Romantic days and times; always in the past?

"The Accolade" by Edmund Blair Leighton

It's curious to see how many stories of romance and chivalry take place in the Middle Ages. Some are more recent, but there's strange appeal in stories set long ago. For some reason, we humans love to think only of the grand and lovely things long gone. Plus, we have impressively short memories for harsh and difficult days. I think that's why we romanticize about them. And, as storytellers, we get to use known settings for absolute fiction. Daily life from 200 years ago is barely documented, so why not make stories in those settings? Plus, doing so gives the hint of credibility--even to fiction.

My wife loves reading stories from the Pioneer days in America, and I love mythology from the Greeks and Romans. Because of her, I've enjoyed the "Anne of Green Gables" stories and movies (yes, I actually like them and am not pretending). It's great to expand your story horizons. Plus, there's all of history to fool around with, and so the world's your playground. Setting it in the past provides the skin of possibility with the stuffing of fact.

 

Romance is found wherever you want it, place it, or find it. Somehow, it's tough to cast romance into the future (science fiction tends to be, well, science oriented fiction and not romance). I'm not talking about the fluffy, frilly sort either, but the deeper kind most everyone really desires. Strange how it's discovered so often in the past. Well, that's not awful. History should be remembered, even if it's colored by optimism. At least some of the past carries forward.

 

- M

"Hey, Bert, watch this!"

 

We all love impressing people, though it's particularly true with guys. This attitude never fades with age. I've seen grandparents do astonishingly stupid things--no, dad, I don't mean you specifically ... honest. I'm guilty of it as much as any other man. I've never really understood why we do it, other than bragging rights. I suppose we yearn to be extraordinary in some way. Well, I imagine that's why we say, "Hey, watch this," as we leap from a rooftop, onto a pile of mattresses. More than a few emergency room visits are the direct result of such optimism.

 

My best friend was often the laughing spectator, as I extended my string of failures in his presence. I tried stopping, but there was always the hope of eventual victory. Yeah, those didn't turn out well. Maybe if I hadn't gotten his attention first? Nah, because then he wouldn't see me in spectacular form. Okay, it never worked, but winners always get up one more time than they fail, right?

 

At some point we gain a bit of wisdom, and stop doing silly things. Maybe it's the wisdom of many bruised back ends, or the ridicule of friends, or the rolled eyes of parents. Whatever the reason, we shove down the little voice that says, "I bet I could do that. How hard could it be?" Then, we go scour the internet for videos of other idiots doing foolish things. I think that's a pretty good pastime, and there are so many! It's an unending display of goofs and pratfalls.

 

- M

Lightning and the astonishing beauty of storms

I've enjoyed watching lightning since childhood. Where we were, lightning showed as a weird pearl necklace kind of stroke. My brother and I drew pictures of them (it's actually called "bead lightning," look it up). Those nights of wonder really inspired my imagination and helped me yearn for more ever since. To this day, my wife and I love sitting up and watching a lightning storm. I suppose it's kind of like enjoying a pleasant snowstorm. Nature is lovely.

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Sure, there's the terrifying side of nature, but for now I want to think about how amazing it all is. Who isn't dazzled by a waterfall? Or, what child can resist laying down and finding animals in the clouds? I enjoy watching anthills, water flowing down rivers, and penguins. There's just so much in nature to be excited about, that I simply don't understand why people do go enjoy it more often. I'll never forget so many walks through forests, playing in mountain streams, rolling in meadows, and throwing snowballs in the middle of summer.

 

Rainbows and spring showers are often used as the best of nature, but why stop there? Our parents are constantly telling us to go outside and play, so go do it and you'll be pleased to discover a whole real world out there. Think I'm joking? Take a look. It's not virtual, or a game. It's totally real! You can even touch it. Wow. Go find your own fascination.

 

- M

Communication means more than words, right?

When I first learned to read and write, I remember a teacher telling me that words are only good so long as people understand them. True. Grammar and good word choices are important, but don't let those get in the way of communicating what you intend. The amazing thing about words is they allow messages and stories to transcend time and place. Tales from ancient Greeks are easily understood today, just like they were back then. Isn't that incredible? I think so.

Naturally, there's more to communication than mere words. Studies have shown that words make up less than 20% of communication, with the majority being body language, manner and context in which the words are said. If the visual components are available, then actual words become less important. Yet, words remain crucial, because without them no elaborate communication takes place (there's only so much you can do with hand signals, right?). Sign language combines the two, of course.

 

Learning how to use words effectively is one of the major triumphs of civilization. Words pass along knowledge, ideas, philosophy, hopes and dreams. Understand a language's words and you'll get a peek into the culture behind it. And, I think there's no better way to do that than enjoying the stories and tales created by those civilizations. I love fun and imaginative wonderment. Other cultures widen our experiences and provide insight into our own.

 

All with words.

 

- M

Heroes create Villains? How could that be?

The new Avenger's movie ("Captain America: Civil War") had an interesting scene, where the Vision points out that the sheer strength of superheroes incites supervillains to appear. It's a curious idea, yet I think there's a lot of truth to it. Think about our own, real, world with country superpowers and the forces aligned against them. I think the Vision has a good theory. So, would eliminating superheroes get rid of all the villains? Well ... no.

The Mad Titan, Thanos wielding the Infinity Gauntlet

You see, evil will fight anyway. They do fight harder if they are opposed, but there's no stopping it. And, that brings up another point: good tends to want to banish evil, while evil wants to destroy good. One is an ongoing victory, and the other is absolute. But, crank up the power levels of the combatants, and you then have an arms race. It's obvious really. Yes, having powerful heroes does create powerful villains.

 

And, that's great for stories, since conflict is what drives them. There becomes a kind of power creep where the heroes grow stronger, so the villains compensate to threaten them again, and so on. Eventually, a point is reached where things get ridiculously powerful and the mind boggles. This is when creators pull out their world slayers and knock everyone down a few thousands notches. I expect the Marvel universe will use the upcoming "Infinity War" movies to do exactly that.

 

In the end, though, the fun of heroes and villains is what it's all about. There's a neat kind of fantasy in watching larger-than-life shenanigans going on. "Long live the fighters!"

 

- M

Augmented reality and the future of virtual reality

Most everyone has heard of Pokémon GO now. If you haven't, well ... you walk around and capture funny little creatures by pointing your phone all over and throwing balls at them, and then you can battle other players using the creatures you've found. Augmented reality is the idea of placing a computer created world right over the top of the real world (in practice, you do this by looking through a screen or holding up your phone and letting GPS do its magic). The idea is to get kids out and running about, rather than sitting on the couch and turning into lumps of pudding.

Pokémon GO

The tricky part is that whenever you put anything in the way of what is happening, you generally ignore one or the other. Which is why kids have been walking into parked cars and basically going where they shouldn't--makes you want to yell out, "Hey! Look where you're going!" I imagine it won't be long before players figure out how to do both, but it'll remain a problem. [note: I shouldn't talk much, since I was well known for walking and reading a book at the same time. I don't remember walking into any fence posts though ... maybe I forgot.] Despite our denials, our brains are really only good at focusing on a single task at once--everything else is either a quick glance, or ignored (if you doubt it, try turning on two videos at the same time).

 

I've seen some amazing uses of virtual reality (like putting a calendar onto a wall, where it remains), or virtual animals that wander around. Business presentations could become interactive, and imagine training surgeons by doing virtual surgery without all the clunky mechanisms. Augmented reality has a wonderful opportunity, but the trouble will be from an idea known as "information overload." Fighter pilots have this issue constantly--too much complex information fast becomes impossible to comprehend, so it gets tuned out--and there's tons of work done just to simplify things. It's easy for designers to put in wiz-bang toys, but if it's too much we break down. A perfect example is in movies where they put huge displays on car windshields (can you imagine driving with all that in your direct line of sight? Impossible!).

 

- M

The welcome relief of endings

All stories end. The journey getting there is as varied as sunlight, yet we all crave the journey's end at some point. Depending on the type of story, maybe the end is welcome relief, or a joyous happiness, or the clang of the final bell. Whatever the course, there must be an end. I've often heard it said that the best writers also create the best endings. Well, sure. Naturally. And, they make the best beginnings and middles too. Still, endings may actually be more important than all the rest, because it's what sticks with you when the story is over.

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In part, there is welcome relief in reaching the end--despite the quality of the story. Also, hopefully, questions are answered and characters are put to rest. It's actually funny how often the words, "And, they lived happily ever after," could complete a story. We generally like happy endings best, but we don't demand it and appreciate solid stories without pleasant finales. I love Westerns, and one of the most iconic is "Shane," where the hero rides into the sunset to certain demise. Then there are endings with many feelings wrapped into one, such as "Rocky," where the hero doesn't win and yet does anyway (if you haven't seen it, go watch it now).

 

Stories are an art form developed over the ages. As such, they've been refined to function as efficiently as possible. Successful stories follow pretty specific paths and end in much the same way. So, why are there so many? Just as how the same paints can create a multitude of images, so are stories. We crave fanciful tales, true stories, and yarns which challenge imagination. The mind is ever seeking, so we fill it with wonders of every sort. End a story well and people will remember!

 

- M

Rolling in grass and stomping in the mud ... the joys of childhood.

If you've been around children, you've seen them roll in the grass and play in water puddles. A pool of mud is as fascinating to a little kid as the grandest diamond or the most perfect painting. Ant hills are endless entertainment. I remember well, when I was a little carpet muncher, walking home from elementary school and playing in the gutters. I made little dams and waterfalls for the water to run down, and make tiny whirlpools. I never tired of it. Actually, I still haven't, even now.

 

There's a simple kind of fun in the way children play. There's no grandeur to it; nothing fancy or special. They just want to play, and that's it. And, they group up without a care in the world. Go to any playground and you'll see them making friends with everyone there. There's magic in the way kids play, and I wish we all could enjoy it each day. The world would be a happier place.

Even animals play. I've watched seals slide down waterslides, horses rolling in the grass, and even a crow making an improvised sled with a plate so it could slide down a snowy roof. Why do we forget how to play as we get older? Are adults too aloof to have fun? We do enjoy watching and laughing, but why do we draw the line at joining in? I think we should break away from our stubbornness now and then and have a bit of mindless fun. It'll do your heart good.

- M

Yoda is awesome! But, why?

Star Wars is a great movie series. It's become a strong part of our culture. Yoda is the wise old mentor who teaches Luke the basics of being a Jedi and how to focus his talents. But, I think it's interesting that Yoda is immediately accepted as a great Jedi master. Consider, the audience knows nothing about Yoda from previous stories, and is only mentioned once by Ben Kenobi as "the Jedi master who taught me." Still, when Yoda shows up (a curiously little, frail, silly, old creature), he is instantly credible and believed. Also, he does no fighting or Jedi stuff--aside from lifting Luke's X-Wing out of the bog. He demonstrates great wisdom and patience.

 

So, why doesn't the audience question him as a great "warrior?"

 

Because Yoda shows fantastic restraint. Even when he argues with Ben that Luke is too old, Yoda is only toying and not actually upset. Great warriors show restraint.

 

Isao Machii, iaijutsu master

There is a wonderful old story about three swordsmen talking with a great master in turns. The first, a young student, is speaking and a sharp sound comes from the doorway. The student leaps up and shakily draws his sword, uncertain. Next, an experienced student is talking and the sound comes from the door. The student rolls to the side, neatly pulling his sword and coming up ready. At last, a top student is with the great master, when a noise comes from the doorway. The student rolls back, smoothly drawing his sword, and slashes an acorn in half as it drops toward him. Finally, the students ask the master, "Why didn't you react at all?" The great master looks at them calmly. "It was only an acorn."

 

- M

Spontaneity--keeping things interesting.

My wife and I love to be spontaneous on occasion. It's fun, exciting, and puts a spark into things. So, yes, yesterday was a spontaneous journey into the unknown... Well, we drove 95 miles to go get a coffee-flavored iced drink. But, how could I possibly deny my wife when she looks at me with those huge eyes? So, we spent a wonderful day going out and buying cold coffee. Hmm, now that I write that out it seems a bit ... odd. Oh, well. It was fun.

 

In the same way, stories don't need to keep to a tight schedule all the time. Let the characters out and be spontaneous. You'll be surprised where some ideas go. After all, the Lord of the Rings wouldn't be nearly as fun without Tom Bombadil (sadly not in the movie, but marvelously memorable stuff). Yes, a plot should be tight (where everything is necessary and needed), but side trips fulfil an essential task of flushing out characters and developing them beyond the direct story. When your characters live and breathe past the scope of the current crisis, audiences are pulled in and sympathize better. I'm a big believer in making characters sympathetic and understandable.

 

One of my favorite movies, "Shaolin Soccer," is basically about a guy and a gal and how they are martial arts masters who end up being expert soccer players--trust me, it's great. There is one scene where the guy is trying to woo the gal and suddenly a dance number interrupts the action. It comes so far out of the sidelines you never expect it, and it totally works! It's brilliant. Without that jolt of spontaneity, the characters actually fall pretty flat. But, toss it in and we are immediately on the guy's side as he does his best. I love it.

 

Remember, not everything has to be perfectly lined up. Let a bit of crooked exploration happen.

 

- M

Journals and Diaries

A page from Dr. Jones' journal--from "Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade"

Do you keep a diary, or a journal? As a writer, sure I do. I'll put down thoughts, ideas, goals, and various commentary on whatever is happening in my life. I can't say I've ever kept a diary of my life, though. I've never understood the concept, since no one is to ever read what you put down. Where's the sense in that? I should charge people to read my thoughts...

 

Ahem, ah, back to the topic.

 

We have long known the benefits of working out your feelings on paper. Somehow, by simply expressing thoughts, even if nobody sees them, you can negotiate very deep feelings and move along with your life. Why doesn't it work if you talk it out in an empty room? Maybe it does, but it certainly hasn't worked for me. Still, it's amazing the good you can do for yourself just by setting down your thoughts.

 

Strangely, there is a strong stereotype that only girls keep diaries (boys supposedly keep "journals") and that boys aren't interested in that sort of thing. However that idea started, I just can't agree. I think it's the personality type. Those who are very introspective tend to dwell on their thoughts and so keep diaries. Creative types want their ideas useful for later reference. Or, anyone who simply feels the need.

 

I think diaries, and journals, are some of the most important writings we humans will ever create. They provide a direct perspective of events in someone's life (notable even more if that person is famous). If you've ever lost someone close, then find a diary of theirs, would you be grateful and happy? I'll bet you would be. It's like having a permanent piece of them returned to you.

 

- M

Happy Independence Day!

Happy July 4th, Independence Day!

This weekend, Americans celebrate Independence Day. Yup, we shoot off rockets, blow up little toys, and stuff our faces with barbeque and hot dogs and macaroni salad. It's all in good fun. I particularly like watching firework shows. Those are amazing!

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Americans are sadly forgetting why we celebrate, and I'd like to suggest every family read the Declaration of Independence. The conflict was about many things more important than taxes. Read the passion and true reasons for the Declaration. It's history, and it's important to know and understand.

 

- M