1st edition cover page for NaNowriMo 2013 novel

Here's the first edition of the cover I have made, because it looks awfully empty without it!

Okay, so I lied!

I didn't update as planned, but who ever does? I did however spend a lot of time thinking about my novel. It's such a long way until November, but still it's just around the corner and there is so much to do! Let's make a NaNoWriMo check list of what needs to be done (okay I just really want a good reason to postpone actually developing the idea at this point because usually that's where things get messy, untidy, and unclear)

Things a novel need:

- A title. A strong, poetic, special, non-cliché title. This does not necessarily need to be in place as writing begins.

- A setting. Work with geographical, historical and social. You can be ambiguous about one of three when writing, but choose wisely otherwise you'll end up being the bed-headboard-book-equalizer because you so uneven in yo language not even IKEA could assemble you straight.

- A main character. Or many, I mean let's be honest, isn't dual-narratives becoming a real thing lately? But be careful, or you might end up with half-naked characters (figuratively speaking).

- A plot. At least something that remotely resembles it. There are different types of novels, character based, plot based or setting based. (I made the last one up completely, it sounds awful, but the idea is there nevertheless) What did you start out with? It will be obvious to the reader what was there first; plot, character or setting.


Things I need:

- Lists. Of everything that could/would/should/might/will happen.

- A cover. I want to imagine the world and DO I wish I could draw. I have the hand-eye coordination of a one-winged seagull. Of course, they don't have hands at all... Poor things.

- Caffeine. Coffee is fine. Red Bull is better.


And what of this do I have as of this moment? Nada. Like literally nothing. I mean literally, as in there is so little substantial material written down right now we might as well not. Fret not. The day will come when ideas start coming to me again. Until then, I will blog selflessly in denial of the passing of time.

By Yours Truly,
ETBlogsHome 2013-10-06

Dealing with structure (when used to non-structure),,,

I am referring to life. Life organization, planning, having a goal, dreams, routines, customs, rules, ete. I like to think my life is ordinary. I wake up, go to work, go home, eat, watch TV, move to the computer, move to the bed, and read, then sleep, and then wash, rinse and repeat. However this has led to me having some issues with control. I like having things in order. I like time schedules, and clocks and notes and lists and other pseudo-psychotic ticks. You want to know what happens when things change that I can't affect? Boom.

I am lost, I help helpless, and weak, and oh God, are those paper clippings on your desk? A tidy workspace is a haven for productivity. *cleanliness is next to Godliness*.

Of course I am kidding. I suck at structure. Someone actually has to hold me to a routine at work for me to do it. Double standards such as making independent decisions versus "you-better-check-with-someone", are tearing me apart.

And yesterday we introduced a completely new system. Great. I'm not going to panic. Sigh.

HOW CAN YOU CAUSE SUCH DISARRAYMENT AND THEN LOOK THE OTHER WAY?!

WHY WON'T YOU TAKE SUGGESTIONS?!

*heavy breathing*

Okay. I'm fine. But responsibility on the workplace is important. I'm just not up there enough yet to be able to call someone out on it. I was clean out insulted today, because they didn't think I had the knowledge to be on our new systems, because I've only worked there for about 5 months, which was completely uncalled for, just because management thought I'd pick it up faster than someone who has been wokring on the same basics and resisted change for years on end. Ha to you, but I also hope you get over it soon.

As usual, I am more two-sided to a story than a 4 year old.

Well, no more talk about work tonight. I'm working on my plot for NaNo this year, so better get back to that. I'll probably make an update on it on Friday!

By Yours Truly,
ETBlogsHome 2013-10-02

NaNoWriMo 2013

I'm going to do it!!! Last time was in 2011, and I only made it about halfway, to circa 30000 words.

This time, I'm going for gold. Now I just need to find something to write about.... Plot updates coming soon

By Yours Truly
ETBlogsHome 2013-10-01

What I know and don't know

A couple of years back I was like any other teenager. I wanted to get a DSLR camera, and so I did (after much saving). I got it when I was 13, and since then... Well, let's just say that it hasn't been used much. I am a sucker for new challenges. However, if things get too hard, or there are no answers, I bore easily. Take this example of one of my first photos:

It is washed out, and bland, but I was so happy I understood lens flare! (This is also a good example of how opportunity meets luck)

However I progressed, and learnt that even though nature photos are "nice", I wanted "fun". And to me, fun means straight out life caught on camera! This is an example photo taken a while after winter passed.

An that is what colour coordination looks like. This was in aperture priority mode (AV on my PENTAX), 5.6 F, shutter speed 1/400 sek and an ISO of 200, no zoom, no flash. The light is actually coming from behind Mollie, but thanks to the low ISO, light envelops her even with a relatively normal shutter speed.

Here is another example;

This photo was also taken in aperture priority mode, 4 F, shutter speed 1/40 sek and ISO 1600, with a 18-55 standard kit lens, zoomed all the way in. The high ISO allows for bad lighting, but a high shutter speed as well. The aperture is relatively low, giving a very blurred background, and its manually locked to focus on a very small spot  around eleven o'clock.

This picture on the other hand;

is taken with ISO 400, 8 F, and shutter speed 1/125 sek. It's also worth to mention it's taken with a 55-300 kit lens. The "higher" aperture allows for the black to be blacker. The low ISO makes sure the colours don't get washed out. Shutter speed is balanced to show contrast and definition to the details of the birds and trees. SO. Balance huh? Can't be that hard! 

Everyone loves to see "Don't do this things". Here you go:

The lens is all wrong! This is the 18-55 lens. It is paired with a high ISO of 180, and a too low aperture of 6,3. It was taken in full manual mode, all zoomed out and no flash. Below is comparatively an image taken under the right circumstances:

This was taken with the 55-300 lens, zoomed out, without flash. The ISO is lowered to 800, and the aperture is 5,6. It was take on my cameras "Portrait mode" which means all I change is the ISO, and this is done on feel and trial and error.

This is an example of placement and alignment. The settings are identical. ISO 800, F 5,6, shutter speed 1/2 sek taken at 42 mm zoom with the kit lens. Many times you dont need to photoshop things like this, but to make them more attractive you could tilt them, or add a black and white filter, which is the cheepest editing trick you can do, but it works!

Well that last one might be over done to prove a point, but see what a little shuffling and black and white can do? Here are some examples of over worked photos:

I think that's all for today! 

I guess the world doesn't actually end...

if you fail high school.

"Oh no, but without an education, you don't have anything!" I've really come to realize how boldly overstated that phrase is. Sure, things were looking, to say the least, like sh.t when I got my results. Didn't pass math or chemistry. Cried some (this on the other hand is a bold understatement), tried to snap out of it (a very lean attempt it was, but an attempt nevertheless), and then entered limbo (this is the phase where you simultaneously feel like a huge failure and want to do it over again, and being generally mad and saying things like "To -bleep- with high school, I'll just live on pasta for the rest of my life").

About a week after I'd gotten my results and some really good advise from my ex-mentor everyone in Sweden got their University application results. Turned out, I still got competence enough to get into my second choice of uni. I also landed a secondary replacement place for my primary uni; I thought that was quite an achievement (which it really was, and allow me to boast for a second *drumroll* done.)

Once August finally rolled around I had prepared myself for everything. Not really, quite the opposite. There were too many ways things could go. I'd already gotten into one university, which I could choose to enroll in. I wouldn't know until the sixth if I'd gotten in on my first choice, which would mean going there but the odds of that were so slim. Or, if I got really lucky I might get a continued contract with IKEA. That would according to me at the time, be my best choice. And then August sixth came.

I couldn't believe it when I saw that I got in to molecularbiology in Lund, with two failed IB subjects! Great, now I knew what I was going to do.

That was until the 16th. This was a Friday (just before Saturday and Sunday). Finally I was going to get turned down from IKEA. But then of course that didn't happen for God knows things shouldn't be easy! I got offered a full time contract until February. At least I had the weekend to think about what I was going to do.

That I did. You cannot count the amount of times I wanted to change my mind about everything! Work for a year, earn some money, relax a bit, and just have a general study break. Or jump right back into school. In the end, with the help of the best person in the world, I decided.

University can wait. It turns out, the world can be lenient with you as long as you manage to stick to your gut about something.

I'm not advising everyone to not go to university, but in a worlds where more people have Bachelor degrees than ever, they become interchangeable. Employers require work-life experience!

So here I am, with the first grown-up decision ever. I think it's going to be one good year.

By yours truly,
ETBlogsHome 2013-08-21

Using and abusing social media...

is generally a hot topic. Based on your generation, location, and most of all your personality you'll stand by a specific boundary where using turns into abusing. Of course this goes for most any thing. Language into cursing, comedies into offensive material, and should children be allowed to play with toys with loose plastic eyes or not?

As humans I believe we are bound to conflicts, confrontation, and collectivism. We identify a "problem", create the "problem" and then we take a stand against or for it, often divided into two sides relying on the counter arguments or the other side.

Passivity and "agressivity" have become driving forces in debates. You have a problem? Well, we have a problem with you having a problem!

That's the way it's always been, and look how well that's worked out!

We need change, development is the only way forward!

Rome wasn't built in a day!

An apple a day keeps the doctor away! (Okay, fair enough, I added this one our of pure sarcasm/irony who knows what is what anyways, none of you people reading it certainly.(And you should always have an even number of arguments. I'm a sucker for even numbers))

*Ahem*... Right, back to the point. Social media is expanding, and you can't find a respectable company that doesn't have a Facebook page. Television? Sure, there are advertisements on there, you've probably come across one or two. Amish? Maybe not so much social media.

My generation (in general) is constantly connected. Internet to your phone, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Kik, Tumblr, Stumbleupon, etc etc etc. I spend countless hours each day either in front of the computer or my phone! Break at work? Of course I'll bring my phone to play Candy Crush Saga for 10 min. Lunch? I'll check Instagram, then Tumblr, then Facebook, then over again.

So am I a user or an abuser? I would say that if I did not have a semi-respectable job to go to each day, I'd be an abuser. Now my main focus in life is not technology (even though I technically spend 7 hours a day at work on les interwebs too). It's purely for recreational use. But then again, that's what all the druggies call it, isn't it?

Well, this has been a lot of fun, if you feel like sharing your thoughts on social media and our use of it feel free. There is no toll charge on the comments box!

By yours truly, ETBlogsHome 2013-08-04