Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Hurricane Sandy

THANK GOD IT'S OVER! I mean, Hurricane Sandy itself only lasted a couple days where I am, but the power-outages and all lasted a couple more.

The wind and rain was just freaky. The power first went out, I think, two days in. That was when without internet we would get bored.
Most of my time was spent editing videos and working on my dwarf book, BLADE RUST (which for now I will save for future blogs). At least having no access to the internet gave me time to work on some more productive projects like the two I just listed, along with reading the Appendices in The Lord of the Rings, and thinking about how repair/upgrade the atlatl I've been making with my dad.

If you don't know what an atlatl is, it's a very native hunting weapon like a boomerang or a bow. I learned about it from reading the BROTHERBAND Chronicles books. With it you shoot meter-long darts that look more like giant arrows. Rather than fire from a bow, you use a throwing stick that hooks into the back of the dart. And when you throw with the handle, it adds more force and power into it.
Of course, right now I can only think of the modifications to the weapon, like figuring out just the right way to make the darts, and of course to make a second throwing stick with a small platform at the bottom of the stick for the dart to rest on, so I can hold the handle with all of my fingers and it might add more force. I can only experiment for now.

I drove to GameStop today to look for the LEGO Lord of the Rings videogame (give me something to do that doesn't require the net or to just get out of the house). But because of the hurricane, delivery was slowed down or something. I think I'll get it for Christmas instead. At least it gives me another thing to look forward to.

The house runs on a generator when the power goes out, but we turn it off at night so that was hard to get used to at first with just one lantern lighting my room and the hallway. At least now, on Halloween, the power came back on and I have the ability to post my blog. I heard the power at Mont Co is back on, too. And just in time for me to go to a couple of good media classes where I don't have to wake up early.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Halloween Bash at Mont Co

I take off my plastic ring and HUNGER GAMES wristband, swapping the pentagram necklace for the Bronze Oak Leaf. I later get out of dad's truck with a camouflage cloak wrapped over my shoulders and carrying a heavy bag of candy. As soon as I walk in, there are a few people sitting at a table. Once I get to it, my friend Leyna comes out and answers when they ask if I'm in the drama club (responsible for the party). "So you don't have to pay." one of them says. So I didn't even need my five bucks and ID.
    Walking into the darkened cafe, I ask where I should put the bag of candy. Leyna puts it on top of a vending machine to serve as 'extra' in case the other stuff runs out. I don't see that happening, though. Its mostly cubed fruit, but there are also treats like soda and gum. I'm just glad there isn't any beer. If no one eats the candy, it's more for me then! :)

    I spend quite a bit of time leaning against the wall with my hood up, or at the snack table eating chips. I talk to a few of my other theatre class/drama club friends like Ryland, Dominic, and making one or two new friends. Like James with his wizard garb.
There's a DJ with the system and everything, playing lively beat music and getting everyone on their feet. Well, most of them. There isn't too big of a crowd until before nine PM, (I got here at quarter to eight, fifteen minutes before it was supposed to start) and then thing's get a bit crazy. Of course to some people, it would be considered normal. But to me, it's insane.




Dancing. Yeah, most of us get to our feet and went crazy. And when I say "us" and "our" I mean INCLUDING ME! Yeah, I actually do a lot of break-dancing (which I never ever ever ever ever ever thought I would EVER see myself do in a million years) during it. See, it started when I was talking with my friend Dominic saying I can barely dance except a couple things I've seen, and he said it was good. So when there's a bigger group, I just walk up there and join in, going crazy. I even incorporated a lot of my martial arts moves (like punches and high kicks in sync with the music). I even made up a few small dances like "The Ranger", "Gollum", and "Indiana Jones." With that one, I would wave my fist and say [in the beat of the song playing]: "I HATE SNAKES, JOCK! I HATE 'EM!" I think they enjoyed that.

When I was doing one of my kicks, 'SNAP/POP!' goes my leg. From the inside, I mean. Swearing angrily and quietly (at least, compared to the music blaring through the huge speakers), I limp back to a chair I had previously claimed next to Dominic, attempting to nurse my sore leg.
After a while, Leyna comes over and brings us both out on the floor. I do as much as I can, without bending my right leg too low. Of course I get worn out, hot and sweaty, (several times) which makes me take my cloak off a few times over the four hour duration of the party. When I sit down, I try to take as many good pictures as I can. (I couldn't get one of all of us in a 'conga line' which I really enjoyed, hence the reason I didn't take my camera out of my pocket)

 I did manage to get these, though :)

Me, Ryland, Leyna, and a few others sort of work together and try to get James to dance after finding him sitting on one of the couches. Not the best results (he barely moved) but at least we got him off his butt.

After all that at midnight, after a bunch of us have left, the lights come back on and I decide to hang around for a while with the remainders and pick some stuff up. I guess I just don't want to leave 'till the others do and then there's nothing to keep me here. I did help a bit, picking up the strings of lights and shoving them in a plastic bag. I think I felt my phone vibrate with a text, but I don't bother to look at it yet.
Not wanting to forget, I reach for the bag of candy on top of the machine. James helps me get it down, after which I take off my cloak and use to wrap/cover it up.

We are later told we all have five minutes to leave so I say "see ya" to my friends, who fortunately I will be reunited with on Monday for theatre class and drama club!



10/28/12
aw crap I just found out about Hurricane Sandy and classes are cancelled Monday and Tuesday. I don't have class on Tuesday anyway, but... UGH! But at least I have Intro to Theatre on Wednesday (if it doesn't end up cancelled too)