Since I don't quite have a day-by-day summary, a general one will have to do.
Steady progress on the Great Fantasy Epic. After two rewrites (in this revised draft), I have the first big fight scene more or less complete. Ellice has been a great help. The story is moving forward even if the page count isn't...
I took a shot at a paraeducator position. The job seemed right up my alley, but unfortunately, I didn't get an interview. Also tried for Barnes and Noble, but they won't even look at your application if you say you won't work Sundays. Oh well. No sub calls yet.
Took Evan to get his license and then carshopping a couple of times. Yesterday he decided on a Nissan Sentra. It is a standard, so more driving instruction is in the works. It had been 11 years since I had driven one, so getting it out of the dealer lot was a bit of an adventure, but gradually it came back to me (even if it wasn't very smooth).
The Saturday DND game was not scheduled for this week, and given how rough Friday was, four of us whipped up a Star Wars game. This was our first go with the new 'Saga Edition' and we had a blast. Definitely a welcome diversion. The group all played 7-13 year olds, and we plan on having adventures as they grow up. The setting is 8 years before Episode 1. (I know few people who read this will care a whit, but it is very fun and important to me.)
On the subject of DND, they just announced 4th edition. For those of you who don't know, 3rd edition came out in 2000 and 3.5edition came out in 2003. Wizards (the publisher) has been putting out new books with new rules every month and many gamers buy everything. What the new edition means is that all that money spent went to waste. I take a perverse pleasure in the fact that I have only the 3.5 player book (it had some good fixes in it) and did not go hog wild buying everything in sight the last 4 years. Aside from the money, the system gets unwieldy with too many rules and options. Most players don't realize how difficult allowing all these extra books can be. I have about 30 3rd edition books and a gazillion Dragon magazines with options in it. I'm pretty familiar with all that, and don't need to spend my days learning the rules from another 50 that came out in the interim. I'm fairly smart but that is just too much.
Anyway, 4th edition is on its way and gamers are livid. Unlike Star Wars, DND is not very backwards compatible. SW has pretty smooth conversion guides to update stuff. DND is way too complicated to convert and the systems are just so different. Also, compare: DND has 3 core books at $40 bucks each, Star Wars has 1 core book.
I've had a feeling that 4th ed. was coming for about a year now. What makes people really mad is that the company has been saying that 4th is a long way off, but in their latest press release they said they've had this in the works since they released 3.5. You can't really blame the company, they are in this for the money and the more money they make, the better the hobby is doing. It's a real double-edged sword.
Rush Hour 3
In the Summer of the Three-quels, this one gives us exactly what we expect. High action without belaboring the point. I contrast the chases from Bourne to this film and this one gets it right. The duo is funny as usual. The fight scenes are varied and we see stunts we haven't seen before. In most movies, Chris Tucker drifts into his annoying tone too much and you find yourself saying, "Okay that's enough," but he does so less here than previous incarnations, and this is welcome. I like the French cab driver Georges. The plot takes a backseat to the comedy and the action but if you pay attention, it is rather good. Overall, a good installment to the series with a couple of nice twists. ***
The Castle of Llyr (book) by Lloyd Alexander
This is the third installment in the five-part Prydain series, best known for The Black Cauldron, which is book 2.
This one is good, but not as good as the Black Cauldron (***). Prince Rhun is just flat out unlikable. He starts out that way, then later you feel sorry for him, but I still didn't like him. Taran has grown some and has great respect from his companions. We see the return of Achren, and she just isn't as powerful as you might expect. We learn a lot more about Eilonwy and her mysterious bauble. The climax is pretty good, and the story keeps me interested enough to keep going in the series. **1/2
Star Wars: A New Hope (Episode IV) (DVD)
Awesome. ****
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3 comments:
In the words of Luke Skywalker.. "I care."
Great Fantasy Epic - have you written the ending for book 1 yet? I'd hate to see you get so caught up in revisions that you don't get a basic, finished story. Don't think too hard - just write! (Anyway, that's my advice...we all know I love giving advice.)
Bummer re: jobs.
Love driving stickshift. (no comments, pls) ;)
That's the first I knew you could play a kid character and grow up with them. Everyone raise your hand who's planning to turn evil! *Why am I the only one with my hand up? *
If I remember clearly, after Llyr, I stopped reading the series. Rhun was just so obviously the tragically noble character who utters wise things and then dies. I do greatly enjoy the Westmark trilogy by Alexander, however.
*pssst - I care, too.*
Thanks M
I wrote the first draft then in the next draft revamped the story. I have the end of the first book in mind but it has yet to be put down.
No comment on the no comment.
Ellice got her first 'Dark side point' for killing with the force. She said 'OOPS' and we played Vader's theme in the background. She atoned, so no permanent damage, but once you've gone down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny...
I'm going to finish the series, because once started, must finish you know.
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