The last rhyming poem I ever wrote… I think you’ll be able to see why I stopped.

The Dance

Shackled and chained to my own fears
Drowning in the blood and tears
Trapped here by my own grace
Its hard to look you in the face

You words are kind and comforting
But each day I wind up wondering
Is there truth behind the words you say
Or do they carry me to die another day

The shackles and chains grow tighter
I can feel my head getting lighter
Searching desperately for a way out
I wish I was not filled with such doubt

The world around me ceases to exist
As it did when we first kissed
More than anything, I fear the pain ahead
So to this darkness around me I have wed

I cower from the love, the light
To the darkness I hold on tight
I do not wish for you to care
I am not a possession for you to wear

The silver-tongued demon that you are
You words still seem so far
Then, in front of me materializes a key
The key that could potentially set me free

Should I, dare I take the chance
Should I let you lead this dance
The dance of love, of life, and strife
Ending when you shove in the knife

Your words grow more deperate and longing
I begin to feel a sense of belonging
The change in your words makes me realize
The truth I have seen in your eyes

I believe you mean what you say
Your love is true, at least today
I use the key to set myself free
From the self-imposed hell I flee

Hoping that I am not too late
I come to you and face my fate
Although I believe I will be turned away
I decide hear what you have say

My fears resolved and with open arms
I give myself unto your charms
I turn my head downwards in shame
And I notice that you do the same

Unable to hide the love in my eyes
I turn my face upward to the weeping skies
Unbearable is the pain I feel
The skin on my face begins to peel

The face emerging, my true self
Hidden long ago on the back shelf
Love unrestricted, once deeply hidden
I offer to you for what you have given

Will you accept me, I cannot tell
But you have broken me free from hell
Once shackled and chained to my own fears
Now treading above the blood and tears

~Kryson

Sunset on the Farm #1

Southeastern Kansas sunset.  The picture was taken on a farm in Wellington, KS where the brick and mortar Countrysidewalk Trading Post resides. 

With the orange tones and dark foreground, Sunset on the Farm #1 makes for wonderful fall decor.

Save all the booing and hissing! I know there are plenty of people that hate the Scream Trilogy. Scream made way for a string of 1990′s teen screams that just didn’t live up to what Scream started.

If you’re a horror movie buff, the Scream Trilogy is worth watching for the inside jokes and references to classic horror movies even if you don’t enjoy the movies themselves.

Creepy and actually on the verge of scary, The Ring managed to draw me in and take me for a ride. Make sure if you get the version of the DVD that has the choice to either “Play Movie” or “Don’t Watch This” that you watch what it tells you not to. I promise your phone won’t ring and you won’t die… at least I didn’t.

When I first watched Stir of Echoes, I was on the edge of my seat. The first 10 minutes set the tone for the rest of the movie. Rarely am I unnerved, but this movie kept me rapt.

Stir of Echoes is an underrated movie that doesn’t get much attention. Kevin Bacon does an excellent job and his obsession with the events unfolding add to the creepiness factor. I’ve used and probably overused my favorite line from this movie for years now. “Look what I’m not cleaning up!”

Dangers of the Trail and Workaholism presented more information on blocks and how we use them. Food, alcohol, drugs, work can all be used to further block ourselves. I can relate to using food and work as “excuses” or “blocks” to writing. More than once I have turned to food trying to escape from creation. Junk food clogs the brain, makes the gears turn more slowly if not stop altogether. Work is an easy escape. There’s always more work to do and if you can’t find any, a creative person can easily invent more.

Why make these excuses or use these blocks? As petty and insane as it sounds, if I actually create something I might have to show someone and face possible rejection or ridicule. While I know I can’t please everyone, one rejection holds more weight than ten approvals. It’s something many creatives suffer from. I know I’m not alone, but it feels very lonely. It’s hard not to take rejection personally, especially at first.

Creative droughts were discussed this week. I’ve gone through my fair share and I completely agree with the author that they do end. If you do nothing during the drought, it does take longer for the ideas to flow again like water.

Some suggestions to keep going –

• like The Artist’s Way suggests, do your morning pages (brain dump) every day. Keep writing something.
• Write something completely different. If you write horror books, write a children’s tale. Allow it to suck.
• Do something else creative: paint, draw, take photos.
• Partake of other’s creativity: visit an art museum, read a book, watch an indie movie, go to a musical/opera/play, find a new and interesting indie musician online.
• Talk to another creative. They often have stories about their own droughts and how they moved on.

Competition was another topic for the week. I’ve watched more than one friend, associate, acquaintance fly by me at the speed of light accomplishing more in a short period of time than I have in years. I’ve been jealous more times than I care to admit. That jealousy has caused me to waste more time and energy causing me to delay my own goals. Jealousy can be crippling and isn’t worth wasting time over. It’s easy to say, “Be happy for them and get back to your own work,” but actually doing it can be hard. When you start to get jealous, use that emotion to egg you on instead of letting it block you. “If they can do it, so can I!”  Again, easier said than done, but worth a try.

Shaun of the Dead is a British black comedy that embraces its zombie horror genre, while delivering laughs at the zombie nature of our current society. Sometimes childish and silly, Shaun of the Dead also manages some tense scenes as the characters deal with the zombie invasion that has plagued London.

In no particular order, these are my top ten picks for Halloween movie marathons. I’ll be posting one every week day until all ten are posted. I hope you enjoy my picks and let me know what your favorites are. I’m always on the lookout for a good scare. A good spoof is more than welcome, too.

It’s not horror, not scary, not specifically a Halloween movie, but The Nightmare Before Christmas is a charming, original work that can be played from Halloween to Christmas. With tunes that get stuck in your head and characters that are gruesome yet cute at the same time, The Nightmare Before Christmas is a favorite for Halloween. Before the little ones go to bed, they can join in the Halloween movie fun with this one.

I’m a fan scary movies, but in 1993, I went to see The Nightmare Before Christmas in the theater and it captured my heart.

• Battery isnt lasting in my phone anymore. Its almost constantly screaming low battery. #
• At the show again. Last day so come on out if you're in the area. #
• Ut oh… starting to get sick. Not good. Not good at all. #
• .RT @VFRick: Today (10/10/10) Is the Most Important Day In the History of Humanity – #42day http://bit.ly/9slcjR #
• RT @kimidreams: The #specfic Daily is out – read this Twitter newspaper on http://bit.ly/9KLjpV (1 contributions today) #
• Cute! RT @NaNoWriMo: Our friends over at Pegasus Books are celebrating National Paragraph Writing Month! Hilarious. http://bit.ly/aTRQjL #
• Trying to get something accomplished today, but my brain is rejecting all thought. I should just curl up in a blanket and wait to get well. #
• Tip: join http://twittermoms.com and enter BLOGWORLD for a chance to win an iPad! More details here: http://bit.ly/momathon #tmblogworld #
• RT @TeeMonster: WOW! @PhilippaJane's GEIST trailer http://youtu.be/1wYR3WgZUCk has passed 400 views after two weeks! Have YOU seen it?! #
• Still sick and lethargic. Getting things done at a snails pace. It's something, so I'm ok with it. #

Natura Naturata

Life began with one hint of existence,
A thought, an idea, a dream.
An empty space,
An endless void
brightened with a spark of light,
An inconsistancy, a movement.
This was God.

~Kryson