Storytime Saturday, featuring an excerpt from an untitled upcoming short story.

Take a peek at this week’s excerpt.  The story is still unfinished, but it’s a small part of a redemptive, soul searching, and ultimately uplifting tale.   Thanks for reading!

I’m not afraid of the dark. It’s there that I can’t be seen. These days, hell…maybe I don’t want to be seen. I’ve spent so much time lingering in that place that it’s comfortable….like an old friend. It knows me and I know it; it understands me more than the light ever did. The light left me, and when it did, the darkness was there to shield me from the cold. And boy, was it cold. 

It’s in the darkness that I can see the clearest. Sounds weird, right? But it’s true…in the darkness, I can see. Clearer than on the brightest, sunniest day…and yet I can’t be seen, at least by the normal, every day people. Night recognizes night. That much is true. Darkness can see darkness. Bleak understands bleak. I ain’t afraid of any dark. 

I think that I am afraid of sunlight though…it’s never truly touched me. I’ve always seen its rays, sure…but I’ve never truly felt it’s warmth. Like a plant that bends and twists and reaches and contorts for enough sunlight to survive…only to wither and brown and retract. It’s not easy to stretch oneself for nothing. There’s less disappoint in the dark. The sunlight is unforgiving to blemishes.    

Library Lusting.

There are home libraries…and then there are library homes.  This week’s space is by far among the greatest and most obvious examples of a book lover’s private paradise.  It would be accurate to state that the owner of this home loves to read, as the upper stories are dedicated to a quite sizable book collection.  With ample sunlight and a quiet, efficient, well provisioned little nook on the uppermost level, this does appear to be a space where one could kick back and read, or post up and get some work done.  In fact, the only true indicator that this is even a home is the kitchen table resting nearly on the first floor.  Let the daydreams commence. 

Quotes – Expectations.

When it comes to goals…let’s not expect them to fall into place.  Let’s not just think them into existence.  Let’s work toward accomplishing them.  Expect to succeed, yes…but then put the work in to see it through.  Stay creative.




Theatrical Thursday – Glory (1989).

Period films are often challenging ordeals. Many factors come into play when transferring a fact based story to the big screen, from costumes, to historical accuracy, to the ever-present “will anyone pay to watch this” dilemma. The American Civil War stands among the pivotal moments in our nation’s history, so it stands as no surprise that there have been a plethora of flicks based on that time period made over the years, from the infamous Birth of a Nation in 1915, the legendary Gone with the Wind, and 2003’s Gods and Generals.

 

It was 1989 when a powerful gem named Glory was released into theaters, chronicling the formation of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, an all black regiment mustered in 1863. Directed by Edward Zwick, the movie featured some serious star power in Denzel Washington, Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, Andre Braugher, Cary Elwes, and a host of recognizable faces. Incorporating a triumphant score by James Horner, the film succeeds in painting a multi-layered picture of the trials and hurdles that had to be overcome by black and white troops in the Union Army following the Emancipation Proclamation passed into law by President Lincoln.

 

The film carefully creates a vivid portrait of the main characters, with the simmering tensions of the war serving as a commanding backdrop. I remember getting misty-eyed in the theaters when I saw this film as a kid, and the message that it conveys holds true today. Definitely worth a watch.

SnowPorn.

Some spaces are cheerful and bright, while others are brooding and reflective and moody.  This room has a lot on its mind, but you wouldn’t be able to tell with its clean, unobstructed lines and minimally structured aesthetic.  For a sparsely decorated room, there are just enough elements to provide an open, rustic tone, and just enough of the comfort notes to add a touch of warmth to hold the winter chill at bay.  Let the daydreams commence.

Light your fire, grab your coffee (or wine), snag your book…and cozy up to the warmth of this week’s great wintry space.