The barely conceivable joys of children at play

I love watching children play. Sure, I'm a parent and that has colored my attitude, but the pure, unbridled joy of children at play is fascinating to watch. They have the capacity to throw themselves entirely into whatever they are doing, and that gives them joy we adults can barely conceive. It doesn't matter if it's watching an anthill, or pretending to be Superman, or having a dress-up tea party. Children know how to play with every core of their being.

Play is part of life, and it certainly trains children how to behave in settings far beyond their playtime. But, it's also straight up joy! Play is fun. I think we adults forget that having fun is still allowed. Encourage it. Go play in the backyard; take your brain off the hook and go run in circles. Whatever the play, take true part in it and have a blast doing it! It's part of life. Enjoy it.

Funny how in books, movies, and stories in general there are hardly any scenes of pure play. Perhaps it's difficult to describe, or even show, because most of the action takes place in the minds of the participants? I don't know. But, I know children are fantastic at it. After all, when was the last time some adult said to another, "Get out there and play." I'm scratching my head, thinking of all the stories I know, and I really can't come up with a single example of play in a story. Maybe I'm being myopic, but I am at a loss. Either way, I want to see it--to experience that pure joy of childhood one more time.

- M

Criticism and Critical Thinking

Being critical isn't a bad thing, and it isn't even necessarily negative. The concept is to judge deeply, to analyze, to find any flaws and examine them, and to really think about it. There's a strong element of logic to the exercise, of applying principled thought and detailed analysis to determine the worth of something. So, being critical of say a slice of cheese is to determine if it is a good representation of that brand, but it also entails noticing if it is spoiled or not.

Critical thinking is training your mind to be critical, to analyze, and to examine any evidence with a mind searching for truth. It doesn't come naturally to many people, and added training is always useful. This is particularly useful in scientific pursuits, but logical analysis will help you in nearly any area of life. It's good to be logical about things. That's one reason why debate is good, or games like chess, and, yes, even critics.

I believe one reason people are afraid of these concepts is because it's difficult to hear it addressed to yourself, like someone saying your cooking is bad. Especially if it's true. Yes, good manners comes into play as there's no reason to be offensive. Still, why should the truth be ignored? We should learn to accept constructive criticism as well as constructive praise. Both are necessary parts of logic.

- M

Hope. That incredible giver of peace and security.

Imagine you are tipping over the edge of a cliff, falling to your doom, and suddenly a firm hand grabs your arm. That emotion you immediately feel is called hope. Even before you know who saved you, the feeling of hope will flood your system with relief. That's one instance of the emotion, but there are certainly others as well as others equally strong or stronger.

Filled with hope for their future, youngsters leap into the world and expect the universe to bend to their wills. Sometimes it works, other times not so much. But, because of hope they try. Hope gives the prisoner the will to survive until the end where they see their freedom. Hope provides peace, comfort, security, and relief. Without hope, people perish. Without hope, people suffer. Without hope, people despair. Hope brings new life to broken things.

The neat thing is we can give hope to each other. It's easy to tear someone down in life, at work, or at play. What's tough is giving that same person hope that builds them up, encourages them to be better, and provides a sanctuary. That is difficult. I'm certainly no expert, and have sadly done my full share of tearing people down, but I do strive for better and to provide that hope. My goal is building up the hopes and dreams of others, for a better world and a better life.

- M

How it ends--thoughts on life and death

Great stories have great endings. There are many types of endings, but typically the story builds up to a climax. Most people understand what that means, but there is another ending called the anti-climax. It's basically what happens after the big events are over. Generally the anti-climax is fairly short--likely because it isn't usually that exciting and only wraps up the remains of the story. But, it also allows the unexpected jump to a possible new story.

Life is like that too. There are the beginnings and ends, life and death, and everything in between. What's interesting is how we celebrate the very beginning, but tend to leave out the enormity of a life well lived. In a sort of way the story of our lives starts with the climactic birth and the rest is anti-climax. But, there's another way to look at it, and that's to put death at the climax of everything we've done in our long lives. Why let the entirety of life be such a letdown? I appreciate the positive attitude that our lives mean something, are rewarding, and come to satisfying conclusions.

Perhaps I'm being introspective because my dear mother-in-law just died today. Possibly. But, many thinkers have compared life to a story. Shakespeare certainly did, and philosophers beyond number, and even scientists have done so. More than anything, I want my life to be good and wholesome, filled with epic moments and terrifying cliffhangers. The life of my wonderful mother-in-law was such a story. I'll always be grateful to her for bringing my wife into the world and nurturing her into the incredible woman she is now.

Here's to you, Margaret. Heaven is a brighter place now because of you.

- M

Amazing Spiderman 2 movie review

Spiderman is a great comic book hero. I think it's a great testimony to the longevity of the character that people are still interested enough in him that multiple movies have chronicled his adventures. Sure, they aren't completely accurate in regards to the source material, but the spirit is there.

That brings me on to the latest movie: "The Amazing Spiderman 2." I realize critics have given generally negative reviews, but I don't care. It's a fun movie. Spiderman is funny, carefree, and fights super villains. Maybe the plot isn't the most well knit thing, but so what? I daresay the comic books aren't Pulitzer prize material either. The main thing is they are fun, and so is this movie.

For me, what makes a movie worth watching is that you enjoy it.  "The Amazing Spiderman 2." fits my criteria well enough, since we rented it and will buy it. I'll happily watch it many more times, because I like the main characters of Gwen and Peter. I enjoyed the villain Electro, and loved the music. I doubt anyone went to this movie expecting a powerful examination of life and death. Why would you? Movies are an escape from reality, and this is exactly that.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. This movie is far more faithful to the comic book spirit of Spiderman than the others, and it has more fantastic moments than puzzling ones. I don't mind that the plot meanders around. The story is good enough for what it needs to do. Check it out, you won't be disappointed.

- M

Castles, those great structures of fantasy and history!

Arguably the most famous castle in the world is Neuschwanstein in Bavaria--a castle so bombastic that it basically bankrupted a whole country. It's an amazing place. I've been there several times and remember it well, especially the magical grotto and the incredible bedrooms. If you ever get the chance, go see it. You'll instantly recognize it, even if you've never seen it before, because Walt Disney totally ripped it off when he designed his Cinderella Castle. And, why not? It's a fairytale castle, and it's real.

I've loved castles since I learned about them. They are huge. Strong. Elegant. Confounding. If a prison, or a barricaded iron door can be gorgeous then they definitely fit the bill. I love them. I've designed them. I've played in them. And, I've enjoyed dreaming about them.

Castles are now part of our romantic notions of the Middle Ages. They foster images of chivalry, damsels, knights, and heroism. Sure, the reality is very different, but why spoil a good fantasy with clear thinking? In the end they are simply awesome. I'll never stop loving them. And, one of my dreams is to see the fantastic Welsh castles still standing. Actually, I'd enjoy going to castle ruins as well. Ah, whatever castle... let me at them!

- M

ps. There are hot air balloon tours of castle that go down the Danube river... hint, hint, hint... for anyone willing to drop cash on it... just a thought.

But, but, but, and but...

I'm going to admit something, I misuse the blazes out of the word, "but." I'm probably not the only one who does. The dictionary says it means, "on the contrary; yet." Then the dictionary goes on to mention another dozen ways it's used. These days, it seems to me that people use "but" as a synonym for "and" or just as something to join two sentences together. The two halves of the sentence don't even necessarily have to mean anything together.

"I love to eat, but I won't use my fork." (Why the "but?" The "but" isn't refuting anything, it's just there, taking up space, joining the two sentences together.)

Grammar has never been especially easy for me. I have to work at it all the time. I'm quite likely butchering it right now. The funny thing is, I feel that if the sentence is understood then why should it be incorrect? If the audience understands the meaning, then can it be wrong? That's the part I really struggle with, where on one hand it's correct and on the other hand it's clunky. To me words are like a fine flavoring to a rich and wonderful meat sauce. You can use all sorts of things to make it taste great, so why limit yourself to only the standard few?

Language is constantly changing. Sometimes it flows toward a more rigid system, and then it swims right over to a relaxed method. However it's used, I think the important part is everything making sense when it's used. Omnis traductor traditor. "Every translator is a traitor." In other words, check the meanings out yourself. Don't rely on someone else to tell you what things mean. Use that wonderful gift between your ears, deploy that gray matter, and think!

- M

Rocky Balboa. An iconic hero.

Some years back, Sylvester Stallone wrote, directed, and starred in a quirky movie titled, "Rocky." For some reason, the public latched onto the story of a common man fighting extraordinary odds and surviving. It's probably safe to say that the whole world knows the story of Rocky. I certainly grew up with it all around me, and the pulsing soundtrack of "Rocky III" brought us a classic hero song: "Eye of the Tiger."

Recently, Stallone decided it was time to return to the roots of that great story and give us the capstone piece of the Rocky saga. This one named, "Rocky Balboa." In it, Rocky is now a middle-aged father. He runs his own restaurant, filled with memorabilia of his boxing days, and spends time telling stories and visiting the grave of his dear wife. He has a son, who is working a high profile job but feels he is living in his father's mighty shadow. At the same time, Rocky is touched by a neighborhood mother and her son.

Yes, there is a boxing match, and yes, Rocky fights to the end. But, this movie is far more than only that. Stallone captures the essence of a true hero, in that this hero fights in every part of his life. He overcomes challenges constantly, but isn't afraid to admit his weaknesses. "Rocky Balboa" is an awe inspiring film. I think it's one of the very best hero movies ever made, and if you aren't crying at the end then you have no heart. I especially love how Rocky doesn't even wait to hear the results at the end, but takes his leave immediately after the match ends. What matters is he fought with everything he had inside him--he held nothing back--and the judges count meant nothing compared with that.

Rocky is a legendary hero, because he represents how much we desire to fight the good fight. Even when there doesn't seem any hope of success, he fights anyway. Courage. Honor. Respect. Rocky Balboa is worthy of admiration. I'm glad Sylvester Stallone remember, and put it on screen once more.

- M

Heroes who Inspire Greatness

As I've grown as a reader, I've learned there are quite a few different types of heroes. I've written about this before, but I think it bears repeating. Audiences deserve great heroes. There is a current fad where heroes are terribly flawed and brooding shadows who only sometimes do great things. I don't think there's anything wrong with that (I absolutely love the Frank Miller Batman), though I long to see a modern Ajax or Prometheus. Heroes with principles and the courage to stand up for them.

The question is what happens when audiences are challenged and inspired by great heroes? I believe that people rise to the standards set around them. If every hero is moody, gloomy, flawed, and crummy then why would anyone want to be near them? What I personally want is to see is a tragic hero become a glorious hero! What's so wrong with putting someone on a pedestal and saying, "I want to be like them."

Heroes are role models who are bigger than life. They do impossible things, over and over and over again. I think that's why sports stars and movie stars are so popular as heroes. They are hugely advertised, do incredible things physically, and radiate star power. But, heroes don't need to be such icons of culture. What about firemen who rescue people from burning houses? Or teachers who encourage young minds to higher and better ideals? Not every hero is on the cover of Time magazine. Look around you, I'll bet you know some already.

- M

Martial arts, fighting styles, and basic military actions

I love martial arts. When I was a teenager, I learned Taekwondo and achieved my black belt in it. I've studied many different styles of combat. I've also studied military tactics, famous battles, and so on. I've come to the conclusion that I much prefer story battles to real ones. The reason is simple: real war is messy, gory, and hopeless. In stories, heroes get to be invulnerable, invincible, and mighty. Real life just isn't that way.

But, having learned so much about fighting, it's hard not to notice just how often movies, books, and other stories, get it fantastically wrong. People can't take a 2x4 to the forehead and jump up to fight like nothing happened, or get stomped in the chest without injury. I suppose that a bit of realism doesn't hurt things, and it helps put the hero into actual danger (especially since we all know the heroes are not actually in danger, since without them there's no story).

When it comes down to the final analysis, though, what matters is that the action is entertaining enough for the audience to forget about what's true or not and get involved in the scenes. When the audience gets invested there can be no wrong. Look at Bruce Lee. He was fast, amazingly precise, and everyone points to him as the greatest martial artist ever. Why? Because the guy was a phenomenal presence on screen. Whatever skills he had in combat paled to nothing in comparison to his ability to make people want to see him fight. That's amazing.

- M

Holidays, vacations, and general getting away from it all

We just celebrated Labor Day (a national holiday here in the good 'ole USA) and it got me thinking about times we spend getting away from it all. In Britain they call vacations "holidays" and I'm sure there are many other phrases we use to basically say we are taking time off from our normal lives. Sometimes we travel, other times we simply stay home and do nothing.

I tend toward staying home, but I long for a time when I can take our family to Paris, Rome, Hong Kong, Sydney, and so many other places. I'd love to provide those experiences to my children. Getting a sense of the world is part of life, and we miss out by not taking advantage of the opportunities we find. Taking time away grants that chance.

I think the best piece of advice I've ever heard is this: Work hard, and play hard. Whatever you do, do it with gusto. Don't hold back. Even if you are playing, do it with every fiber of your being! When you live that way, you find quickly that there are some things just not worth doing and others that you didn't care about before that you suddenly are passionate about. We humans are weird like that--we never know what we truly want.

So, enjoy whatever holiday or vacations you have coming!

- M