Senin, 31 Oktober 2011

Happy Halloween + Horror Movie Survival Guide


Hello, lovelies! 

I'm back to wish everyone a happy Halloween! I hope everyone enjoys their last day of freedom before NaNo begins. I know I will. (By the way, if you want to become my NaNo buddy, click HERE and I'll love you forever.)

In the spirit of the holiday, I typed up a horror movie survival guide. Everyone I showed it to pestered me to share it here, so that's what I'm going to do. But I must warn you: There is some seriously harsh language. If you don't like that sort of stuff, feel free to skip this post.

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Survival Guide
Rules to Surviving a Horror Movie
Has a masked killer ever chased you through a graveyard in the dead of night? Is a sociopathic burn victim invading your dreams? Have you awakened one or more times to find a ghostly Japanese child looming in the corner of your bedroom? Has a machete-wielding maniac ever ruined what should've been a hormonally driven, weekend-long bangfest between you and your uncannily sexy friends?

If so, you're probably in a horror movie. But fear not! Just follow the simple rules found in this guide and you'll be sure to stumble to safety before the credits roll.


1.) Never, under any circumstances, investigate that noise!
Things that go bump in the night are fucking spooky. Which is exactly why you should never go "check it out!" Ignore it, tell yourself it was the wind, whatever--just DON'T investigate. Remember: Curiosity killed the dumb teenager.

2.) Basements and attics kill more unsuspecting teenagers a year than spoiled milk, escalators, and auto-erotic asphyxiation accidents combined.
Stay clear of all basements and attics. They are death traps. Dark and musty, usually lacking proper electricity, with plenty of old--and probably creepy as shit--family heirlooms that will make you shit yourself right before the actual killer slits yours throat from behind. Be mindful of: the area under the stairs, the rafters, all dark corners.
2b.) Running upstairs, AKA: The Fuckwit's Death.
When being chased through a dark house by a bloodthirsty lunatic, the worst thing you can do is go upstairs. Stairs only lead to the killer carving you up like a Christmas goose and fashioning your skin into coverings for his furniture, Ed Gein style.

2c.) The front door is a lie.
The front door always holds the promise of safety...the only problem? It's usually locked. And those precious seconds you're going to spend fumbling with the lock like a tweaking Michael J. Fox are all the killer needs to catch up and slit your throat from ear to ear.

3.) Have your keys at the ready!
You've been there--a shadowy killer is pursuing you through a dark alley. You finally reach your car. Panting, you dive into the front seat, but fumble with your keys and drop them, losing them in the darkness by your feet. Now you're going to die like the whimpering child you are. Keep a firm grip on your keys at all times. Tape the friggin' key-chain to your hand if you have to!

4.) Being in the dark (or even dim-light) is synonymous with 'instant death sentence.'
Going anywhere near the dark is just asking to have your head ripped off and your nostrils raped. It's just bad for business--granted you're in the business of "God help me! I don't want to die like this!" So, if you want to go on living, gather all the lamps in the house and hunker down until dawn.
4b.) If the flashlight goes out, you're screwed.
If you find yourself forced into a situation where you have to brave the darkness, keep a backup flashlight or extra batteries on you at all times! If you even suspect your flashlight is about to go out, break out the backup or change the battery immediately! And be quick about it! Every second you're without a light source is time the killer/ghost/demon/wereplatypus is using to close in on you!

5.) This is your brain, this is drugs, this is your decapitated head after you used those drugs. I can totally see your brain, by the way.
Engaging in the use of substances including, but not limited to: marijuana, hashish, mushrooms, cocaine, heroin, opium, meth, LSD or any other hallucinogen will probably get you gutted up the middle and left choking on your own blood. Hell--even alcohol will probably land you with a hatchet in your forehead. Or at least a butter knife in the eye.

6.) Sex is usually awesome...just not right now.
Yeah, yeah--I know. 'No sex?! This is bullshit!' you say. But hear me out. There's something about the mind of a horror movie monster/killer/CGI abomination that makes it get all worked up when it sees two (or more, if you're into that) young, attractive people boinking like bunnies. And, for reasons science can't explain, that makes them go all stabbity-rip-stab-stab. Usually on your faces and naughty parts. And no one wants that.
(*And yes, masturbation IS included. So, stop fapping so damn much.)
7.) Dress appropriately!
Close-fitting jeans and shirts (preferably sleeveless) to avoid getting caught on any pesky twigs while you're running blindly through the forest from that disfigured cannibal. Hiking boots with the laces tucked in are probably the ideal footwear. Absolutely NO high-heels! You WILL trip and you WILL twist your ankle and you WILL die. If possible, cut your hair short. Nothing is worse than being this close to safety and having your sexylicious hair get caught on a branch and ruin everything.

8.) Don't trust the sexy stranger.
Strangers are bad news--especially if they also happen to be a friggin' sex bomb. It doesn't matter if they're the smoothest, most charming motherfucker you've ever met--if you've never met them and they make your no-no place tingle, it's highly likely they want to slice you open and eat your spleen.

9.) If there's no indoor bathroom, hold it!
Nothing will get you killed quicker and in a more degrading way than going outside after dark to take a piss. Unless you want to die with your dick in your hand, you'd best wait until morning...or use the kitchen sink.

10.) Doors that open by themselves, AKA: It's A Trap!
You know those box-and-string traps? Prop the box up with a stick, tie a string to the stick, put food under the box, and wait. Eventually, something will be stupid enough to check it out. Simple, right? But people aren't dumb enough to fall for that. Nooo, of course not. Actually. Yes. This is just like that, except instead of food, the bait isn't even anything tangible. It's pure curiosity that drives your stupid ass to see what's behind that door. And what's behind that door is actually a ghost that plans to feast on your fucking soul.

11.) Don't be an asshat.
The douchebag usually makes it pretty far, but they always get their comeuppance in the end. And, nine times out of ten, it's fucking gruesome. If you don't want to be to one who gets strung up by meat-hooks jammed into your eye sockets, you probably shouldn't be a little bitch about everything.

12.) Drive quickly, but safely!
Cars in horror movies will flip over if you sneeze on them, so even the slightest bump in the road will send you flying end over end. You'll probably survive the crash, but you won't be so lucky when the killer shows up to rip your jaw off.

13.) NEVER get out of the car.
You're driving on an old dirt road after dark. Your tire blows. You aren't getting a signal on your cell phone. You have no idea how far away civilization is. What do you do? Get out and find help? Well, sure--if you want to die like an idiot, go ahead and walk. But for all you sane people who don't want to end up as a skin-suit, lock the doors, huddle up in the backseat, and wait until morning. If anyone shows up and offers you a ride, DON'T take it. They'll skullfuck you to death.
13b.) The backseat will fuck you over.
If you're stupid enough to leave your vehicle, you're usually going to get chased back into said vehicle by a flesh-hungry ghost child. But the thing is, that ghost child is probably already lying in wait in your shadowy backseat. As soon as you breath that heavy, relieved sigh, it's going to lurch around and rip your lungs out.

14.) If an invisible force attacks you in the night, sell the fucking house.
Seriously--don't be an idiot. Even if it's the house you've been dreaming about all your life, pack your shit and hit the road. If you stay, you're just asking for it.
14b.) When the dog is barking at nothing, it isn't really "nothing."
Don't brush it off just because it's the dog. Fido is probably smarter than you are.

15.) Trust your gut!
If you have a sneaking feeling he might be a creeper, he probably is. Get out of there before he staples you to a chair and forces you to watch him dance naked to Goodbye Horses. Remember kids: If it seems sketchy, it probably is, and you will probably be skinned alive and left hanging over an open fire by your feet to cook slowly like gross teenager jerky (which tastes like angst and Mountain Dew, by the way).
15b.) Feel that tickle on the back of your neck? Don't ignore it!
Do you ever feel like someone is watching you? Someone probably is. And they probably want to crack your skull open and drink from it like a goddamn coconut.

16.) If you're by yourself, you're dead.
Traveling by yourself--or even just living alone--is a GREAT way to make sure you end up dead in a puddle of your own bloody entrails. Pairs are good, but groups of three or more are optimal. Otherwise, prepare to get really acquainted with the business end of that hammer.
16b.) The slowest kid gets screwed.
If you're "that slow kid," go ahead and write up a will now. 'Cause no one is coming back for your slow ass. If this is you, shoot your friend's kneecap off right now. Maybe you'll have a chance.

17.) Louver doors suck.
You know those decorative closet doors with the little slates that sit at an angle? Yeah--those are pretty. And great for peeping through to see where the killer is! Trouble is, the killer can probably see your dumbass as well. He might make a couple sweeps across the room, and you might think you're safe, but he will be back and he will tear your face off.

18.) RUN, BITCH, RUN!
Do you really think cowering in the corner like a snot-soaked pansy will make the killer take pity on you and go away? Because it won't. If anything, it makes him want to cut your spinal cord out even more. And it makes you look like a pussy.

19.) Breaking windows saves lives.
If you won't break your own window, even when a grisly hell-spawn is bearing down on you, then you deserve to die. You can get new windows at the hardware store--there's no replacing your esophagus once that monster has pulled it out through your mouth. Throw a lamp through that shit and get out of dodge while you still can!

20.) Sharp, pointy objects are your best friends.
Get as many as you can. Collect them. Hoard them. Because, when push comes to shove, they'll save your ass from becoming a frothy dumb teenager milkshake. Things that go boom (guns) are great, but bullets generally have no effect on horror movie menaces. To really get 'em, you've got to shank those bitches.


(**Results may vary**)

Selasa, 25 Oktober 2011

Eek :(


I am SO sorry for not posting regularly. I've had a really stressful few weeks.

I wish I could say I was going to resume regular posting in the next few days, but I'm really not sure. I'm hoping I'll have everything worked out and under control soon, though, 'cause I really miss blogging and reading other people's blogs.

I'll definitely try to find some time for blogging in November--even with NaNo, I'm sure I can scrape at least a little time together.

Anyway, I'm really sorry, everyone, and I totally miss all of you!

Jumat, 14 Oktober 2011

FTLF -- Jane Austen's Fight Club


Hey, lovelies!
Long time, no see. Sorry about that. I've been really caught up planning my NaNo project this month. That's going really well, by the way.

But I always feel bad when I neglect the blogosphere. So, I decided to drop by today for another installment of For The Lulz Friday.

First off, this hilarious little video I stumbled across the other day:


I would totally read this book, by the way. Ladies in 1810 starting their own fight club? Pfft! That's awesome.


Next up, an amazing artist from Singapore. (Not actually funny, but definitely really awesome.)



So, SO cool. That has to be unbelievably difficult. Kudos to that dude.


Have I ever mentioned that I love Betty White? I think she's adorable and totally hilarious. Well...I happened upon this promo for Lifeline not long ago. Betty White. Surrounded by buff guys wearing nothing but shiny, gold trunks. Rapping. About how she's still hot.


Oooh, Betty. Keep on rockin'.


Next, quite possibly the most awesome trick shot video I've seen in a long time.


That Brodie guy is a GOD with a Frisbee. (A guy called Brodie is good with a Frisbee? Get outta town!)


Here's another video that isn't particularly funny, but definitely worth the watch.



Mkay--that's all for the videos, but I do have a few pictures from my Lulz folder that I'd like to share.

A tardis made completely out of balloons that seems to be set up in a comic book shop. If anyone knows where I can find that shop, PLEASE TELL ME!

Oh, this is just too great. Want to read this book as much as I did? Well, guess what--you can. DrFaustusAU on deviantART (the creator of this awesomesauce) is posting pages on his account. Click on over and check them out.

I actually found this while searching for references for the maps I was drawing for my NaNo project. It's got everything! Avalon, Never Neverland, the Land of the Lost, Hyrule, Labyrinth!! Squee!

I would've done the same thing. I can't stand missing apostrophes. Thank you for fixing that, Punctuation Pirates!

Holy shizz?! Those ponchos were good for space travel? What the hell?! Mine barely kept me dry in a light drizzle! I got ripped off....


That's all for now! Hope you got a few lulz.

HAPPY WRITING, LOVELIES!

Selasa, 04 Oktober 2011

[Insert Pop Culture Reference Here]

I came across a book not long ago with a title that made me stop and say, "Oh wow, I really want to read that." I decided to check out the sample chapter before shilling out the ninety-nine cents to buy it. It started out pretty strong--I was enjoying the way the characters bounced off one another (though that didn't last long...more on that later)

Then...

The pop culture references started. 


BOOM--Jersey Shore joke! BAM--guy in a Rorschach costume! POW--Twilight references coming at me from every side!

By the time I got to page three, I felt like I had stumbled across the secret illegitimate love child MTV had with TMZ. Needless to say, I came away feeling a little dizzy.

While the jokes were somewhat amusing, I couldn't help thinking they'd be incredibly dated in a few years. I mean, with any luck Jersey Shore will be nothing but a distant, shameful memory ten years from now.

The jokes are funny now, but with time, they'll lose impact--and in some cases, they'll lose meaning all together. If whatever you're joking about drifts far enough away from the public eye, older audiences who actually remember what you're talking about will have to explain the joke to the younger crowd--and if there's one thing that will kill a joke, it's having to stop and explain it.

It's almost the same as how fashion and hair styles in movies and TV shows become dated.




Yeah, you see what I mean.

For instance, my boyfriend and I were once hanging around with some of our friends and a few of their much younger relatives. Somehow, one of us ended up making a Superdude reference. Now, the two of us and all our friends grew up in the 90s, so we definitely watched All That.


And we definitely knew who Superdude was.


So, we got the joke and we had a good laugh. But the kids hadn't been introduced to All That (though, they have started playing it again...really late at night on weekdays. Thank all things holy for TiVo) and, naturally, they didn't get what was so funny.

The same thing applies to this book. The entire first chapter, which was only a few pages long, was absolutely packed with pop culture references. There was at least one mention of AXE body spray or Jack Sparrow or Twilight every few paragraphs. In fact, the most pivotal part of the first chapter revolves around one of the characters pissing off a large group of Twi-hards.

It's almost like this author was setting their work up to become dated right from the get-go. (Not that I think Twilight will eventually fade from the public eye...I'm just pretty sure the Twi-mania will cool down after a while.)

My point here is simple: while you're writing, keep in mind what makes a work timeless...and what sets it up to become dated right off the bat.

Also, I mentioned wanting to talk about the characters' interactions with one another. That will be my next post. So yeah...be on the look out for that.


What are your thoughts on an abundance of pop culture references?
Have you ever found something you knew would be dated in ten years?


HAPPY WRITING, LOVELIES!