Jenn Reese's Blog, page 19

Facing Fear: The Gym

Earlier today, I realized how much I've been grieving for running. I only did it a few months, but I had already fallen in love. I loved the time by myself, I loved being away from my computer, I loved following my own schedule, and I especially loved being outside and feeling connected to the world. I thought about ignoring my doctor and continuing to run, but my friends wisely reeled me back. Now I'm resigned to life without running, but I'm not over the loss.

Later today, I joined the local YMCA. My doctor recommended swimming as an alternative to running, and I've always wanted to use the fancy cardio and weight room machines. It cost more money than I should have spent, but I did it. It's a gift to myself, one that I've been putting off for far too long.

Only… I am afraid of gyms.

I had previously signed up for a guest pass and then never gone. I went with my workout clothes, walked around to all the rooms, and then fled with my tail between my legs. I kind of understand the fear. I've never belonged to a gym before, none of my partners have ever belonged to gyms, and I simply don't know the logistics and etiquette. Unlike martial arts, you don't get to start as a white belt. You have to already know how to do everything. (I can sign up to have someone show me the weight machines. Will it look dorky if I bring a notebook and take notes?)

Anyway, there it is. I bought goggles for swimming, my workout clothes are ready. I'm determined to do this, regardless of how much irrational fear I feel. Please, hit me with whatever advice you've got — the more practical and specific, the better.

Special by Birth vs. Special by Action

When I'm reading, I often classify heroes into one of two camps: special by birth or special by action.

The special by birth folks often have super-human powers, unnatural talents, and/or live at the centers of prophecies. This group has many famous members: Harry Potter, Buffy (the Vampire Slayer), Bella (Twilight), Superman, Aragorn (LotR), Katsa (Graceling), Harry (The Blue Sword), Garion (The Belgariad), Luke Skywalker, almost all comic book mutants, long-lost princesses, etc.

Just by being born, these folks are ahead of the game. They didn't do anything to be long-lost heir to Gondor, the Chosen One, the Last Son, the only one who can withstand Voldemort. Most of them are pretty awesome people, but without the special circumstances of their birth/genetics/cosmic alignment, they'd probably be supporting characters.

The special by action folks may have interesting upbringings and the opportunities to become awesome, but mostly, they've attained their hero status by working hard, doing interesting things, making good (or bad) decisions, or generally just stumbling through life. Some impressive people live here, too: Willow (BtVS), Katniss (The Hunger Games), Batman, Frodo and Samwise, Starbuck (in my version), Turtle (The Westing Game), Lisbeth Salander, the Mission: Impossible team, Indiana Jones, etc.

You could argue that these folks are also special by birth — some of them have pretty awesome parents and/or a whole lot of privilege — but in general, their skills still fall within human (or hobbit) norms.

As a kid, I vastly preferred the special by birth heroes, because I secretly wanted to be The Chosen One, the one person who could make a difference, who could save the world, who was undeniably special. (Yes, I tried to manifest my mutant powers, use the force, and look for signs that I'd been adopted under strange circumstances. Didn't we all?)

As an adult, I find I vastly prefer special by action heroes, the ones that don't owe their specialness to an accident of birth. I think it's because I want to live in a world where hard work and character (in the general sense) are more important than genetics, lineage, or something like Mystic Heritage. I know it's naive, and probably a product of my upbringing, and that most people in our world struggle just to survive — but still. That's the world I want.

Oh, I still love stories of all kinds — even the ones with princes and superpowers and ancient prophecies. But the stories that speak to me most strongly, the kinds of stories that I want to write, are the ones where the heroes make themselves.

Red Pandas in Snow

This video of red pandas playing in the snow may be my favorite video of all time, on any subject. I mean, seriously. Red pandas playing in snow. I dare you to find something cuter or more happy-making than this.

(via The Mary Sue)

Bruce Lee: Be Water

One of Bruce Lee's most famous speeches (and martial arts concepts) is the idea that the martial artist should become "like water." Here, see for yourself:

I love this idea, but I love how Bruce Lee describes it even more. This is a man so passionate about his ideas, he can barely contain himself. He wants to share his obsession and that spark with everyone he talks to. That smile at the end? One of my favorite things ever.

The Official Bruce Lee site — run by Bruce Lee's daughter — has a lot of great Bruce Lee stuff, including videos and a store. The store contains high-quality Bruce t-shirts and goods, including new t-shirts for both men and women with the "Be Water" speech.

I already have mine. Go get yours. :-D

Gallifrey & Whedonistas Launch

I've never been on a con panel before. I don't consider myself an expert about anything except my own life — and even that assertion is a little shaky most days. But when editors Lynne Thomas and Deborah Stanish asked me to come to Gallifrey One for the Whedonistas launch, I couldn't refuse. (Don't get me wrong — I tried to refuse, I just couldn't.)

So I went, and despite my reservations about the whole panel thing, I had an amazing time. The other women involved in Whedonistas were as inspiring as they were different from each other. We spent the panel together, then followed it up with a signing (my first signing!) and a dinner that lasted hours. I don't think I've talked about a wider range of topics in such a short space of time ever: Peter Wingfield (Methos!), WordGirl and animation, writing media tie-ins, huge life changes and decisions, kitbashing for women, writing neuroses, and identity, to name a few.

Also? Doctor Who fans ROCK. I have rarely been around so many intensely talented, passionate, and downright nice people. The costumes and creative expressions of Who love astounded me. I saw two full-sized daleks and a K-9! Also, not a single person in the signing line treated me like anything less than a pro, even though none of them had ever heard of me. Truly, it was a gift.

Here's a picture of our happy launch panel, courtesy of Teresa Jusino (of The Teresa Jusino Experience):

Top row: Nancy Holder, me, Katy Shuttleworth, Kelly Hale, Racheline Maltese

Bottom row: Jane Espenson, Lynne Thomas, Deborah Stanish, Teresa Jusino

Not on the panel: Michael Thomas, Lars Pearson, Christa Dickson

Confessions of a Cereal Mixer

Cereal is one of my favorite food groups. (Yes, in my life, it's an entire group.) It's breakfast, it's an afternoon snack, it's a just-before-bed indulgence, and occasionally it's even dinner. That's not the part I'm confessing about, because my cereal eating habits are right and good.

But here's my dark secret: I am an unrepentant cereal mixer.

Yes, it's true. Rarely do I have a bowl of just one type of cereal. I generally mix two, and in my crazier moments, even three different kinds before adding the milk and embarking on my latest my culinary adventure.

Don't think for a minute that you can just throw any combination of cereals together and achieve perfection. There is a science to mixing cereal — a science verging on an art.

First, let us categorize our cereals into three main groups*:

1. Heavy. This group contains your high-fiber and high-volume cereals like those in the Mini-wheat and Raisin Bran families.

2. Sugar. This group contains your sweet cereals — basically anything with "Sugar" or "Frosted" in the name, plus anything with chocolate or marshmallows. Honey-nut Cheerios actually belong in this group, too. A Sugar cereal can also be in the Heavy group, but is never a Neutral.

3. Neutral. Cereals that are mostly flavorless and/or harmless live in this group. Your regular Cheerios, Corn Flakes, Chex variant, etc. are typical choices. Neutrals may also be Heavy (like unflavored Mini-wheats), but are never in the Sugar group.

When mixing cereals, the key is to never mix cereals of the same group. No Sugar + Sugar, Heavy + Heavy, or Neutral + Neutral. Got it? GOOD. You may, however, experiment freely as follows:

Heavy + Neutral

Sugar + Neutral

Heavy/Sugar + Neutral

Heavy (Not Sugar) + Sugar

There. I have not only confessed my sordid eating habits, but have given you the power to walk the garden path on your own. I have not given you cereal, I have taught you to fish.

Please, go out into the world and concoct greatness. And, should the fates smile on you and you find cereal enlightenment? Come back here and tell us what it is.

* In the spirit of scientific accuracy, it should be noted that I don't eat traditional cereals like Cocoa Puffs, Fruit Loops, or anything with high-fructose corn syrup. All the brands tested in this study were Trader Joe's brand, and not Kellogg's, General Mills, Quaker, or any other well-known name brand. YTMMV: Your taste-bud mileage may vary.

Alphabet Quartet: D, E, F

The Alphabet Quartet — written by me, Tim Pratt, Heather Shaw, and Greg van Eekhout — continues! You can now read six stories at Daily Science Fiction:

Read the New Stories:

D is for De Gustibus

E is for Excrement

F is for Forever

Read the Previous Stories:

A is for Arthur

B is for Banyan Tree

C is for Crate

Comment on the stories here, or at Daily Science Fiction's Facebook page.

Whedonistas Launch at Gallifrey

This weekend, Whedonistas will launch at the Gallifrey One convention in Los Angeles. The weekend costs $75 and a day pass is $40. I'll be on the launch panel attempting to say as little as possible.

Whedonistas

Book Launch Panel, Mad Norwegian Press

Saturday, February 19th

3pm

On the panel:

Lynne Thomas

Deborah Stanish

Christa Dickson

Lars Pearson

Jane Espenson

Kelly Hale

Nancy Holder

Teresa Jusino

Racheline Maltese

Jenn Reese

Katy Shuttleworth

A signing will follow.

Film: IP MAN

I stumbled across IP MAN while browsing Hulu Plus on Friday night. (It's also on Netflix instant streaming.) I recognized "Ip Man" as the name of Bruce Lee's first Wing Chun teacher (although I had always seen it as "Yip Man"), and thought I might find a few good fights scenes to enjoy. I ended up loving the film.

Loosely based on Ip Man's life, the film begins with Ip Man (played by Donnie Yen) already a Wing Chun master living in Foshan with his wife and child. When the Japanese invade, Ip Man loses his wealth and status and must survive by working menial jobs. A Japanese general and karate master arrives and begins staging fights between Chinese and Japanese martial artists. Ip Man is quickly drawn into the general's dangerous games. (Wikipedia has more information on the film, including a plot synopsis.)

Although the story was thoroughly engrossing, I was blown away by the fight scenes. My own martial art — White Lotus Kung Fu — owes some of its heritage to Wing Chun, but I'd never seen a movie where it was featured before. Not only was the choreography fantastic — thanks to the legendary Sammo Hung — but Wilson Yip directs the film so you can actually see the moves.

As a result, I was able to identify dozens of moves that are present in techniques and forms I'm currently learning! In class, we're always shown the uses of the moves we learn, but there's a big difference in seeing them demonstrated in class and seeing them used — full-speed — on screen. I mean, wow. I particularly loved seeing how the strikes a Wing Chun practitioner uses when practicing with a wooden dummy translated into fighting techniques. Wing Chun is famous for being efficient and effective at close range. This film reinforces that fact a hundred times over.

I will be watching this film again. And again. And maybe a few times after that. I couldn't help but try to mimic some of the moves I saw — especially when Ip Man begins training the cotton mill workers. I see how these moves relate to what I'm learning in class at White Lotus. There were several points in the film when I bonked my forehead and thought, "Oh! That's what I've been doing wrong with that block!"

Is it a great movie for folks who don't love martial arts fight scenes? I have no idea. Watch it and let me know.

Writing Book 2

While ABOVE WORLD is off being copyedited, I've been working on the second book in the series, which I have creatively codenamed ABOVE WORLD 2.

There are a few firsts going on here:

- First sequel

- First book I've sold before it was written

- First book with a deadline

- First book I've written that people who aren't me already have a vested interest in

Before I started writing, I wondered if those factors would panic me. I kind of assumed they would, since my writing brain usually needs far less impetus to stage a freak out. But instead of freaking out, I'm actually loving the process.

Some reasons for love:

- I already know my main characters and enjoy writing them again

- I get a chance to develop my MCs in new ways

- I already know the basics of the world (even if we're in a new area now)

- The more I write in the world, the bigger and more real it feels

- I get a chance to do things I couldn't squeeze into Book 1

I spent so much of Book 1 being paralyzed by choice. The world was so big and the direction of the book was completely open. A few different decisions early on, and the book might have morphed from adventure into romance or horror or dystopian angst fest. But now, the tone and direction of the series are set. Sure, I can still go all sorts of directions, but at its heart, the book will remain a science fantasy adventure.

And then there's the experimentation that comes with writing a middle book/episode.

Personally, I love when middle episodes of trilogies depart from the structure of episodes 1 and 3. You can see this in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. It feels so different than A New Hope and Return of the Jedi. But it's not just glue — it's something different and interesting in its own way. It's arguably the best of the three. (And yes, there are only three Star Wars movies.)

Another example is The Tombs of Atuan in LeGuin's Wizard of Earthsea trilogy. A lot of people hated that book because the main character isn't Ged, but I loved it. I loved how structurally different it is, how we get a wholly new look at the word because we have changed eyes.

Examples that work less well? Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. UGH. And I think that longer series often have the same formula in each book. Here, I'm thinking of Eddings' Belgariad. Yet Turner's The Thief series seems to reinvent itself with every book, staying fresh and surprising.

Okay, so there are examples of pretty much everything, and I enjoy thinking about them all.

For the readers and writers out there, what makes book 2 of a trilogy sing for you?