The Fantasy Scribbler

New Project : Earth defence Force - Mutt

2009-04-10T16:05:00.002+01:00

Hi folks.

So I am starting a new model making project. My first one in quite some time.
Watch this space.

9 months!

2009-02-02T10:15:00.002Z

Okay in the time since I last posted on this blog I have:

Completed al my sections of the collaborative novel I am working on with my writing buddies, done some pictures and posted them over at DeviantArt.com
http://moonlight-masquerade.deviantart.com/
Watched a lot of Scrubs, I am currently halfway through season 5 and loving it, though my online sources have disappeared. I have also watched all of Dexter seaon 3. I am still woefully behind with LOST and Stargate Atlantis and Battlestar Galactica. I'll catch up eventually.

Most of the reasons for not being so good is to do with how busy life is. Kids, wife, work, hobbies., all get in the way, but I think I need the time to reflect and review every now and again. We'llsee how things go.

FS

New trailer Doctor Who Season 4

2008-05-30T09:30:00.002+01:00

Okay, I missed a few things while I was off... How did I miss THIS!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br1Q9X_USyM

Hoooo yes!!!

Half term, Anniversaries, Bullwhps and all that jazz.

2008-05-30T09:06:00.002+01:00

Hello!

It's been a few days since I last wrote. I have been off work for a few days enjoying the sunshine and generally spending time with the family. Twas my wedding anniversary on Tuesday. It's very hard to believe it's been nineteen years. Amazing! I could never had dreamed way back when that I would meet someone so wonderful that I would want to be with them forever. But I do. Here's to the next nineteen.

So...

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

SPOILER WARNING - Do not read below if you ain't seen it yet.

Went to see this with my good Lady last night. I was quite jazzed up about it as I am a big fan of the Indy films. But I was aware there had been some bad press as well as rave reviews so I tried to be open minded and just see what happened.

I liked it.

I liked it quite a bit actually.

The good points.
Some really good humour. Some really good laugh out loud moments. I spent at least half the film smiling, no bad thing. I thought Harrison looked old. It's really showing now, but they made fun out of his age and in the end I don;t think he handled himself too badly. He was definitely channelling Indy. I think the folks who say he as not being Indy have to remember this is an Indy 20 years older. He has reconciled with his Father and doesn't mind being called Henry. I thought this was cool, Character growth and development people!!

It was nice seeing Marion again, and she got some brilliant moments and was in no way a screaming girl! She gets to do some fun stuff and kicks ass.

Mutt, aka Shia LeBoef (Sp?) was okay and resembled Young Indy enough to make the familial resemblance good. Liked the last scene with the hat... almost passing on to the next generation.. but not quite yet.

The ants.
Very cool

The fridge... liked it.

The not so good

Hmmm, the plot had some pretty major problems. I got confused over the skull in the tomb where Ok was supposed to have left it, and the skull stolen in the start of the movie. The same skull? then what was Ok doing with it.. confused much! How much time was supposed to pass between the intro and the main story? feels like it needs to be months for it to make sense.

Was a little unsure about the aliens. Aren't they dead? so what was with the last quarter? Didn't really get this.

Generally
Is it a worthy addition to the Indy saga... probably. Is it the best Indy? Probably not. In fact I'd say it ranks maybe lowest... Hmm probably. But it was fun, enjoyed the ride. Loved all the nods to the other movies and even the odd Star Wars reference.

Yeah, I'll watch it again on DVD, sure I will enjoy it.

FS

2008-05-23T14:48:00.002+01:00

How cool would it be to have one of these on your desk ----->

I want one for sure. Looks like the Doctor has been playing about with the time-line again.

http://www.processindicator.com/features.html

Week two and still writing.

2008-05-19T14:52:00.002+01:00

Well, this is the best I have ever done at blogging. I have actually managed to update on a regular basis for over a week.

The weekend was pretty good. Sunny, reasonably warm. I mainly chilled, trying to relax after some troublesome weeks. My colleague had a bad time facing the firing squad at work, but is back in today. I do feel there is an element of living on borrowed time though. I suspect my colleague will be looking for new jobs. They have been treated pretty badly in my view.

I managed to get some work done on my next short story, and have written half of a scene from the novel I am working on. I am aiming for a moment of wry humour, emulating something of the style of David Tennant as the Doctor. Perhaps not quite so overboard.

Spent time with the kids, and quality time with my lady. Had some nice food. Watched 'I'd Do Anything' (I know!!!!) and was a bit upset when Niamh was voted out. I thought she was beautiful, even if not suitable for the part of Nancy.

I also managed to help out a bit more around the house. Trying to support Mrs Scribbler a bit more as she is studying in the evenings. I vacuumed the entire house. Cleaned the bathroom, dusted downstairs and helped in the garden. I need to keep this sort of thing going. It makes all the difference for her.

Tonight is an oddity. Son #1 has 'swam up' from beavers to cubs, so no more Mondays sat in the church foyer working. I get a nice evening at home. Of course I now have Thursday nights sat in the foyer at church instead!

I want to get as far as the start of act III of my short story tonight. target 500 words minimum.

FS

I've got a bad feeling about this...

2008-05-15T14:22:00.000+01:00

Well, something wicked this way comes.

I havea work colleague off sick at the moment. This colleague has had a run of bad luck. illness, bereavement, broken bones, you name it. End result, management not happy. They are having a 'meeting' with tis person tomorrow. Does not sound like good news.

I really hope they do nto get rid of this person. They are hard working, committed, devoted and exemplary in so many ways. they have just had some rotten luck.

Fingers crossed.

FS

Invigilation, and Inspiration.

2008-05-13T09:44:00.000+01:00

I love invigilating certain exams.

AQA Applied ICT a-levels have what is called 'controlled conditions' exams which take place in sessions, over 20 hours, on computers. We have a lovely assessment room with a tutor's computer so I get to sit for 3 hours, invigilation, but with time to write, catch up on work, check out forums etc. Bliss!! No teaching, no pressure.

Anyway, this morning I have already marked 5 papers. Updated my learning materials and got prep done the rest of the day. Now I can have 30 mins me-time. I am working on a story; like many of my stories it has been inspired by a piece of music. In this case 'Soul cages' by Sting.

In the song, based on a norse/saxon myth, a creature imprisons the souls of sailors in cages under the sea. A young man tricks the creature into getting drunk on wine and, while the 'fisherman' sleeps, the lad swims down and releases souls.

My story will end up having little relevance to this, but it illustrates how one idea can spark a thousand others. In my story a world weary battlemage, sick of the death and destruction he has caused, rides home with an army from a 10 year war. They ride through a village where, ten years ago, my mage spent a few days preparing to head north to the wars. he had a fling with a village girl. No the girl, a woman, pleads for his help as her daughter has gone missing.

Rook, the mage, dead inside and numb from war, refuses to help, even when Sara, the girl, reveals the daughter is his child.

The long and the short is, Rook unwillingly is drafted in to help by his commander, they face a foe, a renegade mage from the enemy side of the war. He is sealing souls into crystals which he can use as power sources.

Rook refuses to fight, but offers his life instead of the daughter. He is a much greater prize. The evil mage agrees but the daughter, who has inherited Rook's magic, tries to fight. Rook realises how much alike he and his daughter are, finding a purpose to live, he slays the mage and dedicates his life to teaching his daughter to user her powers for building, not destroying.

You can see some elements carried through from the legend, but not much.

It's interesting how stories form. I myself am often bewildered as to where a story comes from. Sometimes I have to drag them into shape, sometimes they arrive fully formed in my head.

Anyways, there we go. Back to writing.

Take care.

FS

Work Chaos

2008-05-12T11:31:00.000+01:00

Hi folks.

Well it's my second post.

Today's subject is work.

I work as a college lecturer in Computing. I am part of a very small team. Unfortunately, one of my team has had a lot of time off sick. She really has not been a well bunny for some time. I am quite worried about her as it is one thing after another. I am sure she is not pulling a fast one, she really is very poorly.

The problem is, she is something of a linchpin. She knows a lot about certain qualifications, more so than most. She handles a lot of the admin for specific areas. The upshot is, when she is off sick, there is potential for things to go belly up.

She was off last week, and will be off this week. I have exams to invigilate, portfolios to mark, lessons to teach, and coursework to evaluate and provide feedback on.

I have one colleague over here with me at the moment who is an NQT (newly qualified teacher) so he is useful in some areas, but not in others. No disrespect to him, we all have to learn sometime.

My manager, though his heart is in the right place, is struggling, he is fairly new to managerial roles and is not coping with my calls for help. I am really struggling. Not only that, but work is dominating every waking minute at the moment. Work and home.

Take this morning. I had to...

start a Computing exam in one building, while beginning an ICT exam in another building, while teaching a class a few doors down form the ICT exam. Interesting conundrum huh? Help from management - 0

Basically we need more staff. I have just heard my boss is interviewing agency staff tomorrow... I sure hope they get someone good.

FS

The Dawn of a new era?

2008-05-08T13:36:00.000+01:00

Welcome.

This is my first post in my new blog.

I have tried upon many occasions before to try and get into the habit of blogging. As an aspiring writer, I have been told, and believe, that keeping a journal is a useful thing to do.

For some reason in the past I have always failed. Life to busy? Other things getting in the way? maybe I am just too bone idle. But anyway, I am here to try again.

So, a little bit about me.

I turned 40 last year. I am a computing teacher. I am married with two lovely boys aged, at the time of writing, 5 and 8. I write, I draw, I paint. I used to do a lot of tabletop roleplaying, model making and wargaming, but I have more or less given most of that up now to concentrate on writing and art.

I have recently completed a seven year Open University degree that was very demanding. I managed to get a 2:1 and I am very pleased with that.

Okay, so that's the brief overview. Look forward to writing more and keeping up to date.

Watch this space.

Scribbler.