Creepy little buggers!

Bugs are creepy. No doubt about it. There's just something wrong about all those legs, the ways they move, the incredible way they manage to survive against all odds. I'm not afraid of them, and I've heroically defended my family against many swarms of them. But, they are as close to alien as I can imagine. It's actually pretty interesting just how many of the aliens movies create are bug-like.

I love to study them actually, and find many of their abilities marvelous. Still, there's a lot of aspects to them that are highly unsettling. Maybe it's all the eyes? Whatever it is, bugs are fantastic inspiration for aliens and alien cultures. I can't even count the number of famous aliens designed around ants, or spiders. Bugs of all kinds really are amazingly important not only to our world but our creativity.

As an exercise in imagination, try coming up with some alien creature that doesn't resemble any Earth bug at all. I've tried it, and failed miserably. Try it yourself. Maybe you'll become one of the great artists that creates a fantastic new world that people will cause a wave of new books, movies, art, and music. Who knows. A simple exercise in imagination can create all kinds of wonders.

- M

Irritations! Ack. Those little things that pester us all day long

Ever have that frustrating experience where there's a repetitive noise that you just can't ignore? Like a dog barking, or a fan clicking? Ask my wife, and she'll tell you I'm the first to notice such things, but I've recently been realizing how much of my life is given over to being irritated. And that isn't good. Nobody should be irritated all the time.

One thing I've done is leaving the overhead fan on a lot. The crazy thing clicks like a clock, but I'm training myself to ignore it. So far, not successfully. It drives me nuts, but I think the goal is a good one. Another is that I'm not complaining when lights are left on, or something is shining in my eyes. It's actually amazing how many things are coming to my attention now that I'm doing my level best to clear them away and focus on the really important things.

I think life is a lot like that. There are tons of little cobwebs everywhere, and you have to learn to sort out which ones to clear away and which ones to ignore. Well, maybe not cobwebs, but more like discolorations--something just a little off, but enough to notice. Perhaps it's a part of growing up, and it's a tough chore (for me anyway). I wish life was more like a waterslide: jump in, enjoy the sloshing and splashing, and fall into a refreshing pool of water at the end... then run up and do it all over again.

- M

Beliefs, and how they define us

How powerful are your beliefs? Pick one, any one, and then ask yourself how much you're willing to fight to maintain it? Lose an argument? Lose a friend? Lose a limb? Lose your life? Without getting too philosophical here, I ask because our beliefs give solidity to our lives. Anyone without strong beliefs can be pushed here and there, all around, without much difficulty. It takes someone with strong commitment to their beliefs to take a stand and fight back. I think it's fair to say that the measure of someone is how willing they are to defend what they believe.

But, how do you defend your beliefs? Well, you first need to know what they are. Also, you should know the counter-arguments against your beliefs; study the opposition, like a sports team would scout the opposing side's tactics. It's easy to argue your own point of view, but it takes a lot of thought to consider what the opposing view is and your answer to it. Do yourself a favor and think about it.

So, why bring this up? Well, in all stories the participants have certain views and beliefs. Why do they have them? What lengths are they prepared to go to defend them? Answering questions like those brings depth and concern to the characters, and further adds audience participation as the audience seeks to understand what's going on and why. Also, the conflicts within a story can easily come out of beliefs the characters have, and what the rest of the story-world thinks about them. Without getting on a soap box to preach, I only suggest an understanding because it makes everything richer and more real if the beliefs are known and acted upon.

- M

Tornados., the massive monsters of nature, and why people choose to live dangerously.

Tornados are terrifying. Since I live in the center of what's commonly called "Tornado Alley," we have the opportunity to practice our safety drills for real a whole lot during the year. I've often wondered why so many of us choose to live in such a dangerous area, but it really doesn't seem to matter on most days. On those days where destruction is sadly a fact of life, we do think about moving, but it's such a wonderfully pleasant place that the thoughts don't last very long.

I know it surprises me, but the concept of danger doesn't actually impact our daily lives here. My theory is that we humans have a very nifty ability to ignore the challenges which we cannot control and work on those that we do have some control over. It's like we develop a blind spot, which explains why we are so surprised when something bad actually does happen. And, now with the current trend in earthquakes, it wouldn't be too unusual to be astonished if a big quake happened.

I love human quirks, especially ones where all we can do is scratch our heads and wonder why we choose to be so silly. Life doesn't have to be so hard you know, but we do tend to make things tough on ourselves. Still, it makes for great story material, and incredible comedy. As a matter of fact, some of my favorite comics make fun of common, everyday, things that we do but don't especially notice. It takes a special type of person to notice loonies.

- M 

Password security

I have a strong background in computers, stretching back to basically when personal computers came onto the market. I learned to program with the Apple 2+ and have continued my own education ever since. What's fascinating to me is how we have treated passwords in the history of computers. I know that at the places I've worked that they typically write important passwords on a piece of paper and then stick it underneath their top drawer (easy to find, and not easily lost). Also, a little tidbit that probably is still true, is that the most common password is the word, "password."

Some programs force you to include upper and lowercase characters, some add special symbols, and won't let you reuse an old one. But, it's human nature to make things simple, and so people generally create a "secure" password, and then increment a number at the end of it. Kinda takes the security right out of it. But, let's face it, we have far too many things to remember as it is, and adding a shopping cart full of new ones makes the chore almost impossible.

However you go about it, there's lots of good reasons for having a fairly secure password. Putting upper and lower case is a basic precaution, but adding numbers/symbols/extras really makes it difficult to crack them easily (and if hackers can't do it easily they'll likely move along to easier picking). I've had to make an encrypted document file that stores all my usernames and passwords, because I just can't remember them all. It's a good idea to have it stored somewhere physically, because we all have bad days and can't remember things like passwords.

I mention all this because of the new fantastically nasty security flaw recently made public. It affects most any site that uses secure connections, and you'll want to change those passwords and get your stuff secured again. Believe me, the computer security circles have been shocked at the nastiness of this one and it should be taken seriously. Not enough to freak out over, but do take the extra step and change to a completely new and different password.

- M

Words, words, words. I think my brain is spilling out of my ears.

Every now and then I'll be reading something that challenges my extensive vocabulary pretty heavily. Currently, it's the series by Barbara Hambly called "The Darwath Trilogy." There are a lot of words, mainly archaic, out-of-use, words that catch me completely by surprise. I'm burning up the pages of my dictionaries looking them up, and many of the words are not necessarily the first definition, but rather older and less common definitions. I love words. I love growing my vocabulary. But, I'm of two minds in this case.

First, words are powerful things that are capable of expressing vast concepts and depths of emotion without going into burdensome detail. Using the right words at the right time can make sentences jump off the page, tickle your sanity, and help the audience flow with the story. It isn't showing off for a writer to use uncommon words, because it's a good thing for people to learn new words and new concepts. That's what I like the most about words.

However, the other side of the issue is that some words are too old to be of any real use anymore. Languages evolve over time as new words are introduced and old ones are left to rot. Using words that have lost their meaning bogs down a story, especially when it is heard (like in a movie or an audiobook). Even written in a book, and using an e-reader so the definition is quickly found, puts the story on pause while the audience researches what in the world is going on. One quick way to obviate this (lovely word, "obviate," but I'll bet you looked up that it means something on the order of relieving or enlightening a concept) is to use the word with heavy context in the sentence. Or, just give the definition right alongside... "One quick way to obviate, or explain, the concept is to..." You get the idea.

On the whole, I love learning new words. But, not at the expense of the story flow. There's nothing wrong with letting the characters sound human and not like walking dictionaries. Let the audience breathe a bit of fresh air, and give them words they understand... then throw in a few that they need to look up.

- M

Patience, Grasshopper.

There are a breed of sayings I like to place under the heading of: "Pithy." They don't mean a whole lot, though they could I suppose, but mainly they are said to make the speaker sound wise. Stuff like that drives me crazy, especially in books and movies. The words typically seem good enough, but once you take a moment to consider they are only swollen cotton candy.

"Get out there and win!" is a personal favorite from sports stories. Usually spouted by a couch, I have to wonder why they say this? As though the team were to aim to lose? Naturally, someone wins and someone loses, but why point out the obvious? Much better would be to say, "I believe in you. Now get out there and prove it!" It's the empty platitudes I dislike, not the sentiment behind them.

Writers are always cautioned to avoid clichés, and this is probably the reason. Using common sayings like these doesn't really do much, other than be instantly recognizable hogwash. It takes effort to come up with something new, but the effort is worthwhile. Having a wise man saying fluff doesn't make them wise, but having them give actually intelligent insight is wonderful. For example, Yoda's wonderful phrase in response to Luke Skywalker saying it was impossible said, "That is why you fail." Impressive insight, that because you don't believe it's even possible prevents your attempting it anyway. Providing actual wisdom is well worth the effort, and the audience, I believe, appreciates it.

- M

A library in the palm of your hand

One of my greatest desires has been to have a huge library with all the books I could ever want. A wood paneled study, filled with bookcases, swords on the walls, and overstuffed leather reading chairs. Funny how times change. I still desire the room, but with electronic books it's hardly relevant to have bookcases stuffed with physical books (unless they are collectible).

Now, a single electronic device can hold hundreds, possibly thousands, of books. Incredible. Fantastic. A wonder to behold that in our lifetime we have such technology. Actually, science fiction stories predicted it for a long time, even Star Trek had it with their TriCorders and little readers. The funny thing now is not how much the devices can store, but how much it'll cost to purchase all the books you want. Once again, economics limits what we can do for now. Presumably this is being worked on, because the creators should be paid for their efforts and the consumer is happy to pay.

However it happens, I'm betting that we truly are heading for a time when we will have entire libraries at our fingertips. We do have a certain amount of that access already, but I'm wanting the equivalent of an entire library with thousands of current books and archival documents and so on. Research is already easy, but having access to the rest is like icing on the proverbial cake.

- M

Love--an emotion, a strength, a weakness, a power beyond compare

Hopefully we all have love in our life. From parents, friends, significant others, spouses, and so much more. It is something that never ceases to amaze me. The power of love overcomes and empowers, but also humbles at the same time. It's one of those incredible human abilities that can't quite be pinned down in one distinct definition. Yes, it's an emotion, but also it's a choice. It happens out of the blue, and it happens whether we want it or not. I think it's the basis underlying our entire world.

There is one thing that I think we all agree about: love is powerful. As a teenager, I remember lying on the floor, headphones plastered against my head, as I listened to song after song about the glories of this thing called "love." Sure, I had my parent's love, and my brother's, but I longed for that life-long love of a wife. Even the longing itself was sometimes overpowering. I thank God I'm married now, and know the love I longed for... but now I realize it was only a drop in the bucket of how powerful my love for my wife is now and it still grows every day. The power of love inspires so very much it can't really be counted.

So, I tip my hat to everyone who still searches. Keep looking. You will find what you long for. It's a desire we all have. And while you search, enjoy those songs and stories that lift up wholesome love for all it's giddy qualities. But, remember, love is lasting and not the brief burst of the frantic flames of infatuation. My wife is my best friend, and always will be, and I pray that for everyone who seeks lasting love. Far more than simple companionship, love is a bond that refuses to break under any strain. Truly God given.

- M

Mountains. The wondrous, glorious, magnificent beauty of mountains!

I grew up for a brief seven years in the midst of the Austrian Alps. Outside our front door was an 18,000 foot peak that could make you cry if you saw it at sunrise. My family hiked as often as we could over the foothills, and climbed to the snowline to throw summer snowballs at each other. There's something about mountains that mystifies and enlightens the soul; it gets deep inside and never quite leaves. Personally, anytime I'm near mountains it's like coming home.

The recent movies of the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit displayed incredible vistas of mountains in New Zealand that I honestly never knew existed. The brilliance of those images are hauntingly beautiful, and I'll never forget them. Ansel Adams made a fine living taking black and white pictures of landscapes and mountains. People want to see the beauty of nature in all its wonder.

But, there's nothing like being there in person. To see mountains with your own eyes is a special kind of marvel. And, when you do, you will long to see them again and again. Mountains, their peaks capped with snow and shining in the light, grace our world with majesty that calls out to be climbed, painted, written about, sung about, and brought to the ends of the Earth. It's like the old question, "Why did you climb that? Because it was there."

- M

Once Upon a Time...

There are times when I truly miss the awed wonder of childhood. One in particular are those magical little fairytales we were read as we fell asleep. None were very long, but they filled our imaginations. Little Cinderella and her glass slipper, or the Frog Prince's kiss, Rumpelstiltskin and his spun gold straw, and wonderful Rapunzel with her incredibly long (and strong) hair. Those stories never lose their luster, actually getting better as we grow older and tell them to the next generations. They are fun and inspiring, filled with longing and imagination.

Children have a knack for finding the wonder in whatever they are doing. How else can they sit and watch an anthill for an entire afternoon and never tire from the effort? Watching clouds is the most enjoyable when doing it with little kids who see all sorts of things scampering about in the sky, masquerading as puffy clouds. That innocent wonder somehow fades away as we grow older. That's probably why Peter Pan became an instant hit. We adults do long to somehow never grow up, never get responsible, and never ever stop flying.

If you can, take the time out to daydream with a child. There's a lot they have to offer in that respect, and it's worth remembering how to play pretend. Life doesn't have to be so overwhelmingly dreary and drab. Let out the spark of fun, and drive yourself around in a tulip with cotton ball wheels while you watch the stars play basketball with the moon. There is wonder to be found wherever you wish to look, if you'll allow it.

- M

Notes for Evil Overlords, don't explain your great evil plan and then leave the room so the heros can die a devilishly slow death...

Back when the internet was becoming the next great thing, most discussions were done on local bulletin boards (kinda like blog postings I suppose). Anyway, they were mainly frequented by nerds/college students/and anyone else who might pass by. It was a fun time in computers, and tons of brainstorming was done during it.

One such thing was "Peter's Evil Overlord List" (This Evil Overlord List is Copyright 1996-1997 by Peter Anspach.)

The brilliance of this compiled list was how well it encapsulated all the really dumb things supervillains do, such as number 17, "When I employ people as advisors, I will occasionally listen to their advice." How many times have you experienced a story where advisors may as well be paper napkins around the villains neck, since the villain doesn't give them the time of day? Other than spotlighting such things, the list also providers authors with a wealth of instantly recognized clichés to be avoided. Resources like this one are hard to find all in one place, and this is by far my favorite.

I think an industrious individual could make a great living compiling lists of things together in one easy place, then go out and do it again and again. We live in an age were we want stuff--anything really--at the press of a button. Compiling other people's work isn't a new idea, but it sure is helpful. I have dozens of volumes at my desk that are dictionaries of this, encyclopedias of that, and just gathered information at a quick glance. Wikipedia has certainly filled this niche online, but it still isn't the easiest thing to page through (like, say you wanted information about outdoor survival, expanding into medieval survival, and into how does one survive on Pluto?).

Well, anyway, check out "Peter's Evil Overlord List" for laughs and giggles, but also penetrating insight into the amazing plot holes we many times don't even notice.

- M

"Frozen" movie review

Ever since my youngest daughter saw "Frozen" in the movie theater, she has been begging to watch it again on pay-per-view. Naturally, it wasn't on there until just recently, and the pre-order I'd made of it arrived only two days after it released. I even managed to surprise her with it. It's especially amazing, considering she knows how keen I am to get good family movies.

Idina Menzel (from the immensely popular stage musical "Wicked") and Kristen Bell (one of the hot new "it" girls in Hollywood right now) lend their voices to this charming tale of sisters torn apart by tragedy and put back together through a different sort of tragedy. There's a splendid group of sidekicks, and the entire plot is a charming reinvention of the classis 'Outcast" character concept, but what sets this one apart is the use of musical numbers to form the plot's turning points. The greatest musical number, "Let it Go" is belted out by Ms. Menzel with pure glee and power--it's a fantastic song. What surprised me, though, was the sheer number of songs throughout. This is actually an animated musical, rather than a typical movie. I loved it for that.

The computer graphics used are breathtakingly gorgeous, especially the ice palace and the grounds surrounding it. However, because the ice-related graphics were so good, it made the other more normal graphics look a bit drab because of it. And, what is it with the hunter's bows? Seems like everyone using one went stupid the second they drew the string back. Pathetic.

Those nitpicks aside, "Frozen" is a fun ride for the entire family. It doesn't require a whole lot of concentration to follow the plots, but there are a lot of frustratingly low whispering that goes on--so it's a good idea that whoever has the volume control is also fairly quick on their reflexes. I'd expect a sequel next year, and also a follow up cd of additional songs from/inspired by the movie. The quality is that

- M