I recently had the opportunity to try yoga, through a class offered at work. Since I'd had to give up karate (an ankle injury meant I couldn't hold up to the high impact any more), I'd considered yoga or tai chi as possible alternatives to get some exercise, but hadn't taken the time to actively pursue either one. Then this chance dropped into my lap, and I was in the mood to try something new anyway.
At this writing, I've gone to two classes, and I've really enjoyed it so far. I've got my wife half-talked into trying it herself. The most interesting thing about it is that it's real exercise (my muscles definitely felt that second, more challenging, session in particular), but it's not what you'd think of as strenuous. We basically get into a variety of positions, some more difficult to hold than others, and try to relax into them. I'm sure there are more difficult positions for more advanced people, but that's the gist of it. It's almost like meditation with stretching.
One odd aspect of the class is that I'm the only man in it. That's kind of a mixed blessing. I'm sure some of the women would be more comfortable if the class was entirely female, but we'll all just have to live with it. It's not much of an issue, really, since there's not much interaction between us.
The same teacher is also doing a meditation class off site starting in February, and I'll probably sign up for that as well. I've been meditating on my own, but I might be able to pick up some useful tips by taking a class.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Recovering "Fear"
No, I wasn't so lucky as to actually recover what I'd written previously, but I have spent a fair amount of time rewriting this scenario in the last week, and I'm far happier with what I've done recently than I was with what I already had. The primary thing is that the player characters are so much more vibrant in the new version. I ended up only reconstructing two of the six original characters (who couldn't love a character nicknamed "Roadkill"?), and of those two, one of them is significantly different. I'm really pleased by the new characters.
Each of the characters has some kind of significant character flaw (which is why they're Outcasts or Renegades, as defined in the In Nomine universe), which I'd originally intended to base on six Buddhist hells I'd come across in my reading. Ultimately, I used only a few of them, but the ones I used work very well.
The Dark Shadows in-joke regarding NPC names enabled me to quickly reconstruct most of the worthwhile NPC background, though I did lose some depth that way, which I might take some time to rebuild in some form.
The main thing that's worth reconstructing is the dream research. I seriously doubt I can find everything again, but I remember how I was going to handle the familiar ones (dreams about falling, drowning, etc.), so that won't be hard to rewrite. However, I'd come across a web site that had all kinds of twisted dreams that I used in one form or another, and I don't know if I can find it again.
Another interesting point here is that it had taken me months to write what I had, and I just rewrote most of it in a single week, improving much of it, just by making a more focused effort. There's a lesson there worth remembering. And a significant part of the problem was that the reason it had taken so long was because I'd gotten bored with the original cast of player characters and had a hard time forcing myself back to finish the scenario. It would've been better to have realized that they were boring me and have the will to scrap what I'd already done for the sake of improving and finishing the scenario. Again, a lesson worth learning.
And now, to finally finish this and move on to new projects...
Each of the characters has some kind of significant character flaw (which is why they're Outcasts or Renegades, as defined in the In Nomine universe), which I'd originally intended to base on six Buddhist hells I'd come across in my reading. Ultimately, I used only a few of them, but the ones I used work very well.
The Dark Shadows in-joke regarding NPC names enabled me to quickly reconstruct most of the worthwhile NPC background, though I did lose some depth that way, which I might take some time to rebuild in some form.
The main thing that's worth reconstructing is the dream research. I seriously doubt I can find everything again, but I remember how I was going to handle the familiar ones (dreams about falling, drowning, etc.), so that won't be hard to rewrite. However, I'd come across a web site that had all kinds of twisted dreams that I used in one form or another, and I don't know if I can find it again.
Another interesting point here is that it had taken me months to write what I had, and I just rewrote most of it in a single week, improving much of it, just by making a more focused effort. There's a lesson there worth remembering. And a significant part of the problem was that the reason it had taken so long was because I'd gotten bored with the original cast of player characters and had a hard time forcing myself back to finish the scenario. It would've been better to have realized that they were boring me and have the will to scrap what I'd already done for the sake of improving and finishing the scenario. Again, a lesson worth learning.
And now, to finally finish this and move on to new projects...
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Losing "Fear"
I'd finally gotten back to working on the In Nomine scenario "Fear Itself" today while I was watching football, and somehow something went wrong with the disc it was on. I lost everything I'd done on it over the last several months.
Granted, I remember a fair amount of it, and the player characters were based on NPCs from a previous scenario (which I still have), but I'll have to re-do all of the player handouts, and some very detailed NPC subplotting will be lost. I'd dug up names for a large number of NPCs, most of whom were named for actors or characters from the old "Dark Shadows" soap opera as an in-joke, and that's all gone. I'd done a fair amount of research on dreams, which I'd just put into the document, and that's all gone. There were four particularly detailed NPCs, which I'll now have to reconstruct.
Worst of all, I don't really know how it happened. Everything had been working fine, and I'd saved it a couple of times in the hour or so before it happened. Sometimes things just happen.
I'm pleased that I didn't so much as utter a swear word in reaction. I'm upset about it, but I'm not throwing things, or falling into deep depression. Heck, maybe I can even make it better than it was, but it'll take time. At least I have the time, since I won't need it until DexCon this summer. I may as well start reconstructing...
Granted, I remember a fair amount of it, and the player characters were based on NPCs from a previous scenario (which I still have), but I'll have to re-do all of the player handouts, and some very detailed NPC subplotting will be lost. I'd dug up names for a large number of NPCs, most of whom were named for actors or characters from the old "Dark Shadows" soap opera as an in-joke, and that's all gone. I'd done a fair amount of research on dreams, which I'd just put into the document, and that's all gone. There were four particularly detailed NPCs, which I'll now have to reconstruct.
Worst of all, I don't really know how it happened. Everything had been working fine, and I'd saved it a couple of times in the hour or so before it happened. Sometimes things just happen.
I'm pleased that I didn't so much as utter a swear word in reaction. I'm upset about it, but I'm not throwing things, or falling into deep depression. Heck, maybe I can even make it better than it was, but it'll take time. At least I have the time, since I won't need it until DexCon this summer. I may as well start reconstructing...
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Failure as a Player
One thing I'd hoped to accomplish in 2007 was to function better as a player in roleplaying games. I hate to admit it, but I haven't done very well in that respect.
Pacing is problematic in many roleplaying sessions, and like many players, I get restless when nothing's happening, or things are happening too slowly. One of my main missions as a GM is to keep the events in a game moving at a pace that's enjoyable for the players. I'd like to think it's a job I do better than many GMs. Unfortunately, that means that I'm all the more frustrated when I feel it's not being done well when I'm a player.
I've seen players in some of my sessions doing a wonderful job of dealing with the situation when the pace is too slow for them. In fact, it's one of the signs I look for in the players to let me know that I (as GM) need to pick up the pace. A destructively bored player begins to do things that distract others from the game. A constructive bored player makes things happen that add to the game. For example, the player might initiate a conversation with a NPC or explore the setting while waiting for something more interesting to develop in the main plot. The point is that a good player can add to the overall enjoyability of the game even when he can't advance the overall plot. I know this, and yet I've been having trouble doing it. I'll have to try to do better this upcoming year.
Pacing is problematic in many roleplaying sessions, and like many players, I get restless when nothing's happening, or things are happening too slowly. One of my main missions as a GM is to keep the events in a game moving at a pace that's enjoyable for the players. I'd like to think it's a job I do better than many GMs. Unfortunately, that means that I'm all the more frustrated when I feel it's not being done well when I'm a player.
I've seen players in some of my sessions doing a wonderful job of dealing with the situation when the pace is too slow for them. In fact, it's one of the signs I look for in the players to let me know that I (as GM) need to pick up the pace. A destructively bored player begins to do things that distract others from the game. A constructive bored player makes things happen that add to the game. For example, the player might initiate a conversation with a NPC or explore the setting while waiting for something more interesting to develop in the main plot. The point is that a good player can add to the overall enjoyability of the game even when he can't advance the overall plot. I know this, and yet I've been having trouble doing it. I'll have to try to do better this upcoming year.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Mohammed the Friendly Bear Revisited
I wanted to better understand the Muslim point of view of the apparent conflict between Islam and western countries, so I decided to find some Muslim websites to try to see things from another side. Most of the sites I found were, not surprisingly, based in England, where they have a fair sized Muslim population. I learned a lot from this, finding some of it enlightening and some of it disturbing.
On the historical/political side, I have a better understanding of how they see their past political conflicts with western countries. I'll just say that I can see how they feel they were interfered with in some respects, and I'll leave it at that without trying to argue the merits of either side.
One particularly interesting discussion on a Muslim message board involved a non-Muslim asking about apostasy, which is when a Muslim decides to convert to another religion. The non-Muslim raised the question as to whether or not it's true that apostasy is punishable by death according to Islam. The bottom line is that yes, it's true, but that while strict Muslims would enforce it, more moderate Muslims generally would not.
One of the more illuminating responses explained that there was a historical reason for that position. At the time the Koran was written, it was common practice for men to infiltrate the opposing army, find out their plans, then return to their own side. So men would turn up to join their army, proclaim themselves to be Muslims, then leave with information. The reason for this rule wasn't spiritual; it was military, and common sense! I have a serious problem with the notion of putting someone to death based on spiritual doctrine, but I can understand the reasons for executing a spy in the course of war. The main problem here is that what was once a practical matter has become spiritual doctrine of a destructive nature.
On a different subject, one of the major conflicts between western values and Islam is political. In the west, we have the separation of church and state as a key principle for various reasons. In Islamic thought, there is no boundary between church and state. In fact, it's unacceptable and inconceivable to them that there could be such a boundary. From their point of view, it's the equivalent of saying that we'll only allow a leader to be in charge if he explicitly rejects morality!
I found multiple Muslim-based websites that took the position that, while western nations allow Muslims to worship freely in their countries, that's simply not enough. Those writers explained that Islam is as much political as it is spiritual, and that anything less than eventual implementation of sharia law is unacceptable. At the very least, they feel that a democracy that includes Muslims in their population should take Muslim sensibilities into account, requiring women to dress more modestly as a matter of law, for example. In multiple cases, they pointed out that one of the key differences between western values and Islamic values is that the west emphasizes individual freedom, where Islam places greater weight on the good of the community as a whole, at the expense of the individual if necessary.
A moderate Muslim believes that everyone will eventually convert to Islam, perhaps over a period of centuries, while an extremist believes that everyone should convert now. My main issue here is that many religions profess to having all of the answers, but that becomes a problem when the people of that religion insist on implementing their practices for all on this side of the afterlife. I want to stress that I'm not speaking exclusively about Islam when I say that.
Compromise between the sets of values is difficult at best, because some of the differences are so pronounced. It seems to me as though the best we're going to do in terms of compromise is to leave them to run their countries according to their values and run our countries according to ours. Frankly, the core values of most human beings are not terribly far apart, and I can't see why we can't live side by side with our different belief sets if we're willing to show some tolerance for other views and reasonable consideration for other sensibilities, but it's a difficult stretch when one set is so unwilling to compromise in some respects.
At the end of the day, I think intent has to be the measuring stick. Innocently allowing a group of Muslim children to name a toy Mohammed is obviously nothing more than a cultural mistake, at worst. Drawing a stick figure on a piece of paper, labeling it Mohammed, and mailing it to a mosque just to upset people is another thing entirely, and it's important that all people on both sides understand the distinction and operate accordingly. I can't think of any circumstance under which violence is justified based on a mere insult, even of the most extreme kind. That said, if you're going to intentionally insult someone else's core values, you'd better expect some kind of backlash in return.
I remember Sinead O'Connor tearing up a photograph of the Pope on Saturday Night Live many years ago and finding out that she was very upset at the reaction of many Catholics to her "artistic statement". It's worth noting that no Catholics rioted or called for her death, but it certainly had an impact on the commercial success of her musical career. As for the spiritual impact of her action, I don't think any of us on the corporeal plane get to judge.
On the historical/political side, I have a better understanding of how they see their past political conflicts with western countries. I'll just say that I can see how they feel they were interfered with in some respects, and I'll leave it at that without trying to argue the merits of either side.
One particularly interesting discussion on a Muslim message board involved a non-Muslim asking about apostasy, which is when a Muslim decides to convert to another religion. The non-Muslim raised the question as to whether or not it's true that apostasy is punishable by death according to Islam. The bottom line is that yes, it's true, but that while strict Muslims would enforce it, more moderate Muslims generally would not.
One of the more illuminating responses explained that there was a historical reason for that position. At the time the Koran was written, it was common practice for men to infiltrate the opposing army, find out their plans, then return to their own side. So men would turn up to join their army, proclaim themselves to be Muslims, then leave with information. The reason for this rule wasn't spiritual; it was military, and common sense! I have a serious problem with the notion of putting someone to death based on spiritual doctrine, but I can understand the reasons for executing a spy in the course of war. The main problem here is that what was once a practical matter has become spiritual doctrine of a destructive nature.
On a different subject, one of the major conflicts between western values and Islam is political. In the west, we have the separation of church and state as a key principle for various reasons. In Islamic thought, there is no boundary between church and state. In fact, it's unacceptable and inconceivable to them that there could be such a boundary. From their point of view, it's the equivalent of saying that we'll only allow a leader to be in charge if he explicitly rejects morality!
I found multiple Muslim-based websites that took the position that, while western nations allow Muslims to worship freely in their countries, that's simply not enough. Those writers explained that Islam is as much political as it is spiritual, and that anything less than eventual implementation of sharia law is unacceptable. At the very least, they feel that a democracy that includes Muslims in their population should take Muslim sensibilities into account, requiring women to dress more modestly as a matter of law, for example. In multiple cases, they pointed out that one of the key differences between western values and Islamic values is that the west emphasizes individual freedom, where Islam places greater weight on the good of the community as a whole, at the expense of the individual if necessary.
A moderate Muslim believes that everyone will eventually convert to Islam, perhaps over a period of centuries, while an extremist believes that everyone should convert now. My main issue here is that many religions profess to having all of the answers, but that becomes a problem when the people of that religion insist on implementing their practices for all on this side of the afterlife. I want to stress that I'm not speaking exclusively about Islam when I say that.
Compromise between the sets of values is difficult at best, because some of the differences are so pronounced. It seems to me as though the best we're going to do in terms of compromise is to leave them to run their countries according to their values and run our countries according to ours. Frankly, the core values of most human beings are not terribly far apart, and I can't see why we can't live side by side with our different belief sets if we're willing to show some tolerance for other views and reasonable consideration for other sensibilities, but it's a difficult stretch when one set is so unwilling to compromise in some respects.
At the end of the day, I think intent has to be the measuring stick. Innocently allowing a group of Muslim children to name a toy Mohammed is obviously nothing more than a cultural mistake, at worst. Drawing a stick figure on a piece of paper, labeling it Mohammed, and mailing it to a mosque just to upset people is another thing entirely, and it's important that all people on both sides understand the distinction and operate accordingly. I can't think of any circumstance under which violence is justified based on a mere insult, even of the most extreme kind. That said, if you're going to intentionally insult someone else's core values, you'd better expect some kind of backlash in return.
I remember Sinead O'Connor tearing up a photograph of the Pope on Saturday Night Live many years ago and finding out that she was very upset at the reaction of many Catholics to her "artistic statement". It's worth noting that no Catholics rioted or called for her death, but it certainly had an impact on the commercial success of her musical career. As for the spiritual impact of her action, I don't think any of us on the corporeal plane get to judge.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
I enjoyed the earlier version starring Gene Wilder, but I'm also a big Tim Burton/Johnny Depp fan, and had to see how the two compared, so I picked this one up via Netflix. I haven't read the source material, so I can't intelligently comment regarding which was more faithful to it. As I understand it, Tim Burton was a huge fan of the original book and was appalled by the differences between the book and the first movie version, which is why he wanted to make another one.
All things considered, the earlier version was probably more accessible to most audiences, and the pacing was better (Tim Burton's version suffers from slow spots, especially in the beginning). However, I think I prefer the Tim Burton version overall.
I didn't enjoy the music very much in either version. The songs were catchier in the original, but the Oompa Loompas are less annoying in the newer version. The special effects were obviously far better in the newer version.
I liked both Willy Wonkas, though I preferred Johnny Depp's more disturbing take on the character. Many critics felt that the parental subplot in Burton's version was unnecessary. I completely disagree. That subplot made sense of Depp's peculiar take on Wonka without taking up too much screen time.
The performances by most of the kids were better in the newer version, except that I preferred the original Charlie.
Most significantly, I far preferred the ending of the newer version. In the original version, Charlie misbehaves just as the other kids do, though he's able to save himself from serious consequences. In the newer version, not only does Charlie behave himself, he truly earns his reward at the end, and it's more satisfying.
Call this one a seven on a 1-10 scale. I'd cheerfully have given it another one or two points if the overall pacing had been better.
All things considered, the earlier version was probably more accessible to most audiences, and the pacing was better (Tim Burton's version suffers from slow spots, especially in the beginning). However, I think I prefer the Tim Burton version overall.
I didn't enjoy the music very much in either version. The songs were catchier in the original, but the Oompa Loompas are less annoying in the newer version. The special effects were obviously far better in the newer version.
I liked both Willy Wonkas, though I preferred Johnny Depp's more disturbing take on the character. Many critics felt that the parental subplot in Burton's version was unnecessary. I completely disagree. That subplot made sense of Depp's peculiar take on Wonka without taking up too much screen time.
The performances by most of the kids were better in the newer version, except that I preferred the original Charlie.
Most significantly, I far preferred the ending of the newer version. In the original version, Charlie misbehaves just as the other kids do, though he's able to save himself from serious consequences. In the newer version, not only does Charlie behave himself, he truly earns his reward at the end, and it's more satisfying.
Call this one a seven on a 1-10 scale. I'd cheerfully have given it another one or two points if the overall pacing had been better.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Religion and Politics
Is it just me, or are these two topics crossing over a whole lot more than usual in the past few years?
Why are some candidates for the presidency of the United States having to answer so many questions regarding their religious affiliation? What happened to the concept of a separation of church and state in this country?
When one is making moral decisions, your spiritual belief set is bound to come into that decision making process. I understand that. I also understand that if someone shares a religious affiliation with you, there's a pretty good chance you'll agree on the results of the decision making process, but that's no guarantee, contrary to what a lot of people seem to believe. I want to see what a person does, not what they say, or what labels they have stuck to them, before I'd consider voting for them.
It worries me that many people seem to be looking for an easy litmus test to decide their choice of candidate. The president has to make too many choices on various subjects for voters to support them on the basis of one issue. What good is it to make your choice based on one issue that's important to you if that candidate is against everything else you believe in? It's a more complex decision than that, and should be approached accordingly. A general agreement on religious affiliation is stronger than a one issue agreement, and so it would be a better basis for a choice of candidate, but I've seen enough people who claim a particular belief set without actually living their lives according to it to be a bit skeptical until I see the choices that person actually makes.
On the other side of the coin, if someone has a different religious affiliation than I do, but makes a lot of choices I agree with, I have no problem with voting for him/her.
To focus on one particular candidate for a moment, here are some reasons I could not support Huckabee for president. First, he spends $30k to make a commercial attacking the record of another candidate, then he decides not to use it. This does not demonstrate the fiscal responsibility I want to see from the president. Then, he brings the press in and shows them that commercial to demonstrate how he's taking the moral high ground by not using it. Except that he is using it, because the press is, by nature of what they do, going to publish information about the content of the not-being-used commercial, which means that he isn't truly taking the high ground at all. In fact, I trust him a good deal less now because these actions show that he's deluding himself or trying to delude others, and either way it doesn't give me confidence in him.
It also bothers me that he was quoted as saying that he wanted to take this country back for Christ. What about the many non-Christians who live here? Doesn't the president work for everybody in the United States? After eight years of George W. saying that God is on our side, I'm sure our Muslim friends who perceive the U.S. as being at war with Islam would appreciate it if we followed up with a new president who has publicly announced that he'd like to take the U.S. back for Christ.
It's a delicate time. I'm glad that so many people in the world seem to be getting more interested in spiritual issues, but it concerns me that that interest seems to be resulting in people choosing sides on which to fight when we should be focusing on what we have in common to resolve conflicts instead of making them worse. Are people looking for real spirituality or clear and easy answers in a confusing world?
Why are some candidates for the presidency of the United States having to answer so many questions regarding their religious affiliation? What happened to the concept of a separation of church and state in this country?
When one is making moral decisions, your spiritual belief set is bound to come into that decision making process. I understand that. I also understand that if someone shares a religious affiliation with you, there's a pretty good chance you'll agree on the results of the decision making process, but that's no guarantee, contrary to what a lot of people seem to believe. I want to see what a person does, not what they say, or what labels they have stuck to them, before I'd consider voting for them.
It worries me that many people seem to be looking for an easy litmus test to decide their choice of candidate. The president has to make too many choices on various subjects for voters to support them on the basis of one issue. What good is it to make your choice based on one issue that's important to you if that candidate is against everything else you believe in? It's a more complex decision than that, and should be approached accordingly. A general agreement on religious affiliation is stronger than a one issue agreement, and so it would be a better basis for a choice of candidate, but I've seen enough people who claim a particular belief set without actually living their lives according to it to be a bit skeptical until I see the choices that person actually makes.
On the other side of the coin, if someone has a different religious affiliation than I do, but makes a lot of choices I agree with, I have no problem with voting for him/her.
To focus on one particular candidate for a moment, here are some reasons I could not support Huckabee for president. First, he spends $30k to make a commercial attacking the record of another candidate, then he decides not to use it. This does not demonstrate the fiscal responsibility I want to see from the president. Then, he brings the press in and shows them that commercial to demonstrate how he's taking the moral high ground by not using it. Except that he is using it, because the press is, by nature of what they do, going to publish information about the content of the not-being-used commercial, which means that he isn't truly taking the high ground at all. In fact, I trust him a good deal less now because these actions show that he's deluding himself or trying to delude others, and either way it doesn't give me confidence in him.
It also bothers me that he was quoted as saying that he wanted to take this country back for Christ. What about the many non-Christians who live here? Doesn't the president work for everybody in the United States? After eight years of George W. saying that God is on our side, I'm sure our Muslim friends who perceive the U.S. as being at war with Islam would appreciate it if we followed up with a new president who has publicly announced that he'd like to take the U.S. back for Christ.
It's a delicate time. I'm glad that so many people in the world seem to be getting more interested in spiritual issues, but it concerns me that that interest seems to be resulting in people choosing sides on which to fight when we should be focusing on what we have in common to resolve conflicts instead of making them worse. Are people looking for real spirituality or clear and easy answers in a confusing world?
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Happy New Year!
I don't know that starting the year with a post of bit and pieces is a good idea, but it's what's on my mind at the moment.
Here's to Doc Aether and his bride-to-be, with whom my wife and I shared a post-Christmas lunch. We don't see each other in person often, but it's always a pleasure when we do.
I stand corrected on my previous post re: Madonna and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I found out that Gwen Stefani acknowledges Madonna as a musical influence, and I can see that. I still don't think Madonna belongs, but that's at least one contradictory piece of evidence.
Christmas isn't a one day thing for me. It's a marathon of at least a week, getting together with various family members and friends, local and otherwise. I'm sure it's getting to be more and more that way for everyone.
One of my sisters gifted me with an MP3 player, so I'm finally going to join the world of musical downloads. I'm sure there'll be a learning curve while I figure out how to use the thing and where to find music I'll enjoy.
My other sister bought me a desk catapult. I already have the best desk toys at work; this should build on that reputation.
My niece and nephew were noticeably more personally friendly this year. I think they're old enough now to understand where some of the presents are coming from. :-)
This was more of a clothing Christmas than usual for me, which I'm happy with. Remember when you were a kid and hated getting clothing for Christmas?
My mother asked what my wife got me for Christmas. When I explained that two of the main gifts were a demon skull and an 18 inch talking Pinhead figure, she just shook her head. In spite of my spiritual inclinations, I've always enjoyed creepy images, going back to when I was very young. As a kid in my single digit years, I had these Styrofoam airplanes called Freaky Fliers that included images like a disembodied flying eyeball, and a small plastic figure of something called Rat Fink (see Ed "Big Daddy" Roth if you want a visual) that was given to me by an uncle. I haven't figured out why I've always had an affinity for images that most people would find creepy; it's just been part of me as far back as I can remember.
Books are big for me almost every year, and this year was no exception. Philosophy, psychology, and biography were this year's subjects. Now what I need is time to read.
Gift cards are fine to receive as gifts so you can get whatever you want, and they're certainly convenient for the buyer, but there's little point in trading them with family members who clearly don't get each other. I don't know a good solution to the problem other than choosing not to buy them for others yourself or acknowledging that you can't buy well for each other and agreeing not to exchange gifts. On the other hand, there are some people who are tough to buy for, and who likes to be on the receiving end of a poorly conceived gift?
I went to see the Sweeney Todd movie with some family members. I'll admit up front that I'm a Tim Burton fan, but I must say that this is some of his best work. The acting performances are excellent, almost across the board. Highly recommended! I'm afraid there might be too much blood for mainstream success, though.
I've signed up for a yoga class beginning in mid-January. I didn't seek this out. It was offered at work, and I just thought it might be interesting to try. Even if it's a mistake, at least it'll be an interesting mistake.
I'm feeling an inclination to play music again, which has been missing for several years now. My musical discussions with one of my step nephews, who is just starting to get serious about playing, are probably an influence here, though I don't think that's all of it. On the other hand, I don't have the time or any other musicians I know who are likely to want to play as little as I would. Once a month would be cool. I already have too much on my plate, so I'll have to give this time and see if the urge passes or builds. I might want to get out my bass and try to get back into practice in case I decide to start playing again. I still have no interest in playing in public again; I'd just want to do it for fun.
I'm still struggling a bit finishing the roleplaying scenario "Fear Itself". I wrote the scenario first and I'm writing the characters afterward, which is the reverse of my usual process, and maybe that has something to do with it.
I really want to see the New England Patriots lose. They're a fine team, and certainly deserve to win this year's NFL championship, but they've already spent too much time on top of the heap and I don't like to see anyone in professional sports win every game. If I could write the story, I'd like to see them lose to the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl, then see Brett Favre retire as a winner. I've got a feeling that's not gonna happen, though.
Hope you all had good holidays. And now, back to the regularly scheduled program...
Here's to Doc Aether and his bride-to-be, with whom my wife and I shared a post-Christmas lunch. We don't see each other in person often, but it's always a pleasure when we do.
I stand corrected on my previous post re: Madonna and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I found out that Gwen Stefani acknowledges Madonna as a musical influence, and I can see that. I still don't think Madonna belongs, but that's at least one contradictory piece of evidence.
Christmas isn't a one day thing for me. It's a marathon of at least a week, getting together with various family members and friends, local and otherwise. I'm sure it's getting to be more and more that way for everyone.
One of my sisters gifted me with an MP3 player, so I'm finally going to join the world of musical downloads. I'm sure there'll be a learning curve while I figure out how to use the thing and where to find music I'll enjoy.
My other sister bought me a desk catapult. I already have the best desk toys at work; this should build on that reputation.
My niece and nephew were noticeably more personally friendly this year. I think they're old enough now to understand where some of the presents are coming from. :-)
This was more of a clothing Christmas than usual for me, which I'm happy with. Remember when you were a kid and hated getting clothing for Christmas?
My mother asked what my wife got me for Christmas. When I explained that two of the main gifts were a demon skull and an 18 inch talking Pinhead figure, she just shook her head. In spite of my spiritual inclinations, I've always enjoyed creepy images, going back to when I was very young. As a kid in my single digit years, I had these Styrofoam airplanes called Freaky Fliers that included images like a disembodied flying eyeball, and a small plastic figure of something called Rat Fink (see Ed "Big Daddy" Roth if you want a visual) that was given to me by an uncle. I haven't figured out why I've always had an affinity for images that most people would find creepy; it's just been part of me as far back as I can remember.
Books are big for me almost every year, and this year was no exception. Philosophy, psychology, and biography were this year's subjects. Now what I need is time to read.
Gift cards are fine to receive as gifts so you can get whatever you want, and they're certainly convenient for the buyer, but there's little point in trading them with family members who clearly don't get each other. I don't know a good solution to the problem other than choosing not to buy them for others yourself or acknowledging that you can't buy well for each other and agreeing not to exchange gifts. On the other hand, there are some people who are tough to buy for, and who likes to be on the receiving end of a poorly conceived gift?
I went to see the Sweeney Todd movie with some family members. I'll admit up front that I'm a Tim Burton fan, but I must say that this is some of his best work. The acting performances are excellent, almost across the board. Highly recommended! I'm afraid there might be too much blood for mainstream success, though.
I've signed up for a yoga class beginning in mid-January. I didn't seek this out. It was offered at work, and I just thought it might be interesting to try. Even if it's a mistake, at least it'll be an interesting mistake.
I'm feeling an inclination to play music again, which has been missing for several years now. My musical discussions with one of my step nephews, who is just starting to get serious about playing, are probably an influence here, though I don't think that's all of it. On the other hand, I don't have the time or any other musicians I know who are likely to want to play as little as I would. Once a month would be cool. I already have too much on my plate, so I'll have to give this time and see if the urge passes or builds. I might want to get out my bass and try to get back into practice in case I decide to start playing again. I still have no interest in playing in public again; I'd just want to do it for fun.
I'm still struggling a bit finishing the roleplaying scenario "Fear Itself". I wrote the scenario first and I'm writing the characters afterward, which is the reverse of my usual process, and maybe that has something to do with it.
I really want to see the New England Patriots lose. They're a fine team, and certainly deserve to win this year's NFL championship, but they've already spent too much time on top of the heap and I don't like to see anyone in professional sports win every game. If I could write the story, I'd like to see them lose to the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl, then see Brett Favre retire as a winner. I've got a feeling that's not gonna happen, though.
Hope you all had good holidays. And now, back to the regularly scheduled program...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)