NaNoWriMo / Scrabulous / Rubbermaid massacre = Free Trash Cans!

What does a dancing alien in a santa hat GIF have to do with home mortgages? I ask this because that was the ad that just graced my Facebook page whilst playing my new favorite passtime, Scrabulous. I have 13 games going at one time right now my kittlings.

My main Scrabulous (i.e., Scrabble on Facebook) competitor M. Sean McManus is in Dublin for the con going on over there this weekend; Mike Oeming makes his way down to Wizard World Texas in an unofficial "booth boy" capacity for the ass-kickin' Taki Soma, and the likes of Scott Wegener and Chris Moreno head to NYC for the Big Apple Con. The last comic book convention for many of the season - it seems everyone is making the mad dash for finish line this year. Me? I'll be nowhere. I was thinking NYC but that's most likely not happening. Look for me in 2008, where I hope to hit Paradise Con and Dragon*Con in addition to Wizard World Philly.

I need to stay home and write my novel anyway. Oh - I forgot to mention? I'm writing a novel during the month of November. It's actually National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo, where people around the nation (and world) attempt a 50,000 word novel completely from scratch. Think 24 hour Comic Book Day but in terms of prose. I am a poetry and short prose type of girl, my college thesis was a page short but you couldn't will me to write more. I am determined in writing what I mean and saying no more.

Meanwhile I had this idea bubbling in my head. A basic story idea that had transformed itself from the beginnings of a novel, to a poem, to a comic book script...and yet nothing worked. I heard about National Novel Writing Month from a message board I frequent and thought -"why not?" I could try in a controlled environment (read: November) to get through this story idea I've had FOREVER and finally decide whether its worth it or not. What a fantastic idea right?

Never did it run through my mind that I'm a notorious procrastinator and certified time-waster. Very convenient that I started my new hobby of Scrabulous right around the time as this novel eh? Not convenient at all but well calculated. The goof-off part of my brain knows what its doing!

I hit problem after problem in what I was doing. I get bored in writing exposition easily. I feel myself mincing words just to get to the end of my thought process. Perhaps outlining might work better for me? I had some support from fellow writers and that helped, and I bumbled along to 5,000 words after losing 1,000 to computer error. I started to fully realize how I could loosely tie vague ideas together and wrote 1,000 words more.

That was over a week ago. We're now at the halfway mark and I only have approximately 6,100 words. Through this past week I have realized that my own personal goal should be about 15,000. I'll be happy if I make it to that daunting mark by the 30th. I have learned so much about myself so far. Namely, that I'm not a novel writer. But when it's all said and done, I can say my brain thoroughly took in and spewed forth all it could in regards to this story and this character. Then, I'll collaborate with someone else and make it a story that everyone can read.

Are you interested in knowing what my story is about? The working ti tle is THE JACKET THIEF. Feel free to read my excerpt which is available on the official web site of the NaNoWriMo:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/221158
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For my Halloween Edition of my column (see 2 columns ago) - I wro te about comic book cover artist Dave Johnson's awesome "Cyber Samurai" costume made from Rubbermaid trashcans. Well get this - Rubbermaid contacted Dave with quite a interesting gift - read on the email I received from Dave:

> -----Original Message----- >
From: dave johnson   > Sent:
Tuesday, November 13, 2007 1:16 PM >
To: Mary E. Brickthrower >
Subject: HAHAAHA!!!!! SOmeone at
Rubbermaid > contacted
me about my > Costume
>
> I really would have thought that
they'd be pissed
> off, > but I
guess they have a sense of humor. > Read on.... 
>  >  > Dave

--------------------------------------------------------
---- > >  > >
:: Rubbermaid Garbage Can for Costume 
kudzutech,
I recently was alerted to your creative use of a 
Rubbermaid trash can in the making of a Halloween
Costume.  
We were very impressed with your imagination and 
> ingenuity.
We never envisioned that our trash cans could
become something
like you crafted. We found the pictures at:
http://thelonehair.blogspot.com/2007/11/rubbermaid-halloween-samurai.html

I am Ryan T. smith, the Brand Manager for Rubbermaid
Home  Products managing the Outdoor Refuse category,
the group that makes Rubbermaid trash cans.
Seeing as an innocent, apparently new trash perished in
the creation of 
your costume, I would like to send you a new one.

Whether you use it to haul trash to the curb, make
next year's
costume, or something altogether else, please accept a 
replacement on 
us.
Just contact me with your name, address and phone 
number and I'll get it sent out to you.

Have a great day,
Ryan
(email withheld)
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~Till Next Time Kittlings!