Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press, or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Monday, February 26, 2007

Movin' Right Along!

Good news to all! I've overcome my writers block, so Chapter 3 is now progressing smoothly and rapidly! With luck, it should be up sometime tomorrow. Now that this hurdle's been jumped, the rest of Codename: White Knight should coast along smoothly.

Now that I think about it, White Knight would translate very well into a screenplay. Actually, now that I think about that, I realize I shouldn't be surprised. White Knight was originally going to be a tribute to the late, great Alistair MacLean, writer of such classics as The Guns of Navarone, Where Eagles Dare, Braekherat Pass, and The Golden Gate. Who knows, maybe one day I might win an Academy Award for Best Screenplay (Adapted or Original, I don't care). Honestly, though, I would enjoy seeing Codename: White Knight up on the silver screen. Maybe, once the story's up, You all could help me with casting ideas. I'm seeing Matt Damon as David Pierce...

Saturday, February 24, 2007

A Decison at Last!

Hear ye! Hear ye! I bring forth good news! I've finally decided which airsoft gun I'm going to buy!

*DUM-DUM-DA-DUMMM*

Meet the Tokyo Marui VSR-10!

Okay, first off, no, this is not like those Daisy or GAMO air rifles that fire metal pellets at 1000 fps that you use to hunt squirrels. It shoots 6mm plastic BBs around 300 fps in stock form. I know it doesn't look it, but it really is an airsoft rifle. It's even made by the same company that makes the MP7A1 I considered buying a while back.

Now I know what you're thinking: Why the heck is he buying a bolt-action rifle with a 30-round clip when he could be getting a full-auto electric machine gun that takes a 600-round hi-cap?

  1. It's cheap, around $175 stateside. (It's much cheaper in Hong Kong, but high shipping costs and having to deal with US Customs pretty much nullifies any real savings) Plus, no batteries or chargers to add to the original cost
  2. I can use it for target shooting in my back yard.
  3. For about $50 to $100 in internal upgrades, I can make it a relatively effective sniper rifle. (for another $50-$100, it becomes very accurate and powerful)
  4. Using a bolt-action rifle presents a unique challenge when engaging opponents with full-auto weapons.

If I ever take the rifle skirmishing, I know pretty much for a fact that my opponents will only be armed with cheap spring pistols and electric rifles, so my VSR-10, which is relatively high-end, should out-range and out-power them in its stock condition, so any upgrades that I do end up making will probably be a long way down the road.

When (and this time it really is when instead of if) I finally get the rifle, I'll let you know how it preforms. And of course I'll put up pictures. Lots of pictures!

Friday, February 23, 2007

Experiencing Techical Difficulties, Please Stand By

I've fallen into a creative slump. Hopefully this will be a temporary situation. With luck, I'll be back to normal over the weekend and have Chapter 3, as well as a real blog post, up by Monday.

EDIT: I'm actually working on a new installment of The Hitman Chronicles as we speak. It's inspired by the level I'm currently working on in Red Steel. Hopefully that'll be up by tomorrow.

EDIT 2: Forget what I said earlier. After stepping back and examining my planned idea further, I realized that the concept was so outrageously unrealistic that there is no way I can pull it off convincingly. So no, there wont be a new addition to The Hitman Chronicles this weekend. However, you can look for Chapter 3 of Codename: White Knight to be up by Monday.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

The Big 100

My 100th Post. Wow. Seems like just yesterday I was being shoved out of my chair while nerdjedi took over setting up the blog... ah, good times.

You know, I never imagined that I'd ever have 100 posts up on the blog. Honestly, after two weeks I'd run out of ideas for stuff to write, so I honestly considered abandoning the blog. I'm glad I didn't, otherwise I wouldn't have a creative outlet and all of my stories would be sitting unfinished on my computer's hard drive. So, if nothing else, blogging has given me the motivation I need to actually finish the stories I start writing.

That actually brings up a point I've been meaning to address. Since I've started writing More Than a Job and Codename: White Knight, *Insert Title Here* has become little more than a bulletin board letting everyone know that yes, I finished another chapter or no, no chapter today. In the future, I'm going to make a sincere effort to put up a greater variety of posts, even if it's just asking you, the reader, what kind of airsoft gun I should get. Though I don't think I'll have to worry you with that issue anymore (I'm leaning towards an AK-47).

I'm guessing you're all getting pretty tired of all this sentimental crap, so I'm going to sign off for now. Here's to one hundred great posts, and the hope of one hundred more.

Monday, February 19, 2007

The Hitman Chronicles

Okay, first off, no Chapter 3 today, expect it up within the next two or three days.

Anyone remember Reservoir Mutts or Just Another Day at the Office, the two one-shot action scenes that I wrote back in October of last year? Anyone? Well, for those of you who don't (and those who do), I've decided to compile both stories together and give them their own blog, which I have entitled The Hitman Chronicles. Both posts are up and have been cleaned up a little bit, though they are not radically different; just a word here, a misspelling there, that kind of thing.

I know, I know, you're thinking why the heck did he waste time making a blog for two lousy action scenes? Well, to tell you the truth, I've been toying with an idea for a third one, and possibly a fourth. They probably won't be up for some time as I a directing the majority of my creative effort to completing Codename: White Knight. Which reminds me...

Having received some flak from my choice of a title *cough* *cough* nerdjedi *cough* Chapter 3 will explain exactly where the title comes from. And no, despite what nerdjedi might claim, it's not a ripoff of the opening sequence from Tomorrow Never Dies.

And if you haven't already, be sure to check out the rawkin' awesome lightsaber duels from my last post.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Ryan vs. Dorkman

Otherwise known as the best fanfilm lightsaber duel ever! Ryan Wieber and Michael Scott are absolute geniuses when it comes to choreography. But don't take my word for it, see for yourself:





Cool, no? Want more? Well, you're in luck, because Wieber and Scott are making a sequel! It's supposed to be released early next month, but for now you can check out the sneak preview here and check out the films' official website.

When I saw this a long time ago on TheForce.Net FanFilm pages, I realized that it'd be pretty cool to make a fanfilm of my own, and since then it's been an on-again off-again dream of mine to do just that. And now that I'm going to be home from college for six months with little to do (besides a still-undetermined part-time job), this is probably the opportune time to do so. But, as you probably realize, I can't do it alone. So I was thinking that maybe (if they'd agree to help me) Sam and I could write it and the legendary combination of Spartan and nerdjedi could film it and I'd work with them editing it. Of course, as I said, that's only if they're willing to help (nudge nudge, wink wink).

In the meantime (while you consider my offer), check out another of Ryan Wieber's works, Wieber vs. Flyte:


Thursday, February 15, 2007

Back Burner Bummer

Okay, before I get started, I'd like to inform everyone that Chapter 2 of Codename: White Knight is complete. Unlike in Chapter 1, there is a significan amount of action taking place (most of the chapter is one huge shootout). And yes, to some of my readers' displeasure, there is a fair amount of "gun jargon" as it's become known. Fortunately for those of you who despise "gun jargon," there will be significantly less of it as the story progresses. I know for a fact that there will be some in Chapters 3 and 4, but aside from the names and maybe the basic specs of weapons, that should be just about it.

Now, onto the meat of the post.

In light of recent events, i.e. the fact that my life had just one a complete 540, I find that my needs, and therefore my financial priorities, have shifted significantly. Because I'll likely be commuting to college next semester, and since I no longer have a functioning PC, those have become my two new financial priorities, though not exactly in that order. Here's what the list looks like now:

  1. New Computer (Dell XPS M2010 Notebook with Intel Core 2 Duo processor, Windows Vista operating system, 4GB Dual Channel DDR2 Memory, 256MB ATI Mobility RADEON X1800 Graphics Card, 8.1 surround sound, and 240GB of hard drive space! Yeah, right.)
  2. Car (2007 Chevorlet Corvette Z06, LeMans Blue with Arcitc White Racing Stripes. 505 horsepower, 470 ft/lbs of torque, 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds, 200mph top speed! Not gonna happen!)
  3. Wii Games (Zelda, Excite Truck, and Call of Duty, baby! These might actually become reality.)
  4. Airsoft gun (with battery, charger, spare magazines, and extra BBs).

The worst part is that I just got a ton of birthday money and figured out the perfect gun to spend it on: the brand-new Tokyo Marui M14 SOCOM. Full-metal construction, textured stock, working bolt, 70-round magazine, built-on scope mout, all it needs is a silencer and a red-dot sight, and then it'd be perfect. *sigh* Major bummer. I think some of nerdjedi's practicalitly may be rubbing off on me.

Nah.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Wii Update 'n' Other Stuff

After playing on my Wii for a goodly portion of the last 24 hours, I'm still in love with the system, though I cannot for the life of me win at bowling! Both of my parents, neither of whom are remotely interested in video games and never play, have creamed me in it. Oh, well. Maybe that's because I stink at bowling in real life too...

However, I've also discovered the Wii's one flaw, which also happens to be its greatest achievement: the Wiimote. While it is amazing, it does have one major annoyance that really bugs me; it tracks slow. There's a one to two second delay from the time you swing the remote or press a button until the Wii registers your action. Not a very big deal in Wii Sports, but I imagine this could cause some serious headaches in other games.

Okay, moving in from Wii goodness...

Chapter 2 of Codename: White Knight is about 1/3 to 1/2 completed. It should be up sometime tomorrow, by the weekend at the very latest.

I would please ask you to take nerdjedi's comments about my stories with a healthy dose of skepticism, or preferably disregard them altogether. In addition, I ask nerdjedi to refrain from making any further degrading comments about my stories as they are all highly exagerated and untrue; the "two whole pages of gun jargon" are in fact several sentences, no more than a paragraph, and likewise the "paragraphs extolling hand-packed ammo." is a single, short, succinct explanation two to three sentences in length.

I will not say that Codename: White Knight is a great story, simply because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I will say, however, that both White Knight and its prequel, More Than a Job, are worth taking the time to read. Obviously, since the book draws heavily from action movies and thriller/adventure novels, it will not appeal to everyone. I do not expect it to. If you enjoy thrillers, I would highly encourage you to read it. If not, then you don't have to. I would ask, however, that you do not slander and libel my works simply because you do not enjoy them. It is impolite, immature, but above all, it is ver hurtful to the author.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

WII AT LAST!

IT'S HERE!!! IT'S HERE!!! IT'S HERE!!! IT'S HE... I think you get the idea.

I spent pretty much all morning on the Fed-Ex website, constantly refreshing the Track page to see if it got delivered yet (It was shipped to my grandmother's house). At just after 1:00, I got back online (had to stop for lunch) and saw a change: It had been dropped off ten minutes ago! Excited beyond belief, I called up my grandmother and told her the good news. She wasn't sure; the guy hadn't knocked (turns out he just left it at her front door), but she went down to check and viola! There it was!

Okay, long story short, Mom drove out to get it, brought it back (longest ten minutes of my life :-) jk), nerdjedi and I set it up, and we started playing Wii sports. No, check that, first we each made our own Mii, then we started playing Wii sports. It may be little more than a glorified demo disk, but man that game's addictive! There are five sports: Golf, Tennis, Baseball, Bowling, and Boxing. I've played every one except golf (which I can't stand). They're all really neat, but I have to say the Boxing and Bowling tie as my personal favorites.

I actually alread have another game for it... well, kinda. Dad bought me Need for Speed: Carbon about a week ago, only he had it shipped out to Grove City (the guys across the hall from me had a Wii). So my Wii's here at home, and NFSC is at Grove City, which is clear on the other side of the state. However, since at this point it looks like I won't be returning to Grove City (no fault of the college), they'll forward it back home, so say in another week I'll let you all know how it is. But to sum it up for now...

WII ROCKS!!!

Monday, February 12, 2007

THE BUILDING'S ON FIRE!!!

Okay, now that I've got your attention...

I actually have a couple of requests pertaining to my blogs

First, when you read Codename: White Knight (or any of my stories for that matter) and wish to comment/critique/whatever, please leave a comment on *Insert Title Here*. I'm more than willing to listen to your feedback, but to do that I have to actually receive some feedback. So far, the only criticism I've gotten for White Knight has come secondhand through nerdjedi.

Next, if you're reading this post right now, please comment when you finish. I'd like to get an idea of how many people actually visit my blog on a regular basis. I know for a fact it's more than just the half-dozen or so people who leave comments; there is no way I could get 616 profile views (as of this morning) just from them. I don't care what you say (so long as it complies with my next request), whether it's a long-winded speech or just a quick "hello," please leave a comment

Lastly, and this is just a reiteration of what I requested the other day, please refrain from using any foul or crude language on the comment boards. I really don't appreciate it, and I will delete comments that contain such language immediately upon discovery.

----------

Okay, this has absolutely nothing to do with what I just said. Actually, scratch that, it does. Apparently, there was some confusion about the first chapter of Codename: White Knight, specifically about John Callahan's hand-loaded ammunition. I was told that someone didn't understand, that it was a difference of "just a millimeter." Firstly, the designations are not in millimeters, but in hundredths of an inch. Secondly, it's more than just the diameter of the bullet. The .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) round is designed to be fired from automatic pistols and some special revolvers. The .44 Magnum, the type of round that Dirty Harry uses, is a revolver cartridge. To my knowledge, the only automatic pistol that can fire the .44 Magnum is the Desert Eagle. The Magnum, as it's name suggests, is much more powerful than the .45 Automatic:

  • The .45 ACP fires a 180-grain bullet at 950 feet per second with 371 ft/lbs of energy
  • The .44 Magnum fires a 180-grain bullet at 1610 fps with 1036 ft/lbs of energy

The .44 Magnum is also much longer than a .45 Automatic. I've found a suitable picture to illustrate this, but Blogger's being uncooperative. I'll try to get it up later.

Speaking of Codename: White Knight, I can't believe no one spotted a glaring inconsistency in the middle of Chapter 1. Yes, before anyone asks, it's there on purpose, and it's actually pretty important. Go back and reread the chapter, and pay particularly close attention when Callahan's talking about his departure from the SEALs.

Chapter 2 is on the way.

Wow. This is the longest post I've written in a long time. Brings back a lot of old memories... no, not really.

Remember, if you're reading this, please comment. I don't care who you are or what you say, just comment. AND GIVE ME FEEDBACK ON CODENAME: WHITE KNIGHT ALREADY!

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Mending... Again

The good news is that I'm feeling a lot better. The vomiting and, uh, other stuff stopped a few days ago, now it's just a matter of getting my stamina back, which-if history is any indicator-will probably take a couple of days. I'm still waiting to hear back from the doctors about some bloodwork I had done (needles. *shudders*), but right now it looks like I'm gonna be a-okay.

When I have enough energy to think creatively, I'm going to start on Codename: White Knight Chapter 2. I remember pretty much what I had written before (started writing it in Word on my old PC, which is now dead) and either way I've got the story almost completely planned out, so it shouldn't take too long to write. Tenatively say by the end of this week it'll be up.

More good news: I've got a Wii on the way! My uncle found one and ordered it for me. It should be here by Tuesday. And, I've already got a game for it. Well, sort-of, anyways. One of the guys in my dorm had had a Wii, but only one multiplayer game for it (Wii Sports), so my Dad bought Need for Speed: Carbon and had it shipped up to college. I'm going to have to get my mail forwarded... I'll let you know when Wii arrives and hopefully post a review of it and any other games I get for it shortly thereafter.

Later, my firends.

PS. I thought you guys'd get a kick outta this quote:

I do not have a psychiatrist and I do not want one, for the simple reason that if he listened to me long enough, he might become disturbed.
-James Thurber

Friday, February 9, 2007

Yeesh! Not Again!

Well, actually, it did happen again: I'm back home from college, at least temporarily. The reason; looks like the same as before: food poisoning.

This is just not working out for me! Maybe God's trying to send me a message...

Anyways, I'll be seeing the doctors within the next few days and we'll figure out where to go from there.

Later.

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Watch Your Language

Okay, this is important, so I'm going to bold/caps it so everyone catches it.

DO NOT POST COMMENTS WITH FOUL, CRUDE, LEWD OR OTHERWISE INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE ANY AND ALL COMMENTS CONTAINING SAID LANGUAGE WILL BE DELETED BY THE BLOG ADMINISTRATOR IMMEDIATELY UPON DISCOVERY. REPEAT VIOLATORS WILL BE BANNED INDEFININITELY FROM COMMENTING.

This goes for everyone, so consider yourselved warned. By "repeat violators," I mean the three-strikes-you're-out concept, which should be self-explanitory.

Also, before any wise guys out there say that I'm infringing on your 1st Ammendment rights, let me remind you that this blog is not a public place; it is my property which I can impose my own rules upon.

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Took Me Long Enough!

Chapter 1 of Codename White Knight is finally up. That took me entirely too long to write. Though this time I did have a number of valid excuses to draw upon to explain myself: being sick, starting college, not sleeping, etc., but I'm not going to make lame excuses now.

No idea when Chapter 2 will be finished. Hopefully by next week, but realistically I can't make any promises.

College is going okay so far, I guess. I only have one class Tuesday/Thursday, so those are the days I use to do all of my homework. That means I'm going to busy for a goodly portion of the afternoon. Well, at least I won't be bored...

Saturday, February 3, 2007

Settled In

Well, it's been quite a while since I updated, but that's just because I've been really busy. I was sick pretty much all of last week (my first week on campus), so I've been playing catch-up with all of my profs. But that's all taken care of, now, so I should be updating more often now.

I've got a lot of really good classes (My favorite's 20th Century Russian History, the prof's a hoot!) The only one I really don't enjoy that much is Foundations of Economics, just because I find economic's in general to be a bore. The prof does keep the class interesting, though...

Now that I'm settled in and all, I'm going to start writing Codename: White Knight again. I'd like to get Chapter 1 completed and posted by the end of the weekend, but my folks are coming up to celebrate my birthday (it's tomorrow), so I'm not exactly sure how the timing's going to work out. Plus, I've got some homework for my humanities class, which I should probably do right now in case I have to buy more books (the bookstore closes in an hour), so I'd better go.

Later.