Tag Archives: characters

Cower

Cower: (v) to crouch as in fear or shame.

Sometimes a story is just a story.

It is told to make a point, hoping that the lesson can be learned more easily with the introduction of characters, props and surroundings.funny wisdom on words that begin with a C

When we begin to believe that every story is a commandment or that every tale placed in a holy book is intended to be the immutable word of God, we not only threaten the world around us with our piety, but we drastically miss the point.

It doesn’t take long to discover this if you ever read the Good Book.

The story of Adam and Eve is not placed in the pages to warn of the danger of eating too much fruit or to suggest that blindly following the commandments of the Almighty is the best way to achieve a good human life.

The purpose of the story is to let us know what we should do when we inevitably fail. For let me tell you, there are only two pieces of ignorance on the Earth:

1. “I never make mistakes.”

2. “I always make mistakes and am not worthy.”

Both of these paths make you dangerous to the people around you and cripple you in your pursuit of living an abundant life.

The story says that Adam and Eve were not supposed to eat some piece of fruit in the Garden. Truthfully, I do not know what in the hell that means, for heaven’s sakes.

Nor do you. You can feel free to speculate on what the fruit might have been, the danger it offered, or parallel it with some action in our world today. But certainly the Creator who tinkered with our brain to form a psyche He called human was fully cognizant that saying “no” to such beings as us was an invitation to rebellion.

People do not like to be told not to do something.

“Thou shalt not” is the best way to set in motion “thou wilt.”

So the story of Eden is not about learning discipline, but rather, learning what to do when personal discipline breaks down.

Having eaten the goddamn fruit, Adam and Eve plotted, becoming liars, deceivers, cover-up artists and hiders.

They cowered.

Feeling that God was more interested in His rules and regulations than He was in them, they ran away in fear of His judgment.

They completely misunderstood.

Had they walked out together, naked as jaybirds, with their half-eaten apple in hand and presented it to God with a repentant heart, we might still be living in Paradise.

God was not trying to build a Paradise that was perfect, but rather, one where imperfection could be revealed without fear.

If your situation, your religion, your politics, your family, your spouse, your school or any other mortal man or woman causes you to cower, it can’t possibly be borne of goodness.

We were not meant to cower, just as we are not meant to be sin-free.

We were meant to boldly live, to boldly fail and to boldly repent.

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Copy-edit

Copy-edit: (v) to edit for publication

Although classically it is portrayed that writers suffer “blockage” and are unable to come up with ideas—or even the next line—the truth is,  when a writer is inspired with a good story, the characters often become so verbose, and dare I say overbearing, that the end result is an overabundance of syllables, paragraphs and even chapters.funny wisdom on words that begin with a C

There is actually only one rule in writing, and since there’s only one, we shall not call it a rule, but rather, refer to it as a smiling opportunity.

That would be: “Don’t do anything to interrupt or impede your own story.”

This is why it’s important to copy-edit a book, a story or even an article (such as the one I’m writing to you).

It is not fair to the reader, to get him or her all tied up in useless information about the entwined colors in a particularly plush davenport—when what is happening on the couch is the real gig.

Some writers become fussy and sentimental about one particular thought or character’s involvement. But as you age and mature, you realize that the reader is what you’re writing for—not the approval of other writers or publishers who would jump up and down in great glee if they got the chance to reject a submission from Ernest Hemingway.


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Adobe

Words from Dic(tionary)

dictionary with letter AAdobe: (n) a kind of clay used as a building material

I am so excited.

Finally! In the making of all the Star Wars movies, they are actually doing a sequel based on one of the more obscure characters, but certainly an individual mentioned frequently throughout the saga–a villain not given much of a back story. But after all, Han Solo is constantly trying to run away from him, fears him and ends up temporarily defeated by him, which is pretty remarkable considering the scrapes this cosmic knight survives.

I’m talking about Jabba the Hutt.

They’re thinking about making a movie based just on him. I think it’s brilliant. They will take him back to when he was a little Jabba growing up–going through an explanation of how his early childhood drooling never went away and his inability to speak clearly and concisely was caused by being imprisoned in a cave as a youngster by his even more wicked father–Adobe the Hutt.

Doesn’t that sound fascinating?

Adobe the Hutt was a mercenary fighter purchased by the highest bidder for any ruthless cause that might come his way. Even though his little boy, Jabba, wanted to pursue art and had a natural inclination for small-craft work, Adobe insisted he learn the family business and acquire the murderous traditions of the Hutt clan.

It could be a tear-jerker. It will teach us that human beings–or even Jabbas–are not born evil, but instead, learn foul behavior from their families, friends and the world around them.

So keep an eye out for it–a REAL sequel to Star Wars instead of a made-up one about paper-thin Jedi warriors.

Coming soon: Adobe the Hutt … the story of Jabba.


Adobe

Words from Dic(tionary)

dictionary with letter AAdobe: (n) a kind of clay used as a building material

I am so excited.

Finally! In the making of all the Star Wars movies, they are actually doing a sequel based on one of the more obscure characters, but certainly an individual mentioned frequently throughout the saga–a villain not given much of a back story. But after all, Han Solo is constantly trying to run away from him, fears him and ends up temporarily defeated by him, which is pretty remarkable considering the scrapes this cosmic knight survives.

I’m talking about Jabir the Hut.

They’re thinking about making a movie based just on him. I think it’s brilliant. They will take him back to when he was a little Jabba growing up–going through an explanation of how his early childhood drooling never went away and his inability to speak clearly and concisely was caused by being imprisoned in a cave as a youngster by his even more wicked father–Adobe the Hut.

Doesn’t that sound fascinating?

Adobe the Hut was a mercenary fighter purchased by the highest bidder for any ruthless cause that might come his way. Even though his little boy, Jabba, wanted to pursue art and had a natural inclination for small-craft work, Adobe insisted he learn the family business and acquire the murderous traditions of the Hut clan.

It could be a tear-jerker. It will teach us that human beings–or even Jabbas–are not born evil, but instead, learn foul behavior from their families, friends and the world around them.

So keep an eye out for it–a REAL sequel to Star Wars instead of a made-up one about paper-thin Jedi warriors.

Coming soon: Adobe the Hut … the story of Jabba.


Actor

Words from Dic(tionary)

by J. R. Practix

dictionary with letter A

 

Actor: (n) a person whose profession is acting on the stage, in movies or on television.

 

 We sure spend an awful lot of time, money and energy honoring those who portray characters in the film industry. Yet at the same time we pretend that acting—or trying to be something we’re not—is a bad thing in real life.

 

I will tell you this right now: I would much rather people become excellent actors, treating me with love and respect, instead of becoming so comfortable around me that I get the brunt of their bad mood.

 

Over the years as I’ve traveled, I have gotten to know some families, spending time in their homes, and after a while they start arguing in front of me and cease to treat me as a guest. When I ask them about it, they insist that this is their way of accepting me as “kin”—abandoning any need for hospitality.

 

My response is always the same: Let’s go back to when you didn’t know me and felt compelled to be nice.

 

I am tired of reality as a whole, even if it’s a show, if it means that we’re going to unleash our darker sides on one another and spit forth our meaningless opinions at will.

 

I suppose I would aggravate some people because I do believe my life is a stage. I think it’s important to learn the right lines, pursue plots and stories that are enriching instead of bizarre and twisted, and try to come to a conclusion at the end of every day which somehow or another resembles a happy ending.

 

I think it’s important to be an actor.

 

I think it’s essential that we stop making fun of things that are good, kind, pure and gentle in favor of grumbling dissatisfaction.

 

Matter of fact, I will go so far as to say that if we don’t start making the movie of our lives that is suitable for all audiences, we will end up rating ourselves R to simulate the truthfulness of our each and every frustration festering inside of us, not providing a pleasant theater experience.

 

So if I want to say “damn,” you don’t really deserve that. It won’t hurt me to temper it to “darn.”

 

If I’m disappointed over losing my job, I shouldn’t impale you with my cynicism, but instead, find a quiet place with myself, my experiences, and God–to become people-worthy before joining the human race again.

 

Yes, all the world is a stage, and honestly, sometimes we’re just roadies and not actors in front of the crowd. But while we’re backstage, learning how to work the lights, we might want to work on our mood, so that when we find ourselves under the key light,  we can bring positive energy … instead of defeat.