SC Reading '23

it's a mixed bag baby

"Hello Muddah, hello Faddah
Here I am at Camp Grenada
Camp is very entertaining
And they say we'll have some fun if it stops raining..."

— Allan Sherman

What I Did at Summer Camp

This event has had its ups and downs for me. Having only just signed on two weeks prior to the event starting, I had no plans to participate and was working on the base infrastructures for the two worlds that live in my head. I think it was as I was starting to flesh out some of the capital cities for X'anthia, and was working on Steadystone when the event started.

Anyway, as I progressed with the article and hit the event word count, the "submit" button magically appeared as it was prone to do. The article I had just completed wasn't half-bad, and is complete as it can be until I set up a bunch of other stuff, so I figured "why not" and submitted the article. That was when I deviated from my plan and started browsing the prompts. I didn't set a goal and I didn't really care (at first) about earning any badges.

"Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!"

— Mel Brooks - Blazing Saddles¹

By the end of the first week I was about six articles in and had almost reached bronze. It was addicting, and I had a decent momentum going. I switched gears a little by shifting my focus from X'anthia to ADiP. It was my original intention to work on The Balcony location, but so much context was needed from the overall complex that Orange Terrace Condominiums was born, and that also marks the period that I started having mixed feelings about this event. Maybe it was the shift from high fantasy to a sci-fi vibe, which to me was a huge shift because I would like for this world to make at least some kind of scientific sense, even if farfetched.

Hard at Work - Summer Camp 2023 by Bing AI

I began work on Trypanosoma vamperi. To sum it up, it is about a parasite that causes vampirism in humans, based on an actual parasite. It took about a week to research and write, and ended with a total word count ten times the required amount for a submission. Summer Camp badges aren't earned by word count though, they are earned by article count. Really, logically, I know that is fine. I could have worked on a different article, etc., etc., etc., and it honestly is a valid scoring system for an event such as this.
That is why this event was a mixed bag for me. I am a bit competitive by nature, so even though I consciously didn't set goals for myself, unconsciously I did and apparently I did not meet my expectations.I am super proud of Trypanosoma vamperi, I have no regrets about the time I spent researching it, and I am glad I made it to the silver level in the event. Try as I might, there is just some small part of me that can't help but feel a little disappointed in myself that I didn't achieve the diamond level.
Please don't get me wrong, it is a great event and I can't wait for the next one. I mean, the one after this reading event that is! Who knows, one of my submissions may even win, I have a couple I thought weren't terrible. There's a lot of fierce competition out there though, I have seen some really incredible work that I am so excited to dive further into. And with that, I do believe it is time to stop talking about me, and start talking about some of the great articles I came across during Summer Camp 2023.

"...Wait a minute, it's stopped hailing
Guys are swimming, guys are sailing
Playing baseball, gee that's bettah
Muddah, Faddah kindly disregard this letter"

— Allan Sherman

Prompt One - A Useful Plant

"a useful plant found in a wild area of your world"
I love plants, I have a small jungle on my back porch and very much wish I had more room for more. I miss having a veggie garden, and one day I would love to have my own greenhouse. For that reason, I thought I would live vicariously through some fictional plants. I did not submit an article for this category.

Silverweed by Sgt.Elyas123

I'll admit, one of the reasons I chose this article is that Sgt.Elyas123 is a friend of mine. I have a player character in the world this plant comes from, and felt it was advantageous to learn as much as possible about the world Olivia Shackleford resides in. So, the Silverweed. Of course, it strongly reminds me of an actual plant with similar properties (medicinal and euphoric) which may be some of the appeal. I love the image the author found for the plant, and the properties were described well. My CC suggestion was to flesh out the growth/life cycle of the plant a little more.

Bacon Bark Bloomhazel by Nomadic Gaming

The name drew me in. Who can resist Bacon? Not this girl... But the thing that totally sells this article is the BACON POWDER. The author of this article needs to patent that idea right now I tell you what!! Really I adore the concept of this tree, I wish they were real, I really do. They sound like a cholesterol-free, healthy, tasty version of bacon and what is not to love about bacon!! I thought it was an interesting twist that this plant is carnivorous as well. The CC is I thought it could use a few illustrations, and maybe better use of the sidebar since it was there due to the article type selection.

Fog Catcher by Rumengol

I kind of went through and clicked on random titles that sound interesting to me, and this is one of those articles. I am really glad I chose this article, for it is very cool in both concept and execution. The idea of a kind of emergency recharge is interesting, and the author leaves enough tantalizing hints about the world this plant grows in to pique one's curiosity and entice the reader to explore further. I personally can't wait to find out about this Mist. Is it bad? Is it good? Wait, they went back to Detroit? Inquiring minds want to know! My CC for this article was really just a nitpick about formatting for the quote. I really liked this article, and really had a hard time offering any kind of criticism like the event asks. I am looking forward to reading more about this world.

Garlic by Drunkenpanda951

Honestly, I almost didn't read this one because it's about garlic. Everybody knows what garlic is, right? I had my three articles for this prompt, I didn't need to do another one... but to balance out my formatting and calm the inner OCD demon I went back for one more article and gave Garlic a chance. I am really glad I did. I really enjoy this author's whimsical writing style and it is something I have been trying to incorporate in my own writing. Furthermore, this author came up with some creative uses for this plant that are logical at the same time - always a win in my book. The only thing I would suggest an edit on is the formatting of the page, maybe throw in some headers or make better use of the sidebar.

Prompt Two - Negative Condition

"a 'negative' condition that has hidden advantages"
I seriously considered pulling Trypanosoma vamperi from the category it is submitted under (an animal associated with, or symbolizing, power) and putting it in this category. I was still considering that when I started work on the final article right before the close of Summer Camp... and needless to say I didn't finish the final article (more research than I thought) or remember to move T. vamperi in time. Ah well, such is life. :) Needless to say, I do not have a submission in this category either.

Thaumatological Radiosis by Killer_Korax

This is a composition about radiation poisoning, a topic I have always found interesting, and it is magical radiation to boot. I am SO impressed with this article. The author obviously put a lot of research, time, and maybe even some blood, sweat, and/or tears into writing this. Not only is there a fantastic clinical presentation of the condition, there is an entertaining story at the beginning that as you read the information becomes more and more clear. Unlike that last sentence. I digress. Once again, my main CC would be to add some images or use the sidebar feature. This is definitely worth the read.

Censoring Ophthalmia by Hanhula

I have quickly become a fan of this author, whose articles are always beautifully presented, cleverly written, and full of amazing extras. This one doesn't disappoint, and makes me so very, very glad that this condition is fictional. I guess it goes to show, if your body tells you to quit doing something it might be in one's best interest to listen.

Pungeon Sickness by E. Christopher Clark

I honestly thought that nothing could top Winter Punderland, but this article is a serious contender. I laughed the entire time I read this, and immediately started sending it around to my son, my son's best friend, my neighbor's dog, etc. It just really is my kind of funny.

Sight Sickness by BARRIESAXXY

The concept of this article is really pretty awesome, and I just may incorporate a variant of it into ADiP. However, if a true vision manifests does that mean it happened when it manifests or is the manifestation some kind of pre-echo-ish kind of thing? I suppose I better run over and ask, and if you're curious like I am you can go over and find out for yourself! :)

Prompt Three - A Creative Tradition

"a popular summer tradition that involves art and creativity"
I love holidays, I think we should have more of them. I figured it would be fun to browse through and check out what kind of fun things came out of other people's brains.

Dung-firing Festival by TJ Trewin

Of course I am going to track down any articles about that dirty little job that we all doo-doo, especially since I wrote about the code brown as well with my article Dardara Droppings. I do like the concept of the festival, and it is interesting because my dardara droppings are also used as a fuel source. It seems this author intends to return and add more content at a later time as there are several placeholders in the article. My CC for this author would just be to switch up the use of the word poop. For example, where it reads "shattered in a poof of poop" I would maybe change it to "exploded in a shower of fecal flakes" or something along those lines.

Festival of Luminaria by

I find it both funny and logical that many of the festivals that I have read about, including my own and this article I am considering here, occur during the summer solstice. Not that it is a bad thing, like I said it's very logical. One thing I really enjoyed about this article was the activities and workshops section, particularly the masquerade ball. It really makes me wish I had thought of that rather than a catwalk fashion show LOL! I also really like that the festival ends with a parade, something fun for everyone! Really my main CC for this is to add in some images that will really help this festival come to life. I also wonder on which of the three days of the festival the solstice occurs on.

Arta Gecko by Bonus Action

Once upon a time in a ghetto not that far away lived the girl under the giant gecko... That girl was me and the gecko lived in the wall that did not meet the ceiling and was right over where I slept. Can you imagine? Drifting off to sleep when you see a reptilian head emerge at the top of the wall? Freaky. Trust me. But he was cool, and after reading this article I can now imagine catching him, covering him with paint, and letting him make a masterpiece for my home. Brilliant concept, and I would love to see this illustrated in some way. Scratch that, I want to see it in person!

Quacktastic Art Festival by Tillerz

This is adorable. From the "Quackling's Corner" to the "Quacktastic Canvas Challenge," this article kept it cute and lightweight without being syrupy (which is a good thing!) One of the things I really found impressive about this author is they offer a few plot hooks - ideas for a dungeon master to draw on to use this festival in their campaign. It was really one of those little extra things that really made this article stand out.

"Where do we go from here
The battle's done
And we kinda won
So we sound our victory cheer
Where do we go from here"

— Joss Whedon, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Moving Forward

My goals for the next six months are actually pretty straightforward.
For X'anthia, I would like to finish the settlements on Echorea, starting with completing the Kononoi royal line of succession. I would also like to finish work on Quberona/Heopheathae, and get a good start on the continent of Riyos. This goal also includes two new original pieces of character art as well as continent maps completed for the aforementioned continents (something I have been slacking on.)
For ADiP, I would like to finish the Fristad Caverns Resort and the Balcony locations, and get character profiles for all the members of The Village completed - so that's twelve characters total. Oh, and I still have a virus to research and create.
I may be setting a goal that is too lofty considering I am starting a new job, homeschooling my daughter, and planning a trip to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. Now that I have completed this month's challenge, my next step is to check out the To-Do List in the advanced tools and add these goals to a list to keep track of!
Oh and a great big thank you to all the community sponsors, judges, coordinators, and any other people involved with bringing Summer Camp to us. I know I complained a little but it really is a great motivator and a source of limitless inspiration. I can't wait to see what is coming next!!

My competition page is HERE if you feel like having a read.