Between the Ticks

Avatar Review

2009-12-25T12:45:00.000-06:00

Avatar Review

Alright last night I finally went and saw the new James Cameron movie Avatar, I'm sure you have heard of it pretty much everyone is raving about it in one way or another. It is without a doubt a must see movie and one that has to be seen on the big screen as well. Sadly however in this movie you are going to see it for the effects and not the storyline.

I want to start by talking about the effects because that is one of the big things about this movie. James Cameron I think has effectively changed the way movies will be made for a lot of years to come. In a lot of ways he took the CGI technology and successfully did what George Lucas tried and failed to do with Star Wars 1 thru 3. In some of the earliest scenes we see people being woken up zero gravity and it was the most realistic scene of its style I've ever seen. All through out the movie are breath taking stunning scene, that make you just stare and try to take it all in.

One thing I have to touch on when it comes the CGI is the Mech-suits. I've always loved the idea of mecha and in so many films I've seen them done so poorly so many times. This time out I was in awe. These suits walked, fought, and were controlled in a way that made sense and felt realistic.

Now on to the storyline which while very interesting was drawn out over the course of three hours. Cameron gets things started right at the planet then kicks off the idea of Avatars with a really amazing scene. Then the next hour or so is spent with the main character learning the ways of the Aliens. This hour is filled a number of scenes that visually amazing and pleasing to the eye do little to advance the story. In a lot of ways they brought me out of the story and made me think of a kid playing with a new toy. There were long scenes of things flying about or dashing through the forest undergrowth. It was a pretty distraction, but a distraction none the less.

The basic idea of the movie is that the aliens are living over something the humans want and of course they are going to do anything they can to drive them out. So of course they try to convince them to move through the Avatar Project which fails. They then send in the troops and attack the Home Tree, this action of course puts the aliens up in arms and they fight back. The problem with this main plot point is summer up rather nicely in the line from another James Cameron movie.

Ripley: I say we take off, and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

I'm fairly critical of the movie as a whole because I was expecting so much more. In the end it really delivered on the effects and like I said it will hopefully change the way films are made going food. If you like great visual special effects then this is a movie to see and see often. But at the same don't go expecting to much out of the storyline.

Vacation Update

2009-12-17T22:54:00.002-06:00

It is always the roughest when the vacation is drawing to a close and you start to feel the weight of the impending return to work. That is where I am right now I know its just around the corner in fact less then a week away at this point. What is keeping me from going down the road of regret is the simple fact that Yule is just around the corner. Three days til Yule eve, it's my favorite holiday and one of my favorite times of year. Sure it might drive me nuts as we are driven insane by the innane bombardment of Christmas Cheer and the commericalism of the message. But I love it none the less.

The vacations been good for me taking one around this time of year seems to almost be a requirement. So much to do and yet so relaxing at the same time. Let me touch on a bit of what I've been doing these past couple of weeks. I've done a bunch of baking, which I am not finished yet, including Merangies, chocolate chip cookies, Peanut butter cookies, Chocolate chip & nuts. If all goes to plan tomorrow will be mincemeat tarts and more cookies. Along the way I have also been working on a couple of different erotica stories, Risen Steam, and a couple of other short story ideas as well. I've also gotten in a bit of Assassin's Creed 1.

One of several different highlights was this past Tuesday when Neil Gaiman was in town. Back in October there was a contest host by Neil Gaiman among the independent Book sellers to hold the best Graveyard Party. As it turned out Winnipeg was one of two different winners. So our prize was a visit, reading and signing by Neil Gaiman himself. 6 hours on my feet but it was worth it.

Current Project Sample

2009-12-06T11:00:00.004-06:00

I just wanted to share a sample of my current project. I didn't get the chance to share it at the NANO TGIO party since something came up. So this seemed like a really good place to share it. Hope you all enjoy it. The scene takes place shortly after their first encounter in town. Feedback and comments are always welcome.

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Archibald looked up and down the street in a vein attempt to come up with something, anything that might get them out of the situation they had found themselves in. Mobs of those things shuffled towards them from both ends of the street. With more of their blood stained companions coming up out alleyways to join with their unholy moaning choir. He didn’t know if the moan was meant as a distraction or as a summons but either way it was very affective. None of the alleyways were an option and the brick buildings that lined the street mostly looked closed, with windows barricaded. Still he had no other choice at this point. Pointing at a three story brick building with heavy Tudor influence he called out “Up the stairs boys.’ There was no need to tell them twice they all fell into together and moved as a group.

Beside him Carl emptied last the last round out of his heavy python pistol. The smoke from its power drifted out of the barrel as stuffed it back in to the holster. They had gotten far too close to reload now. Not that he’d intended to get into hand to hand, but the small boarding axe was still hooked through his belt from earlier in the day.

The muscle bound William fired off the last couple of rounds from the long rifle from the back of the group. He’d spun it around to hold the business end and his moist gloves steamed as he cracked the butt across the nearest one’s jaw. A half second later its jaw hung down from only one side of its face and than it tumbled backward. He climbed the steps bringing up the rear ready to use his makeshift cricket bat on any that got to close.

“You want the door open Captain?” Maurice asked

Entering a building had been one of the options he’d considered. His attention right was more focused on his attackers and how they kept just getting up after you shot them. “Do it!”

Maurice lifted his boot and smashed it down in between the door knobs. One of the heavy oak doors swung open with a crack while the other was held fast in its frame. Carl and William pushed past and hurried into the building, the light from their lantern lit up the hallway and stairwell it. Maurice followed in behind them and stood at the base of the stairs. The place had the look and feel of a warzone. Doors where smashed, thick red blood coated the walls and the stairs were caked in it. Despite the moans outside they could still hear things inside the apartment. A floor up something was shuffling across the floor dragging its foot along behind it. Slow drawn out music came from behind a door labeled with the number one, the sound reminded Archibald of a phonograph that needed to be cranked back up.

When the light from the lantern was cast across the top of the stairs they saw the source of the noise. A man in a fine black suit and a felted top hat leaned against the rail and glared down at them. Fresh blood dripped from his chin and his eyes looked blankly at the bottom of the stairs and its next meal. It took two steps forward and tumbled down the stairs right at them. His top hat flew off and landed in a pool of blood at the base of the stairs. He crashed right into Maurice his face slammed into his stomach. It dug his teeth deep into his Maurice’s flesh who screamed out. The cries didn’t end when Carl buried the boarding axe into the things head.

Outside their attackers had started crowd around the stairs, the ones at the front fell forward trapped between the stairs they didn’t seem to understand and the press of those behind them. On the ground they pulled themselves forward up the stairs. William smashed in their heads with the butt of his rifle. It was enough to slow the flow of their attack but certainly waste anywhere near enough to stop them.

“We’d better go up Sir there’s just too many of them out here.” William called from the steps

A steam whistle further down the street drowned out the moans as William fell back to the door. The Commander looked over the heads and out stretched hands and saw the steam-powered sports-ster as it rounded the corner racing running flat out at the mob. “Unless those cursed things can drive too, we might just have another way out.”

The silver and brass trim steam car glittered in the moonlight. It was an oversized family model that had three rows of seats and its steam tanks mounted at the front on either side of the engine. The driver was plowing through anything on the street, and was barely slowing at all. In the passenger seat someone swung a massive broadsword and let out a war cry rang out as three heads rolled off their bodies and down on to the cobble stone. Their face was obscured by the white helmet of a fencing mask.

“Get ready to jump in we can’t stop or they’ll be all over us.” the sword swinging passenger shouted as they neared the mass in front of the stairs.

“William grab Maurice, we’ll bandage him in the car. Carl, you and Mark cover them.” Archibald grab grabbed the rifle from him and slammed it into the head of the nearest one. The sound of the crunching skull had become one of the most satisfying sounds in Archibald’s recent memory.

Mark had just finished reloading his pistol and stepped back out of the house. He snapped of shots slow and steady dropping one with each and ever shot. William scooped up Maurice in his arms and carried him out on to the stoop. He got out of the building just as the car slowed down in front of the stairs. Archibald smashed the butt of the rifle down into the face of the rising town’s person as he crossed the gap between them.

The hands of those that had lain flat seconds before reached out from under the car to grab anything that got close. Their moan was a strange muffled by the reverberation of the cars engine. “Move it, There already getting back up,” he screamed at the men as the last one covered the distance and jumped in to the slow moving car.

The swordsmen had climbed back two rows and swung at anything that came near the car. His actions were not even slowing the things down, they clearly had no regard for the own life. He was a menace with the sword taking bits of flesh off them with every swing and enjoying every minutes of it.

Archibald was the last one to get in the car after he ground the heel of his boot against the fingers of one of them that had gotten to close. He swung one leg over the side not bothering with the door at all, the sporty convertible made things easier. He switched his weight from one leg to the other and swung himself in. A hand grabbed his heel, he struggled against it. “Go!”

The engine roared to the life and whistled as a bit of the pressure was bleed off from the tanks. Then with a belch smoke the sports-ster pulled away. Creatures where pushed out of the way as it pulled forward and the commander’s foot was pulled free from the one that held it tight. They were nearly clear of the mob when the driver swerved to hit one that had been slow to join the mob. It hit the car with a wet thump only this one did not go flying and wasn’t knocked to the side. The blood stained man in a butcher’s apron and muscle shirt hung off the hood of the car and was now struggling to pull itself towards the windshield. All of the damage that had been done to his arm, the bites it had received at one time and the flesh that had been torn from it didn’t seem to be slowing him down at all.

“Gun” Archibald said hold his hand open behind him.

“One round left,” Carl said has he handed it forward.

Pistol was pressed down in to his hand. It’s was grip still moist and warm from the last person who’d been using it. If the thing knew what was happening or could even still hear didn’t show on his face. It just kept looking at the Commander with hunger in its eyes. The pistol was raised up and he took careful aim not wanting to hit the engine or the front mounted pressure tank. With a flex of a muscle the trigger depressed and the weapon flashed a puff of smoke as the things head exploded. Beside him the drive flicked on the wipers and kept on driving as the Commander sat down in the passenger seat beside.

“Pleasure old Chap, the names Lord Alfred. Nice to make your acquaintance.” the man behind the wheel took a leather gloved hand from the wheel and offered it to the Commander.

The Commander quickly shook his hand and let go in time for him to use both of them turn the car and avoid the on coming wall. “I’m Commander Archibald of His Majesty’s Service. Thanks for the rescue we’re grateful, but could ya maybe tell us what’s going on?”

The car speed down the street zigzagging from side to side between the over turned cars. “Not to sure myself to be honest those things just started showing up a day ago. They have been raising hell ever since they got here. Most of the folks I know have already been turned.”

A female voice from the back of the cut him off and force Archibald to do a double take. “This one’s been bitten dad.”

“Oh dear.” he said dead pan.

Archibald had turned and was looking back at the swordsmen, who was vary clearly now a swordswoman. Her hand hovered over a pistol on hip and the sword was now resting against the seat. “We were attacked by one of them in the building. It tumbled down the stairs and smashed right in to him. Speaking of which Carl have you gotten him bandaged yet?”

Carl’s hand was pressed against the wound in the back seat between the girl and Maurice. “No Sir, I’m just holding it so far, it was enough to stop the blood flow. I knew I was going to need some help so I wanted to let people catch their breath first.”

“Nice thought but it doesn’t matter any more, now does it?” The woman said.

“Forgive us but we’re new to all this. Could you break down into small chunks so that us Navy folk could understand please.”

“Dad?”

“Long and the short of it is this, whatever those things are is passed along by biting. Kinda like those blasted bugs that caused you boys all those problems over in India.”

“So how do stop it?”

He shrugged as the car started to slow down a bit. “Don’t rightly now. If I did the town wouldn’t be in the right mess it is, now would it?”

From the back the daughter tossed in her own two bits “A bullet through the brain seems to be the best solution but those are in short supply and high demand. If he’ll hold still I’ll put him down the old fashioned way.”

Archibald heard the snap of a holster being undo and could see Mark sliding his python from the holster. He couldn’t see Maurice for the seats “We won’t be putting any of my boys down like dogs thank you very much.”

“Better now then later don’t you think?”

The Commander knew that she had a point and if things where as bad as they said then it might well come to that. “How long does it take?”

“Never timed it.” Lord Alfred’s daughter snapped.

“Hate to cut short this jolly chat but I’m running out of pressure.” The car had continued to slow down steadily since the last turn and was now only coasting forward under its power. “So everyone up and out.

Google Street Map Scene

2009-12-02T22:18:00.004-06:00

So today Google launched it's street map view for Google Maps Winnipeg. Needless to say I jumped on and started to check out the various addresses I've lived at. I checked out businesses and other places I hang out and just wandered about the city. Along the way I came across all sorts of great things but I wanted to share my favorite screen capture of the day.

The is the house I grew up in, and the man in the blue coat is Grandfather.

The Dark God - Repost

2009-12-01T00:00:00.002-06:00

A repost from December 27th, 2008

For me Yule is all about the return of the Sun God and the celebration of the season with friends and family. Each year I gather with them to feast, to talk, to eat, to light the Yule log and bring in Peace, Love and Wealth back along with the returning God. We all have a great time and are left with many good memories. In fact looking back over the past 15 years that we've hosted them I have not but happy memories of the return of the Sun God.

What I've described matches the descriptions in the books, it matches the majority of the details you often find on website talking about Yule. In fact it is pretty accurate for all the seasonal Rituals I've been apart of as well. The Light has returned, what do we leave in the dark? What do we bring in to the light?

What of the other side of the coin, what of the dark lord who has ruled over the sky for the past two months. So many of us just look to the light side of the Yuletide holidays. Are we missing out on something important in this Holiday? Should we instead turn our attention to the Darkness and look at how that has servered us over the past couple of months

I've posted this to get myself thinking, and to get others thinking about a different side of the holiday. I've also set this blog post to repost itself on December 1st 2009

Writing update

2009-11-30T23:05:00.000-06:00

The insanity is over! I've completely NANOWrimo but not the story yet. 50,214 words as of yesterday around 10 pm. It was kind of strange year in a lot of ways, normally I would normally have been down around Wednesday last week. Life just kept jumping in the way of the writing more this year than any other. I'm not really sure what might have caused it other then life in general. Either way the nano goal has been reached.

This year I did something different I outlined pretty heavily and planned out various parts of the novel and its characters. 50214 words and I'm on page 7 of the 42 pages of outlining. So there is a lot of writing left to do, the plan right now is to keep close to the pace. Focusing on about a thousand words a day for Risen Steam and then putting in some time working on some short stories that I can get circulating for submissions. On the subject of submissions I sent off my story Changeling's Dilemma to Edge Publishing. I'll share more when I can.

I've come to the decision that focusing on short stories gives me something that I can get circulating that much fast. What I lean from that and the experience I gain will only improve my other writing.

Alright well more on things tomorrow as well as a gradual on going updating of the blog. You might have already noticed some changes.

To the people who have commented over the last couple of months, I'm sorry your comments haven't gone up yet. Life's been a little more exciting as of late.

Nano update & Kiss Kiss

2009-11-24T22:35:00.001-06:00

So I had today off as a personal leave day from work, Basically it is a day off with pay for no readily apparent reason. I don't really understand the point but I don't mind the day off and I do work an extra 8 minutes each day to take it. Far be it from me to not enjoy the day off.

I had some weird on again off again computer problems. Well not so much computer problems as I did internet connection problems. So as you can guess it should have been a day of kick as writing and getting a ton done. Well In part it was, I'm sitting at 41k for the month and have plenty of writing time left to finish the 50k. Based on the point I'm at in the story I figure I'm maybe about a quarter of the way through it. As with any Nano project when I'm done it is going to take some serious slashing.

I sometimes wonder about the value of NANOWrimo from a writing point of view. We do so much to focus on word pading and putting things in just for the sake of building up the word count. Which isn't something I consider to be all that valueable. Putting words just for the sake of word count just means that you are going to have to put effort into typing them just for the sake of putting more effort in at the end of the month or project to take them out. The reality is that I guess most people after November never even look at it.

*****

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/11/23/h1n1-europe.html

So an odd aside with all the talk of virus and N1H1 and what not it might just mean the return of the cheek kiss greeting. Apparently it is more hygenic to kiss someone on the cheek then it is to shake someones hand. Go figure, Will people be expected to use the alchol hand sanitizer crap on their face now?

Write or Die Blogging

2009-11-22T13:20:00.001-06:00

So this is the first attempt at using Write or Die as a blogging tool. I've been using it with regular and active success all through the month of November as I struggle to keep up with my NANOWRIMO project. So I wanted to check it out and see how it plays out as a blogging tool as well. Apparently it has a feature that allows what I write in its window to be posted directly here. So here's hoping it works.

So November has been an insane month, there is just no other way to put it. Where I would normally be between 5 and 10 thousand words ahead of my NANO goal I'm currently about 3 thousand behind. Not something I'm proud of but at least I'm not as far behind as some of the people I often write with. I'm not sure just what it is that is causing me to fall behind but I certainly have. If I was forced to put my finger on one thing and say "This is it, this is the reason I'm behind" I'd have to say that it is life.

So far this month I've had four days that have a zero word count as well as another four with a word count under 500 words. Its hard to say but its true, I've been letting other things get in the way of writing. Granted I'm excited about those other things as well. Like my new position as Secretary of the CEP Local 7 Union I belong to. A week worth of training out of the office as we well as an evening meeting. All of it adds up, either way I'm done making excuses about it and for my writing. I'm just going to have to buckle down and git er done. (Yeah it was meant to be written like that)

So if this works out my plan is to have a 10 minute Write or Die session at least 6 days out of the week. So that I'm getting back in to the habit of posting something to the site. Who knows how it will work out in the long run, but it's worth the attempt. I have a whole bunch of other up coming goals and focuses that I'll be working on as well. More about those another day. I want to really flesh them out so I can make them apart of my blog and my writing lifestyle.

Wow over 450 words in under ten minutes I'm pretty impressed by that. Just wish I could do it in my writing as well. Now to see how posting this works out.

Later, oh and let me know what you think of the idea.

very kewl

2009-10-23T19:14:00.001-05:00

Surfacescapes Demo Walkthrough from Surfacescapes on Vimeo.

Thursday Thirteen - Nano Tips

2009-10-21T22:02:00.002-05:00

13 NANOWRIMO Tips

1. You can't succeed if you don't try. So sign up at www.nanowrimo.org

2. It is both a race and a marathon.

3. You have nine days to prepare at this point so it is time to get to work there is a lot to do.

4. When it is time for NANO there isn't a lot of time for anything that does further the novel might have to be delayed until December

5. Household choirs - These are one of those things that might need to wait until December, so try and get a head of them now before it is to late

6. Social engagements - These are a lot like house hold choirs push them off to December. If you can't pretend to have some catchy illness, this also works well when dealing with work.

7. Food - Stock a lot of your favourite snacks and pre-make meals if you can for the month

8. Check all your computer equipment. Losing everything at the last minute would suck and with a little bit of caution it shouldn't happen. Despite all the warnings you hear stores of it every year.

9. Distractions - We all have things that we use to distract us. You might want to put them away or hand them off to a friend to keep them out of the way.

10. Have extra paper, pencils, pens even if you are writing on a computer this is still important.

11. Buy a USB Key. Store your work on it and take it with you everywhere.

12. As much work as NANO can be it is also a huge amount of fun too.

13. Tell people what your do and that you won't see them much for the next month. If they know in advance it is one less thing to deal with in November

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Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-21T07:04:00.000-05:00

The Magical Earth Quadcast

2009-10-17T11:25:00.002-05:00

Episode 11 of The Magical Earth Quadcast is now up on the site http:themagicalearth.blogspot.com stop by and give it a listen

QotW Answer #1

2009-10-16T11:35:00.003-05:00

This pass week I am happy to say that the Question of the Week idea has found a new home. I won't be posting any more questions here on my blog instead you can stop by The Modern Pagan every Monday for a new Question. For the first few weeks you might recognize some of the questions as ones that have appeared here but rest assured new questions are already lined up.

You can find the first Question Here Pets/Animals and the Magic

For myself I am going to break this down in to three seperate catagories. First is wild animals, followed by Cats and Dogs, then finally anything else. So to start off lets look at wild animals.

I've been blessed and able to take part in a number of different rituals outdoors sometimes in fields, on beaches and on one memorable ocassion knee deep lake water. Working in the wild always offers an interesting experience. You might come across animals on the way to the ritual, during the ritual, or even on the way home. All of them will have an impact on your experience at the ritual. Keep your eyes open for any animals around your ritual they bring blessings, and perhaps messages from the Divine themselves.

When it comes to household pets like cats I don't try and keep them out of anything or prevent them from going anywhere. It just doesn't work they will find a way to get in to whatever they want. I do pay close attention to them for much the same reason I watch for animals in the wild. We've had one cat for a number of years who loves it when we do ritual work in the house. As soon as we start to set up the alter that cat appears and curls up under it.

My experiences with dogs is very different. Ginger for example was a Border Collie cross so to her in many ways ritual would have been torture. She was a strong believer that everyone should stay where they are and not move around a lot, in her mind once you where in the herd you should stay there. We really had no choice but to put her outside during rituals. My decision to remove Ginger from the circle was made for purely partical reasons.

When it comes to everythign it is kind of up in the air. Animals and pets in cages or tanks I don't really pay to much attention them personally. My fish for example just don't seem to care if we are casting circle.

See you all in a week with another question and another answer

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-14T07:04:00.000-05:00

These types of toys are normally used to teach a dog to fetch. Why are would anyone be teaching there dog to fetch a Whale or a Penguin?

Thursday Thirteen - 13 Reasons to do NANOWrimo

2009-10-08T08:00:00.002-05:00

13 Reasons to Take
Part in NANOWrimo

1. It a month all about writing what more do you need. Alright you might need more so I'll keep going

2. It turns writing into a team sport so you can do it with friends.

3. It will keep you busy and out of trouble for a whole month, only leaving you 11 more to figure out on your own.

4. Think of all the money you will save write before Yule if you are to busy writing to spend it.

5. Hours spent in front of a keyboard just letting the words flow out your finger tips.

6. The chance to meet a lot of new and interesting people on the forums and through local community events

7. It is the someday that you have always been waiting for to write your novel.

8. It is a month long marathon of writing

9. Everyone reading this likely blogs at some point or another and to one degree or another. Which means you are all writing so do it for real for a month and see how you like it.

10. Writing is normally such a solitary thing for this one month out of the year it isn't.

11. Did I mention it is a month of writing with huge amounts of encouragement from a lot of other people.

12. This month is all about proving you can do it, don't do it and you'll never know. The experience has chance a lot of things in my life.

13. Imagine how great it will feel when you reach that 50k mark or whatever mark it is that you've never made before.

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Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Flash Fiction Fridays - UPDATE

2009-10-06T09:04:00.002-05:00

I found something out this morning while talking with a friend about a new up coming television show. Apparently the show Sanctuary has as a reoccuring character with the name Clara Griffin. She is the granddaughter of Nigel Griffin who I gather is the Invisible Man. Clara the children in B is for Blank has evolved the power as wel. accept in her case she can make things invisible by touch.

Question of the Week - Question #10 - Pagan Pennies

2009-10-05T15:12:00.002-05:00

Sorry about the delayI've been focusing on a couple of other projects over the past few weeks. Questions of Faith the book is very nearly 2nd draft, and after that it will be in the hands of a few beta readers and then on ward after that. Here is the 10th Question of the Week in which we focus our attention on our Pagan pennies. This can be a tough concept for a lot of people, because it can make them face some personal prejudices that they may not even know that they had. Everyone no matter how rich or poor they might be when it comes to their own personal finances only has so much money to spend. What is important is how they spend it.

Now like with most of the questions I'll be asking there is no right or wrong answer to this one. This one is just about putting some thought in to what you do with your money and making some informed decisions. In my early days as a Wiccan everyone I knew who was on the path was short on cash. Over the course of the past 15 years things have changed a fair amount, but there are still a high number of people at the poverty line or below. Maybe this is more a local thing I'm not sure, how do things look in your area?

People often joke about people of the Jewish being rish or tight fisted with ther pennies. Have you ever wondered where the jokes come from? Think about it for a few minutes, the last time you where at an event hosted by someone from that community where did they get the supplies for it? In my experience they likely will have purchased them from another member of their community. As a community they support growth within the community by purchasing from and encouraging others to purchase from other members of the community. Interesting why to spend your money isn't it? Not to mention a great way to support your community. So what do you do with your Pagan Pennies? Do you make a habit of supporting the small local merchant? Do you buy from the big chain story because it is a little bit cheaper? Or do you fall some where in the middle supporting them when and where you can, but going for the cheaper option when it is there?

One of the things I mentioned in the last paragraph is the idea that people support and encourage others to support a locally owned Pagan Business. In your experience is that what we do with Pagan/Wiccan stores? I've seen it go both ways with communities being hugely supportive of a store and I've seen communities it stores alive as it where. I think in the case of stores it comes down to the owners and what they give back to the community.

As always I'd love to hear your thoughts on the topic.

Flash Fiction Fridays

2009-10-02T15:56:00.008-05:00

In honour of the subject of the story there is a bit of a trick to reading it. If you not
sure what to do I've left instructions at the bottom. Enjoy the story
and feedback and comments are always welcome.

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B is for Blank

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It arrived just as I hit send on my column for the Phoenix Republic. The address wasn’t familiar, other than that it belonged to a free service that anyone could sign up for. It was the first line of the e-mail that grabbed my attention 'I have to set the record straight...' clicking it open I scanned the contents. Someone calling himself Mr. Griffin wanted to meet and wanted me to tell his story, apparently his real story. I would have ignored it if I had anything else planned but the evening was clear and the place he wanted to meet was just around the corner.

At the restaurant I looked around for anyone sitting by themselves waiting. “Do you have a reservation for a Mr. Griffin?”

“Yes, I’ll show you to your table.” She led me to an empty booth at the back with a heavy curtain for privacy. “Anything to drink?”

“Coffee, thanks.” I set my mini-recorder on the table as I sat down. The waitress was back before I’d even consider if I’d been had.

She disappeared behind the curtain leaving the carafe on the table. “Thank you for coming,” a voice from the opposite side of the booth said but there was no one there “I wasn’t sure if you would come. I’m Hawley Griffin, although you likely know me better by that nickname Wells hung on me The Invisible Man. I never even met him you know. All of those lies he wrote about me where based on stories of man who was prejudice.” As he finished his introduction the coffee carafe rocked then floated into the air as he poured us both a cup.

I stared blankly trying not to show my disbelief as I watched cooling ripples form on the coffee from nothingness. “That story was fiction^”

“Yes and no, some of the events where real others made up by him and Kemp, that’s what I want to set straight.”

“Alright,” I said having no idea what I was getting myself into. I pressed the record button “It’s October 2nd 2010 and I’m sitting at a table with the Invisible Man or as he would rather be known Hawley Griffin.”

“H.G. Wells got the opening right; I was a scientist working to bend light rendering something invisible. Filled with the foolishness of youth I tested it on myself, ruining my life. Afterwards I was understandably angry and confused. I did some things I regret when I look back on them. Certainly I wasn’t trying to kill anyone I just wanted help.” There was a deep sadness in his voice as he talked about these events.

“Where did the story come from than?”

“It was Doctor Kemp he was jealous and wanted to claim my formula has his own. So he discredited me through Wells. Later he raised a mob against me in Burdock. I barely escaped catching the next ship to London and hid naked below decks for the journey” He gulped down his coffee and I could see it going down his throat before fading from view. It was enough to make me want to throw-up but I calmed that reflex.

“What happened in London?”

“I tried to get on with my life but it was impossible without cash, which I couldn’t get legally. So I turned to petty crime which in a cash society was easy. A streetwalker offered me assistance believing I was the Holy Ghost and gave herself whole to me. Through her I rented a small loft where she kept house and was the breadwinner when I wasn’t on my sick bed.”

“Was your sickness related to the serum?”

“Partially, London is a retched climate for a man who spends most of his time running through the streets naked.”

“Is that how you ended up in Phoenix?”

“When I was healthy enough I worked on a cure until my vision failed me completely. It had been gradually going since I injected the serum. So no cure, no sight, and nothing holding us to England we moved to better a better climate. America was a lot to get used to, but being a dad even more so. There isn’t a lot to do on an ocean liner as a blind and invisible man so Martha and I kept busy in the cabin.”

So how do you spend your days now?”

“I spend a lot of time with my grandkids and family, they have grown up with my condition and don’t think it is anything special. I also spend a lot time on the internet it is a wonderful thing for a man in my state. You can reinvent yourself as anyone I have a wonderful online relationship with a blind woman in Toledo. I’ve gotten myself a decent job that I do across the internet. I’m having my first taste of a normal life in 100 years.”

Seconds later the curtain opened slightly but no one came in “Are you still here?” I asked tentatively.

“Yes, I am.”

Beside the booth a young man appeared out of nowhere fading slowly into view and fully clothed. “Sorry Grandpa, mom’s calling and wants to know where I am we’ve gotta go. She’ll be pissed if she finds out I helped you with this. You know she doesn’t want it to go public.”

“Too right Justin I’m so sorry.” He sighed “I so wish I could appear and disappear like they do, youth always taking what we give them and pushing it one better. Trevor I’m going to have to cut this short, perhaps you would be willing to join me for dinner another night. I’d be happy to fill in the details we glanced.”

I just stared at the boy in disbelieve it took a moment to realize I was being spoken to again. “Certainly, I’ll e-mail you?” the boy had disappeared again and I was all alone I think.

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If you haven't figured out how to read the story try highlighting

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-30T07:00:00.000-05:00

Flash Fiction Fridays

2009-09-24T23:29:00.004-05:00

Welcome to the first in a new series of Flash Fiction Friday posts. I hope you all enjoy them and I look forward to any feedback. Be sure click on one of the Carpe Arcanum Links at the top of either sidebar. Comments are always welcome there too.

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A is for Archon

I am an overseer, a punisher and a protector or at least I was. In the early days I was part the team that did the whole thing in the place you all call Egypt. Ahhh those where the good old days back when men feared the boss and the boss gave them a reason too. Of course that was back before the new hands off attitude took hold around here. Don’t get me wrong here I’m not being critical of his decisions, how could I by his very nature he has to be right. I mean come on he’s God but that doesn’t mean that a lot of us our uneasy about this whole new change of attitude in the management.

Just the other night the guys got together for a BBQ and a night of poker. It was me, War and Death of the Horsemen, Noah and someone had let it slip to an Angel as well. I think it was Death that fat bastard who told the Angel but of course he denies it. In truth he denies a lot of things that are true mostly because he can I guess. At our level we are allowed a little more leeway with our actions and the Commandments. It was a profitable night for all of us, Angels can’t lie for shit. We had the guy cleaned out by about halfway through the night once his pockets where empty he thanks us for letting him play and then called it a night. The door had barely closed when Noah started.

“They have everything way too easy down there these days and there is no respect for a greater power. Everything in the mind comes down to science. Even the few who do believe have the message so garbled that it barely even resembles His word any more,” he paused and looked up as he referred to God. “What would happen if he told someone he needed to build a boat, he’d end up with a plane or something equally useless I’d bet.”

I could tell Noah was getting angry and this conversation wasn’t really going in a direction any of us liked. “Look Noah we all know what you went through back then. Heck I was flying around making sure that no one was missed. But it’s his call everyone at the table is his to command. If he needs us again he’ll tell us.” I watched as Death reached across the table and dragged the bowl of chips closer to him before stuffing a handful into his mouth and washing them down with dregs of his beer. A roll of flab hung down and swayed as he moved his arm. As I watched I tried hard not to think about my own expanding waistline which had grown considerably over the past thousand years. “He just might not need us any more, I guess. Or maybe he’s holding us in reserve for the end of days? And quit hogging the chips Death.’ I pushed out for the table and headed for the cooler to grab another beer.

“Of course he needs us look at War he must be over worked beyond believe.”

War gave his closely shaved head a shake “Not at all, I haven’t done anything down there since the middle ages. They’re doing it all by themselves.”

“There it is again being more independent not need Gods divine guidance.” Noah jumped right in taking War’s response as proof of his own opinion.

“I’m not sure the fact they can kill each without our help is proof of their dismissal of His will.” I handed the last of the beers to the table.

Death held his hand up in front of the beer “No thanks, I’ve gotta get going the wife made plans for later tonight.”

“How is Famine doing anyways?” I put his beer down in front of me for later.

“Still kinda skinny I guess but that’s how she’s always been,” Death collected his chips and cashed out for the chip box. He paused at the door and looked back to the table “You know who is still busy from the old days don’t you? Conquest and maybe if we hadn’t replaced him with Pestilence we all might still be busy.” With that said he walked out the door.

Everyone around the table was left staring at the door as it swung shut while nodding their heads. I was considering the possibilities and what might have been when Noah broke the silence. “What about this whole 2012 thing I’ve heard those old Mayan’s talking about, you think you guys will be involved in that?”

“That’s not his thing. From what I’ve heard He and some other higher powers more local to the area are still in negotiations about it. But if its end of the world time again I’m sure we’ll get some part in it. I just hate the idea that we might get outsourced to someone else.”

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Be sure to come back next friday for B is for Blank

I'm just testing something

2009-09-24T11:14:00.001-05:00

This is a Test post

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-23T07:04:00.000-05:00

International Talk like a pirate day

2009-09-19T13:07:00.001-05:00

In honour of International Talk like a pirate day

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-16T07:00:00.002-05:00

This is the last in the graffiti series of Wordless Wednesday's I've been doing. This one was taking by me on the wall of my local gaming store.

This is also the beginning of a series of Wordless Wednesday's that are photo's taken by me..