A Rant on What Drugs Mean to Me.

This is a hard one to start, because I don’t know if I should start with a disclaimer or not.  In the end, I guess I should.  Let me start by saying that I support legalizing marijuana, but I think that people that use it are a detriment to society, sad people, and weak.

Crazy huh?  I’ve always been a firm believer in the fact that if people want to do it, then they should be allowed to.  Laws are there to protect people, but in the end, if used in moderation the outward effects on society are negligible, and probably not as bad as alcohol.

What's in a Name?

So what IS in a name?  Sure, it might be a quote from a play from a very long time ago, but in the end, it has meaning within the play.  To me though, it has a different meaning.  If you lined all my best friends up, and asked them to call me over by my name, they’d call me by 2 or 3 different names.

As with most things in my life, even the simplest things, there’s some grandiose story that goes along with everything.  Its like...nothing in my life can ever be simple.  Not even my name....

(poem) - Photographer's Vision

A click and a flash
A memory saved to a card
Seems so amazing
How technology has come so far

But when its turned
Into an art
It makes people stop
And simply take part



The idea that we can
Capture moments from this amazing life
Makes it all seem alittle more worth
All the damnable strife

And strife I’ve seen
Caused by the camera I hold
But it was all worth it
Because my pictures are so bold

I’ve always seen the beauty
Of the setting sun
But I never believed
I’d capture a breathtaking one

But I did
With my camera
And it takes my breath away
Let me tellya



I often believe
That I dream in color
Because my dreams are
More vivid than I can remember

Yet sometimes
Through the lens
I see something so spectacular
My soul feels a cleanse

Everyone sees art
In a different way
But I know what I saw
On that picture’s day

Because I look upon it
In my portfolio
Along with other shots
That made me exclaim, “Whoa!”

--Dan

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

The Artistic Passion of a Photographer

My journey through photography is nothing short of a story unto itself.  Like most things in my life, there is no simple explanation.  What makes the story interesting to me, is that I can remember every twist and turn there was in the adventure, where as most stories lose details to the sands of time.

It all started when my parents came into some family money, and they sent me about $8,000.00.  I knew that I had wanted to get into some form of photography, but I wasn’t sure how.  When that money hit, I started doing some serious research.

Emerald Reflection Photography, Open for Business

Most who know me, know I truly taking photos.  For those that were around for the wedding, they got to see me get my wedding present, and be the victim of it.  My knew Nikon D5200 is an amazing piece of technology, that I truly enjoy.

Me and My D5200
in a mirror.

When Lisa started talking about getting it for me for my wedding present, we sat down and really looked at what we both wanted me to have.  Lisa looked over my photos, listened to my vision, and made a big decision.

And that vision finally culminated in us making Emerald Reflection Photography.  Our missions is to run a photography business that will cater to those that need portraits, events, or special photos taking in an artistic and professional way.  This also includes all photo treatments I c
an achieve with Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom.  I also plan to offer interesting photo-manipulations in some packages.

(poem) - I Don't Know

The fact is
She doesn’t know
I asked her what to write
And she said she doesn’t know

So what can I write
About that subject
Seems a hard one
To project

But this is what I get
For asking my wife what to write
Now I have to struggle
To do what is right

I wonder if she’ll like
This poem I created for her
As it doesn’t talk about love
Or about our new furniture

Its about a simple
Non-committal response
Given by a spouse
Who didn’t even give me a nuance

So here I sit
Making line after line
Hoping for it to make sense
Time after time

But alas I think I’m failing
In this silly endeavor
Just because I’m trying
Doesn’t mean I’m that cleaver

If only she would have given me
A better subject to write
I wouldn’t have to worry about this
When its published on Friday night

And I could sleep better
In the bed with her
Instead I’ll toss and turn
Worrying about this poem’s future

But this is the subject she chose
I needed a random idea to make the flow
I asked for a subject
And she said she didn’t know.

--Dan

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

Things to Know Before Your Disney World Vacation

Disney World is a one of a kind destination, and will end up being a one of a kind vacation if you chose to go.  All in all, my trip there was a huge success despite all the short comings.  And in all honesty, it was a huge success because of all the research Lisa and I did ahead of time.

We both consulted many websites, and Lisa actually read a few books on her Kindle, one of which kind of ‘ruins’ Disney’s mystique, and we learned a ton of stuff.  Sure much of the things contradicted themselves, but after the trip was through, we realized how much we actually missed, because of our poor planning.

A Good Ghost Story

I write books about vampires that involve a ghost, but I have never been into ghost stories. I’ve never had the reputed pleasure of being freaked out by tales of psychotic spirits, or spirited psychotics who are about to lop my head off with a power tool as soon as I drift off to sleep at some backwoods campsite.

Do I believe in ghosts? Yes. My house where I grew up (my parents house) and my house where I live at now is haunted. Why do ghosts exist? The answer is strictly opinion but in my opinion, yes.

(poem) - A Child's Imagination

Dreams come alive
Within a child’s eyes
When they see
A Princess at Disney

Yes I know
It seems like a cliche of old
But imagination runs wild
In the mind of a child



It’s a truly beautiful thing
To watch imagination sing
And see the light
Of dreams shine so bright

It makes me want to create
Or start an intense debate
And suddenly the universe is small
Stars don’t seem far away at all

As your soul drifts upon the air
So very far up there
Amongst the dreams of better men
Who had far better acumen

Sometime or another
The child goes back to their mother
Who knows the truth
Because she thinks she’s a sleuth

But the true fact is
She is not the true wiz
Because reality within a child’s eye
Is where the truth doth lie

Because imagination is the key
That makes the future shine brightly
Cultivate that sense of awe
That’s how we’ll get our last hurrah

Because whatever we can dream
We can make as a team
But it all starts in a child’s eyes
Where all those dreams exist because they are alive....

--Dan

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

Attention to Detail at Disney World

When I think of Disney World now, I think about how much detail went into everything.  The rides that tell stories, the animatronics....  It all makes for a pretty amazing experience.  When we walked into an art store, the amazing beauty of the artwork contained within was astounding, and really got me into the Disney atmosphere.

Walking around the parks, its hard not to notice the attention to detail, especially if you are looking for Hidden Mickey’s.  We didn’t do that on this trip, but we plan to in future trips.  But details are still all around you.  Around the Dumbo ride, there are peanuts embedded in the concrete.

A Vacation to Recover from the Vacation

Thankfully its been over a week since the return from Disney World, and honestly, I think we have just about recovered.  I remember awhile back there was an old joke running around some of the work places I would work, and they would say, “I need a vacation to recover from my vacation.”

Why do people work so hard on their vacation?  It’s a time to relax, but people make these huge plans that take so much out of you.  Is it really not a vacation to just sit around the house?  Be lazy and such?





I suppose not....  Fact is, it doesn’t matter how much time it takes to recover, the trip to Disney World was pretty amazing, and well worth it all.  We went well out of our way to make sure we did interesting things along the trip, to make it that much more interesting.

But the fact is, we needed help right from the beginning.  Heck, even before the trip started, things seemed to go a tad bit in the wrong direction.  I guess that’s when I knew it was going to be a good trip, because everything good seems to be lined out in bad.

We were planning this trip for some time, so we knew we wanted to get a jump on it.  The plan had been to be walking for some time before the trip, but we knew we needed to wait for the weather to become...well not freezing every day.  And finally the weather cleared up, a week and a half before the trip, and boom, everyone in the house got sick.

Yeah, the plan had been to increase our stamina by walking for a solid week before the trip, multiple times a day if we could, but we were all sidelined by laying in bed.  Lisa was perturbed by it, but I said, “At least we didn’t get sick on the vacation itself.”

Heading into the trip, we knew we’d have problems walking the distances required by Disney World.  We arrived Sunday night, and went to Downtown Disney.  By the end of it, we were all worn out, limping, and were starting to get blisters.  Yeah, we knew we were in for a ride.



The second major issue we had, was honestly my own issue.  I have developed a form of motion sickness over the years, and the first ‘ride’ we went on, made it blow up in my face.  There is a really cool roller coaster simulator at DisneyQuest in Downtown Disney.  When it went upside down, because there were no G-forces, all the blood rushed into my head.  I instantly broke out in a sweat, became nauseated, and developed a killer migraine.  It pretty much ended the night for me, though I still played Joust for awhile, which is still probably my favorite Atari game of all time.

By the end of the first full day, Lisa developed a blister on one of her toes, and I started to get major blisters on the pads of my feet.  But we trooped through it.  The pool and hot tub helped, as did some Band-Aids and extra padding.  By the end of the week, we could keep on trooping on, but with substantial breaks.

On the final day in the parks, C.J. ended up getting pretty violently ill.  I ended up getting the same sickness upon the return home, but that was later.  On that last day, I was going over the logistics in my head, the 18 hour drive with a banged up Lisa and I, with her having to go to work the next morning.  Her and I had talked frequently about how we were going to try to divide up the driving, so I could get rest in the morning, and drive all night.  Then Lisa twisted the hell out of her ankle halfway through the last day.

So....  The next morning, we woke up, and loaded the car, and I started driving at 10:30am EST, and pulled into the driveway at 3:30am CST.  18 hours almost exactly.  We added an hour and a half to the drive to avoid a storm in Alabama.  The next day I was violently ill with the thing C.J. had two days earlier.

In the end, yeah, it could have been far worse, so many things COULD have gone wrong, but in the end, we have a friggin’ awesome time.  Even after Lisa was hobbled up, limping on a swollen ankle, we still had an amazing time.  Through it all we developed memories as a family, and though we could have been better prepared, I will never forget this entire vacation, because it was so much fun....

(poem) - An Eighteen Hour Drive

If you have never driven
For eighteen hours straight
Then I suggest you never do
For it’s a horrible trait

It wears down your soul
Watching the road go past
Lines and stripes mark the time
Taking you away from where you were last



Energy drinks help
But only the body
For driving home like that
Makes you feel shoddy

You find yourself wishing
You could push the car a little more
Hoping there isn’t a cop
Waiting to knock on your door

You lay in bed
After the experience
Watching room drift towards you
Making you doubt your grasp on existence

It’s a test of endurance
A test of will power
Driving a car
Hour after unforgiving hour

But the thing is
You see some amazing things
Driving across America
Produces a gift that sings

Luckily I passed the test
Yet again
And we made it home
Safe within the bullpen

And now normalcy
Can creep back in
And I can enjoy the simple pleasure
Of relaxing deep within my den.

--Dan

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

Magical Memories of Disney World

Well, the second honeymoon has come and gone, and Lisa and I learned a ton of things about each other and the world in general.  The main thing I learned is that Disney World is a pretty cool place.

Lisa had been there a few times before, and loved the place, but this time, she walked away from it all with a new appreciation for Disney.  We got into interesting little side things to do that really made the vacation that much more enjoyable.

The Devil is in the Church

Most know me well enough to know that I’m in no means religious.  In fact, most know that I am very anti organized religion.  I’ve always said that you can pretty much believe in whatever you want, and I won’t care.  But as soon as you start infringing on my rights to do so, or spamming about your religion, or putting down my own, I will be up in arms.

I put that disclaimer there, because this post is one I wanted to cool off a bit before I wrote it.  The largest snag we had for the whole wedding turned out to be the venue.  We had issues with it almost immediately upon choosing it, and I’m glad that we spotted the issues with it as it went along.

(poem) - Change Brings Out The Stupid

Change is a comin’
And their ain’t no goin’ back
Something on the ‘net is changin’
And the netizens are ready to attack.

They will yell and scream
The will complain to no end
About whatever doom
The minor change is trying to impend



Some changes
I never even know exist
Until someone starts to complain
Yelling for a cease and desist

The funny thing is
That every single time
People get butthurt over change
They just fall back into line

If you read Facebook
It seems that Zuckerberg can do no rights
But the truth is
Facebook is one of the most used sites

There are tons of people
That slam Walmart
Yet tons of people shop there
Rampaging with their pushcart

Why do people complain
Then not take action at all?
Complain about how much they hate parties
But still go to the ball?

Rage on the internet
Flows like sand in the desert
Its everywhere you look
Because everyone seems to be an expert

Normally changes have a reason
And normally they are perfectly valid
Yet people rebel against change
Using vocabulary most acrid



There is no shortage
Of how Not to do a thing
And the list grows ever day
When someone tries to make a change

I often wonder
How much of it is just trolls
Goading the sheeple
Into a blundering steamroll

The anonymity of the internet
Is a double edged sword
One can say whatever they want
And never get gored

Yet that means stupidity
Can propagate with complete impunity
While reason gets drowned out
By straight up insanity

Will reason ever come back
To the online community
Was it ever even there
Was there ever any unity?

If you don’t like Facebook
Why are you on there?
Leave those of us alone
Who don’t mind Zuckerberg’s flair.

I guess in the end
Civility is gone
When change happens they will complain
You can’t fix moron.

--Dan

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

Paris: The City of Virtual Memories

The other night I got to watch an amazing movie.  Midnight in Paris.  If you haven’t seen it, do yourself a favor and check it out.  The funny thing is, something happened to me while I was watching it that made me really think for a moment.

I’ve never been to Paris, France, though I do long to do so someday.  Yet, even though I’ve never been, I have distinct memories about the city.  Distinct memories tied to distinct locations in the city.  Its an interesting concept, and after the movie was done, I stepped back and tried to do that with other movies and cities.

The Importance of Multiple Honeymoons

From a very early moment in our relationship, Lisa and I knew we’d have to take multiple honeymoons, no matter how silly it seemed.  The only thing we couldn’t truly agree on was the timing of these things.

The main honeymoon is the no brainer one.  The romantic time alone.  The problem is all the things we have to get together for that one.  We quickly decided on a cruise, as its something neither of us have ever done, and we’ll get to see tons we truly want to.  So, I’ll need a passport, we’ll need to change over Lisa’s name completely and get her a new passport.



After all that, we want to wait for off peak times, not only to go cheap, but to not have a younger crowd.  Needless to say, this one is still a ways off.  We are both saddened by that, but not worried.  It will give everything more time to settle down in our lives post wedding.

The first honeymoon was technically just an escape.  It became more and more obvious, as our wedding date marched forth, that we would need a break from all the hustle and bustle.  This particular one was also the last fully hashed out.

Putting together the wedding was a ton of stress, but a ton of fun.  It was nice to step back in time and stay at a bed and breakfast.  It was definitely an escape from the norm.  Beland Manor was a true impressive little place, with the most charming of people running it.  They made the entire stay feel more like we were just visiting friends.

On top of wonderful breakfasts we enjoyed taking a four hour scenic train ride, on which I nabbed some pretty nice photographs.  It was pretty nice, just to sit back and watch the scenery roll by.  I’ve always known there is a time for excitement, and there’s a time for relaxation.  Part of me was worried about Lisa being bored on the train, but she enjoyed herself quite a bit.

After that, we stopped by a small art center that was having a small exhibit on the Mona Lisa.  I’ve never been a huge fan of the painting, and I’ve always thought all the ‘hype’ about it was quite funny.  After seeing the exhibit, all the work done on it, all the research, all the science, I was left with a ton more knowledge than I had before, and an even more humorous look at this poorly painted, incomplete work that was worked and reworked to the point that its shocking lack of vision is only compounded by all its flaws.

All in all, despite a horrendous movie experience, we had a wonderful first honeymoon, a relaxing weekend vacation away from stress.

The family honeymoon is the real kicker though.  Lisa LOVES Disney World, her and CJ have been numorous times.  I have never been.  We knew, the instant we were putting CJ directly into the wedding, that we needed a family honeymoon.  So Disney World it is.

So yeah, the day this posts, I’m there, having fun. *grin* Expect a later blog on it, and for me to edit this to a link to it.  Because, honestly, I’m ending this right here, I need to go get my picture taken with Belle and Beast, which decorated our cake.  Yay!

(poem) - Cahsh Dynar Night.

Back in Ballad of the Emerald Bard: Making the Band - 5, I knew that Deeya, for the second time, would be called out to perform on stage.  It was a wonderful opportunity to pull out a song from her early days as a video game character.  The problem is, the song I had in mind was quite interlaced in that old video game's lore.

So, I set about rewriting it.  As I rewrote the poem, I created a new city, a desert city named Cahsh Dynar, where there are sultans and the slave trade, giving the city a very ancient Arabian city, with a seedy side.  This, in turn, brought out the character named The Masked Canary, and inspired parts four through six of Making the Band.  It also allowed me to bring in a different version of Deeya's backstory and add a bit of mystery to her history.  I truly love it when inspiration goes in a circle like that.

Either way, please enjoy this poem, out of the story's performance setting where you can judge it on its poetic merits.

--

The Dog's Reaction to the Wedding

Now that it’s a couple of weeks since the wedding, its fun to look back upon the whole experience and make some observations.  The main one I’m going to focus on for this post is the most interesting one that I really noticed.  The fact is, for the wedding, we had some people stay at the house.  My parents, my aunt, and the best man.

The house is easily big enough for everyone, and it felt nice when everyone came over to hang out the night before the wedding, and the day of.  There were so many people in the house, playing pool, hanging out talking.  It was a whirlwind experience that I wish would have lasted far longer, as seeing all my old friends together under the same roof...yeah, it was amazing.

The SimCity Effect

Last week, I had the joy and pleasure of being part of video gaming history.  It is rare for any video game event to be so in the media as what happened on March 5th, and the days that followed.  I could site page after page of news story, showing how widespread this was, but instead, I’ll just stick to my own observations.

SimCity is a gaming franchise that goes WAY back in time.  It has always been a favorite of mine, and I’ve enjoyed every incarnation of it.  It had been a decade since the last true SimCity game, and the video game market was dying for the return of the franchise.

(poem) - Emerald & Crimson Duet

As I've mentioned a few times before, Deeya was a character in a video game I once played.  In that game, I had several bard friends, one of which played a 'red' bard, which was a great contrast to Deeya's 'green.'  Once, the other player and I sat down and hashed out a duet for the two characters to perform together.

Karn'Al Jex'Ter is a direct homage to that character, though radically different.  In the Ballad of the Emerald Bard: Making the Band - 3, Karn'Al and Deeya sing a duet.  I rewrote the original duet to suit Karn'Al and Deeya, and wove it into the story in performance format.  Here, though, is rewritten poem outside of the story for anyone who loves sheer poetry to enjoy.

--

The Beauty of What I Do

Part of me wants to truly believe that art lives within everyone and that anyone could recognize and appreciate beauty.  Unfortunately I know that just isn’t the case.  The world is an ugly, ugly place, full of violence, hatred, and so many things that should make anyone ponder what everything is all about.

Fact is, beauty is something rare, even if it is all around us, and it should be cherished.  One of the greatest beauties in the world is simply to create.  I’m shocked to say this, but There was a country singer who said something truly amazing the other day as I was watching TV.  He said, “If I couldn’t do this for a living, I’d still do this.”  I thought about that quote and instantly applied it to myself.



The problem is...I don’t do this for a living.  I sure wish I did, but yeah...this is most definitely a hobby.  There’s so much I want to do with writing, so many stories to tell, that I know I am simply enjoying writing, and that I enjoy it enough to do it no matter what.  No one knows how truly blessed I am to be able to do this as much as I do.

Luckily with the wedding over, Lisa and I are finding ourselves a bit more time to get down to what we need to be doing.  In the weeks leading up to the wedding, I got seriously behind on my blogging schedule, and I still have tons to do to catch up, but at least I’m getting the opportunity to.

Writing has always been something I’ve loved to do.  I’ve always had a fantastical imagination, and one of the true joys of such an imagination is to share the stories, share the dreams.  The idea that I can write something, and someone else read it, and it affect their lives is something truly extraordinary, and beautiful.

And I honestly say that from experience at both ends.  I’ve read such wonderful things in my life, that have opened up my heart, soul, and mind to things beyond reality, giving me new dreams and old friends.  I’d like to think I’m working towards that goal of doing the same for someone else.

Beyond all of that, though, is me just having the time to do this, the time to create.  Time that I use to full advantage, and a wife that doesn’t see it as a waste of time.  Even if I never see anything out of it, she is truly appreciative of the art that I make here, and the writing that I do.

I might have just married the perfect woman for me, but I know that deep down, I will always strive to deserve her, because I never feel that I will.  I am humbled and awed by her so many times each and every day.  She believes in me and pushes me in every way, even if she doesn’t understand the vision, simply because she believes in me and trusts me.  And I know, that I will forever be sure that I earn that from her.

Creating is something amazing, and I get to do it on a daily basis, and share it with you, my readers.  Whether or not I succeed in doing it entertainingly enough is in your eyes, but the fact that I get to try is all because of Lisa.  “I don’t do this for a living, but I still do it.”  And that is something truly wonderful.

The Loss of Internet Connection

There’s nothing quite like an internet outage in this day and age.  Wake up, get the computer running, and boom, nothing you can do.  It’s a pretty crazy feeling to feel this kinda helpless.  All the stuff that keeps me connecting to the outside world has fallen silent, and it’s a pretty interesting feeling.

To me, it’s the loss of connectivity.  Most of all I do now is online, this blog for instance.  With an internet outage, I have no way of connecting to it.  I mean, sure, there are things I can do around the house, but as I write this, I’m sitting her in my scheduled blog time.

Wedding Vows

Here is a copy of the wedding vows Lisa and I wrote together, and gave to the preacher to read to us so we could answer "We Do" to them.  This ceremony itself was a total of nine minutes.  Very short and sweet, but encapsulated everything we wanted.

I stood with the preacher, and watched my Best Man and the Maid of Honor walk in, followed by the Groomsman and Bride's Maid (who were a married couple), followed by Lisa who was walked by CJ.  Upon reaching the altar and after the prayer, we had a small ceremony to invite me to be CJ's stepfather:

The Hospital System

There’s nothing like returning home after a stint at the hospital.  The work to get that smell off of you is definitely a chore.  But the real chore begins as you start rehabilitating the former patient.  Surgery takes quite a bit out of people...literally.

But the main fatigue that comes from going through the process is just dealing with the system.  Especially when you do it without insurance.  Its crazy expensive and just flat out degrading.  Sure, there are good nurses, but in the Emergency Room, everyone is treated like some third world escapee that shouldn’t be there.  Especially when you say you have no insurance.

Technological Dark Ages

There’s nothing quite like living in small town, rural United States.  There are many things that feel backwards and out of date, but there’s one thing above all that makes me feel truly out of touch with society.

There is a telecommunications company here that has a monopoly of the rural areas here.  It’s a small place, and they overcharge for everything.   But what gets me is the cell phones.  Most of the civilized world now has cell phones, and the market for them is an unbelievable place.  New phones come out every week it seems, and the competition forces phones to just get better and better.

The wedding

Here's the first live shot of us after our wedding!

These shots were done at the reception at the cake cutting!

We are now newlyweds, Mr Dan and Lisa Bonser!!!!!

Divorce Rates

There is absolutely nothing quite like the stress of a wedding.  Many folks decided that for their second, they will elope, because the stress of their first wedding was horrid.  Fact is, there are many ways to get past the stress, or at least to cope.  The best way?  Be sure you are marrying the right person for the right reasons.

Seems like a simple thing to say, but if two people are truly happy, and truly compatible, then the stress coming up to the wedding will be minimized by tons.  Even though there is stress, and sometimes Lisa gets a little stressed out, we can both look at each other, say our code word, and step back to take a breath.

Many marriages end in divorce for an extremely simple reason...the two people weren’t compatible, and wrong about being in love.  I in no way try to hide the fact that I was in a few failed relationships in my life.  Each one, it was pretty obvious early on that there were issues that would eventually break us up.  But I foraged on, because I didn’t want to give up.

But at some point, you have to realize that there is something simple about just being in love, and being loved in return.  My prior relationships never had that.  It was a struggle, and none of them were meant to be.  It seems obvious when you tell the stories of failed relationships, but living them is far different than telling the story of them.

The one major thing I’ve learned about past relationships is recognizing where I made the mistakes, and being worried about making them again.  Even though you promise yourself you won’t, you still will, because you can’t lose your own failings and shortcomings.  My biggest issue was I tried to hard instead of allowing myself to realize that it was time to let go and move on.

And the best part about past relationships, is that they are in the past.  And one day, in the present, you can find the happiness you didn’t back then.  Like me.  I know this will be a great marriage, because Lisa and I aren’t getting uptight about the wedding.  We agree on just about everything, and compromise on everything else without issue.

And that’s the measure that I see as figuring out what is the best in the relationship.  I’m honestly glad I went through those relationships in the past.  Because I know that even though I made mistakes, I knew I did the right thing.  In those relationships, getting married came up, but I was always the first to say, “This relationship isn’t marriage material yet.”  Or at least something to that tune.  A major thing I learned was seeing the signs that something wasn’t quite working out.

And this one, those signs aren’t there.  This is working out, and as we are getting married...in exactly 47 hours after this blog post goes live, I can see how well its going to work out.  There’s something amazing about being truly happy, and not having any reservations at all.  For the first time in my life, I’m not struggling to keep love, or to stay in love, or against someone who is destroying the relationship with their actions.  I’m truly just enjoying the ride, with my perfect partner.

Life with Lisa Bonser has already been the greatest time of my life.  Here’s to long life, and happiness with my new wife! *raises a glass in toast*

The Week of the Wedding.

Here we are, and I’m getting married this very week.  And we’ve definitely had to deal with life trying to get in the way, in oh so many ways.  But the main thing is, we have persevered through it all, and everything is still going as planned.

I’ll definitely make a blog about it in the future, but we actually lost the venue.  Along with everything else, its built up to a very interesting list of things that have tried to stop us.  And the best thing about it all, is that I’ve told Lisa that many things would try.  Everything that is good in life, always seems to be countered by something bad.

Phillip, the best man, came in on Saturday, and we’ve been hanging out and really just mellowed everything out with the extra help.  We’ve gotten about 90% of the stuff done we can do before hand done, and been able to do a bit more cleaning to prepare for all my friends coming over.

Fact is, I’m excited.  And I have every right to be.  I don’t get to see my friends that often, and the fact they are coming to see me, some I haven’t seen in quite some time.  It makes me realize how momentous an occasion this truly is.  Its humbling in many many ways.

In the end, its all trucking along extremely well, no matter what all goes wrong.  When my father had a run in with medical issues recently, I knew that he’d have kicked himself if he’d have messed up the wedding.  Even though it was touch and go for awhile, as far as figuring out whether to abandon plans or not...I knew that he’d so mad if we’d have postponed anything, so we kept going.

I’d go into the venue issue now, but that will definitely be another blog, because it deserves a full treatment and I’m not giving in to my anger right now, because we are making the best of every bad situation that arises.  This has definitely been an adventure, and I’d recommend it to anyone who might someday find true love.  Lisa and I have been on the same page just about every step of the way, and those times we have been at odds, we quickly found the middle.  Yeah, this is going to be an amazing week, followed by me marrying an amazing woman.  I know for a fact, that I’ve never been happier than I’ve ever been right now.  And it just keeps getting better.

I just hope soon we’ll find a place to put all the wedding favor bags so we can play pool. *sigh* Time to start looking for good places....

–Dan

(poem) - Valentines Day 2013

I know exactly
What some people say
The card companies got together
And made up Valintines Day

Fact is I don’t care
Because the day has a wonderful vibe
Knowing love is in the air
Makes life worth the ride

Every day I wake up
And try to make her know I love her
But on Valintines Day
The effort is a blur

There are cards and gifts
In all the stores
All begging you to buy
All the more

The best day
Is the day after
When its all half off
Which causes me much laughter

But the day itself
Is a wonderful day
And I’ll show that I love her
In every single way

The weekend that follows
Will be full of fun
Because we will go out walking
Under the bright sun

And I will profess
My love to her
For she is my world
And there’ll not be another

She will smile
And we will kiss
We will be married
And know such bliss

For she is my love
My lover and friend
And will forever be
Beyond whatever end.

--Dan

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

Family Portraits: Autumn 2012 - Part 2

((Continued from Part 1))

Back in the Fall of 2012, I took the family out for some portraits.  Continued from Part 1, here are some of the best I selected to talk about and display here on the blog.

Family Portraits: Autumn 2012 - Part 1

During the Fall, the family went out to take some shots with me.  We decided to pull off some family portraits.  The lighting wasn’t the best, but we made the most out of the trip, and I got several amazing shots.  In this post, I shall share some of the twenty two keepers, and talk a little about what I did to the photos, and what I could have done better with them.  Either way, it’s a show case of my photography, and I hope everyone enjoys this look into my life.

(poem) - Moving Beyond Death Around Us

Death doesn’t affect me
As is does so many others
People pass from this life
Tender goodbye’s from Grandmothers

I tend to morn more
When people chose to go away
Life has it’s end
Death will have its day

Many leave this existence
Shrouded in clouds of pain
It is a blessing to see them pass
For there is nothing left for them to gain

The only true sadness
Should come from tragedy
For those are unexpected
And will be missed greatly

But even then
We continue through this life
They wouldn’t want us to bog down
With an excess of strife

I’ve had people leave me
That were close indeed
And I have been effected
By grief’s own creed

But it didn’t slow me down
Because life is still amazing
Even without them here
Without their life’s rays

I’ve seen death come
And I’ve seen death go
But I know that I’m still here
To enjoy life’s disco

It’s a lesson we all must learn
To get past all the grief
Because there is more to life
Than wallowing on death’s reef.

We don’t know what is beyond
We don’t know what comes next
But I know that life has rewards
That have amazing context

Grief is a powerful thing
But don’t let it get you down
Those that have passed
Do not want you to frown

When I shed
This mortal coil
And find death
At my very own door

I want people to remember
This very simple thing
That Life is fragile
And you should ALWAYS sing

Because grief always ends
As does waves upon the sand
Life shall go endlessly on without us
As it goes on, without them.

--Dan

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

Blog Spring Cleaning

I keep looking at this blog and thinking about what I’d call ‘trimming the fat.’  Some of the earlier posts just aren’t up to snuff.  Heck, there are a couple of posts that are really just ads for other posts.

Right now, I feel as though the pace I’m setting is great.  Four posts a week are really working out, and it leaves me a wiggle room to write other things.  But I can’t help but look at my post count, and wonder if I should divest the blog of some of the earlier posts.

The Joy of Homemade Bread

There’s something wonderful about doing nice things for people that could use some nice things done for them.  Recently, I started making my bread homemade by hand.  It tastes better, lasts longer, and is just plain awesome when you get down to it.  Especially considering how honestly easy it is to make....

Cooking and baking are crazy little things, so many things can go wrong, and frankly people are just afraid or lazy about the prospect.  I don’t really blame them, I’ve always been kind of scared to make my own bread, when its already decently cheap from the store.  I guess that changed when I first ate at Panera Bread.

(poem) - The Amazing One

She calls me the amazing one
And I do not know why
She is the amazing one
To my discerning eye

She’s taken my life
And given it meaning
Turned it around
From that fateful online meeting

My life was changed
That very day
I saw her picture
And I fell for that display

She answered my reply
Starting the romance
That led to our marriage
And our current dance

She wakes up next to me
Every single day
Greeting me with a kiss
I cherish in every way

She gives me the freedom
To pursue my passions
Writing and Photography
Including snuggling sessions

I get to cook anything I want
And try out new recipes
For you never know what I’ll whip up next
That will change our dieting.

The woman is a beauty
To simply sit back and behold
I could simply watch her breath
If the truth be told

I stare into her eyes
For lengths at a time
And get lost again and again
Hearing the angels chime

I could build her up
And put her on a pedestal
But she belongs by my side
Marring her is nothing more than a sequel

To the romance that started
Not so long ago
For we are completely locked
Within passions throws

She caused all this
Because she replied to my hello
She is the amazing one
That is what I know.

--Dan

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

The Great Pizza Experiment

The first time I ever tried a homemade pizza, at least the first one I remember, wasn’t that good.  I don’t remember much about it, just that it was pretty awful.  From then on, as I kept seeing how cheap pizzas were, I never understood why someone would go through the trouble to make one at home when they were so cheap.

But then came the Indian Commodities, and tons of flour.  And I mean OMG amounts of flour.  Making my own bread was the first obvious step.  And wow, what a step.  Making bread was far simpler than I had imagined, and there are billions of different recipes online.  After finding out which exact recipe I loved, and what made the other recipes not so good, I wondered what I’d make next.

Life's Little Complications

There is nothing quite like complications.  They arise when you least expect them, and make life so much more complicated.  If you’ve followed the blog, or know us at all then you know that our marriage is just a handful of weeks away.  The fact is, we had a complication arise a while ago that is throwing many things into turmoil.

An interesting fact: I have never owned a passport, nor gone out of the country.  I’ve always wanted to.  We wanted so much to do a Carribean Cruise for our honeymoon, as Lisa has never been on a cruise, and I wanted us to do something together neither of us has ever done.

Ballad of the Emerald Bard: Appendix - Characters

I've been pondering on doing this for a while, and now that Mother of the Bride is finished, now is the best time, I believe.  This is an appendix to Ballad of the Emerald Bard, in which I keep a list of every character Deeya comes across.  For those that really enjoy the Ballad, this will be an extremely valuable resource.  Expect it to change and grow as the Ballad continues to be sung.

(poem) - Exercise Push

There’s nothing like
Going on a diet
Knowing that you can’t eat food
Even if you see it.

The thought of
Not packing away the food
Is a strange one
Putting people in a sour mood

But the fact is
I’m not active enough
To get rid of
All my ‘fluff’

The fact of the matter is
I’m getting more and more out of shape
And upon the horizon
I can see my wedding date

My goal is to be healthy
I know I haven’t been recently
My stamina has dropped down
Quite drastically

So what am I to do
But diet and exorcize?
I know I don’t want to go up
In my current pants size

One thing about writing
It takes a toll on the body
For you remain at rest
A big softy

But the biggest thing to realize
Is I’m the man of the house
So I must be ready
To Move boxes and fend off a mouse

Luckily at this time
I can walk quite a ways
Because exercise is my friend
At least that’s what I say these days....

Which is a motto
I shall continue
Because I must
Attempt to rescue

My body and my soul
Need me more than ever
Because being unhealthy
May very well sever

My bonds to this mortal coil
And I tell you this with all earnest
I have reason to live
My life to the fullest

So healthy I shall be
For the sake of others beyond me
I will forgo being flabby
And do my best to be healthy.

Because my life
Is not my own anymore
It belongs to my wife
Because it is she that I so completely adore.

--Dan

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

One Month Left Until Wedding!

It is now less than one month until my wedding, and we are definitely feeling the rush here in the Brainless Nod Household.  Yeesh....  Luckily we have everything in order that we can control, and are both looking forward to the date.

It’s been a wonderfully crazy experience so far.  A wedding definitely tests a couple’s connection.  One person wants certain things, the other wants other things.  Luckily Lisa and I have really had no real issues with wars over the little things.  Sure, we both can get bent out of shape, but it’s a good lesson in how to work together to the best of each other’s abilities.

In the Hospital

There is absolutely nothing like sitting in a hostpital.  Nothing at all.  Its weird, how I’ve read so many stories where people try to describe hospitals, but I swear, they get it wrong every time.  And I’ve definitely been in enough to know...*sigh*

This latest round...Yeah, there’s nothing quite like sitting in a room with a loved one who just went under the knife.  Not only having to deal with the fact that her life was completely out of your hands the past few hours, but now she’s obviously not feeling herself, looks deathly ill, and is a bit off because of medication.  The first thing I think of when I think of hospitals, is the helplessness.

(poem) - Looking Forward to Marriage

The wedding is coming
The date is finally set
I cannot wait
For marriage’s onset

I’ve waited a lifetime
For her to come around
A year before I found her
Towards her, was I bound.

Life and circumstances
Break upon the shore
Reminding us that only Fate’s hand
Can open the door

Yet we must walk through it
And be as bold as we can
To see what there is to see
Of what could be the promised land

I know that I for one
Am looking forward to my life
Because since I met her
Its been more free of strife

Speed bumps
Will always be there
But what I am capable of
Cannot compare

To anything life throws
Because its not throwing at me
Its throwing at us
Because I am part of a We

And We are stronger
Than I have ever been
Because we work together
Towards whatever end.

--Dan

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

Working Out Can be Fun

For those of you who don’t know, I’ve been walking in the afternoon as part of my fitness routine.  I’ve really been trying to push myself, knowing that there is a honeymoon coming up in my near future.  So, I’ve been pressing myself to walk further and further, and just trying to increase my stamina and walking distance.

Fact is, writing takes a toll on the body, especially once you add in a blog to keep up with.  The only way to combat the inactivity is to work out, or some form of sport.  In recent years I’ve struggled with my health, not in terms of being sick, but just being strong.  There’s nothing more sad than going on a shopping trip and getting winded when walking through the mall....

Collecting Memories, Stories, and Ideas.

I’m going to have issues naming this post.  I wonder, as I write this first paragraph, what I’ll go for.  Will it be Eclectic Collector, or One Kid’s Toy is Another Man’s Collector’s Item?  There’s no telling, but I know one big rule while writing, its never name something completely until you are done, because you never know, a better name just might come to you.

Fact is though, I am a collector.  I always have been.  I love surrounding myself with the little things that look so interesting.  Yeah, sure everyone gets their panties in a bunch with what all these things are called.  Action Figures, Collectibles, Toys.  In the end, I don’t care.  It gives me something to look at an imagine about when I need a quick break from reality.

(poem) - Stats Hide The Joy of Blogging

Stats stats
Its all about the stats
It makes me so mad
That I just spat

Why can’t it be
Just about writing?
Putting out content
That is simply inviting?

It seems there is
Some kind of statistic
Behind everything in life
Including a simple lyric

So how does one
Tune it all out
Blog about whatever
And not scream and shout?

I’ve been amazed at how many
Analytics there are
And how SEO
Is what everyone should strive for

Getting viewers to come
Is such a heroic deed
That it makes one wonder
How DO good bloggers get paid?

In the end
You can’t think about that
You have to write for the joy
Not for the feather in the hat

Getting paid would be nice
But the true joy of writing
Is simply creation itself
Of dreams igniting

And burning bright
Out on the internet
For anyone to come by
And leave a comment.

Blogging is a joy
That can be an occupation
Its too much fun
Enjoying this creation

So only glance at the stats
Don’t watch them like a hawk
Keep your eye on the prize
And don’t listen to the talk

Just write for the fun of it
And if you get paid
Then it will be a joy
As joyous as getting laid

--Dan

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

Karmatic Revenge

Its hard for me not to full on believe in karmatic revenge.  After all I’ve experienced in life, it seems that every good I do is countered by some form of bad.  Its almost like no matter how happy I am, something has to remind me to appreciate it.  At least, I think that’s the best way to see it.

I honestly do not care that karmatic is not picked up by spell checkers.  I think it should be.  At least its fully in the Urban Dictionary, I’d hate to have to make up a whole new word just to get across a point.

Think Outside the Box, Live Outside your Bubble

I love truly trying to get outside of my comfort zone, not only with writing, but with everything.  There’s so much in life to explore, and to understand, yet most tend to never really leave their house....  This sad state of affairs needs to be remedied!

There was an old piece of literature, that I discovered once, in the oddest of places, that talked about how every person dreams, and therefore is a traveler, even if they’ve never left their cave.  I find this true to a point, because I’ve found people that just don’t dream, they are sticks in the mud, and will never view life outside there bubble.

(poem) - The New Year Ahead

The holidays
Have come and gone
Leaving us
With their memorable songs

They are stuck in the mind
Repeating again and again
Like some
Horrendously memorable sin

But with their leaving
We can now see
A new year before us
A brand new journey

Time marches ever onward
Leading towards whatever end
But I know this year
I shall not bend

This year
Threatens to be
The happiest
In memory

I will get married
I will have a wife
Who will share with me
This amazing life

Hand in hand
We will face the stretch of time
And I will try to make
Every line rhyme.

--Dan

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

Is a Bad Attitude a Clinical Condition?

Since when did having a bad attitude become a clinical condition?  Seems like a crazy question, huh?  But I see it so much in today’s youth.  Someone simply has a bad attitude, and they are labeled as having a learning disorder.

I know its kind of a joke to some people, but has society gotten to bad with the idea that everything is a clinical condition that something as simple as a bad attitude, which can easily be worked through, is terms to send someone to the therapist?  There are days I don’t want to wake up, for whatever reason, and there are days I don’t feel like paying attention.