Retro Gaming Icons - Writing Prompt

The writing prompt for this month at Absolute Write is something I can definitely give a little twist to and still stay on topic.

Whatever your definition of retro, gaming, or icons, now is the time to get your classic game on. Super Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto, the Atari 2600, Tim Schafer, Baldur's Gate...any game or gaming-related icon is up for grabs! Or, if you like, invent your own! Entries may be of any genre so long as they are 1000 words or less.

Many years ago I was a key player in an online role-playing event which caused our guild's guild master to go missing. Her name was Katidyd and she was, in my eyes, an iconic symbol in the game of Threshold, a multi-player online role-playing game. I later discovered that she had left the game and her character was permanently retired.

I never really knew the OOC (Out of Character) reasoning for her permanent removal (I think it was to join the Aether). However, the event was an intensive in-character development and relied upon the coordination and respect of many other players.

I'm sharing the link to a page where I've compiled a more color friendly version of the log entries titled "Katidyd Disappears". It gets more interesting toward the end and everything I colored is system generated spam to indicate a spell or special character ability rather than dialogue or emotes controlled by players. I hope you enjoy.

Click on the picture to view the entire log!!

As you may guess from my forum name, I'm playing the male character Pyrosama. :)

Visit the other participants to see what they have to share for this topic!

Participants:
orion_mk3 -  (link to post)
Ralph Pines -  (link to post)
meowzbark -  (link to post)
Pyrosama - (you are HERE)
Anarchic Q -  (link to post)
AndreF -  (link to post)
MsLaylaCakes -  (link to post) [after 1/18]

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The Significance of John Wayne

Let’s consider this legend. Remember him? Of course you do!

I had never been a fan of John Wayne, but my husband, the advocate, probably watched every single movie in which The Duke starred. These movies are acceptable for viewing over and over again, yet I’ll be mocked if I watch The Breakfast Club one more time.

I admit, I’ve watched a few of his movies throughout the years - True Grit, Sands of Iwo Jima, El Dorado, and Rio Bravo, to name a few. To me, the man didn’t really act. Nobody had any mad acting skills back in the day, maybe some stilted over-acting, but definitely not award-winning acting. 

However, according to Tim, John Wayne was more than just the name of a famous actor. And so it came that I would watch another of his movies along side my faithful husband.

The Sons of Katie Elder

It occurred during this movie, that moment where I realized the significance of John Wayne. I was ironing clothes on a Saturday morning and Tim lay on the bed, right leg crossed over the left and arms folded behind his head, watching television. Then came the announcement. It must have been the same guy who announced the television series Leave it to Beaver. At least, it sounded like him, “And now, The Sons of Katie Elder….starring, John Wayne…”

I stopped ironing, because of course, I needed to understand what the big deal was when Tim yelled out, “The Duke! Haha!”

I watched for a bit, just long enough to understand four brothers, the oldest being Wayne, had come back into town because their mother had passed away. Apparently, these sons had been gone for some time, according to the tongue lashing they’d received from mother’s long time friend and caretaker.

The elder brother removed his hat in humble acceptance of the scolding he’d received, then bowed his head in shame.

From the look on Tim’s face, I could tell something was awry. It was like an exasperated silence hung in the air and nobody dared say a word, not even me. The television was silent, Tim was silent, and I held my breath.

“You should be ashamed,” the caretaker continued. “The lot of you!”

That’s when Tim turned toward me, tapping his chest with indignity, as if speaking for the man, “Bitch, I’m John Wayne.”

And that’s when I knew that John Wayne would always be bigger than the characters he played. He was, indeed, a legend.

My Protagonist Cooks For You

Today, Kelly Cooper, the protagonist of my future novel, Precinct 9, will share with you one of her favorite recipes.  

Kelly is a police sergeant caught up in the mining of data from various internet sites and producing information that draws similarities between two unrelated cold cases. Just as she begins to place the final pieces of the puzzle together to reveal a serial killer, she becomes engaged in a heated verbal altercation with her ex-boss over a scandal beyond her control. 

When the ex-boss is murdered and Kelly's gun goes missing, she is declared a person of interest and placed on administrative leave. The gloves are off. 

With a serial killer on the loose and her life on the line, Kelly must do everything she can to clear herself of any wrong-doing, and find a way to complete the puzzle, all while operating outside the limits of the law.

Take it away, Kelly!

While Diane figures out how I’ll piece together that puzzle, let us see if I can’t piece together for you,  this recipe of lightly crusted pork medallions. 

You will need the following ingredients:

1 roll of center cut pork tenderloin

½ cup of all-purpose flour

1 egg

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the pork loin into equal slices about a half-inch thick. Salt and pepper them to your desired taste and soak them in egg batter for 10 minutes, then lightly dust them with flour. Let them set while you fire up the deep fryer.

Fry them at 375 degrees for exactly 5 minutes. Use whatever method you want to drain the excess fat. I put them on paper towels and let them set for a couple of minutes. 

A serving size is 3 medallions. Plate them with country fried potatoes and buttered asparagus. The recipe for the potatoes has to come from mother. She never shared that one. 

I hope you try this dish. It’s fantabulous! 

Now, I have a serial killer to find. Ah, a computer!

Arguing With My Technical Adviser

Sometime last year, I asked my husband to join me in developing my story and to take on the role as my technical adviser. A perfect partner for this task, Tim brings to the table over 30 years experience as a criminal investigator, solving crimes such as larceny, rape, and murder. He also spent three years assigned to NCIS working undercover narcotics. Having him on board isn't going to cost me anything, right? It should be good, and we can spend more time together, wrapped up in productive conversations about my WIP. 

So, why does this warrant a blog post? Because, I've discovered that progress can be made, even when two people have complete different backgrounds and philosophies. You see, I've been a computer programmer and software developer for over 15 years. Nobody ever asked me why I designed something a certain way. I utilize the resources I have, the knowledge I've obtained, and my time. That’s it; and I have my product. Isn't that how it works in The Matrix? You need something? It's there.

Though my husband and I both perform analyses on a daily basis, our ideas and techniques which lead to success are completely different. His motivation and successes are based on the knowledge of people and how they operate. Mine are based on the knowledge of systems. Unlike Tim’s functional environment, mine has no feeling, no motivation, and no goal other than to perform as designed. 

Thus comes the argument:

"That won't work."

"Why not?"

"Because, the police captain would have no reason to show up at her house."

"I'm the writer. I can make him show up at her house. And then she's going to drug him."

"Oh really? With what?"

"I don't know yet, but he has to pass out."

"Why does he have to pass out? He wouldn't be there in the first place and now he has to pass out?"

"Yes!"

"Okay, tell me why."

"Because, she has to get his swipe badge. She has to have a way into the secure area and his badge will get her in there."

"It's not plausible to expect a police captain to behave a certain way in order to make it easy for you to tell your story."

GRRRRRRAAAAAUUUGH!! Punch to the gut! 

I wondered why on earth I felt I needed a technical adviser. They just get in the way. I pouted all day long. If I were in law enforcement, I could definitely figure out a way into the secure area. I felt stuck, and my expert had no other advice. Of course not. I'M supposed to be the storyteller! He's the one who gets to shoot everything down.

It hit me so hard all air escaped me. Of course, I can find a way, can’t I? I’m a computer programmer. 

[system message from internal critic] Aha, Diane, but your protagonist is not a computer programmer; she’s a police officer.

Drat!  

I finally performed some research and discovered a realistic way to get my protagonist in the secure area (I’ll spare you the details for now), but it will take a little extra writing on my part. 

I now realize our protagonists must seek out viable solutions to their obstacles without the writer conveniently putting things in place which allow them to succeed, especially at the expense of another character's virtue. The character motivations of any secondary character are just as important, and I won’t soon forget this lesson. Had I insisted my technical adviser relinquish control and allow me to go my initial route, I'd have a pretty crappy scene, and I'd be considered a lazy writer. That is not my goal.

Do you have a technical adviser(s), or do you rely on your own research?

A Day at the Gym

My husband and I designated Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays as our after-work "hit the gym" days. We'd been in our new routine for about 2 weeks. He already has a daily lunchtime routine at the YMCA, with workout buddies. So now he gets to work out twice as much. That's how I keep him looking great!

I don my usual workout sweatpants and over-sized black t-shirt with "USMC Marines" scripted in blood red around a really angry looking bulldog. Eat your heart out Sylvester Stallone.

YouFit, on Mahan Drive, has a wide selection of resistance machines, cardio machines, and free weights. Though pretty crowded during the week, there's always an open machine when you arrive.

I check my watch after performing a few running and jumping warm-up routines. Tim was supposed to meet me after he'd gone home to walk the dogs. Sure enough, he pulls in at exactly 5:30 p.m.

I scan the area to see how many of my favorite machines are open and my eyes lock with those of a bald man with a goofy grin. His eyes light up, and he shifts back and forth on the heels of his feet like Gomer Pile with a secret.

Why is he looking at me like that? He looks at my t-shirt. I decide he's probably illiterate, so he must be fascinated with the angry bulldog. The man's smile disturbs me. I get a twinge of Déjà Vu. This is a terrible feeling, and I think something is getting ready to happen, something bad. If he doesn't quit staring at me with that goofy grin, Tim will punch him out. Then, the man will be a goofy, grinning, illiterate, bald man—in pain.

“Hi, Mrs. Carlisle,” he says. “How are you?”

I don't know what makes it happen, but the goofy grin fades like Etch a Sketch art when you shake it. Gomer Pyle is gone.

Embarrassment forces me to smile, but I probably look more horrified than anything.

"It's me,” he says.

He waits on me to speak, but I’m speechless.

He makes like he's using a spray gun with one hand while holding a canister with the other, "Your exterminator—remember?"

Then, I recognize him. Of course it’s him! A nice young man, too. Always calling 30 minutes in advance. Always courteous with the "Yes, ma'ams" and the "No, ma’ams”. Never late.

Then I realize why you shouldn't have your characters meet in another story. I was perfectly happy knowing him as my exterminator. It wasn't a pleasant experience meeting him, in full workout gear, ready to pump iron instead of his insecticide sprayer.

Have you ever known someone from one place and met them in another place,  which made them seem out of place?