I just saw a man try to kick a dog...

There are a number of things that struck me when I saw this. One of which is: what caused the dog to become agitated enough to start barking and supposedly try to bite this guy in the first place? Secondly, how stupid do you have to be to not realise that kicking a dog will not make it calmer, but in fact more agitated and more likely to bite you again? And thirdly, anger. Who kicks dogs? It just isn't done. The dog belonged to an elderly lady, and I'm pretty sure the man started blaming her, but the dog was lovingly attentive to her.

Okay, so everyone knows what a dog is.

This is my dog, Sacha. She's cute. Admit it!

There's a good picture to have as an example, plus it's quite a cute pose from the dog. Now, it's pretty much common knowledge that dogs are obedient creatures. They were bred for it. They don't do things without provocation, there is always a reason for a dog to behave how it behaves. That man provoked that dog, somehow. I have no pity for his supposed pain, to be honest I think the fact that he kicked the dog made me hate him.

So, he managed to kick the dog once, and he chased it around for a little while, swinging his legs at it. Fortunately the dog managed to evade the other kicks. Clever thing.

Luckily, for the man, it wasn't my dog (pictured) -- because for one thing, she'd have not been very happy with him and I don't know what she'd have done... and secondly, because I'd have not been very happy with him, to say the least, and I don't know what I'd have done.

He's a stupid man, along with any other person who hurts an animal for pleasure. Especially dogs. Especially! They are so expressive that they can hardly be regarded as dumb and it hurts me inside when someone does something bad to a dog.

Don't do it. We will get you.

Grr.

Apparently I like Mondays...

So, the last time I blogged was a Monday too. I can't believe that I spent a whole week in procrastination regarding this blog. I said right at the beginning, which wasn't a long time ago, that I would find it difficult to keep on track with this. Obviously, I have hit a snag in my plan very early on.

This is not good enough!

Also, I need to complete more essays prior to the day before the deadline.

The fuzzy feeling in your head...

There's a point where after four pints your head, well... my head..., reaches a point of non-sobriety and begins the strange fuzzy feeling. I find it strange that there is no other word to explain the feeling that is currently expanding throughout my mind. Everything has a strange edge to it... dulled. But, still... excited. Not excited like I am for the new Elder Scrolls game (OMG!) but excited in the scientific sense... movement, and buzzing... and well... vibration.

So. Vibration... a fun word. It has all sorts of funny connotations to go with it. I shall not divulge such information, though, as that would be something akin to bad taste.

Emotions are a very strange thing. And the situations which can evoke such emotions are equally strange in that they often bring out an emotion which you might not associate with said event. Or, perhaps, the event brings out an unexpected emotion, or it created such a feeling within you that you had never felt before and as such was even stranger than a previously-felt emotion which you had felt unexpectedly.

Does the event create the emotion, or the emotion the event?

Emotions are strongly recalled via visual or olfactory stimuli. 

This picture recalls specific memories for me, including emotions.... but for you,

 it may conjure a different emotion... especially if you did something

other than go to see a movie on the 26th February. 

A picture, a memory, a glimpse into a life...

You know that point in your life when you are quavering at the very precipice of a decision? That period of time that you know will look like a fork in the path of your life when looked at in retrospect?

Well... this is almost one of those.

I have recently discovered a love of photography, even though I can only boast an amazing three days of decent camera usage (Canon 550D, for those interested). And regardless of this amateurish encounter I feel that photography is something that could become a very important part of my life.

I never used to like the idea of photos. I never really understood why people would obsess over photos and their digital cameras. Now, I get it. The only problem is that for me to get into this as a hobby, and as an aside for my Media course, I would have to use a DSLR, like the one I borrowed from a friend recently. They tend to cost a lot. I only have so much in my savings. I don't know whether this would be a mistake or something that will last a very long time and become something... great.

Oh, coincidently, the picture on my first post was also taken by myself. Copyright, and all that jazz.

I like this one, and any macro shot. It's turned out nice.

I particularly like how it's not horizontal.

The things you read...

There's a lot to say about someone when you take a look at their reading habits. The genre they most often delve into is likely something which resonates within them, causing them some degree of emotional comfort, surely?

I know for certain that the reason I read fantasy and science fiction is to get away from the world, away from any responsibility, deadlines, annoying people -- even if it's only for an hour or two. It's called escapism (okay, so that wiki article has no references... it's still valid for my point).

I'm a sucker for magic and swords, or nanotech and spaceships. It is a very rare circumstance that I'll find myself engrossed by fiction set in the contemporary world (The Dresden Files being the only series to date which I sufficiently enjoyed regardless of the setting as modern-day Chicago).

I also enjoy writing in the fantasy genre because in fantasy there isn't a rule which states that you have to do this or you have to do that. It's open to your interpretation as an author.

I read to escape from this banal reality, why do you read what you read?

My Top Ten Favourite Books - Part 2

Okay, so following on from yesterday's post here are the top five of my favourite books:

5. The Painted Man by Peter V Brett
So to start the second series off, The Painted Man. The reason that this book hit my top five was because of the awesome magic system - wards, symbols marked onto surfaces, which create barriers to protect against the demons of the night. Some believable characters in there, too.

4. Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
In at fourth is the first book of a trilogy, but it might be more accurate to paint the whole Farseer Trilogy as my fourth favourite book -- it's very hard for me to decide which is the best out of the three. Go, read and be amazed at the sophistication of the writing and the depth of character and plot! Go. Go, I tell you!

3. Changes by Jim Butcher
Changes is the latest (twelfth) book in a series by Jim Butcher. The Dresden Files are about a cash-strapped, young, wizard private investigator in Chicago city and his misadventures. It is a series packed with humour, folklore, magic, action, suspense, romance, heartbreak and more! I highly recommend this series to anyone. Changes is by far my favourite, though. So, get reading!

2. Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks
First published in 1987, this is Banks' first foray into the science fiction genre and, well, I was impressed! I had no idea at the time that the book I was picking up would be so great, in fact I had no idea that it was a re-print of an old book. The cover was very shiny. I consider this one hell of an excellent book! Obviously, it's number two!

1. Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
In at number one is an oldie, possibly the most thought-provoking. Definitely the best. This book is one hell of a ride, it's science fiction when science fiction was all about testing boundaries, challenging beliefs and making people think about the world! It was published into a fire storm of outrage, or so I am led to believe by the foreword in the copy I have. It's an old copy, from my father's collection. Bent and stained with coffee -- the marks of a veteran indeed. Amazing. Simply put. Go read it.

And that's done! It was stupendously difficult to get down on paper my top ten favourite books, I've never actually tried to say what they were in order before... I'm not entirely sure that this is the correct order either. From reading the list you'll probably have noticed a few things about my reading habits... yet that's a topic for another time.

My Top Ten Favourite Books - Part 1

I think that to get into the swing of things I'll post about some of the things that are important to me. Books fall very heavily into that category, beyond a shadow of a doubt. I'm going to try my hardest to only get one per author in the list. So, here are my top ten favourite books:

10. The Novice by Trudi Canavan
So coming in at tenth, which isn't that bad a position considering how much I read, is the second book out of the Black Magician trilogy. Not quite sure why this one in particular is my favourite. It may be because it's half way between the main character's growth from street urchin to magician, or it may be because it is a suitably arbitrary mark for me to say that I love the trilogy - which I do! (Oh, not to mention the prequel The Magician's Apprentice and the newer trilogy, beginning with The Ambassador's Mission.)

9. The Valley of Horses by Jean M. Auel
At ninth is, again, the second book of a series. This time the Earth's Children series, an alternate history set in the stone age. I can place my finger on the reason that I prefer this out of all of the others in the series: reading about how Ayla survives after her exile is epic. Jondalar is an interesting character too, and his journey towards Ayla is a very interesting addition to the series.

8. Sabriel by Garth Nix
In eighth is the first in a trilogy by Garth Nix, an Aussie writer who writes mainly Young Adult fantasy. Sabriel was one of my first forays into Fantasy and I can say that it kept me hooked from start to finish, many times over. I loved the concept especially, necromancers are usually the bad guys!

7. Courageous: The Lost Fleet by Jack Campbell
At seventh is the third book in a series about a space fleet stuck deep in enemy territory and their titanic struggle to return to home. All three books, that I've read so far, are excellent science fiction. It helps that I love spaceships and any kind of space pilot/fleet story.

6. The Sentinel Mage by Emily Gee
The last entry for part one, The Sentinel Mage is a book from, for me, a new author and I must say she has captured my interest quite avidly. I will be going to find Thief With No Shadow, I will devour it like I did this one. The multiple characters enmesh quite easily, with Jaumé playing an, at first, strange role in the narrative -- but that puzzle piece falls into place at the end of the novel.

The second part with books one to five will be up tomorrow, along with an explanation as to why I read what I read.

In the beginning there was...

Nothing! Welcome to my first blog post. I've been wanting to do this for a long time. Writing a blog that is. The fact that I've only just got around to it is probably evidence of my mentality when it comes to... well, just about everything! I put things off, mostly due to some very minor detail - in this case it was figuring out what to write about.

I've decided that it's time to bite the bullet and just do it. It's going to be an incredibly tough journey, and there's a chance I'll fail. Here's to hoping I get through it.

I'll be posting anything that takes my fancy, I don't think there will be a "theme" as such. Obviously there will be a gerenal trend when it comes to what I like to post and dislike posting.

I'm a lover of books, mainly fiction of the fantasy and science-fiction genres. Movies, games, writing, playing the guitar and singing along to songs (badly!) are my hobbies. Expect a rant and/or essay on any of these subjects from time to time. Also, I'm currently studying Philosophy and Ethics, Media Studies, English Literature and English Language at sixth form (AS level this year, A2 level next year); the fruits of my learning will be frequently posted and generally referred to. You have been warned!

A blank page is one of the most daunting things a writer will ever face.