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“Buying books would be a good thing if one could also buy the time to read them in: but as a rule, the purchase of books is mistaken for the appropriation of their contents.” – Arthur Schopenhauer
I read a boatload of books this year. I have no idea how I did that being that I have a full-time job, a writing career, and a family. But somehow I managed. Out of all the books I picked five. This isn’t any rank by me, these are just books I enjoyed. The genres range from an alternate reality to an all-out horror novel set in a small town right next door to West Point.
I hope you enjoy my picks. It was a great year of reading. Here’s to…
New post about being still, and it’s benefits on my erniehowardwrites.com blog
Remember when you were little and your parents would play the game called let’s see how silent we can be. Well at least mine did, I was a loud little kid who was always getting into things. Anyway, you would play along for a little while but eventually you would feel like you were going to burst, and the silence would be broken sending you running around the house like your hair was on fire. You had so much curiosity and energy for finding new things that you just couldn’t help yourself. This was a good time. Being silent, and calm did not do you much good when you were little, you had nothing to worry about. And if you think about it, you really have nothing to worry about now. Everything you think you should worry about, or “get done” has nothing to do with you. It has to do with everyone…
How many times a day do you tell yourself something isn’t possible? Or that dream you have always wanted to fulfill you can start tomorrow? I used to do that a lot. Everyday I would fill my mind with images of the future, and all the cool things I was going to do, or on bad days… Well I am sure you know what those images were like. My mind was either worrying about the future, or living in the past, and totally oblivious to the only reality that you, and I will ever have, RIGHT NOW!
The only time we have in our lives is this present, and perfect moment that is happening right now. That breath you just took, that sip of coffee, that movement of your hand, is all you will ever have. The past is gone, and the future will never be here. Now is all we have. I know you have probably heard that expression before, and you’re saying to yourself that you know, but have you ever really thought about it? Right now is all we have. Right now is all there ever was, and all that will be. When we think about what we should have done, or what we want to do, we are losing that moment to actually do something now!
The best time to start your dream, help someone, get into a better relationship, lose weight, spend more time with your kids, or just be happy is right now. A week from now hasn’t happened, it will always be a week from now. Your reality is clicking by as you read this, go make your perfect life happen. I’d wish you luck, but you don’t need it.
Yes people, they have lied to us. They Lied to us in the most heinous of ways. Who lied to us you ask? Well Science Fiction movies, TV shows, and books. The lies started for me when I was a very small boy. I would sit on the living room floor eating my Cap N Crunch watching The Jetsons. I would watch George go to work in the sky, in his flying car that folded up into a briefcase once he parked. I believed that in the not too distant future we would have those flying cars that folded up into luggage. Not so my friends. We still drive around on rubber, and have to park our big lumbering non folding cars into parking spots! Parking spots people! In 2013 no less!
Today I watched Blade Runner for the 100th time. And seeing the “Replicants” In 2019 Los Angeles got me thinking how much Science Fiction lied to us! Where’s my house cleaning android, my flying car, and my fricken teleporter! Blade Runner is just one example of these lying Sci Fi stories. Below are 10 of the biggest offenders in my opinion.
The Abyss told us that in the not to distant future we would have command centers in the deepest part of the ocean. We would breathe liquid oxygen, speak with ancient aliens that had been on the oceans floor for thousands of years. Liars! The only thing I have seen happen is James Cameron has made about 14 documentaries about the Titanic. You can only see a rusty ship with “My heart will go on” playing in the background before you want to rip out your eyes, and shove sharp things in your ears. You lied to us James Cameron… You lied to us. And I had so much hope for deep-sea exploration…
The Fifth Element, is set in the 23rd century, but it still made the list because I don’t think we should have to wait that long for flying cars, hot looking hybrid humans that can download every piece of information into their brains in a nano second, and guns that remember where to shoot. You can keep the weird-looking skull-cap thing that Gary Oldman’s character wear’s, and Chris Tucker’s annoying character.
The Minority Report is an awesome book by Philip K, Dick, made into an awesome movie. But again they lied to us. In this movie you can actually predict when a murder is going to happen. Which is kinda cool unless you are on the receiving end like Tom Cruises character. You have holographic computers, cars that drive up buildings, and multiple future outcomes. I will be expecting at least holographic computers in the near future. Shame on you Philip K, Dick… Shame on you.
The Island is a movie that has technology that isn’t quite here yet, and maybe should never be. In this movie the people get told that the earth is too contaminated to live in. The community has a lottery every so often, and the inhabitants believe they are going to an Island that is the last habitable place on earth. The truth is they are spare parts for their rich twins who live in the real world. Harvest-able human spare parts is not something we should ever have, but out of all my movie picks it’s the one that is close to happening.
Total Recall said we will go to Mars for vacations, and be able to wear human suit disguises… I think not!. Not to mention we would get to take virtual vacations in our mind. Very cool concepts but they have not happened. I don’t think I would like to go to Mars, and call me old-fashioned, but I want to actually experience my vacation for real. It was funny seeing Arnold’s eyes bulge out of his head though. And the mutant people were pretty interesting.
Robocop… Hmmm I don’t want Robotic cops. I don’t want cops that do not have the ability to choose between shooting you for jaywalking or just giving you a ticket. Cyborgs have always creep-ed me out a bit, humans with robot parts. Robots malfunction, and humans lose their minds, not a good combo in my opinion. The car alarm that electrocuted people was kind of cool, but what if you forgot to shut it off when you get into your car, and it turns you into a human pop-tart? I guess in a way we already have robot cops, they are every where, and they see everything.
2001: A Space Odyssey missed the mark big time. If it wasn’t space travel for the public, gigantic deep space ships, crazy weird clothes, and emotional computers it wouldn’t be on this list. Crazy good director Stanley Kubrick strikes again. This movie however had big dreams, and they were all suppose to happen in 2001… It’s 2013 damn it! This movie when it came out had futurist’s salivating, now it is just something to grin at, and ah…, write blogs about… My god… It’s full of crap…
Star Trek movie’s and TV shows have been repeat offenders for years. Warp speed, weird clothes, and tribbles to say the least. However this was all suppose to take place in the 23rd century. I will say many of the things that have appeared on the TV shows, and the movie’s were invented in real life. Maybe because a lot of the contributors of the shows and movies are real scientist, and physicists. We have ipads, Google glasses, and cell phones. All of these have showed up in the Star Trek movies, and TV shows. But that doesn’t excuse them from the whole transporter thing! Beem me up Hollywood!
A.I. is a movie about an android boy made to take the place of a mothers dying son. It is one of the most depressing films I have ever seen in my opinion. The boy robot can never die, and the mother throws him away like a piece of trash, after the lady’s real kid wakes up from his coma… Its pretty messed up! We do not have robots taking the place of real kids, and its a good thing. I just wanted to remark on how this movie made me feel morbid, and depressed for about a week after I saw it…
And now we come to the last pick on this list of lying Sci Fi movies. This pick is the master of the lie, and has had my generation going for years. The movie I speak of is Back To The Future 2. Not just flying cars in this one, we have a whole slew of lies such as Hoverboards, Holographic billboards, double ties, and alternate realities, It’s enough to make Biff want to “make like a tree, and get out of here!” All of this takes place in 2015! You only have less than two years left Mcfly! Well at least we could buy some cool futuristic Nike’s from the movie, and the proceeds went to a good cause. Great Scott!!
I love all of these movies, and I pretended being mad strictly for writing purposes. Science Fiction movies, books, and TV shows have inspired many people to invent great things, and I can’t wait for the next big technology that we can mark off the list. If I missed any, which I know I did. Please feel free to comment. thanks for reading.
Sample from my book Inspiration for the struggling writer.
Before you read any further, let’s get one thing straight. YOU ARE A WRITER! You may not be a working writer. You may not have made any money at it. You may not have put much down on paper in quite a while. But if you paid for this article, I would wager you have written something in the past, which makes you a writer. Being a writer means you tell a story, give advice, and put it down on paper with the intention that people will read it, and get something out of it. Everyone has a story to tell, and you are no different.
Ok with that said, let me tell you what this article is about. This article is about the daily psychological struggles you as a writer go through. Being a writer myself, I know them well. Every problem I address here I have been through and still face on a daily basis when I sit down to write. This article will tell you how to get rid of those struggles, and let you realize that every one of them has been cultivated in your mind with the sole purpose to hinder your dreams.
Those struggles are as follows:
· Procrastination
· Fear
· Laziness
· Having a day job
· Confidence in your writing (thinking you’re writing is crap)
· The myth called “Writers Block”
· Wanting to give up
All of these problems are made up by you. I will show you why, and I will give you solutions to get rid of them.
This book is not a “how to” guide on how to become a writer. You already are one! That is the first problem that new writers face. You say to yourself “ I wish I could be a writer.” Well here’s the big secret. The magic wand swish you have been looking for to make your dreams of becoming a writer come true. Are you ready? The best way to become a writer is….. WRITE SOMETHING! It’s that simple. This article just helps you along in the process.
So now that we got that question taken care of, are you ready to tackle more important problems? Good! Keep reading!
I know what it’s like to think you have Writer’s Block
First thing you need to realize is “Writer’s Block” is a myth. If you truly had “Writer’s Block” you would be in a wheelchair somewhere drooling all over yourself. Saying you have “Writer’s Block” is like saying you’re mind has shut off, and there is nothing firing upstairs. Every day you are writing. Your texting (unless you are a hundred years old), you’re writing down a grocery list, you’re writing an email, your telling all your friends on Facebook about the funny thing your cat did. Hey there’s an idea! Write about your cat! Send him on an adventure! Just in the process of thinking is writing.
Want to read more? Find Inspiration for the struggling writer on Amazon or Smashwords.
I am not a card carrying member of the NRA. I do not salivate when I hear an assault rifle go off. In fact it makes me sick to my stomach. I am what most conservatives would call a liberal, a dirty word in their book. I don’t like guns. I don’t own a gun, and I never want one in my house.
However…
I do think it is a right of any upstanding citizen in their right mind to own a gun, if he or she so chooses. In the wake of all these shootings, people have been talking about guns and how they have been the cause of all of these tragedies. Stop looking at guns, and video games, and media. Start looking at mental health in this country. It is my opinion people have lost a good portion of there empathy towards their fellow man. Empathy is a learned behavior usually and its parents, and mentors responsibility to instill it into young people.
It is not the guns fault if it gets picked up and used to kill innocent people, just as it is not the cars fault if some drunk gets into it and drives into an innocent person. Nor is it the fault of leaders who up hold the 2nd Amendment of the United States. Guns are just dead pieces of steel. They don’t do anything unless picked up and used.
People in our society need to wake up to the fact that we have become a bunch of sniveling finger pointers, who will not take responsibility for our own, and our actions. I don’t know when our how we lost our way, that’s not the point. The point is we have to get back on track. Parents need to find some personal responsibility for their kids. You made them, now teach them. Parenting doesn’t stop… ever… Kids need to be taught empathy. It is as simple as that.
I repeat I am not into guns. I do not like them. But it is not my responsibility to get rid of them. It is my responsibility as a citizen to do everything I can to make sure the mentally ill, or angry people do not get their hands on guns.
What does Christmas mean to you? Does it mean having eggnog and getting cozy by the fire? Or setting up Christmas decorations and almost falling off the roof of the house, like Clark Griswold in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation? Christmas for me is usually the latter of the two, but for a lot of people Christmas is a giant death spiral of anxiety and indecision!!!! AHHHH, the horror! Ok, maybe I’m taking that a little too far. But not knowing the correct gift to get your little runny-nosed elf, that you love and cherish (even if they don’t clean their room, and cut their sisters hair off, and pretty much drive you nuts), can give even the toughest of parents a bit of anxiety!
Don’t fear, weary moms and dads! Santa Ernie is here to save the day with my totally cool list of great gifts to get your kids and significant other!
I know, I know, you can thank me later…. Oh you’re too kind… Stop! I’m blushing! Please, really, you’re embarrassing me! So any who… away we go!
Well first up, like any trained athlete you have to warm up. You can’t go out in to cyber space feeling all cold and ornery. The internet will eat you alive! What I propose is a little liquid limbering courage, preferably liquor! You need a quick buzz cause there are cookies baking, and beer and wine take too long, and you aint got all day! My pick for the holiday season is whisky! Ideally Jameson’s Irish whisky. It’s a smooth malt, with just the right amount of Woopow! that you’re gonna need for this holiday season. I’m serious folks.. You can’t go into this all clear-eyed. You want to remember the least amount of this after you get your credit card bill. Denial can be oh so sweet!
Ok so we are good and greased up after our nips and sips from that good ol’ holly jolly nectar we call Christmas Cheer. Now it’s time to think what to get these crazy people we call loved ones. It’s easier if you break it up into categories..
Do you have a gamer in the family? Do I really need to ask that question…? I don’t think it would be a billion dollar industry if there wasn’t at least one person in every family. Well the hot game this season is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Yes this will get any gamers blood pumping with its crazy life-like graphics! Just make sure it’s for a mature gamer. These life-like graphics are pretty violent.
Now here’s a little tip: Get a new Flat screen TV and you have just killed two birds with one stone. You have bought a new TV for Dad, and gotten the gamer something to use to see all those cool graphics.
Ok now that that’s taken care of.. For you clueless Husbands and boyfriends: Your girl, wife, or significant other, doesn’t have the same interests as you. You may think that the appliance that sits on the counter and purees stuff is the best gift ever, but you’re sending her a message saying, “Hey, why don’t you make some food?” Do you want to sleep on the couch? I’m not saying you have to buy her a diamond necklace, but the gift does have to have some thought, and it should be a big-ticket item. So if you have a girlfriend, wife, or significant other who’s plugged into this crazy social network most Americans call “normal” now… Get her the iPad 2. Or if she is more of the salt-of-the-earth type, get her some footie pajamas! Who doesn’t like footie pajamas!? Either way she will be more apt to not wanna stab you if you actually buy something that is meant for her. Tread lightly, friends…
Now, since this is a books and music blog, how bout some gifts for the reader or music lover in your life? If you have a Horror fan amongst you, Stephen King put out a new one recently called 11/22/63 about a man who goes back and prevents the Kennedy assasination. This is also an e-book if your reader doesn’t want to pull a muscle lugging around this 866-paged tome. And what kind of device can they read this on, you ask… well the Kindle fire of course! This is the all-purpose reading device that allows you to read magazines and newspapers, and download songs and movies, as well as pretty much any other media you can think of.
So now that we have covered the books part, what about music? The Bose Sounddock is the perfect gift for any music lover. What? You don’t want to hear Junior’s taste in music? Well get him a pair of these earbuds. Life is sweet when you don’t have to listen to the same song by Lady Gaga for the 100th time. Trust me, you’re gonna wanna get a pair of these.
Now, what to get the little tikes with sugarplums dancing in their heads? I say start em learning young! Leap pad has some pretty amazing learning toys that are new this year. Don’t get the kid some mindless Barbie Playhouse or GI Joe. Get them something that is gonna help your little geniuses in the long run. There are too many ignorant kids on the naughty list already! If you absolutely can’t help yourself, get em the Air swimmer remote control inflatable shark!! Flying sharks!!! Fun for the whole family!
Well, I will leave you to your thoughts now. Just remember what Christmas is all about: Spending time with family members you don’t really like and being forced to buy them presents…. Just Kidding!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
So a while back, I did a blog post on Weird Vinyl album covers. And it was for me one of the most entertaining posts I have ever done. The artwork and photography on some of the albums I picked made me scratch my head, and then almost fall out of my seat laughing! Yes I almost fell out of my seat, I amuse easily… So I said to myself, “hey I love books too!” why not do one on Funny book covers! And yes I do sit around asking myself these kinds of questions, sometimes I have a lot of time on my hands..
So here’s my list of ten. Its surprising, some of these guys are great writers…
Quit talkin to your poo! It's gross!!
First up, “What’s your poo telling you?”
I have heard of people who like to play with their poo. People that like to be poo’d on, but never people who have asked their poo a question, and then there poo answered them. Sorry its a new one for me..
There is also a sequel to this book called “What is my pee telling me” if your into talking to your urine….. Hey who am I to judge. What you do in your bathroom is none of my business. But you can get that one “What’s My Pee Telling Me?here as well.
No judgement here! But I would keep it to yourself. Telling a co-worker or spouse you talk to your pee or poo could get you put in a mental facility. And for crying out load don’t post your conversations on Facebook!
Jamul Books and Music and Movies 