A World of Speculation

Plot points and conflict

My lessons in fiction: I’ve finally figured out what a plot point is. It’s a place where the character must either change goals or radically change the means of pursuing those goals. If it’s at the beginning of a story, it’s the inciting...

Doing my part

I got a call today from the Department of Homeland Security. A nice man, whose name I didn’t catch, wanted to ask about some attempted credit card fraud against us last year. In December someone tried to use our Visa card to buy something in Indonesia. We heard...

The Swan

My friend Anne blogged about the new reality show, The Swan, last week: I’m outraged by the continual message that only one type of body is beautiful and the rest of us need life-threatening measures in order to get one. I watched the first episode with my...

Can someone help this man?

He’s drowning, and I can’t swim well enough to save him (metaphorically). Pejman, an Iranian-Jewish attorney and one of the best voices in the blogosphere, has innocently walked into dangerous country. He asks: How does the Trinity work, exactly?and Jesus...

Kenai

Kenai sleeps in the back yard with her head on her front paws and her back legs lying useless under her. She is more than 16 years old, and her face, which once had the expression of a mischievous racoon, is now gray. Every few hours she barks her distress....