Millini's Writing Coda

I have a new blog!

2022-12-20T14:03:00.004-05:00

To anyone still on this blog for whatever reason, I just want to let you know that I have a new blog on WordPress. You can check it out here!

2021 year in review: New Beginnings, Changes, and a Relaunch?

2021-12-11T13:29:00.000-05:00

As the end of the calendar year approaches, I struggle to come up with much to say in regards to the year that has occurred. Mostly, this due to the fact that as I type this, I am currently in the process of moving down to Florida because my dad wants to live closer to my brother and his family. I don't really wish to go into detail about my thoughts on the whole matter, mostly because I feel like I would waste too much time on that point, but I will say that it has provided me with an idea of how I wish to move things forward going into the new year.

2021 began right away with the launch of the "An Intrepid Identity" first draft, as it were called. Mainly, I wanted to gauge the interest and see where I had progressed as a writer. For interest, it still looks as if I've got a lot to work on in regards to expanding my readership, as Twitter can only go so far in regards to outreach. I've not given a lot to other places of outreach, mostly because I don't really use Facebook and some of the other platforms don't really lend themselves well to self-promotion, where at best it's plain indifference and at worst it's ill-advised to do so in those areas. Most of that also has to do with the fact that I haven't engaged as well as I could with my main platform, though I hope to change that next year.

A lot of the reason for that is partly due to the fact that I'm moving, which has been going on for the past few months, though I would say it's been happening for a few years now. I've had to juggle with doing my work along with trying to write as well as doing this whole moving process, which has lent itself to the fact that whenever I wanted to write, I've had no time to do so and whenever I did have time, it was little and I had no desire to write. Hopefully, once everything has settled down, I will look to begin anew as I resume writing "An Intrepid Identity" and try to work on officially publishing the Sunbeam trilogy. Yes, that is still a goal of mine, even if I've stalled in the process.

Which brings me to what I'm going to do heading into 2022. Once I've got things settled down, I will begin what can be considered a "relaunch." Nothing too dramatic, I think, but hopefully once I've got the time to do so, I will look to further my engagement and try to pursue new projects alongside the one I've already got. I won't promise anything until I've announced it, but we shall see what can be done for the new year. If I had an estimate of time, I would guess either the very end of January or the beginning of February at the earliest. I just have to get all the difficult and boring stuff out of the way first, then we'll talk.

I know I've made similar posts in the past, but I really do believe this will be the beginning of something new, even if it's not exactly where I want things to be. But this will be the beginning and I will attempt to get everything moving in the right direction. Let's just hope the circumstances agree with me this time, okay?

New Music of Note: "Harridan" by Porcupine Tree (NEW ALBUM COMING OUT NEXT YEAR!?)

2021-11-01T12:02:00.000-04:00

I thought that this day would never come, but it's actually here. Porcupine Tree is back and coming out with a new album slated for June 24th of next year. It'll be a long wait, but until then, we have "Harridan" to hold us over.

So the new album will be called "Closure / Continuation," a much appropriate title considering the changes between the Porcupine Tree of old and the new look/sound of this reunited band. Of course, it will be without their longtime bassist, Colin Edwin, given the fact that his presence is nowhere to be seen in the new promotional material and song credits. Whatever the reason for this is, it is a fact that this will be a new direction for the band and for lead singer/songwriter Steven Wilson. His solo work has been very good, but it is nice to see the band back together and writing new songs.

"Harridan" shows some shades of the old PT while going in a new direction and I cannot wait to hear the rest of the songs on this album. June 2022 can't come fast enough.

The Future of "An Intrepid Identity" + Other Thoughts

2021-10-06T13:47:00.006-04:00

Hello. It's been some time, hasn't it?

First thing's first, I am going to announce that after the next chapter of "Sunbeam: An Intrepid Identity" goes up, there will not be a solid update schedule for any chapters after. This is because in the past couple of months or so, my drive to write has somewhat diminished. I don't know if I would call it a writer's block, but it has made writing tough for me this year. That is not to say that I'm at a loss of what to do next in this story, but rather that I've found it difficult to get the words out on the document. In regards to that, I am sorry that I have not been clear about "An Intrepid Identity" and its progress.

What I think it boils down to, in my opinion, is the fact that I am my biggest critic and also my worst critic when it comes to writing. There is always that little bit of doubt in my mind that worries whether or not I'm able to write the most engaging story out there and if I'm doing enough to retain a somewhat steady readership compared to my previous stories. With "An Intrepid Identity," it's been a tough task to make sure that I'm able to move the story forward without having to worry if people think that the story moves to slow or they think that "nothing happens" for five chapters before maybe a half a chapter of action. It isn't seen of any of the sites, but I've heard from friends about at least a couple instances where that could be the case.

I do apologize once again about the lack of updates and hope that you understand. As for other news, I'll be sure to update when news is happening. Until then, have a good day or night.

Monday Song Highlight: "One More Time" by Daft Punk

2021-02-22T12:01:00.003-05:00

The most unexpected news to come out of the music world today, wouldn't you agree? After 28 years of making music, Daft Punk is no more. I suppose all good things have to come to an end, though for many fans, it's a sad day. At least they went out on their terms and on a relatively high note.

Thanks.

New Music of Note: "Waiting On A War" by Foo Fighters

2021-01-14T12:09:00.000-05:00

Dave Grohl and the boys have done it again. A new Foo Fighters song has dropped and it's as you expected: a good start that builds up to something amazing. Solid song overall.

Have a great day.

Sunbeam: An Intrepid Identity - Characters Part 2

2020-12-31T11:13:00.001-05:00

After introducing the main characters, I think it's about time we get to know some of the other characters that will come along for the ride in this journey. These next three are characters who we will be following alongside Gen and each one has a distinct personality separate from each other.

Character 3: Albert Evans

Age: 34

Height: 6'5"

The leader of the group that assists Gen in her journey, Albert is compassionate and knowledgeable. Knows plenty about a lot, but most of his information is trivial. Still, Albert is a capable fighter and well worth his rank in the Hammerheads. Can be boisterous on occasion, but at the end of the day he cares very much for his family.

Character 4: Nia Power

Age: 22

Height: 5'9"

The adopted daughter of Gavin Power, Nia works alongside Albert. A perfectionist, Nia is good with a gun but claims that she's nowhere near as good as her father. Gets along well enough with her cousin Lars, though her stoic personality can clash with his more laid back demeanor. Likes to stay focused on the job at hand more than anything else.

Character 5: Eligio Pratt

Age: 26

Height: 5'3"

The third of Albert's group, Eligio is a brash, young man with a past that he would rather not talk about. Distrusting of everyone, save for Albert, Eligio sees no purpose in forming bonds whatsoever. Still, he is considered to be quite good at what he does and can be quite helpful when needed.

I've got one more characters post, so look out for that. Next time, it will be a new year.

2020 year in review: One Story Ends, Another Is Just Beginning

2020-12-17T11:17:00.002-05:00

It's about that time of year where I go on about the past year. Given the circumstances of this year, it felt like we were due for a long year, though now I feel as if we're almost there to 2021. Yes, things aren't going to magically be better just because the calendar shows a different year, but we do have quite a bit of a reason to believe that something better is on the horizon.

The only question is this: do we return to the so-called "normal" or will we try to confront the flaws that have been highlighted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic? With the US voting to give the boot to the washed up reality TV star and elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, I do wonder if there will be enough effort to confront those problems, though that depends on what happens in Georgia this January. Then again, a lot about 2020 was far from the norm and a lot has taken place, some good and some bad. Of course, I can only speculate what will happen next so I will keep things brief in regards to the election since I chose to unpublish that one post. (If you didn't see it, which is highly likely, don't worry about it.)

So with that out of the way, I find it hard to really talk about what I'm up to since I've already brought up my plans for the next Sunbeam-related project. If you've been keeping track, I'm already at work on the new story, though I've been on and off in writing it. The main reason is because of the fact that I'm stuck working at home since March and dedicating enough time to write has been tough. Then there's the fact that I've already had to redo the entire beginning of the story because I wasn't satisfied with where it was going. However, I do have confidence that I'll be able to get everything on track soon. As for when you can expect to read this story, I'll keep that one a secret for now.

This is the part where I talk about what else I want to do, but to honest, I kind of don't have much to say. I've been so far removed from the last Nomad Project Series episode that it's difficult for me to look back on it now. There's plenty of stuff that I liked when writing it and some stuff I wished I did better, as well as things I wish I could remove entirely. Which is to say that I wouldn't get your hopes up for any new info regarding Nomad in the near future. Sorry.

As for other ideas, that remains to be seen. I don't want to guarantee anything I can't deliver, but I've been thinking about getting myself into drawing. This is one of those things I've been completely on and off about where I put some time into it and stop because I don't know if I'll have the time and patience for it. But it is something I've considered in recent months during this pandemic, so we'll see about whether or not I'll go about doing that.

To wrap everything up, I want to thank you for reading what I have to write. Even if it was for only a moment, it means something to me that someone would take the time out of their day to look at what I've got. And since I don't have much else to say, I'll end it here. Whatever 2021 brings next, let's hope everything starts off on a better note than 2020. Okay?

Sunbeam: An Intrepid Identity - Characters

2020-12-17T10:37:00.005-05:00

There's a lot that I want to go over when I talk about "An Intrepid Identity," but I don't want to get into major details about what it is I want to talk about. However, I do feel as if I'm ready to share some of the details about a couple of the characters. By that, I mean who they are. Without further ado, I will get right into it.

Character 1: Gen Randolph

Age: 20

Height: 5'7"

Our main character of this story. The daughter of Henry Randolph and the youngest of three, Gen goes on her journey from Ameci to Iiayikohn in order to find something. As for what that is, that's a mystery. She is initially reserved and on guard, but once she opens up, she can be one of the most casual people despite not having much world experience. Has some particularly odd eating habits and is scared of birds.

Character 2: Jericho Dubois

Age: 24

Height: 6'4"

A traveler that Gen bumps into on the way to Iiayikohn, Jericho Dubois has a story of his own to tell. He doesn't bring up his past to many, but is willing to lend a hand if asked. Though he is regarded as a calm and nice person, he will not hesitate to fight back if provoked or he sees someone attacking those who cannot defend themselves. Other than that, Jericho is on a quest to find an answer to a question he has asked for six long years.

I debated whether to include more characters into this post, but I think it's for the best if they're saved for a separate post. For now, this is where it begins. Until next time, this where it will all begin.

The Sequel Idea - Where Everything Stands Now

2020-11-16T15:48:00.002-05:00

After some time, I think it's about time we delved into what it is I'm doing now.

Currently, I'm at work with my new project, though it's been going at a slow pace. I started over because I wasn't happy with where things were headed, so there are a few bits and pieces that are different from what was there before. Namely, a major shift in regards to who the main characters are and the overall plot structure are the things I'm talking about. I'm already closing towards the end of chapter three in this project and have a good idea where to go next. But it will still be a while before I can say this story will be ready for viewing.

The main reason is that things are still in the working stages and also because of the fact that I don't know if I want to publish this story as a web novel. I've been thinking about how I've wanted to move towards publishing in a traditional sense, but with multiple factors getting in the way, it may take a while before I would be able do that. Once I get a couple more chapters done, I'll think about it more if I want to do that but until then it's very much up in the air if I'll do the same for this story like I did for the previous three.

So with that said, I think I'm confident in the direction this story is headed. Originally, there was little to the story besides its main characters, but with the changes, I do have a good idea of the overall arching plot. Whether that translates into multiple stories is for another time, but at least in this regard I know what it is I have to do next.

I'll reveal more about the characters and plot at another time, but I do have one more thing. I think after I'm done with chapter three, I want to post the three completed chapters and see if I can get feedback. Then again, I may not. We'll have to see. Even if I do decide to post them here, I will probably not keep them up for very long. But I will give you the working title of this work at the very least.

"An Intrepid Identity" is the current working title, though that may change in the future. Until the next time I write about this project, which then I will talk about the main characters. But for now, it's only the beginning.

Sunbeam Series - Sequel Series and where I'm at now.

2020-10-06T15:43:00.005-04:00

Hi. It's been some time, hasn't it? I don't usually make these kinds of posts without having some sort of news, so let's get into it.

Right now, I'm currently working on that story that's supposed to be set quite some time after Aurora. But even as I do, I've been finding it difficult to stay motivated. Part of that has to do with the fact that I've got another story idea in the same universe that's supposed to be a sequel to what I'm currently working on. So obviously that's a bit of a problem, right? Well, I make sure to write those ideas down so I can come back to them later. That way, I can get back to what I'm working on.

Well, I'd say that, but I think I've run into my biggest problem so far with this project. Namely, I don't feel satisfied with what I've currently written so far. There are some points in the writing I do like, but as a whole, the story is pretty weak. I have written five chapters into this story and so far only the first two, I feel, are sort of good. The main character isn't doing much to stand out as I had hoped they would, nor do I feel like the story is going along as well as I wanted it to. There are some other reasons as to why I feel like I'm struggling so hard with this, but I think these are the main problems I'm having.

I'm making this post because I want to be honest with you about where I am in the writing process. I know it's only the beginning, but I am saying all of this now because I had plans about revealing this story in the coming months. I wanted to have at least a few more chapters done before I teased anything, but that seems unlikely now.

Perhaps it's best if I post what I've already written and see what I got going. Or maybe I can just reveal what it is I'm working on so you can have a better idea of what it is I'm creating. I'll make this decision soon enough, so keep an eye out when that happens.

"Aurora" Finishes + Overall Thoughts on the Sunbeam Series

2020-08-20T15:00:00.013-04:00

Intro - After over three years of following Sorin Wilk and his friends on their adventures to take down Isaac Kunigunde and the organization known as Foundation, the story has come to an end. It's a happy day all-in-all, but still, it is somewhat nostalgic in a way to see it all end. For me, writing this series has been my source of comfort during some stressful times. It has been a relief for me to have this outlet for my voice and also to tell this story that I've wanted to tell for almost ten years now. (The original draft was written in 2010 while I was still in college. It's been quite a long time.)

But now that the story is finished, there's much that I want to go over. From writing Aurora to writing the Sunbeam series in its entirety to how I feel about web publishing versus traditional methods to what I plan to do next now that I'm done with the trilogy. This may be one of the longer posts on my blog, but we'll see. And just so you're aware, if you haven't read the series in full, there will be major spoilers about the Sunbeam Series. Don't say that I didn't warn you.

So to start, let's talk about Aurora since that's wrapped up nicely. I feel like I couldn't have written the ending better, closing the book on so many characters who've found their happiness after going through so much. Of course, not everyone was able to make it to the end, but the efforts of those characters are not forgotten. Originally, I had planned for Kirk to live to the end, but that changed after some events that happened in Sundown. I had similar plans for Jelka as well, though that all changed as I was writing the story.

One of the biggest things in Aurora was who was going to be the final villain. This is one part where I will admit that this was one thing that constantly changed throughout. Midway through writing Aurora, I'd finally settled on Harold Mars once everything about him was written. Out of all the possible candidates, Harold was the most heinous of all due to the fact that he has no sympathetic qualities whatsoever. For all the other villains in Aurora, they've had their degree of that quality whether or not the readers felt sorry for them, but Harold was evil throughout so it made sense for him to be the last villain standing.

That brings me to another topic: Johan Kuu. How does he relate to what I just said? Well, I initially intended for him to be a villain. You could see that in Sundown somewhat where he appeared to be on the side of the Neu Thekohnian Order. He was going to be the example of a former friend of the hero turning out to be a bad guy with good intentions, but as the story went on, I realized that that wouldn't work with the overall theme of the story. My feelings about certain things had changed as well, which was why it ended up that Johan merely played the bad guys in order to discover the truth about who was behind the entire operation. And once I've introduced the reasons for his motivation, having him become a villain was impossible, especially after the events of Sundown. (I could write a lot more about Johan and his relationships with the other characters, but maybe that will be its own post in the future.)

As for our heroes, it was always going to be Sorin's story in the end. He had to be the one to defeat Harold Mars considering he was the one most affected by Harold's actions. And the way their final battle ended felt to me like a representation of the entire series itself. But as for the protagonist, the story of Aurora has two: Sorin Wilk and Eva Bellamy. I'd wanted to get into Eva's backstory earlier on, but once I began writing the story, it felt right to go into detail there. The theme of the Sunbeam series has always been about trust, which was why Eva went from distancing herself from her friends to being able to confide in them about how she felt. Sorin ended up working well off of her because of that, which was why I felt Chapter 30 worked so well between them.

The protagonist of each story changed along the way, interestingly enough. Sorin was always meant to be the protagonist from the very start, but Sunbeam turned out to be both Henry and Gavin's stories in how they were portrayed. This went as far back as the original draft as I ended up having a lot of fun writing Gavin and who he is as a man who takes himself a little too seriously but always goes off the moment he gets angry or annoyed. Henry, meanwhile, was always the secondary protagonist in the story, but once his main conflict was settled, he dropped down to the secondary tier. Not that it's a bad thing, it's just that after Sunbeam, Henry worked best as a leader-type character to Sorin and the others.

I really could go into all sorts of details regarding these characters, but as I do, it deters from the overall main topic of this post. Like I said before, I am willing to go into more detail about certain characters and how they came to be. This post, however, is more for the overall process about writing the Sunbeam series. One thing I can say, though, is that I feel like I've come pretty far in bringing this story together. Now that I've made it this far, I feel ready for the next step.

Which brings me to what I plan to do with the Sunbeam series now that it's finished. I've always thought about trying to publish this series as books, but the road hasn't been the easiest one for me. It has proven to be a path that takes up quite a bit of resources, which I don't always have. For one, I'll need to have a cover for all three books. There's also just the fact that I'll need to get the story out there and noticed by people, which isn't always easy to do. I've had trouble being able to promote my story, even as a web novel, which falls on me specifically. I don't regret going this path by publishing my work as a web novel, not at all. But if I want to go forward, then I'm going to think about going by in a more traditional sense, whether or not I choose to self-publish. Nothing against the world of web serials/web novels, but it's a tough world to break into by yourself. (And yes, I say this knowing that the other way is just as tough if not tougher.)

So what does the future hold for me now that I'm done with the Sunbeam series? Well, I do have one idea regarding a story set in the same universe. All I can say about this idea at the moment is that it'll take place a few years after the end of Aurora. I'm not sure if I'll write any sort of short stories about the heroes of the Sunbeam series, especially now considering that their adventures are all over, but we'll see. Mostly, I want to take the time and try to reflect on what I'm going to do next. I have plans about wanting to change my writing style a bit, but that will have to wait.

In regards to my other projects, I've still got some things that I'd like to talk about them. However, this is not the place for them. If I want to make a post about the Nomad Project Series, I will. For now, though, I'm done. Maybe I will actually talk about the characters in the future, who knows? Until then, have a great day.

Enough is Enough

2020-05-29T23:37:00.000-04:00

This past week has been a rough one for America.

In the midst of this pandemic, a lot has happened and a lot of it has just been rough. It's hard to ignore what's going on and also hard to put into words just how frustrating it is to see this day after day. What do you say when you have case after case of police brutality and outright murder happening in the public eye? People are protesting this recent injustice and understandably so. There's only so much one can take before enough is enough and something needs to be done in order to be heard.

Yet still, there are plenty of people (the majority of whom voted for a certain candidate back in 2016) who willingly remain ignorant of the issues that affect marginalized communities. They'd rather not be inconvenienced by having their so-called ideal world be disrupted by the reality that there's still so much that needs to be done in regards to addressing racism in this country. These are the same people who also see no problem with right-wing militants bringing in assault weapons into a government building because they're upset they can't go to the bar or get a haircut. To these people, they would say to protestors to be out of sight and out of mind. Even Colin Kaepernick, who merely knelt during the national anthem, went too far in their minds.

Well, is it too far to demand accountability? Is it too much to ask that these issues lying within the confines of the police system are addressed? Is it uncomfortable to hear that maybe, just maybe, there needs to be a discussion about this shit?

I have to admit that it was hard for me at first to put into words how I felt about this. Seeing the news all over social media, it has served as a reminder as to the kind of people that approve of Trump. The man himself who couldn't give a damn about the fact that over 100,000 people have died of COVID-19 yet gets extremely upset when Twitter suggests that his spew is false. This is a man that has only served to pour gasoline on the fire because the only thing he cares about himself and what he can do to benefit himself.

It is also telling about the kind of person that reacts to what's happening in Minneapolis and cares more about the buildings than the fact that someone was murdered by a cop. They try to act as if they are above the situation and claim that the truth lies somewhere in the middle. It is, at best, a weak response. It is that willful ignorance that leaves gives evil a free pass to do whatever it wants.

Overall, something major needs to happen. There needs to be a drastic change. Fortunately, I've seen a lot more people in support for justice and many people calling for the cops responsible for George Floyd's death to be arrested. There has been a lot of support to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, which you can donate to like I did.

As much as it seems hard to maintain optimism in these times, don't give up. Keep going and try to do what you can in order to make the world better.

I know it feels like I've been rambling forever, but I feel like I needed to say this. Thank you for reading.

"Aurora" - Act Two end and Act Three release date

2020-03-23T15:23:00.002-04:00

It's almost time for the show to reach its finale. The climax of "BFS: Aurora" is arriving sooner than you think and I'm here to tell you when that is. Well, first, I have something to say first.

When I first started this series, I had no idea I'd get this far. Of course, the road wasn't always smooth nor was it easy. Starting out was tough, especially when it came to getting people to read. I still have some trouble with that, even now, but I do have some people willing to read what I write. But now I do have some semblance of an idea of how I want to end "Aurora" and how many chapters it will take to get there (well, it's more of a range, but it should be the same amount of chapters as "Sundown").

That said, writing for me at this moment has gotten a little slow. Sometimes I have good days and other times, I wonder how I can even put words together. Writing Act Three is no exception. As of right now, I have up to chapter 39 completed. I am hoping to have chapter 40 done soon so I can start editing, because I do feel like I'm going to have to split the final act in half with the rate I'm going. Please understand that it isn't always easy to get ideas down. Thank you.

So if everything goes to plan, Act Three of "Aurora" will release soon after Act Two ends. On April 21st, we'll be heading towards the final stretch between Sorin Wilk and his friends and their fight against Isaac Kunigunde, the one behind everything that has happened in the series. How will it end? You'll just have to find out.

I do have plans for another story set in the same universe. I don't know if I've already said this, but it is something I'm thinking about. Once "Aurora" is all said and done, I may start sharing some details regarding this new story. I also want to talk about Nomad again and what ideas I have regarding that. Keep an eye out, would you? Thanks again.

Monday Song Highlight: "Désolé" by Gorillaz + Other Thoughts

2020-03-23T15:09:00.002-04:00

With all that's happening in the world, a lot of things may seem uncertain. All the news can talk about now is the Coronavirus (or COVID-19, if you prefer) and how all sorts of events are being put on hold for the indefinite future. Even now where I am, everything is still basically closed except for the essentials. If only there were competent leadership in the White House that cared about helping people, then perhaps this wouldn't have gotten bad.

But enough about that. I want to provide some sort of an escape with my work, and I can only talk about this stuff for so long before I need a break from it myself. You want to know about "Aurora" and the end of Act Two. I'll talk about that in another post soon enough, as well as when Act Three comes out. For now, let's talk music.

So this "Song Machine" from Gorillaz isn't exactly an album, but an ongoing collection of songs by the group set to be released throughout 2020. This is the second song from the collection and I will say that so far, it's the best one. "Momentary Bliss" was fine, but "Désolé" is an amazing step up and I am looking forward to the next track, which will probably be released soon by the time I'm writing this. We shall see.

Until then, stay safe and stay well. I'm sure we'll find a way to get through this. Hopefully.

Not-so-Super Wednesday

2020-03-04T10:16:00.000-05:00

Well, it's Wednesday. About half way through the week and I'm already waiting for the weekend.

In other news, politics! You thought I was done talking about politics, didn't you? (Please say you did so I can feel a little better about myself. Please? No? Okay.)

So this is basically the aftermath of Super Tuesday in the United States and Joe Biden looks to be the front runner now. I'm disappointed but not surprised, honestly. Everything leading up to yesterday, with the results of South Carolina and the endorsements from some of the other candidates that had dropped out, made me believe that last night would be one for the so-called "Joe-mentum" that Biden and his supporters had been hoping for. I usually don't voice my political opinions that much these days, but I held out hope that Bernie Sanders would at least hold a considerable lead at the end of the night.

Right now, it's still uncertain, but it looks much better for Biden than it does for Sanders. Part of me thinks it's due to most people wanting to vote for someone they know well over someone they don't know as well, even if the person they know has a lot of flaws. A lot of voters decided at the last minute, which probably means that regardless of flaws, they went with what they felt was a more safe pick, even though "safe" did not turn out the results Democrats hoped for in 2016.

I looked back at my post I wrote after the results of the 2016 election and I feel as if I'm due to write a similar post this year as well. A lot has changed since Trump got elected and a lot of it was not for the better. To think that we're headed to a repeat performance of 2016 makes me wonder what the Democrats are even thinking when they choose to support Biden over Sanders. Sure, Biden was VP during Obama's time in office, but that's barely a measure of who he is as a politician. I'm almost certain that Republicans will waste no time using whatever card they have in their back pocket in order to smear Biden and ensure that Trump gets re-elected. If you thought it was bad when it was Clinton versus Trump, it's going to get a lot worse when Biden goes up to bat.

That isn't to say I won't vote in November should Biden get the nomination. As a resident of Maryland, the state's primary is at the end of April, which is usually when we have a good idea of who will be the nominee. I can say with confidence that MD will vote for Biden, though I will do my part and vote for Sanders even if he has little chance of winning the state. As for what happens after that, we'll see. (At the very least, I'm glad the Mike Bloomberg has no chance to win now that people sees him for the fraud he is. No, American Samoa isn't going to salvage his campaign, I'm sure.)

To all of you who support Sanders as well, I would suggest that you don't get discouraged. Do what you can to get the word out and make the message known. To those who support Biden, I want you to at least remember the mistakes that were made in the last general election. A lot is on the line this November and the ride is only going to get bumpier as time goes on.

That's all I'll say for now. I know this probably reads like a mess, but at least I feel better now that I was able to get some my thoughts out here.

See you next time.

(EDIT: Bloomberg is out. Looks like spending over $500 million doesn't do much in the way of actually getting voters, now does it?)

New Music of Note: "Bad Decisions" by The Strokes

2020-02-21T10:02:00.000-05:00

Everything new is old or everything old is new. Did you expect something different? I don't know.

So The Strokes are back in 2020 with a new album that's set to release on April 10th, titled "The New Abnormal." This is one of the tracks from the album, which has a sort of 80's vibe to it. Seems like with this and their other song, "At The Door," the new album will go into that style very well. Yet this still sounds like The Strokes all the same.

That's a good thing, I'd say. Probably.

New Music of Note: "Superblood Wolfmoon" by Pearl Jam

2020-02-19T14:19:00.001-05:00

The seven year wait is over as Pearl Jam is back at it with a new album named "Gigaton." I'm interested in hearing the rest of the album, but if this song and "Dance of the Clairvoyants" are anything to go by, this will be a pretty good effort from the band. "Superblood Wolfmoon" has an old school sound to it, while the other song is quite different yet I find it growing on me with each listen.

So yeah, if you like this song, this album will drop next month. Should be fun.

"Rusty Cage" by Soundgarden (AKA Soundgarden was snubbed)

2020-01-15T12:03:00.000-05:00

So the list of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees for this year is out. Of all the acts to make it, I'd have swapped T. Rex for Soundgarden. But as it appears now, it'll be another year for a lot of acts to make it into the hall. Congrats to Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Whitney Houston, Notorious BIG and the Doobie Brothers on making it in, though. (Okay, I guess I can congratulate T. Rex, too.)

Today's a good time to keep it brief, so enjoy this song by Soundgarden and have a good rest of your day.

2019 year in review: So long to the 10s.

2019-12-12T12:29:00.001-05:00

2019 is almost out of the door and in its place comes 2020. Lots of exciting, new, interesting things will happen, and I haven't even mentioned what's going on here! I've got a lot of ideas I want to talk about, as well as some other things as well.

I want to get started by covering "Brave Fighting Sun: Aurora," as well as the end of "Sundown." I know that views haven't been the same like they were for the first book, and I know that part of that is my fault, but I still have had a fun time writing these stories. I only wish that I was able to reach out to more people, but that's a goal in mind for 2020. But I do want to thank all of you who have kept checking for each update. Be sure to tell people you know and make good use of sharing the story so the series can hopefully grow!

As for the story itself, we will be moving into Act Two of Aurora pretty soon. Right now, the last chapter of Act One should be up for reading. You may ask about what happens next and when we'll be able to learn what will happen to Sorin and the others. That's why I'm here to say that on January 7th, you'll be able to see the aftermath of the actions that have happened in the first 16 chapters. This will be a wild ride, so be prepared for what may happen.

Speaking of BFS, another goal I have for the new year is to hopefully publish "Sunbeam." I found myself a bit in over my head trying to get the book out this year, plus having to deal with writing and my job has made it tough for me to get everything ready. Overall, I need a few things before I can get this thing off the ground: a place to publish, a good cover, and an editor in order to catch any mistakes I may have missed when writing and proofreading. There's other stuff as well, but that stuff will be taken care of once I get to doing this. Hopefully 2020 will be the year it all gets done.

Now let's talk about other things. I've been thinking about this one for a bit and I kind of want to get back into writing poetry. I won't say it will be a long term thing, but there are some ideas I want to write about, as well as the fact that I know my poems get much more traction than my fiction. Yes, I'm still struggling having to deal with that, but if people want it, then I should be able to write some poems from time to time. I won't guarantee anything concrete, nor will there be a set schedule. It will be like how I used to post poems, so expect them every once in a while.

Another thing I want to talk about is reviewing. I've missed doing reviews of music, even though I don't really listen much like I used to in the past. There is still some interest in it, as well as a lot of other stuff I'd like to talk about that wouldn't fit here. Not that I'd start anything new, but it would be a small side blog to talk about anything that interests me. If it goes live, I'll be sure to share the link with all of you so you can check it out.

I think I've covered everything that I wanted to talk about. If there was anything I forgot, I'll probably add it later, but maybe not. This will most likely be the last post of the year on my blog, so unless something changes, I'll see you in the next year. Have a happy holiday and a great new year!

Ten Years of Blogging!?

2019-11-18T10:56:00.005-05:00

So I noticed that today is the anniversary of this blog's creation. Somehow, this blog lasted the whole decade and I've not got much to say. I wish I could say this was a big deal, but I can't really say a lot in regards to this. If you were here for my poetry, that's great. If not, you were probably here for my write-ups about music. Maybe you were one of the few people who actually enjoyed my fiction writing. Whatever it is, I thank you for your support over the years.

So with this decade almost over, I guess I can reflect a bit. Of course, this was a bit of a tough decade to get through, having to deal with college and university and finding work and holding a job and all the other things I've had to deal with. There's also the many projects I've either promised and never started them, or the projects where I did start but never finished. Not surprisingly, this proved to be a move that made things difficult in the long run. I guess now that I'm actually on top of things, no one is around to watch me do well.

Sorry if it feels like I'm being negative. I wanted to use this time to reflect and doing so, I realized that a lot of what I done with this platform had largely gone unnoticed or people have abandoned it. Part of that is my fault for not paying more attention to this blog, but also part of it is just due to the fact that the audience for this blog has for the most part disappeared. I'll have to figure out how to rebuild this platform in order to better promote what it is that I'm doing, and I suppose that that's a goal for 2020.

I almost want to delete this entire thing and just give you a basic message about how great this decade was and whatnot, but that wouldn't feel right. I've got to do some reinventing, and that has to start with this blog. As for what I will do, I have no idea yet, but I'll let you know when I've figured something out. I mean that.

As for a year in review, that's for a different post. I will probably talk more in detail about my failure to publish "Sunbeam," and what that means going forward. In addition, I have a couple of other ideas that I want to discuss, including something that some of you might enjoy.

Really, though, for all that has happened the past decade, I want to thank you for taking the time to read this. Until next time, have a great day.

New Music of Note: "Uneventful Days" by Beck

2019-10-18T10:50:00.003-04:00

I guess this just dropped a couple days ago. So, because I have nothing better to do on a quiet Friday, I'll talk about this song for a bit.

Beck doesn't really stop doing new things, does he? Making music and whatnot, the guy just does whatever he wants, whenever he wants. His new album, titled "Hyperspace," will release next month and this will be one of the singles from it. If this song is anything to go by, "Hyperspace" will be have a very 80s feel to it. Then again, there's bound to be the unusual surprise in this album, which is why the song "Saw Lightning," released earlier this year, is on the album.

I've got nothing else to add, so enjoy your Friday. Maybe we'll meet again, who knows.

Friday Live Song Highlight: "Social Cues" by Cage The Elephant

2019-10-11T11:48:00.001-04:00

Not much to say this Friday. I'm working on act two of "Brave Fighting Sun: Aurora," which won't be coming out until early next year. I also have another idea potentially in the works, but I'll get to that for another time.

If you haven't checked out Cage The Elephant's latest album, then I recommend listening to this song here. This song here, which is the title track, is one of my favorites.

All in all, another Friday, another weekend upon us. Don't worry, I don't have much else to talk about here. No need to keep rambling. Enjoy your day.

Wednesday Live Song Highlight: "Help Me Stranger" by The Raconteurs

2019-08-28T10:23:00.001-04:00

I wish I had more to offer in the way of updates, but BFS: Aurora is coming in a couple of weeks. So you can look for that in the near future.

This is the lead single off of The Raconteurs latest album. It's pretty good. You should check it out. Also, you may not know about this, but Jack White recently worked on a song with Jack Black and it's called Jack Grey. Look it up. It's about time, anyway.

See ya!

A "Nomad Project Series" future update.

2019-07-08T15:44:00.003-04:00

Hi. It's been a while since the last time I talked about Nomad. Well, there's a good reason for that.

I think it's best if I just say it outright: I have no plans for any future content involving the "Nomad Project Series" at the moment. Call it a hiatus, call it a cancellation, whatever, but right now, there's no feasible way for me to move forward with the series.

It's not like I've grown completely bored with the story, but most of my time and focus is on other things. I've got two jobs to handle, stuff at home, and of course, BFS: Aurora. Unfortunately, with things as they are, there's just no time for me to even think about the "Nomad Project Series" at this point in time.

Maybe one day I'll find the time to work on the next part of the story, just not in the foreseeable future. I hope that you'll understand.