The odes, oddities, and O Deities of a world traveler

Ode to Raptors (Yes, that kind)

Post Script: I am ecstatic that the Jurassic Park/World now features a returning, named dinosaur character that is a raptor (Blue). And Magic: the Gathering has raptors that are legitimately, and much more accurately, feathered! Raptors of the dinosaur variety are the ultimate predators: smart, fast, sharp teeth, claws, extra-bonus-killing claw on each foot,…
Did you know: Tolkien, the Arachnophobe

Shelob is not the biggest, baddest spider in Middle Earth? Ungoliant killed both trees of light: Laurelin and Telperion, whose last two blooms became the heart of the Sun and Moon respectively, and she consumed most of the light-gems of the elves giving her the power to challenge Melkor, the evil one of the Valar,…
Ode to Raptors (no, the other kind)

I was contemplating which ode to publish today when this little one (buteo jamaicensis) came to visit. It was cold enough that I kind of wanted to invite it in, but it did let me get within about three meters. 😀 Raptors are birds of prey. They get their common name with the dinosaurs from…
Did you know: the Real Tomb Raider

Angelina Jolie did the actual stunt on the giant pendulum in the temple of Tomb Raider when her stunt doubles were getting seasick?
Ode to Staying at Home

Staying at home is the easiest thing in the world. You don’t even have to get out of bed to accomplish it. Everything around you is familiar, everything as you put it, everything as you prefer it. Your home is the most familiar place to you such that you can navigate it in the dark.…
Did you know: Claylociraptors

the velociraptors in the kitchen scene in Jurassic Park were Claymation?
Ode to Calvin and Hobbes

Calvin and Hobbes is the quintessential comic. It has a huge amount of repertoire. It is delightful for all ages. It has a combination of simplicity and sophistication in its art and humor. There is a Calvin and Hobbes comic that can apply to any situation, and it is not hard to empathize with each…
Did you know: Halo Origins

halos come from the Byzantine art trend of surrounding the heads of saints and other holy figures with a gold disk? (So that you could tell who to root for).