Stanley Wheeler's Blog, page 35

"The youth gets together his materials to build a bridge ...

"The youth gets together his materials to build a bridge to the moon, or perchance a palace or temple on the earth, and at length the middle-aged man concludes to build a wood-shed with them." --Thoreau I'm still dreaming of passageways to the moon and neglecting the wood-shed--and other things. I blame my parents, or my wife, or my kids; someone or something somewhere has had a bad influence

Nature changed her mind. She had written a wonderful spri...

Nature changed her mind. She had written a wonderful spring week with abundant sunshine filling days with the warm supple feel of a baby's smooth cheek. She had brought not only green but striking yellow hues about which bees and assorted other insects turned to and fro in their ecstatic aerial dances. She had a change of heart on Friday. She ferociously rewrote, adding plot complications that

"I am sorry to think that you do not get a man's most eff...

"I am sorry to think that you do not get a man's most effective criticism until you provoke him. Severe truth is expressed with some bitterness." --Thoreau I cast a book into the chasm this week. I never heard it hit the bottom. Although that may sound like a reference to the way I publish my own books, it's actually about a book that I was reading which I cast off; I'm not going to finish it

"The more thrilling, wonderful, divine objects I behold i...

"The more thrilling, wonderful, divine objects I behold in a day, the more expanded and immortal I become." -Thoreau Speaking of thrilling and wonderful objects, take a look at this: Which you can get here (hatchet and knife not included). Immortality is looking me in the rude eye and I intend to expand. As far as the expansion goes, I fell short of my goal for the week on the sequel, but

“...Deal mercifully with any whose wounds are too serious...

“...Deal mercifully with any whose wounds are too serious to treat. Put tomahawks in their hands before you send them to Valhalla. We’ll escort the wounded to town before we continue the chase. First we’ll construct a pyre.” --The last words we hear from the Supreme Commander in chapter one of the sequel to Threading The Rude Eye (Tentatively entitled, Power to Hurt) All of which means that

Pain. With each step a horned demon hammered jagged spike...

Pain. With each step a horned demon hammered jagged spikes deeper into my thighs. All the while a lesser imp blew new fury into the coals beneath the burgeoning blister behind my toe. Later I found new agony. I'm no medical doctor but I'm pretty sure that there are places upon the human body that are not supposed to surge with electric pain at every step. I have located what I believe should be

Cover for the new novel. Any thoughts?

Cover for the new novel. Any thoughts?

“Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Fell deeds awake, fire ...

“Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Fell deeds awake, fire and slaughter!spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered,a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!" Saturday was a red day. Stalwart shield maidens arose in their flamboyant gladiatorial war skirts and vibrantly colored tops, armed with flashing pom-poms and crowned with ornate oversize bows to clash above the painted hardwood on a

This week I discovered Bobby Hackett sort of in the way t...

This week I discovered Bobby Hackett sort of in the way that Columbus discovered America--it was something that was already there but I hadn't known about it. In this case, I do not get to claim it for anything other than my own nonexclusive enjoyment. James Lileks at Lileks.com mentioned listening to Bobby Hackett. I was intrigued. I searched youtube and found some of his stuff available at

Melun: Fly, noble English; you are bought and sold. Unthr...

Melun: Fly, noble English; you are bought and sold. Unthread the rude eye of rebellion And welcome home again discarded faith. Seek out King John and fall before his feet, For if the French be lords of this loud day, He means to recompense the pains you take By cutting off your heads. Thus hath he sworn, And I with him, and many more with me, Upon the altar at Saint Edmundsbury, Even on that