Early One Tuesday Morning...

...I decided to write another blog post. There's really not a whole lot for me to say at the moment, other than that I am progressing on my unschooling project. So far I've procured a folder for personal studies, life and otherwise, and I wrote down some German words and conjugations so that I may reference them with greater ease than before. This is intended to be what I think I actually need to know, not what someone tells me to learn, and so far it's gone splendidly! Glad I am, but this is only the beginning, if you'll pardon that cliched phrase there. However, I mean it in the most positive of ways and cannot wait to continue my path to liberation.

- Lewis

Deshi, Deshi, Basara, Basara

In case I did not mention, I recently watched the two preexistent Batman films of the legendary Christopher Nolan, that is, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. This summer (2012) Mr. Nolan will release the third and last installment of the Dark Knight epic: The Dark Knight Rises.

Teaser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-Sktgm0aD8

Theatrical trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXAzGGX2tpw&feature=related

This looks amazing. If it is not obvious, I am extremely excited for the film. That is all.

Poem: "The Prisoner" (First Draft)

We are not equal, you and I.

You lowered yourself beyond return.

As free as you seem, you are not,

Because you are my prisoner.

You are on a leash, unbroken

By your mad dashes for freedom.

You cannot see it, but it's there--

In the back of your mind, I think,

You know I will not release you.

Your every step is weighed down

Because the locusts are within,

Eating you until, but a husk,

You fall to your knees and confess.

The chains of the mind are hardened;

Sooner than you know, you've fallen

To the mercy of your own soul.

Book Review: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein

"When the power of love overrules our love of power, we shall be at peace." - Something I read somewhere but forgot the source; paraphrased

----

This book, to my knowledge, was way ahead of its time. Herbert George Wells' nameless time traveler explains some of the ideas I first encountered in the more recent Hyperspace by Dr. Michio Kaku. Said ideas include that that time is the fourth dimension; the measure of duration is just as valid as those of length, width, and height. The time traveler ventures from around 1895 (the year of the novel's publication) to the distant-but-approaching year of 802,701. He finds two races, the Eloi and the Morlocks, both of which are derived from humanity, a two-pronged fork of human evolution. The Eloi seem perfectly at peace, harmonious with their surroundings, until the time traveler finds that the second race, the Morlocks, live underground and have evolved away from any form of brighter light, are carnivorous and prey on the helpless Eloi. It becomes apparent that these two separate populations are the product of humankind's over-eagerness to progress. In creating their own perfect surface world, the Eloi have no need of defensive strategies...until the Morlocks come to devour them. But the Eloi have no knowledge as to what is happening to their lost members and continue to exist in pseudo-safety. Reminds me a bit of Orwell's Animal Farm, actually. The time traveler goes so far ahead that eventually all life has been reduced to lichens and slime. This is rather a depressing thought, but can also serve as a warning to all of us.

Final grade: A

Asheville, April 2012: A Recap

As I said I would, I went to Asheville this past weekend. Truthfully, it's a great city, but I don't know if I'd want to live there. Not entirely sure why; it just seemed to have more creepy people this time. At one point I was walking the streets late at night, feeling awesome and independent, when an old lady approached me and asked in a distorted sort of voice if I could help her. She admitted she was extremely drunk and said she needed to find a restaurant. Knowing the whole stranger-danger thing yet worried for the woman's sake - she didn't seem trustworthy but she did seem to severely need help - I led her along and made absolutely sure to stay in the light of the sidewalks. When she asked me my age I replied that I was eighteen (technically I am, if you include my fetal months); then for some reason she wanted my first name and then my last, so I gave her a mixed alias (technically I do go by several names, so my truth-conscience is clear there as well). Finally we found a restaurant and I explained the situation to a waitress (or maybe hostess, I don't really know) who stood outside. To my dismay, the younger lady listed all of the great beers they had, which was when I went back to the hotel and ordered a Papa John's pizza, which arrived at one in the morning. Yum.

We went to the nature center and saw local wildlife (in captivity), from white-tail deer to mountain lions, snakes to black bears, otters to owls. It was a fun experience, to be sure. They even had goats, which were adorable. Someday I want to own goats and chickens - gods be damned if I would eat their meat; I just want to own them as pets - but that chapter of my life has not yet been revealed.

On Monday, having arrived back home the night before, I began my art instruction under the wondrous Jenny Eggleston. This is going to be fun, and I also hope to soon start guitar lessons and resume my education in the art of piano. There's a place not far from one of my homes that does both, and I've a gut feeling that I can swing it if I can properly fit them into my schedule.

Now, a drawing and some writing both await me. Not to mention homework.

Au revoir!
-- Lewis

Asheville's Impending Approach

"People don't come to Asheville very often, and they don't know I'm there. I enjoy it. I like it." - Jules Shear

Asheville. The city of peace, love, and all of that. The city to which I may be traveling this weekend. It is one of my favorite places so far, and not only is it a calm atmosphere: it is also an artistic place. Full of visual art, music, and other such things, it is one of my dream homes. While I do not know if I shall have wi-fi at the hotel, I am considering leaving my laptop here in the hopes of writing by hand and fully enjoying my stay. This blog can wait. Trust me, it has waited much longer.

I love you all, and should have a post upon returning.

--- Danny

On Bruno Coulais

This is another post about relatively little-known musical artists. In the past I have covered, I believe, Medwyn Goodall, the Herb Moore Trio, and Adrian von Ziegler, plus possible others whom I may have momentarily forgotten. Today our subject is Bruno Coulais. He is European, I believe, but I'm not sure where in particular. His score for the awesome Henry Selick film Coraline (based upon a novella by Neil Gaiman) was relaxing and beautiful, and at times downright creepy (like the film itself). On iTunes, one of the artists was the Hungarian something or other. He also scored Babies (which I have not seen or heard) and a film called Himalaya, whose tracks on YouTube are listed in French, so I'm guessing that was made in a French-speaking country. I'm currently listening to "Karma," of whose origins I am uncertain, and which is oneiric and beautiful.

Basically, whoever likes relaxed, thoughtful, downright dreamlike music ought to check this guy out.