Cover Art!

So, a long time coming, and I can finally hold my head up high and say --  "I have cover art!"

It's a big day.  It's one more step toward getting published. So--without further adieu, I present to you--

The face of my cover art.  This image is based off of the description of one of the core characters named Yali.

It's hard to sum up a character I've invented, easier when I'm attempting to analyze one for an essay or a lecture, but when it's one of my own -- not so simple.

However, to sum up Yali, you'll have to read about her and wonder, until then why does she have amber eyes?

The mysterious figure.

The Streets of Tasakaal is my attempt at creating a fantasy style who-done-it novel.  Murder, mystery, mayhem, conspiracy?  So who may this man be?  One of the Wardens?  One of the murderers?

I cannot praise the abilities of my artist enough.  She has done an amazing job, far, far greater than I had expected.

So once again, thank you Kadri Umbleja.  I greatly appreaciate your help bringing this dream to life.

Comedy -- and Its Misuses

picture borrowed from Bull and Cross
free Ebooks

An important note about media literacy, all media is meant to be experienced, shared, and even discussed and analyzed.  If this sort of trend is broken, problems tend to arise.

Sort of an unfortunate situation today is the fruition of the maxim "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" when it comes to much of the media.  At this point, it might be safe to say that life is imitating art, in that while I wander about from class to class, I see so many people imitating rather blue comedies and then using their media reference to argue the validity of their behavior.

For those who have read the classics (and understand why Aristotle's Poetics is to the right) are also aware that mimicking the bluer comedies on tv is sort of a concern.  To understand why, we must do a little time travel.

Doodle-do! Doodle-do!  Doodle-do!

Way back in the days of when people were beginning to explore all sorts of writing, even travel journals throughout the Mediterranean Sea, like Philostephanus, the greeks looked deep into what people were creating and how it worked, why it worked, and catalogued it all while tinkering with epic tales, heroic tragedies, and comedic follies.

And that's what I want to focus on -- the comedies.  Aristotle, whose writing on the subject is still used and followed today, noted specific elements that define a comedy.

Little pic stol--borrowed without rights from
the incomparable Mel Brooks and his
History of the World: Part I (1981)

The Catharsis:  the emotional experience, though Aristotle considered it more of a purge allowing us to more moderately experience our lives, created from a good piece of literature.  A comedy, particularly, is designed to cause pleasure (though this is important to note that this is considered a sense of joy rather than what the term pleasure is typically tied to today) and a sense of bad-intention and error.

It is also important to note that the discussion of pleasure was of debate in Greek society as it was considered by those who followed Plato's writings as a pleasure mixed with pain as we find joy in the ignorance of our friends when they come to some sort of harm that doesn't harm us.  Like, slap-stick comedy or jokes at races and disabilities, though I'm curious how we would classify dark humor in this; because we laugh to keep away pain.

It's interesting to think that bad-intention and error are actual emotional sensations, but consider the song, "It's Good to be Bad" but this is only part of the catch.  The fact that people are experience the cathartic purge of such emotions, but no one is training them how to express those emotions in a socially acceptable manner -- thus, why I have had to explain why slurs are in poor taste even when a specific person isn't present.

But there is more, consider the character traits of a comedy and the treatment of natural laws.  Natural laws can be suspended - like cartoon figures walking off cliffs and being suspended.  Though luckily I haven't had to deal with this fact, I have had heard of ridiculous games played by riding on the hood of cars through the town or riding in a couch behind a truck on the highway.

Character traits are also important.  Characters within a comedy must behave worse than normal (drunkards, louts, egotists, strumpet-like behavior, etc.) and their behavior is an exaggeration of how a person would normally act (various staples of the sit com: confusing one's spouse, overly elaborate schemes to hide the truth, stereotypes).  Now this another catch to the problem of life imitating art -- people are forgetting or are unaware of the fact that many of the beloved movies and television comedies are meant to experience an emotion, but not mimic it.  We are meant to discuss and share with one another, but not roam about our institutions and societies mocking (and ultimately harming) other people -- which is, in essence, the very violation of a comedy.

"The Guardians of the Galaxy" A review part I

Taken from the nukethefridge.com website, Marvel, of course,
is the trademark holder, etc.

The Guardians of the Galaxy:

Okay, so before I begin this little piece, I would like to point out that I've known about the comic and graphic novels for a bit.  I'm also one of those people who knows that Rocket Racoon was a creation back in 1976.  Of course, that being said I am probably also going to show that I'm not as knowledgeable as I think I am, so haters, correct me kindly.

Early Rocket Racoon comic

Before I get to my review, I would like to start off by saying that we take a moment to remember Bill Mantlo and his unfortunate circumstances that have taken his craft from him.  I believe it is important to support those who inspire us and if you would like to support Mr. Mantlo, click over on the iconic drawing of Rocket to the left.

Also, donations to those who may yet still inspire us is something I believe in very much as well, so don't forget organizations such as St. Judes Children's Hospital and of course our four legged friends and the various Animal Humane Societies.  However, in this shameless plug for charities, I would like to state that supporting your local animal shelters is usually a lot more effective than supporting the national chapters.  Groups like Charity Navigator can help show how money is used by your favorite charities.  Now, back to the review.

Guardians of the Galaxy, cue dramatic music, I liked it -- almost to the point of wanting to turn around and go in a second time (which I haven't done since Crimson Tide--but that was mostly due to the soundtrack).  The characters have some good chaotic chemistry as a ragtag group bound by a myriad of motivations that happen to have the same means to that end.  Though, my little complaint is that some of the tying bonds seem flimsy to be united by Peter Quill's motivational speeches.

Rocket is motivated by money, given in his character's introduction early on his bounty hunting job and outlaw comments.  But he's not motivated by having a home or a family to defend.  Rocket even shows his scorn with all people while mocking people on Xander and again in a bar brawl with Drax.  Let that be a lesson to people, even bullying a racoon can get a very large weapon shoved in your face.

Groot's motivation is simple, loyalty to his friend Rocket.  However, knowing that Groot can regenerate from the smallest splinter draws away from the emotional connection we make with his character being in danger.  The animators, writers, and Bradley Cooper did a good job making a knot rise in our throats.  Though, if I recall correctly, Groot is the last of his kind (which is why the Collector wants him so) yet I was never clear why a forest of Groots can't be grown from a wood chipper accident costing one arm.

Okay, so Gamora and Drax - Revenge.  Pure, simple, undiluted, hatred seeking a bloody end.

But what about Peter Quill?  "Because I'm one of the idiots who lives in it [the Galaxy]".  Defend it [the Galaxy] to defend life (alluded to in the exposition).  But-- there's something I'm confused about.  In the exposition, Peter Quill has a black eye because he started a fight when a group of boys killed a frog with a stick.  He defended the helpless, I got, but then a moment later he's kicking and squeezing critters as he sings about the abandoned planet.

Okay, so this was a really quick review that I want to dig a bit deeper into the characters and plot.  Ta ta for now.

A Christmas Post...In July

A scene from the Florin Street Band's song
"My Favorite Time Of Year"

Around this time of year, when the back to school sales begin and heat of summer is twisting into the dog days of August, my mind has almost always turned to thinking of my favorite time of year -- The Season of Night and reaching its apex at Christmas.

I know a lot of people say they love Christmas, but I usually over hear them complaining about the snow or the costs or this or that.  Such complaints lead be to believe that they only love Christmas because people tend to profit from it -- Bah Humbug on them.

I say "Humbug" on them because they're missing such a greater and more amazing aspect o the season.  I believe that there is a magic of the season.  For those out there who like to poo on my party, the magic of the season can be created by how we establish it in our minds and hearts.  Though, in all honesty I do believe there is a bit more to it all than that.  The air definitely contains a crispness beyond the chill -- an anticipation if you would allow.

It's the season where compassion should be as palatable as the cookies and baked goods.  Love is as evident as the lights on a Christmas Tree.  Hope is a shining star high up in the sky and a smile is as prevalent as smoke on the wind.

borrowed from:
www.christcenteredmall.com/stores/art/barnes/the-spirit-of-christmas.htm

So what's the purpose of this post?  To discuss some random belief that seems to be expired in today's culture of "me-first" and "give-me"?

Well, to answer my own question it's because tonight I'm feeling a bit nostalgic.  Every year I seek this bit of magic that somehow eludes me in full but I'm able to catch just a glimpse of it in the eyes of my loved ones.  But this year, I'm already beginning to feel a bit of fear for how this season will turn out.

That a Blind Man Can See...Part II

Part II: The Reveal

Okay, so the leg-grab of my first bear (which allows me to tackle the other two more effectively) is simply the fact that I need to let go of the laws of nature and let my own realms exist with their own laws governed by their own author (me).


This is a very interesting perspective to me, being a believer in the divine, because if we think about our universe in a sense of esoteric view, some of the laws that govern our universe are based on probability (entropy for example, the fact that at one point there was no universe then there was, somehow the great unknown finally managed to flip a coin a million times and get a million tales -- I would also like to point out that a super rare event, a one-time event in nature is considered supernatural -- a miracle -- so those who seek one, look around you).  If I control my own laws, anything becomes possible and if I can develop my world and characters well enough, then people can believe.

So where is this discovery coming from?  Hmm, well first off, it's summer time and I'm allowed to read what I want to a lot more.  I'm able to spend time researching and surfing and being able to open my mind to new ideas and struggle or reason with them.  One of the funnest hobbies I have is to read through a book of quotes, though this time, a quote smacked me in the face unexpectedly.

Raymond Chandler

“There are two kinds of truth: the truth that lights the way and the truth that warms the heart. The first of these is science, and the second is art. Neither is independent of the other or more important than the other. Without art science would be as useless as a pair of high forceps in the hands of a plumber. Without science art would become a crude mess of folklore and emotional quackery. The truth of art keeps science from becoming inhuman, and the truth of science keeps art from becoming ridiculous."

So, what does all of this mean?  I could make it all complex, but sometimes beauty is found in the most simple of things.  We are human, and we are as much part of this universe as the stars that we gaze upon at night.  We cannot separate science from our art because we are entangled in both.

borrowed from: Brain Pickings
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2012/02/23/systematic-wonder

I can't take the credit for this personal self discovery all myself.  All the best self discoveries tend to come with some form of inspiration.  This particular one came from "The Science of Thrones" on Youtube.

Also, Josh McDowell's book Is The Bible True...Really?  My reading table is also full of other usual suspects such as the medieval noir series about Crispin Guest written by Jeri Westerson.

That A Blind Man Can See... Part I

borrowed from: gothunts.com

This little entry (which may end up as a chapter novel when I'm done) somewhat answers my question from my previous post, but also looking at one of my greatest failings as a writer.

I often enough wrestle with a trio of terrible Kodiaks: imparting truths to the best of our knowledge, imparting positive messages, imparting rationality and probability for events.

They whys:

Truths to the best of our knowledge - well, this goes back to a previous post as well as feeding into the positive messages category.  However, to illustrate my point, I have to praise my brother for a moment.  My brother has always been a genius to me.  Britannica has nothing on his voluminous knowledge.  I remember one afternoon my brother and I were watching something about planes and jets and I made some random comment about how they move through the air.  I was then treated to a litany about propellers thrusting air over the wing and the tear drop shape creating low pressure systems.  But what i remember most was that one of my little toys only had a port for flame and no turbine.  I remember my brother explaining how flame has no thrust to it, and that if this were such an engine it couldn't work.  A few years later after walking out of Mission to Mars from the Century 24 Movie Theater, my brother taught me about Gravity.

2000 movie poster

Ion Engines and solar sails for no better reason than -- well than I was in the car with him and he felt like discussing space travel and he felt the movie got more than a little wrong.  I wonder how he felt about

Positive messages - As someone who wants to work in the realm of the media it's important to promote that which we want to see in our society.  The media both influences and reacts to societal values.  A very important part of the whole media dynamic that it seems so many have forgotten.  People blame this TV show or that video game for its effects -- and then others argue against the claim.  It seems that we're trying to mitigate  Cultivation Effect and the value of role models (virtual or incarnate).  I'm sure everyone can point to a few role models that make us cringe.

Combining the first two massive bears brings me to my third bear, rationality of events.  I find science fascinating and I like things to be perceivable.  When things don't make sense (like in Avatar: The Last Air Bender why does the fire nation have the ability to make lightning and not the air nation when lightning is created by high vibration of winds in a storm?), it tends to pull me out of the story.  I like the fantasy to be bound in the realm of possibility otherwise it goes beyond fantasy and hits absurdity -- which has its own place as well.

So, then, what's this grand revelation that I've had?  Great question.  But consider, first, what are some of the Kodiaks that haunt your writing?

Writing and Responsibility

Unabashedly taken from jeffbullas.com, but it's too
good to pass up for a topic on ideas

So, as the summer dawns on me and I find myself with time to finally return to my writing, I'm finding it so much easier to procrastinate rather than to clack-clack-clack away on my keyboard.

However, at an hour before dawn, an interesting thought dawned on me while my Roku is spinning away on TV shows I haven't seen (it's amazing how quickly one can burn through a season of something).

My little thought deals with the role of being a writer and the information I disseminate.  Actually this is an old idea from way back, but never really explored it much, but without too many more delays -- delay -- delay --- de

Oh heck, shouldn't we, as media creators, provide ideas which further our people, society, and collective?

For example, on the show Royal Pains Jill Flints character comments the need for Reshma Shetty's character to break age old traditions for something particularly stupid.  The conversation is a bit less than organic and seems more like a PSA that someone wanted to share.  The tradition: waiting to have sex after marriage:  The rationale: we need to know if our soon-to-be spouse is good in bed otherwise we'll be miserable in our marriages.

Okay, so I know that this is sort of twisted logic has been getting a lot of play lately, because a friend of mine told me very much the same reason why her last relationship didn't work out; "the sex wasn't very good."  But this is a horribly backwards way of thinking.  There are reasons why cultures, traditions, scientists, psychologists, whole institutes, all recommend sharing the intimate experience of making a complex chemical attraction and nonsensical reaction of making love into a visceral dance of bodies is supposed to be played out between people who are special to one another -- and one of those reasons is simply because we need to learn and we need to be allowed to be foolish and make mistakes.  Some of the most important things about being in a committed relationship is that we can do stupid things like accidentally taze yourself at a wedding party with one of the bride's gifts and know that you're still loved (not that I speak from experience or anything).  Also, this comment from Royal Pains, and others, is a very selfish sort of comment, "It had better be good and meet my expectations without any work on my part!  Family, consequences, future situations, traditions, and all be damned to my carnal lust and lack of self control" (to hyperbolize the point).

So, why is this an issue of writer responsibility?  Because writers, journalists, actors, show hosts; we are all media representatives.  We set the tone, put ideas in motion, and reflect trends and ideas in motion.  So, if we're passing along really stupid ideas like, "Sex is an innate skill" then we're putting possibly harmful and damaging thoughts into the minds of people.

So, shouldn't we, as media creators, put forth ideas that help progress human relationships and understanding of the human dynamic rather than putting an idea out that sounds more like a character (or writer behind the character) is attempting to justify making stupid choices?

Now, before people show up and scream, "You're against my freedom of expression of my sexuality and my sexual journey."  No.  I'm all for positive expressions of love.  This is just one of the examples that came to me so early on.  Others to discuss, why is every hero an anti-hero these days?  Why have we moved away from the elements of komos in exchange for crass behavior, bawdy language, foul words to make a comedy?

On this note of making stupid choices drawn from the media...what the Hell is going on with all these Slender Man wanna-be proxies?  Is this due to mental illness? Cultivation Effect?

Stolen without shame from: http://www.blurryphotos.org/episode-64-slender-man/
simply because i love Legos and their rising parodies

One thing I do want to say as I finish this post and the Sun begins to fill my windows and the silhouetted cat behind the curtain -- media consumption is actually a social process.  Go talk and share what you're reading!  What you're watching!  Talk to a friend, a parent, share ideas, ask questions, demand greater product from those of us creating it (sort of why I love the CinemaSins Youtube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/user/CinemaSins - their nitpicking helps to get the audience thinking, and hopefully producers, editors, and writers).

Noah: the movie! yet another review.

The movie has received a lot of negative press because it doesn't follow the Bible point for point and period for period and even draws a lot of the plot from rather questionable sources (the glowing stones for example, zohar, come from Jewish mysticism).  Though, I think we can agree that following the story point for point would make for a rather short and rather quiet film (I would need to go back and check for dialogue).

Dramatic license was taken, of course, but it does something that is really important regardless -- it puts these culturally significant people and themes into a modern generation's conscience quite dramatically.  It also brings questions to the table for people to discuss which flings the doors wide open for people to share even more with those who don't know or are unfamiliar with the Bible.

Something else I noticed that was interesting was whether the characters were good or bad (with the exception of Methuselah) everyone seemed to be seeking God's guiding voice, though they were too caught up in their woes (the angels in stone) or their pride (Tubal-Cain) or their calling (Noah - which becomes important for other reasons) they were unable to hear Him except for in the calm.

Noah heard God when he was asleep when he was feeling safe and comfortable, yet when he was caught up in a torrent of the storm and the cries of the dying, and then the pregnancy of his daughter-in-law which is contrary to what he thought (even though he told Methuselah that ALL of creation could start again), he couldn't hear God.  He couldn't see that Ila's -- is it a spoiler? -- miracle was a miracle.

Tubal-Cain was constantly trying to prove his power equal to anyone else, even God.  He even shouted in the rain (in the movie) that he can grant life and take life away just like God.  Except this is where hubris kicks in like a master, because Tubal-Cain can't grant life, he can only take life.  However, God may take life but, he can also raise that life back up.  Good luck Tubal-Cain on that one.  All the antagonist can do is murder, and because he can't see the blatantly obvious suffering he has caused he can't hear God's voice.  His whole life is out of whack with God.

*spoiler*

Methuselah of lore was said to have killed demons and
was even approached by a demon once seeking mercy.

I also would like to take note of Methuselah's death.  First, for purists, yes Methuselah died before the flood by about a week I think and in the movie-- well I'll get there.  I have been asked from time to time, as I talk to people, "What good does God do for me?".  The movie shows some really important aspects to this question.  Christians are promised strife and battle and challenges.  A friend once commented to me that if you call yourself a Christian and you're not facing challenges, you're probably out of whack somewhere.
 This is Noah.  Methuselah, on the other hand, lived his life and fought his battles (have to admit I found the flaming sword rather awesome), but he also knew what was coming and that this was the end.  He found his berry, he found a bit of joy, and then he stood and was awash in the waters but did so with joy and with courage unlike so many others heard wailing not long after.

This is just one of the key aspects.  When death comes to call, it has no power over you because you have no fear of it.  You go to see the one who conquered death and will grant you life.

Something else noted about Methuselah-- he seemed to have undefined magical powers which some critics are shouting are demonic and evil.  Okay, I can understand that, however, I don't believe those were Methuselah's powers.  Granted the film was rather vague on this, but he served God's will with them.  Ila's renewed womb was a miracle that was needed to allow mankind to progress which was in contrast to what Noah understood (which goes back to Noah not being able to fully hear God's voice).  I could kind of see God working through Methuselah rather than assuming that he has some sort of magical abilities.  Imagine being a Hebrew following Moses, he performed some amazing feats *sarcasm added* without walking the crowd saying, "Yo, God did this."  However, I don't see why they couldn't have made some minor mention in the movie that Methuselah was blessed by God and could work with his will -- unless the point was that we are now alone at all times (thus back to why no one can hear God, but then when the "watchers" died they ascended -- also a story of redemption tied to the destruction).

*end spoiler*

I guess, to sum up all of this up, this movie sort of stood as a shining light to something a pastor I knew once said, If you want to know God's will and hear God's voice, live your life in a way that is pleasing to God and in accordance to His laws and then, whatever it is you want to do it is already driven by the will of God and His voice is guiding you.