Hi there.

So much of our lives involves stories.  Not just the fictional ones we consume in various media, but the non-fictional ones that we've each lived.  The ones that we recount when we gather with friends and family at happy occasions, and also sad ones.

I recently attended the funeral of my grandfather.  While he had been in decline over the last few years, he passed away somewhat  quickly and it was thankfully non-Covid related.  One thing that really heartened me was all the stories that recounted his wry and stoic personality.  A quintessential cowboy who lived 93 years, who could recite poetry he learned in school, and still had a hankerin' to ride a horse, though he wisely stopped a few years back.  He also had a sweet tooth for off-brand lemon Oreo's, which grand kids and great grand kids also greatly enjoyed.

He'll certainly be missed.  And I'm glad the good stories of his life will be told for years to come.  Next time,you wander down memory lane with those you care about, take a moment to appreciate everyone who's telling the tales and listening to them.  They won't be there forever.

Matt Burnhelt is Ed's older brother.  He also possesses hyper powers.  Unlike Ed, his are more subtle.  He can convert the Flames of Tumult into any other form of electromagnetic or magical energy.  He is a master planner with a keen mind that notices details missed by others.  Nightmares that he can never remember plague him nightly.  Nightmares that might just creep into the waking world.

The Suicide Squad (2021 Movie):

I'm part of the problem with this movie's box office under performance.  I watched it on HBO Max without guilt, and I loved it.  This movie lived up to it's name much better than the 2016 version.  It involves a large team of conscripted villains who must carry out a mission in a fictional Latin American country in exchange for reduced sentences, or get their heads exploded.  Despite the ridiculous characters, you actually come to care for them.  King Shark is sure to be many people's favorite with his line: "Num num?"  My favorite was Polka Dot Man and his mom.  Hilarious and awesome.  Check it out.

Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tcalkovsky:

This book has a cool twist on the typical fantasy race fare.  They are all human with insect "kinden" sub groups.  Flies are short and can conjure wings, Beetles are stocky and persistant, Wasps are flying, stinging @ssholes just like their insect counterparts, and so on.  The story revolves around an over-the-hill Beetle spymaster/professor who  must recruit some of his brightest students for a secret mission against the encroaching Wasp empire.  It also has an interesting debuff for a lot of the characters where some cannot figure out how to use any form of technology, while others cannot acknowledge magic even when its effects are used in plain view.  There are many more books in this series, so I'll likely be recommending other parts of the series in future installments.

That's all for this time.

Stay smart.  Stay safe.

Jim