Archive

  • Weather for Reading, Weather for Writing

    Weather for Reading, Weather for Writing

    Rainy weather is the best for reading, I think. The cold and the wet outside isn’t inviting. There’s no work to be done beyond the front door, not if we can help it. Better to curl up on the couch with a good book and listen to the drumming of raindrops overhead as you sink… Read more

  • Ode to the Ant

    Ode to the Ant

    Behold the ant Small and squishy, or so they say Feeble and tiny, or so they claim And yet… Watch the ant work without ceasing Watch her climb and build and lift and strive Alone she is ended by the bottom of a shoe In her thousands she makes fodder of your toes Behold the… Read more

  • The Homegrown Charm of Amateur Theater

    When was the last live performance you saw? Not too long ago, my family and I saw a live radio play version of R.U.R.: Rossum’s Universal Robots at a local amateur theater. I am not an avid theater-goer, but seeing this performance gave me a new appreciation of the art, especially its homegrown incarnation. Amateur… Read more

  • Why I Like Dark Stories

    I like dark stories. I like stories that are grim and violent and seemingly hopeless. I like stories where the heroes are battered, bruised, beaten, foiled, and know great loss. I like stories filled with injustice and overwhelming evil trying to smother out the good. I don’t like the darkness for its own sake. It’s… Read more

  • Fluff is Good. We Need More Fluff.

    Fluff is Good. We Need More Fluff.

    Ever heard of a film called Sullivan’s Travels? It’s about a movie director who made his fame by making lighthearted comedies. He’s grown discontent with his reputation, and decides to strike out and make a serious picture, one that addresses the ills of society. The plan … goes wrong, to say the least (no spoilers!).… Read more

  • Fan Fiction: Not as Bad as It Sounds

    It’s the worst insult you can toss at a writer. It’s the deepest cut, the ultimate condemnation. This reads like bad fan fiction. Amateurish, incompetent, dubious, self-indulgent, outright moronic – these are the connotations those six words carry. Fan fiction is the respite of those who cannot write, but insist on doing so. Taking what… Read more