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JAG18

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Blog Entries posted by JAG18

  1. JAG18

    A Look Into Old BZP

    By JAG18,


    BZPower
    Well, moderately old.  I've had some of this screenshots on my computers since 2014ish.  Names and avatars of the most controversial ones have been blacked out and don't ask for the originals unless you're also offering a lot of money.  
    Let's start with a lighter one:

    There was a weird feature that let people link their Twitter (at that time not known as X) to their status updates and this led to some strange updates (I have another saved that it absolutely NSFBZP).  

    Something you had to be there for, checking BZP one last time before bed and seeing some serious drama starting or rule breaking happening, and then checking in the morning and (if you're lucky) being able to see what led to someone being banned (that's if the posts/blog entries weren't deleted overnight).  But for the record, this status update wasn't deleted (probably because it's evidence for law enforcement) so I'm not re-uploading deleted content. 
     
    On a happier note, I used to keep track of my posts and views but it includes other old info too.  This is from August 2016 apparently.

    I got on the front page once!
      
    Finally, one of the few good (?) things about the updates going away is it got rid of a lot of evidence of when I was not okay.  

    I saved the rest of what I wrote, but since no one reacted to it at the time, it's probably for the best I not share it (but seriously that was a rough time for me).  
    Kinda wish I had saved more of old BZP but whatever, today is tomorrow's history.  
    -JAG
  2. JAG18
    "The Wanderer" is an Anglo-Saxon poem from a long time ago.  It tells the thoughts and feelings of a warrior whose whole tribe has been wiped out and how he's now forced to wander the earth alone without a home or place to belong hence "The Wanderer".  
    While always famous among Anglo-Saxon literature, it's probably best known today because J.R.R. Tolkien (who as a professor of Anglo-Saxon taught and loved the poem) adapted some of the lines into "The Lord of The Rings".  The lines in question are of the wanderer looking back on what his life once was:
    "'Where has the horse gone? where is the rider? where is the giver of gold?
    Where are the seats of the feast? where are the joys of the hall?
    O the bright cup! O the brave warrior!
    O the glory of princes! How the time passed away, 
    slipped into nightfall as if it had never been!"
    (I actually like the translation in the video more but this was the easiest to find online)
    And a deleted scene from the second LOTR film includes a variation of the book lines (I set the time at the right place):
    "How did it come to this?"  Near as I can tell, this isn't from the original poem or LOTR, but I'll get back to it.
    Over the last few years visiting BZPower and reading the topics more often than not makes me feel like the wanderer, "Where are the children playing with Legos?" "Where are the stories to distract us?"
    I know I was only a kid when Bionicle was alive and even in the later years between Bionicle's twilight and revival there was some talk of heavy topics on BZP which acted as an introduction to them for preteen me.  But, I'm talking about how BZP has gone from a place of fun to a place of longing.  I know it's the nature of time to grow old and feel nostalgic except it's not the nostalgia of sitting on your front porch seeing your grandkids playing in the yard and thinking to yourself, "I used to play in the yard once...".  It's more like "The Wanderer" reflecting on how something went horribly wrong, that the life we had is no more and the life we thought we'd have not only doesn't exist but may never.  
    Of course, they are far worse things in my life and the world that make me lament, "Where is the horse and the rider?" and this entry could have been very, very different (and probably too political), but the point is it seems Bionicle has gone from a place of refuge to yet another corpse on the battlefield stretching endlessly into the distance.  
    Yes, I know the fourth Bionicle movie has a moment like this, when Kiina is telling Berix that the secret lab was her place to hide from the ugliness outside.  I could have just quoted that scene to avoid having to make you all read old English, but despite Spirit's hilarious joke about it in his spoof* I find myself saying "Where is the horse..." almost every day now.  
    And unlike the wanderer there was no great battle and slaughter that clearly and forever let him know why his life is like this.  Instead it seems like we just woke up one day and saw things weren't right.
    "How did it come to this?"
    -Jag
     
    *Berix: Ugliness?  I was outside your cave!
      Kiina: My point exactly.  
     
  3. JAG18

    A Relic of a Bygone Age

    By JAG18,


    BZPower
    The last thing I'm going to mention from my recent(ish) dive into the archives (box of old stuff).  I made this circa 2009 or at least I'm pretty sure it was before Bionicle ended the first time.  Being blunt, I was around 13 at the time and BZPower had been my favorite spot on the internet for a couple of years already despite the fact I was only a "lurker" as the term was in those days.  I knew my parents would never let me join back then so I didn't even bother asking and (probably related) I can't understate how important BZP was to me back then because of how it opened up a whole 'nother world to younger me.  Honestly though, considering how cringe and (somehow) even more awkward I was back then, it's probably for the best I didn't join BZP immediately after discovering it.
    So, the info in this booklet is very brief but it's still a blast from the past seeing the old forums and old staff titles.  Admins, global moderators, forum leaders, forum assistants, forum mentors, reference keepers and blog moderation team.  BZP Q&A was New Members Q&A, the discussion forums were listed above the creative ones.  There were Bionicle Sets, reference center, collectables, promotions, software, movies and books, a voting booth, and no Off Topic Culture.  
    Equally weird and nostalgic is reading about things that don't exist anymore like proto energy, limits on new members, privileges of premier members and even how much it cost ($7 for six months, $11 for a year, and $35 for lifetime).  I guess lifetime was worth it if you got it 3-4 years before premier privileges were extended to all members.  
    And of course, a chart on how much you need to post each day/week to get to 10,000 posts.  People rag on modern day influences chasing Instagram likes, Reddit karma, and TikTok views, but I know from experience people have been chasing vain internet status points since day one.  Of course I don't care anymore that I only got 1/3 of the way to 10K.
    This book is an artifact and nostalgic piece, but I completely forgot I made it in early 2014 when I actually did join BZP a few months before after my 18th birthday (hence JAG18).  But reading it right now, I realized I left a couple of pages in the back blank.  I love the idea of putting some kind of message there now that I've been on the site almost 12 years, but what could I write?  What possibly needs to be said?
    This entry is long enough, but someday I want to write an entry(s) on random BZP memories I have.  From the important to random, just things that have stayed in my mind after years or decades in some cases.  Maybe another time.  
    -JAG
     
  5. JAG18

    Oops I Did It Again

    By JAG18,


    BIONICLE
    (Feature image is a low-quality screencap I took of an old Disney show)
    I put Bionicle references in another book.  
    So, in my last entry I mentioned that I hoped to finish the first draft of my second book in August (which I did) and in the last couple of weeks I've been working on the first major revision.   
    Now, I could be jumping the gun on this because all books (but especially mine) change a great deal between drafts, but you know I'm pretty confident these things won't changes and I feel like talking about them now so let's go.  
    The Pit
    One of the first ideas I had while brainstorming chapter ideas in 2018/19 from my first book was to have a super scary prison called The Cuve.  The Cuve translated from Hefi means The Pit.  You know, the center of the 2007 storyline.  
    My idea was actually to have the heroes liberate the prison after it had been taken over by bad guys, however once I complied all my ideas for chapters I had 32 so the prison chapter got the ax early on.  While it's finally making an appearance in book 2, it's still in the hands of The Law Bringer and they are getting some very rude guests early in the book.  
    Originally, I wanted it to be a lava planet, the idea being it had a shield to protect the prison and if anyone tried to escape they'd be nowhere to run.  But this past year I accepted that I have more ideas than I'll ever be able to write books for, so now I'm trying to cram as many ideas into each book as possible.  Thus, since another idea is to have a team of water-based bounty hunters (a hydromancer, a shark-guy) go on a mission together I changed it to being an underwater prison.  
    So now it's exactly like The Pit from Bionicle, but I never liked the look of it in the comics, so I'll make it look cooler in my book.    
    Perditus
    Something I was reminded of while going through my old writings is I once wrote a short story starring Perditus, back when he had one line of dialogue.  Why, I don't know, maybe because he was a blank slate?  He still is honestly.
    Either way, once while looking for Latin names I came upon Perditus and added it to my super list.  And I went ahead and named the mentor character for my book Perditus because why not.  I didn't base his character on him though because Bionicle Perditus has no character.  
    Since Perditus means lost I gave him the last name Invenio which means found, but in a different sense.  It's not a real name, I don't even think I'm using the word right but it can translate as found which is good enough for me.  
    Those are the main two, I might try and reference Hero Factory's breakout episode since it's the only memorable moment from later Hero Factory (for me) and because the whole reason the prison is in the book is because there's going to be a breakout, but I am being more conscious of not including as many references to things.  I know everything's a remix and it can be a lot of fun, but maybe there are a limits.
    Speaking of fun, the warden of that prison is Captain Impaler which might be tied for the dumbest reference I've ever made because he appeared one time in one episode of an old Disney show called "The Replacements".  

    He was not a character in the show and as far as I remember he appeared one time for one joke in one episode.  The only trace of him I can find on the wider web is this low quality video from 15 years ago (fortunately I still have Disney+ from watching "Andor").  But the moment and the jingle have stuck with me for over a decade so I named a guy Captain Impaler.  
    I'm aiming to have this revision done by mid-December then publish in the Spring, but it's kind of slow going.  Not to mention it's not the best motivation that my reach is at an all-time low right now, but I could write a whole blog entry (and IG post and YT rant) about the struggles of book marketing.  Regardless of how this writing career is going, at least I gave a little new relevance to Bionicle and Captain Impaler.  
    -JAG
  6. JAG18

    Five-Dollar Footlong

    By JAG18,


    Real Life
    I used to use alliteration when naming these update entries, but since it's been five months the title I used is the only one I can think of that keeps the trend.
    Featured photo is a photo of my book shelf and is one of the few photos I took during this time that will fit as a feature photo.
    What I Consumed:
    Pop-Tarts.  I randomly stumbled on a documentary about them and have been eating too many of them ever since (chocolate chip and s'mores are my favorites).  I haven't had one in years and eating one for the first time since then was like that scene from "Ratatouille".  
    I was obsessed with watching this one video breaking down this weird digital horror game series called Lacey Games.  I actually haven't watched the originals yet, but that's both because I prefer having all the hidden messages laid out for me by someone else and because the games are so dark, watching a video of someone watching them is a nice buffer.
    "Andor" Season 2
    Just season 2 because I've mostly ignored all the live-action Star Wars TV shows Disney has unleashed on us over the years, but the buzz around "Andor" forced me to finally get Disney+ and see what the hype is all about.
    Anyway, I just finished a few days ago and I've been thinking it over trying to form an opinion.  But since I don't have a place to write an in-depth review, let's just skip to my favorite part of the season.

    THE SPACE FRENCH!  And Enza Rylanz who I ended making this bad phone wallpaper for.  All the space French are great and were my favorite part of the show, which is why it sucks they weren't a bigger part.
    I've been reading the same book since April 1, but I swear this is the month I'm gonna finish it (I said that last month too).
    I've been averaging about one movie a month so I'm at 7 total; a far cry from like 2019 when I watch 80.  "Ballerina" which I wish had been called something like "Johanna Wicca" to make it more obvious it was a John Wick film without you know the subtitle.  Either way, it was pretty cool and made me start rewatching the other John Wick films.
    I finally saw "Elizabeth Harvest" after loving the trailer since it dropped in 2018ish.  It was pretty lame.  Ironic since it in a round-about way inspired the book I'm writing.  
    I saw an IG reel featuring this song from another pop culture phenomenon I ignored for too long.  I like watching the scene featuring the song, but oddly don't like listening to the song by itself.  No, this has not gotten me to try and get into MLP or Equestria Girls.  
    What I Made:
    So, I started a new book in late February-ish and just by throwing stuff at the wall I've managed to stumble my way to the 50,000 word  mark.  Hopefully can finish next month.  My word count progress.  
    March: 10,600
    April: 6,600
    May: 13,900
    June: 13,500
    July: 4,200
    What Happened:
    Oof, that's a loaded question. I don't think there's a point in thinking about the bad things, but also nothing really changed.
    I want to write that there was a brief time in May/June where I felt like things were going better just so I post this: 

    Didn't last of course.  I think around the same time I felt like I was being my old self again.  Also, didn't last.  I post that "Me Again" song by Sasha Alex Sloan but I think I've already stretched your screens enough.   
    What's Next?
    No idea, except I hope I can finish the first draft next month and begin the unfortunately long revision process.  
    I'll be turning 29 on the fifth.  Let's end it on that note before I write something too depressing.
    -JAG
  7. JAG18

    The Bionicle Epic Duels Game (Again)

    By JAG18,


    Board Games
    Almost six years ago (I'm in shock too), I made a blog entry about some custom decks I made for a Star Wars board game from 2002 that hardly anyone knows about.  Quick hits about that:
    1) It might have been announced already, but since that entry Epic Duels has finally been reprinted as Unmatched by Restoration Games and is still getting expansions to this day.  I personally haven't paid much attention to it because I'm happy with the old game.
    2) It's weird to see me say that the ED wiki is the number one place to discuss the game, because a discord server completely eclipsed it around 2020 and is still kind of active.
    3) Those old Bionicle decks were bad (or at least uninspired), which makes sense considering I think they were some of the first decks I made.  Now, my total number of decks made is about 70 and almost all of them are much better (practices makes perfect after all). 
    Which brings me to...

    One of the biggest developments to the game since the old blog entry is a new fan-made system to make decks for only one character (the original game had all decks with 2 or more characters working together), which honestly would be perfect for Bionicle ED because that means you could make a deck for every set and play with whatever sets you actually have.  You'd just need a really big board.
    I made this as a kind of daydream visualization, because I honestly don't play ED (or any board games) that much these days.  Another hobby that fell to the wayside I guess.  Either way, I shared this image to the ED discord and believe it or not a couple of people actually knew what Bionicle was (and someone even posted a gif of Kopaka dancing).  Not only that, someone actually called out my card name choices and for the first time in a decade I got to write the mask of levitation's real name (Miru). 
    Anyway, like I said my ED deck making days are in the past so this isn't a big project reveal or anything, but I hope someone finds any of this interesting. 
    -JAG
  8. JAG18

    A Wild Bonkle Appears!

    By JAG18,


    BIONICLE
    Feature photo is "Low Angle Shot of Gothic Themed Cathedral" by Jeremy Levin on Pexels.  It has nothing to do with what I'm about to talk about, but I had it on my computer from another recent project and it's free to use so yeah.
    The other day I was on Instagram when I got this on my explore page.

    Now, I like Iceberg charts, but I have no clue what this one is trying to say or why The Bible is in the first and last tier.
    BUT, the important part is Tales of The Toa being in the last tier.
    I know Bionicle still has a large following across the internet (not on this site but you know) which is impressive for a almost 9 year dead toyline, but I always say the real proof of Bionicle's cultural impact and staying power is when it shows in non-Bionicle spaces.  Since I'm pretty sure this wasn't a Bionicle account that posted this, I was very happy to see this on my page.
    Now, from what I can tell, this iceberg seems to be playing into the reputation Bionicle's allegedly gained on the internet since its end that of a something only super nerds enjoy, but still popular enough that people know what you're talking about.  That's not the best reputation, obviously I'd prefer people remember and talk about Bionicle's story, characters, themes, or whatever, but I guess I'll take what I can get.  
    -JAG
  9. JAG18

    Final Vengeance

    By JAG18,


    Bionicle
    Feature photo is a pic of Vengeance without a background that I put in front of "Yellow and White Smoke during Night Time" by Rostislav Uzunov on Pexels.  
    I don't know why I like the dark hunter Vengeance.  I vaguely remember sitting in a Pizza Hut with my copy of Brickmaster magazine and seeing Vengeance on the back of the issue.  
    It wasn't his design, which someone recreated for a Youtube video and showed it was just the Kikanalo with different limbs and other bits added on.  I thought using Pohatu's...*Biosector01 search* Climbing Claws as horns on a Vahki was cool and doubling up Lhikan's shields to make an even bigger shield is also neat.  
    It wasn't his character, because like most of the entries to the Dark Hunter contest, he's just an appearance, set of powers/tools, and a vague backstory.  Although, Vengeance's backstory has some interesting ideas that I'll get back to later.
    Despite all that, in late 2023 (when I had a short break from serializing my book) I decided to use that time to do something I hadn't done since High School: write Bionicle fan fiction.
    I named it "Final Vengeance" and the basic plot was Vengeance deciding to go after Mata Nui for robbing him of his revenge on Makuta who robbed him of his revenge on Lhikan.  I agree with Greg that it's silly, but I thought it would make a for a decent short story anyway.  Plus, if you want to write this character what else are you going to do with him?  
    It started with Vengeance walking down a winding staircase outside The Shadowed One's new hideout in The Black Spikes Mountains.  Lurker is there to tell his old friend he's making a mistake (Lurker is another kinda nothing DH, but I like his portrayal in "No One Gets Left Behind" and decided to make him friends with Vengeance).
    Vengeance don't care and quickly finds where The Mask of Life acting as Mata Nui's new napping place is located and attacks.  Two fights follow, first with Vastus and a toa of Psionics named...Syrax? (I have the draft saved somewhere, but I don't feel like checking it)  I thought they would make good opponents to show off Vengeance's skills and this was somehow my first time learning that Vastus has the ability to go into a trance-like state that helps him fight better?  
    Anyway, the dark hunter won the fight, then broke down the door of The Museum of Life and found an Order of Mata Nui member named Galtuhser (a name I've had sitting around since back when I wrote Bionicle fan fiction regularly) who's basically just the four-armed giant's replacement (like Botar's Replacement).  Vengeance has more trouble, but in the end Umbra shows up and defeats the dark hunter in two seconds.  Final shot is Lurker lurking in a construction site across the street and mourning his old friend's end.  
    Of course, after finishing my first draft I read on BS01 that Umbra will probably become a full-time guard of the Mask of Life so a whole 2/3 of my story shouldn't happen.  I had to get back to writing my book, but I thought-out a new outline that could fit into canon.  Same beginning, but now Vengeance spends the whole story thinking back to all the important moments that lead up to this.
    Like the most interesting thing about his story.  How and why did Lhikan "trap" Vengeance in a "prison" and then forget about him for thousands of years?  What did he do?  Throw him in a cave, then use his fire powers to melt a boulder to cover the entrance?  I get Toa don't kill, but at least after the Toa-DH War ended you'd think he'd go back to send him back to Odina, but nope the legendary hero just left a guy to rot in a cave for millennia.
    Another scene would be Vengeance training on Odina after hearing about Lhikan's death.  His story is also funny because this random scrub thinks he can kill a Makuta, so maybe he spends all his time training to become someone who can?  
    But of course, after the longest walk ever, the ending is still the same.  Vengeance rolls up to the Museum of Life and Umbra defeats him faster than a Mid-West emo band going on permanent hiatus after releasing a banger debut album.  
    It's been over a year since I touched this story, but I like Vengeance enough that I'm still interested in it.  I know it'd be short, but that might be better for posting on here.  It'd also be a great way to come full circle with my writing.  I got my start writing Bionicle fan fiction and this could be my chance to take everything I've learned in 15ish years to craft a fanfic...at least better than everything I wrote as a pre-teen/teenager.  
    Maybe writing this entry will motivate me to do it, I don't know, but if I don't, then this is how I would have done it.   
  10. JAG18

    Judicious January

    By JAG18,


    Update
    Feature photo is "Orange Rose Flower in Bloom during Daytime" by Pixabay on Pexels. 
    That title means nothing, I just like making up fun sound names, but since this will be the last one of these I'm going to do, it doesn't really matter.
    What I Consumed:
    While I've watched and enjoyed the reels of Finnish artist Ichigonya (aka Artprojectdeathonapaper) for a few months now, but just started reading some of their old articles last month. I'll admit I've followed them more for their reels than art, but I actually really liked some of their older works.   
    I've always loved reading about Tolkien and his work (despite it being years since I fully read LOTR), but this week I've really been in it.  Mostly I'm reading articles/posts by Michael Martinez and A Phuulish Fellow, but I want to read more broadly.  
    What I Made:
    Peppermint fudge, because what else am I going to do with uneaten Christmas candy canes?  Although despite knowing to use the double boiler technique I think I keep burning the chocolate chips resulting in the fudge being thicker than I think it should be before chilling.  IDK, it tasted good, but I forgot to take a picture.  
    Technically, two card games.  One I deleted a few months ago, but decided I wanted to play again (it's still fine) and the other I lost with my computer crash so I had to rebuild almost from scratch and while it's better it can get old fast.  
    I made one short on Youtube (a super quick book review).  Not the most auspicious start to my YT career, although perfectionism is really keeping me from making many other videos.  It's probably more achievable (for me) if I made it a podcast (maybe with minimal visual aids), but I don't know.  
    I freaking hit a brick wall with my book and after a couple of weeks admitted I wasn't going to get unstuck any time soon so I took on the daunting task of organizing my 6+ years worth of writing notes and revisited 3 short stories.  Only really edited one of them, but if I did want to finish them I know what needs to be done.  I won't any time soon since it's really freaking hard to get short fiction noticed online and I could spend the time and energy on other things.  
    What Happened:
    Um yeah, I was in a malaise for most of last month, which is why it took so long to make a YT short (I know I was trying to make a longer review originally, then found out I couldn't so switched to making a short but still).
    To sum up why I'm canceling this, something I read in a reel:
    "Do not compare yourself to anyone-especially not your healthy friends."  Other people have lives that can fill a newsletter/blog, I don't, that's not how I thought life would go, but it did and like I always say, you just got to make the best of it.  
    What's Next?
    I've spent enough time on this.  I think my best bet is to focus on making a 2nd edition of my book (which will require quite a lot of planning and rewriting).  
    Could mention more, but most people won't find out what happens.  Maybe for now I'll just say "yolo" and wait to see what happens next.  
    -JAG
     
  11. JAG18

    Decimating December

    By JAG18,


    Update
    Well, I at least feel like I got decimated.  Only second part in this series so I don't know if I'm supposed to have an intro, but here we go.  
    What I Consumed:
    I started doing this in November, but last month I finished rewatching all the "scum and villainy" episodes of "Star Wars: The Clone Wars".  I've always believed that a show like the crime and bounty hunter focused episodes of that show would be the greatest show of all time.  Rewatching with a critical eye made me realize two things: 1) a lot of the early episodes of that show weren't...great and 2) Westerns, gangster films, and other similar genres inspired these episodes.  This was all part of research for a project that I may or not may have put on the back burner now, but still fun.     
    I watched "47 Ronin" that Japanese historical/mythological action movie from 2013 starring Keanu Reeves.  I remember watching the trailer before it came out and have wanted to see it ever since.  It was very mid and I'm struggling to think of anything I really liked about it.  I did some digging and apparently the studio meddled with it to the point it became a disjointed mess.  C'est la vie, I guess.  
    I randomly got suggested this video called "Harry Potter Is Also Ableist".  Now, I've never heard of this channel before and I've never read the books and haven't seen the movies since they first came out (borrowed the DVDs for the first five from the library), but I still love the character Luna Lovegood.  Thus, I only watched the portion about how Luna is 110% autism coded.  In fact I was probably watching it twice a day for a whole week and will probably watch it again after posting this.    
    I reread "The Granger Girls" by Lara Jane Robinson one of my favorite books I've read in the last few years and I like it more now (4.5 stars vs. 4 stars).  I won't say what I think about the book here other than I really like it, because I'll probably post about it in the last book you read topic.  Although, honestly since I need to write a review for goodreads, I'll probably just post it to both places and maybe link it here if I feel like it, I don't know*.  It's probably been awhile since I read a book twice let alone in the same year, but since my computer was still broken and I wanted to read more print books, my eyes kept going to my signed copy of this book on my shelf.  
    *11 days later: link to review in said topic. 
    What I Made:
    I made these Christmas cards for my family; some have funny drawings in them.  

    Also, I made an ecard for my friend's birthday.  What's weird is, last year, I knew it was their birthday and I debated DMing them a happy birthday message, but got distracted and blew it off.  This year, I started getting images for the card in late November and as soon as I got my new computer I made it in ellacard and had an agonizing wait until this month until I could finally give it.  They actually really liked it!  
    My writing marathon bombed due to poor planning, no other excuse, but I did write 7200 words, which beat my old record of words written in day.  Yeah, waking up at one in the morning, eating mostly candy, struggling to came up with a plot on the spot, not a good time.  I think I listened to all of Lindsey Stirling's discography except for her new album though.  Still working on it at a slower rate.  
    What Happened:
    Got a new computer to replace my old one and over the last few weeks I've slowly realized how much stuff I lost in the crash and I'm trying my best to live with that.  
    Holidays felt busy.  I think it was Christmas Eve 2020 where after finishing work at Fedex, I sat in my car in the parking lot and cried while listening to "Too Sad To Cry" by Sasha Alex Sloan (yeah I know, going against the title of the song my bad).  Well, this Christmas Eve I laid in bed (despite saying I was going to get up) and listened to one of Chxrlotte's classic sad songs on repeat.  I can't remember which one though, probably "Don't Save Me".  Yeah, the days before my friend's birthday were not very good.  I guess despite what I wrote last entry, some things never change.  
    What's Next?
    I've had two chances to post this somewhere, but passed up both so I'll do it now.  If I get asked what my new year goals are, I'm just going to quote "Hot Wheels: Battle Force Five":
    "I don't plan that far ahead; speed, power, and attitude, dudes!"
    Anyway, writing is going to be...interesting.  Going to promote and record a Creepypasta.  Want to revise and publish a short story, but got to figure all that out first.  I wish I didn't also have to try and write a book while doing it, but that's what I get for failing my marathon.  
    Got to download Lightworks on my new computer because it's time to get serious about starting a Youtube channel.  I remember as a teenager wanting to be a Youtuber, but I never did it so we'll see how that goes.  Life's funny like that.  
    Yeah, that's as far ahead as I'm going to plan.  See ya, next time.
    -JAG
     
  12. JAG18

    Navigating Nautical November

    By JAG18,


    Update
    There was nothing nautical about my last month, I just like alliteration. 

    To not bury the lead, my computer crashed Thanksgiving night, so that's why I haven't been active anywhere online except Instagram.  New one is on the way, but today I finally broke and decided to try out mobile on various places (including here) despite normally hating that.

    This is a series I want to start doing, and I'm not going to let anything stop me.  Hopefully, next month will be more organized, but let's just start somewhere easy.

    What I Consumed:

    As I mentioned in my last entry (not linking because, you know, I'm on a phone) I started listening to Lindsey Stirling last month.  Apparently enough to put "Eye of the Untold Her" on my spotify top 100 of 2024 and get her wrapped message. 

    I've posted about this in the recently revived last book you read topic (pretty sure last time I posted there was 2018), but I was in a reading slump last month where I kept DNFing books.  However, I read two I liked at the end of the month, which I posted there, but not linking to for the same reason mentioned above.  I want to say reading physical books is what I needed to get out of the slump, but I'm sure the computer crash had more to do with it.  Either way, I just started rereading my favorite book I read this year "The Granger Girls" by Lara Jane Robinson and, for reasons, I'm taking notes (Could a big review be on the way?)

    Watched "Christine" (2016/17? starring Rebecca Hall) for the third time since I discovered it in 2022 and it is now firmly in my top 20 favorite films of all time. 

    What I Made:

    Did I write last month?  I'd check the files, but I can't (don't worry, all my writing stuff is safe on a thumbdrive).  I started one short story, but got distracted reworking an older one (which I did finish).  I had to switch gears to planning my next book, because I want to write the entire first draft in a day.  An insane goal that should be the main topic of my next update.  Really hoping the lost planning time won't ruin my chances.  

    What Happened?

    Two bad things happened, one of which being the computer crash.  The other made me feel the worst I've felt since...well, actually October was rough too...and August...but July! That was a good month! 

    Honestly when it comes to my computer loss, I'm mostly just irritated I can't work on my writing or share my Spotify Wrapped with the people who will care the most. 

    Good things happened too (I got some screenshots to prove it), but let's just move on to...

    What's Next?

    I think I already mentioned all my writing plans (oops, so much for this being organized lol), but I want next month's What I Made section to be bigger (And include more mediums maybe?) 

    This is something people usually say around the new year, but really the difference between December and January is only in the mind.  If you want to make a change, then there's no time like the present.  I want my what happened section to be longer next time too...but with more good things, not more bad lol.  I need to make a change. 

    -JAG
     
  13. JAG18

    Song For The Moment Right Now #3

    By JAG18,


    Real Life
    "Now I know that I'm invisible
    Like I'm invisible
    'Cause you talk straight through me
    When you look, all you see is the ceiling and the floor
    Like I'm invisible"
    [Would have posted this as a status update, but they appear to have vanished for some reason.  Either way, yeah invisible.]
     
  14. JAG18
    Remember that entry about Bionicle not being dead that I wrote last month?  I'm not surprised that I haven't posted another entry since then, but I am a little surprised no one else has either.  Anyway, amateur pictures coming, because I honestly don't know why I have shaky hands whenever I try and take a picture.
    "The Legend Reborn" reference:

    Free The Band reference:

    The acknowledgements:

    I always wonder if I should share the above online, because part of me feels like it should be more personal or something, you know save somethings for yourself.  On the other hand, I kind of do want the people who inspired and helped me to know how grateful I am, but how else are they going to know that unless I share this online.  I don't know, I usually overthink...well, everything, but especially everything related to trying to make it as a writer, so maybe that's what I'm doing now.
    Okay, back to being the lurker/occasionally like stuff guy. 
  15. JAG18

    BIONICLE's Not Dead

    By JAG18,


    Bionicle
    This was me last week because it's true, BIONICLE has been a huge inspiration on my writing, which is why I  thanked the Greg man in my book's acknowledgements.  Karzahni, I even put two obvious references in it.
    [I originally wrote this as a status update, because I didn't think anyone would want to read this, but since I'm just gushing about Bionicle, why not post it here?]
    In chapter 2: “I may not always agree with his methods…like using windows as doors, but as far as heroes go Cat-Man ranks.”
    And chapter 19, “With the added tension that we might be called upon at any second for operation free the band,” Jess said.  In fact, this whole chapter is about the heroes having to rescue a rock band (called Corpse Lunge, yeah!) from a gang.  No, I didn't base said band off the All American Rejects.
    I guess the rest of Bionicle's influences on my work are on the characters or things like my approach to world building and the dialogue.  I feel like a lot of my villains' dialogue sounds straight out of '06-'09 Bionicle (so kind of edgy and cringe).
    I'm surprised that's all, especially considering I still think about Bionicle pretty frequently, although it's no longer my number one fandom now.  True, a lot of that thinking is critically examining as an adult something that I loved as a child (which I do for a lot of media I like btw).  These days, when it comes to actually reliving Bionicle, it's limited to re-watching TLB and re-reading some of the Legends books or comics.  And of course, I'm listening to Bionicle music, while writing this.  
    I know I'm not the first Bionicle fan to became a professional artist (or semi-pro in my case lol).  I vaguely recall an epic posted here years ago called "Glitch in the System" written by...Lady Kopaka? that she rewrote and later self-published.  Kind of wish I could find a copy, but I'm having trouble finding it.  Anyway, for years I've said that proof Bionicle made it's mark is when new artists cite it as inspiring their work.  Well, you know my motto: be the change you want to see.  
    Bionicle's not dead as long as people like Nato G are making music for it, or other people are making other art for it or the archive is still up and running.  Actually, they're probably a lot of Bionicle fans still keeping the dream alive, even if I don't know about most of them because I'm so inactive here.  All that having been said, Bionicle's not dead as long I'm around and writing.  
    You know what, why am I preaching to the choir?  I need to go annoy people spread the way of the Bionicle somewhere else.  Wow, all these words about being a huge fan and I can't think of a good Bionicle sendoff.  Disgraceful.  Oh well, windfly!
  16. JAG18

    I Need to Get Me an Avatar

    By JAG18,


    Stuff
    No, not Aang, or Korra, or the "Vultures Fly" guys. 
    Five years ago when I did this for my signature, it got me my hilarious cheese wheel, so I'm trying it again.  Simply put, I don't want Scarecrow to represent me anymore (even though it's still one of the best character designs of all time), but I also don't want to go back either my old coat of arms or even that glatorian on the back of Strakk's canister.
    (Also, it's so nice BZP lets you link to so many things in one post.  Can't say that about the rest of the internet.)
    ANYWAY, my only idea is a fictional character I really like.  First option is Charmcaster from "Ben 10", but other favorites include Grand Admiral Thrawn, Luna Lovegood, Samurai Jack, Jhin, Izayoi Aki...I could go on.
    I honestly don't know if I should go for something I like NOW or something I could be happy with forever if I decide I don't want to change it again.
     
    Any thoughts?
      
  17. JAG18

    Stuffed Animal Collection

    By JAG18,


    RL
    I don't know how anyone would know this, but I adore and collect stuffed animals and have for as long as I can remember.

    Might as well start with the OGs.  Left-to-right: Gram Paul "Uncle Grandpa" Penguin, everyone's favorite old man who's gotten up in years and now needs a wheelchair.   His son Fat Penguin (named long ago in a different time and place) who's probably the favorite animal I own.  He's got a wife and five kids, but we don't need to talk about them right now.  Glacier the walking ticking time bomb who likes to throw is little brother.  Said little brother Iceberg who's a kleptomaniac and who only has one foot, but everyone swears he lost before his brother threw him.  And finally their Italian cousin Gelato who's catchphrase is, "You guys are mean!"  He gets to say it a lot around this lot.

    A small sample of all my bears, the largest species in my collection.  Rapid fire family left-to-right:
    Germania Kirk: got his name from when me and my sister played "Star Trek", but afterwards we couldn't stop calling him Kirk.  Is a preacher and married to...
    Maple: The Canadian bear.
    Dimples: their son who was the first bear baby in the world and is now a doctor.  Everyone used to call him baby boy because he was the first.
    Erin Erwin: the Irish ice cream man.
    Millennium: Erin's wife and the undisputed best chef in the land.
    Nikki: their daughter and now married to Dimples, hence...
    Baby Boy: Dimples and Nikki's son who has his dad's old nickname.  His catchphrase is "Ta da", which he is also sometimes called.
    Not shown are the two Erwin family boys, Cuddly and Winnie.  They moved away awhile ago and are living their best single life with their friend Curly.
    Spangle and Brittany: I think I forgot their last name.  Spangle used to be a superhero (Spangle Boy!), but now I think he just sits in his pajamas all day.
    Caramel: their third kid and former cheerleader.  Somehow fell in life with...
    Sweeter: a gingerbread man and baker who can never match Millennium.
    Lindy "Lucky Lindy": their daughter who's actually a clone of her mother because you know bears and cookies can't.  Anyway, she's a bit of a trouble maker.

    For whatever reason, most of my and my sisters' stuffed animal collections consisted of bears and penguin to the point that are few other animals were given the kind of offensive term "nonie" (NON-ee).  Either way, the nonies' lot has improved over the years and Punxsutawney Phil has been the mayor for eight years or more.  His chief advisor is his cousin Phil (the one without the hat) and together they wisely govern the town's treasury (the chests).  The big monkey is their bodyguard Lazlo Khan and his little monkey son Bongo.  The hedgehog is Lothario (that means "the lover") advisor/jester.  The green thing is a recent gift from my sister that I don't know what to do with so I let him hang in the executive suite. 
    Also, Meltdown isn't there to hold the flag for them or anything he's just also on my desk and photobombed them.

    More recent additions now that I love referencing things.  Left-to-right (back row), Pabu the red panda, Greywind the dire wolf, Bosco the black bear, Gojira the spinosaurus, and 51 the alien.  (Front row) Bruce the shark, Lottie the axolotl and her son Verde. 
    I've just realized that my love for writing might have started with the stories and backgrounds I created around all these animals.  Either way, this is a small sample of my collection, I probably have a hundred more, but what I really want to do is create some kind of archive of all of them with their names and histories to make sure I'll never forget.  Will I find time?  No idea, but this is a start I guess.
    -JAG
     
  18. JAG18

    Ask Me Anything

    By JAG18,


    AMA
    It's been almost five years since I did one of these and the last time I did one I opened it with a cringey joke.  Either way, I want to post here (before my ten year anniversary next month) and this is all I could come up with so ask away.  
    Or don't, it's a free website. 
    But I hope you do because it's kind of the point.
     
  19. JAG18

    Law Bringer Day 2

    By JAG18,


    Law Bringer
    Feature photo is the art for "Meet The Commander".  Above is art for "Meet V Squad".  
    When I sat down to write the first draft of this post a couple of weeks ago I wanted to write something ten times more depressing, angry, bitter, and cynical, but I decided I wanted this to be a happy day since I'm supposed to be celebrating so here's a happier post instead.
    Seven years ago today, I wrote a little story about four stereotypes (cowboy, ninja, killer robot, and ex-military guy) saving a (not very competent) vampire hunter from a horde of vampires.  The little piece grew into something much larger than I could have imagined and lead me down roads I also couldn't have imagined.  
    When I wrote last year's Law Bringer Day post I wrote that I'd be sharing "Law Bringer" with the world soon.  I didn't mean for "soon" to mean nine months, although technically I shared "Meet The Deserter" here in February.  Either way, I had further to go after that, but I reached the midpoint a couple of days ago when I posted "Meet The Commander".
    Now is the hardest part to remain positive with.  The part where I have to admit my greatest accomplishment after all this effort is a feeling of, "At least I did it."
    As for any future plans.  I'm set to finish posting Season 1 at the end of March (taking a couple of breaks to post spin-offs I've posted elsewhere, but not on the substack), which means I'll publish the entire thing together as my first book a month or two after.  
    I need to spit out the weird spin-off "Mors" next spring.  Like write it in a month and revise in another one level speed.  Then the fun begins.  I can work on my prequel, which needs to be ten times more depressing, angry, bitter, and cynical than anything I've ever written before.  As a bonus the social media content will create itself (wish I could say the same for Season 1), which might allow me to actually get an audience.  
    Hopefully, I'll be done with that in late 2024, then the real challenge comes.  I need to write the book that will decide the fate of all of "Law Bringer" forever, but I should stop planning past next year's Law Bringer Day.   
    I'll send off with a quote from Mr. Nightmare, "You'll never know how far you'll get unless you try." 
  21. JAG18

    The Day Is Finally Here

    By JAG18,


    Writing
    I can't believe it's been over a year since I first teased "Law Bringer" on this blog.  Of course, I've been working on it for much longer than that, but today is the day I get to share it with the world.
    Where does this story start?  With the kid who used to write knockoff as well as actual bionicle fan fiction?  Or the young man who rediscovered an old hobby and stumbled upon a story that eventually grew into something he had to share with at least someone.  
    Whether you liked the story I published in OTC*, or any of the teasers in this blog, or think it has potential (or think I have potential) you can follow me on my journey here.  Or if you'd rather listen instead "Law Bringer" is also on Youtube.  Obviously Bionicle is still an influence on my writing and you can expect some references to sneak in, but even if you just like fast-paced sci-fi action adventure stories than maybe spare a glance at my work.
    Either way, I'm happy this day is finally here and wish me luck! 
     
    *Actually, the short story I posted there is a slightly censored version so if you want to read the official version keep on eye on that space for it. 
  22. JAG18

    The Horror of The Baterra

    By JAG18,


    Bionicle
    Remember the Baterra from the 2009 storyline?  Have you ever asked yourself, "What if they were horror movie villains?"

    Quick refresher (long one at BS01), the Baterra were a group of shapeshifting robots created by The Great Beings to end The Core War...by killing anyone holding a weapon because I guess The Great Beings get their morals from "Chappie".  After the war they did a number on the remaining Skrall on Bara Magna and forced them to move south and become the villains of the 2009 storyline.  The Baterra following the Skrall south was a minor plot point of '09.   
    I'm wracking my brain to remember what it was like in 2009 (which was somehow 14 years ago) when the Baterra were introduced.  I remember Greg hinting at them in answers saying the Skrall were running from something else, which was honestly good hype.  I can't remember how we found out about their origin and purpose, but I know it was before "Yesterday Quest".  Either way, in late 2009 the robots appeared briefly in the Skrall serial and the next year in the really cool graphic novel "Legends of Bara Magna".  (Side note, does anyone remember the effort the community made to get as many people as possible to preorder that comic because Greg said we might not get anymore if doesn't sell well?  Good times.) 
     
    Both of their minor story appearances highlight their potential as horror villains especially the forest ambush in the comic.  Imagining a horror movie with them is pretty easy I mean they're killer robots they can hide in plain sights and can get you before you even know they're there.  Think of the jump scare potential!  And the last thing we learn about them (outside of Greg quotes) is they refused to shut down after the war ended, which also screams horror.  
    Obviously the Baterra (or a Baterra-like robot/creature) would fit right into the slasher or monster genre.  Heck, a Baterra hunting people in a city would basically just be "The Terminator".  I'm bringing up that movie because the Baterra have another connection to that franchise. The second Terminator movie featured the T-1000 a robot made of liquid metal, which according to Greg is how the Baterra shapeshift.  
    Like many pages for things relevant to Bionicle's last years, the Baterra page is littered with small tidbits from Greg made since Bionicle's end.  The liquid metal info being one, which is nice although something I don't like as much is the Baterra being the inspiration for the Bohrok and also them being the same height as the little rolling guys from 2002.  I know I wasn't the only one who imagined the Baterra as tall and slender to be disappointed to learn that.  
    When the story ended the Baterra were on a collusion course with the newly united good guys.  I don't know if Greg would have used the Baterra if he had continued writing the serials, but in all honestly I can't see that going well.  Probably it would have been a minor conflict resolved in a couple of chapters so Greg could focus more on ideas he had more interest in.  The weapons of the Baterra, which slew hundreds of Skrall red shirts would be no match for our heroes' plot armor.  Sure, maybe a couple of minor characters like Trinuma or Vastus would die to build up the tension, but in the end Nuparu or some other tech guy would come up with a clever way to defeat the Baterra and finally put an end to a really cool footnote in the legend of the Bionicle.  
    But, I still want see to that horror story.
  23. JAG18

    Nine Years

    By JAG18,


    BZPower
    Nine years ago I joined BZPower.  This site wasn't even nine years old when I discovered it. 
    I still have fond memories of those early years.  Traffic had already declined by then, but it was still an active place (certainly much better than it is today).  Most of the people I talked to back then have since moved on (although it's not like I'm around here much either). 
    What spinner am I getting?  A hau, the kind Tahu Stars wore.  I have that set somewhere. 
    OK, I don't have anything profound or substantial to say, but I wanted to mark the occasion. 
  24. JAG18

    Law Bringer Teaser #3

    By JAG18,


    Writing
    Is an actual short story in OTC. 
    I don't think I have anything else to say.  This is my first time sharing something from the project I've been working on for about six years now (I wrote this story last April) and what better place to share it than BZP?  Read it if you want, upvote, like, reply in the topic whatever.
    Also, this story is a slightly censored version.  The violence in the original isn't that much worse, but I didn't want to risk breaking any rules.  That's partly why I probably won't post another "Law Bringer" story here on BZP so if you want more you'll have to wait until I launch the official "Law Bringer" site, which hopefully will be later this year (fingers cross) and of course I'll drop a link to that when the time comes. 
     
  25. JAG18

    About My Writing

    By JAG18,


    Writing
    Happy Law Bringer Day!  Admittedly, I've never celebrated it before today, but you know every tradition has to start somewhere.  
    Today marks the six year anniversary of when (after several mouths of brainstorming and nearly three years of not writing any fiction) I started writing the first story in what would become "Law Bringer".  I thought about honoring the occasion by posting a teaser or snippet of an actual story, but instead I decided to write about my writing.   
    Recently, I collected the info below by pouring through my old word documents and obviously this isn't one-hundred percent accurate either because of poor record keeping or stories lost to computer crashes, but it should give you a good idea of my writing output over the years.  
    Words written per year:
    2004-07: less than 1,000 words
    2008-10: 14,000 words
    2011: 11,000 words
    2012-13: 6,000 words
    2016-17: 2,200 words
    2018-21: 1000 words
    I don't know why I started writing I just did, although, I should point out that of the 35,000 words I wrote from 2004-2021 all I have to show for it is:
    2 short stories (including a Hero Factory story I posted here)
    A lot of flash fiction most of which is either BIONICLE or Hero Factory fan fiction or not very good (or both).
    For some reason during this time period my go-to writing format was like the appendices from LOTR even before I knew what those were.  No idea why.  
     
    Something else I want to mention; I rarely finished most of my work from this time.  This is definitely something I've improved this year because now I can actually write a short story from beginning to end.  The idea popped into my head to try and finish some of my old stuff, but after actually reading some of it I figure most of it is best left where it is.  
    This trip down memory lane confirms the narrative I've always assumed that writing was something I did in junior high up to the summer after my freshman year, but in my sophomore year I stopped and no matter how hard I tried or wanted to I just couldn't write fiction again.  I kept writing notes and world building, but another piece of prose never came.  I cannot explain why.    
    Bringing this back to "Law Bringer", like I said I wrote the first bits of the story in late 2016 and early 2017, but then the block returned.  I spent a long time working on my world building on-and-off until 2019/2020 when I got really serious about it and by this point I really wanted to make an attempt to write again hence my little bits of writing during this time period.  
    Then last November I started watching videos about writing on Youtube.  Before this, everything I knew about writing I learned from BZPower or what writers have said so just random sources.  I don't think that's the only thing I needed, but I'm sure it helped and on Christmas Eve of 2021 I began to write and write, then run out of steam in the spring, but picked it back up in May and eventually managed to create some good writing habits.  
    The long and short of it is this past year I've written 105,000 words resulting in:  
    22 short stories (18 "Law Bringer" 4 non-"Law Bringer")
    A fourth of a novel
    Half of a novella
    2 pieces of flash fiction (both much better than anything I wrote several years ago)
    You know, after writing this out, I think December 24th sounds like a better date for Law Bringer Day, but since no one would celebrate it then because of conflicts with other holidays, I think I'll stick to November 30th. 
    That's the story I wanted to tell and also why I'm optimistic about the future of my writing and "Law Bringer" and I'm hopeful I'll be able to share more of both with the world soon.
     
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