Hello, all! B.B. Walter has returned from the land of the dead. I wanted to leave a brief message to everyone letting them know that I am all right. A few of you know the reason for my absentism for the last several months, and I appreciate the outpouring of emotional support I've received from each one of you! For those of you who are unaware of what transpired; my cousin (she and I were closer to sisters than cousins) slipped into a coma in July from a rare disease - Pompe's Disease. After several weeks of struggle, Amber Nicole (Burgess)(Bennett) Cowan passed away in the middle of August. Since then I have been hiding from/wallowing in my grief from her passing.
Having come out of the darkness (although still have moments of utter blackness) I have decided that the best service I can do my cousin's memory is to live. I am also planning a series of articles about my cousin Am and her disease, Pompe's.
This disease effects only 1 in 40,000 people. Briefly, the human body produces lactic acid during movement (that is the bodily fluid that makes your muscles feel weak/fatigued/stiff after exercise) and, separately, another enzyme to break down the lactic acid. Pompe's disease is the non-production or minimal production of this second enzyme called (I believe) glucosamine (I will be double-checking all of this information prior to my articles). Essentially, the lack of this enzyme causes the stiffing of muscles. Since the heart, lungs, and brain are the hardest working (and constantly working) muscles in the human body, these three organs are amongst the first attacked and affected (although a patient may feel pain/fatigue in other seemingly less-deadly muscles as premature symptoms of the disease).
My cousin Amber's disease first manifested as common fatigue; it progressed to pain in her hip and left leg causing difficulty with mobility; and, finally, attacked her lungs, causing her to slip in and out of consciousness, before affecting her brain causing debilitating seizures.
Writing about all of this is going to be both cathartic and devastating for me, I know, as well as for my family. But, true to writer form, unless I'm tweaking an emotional response, I'm not interested in writing something. Also, after seeing the network of people whose lives are affected by this virtually unknown disease, I feel it is important to enlighten those I know (even if they are few) about the illness and its devastation. So look for a series of articles from me on my blog here and also on AllVoices (an online news community written by the everyday people who witness the most extraordinary things).
This is my first step out of the darkness Amber's death has left behind. I miss the light she radiated, and I am determined to find my way back to it again.
Until my next blog article, I hope all my friends, fans, and occassional readers are well and happy. And I look forward to writing at you again soon!
B.B. Walter
14 October 2009
07 May 2009
Write With Me, Learn With Me Vol. 2
All right, kiddies; I'm back with another exciting installment of "Write with me, Learn with me". What is this strange thing you ask? (Well, you ask if you are new to my blog.) The truth is, I'm always trying to learn more about my trade - writing - and how to improve myself. So what I am doing is posting my assignments here on my blog for constructive criticism/thoughts as to how I can improve.
Today, the assignment I'm posting is my Argumentative Paper for my Comp. class (taken here at my local college). The assignment was "If all books were made illegal, what one book would you choose to memorize and tell to future generations?" This assignment came because we were reading Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury in class. I chose Flowers for Algernon to write my paper on and argue why this book should be kept above all others.
**I do want to warn the reader that, with the professor's permission, I took some creative license with this paper in the way of grammer and punctuation. If you have read Flowers for Algernon then you will understand; if you have not, here is a brief synopsis.
The story is told by Charlie Gordon, a mentally handicapped man, who wants nothing more than to be smart. Charlie undergoes experimental brain surgery to increase his intelligence but finds that its effects are not lasting. The entire story is told in the first-person and is written in the form of personalized Progress Reports by Charlie himself. In the beginning, Charlie's grammer, spelling, and punctuation are on level with his I.Q. of 68. As his intelligence increases, due to the surgery, he learns and evolves. Unfortunately, we also witness Charlie's loss of intelligence but that he gained so much more wisdom in the end with his same progress reports.
My warning is that my argumentative paper was written exactly how the book is written by the author, Daniel Keyes, as a person evolves and deevolves intellectually. So, here is my paper. All input is appreciated!
Most Smart Pirson In The Wurld
There is a sayin told win we ar litel Do to other peepl what you wunt thim to do to you It’s a good sayin and peepl don’t go by it oftin Cept for some vary few peepl You see it all the tym on the street and on the telivishun We are told two that peepl are gud and peepl are kind And you see this all the tym with peepl at chirch or the nice boys who help peepl at the groshry stor And in storees riters rite two like a book calld Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes This riter rote a gud book about a man who wants to be smart like other peepl he knos and like a vary speshul mous named Algernon who can run mazus Charlie Gordon is a gud man who is gud to other peepl just like the sayin we ar all told as litel kids But ol Charlie cant think so gud Charlie just wunts to be smart like the peepl he knos and he even gos to a collug to learn speshul At this collug Charlie is picked by speshul docters for a sergery to make him smart Charlie thinks he will wayk up aftir the sergery smarter and he dus Aftir the sergery Charlie gets smart lik other peepl lik the mous Algernon and ol Charlie starts to see peepl arnt so nice and gud aftirall The sham is that peepl ar like that all over In Flowers for Algernon peepl who reed it and Charlie finds peepl ar mean to him when he used to think they wer his frinds that the docters who gav him the speshul sergery arnt vary smart at all evin tho they messd with his jeans that he dosnt no how to talk to gurls that he wus startin to remimber stuf that hurt about how peepl treatd him from win he wus litel and that bein smartr thin everyone els dosnt make him happyer
One of the first things Charlie notises in Flowers for Algernon is that peepl ar bein mean to him win he ust to think they wer his frinds. Charlie has two gud frinds at work, Joe Karp and Gimpy. Joe and Gimpy ust to tayk Charlie out aftir work and ust to joke around with Charlie all the tym. Aftir Charlies speshul sergery, Joe and Gimpy still treet Charlie the same, but Charlie starts to notis that Joe and Gimpy arnt bein funny win they say things like “Don’t be a Charlie Gordon” (-)like he ust to think. Charlie rites in his Progris Riports about how Joe and Gimpy ar reely bein mean to him and, you kno, peepl are mean. You can see it on the street at the peepl who pass up the person walkin in the rain or cold, and also in the mean things peepl say win other peepl fall down or say sumthin wrong. Course not all peepl are mean. Charlie knos that becus his teacher at the collug is kind to him. But one person being nice while the whol wurld isn’t doesn’t make thos that aren’t ok.
Of course Charlies doctors are also nice to him. Even if it is for their own reesons. See Charlies doctors are trying a new type of sergery surgery – a speshul surgery – to trick Charlies old dum brain into being smarter. Lots of doctors have tried doing the same thing threw the years. Acordin to Alex Boese, riter of Elephants on Acid and Other Bizarre Experiments, in 1927 Dr. Il’ya Ivanor, wirld-renownd xpert on veterinary reproducktiv biolog, tried to inseminate girl chimps with human spirm! That didnt work to good, and peepl were reel mad about the hole idea and he spint som tym in a prisen camp. But Charlies doctors think their surgery works pretty good because of the mouse named Algernon, the speshul mouse who got super smart and stayed that way aftir his surgery for a long tym. Dr……….. told Charlie all about how smart Algernon stayed; he said “Charlie we werked on this for a long time but only on animals like Algernon. We are sure thers no fisical danger to you but there are other things we cant tell until we try it.” (8) And this is tru about stuf like xperiamintel surgery like, according to the United States Govirmint, Nazi doctirs deprived Jewish prisonirs of oxigin to find out how long their bodys would keep living aftir they stoped breathing becawse one Jewish man had lived longer than all the other Jews they had xperiaminted on (144-147). They thot that mayb this man or the other peepl were brokin somehow. But why do the scientists keep trying to fix all the peepl who are broken, like Charlie? It makes you wonder what xactly is broken in Charlie aftirall?
Although Charlie does find out that something about him is not so right after all. Charlie had never had a girlfriend before, but he starts to think about girls more. Espeshully Especially when he starts to notice “how beautiful Alice Kinnan is” (54). He is reely really drawn to her “pigeon-soft brown eyes and feathery brown hair” (54), so Charlie asks her out on a date. On their date, things began to change between Charlie and Alice. Their relationship became charged with a new kind of electricity, with an unknown sexuality. Despite Charlie’s development intellectually, on an emotional level he was “still just a boy” (65). Sexuality in humans has been a long debated topic among doctors and sycho psychologists. And it was a large debatable topic in Flowers for Algernon when the book was written in 1959. The somewhat explicit scene between Charlie and the woman on the park bench was a hot button debate. Many groups believed it demonstrated a loose morality and opened the door on sexuality outside of marriage, especially since the woman is married and pregnant with another man’s child while soliciting Charlie. However, the open exploration of Charlie’s sexuality is one of the most significant moments in the story on a developmental level. Until that moment, the reader views Charlie as a rather one-dimensional character, possessing an unheard of depth of knowledge with little to no social or sexual knowledge. There are numerous studies of sexuality bridging the gap between intelligence and social interaction. With clear correlation drawn between intelligence and sexuality, it is hard to imagine Flowers for Algernon without the topic.
However, Charlie’s sexual revelation comes at a steep price; he is forced to face uncomfortable insights into his own history. These insights, however, do explain Charlie’s sexual retardation as having stemmed from deep-rooted psychological scars inflicted upon him as a child by his family. On page 78 of the novel, the reader is given such an insight into Charlie’s past during a dream. Little Charlie has seen his sister climbing out of the bath naked, and he gains an erection from it. His father attempts to diffuse the situation, but his mother, Rose, is not to be swayed. Instead, she screams, “holding a leather belt in her hand” (78) and threatens young Charlie. Despite the vehemence of her warning “If you ever touch a girl, I’ll put you away in a cage, like an animal, for the rest of your life” (78), Charlie experiences a natural reaction to his deepening involvement with Alice that changes him from a static one-dimensional character into a more developed and interesting character. In a short span of time, Keyes deepens the reader’s involvement and connection to Charlie. Intelligence has been a long standing connection among today’s modern society, however, social and sexual communication and relation is a instinctual and well-documented reaction that stems back to prehistoric man. For instance, phermones still play a vital role in the inter- and intrapersonal relationships man forges on a daily basis. Nurmerous studies done at Oxford indicates an increased correlation between prehistoric phermones and modern day relationships. To exclude Charlie’s sexual development from Flowers for Algernon would be akin to excluding the entire surgical procedure that had adapted his infantile brain to the intellectually stimulated one, and without both forms of development Keyes would have found little to document.
One of the key componints of Flowers for Algernon is Charlie’s emotional developemint. Despite his low intelliginc intelligence, Charlie felt welcome in the simpel life he had always led. And, although it is shown that many of the peepl Charlie interacted with on a daily basis are oftin cruel or unkind, “it was home” (72) to him, and it offered a plac of security and shelter. Once his intelliginc intelligenc skyrockets to the point of genieus, Charlie begins to feel lik an outsyder. He becomes emoshunaly distant from everyone he knos when he points out that “intelligence has driven a wedge between me and all the people I knew and loved” (75). The isolashun leevs Charlie alone in a wurld he dosnt understand and cant conneckt to. Lots of studys show how peepl just lik Charlie who got reel smart reel fast cant talk to peepl around them. Thers peepl tho that dont agree with Flowers for Algernon tyin soshul stuf with intelliginc but thre medikel gernals did riports on soshul and intelliginc bein tyd togethir. And most docters git it rite most of the tym And probly if the mous Algernon culd talk hed have told peepl himself but mys cant talk only squeek Aftir Charlie lirns he is the most dum smart pirson in the wurld becuz he cant talk to peepl he feels reel bad and remimbers that lots of peepl likd him win he was a dum pirson becuz they laffed and wer his frinds lik Joe Carp and Gimpy And win he gits dum agin Carp and Gimpy stik up for him a new werker Meyer Klaus says “I hear you’re a very smart fella-a real whiz kid. Say something intelligent.” (214) Aftir that Gimpy tells Charlie they ar gona set peepl strait that bother Charlie agin And Charlie remimbers “It’s good to have frends” (215) So its easy to see that bein smart aint always the sam as bein likd just lik them doctrs sayd befor And evin Charlie knos at the end that he may not hav bin smart at the beginnin of the book but he was hapy cuz peepl likd him When he got his intelliginc he wasn’t hapy cuz he new peepl wer makin fun of him so by the end he lirns that evin tho he is dum agin peepl ar his frinds and mabee it is beter that he is dum and likd and not smart and mad fun of
In Flowers for Algernon peepl lirn that bein smart dosnt reely hav much to do with how hapy a pirson is no mater how they play with ther jeans or how many fance sergerees they hav or evin how they talk to gurls But they do lirn that Charlie is mad betr at the end becuz evin tho he isnt any smartr he can remimber the good things about bein him lik peepl likin you win they can laff with you and that gurls ar not so scare and can be gud frinds But the best thing Charlie lirns is that hes a gud pirson if hes dum or if hes smart It’s a gud lesin for Charlie to lirn or anybody to lirn becuz every pirson no mater how dum or smart shuld be treatd nice Peepl can lirn in Flowers for Algernon that the importint stuf about bein peepl is how we treet other peepl Like the old sayin we ar told as kids Do to other peepl whut you wunt thim to do to you Charlie wint threw lots of stuf that hurt lik an operashun and gitin fired from the bakery and hurtin Alice but he lirnd mor win he lirnd he was goin to be dum agin dering his xperimints with the mous Algernon then he did win he was smart He lirnd that evin tho Algernon wasnt smart anymor he was still a gud frind to Charlie and Charlie likd him Win Algernon died Charlie was sad cuz he lost such a gud frind but he was hapy becuz hed had the tym to be Algernons frind at the end and cuz the mous shoed him that bein dum didnt meen you didnt hav frinds witch was somthin he lirnd bein smart At the end he evin asks the doctirs in his last progris riport to “put some flowrs on Algernons grave in the bak yard” (216) And there aint any beter lesin to be lirnd if you ar smart or dum then the lesin that Flowers for Algernon teachs peepl U aint got to be smart or dum as long as you remimber the peepl and somtyms animuls that mak you hapy and that bein who you ar and not havin som fance operashun to chang your brain maks you smartr then the most smart pirson in the wurld
The End.
So, there it is; me laying my heart out for the world to see. Lemme know what you think - good or bad, I like to hear it all.
{Finished Reading: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon - Bloody fantastic book! It gives you a true peek into the mind of an individual with Autism and the world from their view. - CR: Familiar Texas by Caroline Burns (I'm a sucker for this woman's romance/intrigue stories.) and Secondhand Husband by Dallas Schultz and To Serve and Submit by (can't remember who). - TBRN: Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyers}
Thanks so much!
B.B. Walter
Today, the assignment I'm posting is my Argumentative Paper for my Comp. class (taken here at my local college). The assignment was "If all books were made illegal, what one book would you choose to memorize and tell to future generations?" This assignment came because we were reading Fahrenheit 451 by Bradbury in class. I chose Flowers for Algernon to write my paper on and argue why this book should be kept above all others.
**I do want to warn the reader that, with the professor's permission, I took some creative license with this paper in the way of grammer and punctuation. If you have read Flowers for Algernon then you will understand; if you have not, here is a brief synopsis.
The story is told by Charlie Gordon, a mentally handicapped man, who wants nothing more than to be smart. Charlie undergoes experimental brain surgery to increase his intelligence but finds that its effects are not lasting. The entire story is told in the first-person and is written in the form of personalized Progress Reports by Charlie himself. In the beginning, Charlie's grammer, spelling, and punctuation are on level with his I.Q. of 68. As his intelligence increases, due to the surgery, he learns and evolves. Unfortunately, we also witness Charlie's loss of intelligence but that he gained so much more wisdom in the end with his same progress reports.
My warning is that my argumentative paper was written exactly how the book is written by the author, Daniel Keyes, as a person evolves and deevolves intellectually. So, here is my paper. All input is appreciated!
Most Smart Pirson In The Wurld
There is a sayin told win we ar litel Do to other peepl what you wunt thim to do to you It’s a good sayin and peepl don’t go by it oftin Cept for some vary few peepl You see it all the tym on the street and on the telivishun We are told two that peepl are gud and peepl are kind And you see this all the tym with peepl at chirch or the nice boys who help peepl at the groshry stor And in storees riters rite two like a book calld Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes This riter rote a gud book about a man who wants to be smart like other peepl he knos and like a vary speshul mous named Algernon who can run mazus Charlie Gordon is a gud man who is gud to other peepl just like the sayin we ar all told as litel kids But ol Charlie cant think so gud Charlie just wunts to be smart like the peepl he knos and he even gos to a collug to learn speshul At this collug Charlie is picked by speshul docters for a sergery to make him smart Charlie thinks he will wayk up aftir the sergery smarter and he dus Aftir the sergery Charlie gets smart lik other peepl lik the mous Algernon and ol Charlie starts to see peepl arnt so nice and gud aftirall The sham is that peepl ar like that all over In Flowers for Algernon peepl who reed it and Charlie finds peepl ar mean to him when he used to think they wer his frinds that the docters who gav him the speshul sergery arnt vary smart at all evin tho they messd with his jeans that he dosnt no how to talk to gurls that he wus startin to remimber stuf that hurt about how peepl treatd him from win he wus litel and that bein smartr thin everyone els dosnt make him happyer
One of the first things Charlie notises in Flowers for Algernon is that peepl ar bein mean to him win he ust to think they wer his frinds. Charlie has two gud frinds at work, Joe Karp and Gimpy. Joe and Gimpy ust to tayk Charlie out aftir work and ust to joke around with Charlie all the tym. Aftir Charlies speshul sergery, Joe and Gimpy still treet Charlie the same, but Charlie starts to notis that Joe and Gimpy arnt bein funny win they say things like “Don’t be a Charlie Gordon” (-)like he ust to think. Charlie rites in his Progris Riports about how Joe and Gimpy ar reely bein mean to him and, you kno, peepl are mean. You can see it on the street at the peepl who pass up the person walkin in the rain or cold, and also in the mean things peepl say win other peepl fall down or say sumthin wrong. Course not all peepl are mean. Charlie knos that becus his teacher at the collug is kind to him. But one person being nice while the whol wurld isn’t doesn’t make thos that aren’t ok.
Of course Charlies doctors are also nice to him. Even if it is for their own reesons. See Charlies doctors are trying a new type of sergery surgery – a speshul surgery – to trick Charlies old dum brain into being smarter. Lots of doctors have tried doing the same thing threw the years. Acordin to Alex Boese, riter of Elephants on Acid and Other Bizarre Experiments, in 1927 Dr. Il’ya Ivanor, wirld-renownd xpert on veterinary reproducktiv biolog, tried to inseminate girl chimps with human spirm! That didnt work to good, and peepl were reel mad about the hole idea and he spint som tym in a prisen camp. But Charlies doctors think their surgery works pretty good because of the mouse named Algernon, the speshul mouse who got super smart and stayed that way aftir his surgery for a long tym. Dr……….. told Charlie all about how smart Algernon stayed; he said “Charlie we werked on this for a long time but only on animals like Algernon. We are sure thers no fisical danger to you but there are other things we cant tell until we try it.” (8) And this is tru about stuf like xperiamintel surgery like, according to the United States Govirmint, Nazi doctirs deprived Jewish prisonirs of oxigin to find out how long their bodys would keep living aftir they stoped breathing becawse one Jewish man had lived longer than all the other Jews they had xperiaminted on (144-147). They thot that mayb this man or the other peepl were brokin somehow. But why do the scientists keep trying to fix all the peepl who are broken, like Charlie? It makes you wonder what xactly is broken in Charlie aftirall?
Although Charlie does find out that something about him is not so right after all. Charlie had never had a girlfriend before, but he starts to think about girls more. Espeshully Especially when he starts to notice “how beautiful Alice Kinnan is” (54). He is reely really drawn to her “pigeon-soft brown eyes and feathery brown hair” (54), so Charlie asks her out on a date. On their date, things began to change between Charlie and Alice. Their relationship became charged with a new kind of electricity, with an unknown sexuality. Despite Charlie’s development intellectually, on an emotional level he was “still just a boy” (65). Sexuality in humans has been a long debated topic among doctors and sycho psychologists. And it was a large debatable topic in Flowers for Algernon when the book was written in 1959. The somewhat explicit scene between Charlie and the woman on the park bench was a hot button debate. Many groups believed it demonstrated a loose morality and opened the door on sexuality outside of marriage, especially since the woman is married and pregnant with another man’s child while soliciting Charlie. However, the open exploration of Charlie’s sexuality is one of the most significant moments in the story on a developmental level. Until that moment, the reader views Charlie as a rather one-dimensional character, possessing an unheard of depth of knowledge with little to no social or sexual knowledge. There are numerous studies of sexuality bridging the gap between intelligence and social interaction. With clear correlation drawn between intelligence and sexuality, it is hard to imagine Flowers for Algernon without the topic.
However, Charlie’s sexual revelation comes at a steep price; he is forced to face uncomfortable insights into his own history. These insights, however, do explain Charlie’s sexual retardation as having stemmed from deep-rooted psychological scars inflicted upon him as a child by his family. On page 78 of the novel, the reader is given such an insight into Charlie’s past during a dream. Little Charlie has seen his sister climbing out of the bath naked, and he gains an erection from it. His father attempts to diffuse the situation, but his mother, Rose, is not to be swayed. Instead, she screams, “holding a leather belt in her hand” (78) and threatens young Charlie. Despite the vehemence of her warning “If you ever touch a girl, I’ll put you away in a cage, like an animal, for the rest of your life” (78), Charlie experiences a natural reaction to his deepening involvement with Alice that changes him from a static one-dimensional character into a more developed and interesting character. In a short span of time, Keyes deepens the reader’s involvement and connection to Charlie. Intelligence has been a long standing connection among today’s modern society, however, social and sexual communication and relation is a instinctual and well-documented reaction that stems back to prehistoric man. For instance, phermones still play a vital role in the inter- and intrapersonal relationships man forges on a daily basis. Nurmerous studies done at Oxford indicates an increased correlation between prehistoric phermones and modern day relationships. To exclude Charlie’s sexual development from Flowers for Algernon would be akin to excluding the entire surgical procedure that had adapted his infantile brain to the intellectually stimulated one, and without both forms of development Keyes would have found little to document.
One of the key componints of Flowers for Algernon is Charlie’s emotional developemint. Despite his low intelliginc intelligence, Charlie felt welcome in the simpel life he had always led. And, although it is shown that many of the peepl Charlie interacted with on a daily basis are oftin cruel or unkind, “it was home” (72) to him, and it offered a plac of security and shelter. Once his intelliginc intelligenc skyrockets to the point of genieus, Charlie begins to feel lik an outsyder. He becomes emoshunaly distant from everyone he knos when he points out that “intelligence has driven a wedge between me and all the people I knew and loved” (75). The isolashun leevs Charlie alone in a wurld he dosnt understand and cant conneckt to. Lots of studys show how peepl just lik Charlie who got reel smart reel fast cant talk to peepl around them. Thers peepl tho that dont agree with Flowers for Algernon tyin soshul stuf with intelliginc but thre medikel gernals did riports on soshul and intelliginc bein tyd togethir. And most docters git it rite most of the tym And probly if the mous Algernon culd talk hed have told peepl himself but mys cant talk only squeek Aftir Charlie lirns he is the most dum smart pirson in the wurld becuz he cant talk to peepl he feels reel bad and remimbers that lots of peepl likd him win he was a dum pirson becuz they laffed and wer his frinds lik Joe Carp and Gimpy And win he gits dum agin Carp and Gimpy stik up for him a new werker Meyer Klaus says “I hear you’re a very smart fella-a real whiz kid. Say something intelligent.” (214) Aftir that Gimpy tells Charlie they ar gona set peepl strait that bother Charlie agin And Charlie remimbers “It’s good to have frends” (215) So its easy to see that bein smart aint always the sam as bein likd just lik them doctrs sayd befor And evin Charlie knos at the end that he may not hav bin smart at the beginnin of the book but he was hapy cuz peepl likd him When he got his intelliginc he wasn’t hapy cuz he new peepl wer makin fun of him so by the end he lirns that evin tho he is dum agin peepl ar his frinds and mabee it is beter that he is dum and likd and not smart and mad fun of
In Flowers for Algernon peepl lirn that bein smart dosnt reely hav much to do with how hapy a pirson is no mater how they play with ther jeans or how many fance sergerees they hav or evin how they talk to gurls But they do lirn that Charlie is mad betr at the end becuz evin tho he isnt any smartr he can remimber the good things about bein him lik peepl likin you win they can laff with you and that gurls ar not so scare and can be gud frinds But the best thing Charlie lirns is that hes a gud pirson if hes dum or if hes smart It’s a gud lesin for Charlie to lirn or anybody to lirn becuz every pirson no mater how dum or smart shuld be treatd nice Peepl can lirn in Flowers for Algernon that the importint stuf about bein peepl is how we treet other peepl Like the old sayin we ar told as kids Do to other peepl whut you wunt thim to do to you Charlie wint threw lots of stuf that hurt lik an operashun and gitin fired from the bakery and hurtin Alice but he lirnd mor win he lirnd he was goin to be dum agin dering his xperimints with the mous Algernon then he did win he was smart He lirnd that evin tho Algernon wasnt smart anymor he was still a gud frind to Charlie and Charlie likd him Win Algernon died Charlie was sad cuz he lost such a gud frind but he was hapy becuz hed had the tym to be Algernons frind at the end and cuz the mous shoed him that bein dum didnt meen you didnt hav frinds witch was somthin he lirnd bein smart At the end he evin asks the doctirs in his last progris riport to “put some flowrs on Algernons grave in the bak yard” (216) And there aint any beter lesin to be lirnd if you ar smart or dum then the lesin that Flowers for Algernon teachs peepl U aint got to be smart or dum as long as you remimber the peepl and somtyms animuls that mak you hapy and that bein who you ar and not havin som fance operashun to chang your brain maks you smartr then the most smart pirson in the wurld
The End.
So, there it is; me laying my heart out for the world to see. Lemme know what you think - good or bad, I like to hear it all.
{Finished Reading: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon - Bloody fantastic book! It gives you a true peek into the mind of an individual with Autism and the world from their view. - CR: Familiar Texas by Caroline Burns (I'm a sucker for this woman's romance/intrigue stories.) and Secondhand Husband by Dallas Schultz and To Serve and Submit by (can't remember who). - TBRN: Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyers}
Thanks so much!
B.B. Walter
30 April 2009
Quick Note
[*Finished Reading: New Moon by Stepahnie Meyer, and plowed right on into and through Eclipse as well the same day - I definitely see this series appeal, but I'm still not sure if I actually like it; I find myself wearing my editor/writer's hat and wanting to take a red ink pen, but the characters have appeal and who doesn't love a vampire/werewolf story? -- CR: To Serve and Submit by Susan Wright - Great so far with subservient erotica - and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon - Riveting! I'm having a hard time putting it down when I pick it up, but it may not be to some people's taste in novels. TBRN: No friggin clue! :) More than likely will get Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer so I can finish the series, but I'm not chomping at the bit or anything.]
A quick note to let everyone know that I'm not dead. LOL
Things are a bit crazy right now. Z and I are getting ready to move to the St. Louis area. He got a great job offer (two actually) that he's decided to take. I'm not jazzed about the idea of moving - um, AGAIN - but I am about when we get there. See, I've always been the responsible adult who worked full-time and made sure all the bills were paid (rarely on time, but PAID anyway) while Z was free to work part-time and pursue other paths like school and his own small business. We've been doing this pretty much since we've been together - the last ten years. This being said, when we move to the St. Louis area, Z will have a great job with excellent pay, so we made a pact. It's MY turn to do the part-time work and full-time other pursuit while he plays the responsible adult. I figure since I had the last ten years, he can have this decade; we'll just switch off every so often! :)
I'm not thrilled about leaving all my friends and family and moving two hours FARTHER away, but I am looking forward to city with some culture in it. Don't get me wrong, we do have friends there already and even some family, but nothing like the last ten years we've accumulated here. Oh well...have to buck up and take the bad with the good, right?
As for my writing, I'm still hard at work on it. Mostly working on my writing classes I'm taking currently, but I do manage to get a little "me" time writing time, too. Most of this is spent working on the third book of the Of Shadows series and the second book of the Abigail St. Michaels series, plus my new post apocalyptic erotica I'm tinkering with. Not much more on the publishing front, but I did get a pretty good inside tip about a publisher recently that I plan on using to my advantage soon! (wink) You know who you are!
That's about it for me today...I have some serious house-hunting tomorrow, so I'm trying my best to rest up tonight! Until we meet again...
Keep reading; keep dreaming!
B.B. Walter
A quick note to let everyone know that I'm not dead. LOL
Things are a bit crazy right now. Z and I are getting ready to move to the St. Louis area. He got a great job offer (two actually) that he's decided to take. I'm not jazzed about the idea of moving - um, AGAIN - but I am about when we get there. See, I've always been the responsible adult who worked full-time and made sure all the bills were paid (rarely on time, but PAID anyway) while Z was free to work part-time and pursue other paths like school and his own small business. We've been doing this pretty much since we've been together - the last ten years. This being said, when we move to the St. Louis area, Z will have a great job with excellent pay, so we made a pact. It's MY turn to do the part-time work and full-time other pursuit while he plays the responsible adult. I figure since I had the last ten years, he can have this decade; we'll just switch off every so often! :)
I'm not thrilled about leaving all my friends and family and moving two hours FARTHER away, but I am looking forward to city with some culture in it. Don't get me wrong, we do have friends there already and even some family, but nothing like the last ten years we've accumulated here. Oh well...have to buck up and take the bad with the good, right?
As for my writing, I'm still hard at work on it. Mostly working on my writing classes I'm taking currently, but I do manage to get a little "me" time writing time, too. Most of this is spent working on the third book of the Of Shadows series and the second book of the Abigail St. Michaels series, plus my new post apocalyptic erotica I'm tinkering with. Not much more on the publishing front, but I did get a pretty good inside tip about a publisher recently that I plan on using to my advantage soon! (wink) You know who you are!
That's about it for me today...I have some serious house-hunting tomorrow, so I'm trying my best to rest up tonight! Until we meet again...
Keep reading; keep dreaming!
B.B. Walter
24 April 2009
Write with Me, Learn with Me!
All right, kiddies! I threatened some time ago that I would be posting my writing assignments from the two courses I'm taking right now on here every so often. Today is that magickal day!! *And the crowd goes wiiiiiild!*
No, seriously, folks...I'd really like to hear some feedback about this short story I had to write for one class. It hasn't been graded and returned by the teacher yet, but I'm hoping for some constructive criticism from my friends, or any complete stranger that happens to read it. *wink* So here goes...
EXTRA-ORDIANRY
Tean-year-old Marcus Samuel Simon is what some would call an extraordinarily ordianry little boy. With mousy brown hair and nondescript brown eyes, freckles across his cheeks, he walks home from school with rounded shoulders, his hands crammed into the pockets of his blue jeans. The toes of his red and white sneakers leave wakes in the dirt as he drags his feet. Shades of his classmates taunt him during his trudge down the dirt road leading home.
"Marcuth Thamuel Thimon," the shades mock.
A new year at a new school because his dad has a new job at a new refinery. Marcus had anticipated the ridicule; this was the fourth school in as many years.
He sighs as he takes in the faded lime green pull-behind camper; his home since his mom abandoned them. His dad, Stephen Simon, did what he could but work was hard to find with refineries closing all across the U.S.
Twenty-two minutes and eleven seconds to go...
A piece of cardboard that neither keeps out the rain nor the cold is duct-taped over the busted window (the window where his "bedroom" is) at the front of the camper. Two rusted lawn chairs stand guard outside the dented front door.
Marcus strides across the outdoor carpeting that constitutes their "lawn". He retrieves the key tucked inside his shirt. The key is on a necklace comprised of two of his dad's old bootlaces.
Nineteen minutes and six seconds to go...
He slides the key into the lock and twists. Pushing his way into the dim interior, Marcus reaches for the kerosene lantern to his right. The lantern hangs on a rusted nail his father has driven; the book of matches for the lantern is in a brown glass ashtray. The ashtray is from the local (as in three states and two schools ago) bowling alley. It is balanced on the backside of the bench seat that joins its mate and small Formica table making up their "living/dining room".
Lighting the lantern, Marcus closes the door and hangs his key on the hook. Climbing the two stairs that bring him into the center of his home, he sets the lantern on the table. From his position, he can touch the table, the hot plate, and the bathroom door all at once if so inclined.
Marcus is not inclined.
Fourteen minutes and thirty-seven seconds to go...
Looking at the table, he sees his dad left him a note.Dear, son. chance for overtime. Eat your dinner, do your homework, and wash your face before bed. Here's a dollar; get something sweet from Chuck's. Love, Dad.
Chuck's is the convenience store down the road from their trailer park. Marcus moves the four quarters used to hold down the corners of the note and sighs. A dollar might get him gum if the old man who works there takes pity and doesn't charge tax. Marcus deposits the quarters back into the change jar sitting beside the hot plate. He stirs the jar, making it look like he spent the coins - not that his dad would check.
Stephen Simon works from three each afternoon until three in the morning, six days a week. Overtime meant an additional four hours; he would be ready to drive the hour and a half home about the time Marcus would be getting ready for school. The boy would be in class when his dad got home. Stephen Simon would be too tired to check his change jar to see if Marcus spent the money or put it back like always.
Marcus opens the door on the miniature refrigerator. The refrigerator shares the same counter as the hot plate and makes up their "kitchen". Removing the package of bologna and a juice box, he closes the door. The bread is in the cupboard above him. Within five minutes, his dinner is made; five minutes later, his dinner is eaten and his mess cleaned.
Five minutes and eighteen seconds to go...
There is no homework for the night; it's the first day. Marcus heads to the bathroom.
The bathroom consists of a small commode, a child-sized shower, and a sink the size of a sand bucket. Marcus removes the washcloth from teh edge of the sink and wets it. He scrubs at his face, turning the skin pink, and wrings the water from the cloth. Placing it back on the edge of the sink, he exits the bathroom. To his right, beyond a moth-eaten curtain, in his dad's "bedroom". His dad's room houses a bed and a small two-drawer cardboard dresser. The dresser has decorative pink and purple flowers; his dad found it on the side of the road.
Marcus turns and makes his way to his own bedroom. He extinguishes the light as he passes. His room is past the living/dining room and kitchen. Marcus's dad had hung him a sheet too; the sheet is 'Strawberry Shortcake' but Marcus doesn't mind. He bats the sheet aside and climbs into his bed, kicking his sneakers off as he pulls himself up.
Two minutes and three seconds to go...
Marcus draws the curtain shut, closing himself in. His room is made up wholly of his twin-size bed and the small storage space beneath it. Marcus reaches down and opens the door to the space. He pulls out a battered shoebox, clearly one of his dad's, and settles it in his lap. He sits Indian-style on his mattress. The boy caresses the boy, sliding his hands along the top of the cardboard, before he removes the lid. Light engulfs Marcus and he closes his unremarkable brown eyes.
Seven seconds to go...
Marcus opens his eyes to the adoring faces tilted upwards at him from inside. Salutations of greeting drift to him in melodious harmony.
"Hail Marcuth Thamuel Thimon! Hail King Marcuth, the Creator!" the people cheer.
Marcus's face splits in a dazzling grin. You see, ten-year-old Marcus Samuel Simon is what would ordinarily call an extraordinary little boy.
The End.
Allright, now I've put myself out there; laid my soul bare, so to speak, and I want you to tell me if you think it's pretty or not. *lol* Truly, I would like some feedback on what you think about my little diddy, how I can improve it, etc.
Well since I'm at work, I probably should be getting back to doing what they pay me for. *smile* Even if I'd rather be doing this...Chat atcha again in the future!!
B.B. Walter
No, seriously, folks...I'd really like to hear some feedback about this short story I had to write for one class. It hasn't been graded and returned by the teacher yet, but I'm hoping for some constructive criticism from my friends, or any complete stranger that happens to read it. *wink* So here goes...
EXTRA-ORDIANRY
Tean-year-old Marcus Samuel Simon is what some would call an extraordinarily ordianry little boy. With mousy brown hair and nondescript brown eyes, freckles across his cheeks, he walks home from school with rounded shoulders, his hands crammed into the pockets of his blue jeans. The toes of his red and white sneakers leave wakes in the dirt as he drags his feet. Shades of his classmates taunt him during his trudge down the dirt road leading home.
"Marcuth Thamuel Thimon," the shades mock.
A new year at a new school because his dad has a new job at a new refinery. Marcus had anticipated the ridicule; this was the fourth school in as many years.
He sighs as he takes in the faded lime green pull-behind camper; his home since his mom abandoned them. His dad, Stephen Simon, did what he could but work was hard to find with refineries closing all across the U.S.
Twenty-two minutes and eleven seconds to go...
A piece of cardboard that neither keeps out the rain nor the cold is duct-taped over the busted window (the window where his "bedroom" is) at the front of the camper. Two rusted lawn chairs stand guard outside the dented front door.
Marcus strides across the outdoor carpeting that constitutes their "lawn". He retrieves the key tucked inside his shirt. The key is on a necklace comprised of two of his dad's old bootlaces.
Nineteen minutes and six seconds to go...
He slides the key into the lock and twists. Pushing his way into the dim interior, Marcus reaches for the kerosene lantern to his right. The lantern hangs on a rusted nail his father has driven; the book of matches for the lantern is in a brown glass ashtray. The ashtray is from the local (as in three states and two schools ago) bowling alley. It is balanced on the backside of the bench seat that joins its mate and small Formica table making up their "living/dining room".
Lighting the lantern, Marcus closes the door and hangs his key on the hook. Climbing the two stairs that bring him into the center of his home, he sets the lantern on the table. From his position, he can touch the table, the hot plate, and the bathroom door all at once if so inclined.
Marcus is not inclined.
Fourteen minutes and thirty-seven seconds to go...
Looking at the table, he sees his dad left him a note.Dear, son. chance for overtime. Eat your dinner, do your homework, and wash your face before bed. Here's a dollar; get something sweet from Chuck's. Love, Dad.
Chuck's is the convenience store down the road from their trailer park. Marcus moves the four quarters used to hold down the corners of the note and sighs. A dollar might get him gum if the old man who works there takes pity and doesn't charge tax. Marcus deposits the quarters back into the change jar sitting beside the hot plate. He stirs the jar, making it look like he spent the coins - not that his dad would check.
Stephen Simon works from three each afternoon until three in the morning, six days a week. Overtime meant an additional four hours; he would be ready to drive the hour and a half home about the time Marcus would be getting ready for school. The boy would be in class when his dad got home. Stephen Simon would be too tired to check his change jar to see if Marcus spent the money or put it back like always.
Marcus opens the door on the miniature refrigerator. The refrigerator shares the same counter as the hot plate and makes up their "kitchen". Removing the package of bologna and a juice box, he closes the door. The bread is in the cupboard above him. Within five minutes, his dinner is made; five minutes later, his dinner is eaten and his mess cleaned.
Five minutes and eighteen seconds to go...
There is no homework for the night; it's the first day. Marcus heads to the bathroom.
The bathroom consists of a small commode, a child-sized shower, and a sink the size of a sand bucket. Marcus removes the washcloth from teh edge of the sink and wets it. He scrubs at his face, turning the skin pink, and wrings the water from the cloth. Placing it back on the edge of the sink, he exits the bathroom. To his right, beyond a moth-eaten curtain, in his dad's "bedroom". His dad's room houses a bed and a small two-drawer cardboard dresser. The dresser has decorative pink and purple flowers; his dad found it on the side of the road.
Marcus turns and makes his way to his own bedroom. He extinguishes the light as he passes. His room is past the living/dining room and kitchen. Marcus's dad had hung him a sheet too; the sheet is 'Strawberry Shortcake' but Marcus doesn't mind. He bats the sheet aside and climbs into his bed, kicking his sneakers off as he pulls himself up.
Two minutes and three seconds to go...
Marcus draws the curtain shut, closing himself in. His room is made up wholly of his twin-size bed and the small storage space beneath it. Marcus reaches down and opens the door to the space. He pulls out a battered shoebox, clearly one of his dad's, and settles it in his lap. He sits Indian-style on his mattress. The boy caresses the boy, sliding his hands along the top of the cardboard, before he removes the lid. Light engulfs Marcus and he closes his unremarkable brown eyes.
Seven seconds to go...
Marcus opens his eyes to the adoring faces tilted upwards at him from inside. Salutations of greeting drift to him in melodious harmony.
"Hail Marcuth Thamuel Thimon! Hail King Marcuth, the Creator!" the people cheer.
Marcus's face splits in a dazzling grin. You see, ten-year-old Marcus Samuel Simon is what would ordinarily call an extraordinary little boy.
The End.
Allright, now I've put myself out there; laid my soul bare, so to speak, and I want you to tell me if you think it's pretty or not. *lol* Truly, I would like some feedback on what you think about my little diddy, how I can improve it, etc.
Well since I'm at work, I probably should be getting back to doing what they pay me for. *smile* Even if I'd rather be doing this...Chat atcha again in the future!!
B.B. Walter
07 April 2009
Play Ball!!
“Take me out to the ball game; take me out to the crowd…Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks; I don’t care if I ever come back….!!”
All right, boys and girls, you know what time of year it is….Opening Day of Baseball Season on April 6, 2009! Of course, I (like anyone sane *smile*) will be rooting for the Chicago Cubbies, and that is the theme of my blog today – Baseball and the Cubs.
Since I love this sport (and particularly this team), I’m going to include some baseball facts and then follow up with the 2009 Active Cubs Roster – complete with height, weight, and birthday!!
Fact #1 – Did you know?...Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr. didn't miss a game in 16 years. He played in 2,632 consecutive games from April 30, 1982 to Sept. 19, 1998.
Fact #2 – Did you know?...Pitcher Nolan Ryan played 27 seasons in major league baseball and struck out more batters in his career than any other pitcher.
Fact #3 – Did you know?...Baseball stars from the National League and the American League played the first All-Star Game in 1933. The National League has won 40 of the 73 games. The game ended in a tie twice. In 1961 rain in Boston prevented extra innings and the game ended in a 1-1 tie. And in 2002, the game went 11 innings with the score knotted at seven before it was finally called off due to a lack of pitchers.
Ok, and here is the active line up for the Chicago Cubs for 2009:
2009 Active Cubs Roster Active Roster Pitchers B/T Ht Wt DOB 84 Neal Cotts L/L 6-1 200 03/25/80 46 Ryan Dempster R/R 6-2 215 05/03/77 57 Chad Gaudin R/R 5-10 190 03/24/83 63 Kevin Gregg R/R 6-6 240 06/20/78 37 Angel Guzman R/R 6-3 200 12/14/81 40 Rich Harden L/R 6-1 195 11/30/81 47 Aaron Heilman R/R 6-5 225 11/12/78 30 Ted Lilly L/L 6-1 190 01/04/76 49 Carlos Marmol R/R 6-2 180 10/14/82 45 Sean Marshall L/L 6-7 220 08/30/82 54 David Patton R/R 6-3 205 05/18/84 29 Jeff Samardzija R/R 6-5 220 01/23/85 51 Luis Vizcaino R/R 5-11 210 08/06/74 38 Carlos Zambrano S/R 6-5 255 06/01/81 Catchers B/T Ht Wt DOB 55 Koyie Hill S/R 6-0 190 03/09/79 18 Geovany Soto R/R 6-1 225 01/20/83 Infielders B/T Ht Wt DOB 17 Mike Fontenot L/R 5-8 170 06/09/80 6 Micah Hoffpauir L/L 6-3 215 03/01/80 25 Derrek Lee R/R 6-5 245 09/06/75 7 Aaron Miles S/R 5-8 180 12/15/76 16 Aramis Ramirez R/R 6-1 215 06/25/78 2 Ryan Theriot R/R 5-11 175 12/07/79 Outfielders B/T Ht Wt DOB 21 Milton Bradley S/R 6-0 225 04/15/78 1 Kosuke Fukudome L/R 6-0 185 04/26/77 4 Joey Gathright L/R 5-10 185 04/27/81 9 Reed Johnson R/R 5-10 180 12/08/76 12 Alfonso Soriano R/R 6-1 180 01/07/76
So, now that you know a little bit more about me (and the ONLY! team that matters *smile*), I bet you can live your life a little fuller, huh? *LOL* Nah, just joshing…Let’s just…
PLAY BALL!!
B.B. Walter
All right, boys and girls, you know what time of year it is….Opening Day of Baseball Season on April 6, 2009! Of course, I (like anyone sane *smile*) will be rooting for the Chicago Cubbies, and that is the theme of my blog today – Baseball and the Cubs.
Since I love this sport (and particularly this team), I’m going to include some baseball facts and then follow up with the 2009 Active Cubs Roster – complete with height, weight, and birthday!!
Fact #1 – Did you know?...Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken, Jr. didn't miss a game in 16 years. He played in 2,632 consecutive games from April 30, 1982 to Sept. 19, 1998.
Fact #2 – Did you know?...Pitcher Nolan Ryan played 27 seasons in major league baseball and struck out more batters in his career than any other pitcher.
Fact #3 – Did you know?...Baseball stars from the National League and the American League played the first All-Star Game in 1933. The National League has won 40 of the 73 games. The game ended in a tie twice. In 1961 rain in Boston prevented extra innings and the game ended in a 1-1 tie. And in 2002, the game went 11 innings with the score knotted at seven before it was finally called off due to a lack of pitchers.
Ok, and here is the active line up for the Chicago Cubs for 2009:
2009 Active Cubs Roster Active Roster Pitchers B/T Ht Wt DOB 84 Neal Cotts L/L 6-1 200 03/25/80 46 Ryan Dempster R/R 6-2 215 05/03/77 57 Chad Gaudin R/R 5-10 190 03/24/83 63 Kevin Gregg R/R 6-6 240 06/20/78 37 Angel Guzman R/R 6-3 200 12/14/81 40 Rich Harden L/R 6-1 195 11/30/81 47 Aaron Heilman R/R 6-5 225 11/12/78 30 Ted Lilly L/L 6-1 190 01/04/76 49 Carlos Marmol R/R 6-2 180 10/14/82 45 Sean Marshall L/L 6-7 220 08/30/82 54 David Patton R/R 6-3 205 05/18/84 29 Jeff Samardzija R/R 6-5 220 01/23/85 51 Luis Vizcaino R/R 5-11 210 08/06/74 38 Carlos Zambrano S/R 6-5 255 06/01/81 Catchers B/T Ht Wt DOB 55 Koyie Hill S/R 6-0 190 03/09/79 18 Geovany Soto R/R 6-1 225 01/20/83 Infielders B/T Ht Wt DOB 17 Mike Fontenot L/R 5-8 170 06/09/80 6 Micah Hoffpauir L/L 6-3 215 03/01/80 25 Derrek Lee R/R 6-5 245 09/06/75 7 Aaron Miles S/R 5-8 180 12/15/76 16 Aramis Ramirez R/R 6-1 215 06/25/78 2 Ryan Theriot R/R 5-11 175 12/07/79 Outfielders B/T Ht Wt DOB 21 Milton Bradley S/R 6-0 225 04/15/78 1 Kosuke Fukudome L/R 6-0 185 04/26/77 4 Joey Gathright L/R 5-10 185 04/27/81 9 Reed Johnson R/R 5-10 180 12/08/76 12 Alfonso Soriano R/R 6-1 180 01/07/76
So, now that you know a little bit more about me (and the ONLY! team that matters *smile*), I bet you can live your life a little fuller, huh? *LOL* Nah, just joshing…Let’s just…
PLAY BALL!!
B.B. Walter
31 March 2009
Frustration
Hello, world; me again! Just popping in to talk about a little thing that gets me big time - Frustration.
I guess I'm just frustrated right now because I'm wanting to go so many different directions right now, and I'm stuck in the loop of "Almost there! Almost there! Hold on a little longer now!"
You know, it's just a matter of being in a job that is starting to wear on my nerves, but I can't leave (and probably should just be grateful I have a job anyway) because there isn't anything open right now that is as good or captures my attention; my schooling is progressing nicely but sooooo slowly; and my writing has hit a bit of a road block - well, really it's stalled a bit on the tracks - even while I attempt mouth-to-mouth to revive it.
Aw man, I sound like such a bummer this evening! But it's not just all that, my plans are just taking too long to come to fruition, ya know!! Argh! As to work, you know, I'm looking just not finding yet (yet being the operative word); school, well, only so much can be crammed into my head at a time, and I just have to worry about my impatience outdoing my better judgement; and my writing? -hum, my writing- have several plans in progress on how to jumpstart that front again. It's just that it all takes time, you know, and my instant gratification is showing...I want it all - now! *LOL*
Well, that's my little rant this evening - my frustration with it all. *smile* I know I'm on all the right roads, barrelling along faster than most people while still obeying all the proper road conditions to get to my destination safely, but it doesn't make me less impatient or less frustrated.
I guess I just need to step back and take that all important deep breath and relax. Things will come to fruition in their own time; or, as my great grandmother used to say, "You can't rush the fruit ripening; if you do, you only get bitter fruit and unhappiness in the end." Wise old women should be listened to, I suppose, in the end; if we all did that more often, I think the world would be a friendlier, albeit slower paced, but more satisfaying place.
Let me know, how do you pace yourself? What keeps you from throwing up your hands and screaming to the horizon, "Oh, come on already!" Really, I want to know. *smile*
{CR: Still on A&D by Dan Brown, and absolutely loving it, and started I'll Be Seeing You by Mary Higgins Clark, also excellent so far; Just Finished (JF for future reference) Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark, a great book, and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (was for class, but still loved reading it); TBRN: New Moon by Stephanie Myers, To Serve and Submit by ?}
I guess I'm just frustrated right now because I'm wanting to go so many different directions right now, and I'm stuck in the loop of "Almost there! Almost there! Hold on a little longer now!"
You know, it's just a matter of being in a job that is starting to wear on my nerves, but I can't leave (and probably should just be grateful I have a job anyway) because there isn't anything open right now that is as good or captures my attention; my schooling is progressing nicely but sooooo slowly; and my writing has hit a bit of a road block - well, really it's stalled a bit on the tracks - even while I attempt mouth-to-mouth to revive it.
Aw man, I sound like such a bummer this evening! But it's not just all that, my plans are just taking too long to come to fruition, ya know!! Argh! As to work, you know, I'm looking just not finding yet (yet being the operative word); school, well, only so much can be crammed into my head at a time, and I just have to worry about my impatience outdoing my better judgement; and my writing? -hum, my writing- have several plans in progress on how to jumpstart that front again. It's just that it all takes time, you know, and my instant gratification is showing...I want it all - now! *LOL*
Well, that's my little rant this evening - my frustration with it all. *smile* I know I'm on all the right roads, barrelling along faster than most people while still obeying all the proper road conditions to get to my destination safely, but it doesn't make me less impatient or less frustrated.
I guess I just need to step back and take that all important deep breath and relax. Things will come to fruition in their own time; or, as my great grandmother used to say, "You can't rush the fruit ripening; if you do, you only get bitter fruit and unhappiness in the end." Wise old women should be listened to, I suppose, in the end; if we all did that more often, I think the world would be a friendlier, albeit slower paced, but more satisfaying place.
Let me know, how do you pace yourself? What keeps you from throwing up your hands and screaming to the horizon, "Oh, come on already!" Really, I want to know. *smile*
{CR: Still on A&D by Dan Brown, and absolutely loving it, and started I'll Be Seeing You by Mary Higgins Clark, also excellent so far; Just Finished (JF for future reference) Silent Night by Mary Higgins Clark, a great book, and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (was for class, but still loved reading it); TBRN: New Moon by Stephanie Myers, To Serve and Submit by ?}
18 March 2009
Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest
If you all recall, I had entered the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest last month. This contest was for a publishing contract with Penguin; not ot mention some serious bragging rights since the entry format was against everyone who wanted to enter in the U.K., Canada, Australia, and the U.S. Against these staggering odds I was hoping that my creative genuis was good enough to advance to the second round; however, it seems, my creative genuis did not mesh with the reviewers' ideas.
I'll freely admit that I'm a little down about it; however, my life has taught me that one door closing opens another somewhere. My open door is now is that I know early enough in the year to start marketing this new novel to agents/publishers.
Of course, I don't doubt that there are better authors out there amongst the countries allowed entry; however, I'm good too. If you want to check it out for yourself, go to www.bbwalter.com and click on my other works page, the story I entered was 'A Touch of Darkness'; there's an excerpt. Please let me know what you think.
Well, that's it for me today. Since I'm in a bind for time, I'm not going to include my usual "Reading" section. I'll try to get it on here next entry.
Thanks!! ~BB Walter
I'll freely admit that I'm a little down about it; however, my life has taught me that one door closing opens another somewhere. My open door is now is that I know early enough in the year to start marketing this new novel to agents/publishers.
Of course, I don't doubt that there are better authors out there amongst the countries allowed entry; however, I'm good too. If you want to check it out for yourself, go to www.bbwalter.com and click on my other works page, the story I entered was 'A Touch of Darkness'; there's an excerpt. Please let me know what you think.
Well, that's it for me today. Since I'm in a bind for time, I'm not going to include my usual "Reading" section. I'll try to get it on here next entry.
Thanks!! ~BB Walter
12 March 2009
Write with Me; Learn with Me - Assignment 1
Ok, I'm pretty sure I mentioned before that I'm taking some writing courses. I also think I mentioned that I'm going to include a "Learn with Me" portion here on my blog. And if I didn't....that's what I'm going to do. Here is one of the first assignments we had to do in my writing class through my local college. This was an in-class assignment of an essay we had to read. So here is the essay I wrote about that essay. I'd really like some feedback from my friends, followers, and odd-ball strangers wandering into my blog. Criticisms, pointers, likes, would be greatly appreciated. Now onto the essay...
“Shame” by Dick Gregory
Found In the Depths of the Soul
“Shame” by political activist, comedian, and writer, Dick Gregory, plunges its reader into the deepest, most forgotten recesses of the human soul. Shadows, previously unrealized and non-existent, creep into the life of a young black boy, his own life, early in childhood and taint his existence for years to follow. In “Shame”, Dick Gregory is able to beautifully relate to every individual on a personal level how shame affects every person at some point in their lives through vivid story introduction, a momentum building narrative rich in detail, and real details that resound with the reader now matter how they grew up or what walks of life they come from.
Gregory beautifully begins his essay by setting up the premise of the piece, immediately immersing the reader in the first-person and making them relate to the character in the story, himself. The first lesson, the moral and point of the essay, is immediately brought to the front but is done so in such a way through exact details of his life before he realized what shame was that you are left wonder “What happened that was so important that this little boy’s whole life would be changed so drastically?”
A small step back, an introspective approach, ties the reader and the writer/Richard together when he clearly points out the similarities between himself and every person by offering a common denominator. He then follows it beautifully with what would have happened had normally events occurred. This draws a connection between the reader and writer again because maybe, for the reader at least, things went the way things should have gone. The correlation, however, allows the reader to consider, “Well, what if…?”
Of course, some readers, such as this one, would not know what is was like growing up black during the in the late 1930’ and early 1940’s, and Gregory seamlessly ties in examples of life for him growing up with his narration as he propels the story along. Quick, simple dialogue, tied together with narration and his thought process at that age, opens up more to the reader as they continue, shining light on the story and the moral given in both the topic and the introduction. The dialogue further goes to show how shame occurred in his life, where the actual emotion stemmed from. But what is probably most stunning is how he sums his entire essay to date into five beautiful lines delivered within seconds of each other: ‘ “We all know you don’t have a Daddy.” ‘, ‘Helene Tucker turned around, her eyes full of tears. She felt sorry for me.’ and then, ‘I walked out of school that day, and for a long time I didn’t go back very often. There was shame there.’
Gregory goes one step further in driving home the message to his story by furthering out the details of what life was like before he experienced shame for the first time and how those same details of life became the epitome of that shame from then on. And he draws the reader back around after giving more detail about his life following the shame with reiterating the same dialogue that became the source of his shame for many years to come by stating simply, ‘Yeah, the whole world heard the teacher that day, we all know you don’t have a Daddy.’
“Shame” is beautiful written. Short and poignant, it touches deep into the depths of the human soul no matter their race, life station, or experiences because it points out that on some level we all have shared this same experience with Dick Gregory.
So, lemme know what you think. This was an outstanding essay, by the way, and I highly recommend you Google it if you get a chance. Mr. Gregory is an exceptional writer.
[CR - Still "Angels & Demons" by Dan Brown; I'm further into this now and really enjoying it! Also CR "Silent night" by Mary Higgins Clark - Just started this book and not sure how I feel about it yet, but I love a good mystery most of the time, and she's reported to be one of the best. TBRN: Think I have Mercedes Lackey's "Burning Brightly" (Something new I'll add on here is the reviews I'm doing for other authors, so here goes.) BIR (Books I'm Reviewing): "Watchdog" by S.R. Roberts, and "Love at 1,000 Feet" by Kellie Martins - These reviews will be posted on my website, www.bbwalter.com , to read if the author wishes them posted.]
Thanks all for now, folks!
B.B. Walter
“Shame” by Dick Gregory
Found In the Depths of the Soul
“Shame” by political activist, comedian, and writer, Dick Gregory, plunges its reader into the deepest, most forgotten recesses of the human soul. Shadows, previously unrealized and non-existent, creep into the life of a young black boy, his own life, early in childhood and taint his existence for years to follow. In “Shame”, Dick Gregory is able to beautifully relate to every individual on a personal level how shame affects every person at some point in their lives through vivid story introduction, a momentum building narrative rich in detail, and real details that resound with the reader now matter how they grew up or what walks of life they come from.
Gregory beautifully begins his essay by setting up the premise of the piece, immediately immersing the reader in the first-person and making them relate to the character in the story, himself. The first lesson, the moral and point of the essay, is immediately brought to the front but is done so in such a way through exact details of his life before he realized what shame was that you are left wonder “What happened that was so important that this little boy’s whole life would be changed so drastically?”
A small step back, an introspective approach, ties the reader and the writer/Richard together when he clearly points out the similarities between himself and every person by offering a common denominator. He then follows it beautifully with what would have happened had normally events occurred. This draws a connection between the reader and writer again because maybe, for the reader at least, things went the way things should have gone. The correlation, however, allows the reader to consider, “Well, what if…?”
Of course, some readers, such as this one, would not know what is was like growing up black during the in the late 1930’ and early 1940’s, and Gregory seamlessly ties in examples of life for him growing up with his narration as he propels the story along. Quick, simple dialogue, tied together with narration and his thought process at that age, opens up more to the reader as they continue, shining light on the story and the moral given in both the topic and the introduction. The dialogue further goes to show how shame occurred in his life, where the actual emotion stemmed from. But what is probably most stunning is how he sums his entire essay to date into five beautiful lines delivered within seconds of each other: ‘ “We all know you don’t have a Daddy.” ‘, ‘Helene Tucker turned around, her eyes full of tears. She felt sorry for me.’ and then, ‘I walked out of school that day, and for a long time I didn’t go back very often. There was shame there.’
Gregory goes one step further in driving home the message to his story by furthering out the details of what life was like before he experienced shame for the first time and how those same details of life became the epitome of that shame from then on. And he draws the reader back around after giving more detail about his life following the shame with reiterating the same dialogue that became the source of his shame for many years to come by stating simply, ‘Yeah, the whole world heard the teacher that day, we all know you don’t have a Daddy.’
“Shame” is beautiful written. Short and poignant, it touches deep into the depths of the human soul no matter their race, life station, or experiences because it points out that on some level we all have shared this same experience with Dick Gregory.
So, lemme know what you think. This was an outstanding essay, by the way, and I highly recommend you Google it if you get a chance. Mr. Gregory is an exceptional writer.
[CR - Still "Angels & Demons" by Dan Brown; I'm further into this now and really enjoying it! Also CR "Silent night" by Mary Higgins Clark - Just started this book and not sure how I feel about it yet, but I love a good mystery most of the time, and she's reported to be one of the best. TBRN: Think I have Mercedes Lackey's "Burning Brightly" (Something new I'll add on here is the reviews I'm doing for other authors, so here goes.) BIR (Books I'm Reviewing): "Watchdog" by S.R. Roberts, and "Love at 1,000 Feet" by Kellie Martins - These reviews will be posted on my website, www.bbwalter.com , to read if the author wishes them posted.]
Thanks all for now, folks!
B.B. Walter
05 March 2009
St. Patrick's Day
Being of Irish decent, I've always been proud of celebrating St. Patrick's Day...perhaps even with a little too much zeal! ;) But, despite my lineasge, I've never actually known the reason behind the celebration until recently when I stumbled upon a great website called Irish Culture and Customs, found at www.irishcultureandcustoms.com .
This site is fantastic! And I wanted to include on here a great article that was on their site. Below is the article about the true reason behind why we celebrate this saint that most only know "drove the snakes out of Ireland". However, I have to emphasize that this site also contains so many more fascinating tidbits about Irish culture that you should definitely check out. So, without further adieu, here is the article about Why We Celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
"I, Patrick, the sinner..."
by Bridget Haggerty
The high veneration in which the Irish hold St. Patrick is evidenced by the common salutation, "May God, Mary, and Patrick bless you." His name occurs widely in prayers and blessings throughout Ireland and it is said that he promises prosperity to those who seek his intercession on his feast day, which marks the end of winter.
Crops could not be safely planted, nor animals put out in the fields, before the fear of winter frost had passed. The appearance in one's garden of snowdrops, daffodils and crocus were fickle forecasters of better weather, as often as not popping up too soon, only to be covered by a late snow, or shriveled up by a sudden blast of frost. Indeed, such was the importance of getting the planting date correct, that the Celts had markers, to remind them when it was safe to plant, and later on, the early Christian Irish adopted these days as Saint's days, for St Brigid (Feb 1) and St Patrick (March 17). Thus the proverb went: "Every second day is good, from my day forward" says Brigid. "Every day is good from my day forward" says Patrick.
All well and good. But who was this man who legend says drove the snakes out of Ireland and used a shamrock to convert the heathens?
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters state that by the year 438 Christianity had made such progress, the laws were changed to agree with the Gospel. In just 6 years, a 60 year old man was able to so change the country that even the laws were amended. He had no printing press, no finances, few helpers and Ireland had no Roman roads on which to travel.
Recorded history and mystical legend are cavalierly intertwined when it comes to St. Patrick. Some historians say he was born in Banwen, Wales. Others say it was Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland . As with many of the facts about his life, no-one is exactly sure where.
Even the date of his birth is disputed, although many historians place it about 385 A.D. Most of what is known comes from the saint's Confessions, a slim volume which he wrote before he died in the late 400s.
In Patrick's youth, the Roman Empire was in decline; without Roman protection, Britain was vulnerable to attack by marauding Irish pirates whose homeland had never been conquered or absorbed by Rome.
After one such raid, Patrick became one of the thousands captured and returned to Ireland as slaves; this was a devastating shock for one who had enjoyed a life of relative comfort as the son of a well-compensated church official.
Not only was he torn from home and family, but he also was taken to a land that, while not very distant, had to have seemed incredibly alien and frightening.
Roman expansion into Britain had brought law and order, advanced culture and infrastructure, and eventually, Christianity. Ireland, on the other hand, remained a harsh, difficult place where warring kings ruled violent small kingdoms and pagan priests performed human sacrifice.
Patrick was purchased by a Druid. Members of this mystical Celtic religion practiced magic, oversaw rituals and served as judges in the top echelons of ancient Irish society.
Once indifferent to the Christian teachings of his family, Patrick's attitude changed radically during his six-year captivity. As a shepherd in his master's lonely, misty fields, he writes of having only two constant companions - hunger and nakedness. In this isolated and degrading situation, Patrick wrote of his spiritual transformation: "The love of God - grew in me more and more, - in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers, and in the night, nearly the same - I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain."
Patrick dreamed of escape. He tells us that he stole away one night and hiked 200 miles to the nearest port, where he found a ship that was soon to embark. But, because he was a penniless slave, the captain refused him passage. Patrick then prayed for several hours in a nearby wood; he returned to the ship, and miraculously the captain relented and gave him a place on the ship, possibly as a sailor.
History does not record precisely where the ship landed, but it was most likely along the coast of France, then known as Gaul. Details about how Patrick finally reached his family in Britain are also very sketchy. But, he did make it home and was haunted by his experiences in Ireland.
Convinced that God had summoned him to return to the pagan land of his captivity, Patrick trained for the priesthood. Some historians believe that he did so in France under the tutelage of St. Germain. Others say he trained in Rome. Regardless, he was assigned as a missionary to Ireland.
A few others had preceded him but with little success. Patrick's immediate predecessor, in fact, was said to have been martyred. Territorial kings and intransigent Druids proved powerful barriers to Christianity, then synonymous with Roman domination as the church and its popes filled the void left by departing emperors.
Patrick faced very real danger but had an advantage. Having lived among the Irish for six years, he was familiar with their ways. That and a persuasive personality were vital to his eventual success.
Though Ireland is smaller than the state of Maine, it had many kings,each ruling tiny kingdoms called tuatha. Above them were kings of the five provinces, in turn subject to the high king seated at Tara, then the capital. Patrick knew he had to appeal to the fiercely independent minor monarchs in order to spread his message safely. Greasing their royal palms helped.
"I spent money for your sake in order that they might let me enter," he addresses his superiors, recounting his mission in Confessions. "I made presents to the kings, not to mention the price I paid to their sons who escorted me."
Underscoring the need for such royal protection, Patrick frequently referred to the dangers he faced in Ireland. Sometimes, the patronage of a king wasn't enough to keep him safe.
At one point, he tells of being attacked, bound, robbed and threatened with death, all while under "protection." But because the kings constantly battled with each other, it was important to court all of them.
Having friends in high places helped Patrick's mission in other ways. Although he made few converts among kings who offered him safe passage, their fortunes being too closely related to maintaining the old order, his message often attracted other members of the royal families with less to lose, including younger brothers with little hope of inheritance from their fathers.
As Ludwig Bieler, the mid-century church historian, noted, when the highest echelon of society adopted the new faith, the people often followed.
But royal favor doesn't begin to explain Patrick's transforming effect on the people. History cannot always interpret such intangibles. There is little contemporary documentation of Patrick's mission by chariot throughout Ireland, converting thousands and establishing churches.
Later hagiographers -- people who write about saints -- give vivid yet ultimately unreliable details about Patrick's conversions and wondrous acts. His most famous "miracle," driving the snakes out of Ireland, certainly is legend - geologists say the island broke off the European continent before snakes could evolve there. The story most likely is intended to be emblematic of how he purged paganism.
But Patrick's dynamism was so great that myths abounded. "He must have been a terrifically charismatic figure," says Robert Mahony, an associate professor of English at Catholic University and former director of the Center for Irish Studies there. "And such people inspire legends."
One legend that is not widely known is Les Fleurs de St-Patrice which says that Patrick was sent to preach the Gospel in the area of Bréhémont-sur-Loire. He went fishing one day and had a tremendous catch. The local fishermen were upset and forced him to flee. He reached a shelter on the north bank where he slept under a blackthorn bush. When he awoke the bush was covered with flowers. It was Christmas day and from that time on, the bush flowered every Christmas until it was destroyed in World War I. The phenomenon was seen and verified by various observers, including official organizations. Today, St. Patrick is the patron of the fishermen on the Loire and, according to a modern French scholar, the patron of almost every other occupation in the area.
Thomas Cahill, author of How the Irish Saved Civilization, believes that part of Patrick's appeal lay in his message. In a 1996 CNN interview, Cahill noted that "the Christianity that Patrick planted in Ireland was really of a unique kind, in the sense that he left behind all of those dark, sad mediations on human sinfulness that were favorites of the fathers of the Church, and instead he concentrated on the goodness of creation.
"The Irish were already very mystical. They believed that the world was a magical place, and he built on that rather than on this human sinfulness theme, and, as a result, early Irish Christianity was extremely celebratory of the world, of the earth, of matter, of human experience, of the human body. It gets off the ground very quickly in this kind of dance of happiness and joy which is very unlike the sound of earlier Christianity."
There is no reliable account of St. Patrick's work in Ireland. Legends include how he described the mystery of the Trinity to Laoghaire, high king of Ireland, by referring to the shamrock, and that he singlehandedly--an impossible task--converted Ireland. Nevertheless, Saint Patrick established the Church throughout Ireland on lasting foundations: he travelled throughout the country preaching, teaching, building churches, opening schools and monasteries, converting chiefs and bards, and everywhere supporting his preaching with miracles.
His writings show what solid doctrine he must have taught his listeners. His "Confessio" (his autobiography, perhaps written as an apology against his detractors), the "Lorica" (or "Breastplate"), and the "Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus," protesting British slave trading and the slaughter of a group of Irish Christians by Coroticus's raiding Christian Welshmen, are the first surely identified literature of the British or Celtic Church.
What stands out in his writings is Patrick's sense of being called by God to the work he had undertaken, and his determination and modesty in carrying it out: "I, Patrick, a sinner, am the most ignorant and of least account among the faithful, despised by many. . . . I owe it to God's grace that so many people should through me be born again to him."
St. Patrick died at Saul (Sabhall) on March 17 493. Saint Tassach administered the last rites and his remains were wrapped in a shroud woven by Saint Brigid. The bishops, clergy and the faithful from all over Ireland crowded around his remains to pay due honor to the Father of their Faith. Some of the ancient Lives record that for several days the light of heaven shone around his bier. His remains were interred at the chieftan's fort two miles from Saul. Centuries later, the cathedral of Down was built where St. Patrick was buried.
There is another old legend that promises that on the last day, though Christ will judge all the other nations, it will be St. Patrick sitting in judgment on the Irish. In an interview, when Thomas Cahill was asked whether that spelled good news or bad news for the Irish, Cahill didn't hesitate. "That's great news for the Irish!" Resources: The Irish Heritage Newsletter and several web sites including The Catholic Messenger
And that is the conclusion of my "nifty tidbit" for today. I can definitely state that I am more educated now than I was ten minutes ago from reading this well written article.
So, to finalize: [Still Reading: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, and started Cat in a Neon Nightmare by (still can't remember). I'm a pretty good way into A&D and have to say I'm really liking it so far; as for CIANN, I think this series has to be read from the beginning to really be understood, so I'm going to traipse on back to the bookstore to find the first book and start from there.]
Til Next Time!! ~B.B. Walter
This site is fantastic! And I wanted to include on here a great article that was on their site. Below is the article about the true reason behind why we celebrate this saint that most only know "drove the snakes out of Ireland". However, I have to emphasize that this site also contains so many more fascinating tidbits about Irish culture that you should definitely check out. So, without further adieu, here is the article about Why We Celebrate St. Patrick's Day.
"I, Patrick, the sinner..."
by Bridget Haggerty
The high veneration in which the Irish hold St. Patrick is evidenced by the common salutation, "May God, Mary, and Patrick bless you." His name occurs widely in prayers and blessings throughout Ireland and it is said that he promises prosperity to those who seek his intercession on his feast day, which marks the end of winter.
Crops could not be safely planted, nor animals put out in the fields, before the fear of winter frost had passed. The appearance in one's garden of snowdrops, daffodils and crocus were fickle forecasters of better weather, as often as not popping up too soon, only to be covered by a late snow, or shriveled up by a sudden blast of frost. Indeed, such was the importance of getting the planting date correct, that the Celts had markers, to remind them when it was safe to plant, and later on, the early Christian Irish adopted these days as Saint's days, for St Brigid (Feb 1) and St Patrick (March 17). Thus the proverb went: "Every second day is good, from my day forward" says Brigid. "Every day is good from my day forward" says Patrick.
All well and good. But who was this man who legend says drove the snakes out of Ireland and used a shamrock to convert the heathens?
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters state that by the year 438 Christianity had made such progress, the laws were changed to agree with the Gospel. In just 6 years, a 60 year old man was able to so change the country that even the laws were amended. He had no printing press, no finances, few helpers and Ireland had no Roman roads on which to travel.
Recorded history and mystical legend are cavalierly intertwined when it comes to St. Patrick. Some historians say he was born in Banwen, Wales. Others say it was Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland . As with many of the facts about his life, no-one is exactly sure where.
Even the date of his birth is disputed, although many historians place it about 385 A.D. Most of what is known comes from the saint's Confessions, a slim volume which he wrote before he died in the late 400s.
In Patrick's youth, the Roman Empire was in decline; without Roman protection, Britain was vulnerable to attack by marauding Irish pirates whose homeland had never been conquered or absorbed by Rome.
After one such raid, Patrick became one of the thousands captured and returned to Ireland as slaves; this was a devastating shock for one who had enjoyed a life of relative comfort as the son of a well-compensated church official.
Not only was he torn from home and family, but he also was taken to a land that, while not very distant, had to have seemed incredibly alien and frightening.
Roman expansion into Britain had brought law and order, advanced culture and infrastructure, and eventually, Christianity. Ireland, on the other hand, remained a harsh, difficult place where warring kings ruled violent small kingdoms and pagan priests performed human sacrifice.
Patrick was purchased by a Druid. Members of this mystical Celtic religion practiced magic, oversaw rituals and served as judges in the top echelons of ancient Irish society.
Once indifferent to the Christian teachings of his family, Patrick's attitude changed radically during his six-year captivity. As a shepherd in his master's lonely, misty fields, he writes of having only two constant companions - hunger and nakedness. In this isolated and degrading situation, Patrick wrote of his spiritual transformation: "The love of God - grew in me more and more, - in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers, and in the night, nearly the same - I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain."
Patrick dreamed of escape. He tells us that he stole away one night and hiked 200 miles to the nearest port, where he found a ship that was soon to embark. But, because he was a penniless slave, the captain refused him passage. Patrick then prayed for several hours in a nearby wood; he returned to the ship, and miraculously the captain relented and gave him a place on the ship, possibly as a sailor.
History does not record precisely where the ship landed, but it was most likely along the coast of France, then known as Gaul. Details about how Patrick finally reached his family in Britain are also very sketchy. But, he did make it home and was haunted by his experiences in Ireland.
Convinced that God had summoned him to return to the pagan land of his captivity, Patrick trained for the priesthood. Some historians believe that he did so in France under the tutelage of St. Germain. Others say he trained in Rome. Regardless, he was assigned as a missionary to Ireland.
A few others had preceded him but with little success. Patrick's immediate predecessor, in fact, was said to have been martyred. Territorial kings and intransigent Druids proved powerful barriers to Christianity, then synonymous with Roman domination as the church and its popes filled the void left by departing emperors.
Patrick faced very real danger but had an advantage. Having lived among the Irish for six years, he was familiar with their ways. That and a persuasive personality were vital to his eventual success.
Though Ireland is smaller than the state of Maine, it had many kings,each ruling tiny kingdoms called tuatha. Above them were kings of the five provinces, in turn subject to the high king seated at Tara, then the capital. Patrick knew he had to appeal to the fiercely independent minor monarchs in order to spread his message safely. Greasing their royal palms helped.
"I spent money for your sake in order that they might let me enter," he addresses his superiors, recounting his mission in Confessions. "I made presents to the kings, not to mention the price I paid to their sons who escorted me."
Underscoring the need for such royal protection, Patrick frequently referred to the dangers he faced in Ireland. Sometimes, the patronage of a king wasn't enough to keep him safe.
At one point, he tells of being attacked, bound, robbed and threatened with death, all while under "protection." But because the kings constantly battled with each other, it was important to court all of them.
Having friends in high places helped Patrick's mission in other ways. Although he made few converts among kings who offered him safe passage, their fortunes being too closely related to maintaining the old order, his message often attracted other members of the royal families with less to lose, including younger brothers with little hope of inheritance from their fathers.
As Ludwig Bieler, the mid-century church historian, noted, when the highest echelon of society adopted the new faith, the people often followed.
But royal favor doesn't begin to explain Patrick's transforming effect on the people. History cannot always interpret such intangibles. There is little contemporary documentation of Patrick's mission by chariot throughout Ireland, converting thousands and establishing churches.
Later hagiographers -- people who write about saints -- give vivid yet ultimately unreliable details about Patrick's conversions and wondrous acts. His most famous "miracle," driving the snakes out of Ireland, certainly is legend - geologists say the island broke off the European continent before snakes could evolve there. The story most likely is intended to be emblematic of how he purged paganism.
But Patrick's dynamism was so great that myths abounded. "He must have been a terrifically charismatic figure," says Robert Mahony, an associate professor of English at Catholic University and former director of the Center for Irish Studies there. "And such people inspire legends."
One legend that is not widely known is Les Fleurs de St-Patrice which says that Patrick was sent to preach the Gospel in the area of Bréhémont-sur-Loire. He went fishing one day and had a tremendous catch. The local fishermen were upset and forced him to flee. He reached a shelter on the north bank where he slept under a blackthorn bush. When he awoke the bush was covered with flowers. It was Christmas day and from that time on, the bush flowered every Christmas until it was destroyed in World War I. The phenomenon was seen and verified by various observers, including official organizations. Today, St. Patrick is the patron of the fishermen on the Loire and, according to a modern French scholar, the patron of almost every other occupation in the area.
Thomas Cahill, author of How the Irish Saved Civilization, believes that part of Patrick's appeal lay in his message. In a 1996 CNN interview, Cahill noted that "the Christianity that Patrick planted in Ireland was really of a unique kind, in the sense that he left behind all of those dark, sad mediations on human sinfulness that were favorites of the fathers of the Church, and instead he concentrated on the goodness of creation.
"The Irish were already very mystical. They believed that the world was a magical place, and he built on that rather than on this human sinfulness theme, and, as a result, early Irish Christianity was extremely celebratory of the world, of the earth, of matter, of human experience, of the human body. It gets off the ground very quickly in this kind of dance of happiness and joy which is very unlike the sound of earlier Christianity."
There is no reliable account of St. Patrick's work in Ireland. Legends include how he described the mystery of the Trinity to Laoghaire, high king of Ireland, by referring to the shamrock, and that he singlehandedly--an impossible task--converted Ireland. Nevertheless, Saint Patrick established the Church throughout Ireland on lasting foundations: he travelled throughout the country preaching, teaching, building churches, opening schools and monasteries, converting chiefs and bards, and everywhere supporting his preaching with miracles.
His writings show what solid doctrine he must have taught his listeners. His "Confessio" (his autobiography, perhaps written as an apology against his detractors), the "Lorica" (or "Breastplate"), and the "Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus," protesting British slave trading and the slaughter of a group of Irish Christians by Coroticus's raiding Christian Welshmen, are the first surely identified literature of the British or Celtic Church.
What stands out in his writings is Patrick's sense of being called by God to the work he had undertaken, and his determination and modesty in carrying it out: "I, Patrick, a sinner, am the most ignorant and of least account among the faithful, despised by many. . . . I owe it to God's grace that so many people should through me be born again to him."
St. Patrick died at Saul (Sabhall) on March 17 493. Saint Tassach administered the last rites and his remains were wrapped in a shroud woven by Saint Brigid. The bishops, clergy and the faithful from all over Ireland crowded around his remains to pay due honor to the Father of their Faith. Some of the ancient Lives record that for several days the light of heaven shone around his bier. His remains were interred at the chieftan's fort two miles from Saul. Centuries later, the cathedral of Down was built where St. Patrick was buried.
There is another old legend that promises that on the last day, though Christ will judge all the other nations, it will be St. Patrick sitting in judgment on the Irish. In an interview, when Thomas Cahill was asked whether that spelled good news or bad news for the Irish, Cahill didn't hesitate. "That's great news for the Irish!" Resources: The Irish Heritage Newsletter and several web sites including The Catholic Messenger
And that is the conclusion of my "nifty tidbit" for today. I can definitely state that I am more educated now than I was ten minutes ago from reading this well written article.
So, to finalize: [Still Reading: Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, and started Cat in a Neon Nightmare by (still can't remember). I'm a pretty good way into A&D and have to say I'm really liking it so far; as for CIANN, I think this series has to be read from the beginning to really be understood, so I'm going to traipse on back to the bookstore to find the first book and start from there.]
Til Next Time!! ~B.B. Walter
04 March 2009
Remebering A Friend
Today, I'm remembering a friend I lost last year. Paul was young, too young to lose to a heart attack, and just shy of his birthday when we lost him on March 4, 2008. He was one of those eternally grouchy people; but it was a grouchy that was good-natured and even welcomed most of the time by those who knew him because...well, that was Paul! *smile*Paul was a very intellegent man with an odd collection of random, probably useless, knowledge. But that knowledge was also one of the reasons he was so well-loved by me and many who knew him. He could randomly come up with a strange bit of fluff to ellaborate on the subject at hand, or some small morsel that indirectly related to the game you were playing or the topic we were discussing. And his great ability to argue a topic from the opposite side of his beliefs was awe-inspiring at times.
I'd call Paul a gamer, but it's too simple a term. He was a free-spirit who enjoyed the "nerdy" aspect of socialization, but he was quick to talk to or help a stranger. Paul's only problem he had with the world was stupidity. Or, rather, the people who refused to be educated beyond their own narrow scope of reality. They drove him wild, but he also thrived on them as well as a constant fuel for his ire. I also think that he needed those people or else his anger might spill out onto everyone else who he only found "mildly" annoying...and those few could be mighty at times! *lol*
But despite his sometimes surly nature, Paul was also a giant teddy bear of a man (size not withstanding) with a soft spot for kids and a sympathetic ear (though sometimes harsh tongue since he tended to be blunt...uh, very blunt) for friends and family. But he was a loving, dutiful son, a good samaritan, and a man with a sense of humor.
Today, I want to remember my friend Paul for his life, his humor, and his kindness; not for the loss we suffered when he passed, but for what he brought to so many of us who knew him. Today, I want to remember, be mournful I will miss out on more of Paul in my life, but, most importantly, remember how he enriched all of our lives, those who knew and cared for him.
We miss you, Paul; we celebrate you, Paul.
27 February 2009
Writing Classes
Hey, all; back again! This time to bore you with more about (what else?) ME! *snicker*
No, seriously, folks; I'm doing two (count'em, TWO) writing classes right now, and I feel that, as an author, it's important that I share with everyone else how I evolve.
Ok, that was a little too sophisticated for my taste. *sneer*
Really, I just want a little feedback from my friends, family...complete strangers who randomly read blogs online, etc.! You know, the usual!! So what I'm going to do is put any finished papers/assignments I write here for a little feedback. I may also put some short stories, poems, or whatever I've been tinkering with. And I promise (Scout's Honor) to be more diligent about chiming in here on a more regular basis rather than letting the dust bury my little blog.
I've also decided that I like my friend's "What I am reading" category on her blog. (Sorry, Mol, I'm stealing!! *smile*) So I'm going to start putting that on here too. And since I don't have an assignment to post yet, here is my currently reading/wanting to read list.
**Currently Reading: *Angels & Demons* by Dan Brown - Only three pages into it, so not sure I feel yet but loved *DaVinci Code* so we'll see.
Just Finished: *Twilight* by Stephanie Myer - On a whole, not too bad; not the greatest, but I can see why it has appeal.
To-Be-Read-Next (furthermore known as TBRN): *New Moon* by Stephanie Myer, and *Cat in a Neon Nightmare* by (can't remember off-hand)**
Well, that's it for now! Chat'atcha soon!
bb
No, seriously, folks; I'm doing two (count'em, TWO) writing classes right now, and I feel that, as an author, it's important that I share with everyone else how I evolve.
Ok, that was a little too sophisticated for my taste. *sneer*
Really, I just want a little feedback from my friends, family...complete strangers who randomly read blogs online, etc.! You know, the usual!! So what I'm going to do is put any finished papers/assignments I write here for a little feedback. I may also put some short stories, poems, or whatever I've been tinkering with. And I promise (Scout's Honor) to be more diligent about chiming in here on a more regular basis rather than letting the dust bury my little blog.
I've also decided that I like my friend's "What I am reading" category on her blog. (Sorry, Mol, I'm stealing!! *smile*) So I'm going to start putting that on here too. And since I don't have an assignment to post yet, here is my currently reading/wanting to read list.
**Currently Reading: *Angels & Demons* by Dan Brown - Only three pages into it, so not sure I feel yet but loved *DaVinci Code* so we'll see.
Just Finished: *Twilight* by Stephanie Myer - On a whole, not too bad; not the greatest, but I can see why it has appeal.
To-Be-Read-Next (furthermore known as TBRN): *New Moon* by Stephanie Myer, and *Cat in a Neon Nightmare* by (can't remember off-hand)**
Well, that's it for now! Chat'atcha soon!
bb
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