History Essay - Underestimation

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On my other blog, Time Traveler’s Daughter, I’ve been doing a series called “The Last Janitor”. Sort of a Star-Wars-meets-Adventures-in-Odyssey-meets-John-C-Wright-reviews thing. Initially, I wanted to post a full episode every Friday, just like his Last Straw series. I shortened it to every other Friday. Then once a month. Even by that, I’m months behind.

True, I suffer from chronic procrastinitus. True, I’m about the slowest writer in the world, at least when it comes to finishing things. But with this one, I think the real problem was that I just did not realize how much time it would take to finish full episodes. I utterly underestimated the time and effort it would take, as well as my own slowness. I underestimated the real meaning of an undertaking like this.

Of course, I’m not the first in history to do so. Very few people realize quite how vital the things they do may be someday. Take Britain, for instance. When the British Parliament convened to discuss the Stamp Act, they vastly underestimated the importance, the momentousness of the occasion. To them, it was just another day at the office. Look at that, another tax to be passed. What joy. Oh, it’s on the Americas this time, is it? That’s a new one. Is that a fly on Lord Chucksterfield’s nose?

Then again, it’s hardly likely that anyone could have estimated that it would start the American colonies on a path to independence. Some things just can’t be guessed.

But what came next should probably have tipped their estimation the other way. Britain’s colonies across the pond rebelled. They didn’t want Parliament to be able to tax them dry over paper and tea. They wanted to govern themselves, as they had generally done up to that point (while still being royal subjects). If this right was not acknowledged, they would be royal subjects no longer.

Yet even with the obvious revolt—with at least some idea of the moment of these events—Britain managed to underestimate the colonies. King George III “made up his unfortunate German mind to the coercion and humiliation of the discontented colonists.” So a small army was sent. Not to crush a possible danger, mind you, but to deal with a few unruly factions.

Because of this miscalculation, the recently-appointed General Washington was able to pull together an army of his own. And he was not one to underestimate. He knew that if his army was crushed, rebellious populations would be the only remnant of their cause. And Britain could easily quell those. So Washington’s main goal was to keep his army alive to fight another day—a goal he met, time and time again.

After a few years, Britain realized her critical error, and sent an army that might have been adequate to its task. That is, if it had been sent in time. But by the time it was even thought of, America was beginning to gain further allies; France, for one. America had grown in power, and Britain had diminished in it, due to war with France and Spain.

Finally, in Yorktown, the commander of the British forces, General Charles Cornwallis, was forced to surrender. Washington and a French general, Rochambeau, had him sandwiched. Upon his surrender, the war ended. And Britain had to recognize the independence of her thirteen revolted—and highly underestimated—colonies.

So you see, counting the cost is essential to any venture—most obviously when it comes to fighting a war or running a country, but also in commonplace tasks. When you cook a meal, you have to put together the right amount of ingredients, and cook them just the right amount of time. When you go to work, you have to make sure you get there on time, and do your job properly. When you do your schoolwork, you have to make sure it doesn’t take all your time, but enough to get it done. We all know how important it is. “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?” (Luke 14:28)

And yet still we underestimate. We underestimate difficulty, time, opponents, and our own inability and weakness. We underestimate the importance of our actions, and the depth of the consequences. We underestimate the seriousness of others. And the results of any one of these can be devastating.

Of course, my Last Janitor series isn’t exactly a recalcitrant country. But since I did underestimate the time and effort it would take to post entire episodes at once, I’ll have to compensate for the error. So far, I’ve started posting the scenes individually from the start. That’s on another site (see here). By the time I get caught up, I think enough Fridays will have passed for me to have more completed. No harm done.

Still, other miscalculations can be far more affecting. Britain’s in the latter half of the 18^th century is a good e.g., but not the greatest one. No, that greatest one goes back much further. It goes back to some very simple decisions, at a time when most things were very simple. A man underestimated the need to instruct and guard his wife. A woman underestimated the cunning of the Enemy. The first two people of the world underestimated God—His seriousness in His commands, His power to enforce the consequences He set for disobedience, and His knowledge of what they had done.

And underestimation can spell downfall.


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Shakespeare Essay - I Say, a Dashed Comedy of Errors, What?

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P.G. Wodehouse was born on October 15, 1881. He died 93 years later, on Valentine's Day, 1975. He is considered one of the greats amidst Britain’s millennia-spanning collection of talented writers. Especially in the 20^th century. In fact, after the famous G.K. Chesterton died in 1936, it was declared (by author T.H. White) that Wodehouse was “now the greatest living master of the English language”.

 

The unabridged cast of characters in Wodehouse’s works is most diverse—from gentlemen’s personal gentlemen, to dippy chaps and drippy girls, to lords with a love of gardening, to verbose fellows without objection to crime, to storytellers with a yarn about each of their various relatives, to headstrong and hardy aunts, and countless other types. And they all somehow always manage to find themselves at a British manor with an object to pilfer, an unfortunate engagement to be broken up, lent money to be repaid, and/or several cases of mistaken identity.

 

Which brings us right back round to what might normally have been the start. This essay is not, of course, really about P.G. Wodehouse. Though it might as well be, as you’ll soon see. My subject is “The Comedy of Errors”, by the Elizabethan Bard, William Shakespeare.

 

The plot, you see, starts out with an old codger named Ægean, who’s been sentenced death for hopping the pond to Ephesus. It and his birth-town, Syracuse, have a rivalry to match Oxford and Cambridge on Boat Race Night! But the point is, Ægean tells his story from the start, about how he had a pair of twins, both named Antipholus, but his family was split in half by a shipwreck. He ended up with one Antipholus and a different twin, born the same day, named Dromio. That was decades ago. And he’s been on the hunt for his wife and the other halves of the twin sets since.

 

I suppose I ought to make this very clear right at the start. There are two sets of twins, both male. One set are the sons of Ægean. The other set are from a poorer family, but born the same day. Those of Ægean are both named Antipholus, and the poorer set are both named Dromio. It’s beyond me why anyone in real life would give both their twins the precise same name. It’s as if they want confusion. There’s some raw work pulled at the font from time to time, Jeeves.

 

It’s here that we shift over to Antipholus and Dromio #1, of Syracuse. They’ve been searching for their twins for the past seven years, and have just arrived in Ephesus. Unbeknownst to them, their twins are long-time residents of Ephesus. And the whole thing starts when Antipholus #1 sends his Dromio—oh, and the Dromios are something like gentlemen’s personal gentlemen to the Antipholi—sends him to get their rooms ready.

 

At that point, the second Dromio comes up to fetch the second Antipholus home for supper. Only it isn’t the second Antipholus. It’s the first, and neither has any idea that they’ve got the wrong one. The four of them keep mixing up one with the other, and then the other for the one, over and over. Then yet more people get involved. Women and servants and merchants all begin mistaking the twins for each other without realizing it. And furthermore, the second Antipholus is married.

 

You can jolly well see that it turns messy right out of the garden gate. A true perplexity of the first order, what?

 

Of course, one can take for granted that it’ll work itself out in the end, by some sort of congregation of all the play’s characters in one spot, and finish with the wise words of gentlemen’s personal gentlemen. It is a comedy, after all. So there’s no need to spoil the precise ending for those inexperienced in this play.

 

But finales aside, let us take a look at the plot itself.

 

There is quite clearly a deal of mistaken identity—though in this case, it is completely accidental, and is not purposefully continued by any party. Important distinction, you see. In the Wodehouse stories, one may be mistaken for another, but he decides to continue under that pretense. Then of course, he must get someone else to pretend to be him. And then the one with the briefly-pilfered identity turns up and sets all plans to naught. In the C of E, however, no one is pretending to be anyone but himself.

 

Some part of the plot occurs at the house of Antipholus E.—that’s for “Ephesus”, you understand. That we may consider, for our purposes, to be the Shakespearean equivalent of Blandings or Brinkley, a sort of stately Ephesian home, servants and all.

 

There are three romantic entanglements which, until things are sorted out, must be considered unfortunate. Antipholus E is wedded, as I’ve previously noted. However, his Syracusan twin is mistaken for him, the husband, when he in fact has no connection to or affection for this woman he’s not seen once in his life. In fact, Antipholus S begins to fall in love with the sensible sister of the wife. Dromio S, as well, finds himself “engaged” to a rather rotund kitchen wench, in whom could be found out countries (according to Dromio’s own all-encompassing description).

 

The plot also features a mix-up involving a golden chain—which one Antipholus ordered and the other accepted. After this, Antipholus E asks the merchant for the golden chain he never received. The merchant then flagrantly demands the money he was never paid for the golden chain which he already delivered (to his twin). And one thing after another occurs to prevent any of the right people getting either chain or cheque.

 

Also, though nothing is directly stolen, a young lady insists that her ring was snatched from her room by Antipholus E. This is not the case. But going into specifics may lead the both of us further into the plot’s labyrinth without the golden thread of the full play to lead us safely out again.

 

I could continue, too. I could go into details of the longsuffering Dromios, the headstrong wife and her practical sister, and the eventual involvement of the Ephesian bobbies (who, if they have any helmets, certainly retain them), and yet further. But there’s no need of that. It must by now be evident that one might set this play in Totliegh Towers, and all but a few names might easily be mistaken for something out of a Wodehouse work.

 

And this, you see, is a level of humour that can rarely be attained in our modern day—a plot complexity that lends itself to confusion without becoming utter poppycock. Countless threads seem to become completely and hopelessly entangled during the course of the tale-telling. But no twist of twine is left raveled by the conclusion. Upon arrival, the ending makes sense (even if you’re not entirely certain how you got there).

 

Wodehouse and Shakespeare are both virtuosos at this sort of thing, of course—the former learning greatly from the latter, I’d imagine. One or two examples on film would be “The Court Jester” and “Oscar”. But there are precious few others that come, at the least, to my mind.

 

Then again, one must admit it is difficult to do properly. This is likely why we stick to pratfalls (which can certainly be funny) or crude humour (which never is). To be honest, trying to find something humourous of this calibre is, in the words of Antipholus S, “like a drop of water that in the ocean seeks another drop.”

 

And yet, somehow, the drops have found each other. William Shakespeare and P. G. Wodehouse, twin masters of confusion, of cleverness, and of comicality. We need more of their like. Yes, Wodehouse may defer to Shakespeare as the wiser senior. But in the aspects I’ve shown you, in their comedy, they are so alike as they may “go hand in hand, not one before another.”

 

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Well, what-ho, what-ho, what-ho? That's my essay, and dashed if it hasn't set me off on a Wodehousian kick. I daresay somebody ought to really set the play in a Blandings-type place, costumes and all, and perform it like that.

 

Anybody here that's got a mind with something on it--or even, perhaps, a spot of Wodehousian experience? Tell me all in the comments!

 

For now, I must attend to my Anatolian task of creating supper. Off we go, Jeeves!

 

Omnibus II - Beowulf - Know Your Norse Gods

NOTE: This post was written a few weeks before it was posted. By the time you read it, midterm elections will probably be over. Enjoy anyway!

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With midterm elections coming up, I thought it might be appropriate to take a look at some of the most prominent candidates.

THOR ODINSON: running for State Senator. With a thunderous voice, Thor hammers out his opinion from behind his podium. He has been a member of the House of Representatives for some time, and is now setting his sights higher. He is well-known for his aggressive policies toward all enemies of the American way, both foreign and domestic. He is especially hostile to a protest group in the vein of ANTIFA, calling themselves JOTNAR, who oppose the current presidency (and, quite frankly, human nature). Thor has given several press conferences urging decisive action, and even aided supporters in beating JOTNAR back when they turned one of his press conferences into a riot. His strong stances on such matters is likely why he is taking the popularity polls by storm.

ODIN RAVENGOD: running for re-election as State Governor. With his one eye and long beard, one might think Odin looks more a sorcerer than a politician. However, he consistently spearheads political issues, particularly those having to do with education. Unsurprising, given his background as a teacher. He gives talks at schools and colleges around the country, but especially in his home state. Some have theorized he sometimes goes in disguise while on these tours in order to get information about his voters, but this is unverified. He is quoted as saying “I would even hang myself if it would assure that all humanity could attain learning and knowledge.” In addition to his passion for learning, he’s also very concerned with veterans and war memorials. He has started a home for veterans and war heroes called “Valhalla Veterans”.

FRIGG FRIDAY: running for State Governor. With her campaign slogan of “Look to the future”, Frigg is also a popular candidate. Many of her speeches focus on foresight, trying to anticipate political turmoil and prepare for it. One issue, however, that has continually come up throughout this campaign is the scandalous death of her son, Baldr, and his wife some years ago. The event allegedly took place after measures of protection had been set up by Frigg to protect Baldr, which casts aspersions on her current campaign. On her marital relationship with the opposing candidate, Frigg has made no comment.

FREYJA VANIR: running for State Senator. Most popular among the younger generation of voters, the beautiful Freyja most often appeals to their hearts, rather than cover the issues. Love and togetherness are her focus in this campaign. However, she also takes an interest in the war heroes and veterans of our country—her “Folkvangr Home For Veterans” rivals Odin Ravengod’s “Valhalla Veterans”. Freyja often appears at her press conferences and rallies wearing a unique cloak, covered in feathers (called both “a bold fashion statement” and “indignant frippery” by those in the media). Strangely, her rallies have been targeted by JOTNAR groups and individuals, though the reason for their interest is uncertain.

FREYR VANIR: running for Congressman. While his sister, Freyja Vanir, talks mostly about feelings and ideals, Freyr addresses issues, and a lot of them. He has many ideas to make things better—from the administrative authorities of our government to agricultural opportunities to weather-control projects. He has made clear that he intends to bring up all of these before the House of Representatives if ever he is elected. His proclaimed goal is to “bring peace and prosperity to the American people”, making him a popular candidate. However, it is not all sunny blue skies of potential in this campaign. There have been rumours that his wife, Gerðr, is a member of JOTNAR, which, if true, could cause complications to both his and his sister’s campaigns.

NJÖRÐR VANIR: running for re-election as Congressman. With long experience as a Navy-man, businessman, and politician, Njörðr is most focused on economic matters in his campaign. He encourages fair trade and good relations with other nations, stating that these are the best way to bring back real wealth to our economy. The media, however, as per usual, has diverted attention from his policies to a personal matter—that of Skaði Öndurguð. Apparently, they met at a ski lodge and were soon married, but divorced after twelve days (the most popular speculation about this is that they could not agree on where to live). On the matter of Freyja and Freyr Vanir, he has stated that he “brought them up in politics” and is “proud to see [his] children following in [his] footsteps”.

At this point, we will take a look at two candidates from the opposing party.

HEL NIFLHEIM: running for Congresswoman. With a constant, fiercely sober expression, Hel is one of the most popular candidates for the Democratic Party. She is staunchly pro-choice—she has even gone so far as to say at one of her rallies, “I consider women who abort their pregnancies to be giving a gift to me.” She is also very lenient in her immigration policy, saying that she wants us to accept “all those sent to us”. Hel has also made snide remarks about Frigg and the matter of her son’s death: “Perhaps if she could get the whole world to mourn him, he’d spring back to life.” Her followers are ardently devoted, hanging on her every word, shouting down any opposition. Some Right-Wingers have said that they’d rather be dead than see her in office: others have said we all would be.

LOKI LAUFEYSON: running for State Senator. With a past in the media as well as local and state politics, Loki is by far the most dangerous opposition the Left has put forth. He is most interested in “Social Justice”, despite having sided with the Right Wing in past years, and strongly supports homosexual and transsexual rights. Loki has furthermore accused every single Republican candidate of wrongdoing. There have been rumours that he was involved in the death of Baldr, or even arranged the whole thing. Whether this is true or not, it has been proven how Loki has manipulated events throughout his campaign, including encouraging and setting up JOTNAR riots. Yet somehow, he has wormed his way into influence and power, and poses a serious threat to the Right in this election.

Those are the most prominent of the candidates, as well as the opposition. I would say which ones will receive my vote, but unfortunately, I won’t have it myself until after the election. Still, I might as well know what I’m missing.

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Well, that is my post! I hope you enjoyed, and were at least somewhat interested. That was the challenge—to create an analysis of the Norse gods, and a metaphor for them to keep it interesting.

 

Somehow, though, I get the feeling that the metaphor wasn’t the most original. Probably everybody who’s done this class came up with that one.

Ah, well, I hoped you enjoyed anyway! Which ones would get your vote? Let me know down in the comments!

RPC - Western Civ - Common Misconceptions About the Crusades

Greetings, my friends! Welcome back to my old blog--Saint George Academy! Or simply welcome, if you are new.

Yes, I'm back. But, as it should be, I will be posting a school writing assignment. This one is for the Ron Paul Curriculum, and the Western Civilization class in particular. I'm going to be posting another of these, hopefully tomorrow.

I won't generally put a little introduction like this in front of all my school writing assignments. I just decided to do it for this one, my first post back on Saint George Academy with Grace. I hope you enjoy, or better yet, learn from this little historical work of mine!

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            The Crusades, taking place in the late 1090s to early 1290s, were the efforts of Western Christians, working with Eastern Christians, to win back the Holy Land, and especially Jerusalem. This much is fairly common knowledge. But beyond this, there are a lot of misconceptions about the Crusades. In this writing assignment, I will play the historian. And historians have an obligation to tell the truth about what they teach.

I will bring up several misconceptions about the Crusades, and address why they are incorrect.

#1 – The Crusades were simply unprovoked aggression on the part of the Crusaders.

A simple look at history proves otherwise. The Muslims (the Crusaders’ opposition) had taken over two-thirds of the Christian world by the time of the Crusades. Asia Minor—including the important cities of Antioch, Ephesus, and Nicaea—the Middle East, North Africa, and most of Spain had been conquered by the Muslim armies. They had made attempts to conquer France, but were driven back by Charles Martel (an ancestor of my family!).

            There was particularly a lot of conflict between the Muslims and Byzantium, also known as Turkey. Things only got worse for them as the Seljuk Turks entered the scene, and became rulers of Islam. At that point, even the uneasy peace that had existed was gone. Christian pilgrimages became very dangerous. Eventually, the Byzantine emperor had to send pleas for help back West, as the Muslims threatened Constantinople (currently Istanbul). Rather than unprovoked aggression, it was an act of self-defense.

#2 – The Crusaders were fixated on wealth.

            This is a very silly idea. The Crusades were immensely expensive, and were actually a source of financial ruin for many. People had to sell off or mortgage their lands to raise the money needed. According to recent research, many crusaders were already wealthy landowners, and the Crusades were only going to eat away at that fortune.
            A popular theory along these lines is the “Second Sons” theory. Fathers would leave all their lands to their firstborn son as inheritance. The younger sons, who didn’t get any lands, went off on crusades in order to gain lands. However, there is no evidence for this theory. As a matter of fact, it was the “first sons”, the sons that inherited lands, who answered the calls to crusade.

#3 – The Crusaders wanted to convert the Muslims by force in the Crusades.

            This idea is probably just the product of anti-Christian bias. Muslims living in Crusader states were never forced to give up their religion. In fact, Muslims always outnumbered Catholics in the Crusader State of Jerusalem. The truth of the matter is, almost everybody who went on the Crusades really did go for the reasons they gave—to do penance for their sins and to help their Christian brethren.

#4 – There was even a “Children’s Crusade”.

This is not true. There was no army of children, no crusade started by little kids. There was just a variety of uprisings and processions. One such uprising centred around a young man from Cologne named Nicholas, around 1212. Since the rich and powerful had apparently failed to take back Jerusalem, he started a mass movement, his own crusade with the peasants of the Western world. He got a lot of people behind him. Unfortunately, his movement came to an end when they came to the sea. He believed it would open before him, showing the way to the Holy Land. It didn’t. After that, most of the people went home, though some went to Rome.

#5 – The Crusades led to festering resentment among Muslims, which in turn led to 20^th- and 21^st- century terrorism.

To be honest, if you asked a Muslim in the 17^th century about the Crusades, he would have no clue what you were talking about. The Crusades were minor episode—blips—and hardly worth mentioning, from the Muslim perspective. The first Muslim mention of the Crusades in a scholarly work was in 1899, eight hundred years after the First Crusade. Trust me, the Crusades weren’t even on their radar. Not until we modern Westerners started making a big deal about them, anyway.

So there you have it. The Crusades were started and fought for the exact reasons that they said: to aid their Christian brethren in the East, and to retake the Holy Land. And, as they said in their Crusade's battle cry--and ours--"Deus Vult! God wills it!"

Time Traveller's Daughter--An Announcement

Yes, I know. I missed yet another Mid-Week Music post. But I have an announcement to make, and the following will hopefully count as a funny picture.

Brian Regan, a famous comedian, once said something in one of his bits. (Amazing, I know.) We at our house repeat it at every possible opportunity. I found it rather fitting for the situation I am announcing. Thus, here it is.

Yes. Something's changed!

That something, in this case, is this blog. I must inform you that from this point on, Saint George Academy with Grace will be just that. This blog will become my school blog, while I continue writing all my other posts (including Mid-Week Music) on a new blog.

Don't worry, though: all the posts I've done here already will still be here. I haven't yet decided if I will put copies of these posts on that blog, or if I will just be starting with brand new posts. If I do end up starting with new posts, I will refer back to this blog.

So, here is the link to my blog. I may edit it to go to my first post instead of just the homepage. As it is, there's a test post by my mom up. And my new blog is called...

Time Traveller's Daughter!
https://time-travelers-daughter.blogspot.com/

Isn't that a neat title? I'm definitely excited!

So, I suppose this will be the last post on this blog for a while. For all continuing posts from me (except school ones), click on that link above. Hopefully, I'll see you there, not too far in the future! Goodbye...

Mid-Week Music #26 - Portrait II

First, let me say, Happy St. Valentine's Day!

Second, let me say, I'm sorry I couldn't post something this past week. I knew what I wanted the post to be about, but I couldn't find a song about the subject. I'll probably do a post about it soon.

We did a lot of different things today--fun games and crafts, a special meal, an Adventures in Odyssey episode all about Saint Valentine. And a movie, finally settled to be IQ. IQ is a sort of romantic comedy: the famed Albert Einstein and friends, matchmaking for Einstein's niece and a nice young garage mechanic. It's a very funny movie! Has one or two twitterpated ideas about love and marriage, but a hilarious film nonetheless. I'll have to do a review of it sometime and tell you all about it.

If you know your Kansas lore, you know that the band released a song back in 1977 called "Portrait (He Knew)". That song was the original of this song. And yes, it was about Albert Einstein. I was reminded of it after watching IQ. That's my first reason. My second reason, I will explain, after you listen to the song.

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He had a different idea

You might have heard His Name

He gave us all a new vision

Not looking for fortune or fame

His works were a wonder to speak of

His thought's on another plane

The words that He said were a mystery

No one was sure He was sane

[chorus]

But He knew

Knew more than me or you

No one could see His view

O-oh, where was He going to-oo?

And He knew

You could tell by the picture He drew

It was totally something new

O-oh, where was He going to-o-oo?

Yea-ea-ea-eah

He said that He was the Answer

The only One ne-ear or far

He was trying to show us a new way

He was bright as a star

But nobody understood Him

They said He was not the Way

They were lost in the deepest enigma

That few have unraveled today

But He knew

Knew what He had to do

Those that believed Him were few

O-oh, what would He have us do?

And He died

So that Justice was satisfied

When He left us, the people cried

"Oh, where was He going to?"

Yea-eah...

Yea-eah!

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He had a different idea

The Master knew the plan

He could see into the future

A true visionary Man

The truth was all that He told us

He died, but He lives again

He will return to be with us

But who will be ready then?

'Cause He knew

All about me and you

All of His words were true

O-oh, where was He going to-oo?

Yes, He knew

You could tell by the picture He drew

It was totally something new

O-oh, help us to follow You!

Yea-eah...

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Well, you've listened to the song. I'll bet you noticed that it wasn't about Albert Einstein. That's where my second reason comes in.

And it is a bit more complicated than my first reason. You see, throughout the movie, there are several questions posed. Some few are conclusively answered. One of those is "Is the universe governed by random chance, or is there a grand design?" The question seems to have a special connection to the relationship of Ed (the mechanic) and Catherine (the niece): does it come together by accident or design?

In the movie, this question is answered conclusively, on the small scale anyway. And... it is all by design. Einstein and his old scientist friends orchestrate almost the entire thing from start to finish, with Einstein as the conductor. I love it when a plan comes together.

But why? Why did Einstein mastermind this whole thing? Why make the plan come together? Was he just bored, and decided to meddle in his niece's affairs? No. Anyone who's seen the movie knows that clearly. He did it because he loved his niece. He knew that the rat man--I-I mean James, wasn't the right man for her, and wanted her to have the best she could have.

Returning now to the question, is the universe governed in the same way? Is it all simply random chance, or is there more to it? I actually touched on this matter in the previous post, and the answer is yes. It's the same answer we get in the movie. God has a grand design for the world--for the universe--and it comes together more and more, perfectly, each day.

And why? Why does He have such a plan? Because He loves us. He loved us all enough to give us life--think about that! Every time you look at a sunset, or a cat, or a person, every time you see a flower, or an apple, or a clod of earth, you're looking at a direct act of God's love. Fitting to be talking about such things on St. Valentine's Day, huh?

But it isn't all happy. Because things started to go wrong. Satan rejected that love, and showed us all how to do the same. He hates the grand design of grace God has for us, and tries constantly to thwart it, to end our part in the plan early. And he has indeed led us astray. Now, we're hopelessly lost in the darkness.

However, God's plan would not be thwarted so easily. He knew this was coming, and He still had His plan. One part of it was set in motion, even as He sent the Man and Woman from the Garden for their sin. It wouldn't come together completely for thousands of years, but come it did. Or I should say, He did. For, you see, God came down Himself, in the person of Jesus Christ, because He loved us. Jesus did works that were a wonder to speak of, and told words of truth always--because He loved us. Jesus suffered and died so that Justice was satisfied, so that our sin would be taken away--because He loved us. And Jesus rose again triumphant from the dead, and leads us now to eternal joy and life.

Because He loves us.

So, as you listen to "Portrait II", and go about the rest of your day, think about these things. We may not know the whole plan, but the Master knows the plan. And we know that He loves us, on this St. Valentine's Day and all other days. Let's follow Him, to where He's going to.

Mid-Week Music #25 - Milo Murphy's Law Theme Song

Well now, before I get to the song of this week's MWM, there's another song I must mention--the Very Sorry Song. Yes, I missed this past week's MWM. I'm very sorry. It's complicated--part of the reason was that I could not think of a song. I could have done just a random song, but all the random songs I know are connected to this week's song.

The point is, I did have help picking this week's Music, from my younger sister, Kaitlyn, whose birthday is today! I told her she could choose the song for her birthday, and this was her first and only choice. She didn't have a second thought, just said it: "I wanna do the one where Doofenshmirtz and that guy with the white beard sing Milo!" That would be the second video, you see.

If you've read my blog since October at least, you're probably familiar with the show Milo Murphy's Law. I did a Halloween post all about it. It's a wonderful show, and I tell all about it in that post. In short, Milo Murphy is followed by a cyclone of calamity wherever he goes, and it causes many, many adventures for both him and his friends. There's also a lot of time travel involved. And a crossover, coming this April.

Oddly enough, though, just the other day I was finishing up rereading The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien. Gandalf's words to Bilbo at the end return to my mind as I'm writing this post.

"You don't really suppose, do you, that all your adventures and escapes were managed by mere luck, just for your sole benefit? You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only a little fellow in a wide world after all!"

Somehow, that seems to fit perfectly here. Milo has indeed had a great many adventures and escapes. And he does seem a very fine person, and I am very fond of him and all his friends. But the idea that all of this is no more than random chance, bad or good luck, seems a mighty big stretch. In the words of a fellow blogger, "If Murphy's Law is that anything that CAN go wrong WILL go wrong, Milo Murphy's Law is that EVERYTHING THAT COULD POSSIBLY be important WILL be important. The tiniest details could end up being vital to saving the world."

We know, of course, that every single detail has been planned, because it is a story. Even in the context of the story, I don't doubt that Clara's right--everything that could possibly be important will be important, eventually, and Milo's 'luck', good or bad, is all to a purpose. And that's rather how it is in real life too. It's a story, just as much as Milo Murphy's Law. And nothing is without a purpose.

So Kaitlyn, here's hoping that your birthday's exceptional, and every day; that your life, no matter what sort of 'luck' you have, is never boring even for a minute. Here's your song, the Milo Murphy's Law theme song. Happy Birthday!

That's the normal theme song. And goodness gracious, that background is packed with details. Now, I also have a second version, which has two special guest singers. It's not really as good, but it is definitely funny. Here are Cavendish and Dakota--er, I mean, Major Monogram and Heinz Doofenshmirtz.

(Sorry, the original video seems to have disappeared, and this one is cut short.)

**

Look at that sun, look at that sky

Look at my sweatervest, I look so fly

Look at that mailbox, look at that tree

It's about as beautiful as it can be

Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Today is gonna be exceptional

Never boring, even for a minute

It's my world and we're all living in it

Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

(We're all living in it)

Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Never boring, even for a minute

It's my world and we're all living in it

**

*

Mid-Week Music #24 - Winter Wonderland

I don't know where you are right now, as you're reading this. But where I am right now, it's snowing, and snowing hard. It has been since before it was light outside. And we don't always get a lot of snow down here in the South--it's been many years since I've seen a white Christmas--so when it snows like this, it's very special.

And so a special song is called for. I could have used 'Snow' from White Christmas, but that one specifically mentions Christmas, and it's not Christmastime anymore. So, I decided to use this one. No, it's not a Christmas song, just a wintertime song, despite the fact that they always play it during the Advent season and never any other time.

This is the best version I could find that wasn't specifically Christmassy. Which is a pretty good version! I'm sure there are snowball fights and snowy quests in the days ahead. Though... we already built a snowman, last year, the first time it snowed this season. Ah, well. Maybe we'll build another one.

Wherever you are, whatever the weather, I hope you enjoy this Winter Wonderland!

(Wonderland... winter wonderland... wonderland...)

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight, oh, we're happy tonight
Walking in a winter wonderland

Gone away is the bluebird
Here to stay is a new bird
He's singing a song as we go along
Walking in a winter wonderland

Well, in the meadow we can build a snowman
And pretend that he is Parson Brown
He'll say 'are you married?', we'll say 'no, man
'But you can do the job when you're in town'

Later on, we'll conspire
As we dream by the fire
To face unafraid all the plans that we made
Walking in a winter wonderland

In the meadow we can build a snowman
And pretend that he's a circus clown
We'll have lots of fun with Mr. Snowman
Until the other kiddies knock him down

When it snows, ain't it thrilling?
Though your nose gets a chilling
We'll frolic and play the Eskimo way
Walking in a winter wonderland

(Wonderland... wonderland...)

Wanted: Angry Drill Sergeant

No, I did not fall off of the face of the planet, get sucked through a wormhole, or accidentally time travel. I simply got sick. Okay, the cold has just been in the past couple of days, but before that, it was Chronic Procrastinitis. Been going on for a while now, honestly. And it needs to end.

In short, I need a drill sergeant who will yell at me to get my work done on time (and, sometimes, at all). Do any of you know of one I could borrow? Brother Drill Sergeant Combs Sir is otherwise occupied. He's the best at it. I could settle for Principal Strickland if no one angrier is available. Leave any recommendations in the comments below!

I'm very sorry, all of you. It's almost two weeks into the New Year and I've done nothing. There's no excuse for laziness. Things will be back to normal in a very short time. I apologize. Mid-Week Music will be back this very Wednesday, no question.

As per usual, I will give you a picture with my in-between post.

A reflection of some of my watching habits during illness. A very cool combination of them. And why not?

Again, please let me know if you can find a good drill sergeant, and I apologize for my laziness.

The End of 2017

Time travel is confusing, even at the normal rate of sixty seconds per minute.

Think about it: in no less than one hour, it will be 2018. How did time go so fast? In a year, we'll still be thinking the same thing, because time will still be moving, and that's always confusing. So, before this year ends and a new one begins, I will post this little review of the past year. Not review as in a movie review, of course. Just looking back on a lot of things.

Firstly, Donald Trump became President of the United States of America. I know there are some people reading this blog not from America, so this may not be as big a deal to some of those people. But it has been a big win for us. The Wall isn't up yet, but a lot of other great things have been done. Just go on scifiwright.com and click the Not Tired Of Winning link on the side for a list.

(That's just a funny parody that the kids love listening to every night. Gives you an idea of things, for those who don't like clicking links.)

Now, on to personal matters. I started this blog! This is the 35th post I've done since June 30, which was when I started. (Also, let me apologize for not putting up a Mid-Week Music this past week. I mistook Wednesday for Tuesday, and we were all still sort of busy.) I have had so much fun writing these posts, and I am definitely looking forward to writing more in the coming year.

Things have also been happening in Newsom Hall. For example, I have a new baby brother named Ransom! He's the sweetest thing, and he loves the Christmas lights. (Yes, we've still got the Christmas Tree up, and there it'll stay until after Twelfth Night.) I get to hold him a lot now, even though I've still not gotten to see him smile as much as I'd like. But hey, I have a baby brother!

A lot of things happened this year. One of the scariest things was that I turned seventeen. (Enter overdramatic gasp.) We had an amazing vacation, discovered a lot of new bands and musical artists, read books, and basically did lots of things. We watched a couple of movies in the theatre this year, the best one being The Man Who Invented Christmas. There will likely be a review sometime in the coming year, because we definitely intend to see it in the theatre again with the whole family. Please go watch that film if you haven't.

I had wanted to finish my first novel this year, but I'm still in Chapter 8. Tsk. However, I have fully written and edited a novella for a writing contest (by Rooglewood Press), and--by the time this post has gone out--entered it as well. It's called Princess of the Seventh Star, and some of you may remember a post a while back with the first scene. That project took up most of my writing time, but I think it was worth it. I may not have done all the things I'd planned, but I have done things.

Speaking of which, a website I read called goteenwriters.com recently put up a writing exercise. It was to make a list of all the good things that happened to you, all the things you succeeded in, every win. Since I read that website more often than not, I made one. It's a bit too extensive for a single blog post, but that might be because I included smaller things. Ah well, I suppose it's mainly a list for oneself. Read the post, if you will.

There's the past year for you: hectic, filled to bursting, and wonderful. As for the present, we're enjoying one of our Christmas presents--gingerbread houses, or something else made of gingerbread--as we prepare for midnight. And the future? Well, I plan to finish my first novel, and begin work on the second. I'll likely be working on some radio scripts--both in way of recording and of writing. I hope to see one of my works published. But that's out of my hands now, I suppose. So we'll see. I'm also going to be putting up many more posts on this here blog. I may even get a driver's license.

You know, this is rather an odd time, New Year's Eve. Everyone reminisces about the past year, marvel at how quickly the present time has arrived, and make plans for the coming year. It's almost as if the past and the future meet and shake hands in the few moments before the year ends.

Whatever the past may have brought, whatever the future may hold, let us never forget He who is the Lord of all time--the One who is eternity. It is He whose birth we have all been celebrating in the past week, commemorating the day when eternity stepped into time in the person of Jesus Christ.

Of the Father's love begotten
Ere the worlds began to be
He is Alpha and Omega
He the Source, the ending He
Of the things that are
That have been
And that future years shall see
Evermore and evermore

Happy New Year, everyone!

On the Road Home, Keep Christmas, Lose the Self

I don't know if most of you have heard of John C. Wright, but I've been told he's rather famous. He's a writer on the Right, and is really the one who started the Last Crusade movement, I suppose. (My first post explains what that is, if you're wondering). I read his blog, or website, or whatever it's called. A few days ago, he posted part of an article he wrote for... I believe it's called Dangerous? He also included a link to the rest of the article. Click that link. It is well worth your while.

http://www.scifiwright.com/2017/12/keeping-christmas-losing-self/

I disagree with him on only one point: the three versions of A Christmas Carol that we watch every year are the 1970 musical, the 2009 Disney version, and either Mickey's Christmas Carol or Stingiest Man in Town (both animated). I have never yet seen the versions he mentions. But this is simply our tradition. It has little bearing on matters such as these.

You see, Mr. Wright has written something truly wonderful. Christmas is a time of pictures and images of elsewhere, a time of homesickness for that same elsewhere, a time of selflessness and redemption, a time of mercy and magic and love. All of this is made very clear in Mr. Wright's article. And this article has brought me joy this Christmas, and I wanted you all to know of it too.

"In the place where God was homeless, all men are at home." ~ G. K. Chesterton.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Mid-Week Music #23 - What Child Is This?

As Christmas has drawn nearer, I've done a lot of different MWMs, with a lot of different Christmas songs. That is, if three weeks of it constitutes a lot. Cinnamon Bear, Do They Know What Christmas Is, Father Christmas: every one of them Christmas songs. This week, I'd like to do a real Christmas carol.

Let me explain the difference: people don't write Christmas carols anymore. They write Christmas songs, about how wonderful this time of the year is, how much they love their family, and how their love life is going at this time of year. Some of them are good songs, and some of them are not. But none of them are Christmas carols, because Christmas carols are almost all hymns. Hymns that tell of angels singing praise to God, of tidings of comfort and joy, of the joy that Jesus brought to the world.

There may be one (perhaps two or three) exceptions, but these in any case are still merry old songs of days past. You can usually tell them apart from the more modern things. And no, I don't consider Little Drummer Boy and Do You Hear What I Hear to be Christmas carols. They're still Christmas songs. And I thought it was high time for me to post a Mid-Week Music about a Christmas carol.

I chose this one because of a certain person, whose first Christmas this is. Of course, I mean my baby brother, Ransom. I thought it would be fitting to post a carol specifically about another newborn boy, who was also a Ransom for many. For sinners here, the silent Word is pleading. As the time of Advent is soon to come to a close, let us raise the song on high with joy, to celebrate the Babe, the Son of Mary.

Here, my friends, is a real Christmas carol: What Child Is This?

What Child is this Who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring Him laud
The Babe, the Son of Mary

Why lies He in such mean estate
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here,
The silent Word is pleading
Nails, spear shall pierce Him through
The cross be borne for me, for you
Hail, hail the Word Made Flesh
The Babe, the Son of Mary

So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh
Come shepherds, kings, to own Him
The King of Kings salvation brings
Let loving hearts enthrone Him
Raise, raise the song on high
The virgin sings her lullaby
Joy, joy, for Christ is born
The Babe, the Son of Mary

Mid-Week Music #22 - Father Christmas

Well, this week's MWM is yet another Christmas song. And once again, it's not exactly a traditional one. That will come next week. However, the movie this song comes from is a tradition in our household, so it might well be considered traditional. That movie is called Scrooge.

It's the one from 1970, the musical, in case you were wondering. I know there've been a lot of adaptations with the same title. We've watched several adaptations of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (the most recent being The Man Who Invented Christmas, which is a marvellous one, to be sure). It may not be the most accurate one--the scene between the final ghost and Scrooge's awakening shows that very clearly--but few have made me quite so happy as this one does every time. Highly recommended.

But moving on, why this song in particular? Well, first, we are going to start watching Scrooge tonight (or we plan to). But we also plan to get back to reading The Nicholas Book again. The Nicholas Book is a novel set in 1959, and written by my daddy, William Chad Newsom. The story is about a pair of twins--Joshua and Rachel--who go on a Quest to find out the truth about Santa Claus. We've read it every year since... well, possibly since it was published. It's one of my favourite traditions. If the idea interests you, please take a look at it!

Of course, this song isn't the best source of truth on Santa. No indeed. The boys are simply calling old Scrooge by the name of Father Christmas to mock him. It's not very serious. But it is quite fun. And you know how A Christmas Carol ends. In fact, the same boys later change, if not their tune, their words. By the end of the movie, they half believe Scrooge really is Father Christmas himself. And that's a wonder to see.

I suppose in a way, the boys were placing the characteristics and, well, character of Scrooge onto that of Father Christmas. If they were being serious about it, I'd say they were being like Lou Nyten. (Especially in that last line...) But by the end, the character of Father Christmas has been placed onto that of Scrooge. Interesting. But it's getting late, so I must be on my merry Christmas way. For now, here is... Father Christmas!

Boy 1:
Blimey! Who's he?

Boy 2:
That's Father Christmas!

Scrooge:

A plague on Father Christmas!

Boy 3:

And he sends his best to you too, guv'ner!

Boys:

Father Christmas, Father Christmas

He's the meanest man in the 'ole wide world

In the 'ole wide world, you can feel it

He's a miser, he's a skinflint

He's a stingy lout--leave your stocking out

For your Christmas gift

And he'll steal it

It's a shame he's a villain

What a game for a villain to play

On Christmas Day

Every Christmas, Father Christmas

Will be just as mean as he's ever been

And I'm here to say we should all send Father Christmas

On his merry Christmas way!

**

(loudly)

Father Christmas!

(quietly)

Father Christmas

He's the rottenest man in the universe

There is no one worse, you can tell it

Boy 1:

He's a rascal!

Boy 2:

He's a bandit!

Boys:

He's a crafty one--leave your door undone

He'll go in your house

And sell it

Boy 4:

It's a crime

Boys:

It's a scandal

What a game for a vandal to play

On Christmas Day

If you distrust Father Christmas

It's as well to know that I told you so

Cause I'm here to say we should all send Father Christmas

2 Boys:

Father Christmas

2 More Boys:

Father Christmas

2 Other Boys:

Father Christmas

Small Boy:

Father Christmas

All:

On his merry Christmas waaay!