Kay Drew's Views

Dusting Off

2025-01-13T16:51:00.001-05:00

It’s been a long while since I’ve posted anything here. Looking back, I see it’s been since 2019 that I posted anything written. It’s been since 2020 that I posted anything at all. However, this year that will change. It’ll be back to business – writing and sharing my thoughts on all things pop culture (with maybe some other topics thrown in for good measure), getting my Patreon thriving, making long and short form videos, and maybe even self-publishing a book. It will take some time and I hope you follow along this journey. I’ve got great plans.

What exactly has been going on in the last 5 years? For better or worse, the world changed back in 2020. It keeps changing. It feels like time and history keeps barreling forward. Jokingly, people say they’d like to live in precedented and I’m inclined to concur.

We’ve watched political regimes rise and fall. We’ve struggled through ever-changing climate crises with excessive heat, floods, blizzards, earthquakes, and so on and so forth. We’ve found ourselves thrust into a technological renaissance with AI. Those are but a few global events that come to mind.

In my personal life, I’ve gotten more cats than I know what to do with. I’ve gotten new dogs and lost a couple as well. I’ve found myself enthralled with creating tiny booknooks. I’ve even been going to school for my doctorate. I’ve even made discoveries about my health and gender identity. It’s been a lot of changes.

But there are some things that have not changed. I am still passionate about writing and pop culture. I adore music, tv, and movies. I’m still watching some of the shows I started 20-30 years ago, which reminds me I’d like to do a rewatch of those shows and review/critique them. Is that of interest? Drop a comment below and let me know.

The Nerdy Crafter #1: Neighborly Book Choice

2020-01-08T22:52:00.001-05:00

My Coming Out Story (Not clickbate)

2019-12-13T23:09:00.001-05:00

Virgo Vlogger Needs Tea

2019-12-11T20:24:00.001-05:00

More than Meets the Eye

2019-06-12T22:34:00.001-04:00

Werewolf stories have been around since the 12^th century. Most of them were written as warnings. They were stories that warned readers against breaking laws, following sexual urges, or disobeying religious texts. These stories were warnings about what could happen if we act upon primal urges and become the hunter instead of the hunted. Even though these horrific stories show the animal within escaping its human body confines, these stories often do show the downfall. At the very end, readers are reminded that the hunter will become the hunted. There will be penalties. There will be pain and suffering for disobedience. Werewolves will be destroyed. What if, though, werewolves could be different? What if they could be gentile souls who want to live? What if werewolves were actually an allegory about people living with a crippling disease? With Remus Lupin, JK Rowling boldly presents these ideas within the Harry Potter series.

It is true that werewolf stories were a means to explain the brutalities of night. What happens when chicken coops are destroyed at midnight? What happens when people are kidnapped from their beds while everyone else sleeps? What is making the horrific noises? What makes the scary shadows in the moonlight? Answers are needed. Answers aren’t always easy. In the darkness, there is unknown. In the darkness there is fear.

Humans have tried to answer those questions for centuries. In fact, “[t]he earliest mention of a werewolf is in the Epic of Gilgamesh in c.2000 BC where, in tablet six, the goddess Ishtar is described as changing a shepherd into a wolf” (Suckling, 19). Humans had just barely started writing stories down. Saving the shepherd’s was deemed important. That surely means that werewolf stories were that important. Furthermore, in the 12^th century, Marie deFrance wrote,

A garewolf is a savage beast

While the fury’s on it at least

Eats men, wreaks evil, does no good

Loving and roaming in the deep wood

(Suckling, 7)

These creatures were feared. Knowing what to look for was important. These were tools to visualize fears and give cautious warnings to anyone listening. Authors of the time even wrote about ways to recognize werewolves. These facts included descriptions of how they could not cry, their short fingered, hairy hands, suspicious injuries, and an abhorrence of cooked meat and sunlight (Sucking, 10-11). They even warn that werewolves, when in human seem unusually pale and listless. These haggard beings lack energy so they can’t leave their bed for extended periods of time – even days. Authors even discussed self-defense methods to protect homes and lives from werewolves.

The threat and fear of werewolves just kept escalating. In the 1400’s “it became considered heretical by the Church to deny the existence of werewolves” (Suckling, 41). Suckling went on to explain that “Trial records show that between 1520 and 1630 an estimated 30,000 people in France were accused of lycanthropy” (42). It is unclear whether or not people truly believed in werewolves. But, it seems they did not care. They just wanted to do something. They wanted to fight the darkness. It is interested to note that Fincelius, a historian, discussed how Constantinople was attacked by 150 werewolves; the Enperor and his gaud one if curious (Suckling, 46).

The werewolf myth has impacted Rome’s history. In fact, there is a claim that werewolf twins Romulus and Remus founded Rome. Author Petronius explains that their father, Niciros, was also able to turn into a werewolf (Curran, 42). How is this possible? Petronius claims that he was speared and left for dead. A she-wolf found him and nursed Niciros back to health. In the process it is believed that she transferred some of her powers to him. Then he passes his abilities to the twins. There is also another story pertaining to Romulus, Remus, and the founding of Rome that states that they were the son of Mars, the Roman war god, and Rhea Silvia, who came from a strict cult banning childbearing (Curran, 42-43). After having the twins, she abandoned them in a swamp and a she-wolf found them. A farmer then found them, (but not before Remus and Romulus were given some of the she-wolf’s powers), and raised them as his own. At some point in their story, the local King died. Somehow this allows the whole country and the twins to learn the truth (Curran, 44). Without questioning the destiny of Remus and Romulus, the farmers want them found a city to rule. They do, but the story ends in tragedy. In one of their fits of frenzied anger, Romulus Killed Remus; Romulus continued to rule Rome until his death.

JK Rowling, however, is not interested in telling a horror of story. She wants to tell a story about an ill man. He’s a werewolf, but he’s also kind, loving, and gentle. He was a son, a friend, a husband, a warrior, and a father. In Rowling’s magical series werewolves were more than just brutal creatures out for blood. They are our friends, family, and neighbor. To be a werewolf is an allegory for living with a chronic disease. And life isn’t always hopeless.

Indeed the word werewolf can easily strike fear. It calls to mind images of gigantic wolves with glowing eyes and dripping fangs. It is true. Indeed, their descriptions are often terrifying. The following is a description by Crispin and O’Malley,

His hair was pale silver, dipping low on his forehead in a pronounced widow’s peak. No just thick, it was dense – like a pelt. Shaggy, white brows met over his narrow, hooked nose. The eyes gleaming beneath them were steel gray, ringed with black like mine. The werewolf was old, seventy at a guess, more than twice my age, but his eyes were bright… ageless.

(136)

Yes, that is but one description, but similar words have appeared in other stories. There is something unsettling about those words. There is something hopeless about them, too.

Life can be as hopeless as a werewolf’s description. Life can be as scary of the thought of meeting such a creature. Sometimes we can’t handle real life. Sometimes we don’t know how to handle real life. It’s important to figure a way to get to a point to deal with everything. It can take some work, but “[o]nce we find our way in imaginary corridors, we're ready to encounter people who seem unreal but, on deeper reflection, are marvelously real” (Black, 543).

When dealing with chronic disease, like AIDS, life is a daily challenge. It’s scary. There are so many unknowns. Prior to getting a diagnosis, patients may be aware that something is wrong and are desperate for answers. One would thing that obtaining a diagnosis would come as a relief. But it’s only the beginning. Post diagnosis leads to many issues (Ackley, Ladwig and Flynn Makic, 22). Those include disturbed body issues. These include fatigue (either from the disease process or decreased nutrition intake), psychological deficits (fear of death, disturbed body image, powerlessness, grief, homelessness, and low self-esteem), night sweats, fungal infections, anorexia, oral candidiasis, chronic pain, and impaired skin integrity are all issues that AIDS patients deal with. Social isolation and spiritual distress are two other that can arise. It is a dreadful “disease caused by HIV, which destroys T cells, thereby increasing susceptibility to infection and malignancy” (Silvestri, 973). Clinically, it shows up as opportunistic infections and neoplasms and it can have a long incubation period (up to 10 years).

While reckless behavior can lead to contracting the disease, it’s not always the case. Sometimes tragic mishaps cause AIDS. Even in the beginning, when most people thought intercourse and IV drug use were the only ways to contact the disease, there were some who challenged the idea. Even still this was a common warning given,

Something we are doing is ticking off the time bomb that is causing the breakdown of immunity in certain bodies, an while it is true that we don’t know what it is specifically, isn’t it better to be caution until various causes have been discounted rather than reckless….?

(Giblin, 127)

Being prudent is wise. Being careful is wise. But it can be unwise to assume a narrow means of contraction. Imagine being a child and getting the disease from an untested blood transfusion.

That happened to Ryan White. He then got harassed, ostracized, and treated like a pariah. His house got shot. He got into the middle of a lawsuit. His life got slapped with a restraining order preventing him from attending Western High School (Giblin, 164). Before his death, the restraining order was lifted, the lawsuit won, and the town accepted him once more. Even Western’s janitor offered support by giving him this poem: We are sorry for your fight/ But for every day that you ate here/ We can see a little light (Giblin, 165) Ryan White died April 8, 1990. He was 18.

Getting such a diagnosis is terrifying. It’s hard to deal with such news. Escaping into a fantasy world would be helpful. Being told would change life for eternally. It must leave anyone feeling like an outsider. There must be fears of being ostracized. There might just be fear. In those times of need you need hope and comfort. Harry Potter can offer that help. Indeed, there have been authors who saw Harry magic work to uplift. Black daftly explains it as such,

As I've watched friends - from 8- to 50- year-olds - come under the spell of the young wizard, I have noticed consistently that Potter books have a wonderful capacity to draw us in through the power of imagination. Then, paradoxically, just as we think we have escaped from the world, they help us find the power to live.

(540-541)

There are many areas of the Harry Potter series that could be hopeful. Remus Lupin is a good example. When Remus is introduced, it seems he is supposed to be understated and underestimated. He is described as such: “The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard’s robes that had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though quite young, his light brown hair was flecked with gray” (Rowling 74). It’s clear he is sick. But he is more than an indisposed wizard riding the rails with Harry Potter and his friends. When dangers arises, he fights it off with ease and then tends to any injury before going to speak to the conductor so the attack will not happen again.

From then on, it is clear readers should not underestimate Remus Lupin. He is superb teacher and a good friend. His cold, distant demeanor warms considerable through the book. Remus allows himself to trust, which is hard for him. He’s afraid to get close to others because of what he truly becomes. Sometimes he can’t see himself as a human.

As a teacher, he is gentle and understanding. He works with students. He encourages them. He works with them so students can understand what to do as they find confidence in themselves. He does not mock his students no matter how silly their fears are. Not only does he push Neville through his fears enough to start the exercise, he gets Neville to finish. Remus truly believes in his students. For one of the first time in Neville’s schooling, he is told “Excellent, Neville. Well done everyone…. Let me see… five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the boggart – ten for Neville because he did it twice” (Rowling, 139).

He’s also quite intuitive and bold. When Harry asks why he wasn’t allowed to face a creature called boggart, Lupin explains that he thought that this boggart would turn into Voldemort (the man who killed Harry’s parents). After getting over the shock of hearing the name, Harry admits that was not his biggest terror. Dementors, the creatures they encountered on the train, are what Harry fear. Remus quickly admits his errors and even adds insights to Harry’s fears. In fact, he seems proud as he thoughtfully says, “I see… Well, well… I’m impressed.” He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Harry’s face. “That suggests what you fear most of all is – fear. Very wise, Harry” (Rowling 155). This is a true teaching moment.

He’s not perfect. He has a temper. He’s got a sarcastic bit of wit. He tends to butt heads with Severus Snape to the point of mocking him. This is but one example, “Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people’s business” (Rowling, 287). In later books, he even runs away when he discovers his wife is pregnant because Remus fears he’s passed on his lycanthropy to his unborn child.

Even still, with his faults, he is a noble person. He is a loyal to a fault, like a wolf. He returns to his family. He helps his friends, even if it means scarifying himself. He pushes through anything to get the truth out. That perhaps is his downfall – was his downfall. He fought until the very end. He went to war even though he knew he could lose his life. This in turn brought his wife, Nymphadora Tonks, into the final battle. Willingly, he went to the front lines. This, in turn caused his wife to come searching for him. This, in turn led o one of the most heartbreaking descriptions in the series, Remus and Tonks, pale and still and peaceful-looking, apparently asleep beneath the dark, enchanted ceiling (Rowling, 661).

He became a hero. He broke barriers. He caused change to happen. He helped other see past this description by Newt Scamander, “Once a months, at the full moon, the otherwise sane and normal wizard or Muggle afflicted transforms into a murderous beast. Almost uniquely among fantastic creatures, the werewolf actively seeks humans in preference to any other kind of prey” (Scamander, 41-42). Remus Lupin is the epitome of hope.

Life is scary. Life with a debilitating illness is terrifying. One might wonder how to make it through. One might wonder if it is possible to make it through. Reading about Remus Lupin and his escapades can help. It is not be a cure, but it can give some relief. It can give hope. Hope is a very powerful thing.

Works Cited

Ackley, Betty J, Gail B Ladwig and Mary Beth Flynn Makic. Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: An

Evidence-based Guide to Planning Care. St. Louis: Elsevier, 2017.

Black, Sharon. "Harry Potter: A Magical Prescription for Just about Anyone." Journal of

Adolescent & Adult Literacy, Vol. 46, No. 7 (Apr., 2003), pp. 540-544. <https://www.jstor.org/stable/40015455>. Accessed 16 April 2019.

Curran, Robert. The Werewolf Handbook. London: Barron's, 2010.

Giblin, James Cross. When Plague Strikes: The Black Death, Smallpox, AIDS. New York:

HarperCollins Publishing, 1995.

Crispin, A.C. and Kathleen O’Malley. “Pure Silver”. Werewolves and Shapeshifters: Encounters

with the Beast Within. Edited by John Skipp, New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishing, 2010, 135-153.

Rowling, JK. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2007.

—.Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 1999.

Scamander, Newt. Fantastic Beasts and where to Find Them. London: Scholastic Press and

Arthur A. Levine Books, 2001.

Sivestri, Lina Anne. Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX-RN Examination. St.

Louis: Elsevier, 2017.

Suckling, Nigel. Werewolves. London: ff&f, 2006.

Failure - It's Okay

2019-02-11T15:00:00.000-05:00

It’s okay to fail. Say it with me. It’s. okay. To. fail.

Shocking news, isn’t it? But it’s true. It’s fine to fail. It doesn’t mean you’re a failure. It doesn’t mean the world will end. On the contrary. The world will be fine. You will be fine. In fact, you will be better than fine. You’ll be stronger. You’ll be wiser. You’ll be braver. It might feel like it right now. It might not feel like it tomorrow or the next day. With time, you will realize you did the right thing – for you. Don’t worry if some days you wonder the what if’s. What if I stuck with it? What if I finished? What if I’d chosen differently? What if I made the wrong choice? That’s okay. It’s okay to wonder. It’s only natural. It’s only human.

So yes, it is okay to fail. Those words come easy. The reality is that it’s much harder to fail than to succeed. You’ve made a choice. Now you have to stick with it. Now you wonder if it’s the right one. Sometimes the choice feels perfect. A weight’s been lifted and you’re happier than you’ve been in a long time. Everything is going to be okay. I can do this. Sometimes the choice feels like the worst decision you could’ve ever made. Grief and fear brings tears to your eyes. I am a failure. I’ve let everyone down.

People who love you and are truly your friend will not think any less of you for choosing to fail. Your friends and family love you. They support you. They want you happy. They want what is best for you. This is your life. You only have one. Make the most of it. Love it. Respect it. Respect yourself. Love yourself. Love the world.

But whatever you do – don’t kill yourself. Suicide is not the answer. Don’t hurt yourself. There are and will be people who would miss you if you left this world. Your pets (if you have any) would always wonder what happened. You would miss out on so much. You’d miss out on seeing new movies, music, television shows, games, etcetera. You’d never read another book. You’d never again get to taste cake or a grilled cheese or tacos. You’d never see the stars or feel the wind. So, no, don’t give up on life. That is not the point of this piece. If you are feeling low, talk to someone.

I speak from experience. For the year and a half I’ve been attending nursing school. I loved it. I wanted it. I wanted to eventually become a surgical nurse or a family nurse practitioner with a focus on geriatrics. At least I thought I did. The new semester started last month and the classes weren’t what I expected. They focused less on healing and more on logistics. The information shook me to the core.

This was misery. I spiraled into a deep dismay. What I was learning wasn’t me and it would never be me. I wept for hours almost every night. I had a migraine almost every day for a month. I’d lost myself - I didn’t feel like myself. I’d lost my spark – my sparkle. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t fathom spending 14 hours a day on assignments, never to catch up. I couldn’t fathom spending the rest of my life having exams – I suck at exams.

So I made one of the hardest decisions of my life. I quit. I gave up. I could not do it. This was not me. It would never be me. So I decided to fail. There was much deliberation and tears, but the moment I sent an email to my advisor I felt lighter than I had in a month. I knew I did the right thing.

Part of me wonders if I made the right choice. Part of me wonders what would’ve happened if I’d stuck with it until December 2020 (when I was supposed to graduate). Part of me wonders if I have disappointed my friends and family. Part of me is disappointed. But, I know it’s going to be okay. I know I did the right thing by failing.

It’s okay to fail.

Timeless Themes: Religion, Romance, and Revelations

2018-04-18T16:10:00.001-04:00

Each person has a unique experience when it comes to spirituality. In times of struggle people either find the faith, hold tight to their beliefs, or lose them. No two reactions are identical - just as no two people are identical. Human DNA is capable of creating 70 billion combination; that means there will be 70 billion people before a DNA sequence is replicated. Those 70 billion persons will have different experiences with economics, schooling, language, household makeup, traditions, local and national laws, neighborhoods.

"The Kennedy Curse", the April 15, 2018 episode of Timeless touches on fate, destiny, and belief. No single character is left uncathed. None of the relationship will ever be the same. For here down there will be spoilers.

Jessica seems to lose all faith in Wyatt. She felt ready to leave and let Wyatt have the life she thought he wanted. Yet she stayed once Lucy professed everything Wyatt had done in order to try and bring Jessica back (much to the horror of Lucy/Wyatt shippers around the world).

Lucy wonders if this is the end for her and Wyatt. She struggles with what she should do next and where she belongs in the group. Still recovering from an infected knife wound, Lucy doubts her abilities to help stop Rittenhouse. Does anyone really want her around?

The historic character of the week is a young John Kennedy. He grapples with the knowledge of the fabled Kennedy curse. The horrific demises of him and his siblings, and the uncertainty of his own abilities to changes the world for a greater good shakes him to the core.

Agent Christopher fears her self-doubt. Perhaps running this underground operation with Connor Mason is not the best path. Is this the right path? Instead, should she take her family into hiding? She is a ball of worry for her family's future. and struggles of managing their secret mission to save the world.

Garcia Flynn can't quite seem to find his groove. He needs to behave in order to survive and to say out of prison. It has been a long time since he has been on the good side of history. Helping the Lifeboat crew is a new experience; it is as if he is a fish out of water. Confronted with both the desire to help himself and companions and the desire to help himself he wonders if it is possible to change. For all viewers know, Flynn may or may not want to change. Being left in 1934 furthers this internal debate.

Carolyn Preston wants to protect Lucy. She does not know what to do or how to do it. Trying to get Lucy to join Rittenhouse did not work. Allowing her to escape did not work. Carolyn has utilized every option to save her child, but it has not worked. Her only option was to ask for help. The obvious move was to kidnap Agent Christopher and beg for this assistance. Of course it does not work. Carolyn decides the best course of action is to believe in her daughter and in her abilities to survive.

Wyatt seems least affected by doubts and uncertainties. He is in action mode through the whole episode. He is acting to save his marriage. He is acting to save his friends. He is acting to save JFK. Only time will tell whether this episode's themes of fate, destiny, and belief will affect him as they have affected every other character.

Jiya seems most influenced by the themes. Terrified, Jiya grasps for answers. She had a heart murmur and now she doesn't. She was not having visions and now she is.

To her, it is quite possible divine intervention is at play. This spiritual awakening is easier for her to understand and embrace. She hopes that something special has happened to her instead of something horrific. She can't help wonder if a Higher Power (as Jiya called it) because that means she will be safe. She will not get worse. She will not die. She fears death, as we have seen in a previous episode, and she mistrusts doctors. Even though a doctor told her everything was okay, there is that nagging what if.

Her reaction is understandable. She does not want to be alone nor does she want to be left. Even when working there is at least one other person with her. Jiya has lost her father and it is unclear where any other family member is. If there is a Higher Power Jiya will never be alone.

Rufus Carlin is also influenced by the themes. However, he reaction to religion and faith is bleak. For him there is nothing but the here and now.

Life has hardened Rufus. Growing up, he watched his mother struggle through life as she prayed for help. Heartbroken and jaded by this impoverished upbringing, Rufus decided it was up to himself to save the Carlin family. He worked hard and gotten much success. In his mind, if he had not paved the way to working for Coonor Mason things would not have gotten better.

It seems that many people abandoned him. God, if there is a God, never helped him. His father left him and never helped him, either. Possibly Rufus had few friends growing up. All Rufus had was his mother and brother and himself. So his reaction was understandable.

Malcolm Barrett portrayal as Rufus shined in his scenes. The fears for Jiya's health were palpable. Unshed tears of heartbreak and worry conveyed far more depth than any long-winded monologue. Every choice word uttered came with uncertainness, brokenness, and wariness. The fidgets, the breathlessness, the reactions convey the deep fear of losing one more person. This living nightmare does not want to end.

Timeless is a show with a mighty heart and a mighty message. It captures how one small change can have a major impact. Be sure to check out this historical adventure and prepare for an eye-opening adventure to save the world and to save history.

Spirits

2013-11-03T09:37:00.004-05:00

Photo Source

To Cinta

Hallowed grounds can hold many dark and troubling secrets; you just have to be willing to listen. Levi didn’t. He could, of course. He had the ability to listen to the departed; he chose not to. It was easy enough – Levi just tuned them out.

Tonight was no different. Spirits tried communicating with him as he wandered through a random New York cemetery – paper pad and pencil in hand. After a day of janitorial work, Levi enjoyed drawing a tombstone or two. It was his way to chill.

Near a stunted elm tree, he found himself in the midst of the oldest memorials in the churchyard. Made from resilient limestone, the carvings, although weathered from decades of sky-born perspiration and gusting breezes, were far more intricate than those carved in the last twenty years. They were art pieces, not just slabs of ultra-shiny rock that looked shellacked.

Passing by the pirate-themed marker, Levi smirked. His interest was piqued; he almost allowed its spirit to talk to him. What was that guy’s story? How’d a pirate get to NYC?

Levi decided against calling the pirate. If he talked to one, they’d all want to have a chat. Besides, Levi wasn’t even sure he could just contact a spirit out of the blue; usually talked to him in dreams. He sure wasn’t going to go to sleep right now.

Leaning against one of the stunted elms, he rested the sketch pad on his knee. Studying an intricate gravestone, he began to sketch the girl kneeling at the cross. The sculpture must have been a master in his craft. Each hair on the child’s head and every wrinkle in her dress was there. Levi would swear the figure would come alive at any moment.

So engrossed in his work, the rustle of underbrush in front of Levi made him start. With a jerk of the head, he watched as a scraggy tom cat slunk between the wooden rungs of the decapitated fence. “Chill,” Levi whispered, running a hand through his dark hair before going back to work.

A breeze picked up. Now he was surrounded by swishing leaves. The cat’s presence had broken the silence that had been present since he’d gotten there. Trying to ignore the noise, Levi went back to work even though his eyelids were getting heavy and his eyes were dry from tiredness.

On the wind, he swore he heard his name softly called. Levi tried to ignore that, too. He swore that in the darkness someone watched him. That he ignored as well. Then, there was a chilling breath on his neck. He couldn’t ignore that.

Turning his head, he saw the girl with her braids and rumpled dress. Mouth agape, no noise came from his lips as his feet moved as if of their own accord. In front of the stone cross, the girl pushed him down. With knees upon the stone, Levi was now a part of the cross. The girl was free.

Marty Stu in Literature

2013-05-23T12:01:00.002-04:00

In A Princess of Mars, Edgar Rice Burroughs creates the quintessential Marty Stu character with John Carter. A Marty Stu is a male character who's perfect (TV Trope Pp. 2-3). No matter what he attempts, he succeeds with little struggle. He’s also dashingly handsome and has few, if any, faults. This character’s perfect in every way. While reading the book, I looked for John Carter’s weaknesses. Sadly, he has none. I am left disappointed, wishing Burroughs had given the protagonist some sort of err in his disposition.

After unexpectedly transported to Mars, John readily learns the Martian language within a week. In that time, he becomes a chieftain – not once, but twice. By the end of the novel, he's Prince of Helium. John achieves these honors through battles. Amazingly, he has perfect aim and manages to kill several beings by punching them in the jaw. He is injured; however, John quickly heals from his wounds and suffers no ill-effects from them. Moreover, John wins the (alien) girl of his dreams, teaches the elders the importance of kindness and friendship, and trains the thoats to be submissive. He adapts well to all situations and inhabits both Earth and Mars with little need for adjusting to his surroundings.

Even on Earth, he's the perfect man. A self-proclaimed gentleman, John fought in the Civil War and survived. This is quite a feat, considering 620,000 people died from infections and injuries (Davis Pp. 1). He also became wealthy after successfully mining for gold in Arizona. Finally, John Carter came back to life twice. For all we know, he might be immortal.
People choose book for various reasons. Sometimes, the plot is of interest. Other times, it’s the characters. If well-developed beings with flaws and weaknesses are a reader's main focus, A Princess of Mars wouldn't be a good choice.

Works cited:

Burroughs, E. R. (n.d.). Project Gutenberg. Retrieved March 18, 2013, from A Princess of Mars: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/62/62-h/62-h.htm
Davis, B. (2004, November 1). The Civil War, Strange and Fascinating Facts. Retrieved March 18, 2013, from Civil War Home: http://www.civilwarhome.com/casualties.htm
Trope, T. (n.d.). Marty Stu. Retrieved March 18, 2013, from TV Tropes: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MartyStu

Contest update

2013-05-01T10:03:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone! I hope you're well. This quick post is to announce an update in the contest contest! All you will have to do is answer the 3 questions below. Please, post your answers as a comment and leave your name and email so I can contact you. The first 5 people with the correct answers will get a short story dedicated to them! There are still 4 winners to be chosen! Who will it be? You?

1. What is this blog site about?
2. What was my first entry about?
3. Where are 2 places can you find me on the internet? *hint look in the links section*

I will extend the contest until May 31st!

Contest Time

2013-04-27T19:04:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone! I hope you're well. This quick post is to announce a contest! All you will have to do is answer the 3 questions below. Please, post your answers as a comment and leave your name and email so I can contact you. The first 5 people with the correct answers will get a short story dedicated to them!

1. What is this blog site about?
2. What was my first entry about?
3. Where are 2 places can you find me on the internet? *hint look in the links section*

Entries start today, April 27, 2013. It will close on Tuesday, April 30, 2013. Date subject to change or be extended!

Better or Worse

2013-04-27T18:57:00.001-04:00

For better or worse, many are slaves to troubles and experiences, be it a job, bad romance, or illness. Sometimes, it’s important that these bonds are broken. In Bram Stoker’s Dracula is the idea of slavery and freedom is woven throughout. Many characters within the book are trapped in their own unusual troubles from which they are ultimately are freed.

Jonathan Harker is unwittingly enslaved by his employer, Count Dracula. After arriving in Transylvania, Harker is forced to live within a few rooms of Dracula’s castle. During his month long stay, the Count persistently questions Harker about the inner-workings of English life. Ultimately, he uncovers Dracula’s true nature. Fearing for his life (and rightly so), he flees to a convent into yet another form of bondage. This time, it’s a slavery of the mind; Harker suffers a mental breakdown. True to his perseverant disposition, he eventually recovers, slays Dracula, and starts a family.

Lucy, a friend of Harker, is also ensnared by the Count. The vampire slowly drains the blood from her body, causing her to become severely anemic. To protect her, a vampire repellant, garlic, is draped around the room. Eventually, Dracula breaks through the barrier and turns Lucy into a vampire. The only way this character is freed is by being staked.

Even Dracula is subjugated. This monster is a slave to blood and time. While he’s essentially immortal, the Count’s time spent in daylight is minimal. He’s forced to drink blood or shrivel up into nothingness. Dracula can’t live safely with humans nor do humans want to be near him, thus the man is forced into isolation. Like Lucy, he is only released from slavery by being killed.

Dracula is a juxtapose of freedom and slavery. Throughout the novel, these characters struggle with setbacks, successes, and their own bondages. In the end, they are all freed.

Bibliography

Stoker, B. (2005). Dracula. New York: Back Bay Books.

The World

2013-04-12T19:58:00.002-04:00

The world can be a selfish place. Each country has its own beliefs and political system that is safeguarded. If a government feels their country, its traditions, and the general lifestyle (the way of life) is being threatened, war is declared. Furthermore, people often act to benefit themselves. From an early age, humans work to better themselves in attempts to gain something - be it wealth, items, protection, or sameness. The idea of protecting sameness fuels the monarchy in The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin.

Argaven, the monarch in the novel, is a being hell-bent on keeping his world at a slow and steady pace, where the normal speed limit is 25 MPH (Le Guin 37). He even shuns an alliance with a solar system 17 light years away; even though chances for war would be slim to none, while economic and educational growth would be bountiful.

Is there a reason Argaven chose this path? As a patriot of the country, the King naturally wants to protect his world and its way of life. But why? Is it for the love of his land and people or is there another reason?

Estraven understands what drives Argaven. “I don’t mean love, when I say patriotism I mean fear. The fear of the other. And its expressions are political, not poetical…. It grows in us, that fear. It grows in us year by year.” (Le Guin par 13). The King has no love for his world. He doesn’t care if there’s evolution. In fact, Argaven doesn’t want it; he fears it. This terror of the unknown and what it can do to change the whole system of this world has turned him into an insane, closed-minded fool.

Humans like sameness. Change can be scary. Sometimes, it can bring the worst in people (as seen in current political and socioeconomic news). Through her book, Le Guin explored these fears.

Works Cited

Le Guin, U. (1969). The Left Hand of Darkness. New York: Walker and Company.

Simplicity

2013-04-03T18:28:00.002-04:00

Man’s need for a simple life was what HG Wells discussed in “The Star”. During his time, the Second Industrial Revolution was in full swing. Things changed rapidly as new inventions were produced. While some approved of the situation, Wells, among others, “lamented the momentous changes… to the landscape, social relations, and the very souls of England's people” (Koot par 4).

To understand the situation, let’s remember the inventions from the late-1800’s (Ryan par 12). The telephone, electric light, and typewriter were developed during the 1870’s. The first skyscrapers and elevators showed up in the 1880’s, while the phonograph, electric generator and internal combustion engine came in 1890’s. These inventions led to machines of travel.

To the majority of Victorian Europeans, those things sound like wonderful innovations. This allowed for the freedom of exploration and independent living. However, that freedom brought the disintegration of village life. Previously, people needed each other for food and shelter. Sharing news had to be done via letter or visiting. To marry, people often relied on family to arrange the marriage. However, technology killed the intimacy of hamlet life.

In “The Star”, Wells explored how people, primed by the industrial revolutions progress, were initially excited by something new. Hordes of strangers from across Europe, jubilant by the idea of watching two planets collide, left their villages and joined together to watch this show. Their feelings were described as “suppressed excitement, rising almost to shouting pitch, as the two remote bodies had rushed together” (Wells par 6). Exaltation turned to apprehension when the impact created natural disasters. With the threat of Earth’s destruction, Europeans embraced the simpler and communal life they’d turned away.

The double-edged sword of revolution allowed for exploration and expansion. But, it changed and weakened whole societies. When faced with life-threatening events, simple things are what’s desired, not technology. Wells believed modern innovations wasn’t the futures key; inventions were the destruction of it.

Works Cited:

Koot, G. M. (2006). Aspects of the Industrial Revolution in Britian . Retrieved March 11, 2013, from U Mass - Darmouth : http://www1.umassd.edu/ir/
Ryan. (2012, Feburary 27). The Second Industrial Revolution, 1870-1914. Retrieved March 2013, 2013, from US History Scee : http://www.ushistoryscene.com/uncategorized/secondindustrialrevolution/
Wells, H. (2010). The Star. Retrieved March 11, 2013, from Classic Reader: http://www.classicreader.com/book/176/1/

Mars

2013-03-29T09:13:00.001-04:00

Mars is the main setting in A Princess of Mars by Burroughs and The Marian Chronicles by Bradbury. The ability to spot the red planet without a telescope, all the while unable to visit, makes this exotic. Is Mars life like ours? Do aliens have the same hopes and dreams? Through storytelling, Bradbury and Burroughs solidify these musings. Carl Sagan famously stated, "Mars has become a kind of mythic arena onto which we have projected our Earthly hopes and fears.”

Burroughs’s book paints a rugged, barbaric picture. His martins are inhuman; both in appearance (some are green and have 4 arms) and personality (the beings are cold, cruel, and unloving). Even the technology presented is rudimentary. This Mars is an archaic, ignorant society which hyperbole mirrors Burroughs fears for Earth. Without further evolution and inventions, civilization won’t rise to its potential.

Mars, in The Martian Chronicles, is similar to Earth. Some of the areas actually look like suburban Illinois down to the “white house and red brick ones, and tall elm trees... and tall maples and horse chestnuts. And church steeples with golden bells” (Bradbury 50). These humanoid beings have friends, jobs, and families. There are even modern Earthly conveniences. They’re civilized. Bradbury’s Mars shows a planet at its best – technology and humanity working in tandem.

Like humans, Bradbury’s enlightened aliens are protective. To guard Mars from being overrun and destroyed by Earthlings, Martians often resort to drastic, heinous measures to rid possible invaders. In “The Earth Men” the aliens place the humans in an insane asylum and euthanize them. “The Third Expedition” Martians transform and mimic the astronauts dead relatives in able to kill the Earthlings.

Space is the final frontier. It’s a dangerous unknown fascinating and terrifying people, much like the West fascinated east coast settlers. So, is it a wonder science fiction novelist explores the ‘what ifs’ of Mars?

Works Cited

Boucher, G. (2012, August 8). Our favorite Martians: The red planet, a pop culture history. Retrieved March 26, 2013, from Los Angels Times: http://herocomplex.latimes.com/books/our-favorite-martians-the-red-planet-a-pop-culture-history/#/0

Bradbury, R. (1958). The Martian Chronicles. Garden City: Doubleday & Company, Inc. .

Burroughs, E. R. (n.d.). Project Gutenberg. Retrieved March 18, 2013, from A Princess of Mars: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/62/62-h/62-h.htm

Roles Played

2013-03-11T11:24:00.002-04:00

We are not Gods, nor should we play the role. When attempted, it can lead to a disaster of monstrous proportions. It can be the undoing of the man. This is the point Mary Shelly is attempting to make in her novel, Frankenstein.

Shelley introduces Dr. Victor Frankenstein as a heartsick fellow suffering from malaise and depression. Frankenstein feels he's "lost everything, and cannot begin life anew" (Shelley 42). Although hesitant to disclose the reasons for his state of mind, the doctor’s story unfolds.

Due to his background as a physician, he is fascinated with how the human body works and the secret to longevity. He becomes obsessed with creating life. This fixation leads Frankenstein to experiment with reanimation where ultimately, he builds his own humanoid being. The doctor isn’t prepared for the consequences.

Dr. Frankenstein has created a twisted, cruel parody of humanity that is hideous in appearance as well as a menace to society. Alarmed and driven insane by his creation, Frankenstein flees his home. Angry and alone, the monster also leaves his birthplace, vowing revenge. Rightfully believing his creature is his brother’s murderer, he hopes to rectify his horrible mistake. The doctor seeks out his creation, who tells him, “I am alone and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me” (Shelley 205). While reluctant to create a companion for the monster, Victor Frankenstein does relent. While looking at his new creation, he again sees the lack of humanity in her eyes and smile. Subsequently, he destroys her. In retaliation, the monster continues to kill those closest to the scientist, including Dr. Frankenstein’s best friend and his new bride.

Ultimately, Dr. Frankenstein dies a broken and lonely man. His dreams of creating life, shattered. In playing God, he makes the path to how own demise.

Works Cited

Shelley, M. (1888). Frankenstein . London: George Routledge and Sons.

Poe: Life & Times

2013-03-09T08:26:00.001-05:00

Death and insanity are two focal points in Edgar Allan Poe’s stories. Like the beating heart beneath the floorboards in The Tell-Tale Heart those themes are prominent. Poe is a master storyteller, but was his focus on the morbid because he loved horror stories or did certain circumstances influence his tales?

Poe astutely defined his mental status by stating, “I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.” On the surface, he seems to embrace his madness. However, there are many events in his life that could drive any soul into mental instability. By the time he is 5-years-old, Poe is orphaned (par 5-79). Unofficially adopted by the Allan’s, he’s separated from his brother to live with this family. Soon after that move, he’s whisked away to several boarding schools all the while his adoptive family moves to England. Then in the late 1820’s and early 1830’s his biological brother and adoptive family dies. To put the final nail in Poe’s proverbial coffin, his wife dies from Tuberculosis. Two years later, and after a second marriage, he too dies from unknown causes.

The Tell-Tale Heart’s leading antagonist is driven insane after committing a heinous crime. No matter where he goes, the sound of his victim’s heartbeat plagues his twisted mind. Driven to extreme measures, he confesses to the visiting police, “Villains!" I shrieked, "dissemble no more! I admit the deed! --tear up the planks! --here, here! --it is the beating of his hideous heart!" (Poe 202).

During the Victorian era, a man’s job was to provide and protect his family. Poe did neither of those things. He often was in debt due to alcoholism and gambling. Under his watch, his family dies. While there is nothing he could’ve done, Poe still might have felt immense guilt. He must’ve felt like a failure. The Tell-Tale Heart is his declaration to his feelings and experiences with death and insanity.

Works Cited

Chronology of the Life of Edgar Allan Poe . (2011, December 4). Retrieved March 4, 2013, from Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore: http://www.eapoe.org/geninfo/poechron.htm

Edgar Allan Poe Quotes. (2013, March 4). Retrieved March 4, 2013, from Brainy Quotes: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/e/edgar_allan_poe.html

Poe, E. A. (2001). Complete Tales and Poems. Edison: Castle Books.

A Well Traveled Theme

2013-02-23T16:13:00.001-05:00

In Grimm’s fairytales, shoes play an important role. They're meant to represent literal and philosophical journeys the characters face. Shoes also embody the ideas of glory, retribution and self-confidence.

In “The Elves”, a hardworking, pious couple falls on hard times. For some reason, their shoes don’t sell, which depresses the cobbler. To him his life is worthless. However, there were elves who believed in him. They see the greatness he could become. They help him. For months, these beings create the shoes, which sell. Overjoyed with their luck, the couple wants to discover who’s helping them. When they do, the wife sews the elves clothes. This reward proves that even with their newfound affluence, they haven't changed or become greedy. Until his death “whateve[r] he took in hand prospered” (Grimm 172), even without the elves’ skills. By the elves providing help, the shoemaker regains his self-confidence once lost.

At the other end of the spectrum, shoes represent retribution. In “Snow White”, the Stepmother attempts to murder Snow White no more than four times after her magic mirror proclaims, “Queen, you are full fair, 'tis true, But Snow-white fairer is than you.” (Grimm 214). To get her just deserts, she’s invited to Prince Charming and Snow White’s wedding. Not only is the stepmother viewing Snow White on her happiest day, but she ultimately pays the price for her plot. At this celebration, the stepmother is forced to dance in red-hot slippers; she must do so until she dies. Perhaps if the woman hadn’t been so homicidal, she could’ve attended as an honored guest in a luxurious pair of slippers.

By walking through these stories, the hidden meaning of shoes can be uncovered. “Aschenputtel” (Cinderella) and “Clever Grethel” also use footwear as symbolism. The reader just has to take a stroll through these tales to find out.

Works Cited

Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. "The Elves." Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Household Stories: from the collection of the bros. Trans. Lucy Crane. London: MacMillan, 1882. 171-174. eBook.

Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. "Snow White." Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Household Stories: from the collection of the bros. Trans. Lucy Crane London : MacMallan , 1882. 213-222. eBook.

Down the Rabbit Hole

2013-02-12T20:28:00.002-05:00

Lewis Carroll’s novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” as a whole could be construed as a satire about England and its monarchy. Every aspect of this story alludes to the British lifestyle in the 19^th century. While reading about Wonderland, one cannot just focus on events within the story, such as the tea party, the croquet match, and trial. The astute reader ought to deeply ponder the people who inhabit this fantasy land.

Alice, to the casual reader, seems to be a child with an overactive imagination. However, upon closer inspection, this girl can be seen as the voice of reason. As early as chapter 2, she notices how “curiouser and curiouser” Wonderland and its inhabitants are. She knows how things should be and yet, in this world they aren’t. In fact, she sees Wonderland’s laws as both meaningless and insane, just as the British saw their own laws.

At first glance, the Mad Hatter is simply an insane man Alice meets. There is more to this character than insanity. During the 19^th century, the Mad Hatter Syndrome (mercury poisoning) was a serious problem. Milliners used a mercury solution when making felt, which meant they inhaled the metallic particles.

Obviously, the Red Queen represented the British monarchy; this character could also be symbolism for upper-class frivolity. At her whim, she’d have her servants hold croquet matches that had rules designed to serve the Queen. If something displeased her, the Red Queen announced, “Off with her head!” In Victorian England, the monarchy was criticized due to the mental instability of Queen Victoria.

Carroll created a rich story filled with vibrant, memorable characters. By showing how Alice, the Mad Hatter, and the Red Queen acted and how they responded to everyday life in Wonderland, he allows readers to explore 19^th century Britain. Hidden within this classic fantasy is reality. “Will you, won’t you, will you won’t you” (Carroll 111) join this history lesson?

Works Cited

Brown, Mark. "19th Centurty British Pamphlets ." n.d. britishpamphlets. eBook. 11 Feburary 2013.

Carroll, Lewis. "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland ." Carroll, Lewis. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. New York: Anness Publishing Limited, 1995. 13-137. Book.

Connealy, Leigh Erin MD. The Mad Hatter Syndrome: mercury and biological toxicity. 6 Janurary 2006. website. 11 Feburary 2013.

www.englishmonarchs.co.uk . The House Of Hanover: Victoria . 2005. website. 11 Feburary 2013.

Interview with author Jamallah Bergman

2013-01-01T20:28:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! To start 2013 out, I’ve interviewed Jamallah Bergman. You can find more about her on her website (http://jamallahbergmansstoriesoflove.weebly.com/)

1. Why do you write?

Well I write because I have a story to tell. Basically the muses that voice their opinion in my head will let me know what I need to let others know. Plus I always seem to come up with ideas for stories with topics that are unlike some that you normally read about. But that's what I like, I love different story line's and most of what I write about is completely different. I always use the same type of characters, which are black full figured women and white strong men. But my characters show their emotions, which isn't the norm especially with the men when they are showing their 'true emotions' towards the woman they love.

2. What sort of stories do you like to write?

I basically write about interracial romance....sometimes contemporary and erotica romance.

3. How did you get interested in this genre?
I basically have always been interested in interracial romance, dating and marriage. For as long as I can remember, I've always been attracted to white men and so writing about interracial romance is just something familiar with me.

4. Do you have any tips for writers who want to get into this genre?

Honestly with any genre besides what I write about, I basically will tell you to write what you know and feel. Things that peek your interest in the genre. For me it's mainly about the love between the two people involved in the story. Race is just a after thought in the story as well as it is in real life for me. I don't look at a person that I get involved with as a "white man", I think of him as being just a "man" PERIOD. So basically if you get in the genre, I would write how you feel.

5. When you write something, do you have a goal in mind? IE do you want to evoke a certain emotion or get your readers to ponder something deeper?
I think that whenever I write a story, I have a goal to make people think. The characters are like people you meet everyday and the problems they deal with are so real to life that it makes you really walk in their shoes. The experiences they deal with are probably more than likely what my readers are dealing with now. I like to be different when I write my stories, I mean I like to keep it to where people really can take something from what I write.

6. Thanks for allowing me to interview you! Do you have any closing remarks you'd like to share?

Well thank you for allowing me to be here to be interviewed, I had a lot of fun. Well I'd like to say that if you become interested in writing, I say follow your dreams and go for it. Don't let others tell you or make you think that writing is just some kind of a fluke or something. If you have a story within you, sit down and start writing it out.

What is Contemporary Poetry?

2012-10-20T18:49:00.001-04:00

What is Contemporary Poetry?

Cotemporary poets adapt the ancient forms of verse to create a revolutionary piece of verbal art. Authors are always trying new combinations of line length, interesting formats, and unique rhyming schemes to create these innovated poems. Thus, the evolution of contemporary poetry is never stagnant, it is always moving towards something new.

Rhyme doesn’t seem to be part of contemporary poetry; however it’s only full rhymes that aren’t part of modern poems. Poets tend to shy away from them because ‘it can be both stale and predictable’ (Keane, pg. 2). They’re predictable because poets have used them for 1000’s of years. According to Ezra Pound rhymes ‘must have in it some slight element of surprise’; which half-rhymes do because the rhyme is unexpected. Half-rhymes create movement and joins the stanzas together.

Syllabic is one type of half-rhyme. It’s ‘a rhyme in which the last syllable of each word sounds the same but does not necessarily contain vowels’ (Keane, pg. 10). The word groups ‘smear/pear’ and ‘dozen/raven’ are examples of this. Jon Anderson’s poem, ‘Voyage’, uses syllabic rhyme. One example of syllabic rhyme in ‘Voyage’ that caught my eye was ‘lands/stands’. I noticed it because I studied the end of each line – it was like a game to find the syllabic rhyme.

Assonance and consonance are two of my favorite half-rhymes because I find that it is fun to come up with unusual rhyming word groups. Assonance is when the vowels match (Keane, pg. 9). ‘Tube/Prudent’ rhymes with assonance. “We Real Cool” by Gwendolyn Brookes has assonance because of ‘cool/school’ and ‘thin/sin’. Assonance focuses on the emotional side of a poem (a sad poem uses a hard vowel sound – ‘gong/longingly’ - while a lighthearted poem uses soft vowel sounds – ‘look/stoop’).

Similar to assonance is consonance. However, consonants match instead of vowels (Keane, pg 10). “Heavy/Hike” is an example of consonance. Consonance adds connections between the different stanzas and lines because of the same first letter. With consonance, playfulness can be added (goopy, gloppy gopher guts, anyone?). I prefer assonance to consonance though, because I like working with the vowel sounds.

Besides rhymes, the form of a poem is important. Form is the shape that the poem is in – from long and skinny to short and wide. It can also be a representation of the verse’s topic. John Hollander’s “Swan and Shadow” is an example of form representing the topic. It’s shaped like two swans and is about a swan swimming at dusk. To read this poem, turn to page 333 of The Vintage Book of Contemporary Poetry, the second edition. It also gives direction how to read the poem. Ending sentences in the middle of a line or in the next stanza instructs the reader when to pause. Because of the period induced pauses, the reader has time to ponder the poem’s topic. If the form is unique, it sticks with the reader for a long time, thus the reader continues to think about the topic.

Another style used in contemporary poetry is the Haiku. It has been around for 700 years. It’s 3 lines long and has only 17 syllables, that are dispersed in an 5-7-5 syllable scheme. These poems are about the natural world, including human behavior (Keane, par. 4). Related to the haiku is the haibun, which doesn’t look like a poem. It’s a prose poem with haiku’s interspersed through it. It also ends with haiku (Keane, pg. 2). A journey is taken through this prose poem. Humor and/or serious topics are also part of the poem as is imagery and metaphor. I am not fond of writing either form because they are too restricting and I never can say all I want to say with them.

The versatile sonnet is the form that I’m drawn towards. It reminds me of two of my favorite poets, Blake and Tennyson. William Shakespeare perfected the sonnet form which is still used today (Miller, par. 15). It’s 14 lines long and its tradition form of alternating rhyme scheme and can be manipulated in a plethora of ways to say precisely what the author wants so that the reader gets the most out of the poem. Ending a traditional sonnet is a couplet, which are 2 successive rhyming lines of equal length. “Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?” is an example of a traditional sonnet. Words that rhyme in Shakespeare’s poem are ‘day /May’, ‘temperate/date’, and ‘see/thee’. To make a sonnet contemporary, many poets use either half-rhymes or no rhymes at all. John Berryman’s ‘Sonnet 96’ is an example of a sonnet with no rhyme. Through this poem, he points out the absurdity of life. He also speaks of bracing for change.

Originating in France is the sonnet’s relative – the 39 line long sestina (Unst, par. 3 and 6). Repeated in each stanza are 6 non-rhyming words. Rudyard Kipling ‘Sestina of the Tramp-Royal’ is an example of a sestina. His 6 words were ‘all’, ‘world’, ‘good’, ‘long’, ‘done’, and ‘die’. This poem is about the paths a person travels and what they see. Kipling also stresses that as long as a person has health, then they are wealthy, even without owning any money.

The ode and the elegy are other types of poems. An ode celebrates life while an elegy mourns the loss of life. The ode is an ancient Greek and Roman poem that was sung at celebrations, for rulers, or at important events (mahalo, par. 1). Each stanza has 10 lines and follows an alternating rhyming scheme (par. 9-10). John Keats ‘Ode to a Nightingale’ is a famous ode (par. 13). In this poem, Socrates is imagining being resurrected as a nightingale after drinking the hemlock. The elegy, in contrast, is written for someone who has died (mahalo, par. 1). It has no set form, but some type of metrical pattern or rhyme should be included (par. 2). To see an example of a classic elegy, take a look at Langston Hughes's elegy, ‘One Way Ticket’, which is an elegy towards the death of just laws.

Cotemporary poetry’s purpose is to combine refreshing rhymes with traditional forms to create a piece of prose that shows life in a realistic as well as explicit way. The modern poet wants to connect the reader to the mental and psychical world around them and to shed light on new ideas. Poets want to surprise the reader with the ideas that are embedded into their poems through the rhymes and forms he or she uses. The contemporary poem is meant to evolve and its form is meant to be altered. Never stagnant and ever changing – that is what a contemporary poem is.

Works Cited

Anderson, J. (n.d.). Voyage. Retrieved November 1, 2009, from poemhunter.com: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/voyage/

Berryman, J. (2003, May 22). Sonnet 96. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from American Poems: http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/john-berryman/9286

Brooks, G. (1963). We Real Cool. Retrieved November 1, 2009, from Poetry Foundation: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=17315

Burke, Brenda Ann. "Three Reasons to Write a Sonnet: Why This Poetry Form May be the Structure Your Draft Writing Needs." 22 March 2008. Suite101.com. 15 November 2009 <http://writing-poetry.suite101.com/print_article.cfm/three_reasons_to_write_a_sonnet>.

Hollander, J. (2003). Swan and Shadow. In J. McClathchy, The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Poetry (p. 333). New York: Vintage Books.

Hughes, Langston. "Langston Hughes "One Way Ticket" Poem animation." 20 March 2009. Mefeedia. 17 November 2009 <http://www.mefeedia.com/entry/langston-hughes-one-way-ticket-poem-animation/15637560>.

Keane, E. (2009, September 28). Can Contemporary Poems Still USe Rhyme and Meter?

Keane, E. (2009, October 22). Haibun and Haiku - Twp Japanese Forms.

Kipling, Rudyard. "Sestina of the Tramp-Royal ." Famous Poets and Poems . 17 November 2009 <http://www.famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/rudyard_kipling/poems/14460>.

Mahalo. "How to Write an Elegy Poem." 2009. Mahalo. 17 November 2009 <http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-write-an-elegy-poem>.

Mahola. "How to Write an Ode." 2009. Mahola. 17 November 2009 <http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-write-an-ode-poem>.

Miller, N. (n.d.). Basic Sonnet Forms. Retrieved November 2, 2009, from sonnets.org: http://www.sonnets.org/basicforms.htm

Saunders, A. (2009). Consonance, Assonance, and Alliteration . Retrieved November 1, 2009, from Bella Online: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art46600.asp

Shakespeare, W. (n.d.). Shall I Compare Thee to a Summers Day? Retrieved November 2, 2009, from Love Poems: http://www.love-poems.me.uk/shakespeare_sonnet_18_shall_i_compare_thee_to_a_summers_day.htm

Unst, Ariadne. "Poetry Form - The Sestina." Bay Moon. 17 November 2009 <http://www.baymoon.com/~ariadne/form/sestina.htm>.

Paulette Mahurin Interview

2012-09-29T16:05:00.000-04:00

Author Paulette Mahurin took some time out of her busy schedule to do an interview with me! Enjoy. You can find out more about her book, right here : https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Persecution-of-Mildred-Dunlap-by-Paulette-Mahurin/118847341594558?ref=ts&fref=ts

When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

When I was ten, my older brother was 18.That's when I began writing, that's also when he landed in a metal institution, diagnosed with schizophrenic. He was morbidly obese and severely bullied in Jr. High and High School, and had no friends. As a result of his obesity and mental illness, he had terrible body odor and was repulsive to be around. He was also inappropriate sexually in that he'd try to kiss female family members. I couldn't have friends over, and as I result I didn't have friends outside of the family until I was in Jr. High School myself. I couldn't talk about it because I was so ashamed of being related to him that I didn't want to draw attention to it, so I wrote. I wrote to express the feelings of rejection I felt in life because I had a brother who was damaged. I was young and didn't understand what was happening. I couldn't talk to my parents about him, they had their own heartache, and I wouldn't talk to my cousins or other family, out of fear. I was afraid of becoming like him, fat, socially isolated, and insane. If I talked about him something inside of me would start to surface, so I kept a lid on it, except when writing. I wrote, and when I did, I felt safe to say anything I wanted to. My writing world became my sanctuary, where I felt free to be who I was, my authentic self. To this day, I feel the same about writing but now I've grown and developed into a woman who can relate to friends and am happily married with a great job that I love. Along with rescuing dogs, writing is my passion, a gift of Grace, that came to me when I most needed reprieve in my life.

Thank-you for sharing your story! So, do you think that by writing you overcame your fears and came to understand your brother as well as the stigma of his mental disorder?

You're welcome. I think writing helped me face a lot of fears but I can't say it was writing per se that helped me understand my brother and mental illness, but rather life, experience. And, the fact that I'm a Nurse Practitioner and have had to take care of people with mental illness. When it's out there, not so close to home, it's easier to see. Experience became my teacher, and thankfully as I aged, my compassion grew. Eventually, I came to love my brother and understand him, as much as anyone can understand what is outside of their immediate experience. I can't know what it is to live in the soul of a schizophrenic, but I do know that the little girl, who started writing at around ten years old, grew up physically and emotionally. Writing helps to clarify and expand on what lessons I've been taught by my teacher, life.

Are there any topics or genres that are you don't like to write about or write in, thus become off-limits? Why or why not?

I don't really have anything I won't write about. If I'm into a storyline and something comes up that is necessary for the story to move forward it would probably be included. As far as genres, I feel that a good story is a good story and I'm really not opposed to any genre. I'm open. That feels good to me, to be open and receptive to what may come.

As a nurse practitioner with a family as well as animal rescuer, you must be busy! When and how do you find time to write? Is there a particular time of the day (or night) you seem to write better?

I work part-time as an NP, which allows me plenty of time to write. I am also on the tail end of a long bout with Lyme Disease, gotten from a rescue dog who had ticks on her. I have to pace myself and do really good time management so I don't relapse or dive back into chronic fatigue that is incapacitating. I pace myself with animal rescue or volunteer activity and have redirected a lot of my energy into promoting the book since the profits are going to the first and only no-kill animal shelter in Ventura County, CA where I live. When I write, it's in the morning, when my energy level is best. My day usually starts to wind down late afternoon. I put in what time I can and just take my time over time. The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap, was a six year process.

Yes, I agree that time management is key for writing! Do you have any tips for aspiring writers or those who don’t think they have the time to write?

I think the most significant things I can say for any writer is this, a writer writes. Don't worry about time, amount or accomplishing anything, just get your butt in the chair and vomit out the words into sentences. Spit it out, whether for ten minutes or ten hours. If you don't sit in that chair and put the words on the page, the process isn't happening. What's in the thought, I don't have time to write? Look at it, look at the nature of a thought, it isn't real, isn't what's happening. All a writer needs to do is tell their head, their thoughts to shut up, and sit down and write. The amount of time we spend thinking we can't achieve something can be the time we spend doing it. Don't get hung up on the amount of time, it's the act, putting the word on the page that gives a writer the sense of being involved in writing, in the process, and that's all a writer does.

So true! What you just said reminded me of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). A person write 50,000 words in 30 days. Do you think that would be a great way to jumpstart a writing career?

It can I suppose, but that would remain to be seen. If you were to sit down a hundred writers and ask each of them what jumpstarted your writing career, the answers would probably vary. There may be repeating themes but they would all be individual. Some write because it's recommended for therapy, keep a journal. Others write because it's as natural as breathing and they're in their own skin while writing, for others it may be an inspiration, another a writing class and prompt, and sure, for some an idea of writing 50, 000 words in 30 days. Why not? What motivates, what gives rise to moving that body to the chair to start writing, what overcomes the resistant inertia some writers struggle with, what douses out the screaming insecurities in ones head that prevents the action, what causes one to overcome the fear of rejection or not being good enough, can these things be overcome and jumpstarted by a prompt of a number of words in a certain time period? The answer is yes, if it does. But isn't that true for a hundred other things we can both think of to get us going, to move the body to the chair and bang away at the keys?

So, to conclude, I want to ask you, my readers a question or two. First, if you write, what inspires you and your writing? Two, when do you write?

My Merlin Announcement video

2012-09-25T16:34:00.002-04:00

Life with Merlin

2012-09-22T21:21:00.002-04:00

The other day, after watching a Merlin fan video on Youtube, I read through the comments. A few people were talking about how Merlin changed their life. There was such respect and awe for this program. Before I continue with this entry, I must share what was said in the comments of this video (You can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqz7oaTyAlQ&feature=share&list=UUmmZyOotBYjOoENaUX0oI8g):

TheLovelylostsoul said: I was wondering if you could expand on this quote and idea to make it a longer video, to show that it really DOES exist, if in our hearts if nothing else. ??????? Just something I've always wanted from my really "Merlin is my life" Merlin vidders. Just to show that the legends do go on and effect us all, because I know I've been effected by this show. More than anything else.

Misshobbity wrote: I agree wholeheartedly, I have never been more affected by anything, LOTR is the closest but Merlin has captured my heart like nothing else, it inspires me in so many ways. I would love to try and expand on this video because I truly do believe that there was a Camelot, an Arthur, a Warlock Merlin, that it wasn't just a myth. When I visited Glastonbury, it felt so spiritual...So perhaps I could combine Merlin with the real places and footage to show how it is a part of our lives? :)

Those words got me thinking. If those two people were affected by Merlin, surely there are others who have felt and feel the same way. I realized I wanted to honor those people (the fans of Merlin) and I wanted to honor this British phenomenon that is Merlin. However, the way I wanted to do it didn’t form until later that evening.

What is it? A documentary made by the fans for the fans.

How will I do this? By shouting out to all the fans via social media, I’ll ask for clips.

What sort of clips? I want un-watermarked videos of fans cosplaying Merlin, people answering specific questions pertaining to the show, fans meeting, people singing songs about this fantastic series, and I’ll even take images of artwork that honor the fandom. The only thing I don’t want to see is fan-videos where someone has dubbed music to scenes.

1. When do I want have this done? I have no idea. I’ll work on it a year or two if that’s what it takes.

2. How long will it be? I have no idea. We’ll just have to wait and see.

3. What will I do with the documentary? I’m not entirely sure, but I will post it to YouTube.

4. What do you get out of it? You get to honor one of your favorite TV programs. Your name will also be in the credits.

5. How long should the clips be? I’d like to keep them under an hour. If it’s 3 minutes, that’s fine. If it’s 10, that’s fine too.

6 What is the title of the piece? That is something I’m not sure. Here is what I’ve come up with:

1. Keeping the Secret

2. Finding Destiny

3.Magic Within

Which one do you like? If you don’t like any of them, please let me know! Don’t be afraid to make suggestions, too.

7. Is there a deadline to submit? No, at this moment. I hope to get a lot of the videos by December, but I will accept them in January, February, March, etc.

8. What language should I record this in? If you could do it in English, that would be nice. If you can't, please provide subtitles.

9. Last, but not least, what are the questions?

1. How has Merlin affected or changed your life? Why?

2. What character has most influenced you? Why?

3. Has Merlin inspired you? Why and how?

I look forward to seeing the clips! You can send me them via kay.ziegler@yahoo.com. If you can’t upload them into an e-mail, Yousendit is a great way to forward them to me. It’s free! If you have any comments or concerns, please, email me or respond to this entry. I can’t wait to get started on this project! As soon as I get time, I’ll be uploading a vlog about the project. I’ll post it here when it’s up.

Wandering with the Wendigo

2012-09-14T21:45:00.002-04:00

Wandering with the Wendigo: North American Mythology in Genre Fiction

by Chantal Boudreau

Have you noticed the prevalence of the wendigo or the Sasquatch in fantasy or horror stories lately? How about Raven or Coyote? Glooscap? Okay, that last one’s a little obscure if you’re not local. But, North American natives have a vibrant assortment of creatures and gods in their legends and lore, a treasure trove of tales to be tapped for source material to serve as the basis for genre fiction when you tire of zombies, werewolves and vampires, or have had enough of elves, dwarves and dragons. Some of the more resourceful writers have recognized a means of offering recognizable monsters or heroes that are not the same-old-same-old fare that’s been appearing ad nauseum in typical paranormal stories.

Look up wendigo at Amazon and you’ll find dozens of examples listed as science fiction, fantasy or horror, some of them referring to the Marvel comic book character, but many of them associated with the creature of lore. While the ideas are not exclusive to one or two writers, they do not flood the market like the thousands of comparable vampire or zombie books. It’s a horrific concept, a creature that like to feed off of human spirits or flesh that lurks in the wilderness looking for potential prey. There’s also a psychosis associated with the monster, where people could become possessed by the same evil drive to devour the flesh of others. It can make for a very chilling story, in any of its various forms.

You’ll also find examples of the sasquatch or “big foot” in anthologies and novels, sometimes stand alone, sometimes mashed with more common horror creatures like zombies, as in Eric Brown’s Bigfoot War series. Most people are familiar with the legendary beast, thanks to sightings, hoaxes and tabloid features, so why not work them into your story? They might not be as romantic or sensual as some of the other monsters out there, but they certainly can be frightening and interesting, considering the mystery that surrounds them.

Monsters are not the only part of North American legend that has made an appearance in genre fiction. Some of the gods of the mythos have been fodder for speculation as well. Raven and Coyote seem to be the most popular, perhaps because of the appeal of the trickster aspect (something touched on in Neil Gaiman’s popular American Gods), but they are also viewed as creators and are associated with wisdom and humility. I guess this gives them dual appeal.

The mythical elements that carry over into genre fiction aren’t limited to monsters and gods alone. Shamanism and natural mysticism can be found there as well, especially in urban fantasy (Phillip Pullman and Charles de Lint come to mind). I think the notion lends itself more readily to modern sensibilities than the more typical witches and wizards of fantasy.

I would have to say it is these influences and a desire to incorporate something esoteric and tribal into my dark fantasy novels, The Snowy Barrens Trilogy, that led to elements of North American mythology making up a significant part of my story, morphed in some ways for an even more extreme fantasy component. It gave the story a distinct flavour and added mystique to the plot.

So the next time you decide you want to read some genre fiction that is both different and yet somehow familiar, consider delving into a novel or short stories based on North American mythology. Take a little walk on the wild side – wander off with a wendigo.

Chantal Boudreau is an accountant by day and an author/illustrator during evenings and weekends, who lives by the ocean in beautiful Nova Scotia, Canada with her husband and two children. In addition to being a CMA-MBA, she has a BA with a major in English from Dalhousie University. A member of the Horror Writers Association, she writes and illustrates predominantly horror, dark fantasy and fantasy and has had several of her stories published in a variety of horror anthologies, in online journals and magazines and as stand-alone digital shorts. Fervor, her debut novel, a dystopian science fantasy tale, was released in March of 2011 by May December Publications, followed by its sequel, Elevation in December of 2011. The third in the series, Transcendence, is planned for release in 2012. Magic University, the first in her fantasy series, Masters & Renegades, made its appearance in September of 2011 and its sequel, Casualties of War in June of 2012. The Blood is Strong: The Snowy Barrens Trilogy #1 is her first YA novel.

Links:

Website: http://www.writersownwords.com/chantal_boudreau/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Chantal-Boudreau-WriterIllustrator/107318919341178

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Chantal-Boudreau/e/B004O1FP2E/ref=sr_tc_2_rm?qid=1339427087&sr=8-2-ent

Twitter: @chantellyb13

Scribd.com: http://www.scribd.com/chantal_boudreau

Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4446228.Chantal_Boudreau