Nicholas Denmon's Blog, page 9

Call of Duty and Writing Scripts and Novels

So at midnight today the new Call of Duty came out.  I got it for my brother as a recompense for exposing him on the Rick Astley video as well as an early Christmas present.  The game looks nice and I will probably be playing with him here and there.

Me holding the games
For those that play, my Gamer Tag is Rafael Rontego.  Perfect name eh? We played it for a few minutes last night and it rocked.  Much better than Modern Warfare 3.

In professional news, we are making excellent progress on the pilot script.  Things are really coming together and I am enjoying the process of writing it with Thomas Humphreys.

The novel, God's Forgotten Son, a foray into a dystopian society, is going well.  Just passed the 12,000 word marker and I expect it to come in around 50,000 words.

That's it today, Denmonites. Just a quick note.

Rick Astley, You Son of a Bitch

Had a nice weekend. Did the writer thing, had a few drinks with family and friends at my Dad's house, and entertained international guests of the British persuasion.

Update 1: NanWriMo - 12,000 words and working on the script for the TV pilot.

Update 2: Movember Stache Report - Really coming in nicely. Received comments at my Dad's gathering that I looked like a wildabeast. Fair enough.

So why title my blog after Rick Astley, he of the 1987 fame surrounding his hit, "Never Gonna Give You Up?" The British invasion didn't end with my friends, it ended with the party being Rick Rolled by this lovely fellow.

So this song:



Resulted in this happening:




Nuff said. Well done little brother. Well done.

Movember is contagious!

I went on a journey today to find Christmas in a cup at Starbucks which the masses probably call a Peppermint Mocha.  That mission ended in success...



...but the very journey yielded a success far greater than the treasure I sought.

As I ordered my drink, I caught my cubical-roomie-life-mate-Ryan checking out the guy working the counter.  Doing a double take, complete with an eyebrow raise, I caught site of what captivated him.

It was majestic.

It was everything I dreamed it could be.

It was the White Whale of all mustaches!  And this, only 9 days in!  But could it be?  Could it be a MOvember mustache or was this a mustache pro, year-round in training?

Like a nervous fan, I approached the counter and said, "Excuse me, is your mustache for movember?"

With a grin he said, "Yes.  Yes it is.  I see you too have some growth.  Have some free Starbucks, on me."

I walked out to the car, feeling happy but not yet complete.  I put my coffee down and ran back inside as Ryan shouted after me, "You crazy fool, where are you going?!"

I said nothing, but approached the counter again, camera in hand.  "Do you mind if I document this?  My friends will never believe me," I said as if I were about to throw back a 40 inch fish.

"Not at all," he said.  

So here he is:


And here is mine...as you can see I have quite a way to go...


Happy Friday my Denmonites! 

5 favorite childhood snacks...remember these?

Business First: NanoWriMo update: 12,000 words.  In fairness this number is lower than it should be because I have had to work on a script as well.  Also my Movember mustache is weighing me down. Excuses?  You bet ya.  But this is my blog, so - tough.

Now, to the guts of this thing.

I saw a kid playing with a package of Garbage Pail Kids today while eating a set of those candy wax lips that I used to think were God awful but people tried to convince me were a treat.  For some reason this got me thinking about my favorite now-obscure treats as a kid and what I would like to pass down to any future children that I might have.


Here they are:

1) Warheads.  These things, especially the black cherry ones, would make me pucker up quicker than a hooker with a fifty dollar bill in her face.  Sour doesn't begin to describe it.  You have to develop a tongue callous to really get a handle on this candy.

2) Marzipan Fruit.  Candies that were shaped like their flavor: Pears, Apples, Oranges...delicious.


3) Fruit Slices.  Pretty self-explanatory but here is a hint:  Looks like fruit but aint. 

4) Circus Peanuts.  I had no clue how to describe this candy.  I just remember them tasting odd, not at all like a peanut, but maybe like stale marshmallows?  It was all about the novelty for me in regards to the Circus Peanut.



5) Candy Cigarettes. I liked to have these I think because my Mom is an avid smoker.  It made me feel grown up and cool.  I was young enough that I would get a sugar high, but none of the cancer that went along with actual cigarettes.  Win-Win!

I'm sure some of you have much better OBSCURE childhood candies, so let's hear them!

Elmo? The Mustache Report and The Pain of Distance

Welcome!  The difference a day can make!  We have the Presidential political season behind us (sorry to those who are crushed, congrats to those who are happy, and shutup to those who didn't vote at all).

Here endith any mention of politics.

Movember: the mustache I am growing in solidarity with "changing the face of men's health" for the month of November is going well.  I have been rubbing my mustache down with miracle grow and shall provide an update soon.  I was recently mocked by the sweet mustache of a lovable character we all know as Elmo.

Elmo emailed me and was complete dick.  No words. Just this sweet 'stache.


from: TickleMeFirst@sesamestreet.com
to: Nicholas Denmon <nicholasdenmon08@gmail.com>

date: Wed, Nov 7, 2012 at 2:25 PM
subject: Bitch Ass
  On another note I have had time to think about how distance between lovers really is awful.  If anyone has ever had that experience, you know how bad a goodbye can be even if you know you will see each other soon.  It is only worse if you may never meet again. The distance is hard between two people that care for one another.  It can make the heart grow fonder, it can strain the concept of trust, it can make you feel forgetful of the amazing way you feel together.  It can also make you yearn for that feeling, that bond, you share when together.  But one thing is certain, goodbyes suck whether for a short time, or for a long time, when you are atuned to someone. Hence, I wrote this:

Not the quote by Khalil Gibran, but the rest.

And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation. - Khalil Gibran

"Reminds me of that moment right before you board a plane to leave someone you love. That long walk down the narrow corridor, alone amongst the company of a hundred others in the midst of their own farewells. You look back for one last glimpse, but that damned narrow hall made a subtle shift to the left, and your hungry eyes can no more see the face of your love than your panicked heart can feel the comforting beat of its now-gone counterpart. " - Excerpt I have as yet left untitled / unedited.

30,000 Views on My Blog

Milestone Alert: This blog has reached 30,000 views. Thanks for caring about my novels, my stupid stories (which I hope entertain at least a bit), and my thoughts on the world in general.

Today is the final day of voting for the Presidential Elections here in the states. I don't care who YOU vote for, but please vote. If you don't, please keep your mouth shut for the next four years because you had your chance.

Funny quote I heard today, the source is supposedly American Dad (since it IS election day here I might as well have a quote from a show that sounds patriotic in the title)-

Dad: "Son breaking into a vault is like making love to a woman."

Son: "Oh, so we pound on it for like two minutes?"

Ha! Have a great day everyone!

P.S.  I leave you with this video in case you had an question as to my vote pay special attention 7 seconds in:

Can't Make This Sh@T Up - Baby Urinates Out Car Window

I decided to have a drink and some dinner with my hetero-life-mate Ryan after work on Friday.  We went out, enjoyed some music, talked about work, told a few jokes and drank a tasty beverage.  By 8:30 pm we decided our old bones had had enough and decided to go home.

Our timing was exceptionally fortuitous.

No sooner than we entered the public parking garage (as I checked a text on my phone) I heard Ryan exclaim with a voice that was a mixture of wonderment and delight, "Did that just fucking happen?"

I look up from my text message and see a woman holding her baby out the back of her SUV, diaper off, and literally pissing in the air out of the rear window (the baby not the woman).  She held her infant like a toy water gun (super-soak-er anyone?) while Ryan and I sat in my car in a hilarious state of giggling disbelief.

Grown men reduced to tears of laughter by a peeing baby
I looked at him and said immediately, "I am putting this on Facebook." When we looked back the car, mother, and her baby were all gone.

I would have thought the whole ordeal a dream...

Except for the evidence left behind.

If you put a used diaper under your car, it is still there after you leave.
If you look carefully you can see how the urine puddle is at the back of where the car would have been parked and also how they thought placing the diaper under the car was a sufficient way to hide the evidence.

It was not.

Also...

This week marked the beginning of two commitments in my life. Both are already discussed on this blog but to recap:

NanoWriMo - or National Novel Writing Month - to update those who care, I am about 10,000 words into my novel after five days. It is possible I could have the whole thing wrapped up by the 20th of November.

Movember -  (pic of the progress later this week) at www.movember.com, men start Movember 1st clean shaven. For the rest of the month, these selfless and generous men, known as Mo Bros, groom, trim and wax their way into the annals of fine moustachery. Supported by the women in their lives, Mo Sistas, Movember Mo Bros raise funds by seeking out sponsorship for their Mo-growing efforts. Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November. Through their actions and words they raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health. At the end of the month, Mo Bros and Mo Sistas celebrate their gallantry and valor by either throwing their own Movember party or attending one of the infamous Gala Partés held around the world by Movember, for Movember.

Till next time my Denmon faithful...

Writing a Pilot

I am pleased to announce that I am working with Thomas Humphreys in penning a pilot episode for a dramatic television series. The two of us have worked together before and are happy that we can continue our arrangement as we delve into this project.



Despite the opportunity it represents for us both, it really is an amazing project that was brought to our attention by a mutual acquaintance.  This series is her brain child and we are both glad that she entrusted us with it.


I will be crafting the dynamics of the story around the concept while Thomas puts his considerable skill to work laying it out in a script format.  The dynamic duo strikes again.

Be on the lookout at this spot for updates.

In other news...

My writing for NaNoWriMo really started out well with 2,800 words written.  What am I writing?  Is it the third installment of my Upstate New York Mafia series?  Sadly, it is not.  But have no fear.  I still plan to release that novel, as promised, in April of 2013.

Writing a Pilot for Fox

I am pleased to announce that I am working with Thomas Humphreys in penning a pilot episode for a dramatic television series for Fox. The two of us have worked together before and are happy that we can continue our arrangement as we delve into this project.



Despite the opportunity it represents for us both, it really is an amazing project that was brought to our attention by a mutual acquaintance, Jean Lupien.  This series is her brain child and we are both glad that she entrusted us with it.

What is it about in a sentence?  Trying to rise to the top in the cut-throat world of music entertainment.

I will be crafting the dynamics of the story around Jean's concept while Thomas puts his considerable skill to work laying it out in a script format acceptable for the executives over at Fox.  The dynamic duo strikes again.

Be on the lookout at this spot for updates.

In other news...

My writing for NaNoWriMo really started out well with 2,800 words written.  What am I writing?  Is it the third installment of my Upstate New York Mafia series?  Sadly, it is not.  But have no fear.  I still plan to release that novel, as promised, in April of 2013.

Halloween, Old Man Pinkerton, and the Never Ending Mustache

Halloween was great.  Things really do change.  I remember running door to door on Halloween hoping for a huge candy score, dressing up like a ninja, and actually feeling a bit spooked at the super creepy houses.

Time marches on.

I remember being in college and enjoying the Halloween parties where the booze was handed out as liberally as the sex and women took the opportunity to mix traditional Halloween costumes with their own personal brand of sexy, while my own costumes got more and more ridiculous and elaborate.

Examples:

Luigi, with my friend as Mario (complete with the original Mario music playing from our pockets).

One of three Oompa Loompas complete with a choreographed dance.



Time marches on.

And suddenly it became all about my niece.  Last year it was about her too but more so the block party in the neighborhood and a dabbling of watching the kids collect candy.  But at four years old, she was fully engaged and that meant Uncle Nick was fully engaged too.

Door after door we went up, hand-in-hand to the creepy houses to find what candy might exist on the other side of the door.  Somewhere along the line I invented the story of "Old Man Pinkerton and his house full of dangerous monkeys".

Each house belonged to Old Man Pinkerton.  I would pretend to be too scared to go to the door (in truth I was getting tired) and she would grab my hand and say, "Come on Uncle Nick don't be scared of Mr. Ninkerton."

Ninkerton. Loved it.

How could I say no to this little lady?


About 80,000 doors later (I made her say thank you at each one) and we called it a night.

The end of Halloween means the beginning of November which means the beginning of Movember as well.

To raise awareness for men's health, my mustache will not be shaved for the entire month.

I might end up looking like this fella:



From their website:

During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of mustaches on thousands of men’s faces, in the US and around the world. With their Mo's, these men raise vital awareness and funds for men's health issues, specifically prostate and testicular cancer initiatives.

Finally, November is also National Novel Writing Month, so each day I will be writing a bit of my novel with the intention of finishing it by the end of the month (unedited of course).  If you are curious about what this is, check em out: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en
I will be updating my blog with my progress as well as whatever other nonsense about which I feel the need to pontificate.