Beseech thy lord

[ArchAngel]

I'm assuming drinks as alcoholic. Coffee is mandatory, and not going to lie, I enjoy a good Hot Chocolate, too.

I picked up a big ol bottle of Fireball for the express purpose of Hot Apple Cider. Didn't like it before Fireball, and but after... a fine, fine drink.
That might be the only hot alcoholic beverage I've had. Never did an Irish coffee, or some others, but, I'm definitely open to trying new ones. So, hot brandy, you say?

[Deepfreeze32]

So what are your NaNoWriMo plans?

[ArchAngel]

So, I've been going through this doc where I keep all my story ideas, seeing what might work and which ones to merge together.

My top 3 choices:

• Upon the death of their father, a poor bookkeeper, three brothers set out to fulfill his dream of finding the Fountain of Youth. Selling their father’s shop, they buy and barter their way onto a expedition setting out for the same goal. On the way, they become lost and shipwrecked in the infamous Bermuda Triangle and find themselves on the shores of Atlantis. They become embroiled in a conflict between people who seek to gain immortality for greed, or to preserve the people of Atlantis. Each brother, then, must decide where he stands and what the cost of immortality is.
  This was the one I was going to do for last years, but I got one page in, so I'm thinking of scrapping it and giving it another go around. The overview above will probably get some rework, since I'm not happy with some of the direction, but the gist of it will probably be there. I want to hit on some light-hearted subjects like death and the meaning of life.
• A man, having slipped into a coma, must travel through limbo and confront his own past to find his late wife as the world around him crumbles as he approaches death.
  This idea is a little less baked. There are a couple ways I'd like to end it, and they'd be radically different. Also, I don't really want to make it clear one way or another if he's hallucinating before death or he's actually approaching an afterlife; probably would hint at both and let the reader decide.
• A devout Paladin and an agnostic Mage must team up, putting aside their misgivings, to battle... um. something or another.This is by far the least baked of the ideas. Probably would go many iterations, but the idea would be to capture some of my own struggles between reason and faith, science and religion, and what it was like on both sides of the fence. Now, what I don't want to do is be preachy about this, and one of the challenges is not to let my personal bias guide it, nor to try to force my own conclusions. However, I wouldn't be able to not write it from a more atheistic standpoint. I find reason > faith and I wouldn't portray them as equals, but, in the end, I'd want to show both sides as people.

I also have been building up this pan-mythological fantasy world thing, but the scope of this is pretty big, so I don't know if it or I'm ready quite yet.

[Orodrist]

I'm assuming drinks as alcoholic. Coffee is mandatory, and not going to lie, I enjoy a good Hot Chocolate, too.

I picked up a big ol bottle of Fireball for the express purpose of Hot Apple Cider. Didn't like it before Fireball, and but after... a fine, fine drink.
That might be the only hot alcoholic beverage I've had. Never did an Irish coffee, or some others, but, I'm definitely open to trying new ones. So, hot brandy, you say?

Yeah, it's pretty simple, just hot water, honey and brandy. If you have a cold or sore throat it'll cure what ails you. On weekends if I'm not going anywhere I'll sometimes throw a shot of something into my morning coffee..

Tequila?

[ArchAngel]

When I started drinking, my friends always wanted to do Tequila shots, so now, it always tastes like a headache to me. I'll do tequila and I keep at least one bottle of blanco on stock, but I'm usually not reaching for it. I pour a shot in some cervezas.

What about you?

[Orodrist]

Yeah pretty much the same. Too many cheap tequila hangovers. I have some on hand because it's a good thing to pass around socially, but I think I've had one shot.

As DF was talking NaNo, is sex, drugs, and rock n roll too overdone? Because that's pretty much the essence of my plans.

[Deepfreeze32]

Angry Orchard? (Or alcoholic cider in general)


Also, I'm not sure how I should feel about you introducing me indirectly (Some forum post here) to Stone's Ruination IPA. It's so good, but it's ruined my taste for other IPAs. XD

[ChickenSoup]

Yeah pretty much the same. Too many cheap tequila hangovers. I have some on hand because it's a good thing to pass around socially, but I think I've had one shot.

As DF was talking NaNo, is sex, drugs, and rock n roll too overdone? Because that's pretty much the essence of my plans.

You know it's going to be one of those days when someone pulls out a gallon of El Toro.

...you mean to tell me that a bottle with a sombrero for a lid isn't a classy drink?

Not to hijack the thread, but Angry Orchard is great :3

ANYWAY TO THE POINT: Arch. ARCH. I'm gonna ask a similar quesiton to Oro: NanoWriMo thoughts for this year?

[ArchAngel]

Yeah pretty much the same. Too many cheap tequila hangovers. I have some on hand because it's a good thing to pass around socially, but I think I've had one shot.

As DF was talking NaNo, is sex, drugs, and rock n roll too overdone? Because that's pretty much the essence of my plans.

Nah. Go for it.
So long as it's about the Aesir forming a rock band and drinking mead from the skulls of their enemies.
Thor ripping lead guitar. Loki on synth keys. Odin's the manager, or lead vocals. Maybe Tyr on drums, with a drum stick put in place of his lost hand. Get some Jotunn as roadies.
They have a rivalry with the Greek pantheon... Hephaestus on drums, Athena as lead singer, Apollo on lead guitar, Ares on Bass, Hermes as a DJ.
Okay, I'm letting this get out of hand.
But wait... and there's this old band, from the Egyptian pantheon, but they had continually switch out their lead singer. Amun->Horus->Ra->Osiris.
Okay. I'm done. I'm stopping.

Angry Orchard? (Or alcoholic cider in general)


Also, I'm not sure how I should feel about you introducing me indirectly (Some forum post here) to Stone's Ruination IPA. It's so good, but it's ruined my taste for other IPAs. XD

I enjoy an Apple Cider here or there. Angry Orchard is pretty good. Woodchuck is one of the best, imo. Although, I got these two specialty Angry Orchard bottles (something with an Ice Wizard and a Scarecrow, or something), so I'm looking forward to trying that.

Haha, that's the spirit. Ruination is great. Although, if you want some to hold up to it, Hop Stoopid from Lagunitas and Hopsickle from Moylans (hard to find).

...you mean to tell me that a bottle with a sombrero for a lid isn't a classy drink?

The classiest.

ANYWAY TO THE POINT: Arch. ARCH. I'm gonna ask a similar quesiton to Oro: NanoWriMo thoughts for this year?

I actually just answered that when Deep asked it.
Which brings me to ask, are you planning on anything?

[ScotchRobbins]

If one hasn't already, what is an album that one needs to sit down and listen through immediately?

[ArchAngel]

Two albums stand out in my head.

First, Christopher Tin's Calling All Dawns.

Some might recognize the first song, Baba Yetu, as the grammy-winning (first game music to win a grammy) theme to Civilization IV, but it kicks off a heck-of-an-album. Each song seemlessly spills into the next and the final song moves back into the first, completing the cycle and sweeping from sunset to twilight and back to dawn as it travels around the world, culture to culture, capturing their musics and their poetry.
Baba Yetu, for example, is the Lord's Prayer swung by a Swahili Gospel Choir. The next is a Japanese poem about the progression of life from childhood to death, verses sung by a child, a young women, an older woman, and a choir of men signifying each stage of life. Each song stands out as an incredible work, but together, for a beautiful portrait.

The next is Epica's Classical Conspiracy.
Simply because, a metal band teaming up with a Hungarian Orchestra, to play, well, epic renditions of their hits along with the Imperial March, Dies Irea, Spiderman Theme, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Hall of the Mountain King, is just the best thing ever.

[Orodrist]

Do I lose what beer drinking cred I've gained for going to a local taco shop for their free, bottomless PBR night?


Also, sciencey question but kinda a booze question. Do I need to worry about alcohol evaporating out of my bottles in a fairly warm room? I forgot about my nightcap of brandy last night and set it uncovered on a shelf this morning. By the time I got home it was pretty much nonalcoholic.

[Deepfreeze32]

Ever listened to any Delain? They opened for Sonata Arctica last night, and they were easily one of the best live bands I've ever seen. If you ever decide to see Nightwish next year (Which I would highly recommend), do it. Delain + Nightwish = show you will likely never forget.

I'll include some links below for your benefit, but first a brief summary of the band if you haven't heard about them.

They were started as a session project by Martijn Westerholt, who with his brother Robert founded Within Temptation in 1996. After the release of Mother Earth, Martijn got Infectious Mononucleosis (Or Mono, for short). Due to this, he dropped out of Within Temptation. After he had recovered, he got several musicians together in 2006 to record Lucidity. Among the musicians he had were Marco Hietala (Bassist and male vocalist for Nightwish), Ad Sluijter (Former guitarist for Epica), Ariën van Weesenbeek (Drummer, current drummer for Epica), and Sharon den Adel (From Within Temptation). In addition, he found a more permanent singer for future releases, Charlotte Wessels, a then-unkown Dutch singer. After the success of Lucidity, Martijn decided to make this a full band, and they have since released three great albums. If you're interested, they are April Rain, We Are the Others, and The Human Contradiction


Some choice songs:

One of their latest singles:



A really strong one from their first album:



The typical concert-closer:





Also, bonus round! What do you think of this song:



They were the first act last night. And the did a fantastic job, for their first tour in the United States.

[ChickenSoup]

Which brings me to ask, are you planning on anything?

I'm really tossing it back and forth, wondering about if it'd be worth it or not. November is my least busy month, so if I were going to do it...


Thoughts on Christmas advertising coming waaay too early?

[ArchAngel]

Do I lose what beer drinking cred I've gained for going to a local taco shop for their free, bottomless PBR night?


Also, sciencey question but kinda a booze question. Do I need to worry about alcohol evaporating out of my bottles in a fairly warm room? I forgot about my nightcap of brandy last night and set it uncovered on a shelf this morning. By the time I got home it was pretty much nonalcoholic.

Oh man, I thought I answered this one. Nah, no cred lost. Bottomless PBR is bottomless PBR. Beer cred, I gather, is more about appreciating good craft beers than snubbing from cheap, mass market beers.

I don't think you need to worry about evaporation as long as your bottles are closed.

Ever listened to any Delain? They opened for Sonata Arctica last night, and they were easily one of the best live bands I've ever seen. If you ever decide to see Nightwish next year (Which I would highly recommend), do it. Delain + Nightwish = show you will likely never forget.

I'll include some links below for your benefit, but first a brief summary of the band if you haven't heard about them.

They were started as a session project by Martijn Westerholt, who with his brother Robert founded Within Temptation in 1996. After the release of Mother Earth, Martijn got Infectious Mononucleosis (Or Mono, for short). Due to this, he dropped out of Within Temptation. After he had recovered, he got several musicians together in 2006 to record Lucidity. Among the musicians he had were Marco Hietala (Bassist and male vocalist for Nightwish), Ad Sluijter (Former guitarist for Epica), Ariën van Weesenbeek (Drummer, current drummer for Epica), and Sharon den Adel (From Within Temptation). In addition, he found a more permanent singer for future releases, Charlotte Wessels, a then-unkown Dutch singer. After the success of Lucidity, Martijn decided to make this a full band, and they have since released three great albums. If you're interested, they are April Rain, We Are the Others, and The Human Contradiction

...

They were the first act last night. And the did a fantastic job, for their first tour in the United States.

Never listened to Delian before, but they were good. I think I liked Xandria a little more. I never was a huge fan of the over thematic body motions associated with the genre, but the lead singer of Xandria kind of pulls it off. Like a hotter, gothier Lori from Walking Dead. I dig it.

Sounds like you saw some sweet live acts, man.

I'm really tossing it back and forth, wondering about if it'd be worth it or not. November is my least busy month, so if I were going to do it...

You should do it, Casbro. Looks like a bunch of us are trying. I honestly don't know if I can make it or not, but we'll see if I get further than last year...

Thoughts on Christmas advertising coming waaay too early?

I think it's usually best to not intrude on other holidays. Wait till after Thanksgiving to really ramp up Christmas, but some early stuff I don't mind too much. Probably because I'm gung ho about Christmas.

I get why some stores, like Michaels (a craft store if it isn't in your area), start early, because you need a larger preperation period for craft stuff, but, I guess ideally, I'd prefer tighter, more intense periods. Instead of slowly petering in from August, just turn the dial to 11 right after Thanksgiving. Like, "It's Christmas Time, M@#$^%F@#%#@%!"