Good Science Fiction

I was going to write this long, in-depth post about a series of books I've been working my way through. However, it's late and I desperately desire sleep. So visit the link above, or to the side, or below, or wherever the darn thing happens to be (I'm not that familiar with the layout I chose for my blog).

Oh, I suppose I should describe where you'll be going when you do click the link (and you will click the link, or unsettling things may happen to you and your loved ones...). Briefly, there was this guy who happened to be an author. He wrote a handful of books about this planet called Arrakis. Well, that's not quite accurate because it was more than just Arrakis, but the planet did play a central role in the book. That is, if you just skim the surface and don't plunge deeper. Getting back on track, this guy wrote these books, then died. Following his death, this guy's son...did I tell you this guy's name? No? Well, it was Frank Herbert...Anyway, Frank's son, Brian, got together with this other guy, Kevin Anderson, and finished the last book from Frank's Notes (I capitalize the 'N' here because Frank was such a cool guy and we need to capitalize the nouns describing his stuff, though I guess I didn't capitalize the 's' in 'son'...).

Apparently, Brian and Kevin did such a good job, and Frank's Notes were so good, the two guys went out and wrote two prequel trilogies. So now there are a total of 12 (5 + 1 + 3 + 3 = 12) books in the Dune series. Oh, and that's the name of the series, and also the name of the first book in the original series, Dune. So now these two guys have a web site for the series, with plans to write a seventh book to the original series. This web site is where the link will take you.

If you're interested, and you should be after my wonderful introduction, run to your local library, ignoring all traffic laws, throwing caution to the wind, and check out these books! Don't worry about the police, once you tell them you're trying to get the books as quickly as possible, I'm absolutely sure they'll let you go with nothing more than a warning. Ladies, remember to pout and show a little cleavage, just in case.

Ok, to sum it all up (just like I learned in school, though any of my past instructors would refuse to agknowledge they had anything to do with this abomination): Frank wrote some books, Frank died, Frank's son Brian wrote more books with some dude named Kevin Anderson, the two got a web site. You're going to visit the web site, then you're going to read the books. THE END.

Wow, that wasn't so brief after all, was it?

Oh, and it turns out the link is the title of this post. Who knew? And one more plug: Dune series by Frank Herbert = great reading, More Dune books by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson = Not as good as ol' Frank, but still great reading. Ok that's it. No more plugs for Dune.

Except this one: Dune is good...

Oh, and this one: mmmm...Dune...

Ok, no more Dune. Really! You don't believe me do you? I can see it in your eyes. And they all began to dance...

What should I write about?

My last post was over two months ago. A new post is well overdue, but there is one hurdle to overcome before the new post is, umm, posted. I have no idea what to write! I suppose that's not entirely accurate. There are plenty of things I could write about, but I don't know what topics readers would find interesting and which topics readers really don't care about.

I've given this quite a bit of thought (approximately one minute and seventeen seconds) and decided I'll let the readers choose what my subject matter will be. If you would like me to post on a particular subject or answer some quesions, add a comment to my most recent post telling me what you would like. You might also try emailing me (there is a mailto link somewhere in my profile), but make sure you indicate in the subject that the email is regarding this blog, otherwise I might delete the message before reading it. Understand, however, that there are some things I will not discuss. I'll let you know when you're suggestion falls into that category.

Of course, I will not limit myself to reader suggestions. Why? Well, I may not receive any responses or something may come up which I would enjoy writing about but has not been suggested as a topic by any readers.

I doubt I'll get a response from this, but at least the "Most recent post" will be a little more current.

So long for now!

The Meijer Nymph

So I was trying to determine what direction to go with this post, and the following paragraphs are what I came up with. I've read them over and over, eventually coming to the conclusion that I didn't actually write any of it. However, I'd rather not anger the true author by deleting it, so it will remain. A note to those who dislike particularly mawkish (hee, hee, I found that one in the thesaurus!) content should browse elsewhere.

Not too long ago, sometime last week actually, I had a most extraordinary experience in the most unusual location for such a thing. It was on this particular day that I found myself in need of a new pair of shorts. Fortunately for me, my mother found herself in need of various items as well. I say fortunate for me because I had (and still have) no reliable transportation of my own with which to travel into town. So it was that my mother and I were standing in the checkout lane at the local Meijer store, when the extraordinary experience took place.

All together, the day had been terribly uneventful and dull. One of those days which is so unremarkable, it leaves no impression whatsoever in one's memory. I was working out a plan which would result in my obtaining a candy bar without having to spend any of my own money, when I noticed a movement in the checkout lane to my right. Normally, I would have paid little attention, as movement in and around checkout lanes is quite common, but as this day had been so uneventful I could not resist.

I turned my head in the direction of the movement, and was completely and utterly taken by the sight before me. A woman. Not just any woman, mind you, but possibly the most incredible woman mortal eyes have seen. Realizing I was staring and in danger of being discovered, I averted my gaze. It was not long before my eyes found their way back to this woman. Again and again I tried to look away. Again and again I failed.

A great sin it would be to attempt to capture her with words, so I beg forgiveness for what I am about to do. She was grace and elegance personified, beauty reimagined and redefined. To look into her eyes was to see eternity itself, unimagined magnificence. Her delicate hair was a light brown silk, her skin soft and light. The drab uniform of a Meijer employee did nothing to hide her loveliness. She was truly enchanting.

A moment later, and I was through the checkout lane. I cast one last glance at the lovely woman, hoping to never forget what I had seen, then left the building. It was an incredible experience. I have been back to the Meijer store on three occasions, but have not seen the woman since. Someday I hope to meet her, to speak with her. Two things remain which inspire this hope: my memories of that day, and her name as it was printed on her nametag. Hope...

Wow, okay, yeah. I still don't think I wrote that.

Comments anyone?

Well, it has been a while since my last post, and it might be a little bit longer before I make another real post (as opposed to this post which is obviously not "real"). For anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis (and I question the existence of such a being) you may have noticed that the HaloScan commenting is gone. Apparently, Blogger has undergone some changes since my last post, and they are now providing a commenting system themselves. I'll be trying this out for a little bit, and if I like it, I'll cancel my HaloScan account. So please, comment your hearts away so I can make sure this will work!

Motivated by Procrastination

This is one of those posts written with the sole purpose of giving me an excuse to procrastinate on my studies. With graduation only two and a half weeks away and classes ending (for me) next week, I'm finding that procrastinating has become entirely too commonplace in my life. I've just got to give it that final shove and hopefully let my momentum carry me through.

Since graduation is indeed so close, it's also time for me to start thinking about moving out of this town. While I cannot say I'll miss the winters up here, I will miss the slower pace at which everyone seemed to move. That is one of the things that has kept me sane these past three years. I'm also looking forward to ending my employment at ShopKo. While I have only been working part time since October, I've experienced enough to decide that I never, ever, ever want to work in retail again.

Speaking of leaving my job and moving out, there is a period of time between May 14 and May 24 when I will have absolutely nothing to do but pack and relax. I just hope I have enough money left by then to enjoy the time off!

Well, that was a complete waste of time, but at least I was able to put off my homework for another ten minutes. Now I get to waste time going to class, then I'll have to eat dinner, so it looks like I get another three hours before I have to start studying again!

Something to think about...

I have been reading through Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert (the 2nd book in the Dune series) for the third time, and came across an interesting passage. I've read it before, but for some reason, it caught it my attention this time around:

"'You produce a deadly paradox,' Jessica had written. Government cannot be religious and self-assertive at the same time. Religious experience needs a spontaneity which laws inevitably suppress. And you cannot govern without laws. Your laws eventually must replace morality, replace conscience, replace even the religion by which you think to govern. Sacred ritual must spring from praises and holy yearnings which hammer out a significant morality. Government, on the other hand, is a cultural organism particularly attractive to doubts, questions and contentions. I see the day coming when ceremony must take the place of faith and symbolism replaces morality.'"

While these words were taken from a letter written by Jessica to her daughter regarding the way Alia and her brother were governing the empire from Dune, I think the ideas are more generally applicable. Rather than continuing with a discussion of my own views on the significance of this passage, I will give you a chance to think about it without my influence. Go with it where you will, and leave a comment if you have an interesting thought.

Back to School

I'm back in Houghton after spending last week at home in Traverse City. It was an enjoyable, if uneventful, spring break. As much fun as it was to spend all day lounging around doing nothing much at all, there was something missing. However, to discuss such a thing here would take this blog into areas which I have deemed too personal. Besides, the topic would have required its own entry, and I don't feel like writing two posts tonight.

I was really hoping I might see some of my friends, but it turns out Michigan Tech sent their students home on break one week before every other college in Michigan, or so it seemed. Fortunately, I didn't feel like doing much of anything so it worked out in the end. I ended up spending quite a bit of time on my computer (not a big surprise) using Windows (huge surprise). It turns out the guy who writes the port of Duke Nukem I use added support for high resolution textures. Since I haven't spent much time working on graphics projects in quite a while, I decided I'd work on creating my very own replacement artwork for the game. The results weren't something I'd ever make public, but they were good enough to enhance my own playing experience. I also gained some valuable knowledge about graphics design that will no doubt prove useful later in life.

I know, this is pretty boring stuff, but if you've been reading my past posts you should have expected that by now. Perhaps I'll have something more exciting in the next one.

Oh, oh, I almost forgot. I was doing some deep, deep thinking the other day, and came up with this thought: My initials are M.M. If I marry a woman whose first name begins with an 'M', then her initials will be M.M. as well. Then together we'd be a couple of M&M's! Whew, my mind is reeling from thinking all that through again. ;-)