Midnight Oil Doesn't Burn Clean

Midnight Oil Doesn't Burn Clean — Blue Ink Alchemy

It's pretty much a romantic ideal. The dedicated writer or the voracious student hunched over a desk, illuminated by a single light source, in the dead of night. I've pulled all-nighters myself, in the past. And there are times, these days, where I am up working on something past midnight. But they are becoming fewer and farther between, which might be a good thing. As much as it might sometimes be necessary to burn the midnight oil to meet a deadline or solve a problem, this solution is really only a short term one. Midnight oil is a fuel source that certainly helps in closing the gap between where you are and where you want your work to be, but it also burns you out. Provided you are sticking with the sort of schedule that sees you being productive throughout the morning and afternoon with the evening off, the morning after burning the midnight oil can be extremely challenging. Your levels of energy might be lower than normal. Some people are more irritable. Others will be much less productive, in opposition to the productivity that came about in the dead of night. I probably shouldn't speak in sweeping terms about the reactions other people might have. Individuals, after all, react to things in many different ways. Like I said, not everybody follows the same schedule. Third-shifters and folks who pull double shifts burn the midnight oil all the time. I guess what I'm driving at is that disruptions of the schedule by which you usually operate can throw all of your rhythms off. Writers take a lot of different fuels and convert them into words: caffiene, cheese, positive reviews, sunshine, whiskey, angst, and so on. Midnight oil, while another possible source of fuel, in my experience it doesn't burn as clean as some of the others. I'm curious as to what others have experienced, however. How often do you burn the midnight oil? What sort of residue does it leave on your systems? Do you enjoy pulling an all-nighter when you need to, or do you dread it?

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Blue Ink Alchemy

Flash Fiction: Bart Luther, Freelance Exorcist

Flash Fiction: Bart Luther, Freelance Exorcist — Blue Ink Alchemy

I'm getting back into the saddle with the Terribleminds Flash Fiction challenge, and doing so has me writing the first 1000 words of a story someone else will finish. Hopefully, someone will find this interesting.

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I can't imagine to understand everything that occurs in my life. I can't account for everything I've seen. At least in terms of science. But those aren't the circles I've traveled in, even after I left the church. Not that me leaving keeps the church out of my life. The balding priest sitting across my desk from me kept looking down at his hat, his fingers on the brim, perhaps because instructions were embroidered on it in really tiny letters. I rested my elbows on the desk's blotter and interlaced my fingers in front of my chin. The clock on my wall ticked away seconds quietly. Finally, he took a deep breath and looked up at me. "Forgive me, Mister Luther. This is not the sort of thing I am used to discussing." I shook my head. "It's okay, Father O'Donnell. This isn't the normal thing your parishioners deal with." "Ah... yes." His brow furrowed. "I would appreciate it if you did not mention I brought this to you." "Right. Because the church would not want to admit that things like this actually exist." O'Donnell shifted uncomfortably in the chair. I kept myself from shaking my head or making a retching noise. Instead, I took a deep breath. "Why don't you tell me about the problem?" "The problem is Samantha. She's the daughter of one of our parishioners. She's sixteen years old." I lowered my hands to reach for my notebook and a pen. "Possessed?" "I'm not sure." I stopped writing. "You're... not sure? Is it possible she just has a fever or something?" O'Donnell shook his head. "She is speaking in tongues. Being... abrasive with her parents, when she never has before. She refers to things she could not possibly know. We cannot think of another way to explain it." "And how are you keeping the family from telling everybody in the neighborhood their daughter is possessed by a demon?" "Her father told me of the trouble in confession. I reminded him that what he told me there remained between us, and that his wife and household were also bound by that stricture." I chuckled. "No wonder the girl was open to possession. It's clear her old man isn't very bright." O'Donnell glared at me. "I don't think I appreciate your tone, Mister Luther." "Not the first time I've heard that." "We don't have time for this." I looked up from my notes. "If you don't like how I do things, Father, the door is behind you. Best of luck finding another freelance exorcist in the phone book." "But you are not listed in the phone book, Mister Luther. The church office has your card on file." Some priests, like most nuns, have no sense of humor. "My point is, I am your only option, unless you want to dust off your older texts, launder a fresh collar, and do this yourself." "I have no experience with such things. You have a great deal. Which is why you charge such exorbitant amounts of money for your... freelance exorcism services." "I also ghost-write inspirational books for churches like yours to sell in their gift shops!" I gave Father O'Donnell my best, cheesiest smile. He glared at me. "Please. Mister Luther." He paused. "Bartholomew. She needs your help." I sighed. "You don't have to use the girl to get me to help you, Mike. I'm going to do it." "You had your reasons for leaving the church, I know, and..." "Mike, come on, it's okay. I'm sorry I was so hard on you. You can relax." The priest clutched his hat and let out a long breath. "It has been a hard time for me. I christened Samantha. Her confirmation is in two weeks. Or, at least, it should be." That got a smile. "Do you know I still have my confirmation bible?" The priest started smiling, too. "Still sentimental after all these years, my son? That's a promising sign." "You know I'm not coming back to the church, right?" "I'm not sure why you left the priesthood in the first place..." "I didn't like the view from the inside." I picked up my valise, opening it to check the inventory. "I still pray every day, Mike, and I do what I can to do right by Christ and my neighbors. But between bilking innocent, gullible people for cash and all of the shady crap the Vatican's been responsible for over the years..." Father O'Donnell held up his hands in surrender. "I do not agree with your reasoning, Bartholomew. But I'm heartened to know you're still serving the Lord." I shook my head. "However you see it. Now, what else can you tell me about Samantha?" Father O'Donnell told me where Samantha and her family lived, the sort of things she'd been saying, and I wrote all of it down. I made a fresh batch of coffee, poured some into a paper cup for Mike with a lid, and handed it to the priest before he left. I returned to my desk and sat. An actual exorcism. From everything Mike had told me, Samantha was now renting out her head to one of the more nasty denizens of Dis. I dug out one of my source journals and looked through my notes. I had it narrowed down to a few possibilities, but I would need more information before I knew for sure. I closed up my journals and notebook, dropping them in the valise on top of the vials of holy water and my blessed crucifix. I needed to get myself to Samantha's family's house to try and save her. But I also needed to make sure I had all the help I could manage. If I was right, I wasn't the only one in danger. So, taking a deep breath, I reached for my phone and started to dial her number.

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Blue Ink Alchemy

500 Words on Remakes

500 Words on Remakes — Blue Ink Alchemy

I've taken it upon myself, on multiple occasions, to take tales told since time immemorial and put them in modern context. Greek myths in space, Norse myths in the Old West, and so on. So, as a rule, I have nothing against remakes. I think they can be good, if they are done correctly and with respect. I Consider Dredd and the 2011 version of Conan the Barbarian. In both cases, the title character eschews a great deal more towards the material from which they were born. Karl Urban as Dredd never takes off his helmet, doesn't go for bombastic declarations, and the atmosphere around him is gritty and realistic rather than grandiose and covered in shiny metal or neon lights. As for Conan, while the 1982 version is a lovely classic of good old-fashioned high fantasy sword-and-sandals adventure, the 2011 version had a title character who hewed closer to Robert E Howard's text. Conan was never a man of great words or deep letters, but Arnold's nearly silent performance was a bit too stoic. Jason Momoa, in addition to being closer to the description Howard gave us, speaks often and echoes the original tales. I will admit, the statement of purpose we got from Arnold in 1982 is pretty killer:

"Conan! What is best in life?" "TO CRUSH YOUR ENEMIES, TO SEE THEM DRIVEN BEFORE YOU, AND TO HEAR THE LAMENTATIONS OF THEIR WOMEN."

But in 2011, Conan boils himself down this:

"I live, I love, I slay, and I am content."

These words come from arguably the most well-known Conan story, 'Queen of the Black Coast'.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I have known many gods. He who denies them is as blind as he who trusts them too deeply. I seek not beyond death. It may be the blackness averred by the Nemedian skeptics, or Crom's realm of ice and cloud, or the snowy plains and vaulted halls of the Nordheimer's Valhalla. I know not, nor do I care. Let me live deep while I live; let me know the rich juices of red meat and stinging wine on my palate, the hot embrace of white arms, the mad exultation of battle when the blue blades flame and crimson, and I am content. Let teachers and priests and philosophers brood over questions of reality and illusion. I know this: if life is illusion, then I am no less an illusion, and being thus, the illusion is real to me. I live, I burn with life, I love, I slay, and am content."

I for one would love to see Jason Momoa star in a depiction of 'Queen of the Black Coast', or 'Red Nails'. I'd like to think there's potential for an adaptation of one or both of these tales. Especially with the way Mr. Momoa broods, sneers, laughs, and fights when we saw him playing Conan. Basically, I'm adding this idea to my "future content creation" bucket list. Hey, a man can dream, right?

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Blue Ink Alchemy

Goblinhearth vs. Gnomestone, Part 1

Goblinhearth vs. Gnomestone, Part 1 — Blue Ink Alchemy

The first true expansion for Hearthstone, 'Goblins vs. Gnomes', has officially been released. I've picked up a few packs for it, thanks to some solid questing and saving up my gold, and I am already seeing changes within the meta. Quite a few of the decks remain the same: I can still spot a Zoolock or Handlock a mile away, and Priests are likely to stay annoying. However, since one of my favorite things to do in an CCG is build new decks, especially if I can test them in a competitive environment, I have some ideas, partially based on what I've seen and partially building on prior successes. I basically plan on having a deck for each class, which as of this writing, means 9.

Druid - A Natural Mill

This was a deck that until recently occupied my Rogue slot (jokingly called 'Bouncy Bouncy'). I always felt that 'mill' decks (so named for [c]Millstone[/c]) are not what opponents tend to expect, and are the sort of deck you play when you just want to mess with some heads. The problem with the Rogue incarnation was that it relied almost entirely on [Coldlight Seer]. Sure, landing a [Sap] on a big threat when the opponent's hand is full always feels great, but it felt like a very rare occurance. And by the time it did, I would be on death's doorstep. Enter [Grove Tender] for Druids. Between this new card, the original but rarely played [Naturalize], and Naxxramas' [Dancing Swords], there are plenty of ways for the Druid to fill the enemy hand. Druid also has more ways to stay alive until the late game. There are neat ways to capitalize on an opponent with a full hand, like [Goblin Sapper] and [Clockwork Giant]. With a few of the Druid's old tricks, and new ones like [Tree of Life], this might actually be viable for the ladder.

Hunter - Beasts, Marks, or Survival? WHO CARES BEAT FACE

I feel very torn between a variety of Hunter decks. There are three specializations for Hunters in World of Warcraft: Beast Mastery, Marksmanship, and Survival. To me, Beast Mastery speaks to aggression, Survival to control, and Marksmanship is more midrange. I'm more inclined towards control-style decks, as they make for longer, more interesting games, but aggressive decks make for faster trips up the ladder. So which would be best when it comes to Hunter? Honestly, when it comes to Hunter, I've had the most success when I eschew the greater themes and just build something shamelessly aggressive. There are a couple cards in the new expansion, as well as Naxxramas, that will make this sort of deck both viable and fun to play. I mean, I crafted those golden [Webspinner]s for a reason, right? I still am leery about using [Unleash the Hounds] as a core of any Hunter deck, even one revolving around Beasts. I will revisit a "themed" Hunter deck after climbing a few rungs, but for now, I'm going to do something less esoteric.

Mage - Mechanomancy's All The Rage

'Goblins vs. Gnomes' (or GvG as it's often abbreviated) has a very strong sub-theme of mechanized minions, or 'mechs' for short. The synergy between minions like the [Mechwarper] and [Spider Tank] is pretty nasty, in and of itself, but Mages in particular got a potent addition to their stable of possible helpers: the [Snowchugger]. In addition to decent stats - 2/3 for 2 is already above par - these little monsters also freeze whatever they damage, or anything that damages them. Combine this with, say, Spare Parts like [Whirling Blades] or the old favorite [Defender of Argus], and you have an incredibly strong deterrent for the early game. There aren't a lot of threats that can deal with it, either. Mages are stocked to the brim with removal as it is, from their traditional standbys of [Frostbolt] and [Fireblast] to newcomer [Flamecannon]. It can be very difficult for aggressive decks to get a handle on a Mechanomancer, and control decks suffer from early damage if they cannot themselves remove the threat of multiple mechs rolling across the field. Put it all together, and you have an extremely potent weapon for climbing the ladder.

Paladin - The Silver Hand Wants YOU

This has been my pet class in Hearthstone for a while, now. At 500 wins on the ladder, the hero for your class and his hero power turn gold. I want [Reinforce] to give me golden [Silver Hand Recruit]s, dangit. I've been after this since the previous iteration of my Paladin deck. With GvG, the goal has become even clearer, for two very distinct reasons: [Muster for Battle], and [Quartermaster]. In the early game, Muster lets you respond to aggression, or deal out some quick damage. Later on, when combined with the Q man and, for example, [Knife Juggler], you're presenting your opponent with a serious game-ending threat. Now, there are ways around this, from board clears like [Flamestrike] to underhanded moves such as [Mind Control Tech], but even so, it takes some doing to get around that sheer amount of firepower. For a while, I was running this deck with [Captain Greenskin], since a 2/5 weapon is nothing to sneeze at; plus, on occasion, I'd get a [Truesilver Champion] that could take out Yetis in one swing. However, I recently switched up for a build closer to Strifecro's, and this is my go-to deck for struggling towards the twin goals of 500 paladin wins, and Legendary rank.

Priest - If You Can't Beat 'Em...

Oh, Priest. My love-hate relationship with you is well-known, among the five or so people who actually pay attention to my Hearthstone rants. To me, playing Priest on the ladder is like playing in Magic: the Gathering events with a deck that is almost entirely blue, mostly with counterspells and cards that steal things from your opponent or otherwise completely lock them out of what they want to play. I can respect that style of play, as I have done it myself on occasion, but in Hearthstone having such tactics used on me makes me inconsolably angry. I can definitely get behind little combinations like [Auchenai Soulpriest] and [Circle of Healing] for a sudden and potent board clear, and while I don't necessarily like getting smacked with a minion that's been built up to 22 health and then given [Inner Fire], I have to give it the traditional "Clever Girl" response. I don't know if I'll ever play Priest on the ladder, personally; I do my best to meet the challenge when I'm there, but in Casual games, I tend to concede immediately when I see my opponent is a Priest. Unless I'm playing Priest myself. But yeah, Priest players? Much respect, and you can all go to hell. What are my thoughts on the other classes? What does the future hold for Hearthstone? Tune in next week to find out!

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Blue Ink Alchemy

From The Vault: Tabletop as Brain Food

From The Vault: Tabletop as Brain Food — Blue Ink Alchemy

I'm working on some board game write-ups and reviews, and it's worth remembering why board games are an awesome way to spend our time.

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I've put myself on a path to improve my physical well-being. Being more mindful of what and how much I eat, walking with the intent to start running, looking into a local gym, and so on. Mostly, I fear the atrophy that comes with a sedentary day job and an equally low-impact life at home, and if I'm honest, I'm unhappy with the amount of flab I currently have on my frame. However, making such a change is relatively easy. The body can adapt to adjustments in schedule and activity rather well, all things being equal, and it's really a matter of establishing and sticking to habits than anything else. But what about the brain? The most vital of organs also needs maintenance and attention as we age. It's important to keep the mind engaged and not just feed it something distracting or shallow all of the time. I mean, I won't begrudge people who really enjoy "Dancing With The Stars" or "Two And A Half Men", some people do need to unwind with that kind of fare. I'm simply not one of them. As much as I like the occasional campy pleasure like Flash Gordon, more often than not I look to have my brain fed, to keep it trained, to present it with challenges it must overcome. That, in part, is why I enjoy tabletop games so much. It took me a while in my youth to really grasp how important it was to me to keep playing them. For a time, I simply enjoyed spending time with my dad, even if I would sometimes let myself get bored between moves rather than studying his strategy and planning my response. Nowadays I can't imagine sitting entirely idle during an opponent's turn, though I do occasionally get distracted. Not only is it necessary to pay attention in order to look for victory, it's an exercise in putting yourself in another's position, or imagining the other as a complex being instead of just someone to beat. That, to me, is just as important as winning. I am quite fortunate to be in a place where I can spend time around other gamers who are engaging in this way almost constantly. My co-workers play and even design games on a daily basis. A fantastic store is within easy driving distance to present all sorts of challenges. My father lives a bit further up the road. When I get home, I have the option to play something like Civilization V, Magic: the Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers, or Blood Bowl with other human beings. And on rare occasions, a game of Chez Geek or Dungeon Roll might break out. To me, the important factor in this is that other people are involved. No programmed response or solitaire experience really throws a wrench into your thought processes like another live human being. It makes the problem solving more complex, and thus more rewarding, even when you lose. On top of that, being in a situation with another person as your opponent builds character and social skills. Trite as it may sound, we learn more from losing than from winning, both about how we play and how we act. It's one thing to gnash your teeth and swear at something like Super Meat Boy or Hotline Miami; doing so at a stranger or even a friend is quite another issue. Fun as it can be amongst people who know you to engage in name-calling for the sake of in-game banter, when it comes to playing with strangers or in a competition it's important to know your limits and when and how to gracefully bow out of things, or the optimal way to accept and celebrate victory in front of those who've lost. You can only get that through this sort of play, and you learn it as your brain is trained. Boring as it may seem to some outside observers, when I'm engaged in a game like this, I assure you, I'm never really bored.

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Blue Ink Alchemy

Rise of the Craptop

Rise of the Craptop — Blue Ink Alchemy

The author and the subject, in their natural habitat. Writers have a long and storied history of being mercurial creatures. We're moody, we tend towards solitary behaviors, and our passions run hot, even if writing has nothing to do with it. We also get distracted by shiny objects. And the Internet is full of shiny objects. Modern writers do a great deal to curtail their distractions. Some have special rituals they enact. Others put together special areas in which to work. The Hemingwrite was kickstarted succesfully because writers need the sort of mental isolation provided by a device that facilitates writing but it still cut off from the big distractions. For me, that device is known as the Craptop. The Craptop came from the old office, released from their IT department when it outlived its usefulness. It came with a copy of Windows XP, but that too started to give up the ghost on me. This was before the holidays, the travel, and everything else that happened. After some trial and error over this past weekend, I finally got it up and running, with no problems from the operating system (which is now Xubuntu) and a nice, stable user experience. I know ther are some people who would disagree with me, in that the Craptop has trouble running more than one application at a time with any sort of alacrity or smoothness. However, for my purposes, this is perfect. The Craptop can connect to wifi, facilitating loading of files from the Dropbox and backing up my work, but the ways in which it runs means there's little chance that I would be opening a web browser while I'm working on my writing. I have ways to get media in my ears (tablet, phone, etc), and the Craptop can go just about anywhere. Well, anywhere with an outlet. The Craptop needs a new battery, since right now its charge is only held for about a half hour. I have an old-fashioned breifcase for carrying it, and with several of my bags developing holes from strain, I see a Bag of Holding in my future. Or perhaps something nice from Chrome. Anyway. Say hello to the Craptop. It and I will be downstairs after lunch, making words happen.

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Blue Ink Alchemy

New Year, New 'Do

New Year, New 'Do — Blue Ink Alchemy

Well. This is looking a bit more professional and whatnot, isn't it? It's been over a month since my last entry here at Blue Ink Alchemy. That I can only chalk up to travel, changing seasons, a few unpleasant cycles of mental states, and general shenanigans involving real life things like looking for work, juggling financial woes, and finding tiny moments of catharsis. It's been a rough ride. But here we are! It's 2015. A new year has dawned. New challenges await on the road ahead. And new projects will be hatched and, hopefully, nurtured into fullness with a little time, attention, and care. The second novella, Bloody Streets, will be assembled and readied for publication as soon as I can afford a professional photographer and designer to tackle its cover. I plan on contacting the same team I used on Cold Iron (ladies, you know who you are), but I need to be a little more financially solvent before I can do that sort of outsourcing. I have some information on freelancing that I plan on capitalizing as you read this. I continue to interview for dayjobs of various kinds in an effort to keep the lights on, the pantry stocked, and this very site going. I might (emphasis on might) begin streaming my efforts to improve in Hearthstone, discussing various topics of the day while yelling in frustration at Priest players I encounter. And on top of all of that, I've started work on a new novel in earnest. I will not say much, other that it is aimed for young adults, has been rather carefully researched so far, and deals with witchcraft, other worlds, tolerance, hard choices, and intestinal fortitude. This year is going to be a good'un. I can feel it.

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Blue Ink Alchemy