human, but let's not jinx me), but I was happy to have Karma in my life again full time. When she's in a good mood, she's the cuddliest fluff ball in existence. I love curling up with me on the couch or on my bed - though my allergies aren't the most cooperative.

A watercolor painting of Karma near my couch

I also wouldn't really call myself a cat person (allergies are a big deterrent). I actually prefer big fluffy dogs and their crazy energy (I will never pass up an opportunity to pet a dog) to the much more temperamental and regal cat. However, due to those earlier circumstances I mentioned, I had to beg my mom to bring Karma to me.

One day I might get a dog, but not for a long while yet.

When mom brought her down, it was clear that Karma loved my apartment. She was out and about most of the day, playing with a ball and bird watching. She didn't mind me picking her up to take her out onto the balcony. I can tell that she really misses my mom. Hopefully she'll except me as a good substitute soon.

Cause the thing is, cat's don't like change.

Period.

I can only imagine what might happen if/when I move again (let's be real - I will move again at some point). Chasing her around the apartment to give her medicine is beyond stressful. I don't fancy trying to put her in a carrier again anytime soon.

Though it's taking time for her to adjust, I've already noticed myself re-prioritizing my life. I know she's a cat and can take care of herself for the most part, but I hate the idea of leaving her alone for too long. I worry what will happen when I start traveling again - will she be okay at a kitty hotel? or by herself? will I find someone who will check in on her?

I also worry what might happen if she were to ever escape my home. Yes, she has a micro chip implant, but any number of things could happen to her. There are foxes and busy roads!

Though I'm not super interested in taking in any more pets at this time (or finding a relationship, let alone raising kids), I have noticed how much I love having Karma around. It's expensive and time consuming, but she is the best thing to wake up to first thing in the morning. She loves having her head scratched.

I might hate cleaning up her litter box and constantly freak out when she coughs up a fur-ball, but I'm glad she's here. There's a bit of a learning curve when it comes to looking after her.

Having a pet is a big responsibility. It's not just me I have to think about anymore. Karma is my kitty and she will be treated royally.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to Trans-Media Writing

A couple of months ago, a friend of mine convinced me to take a free online class with her on trans-media writing. It doesn't have anything to do with LGBTQ+  narratives or writing transgender characters. It's actually a writing process that allows for a story to be told on multiple platforms.

An example might be how Pokemon was an anime, video game, card game, and manga. You didn't have participate in the card games to enjoy the anime, but some people did. Each platform was tied to a single world built on the idea that kids could battle their "pocket" monsters that could do cool moves depending on the monster's "type" (grass, flying, fire, water, etc.).

Pokemon has since built a huge empire and is still producing stories and merchandise.

One of  my favorite Pokemon

The idea of trans-media writing isn't new. In fact a lot of the examples from this course went back to the 70s and 80s. However, specifically developing stories around the idea that they will jump from one media consumption to another is becoming more common.

I'm not going to summarize the course or give you guys a point by point retelling of why trans-media writing is cool or the future of story telling (I don't know if it is). The course is free on Coursera with an option to purchase a completion certificate for $50 (I did not select this option) and runs on a monthly basis (there are assignments which are peer graded).

Though I came into the course blind, I found myself having a lot of fun developing how I'd tell a story across multiple media platforms and make it interactive for my readers. Having an interactive portion of the story is apparently very important in trans-media writing.

Eventually, I developed the idea of having an interactive or digital story (like the digital novels you might find on Steam) for kids to chose their own adventures (remember those books). It would have some game elements such as having multiple story endings, allowing the player to see how their choices play out, and allowing for multiple play-thrus. There would be a tie-in novel with the "true" ending of the story and a website for social interaction from me and the audience.

Though I have a general outline of the story, I have no way to execute my ambitious idea of making it digital - not without a lot of computer programming and art classes.

However, developing the story for the class was fun and challenged me to think outside of the box when it came to story telling.

There's no denying that I prefer the traditional narrative (and holding a physical book), but I think that trans-media story telling is going to continue to grow. Advertisers love it and big movies often come with an app or game that ties into the story.

Sometimes trans-media writing can even resurrect a canceled show like how Firefly finished its narrative as a comic book or Star Trek's many, many novels.

There are a lot of possibilities when it comes to telling a story. Which method will you chose?

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y'all like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to Stories Retold

There are some stories that are told over and over again. A new version for a new generation to shape and reflect their world view. One of my favorite stories retold with a modern spin is the Odyssey in the form of Oh Brother Where Art Thou. I was also impressed with the 2019 Nancy Drew movie that was an excellent update to the retelling of the first novel.

Here are five stories lines that I'd like to see redone for this generation.

1) Robin Hood

One of the best versions right here.

I know that we've had dozens of Robin Hood movies, TV shows, books, etc (there seems to be a new movie every decade), but here me out on this. I want a modern Robin Hood story that takes place in New York City, or L.A., or maybe London that features Robin and his "merry" men in the concrete forest of the city. Drop the King Richard plot and restore a better elected official to run the country. There's a lot of great possibilities. 

There are a lot of possibilities of having Robin show up in modern times. I'd particularly be interested in a version where Robin Hood comes from a minority background - rather than an upper middle class white boy.

2) The Story of Psyche and Cupid

Yes we have Beauty and the Beast and Twilight which have a lot of similar plot threads to the classic myth, but I want a modern tale that includes the gods and goddesses. Have Cupid once again run home to his mother Venus after Psyche screws up and let him be locked in a tower. Then Psyche have show her love and commitment to Cupid by trying to win over his mother. Update the tale for a modern audience and put it in a science fiction setting to keep some of the fantastical elements.

I'd include the myth of Hades and Persephone as well, but there are several writers already making amazing updates to this story (such as Nikita Gill).

3) Sleeping Beauty

I love Disney's animated classic Sleeping Beauty, but I do acknowledge that it has a lot of flaws. An updated version of this story might have the "beauty" fall in to a comma after an accident. The "prince" character might read to them everyday and only wake up after the story is over. I'd especially love to see a version with a same sex couple.

4) Treasure Island

How many of you guys remember Disney's Treasure Planet? I wasn't the only one right? I enjoyed it and also love the book. I think that a modern retelling would be a lot of fun and could incorporate more destinations. It could be a mix of Indiana Jones, National Treasure, and Tintin. The setting can still be in the Caribbean or it could be off the coast of India or in the South East Pacific. Incorporate the history of the setting and focus on reclaiming the treasures that were stolen during colonial periods.

5) Carmilla

Technically, there are modern interpretations of Carmilla out there, but nothing super big budget or main stream. At most I've seen a play or two as well as a webseries that she's in. She also pops up in popular culture from time to time like Netflix's Castlevania. However this story needs some love and updates (especially with the potential for positive LGBTQ+ representation - the original story is kind of anti-LGBTQ+). If they can redo Dracula over and over again, why not show some love for Carmilla?

This is list is incomplete and leans heavily on Western European tales - which is what I'm most familiar with. I do think that all of these stories can be updated to include non-white characters, LGBTQ+ representation, and be placed in a modern or science fiction setting. 

What are some stories that you guys would like to see updated? 

Until next week. 

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to...2020 Sucks

I've heard it said that there are some decades where nothing happens and no history is made, and sometimes the history of a decade occurs in a single year. I'm convinced that I am living through one of those times.

I think this street art from Iceland somewhat reflects what I'm feeling.

I mean, I've lived through a number of major historical events, but the year of our existence 2020 seems to take the cake. I think the tone of the year (and maybe the whole decade) was set when I woke up on the first day of the year to #worldwar3 trending on Twitter. Also Australia was on fire.

Come March, everything is on lock down, followed quickly by mass layoffs and demands to "reopen the country". Stress and anxiety have been at an all time high since. I know it's been affecting me because I've been struggling to write and paint. When I do finally sit down to focus on creating something, my mind gets stuck. I either can't finish what I start or am completely dissipated with the end result.

I still try.

In the middle of all the stupidity around people breaking quarantine and lock down procedures, a video of a woman in Central Park asserting her dominance over a black man by threatening to call the police on him...when she was the person in the wrong. She faced a lot of backlash - rightfully deserved, but some of the follow up to her actions have been disheartening (the dog rescue that took her dog after she strangled the poor boy, eventually gave the dog back).

A few days later, a video of George Floyd being murdered by police went viral. Part of me can't help noticing the timing of the two videos. The woman Central Park wasn't just threatening a black man with arrest, but possible violence from the police.

Protests have continued since and we've learned the names Breonna Taylor and Elijah McClain who'd both been killed by police prior to George Floyd. Now there is a federal police presence in Portland, and more coming to cities across the country.

I've watched a lot of videos and seen pictures from the protests and the damage caused by rubber bullets and tear gas. I watched on live TV while protesters were cleared from Lafayette Square so the president could hold up a bible (upside down) in front of St. Johns Church.

Part of me feels that November can't come soon enough, part of me is worried that it won't matter.

At least the president finally said that people should wear masks. The reports of people catching COVID-19 after his rallies was worrisome. A few people have talked about being yelled at by strangers for wearing masks and being "sheep" or perpetuating a hoax.

COVID-19 is not a hoax. Wear a mask.

At least the murder hornet plot point that popped up in May has since vanished. Though I put nothing past what could happen in 2020.

When I started out this year, I was hopeful and optimistic. I wasn't in the best place in my life and thankfully some things have gotten a lot better. However the same can't be said for a lot of other people.

In the coming weeks, without a viable plan, mass evictions are likely to start. People (especially minorities and women) would end up on the streets without anywhere safe to go. This isn't just the usual amount of bad. This is the type of bad that could drastically increase their odds of catching COVID-19. More people are going to die if our government doesn't create a stimulus plan that includes renters, people who are food insecure, and anyone out of work.

There are a lot of terrible things happening in the world right now. It's tempting to delete my social media, turn off the news, and bury my head in the sand and pretend everything will be alright. I'll probably be alright, but the world doesn't revolve around me.

It's tough to know what to do when faced with everything going on. I often feel helpless in the face of so many problems. I feel I can't do a lot to help due to the virus, but I have been writing to my elected officials and donating money when I can. I try to stay informed with what is going on and educating others. These are small things, but maybe these small things will pile up until they have enough momentum to create real change.

2020 sucks.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to the Summer Garden Heat

2020 has been an incredibly stressful year, full of change and one unfortunate incident after another for the world at large and my personal life. It’s been tough to find time to relax and allow myself time to mentally decompress.

One of my few great distractions is looking after my little balcony garden.

It’s been a few months since I first mentioned my garden in this blog (click here for details), but I’m still working on it and there have been a lot of ups and downs. Some days it feels like there are more downs than ups.

Here are a few highlights of the things I learned:

During the first few weeks of my gardening, I lost the lemon balm I planted. It took patients and a few more seeds, but eventually the lemon balm grew nicely to the point I made a pesto with some of the leaves-basil was in there too). However, I eventually had to go away a few days during a heat wave and the lack of water did a number on the herb. Thankfully it’s slowly coming back. It’s my favorite to use for water infusions with some lemons or strawberries.

My two lettuce plants were taken out in May. One from over watering and the other from aphids. The overwatering was totally my fault. The aphids...well, let’s just say that aphids have become the bane of my garden.

My fight against aphids was at its peak with my pea plants. Peas are stubborn, yet delicate in general, which makes caring for them hilarious at best and an exasperation at worst. The June aphid attacks took out several of my pea vines. The July heat was the final death stroke for my first crop. Thankfully, I did managed to harvest several pea pods before their inevitable demise - they were quite tasty. I’ve planted an autumn crop which should show up mid August. Hopefully this time I’ll have more ladybugs around to help me with the evil aphids.

Speaking of unwanted insects, I think a small colony of ants have taken up residence in my camomile. They don’t seem to be hurting the little flowers, but occasionally see them dragging around an aphid or two. No ants have infiltrated the apartment. Cayenne helps keep them out.

Cilantro seems to do really well during the spring. By the end of June, it had started to bloom and I lost the leafy green part that is eaten. I’m hoping to get some seeds out of this travesty.

I’m not sure if my lavender is dead or very slowly coming back. Every day I check and there are little green growths on some of the stems. Only time will tell. My cousin also struggles with her lavender plant. It definitely needs more water than it lets on...and a lot less heat.

I was utterly convinced that I had killed one of my tomato plants until a few days ago I went out and found two new stems growing out of it. Though neither are tall, flowers have started to bloom and I have a small green tomato growing on the healthier plant.

Bachelor buttons are some of my favorite flowers and I am happy they are doing relatively well. I’m not sure why they lean (probably to get more sunlight), but they are lovely. I remove the deadheads once the flowers have begun to dull.

I know I didn’t really talk about the King Tut Papyrus plant. I’ve had him a few years now. He’s doing alright outside, but will again be brought in for winter.

The sage is doing just fine, while the basil seems to be thriving and is by far the easiest herb to work with at the moment. The rosemary is just kind of there. No carrots have yet to shoulder their way through the soil yet. The jalapeño plant is new.

Nothing kills mint...and even when you think it’s dead, it’s not. It will come back. It’ll even find new ways to spread, even when confined to a pot.

It’s not just plants that are a part of my garden, but also bees and other insects come to visit (along with one very stupid wasp). Spiders have found their way around the pots and shelves. They don’t bother me except when they make a giant web on the furniture and I have to evict them. There’s even a beautiful goldfinch who likes to perch on my yellow camomile pot. One day I might get a picture of him.

Gardening, even on a balcony, is a time consuming process that involves a lot of delicate balance. I have to make sure each plant has enough water, but not too much water as I learned with one of my lettuce plants. They need plenty of sunlight, but too much heat is also bad. Some plants might look dead, but are really just figuring things out. Other plants just hate being told what to do. And mint is nearly impossible to kill.

You’ll see a wide variety of wildlife in you plant a garden...some of it will not be welcome. Bees and spiders are your friends, while aphids are the devil’s spawn. Occasionally, you’ll see a creature you weren’t expecting at all.

If you are interested in planting a garden, it’s not too late to start. There are a number of plants that are best planted in the summer for a fall harvest like pumpkins and winter squash. It’s tough and you will likely lose a plant or two (unless it’s mint), but it’s wonderful munching on peas I grew myself or sprinkling Freshly cut basil onto pasta.

Gardening requires a delicate balance of nature and nurture. There’s only so much a person can do if luck isn’t on their side. But it’s a worthwhile hobby.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to Adaptation as Fanfiction

Here's a not so secret fact about me: I enjoy fanfiction.

There's nothing wrong with enjoying fanfiction - sometimes I want to see what other authors think was happening with two background characters while the main characters were ignoring them or sometimes I want to speculate on what happened after the story ended.

Fanfiction is fan taking a work they love and adapting that work into a new story. This is not a new idea and often adaptation is in itself a type of fanfiction. There's a very fine line between what is cannon and what is not cannon and sometimes a work can be removed from the cannon (see any fan arguing about the Star Wars Legends demotion).

I'd argue some of the most popular plays, movies, and TV shows of the past decade could easily fall within the category of fanfiction as well as adaptation.

Hey look, mythological fan art!

For example, Hamilton is a "real person" fanfiction (yes they exist, no I'm not very fond of them, though there are a few I like) as is the movie/play 1776 (though they really do Judge Wilson dirty in 1776). Hadestown is one of my all time favorite plays...and totally an alternate reality version of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Pretty much anything that features Sherlock Holmes is a fanfiction (unless it's a direct story adaptation).

But do these examples really count? Aren't they just adaptations of materials in the public domain or of real events?

Yes and they are also a form of fanfiction.

A Cinderella and historical fiction fanfiction (because Da Vinci is in it)

Go re-watch Hamilton on Disney+ and tell me that Lin-Manuel Miranda isn't a fan of the real historical Alexander Hamilton. He spent 6 years developing that play. His passion had to have been sparked somehow.

Look! More public domain adaptations that are also fanfiction.

Oh Brother Where Art Thou takes a lot of liberties with the plot of The Odyssey, but clearly someone was a big enough fan of the original story to create an alternative universe where George Clooney (as Odysseus) escapes from prison to get back with his wife. It is so blatantly obvious in places, that I -without knowing the movie had any ties to The Odyssey before watching - picked up on the imagery (especially with John Goodman as the cyclops and the sirens scene).

And don't even get me started on anything and everything related to Sherlock Holmes (the original toxic fandom). Watching the old movies where Holmes goes up against the Nazis is trippy because I think of Holmes in the 1880s or 1890s - when there weren't Nazis. Though I admit to a deep fondness for all of the Wishbone adaptations of the books.

However, fanfiction goes even further back than this past century and the insane copyright laws currently in existence - one of many reasons fanfiction has become so prevalent. These works were often held in such regard that they helped change how a society saw the origins of the works.

Shakespeare created several plays about the English Kings (starting with Edward III and ending with Richard III) as this really cool adapted history of his country. These adaptations can also fall into fanfiction territory as Shakespeare had to take many liberties when adapting the narratives into plays. He had to write parts for the actors in his companies, speak to the audience in a way they would understand, and keep his wealthy patrons happy. Henry V didn't have a friend named Sir John Falstaff, he's fictional and also appears in The Merry Wives of Windsor which I'm fairly certain isn't part of the English Kings plays. However, Falstaff was (supposedly) a fan favorite of the audience and is speculated to be based off of a real person (speculations include the actor playing him, but no conclusive evidence exists).

This series of plays by Shakespeare are often seen as helping educate and shape public opinion on English history (particularly where the monarchs are concerned). Henry V is the tragic hero the public needs because he was on the right side of the War of the Roses, while Richard III is a total villain because he was on the wrong side of the war (he also likely murdered his nephews and rightful heirs to the throne, so...).

You guys might not have read the epic poems of Dante's Divine Comedy or John Milton's Paradise Lost, but by the universe you've either heard of them or been exposed to something that has been influenced by them.

 I've seen Paradise Lost referenced by Mary Shelly in Frankenstien, Neil Gainman in Sandman, a scene in the movie Animal House, the Star Trek episode "Space Seed", and more video games and songs than I have space to list. Needless to say, it's popular.

It's also this very long angsty fanfiction about the fallen angel Lucifer and the war between heaven and hell. I wouldn't even call this an adaptation of a Bible story, this is just straight up fanfiction about things that are referenced or barely mentioned in The Good Book.

That goes double for The Divine Comedy. The trilogy is a prime example of self insert fanfiction (written by a good writer) if I ever read such a story. The guy gets to meet his favorite Latin poet, get a VIP tour of hell, puragory, and heaven, damn two Popes to hell (it's complicated), and meets all the whose who of dead guys in 14th century western culture (seriously there are a lot of side conversations that could easily have been skipped over Dante).

This particular work of fiction was so popular by the time's powers at be that it influenced the Christian religion up to, well...now. Half the reason westerners and Christians think of hell the way they do is because of Dante. Heck, who else would have sentenced Marcus Junius Brutus to be eaten for eternity by the devil himself? An Italian with a grudge - that's who.

But you don't have to listen to my arguments for this. Overly Sarcastic Productions on YouTube has a fantastic summary of all three books and why they are the most fanfiction of fanfiction writings in existence that are also held in such high regard. Seriously check out the videos, they're hilarious.

So the next time you bash someone for writing or enjoying fanfiction, just remember that you might be a fan of someone else's fanfiction...that was just given a budget.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to Manga, Graphic Novels, and Comic Books

I love graphic novels, comics, and manga.

They were some of the first books I picked up and enjoyed reading. They seemed to be the natural extension of the picture book - at least that’s what young me thought. There is a lot more nuance to them than picture books.

My first graphic novel or comic book (depending on who you talk to) was my dad’s Asterix books that he had from the 60s. I found them at my grandfather’s house and brought them home to enjoy over and over again. I really liked Cleopatra.

One of my hardcover Asterix books along with Persepolis and a Haunted Mansion comic book. I was surprised by how much I liked the Haunted Mansion book - though the ending is a little abrupt.

Unfortunately, back in the 90s Astrix was almost impossible to find in the US. I had to wait until my dad traveled overseas for him to bring me back a copy...and that was only if he could also find an English book store.

Thankfully by the 2000s, bookstores in the US were starting to import manga and I was able to start collecting Yu Yu Hakusho. Though some of my favorite manga I found at my local library in the form of Kindaichi Mysteries (where you needed to really pay attention to the drawing to help solve the mystery).

One of my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Vol., a collection of Zits (one of my favorite strip comics), and the manga My Brother's Husband about a man meeting his brother-in-law after his twin's death.

I’ve read a lot of manga, graphic novels, and comic books, but my knowledge only really scratches the surface of everything out there. I loved the drawings, the stories, and how easy they were for me to read.

And they were some of the first forms of story telling I wanted to write.

Except writing a graphic novel, manga, or comic is a lot tougher than most other media. Similar to scripts for plays, TV shows, and movies, there are a lot of moving parts to graphic novels, comics, and manga. The script can’t just include dialogue, but details as to what is going on in each panel. Consistency is very important.

Directions also aren’t like what you see in movie and play scripts. See writers aren’t always the artists, so the writers need to describe (in detail) every detail of a scene so that the artists gets it right early...instead of realizing later that the character should have been doing x for five panels when they drew the character doing y.

The script for a graphic novel must be finalized before drawing begins...and once drawing begins, changes are really hard to make unless you want to scrap the entire project. When I’m writing a comic script, I have to be conscious of what can fit on a page and how to build tension for when that page is turned. Knowing how to pull off a good transition is takes a lot of practice.

Then there’s the technique of using the panels themselves for story telling. The size, shape, boarder versus no boarder, and even the space between panels all enhance how the story is told. No boarders might show that time is open ended or extends beyond the boundary set up by the page. In consistent panel sizes or jagged shapes might show a character’s or situations’s instability. The spaces between panels might be neutral to show negative space or might be in dark shades to suggest a dream sequence.

Depending on where a person learns about the art of writing comics can drastically change their styles. I’m more familiar with Japanese and manga techniques as those are the books I read most often and I’ve taken classes on their style. European and American styles tend to have similar styles, but there are notable differences in how backgrounds and static lines are used.

Representing time and movement can be particularly challenging. How do you show a static character running? Panel over panel or with lots of lines or a cloud of dust rising up behind them? How do you slow a scene down to a crawl or build tension? Draw incremental movements within 5 panels then make the reader turn the page?

As more writers and artist collaborate, a mixing of styles has emerged. Which makes writing the scripts even more important.

I’ve written before how comic, graphic novel, and manga story telling can be preferred to more traditional text. Some people don’t have words, only pictures to convey a message. That’s okay.

Writing is art, though not all art is writing. If you’d like to try your hand at writing comics, manga, and graphic novels. I recommend reading the final products as well as the production notes and scripts.

I’ve been writing a webcomic for over 5 years (really just for the hell of it) and I’m still learning as I go. Sometimes I stare at my scripts wondering what the hell I was thinking or picturing. Other times, I forget entirely what it was I was trying to write.

But as my one yoga teacher likes to say - “the joy is in the journey”.

If you really want to write a comic, graphic novel or manga - go for it. Search for advice and take a class. Find out what works best for you.

And this ends my writing series (for now). I’ll be out next week. So I’ll see you next time.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please, like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.