A Week of Parenting Fun: Really Felt Like Summer

Posted on August 20, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

With camp ending last Friday, I had this past week with my son.  So, there wasn’t any writing going on at all.  We were up late (for him) most nights and running around left me tired by the evening.  This means I have half a book left to write, which won’t happen before school starts on the 30th.  Oh well.

I guess it’s easier to do this recap by the day.

Last Saturday

You know, I don’t really remember what we were doing.  I think this was just resting up, but there had to be something.  Maybe it was just errands to get stuff for the rest of the week.  Probably video games too.  Well, there was an art project that my son did in the morning.  Think it was then errands and ‘Pokemon Legends: Arceus’.  That game is going to be mentioned a lot.

Sunday

Father/son trip to the Bronx Zoo.  We get there when it opened and managed to see the entire zoo.  That includes this summer area:

The animatronic dinosaurs had motion sensors, so they would move when people walked into a certain area.  Of course, all the baby animals were a highlight.  We saw baby wild horses, peacocks, great argus, and tree kangaroos.  Probably more, but those are the ones I can remember.

Tree Kangaroo

Overall, it was a fun outing and we made it home in time for dinner.  Vaguely remember that being Chinese food.

Monday

Being out in the heat and walking all day left me barely functional on this day.  The long covid was strong with me this day.  My son was supposed to get his braces, but that got changed around.  So, we did a Princess Peach Lego set and played ‘Arceus’ in the afternoon.  Really my son played while I laid down and gave advice.  It was a necessary low key day.

Tuesday

I felt better and thought it would be a good idea to go for a walk in a nearby preserve.  This place used to be a big landfill, but it was turned into a reserve years ago.  Not a ton of shade and it’s mostly uphill walking.  They have a herd of goats that keep things neat too, which we met up with.  My son reunited with this one goat that tried to eat his hair about 9 years ago.  Saw some lizards and various birds.  The issue was that I pushed myself a bit too much and realized as we neared the second hour that I made a mistake.  We got home in time for lunch and watched the 2009 ‘Sherlock Holmes’.  Then, more ‘Arceus’ before I had to make Penne with Vodka Sauce.

Wednesday

My son had an afternoon appointment, so not much happened.  It was a minor Lego set then an early lunch.  We had to hang around the appointment area after we were done for reasons I can’t disclose.  Made it up to my son by getting Slurpees and then another afternoon of ‘Arceus’.  Our goal of the week was to catch all of the Alpha Pokemon in the unlocked area.  These are bigger, stronger, and more aggressive versions of other Pokemon.  We nearly got destroyed by one and made a panicky retreat.

Thursday

Braces!  The appointment was early afternoon, so we took it easy in the morning.  It was a lot of talking and my son finagled some ‘Arceus’ time before we had lunch.  We watched a bunch of ‘Demon Slayer’, which he’s handling very well.  Finishing that anime tonight and I’m amazed my son, who hates horror, demanded to and made it through the whole thing with only one mild issue.  He doesn’t like jump scares.  Anyway, he got his braces on and that set the stage for the rest of the week.  We got large chocolate shakes, went home for more ‘Arceus’, and brought in Ramen for dinner.  Not the store bought stuff, but restaurant Ramen.  My son had trouble chewing, but he figured it out.

Friday

With the braces on, we took it easy and he worked on another Lego set.  Eating was taking a bunch of time.  We did go out to try to find some pieces for his Halloween costume, which is looking like I’ll have to build from scratch.  People are telling me I can wait until the October, but I have to build a shark-shaped guitar, attach frilly sleeves to a suit jacket, iron on lilies to a pink pair of pants, make a cravat brooch, and connect an afro wig to a top hat that I turn into a golden crown.  Easy, right?  The afternoon was ‘Arceus’ again while I made a stencil and began cutting out cardboard layers for the guitar.

Today

My son goes to his mom’s tomorrow afternoon, so this is our last full day to hang out.  We have family coming over and then going to a friend’s for pool and BBQ. Last of our purchased Lego sets may be made and we need to get some materials for the costume.  It’s already feeling like a weird day.  He’s going to be gone for about 9 days.  Even when he gets home, I’ll have work.  We won’t get to spend real time together until two weeks from today.

Future

I’ve got school starting up on the 30th.  So, I have to get a few things ready like paperwork and getting a haircut.  Of course, I’m going to try to write as much of Darwin & the Avenging Elf as I can.  It looks like I have 12 days to go if I get 3 sections done per day, so I’m hoping to get into Chapter 13 of 16.  I have a few appointments and got invited to a party, which is why I doubt I’ll get any further than that.  Much of it will depend on the long covid and my anxiety too.  No idea what I will watch when I need a break.  I was leaning towards ‘Sandman’, but I heard it was rather violent and I don’t think I’ll be in the right mindset for that this week.

Goals of the week:

  1. Get a haircut
  2. Write more Darwin & the Avenging Elf
  3. Rest up
  4. Do some biking
  5. Buy vegetables and plan out healthy lunches for work.
  6. Get pizza at least one day.
  7. Finish the shark guitar or at least come close.
  8. Swiffer the floor.
Posted in Goal Posts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Travis’s Transformation Berry Farm

Posted on August 19, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Google Image Search

Welcome to the berry farm.  We have all types of fruits that people call berries.  I’m sure someone is going to point out what is and isn’t a berry on our list.  Just know that we’re aware, but that doesn’t change what we do.  Each one can turn you into something different.  Some are specific and others are general.  Here’s a list of what we have on the bush today.  Enjoy and I recommend no grazing.  Don’t want to make a bad combo and lose time while our resident de-transmographer does her work.  Just a friendly warning to you all.

  • Blackberry–  Transform into any nocturnal creature.  Effects wear off at dawn even if eaten during the day.  Clothes will not be changed as well.
  • Raspberry–  Tongue transforms into a long, prehensile organ with a possible version that includes retractable barbs.  Fairly popular with children.
  • Strawberry– Transform into a figure of randomly chosen vapor.  Chances include toxic gas, perfume, spectral vapor, smoke, mist, and acid.  Wind can move you around, but not tear you apart.  Beware of vacuums.
  • Blueberry–  Transform into any blue-skinned fictional character.  Eating multiple blueberries can turn you into an amalgamation of characters.
  • Acai–  Transforms you into a berry-producing plant.  We hold all rights to whatever you sprout, but will leave you with some as thanks.
  • Elderberries–  Transform into an older version of yourself.  One berry adds 10 years with no limits.  Death will not be caused by these berries, but you may not like what it feels like to 200.
  • Cloudberries–  Transform into a bird.  No downside, but kiwis, ostriches, emus, penguins, and other flightless birds are possibilities.
  • Cranberries–  Turns a person into a zombie for a day.  Cannot transmit the infection or choose type of zombie.  Popular with students who have tests.
  • Lingonberries–  Transform into a rabbit.  We don’t know why, but it’s what these berries do.
  • Red and Black Currants–  Fingers transform into sprinklers with each one having a different type of spray.  Cannot be turned off.  Popular with gardeners, housewives, and spring breakers.
  • Gooseberries–  Transform into a were-goose complete with bad attitude.  Useful for handling problematic neighbors and door-to-door annoyances.
  • Goji Berries– Transform into a dog for a full day.  No ability to speak and you need to provide your own tags.  Remember local leash laws.
  • Grapes–  Physical abilities increase as you get angrier and more wrathful.  Your body will become bigger and more ogre-like.
  • Loganberries–  Transform into a syrupy ooze that stains things red.  Your skin will remain this color for one week after turning back.
  • Mulberries–  Transform eyes into special lenses that can see various light wavelengths.  It can cause hallucinations.
  • Salmonberries– Transform into a fish.  Best to do when near a large body of water for breathing and in case of large shark form.
  • Boysenberries–  Heads is transformed into that of a poisonous animal complete with venom sacs.  Created due to use thinking they were called Poisonberries.  Too popular to discontinue.
Posted in Olde Shoppe Stories | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

MINI VACATIONS FOR WRITERS

Posted on August 19, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Hi SEers! Denise here to talk about taking mini vacations away from writing. Sometimes, I draw a blank. Not necessarily writer’s block because the …

MINI VACATIONS FOR WRITERS
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Poetry Day: Bully of the Holidays

Posted on August 18, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Yahoo Image Search

(Not my best poem.  This was definitely an early one.  I stand by what it’s talking about though.  Not sure what I meant by the 3rd and 4th lines.  Oh, Labor Day!  Got it.  Don’t think I knew how that holiday worked when I wrote this.)

It has devoured the poor turkey

And smashed the jack o’lanterns.

Taking earnings from the workers

On their single day of honor.

Slipping into firework shows

As if it is right around the corner.

Soon it will be with soldiers

On the days we bless their acts.

Assassinating birthdays

Of our great leaders of the past.

A savage skinning of its brother

The bunny had no chance.

Clothed in green with hints of red

It will drink with Irish fervor.

Absorbing the day of love

That so closely shares its greed.

Nobody will ever notice

When it cooks the oracle hog.

All minor days will fall with ease.

This bully has no heart.

A mutant of its former self.

Merry Christmas all year long.

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Questions 3: Perfect Vacation

Posted on August 17, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Captain Jean Luc Xavier 😀

Summer is a time for vacations.  At least if you can afford one both in terms of money and time.  This year isn’t seeing a big trip from me because of other expenses, which has me thinking.  Where would I like to go?  It would definitely be a father/son trip.  I’d love to take my son to Yellowstone to see the park.  Maybe Georgia where the aquarium has a whale shark.  I don’t know of any video game meccas within the United States and I don’t think he’d be able to handle a long flight to another country.  Still, these are all pipe dreams.  It’s certainly nice to have those.  Let’s see what everyone else is dreaming up these days:

  1. Where would you go on your dream vacation?
  2. Who would you go with?
  3. What is the one souvenir you’d bring back from this trip?
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Teaser Tuesday: The Magical Mayhem of Darwin

Posted on August 16, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Google Image Search

Try as I might, I can’t avoid showing what Darwin is capable of.  I talk about the chaos he can create, but I don’t believe I’ve put up a scene where you see him in action.  The chase kind of showed it, but that was nothing compared to his true antics.  To be fair, Darwin doesn’t mean to make messes.  They just tend to happen.

Continue reading →

Posted in Slumberlord Chronicles, Teaser Tuesday | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Is Racial Homogenization in Fantasy a Problem?

Posted on August 15, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

DnD Races

First, what is racial homogeneity?  This is when a neighborhood, city, town, or country has only one race or group.  In the real world, this would be an area that has only Jews or Italians or Jamaicans.  No other groups live in the areas.  At least noticeably and with any real power.  Might be a few outside individuals, but the areas are considered racial homogenous.

Now, how does this relate to fantasy?

Throughout the history of the genre, authors have used racial homogeneity.  This goes back to LOTR where you had humans, dwarves, elves, hobbits, orcs, etc. all neatly divided into their own kingdoms.  Think about it.  Was there any place in Middle Earth that was really diverse?  No because this division was done both culturally and geographically in a way that we still see today.  That would be:

  • Elves in forests
  • Dwarves in mountains
  • Humans in big cities and suburbs
  • Hobbits/halflings in country sides
  • Orcs in swamps and volcanic regions

These are some of the greatest tropes of fantasy and they work off racial homogeneity.  It can be explained as opposing cultures that don’t trust each other or lack the ability to function together.  A big difference between reality and fantasy is that you are working with separate races instead of different flavors of human.  This is why people don’t really question the practice.  It makes sense for elves and dwarves to not want to live together, so they stay away or only pass through.  They’re just too different on a biological level even if they got over their cultural differences.

Personally, I find this to be a major cop out.  You can have kingdoms and cities that are racial homogeneous.  It’s just weird to have them be divided across the globe with no overlapping.  None of these races have an interest in making a town where they can live together?  There’s no cultural diffusion where they swap ideas and technology, which would increase the chances of such a region?  Of course, this is undone by having the races hate and distrust each other on some level.  At best, they’ll trade for stuff while continuing to keep their distance.  As an author this makes it easier to demonstrate the various cultures, but it feels rather stunted to me.

One big reason this has seemed odd to me is because half-elves exist.  That right there shows there aren’t genetic connections between at least two races.  Authors have had other crossbreeds while maintaining their racial homogeneity.  These characters tend to be treated as outcasts because they don’t truly belong to either group.  Never signs that these races may have more in common than they realize.  Interracial marriage and relationships are how the homogenous cultures and societies are broken down to be more inclusive, but fantasy authors really fight against this at times.  Not consciously, but you can see that it doesn’t happen nearly as often as it should given the love of half-breeds.

Thinking about Windemere, I realized that I didn’t do a ton of racial homogeneous cities and regions.  Sea elves, winged elves, and chaos elves had their own locations because nobody else could or would live in their areas.  Regular elves live among other kingdoms with no place to call their own.  There’s Nevra Coil, which is mostly gnomes, but it was a new city and I plan on having it be more diverse the next time it’s visited.  Darwin’s hometown of Goldmeadow might be it since it’s all halflings out in the country.  I wanted him to be a little sheltered, but he still seems to know a lot about the different races even though there weren’t any who lived in his village.  Even the nobility of my world may have a combination of races as long as it isn’t a family lineage.  After reading about this subject, I think I’ll try harder to be more diverse too.

My reason for doing this to Windemere is the same reason why I have a single pantheon and don’t have a lot of racism in my world.  There have been so many global catastrophes in Windemere that the races eventually became closer.  You have individuals and groups who don’t go along with that, but the majority don’t.  This is because they’ve had to unite against common enemies multiple times.  After doing that, I found it silly for them to go back to see each other as adversaries.  The Great Cataclysm, the Hejinn, crashing of the magical plane into the physical, Baron Kernaghan, and other events pushed the races of Windemere to the brink of extinction.  At some point, they had to realize that they may have to unite again and some positive connections are needed.  That or they’re all in the same boat regardless of cultural and racial differences.  It’s a really difficult mindset to explain because it’s nothing like what us real humans live with.

So, what do you think about racial homogeneity?

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The Kagu: Last of the Rhynochetos

Posted on August 14, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

First, Rhynochetos is this genus of this animal.  Second, the Kagu is a bird, which might have thrown a few people off if they didn’t see the pictures.  I don’t even remember how I stumbled onto this one.

The Kagu are found in the mountain forest of New Caledonia and there are only between 1,500 to 2,000 left in the wild.  This is actually a rise in numbers after they got into the 250-375 range years ago.  Clearly, these birds are highly endangered and the reasons are:

  • Hunting for the European pet trade and museums.
  • Invasive species such as cats, dogs, pigs, and rats.  The first two ate the adults and the other two ate their eggs.  New Caledonia actually had no mammals, except for bats, until outsiders introduced these species.
  • Naturally occurring heavy metals in the soil.  Populations in areas with this problem laid fewer eggs than those in areas with low heavy metal levels.
  • Habitat destruction as usual.

So, what are these birds like?  They are long-legged and look similar to egrets even though they’re in their own family.  Kagu have large wings, but they are practically flightless.  The wings are used to distract and scare off predators from attacking their babies.  These wings also help with balance, which allows it to run really fast through the forest.  This is part of the reason they are called ‘ghosts of the forests’ . . . Yeah, I know the Okapi has that nickname too.  There can be multiple ghosts of the forest, especially if they have different territories.

Kagu only have one chick per year, which doesn’t help their population issues.  Both parents are involved in raising the chick too.  Kagu are very patient, which helps them with teaching their young how to survive.  It also helps them with hunting as they will stand still waiting for prey for long periods of time before striking.

Let’s get to some Google Image pictures and videoes:

Posted in Animal Posts | Tagged , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Goal Post: First Day of the Post-Camp Break

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Where to even begin with this week?

Leaving the personal drama out, I made it about halfway through before my body decided it had enough.  My mind agreed and proceeded to get distracted by shiny objects as long as I wasn’t driving.  Needless to say, I wasn’t that productive after Wednesday.  Why I thought I would be is beyond my comprehension.   So, what exactly took the wind from my sails?

It really came down to Tuesday and Wednesday requiring a lot more activity than I’ve done all summer.  These were the days I had to go into work for special training, which was a lot of fun.  My brain was iffy on the first day because of the heat and I had a rough night’s sleep.  Still, I absorbed as much as I could and processed it when I gained some time later.  Tuesday also required that I wander around stores for 2 hours before I could pick up my son from camp.  He was just down the block from my school, so it was pointless to go home.  Too hot to hang out in the car too.  Shopping didn’t go as smoothly as I would have liked though. Target isn’t as great as it used to be.  Barnes & Noble was good though.

I was kind of lucky that I didn’t have to pick my son up on Wednesday since that was his mom’s day.  So, I was able to head right home after training.  Well, I had to go back to Target to get what my son requested using a his birthday gift card.  After that it was home to write . . . I passed out for an hour on my bed.  Then, I wrote . . . I went grocery shopping and got pizza for dinner.  After all of that, I definitely . . . gave up on trying to write and worked on a ‘Witcher’ puzzle until I fell asleep.

Unfortunately, pushing myself for two days without really resting resulted in my Thursday being severe brain fog. This was supposed to be my 3-section day.  I got 1 section done in the morning before my mind just gave up.  Tried to play a video game after that, but got motion sickness, which was a sign that I was really out of it.  I tried to rest up, but only had enough time to get another section done on Friday.

My goal to get 4 chapters of Darwin & the Avenging Elf done ended up being 3.5.  Not bad, but it leaves me with more than half of the book left.  At a 3-section per day rate, it would take me 12 days.  That’s not happening with long Covid.  I might get a little done this week if my son decides to play with his friend, but that’s a long shot.  Either way, I’m looking at it taking all of September to finish this book.  Maybe longer if I find myself too exhausted to write after work and then helping my son with homework.  It shouldn’t be that bad if I can get within 2-3 chapters of the finale before school starts, but it looks like it will be closer to 4-5.  Really hope my September weekends aren’t too crazy, which might not be the case.

This has been a big part of my frustration lately.  I had a great plan to finish 2 books this summer and gave myself a cushion of about 2.5 weeks.  Things just didn’t work out and now I’m nervous about having another school year where I can’t go near my books.  The thought of having to wait 10 months to finish this story makes me physically ill.  Getting back into the swing of things after last year took a while and I still have severe bouts of feeling like a hack when I finish.  Working with brain fog doesn’t help that matter and has resulted in a few weeping bouts.  Maybe I’ll figure out a way to at least do some outlining during my break periods.

Can’t really think of anything else that was exciting.  My son had his last week of camp, so I get all of this coming week with him.  We’re going to the zoo tomorrow, but that’s the extent of our solid plans.  Video games, Lego sets, art projects, walks in parks, and everything else aren’t really planned.  He’s supposed to get braces too, which is going to be an event.  He’s nervous and I’m doing my best to keep him calm about it.  Promised him Penne with homemade vodka sauce on that day.  We’ll get ice cream before coming home too.  Knew this day was coming eventually, so I’m prepared for it.

Television-wise, I haven’t done anything new.  Still working through a rewatch of ‘That Time I was Reincarnated as a Slime’ and I don’t know what to start after that.  I keep trying to think of any live action stuff, but my mind comes up blank.  Think I don’t have the focus for hour long shows too.  I need to take refocusing breaks every 2 episodes of an anime, so it would probably take a long time to get through longer things.  Can’t really think of any interesting shows beyond ‘Umbrella Academy’ either.

I did watch ‘Prey’, which is the new Predator movie.  Is it better than the original?  No, but it wasn’t boring.  I liked most of the characters and the plot was straightforward.  The effects were good aside from some of the CGI animals looking really off.  The Predator felt like a true menace, but also a thinking, evolving being.  Not the smartest one of the species, but I got a sense that it was supposed to be more instinct than cunning.  I was a little curious how they would have the main character face the Predator since she’s not as big as Arnold.  They did a good job showing how she could hold her own simply by using her speed, agility, and smarts.  Of course, she wasn’t immediately badass and worked her way up to it.  I genuinely can’t remember the last time I saw a hero who stumbled and grew during an adventure instead of starting off and remaining perfect.  Anyway, I’d recommend it.

Goals of the week?

  1. Time with son.
  2. Sleep when he’s not around, so I have energy to spend time with son.
Posted in Goal Posts | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Can a Tower Princess Be Strong?

Posted on August 12, 2022 by Charles Yallowitz

Rapunzel

Another big trope that has been loathed by many is the ‘Tower Princess’.

While not always involving a tower, this is a female character who has been locked up.  She is the prize for the male hero after he finishes his quest.  Various changes have been made such as a prince being locked up or the ‘Tower Princess’ escaping from bonds under her own power.  Both methods have been done so much that one could say they’ve become tropes.  This results in people simply avoiding having any female character who is helpless and in need of aide, especially from a man.

First, let’s be honest.  There are men and women out there who are helpless unless they get help from a stronger individual.  So, the ‘Tower Princess’ concept does have real-life examples even if we like to pretend they don’t exist.  This still doesn’t make it a great idea to have a woman as a prize.  Not unless you want to get a lot of backlash for both sexism and unoriginality.  So, is there any way to have a ‘Tower Princess’ shown in a positive light while still having a male hero?

It’s a tough challenge because you’re going to have people hating the concept as soon as they see it.  They won’t give it a chance and go in with a closed mind.  After all, the differences will be more subtle than a gender bend or removal of a male hero.  Yet, there are some ways to demonstrate that this woman isn’t really helpless.  There are a few things she can do even if she can’t escape.  It simply requires that you show what she is up to from time to time instead of staying solely with the male hero.

  1. Strength–  This is easier to demonstrate than one would think.  I’m not talking about physical strength, but mental and emotional.  A ‘Tower Princess’ can hold onto hope and sanity in the face of abuse and isolation.  Being unable to free herself, she can fight to hold out until rescue or finding an opening to do it herself.  Defiant behaviors in the face of trauma doesn’t have to be solely for the adventuring hero.  I’d say a story of captivity is where one would need to see such endurance demonstrated.  This makes the ‘Tower Princess’ more than a prize since they now have some influence over their own fate.
  2. Smarts/Cunning–  A ‘Tower Princess’ doesn’t have to sit around doing nothing beyond sleeping, eating, and bathing.  They may take some action to make a rescue or escape more likely.  I’m not talking about Rapunzel and her hair, but things that will help the approaching hero.  For example, throwing spoiled food into the moat to make the monster sick or making it so that the drawbridge cannot be lifted.  Leaving a back door unlocked at all times can help too.  Much of it depends on how they’re contained and the distance they can travel around the tower.  Show that they’re creative and somewhat proactive even if they still need to be rescued.
  3. Sharp Tongue–  This only works if the ‘Tower Princess’ has to constantly interact with her abductors.  It doesn’t even help in her escape or rescue, but it goes back to the strength concept.  A sharp tongue is what many people see as a sign of an unbroken will.

As you can see, these are more general categories.  The specifics are up to the author because they can change depending on the scenario.  A solitary tower with a dragon guarding it will have less to work with than a citadel guarded by a warlord and his semi-loyal soldiers.  The point is to not always toss out a trope because it’s typically shown with little change and in a negative light.  There’s always a way to change it up without flipping it entirely on its head.

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