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