Justin Ordoñez's Blog

McDonalds really wants us to believe this All Day Breakfast will revolutionize modern-Americana as we know it. It keeps popping up on my Facebook wall, so I figure, why not check out the comments? I expect to see a bunch of people saying, "Yuck, McDonalds--gross" or "Your food sucks"; instead, it is a vicious, surprisingly well coordinated militia of pro-McGriddle wackos and their utter disbelief that it was not included on the initial All Day Breakfast menu.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are entering the Twilight Zone......

I wrote this after the theater shooting in Colorado and I'll say it again. I don't know how to stop these shootings but I do know this: the notions that mass amounts of armed civilians will stop mass shootings is ridiculous. Mass shooters have often planned their "missions" for months in advance. They have scoped out the site that they wish to use. They've studied military combat strategies (or at least think they have) and they use it to develop a high-kill scenario. They carry multiple guns, maybe even explosives.

Here is the reality: When a mass shooting starts, the shooter knows everything. He knows where he is. He knows the guns he is carrying. He knows how much ammunition he has. Since he walked into the area before firing, he has a mental picture of the distribution of people. And what do you know, citizen hero? Practically nothing. In a dark movie theater, you can't even see the guy who is firing at you. On a college campus, there are so many places to hide and so many entrances and exits from buildings, you likely will never find the shooter even if you go after him. At Columbine, the SWAT teams couldn't enter the school because reports from the students in the school put the shooters at over six, even though there were only two. Hell, there've been mass shootings at military bases! REPEAT: Mass shootings at military bases!

Here is what is going to happen if everyone with a gun takes it out and starts shooting: You will all shoot each other to death. Because none of you have a clear idea where the shooter is, and because none of you have a clear idea of your line of fire, you will put someone or yourself in a cross fire and you'll probably kill more of each other than the shooter will. Or you will think you know who the dangerous person is and you'll shoot an innocent person. The assumption that multiple, uncoordinated random citizens should start firing at mass shooters is based on the faulty assumption that normal citizens know how to shoot a gun, can shoot it well, and won't panic when they miss or find out the shooter is wearing armor and the shooter begins firing a massive shotgun at them.

Armed citizens may occasionally, here or there, find themselves fortunate enough to be put in a completely lucky situation of having an easy and safe shot on a gunman, but that is not a reliable solution. If you find yourself in a situation with a mass shooter--flee. Your Glock versus their assault rifle is not a good scenario. You run for your life and if the shooter comes after you, defend yourself, God knows you'll have a clear shot then, but to go Rambo on an offensive onslaught is only going to make the next hero think that you are the actual shooter.

Can't wait... How long until he says, "Contestant A, you won't be back."

https://www.yahoo.com/tv/arnold-schwa...

I got another "rejection" on the new book. This one took four months to get. The agent read the first 40,000 words. Two rejections ago, the agent--who read the whole book—basically said, “I don’t represent military science fiction but I wish you luck.” This agent said, “Despite its obvious merits, I cannot provide enthusiastic representation.” When I was in New York for the writers pitch session, I was pitching the book to one of the science fiction agents. She stopped me after thirty seconds. She looked me dead in the eyes and said, “You need to do your research. Research and you will find an agent who represents books like this.” So I’m going to do what these agents suggest, I’m going to research. I’m not going to read military science fiction series to completion (unless I happen to really like it, then I will) but I’m going to take three or four successful books and/or series and read giant chunks of them. In essence, I’m going to substitute TV time to reading, as I sadly don’t have enough time for both. Once I’ve done that, I’m going to try to isolate which agents actually handle military science fiction.

Also, I need to keep practicing at this query letter thing. Two agents have told me, “I love your book. Your query letter is awful.”

As for the book itself……

In May, I told several agents that the book was essentially complete but I had chosen to overhaul the third part because the ending was a little underwhelming. It wasn’t bad but it didn’t feel like a true ending. Of course, I immediately fell into the depression I described in July. I’ve been working hard with Mary (my therapist). I’m still in the depression but I’m operating within it. I’ve written at a measured pace for maybe a month now, I’m not sure. I haven’t finished the third part but the big ending is there…in stretches. I’ve managed to get the protagonist into a “final battle” that really tests his limits. I’ve got most of the character arcs closed up. I dumped some stuff that really, really wasn’t working—like really, really, really wasn’t working. I’m working on some details that will never make it into the book but it will help me understand the character’s motivations. As well, I’m trying to establish clear images of the war machinery in my mind so it doesn’t read like a total clusterfuck during the final battle. Only writing about 1,100 words a day, so not burning the candle at both ends but slow and steady is at least getting me somewhere.

Tonight I'll be singing at Hopvine on 15th Ave in Capitol Hill for Jeff Weedman. It is at this function that I will attempt to answer the age old question that enquiring minds want to know... Can I sing without a TV monitor to remind me of the lyrics? SUSPENSE.

Should be two cover songs. GNR - Patient and STP - Plush.

So the company I've been working for as a contractor for the last few years just hired me. According to HR, I've put in too many hours and worked too consistently to be a contractor any longer. So it was hire me or fire me time. Thankfully, my boss chose to hire me. I get a couple extra benefits but it's not a promotion or anything. I'm still doing the same job (which is fine). However, for the first time in a long time, labor day is truly labor day now that I have a traditional job like everyone else!

I'll begin my new life as a permanent employee by sitting on my ass.

Lots of new has been made recently of the poor family who drown while attempting to cross a river to safety. The photos of the little boy washed ashore are shocking. Unfortunately, dealing with displaced populations are involved.

The real world conflicts happening are so complex that it is hard to understand it without a great deal of reading, both about the conflict and its direct history.

Here is where fiction can help!

An anime named Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex, Gig 2, specifically deals with a displaced refugee population trying to establish itself in a nation that does not want to host them.

Try it out!

Things are great at Pax Prime 2015. Intend to head down again today and maybe sit in on a panel on video game writing.



Also, a friend got me this mushroom hat form the Super Mario Bros series.

As Iago said in Aladdin, "There's a big surprise! That's incredible! I think I'm going to have a heart attack and die from not surprise!"


Ashley Madison was a bunch of dudes talking to each other.

Just so I can be fair and prove that Twitter is bad for both women and men, I will now show you another example of how Twitter ruins a person's life. 120 characters = ruins your life. Twitter is a form of communication that totally disregards context and meaning to communicate something in the bluntest form possible and then we all sit here like, "How could people be this stupid?" The system is rigged! Twitter is designed to destroy your life!!

GET OFF THE TWITTER NOW!

Nothing Curt Shilling tweeted is even remotely accurate or morally justified but he is just another in a long list of people who had 120 characters ruin their life. The only thing Twitter is good for is losing your job and apologizing to all your friends and family.

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