Clayburn Griffin

What is Character Blogging?

2009-06-16T08:59:00.002-06:00

Have you ever noticed that some of your favorite (or not so favorite) fictional characters have a blog? How could this be? They're not even real!

Well, character blogging is a new fad on the Internet wherein a person writes a typical web log from the point of view, and in the style of, a fictional character. It's as though the character itself is keeping a blog.

Obviously, this isn't the case. But play along; it's called imagination.

Many new TV shows, such as The Office and Heroes, have officially-produced blogs for some of their characters. TV producers are often utilizing character blogging now to promote their own show. Some companies also use character blogs, such as Captain Morgan's blog.

However, most character blogs you'll find on the Internet are the creation of average, everyday people all over the world. Most are fans of a particular fictional Universe, such as Star Wars or X-Men, and parody or pay homage to it (and their favorite character) by blogging. Master Yoda's blog is an ideal example of this, and had become very popular during its year-long run.

Character blogging is not limited to those known fictional characters already in existence, but rather people are free to create their own character to blog as, from their own imagination. Often, the character is a superhero version of themselves, and sometimes placed into one of the established Universes where it can interact with wellknown characters from works of fiction.

You can find many examples of character blogging at Heroes United, a community and team blog where many unofficial and fantasy characters join together.

The Slapping of a Foreign Dignitary

2009-02-04T22:36:00.003-07:00

Today was going to be an exciting day. I could feel it. The mere fact that I was this finely dressed told me, and the world, that today was a life-altering day. I suppose for a person of my age, any trip to the state capitol would feel this grand. And any occasion calling for a suit and tie would also feel as though it has the promise of being exceptional.

Walking up the steps of the capitol building, everyone was attired in a professional fashion. However, I felt oddly out of place. It was as though they could tell that I didn't belong in this suit, that I wasn't one of them. They could tell that I was merely a humble visitor to their all-important political machine. I ignored my self-conscious fears and made my way up the cold, granite steps.

In truth, nobody in the large, round building cared, or even noticed, that I had entered into it. Yet even though I realized this, I couldn't help but feel as though all eyes were on me. It was, after all, my big day.

I made my way down the hallway in search of the one familiar person here. She would no doubt be happy to see me. Politicians love the youth. And why wouldn't they? We're the future.

"Can I help you?" the secretary asked as I entered the office of my state representative.

I introduced myself and said, "I'm here to see Mrs. Roberts."

"Representative Roberts is currently on the phone," she replied. "Is she expecting you?"

I was caught off guard by the question. Of course she was expecting me. This was my day! But I didn't expect to be stopped and questioned by an underling. "Um," I said as I tried to make sense of the mild disruption to the otherwise glorious flow of this critical day. Finally, I managed to explain, "She's, I'm going to be her Page. Today. She knows, so, yeah, I guess, probably."

Part of me thought I should have phrased it better. Fortunately, only the secretary was around to hear me stutter through my explanation for being here. It was a practice run. From then on, I would be articulate and well-spoken. My political elders would marvel at the wisdom in such a young man.

"Just have a seat," the secretary said.

Waiting was difficult. I had not planned to wait. I thought I would be discussing policy or making jokes with Governor Richardson. Here I was in the state capitol building and I was only sitting in a chair with nothing to do. I couldn't let this opportunity go to waste. My attempt to wait casually must have come off as indifference to the political system. I didn't want to be thought of as apathetic, or unappreciative by my mentor's secretary. So, I decided I could leave a message, to let Mrs. Roberts know I was here and would be back. In the meantime, I could explore. I could sit in the gallery above the house chamber and watch democracy in action!

"Can I leave her a message?" I asked.

The secretary said, "Sure," and handed me a notepad. "Just jot your message down here and I'll see that she gets it."

I hadn't expected to have to write. This was my day; I was supposed to be impressing powerful people with my knowledge and talents. Handwriting was definitely not one of my talents. With my terrible penmanship, I sketched out a short message for the Republican congresswoman.

As I sat in the gallery looking down on the political action below, I couldn't help but keep thinking about my poorly-written note. Assuming she would be able to read my handwriting, I wondered if what I wrote would be sufficient. I wondered if it would seem like a note written by a young up-and-comer, a protégé with wisdom beyond his years and dressed in a nice suit. I'm sure that had I not had my mind on the message I had left, the roll call vote would have been very exciting.

Even though nearly a third of the entire state congress was below me, voting "Yea" to signify their presence, and voting "Yea" on behalf of their absent colleagues, I felt as though I was missing out on the action. I was not in position yet to be noticed by the people who would be so taken by my charisma they would take me under their wings, giving me the future I've always wanted and deserved. Politics requires taking action. It was clear I'd need to make my move. Showing up wasn't enough, even if this was my day. I'd have to reach out and grab it.

So, I left the gallery and walked down the hallway. Every now and then I would pass by people rushing around carrying important file folders with important information. Clearly they were in the middle of things. It felt like I was getting closer to my goal as I continued seeing more and more people who seemed to have a purpose here, to be a cog in the political gears of this building. I continued walking down the hallway which circled all around the building. The more laps I made, the more exposure I'd have. Eventually, someone would take notice of me, someone would realize my natural potential and guide me to the next step.

However, I ended up getting tired. And it was getting late. Perhaps tomorrow was my day. "Is Mrs. Roberts in?" I asked the secretary as I stepped back into the office.

"She was asking about you," the secretary told me. "We paged you on the loudspeakers."

I didn't know how to reply to that statement. So, I didn't.

The secretary starred at me for a while and I starred back. Finally, she said, "Mrs. Roberts is gone now. The session's ended."

"Oh, okay. Can I leave her another message?" I asked.

"No," the secretary answered, somewhat rudely. "She's going back to Lovington. You'll have to call her there."

"Oh," I said. "Thanks." I exited the office. It was nearing five o'clock, which meant the political day was about to end. Not wanting to let this all be for nothing, I stopped at the cafeteria and ordered a sandwich.

I sat at a table alone to eat. Few people were there in the cafeteria. I didn't understand. There was nothing going on here. This entire trip was nothing but hype. I thought something would happen. I thought I'd find a purpose in life. Instead, I found a sandwich, and not a very good sandwich. There were no meetings with bigwigs, no schmoozing oil tycoons or chatting with journalists. I didn't get to offer my opinion on how best to win the upcoming elections for our party. It was just...unsatisfying.

My thoughts were soon interrupted by mustard. A tiny, plastic bowl of it hit me in the chest, spilling onto my suit, my tie and my shirt. The bowl rolled down into my lap, and then onto the floor as I stood up.

"I am so sorry," an elderly Indian man said to me. His accent was incredibly soothing, but I found myself very annoyed. "I accidentally hit his tray," he pointed over to a much younger and stout Indian man cleaning up food from the floor. "I am really, terribly sorry, sir."

Calmly, I said, "You ruined my suit," starring at the mustard streak running down my torso. Anger and sadness built up inside me as I gazed into the yellow condiment. I looked up at the man, growing more and more frustrated. I didn't know what to do, what to say. But finally I let out a loud yell, "This was supposed to be my day!" and then struck the man. My palm landed a blow to his left cheek, and then I was shot by the stout man he had pointed to before.

Cirus Rohatgi Remembered at Cosmology Convention

2008-06-21T19:23:00.002-06:00

The New Mexico Society for Cosmology and Atmospheric Studies (NMSCAS) had its annual Cosmology Convention in Taos, NM this last Saturday. At the convention, they keynote presenter was Dr. Kenneth Holderman.

Dr. Holderman began his presentation by honoring the late German scientist, Cirus Rohatgi. He explained to the audience the Rohatgi Phenomenon, Dr. Rohatgi's legacy. This unique happening is characterized by orange marshmallow-shaped clouds. It was Dr. Rohatgi that discovered the link to this spectacular event and industrial pollution. He did prove that water vapor trapped within pollution above the skies of Berlin was the reason for the particular shape of the clouds and their circular order in the evening sky. Unfortunately, it was never explained why the orange coloration occurred, but Dr. Rohatgi went to his grave believing that his hypothesis of it being the result of a particular pollutant would be proven eventually.

More information on the Rohatgi Phenomenon can be found at Humboldt University of Berlin or on Dr. Holderman's website, www.kennyholderman.com.

The Rules of Breaking the Law

2008-02-12T10:51:00.000-07:00

The government of the United States was put in place with the idea that governments can be and are flawed. The primary principle of the Declaration of Independence is that the government should exist to serve the people, and only has power if the people say it does. Therefore, it would be reasonable to say that breaking the law can sometimes be permissible, and even right. Our country’s founders broke laws when they rebelled against English rule; warranted law-breaking bears good results. Corruption in the government can create unjust laws; unjust laws should not be followed. Most importantly, how a person lives there life should be up to them, with reasonable regard for society; people make their own laws.

Many people would not hesitate to inform others that the United States is the best country in the world, perhaps even number one. While it certainly could have been true in the past, we are moving further and further away from the ideals that made it great. Having been born out of a revolution, our country was given the foresight to limit government’s control of its people. Early Americans did not see taxation as fair when they had no say in how the money was to be spent. It was clear by the Declaration of Independence that America felt its people deserved the right to their own lives, that they should not be forced to submit to a government without their best interests in mind. Their revolution not only broke laws, but overthrew the entire government. Thomas Jefferson credited the revolution with building a greater country, saying that for America to continue to prosper, it would need a revolution every 20 years. This would ensure people do not become complacent, as we are now. Questioning the government and disobeying laws that infringe on a person’s rights is far more patriotic than any sized flag would be. It is through this process that people think for themselves, about themselves and their fellow citizens. Good comes from this. People want to live their life, and laws are the agreement between the individual and society. The agreement is varying degrees of “I won’t kill you; you don’t kill me.” Laws that interfere with the individual, such as anti-sodomy laws, laws against voluntary euthanasia and laws against drug use, should not be obeyed on the basis that the government does not have the jurisdiction to control it. Anything citizens do to themselves is their choice. The government can only tell its people what they can’t do to others without consent. Obeying these laws gives the government authority it should never have.

Ultimately, it is fellow citizens who make the laws by which we are all obligated to live. This is a select few that, in theory, should have our best interests in mind. However, the political system has been horribly corrupted. Many politicians consider re-election hopes and financial contributions when writing laws. This can lead to serious problems. It can create laws designed to benefit certain industries. It can start wars for unspoken reasons. Corruption takes honesty out of the system, and that is the key to making it work right. Every politician elected to office is done so on the premise he or she should serve their constituents, that they should make laws and regulations that look after the wellbeing of all their citizens. When a politician has corporate backers, or its voter base and special interest groups, in mind as he or she passes a law, the law itself is unjust. The law was not created for the people, by the people. The politician is supposed to be the vessel by which the citizenry create government. If that politician is corrupt, then it is no longer a vessel of the citizenry, and therefore is not making laws for us, by us. The protest chant used in the days leading up to the Revolutionary War was “No taxation without representation.” Currently, many citizens of the United States are without representation. Their congressmen are working for political parties, special interest groups, corporations or their own ego. None of these represent us, and therefore the laws made in a manner of disregard for the populace should not be obeyed. Obeying these laws gives away our right to control our government.

No matter what country a person lives in, they should not obey any law for the sake of obeying the law. Each person is responsible for their own life. And each person only gets one, for a very short amount of time. The decision of what they make of it should be left to them. Now, of course, rampant disorder may be expected if there were no laws, and if people did not obey laws. Laws should exist, and they should be obeyed, but only if they fulfill the purpose of law itself. That purpose is to keep order and protect members of society from each other. There are laws against murder because people don’t want to be murdered. The same cannot be said for why we have laws against voluntary euthanasia. “There are laws against voluntary euthanasia because people don’t want to be voluntarily euthanized.” The sentence makes no sense because there is no basis for protecting someone from voluntary euthanasia. The government cannot make a law against voluntary rape, as that’s simply consensual sex, for the same reason. However, laws for order, such as traffic laws, should be followed to the best of one’s ability. They do, in fact, exist to protect the citizens. They protect from accidental harm and improve the efficiency of everyone. It is essentially the reverse principle that makes murder illegal. Order laws are based on the idea that we all give in to a few inconveniences to lessen the overall inconvenience to society, and potentially higher number of inconveniences to ourselves. When a law against robbery is made, it’s an agreement that a person won’t rob anyone because that same person would not want anyone to rob them. In areas such as traffic, the effect is that the person agrees to wait a while at a red light so others may go through quickly and safely, and in turn he or she will have that same privilege when the tables are turned. Obeying certain laws, those keeping order and protecting individuals, is a good thing, because the principle behind them is good. Obeying the law because it is a law says that the government is more important than the individual.

Ultimately, the decision about what laws to break, and which to follow, should be made by the individual. The basic principle of not harming or imposing anything onto anyone else without permission is the only principle that must be taken into consideration to live in a decent society. The laws should reflect this simplicity. Unjust laws, laws made for insidious reasons, and laws that exist only to exist are superfluous.

At Its Core: The Story of My Apple

2007-09-10T15:01:00.000-06:00

Despite my initial thoughts regarding the fruitiness of this particular assignment, I found myself walking down a wet road with loose gravel in pursuit of an apple. Before I began my journey, I had many concerns and reservations about my future apple. How would I choose it? What do I want from it? How would I connect with my apple? What would we do? What would we talk about? We would have nothing in common, the apple and I. "I'm more of an orange guy," I thought to myself as I walked out of the night's darkness into the florescent light of my neighborhood Town & Country.

The bananas caught my eye, as are the nature of bananas. They, unlike apples, have a life energy about them. They bring to mind thoughts of tropic rituals full of delight and exotic beauty. Below the bananas was the basket of apples, only bringing to mind thoughts of the oddly textured mush served to me during my early school years. I glanced over the apples, feeling like a prison warden arbitrarily choosing an inmate for parole. But I decided to be more thoughtful, and I made an effort to size up each apple based on its appearance, as we have all done to each other many times in our lives. There was the older, veteran apple with the scars of a tough life in the fields. Next was the unfortunately deformed apple: the hump standing tall on its side as if calling out to be ridiculed. Then, of course, there was the star apple, shining with its youth, its perfectly symmetrical build obtainable only via surgical means. Finally, I saw my apple hiding behind its own mundanity. There was nothing that stood out about this apple. It had no story written on its skin. But surrounding it was an aura of potential like electricity around a Tesla Coil. With the right opportunities, the right tools, this apple could do anything. And so, I brought it home with me, occasionally playing catch with the sky on the way.

My apple may look empty at first glance. It could be just one of many, so it would have you believe. But it's biding its time. Growing. Learning. Every day it improves a little bit. And, if it wasn't for the short lifespan of an apple, it could one day be entirely unstoppable by man or earthworm. Its outer coloration is neither bright nor dull, but a mild blend of simplicity and red. It has as many faces as there would be degrees on a sphere, each one giving a sense of its many talents and personas. This is no stereotypical apple. In its apparent emptiness of features, it holds the presence of them all.

The Black Dress

2007-08-31T16:15:00.000-06:00

He didn't need a reason to do what he did.

Dr. William Rowley, who worked thirty years as a vascular surgeon and now works at the Institute for Alternative Futures, left the house, driving away in his shiny red Prius.

She remained on the floor, just as he had left her. Minutes seemed to pass, minutes not spent crying, not feeling sorrow, but rather devoid of any emotional bias. Her hand latched onto the countertop and she pulled herself up to her feet. Her knees wobbled for a moment, but soon she managed to gracefully walk into the bathroom. She tossed her torn, black dress onto the tile. It was an elegant dress, unworthy of such indifferent treatment.

The shower head spat out three quick bursts of water before handling a steady stream. A quick glance into the mirror turned into an intense stare. Her glistening eyes caught her attention and held tightly to it. They wanted to tell her something, to reveal a great truth that would free her from the slow digestion of her soul by this world. But there was nothing to protect her. The barrage of acidic juices would continuously splash onto her spirit and she would gradually erode away. And so her eyes relinquished their grasp. She stepped into the shower, washing away the venomous filth to give life a fresh target for its virulent rape.

The New Season

2007-08-27T00:07:00.000-06:00

The new TV season is approaching, and is bringing with it the feeling of artistic renewal for me. I had started writing blog posts regularly around August of last year, and especially in January when I started various Heroes blogs. And now the season 2 premiere of Heroes is only weeks away.

The new season of Heroes should bring with it inspiration; new plots, new characters and new ideas for me and others to play with online. So, it would seem, I am prepared to begin writing regularly once again on character web logs such as Mr. Bennet's. But what of my personal web log, the one you're reading right now?

Not long ago I posted a short tidbit expressing my desire to get back into the swing of writing blog posts on my MySpace blog (Which runs as a semi-syndicated version of this one). But days have passed without any new posts.

I have found myself with ideas, thoughts which I have scribbled onto paper. And even some thoughts that became a paragraph or two. But so far, no post-worthy works. Where is my inspiration?

When I had been posting regularly, it was during the height of goings-on in my life. I had a job to report to every weekday. Heroes was the new big thing on TV and the internet was buzzing about it. My own Heroes-themed websites brought constant activity. But that all changed.

I became unemployed and the first season of Heroes came to an end. Without those, there was nothing much happening in my life. I was passively letting time go by.

Most of my few months of unemployment was spent watching TV and movies. I DVRed everything; I had a constant flow of movies from Blockbuster online. I rarely had to involve myself in the world. Could this escape from worldly interaction have wasted away my inspiration?

Recently, my life has completely turned around. I had previously been contented financially with a job I only had to show up for and pass the time away. And now I am forced into doing something about my financial situation. Before, I had no friends, with the exception of online people and shallow work aquaintance, bringing about an absense of a realistic social life. Now, I regularly hang out with a friend and my sister, and occasionally a few others. I even have found myself going to Rodeos for an entire weekend, and activity my family does often in which I chose not to participate. And the biggest turn around is that I am back in college. I have signed up for 12 credit hours at the Junior College to be considered full time. This allows me to have health insurance via my mother's job, which I need for corrective jaw surgery and had planned on having when I had my own health insurance through employment with the City of Hobbs. So am I now inspired?

You could say that this post is perhaps proof that I am. But will this continue regularly? I can't say that I had felt truly inspired when I wrote this. I am however reading To Kill a Mocking Bird and going to college, so intellectual stimulation exists. And at school I see people, on the weekends I see family and friends, and so I have social stimulation as well. Is that the combination that leads to inspiration, to the ability to change? Does it bring a sense of purpose and meaning that allows one to regain their place in the world and interact with it, rather than react? Perhaps I'll know soon. And when I know, you'll know.

Independence

2007-07-04T11:55:00.000-06:00

On this day over 200 years ago, a group of men sent their ruler a letter saying that they have had enough. They said, "No, you're not doing it right," and declared their independence.

The importance of this wasn't that it gave way to the birth of America. It wasn't even that it brought about the formation of a Republic in the New World. It was a birth of awareness, and there lied the significance. People became aware that the government is subject to their rule, that the government is allowed to exist because the people allow it to.

We are not subjects of our government. It is our employee. We hired it do the job, and when it fails to meet our standards, it can be fired.

However, the citizens of the United States have increasingly given up their right to rule. We sit idly by as the government takes more power, makes decisions in total secrecy and advances its own agenda over that of the people.

So on this Independence Day what can we celebrate? We're no longer independent. We've given away our freedom and sovereignty. Those not apathetic merely bicker between two extremes, and while the populace is distracted by the illusion of choice presented to us, the government maintains its control.

There is no cause to celebrate America this year. Independence Day isn't about the birth of our nation, it's about the birth of the idea that the government is ruled by its people, and that idea has since faded away. Until we can demand accountability, fairness, disclosure and good service from our government, we will be its subjects.

Don't be distracted by the fireworks, by their sinister sense of patriotism. They should remind you of the idea over which we first fought. They should remind you of the Revolutionary War, where we battled for a government controlled by the people. Today fireworks should symbolize that we still battle for control, that we have not surrendered completely to those in power, that we will not be fooled by their rhetorical masquerade and that we are truly independent.

Miracle Grow

2007-03-18T16:00:00.000-06:00

Hey, who's that girl?
Which girl?
She'll save the world.
But how?
We don't know
She's Miracle Grow!

Sticks and stones
won't break her bones.
And she's the key
To stopping everything.

A branch in the head?
Oh, no!
Wait, she's not dead!
Oh, yay!
Don't you know
She's Miracle Grow!

Sticks and stones
won't break her bones.
All the guys crave her
Sylar wants to shave her
Someone better save her

Hit by a car?
Oh, my!
Doesn't leave a scar
Alright!
Cuz we know
She's Miracle Grow!

Sticks and stones
won't break her bones.
She's the cheerleader
Not the mind-reader That's Matt!

Staple in the hand?
Poor thing
Don't you understand?
Don't know
It's her TV show,
She's Miracle Grow!
Whoa!

The Handicapable Woman

2007-02-17T15:59:00.000-07:00

Oh, no! Criminals!
But wait look there.
Who's that approaching
via wheelchair?

na-na-na-na-na-na
na-na-na-na-na It's
The Handicapable Woman
Criminals will surely be caught
The Handicapable Woman
Don't dare park in her spot

She won't kick you in the face
But you better listen up, champ
Wherever you go, she'll find you
So long as there's a wheelchair ramp!

na-na-na-na-na-na
na-na-na-na-na It's
The Handicapable Woman!

Wobbley Cheeks and Mr. Nobody

2007-01-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

Look! Up in the sky!
Is it a bird? No!
Is it a plane? No!
Actually it is a plane! Oh
Wobbley Cheeks is on it! Whoa!
And Mr. Nobody! So?

He's a time bender
He'll never surrender
Cheats cowboys out
of legal tender
Never in doubt
About his mission
And in addition
He's a space bender
Not a magician
A public defender
Who's on a quest
Which you may have guessed
Is to save the world
So he's doing his best
To find this girl
Who may be the key
And Mr. Nobody
Came along too
He has no ability
He's just like you!

Come on, Wobbley Cheeks
Wobble those cheeks!
Subtitled from Japanese
is how he speaks
Working makes him ill at ease
He doesn't do nine to five
His Sidekick has to drive
When and where he poofs
Isn't under his control
The biggest of his goofs
Took him back six months ago
He'll never forget
The pretty girl he met
At a little delicatessen
Though it made him upset
He learned a tragic lesson
He can't change the past
To protect Charlie's ass.
Can he change the future
to prevent the blast?

Sweet Freak

2007-01-16T09:59:00.000-07:00

The vermin have determined
Their sermon, their vital regulations
"Evil!" they all will call
and squall such noxious castigations.

Shut you out as they lounge about
In the doubt of their covert questions.
Knowing I would rather die
Than abide by their dubious suggestions

I ignore their pointless war
Fought only for recognition
And choose to loot their forbidden fruit
In pursuit of my mind's volition

Isn't it sweet to be a freak?
To seek your life's greatest passions?
Nobody cares if you do dare
Declare your very own heart's fashions.

They aim to convert but only hurt
Throwing dirt in your direction
Fully expecting to be correcting
You by injecting their own perfection

They spread pain disguised as gain
To obtain your dedication
Hoping you'll subscribe to their sacred tribe
Taking their bribe of spiritual salvation

I can refuse their deluded ruse
and choose my own destination
They will deceive and blindly believe
While I achieve self-realization

Isn't it sweet to be a freak?
To seek your life's greatest passions?
Nobody cares if you do dare
Declare your very own heart's fashions.

Their hate won't cease in the least
Like a beast bringing devastation.
They attack in a ferocious pack
Without a lack of condemnation

I'll take their stones and break their bones
Killing moans with strangulation
You can bet I'll make them regret
But never forget the causation

They messed with me, unfortunately
Because they see an abomination
They liked to sneer, called me queer
Time to hear my refutation

Isn't it sweet to be a freak?
To reap vengeance as your bloody reparations.
God unaware of the prayers
Nor their body parts' locations.

Kat Skinner

2007-01-13T21:59:00.000-07:00

You shone in my life
Right through the clouds of despair
A lovely creature
In my eyes, walking on air
Sternly clutch the knife
And slide it into my heart
My lovely teacher,
And imaginary part,

Giving me the will
To continue until
A mythological creature
Moved in for the kill

And you destroyed me
Disappointment and regret
Cloud your odious soul
Now only a silhouette
Stands in mocking view
Holding that very same knife
Meant to sustain hope
Removing it removes life

Ending the story
Without bringing glory
To my logical teacher
Without caring for me.

I Was High, Dawg

2007-01-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

I was chillin' in my crib
Brushing and strokin'
And the urge called to me
So I started pokin'
The needle in my arm
Gave me a joyous retreat
To the clouds in the sky
Damn, man, it was neat.
I soared through the air
Like a common fruit fly
Witnessed it all unfold
Oh, yeah. I was high.

Yeah....I was high.
I was high, dawg.

I woke up and saw
The crap I had painted
It must have all happened
When I had fainted
Watching the news
I was aquainted
With a news man who knew
The paintings were tainted

He spoke of disaster
The disaster was in my art
And my most recent piece
Matched the weather man's chart
I reached for my drugs
There was a pain in my heart
My paintings told the future
And it was falling apart.

Yeah...I was high.
I was high, dawg.

--------------------------------------

Be sure to visit the Burnt Toast Diner for tasty waffles, great coffee and Heroes fun.

Best of Clayburn

2006-12-29T01:42:00.000-07:00

Blogger is having a lot of problems lately. They recently upgraded to "New Blogger" and now I can rarely publish. So, you're going to have to do without me for a while, not that I was writing much anyway.

Luckily for you, I've compiled some of my best crapola for you to read until Blogger is fixed.

People in Ice Houses Shouldn't Pee on the Floor

Clayburn's Lost It!

Vote for your Party

Romance is so Cheesy. I wish I had some cheese.

Finally, a Good Spanking

Murderers!

What's it going to be? Teeth or Death?

Clayburn's Murder Trial: Part One Part Two Part Three

After the Trial

Primatech Website

2006-12-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

This is interesting! I was doing a Google search, as I always do, for all things paper. And I stumbled across a paper company called Primatech.

Why is this interesting you ask? Because it finally seems like a site is being devoloped to cater to my paper-loving needs! It's still under contruction, but according to Primatech representatives, the "Virtual Paper", as they call their website, will be completed January 22nd.

That's great for all us Paper-Enthusiasts! Primatech is simply a blessing from God! What more can I say?

I'll keep you posted on the advancement of the Primatech Paper Company's Virtual Paper.

Perished Provenance

2006-12-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

I told you earlier the events of a few days ago...near the end of it all. However, now that I start to convince myself there will be a future, I should share with you the past.

July 06, 2012

Events have happened recently to prompt me into keeping a journal. "These are historic times." I've heard that throughout my life. I've seen the phrase uttered in movies of my past, movies of my parents' past. Yet today it can be said without hyperbole. We, humanity that is, have entered into a new world. This world, so different than yesterday's, cannot be described to a person from the past. As a person of the present I find it incomprehensible. But perhaps a person in the future, should there exist a future, could interpret and explain the recent happenings.

I write this just having witnessed the death of my best friend, so pardon me if my handwriting is a bit shaky. He and I grew up together, and until today we were colleagues. He possessed great skill. Ironically, I, a man of science, would refer to his gift as magic. He, a man of faith, described it as nothing more than routine surgery. The lives he saved are countless. Most should never have made it. But there was something to his touch. It was more than great skill with a scalpel. He had a gift. Had I died in his place, he'd be out saving lives, not writing a journal. Unforunately for mankind, he drew the short straw.

It started with fire falling from the sky and water rising out of the ground. The unity of the two opposing forces would theoretically bring about an equillibrium in which the water would put out the fire and the fire would dry the water. My friend and I stood outside his house, expecting that to happen. In reality, it brought turmoil. The water quickly flooded buildings, blasting them with waves. People were thrown in every direction. The fire fell into the water without extinguishing. A slight touch with the fire and my friend burst into flames before my eyes. The water lifted him high above me and slammed him through a glass window. Then I felt myself being lifted up.

I found myself with five other people, thrown by the waters, onto a top of a building. It was a building I had never seen before. From that location I could see the waters lowering, until there was no more water. And in the sky I could see the dissipation of the fires, and they finally stopped. It brought little relief as the image they left behind was unbearably bleak. Burnt bodies soaking in debris and blood lined the horizon. The image that frightened me most was that of a white labrador impaled on a bent street sign post through his left eye. His teeth were visible and he looked angry, as though he was ready to rip the street sign apart.

Next came a noise. It was like nothing I had heard before. It started pleasantly with a melodious bellow and a high-pitched hum that echoed inside my body. The higher tone grew louder. A man nearby me started to scream, holding his hands to his ears. As the bellowing bass slowed its rhythm, the man started to run. He ran over the edge and fell to his death. I could see his body lying in the parking lot, his hands still held to his ears.

I began to feel pain resonating through me. The hum became even higher and louder. It seemed to split into several fragments, as though it was a frayed cloth. Each strand sounded with great intensity. Those on the building with me were all covering their ears. Some had fallen to their knees, while one was wallowing in a puddle of his own blood. Suddenly, I fell flat on my back, struck down by the sound. It was as though I was hit in the head by a whole note thrown by some dreadful instrument. Staring up into the purple sky I could smell roses as I closed my eyes.

I awoke to silence. My first thought, my first hope, was that it had all been a dream. But as I stood up I could see that my nightmare was reality.

"Over here!" a man yelled. I glanced behind me to see an extremely obese man waving me over. "We can go down the fire escape, into the building."

I staggered toward him. Following me were two women. It seemed the four of us were all that was left of our merry band of six. Perhaps we were all that was left of humanity. By the look of the scenery, it would be very likely. As I stepped off the side of the building onto the iron stairwell, I glanced down at the street corner below. There was the sign post that had held the labrador, but there was no sign of the dog.

We all used the fire escape to enter into the building. The interior looked good. There was no sign that anything had happened. I found this notebook in a desk drawer. It belonged to someone named Claire Coleman, an international account specialist. The notebook was empty, but the cover had "Journal" written in red marker. I don't know why she never got around to writing anything in it. Perhaps she was waiting for something to happen worth writing about. Wherever she is, I hope she finds another notebook, as I'm sure she has something to write about now.

Horn Rimmed Glasses

2006-11-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

Who's that man
In the big sexy glasses?
Hide your children
Cover your asses!

Mr. Bennett's his name
AKA HRG
They're one and the same
A man of mystery

Some say he's a nerd
But he's got fly skills
It could be inferred
That sometimes he kills
One thing is certain
He's a freak-huntin' fool
And behind that curtain
Is a big Haitian tool

He'll hollow you out
And take everything
But try not to shout
It's just a mild sting

Who's that man
In the big sexy glasses?
Hide your children
Cover your asses!

His morals: questionable
You have been warned
Look out for large spectacles
With the rims horned
Primatech Paper Co
It's just a front
From where they undergo
His Hero hunt
Eden at his disposal
He's not afraid to use her
She'll make one proposal
And you won't refuse her

Try to understand him
He's not that bad
Behind the horned rims
There's a loving dad
Sylar wants to kill
His Miracle Grow girl
He can't sit still
And let that spit unfurl
He'll do what it takes
To protect his Claire Bear
He understands the stakes
Don't expect him to play fair

So let me proclaim
To the masses
Bennett's his name
Horn Rimmed Glasses!

Heroes Spin-Offs

2006-11-29T15:55:00.000-07:00

Well, the success of Heroes is obviously going to be huge. And you know what that means, spin-offs!

So which would you want to see?

Jessica Sanders in How I Possessed Your Mother. Niki was just a lonely Kindergarden teacher when her evil sister decided to possess her. Watch and laugh along as Jessica works toward gaining Niki's soul.

Gabriel "Sylar" Grey in My Name is Sylar. The story of a once evil psychopath who decides to make up for all the bad he's done. "Number 64 on my list, Hit Brian on the head with a rock crystal (and stole his brain)". He's turning his life around one good deed at a time. "Number 720, Impaled Mrs. Walker onto a stairwell (and stole her husband's brain)".

Matt Parkman in People Whisperer. Detective Parkman dedicates himself to a life of helping the living by telling them what others are thinking about them. "That guy over there thinks you have a big butt." But sometimes, the voices can be confusing. "Did he just wish for a donkey in fishnet stockings?"

Mr. Bennett in Touched by a Creepy Man in Horn Rimmed Glasses. Who's he working for? Primatech Paper Company, the Government, God? Nobody knows, but he's on a quest to forcibly assist ordinary people with extrordinary abilities. "You're very special. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Now, turn your head and cough. We just need to run some tests." Tune in and see this heart-warming tale of a real world angel with questionable motives.

Hiro Nakamura in Hiro, Texas Ranger. Goodbye Japan. Hello, Texas, where nobody is above the law and the law is Hiro. There's no fancy legal system in this show, just good old-fashioned butt-kickin. With the power to bend time and space, no criminal stands a chance. "My name is Hiro Nakamura. I've come to kick your butt!" Watch as time stands still and the cutest Texas Ranger ever hunts down the bad guys and deals out the pain.

Micah Sanders in Micah's Laboratory
Adam "The Haitian" Soo Hoo in Daze of our Lives
Ando in *Cancelled*
Heidi Petrelli in None and a Half Women
Ted Sprague in The Recent Bachelor
Claire Bennett in Claire: Warrior Cheerleader & Curb your Protoplasm
D.L. Hawkins in Prison Escape
Mohinder Suresh in According to Him
Peter Petrelli in So You Think You Can Fly
Nathan Petrelli in The West Wings
Isaac Mendez in The Six Dollar Man
Eden McCain in Who's the Boss Now?
Charlie in Not Saved by the Bell

Radioactive Teddy Bear

2006-11-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

Hey kids! Are you ready to have some fun?
What? I didn't hear you. Oh, you are?

Then don't despair. Bad guys beware!
It's the Radioactive Teddy Bear

He may be radioactive
And have too much hair
But he's a big friendly
Teddy Bear

Keep an eye on your indicator
And pray it stays green
Cuz this Teddy Bear is like a
Microwave diathermy machine

You may get cancer
And maybe lose your hair
But we'll all have fun hanging with
Radioactive Teddy Bear!

Unbind Thee, Lest Ye Be Bound

2006-11-04T18:08:00.000-07:00

I think I should mention a little something about Atheists.

My hypotenuse is that everyone wants to feel accepted.

Religion creates a system of right and wrong, and of course being wrong is wrong, which leads to rejection of one's soul to Hades. For someone who dismisses the notion of said location they still feel to have their soul, the essence of their self, judged and rejected by the person(s) who believes them to be Hellbound. Atheists have probably become more preachy against religion recently because in order for one to be accepted the acceptor cannot have a religion which would direct him to reject the Atheist.

Religion is a difficult parasite to remove, for the believer feels that his life is in jeopardy without it. It's this way that Religion has complete control over its followers. It manipulates them into believing it is the ultimate, and as such must be true, must be right, cannot be questioned and cannot be denied. To an Atheist this causes a great deal of frustration.

The Atheist operates without the blinding effects of Religion. Though other concepts may blind him, they aren't perceived as ultimate and a life necessity. The Atheist can see his life for what it is and choose what is right and wrong, who is right and wrong, on the basis of the object's/person's particular essence. An Atheist sees a believer as a fellow human and values them as such. Yet in return, the believer sees the Atheist as subpar, a deviant, someone to be wary of, if not avoid altogether. Atheists then become vocal about their own beliefs, but not to save their listeners from eternal damnation as believers purport to do. Their motivation is purely selfish in nature, and thereby honest. Rather than claim to care for a soul that isn't their own, or attempt to control, or even demean it, they simply wish to unbound it from its chains so that it might accept them as a fellow human.

They seek to remove your conditions so that they may be loved unconditionally.

Hmm...Where have I been?

2006-11-03T17:42:00.000-07:00

My only reader, Randy, has noticed that I have not been posting daily. He seems to see this as reason to dismiss his own hiatus. However, I hope to get back to my daily posts. You can consider this a post for today. And with that little poem thingy from yesterday I've already started posting daily again!

Keep reading, or start reading I should say, and comment.

Untitled

2006-11-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

Look in the eyes of my soul
Past the skies of the deceased
With you my black heart of coal
Becomes the frightening beast
And tears through the entire Earth
Like bears do to gay campers
A spiritual rebirth
As my hardened heart shatters

Oops

2006-10-26T15:04:00.000-06:00

I forgot to post today!

I've been busy with my websites. I'm making several. They will be great once they're finished. I'll let you see them then. As you probably saw, Misunderstood Me finished his website yesterday and posted about it.

Hopefully I'll post tomorrow.

Visit my Website

2006-10-25T11:08:00.000-06:00

I have a website! It's finally finished.
Check it out here.

Clayburn's website and other personalities' websites are still in the works. Stay tuned to Clayburn's Official Web Log to find out more.