Double Neat! I was nominated twice for the Real Blog Award!

Here I go again with these delayed award posts! Sorry about that. Recently I was nominated by two different bloggers for the Real Neat Blog Award. They are AK from Everything Is Bad For You and Red Metal at Extra Life. Thank you so much, guys!

Here are the rules:

1. Display the logo
2. Thank the bloggers for the award.
3. Answer the questions from the one who nominated you.
4. Nominate 7 to 10 bloggers.
5. Ask them 7 questions.

Here we go now, and I’ll start with AK’s questions first.

1) Is there a game, book, or other work that you’d like to experience but that you can’t because it’s untranslated, not ported, or otherwise inaccessible?

Good question. It would be cool to play Dance Dance Revolution Club Version for Dreamcast.

2) What’s one work that really affected you or stuck with you in the last year, and why do you think it did?

Since discovering Ousmane Sebene, his debut feature film Black Girl really affected me. As someone with a film background, I was angry not knowing about this director. This work was incredible as it had great metaphors about neo-colonization and some of the most realistic displays of racism with various dog whistles from the French people against the Senegalese main character and the story was so believable and still relevant despite being made in the 60s.

3) If you could revive one series of works that’s been abandoned or dropped by its creators for any reason, what series would it be and why?

Despite the stream of remakes going on over the past few years, I would actually like to see a remake of Shinesman. I know the manga went farther and the satire could still work especially with the glut of superhero media even if Shinesman parodies Power Rangers/Super Sentai. If that got dubbed, then need to get the original English VA cast for it if they can still pull off the voices.

4) When it comes to music, do you prefer songs with vocals and lyrics or instrumental pieces, or do you have a preference at all? If you prefer one type over the other, why do you think that is?

I don’t have a preference at all, actually.

5) When was the last time you bought a magazine, newspaper, or other form of print media?

This was months ago and I bout a book from Dr. Amos Wilson. I’m glad to discover his work on anti-racism and black psychology last year. I’m also not counting e-books, by the way.

6) Is there a holiday you don’t get to celebrate/take off because of family or work reasons but that you wish you could?

Depends on my schedule with work. I know I get Christmas and Easter off which is guaranteed. I’d say Juneteenth would be excellent having that off on so many levels.

7) If you had to create a new holiday, when would it be and what would it involve?

I would make a commemorative holiday for Black Wall Street. This will be a federal holiday where schools and businesses will close to honor those that were affected by that horrific attack. Next year will be the 100 year anniversary. NEVER FORGET!
Now for Red Metal’s questions:

1. What is your favorite variety of meat? Or if you don’t eat meat what is your favorite meat substitute?

Seitan. News flash, I’m a vegetarian! Most of you didn’t know that fact about me.

2. If you could permanently remove one installment from a series you like (which would erase its existence from everyone’s memory), which one would you choose?

I do like Ghost In The Shell. As much as I was disappointed in the GITS sequel and some of the Arise prequels, but at least they offer decent elements to the overall story. If there was one thing I could erase from that series, then (to the surprise of no one) I would erase that live-action remake. Shame on the directors and shaming on the casting agents who thought it was a good idea to let Black Widow play the Major. #Whitewashing

3. If you lost a bet, would you rather read the worst book, play the worst game, listen to the worst album, or watch the worst film that you know of?

I’d say reading the worst book because I’d likely forget about it the most out of those options.

4. If you won a bet, what kind of punishment would be in store for your friend?

MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! If this was a good friend of mine, I would be a bit soft by making them do 100 pushups and then a mile run. Side note: I did 100 pushups a day all throughout December. If this was a frenemy, I would have them be a part of a pro wrestling match against “Big Wavy” Roy Johnson. Here’s a sample of what would happen. #PounceParty

5. What is your favorite month of the year?

October. I’m biased since I was born that month.

6. What is a piece of obscure trivia you like to mention during social gatherings?

I’m full of obscure trivia. Hahaha! I think the ones I mention somewhat frequently are smart apartments in Kenya that use iPads to control the AC, kitchen stoves, ovens, lights, etc. It’s great mentioning facts that destroy stereotypes about Africa.

7. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose? In this hypothetical situation, assume your choice would grant you complete fluency in the area’s official language.

Speaking of Africa, one place I would like to live would be Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. I have a bit of fluency in Lingala, but being fully fluent in that and the other Congolese languages would be sweet. I saw very fascinating things in pictures and video, it’s quite modern, and there’s lots of things to do in the country.

8. What is the longest amount of time you’ve ever driven a car or other vehicle in one sitting?

It was en route to Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, Illinois. That’s a 4.5-5 hour drive despite being from the same state. I’m from the Northern part of the Land of Lincoln and Bushnell is a tiny farm town in West Central Illinois. The closest city to it is Macomb which is 20 minutes away and there’s nothing major besides Western Illinois University. Driving can be a bit easy once you get outside the Chicagoland area, but it can be tiresome seeing cornfields and farms for most of the scenery.

9. What is the most annoying fictional character you can think of?

I can think of several. Haha! I think a ton of the Disney Princesses are annoying to me with most of them being Mary Sues, spoiled brats, get helped by too many plot coupons/plot conveniences, and I can’t see how people can relate to them.

10. What is the most underrated fictional character you can think of?

Yugo Beppu from Yugo the Negotiator.  I like how he’s intelligent, culturally aware, and has an extraordinary level of toughness despite not being a violent person. However, there’s one superhero I want to check out called Mr. Terrific. I heard he is good in the comics and that his character was butchered in Arrow.

11. With the decade coming to a close, would you say this was a good period for films, comics, animation, music, literature, or video games?

It was good with the indie and international films I saw, more or less. It was the decade of mediocrity and a tremendous lack of originality in Hollywood with pointless sequels, prequels, adaptations, and of course…so. Many. Freaking. Useless. REMAKES!

Alright. Here are my 7 questions for my nominees.

1. If you’re favorite band’s lead singer quit, who would be a good replacement for them?
2. Who is a supporting character in a movie or TV series that should get their own spin-off? (this can be live-action or animated)
3. The world would be a better place to live in if…?
4. What was the biggest fact or story that really opened your eyes about reality?
5. Which language would you want to learn that isn’t an official tongue in your nation and which places would you visit that uses that language?
6. What is something that you wished never got ripped off or stolen?
7. If you can give great advice in just four words, what would they be?

Nominees:

Rodrovich
Al’s Manga Blog
Kreb
David Boone
Bill Ziegler
The Alchemist
Nesie’s Place

Perhaps I’m mysterious in a good way? I got the Mystery Blogger Award!

Here’s an award I have never been nominated for. It’s the Mystery Blogger Award! I was nominated by Xena at We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident. She’s an incredible blogger and I’m thankful for this nomination. Thanks, Xena! This award was created by Okoto, by the way.

Here are their words about this award:

WHY DID I CREATE THE AWARD?
I created the award because there are a lot of amazing blogs out there that haven’t been discovered, yet. And, most of these blogs deserve recognition. For that reason, I decided to create my own award; and nominate people who can also nominate others; and so on. This is one of the best ways to create a friendly community and build a link between bloggers in the blogosphere; as everyone gets nominated and they too can spread the fun by nominating more people for the award.

I decided to call the award “Mystery Blogger Award.” Why? Because the meaning of my name, “Enigma” is “mystery.” So basically, it’s named after myself; the creator. Plus, I think it’s cool because there are so many blogs that are still a mystery to us; and when we get to know them, it’s divine! And we find friends where we least expect.

WHAT IS MYSTERY BLOGGER AWARD?
“Mystery Blogger Award” is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging; and they do it with so much love and passion.
– Okoto Enigma

Rules:
Put the award logo/image on your blog.
List the rules.
Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
Answer the questions from the blogger who nominated you.
Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.
You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
Share a link to your best post(s)

Okay, here we go.

3 things about me:

1. I have been training myself as a multi instrumentalist for over twelve years. I’m no virtuoso by any means, but I do have some proficiency in multiple instruments.

2. I write fiction, but I read mostly nonfiction especially history books.

3. While I’ve been teaching myself Lingala, I have interest in learning other languages from multiple countries.

Answering Questions:

Xena didn’t put any questions in the post, so I’m going to answer the same ones she got when she was nominated by Ilene.

1. Write a haiku about being nominated for a blogger award and title the haiku with the cartoon character with whom you most relate.

Yugo Beppu

Solving mysteries
With the most global mind now
Freeing hostages

2. What’s your superpower and how do you use it for good not evil?

The ability to manipulate time would be great. I can prevent disasters and change the past or future for the better.

3. Do you believe in a spiritual world or some kind of afterlife? If yes describe, if not why do you believe this is all there (not just a one word “no” answer for the atheists nominees)?

I have theistic beliefs and I do believe in an afterlife. My reasons aren’t limited to any religious book and it’s become even more so given some of my beliefs being challenged as of recently (long story). I know not everyone will agree with me on this not am I begging for anyone to do so. There were situations where I should’ve died, but didn’t. There are aspects of history that make way to much sense as things cycle across the vast fabric of time. While science is important, it’s not the end all be all for everything and anything to be explained. However, I don’t judge if anyone is a theist or atheist though.

4. What’s the best place in the world you’ve ever been and why should anyone go there? Convince me. Plane tickets are a good way to convince me. (Joke. The last part.)

I’ve only been to two countries in my life so far. My favorite place I’ve been to would be the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. That was beautiful.

5. What are the top 10 songs that make you feel good when you’re down, or inspire you, or you just love to listen to anytime or all the time.

This is such a tough choice and will be in no particular order. I really have to think about it…

Got to Break It by Arka’n (Togolese metal in your face!)
Show Me the Way by Papa Wemba (That’s a fun song to practice Lingala with)
Through the Night by Masahiko Arimachi (You’re welcome, Outlaw Star fans)
Here I Stand by Dove Slimme
Drop It Again by Rophnan
Kala by Mbongwana Star (#CongoPride)
Hound by Swimteam
Hand Upon My Shoulder by Peter Kruse
Life Is Like a Boat by Rie Fu (I’m not a Bleach fan, but this song is great)
Oops Upside Your Head by The Gap Band (ORIGINAL UPTOWN FUNK!)

6: Share a link of your best post(s).

Three of my best posts so far in my opinion as of recently…

Defensive For What: This was a powerful poem that’s one of my recent favorites I wrote.

Do You (Or Should You) Separate the Artist From the Art?: This was one of the most commented on opinion posts I’ve written. I’m glad I was able to have civil discourse even though I had people who disagreed with me.

How I Learned to Utterly Despise that Expensive Ripoff, Overrated, and Bigoted Movie Called The Lion King (And the Existence of Kimba the White Lion Isn’t the Only Reason): Yes, it’s a rant post, but it was so cathartic getting out my frustrations as to why I have severe issues with The Lion King.

Here are my nominees for this award:

7mononoke
K at the Movies
Jill Dennison
Lumi
Cassonade Media
Brendan Birth
Rodrovich
Villagetalk Avant
Sir Charles the Poet
Moyatori

Here are my questions for my nominees:

1. What makes you an innovative blogger in your field?

2. What are issues that you’re passionate about?

3. Who are three famous people that you would want to have coffee with?

4. Why do you blog and what are your goals for your it?

5. Would you rather own a house that’s attached to an ice cream company or one that’s attached to a chocolate factory? Yes, that’s my required weird/funny question for this award. Haha!

 

So I’m neat? I was nominated to get the Real Neat Blog Award!

It has been quite a while since I was tagged in any posts of this kind, but I still appreciate it. I was nominated for the Real Neat Blog Award. The person responsible for nominating me is Scott from Mechanical Anime Reviews. Thank you very much, Scott!

The Rules:

1) Display the logo
2) Thank the blogger for the award
3) Answer the questions the one who has nominated you
4) Nominate 7-10 bloggers
5) Ask them 7 questions

Here are the questions I have to ask from Scott.

1. What is your favorite spaceship design from anywhere?

That’s a tough question. I guess some of the most unique spaceship designs would be the grappler ships from Outlaw Star. Say what you will about that anime, but I thought that was a creative concept of spaceships with robotic arms that can fight in close-combat.

2. What is your favorite comic book movie right now?

I’m not the best person to ask given my tendency to shy away from so many mainstream movies. The last comic book movie I saw was Black Panther last year. Wow, time really flies by.

3. Who is your least favorite anime character?

Most likely Kumiko from Debutante Detective Corps. She’s almost like protagonist centered morality incarnate. Anyone who tells me that Akiyuki Shinbo can do no wrong obviously hasn’t watched that crappy anime.

4. What is your favorite anime this season or if you don’t follow seasonal anime, what is one of your favorite anime?

I haven’t seen any new anime this year so far. Some of you anibloggers already know this about me, but my favorite anime series is Haibane Renmei.

5. How do you feel about Avatar: The Last Airbender?

I have only seen bits and pieces, so I don’t have much of an opinion on that matter.

6. If a wood chuck could chuck wood, what is your favorite fictional forests or woods in fiction?

That’s a clever question. Haha! I guess my favorite forests or woods in fiction would be something from Mushishi. I can’t think of too many at the moment, but some may come to me after this post.

7. What were you doing before you worked on this blogger award entry that I tagged you in?

Nothing too exciting, but I wrote and scheduled some reviews for my other blog Iridium Eye. I won’t say which ones, but they involve an Argentinean film, an obscure anime ONA, and a two-episode anime that got the remake treatment recently. You’ll see those reviews in March.

My nominations will be as follows:
1. Ameithyst
2. Xena
3. Dr. Y.
4. Lumi
5. Moyatori
6. Scottie
7.  Terrance A. Crow

Here are my questions for those who were nominated.

1. What three places on Earth would you like to visit that you’ve never been to before?
2. What is your favorite poem?
3. Who do you think is the most underrated musician or band in your opinion?
4. If you could enact one law in your home country, what would it be and why?
5. How do you feel about plagiarism controversies in regards to media (film, TV, art, literature, etc.)?
6. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and how would you use it?
7. How are you creative and in what way?

Hold up! Wait a minute! Put a little liebe in it! (A Liebster Award post)

Bonus points to anyone who got the reference in the blog title! Anyways, I received another award and it’s the Liebster Award. It’s awesome. I would like to thank Bloom Reviews for nominating me. Bloom Reviews covers anime, manga, and comic reviews that deal with romantic elements. I first discovered Bloom after finding out they reviewed The Place Promised In Our Early Days (which is a movie you all should check out). Feel free to check out this blog and my other ones at Autumn Peal Media (photography/videography), C. M. B. Bell (fiction), and Iridium Eye Reviews (indie movies/documentaries/anime/world cinema/short film reviews).

Here are the rules for this award:

-Share the link of the blogger who has shown love to you by nominating you
-Answer the 11 questions they ask
-Nominate 11 bloggers for the same award in the spirit of sharing love and solidarity with our blogging family.
-Ask them 11 questions that you are dying for the answers to!

Alright. Now I’m going to answer Bloom’s questions related to this nomination. I know the stuff in the questions pertain more to one of my other blogs, but I’ll still answer them here.

1. What was your most overhyped anime of 2017?

It’s tough for me since I haven’t been watching a lot of anime in 2017, let alone this decade so far. One 2017 anime that I recently finished was ID-0.

2. If you had to recommend one manga or comic what would it be?

I haven’t been as big of a comic or manga reader as I used to, but I’d say Persepolis. Yup. I read both the comics and saw the movie.

3. What’s your favorite animated film so far?

This choice will make me look like a more depressed person than I am, but my favorite animated film is Grave of the Fireflies. There aren’t many animated or even live-action films with as much emotional gravitas, strong writing, and great characterization. It’s one of those movies that really stands out in animation as a pure art form and something you can take seriously. I’ve yet to see any mainstream animated film have this much depth, substance, and great writing even though Grave of the Fireflies is VERY tragic.

4. What’s the longest running manga you’ve ever kept up with?

Here comes my old-school anime fan self here. The longest manga I’ve read from beginning to end was Whistle!. Yes, I’m talking about the soccer manga that’s 24 volumes long. It was actually the first manga I bought when I was in my teens and I’m not even that much into soccer.

5. Who’s your least favorite anime character?

This question was a tough one because I kind of wanted to forget any characters that I hate. Haha! It’s too easy mentioning villains, but people are supposed to dislike them. After thinking about it, I’d say Kimiko from Debutante Detective Corps. She’s no hero at all. What kind of a heroine goes around exploiting cops, act lazy, faking a kidnapping plot, allows innocent people to be killed, manipulates her friends, doesn’t take responsibility for her actions, and is able to buy her way out of not going to jail? This is hardcore Protagonist Centered Morality to the highest degree.

6. If you had to pick one guilty pleasure anime, what would it be?

Guilty pleasures are so hard for me to think about. Well, after referencing Family Force 5 in the title, I guess I have to have some kind of answer. From the top of my head, I’d say Night Warriors: Darkstalker’s Revenge. For an anime series based on a video game, I didn’t think it was that bad.

7. What are you most excited for this year (anime or otherwise)?

I am so out of the loop when it comes to all the newest and latest things to be brutally honest.

The selfish answer could be me doing something new musically and of the literary persuasion.

8. What’s one recommendation you would give to new bloggers?

Good question. I’m going to cheat and mention one recommendation per media since I cover so many topics across several blogs.

Music: The Old-Timers

Live-Action Movies: Mother of Mine

Anime: Haibane Renmei

Western Animation: Wrinkles

Documentary: Hate Crimes In The Heartland

Books: The Third Reconstruction by William J. Barber II

9. What was the toughest thing you had to deal with in starting your blog?

In any and all my blogs, it would be finding some kind of audience. I had a fear of failure that no one would like or care about my stuff.

10. Who’s one blogger or writer you would recommend everyone read or follow?

It would be my friend Jeannette Jonic. She’s a very talented writer, reviewer, and a very supportive person.

11. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not blogging?

I enjoy coming up with new story and character concepts for my fiction projects. I also like reading, a tiny bit of graphic design (I’m such a neophyte though), video editing, creating acousmatic soundscapes, playing the ukulele, and learning about several cultures.

Thanks for reading! I hereby nominate the following…

1. Haiku out of Africa
2. Hikeminded
3. Little Fears
4. Chizurue
5. James Edgar Skye
6. Madekesiworld
7. Keiko’s Anime Blog
8. Rebel Guy
9. Harotian Essentials
10. Fueled by Smiling
11. African Book Addict

I have 11 questions for those who I nominated.

1. What was the watershed moment that made you enjoy blogging?
2. What are your fears as a blogger/content creator?
3. Which languages would you like to learn the most that you don’t already know?
4. How would you best describe your blog’s identity?
5. Who inspired you to blog?
6. What are your strengths as a blogger?
7. What are your weaknesses as a blogger?
8. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
9. If you can have one wish to improve the world, what would it be and why?
10. Which movie, musician, series or book that’s unknown to most that you like and wish more people knew it?
11. Has blogging been therapeutic for you? How so and why?

Brotherhood of the World Award! (or There’s a joke involving X-Men, Doom Patrol, or Fullmetal Alchemist in here somewhere.)

I was nominated again so soon! This time, it’s the Brotherhood of the World Award. I would like to thank Chizurue for nominating me. She reviews anime, manga, and books on her blogs such as Of Midnight Ravings and Mnemosyne.

Here’s how the award works:

-Thank the person who nominated you and link back to their blog.
-Answer the questions sent to you.
-Nominate around ten bloggers.
-Create your set of questions for your nominees.
-List the rules and display the Brotherhood of the World logo in your post.

Without further ado, I’m going to answer the questions used during Chizurue’s post.

Briefly explain your blogging style (where your favorite blogging spot/tools – as in, on the couch using your smartphone or something).

For starters, I blog using my phone or my desktop. I’d say it’s 50/50 depending on which blog I’m using and what kind of content I’m posting.

I all my blogs I tend to write like how I talk or what I believe, but in different ways. When it comes to some kinds of content, I just let something like a video or song speak for itself before I explain things briefly.

Ospreyshire: I do my best to talk about my creative project under this moniker. This is my main blog as one could guess. I show as much content that I create on here like my year-long Katauta 52 Project or my stories behind my songs/poems on here. Things couldn’t just be a bout me, so I do my best to cross-promote people like other people on ZAP Records (the indie label I’m affiliated with), nominating others for awards, and the occasional post about some real-life friends of mine doing great things.

Autumn Peal Media: I don’t talk that much on my blog. I just let my video projects and photography speak for themselves on there. Just don’t expect me to be all that vocal on there.

C. M. B. Bell Fiction: This is different since I deal with my original stories on there. I try to have a conversational style of dialogue while also adding some more poetic narration. My fiction writing style tends to use atypical protagonists, referencing social issues, having diverse casts, and making plots for things or characters I’ve never seen before. I also enjoy satirizing tropes and cliches whenever I can. Most of the stuff on there is micro fiction or my Hollandus Landing cell phone novel. Stay tuned for more content on there though.

Iridium Eye Reviews: This blog allowed me to be more overt in my honesty as I review some obscure media and anime. I wanted to have a mix of formal things such as researching concepts for fun facts while also having a bit of humor. There are times where I drop some uncomfortable truths if I disagree with the majority consensus or mention some controversial elements depending on what I review. I felt like I’ve become more assertive as a person after making this blog March of last year.

How do you manage your blogging time including blog reading time?

Good question. I do read some articles when I have some free time or checking some things out on my breaks if I’m at work when it comes to blog reading time. Some days, I can read several articles while other days I barely have any time given my variable schedule, so I just go with the flow. However, I make an effort to catch up when I can and I’ll intentionally read bloggers’ older/archived posts besides just their newest ones.

Blogging time? Most of this has gone to this page and Iridium Eye. The Ospreyshire page is straightforward and I don’t have to post that much, but most of my time is spent writing poems and filming for the Katauta 52 Project. Iridium Eye takes longer with reviews, finding a picture with it, researching things, and scheduling 3 reviews per Saturday with some cases a whole month in advance.

Who is your most read author?

I haven’t read as much as I used to. As far as books read per author, then I would say Ted Dekker. I read a bunch of his books years ago, but I haven’t read his newer fiction books. As far as more recent authors are concerned, I would say either Winona LaDuke or Rev. William J. Barber II. Both are nonfiction authors who talk about the history and concerns from the American Indigenous and African-American communities respectively. Both were really insightful and I really like how they get real on those issues, are well researched, they know what they’re talking about, and they do not make race a partisan issue which is a huge godsend to me.

How did you come up with your blog name?

I’m sure I’ve answered a question like that when it comes to the Ospreyshire moniker, but I’ll talk about how I got the names for my other blogs.

Autumn Peal Media: I was born in October, so I was certainly an Autumn baby. Peal is an uncommon word that I thought would sound cool and it’s a wordplay with something else, too.

Iridium Eye: Iridium is one of the rarest and most precious metals. This rarity aspect plays on the fact that most of the content I cover is lesser-known. The eye refers to the critical I that I use whenever I review indie films, foreign films, anime, non-mainstream Western animation, short films, and documentaries.

What keeps you blogging?

It is a platform for my creative outlets across the board and it has helped me to have a voice when I’ve been bullied into silence in my past. I’m able to be more honest and assertive online and real life. There’s also a goal I have for using bigger projects to give them a place to be posted online such as books, albums, and video projects.

Thank you! I hereby nominate the following bloggers…

Shokamoka
Ra’ahe
The Things I’ve Seen
Brandon Knoll
B. (Aphorisms)
Blog Posts From the Edge
Angie Trafford
Bloom Reviews
Emily Curry
Milly Schmidt

Here are my questions for my nominees:

1. What was a post that you created that made you feel better as a blogger?

2. What is your biggest guilty pleasure?

3. What improvements could you make on your blog? How can you improve as a blogger?

4. How has blogging changed/improved you as a person and in your real life interactions?

5. If you can visit any country that you’ve never been to, where would you visit, which tourist spots would you check out, and why?

 

 

I guess versatility pays off? I’m a recipient of the Versatile Blogger Award!

This has been a positive few days for me. Just recently, I was awarded the Versatile Blogger Award from Raistlin0903. Thank you so much, Raistlin! It’s good to know that I’m a quality blogger and versatile in different subjects whether on this blog or my other ones.

Here are the rules for this particular award:

-Display award
-Thank the person who gave this award (and include a link to their blog)
-Share seven things about yourself
-Nominate bloggers of your choice

Without further ado, let’s get this started!

1. Poetry/Lyrics: Since I’m on the main Ospreyshire blog, I might as well talk about it. I’ve been writing poems and lyrics since I was 11. I didn’t actually write “real” songs until I was older. With my current project, I thought it would be an awesome vehicle to get this artform out there but with an avant-garde edge.

2. Multi-Instrumentalist, but what instrument is missing? I’ve been training to be adept at multiple instruments when it comes to songwriting and performing. Interestingly enough, I have never used a guitar for Ospreyshire. This was on purpose. I don’t hate guitars since it’s one of my better instruments, but I wanted to see what I can create without one of the most common instruments out there.

3. Cinema in multiple languages. Yes, some of you know about my film review blog Iridium Eye. I’ve covered movies from six different continents and dozens of countries around the world. It is a fusion of my love for geography and movies as I wanted to escape the Hollywood doldrums. I’ll spare you a list of every country that’s been covered by Iridium Eye so far, but here’s a list of languages that have been spoken in the movies I’ve reviewed so far. English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Mandarin, Persian/Farsi, German, Dutch, Amharic, Kurdish, Turkish, Arabic, Serbian, Afrikaans, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Hindi, Hebrew, Italian, Gaelic, Korean, and Danish. That’s not even counting stuff I haven’t reviewed.

4. Reading (whenever I can). I do enjoy a good book. Interesting fact, I’ve been able to read since I was 1 1/2 years old and I’ve enjoyed reading whenever I could. Granted with work, I haven’t been able to as much. Over the past couple of years, I’ve been reading a ton of non-fiction especially in regards to social issues, geography, lesser-known parts about history, and race relations especially with the African-American and Native American experience. It was fascinating learning about all these subjects and I certainly become more “woke” as the cool people say these days.

5. People think I’m extroverted. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The thing is I do work with a lot of people and I’ve had previous experience with public relations and customer service. I do like being around my friends whenever I can, but I’m really introverted. After dealing with a lot of people, I have to decompress whenever I go home. Even then, I just get on my grind by working on various creative projects like music or fiction or coming up with new content for any of my 4 blogs.

6. My first (real) start at fiction was microfiction. I tried writing stories when I was younger, but I am quite disappointed in the concepts I came up with. When I heard about microfiction (stories under 1000 words) a few years ago, I gave it a try. Some of them are on my writing blog such as this one about an invincible superhero having a bad day, a futuristic story involving people looking at social media accounts from the present, or a story involving a snarky dragoness dealing with a delusional knight. It’s a fun form of writing, and I encourage people to give it a try. If you have the TaleHunt app, you can find me @tocsinchronicle. Just sayin’.

7. I used to be a hardcore gamer, especially fighting games. This was actually a thing going on in my life. To be honest, I haven’t been into current games due to other interests taking precedence, but there was a time I was big into video games. Shoot, I still own a Dreamcast to this day. I was into different genres, but my favorite genre was fighting games. Back in my younger days, I could beat people in games like the first two Marvel Vs. Capcom games, Virtua Fighter, some of the Tekken games, King of Fighters, Power Stone, Project Justice (AKA Rival Schools 2), and various Street Fighter games (SFIII: Third Strike was my favorite and the most underrated game in the franchise). That was my jam back then.

Now that I got this out of the way, I hereby nominate the following bloggers…

Moyatorium
Travel Itineraries
The Drabble
Anime Q & A
Bipolar Online Blog
Medieval Otaku
Karandi
AfroSapiophile
Irina
Lunarian Thoughts

Thank you!

Blogger Recognition Award? Oh, wow!

It’s been a while, but I was recently nominated for the Blogger Recognition Award by Brittney over at Brittney’s Blog. She’s an up and coming blogger who covers subjects like anime and her own life experiences. Feel free to check out her blog. Thank you so much, Brittney!

In order for me to move forward with this award, I have to follow these rules:

1.Say thanks to who nominated you and leave a link back to that persons blog.
2.Give the story or history of your blog.
3.Give two or more pieces of advice for new bloggers.
4.Nominate 10 other bloggers and link their blogs.

Now without further ado, here we go!

1. The story of my blogs:

Ospreyshire: I used to be active in the music scene, but I took a long hiatus. Not only that, but I wanted to to something new. I’ve loved poetry and experimental art, so I wanted to incorporate those elements into a new project. Thus, Ospreyshire was born. My little spoken word/avant-garde/anti-pop project.

Autumn Peal Media: This was a way for me to show off my photography and videography in a blogging format. Even though it’s currently on hiatus, I have several articles showing my works on there like a portfolio. Granted, I’ve been making videos for years via Vimeo, but I didn’t want it to be the only site where people can watch my stuff.

C. M. B. Bell Fiction: I’ve been writing for years, but this was me finally getting off my butt and finally posting stuff on there. I felt like my friends never knew about my fictional projects, so I needed to get some of my works out there. I’m also working hard to finally get my books to the world. I’ve written 15 books over the past 4 years, but I never showed anyone, so I needed a platform where I can post them once they get published. It’s mainly short stories and chapters from my Hollandus Landing cell phone novel so far, but expect more this year.

Iridium Eye Reviews: This blog has been a labor of love since I started it last March. I wanted a platform where I can talk about movies and anime that not many people were talking about. I actually have a film background and I wanted to show my knowledge on various aspects of film and animation. For years, I wanted to post reviews online, but I was scared to post my opinions on there. Better late than never, I guess. As some of you may know, I got sick of so many mainstream movies out there getting all the attention. At the same time, my affinity for indie movies, documentaries, anime, foreign films, and short films was rekindled, so I wanted to share my unorthodox thoughts on the media that doesn’t get much attention from reviewer circles or bloggers.

2. Advice for new bloggers

I don’t know how many people will take this to heart, but here’s some words I hope people can follow.

-Be honest and researched in your opinions.

-Don’t just follow the crowd. Be original by carving your own identity.

-Get connected with other bloggers. It’s a community, not a competition.

-Not everyone will have the same opinion as you. If you do have a different opinion, don’t be a troll or try to be contrarian for controversy’s sake.

I guess that’s it for now.

3. Nominations!

I nominate the following blogs…

Ani-dotes
The Zone of Nerders
Raistlin0903
Elle Nguyen
Canadian Globe Trotter
Jenn
Fractured Faith Blog
The Otaku Judge
Jeannette Jonic
Mechanical Anime Reviews

Thanks and have a great day!

-Curtis

Oh, wow! I got the One Lovely Blog Award!

So recently, I received my 2nd award as a blogger on this platform with the Ospreyshire page. Thanks to Scott from Mechanical Anime Reviews for nominating me! I didn’t see that nomination coming. Even though I cover so many topics with anime being one of them with Iridium Eye, I’m glad people still appreciate what I blog about across all my pages.

Here’s how the award works:

1) Thank the person who nominated you and link their blog
2) Add the One Lovely Blog Award to your post
3) Share 7 things about yourself
4) Pass this on to as many people as you like (max 15)
5) Include this set of rules
6) Inform your nominees

Alright then. Without further ado, let me tell you seven things about myself.

1: I have written bios for various musicians.

As you may or may not know about me, I enjoy writing. You know that I write fiction and that I do film reviews on my other blogs. However, I have done some commissioned public relations work for various musicians in different countries. Granted, these are independent artists, but I’ve enjoyed being able to write pieces on various singers and bands. I’ve helped out some of my labelmates on ZAP Records and then some.

2: I have been training to become a multi-instrumentalist.

Okay, not as much now since I’m not into the music scene as much as I used to be, but this was a huge goal of mine for years. I’m not a maestro by any stretch of the imagination. The instruments I have the most competency in would be ukulele, guitar, turntables/DJ-ing, Omnichord, hand percussion, bass and some keyboards. Don’t expect me to shred like crazy, but I can at least jam with other musicians and do my best to hang with them.

3: I’m a three-time NaNoWriMo winner and a six-time Camp NaNoWriMo winner.

This goes out to all my followers who know I do fiction. I’ve been getting into storytelling over the past three and a half years. 2014 was my first year where I wrote books and where I tried National Novel Writing Month for the first time. It was shocking that I was able to write a 50,000 word novel (roughly 100-110 pages) over the span of thirty days on those Novembers. I tried out Camp NaNoWriMo, which is National Novel Writing Month’s off season challenges that happen twice a year (April and July). It does feel invigorating trying to write a book in a month’s time. Now, I have to publish my bibliography…

4: I’m a geography nerd.

I love learning about other cultures and countries. It was amazing visiting outside of America for the first time of my life when I was on vacation to Ecuador earlier this year. This international affinity started when I first watched Where In the World Is Carmen Sandiego (the game show) when I was a child. That was my favorite show growing up. My love for geography shows since I write multi-ethnic casts for many of my fiction projects and world cinema is one of my specialties when I review movies on Iridium Eye.

5: Speaking of stuff from other countries…Wanna know the first anime I’ve watched?

This one goes out to the anime reviewers that know my blogs. The first anime I’ve ever watched in my life is Teknoman AKA Tekkaman Blade. Yes, this was the edited English dub version, but that was my first exposure to Japanese animation despite me not knowing anything about it when I was in elementary school. This was on UPN Kids back in the day which is a defunct channel as it merged with My Power and Warner to make the CW. I thought it was cool seeing superheroes in metallic suits fighting aliens and stuff.

6: I’ve wanted to be a voice actor, but never got around to it.

Part of it involved me watching a ton of anime during my teen years, but I’ve been good at using different kinds of voices. I’ve been known to do impressions of various movie characters, cartoons, and some random celebrities in front of some of my friends and co-workers as a joke. If you know me, I can come across as dry in my humor, but I can make people laugh whenever I do these imitations of random voices. I’ve had others tell me that I should be hired as a voice actor, do TV announcements, or a radio DJ.

7: What’s in a name?

I’ve always wanted to name either a band or a creative project after a bird (insert Portlandia joke here). The word Osprey came to mind, but I wanted to go beyond that once I started coming up with this current spoken word/anti-pop project on this blog. Suddenly, “-shire” came up in my mind as the definition of a place. Thus, I fused the two words and came up with Ospreyshire as my stage name.

Now that you know a little bit more about me, I want to hear from the following people. Enjoy the nominations!

1: KimchiSama
2: Travel Itineraries
3: Adventures of A New Floridian
4: Tim and Joanne Joseph
5: Girl Goblin
6: Remy Fool
7: Auri
8: Irina
9: Bel
10: Joshua Stamper

-Curtis

Unique Blogger Award (My first award!)

Well, I legitimately didn’t see this one coming.

I was awarded this Unique Blogger Award from a blogger named Irina.

Thanks, Irina! I really appreciate it.

In order for this thing to work, I must do the following:

-Mention the blogger who nominated me while linking them.
-Nominate 8-13 other people.
-Answer questions from the person who nominated me.
-Give three questions to those I have nominated.

I know this award was for my work at Iridium Eye where I review lesser-known movies, documentaries, anime, short films, international movies, art house cinema and other films of that nature that aren’t getting the Hollywood treatment. http://iridiumeye.wordpress.com

I’d like to nominate the following bloggers:
1. Jeannette Jonic
2. Lauren Mann & The Fairly Odd Folk
3. Jon Spencer Reviews
4. Peach’s Almanac
5. Through Open Lens
6. Rodrovich’s Anime Blog
7. The Pantless Anime Blogger
8. Hikeminded
9. Mechanical Anime Reviews
10. Sarah Doughty

I hope you all appreciate that!

Here are the questions I was asked by Irina.

1. What post was your favorite to write and why?
Well, I have multiple blogs. I’ll give you an answer for all of my pages.

Ospreyshire’s Realm: It was when I made a video for the “My Heart Is A Crater” track from my debut EP “Verses Vs. Anhedonia”. Here’s a link to the video.

Autumn Peal Media (Photography/Videography): That’s tricky. It would be some of my Ecuador photos such as when I visited Quito or parts of the Andes Mountains.

C. M. B. Bell Fiction: That would be my currently ongoing cell phone novel Hollandus Landing. This has been a huge undertaking for me as I write this story with 40 different perspectives with 200 words or less per chapter.

Iridium Eye: My two favorite reviews I wrote would be a very close tie between the documentary Hate Crimes In The Heartland and the 60s anime series Kimba the White Lion.

Hate Crimes In The Heartland is the first documentary and American film I’ve given a 10/10 points to. It’s a very powerful film that deals with the tragedies of the Black Wall Street Massacre and the Good Friday Murders in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I thought it was amazing how they got survivors from the former event that happened in 1921 while also having a narrative that focuses not just on the racial impact, but also the economic one without politicizing everything.

Kimba the White Lion was a fun anime to review despite being way older than the other anime series I’ve critiqued. Even though it’s super old-school, I was really impressed with how much depth there was and how they handle various issues in a G-rated way. This and the last review allowed me to be very honest and brave with my opinions. I didn’t think it was a perfect series especially with some of the meddling in the English dub with a couple of storyline changes, but it was still a good watch. If you’ve heard of Kimba, yes…I do give my 2 cents on the infamous “Lion Controversy” as well. Feel free to check out these reviews and my other ones, too.

2. Is there a subject you would like to write about but haven’t quite figured out how to do it yet?

I’ve thought about a few, but I don’t know which blog I could post them on or what format it could be. I’ve thought of little essays involving media theories, connecting films and anime to various social issues (without looking like an SJW), some music-based posts, and even posting some poetry outside of my ongoing Katauta 52 Project.

3. What was the last random thing that made you happy?

This happened yesterday, actually. At my day job, I was feeling beat after doing so much work quickly to the best of my ability. One of my managers saw this and gave me an iced coffee as a token of appreciation. It really made me smile.

Now that I’ve answered Irina’s questions, I’ve got questions for those of you whom I nominated.

1. What was the bravest article you’ve posted on your blog(s)?
2. Which creative hobby would you most like to try? (keep the answers civil, please)
3. If your blog was a meal or dish, what would it taste like?

Alright. That was a fun post and this award did brighten my day despite me not posting about it sooner.

Have a wonderful day.

-Curtis