August Status Report: Mildly Self-Disappointed, But Thankfully Not Dead Yet · 9:15am Aug 1st, 2020
Blog Number 86: The Holiday Month Edition
Total number of words produced during May: 74,697.
Total number of words produced during June: 50,291.
Total number of words produced during July: 12,666.
That's a serious downgrade. I'm gonna have to up my game this month.
It's notable I had a similar pattern last year: the first third of the year (January, February, March, and April) started off weak, May and June were considerable improvements, and then July sank right back down to a low level. Last year, that low level was one I never really recovered from (except arguably in September, which was almost as good as May).
I'm hoping to break that pattern this year. I've no shortage of ideas, but when it comes to prose, I want to avoid getting repetitive (e.g. in my metaphors or phrasing). Besides, I've still more research to do in psychology and philosophy; one of the downsides of learning more is that you learn that there's even more yet to learn! 
So basically, not impressed with myself on the writing front. Very disappointed, actually. But, since I'm not done yet, I'm hoping to knuckle down and really focus on this thing in August. I ain't giving up that easily.
Surprisingly, most of this year hasn't actually been that bad for me otherwise (though last month I could have done without a few "headaches"). I mean, sure there's been the COVID-19 pandemic, and I haven't escaped its effects on work and home life, but all things considered I've still been remarkably lucky.
Heck, we're even easing back into work, and I'm enjoying Classic Simpsons DVDs again for old-time delights. Currently on Season Four, and the latest ep I watched was "A Streetcar Named Marge". Although I think I'm missing most of the Desire-related jokes (not really a play buff, myself), it's still a hoot.
Among other leisure activities. Rereading the Death series of Discworld for instance, and am currently on my favourite: Reaper Man! I've always loved the Discworld version of Death, and this is the book where his sympathetic enlightenment and change in attitude towards humanity really shines. 
And even gaming-wise, I've been getting old-school and digging up my old Spyro trilogy. They're such magical games, and I don't think I've ever come across anything close since.
God, I'm a 90's kid, right enough. 
Oh, yes. Some pleasures here and there. All things considered, this year of mine could have been a lot worse.
Also been rewatching MLP:FiM DVDs again. Currently going through Season Four - latest ep was "Somepony To Watch Over Me".
It's not a good ep (frankly, AJ's a self-caricature, and the moral shoots itself in the foot by being ridiculously muddled at the end), but I have a soft spot for it for two very considerable reasons: it starts off with a nice coming-of-age bit for Apple Bloom, and the chimera confrontation in the Flame Geyser Swamp is honestly one of the better fantasy/fairy-tale-esque action setpieces of the season.
Overall, it's an ep I think didn't work, but which had enough strong bones and potential flesh to it that something more interesting could have been done, and there are some good spots here and there. I tend to be more generous to those kinds of stories than to stories that execute a bad idea with aplomb (because a stain is a stain no matter how much glitter and polish you put on it).
More generally, Season Four is a notably mild season of the show for me. There aren't many eps that stand out as classics, but the season as a whole feels more laid-back and cohesive than the up-and-down Season Five or the wobblier parts of Seasons One and Two. There isn't a single episode I'd skip here - which makes it unique to me - but there are plenty of episodes with flaws and problems I can't entirely overlook either. It's good and cosy, but not great.
Lastly, one of the weirder things about this August is that there won't be another annual Sunset Shimmer Shipping Contest.
Ever since I stumbled across the first one in 2017 (during a rough patch, at that, which was probably why I was in the mood to try anything in the first place), I've submitted an entry every time, albeit under the Blue Chameleon banner in 2018. Effectively, it became a tradition.
An odd tradition, though: I don't really "ship" characters. The whole idea of playing matchmaker with characters who seem perfectly fine as friends just baffles me, never mind the massive focus it gets in the fandom. My interests generally lie on more platonic lines. These contests were mostly outlets for trying something radically different from my usual M.O.
In fact, I've half-considered going ahead and writing one anyway. They tended to be fun A.U. exercises for me personally. And since I need to up my game this month, well, we'll see. I might be able to fit it in somewhere.
All in all, not in the highest of spirits at the moment, but not far off. With a little effort, I doubt I'll be off course for long. Hopefully. We'll see how August goes.
Anyway, stay well this month, always look on the bright side of life (for opportunities 
), and don't let the bastards grind you down. 
Until next time. Impossible Numbers, out.
