With Christmas right around the corner and the other winter holidays in full tilt, I thought I would write a little something more positive here than the normal doom and gloom of the undead. Yes, I celebrate Christmas, but to be fair to all that read this, Happy Holidays. I hope your days are bright and your family is loving.
One of the things that made me smile this year was the Layaway angels I read about in the news. These are people that have gone into store and found those people that are in the most need of help to pay off their purchases. They then pay the layaway off for them, allowing them to actually get their gifts. Most people have only spent about 100$, but I read of one person that spent nearly 10k doing this. That article made me smile and to think how great people can really be.
Of course, there is the flip side of that. On back Friday their was the woman that peppered sprayed a crowd of people just so she could get a deal. I was disgusted by this and it hurt me to know that some people truly do not know what it means to help others and to be their for them.
What I really want to point out though is the spirit of the season and the fact that no matter how tough things can get at times, there are those willing to help their fellow human out. This year has been very tough for me and my family. I am working a lot less and therefore we were not able to get much for the holiday for our children. I am not saying that w still would't have had a wonderful day, because we are lucky enough to have a wonderful family here, just that the kids would not get very many gifts.
My wife was on this website called cafemom.com that is a forum for mothers to talk about all of life's issues and to get support from one another. This is a wonderful place to get many ideas that we would not have thought of on our own. She was asking in one of the forums about simple homemade gifts that we could do for the kids. One of the other mothers on the site asked if it would be OK if she sent us a few things. My wife agreed and this other mother sent us a few gifts for the kids. Some clothes and a toy for each of them. It did bring tears to my eyes that there are strangers that are willing to help others out. We plan on recording our kids opening the gifts and sending the video to her in thanks, so that she can see what her generosity has done for them.
On a different note, I am also going to be trying to see if I can do more. I am trying to be more sustainable in my own ways. Basically growing some of my own food so that I do not have to buy it at the store. One day I hope to be able to help others with some fresh food. There is a great kickstarter program here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/488253196/freight-farms-grow-fresh-food-in-any-environment that could have some very large implications. One of these could be placed somewhere and the food used for local needs. If I was running one, I would ensure that at least a part of the food produced went to hungry people in the area.
No matter what your life is like, this is the time of year to put down old hatreds and to love one another. We can look past different beliefs and just work together to make a better future. One of my favorite lines ever is this, "It is not how you believe, just that you believe." And maybe, we can believe in a better future where we help one another and we all are better for it. Peace, hope and love.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Extreme Couponing
Normally I wouldn't write an article like this, but tough economic times have come and I thought it would be nice to share this with the rest of you. Most of you have most likely seen on TV the show about couponing and the crazy amount of money that these people save, but also the amount of time and work that goes into it as well. I am here to tell you that you can do this, without as much work.
The thing is that you do not have to do the same amount of work and still you can have savings, this is what I do. To start off, I will buy several papers each week. I have a newspaper for 1$ on Sunday, but even if you buy multiple ones for more, the coupons can save you money. You do not have to cut them all out at this point, just look through them and see what you have.
The next step would be to look at your supermarket flier for what is on sale. Here you can see if you have any coupons for the sale items. I usually only buy items that are on sale, and I stock up a bit. This is whether I have a coupon or not. It does save a lot of money.
It doesn't even have to be extreme. Using just one coupon can save the cost of the paper. Do more than one, and you are saving extra money. By shopping smartly and using a few coupons one can really save a bunch of money. With the current economic state we all could use to save some money. It is easy to do, you just need to try.
On one shopping trip I saved about 15 dollars, more if you counted the sales savings. It is not much, but that 15 dollars bought more food later in the month. Food I would not have had if not for those coupons. I only spent 4 dollars on papers. Add to that, I am still saving from other coupons. Trust me, it is worth it.
And for those of us that are always thinking of ways to be prepared for disasters, this method could allow one to build a stockpile of items that normally you would not have much of. Think on it, and before you shun couponing, think of the savings.
The thing is that you do not have to do the same amount of work and still you can have savings, this is what I do. To start off, I will buy several papers each week. I have a newspaper for 1$ on Sunday, but even if you buy multiple ones for more, the coupons can save you money. You do not have to cut them all out at this point, just look through them and see what you have.
The next step would be to look at your supermarket flier for what is on sale. Here you can see if you have any coupons for the sale items. I usually only buy items that are on sale, and I stock up a bit. This is whether I have a coupon or not. It does save a lot of money.
It doesn't even have to be extreme. Using just one coupon can save the cost of the paper. Do more than one, and you are saving extra money. By shopping smartly and using a few coupons one can really save a bunch of money. With the current economic state we all could use to save some money. It is easy to do, you just need to try.
On one shopping trip I saved about 15 dollars, more if you counted the sales savings. It is not much, but that 15 dollars bought more food later in the month. Food I would not have had if not for those coupons. I only spent 4 dollars on papers. Add to that, I am still saving from other coupons. Trust me, it is worth it.
And for those of us that are always thinking of ways to be prepared for disasters, this method could allow one to build a stockpile of items that normally you would not have much of. Think on it, and before you shun couponing, think of the savings.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Blindness is the key
I have recently read the latest paper by the Madore brothers. Again, I am shocked at how straightforward their findings are and how shocked I am that I did not think of it myself. If you would like to read it yourself, you can find the link to it here: necropology.com
I am going to go into some detail and my thoughts on their findings. Basically they found that it really is a lot easier to blind a zombie than it is to kill it outright. In this way, we now have the ability to control them in a fashion that would have been deemed unsafe in the past. Because of this, we now have another tool at our disposal to take care of a zombie menace or to manipulate the hordes of undead.
The first thing I would like to look at is the methods to blind. They state multiple methods, but I have to say my favorite would be the bird shot. It is quick and effective, and with the right weapon one could conceivably take out many targets to deem them less lethal than they were. The other method that I really like is using the paintball gun to blind them temporarily.
What I think I would do though, is blind an angry zombie, then fasten them to a point, maybe on a pedestal surrounded by a deep ditch. Other zombies would be attracted and fall into the ditch. This could be like a cockroach motel. They enter, but never leave.
It is hard for me to really explain how interesting this new tactic can be. Although this will not change how my zombies behave, I think that I could definitely see some of my characters using this method for some of their own purposes.
The only thing I had a question about in the paper though was that once a blind zombie became enraged, they would never calm down again. It makes some sense, but a part of me seems to think that eventually a zombie would calm down. I think I would have to think on it a bit more.
I am going to go into some detail and my thoughts on their findings. Basically they found that it really is a lot easier to blind a zombie than it is to kill it outright. In this way, we now have the ability to control them in a fashion that would have been deemed unsafe in the past. Because of this, we now have another tool at our disposal to take care of a zombie menace or to manipulate the hordes of undead.
The first thing I would like to look at is the methods to blind. They state multiple methods, but I have to say my favorite would be the bird shot. It is quick and effective, and with the right weapon one could conceivably take out many targets to deem them less lethal than they were. The other method that I really like is using the paintball gun to blind them temporarily.
What I think I would do though, is blind an angry zombie, then fasten them to a point, maybe on a pedestal surrounded by a deep ditch. Other zombies would be attracted and fall into the ditch. This could be like a cockroach motel. They enter, but never leave.
It is hard for me to really explain how interesting this new tactic can be. Although this will not change how my zombies behave, I think that I could definitely see some of my characters using this method for some of their own purposes.
The only thing I had a question about in the paper though was that once a blind zombie became enraged, they would never calm down again. It makes some sense, but a part of me seems to think that eventually a zombie would calm down. I think I would have to think on it a bit more.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Zombie boot Camp
This is not a post about zombie going through boot camp to run faster and overall eat people better, although that could be interesting, it is an Idea I had just the other day. I was reading some tweets and one link caught my eye, it was a Run for Your Life link. If you have not checked out this site, I would do so now here: http://runforyourlives.com/ . I read into it and instantly fell in love. Then, I went to youtube and found some videos from their 10/22/11 event. Even now I am excited just thinking about it. This looks to be so much fun, and with races next year I could try it myself.
The issue I have though is this, I am out of shape and it may just kill me to do this run. This is where the boot camp idea comes in. I think it would be great to have a place that could help people train for this type of thing. But just running would not be any fun, I would have to make it an experience people would want to come to and maybe even pay for it. So, here is my thought on how a three day trip could be.
Day one: The guests arrive at location. They find right away that this is not going to be a cake walk, as everyone is thrown into some type of PT right away. Obviously guests can opt out of that, but where is the fun in that? Once that is done, we must set up camp. We would actually have to set up tents and start fires. All of this would be survival type of training. Once camp is set up, we take a journey over to the shooting range and get right down to taking a few shots with some guns. Afterward would be dinner and rest. A Campfire would be available for all to sit around and chat it up.
Day two: Early wake up with another bout of PT. Once that is done, we start course training. This would be a simulation of obstacles that one would find on the 5k, and I would even have zombies available to help set the mood. I can assume that this would take most of the morning. Lunch would be followed by combat training. Basically, paintball. Teamwork with different scenarios would be done. One scenario in particular would have some of the people becoming zombies trying to infect others by touching them. Only a shot to the face mask would stop them. Whichever team was left would win it all. I can imagine these games would go on for hours. Dinner and relaxation would follow on this.
Day Three: Again morning PT. Afterward some more obstacle training (different, harder ones). Followed by some training in preparedness. he last day would be filled with camp being broken down and everyone heading back to main base. I am thinking relaxation and food for everyone before they go to leave.
Each day would have other odd training involved, whenever there is some downtime. This is similar to boot camp, but without the really mean drill instructors. It would be fun and engaging at all times. I could easily add in more events into the days, or at night. Such as movies on a screen or even night time games.
That was my thought. What do you think? Would you sign up for a Zombie Boot Camp?
The issue I have though is this, I am out of shape and it may just kill me to do this run. This is where the boot camp idea comes in. I think it would be great to have a place that could help people train for this type of thing. But just running would not be any fun, I would have to make it an experience people would want to come to and maybe even pay for it. So, here is my thought on how a three day trip could be.
Day one: The guests arrive at location. They find right away that this is not going to be a cake walk, as everyone is thrown into some type of PT right away. Obviously guests can opt out of that, but where is the fun in that? Once that is done, we must set up camp. We would actually have to set up tents and start fires. All of this would be survival type of training. Once camp is set up, we take a journey over to the shooting range and get right down to taking a few shots with some guns. Afterward would be dinner and rest. A Campfire would be available for all to sit around and chat it up.
Day two: Early wake up with another bout of PT. Once that is done, we start course training. This would be a simulation of obstacles that one would find on the 5k, and I would even have zombies available to help set the mood. I can assume that this would take most of the morning. Lunch would be followed by combat training. Basically, paintball. Teamwork with different scenarios would be done. One scenario in particular would have some of the people becoming zombies trying to infect others by touching them. Only a shot to the face mask would stop them. Whichever team was left would win it all. I can imagine these games would go on for hours. Dinner and relaxation would follow on this.
Day Three: Again morning PT. Afterward some more obstacle training (different, harder ones). Followed by some training in preparedness. he last day would be filled with camp being broken down and everyone heading back to main base. I am thinking relaxation and food for everyone before they go to leave.
Each day would have other odd training involved, whenever there is some downtime. This is similar to boot camp, but without the really mean drill instructors. It would be fun and engaging at all times. I could easily add in more events into the days, or at night. Such as movies on a screen or even night time games.
That was my thought. What do you think? Would you sign up for a Zombie Boot Camp?
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
We give thanks
My nostrils filled with the wonderful smell of roasting turkey, my eyes though were caught by my mother's glare. I had arrived late to my mother's house and found that indeed I was the last person to get there. Luckily though I did not miss any of the meal and was able to finally sit down with the family.
My father spoke grace and we all went around the table to state what we are thankful for. As usual most of the answers had to do with loving family or a job, all that corny stuff. When it was finally my turn, all I could come up with was that I was thankful for the girl I had romped with the night prior. Not one person spoke after I finished, and I felt a little weird with everyone staring at me with their mouths open. Finally, my sister broke the silence with her thanks and we started dinner.
I ate so much food I thought that I was going to burst at the seems. I think I polished off one whole turkey all on my own, plus potatoes and stuffing. Of course i would not go unpunished for indulging that much, as I had the worst indigestion for an hour after the meal was over. During which time all I could do was sip some milk and pepto bismal. Once my body finally found the time to catch up on its digestion it went away, but I was assaulted with the usual sleepiness that comes from eating turkey.
It didn't take me five minutes before my eyes were drifting downward that I had passed out. It felt like I had slept for quite some time when I was awoken by the sound of the fire alarm. I immediately jumped out of the chair to look for the smoke and what was going on. My eyes began to water as I found the source of the smoke. I could feel the heat coming off the stove where it looked that a pan or cloth was on fire, the flames reaching higher until they licked the ceiling and were about to spread.
Instinct took over as I ran to the extinguisher and started to spray the flames until finally I had put the fire out. "Why didn't anyone else see this?" I asked of my family, but no one answered me. It was strange that no one would be there, but maybe they had left him. I opened the window to finally let in some fresh air and to vent the smoke from the room. It was cool on my face and cleared my vision. A sound from behind me caught my ears and I looked to see who it was.
What I did see though was not what I was expecting. There, not ten feet in front of me was the turkey we had all eaten for dinner. It was missing all of its meat and was just a skeleton being held together with little bits of fat. In one "hand" it held a large fork and the other had a carving knife. This knife scared the shit out of me, which looked both menacing and amusing in a turkey's hand. Blood dripped down it and onto the floor.
I made a move to the left, but it followed me. I moved to the right, but again it was with me. Seeing as how this bird was between me and the exit, i was not going to play this game anymore. I feinted to the left, drawing it that way then dodged to the right. I was lucky that it fell for it and I was around it before it was able to correct itself.
I ran for the door, hoping that I was going to get out of this place. Behind me I could hear the sound of the turkey running along as well. A quick glance back and I nearly crapped my pants. It was coming at me so fast that if I didn't concentrate I would never make it out alive. Unfortunately I was not looking and I found myself flying through the air as I tripped over something. It only took a quick look for me to recognize the body of my uncle.
I hit the ground hard, knocking the breath from my lungs. As I gasped for air the turkey leaped onto my chest. With a last ditch effort I put my arms up, trying to block and parry any attack that it may do. I felt pressure on my arms and it felt like I was going to die from the pain.
"Hey, wake up!" The voice was yelled into my face. I opened my eyes and saw my cousins gripping my arms tightly, trying to shake me awake. "You fell asleep, and you were screaming." It must have been a dream after all.
"Oh thank god." I said. "I am really so thankful for you, and really all of you. I just want to apologize for the way I have been acting." With that I hugged my cousins, truly thankful that things were not too bad. Everyone seemed glad that I had snapped out of it and was now being a part of the family. With all the holiday cheer though, nobody noticed the turkey reach over and grab the carving knife.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
My father spoke grace and we all went around the table to state what we are thankful for. As usual most of the answers had to do with loving family or a job, all that corny stuff. When it was finally my turn, all I could come up with was that I was thankful for the girl I had romped with the night prior. Not one person spoke after I finished, and I felt a little weird with everyone staring at me with their mouths open. Finally, my sister broke the silence with her thanks and we started dinner.
I ate so much food I thought that I was going to burst at the seems. I think I polished off one whole turkey all on my own, plus potatoes and stuffing. Of course i would not go unpunished for indulging that much, as I had the worst indigestion for an hour after the meal was over. During which time all I could do was sip some milk and pepto bismal. Once my body finally found the time to catch up on its digestion it went away, but I was assaulted with the usual sleepiness that comes from eating turkey.
It didn't take me five minutes before my eyes were drifting downward that I had passed out. It felt like I had slept for quite some time when I was awoken by the sound of the fire alarm. I immediately jumped out of the chair to look for the smoke and what was going on. My eyes began to water as I found the source of the smoke. I could feel the heat coming off the stove where it looked that a pan or cloth was on fire, the flames reaching higher until they licked the ceiling and were about to spread.
Instinct took over as I ran to the extinguisher and started to spray the flames until finally I had put the fire out. "Why didn't anyone else see this?" I asked of my family, but no one answered me. It was strange that no one would be there, but maybe they had left him. I opened the window to finally let in some fresh air and to vent the smoke from the room. It was cool on my face and cleared my vision. A sound from behind me caught my ears and I looked to see who it was.
What I did see though was not what I was expecting. There, not ten feet in front of me was the turkey we had all eaten for dinner. It was missing all of its meat and was just a skeleton being held together with little bits of fat. In one "hand" it held a large fork and the other had a carving knife. This knife scared the shit out of me, which looked both menacing and amusing in a turkey's hand. Blood dripped down it and onto the floor.
I made a move to the left, but it followed me. I moved to the right, but again it was with me. Seeing as how this bird was between me and the exit, i was not going to play this game anymore. I feinted to the left, drawing it that way then dodged to the right. I was lucky that it fell for it and I was around it before it was able to correct itself.
I ran for the door, hoping that I was going to get out of this place. Behind me I could hear the sound of the turkey running along as well. A quick glance back and I nearly crapped my pants. It was coming at me so fast that if I didn't concentrate I would never make it out alive. Unfortunately I was not looking and I found myself flying through the air as I tripped over something. It only took a quick look for me to recognize the body of my uncle.
I hit the ground hard, knocking the breath from my lungs. As I gasped for air the turkey leaped onto my chest. With a last ditch effort I put my arms up, trying to block and parry any attack that it may do. I felt pressure on my arms and it felt like I was going to die from the pain.
"Hey, wake up!" The voice was yelled into my face. I opened my eyes and saw my cousins gripping my arms tightly, trying to shake me awake. "You fell asleep, and you were screaming." It must have been a dream after all.
"Oh thank god." I said. "I am really so thankful for you, and really all of you. I just want to apologize for the way I have been acting." With that I hugged my cousins, truly thankful that things were not too bad. Everyone seemed glad that I had snapped out of it and was now being a part of the family. With all the holiday cheer though, nobody noticed the turkey reach over and grab the carving knife.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Daddy Zombie
Well, this is how much I love zombies, I would be one. Just thought you would enjoy it.
Creatures that Go bump
I am working on other short stories at this time, and I was thinking about the direction I wanted to take. Now mind you, I have written a number of stories that involve zombies, but I need to expand my horizon of tales. I love writing about zombies, but I cannot continue writing short stories about them. My novels will be great, I know it, but I just cannot think up anything else with zombies and shorts.
There are plenty of other things thought that I can write about. I thought about mind control or telekinetic abilities, but those sometimes feel over done. Maybe a doll possessed by a serial killer? No, that was done once already. Maybe I shall stick closer to my own thoughts and genre. I have always liked vampires and werewolves. Ghosts and goblins, maybe a troll or two.
OK, let me give it a whirl shall I?
The light flashed so bright Kyle lost all sight. The sensation of weightlessness overcame him for several seconds, each second lasting many times longer than a year felt. A rib cracked and the wind left his lungs in a whoosh as his body hit the ground finally. The smell of gasoline and burning flesh assaulted his nostrils while the heat of flames baked his skin and curled his hair. On instinct Kyle moved away from the heat, still attempting to see but his eyes grasped at nothing but white light.
Kyle's ears lost the ringing sound that had filled them, only to be greeted with the sound of screams of the wounded and dying. Still pulling away from the heat, Kyle's hands grip someone's leg. Horror breaks out across Kyle's face as he realizes that this leg is not attached to anyone. The taste of bile overcome all of his senses with his stomach up heaving everything that he had ever eaten.
The world turned fuzzy as Kyle' vision finally returned, and a scene of dread opened up.....
I think this is a good start to something, now I need to figure where it is going. Maybe next time I will continue with this thought process. Till then, stay safe.
There are plenty of other things thought that I can write about. I thought about mind control or telekinetic abilities, but those sometimes feel over done. Maybe a doll possessed by a serial killer? No, that was done once already. Maybe I shall stick closer to my own thoughts and genre. I have always liked vampires and werewolves. Ghosts and goblins, maybe a troll or two.
OK, let me give it a whirl shall I?
The light flashed so bright Kyle lost all sight. The sensation of weightlessness overcame him for several seconds, each second lasting many times longer than a year felt. A rib cracked and the wind left his lungs in a whoosh as his body hit the ground finally. The smell of gasoline and burning flesh assaulted his nostrils while the heat of flames baked his skin and curled his hair. On instinct Kyle moved away from the heat, still attempting to see but his eyes grasped at nothing but white light.
Kyle's ears lost the ringing sound that had filled them, only to be greeted with the sound of screams of the wounded and dying. Still pulling away from the heat, Kyle's hands grip someone's leg. Horror breaks out across Kyle's face as he realizes that this leg is not attached to anyone. The taste of bile overcome all of his senses with his stomach up heaving everything that he had ever eaten.
The world turned fuzzy as Kyle' vision finally returned, and a scene of dread opened up.....
I think this is a good start to something, now I need to figure where it is going. Maybe next time I will continue with this thought process. Till then, stay safe.
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