Jack and I
found Jeff surfing into the heart of the thunderstorm. Like most monsoon
thunderstorms in the desert, the storm was intense and would probably be
short-lived. But then those short, intense storms had a way of rupturing
reality in a hurry.
Friday, July 31, 2015
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Summer Cleaning
I’ve been
trying to go through my stuff to get rid of what really isn’t needed any more.
I just have too much stuff. But there’s a problem. A big one. Yes I have time
to do that cleaning since the semester is over, but the ability to clean is
curtailed by the weather.
When the
mercury regularly hits between 115-118, you really have to be careful about
doing anything outside. The work tends to come in fits and stages simply
because the health risks are too great, and it’s not like I want to be out in
the heat, anyway.
I guess
this is why most places do the cleaning in the spring.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Bible: Creation: Method
Those
expecting more about vampires, well, I’m taking a short break. Most of the
remaining weaknesses are tied directly to Christianity, so I thought we’d take
a foray into the Bible.
Okay, this
is it. The big one. The Biblical creation is one of the most well-known stories
of all time. Or is it? Maybe there are some nuggets of information we can get
out of this previously untapped.
Friday, July 24, 2015
F3 Reunion
“Commander
Peter Flynn, I’m assigned to the Vienna
to be the new XO,” Flynn explained to the duty officer.
The
lieutenant checked his data slate, then nodded. “Yes, sir, everything appears
to be in order.”
“Where can
I find Captain Powell?” he asked.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Resurrection of Reading
I don’t
read much anymore. I know, I know. This is like a cardinal sin for a writer. But
I do have a good excuse. Recreation reading was replaced by grading. And
grading saps brain power. It saps attention span. It saps the will. I still
love the idea of stories. I want to read. I want to immerse myself in new
worlds and characters and escape.
Monday, July 20, 2015
M3 Vampire Weaknesses: Running Water
Like
garlic, running water is more universally applicable than to just vampires. Running
water is believed to be a barrier to the supernatural. The origins of this idea
come from many different cultures.
The Greeks widely held that rivers
such as the Styx served as the passageway from the land of the living to the
underworld. Most Greek myths that have a hero traversing to the underworld
(Odysseus, Hercules, Orpheus, etc.) have them traveling the Styx. The ferryman
Charon takes spirits to the land of the dead via his boat on the Styx. So
rivers, not unlike crossroads (but that’s another post) were often seen as
powerful passages.
Friday, July 17, 2015
F3 Sultry Nights
A heatwave
had come to Belport. The mercury climbed nearly to 100 degrees; combined with
the humidity from the ocean, this mean life was miserable for all involved. Everyone
tried to use their air conditioners at the same time, which the power grid
wasn’t prepared to handle, so the utilities instituted brownouts.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Slipping by
It’s the
middle of July. It’s hot, unbearably so. But of more concern is the fact that
the summer is more than half over, and it doesn’t feel like it should be. It’s
yet another one of the weird time compression things that are all too common to
teachers. Parts of the semester crawl by, others fly. The same things happen
during off times. Sometimes the time is sufficient, and goes by at a leisurely
pace. Other times it feels like we don’t have a chance to even catch our
breaths.
I guess the
only thing to do is make the most of the time that’s left. It’s time to start
crossing projects off my list. I’ve been working on a lot of them
simultaneously, so I haven’t been idle. Maybe completing a few will make the
time better spent.
Monday, July 13, 2015
M3 Vampire Weaknesses: Mirrors
The mirror
idea goes back to the idea that a reflection reveals a person’s soul, which is
why many indigenous people believed that cameras would steal a person’s sole,
also. So the idea is that vampires possess no souls for the mirror to reflect.
Unlike the other apotropaics, mirrors do not actually ward vampires away. There
is nothing preventing a vampire from standing in a hall of mirrors and attacking
someone. Vampires avoid mirrors simply because they would stand revealed to the
people.
Friday, July 10, 2015
F3 Four Words
“Come on,
say it,” Natalie pressed.
“What? No.
Come on,” I said.
“If you
don’t say it, you’re not getting any.” She folded her arms, looking sternly at
me.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Summer of Myth
This is an
interesting summer, one in which I’ve been pouring on some extra mythology
work, a good part because of a former student emailing me asking some detailed
and interesting questions. Since I’m a sucker for mythology, of course I’m
going to answer and get into a very detailed conversation about myths.
Monday, July 6, 2015
M3 Vampire Weaknesses: Garlic
Garlic has
long been held as a universal ward against evil. There is plenty of information
about how it purifies the blood, keeps away blood sucking insects, gives strength,
courage, and bestows other attributes.
Friday, July 3, 2015
F3 Halls of Montezuma
Flynn
huffed and puffed, trying to catch his breath as he leaned against the
bulkhead. His muscles felt watery, and he could swear that the gravity had been
increased to almost twice what was standard for all that he wanted to sink to
the deck.
Beside him,
Lt. Stephanie Kimball, whom he usually referred to as Eltie, jogged in place
beside him. She hardly broke a sweat, and had that infuriating grin on her
face.
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Questions, Not Answers
The more I
teach, write, research, and learn, the more I come to understand about myself
during these processes. And what I’ve come to understand is that I’m not
interested in answers as I am in questions. Sure, answers come into it,
eventually, but that’s not what drives me. I’m not content to simply be told an
answer or even to find an answer.
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