2017: The First Six Weeks

And just like that, it’s February. Where does the time go?  

Well, this will be one of my more random posts. Today I’m talking about my collective thoughts through the first few weeks of 2017.

First, I’ve been reading Brandon Sanderson.

You might remember him as the guy who finished the Wheel of Time. His name wasn’t pulled out of a hat for that. Sanderson was already an accomplished author in his own right, with, at last count, five series of his own, numerous standalone stories, and no signs of slowing down soon.

Examples?

I came across Steelheart over a year ago, a post-apocalyptic superhero story in which there are no heroes, only the villains who destroyed the world. It follows an underground resistance movement of ordinary people, rebelling in a city ruled by Superman – if Superman was evil.

Original, right? Months later, I read the second book, Firefight, on my phone. Still haven’t gotten the final part of the trilogy.

–checks Play Store-

Oh, look! The price has gone down. Sweet. Calamity, here I come.

I’m also definitely reading his Mistborn series at some point. Which is, admittedly, the same setting in fantasy form. The tale of a young thief who becomes the heroine of a fallen world where long ago, the Dark Lord actually won.

That’s just the beginning, though. Apparently his goal here is to advance a fantasy world and civilization technologically, all the way from medieval times to spaceflight. The original trilogy is the medieval part. He’s moved on to something like the Wild West now.

Anyway. Last month I read the first two books in what is already being described as his magnum opus: the Stormlight Archive.

In his own words, this was the story he wanted to tell ever since he was a child. A vast, sweeping epic fantasy. And it is epic.

Long ago, the Knights Radiant protected humanity from the Voidbringers in a cyclical, ever-recurring conflict. They always won, though the cost was great. Then the Radiants forsook their oaths and abandoned mankind, their mystical swords and armor now little more than the spoils of war. Thousands of years have passed. Religion and history agree that the Voidbringers are gone forever.

Now they return. Humanity is oblivious, caught up in petty wars. But the Everstorm is coming. The Knights Radiant must rise again…

Sounds pretty cliché, doesn’t it.

This sort of ancient-evil-impending-apocalypse story is basically the standard for epic fantasy, going all the way back to The Lord of the Rings. Nothing wrong with that, as long as each tale has its own distinct flavor.

And Sanderson delivers his own flavor in spades. The world of Roshar is continually wracked by vast hurricanes called highstorms, and the entire ecosphere has evolved to survive them. Plants withdraw into the ground at any movement. Most animals have hardened carapaces. Wagons are pulled not by horses or cattle, but by giant crustaceans. Yes, really. For contrast, a land protected by encircling mountains exists, with a more familiar ecosystem. Anything out of Shinovar – e.g., grass that doesn’t move – is considered downright bizarre.

There’s also some interesting social structures going on. Slavery is widespread, with a race of black-and red-skinned humanoids, parshmen, doing much of the world’s grunt work. Among humans, racism is culturally ingrained, with social standing based not on skin tone, but on the colour of one’s eyes. The lighteyes are the nobility; the darkeyes, commoners and slaves.

It’s the characters, though, that drive a story. And Sanderson’s are excellent. Kaladin is a broken young man, darkeyed, a surgeon and soldier turned slave. He struggles with bitterness and hatred towards the lighteyes. But his sense of honor and human decency, as well as his natural capabilities as a leader, even as a slave, make him as true a hero as any I’ve seen.

Shallan is a sheltered lighteyed girl, intelligent but naïve, travelling alone for the first time. More layers are revealed over time, however, including more determination than you’d expect, and a tragic childhood. Though I still preferred Kaladin’s storyline, I ended up liking her a lot more than I did at first. Shallan is a bright smile over a dark past, and that made her real in a way only the best authors can pull off.

There are others I’m omitting for brevity. Dalinar, stoic and honorable, is the main reason I’m adding a black-armored guardian to my own story. What? At least I admit it. And Wit gets an honorable mention for sheer wittiness.

I thoroughly recommend the Archive, if you’re the sort of person who looks at thousand-page fantasy novels with eagerness. Like me. It’s an epic story, and this is just the beginning. The third book is still a long way away. I can’t wait.

Secondly – I’ve developed an interest in foreign affairs.

Well, ‘foreign’ is a matter for debate.

This is kind of a rant. Bear with me.

I’ve never been a patriot of any kind. I don’t really identify with a single culture, or a single country. I was born in the United States of America. I’ve grown up in Malaysia. I still have the accent, and tend to describe things with color, not colour. I also swear in Malay, and once found it strange that some parts of the world don’t eat rice every night.

Every now and then, I’ll be referred to as the white guy. Back in the US, I still remember a little girl in school calling me Asian. Ah, those were the days.

The dichotomy of it all used to bother me. Now I embrace it. I like being a mix of countries, of cultures. I like being both.

But I am, at least in part, American.

And as an American, I have to say – I don’t think much of Donald Trump.

I couldn’t believe he’d actually won the election. His message of prejudice and racism, of us against them, is exactly the sort of thing I would stand against. The man has no political experience whatsoever, throws tantrums on Twitter, and has a well-documented record of creative interpretations of the truth bullshit. The recent travel ban fiasco seems fairly representative of his behavior: impulsive, ignorant and rooted in xenophobia.

To be fair, a country does have the right to close its borders – if there was any evidence the people being barred were an actual threat. If my mother hadn’t been allowed into the US, I would never have been born.

So yeah. I’m biased. I’m glad the entire mess was shut down in court, at least for now.

Of course, it’s not just Trump. It’s also his fledgling administration. In part, the travel ban caused chaos because it was poorly implemented. Stories of infighting and failures of communication abound, along with tales that Trump’s own staff are already losing faith in him, even as they struggle to keep up with his insecurities and handle the scandal of the day. Alternative facts? You’ve got to be kidding me. 

These are the people running one of the most powerful countries in the world?

*deep breath*

Maybe this is hypocritical of me. I never took an interest in American politics before. It’s only three weeks into the presidency. Maybe the people under him will improve; that’s possible. Maybe Trump himself will improve. I doubt it.

It’s important to remember that around half of the country did elect him, seeing him as an agent of change. Fair enough. I’m an outsider looking in. I don’t know how it’s been over there. I just wonder if these are the kinds of changes they had in mind.

It’s all rather disillusioning. I remember when I was younger, I looked at the US and saw a golden glow, freedom and opportunity, amber waves of grain and all that. I don’t see it that way anymore. I don’t think the rest of the world does either. The United States aren’t exactly united, are they. If anything, they’re more divided than ever.

Well, moving on.

Thirdly – I need to set some goals this year.

I wasn’t entirely unproductive in 2016. *points to blog archive* That said, I could have gotten more done if I’d been more focused and organized. These are not New Year’s resolutions, because those are generally doomed to failure. They’re goals, which just happen to take place in the New Year. Completely different.

1. Better time management.

I prefer to take my time. I dislike rushing. Ironically, I’m also one of those people who tend to be five minutes late for everything. There has to be a balance.

I do have some ideas about how to find it. Stronger priorities, and less distractions. I did take some tentative steps towards this last year. Sorry, Hearthstone. I love my games, but you’re just too addictive. Reading, writing, relationships and yes, gaming (in moderation), are priorities. Mindlessly scrolling Instagram whenever I’m bored is not.

Despite the six-day work week, I do have time. I just need to utilize it effectively.

2. Finish Wraithblade.

I only have so much writing time, so I will, by necessity, be cutting down on the blog posts. Maybe only one a month or something.

I left the story hanging on Chapter Seven for months last year. I was stuck, and again, letting myself get distracted. But one thing I’ve learned about writing is that if you push through your own disinterest, something will eventually interest you, leading to more writing, and more interest, etc, etc. You are your own motivation.

And you have to be. Creative people the world over know that you can’t wait for inspiration. You get to work, and the inspiration follows. Keep putting your dreams off until tomorrow, and someday there won’t be any more tomorrows. Frightening, isn’t it.

So I need to get to work. What I just said about recapturing your own interest is true. I got unstuck, and know what happens next. For a few more chapters, at least.

Oh, you’re just joining us? Here’s the first chapter, and yes, I wrote it that long ago. Any thoughts are welcome.

3. Ninety days.

This one’s personal.

One day at a time.

4. Save more money.

I can afford more.

This is probably the easiest goal, really, since I was already saving money – if not quite so much.

I can afford it, though. Being debt-free is easy to take for granted. I pay for food, utilities, bus fare. And that’s it. All my expenses. Being single and financially unencumbered does have its advantages.

Now is the time to save money – while I have it.

5. Put on weight?

Okay. This one might be tricky.

I’ve mentioned my metabolism before. Just the other night, someone called me a scarecrow. Ha ha. The night before that, someone else called it a gift and a curse – which is accurate. I’ve already started working out at home a few times a week. But is it enough?

I’m reluctant to commit to supplements, because saving money. That stuff is expensive. I’m reluctant to hit the gym, because of the extra time required. I finish work late enough as it is.

And most importantly – I’m not sure how much strength I have to spare. My job isn’t exhausting, but it’s not sedentary, either. I spend a fair amount of time each day on my feet. I’m always tired by evening. I’m tired right now. That line about working people having money and energy, but no time, isn’t necessarily true. I still have time. I’m not so sure about energy.

Maybe bulking up is aiming too high. I’ll settle for getting more fit.

And lastly.

I was walking down the road one morning, not long ago. I was thinking about something. About someone. 

Or rather, I’d worn myself out thinking about it, over the last few days. I do that sometimes. It’s exhausting. Then a thought occurred to me: walking down the road is inherently dangerous.

There are giant chunks of metal speeding along right next to you. Not safe. A single swerve could make you an unfortunate statistic.

But I don’t think about it. I’m aware of the danger, sure. I look both ways, stay outside the lines. I believe I’ll reach my destination. And I do. Life’s like that, don’t you think? We do what we can, and trust that we’ll get where we’re going. Either we will or we won't. It really is that simple. Or it should be.

But we have all these doubts and insecurities, and what should be simple gets complicated. We obsess over what we’re doing, and not doing, and should be doing. Our greatest fears run rampant in our minds. And we worry.

Here’s what I realized that morning. Spending your life worrying is like walking down the road thinking, I’m going to get hit by a car, I’m going to get hit by a car, I’m going to get hit by a car.

It’s pointless.

At best, you’re trading peace of mind for tunnel vision. At worst, walking down the road while keeping a close eye on every car means you fall in a sewer and drown.

Don’t laugh, it could happen.

See what I’m getting at? Overthinking creates problems that never existed in the first place. It's a useless and dangerous distraction. 

It might seem complicated, but maybe life is simpler than it looks. 

To get where we want to go, we take the steps we can see. 

For the people we care about, and who care about us. Who make us smile, and laugh, and somehow make life brighter - 

We hold on to them.

Even if we don’t know how it’ll all work out in the end –  

Maybe we just need to have a little faith.

25 Things That Light Up My Life

‘Look at the stars, look how they shine for you, and everything that you do…’

                                                                                                    - 'Yellow', Coldplay 

'I think the thing to do is to enjoy the ride while you're on it.'

                                                                                                    - Johnny Depp 

Today I’m talking about gratitude.

A few weeks back, in a gloomy state of mind, I brought up expectations. I used to think life was supposed to play out in a certain way. It bothered me that things didn’t happen like I expected them to.

Then I saw this quote the other day. I like quotes. Not all apply, mind you. Some kind of apply. And some hit you like a bad metaphor. Suddenly you see the world in a different way.

I can tie myself in knots over my problems. The things I want, and fear, and haven’t done. But taken for what it is – my life is pretty great.

Maybe it’s the holiday mood taking over. It's New Year's Eve, after all.

Today I’m listing down all the things I’m thankful for. Life is both beautiful and fleeting, and too often we take it for granted. I said last year that life can be a constellation. Each of these adds just a little bit of starlight.

1.       I’m writing this in the first place.

Typing. Whatever. Same thing.

Laying out the inner workings of our minds doesn’t come naturally for everyone. It’s a skill. Like all skills, it takes hard work and dedication. Anyone could do this if they tried. My own writing has never seemed all that special.

But maybe I’m selling myself short there.

I’m inspired by great authors, thinkers, dreamers. Over time, I realized that I wanted to inspire people too, help them see the world in different ways. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like much of a dream.

The other day I complimented someone on their work. They said that was really encouraging, coming from another writer. What I didn’t say was that it was just as encouraging being acknowledged as one.

So, thanks. You know who you are.

I’m a writer, and that’s something to be proud of.

2.       I make bad jokes.

And occasional good ones.

Admit it. You’d find me way less interesting if I talked like a zombie accountant. And so would I. It’s fun being funny – or at least trying to be funny.

I appreciate my sense of humour.

3.       Functioning body parts.

Eyes to see with, legs to carry me, arms to hold you stuff. Health in general. Etcetera. These should not be taken for granted.

4.       Cats!

All right, fine, puppies too.

5.       Working with animals.

Like every job ever, mine can be tiring and routine. But it’s also kind of uncommon. I’ve carried pythons, petted a serval, held an orangutan’s hand. How many people can say they go to work to play with spoiled hornbills and a bearcat that rides on your shoulder and chews on your hair?

6.       Working at all.

I’ll be honest here. When I think about not working, it scares me. I need the structure, the sense that I’m doing something worthwhile. The early mornings are tiring, sure. But again, I work with animals. I meet new people. I work outdoors. And I’ve learned a great deal. About social interaction, public speaking, time management. Though I still need to improve on all of those.

I’ve learned about responsibility. I’ve had fun. I’ve made friends.

I wouldn’t say I’m passionate about my job. I don’t love it.

But I like it.

7.       My salary.

They say money can’t buy happiness. It buys security, though. There’s a certain peace of mind that comes from knowing you can afford things. Food, gifts, luxuries. You can pay the bills, handle emergencies, and set something aside for the future.

Money is a tool like any other. I’ve never cared about being rich. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t appreciate my income.

8.       Pizza!

And burgers. Cake. Pattaya fried rice. Tuaran mee. Peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches. Banana fritters. Lemon chicken. The asam pedas from one specific restaurant. Ice cream. I could go on here.

Who doesn’t love food?

9.       Milk tea.

Green tea milkshakes. Strawberry milkshakes. You know what, anything with milk in it. Including soy milk. Iced lemon tea. Mountain Dew. Starbucks green tea crème frappuccinos – but damn, those things are expensive.

Ahem. Drinks too.

10.   My metabolism.

I’ll have you know, there are downsides to being thin. I get cold easily. My BMI is just one point above being underweight. Gaining weight is a lot harder than you’d expect.

But it is kind of cool that I can eat whatever I want, with no visible difference in body mass whatsoever.

I appreciate that my stomach is a bottomless pit.

11.   My allegedly thick grey jacket.

I’m wearing it right now. Don’t judge.

12.   All Time Low.

And other bands I like. Green Day, Simple Plan, My Chemical Romance, Fireflight. Artists of other genres, when I’m not in the mood for rock. All the composers and musicians who make great scores and soundtracks for games and movies. I used to love the Pirates of the Caribbean orchestral pieces in my teens.

My life would not be complete without music.

13.   I can read sheet music.

One note at a time, at least.

I hardly ever play the piano these days. There is a faint sense of loss there. I used to have a jumbled repertoire of classics, transcriptions of modern songs, and video game soundtracks. Now I’ve forgotten them all.

Not to say they couldn’t be relearned. I haven’t forgotten everything. Considering I had no formal lessons or anything like that, I’m not bad really.

I’m glad I have some skill with a musical instrument.

(Fun fact: Square Enix has an entire line of video game sheet music books, the Piano Collections series. These are official arrangements for iconic songs from their biggest franchises, Final Fantasy and, you guessed it, Kingdom Hearts.)

14.   Karaoke.

Allow me just a little bit of pride here. I’m a good singer. Better with alcohol, but not bad sober, either. Like many things, I’ve come a long way with that. Some songs are meant to be smoky. Some are meant to be shouted.

Give me a Green Day song, I dare you.

15.   I can (sort of) draw.

Another artistic skill that could be better, but could also be much worse. Drawing my own cards doesn’t seem like the manliest of talents. It’s something else I hardly ever do anymore.

It’s still something I’m proud of, though. I believe in works of imagination. Designs in colored pencil count for that. And I’ve found that people will usually appreciate homemade gifts, and the time and effort you put into them.

16.   Books.

If this is a surprise, you really don’t know me at all.

I’ve written a lot about books before. So I’ll keep this short. I would never have started writing if I didn’t love to read.

17.   Video games.

If this is a surprise…

What I just said, with bright colours and explosions. I’ve been playing games since I was eight years old, wrapped up in Wario Land and Pokemon. All the way to present day, where I’m wrapped up in Dragon Age and Titanfall.

Life is more fun if you play games.

18.   Movies.

Have you seen Rogue One? You should see Rogue One. I’m too lazy to write a review, but this is what a Star Wars movie should be.

Though I rarely watch TV anymore, I’m actually watching more movies these days. Going to the cinema is a pastime that never gets old – and not just for bright colours and explosions. Like all good stories, the best movies will move you.

Seriously. Go see Rogue One.

19.   Authors, game designers, filmmakers, etc.

Something in me sparks whenever I come across imagination and creativity. Most of us forget that everything ever made started out as a light in someone’s head. Whenever I’m reminded of this, it blows my mind.

We’re taught that a dream coming true is a miraculous event, something that almost never happens. But we don’t see all the hard work and dedication. The real miracle is that someone believed in their dream enough to make it happen.

To all the dreamers out there – don’t stop believing. Your work is not unappreciated.

20.   Imagination.

I called it a light, but really, I’m not sure how to explain what this means to me.

If only I could put fireworks into words.

21.   The internet.

I’m probably a few decades too late here. The internet plays a central role in our lives: in our workplaces, finances, social activity. It’s genuinely hard to picture life without it. Go on, try.

It wasn’t always like this, though. The freedom with which information can be shared nowadays comes with a dark side. False news and hateful messages probably spread faster than any beneficial knowledge. But the knowledge is still there, a Google search away, just waiting to be found. 

We can communicate with anyone, no matter how far away they are. That’s pretty cool.

After all. Without the internet, you wouldn’t be reading this right now.

22.   Digital devices.

I remember reading about a boy who loved the original Star Trek. (Not me, obviously. Star Wars FTW.) The starships, the teleporting, the personal communicators that let you talk to anyone with the touch of a button. It was the stuff of science fiction. The boy grew up – 

And now everyone has a personal communicator.

Part of this post was written on a smartphone. The term ‘phone’ is misleading. These things are cameras, instant messaging services, flashlights, voice recorders, portable gaming devices and handheld computers. Oh yeah. They make calls, too.

And that’s only one device. Just think about the progress being made every day. Even a game controller having its own headphone jack amazes me.

Or maybe that’s just me. Come on. What kind of guy doesn’t like gadgets?

You have to admit. Modern technology is pretty awesome.

23.   The beauty of nature.

I’m not the most religious person. I go to church more out of a sense of duty than anything else. Faith comes with a feeling, and I don’t get it very often. But I do get it, or something close to it, with nature.

Reverence. That’s the word.

There’s a reason I take so many pictures of the sky and trees and so on. Beauty comes in many forms. Too often, people don’t notice when it’s right in front of them. I used to be like that. Ironically, it was only after I got a decent (smartphone) camera that I started seeing what was around me all along.

The natural world deserves your attention.

24.   Little things amaze me.

As they should.

You may have noticed I keep mentioning taking things for granted. That’s because I do, more often than I should. It’s a natural response. People get jaded; we start thinking we’ve seen it all before. The familiar becomes boring. Boredom leads to apathy. Apathy leads to the Dark Side.

No, seriously. Be excited about the latest movie, or that cute puppy on the sidewalk. Watch the sunset, feel the wind blowing, listen to the rain. Look around. It’s better to get wide-eyed at everything than to sleepwalk through your life.

If I could give one piece of advice, it would be this: never lose your sense of wonder.

25.   The ones who matter most.

Last but not least – my family, and my friends.

It seems like times flies faster each year. How can it be New Year’s Eve again already? When I think back over everything that’s happened, though, I know I’m not the same person I was a year ago. None of us are.

I want to be optimistic. To believe that in the coming year, good things will happen. That I can make them happen. Believing can be hard, though.

It’s been an eventful year. One of shocking twists and tragic losses. It’s also been one of adventures, progress and personal growth. Dark times have come and gone, and linger still. But despite it all, 2016 was a great year.

It was great because of you.

I don’t know what the next year will bring. What will stay the same, and what’s about to change.

For now, at least, I’m truly thankful for all we’ve been through together. More than anything else, you light up my life.

You know who you are.

Happy New Year 2017.

Fantastic Beasts

It’s finally here.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is the first of a projected pentalogy of films. The next chapter of the Harry Potter legacy, set long before the Boy Who Lived was even born. But can it stand up to the hype? Does the magic live on? Is the Niffler the cutest little kleptomaniac ever?

Yes, on all counts.

Minor spoilers - no plot twists - to follow.

Inspired by the textbook of the same name, Fantastic Beasts is set in New York City, 1926. Relations between American wizards and Muggles – err, No-Majs – are far more strained than in jolly old Britain. MACUSA, the American Ministry of Magic, enforces strict laws of secrecy. Across the pond, the dark wizard Grindelwald is on the rise, spreading his doctrine that magic carries the right to rule. Meanwhile, among non-magical folk, a fanatical group called the Second Salemers is determined to expose witches and wizards once and for all. And a series of attacks by a shadowy monster have raised tensions to boiling point.

Into this backdrop of fear and suspicion comes Newt Scamander, a young magizoologist, fresh off the boat from England. He carries an enchanted briefcase full of magical creatures. In a city already primed for chaos, several soon manage to escape…

I like Newt. He’s a different kind of hero, all the more endearing for his quirks. Though well-meaning and passionate about his creatures, he’s just not very good with people. Sometimes he can’t even look them in the eye. He’s an awkward guy, works with animals, means to write a book.

Hmm.

Yes, well. At his side are the jovial No-Maj Jacob; the straitlaced  Auror Tina; and her sultry sister Queenie. All three become embroiled in Newt’s quest to track down his creatures. Meanwhile, the distinguished chief Auror, Percival Graves, seeks the source of the attacks. He believes the key lies with the leader of the Second Salemers, and her poor, abused son, Credence.

Yes, abused. Make no mistake. This is a dark story. The grim tone of the later Harry Potter books is established from the beginning, with a tense montage of Grindelwald’s attacks in Europe.

That said, at first the movie oscillates between two very different tones. Newt and company’s misadventures are generally lighthearted, filled with magic and comic relief. Whereas the subplot surrounding Graves and Credence gets dark indeed. The two merge during the second half, but it’s an uneven mix at first.

This is, perhaps, evidence of J.K. Rowling’s writing. Unlike Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, the screenplay for Fantastic Beasts was written by Rowling herself. Her hand shows. The movie is written like a book, in alternating chapters. A slow buildup is fine on the page, but some more urgency from the start could have helped a great deal.

It took a while before I realized what was wrong with the opening: Newt has no personal stake in the greater story. He spends the first hour or so running around on his own, chasing his beasties, isolated from the bigger picture.

Eventually, he and his creatures are blamed for the shadow’s attacks. This is where things get interesting. Now Newt and friends have a vested interest; they need to clear their names. Plotwise, it would have made sense for this to happen early on. Not more than halfway through the story. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the chase. But by the Central Park encounter, even I felt like the movie was starting to drag.

What saves Fantastic Beasts is its sense of wonder. Magic is in abundance, from flying plates to enchanted buildings. Venturing inside Newt’s briefcase is one of the best parts of the movie. His creatures’ habitats range from savannah to jungle to snowy mountainside. The creatures themselves are fascinating and diverse, from explosive rhinos to giant dung beetles. The Swooping Evil is awesome.

The climax is satisfying, too. Newt sets off on a final, desperate, Apparition-heavy chase after the shadow monster – the Obscurus – rampaging through the city, before the inevitable confrontation. The ending wraps things up nicely. I appreciated this. Fantastic Beasts does not end on a cliffhanger, unlike other recent blockbusters I could name. You’d almost think certain characters are gone for good, if they weren’t confirmed to return in the sequel.

As you’d expect, Fantastic Beasts is filled with nods to Harry Potter lore. Newt wears a scarf of Hufflepuff colours. There’s an early Quidditch reference that went right over my head. Obscurus was the name of the fictional publisher which produced the Fantastic Beasts textbook. The sign of the Deathly Hallows appears – the symbol Grindelwald took for himself.

The wand, the stone, and the cloak.

And that’s not all.

Rowling had this story in mind long before the movie deal was made. Pottermore recently made it clear that the Obscurus is not a new concept. It was hinted at in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

It’s tied to Albus Dumbledore.

In Deathly Hallows, we learned that when Dumbledore was young, he was very close with another young man, as powerful and talented as he, the two of them destined for greatness.

That young man’s name was Gellert Grindelwald.

These movies are set to span nineteen years. It’s telling that this is the era of WWII. Grindelwald’s ethos was obviously inspired by Nazism. The master race, a once-harmless icon turned to a symbol of evil. (He's blonde, too.) The story will end in 1945, the same year as Dumbledore’s climactic duel with Grindelwald, when he overthrew the tyrant who was once his friend.

Long before Harry and Voldemort, Dumbledore had his own dark rival, too.

This first movie is Newt’s story, to be sure. But it’s been confirmed that Newt won’t always be the main character. And that a young Albus Dumbledore will feature in Fantastic Beasts 2.

Grindelwald is barely there in Fantastic Beasts, but he’ll be back. He’s played by Johnny Depp, one of the few big names I actually care about. Jack Sparrow? Sweeney Todd? The Mad Hatter?

I daresay this is going to be epic.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a dark story, a social commentary on intolerance, repression and being hated for who you are. Newt’s words ring sadly true: the greatest monsters are human beings.

It’s also a brilliant addition to the Harry Potter franchise, the first chapter of a much larger tale, filled with action, emotion, adventure, and yes: fantastic beasts. Go check it out.

It was worth the wait.

Lines and Boxes

I’ve been kind of down lately.

Little things have reminded me that there are parts of myself I need to work on. That the problems of my life have yet to be resolved. There’s a German compound word, altschmerz, which translates to weariness with the same old issues you’ve always had. That fits.

Growing up, I had this idea that life was supposed to play out a certain way. You go to school, go to college, choose a career, start a family. Life was a straight line, in other words. And I wasn’t on it. My life didn’t line up.

I know now that that’s not true at all. There are squiggles and zigzags, spikes and curves. Every line is different. Every life is unique. It just gets hard to escape that way of thinking. That other people are moving forward, living their lives, and you’re trapped in place.

That your life is twisted into a box.

A few weeks ago, I read about a psychological term called learned helplessness. It disturbed me, for two reasons. The first was that I recognized it as a form of animal training. Young elephants are tied up with ropes too heavy for them to snap. As adults, they believe the rope is impossible to escape, and never even try.

The second was that it sounded too familiar.

I’ve come to see how one’s mindset makes a big difference. If we believe there’s no way out, we stop trying. Even though the opportunities are there.

I have a way of getting lost in things. My books, my games, my writing, my job. All of these are important to me, the latter most of all. But now I wonder if deep down, I get lost on purpose. If I’m avoiding the things I don’t want to think about – including the steps and opportunities to fix them.

Maybe there really is a box, and I built it.

But that works the other way around, too.

Remember my Wheel of Time books? You know. The ones I’ve gone on and on and on about. I got the first when I was eleven, and spent over a decade collecting the entire set of fourteen. Fifteen, counting the prequel.

I managed this through various ways. Others asked what I wanted for my birthday. I answered, these books. Christmas? These books. Overseas at a bookstore? You get the idea. My family bought them as gifts; helped me buy them by proxy; and I bought them myself.

There’s a lesson there. I got what I wanted because I went after it. People gave me chances, and I took them.

Picture the books as a series of dots, spread out across the years. They might not seem like much, but I strung them together.

I drew my own line.

See how that works?

So this is a reminder, for you and for myself, that attitude makes a difference. That’s not just a platitude. It’s practical advice. We have to face our problems and believe they can be solved. We’ll never see how if we never look.

Everyone’s life is different. Every line is still being drawn. We all build our own boxes, now and then.

That doesn’t mean we have to stay there.

Doctor Strange

I like comics, to some extent.

Not surprised?

Yes, well. Pictures do have a way of conveying information quickly. Visual jokes, for instance. Every good story needs laughs. And comics do tend to be bright and colourful.

I found a new Marvel comic in the library the other day. (Guardians of the Galaxy, if you’re wondering.) Like all superhero stories, it was colourful, action-packed, filled with ‘wow’ moments and comic relief. I started reading with interest.

Then I got bored.

Maybe it was the story – nothing special, kind of cliché. Or the many characters feeling interchangeable. Or the lack of substantial worldbuilding. Which all reinforced what I think about the medium: it can be shallow.

I like comics, but I doubt I’ll ever be passionate about them.

I need more than pretty pictures.

Pretty moving pictures, though. Those will get my attention.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is an unprecedented phenomenon. An ongoing saga of movies and TV series built around comic book characters who pop in and out of each other’s storylines, just like in the comics, occasionally teaming up to defeat a Big Bad something-or-other. The last Captain America movie was their biggest crossover to date.

Yes, I’ve seen enough to know. I can’t be bothered with the comics, but I will watch the movies. Heck, the main reason I picked up that Guardians comic was because I knew who they were.

Today I’m talking about the latest hero to reach the silver screen. I had high hopes for this one. He’s a different kind of superhero. Not just any old Norse god, super-soldier or giant green guy with anger issues. This hero uses magic.

Today I’m talking about Doctor Strange.

Doctor Stephen Strange is a brilliant surgeon, hugely successful. Also an arrogant jerk. After a car crash ruins his hands, and his career, the good doctor burns through his riches trying to cure himself. In desperation, he seeks healing from an order of monks in Kathmandu, is humbled by the mystic arts they wield, and becomes their newest initiate. Still struggling to come to terms with this new destiny, Doctor Strange must confront Kaecilius, a rogue master determined to conquer time itself.

Pretty much what you saw in the trailer. No spoilers, don’t worry.

Unlike other Marvel stories, Doctor Strange has distinct Oriental influences. I like this. I haven’t seen a lot of kung fu movies, but magic and martial arts have long been combined for great effect. *coughairbendercough* The opening where the Ancient One faces off against Kaecilius while folding buildings around them is a jaw-dropping spectacle that sets the bar pretty high in terms of reality-warping fight scenes. 

I saw it in 3D. It was pretty cool.

The magic, at least, does not disappoint. Doctor Strange has been described as Marvel’s trippiest movie yet. This is accurate. The Multiverse, horrific alternate dimensions and reality being flimsier than it seems are all major themes. This is magic on a vast scale, not so much shooting spells at people as unraveling space and time themselves.

"Might I offer some advice? Forget everything that you think you know."

                                                                       - The Ancient One

The Ancient One is intriguing, a female monk both serene and incredibly powerful. A lot like Albus Dumbledore, really. (I know, I know, I’m a true Potterhead.) Strange’s mentor is more complex than she first appears.

The villain is less striking. Kaecilius has a dry sense of humour that’s most welcome – and that’s it. That’s his best quality. A tragic backstory is mentioned; some elaboration there would have gone a long way. As it is, the renegade monk is largely forgettable.

Likewise, Strange’s love interest, Christine, is yet another of Marvel’s trophy girlfriends. She’s endearing, and has some amusing reactions to all the magic being thrown around. But plotwise, she does almost nothing at all.

And what about Doctor Strange himself, you ask?

In short: he’s a lot like Iron Man.

Both are arrogant rich guys who go through a harrowing life experience that changes them. The movie has been called formulaic for its similarity to Tony Stark's, and other Marvel movies in general. This didn’t really bother me – it’s an origin story, what do you expect – but jaded viewers won’t be surprised at much. I wasn’t.

The outcomes are different, though. Iron Man is still a cocky millionaire, albeit one who’d changed his tune a bit. Strange’s tale is a lonelier one, as he comes to terms with the fact that his old life is gone forever. His struggle to let go of his egotism isn’t exactly one I can relate to. But he is a much better person by the end of the film.

Doctor Strange is a movie I wanted to like more than I did. It looked like my kind of superhero story. The magic is awesome; the redemptive arc is appealing; the Cloak of Levitation is the coolest animated object I’ve seen in ages.

But too many things drag it down. The villains are two-dimensional. The third act is anticlimactic, seemingly building up a final battle that veers off into a premature ending. And for all its strangeness – heh – much of the story felt too abstract. Faced with natural laws and clashing philosophies and perceived betrayals, I struggled to care about any of it.

I’d still recommend the movie, for the special effects, if nothing else. Just don’t expect too much overall.

This is just the beginning, of course. A sequel is almost certainly in the works, and Doctor Strange has been confirmed to appear in the next Avengers blockbuster. So that’ll be fun. We’ll see how Strange and Stark compare in person.

I’m not as excited for those as I am about other movies, like Fantastic Beasts ­– which is now one week away, people! 

But I will watch them nonetheless.

Maybe the magic will be stronger the next time around.