Ask Me

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #20 on:** September 03, 2009, 02:45:29 PM

I think a lot of people have googled Darwin's Soldiers. When you start typing it on google it'll fill in the second half of 'Soldiers' for you.

I love in-jokes and references to other aspects of a franchise. I remember a Star Wars fanfic I wrote about a renegade clone, every weapon, piece of equipment, or other character encountered by the protagonist was from a different Star Wars book series, movie, or video game. I like when everything ties together, and for the Nigel reference, I thought it would be fitting since Nigel Munroe was obviously supposed to be James Zanasiu, so in my story, Nigel was James Zanasiu!

My stories are full of these. Remember the secret passageway in the walk-in freezer of Shroedinger's Prisoners? O'Neill used it in the first RP! Neku's regenerative abilities in Card of Ten? Never used in the RP, but it was mentioned in the bio Starfall posted! Hans has a deck of cards in Card of Ten? This one's both a reference to the story title, and to the cards Werner had in the first RP! It's my way of showing that I read and remember what other people write, and that nothing ever just appears and then is quickly forgotten.

Saft · **Reply #21 on:** September 03, 2009, 02:53:26 PM

In depth based question of Rat Lady's question and your answer struck me with a question; since you've watched Jurassic Park, have you read the book as well or only just watched the theatrical version?

Quote

The first non-kid movie I got to watch was Jurassic Park, so that's probably it.

And just to be silly, have you invented a cloning device that allows the genetically modifiying technique of bringing dinosaurs yet?

Also, do you have any pets? Or if not, would you like one?

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #22 on:** September 03, 2009, 03:42:44 PM

I have read the book, and was astounded at the number of changes there were compared to the movie. Muldoon was the biggie for me ("Clever Girl,") because he's like a major character in the book (with a steel grey mustache!) who quickly became my favorite book character. He was seriously watered down for he movie. The fate of John Hammond surprised me too, since in the book he took Muldoon's place as a survivor. Ian Malcolm also would never shut up, despite being mortally wounded and dying (but coming back in the sequel???)

So yeah. I liked both versions, but have problems considering them the same storyline due to the massive changes. Same with the book and movie versions of Lost World. Dodgson, anyone?

On cloning: I'm working on it.

All I need to do is get a sizeable amount of Phlebotinum and it'll be ready!

I have had many pets, though they were all back in middle/high school, when I lived in a house (UCSB doesn't allow pets). My favorites were the dogs, a sheepdog/German shepherd hybrid, and a dachshund. When the dachshund died, we got a cocker spaniel/poodle (techincally called a cockapoo), who's adorable and always goes crazy when I visit home on vacations.

At home I also have an antisocial cat who refuses to come inside, hates humanity, and is the only cat on the block who's managed to survive the coyotes for over five years. They just can't catch her

The other pets are three spade foot toads, who are morbidly obese and have astoundingly lived for over ten years, way longer than they're supposed to. We have no clue why they're still alive. They're names are Xavier, Felis, and Lisa, after an amusing incident at a fast food store where me and two of my mates decided to give the cashier fake names. It went something like this:

Cashier: Your order will be ready in a few minutes. What's your name?
Me: Xavier.
Cashier: (gives change) Have a nice day.
(I walk off)
1st friend: Hey, Nick! Wait! You forgot to give me the change!
---
Cashier: What's your name?
1st friend: Felis.
Cashier: How do you spell that?
1st friend: Uhh...I don't know.

Needless to say, I think she had us figured out by then, because after that...
---
Cashier: What's your name?
2nd friend (who's male): Lisa.
Cashier: Yeah, right. What's your real name?
2nd friend:(gives his real name)

We named the frogs (fittingly two males and one female) after this incident. Sadly, Felis escaped about a year ago and we never found him, but Xavier and Lisa are still doing great!

Saft · **Reply #23 on:** September 03, 2009, 04:15:27 PM

I understand what you mean about the books. I don't want to ruin it for people whom haven't read the books...so I may create a thread about it. But there were too many changes for me. Considering since I read the books after the movies.

Quote

Sadly, Felis escaped about a year ago and we never found him

Perhaps Felis escaped because he couldn't spell his name?

Serris · **Reply #24 on:** September 03, 2009, 04:35:19 PM

How many DS spin off works are you going to write?

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #25 on:** September 03, 2009, 04:42:39 PM

Whenever I come up with a good idea, I start to write it. If I manage to finish it, I start posting the sections, about two pages to the next cliffhanger, per day. I never thought I'd write anything other than Card of Ten, but the more Darwin's Soldiers that gets cranked out, the more ideas pop into my head!

So, I don't actually know. I've never really planned anything out.

Serris · **Reply #26 on:** September 06, 2009, 01:59:55 AM

What is the significance of the titles of your spin off novels?

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #27 on:** September 06, 2009, 03:53:11 AM

Card of Ten being my first, I didn't really pick a title that was very significant. It was when I was trying to come up with a title for my Shelton-oriented story that I realized I should follow the style of Darwin's Soldiers, and I've stuck with that since.

The actual title Card of Ten is taken from Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew:

Quote

A pestilence on your crafty with'red hide! And yet I have faced it with a card of ten!

I thought it fit because no matter what is doled out to James and his team, they keep fighting on. Also, excluding Siberys, who essentially breaks off from the team, and Werner, who by the time he's rediscovered considers himself a Gaman, James has ten people on his team.

Also kinda interesting: The thread was originally called something like "Darwin's Soldier's Story", not really a title. I Pm'ed Malte and asked his to replace the title with "Darwin's Soldiers:Card Of Ten" which he did. but he accidentally added a period to the end, just like the makers of the First Folio (the first published collection of Shakespeare's plays) did; they added a comma to the end of the title of Antony and Cleopatra. Also kind of relevant!

But not really. In hindsight, fitting the naming style of the others, I think Russell's Butterfly would fit better symbolically. Russell's teapot is a popular analogy which goes as follows:

Quote

If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.

This covers both the space travel aspect and the fact that the religions of Gamas and Sapaar are both based heavily off faith.
The butterfly would be a reference to the Butterfly Effect, which shows that a small event can cause massive repercussions; because our team got trapped in the anti-matter universe, an entire race of people populated a distant planet in our universe. Also, Shelton's research equipment being left behind became the impetus for the Sapaar takeover and later destruction of said civilization.

I guess Russell's Butterfly could be considered an alternate title.

Schroeinger's Prisoners refers to Erwin's Schroedinger's famous thought experiment where a hypothetical situation can cause a cat to be simulatenously alive and dead. The characters in the virtual reality machine face the same issue; they die in the machine, but are still alive in real life. They're trapped in this double existence, like the cat. This is why Shelton is the only one to escape Schroedinger's prison; he was the only one who didn't die in the machine.

Pavlov's Checkmate refers to Pavlov's discoveries of stimulus and response. He found after some conditioning, a dog will salivate when he hears a bell. The dog experiences a stimulus and unconsciously initiates a response. The characters in the story react similarly; Either Ricky's team or James' team will do something to the other team, and then that team will react. "Checkmate" makes a statement that the fight between Ricky and James is much like chess, with pieces of varying importance being alternated to an end. Also, of course, that means that in the end, one team is going to win and the other is going to lose.

Serris · **Reply #28 on:** September 06, 2009, 04:23:41 PM

2 questions

Would you buy a novelization of DS I and DS II if they wasn't written by me? (Don't worry, they will be written by me.)

If Hollywood came out with a DS I movie, would you want to watch it?

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #29 on:** September 06, 2009, 05:25:35 PM

I would buy any Darwin's Soldiers books, and watch any Darwin's Soldiers movies. I'd also play any Darwin's Soldiers video games. That would be awesome if Darwin's Soldiers broke out of the online community and reached mainstream audiences!

(I'd be a little bummed if Shelton was cut out of any of them, but I'd understand that movies, books, and video games have drastically different requirements to make a good story, and not everything fits in each genre.)

Amaranthine · **Reply #30 on:** September 13, 2009, 12:52:46 AM

Do you like waffles?

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #31 on:** September 13, 2009, 02:01:30 AM

I do!
I do!

This may sound funny, but syrup makes me feel sick, maybe too concentrated sugar or something, but I eat waffles only with powdered sugar. Looks kinda weird, but it's pretty good! Fruit's good on waffles too, or vanilla ice cream and brown sugar, but I eat waffles like that much more rarely.

(I can eat scrambled eggs with syrup though, maybe because the syrup doesn't pool into the little squares like in waffles.)

Amaranthine · **Reply #32 on:** September 13, 2009, 02:08:59 AM

^^ yum, too bad for me, I feel a bit sick whenever I try to eat certain waffles or other american breakfasts. But that sounds REALLY good right now, and it's 11 at night!

Do you like French Toast?

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #33 on:** September 13, 2009, 02:15:31 AM

I have it much less often than waffles, mainly because wherever I can get french toast I can also get pancakes (which I can also eat with light syrup

:) but I do like the unique texture and style of French toast. I really should get it more, but the only few breakfast houses around here have so many combos and meals for pancakes, and then french toast just thrown on the side

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #34 on:** September 29, 2009, 08:36:05 PM

^We just had French toast available at the dining commons. Made me think of you, Rat_Lady.

Serris · **Reply #35 on:** September 29, 2009, 09:56:08 PM

Do you like heavy metal?

Noname · **Reply #36 on:** September 29, 2009, 10:46:18 PM

What kind of books do you like?

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #37 on:** September 30, 2009, 01:53:09 AM

Serris: I actually have never heard it. I like "The Ghost of Tom Joad" by Rage Against the Machine.

Noname: I'm a bigger fan of fiction than nonfiction. I like series based off of the many scifi shows I watch, and classic authors, like Bradbury, Steinback, Miller, and Shakespeare. My favorite book is Siddhartha by Herman Hesse.

Noname · **Reply #38 on:** October 02, 2009, 02:32:51 AM

Do you like Hamlet? It says something about in your sig.

aabicus (LettuceBacon&Tomato) · **Reply #39 on:** October 02, 2009, 01:39:24 PM

While I enjoyed Hamlet, it wasn't my favorite Shakespeare play. That would be Richard III. I picked Hamlet to translate into LBT because I could easily match many LBT characters to Hamlet characters, and it is arguably Shakespeare's most famous play. Who knows? Maybe in the future I might LBT-ize more Shakespeare!