Thoughts of the Week

If you were looking for logic on the internet today, this isn't the post for you. Well, not if you're looking for coherent, uniting logic; I am hoping for some interior logic. But if you're like me and enjoy Doctor Who and therefore have no problem slipping into the rules of an imagined world, you should do fine. I just accumulated a lot of wandering thoughts and musings this week, and thought I'd use my blog as a receptacle for them.

First off, I love getting comments on this blog and want to address the comment I got on last week's post. I think "Lawful Evil" as it has been defined can be the most irritating bad guy, as long as they also fall under the description of "can't argue with stupid." So, basically, I agree with the comment. I think Lawful Evil could become Lawful Good in some scenarios, when shown the error of their ways. But the pigheaded evildoers who refuse to change their perspective for anything and punish anyone who defies their worldview are SO irritating because we the readers know the truth, and honestly, we all know what it feels like to be in an argument where we know we're right but our respected opponents will not bend. ARGH!

Which makes me wonder, do the Lawful Evil characters feel the same way? Do they think they're clearly right and those foolish lawbreakers are stubbornly refusing to bend? Might make an interesting character one day, this villain right here.

My favorite blog to write is this one, but my favorite blog to read is Heather Dixon's StoryMonster. I don't know her (though, based on her blog posts, I would love to meet her), so this isn't a plug. Just a reference to anyone who reads my blog that there's another one worth looking into. Posts are funny, well-written, and just straight-up delightful. It's a bit addicting.

It amazes me that people actually read my blog. Which reminds me, in case you didn't know, my novel The Shifting is getting published. Tell your friends. Read an excerpt of my story at the link right HERE (January 2013 Emerald Sky). Tell your friends to read my excerpt. Yes, this is what is known as shameless self-promotion.

Sometimes I feel like the purpose of my education is to slowly shorten the list of movies I can watch with friends without turning into an analyzing monster. I recently watched Megamind and I spent half the movie writing a mental paper on how it undercuts the traditional tropes of the superhero genre and the other half telling myself, "Shut up and just watch the movie." This actually happens a lot.

Started a steampunk unit in my class this term. I enjoy steampunk, but had never given much thought to the actual intellectual movement behind the aesthetic. After learning about it, I might turn steampunk. I could get behind the ideas of individuality and do-it-yourselfness. Class made me want to go out and buy gears and rivets to make something mechanical and awesome all by myself. Too bad I don't know how to build things. Yet.

Movies I can't watch in a group anymore (to date) thanks to the steampunk unit: Disney's Atlantis, The Prestige, Sherlock Holmes (RDJ version), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and Treasure Planet. Though most of these were iffy to begin with since Joss Whedon worked on Atlantis and The Prestige already had some wonderful elements of the genre of the fantastic and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is my literary geek-dreams come to life and...stop it. Stop it now.

For those who enjoy steampunk, I recommend The Mysterious Explorations of Jasper Morello. Short video that reminds me of Jules Verne stories mixed with Coleridge's "Rime of the Ancient Mariner." It's a bit dark at times, but interesting.

None of these thoughts merited a full-length blog post. I'm glad I did this.