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My primary Writing.com blog. |
Logocentric (adj). Regarding words and language as a fundamental expression of an external reality (especially applied as a negative term to traditional Western thought by postmodernist critics). Sometimes I just write whatever I feel like. Other times I respond to prompts, many taken from the following places: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Thanks for stopping by! ![]() |
WDC 48-Hour Challenge: Media Prompt | Prompt ▼ This song officially falls in the "WTF did I just listen to" musical genre. ![]() I really don't know what to say about a song about disco snails, so I decided to do a little research on where this came from instead. Apparently "Vulfmon" is the solo alias of a musician named Jack Stratton, who also created the funk band called Vulfpeck which has released multiple albums and EPs. While I can't say that funk is a genre I'm particularly interested in or excited about, I do have an appreciation for what this band has managed to accomplish. In particular, there are two accomplishments they're particularly notable for: First (and most recently), they're the first band to sell out Madison Square Garden without the help of a manager or backing label. They ended up recording that concert as a live album and releasing it in 2019. Second (and most impressively), they are also somewhat infamous for exploiting Spotify's royalty structure with their 2014 album Sleepify which is actually an "album" consisting of ten tracks (each approximately 30 seconds long) of complete silence, which they encouraged their fans to listen to on repeat while they slept. They then planned on using the royalties earned from millions and millions of Spotify listens to crowdfund a free public concert for their fans. They ultimately earned just over $20,000 in royalties from the album, although it was subsequently removed from Spotify after a little over a month. Gotta respect the hustle. ![]() (251 words) |
To qualify for my Watch List every month, the following has to be something that I've watched that's new to me. It doesn't necessarily have to be a current show, but it can't be reruns or rewatches of something I've already seen. So if I'm including it in this list, it means this month is the first time I've watched it. I'll put "DNF" (Did Not Finish) next to anything that I stopped watching and have no immediate plans to finish. Movies ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Television ![]() ![]() ![]() Other ![]() ![]() August, if you couldn't tell, was a "mostly watched stuff the kids picked out" kind of month. I can't say that any of the movies really impressed me, and the television was pretty lackluster too. I really love The Bear, and the episode "Forks" from Season 2 is probably one of the best episodes of television I've seen in the past five years, but this season left a lot to be desired. The first two seasons were working toward something (the protagonist coming back and taking over the family sandwich shop after his brother's suicide, and turning that sandwich restaurant into a fine dining establishment, respectively), but the only thing that happened this season was a bit of soul-searching, it seemed like. It was slow because none of the characters seemed to be working toward any kind of goal, and no narrative was developing. There were still some good episodes, for sure, but it was kinda slow going and didn't live up to the hype of the first two seasons, IMHO. One thing I did get back into recently (as also evidenced by my reading, which everyone in the "Book Brothel" ![]() ![]() TOP PICK: Critical Role |
"Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" ![]() The things I tend to pull from real life for my writing tend to be more indirect. I'll get an idea for the subject matter for a story from something I've experienced in real life, or will find inspiration in some other kind of media I've watched or listened to. I read a lot of different types of things and stuff will stick in my head that I'll reference or adapt at some point when the situation calls for it. A lot of writers swear by finding inspiration for characters in real life, either basing characters on people they actually know, or stories that they've experienced in their actual lives, and I can't say I find either a particularly effective writing tool for my own work. I might use a personality trait or quirk that I notice from one place or another, but I've never been the kind of writer who writes down snippets of dialogue overheard out and about in the real world, or take an entire personality wholesale and transplant it into a story. When I write fantasy and science fiction, I definitely look for historical narratives or even current news that I can adapt for an alternate setting. I tend to use those more frequently than characterization because I think fantasy and science fiction are at their best when they're allegories for something in the real world, and it also helps add a familiar framework or structure to what can otherwise be a really hard to relate to pair of genres if they get too weird or "out there." I tend to stay away from friends and family entirely, and that's for a few reasons. First, I don't want them to recognize themselves in the fiction I write (unless I'm intentionally trying to do so with their knowledge and consent). Second, most of my family and friends are just regular people, and I tend to enjoy writing stories about extraordinary circumstances. Realistic, everyday fiction isn't really my thing. And third, I get enough of my family in friends in my real life. Writing fiction for me is an escape, so I generally focus on characters and situations that I don't experience in my everyday life. Overall, I think it's safe to say that we all draw inspiration from real life, whether it's intentional or not. My inspirations just tend to be more of the indirect variety rather than direct lifts from the real world. (407 words) |
"Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" ![]() I'm typically the most influenced by two types of people: the ones I really admire, and the ones that really drive me crazy. People that I really admire give me something to aspire to. Over the years, I've found friends, coworkers, religious leaders, family members, etc. to all be huge influences on who I am now. In particular, a former boss and then mentor at work was the first executive who really showed me how to be a supervisor and a leader without being a jerk. My parents also taught me general responsibility and a strong work ethic. My pastor helped shape and better understand my faith. People that drive me crazy can be just as, if not more influential for all the things I've learned not to do. I had two bosses, one of which was an egomaniacal narcissist and the other which was a passive aggressive manipulator, and I learned from both of them how not to manage people and conduct business. I've met plenty of religious people who have shown me how not to live out my faith. Generally speaking, I'm okay with all the influences in my life because they've all shaped who I am today... and I'm pretty okay with who I am today. ![]() (257 words) |
"Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" ![]() I'll be the first to admit that my fashion choices (particularly when it comes to shoes) are not the most sophisticated. As someone who works from home most of the time (and even when I do work in the office, the entertainment industry is famously casual on the production side), I don't have a lot of occasions to dress up. Most years, I wear a suit (or shirt and tie) less than half a dozen times. My go-to is a pair of jeans and a button-down shirt rolled up at the sleeves... with athletic shoes. I have a couple of pairs of running shoes that I wear most often (Hoka and Brooks are my favorite brands), and then I have a couple other pairs of casual shoes (currently Vans). Part of the issue is that, even if I did have an occasion to wear nicer things, I doubt I would because I just don't really care all that much about being fashionable. Comfort trumps style in my book, so even if someone came to me and said, "I'll buy you any pair of shoes you want," I'd immediately start thinking about something that I can comfortably wear day-in-day-out rather than, say, an expensive pair of dress shoes that would come out of my closet maybe a couple of times a year. I suppose if I could try anything out, I'd go for one of those hybrid shoes that they're starting to make now, where they're leather dress shoes on top, but have athletic shoe soles. They're supposed to be super comfortable and also look a little classier. There's a version by a company called Wolf and Shepherd which I've never heard of before and charges $295 for the shoes (also more than I'm likely to ever spend on a pair of shoes), so I suppose I'd take a flier on something like that if I ever had an opportunity to go out and have someone buy me a new pair of shoes. In the absence of that, I'm probably sticking with my year-old Hokas and Vans until it's time to replace them. ![]() (352 words) |
"Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" ![]() I've owned pets for most of my life, although we don't currently have any. I've loved animals ever since I was a young kid, which is probably why I've had three dogs and probably a dozen cats over the years (a couple at a time, not all at once ![]() Our family really loves animals, though. The dream one day is to have a house with a big yard so we can have all kinds of animals running around. I'm pretty sure my wife secretly wants to live on a farm... not to do any actual farming, but to get a chance to see all the animals that you typically find on one. ![]() In the meantime, while we do love animals, we've also really enjoyed not cleaning up after a pet for the past five years or so. After so many years of having them, I'd almost forgotten what it's like to leave the house without having to worry if they're fed, to plan to go on a trip without looking into pet sitting or boarding options, etc. While I'm absolutely sure that another pet is in our future at some point, it's been nice not having one from a clean house and maintenance (and cost!) perspective. (320 words) |
To qualify for my Watch List every month, the following has to be something that I've watched that's new to me. It doesn't necessarily have to be a current show, but it can't be reruns or rewatches of something I've already seen. So if I'm including it in this list, it means this month is the first time I've watched it. I'll put "DNF" (Did Not Finish) next to anything that I stopped watching and have no immediate plans to finish. Movies ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Television ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() I watched a lot of really good stuff in July. On the movie side, Despicable Me 4 was a fun continuation of the popular Minions franchise, and IF was a surprisingly heartfelt and enjoyable movie. The Fall Guy would have been my favorite movie of the month if it weren't also Deadpool & Wolverine release month, and that's a movie that's been an absolute beast to work on, but is something that I'm really proud of and has been a much needed hit for us at work, so I'm a bit partial. ![]() On the television side, my wife and I finally started watching True Detective, although we liked the second season a lot more than the first season, even though it's been the least popular season to date. Each season is a completely different cast and different crime that's being explored so it keeps things interesting. Owning Manhattan is the new show starring Ryan Serhant, a New York real estate broker that first starred in another real estate show years ago called Million Dollar Listing New York and this one followed him growing his own brokerage firm, which is actually pretty interesting to watch. The Boys is always an entertaining show, and I think I liked Star Wars' The Acolyte more than most fans did. 3 Body Problem was a little slow to start, but really interesting toward the end. I've been meaning to read the books, but after looking over a synopsis of the books and how complicated the narrative is, maybe I'll just stick with the show... ![]() TOP PICK: Deadpool & Wolverine |
"Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" ![]() I don't believe that #2 has ever applied to me since I've always had to work... ask me when I'm retired in 25+ years and I'll let you know how I feel about it then! ![]() The other eight comments I've experienced at one time or another, and I find them all annoying for a variety of reasons. I guess the "back in my day" and "I just want what's best for you" are probably the least annoying because they involve someone contextualizing their experience or emphasizing that, whatever was said was done with good intentions. I don't really fault people for either of those things unless they veer into the territory of the next group of comments... I get annoyed with the number of times older people seem to use it, but hey, nothing wrong with a little nostalgia for the past. The ones that annoy me are the ones where there's an implied condescension. "Oh, you're still doing that?" and "We never did things that way..." and "Are you sure you want to eat that?" imply that the person you're addressing is wrong in their choices, but the person making the comment doesn't have the courage to actually directly disagree; they just want to passive aggressively let it be known that they disapprove of your choice. By far, the ones I am most annoyed by are "That's not how we raised our children" and "I was just joking." "That's not how we raised our children" isn't just annoying to me; it's personally offensive. Unless I'm specifically asking you for advice on how to raise my children or I'm doing something that violates some law or major moral standard, asserting that my parenting choices would not be your parenting choices is not a piece of information that I'm particularly interested in knowing. I don't really care if you think my kids go to bed too late, or get too much screen time, or are encouraged in a behavior that you personally find undesirable in children. And, statistically speaking, you're unlikely to have raised perfect children yourself, so I think most parenting choices can be filed away as "matter of opinion" or "doing their best" and deserve considerable deference from the rest of us. Again, assuming we're not talking about something illegal or harmful to the children. But even the "condescending parent" dynamic pales in comparison to the "I was just joking" excuse. While there are certainly times when you're trying to make a joke and it doesn't come across and you have to clarify that humor was intended, I think this excuse is far more often applied as a way of glossing over or excusing someone who wants to say something that's just plain critical or mean. I've seen this excuse used by significant others, colleagues, family members, etc. and I'd guess that maybe ten percent of the time it's an earnest, "Sorry, I meant for that to be funny and I guess it didn't come across that way." The other ninety percent of the time? It's a flimsy excuse to say, "That insensitive thing I just said? Just get over it already." If you want to tease, insult, or hurt someone, at least have the guts to do it without then gaslighting the recipient by claiming that it's humor that they're too sensitive to appreciate. All of these sayings are annoying, but I think the "I was just joking" is actually a damaging, hurtful thing to say on top of being annoying. (585 words) |
"Blogging Circle of Friends " ![]() On July 20, 1969, my mom and dad were 16 and 18, respectively. They wouldn't meet for another few years, wouldn't get married until 1975, and I didn't come along until 1981... so no, I definitely did not see the coverage of the moon landing on television as it was happening. ![]() Had I been alive at the time, I imagine I would have been glued to the television with rapt attention. Space exploration and the possibilities of what might be out there in our own solar system, let alone galaxy, let alone the whole big universe have always been something that have resonated with me, and I have a feeling that seeing that first "small step for man, giant leap for mankind" would have been something that, to me, hinted at endless possibilities going forward. I wonder what I would have thought at the time if, after the amazement and wonder of that accomplishment in 1969, I had known that the next humans to set foot on the moon would be Apollo 17's Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt just a few years later in 1972... and then that would be the last visit to the moon (let alone anywhere else beyond the International Space Station) by any human being for at least the next fifty years, I think I would have been really surprised and more than a little disappointed. For a lot of us, I imagine the accomplishment of putting a person on the moon was the first of what would be a long line of accomplishments in space, and the idea that it could have instead been a high water mark or the pinnacle of what we could accomplish in space would probably be pretty disappointing. As someone who thinks the idea of space exploration and interstellar travel are fascinating and something that I hope will one day become a reality, I think seeing a man land on the moon would be a revelation. But as that same person who thinks the idea of space exploration and interstellar travel are fascinating and something that I hope will one day before a reality, I think I'd also be all the more disappointed by the lack of progress we've made since. (377 words) |
"Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" ![]() I'm going to skip over the obvious ones (my childhood home, my elementary through high schools, etc. ... all of which are still around, as it happens), and focus on some more obscure places that hold strong memories for me. Flathead Lake (Polson, Montana). For most of my childhood, my grandparents owned a home right on Flathead Lake in Montana. We'd go up to visit for a couple weeks every summer, usually staying in the boathouse right next to their dock which allowed them to launch their motorboat directly into the water. We had a lot of small-scale family reunions at that house, and a lot of memories of fishing, water-skiing, jumping off the dock, and family game nights around the dining room table. Unfortunately, both of my grandparents have passed away and they sold the place long before that when they realized they were getting older and couldn't keep the place up. On a whim, I looked it up a few months ago and the subsequent owners have completely changed the place; from the photos I saw online, there are very few original touches that remind me of the house that I spent so many summers at while I was growing up. Zuma Beach (Malibu, California). This is where my wife and I got married, at a restaurant right on the sand. And obviously the day itself is a special memory, but in the years since it's also where we spent our first anniversary (where I had them recreate a table from our reception down to the floral arrangements and table decor), and it survived a very scary fire season where it was truly a miracle the place survived because literally everything around it burned in a wildfire a few years back. Gare du Nord (Paris, France). The first international trip my wife and I ever took was to Spain, but we were traveling with my cousins who had traveled internationally before, and we stayed with my cousin-in-laws parents who were teaching abroad in Spain, so we kind of had travel guides the entire time. The following year, we traveled on our own to the United Kingdom and, on a whim, I booked a night away in Paris. We took the train from London and I distinctly remember stepping off the train in Paris, our first foreign country on our own that didn't speak English. Getting to our hotel and around was an adventure, but we both still remember the excitement and newness of the experience. Edmund D. Edelman Children's Courthouse (Los Angeles, California). Our family spent almost three years coming and going to this courthouse month after month while we were fostering and eventually petitioning to adopt our kids. I still vividly remember all of the drives up to the city, the days spent sitting waiting to get your case called in front of the judge, the meetings conferring with our kids' attorney asking them to explain what happened during the hearing to us in plain English. Ultimately we ended up adopting our kids so the memories are a little less painful than if we hadn't gotten to adopt them, but this place is such a vivid memory for me. The Walt Disney Studios Lot (Burbank, California). This is where my office is currently located, so it's definitely still around. ![]() (756 words) |