Reflections on a dying year

Every now and then I like to revisit some books or movies that I've liked in the past. Rereading a favorite book, or rescreening a favorite movie, after some years have passed always causes me to notice things that I'd ignored before. As the context of my life changes certain favorite works speak to me differently. That, to me, is the mark of a great work of art--it is always relevant.

For example, this book is one of my favorites. It details one of the most important turning points in the history of the world. It also goes into a lot of detail (in an entertaining and informative way) as to why this was such an important event.

I recommend it highly. Even though the events it describes are over 2,000 years old, you will find many of the details relevant and illuminating today, on situations we are currently dealing with.

Which brings me to the current political situation in this country. I'm profoundly disappointed with the last election results, but not terribly surprised. I've heard it said that progress is like an arrow--before it can spring forward, it has to be drawn back. Hopefully, what we're experiencing now is the pulling back part, and the springing forward will begin shortly.

That is my profound hope, that we'll survive the next few years and manage to repair the damage that is about to be done to our world because of the idiots we've managed to put in office to run our country, against the will of the majority of voters.

There's a lot more I can say about the subject but I'm not going to waste my time. If you agree with me, that Trump and his ilk are a disaster, there's no need to explain further. If you disagree then you're part of the problem and arguing with you is pointless. And pro-Trump propaganda will not be posted here so don't bother trying.

Another down side is the results of the election have made a couple of projects I was working on redundant. Real life caught up with me. Dammit. The Making of Citizen Z.E.D.  is set a bit in the future but events in the plot are unfolding even now. There's no point in developing it further.

I've put Fell on the back burner, too, because it is suffering from an unforgivable flaw--it's a horror movie that isn't scary. I learned a lot about writing horror while working on it--you'd think I'd be an old pro at horror, since it's my favorite genre, but this is actually the first pure horror movie script I've ever attempted. Anyway, one day I'll return to it and apply the lessons this failed go-round taught me.

And I've revived another project, Unum,  which is pure science fiction. I think I've finally got all of the plot elements I need to put together something special. Hopefully. A lot of "if" lies in the execution. I got maybe a third of the way through it the first time I started working on it, and a lot of that is pretty good, if I do say so myself. So, there are entire scenes I can just cut-and-paste. Of course there's a lot of other stuff that I can no longer use. It evens out.

I also just finished watching my all-time favorite movie, Alien, again. It's been a while. (If you're curious, it was the 2009 director's cut.) I'm planning to watch it with Ridley Scott's commentary track on later tonight--I've done that before but it's been a while. Needless to say, I heartily recommend it to you, if you're one of the handful of people who hasn't seen it. It'll change your life.

So, if you're reading this, I hope you have a Happy Holiday, and a safe and prosperous New Year. Stay safe out there. We need you.