Tag: writing

The Blog Bog – Stuff I Shouldn’t Say In Public

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

I haven’t published anything to my blog in over two years at this point. There are reasons why.

Blogging is slogging at times. No one reads it, so sometimes there’s very little point in crafting anything resembling content for a blog, especially when you’re busy often creating content for others. Or photographing an event, or making a movie, or working a full time job that doesn’t allow much room for your own creative endeavors. That’s just kind of how life is.

We can add on top of it, right around the publishing of my last blog article, my health took a relatively serious turn toward the…. not good.

Weigh-In Wednesday – There’s Always More Than One Side

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

Marriage has become a ridiculous social expectation first forced upon us by our religious institutions who want to claim some kind of ownership on the whole thing, and now pushed by our government that actually incentivizes (straight) people to get married, and punishes everyone who chooses not to, or lives, and loves in an alternative relationship. To add to that, you have the whole “tradition” expectation that you NEED to be married before starting a family. This probably comes from the fact some men will bolt, and leave their partner, and kids to fend for themselves, but this is exacerbated by the social expectation that the pinnacle of living life is reproduction, which is another ridiculous concept we’ve had shoved down our throats for far too long. An don’t get me started on how social values basically tell a guy, you know you’re not good enough for her, so you better marry her otherwise she’ll find someone better, and dump you. As if marriage is the only thing that will get her to stick around because you’re so inadequate.

Lackawanna, NY 1911

Weigh-In Wednesday – Moving Forward

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

People look at the past, and long for the good-ol’ days. We romanticize what used to be, focusing on only the good, and forgetting how much was bad, or even worse than bad. We look at our present, and we focus on the bad, and what we want to change, then dream of a future that is only good, not imagining the negative consequences of what we’re doing today. We say, “Things weren’t like this back in my day,” but odds are, they were. People don’t have less of a respect for life today – mass shootings, and the brutality we see every day isn’t a function merely of a change of attitude toward what life is worth. Were we as a species really respecting, and valuing life when we were burning witches for baseless religious accusations? How about when indigenous peoples were being slaughtered? Gladiator tournaments? Hangings? Beheadings? Crucifixions? Monarchs ordering executions on a whim? Do these all show how we respected life? Are the 2A gun nuts really showing a respect for life by fighting harder for their right to own military grade weapons than seeking to find solutions that would stem the tides of gun related deaths we have in our nation?

Weigh-In Wednesday – Still On My Soapbox

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

Still seems like the reichwing christian ideals align a helluva lot more closely to what Sharia law wants, as opposed to freedom, and democracy. They just have their own twists based on their own wants, and beliefs, and their own twisted patriotism that they think is the only patriotism that matters. This is why I keep reminding you, my kind, and intelligent readers, that when Russia launched a social media campaign to influence American public opinion, and sway voters in a way that would damage American democracy, and create a national divide, they targeted right wing conservatives. They did so for a couple simple facts, and those being that the conservative agenda is the one furthest from the ideals of American democracy, freedom, and decency, and the fact so many uneducated Americans buy into the preachings of right wing conservatives; they’re the most gullible, and easiest to influence.

Sharing Is Caring

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

“We can absolutely have a drink first, but we shouldn’t keep the surprise waiting too long.” Billy said has he walked to the kitchen, and started taking wine glasses out of the cupboard. He quickly uncorked a bottle of Merlot, and poured two glasses full.  Hailey’s mind raced as to what the surprise could be, as she watched him deftly work toward getting a drink in her hand as quickly as he could manage. She took a seat at the dinning table, as Billy walked over to her, handing her a glass. He paused, and looked at her, and then extended his glass toward her with a tilt.

“To never ending adventures,” he said as if it were an announcement. Hailey extended her glass back to him, and clinked them with a grin.

“To never ending adventure,” she repeated. They both drank from their glasses, Hailey taking a small sip, while Billy downed half of his glass at once. She took note of the speed he was drinking, and lifted her glass to her lips again in an effort to match. Billy didn’t sit with her. He stood over her, his frame an imposing presence looming over her made her feel small, and even more submissive in the moment. She drank a bit faster, finishing her glass of wine more quickly than she normally would. Hailey swallowed the last of her wine, and placed the glass on the table. Billy turned, and walked back to the kitchen, grabbing the bottle, and bringing it to the dinning table. He tipped it to her glass, and refilled it. 

“Maybe one traveler to head upstairs with?” he said with a smirk. Hailey smiled back at him, taking the hint, she picked up her glass, and followed him up to his bedroom.

Weigh-In Wednesday – The Ten Year Challenge

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

Our Meet The Filmmaker interview went well, but as always, the questions I anticipate people will ask about the movie are not the questions that are asked. Meet The Filmmakers will probably be released in late Spring/early Summer. Before then, however, Stages will be shown at a movie night at Buff State’s Upton Hall on Friday Dec 6 at 7PM. This is an event hosted by Mike Raisch for his recent production Smith and the Devil which I assisted slightly in helping to shoot some video elements (under water, no less). There will be a Q&A afterward, and I will be speaking about Stages, so feel free to come, and ask questions.

Silent Voices - where I got to play a complete jerk. Conservatives would say this would influence me to become one.

Nearly A Weigh-In Wednesday and I’m Angry

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

Yes, indeed, my little snowflake. No one is saying “free.” The majority of Americans want these things – it’s isn’t just small radicalized pockets of progressives. We realize these programs cost money; the government collects plenty from us to cover the programs, we just keep hearing about how they’re not affordable, while wars, tax-cuts for the wealthy, and bail-outs to covers shitty (Republican!) economic policies are never questioned as to their cost. Spend our taxes on the things that will benefit the tax payers. I’m sorry your feeble, simple mind can’t understand that people want their taxes to benefit them.

Weigh-In Wednesday – The Uniqueness of You

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

I learned in time, that’s just how it is, and I need to have patience with myself, more than patience with others. In those times when you’re stopped worrying about it, and start focusing on other things, amazing people come into your life. When you’re forcing it, less than amazing people come into your life.

Just my two-cents of my old age wisdom. Picture me peeling an apple and eating slices off the blade of my pocket knife while sitting in a porch rocker while telling you this. It might make more of an impact.

A straw hat, and denim overalls are also nice additions.

Another Day

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

“I want to play,” Hailey  announced in that way that only drunk people would announce such a thing.

“What would you like to play?” Billy inquired back with a smirk. He knew her condition meant she would be open to anything. She loved rough play when drinking, and the more drunk she got, the rougher it could be.

“Whatever you want to play…” she said, poking Billy in the middle of his chest with an outstretched index finger. “But you know my preferences,” she continued, tracing her finger down his body.

Billy looked at her through squinted eyes, and a tilted head. She smiled, and laughed a little, and playfully asked, “What?  What’s gong through your mind?”

“You might not want to know,” he responded dryly, “but you’re about to find out.”

Weigh-In Wednesday – It’s Obviously Autumn Again

Posted on by Paul In The Buff

I’ve often said, the worst changes, challenges, and things I have to adapt to happen in Autumn. Every year, it seems like something new, and increasingly awful. Maybe it has become self-fulfilling prophecy, but often the challenges I face aren’t even things on the radar. Nothing I’m dwelling on, or fearing. Just, random awful crap.

My Autumn has begun in just that way. Let’s see what else it can throw at me by December.