Castles, ruins, and imposing places of strange beauty.

Throughout the world are places of huge structures and strange beauty. If you've ever been inside a castle, there's a sense of hugeness you don't get anywhere else. But, large ruins offer a similar feeling, such as the Parthenon, the mind-boggling scale of Mayan buildings, and the Pyramids in Giza (not ruins, but at least a tomb). Human activity is bewildering. Modern structures tower into the sky in ways our ancestors couldn't have imagined. Yet, walking amongst moss encrusted blocks of stone still evokes a pensive mood. It's a good time to reflect on what we've accomplished.

A modern creation, and you could buy it for $45 million! What a deal!

How long will our current structures survive? What record will exist of what we did? Certainly strong places will remain, though it's surprising what's strong and what isn't--roads and highways are overgrown so quickly it dizzies the mind. It's a good exercise to consider such questions in all areas of life, because it provides a sense of perspective to life. After all, everything needs a beginning and end.

For me, castles are more than structures of defense. They are places of fantasy, heroics, imagination, and romance. Yup, not true to reality, but I don't care. These buildings aren't common, are ridiculously expensive to create, and are impractical defensive structures in current warfare. So, why would I have dreams of owning one? Well, I've always wanted secret passages and hidden rooms. I imagine castles are loaded with such places ... and if not, well, I can dream can't I?

- M

Decorating your room

As a guy, my sense of decoration pretty much ends with having four walls. I put up things that interest me, rather than what looks nice. I suppose my writing studio has a certain dramatic style. My wife, on the other hand, has impeccable taste. She manages to bring life to our house in ways I could never have imagined before. It's magical how she arranges and tinkers and makes our home a place to love.

I would've loved to have this as a kid!
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I often think about how things have changed as I've grown older. One that hasn't is the deep desire to make my room my own place of expression. We naturally want a spot that's purely ours, with our stuff and our toys. Maybe that's why showing someone your room is such a personal and intimate gesture? Certainly allowing someone to remain in your room for more than a little look is a special privilege. Is the same true across the world?

 

Watching someone decorate is like getting a peek inside their minds. Little children decorate drawing pages with swoops and swirls of colors, often with little regard to the overall look, simply because they enjoy the process. As we age, we put more meaning into our doodles, until we create our own signature style and flair. Maybe some never reach such lofty heights--I'm sure I never have--yet when we see what some people have achieved, it's jaw dropping.

 

- M

Smiling is an art form

Nothing says happy quite like a grinning hippo

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I've always appreciated a good smile, but I've been baffled why some are so much more pleasant to look at than others. I'm aware that some people practice in front of a mirror to achieve a radiant smile, though a few are blessed with a megawatt grin without any effort at all (we call them photogenic, when we're feeling good about ourselves and freaks when we aren't). Despite the effort, there is an overwhelming change that sweeps over a face when a smile blooms.

 

As I've grown older, I think I appreciate smiles much more. I seek out smiling people far more than frowns. I just don't want to be around grumpy people. After all, if I'm going to spend my time with someone, I'd like to be happy about it. Also, it's far more pleasant to communicate if both parties smile. Now, I'm talking about real smiles, not those forced smiles we see on politicians too often. Yup, I've practiced before a mirror, just before a family reunion--so the pictures would turn out, instead of bleeding through the side of the cameras.

 

Kids smile all the time. Why not? Everything is new to them, and they're easily excited. Their emotions show on their faces before their brain even knows what's going on. On the path to adulthood we apparently decide at some point that smiling is not good, so we stop. I don't understand that. We've all seen a face "light up" when they smile, so why are we against doing the same? Personally, I try to keep in mind that my outward attitude does illuminate my inner attitudes. Maybe a smile isn't easy, but it's good practice for when you really want to grin.

 

- M

Frailty of the once strong and mighty

We all grow old. It's a fact of life. Because of that, we don't mind when our heroes/villains grow old with us. It reminds us that we are human, and that things never remain the same for long. I find it personally very poignant right now because I've had both knees replaced at a pretty young age. It's humbling; very humbling. I gained my black belt in Taekwondo right out of high school, I can bench press with one arm what most cannot do with both. Yet, now I quail in fear at the sight of ice on the front steps--truly one of the most terrifying things in life right now, as I nearly broke my back and legs trying to get to work today and then again going to get salt to melt the ice. As I said--humbling.

 

When main characters have frailties of some sort (or overall as from age) it makes them that much more human. We like identifying with main characters. We as an audience have a need to connect emotionally and physically with them (even when they are superheroes or aliens). When they are so completely beyond us they fall into the realm of gods who are incomprehensible. There's not much tension developing when characters are like that, and stories are all about tension. More tension means more interest and with greater interest it makes the audience want more. As authors, we hope our audience wants ever more of what we have to offer!

 

Frailty is a funny thing, though. Too little and it doesn't matter, but too much and its overwhelming. There are exceptions of course. I think about my favorite detective: Columbo. I can't imagine him chasing any criminal down on foot, or lifting a car over his head. However you decide to use frailty, make sure you do it with specific purpose in mind. And, even better, make the character's frailty something that has a direct impact on the story. It's there to create deep connections with the audience. Just try not to fall on your face--

 

- M

Years gone by; why do we cherish the past so often?

As I age it's becoming clear to me that we love to think about the past as better than anything else in the present. I suppose it's because most tend to remember only the good things and forget the bad. Or, perhaps it's because we don't like the changes we see. Or, because we long for the simpler times when we were young and didn't have all the stresses of adult life. Perhaps it's all of that.

 

I think this quality of life is the reason we enjoy fiction so much. It's great to escape into a fantasy that's thrilling and full of adventure. I know that's why I like it so much. I'm a technology super-nerd, but I find that I relish sitting alone with a book far more than playing the next realistically rendered action adventure video game. Maybe it's because I'm spending most of my free time writing, and I'm sure that's a big part, but I also think it's due to the pervasive noise of "things" going on all the time. I'm reminded of a short story by Ray Bradbury called "The Murderer." In it the main character has destroyed his electronics so he can have peace and quiet, yet this is considered so abnormal that he is locked up. It's a great story and certainly applies to our modern days even more than it did when it was written.

 

Main, I think we love looking back and remembering what we've done and the joys we've experienced. Sure, it's easy to remember fondly what we've already enjoyed. The difficulty is looking to the future with the same starry-eyed wonder and making it come true. I encourage everyone to have the same curiosity as children, and the same expectations of greatness as a new mother for her children. We need that optimism now more than ever. Build something greater than you remember. It's worthwhile don't you think?

 

- M

Happy, happy, joy, joy!

Wow, what a week! We've had presents, snow, rain, and ... flu. The whole family is sick. I've lost 12 pounds, which is understandable since none of us have felt like eating much of anything. Well, except my lovely wife who is typically healthy and looking beautiful. I'm reminded of the old Ren and Stimpy song of "Happy, happy, joy, joy." It just feels appropriate right now.

 

What an incredible year it's been, and so quickly gone! When I was younger it felt like time crawled past, and now I turn around an wonder what happened to it all--time doesn't slip past, it absolutely vanishes. Age is an aspect I've studied for a long time, especially how perceptions change and the influence those perceptions have on our attitudes. It's been an interesting study. The most important thing I've taken from it is the view of patience. For a youngster, waiting 5 minutes is an eternity, but for an 60 year old waiting 5 years isn't much of a stretch. It's a matter of perspective, and age provides that.

 

I pray you all have a fabulous finale to this year and a successful 2015!

 

- M

Happy Birthday!

While it isn't my birthday, it certainly is for someone out there. So, Happy Birthday!

 

It's interesting how we choose to celebrate the day of our birth. It's a ceremony of excellence, commemorating the birth of someone very special: you. Think about it. We celebrate important events, and particularly events that are important for the greatest good. Sometimes we may forget just how valuable we are to each other, except for when we wish each other "Happy Birthday!"

 

Really, all life is a celebration. We are blessed to live in such prosperous times, with so much hope and such potential all around us. These days there are few things undreamt and even fewer undone. We've walked on the Moon, danced among the stars, and landed vehicles on distant worlds. Celebrating birth is a remembrance of out limitless possibilities and the joy those possibilities bring.

 

Happy Birthday! I'm glad you're here.

 

- 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

Mentors and passing knowledge onto the next generation

Where does knowledge come from? Ever ask that? Well, there is one answer: it comes from those who already know. There's a concept called apprenticeship, used in some parts of the world, where a master teaches a willing student. We don't do much of that here in America, but I sure wish we did. Having a master teach someone passes the knowledge along, refines it, and creates connections from past to future. The world needs more such connections, not fewer.

Mentors are likely the most popular version of apprenticeship now. But, it's normally an adult being a mentor to a child. Elders teaching the new generation. We need more of that, throughout our lives--not just at the beginning. I can't imagine a time when I know everything. We can always learn, if we want to. Mentors teach, and so do masters.

The next generations need to know what's important to us, but also why it's important. They need to understand, and that doesn't come solely from books. It almost certainly doesn't come from sitcoms and fluff on television, or dribbling nonsense on the internet. Find someone who is a master and learn from them--seek out experts. Not only will they enrich those who'll listen, but the knowledge they share will grow through a new generation and find fruit nobody could have guessed.

- M