Year: 2005

Marion was the sweet old woman who lived next door to us, married sixty years to her husband, Ed. She passed away a few days ago, and for the past few days Ed’s numerous family members have been around to offer support. Today we did what we could by attending her funeral service this evening.

Personally, I don’t understand the concept of open caskets and viewings. I know it offers comfort to many (“She looks so peaceful”) but I just find it disturbing. A gussied-up corpse isn’t Marion. Marion was the smiling, charming woman who smiled out at us from dozens of photographs that had been arranged in displays around the viewing parlor, from childhood photos to her youth with Ed (she was quite a looker in her prime, I might add).

In any event, we offered our condolences and support, and we figure since we’re right next door to him, we’ll try to be his first resource whenever he needs anything.

Sixty years. Wow.

PAD

The current issue of “Rue Morgue” has a very positive review of the new “Spike” one-shot from IDW, written by yours truly. Whad’ja think?

PAD

In the “West Wing” episode “Inauguration,” scriptwriter Aaron Sorkin has his characters quoting–I believe–Margaret Mead in saying, “”Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever does.”

So now we’re seeing this taking hold in Crawford, Texas, as Cindy Sheehan puts exactly what the White House has never wanted onto the losses in Iraq: A human face.

I have to admit, I think it’s absurd when I read the contention that her son joined the army some years back but never thought he’d actually have to GO anywhere. Ma’am, he joined the ARMY. Did he think it was all Sergeant Bilko or Gomer Pyle? I mean, sure, there were those eight reviled years of peace and prosperity, but there was no guarantee it was going to last.

Nevertheless, when the time came, her son did what he signed up to do. Did what he had to do. And now she’s doing what she has to do–getting in the President’s face. And the President is doing what he has to do–hide in his ranch and wait for this to go away.

She’s demanding accountability from her president.. Now we see just how much building rage there is in this country in terms of others likewise demanding it.

PAD

UPDATE–I really like this notion, as mentioned below: “Wouldn’t it be interesting if some of the other moms who lost their sons in Iraq decided to join that one-woman protest, so that it continued to grow in size…and grow…and grow…”

It’d be like Mothers Against Drunk Driving, except it’s Mothers Opposing Bush. MOB. “Yes, there’s a MOB scene here in Crawford.” “MOB rule has broken out outside the White House…”

Interesting thought.

At the suggestion of several folks on this blog, I sent the following to NPR as a submission for their commentaries:

“Oh, Da! It’s the moon!”

by Peter David

There are certain rides at Disney World where, if you don’t go on them while you’re there, you just don’t feel like you’ve actually visited the Magic Kindom (although your next month’s Amex bill will likely confirm that you did..) It’s different rides for different folks. In my case, it’s always been the Peter Pan ride…voyaging in a two-person pirate ship high over a scale model of night-time London and journeying into and through Neverland with its pirates, mermaids and Indians.

As it so happens, it was also the favorite ride of a woman named Carol Kalish. Carol was many things to me…my former boss. My mentor. My friend. And in a Peter Pan-ish way, she never truly grew up and grew old, because she died unexpectedly at the age of 38, fourteen years ago this September.

So I was very interested in how her namesake-my two and a half year old daughter, Caroline-would react on her first excursion on that same ride during a recent vacation.

As we stood in line, I pointed at the passing pirate ships and told Caroline we were going to fly. “Fly?” she said uncertainly. “Fly in ships?” She wasn’t sanguine about it at all. When we clambered into the vessel (my wife, Kathleen, and my older daughter, Ariel, having gone on ahead) Caroline clutched tightly and nervously to the lap bar that settled on us. Her eyes went wide as we moved forward, up, and then appeared to be hurtling into thin air (naturally she didn’t look up to see that we were being carried on an overhead track.)

“See, Caroline? We’re flying,” I told her, and pointed at the “night sky” over London. “See? There’s the stars. And there’s the city, way down there!”

“Stars,” she whispered in astonishment. And then, as we went higher, she suddenly pointed and gasped in delirious joy, “It’s the moon!”

Sure enough, just to our left was a large full moon. The silhouettes of Peter, Wendy et al were moving across it as it turned. I wrapped my arm around Caroline just to keep her anchored. And she stretched out her little fingers, desperate to touch the glowing lunar orb, not quite succeeding. Completely enthralled in Disney magic, she cried out, “Oh, Da! It’s the moon!”

She watched the rest of Neverland with amazement. And although there were any number of rides and character greetings she enjoyed, that was the one moment in the park where she was totally swept away by pure fantasy-made-real. For a few seconds, one little girl sailed through the stars in a pirate ship and came justthatclose to touching the moon.

If Carol was watching through her eyes, I think she liked what she saw.

The response I received?

Dear Commentator:

Thank you for your submission of a commentary to MORNING EDITION. Because of the number of unsolicited commentaries we receive, we find it is impossible to reply individually in a timely manner, and we apologize for the prepared response.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to use your commentary on Morning Edition, but we encourage you to read on anyway, in case you would like to try again.

This was followed by specifics for their guidelines, all of which my submission already met.

So for those of you who think that being a published writer guarantees no more form rejections…

PAD

Our local school district is having serious problems: A pathetic voter turnout of barely 25% (among other things) resulted in the school budget being voted down. By state law, the school board has to implement an austerity budget which calls for the discontinuation of extracurricular activities including all sports, music, theater, art…everything, really.

So local groups have been cropping up that are attempting to develop fund-raising activities to cover the difference. Well, tonight a meeting had been called at the local high school of a group that was seeking to raise money specifically to cover music, theater and art. Kath had gone to previous meetings dedicated to saving sports, and I was hoping she would go to this one as well. But she didn’t feel up to it and so, against my better judgment, I went.

Well, with key members of the school board as well as local politicians up on the stage, and a fairly decent turn-out of parents, there was lots of talk about things parents could do to raise money, and students could do to raise money, and more things parents could do and more things students could do, and how absolutely everyone had to pull together for the kids.

Then they started taking questions.

Ten, fifteen, maybe twenty questions are asked in relative silence as the people on the stage fielded them.

And then I raised my hand. And they brought the mike to me, and I said, “I can’t help but think that what we’ve basically got here is a business that’s in trouble. A business that we–the consumers–are being asked to help shore up. And what occurs to me is that in the corporate world, on some occasions when a business is in trouble, the management–which is you–approaches the various unions in their employ and ask them to pitch in to see them through difficult economic times. Everyone contributes to the greater good. So what I’m wondering is–following that business model–has anyone here approached any of the unions and asked for roll backs or give backs in the spirit of everyone pitching to help the students?”

And suddenly the place was alive with thunderous applause and shouts of “Yes! Yeah!” And the organizing guy starts telling me why this is a terrible idea, and the superintendent of schools is telling me why this is a terrible idea, and the head of the local teachers union, HE’S explaining why it’s a terrible idea…

Understand, I think teachers are underpaid. When one of my kids was in kindergarten, I came in to lecture about making comics. After 40 minutes I felt like I’d been running a marathon, and when I staggered home, I was convinced that however much they were paying teachers, it wasn’t enough.

Nevertheless, from a business-model point of view, it seemed a reasonable question. Instead it touched off a small shitstorm of hostility from the parents and defensiveness from the school people.

So when I got home, I said to Kath, “From now on, YOU go to these kinds of meetings. At least YOU don’t nearly start riots.”

PAD

The official “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” spoiler-filled discussion thread.

Continue Reading “Because you demanded it…” →

It’s always a relief to get back home after a convention excursion.

Had a good time at Crescent Con, which was the last of that series of conventions. My reasoning was that at some point in the past, they were discussing potential guests of honor, and someone in authority said, “The last person we’d want for GOH is Peter David.” And with this being the last, well…

Did a ton of panels, ranging from discussing how to get a book sold to judging a “Worst First Paragraph for an SF story” contest to doing a reading. Read the script for the Spike one-shot (out this week) and my short story, “Killing Time by the River Styx” which is in the newly published short story collection, “Meeting by the River.” Went over pretty well, and I’ll have some news about the audio version of “Styx” before long.

Kath had a number of panels as well, and also sold a couple of things in the art auction, which was great. We also were able to spend time with friends Wendy and Richard Pini and Marv Wolfman, and also got to know actor John Billingsley and his wife, Bonni. For my money, John as “Doctor Flox” was easily the best thing on “Enterprise,” and was also great on “West Wing” as the guy who tried to convince CJ to completely restructure the world map on Big Block of Cheese Day.

Didn’t really get out of the hotel until today; we went to the aquarium, which naturally was a big hit with Caroline, and the Riverside Mall, which was an even bigger hit with Ariel. Would’ve liked to get really into the French Quarter, but wasn’t able to do it. Maybe next time.

PAD