Goodbye Dale

So if it wasn't obvious from my Friday Five posts (that reminds me, I need to do more of those) about the undead, I'm a fan of zombies.  As such, I'm a fan of The Walking Dead.  Both the comic and the AMC series.


From this point on there will be spoilers, you have been warned.

In yesterday's episode the group was discussing what to do with someone they had captured a few episodes ago.  They had saved him from zombies, fixed up his injuries, and then decided to kill him because of the potential threat he might at some point represent.

I was not happy with seeing characters I liked choosing to kill someone who was otherwise harmless, I'd like to think people are better than that.  But what I do like about the show is how the characters are being portrayed in their decisions.  I don't like the decision, but it's clear that the characters aren't happy about it either.

Most vocal about this was Dale.  Rick was upset about it but willing to kill a living, human, captive.  Rick was unhappy, but Dale was outspoken.  I've always liked Dale.  From the first episode he appeared in I liked how he was not just the moral center of the group but also a connection to the world they had lost.

A large part of this was his age.  Dale was, aside from Hershel, the oldest character on the cast.  So it was understandable that he would cling the strongest to the 'civilized way' of doing things.  Again, I think this helped him also be the moral compass.  One of my favorites moments of his was in the first season when he argued to allow a dying man the choice of how to die.  Not to kill him, but to give him the choice.

Even when the show first began airing, AMC put up a character test on their website.  And lo and behold, turns out the character I'm most like is Dale.  Like I said, I always liked Dale.

And now he's dead.

Rewinding my rambling a moment, in this past episode Dale spent the entire time arguing for the life of their prisoner.  First individually with other members of the group, even moving forward Shane's character development away from a complete psychopath.  Then later with every member of the cast.

What really caught my attention was that during the group conversation Dale was the only one standing in the light.  Rick was caught between the light and the shadows and everyone else was standing in shadows.  At first I thought it was a bit of a blatant use of lighting and staging to show Dale's standpoint compared to everyone else, but it worked for the scene and kept the attention where it needed to be.

Then Dale died and I started thinking.  Earlier in the episode there was also a brief conversation regarding Heaven and belief.  I'd like to think that Dale's death could actually be interpreted not only as a moment of redemption for the group (as the next episode promo seems to imply) but also as a way for him to get to where he deserves to be.

I'm not saying I personally believe in Heaven.  But I feel that Dale stepped into the light.

Five things that I allow to stop me from writing

So there has obviously been a gap in my posting to this journal, I could make excuses about work or life or what-have-you.  But then this blog was started as a way for me to write about those things so blaming them for my not writing...yeah, that's not happening,

Instead I decided to dive back in with another top five.  No zombies this time folks, sticking with reality for the moment.  Not that this is five things that I allow to stop me from writing, you won't find writer's block on this list.  Actually I meant to post this last friday, which brings us to...

#5:  Procrastination.

I, am a lazy, lazy man.  I think it's true that we all will find excuses to avoid things we don't want to do, or are simply not in the mood for.

Headache?

But at times I'll actually try to avoid things that I like doing.  Usually it's because I'm doing something else that I like and writing just couldn't break the tie.  But even with all the things I like doing I tend to not pick writing as often as I should.

#4:  Distractions.

Which brings me to the next item, or rather it would have brought me to this point but I got distracted watching M*A*S*H just now.  Between video games, TV and random shiny objects I tend to get sidetracked a little bit too easily.  I'd keep writing on this point but the rest of the list is demanding my attention.

#3:  Moodiness.

My writing is very affected by my mood, and usually not for the better.  When I have a good mood it's easy to write but I'm more easily distracted and when I'm in a lousy mood I don't want to do anything.  What I should do is either channel that positive energy or vent the negative.

...Then again, maybe not.

#2:  Scheduling.

I work a few different jobs (and still can't afford rent.)  Because of that there are some, very rare, days when I have a day off, but see items 5 through 3 for how those days go.  Most days are at least one of the jobs for half the day, and oftentimes it's both in the same day.  More often than not I leave the house and don't come back for around 15 hours.  Between finding time for food and sleep I don't have much time left for writing.

#1:  Sleepiness.

Ok this one is harder to avoid and work around.  Between all the work and other commitments on my time I have enough trouble finding time for sleep, never mind finding time for enough sleep.  And of course, when I'm tired I don't write.  Even when I manage to it isn't something I want to share.  But considering I wrote all this as stream of consciousness maybe that isn't such a bad thing after all.  All that said and done, time for bed.

Anyone care to join me?

As always, all pictures taken from Google image search with no knowledge of copyright or ownership and no intent to follow them unless forced to.