On Cluny the Scourge

"Cluny was a god of war! Cluny was coming nearer!" - from Redwall, end of Chapter 2

For those of you who do not know, Cluny is the villain from the original novel Redwall by Brian Jacques. He's one of my favorite baddies, a rat with a poison barb attached to his tail. His voice in the audio book was amazing. He was freaking intimidating, if you're a mouse or something.

Yet he didn't seem especially evil. He did things I wouldn't do, sure. He tried to conquer Redwall Abbey. But...I don't know, he meant business. He may have been in opposition to the woodland creatures of Redwall, but I don't recall him doing anything unspeakable. He always kept his word and was an honorable, non-backstabbing warrior. He told his rats to execute the fox Sela (who I didn't think was that bad either) and her son Chickenhound (who was actually quite a nasty, evil villain in Mattimeo [he survived the execution attempt, but Sela did not]). The rats jabbed both foxes several times with spears and left them in a ditch. Ouch! Other than that, and maybe the bit about threatening the cook, Friar Hugo, with death, I thought he was a reasonable rat and an honest foe.

This is just my viewpoint. What do you think?

Of Pirates and Ninjas

Today, my school had us dress as either pirates or ninjas. Unfortunately, I was able to do neither: I had a tricorner hat (Jack Sparrow's, to be exact), but left it at my mother's house. I saw several of each, however, and felt envy for much. I could tell the ninjas I saw were really only costumes. Figure it out.
They are both interesting subjects, yet neither have I written of. Why? I really do not know. Perhaps I have not submerged myself properly. I dearly love the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, and await the prequel. I don't know much about ninjas. I ought to read up on both and then create tales; I think they would do well.
I told a friend that I might try to make up by being a pirate some other time, to which he replied: "You'd get beaten up." I questioned this, and he said: "This is high school." True, this is high school. But that's the thing! We should be over our childish squabbles by now. People seem to be very ignorant that different does not equal bad--not necessarily. Sure, I acted up in elementary and middle: the former because I was a kid and the latter because I did not agree to school rules (they were baloney). But now, I'm making a mark--one that shall last into my adulthood. These years matter. All years do, but these are crucial to success from what I hear. Yet, I see kids acting like toddlers left and right. Am I just more mature than most people my age? I do like to have fun, but psychologically I like to analyze things from various angles. That is why I do not think we should have God for a Judge; He would be inclined to His own perceptions of good and evil, and those are just points of view.
The whole religion thing fascinates (and infuriates) me, but I'll save it for another post.