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The Stand (and sickness of) By Stephen King

As mentioned earlier, I’m reading The Stand by King. I’m really enjoying it so far. Characters are developing and the story is building up to agonizing critical and decisive moments. Good stuff. I also mentioned earlier, the book was purchased used and has probably changed dozens of hands since 1990 and couldn’t help but think about the plot of the book and how illnesses spread.

Now that I’m at the part of the book where paranoia is spreading as fast as the disease, I seem to have come down with some uncannily apropos symptoms. Sniffling, tiredness, and a slight throat issue. I detest being ill but in this case I’ll use it to enhance the experience. Is it life being pulled by the allure of effective art? Or is it merely the mind tricks of placebo?


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Create.

I have a lot of respect for people that create things, put their art out there, whatever it is. To the writers, podcasters, filmmakers, videographers, designers, photographers, artists, painters, singers, songwriters, musicians, and all others who make things to entertain the world. Respect to those who create something and share it to little or no followers. I look around the net, on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, WordPress and others and respect the people that do it for the love.

You’re not how many followers you have nor how many “likes” you receive. Don’t be discouraged if nobody reads, sees, comments upon, or likes it. So to all of you out there, you never know how it will inspire someone that, somehow, some way, may in the future, come across your creation.


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The Stand (and spread of) by Stephen King

The past two years found me learning new skills. I learned how to use a camera, Photoshop, and Lightroom. But now I started to read voraciously and started writing again. I picked up a bunch of used books mostly those I read a while ago and really liked and now want on my shelf. Books by Cormac McCarthy, Chuck Palahniuk, and Stephen King. Especially those from King to refresh myself with the world of The Dark Tower now that the movie is only a few months away. I’ve read the first five books before The Wind Through the Keyhole was published so I’ll get around to that after rereading The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass since Keyhole happens after Glass.

Since there are characters in The Dark Tower series that are in other of his works, I read ‘Salem’s Lot. It made more sense now after reading Dark Tower V because it explained what happened to Father Callahan after the end of ‘Salem’s Lot.

I’m currently reading The Stand which includes someone who also appears in Wizard and Glass. As mentioned before, the copy of The Stand I bought was used and after getting several chapters in, I couldn’t help but think about the spread of the disease. This is the uncut and complete version published in 1990 which God only knows how many hands it has changed over the past 27 years. I don’t know if King himself has thought of this but it makes the book a little more engrossing and chilling.

I’m going to start putting my mind here into short posts until I start traveling again. So until then, goodnight everyone.


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Millennia in the Window

The sound of the shut door and electronic lock brings a welcomed sanctuary from a day that began in Omonia, one of the rougher parts of Athens. An area recovered but still bearing the sorrowed scars from its drug and volatile underbelly past from the 1960’s. There’s a strong and deep Spartan-like chant in eerie unison bellowed by a proud crowd of frustrated Greeks. We’ve been warned by our guide and by the police of Athens to avoid what breathes before us and take a detour around the riot and protest in the street. Continue reading →


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Liebster Award Nomination

A few days ago I woke up and saw several notifications on my phone. One particular notification came from a unique lady who runs a “peculiar” and interesting autobiographical blog called The Somewhat Peculiar Story of Mir all the way from England. She explained to me how she nominated my humble little project for The Liebster Award. An award aimed at helping new or hidden gem blogs gain greater exposure throughout the community and perhaps get a cool badge to display on the landing page of the winning site. I didn’t know anything about it but I thought it would be fun to participate and help others out there in the blogging world. Continue reading →


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Our Port in the Quiet Storm

We’ve walked our bikes more than we’ve ridden them since we left Palapa. We’re also trekking on a road that we shouldn’t be after treading through a place we shouldn’t have and are not going to go back the same way we came. “How much further do you think we can go?” She asks me in her thick Scottish accent. “We’ll have to find our way back soon before the sun starts to go down and it gets too dark. I’m sure there’s just more resorts further down anyway.” I respond. “Okay. I’m just glad we made it out of that crazy spot. I thought we were going to get shot, shot at or attacked by all these dangerous reptiles everywhere.” “I’m glad nothing happened too. It was kind of creepy.” Trying to remember my geography and out of curiosity, I ask “I know it’s much too far but technically if we keep going north we’ll make it to the Costa Maya right?” “Yes to Quintana Roo, Mexico.” She answers. Continue reading →