Akting Out

Last week was an angry week; the type of week where very little seemed to go the right way, no matter how hard I was trying. It was particularly frustrating because my usual methods for listening to God weren’t working, at least, I couldn’t hear anything. The tried-and-true methods I had been using for the past ten years were failing me, adding a sense of desperation to the whole thing. It also stymied this blog, which I had had tried to write for days.

After taking a step back (and getting through Friday), I came to realize why I didn’t think I could hear anything, why a lot of us feel as though we pray and get no response. There is no set method for listening to God. The process is ever-changing, ever-evolving, because if we turn our relationship with God into a routine, then we take it for granted, and it falters. I’ve always believed that God wants you to continually examine your relationship with Him, and beyond that, openly question what doesn’t make sense. So here, finally, are the steps I use (for now) that define my relationship with God.

1). Surrender.
I know it’s a word that makes one’s bile rise (I know it does for me), but hear me out. Years ago, when I was still homeless, I sat in a rescue mission in Saginaw, Michigan while one preacher’s words hit me a little harder than anyone else’s. I used to use mandatory church as a way to secure my bed for the night and catch a few extra Z’s, but this guy had something to say. His words were; “You’ve tried everything else; why not try this?” He spoke with the fire and conviction of a man who had arrived at this knowledge through experience. About a year later, I learned what he was talking about. Having someone fire a bullet at you tends to change your perspective…surrender doesn’t seem so bad compared to dying alone in the street. But the fact is, God doesn’t ask you to surrender to Him so He can conquer you; that’s not what He’s about. Only by surrendering can He truly work through you, and I speak from experience when I say that He has a far better plan for you than anything you can conceive. I’ve laundry-listed personal examples of transitioning from homelessness to normalcy; I’m writing this under a sunrise from my kitchen table while listening to one of my two iPods. It’s something you have to experience for yourself. All you have to do is give yourself over, genuinely, and let Him do his thing.

2). Talk to Him
Traditional prayer can grow so stale, so fast. I confess that I don’t say my prayers every night, yet I avoid doing it only when I need something (bad idea. I’ll get to that in a minute). I say the traditional our-father-who-art-in-Heaven prayer maybe five nights a week. But I talk to God all the time. I talk to God as though I’m talking to my best friend, which is how I found out He has a sense of humor. I’ll often have a goal at work that I won’t meet; I’ll exceed it in a way I hadn’t planned (instead of selling four internets, I’ll sell ten phone bundles, which comes out to more money), and I’ll end up looking at the sky and saying; “Thanks. Good one.”
I don’t think God has too many uses for tradition, especially if they lose their meaning. I’m not saying don’t pray; I’m saying talk. People who say it’s a one-sided conversation haven’t truly surrendered, because He will answer, and usually, surprisingly, He’ll answer pretty quickly. I’ll often get the answer to a question before I even get it out. Hint; you know it’s God when you feel as though you’re being pushed to do something you don’t want to do, but you KNOW to be right. I can’t stress it enough; times like that, DON’T ASK QUESTIONS, JUST DO IT. The amazing thing is that He always takes care of you when you listen! ALWAYS, ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE TIME! It may never be what you wanted, in fact, it rarely is, but when it’s all said and done, you’ll find it’s what you needed.

To wrap this up (I want to keep it at under a thousand words), there’s a lot more that goes into it. I’ve found that God is a simple idea that doesn’t press on your mind, but it’s always present. The devil is a tug on your soul, making you feel as though his idea is a good one and then ‘rewarding’ you with false feelings of comfort and even euphoria when you do what he wanted. I’ve always felt bad later, though.

I don’t only pray when times are bad because I’ve found that if you only come to Him during times of need, and not during better times, He may put you on the back burner. He places problems in our life so we may come to Him, and have Him show us how to overcome them. We then give thanks for Him giving us the time of day and the strength He’s given us. If you ever feel as though you have no problems, better take a second look at your life.

This is just how I let God work through me; He works through all of us differently. If you feel as though you’ve prayed and gotten no response, then change your approach. You may not be ready yet. But He’s there, He’s always there, and He never lets his own down.

Thanks for reading. God bless and be safe.

(c) Avery K. Tingle for Akting Out LLC

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“Your lair?” Reginald echoed cautiously. “Just who are you, again?”

“Me?” Rahab appeared cheerful, spreading his arms and raising his head. “I’m Rahab, the King of the Seas!”

“The king of the seas…” Reginald trailed off, attempting to gauge Rahab, “…so…what happened to Poseidon?”

Rahab suddenly lunged forward, grasping his trident as if leaning on it. The gesture caused the four to jerk back apprehensively. “Who?” As Rahab asked, he reared back in an exaggerated motion, looking up and tapping his chin. “Oh, that old bore. Well, he chose to retire…”

Rahab dug his index finger into his mouth, picking between his teeth. “…after dinner.”

Able to perceive Rahab’s thoughts, Angelica winced, “You monster…”

“Ahh, but enough boring chatter! Tell me; what have you brought me?” Rahab looked to the four expectantly. Reginald frowned. “What?”

Rahab snapped his fingers twice, causing the four to jump again. “Come on, Reginald, keep up! It may be polite to bring a gift when you’re invited to someone’s home, but trespassing and showing up empty-handed is just rude.”

For a moment, the Atherean was deathly silent.

“I mean, three kids broke in without bringing anything and my kids mistook them for h’ordeuvres–”

“I have something for you.” Jayden snarled. In a single, deft motion, Jayden drew a knife from his ankle and hurled it end-over-end towards Rahab. Even as Reginald reached out vainly to stop Jayden, Rahab merely knocked the knife away with a jerk of the trident, and it floated harmlessly away over his shoulder.

“Are you crazy?!” Reginald bellowed telepathically, glaring at Jayden. The thought was so fierce that Angelica winced, raising her hands to her ears protectively. “What if you had killed him?!”

Rahab’s mouth fell open. “Reginald. You can’t be serious.”

His ‘eyes’, large, empty black holes, drifted over towards Lihua, who suddenly unfolded her arms and held her breath. “Egads! Can it be?” Rahab exclaimed, “Reginald! Where did you ever find one of those?!”

“What…?” Reginald slowly turned from Rahab to Lihua as Angelica drifted towards her protectively. “Milady!” Rahab continued, extending a welcoming hand towards her, “You beautiful little Lilen delicacy! You are most welcome here!”

“Stay the hell away from me.” Lihua spat.

Reginald felt the breath ripped from his body. “How do you know about…?”

“Don’t speak of it.” Rahab’s words were quick and quiet. “It’s not a nice place.”

Reginald looked up to Angelica, who seemed to be observing everything at once. Her eyes shot from place to place, although the Atherean seemed to be vacant save for the five of them. “What is it?” Reginald asked.

“They look like the water,” Angelica replied, her thought hushed, “but we’re not alone. They’re everywhere.”

“Oh, they won’t hurt you.” Rahab’s tone had eerily switched from excited control to mild fear. “You brought a gift. Simply hand over the Lilen and you’re welcome to stay and have some–”

“Rahab.”

The voice was dark, deep, female, and omnipresent. As the Atherean shook with her presence, Reginald and Lihua locked eyes, and they knew who had suddenly arrived.

Yin.

“So this is where you’ve been. Tell me how you escaped.” Her voice was both soft and threatening, omnipresent as it shook the Atherean.

The ground exploded underneath them and a wall of steam hissed as it shot upwards, blocking the four from Rahab. Reginald tried to peer through the obtuse veil and could barely discern Rahab covering his face. He was no longer smiling, and his trident had dropped to the ground.

Angelica suddenly clasped her head and arched back sharply, opening her mouth in a muted scream. “You four.” That was Yin, and her tone was not pleasant, “Leave this place.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” Jayden declared. Horrified, Reginald turned back to the boy just in time to see him pull a second blade, concealed at the small of his back. His form was more fluid, the throw more precise–as though the first throw had been a feint–as he sent the blade hurtling towards Rahab. It passed through the steam and imbedded firmly into flesh with a sickening thunk.

Rahab screamed.

Lihua suddenly shot past Reginald’s right side, and he discerned blood in her eyes as she disappeared into the veil. He looked back to Angelica, who was nearly hyperventilating as she recovered from the Yin’s psychic assault. The look of loss she gave him mirrored his own.

Yin laughed. It was not kind laughter.

“No.” Reginald breathed. He glanced down to the Atherean floor, as the steam began disintegrating. His mouth fell open; his mind could barely process what he saw.

A gaping hole had been torn open in the stone foundation. Bright, orange magma flooded the hole, and the heat generated from the pool could probably be felt for miles. Reginald felt like he was trapped in a sauna.

In the hole were torched, humanoid beings who reached out of the liquid desperately, only to have a wave drown them. Their screams were pervasive and eternal; there were scores of them, so many of them that the magma could barely be perceived. And Reginald knew exactly what he was looking at.

In the distance, through the haze, Reginald could make out Jayden and Lihua, who were in hard pursuit of Rahab. Poseidon’s killer appeared to be swimming for his life.

“We have to stop them.” Angelica panted, worn down. Reginald nodded. “I know.” He shot off after the three, feeling Angelica’s urgency as she joined him. Too many things could go wrong–had gone wrong at this point. The least they could do was keep Jayden from killing Rahab.

(c) Avery K. Tingle for Akting Out LLC

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I don’t know a single United States citizen who doesn’t remember where they were that day. I was in California, sleeping in, and recovering. The mother of my children charged into the bedroom and with wide eyes, commanded me to come downstairs as though the house was being evacuated. I joined her family in the living room and observed on the TV as one of two hijacked aircraft crashed into the second World Trade Center in New York and exploded on impact.
September 11, 2001.
More than three thousand people died that day. Some of us lost someone, but all of us lost something; that was the day we lost our sense of security and invulnerability.

After that, every Muslim in America was at best distrusted, and at worst, a target. It’s a stigma we are only just now beginning to get past. So I was surprised when President Obama suddenly came forward with the idea of building a mosque near Ground Zero.

While I don’t think a mosque near Ground Zero is sacrilegious, I do believe it would do more harm than good. I think it would be a miracle of the mosque was even completed without a violent incident. The worst case scenario is some group firebombing the mosque while it’s crowded and claiming ‘vengeance’ for 9/11.

Instead of a mosque, I propose the following.

We build a Universal Faith Center, where everyone of any religion can come and worship the god of their choice. The rules are simple; you do not harass another visitor for their choice in faith. You share your beliefs freely with those who are willing to listen. You welcome everyone who enters through those doors. And you don’t put it near Ground Zero; you put it right in the middle.

Can you imagine the power of such a place? People of all faiths coming together with the goals of praise, worship, and fellowship. All faiths, not just one. In the end, one may be right, another may be wrong, but who is another man to judge? The way I see it, we will all find out one day.

And in doing so, we accomplish a dual purpose; beyond creating a center of great faith and equality, we show the people who perpetuated 9/11 that after the fire, the ashes, and the tears, we were not broken. Rather, we came together, as one nation, embracing each other for our beliefs instead of persecuting each other. In the end, we were frightened, sure, but we rebuilt, we moved on, and we overcame.

That’s what I think we should build at Ground Zero.

Thank you very much for reading.

(c) Avery K. Tingle for Akting Out LLC

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I’ve always thought exclusivity in the land of video games was a bad thing; if one company owns the rights, it has no competition. If there’s no competition, there’s no incentive to raise the bar.

Electronic Arts has held the game-making rights to the NFL for several years now, and while we’ve seen several minor improvements over the years, in my opinion, we haven’t seen anything as innovative as the leap to 3D in 2002. So when Madden NFL 11 hit shelves last week, I was hesitant to drop sixty bucks on it.

So was it worth it?

Longtime fans of the series may be disappointed; it’s still Madden, and it’s still a lot of fun, but there’s nothing new here. I erroneously told a friend that the series had done away with the traditional game settings; I was wrong, and I discovered that after getting into Franchise mode.

As always, the animation has been tweaked to look more realistic, and players reflect being tackled at the body or the legs. Gang tackling still looks like the last thing you want to be at the bottom of. All of the familiar staples, such as Playmaker and life-ending hit-stick tackles, are still intact. In-game athletes still play like their real-life counterparts; Michael Vick has DEFINITELY lost a few steps.

The game’s big draw, the new “Gameflow” system, is absolutely nothing special. Essentially, it comes down to you allowing the computer to choose your plays for you. If you don’t like what the computer chooses, you can always audible at the line, but that’s what the system is about. It eliminates time in the playbook but also removes a sense of control. On the plus side, it pays attention to the team you’re using; defensive teams like Baltimore will use a lot of confusing blitzes on defense (that work) while offensive powerhouses like the Saints will pass three of four downs, after a healthy fear of Reggie Bush has been established.

Overall, it’s Madden, and it’s still a lot of fun, but the time of a recession, is it worth dropping sixty dollars on? For those of you who own Madden 10, I’d have to say no. There is simply not enough that is new here to justify the better part of a hundred dollars. Diehard fans of the franchise will be pleased, but those of you who have played Madden 10, and casual fans of the series, are better off waiting for a used copy. Good game, just not good enough to spend sixty dollars on.

(c) Avery K. Tingle for Akting Out LLC

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Ywriter: I cannot believe this software is free. This may be the most comprehensive novel-writing software on the net today. Ywriter allows you to create a novel from beginning to end, even allowing you to create notes that encompass the entire project or individual scenes. That’s just the beginning, though; Ywriter allows you to create major and minor characters, complete with JPEG imagery and goals you can rate your own scenes based on tension and problem resolution, there’s even a built-in reader that will read your work aloud on command. What I’ve listed here scratches the surface of the best novel-writing software you’re not using. If you’re even considering writing a book, you won’t do better than this. I’m hoping for smartphone and Evernote integration, but as long as it stays free, I won’t complain.

Warning: Occasionally, especially on battery power, Ywriter can become slow and unresponsive, especially if you have other programs running. It’s a good idea to run Ywriter by itself if your computer isn’t plugged in.

Celtx: You may want to snag this software while it’s still free. While a number of its extensions require purchasing, the core product is still free of charge. It’s also among the best scriptwriting software on the internet. It functions in the same manner as Ywriter, only Celtx is geared for screenwriters. You’re allowed to create and detail characters, note individual scenes or the entire project, and tag characters for easy reference when your script gets lengthy. You can also upload your completed script for free to the main server for critique.
A vast number of add-ons start from $2.99, and you’re prompted to get these when you initially download the software—which leads me to believe that Celtx may not be free forever. Right now, it’s a great alternative to paying hundreds of dollars for final draft, so again, if you’re even thinking of writing a script, go get this now.

Evernote: Every writer needs to be using this software. In my opinion, this is the best note-taking software ON THE PLANET. Put simply, you download it, open it up, jot (type) down whatever it is you want to remember, close the program, and move on. What makes Evernote stand out is that it integrates with most browsers, including Chrome and Firefox, which allows you to ‘clip and save’ entire webpages (graphics and all) to the program. You can also create notebooks to better organize your thoughts.
Where Evernote really sets itself apart is in its portability; Evernote is available for both the iphone and blackberry. While a premium membership is not mandatory to run the applications, if you want to sync your notes across your platforms, you’re going to need one. Even then, it’s a steal at five dollars per month. If you’re a heavy user, you can go with the yearly option for forty-five dollars.

This is, in my opinion, the best free software for writers. If you have a resource of your own, I’d love to know about it. Please comment or contact me directly, and I’ll take a look! Best of luck and thank you for reading!

(c) Avery K. Tingle for Akting Out LLC

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You know what makes a Sly Stallone film great? It’s unpretentious. The films make no attempt to be anything but what they are; action piled on more action. It’s guys hitting each other until their jaws fall off or blowing up anything that has a foundation.

Luckily, in “The Expendables” you get both. And it’s a whole lot of effin’ fun.

The film centers around a group of elite mercenaries as they infiltrate, and retake, an overrun South American village. Star power is off the charts as Sly managed to wrangle every major action film star in the last two decades into this film. I wonder how long Van Damme waited for his call. Although it’s fairer to say that the film stars Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham, only Dolph Lundgren’s role feels minimized; everyone else is well-utilized. Bruce Wills and Arnold Schwarzenegger are relegated to cameos, but their scene may be the best that doesn’t involve gunfire; veteran actors doing what they do best. Eric Roberts is the bad guy you love to hate, Terry Crews once again finds a way to be both very intimidating and funny as hell, and while Randy Couture can’t act to save his life, he gets points for trying.

The film’s action sequences are spectacular; the final thirty minutes of the film resounds in a kill-em-all sequence that may cause seizures in epileptics. And at sixty-two, Sylvester Stallone still looks like he can kick anyone’s ass (and certainly holds his own in the movie)

“The Expendables” is a thank-you card to action film fans of the eighties, nineties, and today. Well-received, the film is a lot of fun and worth the price of admission. Go see it.

(c) Avery K. Tingle for Akting Out LLC

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No self-respecting gamer/writer/nerd lets something as big as this go without saying something.

So two of gaming’s biggest—and arguably most incompatible—franchises are finally collaborating in Street Fighter 4 Vs. Tekken 6. According to rumors reported by G4TV, developers are working on two different versions of the game; one to run on Capcom’s Street Fighter 4 engine, and the other to run on Namco’s Tekken 6 engine. Players would have the ability to choose between both versions. Great idea, if they can make it work.

I was originally going to argue for both 2D and 3D versions of the game; both could work, but in the end, if we have to make a choice, I’d say the Street Fighter characters would fit better into the Tekken engine than vice versa. I say scrap the idea of a 2D game and make the entire game 3D. Not like Street Fighter EX +Alpha, but genuine 3D. Here’s how I’d do it.

1). Eliminate Projectiles

Okay wait, wait, WAIT!! Don’t hit the back button just yet. I have a point…but in order to make this game balanced, we can’t have one character set that can attack from long range and another that can’t (Devil Jin and Azazel’s lasers don’t really count).
Don’t eliminate the animations for the projectiles, just the projectiles themselves; Ryu/Ken’s Hadoken takes on the same properties as Heihachi’s Demon Breath, and Guile’s Sonic Boom becomes similar to Jack’s Cross Cutter, just for starters. This way, these moves become great counters or juggle combo finishers.

2). Turn the Capcom Super Moves Into Unblockables

Following this logic, Ryu’s Shinkuu Hadoken would have windup time and then blast opponents across the screen if it connected.

3). Give the Capcom Character’s moves Juggle Properties

We’ve seen this explored (successfully) in the Marvel vs. Capcom series. Give Ryu/Ken’s crouching Fierce (pulled off with RP in this control scheme) the ability to launch foes. Follow that with two jabs and a Hurricane Kick and you have a seven hit combo that carries opponent’s clear across the screen.

Story is easy; Guile and Chun Li are investigating the Mishima Zaibatsu, which is being threatened by Section 6 (or whatever Seth’s organization is called) causing Heihachi to investigate the organization. Hoping to draw out whoever is behind the organization, Heihachi announces a King of Iron Fist tournament. M. Bison hopes to use the tournament to rebuild Shadoloo, while Ryu hears rumors of a devil-like being participating. He goes to test himself against it. Ken, his lifelong friend, goes with him, hoping to add another notch to his belt.

I have other ideas, but I want to keep this blog short. I may present arguments for a 2D version at a later date. For now, no blog like this is complete without a wish list, so…

Tekken Characters
Jin Kazama

Kayuza Mishima

Heihachi Mishima
Asuka Kazama

Raven
Yoshimitsu
Bryan Fury
Jack-6
King

Devil Jin

Eddie Gordo

Paul Phoenix

Nina Williams

Hworoang

Street Fighter Characters

Ryu
Ken

Akuma

Guile

Zangief
Morrigan

Chun-Li

Sagat

Ibuki

Guy

M. Bison

Sakura
Cammy

Dan (yeah, Dan)

There should be some hidden characters, of course, but a 28-character roster at the outset should keep everybody happy for a bit.

This is just me and what I’d do if I was in charge. But I’m not, so with everyone else, I’m just watching, hoping…and waiting.

(c) Avery K. Tingle for Akting Out LLC

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So you’re new to writing? You probably already know that a lot of your success will be based not just on your writing, but by the number of people who read your writing. That being said, you may already have a twitter account (and if you don’t, go get one before you read any further). Here are the top ten writers you need to be following.

10). @problogger
Darren Rowse may as well have written the book on professional blogging. Anything you want to know from writing compelling material to discovering an audience can be found, either by following his tweetstream or checking out his site, which you can find here.

9). @jchutchins
Famous for his Seventh Son series as well as hilarious one-liners on his Facebook page, Mr. Hutchins found success by turning his novels into a free podcast series. Friendly, funny, and very much a nerd, you may be better off friending him on Facebook than following his tweetstream; he updates Facebook more often, and it’s almost always good for a laugh.

8). @AngsCopywriting
Almost every writer needs to know what SEO is, and very few know more than Angie Nicolychuk. Angie is a professional writer who provides consulting, coaching, and copywriting services for a fee. She’s listed here because she is very friendly, engaging, and willing to pass on what she’s learned. Follow her tweetstream for the occasional article on SEO writing. Check out her web page if you’re interested in what she does. If you’re trying to set your blog apart from the pack, you need to be following her.

7). @lauraeno
Laura is a perfect example as to how one delivers quality fiction on a scheduled basis, thus building up a loyal fan base. Her page, A Shift In Dimensions, boasts nearly two hundred fans, with good reason; Laura’s writing is excellent. Check out her latest entry into her series, Under the Sea, to find out what I’m talking about. Laura also engages all of her followers (provided you have something good to say) and regularly supports the Friday Flash tradition by retweeting the works of others.

Also, her take on the Immortals is a great example of bite-sized, quality writing. All of her stories standalone and the character’s plights are both tragic and lighthearted. A wormhole at the bottom of the sea? You need to be reading this story.

6). @Keikomushi
Dianne is a great example as to what can result from hard work. I first met Keiko through Universal Warrior, and we’ve been friends ever since. Our friendship demonstrates what twitter can do for you when you put something into it; Keiko is a gamer and fantasy author who deftly blends mysticism with the old west. Keiko is also an avid learner and researcher, and truthfully, I wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for her support. I recommend Keiko because I enjoy her work, she’s very easy to relate to, she’s a geek (and she’s married, sorry). Her interests are varied and she’s very open. Pay attention to her and what she does; you may learn something. Read more about Dianne at Keiko Online.

5). @AlanBaxter
Alan has completed two self-published novels (which I need to get around to reading) and parlayed his success into his own small publishing firm. He’s another example of what you can do when you put your mind on something. I also appreciate Alan’s blunt nature and low tolerance for self-pity; it’s served as a reality check on a couple of occasions. If you’re trying to write action-based fantasy (and I am, which is why I shared), then following Alan is a great start. He also occasionally posts dark Flash Fiction on his blog, with is always worth a look.

4). @Jsubject
Jessica is kind enough to give me #WriterWednesday and #FollowFriday shouts every week, which is what led me to her. Jessica authors the Mark of the Stars series; I share her because her blog features interviews with authors, book recommendations, and reviews.

3). @MeiLinMiranda
MeiLin Miranda is one of the founding mothers of Web Fiction. She brings so many things to the table that it’s difficult to name them all; follow her, and you will learn how to attract a fan base (I believe hers is at 10k and growing), write a story with such depth and breadth that it attracts fan art, create a blog that anyone can read (her entries from life excerpts to recipes) and even do the impossible; make money from your writing. Check out her page here, along with one of the web’s best stories, An Intimate History of the Greater Kingdom.

2). @CPatrickSchultze
Mr. Schultze regularly posts excellent articles on the art of writing, everything from writing convincing dialogue, the importance of setting in a story, and working with agents. His posts are must-reads for anyone trying to turn their writing into a full-time career. Check out his web page for the goods.

1). @thecreativepenn
The lovely Mrs. Joanna Penn easily gets the top-spot. There is not a single writer, published or unpublished, who should not be following her. Through her extensive podcasts, articles, and interviews, Mrs. Penn has dedicated herself to helping writers advance their career, and much of what I’ve learned on being a writer comes from her. If you follow no one else on this list, you need to be following the Creative Penn. You need to be signed up on her web page, you need to be hearing her podcasts, you need to be listening to everything she has to say.

Hope you find this list, which is a fraction of the great writers on twitter, useful. Thanks for reading and best of luck in your endeavors.

(c) Avery K. Tingle for Akting Out LLC

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“Look…”

Angelica was the first to break the mental silence. An hour-long excursion into the Atherean had turned up nothing, literally; the Atherean was eerily, unnaturally silent. Not a single fish, dolphin, or even a shark had presented itself. Beyond that, even the plant life was oddly missing; no brightly-colored flora decorated the pale blue jagged formations that jutted up from the ocean floor.

Nothing was left; as though every life in the sea had been suddenly driven to extinction.

Yet, they were not alone, Reginald knew that. The ever-present tingle at the base of his spine reminded him of that. His eyes darted left and right across the expanse, his breath coming quickly, so as not to give away their position; something was watching them, waiting for them.

Hunting them.

Angelica, behind them, pointed to something that glinted, half-buried in the Atherean’s sandy floor. Reginald followed her eyes and his heart sank; now he understood why Zeus had been so angry.

Jayden, who had taken point, landed first, followed by Reginald, then the ever-apprehensive Lihua and Angelica. “Is that…?” Angelica Reached to all of them, pointing to the long, rusting object. Reginald nodded sadly, pulling the item from the sand. “It is…” He acknowledged. “Poseidon’s trident.”

The weapon had once belonged the king of the seas, Zeus’ cousin. Now, acquiring mold with two of its trines bent out of shape, a cold fear enveloped Reginald; whatever had slain the Poseidon now controlled the Atherean.

“We need to take this back to Zeus.” Reginald Reached, tucking the ruined weapon into his belt at his back.

“Why’re you crying?” Jayden’s tone was accusatory, and aimed at Lihua. She quickly wiped her eyes and shook her head. “I’m not…” Her Reach was meek, “I just…I…”

“The sea king is dead, Jayden.” Angelica chastised, “I think we’re all a little shaken.”

“She’s right.” Reginald confirmed, “The creature that did this is beyond all of us.”

“Poseidon was one being.” Jayden replied, “And my brothers and sisters were unprepared. We’re hunting it now; it’s not going to be able to take all four of us.” His last line was aimed distrustfully at Lihua.

Angelica suddenly looked off into the distance; something had caught her mental attention. The three of them whipped to her line of sight, reaching for their weapons. A school of twenty goldfish lingered, hovering in the distance some fifty yards away. They were in a diamond formation, bobbing in the water observantly.

“Finally, some answers.” Jayden growled. He Reached out to the fish. They didn’t respond.

Reginald felt Jayden’s attempt and reinforced it with his own. Again, nothing.

The fish slowly approached.

Angelica’s Reach was more powerful than all of their combined, and the question was simple enough; “What has happened here?”

Reginald saw horror descend onto Angelica’s face. Lihua’s fists clenched.

The thought was an alarm that blared to all of them. Those are not goldfish!

The fish accelerated.

“Everyone scatter!” Reginald ordered. Jayden went his own way, lunging towards the crimson fish, knife drawn. Reginald drew his axes, darting left, as Angelica began ascending and Lihua merely stepped back, raising open hands.

The fish were quick, and all teeth. Reginald quickly dodged to the right as two fish shot past his left arm, bringing one of his axes down on one of them, cleaving it in half. He could feel Jayden’s bloodlust as the boy engaged seven of them–wiping out five with quick, violent slashes. For a brief moment, Reginald and Jayden made eye contact as the last red-bellied fish fell in two-pieces. Jayden’s smile worried him.

Angelica hovered above all of another seven of them as they approached her mindlessly, baring hundreds of fangs that fit impossibly into tiny mouths. Before they could reach her, Angelica looked to them, blinking, putting her hand at her head–the fish seized in mid-swim, and then floated lifelessly to the floor. Reginald felt a mild twinge at the front of his head, and no longer wondered why Odin and Zeus had insisted upon her coming with them.

Lihua seemed to lose herself in the fray, but her movements were neither wild, nor violent. The water didn’t even react to her. One fish went for her ankle; she merely stepped out of the way. Another tried to eviscerate her, she simply pivoted. She clutched that fish and squeezed, and it was no longer a threat. An open-palm strike to the temple of another fish ended that threat as well. She then waited, exhaling, hands open, as the remaining fish continued to circle her. The peace she exuded belied the apprehension she had shown thus far.

A wave of stale air blasted past all of them, sending Jayden and Angelica tumbling through the water before they recovered. Reginald and Lihua shielded themselves, suddenly buffeted by a water-borne hurricane that came from nowhere. When it cleared, they were no longer under attack.

Instead, Reginald, Jayden, Angelica, and Lihua found themselves looking at a monster. The few fish that remained hovered obediently at its side.

It was pale, sickly, like a well-built corpse. It was muscular, blue veins protruding at various points from its body. Its fingers were thickly webbed, and in its left hand, it carried an off-white trident that matched its skin, and looked as though it could’ve been made of rubber.

It had no eyes, only black holes where eyes should’ve been. A flat, gill-like nose and sharpened yellow teeth. Large, webbed ears completed the creature. It looked like a bastardized version of Poseidon.

And Reginald knew he was looking at the creature that had slain the king of the sea.

“Who are you?” Reginald demanded, trying to mask his fear.

For a moment, the creature said nothing, slowly lowering its head. After a moment, it snapped up, as if suddenly becoming aware of their presence. “Who, me?” He pointed to himself in mock innocence. “I’m Rahab. Welcome to my seas.”

(c) Avery K. Tingle for Akting Out LLC

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There was this time when I was good at everything I put my mind to. I didn’t mind losing (in fact, I still don’t) because each loss is an opportunity to examine, and overcome your own weaknesses. It didn’t matter what I was doing; fighting, playing video games or football, I was going to win.

Accepting that I can’t push myself to victory as I used to has been difficult. It’s harder in the legitimate life than it was on the street. I wonder if some homeless people choose to live that way (make no mistake, some people are on the street because they want to be) because losses in the legitimate life feel much worse. You screw up in the street; chances are it’s forgotten in a week, or you can just head somewhere else. Here, you have to face your loss every single day.

At the beginning of July, my job announced that they were giving away an iPad to the center’s top sellers of internet and DISH. I vowed that I was going to get it, and with God as my witness, I put everything I had into it. DISH was never my strong suit, but I’ve been the center’s top Internet seller before. Never mind that I was coming out of a slump; everyone gets knocked down. The point is that you get back up.

I didn’t get the iPad. I didn’t even come close; I finished dead last in the center for internet sales.

However, in every failure, there is an opportunity to learn.

I didn’t do my best. I didn’t maximize every opportunity I had. I was either burned out or just didn’t care, and I only wound up hurting myself. I really wanted that iPad; I fell short because I didn’t do everything I could to win it.

We’re often given the tools we need to accomplish a task, even if we don’t know how to use them at the outset. Most of the time, when we fall short, it’s because we did not apply ourselves as we should have. Or maybe we weren’t ready to achieve what we were working for. My point is; we gain nothing by blaming the world for our own shortcomings. The true secret to recovering from failure is to learn from your mistakes and come back stronger.

This is just how I do it. I fail. I learn from what I did wrong, and I try not to let anything get me twice.

Thanks for reading.

(c) Avery K. Tingle for Akting Out LLC

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