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AMA Because I Wanna Be One of the Cool Kids

Nov 5, 2015#1

ThatNickGuy

Eh, what the hell. Ask away.

Nov 5, 2015#2

Fun Size

You ever eat armadillo?

Nov 5, 2015#3

strawman

What things, activities, or thoughts make you happy and feel good?

What book or series, aside from your own works, would you encourage everyone to read at least once in their life?

Nov 5, 2015#4

ThatNickGuy

Fun Size said:
You ever eat armadillo?

I haven't but I'd love to try some properly cooked armadillo sometime in my lifetime.

Because I'm a monster.

Nov 5, 2015#5

fade

This is Texas, and it's still pretty warm here, so I can find you a slaughtered and partially cooked armadillo on the way home, probably.

Nov 5, 2015#6

GasBandit

You ever go to eat a pork sausage, and find it's got hairs growin' all over it?

Nov 5, 2015#7

Tinwhistler

ThatNickGuy said:
I haven't but I'd love to try some properly cooked armadillo sometime in my lifetime.

Because I'm a monster.

Armadillos carry leprosy.

That said:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=armadillo+recipe&btnG=Search&gws_rd=ssl

Nov 5, 2015#8

Fun Size

Tinwhistler said:
Armadillos carry leprosy.

So what you should have said is "I'd give an arm and a leg to try a properly cooked armadillo".

Nov 5, 2015#9

WasabiPoptart

Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?

Nov 5, 2015#10

Tinwhistler

Fun Size said:
So what you should have said is "I'd give an arm and a leg to try a properly cooked armadillo".

Leprosy...you made me half the man I used to be.*

*(sung to the tune of Yesterday by the Beatles)

Nov 5, 2015#11

PatrThom

What would you want in a "perfect" blanket? What would it be made of? What would it feel like?

--Patrick

Nov 5, 2015#12

Gared

If you had one choice of a dinner for a special occasion, and money was no object, what would you eat?

Nov 5, 2015#13

Ravenpoe

If you could have dinner with any one person (and it can be an entree of Armadillo if you really want) and that person could be from past or present, who would it be?

Nov 5, 2015#14

ThatNickGuy

stienman said:
What things, activities, or thoughts make you happy and feel good?

What book or series, aside from your own works, would you encourage everyone to read at least once in their life?

1) These days, I'm honesty not sure. Yoga, biking, and writing, I suppose. I feel great after doing any of these. If I write around 2,000+ words in one sitting, I feel amazingly accomplished.

As for thoughts? I...don't know how to answer that right now.

2) Books. Well, some of my favourites include Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird, and Daniel Keyes' Flower for Algernon. So those, for sure. I also really liked AJ Jacob's The Year of Living Bibically and Richard Matheson's What Dreams May Come, because while I'm not a particularly religious person any more, I'm still fascinated to study different spiritual perspectives. Maybe a part of me still wants to find some form of spirituality in my life.

On the writing side, I firmly believe every writer should read Stephen King's On Writing.

As for series, I have a few:

-Simon R Green's Nightside series (12 books). People have compared it with the Harry Dresden books, since they're basically a fantasy detective series. Of any books, these were my biggest inspiration for Dill.
-John Zakour's sci-fi detective series, starting with The Plutonium Blonde, for the same reason: major inspiration for Dill. The Nightside series was the primary one, but this is a close second. And they're hilarious.
-Robert J Sawyer's Neanderthal Parallax trilogy. Really great sci-fi trilogy about our world discovering an alternate universe where the neanderthal species, rather than us humans, are the dominant species. Really, I love anything written by Robert J Sawyer. He's Canadian and he writes good, smart sci-fi.
-Robin Hobb's Liveship Traders trilogy. It's been a long time since I read these, but I remember finding it near impossible to put them down at the time.[DOUBLEPOST=1446764726,1446764674][/DOUBLEPOST]

WasabiPoptart said:
Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?

Do you ask that of all your prey or just like the sound of it?[DOUBLEPOST=1446764863][/DOUBLEPOST]

PatrThom said:
What would you want in a "perfect" blanket? What would it be made of? What would it feel like?

--Patrick

I already have it. I have this amazingly warm blanket with a wolf design on it. Not sure what it's made of. Fleece, maybe? The tag came off years ago. It's very heavy and it's great to bundle up under during cold nights. I've had it for over a decade and it's still in great condition.[DOUBLEPOST=1446764977][/DOUBLEPOST]

Gared said:
If you had one choice of a dinner for a special occasion, and money was no object, what would you eat?

Probably something healthy and vegetarian. I'm not really one for fancy food or restaurants. But there was this amazing place in Toronto that served all vegetarian meals. Every single dish was amazing. Can I choose to just eat there for the rest of my life instead of spending ungodly amounts of money on just one meal at a hoity toity place?[DOUBLEPOST=1446765059][/DOUBLEPOST]

Ravenpoe said:
If you could have dinner with any one person (and it can be an entree of Armadillo if you really want) and that person could be from past or present, who would it be?

Unquestionably, it'd be Jack Kirby.

Nov 5, 2015#15

Dei

Red Starburst or Pink Starburst? Any other answer is wrong.

Nov 5, 2015#16

ThatNickGuy

Dei said:
Red Starburst or Pink Starburst? Any other answer is wrong.

Neither. Never liked Starburst, honestly.

Nov 5, 2015#17

Gared

ThatNickGuy said:
Probably something healthy and vegetarian. I'm not really one for fancy food or restaurants. But there was this amazing place in Toronto that served all vegetarian meals. Every single dish was amazing. Can I choose to just eat there for the rest of my life instead of spending ungodly amounts of money on just one meal at a hoity toity place?

Of course you can, this is your fantasy meal. Don't let anyone else tell you what kind of food to enjoy.

Nov 5, 2015#18

Ravenpoe

Twizzlers or Red Vines?

Nov 5, 2015#19

ThatNickGuy

Ravenpoe said:
Twizzlers or Red Vines?

Neither. I've never liked licorice.

Nov 5, 2015#20

Cheesy1

Favorite cartoon theme song?

Nov 5, 2015#21

Dei

Ok fine, favorite Christmas cookie? So help me god, you'd better not say you don't like cookies.

Nov 5, 2015#22

evilmike

Dei said:
Ok fine, favorite Christmas cookie? So help me god, you'd better not say you don't like cookies.

What ever you do, stay away from the @fade AMA.

Nov 5, 2015#23

fade

I know you're joking, but I deleted mine. Seemed a little whiny.

Nov 5, 2015#24

ThatNickGuy

Cheesy1 said:
Favorite cartoon theme song?

Does the movie version count?

[DOUBLEPOST=1446776908,1446776862][/DOUBLEPOST]

Dei said:
Ok fine, favorite Christmas cookie? So help me god, you'd better not say you don't like cookies.

My mother bakes all the time. I've gotten so fat from her cookies. Though she's more into baking bread and ham rolls for Christmas.

As far as cookies in general, it'd probably be her chocolate chip cookies.

Nov 5, 2015#25

Squidleybits

What is the perfect gift someone could give you?

Where is your dream trip? And would your answer change if you could have one dream trip solo and one with a group?

If you win the lottery tomorrow what would your first truly silly/totally frivolous purchase be?

Nov 5, 2015#26

ThatNickGuy

Squidleybits said:
What is the perfect gift someone could give you?

Where is your dream trip? And would your answer change if you could have one dream trip solo and one with a group?

If you win the lottery tomorrow what would your first truly silly/totally frivolous purchase be?

1) Gift cards. Seriously, it's better than guessing what I want or run the risk I already bought it. Comic store, MEC, Steam. I'll never say no to those ones, especially.
2) I honestly don't know. There are some places I'd love to go, like New Orleans (to do a "Gabriel Knight locations tour"), maybe take a train trip all across Canada, the British Isles, etc. I don't really have a "dream" trip, I guess. And I don't think it'd be any fun to do it alone, anyway.
3) This will sound really boring, but pay off my student loans. And then, depending on how much I won, help a few friends pay off theirs, as well. Maybe buy a good, reliable car.

Nov 6, 2015#27

Tinwhistler

ThatNickGuy said:
I already have it. I have this amazingly warm blanket with a wolf design on it. Not sure what it's made of. Fleece, maybe? The tag came off years ago. It's very heavy and it's great to bundle up under during cold nights. I've had it for over a decade and it's still in great condition.

That sounds exactly like the blanket my MiL got me for our first Christmas.

Dec 16, 2015#28

ThatNickGuy

This is still a thing on the forums, so what the hell. Let's bump this to the top of the page and have at it again.

Dec 16, 2015#29

GasBandit

GasBandit said:
You ever go to eat a pork sausage, and find it's got hairs growin' all over it?

Dec 16, 2015#30

Ravenpoe

GasBandit said:
sausage

Where the hell did this come from and why do you keep asking it?

Dec 16, 2015#31

Emrys

Ravenpoe said:
Where the hell did this come from and why do you keep asking it?

I think you're in the wrong AMA. You want 12A, next door.

Dec 16, 2015#32

strawman

Given your interest in and experience with wrestling and yoga, have you considered a career in some physical art or another recently?

Cats or dogs?

How would you describe the kind of humor you most enjoy?

Dec 16, 2015#33

DarkAudit

What happened that made me start to associate Dave Grohl with you?

Don't answer that. I don't know the how or why, but somehow that became a thing, and when I see Dave doing something awesome, it makes me think happy thoughts about Nick, and I hope some of them eventually make their way to you.

Dec 17, 2015#34

bhamv3

Who would win in a fight, Superman or Goku?

Dec 17, 2015#35

Terrik

What was the hardest part of writing your books?

Dec 17, 2015#36

ThatNickGuy

stienman said:
Given your interest in and experience with wrestling and yoga, have you considered a career in some physical art or another recently?

Cats or dogs?

How would you describe the kind of humor you most enjoy?

1) I've considered becoming a yoga instructor. I think there's an untapped market for DDP Yoga around here, for example. But I don't think it's something I could make a living off of. I've read up on people becoming instructors and how they have to really work on selling themselves to make any kind of decent money.

2) I'm owned by a cat, but I love dogs, too. Used to have a dog growing up. If I had to choose between having one or the other it'd probably be a d - OW! OW! DAMMIT, DIOMEDES, STOP! OKAY OKAY! CATS! ALWAYS CATS!

3) Probably really silly or lame "dad" humour. Or really well-done slapstick.[DOUBLEPOST=1450364619,1450364585][/DOUBLEPOST]

DarkAudit said:
What happened that made me start to associate Dave Grohl with you?

Don't answer that. I don't know the how or why, but somehow that became a thing, and when I see Dave doing something awesome, it makes me think happy thoughts about Nick, and I hope some of them eventually make their way to you.

Uh...okay?[DOUBLEPOST=1450364677][/DOUBLEPOST]

bhamv3 said:
Who would win in a fight, Superman or Goku?

I...don't really care? Seriously, I've never been a fan of the whole "who would win" question. I don't care. I care more about why they would be fighting.

Dec 17, 2015#37

DarkAudit

ThatNickGuy said:
Uh...okay?

I don't get it either. [emoji3]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dec 17, 2015#38

ThatNickGuy

Terrik said:
What was the hardest part of writing your books?

The times when I'd hit a block and don't know where to take it next. That kills me because I want to keep writing, but can't because I write in sequential order, so not knowing where to take the story next is incredibly frustrating.

Dec 17, 2015#39

Terrik

ThatNickGuy said:
The times when I'd hit a block and don't know where to take it next. That kills me because I want to keep writing, but can't because I write in sequential order, so not knowing where to take the story next is incredibly frustrating.

How did you end up solving it? I mean, I've written 20-30 page reports, but I "cured" my writer's block by discovering new ways to pad out the information I had already written. I can't imagine that works for story writing.

Dec 17, 2015#40

Bubble181

Terrik said:
How did you end up solving it? I mean, I've written 20-30 page reports, but I "cured" my writer's block by discovering new ways to pad out the information I had already written. I can't imagine that works for story writing.

I dunno, seems to work for GRR Martin and Jordan. "I've written 5 chapters progressing the story. Hmmm. Don't know where to go. Let's describe the meal in more detail. Nope, still not 1,000 pages. Let's describe the weather in more detail. NNNope. Okay, dresses." etc

Dec 18, 2015#41

Gruebeard

Bubble181 said:
I dunno, seems to work for GRR Martin and Jordan. "I've written 5 chapters progressing the story. Hmmm. Don't know where to go. Let's describe the meal in more detail. Nope, still not 1,000 pages. Let's describe the weather in more detail. NNNope. Okay, dresses." etc

Really makes me appreciate Isaac Asimov and Agatha Christie.[DOUBLEPOST=1450476632,1450476483][/DOUBLEPOST]Oh so yeah, that leads to a question, Nick. Which of those styles do you prefer: Martin's description-laden prose, or Asimov's description-void writing?

Dec 18, 2015#42

ThatNickGuy

Terrik said:
How did you end up solving it? I mean, I've written 20-30 page reports, but I "cured" my writer's block by discovering new ways to pad out the information I had already written. I can't imagine that works for story writing.

Personally, I've solved it a few ways:

1) Just start writing something without giving it any thought. Basically free-writing whatever comes to mind. Funny enough, some of my best stuff has come from that.
2) Step away from it for awhile or put it on the back burner to work on something else. When I came back to it, I suddenly knew what to do next.
3) Writing out question after question about what you want to do with the scene or where you want to take your characters. Or in my case, what mystery I was trying to come up with. I wrote several dozen questions to myself for Dame before I finally came up with how the mystery would work.
4) Ask yourself what the character (or characters) in question want. What would they do next in order to get what they want?[DOUBLEPOST=1450481668,1450481581][/DOUBLEPOST]

Gruebeard said:
Oh so yeah, that leads to a question, Nick. Which of those styles do you prefer: Martin's description-laden prose, or Asimov's description-void writing?

Probably the latter, though I haven't read much Asimov. I prefer the story to stick with the plot or character development without getting bogged down too much with world describing. A few well-written or well-placed sentences, even dialogue, can do a world of good compared to paragraphs of description.

Heh, no pun intended on "world of good."

Dec 18, 2015#43

PatrThom

ThatNickGuy said:
Probably the latter, though I haven't read much Asimov.

If you want something a bit more bite-sized, I recommend the book "Azazel," which is a collection of stories with a central theme rather than an epic space opera that will eat your free time (Foundation, etc).

--Patrick

Dec 19, 2015#44

Gruebeard

PatrThom said:
If you want something a bit more bite-sized, I recommend the book "Azazel," which is a collection of stories with a central theme rather than an epic space opera that will eat your free time (Foundation, etc).

--Patrick

The Foundation series won't eat up too much of his time. There's only 3 books to it.

But I would really suggest his robot stories as a better colection of bite sized chunks. Or some of the slightly more eclectic collections such as Earth Is Room Enough (which includes some robot stories some standalones and some of Asimov's entertaining commentary on the works)

And for novels, The Gods Themselves is excellent, and The End of Eternity is the most interesting take on time travel I've read.

(I'm just not such a fan of latter-day Asimov)

Dec 19, 2015#45

Squidleybits

What do you think is the prettiest place in our city?

indoors or outdoors?

coke or pepsi?

Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie?

Why are you totally not a lizard person?

Dec 19, 2015#46

PatrThom

Gruebeard said:
The Foundation series won't eat up too much of his time. There's only 3 books to it.

...and the prequels, and the sequels...

--Patrick

Dec 19, 2015#47

ThatNickGuy

Squidleybits said:
What do you think is the prettiest place in our city?

For me, right here:

It's a spot on the biking trail out in Bayer's Lake.

indoors or outdoors?

If it's nice out, outdoors. If it's raining or snowing or anything like that? Indoors.

coke or pepsi?

Root Beer

Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie?

Neither

Why are you totally not a lizard person?

Old joke from when @Cheesy1 took one of my pictures and made me look like a lizard person from V.

Dec 19, 2015#48

Squidleybits

How far in is that waterfall from the trail start? Possible to walk in?

Dec 19, 2015#49

ThatNickGuy

Squidleybits said:
How far in is that waterfall from the trail start? Possible to walk in?

I think so. I know there's a spot not far into the trail for people to park their cars (accessible from somewhere else; I don't know where). It was about a 5-10 minute bike ride for me. Not sure how long it'd take walking.

Dec 20, 2015#50

Gruebeard

PatrThom said:
...and the prequels, and the sequels...

--Pateick

Nope. Those are just some strange phantoms menacing your memory.

Also: you spelled your name wrong. Do you ever do that, too, Nick?

Dec 20, 2015#51

PatrThom

Gruebeard said:
you spelled your name wrong.

I don't have a sig, I type it out every time.
However, in the course of a day, I probably switch between 8-12 different keyboards (with different travel, spacing, etc). So that can (and does) happen.

--Patrick

Dec 20, 2015#52

ThatNickGuy

Gruebeard said:
Also: you spelled your name wrong. Do you ever do that, too, Nick?

Nah. Nikc is too easy to type. I never fuck it up.

Dec 20, 2015#53

PatrThom

ThatNickGuy said:
Nah. Nikc is too easy to type. I never fcku it up.

FTFY

--Patrick

Jan 16, 2016#54

DarkAudit

Because it seemed the best place to put this...

Jan 16, 2016#55

Ravenpoe

This actually makes me want to ask:

Hey @ThatNickGuy, what do you think would be the best superman story to adapt into a movie?

Jan 16, 2016#56

PatrThom

DarkAudit said:
Because it seemed the best place to put this...

Krypton opening? More like Kubrick opening, amrite?

--Patrick

Jan 16, 2016#57

ThatNickGuy

Ravenpoe said:
This actually makes me want to ask:

Hey @ThatNickGuy, what do you think would be the best superman story to adapt into a movie?

You know, I'm actually not sure. I'd probably do something like All Star Superman, where you take the best bits of the mythology - even, or especially, the crazy, over the top stuff like Krypto and Titanno - and tell a new story using said mythology. As long as the colour palette uses bright, primary colours, Superman isn't a dick, and they remember the word "fun," then I'd be happy.

Jan 16, 2016#58

BErt

You might have answered this before, but... How is Red Son? I like the concept, but I'm not sure if I want to bother...

Jan 16, 2016#59

ThatNickGuy

BErt said:
You might have answered this before, but... How is Red Son? I like the concept, but I'm not sure if I want to bother...

It's...okay. Personally, I think it's way overhyped. It's not bad, but I've read so many other Elseworld stories that were better.

As an Elseworld, it doesn't really do anything that other Elseworlds have done (showing us alternate versions of DC characters, usually fighting Lex Luthor, etc). As a Superman story, it follows the same beats as most Elseworlds where he's bad: he starts out bad, then eventually sees the light. Though in other ones, they end with him wearing a version of the classic costume. This one doesn't. As a Lex Luthor story, though? It's pretty solid. He's really the star of the book.

Plus, if anything else, the ending is worth the price of admission. Though I'm 99% certain that part was written by Grant Morrison, or at least he suggested it to Mark Millar.
I'd say it's worth reading. Just not paying full price for it. If you can get it cheap or borrow it out from the library, I say go for it.

Dec 5, 2016#60

ThatNickGuy

Are we doing this again?

It looks like we're doing this again.

Welp, let's do this. Again.

Dec 5, 2016#61

strawman

Have you ever broken a bone? If so, how? Has the fear of breaking a bone ever kept you from doing something you considered doing?

Dec 5, 2016#62

Dave

How are you doing? It's the only thing I'm interested in.

Dec 5, 2016#63

MindDetective

re: the thread title. You are one of the cool kids around here.

Dec 5, 2016#64

phil

If you were writing a superman movie what would the big bullet points be?

For me it would be

Villain is Intergang to set up future Apokolipse movie
Less emphasis on city destruction porn
More Emphasis on saving lives
at least a little talking about the personal toll being superman takes

Dec 5, 2016#65

ThatNickGuy

stienman said:
Have you ever broken a bone? If so, how? Has the fear of breaking a bone ever kept you from doing something you considered doing?

Closest I've come is breaking a knuckle from punching a wall when I was stressed out at Subway. Had to wear a sling or brace around my pinky finger for a week.

A friend of mine (who was also a co-worker) kept making fun of me by going, "Hey Nick! Look what I can do that you can't! Nee-nee!" and scratched his nose with his pinky.

As for keeping me from doing something, I am terrified to do anything like sky diving or crazy stunts like that.[DOUBLEPOST=1480981087,1480980999][/DOUBLEPOST]

Dave said:
How are you doing? It's the only thing I'm interested in.

Better, I guess. As I said in another thread, I think my meds are starting to do a good job. Still unemployed, still living with my parents, and still considering giving up on writing, but I'm okay, I guess.[DOUBLEPOST=1480981164][/DOUBLEPOST]

MindDetective said:
re: the thread title. You are one of the cool kids around here.

Dec 5, 2016#66

Dave

ThatNickGuy said:
Better, I guess. As I said in another thread, I think my meds are starting to do a good job. Still unemployed, still living with my parents, and still considering giving up on writing, but I'm okay, I guess.

IIRC the unemployment is due largely to your meds not working before, correct? So this is the first step and it's a big one. After you get the meds right, you can kick the shit out of a job, get a place of your own, and start living. Man, am I pulling for you!

And don't give up on writing. You're too good at it. So Dill hasn't taken off yet. Be patient. If it doesn't happen you know that you've written something people enjoy.

Dec 5, 2016#67

ThatNickGuy

phil said:
If you were writing a superman movie what would the big bullet points be?

For me it would be

Villain is Intergang to set up future Apokolipse movie

Less emphasis on city destruction porn

More Emphasis on saving lives

at least a little talking about the personal toll being superman takes

Actually, that's pretty good right there. You could do big screen version of the episode Tools of the Trade, where Intergang gets otherworldly weapons from Apokolips. Or instead of Apokalips/Darkseid, you could tease the technology is coming from Brainiac (using the Kryptonian origin from the cartoon). Maybe make John Corbin one of the head thugs and turn him into Brainiac at some point during the movie.

Although, I don't mind him discussing things taking a toll on him. That's a core of his character. He cares so much and he hates that he can't be there for everyone and save everyone.

I'd also keep both of the Kents alive. I don't like that they basically killed off Pa Kent to keep in line with the old movie.

Dec 5, 2016#68

Chad Sexington

If you knew the person had consented, would you eat human meat?

Dec 5, 2016#69

ThatNickGuy

Chad Sexington said:
If you knew the person had consented, would you eat human meat?

Ew, no.

Dec 5, 2016#70

strawman

Chad Sexington said:
If you knew the person had consented, would you eat human meat?

To extend it, let's say that scientist figured out how good meat tastes via simple DNA testing, and you were found to have the tastiest meat on the planet.

Would you consent to be cloned, sans sentience (ie, no nervous system), but in every other way being exactly like you, so your clones could be sold by the pound? Assume that you and whoever inherits your estate would receive payment for each pound of clone meat sold.

Further, would you buy some of yourself to verify your tastiness?[DOUBLEPOST=1480990201,1480990170][/DOUBLEPOST]

ThatNickGuy said:
Ew, no.

Oh, well I guess that answers my question too... :awesome:

Dec 5, 2016#71

Chad Sexington

stienman said:
To extend it, let's say that scientist figured out how good meat tastes via simple DNA testing, and you were found to have the tastiest meat on the planet.

Would you consent to be cloned, sans sentience (ie, no nervous system), but in every other way being exactly like you, so your clones could be sold by the pound? Assume that you and whoever inherits your estate would receive payment for each pound of clone meat sold.

Further, would you buy some of yourself to verify your tastiness?

It's not my thread, but I would be all about this.

Dec 5, 2016#72

strawman

Chad Sexington said:
It's not my thread, but I would be all about this.

Parts is parts.

Dec 5, 2016#73

GasBandit

I'd eat a person.

Just sayin'.

Dec 5, 2016#74

PatrThom

GasBandit said:
I'd eat a person.

Just sayin'.

I'm sure your cat feels the same way.

--Patrick

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