M3 Vampire Weaknesses: Thresholds

            The concept of the threshold as a barrier to evil is popular in many mythologies, though the Judeo-Christian story of the Passover is probably the most prominent of these. The Hebrews were told to mark the lintel and posts of their doorways, the very definition of the threshold, so that the angel might pass over them.

F3 Wind Boxing

            Natalie didn’t fight fair as she hit me with a hard jab to the gut, following it up with a right cross, then finishing me off with a haymaker. All from twenty feet away.

No Summer Vacation

            Yes, I’m on a break from school, but that’s not exactly the same as taking a vacation. Once again money is the determining factor. I’m still planning (hoping) on taking a jaunt to the east coast in September, so that has neatly curtailed any other plans I might have.

            But oh how I long to leave the heated desert, especially in the next two months when the temperatures reach meltdown. I shall have to avoid going into the oven that is known as “outside” during that time.

            A perfect excuse to redouble my efforts in revising an older book, and to get done some much needed reading.

M3 Vampire Weaknesses: Mirrors

            As stated before, mirrors are not a weakness, but an apotropaic . . . okay, even that is a stretch. At best a vampire confronted with a mirror will only be mildly uncomfortable. The real value in a mirror is that it can be used to reveal a vampire as the mythology goes that vampires do not cast a reflection.

F3 Practicing Bad Habits

            Eva went first, carefully slipping fingers into the coat, extracting coins and keys with skill, barely rustling the coat and its assortment of bells; all with her left hand. However, once she got to the wallets, her fingers failed her. Either she would jostle a bell or lose her grip on the thick leather with delicate fingers.

More Self-Improvement

            I’ve been on a kick of self-improvement, adding new skills to my portfolio. Specifically, I’ve been dabbling in web design. It all started with an ill-conceived attempt at app creation for my teaching, but it did teach me quite a bit about HTML, and I’ve been expanding on that ever since. I’m planning to overhaul this site, but haven’t quite decided on what design elements to change, but there will be change coming.

            I’ve enjoyed this foray, even going so far as to download an html editor and putting it to good use. I remember the early days of HTML, which were completely coded in a featureless text editor such as notepad. Many purists still rely on these kinds of text editors to hone their skills, but I admit no shame to say that I want some bells and whistles when it comes to my text editor, just as I want them in my word processor and spreadsheet.

            Best of all, my new skills are translating into new opportunities, which I hope to capitalize on this summer.

           

M3 Vampire Weaknesses: Overview

            As discussed briefly before, most vampire weaknesses (at least for Western vampires) are associated with Christianity. Those that aren’t are largely fatal to, well, just about anything. Fire, for instance, is quite universal in its ability to destroy humans and vampires alike. The same holds true with decapitation. Stakes, interestingly enough, are not destructive to vampires (more on this later), but are quite deadly to human beings.

F3 Message Writ in the Sky

            The optical sensors had no problem processing the images, but Flynn wished they had been wrong. Massive solar flare, estimated by Calypso’s computers as Z5 events, and accompanying solar ejections, streamed towards the inner planets. Each planet had its own such flare and ejection.

I Miss Paper

            Not to write with. My handwriting is atrocious and I find it very time consuming to form the letters. Typing is so much better, though I do carry a small Moleskin with me to jot notes down upon.

M3 Vampire Traits: Transformation

            The classical transformations of a vampire are threefold. First is the iconic bat. It’s easy to understand the connection as bats are nocturnal and a species of bat is vampiric. Enough said. The less we dwell on ideas such as the conservation of matter, the better.

F3 Pulled Over

            I trailed the woman from what I thought was a discreet distance, keeping back a good fifty feet as she walked among the shops in Fairhaven. The steady drizzle helped me keep sight of her as she had a distinctive red umbrella among all the standard blacks.

Post-Semester Shock Syndrome

            I’ve alluded to it in previous posts, talking about the malaise that accompanies the end of the semester; however, now I’ve come up with a clever name that seems to most accurately capture the idea.

            I’m not trying to belittle those who suffer from PTSD with this name; if anything, I’m trying to draw a very real comparison to how the end of the semester affects me and other teachers.

M3 Vampire Traits: Outsider

            Though vampires excel at blending in, they still are outsiders to society in general. They are somewhat reclusive, seeking not to attract too much attention. They never seek or stay in the limelight because that would risk discovery of what they truly are. Not only do most vampires have a reclusive personality, but they locate themselves on the periphery. Whether this is a villa or mansion on the outskirts of a city or an exclusive penthouse apartment, the vampire remains apart in order to protect her identity.