Interesting Fact 6: Away We Go

Seamen believe it to be bad luck to travel with a corpse aboard the ship; if they must transport a body, superstition dictates that it should lie afterwards (not lengthwise) with the ship and be removed before any other crew disembark.

-Rue Morgue


Nicholas D.

Critique

So, I've been thinking about the recent critiques I've been getting.  They haven't been that bad at all, but definitely let me know I need work; well, some.  Finally today I've come to the conclusion that most critique is just opinion.  I'll accept some and leave others behind, but the grammar and punctuation I'll really look at.  Then again, I love re-writing!

Interesting Fact 5: Used Car Oil Ain't What it Used to Be

In 1953 it was discovered by Alfred B. Pitchtook, that there were many uses for used car oil.  Besides lubrication in an engine, it isn't widely known that car oil could be used as a face cleanser, under arm deodorant, hair shampoo, and it also helps fight athletes foot, or lawn fertilizer.  However,  in late 1955 when Mr. Pitchfork was just becoming recognized for his many uses with used car oil, he was shut down by the man.  Major corporations stepped in, as they were being put to the test with their meager products against the used car oil; they quickly put a stop to his research.
After Pitchtook's research was stopped, to prevent these findings from happening again by someone else, oil companies re-designed the formula in car oil.  Now days it is extremely harmful to use used car oil in any way.  So don't fucking try anything, stupid.

Nicholas D.

Meetings

I just came home from a writer's meeting today.  It was informative.  I felt weird critiquing someone else's work.  I thought to myself, "who the fuck are you to critique someone else's work?"  Then they critiqued my work, and I didn't feel so bad anymore.  I went out and gave my opinion.  Not that their stories were bad or my story was bad, their stories were great, and I love my story.  It's just weird to say what other people need to work on, when I know I need a lot of work with my stories.

Tukate,

Nicholas D.

Memories in Third Person

He had just walked out into the street in Rome, from the train station.  Right away a man came to him trying to sell something, but he remembered reading a book, and how it suggested to stay away and don't even speak to people like that.  So, he walked right past the man trying to sell whatever bullshit tourist thing he was trying to sell.
The directions he had to the hostel were pretty clear, so he wasn't worried about getting lost on the streets.  Yet as soon as he stepped onto the side walk, what little there was, he seemed to feel a little lost.  The directions had nothing to do with it.  It was an out-of-place feeling.  Then from a near distance he heard a woman laughing.  He looked around to see who it might be and maybe he'd go introduce himself.  Following the laughter was a language he didn't understand.  He smiled inside himself, and kept walking to the hostel with an unfamiliar, yet familiar feeling.
Through out the day of wondering the city, and purposely getting lost, he would hear people in their conversations, and laugh occasionally.
There was something about this simple act that struck him.  What was he expecting?  Did he expect people in Rome to laugh with an accent?  We all sound the same when we laugh.  Such simple acts we all share.  A mother in China, Mexico,  or Africa doesn't love their child any less than someone from back home.
Just to hear people from another part of the world laugh was worth the trip alone.


Egogahan

Nicholas D.

Sharing is Caring 2

Interesting Fact 4: Love is a Mental Problem

(This isn't the first time I've posted this somewhere.)

Donatella Marazziti, professor of psychiatry at the University of Pisa in Italy, compared a lovers' serotonin levels with those of a group of people suffering from OCD and another group who were free from both passion and mental illness.  Levels of serotonin in both the obsessives' blood and the lovers' blood were 40 percent lower than those in her normal subjects.  Translation: Love and obsessive-compulsive disorder could have a similar chemical profile.  Translation: Love and mental illness may be difficult to tell apart.  Translation: Don't be a fool.  Stay away.

Lauren Slater
National Geographic
February 2006

Sickness

Richard Matheson wrote a short story "The Creeping Terror" about how southern california, way of life, or the idea, became a virus and was taking over the country.  The thought crossed my mind this weekend, when I started to think of Texas.  An idea for a story popped into my mind.  It was mixed with a story I had all ready written before.
There's something about Texas.  People from Texas are actually proud to be Texans.  It isn't a bad thing.  I mean they don't say they live in or are from Texas.  They say they are Texans.  It can be pretty creepy, sometimes.

Aliens

I'm not easily scared with movies at all.  I can safely say horror movies are more comedic than scary.  But, shit like this




scares me.  I mean when the whole world is being attacked by a force more advanced than us is pretty scary.

Interesting Fact 3: Match Maker, Match Maker....

Match makers during the 1800s commonly suffered from an ailment known as "phossy jaw."  The condition, which caused their jawbones to prematurely rot and decay.  This crazy result was due to phosphorus poisoning they received from working with the chemical used to make matches.

I'll have Fries and Prayer, Please.

 There are quite a few churches here in Houston, Tx.  I can't drive down a main street without seeing a few people waving signs for a car wash asking for money in the parking lot of a McD's.  That's nothing out of the ordinary.  Actually, it's kind odd to drive down a main street without seeing something like this.
Yesterday I saw something different. Driving home, I was coming up the feeder off 59, when I saw a few people holding signs.  Apparently the church now has drive through prayer windows.  I'm not sure what to think about that.  I have neither negative nor positive thoughts about it.  I'm not a Christian, but it seems that putting a drive through window in a church is a little off.  It's just another act to take it less seriously.  Hmm....I guess that would be a negative thought.

Stories or Scenes?

The worst thing I could have done, and did, was show my stories to family members and people that don't read.  "This is great stuff!"
Actually, looking back at all those stories, I realize they aren't.  In fact, they are far from ok.  Not that my writing now is the greatest ever printed, but they sure are a whole lot better.  The best thing I did was show them to people who actually read.  Now, even better, I'm showing them to people who write!  I'm enjoying the feed back I'm getting.
To think, I almost called it quits many a time.
(I raise my glass of scotch).  Here's to struggling for your passion, the only one that brings you joy, and love.

Quinmoztla

Nicholas D.

Sharing is Caring 1

“Anybody who loves books just knows what it feels like to love a book.  And especially if books are your jam, loving a book is a feeling you can’t get from anything else. To meet someone who has the same feelings about the same book and knows exactly where you’re coming from about that book is not a normal thing.”  - Stephanie Anderson, from WORD bookstore.

Technology? No Thank You....to a Point

It seems as technology is increasing, I'm falling further behind.  This weekend I found some spare time and went to Best Buy to look at the dvds, only to find quite a few blurays.  Then I noticed all the televisions.  I felt like I was traveling into the future.  Then, I moved to the ipod area and remembered a time when I almost bought one.  I can see how handy it can be to have one, but I just can't bring myself to get one.
I mean I still use a hand held can opener, instead of an electronic one.  I grind my own coffee instead of buying it all ready grounded, and I refuse to buy instant!  I use a straight razor instead of all these crazy 3 to 4 blade razors, or electric shavers.
Then, I went car shopping.  I wondered into the Honda lot and test drove a 2010 Civic.  Holy crap!  It felt like it was going to break.  Everything in it felt and looked cheaply made.  I'm not that strong of a guy, but I felt like I could rip the steering wheel off.
I didn't buy it of course.  No.  Instead, I went home, put on a Bob Dylan record, and read some of The Stand for a while until I had to pick up my pen and work on a short story.
I wonder if I should keep moving from most technology (obviously not all, because after all I'm using my Mac to type this blog), or if I should finally move on with technology.
It seems to me that most tech. is making people lazier, though.  Most people I meet, not all, are very reliant on tech. or someone else, instead of doing things their selves, or at least trying to figure out how to do something their selves.  Everyone knows about pop culture, but no one can talk about books, history, or anything interesting!
It's funny when I tell people I haven't owned nor watched T.V. in almost 9 years, and I sure don't miss it one bit.  They say things like, "I wish I could do that?"  I can't help but think, Actually, you can!  You just don't want to, because you like sitting on the couch like a freak'n mindless zombie, allowing corporations to melt your thought process away, and tell you what you should like and think is "cool", all the while laughing while they're playing their flute and you're following, unable to think for yourself anymore!  You tool!  
Wow!  That must have been pent-up for some time.
So, technology...it can be useful if used right, but when it becomes a necessity and rules your life making you think you can't live without it, then I say you should go to some type of help group right next to an AA meeting.


U-hyu'-s-ti

Nicholas D.

Interesting Fact 2: The Mayans....They're so Lame.

Everyone now days knows everything there is to know about the Mayan calendar, or at least they act like they know...or they know the Mayans had a calendar.  Apparently it's quite accurate, but no one talks about the other calendar from a nobel people down south.
That's right, the calendar from the nobel men and women of Titicaca.  It's actually very accurate.  In fact, interesting fact, they were far more advanced when it came mathematics, making the Mayans look like they were counting their fingers and toes to solve problems.
We abruptly come the question, "Why doesn't anyone know about this?"
Seriously think about it.  Would you take anyone serious from Titicaca?  Even then, when it was first established, and their calendar was revealed, people knew not to take it serious.  Their name has and is their downfall.

Parahi

Nicholas D.