Category: personal

a particularly difficult scene

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I don’t like guns. They’re everywhere in movies, television and books, but they have never been a part of my life.

I’ve never fired one. Never even held one.

I haven’t been around one when it went off.

So, it’s hard for me to write about what the effects of such a thing are, how one reacts and all that, when one actually does. Unfortunately, it’s a crucial addition to this book. A late addition, but to really capture the zeitgeist of what it means to be a MAGA archetype, well, you need guns.

Second Amendment bollocks, really.

How fucking dumb are you people? You know if you get rid of the guns, then no one can get shot, right?

Of course, unless you’re an asshole who wants to shoot somebody, which I believe you all are, whether you admit it outwardly or not.

Fuckin’ stupid, man.

Target: 1400 words
Written: 2713 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Quiet: The Power Of Introverts, Susan Cain
Comics: Spider-Man/Badrock 2, Chapel v3 1, Judgment Day: Alpha 1, Judgment Day: Omega 1
Music: What Else Could You Want?, Bullet Treatment (well, if that don't beat all)

big changes, slipped hood

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At least, that’s what this scene is screaming at me.

Why is everyone so calm, including the protagonist?

There are bad things happening, terrifying, awful, annoying, dangerous things.

You have my permission to freak out.

I am.

(Also, yay to Democrat gains in the elections; now, we pray there are enough of us to overcome the rigging, or that he doesn’t suspend elections altogether.)

Target: 1400 words
Written: 1340 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Quiet: The Power Of Introverts, Susan Cain (it's me!)
Comics: Shattered Image 3-4, Youngblood v2 14, Spider-Man/Badrock 1
Music: Western Stars, Bruce Springsteen

remember

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Now, more than ever.

Remember.

When the masks come off, it will be the face of the hopeful that shine, and the face of the condemned that bleed with fear.

Remember.

Target: 1400 words
Written: 1623 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Quiet: The Power Of Introverts, Susan Cain
Comics: Shattered Image 1-2, X-Force/Youngblood 1, Extremely Youngblood 1
Music: A Western Harvest Field By Moonlight, Beck

slammed into first

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Hit the ground running this morning. You ever get the feeling, you’re running on the edge of a bridge as it collapses behind you, like in some twisted video game or action movie?

As Nazis blow things up down south and Carney proves to be the globalist traitor I worried he might be (still better than Poilievre), I can’t help but wonder just how close to the precipice we are.

If we slow down, if we stop running… are we dooming ourselves to abyss?

Or is time to turn and fight?

Target: 1400 words
Written: 1453 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Quiet: The Power Of Introverts, Susan Cain
Comics: Team Youngblood 22, Youngblood v2 8, Prophet & Chapel 1-2
Music: Werewolves And Lollipos, Patton Oswalt

sunday, sunday

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Bah bah, bah, bahbahbah bah.

Also, I’m a little hungover. Going to a movie premiere, then rushing to a bar to catch the last two-thirds of the World Series, only to have it go extra innings, and be stressful to the point of multiple Guinnesses (Guinnessi?), well, that’s too late a night for me.

The movie was better than expected; a local production filmed two blocks from us at an abandoned prison from the old days (built by William Lyon Mackenzie King). We walked past the filming every day, saw the crew and the actors and actresses hanging out, scared the shit out of my wife given that she’s got a monster phobia of jails (and snakes and heights).

My cousin’s daughter worked as a PA on set too, so more ties yet. We had to go.

It was cool to see the various things we’d glimpsed translated onto the screen – the weird partial fence they put up for an outside shot, the girl leaving the jail by a side door after “killing” the Jason-like monster, Jeffrey. The old Bronco and convertible they came and left in (which had a fake severed head on the hood).

Fun times, unique kills, but maybe dragged out a little too long. A touch more editing time might help it get that really tight feeling.

Kill, or be killed – the rule of editing.

Only what’s necessary; and no more. Something I’ve been working on for months.

(It’s called Fresh Meat, if you’re interested, coming to a film festival near you, maybe?)

Target: 1400 words
Written: 826 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: Quiet: The Power Of Introverts, Susan Cain
Comics: Bloodpool Special 1, Team Youngblood 21, Chapel v2 7, Youngblood v2 7
Music: We're Outta Here, The Ramones

fun fun

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Everything is wonderful and collapsing.

Shared experiences are kind of fun, as a community, as a country.

I’m not exactly a patriot, but I believe in the values we profess – kindness, strength through community, an independent and welcome demeanour.

Sit down and have a beer beer, bud. We’re going to game six together.

Target: 1400 words
Written: 1698 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: The Faded Sun: Kesrith, C.J. Cherryh
Comics: Grifter/Badrock 2, Vogue 2, Youngblood v2 3, Chapel v2 5
Music: Welcome To Paradise, Green Day

how proper can we get

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How precious? How far are we willing to sacrifice our happiness to hypocrisy, cruelty or outrage?

How many concessions must we make to others’ feelings?

Is there a limit to empathy? Is there a limit to courtesy?

Sometimes, joking about farts or shit or cum or dicks and boobs is just fun.

What happens when we live for the microaggression, so we can live for our offense? So we can satisfy the dragon of outrage?

Or should the focus be on live and let live, taking a stand when it truly matters, like ICE or concentration camps or the oppression of the minority vote?

Sometimes, a U-turn is strategic, not sexist. That’s all I have to say about that.

Target: 1400 words
Written: 1275 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: The Faded Sun: Kesrith, C.J. Cherryh
Comics: Bloodpool 2, Riptide 1, Youngblood v2 1, Chapel v2 3
Music: The Weirdness, The Stooges (yikes, downhill, guys)

regular programming

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Whatever that is, we’re back to it. It’s weird how the kid lashes out a bit when we’re leaving. We have such a good time, and then, when it’s time for it to be over, the big feelings come and since we’re not quite old enough to know how to deal with that yet, we get a little passive-aggressive (or aggressive-aggressive) and push away.

Do we ever get old enough to know how to deal with people letting us down?

I wish I could be there forever, but alas, there are jobs and money and houses and pets and parents who would lose their shit if we were around twenty-four-seven.

We might lose our shit a little as well.

In any case, it has been a blessing to be around this kid, and I’m so glad we get that opportunity, even if it doesn’t come up for nearly long enough.

Target: 1400 words
Written: 634 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: The Faded Sun: Kesrith, C.J. Cherryh
Comics: Violator Vs. Badrock 4, Bloodstrike Assassin 3, Bloodpool 1, Chapel v2 2
Music: Weird Tales Of The Ramones (Discs 1-3), The Ramones

downtown trick-or-treating

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That’s actually a really cool idea. Kids going store to store. The stores get good PR and publicity and karma (and maybe sales) by doing it. I wonder why we don’t do that here? It was a real hit in Belleville.

Plus, they had Burger Revolution, which somehow equated Che Guevara with dead cow.

I’m torn on Guevara. I know he’s an icon for t-shirts and all, but he wasn’t exactly a great guy. I mean, he was Castro’s right hand man, and Castro was a piece of shit. Death squads by both and the whole bit.

Sort of a nice in theory, terrible in execution icon, like communism or vegans.

Anyway, fun day. Good burger. I love me some caramelized onions.

Target: 1400 words
Written: 697 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: The Faded Sun: Kesrith, C.J. Cherryh
Comics: Brigade v2 25, Violator Vs. Badrock 3, Bloodstrike Assassin 2, Chapel v2 1
Music: Weighting, Rollins Band

grandchild-bound

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This should be fun. It’s not quite Hallowe’en, but it’ll be close enough. We’re doing some Hallowe’en related stuff.

Cannot wait. Drive faster, people.

Target: 1400 words
Written: 2627 words, novel: Bad Neighbours

Read: The Faded Sun: Kesrith, C.J. Cherryh
Comics: Violator Vs. Badrock 2, Bloodstrike Assassin 1, Team Youngblood 20, Brigade v2 22
Music: Weight, Rollins Band