Then Your Friend Goes And Wins A Grammy...

The year was 1985, January. I moved from my home to Provo, Utah, to live for ten weeks at a missionary training center, known affectionately as the MTC. It's when and where I first met Lansing McLoskey. Sixteen months later he and I were paired up as missionaries in Copenhagen, Denmark.

I think I've seen him once since then.

But I've followed his career. In the age of digital stalking, you can follow almost anyone online. The fact that they're incredibly accomplished, makes it so much easier. Since Denmark, my friend's attended the most prestigious schools, become a professor of music, as well as one of the nation's leading experts on Danish classical music.

Oh, and he also designed his own longboard skateboard lines.

Before we met he was a punk rocker and surfer in California.

Now, he's a Grammy winner.

It's amazing how many people you meet when you've lived on the planet for more than half a century. Our connections scatter like leaves blown from a tree, each leaf travels its own path, taking it to destinations unknown. Lansing worked extremely hard to reach this point in his career and even if his work, Zealot Canticles hadn't won a Grammy, it would no less diminish his numerous accomplishments, nor would it stop all the amazing things that he has yet to do.

Well done, good sir! I bought your work and have been listening to its haunting melodies since I first heard the news. May this help inspire your next work and all those that follow. Well done.

Lansing, summer, 1986, Copenhagen, Denmark

Getting Ready For "The Big Game," And I'm Not Talking About Football...

Last night I had to pick up a few things for dinner. I hopped in the van, drove a mile or so to the grocery store, parked, then walked in. I was immediately hit with sights and smells letting me know something big was coming, something the store was prepared for, a shopping rush that required the entire entrance to be shuffled about and re-organized.

No, it wasn't in preparation for the big football game--that happened ten days ago. It was all to prepare for Valentine's Day.

You'd think every single person needed to buy something in that store the way it was laid out.

And, considering they know their store and its customers better than I do, they're probably right.

I can't remember if I disliked Valentine's Day more when I was single or after I got married, and since I've been married for more than a quarter century, it's hard to remember. I've softened on the "holiday" since--kind of an anti-"get out of my yard" attitude. I hated Valentine's Day because it was completely made up to sell stuff. It's like a worldwide holiday the same way The Bachelor is a reality TV show (don't get me started on The Bachelor--that's a whole other issue...). I hated the way they wanted people to buy stuff to show their love for others when people should be showing that love all the other days that aren't February 14 as well. Of course, we can't all buy stuff everyday, and that was my point. You shouldn't have to buy stuff to show someone how you feel.

In the past couple of years, I've had a change of heart (in keeping with the day's theme...). We don't buy presents or do too much for the day so it wasn't a matter of having to get something. I guess having a day set aside to let the most important people in your life know how you feel about them isn't bad. 

Still, the way the store was decked-out. You'd think you were in Denmark if the Danes ever played in the World Cup Finals (okay--nothing this country could come up with could top that...). 

Is it a "big game?" For some, perhaps. I picked up my bread and chips and didn't even think about buying any of the flowers, stuff animals, chocolates, or inflated balloons. If it's a game, I choose not to play. Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I mean, if you do that sort of thing.

If Steampunk's Your Thing...Check Out Our LTUE Panel Saturday!

In some ways, it seems like forever ago when I sat on my first panel, yet it was just under six years ago. The convention of my first panelist experience no longer exists--it died a few years ago. It's too bad...it was a good event. Since then I've been fortunate enough to be on many many panels covering a myriad of topics, but it's the first panel at the Salt City Steamfest when a group of us gathered to talk about publishing in the fascinating genre of steampunk that is special.

And so, this Saturday at the latest edition of the Life, Universe, and Everything (LTUE) Writing Symposium, I'll once again sit with fellow authors and discuss steampunk.

The title of this panel is: The Science and Culture of Steampunk. The short write-up of the panel is interesting as well. What if steam-powered technology had remained the principle means of energy, instead of being replaced by electricity and fossil fuels? That's a great panel question.

Through the years as I've sat on steampunk panels, people have asked, "What exactly is steampunk?" There's many definitions, mostly because there's many manifestations of steampunk. It's a literary genre. It's a fashion definition. It's an art form. It's an interior design style. And to a smaller degree, there's steampunk music. 

I like steampunk for several reasons. My first published work was a steampunk short. I also like its plucky enduring attitude. If you attend any fan-driven conference, you'll see Marvel and DC characters. You'll see Star Wars and Star Trek cosplayers. You'll see anime and your favorite cartoon characters en masse. You'll also see people dressed in steampunk. They're not the most prominent, but they're always there, being unique, letting everyone know how much they love steampunk.

If you're in Provo this weekend attending LTUE, come check us out. There's some amazing authors as panelists, and I'll be there, too.

What would life be like today had not electricity and then fossil fuels taken over to power the world?

That's a great panel question.

Resetting A Password...Vicious Circle

I thought it would be an easy thing to do--you know, you forget your password, a couple of clicks later, you're in. I noticed one of my e-mails was down and I needed to reset the password.

Not so fast.

I tried a couple of passwords I've used in the past--no luck. No problem, I thought. I'll just reset the password from the website. I went to the site and followed the instructions.

1: enter your e-mail address

Done

2: enter your password or click the FORGOT PASSWORD

Done

Then I get the following message:

Please check your email.

We sent an email to ____________, which contains a link to reset your password.

One little problem.

I CAN'T GET INTO MY EMAIL!

Seems I've stumbled upon a Catch-22 situation. Thankfully, my friend is going to help me get into my email so I can reset the password. Of course, once I'm in I'll have no need to reset it. Such is life and the complicated world of technology!

Sci-Fi On The Modern Stage...A LTUE Panel

I'm excited about this one. Of course, I'm excited about all the panels I'm fortunate enough to be a part of. Next Saturday, at the Life, the Universe, and Everything (LTUE) Writing Symposium I'll be part of the festivities. I'm on three panels. This is the first.

Earlier this week I sent an e-mail to a successful writer who is a screenwriter and a playwright. He's got experience writing science fiction and has written several plays. He offered some great suggestions as talking points for the panel.

I'm excited for the subject. It's untapped. The question is, "Why isn't there more science fiction-centered stories for the stage?" Fair question. Is it a technical question, and if so, will advancements in theatrical technology bring more sci-fi to the stage? Or is there just not enough interest? Of course, time will tell. Hopefully, we'll be able to flush out some theories and perhaps, some solutions.

Another reason I'm excited is because of the panelists. I've been on a panel with Aaron Johnston before. He's a bestselling author and screenwriter. I don't know Jonna Hayden or Katie Jarvis, but I've met Mary Kowal before. She's a successful fantasy writer and narrator with a previous career working in the theater.

These events are fun. It's a great way to meet new people, to get to know people better, and to discuss the creative process. If you're interested in this subject or any of the many other topics at this year's LTUE event, stop on by. You can see the entire schedule: HERE. Sci-Fi on the Modern Stage. Should be a fun one!

A Proclamation Through Clothing...

Tonight, before the clock stuck 7pm, I changed into my pajamas. This is not normal for me. Usually, I change into my pajamas right before I go to bed, but seeing as it's now just after 9pm, I did not go to bed after I changed. I had dinner with the family, wrote this blog post, and am watching Oceans Eleven (the 2001 version...) all in my sleeping attire. 

With the change I proclaimed to the world that I was done with running errands for the day.

This wasn't the grandest of proclamations, but it felt good just the same.

It was a long day, a day filled with errands. Before 8am I was running one of my children to an appointment. I picked them up later in the morning. Between 8am and 6pm, me, or me and my wife were in a car, driving to and fro. It was the final trip, the trip to pick up some last-minute supplies for dinner, that caused me to make such a drastic change in clothing.

I was tired of running around.

It's funny. Since I telecommute, people think (I know because they tell me...) that I work in my pajamas. I suppose I could, but nope. It's just not me. At work I do dress in jeans and t-shirts. Because it's winter I also wear a couple of other layers, but when things warm up, I'll be ditching the layers as well. 

For some, pajamas equal freedom. It means they're not required to interact with society, at least, not in a socially acceptable way. It means a lack of responsibility as well. For me, this evening, it meant I was done with running around and I used pajamas as my proclamation.

Realizing...No One In My Family's Had It Better

Years ago we bought a flat screen TV and stuck it on the wall in our bedroom. It wasn't the biggest TV and it wasn't the best one available. It was your basic JVC--I don't even know how big it is.

And, as things go, since we bought that TV my wife and I have found ourselves in stores where they sell TVs. Of course, there's the newest and greatest models--some at amazingly low prices. I wonder what it would be like to see a big game, or the latest movie on those things with the sharp picture and heavenly sound systems. If I rationalize hard enough, I can even justify the purchase.

But then I think...

Why?

The TV on my wall is better than any TV anyone in my family ever owned, not including my present family. I'm talking about all of my family that went before me. The first TV I remember our family having was one my father actually built. That's still an amazing thought to me. He ordered the kit from a company and built it. My dad would flip if he lived to see the day when a TV with a screen more than twice the size of the one he built could be lifted by one person and hung on a wall like a painting. That was science fiction stuff for him.

So, when I pass by those big boxes containing bigger and better TVs, there's absolutely no reason to buy them. The one we have still works great and it's better than any TV anyone ever had.

Today, as I looked across the street at my neighbor's car--a car he's thinking of getting rid of this spring--I wondered what it would be like to be able to afford a newer car. Then it hit me, the cars we have, the house I live in, the almost unbelievable live me and my family live is better than any cars, homes, living conditions of any of my family that lived before me. 

We live in a society where we're supposed to want more, and not only to want it, but to feel like crap if we can't get it. What a lie! We're more than what we own. We're more than where we work, or we should be. Realizing how amazing my life is is something I should do more often. I'd sure be a lot happier person if I could. I know past generations sure would be.