The "Next Week" Preview

I’ve noticed lately that sometimes I look forward to the preview of next week’s show more than the actual show. I think it’s a big business these days, putting together a good preview that will draw the viewer into the story further. The specific shows in my mind are 24, Alias, Dark Angel, and White Collar Blue. But there are surely others.

The preview is so important to us because it gives us a glimpse into what will happen. We sometimes want to know what will happen more than what has already happened.

It’s not totally worked out in my mind, but there’s a little of the instant gratification generation in the whole concept. Give us a preview of next week’s show because we can’t wait.

It’s not a blanket statement, merely one of the cogs I think that goes into the element of television that is the "preview".

Goodwill and Salutations to you all,

The Peace That Passes Understanding

I am not so good at certain types of stress management. When a friend’s hard drive broken down on me over the weekend, it was pretty crazy. My mind instantly (instantly) leapt into overdrive stress, not even trying to logically think through things.

I am reminded of the Peace that passes Understanding specifically because  it was very clear to me how I did not seek it. I let the cares of the world was right into me.

The Lord’s peace isn’t a magical dweomer that we can simply put into place around us, like something out of a computer game :)

We have to consciously seek it, going through our cares and laying them before God by knowing that He is greater by far, and able to comfort us.

In the end, this has been a humbling (learning) experience for me.

Goodwill and Salutations to you all,

With a Little Help from Stephen King

Writing works of "imaginative fiction" has always intrigued me. I remember one holidays at our Nan’s place. I spent ages putting together a (I think) 14-page book for my sister’s birthday. It was about a princess, a knight and a dragon .. Although my memory is very foggy. It was a huge huge accomplishment .. I think there were at least 3 words per line, maybe 6 lines per page. All-in-all a massive work of fiction genius.

I was reminded of this while reading Stephen King’s book "On Writing" last night. The first half o the book (his history) is very easy to read. The second half is a little more "packed", being about the actual process of writing.

You can never stop learning. That is what I’ve learnt. If you aspire to write something, never think you’ve learnt all there is to know about writing. In any area, no matter how insignificant you might think it is. So for all the aspiring writers out there (me included), an attitude of a student is a good place to begin.

I’m not trying to sound like an ancient professor, rather like someone discovering another little nugget of gold, wishing to share the knowledge.

Goodwill and Salutations to you all,

Star Wars

I don’t know about anyone else, but over the last couple of years the aura that surrounded the Star Wars creation has been steadily de-advancing :) Sure, I got into the hype .. pretending to know lots about the universe and the characters, showing forth great wisdom.

Anyways, I’ve come to believe the original trilogy was good, even great, but now awesome .. Now I don’t mind receiving some flak for that .. What really matters is the last two Star Wars movies. If you count in all the background and anticipation. The first one might have just clawed it’s way into good, but not in my books. And the second is, imho, worse. It could have built up the huge tensions between the characters (Darth-to-be etc), but instead it seemed the plot was paper-thin, the acting wooden, and the plot paper-thin. Hmmmm.

Admittedly I only sat through the first half and hour, so perhaps it may have gotten better. My Dearest Other Half tells me it didn’t.

X-Men did it. Spidey too, Blade and Blade 2, and there are more I’m sure that have successfully brought the sci-fi / fantasy creations into today. Why couldn’t Star Wars cut the cheese?

Goodwill and Salutations to you all,

The Word that is Bread and Meat

The Bible, God’s Word, is our lifeblood. That’s not just some kind of wishy-washy fairy-tale statement. It’s not something dreamt up by old folk long ago. It’s truth.

The Word is to be to us bread and meat, we are to devour it, eat it, meditate upon it, that it becomes to us more precious than gold.

What I’m trying to say is .. Think of the Bible as so important that if you miss out reading it for a day, you feel something is missing, because it is. Look forward to reading it in the morning, take time out in the evening to read and think about what is being said.

God’s Word is living and breathing, and it is our spiritual substance.

Goodwill and Salutations to you all,

The Forums

To one and all who visit the site. Registering on the forums is quick, easy, and will not put you on spamming lists. It simply enables you to post messages on the board, engaging with others in discussion.

So what are you waiting for! Go get registered!

Goodwill and Salutations to you all,