Man, I’m gonna miss that little Munchkin face.
She’s going to miss our pups; man, is she ever attached to them.
I love it.
Target: 1600 words
Written: 2410 words, novel: Father Lightning
Read: The Grey Seas Under, Farley Mowat
Comics: Dynamo 5 5-6, Invincible 44, Brit v2 1
Music: Frank Black, Frank Black (Black Frank is White)Grandbaby for the weekend. Apparently, she’s into watching Twister and Back To The Future, and the dinosaur scenes in Jurassic Park.
I mean, I watched Jaws at eight, so who am I to judge?
I could never judge the generations behind me for trying mushrooms or pot, or getting lousy, stinkin’ druink, let alone their choice of age-inappropriate movie.
Target: 1600 words
Written: 1497 words, novel: Father Lightning
Read: The Grey Seas Under, Farley Mowat
Comics: Noble Causes 30, Dynamo 5 4, Invincible 42-43
Music: The Fragile (Right), Nine Inch NailsNot just in the world, but in me.
I’m angry at the world’s situation.
I’m angry at myself, for wasting so much time.
I’m angry at myself, for not being a better man.
I’m angry at circumstances beyond my control.
I’m angry at being blamed for things I didn’t even do, and never would.
I’m angry at greed.
I’m angry at corruption.
I’m angry at myself for allowing depression to dictate the terms of my life.
I’m angry at other people, for constantly invading my time and space.
I’m angry, because I’m not nice enough, and because I cannot be less nice.
I’m angry at my own frustation.
I’m angry, again, at my inability to change any of this.
I’m angry at my inertia.
Target: 1600 words
Written: 1818 words, novel: Father Lightning
Read: Definitely Dead, Charlaine Harris
Comics: Noble Causes 8-9, Invincible 21-22
Music: For Those About To Rock, AC/DCMy wife says I’m angry. I say she’s angry. She says that’s just at her daughter, but it bleeds out into the rest of the world.
Mine does as well. I’m sick of other people.
I listen to A Wave Across The Bay and I want that for myself.
I want endless falling, never crashing, never landing, never ceasing to exist, but never engaging again.
Endless travel, free of care, free of responsibility.
When Sartre says hell is other people, he might be on to a thing.
Target: 1600 words
Written: 1721 words, novel: Father Lightning
Read: On Love, Charles Bukowski
Comics: WildC.A.T.S. v6 8-11
Music: Flyin' The Flannel, FIREHOSE (I don't why it's listed in all caps)This is a tough world in which to focus on kindness. I try to, but my frustration with our current political climate and people’s unfortunate behaviour makes it difficult to find sympathy.
It’s very easy to retreat.
Crippling depression and overwhelming stress doesn’t help. When one is in crisis, doing the extra for others seems a step too far.
But perhaps that’s when we need it most.
(What we really need is for someone to show us the same grace in return, but let’s face it – this isn’t that kind of world, and that’s a rare act.)
As someone who has dealt extensively with depression, I can confidently say that most kindness is tempered by judgment.
Oh, I’m so sorry, honey, maybe you should just buck up.
I feel you and what you’re going through, but maybe if you weren’t depressed, you wouldn’t have this problem (no shit, Sherlock).
He’s having a hard time, but he brought it on himself.
Etc., etc.
Do not temper your kindness with judgment; just be there. Give the hug. Hold the hand. Help clean up. Make a casserole.
Listen. Don’t be a jerk.
After all, better out than in, and judgment forces the latter, intentionally or otherwise.
Target: 1600 words
Written: 1354 words, novel: Father Lightning
Read: Night Shift, Stephen King
Comics: Voodoo v2 12, 0, Grifter v3 0, 13
Music: Flood, They Might Be GiantsThere’s nothing wrong with strength, but posturing is never truly the mark of a strong man.
Indeed, kindness, compassion, sober second thought – the ability to see perspective and to act on a combination of conviction and data (never blinding oneself to what is for the sake of dogmatic ideals) – these are the hallmarks of a strong person.
Those who would sublimate themselves in order to help someone in need.
Those who show kindness to anyone who needs it.
Those who would stand up for those that need their help, regardless of the consequences to oneself, in the face of the laughing masses.
That’s fucking strength. That’s “masculine” (and really – it’s everyone. Nothing in this precludes anyone of any gender to be any of this – good and bad).
Anyway, that’s my point.
It takes more courage and strength to be soft and kind than it does to put up walls and pretend to be hard (and if you’re truly hard, well, then, why would we venerate you? As the Tao puts it – the hard and stiff are disciples of death; the supple and flexible are those of life.)
(Paraphrased, obviously.)
Corpses are rigid, and only move at the whim of others as they decay.
Life moves in an intricate dance, wills and choice mingling, and isn’t it better to dance well with your partners, than do the meathead thing and forget that a mosh pit isn’t sanctioned bullying; it’s energetic celebration.
Kindness isn’t toxic; neither is it feminine.
It’s human, and a fully obtainable ideal.
Target: 1600 words
Written: 1130 words, novel: Father Lightning
Read: Night Shift, Stephen King
Comics: Voodoo v2 10-11, Grifter v3 11-12
Music: Flogging Molly, Flogging Molly (floggingmollyfloggingmolly)You ever find something you love, that you’re really into, but the time sink is just too much with everything else you need/want/have to do?
I feel that way about baseball. I love the old game, the strategy, the drama, the fact that everything can change with one great pitch or one great swing or one great play (or one big fuck-up, to be fair).
But I can’t do it. It’s too much. It’s too much of a time sink. The stats, the game length, the fact that it’s three hours a day every day for almost half the year… would that I had nothing else in my life, but I do.
My love of ball is less than my love of reading. Or writing. Or love.
Such a shame is life.
Target: 1600 words
Written: 1938 words, novel: Father Lightning
Read: Well Of Shiuan, C.J. Cherryh
Comics: Voodoo v2 8-9, Grifter v3 9-10
Music: Float, Flogging Molly (Float, the song, is my spirit animal)17 years and it feels like nowhere near long enough. We’ve been through so much, been so many places and come so far. I can’t imagine what I’d have done without you.
One thing’s for sure; it surely wouldn’t have been anywhere near as pretty.
Target: 1600 words
Written: 742 words, novel: Father Lightning
Read: In Search Of The Castaways, Jules Verne (and there it is, the cannibal savage trope)
Comics: WildC.A.T.S. 26-29
Music: Flag Of The Shriners, State RadioTraining all day. Being utterly bored. Other people’s drama.
It’s enough to make a guy want to go to bed.
And not in the fun way.
Target: 1600 words
Written: 1545 words, novel: Father Lightning
Read: The Black Unicorn, Terry Brooks
Comics: Grifter & Midnighter 1-4
Music: Firestarter, The ProdigyThat was cruel. Even though Billy Joel is the worst, it’s not my place to tell people what they like and don’t like. Challenge them by exposing them to better (much better), sure.
But outright condemnation and insults?
That’s beneath us.
Sorry, kid. That was rude. I won’t yuck your yum, even if your yum is a bland piece of unseasoned chicken breast, boiled for too long.
Target: 1600 words
Written: 1349 words, novel: Father Lightning
Read: The Black Unicorn, Terry Brooks
Comics: WildCats Nemesis 7-9, WildC.A.T.S. v4 1
Music: FireCracker Lounge, Sublime