The Dreamscape Universe of An Aspiring Scribe

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T12:06:00.000-08:00

A Happy New Year to all and sundry! This is the first day of 2008; here's hoping it's a fun romp for everyone. Knowing the intricate complexities of behaviour that make up the habits of the human race, it sure won't be boring.

Christmas was pretty good this year. This was a "27th year" as we say in my family (meaning that the family didn't get together for Christmas Day itself, but rather on the 27th; this happens every other year), so Christmas Day was sort of low key around our house. Obviously the thing everybody asks is, what did you get? Well, apart from the stocking stuffers, Mom gave me a leather book bag with some goodies inside: a guitar tuner, a new wallet, and... to satisfy that guilty pleasure I was talking about, Vol. 3 of the James Bond Ultimate Edition DVD sets. Plus, I got a Doctor Who DVD from Uncle Barry (we do the Secret Santa thing because we're such a large family) and a Chapters gift card from my grandparents.

And to top it off, HMV was having a sale on their DVD box sets so I decided to splurge and treat myself to another James Bond Ultimate Edition. I now have half of the movies on my shelf and still haven't seen them all. My head is still spinning!

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Guilty Pleasure

2007-12-22T21:17:00.000-08:00

I have to come clean. There's something I like, something I can't help but be mildly embarrassed about, just because I know I shouldn't idolize the man. I'm reading the books (heck, I've bought some), seen a few movies, put a DVD set on my Christmas list. Is it wrong? Is it shallow? Is it just not worth the effort? This guy's getting me hooked on himself, on his coolness and bravado. You know his name...

Bond. James Bond.

Yep. I have to confess, James Bond is quickly making me a fan of his adventures. There's been something to like in all the movies I've seen so far, and especially in this latest one.

I *finally* saw Casino Royale. And loved it. Mom and I sat down over chicken fajitas and nachos to take in the film whose ad campaigns and buzz actually got me intrigued by James Bond. And right from the opening, it had me. The camera angles, the editing, the dialogue; all told me I was in for something far classier than what I had seen before in the films. And then the credits came, played out, went away, and I wasn’t disappointed. I very much appreciated how they took away Bond’s gadgets, but none of his cool. He pulls a lot of “tricks” in the movie, all of which are impressive and almost none of which I saw coming before they happened. Very slick.

I won’t go on for too long, as this movie has obviously been discussed to death, but I do want to say that Daniel Craig is just great. I’ve seen him in Road To Perdition (and, as it turns out, in Elizabeth, but I don’t remember him too clearly in that one) so I know he’s a fairly good actor even with a relatively small part; making him the star didn’t damage his abilities one bit in my sight. Eva Green I saw in Kingdom of Heaven, and she was, I think, even better here (and I own the Director’s Cut of that movie, where it is revealed she actually acted).

I could go on for ever and talk about every single thing I liked in every single scene, but I imagine no one really wants to read that, so I’ll close by going out on a construction crane and saying it: I obviously haven’t seen every Bond movie (yet), but so far… this is pretty much my favourite.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Strumming Along

2007-11-17T14:53:00.000-08:00

I did it! I bought my first guitar today. A great deal at $450... for a $599 instrument, plus gig bag. There's a little music shop (mostly guitars) on Broadway and Collingwood called Westcoast Music; friendly people, not a big chain, and they sell mainly a Vancouver-based brand called Bayou. I got a pure acoustic, solid top, steel string. And some complimentary picks. Here it is:

I still need to get a strap and a tuner, but after that I'm set to go.

Well, there's still the bit about learning how to play...

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Long-Expected Update

2007-10-27T16:13:00.001-07:00

Wow. So it's actually been considerably more than a while since I've updated this blog. That's...well, that's that. I have been living a life, so the various opportunities I've had to actually post something have gone ungrabbed. Speaking of which, here's the breakdown of the latest to happen within this crazy existence of mine:

School is going fine. The semester is half over, which seems amazing, since it just started, didn't it? Like I believe I've said, I'm only in one course this time around what with various courses scheduling classes on the same days/times as each other. Creative Writing class is fun, though, and I have a chance to concentrate on it which is nice. I just finished the first draft of my second story assignment, and I'm relatively pleased with it. Still needs some work, though. I'm more pleased with the story I wrote for the in-class assignment this past week; I hope I get a good mark.

Writing for myself has taken an interesting turn. There are several projects which I plan to have see the light of day at some point; a sci-fi universe with the basic plot outline for its first novel; an original screenplay called "The Spectre" based on the DC Comics character. And just recently added is the idea for an historical novel narrating the story of the Twelve Disciples after Jesus' ascension to Heaven. It's basically the book of Acts, but it will hopefully flesh out some of the struggles and issues facing the early church in its ministry of the Gospel. I also want to look at Paul, and some of the stuff he himself dealt with; coming off of persecuting the church to being one of its primary founders, realizing that his own people were not going to take the word to heart and turning instead to the Gentiles, and also how the original disciples would have reacted to him. I'm really excited about it, I've started doing the research, and that's been pretty much at the forefront of my mind lately.

And I have decided that I am going to finally settle down and learn guitar. I don't know how I'll pay for it, I don't know when it will happen. But it will. I am going to be able to play just like all my friends do. :)

Well, that's about it for now. At least for the next two months!

Be seeing you,
Steven

Okay, I'll Bite The Apple

2007-09-02T07:45:00.000-07:00

I've done it. Working for Grandpa this summer earned me enough to buy my own computer--completely for myself and with my own money. And I'm pleased to say that I decided to make what is called in the computer world "The Big Switch".

I got an iMac. No more PC-madness for yours truly, just ease of use and play. I'm not one who shills without good reason, believe me, but if you're in the market for a new abacus you could do worse than what I'm using to post this message. It's beautiful, simple as that. Though 20" widescreen is a heck of a lot bigger than I thought it would be...and this is their smallest model!

And one added bonus feature is the built-in iSight camera, which I can now use to finally let you see me ('cause face it, you've been dying to catch a glimpse of my devilishly good looks ever since you first heard about me):Quite a hunk, ain't I?

Be seeing you,
Steven

Wouldn't It Be Awful If...

2007-08-17T18:32:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I find myself playing through Worst Possible Scenarios, situations that would fundamentally alter my entire day from good to downright awful. I just act them out in my head, figuring out what I would do and act. These include: What if this car driving right beside us were to suddenly swerve and plow us into the barrier? What if that gentle rumbling I hear in the distance doesn't turn out to be an airplane passing overhead, but is in fact that big earthquake we're supposed to be due for? What if a relative, or even Mom, died in an accident?

And what if I lose my wallet on the bus this morning, with my bank card, bus pass, and most of the practical ID that I have inside it?

That last question is no longer theoretical; it happened today. Fortunately it was only a few blocks from home so I was able to run back and report it by phone to the transit system--not to mention cancelling my bank card. Unfortunately I've just had confirmation that it was in fact stolen: there are already two transactions on it which aren't mine. This is odd because both are for the exact same amount, at the exact same place...but there's no way they could have gotten that far in the mere 30 minutes between stealing the card and my cancelling it (I looked on the map to find where this place the money got spent was). I certainly look to be having a nice weekend...

Be seeing you,
Steven

"There Will Be Seven..."

2007-07-20T13:01:00.001-07:00

Tonight, I'll be spending the better part of the evening at one of the local Chapters for the express purpose of being on hand for the midnight release of the grand finale of J.K. Rowling's wonderful fantasy children's series/epic, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows. It's taken ten years to get to this point, although I somehow regret not really being tuned into it right from the very beginning. I didn't get started until the release of the first film (but read the book first).

I was sort of shrugging my shoulders at it all; not really hating it or apathetic to it, but for some reason it had barely been on my radar at all. A few kids in my class started talking about it, and a couple gave me the thumbs-up on it. I shrugged again and filed it away in the back of my head so I would remember to check it out "one of these days". Then my Mom told me she had gone to see the movie--and she uttered a phrase I had already learned to take very seriously:

"I think you might like it."

It doesn't sound like much, I know. But the thing is, she had only used it twice before; I'm not a geek about Star Wars and The Lord of The Rings for nothing. So I immediately moved the books onto the Priority list. I went to the school library looking for the title Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone...only to find that it was out, but that they did have a book called Harry Potter And The Socerer's Stone. Slightly annoyed, but assured by my librarian friend that nothing was fundamentally different ('parking lot'? I ask you...) I picked it up, finished it in about a day, and was totally enthralled by it all. Rowling was lively, imaginative, and possessed of a remarkably sharp sense of humour--which I still believe to be one of her great gifts. After that I was absolutely hooked. The plus side of getting in during the fourth book was not having to wait quite so long as everbody else for The Order of The Phoenix, which I picked up in-store at midnight. I did the same for The Half-Blood Prince...and now I find I will do the same for The Deathly Hallows. I know that whatever happens tomorrow, it will be an amazing and wonderful ride.

My grandma asked me the other day if I thought that it would all survive the hype, and actually become what we call a "classic". The honest answer to that is: only time will really tell. I think it has the ability to, and I think it just might, but I can't truly say for sure.

This may be the last book, but it's far from over for me. When I finish The Deathly Hallows, the story will be told in full...but it isn't going anywhere. I'll put it on the shelf right next to the other books and I will say, That was astounding. And just think: it will always be there on the shelf, always another world to be explored, always an adventure to have again and again for years to come. I'll read it enough times to have it memorised, and then read it some more. I'll read it to my children and pass it on. Who knows? Maybe they will read it in the same way as me, and eventually read it to their children. That's how classics are made. By people loving the stories, and sharing it with others who love them just as much.

And if something is a classic...then it's never really goodbye.

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Five-Star Menu

2007-07-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

So the other day Mom, our homestay student, and I went out to the theatre to see the latest from that wonderful team of animation geniuses at Pixar: Ratatouille.

First off, there was some beautiful animation in this film. The food looked good enough to eat (which I'm sure they were aiming for) and the environments were very well designed. Probably the best example of this second point comes during a night-time scene by the river; the gentle fog that permeates the image *looks like real fog* and not just a filter stuck on after the fact. The animation is also given a couple showboats in the chase sequences, including one where Remy the rat is trying to escape the kitchen (the first time he's in one) while dodging various dangers and obstacles.

Second, the story is just fun. The idea that a rat can become a cook, enlisting the help of a young bottom-rung restaurant employee and vice-versa (you'll understand when you see the movie), is a concept that deserves an equally imaginative plot--and it gets it. Possibly the one aspect that doesn't work quite as well as hoped is the narration. It's sort of scattered and pops up at unexpected moments throughout the film, giving the impression that it's only there to fill in plot points they couldn't figure out how to get across any other way. Another thing that bugged me was that, while the kitchen staff sounded like really interesting characters, they weren't worked into the story more--but that one's more due to personal taste and curiousity rather than the filmmaker's failing to do what they intended. I don't think those people were ever meant to be anything more than background to begin with, so it's not that great a sin.

All in all, a good piece of entertainment that really is fun for the whole family (which, by definition, includes adults). But then, what else can you expect from Brad Bird--the director responsible for The Incredibles?

Maybe not quite five stars, but certainly four-and-a-half, which is close enough.

Be seeing you,
Steven

"Why We Fight"

2007-06-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

Normally, I don't really think of myself as a terribly political person. I've been eligible to vote in Canada for a few years now and still haven't registered to do so (although I think that may have happened in filling out the most recent tax forms). In conversations where politics or social issues are the subject I'm usually left on the sidelines, watching the players beat the tar out of one another for the smallest of the small things. I feel uneducated about "the System", not opinionated enough, and generally just plain stupid. Often I find myself working out an opinion in my head when I'm alone, but it never seems to come up when talking to others, thus never giving me the chance to feel like I at least contributed something, if not necessarily a pithy remark.

The other night I was with some friends watching the 2005 documentary Why We Fight. The subject is not just the current state of affairs in Iraq, but also the past 50 years of American political history, as they've built up what Dwight D. Eisenhower once famously prophesied and warned against: a military-industrial complex. And it stirred something in me that's been building for a while, but I've never been able to put into words.

At one point in the film, there is an interview with one of the two fighter pilots who dropped the first bombs on Baghdad in March 2003. He says (paraphrasing from memory) that he finds all the debate about policy and ethics "kinda dumb", since his only concern is doing his job: follow the orders your commander gives you and let others worry about whether or not you're doing the right thing. As I listened to him speak, I really became crystallized to the fact that I am what many hardline conservatives would call a coward.

I'm sorry, but I cannot wear a military uniform. It doesn't matter if it's as a cook or a clerk, an infantryman or a pilot. I simply cannot subject myself to that kind of life, the kind where I must accept that someone else has the moral and legal authority to tell me what to do--and even who to kill. Ultimately, of course, the ones who decide such things are rich men in nice suits who sit in plush offices and make endless grabs for the spotlight at the expense of the person sitting beside them. The politicians. The guys that no one really likes, but votes for them anyways because it is, after all, our right to do so. I can't relate to such people; I'll never be on their level socially, and I hope I'm never on their level morally (Disclaimer: I know not all politicians are worthy of contempt, and some do a good job, but no one ever remembers them because it seems as if the vast majority are such as I describe). So when it comes to such a dicey issue as figuring out "why we fight"...I know that if Canada were to enter a major war tomorrow, I wouldn't be a decision-maker. I'd be a draftee. Being the kind of guy who'd prefer to think about it from where I stand, I've been considering what it would mean.

Basically, there are three things the propaganda machine tells us are the reasons for joining up: Your Country, Democracy, Freedom. As I ponder all those things, I realize that I couldn't bring myself to fight for, and absolutely refuse to die for, any of them at all. Not for my Country, which is only a space on a map seperated from other spaces on a map by a thin black line (and wouldn't even exist if we hadn't forced out the people who were already living here). Not for Democracy, which on its better days is a deeply flawed and worldly political system (and yet still seems to be only the best we can do). And certainly not for Freedom, which has already had the price paid for it in blood by Jesus Christ, who gives the only true freedom to be found; why should I dishonour Him by saying He didn't do enough? As I come down to it, I find that there are really only two things that are worth any of the fuss the recruitment ads make:

God, who calls us to put on His armour and fight for him in spiritual warfare (and to die for Him if that is how He chooses to bring us home);
The Life of Another, about which Jesus said "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

Those are the only things for which I can find within myself the willingness (if not always the courage) to fight and die for. And neither requires a government-issued uniform.

Hmm. Maybe I have more opinions than I realize.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Writing Update

2007-06-03T15:48:00.000-07:00

So I got a whack of stuff done yesterday, which I didn't expect would happen. Not only did I create a new version of the Prologue for my sci-fi novel, but I also revised and cleared up some plot holes in my mystyer short story--the first time I've ventured into that genre. I'm really starting to like the characters (the main detective and his partner) which is important, and I plan to continue writing about their adventures together.

Briefly, some other news. I helped Mom paint and move furniture into her new office (same building, different room); in leiu of $10 an hour I opted to have her buy me a new camera bag as payment. We got it yesterday and it's pretty sweet. Now if I only knew just how much replacing the foam seal would cost, I could plan for it.

Be seeing you,
Steven

In General

2007-05-19T15:21:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally got it. Not the job, though I am going to try again. I mean a camera, from a guy on Craig's List.

A VERY nice Canon AE-1 with Vivitar flash, 50mm lens and shade, skylight and polarizing filters, a little instrument for clicking the shutter without looking through the viewfinder, a couple of cables which I have no idea what they do, strap, the small black case for the camera itself, lens wipers, instruction manuals for everything, and a bag to hold it all in...for a price so low you would never believe it: $110. Wow. And my aunt (who went with me to pick it up) says it's been very well kept and is a sweet deal. So now I'm all set. Just need film. :)

In other news, the novel proceeds apace through the more detailed plotting stages. I'm making a bunch of notes on the working outline I drew up, figuring out just how stuff is going to happen and finding better ways to build the characters and handle them in the midst of a complex plotline which has more than one hole in it. It's very exciting, to tell the truth.

Be seeing you,
Steven

...Letting It Go

2007-05-10T15:37:00.000-07:00

As an update on the job at Chapters...I got a call on Monday and they said they were looking for someone who could commit to continuing beyond the summer. As I would have school on again in September, I had to tell them I didn't know what my schedule would be like. But they did say that it had come down to me and one other person, so it's not like I gave a bad impression.

Oh well. I might still be able to get a camera, just wouldn't be taking that many pictures for now.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Holding My Breath...

2007-05-01T15:56:00.000-07:00

So I handed in a resume to the downtown Chapters on Thursday. I got a call back from them on Sunday afternoon. I'm going in for a "group interview" tonight.

With luck, I'll be employed soon enough at a bookstore. We're talking about my dream summer job here: working with books, organizing them, maybe helping other people find the ones they want. And it all means I'll be able to afford a manual SLR camera and take up photography, plus getting that DVD set or that deluxe edition book that I want so badly. I'm extraordinarily nervous, but excited at the same time. Here's hoping it all goes well.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Good Lord!...A Writing Update

2007-04-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

Yep. A writing update. It's been ages since I've talked about where I'm at in my literary existence. School had gotten in the way of doing much actual writing for the last three-and-a-half months, but now that it's over and the summer stands before me, I want to buckle down and do some serious work.

The primary concern for me at the moment is my science-fiction novel, which currently stands at a Prologue, two chapters, and the opening paragraphs of a third; the scary part is that I've realized I really hate the general quality of writing in them and will have to rewrite them heavily. Whether that will happen later down the line, or before I continue with the story is something I haven't decided yet. I've also bought myself a couple of lined notebooks/journals in order to begin the task of concrete, definite world-building so I can really understand how the environment and background affects the characters and thus the narrative.

One thing that has been cool is that I've lately come back onto a "Lord of The Rings" kick, and Tolkien the Sub-Creator helps for some inspiration. :)

Be seeing you,
Steven

Belated Birthday Posting

2007-04-14T13:24:00.000-07:00

I would have posted something on Thursday, but I wanted to wait and write about my party that evening; then I was tired and didn't want to type. And I would have posted yesterday except I had an exam (on FRIDAY THE 13TH!!!!!) and it sort of slipped my mind. So I write today to wish myself a happy birthday.

Lame.

Anyways, we had a great time on Thursday. Mom woke me up in the morning with my birthday present (The Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers--The Complete Recordings!) and I spent the day listening to it while I puttered around and did nothing in particular beyond firmly decide that I'd like to take up photography as a hobby. I have no idea how I'm going to afford a camera without either a pretty large birthday cheque or a job, but whatever. Friends came over at about 7pm for appetizers and cake. They pitched in for a Chapters giftcard for me (thanks guys!) and my buddy Marcus threw in a couple of Mel Brooks movies that I hadn't seen yet (Blazing Saddles and Robin Hood: Men In Tights) plus a Cineplex Odeon giftcard from him and Caitlin...I think; I'm not sure exactly what came from who, except the DVDs were definitely from Marcus. Anyhoo, we had a blast. And the family celebration is yet to come; that's happening at lunch tomorrow.

21 doesn't really feel all that different from being 20. Oh well. Maybe next year it will:)

Be seeing you,
Steven

"Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend..."

2007-04-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

For some reason I've become more interested in the lives and careers of movie stars from what is affectionately known as the Golden Age of Hollywood. Really, it's just an excuse to give in to the more primal male urges. So I figured why not do so with a little class. Ladies, and especially gentlemen, I give you the one and only Marilyn Monroe. :)

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Dry And Weary Land

2007-03-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
--Psalm 63:1

I'm in the midst of reading (actually, partially re-reading) a science-fiction series by Frank Herbert that started with his book Dune. For those who aren't familiar with the novel, become familiar with it--read it; it's awesome. The story takes place uncounted millenia into humanity's future. Basically, it is a complete fantasy world, as there is no Earth and virtually nothing we would find familiar. The main setting is the planet Arrakis, known more casually as Dune. It is a desert of deserts, a world only inhabitable at the extreme North Pole. I'm not going to attempt to introduce the extremely complex plots within plots within plots; I'm going to introduce you to the native humans of Dune, the Fremen.
The Fremen are a people who have learned how to survive in the harshest of deserts by respecting the most precious resource on the planet: water. There is so little water on Dune that it must be collected from the air, from the dew that settles on the few plants in the main cities in the very early morning, and from deep down in the rock beds. But the Fremen have also realized that the human body itself is 70% water. They walk in the desert wearing "stillsuits", water-reclamation outfits that ensure you do not lose more than a thimble-full of moisture a day. It takes your sweat, urine, feces, even your breath, filters it and feeds the water back to you through a drinking tube. The Fremen do this not only for their individual survival, but also for the survival of their people. They have a saying: "A man's soul is his own, but his water belongs to the tribe." Upon the death of a Fremen, their water is reclaimed from their bodies and, depending on how the death came about, is either given to the winner of the personal combat or distributed among the dead Fremen's tribe. At one point in the story it is demonstrated how spitting, in any other culture an act of disrespect, is a very serious gesture of friendship and loyalty among the Fremen--you give a person part of the water of your body to show that you respect them.
As much as the Fremen are able to live in the desert, it is not what they wish. They long to transform Dune into a wonderous, lush Paradise, and have been accumulating vast storehouses of water for this purpose. Their religion contains a prophecy of someone they call the Mahdi, the "One who will lead us to Paradise"; for his coming they prepare, and wait--and conserve their water.

As I was thinking about the book this past week, an analogy struck me. All throughout the Bible, water is used as a symbol of God's grace, mercy, and love; it is also used to ignite the idea of thirst for God, as in the above passage. In John's gospel, Jesus encounters a Samaritan woman at a well and asks for a drink. When she is surprised by this (Samaritans and Jews did not get along), Jesus tells her about "living water" and she asks where it can be found. Jesus' response: "Everyone who drinks this water [meaning the well] will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
In the Monday night Bible study I attend, we were talking just last night about truly knowing yourself and your spiritual relationship with God. It occured to me that Arrakis, the planet known as Dune, perfectly describes where I am: living in a desert, and thirsting for every drop of God's water that I can get. Then, another thought struck me: this water, the symbol both of my longing for God and of God Himself, is within me already. I need only reclaim it and use it for His will.
I'm not exactly willing to spread throughout the bowels of the Internet just what it is that causes me to live in a dry and weary land, but the remembrance that God has already put His water in me gives me great comfort. I am still loved, I am still chosen. I am still a child of God, despite all the crap I struggle with. That Cross is still there for me, and the grave is still empty for my sake.

And among the Fremens' many sayings is this: "God created Arrakis to train the faithful."

Be seeing you,
Steven

Three Allegories

2007-03-08T18:25:00.000-08:00

I just finished writing something in my journal, and I wanted to post it here. It's a piece of my testimonial; that is, a statement about where I am with God and my life right now.

"There are three images, or rather allegories, to describe my emotional state at this point.
"The first allegory is that of a crossroads. They are in the middle of one of those depressingly muddy moors you find in Scotland; the weather is dismal; it feels like the Middle Ages, when everything is dirty. I can go one way or the other, but not both. The image is only made cheerier by the morsel of information that they once buried suicides at crossroads.
"The second allegory is assuredly placed in the blood-soaked arena in Rome. I am a gladiator fighting for my life--and I'm losing. My enemy stands with his sword at my neck; I am on my back on the sand. I see him turn towards the emperor (the one who hates Christians) and ask if he should spare my life or not. What will it be? thumbs up or down?
"The third allegory is, I confess, not entirely my own. I live in an apartment with a rear window that looks out onto a courtyard and the backs of other buildings. I can see through everyone else's windows; I'm so close I could call out and they would hear me. But I don't. I just sit back and watch as they find happiness, or tears, as they do something, without joining in.
"In all of these allegories I am alone. I have no one beside me. I have no one to turn to and make sure they're with me. There is no one to share my life.
"Oh, I have visitors who drop by once a week or so, as acquaintances. But no one stays for long. And it seems as if the people who planted their flowers in the garden have other things to do these days, and are slowly but surely slipping out of my life.
"What to do when even God feels like a stranger."

Be seeing you,
Steven

"Solitude" by Ella Wheeler

2007-02-14T13:30:00.000-08:00

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone,
For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
But has trouble enough on its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on air.
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But are slow to voice your care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go.
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all.
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life's gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.
There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a large and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.

Happy Valentine's Day, :P
Steven

"High School As Horror Film"

2007-02-01T21:45:00.000-08:00

So I've found a new show to follow on DVD. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but...I actually like Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

I had always known about the show, but never really took an interest in it. Then I got introduced a while back to the tragically-cancelled Firefly (and its brief resurrection as the feature film Serenity), and I found that Joss Whedon is a good writer. Needless to say, I was rather surprised to discover that he was the creator of Buffy. My interest level immediately went up.

I just finished the first season today, which consists of twelve episodes. Although it feels at times like "Monster of the Week", the dialogue is witty and the characters are pretty well thought-out. I like the style of the show, and I'm told that it only gets better from here. Whedon has commented that he built the whole premise from the basic idea of "high school as a horror film." Man, can I relate.

And forgive a slightly chauvinistic drooling-at-the-mouth moment...Sarah Michelle Gellar is (or was) a total babe. Especially with all those skirts and knee-high boots. Mmm... ;)

Be seeing you,
Steven

When Last We Saw Our Hero...

2007-01-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

...he was getting ready for another exciting semester, reading books and studying histories he may never have gotten the chance to otherwise. I've only got two courses on my plate this time around, Gothic Literature and Ancient Roman History. I discovered too late that the third course I was going to take wasn't going to be counted towards my degree, so I decided I wouldn't waste my time and money. Oh well.

My writing is still being pursued as much as it can be. I managed to get another paragraph written of my sci-fi novel; I started Chapter 2 back in early December and I still don't have a first draft. Other writing projects are in various stages of construction, including a graphic novel and a screenplay. Prose is nice, but every medium has its own strong points to recommend it.

In other areas of interest, I FINALLY got around to picking up The Little Mermaid on DVD. Yay! It's still a great film, and has held up extremely well over the years I've known it. It was second only to Mary Poppins when I was a kid. It's great to have it in the house again.

That's about it for now. Be seeing you,
Steven

Welcome To 2007

2007-01-01T15:01:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year, everybody!

Be seeing you,
Steven

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-24T20:29:00.000-08:00

I probably won't have time to post tomorrow, and I have a few minutes, so I guess I'll say it now. You can read the title... ;)

About 2,000 years ago, in a small village in the heart of a troubled nation under occupation by a foreign power, in an out-of-the-way stable that stank of animals and hay...the miracle of life came to a mother and her husband, so that the whole world could receive that same miracle at the hands of the child who was born and laid to rest in a manger. And when it happened, the angels sang "Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace to men, on whom his favour rests." And so they sing still, in the midst of global unrest, poverty, and hunger. "Peace On Earth."

All the best of the holiday's greetings to you and yours in this truly wonderful season of Christmas.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Time Magazine's Person of The Year...

2006-12-17T19:43:00.000-08:00

Every year, Time Magazine has selected one person who "for better or worse, has most influenced events in the preceding year." Former titleholders include Richard Nixon, Joseph Stalin (twice), George W. Bush (also twice), and Adolf Hitler (the one time, I'm afraid. Also, I'm sure some nice guys have been picked, but everybody already knows they've been picked). Time has announced their pick for the AD 2006. And it's....

YOU

Yes, you. And me. And everyone else on the planet. Because we just haven't done enough the past 6,000 years or so. But now we're getting noticed. Now we can join the ranks of such great individuals as those above--and many more besides. So give yourself a pat on the back, treat yourself to an eggnog. And be sure and thank all the little people you stepped on to make it (while they're up on the podium with you).

Be seeing you,
Steven

P.S. If you'd like to learn more about the "Time's Person of The Year" tradition, you may do so here.

Bond. James Bond...

2006-11-15T18:07:00.000-08:00

Well, I caved. I finally saw a James Bond movie. Honestly, I don't know what took me so long.

I had been thinking about making the new film, Casino Royale, my first experience with Bond, but I decided to give the one and only Sean Connery the honour with the very first film made, Dr. No. And I have to say that I was pretty impressed; it wasn't the best action/thriller movie I've ever seen, but it was up there.

Something I really liked about the film was that it was basically, in a sense, "James Bond Lite". He used his wits more than his gun (the only 'gadget' he has in the whole movie) which just made him seem that much cooler. It seems very strange to say this nowadays, but he just wasn't your typical action hero. Strip away the explosions, gadgets, cars, and firepower and you're left with an extremely interesting character that Sean Connery pulls off very well indeed. One detail I liked was when Bond places a hair over the crack in his hotel-room closet doors, to make sure he knows if anybody comes in and searches the place. Clever.

Oh, and Ursula Andress is absolutely stunning in that bikini. Naturally. (Hey, it's not really me; it's just the chemicals...)

Anyways, I am enjoying diving right in to this pop culture phenomenon with both the movies and the original books by Ian Fleming. It looks like I'll be going through them all together at the same time in a sort of mish-mash. Shaken, not stirred, of course.

Be seeing you,
Steven

One Year

2006-10-25T08:33:00.000-07:00

As I check back in the archives, I come to the realization that today is the first anniversary of my blog. I made the first post exactly one year ago today. Cool, no?

Be seeing you,
Steven

Word of The Day

2006-10-02T20:03:00.000-07:00

(Haven't had one of these in a while...)

progeny: n. 1) The offspring of a person or other organism; 2) A descendant or descendants; 3) Something that serves as a model; precursor.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Celebrating Forty Years...Like This?

2006-09-18T15:20:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday saw the first broadcast of the "remastered" versions of the original Star Trek, with the first-season episode "Balance of Terror".

First off, let me say that I was truly looking forward to this project. I'm one of those people who looks at the effects from this show and thinks, what if this were done today? Well, it wouldn't have looked like this. There were a couple of issues I had, so let me tackle them one by one.

The CGI--I don't mind CGI. I have nothing against models, and I have nothing against computers. If it works, it works. And I'm sad to say that this CGI just didn't work. In the effort to remain faithful to the original look of the shots, the guys at CBS (which now owns the rights and is doing all this work) decided to make their all-too-obvious digital ships move EXACTLY as if they were the original models. The problem is, the technology of the day meant that the models couldn't really move all that much. It's possible for one's mind to accept that a brightly-lit model from the '60s won't do much on screen, but when one sees a CGI (and stuff that is as obviously CG as this was) one expects it to do something. Because these new effects are staying "faithful", they move just like the originals--static ships appear to zoom into the camera without changing angles, or "turn" without really doing so. Ironically, when the purpose is to stop the effects from looking fake, they end up looking even more fake; it all ends up making the original work look very sophisticated.

The Image Quality--This one is probably going to have to be blamed on the station I watched it on; these episodes are being shown through syndication, which means multiple channels can show them at times of their own choosing. I can't be sure if this is due to the work being done on the negatives (I truly hope it isn't) but it looked simply awful. The entire show looked as if it had a layer or veil of blackness put over it, making everything difficult to see and really darkening it up considerably. No way was this the "original intent"; colour was a novelty in the '60s and Star Trek was deliberately made with very bright primary colours. Also, some of the reds and purples in the episode had bleeding at the edges, and all skin and facial tones had a tinge of redness to them with actually served to take out some of the life in everyone's faces. But like I said, this could be the broadcast and not CBS.

The Editing--This one is definitely the broadcaster's fault. Once again, syndication means that stations have the freedom to cut and trim episodes to fit in more commercials. I'd say I only saw about forty minutes of the episode; it was just plain gutted. It felt like I was watching a summary of the story rather than the actual thing. Somebody made some very random and unbelievable edits, leaving out important information needed for later on in the plot.

So those three things basically combined to produce a very disappointing experience. I didn't cry, but I did almost turn the TV off. That is not a good thing. Especially with the uncertainty surrounding the future of the original versions; CBS has not been forthcoming, saying only that they will "continue to be available on DVD and on some channels". Yeah, today. But what about tomorrow? If a better job had been done, I wouldn't be so worried. As it stands, I'm very apprehensive.

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Fun Semester

2006-09-14T19:43:00.000-07:00

So I realize I haven't yet covered what courses I'm taking at college this semester--and I'm already approaching the end of my second week!

On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, from 9:30-11:30 I have Survey of English Literature I (from Beowulf to Paradise Lost), followed by Ancient Greek History, which is especially exciting because it's a civilization I've never really taken the time to really learn about in-depth; plus, we're reading the ancient historians Herodotus, Thucydides, and Plutarch. I'm liking both courses so far, especially for getting the chance to read all these books I've been wanting to read for a long time.

Then, on Tuesday nights from 6:30-10:00, I have Narrative Film. We watch a movie just about every week, and then have a discussion. Lots of fun...except I'm forced to cross my fingers and hope that our shoddy, beat-up VCR doesn't hiccup and actually tapes House.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Celebrating Forty Years...

2006-09-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

September 8, 1966. It was a Thursday much like any other. A new American television season was about to begin. NBC was going to be premiering a new science-fiction show, though there was nothing particularly remarkable about that. Every other network had a sci-fi show, from Lost In Space to The Time Tunnel to Voyage To The Bottom of The Sea. This night, at 8:30, NBC would broadcast their first episode of a show called Star Trek.

It was called "The Man Trap", a love story on the surface, but there was another angle as well: an alien creature who is the last surviving member of its species--and Our Heroes are forced to destroy it when it attacks them. It was moving, tragic, and very, very cool. Definitely not like anything anyone had ever seen on sci-fi television at that time. It was new. It was different. And that is why, despite a premature cancellation after a mere three seasons, it has survived to this day, spawning four spin-off series, a Saturday morning cartoon, and ten feature films (and counting). Not to mention novels, comics, RPGs, and video games. There is a rich, epic world, with a wonderful mythos that has been explored by countless of writers, directors, and actors...and fans like me. And it will continue to be explored for (hopefully) many more years to come.

With a mantra of exploration and discovery, and a message that hey, maybe people don't suck so much as we like to think they do, Star Trek is a refreshing escape from the day-to-day grind. If you're tired of this world's cynicism and jaded philosophies, do yourself a favour and pop a couple episodes into the DVD player. You'll be treated to some good stories, great writing, and interesting characters. In short, something worth watching.

Here's to the fortieth anniversary of Star Trek. And here's to forty more.

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Special Moment

2006-08-30T17:13:00.000-07:00

I couldn't let today go by without having a special moment recorded. Today, when I was waiting for the bus there were a few minutes when I got to be a kid again. The bus stop was on an upward slope and one end of the bench was rather high off the sidewalk. When I sat down I realized I could actually swing my legs; they didn't reach down to the ground.

It's a little thing, I know. But those few minutes when I was all alone and swinging my legs made me feel like a kid again, and that I had nothing to worry about in the whole world.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Writing Update

2006-08-26T14:31:00.000-07:00

Another advancing step in writing my novel: I've finished a first draft of the Prologue. When I'm finished the whole thing there should be a Prologue, Three Parts, and an Epilogue.

One part down, four to go.

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Guest In The House

2006-08-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

Well, our homestay student arrived today all the way from Korea. His name is Sun-Ho (I'm not sure how to spell it), but he likes us to call him Sunny. He literally just got in this afternoon so we really don't know each other much at all. We watched a bit of Star Trek earlier and now he's taking a nap before dinner; jetlag can simply kill you, and that's all there is to it.

Anyways, he starts school on Monday, so this evening and tomorrow will be spent in settling in. Maybe one of these Sundays I can even take him to church to meet the gang.

Be seeing you,
Steven

So That's Who I Remind Me Of

2006-08-18T11:59:00.000-07:00

When I consider men of golden talents,
I'm delighted, in my introverted way,
To discover, as I'm drawing up the balance,
How much we have in common, I and they.

Like Burns, I have a weakness for the bottle,
Like Shakespeare, little Latin and less Greek;
I bite my fingernails like Aristotle;
Like Thackeray, I have a snobbish streak.

I'm afflicted with the vanity of Byron,
I've inherited the spitefulness of Pope;
Like Petrarch, I'm a sucker for a siren,
Like Milton, I've a tendency to mope.

My spelling is suggestive of a Chaucer;
Like Johnson, well, I do not wish to die
(I also drink my coffee from the saucer);
And if Goldsmith was a parrot, so am I.

Like Villon, I have debits by the carload,
Like Swinburne, I'm afraid I need a nurse;
By my dicing is Christopher out-Marlowed,
And I dream as much as Coleridge, only worse.

In comparison with men of golden talents,
I am all a man of talent ought to be;
I resemble every genius in his vice, however heinous--
Yet I write so much like me.

--Ogden Nash

Be seeing you,
Steven

Lessons In Astronomy

2006-08-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

Wikipedia-Definition of planet

Here's a simple astronomy question: how many planets are in the solar system? The simple answer: Nine. Can you name them all? Mercury; Venus; Earth; Mars; Jupiter; Saturn; Uranus; Neptune.

Pluto.

Ah, yes. Pluto. The black sheep of the family. Strayed from the center of our love many a century ago, now cutting his own orbital pathway for himself out there; living on the edge. He has also made some new friends in his own strange way, having fallen into a crowd that, to be perfectly honest, we really know almost nothing about. Just what do they do out there in the Kuiper Belt? We can't even be sure what to call most of them. All we have are some astronomical identification numbers and those really don't tell us much. What are they up to?

The discovery of these suspicious 'wanderers', with their questionable motives, has caused quite a stir in the scientific community. Some believe that this time, Pluto has gone too far. They are pushing to cut off his inheritance. Banished. Excommunicated. Removed from the family. “He is not one of us,” they cry. “Send him away forever.” Others beg for leniency, sure that one day Pluto will return in humility and leave behind his former selfish existence. But if they are right, it may very well mean accepting some of those friends, those 'Kuiper Belt Objects', for which he has forsaken us.

A new resolution may help solve this age-old dilemma. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has proposed—but not adopted—a final definition which is designed to decide once and for all the code by which our entire family must abide:

A) Sufficient mass to form itself into an at least nearly-rounded shape.
B) In orbit of a star, and cannot be a star or the satellite of another object.

Many questions have risen as to this definition. For the full details, see the SPACE.com article. The IAU intends to vote on the subject on Thursday, August 24.

Personally, I always thought that Pluto, along with all the other KBO's should be considered a sort of sub-category. Not quite planets, but not quite anything else. 'Dwarf planets' could work, but I was thinking of a term more along the lines of...oddballs.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Conundrum

2006-08-07T17:34:00.000-07:00

The above word is "a paradoxical, insoluable, or difficult problem; a dilemma." I'm having quite a time trying to find a title (and thus, a name for a central character) for a short story I've come up with; why do girls have to be at the center of every guy's problems? It needs to be a name that isn't totally out of place in modern times, but alternately isn't a name that gets heard a lot. Also, for a variety of reasons, I don't want it to be the name of any girl I know. These are a few of the ones I'm considering, plus their meanings:

Lenore--"Light"
Leslie--"Meadowlands"
Lianna--"My God Has Answered"
Lorene--"Small Victories"
Lucinda--"Beautiful Light"
Sabrina--"Princess"
Selena--"The Moon"
Serena--"Serenity"
Siobhan--"God Is Gracious"
Deborah--"Honey Bee"
Desiree--"Desired"
Diana--"Divine"
Dorothy--"Gift of God"
Dulcinea--"Sweet"
Theresa--"Harvester"

Be seeing you,
Steven

Raping Eve

2006-07-31T15:39:00.000-07:00

The shame and darkness of my loathsome secret
Is such that ne'er before have I used words to say
That in the boiling heat of lust intemp'rate,
I take to raping Eve near ev'ryday.
I grant she may, of late, be willing of the act,
And that her gazing eyes have beckoned me to sin,
But it serves no excuse for the will power that I lacked
When first she opened wide to let me in.
She was not always thus, but once was fair and pure,
Before she was herself seducèd and enticed
By charms to rival hers in attraction and allure;
The same witchcraft that tempted me into this evil tryst.
Although she is not blameless, Adam still am I;
Eve the fallen, damnèd harlot is the apple of my eye.

How often have I looked at her and acted on my lust?
How often has my gaze drunk in her supple form?
Then with these eyes I have from Him who shaped my dust,
I steal her glorious womanhood, leave her and me both shorn
Of all true love. O wretched is my soul in evil bound!
When will these chains break loose and set me free?
Can I ever stand like Moses upon the holy ground
And like his people throw off this yoke of slavery?
“My grace is all-sufficient and my power full in weakness;
My mercies fall like rain to no one's loss;
My strength will bring you out and unlash the harness
That holds you down. Remember only the blood upon the cross.”
So have I been answered, and cleansèd wholly pure,
And live in hope of life eternal with forgiveness wholly sure.

And now all that remains is to beg for your forgiveness;
This that has been my burden has also been my shame.
But if you will consent to pardon all my sins nonetheless,
I swear you are my sweetheart, forever to remain.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Home Again, Home Again...

2006-07-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I just got home today from Pioneer. I'm tired, I'm exhausted, I'm dishpitted out; I also have absolutely no regrets about the whole experience. It was an amazing time, and the kids were really cool. And the speaker, a woman named Mia, was totally awesome. She brought her subject (the parable of the Prodigal Son) alive and really made it apply to modern living. I think the kids really took her message to heart.

I'm also happy to say that I was able to finish a couple sonnets--actually, a sonnet pair--while I was up. They're a bit personal, but I might post them after some polishing. I honestly have to say that I think they're my best sonnets yet. It seems that with every one I write, I get better and better.

Well, since it's been a long day this will be a short post. Now for some much-needed sleep.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Leaving For Pioneer

2006-07-22T21:24:00.000-07:00

Well, tomorrow I leave for Pioneer Pacific Camp on Thetis Island. Some friends of mine are directing this year's Girl's Camp for this last week of July. I'll be in the dishpit and also helping out with any games or other program stuff that needs doing.

I'm looking forward to the week; it's always a fun and exciting time to be had up there, and it's a place where you can really let God speak to you. I could use a bit of time away right about now; there's just too many distractions here to let me have the time I need to with Him. There's some things in my life that need His touch badly.

Anyways, I'll be back next Saturday afternoon!

Be seeing you,
Steven

Quote of The Day

2006-07-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

"If any man wish to write in a clear style, let him be first clear in his thoughts; and if any would write in a noble style, let him first possess a noble soul."
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be seeing you,
Steven

Shakespearean Sonnet 130

2006-07-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head;
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go;
My mistress when she walks treads on the ground.
And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.

-William Shakespeare

Be seeing you,
Steven

My Life With Hitchcock

2006-06-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

It's pretty strange when you see all your sins thrown onto celluloid for all the world to see. Or if not sins necessarily, then the darker aspects of your personality.

But in a perverse way, that's what attracts me to the work of Alfred Hitchcock. The fact that I can identify with so many of his characters (for different reasons) makes his films all the more compelling for me. I can see a lot of myself in his work, and thus quite a bit in the man himself.

Take Rear Window, for example. The premise is in itself pretty simple: a magazine photographer named Jeff (Jimmy Stewart) who has broken his leg has nothing to do but sit in his wheelchair at the rear window of his apartment and watch the neighbours in the rest of the complex. He begins to notice something strange; a middle-aged couple across the way has been arguing, and the next day the wife is nowhere to be found. Her disappearance along with the husband's odd behaviour convinces Jeff that she has been murdered by her husband. At the same time Jeff has his own relationship problems, in the form of his high-class society girlfriend Lisa (the gorgeous Grace Kelly) who desperately wants Jeff to settle down and get married--to her, of course. It makes for a fairly suspenseful story, but digging beneath the surface reveals an even deeper meaning.

Jeff is a photographer; he makes his living out of watching people and things through a lens. Throughout the film, he watches the suspected murderer through his camera. And, of course, much of the basic premise is based around watching other people without their knowledge. The whole thing is very much a comment on how "we've become a race of Peeping Toms" (to quote one character) and gives us a lead character who is basically a voyuer. Or, to put it more broadly, someone who prefers fantasy over reality. Psychologically, he'd rather get involved with a woman across the way (in solving the wife's murder) than with the wonderful woman who is right there in his own apartment, forever trying to get his attention.

That doesn't totally fit me, of course. I would much rather interact with a woman (in this particular case) than watch her from a "safe" distance. But the fact is, I still do it. I just don't have the confidence in myself to develop my friendships with girls into something deeper and more rewarding. I always find it safer to keep them at arm's length and develop a kind of idealized fantasy instead, where we fall in love, we date, we get engaged, we get married, and we have a wonderful life together--but all of it happens entirely in my head.

Trying to shake myself out of that is quite a challenge; seeing it all played out on a movie screen is a definite motivation. It's sort of like God is saying, "See? See what happens when you do that? Now stop it. That's not the way it's supposed to happen; that's not the way I intended it." Well, all I can do is pray for strength, and for the personal confidence to open myself up to people so that I can have a deeper relationship with them. It's a lot more fun than 'spying' on them.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Some Cool Things

2006-06-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

It's certainly been awhile since I last updated this blog. Almost a month, in fact. Last time I told you all how I had finished the outline for my novel; now I can tell you that it has been minorly revised and I've actually started to write the thing! It's pretty exciting, to tell the truth, and it's coming along rather nicely.

As to other things I've been doing, there isn't a whole lot to tell. Except for one thing. It's something I never actually expected to do (at least not for quite some time), but which came upon me suddenly and I found I couldn't stop.

I've read the entirety of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion.

Yep; the whole thing. The giant mythology that he had been working on his whole life and never really finished (his son, Christopher, had to edit and finesse it for publication). The full history that informs the more well-known The Lord of The Rings. It actually is incredible, seeing how Middle-earth began and how all the elements that go into the more widely-read story came to be. It really puts TLotR into the proper context, so that you can fully appreciate that it's really a story about the end of the Age of the Elves and the beginning of the Dominion of Men. If you're a fan of Tolkien's work, but haven't yet read The Silmarillion, you owe it to yourself to do so. Seriously.

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Very Special Writing Update...

2006-05-17T16:01:00.000-07:00

Not only is this a really cool update, but it's also my fortieth post. Nice.

Anyway, I have some sweet news. I have just finished the outline for my first novel. It's taken quite some time, but it's all done. And now that the map has been drawn, I can start the journey of writing--but not quite yet. I want to show it to a few people first, get their opinion, and then probably wait a while; I'd like to really hone my writing style before sitting down to tackle this thing. It's important to me and I want to make sure that it gets done right.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Word of The Day

2006-05-12T14:46:00.000-07:00

geek: n. 1) An uninteresting, ineffectual, socially inept person; a nerd. 2) A person thoroughly devoted to one interest, study, etc., often at the expense of social interaction.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Guess What...A Writing Update!

2006-05-10T10:31:00.000-07:00

Yep. That's right. I've been writing again.

Actually, what I've been doing would more accurately be described as "plotting"; I've been working on the outline to my sci-fi novel. It's coming along very well. If you'll remember, I originally lost my outline when my computer got Linux onto it, and the CDs I had written information to refused to copy the files to my hard drive for some reason. I managed to get a few paragraphs of important stuff back, but most of what I had done up to that point was oblivion.

Now, I've re-written all that part of the outline and gotten so much farther in the story than ever before. I'm at the point right now where my imagination never worked out what would happen. I figured out the beginning and I pretty much know where I'm heading at the end, but the middle--the meat of the journey--has always eluded me. Now I'm working it out, and I'm very pleased with how I've worked things so far. Hopefully, I'll be able to continue that for this week...and maybe I'll even get the whole outline done. That would be really cool.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Quote of The Day

2006-04-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
-Ronald Reagan

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Mozart Weekend

2006-04-16T22:48:00.000-07:00

So I find that I forgot to mention one of the highlights of my weekend: my very first classical music concert. It was at Vancouver's Orpheum Theatre on Good Friday night. The CBC Radio Orchestra performed Eine Kleine Nachtmusik first, and then they were joined by the Vancouver Chamber Choir and the Trinity Western University Masterworks Chorale for the Requiem Mass In D Minor. I was very excited to finally hear classical music in concert, and by one of my favourite composers.
And yesterday I went to spend some of my birthday money at a classical records store. I was prepared to spend a considerable amount. I found a 10-CD set of Mozart's piano concertos...for $29.99! It was incredible. So I can also get a biography of Mozart tomorrow, and a complete set of his symphonies down the road a bit.
Hey, what can I say? It's his 250th birthday.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Broken Flowers

2006-04-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

A broken flower sits on the floor,
The petals torn, the pollen scattered;
Murdered yellow on solid blue,
Dead and withered irises lie beside.
And the truncated stems?
In my hand.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Yet Another Year

2006-04-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

Today marks the end of my twentieth year on this planet. Now that it's here, I don't quite know what to write.
The family was over on Saturday; we had six birthdays to celebrate, including mine. Mom took me out for a gloriously huge breakfast this morning. Still, I can't help feeling rather alone this year. It seems as if I'm the only one who's really celebrating. I have to read Dr. Seuss' "Happy Birthday To You" to myself because no one else will. It's a bit sad, but I guess for an ego like mine it's just another reminder that it's all about me--or at least showing me what that really means.
On a somewhat lighter note:

GREAT EVENTS IN HISTORY ON APRIL 12TH:
467-Anthemius is made Emperor of the Western Roman Empire.
1606-The Union Jack is made the flag of the United Kingdom.
1861-The American Civil War begins.
1945-President Franklin D. Roosevelt dies in office.
1961-Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space.
1981-The space shuttle Columbia launches.

Also, today is the Catholic Feast Day of St. Zeno of Verona, patron saint of fisherman and newborn babies; the Jewish festival of Passover begins today at sundown; and in ancient Rome, the holiday Cerealia began today. I share this birthday with authors Tom Clancy and Beverly Cleary, talkshow host David Letterman, actress Claire Danes, and Italian soprano Maria Callas.

"As through the calender I delve,
I pause to rejoice in April twelve.
Yea, be I in sickness or be I in health,
My favourite day is April twealth."
-Ogden Nash

So here's wishing me a happy birthday, and many more to come.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Want To Have Some Fun This Summer?

2006-04-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

1) Be standing outside with a friend.
2) Point to somewhere on the ground or a nearby sign or something--somewhere behind them.
3) Say, "Look, there's a snail."
4) When they turn around to look, say, "Oh, you missed it. It must've been moving too fast for you."

Try it.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Two Weeks Left

2006-03-29T18:42:00.000-08:00

I came to the realization today that I have precisely two weeks left to be a teenager.

Somehow, I feel...less.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Beware The Ides of March

2006-03-15T13:22:00.000-08:00

Caesar: The ides of March are come.
Soothsayer: Ay, Caesar, but not gone.
-Julius Caesar III, i

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Thought

2006-03-11T22:28:00.000-08:00

"Thermo-dynamic miracles: events with odds against so astronomical they're effectively impossible, like oxygen spontaneously becoming gold. And yet, in each human coupling, a thousand million sperm vie for a single egg. Mulitply those odds by countless generations, against the odds of your ancestors being alive; meeting; siring this precise son; that exact daughter...To distill so specific a form from that chaos of improbability, like turning air to gold, that is the crowning unlikelihood. The thermo-dynamic miracle...But the world is so full of people, so crowded with these miracles that they become commonplace and we forget. We gaze continually at the world and it grows dull in our perceptions. Yet seen from another's vantage point, as if new, it may still take the breath away. Come, dry your eyes, for you are life, rarer than a quark and unpredictable beyond the dreams of Heisenberg; the clay in which the forces that shape all things leave their fingerprints most clearly."
-Alan Moore, Watchmen

Be seeing you,
Steven

Starting Over

2006-03-10T14:23:00.000-08:00

Like crumpling up a half-written piece of paper
And facing a new blank page;
Like making up for a test that you failed
And having to study even more;
Like a second try at a marriage after an affair,
I'm starting all over again.

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Trip Through Wonderland

2006-03-08T20:58:00.000-08:00

No, I haven't been taking LSD. Or smoking pot. If you think I have been, go away. I don't want to know you. All I've been doing is reading a very cool book called The Annotated Alice. And it's been absolutely revelatory.

To modern readers, Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures In Wonderland and the sequel Through The Looking-Glass seem incredibly weird, and read as if they were inspired by an opium dream. But this is just because the books are so dated that the puns, jokes, and wordplays make no sense to us--after all, most of the jokes were meant to be understood by British readers of the 1860s; other jokes were intended for residents of the village of Oxford; and STILL more jokes were private references for the amusement of three little girls with whom Carroll was friends (and, yeah, THAT'S a nasty rumour, too).

The Annotated Alice contains the full texts of both books PLUS side-notes which shed light on every little in-joke PLUS the original Sir John Tenniel illustrations PLUS a deleted chapter from Through The Looking-Glass. It's like a DVD special edition!

Anyway, if you have any love for fantasy or abstract nonsense, you should definitely read the Alice books, and read them in this great book, The Annotated Alice (notes and introduction by Michael Gardner).

Be seeing you,
Steven

Once A King or Queen In Narnia...

2006-02-18T09:35:00.000-08:00

I just saw The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe last night. Man, was it good!

As a very big--and rather particular--fan of C.S. Lewis' books, I was enormously proud of the film, even as I sat there watching it. Everything was as it should have been. All the memorable story points and images are carefully preserved from the book; the lamp post in the clearing, the White Witch on her sleigh, and the wardrobe, of course. At the same time, however, there are changes made for the sake of a theatre-going audience. But I was very impressed with the way those changes were handled. There's a balance struck between prose and cinematography which is so rare in these kinds of adaptations. Something I noticed was that there are no actual cuts to the story, mostly just additions, like the scene at the frozen waterfall. Sometimes minor plot points are changed, but nothing is removed entirely--an admirable feat indeed.

And one thing I absolutely loved seeing--the allusion (or is it foreshadowing?) to a "future" book in the series, The Magician's Nephew. That book is really the beginning of the series, although it was the sixth book written--a prequel. One of the stars of that book is named Diggory. He is present when Narnia is created, and eventually grows up...into the professor who takes in Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy! You can see in the film that he knows just what the children are talking about, especially right at the end ("I don't think you'd believe us, sir"..."Try me!"). A very nice touch for those who have read the books.

So, all in all, a thouroughly enjoyable experience. I can't wait for Prince Caspian, which has just been greenlighted for production. I'm sure it will be just as good as its predecessor.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Word of The Day

2006-02-09T15:40:00.000-08:00

In celebration of my new paperback dictionary, I give you the word...

goblet: n. A drinking vessel with a foot and a stem, usually of glass.

Be seeing you,
Steven

The Interview With God

2006-02-08T11:40:00.000-08:00

If you haven't seen this yet, please check it out. It's very good.

www.theinterviewwithgod.com

Be seeing you,
Steven

The Vigil

2006-02-02T13:11:00.000-08:00

The candle burns while I stand wait for you;
A vigil kept in hope of darkness' demise.
The flame lasts long, so long shall I be true,
Awaiting the love that fate for now denies.
But you, with all your charm and regal grace,
For you the time is nothing; you do not wait
With candle and prayer for love's intimate embrace,
But shrug indifferent, and trust it won't come late.
You say men are single-minded, with desires
That only give regard to their egos and lust;
I sadly hang my head, for my burning, youthful fire
Makes me unworthy of where you tread on dust.
So I must hold my vigil by my candle all alone
For when you sit by your candle and I am fully grown.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Quote of The Day

2006-01-28T12:16:00.000-08:00

"The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds; the pessimist fears this is true."
-James Cabell

Be seeing you,
Steven

Uh, A "Writing" Update

2006-01-26T19:12:00.000-08:00

I have to start over.

It's kind of hard to believe. I finally got rid of Windows XP on my computer and switched over to Linux's Ubuntu operating system (which I'm semi-regretting, at the moment) this week. As a result, everything that was saved into the hard-drive had to be erased. That was OK, though, since I had backed up everything. But one of two things happened: either the disc I copied to was corrupted, or there's something very wrong with my CD-RW drive. Whatever it was, the end result was that when I tried to copy my files to my hard-drive again, a lot of the files got an error message saying that they could not be read. And guess which files were among the slain? That's right. The ones with the novel I was working on; the background notes, the rough draft of the opening chapter, and--this is the hardest of all--the OUTLINE for the thing that I was so proud of myself for having gotten so far on.

Yeah, I know: hard copy. Normally, I'm good with that. But in this case, I just didn't get to it. I was rather over-confident in technology and it screwed me over. It's not quite that bad, however. Before I even put down a single word, I had thought a lot of the book through. Plot, characters, scenes, the world it existed in; it's all still there in my head, I just have to put it all down again.

Now the only problem is whenever I think of it, it really hurts. All that work shot straight down the toilet.

A Baptism By Film

2006-01-24T13:37:00.000-08:00

I like to consider myself a bit of a film buff. I collect DVDs, and make sure to see all those classic movies; one of my goals in life is to see every single film listed on the AFI's list of the 100 Greatest American Films. As film buffs can attest to, there are certain films that absolutely must be seen. No excuses. "If you're a film buff, this is a film you have to watch." Last night, I went through one of those cinematic rites of passage.

The Silence of The Lambs.

The film that practically defines a psychological thriller. I watched it. And I'm not entirely sure, but I think I survived. Though there isn't much gore (there's some, but not a huge amount), there is an incredible amount of horror. A good deal of it comes from a wonderful performance by Sir Anthony Hopkins, but a lot of it also comes from the concept itself; as if a cannibal wasn't enough, there's also an Ed Gein-like serial killer who skins his victims in order to make a suit for himself. Throughout the movie, I kept wondering who was the worse monster.

This is truly a cinematic masterpiece. However, it was sufficiently terrifying to ensure that I probably won't see it again. It hit a little too close to home at some points, almost enough to make me say, "There but for the grace of God go I". I think we all have that kind of monster within us, and at some point we have to choose which way we'll turn. Will we follow through with every monsterous thought or will we purge ourselves of evil and take the path towards the light?

All in all, a great film. Just make sure that, before you see it, you get yourself into a mental place where you could spend a couple of hours in a room with a corpse.

Be seeing you,
Steven

The Broken Mirror

2006-01-21T21:03:00.000-08:00

When God created the heavens and earth
And everything therein;
The stars and worlds, the heart and soul
Of everything within,
He said, “We shall create a man
In th’image of the divine,
To bear the face of heav’nly light;
His form the same as mine.”

So man and woman came to being,
The double-face of God;
They reflected Him in every way
And walked where He had trod.
But then one day they turned from God,
Away from the heavenly aim
Of a perfect mirror for the Lord;
And they were put to shame.

God wailed and cried, “My children both,
Why have you disobeyed?
You were my hope, you were my dream,
And now you both have strayed.”
So they left paradise to God,
Who sat on his heavenly throne
And shed a tear for his children dear
Who had left him all alone.

We remain a broken mirror now,
A shattered image at best;
In the abyss, as far from God
As east is from the west.
The mirror broken, the reflection dimm’d,
The glory gone from our face,
We await the day when we will go
To a new and better place.

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Love I Cannot Tell

2006-01-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

I miss your smile and eyes so shining bright,
Your heart was warm and friendly like no other,
Your face seemed to me to shine with heaven’s light
And yet I only seemed to be your brother;
I loved you with a love I cannot tell,
A love that burned so deep and truly bright,
Your voice was like the ringing of a bell,
The fire burned through the day and all the night;
And yet I never spoke to you this way,
My love was silent as the stars at night,
I have lost all love now that you’re away,
Only darkness reigns where there once was light;
My love for you can only be as friend to friend,
With you my heart stands still and all love ends.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Writing Update, Part Duex

2006-01-19T20:03:00.000-08:00

So I've finished what I would say is about one-third of my outline. I want to have three acts, a prologue, and likely an epilogue as well.

Right now, I'm at the point where things change dramatically; not necessarily the climax, but the point where everything you believed about the direction the story was going to take has to be chucked out the window. I'd say it's only the first of quite a few WHAMS that the plot will throw. These will naturally increase in size with each successive blow, starting with a wrench, then moving on up to a crowbar, a sledgehammer, and an anvil.

Maybe if you're lucky, I'll even post the title I have in mind. And possibly the premise, too.

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Writing Update

2006-01-16T21:07:00.000-08:00

So I'm sure you're wondering, "But Steven, according to your blog you want to be a writer. I thought writers write. Why don't you tell us about what you're writing?"

Well, to be honest, I don't do that much writing at the moment. I certainly did a lot more when I took my grade 12 writing course, and I'll certainly be doing more as I continue in my courses at college. I make sure to write a Christmas story every year, and I've been thinking about adding one for every birthday as well. Right now, I'm working on the outline for a science-fiction novel involving alien cultures and no humans. I'm very excited about it, as it will be the first major project I'll ever have outlined. I got what I consider a good chunk of it done yesterday and I'm proud of myself for working out certain plot details in the introduction that I hadn't figured out yet. I only hope I can do it again for the middle of the story, which I haven't figured out with any detail whatsoever.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Book Review

2006-01-09T13:56:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger this morning and I’ve been trying to collect my thoughts together to be able to piece them together into anything resembling a coherent manner. There’s just so much I want to say about this book, that I don’t know where to begin. So I guess I’ll just start off by educating those who aren’t familiar with this book by quoting the blurb on the back:

"When Henry meets Clare, he is twenty-eight and she is twenty. Henry has never met Clare before; Clare has known Henry since she was six. Impossible but true, because Henry finds himself periodically displaced in time, pulled to moments of emotional gravity from his life, past and future. Henry and Clare’s attempts to live normal lives are threatened by a force they can neither prevent nor control, making their passionate love story intensely moving and unforgettable. The Time Traveler’s Wife is a story of fate, hope and belief, and more than that, it’s about the power of love to endure beyond the bounds of time."

That gets a little cheesy at the end, I know, but the book is truly magnificent. I don’t read a lot of recent fiction; most of it is way too post-modern (or, as I like to put it, full of “weird crap that depresses me”). This is different somehow. I’ll try not to give too much away, but the ending, although rather sad, is also satisfying. I found myself emotionally engaged with the main characters, something I rarely find in modern novels.

Normally, I’m very sceptical of romantic stories. Not this time. Something in the writing, or the people involved, or the story itself just caught me up and weaved a web around me that I couldn’t escape from and ended up pulling me in to this book like no other. This is truly an unforgettable love story.

Well, Oh-Six Is Here...

2006-01-01T20:50:00.000-08:00

...and a Happy New Year to all!

Be seeing you,
Steven

For The Love of 'Kong'

2005-12-23T21:12:00.000-08:00

The following does contain spoilers.

I’ve just returned from seeing Peter Jackson’s King Kong. All the way home on the bus, I was trying to put into words my deep sense of awe and wonderment. I don’t know if I will succeed, but I will try anyways.

First off, I could not rip my eyes from the screen. The sheer tension and excitement of the action was enough to keep me glued to my seat. But this film has more than just the action going for it. It has a heart and a soul, and an emotional element that just can't be defined with any words in the English language.

One of the things I loved about the film is how we relate to Kong himself. When he holds Ann in his hand and they stare into the sunset together, we can engage with his admiration of the beauty of his home. When he is captured, we are enraged. And when he finally finds Ann in New York after escaping from his chains, we're amazed that such a horribly destructive monster can be more humane than most of the people in the story.

What this engagement of Kong manages to accomplish is the we see things through his eyes. For me, the moment that crystalizes this is the scene with Ann on the frozen lake in the park. Kong has no idea what ice is; it's something completely outside his experience and as he steps out we see his childlike wonder of nature once again.

And now, my actual point: what this film did for me.

What is perfectly clear in every frame of this movie, is Peter Jackson's respect and admiration for King Kong. This isn't a remake; it's a love letter to the original. And it's infectious.

I never thought much of the 1933 film. I thought it was fun, yes, but I just could not understand why some people had to gush over it; a great love story? Bah. And then I saw this: one man's incredible love for Kong. And you know what? It spread to me. I can finally understand why the story became beloved, why it is timeless. I can't put it into words yet, but I can now say that I see Kong with new eyes. I felt like he did on the ice with Ann.

Now all I need is the DVD Collector's Edition of the original film. Hopefully, I should be getting that soon.

Here's to Kong, the King of Skull Island and the Eighth "Wonder of The World"!

The Next Original Movie

2005-12-21T17:44:00.000-08:00

A lot of people (myself included) have noticed how Hollywood doesn't seem to have any more original ideas. Plots are clichéd, characters are nothing more than cardboard cutouts, and the dialogue is worse than any grade-school paragraph I may or may not have written on what I did over my summer vacation. Throughout film history, there have been movies that have so captured the public imagination and love (due to their amazing quality) that they have inspired what people in the business dub "sequels". What inevitabily happens then is that the sequel is also very good and it then inspires another. Sometimes around then, the thing has run its course, but what has been acheived is what is called a "franchise". So with a lot of film franchises recently ending themselves--The Matrix, Star Wars, and arguably Star Trek--people are wondering: when is the next original film franchise going to come around and take off? When is Hollywood going to give us a truly original story?

On the originality of stories, there isn't a whole lot to say. I think it was Aristotle (though I'm probably mistaken) who said that there were only about 20 plots in the world. I think the next big original film franchise is going to find its success through the characters it gives us, rather than the plot devices or story elements it puts them in. That's where the true originality lies; in the characters we can identify with and get to know rather than how many cars were in the last big chase, or how many tons of dynamite it took to blow up that bridge that the enemy army so desperately needs in order to get to the other side so they can kidnap the heroine.

Another area where it will probably have to succeed to some degree is not in what it shows us, but how.

As an example: there have been a gazillion car chases in film history, and it's OK if you want to put one into the movie--it's a sure way to guarantee thrills--but what will set this car chase apart from all the others? What will be the objective? And (harking back to the previous paragraph) who are the people being chased and what did they do? Taking the time to think about that (and not just how many cars can we crash) is what makes an original car chase original. Also, finding something interesting for the cars and the people driving them to do; quite a challenge, but a truly talented director will be able to pull it off.

And I have to believe that one is out there somewhere, waiting to be discovered. Waiting for his chance to make the films he's had going through his head for ages. Just wait patiently, and give him time.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Quote of The Day-Dec. 20

2005-12-20T13:30:00.000-08:00

"I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." -Ettiene de Grellet

Be seeing you,
Steven

Word of The Day-Dec. 17

2005-12-17T15:08:00.000-08:00

ersatz: adj. Being an imitation or a substitute, usually an inferior one.

Be seeing you,
Steven

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

2005-12-16T17:47:00.000-08:00

THE BAD:
I just thought I'd take a moment to note the passing of the actor John Spencer. He had a heart attack earlier today; he would have been 59 next week. Spencer has been known for many character roles, the most prominent being Leo McGarry on NBC's television drama"The West Wing". This is the role I know him for, and he became an almost immediate favourite of mine while being introduced to the show through the DVDs. Farwell, John; you will be sorely missed.

THE GOOD:
And now for some cheerful news: Mom and I are officially moving. The deal was concluded just in the last couple of hours. The plan is to paint the new place, clean the carpets, and move our stuff over a bit at a time in the car, with the Big Move Itself (TM) happening in the window between Christmas and New Year's. I wanted one last Yuletide morn' in our basement suite.

THE UGLY:
Everything has to be packed:)

Be seeing you,
Steven

The Best Decision Ever Made

2005-12-14T14:19:00.000-08:00

At the time we make them, decisions can often seem small and insignificant. But if we look back I'm sure most of us can find a small choice we made which changed the direction of our lives. This was mine.

On a rainy Friday night in the fourth grade, I was browsing through the video store looking for something that my Mom and I could watch for our weekend treat. A certain movie caught my eye and I picked it up to read the blurb. Excited, I went to my mother who smiled and said, "I think you might like that." I made my choice right then. The film was Star Wars.

That night I was transported to a world where it seemed anything was possible: the world of science-fiction. The exhiliration I felt has been equalled by few other films and surpassed by almost none. A whole galaxy (pun intended) of stories was possible in this genre. I became determined to read all I could. I had always liked stories, but now I was hooked.

Not long after, I began watching Star Trek on television (I still remember the first episode I saw), and reading the tie-in novels for both franchises. I began branching out in my interests as well: The Lord of The Rings, Narnia, Sherlock Holmes, and even Shakespeare (!) all became part of my life. Even now, I can barely last twenty-four hours without a book to read. My love of reading and hearing stories gradually turned into the desire to tell my own. And so here I am, studying for a degree in creative writing.

The best decision I ever made was in the sci-fi aisle of the video store. It was small, unimportant, and insignificant. It also changed the course of my life. Just another lesson that few things are quite what they appear to be.

Be seeing you,
Steven

A Reunion

2005-11-28T18:49:00.000-08:00

As well as being converted to Batman, I've also been busy reuniting with a long-lost friend.

Superman is very much the hero of my youth. He was something I loved “back in the day”, when my own life was probably a lot simpler than it is right now. Superman was the ultimate childhood fantasy for me; he could do everything that I dreamed of doing and more. I really took to the fantastic aspects of the character and sometimes I really felt like I could just rip open my shirt and take off into the skies. Heck, I even had Mom make me a costume. Actually, it was two; the first one wasn’t that convincing as I recall!

Batman, on the other hand, whom I have only recently been made a fan of, is the hero of my maturity. He’s a complex character, with a deep psychology and a strong motivation for putting on the tights and cape. I can admire and explore the character in ways I just can’t do with Superman, who is basically just a modern-day transplant of ancient heroic myths.

Although others might know of other people who have taken a liking to Superman who are by all means mature and “grown up”, I really don’t know anyone who loves Superman the way I do. For me, it’s always a tremendous, exciting joy when the music swells, the shirt is opened, and the people of Metropolis are saved once again.

Here's to the Man of Steel.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Quote of The Day

2005-11-04T22:27:00.000-08:00

A bit of a hostorical lesson here:

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
gunpowder, treason and plot,
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,
'twas his intent
to blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below,
Poor old England to overthrow:
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, make the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
Hip hip hoorah!

Four hundred years ago tomorrow, folks. Just thought you'd like to know.

Be seeing you,
Steven

A New Geek-Out

2005-11-01T19:09:00.000-08:00

Well, folks, I've found a new fuel for my geekism. Those who know me, probably would never guess what it is.

It stalks the night, fighting on the side of righteousness and justice. It is a symbol, terrifying and elemental, to be respected or feared as you will. It is a hero, a myth, a legend for our time.

Its name...is Batman.

First off, some personal background with me and The Bat:

We have none. Except for Batman Begins (which I only just saw last Saturday) I haven't seen any Batman film in full. I guess it just never interested me before now. I don't know why, but I just got this urging--mostly based on word-of-mouth from here and from my friends--to go see the newest film. I went in with the mindset of "How can Batman be a superhero? He doesn't have any special powers; you can't be a superhero without special powers." Fortunately, I was proven right.

Batman is no superhero; giving him such a title would be demeaning. Not that superheroes can't be cool...but Batman is so much more. He has a history that can be explored, roots to his origin that go back deep into his childhood. I would place him in the Hall of Mythic Heroes, alongside Heracles or Perseus or Odysseus. Like Ducard said in the film: "If you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote youself to an ideal, and if they can't stop you, then you become something else entirely...a legend, Mr. Wayne."

Indeed, a major theme of the film is that Batman is something rather than someone. He is a legend, whose name is spoken with fear by criminals and with awe by the people. He is symbol for righting wrongs and bringing justice to the masses. I think it would be cool if the new series picked up on this thread and carried it as an arc for the character to go through. Nothing is certain of course, but judging from this first effort, Christopher Nolan and the gang have what it takes to make this franchise last for at least 3 more films without degenerating.

Batman is such an interesting character. Especially his title: "The Dark Knight". Traditionally, Darkness has been equated with evil or "badness", if you will; knights have been equated with justice, chivalry, bravery, and "goodness". So the fact that Batman has taken on a title which is such an oxymoron--and even dresses in black, traditionally a bad guy's colour--is something that I find endlessly fascinating. It almost makes him seem to be neither good nor bad, but a shade of grey. Almost--we know he's really a "good guy"...right? And I love how Batman (as a story concept, not the character) struggles with the important questions: What is justice? What is revenge? What is the fine line between the two and how close are you willing to get to it?

So I am now a Bat-fan. A newbie, to be sure, but still a fan. Here's to the Dark Knight of Gotham City.

Word of The Day

2005-10-30T22:08:00.000-08:00

diaphanous: adj. 1) Of such fine texture as to be transparent or translucent; 2) Characterized by delicacy of form; 3)Vague or insubstantial.

All my definitions come from www.yourDictionary.com, by the way.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Quote of The Day

2005-10-28T21:12:00.000-07:00

“I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” -Douglas Adams

Be seeing you,
Steven

My Crazy Self

2005-10-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

So I was thinking today, "Why not tell you something about myself?" This was something of a problem, since I had no clue what I would tell you. Still don't really, so this should be interesting.

Let's see, we can start with the boring stuff and get it out of the way. I'm a college student, aged 19, who lives in Vancouver, Canada; I live with my single mom in a basement suite with the main floor occupied by my grandparents. I have no pets, no girlfriend (yet), but I have some awesome buddies whom I love and who love me back...I hope.
My main interests are: reading, writing (real writing, not the kind they make you do in school), collecting DVDs (which I don't really have the funds for, but what the heck), singing, and hanging out with my friends. I'm also a geek. A really big geek. Thus, I am into a lot of science-fiction--with a little fantasy thrown in for good measure--including, but not limited to:

1) Star Trek
2) Star Wars
3) The Lord of The Rings (since BEFORE the films)
4) Firefly/Serenity
5) Babylon 5
6) Isaac Asimov
7) Dune

I am also into history and Shakespeare, classical music and Stuart McLean's "Vinyl Cafe" stories.

And now for something really big. Something I may not survive telling you about.

I'm a Christian.

No, that doesn't mean I'm going to be shoving the Bible in your face, or even thumping it around. I'm not going to tell you that you're going to hell if you don't agree with me. I won't be coming on here shoving this little cross I have dangling from my neck into your life. Pat Robertson's giving us enough of a bad name; I don't need to add to it.
It means simply this: I believe that there is a God. I believe that God created the universe, through millions of years of evolution, or in only six days of snapping His fingers, or however He chose to do it. I believe that this God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins and was raised from the dead three days later. I believe that this forgiveness is freely available to all who ask for it without deserving such a gift. I believe Jesus is alive and will return to this realm someday to bring about the New Jerusalem. I go to church. I take communion when it is passed around. I pray, muttering to the ceiling in the hope that someone's listening. I read my--well, I don't read my Bible as often as I should, but we all have stuff we need to work on.
I may pose some theological musings from time to time around here, but that's to be expected. I have theological musings every so often; why not share them?
My faith is part of who I am; it is practically my very centre. It's discouraging to me that it's so uncomfortable to share that faith with people who don't believe in God. But it's who I am and I must be true to that.

There's not much else to say really. That went OK, don't you think?

Be seeing you,
Steven

Word of The Day #1

2005-10-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

spry: adj. Lively, active, and brisk; vigorous.

A wonderful word that is vaguely demeaning to anyone you describe with it. Think about it: when we want to praise someone for being active and healthy, we use the word "spry". But we NEVER use it to describe anyone but the very old. And in our culture, aging is one of those things that we would do anything to avoid; elderly people are cared for, not respected. So when we give them a compliment, we usually tell them they're "spry for their age". It's one of those crazy little words that praises, yet connotatively insults at the same time.

Be seeing you,
Steven

Welcome To My Screwed-Up Corner of The Universe. Enjoy Your Stay!

2005-10-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

Hello,

My name's Steven and I will be your pilot for today, next week, and most of this decade. You are travelling on Tortured Soul Airlines (TSA for short) towards various insane destinations. I am sorry to report that we have had a number of cutbacks recently, so please take note of the following: the lack of air-sickness bags in the seat in front of you--you will not see a single one during the flight; and don't bother looking for the emergency exits, because they aren't there either; if the air pressure at your computer desk drops below a certain level, you're on your own. Once again, I apologise for the inconvenience. If you would please raise your keyboards to the upright position and fasten your seatbelts, we'll be taking off...NOW!

OK, on a slightly more serious level: this is a completely new experience for me. I post in an internet discussion forum on a fairly regular basis, but having my own quasi-private corner of the web is something altogether different. I don't know how regularly I'll be able to post on here, especially during the next couple of weeks. But hey, what does a term paper AND an oral presentation matter? We have to have priorities, right?;)

Hopefully, I'll be able to give you a clearer picture of me in time to come. It isn't all craziness and weird crap, I assure you. Well, most of it is, but not ALL. For right now, I've taken the leap.

Now all I have to do is learn to fly.

Be seeing you,
Steven