The Return of Gandosky!

It all started on a Dark and Stormy Night....

Unfortunately, I am switching the subject and turning instead to a different one--theology. :D

I have been recently reading C. S. Lewis, and I am impressed at the way he reasons and gives his opinions. I read the Screwtape Letters to begin with, and I would recommend it to anyone.

For instance, in one part, Screwtape is describing how to get a Christian to have problems with church. He explains to Wormwood (his nephew demon) how to make a Christian be dissatisfied with the church he/she is in, how to get him/her fussy about the little details and such. I was struck at how this still happens today. Everyone looks for 'the right church'--but is that right? To an extent, perhaps. I wouldn't go to a Catholic church every week for Mass because I don't agree with many of they're principles, but I shouldn't skip out of a church because I don't like the way the worship pastor sings.

So that's my two cents for today, folks. :)

See ya later--and check out the Screwtape Letters. They're worth it. :)

--
Jake

Poems

Lately, I have taken I liking to poems. Not reading them (though a good poem can be nice at times), but writing them. Here's a sample of the poems swirling 'round this mind of mine.

Deep and dark,
The Shadow dwelt,
In the dust and in the murk,
Whilst the Creature slept.

Slinking ever on,
In darkness and twilight,
Where one cannot see the dawn,
The Daske of Daraspite.

Until the Creature awakens,
And the Daske goes forth,
It stays forever there,
Somewhere in the North.

This was from the Prophecies of Shaldu, an idea I've been toying with. I've actually written out an outline for when I get around to it. But it all started with me making that first line--which had been completely random--and then going from there. The strangest things get you inspiration...

As you can see, the most of the words in that poem here don't completely rhyme with the ones they're supposed to--that's hard! When I'm feeling particularly un-rhyme-able, I either do this--rhyme only partially--or I only rhyme two lines out of four, like this;

Rhyme
Doesn't rhyme
Rhyme
Doesn't rhyme

And sometimes, when I'm feeling inspired, I rhyme perfectly--and it's always one of those 'rousing' songs.

Strength with humility, love without fail,
The force from who Ellos' enemies quail.
In the face of that evil, danger pale,
They are standing strong, faces hale.

That one was an excerpt from my short poem (one of my favorites) The Elves of the Underground. As you can see, it rhymed fairly well and had a good rhythm. That's why it's one of my favorites.

Now, back to business.

Why should you care about this? Well, if I managed to drag you through the first part of this, perhaps I'll get your attention now.

There were two main reasons why I started poem-ing.

1) It was fun. Really, you should try it. Making random poems is a lot more fun than one would think. And if it has to do with food, then, well, that's great. :) Double score, y'know. :D

2) I was kinda hoping to get some of this into my writing. I admire Jeffrey Overstreet's writing a lot, especially because of one thing; his writing had a kind of epic poetic flair and flavor to it. The description, though tedious at times, was breathtaking to the max. And I thought, "Well, maybe if I write some poems, I could insert that kind of flair and poetry in my writing, even if it is just a bit." I'm not sure that worked, but I'm glad I started poem-ing.

And, for fun, see what kind of a poem you can make up on the spot. Really. Just post it in a comment if you wish, or keep it to yourself. Something intriguing, something exciting. And maybe, just maybe, that poem will inspire you too.

--

Jake

THIS is What Happens When Your Creative Juices are Overflowing...

WARNING! R RATED CONTENT INSIDE!
[R is for Randomness]


This post, put quite simply, shall be a vent to my overwhelming desire to write something completely random and crazy. Normally, I'm quite sane and rational. Just see my previous post for proof. But--Oops! I can feel it taking hold of me already. 'It' meaning, of course, randomness. But as my father once told me, "No buts." I cannot remember anything beyond that, unfortunately.

So, anyway, I was admiring Lewis Carroll [is that how it is spelt?] for his creating Wonderland--because it is quite useful when making references to randomness. Why? Well, because his entire plot was random--but I'm getting off topic. :P

What? What do you mean? What's the topic? Randomness! Are you deaf? Are you blind? Are you both? Are you an illiterate rabbit? I thought, all this time, you knew I was talking of randomness. Sheesh...

Rabbits... Very interesting creatures. Referred to in 'Alice in Wonderland', you know. And that makes them interesting all in itself. But what makes it the most interesting (or them, if you prefer not being alone--or are you not a rabbit?), is that they RUN...

So, anyway, about my sister's hat. It looks like a cowboy hat--bought it in Galveston, Texas, actually--but it's quite interesting to wear. Makes you feel courageous, for some strange reasons. But, for the record, aren't all reasons strange? Aren't all reasons just a random way to explain something? Perhaps its right--perhaps it's not. And perhaps it is just hiding under the bed and waiting to jump out at you. Which reason is that, I wonder? I would think the 'right' one--truth can be painful.

Twenty dollar bills... I'm staring at one now. The moral of this story? Always say you're working for free--before you start working. Otherwise THAT happens. But I won't explain what I mean by THAT. You can read that sentence in two ways, and they both mean the same thing; I'm not telling you.

Kindles... Kindles... Kindles... Three times is the charm, but I have no idea who or what I'm charming. Bonus points? Speaking of those, bonus points to those who know what a Kindle is--without consulting Mr. Google.

Striped pillows
Jaded in green,
They looks like willows,
For they are green,

But that's the only similarity,
Unfortunately for the cow,
I'm only writing to cause hilarity,
And it ends now.

Strangeness. It just popped out of me. Hmmm.... I like writing poems, though they feel rather unwieldy at times. Just a month or so ago I claimed that I couldn't rhyme at all--it's a strange thing, now. I can rhyme like the Jabberwocky. I don't know if he can rhyme, however... I suppose I must leave now and find out.

But the thing is; the entire reason is; what I mean to say is; well, is this; I random when I reason.

Fare well.

Signing out with randomness still coursing through my veins,

--
Jake

What's Happening to Tolkien in Modern Day

Today, (yes, today, and even more, only an hour or so ago), one of my sisters said to my youngest sister, "Tolkien practically made up tall Elves." They were discussing LOTR. Although, to my utter dismay and disappointment, none of them have actually read it... most of them have seen the movies, however.

My youngest sister burst out and said, "Nuh-uh! He did NOT make it up!" (Her basis for this was Eragon, which she and all of my siblings had read--by my introduction. :D ) She was genuinely convinced that Tolkien, (she was the only one who hadn't seen the movies) must have stolen the idea from someone else--Paolini, perhaps.

I was surprised. Tolkien, in my opinion, was one of the most masterful fantasy writers that had ever lived. His plot; flawless. His worldmaking; unrivaled. His characters have lived on through the decades, read by many people young and old. It was one of the most epic fantasies of all time. If I ever wanted to write like anyone, it would be Tolkien.

Tolkien, with all of the new fantasy books of vampires and werewolves (or dragons, Elves and dwarves, for that matter), is slowly slipping away from the new generation. Most young writers like me, of course, are of the same mind; that J. R. R. Tolkien was one of the greatest fantasy writers ever. But other readers, especially those who read mostly secular books, are overlooking Tolkien, and dismissing him as another old-fashoned 'classic' that they might have to read in school.

Which brings me to another point; 'Classic' is a term used nowadays to describe old, dusty books no one can understand. In reality, classics, like LOTR, are the greatest books, books that have endured the scrutiny of generations. These are the ones that are unique, these are the ones that have laid the foundation of all plots, characters, and books in general. Without LOTR, there might not BE an Eragon.

So the main point of this entire post? Well, it was mostly for me to write my thoughts, but BESIDES that, it is this;

Remember Tolkien.

--
Jake

Why Everything is Random...Or Not

NOTE; I owe the inspiration of this post to Squeaks's RANDOMNESS RULES! post. Thanks, Squeaks!

There are five reasons why everything is random--after all, lists are the BOMB when it comes to conducting a polite debate--though they are not the nuke, though I haven't the slightest idea WHY they aren't a nuke. I don't even know what the nuke is--not the nuke itself, but what the nuke IS--that is, in the same way something's the BOMB, something else is the NUKE--though I don't know what it is.

1) Most people claim nothing is random--I'll explain this later, if I get to a later. But after all, what is a later? It would come sooner if it wasn't a later, and what most people call a later never comes, so technically it's a 'never'. But I'll get to this sooner, so I'll get to it eventually, which, despite what anyone says, is NOT synonous to 'later'. It's sometime, not never. If it were never, it wouldn't exist, and it WILL exist--eventually.

2) Thousand Foot Krutch is an awesome band. Why is this saying everything is random? I'll tell you--no waiting until later... er, sooner.

By saying TFK is awesome, I am being random, therefore enforcing my idea that everything is random. After all, TFK IS awesome (and I could say that anytime), and saying it anytime I wish is what most people call 'random'. What's that you say? What do you mean that doesn't prove everything is random? I guess I'll have to go on to the next point, then....

3) Randomness is random... just because. Also, turkeys. Er, make that chickens. No, change it all to mashed potatoes with Cheez-Its on top.

4) Insults are random. Proved. If someone calls you a cakesniffer (bonus points to the one who can guess what book that's from!), you may reply "Drink nibbler!" which, of course, by the Rules of Randomness (I haven't the slightest idea what they are--they're kind of like the 'invisible line' concept), is completely, absolutely, and undoubtedly Random.

5) My strongest point; Everything is random. You see, everything is random. You may say, "That's preposterous!" but I insist.

Take, for example, the greeting 'hello'. You go up to someone, perhaps someone you know, perhaps you don't, or perhaps a rabbit with a white tie and holding a cup of green spice tea that hasn't been brewed yet, and say, "Hello." Depending on the instance, you may even introduce yourself. But isn't that random? Think about it for a moment, will you. When you say hello, you are, in fact, being random. And that's how most conversations start!

But say you are on the recieving end. Perhaps you are relative, a stranger, or perhaps you are a rabbit with a white tie holding a cup of green spice tea that hasn't been brewed yet, and the person comes to you and says hello. By saying something back like, "Hello," or "How do you do?" or running like a rabbit (for everyone knows that rabbits cannot talk--unless, of course, rabbits CAN talk--and even if they do, there's a good chance they'll run anyway instead of striking up a sociable conversation), you are continuing the random thing, therefore making it a random thread, instead of random thing. Unless, of course, you believe that threads aren't random--but if it's a random thread, then it MUST be random, and since, using the reasoning I said earlier, all threads are random, then that means you must be wrong.


But wait... Turkeys are not random! Since they are usually associated with Randomness, they cannot be random! This makes my reasoning null and void! Everything cannot be random now since TURKEYS ARE NOT RANDOM! Awwwww....

Show's over, folks. Go back to bed, back to a different blog, back to home, or back to your rabbit hole--which ever you prefer. Just don't fall down your rabbit hole, or you may end up in Wonderland.

--
Jake