Craft – Mischief Maker

The polished wood of the desk gleamed in the afternoon light.  A dust mote floated down to rest on a shiny black plaque which read “John Bishop, Principal of Yardly Elementary”.   Samuel could see the plaque from where he crouched in the custodial closet.  He watched the hall for another count to ten.  When no one came

Night Owls

In a study done by professors of psychology at Catholic Universtity of the Sacred Heart (Milan, Itally) individuals who were true night owls were found to be more creative than their counterparts. The reason was not known, but the researchers guessed that non-conformity in waking hours might lead to an adaption of increased creativity because the

Rotten Rebates

I’ve unearthed another conspiracy–only it’s not being hidden, it’s advertised on mile-high flashing billboards. “We have rebates!  $XXX.00 off!” What they neglect to mention is that the rebate is offered only becuase it requires you to first wrangle the salesman in the store into honoring the rebate on the item in question, then become an expert

On Writing Fantasy

I just finished the final for my Christian Fantasy class, which was split about 70/30 Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.  I found the class highly enjoyable–after all, a large portion of the homework was re-reading the Rings books–but I also found that taking the class bolstered my confidence in the worth of fantasy as a genre.

Shortcut Angst

Why do shortcuts never work out?  I don’t normally even attempt them–my track record is so bad. But this morning I caved to temptation. I was running a minute or two late in dropping my daughter off at preschool and hitting all the lights red.  I came to another red light, from which my usual route went straight.  To my right

This Week In Words 1-7-07

buckboard n. A four-wheeled open carriage with the seat or seats attached to a flexible board running between the front and rear axles. inominate adj. 1. Having no name.  2. Anonymous.  parang n. A short, heavy, straight-edged knife used in Malaysia and Indonesia as a tool and weapon.  sennight n. Archaic. A week [Middle English senight,

Icarus Singed

True to its namesake, my flash piece Flight of Icarus has gone down once again.  This time the rejection comes from Ideomancer. Ah, well.  It was always a long shot.

Top Ten Ways To Ace Your Test

10 – Throw a big bash the night before. 9 – Go on an all-chocolate diet 48 hours before the test. 8 – Only take exams when the moon is full. 7 - Buy a lottery ticket and rub it all over the text book. 6 – Spend a week collecting discarded pencils and getting them all sharpened. 5 – Use your text book for