# A favour



## Master of Blades (Nov 7, 2002)

I never thought I would say this...but I need all your guys help. Im writing a play which is an exaggerated version of Life (aptly named Life) and it features all my freinds. I have however been cautioned by my Drama teacher to change the names to avoid any confrontation. Ive spoken to all the people who are featured in it and they thought it was great and funny to boot. But what I need is for you guys to do me a favour. Could you leave me with

11 Boys names

&

8 Girls names

This would be much appreciated. And the sooner the better cuz this is basically all that is left now. And Please...sensible names cuz this means a lot to me  

THANKYOU 

:rofl: :shrug: :asian:


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## Nightingale (Nov 7, 2002)

I would advise you to let your character pick its own name.  They will do so eventually,... something will just FIT.... 

make sure the name matches the character (unless you're going for irony)... you don't want a nerd named "Conan" and a jock named "Ariel" or something girly like that.  

You don't want a very strong female character named "Chrissy, Stacey, Tracy" or something ending in "y" or "ie" because its very soft sounding. Names that end in a consonant sound are a better choice.  Look to Shakespeare for an example... Desdemona...(from Othello) very sweet, soft sounding name for a character that was a total wimp.  and then there's Kate (from Taming of the Shrew). A very strong female, with a name to match.  

However, if you're totally stuck on names... go with names that are slightly unusual and not really common baby names...for example, Amber is a very popular name, so stay away from that, because its cliche.


http://www.babynames.com/V5/index.php



Girls Names

Adriana (A-Dree-Ann-ah) Spanish, Meaning Dark
Aisling (Ash-Lynn) Celtic, Meaning Dream or Vision
Bethany (Beth-anny) Hebrew, Meaning Life
Brianna (Bree-Anna) Celtic, meaning virtuous, honorable
Brenna (Brenn-ah) Celtic, meaning Little Raven
Casey (Cay-See ) Celtic, Brave
Cassidy (Cass-uh-Dee), Greek, Clever
Corinne (Coh-Rinn), Greek, maiden
Katia/Katya (Cat-yuh), Slavic, Pure
Mairi (Mah-ree) Gaelic, mistress of the sea
Skyler (Sky-Lhurr), Nordic, Learned one


Boys Names

Aidan - (A-Den), Celtic, Meaning Fiery
Brennan (Bren-an) Celtic, Raven like
Casey (Cay-See) Celtic, Brave
Stefan (Steff-ahn) German, a crown
Patrick (Pa-Trick), Celtic, nobleman
Seamus (shay-muss) Celtic, supplanter
Varen (Vahr-en) Hindi, superior


just a few ideas.

I'm Irish, so a lot of the names I like are celtic in origin, but there's the link to the names site if you're really stuck.


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## Master of Blades (Nov 7, 2002)

Damn.......Thanks alot man. Didnt think bout half of that. Shows how much I know  

:rofl: :shrug: :asian:


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## Nightingale (Nov 7, 2002)

I write novels as a hobby.  Names are one of the toughest things. My characters sometimes start out with one name, and I'll switch it later because the original name doesn't suit them anymore.  Sooner or later, you'll just find something that sounds right...


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## Nightingale (Nov 7, 2002)

of course, you could always just use your friends' middle names.


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## Master of Blades (Nov 7, 2002)

You write Novels? Wicked...Have you ever enquired about getting them published or do you just do them for the enjoyment? Ive written a few but they usually end up in the bin. I tried using there middle names but it ended up sounding like a crappy story, Mainly cuz they all have names like Sylvester! 

And I could still do with a few names if anyone wants to help?

:rofl: :shrug: :asian:


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## Nightingale (Nov 7, 2002)

I've gotten poetry published.  No novels published yet.  

Novels are harder... its a catch-22.  For a publisher to look twice at you, you have to have an agent...but to get a good agent, you have to be published.  

The exception to this is most notably in the romance genre, so that's what I've been writing recently.  

I'm also a perfectionist when it comes to my writing... it takes a day or so for me to revise a 20 line poem... and a year or so for a 300 page novel. LOL.  

The one I'm working on now, I think, has a good chance.  A friend of mine has read it, and she says its better than a lot of the drivel that's on the book store shelves at the moment...her comment:  "Your story actually has a plot!"  However, I'm still revising, and still not quite happy with it. I'll pursue publishing and an agent when I'm satisfied with my work.

-N-


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## Master of Blades (Nov 7, 2002)

Hmmmmmm.........I dunno if you have the time, but once I have finished changing the names and going over bits and peices would you mind if I sent you my play and got you to just give me some critical evaluation. I could do with some more help then Im getting. Only if you have the time tho..... 

:rofl: :shrug: :asian:


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## Nightingale (Nov 7, 2002)

sure. I can take a look at it for ya.

but I'm going to tell you what someone else told me when she offered to read my work:

"I can be nice... or I can be honest. Not both. Being nice isn't going to get you anywhere.  You've already done your best work, and if you want a pat on the back, let your grandmother read it.  An editor isn't supposed to be nice.  But I'll give you something more than an editor would.  an editor would tell you what you need to fix.  I'll tell you how to fix it."

and she did. and I'm a much better writer because of it.  

If you want constructive criticism, send your story my way.  I'll do my best to help you, but you have to take my comments in the way they're intended.  I'm not trying to be mean, I'm trying to help.  Letting someone critique your work is never easy.  The writing is your baby, and its hard not to take things personally when someone says "I don't like this because..."  but as long as you can take the criticism in the spirit in which its meant, I'd love to help.

An MS Word file is preferred, because then I can make my comments in red text, so they're easy for you to spot.

nightingale@nightingalesnest.net


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## Blindside (Nov 7, 2002)

"I can be nice... or I can be honest. Not both. Being nice isn't going to get you anywhere."

Funny how that works in martial arts training as well.    
I've just been working on a little fantasy short story, and lets just say it is slow going.

Lamont


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## Master of Blades (Nov 7, 2002)

Dont worry, I can take whatever you give me. And I promise to send it as soon as I have changed the names for your viewing pleasure. And thanks for being honest....You dont usually get that much these days....:asian: 

:rofl: :shrug: :asian:


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## Nightingale (Nov 7, 2002)

ok.  

If this is an official school thing, be sure to include a note about your assignment, so I know what your teacher is looking for.


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## Master of Blades (Nov 7, 2002)

Nah its not a school thing, but I do want it acted out in School. I just finished it and I will send it to you now.


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## Nightingale (Nov 7, 2002)

received...


but I gotta ask... 

you've got some pretty wonky rules for blackjack in the first scene.  I've never seen someone deal SEVEN cards right off the bat... its usually two cards.  I've seen poker with seven cards, but five is more common.


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## Kenpo Wolf (Nov 7, 2002)

> _Originally posted by nightingale8472 _
> 
> *I write novels as a hobby.  Names are one of the toughest things. My characters sometimes start out with one name, and I'll switch it later because the original name doesn't suit them anymore.  Sooner or later, you'll just find something that sounds right... *



Being somewhat of a writer myself, role playing games and screenplays is my thing, I very much agree with you. It's very hard to come up with decent names to fit the characters. I have a small stack of name books for such a occassion

BTW, thanks for the link. It will definitely come in handy


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## Nightingale (Nov 8, 2002)

not a problem.

I like the baby names site, because it tells not only the meaning of the name, but the origin as well, and I like to give my characters names that not only have the right sound, but have the right meaning as well.


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## Master of Blades (Nov 8, 2002)

I dont think the Black Jack we play is what you may call it. I think you call it Rummy or something. But that BlackJack game is true to life. No matter what happens Someone always ends up cheating........... 

:rofl: :shrug: :asian:


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## Nightingale (Nov 8, 2002)

that did sound like rummy... you make sets of three cards of the same number, or runs of three or more cards in a row of the same suit?

Blackjack is a vegas style casino game... you have a dealer, who deals themselves one card face down, and everyone else one card face up, and then everyone a card face up.  you then choose whether to "stand" or "hit"  if you stand, you keep what you've got. if you hit, you get another card.  the goal is to get as close to 21 as possible.  Blackjack is when you have a ten or face card and an ace, giving you 21 in the first deal.  You get paid 1.5 times your bet in that case, whereas if you win with hits, you get paid 1:1 odds.


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## Master of Blades (Nov 8, 2002)

Nah Black Jack down here is very differant. You get given 7 or 5 cards depending on how many people are playing to start with. A first card is put down and you must either put down one of the same suit, or the same number card. For example, if you put the 2 of diamonds down you must either put a two or Diamond down. It works like that with loads of differant rules. Doesnt make a differance to how badly we cheat!


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## Nightingale (Nov 8, 2002)

LOL. 

we have something similar to that game called "Uno" or  "Hearts" here.


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## Master of Blades (Nov 8, 2002)

Yeah.........Interesting how the names are differant. Wonder where that came about!


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## Nightingale (Nov 8, 2002)

dunno... English is a weird language, no matter what side of the pond you're on.

I feel sorry for my poor friend Stef from Holland... she has trouble keeping all the English/American slang straight...

her mistakes are very confusing sometimes... for example, she forgets that when she's in America and "pissed" that means she's mad, but when she's in England and "pissed" she's drunk!


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## Master of Blades (Nov 8, 2002)

Lol........Listen, I live down here and I still dont get some of the language I have to use nowdays! I forget that Dark and Heavy as well as Bad are now good things...it gets confusing after a while!


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## Nightingale (Nov 8, 2002)

well, at least the US has finally retired the 80s term "Rad" LOL.  at least, I haven't heard it in a while.


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