I am doing a speed run on the Coursera / Microsoft Cyber Analyst Professional Certificate at the moment. There are 9 modules, and I've completed 2 on the first day, will start on a third today. So writing is going on a hiatus... To be resumed in a week (hopefully less).
KC on Writing
Saturday, October 21, 2023
Pause on the 30-day writing challenge
Wednesday, October 18, 2023
30-Day Writing Challenge Day 6: Found Poem
Take text from something you don't usually read, turn it into a poem, by taking the words, but rearrange them, use their alternate meaning, and so on.
I typed in "random article to read" into Google, and the first link was "For a More Creative Brain Follow These 5 Steps" from James Clear, the guy who wrote "Atomic Habits".
Well, here's my attempt
Problems don't solve themselves
Solutions are often from combining stuff
There is nothing new under the sun
Just new combinations and mixes
Solutions are never correct
But require iterative changes
Don't despair when nothing's right
Sleep on it and be challenged
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Yes, I fully realized I skipped 2 days, I'm making up for it... soon.
Sunday, October 15, 2023
30-Day Writing Challenge Day 5: Photographs
Get a random picture, look at it, take 5 minutes to think about it, then write something based on that.
I found a random picture, this one, which probably came from Pexels or Pixabay.
A swing on a beach, a young girl with red hair. What you don't see is her parent, who was probably there as the POV, pushing the girl. How proud is s/he feeling now, with the daughter relaxing in the seabreeze, looking at the waves rolling in and out? Or is s/he pondering about other subjects?
She seems to be a quiet child, not going "wheeee!" with legs splayed out, trying to swing higher and higher.
The weather seems calm, though the sea seems to be a bit rougher than the weather suggests... Storm soon?
Saturday, October 14, 2023
30-Day Writing Challenge Day 4: Leave it to Chance
Friday, October 13, 2023
30-Day Writing Challenge Day 3: What do you want to write about?
Day 3 Assignment: Write a 1 – 2 page list of things you believe in and things about which you would love to write. Include what kind of messages (if any) you want to convey in your writing, what the purpose of your writing is, what you hope to accomplish with your work. You may want to include a list of influences or other writers you aspire to write like.
I have... two projects I want to write about... One is finish my Star Trek novel, and two is write a romance novel.
Star Trek Novel
Yes, I really do have one planned. This is a pretty obscure Star Trek reference, and non-canon, so it's basically fan fiction, sorta. There was some debate on class was Enterprise-C. The initial data was "Alaska-class" as given by FASA, then it was canonically revealed to be Ambassador-class in TNG:"Yesterday's Enterprise".
What if both were right, and there was a classified story behind the change? And Captain Picard (then on the Stargazer) was involved?
One of these days I'll have to finish the outline.
Romance Novel
I have some ideas, but before now, I've written only short scenes on writing prompts, esp. the dirty versions, nothing long. I had some ideas about writing longer versions, but never got the full story developed as they sounded a bit lame. But generally I want to write about stuff that makes people go "awwww".
Influences
Tom Clancy, Dale Brown, for their technothriller stuff
Ruth Cardello for romance novel stuff
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
30-Day Writing Challenge Day 2: Break the Rules
(Day2: Write as if no rules matter, THEN analyze what's wrong with it)
"Wait! Driver! Please stop the bus!"
The Muni 22 bus pulled over and came to a stop with hazards on. Everybody remain seated, as I strode forward toward the panicking men with his two dogs, one of which is having a very bad reaction...
Possibly of fentanyl overdose.
The driver turned around, "What's going on?"
The dog parent was trying to feed water to the stricken dog in his arms. I can already see that the dog's breathing was extremely slow, and is not really responding to his parent.
I kneeled down and spoke to him directly, "Sir, sir! Listen to me. Your dog is having an overdose, probably opioid. I know it sounds crazy, but you need to get off the bus now, there's an emergency vet hospital that way, about 2.5 blocks." I pointed.
"You can't miss it. In fact, let's go. Driver, door please?"
The doors hissed open.
The dog parent leaped off, holding one dog and started jogging. The other dog followed, and I quickly followed as well, waving goodbye to the bus, as many of the passengers had offered water to the man and his dogs. The day was unusually warm in San Francisco.
As I started to jog after them, I can hear the driver ordered everybody to sit back down so he can get back on the route. I wonder if they will order a cleaning of the bus... but I don't have time, as my shoes aren't really for running, and the dog parent had a good head start, I need to pay attention...
We arrived at the pet hospital in only minutes, and the staff must have seen the panicked look in his eyes, and they were immediately directed to a room. I stayed only long enough to make sure the vet made the proper diagnosis, then I left.
Sadly, I had a similar experience, except I lost something... someone... far more important to me... Who knew you can find fentanyl in a children's playground?
I don't carry Narcan around because you still have to go to hospital afterwards. A lot of people thought Narcan will save you. It just buy you time to reach the hospital and higher level of care. But I guess I can.
I am not sure what to feel the rest of the day... In a way it brought back some dark memories, but in another way there was a bit of redemption, or is it paying it forward? Or just building up karma? But saving someone else from potential trauma is... good right?
Is that my purpose here? I'll have to think about that some more...
Elsewhere.