Paper Airplanes and Elegant Art

Have you seen Paperman? If not, stop whatever you're doing right now, go get the Wreck it Ralph DVD, skip the meh movie, and watch the short in the special features. I'll wait.

Back already? Watched it? Yeah, I don't believe you. Fortunately, there's a summary below.

In 2012 Paperman was the first Disney short to win an Academy Award in over 40 years. While I don't usually pay attention to award nominees, particularly in the smaller categories, for some reason I clicked on the video and fell in love. Paperman is storytelling at its most elegant.

Elegance personified

The Project

By now, most of you know that I’ve left my full-time job in favor of a part-time position with a different company. The reduced responsibilities and corresponding reduction of stress will hopefully allow me to do some things that are important to me. I didn’t leave Grand Rapids to be a frazzled e-commerce specialist or part-time team member at a supermarket. I came home to be an encouragement to my family, to support them as we all go through a difficult time of transition, and to hopefully find myself in the process. Those objectives were not possible while I was overwhelmed by my job.

Perhaps it’s because I’m male, but I wrap up most of my identity in how I earn my paycheck. In college, I wasn’t a student, I was a snow crew worker. Since college I’ve written a novel, published a novella, and seen one of my short screenplays produced. But they didn’t pay much, if anything, so I’ve continued to think of myself as a bookstore assistant manager, library shelver, switchboard operator, and so on.

Click the Cover to Buy My Book

I’ll be honest, I live for instant gratification. It’s not that I’m lazy; I’ll put my whole heart into whatever is expected of me (sometimes to my detriment). But that level of commitment only shows up if I know I’m getting paid for showing up. There are no financial guarantees when we follow our dreams. But if we don’t try, we’ll never know.  

Anyone who knows me, knows that I’ve always wanted to make my living through my words. Realistically, the odds of getting stuck by lightning are better. Doesn’t matter. “Making a living” can mean more than getting money. I’ll pay my bills working in retail if I must, but I’d rather get my living in through my writing.

To that end, you should see more activity on my blog. Drawing inspiration from other bloggers, I’ll try to post two or three times a week. Tuesdays I’ll talk about a book, movie, TV show, or album I’m particularly enjoying. Thursdays I’ll write about my journey into better nutrition and bodyweight fitness. As the creative juices get flowing, I’ll probably tweak the content on the site, updating more often or adding a new topic.

How long will this go on? As long as I know people are enjoying my work.

10 Books That Have Influenced My Life

When I saw that I had been tagged in some sort of Facebook challenge, at first I assumed that a bucket of ice water would be required. Then I was relieved to see that the challenge involved books, and not dumping them on my head. The challenge was to list ten books that have influenced my life. I knew that there was no way I could make such a list without explaining how they influenced me. So without further ado…

1. Shane by Jack Schaefer

This classic western about a boy’s hero worship of the gunfighter who saves his farming community from the local cattle baron has been adapted to film several times (including a sci-fi version starring Patrick Swayze!). But even the most straightforward interpretation (1953’s “Shane”) hasn't resonated with me like the novel. Shane is the archetypical western loner with no backstory, who rides in out of nowhere and goes back to wherever he came from a changed man. Yet it is his relationships with each of the three main characters that make up the heart of the novel. Reading this on the verge of adolescence, I learned about life, storytelling, and fistfights. To this day I sit with my back to the wall, facing the door, because that’s what Shane did.

Call Me Travis: Library Observations

Last August I got a job shelving books in a public library.  While I practically grew up in libraries, and have spent many hours in this particular branch, there were some things I’d just never noticed before.

Never spent much time around trashy romance novels until now, and boy am I surprised.  Some of those women on the covers are something else.  And I’m talking about the back covers, the author pictures.  I’m sorry, but that Jude Devereaux is hot! 

And also 65

The Dewey Decimal System has been retired, along with the Huey Humorous System and the ever popular Louie Longitudinal System.  Now everything has categories, sub-categories and sometimes sub-sub-categories.  My personal favorite is “Cooking – Kids.”  Who knew they’d have an entire shelf devoted to veal? 

Sometimes juvenile books are organized by author, and sometimes by series. How they are cataloged and to be shelved is printed on the spine.  My most bitter disappointment so far was discovering that Batman is not, in fact, writing children’s books.  Then I realized Roald Dahl’s books would look cheery and optimistic in comparison.

"What is this trash? I could write better than this. I'll call it, 50 Shades of I'm Batman."

All the old series are still alive through reboots and prequels.  Ever wonder about Amelia Bedelia’s childhood?  Me neither.  But we can find out!  Nancy Drew is a vampire slayer.  The Hardy Boys track zombies.  I haven’t found them yet, but I’m sure the books about adult Madeline preventing the Fourth Reich, and the Boxcar Children’s adventures hunting rogue demons are out there somewhere.

Twice now I’ve had people come up while I’m shelving books and ask, “Do you work here?”  I always want to say something like, “No, I just bring my own shelving cart,” or, “No, I’m just trying to blend in so I can spy on the librarians.”  Or, people who recognize me from one of my other jobs will come up and say, “Do you have a twin who works at Cornerstone?”  As if the world could be so blessed as to have two of me running around town.  However, I think from now I’m just going say, “Yes, actually. His name is Travis.” 

Lights, Cameras, Lights!

Last night I went to a little venue called The Loft in downtown Lansing to see one of my favorite musical artists, a Canadian singer who calls herself Lights (born Valerie Poxleitner).  And yes, I went alone.  While here she’s practically unknown, in her native land she’s kind of a big deal.  In 2009 she won the Juno Award (Canada’s equivalent to the Grammy) for best new artist.  Recently she performed at the Juno Awards with Deadmau5.  Tickets for one her shows in Ontario started at about $40.

So when I found out she’d be at The Loft, which only holds about 400 people, there was little hesitation.  Especially with the tickets being so cheap.  Sometimes liking artists no one has ever heard of can be a good thing.  Sure, I’d be going alone.  But if that was my biggest problem I wouldn’t let it stop me.

Why The Hunger Games Reminded Me of a Horror Movie

How many people do you know who read The Hunger Games in a weekend or less? Of the sequel, Catching Fire, my cousin wrote on her Facebook that she couldn’t “get her eyes out of it.” However, It took me two and a half weeks, culminating in a four hour marathon reading session at the local coffee shop, just to get through book one.  Reading The Hunger Games was a chore.  I knew a dedicated reading session in public was the only way I’d ever finish it (also, I’d hoped to use it to meet women… and at least half of my plan worked).

When I first started the book, I recognized it as a story with staying power, unlike, say Twilight, which has the shelf life of a Beanie Baby.  No, despite the lack of a Newberry medal, I think The Hunger Games will be read in classrooms for discussion and at home for entertainment for many years to come.  Katniss Everdeen’s battle against herself, her peers and ultimately the government offers up so many topics for intelligent discussion.  In some ways it’s not so different from The Giver or even Ender’s Game.

Pictured: Vicious Killers

 For all you who haven’t read the book or seen the movie (which is probably none of you), I’ll summarize.  In the not-too-distant future all of North American has been united by a totalitarian government into a single country, called Panem, which is broken up into 12 districts.  At some time in the past the districts tried to start a revolution.  Every year since then, the government demands that each district offer two children between the ages of 12 and 18, called tributes, to compete in the Hunger Games as a reminder of who has the power. The Games  are a combination of Survivor, American Idol and gladiatorial combat.  The novel follows the journey of Katniss Everdeen, tribute from lowly District 12.  The Hunger Games novel is 1984 for the Jersey Shore generation.

As I reached the end of the book, however, it began to remind me of a movie—hillbilly horror film Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil. 

The Dangers of Getting Your Hair Cut

Since I don’t get my hair cut very often I can justify going someplace nice.  Not only do I get a spiffy trim and a nice scalp massage, I can also get the same stylist every time.  Over the past four years Carrie and I have gotten to a point where when she asks what I want I can just say, “Whatever. I don’t care. Just cut as the Spirit leads.” She wouldn’t do that at first, and trying to tell her what I wanted lead to much stress and several terrible haircuts. 

But I kept going back, because I knew that in time she’d trust I trusted her.

Even after this happened.