Easy Solution

Of course the moment I just sat and gave it the time of day, it was really easy to find a solution for the traveling problems in Arrins's story.
I'll just shift their destination so it's closer. They can travel the rest of the way later, after they reach their first destination.

As always, whenever I sit and actually try to write through a problem, the solution comes fairly easily.
I don't know why I'm always afraid it won't work. I guess I'm afraid my easy miracle solution will stop working. Well, I guess it will stop working if I always forget to use it.

Sit and Think

Okay, I'm forcing myself to sit here for a good 20 minutes (or longer) and figure out how the traveling timeline is going to work for Arrin's story. Otherwise I'll never get anywhere.

Working Hard in Japan

When you start learning about Japan and reading stories from Japan, you start to realize something about how they work. Many of them are very focused on perfection.
Two of the manga that come to mind that demonstrate this are "Bakuman" and "Bartender." Maybe also "The Wind Rises" and "Whisper of the Heart" (And then there are all the anime where people are obsessed with being the best of the best).

In Bakuman, the two boys throw everything they have at becoming successful manga writers (well, being the best manga writers in the magazine, of course). They give up a lot of holiday and social stuff, and sometimes even their own health.


In Bartender there is a bartender who is pretty marvelous at his job. He knows everything about what he makes, including its origin, mythology, and purpose. And he can analyze what people need. Plus he makes great drinks, though I don't drink.

And if you know anything about Hayao Miyazaki, you may have heard some of the drama about his family life. His son accused him of never being there for his family. He spent all of his time at the studio. He made works of genius (Some of my favorite movies-he's one of my biggest creative inspirations, if not the biggest), but his family never seemed to see much of him until he finished a project. Then he'd take the kids and their friends on a cool vacation.


A little bit of this has rubbed off on me. I refuse to neglect my family and friends, and I manage to give some time to many of my hobbies. But I want to make sure I know about my job. Now there are a couple hundred species of animals where I work. Not to mention a few hundred plant species (and I do run the garden tours). So it's not really logical for me to know everything about everything. But I make sure I know what all of the animals are, most of the plants, and that I can say at least something about them. For all of the popular animals, I can say a good deal about them, and there a few animals that I could talk about forever (figuratively).
Plus I have to know where everything is (fountains, bathrooms, each animal), what any of the current events are or anything that might be an inconvenience for guests, what the ticket and membership and event prices might be, all of the details about parking, rides, food, what groups have reservations, what private events there are, etc. So yeah. It's a lot.
Plus I'm always reading up on animals and plants a few times a week.

So when I go to a store and the people working there don't know anything, it makes me really mad.
Plus you find people that expect to get paid for sitting around doing nothing.
Do your freaking job!

On a slightly different note.
When I went down south to visit Shy Boy, we stopped at a restaurant where we could watch the sunset over the ocean. I've been reading Bartender, so I went to the bar to see what non-alcoholic stuff there was. And I ordered a coconut/mint/lime drink. It was amazing.
Almost every other time I've ordered drinks at a bar, they've been disappointing. I wish I could visit the bar in the manga XD

Must Critique

I've critiqued so many different stories for people, that whenever I read anything for someone I automatically jump into critique mode. I sometimes have to hold myself back from making comments that are unwanted, or are too late to make (if an article has already been published, for example).


Box turtle

Detective Pikachu

I wasn't planning on seeing Detective Pikachu in theaters. But when Dad said he wanted to go, I was surprised enough that I went with him.
I'm glad I did. It was a fun movie (Though the evil plot of the bad guy really doesn't make any sense to me).

I have to admit, when the movie started and we saw all these scenes of Pokemon flying and strolling through the real world, it did a number on my emotions.
In elementary school, I would have been over the moon about a live-action Pokémon movie. But someone at the time said that it would look awful. I think even after all these years, that comment still was a cloud over my judgment.

The Pokémon were beautiful.

And they had one of my favorites! Mewtwo.

But oh my god, seriously. Please leave Mewtwo alone. He's already been abused in two other movies (I assume the Genesect movie was about a different Mewtwo, somehow?). Stop torturing poor Mewtwo. Give him a happy place.

Put a Cat in the Story

There's one more character I'm debating about including in Arrin's story. He was part of the story from the beginning, but as I've developed the story more, he seems to have gotten squeezed out. Most of the time I forget I was even going to include him.
He's not a human. He's more of a troublesome cat-spirit thing.

I still like his story, though I'm afraid I may end up having to move it somewhere else. If I'm lucky, I'll find I do need him here. So far he seems mostly a source of protection. Though his particular abilities may or may not be relevant to the circumstances.

Another thing that makes me hesitate is that I just read part of a book with a character very similar to him in appearance, origin, and name.
Sigh.

The Distance in a Horse-Drawn Cart

Most of Arrin's story takes place over a short journey. In a car you could easily make the trip in three or four hours (with no traffic). But they're traveling by horse cart through mountains.
I assumed it might take them three days at the most to reach their destination. But now that I realized the distance they have to travel, it would be at least a week (maybe more - I have to calculate a better number, especially since there's bound to be delays). One horse can't pull a cart almost 100 miles up steep mountain roads non-stop.

This story actually takes place in Magic-Earth's version of Yosemite National Park. Thanks to my summer job there, I already had some information about the first stretch of the journey. They start in Wawona and travel over to the valley. Back in the day, people would make that trip by stage coach. With several stops to switch out for fresh horses, it took about six hours. I think it's about 30 miles.


But the seconds stretch of the trip is twice that distance. And Arrin and her companions are not switching out for fresh horses. They just have the one horse. While Enrick is in a hurry to reach his destination, he does not want to take "public transportation" (for a very good reason).

If the trip takes a week or more, that means there's a lot I have to rethink.
For example, Enrick (one of the three main characters) wanted to make the trip because he thought it would be faster than waiting for someone to come to their aid. That made sense if the trip was only three days. But if the journey is closer to a week then he may not make that bet.
How will that fit then. Hmm.
Either I'd have to change the time frame for when help might arrive (which doesn't really fit with the workings of the people they're waiting for). Or I'll have to think of a very compelling reason that would convince Enrick to seek out this one guy in particular. Since he is in a rather desperate rush, that will have to be a very good reason indeed.
Unless there's some other solution that I haven't considered yet.

Bleh. Just when I thought I was starting to get out of the stickier bits of the story.
Plus, as usual, I really have no idea what's going to fill much of the second half of the story.


Blue-throated piping guan

A Fanfiction Fanfiction

Someone just posted the first chapter of a fanfiction. With one of my fanfictions as an inspiration XD
Mine was a Legend of Zelda fanfiction I wrote a very very long time ago. It's one of those crazy fanfictions that blends a bunch of Zelda games, timelines, and characters.
I'd say that's one of the typical fanfiction methods (the ultimate insane crossover kind of thing). Except a lot of people have been making these kinds of things canon recently. I hear some of the newer Marvel movies have been like that.

Anyway, it's definitely flattering! They just wrote me today and I read their first chapter (the intro).
I wish them the best of luck in continuing!

There have been three fanfics that people have written based off of my stories (Well, three that have asked me permission and showed me their work).
Thank you guys! I'm so glad my stories were able to inspire you to make something of your own!



(I always find our lions sleeping with their tongues out)

Argh, every time I start a new story, it takes me forever to get me forever to get used to a new protagonist name.
When I started Evva's story, I kept calling Evva "Ashlyn."
And now I'm tempted to call Arrin "Evva."
And when I wrote the short story about Katani's dad, I kept calling him "Katani."

Gggeeehhhh

I shudder to think what's going to happen when I go back to do another revision of Evva's story. What names will I end up mis-writing for her?


(Sumatran tiger)

Respect to Grandfather

Oof, here's another thing I hadn't thought about beforehand.
In my world, American Indian tribes haven't been crushed like they have here. They are still alive and well, and most of them still live in traditional, or at least mostly traditional ways. Though just like in our world, some of them will live in cities and do more modern stuff as well.
(One of the main differences is that the more violent traditions are no longer practiced. They've sort of morphed into "sports" instead of warfare. An outlet for much of the same emotion, without the outright violence).

A shaman has a brief appearance in Arrin's story. And from the many books I've read, I know the sort of respect these wise men were offered.
Now I just have to figure out how to portray that respect. Especially since we haven't actually met him yet. So far his only appearance is people talking about him.
Some American Indians would refer to their elders as "Grandfather." It's a term of respect, used whether or not they were related to the person. But if I use the term "Grandfather, I feel like I'd have to explain that he's not actually their grandfather.

Aaah all the crazy little details!
I'm always so paranoid about portraying cultures correctly. TT^TT