No Sense Like Nonsense

Speaker's Child

2012-01-01T06:43:00.000-08:00

"Speaker's Child" recounts the chilling story of a cult whose mission is to find all of the gifted children and recruit them for nefarious purposes. What happens when a midwife decides not to go along with their schemes? How far is she willing to go? What is she willing to do? Overall the story is pretty good with a reasonably straight forward though certainly heart touching storyline that will entertain.

The Shadow Bender

2011-12-01T18:41:00.000-08:00

"The Shadow Bender" is a marvelous fantasy short story about which I am supposed to write a marvelous review but frankly I don't have the time so take your stupid back link already and move along. I love short stories as much as the next guy but this post is just a post to get another blog up that search ladder so read your story and enjoy.

A Night At The Bouncing Archer

2011-11-01T06:38:00.000-07:00

"A Night at the Bouncing Archer" is a great story full of action and entertainment. Can the hero get his revenge on his jilted fiance who wants him dead? Will sausages be the weapons of mass destruction required to save the party? Can the troll survive his venture into civilization? Will the dwarves drink all the beer?

A Jungle Spirit

2011-10-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

"A Jungle Spirit" captures the idea of what happens when a group of sailors are left to build a fort but not given the support that they need or even the reassurance that they will ever have contact with their comrades again. This fantasy short story captures the essence of the fear of the unknown and the intelligence and resourcefulness of one who is considered a lesser man by his companions.

The Dancing Bird

2011-09-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

"The Dancing Bird" is a great story. Yes, this is a shameluss plug for a fantasy story. Get over it! You all know that sometimes you talk about a fantasy story like "The Dancing Bird" just because you have to. How many times can I say that is fantasy story is really a great short story.

Calling of a God

2011-08-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

"Calling of a God" is a great short story, well worth checking out. If you enjoy reading fantast stories, then you should definitely take a loot at it.

Ambition's Cost

2011-07-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

"Ambition's Cost" is a wonderful short story that recounts the tragedy of seeking glory. Is it possible to reach a position of power without losing a part of your soul?

Caste in The Cask of Amontillado

2011-06-01T21:14:00.000-07:00

Is there a caste system represented in "The Cask of Amontillado"? At least one author believes so. It does make sense, after all, that caste would play a part. Poe was certainly aware of class and race tensions in his lifetime.

How to say Amontillado

2011-05-31T09:12:00.000-07:00

I was previously unaware that there were two possible pronuciations for Amontillado, however this article cleared this up. Obviously teachers around the country should read this, to save themselves some trouble in the classroom.

Suspense in The Cask of Amontillado

2011-05-29T21:09:00.000-07:00

"The Cask of Amontillado" is a text book example of how to create suspense. Montresor tells us the end from the beginning but does not offer us an explanation. At the end of the story the question is still unanswered but so many other questions are answered along the way that we feel we have been given something.

The Cask of Amontillado Summary

2011-05-28T21:07:00.000-07:00

An excellent summary of "The Cask of Amontillado" can be found here. Of course there is always more to be said on the subject as teachers and professors around the world have been saying for years and years and will likely go on saying forever.

Fortunato

2011-05-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

Fortunato, or perhaps more appropriately Mr. Unfortunate meets his demise at the hand of Montresor in "The Cask of Amontillado". Though he is certainly a fool, he is not unlike most of us. Poe paints him as determined to meet his doom despite the constant warnings that surround him. Of course this is no new trope, but it does remind us that our own pride can lead us into downfall. This analysis of Fortunato is most refreshing.

Analysis of Montresor

2011-05-25T20:49:00.000-07:00

Montresor in "The Cask of Amontillado" is one character that you don't want to cross. This analyis discusses his morbid potential as well as offering an explanation for his behavior that might excuse him from the realm of psychotic. In any case, his desire for revenge overpowers any sympathy that might once have been present.

Faramir

2011-05-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

Faramir is the younger brother and less favored brother of Boromir. Denethor, their father, has favored Boromir always but Faramir has strived all of his life to live up to the high expectations and demands of his station. He possesses traits that make for strong leadership but fails to win the popularity contest.

Mood in The Cask of Amontillado

2011-05-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

"The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe is a great study in the development of character, suspense and mood. The mood is analyzed very well in this article, which takes on a rather academic tone. Though there are a few other articles on the topic most do not take the time to speak academically.

Treebeard's Lament

2011-05-21T20:38:00.000-07:00

Treebeard has much to face in the new world. Certainly Aragorn will expand his empire and certianly growth must come. The questions he faces have been but slowed with the overthrow of Saruman and of Sauron. Ultimately his forests will suffer under the progress of men. Neither elves nor anyone else will protect his charges in the new world though the changes have been delayed for perhaps a few centuries.

Theoden King

2011-05-20T08:35:00.000-07:00

Where does Theoden rank among the characters in The Lord of the Rings? He is a king, certainly, but in many ways he is also at the mercy or whim of other, more important, characters. Aragorn, Gandalf and Saruman all seem to direct his doings. Even Grima, a mostly worthless person, has his way with Theoden. One must then ask why he deserves the great honors he receives. The answers are as complex as the times he found himself living, and to have simply survived and to have done so on the right side is certainly worthy of recognition.

Samwise

2011-05-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

Samwise Gamgee was, by far, the most predicatabe of the hobbit characters. In many ways they were one or at most two dimensional. One might draw some criticism of Tolkein for his treatment of them though it was very clear that he had a great love for the idea of hobbits and hobbitry. Samwise was always loyal, unflinchingly so.

The Battle of Helm's Deep

2011-05-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

The Battle of Helm's Deep is a poem that reflects the true spirit and essence of the original story, but is told in a manner that might be sung by the riders of Rohan as they remember their honored dead in the years after the return of the King. Helm's Deep is a place and event that holds great mystery for all Lord of the Rings fans.

Great Free Online Fantasy Novel

2010-12-05T19:28:00.000-08:00

I love to read, and I really love to read good fantasy. The Cleansing of Darnuth Keep really has held my attention. This is top quality fantasy, and you can't beat the price - free! Obviously a lot of work has gone into this work, I just wish I could find it in print somewhere, though of course then I would have to pay for it.

Here is a link to the novel. The action is good, but the plot is very well done. Colter, the main character, really develops throughout the story. The world is a rich environment rife with details and lots of sparks for the imagination.

Entrecard's Ability to Drive Traffic

2010-03-08T07:58:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of things to say about Entrecard, but one thing that I have noticed is that it will actually get you traffic and free traffic at that.

Now, depending on your luck and which friends you make you can actually get a LOT of traffic through Entrecard. If, for example you manage to get yourself onto one of these lists that are floating around the net where people drop on you then you have it made. You will get hundreds, if not thousands of visits each month just from people doing their drops and you won't have to do any advertising.

On the other hand, if you don't have the time to go out and do a bunch of dropping, and your site isn't the greatest and you haven't gotten onto a magic drop list scheme then you won't be seeing much traffic from Entrecard or anywhere else.

Flowers

2009-12-02T14:01:00.000-08:00

Flowers are pretty darn awesome - especially when the wife is pissed at you because you forgot something.

Luncheon Cake

2009-11-02T13:56:00.000-08:00

1 lb. butter
1 lb. sugar
10 eggs
1 1/4 lbs. all purpose flour
1 1/2 lbs. raisins
1/2 lb. mixed candied fruit peel

Cream butter until fluffy, add surgar and beat 5 minutes. Break eggs in two at a time until six are in, beating each two for 5 minutes, then 1 at a time, beating each 5 minutes. Add flour and fruit which has been lightly floured with some of the flour. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans, 9x5x3. Bake for 1 1/2 hours in the 300 degree oven or until done.

***************

Now, that looks like a lot of fat to me and a heck of a lot of egg beating. Count it up, thats 35 minutes of beating eggs. Of course its probably pretty light and fluffy as well. If any of y'all feel like beating eggs for 35 minutes let me know how the cake turns out.

Blogging For Blogging’s Sake

2009-10-08T19:45:00.000-07:00

Is blogging for the sake of making blogs a good reason to blog?

I’m not 100% sure why I blog. There are certainly more profitable things I could be doing. I guess I like to write. I know I like to create. I like to leave my mark and maybe this is the only way I can do it. A virtual mark on the internet where whoever happens to come across it gets some random bit of me.

But that is not the question. The question is: Is it morally correct to write a blog simply for the sake of writing a blog?

Please, discuss amongst yourselves and then return in an hour.

I Loves Me Some Pistachios

2009-09-06T19:46:00.000-07:00

I really do like to sit and crack on some pistachios. They are green salty bits of goodness that I just can’t seem to get enough of.

Often when I sit down to write I have a bag or bowl, or even just a pile of them close by. Then when I reach a juncture where I have to come up with my next thought I reach over and grabs me one and start crackin’ away. What a life.

If our ancestors had it so good they could sit around and sew all day then I think I’ve found the next best thing. I can sit at my computer for hours just writing and browsing the web and cracking nuts.

The only drawback is that I seem to be getting fatter by the minute. Oh, well. I guess I’ll just die one fat, happy, web surfin’ nut cracker.

I Bought and Embroidery Book

2009-08-11T19:46:00.000-07:00

So I like to do crafty little things now and again. Hey, there is nothing wrong with doing crafts. I watch sports too, and I also play video games.

But I wanted to understand embroidery a little bit better and I happened to be where they were selling books and fate slapped me on the face and I went home with an embroidery book.

I had no idea of the amazingly complex things that can be done with embroidery. Some of it seems utterly pointless to me, like the super complex stitches where they make this pattern and then undo the weave of the original material. But then it does look cool when it is all finished.

But I had to ask myself. Who thought to do this stuff first? I mean who in their right mind sat down and thought up doing stitches that complicated? Somebody had a lot of time on their hands. Somebody had nothing to do but sit and embroider.

Which brings me to think that we are really losing ourselves if thousands of years ago there were people out there who had it so good that they could afford to sit on their buts for months on end doing nothing more than pulling a needle and a thread. We work ourselves to death but they had it figured out millennia ago. What chumps we must be.

Is Entrecard Cashout Dead?

2009-07-02T13:32:00.000-07:00

Is the cashout program at Entrecard completely dead or are there just so many blogs that the system is just overloaded and nobody is seeing any money?

Entrecard themselves aren't saying much about it anywhere and don't seem to care one way or another. I keep hearing that people aren't seeing any money and would like to get more of those stories. If anyone is doing well on the cashout system that would be good to know as well since I am sure that there are a lot of people out there with the same questions.

Gun Sword is Cool

2009-06-21T19:43:00.000-07:00

I don’t know if you are into anime at all (okay I probably wouldn’t care even if I did know), but I am. At least I enjoy some anime. Not all of it. Some of it is just lame.

But Gun Sword is cool. If you get the chance (okay, so go out and take the chance) you should definitely check it out. Even my wife enjoyed it and she isn’t exactly into anime.

The story is pretty good. Its about – wait if I tell you what its about you might decide that you don’t need to see it. Its by the same folks who did Cowboy Beebop, so if you know that then you know its good. If you don’t know Cowboy Beebop then the reference is meaningless and you should just take my word for it.

Plenty of good fighting (wootz for senseless violence). Fun and funny characters. And nice pretty art. What more can you ask for?

I Miss Teeter Totters

2009-05-20T19:40:00.000-07:00

I have kids of my own these days, and I go to the park every now and then. Have you noticed that teeter totters appear to have gone the way of the dodo?

I guess one too many kids was dumb enough to walk under the darn things or else lacked sufficient coordination to ride them properly. Either that or school/city officials got tired of the lawsuits from the parents of said clumsy kids. But parks in general just don’t seem to be putting in teeter totters anymore.

I know that for me they were a quick thrill as a child and one which I would very much like to pass on to my own kids (and hey, who knows I might be able to get a law suit out of it too).

Economic Reform

2009-04-11T22:15:00.000-07:00

So I scan the news from time to time and this article caught my eye.

Now I'm all for helping people become more financially secure. In fact I like the idea of being financially secure myself (I'll let you know when that happens). But it does strike me as just a little odd that the President of the United States would be talking like a mortgage salesman. Quite frankly it bothers me.

Regardless of any controversy of any stimulus package or packages, whoever approved them for whatever reason (not really interested in debating that point at the moment), I do not think that the President of the United States has any business telling people to go out and refinance. No business whatsoever.

When the President says "That is money in their pocket." I suppose he is referring to the millions of people expected to take advantage of the lower rates. But my question is whose pockets are really getting the money? A loan is a loan and interest is interest and as long as people are paying interest to banks then the banks are getting the money.

A person can refinance until the cows come home but unless there is a job to pay the new mortgage with it makes zero difference. A person can refinance a hundred times but if they don't have the income to support the 140% of the value of the home they own they still won't be able to pay it. A person an apply for a hundred loans but if their credit is completely destroyed because they haven't been able to pay their bills for the last year it makes no difference. In which case there is zero money in anybody's pockets (unless, of course you are a bank and received a handout to subsizide not giving loans to people whose credit has been destroyed because they don't have a job and couldn't pay their bills.)

In short this is no more economic reform than is Entrecard buying back credits and will have no more benefit for the economy that the latest sales at Wal-Mart. Offering a government backed discount on any product is dangerous at best. Doing so to this degree is shameful and quite possibly disastrous.

Did You Know That Dairy Queen Sells Take Home Ice Cream In A Carton?

2009-03-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

I had no idea. My wife came home the other day with a big carton of soft serve ice cream from DQ. And I’m like where did that come from (hello, look a the logo).

And its pretty inexpensive to boot. Okay, so it isn’t the best ice cream on the planet. But when you have the munchies it isn’t a bad fix. Not to mention that my kids aren’t exactly what you would call connoisseurs of fine foods. Rather if you call it ice cream and its cold odds are good that they will eat it.

Of course your local Dairy Queen may not offer this option, but if it does you should definitely check it out. Nothing like quarts of soft serve at the drive thru late at night.

My Kid Tried To Burn Down The House

2009-02-26T19:41:00.000-08:00

Okay strictly speaking it was an accident, but still very unfun for most of us.

The situation is thus. We have a nice furnace in our home which blows plenty of nice warm air throughout. However, this being an older structure, the furnace ducting was not considered during the original construction. This means that we have one big vent in the floor of the main room on the upper floor, directly above the furnace.

So my son, who is just 4 got his hands on a brownie mix and dumped it down the furnace vent, presumably to see the flour fly up.

What happened was, of course it go into the furnace elements and heated up well beyond its intended temperature. Smoke issued forth. Alarms were raised.

My wife and I, being otherwise occupied at the time (or else we would have prevented the incident), had no idea what was going on. All we saw was huge amounts of smoke and blaring fire alarms. Needless to say we got everyone out and dialed 911.

Only then did we recognize the smell of brownies.

The fire dept. were gracious. There certainly was enough smoke to warrant concern. They kindly blew the smoke out and made sure that everything was okay. I’m just glad nobody was hurt.

My Dog Hates Hard Wood Floors

2009-02-08T19:41:00.000-08:00

So we just moved into a new house. Don’t lets get started on what happened to the old house. Well the place has these really cool hard wood floors, which the wife and I just love.

The dog hates them. She won’t walk on them to save her life. She just looks at them and sniffs them and then whines when we walk into the next room and leave her there trying to figure out how to cross those darned floors.

Me, I kinda get a kick out of it. After all she just has to take one step and realize that the floor won’t bite back. My wife on the other hand is extremely frustrated. She likes having the dog with her at every moment.

What to do? Well for now I think I’ll just let the situation play itself out. Either the dog learns to love the floor or she can enjoy the carpet in the basement.

Have You Ever Tasted Really Bad Fish?

2009-01-05T19:39:00.000-08:00

I don’t like fish. I never have. I love to fish. I love to catch them and then release them back for someone else to catch. I also love to cook them, and then watch someone else eat them. But for me I just can’t stand it.

My question to you is, have you ever had really bad fish? Not just okay that was kinda fishy, but downright you wanted to puke right then and there (or maybe you did?)

I have. I have from more than one source. My most memorable is a little dish my step mom would whip up with our freshly caught cabezon. I’m not sure what exactly she did to it, but it was breaded and baked and tasted like some sort of rotten bread mush mixed with fishy dumplings. And for the record it looked the same going down as it did coming up.

Seconds anyone?