College

I got to meet with my college advisor today. I needed to find out what English categories (Poetry, Drama, American Authors, British Authors, etc.) I needed to take classes in to finish my degree. I also needed to know what classes the University of Maryland was offering this summer would satisfy those categories. It turned out there was only one class they were offering this summer that would help me satisfy the remaining requirements for my degree. I'll be taking 20th Century British Women Writers. The summer semester can be a problem in that the number of classes drop considerably. To make matters worse, I need classes that cover very specific areas. Luckily, Maryland did have one course that would work.

After I found out what class I needed to take, I decided to sign up for it. I didn't want to take a chance the class would fill up if I waited. That's when I got another shock, Maryland's tuition rates went up. Maryland doesn't consider me a state resident yet so I have to pay the out-of-state. For a three credit hour course, it cost me $1,348! Serious ouch! Thankfully, I'll be considered a Maryland resident next semester. That will save me over $600 per class. Thankfully too, I'll only have three classes to go at that point.

Lord of the Rings Update

I found out about two interesting webpages. The first has five pictures of the new Lord of the Rings film exhibition in Wellington, New Zealand. What is particularly noteworthy about the pictures are the ones showing the Umbarian corsair ship and the model of Minas Tirith. It would be so cool to get to see those models close up. The link to the page having the pictures is: http://www.theonering.net/scrapbook/group/1888/. 

The second noteworthy webpage is one that has a short interview with Sir Ian McKellen. McKellen reveals in the interview that he initially thought Peter Jackson was over his head with the Lord of the Rings movies and he expected them to flop spectacularly. This page can be found at: http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=179288700&p=y79z894x6.

UPDATE 12/30/12: The t-shirts mentioned in this last paragraph aren't available anymore from Sir Ian McKellen's website sadly. Nor did my order go through for reasons I forget now.

Lastly, I finally ordered two Gandalf t-shirts. Sir Ian is something of an artist and did a self portrait of himself as Gandalf. This drawing was made into something that could be pressed onto a t-shirt. I thought it was neat looking plus I really liked the fact that McKellen was willing to answer questions from fans about the Lord of the Rings movies. Today was the day I finally got around to ordering a couple of the t-shirts. I plan to keep one for myself and put one in the family Christmas grab bag. The Christmas grab bag is a family tradition whereby everyone buys stuff during the year for the grab bag. On Christmas day, when we get together, we dump all the stuff into the bag. Then, the bag is dumped out and the fun begins. Each member of the family gets a turn taking something from the pile. It gets interesting when there is an item that two or more members of the family want. If you might be interested in the t-shirt, it can be found at: (DELETED).

Work

The past week has been a down and up week work wise. Tuesday, I received news that the company I was hoping to go to work for (the one I took the March 6th test for) may have dumped me and didn't even have the decency to tell me. I was absolutely floored. Dealing with civilian employers this past year has been a real eye opener. I never knew companies treated prospective employees like crap. I feel more and more that I was fortunate to serve in the Air Force. You may work some crappy and LONG hours but, the Air Force does take care of its people. I can't say the same for civilian firms.

I did get one nice bit of news. I have an interview with the Post Office this Thursday. The job pays $16.24 an hour. The drawbacks are I would only get one day a week of work. I would have to work for them for at least a year before I could have a chance of being hired on full-time and permanently, and I won't receive any benefits. Still, it would get my foot in the door with them. Supposedly, once you get hired on permanently, you have to really screw up to get fired by the Post Office. The job security is very appealing. One of the requirements of the job is that I must be able to prove that I've had a spotless driving record for the last five years. Back in September, I changed my drivers license from Florida to Maryland. Unfortunately, I forgot what my Florida drivers license was. I've been searching high and low since. I finally found it this morning and requested a copy of my Florida driving record. I received that this afternoon. Now all I have to do is fill out the rest of the forms. That promises to take a while. Still, a job with the Post Office might be a very good thing. We'll see if it happens.

My job at Medieval Times goes well. I'm finally getting the hang of it. I now know when to do various things like turn on and off the air conditioning in the arena, set out trash cans, and store chairs and tables. I continue to find the job a real challenge in dealing with the customers. Today for instance, a customer came back to see about what could be done about something they'd bought today. The particular item fell apart and they wanted to know if they could get a replacement. I had to figure out to handle the problem. I ended taking them to one of the sales people in the gift shop who did replace the item. Another problem I encountered today was people wanting to look around the gift shop. The problem with that was it was closed. The gift shop people were busy selling items to people who were watching one the two shows today (we do two shows on Sundays). I had to nicely tell them that the gift shop was closed and gave them what I hoped was an accurate time when the gift shop would reopen. Lastly, I found out what my work schedule will be like this week. To my delight, I'll get to work 37 hours this week. With the 41 I put in this past week, I should receive a decent paycheck in a couple weeks. The money I'm earning at Medieval Times is helping. I'll be enrolling at the University of Maryland for the summer semester. The paycheck I earn from Medieval Times will help me pay for the class I'll be taking. Tomorrow, the castle will be having an auction where employees can use Medieval money they've earned to win various prizes. While I won't be able to win anything, I plan to attend to see what they auction off. It should be interesting. I'll let you know what happens.

Cheers for now!

Book Review

I finished Truman Capote's In Cold Blood for my college class. The book is brilliantly written and researched. Capote tells of the murder of an entire family in a small town in Kansas. Thanks to Capote's meticulous research, Capote is able to tell the story in chronological order starting with events just prior to the murders. He then goes on to tell about the investigation, how the murderers were caught, tried, and finally hung. Capote draws the reader into the story and helps them to get to know the family that is killed. One feels acutely the horror of what was done to them. We also learn about the two men responsible for the murders. One is a man who as a child just couldn't get a break and had a very traumatic childhood. The other is a man who perhaps wasn't sufficiently disciplined as a child and got into bigger and bigger trouble. Both men clearly have problems.

One particularly interesting feature of the novel is that Capote doesn't pass any judgments on any of the people in the novel. He also doesn't try to argue for a particular cause. When the prosecution goes for the death penalty for the two murderers. Capote doesn't try to argue for or against capital punishment. He tells the story in a perfectly neutral tone. Capote does a brilliant job of getting the reader's attention and then holding it. At the end of the story, Capote not only tells of how one of the detectives involved in catching the murderers found closure, he helps the reader find closure too. The reader finishes the story saddened by what happened but like one of the girl's who knew the murdered daughter, we move on. Life is like that.

If you want to read a gripping story of murder, crime solving, and justice, you may want to read In Cold Blood. It is a superbly written story that draws the reader in, shocks and wrenches them by what happens, and leaves us a bit wiser by what happens. It is definitely worth reading.

Medieval Times Update

I drove out to the Baltimore Medieval Times where I work to try out my new Linksys Wireless Notebook Adapter with SpeedBooster on my laptop. I bought the adapter so I could take advantage of the new wireless internet service they're offering. I'd never messed with this type of wireless connection before. The way I usually hook-up to the internet is with a Sprint PCS Connection card. The card enables the user to hook-up to the internet any where in the U.S. where they can pick up a Sprint cell phone signal. It's really handy and with the EV-DO upgrade, speeds of up to 2 megabytes per second are possible. Still, the new service at Medieval Times promised a connection of FIVE megabytes per second. I found out the computer technician who told me that got it wrong. I got ELEVEN megabytes per second! I couldn't believe the incredible speed. I tested it on the trailers for Chronicles of Narnia and Pirates of the Caribbean movies. It was awesome! The trailers loaded immediately and there weren't any breaks while they played. Less demanding webpages came up in mere seconds. I was ecstatic. If you want some awesome internet connectivity and live within driving range of the Baltimore Medieval Times, you'll want to check it out.

P.S.

If you want a good tasting drink, you might want to try a Creamice with caramel flavoring. I tried one of those today and it was Good! Cost for one is $4.

Lord of the Rings Update

I found out where I wish I could travel to this summer. I found out that the Lord of the Rings film exhibition has opened in Wellington, New Zealand. You say you already saw that in Indianapolis. You're right BUT the smart people at the Museum of New Zealand and Peter Jackson updated it and they're showing new items that were never shown in the previous exhibition. For example, they show the crown that Aragorn is crowned with in the Return of the King. They also show the incredible model of Minas Tirith. The show also features the only model WETA Workshop made of a Umbarian pirate ship. WETA summarily changed the look of the model, photographed it, and combined the photos so it looks like there are five different Umbarian ships. Jackson and members of the cast also made new videos to show at the exhibition. All the new props and interviews make the exhibition sound awesome. The only problem is how far it is to New Zealand. I suspect I'll have to keep my fingers crossed and hope the new exhibition comes back to the U.S. There have to be plenty of museums in the U.S. that would be glad to host it. We'll see. If you can make it to the Wellington, the exhibition runs from April 14th to August 20th. Admission is $12 for adults and $6.50 for children 4 to 14 years of age (all prices are in New Zealand dollars). For an additional $6 for adults and $3 for children, visitors can take a one hour guided tour of the exhibition. Once the tour is over, visitors are free to see the exhibition on their own. For additional information on the exhibition, see http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/rings/default.html.

Book Review - Companion History to Gods and Generals

Greenwich Workshop Press published a companion history to the Civil War movie Gods and Generals. This history feature the art of Mort Kunstler. For those of you who don't know, Mort Kunstler is one of the premier artists who do drawings and paintings on the American Civil War. His artwork is historically correct and beautifully done. I wish I owned some of Kunstler's art as it is so wonderfully done. For now, the book by Greenwich Workshop will have to do. The book features outstanding paintings of Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson and Union Generals Winfield Hancock and Joshua Chamberlain. The book is a delight for the Civil War buff or the reader interested U.S. history. Kunstler's drawings beautifully capture the essence of these great men as well as the incredible events they took part in. I suspect Kunstler had a big influence on the movie Gods and Generals like Alan Lee and John Howe did on the Lord of the Rings movies. If you're a American civil war buff or a person fascinated with U.S. history, this book would be for you. The drawings really capture some of the great moments during the tumultuous Civil War as well as the leaders who played such a big part in it.

Book Review - Narnia Beyond The Wardrobe

Recently, I finished reading books about the Chronicles of Narnia movie and a supplement to Gods and Generals. First, I'll review the Chronicles of Narnia book.

The book is published by Harper Collins Publishers. It is called an official guide to Narnia. It tells of C.S. Lewis's life, some of the friends he knew including J. R. R. Tolkien, and how the Chronicles came to be written. It's an interesting book if you want to know the history of the Chronicles. It also has some interesting comments by Lewis. One thing that saddened me about the Chronicles was that Susan Pevensie stops believing in Aslan and Narnia. She gets caught up in being all grown-up. At the end of the The Last Battle it is Susan who is left behind in the shadow earth. A reader mentioned how sad this was to Lewis. Lewis replied that it was possible that Susan might turn away from her new self and in time make her own to Aslan's land like her parents do. We'll never know if she does but one can always hope.

The book also has some nice pictures from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe movie. One interesting thing I found about the book is that it doesn't acknowledge all the references to Christianity in the book. This may have to do with how Disney Corporation handled the movie. Disney claimed the movie was just a fantasy movie though to other groups, it acknowledged the fact that Lewis was a celebrated CHRISTIAN writer. I suspect the Harper Collins Publishers chose to duck the issue about the references to Christianity in the Chronicles. Overall, I was pleased with the book. Page wise, it comes in at 127 pages making it an easy read. I found some of the information in it really interesting. I never know that Tolkien criticized the Chronicles because he felt Lewis wasn't consistent in his mythology. Lewis did pull parts from a number of different mythological groups. Yet, I think Tolkien was wrong in his criticism. Lewis strove to make the books fun and took bits and pieces from where ever he liked so long as it helped to make the books enjoyable and aided in the messages Lewis tried to send in the books. Also, Lewis was writing the books for children. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings on the other hand I believe is very much oriented toward an adult reader. My only complaint with Lewis is I wish he'd written more books in the Chronicles. Seven books wasn't nearly enough.

In conclusion, I want to mention one comment Lewis made about himself. Lewis believed that before he died he would be forgotten as a writer. As events turned out, Lewis couldn't have been more wrong. If anything, I think he remains more popular than ever and with more Chronicle movies on the horizon, his popularity promises to increase further. If you haven't read the Chronicles and you like fantasy, I'd highly recommend them to you. The books were written for children but people of all ages can find enjoyment in Lewis's wonderful Chronicles of Narnia series.

What I've Been Up To

Hello all, I figured it was time to update my blog on what I've been up to lately. First, there hasn't been any word on the test I took the beginning of March. That is both good and bad. Good because if I'd failed the test, they definitely would've let me know by now. Bad because I'm still waiting for word that I hopefully passed it. This makes life hard because I'm big time in limbo. I'm trying not to stress about it but it isn't easy. My friend Tami reminded me that I'm a child of God and that he hasn't let me down yet. All true but, I still don't know where God wants my life to go. That's why it would be so nice to get the test results back. Then I'd know where I'm supposed to go. As it is, I get to stumble along wondering how things are going to work out. We'll see.

I got to help out at SHARE last Friday. They were setting up for the volunteer appreciation day and so I got to help set up tables and chairs. The appreciation day was this past Saturday. I haven't heard how it went (the rain may have decreased attendance) but I hope it went well. SHARE is an awesome organization. I also finally got my official SHARE jacket while I was there. I was delighted with that. Now, I can look like an official member of SHARE.

College wise, I got to try to work with a group of fellow students on the poems of William Carlos Williams. He was an American poet who became a mentor to other American poets like Allan Ginsburg. His poems concentrated on nature, using simple language, and despair. I found I didn't care for his poetry. I also could see where it influenced Ginsburg's poetry. In regards to the group, I managed to hear from one other team member who was very anxious that the group post something. I used his input and my own and posted an analysis of William's poem The Tract. Hopefully, Professor Champ was pleased with my group post. I've found from previous experience that it is very hard to get groups to work well together in online classes. Repeatedly members that were assigned to the group don't take part and yet get credit for the work done. This time was no different. Oh well. At least my own butt was covered and I can continue to move forward in the class. I get to start reading Truman Capote's In Cold Blood this week. The novel is superbly written but it is a very grim novel as it tells of the murder of an entire family in a small Kansas town. Once I finish it, I plan to post a book review on it so I'll stop talking about it for now.

My work at Medieval Times goes well. I continue to try to learn more about the job and do my best dealing with the customers. Sometimes this can be when they decide to be jerks. This past Sunday, the man who had played King Alfonso hung up his crown after three years of playing the role and moved to a managerial position at the castle. I was sorry to see him go as I felt he was the best there in the role of the king. The managerial position he took over is a tough one. He'll be in charge of the arena. What that means is that he directs all the food servers, decides when any customers can go into the arena, and he decides when the show will start. It's a very tough job though I think he'll be up to the job. The guy is really sharp and watches out for his folks. My feeling about management is if you take care of your people, they'll take care of you. I think he follows that dictum. Still, he'll definitely have his hands full.

Play Review

Last week, I had to read The Glass Menagerie. It is a powerful play that is considered a classic. It is about the dysfunctional Winfield family. It is a story of people trapped in frustrated lives that aren't going any where. The mother of the family Amanda is a woman who is abandoned by her husband and left with two children to raise. She is a woman who lives in the past as the past was a time of beautiful clothes and fun times whereas the present is one of hardship and little hope. The children Tom and Laura have their own battles to fight. Laura is crippled by unknown circumstances as a child and has to wear a leg brace. The leg brace so embarrasses Laura that it causes her to withdraw from people and ultimately from high school. Tom finishes high school and goes to work at a shoe warehouse in order to help support the family. Tom is a dreamer and poet who is frustrated with his life. He is going no where and knows it. He wants adventure but has no chance of finding it as long as he's stuck supporting his mother and sister. Amanda wants a better future for her children and is determined they will get what she considers a better future even if she has to nag and push them to get it. Amanda however fails to see how her children really are or what they want. The result is the children fight back. Laura by now is so painfully shy that she can't take the typing classes her mother pays for without getting sick. She ends up lying to her mother about going to them. Amanda ultimately finds out and comes up with a new scheme to give Laura a future but again fails to take into account how Laura truly is. Amanda tries to get Tom to give up the movies he loves so he can use the money to go to night school. She fails to see that the movies are the only escape for Tom. Things ultimately come to a head when Amanda gets Tom to introduce Laura to a friend at work. Laura remembers the friend from her school days and finds him charming. The friend flirts with Laura and for a few moments Laura leaves her self-made world for the real world till the friends brings her shatteringly down by revealing he is in love with another girl. Laura will retreat to the world of her glass animals presumably never to return. Amanda rails on Tom for not knowing of the man's love for another girl and it is the last straw for Tom. Shortly after, he is fired and abandons his mother and sister to join the merchant marine. However, Tom doesn't escape his sister for he feels guilt the rest of his life for abandoning her. We meet the older and wiser Tom at the beginning of the play when dressed as a sailor, he opens the play setting the stage for all the action that follows.

The play is extremely powerful and heartbreakingly sad. One feels for Tom who ultimately for his own sake must abandon his family if he is to avoid the same dilusionary worlds his mother and sister are trapped in. One must also feel some sadness for Laura. She is actually a very nice girl but, she has become so withdrawn that she has no chance of any future happiness. In regards to Amanda, I found I have mixed feelings about her. I admire her for wanting what is best for her children but hate her for constant nagging on her children. She wants what she perceives as best for her children and fails to take into account how what they feel or how they truly are. At the end of the play, Amanda seeks to console the devastated Laura and yet her consolement will undoubtedly ensure Laura continues to live in her make believe world. The play is a great tragedy.

While the play isn't at all cheerful or fun, it is still a great play and deserves its place among the classics. It is a gripping tale of a dysfunctional family. I would strongly recommend if you like plays, that you go see it or read the play. It really is masterpiece of modern theater.

Movie Review

I don't remember what flight it was where I first watched Secondhand Lions but I remember I liked the movie then and after watching it again on DVD, I found I still think it is a wonderful film. The movie tells of a boy (Walter) that is left by his lying no-good mother with two eccentric great-uncles. The uncles disappeared for over 40 years and had just recently returned. The uncles returned rich but gave no explanation where they got the money. All kinds of wild rumors were flying about where they got it. Walter will go through various mis-adventures with his eccentric uncles and in the process learn about values, faith, and what it means to be a man. His eccentric uncles turn out to be two extraordinary men who lived incredible lives worthy of an action adventure novel. The uncles never would've returned to Texas except that they made the cardinal sin of growing old. The uncles themselves feel they've lived past their useful time but Walter gives them a new purpose in life. They in turn change Walter for the better and presumably make him the man they would wish to make any boy into. It's a wonderful story with loads of laughs and a few tears. I would heartily recommend this movie to anyone. If you have time, rent or buy Secondhand Lions.

Medieval Times Update

I got to work at Medieval Times again last night. It was interesting and frustrating. Frustrating because I had some more learning experiences and that can be rough because they can make me feel like such a dumb ass. Case in point was they had a large group that held a ceremony before the first show. They set up an awards stand in the dais. The dais is where the King and Princess sit and perform for most of the show. I'd never helped break down stuff (not that it was terribly difficult) before for that and so was slightly lost figuring out what they needed done.

I also had a case where some folks from the first show wanted to get an autograph from the Blue Knight. Someone told them they could see the Blue Knight after the show. Whoever that person was, they got it wrong though I tried to see if we could some how accomodate them. One thing I've learned at Medieval Times is you try to keep the customer happy (within reason) if possible. In this case, it wasn't possible. On nights where we have two shows (Saturdays and Sundays), the King, Princess, Lord Chancellor, Knight Marshal, and the six Knights only come out after the second show to sign autographs and have pictures taken. On nights where there is a single show (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights), they will come out after the show to sign autographs and have pictures taken with guests afterwards. I suspect that's what the person was thinking who told the folks they would come out afterwards.

Another thing I learned was that Medieval Times has special shows for Senior Citizens. These shows are like the Matinee shows in that they start earlier in the day (11 a.m. I believe). They are different from matinees in that special procedures and arrangements are made for Seniors. For example, Seniors can go directly into the arena to their seat once they've received their seating assignment vice the normal procedure of waiting to be called in based on the color of their seat. Additional personnel are at the show to help provide assistance to any that need it to get to their seat. Also, certain lights are left on to make it easier for Seniors to find their seats. There are other things Medieval Times does to make the show easier and a more enjoyable experience during these special shows but I don't know what all those special procedures are. I'll find out this Wednesday when I get to work my first Senior Citizen show. I look forward to doing what I can to make their visit more visit more enjoyable.

FYI, seating at Medieval Times is based on color. There are six color sections at Medieval Times. The six colors are: Red, Black & White, Yellow, Blue, Red & Yellow, and Green. People are assigned to specific tables in these sections but when called to go into the arena, they are called by their color of the paper crowns they're issued i.e. Red, Yellow, Blue, etc. Each of these color sections corresponds with a particular knight i.e. if you are assigned a seat in the Red section, you root for the Red Knight.

Concerning the recently installed wireless internet connection at the Baltimore Medieval Times, I found out you may need a wireless notebook adapter in order to use it. (I know I will for my Dell XPS Notebook computer.) The adapter should be the standard one that works for all such wireless spots such as those you find in cafes, airports, etc.

Lastly, please remember any information provided here is NOT official Medieval Times information nor is it guaranteed to be accurate. Any information you use from this site is used at your own risk. I try to be as accurate as possible BUT I do make mistakes. Also, all information and opinions are my own and NOT those of ANY Medieval Times location or its parent organization. Any questions or complaints about this blog site should be addressed to ME, NOT Medieval Times. If you want the OFFICIAL or ABSOLUTELY accurate information on Medieval Times, please use their website (a link is provided on my blog), contact the appropriate castle, or the parent organization.

Apartment

I notified the apartment manager's office yesterday that I'll be renewing. I'm comfortable where I'm living at right now. The apartment is nice and the location the complex is located at is great. I can be in Washington D.C. or Baltimore in less than an hour. It's also close to the base I use for any medical check-ups or occasionally shopping at the Commissary. I do hope to eventually buy a house but that's a ways off. The job situation needs to get settled first. Also, I'm still hoping to do a Globus tour of Scandanavia next year. We'll see on that. Another reason, I decided to renew was they only raised my rent $17. I thought they were going to raise it $100 so I counted my blessings and decided to stay put.

Columbia Mall

I visited Columbia Mall yesterday. I haven't visited that mall in a while and wanted to see if there were any Pug dogs at the Today's Pet petshop. Sadly, they didn't have any Pugs. I still dream about getting a couple when I one day buy a house. I also treated myself to a smoothie at The Great American Cookie shop. They make pretty decent smoothies there. Then, I walked around the mall. In my opinion, not much has changed there. I think I got some looks thanks to my long hair. I've been letting it grow just because I can now that I'm retired from the military. It's been fun letting it grow long. It also goes well with the Medieval Times theme. If I get to go into the Air Force Reserve, I'll have to get it cut. That will be a serious bummer. Still, I'm hoping I'll get to go into the Reserve. I'm still waiting for word on the test I took this month. If I pass it, I get to go into the Reserve. We'll see. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

College Update

I got some nice news yesterday concerning the college class I'm taking. I earned a B+ on my first writing assignment. I was really pleased. Now, I only have one more writing assignment to go. I promptly picked the topics I was going to write on next. I plan to write essays on appearance vs. reality in Tennessee William's The Glass Menagerie. My second essay is going to be analyze two of the mother-daughter relationships in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club.

Also concerning college, next week I plan to go into the University of Maryland office on base and figure out what class I'm going to take this summer. I plan to speak with one of the counselors who can tell me which ones would meet which requirements. I plan to put off taking Junior-level poetry until the last class I need. I like poetry but I hate writing about it. A lot of poetry is very abstract and I'm very literal. I remember one professor I took a class with. We had to do a paper on some poems and he slammed me for not hitting on all these themes that were supposedly in the poems. I couldn't see these subtle themes and wondered where he was finding that stuff. Because of that, poetry is going to be my last class toward my degree.

Medieval Times Update

I worked at Medieval Times today. It was kinda slow. Mondays and Tuesdays generally are. They don't do any shows on those days so it's a lot quieter. One thing of note did happen though. Today, they had a wireless internet antenna hooked up in the Hall of Arms area. What is so special about that you ask? It will enable anyone with a laptop computer to hook-up to the internet wirelessly. What is even more noteworthy about the wireless connection is the speed. Those who surf the internet at the Medieval Times I work at will able to hook-up to the internet at 5 count-em 5 megabytes per second! The only price for using this service will be buying a cup of coffee at the bar. It's a fantastic bargain. I plan to try it out myself and get to use my employee discount. I also found out today that I get to use my employee discounts now vice having to wait until my 90-day probationary period is over. I think this is awesome and sneaky of Medieval Times. Awesome since I can start saving money there immediately. Sneaky because it means they're going to get some of paycheck back NOW. I was planning on waiting the 90-days before I started buying some stuff there. Now, I 'll be able to start doing some of my Christmas shopping early. Hm. I need to get some stuff for the family Christmas grab bag stocking. I could get a couple decks of their playing cards. I could buy one of the charm boxes. I think either my sister or step-mom would like one of those. Plus, they have some nice fans which they or my other step-mom Jane might like. I also have to get one of those Medieval Times magnets for the grab bag. They also got some more daiquiri glasses in. I think those would be great for drinking smoothies in. Supposedly, they can hold over 40 ounces of your favorite drink! What could I get my brother Hank? Maybe an autographed picture from Princess Esperanza. He's a serious playboy and loves the babes. Princess Esperanza is a very nice looking lady so he might get a kick out of that. I don't know what I could get my Dad. He's not into swords. I'll have to look around some more for him. For myself, I want one of the adult wooden swords. They're pretty neat looking. That should be enough for now. I don't want to spend a whole paycheck there though it would be easily enough to do. Stay tuned for more updates on Medieval Times.

P.S.

For those who are hard of hearing or deaf, The Baltimore (Arundel Mills Mall) Medieval Times will be doing a special show in April where they'll have someone signing so those who understand sign language will be able to know what the actors and actresses are saying in the show. These special shows are done once a quarter. If you'd like to know the specific date, please leave me a comment, I'll find out the date, and post it.

Market Day at SHARE

I got to help out at Market Day at the Washington D.C. SHARE. If you haven't read my previous posts on SHARE, market day is where SHARE tries to sell the surplus bits from previous monthly specials. One noteworthy example were Thanksgiving turkeys. SHARE was selling young turkeys weighing between 7 and 8 pounds for just $6! I don't cook but, I couldn't pass up a bargain like that so I bought one as a small gift for Tami's family. I also some frozen vegetables. They were selling 2-pound bags of mixed frozen vegetables for $1. They were also selling two 12-ounce packages of bacon for $3.50. I don't know if that was the greatest bargain but I haven't had bacon in a while and so I bought some.

SHARE also came out with some new SHARE clothes. The item that particularly caught my eye was a 3-season coat. The coat has a fleece liner, zippered pockets, a hidden breast pocket, and other handy features (ok, I don't remember what the other features were). It also has the SHARE logo on it. I've been wanting something that makes me look like one of the "official" SHARE folks and this coat/jacket fits the bill. The coat sells for $48. I plan to buy mine tomorrow.

One last item concerning SHARE, early next month the Washington D.C. SHARE will be celebrating its 16th anniversary. They plan to honor the volunteers who have played such an important part in helping SHARE function. If you've helped out, you might want to come out and join the celebration. It should be a fun time.

A Long Day

I had a long day yesterday. I got to help out at SHARE and then worked seven hours at Medieval Times. It was neat to help out at SHARE. Sadly, I haven't been able to help out there as much as I use to. I've been busy with work and school. Yesterday was distribution Saturday and it was hectic at SHARE. People came in steadily till at least 9 a.m. I got busy retrieving carts and moving food with one of the manual jacks SHARE has. I also picked up a ham I bought from SHARE. SHARE was offering an 8 to 9 pound pre-cooked spiral cut ham for $20. As far as I know, that's a really good deal. I also bought one of the hams before and I was very pleased with it. In regards to helping more at SHARE, I should be able to now that my first college writing assignment is done. I hope I can get down there tomorrow and help out with Market Day.

In regards to Medieval Times, it is never a dull moment there. We had TWO sold out shows so we were very busy and very packed. I got assigned to watching one of the entrances and that meant I was the primary person a lot of folks went to with questions. I have a confirmation number, will that get me in? No it won't, you have to go to the ticket window, pick up your tickets, and then go through the tower to get your seating assignment. We're going to wait for some friends of ours and then get our seating assignments. The best option is to get your seating assignments now since seating is FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE. You'll get better seats for yourself AND your friends if you go through the line NOW. Which are the best seats at Medieval Times? The best seats are in the Red and Yellow and Black and White sections. These are equivalent to the 50 yard line at football games. How long does the show last? The show and dinner last 2 hours. Can people leave Medieval Times once they have their seating assignments? Yes they can. Just make sure you have your plastic seating card so they security person will let you back in. Also, please make sure you get back before they start seating people so you don't miss any of the show. FYI, you won't lose your seats once you have your seating assignment card BUT you are paying good money to see the show. Wouldn't you want to see the WHOLE show since you paid for it? When will they let people into the arena so they can sit at their table? The Lord Chancellor will direct people to the two sets of double doors 15 minutes before the show is supposed to start. People will start entering the arena 10 minutes before the show is suppose to start. If you go the right set of double doors, the first group that will be called are those sitting in the Green section, followed by the Red and Yellow section, and lastly, the Blue Section. Those going through the left set of double doors will be seated in the following order, Red Section first, Black and White Section second, and lastly, the Yellow Section. Why does Medieval Times seat people that way? Because it is the best way to seat people. The people in the Red and Green Sections are the ones sitting in the arena farthest from the doors so it makes sense to get them in first. The people in the Blue and Yellow Sections are the ones sitting closest to the doors so it makes sense seating them last. After many years doing this, Medieval Times has their system down pat.

Concerning things Medieval Times can do for special occasions, Medieval Times has a number of things they can do for special occasions. The cheapest is an announcement during the show for $10 (not including tax). After that, it depends on how fancy you want to get. For $20 (not including tax), you can get knighted. What you get for being knighted is a picture of King Alfonso knighting you (you kneel on the royal cushion, wear the knighting cloak, and are dubbed a knight by King Alfonso with the royal sword), a scroll saying you were knighted, and having it announced during the show. It's a nice ceremony and I've done it myself. Depending on how much money you want to spend, you can also get a sword included with your knighting or a faux pearl tiara if your a lady being knighted. (I have a sword and scabbard from mine.) Medieval Times can provide birthday cakes for an additional charge. There isn't any problem if you want to bring your own cake which they will gladly cut and serve to the members of your group during the meal. The person to see if you're interested in being knighted or having someone knighted is the scroll mistress. Her desk is close to the bar (at the Arundel Mills Medieval Times, I have no idea where the scroll mistress may be located at other Medieval Times) and has the swords, princess hats, and tiaras they offer for the knighting ceremony.

Another important note, if you use a wheelchair, walker, or cane, Medieval Times can pre-seat you. I deal with this myself. One of my main jobs before a show starts is to look for and sign up people for pre-seating. What pre-seating is, is letting those people who have to use a wheelchair, walker, or cane to enter the arena and be seated before everyone else. It gives them a little more time to get to their seat and keeps them from being rushed by the rest of the guests. If you use a wheelchair, walker, or cane, I strongly recommend you take advantage of this service. It will really makes things easier for you. There is one catch with this service, we try to limit the size of the group we'll pre-seat to ten people. Once you have your seating cards, you will get to sit together so it isn't crucial everyone in your group be seated at the same time.

Concerning the meal, the meal is standardized. It is a bowl of soup, a piece of garlic bread, half a roasted chicken, half a baked potato, one spare rib, a pastry or piece of cake, and two glasses (I believe) of unsweetened ice tea or diet Pepsi. Coffee is provided free of charge at the end of the meal. All other drinks must be bought from the bar. There are other special dietary meals available such as the vegetarian plate and Kosher plate. These have to be requested in advance so the kitchen has sufficient time to prepare them. No dining utensils are provided for eating the food. All food is eaten with your fingers or in the case of the soup slurped. You can however request dining utensils from your serving wench or serf.

One last item, which shows are more prone to sell out? Survey says (stolen from the show Family Feud) Saturdays hands down. Wednesdays appear to be our least busy. Medieval Times offers matinee shows and will be offering some special shows for the hearing impaired. I have no idea what the hearing impaired shows are like as I haven't worked one of those yet.

One disclaimer, all comments posted in this blog are my own and are not the official opinions or judgements of the Arundel Mills Medieval Times, other Medieval times locations, or the Medieval Times parent organization. All information is accurate as far as I know but do consider I'm still learning and so it is possible I got it wrong. If the matter is important to you, I would check with the appropriate Medieval Times to make sure what I've said is correct. I will post corrections when I find out I've posted something that was wrong. If you know that something I've posted is wrong, PLEASE post a comment so I can post a correction. I do try to be as accurate as possible.

My Life

I can't say my life has been very exciting lately. I continue to work at Medieval Times. I'm still learning things there like what light switches affect which lights in the castle. I also continue to find it a real challenge dealing with the customers. Hopefully, I've gotten more would be customers interested in Medieval Times than I've turned off. I really do think it's a neat place.

I also continue to slog away at the college class I'm taking. I finished two essays today that were due. I don't know if they were very good but I was pleased that I turned them in on time. I've failed classes because I couldn't get off my lazy butt and get the assignments done. It would be awesome of I could pass the class I'm taking. I'd be just 12 credit hours away from finishing my Bachelor's degree. We'll see.

I bought some more movies on DVD at Sam's Club. I found that Sam's Club offers some nice deals on movies that have been out a while. I was able to get The Music Man for just $8.24. I also found out that Circuit City doesn't offer as good a deal. I checked some of the DVDs there and they wanted $15 plus.

Lastly, I finally got off my duff and mailed my tax stuff to a CPA I use. I figured it was time I got my taxes done. I'm glad I don't have to figure out what they're going to be this year. I've changed my state of residence, I've retired, and I've worked for two different employers besides the Air Force. I don't envy the CPA I'll be using.

Postal Service Exam

I received the results from the U.S. Postal Service exam I took over three weeks ago. To my disappointment, I scored 82.7. I'd hoped to score higher though I did get a passing score. According to my sister Ellie, my name now goes on a list and I'll get called once the Post Office gets down to my score. Considering how I scored, that could be a while. Oh well. To be completely honest, I'm more concerned about another test I took a couple weeks ago. If I pass that test, I'll get to go into the Air Force Reserve and return to my old job. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I passed that test. We'll see.

Updated Sealing Wax

I've discovered a better way of using sealing wax on letters. I found out there is a thing called a melting spoon. While a melting spoon doesn't look like a spoon, it handles like one and enables a person to melt enough sealing wax to do just one or two seals. The biggest advantage of using a melting spoon is that you don't have any sealing wax that is on fire dropping on to your letter. What you do is place enough sealing wax into the small metal cup at the end of the spoon. You then hold the cup over a candle or lighter until the wax melts in the metal cup. Once the wax is melted, you pour the wax onto your letter, and then press whatever seal you're going to use into the hot wax. Since no flame makes direct contact with the wax, there isn't any way for it to catch on fire and possibly set your letter on fire. This is obviously a huge advantage over using sealing wax sticks that have wicks in them. I've used sealing wax sticks with wicks and I've had letters catch on fire at least two or three times because of them.

Another advantage of using a melting spoon is that you can use sealing wax beads. The beads are cheaper per seal then sealing wax sticks. Using LetterSeals.com's sealing wax beads, the cost of a wax seal is just 8 cents vice 35 cents using sealing wax sticks.

The one disadvantage with a melting spoon is trying to buy one. I searched for one and finally found one as part of a set sold by bridal people.com (I've removed the link here). The set costs $32.25 not including shipping. (THIS OFFER IS NO LONGER VALID.) The set comes with a melting spoon, a packet of red sealing wax beads, a stick of silver sealing wax, a small portable burner so you can have something to melt the wax in your melting spoon while your travelling, and three seals (a fleur-de-lis, a fish, and an anchor). Considering that a seal alone can cost you over $8 each, the set is a good value. Still, I do wish I could buy the melting spoon separately.

Updated December 24, 2012

Since people are reading this blog entry, I decided to check it and see if it needed updating. It did. First, as far as I can tell, the bridal people web site I posted no longer sells the set I mention. Second, you can buy a sealing wax melting spoon by itself from www.letterseals.com for $12.50 plus shipping. You will need something to heat the spoon so the wax will melt. I use a small alcohol burner which does a fine job of heating the spoon. Lastly, as an fyi, if you mail a letter with a wax seal on it, you will have to put an extra 17 cents postage on it if mailed in the United States. I believe the reason for it is because it increases the WIDTH of the letter or invitation and, U.S. Postal Service does charge extra for wide/thick letters. I remember my step-mother Kay getting hit with a postage due notice from the postal service because I'd put a wax seal on the letter I mailed her. Also, you may want to put an extra sheet of paper around your letter in the envelope so, you're letter doesn't get messed up where the seal is put. I believe the wax can cause writing on the letter in the envelope to smear like it would if you accidentally poured some kind of liquid on the letter.

Disgusted with Northwest Airlines

I got an a weekly Northwest Airlines promotion email today and found out about a new deal they're offering. Northwest is going to start a test product program where they reserve 5% of the aisle and exit row seats in economy and sell them for an extra $15 each. So you get to pay to fly economy and then pay again to get a good seat in economy. Is this disgusting? I couldn't believe they would do such a revolting double squeeze on their passengers. I definitely don't plan on paying them an additional $15 each way just to get a better normal economy seat. For that matter, I may start trying to fly Southwest Airlines more often. One nice thing about Southwest is that if you check-in early, you can sit all the way in the front of the plane for no extra charge. I also suspect they're cheaper too. Northwest Airlines should dump this test program immediately! The airlines are already shortchanging customers enough.

Book Review - The Grapes of Wrath

I finished reading The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck yesterday. I had to read it for the college class I'm taking. The novel has become the story that has defined the Depression Era in the United States. No other novel has taken root in the American consciousness about that time like The Grapes of Wrath. The reasons may be many. It is a story about survival. The Joad family have to battle the elements on the exodus to California. Once they arrive, they have to deal with hostility from native Californians, greedy large landownders and corporations, starvation, and appalling living conditions. The novel also vividly depicts just how hard life was during the Depression. My step-mom had relatives who lived during that time and according to them, Steinbeck was smack on in his telling of how hard life was during that time. Another reason why the novel has defined the era is because it shows how the migrant families fit into the big picture of what was happening in the United States at the time. Ultimately, whatever the reason, the novel has defined the era like F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby defined the Roaring 20's.

The book itself is wonderfully written and is an easy read. My only complaint with the book is that it is so unbelievably sad. One disaster after another befalls the Joad family. They and other migrants are taken advantage of by greedy large landowners and companies who use them to make themselves rich. The books begs for justice for these suffering people. If you hate seeing people taken advantage of, you're not going to want to read this book. For myself, I didn't care to read the novel because some of the things in it hit a little close to home. I've had to deal with recruiters from various companies and like some of the agents in the novel who look for workers, the recruiters haven't been the most honest folks. Another item I discovered about the novel is that it isn't accurate or in some cases historically true. Keith Windschuttle wrote an essay called "Steinbeck's myth on the Okies." http://www.newcriterion.com/archive/20/jun02/steinbeck.htm. This essay shows that the number of Okies who migrate to California were not the number Steinbeck claims. It also shows that the Joad family would've been the extraordinary exception of those migrating. According to Windschuttle, the average size family that made the journey was approximately 4.4 members. Also, sharecroppers were far more prone to move than what Steinbeck shows. Overall, the novel can't be taken as historical fact.

Still, the novel does show how hard life could be during this great era in U.S. history. In that regard, the reader might find it an interesting read. Overall, I would say it is a great novel though one I wouldn't care to read. It is simply too depressing. I like to read more cheerful or escapist stuff. I can't recommend this novel unless you want to read something about the Great Depression in the U.S. Then, I would recommend the novel as long as you don't take it for historical fact. There is much that isn't true or is exaggerated in the novel. Also, Steinbeck was heavily influenced at the time he wrote the novel by his marriage to Carol Henning who was a Marxist as well as other Communist friends. Steinbeck talks about a future uprising in the novel. This was wishful thinking of those in the Communist movement of the time. As long as you take the inaccuracies that Windschuttle mentions, the novel will give you an idea of hard the Depression era was for people in the U.S.

Lord of the Rings

First, if you are interesting in buying one of the Lord of the Rings swords or axes, you might want to do so quickly. For unknown reasons, United Cutlery is apparently stopping production of most of the blades. I think this royally stinks as these blades are some of the finest and most beautiful that have been produced in some time. I've seen other swords at various blade shops and they look like the crap. The Lord of the Rings blades have been consistently excellent. If you want a nice decorative sword that doesn't look kitchshe, you might want to get one of the Lord of the Rings blades before they're sold out.

Second, if you haven't heard, the Lord of the Rings musical has opened in Toronto, Canada. As far as I know, it has been well recieved. I still wonder how they could do a musical based on the books in 3 and a half hours. Maybe, I'll be able to get up to Toronto sometime to find out.

Third, no word on New Line and Sony doing a deal so "The Hobbit" can be made. Peter Jackson reportedly is willing though I haven't heard how his lawsuit was going with New Line which also might affect whether or not he gets to make the movie. I'm still hoping the two studios can get off their greedy butts and do a deal so we can see "The Hobbit" made into a movie vice the cartoon that was done previously (mind you the cartoon version was outstanding in my opinion).

I Got A Job!

I finally have a job that barring any unforeseen circumstances, I should be able to keep as long as I want. As I mentioned in earlier posts, I've been transitioning from military to civilian life. It has been one rough ride. There have been so many jobs that I thought I was going to get only to see them fall through. I finally got a job with the Arundel Mills Medieval Times which should be reliable and steady. What do I do at Medieval Times? I provide security. I make sure no one gets one in who doesn't have a ticket. I help pre-seat people. I make sure no one tries to through anything into the arena during the show. I make sure people don't bang the plates and cups together or against the table. I also make sure the food servers stay out of certain areas when certain events are taking place. I notify management if someone drinks one too many mugs of beer or glasses of wine. Lastly, I answer lots of questions from customers. That has been the most challenging part as I've had to learn a LOT about Medieval Times in order to answer their questions. In cases where I don't know the answer, I have to find the person who does know the answer. Medieval Times is very customer oriented and one of the most important things I do is help customers. I've found that really surprising as it isn't something you'd normally associate with security. The job has been neat in that I've gotten to interact with the people who play the King, Princess, Lord Chancellor, and Knight Marshal. I've gotten to see how things are behind the scenes. It is fascinating to see how the show is put together. Finally, it has been neat to see how much the kids that come to Medieval Times enjoy it. The little girls who dress up as princesses look incredibly cute. The little boys with their toy swords remind me when I was a kid and dreamed of being a knight. Sometimes, adults will dress the part too. One guy who inquired about working at Medieval Times looked the part already. My only disappointment of sorts is that I don't get to wear a costume. I can't in order to do my job. People have to have to take me seriously and they might not if I was in costume. Oh well. Barring that, the job has been a lot of fun and I look forward to continuing to work at Medieval Times. It is a neat place. If you like jousting, a nice story, and good food you can eat with your fingers or slurp out of the bowl, you might want to check it out. The eight Medieval Times locations (with a ninth opening in the Atlanta area in the summer of 2006) can be found at their website: www.medievaltimes.com.

Speech by President Bush

Last Wednesday as I mentioned in my blog on the Asia Society, I got to hear President Bush speak. President Bush's staff had apparently asked the Society if they would welcome him speaking on India and Pakistan before he left for his trip to those two countries. The Society gladly accepted and quickly made arrangements for the speech. It was held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington D.C. The hotel is a very posh hotel and is located close to the Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument.

Bush's speech was informative. He stated how important India and Pakistan are. He told about some of the things he planned to discuss with each of its leaders. He planned to further cooperation between India and the U.S. in matters of terrorism, promoting democracy, free trade, the environment, and energy. Bush urged India to allow international scrutiny of its civilian nuclear program. He also argued that a prospering India is good for the U.S. economy. He acknowledged that the U.S. had lost jobs to India in the service industries such as computer support help lines. But, he felt the U.S. should be preparing U.S. workers for jobs in the 21st century vice advocating protectionism. He also planned to talk with Indian Prime Minister Singh about Acquired Immunity Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and a nuclear Iran.

In regards to Pakistan, Bush acknowledged the great risk Pakistani President Musharraf took in aligning his country with the U.S. in the war against terrorism. President Bush wants to build on the friendship between the U.S. and Pakistan and make it a lasting friendship. He plans to continue to work with Pakistan on the issues of terrorism, democracy, a free press, and building civil institutions. Bush pointedly mentioned that the U.S. very much wants to see legitimate elections in Pakistan next year. Bush also plans to do what he can to help Pakistan become more prosperous. He feels that by making Pakistan a more prosperous country, it will reduce the appeal of radical Islam. He also intends to continue work in education including the education of girls and women in Pakistan.

Concerning the speech itself, Bush did stumble on some of the technical terms he used in his speech. Some people may say this show Bush's lack of brain power. I don't see it that way. I think the terms would've been hard to say smoothly in any speech. Some plusses I saw in Bush's speech was the very honest upfront down to earth man that was giving it. There was no mistaking that Bush is from Texas and Texas isn't slick and high falutin. It is a down to earth state that is also honest and hard working. Texas is also no nonsense. If a Texan says he or she believes in something, they do. If they say they're going to do something, they do it. If they promise to do something, they'll do their best to keep their promise. All these traits show in Bush. I personally found it exciting to get to hear his speech and see him only 20 feet away. I hope I get another chance to hear him speak.

Asia Society

Last Wednesday, I got to hear President Bush speak at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington D.C. The speech was part of the Asia Society's 50th Anniversary celebrations. The Asia Society is a non-profit organization society founded by John Rockefeller III in 1956 to increase understanding between the people in Asia and in the U.S. It also works to strengthen relationships between these countries and the U.S. Ever since its founding, it has been growing. It's now an international organization with its headquarters in New York City. It has regional branches in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Melbourne, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Manila. It'll open a new branch in Mumbai, India on March 18th. It offers speeches by various important Asian, U.S. officials, and educators on Asia, art exhibits, classes on various aspects of Asian culture, and education programs. It is a multi-faceted organization. Their website can be found at www.asiasociety.org. Membership rates start at $35 a year for students. If you're interested in Asia and its people, it is an organization you might want to consider joining.

Book Review - The Last Battle

With great sadness, I read the last book of the Chronicles of Narnia. I've enjoyed the series enormously. The Last Battle which is the final book in the series was another outstanding book. It tells of the last King of Narnia Tirian and how he and Narnia are betrayed by an evil scheming talking ape called Shift. Shift gets a donkey friend of his called Puzzle to don a lion skin and impersonate Aslan, the great lion. Shift uses the Puzzle as the fake Aslan to gain the support of numerous talking beasts. He also uses the fake Aslan to gain power in Narnia which he subsequently betrays to the Calormen, a Persian like empire that borders Archenland and Narnia. Tirian discovers Shifts treachery but is unable to save Narnia. He and a few supporters fight the Calormen and animals supporting Shift in one last battle. At the same time, Shift and the Calormen called upon Tash and to their surprise Tash answers! Tash is the God the Calormen worship and is in fact a demon with the head of bird, four arms ending in claws, and a very deadly presence. If that isn't enough, Aslan also appears and saves Tirian as well as Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole who are sent to Tirian's aid. Ultimately, Tirian loses the last battle but, Aslan causes the world of Narnia to be destroyed. In an allegory to Christian doctrine, every animal and being has to go before Aslan. If the animal or being loved Aslan, he or she goes to the "real" Narnia (the one all the kids have adventures in is a shadow of the "real" Narnia). If they don't love Aslan, they are sent to the land of Tash the Demon where they undoubtedly suffer terribly. Christian doctrine says that at the last judgement, every person, both believer and unbeliever will come before Jesus Christ and be judged. If they accepted Jesus Christ as their saviour, they will join Jesus Christ in heaven forever. If they rejected him, they are cast into the lake of fire with the evil one and his fallen angels. You can see the similarity. Like those who go to heaven, all those who go to Aslan's land know perfect contentment and can never sin again. In the "real" Narnia, life will be many times better than it ever was in the "shadow" Narnia. This is like how it supposedly will be in heaven.

In a touching ending, all the kids who played such key parts in Narnia come back except for Susan Pevensie who it seems can't be bothered with childish Narnia. She has more important things like lipstick, pantyhose, and staying forever 25. The other kids know what is important and do what they can for Narnia. Because of this, they get to return to the "real" Narnia forever where they will be with their Narnian friends. It's a beautiful ending to a wonderful series.

Overall, the book is excellent as is the whole Narnia series. My only complaint is I wish C. S. Lewis had written more of them. I've truly enjoyed the books. I would heartily recommend them to anyone. I would give one bit of advice. I would recommend you buy the books in a set as you could save some serious money. I bought the entire series at Sam's Club for $28. Separately, the books would've cost $7 each or $49 total not including tax. My set came with a box too which makes it easier to keep them all together. While the books are meant for kids, I think adults can enjoy them too. They are wonderful fantasy with great messages about faith, courage, love, redemption, and friendship. I can't wait for Disney to do the movies based on the books. As long as Disney stays true to the books, the movies should be a great success. Just a reminder, it will be in April that the first Narnia movie will be released on DVD. Please check my earlier blog on this for the exact date. Cheers!

Guns N' Roses

One rock group that erupted on the scene, got some mega hits, and then self destructed was Guns N' Roses. For years, they remained apart and I personally believed they were finished. Apparently, that isn't the case. I found out on www.contactmusic.com that Guns N' Roses will be coming out with their first album in 13 years in March. I haven't heard any previews of the songs on the album yet so we'll have to see if it ends up being any good. Still, it is something to keep an eye out for.

Snow

We got a bit of snow in Maryland last night. When I awoke (probably around 5 a.m.), the power was out and everything outside was covered in the white stuff. I got dressed, went outside, dug in the snow, and guesstimated that we received between 5 and 6 inches of snow. Later, I dug my car out and cleared away the snow around Tami's parent's car. Around noon, the power came back on thankfully. According to Baltimore Gas & Electric's website, over 56,000 people in Anne Arundel county were at one point without power. I can only guess that a major power line went down some where. Right now, it looks very pretty outside. Who knows how long it'll last though. It can be freezing one week in Maryland and in the 60's two weeks later. Hopefully, this will be winter's last hurrah. If that is the case, I'll count my blessings as I think we've had a very mild winter this year.

Book Review - The Silver Chair

I finished the sixth book of the Chronicles of Narnia called The Silver Chair. I found it outstanding like the rest of the books in the chronicles. The story introduces us to Eustace Scrubb who in his desire to escape his terrible school returns to Narnia for a new adventure. His classmate Jill Pole comes along and is introduced to Narnia and becomes one of the key heroes in the story. The two find out that King Caspian's son Prince Rilian has been missing a number of years. Aslan gives them four signs to watch out for and assigns them the task of finding the missing prince. Along the way, the two will meet a marsh-wiggle named Puddleglum who will join them on their quest. They'll discover bad giants eat humans and narrowly escape the giants whose clutches they unwittingly walked into. The meet a people called Gnomes who are under the spell of a witch. And finally, they meet Prince Rilian though they don't know it initially. At first, they think the knight who is in fact Prince Rilian is a total prick but, it turns out the prince is worthy of his great father King Caspian (the same Caspian we meet in Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader). It is here that they are confronted with the fourth sign that Aslan told them to watch for. The three adventurers messed up on the previous three signs. They are determined no matter what, they won't mess up on the fourth. Unknowingly, they help free the prince of the witch's spell and end up doing battle with her. Ultimately they triumph and foil the witch's plans to takeover Narnia. Sadly, Prince Rilian returns in time to say a few last words to his dying father. Eustace and Jill depart with Aslan to Aslan's mountains where they see the dead King Caspian. It is there that we get to see references to Jesus Christ. Aslan tells Eustace to pick a thorn from a bush nearby. Those who remember Christ, remember he was crowned with a crown of thorns. Aslan has Eustace pierce one of his paws with the thorn and then allows a single drop of his blood to touch the dead King Caspian. Caspian comes back to life and is made young again. This is another reference to Christ as it is through his blood that we can be given eternal life like Caspian if we believe in Christ. Caspian will now remain forever young in Aslan's land. Eustace and Jill expect to stay there too but Aslan says now is not the time. Caspian asks Aslan if he may visit Eustace and Jill's world and Aslan permits him too for 5 earth minutes. Here, there is another reference to Christianity for Aslan tells Caspian he can't think anything evil anymore. Christian doctrine teaches that once we who believe in Christ die, we are freed forever from our sin nature and will sin no more. The entire group summarily returns to Eustace and Jill's school where Aslan and Caspian help them defeat the school bullies. Aslan and Caspian return to Aslan's realm but the adventures of Eustace and Jill in Narnia aren't over. They'll be called back one last time in the last book in the chronicles called The Last Battle.

Overall, the book is excellent with plenty of ups and downs. I think this book will make a great movie too and I hope the Disney folks will turn it into one. My only regret with the book is there is only one more book in the Chronicles series. I wish C. S. Lewis had written more of them. Stay tuned for my book review on The Last Battle.

Book Review - The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

I finished the fifth book of the Chronicles of Narnia series today. The fifth book is called The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The book brings back Edmund and Lucy and a new character Eustace Scrubb. Eustace is a cousin of Edmund's and Lucy's whom they happen to be visiting. At the beginning of the story, Eustace is a total prick but through various adventures and misadventures Eustace will change like Edmund did and become a decent kid. The story also brings back Caspian who is now King and is off on an expedition to find seven lords who were "encouraged" to leave Narnia by Caspian's usurping Uncle Miraz. The voyage has a number of adventures before reaching the edge of the world. Narnia unlike our world is flat and eventually they nearly reach the land where Aslan and his father the Emperor live. Here Lucy, Edmund, Eustace, and the mouse knight Reepicheep will leave the ship and successfully reach the land where Aslan lives. Here, we will again see clear references to Christianity. Aslan appears to the Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace as a lamb. Aslan tells them that on their world (earth) he is known by another name. He also tells Lucy and Edmund that from now on, they will have to get to know him by that name and that they won't be allowed to return to Narnia any more. It seems they have gotten too old. The book also shows another reference to Christianity when Aslan provides lots of fish for the children to eat. One interesting point Aslan brings up is that Aslan and the land he lives in can be reached from all worlds. It is interesting to ponder that there might be other worlds and races that also know Jesus Christ. One final note, Aslan also reveals to the children that the reason he allowed Lucy and Edmund to return to Narnia was so they would get to know him better. This same reason may be why C.S. Lewis wrote the books in the first place. The books have been a wonderful way to teach various Christian themes and doctrines.

Overall, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is another outstanding book in the series. It sends a number of good messages about greed, fear, friendship, and redemption to kids. Adults however can also enjoy the book. After finishing this book, I couldn't wait to read the next one The Silver Chair. Stay tuned for the future review on that book. Cheers!

Book Review - The Big Sea

The latest book I had to read for the college class I'm taking is Langston Hughes' The Big Sea. The book is an autobiography that tells of Hughes life up to 1930 or so. It is interesting autobiography because it is more than a tale of Hughes' life, it is a window into Harlem's heyday and of Paris in the 1920's when it was the city to live in for writers and other artists. Hughes own life is sad as at an early age, his parents divorced. His mother who at one time left him with his grandmother and then a beloved Uncle and Aunt would move around a lot in search of a better job or a better place to live. It was a hard life for a young kid. It was made worse because Hughes was black. The racism prevalent during that time was terrible. Many jobs were closed to Americans of African descent. The attitudes of some of the southerners Hughes talks about are shockingly sad. At one point in Hughes' life, he teaches english in Mexico. His replacement is a lady from Arkansas who can't get to grips with the fact that her predecessor who is a black man was capable of teaching classes in English  Amazingly too with all the terrible racism, Hughes keeps a positive outlook and shows no sign of bitterness in the book even when he is beaten by a gang of white kids because he went into a neighborhood they felt he didn't belong in. It's an incredible story.

Overall, I found the autobiography excellent. Hughes lived an incredible life. He was a man who was determined that African-Americans should receive the same rights as white Americans. The story tells of how he worked for that end. The college that Hughes went to was a school whose goal was to teach future African-American leaders. Yet, when Hughes went to the college, the school didn't have a single African-American professor, trustee, or member of the board. Hughes did a study that showed how the school was failing instill confidence in the students by its whites only policy. Within 10 years of Hughes study, the college would have African-American professors and trustees. Hughes attitude in the face of incredible racism is also inspiring. He never let the racists get him down. And, as he says at the end of the autobiography, he continued to keep plugging away at his writing and for his fellow African-Americans whom he loved. I would heartily recommend this book to anyone.

Sprint's PCS Connection Cards

First, before I get started let me state that the following opinions are my own and are in no way influenced by Sprint. Sprint also hasn't paid me any kind of remuneration for my endorsement of their PCS connection cards.

One service I use that Sprint offers is their internet service using one of their PCS connection cards on my laptop computer. What a PCS connection card is basically a cell phone made for a computer that can enable it to access the internet via Sprint's cellular phone network. The big plus of these cards is that any where in the U.S. where you can pick up a Sprint cell phone signal, you can hook-up to the internet. For an internet junkie like myself, this can be priceless. I big time like to surf the web, get the latest news, and check my emails regularly. Thanks to Sprint's PCS connection card I can.

Sprint offers two of the cards. As far as I was able to determine, there wasn't any difference in capability. Both supposedly worked well. I ended up going with their Nokia card. Connection wise, the card enables you to hook-up to the internet at a minimum of 400 kbps with a top speed of 2 Mbps. This is equal to a broadband connection with the advantage that you can take it with you. The disadvantages is the price of the card and the cost of downloading. Even with a rebate, my new PCS connection card ended up costing over $100. I've heard you can get a cable modem for $25. Also, Sprint has various plans where you can decide how much you think you'll download off the internet. If you think you're going to use it LOTS like I do, you would be smart to get unlimited download though that will cost you either $60 a month with a 2-year agreement of $80 a month with a 1-year agreement. I think someone told me cable internet service would cost you $50 a month so you pay more for being mobile.

Realistically, the service is intended for the travelling business executive who needs to be able to access the internet any time they want while in the U.S. However, those who travel a lot may find the service handy. I like to take the train down to Richmond to see my friend Harvey or fly home to see my parents, and it's really nice to be to access the internet any time I want. The service also guarantees that I won't have any problem doing my college class assignments if I'm travelling. Lastly, the service can save you money. I remember staying at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. They wanted 50 cents a minute to access the internet on one of their computers in their business center. I've rarely been so glad I had my PCS connection card as I was then.

Overall, the service isn't for every body. It very much depends on how much you need to access the internet. Also, how much you travel would determine how much you would need the card and service. If you travel a fair amount and need to access the internet, the Sprint PCS connection card may be ideal for you. If you don't, it would be cheaper for you to use a cable modem service. One other consideration about the card. If you don't have cable service available, you might want to check into the card as it does enable you to have cable modem speed without having to get your yard dug up to install the cable modem. I personally very much enjoy the service. Whether it is right for you, only you can decide. It is in my opinion, an option worth considering.

Steelers Win Super Bowl XL

I watched the Super Bowl last night and it ended up being one nail-biting game. Seattle definitely came out to play and for a while it seemed only the Steeler's defense had bothered to show up for the game. The first four times the Steeler's had the ball, they couldn't escape their 20-yard zone. They looked hopelessly pathetic. Finally, the Steeler's offense did get going only to have Ben Roethisberger throw two interceptions including the one at seven and goal which left me speechless. I can't help but wonder if he even looked where he intended to throw the ball before he unloaded it. Still, the Steelers defense did its renowned job and Roethisberger managed to put enough points on the board to win the game. I've heard the officiating hurt the Seahawks but I think the Seahawks got some breaks too. I remember when their quarterback fumbled and the officials said he'd been hit by a Steeler and that some how negated the fumble. The Steeler managed to get one hand on his jersey as he was already going down. I don't consider that a hit. I will concede that a passing interference against Seattle which cost them a touchdown looked bogus. The push the Seattle player did on the Pittsburgh player had no effect on stopping the Pittsburgh player. Still, great teams overcome such calls and I thought Seattle would. I was absolutely amazed when their quarterback got intercepted down on the 4 or 5 yard line. That led to an incredible special play by Pittsburgh where one of their wide receivers threw a touchdown pass. It was a play to remember.

Overall, it was a good Super Bowl. The first half wasn't terribly exciting but the second half was. Many kudos to Seattle, they played a great game and in my opinion they had the better offense. Lastly, many thanks to Jerome Bettis for the memories. He's a class act. I know Pittsburgh will miss him.

Book Review

The latest book I had to read for the college class I'm taking was Willa Cather's My Antonia. The book tells of two children who arrive in late 1800's Nebraska. One is a recently orphaned boy and the other is an immigrant girl from Bohemia named Antonia. The two become friends. The story mainly focuses on Antonia through the eyes of the boy named Jim Burden. It tells of her life as well as the lives of immigrants that settled in Nebraska during that time. Their lives were very hard and the book doesn't try to hide that. It also shows something that was lost as more and more people moved off the land and into the towns and later cities. Jim will become extremely successful as a lawyer and yet he'll be unhappy with his wealth and success. Antonia will ultimately return to the land, get married, work very hard, and raise TEN kids. It would appear it isn't a life guaranteed to bring happiness and yet she does unlike Jim. Cather also shows her ability to paint pictures with words as she describes vividly life in Nebraska during those times.

Overall, the book is a beautiful tale of an incredible and indomitable woman. It also makes the reader wonder what has been lost in our more modern times. Lastly, it tells the important part immigrants played in the expansion of the U.S. and the richness they added to this country. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to read of a time past and lost as well as the people who helped this country grow during those times.

Book Review - Prince Caspian

I'd heard from a fellow blogger that Disney wants to make the book Prince Caspian the next Chronicles of Narnia movie. One reason supposedly why is because that way they could use the same kids from the first movie. It's a smart move in that way though I think it's a smart move in that book should crossover to the screen really well and follow The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe really well. The reason for this is because the kids return to Narnia a year later Earth time. In Narnia, it is clear that their time is very different from Earth time. The kids while waiting for the trains that will take them to school suddenly disappear and find themselves on unknown beach. They have no idea how they got there or why. They further discover that they're on an island. Then, they discover the remains of Cair Paravel. Cair Paravel was where they were crowned as the Kings and Queens of Narnia and where they lived for a number of years before they returned to Earth. It becomes clear that they've been gone a long time. They discover that years before, Narnia was invaded and conquered. The boy (Prince Caspian) who should be King has his throne usurped by his Uncle Miraz. Prince Caspian discovers the old Narnians i.e. the talking animals, dwarves, and centaurs and wants to help them. It is the prince that blows Susan's magical horn that causes the four Pevensey kids to be brought back to Narnia where they end helping put Prince Caspian on the throne of Narnia.

The story moves well and isn't too long. My only complaint with the book is it is the last of the Narnia books that has all four Pevensey kids in the Chronicles. Three of the kids do come back in the last of the books but still, it saddens me that this is the last book all of them will be in. I wish C.S. Lewis had written more Narnia stories with them in them. I think the book will crossover to the silver screen well and I suspect that is another reason why Disney chose it. It follows the first Narnia movie well, has lots of good action, and some nice plot twists. Overall, the book is excellent and I'd recommend it to readers of all ages. I hope the rumors that Disney will make this the next Narnia movie are true. If so, it should be an excellent movie.

Lord of the Rings

Recently, I discovered a feature on the extended versions of the Lord of the Rings films I didn't previously know about. When you put in the first of the film discs, instead of clicking on the movie, click on special effects. When that menu comes up, it offers special effects crew, someone else, and the cast, click on cast. What happens is that the movie starts playing and you get to hear the actors and actresses talk about the various scenes in the movie as they come up. It can be really interesting to hear their takes on the various scenes as well as their experiences when they were shooting the movies. This feature I believe is offered with each one of the extended versions of the films. It's pretty cool and it might be something you'd want to check out.

Book Review

I finished the third book in the Chronicles of Narnia yesterday. I continue to be extremely pleased with the books. They're really nice fantasy and yet, they also contain teaching about Jesus Christ. The third book is titled The Horse and His Boy. It is about a boy named Shasta who helps his poor fisherman father Arsheesh. It tells of his adventures when he meets a horse from Narnia who was horseknapped and sold in Calormen. The horse (Bree) talks and tells Shasta that a local lord plans to buy him. In order to avoid being sold by his father, he and the horse run away with the hope of reaching Narnia. Along the way, Shasta meets a young female runaway named Aravis who has left home because she is determined she won't marry a 60-year old man who becomes the Grand Vizier. She too has a talking horse that likewise had been horseknapped and sold in the empire of Calormen (a very Arabesque type empire). The party of four suffer various misadventures in the capital of Calormen. Shasta will discover and make friends of a prince of Archenland who happens to look just like him. Aravis will discover a plot that threatens Archenland and possibly Narnia. Later, the four get back together and do their best to foil the plot against Archenland. In the process, Shasta discovers that his true father is the King of Archenland. He helps foil the threat against Archenland through the help of Aslan. It is the meeting between Aslan that another allegory is drawn with Christ. Shasta moans about all his misfortune and Aslan shows that he wasn't misfortunate at all. Aslan shows that he repeatedly came to Shasta's aid when he was in grave peril. The allegory is about when Christ repeatedly comes to our aid during our darkest hours. I remember reading about a story of meeting between a man and Christ. The man looks along a beach and sees the walk of his life. At times, he sees two sets of foot prints and other times one. He notices that at the worst times in his life, there was only one set of foot prints. He remarks to Christ that Christ seemed to only be with him during the good times. Christ remarks that he was indeed with him during the good times BUT the reason there is only one set of foot prints during the man's hard times is because it was Christ who walked and carried the man. The story with Shasta is the same. It is a very touching story. Another interesting aspect of this book is that it is during the reigns of the Pevensy children after they defeated the Witch in the second book. We get to see Queen's Susan and Lucy and King Edmund. King Peter is mentioned in the story but plays no real part in the plot as he is off fighting evil giants in the north of Narnia.

The book is an easy read. It has only 241 pages. The storyline moves along well and never drags. Overall, the book is excellent. It should delight readers of all ages. I look forward to reading Prince Caspian which is the next book in the Chronicles of Narnia series.

Forklift Safety Training

I'm not someone who is mechanically inclined. I can operate machines after I've been shown how but I'm not someone who takes to them immediately. So it was with some trepidation that I signed up for a forklift safety training course at Alliance Material Handling Inc. I signed up for the course because I wanted to be able to operate the forklifts the Washington D.C. SHARE has. Until you take the course, you're not suppose to operate a forklift though some people still do. Forklifts are incredible machines. They can enable the operator to easily move thousands of pounds of material from one place to another. At SHARE, they enable the people there to move thousands of pounds of palletized food from and to trucks arriving at SHARE. They also enable them to easily move the palletized food between its five bays. However, forklifts can be potentially very dangerous machines. Because of the way they're built, they can become very unstable very quickly and topple over. They can also cause severe injury if someone is hit by either one of the prongs of the cab part of the forklift. Because of this, safety training is a must. The forklift operator learns why the forklift is prone to toppling over, how it can be prevented, that the forklift CAN'T be driven like a car (the dynamics of each are radically different), and what is the biggest cause of accidents (surprisingly operator inattentiveness). My instructor Bill Wisham was very thorough in explaining all these things. He really wanted to make sure we understood how important safety is when operating a forklift. He saw his main job as an instructor was to ensure that we'd be able to go home in one piece every day after operating a forklift. After explaining all the safety aspects of a forklift, we got to actually drive one. For me, it was a nerve wracking experience. Driving a forklift is enormously different from driving a car. The rear part of a forklift swings out widely and you have to take that into account. You also need to be able to see in front of you. Sometimes, a load can block your view. In that case, you have to drive the forklift in reverse and look behind you. You also have to be aware how the prongs are pointed. If you're going down hill and have the prongs pointed down, your load could slip right off the forklift! Another safety aspect is remembering to always put the prongs down on the ground when you're done moving something. That way, someone doesn't walk right into them.

I felt Mr. Wisham was a fantastic teacher. He worked to make the course fun while at the same time hitting on how to operate a forklift safely. I feel as long as I practice the things Mr. Wisham taught me, I should be able to operate a forklift safely. Now, all I need is practice. I plan to get that at SHARE under Sam's supervision. In time, I should become a proficient forklift operator and have one more way I can help out at SHARE.

SHARE - It's A Wrap!

Yesterday, I got to finish working an entire cycle at SHARE by helping them do inventory. It wasn't very hard work. All I had to do was pull everything out of the freezer, group like items together like all the chicken thighs, and then help Sam count all the items. What's left in the inventory and from next month's food packages will go on sale at February's market day (see previous post on this). Once all the remaining items were counted, I put all the frozen food back in the freezer. After that, I got to help with the disposal of the fresh produce SHARE had leftover. Due to health laws, SHARE can keep the produce only so long (I don't know how long). Usually, SHARE gets rid of the produce after market day. SHARE will donate the food to various church pantries and food banks so the food isn't wasted. Once all the produce is cleared out, I helped Sam set up the tables so volunteers can bag a new potato shipment when it arrives in two weeks. After the tables were set up, my part in the cycle was finished. For Sam and the other permanent staff, there will be time to work on various projects such as recruiting new customers for SHARE and finish determining what February's food package will be. It'll also give them time to take a breather before the cycle kicks in again and builds up to its peak on the distribution days.

It has been an interesting experience going through an entire cycle with SHARE. For someone who used to just bag potatoes on bagging Saturday, it has been an eye-opening experience to see how much more actually goes on at SHARE. It has also shown me how I can help SHARE in other ways such as showing new volunteers how things are done, help set things up for pre-staging, and preparing the bays for the distribution days. It has helped keep things exciting for me at SHARE. I can now do so many different jobs. Because of that, I look forward to doing more volunteer work at SHARE. I hope you the reader have found the SHARE posts informative. SHARE is an awesome program. Hopefully through these posts you might be persuaded to help out at the Washington D.C. SHARE if you live in that area or at a different one close to you if there is one. I feel certain any of the SHARE centers would appreciate your help. It doesn't take a lot of time and it can make a real difference for a lot of people. Cheers!