I found a few videos showing just how effective standing your ground can be. Against an Elephant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8R50nvv5gc A gorilla: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KujmrcF0ZxU And a bear (the second video then provides a an explanation of what's going on): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atZqRbpb5gg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb2skHOryJI I'd have more to say here, but I'm currently in a cold-induced haze that leaves very little … Continue reading The Power of Nerves
Poetry – “A Servant When He Reigneth”
“For three things the earth is disquieted,and for four which it cannot bear.For a servant when he reigneth,and a fool when he is filled with meat;for an odious woman when she is married,and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.”(Proverbs 30,21-23) Three things make earth unquietAnd four she cannot brookThe godly Agur counted themAnd … Continue reading Poetry – “A Servant When He Reigneth”
Words of the Saints: St. John Henry Newman on Modernism
From one of future-Cardinal Newman's Tracts for the Times (written while he was still an Anglican) “Surely, there is at this day a confederacy of evil, marshaling its hosts from all parts of the world, organizing itself, taking its measures, enclosing the Church of Christ as in a net, and preparing the way for a … Continue reading Words of the Saints: St. John Henry Newman on Modernism
Thoughts on ‘Rampage’
A couple weeks ago, my movie night was revisiting Rampage, the 2018 video game adaptation starring Dwayne Johnson, Jeffery Dean Morgan, and a giant cgi gorilla. When I first saw the film in theaters, I found myself unexpectedly pleased by it, at least for what it is. Keep in mind that I saw it just … Continue reading Thoughts on ‘Rampage’
Friday Flotsam: Depression, Self-Help, and Not Your Ferret
1. More depression flare ups this week. The tendency in these cases is to latch on to some external factor and blame that as the cause, so that if one can only get rid of that, things will be okay. Right now it’s my job, which I dislike immensely, but I remind myself that, however … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Depression, Self-Help, and Not Your Ferret
Scene Dissection: ‘Jaws’ on Dialogue Serving Multiple Purposes
Like the contents of a bug-out-bag, every detail of your story should serve a purpose, and preferably more than one. This doesn’t just apply to plot points, but ideally to the individual elements and dialogue that go to make up a scene. For instance take the introductory exchange of dialogue from the Brodys in Jaws … Continue reading Scene Dissection: ‘Jaws’ on Dialogue Serving Multiple Purposes
Let Them Starve
Apparently, the first teaser for the 5th Avengers movie dropped recently. I haven’t seen it and I really don’t care, since I’m pretty much done with the MCU (unless there is very good word of mouth, as with No Way Home), but a friend of mine, a passionate Marvel fan, was feeling quite upset about … Continue reading Let Them Starve
Harpo Storms ‘You Bet Your Life’
On May 1st, 1961, Harpo Marx made an unexpected appearance on "You Bet Your Life" to promote his autobiography Harpo Speaks. Unexpected, that is, even to his brother Groucho, prompting a low-key moment of sincere joy from the acerbic comic, who clearly doesn't mind being upstaged by the one man capable of such a feat. … Continue reading Harpo Storms ‘You Bet Your Life’
Poetry – “Jerusalem”
And did those feet in ancient timeWalk upon England's mountains green:And was the holy Lamb of God,On England's pleasant pastures seen! And did the Countenance Divine,Shine forth upon our clouded hills?And was Jerusalem builded here,Among these dark Satanic Mills? Bring me my Bow of burning gold:Bring me my arrows of desire:Bring me my Spear: O … Continue reading Poetry – “Jerusalem”
Words of the Saints – St. Alphonsus Liguori on Death
All confess that they must die, and die but once; and that there is nothing of greater consequence than this; for our eternal happiness or our eternal unhappiness depends upon the moment of death. We all know a happy or an unhappy death depends upon the life we have led. And yet, how is it … Continue reading Words of the Saints – St. Alphonsus Liguori on Death
Serpent's Den 