Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Have Some Music

I'm going to day two of a seminar on HR law today. I know, awesome right? So here, have some music.



and

Monday, August 23, 2010

Writing in Fits and Starts

Two weeks ago Wednesday, I attended a local Writer's Support Group at one of the libraries to the north of us. It was...interesting. It wasn't exactly what I expected, but then I wasn't exactly sure what to expect to begin with. There were seven other people there, including the group's instructor/leader, and then one other member that wasn't able to make it that time around. Everyone else there knew each other pretty well, and I got the impression they'd all been going to the meetings for some time. I went to just check it out and see what it was like, and it seemed to me that they just assumed I was going to stick with the group from the moment my butt hit the chair.

The reason I went is because lately, I've been trying to get into more of a writing groove, and I want something that's going to keep me on track. I actually finished the first draft of a story a couple weeks ago, and have revised it once since. I started another story (again) the other day, and hope to keep working on that.

It's slow going, especially since I've gone back to hand writing first drafts. But if I'm going to be serious about this whole writing thing, and getting published one day, then I need to get serious about this whole writing thing.

While I won't be able to go to the next Writer's Support Group meeting (work conflict) I have a feel for what they do and how they encourage writers and keep them on track, and I think (and hope) this'll be just what I need.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Early Writings in Science Fiction

We went to a party on Saturday night, and my parents watched the kids for us. When we dropped them off at the house, my mom gave me a short stack of paper she had come across while cleaning my brother's closet. It was a handful of short stories that I had written in middle school and high school. Unfortunately, only one of them was dated, so I'm not sure of the chronology of when I wrote all three.

So I submit to you 'Midnight Bombing' which was written for the eighth grade writing competition at Dundee Middle School. According to the cover sheet, I had Language Arts in 4th period and Mrs. Schumacher was my teacher. This would have been submitted in 1995 or 1996, depending on what time of year they did the writing competition. I would have been 12 or 13 at the time. I believe a wrote an earlier version of this story at a writing camp my let me go to the summer before.

Since I don't know where the file for this may or may not exist, I'll have to transcribe it. I promise to transcribe it exactly (typos and all) as it is on the page.

MIDNIGHT BOMBING

The year 2045, and the world is at peace. It started to come to peace in the year 2015 when the people of generation x came to power. They changed the world by first signing the treaty of the world. Next the new world government was set to the liking of all people. Then all technology was halted buy care for disease and over coming disability. Finally stricter laws were made about the ecosystem and animals. People worked hard restoring the earth's health and beauty. Once all this was done scientists worked on building weapons of defense.
they created many weapons, but their best weapons were their Hyperjets. The Hyperjets are ships made of other ships and new pieces. Their weapons consist of nitrogen bombs, flame missiles, and laser cannons. The jets also contain a hyperjump system to travel past light speed through hyperspace. also in the jets are suits that are from the ship. When the pilot sits and turns on the jet the seat folds around the pilot with all things necessary for space travel. The suits also contain small variations of the jets weapons.
It is a perfect night the sky is clear Joseph Falcon is looking at the stars. Joseph is the leader of the Fire and Ice squad the group of people who pilot the Hyperjets. The stars seam to grow. Once of them shoots at Joseph. He then realizes that the stars are alien space craft come to attack the earth. He dives into his hover avoiding the laser fire.
"Sub base this is Falcon reporting. Code red hostile alien threat entering atmosphere, open sub tunnel and alert the squad!"
He rushes to weaponry base in his hover car avoiding ion fire left and right. The sub tunnel, the massive door to the weaponry base, open lifting a huge door out of the ground. When he arrives the squad is ready and waiting. Joseph gets to his jet as quickly as possible. They blast off into the night to meat their adversaries.
They fly with great speed to get rid of the threat as soon as possible. Meeting the aliens they fight. Realizing the damage their doing to the earth they get the aliens to follow them to space.
"This is where the party begins. Set targets, load missiles, and fire when ready." Says Joseph to the rest of the squad. The alien ships though small in size can do considerable damage. The aliens getting itchy trigger fingers fire their lasers at the earthlings. Making the hyperjets zig zag to dodge the fire. The jets send out a barrage of missiles hitting the alien craft like arrows to a bulls-eye.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Is the only thing that escapes the lips of red five.
"That was uncalled for you alien scum," says Joseph, "All wingmen load nitrogen bombs and hit all possible targets."
They load and fire as commanded. They hit all craft shot at freezing them to instant shattering. Out of the deep black of space appears the mother ship Bigger than both groups in combat one-thousand fold. The sound of the massive engine lost in the soundlessness of space. Shines with the light of one-hundred fluorescent bulbs momentarily blinding the squad. That moment was all needed for the mother ship to launch another group of ships. When the light dims the pilots see the newly arrived ship as a gigantic egg.
Joesph sees the huge bay door and gets an idea. "This is flight leader Falcon follow me in full throttle." He says flying toward the mother ship.
They fly toward the bay door blasting lasers left and right. Landing in the docking bay they hop from there ships and start toward the control room. Still in their armor they check the suits weapons and power, satisfied they head forward. They reach the object of their mission, the control room. It is a room full of glowing screens and large control panels. On the screens are pictures of other races the aliens enslaved and pictures of them enslaving humans.
The doors slam shut and aliens poor out of the walls squealing in delight of fresh food. At first glance they would appear to be glow in the dark humans. At a long look a person would notice their hideousness. Their hands a three long slim clawed fingers. One eye stretches across their hole face and their notsrils are two small holes on their flat faces. There robed in loose pieces of blood red clothing.
The aliens close in the squad becomes panicky. "throw out your time bombs cries one of the men in the squad.
They all do so and the bombs automatically set for midnight. Then the same man who suggested to throw down the bombs uses the nitrogen spray in his suit to freeze the door solid. The group sees what he is doing and shoot the aliens to buy him time. When he is done he throws a grenade at the door blowing it wide open. The squad uses their rocket packs to escape to their jets. When they get there they discover the bay door is closed .
"Use all flame missiles on the door!" Shouts Joseph frantically.
When the squad rides off the alien space craft they forgot about attacks them head on. The squad rushed with adrenaline rid themselves of the mediocre threat quickly. They get out range of the explosion and feel a great weight lifted off their shoulders for they had succeeded and lived to tell of it.


Awesome, right? I'm not surprised that the judges of the competition didn't get back to me.