Okay. KrisDi has finally noticed that people never call me. In fact, in order to invite me to things or see what I’m up to or whatever, people usually go through KrisDi. So, the question is, do people dislike me, or are they intimidated by me? I have enough confidence to think that people do like me, and even if they didn’t, I can not only handle that, but I can think of several reasons why they wouldn’t. So why are they intimidated? Am I scary? I’ve had people tell me that I’m scary, but no one’s ever said why. So, blog audience of approximately four, why am I scary? I’m interested in your answers. Feel free to be creative (“snaotheus is rumored to feed on the blood of newborn puppies while running under ladders with scissors” would be a good explanation, for example).
Last night I finished Deathstalker, by Simon R. Green, which was lent to me by my good friend Monocular Ben (also known as the Plaid Amoeba). I enjoyed it. Much of it was cheesy and the editor wasn’t all that great (I probably saw at least one spelling or grammar error per chapter). The setting is the feudal future, with sharp separation between the Noble families and the peons, with a ridiculously caricaturized Empress running the gigantic intergalactic empire. Technology is greatly advanced (interstellar travel, energy weapons, cyborgs, etc), but swords are still common weapons for nobles and fighters. There’s an interesting take on elves and vampires and other such things. There’s a great class conflict involving the espers (people with ESP abilities) and clones (copies of people, if you’ve been living under a rock and never heard of Dolly). The main character, Owen Deathstalker (good lord is that a cheesy stupid name) is the head of a famous noble family, and the Empress decides to have him killed, and so starts the story. Aliens and technology and silly dialog and sword fighting and betrayals and practically no romance at all, so it’s a good guy book. Consider it light reading, I suppose. Ridiculous bad-assness is common for the nobles, because they can afford awesome drugs and training and augmentation and stuff.
What else? I’m in Norfolk, as probably most of you already know, staying in a hotel. Yesterday morning, my breakfast was made interesting by a group of old Christian men. They had checked out a conference room in the hotel for a morning prayer meeting or something, but their reservation was screwed up, so they used the lobby where the complimentary breakfast is served. By the time I got down there, the only place to sit was directly in front of the podium. They’ve got flyers and prayer lists (categorized by why you should pray for the names: cancer, other health problems, alcoholism, salvation, financial problems, death in the family, etc) all over the tables. They’ve obviously assumed that since they pray, talk about God and Jesus and salvation, and read the Bible, they’re good Christian folks. I’m sure it helps that they’re white.
So the main fogey gets up to start talking, and somehow he gets on the topic of Katrina victims, and starts bitching about how they’re getting so much federal aid, and how when he was young, they had floods every other year and the feds never helped them out, they either helped themselves or didn’t, obviously intimating that they should all be on their own. I’m not retarded, so I realize there has been much waste and abuse in the aid system, but I wanted to ask, “How would our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ feel about your position of refusing to help people in need?” But I wasn’t in the mood for an argument. Nor did I really have the time, even though it is funny to see opinionated old bigoted men turn red and huff and puff self-righteously.
Anyway, that whole situation is one of the factors that disillusioned me. People who like to be Christian, but don’t really know (or care) what it means, and just use it as a justification for getting what they want, doing what they want, and frowning on what other people do. I know some great Christians whom I like and admire, but not many of them. Most people fall under the category of “people”, meaning someone who is just living life, doing their best to be a good person. This is not to say they aren’t religious, but religion isn’t the deciding factor behind each decision. “Christians,” people who are trying to live life with God/Jesus/Bible as the guiding light, often seem misguided, inflexible, and unforgiving to me. I don’t mean to say that they’re wrong. Well, I do mean to say that, but with the caveat that it’s only my opinion. I have no doubt that most of them are well-intentioned. But I digress. I could ramble for even longer without making any point (or sense).
Lecture mode: So, in conclusion, think about what you’re doing, rather than following directions from a book. End lecture mode.
And, finally, The Chronicles of Narnia. I watched that the other day. I enjoyed it. I like the books better, but that’s usually true. I thought Tilda Swinton was the perfect White Witch. I don’t know who they could have cast to play it better. I enjoyed it, but I won’t go on for too long, because most of you have probably already seen it or read the books.