News to Me

Well, I got a new assignment at work today that will involve doing some Excel VBA programming. I stopped by Barnes & Noble to see what they had to offer me. There was a pretty cool book for $10 that seemed pretty helpful but not deep enough for what I will need. The only other book was $50, and that was just way too expensive to spend on one book right now. Maybe I'll check at Micro-Center tomorrow. I was also looking for a magazine that doesn't appear to be around anymore. While I was wandering around, they made some announcement about some guy who would be talking in a few minutes, and they mentioned a book signing, which immediately told me that it was somebody I did not need to listen to it. I don't really follow any authors that are alive, at least none that would be making an appearance at Barnes & Noble.

Well, the setup for the book signing and lecture was right next to the computer books, and if you remember from the previous paragraph I went into the store to get a computer book. So the guy starts his lecture while I'm thumbing through the Excel books, and I'm only paying half attention to what he's saying because I'm trying to see if the book will be of any use to me. And then he makes some statement about writing a novel in 30 days. My curiosity is piqued because I'm interested in writing a novel. At this point I've just discovered the $50 book and decide instead to listen to the lecture.

As I'm listening to him speak and telling us the benefits of attempting to write a novel in 30 days, I become intrigued. You see, I have been having ideas for many novels running through my head for years, but I just can't seem to get started on any one of them. And for the past few months, say three or four, well really since I turned 40--and even six months before then--as I've been trying to figure out what is the point of my life (since it pretty much seems to be a waste so far), I keep coming back to a still small voice that tells me that writing will be my salvation, so to speak. And tonight was just like a major wake-up call. I must write because I can no longer not write.

Anyway, the program is National Novel Writing Month, and the website is www.nanowrimo.org. The speaker for the evening was Chris Baty, pretty much the founder of NaNoWriMo, as it is affectionately called. So, as he was talking I was trying to figure out how I would get started in December. I figured that would give me almost two weeks to get ready. Then I realize that the national month is November, not December. Next year, I'll be expecting this and can devote the entire month of November to writing the requisite number of words per day (1667) to reach the 50,000 word novel size. For now though, I've committed to writing 2000 words a day beginning Nov. 19th until the end of November. If I am so inspired I might continue on until I hit the 50,000 word mark. But even if I don't complete this, the joy will be in actually writing something, something I haven't been able to do except here in these blogs, preparing my Sunday school lesson, and the bit of writing I do at work (being a technical writer forces me to do some writing, but the purpose and focus is completely different).

I already know the beginning of my novel: "Daisies." I know, I know, what in the world can write about daisies? Trust me, with my stream of consciousness mind, I think I can come up with something. We'll see what turns up.

28 Days Later

I was inspired to watch 28 Days Later after reading the graphic novel, The Waking Dead. For what it's worth, the similarities between the two are that they're both about zombies, and the main character wakes up in a hospital that happens to be deserted. Apparently, that beginning is actually from a book or movie entitled, Day of the Triffids, though this is about multiple types of generic monsters rather than just zombies.

About the movie: Jim, played by Cillian Murphy, wakes up in a deserted hospital and then finds out the city (London) seems to be just as deserted. He encounters zombies, non zombies, neighbors, rats, and military personnel in his quest to discover this strange new world. Note that not all of these meetings are friendly. One of the friendlier meetings results in hearing a radio transmission indicating there's a cure for the plague, that salvation can be found at the coordinates given in the broadcast. The merry band of survivors begins the quest to Manchester, which, upon arrival, they discover is in the midst of blowing up, or at least Manchester proper. The coordinates given lead them to a military base on the outskirts of town, but this base appears deserted as well. Then the fun really begins.

28 Days Later has nothing to do with the movie starring Sandra Bullock in a rehab center. The title comes from the caption for the second scene, which indicates the time period since the initial outbreak of the zombies.

My take: Not being a general purveyor of all things zombie, my only point of comparison are the movies Night of the Living Dead and Resident Evil. It's safe to say that Night of the Living Dead is certainly the granddaddy of zombie movies and arguably the best of the lot. Mr. Boyle, the director, takes some liberties with zombie lore, but he seems to make it work in this instance. The source of the zombification is explained at the very beginning of the movie, an explanation that lends credence to the changes Mr. Boyle made. The story concerns itself with survival in an impossible situation, and asks the question of whether or not traditional rules apply in such a bizarre situation.

Things I liked: I liked seeing another movie from the same man that brought us Trainspotting. While Trainspotting was a very grotesque movie in certain spots, it was very well done, very well acted, and it certainly serves to ward people away from drugs. The music was pretty darn good, too. I like that 28 Days Later focused on the people, not the gore, though what would a good zombie movie be without some kind of gore? And I really like that he tried something different with this movie, that he tried to step away from some of the conventions of zombie movies. What he elected to do differently helped the movie step into a class of its own, one that really allows it to shine. Purists will disagree.

The music really served the movie well. While Jim is trying to get his bearings in this new world he has awakened to, the beautiful music works in contrast to the ugliness of the situation. Angelic voices, ghostly melodies, even pop riffs, all work together to show the disparity between what you want and the reality of your situation. It's almost a nostalgic reminiscence and a hope for some better future that is far different than what can be seen in the current circumstance.

Things I Didn't Like: I did not like some of the cutting techniques used in the editing. Some of the scenes were very much from the MTV style of quick cutting where you cannot focus on anything in particular; instead, you're supposed to get some kind of feeling from all the scenes you didn't see put together. I also found the ending a little bit hokey, almost too clean cut in comparison to the rest of the movie.

Recommendation: If you like zombie movies, or even if you're just remotely interested in them, you should see this movie. If you do not like intense scenes or bizarre situations, do not even bother renting this movie. The movie is thought-provoking in that it asks the questions of what makes us human, who becomes our friend or our neighbor, and what rules can possibly apply when the entire fabric of society has been torn asunder. If you can handle it, by all means watch this movie. (I have not seen any particular Christian overtones in the movie, but that doesn't mean there are none. That it's well done and thought-provoking is sufficient for me to recommend.)

A Thoughtful Thought

This is the main body of an email I sent to one of my friends at church who happens to be an associate pastor. He's always been helpful about sounding things against, and he certainly has wisdom beyond his years. He treats me as an equal, which spurs me on to aim higher in thought (he is truly superior in intellect--this is not knocking me but elevating him). Not for the sake of the intellectualism of it all (though I can stand a shot or two of that once or twice a decade), but because it encourages me to want to be better. I think it's that whole "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" idea. <self-deprecation>I have no idea what he gets out of the deal.</self-deprecation> I'm grateful he's around to challenge me.

I have a friend who's interested in reading my teaching on the book of John, and I was sending him email with my latest lesson before teaching as opposed to after teaching (as you can see, I finished quite late). I was including a note that I thought this lesson in particular was one of my best efforts at writing as a whole, all duly inspired by God of course (as I'm sure I've noted to you before, as well).

One of the things I've found frustrating is not being spontaneously inspired at the reading of Scripture. In particular, when I'm reading for teaching, I don't get much directly. It seems some of the time, I get none until I'm actually in class. (I remember one time that what came out of my mouth was nothing I had down on paper apart from some basic facts and verses.) But mostly, the inspiration comes while writing it down, and then it just flows. And I had this thought:

Sometimes, inspiration comes from the reading, and sometimes it comes from the writing.

I found that quite insightful and rather consoling at the same time. That kind of ties in with art being 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration, which defies the typical 80-20 rule, but you get my drift.

CSI Tonight

So, I got in tonight a little after 8 and started watching CSI. What a
great show. Tonight's episode was ultimately about a man, his daughter,
and her perverted attempt to get his attention. While it's more than
likely I will never have children, if I did, I would hope that I would
attempt to have a better relationship with her than was in evidence with
this dad. Such a common scenario: the guy is too busy working in order
to provide things, that he fails to provide what his child needs the
most: himself. A big trust fund, a Bentley, jewelry, etc., all these
things are nice, but it doesn't take the place of knowing your child,
truly being there for him or her.

For those who have ears, let them hear.

So Long and So Far Away

Tap Tap Tap whoosh whoosh Is this thing on?

Well, it's certainly been awhile for me to post anything. Illness, work, and being in a bad place all combined to make me wonder what's the point of writing anything. I mean, who really reads any of this? Which is really the story of my whole life. What's the point of anything I do? About the only good thing I can think of is that I show up to teach Sunday school on Sunday mornings. Other than that, I'm a pretty selfish bastard (sorry mom & dad) who loses his temper far too often over stupid little things and can't manage to resist temptation for much of anything. If my life depended upon my ability to resist, I'd have died long, long ago. I wonder many times if I'll ever move beyond this. It doesn't seem like there's any possibility, yet I maintain the remotest glimmer of hope that maybe I'll manage to do something beyond my own selfish ambition. Enough of that tripe.

I was watching "Jack & Bobby" this afternoon. It's a pretty good show, well written, decent acting, and, most of all, realistic. The characters ring true, unlike, say, "Dawson's Creek". Anyway, this episode was the election episode. Granted, they are going to have a liberal slant and push the Democrats. (By the way, for anyone who actually does read this, I'm pretty conservative and generally vote Republican.) I can handle that people think differently than me. But, I do take issue with part of what was said in the show. And it's not just this show but something I've observed in much liberal/Democratic expression: liberals think they have a monopoly on caring about what happens with the country. Just because we don't think the same things are important doesn't mean we care any less.

My priorities happen to be different. In general, at least religiously conservative people tend to think that individual freedoms will lead to greater freedom throughout the society. Or maybe that's just what I think. I also don't think socialism is the answer to all our problems. The transfer of money from people who have it to the people who don't have it in some vague sense of helping or nobility has never really been shown to help people. In some of the European countries, the people do have access to basic health care, but what about advanced health-care? I agree that we can do better in this country as far as basic health care, but I'm not willing to turn us into a socialist state to accomplish that goal.

I could go on and on, but I have to get ready to leave soon. Maybe one day I'll address more of these issues, but it definitely will not be tonight.

I watched 28 Days Later yesterday and today, and I'll weigh in on it later.