PRAS Update: Check Out that Tag

Episode 3 winning look by Emilio

Episode 3 of All Stars took the designers to the streets for a little art appreciation. They met three of New York's best graffiti artists and were given a few tricks of the trade to help with their next challenge. They were given 6 yards of white fabric, various cans of spray paint and two hours to come up with a design idea that could be seen as wearable art.

Emilio took the top score this week with his Harlem, at the beginning of the rap revolution, inspired jacket and skirt. I'm not too big on the skirt myself but I love the jacket, even if the judges thought the belt was bit small.


Suede was the designer leaving us this week. I loved the movement his dress had, but over all it was too costume like and kooky for the judges. I will admit when it was standing still it didn't have much going for it. I hate Suede's need to talk in 3rd person but as a whole I'm sad to see him go.

Looks I liked:
Emilio's jacket
Anthony Ryan's blue and back dress
Casanova's halter dress


Check out all of the designs on Rate the Runway

Writer's Bloc

 Why did I spell "block" that way in the title? Well it wasn't for any clever reason I can tell you that much. It just sounded better than "Writer's Block"

I've been meaning to write an entry that didn't involve TV so I could make the point that just because I'm going by "Tv's Phil", that I don't only focus on TV.(Yes, I'm aware I've only posted twice thus far. Just let me use that sentence anyway!) But I've been drawing blanks. Given, between working full time, sleep, and trying to put together a couple other personal projects, I don't really plan topics out, but these things use to come much easier to me. It probably doesn't help that I'm specifically choosing to avoid politics or spirituality.

But let me get to the subject at hand, writer's block.

Over the past 4 years or so, I've regularly attempted starting personal projects that involve some form of writing. Whether it be a regular blog, a self-published comic, short stories, a movie script, or a YouTube series. I've started all of these things at some point or another and haven't followed through. The desire is still there, but there always seemed to be some sort of mental road block.

I've got quite a few small notebooks full of ideas, sentence fragments, story beginnings, concepts and plans just sitting around. If I don't like how cluttered the notebook has become, I'll get a new one and do the same thing.
But not one finished project. I think I may have finished one short story a long time ago.
I jump around and change ideas before really getting started. I'll have a concept and after I start, I'll suddenly think "You know, this short story would probably work better as a _________."


The thing is, I enjoy coming up with ideas and concepts. I even enjoy collaborating on things. I can NOT come up with endings. And when it's just me, alone with pen and paper, I have zero confidence in what's in my head or in my ability to write. I don't feel my grammar is good enough or that I have no "voice" as they say.  I'll write a few lines of something and just stop. If I come back another time and look at what I've written, I just get in my head and think "Eh, this can't go anywhere." or "I can't get enough story out of this." It really is quite frustrating. Especially when you're self-aware.
I admit to not reading a whole lot. I mean, I read comics, but as far as text only, that's a rarity. But I do enjoy writing. It's a weird combination that probably cancels each other out.


They say a good thing to do when starting out a writing project is to just start writing and don't stop regardless of quality. You can always fix it later. Of course I've tried this. But if I don't have a destination or an ending, I'm just going to lock up and make no progress. And that's what
I have. Lots of beginnings and no where to go.

Another admittance is that I never really set time out to just write. Or if I tell myself I'm going to write, I'll let myself get distracted by something.

Back during the Myspace days and early days of Facebook, I had NO problem writing things, but they were always blog posts or "notes" as they're called on Facebook. Basically, the format of just me talking about life or issues. I never seem to have a problem with that. Ask me to write a fictional story based on an idea or concept I came up with myself, and I get nowhere.


Anyway, I know this isn't an interesting post in the least bit. Heck, I wouldn't have read this far, but think of it as a kind of therapy session for me. Let me get this out and who knows, maybe finishing this or being open about the topic will help kick my brain into gear.

Got any writing tips of your own? Let me know. I'm always open for that, though I'm pretty sure the real answer to my problem is "Just write you idiot! Stop thinking about it so much!"

Killing them NCSoftly

I decided to take some time off from the new WWE 13 game to relax and read a bit. I hadn't caught up on the news in a couple of days and for someone like me that is rare. Last I checked Megastorm Sandy was wreaking havoc on the East coast, Democrats and Republicans were still going at each others throats "for the good of the nation," and the Kardashians hadn't been burnt at a stake for Halloween.

Good for them.

Randomly surfing the web I came across an article that, as an MMO fanatic, made my stomach turn a bit. I was reminded that City of Heroes, the very first super hero persistent world and one of the longest running big time MMO's, was very much near its final days. I believe we're around one month away from City of X closing its doors and leaving many superheroes with nowhere else to go, save for two other similar yet radically different titles.

How depressing.

PRAS Update: Saturday Night Fever

Episode 2 Winning Look by Uli

Episode two of Project Runway All Stars took us back in time to the 70's. The designers were asked to create an updated disco look inspired by shoes from Nine West. 

Uli came out on top this week with her white sequined and fringed dress. It was one of the more interesting looks, but not my favorite. I mostly just like the movement it had to it. Once again I liked Casanova's dress more. Do I sense a trend forming?

The designer leaving us this week was Wendy. I liked her concept of leather bell bottoms and chain accents, but the over all look was a bit cheep and a little red light district. She did leave on the warm note of shedding her "Bitch" character that she was remembered for from season one of Project Runway.

Looks I liked:
Casanova's pink dress
Kayne's gold striped pants and sequined top (the judges didn't like it but I did)
Althea's pink dress


Check out all of the looks on Rate the Runway.

The Secret World - The Revolution MMORPG Fans are Ignoring

With all of the promotion that Guild Wars 2 has gotten since its release, it would be easy to overlook some of the other titles available. After all, the prospect of a top quality MMO with no monthly fee is hard to pass up. In fact, Guild Wars 2 is a must have title and a bit of an odd duck in a bloated market. It's not quite a free to play title, not a pay to play title, but some kind of strange hybrid the likes of which we haven't seen since the "Macho Warrior" Ric Hogan.

Thankfully, Guild Wars 2 stands the test of time a little better than he does. Despite what some may think by reading my previous article about GW2, not to mention the chaos it left in the community, I appreciate the game for what it is and think it is a must purchase for any MMO lover. It is a quality title that can stand up against the best pay to play titles, and the one time purchase fee means that you'll have an MMORPG to play even if you can't afford a monthly fee.
 
I decided to play Guild Wars 2 years ago when it was first announced, and in the months leading up to its release I had decided to give up MMO's altogether and make it my last buy. I was tired of all the launches, the trial months, excitement turning to boredom, and spending money on something I knew I wasn't going to stick with.

Maybe I've become bitter after spending half of my life in this genre, or maybe I had just grown tired of similar games with a fresh new skin.