Yet another addiction

I like books.

I like nice pens and I like nice notebooks.  They all go together in my mind. I really like to use Moleskine notebooks for my running-around-all-over-hell notebook.  If you’ve not seen one, then ask me next time you see me.  I always have one on me.  You can also check out their website.

I recently uncovered some of the fountain pens I brought from England.  I cleaned them up and I’ve been using my Parker 25 as my everyday pen for the last two weeks.  I’m trying really hard to remember why I stopped using fountain pens, they are a joy to write with.  When you find yourself in downtown Salt Lake City, head over to Trolley Square and the inkophiles over at Tabula Rasa and ask them to show you some fountain pens.  These people are just as passionate about paper, pens and ink as you can get.  I love buying a product from people who obviously love what they sell.

Flight plan

So I was at a conference for work today and as part of one of the sessions they had some info on doing fly-alongs with Air-Med, the medical chopper for the University of Utah hospital. I was able to go through the fly-along orientation and sign up to possible fly with them sometime soon. They even landed one of the choppers right outside the conference. If I get to go pictures will definitely follow.

New things

So I got a new phone the other week. The new iPhone. For the most part it’s been pretty good. There are some issues but the fact that I can put a WordPress app, a Twitter app and the like on it is pretty damn cool. It makes it so easy to post that I now have absolutely no excuse for not posting.

My sister in PA went to get me a signed copy of Neil Gainan’s new book “The Graveyard Book”. It’s more of a young adult type book about a boy who lives in a graveyard and is raised by ghosts. The reviews are looking good so far and my sister “accidently” started reading it and now can’t stop. When I get my copy and get through it I’ll post my own review.

I get by with a little help…

A very dear friend of mine is going through a tough time right now.  It’s brought back some powerful and sometimes painful memories of some bad patches I’ve gone through myself.  One not unlike the situation my friend is in right now.  The thing that has always brought me back from the brink of destruction long enough for me to take hold of myself and get through things has always been my friends.  I just don’t know that the value of close and loyal friends can ever be overestimated.  I have a lot of friends that I’ve know for years.  Decades, in some cases.  Those rare people that can get along with you for a prolonged period of time should be treasured.

So I wanted to thank my friends for being there for me all these years.  I hope that I can repay that in some way by being there whenever needed (be it Saturday afternoon or 3am tomorrow) for them, like they’ve been there for me.

Police tickets

Yesterday I bought tickets to see The Police when they come here in July.  I was like 10 when they broke up, and I love their music so this is a big deal for me.  I nabbed an extra pair of tickets for my buddy Harold.  He’s in Iraq at the moment, but he’ll be home by then and we’ll have a great time.  I mean, it’s the Police, come on.

By the by

Uno, the beagle that won the Westminster dog show, is Toby’s brother.  The family is very proud.

Opening lines…

Working on a new short story, here’s the opening lines.

I’m not exactly sure how to tell you my story.  It’s not like most.  Oh, it follows Aristotle’s arc of drama just fine.  There is a building story with a climactic point followed by some predictable aftermath where we all learn a lesson.  It’s fairly textbook in most regards.  Where it deviates from the norm is this:  I’m the villain.

Now don’t get me wrong.  I’m likable.  I suppose that you could argue that all the best villains are, but I’m especially likable.  I’m really a very nice person.  Except for, you know, killing people and drinking all of their blood.

To Be Clear

I’ve spoken about this before, but I just wanted everyone to be sure they understand.

Neil Gaiman is a god.

I just finished Stardust. I know, I know. It’s been out for awhile and there is a movie. Normally when a movie is based on a book I’ve read the book before I see the movie and I end up hating the poor adaptation. Books are just better. But this time I refrained from reading the book until I’d seen the movie. A few things have kept me busy and I’ve not had a chance to read the book until now. I loved it. Not my favorite Gaiman, but really quite wonderful.

One of the best Gaiman works is A Study In Emerald. It’s a cross between Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and H.P. Lovecraft. Literally. It’s a Sherlock Holmes story set in a world in which “The Old Ones” are awake and among us.

You can read or listen to it for free, but it’s a part of Fragile Things and if you like this story, you should buy the book. Then buy all his books. You’ll love them.

Look! A clue!

My sister who lives in Pennsylvania has been visiting the past couple of weeks.  It’s been really good to have to family all hang out together.  With a minimum of fighting this time, which is extra nice.  We all love each other and get along, but we’ve all grown into our own selves and in some ways we’ve grown apart.  But that’s part of life.  Things are always changing and moving on.  That we all had a good time visiting and catching up and hanging out, that’s important and it means we’re still family.

My sister brought her tow sons with her.  Joseph is 3 and Andrew is 2 months.  This visit was the first time all of us but my mother have seen Andrew.  And Joseph is almost a new person each time we see him, he grows so fast. Right now Joseph is into (among other things (especially trains)) Scooby Doo.  We had a lot of fun playing hide and seek with flashlights and saying things like “Jinkies” and “Look!  A clue!”.  Andrew is into eating and sleeping, but I’m sure that his interests will expand over time.  (Until the teen years, at which point he’ll revert back to only eating and sleeping.)

Autumn at last

I love Autumn.  It is the absolute best time of the year.  Halloween is fun, and Thanksgiving is the best holiday ever.  I love how all the family gets together and we make amazing food and have a wonderful time just enjoying each others company without all the insanity (and frankly all the crap we put each other through) that comes with Christmas.  I love Thanksgiving so much I have it twice a year.  Once in November and once in, oh about May.   The weather seems to be surrendering finally.  It was a really hot summer here.  I acclimated to it alright, but my lawn thought I was watering it with a flame thrower.

A good friend of mine and I started playing racquetball again.  I’m not as agile as I used to be, but it’s a great workout and a fun game.  I highly recommend it.

Also, for those of you who like to tell people you meet at parties that you are a writer, your submissions for Clarion at UCSD will be accepted from January 2 to March 1, 2008.  Now, if you’re at all like me, you pretend to do things over the holidays, but you really don’t do anything but eat and drink and hang out with all your friends and family.  So you should be working on your short stories NOW.  I mean, come on people.  Neil Gaiman is going to be there.  We’ve got to start taking this seriously. 

OK, I know that was aimed at myself and I feel chastised now.  I’ll get to work finishing that short story.

~Akanthos

Like a Phoenix rising needs a holy tree. Like the sweet revenge of a bitter enemy. I need your love