A Thought: On the State of Activism in America

A big part of what's wrong with our generation, what's contributing to the unimpeded downfall of America, is that reposting political memes is what passes for political activism.  We don't even want to think enough to write our own opinions, for the most part.  I enjoy a real debate, encourage them.  It's how we learn, how we grow, if we approach it properly, with an open mind and a willingness to listen to the views of others, to try and understand one another.  Think.  Write.  Express all the ideas you want, but make damned sure they're your own. Read more!

A Thought: On the Difference Between Ignorance and Stupidity

I often hear it said that the average American is stupid, that our country is being dragged down because of said stupidity.  That's not the case, though.  Most people in the country are ignorant, which isn't the same as stupid.  Ignorance is lack of knowledge, because of a failing education system, a life where education took a back seat to simple survival, that kind of thing.  Ignorance can be remedied.  Stupidity is when one realizes one's ignorance and is not only okay with it, but revels in it and seeks to spread it around rather than eliminate it. Read more!

A Reminder: On French-American Relations

To those Americans ignorant enough of our history to utter the foolish phrase, "If it weren't for us, the French would be speaking German," I remind you that, were it not for the French, we would still be English. Read more!

A Thought: On the Freedom of Chains

Those who spend their lives dodging commitment and responsibility, dreading the loss of freedom, never realize that they have shackled themselves to fear.  True freedom is in the choice of the things to which we attach ourselves. Read more!

No, no, Netflix...

You've done some pretty loose grouping in the past when it comes to placing movies in your absurdly specific genre designations, but please, I beg of you, don't put Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter under the heading of, "Civil War Movies."  The average American is already confused enough when it comes to American history without putting vampires into it. Read more!

A Lament for My 20s...

I remember fondly my 20s, when I could game and hang out until 4am, subsisting on nothing but junk food and good fellowship and NOT feel like I'd been hit by a truck the entirety of the next day. Read more!

A funny thing...

I apparently now draw as many hits on a day when I don't post as I used to on days when I did.  Not sure how I'm feeling about that except that it's nice to know people are reading.  Hello, people reading!  I'll post something more substantial next time.  Also, it'll probably be more ha-ha funny and less interesting funny.  Though it might be both.

...I may need more sleep. Read more!

Silly horror directors...

No matter how much gore or disquieting imagery you show, if your characters are idiots or lacking in, well, actual character, I'm not going to give a crap when they're in peril and your movie will suck.

If you really want to make a good horror movie, make me care about the people in it.  Don't skimp on the exposition, the development of solid, three-dimensional human beings in whom I can invest some real emotion.  Then, you know...torture them psychologically for a bit before killing them.

Horror's actually pretty messed up. Read more!

Quick Grammar Lesson: Lightening Lightning

After a week's worth of rain in my area, and countless posts about it, nearly all featuring this common error, I thought I would clarify it here.

Lightening: The removal of weight, physically or metaphorically

Lightning: A static discharge that precedes thunder Read more!

When Asked Why America Fell

When asked why America fell, they will say…

We spent too much time worrying about our guns

And too little worrying about our children’s education

We gave too much credence to men who had read one book

And far too little to those who had read many

We spent too much time trying to regulate people

And not nearly enough regulating our economy

We screamed constantly about being overtaxed

And never realized most were simply underpaid

We silenced our voices, hearts and minds

And spoke, felt and thought only what we were told

We vilified, crucified, the intellectuals and educated

And raised in their places those who spoke with slogans and smiles

We mistook fanaticism and pandering for toughness

And called toughness tyranny

We marched, step-lock, to those at the extremes

And called compromise cowardice

We neglected the long-term survival of the nation

For the brightest, shiniest distractions of the present

We fought too hard against the things that didn’t matter

And never, ever hard enough for the things that did

We were unwilling to sacrifice freedom at any cost

Except where the price was paid by others

We spent all our time pointing at problems

And none of it coming up with solutions

We let those in power convince us we couldn’t change a thing

Rather than reminding them often enough that we could

When asked why America fell, they will say…

We gave up, one by one,

In fear of the world and each other,

The strength of our unity

The power of our innovation

The protection of the weak

The checking of the strong

And the voice of our nation

Read more!

A Thought: On Perseverence and Stubbornness

Persistence is persevering in the face of adversity.

Stubbornness is persevering in the face of facts. Read more!

Hope in Remembrance

It saddens me this morning to log on and see people, many of whom I know to be thoughtful, reasoning individuals, being, at a best flippant and at worst outright disrespectful about today’s remembrance.  In part, it’s because I have a great deal of respect for Dr. King, flawed in some ways though he may have been, as are we all, but more because it shows how well those who stood for all he, and so many others, fought against have succeeded in burying what it is we truly celebrate on the day which bears his name, the capacity of a society to stand up for what is right and drastically change, without violence, the shape of the world.

Today is not just a day to celebrate a man.  Today is a day for remembrance, as much as Memorial Day, of the sacrifices made by thousands who saw the world both as it was and as it should be and gave so very much to make those things the same.  To disparage this day is to tarnish the memory of what they gave the world.  By standing arm in arm, against those who would rob us of freedom, of choice, who would oppress us, stifle us, in the name of bigotry, profit and blind tradition, those brave few reminded us for one brief, beautiful moment that just because something always has been does not mean that it must, or should, always be.  Over the screams of a nation, and a world, frightened of nothing more than change, which sought to hold down what was right, they showed the strength of a whisper when carried by enough voices to be heard and to make a difference, a susurrus which carried, running beneath it all one simple message, that which is most dangerous to the forces of tyranny and oppression: Change is possible.

In a time when our country is nearly as polarized as it ever has been, when the concept of civil discourse has all but vanished behind talking points and hypocrisy, their message seems all but lost.  But now is when we need it the most, when the powers that be, stronger than ever, if subtler and more insidious, are doing all in their power to strengthen the stranglehold of power over us, feeding us a steady diet of fear, just as they did then, keeping us docile, turning us against one another over things that matter far less than the issues on which we should be standing united.  We are a falling nation where the equality they fought so hard to win is, in a twisted way, finally being brought forth, as children across the country are without health care, living in poverty and denied the education that once allowed their grandparents generation to make this country a force with which to be reckoned.  Their future is bleak and we stand by and allow it to happen, saying that there’s nothing that can be done, that what we would fight against is too powerful, too entrenched, to ever be different.

Those for whom this day is celebrated faced the same doubts, the same dark odds.  But they stood.  They marched.  They lay down weapons and took up arms, raised voices to shout the unalienable truths upon which this country was founded, the hope that every person born in America, or sworn to its defense and prosperity, will have the chance to rise above the circumstances of their birth to be something more, to propel him or herself beyond what fate dealt them and, in so doing, carry the country with it, into a brighter, more prosperous and enlightened future.  That is what they fought for and that is what we must remember today, and every day. 

Read more!

10,000 Hits

I started this blog just after my 31st birthday, a little more than a year ago.  Since then, I've posted 359 entries on...pretty much everything.  This will be both my 360th entry and will garner my 10,000th page view. 

This blog isn't what it was started to be, which was just a record of my progress on my first yearly list.  But, at the same time, it's become something more, something which facilitates it, which people actually seem to read and enjoy (I average more than 1,000 views a month, which is cool for a blog that doesn't actually talk about much or fit any niche or anything).  Anyway, I'm going to keep writing, try to write more.

Thanks for reading.  If you're someone who comes here and reads it, leave me a comment.  Introduce yourself, or say hello, if I already know you.  I'm curious.  Thanks.

-Zach Read more!

A Thought: On Medicating America's Youth

I sometimes feel, working with kids, that we're medicating them for reacting to the world in which they've grown up. If the only world they know is one of unrest and fear, how else do you expect them to act, if not with anxiety and, at the extremes, resentment and rage? Read more!

Monster Tale

Monster Tale: It's what you'd get if Mega Man were a little girl who beat things with a purse and collected Pokemon and Dr. Wily used the same interior design team as Mother Brain.  Vastly entertaining.


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Photos: Jennifer's Birthday

For Jennifer's birthday this year, amongst the other festivities, the belly girls came over and made one another a bit...sparklier.  Enjoy.

Here's Jennifer...

Hayley...

And Katie...

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A Thought: On Prudence in Smartassery

Before making a smartass remark, make certain you're being smart, else you're just an ass. Read more!

Four Things That Need to Stop Being Said By Gun Advocates If They Hope To Ever Get Anything Done

Alright.  I'm all about responsible gun ownership, and the folks who want to take away all guns from everybody are, even to an idealist like me, a tad unrealistic.  Can it be done?  Yes, it certainly can, and probably should, if for no other reason that we've shown, as a species, we probably shouldn't be trusted with particularly pointy sticks, much less high velocity projectiles.  But is it likely?  No, not even a bit.  So, in the spirit of compromise, I'm offering some advice to people who believe guns should have no restrictions whatsoever, because I keep hearing a few frankly shortsighted and ill-thought-out arguments which do little more than give those who argue with you a free shot.

1. "Guns are the great equalizers. A gun in the hands of a 125lb. woman can make the difference when she's faced with a 250lb. rapist/mugger/etc."

Alright.  I'll grant you that, in that particular situation, a gun is certainly an excellent deterrent.  The thing is, what happens when the gun is in the hands of the rapist?  Then you've got an ARMED 250lb. man staring down a 125lb. woman.  Because think about this logically.  In a rape scenario, or any other crime, for that matter, who's generally the more prepared for the rape to happen, the perpetrator or the victim?  And given that most rapes take place in what are called "safe" settings, with known perpetrators, unless the woman is strapped and one hell of a quick draw, she's not too likely to be able to get to the gun in time for it to be of any use.  So, while this one is a valid statement, to a degree, be careful, as the use is pretty limited, in reality.

2. "If everyone had a gun, and knew how to use it, no one would ever do it for fear of repercussion."

K.  Imagine this for me, for a minute.  Take the sketchiest, creepiest or even just most irresponsible person you know.  Got them in your head?  Now give them a gun.  Anything from a .22 to a high-powered assault rifle.  Okay...Now put them alone in a room with your kid, your cat, your dog, your elderly grandma...any reasonably defenseless person.  That make you nervous?  It should.  If it doesn't, then you need to do a quick reality check and make sure you aren't wearing your argument blinders.  The fact is, some people shouldn't be trusted with guns.  The majority of people, really.  And that includes, as we've seen lately, quite a few who already legally possess them.  There needs to be a middle ground.  We need to have some restrictions.  It's just that simple.

3. "If more people had guns, there would be fewer gun deaths."

The point of this one, which isn't quite the same as point number two, is that in a situation where some nutjob goes off and starts firing into a crowd, your average well-armed citizen could neutralize the threat quickly and efficiently, thus preventing further harm.  While it's true that your average well-armed, heavily-trained special forces operative or secret service agent or the like could definitely have a positive impact on that situation, your average person isn't too likely to do much more than add more bullets flying through the air for the crowd to get away from.  And here's why:

You are not a hero.  Life is not a movie.  No matter how much time you spend at the range or how often you go hunting, you are not prepared for that kind of a situation.  You just aren't.  The highly-trained folks mentioned above?  One of the biggest parts of their rigorous training is being able to think with any semblance of clarity in that situation.  But, because we've been raised on action movies, we all want to believe that we'd be that cool, calm or, at worst, scared but awesome hero who doesn't feel that instinctual panic.  But, when it comes down to it, studies, statistics and even most of those highly-trained folks all back up the simple fact that, when in a life or death situation, we all kind of revert to scared children.  We have heroes in this world, but the chances of your average person being one is pretty slim.  Let's leave it to the trained professionals.  So stop saying this because it's like saying that if everyone owned a wrench, we wouldn't have nearly as many power outages.

4. "The Founding Fathers never intended there to be gun restriction, else they wouldn't have written The Second Amendment."

Before I address this one directly, let me just offer a blanket statement to people on both sides of this, and in general.  Stop trying to offer interpretations of history when you very obviously have no idea what you're talking about and/or are incapable of adopting any historical perspective.  Just. Stop.  Alright.  Back to the point, though.  When The Second Amendment was written, you have to realize two things. 

First, these guys had just fought one hell of a war to free themselves from what they saw as a tyrannical regime that used, when necessary, and sometimes when it wasn't, force to administer its rule.  (Oh, and as a side note, stop throwing around the word tyrant.  Tyranny isn't just not being able to do whatever the hell you want, else every single parent is a tyrant.  And for the same reasons.  Suck it up.) 

Second, when they said we could all have guns, guns weren't what they are today.  They couldn't have possibly foreseen modern weaponry.  Hell, it wasn't until 1825 that percussion-cap guns were in common use, nearly 50 years after The American Revolution.  And most, if not all, of them were dead by the time we got around to anything resembling automatic weapons.  These were wise, thoughtful men, for the most part.  If they could have foreseen guns which could be concealed in the waistband of pants and held seventeen rounds, or guns whose fire rates were measured in fractions of a second, they would have restricted them, too.  Because, as point one demonstrates, if you have them, then the other guys can get them, too.

Alright.  There you have it.  This, as with so many other things, has become one more way that we've been needlessly divided.  Let's step away from the extremes, stop getting both offensive and defensive and sit down to talk about this like the grown-ups that both sides seem to think are only found on their sides, which is, funnily enough, the hallmark of children.  It's time to compromise. Read more!

A Thought: On the Seductive Nature of Possibility

When we reach back into the past for something, for someone or some time in our lives long gone, it's rarely that for which we think we're trying to recapture so much as it is for the possibility of what could have been.  There are few things as seductive as lost possibility.  What we have to remember, though, is that there was a reason those things are gone, that they didn't become more than they were.  Learn.  Find new possibility. Read more!

The Sound of Nostalgia

Growing up in an old trailer, I never would have thought I'd miss the sound of the rain on the walls.
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A Thought: On the Bitter Irony of Pancake Acquisition

It is a bitter irony of life that the age at which one stops wanting to make pancakes comes so far ahead of the age at which one stops wanting pancakes.  Which is never.  You never stop wanting pancakes. Read more!

A Thought: On Playing Make-Believe

No matter how old you get, there are always going to be days where you just need someone you can play make-believe with. Read more!

A Thought: On Intellect and Wisdom

Intelligence is difficult. Knowledge is burdensome and hard to carry. There are things that, once known, can become so cumbersome that it is impossible to move beneath their weight.

The key is to step back, examine them, trim off all the bits that are extraneous, that teach nothing or add nothing of value to our lives, then take the core of what's left, tuck it safely away in a pocket and move along the path. That essence is called wisdom. Read more!

A Thought: On the Inevitable Disappointment of Other People's Parents

I swear, I'm the only person in the world who has anxiety dreams about disappointing other people's parents. Read more!

A Thought: On the Social Security Tax Expiration

If you're going to complain about an increase in your social security taxes, just figure out how much you'll be losing, find an elderly person you love and take it back from them.  It gets you your cash and teaches them the foolishness of relying on the welfare state. Read more!

A Thought: On Giving and Getting

Those who believe happiness is measured by how much you can get, of anything, are constantly scrambling to attain more, never seem to be satisfied, to get enough. 

Those who believe happiness is measured by how much you can give, how much you can create and put out into the world, will always have in abundance, because there is always more that can be given. Read more!

A Thought: On Finding Home

People spend so much of their lives looking for home without ever realizing that home isn't a place, not really.  Home is something we make in others when we give them a part of ourselves and, even if we never get it back, never see them again, hear their voices, it'll always be there.  Give freely of your heart.  Give unselfishly.  Create your home in others and be willing to be home to them. Read more!

A Poem: Falling Snow

Falling snow reminds me of you…

Which is weird,

Because I don’t think we ever saw it together.

There was that time,

In North Carolina,

Driving through the mountains,

Early in the morning,

When we saw all that snow,

Tucked into the valley,

Turning the autumn leaves to white,

And, being the Southern boys we were,

Made mom pull over

So we could play

In what amounted to a light frosting

Like it was a blizzard.

You remember.

Or when we spent that long, frigid night

Outside the Dome,

Camping for tickets

To a show I never made it to,

Watching the temperature drop,

Lower, lower, down past zero,

On the big billboard down the street,

As we huddled with the other fools,

Beneath the blanket of that girl,

The one who thought she was a vampire.

You remember.

We saw it fallen,

Felt the cold,

But never saw it fall.

Until that night…

A year after,

When I sat at home,

Alone, save for a voice on the phone,

Standing at my open door,

Looking into the sky,

Still wandering, lost,

In the twisting agony

Of your passing.

Then the snow…

A few tiny flakes,

Catching the light

In the too dark sky,

Hardly anything,

But enough.

I remember.

Read more!