Winter Castle

All I want for Christmas is to go to Disneyland. Seriously. That’s it. I’d be happy.

“Dear World – A Novel” Preview

Dear World – A Novel is the fictional story of Marc, a 21-year old Orange County resident who is struggling to come to terms with his Christian faith and realization of his own homosexuality. Emotions and tensions in his life have reached a breaking point; it has become too much to continue internalizing the stress and pain of such a dichotomy.

To reach out for someone – anyone – to vent to, Marc begins a flow-of-consciousness blog where he lets anonymous, and sometimes not so anonymous, readers see into his pain for purposes not rooted in self-pity, but rather in a desire to have a sounding board coupled with a venue for others who might feel the same. Perhaps, if he does feel all hope is lost for him, at least others can gain some insight and he can help those who secretly struggle not with “sin,” but with the hurt and loneliness oft inflected by a supposed “caring” world.

The complete work of Dear World – A Novel will be released at the end of December 2009 as an e-book download. In an effort to get Marc’s words out to the world in the most efficient way, the book will be available as a free e-book download from Open Social Publishing. No fee will be charged to own the book; but the site will have an author’s donation button where readers and others may contribute financially to the work of the author and the continued art of Open Social Publishing.

Until then, download the two chapter sample preview of Dear World – A Novel via the link below.

dear-world-preview1

This literary work is the second book by Phoenix-based author William J. Nash-McAdam.

Unheimlich Tag in Disneyland

As many of you know, a majority of Southern California has been experiencing massive wildfires and even some pretty intense urban fires. This is the same time of year as 2007’s massive Irvine fire in Orange County that blacked out the skies over Disneyland, the beaches, and the Great Park (formerly the El Toro Marine Base). I remember an email my buddy Mike Skon (resident of Irvine) sent me with pics of smoke and fire surrounding his residence and his work. This year, however, the headliner OC fire is not from brush, it’s urban, and it’s devouring hundreds of homes and business an hour in north Anaheim and Anaheim Hills.

A friend from one of the foums I frequent sent me a photo taken Saturday, November 15, of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland as an eerie orange smoke cast upon the park:

HT to kat2010 at MiceChat for the photo.

Night

So it turns out that two hot toddies did really not put me to sleep … but I feel better. Instead, I ended up spending the night writing a 10 page paper for school on female oppression in Islamic culture. I ended up writing about how the burqa is really focused on too much as the symbol of female oppression. The burqas are what the Western women’s rights activist seemed most concerned about. In my studying the last week, I came to the conclusion that Muslim women could give a shit about the burqa. It’s not a symbol of oppression.

What IS a symbol of oppression of Islamic women in predominently Muslim countries is lack of education, lack of health care, lack of life skills. In progressive Muslim countries, such as Egypt and Jordan, women are allowed to learn. They were allowed to learn in Iraq under Saddam’s rule. In lesser progressive countries, such as Afghanistan and present-day Iraq, not so much. It’s kind of ironic that we went over to Iraq under the guise of “establishing democracy”, and now the Iraqi people are experiencing higher crime and more racial/gender/religious intolerance than ever before.

So I finished that. Drove to Coffee Talk Inside The Bungalow and bought a cup of coffee … edited … had another cup … sent the paper to my professor. Zing. Done. I then did the final edit on a business plan for a freelance client in Minnesota. The final edit for a  business plan for a client in New York. Now reviewing a narration draft for a company in Glendale, California. And working on the California Adventure maps. And finishing up an article on Dome of the Rock for a San Diego client. This is why I can’t do freelance writing as my full time job. I wind up an unshaven, coffee-drinking, nocturnal hermit.

But I like it this way.

Mapping the Mouse

For one project I’m involved with, I just got done making some maps of Disneyland. This will be followed by maps of Disney’s California Adventure. Knott’s Berry Farm. Universal Studios Hollywood. Six Flags Magic Mountain. And a few more.

This is fun.

Disneyland Resort Overview Map

Disneyland Park Map

Main Street U.S.A. Overview Map

Adventureland Overview Map

New Orleans Square Overview Map

Frontierland Overview Map

Fantasyland Overview Map

Mickey’s Toontown Overview Map

Tomorrowland Overview Map

An Evening At Work

I’m actually getting paid for this. Not quite as fun as this guy’s job, but still much better than working here.

Disneyland Resort Overview

Disneyland Resort Guide

Adventureland Overview

Colds & Overcoats

“This is the time for colds, and overcoats” – Brand New

I love this weather. My long-enduring fascination with someday residing in Portland only is able to manifest itself sans-Oregon dirt via weather. I get to bundle up and go to coffee shops, or have a smoke outside, or maintain a relatively cool temperature in my room whilst the rest of my house acts as a live-in furnace. There’s something untolerable about the heat that a heater produces; true heat is only tolerable and suitable for comfort in the winter when it comes from a fireplace. We don’t have a fireplace. Instead I settle in front of the HDTV and watch my favorite episode of “Futurama” – the one where Fry is abducted by Nibbler to lead the universe in a Neo-like savior role to save the universe from the “brains.” Except that it turns out that the Brains are in the right and the Nibbler-esque creature is really the occupying force. Oh well.

And while I have not been suffering from a cold, I have been suffering from allergies. My praise goes to Zicam, which is amazing. It has not entirely helped with the congestion that is a result of my allergies. so for the first time I am trying a Hot Toddy. It is a somewhat good use for that nasty-ass brandy I bought six months ago. The beverage is still not particularly tasty, but I do seem to be “sweating out” whatever is in me. So, in conclusion, yay?

In anticipation of actually feeling better tomorrow, I have made myself a little to do list of things that need to be accomplished. So maybe I’ll be able to get around to that.

I was going to write more but for some reason this hot toddy is really kicking my ass, so I am going to let you all go before I start writing about blueberry muffins and sperm whales …

All In A Name

One of the more amusing stories I’ve been keeping track of this week has been the “controversy” surrounding the naming of Gilbert’s 4th high school. There’s already Gilbert High (my alma matter, class of 2000), Highland High, and Mesquite High. The newest school was named by the board two weeks ago, “Campo Verde High.”

Not the best name ever, but eh – considering we live in a town of rather bland names, it could be worse. My original dislike for the name (which I promise you did not occupy even two seconds of space in my brain before I totally forgot about it), is because it sounds a little cheesy, and a little to close to “Camp Verde,” which is the name of a high school in the city of – all things – Camp Verde, Arizona.

Apparently, however, some Gilbert residents have made this fight the highlight of their week. Yes, because there is no greater issue going on with your community, your child’s education, or your child for that matter, besides what their high school is named. The Arizona Republic states that the Gilbert School Board was “inundated with thousands of angry emails and phone calls” regarding the name. Really, people? Thousands.

The two biggest complaints seemed to be rooted in a fair amount of ignorance. The complaints were:

1) It’s Spanish, and we live in America.

2) “Campo Verde” is Spanish for “green field.” Most of the white, conservative, relatively ignorant and pompous Gilbert citizens have claimed that “green field” could imply a “field of marijuana” (especially because it’s in Spanish!), and that the school board is effectively trying to name the school “Marijuana High.” Obviously these parents have never visited Gilbert’s other three high schools, otherwise they would know that no high school has to be named after a drug to encourage the use of said drug amongst its student population.

I had to laugh. Angry emails that it’s “In Spanish, and this is America!”? Well, duh. And duh. Not to mention that the name “Gilbert” is Mexican in origin, “Santan” is Spanish in origin, and “Mesa” means “table” in Spanish. Everything in our southwest practically is Spanish/Mexican in origin. Maybe it has something to do with opening your history books and realizing the extensive Mexican and Spanish origins of Arizona. Of course, these are the same people who probably voted against Obama only because he’s black (I had similar qualms … that’s why I only voted for his white half, since he’s only half black).

And as far as it implying a “marijuana field?” That’s just amusing. Because yes, we know that all Mexicans are incapable of planting grass, alfalfa, or any other kind of standard ground cover, and trying their damnedest, they can only find marijuana seeds down at Mazatlan Feed & Tack.

My vote? I would love to see the school named Ungebildet Rassisten High School.

Jews

I think I inadvertently creeped out the franchise owner of a new small-chain coffee shop that recently opened in Mesa. I visited it today with my roommate, Arica, on our way to Agritopia. After chatting up the owner for a few minutes, and after he told me he had opened this franchise after relocating to Phoenix, I asked:

“So how long has it been since you have been in the States from Jerusalem?”

He looked puzzled. “I didn’t recall saying I was from Jerusalem.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“I am, but what made you think that? I have no accent.” The man seemed a bit worried.

“Well, no, you have no accent. Your bakery items are from Chopmies, which is Kosher. I just sampled your flavored coffee, which infuses the ground coffee, not the beans, with the flavored oils. Only two coffee roasters in the U.S. does this. Yours taste like it comes from La Cienga Roasters in Los Angeles, which is also Kosher. Your gold pen clipped in your shirt pocket – take it out, it’s not a pen at all. It’s a wearable mezuzah – it has a piece of the Torah inside. The parent company probably discouraged you placing it on your door, so as an alternative, you wear it everyday. It is gold and worn over the chest on the pocket because that is where Nazi Germany made Jews wear a gold Star of David as a sign of disrespect – the practice of what you’re doing was picked up in honor of the Jews killed in the Holocaust, and was implemented about ten years ago, but mostly only In Israel, and then very rarely outside of Jerusalem.”

“Are you from corporate?”

Arica told me to stop doing this to people.

Continuing the Obama Question

Since I wrote my last post regarding Obama, I received a good deal of angry email, even a voicemail or two that were not so pleasent. Let me be clear: it was not my purpose to offend anyone, especially my family, especially my mother. If someone takes this as offense, I will stand by it was because choices were made and votes were cast without researching the issues for yourself. We live in a dangerous time. By dangerous, I mean that we live in a time when people en masse will make important decisions based off of billboards, tv advertisements, quotes taken out of context, and forwarded emails that have been re-written or downright faked.

The benefit is, however, that we now live in a generation and a time when it is incredibly easy to fact-proof. CNN does an incredible job of this, but again, I don’t like to rely on what other people say. I like to rely on what is actually proven. Unfortunately, many people don’t take the time to do this, resulting in some unfortunate consequences. While Obama did win the vote, a local example was the passing of Proposition 102. Advertisements were made by the “Yes on Prop 102″ people that claimed the proposition was to “protect marriage” and “protect children.” Well, on the surface, fuck yeah! I’d deffinitly vote to protect marriage and children! Who wouldn’t! When in reality, marriage and children were never in danger. What was at stake was an issue of equality for the tens of thousands of homosexuals who ALSO pay taxes and contribute to society. The prop was really to amend the Arizona State Constitution to define marriage as “one man one woman,” in essence – making it unconstitutional for committed and in-love gay and lesbian couples to marry. I truly think Prop 102 would NOT have passed if the signs had said, “Keep gays from marrying!” and “Keep gays from adopting!” People are all for protection, but not for denying rights. In that regard, Arizona, California, and Florida took HUGE steps backward last Tuesday.

However, the issue at hand for discussion is Obama. I received even more email forwards from friends and relatives (not my mother) that made claims against Obama and tried to further solidify his stature as “anti-Christ.”

One example was an email claiming that Obama was dangerous because we are “not a Christian nation, we are now a nation of Christians, Muslims, Buddhists…” The email went on to claim that our forefathers had fought to make America a “Christian nation” and Obama is seeking to destroy this. A couple things wrong with this:

1) The email, as is easy to do, left out a very important word from Obama’s speech, and thereby changed the meaning. The word was “just.” Obama said that America is no longer “just” a Christian nation, but also a nation of Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, et cetera.

2) Obama is right. We are not “just” a Christian nation – nor have we ever been. Is everyone in America a Christian? No. Should everyone be held under Christian rules and religious goverance of our country? No. We have people of all faiths in America. It’s about time a president recognized that.

3) Christians fought and died for this nation in wars ranging from the American Revolution to the current struggle in the Middle East. Is this not their nation to? I hope it is. Otherwise “fighting for freedom” has been pretty hypocriticl.

4) Our forefathers did NOT fight to “make America a Christian nation.” If you don’t recall sixth grade history, our forefathers fought to gain freedom from religious oppression in England. Separation of church and state were made VERY clear in the Constitution. In addition, freedom of religion was made VERY clear in the Constitution. If people think otherwise, I’d challenge them on rather or not they were “real Americans” when their values are held up to the actual Constituion…not just the modern Toby Keith-style interpretation of it.

The second issue was an email saying that Obama was not a real patriot because “he removed the American flag from his airplane.”

Is this true? Kind of, yes. But take the following in context:

1) The plane that had the flag on its tail was never Obama’s own plane to begin with. It was a chartered airplane from North American Airlines. All North American Airlines planes have a flag on their tail.

2) Obama’s own plane received a custom-designed. It did not include the flag on the tail. But this was now his plane, not North American Airline’s plane. The new tail featured a red, white and blue “O” symbol. However, an American flag was painted on both sides of the plane, in the center.

3) Conversely, John McCain’s plane never featured a flag on its tail. McCain’s plane did feature a flag on either side, like Obama’s. If we’re going to be silly about things, at least Obama’s plane was painted in red, white, and blue. McCain’s was a darker blue, white, and a nasty gold/greenish color.

The final piece that has been bugging me that some people I know continue to use as an example of Obama’s “unpatriotic” nature is the claim that he discussed hating the national anthem, the flag, and openly attended flag-burning ceremonies. The email claimed that these comments came from a interview of Obama conducted by General Genn of The United States Air Force, on Meet the Press, on September 7th, 2008. A couple things:

1) The guests on Meet the Press that day were Sen. Biden and author Tom Friedman.

2) The conductor of the show that day was journalist Tom Brokaw.

3) The statements that Obama is said to have made were never said, in any interview. They came from satrical journalist John Semmens, who writes satire-laden, tounge-in-cheek false news articles as a means of humor on The Arizona Conservative Website. Someone who was anti-Obama plagerized Semmens’ work and mocked it up as a Meet the Press interview. And millions believe it, because it came in a chain email.

I am not a believer in the idea that every American should vote. Because most Americans don’t educate themselves, or they believe what they are told to believe, and that’s the limit. But in conclusion, if you are going to be a responsible citizen and vote, then also be a responsible citizen and research the issues from legitimate sources. If you tried to write a college paper citing the same sources that most Americans seem to rely on when going to the polls, you would be laughed at. And failed. Voting shouldn’t hold any less of a moral and social responsibility on our shoulders.