Animator's Dream: Meet the adorable geek fighter Noel

Noel, in her schoolgirl uniform

"I'm a lover, and a fighter!" -Noel's motto

Among a group of characters, there may be the character that's a sweetheart but also quite the fighter. That character may also be the resident nerdy type that's got a laundry list of hobbies and interests. This would help to bond with the other characters and, eventually, earn the love of another character.

Noel, as Vambrace

In this case, we have none other than Noel. Noel is the nerdy girl of the five-man team in Animator's Dream, though she is introduced a third of the way as a character. Noel is unique in that she has the ability to shape shift her outfits into whatever she pleases. Oftentimes, she alters her outfits based on various characters; this reflects her personality. That said, just because of this trait she is not to be trifled with. Noel is a capable fighter, similar to Kirk; Tigercat and Julia, but she stands out as having psionic powers. Noel can take control of minds; use telepathy to secretly communicate; and even scan the minds of others.

When the time really comes, Noel morphs into her Vambrace form. In addition to a super heroine-inspired costume, her psionic powers are increased greatly, and she gains access to a katana that can freeze foes and use powers exclusive to that form. She later gets upgrades to her costume and powers by an unknown group. Noel herself is also an unknown. Who is she, exactly? Read my novel, and find out.

If there were an adaptation of my work, animated or otherwise, I would choose Cristina Valenzuela to voice Noel. She's based off of Cristina in more ways than one, and Noel's sweet yet brave personality would suit her voice perfectly.

Trivia:
-Noel is named after Noel Vermillion from the BlazBlue series
-Noel's regular schoolgirl uniform is based off of Haruhi Suzimiya's, while her Vambrace form is based after Psylocke from X-Men
-Noel's costumes were originally colored after the characters they were based off of, but they were changed to the red costumes seen above due to being to similar to the originals and to explain why she wears red or red-related colors in the story

Thanksgiving post, and status of my novel

Gobble gobble, turkey heads! If you live in the United States like me, Thanksgiving is tomorrow and it's that time of year to get together with friends and family. Also, chow down and things like that.

I wanted to write this to know that I'm still writing blog posts. I've just been very busy the past two weeks with external issues and my education. I'm still alive and writing up my novel Animator's Dream. In fact, I'm close to finishing the novel up as we speak. Not sure what to do next when I complete my novel by the end of the year, but I've got plans nonetheless.

Enjoy your holidays, holiday goers. I promise to bring you another regularly scheduled blog post next week.

Animator's Dream: Meet singer warrior Julia Kusanagi

Julia Kusanagi

Julia in a costume

In every work of fiction, there's always a diverse set of characters. They all come in different shapes and sizes; genders and alignments. Some are chosen to be the hero, while others choose their desiny. Some are action oriented, while others think before they act. Some are completely normal in appearance, while others take cues from supermodels.

In the case of Julia Kusanagi, it's a mix of everything. Julia Kusanagi is a singer and entertainer for
the entertainment hotspot Club Section Nine. She provides soothing and memorable vocals for her audience, as well as a display of her musical instrument aptitude. Sometimes she plays dress up in her shows, as an extra means of eye candy.

In addition to her musical talents, Julia is also a capable fighter. Her ability to handle a variety of weapons and melee fighting makes her a force to be reckoned with. Because of her feline appearance, she's granted faster than normal reflexes and focus. This is on top of the normal animal based animation abilities.

She's also rumored to have unusual powers and extra strengths. What could they be? When it's released, read the novel Animator's Dream to find out.

If there were an adaptation of my Animator's Dream novels, Mary McGlynn would be my choice for voicing Julia. Her smooth and beautiful voice fits Julia perfectly, and she also works out for being a tough woman ready for a fight.

Trivia:
-Julia Kusanagi is based off of Mary McGlynn, though the character references Julia from Cowboy Bebop and Motoko Kusanagi from Ghost in the Shell.
-Julia is designed after Miyu Lynx from Star Fox 2.
-Julia was originally named Miyu, but she resembled her a little too much, hence the name change. It doesn't help that one of my professors had a hard time pronouncing the name, too.

Animator's Dream: Meet the sidekick Tigercat

"This is Tigercat. Where's my prey?" -Tigercat

Continuing the blog posts of discussing my characters, we now move on to the sidekick of the hero. A staple in any literary or work of fiction, every hero needs a companion to guide them along their journey; to keep safe and simply keep company. While the hero earns the friendship of others along the way, it's the sidekick that stays with a character from beginning to end.

Tigercat, Kirk's sidekick

Thus we are introduced to Tigercat. The creation of animator Kirk, Tigercat is basically a female variant of Fire Leo the Fox but with feminine features and only having one tail. Compared to the rest of the characters in 'Animator's Dream', she is the most normal of the cast. That said, she has some unique characteristics of her own; she's an animal based animation, which means she has enhanced senses and immununity to most mind control methods. She also inherits the memories and skills of Kirk, making her proficient in combat. Even when she's lacking super powers or the ability to craft things in real time, Tigercat is a force to be reckoned with.

Something else is that she knows of the mission to protect the Animated World and defeat an evil organization. Tigercat is also aware of a secret organization tasked with defeating this evil group, and who created the magic pencil. How does she know of this? Read my 'Animator's Dream' novel when it's released on the market.

Now then, if there were an adaptation of my novel that required voicework, Wendee Lee would be my pick for this and plenty other characters. To begin with, Wendee Lee is very versatile with her talents. Her Haruhi Suzumiya voice would be perfect for Tigercat, as the character in this novel is young but also a go-getter, too.

Trivia:
-Tigercat is designed after Fiona Fox, an original character from Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog comics.
-The main inspiration for this character comes from a friend of mine

Animator's Dream: Meet the hero Kirk

Kirk, the hero, in his human form

"It's perfect, my first picture drawn with a magical pencil."

Well then, since I have the audience and premise out of the way it's time for me to introduce the characters. After all, what story would be complete without characters making it possible?

First, the hero of Animator's Dream. His name is Kirk, just Kirk. He's a graphic designer and art director as a means of earning a living. For fun, however, he's a writer and artist, and is into animated works; games; and other works of fiction. His age is around his mid-to-late twenties, so he's a young character. He's also somewhat of a nice guy, though beware his wrath should you want to hurt his friends and loved ones.

He's the staple young hero, though he's a bit of an unwitting one at first. His journey begins at the convention Otakon, where he wins a large sum of money and a fabled pencil. It is through the pencil that his story begins.

In the animated world, he uses the character drawing that won him the contest to blend in with its denizens. Named Fire Leo the Fox, the character serves as the animation form of Kirk. In this form, Kirk has greater strength; enhanced sight and hearing. He can also detected stealthed foes with limited ability. These attributes alone give Kirk's animation form a greater edge against other people in the animated world. He's also quite the brawler when he needs to fight in melee. Despite his animation form's karate outfit, he uses boxing and Krav Maga (Israeli fighting style that uses dirty tactics and simple strikes to down foes). Usage of martial arts is limited due to impracticality.

Fire Leo the Fox, Kirk's animation form

Speaking of edges, he doesn't have any fancy powers or magic to help him fight whatever adversaries stand in his way. Because of his pop culture knowledge, he can craft any weapons and tech he can think of with the magic pencil. From high powered pistols that can down even light vehicles and helicopters, to man portable railgun cannons that shoot bowling balls, and armored suits and mecha with unmatched firepower. Whatever dreams Kirk has, he can now make into reality.

He also gains a mysterious katana along his journey, also with great powers. Who crafted the blade and the pencil? For what purpose? The only way to find out is to read Animator's Dream.

Now then, if there were to be an adaptation of my work whether a game or animated work, I'd pick Johnny Yong Bosch to voice Kirk. Johnny's known for playing heroic and, to a degree, dark themed characters. He'd also be an allusion to Kirk's animation form, given that his Adam Park character was the Black Ranger in the early Power Rangers series.

Trivia:
-Kirk is based off of me, mostly due to my age and mannerisms
-Fire Leo the Fox was originally going to be called Kung Fu Black Armor Tails, but the name was changed due to risks of copyright infringement. The two-tailed fox and martial arts outfit design still remains, however, and I think a name like Fire Leo would be more memorable.
-The name Fire Leo is a reference to two works; TechnoSoft's Thunder Force series with the main Fire Leo star fighters, and Viewtiful Joe's Inferno Lord Fire Leo. I primarily got the name from the former, though.

Animator's Dream: What's the Premise?

I discussed in my previous blog post regarding my novel "Animator's Dream" who my intended audience and what the genre of the novel was. The Reader's Digest is that it's a fantasy novel with a mix of other genres, and the audience is young adults and anime and manga fans.

Yet, what about the premise of the book? A genre and audience is meaningless if a story is nothing more than an excuse plot. In that case, the premise of the story goes as follows:

Young Kirk is attending Otakon during his vacation from his graphic designer job. At the convention, there's a contest awarding the winners $500,000 plus an artifact resembling a pencil. Kirk wins the contest thanks to his character drawing, but while the money is nothing out of the ordinary the pencil he wins is. He uses the pencil he won to craft another character, which comes to life thanks to the pencil's powers. His second character, named Tigercat, explains the contest was meant for Kirk to win and the pencil contains great powers. She also explains that the pencil was sent by great beings in the midst of a war against an evil force. With that, Kirk is sucked in by Tigercat to the world of animations, and along with new friends to be made he carries on his shoulders new responsibilities and the fate of the animated world.

So, that's the premise of the novel. It's a simple introduction and admittidely a bit cliche, but then again most works in this day and age aren't one hundred percent original anymore. That said, considering the theme and elements used in this book there's still a hint of freshness present. In the end, it's how the content is handled and not what kind of content is present.

Oh, and I also plan on adding in characters and character biographies as I go along in the novel. Knowing who and what the characters are is an integral element of any story.

What is the genre and audience of Animator's Dream?

I've been writing my novel, Animator's Dream, since 2010. It hasn't been published yet, but I'm hoping to do that at least next year, if not before the end of this year. It's been a long haul, but I'm hoping that these years of planning and writing will pay off somehow. Now then, I'd also like to discuss what the genre of my book, the kinds of characters involved, and who the intended
audience is.

I admit my novel is mixed in terms of genre. Primarily the novel belongs to the fantasy genre because of certain magical elements, but there's other genres mixed in as well. Some elements give off a science fiction vibe, others that of action, and in a few instances there's horror and drama in the mix. There's even a small element of romance because of interaction between two characters later on.

Again, the novel is a fantasy novel due to the presence of angels and devils. While overused, this novel provides my take on these beings as being a part of organizations residing in the novel's world. While I won't give away details, these angels and devils in the novel were influenced by pop culture in our world. Based on analyzing and adapting our pop culture, the beings develop their own personalities and tastes from what they observe. While still being a product of my doing, it explains how and why these characters act and even dress the way they do.

The story is aimed at a young adult audience as well as those versed in pop culture, especially anime and manga. The young adult part comes from the fantastical elements, and how the story is about a normal person like you or me taking responsibility and learning to survive in a different world. He's got friends he makes along the way to make his journey easy, but he also must watch himself at every turn, for there are those who want him dead. Also, he's tasked with playing the hero like rescuing hostages or fighting on behalf of a resistance; a futuristic special forces group; and even great beings. He even develops a relationship with a character, and their relationship and how the two bond become a part of the narrative. The pop culture fan base also gets to enjoy the references made in the book, ranging from characters resembling other popular characters, to tools; tech and weapons based off of works of fiction or even real life. I wanted to make sure there was something for everyone to enjoy, since while there's the jokey one liners and action scenes, there's also the serious elements like taking responsibility; learning to help others in need; standing up against those who do harm; and learning to meet and befriend others that are new to people.

One more thing I wanted to point out is that the book has violent moments, and there's bits of profanity and pretty ladies wearing certain dresses. That kind of content, however, is mild compared to other works aimed at young adults or even children. While characters are killed through weapons, it's not an all-out gore fest. The outfits worn by certain characters don't push the limits
of what's acceptable too much, either.

Overall, this is the audience and content I hope to aim for with my first written novel. Young adult and fantasy novels are very popular, but so is pop culture. Those elements right there are how I will aim high with this novel as well as my future work. After all, finding the right market and the right publisher and agent helps greatly in getting my work to take off.

Wunderlist: A wunderful way to keep track of tasks

Daily life has always been filled with tasks both big and small. Not once does a day go by without having a chore to do or an important task that's not in the workplace. Traditionally, notepads written down with lists were used. This was before the age of the smartphone, however, and that method is on life support at best. Yet, people need to keep track of tasks and chores so they don't repeat themselves doing the same thing.

Wunderlist, one such app, is responsible for fulfilling the job of keeping track of tasks. Developed by German company 6Wunderkinder, now owned by Microsoft, Wunderlist is a task management program for both the PC and mobile devices. The app features scheduling tasks, repeating tasks, creating folders and lists, sharing lists, and other abilities. You can also print out your list of tasks and
even insert files in those lists, but considering there's online cloud drives and external flash drives as well as the app being available on mobile devices, those features are pointless.

I use this app every day to keep track of tasks that I've done and needed to do. If there's a homework assignment to complete, I put it in a school list and put a due date on it. If I need to complete a chapter in my novel by a certain date, I set it in a dedicated novel list and set a date. Even if it's something mundane like taking pictures of myself or writing a number of Twitter postings, those tasks go in to the Wundelist app. This app has done me more than one favor, and has kept me on track of completing tasks when need be.

The best part about this app is that, again, it's not exclusive to a PC despite being owned by Microsoft. Android and iOS users have the luxury of being able to use this app, and even Amazon Kindle and Smartwatch users get to have access to this app. This means a lot, since managing completed tasks on the go helps with those that are trying to multitask.

The app in question is a freemium program, that is, it's free to download and use but certain features are exclusive to paid owners. Said features include unlimited file sharing; unlimited assigning; unlimited sub-tasks; and backgrounds for pro-only users. Most of these features are irrelevant, though, and users are better off just sticking to the free version.

Overall, this is a great app to have when you feel overwhelmed with everyday or rare tasks. Not only will users be able to complete tasks in a timely fashion, but you'll feel great about it when you start crossing off items from your lists. I started using this app again to finish tasks in weekly periods, and I've gotten things done because of it. It makes the old notepad writing tasks obsolete, and it motivates me greatly to actually get work done.

Download the app for android here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wunderkinder.wunderlistandroid&hl=en
Download the app for chrome here: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/wunderlist-for-chrome/ojcflmmmcfpacggndoaaflkmcoblhnbh?hl=en
Download the app for iOS here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wunderlist-to-do-list-tasks/id406644151?mt=8

Drawing Manga: A Tutorial Book Well Written and Drawn

Art has been around since the dawn of man, as a means of recreation or telling a message. It has been done many ways, but the most common one being on paper or canvas. Manga is, in a way, an extension of that art combined with the printed book. It's become a popular medium starting with the turn of the millennium, but fans want to learn to draw in that style because of it. In a way, it's become a passion to those fans.

In response, publishing companies have been hiring writers and artists to craft how-to books for those interested. One of those companies, Penguin Group, stepped up to the plate with their Idiot's Guides line-up of books (and no, I'm not making that name up). Published in 2008, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Drawing Manga teaches newbies and aspiring artists the ropes of the Manga style of art. The book was written by John Layman, while David Hutchinson provided the illustrations.

The book in question is pretty straightforward. It starts out with the basic shape making techniques, then evolves to piecing them together to make a figure, and goes on to making the faces of each character. Speaking of characters, the book explains how to make characters young and old; male and female; and even human or animal. Eventually, the book even teaches how to make Manga of their own via panels; props and speech bubbles.

The book is well illustrated and thought out, and is listed in a step-by-step fashion making it easy for those that want to follow along. It also details everything readers need to know about the Manga style without over complicating the process. This book even helped me with the creation of character art for my upcoming novel, Animator's Dream.

Overall, if you want to be a Manga artist yourself and are seeking a quality book then this is the one for you. With quality illustrations and simple instructions, this book will help those seeking to do art in the Manga style and craft works of their own.

Buy the book on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Drawing-Illustrated-Edition/dp/1592578233/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

There's also an updated variant of the book on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Idiots-Guides-Drawing-Manga-DK/dp/1615644156/ref=pd_sim_14_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1HR0BZ8RYJGMTZDHCTMT

I know I'm learning Japanese: A review of Berlitz's Japanese Dictionary

Learning a foreign language, though difficult, has many perks. Not only is it easier to visit and live
in foreign countries, it's also handy to show off your friends and family. For an added bonus, if you
know of any family; friends or celebrities that know a foreign language they can have a bilingual
conversation with you. Again, foreign languages are no cakewalk but it's well worth the effort.

Companies specializing in translation have stepped up to the plate to make this possible for those that
are in need. Berlitz, the publisher of many a guide, is one of them. The one that I got in particular
was the Japanese compact dictionary. This guide provides people wanting to learn or write Japanese in a small book loaded with words from A to Z. It also discusses how to pronounce syllables and use the dictionary overall.

The dictionary I have, despite being from 2006, is still pretty accurate and helped me in writing
sentences. This is a big deal because I write a small portion of Japanese for some of the characters in
my novel. The words provided also detail exactly how to write them if need be. Another plus is how the book is small in comparison to other dictionaries, which could easily be used as doorstops if not fortheir importance.

In conclusion, this is a good dictionary to have when you want to learn Japanese in your free time.
That said, unless you want to translate anime or manga this book is just there for fun. There are other
languages that are more relevant in the international workplace, like French or Spanish, but as a means of passing the time and learning for fun it's a good little dictionary.

The newest edition of the book can be purchased here: http://www.amazon.com/Berlitz-Japanese-Phrase-Book-Dictionary/dp/1780042671/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1444334421&sr=1-1&keywords=berlitz+japanese

mPoints: Another way to earn gift card money

Gift cards are a wonderful way of telling someone you care. If you can't figure out what to buy your friends or family, these are the easy way out. Sometimes you want gift cards of your own, so as to save money on more important things like living expenses.

mPoints is a service dedicated to earning gift card money. The rewards program offers multiple gift cards for varying amounts of points, and also features donations and sweepstakes for investing points in. The primary use of this program, however, is to farm for gift card money using apps.

Signing up is simple. Just put in your name and email address to connect yourself to the mPoints service. From that point on, you can use a multitude of apps to complete tasks to earn points. The apps using this service are very reputable, such as Dictionary.com; The Weather Channel; Intellicast; and Moviefone.

Though this service offers users to cash in points for sweepstakes and donations, the main draw is the ease of earning gift card money. Primarily, amazon.com is the candidate because of how widely used the service is and how the gift cards there never expire. I farm for amazon.com gift cards regularly and I've cashed in massive amounts of money in little time.

The only gripe is that a lot of apps have to be installed in order to take full advantage of the service. For phones with small amounts of space and lacking an SD card option, this presents a problem. God help you if you have a phone that can't take advantage of SD card by default without using special software or rooting.

In conclusion, this is a great service to earn gift card money on a weekly basis. Imagine being able to rack up cash and buy gifts for friends and family without breaking your bank. I've used this service to great success and have purchased things for myself and those around me. I would recommend this service to anyone.

The Martian: A bold movie going back to where man has gone before

Warning: Spoilers ahead, though you're going to ignore this warning because curiosity

Fall movies are not as monumental or spectacular as summer movies, but they compensate for emphasis on storytelling and character. Most of these fall movies are deeper compared to other seasonal films, and they often have the goal of attracting academy awards. Some are worthy of these awards, others are genuine stinkers.

The Martian, directed by Ridley Scott, is in line with the former. Based off of the Andy Weir novel of the same name, The Martian is the tale of an astronaut trying to survive on Mars after failing to evacuate during a storm. It features Matt Damon, having seen experience in a space oriented film in Interstellar, as well as Jeff Daniels; Sean Bean; Kristen Wiig; and Jessica Chastain.

The movie is about astronaut Mark Watney as he is stranded on Mars after a failed attempt at escaping during a storm. Using his knowledge of botany, he finds a way to grow food and survive longer until help arrives. The help in question comes from NASA, but back at NASA there's internal strife between members over how to maintain NASA's image. China eventually enters the fray, but they also debate on whether to help NASA with saving Watney. All the while Watney endures the perils of surviving on another planet and scavenges for supplies and equipment to hold out. Eventually, both NASA and China's Space Program work together to help bring Watney home alive and in one piece.

The movie stands out at how accurate it is with presenting what colonizing Mars would be like if a single person had to survive on the planet. It also portrays the politics of space program missions with deep intensity, as Jeff Daniels' character makes decisions based on maintaining NASA's image. It's also unique in that the film has a high degree of realism; there are no hostile aliens, rogue robots or androids, backstabbing or crazed humans, or anything of the sort. It's just an astronaut trying to get home.

The only issue is that some of the characters are not fully used in the film. While the story is about an astronaut trying to get home, the politics of the space programs also constitute importance. It's also the result of characters coming together to solve a problem that result in the conflict's resolution. The music score, while fitting, could have also used extra kick.

At the end of the day, it's the first good Ridley Scott film for the first time in years. It also marks a return to his science fiction roots, though calling this work science fiction is a bit of a stretch. This genre is better labeled as speculative fiction, about what could happen if a mission goes wrong and someone is forced to survived on another planet. That said, it's a sign of a director getting his groove back and showing that he can make good films once again. The Martian is also one of the finer films
to be released in a glut of sequel stagnation and mediocre adaptations. That is something that cannot be said for other films.

Ingress and Pokemon Go: Virtual Realities that are Reality

Video games have been a big part of culture since the 1970's and 1980's. The medium has been making an impact on society in more ways than one. That said, video games have been largely confined to a single room. Even with portable gaming through dedicated handhelds and smartphones, nine times out of ten the games take place indoors.

Two companies are planning to change that. Nintendo and Niantic Labs have been developing apps; Pokemon Go for the former, and Ingress for the latter. Pokemon Go has players catching and training the titular creatures while encouraging them to go outside instead of confining themselves into a room to play. Ingress is a competitive social game where dozens of players get together either as the Enlightened or the Resistance. Think geocaching combined with gaming and you get the idea. While Pokemon Go is going to be released somewhere in 2016, Ingress is available on iTunes and Google Play now.

The greatness of these two games are that they require people to go outside to get their gaming done. Not even Candy Crush or Words With Friends can do that. In the process, there's a possibility that players can make new friends in their outdoor ventures. That would mark a compromise between playing video games and going outside.

Of course, there's the possibility of meeting those random strangers that may have bad intentions. There are, after all, adult players in addition to children playing these games. Also, people have been protective of their data because of events unfolding around the world. They fear their data may be sold to other companies or even government agencies. No comment has been made at this time, but it does raise some questions about safety and privacy.

Overall, even with the controversy I applaud companies making an effort to make games that enable people to leave their homes and see the world. It would encourage players to see actual living beings, rather than some username on an online service. Even better, it would stop the racial slurs being spouted by kids playing Call of Duty and make them realize who they're actually talking to. That's definitely a positive that can be thought of in the age of mobile gaming.

Read more about Ingress and Pokemon Go on slate here: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2015/09/ingress_a_video_game_that_inspires_people_to_go_outside.html
Download Ingress on Android here: Ingress - Android Apps on Google Play
Download Ingress on iTunes here: Ingress on the App Store

Bing: The Search Engine That Pays

Search engines on the internet have made it possible for people with a computer or smartphone to find anything in no time at all. Google started this trend back in the 1990's and it's been big business ever since. That said, Google couldn't monopolize search engines forever. Internet sites like Yahoo and Ask.com rose to fill in niches that Google couldn't and in some cases get a piece of that technological pie.

One of those sites was Microsoft's Bing, which also rose to compete against Google. The second largest search engine in the world, Bing has had a very large history. It started out life as a search engine for MSN, before evolving into Windows Live search; then simply Live Search; and now Bing.

Bing stands out against Google by having multiple interface features; being able to preview video content; adjustable image and video search functions; instant answers; and integration with services like Facebook, Apple and Hotmail.

What also makes them stand out is their rewards program. Basically, through connecting a Microsoft account uses can use Bing to earn credits for searches; referrals; and bonuses. Earning enough credits nets users rewards like gift cards; credit for Skype; or even entries to contests for big prizes. While Google has a rewards program of their own, it requires users to have an add-on for their Chrome browsers. Bing can be used on any computer and on any web browsers.

Overall, Bing has been a well-competing search engine for some time now. It's gone through many changes and upgrades, but still stands the test of time against the five hundred pound gorilla of the internet. It's a testament to competition on the scale of the internet.

The #PerformanceMatters movement, and why it matters to me

Okay, before I go into details I was going to make a post about a service I use on a daily basis. Because of the importance of this topic, however, I'm going to have to postpone it until the next post.

Now then, onto the main event. I was on my Twitter account looking for pages and people to follow. As I was doing so, two hashtags caught my eye. They were #PerformanceMatters and  #iAmOnBoard2015. I had a hard time figuring the two out and it wasn't until I dug further into various Twitter accounts and did a search on them did I learn the nature of them. I even took the liberty of spreading the word and mentioning two voice actors that I follow.

The voice actors I follow and am fans of are typically part of a labor union, which is an organization  representing people part of a trade. In the case of these voice actors, they're part of two unions; the SAG, or Screen Actors Guild, and the AFTRA, or the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. These unions, in addition to providing benefits associated with other trade unions, make it possible for voice actors to provide their talents in anything that requires voice work.

Primarily it applies to video games and animation, but there are other mediums that the SAG-AFTRA covers, such as commercials; news reports; and even sound recordings. In the case of this topic, it's about video games and voice work in them. It's also about the treatment and payment of voice actors as well.

Relating to the hashtags and the unions, the SAG-AFTRA has been negotiating with employers to provide bonuses for a number of sales, downloads and subscriptions in games; stunt pay for stressful recordings; stunt coordinators for safer motion capture; and transparency of what union members were getting into in terms of their work. Employers, on the other hand, have not only rejected these negotiations but even had proposals of their own.

These proposals consist of letting producers charge $2,500 fines for actors being late or even any reason they can think of; fining agents large sums of money for not sending out voice actors to specified auditions; revoking SAG-AFTRA union franchises from agents for refusal
of submission to said aformentioned auditions; hiring their own workers to do motion capture work without dealing with unions to save money; and other proposals reducing fees and rolling back gains from SAG-AFTRA contracts. In short, cutting costs and punishing actors and agents for petty
reasons.

The agent franchise revoking set me off the most because of how agents would have to force voice actors to certain auditions or the agents in question lose their rights to send voice actors on union work. Some of this union work covered happens to be audiobooks, and that would affect potential authors such as myself hiring talent for audiobooks. While the topic is voice work in video games and the treatment of voice actors, the SAG-AFTRA union happens to cover audiobooks so this movement bears importance to me.

What I really want to say is that these voice actors are not just voice actors. They're hard working  human beings like you and me, trying their damndest to earn an honest living in a world where work is a dime a dozen. I took this for granted in my younger years when I watched specific animations and played certain games, but as I got older I learned that the voices in those works weren't magic or artificial. They were the result of actual living beings doing what they love. While I won't go into details, I know of people struggling to earn a living because of powers beyond their control, such as careless corporations; self-centered politicians; and other groups and people that want to make things harder for everyone else. It's enough that a family member; friend or next door neighbor is having hard times working in the modern world, but when I hear of voice actors going through this trouble as well, that's a personal problem. This is especially taking in to consideration that most of the credentials of these voice actors consists of video games, and there's quite a few that I own that had the talents of these people.

Speaking of games and voice actors, here's my confessions. I may not buy every work that a certain voice actor has been in. I'm not into fighting games like BlazBlue or Mortal Kombat. I never liked Role Playing Games like Final Fantasy and Persona. I avoided the Silent Hill, Resident Evil and Metal Gear franchises despite being the owner of PlayStation video game consoles. I also admit that I buy video games and other voice heavy works based on what I enjoy, because they're hobbies to me.
Do I still support these voice actors despite these facts? Yes, greatly. If there's a medium or work that I like and if I hear a certain voice actor's voice or see a voice actor's name pop up on the credits of works that I like, that puts a smile on my face knowing that a work I like has been given life by people that I'm fans of. If these voice actors also like interests that I and any of their fans like, that also makes me happy and gives me incentive to support them even more.

The voice actors part of this union are voting to go on strike as we speak. While I myself cannot vote, support for this action is strong amongst readers and fans alike whether they play video games or not. Notice for this action has attracted the likes of Moviepilot and Variety, both of which are notable and reputable sources. Even Wil Wheaton and Jon Bailey, the former a Star Trek cast member and TV show host while the latter being the Honest Trailers voice person, are on the #PerformanceMatters bandwagon. It's only a matter of time before the strike happens and these major gaming companies wake up and learn that voice actors are not just people behind a microphone. It's time that these voice actors get the treatment they deserve.

A hub for USBs: The IOGEAR USB 3.0 Hub

USB devices are commonplace in the world nowadays. Card readers for SD cards have them; smartphones can connect to USB ports for charging and data; external devices like keyboards, mice and external drives require USB ports to even work. They're also evolving with different standards that increase compatibility and speed. Alas, as we get more devices with USB it gets harder to find places to plug them all in. Eventually, it comes down to finding a hub to connect everything.

A company named IOGEAR was one of many companies that heeded the call to make these products. Some succeeded in rising to the occasion, while others were left in the dust and forgotten. IOGEAR is best categorized in the former, thanks to their USB 3.0 SuperSpeed 4-Port hub. This USB hub offers the latest in offering extra space for USB devices. It utilizes USB 3.0, which is faster compared to USBs 2.0 and 1.1. Speaking of which, there is compatibility for the latter two in case you have devices that are not USB 3.0.

Installation is simple: plug in the power adapter to the USB hub; plug the USB cable into the hub and to your computer; and then let your computer find the drivers to the USB hub.

I've been using this for some time now and have yet to find any problems, so long as the hub is plugged in to the computer directly. This is great because I have a place for my many USB flash drives so I can back up small files and documents on them. I can also have a dedicated USB port for my external hard drive again to make room for the aforementioned USB flash drives. A great product for those looking for the latest USB hub.

The IOGEAR USB 3.0 hub can be purchased here: http://www.amazon.com/IOGEAR-SuperSpeed-USB-4-Port-GUH374/dp/B006DEBNLW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1442758073&sr=8-3&keywords=iogear+usb+hub

For those of you coming from Twitter.

Ah, you found me through my Twitter account. Well lucky you, because I've got a lot to explain.

First, this is my blog for my "Animator's Dream" novels that are in writing. If I write something relating to those works, I put them on this blog and link to my Twitter account for other Twitter users to see. Hashtags will be included regarding authoring in this case.

There are also quick product reviews that I will post on items that I personally own and use at least once a week. If there's any item of interest or use and if you need to know whether to buy it or not, I'll write a post reviewing that product.

Sometimes I'll put up a rant on the pop culture front; in rare cases I'll pick on more serious topics but nothing hot button. I'm leaving those topics to the dogs.

In rare cases, I may have a super special blog post that may be longer than other postings. These will be given unique labels relating to the topic at hand.

Not taking into account re-tweets, blog postings are how you can notice activity that happens on my Twitter page. If you spot any of my blog postings or see me re-tweet anything, hit the follow button so you can receive my content.

That's all. I look forward to using a (hopefully) better means of spreading my blog after the disastrous Facebook attempts. I hope you look forward to my blog posts.

Possible Twitter Account

I'm writing this post because I'm considering creating a Twitter account for this blog.

I've hosted this blog on Google's Blogger service and put up postings on Facebook so people would notice. Unfortunately, that's not working out the way I wanted it. Hardly anyone actually looks at the Facebook page for this blog and the blog in general. Not giving away any names, but I know of some people with Twitter accounts and people are reaching out towards them at alarming rates. It doesn't help that Facebook has to rely on costly post boosting while Twitter has spreads through simple sharing, called re-tweets, and hashtags. Those two by themselves are responsible for multiple followers for anyone with a Twitter account. Facebook has hashtags as well, but they're not as potent there as on Twitter.

I will admit I don't do much with the Facebook page for the blog, right down to not having a proper cover for it. While I could make a cover for the blog page, making the page look good is meaningless if there's nobody to even look at it. At that point, however, it's time that I moved on to other means of spreading the word.

The Rise of Audiobooks

I google searched 'audiobook article' one day to find extra information regarding audiobooks to revise my writing report with. Two articles in particular that caught my eye came from both the Wall Street Journal and the Independent, both being high reputation websites.

The articles interested me because it shows how far audiobooks have come in terms of accessibility. In my writing report, I mentioned how it was a luxury for school libraries and public libraries had entire sections for audiobook access. I also stated, however, that the evolution of technology has made it possible for audiobooks to be available to anyone with a computer and/or a smartphone. Previously, audiobooks had to be carried around via CD player or tape cassette, both cumbersome devices. Nowadays, MP3 files; iPods and mobile media players almost replace such devices and make it easier to enjoy and carry around audiobooks.

In addition, audiobooks in the marketplace are now worth unbelievable profits. Sales of audiobooks are on the rise and it's changing the way books are read in a positive way. Amazon's audible service has over twenty thousand audiobooks with narrations and they add more a month. Billions of dollars in revenue are raked in, and prices are on par with that of e-books. This is a far cry from the past where audiobooks cost $50 tops.

This is a big deal for me because I want to hire voice actors for audiobook adaptations of my work. Voice actors also benefit because it's considered a lucrative side job for them. Hollywood talent tends to take the reign of some audiobook titles, but my works won't have such talent. I wanted to get voice actors from anime; cartoons and games involved in my audiobook projects. Ditto that remark for any animated or game based adaptations of my work.

I was actually inspired by such voice actors reading books that I got from the library. That's what motivated me to write my novels, so the same would happen with my work. That's why I want to write novels: to introduce new stories and to get my role models involved.

The articles that this post pertains to can be found here:
The New Explosion in Audio Books - Wall Street Journal
Sound and the story: The rise of the audiobook - The Independent

Novel Progress as of 2015

I've been writing my Animator's Dream novel since the year 2010. That's five years of me writing out this novel, but I have to admit some of that time was spent taking a break from it.

The time spent writing this book consisted of going through my outline and getting inspirations for the characters in the various chapters. I also spent time revising and even overhauling the manuscript. The issue is that I've written more content than I wanted and I felt some of it was irrelevant filler. In rare cases it's a matter of changing text based on subject matter, but those instances are rare.

Now, I will admit most of my time had been spent not writing the novel but that's because I was taking a break and gathering thoughts. I only got back into the groove of writing it because it'd been on hold for a long time. I hear of stories of writers putting out books every few months and here I am with my first novel having been under writing for a half of a decade. These are people churning out books and making some kind of money while I am still working on my own.

That's changed now. I've started getting back on track and even set up special scheduling to keep myself working. In addition to school and secondary tasks, I've been making plans for my career and overall future. I'm not going to specify what kind of plans since this is no place for my personal life and details, but it's time for me to change for the better and to complete long-term goals. This includes this novel.

Photoshop Freeware: GIMP

When you think of a computer program used for graphic design, the first that comes to mind is Adobe's Photoshop. Accessible to newbies; artists and professionals, Photoshop has access to multiple tools and effects that allow for high quality pictures and designs. It even has other capabilities such as 3D designs and limited animation. With great power, however, comes a great price; with prices starting at $500 and some outlets selling Photoshop at $1,000, this is no bargain. While Adobe offers Photoshop in their Creative Cloud suite, a monthly subscription is required to use the program. This is an option some aren't willing to accept or can't afford. Granted, there's Photoshop Elements also by Adobe but that program doesn't hold a candle compared to the main event. Still, graphic artists and designers of all kinds need a photo and art program of some kind to earn a living.

Fortunately, there's someone who believes in the spirit of free software. That someone made GIMP; short for GNU Image Manipulation Program, it serves to be a freeware alternative to Photoshop for those not willing to pay massive prices or monthly subscriptions. While it works closely like Photoshop, there are some features that make it stand out from its commercial bretheren.

First, GIMP has support for PSD files out of the box; PSD is the native Photoshop file, and if one doesn't have Photoshop at home they can use GIMP to continue working on projects. GIMP also has features similar to or even equal with Photoshop, such as lasso tools; clone stamps and even healing tools. GIMP also has line stroking tools and effects, great for making line art scanned to the computer.

GIMP can also save in a variety of formats like .JPEG; .GIF; .PNG; .TIFF, and many more. This is a plus for those that need Photoshop but want to save money. It also has support for plug-ins that add to GIMP further, which is also an advantage because it gives extra features not found in GIMP. In rare cases the latter turns GIMP into a completely different program altogether.

The only bad thing about GIMP is that it can do things just as well as Photoshop, but not everything. For one thing, GIMP won't be able to do 3D graphics, and you'd have to get plugins to do basic animations.

Overall, if you want an alternative to Photoshop and are intimidated by massive price tags or subscriptions GIMP is for you. While not as powerful, GIMP is a program marked by its versatility and community support. I strongly recommend it.

Download GIMP here: http://www.gimp.org/downloads/

This Honey Badger Cares: The Honey Add-On for Web Browsers

Saving money: a skill that's important for survival next to cooking. Some use coupons to cut down on bills; others take advantage of special offers in stores; then there's good, old-fashioned savings accounts and smart financial management. In the 21st century, however, all of that is taken to the next level.

An add-on for web browsers, Honey helps whenever you're trying to find a coupon code for shopping on the internet. It works with a wide variety of stores, ranging from retailers like amazon.com, to restaurants such as Papa Johns and Domino's.

Installing the add-on is simple. Go to the Honey website, scroll down to the "Download Now Free" button, and the web browser will do the rest. Congratulations, you now have access to coupon codes and extra savings.

In addition, there's a rewards program associated with the Honey add-on where you earn a currency called HoneyGold. For each dollar amount you spend, you earn the associated amount of HoneyGold. This can be used for redeeming amazon.com gift cards and, if their website is any indication, actual gold. Yeah, that gold; the same gold found on Fort Knox, Jewelry and to a degree electronics.

Overall, this add-on is strongly recommended for those trying to save money. Install it, and you'll be able to do just that.

Download the add-on here: https://www.joinhoney.com/
Join the HoneyGold program here: https://www.joinhoney.com/honeygold

The Anker Bluetooth Keyboard: A Great Hardware Piece

The QWERTY keyboard; a staple of computer users since its inception, and is practically required next to the mouse to even operate a computer. Over time, however, keyboards change along with the world around them. They get new types of connections; can be used over a wide area of operating systems; even have additional buttons for exclusive features. In the case of Anker's Bluetooth keyboard, they become wireless.

Introductions out of the way, the Anker Bluetooth keyboard is a compact keyboard that can be used with anything that has support for Bluetooth hardware. Ranging from computers with either built-in or added on Bluetooth radios; Android devices like the Samsung Galaxy lineup; Apple's iOS systems; even Sony's PlayStation 3 supports this keyboard.

Pairing is simple. Turn on the keyboard, press the blue Fn key and the Z key, activate the Bluetooth finder on whatever device you have, pair the device by inputting the code that pops up, and you're done. Oh, and don't forget to charge the device up in case it doesn't have power.

The keyboard is more or less a bang for one's buck, costing only $16 online at amazon.com and working just as well as any keyboard. Highly recommended.

Buy this keyboard discussed in this blog here:
Amazon.com - Anker Bluetooth Keyboard

Sending SASEs to Special Services and Celebrities

Got a celebrity you like and want an autograph from? Can't make it to that fan convention due to circumstances out of your control? Sending a document to an official organization for publishing? If you answered yes to any of these questions, I've got the thing for you.

The SASE, or Self Addressed Stamped Envelope for short, is a special document that consists of two envelopes each with postage stamped on. It is used to send fan requests for autographs or manuscripts to publishing companies. Sweepstakes companies even request these documents in the event someone wins a massive prize.

The process is simple: have two envelopes with postage for both of them. The smaller envelope should NOT, repeat, NOT sealed up as this is reserved for the receiver to do so. Also have the intended delivery address--your address by the way--on this smaller envelope. Put the smaller envelope in the larger envelope. The larger envelope should have both the delivery address to the celebrity or company on it and a return address should things go wrong. Seal up the larger envelope, put postage on it and send it out. Hopefully you'll get a response in a few weeks.

That's all. Not so bad, is it?

Sources:
Self Addressed Stamped Envelope - Wikipedia
How to Send an S.A.S.E. (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope)

ReTrak Selfie Stick: Self-Indulging and Self-Satisfying

First and foremost, the Selfie Stick by ReTrak can be purchased on Amazon.com for $20 here: ReTrak Selfie Stick with Bluetooth

The Selfie Stick: a product of smartphone owners around the world who want to be able to take pictures of themselves without exposing the smartphone in question. While no substitute for dedicated cameras with tripods or even high powered compact point and shoot cameras, it's great for if you have a phone with a high quality camera built in and need a stable hand for photography. So how does the Selfie Stick by ReTrak stack up?

The device in question is well built, not feeling like it's going to break but not too durable at the same time.

Operating the device is easy. The phone goes on the clamp at the end of the stick, and in the case of the model that I am using, has a switch on the bottom to turn the Selfie Stick's Bluetooth function on or off. Pairing the phone with the stick varies between phone models but it's a matter of going through menus and following instructions. There's a button on the stick allowing the picture to be taken when phones are in camera mode.

The only bad thing about the Selfie Stick is that the clamp part tends to flip when trying to extend outwards. This could be based on me using my Samsung Galaxy S4 phone while operating the Selfie Stick, however.

In conclusion, this is a great device for taking pictures of yourself or your friends but you don't have a dedicated camera. Smartphones are common place and almost everyone has one, so if you want a tool in assisting that camera app the ReTrak Selfie Stick is for you.

Hiatus Return

For anyone that's new to this blog, feel free to ignore this post and just treat it as a "welcome to my blog" posting. Everyone else, read on.

I'm announcing the return to my blog after two years of no activity. I haven't posted anything in a long time not only because of outside issues, but also I felt that I haven't had anything new to say in a while.

That's about to change since from this point on, every two days a new blog posting will be created. Topics will range from progress in my novel; discussions about voice actors and audiobooks; product reviews; and other quality topics.

Again, I haven't had anything to write in a while but I promise I will change that. In fact I plan on making lots of changes not just in my blog, but with myself and others.