Last Friday, I bought the complete series of Dark Skies on DvD, which brought back a lot of fond memories. I'd heard a boxset was due for the end of October, but never expected my local music store to have it. Fourteen years have passed since I watched any episodes, so this was a special purchase. :)

As an X-Files fan, Dark Skies was a slightly cheesy cash-in. Everything from Majestic 12, black triangles, Roswell, JFK to Russians, NASA, Area 51, mind control, Greys, and ganglion hosts were featured. The writers drew from established ufo lore, and tossed in a dash of 60's drama. At the time, I didn't appreciate the historical vibe, but loved the fact aliens were used a lot.

Anyway.. This slice of 90's nostalgia is a welcome blast from the past. Thus far, I've watched the first disc, and little details are flooding back which is odd but cool.

NEW GEAR:

I bought a new coat in time for the winter snap. There's nothing wrong with my current one, except that I've had it for years, and it's not the all-weather kind. The new one is quilted, shorter, has lots of pockets, comes with a detachable hood and looks like this:

CREATIVE WRITING:

After three weeks, I'm settling into the local writer's circle pretty well. This week's theme dealt with Halloween, and members had to write a short story, poem or article. I had a story about zombies lined up, but never managed to finish. (Close to a thousand words were written, which wasn't bad, but a lot of ideas/paragraphs were fragmented.)

Instead, I read out a teaser, and can still picture the silent reaction. Luckily, feedback was positive. A lot of people tend to pick up on my desciptive narrative, and it was no different here. When we all stopped for a coffee break, a couple female members remarked on the quality which was flattering.

On one side, I appreciate feedback, but on the other don't want my efforts to (seemingly) stand out too much or too quickly. Mostly, to the point where people feel disenfranchised. Which, probably isn't the case at all, and maybe silly to even think, but the attention did make me feel slightly uncomfortable.

A trickier aspect though, is that we're all encouraged to read our work aloud. Public speaking is nerve wracking for most, and made even more stressful now, by trying to uphold a standard. Plus, I need to work on projecting my voice because I'm not talking loud enough for the older contingent. :cry: :oops:

If I can wrap up the story by next week, then everything afterwards won't be so bad. The only real problem, is having to submit the story for... Um.. Well.. I'm not really sure why. :| :) The group leader told me to produce a finished copy in double lined spacing for next week. According to the schedule, a guest tutor will be taking a session. Whether they want to show them, or have it submitted as a competition entry, I'll have to wait and see.

Either way, the pressure is on. :? I have a (stubborn) organic approach, and can't rush ideas too much. Otherwise, the whole thing becomes a chore. Fingers crossed I can get it done in time!

Worries aside, I actually enjoyed the meeting. There were a few real life ghost stories shared (about disembodied hands, and hillside spirits etc), fictional faery tales, original halloween poetry, an original story about an evil witch, and some Halloween party food. A couple older members also talked about their Halloween experiences growing up.

SLIDING INTO FAVOUR.

Last night, I played the Vanquish demo for 360, and all I can say is... .... ... :o The game was on my track list, and after getting a taste of the combat and a boss battle, it's now exceeded expectation. Objectively, it's a little bit like Mass Effect 2, Alien Soldier, Halo 3, Zone Of The Enders and Wet, with a touch of Gears thrown in, but still manages to surprise and excite.

I loved the combat and pace. Bullets zip past and explosions fill the screen. Sliding (boosting) is addictive as hell. I also like the fact cover can't protect you when the boss enemies arrive. There's a solid tactical element that keeps you on your toes.

Anywho.. There are few demos I've wanted to replay this gen, just for the intensity and fun factor, and this is definitely one of them.