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Lazzy the Spazzy

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  1. Lazzy the Spazzy
    For an explanation of what the Story Fit is, please go here.
     
    Each week I'll post an exercise. This is the entry for the exercise of the week of January 20-26. Since this is the first week of the Story Fit, we'll start off with a simpler task -- a one-word prompt:
     

    Transformation

    Write a story revolving around the theme of transformation. You may interpret it literally or figuratively. There is no word limit or any other constraints -- the only requirement is that the story contain this theme. Feel free to put forth ideas on stories if you're not too sure about what you want to write. Note: You do not have to complete this task by the 26th, as there is no deadline for the Story Fit project. However, since new exercises will be given out each week, you should still work on your stories to prevent too many tasks from piling up...procrastination won't be pretty.
     
    Once you write your story, post here with a link to it. Extra points will also be awarded to those members who review other Story Fit members' stories. This will not only give you practice with writing but also reviewing, as well as promote an exchange of ideas and styles within the BZP Writers Community.
     
    At the end of the week we will vote for the "Writer of the Week" based on whose story is everyone's favorite.



  2. Lazzy the Spazzy
    1/27/10 Story Fit Exercise

    For an explanation of what the Story Fit is, please go here.

    Each week I'll post an exercise. This is the entry for the exercise of the week of January 27-February 2.

    Conflict is central to storytelling, a ubiquitous device that nearly always fulfills its role of advancing the plot. So many authors incorporate the idea of conflict into their written works -- the earliest stories had conflict in the form of gods and humans, good and evil, known and unknown. In fact, the common view is that without conflict, stories tend to be quite bland.

    This week's task is to incorporate a conflict into your story. This can be interpreted in any way -- a physical conflict, a verbal conflict, a clash of ideals, an external conflict, an internal conflict.

    There is no word limit or any other constraints -- the only requirement is that the story contain this theme.

    Once you write your story, post here with a link to it. Extra points will also be awarded to those members who review other Story Fit members' stories. This will not only give you practice with writing but also reviewing, as well as promote an exchange of ideas and styles within the BZP Writers Community. Happy writing!


    ---

    Note: As of now, there is no deadline by which you must turn in your story. This is an issue that is currently being discussed: see the bottommost section and respond with your opinion.

    Note2: Over this past week, writers have submitted their exercises. Below is a list of stories that have been submitted within the past week. Look over them, read through them if you want, then vote for your favorite story (send a PM with your vote to me). At the end of this week, I will count up the votes and give the Writer of the Week [of 1/20/10 - 1/26/10] award to the writer who gets the most votes.


    Last Week's Stories

    1) Recovery Time by -Tilius-
    2) Winds of Change by Rassiter
    3) Liavuru-Metru: Origins - Beginning of the Journey, Chapter 12 by Akai Hana no Tenshi
    4) What We Become by Yukiko
    5) Finding His Way by ~Monday~
    6) The Wall, Chapter 10 by Rising Moon

    Vote away!



    So far we have one vote (Rising Moon) for one task a week. Please put forth your opinion so we know what changes need to be made, if any.


    ---

  3. Lazzy the Spazzy
    2/10/10 Story Fit Exercise

    For an explanation of what the Story Fit is, please go here.

    Each week I'll post an exercise. This is the entry for the exercise of the week of February 10 - February 16.

    ---

    We're into our fourth week now, and it's time to get even more creative with our prompts.

    We've all experienced it. That dreadful thing called Writer's Block. The very mention of it sends chills down the best writers' spines...it's scarier than Edgar Allan Poe's short stories.

    Nevertheless, the job of a writer is to write, and we have to plow through regardless of whether we're being besieged by Writer's Block or not. We all deal with Writer's Block in various ways -- some of us take walks outdoors, some of us contemplate the walls while we sit in the bathroom, some of us force a haiku out of our brain. We all do something to get our creative juices flowing again.

    Now, here's the prompt. Think of the activity you do to dispel Writer's Block, then incorporate that activity into your story. Say you go for a swim when you have Writer's Block, and that's what helps you think of ideas again. You would then write a story that contains swimming somewhere -- say, a pair of Matoran discussing current events while they swim in Ga-Wahi, or a Toa swimming out into the Silver Sea to rescue a drowning civilian.

    ---

    There is no word limit or any other constraints -- the only requirement is that the story contain this theme.

    Once you write your story, post here with a link to it. Extra points will also be awarded to those members who review other Story Fit members' stories. This will not only give you practice with writing but also reviewing, as well as promote an exchange of ideas and styles within the BZP Writers Community. Happy writing!


    Note: As of now, there is no deadline by which you must turn in your story. This is an issue that is currently being discussed: see bottommost section and respond with your opinion.


    ---

    Each week we vote for the Writer of the Week, based on the popularity of the stories submitted during that week. Whoever gets the most votes wins the award. Without further ado, I present this week's Writer of the Week:

    Grant-Sud, for his Conflict-themed story Alternate Perspective!

    Below is a list of stories that have been submitted within the past week. Look over them, read through them if you want, then vote for your favorite story (send a PM with your vote to me). At the end of this week, I will count up the votes and give the Writer of the Week [of 2/3/10 - 2/9/10] award to the writer who gets the most votes.


    Last Week's Stories

    1) Soulsnare by Rising Moon
    2) Sister by Grant-Sud
    3) I Am: Klighatus by Akai Hana no Tenshi

    Vote away!

    ---


    So far we have three votes for one task a week, and one vote for a deadline (two weeks) rather than the "submit whenever" system that we've been using so far. Please share your opinion so we know what changes need to be made, if any.


  4. Lazzy the Spazzy
    2/17/10 Story Fit Exercise

    For an explanation of what the Story Fit is, please go here.

    Each week I'll post an exercise. This is the entry for the exercise of the week of February 17 - February 16.

    ---

    We're into our second month now! Yay! And to celebrate, this week's exercise is to include a celebration in your story. This can be the focus of your story or a prop/background, or just a device to propel your plot. Write away!

    Note: Yes, I know it's just been Valentine's Day, but I figure it would be redundant what with people already writing romance-themed stories and Tifosi 92 already hosting a romance-themed story event. If you're up to writing a second story this week, feel free to mosey on over to his blog entry and pay some respects to him for his permanent leave from BZPower while you're at it. =[

    ---

    There is no word limit or any other constraints -- the only requirement is that the story contain this theme.

    Once you write your story, post here with a link to it. Extra points will also be awarded to those members who review other Story Fit members' stories. This will not only give you practice with writing but also reviewing, as well as promote an exchange of ideas and styles within the BZP Writers Community. Happy writing!


    Note: As of now, there is no deadline by which you must turn in your story. This is an issue that is currently being discussed: see bottommost section and respond with your opinion.


    ---

    Each week we vote for the Writer of the Week, based on the popularity of the stories submitted during that week. Whoever gets the most votes wins the award. Without further ado, I present this week's Writer of the Week:

    Rising Moon, for his Monologue Short Story, Soulsnare!

    Below is a list of stories that have been submitted within the past week. Look over them, read through them if you want, then vote for your favorite story (send a PM with your vote to me). At the end of this week, I will count up the votes and give the Writer of the Week award [of 2/10/10 - 2/16/10] to the writer who gets the most votes.

    This week is a special one. Since Akai is the only one who submitted an entry this week, I've also thrown in ~Monday~'s slightly tardy entry, the conflict-themed Fate.


    Last Week's Stories

    1) Vaii Daha by Akai Hana no Tenshi
    2) Fate by ~Monday~

    Vote away!

    ---

    So, it's pretty much been decided that we'll have one task a week, but there's still one issue to discuss: whether or not to have a deadline, and if so, whether to have it one week, two weeks, or other.

    So far we have one vote for a two week deadline.


  5. Lazzy the Spazzy
    2/24/10 Story Fit Exercise

    For an explanation of what the Story Fit is, please go here.

    Each week I'll post an exercise. This is the entry for the exercise of the week of February 24 - March 2.

    ---

    We're into our sixth week now, and since six is such an important and prevalent number in the Bionicleverse, this theme will be based on six.

    Instead of being given a requirement, you will be given six possible requirements, with the option to choose between one of the six for your story this week...or, if you're feeling up to it, two or three or even all of the options. o_O

    Without further ado, here are the possible themes! Pick one (or more).

    1) The work must be under six hundred (600) words.

    2) Write a story with six and only six characters in it, no more, no less (all characters must be more than a prop/one-scene character, but not all of them have to be significant to the story).

    3) The work must break the fourth wall six times.

    4) The work must focus on an artifact that has something to do with the number six (name, location, number of sides, etc.).

    5) The work must contain six pop culture references (remember to keep them BZP Rules-friendly) OR six references to Bionicle canon.

    6) Your work must not contain any six-letter words. =O

    ---

    There is no word limit or any other constraints -- the only requirement is that the story contain this theme. Psyche! This time there may or may not be a word limit depending on which option you choose! xD

    Once you write your story, post here with a link to it. Extra points will also be awarded to those members who review other Story Fit members' stories. This will not only give you practice with writing but also reviewing, as well as promote an exchange of ideas and styles within the BZP Writers Community. Happy writing!


    Note: As of now, there is no deadline by which you must turn in your story. This is an issue that is currently being discussed: see the bottommost section and respond with your opinion.


    ---

    Each week we vote for the Writer of the Week, based on the popularity of the stories submitted during that week. Whoever gets the most votes wins the award. Without further ado, I present this week's Writer of the Week:
    Akai Hana no Tenshi, for his Writer's Block themed story, Vaii Daha!

    Below is a list of stories that have been submitted within the past week. Look over them, read through them if you want, then vote for your favorite story (send a PM with your vote to me). At the end of this week, I will count up the votes and give the Writer of the Week award [of 2/17/10 - 2/23/10] to the writer who gets the most votes.

    This week is another special one. Akai is once again the only one who submitted an entry this week, so instead of the usual vote for WotW, I will instead advertise the BZP Elements 2 Anthology. Give it a look and share your comments and constructive criticism with the great writers who participated in the project!

    ---

    So, it's pretty much been decided that we'll have one task a week, but there's still one issue to discuss: whether or not to have a deadline, and if so, whether to have it one week, two weeks, or other.

    So far we have two votes for a two week deadline, along with a suggestion that an addendum be added to the deadline: "You have two weeks to complete this exercise or another of your choosing that you have not already completed", giving writers the option of doing previous exercises.

  6. Lazzy the Spazzy
    2/3/10 Story Fit Exercise

    For an explanation of what the Story Fit is, please go here.

    Each week I'll post an exercise. This is the entry for the exercise of the week of February 3 - February 9.

    Since we're into our third week, let's go for something different from our past two one-word prompts.

    When attempting to reveal a character's beliefs, writers often fall back on using a monologue: a prolonged talk or discourse by a single speaker. Many criticize monologues however, citing its length when compared to the rest of the story, arguing that because of that length monologues can end up dull or boring, disrupting the pace or monopolizing the dialogue, and in some cases even backfiring -- restricting the monologue's character and the directions the character can go. Regardless of your personal opinions, I feel like the monologue needs to be be defended -- so let's show these nonbelievers that an interesting monologue can be written!

    Your exercise this week is to incorporate a monologue into your story but at the same time make it interesting. I will be using different scoring criteria this week, judging your story not on its quality but on the effectiveness with which you defend or support the monologue. Be careful not to make the same mistakes as most monologue writers!

    There is no word limit or any other constraints -- the only requirement is that the story contain this theme.

    Once you write your story, post here with a link to it. Extra points will also be awarded to those members who review other Story Fit members' stories. This will not only give you practice with writing but also reviewing, as well as promote an exchange of ideas and styles within the BZP Writers Community. Happy writing!


    Note: As of now, there is no deadline by which you must turn in your story. This is an issue that is currently being discussed: see bottommost section and respond with your opinion.


    ---

    Each week we vote for the Writer of the Week, based on the popularity of the stories submitted during that week. Whoever gets the most votes wins the award. Without further ado, I present this week's Writer of the Week:

    Rassiter, for his Transformation-themed story Winds of Change!

    Below is a list of stories that have been submitted within the past week. Look over them, read through them if you want, then vote for your favorite story (send a PM with your vote to me). At the end of this week, I will count up the votes and give the Writer of the Week [of 1/27/10 - 2/3/10] award to the writer who gets the most votes.


    Last Week's Stories

    1) Reunion by Akai Hana no Tenshi
    2) Alternate Perspective by Grant-Sud
    3) A Murder Of One by Rising Moon

    Vote away!

    ---


    So far we still only have one vote (Rising Moon) for one task a week. Please put forth your opinion so we know what changes need to be made, if any.


  7. Lazzy the Spazzy
    3/12/10 Story Fit Special

    For an explanation of what the Story Fit is, please go here.

    Each week I'll post an exercise. This is the entry for the exercise of the "week" of March 12 - March 23.

    The Task

    Story Fit has now hit the two-month (plus two days) mark, and what with the promise of more active SFers and a minor addition to the system, this is the perfect time to go back and redo any of the exercises you missed!

    That's right, that's all there is to this exercise. You have eleven days (not counting today) plus a week after that to go back and catch up on the exercises you wanted to do. To make this easier on you I have listed the seven previous exercises below. You may click on the links for a more thorough description of the exercises.

    Week 1: Write a story inspired by the word "Transformation".
    Week 2: Incorporate a conflict into your story.
    Week 3: Incorporate a monologue into your story but make it interesting.
    Week 4: Think of the activity you do to dispel Writer's Block then incorporate that activity into your story.
    Week 5: Include a celebration into your story.
    Week 6: Six six-centric tasks to choose from.
    Week 7: Write a story with the protagonist as a person/type of person you hate most.

    ---

    Once you write your story, post here with a link to it. Extra points will also be awarded to those members who review other Story Fit members' stories. This will not only give you practice with writing but also reviewing, as well as promote an exchange of ideas and styles within the BZP Writers Community. Happy writing!



    Writer of the Week

    Each week we vote for the Writer of the Week, based on the popularity of the stories submitted during that week. Whoever gets the most votes wins the award. Without further ado, I present this week's Writer of the Week:

    Grant-Sud, for his six-centric story Sight!

    Each week we vote for the Writer of the Week, based on the popularity of the stories submitted during that week.
    Below is a list of stories that have been submitted within the past week. Look over them, read through them if you want, then vote for your favorite story (send a PM with your vote to me). At the end of this week, I will count up the votes and give the Writer of the Week award [of 3/3/10 - 3/12/10] to the writer who gets the most votes.

    Last Week's Stories

    1) Crimson Crown by Akai Hana no Tenshi
    2) Ignoble Hero by MechaFizz

    Vote away!

    Announcements

    Now for the changes:

    - There is now a two week deadline. You have two weeks to complete a task, or one week after the next task starts (for example, 18 days for this task, 14 days for normal tasks). Full-time SFers are required to complete the exercises.
    - What if you don't have time? Don't worry, sign yourself up as a Part-Time SFer or SFer On Leave: I will be giving further instructions in the PM I am sending out shortly.
    - Take a look at the Story Fit Point Tracking Box...I've added some decorations.



  8. Lazzy the Spazzy
    3/3/10 Story Fit Exercise

    For an explanation of what the Story Fit is, please go here.

    Each week I'll post an exercise. This is the entry for the exercise of the week of March 3 - March 9.

    ---

    This is the seventh week that Story Fit has been running. Time to do a more challenging exercise.

    Imagine the person or type of person you hate most. Think about that person's habits. Think about the aspects of the person you distaste. Think about that person at their absolute lowest, their most pitiful, their most pathetic. Think about how much you hate that person.

    Then write a story with that person as the main character and make the readers sympathize with that person. =P

    Have fun! >=]
    ---

    There is no word limit or any other constraints -- the only requirement is that the story contain this theme.

    Once you write your story, post here with a link to it. Extra points will also be awarded to those members who review other Story Fit members' stories. This will not only give you practice with writing but also reviewing, as well as promote an exchange of ideas and styles within the BZP Writers Community. Happy writing!


    Note: As of today, there is a deadline for your story to be submitted. You have two weeks from now to write your work and submit it.


    ---

    Each week we vote for the Writer of the Week, based on the popularity of the stories submitted during that week. However, because the week of 2/17/10 - 2/23/10 only had one writer submit his work, we have no WotW this week!

    This week we had three writers do something for the Story Fit, however, this week we're doing something different again. Until next Wednesday, writers are still allowed to submit their six-themed work for voting. So voters, don't be surprised to see the list grow during the course of the week. Writers (Monday, Neelh, Velox, Senjo, Mecha, Rising), this means you can still turn in your exercise before voting ends!

    Below is a list of stories that have been submitted within the past week. Look over them, read through them if you want, then vote for your favorite story (send a PM with your vote to me). At the end of this week, I will count up the votes and give the Writer of the Week award [of 2/24/10 - 3/2/10] to the writer who gets the most votes.

    Last Week's Stories

    1) 6 Years Earlier by Toa Spirit
    2) Arachne by Akai Hana no Tenshi
    3) Sight by Grant-Sud

    Vote away!

    ---

    So, it's pretty much been decided that we'll have one task a week, as well as that we will have a two-week deadline for stories. This will be the system we'll use from now on.

  9. Lazzy the Spazzy
    4/3/10 Story Fit Exercise

    For an explanation of what the Story Fit is, please go
    here.

    ---



    This is the beginning of the second successful season of the Story Fit! We got really great stories last time, with a few writers especially standing out (Season 1 Finale).

    And with this last season behind us, let's start the second season fresh. Most long-running television series always start off the new season with a bang, usually a story arc that spans two episodes. Likewise, this week we will have two simultaneous exercises.

    ---



    Our first theme this week is:

    Angst

    A cliche term, often used mockingly, angst is nowadays used to describe "downtrodden teenagers thinking they're the only bloody people in the world who have it tough" (thanks Urban Dictionary). Indeed, lots of stories exist which make fun of teenagers' angst.

    Like we did last season, it's once again time to take a cliche concept and turn it around. Make it interesting. Make it unique. Make it something worthy of being discussed seriously in literary circles once again, rather than a derogatory phrase. Approach angst as a literary tool, to be manipulated and employed like any other.


    Our second theme this week is:

    Periodicity

    Sine graphs. The Earth orbiting around the Sun. The Periodic table. All exhibit some form of periodicity, and periodicity is what you will write about in this exercise.

    Cycles are a common theme in literature...the repetition of events in history, the way a story ends up in the same place that it starts, even the old phrase "what goes around comes around"...it's all about cycles, about periodicity.

    And that's what you'll tackle in this exercise. What cyclical theme can you work into your story?


    ---


    Introducing a new workout from Rising Moon:

    Vocab words!

    Each week I'll provide a short list of random words for optional use. You may incorporate one or more of these words into your stories.

    This week's list (definitions from Dictionary.com):

    Dredge - » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «Manumit - » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

    Picket - » Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «



    Have fun!
  10. Lazzy the Spazzy
    Well, I've gotten my Avohkii spinny. That means two years have passed since I first joined BZP.
     
    It's kind of weird when I think about it. That's two years in which I've had one more thing in my schedule. Sometimes it seems like these two years have flown. Other times it feels like BZP has been a part of me my whole life.
     
    I'm not sure what to say. But what I feel is the biggest experience I've had here, is the Academy/BZPRPG. I joined the Academy about three months after I joined BZP, and I've been in it all through its nine months as one of the top three RPGs in the RPG forums, its merge with the existing BZPRPG, dozens of battles, etc. My characters have all grown and matured, but I'm not sure if I myself have grown to the same degree. Certainly, I haven't lost any of my legs in a battle, or switched allegiances, or even attended a party in which a crazy, egotistical, fork-wielding villain was one of the guests.
     
    I’m also currently in charge of a Naruto RPG, which sort of put strain on my leadership skills from time to time. Occasionally, I’ve had to punish RPers, which is kind of hard for me, as I know what it’s like to be one of those RPers, being punished. XD The more fun part about being in charge, though, is making a master storyline with the other people in charge of the RPG. I’ve spent hours planning and discussing NPCs, and storyline events with other people, which is as fun as RPing itself.
     
    The other RPGs I’ve participated in or are currently participating in are many, easily more than ten, but include the Gate RPG, the Redwall RPG, the Star Wars RPG, among others.
     
    I was first drawn to BZP by the Library. There were a bunch of authors there at that time whose works I really liked. In particular, Tangled Web by GaliGee, which actually started a few months before I joined. There was another one by xccj, about a Miru-wearing Onu-Matoran Kanoka disk maker. I forget the title now, but I remember that it was 12 chapters plus an epilogue. Besides those I read the stories in the Epics forums and Short Stories forums constantly in my first few months as a BZPer, before I got introduced into the RPG world.
     
    I joined the short stories critics about a year ago, which was fun in that now I was officially reading and reviewing other people’s stories. Unfortunately, I sort of neglected that job, only occasionally dropping in and reading a bunch of stories at once.
     
    I myself haven’t written in a year or so, but I used to churn out stories almost every two weeks.
     
    So, I guess my second year at BZP wasn’t as productive as the first. I’ve been neglecting my duties as a critic and a writer, focusing only on RPGs, joining a bunch of them at one time then quitting them one after another as my schedule became cramped. As I look ahead at the second semester of my tenth grade year, then my junior year, along with the daily tests, AP classes, and (oh no) college applications, it seems my schedule will only get more cramped. And maybe that means that after these two years, my time as a BZPer will cease.
     
    Beside my computer sits my Eagle Rank Application for Boy Scouts. I became a Life Scout three months before I became a BZPer, and a Life Scout I still am now. Indeed, I’ve been procrastinating with my Boy Scout advancement since becoming a BZPer, when, before, I was breezing through the ranks, earning about 18 merit badges in two years.
     
    Maybe by participating in BZP I’ve lost the time I could’ve used to clinch that rank, become an Eagle scout. Maybe I could’ve pushed that extra percent to get an A instead of an A-. Maybe I wouldn’t have gotten that B+ in science the second semester of my eighth grade.
     
    Do I feel that my time on BZP was worthwhile? Of course. I’ve met a bunch of cool people, made a bunch of friends, learned what text RPGing really is, and best of all, learned that there are other people out there like me who are fans of Bionicle. Do I feel that my time on BZP was a waste? I don’t know, and I might not know until I can properly look back and evaluate my time in high school.
     
    Maybe it’s time for this Bionicle fan to say goodbye to BZP, and set his sights on new horizons.
     
    …
     
    Nah. There’s still so much I need to do. I need to wrap up all the stories of my characters, kill them off if I have to. I can’t just up and leave so many loose ends.
     
    The time when I have to log out for good is still far away. In the meantime… *gets back to posting*
  11. Lazzy the Spazzy
    This may seem like a random subject for a blog entry, but I've seen plenty of random entries, so I guess this should be okay.
     
    Anyway, a few minutes ago I walked into the family bedroom where the computers are, and I saw that the chair I usually sit in while using the computer was broken. Specifically, the backrest had fallen off the rest of the chair, meaning I now had to sit in something similar to a stool.
     
    I picked up the backrest off the floor and looked at it. One side was cushioned; this was the side I sat against while working at the computer. One the other side, a smiling face was painted on it with black marker.
     
    I don't remember who drew the smiley face, either me or one of my siblings. But the smiley face used to give the chair a cheerful feeling.
     
    The seat of the chair has no cushion anymore; I basically sit on hard wood. So the chair is pretty uncomfortable. But I kept using it after the cushion fell out, and I guess I'll keep using it even though the backrest has fallen out.
     
    I don't really see a moral to this story of mine, but anyway, please feel free to post comments.
  12. Lazzy the Spazzy

    At Camp

    By Lazzy the Spazzy,

    I'm really glad that BZP is back up again. I actually became a premier member several weeks ago, at the start of 2007, from a Short Stories Contest (I highly recommend all who read it to compete in the next one, because it's definitely worth it), but I haven't blogged until now.
     
    Anyway, I've been at a camp since mid-July. It started on the 14th, and will end this Friday. The camp is called CSSSA or Innerspark, and is 4 weeks long. At first I was reluctant to go because I didn't really know much about that camp. Also, getting in was VERY hard. Needless to say, I fell in love with it. Now, at the last few days, I wish the camp could've been for the entire summer. Shows how wrong first impressions can be.
     
    Anyway, I took a major in Creative Writing. We've been writing poetry, short stories, screenplays...I thought I'd share one of my screenplays with all of you BZP-ers. Please read and enjoy, and feel free to put your comments. I present...Do You Remember, by me.
     
    Do You Remember
     
    (Scene opens on a parking lot in the front of a college campus, with several students putting their luggage in the trunks of cars and exchanging farewells. Cadwalader and Diamantina stand outside Diamantina’s car. Diamantina’s luggage has been completely packed, and the doors are open. The sky is mostly cloudless, with one lone cloud drifting across the blue sky, and the sun’s rays glance upon everyone in the parking lot)
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    So, um, I guess this is it.
     
    CADWALADER:
    Yep.
     
    (awkward pause)
     
    I’m gonna miss you.
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    Me too. I’ll miss you too.
     
    (pause)
     
    Well, um, I have to go.
     
    CADWALADER:
    Right.
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    Be sure to write.
     
    CADWALADER:
    Yeah.
     
    (pause)
     
    Speaking of writing, do you remember that time when we switched all the chairs around so Zebediah wouldn’t get a seat?
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    Yeah.
     
    CADWALADER:
    And that time where Eduardo did ten belly flops at the pool party?
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    Vividly.
     
    (pause)
     
    I’ve got to go.
     
    CADWALADER:
    And that tragedy that Florianne wrote that was such a success? Rise and Shine, Firefly?
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    Years from now I’ll remember that the most.
     
    CADWALADER:
    And, uh—
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    Listen, I really have to go. I can’t miss my flight to Portugal.
     
    CADWALADER:
    -and the dance! Remember the last dance night, when we danced together to the slow song? I could feel your heart beating against mine. Diamantina—
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    I’ll never forget that night, Cad. You know I won’t.
     
    CADWALADER:
    Yes, I know…
     
    (uncomfortable pause)
     
    Remember that time when—
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    Listen, do you want me to be late? I’ll be stuck here.
     
    CADWALADER:
    Sorry.
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    No, don’t apologize.
     
    (pause)
     
    Thank you for all you’ve done for me, Cad. I hope I’ll see you again.
     
    CADWALADER:
    I hope so too. But we both know that won’t happen.
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    Don’t be silly, of course it will. Wales isn’t so far from Portugal after all.
     
    CADWALADER:
    You’re right.
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    Goodbye.
    (pulls Cadwalader close in a hug; after a minute, they release each other)
    Thank you for so much, Cad.
    (Gets in the car, turns on the engine, and begins to pull out)
     
    CADWALADER:
    Wait!
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    (Diamantina stops the car and looks out the window)
    Yes?
     
    CADWALADER:
    I l—See you around.
     
    DIAMANTINA:
    See you.
    (pulls out and drives away; Cadwalader is left alone with his luggage in the now empty parking lot. The lone cloud drifts over and blocks out the sun)
     
    Scene.
     
    So, yeah, please leave your comments and critiques here.
  13. Lazzy the Spazzy
    My thoughts on the experience:
     
    1) Raccoons > Bears
    2) Instant Mac and Cheese still tastes good without milk and butter.
    3) Old people not only can hike, but are better at it than a group of seventeen year olds.
    4) Some rangers are chill, some aren't.
    5) Sociology and Economics texts make for some great fuel.
    6) GPS > Woman for directions. But the extra two hours of getting lost in the mountains was nice I guess. Beautiful scenery.
  14. Lazzy the Spazzy

    Blog Thing

    By Lazzy the Spazzy,

    I got a PM this afternoon. It was some sort of Member of the Day thing, and I got an image to go along with it. Anyway, I decided to put this in my blog, just for kicks. My thanks to Skateboarder 2 da max for this image:
     

     
    That's all. I might put up one of my written stuff in the next few days.
  15. Lazzy the Spazzy
    I personally don't see any difference at all between the two, but I'm just curious: which one do you use, or do you use both or neither (some other image hosting site) for your Bionicle/BZP things?
     
    Note: This is not about which is better, just which one you use.
  17. Lazzy the Spazzy
    Upon reading through the Should Kinetics Be A Toa Element? poll, I saw fifteen pages worth of members' opinions on the subject. Many of them were strong, most of them were clear-cut, and some of them took up ten pages when pasted into Microsoft Word. Almost all of them provided a new opinion on the topic, looking at it from different angles. I saw dozens of opinions I had previously never thought of or even considered before.
     
    This is the first time during my four years at BZPower that I've been so humbled and honored. Humbled to be only one in hundreds of thousands, but honored at the same time -- honored to be part of the force of nature that is BZPower. I believe that if we set our minds to a different task, put our heads together, collaborated and contributed our skills and talents, we could make a difference in the world.
     
    It's not often that you can say you're part of a group that can legitimately achieve this. Thank you, BZPower. Thank you, fellow members. You are awesome in every sense of the word.
  19. Lazzy the Spazzy
    I'm starting a new blog project. Each month I'll post nine links to topics/stories/blogs that I highly recommend. Included with that will be a "game" of sorts (where the name of this entry comes from).
     
    First, I'll introduce the nine topics, and then the rules of the game below.
     
    1 - Renowned Outstanding BZP Citizen, Master Artist and Writer, and overall Nice Person Lady Kopaka is now offering commissions. If you're feeling like having one of your story characters or RPG characters or a random something put onto paper and professionally drawn, mosey on over to her blog for more details.
     
    2 - The Short Stories Critics Club is desperately in need of new critics to help review stories. If you're up to being an official story reviewer, go and sign up and help out this dwindling club.
     
    3 - Bionicle stories not for you? That's okay, because the sister guild to the SS Critics Club, the Completely Off Topic Stories Guild, deals with stories set in non-Bionicle worlds and eras. You'll be sure to find some stories that are more to your liking there.
     
    4 - Don't want to take up a job you may not be able to handle? How about just reading one story for now? OBZPC and former COT RPG Judge Robo Devil is embarking on a huge task to chronicle the classic tale Les Miserables...in a Bionicle setting. Check out this amazingly awesome epic.
     
    5 - Don't like reading? That's okay, because this topic won't require a large attention span. BZPower members are currently voting for what they think should be the primary color for the element of Gravity. That's right, this'll be made canon. If you think your vote can still make a difference, go over to the poll and take the second or two to state your opinion.
     
    6 - Speaking of voting, there's another contest currently going on, and this one is canon too! Vote for a bird entry you think should be made a canon Bara Magna species in the IDBM #3 forum!
     
    7 - Just want to play? RPGs are next, specifically the BZPRPG. A long-running RPG that's seen the entire Bionicle legacy through, the big guy could nevertheless use some fresh RPers to spice the playing field up.
     
    8 - The Star Wars RPG is a shrinking RPG, with only a few active players keeping the fire burning. We fans kept the Star Wars legacy alive for twenty years in between trilogies, we can keep this RPG alive no problem!
     
    9 - Is RPing too tough for you? That's okay, because with the RPG Radio Live you can just listen to people discussing RPGs! Check in when they broadcast their next episode and show your support!
     
    Now you may have found a link or two that's already caught your interest, but if you can't decide or don't care enough to visit all of them, here's the game.
     
    Below you'll see a TicTacToe grid that's been filled in. Each "X" or "O" has a link to one of the above topics. Click on one of the grids, and they'll take you to a random topic. The rules of the game, however, dictate that you must give the topic you've randomly chosen, a look over. Skim it, participate or subscribe to it if you're interested enough. My hope is that this will encourage interaction among BZPower members and increase awareness on what other members are doing. Who knows, maybe you'll make a new friend. So wave your mouse over a square and click! =3
     

     

     

     

  20. Lazzy the Spazzy
    Here's another one of the stories I wrote here at arts camp. I wrote this about three weeks ago, and it's far from complete. I'm still editing and revising it, but here's the story so far. I present to you "Crossing the Bridge" by me.
     
    Crossing the Bridge
     
    Jessica clutched a large picture book with both arms as she made her way down the path, looking ahead at the rows and rows of gravestones. She smiled sadly as she recognized the two gravestones farthest away from her. The young girl began walking.
     
    She remembered how she had once been afraid of this place. Something about it made her heart beat faster, whether it was the complete silence of the graveyard, or the fact that no animals ever visited here. Or maybe it was the feeling that the stones were watching her, emotionless eyes following her wherever she went.
     
    But that fear was gone now, ever since her mother had taken her, not even in kindergarten yet at that time, here to visit her grandmother.
     
    “Where did Granny go?” she remembered asking her mother.
     
    “She’s resting, Jessie,” her mother had replied. “She’s with Grandpa now. You want to see her, don’t you?”
     
    “Yes,” said Jessica. “But all I see are these rocks. Is Granny hiding behind one of them?”
     
    “No, Jessie,” said her mother. “She’s gone. She’s up in the sky.”
     
    “I thought you just said she was here,” Jessica said, confused. “How can she be two places at once?”
     
    “You’ll understand when you’re older,” her mother had said, squatting down to hug her and stroke her blonde hair, the fingers combing the individual golden strands, the palm caressing her head.
     
    Jessica thought she saw tears in her mother’s eyes, but didn’t understand why she was crying. Mommy didn’t have a boo-boo, did she?
     
    Jessica now looked again at the graveyard. Now I am older, she thought. And I do understand.
     
    Suddenly she tripped, the huge book flying out of her hands. She fell to the grass. The book landed in front of a gravestone.
     
    Jessica’s face contorted as she willed herself not to cry. But her face broke into a smile as she saw the book leaning against the gravestone.
     
    She took the book, reading the name inscribed into the gravestone: Gregory van Meter.
     
    “Thank you for catching my book,” she said to the gravestone before getting up to continue on her way.
     
    She clutched the book to her chest, remembering when her mother had read the story to her the first time.
     
    Her mother had finished reading the last line, “—and they all lived happily ever after,” and closed the book.
     
    There was a moment of satisfied silence. Finally, Jessica spoke.
     
    “I really liked that part where the prince had to cross that rickety bridge to get to the tower with the princess inside,” she said. Her mother nodded, a smile on her face.
     
    “Can we read it again?” asked Jessica, looking beseechingly at her mother.
     
    “No, not now,” her mother laughed.
     
    “Can you read it tonight?” pleaded Jessica. “And the night after that, and the night after that, and the night after that, and--”
     
    “Every single night,” her mother interrupted, stroking Jessica’s hair.
     
    Jessica now looked at that same book that held so many happy memories. She breathed in, imagining that she smelled the lavender scent that her mother carried, as she read to her.
     
    Jessica was now at the far side of the graveyard. She stopped, reaching the gravestones that were planted side by side. She sat down cross-legged, spreading the book out in front of her.
     
    “Hello, Mommy,” she said. “Hello, Daddy. Today we had DEAR time. Teacher says it means ‘Drop Everything and Read’. I really liked DEAR time, so I thought
    you would too. I brought this book you used to read to me, Mommy. Remember? Every single night.”
     
    She opened the book to the first page and began reading. “Once upon a time…”
     
    She read the book, and it was as if she were two places at once: she was in the graveyard, reading to her parents, grandparents, and everyone else in the graveyard, and at the same time she was crossing that rickety bridge again towards the tower, a boiling river of lava beneath her. But she wasn’t afraid at all, because her parents were there at her side, holding her hands as they crossed the bridge together.
     
    ---------------------------------------
     
    I hope you enjoyed reading the story. Feel free to comment or critique my work!
  23. Lazzy the Spazzy
    So, let's see...I have prior BZPRPG commitments already, plus I just got in over my head joined the To Save the World RPG...and now I'm joining two more RPGs from season (maybe a third). Outside of that, I have a group epic that doesn't have a direction yet, and then I'm planning to join at least two BZP contests. Finally, there's the SSCC2 topic to clean up.
     
    Hmmm...sure, why not? I can do this.
  24. Lazzy the Spazzy

    Five Seconds

    By Lazzy the Spazzy,

    Today after school I called my mom to pick me up. The phone call lasted five seconds; a police officer immediately caught my mom and fined her for using the phone while driving.
     
    When my mom picked me up, she was laughing her head off at the absurdity of the situation.
  25. Lazzy the Spazzy
    To celebrate the birthday of Emperor Whenua, a very special friend (if at times eccentric), I have gone through 47 chat logs (and nine chatroom logs) accumulated through half a year of Meebo-usage, to find our most memorable chat moments and share them with you all. Here goes...
     
    My remarkable punctuality:

     
    Our relationship in a nutshell.


    EW actually inspired me to make one of the posts I remain most proud of in my four years here. I guess you're just an inspiring kind of guy, EW.

     
    We share the same opinions on a lot of things...interests, too. A shame I can't be there with you on the Jamboree right now, but we'll definitely do a camping trip someday.

     
    You've helped me out of potential mistakes that would've gotten me in trouble. That's what I love about you, EW...you're a depemdable guy.

     
    Another reason why I consider EW to be one of my best friends here -- he reminds me of what's important.

     
    Also, when I get out of line you bring me back to reality.

     
    Most of all, though, I'll cherish the silly moments we've shared.



     
    But what I value most of all in you is the way you understand me so perfectly.


     
    Here's to another three years (hopefully more) of friendship! Congratulations on making it to adulthood, Emperor Whenua!
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