A Realization, and a Regretful Goodbye

Many times in my life, I’ve stopped and wondered if I’m living a fantasy.  I don’t do it because things are going so well, I do it because I start realizing things aren’t going the way I thought they should.  The problem is that statement, do I get complacent with my life?  Do I take things for granted?  When I’m making out with my wife, and she pushes me away, is it really because the reasons she gives, or have I allowed the romance to die when I thought it was burning strong?

Sometime in my youth, I discovered that sex can be a beautiful proclamation of love between two people.  Yes, it can be everything else sex has become, but it can be so much more.  When I’m making love with my wife, I can feel her soul there with me, and it feels as if my soul is reaching for hers.  Sometimes I feel weightless, like I’m floating with her in a void of bliss.

(poem) - A Sadness, Deep Within

I’m a helpless slave
To my own addictions
And I’m destroying the world
That I exist in.

They say admitting it
Is the first step to recovery
But it makes me burry myself deeper
As the lines become even more blurry

I’m on a sinking ship
Drilling more holes
Hoping beyond hope
That we stay afloat

Screw the reason
Screw the rhyme
We will make it through
Somehow

But as surely as the sun
Rises in the East
I have given rise
To a rancorous beast

I’m in the throws
Of a raging depression
Yet I’m as happy
As a freeborn lark

I sing in the trees
Proclaiming my happiness
But deep inside
There’s a growing fear of emptiness

Change is coming
Despite our attempts
Its coming to claim our lives
As it holds us in contempt

I see it linger
Upon the horizon
Its watching me closely
Keeping its eyes on

Sadly enough
I know what I have to do
But doing it is hard
Because it involves a tight screw

To work in this world
You have to sell your soul
Give your life away
To feed the banker’s world

I always knew
There would come a day
When there would be
A price to pay

I’ve never mind paying it
But this time I’m not alone
So the price to pay
Will be higher

What will happen next
Is anyone’s guess
But I see the writing on the wall
Yet I know the value of bliss

We will get through it
Somehow
In each other’s hands
As we are now

In the end
That’s what its all about
Not
The size of the trout

Tomorrow is another day
And it brings in the light
Which banishes
All the fright

No matter how bad it will be
I have my wife next to me

We will weather the storm
Without getting overly forlorn

And do what we have to do
Because she once told me
“I love you.”

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

For Those Who Don't Deserve

There are many things I simply do not have time for in my life.  I think the most important thing, though, is people who flat out don’t deserve my time.  Those people who hate, those people talk trash when they are in no position to.  Those people who need to learn how to think before they open their mouths.

Lisa herself learned something major about me recently.  I had told her many times, but nothing major truly sinks in until its demonstrated.  I’ve lived by a motto that says, “I never forgive, and I never forget.”

Defining Friendship and Family

The one thing about the English language, that you have to get down quickly, is the definitions of things.  Some words can sound the same, but have different meanings.  Some words actually have meanings, but mean different things to different people.  The best example, is friendship and family.

Friend:

 a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relations.

Family:

a. A fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.
b. Two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place.

(poem) - To My Friends, those who stayed, and those who didn't.

Love comes and goes
As does friendship's throws
Dreams flourish and die
Right before thine eye

The past will shine a light
Upon the future's plight
And give you the strength you need
To do heartfelt deeds

Even after the lights have faded
And your attitude becomes overly jaded
Fate will have his merry way
And the gods will balance themselves every day

And you will feel hate and war
As much as love longs for more
Music will fill the air
And Magic's electricity will raise your hair

Life 'tis an amazing thing
It makes me laugh and sing
Even as bad as it can be
I still find a way to live free

From all the chains that bind me down
And things that make me want to frown
It pains me to see my friends hurt
And their relationships turn to dirt

But I know they will move on
And be the best they'll ever become
The things I've seen and witnessed
Will never go past a friend's distress

Because a friend I am, a friend indeed
Especially if they have the need
For them I'm ready to bleed
Or even see to it they are freed

From whatever oppresses them
In whatever form
I'm just happy to be there for my friends
Because they are my true family, in the end

So no matter what life throws at anyone
I know my friends will survive, every one
Even if their love dies and their dreams whither
Me and my friends will always be together.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Patronizing Praise

I truly hate being around those type of people that praise you with patronization.  There’s a way to tell someone you appreciate them without downing everything in life that’s come before.  Ever been around those types of people?

Some of my old bosses were especially bad.  They wouldn’t think much of me, with my long hair.  When I proved them wrong, they’d give me praise, but they’d make sure that they knocked me down first.  It was almost as if they honestly didn’t think my life was much of an accomplishment.

Why I Hate Fishing

Fishing.  No other word dregs of the type of hatred that word does.  It’s the most boring, mundane exercise that I’ve ever participated in.  I would honestly rather be taped down to a chair, staring directly at a wall, starving, with an itch I can’t reach for hours than spend any time fishing.

Which sucks, because Lisa apparently loves to fish....  Yay!

Recently, we had a friend come up to visit, who loves to fish as well.  And with multiple poles laying around, guess who got to go man one?  Me!  Yay!

(poem) - Black Friday 2013

Shop shop shop
Shop until you drop
Then shop even more
For the items you want to adore

Black Friday
Cyber Monday
Call it what you will
You will keep shopping until

You’ve spent all your money
Ain’t it so funny?
That you nabbed that deal
Because you thought the deals were real?

Some camped out all night
Hoping not to get a fright
Because its scary not getting that TV
Can you even believe?

The day after giving thanks
People empty their banks
Fighting to get new stuff
Because no one can ever have enough

They will fight and claw
Even punch you in the jaw
To get that item they want
Capitalism at its most blunt

This is what people think
Christmas is all about
Fighting over a small toy
Instead of sharing in all the joy

Every year I grow
To hate this season more and more
Because of all the greed
That I see in every deed

Happiness and Goodwill towards men be damned
Screw you all
And screw you well
For I got my deepfryer on sale

I only had to sit for hours
On a sidewalk in the snow
Wrestle some woman to the ground
And kick a man in the groin

But I saved a dollar ninety-nine
Suck on that, you Black Friday noob!
I saw you standing in that Toys-R-Us line
Watching a catfight, hoping to see a boob.

A sad day indeed
When we all agree we need
Something more than family
To celebrate such a wonderful holiday....

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Giving Thanks 2013.

Not very much has fundamentally changed since last Thanksgiving.  Hard to believe I didn’t write a blog post last year on the subject.  In the end, there was so much going on....  Oh well....

Its hard not to be thankful for my life and all that’s in it.  I have a wonderful Step-Daughter, who tries my patience quite a bit, but is still one of the most interesting people I’ve ever gotten to know.  She’s crazy, eclectic, and a true unique.  I’m beyond thankful to be in her life, to be loved by her, and to have the respect she chose to give me.

Black Friday Week!

So here we are, Black Friday week....  Wait....  What’s that you say?  Thanksgiving?  No one cares about that in ‘Murica anymore, heck, we have stores that open up now straight through that day.

For the longest time, I’ve been saying how Christmas is getting bigger and longer every year.  I’ve joked that it won’t be long until we see Santa out Trick or Treating.  On Rachel Ray, a child dressed up as a Christmas tree this year for Halloween.  We had Christmas decorations in the stores as early as September, and we’ve all see the internet Meme’s.

(poem) - Error 0x80070004

I’m apparently being punished
For what I’ve done to my computer
Yet all I’m guilty of doing
Is making it run better

With the invention of Windows 8
It became harder to move files around
I don’t have a touch screen
And I want my files easily found

I separate my files
Onto multiple drives
So when one crashes
Most my files survive

But the user directory
Is a pain to move this time
You have to go through odd steps
That don’t make sense or rhyme

But I went through it all
And was satisfied with the result
Until 8.1 came out
And threw me an insult

I cannot upgrade my computer
Because of this much needed move
Now Microsoft is punishing me
For throwing off their Emperor like grove.

Don’t get me wrong
I’m one of the few people I know
That actually likes Windows 8
And how its controlled

But there are things in this update
That should have been in there from the start
I need this update
To quell my computer’s heart

But yeah
That’s not how it works
Error 0x80070004 has come
Destroying these much needed perks

Screw you world
For making me conform
I do not want to do so
For I am my own storm

I will customize my life
To my best abilities
Your updates be damned
You Microsoft commies

I will work around your stupidity
And make this computer work right
For you have not heard the last of people like me
Because honestly, we are the ones in the right.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Things you can learn from a Kitten

I’ve always loved being an observer.  Watching something and how it acts and surmising things about how it was brought up, or what makes it work.  Its all learning and science.  Its honestly so much fun.

When we brought home the new kitten, Nyx, we knew a few things, but had to guess at a few others.  One of the major things was, out at our Aunt’s place, she said that some of the cats were vanishing without a trace.  Fact is, she’s a farmer and kind of expects such things and didn’t give it a second thought.

"Great" Italian Food, Does it Exist?

The other day, Lisa and I went out to eat at yet another ‘great’ Italian restaurant.  And yet again, we walked away completely unsatisfied and revolted at what we paid for.  Maybe there are other factors at work, or maybe I’m just insane, but I have yet to have any type of Italian food that even comes close to what I can make out of a can at home.

From previous posts, most know that I am a decent amateur cook, but I don’t claim I’m the best.  I can make some spaghetti that people absolutely love, sure, but I’ve always figured everyone could.  Lisa and I watch Master Chef, and Lisa thinks I could be on that show, but I’m blown away by what those people can cook.  But in the end, there’s the premise.  Have amateur cooks make restaurant quality food.

(poem) - The Dance of Love's Life

I’ve danced through life
To a soundtrack that only I’ve heard
I’ve invited you to dance
If you wish to learn

Many have taken me up
On this offer of life’s dance
Only to watch them stumble
Not being able to prance

Happiness is a way of life
That I’ve lived for quite some time
But I only know how to do so
Because I know Sorrow’s every line

So watch as I dance
And twirl around
Can you see me float
Far above the ground?

In real life
I cannot dance
But metaphorically
I do so at every chance

And amazingly I found Lisa
Who has taken my hand
As we danced
She donned my wedding band

Friends may come and go
But I’ve finally found a partner
Who will dance with me
Forever, and ever after

Somewhere along the way
I realized something very important
I’ve danced this dance I’ve danced
Felt pain at every appointment

So that when I got to dance with her
It was the dance that would enthrall her

Because she’s danced
The same dance as me
So that when we found each other
It would be so lovely

That we have both wept with joy
At true love’s beautiful envoy

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Music is a Soundtrack to your Life

Have you ever had music that you liked in your life, that later the words opened up and meant something to you?  My life has gone through so many evolutions I struggle to keep track of them all, but through them all is a soundtrack...a list of music that resonated within my soul, and showed me a moment of pure understanding.

Sometimes, music can talk to you.  A friend of mine used to say that you can’t truly love Jimi Hendrix unless he speaks to you.  He said the same of Jim Morrison.  Fact is, neither of those have ever spoken to me.

The Well is Dry

I hate it when the well runs dry.  Its easy to do, hit a point of art where you’ve just created so much recently, you cannot create anymore.  I loathe to admit it, but its happened quite a bit recently.  I think it comes from transcribing so much of Lisa’s book at once.

I typed around 50 pages in a week, on top of writing blog posts, tweeting, doing facebook, talking on social networks to other bloggers, and watching TV with my wife.  By the end of the week, I looked at my blank WordPerfect screen and threw up my hands....

(poem) - A Kitten

Is there anything
A kitten can’t fix?
Especially if that kitten
Has a name like Nyx?

She’s come into our lives
And brightened every day
Suddenly we are all smiles
In every single way

I’m still behind
On what I need to do
But all that can wait
Because I hear a faint “Mew”


She’s quite a handful
And a bundle of joy
Kittens are far too cute
Its almost like a ploy

You fall in love with them
As you help them grow
Then they ignore you
Unless they need food in their bowl

Okay,
That’s alittle unfair
Some cats appreciate
You taking all that care

To raise them up
And to raise them right
So they aren’t scared
Of thunderstorms in the night

They’ll stick by your side
And be your one true friend
Curling up in your lap
Until the very end.

The unconditional love
Of a feline family member
Is one that you will cherish
Until the last day you remember

Very few cats
Have earned a place in my heart
Nyx earned her spot
From the very start

And as she sleeps
Here on my desk
I smile knowing
My future is now that much picturesque

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

What to do with a Piano in your House

On the previous post, I wrote a blog about our decision to move a piano into our house.  It was a hellacious movie, but the fact is, we had room, and now we have an awesome piano.  Okay, well, maybe not ‘awesome’ per say, but its pretty cool.

The piano is definitely over one hundred years old and is in great condition.  We set it up in the perfect place in the room, except for us needing a door stop....  Some of the keys are horribly out of tune and one key is kinda broken (it works sometimes), but beyond that, it sounds and plays spectacular.

So, what is a person to do with a new piano?  Simple...learn to play it!

Moving Music is Hard.

Nothing quite like trying to move a piano.  Seriously, wow.  Luckily it was only a Baby Grand, but still...wow....  Supposedly a Baby Grand’s max weight is supposed to be 800 lbs.  But wow.

Okay, enough wows....  Here’s the deal, someone said, “My Baby Grand Piano needs a new home, who wants it?”  So obviously, the correct response is, “ME!!!!”  The things are worth several thousand dollars no matter how you look at it, and having a piano in the house is always worth it, as long as you have the room.

(poem) - We Lost Halloween Because of You

Halloween is over
And all the spooks have won
We didn’t scare away the undead
And now are overrun

Whatever shall we do?
Are we all going to die?
The dead have risen
Every thing has gone arry

All because of you ladies
Dressing up all sexy
Sure, I like seeing cleavage
But it is in no way scary

Because of your unbridled beauty
We now all have to pay
I’m sorry you didn’t realize
Halloween is about scaring the spooks away

As the last of humanity
Hides in holes around the world
Eating on the candy
From our trick or treat spoils

We might think fondly
Upon your wig’s pretty curls
Or upon your sexy body
Which was practically unfurled

I truly hope you take comfort
As the ghosts roll unchecked across then land
That we all got a great view
Of your scantily clad rear end

You thought it was all about fantasy
So you dressed up as the sexy cop
The Eve of All Hallows has passed
And dead bodies rise instead of drop

But the worst part about it all
Besides all the dying, dread, and fear
Is that we won’t be able to see
What you dress up as next year....

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Halloween 2013

I love Halloween.  I always have, even though I was always more or less disappointed by it in my youth.  Its truly something special, now that its far beyond its roots of scaring away the dead, and is all about dressing up as something, or someone you aren’t.

Sure, most women chose to dress up sexy, but in the end, who doesn’t WANT to feel alittle sexy?  Especially when its all just in fun.

Something is Wrong With the World

There’s something truly amazing about fall, though this year, its been a bit...odd.  There were several things earlier in the year that showed the world that nature was a bit off.

It snowed in May here.  That’s beyond crazy that it would happen.  Immediately after, though, we started seeing some really odd things.  Mom was quick to report that all the summer flowers bloomed at once.  Here we noticed that some of the trees seemed to not understand what was going on, one particular tree that blooms in the spring bloomed 3 times over the summer....

Zombies, Write II Entry

(( This is an interesting post.  For those of you who don't know, I'm a huge fan of ZombiesRun, a game on iOS and Android where you go out in the real world and run (or walk in my case) and get a story around your music about surviving in the Zombie Apocalypse.  It adds a really interesting facet to your exercise.  And I definitely recommend it to ANYONE and EVERYONE.

This post though, is part of a thing called Zombies Write II.  Its an unofficial fanfic writing type thing that plays out like a Secret Santa.  I was giving a prompt by Pamela over at http://www.tumblr.com/blog/pamelamella.  Her prompts were really fun to play around with, and even though I wanted to do every one of them, I chose:

• Haven't heard much from Molly since season 1- any request or needs from the children of New Canton or Able?

I chose it because I had been wondering about Ed and Molly since their appearance in Season 1 Episode 4.  It was a great mission, and I was hoping to hear about them in the community.  And after the events that led to Season 2, I really had been wondering what happened to some of the supporting cast that I had acquired along the way.  Thank you Pamela for pulling this story out of me, it was a ton of fun!  Anyways, the story: ))

((P.S. Don't worry, the Ballad will return at its normal day and time next week! ))

--

(poem) - All Hallows Eve Approaches

My dreams are haunted as of late
I have needs I need to satiate

The thirty first of October comes
Looming across many horizons

The drums of the day, beat within my head
Telling me of who shall return from the dead


To haunt the waking world outside
And who it is with which I will ride

The sands of time fall through the hole
And pile up like dunes in the bowl

Everything around us will eventually turn to dust
Scattered by the wind which forgets our petty lust

Ghosts from the future along with those from the past
Will come on All Hallows Eve to make it our last

But we will dress up as demons and freaks
To scare them away from that which they seek

Ultimate destruction will in no way be theirs
For even the dead have hysterical fears

At the end of the night, as dawn breaks in the East
We raise our glass and prepare for Thanksgiving’s feast

But only if the Great Pumpkin doesn’t arise and devour....
Hopefully Linus van Pelt will keep that covered


So my friends, as I awaken
I can look at these haunted dreams of mine

And realize the greatest truth of all
That Halloween is the greatest holiday of them all

For it’s the only one that we have to struggle to survive
The rest are all gifts, love, and lies

But All Hallows Eve is a test to the living
And makes you appreciate life without the gift giving

Because if you make it to the Day of All Saints
Then you shall have a bucket of Candy and nary a single complaint

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

My Nightmare

Ever have one of those dreams after hearing a song or watching a movie.  Yeah, Nightmare on My Street by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince has been a favorite of mine for decades.  But sometimes, after maybe watching a Freddy film and listening to that song...you drift off into sleep and....

--

A Character's Story

Everyone knows, by now, that I truly love writing and creating characters.  Its one of the true joys of creativity, to be able to really get into a story and work through it.  What most don’t know is, the character of El’Mindeeya Do’Katal, the Emerald Bard, has been around for quite some time, probably close to a decade, and only just recently has she been truly captured in a high quality picture.

She started off as just a name.  Deeya.  Such a simple beginning, but I loved how the name sounded.  It sounded almost elvish, but it was used in other ways first.  In fact, before we go any further, let me go even further back.

(poem) - Inspiration, Take Me Away

I love to be transported
To another place and time
Be it by writing
Or music’s amazing rhyme

Dreams can only
Take you so far
You have to find inspiration
To raise that bar

Is there a better rhyme
Than this American Classic’s Line?

“Give me the beat boys
And save my soul
I want to get lost
In your rock and roll”

That is how I view music
Its why I listen at all
I love to hear the music
While watching the leaves fall

Trust me in this
When I say
I could listen to rock
Every and all day

But then there are times
That motion pictures set up the best lines

Some people can scoff
At the movie Avatar
When I watched it the first time
I dreamed I was seeing a distance star

From a world
I had never seen
A lush land
With tons of green

Sure the people were blue
But I was one of them
Daring to rise up
And share freedom’s dream

I live for moments like these
When I’m transported through outrageous dreams

If I could live
Under another sun
Or be taken away
By rock and rolls sweet fun

Then I would dance along
With my wife
In a place far from here
Without any strife

Because in these places far away
Where inspiration rules the day
My wife and I, in each other’s arms would lay.
Because each other’s love will stay

The funny thing is, no matter what I say
This is my life already, in every way.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

The Conversation on Religion

I finally heard someone say it....

A few of my friends posted a video on Facebook the other day, and it was a friendly debate between an atheist and a christian on a late night talk show called “Totally Biased.”  They started off talking, and I was impressed how they two were interacting, especially how great the christian guy actually was.

A debate between an atheist and a Christian.

"A debate between an atheist and a Christian has quite a surprising result. You should share this if you wish every disagreement went just like this..." - Upworthy about this clip from Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell ( W. Kamau Bell)

Posted by Jamie Kilstein on Saturday, April 25, 2015

It never got heated, and both made great points.  But there was one line in there that got me, because I had used it several times before, but he said it quite eloquently:

"So my take is if I get up to Heaven and there is a God and he's like, 'You were wrong, how did you live your life?' And I'm like, 'I tried to help people, I tried to give to charity, I didn't know if you were real, there was no evidence,' and he was like, 'Well, you didn't worship me every day.' And I'm like, 'Fine. Send me wherever is as far away from here as possible because you're a sociopath!'"

THIS is how I feel when christians get all christian on me.  The christian bible is full of analogies, so let me do the one I always say.  “When I go and rescue a dog, I don’t do it so that dog will worship me, I do it to give the dog a better life.”  If I did it to get worshiped, what kind of being am I?

I fully believe we were all given this life to enjoy, this world is beautiful and amazing.  We were all given morality to know right from wrong.  The biggest evil in the world, when you look at it from this direction IS religion.  It has divided us beyond any possible belief.  It might be the point of a popular song, but imagine if there was no religion, and we could work together as the human race?

In the end, I’m not saying anything one way or another, because I don’t know for sure.  But when I look at this world, I don’t want to believe its all some crazy coincidence.  And when I think about everything that’s out there, I know in the end it doesn’t matter.  We are in a huge playground, full of beauty and mystery, if it wasn’t put here for us to enjoy, if it wasn’t put here as a test to see how well we do this thing called life, then there’s something wrong with...well, everything.

To quote another song, “I’m not a slave, to a God, that doesn’t exist.”  No one is a slave.  Most of us learned that slavery is reprehensible, that dictatorships are bad, and freedom on all levels is the most wonderful thing, the right thing.  Why do people break the bonds of others to be willingly enslaved to some factious dictator that the preacher believes is real, that the preacher makes up dogma to control you for?

My advice is the simplest of advices.  Find out for yourself what is out there, find out what you believe before you believe what some book says, or some other man says.  The truth is within you.  It always has been and always will be.

Being Social as a Blogger with BlogCatalog

When I first started blogging, I knew that the #1 thing I needed to do was learn how to network.  Its vital, when doing anything online, to be part of some form of community.  Through doing all of that, I quickly learned some shocking truths.

A large percentage of blogs all about “Making Money Blogging.”  Its truly astounding how man ‘experts’ there are with ‘expert advice’ on how to blog ‘correctly.’  The first community I joined, ended up failing for many reasons, but the fact that it was inundated with those types of bloggers who were not talking, but spamming their blogs, didn’t help it survive.

(poem) - Facebook's Evils

There are worse things in life
Than Facebook in the morning
There is always real life
Outside the door, moaning

Avoid it all costs
For it will devour your soul
Unless Facebook gets it first
Since you serve it up in a bowl

Feeding the beast
On a regular basis
Yet complaining about it
Enters you into a form of stasis.

I’ve watched
Day after day
As people go on
Facebook and say:

“Facebook sucks
Facebook is bad
I give my life to Facebook
Because the owner is a cad”

If you don’t like something
Then walk away
One of the best protests of all
Is letting silence rule the day

Yet alas
The ignorance persists
They go online and tell all about
There mate’s infidelic twists

Can you do me two favors though
While you are there
Shut the f- up
About the appointment for your hair

And swing on by the blog’s Page
And give it a quick Like
So you can follow all the rantings
That you know you like.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Comic Books on the Big Screen

Comic book movies have been hit or miss for some time now.  The better of the bunch always seem to get the characters right, and have such fun action that you can overlook the minor flaws.  The best of the bunch reminds you of what you used to read in the comics, and teleports you back to a time when the stories were so rich and detailed....

There have been many, many problems with comic book adaptations for years.  The biggest issue has always been the sequels.  There is some weird thing in Hollywood where they think it ALWAYS has to be bigger and better than last time.  More bad guys, more action....  Its something that needs to stop.

The End to Comics

Once upon a time, I fell in love with comic books.  Sometimes it seems like so very long ago, but I still remember those days quite fondly.  There are many pros and cons with comics these days, and I’m so very happy to see them getting big screen recognition, along with the great video games.  But in all honesty, I’m glad I no longer read them.

First off, there’s something to be said about an ending.  I know I’m one to talk, since the Emerald Bard series seems like it can go on forever, but someday her story will end.  Whether nor not its passed on, or what, I don’t know, but an ending is inevitable.

(poem) - Birthday Instructions

Preparing for a birthday
Is fun thing to do
When its your loved one’s birthday
There’s oh so very much to do.

She needs to know you love her
That is essentially the key
Because on her birthday
You are the only thing she’ll want to see

First things first
You have to do it all right
Else you’ll be caught
In some screwed up plight

The best part about it all
Is not everything has to be perfect
She’ll cherish the attempt
Delivering a softer verdict

In the end,
The best thing you can do
Is simply love her
Through and through

So do that
And you will see
That if she truly loves you
She will give you a big ol’ smilie

No matter what her circumstance
No matter what she’s going through
Her love will shine through
If she truly loves you

And even the worst of days
Will not deflate her love
Because she has placed you on a pedestal
Somewhere far above.

For if she hasn’t
It will shine through
If on her birthday
She wants someone other than you.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Why I Avoid Politics

I tend not to get too political on our blog.  I do it for several reasons.  There are plenty of political blogs out there, and many have some valid opinions, and sometimes I’ll even join in on those discussions.

But when it comes to our blog here, I do like to point out some things here and there that need to be changed.  I’ve never liked getting into the discussions here over who is right and wrong.  One of the main reasons of that is that people are so brainwashed as to what is going on with politics.

Falling in Love Again, for the First Time.

I can honestly say that I have never been happier. I'm sure you have heard it or even said it but for me it is the truth. I have never felt or been so loved in all my life and it's all because of a wonderful caring man that I call my husband.

After my late husband died I was lost. I really didn't know what I was going to do next. It was just me and my 13 year old daughter. I thought there was no way I was going to get married again and have my heart ripped out of my chest again. After a few months I started to get lonely. I missed the championship that I had with my late husband. My mom told me that I was too young to be by myself and I should start dating again.

(Poem) - Happily Forever After

Bad days aside
Most are pretty good
Some days can even
Be better than they should

Those days are blessed
Wonderful through and through
Because I simply get to spend
All my time with you

I feel like I belong
I feel like part of something
Something far bigger
Than wearing your wedding ring.

Someday the dog doesn’t scratch
The dog doesn’t grunt
She simply lays there
Performing a silent stunt

Harmony can reign
Within this amazing home
There can be a calm
Without the petulant groans

Of a crazy teenage girl
Who is our entire world
That’s not getting her way
As her life is unfurled

Yes, there are days
Where life it truly the best
In fact there are quite a few
That are far better than the rest

The hammock is crying our name
Swaying in the breeze
There’s not very much better
Than reading our Kindles with ease

It almost seems
As if our life is a fantasy
Yet it is most definitely not
This is our reality

A life full of love
A life full of laughter
I love my wife with my entire soul
For now and for happily forever after.

(( FYI, this poem is actually part 3 in my "3 Post Experience" this week. Experience the low point in part 1, where a bad day reeks havoc in Days Like This.   But of course, every bad day becomes just another tomorrow, where you find out that there are no failures, just unfinished successes.  All you have to do is remember There Will Always Be Days Like Yesterday. ))

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

There Will Always Be Days Like Yesterday

Those frustrating days when nothing seems to be appreciated.  Yeah, I have those.  Most know me as a perfectionist when it comes to editing, and a creator when it comes to writing and photography.  But the fact is...its really hard to write and create simply because there are days when you wonder if anyone is reading at all....

Sure, this blog gets ‘plenty’ of views, but how many stop and read?  Not many comment, that’s for certain.  So how can I even tell how many read?

Days Like This

I hate days like this, when I can stare at the screen for far too long, not typing anything on the keyboard.  Its not that I have writer’s block, or that I’m burnt out, its just how I get sometimes.  Overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time.

Its definitely not a lack of topics, I have a list of planned ones.  I just feel so ambiguous about what I want to write.  Part of me wants to make it about, “What am I doing this for?”  Face it, this is a pretty thankless thing to be doing.

(poem) - Being an Individual

Diversity is what makes
The human race so great
So why is it when someone’s different
All they get is hate?

I just do not understand
Why it seems to be everyone’s plan
To simply be sheep
In this herd of Man

Someone does
Some really cool to their hair
And the preppies pick on them
Without a single care.

I’ve spent my entire adult life
Marching to the beat of my own drum
And I promise you this
I’ll never conform

My differences make me unique
I’m the black sheep of the bunch
Standing over six feet tall
I have broad shoulders, and never hunch

Yet my hair flows down my back
A beautiful mane
Its part of who I am
Its dictated by my genes

Yet I’m ridiculed for it
Have such lovely locks
I get more flack for my hair
Than a guy with leprosy and pox.

In the end
I know the truth
They are jealous of my uniqueness
That’s why they are so uncouth

I stand up tall and proud
And show the world who I really am
I’m not a sheep at all
Definitely not as meek as a lamb

I’ve had many heroes
Through my long life
And now one truly is
The daughter of my wife

Fuck all the people
That give her flack
She’s her own person
And she’s never going back

To the drab misery
That is being part of the herd
All those people are good for
Is looking like the girl in ‘ermahgerd’

I’ll not be part
Of any crowd
That spreads any form of hate
All over town

The best part about it all
Is that the ‘normal’ person in class
Will end up working 9 to 5
Kissing their boss’ ass

While us unique few
Will make the art
That the ‘normals’ entertain themselves with
And only wish they could take part.

So look down your nose
All you want
I’ll smile right back
Because I have individuality to flaunt.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

An Analogy of Rain

There’s something about driving in the rain.  I’m not sure what it is, maybe its just the grey of the sky, or the memories that flood in, but the wipers flick at a certain beat, and time seems like a vague concept.

I’ve lived a life that I cannot sometimes comprehend.  The way the moonlight shines through the trees, creating shadows at night fills me with a warmth I never expect.  A cold night wind takes that feeling away every time, but it WAS there, I FELT it.

The Divided States of America

I’ll be honest with you, I’m tired of being so depressed about being a citizen of the USA.  The things I see people do in this country, on a day to day basis...lets just say I completely out of tears of shame.

The HATE that is spread by people who think they are so much better is amazing.  And the sad part is, most who read this will think I’m talking about someone else.  No, I’m talking about the average citizen.

(poem) - Wearing Black while Baking Bread

Is there anything better
Than wearing black
And being covered by flour?

Cooking is so much fun
Baking is as well
Watching bread rise, hour after hour.

Mix everything together
Add the right about of spice
And suddenly an amazing flavor comes together

I never realized
It could be so much fun
Cooking in the kitchen with her

My wife and I
Make a great team
Doing everything together, time after time

When it comes down to creating
We make the best of teams
As we write a story, line after line

But together in the kitchen
Kneading out the dough
We make the most amazing things

With flavors so astounding
We are reminded
Of why we gave each other rings

Food nourishes the body
Enhances life itself
Especially with the right flavors

Our love nourishes our soul
Mix in the spices of our life
And our marriage resonates with a purr

So, in the end
Cooking food together
Sums up our love

Add just the right mixture
Makes all the flavors of life
Soar so high above.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Explaining Nerdy Things

The hardest part about explaining anything to anyone is getting past their own preconceived notions on the topic.  Some people will always see the thing you are trying to explain as silly, and your attempts at explaining it only make it more silly.

You really get into a bind when something is preconceived as ‘nerdy.’  Once it has that connotation, you might as well just give up trying to explain anything.  LARPing is the best example I can come up with right now.

My Process of Writing

I’ve always been amazed at how much really needs to go into writing to make it good.  Long fiction especially.  The research alone can be a daunting task.  There are many methods, but only one has worked for me, and I’ve learned it through so much trial and error that I can sometimes get overwhelmed.

First and foremost is the idea.  What is the story going to be about?  And trust me, there are many many many ideas to chose from.  I’ve had two big writing failures in my life.  Most would try to tell me that they weren’t failures, one actually did pretty well.

(poem) - I Belong in Her Arms

Is a dream a dream
(A crazy little dream)
If its based in reality?

What about pain?
(Is it pain?)
If its based within the mind?

Its hard not to scream
(Scream so loud)
When a dream involves pain?

Why does it hurt
(Its hurts so very much)
To have your heart broken?

I once had an ideal
(Such a great ideal)
Of what the perfect woman should be.

But the woman that was perfect
(Perfection on another level)
Broke the mold of everything that was

She changed my life
(Which needed changing)
For the better in every single way

And became my wife
(The perfect wife)
Making me the happiest man alive.

But I still remember the past
(Oh so very long ago.)
When heart break felt like it would kill me.

I remember those times
(Times best forgotten)
Crying over some foolish idiot not giving their all

I always gave my all
(Pouring my very soul)
To make sure that my love found its home

But it never did
(It grew stronger, harder)
And somehow found its way into Lisa’s embrace

This embrace
(This beautiful embrace)
Is something amazing that words cannot describe

Poetry
(No matter how you write it)
Cannot match the beauty of my wife’s soul

She survived
(Things I cannot imagine)
To be with me here, laying her head against my chest

How did either of us make it here
(This wonderful place we’ve found)
After going through so damned much without each other?

The answer is so simple
(Yet so very silly)
We survived what we had to, to be together.

Because this is where we both belong
And belonging is pretty awesome
When you belong in someone’s arms.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Emerald Refection of the Future

There’s nothing quite like fumbling around with an online store front.  It can be a bit frustrating, but once you get the hang of it, it can just be a bit time consuming.  But in the end, its always worth it to have product out there for sale.

Ever since I got my very first camera, I’ve always wanted to use it for something.  For years I lived in one of the most beautiful places in the entire world, and I used the time there to learn to take some truly spectacular shots of nature.  Sunsets, flowers, and landscapes.  Every great now and then I’d get a girlfriend who’d stand in front of the camera, or a friend that would go hand out and bring along kids.

The Challenge of a Video Game

Is there anything more frustrating as trying to beat a simple game 100%?  Many of the least challenging video games I’ve played in my life have some specific ‘extra’ stuff you can do to get something ‘extra.’  And frankly I enjoy a challenge, but sometimes...wow those things are hard.

I know they had them way before this, but the Xbox started a Gamer Score way back when.  It was the first time we, as gamers, could point at something and say, “Yeah, I beat that.”  It turned those little challenges into something truly fun to try to accomplish.

(poem) - Bring on the Pain

I hate those moments
Right after something special
That take a great time
And make the whole even awful

Its going to happen
From time to time
But I’ll hate it with a passion
No matter the reason or rhyme

It gets more rare
With every passing day
That everything goes right
In every single way

Something always
Tries to come around
Bringing along
A dank and dark cloud

I rage against it
With all my might
But I’m getting tired
And always loose the fight

The one thing
I know I can say
Is that the longer people
Together stay

They’ll be able to find
The best ways to hurt each other
Making paradise
A little less brighter

I truly hate those moments
Right after being inspired
When the yelling starts
And an argument has to be retired.

There is nothing more devastating
Than doing what I do
Stopping you from hurting me
By making sure I hurt you.

But life goes on
As beautiful as it may seem
With this one argument
Lurking behind the scene

It might be
The only one we have
But it’s a dozy
And definitely not drab.

All I can say is
Love is a beautiful thing
And conquers everything
That gets put in a sling

Today
The aftermath might be oppressing
But tomorrow is another day
And nowhere near depressing

For love will come
With the brand new dawn
And spread its rays
Upon our green lawn

The grass will grow
Along with our love
We will catch wing again
And fly like a dove.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Cooking: Japanese Hibachi Style Fried Rice

I’ve been threatening to write this blog post for awhile, and I think, its finally time....  Japanese Hibachi Style Fried Rice!

One thing to note, before I get started on this, is that when we cook in this house, I make sure there are plenty of leftovers.  That being said, when I cook my Fried Rice, we make quite a bit.  Another thing to note is that I always find my recipes online and modify them to suit my needs.  I’ll post them in a footnote kinda thing in the bottom.

A Writer's Cool Pen and My Computer

There’s nothing quite like transcribing a novel from pen and paper format to the computer.  Wow.  I mean, extremely wow.  Page after page of letters, all running together, forming an amazing story.

In the end, this makes me realize how much I love typing stuff into the computer in the first place.  Lisa might have my old Ergonomix pen, that you can no longer buy, but even with the most comfortable pen in the world in my hand, I’d still die from writer’s cramp.  Luckily its enabled Lisa to write longer hours.

(poem) - Clung for Far too Long

I made mistakes early on
Wishing I could find the one
Looking past an idiot’s flaws
My fate’s conclusion seemed forgone

I lost my faith
In failed love’s wake

The true love I thought I’d never find
Was you

Life brings all sorts
Of slings and arrows to your ports
Love is extremely hard
When it was used, before, to extort

But then I came around
Thinking true love was not to be found

I had to give up on my false idea of love
For you

I woke up one day
Very far away
From my dreams and reality
I gave up on love in every way

I was lost
Without knowing the cost

And the person that found me
Was you

I never knew
This day would bring you
And I would experience
A love known only by few

I was found
And quite knowingly bound

The woman I call my wife
Is You.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Life as an Individual

One of the best things in life is being different, but its also one of the hardest things you could ever try to do.  I know, because I went out of my way to be different, to be myself, and the ridicule and flack I got from it, will haunt me the rest of my life.

There are no good role models for individuality.  Most who are revered for being such, have gone to the extremes.  I never went to any extremes, I simply was who I was and am who I am.  I don’t apologize for it, because its others who should apologize to me for trying to pull me into the herd.

Artistic Work

I have never written so much in my entire life.  I can easily compare it all to my early adulthood, when I was writing 8 hours a day.  I spend so much time in front of the computer now, its crazy.  And I have nothing but a backlog of work.

Thing is, its not just the writing, it’s the photography, the blog’s promotion, the working with Lisa on her newest novel, brainstorming.  I’m completely shocked at how much there is to do now that I have absolutely nothing to do.

(poem) - The Rewrite Struggle

There is nothing like a rewrite
To make one feel odd
Pushing text in a different way
In order to get a different nod

Different drafts
Are entirely other beasts
As opposed to writing
An entirely different feast

To keep the main idea
Is the absolute key
While removing bad content
And letting the story free

The real question is
Will it all work
Or by changing the story
Will it do nothing bur irk?

Such is the life
A writer has to live
While balancing on the edge
One cannot afford to be passive

This body of work
Is mine to tame
If I cannot work it out
It will be even more lame

But I shall not put down
This ever so epic tale
Because I believe in Deeya
Enough that I shan’t fail

Buried Secrets
Has arrived again
A new format for the tale
Is being achieved under my pen

I refuse to loose readers
Because of bad choices for a first draft
I am not sailing this ship
As if it were a raft

No,
The story will be told right
For this
Is my eternal fight

To conquer my writing demons
To challenge myself in every way
And win
Upon this very day.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

The Death of the Social Pariah

One of the worst things about human behavior is childishness.  I can understand it when you are a child, but sometimes, its like people never truly do.  If you make an adult decision, then stand by it.  Don’t get all petty later.

One of the biggest issues with this problem is the fact that kids become adults far too quickly.  Girls are pushing out children at an alarmingly early age.  And its very obvious to point out, they just aren’t ready for the responsibility.

What to do about Near Miss, Elderly Missiles....

After being almost run off the road, ran into in the parking lot, and almost turned into while driving a straight road today, I have to ask....  Why are the old allowed to keep their driver’s licences long past the time they need to be revoked?

Many people joke about this subject when driving, some joke about it seriously, but nothing is ever done about it.  Admittedly, they should still be allowed to drive if they CAN drive, but there should be mandatory testing, or something, after a certain age.

(poem) - What is That Smell?

There’s nothing like a smell in the house
One that you just can’t find.
It smells like a giant dead mouse
Or a moose’s putrid behind.

It lingers in every room
No matter how many candles you burn
You try to spray perfume
But your nose does nothing but yearn


For a time when there is no smell
A room that does not make you gag
Damn this place smells like hell
Or a discarded wash rag

We’ve emptied the trash cans
And searched every cranny
We cannot find the deadman
Nor his putrid fanny

But we will keep up the search
For this affront to the nose
But allowing it to continue the stench
Would not be a good way to end the prose

It’s the quest
For the Holy Grail
And I can attest
We shall not fail

Because we are sick and tired
Of this awful reek
We don’t want to be mired
In the smell of something that died last week

Help us
Oh mighty lord
Deliver us
From this smell’s deadly sword


And bring to us
Gentle smells
Of beautiful rose buds
Or other flowers of bright pastels

But until you do
We have the Scentsy burning bright
And we will leave them all on
If we have to, all bloody night....

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

The Internet is Taking Over the World!

Just recently we decided to jump onto the Netflix streaming services.  Instantly I was amazed at the selection, but also dismayed at it.  It got me doing tons of research over which is the ‘best’ service.  But something happened somewhere along the way, and I realized a few things.

Fact is, the internet is taking over the world, isn’t it?  TV can practically be replaced with the right combination of streaming services.  Fact is, even streaming radio is a ton better than the repetitive crap that plays over the airways just about anywhere.

Status Update of the Blog and Life 08/2013

There’s nothing like a little update on how everything’s going on the website, hopefully I can drum up a bit more interest in certain things while doing it.  We’ll see, though.  If you haven't checked it out, be sure to read the Press Release that came out on August 4th.

As of this last weekend, the 6th serial story in the Ballad of the Emerald Bard came to a close.  The next order of business in the Ballad is to rewrite the 2nd story.  Buried Secrets was a 5 part story that, I realize now, was poorly written.  Part of the grand experiment of this serial webfiction is to fix mistakes after they are published.  Its something I knew ahead of time I wanted to do, so here’s my first chance.

(poem) - Passing the Time Away

There is nothing
Like passing the time away

Reading books
Enjoying the hooks
Writing a novel
Can’t be that trivial

Singing a song
Under the rain
Can’t be wrong
Using the brain

Video game are a challenge
If you take the plunge
Experiencing a story
Told through allegory

There is nothing
Like passing the time away

Poetry and rhyming
Are much like breathing
You just start doing it
And never ever quit

Fame and fortune
May never arrive
But I live my life fun
This is for what I strive

Art flows from my fingers
Onto many, many papers
Words forming thoughts
Keeping my wit very taut

There is nothing
Like passing the time away

Jobless
But not homeless
I work for a bright future
Based on our love for each other

Nothing will keep us apart
The beauty of love brought us together
Every day we create amazing art
All the while, ignoring the weather

The climate of the entire world
Is trying to make our life unfurl
We will make it through this
For, together, we have nothing but time to pass

Fact is
There is nothing
Like passing the time away.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

The Water Heater Conundrum

I hate our water heater.  With a burning passion.  There are very few people I hate worse than this contraptions design.  I’ve never had a water heater need so much upkeep.  Hell, I’ve never seen any appliance in an entire house need so much upkeep....

Such is the price of home ownership though.  When things go wrong, you have to fix them, replace them, or pay someone way too much to deal with it.  Fact is, we’ve had several people look at the thing, and only one person understood the problem, but his ‘fix’ was a workaround that is a bit crazy.

When College Comes a Knockin'

I wish I remembered the point in which colleges started scouting me and my fellow highschool friends.  I know they did, just a little bit, but yeah, I’m sure its nothing like what going on in our house now.  Part of me fully understand what exactly is going on.  But lets start somewhere else.

C.J. is getting college letters from all over the US.  Reading these turns out to be quite interesting.  About half of the colleges that have seen packets have truly interesting financial aid statements.  Obviously I need to do more research, but they all read in such a way that make me believe that the tuition/room/board free.  Part of me obviously doesn’t believe this, but yeah, its an interesting read, none-the-less.

(poem) - The Poetic Justice of Mankind

There’s something poetic
About the fall of mankind
No matter how it is portrayed
It’s artistic to my mind

In popularized myth
We destroy ourselves
Poetic justice
For the environmentally conscious

Unleashing terror after terror
Humanity falls into oblivion
If not filling the entire planet
With tons of carcinogen

Many eyes turn to the sky
Will destruction come from above?
That’s what many astronomers
Would definitely love

A chunk of rocking
Falling from space
Destroying the world
This entire place.

Some even fantasize
About an alien invasion
A higher technology
Come for colonization

All are interesting thoughts
But the oddest one of all
Is that we dream of this
Fantasizing destroying this planetary ball

I do not suppose it is odd
To wonder about our eventual doom
But putting it on the movie screen
Seems to make it all loom

Just over the horizon
Somewhere in the land of tomorrow
Lies our eventual end
That chills some to their marrow

All I know
Is what I’ve always known
You have to live today
Because tomorrow we might all be gone

Life is a beautiful
And amazing gift
Enjoy it all
Don’t let fear cause a rift

Because if a rift forms
Between enjoyment of today
Then something will be lost
And that is a sad thing to say.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Small Town Drama is Small Town Entertainment

There’s something odd about the ‘human condition.’  The fact that paranoia and silly unsubstantiated fear can completely override logic.  All this truly rears its ugly head when people watch Fox News, but its prevalent everywhere in life.

Its strange to me that people will believe what they want to believe when shown facts and amazing evidence to the contrary.  Sure, I COULD be talking about religion, but I’m not.  I do remember a conversation with a woman who said, “Well why couldn’t everything have just ‘started’ six thousand years ago?”

Why So Many Churches in Small Town, USA?

Why are there so many churches in small town USA?  I mean, seriously....  It doesn’t make too much sense.  I suppose it does when you get down to normal human social interaction, but...I thought religion was supposed to bring humanity above such nonsense....

Its when you talk to people that you realize what exactly is going on.  People not liking a particular preacher because of something he said about somebody.  Or people not knowing why certain people go there because they are too poor or too rich to be in the same company as others.

(poem - Deeya) - Altar of Desires

I think of the ways we've been
I think of the ways we want to be
I want to see you in your glory
I want to see you dance for me

My heart beats within my chest
Souly for you, do my desires crest
I give myself freely
I sacrifice my body, unto your altar

I'd love to see you in the moonlight
With your head thrown back
And your body on fire
Lit by the lashes of my desire

My soul is yours, my body as well
All my sins are yours to sell
This I declare in the name of the night
Everything I am, is rendered in your plight

As our bodies join together
And our screams escape
I will call out your name
Urging you forward

To a time when our souls merge
Our bodies as one
The love we both share
Combined and done

For you I exist, for you I do dream
A future where we will forever
Never refrain
From loving completely, all of our strains

This night is but one
Of many we'll share
This I do promise
This I do swear

I will see you in the moonlight
Your head thrown back
Your body will be on fire
Lit by the lashes of my desire.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

New Orleans: A City of Amazing Food

Architecture, beauty, the occult and religion, and weirdness aside, New Orleans is know for its food.  Creole food.  Hot and spicy and completely different than anywhere else in the world.  You know what adjective describes it best?  Good.

I’ve had knock-off Cajun food all my life, and though I was always impressed, I’ve never been overly turned on to it.  I can say that the Cajun spiced chicken is the only chicken I’ll eat without a ton of ketchup, and the Cajun spiced turkey is the best tasting lunch meat you can get.

New Orleans: A City of the Dead in Truth

I’ve always known that, if I ever did it, the minute I stepped in the French Quarter in New Orleans, I’d be blown away on many different levels.  Even knowing that, I was still blown away on so many levels....

I’ve visited a few cities in the US in my life.  Many of them had crazy histories that were well worth listening to.  But none of them compare to New Orleans.  I dare say that New Orleans is the only city in the US that has a history that is comparable to some of the cities in Europe.

(poem - Deeya) - A Closed Heart

My heart was closed
For so very long
Closed to all
Who wanted to get along

I had suiters
To be sure
But I cared for none
No matter how pure.

Fictional Characters Are Old, Dear Friends

Just the other day, I finally finished the Wheel of Time series started by Robert Jordan.  It was the second epic fiction I ever started reading, and honestly it is probably the most memorable of all time.  Before his passing, everyone was scared of Robert Jordan not being able to end the series because it was growing too long, and fans feared the worst when it was announced he did pass away.

Luckily he left extensive notes, so when Brandon Sanderson took over the helm to conclude the series in a trilogy, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.  In the foreword of the first book in his trilogy, Mr. Sanderson wrote one of the most touching and most true statement that resonated deep within my soul.

“I love this series as I have loved none other, and the characters feel like old, dear friends from my childhood.”

My Soul Mate

The concept of a ‘soul mate’ is an interesting one to talk about.  There are so many ideas and folk lore associated with it.  Mom wanted me to watch a movie called Made in Heaven the other day, and though I did not like the movie, I loved the concept, as it portrayed why some people fall in love, get married, and then it just doesn’t work out.

The problem with the movie was it skipped around too much to truly follow, and had moments that were obviously important, but never really explained them.  I saw that it was made from a book, so I figured the only way to really appreciate the movie was to have read the book.

(poem) - Stupid Phone

Stupid phones are everywhere
No matter how smart they say they are
Having to disassemble them
Because they lock up from time to time

A phone should never
Lock up, like ever
And I flat out do not see
Why people buy Sony

Android phones are trash
They flat out do not last
They cannot take the rigors of every day
I’ve seen them lock up in every way

My wife takes the battery
Out of her’s daily
That is a sad way to be
Phones should be about simplicity

I sit back with my iDevice
Smiling at her torturous device
Wishing a better phone for her
While playing my apps that load with a blur

The fact is simply put
Phones are designed without consumer input
Bells and whistles are nothing but crap
They just want to check their social media app

It’s a shame that people argue
Over which smart phone is better for you
As all have their issues
Making people break out the tissues

But cell phones absolutely rule the day
People use them as much as a tired cliche
They definitely aren’t going away
I just wish they’d make one that would work okay.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

Rivers of Inspiration in our Home

There’s something rather insane about living in this house.  Mainly...its the people in it.  Everyone in this house is a artist of some sort.  It makes the conversations interesting, with never a dull moment to be had anywhere....

One of the main things that attracted me to Lisa was her being a published author.  Not a self-published mind you, a real published author.  You can see her books over on the right hand column.  They are quite imaginative, and an interesting read.

Secrets in the Modern Age

Watching the season finale of Doctor Who, and the episode about the Fifth Doctor, I was struck with a statement someone said.  It was about how there were surprises back then, shocks that no one saw coming, and how impossible that is to pull off in today’s age.

It is really driven home by how much we already know of the upcoming season of Doctor Who.  There is supposed to be all this secrecy about who John Hurt’s Doctor really is, but people have picked apart a pair of interviews, and spread it around the internet.  It’s a shame too, as I would have been wonderfully surprised by it.

I still remember watching Doctor Who when I was a child, and seeing him regenerate for the first time, I was shocked.  When Aldric died I was absolutely flabbergasted, and that single moment taught me so much about life and death and so many other things.  If I’d have known about it ahead of time...I know it would have been completely different.

Here’s something that’s hard to imagine, but try.  Star Wars Episode I.  I know, I already hear the groans, but imagine this for a moment.  Watching it for the first time, and not knowing that Maul had a double bladed lightsaber.  Just imagine that.  People in the audience would have leaned forward thinking, “Oh man, this shit just got real.”

Most movie trailers have a snippet of the last scene in it.  It might not reveal much, but if you know what to look for, then yeah, its pretty telling.  Promethius would have been a ton better of a movie if we hadn’t known about the Alien tie in.  We would have sat there thinking, “Oh wow, that looks familiar,” until it was revealed.

Surprises do still happen.  The Red Wedding hit people that watch A Game of Thrones on HBO quite hard, even though the book the event took place in was published thirteen years ago.  The Walking Dead tries pretty hard to keep a lid on things with their surprises, and succeeds in most cases.

I think back to the older days of TV.  The ending to the Rosanne show was pretty unique and a wonderful surprise.  Bob Newhart had a great surprise ending to his last TV series.  If I remember correctly, in both instances they actually filmed a false scene to throw people off.

In today’s age secrets dissolve quickly, as social media has made gossip and sharing something world wide almost instantaneous.  The only real surprises seem to happen in books and video games now-a-days.  Which is a shame, as both of which are technically niche audiences.  Certain movies in the past would have been far better without spoilers in the trailers.  TV shows and movies have so many people working on the set, its impossible to truly keep a lid on anything.

Honestly, I never saw The Sixth Sense, but the ending was pretty easy to figure out with the trailers and all.  What was the last TV show or movie that surprised you?  I’m curious as to what you think about today’s technology and how hard it is to keep secrets from people who want to learn everything about a production.  So please comment below!

(poem) - Travel

There’s something beautiful
About traveling the country
Once you get past
Other driver’s stupidity

It makes one tired
Of driving real fast
When you have to hope
That the other drivers you can outlast

It is what it is though
Because you will be able to see
So much
Of this world’s history

Every mile I’ve traveled
Has led me to something amazing
Where I could just sit in awe
Letting my soul rise up and sing

The truly crazy thing
Is that I’ve not seen much
A barely calculatable amount
Have I gotten to touch

I have seen enough
To know I want to see more
The beauty of this world
Is something I truly adore.

In the end
Home is where the heart may be
But my home is where
My wife is most happy

My heart beats
Within her chest
So I make sure
That our travel is always the best

Where we will go next
I have no clue
But there is one thing
That I can promise you

I’ll be with her
And she’ll be with me
Because my wife and I
Will be together eternally.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!

An Example of Media Non-Bias

Sometimes bias in the news and media is so apparent it’s a slap in the face.  I’m always saddened when no one else seems to notice.  I mean...wow sometimes....

The other day we were watching the news and there were two back to back items that made me shake my head.  Let me say this first.  The Railroad is something that has been falling behind in the USA.  A very large portion of the world utilize this amazing form of transportation and moving freight, because the sheer amount it can carry makes it extremely viable.

Lisa's Turning me Back into a Nerd

As I walk down the street now-a-days, something happens that hasn’t happened to me since the 90s.  People stop and tell me how cool my shirt is, ask me where I got my shirt, or go about telling me a memory sparked by the shirt.

Fact is, back in high school, I wore nerdy shirts.  From Wolverine to the house crests from the A Game of Thrones novels, I enjoyed sporting the shirts based in the books and comic books I read.  I would always sport some kind of shirt that meant something to me.  The last one I bought, before meeting Lisa, was from Princess Mononoke, a wonderful anime movie.

(poem) - Art is Not Defined as Being a Confusing Mess

It rained once
Inside my mind
Where all the dry stuff waits
Yet the humidity declined

It was an odd time
To be alive
When the boys there
Tried to strive

I don’t like random
With no conjunction
It makes no sense
Has no function

I’ll end the movie
Before it begins
So I won’t have to deal
With puzzling at the end.

Why do people try
To be all artsy fartsy
With out any real
Substance to their story?

Normally I like
A really good art flick
But I do not want to be told
How to feel by some prick

Beautiful movies
Are true experiences
They are so rare to find
As they have to jump over so many fences

But some movies
Just get put out
Because people don’t understand
What its really about

And they think
“It must be art!”
When its really just
Not very smart....

But in the end
I completely digress
I must bet back to art
And looking at a lioness


For pain supercedes
The rainbow’s true love
Ravens come out of the sky
From the clouds above

And rain their love
Down upon the ocean
Where rocks float
Among the graves of the lemon.

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!