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Zatth

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Blog Entries posted by Zatth

  1. Zatth

    Stars!

    By Zatth,

    I convinced (and irritated) my parents to take me to Toys R Us. So at 8:30 p.m we were at the store, and I saw them!
     
    There they were!
     
    The Stars!
     
    I got Tahu, Rahkshi, and Piraka (Nektann). Perhaps I'll get the reamining 3 when I've paid off my toy debts that I owe... my parents
  2. Zatth

    Life

    By Zatth,

    So funny how many behave when a member says they have been taken by Life. Some members act as if that person is never coming back, others as if nothing. Sooner or later, they return. Plus, they always visit.
  3. Zatth

    Hiatus

    By Zatth,

    Sp, BIONICLE is ending. I'll take a 30 day hiatus until I can absorb this fully.
     
    Goodbye until December, everyone.
  4. Zatth

    2012

    By Zatth,

    So I went to see 2012 today. It was a pretty interesting movie. I loved the effects, but as always, there were some downsides that can't be avoided, but that still made me bored:
     
    1. Characters nobody likes die
     
    2. Before almost all the deaths there is a sentimental moment
     
    3. The main characters always seem to save themselves in impossible ways
     
    But still, that can't be avoided. Still, overall it was a good movie.
     
    And if you want to know, no. I don't believe in 2012.
  5. Zatth

    Homework Excuse

    By Zatth,

    In Math class, we had to do some homework for tomorrow. This girl raises her voice and shouts the most ridiculous statement today:
     
    "But Mr. _________, I can't do homework today, I have to go to the Hannah Montana concert! ... and ... I also have a medical appointment."
     
    So some of us actually have after-school activities dealing with helping poor people, or some of us help family in other moments, or some ACTUALLY have medical appointments. Is it really smart to tell your teaher you can't do schoolwork because of a concert?
     
    I don't understand how she's still in that class.
  7. Zatth
    Hey all! We now have our guest for next month's episode, so if you've every wanted to ask Takuma Nuva a question, post those questions on the Meet The Staff topic and they will most likely feature in next month's episode!
     
    *zatth out*
  8. Zatth

    NaNoWriMo 2015

    By Zatth,

    Made a topic for BZPers to discuss/plan/worry over NaNoWriMo! Head on over there to exchange novel/NaNo info, pitch ideas, and in general see there are many of us who are wild enough to try and write 50,000 words in one month!
  9. Zatth

    Hope

    By Zatth,

    I'm sitting in a flat in the centre of Oxford, doing a semester-long program.
     
    A year ago, we never would've imagined that I could live alone. That I could live alone in another country, without my doctors and parents. That I could study and be myself and learn and make mistakes and keep growing.
     
    I'm sitting in my (not really mine) creaky black chair, putting aside a one-page essay I have to finish, in order to read breaking news.
     
    Around 30 minutes ago, the announcement came that the Colombian government and the FARC guerrilla group have reached an agreement on the fifth and toughest part of a possible peace accord. They're saying the conflict should end, at most, by March 2016.
     
    I've been on this earth for 20 years, 3 months, 2 weeks and 3 days. Of those, none have known a day of peace in Colombia. For the first time, I (and so many of us) will know what it means to live in a time of peace.
     
    I've often felt naive, too optimistic for my own good. But there are days here and there when the universe and those around you remind you that, sometimes, it's good to be hopeful and to dream the impossible. Because maybe, just maybe, the impossible can come to be.
     

  10. Zatth
    Day four of Team Farm Animals, and today we have the only Toa to have ever tamed and Avohkah
     
    AND LIIIIIIIVED TO TELL THE TALE!
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    (clarification: the link does not send you to the story of how AT tamed the Avohkah)
  13. Zatth
    And so, it is done.
     
    I had a blast returning to the universe that started me off on creative writing back in '07. However, I'm always looking to improve (and trust me, I know I have A LOT to improve upon), so if you have any comments, they are very much appreciated. This Epic was fun to work on, and if nothing else, as I was nearing the end, I realized I wanted to work on some other project, similar, but different.
     
    Which brings me to tomorrow.
     
    Tomorrow I'll unveil a video that's meant as a teaser of sorts for this next project. I won't lie, it's super ambitious and bizarre (the project, probably not the video). I'm deathly terrified of sharing it, because while it could go well, it could also go terribly.
     
    I guess I'll only know when I post it.
     
    So tomorrow I'll post the video/teaser, and starting on Monday, I'll upload a chapter a day. I feel it's the best way to give an idea of the project; I feel like posting a chapter a week will make it seem very discombobulated and it might lose its steam.
     
    So yeah. A Mystery Explored is done (for now), teaser tomorrow, and the new project begins on Monday.
     
    I hope y'all liked A Mystery Explored, and will enjoy this new little something.
  14. Zatth
    Just one of those weird days where I've got a lot of emotions. I cried from sadness today. I got angry. I got deflated. I wrote. I edited a silly video. I remembered my friends and colleagues (at least the people I call my friends, who knows how they see me). I filmed a serious video. I laughed at some stuff. I balled my fist at others. I felt powerful and important. I got taken down a notch. I got some good news. I read sad news. I planned out parts of my schedule for the next six months. I was reminded how fleeting life is and how quick it can be taken away.
     
    I dunno, a lot of stuff in the last 24 hours.
     
    So I'm gonna re-post a blog post from a while back, and amend it a tad.
     
    Smile back at someone today
    Give someone a compliment
    Help someone out in some way
    Hug your loved ones, tell them how glad you are for them to be here
    Give yourself a few minutes of the day just to yourself
    Wake up happy for what you have. Strive for more, even if it's a little or a large goal, but go at it
    Thank your friends, your family
    Take 30 seconds or more to ponder on your current existence. Look at what you're thankful for. Think about what you want. Decide to learn something new, or change something about yourself today.
    Cry, laugh, do whatever you need to.
    This too shall pass.
    Our time here is limited, so spread the love, y'all.
  15. Zatth
    So I just got back from watching Tomorrowland, and I'm feeling kind of giddy and... I dunno, but I wanted to write a little something. Let me say, first off, as just a movie Tomorrowland isn't anything spectacular or game-changing. It's a movie, yeah, but that's about it.
     
    However, as info on the movie was leaking out slowly a few months ago, it caught my eye that it was planned as a sort of "origin story" for the Tomorrowland theme park at Disney; the thinking was that other parks (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, etc) already had origin stories of sorts through previous movies, so why not do the same for Tomorrowland?
     
    I remember going to Disneyworld as a 9 year old (I remember because that's when I saw the Metro at the LEGO store) and falling in love with the Tomorrowland park. I truly thought, more than at the other parks, that what was around me was functional, that this park was the future, and that this was all waiting to come to be. Granted, I've always been a bit of an unhinged dreamer, but this park, I think, had a strong impact on me that pushed me to sci-fi. Years later I found myself seeking out many of these stories and authors, reading Verne, Douglas Adams, a lot of Isaac Asimov, and I was interested and all, but I didn't get it. I think, looking back, I had no one to explain or talk me through these stories and their context, and so I never really got them. Seeing the "future" was one thing; reading (Especially for someone for whom English was a second language) was a bit tougher.
     
    Around the time I was 12 I began reading dystopian novels for fun (my thinking was, "Hey, we're gonna probably read 1984, Fahrenheit 451, Brave New World in school so why not get a leg up?) As people saw me reading these, they engaged in discussions with me, which made these realities more palpable and real than anything else.
     
    No wonder, then, that I've never questioned the state of the future in the minds of our generation.
     
    What I mean by that, is a phenomenon we all know well: it appears that our conceptions of the "future" are based around dystopia, technological ruin or acceleration, starvation, desolation, disease, self-destruction, etc. I read a great article a few days ago that compared previous generations, that saw a man land on the moon, that got to discover how planets looked for the first time, that actually strove to go out there, while we got stuck with a world that saw the destruction of two shuttles, the canceling of funding, and the idea that "inventing", of any kind, wasn't really a lifestyle. And so, in a way, we've become a generation that sees the "future" through bleaker lenses. Just as sci-fi is used to examine the world through another sense (and, in a way, reflects the real world of the time), the stories of Asimov were bright and futuristic, while the stories of our time are much sadder.
     
    And then a movie like Interstellar comes around. I loved reading what Christopher Nolan had to say about it, and how it strove to use science to inspire viewers to not give up, to continue with the idea that there was still something out there to explore. It's true that Interstellar was grounded in science as much as it could, but the marriage between scientific reality and artistic lenses made it a hodgepot of all types of interests coming together to say "Hey. The world and the future looks bleak. But there's still hope."
     
    And then Tomorrowland comes along. And throughout the movie it became clear that it was similar to Interstellar, but more accessible as it is aimed mainly for kids. And yet, if you approach the movie the same way you do Interstellar, you're still left feeling elated, feeling hopeful. The final scene of the movie features
    suggesting that no field is superior to the other, that it's the task of math, science, the arts, all together, to create the future.
     
    I know that, at a time when it seems like the future isn't gonna get better, it's hard to dream. But I am so happy for Interstellar and Tomorrowland; they produced in me a similar effect that 9-year old Pablo got at that park of the future, the difference being that now, as an adult, I have agency to go out there and make my dreams a reality. I am glad for these movies, because they offer hope for a population that is comfortable, or grew up with, sadness and dystopia as the norm. And I am so happy that there's a little bit more hope in the horizon
  16. Zatth
    So as luck would have it, I live right by D.C. (explains the BrickFair VA connection), and so when I first heard of An Evening with Neil Gaiman, I (literally) jumped at the chance to see one of my favourite authors.
     
    I just came back from the event, and wow.
     

     
    Granted, the guy was very humorous. If you've read Good Omens, fear not, the man is a witty in real time as he is funny in his prose.
     
    I'm just floored by his answers, his philosophy, his ideas and explanations. It's great to meet those you're a fan of, but he really blew me away. He also made me want to work even more on my writing, so this is a sort of apology to my parents/extended relatives/anyone else who hoped someday Pablo would grow up and get a real job (granted, my major is in Language Arts for Education, but I'm just using it as a way to do both); I ain't quitting' on this yet.
  17. Zatth
    So this has been a crazy good week and a half.
     
    For those who didn't know, we had our National Forensics tournament in Portland this past weekend. We flew from DC on Tuesday, and arrived that night. Unfortunately, we spend our days leading up to the tournament in a hotel preparing, so I knew from the get-go I'd be stuck inside a hotel with no chance to visit or see anything. When I got a message from Micah (Kakaru) I sadly told him this, and let him know that I'd be stuck at the hotel.
     
    Micah, being the wonderful human being that he is, said he wouldn't mind driving down to meet up with me at the hotel. A few hours later that Wednesday night, and Micah and I were catching up at the lobby of the hotel. We spent an hour talking about BZPower, BIONICLE, LEGO, making art, and a lot more stuff. If nothing else, I got to improve the first impression I made at NYCC (I was so excited at the Bonkle booth that I stumbled into a fake potted plant and some BZPers and looked like a total buffoon). Micah also gave me a Hero Pack like it was no big deal, and I have to admit that the visit kept me elated the entirety of the prep days at the hotel. It reminded me the kind of wonderful people that BIONICLE fans are, and just how wonderful some people are. Micah totally rocks.
     
    However, this was also going to be a bit of a weird and important final tournament for me. Forensics is a unique activity, because it allows us to perform and speak about topics that we're passionate about. For me, this took the form of my Program Oral Interpretation on Jaime Garzon. For those who didn't know, I started off this year with a piece on a Colombian comedian and historical figure that was murdered in 1999 for not only speaking the truths others didn't want to hear or couldn't say, but also for working for peace and understanding between all Colombians.
     
    For me this was an important project, since Jaime's story is very intimately tied with mine. When I was four, my parents brought me to the front out our building, giving me a white handkerchief, to wave at the black car carrying his casket. Fifteen years later, that grown up boy was about to lay to rest this year-long project. Over the past year, I watched all of Jaime's material online. I did research on him at the Library of Congress. I called and interviewed Jaime's brother, a close family friend. I became an advocate for the peace process in Colombia, and did all this because I knew Forensics would allow me to teach others about this wonderful historical figure, and about my hurting country. For me, the Nationals tournament wasn't about wining awards or accolades. It was about the last time I'd bring Jaime to life, the last time I could present my art to others, the last time I could be an advocate for this cause I cared so deeply about. My friends and team knew how much this meant to me.
     
    I don't say this to brag, but I am happy to have advanced to Quarterfinals in POI at the National tournament, and being given the chance to perform my piece in an outbound. Though I dropped after Quarters, I had one audience member come up to me and ask me more about Jaime, telling me he'd look him up later on and watch his material. That to me was the best way to let my piece to rest; I knew I'd reached at least one final person, let someone else know Jaime had existed, and had become more of an advocate for Colombia.
     
    But the end of the tournament was also so important for our entire team. Last year, we barely made it as the 5th school in the nation. Under any other circumstance, this would be amazing no matter what, but last year there was a toxic and sour attitude within the team, and the post-tournament dinner was quiet and filled with tension.
     
    This year, 35 of our 66 slots broke to outrounds, breaking the university's record. We rose up from 5th to 3rd place, even after we lost a third of our team in December. This was a team that was united by self-realization and love for every team member. We were there for each other, as a true family that was passionate about its message and everyone in the team. By the time the tournament was over, every single team member was happy and glad with what we'd done. We'd turned around a failing program, and individually and collectively overcame these difficulties to show the nation that when we fell down, we got back up and rose higher than before.
     
    Finally, I got confirmation of another big event in my life. Right before the tournament, I applied to study for a semester at Oxford University. I got an e-mail the day before the tournament letting me know I'd been accepted. This mean I will, for the first time, spend a semester away from home. For someone with a rare illness, who has been coddled by his parents and relied on a heavy support system, this means that the next semester will force me to grow up and live, truly for the first time, independently. I am scared but excited, as I know that this semester will bring me great personal growth that I have been lacking and yearn for.
     
    All in all, this has been a crazy week and a half. A month and a half ago I was in a hospital, with my stomach burst open for an operation, not knowing what Forensics or life would herald for me. I am now feeling emotionally elated, having seen performances that changed my way of thinking, seeing friends from both the BIONICLE and Forensics world that reminded me that there is good in this world, and knowing that the future looks at least a bit brighter than usual.
     
    tl:dr: Happy Pablo is at peace
  18. Zatth

    BOM Podcast

    By Zatth,

    So if you've been following the BIONICLE: ANP, you might know that, eventually, some other kind of project would spring out of that.
     
    SO HEY THERE'S A PODCAST NOW!

     
    I believe that after this, I now have to proceed with my BIONICLE Parody Songs EP, including tracks like "Do You Want To Build a Boxor?", "The Plan", and everyone's favourite, "Some Story That I Used To Know"
     
    i may or may not be joking about all of the above
  20. Zatth

    If You Ever Want To Talk

    By Zatth,

    I admit I'm very privileged. I admit I cannot fully empathize with a lot of you because we haven't had the same life experiences. I know I'm some online person hiding behind a Kanohi Zatth.
     
    But I am here for you. I'm sure everyone else on this site is, but I just want to put it in writing.
     
    There is too much oppression, hatred, and sadness in this world, and nobody deserves that. As an immigrant (and third world kid), chronically ill, mentally depressed, demiromantic 19 year old, I know I can't empathize with everything, but I will listen to anything and everything you ever want to say or think about. I've been trying to change my ways and learn to be a more toleran and open person, and if nothing else, your talking to me about things will open up my eyes and make me want to make a bigger change.
     
    Talking to me might not do much. Whether it's because you've never met me, or don't trust me, I totally get that. But this is, more than anything, an open invitation to talk with me about ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. It can be silly, it can be nonsensical, it can be looking for someone to vent to and not want or wait for an answer.
     
    Just remember that there are always those who will love you and will accept who you are, in any and all facets. This is an open invitation to PM me about anything at any time. Y'all are loved, and y'all matter to me.
  22. Zatth

    The Colbert Report

    By Zatth,

    First off, don't think I'm not grieving about Korra being over, I just haven't seen it yet (I don't want to cry twice in one night).
     
    ANYWHO, I just watched The Colbert Report finale. There were a lot of feels. And don't worry, no political message in this blag entry.
     
    When I moved here five years ago, I came from Venezuela. For those who don't know, during the time that I lived there (2000-2009) I lived through a coup, the Venezuelan government threatening my home country, lack of basic food and medical needs, many of my friends being assaulted and almost murdered. Colombia wasn't much better. Even though I only lived in Colombia for three years, my parents lived through three political candidates being murdered, the newspaper where they both worked being bombed to nothing, and more. My uncle was murdered, my grandfather lost all his land leaving my mom's family almost penniless when she was in her teens. A car exploded a block from where my parents had parked their car. Had they been a block closer to the car, I would've been left an orphan at age three.
     
    What did all this have in common? Not much freedom of speech. In Colombia, my parents being journalists meant that they could be targeted at any moment if they were to delve into investigative journalism. In Venezuela, I saw news stations being brought down, religious and secular places vandalized, and became paranoid of leaving my own house. Just this February, I spend a week not knowing if my friends had died protesting in the riots because the media in Venezuela didn't cover any of what was happening.
     
    Why do I mention all this? I want y'all to be thankful. I have been amazed and grateful to live in a country where someone like Stephen Colbert can have a humorous political show and say things and not be killed or shut down or be forced to flee. I am amazed that a man can have a political caricature for nine years, and can end his show when he wants to.
     
    We had a person like that in Colombia. Jaime Garzón was a comedian who basically had his own Daily Show/Colbert Report hybrid for almost a decade. His life was ended in 1999 by paramilitary forces, not just because he didn't shy away from the truth, but because he engaged in humanitarian efforts. I was four when my parents brought me to the front of our building. I remember waving a small white handkerchief at a black car that passed by the streets of Bogotá that day.
     
    All I'm saying here is to think about that. The freedom of speech that y'all have. That a satirist can end his show by his own will, not by the bullet of an assassin. Don't take these things for granted, because they matter.
     
    With that, I'm off to watch the Korra season finale and cry again.
  23. Zatth

    A Mystery Explored Ch 2

    By Zatth,

    Chapter 2 is out!
     
    I finished my Science final yesterday, so one of the first things I did was finish the second chapter. Hope y'all like it, and feel free to comment on the Review Topic!
  24. Zatth

    A Mystery Explored

    By Zatth,

    I finally published Chapter 1 of the thing!
     
    I hope y'all get a chance to look it over and feel free to send any comments and criticisms!
     
    Thanks again, y'all
  25. Zatth

    Back To Writing

    By Zatth,

    It's true! Even though this weekend we are hosting the largest Speech tournament in the nation and I have finals in the next two weeks and then a hospitalization at NIH on the 15th that could last until who knows when, I'M BACK WRITING!
     
    I decided that if I don't feel like writing an actual novel (my second one, technically), I might as well go back to my roots and write a BIONICLE story!
     
    I mean, sure, my first BIONICLE Epic was written when I was 13, featured a myriad members who agreed to be characters in the story, and never actually got resolved, but that's past.
     
    I'm hoping this new Epic gets em writing in my familiar element (the BIONICLE universe and mythos), ensuring that I'm excited to write.
     
    And if the Epic goes well, I hope on making it a sort of anthology series!
     
    Expect the first chapter soon-ish.
     
    And, can I just say, it feels so good to be writing again
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