Lifehack releasing soon, intenationl student stuff, and chaos, chaos.

Well, Lifehack, (2nd edition/revision of AZU-1:Lifehack) is finalized. It has an isbn code now, and a copy is headed my way for me to look over and approve before it officially can go up for sale on the interweb. Shortly after I approve it, I'll be setting up the hardcover version as well. I won't be ordering a huge stack of books this time, since I don't think too many people will feel the need to buy a slightly updated version of a book they bought 2 years ago- soon I'll be asking about 'pre-orders', so I can order an appropriate number of copies for the local crowd, and save us all a lot of shipping charges. Anyway, more on the (still undecided) launch day as it draws closer.

The hardcover version WILL be available on the net, but it's not really the type of book that usually does hardcover. This version will be mainly for collector types... myself, a few members of my family, and Carrie Shannon, who's request for a hardcover version caused me to create a whole new revision in the first place.

Alas, Carrie's store, 'Heron's book store and coffee shop', is no more, largely due to an awkward location. Lots of regulars will miss it. I don't know where else I should loiter now!

That's not entirely true... beside the starbucks-wannabe store half a block form heron's, (ew, it's SO dull and cold) I actually do a lot of loitering at the local community centre now. Besides being the new HQ for the MeadowRidge Optimist Club, there's also a fun drop-in thing in the gym 2 days a week, where I can go with Caitlin, (who turned 1 since the last blog post) and play on big toys, and meet other little ones.

The optimist club had a big showing on Pitt Meadows Day, and we were in the parade as well. So was Caitlin, strapped into my lap as we wheeled the route.

Frig, there's so much I could write about. 'Ping' left for China, maybe to return for a short time when she comes back to the area and looks for a place to stay closer to university. 'Radar' will be back for her grade 12 after spending the summer in Korea. 'Asuka' (from germany) is visiting with us right now for 3 weeks, which is awesome. She's the 2nd student to come back just to visit, (the first being Rei from Japan) suggesting that we're not jerks. In the summer, we will also be hosting two 10-year-old korean girls for a month, which is going to be a new experience for us, hosting for students so young. We had planned to do that last year, but ended up with the teachers, 'Snoopy', and ... oh, I forget the other one's code-name... then in september, we will be getting an all-new german student, as well as Radar coming back, as I mentioned.

Bah, so much to write about.. this is what I get for neglecting my blog for 2 friggin months. I should do separate entries for Caitlin's birthday, the new little assistants I have for taking care of her, my becoming the new 'primary caregiver', shine more of a spotlight on Optimist stuff... so much stuff going on.. now that I have a 'bonus' 3 hours of 'free time' 4 times a week, I might get more regular with blog posting... so much to do, so much to do...

Edit copy of Lifehack ordered

That's about all I have to say..

been busy spooking folks at the 'Ghost Ridge', but managed to get a little work done yesterday.
(ghost ridge is a volunteer 'haunted house' type event, staged in 2 barns.. one for 14+, one for kiddos....) At the end of it all, the clubs helping run the show split the money. I'm there with my Optimist club, 'natch.

I took the 3rd night of the event off to go to a friend's halloween party. My one yearly excuse to get good n plastered, and I did a darn fine job of it. The world was still kinda spinny at noon today.

Back to the ghost ridge tonight for 3 more nights of 'acting'.....! Then I'm gonna pass out until thursday, when Oblivion GOTY edition gets here... as some point in there, I'm going to get moving on 'Watching Yute' again.

I haven't given many updates on the international students front lately.. but today I got an email from 'Asuka' (from Germany) She's considering coming to visit in the summer...!

Lifehack passed 90%, Ghost ridge, every day shooting.

The lifehack revision passed 90%. I can see the finish line..! LEt's all keep in mind though that after that, I still have to send a copy around to my new volunteer editing taskforce. I'm not going to hold my breath while that happens, so it'll be a good time to attack other writing projects.

I'm torn between my 3 options.
-Continue "Watchihng yute" which is at about 75% done the first draft,
-Attack "Lucy Doesn't get it" more, (Which SHOULD be a pretty small project.. ha..)
-Hack away at "Wasn't worth the parking space" my gimptacular semi-autobiographical... thing.

Maybe I'll just let my whim take me about them all.... I'm attacking Lifehack hard right now because it needs to get done, and get finished, and I can finally put the first story on the shelf, and not have "azu-1:Lifehack" nagging me so badly. Yes yes, a creative work is never DONE done, but AZU1 needed help badly.

Aside from fixes, I've also added a few neat scenes that flesh things out, and I've come clear a bit out WHERE Autar, Meston and Yute are, which lays a bit of groundwork for Watching Yute, and the third book.


In MeadowRidge Optimist news, things are going gangbusters on the ghost ridge project, which is pretty much taking all out attention right now. Did I mention before that I'm slated to be an actor for the show? As a gory yelling victim. Whee! I might be able to fend of Ninjas on a regular basis, and mash up people's ankles with the greatest of ease, but that doesn't make me any more menacing as a guy in a wheelchair jumping out saying 'boo'. I'm gonna need a lotta energy drinks to get through this thing... it goes on for a week...!

Our past president still wants us to go in with the Coquitlam club's Walk for youth, but I think by far the majority find november to be too short of notice to do it justice, and we're also eager to do our own thing. The walk itself (our own) will probbaly end up happening next spring, giving us loads of time to make connections for participants through schools and such.

My PS3 has been a happy camper lately. While waiting for "Oblivion: Game of the Year Edition" (oct17) so I can continue the saved game from the original version which I rented for a friggin month, I've been doing a little warhawk... It's a neat game, but not really my thing. I got it mainly because of the deal I snagged on it, and the free headset thingamabob.

Yesterday was a good update for the PSN... MY fav downloads yesterday?
-Video teaser for 'Fallout 3' (fall 2008) Made by the same guys who made Oblivion
-Demo for the new 'Ratchet & Clank' game
-Downloadable purchase ($10) of 'Everyday Shooter'.. Simple controls, OLDskool code-driven graphics, and addictive as heck... and somehow amidst all the action, strangely mellow due to the soundtrack and musical sound effects..

Lifehack 83%, Became VP of my busy club

After a lull, I've gotten re-motivated. (I always do this kind of thing in bursts.. better than pushing through a lull and writing crap, in my opinion) Anyway, as of 5 minutes ago, I passed the 83% park of my revisions.

Keep in mind this doesn't count the doubtless extended time my editors will take. I have a much larger, and more focused volunteer force this time. Funny thing is, when I was looking for proofreaders for AUZ-1:Lifehack, it was a tooth-pulling experience. Now that AZU-1 is out, and people have read it, its much easier to enlist people for the 2nd edition...

This could be a combination of two factors at play-

1) Now that people have seen a BOOK from me, as opposed to a printout manuscript, the reality of it all makes it seem more legitimate, more real. I had a similar experience with my art, long ago... When I was drawing stuff on paper or on the computer, my dad dismissed it as "faggy art crap".. He never SAID that, but probably thought it. Then one day I handed him a copy of Splash 3D (which has since evolved into Super Splash 3D ) -With my art on the cover, and in the game. Suddenly he could see my art as a PRODUCT. Something more concrete. Something that might make a buck. (Of course, it didn't make much, since the marketing was a non-entity...) It was like a lightbulb went on over his head, I could see it in his face.

2) The other factor could be that people read AZU-1 lifehack, and were so horrified by the typos that they felt they needed to help for the sake of the health of literature as a whole.


In other news, as of October 1, I've officially become the vice pres of the MeadowRidge Optimist Club. (Service club aimed at helping local youth.. check out the international page for some general info)

So now, aside form my usual duties of graphic design for the club, occasional minutes taker and newsletter writer, and balloon inflater, I have to assist in laying down any required smack. Our new pres, Peter, often has to travel for work, so chairing the meetings will fall to me on those occasions.

The club's also looking at a number of new projects, the next of which is assisting with "Ghost Ridge" an annual even in Maple Ridge that's kinda a haunted house affair, the size of a barn. We were involved a little last year, but this year we're 1/5th of the volunteer force, and walking home with an appropriate portion of the money raised. It'll be our biggest funding draw yet by far.

We're also checking out the logistics for running a little concert/benefit to fight child abuse, and we're going to be ding the manhours for a Xmas hamper campaign funded Via the company my wife works for.

We're in the first stages of setting up a walk fundraiser, and looking at ways to improve on our cashwash efforts next year, which was a blast this year.

Oh! And my wife officially joined the club! Originally she wanted to keep clear of it, "that's your thing, Joe, You should have your own thing without me hanging on." (Paraphrasing) But she's been sucked in..! Baby Caitlin's an unofficial member..