Random Thoughts- Do They Have Meaning?

Airplane

2009-07-17T23:19:00.000-07:00

Authors notes: Kind of choppy

Johnny looked out the window and watched nothing in particular. In the background he could hear the flight crew run through their safety checklist. He looked away from the window and towards the front of the plane and made a point to identify where the emergency exits were. It wasn't like he expected there to be a reason for him to exit in anything but the normal way, but you never know what can happen.

The captain instructed the crew to prepare for takeoff and he resumed his watch out the window. The past few days were a blur and he was trying to take it all in. A few days before he had been sitting in his office marveling over an empty travel schedule. The early part of the year had consisted of airports, hotels and meetings and he was ready to spend some real time at home.

It was going to be nice to become reacquainted with his bed and his stuff. For a short time the business world would survive without him, besides if they needed him they had his cell phone and email address. And there wasn't any doubt that they would use all of them to contact him.

When he was on the road he was responsible for entertaining clients. A healthy expense account helped to make that happen. Out on the road he ate at the finest restaurants and lived a lifestyle that he couldn't afford on his own. It was nice, but it grew old quickly. One hotel looked pretty much like another. It didn't matter how they decorated the room, there was a sterile uniformity to it.

Needless to say Johnny wasn't thrilled when the call to head out again came in. He had barely unpacked from the last trip, but this time was different. As it happened June was going to be there at the same time. It was a happy coincidence, what is that word they use, serendipitous.

So he booked a flight and threw his gear into a bag and headed off to the airport. Upon landing he turned on his BlackBerry and listened to the angry buzzing noise it made. The way it kept beeping you would have thought that it had been turned off for a week and not five hours.

One hour later he had picked up his rental car and checked into his hotel room. He had thirty minutes to shower, change and head out to his meeting. In the midst of it all he realized that he had forgotten his razor. With a silent curse he called downstairs and asked them to send a blade and some shaving cream up.

While he waited the phone began buzzing again. June was checking in with him. She was a planner and wanted to figure out when they'd have time to see each other. Johnny could hear the smile in her voice and it made him smile back. He told her that he had an afternoon flight but that he was sure that they could find some time to catch up.

And here he was a relatively short time later, waiting for the tower to greenlight the captain. Soon enough the hum of the engines turned to a roar and the plane went flying down the runway. The blur outside the window was fitting because that is how the last 18 hours felt to him.

As the plane climbed into the sky he closed his eyes and thought about it all. There had been a last kiss goodbye and a lingering hug. Saying goodbye to June had been far more difficult than she had realized. There was a silence that begged to be filled, but he had been unwilling to fill it.

It wasn't for a lack of desire or an inability to do so. He knew what he wanted to say, but sometimes these things come with a price and Johnny was afraid of what that might be. It wasn't a fear of what would happen to him but of what it would do to June.

She was smart. She was tough and she was brave. She was a million things that he couldn't describe but treasured nonetheless. He feared the price because he wasn't sure what it would do to June and the thought of her hurting made him ache.

So he rolled the dice and hoped that they would find a way to get back to that place. He was a gambler and a dreamer. He would fight for her. He would endure the pain and hope that his decision hadn't been a mistake.

Alone on the plane he smelled his hand and smiled. He could still smell her. His June, his girl, her scent, his hand. It made sense. Anytime they had been through a rough spot he had told her to take his hand and they had promised to work through it all together.

In spite of the hum of the engines he could feel that quiet place they shared and he took refuge in it. The decision had been made. Now he had to live with it. The hardest part was knowing that he had virtually no control over what would happen next.

The next part was up to June. She needed time to work on some things. Time to take care of some stuff and get centered again. For now that was just how it had to be. June would do her thing and Johnny would do his.

And That's The Way It Was- Goodbye Walter Cronkite

2009-07-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

I always liked Walter Cronkite. Grew up watching him on the news.

(CNN) -- Walter Cronkite, the CBS anchorman known as "Uncle Walter" for his easygoing, measured delivery and "the most trusted man in America" for his rectitude and gravitas, has died, CBS reported Friday.
Cronkite was 92.
His career spanned much of the 20th century, as well as the first decade of the 21st. The native of St. Joseph, Missouri, broke in as a newspaper journalist while in college, switched over to radio announcing in 1935, joined the United Press wire service by the end of the decade and jumped to CBS and its nascent television news division in 1950. He also made his mark as an Internet contributor in his later years with a handful of columns for the Huffington Post.
He covered World War II's Battle of the Bulge, the Nuremberg trials, several presidential elections, moon landings, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the Watergate scandal of President Richard Nixon's administration.
At times he even made news: A 1977 question to then-Egyptian President Anwar Sadat about Sadat's intent to go to Israel -- at the time considered a nonstarter because of the lack of a treaty between the two countries -- received a surprising "yes" from the Egyptian leader.
Soon after, Sadat traveled to Jerusalem, a trip that eventually led to the Camp David Accords, which included a peace deal between Israel and Egypt.

At his height of influence as CBS anchorman, Cronkite's judgment was believed so important it could affect even presidents. In early 1968, after the Tet Offensive, Cronkite traveled to Vietnam and gave a critical editorial calling the Vietnam War "mired in stalemate."

Noting Cronkite's commentary, President Lyndon Johnson reportedly said, "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America." Johnson announced he would not seek re-election less than two months later.

Friday Morning Music Mix

2009-07-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

Smoke On The Water- Deep Purple with London Symphony Orchestra
Shine On You Crazy Diamond- Pink Floyd Orchestral version
Shine On You Crazy Diamond - Pink Floyd
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
Visions of Paradise- Mick Jagger
Gimme Shelter- The Rolling Stones
Angie - The Rolling Stones
Knockin' on Heaven's Door -Bob Dylan
Knockin' on Heaven's Door -Guns N'Roses
Hey Joe- Jimi Hendrix
Picture - Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow (There are better versions, but this is what was available)
Pictures of You- The Cure

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2009-07-17T01:07:00.000-07:00

As promised here is my nickel review of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It rocked! I really enjoyed it.

The studio took advantage of having an audience that is well versed and familiar with the series. They didn't waste time trying to explain the back story behind various plot lines or to give any sort of explanation for those who haven't read the books.

For me part of the fun is that we have watched the Harry, Ron and Hermione grow up on screen. They went from being these little babies who looked like they were swimming in their robes to young adults experiencing the angst of love and the great challenge of their lives.

It is not Shakespeare and it doesn't try to be. It is just a lot of fun.

**Spoiler**

You can call it getting my geek on, but the Fall of Dumbledore was touching. It reminded me a bit of Gandalf's battle with the Balrog in the Mines of Moria, but that had a different outcome.

Anyhoo, the movie is a bit longer than 2 hours. For me the telling part was that I never found myself checking my watch. Once the film started I sat back with my popcon and enjoyed the show.

Will The Mighty Croc(s) Survive

2009-07-16T23:28:00.001-07:00

I don't care if you think that they are ugly, I love these shoes. They are really comfortable. I might have to go out and buy some spares, just in case.

Crocs were born of the economic boom.

The colorful foam clogs appeared in 2002, just as the country was recovering from a recession. Brash and bright, they were a cheap investment (about $30) that felt good and promised to last forever. Former president George W. Bush wore them. Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler wore them. Your grandma wore them. They roared along with the economy, mocked by the fashion world but selling 100 million pairs in seven years.

Then the boom times went bust, and Crocs went to the back of the closet.

The company had expanded to meet demand, but financially pressed customers cut back. Last year the company lost $185.1 million, slashed roughly 2,000 jobs and scrambled to find money to pay down millions in debt. Now it's stuck with a surplus of shoes, and its auditors have wondered if it can stay afloat. It has until the end of September to pay off its debt.

"The company's toast," said Damon Vickers, who manages an investment fund at Nine Points Capital Partners in Seattle. "They're zombie-ish. They're dead and they don't know it."

2009-07-16T15:56:00.001-07:00

Just saw Harry Potter. Review to come later.

The Final Goodbye Replayed

2009-07-16T08:56:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that it is almost two years since I wrote the post below. I was over at my parent's house helping them clean out a storage shed and I came across one of his old toys. It caught me off guard and I was surprised that for a moment I got choked up, but I miss the big lug.

I miss wrestling and running with him. Sometimes the two of us would just start running. He of course would quickly outpace me. He'd turn his head and look at me, taunt me to try and catch up. As soon as I got close he'd take off again.

More than one evening ended with the two of us sitting together in a room, keeping each other company. Well, those days are gone now. I miss you old friend, but I won't forget you.

***********

The last chunk of time has been rough. It has been hard for a whole host of reasons, but this evening the toughest was because I had to say goodbye to my pal.

Tomorrow morning he has an appointment with the vet. The family has agonized over this. We have spent a ton of time trying to make sure that we make the right decision. Every discussion with the vet has made it implicitly clear that there are no heroic measures to be taken.

That is not to say that there are not things that could be done, there are. At best they might extend his life by a few months, but they wouldn't add to the quality of his life and that is the crux of this matter. He is more than 14 years old and the body won't give of itself anymore.

So for the past few days I have spent as much time with him as I could. He can't chase me anymore. He used to love to fetch a ball. I could throw it a country mile and he'd go get it and bring it back to me. He has trouble doing the basic stuff now. I look at that majestic head and I can see the young puppy staring back at me. Dark soulful eyes look at you and you just know that he is waiting for a treat.

I feel guilty that I know what is going to happen. I feel like part of me is betraying him, but at the same time I don't feel right watching him struggle to get through the day. His breathing is labored and there are times where I swear it looks like he is already gone.

Yet there are moments where he fools me. There are moments in which he moves freely and issues that deep bark that always served notice of his presence. It is almost like he is hoping that this will be enough to gain clemency from the governor and gain a reprieve. If it made sense I would grant it. If I could turn back time I'd make him young again and we'd get more time together.

Fourteen years ago I was a single man and he was the one I'd share all my stories with. We'd take long walks at the park and wander the beach together. He has witnessed some of the biggest moments of my life. And all he has ever asked of me is a little food and companionship. It has been a good deal for both of us.

Tonight the children gave him an extra big hug goodbye and so did I. I bent down and rubbed his belly. I leaned over and made a point to smell him so that I would remember his scent.

I am going to miss my friend.

Does Absence Make The Heart Grow Fonder

2009-07-15T08:44:00.000-07:00

Good morning dear reader, the question of the day is, Does Absence Make The Heart Grow Fonder?

What do you think?

2009-07-14T15:33:00.001-07:00

Hmm...Do I want to catch the midnight showing of Harry Potter. It is not like I don't know that they are going to kill...

Birthday Party Drama

2009-07-14T11:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Moms of the world,

The fathers of your children and oftentimes husbands have noticed that there seems to be an inordinate amount of drama surrounding birthday parties. We don't understand what is so hard about scheduling them and the back channel talking about who did what, where and why.

We don't spend time worrying about throwing the best or most outlandish party. All we care about is seeing that our children have a good time. Water balloons, pinatas and silly string are good props.

Why must this be turned into a big deal. We don't expect to get a satisfactory answer for this any more than why you have 27 pairs or shoes or need a new dress for every party we attend. What is the point and the purpose.

Now if you'll excuse us we are off to bang ourselves in the head with a baseball bat, it is faster and more effective than the slow torture methods you engage in.

Michael Jackson Screws Los Angeles

2009-07-14T00:35:00.000-07:00

I am spitting blood over the mayor's decision to pay for Michael Jackson's funeral.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, back after a nine-day vacation in South Africa, on Monday did his best to snuff out a smoldering debate over whether the city should try to recoup its expenses for the Michael Jackson memorial at Staples Center last week.

The mayor said the city would pick up the estimated $1.4-million tab for police protection, traffic control and other services and not bill the Jackson family or AEG, the company that owns Staples.

"This is a world-class city, and we provide fire and police protection. Period. The idea that we would charge the family for a funeral is nonsensical," Villaraigosa said, adding that AEG also should not have to reimburse the city. (emphasis mine)

Mr. Mayor, this is asinine and anyone with an ounce of common sense understands the difference between a funeral and a media event. The Jackson family did not have to have an event on the scale of the one that we saw.

There were numerous other options that could have been chosen at far less cost to the city than this one. There is a laundry list of financial issues facing the city that take precedence over this.

Our public education and health systems are failing and while this may be an insignificant amount compared to what it really is going to take to fix things, it is simply irresponsible to spend it this way.

We love the Lakers and were happy to have a parade that was paid for by private donors. It wasn't hard to make that happen and it wouldn't be hard to ask AEG and the Jackson family to cover the costs of this spectacle.

Don't lie to us about this or try to make it seem like any Angeleno would receive similar care. It is shameful behavior on your part. With leadership like this it becomes ever more apparent why more people are looking to leave the city.

Once it was a dream, a place ran to, but lately it is becoming a nightmare. You can and you must do better.

Thanks,

Jack

2009-07-13T13:47:00.001-07:00

Do you wear shoes in the house?

Hot Post of the Day

2009-07-13T11:05:00.000-07:00

I have to thank Harry Maryles for sending a ton of traffic to Lulei Demistafina. Two things, ClooJew has reappeared in the blogosphere. He commented here last week.

And as expected these guys aren't sticking around. Maybe I should stick a picture of me strolling around Boro Park while wearing a nice Borsalino . ;)

Useful Blogging Tips & Comments

2009-07-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

A reader wrote in and asked me to provide a list of posts that offer useful tips and or comments on blogging.

Here is a collection of links that you can use to read past posts about blogging tips and comments that you may find to be useful. This is not supposed to be all inclusive. Part of the reason I am doing this for my own organizational purposes. It is a good excuse to begin collecting these so that I can refer to them more easily.

As always, if you have something that you would like to add or share please include it within the comments or send an email to: talktojacknow-at-sbcglobal.net.

Blogging Tools
How to Write a Professional Blog
Does Your Blog Need A Mission Statement?
Blog Cliques/Blog Communities
My Blog Posts Need A Soundtrack- Thoughts on Writing
Permalinks and Your Blog
Blogging Etiquette
How To Deal With Writer's Block
Why Some Blogs Fail
How Many Blogs Do you Read?
Would You Prefer More Readers or More Comments?
Bloggers Are Arrogant- The Genesis of a Blog
If I Started Blogging Today
How To Get More Readers For Your Blog
Defining a Successful Blog: What is More Important- Traffic or Comments?
Be a Better Blogger- Write More Frequently
My Best Writing
My Blogging Style- Personal Versus Professional

Saudi family sues genie, alleges harassment

2009-07-13T01:00:00.000-07:00

The lovely Saudis are in the news again. Someone better call Tony, because Genie is out of her bottle again.

CNN) -- A family in Saudi Arabia has taken a genie to court, alleging theft and harassment, according to local media.
The lawsuit filed in Shariah court accuses the genie of leaving them threatening voicemails, stealing their cell phones and hurling rocks at them when they leave their house at night, said Al-Watan newspaper.
An investigation was under way, local court officials said.
"We have to verify the truthfulness of this case despite the difficulty of doing so," Sheikh Amr Al Salmi, the head of the court, told Al-Watan. "What makes this case and complaint more interesting is that it wasn't filed by just one person. Every member of the family is part of this case."
The family, which has lived in the same house near the holy city of Medina for 15 years, said it became aware of the spirit in the past two years.
"We began hearing strange noises," the head of the family, who requested anonymity, told Al-Watan. "In the beginning, we didn't take it seriously, but after that, stranger things started happening and the children got really scared when the genie began throwing stones."
A local charity has moved the family to a temporary residence while a court investigates, the newspaper said.
In Islamic cultures, a belief in genies, or jinns, is common.
Genies not only appear in pre-Islamic fiction such as "Arabian Nights," but are also mentioned in the Quran.
Many Saudis believe invisible genies live among them and are capable of demonic possession and revenge.

I Squeezed The Trigger (Jack Went Shooting)

2009-07-13T00:09:00.000-07:00

When I sat down to write this post I thought of my blogging friend and Chevrusa, Rabbi Fleischmann. He is an elder of the Jblogosphere whose blog is described as Postings From An Eclectic Soul. I have to concur, but that is a good thing. I appreciate his ruminations and thoughtful remarks.

His style of writing is a bit different from mine, but I like the way he rambles and ambles on. It reminds me a bit of taking a tour of a museum. As you walk your guide provides the background on the art work and little nuggets of information that you won't find in the guide books.

************

A shooting range is an interesting place. Walk inside and you are truly among the people. It is a mix of classes and ethnicities. People of all shapes and sizes, ages and backgrounds converge inside. Some are in there because they want to shoot their demons and firing endless rounds of ammo is a good source of stress relief. Some are there because they want to feel impowered or powerful and some are there because they are a forty year old man who has never fired a real gun.

It doesn't really matter what the motivation or reason for being there is. I included it because I liked the way that it sounded. I am not antigun and didn't grow up in an antigun house. Can't say that I see the reason for owning assault rifles or fully automatic weapons, but I understand why someone would want to own a gun.

I don't have one and am not sure if I really want one in my house. I have mixed emotions about it. In part I just don't want to have to worry about it. Some of you might find that to be silly, but I know what it is to engage in a fist fight. I can tell you what it feels like to feel your fist smash into the side of a head, to break a nose or knock out teeth. I know what it is to be hit and to hurt.

************

I took aim and slowly squeezed the trigger. Again and again I fired, creating a pattern of dots on the target. After a while all of the clips were empty so I stopped to reload. My friend looked at the target and congratulated me on my aim. He explained that I haven't been shooting long enough to compensate for the recoil and had me switch from a 9mm to a revolver.

I took that .357 in my hands, and thought about Dirty Harry. I had been inside for more than an hour and was really beginning to enjoy it. Initially I had been a bit nervous. What if I did something stupid and hurt someone or me. I didn't want to be that guy, not the guy who shot himself in the foot.

He put a new target up. Instead of a big sheet of paper with black and white concentric circles it was a sheet of gray. On the paper there was the drawing of a male torso. It was sectioned off with point totals for hitting various parts of the body.

I listened as he explained why it was better to shoot at the torso, how these places offered a bigger target and would most likely disable the attacker. Then I put four shots through the head of the target.

Seriously, no exaggeration. He told me to switch to the body and I made a nice little pattern across the chest. Was it beginners luck? I don't know. I am not bad at the video games that require shooting skills.

************

In between rounds of shooting and watching I thought about it all and why I was there. When you are angry and in a physical altercation you don't think about what you are doing to the other guy. You are thankful that it is not you who is getting hurt, at least until it is all done. Because it is only later that you discover all the injuries to yourself.

But I took the guns more seriously. The potential for serious injury or worse is much higher and I thought about it. Regardless of whether I ever own a gun I want to be proficient with their use. There are plenty of reasons why, more than enough to make sense to me.

And from an entirely different perspective, it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed the challenge of hitting the targets. I appreciated the stress release. And I appreciated how while I was shooting the world became very quiet. For a brief moment in time, it was silent and there was a peaceful feeling.

Now that may sound barbaric to some of you. It may sound backwards or strange, but I seek out the things that bring me that sort of focus. I seek out that which allows me to shut out the noise and have that quiet.

That sort of quiet is far too important and far too rare.

I Keep Listening to This

2009-07-12T23:52:00.001-07:00

Blogging Tools

2009-07-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

After five years of blogging I can lay claim to having become an expert on some areas of blogging and yet still remain a novice in others. Although I have to admit that part of me laughs as I type expert.

The source of my laughter comes from my skepticism and disdain for the hordes of people who claim to be experts in blogging, SEO, social media etc. That is not to say that experts do not exist, but that I do not believe that there are as many as lay claim to the title.

Now we could go on about why I feel this is so and the need for a consensus as to what skills/achievement you need, but that is far too dry for me right now. So let's get back to the topic of blogging tools.

When I refer to blogging tools I am speaking about the things that we need to blog effectively. That is a very broad topic and it covers many things such as blog platforms like Blogger, Wordpress and Typepad. It certainly covers writing tools/resources such as dictionaries and thesauruses.

But it also refers to some of the technology tools that we have access to, such as RSS Feeds, blogrolls, news aggregators and other devices that enhance the blogging experience.

I have recently added some new widgets that I hope will help this blog. They include the Outbrain links, Twitterfeed, Lijit and a couple of others. The goal/objective of these items is to do one thing:

Help increase and retain readership.

That is it, increase and retain readership. That is what I want to do. I want more readers to follow along and hopefully participate in an active comment section I am not going to quit if it doesn't happen. I have been blogging for five years without pay. You don't do it for that long without enjoying what you are doing. I like this.

But every now and then you need to reset the bar and give yourself something to shoot for. So that is what I am doing now, resetting the bar.

This leads me to my next question. What sort of blogging tools do you use and what do you think about them?

Haveil Havalim #225

2009-07-12T01:03:00.000-07:00

The latest edition of Haveil Havalim is now live. Here we are at issue number 225. You can find a list of past and future hosts here.

Some guy named Jack is going to be hosting next week. I think that will be 39th time, but I am not sure.

Who Broke Your Heart- Things You Might Not Know

2009-07-10T15:57:00.001-07:00

(This is for Fragments of Fiction)

My name is Jack. I am a single father who works as a journalist for the local paper. I have a a bi-weekly column that is read by more than 1 million people and I am the author of three books, with a contract to write more.

On the weekends I coach my son's soccer team and drive my daughter to dance class. I have two girlfriends who really are just that, girls who are friends. Sometimes I wonder what the difference is between a girl friend and a wife. They both tell you what to do and neither put out.

I suppose that the real distinction is that the girl friend doesn't receive a piece of my paycheck each month so that they can live in my house with Rudy, the flying Dutchman.

I know, that sounds overly bitter. My therapist told me that I should be happy about this. She said that it would be good for the ex to have a man in her life, that it would make her happier and as a result she would be easier to deal with.

I tried to look at it that way, I really did, but there is 6'2 of stupid preventing me from doing so. The same 6'2 of stupid that is shtupping my wife, sleeping in my bed and enjoying the house that was the fruits of my labor.

Don't get me wrong, we're better apart. It was a long time coming and something that I should have done years ago. I didn't mind her taking the house because it was easier than uprooting the kids. But I won't lie about being irritated about the cold Germanic figure that lives there now too.

We might not have had the greatest marriage, but we had a great house.

And now instead of having a bad marriage and a great house I have a bad apartment and a lot of freedom. So I suppose that there is something to be said for that. The girl friends keep telling me that if I moved out of the bad apartment I'd find it easier to date.

I keep telling them that I don't want to date, but they ignore me. So then I tell them that misery loves company which is why they want me to get involved with another woman. I think that it is hysterical and every time I say this I crack up.

For some odd reason they don't. And for that same odd reason they aren't interested in hearing about what I think women are good for. That is ok, I don't really want to tell them.

A while back my daughter found some old love letters that a lost love once sent to me. She had a field day with that. Ever since then she has been pushing me to try and look her up. She tells me that she can tell from the letters that she really loved me and that no woman who wrote those things ever stops loving the man she wrote them about.

I smiled and thanked her. She smiled back and told me that I was too young to give up. I think that the girl friends and her must be talking about me when I am not around, because I am getting tag teamed.

Anyway, I am on deadline for my next column. Since the ladies of my life are so intent on pushing relationships upon me I decided to show them by writing about the end of relationships. Something really bitter and biting, that ought to shut their mouths.

So here you have my first draft of my next column. I think that it has real potential.

Always On My Mind- Willie Nelson

Thanks to technology there are a million new ways to break someone's heart. A million new methods of letting someone that you once loved or perhaps still do that you just can't do it anymore.

In the age of instant gratification and social media it won't be long before we hear/read the tales of dismissal. Husbands who let their wives know they are leaving them by unfriending them on Facebook or girlfriends who let their ex know their new status by tweeting it.

It is kind of funny in an I am not smiling kind of way to think how these time saving tools of communication can take the intimate and personal and turn it into something mechanical, cold and sterile.

What do you call people who do this? Awful, callous and cruel come to mind. Descriptive words that fail to capture the essence of how truly horrible being dumped in this fashion can be.

But let's face it, being dumped isn't a pleasant experience. It is not necessarily easier to stand or sit in front of someone and listen to them tell you that they have lost that loving feeling. I suppose that it doesn't make a difference, even if they haven't lost it, but are ending things because circumstances make it impossible to continue.

In the end you still ask those questions. You still wonder what you did or what you could have done. Surely there is a word or gesture that would have spared you the angel of death speech. Had you only known then they would have passed over and you'd be ensconced in your cocoon of love and happiness.

Write Compelling Content Using Music

2009-07-10T14:19:00.000-07:00

"I am a big fan of soundtracks. A good soundtrack is a critical part of a movie/television show as it helps to paint a picture and set the mood. Think about watching a horror movie, without the sound it is just not that scary. The music sets the tone, even if you are not familiar with a particular movie the music affects your feelings and emotions." -Jack

If you want compelling content that hooks a reader I suggest that you find a way to incorporate music into your posts. Music is a very useful tool that you can use to set a mood and to help color the scene you are setting.

I write these posts because I love to write. It feels natural to sit here and find ways to arrange the words so that they evoke thoughts and feelings in myself and those who read them. So
I intentionally try to seek out pieces that complement the words that you read here.

The music helps to fill in the gaps that language cannot reach and to help express the thoughts and ideas that I am trying to share with you. So it is with some regret and frustration that I say again that I wish that I could play an instrument and write musical pieces.

There are moments when I dream about having the time to devote to this. There are moments when I dream of writing a symphony or opera about life, love and heartbreak. Moments where I can almost hear the song of my soul and I think that I am crippled by not being able to truly share it.

Now I can take advantage of the resources that we do have and provide links that you can use to hear some of what I am referring to. In some cases the music has such a strong association with a movie that it becomes easier to use it to draw a picture for the readers.

Ideally music is there to supplement the writing and not to supplant it.

What do you think?

Waiting for The Man

2009-07-10T11:39:00.000-07:00

Palestinians of a Jewish origin

2009-07-09T13:41:00.000-07:00

Take a look at this.

A Bad Case of Stupid Seems To Be Going Around.

2009-07-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

A bad case of stupid seems to be going around. There is an abundance of morons, the supply of idiots seems to exceed the demand. And the worst part of this is that I seem to be exuding the imbecile pheromone in waves.

I know, that seems to be an excessive use of language to expound upon the extreme irritation that I feel. At the moment I want to be the guy leading the villagers to torch the damn castle. Give me a broad sword and a doorway and I swear to you that I none shall pass.

WTF, STFU and a healthy dose of assorted curse words don't begin to properly express the frustration and anger I feel.

I am trying...struggling...to properly explain what set me off, but words fail me. I can't quite get it out in a responsible fashion, so I am going to babble and rant for a moment.

One of the benefits of being a responsible adult is that I recognize that my actions have consequences. I understand that acting in haste and anger does not serve me well. So even though I am dying to tell you in excruciating detail about the company and individuals who are the source of this, I am not going to.

Not yet.

I am not going to because they deserve special attention. They merit the sort of treatment that gives CEOs and shareholders palpitations.

So Mr and Mrs. Stupidhead (five year old insults are great, aren't they) I am notifying you that I have been documenting your actions for quite some time. I notified you repeatedly about these infractions and you agreed that this was unacceptable.

But you have chosen to ignore all of this so I am going to follow through. Your reign of terror is going to end. I am going to take you down a notch or two, myabe even five or six.

And when it is all done, when the dust has cleared we'll probably find that this was completely unnecessary. Just one stupid moment in time, but stupid is as stupid does, and you are stupid heads.

Alas poor Yorick, I knew him well.

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A Bad Case of Stupid Seems To Be Going Around.