Fantasist's Scroll

Just thought I should throw out a little note about why things have been so quiet here.
First, there’s my other blog, Diary of a Network Geek. That bad boy sucks up a lot of my time. Then, there’s work. Yes, they actually expect me to work and produce results! Can you imagine!? Then, there’s the fact that I’m single again. Yeah, being single takes up a lot of time, especially when you’re trying to NOT be single. And, I’m gaining ground there, too. 🙂
Then, too, are my list of New Year’s Resolutions. I’ve been working on them pretty steadily. Notice what number Twelve is? Yeah, write more. Specifically, write more for publication. So, while trying to get that going, along with the rest of my life, this blog tends to languish. Still, I do intend to maintain a Friday Fun Link every Friday. We’ll see how long that lasts…
Anyway, now you know!

For a change, this isn’t one of mine!
Though there are several generators here at Fantasist.net, including a title generator, today’s Friday Fun Link comes from off-site. This one arrives via a link on the excellent blog, Shaken & Stirred, and is called, simply, Fantasy Novel Title Generator.

Yeah, that’s it. What do you want from me? It’s Friday and I’m working, even if you aren’t, so just click the link and leave me alone!

Well, at least free PDFs for graph paper.
This really interesting company has released FREE PDFs of assorted, blank graph paper that you can use to print out your own in whatever quantity you desire. The company is Incompetech and you can find the PDFs at their Free Online Graph Paper / Grid Paper PDFs page. Not only do they have standard graph paper, but they also have hex-grid, assorted geometric shapes, musical notation paper, caligraphy practice paper, and assorted “dot” matrix paper in various geometric shapes.
Great if you’re a gamer, and cool even if you’re not.
And, all just in time for the weekend!

Yes, more silly, fantastical pictures. Nothing all that grand or different than the others I’ve posted. Still, in the past several months, I threw out more pictures than some digital artists I’ve known did in a year. At least, more than I saw in a year. Of course, there’ll be fewer for quite some time as I get very busy at work for a bit. If you miss me here, you can always check out my other blog, Diary of a Network Geek. That’s where most of the good stuff is happening these days anyway.

This Friday Fun link is brought to you via Boing Boing.
If you dig Photoshopped pictures and cool landscapes, this Worth1000 Photoshop Contest is for you. These folks have taken beautiful landscapes and Photoshopped anthropomorphic details into it ala Bev Dolittle and others like her. These pictures are amazingly cool and very, very fantasy-esque. They’d make great desktop backgrounds or, even, just cool art on your PC.

Anyway, it’s fantasy enough for me and Friday, so go click the link!

Yeah, okay, so I’m a little late this week.
Still, I managed to find a fairly decent Friday Fun Link for you all. This comes from Boing Boing and is actually a list of links with a fun, but odd, theme: Animal Games. Basically, just a collection of games that you can play on the web which have animal themes to them. My favorite is worm battleship. Too funny.

Anyway, it’s Friday and you’ve got your link now, so go have fun.

Here’s a little hard science for you.
Ever heard of the Drake Equation? Well, among other things, it’s what good, old Gene Roddenberry used to justify all the intelligent, space-faring races on Star Trek. Mainly, though, it’s a hotly debated estimate of the habitable worlds that might have produced an intelligent species which we might possibly encounter in our galaxy. Named for Dr. Frank Drake, who devised the equation in the 1960s. The main purpose of the equation was to let scientists to quantify the uncertainty of the factors which might determine the possible number of extraterrestrial civilizations.
In recent years, the various inputs have been debated on not only their merit, but their optimisim. Many feel that they are overly optimistic, especially in light of the fact that we haven’t seen any of these alleged potential civilizations yet. Nor, really, any sure evidence that such a thing might exists. Still, as a writer, I like to err on the side of hope. The hope that one day, we may find other beings who live differently than we do. From whom we can learn, as well as we might teach. The potential synergy of such a meeting could be staggering! I imagine that’s why old Gene liked the idea so well himself.
Either way, the idea that Drake was right or wrong, can produce some great fiction.

Or, Why Everyone Else Fears Friday the Thirteenth!
I always thought it was because Judas was the Thirteenth Apostle or something like that. No, according to this article on GlobalPsychics.com, it has to do with the plot to suppress the Knights Templar. Hey, stop laughing! That’s what it says!! And, I quote:

The modern basis for the Friday the 13th superstition stems from Friday October the 13th, 1307. On this date, the Pope of the church in Rome in Conjunction with the King of France, carried out a secret death warrant against “the Knights Templar”. The Templars were terminated as heretics, never again to hold the power that they had held for so long. There Grand Master, Jacques DeMolay, was arrested and before he was killed, was tortured and crucified. A Black Friday indeed!

So, there you have it, Friday the Thirteenth is a global conspiracy! Personally, I usually have better luck on Friday the Thirteenth, but, then, I always have been a little out of step with the world. Oh, and here’s a link to some alternate ideas why everyone else is afraid of Friday the Thirteenth.
Enjoy it.