Putting it all together

Things have really come together with the school. I'll probably be posting a lot less in the next few weeks up until school starts, and then maybe not at all after it does. We'll see.
Once accepted, you can register for classes using the information provided in your acceptance packet. Classes do not run on a traditional schedule - we fit a lot of classes into one year, so they are all very short, very intense courses that last much less than a usual semester. Also, don't worry about one class conflicting with another - there is no overlap (there can't be, since I'm the only professor).
All of the courses I teach are important, so most of them are required, but there are some electives to choose from to suit and shape your particular style. You'll find more information in your packet.
One last thing - during class, everyone is required to wear a mask. These will be provided for you - you may not bring your own mask (until you have taken our class in which you make your own).

Stay Super.

Walking the Gauntlet

A good way to get an idea of what you're going to be working with as a Superhero is to ignore some of your mother's perfectly sound advice.
Go for a walk late at night. In a bad neighborhood. And talk to strangers.
You should have learned a little about the "mind" of criminals before you do this, the anatomy of how a crime happens, and be confident in self-defense and the use of that knife you'll be carrying. These are just precautionary measures, though, to help you make it through unscathed and be confident enough and smart enough to get the most out of the experience.
It's important to see real bad guys in their natural habitat, so you know it's not all just fiction.

• The older guy smoking crack who asks if you've ever been with a man and says he really likes your hair, then insists he knows a shortcut to where you're going, even though you were walking in a straight line perpendicular to where he'd like you to go (This is the first time I knew why my Kindergarten teachers told me shortcuts were dangerous).
• The dirty, unattractive prostitute who asks you a few throw-away questions before coming right out and asking "So you wanna have sex?", and then the burly pimp who approaches you after you decline to ask if "You cool?".
• The group of guys who shake your hand and ask if you want some drug or other (why do drug dealers and the like so often mumble? What kind of salesmanship is that?). They're friendly enough, until a van pulls up housing a wiry man with intense, murderous eyes that stare at them from the passenger side.

You'll be surprised what you can come across in just one night.

Stay Super.

Herowood, here I come

Heard something groovy yesterday - seems a friend of a friend is in the movies business and interested in doing a documentary on the school. Nothing official or solid yet, but I can't see how anyone wouldn't want to make a movie about what I'm doing.
Man, I love New York.

Just a few days left to get in your application! There's still a few more slots open, so get'em while there're there!

Stay Super.

It's not me, it's you

Why do so many girls/women expect a one- or two-time (though twice is dangerous territory) wham session to turn into a "relationship"? This is one of the many perils of being a Superhero - becoming tied down by females.
As a saver of lives and livelihoods, you will be doing a lot of intercoursing - it's one of the more notable perks of the profession. Every so often, you may come across a specimen of femality that is especially ripe and tasty and you think, "Hey - that was pretty good - maybe I should keep her around a little while."
This is a common newbie mistake.
Superheroes live on the edge and go where and when they are needed. They can't be dragged down by someone who makes nonsensical complaints about you not being around, about your "insensitivity" (which is a bad thing to some people? I guess?), about your refusal to take off the mask, etc. Also, they soak up your time, these females. They latch on like a barnacle, cutting in to your training, patrolling, and wham time with new females.
Having a "relationship" as a Superhero (or as most anyone, I imagine) is like having a knife stuck in you - it slows you down, it's a real pain to try to do anything you like when it's there, and it threatens to bleed you dry if you want to get rid of it.

Stay Super.
And single.

The Ticking Clock

Only two more weeks before the application deadline!

Stay Super.

Ok - quick amendment to something i said earlier.
police radios can be sueful for finding out if there are police coming to where you are or are near you. having a scanner in your ear could give you a heads up to know if you're about to be in, say, a nasty crossfire between some gangbangers and the boys in blue.
also - diy gsw fixer upper? not fun.

Stay Super.

Because you can't save the world with your underwear over your pants

So, you want to be a Superhero?
Naturally, the first two things you probably thought about were a) your Superhero name and b) your totally boss outfit.
It really doesn't matter what you call yourself since nobody will probably ever know the name except you, so let's talk about the costume.
You don't get to teleport to where a crime is happening - you have to walk out of your apartment, walk down the street (traveling by rooftop is a great idea until you have to cross a two-lane street [they have those now, y'know]), wander all over the place, wait in different areas for extended periods of time, and then maybe you get to stomp on some crackhead's ribs. So if you're wearing bright primary colored skin tight pajamas with a cape, people will notice. It's hard to blend in with that stuff. And that's what we want. We want to move freely - and this means going unnoticed, by cops and criminals alike.
Also, wearing a cape makes you an idiot. Unless you're a vampire, which is kind of like being an idiot.
But I digress.
The best outfit is one that:

• either is or can rapidly be converted to look like normal street clothes (or whatever clothing is appropriate for the social/business environment you're working in)
• has some elements of camouflage (non-solid colors, dark, etc)
• is easily forgettable
• is tough (denim is your friend, not to mention the concealed vest and kevlar sleeves under your clothes)

***Quick tip: red is the first color to turn black as the light decreases. So, if you want to wear dark clothing without looking suspicious by wearing all black (say, for instance, if a cop sees you), you can mix it up with some red, which people tend to think of as a color that stands out (a psychological trick).
As for the mask to disguise yourself, I use something small and nondescript (not the one currently featured in my profile picture) that I can replace easily. It should be something that you can stuff in a pocket, that goes on and off quickly and easily, doesn't block your vision (including the vital peripheries) or other senses, and any light protection it can give you is a bonus. It can have some style, but don't overdo it.

Stay Super.