The Marshmallow Ranch Gazette (Patreon)

Volume 4, Issue 7 - Tuesday, May 28th, 2019

Howdy, patrons!

It looks like this is the end for my day job. There was a slim-to-none chance I'd be able to keep my position after the first performance improvement plan review, but after speaking to my manager I should expect my last day to be June 17th. I have the impression that their hands are tied, and it's very unlikely I'll perform some miraculous recovery by then. Still, they went to bat for me as much as they could and this extra month is more than I could have expected. While I'm sad to have failed at this, I'm also very grateful for the opportunity and the support from coworkers and friends. Even going through something as scary as losing my job, I feel really lucky to have so many willing to help me. 

Last week I went to Milwaukee to visit some friends for the first time in a long while. A few of us have made an annual tradition of converging there to reconnect and catch up, though I haven't been in a position to join in for a few years. I really love the gathering, even still, just because it's awesome to see how people have changed over time and no matter what else might happen, we keep the relationship well-tended through the contact. This year, it was interesting to note how much I've changed -- I've grown more introverted, crave quiet but deep conversation, and feel way more comfortable in smaller groups. Also, I tend not to mind being around chatterboxes TOO much, especially when they're chomping at the bit to talk about something they love! The best, most fulfilling conversations are the ones where you're advocating for something, not tearing something else down.

It was great to hang out with friends and reconnect with so many of them, though it also means that it's Tuesday now and I haven't even started on the next episode of the serial! Oh no!! I'll work hard to make sure #16 is up by Thursday. Right now, it feels like the story is doing a "soft" reset to Ralph more active and engaging, shifting the focus from world-building to character. The next bit is dependent on character perception and relationships, and it really doesn't feel like I've done enough to make any of them stand out. 

This presents an interesting problem when I consider how to edit the previous episodes for the public. With episode #16, I'll have four "chapters" written and going back over them it's already clear they could be doing a lot more character work. Building Ralph's personality, establishing his central desire and conflict, introducing Namare in a cleaner, more consistent way -- even punching up secondary characters we've left behind like Sam and Flo -- it's all on the table. What I find most exciting is the chance to go back and use Ralph's time at AccuraTech to build more solid expectations for what Titan Northern will be like and talking a bit more about the animals who've "opted out" of the system. What is life like in the "wilderness"? How does anyone survive outside of the walled gardens of these corporations? Those are fun questions to contemplate for me. 

I'm still prepping "Boundaries" to be the 'premium' serial, and hope to have the first episode or two up by July. I wanted to make sure that my pre-writing is strong enough that I can write the characters fully formed and come up with a working draft that feels a bit more polished. That, of course, takes time. In the meantime, I'm thinking about writing one-off stories or editing a few really old shorts for now. Would folks be interested in that?

At any rate, that's all for me. See you folks on Thursday!

• Jakebe