Tag Archives: books

Comedic relief.

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Daily writing prompt
What villain actually had a good point?
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Thinking about this automatically took me to movies, or a series. If I had read more, a book. Marking a villain as an aspect of a plot. Good, bad, comedic relief. You know. Formulaic.

And even though I backburnered this one, at least that was my intention, things crept into my noggin making me view this conundrum otherwise. The good, the bad and the comedic relief are not merely consigned to the silver screen – if that is even a thing any more – or to a binge worthy series.

Villain was born of a late Latin word and eventually evolved to mean a scoundrel or an individual with base instincts. At least that is what Al said. So a scoundrel or one with base instincts can share a good point.

Huh.

I guess there may be a minute glimmer of truth in some of the things they might point out, intended to bring more harm to the target in a deeper fashion. There is only so much damage they can inflict from a physical sense. But way more of the psychological, emotional and spiritual side.

I think villains take aim at a remaining shred of honesty or integrity that lay in the “hero”, to impart even more pain and suffering. Think about it. A villain telling you that you are worthless, have no value and will never amount to anything. And if that already is an element of the hero’s esteem, and the villain knows it, the knife not only went in, it was twisted three hundred and sixty degrees.

Now that is one base, scoundrel.

I used to turn it into two of them by listening and believing what the villain shared. My aim now is to use these instances as a reminder of what I am no longer.

A base scoundrel.

They may choose to point out my shortcoming and the fallacy of a life ill lived as a way to induce more self-destruction on my part.

But I am not taking the bait and I will no longer succumb to that element of psychological torture.

I will defend myself against the villain.

Their diatribe of hurtful intended good points will be met with the weapon of their surrender.

Comedic relief.

Fin.

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Daily writing prompt
If you could change the ending of any book, which one would it be?
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As you get to know me from these routine assignments and other spontaneous contributions, there has been an ongoing, perhaps noticable transition. Intention is undergoing alteration. A reinforcement of values accompanied by a shift in vocation. A new day finally treasured for once with some hope on the horizon.

We are all authors of our own story.

Mine had become a messterpiece.

But with a pack of legal pads, once of those Sharpie ball point pens and this trusty chrome book, I am in the process of being able to document a rewrite.

The main characters remain, but in a new light. The plot has shifted with the introduction of some new to my story. I am not aware of the acromym for a spiritual, adventure packed romance, fixer upper, comedy. Maybe that is something that needs to be left for Al to figure out. But that is where it seems to be going. Hopefully, many chapters remain.

Just know that a script is not handed over to you at birth to follow because of circumstance, event, disbelief or choices. There is plenty of paper and ink to articulate your story the way you want it to be read. And never write it to appeal to an audience. Live it the way best suited for you and let them seek you out.

There are many out there that need to know that they too can become their own authors of life. And reading your genuine story, with all of the melodrama, history, pain, joy and awakening will prove to them that they can write theirs too.

It may seem otherwise, but we are all connected. We just need to open up and let that truth happen.

Until next time, I will steer clear of ig-pay atin-lay and return to my roots Francais.

Fin.

Yawn.

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Daily writing prompt
What’s a show that had the perfect series finale?
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I guess to me, a series is more than just a television show.

I would have to include things like Tom & Jerry, Bugs Bunny and Tex Avery, or Johnny Quest cartoons. Add in the Stooges. Svengoolie then on into actual series, like MASH, ER, All in the Family, Cheers, The Bob Newhart Show, Home Improvement, Seiinfeld, NYPD Blues, and the like. (there are WAY more.)

Back in the day? The Johnny Carson Show, the Carol Burnett Show, the Dean Martin Show, the Dick Cavett Show, and others. Off shore? Monty Python, Dave Allen, Bernard Hill, Bean. Movies? Star Wars, LOTR, Indiana Jones.

I cannot say I ever sat through an entire series via the boob tube. Star Wars and LOTR yes. But shows, nope. I think what tends to happen over time, is that things change. Maybe writers, artists, producers, characters and perhaps just the creativity are elements that are very challenging to maintain. Sprinkle in ego, and voila, you may end up with something never intended.

So like my cartoons?

They just lost me. Generational most likely. Too generic and not violent and sarcastic enough any more. So if an old school one is on, I will hunker down to chuckle.

But new ones? Nope.

Curly, Larry and Moe?

24/7. Later Shemps, Joe and Curly Joe? Uh, uh,

TV shows?

Trapper went home and Henry perished in a plane crash. I left too. Archie was less obnoxious when Meathead left and Edith passed. Diane left the bar, new romances began, and Woody took center stage. Michael left the office. Why would they want someone else to be Frank Drebbin? Something else shinier always catches my attention. Figures. Attention span of a gnat.

These days?

The Pitt led to a return to Madmen, and Ray and the Barones are always in the background. Bla, bla, bla.

But other than LOTR and StarWars, I have never watched an entire series. With regard to Star Wars, 4, 5 and 6 were way better than 1, 2 and 3. What were they even thinking. Obviously in a galaxy far, far away.

But I digress.

Yawn.

Wherever.

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When I got it going this morning, the prompt was one thing, albeit a wee bit of deja vu in it. Since then, my noggin has been in overdrive down that path of prose. But alas, it to has changed. But what the heck. It did prompt me to offer something. So gird your loins.

I mentioned that it was sort of like a rerun, something to the effect of how you like to be active or participate in the community. I recall sharing something about my experience in youth sports, Boy Scouting, publicspeaking and the like here at home. But a pot or so of coffee and about 150 miles later, I arrived at this perspective. Whoa, that pun arrived right on schedule. Like it was in Maps.

Community goes far beyond where one lives. It is situated all over. Where, how and what we are meant to be when we just simply live. We are all different in some fashion. That is just the way it is. But in reality, we are all the same. The mold is essentially identical. From a Master drawing perspective, it is still rev. 1. Has been for, what, thousands of years? The only difference is how we come out of the finishing department. Exteriors aside, we all have the same engine, frame and suspension systems.

So you can be traveling on business, to say Pekin, Illinois and your rev. 1 model will then become a part of their local inventory. How you go about embracing them and their way of life in the Land of Lincoln even if for only that one overnight stay casts impressions that may extend far beyond your time there. Both on them and on you. What you do as a foreigner in that foreign land of Cardinal fans can be defining in many ways.

Say you check into the Holday Inn there on Kelly Ave. and no know strangers, they will likely respond in kind. In a few minutes of shootin’ the feces, you can become one of them. Like a Bears fan in Wisconsin, meeting a Cubs fan there will stoke a great rivalry conversation. Steer clear of 1969.

Smile and share puns and open doors. Say “thank you” for their help and dropping their guard. Make friends. Maybe they have kids graduating or getting married too. Perhaps they just lost a parent or a sibling. Could be that this is there side gig during retirement or their first job out of high school. And should the tunes in the background elicit a response or sing along, share the concert you went to growing up. Your favorite kind of music. Or how you love to listen to Led Zepplin at “11” on I55 with the windows down.

For some strange reason, we forget that we are all one. As one. The only difference is a zip code. Don’t matter where, how or what.

Just be active in them.

Wherever.

It takes the crown.

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Daily writing prompt
What book could you read over and over again?
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Intriguing.

The one that takes the crown?

Probably the winner by a longshot when my four kiddies were growing up. Some others may have dipped into double digits. Suess, Silverstein, Milne. But this one by far the fav.

I liked Michael Crichton. Jurassic Park – the book – was way better than the movie. Some of his others were fun reads – Prey and Congo were good too.

Version 1.0.0

Multiple reads all. Now Weir’s “Project Hail Mary” is on the night stand. Loving that one.

Henri Nouwen, “The Return of the Prodigal Son” and his team effort “Compassion” with Douglas Morrison and Donald McNeill are gonna be do overs many, many times.

There is another one, to be named later, that correlates well with some of my light reading via the Bible. Light because it is making things about my life shine for once.

Reading that used to be a word salad to me for some reason. But now the two read in tandem seem to act as code talkers, to decipher things for this Stoic. The connection between the Old and the New is fascinating, as is delving into the origins of the words, why those particular ones were used in that moment and why we need to consider using those definitions now. It all makes sense.

And in following the story line, you get to know that path, and in time, you can travel it with your eyes closed. You won’t want to because it is a thing of sincere beauty. You will want to see everything a long the way. But it is a truly collaborative effort that transcends time itself.

Starting from before then, to right now, then onto wherever we are taken.

Move over Mr. Arnold.

This is the greatest story ever written.

It takes the crown.