I Can Kill You With My Brain

click to enbiggen

This is Devil’s Tower in Wyoming.  I visited here back in 2005 when I was on a trip for work.  It’s not that recent, but I have always loved this photo.  It’s the first time I can remember placing the subject of the photo anywhere other than dead center and really liking the result.  Now I do that often.

Traffic that muzzles.
The cars of thought sit idling
where you always drive.

I couple years ago Wired posted an article about Hemingway stating that his best story was only 6 words long.  Wired then challenged celebrities to write their own complete stories in only 6 words.  Of course, I’m partial to the Joss Whedon entry (it is how I discovered the original story), but I also like the entries by Alan Moore, William Shatner, and Frank Miller.  You can read them all by following the link above.

When I originally found that article, I didn’t have enough confidence in my writing to attempt to craft my own 6 word story.  I’m still not sure I have what it takes, but I wrote one anyway.  Enjoy.

Is it supposed to be burning?

And here’s a bonus one that requires some knowledge of a certain sci-fi movie.  I actually wrote this one first, but really wanted mine to be completley original and not just an abrupt ending to an epic story.  Still, I like that the story truly does end after my sixth word.

Red or blue pill?  Yum!  Blue!

Want to try your hand at a 6 word story?  Leave yours in the comments.

I enjoy television, but I’m really looking forward to summer coming and most shows going to reruns for about 4 months.  There’s just too much stuff that I watch right now and I’m too connected to most of these shows to make the tough decision and stop watching them.  I’m actually hoping that some of the programs I watch get canceled so that I don’t have to make that decision.  How wrong is that?  If some of my shows don’t get canceled, I’ll have to make the tough decision and let them go myself.  Bubble Shows are what networks call programs that may or may not come back for another season.  Here’s my own list of Bubble Shows that I may or may not watch again in the fall if they are still on.

Chuck - I love the concept and the strong geek focus, but the show is lacking.  The intersect mythology and the love interest between Chuck and Sarah have both taken a back seat to stunt casting and villain-of-the-week episodes.  It’s lost it’s charm.  The last few episodes have been good, but overall this show is not nearly as entertaining as it used to be.

24 - It can still be an intense ride from time to time, but the formula is really played out.  They mixed things up a bit 2 seasons ago and arguably delivered their best 24 episodes, but the last season was terrible and this season, while better, feels like the same as the first 4 seasons, just with different actors in most of the roles.  I’m rarely shocked by the plot any more.  I can see the big twists coming a mile away.  Keifer Sutherland is awesome as Jack Bauer and the show still has the best stunts team on television, but it’s not enough.

My Name is Earl – This show is also falling too much into a villain-of-the-week scenario, but in this case it is a list-item-of-the-week.  I don’t expect this show to be grand and have amazing plot and character development, but a little would be nice.  But this isn’t the main draw of the show.  Even when the list items were stupid or over the top, the show brought the funny and could get me to laugh out loud several times in it’s 22 minutes.  That just doesn’t happen any more.

Parks and Recreation – I know this show is only 2 episodes old, but it’s been quite bad.  Despite the rocky first episode, I still saw potential in the cast and the premise.  Then the absolutely terrible second episode buried that potential to where I couldn’t see it any longer.  Like The Office, this show takes uncomfortable or wrong situations and makes them funny.  They haven’t figured out how to do this, yet, and if the second episode is any indication, they aren’t even close to figuring it out.  The public forum at the end of the second episode was so incredibly uncomfortable that it didn’t stand a chance at being comedy.

Because we are so close to the end of the television season, I’m willing to ride these shows out until their finales.  However, I think I’ve all but officially given up on each of them and won’t be back when (if) they return with new episodes.

A view of the Madison, WI sky with a hint of building. This was taken last Saturday morning during the first farmer’s market of the year. It was a gorgeous morning and totally unlike today’s snow-filled morning. Spring 2009 continues to fail at being spring.