Second Time Through...

Well, it's been a couple weeks, so I probably ought to post again. Not that I have much to say...

After a week or so spent on world creation, I've started work on the second draft of that story. So far, it feels a little more solid. I've mostly got Chapter 1 where I like it and am now working on Chapter 2, which may actually end up being Chapters 2 and 3 by the time I'm done. I'm trying something a little different, which I hope will ultimately pay off. I'm beefing up characterization as I go, too, which probably means I'm going off on way too many tangents, but my theory is it'll be easier to cut out stuff that doesn't work than it will be to shoehorn in new stuff. My beta readers will probably think differently, but I'm waiting until I'm up to about Chapter 5 to bother them with it.

I'm working on new Skyhaven templates, though I've been thrown by the disappearance of my favorite mammal drawing book (Jack Hamm's How To Draw Animals). I have a vague memory of having loaned it to my sister at one point, but I thought I got it back. I've torn apart the only areas it could possibly be, but the black hole has hidden it well. Theoretically I should be able to go from a few reference pics and my imagination, but, dang it, I want my book back! In addition to the new creatures (which I'm not naming lest I jinx the templates), I'm considering a complete revamp on the chirolupes (wolf/bat hybrids, along the lines of a griffin) and the sea dragons. The latter creature has been bothering me no end since almost the time I cleaned up the template. I've also been watching too many Flash movies and playing too many Flash games, which, combined with my ever-expanding website and the trial version of Flash software sitting in that Flash instruction book I was given some time ago, can lead to some very dangerous ideas.

Of course, I'm still unemployed. A number of places are hiring, but I've already determined that I cannot work for certain retail outfits. Well, I could, but I would become someone I don't like. I've seen what taking a job like that can do to a person. It's not pretty. I've already had the Universe try to kill me once to steer me clear of a job, so I'm probably being a little over-cautious in the job hunt in the off chance the Universe decides to get my attention the hard way again. I know I'm not going to open the paper and find a classified reading: "HELP WANTED: PerfectCo is now hiring people with the online name of DreamLurker for the perfect job. Take as long as you want to reply, because we won't be hiring anyone else while you think." It would be nice, however, to find something that didn't require faking people skills I simply don't have. One of the few nice things about my last job was having the option to tell people that you just stocked for the vendors and didn't actually work for the store. (Actually, I usually helped people, but in every store there are customers beyond helping, and I was just as glad my job almost never required me to deal with them.)

A while back, my sister gave me her old Zoo Tycoon discs. She has a way of addicting me to computer games. First it was Arcanum. Then the city-building games. Then Roller Coaster Tycoon, and The Sims, and Black & White. Now, it's Zoo Tycoon. An oldie, some might argue, but for me the oldies are still the goodies. I don't like first-person shooters, I don't like games where I have to play as a white man, I don't like games that are just about how much gore one can slosh about the screen. I also can't afford a game system or a new computer. These days, that pretty much leaves me with the older games, which are plenty interesting enough for me. So far, I haven't succumbed to the urge to download user-made Zoo Tycoon additions, but it's one more addiction I don't need. There was a debate on an art forum not long ago about people losing time to computer games (the one in question was World of Warcraft, but the principle applies to most games), some even losing jobs or spouses for addiction. Why play anything at all, some argued, when you could be doing Something Productive, like working on your sketchbook or cleaning the house or something? I had to side with the people who said that, hey, everyone needs some unwinding time, and it's up to each person to learn to set limits. A little play now and again can be much more stimulating than endless Something Productive's. Usually, while playing, my mind's still daydreaming, coming up with ideas for that story or modifications for Skyhaven. So I suppose I need that unwinding time to keep the creative juices flowing. At least, that's how I justify it to myself...

I suppose there's more I could ramble about, but I probably ought to call it a night (or morning, rather) and head off.