Chris Maddera

The dream vacation that haunts you, part 1

May 9, 2011

Okay, you know how you’ve always wanted to take two weeks off and travel to some far-away place? And you think, yeah, I’m going there next year…or the year after…but then it’s 5 or 7 or 10 years later and you still haven’t done anything to get closer to taking that trip? Where is that [...]

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Being better for no reason

May 8, 2011

I’m going to be better for no good reason. I’m not going to lose weight because I’d feel better, or because, if I lose enough, I’d promised myself I’d get a tattoo, or anything like that. The truth is there is no one reason why I would want to do something like lose 50 lbs. [...]

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I might not be asleep… but that doesn’t mean I’m awake

May 7, 2011

Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. It must be true because I do not go to bed early, and I do not wake up easily. And I am not healthy, wealthy, or wise. I’m a night owl. Not so much as I used to be, but I’m still [...]

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Fight or Flight

May 6, 2011

There’s this scene in Serenity where Malcolm Reynolds is making a deal with two “businessmen”, Mingo and Fanty. And one of them tells Mal that he’s too unpredictable. “You run when you ought to fight; fight when you ought to deal.” It’s not a pivotal moment, but sometimes I think about that line because I’m [...]

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Abraca-pocus

May 5, 2011

You’re happy to believe in something that’s invisible, but if it’s staring you in the face—”Nope! Can’t see it.” There’s a scientific explanation for that. You’re thick. – The Doctor Cindy and I have lived in Kansas City for a couple of months now, but we just realized last weekend that Missouri is the Show-Me [...]

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May The 4th Be With You!

May 4, 2011

Happy Star Wars Day, everybody! Some of you have heard this before, but some of you haven’t. And this being Star Wars Day, I thought it’d be the perfect opportunity to write it down. Those of us who grew up wanting to create for a living — writer, actor, artist, etc. — were often encouraged…right [...]

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L’enfer, c’est les autres

May 3, 2011

Hell is other people. — Jean-Paul Sartre “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” – from Hamlet , Act II, scene ii I’m usually game for a good argument…but holy hell, it’s hard to find one. It’s much easier to find people spouting off a bunch of nonsensical ramblings, backed [...]

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Nulla dies sine linea

May 2, 2011

“Not a day without a line. By writing, reading, working and practicing daily, perseverance will lead me to a good end.” – Vincent Van Gogh Not a day without a line. I love that idea, that commitment. Whatever your endeavor — writing, painting, learning a new language, earning a degree, etc. — this is the [...]

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Maybe…for 31 Days

May 1, 2011

This month’s theme on National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) is “Maybe”. I tried doing this daily-blogging-for-a-whole-month business once before in October 2009, but I gave up after a week. And like most NaBloPoMo themes since then, I wasn’t planning on participating in this one either. But I’ve reconsidered because I’m attempting to do some of [...]

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