tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21898317192468547342024-03-05T14:32:04.134-06:00Scott's Stories, Reviews & BlogWhatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.comBlogger141125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-2722729540691992402016-11-18T10:38:00.001-06:002016-11-18T10:38:55.817-06:00Bathroom Tile
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Hello! I haven't posted anything for quite a while so if you did follow me, I'm sorry for the abrupt lapse of nothingness. I've dabbled in writing short stories, novels, etc while absent and decided to post one of the short stories here. If you do read it through, feel free to leave feedback if the urge presents itself. This story is roughly 3K words in length. Here is: Bathroom Tile</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="" name="OLE_LINK2"></a><a href="" name="OLE_LINK5"></a><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;">There’s no mystery about it, I have a loose wall tile in my bathroom
that keeps falling off. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I won’t
yammer on though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll get
straight to it.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
have a couple of glue options to hold this rebellious tile up. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them is an off brand called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Super Duper Stuff</i> I got free by way of
some promotion years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used
it once, but it can’t hold two sheets of paper together so going with the other
glue makes the most sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
problem there is it’s dried out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just
great, I’ll have to go with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Super Duper</i>.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;">I forgot
that it stinks like old tomatoes as I dab some of it onto the beige wall tile
and stick it to the empty space like the final piece of the easiest puzzle I’d
ever done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to be satisfied
with a job well done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll
see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tidy up the bathroom and
that’s the end of it.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As
I shower, three days later, the tile falls off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It clatters on the tub floor as my body stiffens, hoping it
doesn’t break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll give credit
where it’s due – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Super Duper Stuff </i>gets
none.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t shock me.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After
I step out of the tub I notice the spot where <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Super Duper</i> failed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
blink, thinking it’s my vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No, I see a black space, staring right at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now what is that?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;">The dark
blot is nine by nine inches and shaking my nerves while an icy chill blows from
the black void as if it were an open freezer door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cool wind laps at my nether regions so I put on my
pajamas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sit on the edge of the
tub, looking down at my new air conditioning vent as my fingernails chill in
the current.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cold air reminds
me of winter, which doesn’t make sense considering it’s July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kitchen is on the other side of the
wall, making this frigid breeze baffle me more.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
look down to find the stubborn tile lying unbroken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I look back up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How did this black space get here though?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to test the shadowy opening by sticking my hand in,
but my gut urges otherwise and I trust my gut like a best friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s nothing to see in the square
hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No lights, wires, or pipes –
empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using the towel rack, I
pull while my legs lift my girth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Time to check the kitchen.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luckily,
the wall is bare on the adjoining side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No black square.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Relief smiles at me as I
go back to the bathroom to have another look at the starless black hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well I’ll be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All that’s there are the dried remains of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Super Duper</i> glue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
touch it – solid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m fifty-six
years old and have never had a single delusion in life, but what I just saw or
thought I saw broke my lifelong streak of being sane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pushing that dark space from my mind feels impossible, but
I’ll try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I leave the wall as is
for the night.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
next day I don’t put the tile back up right away, which bothers me because I
like to see things complete and in order.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s the pitch-blackness I want to see again, but I don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever it is must be my
imagination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem here is,
I don’t have an imagination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
cave in, go out and buy some real glue then try again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, I clean off the surface of
the blank spot and put a thicker layer of glue on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I open the window after I finish to let the stench
vacate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do they make all glues
stink?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
have lunch while watching the news when a faint tapping noise catches my
ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ignore it at first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very little can stop a hungry man from
eating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t stop
though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think of a dripping faucet
and you’ll get the idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finish
my meal because cold food is for Eskimos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The tapping seems like it’s coming from the kitchen, which is fine by me
I have to go there anyway to wash my dishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pass by the bathroom and hear soft tapping, but first I
need to take care of these dishes.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On my way back, I stop outside the open
doorway to the bathroom as a case of the jitters grabs me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tapping doesn’t sound right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I step inside, slowly while looking
straight at the trouble tile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
jiggling like a sledge is pounding on the other side, but there’s only a light
tap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I take a step closer a
puff of cold air touches my exposed leg and again after each jiggle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s causing that?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This
marks the second time in life that I see something that can’t be real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many strikes before the men in
white clothes show up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe
what I can see and I can <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">see</i> that
tile wiggle just as I had <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">seen</i> the
dark void behind it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uh oh Larry.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
sit on the edge of the tub, leaning over while pressing my finger against the
jiggling tile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A weak vibration
coming from the other side warns my fingertip, but it stops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My finger comes back as there is no
further movement and the tile fits in with its neighbors once more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not missing any vegetables from my
cornucopia after all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No strike
three for me.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;">Straining
to push myself up, the mirror shows me something that sucks the breath from my
lungs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a thin, black stream
of liquid trailing down from the mischievous tile to the tub floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I twist around, but it’s gone so make
it three strikes for my “going crazy” card.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back in the mirror, I stare at the same spot the wormy,
black line had been, but it doesn’t show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Am I seeing things or not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This concerns me.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>At
night as I strip down before lumbering into the tub I swear a delicate tap
knocks on the tile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wait, but
there are no further taps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About
halfway through soaping I hear a distinct tap, which precedes the clatter of my
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">favorite</i> tile onto the tub
floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I glance behind me to see
the black, drafty space has returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>An appointment would have been nice.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;">I finish
the shower quickly, towel off and put on pajamas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stare at the mysterious hole, finding it no longer amazes
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s irritating me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s keeping my bathroom from being
clean!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;">Grabbing
the toilet plunger, I twist off the wooden handle and don’t waste time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sit on the edge of the tub, gazing
into the little, black window that keeps appearing like a nervous thief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The stick passes into the darkness as
cool air blows in exchange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t
complain about the free cooling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
shake the handle once it’s in far enough, but nothing happens and the cold wind
stops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am seeing this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m alert, sober and fully aware of
everything around me, the men in white coats aren’t here yet.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
frigid breeze huffs on my hand, pauses then huffs again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rhythmically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Panic squeezes my chest, but I don’t give in, not while I
hear the – breathing.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;">The fear
puffing onto my skin has me tense as my hand grips the stick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I try to take it out, carefully, but
the handle burns my palm when something yanks it into the gaping, black
mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see nothing in the void.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Paralyzed,
I sit with my hand clenched as if still holding the stick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Snapping to, I feel dread pulsing in my
veins while standing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A distant
gnawing, coming from the dark space, fills the silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is it?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;">My ears
reaching out, trying to listen can only pick up some kind of biting frenzy like
being in between radio stations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
stops as I peer at the blackness.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK2;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Out
shoots the wooden handle like a stick running away from a dog and clacks
against the sink vanity beside me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I stare at the plunger handle, noticing a gooey green substance covering
the chewed parts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Disgust washes
over me, as I smell something like rotten cabbage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thinking it’s the slime, I want to throw away the
gnarled stick, but one more peek at the wall can’t hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The black space is gone, again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I refuse admitting that a brief terror
had rattled me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pick up the
stick by the opposite end, holding a wad of toilet paper under it to catch any
dripping snot, go to the kitchen and throw it in the garbage bin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many strikes now?</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><a href="" name="OLE_LINK3"></a><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;">The
next morning, I take out the kitchen trash first thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t believe I forgot to the
previous night!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, in the
bathroom, I’m staring at the wall with its one missing tile, thinking whatever
bit deep little gashes in that handle might try to test its luck again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want to put the tile back up
with glue. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not
working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I’ll go with
cement.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;">I patch up the eyesore on the wall in no time
and while it’s an easy job, I don’t like the look of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the hairdryer that once belonged
to my beloved wife, God bless her soul, I use it to speed up the drying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later I can touch the cement up with a
bit of beige paint to make it look halfway decent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The important thing is to seal up the black spot once and
for all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I admire my work, tidy up
and that’s that.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It
starts to dawn on me the men in white coats are closer than I think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I don’t see the black hole again, I
know I’ll be fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what I
want, my ordered life once more marching along like honorable soldiers doing
their duty for our great country the U.S. of A.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
following night, while smack dab in the middle of my shower, I hear a clear
tapping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I trust the homemade
barrier I’d made so continue soaping when a loud knock shakes my soul. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Startled, I angle my head around to the cement piece, which
is trembling like a battering ram is on the other side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s strong, but how resistant will it
be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bunting keeps coming.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Water
droplets are splattering everywhere as I find staring at the shaking cement
piece, numbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The construction
pauses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I listen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fear whatever is on the other side
has gone to get a better tool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just as I turn to finish my shower, a heavy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">crack</i> sends my sanity into a blender.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I twist back around while catching an eyeful of pressured
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blinking and rubbing the
sting away I see a thin line angling diagonally from corner to corner on the
failing cement piece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With another
powerful <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">crack</i>, the blackness returns
as the cement dives to the tub floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The men in white coats are on my doorstep.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>All
I see is a blur shooting out from the dark gap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my alarm I fall sideways, landing with a painful thud on
the tub floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hip feels like
its getting pinched, but that’s probably Larry’s homemade tile suffocating
under my fat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I scrunch back
against the faucet as I see, for the first time, a lean charcoal colored arm
reaching from the wall with claws as gold as the sun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Terror chilled my bones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s searching.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">It has
an opposable thumb with three long fingers sniffing about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inner greed suggests I try to collect
the golden claws, but I send the thought away when the burnt looking arm with
the expensive claws begins extending further into my world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can sit tight and hope it doesn’t
find me or I can act.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Leaning
forward while trying to avoid any eyes peeking from the dark abyss, I reach out
with both hands. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I clamp my strong hands onto the
foreign arm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s rougher to the
touch than it looks, but I don’t let go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No screech, shriek or yell comes, as I hold tight to it, which feels
odd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that this entire scene
doesn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does the thing have the
capability to make noise?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Standing
up while holding the creature proves difficult given my size and a slick floor
beneath me with water beating down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My plan is to break the intruding arm at the elbow, hoping it retreats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The arm isn’t very thick so it’s worth
a try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wall, acting as my
leverage, helps me get into position and to my surprise just as I’m ready to
snap the creature’s arm like a twig – it relents trying to shake me loose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has it given up, knowing I’m stronger?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The
inaction of the rough arm breaks my concentration as the coarse brown hair on
it begins to rise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want to
know what this means.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s too
late.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A dozen tiny pricks snap my
hands open as the porcupine-like quills do their work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pull my hands up, looking at them, expecting
little red beads all over my palms, but there’s not one puncture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My rough hands are worth something.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I look
down, but the arm must have slinked back into the dark hole when I examined my
hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cold air pumps from the
blackness as I turn off the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I keep my eyes on the shadowy square, wondering what it’s doing in
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cool wind is chilling
my naked body so as I try to step out of the tub, the savage arm with its
golden claw open comes out of the forbidding void like a striking snake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can only hold my forearm up to block
the frantic attack while the brilliant claws slash, leaving three nasty streaks
of deep red behind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
roared.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The
attacking arm hesitates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grabbing the arm, my hands
are like two steel traps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anger
pushes me like a demanding coach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You got to want it, Keepers!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Again, there’s no sound from the thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I try to snap the struggling arm, but I can’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know what is to come this time so
with my other arm I reach for something – anything – I can get at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hand closes on a slick bar of
soap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’ll do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the fragrant weapon in hand,
gripping it firm, I slam it onto the creature’s arm a couple times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What am I doing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel the arm jerk more
hectically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Success!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I keep smashing until I hear a sizzling
noise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now what?<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Breathing
deep, I hold the soap back, seeing the cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bubbles on the dark skin, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pop</i>, forming a soupy texture while an acidic vapor fills the
air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My eyes begin to water, I
loosen my grip, and the arm retracts back into the black hole like a toy doll’s
string.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I wipe
my eyes with my forearm that doesn’t have any scratches on it then look at the
soap, which has a grayish liquid on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The burning in my eyes is too much so I toss the soap down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What kind of reaction is this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get out of the tub and open the
window as refreshing warm air breathes in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With blood running down my forearm, I stare at the wall
while it performs a new trick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
hope the front door is locked because the men in white coats will want to see
this.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
grout lines begin to darken into an inky black like the dark shadowy
square.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spontaneous mildew!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The black gelatin pushes through the
lines very slowly like molasses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The hole wants to widen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fear knocks at my door, but I don’t answer.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
wrap up my forearm with a hand towel and put on my pajamas in a hurry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I can wash the stuff off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I use the detachable showerhead to
spray the goop, but the water only beads on it then anger gives me a
shove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stop dirtying up my
bathroom!<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I slam
the showerhead onto the tub floor, regretting the action, but push forward
anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a quick swipe of my
finger against the black gel, I jerk my hand away like as if something bit
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The black substance sticks to
my fingertip so I turn to the sink for help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What am I doing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Cold water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hot water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t matter!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dark goo doesn’t wash off no matter
how hard I scrub.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I glance up into
the foggy mirror as I’m scratching at my fingertip like it has the worst itch
when my forearm begins to tingle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With my unclean hand, I wipe away the sight hindering cloud on the
mirror and to my surprise the black goop stuck to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There isn’t a trace of it on my finger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Relief patted me on the back.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">However,
I don’t want this filth to spread throughout my home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can I do about it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I try to calm down when I notice the black gel on the wall
stopping its advance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
better, but the tingling in my forearm begins to burn as I look down at the
three little slashes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I pop
open the medicine cabinet, grabbing the peroxide then pouring it over the
wounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It stings like an ex
wife’s kiss while a low hiss escapes from my lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it doesn’t hurt, it’s not working.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I turn
and lean against the sink vanity, staring at the dark lines receding into the
wall and disappearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder if
it has something to do with the peroxide?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The original dark spot remains though like a ghost that can’t move onto
the next life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
black streak on the mirror dares me so I try the peroxide on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It remains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My nerves are spent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I bandage up my arm properly, dispose of the grayish acidic smelling bar
of soap into an empty jar then toss it in the garbage bin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Returning to the bathroom, I tidy up
and try a couple different cleaners on the mirror, but none of them work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll have to leave it as is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want to, but I’m tired and out
of ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The men in white coats
are making noise outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ll
have to wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shut and lock the
bathroom door then try to get some sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
the morning, I check the bathroom to see someone had shut the door on the other
side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dark spot is gone as
well as the black streak on the mirror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It helps me regain some sanity to see a bare patch of wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still have a handle on the situation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">There is
no episode as I shower this night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I look into the mirror, combing the few hairs I have left on my head,
the black streak appears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I glance
down at the bare spot on the tiled wall in the reflection and it’s still just
an empty spot that needs fixing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Okay, at least it’s just the one – for now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I look back at the black streak, seeing something in
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I move my head closer, and see
dark rolling waves crashing into jagged rocks in a forbidden sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stare for a short time then glance
over at the hairdryer, neatly stored on the shelf next to the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel cold.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">What if
I end up there?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All it would take
is a black hole large enough to swallow me up while I shower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’d only take one of those gruesome
arms to pull me in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I might
consider paneling, but I’ll wait first.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">One week
later.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My
forearm itches all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
three scratch marks have scabbed over, but it’s very thin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once, a few days ago, my nerves played
me wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I looked at the three
lines ripped into my skin, I swear the dark goop I had seen on the bathroom
wall was beneath my skin, snaking around like squiggly worms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I keep a close eye on it now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
have put the tile back up and it hasn’t fallen off yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There hasn’t been any tapping coming
from it either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The black streak
on the mirror shows up sometimes, but I ignore it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not out of my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe strange things can happen to anyone.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">No
monster is going to chase me from my home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK6;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK4;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK3;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">THE END<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-34331979794128683032015-03-31T04:09:00.001-05:002015-03-31T04:09:30.935-05:00The Poison Belt – Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Author – </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</span></div>
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A review of <i>The Poison Belt</i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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I liked it, only because love is such a strong word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As far as sequels go this doesn’t fall
off the map but rather holds its own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course leaping from the map would be an option in avoiding <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Poison Belt</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, even in death,
can never escape from that masterful detective we all know of but the crew he’s
assembled in these ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Challenger</i>’ books
are a worthy second banana in my book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It brings me genuine comfort to read about the boisterous Professor Challenger,
the cranky old Summerlee, that great hunter Lord John Roxton and our journalist
Ed Malone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Naturally I was excited
to see what they were up to in this second go around.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Knowing
there were more ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Challenger</i>’ books
following this one it was shocking to read that the entire human race and
animal kingdom had died. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really
wondered where this story was going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Was the next adventure to be a zombie apocalypse?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you imagine Doyle writing
that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drool at the arguments
between Challenger and Summerlee, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Clearly
my close minded friend a human in such a state will revert to its primal
instincts and seek the savory flesh of we who are not them!</i>”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Once
again my hairy friend you don’t see that such a reanimation is impossible in
every way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is to…</i>” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All of us being engrossed in the debate left
us unaware of one of the dead creeping up behind Summerlee and ripping flesh
from his neck in the vilest of ways</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At any rate I suppose that had to be the proverbial hook for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What happens now if everyone is dead?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
As it turns out everyone had been
suffering from a condition that basically slows your heartbeat to unreadable
levels and shuts down the body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With each farfetched happening that came to be its Doyle’s ability to
carefully write out of it and bring the story back from the dead – so to speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found myself thinking that the story
was about to head downhill like a boulder but he’d smash that hunk of granite
every time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Decent
portions of the book are of the dead people and what they were doing at the
time of supposed death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crew
drives to London as you see the aftermath of the fastest moving extinction I’ve
ever read or watched in a movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How’d it happen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ether
level on earth was the cause of the mass wipe out and was unique enough for
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>True it seems absurd and
easily criticized, I’ll grant that but this is a work of fiction right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can bend rules when it’s not real,
although it came across as real to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s more or less does it read well?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it does.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Moving
along, a point could be made as to how these four men could get together just
in the nick of time for another memorable experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the book had been thicker than a magazine it would’ve had
room to include detail as to how the others assembled and what they have been
up to the past three years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I for
one thought the fellowship gathered together nicely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was BANG there they are – let’s get on with the
story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you’d read the previous
book its pace isn’t as bothersome, however if you start here then you would be
questioning much more as opposed to enjoying the book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you use these characters with
limited words?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not with a long
drawn out collection of old friends taking up half the book.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Where
was the adventure though?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
what put <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Lost World</i> over the top;
instead it’s a camp out in Challenger’s house with oxygen tanks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which honestly I thought they’d be
going on an underwater adventure – I could not have been more wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I admitted that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lord John Roxton thrives outdoors,
being delegated to drive the auto was demeaning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who wouldn’t like to see Lord John sling a shotgun from his
back and blow apart some zombies?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anyone?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite these few
deficiencies, I read without a sigh or forced break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I sigh that’s a sign the story is going south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was interesting and if I was asked
to read this book again I would.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
doubt it would be anytime soon but thus far <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Lost World</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Poison Belt</i>
don’t disappoint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do look
forward to the next book.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://scottmoviereviews.blogspot.hk/2013/01/book-review-master-list.html">Book Review Master List</a></div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-10966306416973708962015-03-27T05:55:00.000-05:002015-03-27T05:55:46.460-05:00If You Can't Take the Heat..<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Summer of 2000, I had turned eighteen and was going to get a
job – my first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With high school a
couple months behind me and no college in sight I truly felt free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The summer treated me well the highlight
being a road trip to Alabama with my friend Spanky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s no typo that’s his name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We traveled by RV with a man named Bobby, my step dad at the
time, and a couple of his friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Those couple of weeks were very fun but that’s a different story for perhaps
another time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>This
is about the week of August 26, 2000, at my first job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It started off much like the rest of
summer, fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My friend Spanky used
his pull at a restaurant, House of Pizza, to get me hired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He worked there as well – things
couldn’t be better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a way
Spanky was like an older brother to me in those days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never thought of it until now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A good guy that Spanky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway I worked in the back, making the pizzas, a perfect
job for an eighteen year old that grew up during the Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles era.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a busy
restaurant in those days and early on I was just trying not to mess up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was one of many youths working in the
back so that gave me some comfort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was quiet in those days more so than now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One night I had to work a shift without Spanky, which helped
me to not rely on him for everything at this job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was busy as usual and hot, very hot – it felt smoldering
to me..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
wasn’t used to such temperatures especially in small poorly ventilated areas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This place had a giant six shelf,
rotating oven that churned the heat out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At the tail end of the dinner rush I asked my manager if I could go
outside and get some air, I was dying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I couldn’t fathom how the others could take it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked at me with cold eyes, which
seems impossible considering heat waves were rippling out from the oven
nearby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She asked if I could wait
until the orders were caught up but I couldn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to leave and never come back to be honest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t comfortable there it wasn’t
for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to get away.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
granted me leave although I know she thought little of me at that point but I
could care less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hurried outside
to get a welcoming blast of fresh air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I breathed, relaxed and looked beside me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was another chap squatting near me also complaining of
the heat – I wasn’t alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
name was John Wright he was a bigger fellow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t last much more than month there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly gathered myself and returned
to my station for fear of taking too long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I, as usual, finished my shift quietly and walked home as I
did in those days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought long
and hard (that’s what she said!) about continuing to work at that restaurant.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
arrived home and talked with my mom about how work went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She understood although I had mentioned
I wanted to quit numerous times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All she told me was to try it out for a few more days and see how it
goes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If worse came to worse I
could quit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I accepted that, not
easily but I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now what I
failed to realize at the time was she probably didn’t want me to quit so soon
especially due to the fact that earlier in the summer I never showed up to an
interview for a local grocery store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was very upset at me that day – I remember it all too well, it
wasn’t one of my finer hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask
Spanky he was there – I was terrible in my laziness that moment.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Being
young none of that came to my mind though, I never even thought about that no
show interview.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead I pressed
on and put my nose to the grindstone and worked extremely hard from then on out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It earned me two pay raises in the next
month alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly became one
the best at my job behind Spanky of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went on to work there on and off for the next six
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t often think of this
moment in my life but it poked my brain the other night and now I feel as if I
have no choice but to write it down.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Is
there a moral to this story?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d
say if someone gives you honest advice digest it and try it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have some fantastic memories as well
as woeful ones I gained from that job that are something I value now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I learned a good many things over my
tenure there and out of all the places I’ve worked since I dream of this one
the most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In those dreams I’m
always returning to pick up where I left off on the pizza line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s but a dream but I like to think
that it means something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
remember if you can’t take the heat – give it another try.</span><!--EndFragment-->
Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-24351146721155351662015-03-25T05:36:00.000-05:002015-03-25T05:36:39.014-05:00The Study of Scarlett (Chapter 4)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjragmSQdhL0-IhiLwCWhVBV5HLHxSXbQK5RYxwKsjBk5CNDpUxjs05iPW-2oo7JTX-90Ww5SAS7Avikf9toFDWdJZZR0jo2NCvQ3fkqK96_jeiN-8FodiGoZZ02l78VcO0KtObbmI-tI8/s1600/mySubjectAndI.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjragmSQdhL0-IhiLwCWhVBV5HLHxSXbQK5RYxwKsjBk5CNDpUxjs05iPW-2oo7JTX-90Ww5SAS7Avikf9toFDWdJZZR0jo2NCvQ3fkqK96_jeiN-8FodiGoZZ02l78VcO0KtObbmI-tI8/s1600/mySubjectAndI.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Subject & I - Early Moments</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
On this day we walked back to the Jockey Club Clinic for
Scarlett’s hearing test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
passed with completely normal scores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She fussed momentarily before the nurse put the fitting device into her
ear then she quieted down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
everything finished we returned home safely.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For
now the above paragraph is what I’ll send in my report.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The below is a private journal entry I
keep for myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s only what I
saw which cannot be trusted as truth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
documentation in this chapter consists of two photographs (I did send with
report) I casually took outside the clinic’s boundaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The barbed wire fencing that completely
encircles the compound suggests the kinds of activity that goes on inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why would a clinic in a city as safe as
Hong Kong need such defenses?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Perhaps it’s not for those trying to get in but rather those who are in
to get out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn54sP27EQTNd6cBeOSAARtuedvS35DSsXIegeIrSoyFo-yk7tQ_n4couXQaFNpVm1lI4N53Z-x0d682oKTEu85tqCjey-rEu-hDnyMEoXcX4A7Z36N_T2wCsdcH_UdiWfRvz_wyNxNXE/s1600/outsideClinic1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn54sP27EQTNd6cBeOSAARtuedvS35DSsXIegeIrSoyFo-yk7tQ_n4couXQaFNpVm1lI4N53Z-x0d682oKTEu85tqCjey-rEu-hDnyMEoXcX4A7Z36N_T2wCsdcH_UdiWfRvz_wyNxNXE/s1600/outsideClinic1.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Clinic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Our
subject is of a rare case, which inevitably will bring her into highly uncommon
situations on a more regular basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Although this clinic appears inside and out to be a routine place for
treatment I did notice one unusual phenomenon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It occurred as my daughter was being tested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sat with a clear view out the open
door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The empty hallway stretched
quite a distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I glanced down
the corridor and toward what appeared to be its end I saw a small figure step
into view from a room no doubt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thinking nothing of it and awaiting Scarlett’s results I returned my
eyes to the test in progress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s when my mind put the image of the small figure back in the front
view of my brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must have
looked dumbfounded because I realized what I had seen.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
turned my head back to the corridor but there was nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to get up but thought it better
to remain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am bound to the study
of Scarlett.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could not shake the
image from my head no matter how much I tried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As my eyes flickered from hallway to my little babe I knew I
could not have been mistaken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
saw a baby no older than my own walking upright!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was far too tiny to even be the shortest of people even
by genetic defect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The locals are
generally smaller than average but it couldn’t be one of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know what I saw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was baffled by the manner in which
the baby walked, as though it had well versed in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It strode in an adult like manner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was lost for words.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gdPusfWX46sVLyfhFulA7T9iudNQxiFzYXdFOh4xZjDJTKL4hX-D4QF_hBSzePqPxpazfETxdOTfP__m0DnyW20N5MAIMC1QrFnGqSsAqBam_OEX9kaeVgDYDBuRnFCog5MmSBrjHoc/s1600/outsideClinic2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2gdPusfWX46sVLyfhFulA7T9iudNQxiFzYXdFOh4xZjDJTKL4hX-D4QF_hBSzePqPxpazfETxdOTfP__m0DnyW20N5MAIMC1QrFnGqSsAqBam_OEX9kaeVgDYDBuRnFCog5MmSBrjHoc/s1600/outsideClinic2.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom & Daughter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As
the test concluded and all was well I desperately tried to see the tiny figure
one last time to confirm my suspicion but there was nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would be making journey’s back to
this clinic in the future so another chance would be forthcoming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scarlett is well now but could these
tests be the beginning of similar advanced physical characteristics?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will she be able to hear more keenly
after today?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wondered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could we discover if she could hear
more acutely?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As we walked out the
gate, snapped some photos and made our way home I muttered to myself in nothing
more than a whisper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My eyes
caught our little squirt’s that was clearly out of range to hear me but she
smiled and gave me what I perceived to be a wink. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Curious.
</div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<br />Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-86097043473023883862015-03-23T05:33:00.000-05:002015-03-23T05:33:21.893-05:00The Scarlet Pimpernel – Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Author –
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Emmuska Orczy</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A review of <i>The </i></span><i>Scarlet Pimpernel</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
My entire knowledge pertaining to this most amazing book
consisted of Daffy Duck masquerading as the Scarlet Pumpernickel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a sad truth to admit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hardly remember the Looney Tunes
version I seen as a child so thankfully nothing was spoiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do wonder what took me so long to
read it though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps fate knew
I was ready to appreciate it at this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which would make tremendous sense, as my younger self would
probably have thought this was a boring story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It however is truly a wonderful read.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
I likened to the book in no time,
as the idea that the Englishmen were saving the aristocrats from France out of
sport was shocking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rescuing those
rich French people wasn’t out of nobility, to be a hero or simply to do what’s
right but because it’d be a challenging activity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally a quirky reason to risk one’s life and in doing so
breaking the mold in storytelling, I can’t help but to be impressed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
Lady Marguerite and Sir Percy’s
relationship played out very well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He appears to be seen as a rich dimwit and she a popular naïve beauty in
the public’s eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually he
pulled off the charade at all times which is quite admirable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Marguerite was none the wiser.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure if the story would have
worked so well if not seen through her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As she was the actual clueless one of the two it was fun
trying to put the mystery together as she plodded her way along.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
It was very entertaining to get a
taste of 1792 in England and France.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m sure the era was at times terrifying to live in but the visual sense
in this story is satisfying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
read England had this vibe of safety, freedom and a sort of utopia while France
was dangerous, confining and out of control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t help but hope that the rich people would get
saved from that mighty guillotine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well actually I wanted to see how the Scarlet Pimpernel would sneak them
to paradise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The drab old lady
rescue at the beginning and the old Jew disguise at the end were both
fantastic.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
Reading about Marguerite’s
character growth was compelling to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I wasn’t totally on board with her to start but somehow I accepted her
as the main character and began to root for her to improve as a person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not meaning she is perfect now as
the story took place over only a few days but that amount of time in certain
situations can help you grow up fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She still struggled to put two and two together when it became clear
whom the Scarlet Pimpernel was which makes her human and relatable.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
If you decide to read this book
don’t expect costumed people with swords at their side slicing through Paris
leaving a bloody mess. The story
manages to omit violence, aside that nasty guillotine, and still provide a
suspenseful story. If you like the
era it was written, 1903 I believe, then that can only help make your decision
to read all the more easy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;">
<a href="http://scottmoviereviews.blogspot.hk/2013/01/book-review-master-list.html">Book Review Master List</a></div>
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Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-49848295536150521652015-03-19T05:37:00.003-05:002015-03-19T05:37:59.351-05:00The Lost World – Book Review<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Author – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A review of <i>The Lost World</i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span></div>
</div>
I’ve now read two books by different authors bearing this
title.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the one I like more
which speaks volumes since the other was written by my favorite author Michael
Crichton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I relish a story that
has adventure, exploration, party formation and great dialogue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This book struck gold, (or shall I say
diamonds?) on all fronts.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
knew little of this book other than what the title suggests and that the author
wrote Sherlock Holmes, one my favorite all-time characters to read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s nothing more exquisite than
reading a book you know practically nothing about, I hardly ever read
summaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the story drew to an
end it was a book I was most satisfied with in it’s conclusion and the idea
left in the final sentence would make me very excited to read another tale involving
at the least Mr. Malone and Lord John Roxton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wouldn’t mind owning a physical copy of this book as I
read the e-book this time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Should
I even go into the story itself?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
book I like so much I’d hate to spoil in a review for the interested
reader.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But alas I’ll strike on a
few points I can’t restrain myself from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mr. Malone, our narrator, opts to prove his worth to a girl he has grown
to love by partaking in the expedition to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Lost World</i> to fulfill her fancy of belonging to a man she can be honored
by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A sad day awaits our young man
in the final pages when upon return from said journey she has chosen to wed a
mere clerk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d say its better for
him, as a woman of such mind would no doubt be folly to spend a life with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway I still liked the draw of his
want for joining the party on the whims of a girl asking the incredulous.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
difference between the characters was well balanced. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It gave for delightful companionship and very humorous
conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also liked the
progression of the story it had wonderful pacing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I read, read, and read because it had me hooked from one leg
of the journey to the next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
interesting to find out who and how the next obstacle would be conquered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The storytelling ability of Doyle
really makes it a fun adventure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As the story wrapped up and the characters, which were mostly strangers
to one another at first, then grew together it was tough to see them
disband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would happily read
further accolades involving these men.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
Lost World, in itself, is a unique idea and one would imagine that would make
for all a story needs but the intertwining of the people made the book
complete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes it an instant
favorite for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The descriptions
of the extinct scenery are short and precise so its not bogged down by lengthy
ramblings. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoy reading books
from this era.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe 1912 was
when this story released.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To me
it’s a way to view the past and admire it in an entertaining fashion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As far as recommending books I highly
put this atop the list especially if you’re curious about works from this era.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://scottmoviereviews.blogspot.hk/2013/01/book-review-master-list.html">Book Review Master List</a></div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-68782738395491664252015-03-17T06:42:00.000-05:002015-03-25T05:23:30.977-05:00The Study of Scarlett (Chapter 3)<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dm-oawkB9e1w7OOnw1nvRcajJFCoD6AVVc6XdghKmKLyOq8s7uvqPWiyQznMgJBDqb_-5qhR10Z4SPOMqBQ3hTeGTXzF_W-Sak65KlTj8QaUQIRQlo5TUu2P0lemdabTAu4G6ftoe6c/s1600/ScarlettHeaderEdit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4dm-oawkB9e1w7OOnw1nvRcajJFCoD6AVVc6XdghKmKLyOq8s7uvqPWiyQznMgJBDqb_-5qhR10Z4SPOMqBQ3hTeGTXzF_W-Sak65KlTj8QaUQIRQlo5TUu2P0lemdabTAu4G6ftoe6c/s1600/ScarlettHeaderEdit.png" height="237" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to My World!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Interesting developments continue to unfold with our subject
Scarlett. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve chosen to take the
runt to the hospital, don’t freak first and foremost, but there are some
conditions, physically; we would like to have checked out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it’s into the stroller for our
little one, she sleeps as we make our way to a nearby hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the same as the one she was born
in.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
The day is sunny; at last, the
clouds have decided to stop pestering Hong Kong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My friends and family most likely envy mere overcast as bad
weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On our way we slice
through a park methodically like a knife making a gashing wound in your
side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Err; probably don’t need to
make it that colorful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway I
want to take pictures of Scarlett in her first stroller outing, however, we
need to be at the hospital by 11:20am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s right we allotted enough time to make it there without any delays
but perhaps on the way back.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
A couple things to share at my
expense: I’ve been given a camera to use to snap lots of pictures of our little
squirt from my wife’s dad, I’ve been, umm, lacking to do so lately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why a camera, (digital even!), because
he likes to make prints, you know its like a flat real life version of you,
froze still and stuck on paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That way he can see how his granddaughter is changing in these early
months when he may be unable to see her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Its admirable enough and shows that all empowering word – love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hoped our walk would prove a
wonderful time to pick up my slack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s not that I don’t take pictures or videos but we all use our phones
for those things now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a
surprise we don’t use them to wipe our rear ends with yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway it’s the quality!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A digital camera does have that on all
these devices we pour our minds into nowadays.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
My second folly was my wife’s mom,
yes I’m picking on my Chinese parents, would be coming back home with us from
the hospital and I thought we may taxi it, so I was crushed my photo
opportunity may be missed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
these early moments I found I wanted to capture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being so young little Scarlett hasn’t been able to get out
so I was filled with excitement when we finally would go out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right about the taxi and mom – well she
has a bum knee so I’d never want to push her to walk more than she was
comfortable with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may be crazy
but I’m not stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did manage
to keep from crying – OK one tear!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Lets
skip ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After we check in our
daughter, my wife goes to join her in the examination room to get the rundown
on her body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(What is a rundown?!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I opt to stay in the waiting area;
usually my wife will let me know if I should join, it was a call I made to
stay. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not a negligent dad. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t turn me in social media.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘We want to get you in trouble!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hell with what’s right or wrong!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We want to be judge jury and
executioner!’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ranting, your voice
on display for good or bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom
arrives shortly after and notices I’m alone, she demands why I’m not with my
wife – No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She would never say
anything of the sort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She joins
her daughter though – I continue my waiting.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZphoeFYW0yjhOb55fU0vLB3JW0Egt_b09Od5eF0Db17EmdgLCCSs37VQ_uAQ0pdEt1u6rxhb2Ayp2eRhyeqSRHNP7Db5VoRJ7bD4Szbvv02Xc-7F5xyPM4IhSEmcgmxbkUUfy6tNMw8/s1600/momScarlett2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZphoeFYW0yjhOb55fU0vLB3JW0Egt_b09Od5eF0Db17EmdgLCCSs37VQ_uAQ0pdEt1u6rxhb2Ayp2eRhyeqSRHNP7Db5VoRJ7bD4Szbvv02Xc-7F5xyPM4IhSEmcgmxbkUUfy6tNMw8/s1600/momScarlett2.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma & Scarlett</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I open an e-book on my I-phone to
read A Modern Utopia by H.G. Wells – I recommend it, so you should read it too,
of course after finishing my collected works here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But enough with promoting a book over 100 years old, kids
are frolicking all around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
mother, a younger woman, is continually chasing around a little boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the while she has a flat pink
rectangular piece of plastic smashed against her ear chattering away like a
parrot with an oversized vocabulary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She is half-heartedly doing both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes she stops chasing the boy, lowers the pink tablet away from
her ear (interrupting her conversation, unbelievable!) enough to say, “Where
are you going?” to a two-year-old boy, maybe even younger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s potential thinking; uhh I’m going
wherever I want if nobody is going to, you know, look after me with more effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’ll stop here – I didn’t call her
out for being negligent as I previously stated but you need to get a proper
handle on your child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He gradually
began to push his limits, knocking things over, trying to open the glass door
to leave the room continually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No,
I confess it doesn’t seem terrible but the waiting room has many people in it,
have respect for others and don’t let your kid make you look like a hapless
fool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My counter to any who say,
“If you had a two year old boy let’s see what you’d do!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well ~ a young lady arrived shortly
thereafter and a boy, I’d suppose is her son of near the same age as the other,
sat calmly near me watching the other kid run wild.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not a huge deal, it doesn’t affect me but I wanted to
include it here anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
deviated from the whole point of writing these case studies of Scarlett. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s rejoin her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJIC0JD44YAxkDF3p6yIT247up_Qtr56Jjjllmkh2uNRgfGIB3ZQtlcaf-Leoo9eh-Sr1roXJe9Yc_C-ZqNYYj346W86typPsbQon7wTbihYMyPiKTTlusgBcBOf4IQpgrXIyZrzSviU/s1600/IMG_1445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicJIC0JD44YAxkDF3p6yIT247up_Qtr56Jjjllmkh2uNRgfGIB3ZQtlcaf-Leoo9eh-Sr1roXJe9Yc_C-ZqNYYj346W86typPsbQon7wTbihYMyPiKTTlusgBcBOf4IQpgrXIyZrzSviU/s1600/IMG_1445.JPG" height="133" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Umbilical Hernia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My
little mixed bag of fun has an umbilical hernia which when I heard made me a
bit startled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s had a
protruding belly button for a short time now and my wife and I didn’t know what
it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Search it on the Internet
right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world’s infinite
library of knowledge can never fail you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The hernia looks like, as my wife noted, “She has a ping-pong ball”
sticking out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would have to be
a ping-pong ball – Chinese!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
a hernia when I was a wee lad decades ago so I’m thinking surgery for a one
month old!?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was sorely mistaken
– it’s actually rather common and will go away in a year or less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s welcoming news to any ignorant
parent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Internet actually gave
more information than the person who checked Scarlett.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s some of her intestine that pushed
up through the stomach muscle causing the ‘ping-pong ball’ shape to protrude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was agreement that it would go
away in less than a year.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
other concern is tiny clumped little bumps on her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like goose bumps at first glance,
almost like pimples, which seems odd – I know they grow up fast but this would
be ridiculous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out there is
such a condition as baby acne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
can occur when the baby gets too hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It may have something to do with her color change ability but I thought
best not to reveal that to the doctor at such a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was given some skin treatment cream so we’ll see how
that goes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shows no outward
signs of pain or discomfort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Internet told me babies don’t even feel the acne.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further inquiries must be made.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-uh_RCqldOHYh1oQp6xkX8xfLWGv0jQUF35lr8-C98iP9aFTqid3Ws1w0JNKzccDTAa5JwTu2TgHIyjPN-aE1Bf4_9JGhcJF9D_HjyCBceSAqg7PiVteIWp6oSt3WQiN_Fm5jgfglPU/s1600/ScarlettParents.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-uh_RCqldOHYh1oQp6xkX8xfLWGv0jQUF35lr8-C98iP9aFTqid3Ws1w0JNKzccDTAa5JwTu2TgHIyjPN-aE1Bf4_9JGhcJF9D_HjyCBceSAqg7PiVteIWp6oSt3WQiN_Fm5jgfglPU/s1600/ScarlettParents.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
happy finale to the afternoon’s event saw my wife – her mom and myself walk
home while pushing Scarlett along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At the park, which we returned through, we took some photos to commemorate
the day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a national holiday,
nor historical date, not even an anniversary of some kind but rather it was a
splendid day with my daughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
study of Scarlett will continue.</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-7407648741075198972015-03-15T04:20:00.000-05:002015-03-15T04:20:16.261-05:00A Modern Utopia – Book Review<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Author – H.G. Wells</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">A review of <i>A Modern Utopia</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I admire what
H.G. Wells attempted to do with this idea of utopia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In our modern time such a place, as utopia isn’t in the
minds of man, as it would appear to have been back in Wells era.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve never read a book on this topic
and didn’t realize what I was getting into.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having now read one I’m glad my first was Wells take on
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve read four of his books,
this making five, but this one stands in a different light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What
I thought was creative was the two characters who have traveled to utopia were
never actually there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a
private discussion on what could make the perfect utopia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t read that way until the end
and that’s what makes this book worth looking at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s quite an intellectual read; there are ideas that really
intrigued me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The samurai is a
class in society that anyone can join so there is no discrimination against
anybody on the planet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
right, this utopia is worldwide, not delegated to one fantastical piece of
magic space set aside for a select few who can find it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This view completely changed what
little I knew of utopias in the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
is trying to purify the world and that creates quite a bit of controversy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I completely understood those
challenges he tried to take on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What race is the best?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is
there a best?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you allow stupid
people to breed?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should there be a
cap on the world’s population?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
of these have to do with humanity, which will always be the sensitive side of
the building of utopia, but the questions are valid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The state of the current world is a mess, as most any
intelligent person would agree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>People killing people is an effect of the very reason why certain people
should be kept from breeding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
use of money as a tool for power is ridiculous in itself as Wells alludes to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There wouldn’t be slaves; everybody
would work to contribute to utopia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What he is suggesting is humanity coming together as one organism in a
sense to make life easier on each individual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That works best when everyone gets involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although there would still be different
levels of work, the stupid couldn’t possibly keep up with the more thought
invoking tasks but there would be put in place plenty of programs to educate
everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus there can be no
excuse to not be given a chance to learn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s all conjecture but it’s fascinating.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">What
I find tiresome is the manner in which some of the less interesting aspects of
utopia are explained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It requires
focus to read through these areas and after reading them there are most likely
a couple snippets of information that are worthwhile to log away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like Wells style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like the daring way he writes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t hold back his ideas and
truthfully tells it how it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
this book were written in a way that shared those ideas through the characters
more, thus creating a story-like atmosphere it would read smoother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still enjoyed it but I prefer the
other books I’ve read of his so far.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://scottmoviereviews.blogspot.com/2013/01/book-review-master-list.html">Book Review Master List</a></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-36026499167022713112015-03-12T06:21:00.000-05:002015-03-12T06:21:21.074-05:00Chased Forever?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Part I<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">It begins
visually, well of course it does but this dream thrived on it compared to most
dreams I have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The clarity of each
moment nearly fooled me that it was a true memory of mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Green grass matted down forming a six-foot
wide meandering pathway with dense high foliage to either side is the first image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was walking this path although not
used enough to be considered a trail, for there was no dirt streak as commonly
found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The environment was that of
I-80/94, a highway, in which these hilly grassy paths ran along either side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although like many dreams it was a
distorted version.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The highway was
busy with traffic moving to and fro although on the grassy path you’d never
know for there was no noise to be heard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At this point in the dream I only knew I was going somewhere without
knowing its ending point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that
common occurrence in dreams happens when the scene shifts without notice or
explanation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Part II<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
low ceilinged, small room now becomes the surrounding area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lights are dim, in fact half the
fluorescent lights don’t even work and one set of them flickers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dream is darker now, with a sense
of insecurity creeping about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
look around and realize this is a business of some sort. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are used DVDs and various video
games for sale on a couple racks nearby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At this point I am aware that I am married with a baby at home and after
I’m done in this shady-looking shop I will return on my way home to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was but a split second this
information passed into my mind then returned to the dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without knowing how I came to
understand I was in a poor part of town, in my hometown actually, although the
area I was in wasn’t slum at the time but the dream doesn’t paint it that way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Two
grey-headed men ran this shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
turned to see one of them amble off into a back room then I shifted my attention
back to the racks of merchandise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Indiana Jones, with Harrison Fords mug occupying the entire cover caught
my eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an image from
Raiders of the Lost Ark I’m sure of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I also saw Wii cases but no memorable titles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that juncture I was suddenly at a low counter in the same
shop facing one of the unrecognizable grey-headed men.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dream had propelled me further but
not quite enough to change scenes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He twiddled a five-dollar bill (USD) in his fingers, gave a sneer, and
then handed me one-dollar bill in return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I knew that couldn’t be right although said nothing, the dream seemed to
know (it was fixing it, I trusted the dream), the other grey headed man
counseled with the other upon agreeing to warrant me one more dollar bill which
seemed to end any further debate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Which
item I had supposedly bought I did not know, nor does it have any further implication
in this dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before leaving, and
not entirely sure when this thought popped into my mind, I had a feeling
getting robbed could be a very real possibility in an area such as this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However it didn’t seem as big a concern
as it should have been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
continued on my way worry free.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
stepped outside and turned right which would have been the correct direction to
return home even in this mock hometown of mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Upon glancing around I’m at the corner of roughly White Oak
& 173<sup>rd</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
building I left doesn’t exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead houses make up the space but not here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see a man, a broken mangled chain linked fence
behind him with weeds sprung up here and there to help create this now unsafe
atmosphere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wore a tan beanie,
had a black goatee, stood short and did not appear friendly which happened to
make the scene suddenly frightening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He pulled out a wooden handle pistol from his right pocket holding it
straight at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought
immediately, “It figures I’d get robbed after thinking about it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">He
demanded my belongings, I obliged by sliding my left hand into my front left
pocket, where I never would keep my wallet but here it was along with a tablet
cell phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wallet was brown
and leather, a gift from my mother a very long time ago, I still use it
today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tablet-like phone, I
don’t know where that came from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
knew it wasn’t my phone but the dream told me it was so I accepted it
readily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The slick surface of the
phone face rubbed against the wallet, making it difficult to take only the
wallet out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was intent on not
revealing the phone I know not why at that point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The goatee man hurried me with a spray of quick shouts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually I pulled the wallet out
alone and handed it to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
hands were up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pleaded with my
eyes, to scared to chance a word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were only some fifteen dollars in the wallet, which now dawn on me
why I gave it over instead of the phone as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chanced giving over as little as I afford to lose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The phone vanishes from thought now and
never returns to the dream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
man slowly lowered his gun exasperated, disappointed at the amount no doubt. He
then looked different, he no longer appeared unfriendly or mean but rather
guilty as if he didn’t really want to be robbing anymore, as if he was
pressured into it and wanted no part in it anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No words were uttered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The man turned and ran away from me, beyond the miserable chain linked
fence, across a diagonal set of railroad tracks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To go away from the dream for a moment this man’s behavior
resembles Draco Malfoy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inwardly
he is struggling which life he wants, one of good or bad nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This could be due to watching the Harry
Potter string of movies over the past month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems reasonable enough a connection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why
I half followed after him I don’t know, I stood upon the tracks, which were
elevated as on a hill looking down as the man ran into an old warehouse a few
hundred yards away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These railroad
tracks replace a bike path in reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A black man looked at me then at the other man, he stood about halfway
to each of us in the middle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
shouted something to the other along the lines of “he saw you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was meant that I had seen too much,
of what I do not know, because now the dream told me it was time to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made my way down the railroad tracks knowing
I would be followed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The scene
blinks now and I am now in an entirely different area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Part III<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Its
night now and I’m in an unknown backyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I deduce I’m still in the poor unsafe neighborhood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same sense of insecurity from the
last part remains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bump into
someone at this stage and he appears Latino.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He reminds me of someone I knew long ago, from high school
although I can’t confirm it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
impossible to make out who it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Its as if he is blurred from head to toe, only being able to make out a
couple features.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knows I’m
being chased, again no idea how, and we quickly form a plan to thwart my pursuer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">My
mystery friend takes cover near the house off to our left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not long after the man from the last
segment with the gun has found me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m too far away from the house for a successful ambush so I plead at
the man who edges closer to me with gun aimed, I back away slowly until my
friend is able to spring upon him unawares.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wrestle with him and loose his gun away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have him down and defeated but we
make to run as the dream tells me that there are others still pursuing me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its possible the fear and panic also
told me to flee, either way this scene ends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Part IV<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>My
surroundings take quite a turn now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m in a vacation type of city environment, a combo of Florida and
Branson, Missouri.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m now
entering a building and at last feel safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The atmosphere is booming, many people around, the sun
shines through the windows, giving me a sense of protection against the people
of the night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The shear relief at
being somewhere secure is amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I turn a corner to enter a room from a hallway and see another familiar
face from my past, Mike Zubrick, he looked as he did the last I saw him some
five years ago or so, grey haired, in good shape for a man nearing seventy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I worked with him in my late teens and
early twenties at a pizza place, my first job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a genius at math and sort of a mentor to me on the
job – I’ve always respected him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
grabbed him desperately by the shoulders, shaking him back and forth shouting
his name a few times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was then
I realized how torn and tattered my cloths were I was dirty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How long have I been on the run?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What has happened since the last scene
of this dream?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally my old friend
recognizes me and I learn he works at the job I have most recently quit which
happens to be another pizza place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I worked there from mid-twenties to early thirties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His cloths are inside out but I see the
logo that represents the corporation he works for on his sleeve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like mine his cloths are ripped and
holey as well, although I ignore that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I’m talking with him about who knows what, dialogue is sparse in this
dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People talk but the words
aren’t recognizable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mike shifts
into another old man I worked with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One moment I see him clear as day, I turn my head casually away from him
for a second and when I turn back he is replaced with…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Art,
a man who had similar qualities and features as Mike, he worked with me more
recently at the second pizza place and being sixty years of age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aside general appearance, a knack for
math and being a mentor figure at work they are usually who I think of first
when I think of my two jobs I worked at in my youth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It only made sense in the dream I viewed them as the same
person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nearing the end of this
scene, in the hallway I arrived from, the man with the gun lumbered down the
way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was trashed. He had a
bruised eye, swollen cheek, and was just in a worn beat up state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He passed by not showing anything on
his face except a blank expression void of any thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hunched as he walked, never saying a
word, just shuffling along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Could I have been the one who pummeled him so?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The thought grieved me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I walk outside as the scene shifts ever so slightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It remains the same part however.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Looking
down the street, the bustling is gone, people are scarce, and the sunlight is
blocked by overcast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The buildings
look rundown, abandoned and unsafe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m back in the wrong neighborhood, I walk down to the corner, and I see
some shady characters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I glance
overhead to see a sign it reads ‘Cinema’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s broken and a wreck – its been closed for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a queasy feeling, like a
twilight zone moment where I’m destined to not make my way home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decide to go back inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I get to the door, its glass, I
can see through it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not the
same place inside either, no surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I open the door and step in, I feel uncomfortable at once.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
walk forward to see a man sitting at a table facing me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I near him I discover I know him,
Its Wyatt Titus jr.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instant relief
flows through me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
astonishing what one small familiar piece of what you know can calm your nerves
in an otherwise alien place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
take a seat and we talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
informs me he knows a way to get me home, us home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He talks as if we’re trapped, trying to escape where we
are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pay no mind I just want to
leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the conversation goes on
it becomes apparent Wyatt isn’t being truthful, it becomes clear he plans to
turn me over to my pursuers, the shock stifles me, I didn’t want to believe
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dream ends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">This
dream occurred on February 17, 2015 and to this day has stayed fresh and crisp
in my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is it that makes
certain dreams memorable?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t
know if this dream has any substance to it but the urge to pull it from my mind
and present it here had to be done.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://scottmoviereviews.blogspot.hk/2013/01/dreams-master-list.html">Dreams Master List</a></span></div>
</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-10819497897809877092015-03-10T06:12:00.001-05:002015-03-10T06:12:20.811-05:00The Study of Scarlett (Chapter 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In late February/early March in the year 2015 it has come to
my attention that after an unprecedented event occurred my daughter has shown a
very curious ability.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How this
happened suggests unknown phenomena are partly responsible. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s an unsolved mystery with no
revealing evidence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll bring to
light all I know of this most interesting tale and perhaps someone out there
may be able to connect the dots.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Said
event took place after what can be considered a most exciting late afternoon
activity for my wife & I – sleeping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anytime you find the chance for an hour nap you seize it tightly with
two closed fists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a little
one at home what was once a mere relaxing close of the eyes becomes something
much more savored, a trip to dreamland where you haven’t been for what seems
ages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My wife & I awoke she
headed to the kitchen while I carefully plodded to the bathroom to relieve
myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its dusk now, and I don’t
have my eyeglasses on when my wife calls my attention as I enter the
bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Naturally I was quite
looking forward to adding a bit more fluid to the toilet bowl, isn’t it always
like that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a bodily relief
nobody tires of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s not
sidetrack, I step out of the bathroom as my wife says, “What’s that?” pointing
at the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lazily peer down
but my eyes are useless at such a distance for so small a thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a blur, I mumble I can’t see it
then use the toilet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxb48rnw8ubzVzqm08ofg3hniMZ57G2O78lKjnXbGFs8ZlefnMwfxAXz6m_oPkjjeu9PNGR7ZuNR27PC0z8zaHXbG6u2rX45QHPujkYn8baFbP6dDRPRQcYPgf-sV1-ppPVAUWmZFUdg/s1600/IMG_1316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxb48rnw8ubzVzqm08ofg3hniMZ57G2O78lKjnXbGFs8ZlefnMwfxAXz6m_oPkjjeu9PNGR7ZuNR27PC0z8zaHXbG6u2rX45QHPujkYn8baFbP6dDRPRQcYPgf-sV1-ppPVAUWmZFUdg/s1600/IMG_1316.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floor Tile</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What
is discovered when I have my framed eyes in position and a light illuminating
is a shock to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My wife is
getting frantic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She says she
thought it was fuzz but upon closer examination my eyes take in what my mind wishes
to refuse – a tiny lizard!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the tiled floor is
a lizard completely frozen, possibly due to the sudden change in environment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The intriguing aspect is it has
camouflaged to the floor color, which fascinated me into awed staring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m familiar that reptiles can undergo
such a transformation but to see it in the flesh, in an apartment is a new
experience for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s possible
my sleep daze is still affecting my brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My wife on the other hand has come to a swift conclusion – kill
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Naturally we have a baby in
the next room, its instinct to protect her from what she cannot defend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But to destroy so small a creature for
this sake, I pause thinking it over but at last agree trying to catch it could
prove more hassle than just smashing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If it were to take refuge somewhere hidden away it could strike when we
least expect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also the thought of
the tiny reptile nibbling on my daughters lip was disturbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If any have read Jurassic Park you’d
see my point, not the dinosaur angle but small lizards in Costa Rica that creep
into nurseries biting infants in their cribs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see there is a toxin in the saliva of these lizards that
will cause the infected area to swell…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It would be best if you read the book.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I’ll
spare the detail of our hairless little friend’s demise other than it was quick
& painless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It did however
spasm and flip about which made my wife jump in astonishment, don’t worry it
was dead already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What has
happened in the days since has been… strange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scarlett has shown a clear visible alteration of her skin
pigmentation but it changes depending on circumstances, mostly it’s her normal
tone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t happen as often
as the little reptile may be able to do with its skin but certain situations
will encourage it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
primary method, of her skin color change, is an unusual combination of high-pitched
noise emitting from her mouth while her arms and legs are actively moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The affected area is limited to her
face for the time being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trigger
signs that she is undergoing a color change include whimpers or cries that are
quiet but steadily gain volume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>During this time her pigmentation changes to red and as the noise
increases and her mouth opens wider it can alter to maroon while giving her
lips a shade of purple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems a
different technique than our small lizard may perform but the results are
stirring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whereas the reptile
could change color in absolute silence it required Scarlett banshee-like wails
from her mouth to accomplish the change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The question remains is how far will this go?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As
of this time we’re positive no physical contact was made with the lizard and
Scarlett so how did this ability to color change come about?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will she gain other attributes of the
lizard?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did the death of the
reptile release an unknown spore that attached to her body?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll continue to monitor her and update
her condition but as of now it would seem it may be a temporary state of…
possible infection.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Later
observation of facial color change occurred when she would clench her tiny
hands and grunt in succession. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would cause a rumble sort of noise from her mid section
culminating in a squishy sound just south of her stomach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Afterwards her color returned to normal
and she seemed in delightful spirits often sporting a smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However a foul odor always followed
this and it was later found some sort of yellowish material had excreted from
her rectal area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s possible the
ability to color change produces some sort of waste that must be
discharged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further analysis of
the biohazard may determine source of color change.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
That is the story and details as
remembered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She will continue to
be monitored, documented and poked to ensure proper research is being done of
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a most interesting
case study of Scarlett.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJAGHyxFhs7ynQYE6gNEJy3NZ-CBZPCmzbTsl9GpGqBdULixOQ3ARkUZSfmeCK_Vuxgt0xqqExIW3rgb-5IhTfeVb8GKP2w5vRwlmXvYJSLQiYkqcaxtMYUa69KRSCKH74r96Lqpw9OQ/s1600/IMG_1303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJAGHyxFhs7ynQYE6gNEJy3NZ-CBZPCmzbTsl9GpGqBdULixOQ3ARkUZSfmeCK_Vuxgt0xqqExIW3rgb-5IhTfeVb8GKP2w5vRwlmXvYJSLQiYkqcaxtMYUa69KRSCKH74r96Lqpw9OQ/s1600/IMG_1303.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scarlett</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<!--EndFragment-->Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-79310882838250273772015-03-08T03:04:00.001-05:002015-03-08T03:04:46.313-05:00Respect Epic
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is a preposterous notion to defile someone or anything
for that matter without due cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To do so means an utter lack of honor for the target.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know to defile a family member is
quite inappropriate and the mere thought disgusts the majority but how about an
object?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Certainly to defile
property would be against anybody’s better judgment so no need to consider that
either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if we go beyond the
physical realm?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, not
spiritually or religiously but the world that lives among us and is a part of
our everyday life, language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would
it be proper to defile say, a word?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This does not have an immediate yes or no trigger in response does it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You pause to think, can a word be
subjected to being defiled?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is
there reason to be considerate of a word? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does it have feelings?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Is it somebody’s property?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’ll get into it to find out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A
word that has been figuratively raped by the populace today to destroy what was
once and in my eyes still can be, not just another word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This word is epic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some words are best used seldom to
maximize its definition meaning when used properly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not reasonable to throw around a word like epic in
daily communication nor does it make sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘How was your breakfast son?’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>‘It was epic!’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How so?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you have to
raise the pig for the bacon?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Collect the eggs from a chicken coop?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forge your eating utensils in due preparation for the meal
yet to come?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fear not to lose
you yet so let’s keep these questions in reserve for now. Let’s rediscover what
epic truly means.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Epic is grand in stature,
spanning over many events a great many things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A poem can be epic when written in length describing a
hero’s journey, see Homer’s Iliad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It need not be poetry as many novels have vast storylines of characters
embarking on fantastical feats that culminate into an incredible climax thus
encouraging the use of epic to sum up such massive storytelling into one
compelling word!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not just
breakfast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I heard the word
epic in my younger years I instantly thought of films such as: Stars Wars or Indiana
Jones since they cover much material over the course of many years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask yourself if epic fits to these
movies or to any other film or book series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A word can only be credible if you treat it with respect. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It serves only to degrade oneself
mentally when attaching a trendy word to your vocabulary for the sake of
fitting in with society.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Why
is epic being diminished?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overuse
of a word leads it down a path it doesn’t want to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How tiresome is it to speak with an individual who reuses the
same two or three curse words over and over from sentence to sentence? Epic
doesn’t want to become that, it’s a slap in the face to be categorized with
mere swear words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today it’s
broadly used to describe a singular event that may or may not have any grand
aspect to it at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve seen
the epic fail posts no doubt, but are those accurate?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps it’s a runner face down on the ground feet from the
finish line with ‘epic fail’ stamped across the image.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this an epic fail though?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It can’t be summed up so simply without
knowing the story that leads to the runner face down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s why Darth Vader tossing the emperor over the side
leading to his demise isn’t an epic fail in itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s rather the events leading to it that create the
emperor’s entire plot from episode one to six as being a failure of epic
proportions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To sum it up in that
single instance, and leave out the rest of that world isn’t justifiable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Star Wars is epic, one scene is not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be as stating that a man shot
and killed with a gun is – epic death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You need an entire series of occurrences to support the time of death
for it to attain epic status.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
not due to any one isolated event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Using epic this way is demeaning to its inherent being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being epic is not as commonplace as the
trend today suggests.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>To
leave epic on the shelf and use it scarcely is its function.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the overuse continues, its probable
there are those who will want to remove it from their vocabulary altogether for
want of not coming across as an idiot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let’s prevent epic from going the way of a hit single record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put some respect into what you say and
you may learn to appreciate what a word really is.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>No
this article is not epic.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-8861685350781671532015-03-06T04:59:00.000-06:002015-03-06T04:59:00.701-06:00The Ghost on the Bus<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>HK
Livin’</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Overcast
looms for a third straight day accompanied by a drizzle of rain. The humidity is enough to make you feel like
you’re on a hike, huffing in mouthfuls of air.
People stand in their customary places single file lurching forward with
blank expressions, doing so in routine not even taking in their surroundings
anymore. Occasionally someone will
glance behind them down the ever-busy street, hoping with the slightest chance
they’ll see their deliverer yet again.
There are those who have shoved their face into glowing rectangular
stones but that same blank expression still occupies their face. It’s yet another day awaiting street side in
Hong Kong for a bus to take them on their way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> Ghosts exist, they move as freely as the
dominant people of Hong Kong although but a fraction in number. It’s quite possible to go days without ever
seeing one in person. They’re not as
portrayed in those vial horror films or even a grotesque scary story, no they
go about their existence much the same as anyone else. Having said this it’s not uncommon to see
them sitting alone on a bus, with but one empty seat remaining and yet no
taker. That is the solitude a ghost in
Hong Kong faces on a daily basis, the struggle to blend in is never ending and
most likely not plausible. The locals
call these ghosts, who have not always been a part of life in Hong Kong but
have been accepted despite past digressions, <i>gweilo</i>. It can mean a few
different words in the English language but in this passage ghost will serve. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> There is a ghost that frequents a
particular bus stop in Choi Hung but the fact is, even being a familiar figure
to those around him remains spooky enough to not share a two-space seat. Chances are the four single seats get occupied
first upon people cramming into the sardine can on wheels, unless the ghost is
one of the first four to six passengers squeezing in he’ll be delegated
elsewhere. Many times has he watched the
ensuing people step into view on the narrow aisle way only to avoid the space
open to his left. There have been bus
rides where he gains the entire seat to himself even with others waiting in
line outside. He doesn’t complain of
extra space but the wonder of why someone would rather wait for the next bus is
puzzling. It’s not that he is saddened
by lack of want to have someone so readily sit next to him but rather curious
as to why it is the way it is. The fear
does not show on the faces or actions of the people but is there something
hidden within them that cowers at his mere presence. Perhaps there is a dreadful feeling that
death comes to those who spend too much time in close quarters with a <i>gweilo</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> In the reverse spectrum, that is to say
when he is filing in last onto the bus that he must choose where to sit, he
often notices the despair on the faces of those who have an open space next to
them. The way they tightly grasp the
safety handle on the sit directly in front of them, the fidgety way they play
with a purse strap or pull out their seeing stone tablet and quickly slide a
finger this way and that. It’s also been
seen that one will turn away to look out the window at the falling rain,
passing traffic or nothing in particular at all but just to not look into the
ghost’s eyes by miss glance. When he does
sit its common that the person will try to force their way over although plenty
of room remains between them. Does the
spectral force of the ghost do things he knows not to the living? It’s an interesting study to be sure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> A few occurrences that warrant a couple
words are the chance cases when the final two seats together house ghosts. As the ghost steps into the bus and sees the
other ghost there is no hesitation, true it’s the only place to sit but fellow
ghosts seem to have similar acceptance of one another as the other people do to
one another. The other is in regard to
how well a ghost can see or possibly its overall awareness when compared to
local populace. A ghost frantically hop’s
into the bus dings a card that transfers money to the preservation of octopi*
everywhere, and quickly steps halfway down the aisle, spins and discovers there
are no remaining seats. Flabbergasted
the ghost disappears out the door ignoring the chatter from the driver. It is either lack of vision caused by the
paleness of their body or an act of charity, donating 3.4 HKD for a ride not to
be taken</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-language: ZH-HK;">, a</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">s
before it is a study worth undertaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> In conclusion, as a ghost among you,
rattle the cage and make the choice to look for a <i>gweilo</i> to share a two-seater with.
It’s true their hair isn’t as consistent a color as everyone else. They’re often too tall which causes
unnecessary ‘mind your head’ signs to be posted and they’ll never be in the
same class of ping-pong as the locals but they’re mostly harmless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 新細明體; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">*Octopus card is a
multipurpose card used to speed up transactions of several purposes throughout
Hong Kong, including the bus as read here</span>Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-35454471496376229802015-03-04T04:51:00.000-06:002015-03-10T06:02:33.884-05:00The Study of Scarlett (Chapter 1)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><b>HK Livin'</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">It
didn’t dawn on me until the day was underfoot but March the second had a bit of
extra meaning to it, in more ways than one.
Ah, but what am I getting at? The
day in question was the same calendar day eight years ago that I first made
contact with… my future wife. I don’t
know why such a detail stuck in my Swiss cheese memory but it did and it’s
become a pleasant miniscule personal holiday for us. We don’t celebrate, shoot off fireworks, get
too drunk to walk, have a luxurious dinner or even do more than acknowledge
with kind words how long its been but I suppose it’s one of life’s little
bonuses for us now. Now I’m not
deterring from my main point but rather setting it up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> This day has another significant
attachment to it, although it may only have special attention this year. It’s my daughter, Scarlett’s, first month of
life to the day. (Holding for applause) Up until now she has been newborn in behavior,
as any parent would know so I’ll not bother with such tedious detail. She did have her first doctor visit which was
quite a neat experience so that I’d like to make my case study for Scarlett.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> The appointment time was 8:45am which at
any time in my post high school and pre-baby era of existence would be asking
more than I could ever give, proved moot now.
Awake by seven and waiting to leave was more like it. I was slowly moving about but nonetheless on
my feet. The journey out wasn’t to be a
fantasy epic in getting there although meeting a talking tree trunk would have
added quite the spunk or funk to my rather bland story. My wife and I hoofed it there in no time
through the streets of Hong Kong, that’s right for those who don’t yet know. Scarlett fussed a bit until we arrived
outside and a brand new world, outside of the apartment she’s been forcefully
held captive in thus far, appeared before her eyes. Wide binocular vision and, a hushed silence
overtook her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> We arrived first which couldn’t have
been better, when I saw how many seats were available it could have been quite
a timely stay. We don’t see the doctor
until 9:15, so much for being punctual.
The wait area gains a few fresh rears in some chairs but mostly vacant,
spacious even. Now we know there’s
plenty of open seats and I’d chance at a most obvious guess that people would
naturally space themselves throughout the room before cluttering up, no, NO,
not in Hong Kong my friends. Another
couple, the first to arrive after us in fact, decides to sit directly at our
backs, as the seats have a musical chair formation to them, back to back. I’m still trying to gain full awareness and
the dude behind us uses me as a backrest of sorts. I’m tall already and this Chinese guy
happened to be as well, the seats had low backs, come on man. Sit up straight and conform to your spatial
surroundings! I look around. Empty seats everywhere why sit at my
back? Possibly I’m playing this too much
but it seemed socially a bad move, I believe Jerry Seinfeld and his crew would
dub this couple, “close sitters” or something of the like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> At last we take our little squirt in to
get weighed. I had a sweet feeling she
was on pace with her size, hey I don’t want an enormous monster baby on my
hands. She scaled in at ten pounds, well
a shade over ten but otherwise just a scratch above average. Of course the doctor said that was actually
better so there it is. A bit further on,
after bouncing around from room to room she needs a diaper change. No, slow your roll, no nightmarish poop turd-flinging
scene takes place although along with a talking tree trunk I’d be onto a swell
kids story eh? One day little Danny was
walking to school when a talking tree trunk flung a giant turd at him! We head into a room with a few other babes
and parents, etc. Scarlett fusses a bit a first, probably wondering why she’s
being exposed in public, when she hears the other babies cry she abruptly
quits. It’s amazing she doesn’t want to
be another mere face in the crowd. To
skip ahead but for a moment my wife asked me just before we leave what I did
with the dirty diaper from earlier. Well
I tossed it in the trash, no headline story here. I told her I stuffed it into a nearby closet,
she only looked at me with those eyes which spoke all, that I was as full of
what the diaper was – love it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> Let’s jump to the vaccination, the first
shot I see Scarlett get. OK so I was
interested to see how tough she was. We
enter into a small damp room with flickering lights, a broken window with a
spider web as patchwork and a constant drip, drip, drip from somewhere we can
hear but not see. That’s creepy isn’t
it? Too bad none of it is real – would
go well with a talking tree trunk and diaper bomb of poop. My wife holds her down properly then the needle
gets the classic syringe squeeze by the harbinger of pain, eh nurse, to show
the drop of fluid peak at the needlepoint.
This woman actually sneers then laughs at us then shifts her eyes to
Scarlett, no she doesn’t. Waiting,
watching, not a peep from baby… the needle withdraws, Scarlett turns red, and
her face contorts, the wail of horror shatters my eyeglasses. Bandaged up quick we turn to the exit and no
more enter the hall, the screaming stops.
So I’d say I’m pleased with her response. Took the hit, cried but recovered in no time. We walk down the hall, going by the people
who are next in this assembly line of torture to the seating area, which again
is rather empty…</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> No more than we sit and sigh, maybe even
fart, then a couple plops down right next to us. Twice now, what do you do in this case? My wife gets up first and we move elsewhere
undisturbed for the remainder of our time there. A lesson I learned, Chinese people have a
different social structure when it comes to area seating arrangements or I’m
totally trying to make a big deal out of it just so you’ll keep reading. Either way it was an interesting enough
couple of hours and hopefully you made it through to the end of this silly but
mostly true study of Scarlett.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-65626233545566526492013-04-17T00:06:00.000-05:002013-04-17T00:08:16.839-05:00Cemetery World – Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85wYlVMrSXOHgpi9UH9vqv4mX2K1pXA77bqBZOrTxcppjO7LuacbiP1Bx4kWoFLjJ2FZt5oL_RKsWrQdy6F2gXpOVFOB3NtxuSsmt8MQ5F8yYMygVwB_C9Uie6A7sd67G9dG8KHfonf8/s1600/Books.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85wYlVMrSXOHgpi9UH9vqv4mX2K1pXA77bqBZOrTxcppjO7LuacbiP1Bx4kWoFLjJ2FZt5oL_RKsWrQdy6F2gXpOVFOB3NtxuSsmt8MQ5F8yYMygVwB_C9Uie6A7sd67G9dG8KHfonf8/s320/Books.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author – Clifford D. Simak</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A review of <i>Cemetery
World<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I first read this back when I was twelve or so and since
then barely remembered any of it. I had
to do a book report on it so I was in essence being forced to read it. Let’s face it book reports were always the
worst and before the internet it was difficult to fake one that looked like you
actually read it. That’s probably why I
remember so little of it however it’s not all bad. For old time’s sake I decided to snatch this
book from its safe confines on the shelf and bend open a half deteriorated
bundle of pages. When paperbacks sit for
awhile they go to the grave so to speak for sake of this title. Pages tore easily, the front cover wanted to
fall away like an autumn leaf, it was awful.
I did manage to prove too much for this tiny book and read it no matter
how much it’d rather just die.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
idea for the book was better than the story.
What I mean is that Earth is no longer what we know it as today but
simply a gigantic graveyard. The
universe uses our planet as a burial ground which is creepy and sad for us but
it’s interesting enough for me. The
groundskeepers (corporate raiders) of Earth run the planet while keeping their
image as a sort of ‘<i>preservation of mother
Earth</i>’ mentality. It’s a neat
setup. The main character finds his way
to Earth trying to make some sort of a record of what the real Earth is like
but along the way it gets a tad confusing.
It’s the kind of adventure where the main character gets paranoid of
everyone he meets and assumes the corporation is out to get him. It’s not so bad but his main goal sidetracks
so much that you get led around with other somewhat less interesting ordeals
most of the time. By the end you’re
basically glad it’s only 159 pages.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The one
aspect I didn’t really go for was when the time travel entered into the
story. It was a solid mini science
fiction plot up until then but then I found myself not caring as much how the
time travel worked because it was made to be confusing for the sake of being
confusing. That’s annoying to me because
if an author can’t nail it then try something else. It’s possible that I wanted the story to go
another direction that caused me to be disappointed in the ending. Anyway it doesn’t get to that point until the
final ten or so pages so it’s easy to plow through.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is
all I’ve read of the late Mr. Simak and I don’t plan on any further reading of
his. If you’re into science fiction
you’ll probably enjoy this short read, I did after all and it wasn’t the
greatest. If not then skipping it
wouldn’t be a bad idea. Oh, if you’re
someone into the notion that people are like a disease and should be destroyed
for ruining the planet you might like it too.
Cemetery, oh yeah. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://scottmoviereviews.blogspot.com/2013/01/book-review-master-list.html">Book Review Master List</a></div>
Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-82354785277639487052013-04-15T12:04:00.000-05:002013-04-15T12:06:29.159-05:00The Making of Jurassic Park – Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8rDWUfFzqo4U8685oAUbCNqTL2LFquuvkowr-uutlvjj8m_4PeOTi2yQuyROvLhYKeUqdSOstRluwp0WfwYh6fJa59K0893nqR9Zql1XltYi_yDBIiFeEckOqu5bZUGkAGnHH7F3iC8/s1600/Books.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8rDWUfFzqo4U8685oAUbCNqTL2LFquuvkowr-uutlvjj8m_4PeOTi2yQuyROvLhYKeUqdSOstRluwp0WfwYh6fJa59K0893nqR9Zql1XltYi_yDBIiFeEckOqu5bZUGkAGnHH7F3iC8/s320/Books.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author – Don Shay & Jody Duncan</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A review of <i>The Making
of Jurassic Park<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve never wanted to know more about a movie than <i>Jurassic Park</i> but that’s because it’s my
favorite film. Yes, I’ve seen the movie
countless times, read the novel it’s based on time after time but I never came
around to reading this book. I’ve owned
it for years dating back to my teenage years which feel as ancient as CRT
monitors. True I scanned through the
book several times, mostly fixing my eyes upon the pictures over that time, but
now that I’ve actually read it I wonder what took me so long. It has plenty of behind the scenes detail
that shows how much was put into this movie.
It’s broken down into four parts so I’ll skim over those now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Preproduction<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In a stage like this we learn how the author of the novel,
Michael Crichton, eventually grew tired of writing anything more to do with
Jurassic Park. It shifted hands to
others a few times to get down a plausible screenplay idea. It also introduces the magnificent Stan
Winston and his astounding team as he builds the robotic dinosaurs step by
step. The process is long and some of
his work goes to the wayside. There is
plenty to learn and if you’re a fan of Jurassic Park than you’ll enjoy it very
much. I’ll leave you with these few
trickles of knowledge so you have no choice but to read the book for further
information. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Production<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The cast enters now and I liked the point of view Sam Neill
offered when he was quoted in the book.
I became a fan of his because of this movie so that’s a cool bonus for
me. It also has the likes of Richard
Attenborough, who played John Hammond; discuss how he felt about being in the
movie. If you like hearing the actor’s
thoughts then this section will satisfy in that regard. The genius of Spielberg is shown in more
depth as he cuts costs, shortens shootings and makes the movie saving decision
to go CG with some of the best dinosaur scenes ever seen on the big screen to
date. Again if you like Spielberg this
book showcases what makes him such an extraordinary director, he’s not perfect
but the job he does is almost unbelievable.
I would have liked to get some insight from Bob Peck, he played Muldoon,
but sadly there is none. This section
also covers photography and the rigorous efforts of making sets but instead of
getting into that I’ll let you read for yourself. It’s rather interesting how they went about
some of those challenges and the results are yet again mind boggling. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Postproduction<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This would be the area when CG gets put on the spot to
finish up those memorable dinosaur scenes including the epic finale when the
T-Rex saves the day. This was
groundbreaking territory and brand new to ILM, the company who did the CG. It was the same company that worked on T2
making the liquid metal Robert Patrick.
Spielberg really took a big chance that ILM would come through since
there was basically no history of this type of work to draw from. It ended up being possibly one of the best
decisions he’s ever made. John Williams
also came aboard to do the score which is again probably one of the best ever
in a movie. Every team from sound,
concept artists, music, writing, cast, crew, creature effects and anything else
I can’t name was pretty much the best Hollywood had to offer. In the end it would have been a shame if this
movie was anything less than what it turned out to be. What excuse would they have to come up short? Spielberg was aware of this and thus knew he
couldn’t be lacking in anyway. It’s an
amazing experience where everyone involved might possibly have had their career
year. Anyway if you would like to know
more about the unsung heroes in the movie industry you’ll find them all here in
this section.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Storyboards<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Describing pictures isn’t easy so I don’t have much to add
here except it’s really neat to see the early ideas behind some of the scenes
in the movie. Some of the characters
were removed or switched from scene to scene which I found interesting but
other than gazing over the sketches there isn’t much here to see. It’s neat to visualize what could have been
but never was.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Closing<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s
an easy read with plenty of pictures to support the writing. I recommend all Jurassic Park fans to spend
an afternoon reading this as you won’t be disappointed. It’s probably even fun for a movie fan in
general to read it since it breaks down the creation of the film extremely
well.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://scottmoviereviews.blogspot.com/2013/01/book-review-master-list.html">Book Review Master List</a></span></span></div>
Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-13934526079220391322013-04-10T22:29:00.001-05:002013-04-10T22:30:30.427-05:00High Hunt – Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNICjhS17prcJDvYF4nnusI-_M1GyC68B3a5JLoTrnOyi6MEdGBE5ggmnnfjPfsx24qXa8Gr3twNFpJTOiWRLYDAN3wpXmHprrzKvjstKGnOc559PlhNaKJAEO54MWECK8PqGBoBn-Dqk/s1600/Books.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNICjhS17prcJDvYF4nnusI-_M1GyC68B3a5JLoTrnOyi6MEdGBE5ggmnnfjPfsx24qXa8Gr3twNFpJTOiWRLYDAN3wpXmHprrzKvjstKGnOc559PlhNaKJAEO54MWECK8PqGBoBn-Dqk/s320/Books.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author – David Eddings</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A review of <i>High Hunt<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This here book is amazing.
It’s easily my favorite David Eddings novel, although I’ve only read the
‘<i>Tamuli</i>’ set and ‘<i>Redemption of Althalus</i>’. Out of the five total books ‘<i>High Hunt</i>’ is perched on the top
comfortably grinning down toward the others.
I expected a different read because this one is fiction but I got more
than I bargained for. It’s a side of
Eddings I didn’t see coming in comparison to what I’ve already read if you want
to know then pick up this book. It took
me two days to open then close this one and that’s 340 pages worth of smaller
font size. I swear the book seeped glue
onto my hands as I progressed in the story.
The word usage is remarkable but maybe that’s the 1970s feel of it
either way this book has a powerful vacuum effect.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
characters are diverse enough to complement each other masterfully. Is that too strong a word? Nah, I liked the book so yes masterful is
appropriate. They range from very
likable to very despicable in quite an equal balance. Some are rather flawless, and then some fall
into that category of mostly OK but a few personality detractors, to plain
awful. I’d hate to ruin any aspect of
the characters but the majority of them would probably die from cirrhosis of
the liver. They take boozing to a whole
new level, getting tipsy before noon is commonplace. I do apologize if that takes away from any
enjoyment you would have gotten from the book but I was constantly shocked with
the drinking escapades. It made for
great character support though considering all their personalities. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A
drawback that may alienate some readers is that the story is centered on liquor
(as mentioned), guns, a choice selection of language and trailer trash (to be blunt). Why I enjoyed it is still a bit of an enigma
but if these things aren’t your thing you could find yourself tossing this one
aside. I guess it’s the characters that
powered me through. I really had to know
what they would do next and try to learn why they were the way they are which
gets explained but the trick is you must read to know, kudos Eddings, got me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> If you’re interested in Eddings
and haven’t read his stuff yet then this is as good as any to start. It’s not fantasy so don’t expect a knight to
show up although that would have been hilarious at a few points in the
story. If you have read his fantasy
books but not this one then be prepared for a bit of a change up because if
you’re not careful only a sailor will know what the *%$# you’re talking about
after you finish reading this one.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://scottmoviereviews.blogspot.com/2013/01/book-review-master-list.html">Book Review Master List</a></span></span></div>
Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-73755501128820704782013-04-09T00:03:00.002-05:002013-04-09T00:03:48.333-05:00The Great Train Robbery – Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUkTO6nUqlk2l9KYdV9kRju-5laAetQ0K3WBG1CNRp_RT479osDIWyiqxlX6UMzKn5SRNJhMJuYUuprwYfYFlXwZy09zDYCp2Vuuc_A2oI93Tb07dEYxdvZBq8Pm7V1wC0PA8juJgOeQ/s1600/Books.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmUkTO6nUqlk2l9KYdV9kRju-5laAetQ0K3WBG1CNRp_RT479osDIWyiqxlX6UMzKn5SRNJhMJuYUuprwYfYFlXwZy09zDYCp2Vuuc_A2oI93Tb07dEYxdvZBq8Pm7V1wC0PA8juJgOeQ/s320/Books.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author – Michael Crichton</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A review of <i>The Great
Train Robbery<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I didn’t know what to expect when I learned that Crichton
wrote a book that appeared to be a western.
If you read the title, see the old style train cover art and his name
dominating the rest of the front what else could it be? I’m accustomed to his science driven stories,
mostly, and was curious about a setting such as 1854 for him. I found out later it was based on true events
which finally pushed me to read it. It’s
a great book. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ll
point a few things out; if you like learning about the 1800’s in any fashion
then this book will give you enough taste to satisfy. If you’re interested in London during that
time even better. I’ve come to enjoy
reading books from that time as well as learning how life was back then. There is something about no cellular phones,
internet, automobiles or any other technological marvel in this day and age
that is fun to read about. I grew up in
the era when computers reached up and grabbed us all then drew us close to its
bosom so now I’m curious as to how it was prior. Going back to the 1800’s will quench that
desire. I’m no fanatic of years long ago
but Crichton sets the stage for that era well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A slick
man with a plan and a few accomplices go to unimaginable lengths to rob a
train. I can say I wasn’t interest in
the few beginning pages when I discovered it was in London. I’m American why should I want to read how
these great Englishman pulled a heist. I
want a shootout old west adventure right?
It didn’t take long for Crichton to knock that notion aside and get me
hooked anyway. The story of the robbery
is mixed in beautifully with the history of times back then. Following the main character around, who is always
so smooth, is a joy to read. The fact
that London was young in its law enforcement at the time makes the chance of
success even greater for the alleged criminals.
This really is one train ride you better not miss. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is
a simple read and can be enjoyed by any who enjoy a clever heist. Remember its 1854 so quirky gadgets and
computer passwords to a vault don’t exist so put our current era on the shelf
when you grab this book from it. If you
set your mind to a time in the distant past you’ll have a pleasant memory to
recall upon later in life. All aboard
for thievery at its finest! These train
puns are so addicting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-62284269515786334292013-04-02T11:41:00.003-05:002013-04-02T16:48:45.789-05:00Disclosure – Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9e90I9aG2F1m67djeEXEUM2cX9Zaz6of614eO8-D-TRTkw4NHWV7tK2un2kUz9_6PbEhWZHthyphenhyphenaGxOsnY1AaUkKWfEOESRFBdA3txzK92UNWHGuZbQ-POfdR5QlXJSuRU_JUTjh61uT8/s1600/Books.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9e90I9aG2F1m67djeEXEUM2cX9Zaz6of614eO8-D-TRTkw4NHWV7tK2un2kUz9_6PbEhWZHthyphenhyphenaGxOsnY1AaUkKWfEOESRFBdA3txzK92UNWHGuZbQ-POfdR5QlXJSuRU_JUTjh61uT8/s320/Books.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author – Michael Crichton</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A review of <i>Disclosure<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sexual harassment, two words that lead most people to think
of a similar scenario. A man has
advanced on a woman in the workplace against her will. This man is of high ranking and is getting
what he wants through his position. The
woman is clearly innocent and is but another victim of a corrupt business world
where man rules. I believe that sums up
the general idea here. What Crichton has
done is put a role reversal on it which stirs the pot in ways I never thought
about. It’s not mind blowing but for a
book not revolving around science as he often does it will still make your
fingertips bleed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a
man I can understand how men behave in the workplace, they can get wild eyed
and close to women. They try to hold
reserve but I’ve seen it come close to boiling over into something too hot for
the woman to handle. My experiences don’t
come from men of power though, more along the lines of men of similar standing
position as the woman in question. ‘<i>Disclosure</i>’ pits an individual’s power
of position against either sex. That’s
what interested me when reading; I never put much thought into how sexual
harassment occurred. That being said,
seeing the woman in a position a man is usually in makes you think. Can a man be raped? Is he as ‘<i>helpless</i>’
as a woman? Does he have the same rights
as a woman in the exact same situation, simply reversed? Questions mount throughout as you get pulled
into whether or not this man can make a case for himself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
science side blends well into the story which involves CD-ROM drives and state
of the art VR! Those sound funny to hold
as top tier technology now so when reading you’re better off pretending it is
1993. Internet, what’s that some nerd
convention? The main character is in a conundrum
in dealing with sexual harassment and problems with the drives simultaneously. If you like reading about an individual or a
small group of them battling through extreme hardships then I’d say this is a
story for you. The situation goes from
bad to worse, then a bit better, then back down the toilet. It’s an easy read and you can learn something
if you’re open to it. The main character
isn’t pushed so far down that everybody wants to cheer him on but rather you
see flaws within him to question who really is being wronged. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: PMingLiU; mso-fareast-language: ZH-TW;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> This is one of the better
Crichton books I’ve read and I recommend it for any who may be considering one
of his. If old computer type technology,
real world characters and a nasty dose of sexual tension interest you then look
no further. If you’re more of a close
minded person who believes a man of power will always be the evil whereas a
woman in the same position would be an angel then put the box back on your
head.</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://scottmoviereviews.blogspot.com/2013/01/book-review-master-list.html">Book Review Master List</a></span></span></div>
Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-48277313014738859382013-03-30T00:04:00.002-05:002013-03-30T00:05:13.640-05:00The Redemption of Althalus – Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGSZGhAoerABSr44aEe95ZROIcdiviRTmbuWNFdrvk2wljkQcj2DsGQ3nh9fYk_5ji-9uY_SLALVmok9R-zfLba7Z0aoziyWujXvbDks3c2jcuSBOnLq5gTxzkjn9XlNSJnsYNsOQtOk/s1600/Books.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGSZGhAoerABSr44aEe95ZROIcdiviRTmbuWNFdrvk2wljkQcj2DsGQ3nh9fYk_5ji-9uY_SLALVmok9R-zfLba7Z0aoziyWujXvbDks3c2jcuSBOnLq5gTxzkjn9XlNSJnsYNsOQtOk/s320/Books.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author – David & Leigh Eddings</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A review of <i>The Redemption
of Althalus<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve become a reader of David Eddings recently, dating back
to last spring 2012. I read ‘<i>The Tamuli</i>’ which was a splendid welcoming
into the fantasy realm. I’m not an avid
fantasy reader but I do pick and choose the times I’ll skip over to that world,
in this case ‘<i>The Redemption of Althalus</i>’. My expectation was high for this book and I
don’t make a habit of doing that when I start a read. As I read and read I began to realize that
this stand alone felt like a series crammed into one book. It’s not a terrible story but there was
enough I didn’t like to keep it on the shelf for years to come. Well I may take it off every now and then
considering the cover art is actually pretty cool to look at.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Redemption?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Technically you can interpret the title of the book as being
correct but I have my own thoughts on it.
Althalus did live a thief’s life to the letter before he was corralled into
service by a higher being. However his
character to me was likable at the beginning and didn’t really seem evil or of
a rotten nature. Yes it did state he’d
murder if the price was right but I doubt he did it often enough to be that
dastardly. My point is, to be redeemed;
it would be deeper for his character if he really had done some very awful
things in his past or present. It didn’t
strike me as a true redemption, now if Ghend, the antagonist, had changed his
ways that would be of much more grand significance. Again the title does work but a horrible
history on Althalus might merit more emotion for him. He ended up lying, cheating and stealing all
the way to the end anyway so did he really redeem himself?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Evil stood no chance,
none<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ghend is the rival to Althalus but never comes close to challenging
him. The house where Dweia, the most
annoying character in the book, lives uses the ability to cheat at every turn, whether
it’s screwing with the enemies mind to make them forgetful, traveling around
the world in mere seconds with the use of doors or using a book to gain
leverage 100% of the time evil can’t even compete. To make a classic struggle revolving around
good and evil you’d think evil would win a few battles at the very least. It doesn’t happen, it almost did once but it
didn’t. The character Eliar from
Althalus’ squad gets whacked in the head with an axe at a critical juncture in
the story but survives somehow with the aid of magical surgery. His death would have been staggering at that
point since he was the operator of the doors that good used. I wanted him to die.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Evil
was also cursed with morons, I believe every member of evil had some sort of
mental setback in their brain. Ghend had
been around a very long time and could have been much more powerful than
Althalus ever could have been but the evil master Daeva apparently didn’t like
to train his minions. Dweia said as much
in the actual story. I mean what is the
point of evil to start an uprising if you’re not even going to really try? In the end Dweia may not have been evil but
she controlled good to do her bidding no matter what. She was basically a puppeteer. Also, how many times did she call Althalus
pet? That drove me crazy, hated it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Good<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve hit the book hard so far but I did enjoy the beginning
of the book (pre-Dweia) and the parts when Althalus was recruiting his
fellowship. I also will put Bheid, a
holy man, as one of the better spots in the story. He at one point killed a member of evil to
avenge the loss of a young man he was grooming to become a priest of some
sort. Emotion actually filled the pages as
he failed his vow and lost will to go on.
It’s not a moment set on a peak that oversees the rest of the story but
it was interesting. Bheid was a somewhat
unstable character so it shook things up a little.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Wrap up <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
characters didn’t have enough to them to make you want them to succeed or
continue living. The side of evil barely
had their point of view shown and when it did you’d swear Daeva was just Dweia with
a mask on controlling them as well. If
you like female characters controlling males by way of verbal commands then you’d
probably find this book delightful. The
high headed Dweia and her ‘I’m perfect and will always be right’ attitude is
too much for me. I could express more
folly but if you’re making a decision to read this I hoped I helped. It’s not a place I’d recommend for new
Eddings readers while Eddings purists might say I’m just full of it which is
fine. Read in good health. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-14281293221196769462013-03-26T18:44:00.002-05:002013-03-26T18:44:33.993-05:00The Martian Chronicles – The Illustrated Man – The Golden Apples of the Sun – Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQedMyUz-_fAMQ7yy8IsB3c7EvzcSvcPsX3t4Qbz0MonzU4p7Nq8wDl1OgkX-_KOwfFEwGsiLtD3QCPr57QJSxShyagvlf3a44LYq0yvx0EkGfafNsIvVkNnf44J9Tl59bHm9ztwJCRKY/s1600/Books.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQedMyUz-_fAMQ7yy8IsB3c7EvzcSvcPsX3t4Qbz0MonzU4p7Nq8wDl1OgkX-_KOwfFEwGsiLtD3QCPr57QJSxShyagvlf3a44LYq0yvx0EkGfafNsIvVkNnf44J9Tl59bHm9ztwJCRKY/s320/Books.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author – Ray Bradbury</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A review of <i>The
Martian Chronicles – The Illustrated Man – The Golden Apples of the Sun<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The three titles packed together in this thick book are the
first I’ve read of Mr. Bradbury. The
cover art caught my eye and the top title ‘<i>The
Martian Chronicles</i>’ to be interesting for a soul such as mine that has a
tendency to devour science fiction. I
read ‘<i>The Martian Chronicles</i>’ in a
moderate time and was at first struggling to adjust to a series of short
stories that it actually was. As I read
it wasn’t long before I enjoyed reading what a 1950s author thought of space
travel and its Martian implications. I
moved onto ‘<i>The Illustrated Man</i>’ but
within four of those short stories I promptly tossed in back onto the shelf to
accumulate a mini mountain of dust. I
had grown tired of short stories in my early time being a full time reader; I
had and still do much to learn about reading.
It takes time and brain pain sometimes to read but later I’d learn that
completing any book is an experience you can grab a hold of in times where you
may otherwise feel regretful of how life is going.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
book stared at me for months as I distanced myself from books until I finally
obstructed it’s vision of me by leaving my closet door open against the
bookshelf, quite an evil deed. This new
year of 2013 emerged from the future as I had already been dragged back into
the world of my mind. Books have a way
of bringing you back if you leave the door open but a crack. It took about nine months since I last read
this collection of Mr. Bradbury’s but I had a whole new appreciation for the
stories. It felt to me as I read each
story, as fast as my fingers could turn the pages that each story was like
viewing a photo album. A photo album
shows you a certain time, place and experience within it much the way I
accepted each short story having its own tale.
If you don’t prefer short stories then it’ll be a chore to read any of
this. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Short Stories<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I first began reading these stories in ‘<i>The Martian Chronicles</i>’ I had never read
short stories much and was very accustomed to reading novels, my lack of
reading prowess failed me. In my early
era of reading I’ve grown fond of single story novels not that I limit myself
to said books now but when I began Bradbury’s short stories I hated being
sucked into a ten page group of intrigue only to have it come to an end. In reading a book such as this I recommend coming
to terms that it’s meant to be short.
That probably seems obvious but I overlooked it and it tormented me. The stories can end quickly and sometimes
leaving you scratching your head but the upside is a new one can begin right
after. The majority of the stories are
fantastic for a science fiction mind however anybody could find a story or two
to admire. I came back to this behemoth
of a book due in large part that I found myself writing short stories and
rather enjoying it, figure that one. My
perception has changed about this book and for the greater good of my soul.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Martian
Chronicles<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are some interesting views on what Mars could be used
for in mankind’s future and Bradbury brings to light many of them. I would rather avoid opening the book for you
and telling you what this brilliant author concocted oh so many years ago so I
won’t. I will say it’s well written
which is what readers want to know. The
idea of space travel, particularly to other planets, is unknown to us. We know we can go to space but what is Mars
like or Venus? How many other galaxies
are there, truly? The stories in this
book whip up some notions of what it is by planting that seed. Whenever I hear the word Mars now my mind
twists and turns to recall a story from this book as my base understanding of
the planet, how many other books claim that?
One story I’d recommend is ‘<i>The
Earth Men</i>’. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Illustrated Man<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The stories within this book differ on topic and aren’t
limited to space travel or Mars. A witch
tattoos a man with some questionable ink thus showing whoever casts eyes upon
him to see a most unsettling story. I
like the idea of this main story that starts and concludes this book. ‘<i>The
Long Rain</i>’ is one of my favorites but there are many that succeed. The stories jump around a bit topic wise so
you’re not set on any one area.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Golden Apples of
the Sun<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In my mind I thought this would be a slow struggling
read. It happens to us all from time to
time right? Before we begin a book we
have that intuition that it’s going to be lackluster or a failure. My brain chose this one but it was wrong
again, surprise. It does start off
uninteresting with some of the stories ending before you really understand what
was going on. It does pick up and before
you know it your fingers are working then begging for a massage. Some that I liked, ‘<i>The Murderer</i>’, ‘<i>Sun and
Shadow</i>’, ‘<i>R is for Rocket</i>’, ‘<i>Frost and Ice</i>’ and ‘<i>Chrysalis</i>’. There are plenty
more that really entertain and if I had to pick one of these it would be ‘<b>Frost and Ice</b>’. Out of the three books here I’d save this one
for last so you’re guaranteed a satisfactory conclusion to your read.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-74876384564012267792013-03-20T15:28:00.002-05:002013-03-20T15:28:33.989-05:00Understanding China – Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rfVMx0RE3qoRgqddHP6Lza9ZIt6TyppBA9I_x8tN3jea3crKsLrJIMY7k2vkWGISP_hbwyDedwW-RPRi6IBTqESrGz_BVUAcQKlscG0CsYGRfwPE9HdFglxr5UFFEZ4mkStcWBKk1r4/s1600/Books.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rfVMx0RE3qoRgqddHP6Lza9ZIt6TyppBA9I_x8tN3jea3crKsLrJIMY7k2vkWGISP_hbwyDedwW-RPRi6IBTqESrGz_BVUAcQKlscG0CsYGRfwPE9HdFglxr5UFFEZ4mkStcWBKk1r4/s320/Books.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author – John Bryan Starr</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A review of <i>Understanding
China<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I haven’t read much outside of novels but wanted to in
choosing <i>Understand China</i>. In picking something to read you must let
whatever topic of interest floats and stays within you to direct your
course. I purchased this book in May of
2011 and was a bit slow on reading it all the way through. I desired to learn about a country I knew little
about, other than what you hear word of mouth which can be as reliable as Wikipedia. As the final page turned I was left with
knowledge that put a few more wrinkles in my brain.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>What’s it about?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The book consists of the Chinese economy, its geography,
history and politics. I’m not into
politics and although it states on the front cover that the book contains
information on it I have no one to blame but myself. I found those sections a bit more grinding to
go through but it wasn’t as awful as I assumed it would be. The geography doesn’t have as much content as
the other three main topics.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Chapters I enjoyed</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first two chapters focused on geography and history
which kept my interest easily.
Discovering China’s population growth wasn’t always so far up in numbers
as I assumed it was throughout history.
It occurred in later dynasties and the country’s population until then
was moderate and more in tune with the rest of the world. The severe lack of arable land also was
fascinating to learn about as I again assumed since the country had size it had
plenty of farmland. The effect Taiwan
has on China was also more of what I didn’t know. It goes to lengths describing how Taiwan
seeks to break away from China but that’s never going to happen.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Wrap Up<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If
you want to simply learn about something, in this case China, decide what it will
be and go for it. Nobody is holding you
back and if China is that thing then this is a great book to start off
with. The politics slow it down unless
that’s your thing then you’ll discover much to delight you. I’d recommend chapters 1,2,13 and 16 as high
points.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-18787303623758890852013-03-15T23:04:00.001-05:002013-03-15T23:04:52.242-05:00Wizard and Glass – Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQiq-Mmg7fVORJcg74ckzF9gOGySXfv72_QnDpA6XB_Gtw2e4Wh4XH73FQ_6FPghzpGh6SDzP5jb9cbfs1KJHkQKpi7pw9XcNGM0kTF0hi_iJ82VFXfQ_hvf7L-0JFXmcRDn8Q1q4pzR4/s1600/Books.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQiq-Mmg7fVORJcg74ckzF9gOGySXfv72_QnDpA6XB_Gtw2e4Wh4XH73FQ_6FPghzpGh6SDzP5jb9cbfs1KJHkQKpi7pw9XcNGM0kTF0hi_iJ82VFXfQ_hvf7L-0JFXmcRDn8Q1q4pzR4/s320/Books.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author – Stephen King</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A review of <i>Wizard and
Glass<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve read the first four of the dark tower series now with
three to go and must say this one rivals as my favorite. This series is all I’ve read of King’s work,
except for <i>On Writing</i>, and I admire
his style. All I knew of King before I
read these books was the less-than-stellar movies that spawned from his
writing. It’s probably attributed to my
non interest in horror type material.
Movies aside I’ll get to the book Wizard and Glass.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Blaine the train<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The ending to the previous book left me interested as to
what riddle Roland and company would come up with to stump this pious
train. I was left disappointed when Eddie
and his uncreative riddles drove Blaine into a cliché overload. Until that point I thought it started well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The story of Roland<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By far and away my favorite section of the book. Back story is my weakness and it’s done
amazingly. The characters of Cuthbert,
Alain, Susan, Jonas and Cordelia to name a few are far more interesting to read
about than what we’ve been mainly exposed to thus far in the series. I wasn’t sold on the series yet and still may
not be since I’m guessing there won’t be a sizable chunk of Roland’s past to
feast on. His quest for the dark tower
leading to the death of his love Susan while the deception of that witch Rhea, he
failed to finish off, led to his mother’s death gets a hold of you. It’s satisfactory to know what has made
Roland who he is at long last. I hope
there is more to come as I’d rather read about Cuthbert and Alain over Eddie
and Susannah any day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Oz?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The shoes and Wizard of Oz segments to wrap the book up are
silly. I was hoping for something unique
or different but get a telling of a movie I never liked growing up incorporated
into a book I was very much into. My
favorite version of the Wizard of Oz is done in Futurama.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Wrap up<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Despite an intro and ending that I didn’t care much for this
book delivers thanks in large part to Roland’s history revealed. I’m not as interested in what the dark tower
is as to how fascinated by the character Roland I am. Fortunately that should be enough for me to
move along in the series just to see what happens to Roland. King really has created an awesome character
in him that powers this series. With
characters like Eddie and Susannah I suppose he would need to or I’m not
confident I’d want to continue.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-44810115188751572902013-02-20T12:38:00.003-06:002015-03-12T06:07:52.001-05:00Dog Bite<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy48kWcOKJRjheUvp6K6DWskZdyeWJZeeWD452fqnQ4hJQMAupAUUIfwROPRcZZCpc_y4DtL3X7KeKQboKbX086PgSiSS1fKqYjZfdDdzHH4GuGgtWX7QHdwKOcZpvjmiIzQbhse9Bq5Y/s1600/Blogs.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy48kWcOKJRjheUvp6K6DWskZdyeWJZeeWD452fqnQ4hJQMAupAUUIfwROPRcZZCpc_y4DtL3X7KeKQboKbX086PgSiSS1fKqYjZfdDdzHH4GuGgtWX7QHdwKOcZpvjmiIzQbhse9Bq5Y/s320/Blogs.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had a dream that feels like solid representations of what
I do in daily life and those that may be dormant in my subconscious. It occurred not far from my home on a street
with houses lined up on both sides. The
houses were small, one level economy types that most of America has. It was a first person perspective as nearly
all of mine are which I assume to be common.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m standing at a doorway during late evening hours, when
the sun is out of sight but it’s not quite dark yet. The weather felt like late summer. I was standing outside the doorway looking in
but I don’t know who was there or why I was, it wasn’t an area I really go
to. I had on a long sleeved solid orange
shirt that was from Abercrombie, much like one I already have but not orange in
color. That really stuck out to me but I
don’t know why. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A small dog that looked like a pug was suddenly behind me
barking and looking rather mean. Now I’m
no dog expert but I never recalled a pug being so vicious. I thought they were friendlier and rather
lazy but this one was not the case. At
this moment I had the slight feeling I was working, my job is as a delivery
person so being out and about in the neighborhood is common for me. I wasn’t in uniform but that didn’t seem to
matter. As a delivery person I don’t
like to mess with dogs, I’d rather them be locked away and out of yards so this
situation forming itself could derive from those feelings.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I saw a man straight across the street standing in his open
doorway. He was balding, chubby and
older and he said, “He won’t bite don’t worry.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I grew a bit on edge because this dog kept going crazy and
circling me while barking and showing aggression. I had the thought that if this dog attacks I’m
going to kick it or something. I didn’t
think I would though. All of a sudden
the little pug jumps and clamps down on my right wrist. I felt no pain whatsoever and I couldn’t
shake the little beast off me. It was
very determined. I looked at the
apparent owner across the street and shouted something like ‘get it off of me’. Here a time skip occurred as does in dreams
on occasion.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was now at his door and the pug was scurrying under his
feet. I pulled up my sleeve but the dog
didn’t puncture my skin. However, there
were holes in my shirt which I was rather upset with. I had just been given this shirt so it was
new and I was angry. I told the owner he
better pay for this. The owner obliged
and said he would give me twenty dollars.
I agreed knowing that wasn’t enough but decided to take it. This is a part of the dream I know took
pieces of my daily delivery life and incorporated them into it. He handed me a twenty and a ten dollar bill
then gave me $8.67 cents in change. That
was a total of $38.67. He then added, “Just
give me ten back and we should be good.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In
the dream something felt wrong but I couldn’t figure it out. By giving him a different ten dollars back
out of my pocket I felt I had only been given ten dollars total. I was confused and then woke up. After being awake awhile I realized I made
more in my dream not that it mattered but it was neat to see a few things
dragged from my mind and put into a bizarre moment. I don’t know if this makes much sense to
anyone but this is all I can remember and I hope you enjoy.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-68569245757495401752013-02-20T11:04:00.002-06:002013-02-20T11:04:33.760-06:00Treasure Island – Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmsbmfyhHlf28UWHXmHQ3j0KD8AUsEZ19Tk3b8foMGS2cTp2iKvaT4dPGxCnXXq-eUPyeNmW50W5IVm8E_VV4goMVFfKl9tS3g3I7yVa4K-5hPG3keq1u6H48pf1X-5RJZU8n-53aKLI/s1600/Books.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmsbmfyhHlf28UWHXmHQ3j0KD8AUsEZ19Tk3b8foMGS2cTp2iKvaT4dPGxCnXXq-eUPyeNmW50W5IVm8E_VV4goMVFfKl9tS3g3I7yVa4K-5hPG3keq1u6H48pf1X-5RJZU8n-53aKLI/s320/Books.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author – Robert Louis Stevenson</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A review of <i>Treasure
Island</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was excited to read this book as soon as I got it. It was another of those stories I’ve always
wanted to read but again put it in the back of my mind so far it was as lost as
the loot on Treasure Island. That wasn’t
too bad was it? OK it sort of was but my
backspace button is broken so it stays.
I do like an adventurous pirate tale and this is my favorite one
although I haven’t read many. It has so
many classic pirate traits it really will make you smile.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Long John Silver<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is, dare I say, a household name given the chain of
crappy restaurants it’s attached to. I
really liked his character in the book; he was the reason I wanted to keep
reading. He’s a smart pirate and the way
he acts and speaks to the other characters in the book always has you wondering
how he’ll stay alive in his pursuit of the treasure. Although Silver is the bad pirate I couldn’t
help but cheer for him throughout, he has that persona you have to
respect. From his peg leg to the parrot
on his shoulder he’s everything a classic pirate should be.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Dip in the Story<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I loved this book so don’t get me wrong but even it had a
brief part in it that made me give a little push to get through. It was when the doctor took over the
narration of the story. I was very
comfortable following Jim Hawkins narration of the tale that when it changed to
another perspective not only did it come from a different character but it was
a tad lacking. It only lasted three
chapters so it’s not a story killer by any means just thought I’d put it out
there.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Wrap Up<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The only thing I’d want more, not from this particular book,
would be previous adventures of Long John Silver or what became of him after
this story. I’ve never read Robert Louis
Stevenson and besides his name and this story I didn’t even know he wrote this
in the late 1800’s. That’s a bold thing
to admit I know but I can’t possibly be the only one who didn’t know that
right? I’ll probably read more of his
books and I highly recommend this to any reader who loves a fun adventure. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2189831719246854734.post-85203021014692517012013-02-13T20:57:00.000-06:002013-02-20T11:07:00.290-06:00Moby-Dick – Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author – Herman Melville</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A review of <i>Moby-Dick</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve wanted to read this book for years but that was in the
days I’d rather do anything else beside read a book. I had the mentality of “<i>Oh that seems like a good story to read about it would be fun</i>” and
of course I never did until now that is.
As I read this book I was told by a few people that noticed that they
read the book back in school, most times pre-high school. I was a bit surprised, I never even knew of
anyone, personally, that read it until I was.
I’m glad I did read this book even though it was a struggle at time over
the three weeks it took me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Facts! – This book
has many of those regarding whales.<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m going after this aspect first because it read like a textbook
a bit too much for my liking. There are
plenty of chapters that are worthy of being in an encyclopedia about whales but
the ‘<i>cetology</i>’ section takes the
cake. Now the factual information given
in this chapter is educational no doubt and I know more about whales after
reading it than I ever did but did it have to drone on page after page. My eyes fought to stay open as hard as the
harpooners did against the whales on the open sea through those sections. I would have rather had those parts of the
book cut out and placed in an appendix in the rear compartment instead of being
thrown promptly about wherever they landed throughout the book. This story begged to have a flow to it but
constantly got sidetracked by facts.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>It’s about Moby-Dick
right?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now the story was solid and I enjoyed it most times but what
I didn’t expect was Ahab and Moby-Dick being in so little of it. After reading the book I’ve come to terms
that it was written well and my initial doubts were rendered moot. If you read this for the first time you might
be someone like me and all you know about this book is Moby-Dick and Ahab. I thought it was about a man who would stop
at nothing to get his whale and it was but not as I first thought. The first half of the book hardly has
anything to do with either of them and gets so cluttered with facts you wonder
if it’s worth grinding through to the end, I’ll set the record straight and
urge you to finish if you’re already half way.
</div>
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<b>The Story<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The finale of the book is why it has gained so much
popularity since the 1920s. I know it
was written in the 1850s but only 3,000 copies sold in roughly the first 70
years. I’m guessing folk’s post 1920 had
more patience to finish this book because before that nobody liked it
much. I’m not making this up it’s
actually on the back dust jacket of the book!
The last 100 pages or so reads the best aside the first 100 pages or
so. I don’t know if its coincidence or
not but those couple hundred pages are practically all story as opposed to the
500 or so pages in between that spilled whale facts all over the place clouding
the story with precious ambergris.</div>
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<b>Wrap Up<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If
you like whales I’ve no doubt you’d rather find this book amazing. I, myself have always liked aquatic life and
sea adventures so stomaching the bland portions was easier for me. I won’t say it’s my cup of tea in general but
there’s enough in this book that tickles my interest to help me through
it. If you’re someone who hates textbook
reading then do yourself a favor and avoid this book, you’ll just kill yourself
trying to get through it. All books are
meant to be read, but some by a select audience and I’d put this book in that
category. You’ve probably read reviews
of how boring and stupid this book is or what a perfect masterpiece it is
already if you’re reading my review anyway.
I’ll clear it all up for you by saying it’s neither, it’s a solid read,
it takes time and patience and if you have those you’ll be fine if not read
something else. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Whatchasayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15346746210016335780noreply@blogger.com0