Scary Stories

I usually give my props to my geek roots during October. When I was a kid, I watched the old Universal horror movies (Frankenstein, Dracula, the Wolfman, et al) every Sunday afternoon. I loved the serial nature of those movies, where the monsters developed over the course of several films. They met and fought each other in an endless loop of sepia toned violence.

Of course, Universal only made a limited number of these films. Soon, I'd seen them all, some of them several times. My apetite for these characters was not satisfied and I turned to their literary origins to sustain me. Although I was only 9-10 years old at the time, I struggled through Bram Stoker's Dracula and Mery Shelley's Frankenstein. Parts of it went right over my head but I began a lifelong interest in nineteenth century novels that soon matured into a love of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens (as well as less high brow stuff like J.S. LeFanu).

But October isn't about Dickens or Austen. October is the month of lonely glaciers, howling wolves and storm-tossed ships manned by the dead. I try to return to those books and relive my love for the characters and lose myself in the purple prose. When the classic movie channels show the old Universal movies, I can fully indulge in my monster movie jones.

This October is a little different. I left one job and I prepare myself for the new one with such frightening works as O'Conners Annotated Federal Rules. What little time I've had for pleasure reading was devoted to Bob Woodward's Plan of Attack, which describes the Bush Administration's preparations for the Iraq War (which I concede is pretty scary). Although I recently finished that book, I find I have little time to revisit Mr. Stoker and I cannot find my copy of Frankenstein.

So I turn to Mr. LeFanu. Mr. LeFanu was an Irish writer in the gothic style, as popular in his day as Dickens and Wilke Collins. His specialty was the ghost story, usually set in remote spots and lonely country roads, and I have several collections of them. They are short enough for a quick read on a blustery night. But this year I settled upon his novella Camarilla. Camarilla is the first modern vampire tale (it predates Dracula by at least a decade), although you wouldn't recognize the vampire in it. It takes place in a lonely castle in Eastern Europe, where a lonely young woman is slowly seduced and turned by the titular character over the course of many gloomy days and nights. It is great stuff and highly recommended to anyone interested in vampires or gothic literature.

Of course, one can't read any of these great stories without also listening to Phillip Glass' Dracula soundtrack.

Peaceful, Easy Feeling...

I am in the middle of my time between jobs. I spend it getting things done around the house, writing and refreshing my knowledge of federal rules, the Lanham Act, and the like. It feels pretty good to be among the leisure class, although I often swing wildly between feeling pretty excited and experiencing abject terror over the unknown.

And I just learned that Wizards of the Coast issued another call for book proposals! This is an excellent opportunity for me to market my young adult fantasy novel (without an agent). I need to finish the first draft by March 1, 2005 but that shouldn't be too much of a problem. Although I work at a slow-but-steady pace, I am pretty far along now.

Listening to: Louis Armstrong's version of "Mack the Knife".

Put A Cat In The White House

As I watch the last of three presidential candidate debates, I am underwhelmed by what I see and hear. Same old pablum from both parties. Kerry looks like he ate a lemon before he walked onstage and Bush just looks vapid. But what choice do I have?

Actually, there is a viable third choice: Seamus the cat. He inspires confidence with his muscular and hairy physique. His approach to most problems is refreshingly direct: kill it and eat it. I've pointed out before on this blog that he is tough on crime. His litmus test for judges is simple too: If he can sit on your lap, you can sit on the bench.

And he's just the top of the ticket. Heather the cat would be the first female cat to be vice president. What other party can promise that? And Sophie the dog would make an excellent Secretary of State: she'd make other diplomats throw the ball for her to fetch until they agree to whatever she wants.

How could we lose with this team in the White House?

How can we lose?

As you doubtless know by now, Christopher Reeve died yesterday from a cardiac arrest. He was 52 years old.

Many bloggers recall the effect his portrayal of Superman had on their lives and measure his legacy in those terms. Although I enjoyed his work in those movies, I believe that I will remember him as a fighter, someone who refused to give up even in the grip of near-total paralysis. He never gave up hope, constantly seeking to beat his own affliction while striving to help others beat theirs. He embodied hope in the face of adversity and overwhelming odds and that made him a greater hero than Superman. I am sorry that he died before he could realize his triumph.

Movin' On

Today is the last day at my current job. I've practiced administrative law for the State of Texas for almost three years. I've learned a lot but now it is time to return to my real interest: intellectual property law. See the links to "Scrivenor's Error", "Freedom to Tinker", "Patently Obvious" and "Trademark Blog" on the right hand side of this page for blogs that deal with this topic. I am very excited about the move!

And congratulations to Dr. Shih, who is getting married this weekend in L.A.! Several of my friends are out there for the event. The good doctor was a good friend of mine in college and I wish him all the best.

Currently listening to: Paul Pena "New Train".

P.G. Wodehouse

I picked up my new copy of Blandings Castle last night and read the first story. It's been a long time since I read anything by Mr. Wodehouse and I'd almost forgotten just how funny he was. His stories concern the listless (some would say useless) members of the English upper class in a sort of fantasy Edwardian period. By fantasy I don't mean elves and such; rather, it is a more innocent time that never changes or deals with the harsher reality (such as the Great War or the Depression). But the big stuff is not important to much of Wodehouse's fiction. Unless, of course, you make giant pumpkins, getting your friends out of or into marriages your highest priority.

I highly recommend these stories for times when you need a distraction or just need a laugh. Any of the Jeeves and Wooster stories are excellent (and don't pass up the chance to see the dramatization of many of those stories with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie as the titular characters), as are the Blandings stories or the Psmith stories.

Richard Avedon

Richard Avedon, staff photographer for The New Yorker, died today in San Antonio. I attended a talk he and Laura Wilson held at the University of Texas recently and he struck me as a charming and talented man. I've long admired his work and he will be missed.