I love a bad ass. I do.

Always wanted to be one. Failed miserably at it. But I love them in the movies and books. And I especially like to write them as characters. Real bad asses give me inspiration.  

In A HUMAN ELEMENT Ben Fieldstone lets his mean foster father go up in flames, drinks, gets off with prostitutes, but has a sweet spot for the weak and gets his butt kicked trying to be a hero. Who gives me inspiration to write this guy? 

The ultimate bad asses. Russell Crowe. He kicks butt gladiator style in the movies and real life at times. “Are you NOT entertained?!” Clint Eastwood. "Nothing wrong with shooting as long as the right people get shot." Damn straight, Clint. And I can’t forget tough guy Charles Bronson. “You got a problem?” 

Take a look at Urban Dictionary’s description of a bad ass:
He radiates confidence in everything he does. He’s slow to anger, brutally efficient when fighting back. The bad ass carves his own path. He wears, drives, drinks, watches, and listens to what he chooses, when he chooses, where he chooses, uninfluenced by fads or advertising campaigns. 

Ben Fieldstone in A HUMAN ELEMENT
A cool bad ass 

Ben has bad ass qualities and can go looking for a fight, for no reason at all.  

Ben jumped off his bar stool and leaned into the bar as a wave of dizziness hit him. He knew he was drunk and any move to intervene with these two Marines was stupid. He didn't care. He still had a slim chance of getting rid of the obnoxious grunts, rescuing the girl, and getting some. Or maybe he was looking for a fight. He pushed his way around to the other side of the bar and put a hand on the big Marine's tattoo. 

"Hey, jarhead, why don't you leave them alone?" 

The Marine tilted his head to frown down at Ben, but kept his hand on the brunette's shoulder. She looked at Ben in relief. 

"Yo, squidy, is it? Why don't you go back over there and keep on looking, cause you ain't getting any of this." 

A haze of rage hit Ben and he punched the smaller Marine in the mouth. He got another shot in across the grunt's nose when the big Marine lifted him up and carried him out the door, crushing him against the crowd. Ben forgot about the girls as he landed on hard asphalt and staggered up. The street reeled around him as blow upon blow hit him.  

He had found that fight. 

Yep, Ben’s a bad ass all right with a spot for the weak – and the women. 

X-10 in A HUMAN ELEMENT is also a bad ass – but a murderous one. This guy is not one to help the weak but prey on them.  

X-10 threw aside the girl's body from his mind. She lay sprawled on the street where he had grabbed the whore in the alley. He returned his mind to his cell, enjoying his kill. She had been a busty one with meat on her. He had toyed with her, gnawing on her cooling flesh. A nibble on an ear, a sucking of blood from cuts on her fingertips. The urge for fresh meat overwhelmed him.  

The girl had been a feisty one, scratching wildly at the air to get at the invisible creature that attacked her in the night. Even if she had scratched him in the flesh it wouldn't matter. His scratches would quickly disappear. He had the ability to heal himself. He would simply move his fingers over his cuts and they would vanish. 

So how can you attain bad ass status like Ben (and not X-10)? 

 
Forget about societies rules and conventions. Nothing illegal but step away from “normal”. 

Be honest all the time. Speak your mind anytime it is necessary. 

Master the art of brooding.  James Dean had it.   

Be mysterious. The more people know about you the more normal you are. 

Have a bad ass look. Wear all black and cool sunglasses. Be a tad unshaven. 

Be physically fit. Be intimidating. 

Have a soft heart for the weak. A bad ass always sticks up for the underdog. 

Get bad ass hobbies. Ride a motorcycle. Play in a band. Throw out a good curse when necessary. 

Walk with a swagger that says “This is who the hell I am.” 

Have a mean stare. Cross your arms whenever you can. And never lean against anything. 

Always be nice, until it’s time to be mean. In the words of Patrick Swayze from Roadhouse, “be nice until it’s time to not be nice.” Rest in peace, Patrick. 

More to come. Cause I like em’ bad. Now go, get your bad ass on. 

Who’s your favorite bad ass?