The world is overwhelming right now for folks like me; it's a nightmare of rage and frustration and tears for people who've been at the wrong end of authority for decades. Let me say this up front: I am an anti-fascist. I'm anti-authoritarian. My Serbian family - my Deda Janko and Deda Dragan in particular… Continue reading Resources in Times of Trouble
Category: General Thoughts
Them There Video Blogs and Wut
Well, I've done it. I've created a video blog with ONE WHOLE VIEW since the premier. Want to see it? The photographs are mine and, yes, mostly from various Awkward Author contests. I figure, if I can't make fun of myself I have no business being on YouTube. The video itself was edited using ShotCut,… Continue reading Them There Video Blogs and Wut
Creation, Comfort, and Cadfael
It’s said that in times of trouble and distress, we move towards the comfortable. On Tuesday, I completed a writing course hosted by Richard Kadrey where he held a video chat among the course participants. We talked about where to go after the course, about staying inspired, and about different places we could find inspiration.… Continue reading Creation, Comfort, and Cadfael
Pulling Me Back In
I’ve got two big side-hustles right now. The first is writing and the second, neglected somewhat, is photography. (Even further down is film and video work – but we’ll get to that in a sec). Recently, thanks to a generous gift, I’ve gotten a Nikon Z6. And I’ve been learning how to use it from… Continue reading Pulling Me Back In
Anxiety Based Writing Boyfriends
Fear is not my ally. It’s been a constant companion, but not a friend and certainly not an ally. It’s more like a subtle, rotten smell that creeps in anytime I’m trying to enjoy myself. Imagine you’re being offered a chance to eat world class cuisine of your choice. It’s a big thing- an impressive… Continue reading Anxiety Based Writing Boyfriends
In Defense of Canto Bight
If what’s happening with recent Star Wars discussion can be called “The Skywalker Schism” - as posited by author Bill Bridges - I’m about to go full on Heresy here. I think the Canto Bight sequences in TLJ are necessary because they not only fed into Finn’s journey from focused survivalist to declaring himself “rebel… Continue reading In Defense of Canto Bight
Not-So-Cyberpunk 2020
The end of the year. Normally a time for reflection on the year. Honestly, though, my accomplishments can be boiled down to the following: Published in two anthologies this year. Completed draft of a full-length novel Attended two (smaller scale) workshops Kept my job for a full year Kept my personal life relatively intact Continued… Continue reading Not-So-Cyberpunk 2020
Not So SMART Goals
SMART Goals: The holy grail of getting things done. Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Timely goals. It’s a corporate mantra, spoken at every HR review. We want to set goals which can be achieved – vague language is for mission statements. For writing, a SMART goal sounds like this: Complete second draft of three (3), 5000-word… Continue reading Not So SMART Goals
One Step from The Horror
Mel Brooks once said, “Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you fall into an open sewer and die.” One of my media professors used to talk about this as dramatic distance. The closer you are to an event, emotionally, the impact of an event changes. Or, put it another way, it’s… Continue reading One Step from The Horror
That Voice – No, not that one. The other one!
Do you hear that voice? Just over your shoulder, at the edge of your hearing. No, not the one yelling about a Meat Bicycle! Or the one saying, "You're the crunch, and I'm the Captain!" That voice we're used to dealing with, because it's the engineer on the Poop Train. Or Hamlet. And I'm not… Continue reading That Voice – No, not that one. The other one!
Biomechanoid Blues 