Nightmare Charm

Nightmare Charm

Shared via AddThis

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo month is almost here.  Only five more days (and since Samhain is one of them, that hardly even counts!!!) until over 2 hundred-dozen-thousand immature  (I actually intended to say “amateur” but the autofill suggestion is probably more correct)  writers start spewing forth words.  Have I signed up?  I’ll never tell…  But if you, my friend are as poorly constructed as most of your sentences are, then we all have a need to worry.  So sign up.  Write 50,000 words in less than 30 days.  Or, even if you are a 90 lb. weakling like everyone says, you should still check out all the lovely (and free) writing tools available on the web.    That, at least will keep your participles from dangling. Such an embarrassing problem, to be sure.

 

 

30+ Tools For The Amateur Writer

October 25, 2007 — 04:12 AM PDT — by Sean P. Aune — Share This

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is almost upon us. On November 1st, brave souls everywhere will embark on a month long endeavor to write a story of at least 50,000 words. We’ve gathered 30+ tools to help those folks who want to try their hand at it.

Collaborative Writing

Coventi.com – A site offering several different packages, with the cheapest being free for the personal user.

Google Docs – Part of the Google suite of products, which enables you to invite others to work with you on a document.

Glypho.com – Put down the basic idea of your story, get a plot and character suggestions.

Novlet.com – Collaborative writing where you write just a couple of paragraphs at a time.

Portrayl.com – A site that lets you write one chapter at a time, and when done, release it as a PDF. You can also allow others to write a chapter if you want.

SynchroEdit.com – A browser-based editor that allows multiple users to edit the same document at the same. Will indicate who’s doing with with colors.

WideWORD.net – Create a secure document online and then pick who can look at it and participate.

Writeboard.com – A collaborative writing system by the folks at 37 Signals.

Writewith.com – Upload your documents and work with others on it together online.

Zoho Writer – A free online word processor from Zoho.

Dictionaries & Thesauruses

Alternative Dictionaries – Sometimes we all need to bend the rules some, and this site gives you definitions of various slang words.

Cambridge Dictionaries – Multiple dictionaries and references from Cambridge press.

Dictionary.com – Based on the Roget’s Dictionary. Also gives you quick access to thesaurus.com.

Dictionary.hm – An AJAX powered dictionary that pops up the definitions as you type.

Merriam-Webster.com – The online version of the well known print dictionary.

The American Heritage Dictionary – Over 90,000 words, a full print version of a dictionary put online.

UrbanDictionary.com – Multiple slang definitions of just about every word you may encounter in every day conversation.

Word.sc – A user-edited dictionary that lets you vote on definitions and upload photos of the word.

YourDictionary.com – Gives you the definition and suggest idioms.

Grammar & Tips

Bartleby.com – A collection of books in the public domain, broken down by category. Has a large election of books on language usage.

EnglishForums.com – Stumped by a tricky grammar moment? Join these forums to get advice from others who love the language.

Guide to Grammar & Writing – Gives tips on grammar from the word level up to essay paper length.

WordNet – Simple in appearance, WordNet is a huge lexicon of the language.

World Wide Words – Articles on word usage, turns of phrase, weird words, and more.

Plotting & Writing Tips

BlockbusterPlots.com – Get numerous free tips on how to construct a sensible plot for any story.

Character Questionnaires – Every good author will tell you that you need to know your characters before you write. This will help you interview them.

Freytag’s Pyramid – From ReadWriteThink, it explains the concept of “Freytag’s Pyramid” which is the basis of how any plot should be structured.

The “Basic” Plots in Literature – Describes the theories behind all of the known basic plots, and the schools of thought for each list.

Tips for plotting for every type of character – A lengthy list of stupid archetype characteristics for just about every type of character.

Word Processors

ajaxWrite – An AJAX based online word processor that runs in Firefox. Looks like Microsoft Word so you have a familiar interface.

Nevercode Docs – A downloadable word processor that allows you to store your documents online so they are accessible anywhere.

ThinkFree.com – Looks almost exactly like Microsoft Office and offers 1GB of free online storage.

30+ Tools For The Amateur Writer

Tags: NaNoWriMowriting

Lolcats ‘n’ Funny Pictures – I Can Has Cheezburger?

Lolcats ‘n’ Funny Pictures – I Can Has Cheezburger?

Tags: LOLcat

Oil hits new record over $90 – Oct. 25, 2007

Oil hits new record over $90

Oil hits new record over $90 – Oct. 25, 2007

Story of the Day – Design Flaw

Here’s the Story of the Day: Design Flaw One of those rare bumblebees who agreed with the engineers about not being able to fly so he mainly sits around & watches the other bees work themselves to death. (When you don’t want the Story of the Day any more, just send us an email at no_more@storypeople.com. Type “Unsubscribe” in the Subject & as soon as we can, we’ll stop them from cluttering your inbox…) Please do not reply to this message. If you have any other questions or comments about our web site or how to order, here’s how to get hold of us: The email address that goes right to the people who can help is: comments@storypeople.com

Copyright 2006, StoryPeople. Click here to send your own e-greeting from www.storypeople.com

This is just terrible.

This is just terrible. Awful. I’ve just been made aware that Clive Barker is making a game called ” Jericho“ that will be released on PS3 and PC DVD. I’m not a gamer. I’ve never really been a gamer. The reason is that I have this awful problem with compulsion. I don’t watch much TV, but if I walk into a place with a TV on…my eyes move forward and I listen to every word without really hearing anything. It is a lot like programming! 🙂 When I read a book I can often read 500 pages a day. If I’m within 250 pages of the end, I’ll stay up most of the night finishing the book. With games, it’s worse! Much, much worse. I’ve only played a very few games to completion…but when I do it usually entails my calling off work and staying up for 72 hours. I make sure I have a great system for web development, but a poopy one for gaming. That way in weak moments I’m not tempted to buy just one game and then get sucked into it all over again. I has to go over to a friends house in order for a group of us to head out together. They weren’t even close to being ready so I sat down in front of DOOM. (This WAS back in the day). They ended up having to carry me out of the house as I wouldn’t move from my playing seat and was ranting something about “Put me down your heathens, I’M KILLING DEMONS FOR THE LORD!!! You Heretics!!!” Once I start I never stop. Seems to be a recurring problem in a few areas of my life! So, like those other areas, I tend to stay clear of the games.

But Clive Barker, parallel worlds between the walls and endless battles with some of the darkest denizens of Clive’s mind, come to interactive life! 🙂 That I may just need to block off some vacation days in order to tackle THAT one. And buy that PlayStation 3…hmmm, now that the PS2 is up in the kid’s room…maybe, just maybe I can rationalize this!

Two years later…feelings have not changed

This is a post that I pulled up from two years ago and I have to say my feelings haven’t wavered in the least since then. How did I ever find that overgrown boy so fascinating. Repulsive…

Monday, October 04, 2004

Note before bed
Went to see “Resident Evil:Apocolypse” tonight with Counselor Oif after a
few Jimmie’s Specials at the coffee hours. I hope I sleep tonight. Adrian missed
his flight (AGAIN) in Saturday and got in around 4:30 PM. To my observation his
interaction with Mia was minimal and he hid behind his cellphone and computer
screen the whole time. I do not enjoy his presence, but it’s not about me. Mia
claims it was a good weekend so we go with that. She deserves so much more
though. He was here for less than 24 hours. I would think that he would be able
to focus on her for that small amount of time. Why did he even bother to
come?I’m personally disgusted at myself for ever finding myself so hopelessly in
love with him, those many years ago. He was an arrogent, petty, manipulative and
exploitive sociopath then, and continues to be. I certainly did love him
though…in my own sick way I did love him. Now, he turns my
stomache.Night…Miss You Jaden.

Bad People

When people want to know why I stay so close to my 7 year old daughter, declining most baby sitters and not wanting to leave her in the care of others, it’s because I know, for a fact and from experience that people like this exist, and I would be thrilled if my daughter never has to know that such bad people are out there.

Angels and Demons

Wow! Lately I’ve really been in the thick of things. Something. I can’t even describe it. You see, I’m a mage. Been practicing actively since 15 when I forged my first athame from an antique file from my great-grandfathers lock shop. First it was simple pagan practice of observing the solstices and equinoxes and making my magickal tools. From there I fell in with some chaos magicians as the IOT was coming to the forefront.

I personally think that chaos magick is good for those in high school and university, because we are such bubbling masses of uncertainty and hormones that we embody our own little patch of dark-matter. Whirling and moving without conscious thought but creating such ripples with our patterns.

Then I tried to get a little order into my life by studying with the “pointy hat mages” of the OTO. I came at that from a Egyptian slant and felt resonance when I worked with Nebet-Het (Neyphthes). Then…from that…I found her consort, Set. Ah yes, I’ve always been on the left-hand path (as would be reasonable from someone who’s comes from 6 generations (at least) of left-handed women). The ” dark side” is always what felt like home to me.

It was at this time that I began my kabalistic studies too…and once introduced to däath and the qlippoth I began a wonderful decade of playing chutes-and-ladders from däath to the qlippothic spheres…and pathways. I learned many things, but one very important thing. In a divided realm, each side must have it’s balance. Most beings on this side of the glass aren’t even aware of the qlippoth, or its inhabitants. Those that are tend to dismiss it as “untouchable” and not to be meddled with. As someone who has done some extensive work not just on the qlippoth, but in the qlippoth, I’ve learned much about the “disposables” of our metaverse. The throw-aways, brokens and disowned. But they are there. And although they lack many of our sophisticated table-manners, because they haven’t been invited to many dinner parties, they are over there and they do serve as the counter-balance to this world.

My Will, has always been revolving around ascension, which is weird for a sinistrati to want to resolve the difference. Most LHP practitioners want to promote their own version of reality and to expound upon it. And don’t get me wrong…I can use all the LHP tactics needed to achieve my Will. But lately I haven’t been. For over four years I have been a Setian who has a Metta practice. I “dark mage” who studies the dharma and has found that loving-kindness and compassion are some of the most powerful magicks I’ve ever encountered.

And then the damn angels started visiting me. It started about a year ago. Twin columns of light and energy that when I squinted I could perceive a type of face and body structure, much bigger than me. It resonated with a sound like an electric seashell held up to my ear, but BIGGER. It was a sound that wasn’t heard from the outside, but if they got close enough to sort of envelop me in the brightness, I could only hear that hum and hiss and reverberation. I felt it in the middle of your chest and it shook me. And along with the angels, Sophia has some stuff that she needed to tell me. Sophia…I still don’t think I really get who she is, or what HER Will is…but she’s patient. If anything, Sophia is patient. Probably serves as the counter-balance from when she was young and she rushed into something she shouldn’t have. Still paying for that, aren’t we Sophia?

So these two beings that I called Angelics started visiting me around 11PM at night. Not every night, but a few times each week. There was a problem…I couldn’t understand a thing they were saying. They were “speaking ” a language I didn’t know, but I knew enough to realize that it was a language that someone I know knew. It was Enochian. It took me a few days but “when you are doing your true Will, you will have the Force of the Universe behind you” and all of a sudden *pop* up comes this person on an internet chat service.

So I got to pick their brain and he recommended a month-long practice so that I could become familiar with them and the language. So I did it and I have to say that Enochian is a pain in the ass with all the preparation needed for the practice, but WOW, it is some reliable and effective magick. It’s like having a direct line of communication with these beings who are outside of time. That comes in handy from time to time.

Now me…I’m trying to prepare for a Goetic work. Me, I love evocation. I love visibly evoking Parfaxitas. Yummy. I’m a LHP mage and I’m GOOD at evocation. So I’m all wanting to work through the Goetic and bind me some of those ole’ King Solomon demons to do some of my manual labor and bring me riches. But this Enochian thing is morphing and I’m finding that I have ANOTHER task on the side of light.

So this is what the dilemma is. I fully and unapologetically have bound myself inextricably to my Will. My Will has something to do with being an Abraxas gate, which I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know what that entails or why it is necessary. All I know is that it is my job to DO MY WILL and hold open a potential for a future occurrence. I also know that there is something in my being that yearns for ascension. To keep pulling back the layers, again and again while my eyes run fluid from the stinging truths until I am the Source. There’s a Setian for you. I don’t discover the Source. I become it! 🙂 But the hitch is that in the ascension plan…so do you. So do we all. We first discover and awaken the Divine spark within ourselves and commit to enhancing it. Then we see division, aggression and confusion everywhere and it causes us suffering. Then we commit to open our hearts in the suffering and it changes us from avoidant beings, to being in the Flow. From there…the connections extend and we weave ourselves into everything else. I am you and you are me and we are all God and finally the Source is whole again. There is no longer any division.

One of my favorite lessons from the angelics, was from Samael who told me “What could an infinite being sacrifice to prove it’s belief in us, it’s creations? I didn’t know…but then I did. It could sacrifice it’s infiniteness. You see, the Source believed that we would all find our way again, so it sacrificed it’s own divine nature and a tiny spark was sent out into each of the created. Each of every living thing. And until all the sparks are gathered up together again as one, we are lost and there really is no God.

But I digress…this missive is about my own internal conflict. You see, sometimes I feel the reptile in me, who has been rather patient as I discovered my own internal balance. I feel the slits of her eyes and the cool way the scales undulate upon each other. At the same time I feel wings under my scapula, wanting to burst forth. It is my opinion that my own precarious balance between the many worlds and my ability to let loose my mental hinges, coupled with my natural give for calling forth the beings in evocation made me a target for the angelics to work through. And I feel a sense of duty for the wisdom I’ve gathered as a result of these workings.

But still my darkchilde churns and wonders when it is her turn again?
And I’ve gotten to the point I don’t know what side I’m on anyways.

Story of the Day – Soccer

Here’s the Story of the Day: Soccer What are the rules? I said & he said you run & you run & you run until you fall over. There’s a couple others in there for variety, he added, but that’s the main one. (When you don’t want the Story of the Day any more, just send us an email at no_more@storypeople.com. Type “Unsubscribe” in the Subject & as soon as we can, we’ll stop them from cluttering your inbox…) Please do not reply to this message. If you have any other questions or comments about our web site or how to order, here’s how to get hold of us: The email address that goes right to the people who can help is: comments@storypeople.com

Copyright 2006, StoryPeople. Click here to send your own e-greeting from www.storypeople.com