Wednesday, January 20, 2016

SciFi/Fantasy Life Wannabe

When Do You Want to Be?

Over the radio, I heard of studies, interviews and polls that asked people, “What would you do if you were presented with a real, working time machine?”

An interesting highlight was the large number of people who would go back to a particular time or event, such as a key battle, but only to be in a role of some consequence.

Where Do You Want to Be?

I had a friend post on Facebook: "If you could live in any world from any book you've read, which world would it be?"

I responded, "Quite a few would be fun to visit, but not live. I am quite content where I am. Reading makes for great visiting."

Who Do You Want to Be?

How many people would love to be a certain character or role in a book they've read, as opposed to just a personality in that world? In all of entertainment - with the many novels, comic books, television shows, movies and more out there - would I be content to be a side player or minor character if I could really live it? Or would I want to be the main character? 

Take the Marvel universe, for example: Would I be content to be a mom, wife, writer, business woman in ed tech - basically, the person I am now, in the same roles - in a universe with aliens, inhumans, secret agencies, and superheros? Or would I want to be an Avenger myself or an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.?

The first thing to pop into my head at sight of the Facebook query was the Star Wars universe. But if I'm not involved with Luke Skywalker or a Jedi, what else of interest would there be?

I thought of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern. But thoughts of the reality of a medieval-like society with its social strata and lack of technology, especially modern medicine, pressed down on me. It’s the same reason I might perk up at the idea of going to visit medieval times in our own reality and universe, given a time machine, but, in the end, a renaissance fair or festival sounds more fun and practical.

The true bottom line here is people like to think of being someone different, not just themselves in a different setting, possibly with the rules of our immediate universe thrown to the wind. There is nothing wrong with dreaming.

We essentially ask kids the time machine question* when we ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

*(It was interesting to note from the radio presentation that the question never included the provision you could only travel backward, yet a large of number of responses were framed within that idea.)

Fiction and even the history books are great places to start to expand your imagination as to the possible answers to this question of who you want to be.

How relevant is setting to your role?

If you could have a real, working time machine, would you use it? When would you go?


If you could live in any fictional universe, which would it be?

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

A Fresh Start



I have agonized for a while now over what to do with my several blogs. I finally realized and accepted the need to simmer down to one.

I’m rebranding myself: I am consolidating to this blog where I can express whatever comes my way in my favorite media: the written word. You will still find much about life, faith, parenting, dogs traveling and more – everything that comes my way! Gaming and cosplay are going to start playing a bigger role in my web presence, as they are in my life.

I write fiction, too! Between here and my redesigned website, which will be available June 12th, you will hopefully get to see some of my science fiction and fantasy writing.

I will be removing my other blogs from Blogger at the end of the month. However, copies of selected posts will be available on my Portfolio page of the new site.

I also write a Christian email devotional, the eDevo, as the Spirit moves me. A new website solely dedicated to the eDevo will also be launched and ready for viewing on Friday. You can read sample messages and sign up to start receiving them in your inbox.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Genre Favorites

What better way to introduce my new blog and reveal a little bit about myself than through a Genre Favorites Blogfest, courtesy of Alex J. Cavanaugh?

Movie: My favorite movie genre is Comedy. Movies are so real with vivid images provided for the viewer. I do not like to be emotionally and visually immersed in serious, shocking or threatening situations. Since my mind is on vacation from imagining the visual while watching a movie, I prefer to be on vacation all around, just having fun and being able to laugh.

Music: I truly cannot choose a single favorite genre of music. I have far spread music tastes and it always boils down to the individual song, not genre, and not even artist or album hold much sway. When I write, I prefer no music. When I read, I generally do not listen to music, but will sometimes listen to instrumental pieces if I feel the mood fits what I'm reading. Dancing, exercising, and driving are times I listen to music, often peppy, quick beat styles. Soft, quiet music can be used for relaxation and occasionally to help me drift off to sleep.

Books: My favorite books are Science Fiction and Fantasy. I love stories about space, the future, robotics, superheroes, magic, etc. Some might separate these into two separate genres, but I list them together here so as not to have to give up my "guilty pleasure" genre choice.

Guilty Pleasure from 3 categories above: As a writer and a reader, I have to list books my "guilty pleasure" choice for this blogfest. My other favorite genre of books is Christian nonfiction, mostly Bible studies and devotionals.

I love to write - to play with words, fully investigate their meanings and context and use them to build pieces. The genres I love to read are also the genres I love to write.

What are your favorite genres of movie, music and books?