Wednesday Wanderings: Lessons from Into the Woods, Lighthouse v. Waves, Owning a PitBull Changes You, & Poster Fails

~ M.A. Kropp

I love "Into the Woods." I've seen the movie, but still prefer the original stage play. Wrapped up in the fairy tales and music are some good life lessons. This post lists many of them. (Yes, there are errors, but the writer is a teenager. It's quite good despite those.): Into the Woods Lighthouses have … Continue reading Wednesday Wanderings: Lessons from Into the Woods, Lighthouse v. Waves, Owning a PitBull Changes You, & Poster Fails

Monday Meeting: Interview with Jeffrey Cook of Writerpunk Press

~ M.A. Kropp ~ 1 Comment

This week I am doing an interview with Jeffrey Cook, who is part of Writerpunk Press, a group of authors who write in the various 'punk genres. They have just released "Sound and Fury: Shakespeare Goes Punk",  an anthology of stories based on William Shakespeare's works. None of the authors, editors, artists or others who … Continue reading Monday Meeting: Interview with Jeffrey Cook of Writerpunk Press

Wednesday Wanderings: 17 Cool Space Photos, Fairy Doors, Coulson, and Writing Tips

~ M.A. Kropp

Seventeen pretty cool space photos: Space Photos Fairy Doors in Somerset, England: Fairy Doors For fans of Marvels Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., here is a nice character analysis of Phil Coulson. "It's always the quiet ones.": Coulson And the writing link of the week is these two tips on plotting that I think are valuable to … Continue reading Wednesday Wanderings: 17 Cool Space Photos, Fairy Doors, Coulson, and Writing Tips

Monday Musings: The Sap is Running!

~ M.A. Kropp

For those wondering if Spring is ever coming, I can now say: Yes! Not only are some of the birds beginning to sing their Spring songs, the sparrows have been revisiting their nesting sites under our air conditioning units. One more sign: the sap is running in the trees. We have sugar maples on our … Continue reading Monday Musings: The Sap is Running!

Friday Review: (TV) Agent Carter

~ M.A. Kropp

My rating: 5 stars This Marvel spin-off centers on Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell), who was an active agent with the Stragegic Scientific Reserve during WWII. Now that the war is over, she finds herself relegated to little more than the office secretary, filing and taking lunch orders. When Howard Stark is accused of treason after … Continue reading Friday Review: (TV) Agent Carter

Wednesday Wandreings: Our Second Moon, Overthinker Problems, Zodiac Monsters, and Superheroes with Dirty Minds

~ M.A. Kropp

It seems we have a second moon orbiting the Earth. But this one has one wacky orbit: Second Moon We overthinkers have our own special problems. Here are five, and, yes, I can relate to every single one of them: Overthinker Problems The twelve signs of the Zodiac, re-imagined as pretty cool monsters: Zodiac Monsters … Continue reading Wednesday Wandreings: Our Second Moon, Overthinker Problems, Zodiac Monsters, and Superheroes with Dirty Minds

Monday Musings: Away for the Weekend

~ M.A. Kropp

We spent the past weekend in North Conway, NH. North Conway is a lovely little place in the White Mountain region of the state. We were up there for their annual Chilly Chili Stroll, running the judging for the professional chef's division of the Stroll. We got involved with this event a few years ago, … Continue reading Monday Musings: Away for the Weekend

Friday Review: Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig

~ M.A. Kropp

Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is the second Miriam Black book from Chuck Wendig. In the first, Blackbirds, we are introduced to Miriam Black, who can see how someone will die if she touches them. In this story, Miriam is trying, really trying, to settle down with her truck … Continue reading Friday Review: Mockingbird by Chuck Wendig

Wednesday Wanderings: Fairytale Forests, Movie Myths, Evil Wizard Blunders, and Motivational (?) Posters

~ M.A. Kropp

Want to go Into the Woods for real? Here are five real forests that look like they could have come out of a fairytale: Fairytale Forests We all know movies take liberties with what is real. Here are ten movie myths that simply aren't so: Movie Myths Why does the bad guy always lose? Here … Continue reading Wednesday Wanderings: Fairytale Forests, Movie Myths, Evil Wizard Blunders, and Motivational (?) Posters

Winter Pond: Revisiting an Old Essay

~ M.A. Kropp

I wrote this piece in 2003. It placed second in a contest on a pond blog I followed. Since we are having a rather cold, snowy Winter this year, I thought I'd repost it here today. Yes, I wrote the piece in November, but it seems somehow appropriate for February.     A Pond In … Continue reading Winter Pond: Revisiting an Old Essay