So yeah I've been away from my story writing for awhile now and recently something happened that almost made me think I'd have to stop writing forever. In the middle of a web cam chat with my girlfriend my entire computer just locked up. Usally about 30 minutes worth of fustrating work can make the thing work again, but this time the drive had finally gone and destroyed itself. I don't know why exactly but the main hard drive was no longer in this world. That and along with all my precious MP3, Documents, Pictures, and Movies.
About a month or two before this all happened I had decided to buy a new anti-virus program since my subscription had run out. I looked at a bunch of products and was trying to decide on buying the regular Norton Antivirus program for around $30 or splurge and spend closer to $70 on the Norton 360 suite. I don't know why but I went with the 360 suite and its what saved my life. Now I don't usally go bragging about other peoples products or anything but this little program is worth every dollar I spent on it and more. Why? Let me tell you.
After getting the other two hard drives working on my PC I had to install everything and start from scratch again. The main hard drive was still dead so I went from 3 drives to 2. On one I noticed a folder marked Norton 360 Backup. I quickly downloaded and reinstalled Norton 360 and to my amazement the program had automatically backed up all my pictures, documents, movies, and music and saved them onto another drive. A five minute process later and all my documents are restored huraa! If it wasn't for this program I would have lost all those precious files I worked so hard on!
I will be trying to get some writing it but It will most likely be Christmas break before anything is updated. Really sorry bout that, but I'm afraid life's just to busy at the moment. At least I kept you all posted right?
For those of you looking for me in the game World of Warcraft i'm on the Dunemaul Server Horde under the name Sigmandis.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
So...What Happened?
Sorry its taken so long to get back to you all...all nighters really take a lot out of me. That and all these tests I've been having arn't helping any either. I just took the make up test for my Bus Com. class and prob bombed it and I thought I had an A on my FINN test and got a B instead. Oh well things happen. Currently I'm studying for a BLaw test and I have to write a two page report on the benefits employee's at Wachovia have...well had now that Wachovia has tanked. No new writing really got done during the all nighter although I had hoped it would. Instead I realized I really needed to re-read the entire story since it had been so long, so I did. And hopefully some time tomorrow when this test and report are all behind me I'll be able to write some more on it. I'll keep you posted. Later!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
12 Hours Later...the crash
Ok you know its coming that impending doom your body puts on you when you decide your not going to give it the sleep it needs and desperately desires. Its one thing if you just stay up, however if all you did was just stay awake you wouldn't be alert enough to study right? Of course that's why the gods of Vitiman B-12 and Caffinee bestowed their gifts upon me this past night/morning. But as the saying goes what goes up...must come down and woo boy I'm coming down.
Now my test is at 6:30 PM and I'm going to a study group at 4:30PM so if I'm crashing now at 3:00 PM how do i make it?
No its not a math word problem folks its just a simple dilemma. Here's where tactics come into play. I havn't taken any caffinee since around 7AM so I've been letting my body crash and keeping myself awake by running in place, or going out on the deck as the cold air wakes you up pretty quick. In really bad cases I've had to use cold water on my face in the past and if all else fails turn that water to freezing and hop right into that shower...that'll wake you up trust me. Anyways since I haven't been taking anything and I'm crashing I've also been drinking a ton of water as well as a couple glasses of milk. The milk helps your body absorb the rest of the caffinee in your system and the water finishes the cleaning job by diluting any remaining alert aid substance in your body. So besides the fact I'm overly tired I'm basically right where I started. At 4:30 I'll take my last energy shot and follow it up right before the exam by chugging down a Red Bull. MAKE SURE YOU USE THE BATHROOM! Chances are your exam proctor won't let you leave the room before you turn in your test....damn SOB. And there's nothing worse than doing all that studying for nothing because you rush through it to get to the bathroom.
I won't promise because I'm pretty sure once I get back from this test I'm going to be ready to crash big time and will just make it to my bed before my body gives me a big FU and just passes out. So the final results of the study a thon will most likely be posted some time tomorrow.
Wish me luck!
Now my test is at 6:30 PM and I'm going to a study group at 4:30PM so if I'm crashing now at 3:00 PM how do i make it?
No its not a math word problem folks its just a simple dilemma. Here's where tactics come into play. I havn't taken any caffinee since around 7AM so I've been letting my body crash and keeping myself awake by running in place, or going out on the deck as the cold air wakes you up pretty quick. In really bad cases I've had to use cold water on my face in the past and if all else fails turn that water to freezing and hop right into that shower...that'll wake you up trust me. Anyways since I haven't been taking anything and I'm crashing I've also been drinking a ton of water as well as a couple glasses of milk. The milk helps your body absorb the rest of the caffinee in your system and the water finishes the cleaning job by diluting any remaining alert aid substance in your body. So besides the fact I'm overly tired I'm basically right where I started. At 4:30 I'll take my last energy shot and follow it up right before the exam by chugging down a Red Bull. MAKE SURE YOU USE THE BATHROOM! Chances are your exam proctor won't let you leave the room before you turn in your test....damn SOB. And there's nothing worse than doing all that studying for nothing because you rush through it to get to the bathroom.
I won't promise because I'm pretty sure once I get back from this test I'm going to be ready to crash big time and will just make it to my bed before my body gives me a big FU and just passes out. So the final results of the study a thon will most likely be posted some time tomorrow.
Wish me luck!
3:30 AM...who's up that late?
Ok so I'm still going strong now having switched over to a steady supply of Red Bull. However my secret weapon still hasn't been tapped into.
A few hints to you college students aspiring to be an all niter pro (you highschoolers shouldn't have to pull all niter)
First and always first while your still awake during the day try and write out a list of things you want to study and learn. This is huge at least for me as it keeps me from getting too distracted.
Second have an arsenal of keep me awake stuff ready. For you coffee drinkers just put a big black pot of the stuff on and keep it warm. For those of you like me who can't stand coffee grab some energy drinks. Also go out and purchase some energy shots my brand of choice is the 5 hour energy drink, these help you get past those really hard times when you feel yourself starting to crash and need to get back on track ASAP. WARNING tho, don't take too many of them just one every 4-5 hours. I get the ones labeled EXTREME 5 hour energy, may just be a gimmick but it works better for me.
Last keep A LOT of water around. I went through bottled water like crazy and switched to this huge Bretta water dispenser I keep in the fridge. Gives the water that great bottled water taste and does not cost nearly as much.
While your doing your study athon take regular breaks. If you get board studying like I go try and take a break every 1/2 hour at a 1:1 ratio. So 1/2hr break for every 1/2hr studied. Sounds like a lot of break, but remember you've got the whole night! Better yet if you use that outline of things I need to study you can simply check off things as you learn them and after you get to a certain point reward youself with a break.
Now to touch on some more well touchy stuff. A bunch of college kids now days use a drug called Adderall to do all nighters. Yes I've done this myself but I urge you to all consider alternatives. Obtaining Adderall from a friend is an illeagle transaction and if you get caught with it...big problems. Adderall is also known as speed, but for the most part everyone on a college campus calls it Adderall or Addy. It comes in many different dosages and in two main forms XR (time release) or regular. I've used both and the XR is a real bitch when I used it so I stuck to regular. If you are going to take the risk and use it BE CAREFUL! This is a steriod and a serious upper, don't combine any drugs your taking with it just to be safe that includes OTC drugs like Advil etc. espically anything that's a downer like NyQuil. You don't combine uppers and downers its just not safe.
If you are going to use Adderall be prepared for the consequences. Mild symptoms include frequent urination, diherra, insomia and jitteryness (yes these are the same for energy drinks but keep reading) more serious side effects like hearing voices, fast heart beat, viomiting, and even heart attack have been documented in rare cases. If you have a heart condiction (even something like a hear murmmer) don't take it.
For the most part all niters are the worst way to study for tests, but somtimes you just can't avoid them. Remember try and stray away from things like Adderall as they are dangerous and there's nothing illeagle about energy drinks or energy shots...or coffee for that matter so USE THOSE. I do and I get the same amount of work done and feel just as energized.
Next message, what to do when the crash hits.
A few hints to you college students aspiring to be an all niter pro (you highschoolers shouldn't have to pull all niter)
First and always first while your still awake during the day try and write out a list of things you want to study and learn. This is huge at least for me as it keeps me from getting too distracted.
Second have an arsenal of keep me awake stuff ready. For you coffee drinkers just put a big black pot of the stuff on and keep it warm. For those of you like me who can't stand coffee grab some energy drinks. Also go out and purchase some energy shots my brand of choice is the 5 hour energy drink, these help you get past those really hard times when you feel yourself starting to crash and need to get back on track ASAP. WARNING tho, don't take too many of them just one every 4-5 hours. I get the ones labeled EXTREME 5 hour energy, may just be a gimmick but it works better for me.
Last keep A LOT of water around. I went through bottled water like crazy and switched to this huge Bretta water dispenser I keep in the fridge. Gives the water that great bottled water taste and does not cost nearly as much.
While your doing your study athon take regular breaks. If you get board studying like I go try and take a break every 1/2 hour at a 1:1 ratio. So 1/2hr break for every 1/2hr studied. Sounds like a lot of break, but remember you've got the whole night! Better yet if you use that outline of things I need to study you can simply check off things as you learn them and after you get to a certain point reward youself with a break.
Now to touch on some more well touchy stuff. A bunch of college kids now days use a drug called Adderall to do all nighters. Yes I've done this myself but I urge you to all consider alternatives. Obtaining Adderall from a friend is an illeagle transaction and if you get caught with it...big problems. Adderall is also known as speed, but for the most part everyone on a college campus calls it Adderall or Addy. It comes in many different dosages and in two main forms XR (time release) or regular. I've used both and the XR is a real bitch when I used it so I stuck to regular. If you are going to take the risk and use it BE CAREFUL! This is a steriod and a serious upper, don't combine any drugs your taking with it just to be safe that includes OTC drugs like Advil etc. espically anything that's a downer like NyQuil. You don't combine uppers and downers its just not safe.
If you are going to use Adderall be prepared for the consequences. Mild symptoms include frequent urination, diherra, insomia and jitteryness (yes these are the same for energy drinks but keep reading) more serious side effects like hearing voices, fast heart beat, viomiting, and even heart attack have been documented in rare cases. If you have a heart condiction (even something like a hear murmmer) don't take it.
For the most part all niters are the worst way to study for tests, but somtimes you just can't avoid them. Remember try and stray away from things like Adderall as they are dangerous and there's nothing illeagle about energy drinks or energy shots...or coffee for that matter so USE THOSE. I do and I get the same amount of work done and feel just as energized.
Next message, what to do when the crash hits.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
1:39 AM and ALLS WELL!
I have no idea what happened but I was just about to crash and was thinking of going to bed. However a quick glass of water and a trip to the 'facilities' (just to take a leak all of you thinking something more rude) and suddenly it was like my body tapped into another energy source. I seriously feel like I just woke up after a good nights sleep without any of that annoying lagging I want to go back to bed feeling. I'm splitting my time three ways right now. Currently I'm making a website http://www.teamdragonfire.net to start A GT5 racing team for fans of the upcoming game. Unfortunately all we have right now is GT5 Prologue, but when the new GT5 comes out I want to have a great team ready to dominate the competition as theirs some supper talented drivers and, thanks to the concept catching on huge in Japan, drifters I'd love to get into a team and share insight and just dominate in the online game. Secondly i'm studying for my FINN exam. I'm skiping the MGMT 3160 Exam because my throat is still killing me and theres no way I can get the studying done for both of them. Take that one later and the FINN...well since its way past midnight, I'll take it tonight. And thirdly which I haven't gotten to yet working on PFO. I'll update ya'll shortly after 3AM. Maybe give ya'll some tips from a pro (I pulled all nighters at least once or twice a month last year) and of course caution you from the down sides form personal experience. Nothing better than learning from someone eleses mistakes and not having to go through the crap yourself right ;) ! Till then
PS
Forgot to put this in the last post. A really nasty infection is going around UNCC. It makes your throat hurt like hell and apparently the health center is backed up for the next few days with students I was lucky to get an appointment for tomorrow as someone canceled while I was on the phone with a receptionist. I'm still pulling the all niter to get the study'n done and writing during breaks, but I can already tell this is going to be hell. Maybe I'll post a bi-hourly report of how I'm doing on here. At the very least it'll be interesting to read later.
OK I know what I said...but I meant
So I didn't even touch any of my stories last night. Quite the opposite I took some NyQuil and slipped off to dream land very quickly. My apologies, but it just wasn't meant to happen. However tonight thanks to a supplement aided all niter study session I intend to get the chapter done tonight, and possibly much much more. I know I must have disappointed you all by not doing the chapter last night and you're probably waving the "We'll believe it when we see it" flags (be a pretty big flag, maybe a banner is more believable) I don't blame you in fact I'm out their waving it with you telling my creative center of my mind to kick its ass into gear and start getting, well, creative. Writing is a very unorganized process for me, but its a process none the less. I get an idea how I want the chapter to open (follows right behind the end of the last chapter, start it a few months/years/days after the ending of the last, who's POV or setting to start it from etc.) then I figure out how I want it to end matching it up with my grand sceme of the story. The grand scheme comes first when writting the story and for PFO it wasn't much more than.
I. Jack and Karen's Childhood
II. Jack returns Karen's angry
III. Jack and Karen get together
IV. Jack and Karen hit a rocky point when another suitor comes in
V. Karen kidnapped
VI. Karen's Life without Jack and Jack's lift without Karen
VII. Karen falls into drugs
VIII. Karen settles into North County
VIIII. Jack's desperate search idea
IX. Search pays off chase
X. Close but no cigar (Jack meets Karen but looses her soon after)
XI. Search Continued
XII. Karen found and recovered
XIII. Karen's Complications and recovery
XIV. Jack's Proposal
XV. Return to Flowerbud Isle (Conflict between ___ and ____arieses)
XVI. Karen and Jack try to _____ ____ and _____ with ______
XVII. ______ and _____ do ______ and _____
----?. Bring story back to begining of first chapter scene between Ann and Karen.
One I've got that I start listening to music. I literally just put my 3,000 something songs on random on iTunes and wait for them to spark an idea. It doesn't usally disapoint. Then with the song in mind I write out the scene often just playing it out in my head like a movie. The characters have minds of their own and make their own decisions I just memorize their personalities and my mind figures out what decisions and actions they'd be taking, while this is going on I'm trying to keep up writing down what's going on. This of course creates a ton of spelling and grammar errors usally the content errors are kept to a min unless its been awhile since I've written the story then I have to go back and make sure everything lines up. I scan over it, wait a few days and read it again in detail. The scan helps me catch huge obivious errors and waiting a day or two clears the story out of my head and when I come back to re-read it I have to take my time because I can't remember exactly what I wrote, this helps me find the harder to find errors. That of course doesn't still give me a perfect copy so I send it off to my Beta for that particular story (I have one for each story). They look it over send it back to me with the errors tracked (nifty feature in MSWORD lets u see what people changed and u can accept the changes or not) I go through the changes carefully and make sure their correct and if content errors I make a complete re-read of the chapter to make sure it all fits and of course if its better than what I originally wrote. Then and only then I transfer the document to FF.net and post it up for you all to read.
So as you can see even if I manage to get the entire thing written tonight its going to be a long grueling process till its posted. Howver to give you all a little more glimmar of hope I figure its time for a writting update!
Writting Update as of September 23rd 2008 10:07 PM
Harvest Moon Promise Far Off (HMPFO or PFO) ---> Ch. 20 In Rough Draft (IRD) 7 Pgs
Advent Rising (AR) ---> Ch. 4 IRD 8 Pgs
Advent Hearts (AH) Completed
Dragon Heart: Part 1 No Tomorrow (DHP1NT or NT) ---> Ch. 19 IRD 5Pgs
I. Jack and Karen's Childhood
II. Jack returns Karen's angry
III. Jack and Karen get together
IV. Jack and Karen hit a rocky point when another suitor comes in
V. Karen kidnapped
VI. Karen's Life without Jack and Jack's lift without Karen
VII. Karen falls into drugs
VIII. Karen settles into North County
VIIII. Jack's desperate search idea
IX. Search pays off chase
X. Close but no cigar (Jack meets Karen but looses her soon after)
XI. Search Continued
XII. Karen found and recovered
XIII. Karen's Complications and recovery
XIV. Jack's Proposal
XV. Return to Flowerbud Isle (Conflict between ___ and ____arieses)
XVI. Karen and Jack try to _____ ____ and _____ with ______
XVII. ______ and _____ do ______ and _____
----?. Bring story back to begining of first chapter scene between Ann and Karen.
One I've got that I start listening to music. I literally just put my 3,000 something songs on random on iTunes and wait for them to spark an idea. It doesn't usally disapoint. Then with the song in mind I write out the scene often just playing it out in my head like a movie. The characters have minds of their own and make their own decisions I just memorize their personalities and my mind figures out what decisions and actions they'd be taking, while this is going on I'm trying to keep up writing down what's going on. This of course creates a ton of spelling and grammar errors usally the content errors are kept to a min unless its been awhile since I've written the story then I have to go back and make sure everything lines up. I scan over it, wait a few days and read it again in detail. The scan helps me catch huge obivious errors and waiting a day or two clears the story out of my head and when I come back to re-read it I have to take my time because I can't remember exactly what I wrote, this helps me find the harder to find errors. That of course doesn't still give me a perfect copy so I send it off to my Beta for that particular story (I have one for each story). They look it over send it back to me with the errors tracked (nifty feature in MSWORD lets u see what people changed and u can accept the changes or not) I go through the changes carefully and make sure their correct and if content errors I make a complete re-read of the chapter to make sure it all fits and of course if its better than what I originally wrote. Then and only then I transfer the document to FF.net and post it up for you all to read.
So as you can see even if I manage to get the entire thing written tonight its going to be a long grueling process till its posted. Howver to give you all a little more glimmar of hope I figure its time for a writting update!
Writting Update as of September 23rd 2008 10:07 PM
Harvest Moon Promise Far Off (HMPFO or PFO) ---> Ch. 20 In Rough Draft (IRD) 7 Pgs
Advent Rising (AR) ---> Ch. 4 IRD 8 Pgs
Advent Hearts (AH) Completed
Dragon Heart: Part 1 No Tomorrow (DHP1NT or NT) ---> Ch. 19 IRD 5Pgs
Monday, September 22, 2008
So much for everyday huh?
Well I'm not sure if anyone is reading this or not. (Please comment if you are ;) ) I'm not sure why, since i have two exams Wednesday, but I've decided to sit down tonight over a few beers and finish the next chapter of Promise Far Off. Maybe its the fact I've let me readers down, maybe its the fact I feel like I owe this story more...or maybe its just because I'm board. Yea its one of those. So hopefully some time this week you will all get a treat, the next chapter of PFO WOOHOO! Also pray my inspiration carries over as I'm pretty motivated by a FFVII CloTi I just finished reading. Author kept it short and sweet, and it was 'M' rated but it just made me want to work on my story some more. That and I guess I also have to blame my girlfriend. Today's our 4 month aniversey, yea big deal right? WELL IT IS A BIG F*@)N DEAL! Haha never had a GF more than 3 months so this is a record breaker so to speak. And it looks like its going strong. I consider her my inspiration, and distraction which accounts for my lack of writing on the weekends, a distraction, but a very welcome one. I thank all of ya'll for your contined support! Wish me luck and keep those reviews coming.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Why Nothing Is Getting Done
Ok hello again fellow readers. This is the first post I've put on this blog since I've updated my FF.net website profile link so its most likely the first one you'll read. I figured I'd give ya'll an update on my life since unfortunately there isn't anything to update you on story wise. Currently I'm getting into the first testing period for all my classes over here at UNC-C. I've got a test Friday, two next week on Wednesday and Thursday, and another the following Monday. So right now my eyes are busy scanning what seems to be endless pages of college text in these heavy expensive books the university forces me to read. Hopefully I'll find breaks where I can busy myself with writing and inspiration but if the next few weeks are anything like these past few weeks have been its not looking good. I pray you all find it in your hearts to continue to have faith in me than one day I'll just sit down and write non-stop and get all my stories updated, and if not screw you. Hell I never thought Dragon Heart would be anything less than finished at this point...by finished I mean all three stories! But alas my stories have a mind of their own and all I can do is try and keep the ship afloat as it steers itself. Thanks for tuning in and look for another update soon!
Monday, September 8, 2008
A Blog?
So my old site went down. Didn't pay the hosting bill for the site so even though I still own the domain, can't do anything with it. Being a poor college student I decided to try and look for a free site to post my ramblings on. Of all the places it was my Business Communications class professor that suggested Blogger, so here I am.
I'm sorry to say that with all the work I'm trying to pour into my studies this semester (seeing as I made a D on very important course last semester) my writing time is withering away. I'm spending a lot of my free time doing the Rosetta Stone course for Japanese to keep everything I have learned in class in my head. That plus my girlfriend, and driving my sister around everywhere (she wasn't allowed to bring her car to campus)and I'm left with very little time to do my own things. I can say that the next chapter of Promise Far Off is well...not far off. I just hope my BETA reader for that story is still around. As for DHP1NT and Advent Rising...those are going to be a little more off in the distance, but I promise all of you I'm trying to find the time and inspiration to write these stories, I'm just running a little low on both lately. Hope this new site works for everyone. If I get some good reviews on this site I'll try to update more regularly! (As in every day) So give me those comments!
I'm sorry to say that with all the work I'm trying to pour into my studies this semester (seeing as I made a D on very important course last semester) my writing time is withering away. I'm spending a lot of my free time doing the Rosetta Stone course for Japanese to keep everything I have learned in class in my head. That plus my girlfriend, and driving my sister around everywhere (she wasn't allowed to bring her car to campus)and I'm left with very little time to do my own things. I can say that the next chapter of Promise Far Off is well...not far off. I just hope my BETA reader for that story is still around. As for DHP1NT and Advent Rising...those are going to be a little more off in the distance, but I promise all of you I'm trying to find the time and inspiration to write these stories, I'm just running a little low on both lately. Hope this new site works for everyone. If I get some good reviews on this site I'll try to update more regularly! (As in every day) So give me those comments!
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