at war

I think it kind of goes without saying, but we are at war, world.

At war with those who would drag us back to the dark ages, to authoritarianism, bigotry and greed. To robber barons and dictators. To patriarchy, slavery and the oppression of all who do not agree or do not conform.

It may not be fighting in the streets, but we are at war.

Fight like it.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 51 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Proof Of Corruption
Comics: Shadowhawk v4 18, Vampirella/Shadowhawk 2, New Shadowhawk 1-2
Music: In Miracle Land, The Vines

listening to idiots

Can still provide real advice, even if it’s cautionary.

Thoughts for early morning.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 185 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Proof Of Collusion, Seth Abramson
Comics: Shadowhawk Special 1, Shadowhawk v4 16-17, Vampirella/Shadowhawk 1
Music: In Love Dying, Red Hot Chili Peppers

conflict

It makes a good plot device, and in real life, is entirely unavoidable. As much as we’d like to eliminate conflict, the best I think we can do is minimize its impact on us, which means learning how best to handle it.

I’m filled with conflict these days – my desire to fight oppression, my desire to avoid people who suck, my own internal resistance to doing what it will take to actually take all these thoughts and dreams in my head and start shaping the world to them, instead of the other way around.

Then again, the Tao teaches doing-not-doing, so forcing the world into a shape it cannot be may be counterproductive.

Would that those would not listen break, and find the plugs in their mind falling free.

Would that we all fall free.

Would that we all love.

Would that, would that.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 1733 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Proof Of Collusion, Seth Abramson
Comics: Shadownhawk 0, Shadowhawk v4 13-15
Music: In God We Trust, Dead Kennedys

beginning to realize

This blog cannot be a vent for whatever my personal random shit is that day.

It’s meant to connect, to put out into the world what I want to say, to be honest about myself.

This ain’t the Mungk no more.

The Mungk was fatalism; bemoaning the state of the world was par for the course.

Now that I’m into Bad Neighbours and spending my days thinking about the nature of conflict, consequences and the lack thereof, this will have to get more intellectual.

More “into it”, as the kids say.

I don’t hold controversial views; I believe in peace, cooperation, and respect for our fellow beings.

At least, that shouldn’t be controversial.

These days, though, petting a puppy is considered evil by someone, and that someone is almost definitely MAGA.

Here’s another view that shouldn’t be controversial.

MAGA is bad. Fascism is bad. Bigotry is bad. Corruption is bad. Trump and Elon are bad. All Republicans should be removed from power at the earliest possible opportunity.

These are things that should not be controversial.

But then again, if they were actually considered as they are, we’d never have been in this position in the first place.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 180 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Proof Of Collusion, Seth Abramson
Comics: Shadowhawk v3 3-4, Shadowhawk Gallery 1, Shadowhawk v4 12 (yes, that's correct; in the original numbering, they decided to make it an ongoing, folding in the first three miniseries, eleven issues' worth)
Music: In Bloom, Nirvana

super bowl

I finally feel a little liberated. I honestly never gave a shit about football, but like many of us, I trudged out to some kind of Superbowl party every year, to watch two teams I did not care nor know anything about battle it out.

I used to say it was for the commercials, but I only buy experiences and not stuff now (at least, as much as possible – I still have to clothe myself, wash dishes, that sort of thing), so I don’t really give a fuck. Functional or experiential, not collectible.

Most commercials are shit anyway, trying way too hard. Wazzup wasn’t that funny.

Plus, the orange menace was going to be there, because, of course, he fucking was, and the less I see of that absolute piece of garbage, the better.

The half-time show is occasionally interesting, but I lost interest after they forced the Red Hot Chili Peppers to lip sync. I have seen anyone I actually cared to see since Tom Petty.

(Scratch that, the year with Eminem was pretty good).

So, yeah, I did what’s now become our new tradition and a much more enjoyable one – the Puppy Bowl followed by a movie.

A glass of wine.

Maybe a shot of cream liqueur, because we fancy.

Or some shit.

Anyway, enjoy your sport named after another sport that doesn’t have anything to do with the original sport and has very little to do with feet connecting with balls, making it aptly misnamed.

America. You’re so predictably boring, and your favourite sport?

It’s tedious as all get-out.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 108 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: The Personal MBA, Josh Kaufman
Comics: Images Of Shadowhawk 2-3, Shadowhawk v3 1-2
Music: In Between Evolution, The Tragically Hip (feels like where we are now, on the cusp of an evolutionary leap, or complete destruction.)

draftin’

I started the first draft of Bad Neighbours yesterday. I surprised myself in that I did not represent the characters at all as I wanted, but also, the writing isn’t bad.

It needs adjustment, which is why I’m doing a post mortem on it today. I mean, just the first scene, but hey.

I captured the mayor well.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 200 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: The Personal MBA, Josh Kaufman
Comics: Shadowhawk v2 1-3, Images Of Shadowhawk 1
Music: In A Warzone, Transplants (I will forever adore anything involving Tim Armstrong)

integration bill

I know Quebec continues to get a free pass, but come on. This is some racist shit.

Quebec is very much turning into a xenophobic state; its leadership is not compatible with the values of Canada as a whole.

I hate that men like this (and by extension, Trump, Putin, Musk, Farage, etc) are allowed to freely sow division. We as humans have been through all this.

We know these lessons.

Why the fuck do we continue to let pieces of shit like this lead?

The world needs purging of demagogues.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 1629 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: The Personal MBA, Josh Kaufman
Comics: Shadowhawk 1-4
Music: In A Car, Meat Puppets (yeah, this was terrible)

trying for better

It’s been a tough week. It probably sounds like whining (and it is, to an extent, because I’m not the one with the broken wrist), but man, picking up the slack this week has thrown me right off.

Our chores are usually split; adding three-quarters of what someone else does to maintain our daily lives on top of an already decent load?

It’s a lot.

It does make you appreciate what the other person does, I’ll tell you that.

Free time is over, at least for the next few weeks.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 259 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: The Personal MBA, Josh Kaufman
Comics: Batman/The Maxx: Arkham Dreams 2-5
Music: In 3-D, Weird Al Yankovic (anyone else see that movie?  Fucking brilliant - I adore both Weird Al and Daniel Radcliffe)

longest short week ever

I took Monday off after my wife broke her wrist, but the rest of this week has been… a trial.

At best.

Fuck me.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 176 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: The Natural Navigator, Tristan Gooley
Comics: Altered Image 2-3, The Maxx 35, Batman/The Maxx: Arkham Dreams 1
Music: Imagine, John Lennon (imagine I had a better life, a better outlook, more skill, the whole package)

busted shoulder

I’m falling apart. Ironically, it’s not the one I slipped and banged yesterday. It’s the one I got massaged, which may have actually made it worse.

Target: 1100 words
Written: 739 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: The Natural Navigator, Tristan Gooley
Comics: The Maxx 32-34, Altered Image 1
Music: I'm With You, Red Hot Chili Peppers