Musing on this Blog

When I started this blog, my idea was to spend a bit of time analyzing characters and themes in books and movies that I happen to either enjoy or have particularly pressing thoughts about.  I seem to have gotten away from that a bit.  (And I definitely got away from regularly posting.  Lately I've been trying to write at least once every other week.  Trying is the key word here.)

Analyzing stories is a great way to learn about people.  Even books I disagree with teach something.  They give me a new perspective on issues, make me work, arguing my own position in my head.  I'm not saying you should deliberately read books you find offensive (that would make reading a chore) but if you do come across one, it can be worth taking a few moments to remind yourself why you've taken your own position on the subject.   

 Books, movies, TV shows, they all reflect what someone believes, what they hope for, what they consider just (or unjust).  Stories have the ability to change society as well as reflect it.  Dickens' work sure did a lot for social reform of his time.  

Writers and artists put a lot of work into their creations, into building a connection with people they're most likely never going to meet.  I don't believe anyone would do that if they didn't have something they wanted to share with the world.  So... thank you to all the Lit teachers out there who take the time to teach your students Critical Thinking.  Thank you to writers of books, movies, TV shows, who want to share your thoughts and dreams with the world- and hope, whether you admit it out loud, to change the world for the better, if only for one person you might never even meet or hear from.  

To everyone who tries to make a difference, even when it seems to go unnoticed -Thanks.

A Post at Last

 Well, I haven't been doing well at regular posting lately.  Now that the play is done, I've been spending a lot of time mulling over the question of `what next?'  (As in, so... what direction should my entire life take now that I suddenly have free time again?  Yeah, I know.  I don't even know what's going to happen tomorrow.  Or an hour from now.  I know what I think is going to happen (dinner) but psychic I ain't.)  

I didn't want to leave everyone believing I dropped off the face of the earth, so here I am, still alive, and coming to the realization that I don't actually have to know what's going to happen next year, or even next month.  That I leave to God, since he actually can see the future.  All I have to do (as Terry Pratchett says in `Night Watch') is the job in front of me.