Updates!

I don’t normally do updates on this blog, namely because I don’t think that they really add anything to the experience. They’re also clunky, rough and lack the immediate oomph that make my other stuff, even the bad stuff, stand-out to you, the reader. However, I’m making an exception. So much has happened to me, both personally and generally, that I haven’t had much time to write anything this month outside of this really short piece. And while I won’t go into everything, because some of it is confidential, I’ll keep it to four sections and see where this goes.

Get ready:

Job Woes:

As many of you who follow me on Facebook and Twitter know, and even some who don’t, I have a new job in December. Or, I should say, I acquired the job in January, as December was the probation period. It’s a retail position in a former Sears location that’s about an hour away from where I live by bus in good traffic, and it’s been giving me a routine and an excuse to wake up in the morning during the week. Despite it being only part-time, it’s also been giving me a source of income, which has, in turn, helped give me a sense of independence.

Up until last week, I was working there four half-days a week. Sundays were the volunteer days, or the days where I went by the schedule of the charity organization that found me the job. The other days, Monday, Thursday and Friday morning, I was paid. It also helped that I met up with the organization from Sunday partway through my shift, as I got a lift home instead of busing. It was a pretty comfortable arrangement, to say the least.

Unfortunately, through no fault of my own, last week changed the arrangement. I’d put in a request to change my Friday shift to Wednesday, as I hated working there on Fridays, as early as two months ago, and was initially elated that my request was approved. It meant having to change some Wednesday appointments around, which I didn’t mind, and I was waiting for the date of my new schedule to come out anxiously. It wasn’t until last Friday that I got wind of some employees downsizing due to business slowing down, and I had one of my shifts cut entirely. I’d still be working Monday and Thursday paid, but instead of Friday being moved to Wednesday, Friday was axed altogether. Bummer.

So that was a little disappointing and stressful, a fact compounded by the feedback that I wasn’t being efficient enough with my time. I had to work faster, and I’m now under stricter supervision to work my way up to a desired speed. I still enjoy my job, and my bosses, but that pressure has left me more tired and with less energy to write.

Writing Goals:

Speaking of writing, to be more positive, I finally got the drive to start writing fiction again. And give me credit, I actually finished a first-draft of a potential graphic novel I’ve been aching to write for years now. It’s rough, and I need to do some massive fine-tuning of the ideas present in it, but it’s done! I won’t give any details away about its plot or characters, but I’ll say that it’s currently about 55 pages long, give or take.

This begs a few questions: firstly, how do I go about finding a publisher? Better yet, how do I go about finding an editor? I know that paying people to look over your work is costly, so I might consider reactivating my Patreon page to help me out in the near-future. I also might consider getting a government grant to help pay for some of it, even though I’m not a fan of being in-debt.

So yeah, that’s exciting. It’s also why I haven’t had much attention for blogging lately, though, hopefully, that’ll change come June.

Solo Escapades:

I saw Star Wars: Han Solo this past week. I know that’s technically not its real name, but like with Star Wars: Rogue One, it doesn’t sound natural to use its actual title. Anyway, the movie was…fine. Not great, not awful, but fine. I definitely enjoyed it enough, but I wouldn’t see it again. It’s easily mid-tier Star Wars for me. That puts it right near the final prequel film, but below the originals, the newer trilogy and the last spin-off.

I mention this in-light of the absurd backlash the film’s received from die-hard fans. I’d initially planned a full-out rant about how dumb the complaints were, but I ran out of steam fast because it felt like padding. But either way, it’s ridiculous that people are complaining about trivial details that, honestly, are a staple of the franchise as is.

Not that the movie is flawless, mind you, but my point remains.

Star Power:

Kirby: Star Allies, while ridiculously short, is a fun game. Like, really fun. Like, as fun as I’d expect from a Kirby game. Like, almost as fun as Kirby’s Epic Yarn was. Like-I’ll stop now, I think you get the picture.

I kinda knew it’d be enjoyable from the moment I downloaded the demo a few months back. I’m honestly surprised, however, that it took me this long to buy the actual game, though, as I’ve been itching for some Kirby action for a while. But whatever, it’s fun. It also has a great final boss, easily one of the franchise’s best to-date.

Shame though, like I said earlier, about its length. Seriously, I beat it in two days, and I wasn’t trying to either!

Anyway, that’s about it for my updates. Hopefully I’ll have something more substantive next time.