Fiction Month

During April and a little bit of May, I did a month of writing prompts to keep me busy. Some were lists, some were small journal entry-type pieces, and a few I made into blog posts.

For June, I want to do another writing month, but this time I'm making my own. The focus will be fiction, specifically prompts revolving around the characters and creatures I've come up with from Scriptwriting projects, the comic I pitched, or fun stuff I've done in my spare time.

One thing I like to do when I'm feeling bored but creative is to go on a website called Heromachine  and create my own superheroes and villains. Some of these characters have been floating around in my head for ages, including an entire comic book universe worth based off of a one-act play I wrote!

 I've managed to save thumbnails of many of these characters to a memory stick and I figured it'd be a fun exercise to try and come up with origins for many of them.

The second part of this latest writing project involves Cryptic, the original TV series I pitched in Scriptwriting and comic I tried to create based on cryptozoology, the search for Bigfoot and other creatures.

On that same memory stick that had all my super-characters, I found a ton of Cryptic notes, both from the show and several comic ideas.

When I'm not writing origins for heroes and villains, I want to try and write a couple short (one to two page) stories based a round those ideas, as well as to create my own original cryptids.

Hope I can stay motivated long enough to finish everything!

Cheers

National Accessibility Week

This week, May 31st to June 7th, is National Accessibility Week, and I'm planning on doing a lot.

I've found out about an event through work about the Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Canadian government's wider role in accessibility in the country. I've never really done much to learn about Canada's history with accessibility and other disability issues, so I'm really looking forward to this one.

Tuesday also marks the start of Enable Ottawa, an event organized by Carleton University about innovation and accessibility. I've been before in person, but given current circumstances, this year's presentations will be held online and focus on accessibility in the world post-COVID.

And not directly related to Accessibility Week but within the topic, I've registered for a free writer's convention next weekend in order to stream a panel about disabled characters in fiction. Really excited for this one!

Will probably post something at the end of next week as a wrap-up.

Cheers!

Is It Weird to Say I'm Enjoying This??

COVID measures have been in place here for over two months now, and even though I'm longing for the day when I can walk back into a Starbucks or physically interact with people other than my parents and sister, I've actually been enjoying this time.

Working from home took some getting used to, but I've grown to like it. Not having to wake up a 6 am, wait or rush for Para Transpo, or any of that stuff. I just go down to our basement, turn on my laptop, and that's it.

I've been using this time to go through my extensive selection of reading material, re-reading books and comics and deciding which to keep, sell, or trash when I'm able to do those things.

I've also used this time to write. I've done a couple writing challenges, prompts, gotten some blog post out of the way, and even written some fictional things just for fun!

With lots of events going online, this isolation period has given me a chance to attend things I probably never would have before. Several years ago, I attended an event put on by the local chapter of a professional speaking organization. Afterwards, I followed them on social media in case similar events came up. Every month they put on a networking breakfast, but they're normally a little expensive and located at the other end of the city, so I've never considered going. Last month, they held one over Zoom for a much lower price, so I was able to sign in and listen to their speaker.

Also last month, I was able to attend an "at-home comic convention", interviews and panels with professionals streamed online for free.

Next week, I've registered for a virtual disability event organized by one of Ottawa's universities, and a writer's convention where one of the presentations will be on disability in fiction. Both should be fun!

Just keeping busy and making the best of this situation.

Cheers

Not Shocked At All

Recently, the social media/video creation service Tik Tok has come under fire for something called the Autism Challenge, where users record themselves dancing in a manner that insults people with disabilities.

The company has already received a lot of pressure through online petitions, Twitter campaigns, and other means to take down the videos and put a stop to the challenge. Despite the outrage, Tik Tok doesn't seem willing to do anything.

I wish I could say this surprises me but, honestly, not one bit of it does. At this point, nothing like this really shocks me anymore. Sure, I still find it awful, but I figured something like this would eventually happen anyway. It's just the way some people are, unfortunately.

I also wish I had something more positive to add to this post, but I don't. I will say that I've never had any interest in the platform or in uploading videos of myself, period, and this is probably why.

Cheers

Into The Apocalypse

Pictured: NOT Ottawa

It actually happened. After nearly two months of staying at home, I set foot inside another building!

That image is just there for a laugh, but between my initial reluctance, mask, and jacket because it was Winter again in Ottawa yesterday, it kind of felt like I was stepping out into the apocalypse.

But, my near-apocalyptic journey had purpose!

First and foremost, I did it for my Mom.

Being home-bound during a pandemic greatly limited my gift options for Mother's Day. I was tempted to tell her it was going online this year, like everything else, and send her an e-card or possibly write a blog post (which I technically still am, I guess). Then, I thought about asking someone to go out and get her something for me, but that option had limits too. Finally, my mother had made a couple masks for when things really start to open back up, so I took one of those and got a drive to a nearby drugstore.

With my coat done up to keep out the frigid temperatures, and a mask securely on my face, I went in the building! Aisles were strictly marked and half the customers looked like a mixture of surgeons and bank robbers, but I finished my Mother's Day shopping quick and easy.

With that accomplished, I moved onto my secondary objective. Since things shut down and we were told to stay indoors, all I've wanted to do was go somewhere and get a bottle of Pepsi. I've ordered drinks from drive-thru's and my Dad managed to find a couple mini-cans while grocery shopping one day, but it really isn't the same as going somewhere yourself and holding the bottle in your hand. It was like I'd found treasure!

It's like the Holy Grail of things I probably shouldn't have, but are going to anyway

Things bought, out quick, hands coated in Purell, and done!

I'd rather be in Toronto this time of year, enjoying the Toronto Comics Art Fest, junk food, and a hotel bed but, given the circumstances, this'll do for a bit of excitement.

Cheers!