Headaches are never welcome

Have you ever had a headache? If not, then have you ever been in a situation that can be classified as a "headache?" Probably all of us have. The phrase typically means that a situation or problem is tough and problematic. Dealing with such things are tough and make you rub your head in frustration. Headaches. Now, if you do actually have a physical headache, you have my sympathies because those are terrible.

Life isn't gentle, and life isn't fair. I think that should be stamped on the inside of everyone's eyelids (joking, of course). The point is, we can't escape tough situations. Yes, they cause headaches, but when we pass through them, hopefully successfully, we grow personally and mentally. Without difficult times, we all would be pathetic weaklings, unable to adapt to change. Stress is necessary to maturity--though constant, unceasing, stress is awful and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

Why bring this up? Well, I see a current trend toward making everything easy and stress-less, with no headache-inducing problems. This won't help the next generation of young adults. I sure don't want my doctor to view my diagnosis through the lens of not upsetting me, or my auto mechanic to ignore my brakes because telling me they are bad would make me fret. No. Don't hide the truth, don't suppress the difficulties in life. Face the headaches straight on, get past them, and mature as a person. You'll be all the better for it, and oddly will discover fewer headaches in your future as a direct result.

- M

Faced by absolute reality

I've been watching a show called "Canada's Worst Driver." It's interesting to see how many of these demonstrably poor drivers argue how they are indeed very good. One activity on every season is a test called, "Know where you're wheels are." The goal is to stay on two narrow paths without falling off. The drivers nearly always state beforehand that they will ace the test, and some do, but then when the wheels crash off the drivers are mystified. There's a definite lack of perspective and an unwillingness to accept criticism, even when it's the undeniable reality of wheels falling off a rail and the only possible cause is the driver's own mistakes.

I'm guessing none of us enjoy criticism when we do things wrong. It feels bad to have our goofs pointed out, and it riles our defensiveness. However, it's absurd to deny reality and truth only to cover our feelings. At some point, we must humble ourselves and accept responsibility. This is maturity in play, and we hopefully teach our children to choose this path. I believe we only truly grow when we mess up and have to learn to do better. Mistakes are a significant key to victorious life.

Back to terrible drivers, I am happy to say that the majority on the show do eventually own up to their failures and proceed to learn a great deal. In fact, I'd wager they become fairly good drivers simply because they have identified their weaknesses and constantly work to improve. This proves how patient and longsuffering instruction is ultimately rewarded with success. I'm encouraged by the show. I'm happy to see people grow better. Mostly, I'm glad we aren't as stubborn in our stupidity as it usually appears.

- M

Cheating like a pro, and being paid to do it!

There are many methods authors use to cheat. Bear with me on this. What I mean by cheating is basically taking extreme shortcuts to end goals by devious means. For instance, take the movie, "John Wick"--we watch the protagonist lose his wife to cancer, then receive a parting gift from her in the form of a puppy. Aw, cute and darling. Then, after a few short minutes, the dog is murdered and John is plunged into red-eyed revenge. That's a cheat, and the author's knew it. We love cute animals and our blood boils to see them mistreated. That's all the motivation the hero requires, and the audience is right along with him. Action films don't need a bunch of setup, and this cheat fills the void nicely. The audience doesn't mind, and is happy to get past the slow stuff.

Another cheat is putting kids in danger, triggering the natural desire to protect them. Still another is to threaten the destruction of a sacred object or landmark. But these are just to get the narrative running and stoke conflict. Other sorts of cheats can build whole cities and groups of people in a flash, by mentioning a well-known event or familiar surroundings. Historical references, even in fiction, provide huge swaths of background and impressions. Using these tricks, authors are capable of weaving incredible worlds in a very short time.

However you cheat and shortcut your way through your story, it's not malicious at all. These are tools to use, and you'd be a fool not to take advantage of the way our minds work. In my view, these cheats actually improve the depth of stories and provide easy hooks to catch onto. Audiences aren't as patient for stories to develop as they once were--which is a grand shame, but what can you do but adapt? So, revel in your mischievous quirks and draw from whatever seems appropriate. Just make sure to tell a good story in the process. Audiences will seek you out. I believe that with all my heart.

- M

Post-Valentine blues

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Valentine's Day in modern times is essentially a day of expressed love. Yes, there was a Saint Valentine who is typically tied to the holiday. It's a day of candy, love letters, cards given to classmates, and proclamations of attraction. I've always been more interested in the day afterward, though. What happens to all those cards and declarations?

When I was in school, I think I received perhaps two or three Valentine's cards. I couldn't understand what I was doing wrong. There were plenty around me who got dozens, if not millions, of cards without any effort at all. The attraction and romance concepts were a complete mystery to me. For an unknown reason, girls went to some boys and practically slobbered all over them. The more incredible part was how frequently the object of attention didn't care at all. Observing these interactions gave me tremendous insights into how clueless the entire process is. I doubt anyone actually understands it, and if they say they do then they're embellishing.

So, after all the activity of Valentine's Day, we're left with a candy hangover and lots of cards that we'll likely just toss into the trash. What remains are feelings of companionship, hope, and maybe a list of new friends. But, there's also the sadness of missed opportunities and loneliness. It's a cruel time really, as holidays frequently are. So, to those left out, I give you my shoulder to cry on and offer these kind words, "Love isn't a race, but an adventure that'll surprise and terrify you. Let it sneak up on you and breathe on your neck. If you have to force it, then it's probably not worth much. Most of all, start by talking and never stop communicating."

- M

Why don't I like liver anymore? How can my tastes change so drastically?

When I was a kid, a neighbor would go deer hunting and cook up the most scrumptious and delectable liver I've ever eaten. To say I loved it would be to abuse the concept of love. It was glorious food. I would beg for it. In fact, when we moved to a new hometown, the first thing I wanted was a plate of liver. Erm, yuck. Sure, I realize cow and deer taste differently, but wow was it a shock. Whether it was the skill of the cook or the quality of the meat, I hated liver from then on.

Liver wasn't the only thing to fall to dislike. In fact, I've got a whole list of things I can't stand anymore. The question is, why? What makes my sense of taste such a fickle thing? At least I can understand if I'm sick and don't like something, but why will my taste buds scream foul at other times? Maybe there's some conspiracy theory about this? Hmm, perhaps.

The one which has really shocked me is my sudden distaste for milk chocolate. I've always been a chocoholic, but now I'm going toward dark chocolate or none at all. It's very odd. How can something so heavenly now be too sweet? I just don't understand my body. I am convinced that sometimes my brain just decides to be a jerk and see what mischief it can create inside my bones. Maybe I'm an evil genius and don't know it?

- M

Fighting the big bad in superhero stories

I think it's fair to say that most superheroes fight a big battle at the end of nearly every story. This isn't a bad thing, and definitely fits well into the Three Act structure. I do have a question about the final battle. What form does the fight take, and should it only be against the villain personally? For instance, in the classic "Sleeping Beauty" (which has my favorite villain of all time, Maleficent), it is completely possible for the hero to fight his way to the heroine and close it out without even slaying the villain. However, what this ending doesn't do is provide closure and leaves the villain to skulk about and do more evil, which is why the movie chose otherwise..

In the new DC movie, "Wonder Woman," the final villain (Ares) is only a metaphor for the entire movie, then suddenly manifests to be slain in the big fight. I think the ending would have been much better if Wonder Woman had beaten the general and his scientist, yet failed to stop war (the figurative Ares). This highlights that war/Ares is a much greater battle and a single victory won't finish it. Character growth like that can put a tidy capstone on a story, and leaves a whole lifetime of stories as possibilities. To win everything in one story pretty much completed the Wonder Woman arc and there's nothing left, at least not until there's a new super-villain to battle. This is why Batman has never completely defeated The Joker and never will.

Maybe as audiences we've become too accustomed to the idea of problems being resolved within single stories. This has been true in television for ages, though we do have season-long stories sometimes. But, as nice as it is to see the conclusion, is it what we really desire? Sure, a mystery needs a solution, and a battle needs an ending. However, I want a hero who doesn't just pop in, fix an issue, and leave. I want someone who sticks around and works hard and leads by example. Sometimes, that means losing the battle to win the war.

- M

Season of the sick

Wow, flu season has struck us hard this year. It seems everyone is sick with something or another. Be it stomach upsets, actual flu, the horrid blahs, or full out toilet worship, people are getting sick a lot. At my work, I don't think anyone has managed to dodge this stuff. It's incredible. Kinda makes it feel like the end of days, doesn't it?

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Getting sick is never fun, and usually pretty awful really. I wonder if we'll ever completely cure diseases? It makes for great science fiction, but it doesn't seem likely. For a kid, though, it's fun to miss school and sit and watch cartoons all day. Ah, to be a kid again ... Anyway, for adults sickness is more of an annoyance because it prevents us from working and earning a living. Fortunately, modern medicine has enabled us to weather these illnesses without too much trouble.

I think we take our health for granted quite a bit. It's unusual to be unhealthy in modern society, and actually a bit of a stigma. We don't like being around the sick, even if they're close family and friends. My wife has a special gift to care for the sick, and I'm constantly dazzled by her ability. There's a special place in Heaven for anyone who is able to comfort and aid the weakest among us. Plus, I think the rest of us also are very grateful for the care you provide, because when we're sick we'll happily accept help and kindness.

- M

Picking the next book to read

Imagine the fun of this bookcase!
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Well, I just finished another book, so now I'm looking at my bookcase and deciding which one to jump into next (although, truthfully, I usually bounce between about four books at any given time). It's both a delight and tragedy that so many good books are available these days. I'm grateful, because there's plenty to choose from, and I moan that I cannot possibly read them all. Sure, I could read more if I utilized speed reading, but I especially enjoy swimming amongst the words and not just gathering information. For me, books are a pleasure to be enjoyed for as long as possible, like a delicious chocolate cake.

Consider the incredible variety of book categories, themes, topics, and interests. The amount of sheer information and imagination on display is breathtaking. You could spend a hundred lifetimes only reading and never get through it all. The phenomenon of electronic books has only increased the flood of new books. These days it's easy to hold an entire catalog of books in the palm of your hand. In fact, it's so easy that you can easily purchase a book you didn't realize you already owned.

So, I'm back to staring at my bookcase and turning over ideas of what I want to read (including my rapidly growing electronic bookshelf). I always enjoy fiction, but I think I'm wanting something historical ... hmm, the wars of Napoleon? Or, I could into a new series. So many choices! Isn't it wonderful living in such a world as this?

- M