Spawn the Story

In college I had a professor/author by the name of Tait , a man whom once taught us an important lesson on writing. Oftentimes he heard from several struggling students that they could not spawn the proper ideas and complementary plots and characters that needed to go along with their ideas. My professor at the time gave us several exercises to get our gray-matter in working order.

The first example he came up with was a stage. And on that stage was a rotating chair with a white shelled egg. The unassuming learners was told to imagine themselves sitting in that chair while carefully nestling the egg. As the chair spun around two brick doors appeared. The door on the right appears to refuse you, not willing to be opened at this time. However the left door swings open and there you see... What exactly?

The second example was a lie. Stating that it is a lie was a story in itself, yet we did not know this till the end. As it started, Professor Tait told us a story about his old home in Florida. He said, "The state itself is weird, but could you image my disbelief when I found out a horrible truth. I used to see this older man with graying hair and a cane that looked so brittle it might snap. But that is not the weird part. No that is quite normal. What was weird is that he was a mass murder. How was it that I found out? Several days after my forty-third birthday I noticed an odd sight. There seemed to be red all over my neighbors garage. At the time I thought it was paint and that his grandson Nick was there to do some work. Yet I did not see Nick there, I didn't see him anywhere for that matter. I was at my mailbox at the time and I noticed the smudges and splatters leading up to his Porsche. This was startling and it made me quiver. Was it blood? I wondered this. Taking out my cell phone I took a few pictures as I got closer. With each step I felt as if someone was looking over my shoulder or from a bush. As I focused on his car I felt my stomach lurch to my mouth. There was a woman's head looking at me from the back seat...and all I saw was just the head".

To our relief the story was fake. Tait laughed with great amusement at our troubled and gawking stares. But he had us going. That was the key. He simply told us a lie. How were we to know it was fake? When you know not who the story teller really is or anything about them for that matter, you find yourself trying to discern the truth. Think about it for a moment. What is a lie but a well told story?

The third exercise was a bit more straight forward. Tait told us to think back to our childhood. If I had to pick one cartoon character to be friends with and go on adventures with, who would it be? What would we do? Where would we go and when? We were told to unlock our imaginations and let loose. If I wanted to have a beer with Jessica Rabbit, why not? Maybe I could meet up with the G.I. Joes and hunt down Cobra. It was limitless. The possibilities were numerous and plenty.

Take a word of advice from me. Don't stress about what to write. Writing is meant to be about the story, about the characters and places. Write to escape. Write to invent. And lastly, write to have some fun for once.

Continuing Our Study on Sound

The sounds of words and their emphasis are not unique concepts to poetry. Consider for a moment the world of the playwright, opera, and musicals. On these stages music and the written word are one. Though musicals and operas may appear similar to movies, they are dramatically different due to the individual actor chosen for each role and due to interpretation. It is not about the camera work but about the actor's performance of said character before a live audience. They are the center of the world for that moment, they are the breathing life of the room.

The three clips below are from different playbills and consist of variations from pitch to tone. Listen to the words and ponder the use of sound and music. What does music do for an audience and what do the words recited provide for said audience? I ask this quite a lot but it is important to thoroughly digest the knowledge gained from researching to draw from said experiences gained and to create or further comprehend the true nature of sounds in literature, film, and theater.

The Sound of Music-Do Re Mi Fa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIjobdArtiA

West Side Story-"I Feel Pretty"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye7PIyIcCro

Phantom of the Opera-"All I Ask of You"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpINCCWn4tk

Luciano Pavarotti-Vesti La Giubba-I Pagliacci  (You may cry on this one. Emotional piece).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kbi1EMcD3E

Again, take some time to think over how the words and music combine to evoke emotion and feeling. Hopefully as the week has come to an end you, as a writer or reader, have questioned the usage of sound.

Tuesday and Wednesday Combined: Concluding sounds and accents

Continuing with the current lesson of accents and sounds, what are some typical sounds that have a strong emphasis? Think of the word it. The word it can be heard and seen in many other formulated words.

Robert Pinksy used rabbit as a prime example. Think of the words fit, bit, and litter. each of these has a sound that is emphasized. It is relatively strong, the accent is notable.

In the book The Sounds of Poetry A Brief Guide, Pinksy utilized a poem crafted by Ben Jonson. The poem was given the fitting title "To the Immortal Memory and Friendship of the Noble Pair, Sir Lucius Carey and Sir Henry Morrison". Granted, it is a lengthy title.

In Jonson's poem he writes:

"It is not growing like a tree
 in bulk, doth make man better be".

Observe the section of the poem above. What words stick out? What words are accented and which syllables are stressed? Take a moment to ponder and study this. Knowing the words in thought is one thing, but feeling the way they pass over your lips is another.

Also, think for a moment why each of these two lines has four stressed syllables as Pinksy mentions in his book. What does this allow the poem to do? One thing you may conclude is that doing so allows certain words to stick out, such as the first is in the first line.

When crafting your own poems, think about the words more carefully. What links to what? What leads to what? Where am I going and what sounds am I hearing?

This is something to keep in mind when creating a piece of poetry. Neglecting the accents and sounds would be like a band forgetting to practice before chirping wildly without form.

Practicing Poetry: Step Two

Practice writing poetry if you are attempting to further your craft. The only way to get better is to practice. But only do so after you have studied sound, form, style, and length. For this part of our study I would recommend buying or borrowing a copy of Robert Pinksy's The Sounds of Poetry A Brief Guide. I will be extrapolating a few concepts from his theory on poetry.

To begin with pick any word. What does it sound like? Really listen to the word. Is it quick? Is it drawn out? Perhaps it is a bit lengthy and cumbersome to pronounce. When pondering how to improve upon your own poetry concentrate on the sounds and the tone. What importance does each word carry? Is it a bridge to the other side or an obstacle of flow? Robert Frost might tells us to listen for "sentence sounds".

In the first chapter Pinksy mentions Robert Frost amongst others such a William Shakespeare, Wallace Stevens, Emily Dickinson, Robert Browning, and John Keats, he wrote the following as an example:

" The fire that stirs about her, when she stirs

or,

 In a smart burnoose Khadour looked on, amused

or,

 Absence my presence is, strangeness my grave

or,-".

Each example before the "or" is from a different work. What are comprehending? What is it that we actually hear? Take a moment and contemplate what sounds you hear in your own poetry. Sometimes finding that linking bridge to the the next step in the sentence makes all the difference between a bad poem and a good poem. One of many things that can actually.

For now practice your hand at what Pinksy wrote as "accent and duration" and pay attention to the sounds.

To follow along with the next few entries feel free to jump ahead and read more in The Sounds of Poetry A Brief Guide.

Funny Friday

Every now and then I like to lighten my load and take some time to laugh. Laughing is a great tool for getting your mind in the right place and helping you get the pressure and worries off of your chest.

Part 2 to picking up Poetry will be coming out on Monday. In the meantime, enjoy a little chuckle.

NOTE* Sorry to anyone viewing if you made these before. Seeing as memes have no real copyright, it's hard to tell.

Picking Up Poetry from Step One

Are you venturing into the world of poetry as a writer? Then you know what the first rule, right? If not, no worries. Remember the first step is to read and research. What better way to start than getting to know other writers and their work. It is the best way to get a feel for the craft and understand the different structures of poetry.

Today we will begin with a simple case of follow by example and creation from scratch. Before you go off into the wild frontier that writing poetry has to offer, take a look at the following poets and their works.

Below I added the name of the poet along with the title of the book found. A heads-up, some simply have "collected" or "selected" as the working title on the book. Such titles do occur due to compilation workings.

Carl Phillips-Double Shadow

Fredrick Seidel-Poems 1959-2009

Mary Gaitskill-Don't Cry

Philip Larkin-Collected Poems

Robert Lowell-Selected Poems 

Inspirational Music

Not too long ago I presented some music to help inspire the creative flow. I figured today might not be such a bad day to share some more music that I find helps to inspire a good flow.

Below you will find a few more pieces that I hope will help get the creative juices going. Enjoy.


The Way-Zack Hemsey
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vV2lgsz-dlI

Sunshine (Adagio in D minor)-John Murphy
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBP853AzraU

Iron-Woodkid
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSkb0kDacjs

A Way of Life-Hans Zimmer
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AC4ovCUs4Y

Intro to F.E.A.R. (A Sierra and Monolith production)
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQsDk-uk3VE

Was Frodo Baggins a Tragic Hero?

Recently I had a discussion with a friend about current heroes and the heroes of old. Typically when we think of the modern day hero, there is the happy ending we all wanted for them. The nice guy gets the girl. The nerd gets the prom queen or the jock gets the geeky girl he had a crush on. Something that makes us smile for our hero.

Yet we forget the heroes of old, we forget that their ends were tragic. Take a moment and remember or look up the story of Enkidu and Gilgamesh. Their ending was not one of celebration or joy. It was a story of loss and of shame. Think of Prince Hamlet whom had his revenge but died from the tip of a poison blade. Remember the legend that was Beowulf, a man whom became lost in his own fame, lust, and misfortune.

Some heroes do not live happily ever after. Society changes around them for the better or worse. The hero stays the same or the change he endures makes him an outcast, an outsider to the world around him. Suddenly the hero is enemy number one. There is no longer a place for him.

Consider for a moment the story of one Frodo Baggins from The Lord of The Rings trilogy. A young hobbit who took upon himself a great undertaking, a journey that no normal person would or any sane person as it would seem. Frodo took up the One Ring and with Samwise Gamgee they went to the end of the world, to Mount Doom. However, the ring had a toll on Frodo, it corrupted him. It changed him. Much like the ring-bearer before him, Bilbo Baggins, it became a great burden. To carry the world's darkness for the sake of all life was a titanic undertaking for one person, whether they were big or small.

Fast forward and at the end of their journey, after they saved Middle Earth, Frodo was not the same. He did not smile the way he used too. The joy he once felt at the Green Dragon was lessened, dulled in life. There was a scar that lingered on his soul. Where the ring once hung around his neck was the weight of his own darkness, his own unyielding and twisting desire. In the end he knew where his truth path must go. Into the West. He would leave with Gandalf and Bilbo. In Hobbiton there was no place for a person marked by the dark ways of the past. He knew this to be true. In time he may have gotten worse, perhaps he would be no better off than the deformed Gollum.

Ponder for a moment why it is so hard for us to accept the hero's sacrifice. Why do we yearn that they could be happy? Because we ventured with them from there and back again. We were there for the entire length of the journey. The reader and audience in the theaters shared the same feelings. They shared the hardships and laughed when hilarity ensued. For this goodbye to be the end was too much, it was heartrending.

It was hard to say good bye to someone we came to like. The pages you once turned quickly brought you toward the back cover and this was where the story led you. To sacrifice so much and in the end find yourself with something that seemed so final. A period in life's sentence. He had to say farewell. So we said farewell as the vessel carried him west.

Was Frodo Baggins a tragic hero? Ponder this as you consider other heroes who may have led a similar journey or met a familiar fate. Think of the goodbyes.

The Art of the Villian

How often it is that I read a book where the "bad guy" is nothing short of devious. Yet to be a villain it is more than simply being bad. The villain is despicable, distasteful, vile, twisted in a knot of ego and Id, and somewhere along the way they lost sight of what the right path was. Regardless the villain chose a path, one that the reader or audience sometimes feels sympathy for, they understand the feelings and reasoning. But how does a writer achieve the fulfillment of creating a great villain?

Off the top of my head I can think of several real life villains and also fictitious. Go on, think of some for yourself as well. What made them so disgustingly evil to you? What made you feel sad for them or really hope that they would turn a new leaf?

A proper villain is sinister and over-lording yet lifelike. They must have a breadth of darkness as their cloak and a trail of chaos in their wake. A proper villain is the appearance of instant conflict and often the result of previous conflicts. Whatever the tipping point was, whether it was tragedy or war, in the sight of the villain there is no turning back. They must seem absolute in their ideals, less they become a teetering mess.

Only at the end of the villain's story must they question their ideals. Only when the hero strives to change the darkness by honing their so called "light" into a cone of truth and justice. Change can only be made when two imposable and impassable forces meet in a battle of force. When courage and power meet face to face, much like the Zelda series.

Think for a moment. Why is the character of Darth Vader as portrayed in episodes IV, V, and VI of Star Wars so menacingly awesome? What makes him desirable as a villain? Lastly, why do people love to see this villain? This is a stream of thought to ponder when creating a "bad guy".

Who is another great villain? Here is one you might not expect. Keyser Soze in The Usual Suspects. When it came to the greatest lie I've ever heard, this surely took the cake. His ploy is devious alright, but brilliant. A master strategist could have done no better. A man with an alter-ego and yet you have no idea who he is from start to finish. The man's a ghost, a phantom that you know is there yet cloaks himself in plain view. I won't ruin the movie. So please do some homework. If you haven't seen the movie, please do. Take a few notes as well.

As far as literary and playwright villains go there are many. To name a few let us start with the obvious. Sauron the second Dark Lord and ally of the prime evil, Morgoth, from Lord of The Rings. Krogstad from A Doll's House. Grendel's mother from Beowulf. And the last, yet there are still more, Hannibal from Silence of the Lambs and Red Dragon.

Each villain I have named so far is different and separated by circumstance. If some of these characters are foreign to you, by all means do a search and buy or rent the respectable reading material to do some further research.

As a note it is important to remember the key focus in honing the craft that is writing. Question, search, acquire, and apply.

Being the Father of a Writer is Not Always Easy.

In light of Father's Day here in the USA I'd like to take a moment and observe the struggle and hard work that my dad put forth everyday to make sure his children were fed and loved. My dad always put us first and our mom was right there beside him. Even though most of the time I had my head stuck way up there in the clouds, they saw what was right in front of me.

Sure at times it's hard for parents to see the big payout of being a writer. There are still moments where there is doubt or worry in my father's voice. But deep down I know my father worries because he cares what happens to me as an individual.

He may not remember this but it has stuck with me since the day I graduated college. One day my dad told me during one of my famous panic attacks, "Listen if you want to be a writer then write. You can't keep bouncing back and forth. I know I worry about money and all the others things you don't have. That's cause I want the best for you. I look at your writing though and it makes me wonder why this isn't published yet? Why isn't this work I'm seeing here in front of me not in some book. What I'm trying to say is that I do believe in you and that you need to believe in yourself. No one can make you do that but you. If you really need this in life, and I mean need it, then you have to work for what you feel that deep need for. That need for you is to be a writer. So write".

I'd be lying if I didn't say my father was a big part of my life. He clearly is. Even as a kid I remember him and mother telling us "to do what you love" or "You can do anything if you believe". Because of their unyielding support I practice my craft and write everyday.

To my dad, I love you and I hope you have a happy Father's Day.

Thursday: Character Deaths

The death of a character is not something to take lightly. It is not something to be used as a mere ploy but as a path to bring emotions out in the reader or audience. Characters should not simply die to die. Though in reality that does happen, death is everywhere. But the point of a character death in a story should not be as easy as hammering a nail into a coffin.

If anything it should be a crooked nail that is rustic and makes you think twice about the work you are doing. Is it worth using that crooked nail? The one passed down to you, that once lay in your grandfather's toolbox. That was bent and shaped by time and the leaking rainwater from the hole in the roof that your grandfather never got around to fixing?

See what I did there? I made it personal. Why? Why would you not form a link between something personal. Ah, see. Personal is the key word.

A connection to a character needs to be personal, not translucent. The reader should not look straight through a character and merely keep reading. If the writer puts enough care into their craft then the audience should truly feel something.

It's like eating a good meal compared to the usual takeout. When you take the time to prepare dinner you put a lot of effort into it when it concerns family and friends, or that special somebody. The flavors have to be just right and the aftertaste needs to be marvelous. It needs to be something, a time to remember. Whereas with takeout the only effort you need to put into it is shoving the food down your gullet.

My point being characters are people. People that are brought to life and then laid to rest at the proper time. Never force a death, it needs to seem natural. If it's a murder scene then it must seem melancholy and it needs to be a perverse act that later gives rise to prejudice. Death is final. The curtain closes and that is the end of the story for that character.

The next time you write anything to do with a character death consider the following things amongst your own thoughts:

1. Should this character die?

2. Why are they dying here and why now?

3. What purpose does killing this character provide?

4. How does it affect the other characters?

5. Does it fit into the story?

Wednesday: Rewriting is Essential.

During my college career beginning writers would complain of one thing, and mainly that one thing is quite stupid when reflected upon. There were many occasions where I would overhear a fellow writer explaining to one of my professors that they, the writer, should not have to rewrite their essay, story, or article.

First off, get over that fast. Being a writer is about writing until the skin at the tips of your fingers hurt. Do not go whining to a professor that your story is the best out there and that there is no need to repair its congealed state. Listen to what your professors have to say. Listen to what your peers have to say. Knowledge and practice are key to anything. Nothing is finished in one go. No great piece of art is made without continual focus and concentration.

Secondly, perfect the art of rewriting. It is a gift to be able to look back and review. Time is a tool and a measurement to be used at your discretion. Hone your skill. Strengthen your craft. The point to being a writer is to provide quality stories, poems, and articles. Not hob-snob that you believe to be perfect and without flaw. Believe me. Every writer knows there are flaws. That is why we edit and rewrite.

Finally, do not become discouraged. If a professor, friend, or editor tells you to review your work do not spit in their face. Never burn bridges as a writer. Ofttimes you will find yourself crossing those bridges more than once. Do not give into petty emotional frustrations. Take what criticism is given to you and build it into something constructive. That is why writing is known as a craft. Take the time to mold something interesting and to paint it flush with greatness.

Monday and Tuesday Combined: Drama and Comedy

Drama and Comedy are two of the founding genres that first started in amphitheaters during Grecian times, back in ancient days. After that Rome and the rest of Europe would become infatuated with heroic tragedies and happy endings. These are two human aspects of life and in many ways they remind me of life and death. In modern films, theater, and books the founding principals are still held in place but revamped for society and ones like ours. If art depicts life than surely drama and comedy are the paint.

Drama is an essential part to making anything seem life like or making something fiction seem real enough to actually exist. It provides us a reason to feel sorry, or sad, or even remorseful. Without drama there would be no suffering. Without that pain and betrayal written into such stories as Macbeth and Julius Caesar there would be a human element missing, something to draw us to such agony and distraught temperaments. To be apart of drama is to experience death and eventuality.

Comedy was originally the happy smile, the jaunty laugh,  and the cunning romance. It gave the audience a chance to be happy and experience a kindred desire or dream. Perhaps it provided a much needed rescue from the princely hero and delivered a foolish and poor-folk champion. Even in our society today comedy has a broad meaning. It can mean anything from a stand-up comic to an animated movie filled with colorful chuckles. To be apart of comedy is to experience life and to dine and drink wine with Bacchus.

There are too many examples to name great movies and theater plays along with books and the new booming market for stories in video games. The best advice this writer can give is to adventure out into the world of literature and theatrical likenesses and find something that speaks to you. Whether it is a sad tale or a happy tale, find that which truly pangs in the sub-cockles of your heart. Experience something spectacular and remember that we are the retainers of the ancient arts.

With this knowledge, and if you are a venturing writer yourself, how will you honor this time old tradition? How will you change it? Who knows, right?

The future itself is an unknown drama filled with beguiling comedy.

When Is The Best Time To Write?

I've heard fellow writers mention that they feel there are certain times of the day when they are able to write more efficiently. As if the creative flow won't begin to trickle down their fingers until they hit that exact time. Is there such a thing as the right time to write?

Truthfully I can relate. I find that there are times during the day where I really feel my creativity kicking into full gear and it is typically the afternoon or just before 11:00pm. That may seem odd but it's true. Granted it is not an everyday thing, but I have noticed it can develop due to work schedules or school. There are the some occasions where on the weekend I will have an all day writing-fest. It's  not that hard to believe that other writers find that at certain times of the day they feel more productive than 8:30am in the morning when they are groggy and waking up.

That said, it's not as if you have to write at the same time everyday. If you are trying to branch out and create some wiggle room in your writing schedule, try to get a pattern in place that will keep you in the swing of things. It may take a while to adjust but it is doable.

Some writers can do it at will but I find that some of my writing buddies have trouble forcing the creative juices to get pumping. It happens, do not fret about it. Writing does not need to be forced in the first place, but it should be something that is practiced, studied, and refurbished by style. When I find myself wanting to get my mind focused for writing I read from a book, make some hot tea, then settle down in my favorite chair, and then complete the process by finding the right music. It's all about finding the triggers to get your mind in the right place. If you are a writer trying to be a bit more flexible in terms of time management why not give it a try? Find what triggers you often use to create the right frame of mind and mold time into a tool that works for you.

What Should I Write?

"What should I write?" Ofttimes I've heard a fellow endeavoring writer complain about the lack of material to pull from in order to write a good story. This does seem to be an issue that we all have and it is not personally exclusive. Though the variance in amount of blank-creative thoughts has a way of getting to the writer on a personal level. Do not let that get you down.

Take a breath and make a warm cup of tea before you start to panic and say to yourself that this is not the end of the world. Where does any author find inspiration? Music, other authors, art, the stars, friends, family, etc. There is a vast numerous quantity of things that has the potential to set-off the curiosity spark.

On a funny note, think of the movie The Shining. Many reviewers and movie enthusiasts have surmised that the entire plot of the movie is based on writer's block. Steven King made a piece of work about someone having writer's block. Crazy right? Crazy creative you might say and a damn fine movie.

Sometimes writing about the problem might just provide you with the solution. It doesn't always have to be grade-A stuff that you write. Simply write. Take the time to improve your writing. Maybe you will find one of your random pieces to be inspiring. Take a gamble and create something. No one expects it to be gold to start with.

One of my college teachers put it best and I am going to do my best to paraphrase him since it has been quite some time now. 'Writing is interesting in the respect that it reminds me of throw-up. It's a strewn mess of carrots and beef, things that look like food but you are squeamish to think what it is now. The whole point of editing and writing is to notice the bile and clean it up while searching for the good bits such as the carrots and beef. Then it starts to look gourmet all over again." Granted this is a gross way to think of writing, but I think you get the point.

Wednesday's Why: Why is it important to read works from other authors?

Why is it important to read if you love writing? That is both a loaded and simple question to answer.

If you love writing then at some point you were introduced to reading. Simply put you cannot have one without the other. If it were not for storybooks, novels, novellas, and the many other types of literature available in the modern world there would be a lack of new material and familiar material. There would also be a certain lack of fiber in stories if we only wrote and never read anything.

Reading other works from other authors provides the writer with new viewpoints and creativity. Any beginning writer knows that the cup is always empty when you start attaining new knowledge. The same goes with reading. Without finding a source to sup on there is nothing to gain, the water in the imaginary cup stays stagnant and bland. But if you borrow some wine from another author's pitcher and fill your own cup with new styles and language and tastes, it's like a whole new world was just unleashed upon the writer's taste buds.

Now this doesn't mean to go out to the library and bookstore and buy every mainstream critically acclaimed author out there, though it doesn't hurt either. Try going to a Half Priced Books or Barnes & Noble and finding something that interest you. Perhaps something in the genre you like or maybe stretch your legs into a different genre for once. It does wonders for the creative part of the brain or the gray matter span as some might think of it.

What are some of my favorite works from other authors? Check out the below.

Laurence Yep, Dragon's Gate

J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Sherman Alexie, Flight

Dashiell Hammett, The Thin Man

Tunes to Inspire Creative Thoughts Tuesday.

Most writers would tell you there is something that inspires them during their creative flow. Whether that is music or art or maybe even staring outside at the green trees after a rainstorm. Sometimes it's the silly things such as the way the family dog makes us laugh. The bottom line is that writers need to be inspired from something.

Music has an interesting way of making the writer experience a different stream of thought. Think of this stream of thought as calm in the beginning. Suddenly it rises or falls. Maybe it quickens or it blackens from a poisonous malice. What causes such variances? Emotions.

To put this into simpler terms, music is a tool that writers can use to help provoke stronger emotions. It can help with anger, sadness, happiness, and fear just to name a few instances where emotions need to be vivid and real.

Here is an idea. Why not test my theory? Go to YouTube or open your iTunes and pick some soundtracks that really make you feel something.

Need some examples to help? No worries, I have you covered.

Let's start with part of my playlist this morning. We'll start with tonal shifts. Starting from low to high in the sense of how a writer's moral and thoughts might shift. Not everyone has the same experience, but that is what is so great about music. It let's the individual tell the story they hear. Try it out.

1. Samuel Barber, Adagio for Strings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izQsgE0L450

2. Clint Mansell, Requiem for a Dream

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWvOqSV99xE

3. Thomas Bergersen, Remember Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwMDL4tU-FE

4. Hans Zimmer, Honor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpdffyOFJso

Today's Daily Pondering: How much is too much when it comes to gore in TV shows and Novels?

Ever wonder how much is too much? Of course. Anything from watching the level of the milk you pour into a glass to the amount you spend on a video game. But let's talk about gore. Is it becoming an unnatural norm? Or is this the new average? Perhaps it is the truth of violence that we simply ignored. All possible, yes?

For instance (a spoiler alert is starting here, don't read any further if you don't want to ruin the new Game of Thrones episode) on last night's Game of Thrones viewers everywhere watched as Ser Gregor literally smashed in Oberyn Martell's eyeballs and then continued to splatter his brains all over the courtyard. For those who saw it, no doubt it left you reeling like you were on a boat in the middle of a stormy sea. In other words you wanted to upchuck your dinner.

It was a violent scene no doubt but also entertaining and emotional. The question is this. Was the gore necessary? In this instance I don't think it was necessarily a bad thing. Let's be honest, Ser Gregor is a beast. They call him "The Riding Mountain" or simply "The Mountain". The guy has to be a powerhouse right? Well, I suppose there are other ways to show how merciless someone is or how strong they are, but was there really anything wrong about the amount of obscene carnage?

True, the books have some gnarly and unthinkably wrong happenings such as a fourteen year old girl getting pregnant and a man's "down stairs" parts being removed through castration during torture. So where do writer's draw the line? Is there a line when coming across the reality of a medieval society such as the one displayed in Game of Thrones?

While were thinking of too much; when is someone showing too much "skin"? Or maybe it is fine to do so nowadays. As the culture changes and as society's acceptance changes, is there really any kind of guideline or rulebook anymore?

The only thing I can think to add to these thoughts is a simple verse and title to a song many consider and oldie. Bob Dylan named the classic well, Times They Are A-Changin'.