Everyone should get MuchMoreRetro.

So not much is new with the book. I mean, it's only been 24 hrs since I posted. Plus, I took a break from it and read a bit and started my laundry. And Ela came over, so I took a break and watched a movie. We watched Twister. Such a good movie. And we saw a countdown of the top 10 songs from a soundtrack. It was awesome. Seriously, we spent a good hour singing along to songs that are like 15 years old. It makes the music channel package on digital cable so worth the $7 a month.

I did change the map, though. There were some unnecessary land areas and one bay too many. So that had to change. I really should look into some sort of program that will let me make a digital map. It's a pain in the ass to draw a new one every time I change something. Plus, doing it digitally would allow me to also do a topographical map, which is way too much work for me to do by hand. Anyone know of any programs??

But holy shit, this takes a lot of work. Who would have thought that inventing a world is so time consuming?? Honestly, it gets a little complicated once I try to figure out all the different governments and laws and histories and tradition. But thankfully I managed to download the D&D Monster Manual. I was getting a little lost between all the mythical, fictional, and theological creatures that are out there in the Internet.

So I'm thinking of watching Supernatural. My brother has all the seasons, and I have season one sitting next to me. I kinda want to watch it, 'cause the guys are super hot, but I don't know if the show is any good. Should I watch it?? Maybe I should at least give the first disk a chance, see how it goes. Or at least one episode. I'll think about it.

Anyways, back to writing. Well, researching and creating. Not yet writing, really. But I have random pieces floating in my head, so I might just write them out and get them over with. I can always tweak them later if I need to. But then again, maybe I'm just scared to write it. I find researching comforting and safe, but if I write it, I kinda feel like I'm committed. Maybe I'm crazy?? Yeah, that's probably it.

Okie, bye bye.

~Susana

Aderin is where I live now.

So I'm writing a fantasy novel. I haven't really started writing it yet, but I've got a lot of the prep work done. It's taken quite a few days of almost non-stop work, but here's what I have so far:

• I've invented a world. It's called Aderin. Six races live on it. The elves live on Evinthal.
• I have a map for it. It's pretty.
• I have 16 characters so far, though most of them are not as developed as I'd like.
• I have the basic outline for both the main plot and the secondary plot.
• I've sorted out all the races and their general abilities.
• I have the family histories of my main characters.

There's still a million things I have to do, though. Finish the characters, finalize what life is like in their world, connect the smaller story ideas to the main one, and so on. I also have to plan out the end, because I plan to write more than one book. Also, I have to figure out how politics, commerce, education, medicine, laws, food, history, ans so many other things work for each race. And there's seven races. And come up with a few words in each of their languages, so I can use them throughout the story. And I need to come up with some creatures, both magical and non-magical.

And that's all before I start writing the actual story.

It's gonna take quite a bit of research. So much that I'm actually thinking of going to a library. The Internet is great and all, but I'd like a few more specialized books. I need to look into the middle ages, since I'm basing a lot of everyday life on it. I need a book on the medicinal uses of plants, since I'm definitely using that a lot. Also, medieval weapons are important, so I should look into those.

So far, the hardest has been coming up with names for my characters. You have no idea how hard it is to come up with names that don't sound like Mark or Steve. They have to be interesting sounding and not as common. Place names are also a pain in the ass. Holy shit, it's crazy to come up with names for cities, lakes, mountains, and forests. Thank god for websites and fantasy name generators!! Also, thank god that Nelson and Jack play fantasy games and suggested some names.

Funny enough, the map was the easiest. I just kinda took a paper and drew randomly. They I looked at it and just improved parts. Then I labeled it. It's not perfect or even set in stone yet, but working on it was definitely interesting.

I'm not even really sure if this book is gonna go anywhere. I may just write it and no one ever reads it. Maybe I type it and I never print it. But the way I figure it, I'm wasting my time doing nothing all day. So if this is a waste of time, at least I haven't wasted any more time than I would have if I wasn't writing it. And this way, at least I'm keeping busy and doing something interesting. Hopefully something will come of it.

Anyways, I'm off to read some more fan fiction and then work on my world some more. Seriously, I have so many ideas for it that I've been barely sleeping, just writing and researching and editing for it. It's pretty insane. I haven't even had time to talk to anyone, I've been so single-minded. I figured this was a good way to take a quick break from my story and update everyone at once so they don't think I've died. Well, everyone who reads this. I'm not sure who does, but if you do, now you know why I don't call.

Feel free to let me know if you have any ideas you want me to use, or some great character you want to see in it. Or maybe some names?? I'd appreciate those. Lots of those. Or if you feel you are an expert on the middle ages, magic, fantasy, or writing. I'm also looking for someone to bounce ideas off of, get some feedback, read what I write and let me know what they think. So if you fit that, feel free to volunteer your services.

And here is a question to ponder: if some elves have been twisted into something evil, and have been this way for thousands of years now, are they considered a different race?? And can they but rebel and be good, or are they doomed to be evil until they die??

Also, I'm currently obsessed with a Black Eyed Peas song, "I Gotta Feeling," and a Beyonce song, "Halo." Yes, I know, hell has frozen over. I'm as shocked as you are.

Okay, off now. Bye bye.

~Susana

So how do I get more hours in my day??

So I'm now five weeks away from the end of the first semester. And I'm glad. I'm tired. I want to sleep. I like school, and I like work, but sleep sounds so good. I def don't get enough of it.

So school is good. I'm doing okay, as far as I know. We haven't gotten any midterm grades, which is weird. I'd like to know how I'm really doing. I think I'm goign to be picking the business side. I like the creative side, but what Kasia said is so true. You can't really learn the creative side, you just know it. But you can def learn the business side. So regardless of what I go into later, this way, I'd have the option to do either one.

I'm being made full-time at work. Starting next week, I will have 40 hours every week. Prolly more the closer we get to Christmas. School ends on Dec 12 anyways, so I'm free to work whenever after that. Hopefully I'll be able to work all those hours and go to school and not crash. I'm kinda worried I won't be, but I'm still doing okay right now, so maybe it's possible. Plus, I get a 40% discount now :D

So yeah, I like the people at work. It's nice to meet some new people. One of the girls is coming downtown with us on sat to do a real life Where's Waldo search, and I might be going to a club in Burlington with one of the other girls on friday night. So I'm happy with that.

Too bad the boys are all young, though. We need to hire some pretty 26 or 28 year olds. That'd be good. Stop with this jailbait thing already!!

So Halloween was this weekend, and it was pretty good. We went to a club called Bar 244. It claimed that it was going to play 90's music, but it lied. It also claimed that the drinks would be $3, but it lied. But still, it was fun. We should def go out every Halloween. Costumes are awesome!! Ou cabdriver was also pretty good, I thought he was drunk. He got us through downtown Toronto in like 5 minutes. We thought we were gonna die, but we didn't, so I guess he's not bad. We should have gotten his number, so we could call him next time we need him!!

Yurt camping is next weekend!! It's finally happening!! we tried last year, but it didn't work and it was already booked and we had Sal's bday anyways. So this year we aimed for a weekend we knew wasn't going to have a bday on it, and we booked it way back in August. So hopefully it'll be fun and we won't freeze to death.

So yeah, the Christmas Dinner event is already set up on facebook. I'm pretty sure most people are coming. We have 12 people coming so far, and I think it may go up a little more. I'm gonna draw the Secret Santa names in about two or three weeks.

For New Year's, we're planning to go to the Liberty Grand. They have a buffet dinner first, and then the big party. They sell out every year, so it should be good. 5000 people!! So far it's me, Kasia, Tom, and Ela. I don't know if anyone else will come, but really, I don't care. We're going, and we're gonna have a good time.

Anyways, off to get ready for work now.

And I think I want to plan a trip. I was just thinking about how a year ago today I was coming back from Vegas. So I want to go somwhere. It doesn't have to be far, or even expensive. Maybe Ottawa?? Quebec City?? New York?? Ooh, New York. I've never been. Okay, that's the next plan!!

Right, off to work. Bye bye.
Susana