September 11, 2010

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I had just awoken and flipped on the news. I was just in time to catch the news that a plane had crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center in NYC. I rushed to tell my wife who was in the other room. We got back to the television set just in time to see a second plane crash into the other tower. There is no describing the emotions that went through my mind as we realized that it wasn't a crash but rather an attack of some sort. We continued to watch in horror as the towers collapsed. My family spent the entirety of that day huddled around one television set or another waiting for any news. Who attacked us? Why were our families and neighbors being murdered before our very eyes?

In the 9 years since that date, the landscape of the world has changed. In some ways those changes are for the worse. Many people have become prejudiced against a single religion and not just the extremists who perpetrated the attack.

On the other hand, America has become a closer community, both with our own country and with our friends around the world.

There is definitely healing yet to be done and the world will always and should always remember that day. Not for the wars and hatred that it spawned but for the fact that it made the world a smaller place and turned a bright light on the dangers of extremism of any sort.

I wish the world over a peaceful day on this September 11, 2010.

Always Remember.

A List of Random Things that I Love...

• the way my wife looks so beautiful without even trying - I'm especially glad that she doesn't realize this or she'd never have married me
• my kids for letting me see the world through their eyes on occasion and experiencing a wonder that only children have
• a fall afternoon when the summer heat is long gone but the chill of winter is still just an unpleasant thought for tomorrow
• the near perfect still of the night at 3am when normal people are asleep and the world feels magical and ancient
• the cold of a dog's nose
• that I'm in my 30s and cartoons, Muppets and toys can still make me smile
• the feel of fresh grass under my bare feet
• that I live in America
• the smell of fresh ink when you crack open a new comic book
• the pencil stain on the side of my hand after an intense session of writing or drawing
• anything made by my kids for me
• the fact that some of those things made for me say "world's best dad" when I often feel so far from that praise
• the smell of a book - fresh and new or old and dusty, it doesn't matter
• cleaning my house while singing along to Cat Stevens tunes when there's no one around to hear how silly I sound
• the still chill in the air just before it rains
• that my mother let me be me and never forced me to be something that I'm not - I hope that I can do the same for my own kids
• and the knowledge that someone who is as hard-headed and downright odd as me could end up with the life that I'm living right now

Memorial Day 2010

Today, we remember those who fell in battle so that we might, play on the internet, read comics, play RPGs or whatever geeky activities we choose to get into in safety. Thank you...

Still Alive

It's been nearly 2 months since I've written anything here. For the two of you that read my insane geek ramblings, I just wanted to pop in and say that I am still alive and that, sadly, I have decided to make it official and drop the weekly comic reviews from the blog. I love writing my DC comic reviews but I just don't have the time. I'll have some free time this summer but then things will get much busier in the fall so there's just no way that I can keep it up.

Instead, I will focus on whatever other geekly interests that pop into my head. I may drop in with a comic-of-the-week review from time to time when I come across something awesome. As always, you can follow me on Twitter to keep up with my random thoughts.

Until next time, I leave you with the awesome trailer for Scott Pilgrim vs The World.

Always Remember...

...that freedom isn't free.Thank you to all the brave men and women of our armed forces who sacrificed so that we might have the freedoms that we so often take for granted.