Results of Ruminations

I wanted to shoot this off ere I read one of the chapters in one of the new books I bought (don't laugh...too hard), The Undead and Philosophy: Chicken Soup for the Soulless . Okay, so it's a little bit gruesome, but you know what they say about judging a book by its cover. Also, this little book has a bit of a past with me: I am part of an intelligent and helpful writing group, the members of which spend a good deal of personal time shifting through my drivel and telling me that they like it. One member even takes time to peek in on this blog, which is probably indicative of a type of literary masochism. I don't know. Anyway, one of the authoresses of the group was/is writing a vampire novel (think Twilight for grown-ups...and better), and I noticed the aforementioned philosophy book at Borders. I flipped through it and laughed, thinking that Bekah could really benefit from some of the essays about vampires that the book has to offer. I put it down, told her about it, lau...

I want to do an essay on the Resident Evil series. Strike that: The Resident Evil video game series. The movies hold little interest to me, what with their enormous variation from the source material and sub-par zombie work--that and I've only seen the first movie. So I plan on doing that. Sometime. Soon, I hope. Especially with RE5 having just been beaten by me and my wife. Man, I have an awesome wife. Analysis soon--I think.

I had Thursday and Friday off from school this week. Thursday I went up to Gayle's school and did a sound demo on my guitar, then had a fun time preparing the kids for the coming zombie uprising of 2012. If you want more details, say so in a P.S. or something and I'll give you more. Anyway, Thursday was completely full from top to bottom (Thursday nights I have a writer's group that meets in Provo). Friday I was playing Rock Band 2 with Peter when the doorbell goes off. Not expecting anyone nor any packages, I was a bit surprised. A reactionary thought--"I wonder if it's the Jehovah's Witnesses?"--skipped through my mind. I was right. I didn't bash with them, though I thought some of their interpretations were more than just a little flawed and inconsistent. Instead, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and learn more about another religion--one which, admittedly, I had only learned about from other elders (not the best source for an unbiased...

Since many people on Facebook—and people in general (note: not many)—are curious to know a bit about me and my current life, I thought I would get the semi-detailed, I-hope-this-is-interesting-to-you-since-you-asked-about-it version of my life post-Florida. In fact, like a lot of returned missionaries, I see my return from the field as indicative of a major shift in my life. In quick sum: I graduated from Timpanogos High School in '01, took one year of classes at then-UVSC, went to Florida Ft. Lauderdale Spanish Speaking Mission, came home in '04, and married my high school girlfriend, Gayle, four and a half months later. Sweet. Okay, so that's the easy part of life. I spent some time working in hell a computer store where I learned quite a bit about computers. I wrote an entire novel called The Terra Campaign: Impetus while I was going to school, beat countless video games, listened to a lot of Rage Against the Machine, and generally enjoyed life. Then, for my 23rd birthd...

A good break Thanksgiving has come and gone. The pervasive stench (a delectable one, mind you) of turkey still seems to linger here and there, particularly at the parents' houses. We had an enjoyable time of it, what with the family from many sides here, in large part because of Grandpa's recent passing. The funeral was on the 22 nd , and a great many people stuck around for Thursday. It was really swell to see aunts, uncles, and cousins, though I admit that I am still slightly weirded-out by some of my relatives. But, hey, that's what family is for! The results of my recent ruminations run along several lines—as is often the case—insomuch that I am paralyzed by what I'm trying to express. The odds that this particular blog (still hate that word...so uncouth) will be brief are high. Apostasy and the darkness beyond That's a dreary subheading, isn't it? Well, it's typed. That makes it permanent, I suppose. And even if it doesn't, how am I supposed to ...

I still get a little teary-eyed when I mention how close we came to losing Peter. Twice. I was talking to a coworker in the hall today, after hearing good news that Peter's clubbed foot is doing just fine. I mentioned such that Peter was well and why we're happy for him today, which lead to a reference to the fact that I was glad the trip to Primary Children's Medical Center ended up being so fast easy, since there have been times when it wasn't. My coworker looked a little confused, so I asked if she knew of Peter's condition. She said no, so I briefly explained. She, curious science-type lady that she is, asked additional questions. The brief but colorful history of Peter was then related. During the part when I recalled the unknown future Gayle and I considered around two years ago, when we first realized the gravity of Peter's condition but knew nothing of what it might mean, that I may take my son for granted. We knew him not at that point, but wept to thin...

The entire purpose of this blog is for me to write when I want to write but don't know about what to write. Right? Right. Two things preoccupy me, the resulting clash of ideas being the reason for my blog's name and this particular blog's title: This is what comes of Steven Dowdle meditating. I can't tell if I irritate myself with the audacity of assuming that my thoughts are worthwhile, or if they simply irritate me because I have no audience to validate it. At least, with a blog, I can pretend that someone reads. So far, no one has. But enough wading through the pity pool; on to the preoccupations, both of which are related but come from different spheres. The first is my maternal grandfather, who is burning up with a fever at UVRMC in Provo right now, held in the cusp of life and death by the skilled nurses and doctors and surgeons who are trying to find out what is infecting him, and how to rectify the situation. The second is a line I just read from the incredibly ...