Monday, November 19, 2012

Change

Ah, so, here's the thing, people always say the following: "Life sucks", "The government is screwing my life" or "My parents are gonna kill me!" but! Here's the thing! What do we do to change that? Life sucks, yes, to everyone, and I can't really talk about anyone's situation except mine, so here's my point:

When I hear people saying my life sucks, I usually see they blame everyone but them, be it God or Obama, they will never blame themselves for it. Every time I think my life sucks, I consider what can I do to change it because, in the end, if we don't like a video game, we trade it in for another, so why can't we change the things in our lives that are simply not good? If a smoker is really ill, won't he stop smoking (Maybe he won't, but he should.) Point is, in our lives, our country and our hearts, it's our job to change it. The more we wait for someone else to change everything, the more things stay the same or get worst. So, before blaming anyone, we must see if we're the ones who are doing wrong to our own lives.

My Regards and Apologies for taking so long,

Ell J. Converse

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

A Short Message About Future Plans

So, lately I've been figuring out a lot of stuff in my life and, as a result, I've come to the conclusion that I'm going to be participating in the NaNoWriMo (National November Writing Month.) It's a Challenge for writers in which they have to write 50,000 words in one month (That's an average of 1,700 words a day.) It sounds extreme, but it's actually pretty neat! My best friends, Eli and Red, have participated previously and have given me the determination to achieve it. So, yes! I've been practicing my writing speed and grammar (Which is a must.) And, the story I decided to use for the NaNoWriMo is one I've had for a very long time but never actually wrote (I did, as a matter of fact, write a few chapters of a story that came a few years after the settings of the one I'm doing for the NaNoWriMo.)

My Regards to all those who will participate in the NaNoWriMo and to everyone else,

Ell J. Converse

Sunday, October 14, 2012

My Experience With Bullying Pt. 2

Okay, so, here it goes! I've come to realize that most of the time, girls are bullied by guys more than actual guys get bullied. Why? I think it's because most girls who get bullied either made one little mistake that got known by everyone or they are simply too nice and adorable and mild that everyone takes advantage of them. But, even though girls ARE bullied just as much as guys, I can only speak for my own experience, and this time, I guess I have to talk about a much more painful bullying than kids in school: Family Bullying- Yep, you read correctly: Family Bullying.

See, most people don't see it as bullying when it's in the family, but I do. Why? Because, bullying is bullying, no matter where it is. See, I was bullied all my life by my father and my big sister (on his side.) I don't hate them, as a matter of fact, I love them, but that doesn't mean they have done so. First, my father's kind of bullying. He played pranks on me. Say we're watching a scary movie (E.g. Saw, or the Exorcist or some freaky movie) and he tended to keep scaring the heck out of me. Sure, pranks are not considered bullying, but, technically, bullies don't consider what they do bullying, right? Well, he was always picking my sisters over me and always made what I said or did something bad, one way or another, for example:

Once, my little sister was sitting next to me and our dad turned off the T.V. because we were heading out somewhere, not sure where. Out of a sudden, my sister grabs the control and turns the T.V. back on, which got my dad mad. He turned the T.V. off again and, of course, my sister turned it back on. Instantly, he turned on me and practically shouted at me that I shouldn't be such a bad influence on my sister and that I should shut up and stop telling her to turn on the T.V. for me. Which, honestly, was stupid, considering I was laying on the sofa, playing on my then-alive PSP, with my back to the T.V. Once I said I wasn't, in fact, telling her anything, he fumed and practically insults me out the door and was bitter to me all day long because of that stupid thing I wasn't to blame. Of course, not many will consider this bullying, but it is what I consider bullying.

Now, to the next step! My Sister! Ah, she was the most annoying. Firstly, she NEVER paid attention to what I said, in fact, she literally ignored me whenever I said something and did as she pleased, such as eating the Nutella that was meant for me, or the Crunch, or the sandwich that I was going to eat because I was hungry. Now, she was, also, the one who, knowing I didn't like horror or suspense movies, picked them and made dad force me watch them, saying they were 'family bonding time.' She was a jerk, yes, and she always played her extra-loud Reggueton music whenever I asked to be left alone because my head was hurting. But, in the end, we had a fallout, and we didn't talk to each other (Me to my dad or sisters) for about three years, until a while ago, when I (Not them) messaged dad asking him for forgiveness. It hurt to be the one to apologize, but once I did it, I felt like I did the right thing.

My Regards and Support to those suffering from Bullying,

Ell J. Converse

Thursday, October 4, 2012

The Seven Deadly Sins

The Seven Deadly Sins are, at their least, well-known or, at least, their names are. One could instantly assume that Greed is wanting a lot of money, that Envy is wanting to steal that one guy's car, and that Pride is only reserved to those who're rich and so on, the variable thoughts are never ending. So, I decided to give these most-known yet ignored sins a look. So, let's begin!


Lust: Now, now. Lust doesn't mean just craving for that sexy girl down at the Mall. Lust was, originally, a term of desire. ANY kind. You know those old wizards who only want to learn more and more? He's lusting. Lust can take any form, from the famed lust for sex all the way to the lust of reading that new book that came out. Basically, lust is a very strong and deep passion.

Gluttony: Ah, I hate that word. Not because I'm weak to that sin, which I'm not, but because of a reason that isn't really important. Okay, so! Gluttony. I've heard many people say that it's the eating-too-much sin (And that's a quote), But I think it means more than that. Not only eat too much, but I think it's the same as lust, but instead of wanting, of getting: Self indulgence, wasting resources when it isn't necessary and such. Adding a final note, Keeping food from hungry people is a kind of Gluttony, if you ask me.

Greed: The sin we all do at some point (If you haven't, I'm really looking forward to meeting you.) I find Greed very dissa-greed-able, considering it's the desire to posses weath, good or objects that have a Earthen wealth, but that's not all of it: It's not only wanting them, it's, once getting them, not wanting to share. We could also say that Greed is wanting something that we don't really need, such as wealth or the new game for X-Box 360.


Sloth: Okay, now THIS is what we're talking about! (Obviously) Sloth, for those who didn't know, isn't just physical laziness, but a spiritual laziness as well as failing or deciding not to do something you had to do, or not doing something you could have done to help. Basically, sloth is the lack of action when it comes to very important stuff.

Wrath: So, yes, Wrath. Quite a big, angry word, don't ya think? Well, Wrath in itself is a big feeling of anger and hatred towards others. Impatience, revenge and agressive thoughts are caused by Wrath. Some say that, somehow, suicide is the act of a Wrathfull person who's anger is directed at themselves, though I won't elaborate the point (Or any other, probably.)

Envy: Yes, you read right: E-N-V-Y! Similar to Greed and Lust, it's basically discontent towards someones' traits, status, abilities or rewards, but, in fact, secretly wants what is outwardly disliked. I guess, in a way, this is lusting that which others have, but you lack.

Pride: So! Pride. This brought to mind Pride and Prejudice, for some reason. ANYWAY! A prideful person is one who thinks (Or wants) to be more important or attractive than others, who fail to acknowledge the good work of others and has excessive love for themselves (To the point of egocentrism.)

So, here you have it. The Seven Deadly Sins are, without a doubt, linked to one another. One leads to the other and, if left unchecked long enough, we could end up with all seven on us, which would be a pain in the butt to everyone around. Honestly? I've suffered them all, but I've also worked them off every time they arrive.

My Regards,

Ell J. Converse

Friday, September 14, 2012

I Present to Ye: Phoenix!

It has become official: I am working full-time on writing a book which, of course, I will publish after the required procedure: Editing, editing and editing, among other stuff. It's a good story, Four out of four have deemed it great so far, and, though the people who like it are my friends, they are book loves, so they don't hold their criticism back. I've been thinking about it and, as much as I enjoy other stuff, writing has always been my passion, and so I'll gamble it all on it.

Now, moving to the story. It's hard to explain, specially since it's my own story, so I'll just add this extract from Chapter 1.


“They're pretty thick, aren't they?” Phoenix asked Alice, who giggled. “Sir, I'm not a phoenix guy, let alone a phoenix dude. I am THE Phoenix. I know what I'm doing so, please, shut up and let me and your lovely daughter do the thinking and talking around here.” Phoenix said, his voice was calm, but gave a feeling that they were talking to some kind of lord. Someone they had to obey. “And that goes for you too, ma'am.” He added, pointing at Alice's mum. “Now, the thing down there is called an Avortel.” He said, pointing at the door over his shoulder with his thumb. “It's a deadly creature from Elven Mythology that is said to slowly eat a person's soul and then, when it has fed on all your spiritual energy, awakens and eats your body. Of course, that's what the myths say, not really necessarily true, since it's a myth. But, legend also says that if there's other living life forms not of the same kind as the soul absorbed, he'll eat everything until nothing remains for around... Say... A continent.” Phoenix smiled. “I thought they were non-existent, considering where they come from, but still, here's one living. Brilliant.”Phoenix said, clapping one. “Now, Alice, to do what I'm about to do, I'll need your help. Do you trust me?”

That's as much as you'll see for now. Hope you enjoyed a bit of an extract. It's the one and only story I love enough to say I'll publish it. I've been working extra-hard on it, so it'll be my finest piece. And, to be honest, I owe it to some very important people. So prepare, for Phoenix is coming sometime this century. ;)

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Re-Cap

So, I haven't written anything lately, but a lot has happened, so let's start by saying that The Dragons is coming along just fine behind the scenes, but I'm preparing the characters, as in their style, weapons and techniques, to make it easier to flow the story into the blog.

Second: The Amazing Spiderman was, in fact, amazing. I don't care how many of you may think otherwise, but I realized, while watching this one, that the original ones were nothing like it. It was funny, awkward and definitely showed off the darker side of being a hero, meaning that he's not capable of saving everyone. I read a bit of the comics (Not sure if they were the Amazing ones, but still) and I noticed this Spiderman is more accurate in it's presentation than the one from the previous movies. But I'm not a big know-it-all about Spiderman, so I can't really say. But, if my mom, a lizard-hater, is capable of surviving the Lizardman and say the movie was awesome, it should really tell you something about it.

Third: There seems to be a strange feeling flowing around lately that is hard to explain, so I won't. I'll just say a letter is stronger than a thousand words sometimes, at least for me. So yes, there ya go, that's the third one. Moving on...

Four: I'm taking A.S.L. classes, and I'm about to start my guitar ones again, so I'll be more talented than ever before (Hopefully.) I'm also practicing my acting (Which isn't all that good) and my piano (Which sucks real bad) so I'm very active lately. So yes, now we all know why I haven't updated anything, anywhere lately.


My Regards,

Ell J. Converse

Friday, July 6, 2012

The Meaning Behind Elliot, Urban Style

So, knowing I haven't really been active lately, I checked in on the blog to see how many people have seen it since it's birth, and I was surprised to find out that the number was now 566 people, worldwide. I won't give a big detailed summary of when because, while listening to the theme song of Sephiroth, from Final Fantasy VII, I decided to check my name on the Urban Dictionary Website. For those that don't know, Ell J. Converse is just a pen name, and my real name is Elliot, and here's what it said:


1. Elliot
Elliot is a true master at caring. He teaches how to love and be loved. A man of honour a man of steal. He's as handsome as a Greek God, as strong as diamond, as compassionate as a saint and is as gentle as a father's touch. Elliot possesses a magic within to create a vision in the eyes of all, leaving them stunned at how brilliant and perfect Elliot truly is. A leader, a spirit lifter, a lover, a giver, an Elliot'll leave you speechless with his being, his essence.

Life isn't complete without an Elliot. Once you meet him, he will take your concerns away and replace them with peace, tranquility and love. This is the magic that is he. An Elliot brings out the best in everything and everyone he touches, and makes the world simply a better place to be.

An Elliot will render your dark days with light,
An Elliot will give a selfless comfort to make all things
bright.
He will bring the moon to where the sun lies.
In a heart beat he can turn a sunset into a sun rise.
An Elliot is someone who gives the gift of love,
and from that day onwards he will be your all, beyond and above.
An Elliot will give a strength a hope,
Taking your hand and helping all cope.
An inspiration a muse
Once Elliot touches a heart, it can't ever refuse.

An Elliot is to create a phenomenon in which a delicate blend of awesomeness, love, compassion, humility, inner an outer beauty, charisma, charity, strength, passion, security and wonder merge to create the amazement that he will forever be
"A magician of his nature, my companion, can only be an Elliot."


"What an amazing man... the love heart link was for you, darling Elliot."


"Awesomeness of this kind, can only be an Elliot."


"A man loved dearly, he is Elliot."



2. elliot
Man of great size and power. Usually has his way with any woman he wants.


"Thats like the elliot of trucks."


"Elliot has had his with with all of our mothers. Multiple times."




3. Elliot
An Elliot is an amazingly awesome guy who is hilariously awkward, and loves his friends. He'll continuelessly make your day better, regardless of how much his sucked, or if he's not in the mood for conversation. He's loved by everyone, and only disliked by people who envy him. Everyone younger than him looks up to him like he's a God. Girls faint when he walks by, and guys run up to chill with him. He happens to be his own version of hott, and girls throw themselves at him. He doesn't care what people think of him, and he only dislikes people who are mean to others. He's amazing at all sports, and is a legit beast.

"~Aaaahh, he's SUCH, an Elliot!!!"




After that third one it gets too dirty and not good, but basically, an Elliot is epic, which means I'm epic. Now, mind you, I don't do my way with any woman. I can barely talk to the one I like without looking like an idiot, so let's keep it simple. So, yeah, I know this is like a filler or something, since it's not really cool or anything (Not that what I write is ever cool.) Oh, yeah, lately I've been pretty hooked listening to Laina Walker's videos lately. Thought you guys might want to check her vids out, though you probably already did. So, yeah, getting it all down on paper.

My Regards,

Elliot J. Converse ;)

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Sorry

Okay, so, I owe you all an apology for not coming up with anything interesting to write about. But, then again, I'm usually not very good at that either, so I'm just gonna share some news. So, Dragon Mercenaries has changed to The Dragons for a reason explained in a little thingy on the blog towards that side: ---->

Also, I won't be showing a bunch of links about it, I'll just post a new chapter as soon as I finish it, which means I'll probably end up writing a few daily, IF I feel like it. I owe you a good post, so I'll probably end up on Google and finding something awesome to write about (Otherwise I'll end up talking about some random video game I'm playing at present.) Finally, I've been writing a story for some friends and, thanks to that, my skills have improved a lot since the old days, so I'll keep getting better and better at writing, meaning my Dragons Chapters will become much better (Hopefully.) Remember I enjoy reading your thoughts and that kind of stuff, so don't be afraid and contact me, I'd be happy to read your thoughts.

My Regards,

Ell J. Converse

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Heartbroken

I've been really busy lately, and that's why I realized what I want. It's not important what she did, what matters is what she's going to do, what she's doing now. Why would it matter what's in the past, that can't be changed, but what's in the future can be prepared. But, even if it's like that, the future is fashioned by our past, but, also, like a mighty Mongolian Warlord once said: 'The past is not a prediction of the future.'

But that doesn't mean forgive and forget, because it's not so easy to forget the pain a broken heart takes. A shattered heart will take months, maybe years to repair, and yet, the person who broke the heart moves on, not looking back unless they want to be friends. But, is being friends the right option? It inflicts pain on us, the brokenhearted, and it won't really matter to them.

Let me tell you what I think: It's worth it. Forgiving and forgetting, remain as friends, even if it hurts, it's worth more than you could imagine. See, if you forgive and forget, and also remain as friends, you'll see what you had, that wasn't what you really needed, and you'll be able to find someone better. I know you might find this blog post quite weird, but I'm feeling a bit weird today, so I might not make as much sense as before.

My Regards,

Ell J. Converse

Thursday, June 21, 2012

My Experience With Bullying Pt. 1

Life has been incredibly weird to me for a while, but this time, I come with a message about Bullying, about which I made a group on Facebook. When I was a kid, don't remember exactly at what age, I was in my science class taking a test when it happened. See, I have a scar on my right hand which I recieved when I was a smaller (It's also the reason I'm left handed.) Thing is, the teacher, not really remembering his name at present, approached me and saw that I had my hand curled and apparently thought I was cheating, which I wasn't, I just had a bit of a dislike for the scar. Point is, he told me to show him my hand, I said no, so he grabbed my wrist and tried to force my hand open. I wrestled back, trying to get of his painful grip, but even then, he didn't stop, instead grabbing me by the hair and pulling my head back, in an attempt to weaken my closed right arm. Even then, I didn't give up and stood, making him trip over the desk, which seemed to startle him into a pause, and he realized what he had done. My family and I didn't press charges and, to be honest, I'm glad we didn't. Why become a bully to fight bullies? It just creates more bullies and then the circle starts all over again. I'm a fighter, yes, I admit it, but I'm not a punnisher or a judge to make people pay for their problems. I'll put a stop to bullying, not beat the bully for what he did because, in the end, aren't bullies just another kind of bullied? I'll let you think this through as I bid you farewell for now. Until next blog.


My Regards,

Ell J. Converse

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Dragon Mercenaries

http://ell-j-converse-stories.blogspot.com/?zx=3700c513f50c0de7



See that link up above? It's a link to my second blog, which is called Dragon Mercenaries. It's about a... Well, just go over there and read it. I know it won't be extremely good or epic or anything, because my good and epic and cool story isn't for free (Unless you're one of my Best 5 Friends), so here's the story's description:


"In an over-crowded world, Guilds stand all over the world, from the noble Paladin Guilds all the way to the lowly Bandit Guilds, the world is ruled by the Guilds they built. One of them is a very well-known Mercenary Guild called Dragon, a Guild our young apprentice Magician, Martha, wants to join. And this is her story and quest to join and become a full-fledged Dragon."


Hope you enjoy it and share it!




My Regards,


Ell J. Converse

Monday, June 18, 2012

A Letter to a Friend


Surprisingly, you're part of the reason why I wasn't mad
When the girl I used to love betrayed and broke my heart.

Somehow, I suspected it would happen from the start,
but I wasn't mad because you were next to me from scratch.

Believe me or not, as you won't, I think of you for a long time,
Day and night and even when I dream you're by my side,
Smiling, laughing and talking to me as if we were one.

Take this as you please, but this is no love letter,
or, in a different perspective, maybe it is a bit better,
for it's a letter from a friend to his lovely mate, which, in truth
couldn't be any better than you.


By: Ell J. Converse

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Great News

Okay, so! Last weekend, on Saturday, to be exact, I was at the Puerto Rico Comic-Con! So, there, I met two new friends and a bunch others who haven't really messaged me yet, so they won't be mentioned. The two are Mattie and Hareed. Mattie is a girl with extremely amazing eyes, brilliant ones, who's a bigger gamer than Nivek, my best friend, and that's saying something. Hareed, I think that's how his name is spelled, is a pretty cool guy who tagged along with me during the whole Comic-Con. Anyway, here's the thing. There where many booths there about comics and the like, so I, who wants to make a comic, spoke to a bunch of them, don't really remember their names, but they were quite... Interesting conversations. Among them, and this is big news and I mean BIG NEWS, I talked to a man that's a writer with a bunch of drawing dudes under his command. He also gave me his number and told me to give him a ring sometime next month! Then he said something about sitting and seeing what we could do or something similar. Anyway, in preparation for the inevitable talk with aforementioned writer, I'm currently finding a way to create a kind of draft. BUT! That's not the end of hope, for I have a proposition for you all. If you share my blog, I'll post a story, chapter by chapter, here. That's my word, and I always go along with my word.

My Regards,

Ell J. Converse

P.S.
I'll have a bunch of pics from the Comic-Con on a post. Take care of yourself.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Bullied?

Ever since I was little, I was always getting into fights against guys who treated others like they were nothing. I really didn't do much, to be honest, but I stood up against bullies, even teachers (Not that I got into fights with them, mind you.) To give support to the bullied, to connect with other bullied people around the world and to share their thoughts and stories, I made a group on FB called Bullied? with the interrogation point. We're just starting there, but we've already got 54 members, myself included.

On other news, my blog has been seen by, up at present, 436 people. It's been seen by 184 people living in Puerto Rico, 178 people living in the US, 28 people living in the UK, 26 people living in Russia, 5 people living in Germany, 2 people living in Canada, 2 living in France, 2 Living in Mexico, 2 living in the Philippines and 1 living in Dominica, according to the Blog's Views, which isn't all that reliable. But even with it's unreliability, I'm extremely happy that A Lot of Random Things has actually reached from my tiny little brain into the minds of so many different people, culture and countries, even if it was just for a few minutes. To those who don't know, I've got a twitter, a Facebook and an E-Mail, which I'll add as links at the bottom. Thanks for your support and patience.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/EllJConverse1
A Lot of Random Things on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Lot-of-Random-Things/424776297537235
Ell J. Converse on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JustinClearwater
E-Mail: ellconverse@hotmail.com

My Regards and Humble Thanks,

Ell J. Converse

P.S.
My story in DeviantART is no longer avaible, as news reached me that the website was known for being insecure. Also, my FB previously showed has been blocked by some unknown reason, so it no longer is mine, use the one above. Also, support by liking the Page. One last thing, if the links don't work, send me an E-Mail and I'll see what I can do.

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Dark Shadows

So, I went to watch Dark Shadows and, well, I have about the whole movie-worth of issues with it. The only good thing about the movie is Johnny Deep, Tim Burton and his wife (Who I have never been able to spell the name right.) Now, here's the many things wrong with the movie:

First, No Story: It's like a bunch of clips of the same characters but not really related, since most of the movie was Barnabas Collins, played by Johnny Deep, having some kind of physical connection with some lady character. Second, not enough main girl: She appears at the start, in a montage and at about three other scenes in the last half of the movie, each apparition wasn't worth it and gave nothing new to the story. Three, too much sex-related stuff: No, seriously, too much. A bunch of scenes were Johnny Deep doing stuff with one of the female characters. Fourth, COMPLETE UTTER RANDOMNESS: Really, both main characters end up as vampires, Barnabas' girl descendant turns out to be a werewolf, her brother is a spirit medium, his dead mother is actually a banshee, his dad disappears, Tim Burton's wife (Who's name always gave me trouble for spelling) died and was sent to the bottom of the sea (But she didn't really die) and a group of hippies die. See? Random.

I'm saying this one straight: Dark Shadows is NOT worth your time nor money. It sucks, the only moments it made me laugh was because other people had contagious laughter and, honestly, it falls short of what a Tim Burton movie should really be. I'm sad and disappointed at his lack of style and effort to make this movie better, which it could have been. Actually, this movie couldn't have been much worst. If you go see it, do so at your own peril.

My Regards and Best Wishes,

Ell J. Converse

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Untitled

I owe you guys an apology for not adding this later, but here's my latest post. First, I'm going to share my thoughts about a movie I saw a while back. I've always had a special love for fairy tales and the like, but most of the human-acted versions of them fall short of my expectations. So, thinking I wasn't going to like it all that much, I went to see Mirror Mirror and it proved there's still hope for fairy tales. It was lovely, colorful and filled with a brilliant cast. The main characters acted their parts excellently and, even though I watched it in Spanish (since I watched it with my mum, who doesn't know all that much English) It made me laugh like crazy. Mirror Mirror is definitely a movie worthy of being watched and, in my own opinion, it gave me hope for future fairy tales.

Next, about a week or so ago, I watched a movie that left me longing for more and not necessarily in a good way. See, I went to watch The Avengers and, even though it was good, I felt like it could've been better. Because it had no character development, because *SPOILER* one of the heroes was brainwashed for most of the movie and because, honestly, the longest parts of the movie were the heroes fighting among themselves or, at the final quarter or so, *SPOILER* fighting the invading alien armies that, well, were alien.

Okay, now, I need you guys to listen carefully. Or, read... ANYWAY, I'm on DeviantART. Yes, DeviantART, but not as a drawer, but as a writer. You see, I've been writing for a long time and, finally, I found out I could post my stories there. So, here's a link to Chapter 1: The Swarm! Hope you read, like and share it!

Link: http://fav.me/d4zbqhw

My Regards and Apologies,

Ell J. Converse

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Justice & Injustice

Lately I've been stuck, not really knowing what to write about. Keeping a blog is hard work, specially when you've got three cats and a dog to take care of, one of the cats, Death, is very sick and there's nothing I can't do to help but hope he gets better soon. Among other things, I decided what to write about: Injustice. In an instant, the greatest man can become the biggest Tyrant with only one bad judgement, a hero can become a villain with relative ease, and it's all because they judge those around him.

Every one always thinks those around them are unjust, but, I'm always wondering why's that. Well, I know the answer every time I ask it: They aren't being treated how they think they should be. Most times someone calls something unjust, it's not because it really is, it's because it's not what they want it to be, or, like an old Puertorican saying goes: 'The thief will judge depending on his condition.' The saying, for those who don't get what it means, says that if there's a criminal, he'll always think he's being just, because he 'needs' it or because he's the one doing it, but let's put that to the test.

If I stole something from someone, and they found out, they'll get their revenge instantly, mostly by making me suffer much more than I should deserve for it. But, if the roles were reversed, they'd want mercy or, if they're guys, who do this more often than girls, they'll make sure I don't make them suffer by making ME suffer. That is, unfortunately, human nature.

I know it's hard, since it's also hard for me to do so, but if we would be a bit nicer to those around us, no matter what is happening, it'll really change the way justice is dealt, since it'll be dealt more accurately. Trust me on this: Justice isn't something that should be dealt on a whim. It's only for those who have the power, AND wisdom, to carry it out correctly. Be nice, stay safe and don't be unfair, and then you'll be sure to be treated with the proper justice you deserve.

My Regards,

Ell J. Converse

Thursday, April 26, 2012

To Eli & Kunai

So, you all probably don't know this, but I'm a dog person. I love dogs. Partly because they're loyal to their master and partly because that's the only pet I've ever had that lasts longer than a year (I've had fishes, and they have all died quick.) But, well, today, somehow, my mum came across three baby cats while working, and she brought them home. So, here's the awesome thing about them: they have the exact same looks as the cat that played Professor McGonagall on the Harry Potter movies.

Here's something even weirder. I called my current dog, a fully-black female, Narciza (Misspelled on purpose) and my new cat is called Minerva (Professor McGonagall's first name.) Anyway, I told you about this because, well, I thought I should let you know me more! As you probably noticed, I love the Harry Potter series, alongside the series Hunger Games, Percy Jackson and Gallagher Girls, which isn't as well known as the rest, but is just as good. Of course, I'll start talking about what I wanted to talk about now.

My friend, Eli, and Kunai are both having a bit of a harsh time lately. Eli is, well, depressed while Kunai is in extreme stress because of an exposition she has to make, which will be presented tomorrow and I'll attend (I'll let you know all about it.) I'm probably a bit down meself, but hey, I'm the one who cheers them up! So, Eli and Kunai. You're both awesome. You'll do great, Kunai, and Eli, you SHOULD make your blog, since I know you'll be brilliant. Keep up the good work, you too.

My Regards,

Ell J. Converse

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Incarceron

I just finished a book. It was called Incarceron and was written by Catherine Fisher. It is a very good book, quite well narrated and, to be honest, gives a reader a good time, but that's not what I'm going to be writing about. I'll be talking about how the book falls short of the glory it could have achieved.

At first, the book starts well, pacing is quite important and, honestly, it seems to be quite well-paced. But, if you read as intently as you should, there's a huge spoiler that, once found, destroys the hope for future discovery. If you read it, and I urge you to, keep in mind to read every little detail, even if the narration might sometimes be a bit boring. Another thing is the unsteadiness of the characters. A character at points will act different, even though it was established that he was opposed to that kind of acting or, as is the case in this, they are different in personality from their actions. Of course, men can be driven to do things that go against their nature if they're forced.

Now, I'm not saying the book sucks or isn't worth your time, it's really good, well paced and, of course, it's great for reading, but it falls short of what it could have been. If it wasn't for the few things pointed out above, and a couple others such as description of places and emptiness of feeling, it would've been a great story, worthy of naming alongside those as Harry Potter, Hunger Games and Percy Jackson, each of which has actually made me, even if just for a moment, laugh, cry and get mad at their characters.

I know I'm a harsh critic, but if you read the book, which I, again, urge you to, you'll see what I mean. I loved the book, and I'll read it's sequel, Sapphique, but, unfortunately, I already know, or guessed, what's going to happen on the sequel. I hope it's just as good. Anyway, now I'll start reading a book called A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens. Once I finish it, I'll let you all know what I think.

My Regards,

Ell J. Converse

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Eli's Video

This is Eli. She's one of my best friends. She has this... Vlog, I think she calls it? Anyway, she talks about a lot of random things and, well, that's kinda what I write about... Anyway, I was looking through her videos and found this one. She talks about her favorite band, Wellington, and then she speaks of a friend. That friend is me. Yeah, I'm tend to underestimate myself a bit too much and I honestly appologize to her, Red, Nivek, Kunai and Spirit for that. Anyway, I hope you watched the video, and please, follow her and share her videos. She's pretty cool and, so far, one of my few true friends (four, so far.) I know this isn't very long or anything, but I think she said all I needed to say. If you ever felt like you're not worth it or not cool or whatever, think about what she said and know this: You're always more than what you think of yourself.

My Regards,

Ell converse & Eli

Thursday, April 12, 2012

A Good Act

A few years back, I was in a car with my family and a family that's really close to ours, and we stopped at a light (Because it was red.) Out of the blue (Or possibly the sidewalk) this man approaches. He was dressed in rags, it was the middle of summer, and yet he wore a jacket, probably because for him, it was cold. He extended his hand towards us in a begging matter and, without remorse, the driver closed the window, pointing out that those people got there because they made the wrong choices. That made an impact on me, but not the way you would expect.

A few days ago, on Monday, to be exact, my mum read us, my sister and I, a story in our weekly family home evening. It talked about hunger, and here's my own written version of it:

'A man walked around the car and opened the door to his loved wife. They wore what seemed and where expensive clothing and carried, as well, expensive jewelry. They had just arrived at the restaurant, and were about to enter when they spotted a man. Well dressed, but in old clothes, he was sitting on a chair at the corner, staring off into the distance. He seemed hungry, but his story was much more than that: He had just been fired from work. The husband, spotting the man, took his wife's hand and, pulling her towards the restaurant, wanted to leave the man behind as soon as possible, but his wife wasn't so cold at heart. Stepping forward, she gave the man some money and, with his gratitude, she finally followed her husband.

The man, with a bit of money in hand, decided to go eat, since he was starving. He entered a small cafeteria down the street and was about to buy a huge meal when he stopped, thinking that he should save a bit for subsequent days. So, he got himself a pretty good meal, good enough to safe some money, but also good enough to ease his hunger. After eating, he walked out, happy, and that's when he spotted a man. Old, trembling and obviously hungry, this old man walked past the unemployed one without a glimpse, and only spotted him when he turned. The unemployed man had touched ever so softly the old man's arm, and talking to him, took him into the cafeteria and bought the old man a meal.

Once the old man finished, the unemployed one noticed that good old man had saved a piece of bread. Inquiring on why he didn't eat it, the old man answered that he knew a homeless boy, and he was taking the food to him. The unemployed man decided to accompany the old man and, together, went to the park nearby, where the kid was at. The old man called for the kid and, sitting on a bench, watched as the kid ate the bread with vigor. To the adults' surprise, he saved half of it. They asked why, of course, and he answered: For the dog I found!

The three of them walked along, and arrived at the place the boy had put the missing dog into. They fed the dog and, as the unemployed man kneed down to pet the dog, he noticed the necklace. It read a number and a direction, and so, taking the dog off the boy's hands, the unemployed man set off to deliver the dog to the proper owners. Arriving there, he knocked on the door and, a few seconds later, a man opened. this man spotted the dog quickly and, surprised to see the unemployed man, asked the following:

"You brought him because of the reward, didn't you?" The dog's owner asked, thinking the unemployed man had stolen away the dog so that he could get money out of it.

"No, sir. I simply wanted to deliver the dog to his proper home." The unemployed man said, turning, and began to walk away.

"Wait!" The dog's owner said. "Do you need a job?" He asked, surprised and stunned at the unemployed man's honor.'

I think the story explains itself, so I'll leave you all with just one line: A good act will surely lead to another.

My regards,

Ell J. Converse

Monday, April 9, 2012

Writing

Took me a long time to figure out what I'll write about next, and finally made up my mind. I'll write about writing itself. You see, writing may seem easy, but it sure as heck isn't. The correct words, grammar and concept are required when writing, let alone when someone else is going to read it. The first thing about writing is finding out what to write about. It's not just about picking a random subject and writing a lot of crazy nonsense, it has to be something that, once it enters your mind, it clicks and the words come out fluently and easily.

After you get the subject, then comes the drafting. You can't just plaster a bunch of fancy words to a page and call it writing, you got to make it coherent and build it well. Most important thing about drafting is that once you finish, you get to edit and make it better. Having someone around that knows about writing is a great option for the editing process, but if it isn't possible, better keep a sharp eye for any errors.

Another thing is the following: It Doesn't Have To Be Perfect. Most people get frustrated and give up once they are told there's some mistake. If I had let that stop me, I would have died in the corner, rocking back and forth for all the mistakes I've done, written and acted. Sure, one must give it our all, but don't let your creative writing stop because someone doesn't like it. My mum always says: 'If you like it, a thousand other people will too.' And that is also true to writing.

Lastly, but not least, is inspiration. Yeah, they're not in order. Anyway, inspiration is required if you want to succeed because, unlike most people believe, if someone is inspired, one can achieve many great things. I was, about ten years ago, inspired into writing by J.K. Rowling, who was writing the Harry Potter books back then. I still write stories and, honestly, my stories back when I was seven sucked, but hey, I keep them with me because they remind me of what I wanted. Remember: 'Inspiration is, alongside determination, the key to everything.'

My Regards,

Ell J. Converse


P.S. The Blog's got a page on Facebook. If you liked this post, or any of the others, like it, and you'll know when the next posts are posted. (plus, that way I get more people to check my blog out!)

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Video Game is Art

Ah, video games. Such simple spelling and yet, so many things come to mind when one utters those words. Some people think video games are awesome, others think they're okay, while some think they're completely useless and a huge waste of time. To those who think video games are worthless, I ask the following question: Is it really so different from a book or a movie? Let's compare and see:

A movie is a fusion of sound, actors, video tapes and graphics. A video game is created of the same basics, with the addition of being interactive. Now, a movie requires time, it is mostly written, then given shape by the actors, added life by the sounds and music, and finally given that final touch with improved graphics, just like a video game.

Comparing a book to a video game is a bit harder, but they still require the same basics. A book requires a good story and believable characters to be great. A stale story and lame characters will obviously make a reader turn away. The most well-known video games, such as Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, Assassin's Creed and Halo all have a good story and well-built characters, some others.

Video game making is an art, and everyone that works on them are artists. A painting is a piece of art, so is music and a video, if made well, is also art, so why can't a mix of them all be called art? Don't get me wrong, I love reading and watching movies, in fact, I've played video games while reading and I've read while watching a movie. In fact, I've done all three at the same time! But, for those who think video games are just a glue to the couch, let me tell you this: Last I checked, a book and a movie are best enjoyed, while sitting down.

My Regards,

Ell J. Converse

Friday, April 6, 2012

Music's Work

Music. Who can live without it. Even the oldest man needs it. He may listen to the likes of Beethoven or Mozart, but it's still music. A new born child will fall asleep faster under the spell of his mother's soft lullaby. A song, a rhythm or even a bunch or random sounds can create a great atmosphere or, the lack thereof, can create a horrible atmosphere. Music is everywhere and, if you listen carefully, the sounds around you make a rhythm that'll make the moment special.

Movies use a method of music-using to heighten the mood they want to transmit. In action movies, they use high-end rock music to make the action sequences even more aggressive and cool. Others add soft piano notes to make the moment more emotional, which is mostly the reason the parts ARE emotional. Some other movies have a lack of music, and yet bring a feeling of impending danger and increasing fear. Why? Because no music or sounds except footsteps give the impression of being alone, and why's that? Because music and noise tells us we're not alone, which is also why sometimes, the following happens:

"She walked slowly down the mansion's path, no sound, no anything besides her lose footsteps ringing in the dark. Up in the sky the full moon hid behind a curtain of black clouds, drowning the world in darkness. She held her flashlight forward, her only ally in this mysterious and most silent of places. She walked into the Living room and, instantly, her heart began to raise as the radio she had just shown her back to began to play an unintelligible song..." (Extract from one of my stories.)

The above paragraph shows what many creators of fear do to set the scene for the enemy to appear. but not everything is about music is fear. Music can also be used to show someone what you don't have the words to describe. For example:

"He talked to the DJ, they agreed, and the plan would be carried out. The song began to play, Everything by Lifehouse, as he walked through the crowd and the DJ stated it was from him to her. He reached her and extended his hand towards her. She took it, blushing, and allowed him to lead her into the crowd, right under the spotlight. All around, murmur filled the air as he whispered softly the song in her ear and they swayed to it slowly."

To end this shortly, music can do anything you want, but only if you know how to use it. There's no moment where music isn't needed. In a funeral, in a birthday, in a play or in a movie, music plays it's part. Be it to be happy or sad, we'll always have music with us, it's our friend and it'll always say the right words at the moment we need them.

My Regards,

Ell J. Converse

Thursday, April 5, 2012

The 4 Points to Improve Life

I know every teenager feel that as much as they want, they'll never be able to fulfill everyone's expectations. Well, that's always how it happens and it'll always stay the same. Parents, teachers and even complete strangers will ask things of you, and it'll continue to be so until the very end (or until they create robots that do everything.) There's some points that, if one follows them, one can actually please the ones around and still be pleasing oneself, even if it sounds quite far-fetched.

First, there's love. Yeah, cheesy and yes, quite stupid sounding, but love, like they say in many books and stories, love is a powerful thing. It can change someone's attitude towards things. It can change what someone extremely evil will do and, even better, it will change what people think of you. If you show you love those around you, you'll see people's perspective of things will change and, possibly, you might actually do someone some good. For example:

I was going to the shopping mall with my sister to watch a movie once. I opened the door, like I always do, and she walked in. Right behind us was this old woman, in her, say, sixties, and she stopped to stare at me. She seemed down and sad, and the instant I pointed to the door in a 'please, come on in' she smiled a charming smile and said I was a gentleman. Yeah, I won't agree nor disagree with her opinion of me. But that's what I mean love. Love isn't all about kissing or showing affection, it is, in fact, about doing good deeds. Now, on to the next point.

The second is friendship. Aye, friendship, that long word is the start of something just as long, but honestly, not all friendships are good. There's something we ALL need to learn. That's the fact that true friends last for a lifetime and are only plainly visible when you're in dire need of help or comfort. Friends are, or rather, should be, those who help you out and give you advice IN A GOOD WAY! That's the most important thing about friendship: Friends are a big influence on us, so if we have friends that are like us, willing to do good, then you'll most probably be influenced in a good way. For example:

I have a very dear friend of mine that shall remain nameless. He is my best friend, and I trust him with my life. Why? Because he's been my friends for over four years. We usually hang out and, even though we do have a few differences, we've influenced each other in a good way. Like, say, he doesn't get so aggressive and mad when he loses in Call of Duty, or the fact that I actually hang out with someone. That's what a friend is, we point each other's mistakes so we can become better as people. Now, the next point is very important.

Third, honesty. Yes, honestly, it's honesty. You see, truth is, and forever will be, the best medicine. When someone is left in the dark about something that would hurt if they knew, they'll be twice as hurt if they find out about it. Honesty is a very, very, VERY important thing in life. No one can put into words how important honesty is, in fact, it's honestly one of the most important things in life. For example:

Once, a friend of mine was in a very close-knit relationship with his girlfriend. Sure, they had loads of fun, and hey, I was happy for them, until I saw her cheating on him. Aye, you read well, cheating, and not on a test or a dare, but with a full-grown teen, a bit older than my friend. I was then faced with a BIG dilemma: should I tell my friend, and bring him pain, or simply act like I didn't know? Well, I was honest with him, I told him what happened and, in the end, he thought I was lying. Once he found out it was true, though, he became a very close friend and all because I was honest. If I hadn't been, he'd probably be with her and still getting cheated on. Now, last point is...

Last, but not least, trust. That's right, trust. if you don't trust or aren't trusted, then they'll never believe you, nor will they ever take you seriously or, even worst, take you too seriously. Trust is won and lost as quickly as you flip a coin, in fact, it moves around so fast, one letter where there should be none can make you lose it. Trust is also the start of everything and, the lack of it, is the end of everything. For example:

Mum's always ask us to do things, right? Well, if you don't do it, they'll get mad and not trust you as much because you neglected to do what she told you to do. Likewise, if you do what she tells you to do, she'll trust you more. If her trust raises or lowers, she'll give you more work, but the good thing about keeping her trust high is this: She'll trust you when you have to go out with friends or on a date and will let you go. ;)

To conclude, these four things will make it possible to please those around you and still be able to enjoy your life and be yourself. Love those around you, be influenced by the right Friends. Be honest to everyone and, specially, to yourself and make those around you trust you. If you keep this in mind as you move forward in life, you'll definitely feel the difference. Hope you enjoyed reading all that.

My regards,

Ell J. Converse