Galveston

So I am going to Galveston today. I have many things I have wanted to post, however, I have been quite busy with both work and completing the Harry Potter novel (I have done so). It is very unlikely that I will have any significant computer access until Monday, thus, I will remain quiet here.

However, upon my return, I full expect to pick up again and have several new entries. Until then, wish me safety from the sun, sharks, and hermit crabs.

Friday Evening Revisited

It seems my post regarding the evening of July 17, 2005 caused consternation. That was not my intention. In fact, it was a pleasant evening. If I felt that it hadn't, I'd like to think I could make a post much more caustic than that.

This evening (not the previous)

Tonight I went to a wedding shower. I was anxious about it, as I often am about such things. It turned out to be a very nice evening. Confusing; one might say vexing, but nice nonetheless.

I shan't go into detail here, as it is a public board. Instead I will have to diary this evening.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

After my friend's wedding shower, a group of us went to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I had high hopes for the movie. I am a fan of both Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the movie from 1971) and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the book by Roald Dahl. All three of the latter mentioned works are terrific.

But not the new movie. It was utterly disappointing. It failed to provoke laughter, the story was choppy, and it was full of Burton stylization, but lacked depth. It looked nice, but just didn't make a good movie.

Further, I expected a stricter adaptation from the book, something that I would recognize as Dahl. Whatever the atrocity I saw on screen tonight was, I have never read it.

Rush

"Limelight"

Living on a lighted stage
Approaches the unreal
For those who think and feel
In touch with some reality
Beyond the gilded cage

Cast in this unlikely role,
Ill-equipped to act
With insufficient tact
One must put up barriers
To keep oneself intact

Living in the limelight
The universal dream
For those who wish to seem

Those who wish to be
Must put aside the alienation
Get on with the fascination
The real relation
The underlying theme

Living in a fisheye lens
Caught in the camera eye
I have no heart to lie
I can’t pretend a stranger
Is a long-awaited friend

All the world’s indeed a stage
And we are merely players
Performers and portrayers
Each another’s audience
Outside the gilded cage

The Previous Evening

Last night I went out after a long day at work. I was already tired. I fear that it was obvious. I must admit, because I find this to be a character flaw. When I am tired, I become extra cynical, uncomfortable in public, and just a shell of myself. I don't defend the way I become, and if I could put on the guise of my normal self, I would. It really is quite unfortunate, because I felt like a wet blanket all night long.

We went to Moni's, an Italian restaurant that had been highly recommended. It was good. I can't rant about it, 1) because the dish I ordered was unspectacular - it was shrimp, pasta, lemon butter and garlic. I should have ordered something different. 2) Italian food from anywhere generally doesn't impress me. It is the kind of food that everyone probably has a preference of restaurant before hand, and will thus be cynical toward any other (though my cynical mood was quite enhanced, as I have pointed out). I mean, my favorites are still Piccollo Mondo and Siciliano's. Those two are my treats for Italian cuisine. It would be a lot to break that.

But still, Moni's was very good. It was a nice atmosphere, very friendly service and good food. I shall have to return, and pick a better dish with which to judge them, such as, perhaps, canneloni.

From there I was taken to a pet shop - not the large, pet megamart type place, such as Petsmart, rather the smaller, more traditional, puppy mill supporting establishment. When I found where we were going, my heart sank. These places are horrible. They procure their animals from irreputable breeders who keep their animals in detestable conditions. Entering the store was like walking into a youth AIDS ward. The puppies were in small cages, with no flooring to protect their sensitive feet. They were given water via a hamster bottle (the larger golden retriever was lapping thirstily for quite a while). These are not happy places, and, in my opinion, the industry should be much more strictly regulated.

From here, we went to retrieve a movie from the house of one of our party. It was quite an experience, though I fear I may have made it more of one than it ought to have been. Oh well. No big deal, I suppose.

We then went to see Cade at Starbucks, who was wearing his new, GQ clothing. He looked very nice. I considered once dressing up more for work, though I decided not to. I get too dirty and nasty during work to wear nice clothes - I would prefer comfort over looks while there, and save the looks for later.

We finally went to watch the movie, Amelie, which I have detailed earlier. It was so very good, though I need to watch it several more times to absorb it better. We also went to purchase the new Harry Potter book (which I have started, it is already intriguing).

3 times along this journey, strange events took place. They involved bubbles. I was quite perplexed by the whole thing. Perhaps it was the mood brought on by my being tired, but I just didn't understand the whole thing. I felt like a wet blanket here more than any other time, which was quite sad. I wanted to enjoy the bubbles as others did.....but they were bubbles. I've seen them many, many times. The fact that they were streaming out of a car window did not change that they were bubbles. I feel sad that I couldn't enjoy them, as though I am missing a simple life pleasures that all others recognize, but not the callous Shelby. Oh well, I suppose I should prepare for other such disappointments and cherish those pleasures that I can grasp.

Anyhow, I then came home, got online for just a moment, and went to bed. Rather uneventful evening, but for some reason it was significant to me.

Under

It has been a bit colder than usual the past few days in my house. 3 nights ago, I left my fan on a bit high, and it created a cold, dry draft. I now have that raw feeling in the back of my nose. It is quite uncomfortable, and in my experience, this feeling can lead to more serious illness.

It doesn't help that yesterday was a very long day. I went to sleep at about 1AM, awoke at 7AM for work, laboured exhaustively at work until 4PM. I went home, changed, let Angel out, and went to get my hair cut. I then came home and rushed to get some laundry done and clean myself up. The power went out in my house and without my knowledge, turned off my dryer.

I then had more of an evening (which I will go into more detail with in my next post), though I was already exhausted. Anyhow, I came home and stayed awake a bit longer (until about 2) and finally went to sleep. I awoke around 7:30 to let Angel out, fell back asleep until 9:30, awoke (though I was groggy) and tried to read. I again fell asleep, and am finally up (got up at 11:30). I still fill tired, sore and under the weather, but I also still have a long day.

Amelie

Amelie is a very good French film that I had the privilege to see last night. Those who insisted I see it were right - I will most likely keep coming back to the movie and smiling about it for a week.

The character was amazing, the look of the movie was attractive, and the story was very touching. I can see this movie quickly finding a place on my top ten list, regardless of the shame it will cause me to have to bump another.

I don't, however, appreciate it melting my heart. It comes better frozen.

The Eagles

"Seven Bridges Road"

There are stars
In the Southern sky
Southward as you go
There is moonlight
And moss in the trees
Down the Seven Bridges Road

Now I have loved you like a baby
Like some lonesome child
And I have loved you in a tame way
And I have loved you wild

Sometimes there's a part of me
Has to turn from here and go
Running like a child from these warm stars
Down the Seven Bridges Road

There are stars in the Southern sky
And if ever you decide
You should go
There is a taste of time sweetened honey
Down the Seven Bridges Road

Cliche #1

Today I heard a cliche I hate.

"Some people have 'book smarts,' but not a lick of common sense. I may not have book smarts, but I know how it is."

Nonsense. That is a statement that stupid people say to make themselves feel better. People are either intelligent or they aren't. Book intelligence or street intelligence be damned.

Work

I have been working 30+ hours a week at work. I wouldn't mind so much if I had some sort of set schedule, but my job does not call for such a thing. Rather, I close some days, preclose, others, etc.

For example, Thursday night I close. Then, as a favor to a friend, I am taking a shift from 9-3:30 friday. I don't want to do it, but I am sure he would for me. I hate the friday morning shift - it is the busiest time of the week, and right now, we have a weakened staff with a new manager and a few new folk. I don't trust most of them on bar that early - I almost hope I am on bar, but I know that at 9AM, I will get it in horrid condition.

But I digress.

Saturday, I am scheduled to work from 4- close. However, I have a wedding shower to attend that day for a friend of mine. I cannot miss this appointment. I shall have to find someone to cover that shift, because I absolutely cannot work it.

This week bites - luckily, next week I only have 18 hours. I will see a difference in pay, but my time is much more valuable than money.

Politics

I am a moderate, as I have always been. I have a hard time taking sides on issues, because I can understand both the pros and cons. The world is not, unfortunately, as black and white as leftists or rights want it to be. As a friend of logic and reason, I hate to admit this, but it's true.

I certainly cannot relate to the dominating parties of the United States. I am doomed to take an issue by issue stance. For instance, the role of the government is out of hand. The government should not babysit its citizens, give out welfare programs which redistribute the wealth of the nation, overspend OR overtax, regulate every last thing, etc. This is a very conservative attitude.

But on the other hand, democracy, to work properly, should be run by educated and intelligent citizens. Every child should have equal opportunity for a good education. I have no problem with governmental education and taxes to fund them. I am a supporter of Robin Hood laws, though I detest other forms of redistribution of wealth. This is a very liberal attitude.

Perhaps someday, as I grow older and wiser, I will become more polarized on issues and take a more rigid stance. But for now, I cannot possibly be activistic, because neither extreme seems logical to me. I have a feeling this applies to a good amount of intelligent Americans.

Video Games

I have almost totally grown out of the desire to play video games. They just no longer appeal to me. I will probably buy Madden 2006 Football when it comes out, just because it is football. But no other game interests me, and I doubt I will even play Madden often.

Hunting

Alright - I am going to write about my last hunting experience.

NOTE: IF YOU ARE QUEASY, HEAVY HEARTED, SQUEAMISH, ETC., I WOULD NOT SUGGEST READING THIS POST. IT EXPLAINS THE EVENT THAT CAUSES ME TO NO LONGER HUNT.

I grew up hunting, fishing, etc. All the things they teach us Texas boys. One year, for deer season, we went to Oklahoma to hunt with a guy who worked for my Father. I think I was about 17 or 18.

My Father and I are sitting atop a hill, while my little brother and our friend go into this little wooded canyon area (just a small valley sitting between two hills) to flush a deer out.

While standing there, we see a buck run gingerly out. I say run gingerly because I could have sworn I saw him limping. My father decides to shoot. He hits, but not well - it lands in the buck's rear left leg. It stumbles away, and we rush down to grab it (yelling at our companions, who are sweeping, so they know we are there.)

We see the deer crossing near a fence, my father takes aim again. This time he hits the sweet area (behind the front leg, it should hit the heart). But the deer still survives. It can no longer walk, because its rear leg that was shot first is broken and I assume it has a collapsed lung. It crawls under a barbed wire fence, we pursue.

We wait a moment, and finally my brother decides to give it a kill shot, since it seems to be a tough deer. Aiming for the head from about 10 feet, he fires.

Somehow, the bullet glances off the skull and just destroys the lower jaw. And it survives, STILL.

At this point I am queasy, but getting through it. So our friend/guide, who is as hayseed as one gets - a true Okie, he wanted to take us noodling - pulls out a hand razor, shaped like a talon, that some hunters carry. He goes to the deer and slits its throat.

The deer survives a while longer, with a horrible slurping/gurgling/gagging noise as only blood enters the trachea that has been severed.

At this point I walk away and vomit. I return to the site after about 5-10 minutes, where the deer has died. Everyone is white in the face, except our guide.

We have to drag the deer about a mile. The longest mile I have walked in my life.

Now remember how I thought it was limping as it came out of the grove? Well, when we get back to the house to clean the deer, we notice it looks old and decrepit - not very healthy. As we skin the deer, we notice another wound to the other hind leg - one we didn't cause.

And gangreen covers about a quarter of the carcass, rendering it useless to us.

About 2-3 times since the incident, I have had a nightmare that was nothing but that slurping sound the deer made when its throat was cut.

I am not a member of PETA, and have no reservations about hunting. Things die, its the way it is, and I find nothing unethical about it.

But I have not been hunting since I was 17. I usually make an excuse when invited, like I have to work, but I find one. I don't know that I'll ever try again.

I try to find solace in the fact that the deer had lived with the former injury for weeks and that it was no longer suffering.

But there is little comfort there - that was a horrific final 10 minutes of life. He didn't want to die - I've never seen ANY living thing fight that hard.

Productivity

Right now, the only commitment I have is work. But I don't work often, so I wish to feel productive. But that's hard. I often find myself cruising the internet, watching too much television/movies, or eating. I have things I want to accomplish everyday, but I have a natural lazy/sloth gene.

In order to circumvent this feeling of uselessness, I will post the things I WANT to get done everyday:

1) Reading of books
2) Blogging here (because it helps me practice my writing and gets my thoughts out of my head)
3) Practice guitar
4) Exercise
5) Clean something in the house/maintenance
6) Financial maintenance
7) Hygiene (I am generally successful with this one, so don't freak out)
8) Social time with friends/family
9) Introspection
10) Planning for the future

I can't think of any other right now - if I do, I shall add them either as an ammendment to this post or as a later post. I think I could benefit from better scheduling, too.

Walt Whitman

When I Heard The Learn'd Astronomer

When I heard the learn'd astronomer;
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me;
When I was shown the charts and the diagrams, to add, divide, and
measure them;
When I, sitting, heard the astronomer, where he lectured with much
applause in the lecture-room,
How soon, unaccountable, I became tired and sick;
Till rising and gliding out, I wander'd off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look'd up in perfect silence at the stars.

Running

Best workout in quite a while.

38 minutes even
469 Calories
18 minutes running at a 12 minute mile pace at an incline of 4
15 minutes walking at a 15 minute mile pace at an incline of 4
5 minutes walking at a 3.5 minute mile pace at an incline of 4

I hate running, but love the way I feel afterward. Except my hip hurts rather bad.

Trying

Lifehouse

could you let down your hair be transparent for awhile
just a little while
to see if your human after all
honesty is a hard attribute to find
when we all want to seem like
we've got it all figured out
well let me be the first to say that I don't have a clue
I don't have all the answers
ain't gonna pretend like I do

just trying
to find my way
trying
to find my way the best that I know how

well I haven't memorized all of the cute things to say
but I'm working on it
maybe I'll master this art form someday
if I quote all the lines off the top of my head
would you believe
that I fully understand all these things I've read

I'm just trying
to find my way
trying
to find my way
trying
to find my way the best that I know how

well I haven't got it all figured out quite yet but
even if it takes my whole life
to get to where I need to be
and if I should fall to the bottom of the end
I'll be one step back to you and

trying
to find my way
trying
to find my way

I'm trying
to find my way
trying
to find my way

Dell

I need to order a part for my laptop from Dell, but there is an issue with their financial services department that is keeping me from doing so.

This is a pity - I miss the autonomy my laptop affords me.

Animals as Food Revisited

I have been revisiting my position on animals, their rights, etc. I posted on this in April, though I have just now received feeback.

I have, quite honestly, not completed my consideration of the matter. As of right now, I am still an omnivore, simply because I am not convinced that it is immoral (please spare me the obvious logical fallacy - I know.). The change in my opinion is the result of an abortion essay written by Don Marquis.

In this essay, he finds a new angle on the subject, saying that abortion is wrong by defining the act of killing. His definition says that killing is wrong because it deprives the subject of future experiences, projects, etc. I find this definition highly appealing.

But if I agree with this definition, do I have to change my stance on the morality of killing animals, who are outside my social contract? Is there perhaps other modes of moralty, such as logic and reason? If I accept the above definition, and an animal is capable of these projects, experiences, happenings and what not, am I immoral in killing them? Am I capable of judging whether they have these future occurrences?

I think one of two things will happen as I consider this conundrum:

A) Either my definition of killing and it's morality will adopt Marquis's doctrine, in which case I shall have to find a way to reconcile it to my current theory, and even include animals.
B) I will either find a reason to reject my own contract theory or Marquis's doctrine.

Either way, I am excited at the prospect of solving the issue.

Running

I have taken an unintentional hiatus from running, mostly because I have been busy with work this week and it has been disastrous to my schedule. Anyhow, today I ran and shall post my progress (stunted by the lack of exercise throughout the week.

Time on the treadmill: 31 min, 42 sec
Time spent running: 10 min, 18 sec
Incline run: 4
I spent 19 min walking at a 15 min mile pace, and the other walking at an 18 min mile pace

Guitar

Today I bought a replacement pitch pipe and a guide to learning the guitar. I bought a brand new Yamaha acoustic about 3-4 years ago with the intentions of teaching myself an instrument. It did not go too well. I practiced a total of about 9 hours before I gave up. And this was over the course of a few weeks.

But, lately I have been cleaning my house as if the President we attending supper, and I can't stand looking at it going unused any longer. Further, James has been working like a madman to master his guitar skills, which makes me feel utterly lazy about the whole thing.

So I decided I would give it another go. I have always had the regret that I don't play an instrument. I love vocal music, but knowing an instrument requires further discipline and mastery, something that I envy from other musicians.

Perhaps I will finally be able to dedicate to something enough to thoroughly grok it. I would really like to be able to play, just to relieve stress, avoid television more, and just be creative about something.

I am not even asking to be good at the guitar - I am far too old to expect to find some unworldy talent at a musical instrument. But a few chords, the ability to play a few songs, maybe even play around artistically would suffice.

I think to ensure that I stick with it, I will create a chart of goals, somewhat as I have done for my running/health. Maybe schedule 2 hours or so of practice everyday. It seems to be working for my running, so it might be a thought.

Escargot

Escargot owns. As does Piccolo Mondo. I just had to get that off my chest. Back to your regularly scheduled program.

Happiness is a Warm Gun

Freaking weird song. Just thought I would make an FYI. Thank You.

-Freaked Out.

Exercise

Today I was on the treadmill for 34 minutes, 36 seconds. I went a total of 2.35 miles. I burned 380+ calories. I spent 25 minutes at an incline of '4,' the rest at an incline of '3.' I spent 10 minutes even jogging at a 13 minute-mile pace, the rest at a 15 minute mile walk. There was about .3 miles added today, with 20 calorie burn increase and 4 minute longer time. I was pleased.

The Fourth of July

I may be in Tawakoni for the Fourth, so, in advance, happy Independence Day.

See here for the Declaration, an extremely eloquent document written by one of the most intelligent statesmen in our history, Thomas Jefferson.

(I should note, that while I find the document beautiful and very thoughtful, I don't agree with everything. For instance, he holds certain truths to be 'self evident' and that there are certain 'Unalienable rights....' I don't believe a truth can possible be self evident, and I don't believe in unalienable rights.)

Running

I have battled my weight for as long as I can remember. The last time I was somewhat happy with either my health or physique was immediately after I graduated high school. I ran everyday, with a good distance, I still had my teenage body (I had yet to put on the freshman 15), and lifted weights.

I was damn good looking then.

I work everyday to make sure that I am comfortable in my skin. For a long while, my weight would depress me. I worried about my appearance to the point it was unhealthy, I felt inadequate, yada yada. Long story short - I decided to get over it, and focused a bit on my personality for a while.

Anyhow - I have again begun working out. I am only doing treadmill work right now, but I will eventually extend that back to weight lifting. I do not want to be overly muscular - I don't find body builders attractive. My goal is fitness, health, and athleticism. Today I got on the treadmill for thirty-five minutes, went 2.25 miles on an incline of '4.0.' According to the readout, I burned about 350 calories.

This seems subpar. A guy my age should be able to stay on for an hour, run over 5 miles, run faster than a speeding locomotive, leap tall buildings in a single bound, etc. Whatever. Guys my age aren't 225 lbs (I've lost over 10 since the beginning of summer), out of shape and what not. So leave me alone.

My next goal is to refine my diet (I will shortly be posting on this more in depth - specifically, vegetarianism and vegan lifestyle). I need to watch my fatty intakes better, avoid processed foods, and balance my carbohydrates and proteins. I also fear that my fiber is deficient, and I lack certain vitamins.

As far as weight lifting, I plan on starting a light regime as soon as I can create some sort of schedule for it. Right now, I live minute to minute, without any organization. Come to think of it, 'right now' is not an adequate description. I have lived this way since I started UTA in August 2001, with brief periods of consistency here and there.

When I can get a schedule, I predict this will be a bit easier. But I first want to make sure that I can stick to running, or at least some sort of a cardio workout, at least 3-5 times per week. My former ethics professor, who, at age 48, is in extremely good shape, suggests, on his blog, that new runners log their progress. Perhaps that is what I will do on this blog, as I detest keeping up with too much paper. Electronic format is so much easier.

Contributions

It struck me last night as I was going throughout my various news sources and blogs that I read daily that I contribute nothing to the blogosphere. Anything I post is pretentious and selve serving - this has really just become my journal.

And it isn't as if I post on world topics or anything important - mostly it is all about me, what I like, and what I am thinking.

For a while, I felt a bit down about this. There are so many political opinion blogs, news blogs, religion blogs, blogs on philosophy, blogs on literature, and they each, in some way, contribute to their readers. Their readers either want to know about the subject, or the writer, or just plain what is going on. Or they want to know another's opinion about a situation.

My blog has none of this. This blog is nothing about anything, other than myself. I write about what I like, what I have done, what I feel about certain topics and ideas, etc. It serves as sort of a personal diary (which can be cumbersome - there are some things I would like to post but don't prefer to be read - at which time I have to resort to the paper variety of diary keeping).

I can't help but feel a bit ridiculous blogging. Maybe a bit (or very) pretentious and narcisisstic. I am doing nothing productive. This blog in no way enlightens anyone other than myself (I don't really thing I even have readers!). I post no opinions on world events, provide no news, etc. Most of the blogs I frequent are run by credentialled intellectuals, professionals, corporations, etc. I am a pseudostudent with no skills who simply has too much time to kill.

Everyday I consider deleting this nonsense. It isn't as if I have a huge fan base that would miss it. I post no pertinent information that must reach the masses. I am not an extremely deep thinker - my blogs, more often than not, are simply something that happened in a day or something that I have been mulling over.

But that is the exact reason I enjoy it so. It is nearly therapeutic. I don't blog because I want readers - if that were my goal, I would write about a subject more interesting than myself. This is my blog, made by me, the subject BEING ME. I write in here the same reason others write in diaries - I need to spill my thoughts out somewhere. The blog serves as an easy arena for me to discuss my thoughts, consider myself more closely, and the practice my writing skills.

So I make no apologies. Do you think my blog is ridiculous? That's fine - don't read it. Think it is immature? OK. I agree. Next? It's self servimg? Yes it is. But it works, so I will continue...

That is, unless I delete it tomorrow.

Good Music

Southern Cross

Crosby, Stills and Nash

Got out of town on a boat
Goin' to Southern islands.
Sailing a reach
Before a followin' sea.
She was makin' for the trades
On the outside,
And the downhill run
To Papeete.
Off the wind on this heading
Lie the Marquesas.
We got eighty feet of the waterline.
Nicely making way.
In a noisy bar in Avalon
I tried to call you.
But on a midnight watch I realized
Why twice you ran away.
Chorus
Think about how many times
I have fallen
Spirits are using me
larger voices callin'.
What heaven brought you and me
Cannot be forgotten.
I have been around the world,
Lookin' for that woman/girl,
Who knows love can endure.
And you know it will.
And you know it will.
When you see the Southern Cross
For the first time
You understand now
Why you came this way
'Cause the truth you might be runnin' from
Is so small.
But it's as big as the promise
The promise of a comin' day.
So I'm sailing for tomorrow
My dreams are a dyin'.
And my love is an anchor tied to you
Tied with a silver chain.
I have my ship
And all her flags are a flyin'
She is all that I have left
And music is her name.
Chorus
Think about how many times
I have fallen
Spirits are using me
larger voices callin'.
What heaven brought you and me
Cannot be forgotten.
I have been around the world,
Lookin' for that woma/girl,
Who knows love can endure.
And you know it will.
And you know it will.
So we cheated and we lied
And we tested
And we never failed to fail
It was the easiest thing to do.
You will survive being bested.
Somebody fine
Will come along
Make me forget about loving you.
At the Southern Cross.

War of the Worlds

I went and saw War of the Worlds today. The movie was fantastic. It was full of action to keep me on the edge of my seat, I cared about the characters, etc. It was beautiful (and hideous). Funny - it reminded me of two things:

1) One of the books I am currently reading, Billions and Billions by Carl Sagan, begins with a chapter on quantification. He gives a refresher (to me, at least) of geometric sequencing and exponential increase, and applies the concept to population.

We have all heard the doctrine before, beginning with bacteria. One microbe begets 2 others with beget 4 others, etc., until the vial is full. Overpopulation occurs. But something always stops the curve, at least in nature. Not enough food, for instance, lack of space. Otherwise, the bacteria would overrun the universe in a (short) matter of time.

The concept applies to humanity. In the last few centuries, we have seen a spike in human population, from the sub-billion level to over 6 billion. The human race is quickly spreading over (infesting?) the earth. What will stop us? We cannot possibly continue much longer (relatively) before it becomes a major problem (some say it already is).

Which brings us to:

2) Another book I have read, several years ago. Alas, Babylon, by Pat Frank, tells a story of what it would be like, from the eyes of a small Florida town, had the Cold War turned hot. The book horrified me when I read it, so much so that when an airplane would wake me in the morning flying over head, I would roll off my bed and take cover. The idea of mass destruction to the population terrifies me. The idea of looking outside and seeing the thunder of war at my doorstep frightens me. Not conventional warfare, mind you (though the thought is far from comforting). I am talking thermonuclear warfare - the kind that you can only survive through if you are lucky, and survive after if you are intelligent.

Now don't get me wrong - I am not a pacifist. It has been years since I released such idealism. At this point in human evolution/thought, war seems, to me, to be a necessary evil to be dealt with. But the idea of such mass distruction haunts me. That isn't war - it's genocide. I think it is the futility that I abhor.

The movie was very effective at conjouring the same emotions that the above brought. Everything from the futility of fighting the antagonists to the heartstopping foghorn call of the Tripods sent chills down my spine and filled me with utter dread.

Of course - I loved every minute of it.