To settle this once and for all... buy a T-shirt.

Pimp my Sith

Needs lots of shade

Wanted

Wanted for secret blog circle:





Not wanted for secret blog circle:

There's been a slight misunderstanding, but we're fine now

Social networking

PS: Yes, Mina, I have seen what's going on. I just haven't decided yet on how to deal with it. I have been e-mailing with him, though. As you have. I just need a bit of time to make up my mind about it.

Divine blog

We live in a godless age.

Or rather, that is what many people claim. Ironically, people say such things throughout history. And perhaps they are right.

What God would allow the killing of thousands of innocents? The raping of countless women? The raging of innumerable wars? The use of religion as an excuse for unnamed horrors?

Or people's pleas to a divine being to end it all, instead of doing something about it themselves?

I do not know if there is a God. Frankly, I care not. What I do know is that if there is, God will not look kindly on those who do not use their godgiven intellect for merely praising Him.

God, I am sure, would rather see his people use the attributes that He has given them. Intellect, reason, creativity, love, compassion, humanity. Not sticking to ancient rites and rituals.

I seldom go to church, and when I do, it's usually to be amazed by the craftsmanship with which such old buildings were built. They are a testament to mankind's great abilities. The Notre Dame in Paris; the Cathedral in Köln; the Dome in Florence; they are testament to their age.

And they say our age is even greater still. What of our biggest towers, our sliding doors, our (generally) astounding health care, our electricity?

No matter if there is a God, the best thing to do is use our (godgiven?) abilities.

Demon blog

The Dark Side is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be "unnatural"...

Despite its reputation, the Dark Side (by whatever name) has always been popular amongst both scum and the elite. Modern day views might reject the idea of a supernatural devil, "evil incarnate" seems to persist as a scapegoat for many things.

It is remarkable, for instance, how people who denounce religion and claim to not believe in a god, often continue to believe in a devil of some sort.

Despite the fact that in the Bible there is no Devil as described by most people (horned and with features of a goat or a gargoyle). There is, however, a "great beast" and "the evil one" that comes down from the heavens, and attempts to lure Jesus to evil, respectively. Nowhere does it say anything about leathery wings and menacing horns, yet that is exactly the image most people have of this supposed devil.

I once met a (delusional) man who claimed the devil was after him, in differing appearances. One moment it would look like the man next door, the next it was an attractive lady who offered him drugs. If there is a devil, I'm more willing to believe this guy (despite his apparent delusions) than the traditional view.

Whatever his appearance, it would seem natural for people to need a scapegoat to blame things on. "The devil made me do it", or "she must be straight out of hell". The truth, however, is that there is no devil. The evil is what we bring upon ourselves. We, as mankind, do a great job of it; we don't need a supernatural entity to do that for us.

Evil does not exist.

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled, was convincing the world he didn't exist.

Arrrrgh!

Aye, it be that time of year again: International Talk-Like-A-Pirate Day!

Please refer to Savage Chickens.com for more delightful fun with chickens, post-its, and, sometimes, pirates.

One blog to rule them all

Well, hello there. It's good to see you all again. I've been expecting you.

I suppose it's been a rather long time since last I blogged - and by "blogged", I mean actually typing words in a quasi-coherent fashion to make up a piece of text, worthy of the name "blog". I've done lots of pretty pictures and short grunts, but I decided to actually produce a serious blog now. And here it is. Pretend to be awed.

How has my life been going recently? Quite good, actually. Since July, I've got a new job at Brijder Parnassia in The Hague; I'm an intaker for an addiction treatment center. That means I see the people who want help for their addiction to alcohol, drugs, medication or gambling, and I map out the treatment that's most likely to be effective.

This, of course, is not to be regarded as working with only criminals and "junkies"; most people that show up are people like you and me. Some of them have good jobs and great family lives. Most people that I see, have trouble with their alcohol consumption, followed closely by people with cannabis and cocaine addictions.

So that's my job. I've only done it for 2 months, but I'm very glad I've got this job. It's a natural extension of my internship at a similar company. The only downside is the travelling: it's about 90 minutes every morning and every afternoon to get from home to work, and from work back home. But I'm changing that: I'm trying to find a house near The Hague.

Am I blogging at work now? Honestly? Yes. My client didn't show up. Part of the job; some people just won't show up. So I've got a few moments to relax and blog.

In other news: nothing else happened. Too busy with work. No time to have awesome long conversations on IM; no time to hang out with friends; no time for myself.

Well, that's a lie. The other day I rented the incredible Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. That's awesome. The D is The Bomb.

So, that's pretty much what my life is right now. Getting up early, getting to work (90 minutes), doing my job, getting home (90 minutes), having dinner, sleeping. Repeat.

Hey, I'm not complaining. I love my job. And I love my paycheck, too.

Blame it on the bad childhood

Six years later...

Today is September 11th, 2007. Six years ago, the unthinkable happened.

Six years later, even more unthinkable events have happened. The execution of Saddam Hussein. Tortures at Abu Graib. Countless soldiers and civilians killed. Privacy counts for naught. Human lives are discarded with only their close relatives to mourn them.

I ask you: What progress?

Darth's defeat

My Girl

My lady is like a dream
from which I never want to wake

Her hair dances in the wind
the fire is in her moves
the gentle flow of her love
keeps me down to earth

Never would I want to
hurt her, lose her, leave her
for she is and will forever be
my ladyfriend, my girl

She protects me
she encourages me
she stimulates me
she loves me

And I love her, of course
from the bottom of my
aching, scorchèd heart
I love her till it hurts.

All your base are belong to us!

(Click on it.)

Cats and dogs

Curse

Get paranoid

US troops in Iraq get new weaponry: Lightsabers

"It's great for cutting the bread, too," says private Killing Machine (pictured).

A quick guide to: Dark Ages

Step 1: Close all doors and windows of your home.

Step 2: Switch off all electric appliances.

Step 3: Lock yourself up in a closet.

Step 4: Scream.

Step 5: Wait. It could take a while before anyone finds you. Maybe ages. Dark ages.



In other news: President Bush has the right to read all my stuff. No matter if I never ever visit the United Bloody States of Bloody America.
Hi, George. Welcome to my blog.

Walking my pet droid...

Go and leave your oil mark already, Artoo.

And the children, too!

When I grow up, I want to be a psychopath.

Honestly. What better way to show appreciation to whatever entity that created you, than to prove the excellent quality of you by killing random strangers in the night and putting them on display for the whole world to see?

I do not, however, like war. War is ugly. Fights should be mann gegen mann, without a platoon of gun wielders to guard your back.

Survival of the fittest. Survival of the best.

I want to embody evolution. I want to hunt, make war, make love to many women, grow better, have lots of offspring... and then die fighting.


...nah. I like my life just fine. My name isn't Hannibal Lecter.

Testing...

Things I just don't get

What's the use of annoying advertising?

Why are racists never convinced some other race is superior to their own?

If we're all born naked, why do we need to wear clothes while dead?

What makes anyone think their opinion is so great, they need to kill anyone who disagrees?

If there is one god, why are there countless religions?

How come every religious person is convinced his belief is the only true one?

What's so civil about war, anyway?

I appreciate art as much as the next guy (probably more), but why does it influence us so?

Why are the best photographs either out of focus or badly lit?

Why do we insist on wearing clothes, when all we want is take them off of other people?

What the hell am I doing on this girl's chest? (Not that I'm complaining, mind you...)



In other news: I've started my new job in The Hague. I love it.

God is dead

... but why doesn't the world see it?

Yes, I am an atheist. God does not exist. God doesn't explain anything. And if there is a deity that created the entire galaxy, life, miracles and he can read all of our minds at the same time, I bet he wouldn't be very proud of all the complaining he hears.

So wear your heretic badge proudly and convince the people that religion should be abolished.

PS. Yes, this is the place to discuss religion.

"Anakin, Chancellor Bert is evil!"

"From my point of view, the world is evil!"

At last, we shall reveal ourselves to the world. At last, we shall have revenge.

World, beware. The galaxy's most feared bounty hunter and terrorist has returned, and he's coming for all of us. Especially bunnies.

Bert.

Evil incarnate.

Stay inside, lock your doors and windows, sacrifice your firstborn, pray to the gods, and keep the blue pill nearby.

He's coming. Half of the Marsians have already died.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.



Oh, and check out my cute new pet!

First Kiss

It started with a hug.

We turned to say good-bye,
Our faces too close to ignore.
The tension grew
As the distance shrank.
My mind raced with anticipation.
What should I do?
Lips closed, or dare open them?
As I first felt her gentle caress
Nothing could be sweeter.
The moment escalated,
Our passions took over.
Excitement consumed us
As embarrassment ensued.
Our teeth clanked;
What seemed so perfect
Now was so awkward.
We pulled away,
Her look was one of confusion.
What I did next
I will never forget.
I remembered the nursery rhyme,
"First is the worst,
Second's the best."
So I leaned back in,
And started all over.
A little experience was all I needed.

by Sean H. on Teen Ink

Fact 5

Fact 4

Fact 3

Fact 2

Fact 1

Hard Candy

Early morning

I woke early one morning,
The earth lay cool and still
When suddenly a tiny bird
Perched on my window sill,
He sang a song so lovely
So carefree and so gay,

That slowly all my troubles
Began to slip away.
He sang of far off places
Of laughter and of fun,
It seemed his very trilling,
Brought up the morning sun.

I stirred beneath the covers
Crept slowly out of bed,
Then gently shut the window
And crushed his fucking head.

I'm not a morning person.

New and improved

So here it is - my new and improved blog. You may have noticed the big logo thingy above. It's new.

I decided to upgrade to the new Blogger layout. How do you like it? Good? Not good? Let me know!

The only thing I'm not completely satisfied with is the width of this thing. It used to be broader. Anyone knows how to fix that?

Scout

A bitter cold wind swept across the deserted planes. The man was grateful for his padded clothing, protecting him against the grunt of the frosty climate. His beast, however, was not so lucky; growing up in a near-tropical forest some 1000 miles away never prepared it for the icy cold and he realized they had to find some shelter quickly.

At the foot of those hills there must be a place to spend the night, he thought. They had ridden all day and never saw any sign of life. They could risk retiring early.

Urging his lizard forward, they set off for the hills. Strange, he thought, I would have expected this place to be teeming with people if even half the rumors about its heroes were true. So far, all I had seen was a withered corpse a week ago.

Nearing the hills, his beast became increasingly nervous. Could it be there were people around? Peering around him, the man could not find a single sign of activity. No - there, in the corner of his eyes; gone before he could focus on it. Was there someone there, or was the white snow playing tricks on his perception?

Before he could convince himself of either possibility, the great dragon roared and the ground opened up underneath them. Both man and animal slid inside the great schasm, and everywhere there was snow and ice.

His clothes didn't help much against the cold now, with ice against both skin and cloth. There was not enough space to even shudder. Terror and unconsciousness overwhelmed him, and his mind chose the latter.

The last thing he heard before slipping away were laughing voices, mocking him.

Silly foreigner. Our lands are not conquered that easily.

*

The River

Book review: Talyn

A year ago, I was in the library browsing through the English section (which, considering it's a Dutch library, is not all that large). My attention turned towards a particular fantasy book, called Diplomacy of Wolves. It looked alright, but I was about to put it back on the shelf when a recommendation by Robin Hobb caught my eye. She's my favourite author and wrote that she was very impressed with both this book and its writer, Holly Lisle. I had never before heard the name, but thought, "What the hell, I'm not paying for it, anyway".

I read it. I was impressed. Really impressed.

Holly Lisle introduced her characters, made you get to know them, and then gradually released all hell upon them. Only once before had I become so caught up in a book, which was when I read Robin Hobb's.

The only downside was that Diplomacy of Wolves is the first part of a trilogy, and I never got my hands on its sequels. And then, about a month ago, I found Talyn in the bookshop, and naturally bought it. It's not part of the trilogy, but rather, it's a stand-alone story, completely seperate from her other books.

Being one among several books I bought that day, it lay on the shelf, unread, for quite some time. I guess I was afraid it wouldn't be as good as the other one. Until a couple of days I decided to start on it, and I did.

Now, I had visited Holly Lisle's website in the meantime, which has a big section on writing fiction, marking the importance of Characters, Conflict, and Never An Easy Way Out (which states, in the author's words, "if your hero creates a 'golly-gee save-the-day gimcrack' to solve his final problem at the end of your story, IT HAD BETTER NOT WORK!"). If ever you're looking for lessons on writing fiction, or even inspiration, I'm recommending her site.

Reading Talyn, I realized that even if I knew how she did it, the book was very enjoyable. At times, the book reminded me of Hobb, and at other times, it reminded me of a master of heroic fantasy, the late David Gemmell. Holly Lisle very quickly became my second favourite author (the first still being the brilliant Robin Hobb).

On the continent of Hyre, two great nations have been fighting a war for over 300 years; the large Eastil Kingdom, and the proud Tonk people, living in largely independent city-states called taaks. Over time, the two nations have come to several agreements, like the treatment of prisoners-of-war. Neither side is actually winning, but battles are lost or won.

Talyn is a female Tonk warrior in the magics division of Shields. In this battle, there are not just the physically fighting people (the Conventional warriors, wielding swords and shields and whatnot), but also the wielders of Magic. The Senders 'shoot' magic spells at their opponents, and Shielders try to prevent enemy spells from reaching them. Both sides have a Magics division.

But suddenly, peace has been negotiated; unwanted, confusing, disorganizing peace. Talyn, having sworn her life to the warrior saint, struggles to find a new life in this peace and in the process gets attracted to a foreign peace negotiator. He shows her a world beyond anything she ever knew...

I could say more about the plot, but then I'd spoil it. Suffice to say that this is the start of Talyn's trouble.

I read the book in about 2 days, which, considering it's got almost 600 pages, is quite remarkable. The reason is obviously the author's writing; it grips you by the throat, turns you into a mindless zombie, and won't let go until you've finished. Characters are very convincing and the plot is like a web being spun by some sort of puppet master. Conflict, in writer's terms, is everywhere. And in all honesty, I felt physically unwell during some of the scenes. That had never happened to me before, and speaks volumes of how much I was involved in this. Just thinking about re-reading it, sends shivers down my back.

In closing, I can say this is one of those books you just need to read. It's fantasy, but never have I seen fantasy been brought to life with such realism or harshness. Whoever said that science fiction and fantasy are "escapism", clearly never read this book. And they should. As do you.