Nerdy Obsessions (Spoilers abound)

These have been getting less and less frequent up to the point that I forgot how things work with these posts. Luckily for me, I remembered pretty quick. Welcome to my Nerdy Obsessions of this current point in my life!

Now you're probably thinking. Oh, my Gawd so much has happened what juicy stuff will he be sharing with us! Is he going to talk about Crisis on Infinite Earths? Oh my god! That show was so good! Oh! Or Batwoman! Batwoman! Scribbles you had to see Batwoman right?

I am not going to be spending too much time on the Crisis or Batwoman because I haven't seen them yet. I am only obsessing over the things that I know. Apologies. I am not going to fake my way through geeking out and will instead just tell you about things I do know.

A new area of geekdom has been recently uncovered for me, and that area is actually the wonderful world of anime! For those of you who do not know, anime is a Japanese style of animation for film or tv style shows. And oh boy, I sure do love it. I have been going slowly, watching certain animes episode by episode and trying to finish some of the ones I have started, but come onnnnn. There are so many good looking ones on the anime app I use, Funimation!!!!

Funimation! A fun place where you can watch anime for free, but only with the app on your phone! You can get access to the animes themselves in English or Japanese with subtitles. THIS BLOG POST IS NOT SPONSORED.

My favorite so far has to be Danganronpa! Danganronpa is a video game series, which has been made into two (and possibly other) animes, that follows groups of high school students who are forced into a killing game that is led by a talking bear named Monokuma, and a secret mastermind lurking in the darkness. These students are trapped with the threat of never getting out and tempted into murder by different motives all while everyone tries to survive and find the killers so they can be brought to justice and executed. Because if someone gets away with the perfect crime, everyone else gets executed and the killer wins the game. 

CAUTION: THIS GAME IS NOT FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 DUE TO LANGUAGE AND GORE, AND I AM PRETTY SURE THE ANIME IS SIMILAR. BUT I AM NOT SURE SO WATCH OUT BUCKAROOS!

I saw the new Little Women and the English major in me loved every second of it, until my mom turned to me and joked with me saying "Now that's a real writer." I was so mad. >.< Not much else to say about the movie though. It was an excellent rehash of the source material. I did cry.

The CW is stepping things up this year not just with the crisis, but with it's newer Nancy Drew series. Again. There needs to be a lot of caution, especially in the first few episodes as there is some adult content. If you do want to watch the show and you can't wait for it to come out on Netflix, it's on the CW app. 

This Nancy Drew series shows a reluctant former mystery solver pushed back into the world of mystery when she and her acquaintances get roped into a murder investigation where they all could be suspects. But each one has a reason to look sketchy. And why does everything seem to have something to do with Nancy's dead mother and a bloody wedding dress?

This show takes Nancy Drew at the heart and portrays the story in a Riverdale-like light. Nancy is not the innocent girl we remember. Ned Nickerson is an ex-convict with a startling connection to the victim. George is Nancy's supervisor who completely hates her guts. Bess is a city girl with a huge secret. And then there is Ace, a character that seems to be exclusive to the CW show. The season has one overarching mystery with several tiny ones strewn out in between them. The season is still going so if you can, catch it on the CW or watch it on the app!

Batwoman. The trailer looks pretty amazing, and from what I have seen of her, Ruby Rose is killing the role. The premise of the show seems interesting, and it brings Batman into the universe. I have to watch it.

There may be some spoilers in this post below here! BE WARNED. I will try to keep as much as I know hidden and not spoiled.

Yep. You guessed it. SEGWAY into CRISIS. The nerd in me really wants to go dive into research and just figure out the plot. But instead, I limited myself to easter eggs and BOOOOOOY. Did I find some easter eggs. As you can guess, in a DC show, the amount of easter eggs you can put in is pretty cool. Except why settle on easter eggs when you can just get a full-on cameo. I am talking about an old CW show hero that made an appearance in Crisis. Superman himself. Tom Welling comes back as a  depowered Superman to give Smallville fans some closure after that ending over seven or eight years ago. And while it's a bit of a bummer, it closes that chapter nicely I feel. It definitely made me scream. Tom isn't the only one who reprised his role as Superman. Legends cast member, Brandon Routh, donned the cape again to play a Kingdom Come version of Superman. Wonderful, right? But I bet you have been thinking. Man. Superman is here. Where the heck is... 

Batman. You were gonna say, Batman. We got the voice of Bruce Wayne/Batman from all the animated films, Kevin Conroy, in the cape and cowl as Kingdom Come Batman... Sort of. I am going to let you guys find out for yourself. But it is still so nice to see a flesh and blood Batman rather than another reference. Now, of course, there were cameos from other shows and movies that were mere clips, but there might have been a part you didn't recognize that I found was a nice little reference thrown in there.

Birds of Prey, the 2002 Warner Brothers TV series surrounding Barbara Gordon and her team including a telepath and Batman and Catwoman''s love child, had a fair amount of screentime in Crisis. Ashley Scott reprised her role as Helena Kyle in a post-apocalyptic Gotham. It was actually really cool to see a show that isn't as talked about in nerd circles get such a long cameo and you might not have understood it if you saw it. I know I didn't. I had to go googling to find out. There are also cameos from other DC related franchises including Burt Ward, who played Dick Grayson in Batman '66 aside Adam West, Ezra Miller the DCEU Flash, Tom Ellis's Lucifer, and the cast of Stargirl.

Oh? What's that? There's not an old show named Stargirl?
OH! Well GUESS WHAT? It's a new show! Coming soon to the Arrowverse! Isn't that neat. Haven't seen the trailer but I should totally analyze it right? But judging by this little cameo scene, the show is also going to be reigniting the Justice Society, bringing back a new and improved Stargirl and Hourman, along with Doctor Midnite, and a female version of Wildcat. 

The crossover also introduced the likes of Nash Wells/Pariah and Ryan Choi to the mix. Pariah is someone I have wanted to see in this series since the beginning. One of my first theories about Harrison Wells, in the beginning, was that he was Pariah. Heh. Hehehehe. HEHEHEHEHEEHEHEHE TAKE THAT!

Ryan Choi is simply the successor to Ray Palmer as The Atom. That's all on him.

Like I said. Need to watch this show in it's entirety.

And that my friends is it. I didn't touch on everything, but that isn't my job anyway. :) Till next time folks BYYEEEEEEEEEEE


There are the additions of new

Plans for the future!

In this coming year, I have some things I'd like to do. With my writing, and all my creative endeavors, I am so afraid that I might lose track, so I figured I might schedule these things in advance,. Wattpad, Content for here, school work. It all requires a healthy balance. And I way I can achieve some balance is by making sure I get writing done. By giving myself a deadline for each thing! Especially for posting content online.

But I don't want to make so many aspirations that I choke on them. That might be my biggest problem. But I am trying to overcome it. I want this year to be the year that I stop letting my doubts and worries control me, especially when it comes to my creativity. So here is what I have been thinking about as far as making content for this month.

1/11
By the time you see this, my next story for Heroes Collide has been posted on Wattpad. For those of you who are lost, the entire series is open to read!
I also will be posting this blog post to my blog.

1/15
I will be finished with a story for a special anthology where the purpose is to write a story based on someone else's writing style. The current status of this story is that it is right near the end. I just need to write the ending.

1/17
I will be posting another chapter of The Forbidden Project on Wattpad!

1/22
I will be posting a special blog post here by this date! You know it and love it! NERDY OBSESSIONS! I will be going into a new found love for anime, DC's latest crisis, and some other things that have tickled my fancy since the last time I wrote one of these.

1/27
I'll check back in here with another blog post about how I did with these deadlines, plus some ideas about how I will be continuing in the month of February.

1/29
Another Heroes Collide chapter should be up!

1/31
Throughout this month I will be writing other stories, some for anthologies and others jus for me. This is the date I have set for these to hopefully be finished. So far besides the stories I have listed here, I have three stories I hope to have finished by this day!
And I will be working on edits for ANOTHER story.

So yeah, we'll see how this goes down.
Wish me luck and I hope you enjoy everything I have in store!

In all honesty, 2019 went and ended rather poorly for me, but I am not going to let that slump define my 2020! News will be coming soon about my endeavors for this year ^-^ Stay tuned.

Update on 12 Days of Writing.

I was doing really good guys! I had one story that was going really well when I started.

Story Number One: 15 year old Jackson Pacer has to testify in court under pressure from lawyer father to tell the truth so they can put a girl in prison for pushing his uncle off a bridge. But Jackson is nervous as the scene he saw, is much different than his uncle's story. And he thinks he knows why.

Now why are there no other additions? Because! I have been sick as a dog for the past three days. Starting Friday evening with a small cough (which got worse) and ending just yesterday (Monday!). And since most of my time was spent sleeping, coughing up a lung, or watching a wonderful play featuring my good friend who reads this blog. (Second post in a row I am mentioning you in Tori. I need more friends that I can call out here.) But I am back and hopefull will get to writing more stories, but I do have a project that might take up my time that is not apart of this 12 Days of writing. I will update again when things are clearer.

Love y'all!

Twelve Days of Writing!

On the first day of Christmas, which was back in January!

Wow... Way to ruin it.

I am a christmas person, did you expect any less?

You're weird. I don't like you.

Hello! Do you like seeing me post! DON'T ANSWER THAT... O.O

Sorry. Time away has caused me to forget what to do here. And who I am...



Wait. Where am I again? Who are all of you?

Just kidding. I obviously planned this if I am writing it all out for you. You silly goobers.

If anyone still reads this blog, you'll be excited to know that I am still writing and I am still very active. Just not on here. You're probably thinking what I am about to say is a way to get me back on the blog for a few weeks and you're not completely wrong. But it's about so much more. I have been so busy lately several favorite projects of mine have been left in the dust. And the people/person (Looking at you Tori. This is a call out post. Are you happy now?!) have/has (This is your fault Tori! 😆) been missing certain stories of mine. And you know what? I am too. Spooksville was one of my passion projects that I stopped because I was convinced I was doing something wrong. Jackson Pacer hasn't left his interrogation room because I didn't think I could properly portray a fictional police investigation. I always tell you there are things from Phantom Janitor I never put into the book because I just didn't feel it. And did you know that I have so many stories I have stopped in the middle of because I lost motivation or got busy?

Well guess what? I left my job at Burger King so I could cool down (And for more complicated reasons. Trust me, it's a whole thing!) I have had so many ideas and if it wasn't for a helpful wolf, I would've completely forgotten about some of the old ones. And what better way to cool down than to try and rekindle some of these "forgotten stories" than to write some shorts.

The Twelve Stories of Christmas will be me, Vinnie/Scribbles/Stoppullingonthecurtains, writing material for some of these stories. They won't be in any chronological order and some might be with characters and places you have never heard of. Starting on the 12th (Tomorrow because I am up at 12:43 writing this so I don't forget.) I will be trying to write a short story a day starring some of your favorite character and some you wish I'd just let die.It may not be twelve, and that's okay. I just picked that title because CHRISTMAS that's why. Don't question me.

I'm updating my sidebar with some links to new websites to follow me on. (Though probably only one. :/)
It's Wattpad! That will be where I post my stories I write from this. :) And I will start posting these stories in January at some point! So keep an eye out. And while you are waiting, check out my stories on wattpad. There are content warnings on some of them, so make sure to read with caution.

Hoping to share some great content soon.

Lots of things have happened

College has begun and been going for two months for now.
I got my job back at Burger King after a week of being gone.
I am not living on  campus but I am still participating in college things!
Currently at a tabletop gaming night as I write this.
Watching a fun game play out.
Got a story accepted into a Dante inspired furry anthology.
Wrote a short story about ZOMBIES hating those people who interrupt movies at a movie theater.
I have written several stories in the Heroes Collide series.
I now own a Silver 2004 PT Cruiser.
I recently have gotten a job as a substitute teacher, and I am almost done with the whole process.
My addiction to caffeine has come back.
I got a cool new pin with a rainbow on it
I might be starting my patreon soon.
I officially am in spooky mode as the baddest witch in the world.

I left my job at Burger King. Looking onward to new things!

Title is only half of the story here folks. I am leaving my job at Burger King. This job has been one of the longest held jobs I have ever had, and it has been keeping me more than busy for the past eleven months. But it's time for me to go and move forward in other areas. Such as my education. I have been accepted to Florida Gulf Coast University and will be pursuing a degree in English.

I hope to use what I learn to possibly become a teacher and a better writer. The next month or so will be packed with work and prep and as you probably can guess writing. So don't flip out if you see a post one day and then have to wait three months for the next. I am doing what I can to surviiiiiive! Okay byeeee.

The idea of Multiverse Theory is a pretty fun theory, especially in the world of writing. In my writing, I can truly say that I have taken the time to figure out how my projects are intertwined. For me, I like referencing characters in other universes, or in the same universe (just a different project) when writing a project and then sneaking them in as easter eggs. Or I can have a total cameo of said character (Or an alternate version.)

For those of you who don't know what the Multiverse Theory is, it is basically the idea that for every decision we make, there is a universe somewhere where the world is different because at that point, we made a different choice. It kinda lines up with things like the rules of time and the butterfly effect.

I don't know if this theory has any substance, but it makes for good reading (and in the case of The Flash, it's how the CW superhero shows are getting so much material thank you very much Mr. Allen.)

Also, I know this has not bad grammar. Please don't pay attention to that. I am just writing what comes to my mind.

BACK TO WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.

Multiverse!

Or more like Alternate Universities... If you have been reading my blog recently you would have read a thing by the name of Heroes Collide. (Only one story is available here as I am planning to share the other (currently sitting at twelve) stories on Patreon) These stories feature characters old and new, (some of whom have been featured here on my blog.

These characters you do know, are not exactly the same characters you know and love. It is an alternate universe where characters are ripped out of their own universes to a combined Earth where things from every earth are incorporated into the atmosphere.

Cason, for example, in my current manuscript for his story (This is for Benji!) is a very different person than the Cason you meet in Heroes Collide. In his original story, Cason is a troubled teenager who struggles to control his anger and his impulses to react in anger. He is less social and can't really stand to be around certain people/types of people.

Meanwhile, Heroes Collide Cason has already been through all of this and five years on this new earth did him a lot of good (and bad). Cason has gone through a lot of things and these things helped him mature and become a better person, who has a better grip on his emotions and who he is as a person. He is a lot calmer cooler, and more collected and he has superpowers!

This post was confusing to write, it was intentionally going to be about one thing BUT then it turned into me promoing Heroes Collide which I am not even ready to share as I don't have enough stories under my belt.

Here's to bringing in more stories!

Alex and Conner! :D

Alex chuckled from his booth as Conner walked over to take his orders. “I saw
your desperate dance to save that burger before. Did you get those moves from football
practice or ballet class?”

Conner smirked, “Watch it buddy! There are other customers I could be helping.”

Alex grinned, “So you are enjoying the job?”

Conner sighed, “You aren’t the first that’s asked me that question.”

Alex smirked. “I’ll take that as a yes then.”

Conner rolled his eyes took out his pad. “What do you want, Alex?”

Alex took a long look at the menu. “Hmm… I dunno…”

Conner sighed, “You want the Black Bean Burgerito don’t you.”

Alex gave him a toothy grin. “Yeah, how’d you know?”

Conner smiled, “That’s the only vegetarian sandwich you like that we serve.”

Alex smiled, “You know me well, my friend. I’ll take that with fries and a chocolate
milkshake.”

Conner smiled, “You better have money to pay for that.”

Alex stuck his tongue out at him. “Yes. Just because I don’t have a job doesn’t
mean I don’t make money somehow.”

Conner smiled, “Just giving you a hard time.” He turned to walk away to take
care of his order.

Alex laughed loudly. “When do you not give me a hard time?! Seriously, last
week it was the glasses and this week it’s not having a job. Watch next? You gonna
give me a hard time about tattoos?”

The pounding in Jackson’s head got worse as he lay on the hard metal shelf in his small room while trying to get sleep. He had been alone for a while and hadn't been given anything to eat in three days. The Scientist was starving him intentionally. Doctor Harold Manser, animal biologist… and criminal. It had to be a crime to kidnap children and experiment on them… Turn them into… things like this.


Jackson sat up and looked down at his reflection on the metal shelf. It was a little blurry, but he could still see his face. His matted fur. He was a freak. Human merged with an animal… A cheetah of all animals. Jackson had always been more of a dog person. Especially now. He hadn’t showered in weeks, because he had been locked in a white room with only a shelf.


He had a metal armor covering his torso, that no matter how hard he tried, he could not remove it. It was a very elastic metal that apparently could move with his body, but his claws couldn’t seem to work the metal to get it off. Somehow, they had locked it onto him after they had turned him.


He hadn’t seen anyone but the occasional lab-tech (At least he thought that they were lab-techs. He didn’t know for sure…) and of course the “good” doctor himself…


He laid his head back down. He was losing his memory as the days went by. Most of his thoughts were overshadowed by his growling hunger. He could remember only a few things about his former life. He… His name was… Jackson. Jackson Malerdeen. There was a girl. A human girl. Her name was Melody… No. That wasn’t it… Harmony. Her name was Harmony.”


“Hunger…” A voice rang in his head.


He clutched his head and growled starting to say his memories out loud. “My mother is… her name… Catherine.” He sat up and ran to the door as he remembered his friends. His friends were in here somewhere. “KATELYNN! MARCUS!” He started to bang on the door. “KATELYNN! MARCUS!”


He heard an alarm sound above his head and started to laugh. “YES. YES. LALALALALA!!! COME ON. I AM MAKING A FUSS!”


He banged his head on the glass. “LET ME OUT OF HERE!”


He stood backed a glared at the window as the alarm shut off and heard some muffled yells from outside. He could make out the sound of his name from the muffled yells. His ear perked up. “I'M HERE!”


A face filled the window, and Jackson snarled. “You...”


Doctor Manser smiled a sickening friendly smile. “Hello, Mr. Malerdeen. Lovely day isn't it?” He took a sip from an expensive looking teacup.


“What do you want?” Jackson crossed his arms, trying to ignore his grumbling stomach.


The Doctor ignored his question and looked down at his charts. “I have some questions for you. Simple questions, just a checkup.”


Jackson's tail perked up. He had been in this room for a long time, and even though things like this happened only every three or four days. He knew this meant food. He was going to eat today. He was getting food. “Okay.” He tried to make himself not look so angry, so the Doctor would give him his food.


“Answer all of these questions honestly. First. What is your full name?”


“Jackson Phillip Malerdeen.” He stood in front of the window watching the Doctor carefully.


“How old are you?”


“I am sixteen years old.”


The Doctor smiled. “Good. Good. How are you feeling?”


Jackson's stomach growled. “I'm not feeling too good.”


The doctor looked up. “What emotions are you feeling right now?”


Jackson stood there looking back at the doctor. He was angry… But he was afraid of the doctor. He had kidnapped them, but he still had no idea what else the Doctor was capable of. “Um… Lonely? Hungry?”


The Doctor crossed his arms and his smile faded. “I asked for an honest answer.” He banged his fist on the door and gritted his teeth. “Where's that anger I was hearing before?”


Jackson jumped, and his claws bared. “You… What…?”


“I want you to be angry. I want you to envision tearing me to shreds, boy.” He grinned again, but this time it was a more chilling grin. Something about it… made him want to die.


But the desired effect was happening. Jackson was getting angry. The once whispering growl that was inside Jackson, became more audible. “Kill him.” He wanted to comply… Oh so very badly… “Just punch through that glass and dig those claws into his neck.”


He couldn't break though… He knew what happened when he lost control last time… He felt like… Like such an animal. But even more. It was like all his animalistic urges that his conscience usually kept at bay, were replaced with the urges of an actual animal. He had felt like his conscience was being shoved in a locker, completely helpless as he literally BECAME an animal… Driven by bloodlust and rage, he… he… He wanted to rip his claws through that man’s throat.


He looked at the doctor angrily, but he caught a glimpse of himself in the glass. His eyes were clouding over in blood red. He looked back at Doctor Harold Manser and threw himself against the door. “WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?”


“Because I want you to kill. I want you to feed. I want everyone who looks at you to scream in terror as they look at you and prepare to take their final breath. You are the perfect monster. Animal DNA mixed with a scared teenager. A scared, angry teenager with the instincts of a bloodthirsty creature.” The doctor laughed as Jackson suddenly hunched over in pain and started making an unearthly sound.


“Uhp! Time to go. Haven't got much more time to waste here. I have something fun planned.” He turned to leave, but first tapped on the glass of the door. “Anything else you want to say, my young lad?”


Jackson looked up, his eyes completely red, “Y-yes.” He said in a raspy voice. “I am going to kill you… Your arm looks delicious.”


Manser paused for a second and looked down at his arm. “Um… Thank you?” He took out a remote and pressed a button.


Jackson's pupils dilated as he began to feel a little dizzy. He could feel something warm blowing at his leg. He was being gassed. He yowled and threw himself against the door, banging his fist against the door. “LET ME OUT, FLESHLING!”


He kept banging on the door, each time his fist making less and less of an impact. “Let me out… Le…” Jackson growled, his eyes red and his teeth bared and jumped at the door.


He ended up hitting head on the door and knocked himself out. He slumped to the floor, his face smooshed against the door.





The doctor tapped on the glass. “Hello?” He looked through the glass. “You okay?” The was no answer. The doctor shrugged. “Oookay then. Time to go sedate your friends.” He walked off to the next room to repeat the process.

Choices

Hey guys!

This post is a bit dark because it encompasses something that is a very scary reality in life itself. It's the idea of the choice. That doesn't sound all too scary right? Bologna or Roast Beef isn't going to kill me, right?

Well, no. But I am talking about giving your character an impossible choice. Like the bad guy has the character's boyfriend and best friend dangled over a precipice and they can only save one of them. Or it could entail throwing a character into a moral catastrophe like the plot of the movie "The Belko Experiment." where a voice from the speakers forces people to murder each other or all die.

It's humanity at its core... It's survival instinct. You see this in so many places. Joey Graceffa's Escape the Night, Midnight (That episode of Doctor Who where people almost threw someone off a train), or that one M. Night Shyamalan movie I don't know the name of... in the elevator. In each situation there is a group of people trapped somewhere and there are some decisions that need to be made and people are so eager to make the decision that they don't even stop to think about what they are about to do.

The mechanic of the choice can do so much for your story. It doesn't even have to be extreme. Think about the Matrix... Neo had a choice between the red pill or the blue pill. If Neo had picked the other pill, he would have probably ended the movie right then and there. Choices always have reprecussions.

And most of the time when a choice is brought before a main character by an antagonist... it puts them in a moral dilemma. And how the character reacts determines who this person is.

Scenario: You're trapped in a room with five other people. There is a voice on the intercom that tells you if you want to get out alive you need to kill one of the other people in the room.

Now of course, no one is automatically willing to kill anyone. But what if there was a catch. Like, the room is slowly filling with carbon monoxide and if no one kills anyone, they will all die from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Now there is a sudden push to survive. Kill or be killed. Suddenly the characters are sacrificing their clear conscience to live. That is called survival. And anyone if pushed hard enough can do what they need to do. Their mind however, ends up being permanently changed. It's almost insanity.


Choices make characters grow just like they make us as people grow. And how you respond makes you who you will become. If that makes sense.