The "Man of Steel" is coming soon!

It's been a while since I've gotten excited about a new movie, but I am looking forward to the new Superman. Remember the original with Christopher Reeve and the great scene when he finds Lois Lane dead:

The sequel with General Zod was also quite good, but it looks like a new favorite may finally be hitting the big screen:

Can't wait to see it in June!

A VIOLENT (OR APATHETIC) REACTION!

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Last week I was at dinner with a friend and the topic of gun violence in schools came up. During the course of the conversation, my friend casually mentioned, “Well, there’s nothing we can do about it. These things are just going to happen.” I have to admit I became defensive. Perhaps it’s because I teach at a university and there is a slight vulnerability that I feel. I explained to my friend that his attitude reflected part of the problem. As a society, we have accepted that violence is part of life, but many of us don’t see or understand the ways in which we are complicit. Agreeing to the normality of deplorable aggression is at best apathetic and portrays the population at large as powerless.

HOW WE FEEL ABOUT OURSELVES AND BODY IMAGE

We, as a society, have put our stamp of disapproval on profanity, nudity and sexuality. A quick flash of Janet Jackson’s nipple created a firestorm of censorship that eventually forced people like Howard Stern off of terrestrial radio. At the time, Howard was known for pushing the envelope with discussions involving sexuality.

In our culture, we have forbidden our networks from featuring nudity on our broadcasts. I recall the first time I traveled to London, nearly three decades ago, and saw nudity in a TV skincare commercial. I was stunned. Not only did they have nudity on TV, it was in a commercial. At the time, it never occurred to me this could even be done. But Europeans don’t have the sexual hang ups that we see so frequently here in the U.S. In fact, one of my screenwriting students recently wrote a sex scene that read something like this: “It is indicated they have sex.” I immediately understood this was her own form of censorship because she didn’t want to describe the intimate details of her own story.

 WTF STANDS FOR WHAT?!

As a society, we have also outlawed four letter words. I was miffed recently while watching a reality show. Some of the reality stars were cursing and the network had not only bleeped the language, they had also pixelated the mouths of those delivering the salty words. I suppose their philosophy was, we don’t want you to hear it or see it if you read lips. I must admit I was incredulous. In the U.S., we have huge checks and balances in place to make sure no one sees a nipple, or hears words like shit or fuck. But what are our attitudes on violence? How hard do we work to regulate how much of it audiences see on the big and small screen?

A few years back, I turned on my TV around noon and stumbled onto the movie Thirty Days of Night. The film had already started and one of the characters was being decapitated. Very recently, a new series with Kevin Bacon aired on Fox called The Following. As a professor of film and TV screenwriting, I must admit it is well done. But I also question how responsible the writers are. The level of violence in The Following is extremely high. People are sliced and stabbed, beaten, shot, and set on fire and much of that happens in a single episode. While, on one level, the writing is quite good, I don’t know that I can follow the show because, even as a viewer, I felt assaulted by the amount of violent imagery.

This is why I grew defensive when my friend said, “There’s nothing we can do.” As a society, we have ample servings of violence on TV and in movies. Young children who turn on the TV at noon might see people being shot, stabbed or beheaded. These same young minds also switch on their X-boxes and play video games like Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto, where the goal is to rape, rob and kill. I don’t play video games, but I’ve seen the commercials promoting them. It seems the majority of them involve the delivery of violence.

How can we feign surprise when fifteen to 20 years later these same kids walk into a school or a movie theatre and begin delivering the same kind of brutality in real life? When we decide, as a culture, that images of violence might be as or perhaps more dangerous than a nipple or the f-word, maybe then we will see its decline. But it’s disingenuous to pretend that we don’t understand how or why these things happen. We are confronted with it almost every time we turn on our TV’s, play a video game or go to a movie.

On a lighter note, I have written a book. THE UNVEILING: 1.0 is a sci-fi/fantasy/adventure that many have compared to The Da Vinci Code (only with psychics and aliens, specifically the Anunnaki of Sumerian Mythology). To check it out, please visit the website: TheUnveilingSeries.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY -- In Memoriam

Mom,  a month before her passing

BACK IN THE DAY...
It’s difficult to believe that 6 years have passed since my mother’s death, which was entirely unexpected. At the time, I couldn’t imagine how I would ever recover from such an intense loss, but here I am. Anyone who has lost a parent they were close to will understand the disconnect that occurs. For most of us, our earliest memories involve our mothers. The cars may change, the houses may change, families may grow or break up, but mom is, more often than not, one of the unique constants.

Had she lived, today would have been her 78th birthday. While this may sound old to many of you, she hailed from a family of longevity. My grandmother, who was every bit the stereotypical matriarch, lived to be a hundred. All of the women, including my aunts, remained quite active until their late eighties and even nineties. In fact, my mom’s oldest surviving sibling passed very recently at the ripe age of ninety-four. This is exactly the path I expected for my mom. [To know what a young seventy-two she was, see the photo above that was taken just two months before her passing.]

AND HERE WE ARE TODAY...
The most wonderful aspect that I have experienced since her passing is the ability to hear her voice, almost as if she is continuing to parent from the other side. While she was alive, if ever she learned I was pushing myself too hard, she would remind me to slow down. Even today, when I am spread too thin, I can hear her voice telling me to pace myself. As I grow older and wiser, I realize more and more what a great life teacher she was and how blessed I am to have had her in my life.

Today, on her birthday, I must say thank you for the foundation that taught me to be a decent person. I must say thank you for the love, nurturing and compassion. I must say thank you for the patience, guidance and understanding that only a mother could afford.

Happy Birthday, mom, you are sorely missed.

"THE UNVEILING: 1.0" unveiled - Part 3 (an excerpt)

The following excerpt is a portion of "The Unveiling: 1.0" that involves a real life artifact referred to as the Antikythera Mechanism. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Antikythera Device [let's just call it Anti-k], it was discovered in a shipwreck off the coast of the Greek isle of Antikythera.

When discussing this find with a friend, she mentioned her familiarity with the artifact. She found it intriguing because the device, in her words, is "historically out of order." But what did she mean by this exactly? Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines the word history as follows:

a chronological record of significant events (as affecting a nation or institution) often including an explanation of their causes.

As history tells it, the technology that would become the clock was invented somewhere around 966, but would not become accurately sophisticated for several more centuries. Cathedral clocks would make their appearance around the year 1344, but such devices would not be considered elaborate until the early 1400's. The technology used to build the Anti-k Device resembles the intricate workings of a clock, but archeologists estimate that the Anti-k Artifact was built around 100 BC. So, as my friend eloquently stated, it is chronologically out of order, since in theory, the technology used in its manufacture did not exist at the time of its construction. This is just one of several real-life mysteries that I have tried to incorporate into "The Unveiling." Who really built the Antikythera Mechanism? Could it be alien technology as some surmise?

To see a video on the Antikythera Mechanism, please click here.

Here is a portion of THE UNVEILING: 1.0 in excerpt. It can be found in chapter 3 of the first book, 1.0. I hope you will enjoy it:

 ============================================================================

   “So, this is it?” Max said as Miklos turned around.

   If Miklos had seemed annoyed earlier, he was smiling now. “Voilà the mechanism, Monsieur Battenberg. Normally, it is housed in the fourth floor exhibit they call Gods, Myths and Mortals. Today, however, it is being cleaned.”

   Max reached out and touched the Plexiglas box protecting the mechanism. He gazed more closely at the strange symbols. “Some of those are zodiac signs, aren’t they?”
   Nodding his head, Miklos continued, “Are they not phenomenal?” Miklos may not have been enthused to cross the Atlantic for a Battenberg, but the Antikythera Mechanism clearly rejuvenated him. “As you can see the device is quite unique, in particular because it dates back thousands of years, certainly before any such technology ever existed. So they say.”
   Max hated to admit it, but, up close, he was just as mesmerized as Miklos by the device. “Who do they think built it?”
   The doctor frowned, but it quickly morphed into a laugh. “There is quite a bit of speculation on that, Monsieur Battenberg. Certainly, we Greeks have taken responsibility for its manufacture. It was found off the coast of Greece, after all. But then there are those who suggest alien technology was used to construct it.”
   Max laughed at the notion. “Okay.” He was strangely drawn to the device, and actually felt electrified by its presence. He peered more closely, nearly pressing his face against the Plexiglas. “How does it work?”
    “Certainly, you are aware it doesn’t work, Monsieur?”
   Max stood at attention, taken aback by the comment. “What do you mean it doesn’t work?”
   “Well, everyone is aware, the mechanism is missing a crucial piece. A gear essential for its function.”

   “But, Doctor Miklos, I would hardly have arranged for you to come all this way to show me a device which serves no purpose. This is useless then?”
   A smile twisted onto the doctor’s lips. “Hardly, Monsieur, hardly. The device, the Antikythera Mechanism, is one of our world’s most important finds. Surprisingly, there are only a few who know this. I figured you to be one of them when I was told you wanted to meet.”
   Max was still dumbfounded by the news. “So, how do we find the missing piece?”

   “If only we knew the answer to this question,” Miklos explained. “If the mechanism were operational, I promise it would change the face of the world as we know it. Some presume it capable of unlocking cosmic knowing.”
   Max could feel his spirits waning. He had no idea what “cosmic knowing” even meant. “And no one’s tried to manufacture the missing piece?”
   “Sadly, today’s technology barely makes a scratch at understanding a device thousands of years old. I’m afraid building this piece is out of the realm of anyone’s expertise. Alien theory doesn’t seem so fantastical now, does it?”
   Max and Miklos had switched places in their disposition. Now, it was Max who was annoyed.
   “Well, you’re the expert. What do you suggest we do?”
   “There are rumors. Stories of the Illuminati or the Knights Templar. Some even say the piece lies hidden in an alternate dimension, so as to prevent the device’s misuse. The Bermuda Triangle and other such nonsense.” Dr. Miklos toyed with Max, teasing him with his knowledge. “Others say the Knights Templar were as careful in hiding this piece as they were in secreting away Christianity’s beloved Ark of the Covenant. A theory that I suspect is quite more likely is the element is buried deep within the earth. Are you familiar with Oak Island, Monsieur Battenberg? It’s a small land mass off the coast of Nova Scotia. If I had to bet, I would say this is the location of the missing piece. In the Money Pit.”
============================================================================

The Money Pit is yet another real life mystery that I have incorporated into the story of "The Unveiling," but there will be more on that later. I hope you enjoyed this excerpt. Until next time, I wish you all well.

To learn more or to purchase a copy of "The Unveiling: 1.0," please visit the website at TheUnveilingSeries.com. "The Unveiling" is available in paperback, Nook, Kindle and iBook.

DID SHE OR DIDN'T SHE? BEYONCE & THE ILLUMINATI

Beyonce has been in the news a lot lately. First, there was her lip-synching debacle during the presidential nomination and then the rumors about whether or not she flashed an Illuminati sign during the Super Bowl’s half time show. So, what’s all the hubbub about Beyonce and the Illuminati anyway?

For years, there have been rumors about the music industry and the occult. Some believe that most (if not all) successful musical artists have literally had to sell their souls in exchange for fame and fortune. Could there be any truth to such outrageous allegations? I suppose the first question we have to ask ourselves is whether or not we even believe in such a thing as the Illuminati. Do secret societies really exist with the ability to manipulate or control commerce and the media?

To hear Bob Dylan’s cryptic interview where he implies he’s sold his soul, click here.

One thing I can vouch for is humanity’s cliquish nature. Mankind has an innate desire to belong to something exclusive. We see this play out daily on grade school playgrounds as well as in the sororities and fraternities of university campuses. Many of these archetypes were well represented in the movie, “Mean Girls:”

1. The plastics
2. The jocks
3. The band geeks
4. The art freaks
5. The Goths.
6. The punk rockers

This list could go on. All of us who have survived high school, and those who are braving it now, know these affiliations well. Which groups did we interact with and what are the groups that we secretly hoped to participate in? I am unsure why we have this desire to belong to something larger than ourselves, but as we age, the exclusivity of our cliquishness becomes more and more sophisticated. These aspects are easily displayed in the hazing of fraternities and the secrecy of the Freemasons (which Dan Brown reveals in his last novel, “The Lost Symbol.”)

THE BILDERBERG GROUP, THE COMMITTEE OF 300 & THE ILLUMINATI...
So, do wealthy and influential people band together to brainstorm on ways to stay wealthy and influential? If we chose to, couldn’t we just call this by one of its names: corporate strategy, where CEO’s and high paid executives sit in boardrooms trying to determine the best way to stay on top? Not only is this a common practice, corporations contractually bind their employees to maintain secrecy about what goes on in the boardrooms. But is this where it stops? Is there another level of exclusivity beyond the corporate boardroom? We know the Freemasons exist. We know the Bilderberg Group exists. Are the Illuminati and the Committee of 300 that farfetched?

What I find interesting are the media’s attempts to rebuff that Beyonce flashed the Illuminati's not-so-secret symbol during the Super Bowl. The argument was that she would never display a secret sign in a public venue, that the gesture she made was simply one of Jay Z’s antics for his record company, Roc-A-Fella Records. I find this is flawed logic, especially since there has been talk of Jay Z’s affiliation with the Illuminati even before he married Beyonce.

As rumor would have it, Jay Z is the one who brought Beyonce into the fold. As rumor would also have it, the Rockefeller name has for years been associated with the Illuminati. Is it simply coincidence or brazen behavior that Jay Z chose to name his company Roc-A-fella and that he often uses the Illuminati symbol as part of his shtick?

Here is the Illuminati symbol, which you can find on the back of every dollar bill. It is a simple triangle with the all-seeing eye in the center of it.

If Beyonce did choose to flash this symbol during the Super Bowl half-time show, could there be a more efficient way to do it than the way she gestures above? I’ll let you do the math.

I’m not here to prove anything to you, but I do hope you open your eyes to see the world, not as we’d like it to be, but rather to see it as clearly as it is.

I WROTE A BOOK!
TO LEARN MORE OR TO READ AN EXCERPT
of my sci-fi/fantasy/adventure, “The Unveiling: 1.0,” please visit TheUnveilingSeries.com.

“THE UNVEILING: 1.0” unveiled – Part 2

Last time, I wrote about the genesis of “The Unveiling Series” and how I was inspired by Sumerian Mythology to write it (see Part 1 of “The Unveiling: 1.0” unveiled).

In this installment of “The Unveiling Series” unveiled, I will talk more specifically about the aspect of the first book that involves the cabal. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with this term, Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines cabal as follows:

The artifices and intrigues of a group of persons secretly united in a plot (as to overturn a government); also : a group engaged in such artifices and intrigues.

DO SECRET SOCIETIES REALLY EXIST?
Some examples of the cabal that are more commonly known are the Bilderberg Group, the Illuminati, and some would even say the Freemasons. Of course, this list could go on with other clandestine organizations like the Club of Rome or the Committee of 300, which proposes that there are 300 individuals who run the world.

Since the recession of 2008, we have heard much talk about the 1% vs. the rest of the world. Only now are people beginning to believe the truth behind these percentages. Is the idea that 300 people control the majority of the world’s wealth so implausible? The premise of the cabal centers on the idea that those who govern the planet are not the ones we see, but are more so the ones we don’t see. Not the Bushes, the Clintons or the Obamas, but rather the Rockefellers and the Rothschilds.

THE GREATEST TRICK THE DEVIL EVER PULLED...

CONVINCING US HE DOESN'T EXIST
In the first “Unveiling” book, “1.0,” we are introduced to our protagonist, Max Battenberg. As the heir to a multi-billion dollar fortune, Max has always enjoyed the best money can buy. Just shy of his 25th birthday, he has held the belief that luck made him a member of a wealthy family. Along with most people, Max took for granted that his father, Demetrius Battenberg, had used sharp business acumen to parlay the family fortune into greater riches. While on some level, this was true, Max was completely unaware that he’d been born into the cabal, a fact his family intentionally withheld until the age of twenty-five. Once a Battenberg reaches this age, they are introduced to their true legacy in a bizarre ceremony referred to as the Battenberg Initiation.

In Merriam-Webster’s definition of cabal, it is implied that a group might secretly rise up (as to overturn a government), as if this might happen at any point in the future. But consider this: what if a cabal had always been there? What if every function of every society on every continent had been secretly governed by an invisible group?

After his initiation, Max learns he is part of an intricately placed system that has for centuries dominated the globe. Just like in the movie, "The Matrix," what if the majority of the world had been born into slavery without even knowing it? It is this reality that “The Unveiling Series” explores through the eyes of its protagonist.

In my next post, I will talk about Beyonce’s Super Bowl performance. Did she really throw up an Illuminati sign (see the eye in the pyramid above)? If so, does that mean the Illuminati really exists?

“The Unveiling: 1.0” is a sci-fi/fantasy/adventure. It is available in paperback, Kindle, Nook or iBook. To learn more or to purchase a copy, please visit TheUnveilingSeries.com

"THE UNVEILING: 1.0" unveiled - Part 1

Welcome to the first installment of “The Unveiling: 1.0 ” unveiled. You should know "The Unveiling" is a novel series and that “1.0” refers to the first book of an epic story.

NAMING THE SERIES
At one point, I did try to figure out if I would come up with different names for each individual book like Tolkien did with the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy: “The Fellowship of the Ring;” “The Two Towers” and “The Return of the King.” After toying with several options, I decided 1.0 was the best designation. I am currently working on “2.0,” the follow up to this first book and I am developing a story for “3.0” to round out a nice full-bodied trilogy.

THE STORY BEHIND "THE UNVEILING"
So, what is “The Unveiling” you might ask. The tale of “The Unveiling” is a blend of fact and fiction that holds Sumerian Mythology at its core. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this mythology, its origin is Sumer, Earth’s oldest known civilization (fact). The mythology from this region recounts a phenomenal story of how modern man was created. But here’s where it gets interesting. Sumer’s mythology reads quite a bit like the Old Testament, only it's a much older story. Where the Old Testament refers to God as our creator, Sumerian Mythology instead proposes that an advanced alien race genetically engineered us. Is this too fantastic to believe? Perhaps not. Could the Old Testament possibly be a derivative story of this ancient Sumerian tale?

I must admit I was perplexed by the Sumerian account of humanity's origins. By tradition, I had been taught to believe in the Old and New Testaments which only made Sumerian Mythology that much more compelling. Today, the ancient civilization of Sumer is largely known as Iraq (along with portions of Turkey and Syria). A segment of this region is believed by many to be the legendary location of Eden in the Bible’s Genesis.

Bible excerpt – Genesis 2:10
“Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden;
and from there it divided and became four rivers...”

Of those four rivers mentioned, only two still exist, the Tigris and the Euphrates, both located in Iraq, or what used to be Sumer.

Upon learning this, my brain immediately began a balancing act. If I had been taught that the Bible is truth, why am I not meant to believe a story that emerges from the very region that the Bible speaks of? I admit I found this difficult to reconcile. Here I had two stories before me with incredible similarities, but one was meant to be believed (according to religion) and the other, even though it was the older of the two stories, was intended to be fantasy or myth. Whether or not you believe in religion is not really the point. The tale of Sumerian Mythology is so compelling that many scholars believe in it, as you can witness on shows like the History Channel’s “Ancient Aliens,” or in books like those written by Erich Von Däniken or Zecharia Sitchin.

SO, WHAT IS "THE UNVEILING" SERIES?
"The Unveiling" novels recount an epic sci-fi/fantasy/adventure tale that chronicles the creation of man. If you enjoy stories by authors like Dan Brown, Whitley Strieber or Stephen King, "The Unveiling: 1.0" is sure to please.

In the meantime, please keep an eye out for Part 2 of “The Unveiling” unveiled. Next time, I’ll discuss more specifics of “1.0” and how it relates to the Bilderberg Group.

"The Unveiling: 1.0" is available in paperback, Kindle, Nook or iBook. To learn more or to get your copy, please visit TheUnveilingSeries.com.

PRACTICE BREEDS EXCELLENCE

It’s a little disturbing that I am now old enough to refer to “young people.” I guess I have reached that age where “young people” no longer see me as part of their pack (and vice versa). I remember quite clearly being a college student, but I am now a college professor. I remember taking finals, but now I write them. Because I am currently perceived as someone with a little wisdom, I feel a sense of responsibility to live up to the part.

TIGER WOODS, AGED 2, ON THE MIKE DOUGLAS SHOW
As an educator, I encourage my students to figure out their professional interests sooner than later. The earlier you can determine what you like in life, the sooner you can begin building expertise. There is an extremely old video of Tiger Woods on the Mike Douglas Show hitting a golf ball at the age of two. Essentially, Tiger has been playing golf since he learned to walk. For most of us to develop a true expertise, decades are required. This is the reason we need to begin delving into our craft the moment we take note of what that craft is.

THE ART OF WRITING SCREENPLAYS
It’s hard to believe that I first began writing screenplays in the 90’s. At that time, I didn’t know what I do now, so I naturally thought I would become a great screenwriter with my first effort. I remember someone once telling me that most screenwriters write ten screenplays before they sell one. This not only seemed crazy, it seemed impossible. Certainly no one would reach success if that kind of effort was required. Now that I’m older and wiser, I know this isn’t so farfetched. Writers write and with each project they become stronger, faster and better. The greats like Amadeus Mozart and Johann Sebastian Bach were known for obsessing over their music, as I’m sure many athletic greats have been known to do. “Practice makes perfect” is cliché, but there is truth in every cliché.

WHEN IT SPEAKS TO YOU, YOU'VE ARRIVED
Last year, as I was finishing my first novel, “The Unveiling,” I became aware that I was stuck in a loop. I had completed the first draft and was continuing with rewrites. With each pass, I became a better writer, and the draft improved, but it was still never good enough for my liking. It took a while before I realized what was going on. By the time I got to the end of each pass, I had become a better writer, so nothing I’d written before was good enough. It occurred to me that this cycle could continue indefinitely. The more I wrote, the more I would improve, so I’d never be satisfied with anything I’d written in the past. Somewhere in the midst of all of that, my expertise as a writer transitioned. My skill crossed the line into professional level prose.

It probably sounds strange, but after I made that realization, certain words began speaking to me. While editing, I would stumble across a word that would trouble me in a way I didn’t immediately understand. Finally, I took note that these words were speaking to me, telling me, “I am not the right choice for the idea you’re trying to convey.” It took me really quieting down to listen to what these words were saying. Sadly, they hardly ever suggested what the right words were, but they would announce to me that I needed to keep looking until I found what best expressed my idea. I believe when your craft begins to speak to you in this way, you can truly say you have developed expertise. But the amount of work you’ll need to achieve this will likely be equivalent to finishing 10 screenplays before you sell one. For this reason, the best advice I can offer is to enjoy what you do, stay patient and keep at it.

TO LEARN MORE OR TO READ AN EXCERPT
of my sci-fi/fantasy/adventure novel, “The Unveiling: 1.0,” please visit TheUnveilingSeries.com.

OH SAY CAN YOU SING...

BEYONCE AT THE 2013 INAUGURATION
There has been so much hubbub about Beyonce lip-synching the National Anthem. If indeed she chose not to sing live, I have to admit I'm a little curious why. At the same time, it's not like the Milli Vanilli revelation. Whether she sang live or not, that was her voice and Beyonce did "perform," even if it was, as RuPaul always says, that she was "lip-synching for her life."

All of this "National Anthem" talk has me thinking about other memorable performances like the ones by Roseanne Barr and Whitney Houston. A couple of renditions that you may not remember were performed by track star, Carl Lewis and R&B legend, Marvin Gaye.

Carl Lewis screeches the National Anthem
To see highlights of Carl Lewis and giggling ESPN commentators, please click here.

Marvin Gaye croons the National Anthem
To see one of the best performances ever of the National Anthem, as sung by Marvin Gaye, please click here.

About K. L. Collins
I am an author and a college professor of screenwriting for both television and film. To learn more about my newest sci-fi, fantasy, action-adventure novel, "The Unveiling: 1.0," please visit: TheUnveilingSeries.com.

THE LIVING OR THE LIVING DEAD?

This week, I saw the trailer for “Warm Bodies,” a zombie love story that will be released next month. If I’m going to be honest, I have to admit my initial reaction was one of disbelief. A zombie love story! Really? But then I thought about it and realized I should have expected this a long time ago. The zombie craze re-emerged in 2002 with “28 Days Later.” This movie’s success led to the remake of “Dawn of the Dead” and the more comedic “Shaun of the Dead” in 2004. “28 Weeks Later” would follow in 2007 and “Zombieland” in 2009. The “Resident Evil” franchise would also come to the big screen and “The Walking Dead” would find its way to the small screen. Zombie stories are the rage and if I had thought realistically about it, I should have known it would only be a matter of time before there was a zombie love story.

So, why are we fascinated with zombies? This question has been on my mind for quite some time. Last week, a potential answer occurred to me. In my screenwriting classes, I encourage my students to write from experience because the stories we create are simply analogies for real life. The protagonist, or the hero of any story, is really us. We watch or read these stories to see characters triumph over adversity. In essence, we are relating to these characters because we hope to be similar to them in the challenges of our own lives. When misfortunes occur, we wish to overcome them just as the heroes do in the stories we read or watch on the big or small screen.

AND THE REAL ZOMBIES ARE...
Then it occurred to me! Zombies are so popular because they are also analogies to real life. Zombies represent the majority of society – the masses of people who are stumbling through their lives in jobs they don’t like or relationships they don’t respect. How many of us have said, “I wish I could...” but instead continue to do things that don’t make us happy? We are in fact the zombies of today. Society has given us all a script regardless of whether or not we are truly right for the part. We are told when we finish high school that we should go to college, get jobs and then marry and have families. While this is a fantastic path that I support, there is no single direction in life that is tailored to fit everyone. For many of us, surrendering to this “script” transforms us into zombies, urging us to march blindly down a path that is not our own. As Shakespeare wrote so many years ago:

“This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man...”

Today, I urge everyone, as long as it doesn’t infringe upon or lessen the experience of others; don’t wish you could, rather know you should do what you are passionate about. The Mayans predicted that the end of 2012 would mark the beginning of a great awakening. We must all take ownership of our own realities. We must know that we are the survivors and not the zombies of our own destinies.

To view a trailer for the next blockbuster zombie pic, "World War Z," please click here.

I WROTE A BOOK!
To learn more about Volume One
of my Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Action-adventure series, “The Unveiling,”
please visit the website at TheUnveilingSeries.com.

Let's Conversate On It...

ONLY IF YOU BELIEVE IT...
Whether you consider yourself religious or spiritual is not really the point. Most would still agree that a common belief system is what brings things into existence. We call the sky blue because we have all agreed to this belief. Words, in fact, exist because, at some point, we have all agreed to them. For years, I cringed when I heard the word “conversate” because I knew this was not a word. Little by little, conversate has crept into existence and has been used by so many people until Merriam Webster finally validated it by placing it in the dictionary. Because so many people believed it to be a word, conversate has become verbal reality. If tomorrow, we all agreed that the color of the sky was much closer to purple, this would also become an accepted truth.

BUT THE WORLD DIDN'T END...
Things exist because we believe they do. Just a few weeks ago, I spoke to a very good friend. He was convinced that the world would come to an end with the finish of the Mayan Calendar. When I questioned him, he admitted that he had purchased a “disaster kit” and had also requested time off work to escape to safer ground, as they did in the movie “2012.” I am sure when he reads this post, he will know who I am referring to. Several years ago, I assured him that the Mayans never predicted the end of the world but rather predicted the end of the world as we know it. The Mayans prophesied that 2012 would usher in the end of materialism, which some might argue is not a bad thing. I feel it’s important that we acknowledge our negative thoughts. If we continue to think pessimistically, we bring negativity into existence and make that negativity real. It’s also important to know that we can all create positivity by simply agreeing that goodness exists. So, what will you choose for 2013? Will you be the light that illuminates the day? Or will you choose to be the shade that creates shadows of darkness in life? The choice is entirely up to you.

Happy New Year, everyone! To read my Sci-fi/Fantasy/Adventure book on the world's elite, please visit: TheUnveilingSeries.com

Is The New World Order Just More Of The Same Old Thing?

AS THE YEAR WINDS DOWN...
To those of you who have enjoyed my blog, you should know I greatly appreciate you. When I first started blogging back in 2009, I admit the process felt foreign to me. I had to learn how to organize my thoughts differently. But it was fulfilling, learning how to articulate myself in a different fashion.

While 2012 was not a great year for the blog, it was terrifically productive in many other ways. As you may know, I was absent from the blog in order to finish my book, The Unveiling: 1.0:

Completing this book was a phenomenal task. Just recently, I have spoken to two authors who are working on their first books. When I hear them say things like “It’ll just take me a few more months and then I’ll be done,” I have to smile because I know things don’t go quite the way we expect.

When I first began The Unveiling, I figured I’d be able to wrap things up in a year or so. 18 months later, I had completed a manuscript but it was so terribly rough. I also made quite a few storytelling mistakes that cost me hundreds of hours to fix. Now, it’s three years later and I am finally done! Because The Unveiling is a series, I have to begin working on Volume 2.0 very soon. I think (or at least I hope) I will finish this second book in a shorter time frame, especially since I have learned from some of the mistakes I fumbled in the first one.

Over the past 18 years, I have written quite a few screenplays and I have been produced as a television screenwriter. Writing a book was a different kind of writing, however, just like the blog was. I had to learn the ropes, but the experience has left me feeling as if I’ve found my niche. I suppose I have always been a novelist and learning to be a screenwriter was just part of my formation. So far, nearly everyone who has given me feedback, including my editor, has said they can visualize the story as a movie, which makes perfect sense given my writing background.

THE BILDERBERG GROUP AND THE COMMITTEE OF 300
For those of you who don’t know, The Unveiling was inspired by my fascination with organizations like “The Bilderberg Group” or “The Committee of 300.” In modern times, most people would say members of these groups belong to the one percent. They are extremely powerful and influential people who possess most of the world’s wealth. Many believe members of these groups control the world even in countries where democracies exist. To that I have added Sumerian Mythology, one of the world’s oldest stories. Anyone who has studied Sumerian Mythology knows it is terribly similar to the story of “Genesis” in the Old Testament. The major difference involves extra-terrestrials in place of God. If you believe in the Bible (or even if you don’t), the story is terribly compelling. I hope you will enjoy it. The Unveiling: 1.0 is available in paperback, Nook, Kindle and iBook. To learn more or to purchase a copy, please visit: TheUnveilingSeries.com

"The Unveiling: 1.0" has finally arrived!

It's hard to believe, but my book is finally done!

"The Unveiling: 1.0" is the first book of a series based on the Anunnaki of Sumerian Mythology. If you've watched "Ancient Aliens" on The History Channel, of if you've read any books by Erich Von Daniken or David Icke, then you might have an idea how the story will unfold. This project has been 3 years in the making, so I hope you'll like it. Any day now, I will be starting on "The Unveiling: 2.0," the followup to this first novel. 1.0 has only been on sale for a couple of weeks, but preliminary reviews are trickling in as my first readers are finishing. While the stories are very different, many people are comparing "The Unveiling" to Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code." To learn more, or to get your copy on paperback, Nook, Kindle or iBook, please visit: TheUnveilingSeries.com Happy holidays and I hope you enjoy the book!

Commercially Yours

In light of the Super Bowl and its legendary commercials, I figured today’s topic was timely. Now that I have Netflix, I have grown accustomed to commercial free viewing when I watch series television. While I don’t have a DVR, I still find myself trying to pause live TV, a habit I developed from watching Netflix and DVD’s.

I must admit I was a little perplexed when I stumbled across Alexandra Wentworth’s comedy series “Head Case.” The first episode I watched was 11 minutes long. The length perplexed me since TV shows are formatted to be a half hour, an hour, or a movie length of 2 hours. When you watch an hour-long drama without commercials, they tend to be between 40 and 42 minutes long. This means an hour-long TV show will have anywhere from 18 to 20 minutes of commercials. This is one-third of the viewing time spent watching commercials. If this formula were used for a half-hour show, you would expect there to be roughly 10 minutes of commercial viewing and 20 minutes of the actual show. Once again, the 11-minute length of Head Case confused me. If this was a true time frame, it meant two-thirds of the viewing time was dedicated to commercials while only a third of the time slot was dedicated to the actual show. Huh?

As it turns out, “Head Case” was developed for the Starz cable network. From what I can gather, Starz doesn’t have commercials, which explains the 11-minute format. With that said, I still wonder how the show will be syndicated. Perhaps, they will double up on episodes, although some of the later episodes actually did approach roughly 20-minutes. I guess we’ll have to wait and see how that plays out.

Noticing these discrepancies brought a larger question to mind. Is it the intention of the television networks that we watch their shows or the commercials that are interspersed between them? Back when my mom was alive and we were both in California, I would visit each Saturday. I still remember her muting the television during commercial breaks because in her words, “The commercials drive me crazy”.

In the past year, I confess I have begun to do the same thing, muting the television each time commercials appear. I am often fascinated by the synchronicity of the networks. More often than not, if you change the channel during a commercial, you land on another commercial. How do they manage to do this so consistently? Truthfully, I know the answer to this question. For the most part, TV shows are similarly structured into six acts. As such, the commercials will tend to occur simultaneously across all of the networks.

Most of us find this aspect of television annoying, which is why the DVR’s arrival has been a particular challenge to advertisers and networks. When we record our shows, we can easily zip through commercial breaks. Advertisers deplore this idea. In the old days, we would run to the bathroom or get snacks during commercials. This is the reason the volume blares much higher at these times. You can still hear the name of the product or catchy lyrics that you will hopefully remember while you are in the grocery store or shopping for some other product.

I still recall how absurd I thought “The Running Man” was with Arnold Schwarzenegger. While it was released in the late 80’s, it was a portrait of a futuristic world overrun by edgy, life threatening game shows and corporate advertisers. At the time, I thought it a far-fetched concept but in many ways it has come to fruition. Shows like Fear Factor, The Amazing Race and Survivor flood the airwaves with a slue of commercials and infomercials, brainwashing us to consume. Today, I write only to reflect. Is it the commercials or the shows being sold to us? Do we go out and consume what we want, what we need, or the things advertisers tell us we need? Hm.... Happy Super Bowl everybody!

I HAVE WRITTEN A BOOK! TO LEARN MORE OR TO READ AN EXCERPT
of my sci-fi/fantasy/adventure novel, “The Unveiling: 1.0,” please visit TheUnveilingSeries.com.

ON THE ART OF DATING

THIS IS HOW WE DO IT
I must confess I didn’t understand the first time I heard it. One of my best friends had just moved to Manhattan from his native Germany. In no time he had learned his way around the city, venturing through all of the burrows, New Jersey, and on occasion up to the Hamptons. After a few months he phoned me to describe his first “American” date. I had to ask for clarity, “What do you mean American date?” He explained that Europeans don’t date like Americans when they are getting to know one another romantically. “What?” I was perplexed by this revelation.

I was no stranger to the idea of divergent practices in different cultures. My father, after all, was not born in the U.S.A. and we had lived overseas for several years. Certainly, in countries where arranged marriages are the norm, there is not the concept of dating, but everyone in western society I imagined went on dates like we do here in North America. Apparently, this was not the case, so I asked him to explain exactly what he meant. The conversation was of particular interest to me, especially since my most intimate relationships have all been with Europeans.

Here in the U.S., we learn dating etiquette that reads something like the following: A man arrives to pick up his date, walks her to the car, opens the door, pulls out her chair, pays for dinner, returns her to her domicile and if he’s lucky, he kisses her goodnight at the front door. This is, of course, on the first date. If all goes well there may be subsequent dates. With each additional one, the probability of emotional and physical intimacy rises, at least in theory.

To use the popular baseball metaphor, when a man gets lucky, he slides through the bases, which Wikipedia defines as follows:
• First base – mouth to mouth kissing, especially open mouth ("French") kissing involving the tongue.
• Second base – aggressive stimulation between the neck and waist, usually shirtless or under the shirt.
• Third base – manual or oral stimulation of the genitalia.
• Fourth base (Home run) – the act of penetrative intercourse.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU, GETTING TO KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU
So, I asked my friend to explain, “If you don’t "date" in Europe, how do you get to know one another?” In some ways, the answer was too simple for me to grasp. He said if you meet someone you’re interested in romantically, you simply invite that person out. It wouldn’t necessarily be considered a date, but more so an outing. If, by chance, you enjoyed spending time with that person, it would only stand to reason that you continue going out. There is no protocol about showing up and returning someone to their front door. There is no tally of how many outings have been made. There’s just a mutual understanding between two people who enjoy spending time together.

As I mentioned, I have always clicked better romantically with Europeans. In the beginning I didn’t know why. I suspected it might have been because I lived overseas during my adolescence. For me, the rules of “American dating” always felt rigid and constraining. I’m sure we have all discussed aspects of dating etiquette. A few popular topics typically include whether or not it’s okay to see someone every day when first beginning to date, as this could be construed as needy. Do both parties agree how to proceed with intimacy? Should second base be on the third date and sex on the tenth? The whole construct becomes a game of figuring out whether or not you and another person are on the same page.

TEARING DOWN THE WALLS
Another close friend of mine was dating long distance and considered a week long visit to be one date. I still remember debating this with him. If dinner and a movie are regarded as a single date, certainly a 7-day visit counts as more than one. The conversation made me realize something I had never paid that much attention to. Many of us use the concept of dating as a barrier rather than a bridge for getting to know one another. “I don’t need to tell him (or her) that I’ll be out of town that week, we’ve only been on a few dates.” “No, I didn’t invite her (or him) to the party, we haven’t gotten to that point yet.” When “dating” is used to hold people at bay, how can you ever get closer to one another?

I suspect this is the reason my friend wanted to declare a week long stay as one date. If the visit counted as seven, there would be a higher expectation of shared intimacy in his mind, something he likely wasn’t ready for. But this is the thing, at the end of the day, isn’t dating a simple construct of our minds? If there is a true dating protocol, it only exists between you and the person you are dating. In a different relationship, the protocol would likely have to change, as a new person would require a new and separate agreement about how things work. When we are truly ready to make ourselves emotionally available, only then will we begin to repeal the rules (and walls) we’ve constructed to keep ourselves safe.

ABOUT K. L. COLLINS
I am an author and a college professor of screenwriting for both television and film. To learn more about my newest sci-fi, fantasy, adventure novel, "The Unveiling: 1.0," please visit: TheUnveilingSeries.com.

The Authentic You!

Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines “authentic” in several ways. The two variations that made the most sense for today’s post are the following:

1: not false or imitation: real, actual
2: true to one's own personality, spirit, or character

During the last nine months, a few friends and I have talked extensively about living “authentic lives.” But what makes someone’s life authentic? If we go back to Webster’s definition, an authentic life would be one without pretense and/or falsehoods. As we all know, this is not always so easy to accomplish, as it requires incredible self-assuredness.

I still remember quite vividly the ten-day meditation retreat that I attended nearly three years ago. When you sign up for this retreat you are asked to abide by several Buddhist tenets, some of which include not to lie, cheat or steal. The actual retreat was silent, which pretty much takes care of the pledge not to lie. It is only in the early part of day-ten that everyone is allowed to converse. Believe me, it is surreal spending nine and a half days meditating, eating, bathing and sleeping beside 80 people you haven’t spoken a word to. I certainly learned how judgmental I can be, as I formed opinions on people to whom I hadn’t spoken a single word. On the final day, when I chatted with fellow meditators, I discovered they were nothing like I imagined. The man I assumed was a family man with a wife and two daughters was gay. I was certain the young twenty-something guy with movie star good looks was a snob, but he ended up being a circus performer (a la Cirque du Soleil) who was actually quite charming.

From the very instant that we began to introduce ourselves I quickly realized I was filtering what I wanted people to know about me. Only months before I had been laid off from my job, a circumstance I had never experienced before. I remember being exceptionally sensitive about discussing it. In essence, I was providing slightly altered versions of my truth. This behavior, to say the least, was not authentic. And while I consider myself to be an honest person, I would likely not have followed that particular tenet had we been allowed to speak. So again, how do we get to an authentic life? Start by throwing out the script you believe you were given. For most of us this script reads something like the following:

1. Elementary School
2. Middle School (Junior High)
3. High School
4. College [at least undergraduate, possibly more]
5. Get a job
6. Get married
7. Have children
8. Retirement

While many people have become and continue to be successful with the above scenario, it is not for everyone. Steve Jobs skipped the fourth step while Brangelina skipped the sixth. To become our authentic selves we all need to consider what variations of the above script are appropriate for our own individual lives. Keep in mind this is not an excuse to throw off your responsibilities. Our true selves will only emerge from honesty and dedication. Our true selves will always have a sense of purpose and will commit to hard work toward a specific set of goals.

Just as the caterpillar enters its cocoon to emerge as its more beautiful butterfly self, we must find a safe place to figure out who we really are. As 2012 begins, take a moment to sit quietly. Think, reflect, and meditate. Wait for the velocity of your own thoughts to slow down. Listen to that inner voice. Do this repeatedly and allow your own metamorphosis to begin.

The reason casting agents are in business is because they have a knack for matching specific actors to suitable roles. You must serve as your own casting director to arrive at the real you. If the script outlined above is suitable then play that role. If it isn’t write your own story because only you can answer what authentic means in your life. Happy 2012 to all!

TO LEARN MORE OR TO READ AN EXCERPT
of my sci-fi/fantasy/adventure novel, “The Unveiling: 1.0,” please visit TheUnveilingSeries.com.

Gray Areas

Merriam Webster defines the word “Tenet” as follows:

“A principle, belief, or doctrine generally held to be true; especially one held in common by members of an organization, movement, or profession.”

The qualifying clause, “especially one held in common by members of an organization, movement, or profession” suggests that principles and beliefs can vary between communities. Of course we all know this to be true but there are also fixed, universal tenets that translate across cultures and communities. They are not beliefs so much as they are universal laws of nature that most of us clearly see as black and white. A few examples of such universal laws are stated in almost every religion. The Ten Commandments of the Bible, the Precepts of Buddhism and the Koran all speak reminders that we should neither lie, cheat, steal or kill, just to name a few.

But there are also more confusing universal truths that aren’t so clearly delineated. Instead they are gray areas that many of us choose to interpret (often erroneously) at our own discretion. For some reason, Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing” comes to mind. It was the first time a movie confronted me with a conflict where I respected both sides of two dueling point of views. For those of you who didn’t see the movie, the central story involves an Italian owned pizzeria in a predominately African-American neighborhood. Because the pizzeria’s livelihood depends largely on its African-American clientele, there are customers who want African-Americans represented on the owner’s renowned “Wall of Fame” where photos of renowned Italians are prominently displayed.

In my mind, the customers’ request was well within reason. But the owner, as sole proprietor felt entitled to arrange his “Wall of Fame” as he saw fit, which was also quite reasonable. Of course, major conflict ensued ending in the unfortunate death of a central character. So, who was right and what could these characters have done differently in order to “Do The Right Thing?” Today, I realize the answer is quite simple. They could both have chosen to respect their fellow man. Had the African-American character chosen to respect the pizzeria owner’s prerogative to arrange his wall of photos as he pleased, or had the pizzeria owner chosen to respect the clientele that allowed his business to thrive, there would have been no problem.

Today, it seems many universal laws have fallen victim to legislation and special interests. As a society, we need to do better at fine-tuning our internal moral compasses, with an understanding not only of the black and white areas, but of the gray ones as well. All too often, I have heard, “it’s not against the law” as if this were carte blanche to do the wrong thing. Because it isn’t illegal, does this suggest it isn’t wrong or unethical? In theory, laws are written to regulate people who are otherwise incapable of regulating themselves. It is up to each of us to do better in the gray areas, not only to discern right from wrong but also to then regulate ourselves appropriately. We do ourselves a disservice when we dedicate this responsibility to lawmakers who often don’t understand the difference themselves.

I'm Baaaack!

If I mull it over it’s hard to believe I haven’t blogged in nearly a year (how is this possible?).

For months now I have been telling myself I need to at least write an entry explaining why I’ve been away. While it was not intended I suppose there’s a peculiar irony in the title of my most recent entry from December of last year -- “To See A Disappearing Act” -- especially since immediately after I proceeded to disappear.

So, here’s what’s going on... About two years ago, I started my first novel. Writing a book is something I hadn’t contemplated or attempted since I always endeavored to write screenplays or teleplays. To be honest, in my innocence (or dare I say ignorance?) I didn’t really change my story development process. Probably, this is why some of my preliminary readers have said, “It reads like a movie.”

When I finally started the first chapter, I have to admit it was liberating. Writing screenplays is extremely rigid since you can only put on the page what you expect your audience to see on the screen. Such rules do not apply in books where you can more easily jump back and forth in time or delve into a character’s inner thoughts.

About a year ago, I laid down my first draft (with quite a bit of blood, sweat and tears). Some days I would write and believe my work was brilliant. But there were also dreadful days when I composed chapters that really weren’t working at all. My only solace was that I had something concrete. A sculptor must start with a large block of stone and craft it into something intentional like Michelangelo’s David or the Pieta. When I completed my first draft I was ecstatic to have something on paper. In reality all I had was a block of stone. I had this mass of words and chapters -- all of it put together into a huge mass of something that would eventually, hopefully become my book. But it wasn’t a book yet. During this phase I was still blogging quite regularly. In this last year, however, while I have been absent, I have been chipping away at that first draft, working to create what I hope will be an enjoyable, perhaps informative story.

In any event, this is the reason for my absence. While I haven’t been blogging, I have been writing. In the next weeks and months, I hope to share more thoughts and experiences on this journey we call life. And I’ll certainly keep you posted on my progress with the book (and my search for a publisher).... Until then, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!

TO SEE A DISAPPEARING ACT

It was already 10 pm and I was fighting sleep. I knew I wouldn’t last more than an hour in the dead of the night’s deep cold so I hesitantly set the alarm on my phone for 2 am. Within minutes I was asleep and then the alarm sounded jarring me from my slumber. I felt groggy and disoriented fumbling with my phone whose only alarm sound was shrill and grating. My house was chilly, as I’d lowered the heat before getting cozy beneath my blankets. I contemplated returning to sleep and abandoning my mission to witness the full lunar eclipse of this winter solstice but then I considered the rarity of the event and dragged myself from bed. I slipped on some shoes and my warmest down jacket then descended the stairs.

IT'S SHOWTIME, FOLKS!
At 2 am I didn’t know where I would find the best view of the moon so I flipped a mental coin and decided to start with my back patio. Once outside the cold air nipped at my hands and quickly wrapped around my legs, which were badly insulated with thin pajamas. The hooded jacket was efficient and my torso and head felt as if I were still beneath my sheets. I looked to the left and right, but the moon was nowhere to be found. Just as I was resigning to move to the front of the house, I looked directly overhead and there it was the full moon shining brightly like a huge pendant lamp dangling in the sky. The lunar eclipse had begun and a third of the moon was already obscured. I felt terribly lucky. There was a huge cloud bank in the east, but the skies over my house were clear allowing a perfect view of the occurrence.

After several minutes of watching the eclipse my neck began to hurt. I realized the moon’s coordinates had necessitated me craning my neck into an extremely uncomfortable position. To gain relief I bent forward and touched my toes allowing gravity to soothe my fatigued muscles. About fifteen minutes in, new clouds began arriving, thin and mist-like, traveling rapidly across the skies. Fortunately, I was still able to see the moon like a lighthouse beacon illuminating the skies through a veil of fog. I was in awe of how fast the clouds were moving especially since I didn’t feel a breeze. Every so often, an opening clearly revealed the moon’s disappearing act.

About thirty minutes in the moon was seventy-five percent obscured, but the cumulus clouds were growing thicker. For moments the moon seemed to blink out as if the eclipse had completed but then its brightness would return. I wondered if the clouds were causing my eyes to play tricks on me. And then suddenly, the swift moving clouds slowed to a crawl as if the moon had demanded their attention. For nearly a half hour they had been traveling east, but they were changing course inching more toward the south. I waited patiently for an opening so I could witness the moon slipping on its veil like a skilled belly dancer. Finally, an aperture appeared and the eclipse, nearly complete, had transformed the white, shining moon almost as if a crimson filter had been slipped over its entirety. The various shades of red dazzled me for a fleeting moment until the moon vanished again behind the clouds. I patiently waited but the moon or the clouds or both had decided to tease with their show. For only seconds at a time I could catch a glimpse. I had expected the moon to vanish during the eclipse as if hiding behind some black curtain of night, but this was not the case. Upon the eclipse’s completion the moon had certainly dimmed but its prominence was hardly diminished as it shined like a red ruby hanging in the sky.

THE FINAL ACT
By now I had been standing in the cold for nearly forty minutes at which point the blanket of clouds closed in like the final curtain call at a play. I massaged my sore neck and slipped back into the house, which now seemed warm and cozy. I have to admit it was difficult getting back to sleep. I awoke tired the next morning but was somehow energized by the show I’d witnessed in the cold of the night.

I WROTE A BOOK!
To learn more about Volume One of my Sci-Fi/Fantasy/
Action-adventure series, “The Unveiling,”
please visit the website at TheUnveilingSeries.com.

The Road To Tennessee - Part III

After weeks of pushing to prepare for my move I paused, allowing myself a day to work on my book. Feeling as if I were treating myself to a leisurely day I drove to one of my preferred coffee shops to order lunch. After eating I began the task of banging out pages only to be struck later in the day by mild stomach cramps. It wasn’t like food poisoning but the ache in my stomach was a definite nuisance. For nearly an hour I struggled to continue writing but then grew fearful of pushing myself too hard. Not wanting to sink any further into the quicksand of my fatigue I gathered my things, hurried to my car and drove home. It was my intention to unwind and have dinner but the ache in my stomach seemed to be growing more intense. Within two hours a sharp pain had developed on my left side. I suspected an appendicitis but quickly tossed out the idea after a quick Internet search revealed the appendix is on the opposite side. At this point I broke out in a sweat even though, to the touch, my face was cold and clammy.

I can safely say I was officially panicked. I began brainstorming whether I should call 9-1-1 or simply drive myself to the ER [about five miles away]. I elected for the latter and quickly hopped in the car. It was 9:30 at night. It wasn’t especially warm outside but I was sweating nonetheless. I rolled down my windows and opened the sunroof allowing the wind to soothe my forehead and cheeks. During the brief drive I phoned my cousin to inform her of what was going on. By the time I arrived at the ER I was bowled over by a sharp and intense pain.

Roughly ninety minutes after my arrival I was wheeled in for an MRI only to learn I had an 8mm kidney stone that had probably just been ejected from my kidney. No one in my family had ever had a kidney stone that I know of so I was in completely unfamiliar territory. The doctor informed me it was extremely unlikely that an 8mm stone would pass on its own, which left me with two options:

#1, have a urologist send a fiber optic camera with pincers up my urethra and through my bladder into the ureter to retrieve the stone. This sounded very unpleasant to say the least. One of the nurses even made a snide comment about Roto-rooter.

The other option, #2, was to have lithotripsy, a procedure involving ultrasound where the stone is obliterated by sound waves. This would only be possible if the stone was located in a particular portion of the ureter. Luckily for me, it had likely just exited my kidney in the coffee shop so lithotripsy was still an option. The only catch was I would have to wait 5 days to have the procedure. Needless to say three days later I found myself once again in the ER totally overcome with pain and vomiting from the nausea. I later learned that my cousin’s daughter had suffered a kidney stone and the intensity of pain, in her words, was “worse than labor pain.”

The fascinating thing about the whole experience in that ER was that even in the clutches of my pain I could feel the malaise of the previous month lifting. I was in the waiting room nearly in a fetal position but somehow I felt better. The cloudiness in my head and the fatigue seemed to instantaneously disappear. Just days after the procedure the heartburn and the palpitations also subsided and I quickly realized what had occurred after that massage. I’ve always been told tense muscles trap toxins such as lactic acid. Those toxins are released when the tension is broken by massage. The massage after Tennessee had released toxins into my blood but my left kidney was impacted and wasn’t functioning properly to filter them. Once the stone was released, many of my symptoms resolved only to be replaced by the intense pain of the stone being trapped in the ureter.

A few days later I completed the lithotripsy procedure with only three weeks to spare until my move. Thankfully I am writing this blog from my new address. As Shakespeare once wrote “All’s Well that Ends Well.”