Good God how I love Halloween. Beyond wonderful childhood memories of costumes and candy, it heralds the Fall and in a small way acknowledges the darkness that lies inside us all. Sure, for most it’s just an excuse to debauch and dress like a slutty nurse, but at a deeper level it reminds us that locks on doors are good things. Continue reading Halloween: Disturbing Movies
Out of the Past: My Evening with Ed
My evening with Ed is a true story, the mists of time have obscured some details, but the core is seared into memory. There are certain touchstones from my youth, usually involving the curtain being pulled back on the darker corners of human nature, that served as the cautionary tales I used to shape who I wanted to be. And my evening with Ed was one of the most powerful. Continue reading Out of the Past: My Evening with Ed
Noodling: Turn Your Inner Frenemy
Urban Dictionary says a “frenemy” is “A “toxic” person who poses as a friend but subconsciously or consciously wishes you harm.” I’m not the first to say this, but WE are our own worst frenemies (at least I am, maybe I’m projecting). We “say” we want to help us out, but constantly stab ourselves in the back. Continue reading Noodling: Turn Your Inner Frenemy
Re-post: Murdertown, USA
I wrote this back in July, the recent murders at Umpqua Community College in Oregon prompt me to repost it. The frequency of these events just emphasize the need to go beyond the guns/no guns arguments, this article in Forbes does a better job of it than I do, but here are my thoughts… Continue reading Re-post: Murdertown, USA
Memento Mori
Remember that you must die (memento mori). Not the cheeriest of thoughts, but possibly the most important if we’re to have a shot at a happy life.
It’s October in VA, the trees are still mostly full green – just some hints of the rich colors that accompany their annual decay. It also reminds me that I’ve been living like I’ll never die, or to put it more bluntly, I’ve been wasting time. Continue reading Memento Mori
Journal – 09/28/15: Whiteness, Hippie-hair and Hollywood
For whatever reason, I’ve not been cleaving to my higher angels during this sabbatical (just beginning week 5) – behaving more like a man on vacation, than a man on a mission. I’m willing to chalk it up to a passive aggressive response to having worked two years without a vacation, but the proof will be in the pudding. Continue reading Journal – 09/28/15: Whiteness, Hippie-hair and Hollywood
Quiet Desperation (Black Mass)
There’s no fool like an old fool. I’m starting to think about the U.S. this way, like we’ve passed through adulthood, and are sliding into senility characterized by regression to childish behavior – still in the early stages though. How much of this feeling is based on the broader insights the internet gives us into previously dark corners of the country is tough to say, but we don’t seem to be cleaving to our higher angels. Continue reading Quiet Desperation (Black Mass)
Journal – 09/19/15: Traps, Self-Help and Stars
When hearing advice, do you ever reflexively think “I know that”, then immediately dismiss it? I do, it’s one of the many dumb things I tend to do. The past couple of weeks have been a perfect example of “physician heal thyself” for me, and it’s time to put the kibosh on it! Continue reading Journal – 09/19/15: Traps, Self-Help and Stars
Noodling: Inevitable Hate
I’m biased toward critical thinking, I enjoy listening to others use it, and use it myself when I’m not being stupid. Its opposite number, dogma, posits that certainty is preferable to thinking. The former elevates the individual, the latter co-opts the individual. If you value yourself as an individual, it’s harder to devalue others as a group – but if you value yourself BECAUSE you’re in a group, it’s a hell of a lot easier to devalue another group. All of which got me thinking about whether hate is inevitable, or something we (humans) can grow out of. Continue reading Noodling: Inevitable Hate
Journal – 09/05/15: Changes, Mind Games & Plans
“Try to look at your weakness and convert it into your strength. That’s success.” – Zig Ziglar
Just wanted to catch up with ya’ll after running silent for a while. On Monday I began a sabbatical, intended to allow me to finish my second novel and sell the first (oh, and to get my drawing skills back…that’s a work in progress). To my shame, this first week wasn’t stellar from a performance standpoint, but if I turn things around today I’m willing to chalk it up to poor planning (or passive-aggressive resistance to self-discipline, over the years I’ve elevated laziness to an art form). Continue reading Journal – 09/05/15: Changes, Mind Games & Plans
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