derrick_mace

For the first time, I sat through the entire first movie of Twilight.

I can't comment about what I saw. After seeing any movie/reading any book, I have a space-out period...the time is proportional to the movie/book's awesomeness.

After reading Lord of the Rings: Return of the King I had about the whole day walking around and rambling in the porch, not saying anything in particular. Same thing happened with many good movies or good books. The same even happens for good games (like Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which kept me up two days, or Twilight Princess, which kept me up for a day).

I'm in this period because of Twilight. I don't think it'll take long. Eragon's period (once I finished the first brick) took me half an hour.

So I can't really criticize something after I sat through it till the ending.

So I'll post my review later. If I get up to it.

It's not very good though.

This has been way overdue. I apologize to the readers. This was half-done a while ago, but I didn't write up the rest because of other focuses.
( This chapter is quite long. )

Clarification: I don't want to be heavy-handed here. I don't doubt your intelligence, dear reader, so I removed a few lines that were too heavy-handed. It's more casual this way.

This post is mostly dedicated to Ielas.

He's my Gardevoir, obviously. He's been with me since Pokemon Sapphire came out. Ever since I knew that there was a psychic Pokemon at the very beginning of the game, I rushed out to catch it. I remember a few years ago staying awake late at night with 30+ Pokeballs and frequent visits to the Pokecenter to continue my rabid hunt for a Ralts.

Regardless, since my Pokemon Sapphire edition was stolen, I got a Ralts once I was able to in Diamond. I spent days breeding Livesaver (convenient name for a mother Gardevoir, eh?) and a nameless male Gardevoir. I don't remember his name. Regardless, I spent days hunting for a Modest natured Ralts. Soon enough, Ielas appeared.

I'm burning with rage here.

Really pissed.

Why?

It's the Sword of Truth...again.

I'm halfway through, but I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. I almost tossed my IPhone against the wall, and I never want to read this again. Still, I feel like a pathetic unprofessional idiot if I don't finish it, so I WILL READ THIS.

It's so damn preachy--Richard is so...he's getting every possible advantage by the writer--just look at his perceptions (identical to reality, by the way). His opinion is spot-on and everything is out to get him because "You are a [positive adjective] man, Richard Cypher."

What the HELL is with that last name? Talk about blending in a fantasy environment with some piece of crap like Cypher. I even see Eragon 'Bromsson' better, even though he ripped it off Norse culture.

I swear, this book is going the extra mile to piss me off. Zedd's teachings/gifts/items Richard has are like Dues Ex Machina waiting to happen, and I've begun to consider Richard being a Dues ex Machina. Is there any genuine character/romance/action?

Books aren't written this way! I can't even be coherent and professional in this review because I'm so appalled by this piece of published shit.

Since I believe that the best way to know a culture is to listen to their jokes, here is some things that show how tired and tiring the people of the sister nation Egypt are.

Note that I'll try to translate the joke the best I can, but...

Anyway, here we go.



# It is said that 87% of the people are pissed at the government. What is your comment?

- The other 13% are from other nationalities.

# Do you have any relatives who are martyrs of war?

- No, I have relatives who martyred in peace...98 peace, of course.

# How close is government security to the high dam?

- They're both a source of 'electricity'.

# Why do Egyptian men call their wives 'the government'?

- It's hard to change them when a disaster strikes.

*translator note: "Or continues to strike."

# When can you feel like the country is beautiful?

- I never feel it's beautiful except when Dalila sings, 'Beautiful, my country'...regardless of the fact that she said that and committed suicide...

# What's the biggest difference between Egypt and America?

- Tourism returns from the fake pyramid in Las Vegas is higher than tourism returns from the real pyramid in Jaiza.
*translator note: They do prefer that spelling.

# What's the most important rule in Egypt?

- There is no rule for anything.

# What will you answer, as an Egyptian, when you're asked: What did you do with your life?

- I spent it on three things; the traffic jams of the Nile Palace, waiting for it to open; in Sala' Salam waiting for him to move; and at the October Bridge waiting for the prime minister goes home.

*translator note: Obviously, most of the time at his car. XD

# Who benefits from the all the traffic in Cairo downtown?

- Mobile companies, and then the Traffic Ministry.

* translator note: Mostly because calling people is better than doing nothing.

# What's the difference between the Egyptian wife and the Lebanonian wife?

- 40 kilos.

* translator note: That's 80 pounds. xD

# What's the worst possible phrase you can hear when in the operation room?

- What a loss.

Here's the third and last part of chapter three. Chapter Three: Sentiency is pretty long, and it's a tie-up to the end.

A few things here:

I really appreciate the 108 spirits message from Fluffy_Kururu. It did a lot to design the theme.

I really try a lot to flesh out the characters as best I can. I can't help but think of Saif as a relentless snarker, Catalina as an impatient practical girl, Mina as giddy-yet-serious-at-times, Mark as ye generic angry character. While I do like this, I'm trying not to stick to these by the letter. I just want to know how genuine and honest the characters feel. Take time criticizing.

Oh, and there's this:
Pokemon aren't as common in this world as one thinks. They're more or less uncommon to see. That's why trainers are quite rare. There are also real-life animals here also, and they have ecological relations with Pokemon as well.

Why am I overworking myself?

Last thing:
I don't think it's acceptable in any case for Pokemon (especially young/small Pokemon) to be able to use the moves Earthquake, Flamethrower, Surf, or any mid-high level moves.

Enjoy!

I think it's a growing trend where Forgotten Path's chapters will be split into two pieces. There is a reason for this, and it's mainly a mental issue.

Anyway, here is part two.

( There is a prose change as well. Also has a reason. )

No, this is not random.

This is actually a thing I'm working on. World building for food.

But first there's this:

I've been slacking off Retribution for a reason--there's something I can't tell.

Wow, that wasn't helpful.

But hey, at least I didn't wholly forget about it.

I'm not a sniper writer. I lose track of what I'm writing. I think I do better with many short stories than little long ones.

But anyway, food.

After a lot of research, I've found the best food types suitable for Atarnor!

Bread.

No, not only bread. It's a lot of stuff with bread.

Here's some.

Wheat bread buns filled with meat, pepper and pickles--There are variations like bread&cheese, bread&rice, bread&lemon-soaked-lettuce, and I didn't come up with a name yet. It's mostly half-baked bread, with half-warmed filling put in the middle, and then folded up and heated again. The result is temporarily warm, but always soft inside.

Now my mouth is watering.
THE PROSPECTS!

There's also this. It's like a mix of curry and gravy, with half-baked dough plunged into the mix during cooking, so the bread is cooked while the mix/curry is being cooked. It comes out a little thick and squishy -the bread-.

There's also this small snack. I didn't come up with a name yet (this is a growing trend), but it's prepared with something that looks like a cupcake pan. It's like a sandwich that is made of the following:

1- First layer is -again- half-baked wheat bread.
2- Second layer are mostly fruits,
3- Third layer is mostly composed of sweet spices,
4- the last layer is another layer of bread.
It's all tossed into an iron-clay oven (the fires come from the sides as usual, but are also spread on the top), and then pulled out with a giant spoon.

So that's most of it. I couldn't think of anything else before writing this down.

Enjoy.

Since Forgotten Paths' world is more based than Pokemon manga than Pokemon anime, there could be a few things that are a little out of place for the latter, but could be bewildering for the anime, while being normal in the manga.

Less sentient Pokemon are sometimes used as food.

Wild pokemon are pretty wild. Safari wild, and not "I'll wait my turn to fight you" wild.

There are more aesthetic differences between genders and regions. For instance, the gardevoir from Hoenn are slimmer, can't endure physical punishment well, but are stronger psychically than Sinnoh gardevoir. Male gardevoir have wider shoulders and the dress part is cropped to the sides, longer at the back. I would post an illustration if I had a working scanner *glares at the broken scanner*.

Gym badges must be earned within a year of the journey's start.
Gym badges are used once to enter the end-of-the-year Pokemon Championships, sponsored by the Pokemon League.
Gym badges are given back to the Pokemon League by the end of each year of training. You don't keep them.

Ghost pokemon aren't friendly at all. It takes a lot of effort and time to get close to one, though the process is easier if one owns a ghost pokemon in the first place.
Psychic pokemon are infamous for causing disqualifications and for damaging their trainers.
Dark pokemon moves give an effect on the environment around them and frequently give permanent scars on their enemies, and thus many moves are banned in official battles.


That's pretty much all the world building here.
Wow, it's much easier working on established canon.

Here's chapter two: Unreality.

So far, writing this is much easier than writing Forgotten Paths...the first one, of course. There are a lot of good themes and nice magic tricks coming up here. Of course, there is some softcore horror here, but nothing too serious. I hope all characters did a good job showing what kind of people they are.

Edit: Another note: here's a good music file to hear while reading. It goes along with the theme.

( Unreality )

Yeah, I have a math exam made by the roughest, toughest and hardest-to-please examiners in the entire region. Even though it's just algebra, I'm afraid; these people can mess with your mind...they're evil.

And it's in two hours.

Ok, short things just to say, before I forget (that tends to happen), and to get them off my chest quick.

Erm...

Fluffy_Kururu, I have a few questions that I'll message to you regarding a few Japan/Chinese Issues I've read.
Lenka, thanks for the links to the (stuff). I'm very thankful.
Lccorp, MA is getting better with each read, but maybe this will appeal to critics more than the enlightened masses. I'll have more comments ready when we talk over MSN, hopefully.

That's mostly it. Pretty worried.

Now there are a few new projects:
( LJ Cut... )
And while I'm still able to type, here's the premise of Forgotten Paths, which takes place in Sinnoh, though I hate that region and prefer Hoenn or Kanto.
(Forgotten Paths is an old fanfiction I quit writing about a year or two ago)

No, wait. That's it, it's taking place in Hoenn.

Argh...but there are too many things in Sinnoh I need...

Curses. I hate Sinnoh, and it's making me hate it even more by forcing me to do this.

I'll post the premise later.

'ell no. I'm posting it now.
Warning: This is very cheesy for the first few sentences, and then my prose'll kick in.


The world of Pokemon is a vast world filled with many wonder and mystery.
Throughout the years, Pokemon have been pets, friends, and sometimes comrades. The Pokemon League has always overseen the welfare of Pokemon and set strict rules for trainers worldwide.
Soon, the Pokemon League will celebrate its five hundredth anniversary, initiating celebrations far and wide.
However, even this honorable, historic and legendary organization has its secrets.
Near the historic Lake Valor in Sinnoh, a team of disqualified young Pokemon League Masters retire, just to witness an event that would fling the doors to the past open off its hinges, as the Pokemon League crumbles to let free what it imprisoned.


Yeah, it's still real cheesy. Still worth the fun fixing the crap I did with the old one.

Just read this news piece.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8347969.stm?lsf

And now this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8345944.stm

What would you feel, dear reader, when your parents leave your country as immigrants to another country. You are born and raised in this new land, and join its army, suffering because of your parent's origin.

And imagine being deployed against your people.

I would crack at that as well.

This is so sad.

I apologize, dear readers for the very infrequent updates, and as well as no illustrations of my world building to Anorian Legends.

Here is the reason:

I did a complete revamp of the plot, and I erased everything I did. Good enough, this places me in a good position to develop my prose even more, and while I blew up the previous plot, I could still pick up pieces and stretch them to make way for sub plots.

Now, to why I'm so busy these days:

I'm reading Wizard's First Rule of the Sword of Truth series.

I know I stated this before, but I haven't finished it yet. It's quite long, and I think that tossing the book against the wall does add some more time into the process.

Very short thoughts into the series so far, since I've hit the middle end of the book:

Very preachy on right, wrong, evil and perspectives, yet gritty enough to balance shit out without clanking it down too much.
Horrible prose. The prose isn't artistic in any way, and add that to the heavy purple prose and you have something a Lord of the Rings reader Does. Not. Like.
The plot is quite standard, although there are too much Chekhov's Guns that you'd think it's a military base. Not only are Chekhov's Guns not even guns (Iike books, wizard cards or even rings) by nature (but trivial things like a tooth and an apple), but they aren't even pointed out seriously before needed (and brought) by the INTELLIGENT! protagonist Richard.

But I admit: The Chekhov's guns are used intelligently, though it is frustrating; Harry Potter pulled it off much better.

Characters are preachy, and have a poor sense of time. The antagonist should file a lawsuit on the author, since he's been completely robbed of any chance of Antagonist Sympathy, since:
1- He steals little boys to give to his friend pedophile.
2- He is completely inhuman who kills people for laughing at him.
3- He is a mental manipulator who can brainwash little kids to hating their families and societies and sacrificing them, eventually eating their balls because the author gave him none.

But hey, this is the antagonist, we have to hate him, so here's a pass...

Even though I like antagonists who could be -in other circumstances- friends to the protagonist.

So back I go to reading.

I hope I don't rip the book apart near the end...By God, if I could remove the purple prose I could thin the book to 500 pages from 800+.

Since I formatted my computer and lost my scanning program, I'm just putting this post as a placeholder.

I made some illustrations in my free time of mostly Dardeep, mostly ranging from environment to technology, as well as a few dabs on architecture (which I'm not very good at). This placeholder will keep things fresh in my mind; feel free not to read this.

Picture one:
A Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth screenshot designed with World Builder program. Gives an impression of Dardeep.

Picture two:
Army technology, ranging from automatic crossbows, based primarily on the Chinese liánnǔ, otherwise known as a Repeating Crossbow, save this is quite larger and the magazine is broader; such to allow for broad-headed arrows (not designed to combat humanoids).
There is also a much larger ballista version of this.

Picture three:
Atarnor canons and canon stands, that come mostly with levers to control altitude when in cities.

Picture four:
Atarnor land army standard soldier body armor (male).

Picture five:
Dardeep land army standard soldier body armor (male).

Picture six:
Tharnil Boat illustrations.

Picture seven:
Tharnil rebels' illustrations (male).

Picture eight:
Dardeep royalty attire (female)

Picture nine:
Dardeep army high-ranked uniform (male)

Picture ten:
Atarnor chemistry rooms (Arrious makes an cameo here; he's the one boiling things).

Picture eleven:
Dardeep spires.


All in all, it'll take some time until I polish them up and fix my problem here (I'm using the scanner as a platform for my laptop since it's healthier to use it this way...or something).

Expect to see them in a few days: No more than a week, though I'm afraid to promise.

I've ranted on this far enough, so in turn, I feel obligated to show you, dear reader, of how I see the Lich King of duel entities, but mostly the part of Arthas within.
( Another Rant... )

I think I'll be pulling these posts up every year, just to put under light what deserves it most.
These are links to a few notable posts regarding few things before, so that you, dear reader, won't have to unearth them to read them properly. I do you this service because I feel it is most fitting the general atmosphere, and it is also beneficial to myself, whenever I am bored to tears.

( Interesting, as I would deem )