Next Archive - June 2004

Living in George Orwell's World

When I was growing up, there were two kinds of villains in the movies: the credible and the incredible. When the villain was a greedy individual, an evil corporation, a hostile foreign country, a street gang or bad cops, this was believable. We've seen these villains throughout history. When the villain was an alien race, a mad scientist, haunted neighbors or our own government, we had to suspend our disbelief in order to enjoy the movie. Unfortunately, I no longer have to suspend my disbelief when the villain turns out to be our own government, and I'm saddened by that.

Growing up, I truly believed that the American government, our government, was actually dedicated to serving and protecting the populace for the greater good, that we were the good guys. I thought our government would protect us from companies selling products that were harmful or ineffective. I thought our government would protect the privacy of its citizens instead of allowing corporations to sell our personal information like trading cards or sending it out of the country for processing. I thought our government would treat enemy prisoners the way we would want our own people to be treated elsewhere. I thought our government was in favor of basic human rights. That it believed in alliances and fair play.

I've grown up now, and I no longer believe these things, and I don't know how to explain this to my child. How is it that our government, one supposedly of the people and for the people, could act so dishonorably and embarrass us on the world stage? How could it ignore the warnings of global warming and global hostility, threatening the future of our country and the lives of our children? How could it place greater value on the profits of corporations than on the rights of individuals?

Day after day I feel more and more as if I live in the bleak world predicted by George Orwell in his book 1984. What can be done? It's not just the current administration to blame, it's Congress and the military and the FBI and the CIA. When I was younger, I thought those who criticized the FBI were conspiracy wackos. After Ruby Ridge, Richard Jewell and other debacles, I've become one of those wackos who think prosecuters and federal agents are more concerned with making an arrest, any arrest, than they are with seeking justice.

I should read 1984 again. I want to see how this all turns out...


Blog Tag: Opinion

O Canada

Oh boy oh boy oh boy. Next week I'm being flown to Canada for a job interview. I'd rather work locally, but the fish aren't biting and I've got a mortgage to feed. I love exploring and adventure, so I'm thinking this could be a good thing. I've always wanted to see the aurora borealis, hopefully the aurora gods will smile on me.

I'm going to the English-speaking Canada, which is good because I'm Frenchplegic. After three years of Spanish in school I took a semester of French and never went back. Even so, I've had two miscommunications already. I was expecting a call at 4pm and it came at 3pm, but that was no biggie because I half expected it, knowing they were a time zone ahead of me. (Time zones are evil.) Then today I asked how the weather was, and I was told it was 23 degrees there. brrrrr! So I dug out my heavy coat and my gloves and then I realized: she didn't mean Fahrenheit. 23 deg C ain't bad.

Bulletins as they break...


Blog Tag: Announcements

A Flash in the Pan

As I continue looking for work as a games programmer, I've been writing a mystery novel and learning to program in Flash. In case you missed it, an example of what I've done so far in Flash is on my Home Page.


Blog Tag: Chatter

I'm So Ashamed

I'm so ashamed. NBC has been advertising a brief return to television by Jerry Seinfeld, and I fell for it. What were they advertising? An advertisement that's been on the web at American Express for months. NBC was advertising an advertisement.

What was I doing watching NBC? Even after Aaron Sorkin left West Wing, I couldn't stop watching. It's so embarassing. I would have gone to the Betty Ford clinic, but they laughed in my face. What is the world coming to?


Blog Tag: Chatter

Almost There...

Almost there... (unretouched photo)
Copyright © 2004 David K Goodman


Blog Tag: Images

Touch Down!

Touch down! (unretouched photo)
Copyright © 2004 David K Goodman


Blog Tag: Images

A Mystery

Late last year I began writing a mystery novel. This presented a number of opportunities to doubt my abilities. Could I write dialogue? Could I write narrative? Be dramatic? Be funny? Could I create interesting characters? Could I create an interesting plot? Essentially, the question was, could I write a good story? And, most importantly, if I started it could I (would I) finish it?

As to that last part, I can't yet answer, but I've got 180 pages so far, with the essential elements of the story in place. Assuming that I can flesh it out and polish it sufficiently, I believe that the answer to all my questions will be yes. Those parts that I've read to friends, family and other writers have met with approval, and they laughed in the right places.

Of all the challenges I've been facing, there are two that I struggle with: one is to keep writing, day after day. I've had dry spells, but I'm encouraged by the fact that each time I'm able to return after a few days and attack the task with renewed vigor. The other problem is with the plot: I'm finding it difficult to keep the story moving from beginning to end. In some places it's become more a collection of scenes rather than a storyline that drives the reader from page to page. But I think I know what's missing there and what to do about it. More later...


Blog Tag: Chatter

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Blog Tag: Humor

The Stupid Flu

So my daughter is fighting the flu, and when I corrected something silly she said today, she replied that she couldn't help it, being sick made her stupid. Which made me realize, I must get sick a lot more often than I realize.


Blog Tag: Humor

Sex and Friends

Sex and the City is gone, and now Friends is gone. What will life be like without Sex or Friends? Ask any married man.

A joke by Dave Goodman


Blog Tag: Humor