I'm having a lousy week.
I got a rejection on Monday. This time they actually told me what was wrong. That didn't make me feel better.
Insomnia on Thursday and Friday.
Four days of subbing for Japanese. That's great for my wallet. But Japanese has been a lot of prep work. So I haven't gotten much else done.
Sorry for the poor post.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Weekly Update: 3-16-14 Disneyland
I know the sights and symbols of Southern California pretty well by now: the palm trees, the ever-blooming flowers, the mission style houses, the sunshine. But for some reason, when I walked into Disneyland, it felt like California intensified. Everything just seemed brighter.
My cousin's fiance, Krystal, works in Disneyland and got us in for free. We hit several good rides like Indiana Jones, Star Tours, and Big Thunder Mountain. Technically, Big Thunder Mountain wasn't open to the public yet, but cast members and their guests got to preview the ride. They'd cleaned it up and added more special effects. It was fun.
But the funniest moment came on the Indiana Jones ride. We were bumping around on our jalopy, avoiding snakes and bugs and lava. Right at the climax of the ride, Indy hangs on a rope in front of a huge boulder. We'd all been on the ride and knew the boulder was supposed to plummet toward us.
"Save us, Indy!" Krystal cried.
The ride came to a dead stop.
We waited as the seconds ticked by and the boulder stayed put. The Indy animatronic doll continued to wriggle suggestively on the rope, its legs squeezed tight.
"I hope you don't need to go to the bathroom," Krystal said.
It was hilarious.
We had to go on Pirates of the Carribean and the Haunted Mansion. I swear, everytime I go to Disneyland, I end up on those rides. There's something about them that sparks my imagination. We also went on the Jungle Cruise and the Buzz Lightyear shooting game and saw Mickey and the Magical Map and the Main Street Parade.
* * *
My cousin's fiance, Krystal, works in Disneyland and got us in for free. We hit several good rides like Indiana Jones, Star Tours, and Big Thunder Mountain. Technically, Big Thunder Mountain wasn't open to the public yet, but cast members and their guests got to preview the ride. They'd cleaned it up and added more special effects. It was fun.
But the funniest moment came on the Indiana Jones ride. We were bumping around on our jalopy, avoiding snakes and bugs and lava. Right at the climax of the ride, Indy hangs on a rope in front of a huge boulder. We'd all been on the ride and knew the boulder was supposed to plummet toward us.
"Save us, Indy!" Krystal cried.
The ride came to a dead stop.
We waited as the seconds ticked by and the boulder stayed put. The Indy animatronic doll continued to wriggle suggestively on the rope, its legs squeezed tight.
"I hope you don't need to go to the bathroom," Krystal said.
It was hilarious.
We had to go on Pirates of the Carribean and the Haunted Mansion. I swear, everytime I go to Disneyland, I end up on those rides. There's something about them that sparks my imagination. We also went on the Jungle Cruise and the Buzz Lightyear shooting game and saw Mickey and the Magical Map and the Main Street Parade.
We dined at Cafe Orleans after the parade. Being Disneyland, prices were outrageous, but Krystal's employee discount got us half off menu price, which bumped it back down to reasonable. I ate a triple cheese Monte Carlo sandwich. It was like a savory beneign, fried and puffed up and crusted with powdered sugar. It was so rich, I couldn't eat it all. So I gave half to one of Krystal's friends and ate some of her blackened chicken and vegetables instead.
* * *
Other than that, I've been attempting to write short stories this week, which is turning out to be pretty impossible because I can't write short. For proof, look no further than my "Three Floating Coffins" story, which was originally supposed to be a simple fairy tale. Today I officially reached the 50,000 word mark--200 pages--and I still have another 12 chapters to go!
I began trying to write a story of a plain girl given false beauty, a magic ring with spikes around the inner circle, and a talking raven. My tentative title was "Counterfeit Diamond." Unfortunately, after some 2,000 words, I realized I had a good excuse for the girl and raven to head off on many adventures together. So I moved on to "The Sword in the Lake," an old story inspired by Lake Tahoe about a man who lost his son and a boy who lost his home struggling to fish the magic sword out of the lake. That story had an ending, but it was longer--maybe 20 pages--and I couldn't finish it in the few days I had left.
I began trying to write a story of a plain girl given false beauty, a magic ring with spikes around the inner circle, and a talking raven. My tentative title was "Counterfeit Diamond." Unfortunately, after some 2,000 words, I realized I had a good excuse for the girl and raven to head off on many adventures together. So I moved on to "The Sword in the Lake," an old story inspired by Lake Tahoe about a man who lost his son and a boy who lost his home struggling to fish the magic sword out of the lake. That story had an ending, but it was longer--maybe 20 pages--and I couldn't finish it in the few days I had left.
Book Review: Graceling
Title: Graceling
Author: Kristin Cashore
Genre: Fantasy (Sword and Sorcery), YA
Summary
Within the Seven Kingdoms, children whose eyes turn dual colors are marked as having a Grace, an incredible talent eagerly sought by ambitious kings. At age 8, Katsa, with one eye green as the grasses and one eye blue as the sky, slapped a man and shattered his skull, forever marking her as a Killer. Her uncle, the King of Middluns, has spent the years since refining her into his own personal weapon. It's a role that Katsa has only recently begun to chafe against. In broad daylight she enforces her uncle's tyrannical will, but in the secret of the night she carries out rescue missions.
It's on one such mission to free a kidnapped prince that Katsa encounters another Graceling, a fighter named Po, with one eye silver and one eye gold. He says he trusts her. But should she trust him? For Po has a way of getting under Katsa's skin, making her question who she is and what she's capable of becoming. As they work together to unravel the mystery behind the kidnapping, Katsa soon learns that Po has secrets of his own....
Review
This is the kind of good, solid fantasy I love to read: equal parts outward quest and inward journey. I have to admit, though, when I saw Graceling on a table at Barnes and Noble, I was initially wary. Clear-cut sword and sorcery fantasy is incredibly easy to botch. I should know; I've read my share of botched fantasy. But this book was good. I read all 471 pages in less than 24 hours.
I really appreciated the morality of the heroes and the warmth of their relationships. Since Katsa's originally presented as a killer, I was prepared for angst, guilt, and cynicism. Actually, I found her genuinely heroic and relatable. She refuses to kill unless its necessary. She has a bit of a temper but doesn't let it control her. The few times she does lash out in anger, she regrets it. I find this a refreshing departure from the typical fantasy hero, usually a bundle of moods, whose anger is presented as an asset rather than a liability.
Katsa's internal change marks the first of three main plot threads in Graceling. Po--and Katsa's relationship to him--marks the second. The third plot thread is the kidnapping of the prince and how it reveals a growing threat from a far-off kingdom. These three plots are braided together expertly, so that whenever one seems to come to a conclusion, the other two pick up the slack. There's always something to make the reader wonder, always some reason to continue reading.
Could I nitpick about the book's flaws? Sure. I find Katsa's Grace a bit too powerful and all-encompassing for my taste. During one point in the romantic arc, Katsa goes from mostly stoic to moody so abruptly I wondered if she'd fallen into an enchantment. The ending lingered past the villian's defeat, neither concluding the story nor setting up a sequel.
But on the whole, I found Graceling immensely satisfying, with plenty of fun and magic, emotion and adventure. Ms. Cashore has written a classic fantasy without succumbing to its cliches. That's no easy balance to achieve. I heartily recommend Graceling to anyone looking for an adventurous fix.
Author: Kristin Cashore
Genre: Fantasy (Sword and Sorcery), YA
Summary
Within the Seven Kingdoms, children whose eyes turn dual colors are marked as having a Grace, an incredible talent eagerly sought by ambitious kings. At age 8, Katsa, with one eye green as the grasses and one eye blue as the sky, slapped a man and shattered his skull, forever marking her as a Killer. Her uncle, the King of Middluns, has spent the years since refining her into his own personal weapon. It's a role that Katsa has only recently begun to chafe against. In broad daylight she enforces her uncle's tyrannical will, but in the secret of the night she carries out rescue missions.
It's on one such mission to free a kidnapped prince that Katsa encounters another Graceling, a fighter named Po, with one eye silver and one eye gold. He says he trusts her. But should she trust him? For Po has a way of getting under Katsa's skin, making her question who she is and what she's capable of becoming. As they work together to unravel the mystery behind the kidnapping, Katsa soon learns that Po has secrets of his own....
This is the kind of good, solid fantasy I love to read: equal parts outward quest and inward journey. I have to admit, though, when I saw Graceling on a table at Barnes and Noble, I was initially wary. Clear-cut sword and sorcery fantasy is incredibly easy to botch. I should know; I've read my share of botched fantasy. But this book was good. I read all 471 pages in less than 24 hours.
I really appreciated the morality of the heroes and the warmth of their relationships. Since Katsa's originally presented as a killer, I was prepared for angst, guilt, and cynicism. Actually, I found her genuinely heroic and relatable. She refuses to kill unless its necessary. She has a bit of a temper but doesn't let it control her. The few times she does lash out in anger, she regrets it. I find this a refreshing departure from the typical fantasy hero, usually a bundle of moods, whose anger is presented as an asset rather than a liability.
Katsa's internal change marks the first of three main plot threads in Graceling. Po--and Katsa's relationship to him--marks the second. The third plot thread is the kidnapping of the prince and how it reveals a growing threat from a far-off kingdom. These three plots are braided together expertly, so that whenever one seems to come to a conclusion, the other two pick up the slack. There's always something to make the reader wonder, always some reason to continue reading.
Could I nitpick about the book's flaws? Sure. I find Katsa's Grace a bit too powerful and all-encompassing for my taste. During one point in the romantic arc, Katsa goes from mostly stoic to moody so abruptly I wondered if she'd fallen into an enchantment. The ending lingered past the villian's defeat, neither concluding the story nor setting up a sequel.
But on the whole, I found Graceling immensely satisfying, with plenty of fun and magic, emotion and adventure. Ms. Cashore has written a classic fantasy without succumbing to its cliches. That's no easy balance to achieve. I heartily recommend Graceling to anyone looking for an adventurous fix.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Travelogue: Civil War Re-Enactment, Part 8
The Meaning of the Civil War
Event: Civil War Enactment
Date: Sunday, February 16, 2014
Location: Calico Ghost Town
The little train chug-chugs into Calico station. We are off on one final ride before the day comes to an end. I stand looking at the rocky hills, the blue desert sky, the Union banners flapping in the wind. Can there really be a connection between Calico and the Civil War? Or is it all just a game of make believe?
I think back to the old Confederate soldier who showed me the supplies.
"I come from a family of cotton pickers and pecan pickers," he told me. "I'm proud of my blue collar roots. Even today--except for teachers--there are no professionals in my family."
His ancestors had originally settled in the South, before the Civil War disrupted their lives. Between the utter destruction of property during the war and the slow and often vindictive nature of Reconstruction, the Southern economy was in shambles. Soldiers had no home to return to. Jobs dried up. Many had no choice but to move elsewhere. The old Confederate's family, along with countless other families, moved west, settling empty lands and filling up the Western United States.
"The Civil War gave Manifest Destiny a kick in the butt," the old Confederate soldier concluded.
Which brings me back to Calico. The town is rooted squarely in the Cowboys-and-Indians era of American history. Would that era have come about in such a dramatic fashion, if not for the Civil War? The old Confederate argues that the lawlessness of the Wild West did not come about because people up and decided they wanted to break the law. They robbed banks, because they were desperate.
The train pulls in. I take a seat in the shade and pull out my camera to snap shots of tunnels and yellow deposits of clay. The creaky overhead voice announces points of interest: the old settlement ruins, the richest silver mine, Chinatown. My mind is still full of the events of the past.
"Little children come up to me and say, 'Why are you the bad guy?' " said a man in a gray Confederate uniform. "It's not as simple as that. This may offend some people, but you can't just take textbooks at their word. You have to do your own research."
"I always tell people 750,000 Americans died in the Civil War," said the old Confederate soldier. "Not Northerners. Not Southerners. Americans."
* * *
Disclaimer: All quotes are approximate.
* * *
Thank you for all those who patiently read through all these long-winded articles. I hope you, like me, were able to learn just a little more about this fascinating period. I owe a debt of gratitude to the Civil War re-enactors who spend so much of their time, money, and energy making history come alive. You are awesome! Thank you.
Event: Civil War Enactment
Date: Sunday, February 16, 2014
Location: Calico Ghost Town
The little train chug-chugs into Calico station. We are off on one final ride before the day comes to an end. I stand looking at the rocky hills, the blue desert sky, the Union banners flapping in the wind. Can there really be a connection between Calico and the Civil War? Or is it all just a game of make believe?
 |
| Calico Train and Union Banner |
I think back to the old Confederate soldier who showed me the supplies.
"I come from a family of cotton pickers and pecan pickers," he told me. "I'm proud of my blue collar roots. Even today--except for teachers--there are no professionals in my family."
His ancestors had originally settled in the South, before the Civil War disrupted their lives. Between the utter destruction of property during the war and the slow and often vindictive nature of Reconstruction, the Southern economy was in shambles. Soldiers had no home to return to. Jobs dried up. Many had no choice but to move elsewhere. The old Confederate's family, along with countless other families, moved west, settling empty lands and filling up the Western United States.
Which brings me back to Calico. The town is rooted squarely in the Cowboys-and-Indians era of American history. Would that era have come about in such a dramatic fashion, if not for the Civil War? The old Confederate argues that the lawlessness of the Wild West did not come about because people up and decided they wanted to break the law. They robbed banks, because they were desperate.
 |
| View from the Train |
The train pulls in. I take a seat in the shade and pull out my camera to snap shots of tunnels and yellow deposits of clay. The creaky overhead voice announces points of interest: the old settlement ruins, the richest silver mine, Chinatown. My mind is still full of the events of the past.
"Little children come up to me and say, 'Why are you the bad guy?' " said a man in a gray Confederate uniform. "It's not as simple as that. This may offend some people, but you can't just take textbooks at their word. You have to do your own research."
"I always tell people 750,000 Americans died in the Civil War," said the old Confederate soldier. "Not Northerners. Not Southerners. Americans."
 |
| Americans |
THE END
* * *
Disclaimer: All quotes are approximate.
* * *
Thank you for all those who patiently read through all these long-winded articles. I hope you, like me, were able to learn just a little more about this fascinating period. I owe a debt of gratitude to the Civil War re-enactors who spend so much of their time, money, and energy making history come alive. You are awesome! Thank you.
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Travelogue: Civil War Re-Enactment, Part 7
Battle of the Schoolhouse
Event: Civil War Re-Enactment
Date: Sunday, February 16, 2014
Location: Calico Ghost Town
The yellow ropes are back. This time, Union soldiers occupy the upper road at the top of the main hill. Their cannons point across a gully, toward the Confederate cannon on a second hill, where the old schoolhouse stands. A Union soldier explains the ropes are for our own safety. The gunpowder's real, and it's dangerous.
"Why don't you use real bullets, too?" quips a member of the audience.
"We'd have a hard time recruiting new people," the soldier replies.
I can't see the schoolhouse at all--one of the restaurants blocks it off. The best I can do is peer across the gully from cannon to cannon. The Union troops wait in lines, as the cannon is loaded. Warning is given. The cannon blasts. At the same time, a unit of Union soldiers breaks off from the main group and makes for the schoolhouse.
It takes me a minute to figure out why. The barrage of cannon fire gives the infantry cover. They can march more safely when everyone's distracted by the Boom! Sure enough, each time the Union cannons fire, another unit of foot soldiers take off.
The Confederates fire back. I don't know what kind of gunpowder they're sticking in, but their Booms! seems exponentially louder than the Union's. Maybe it's because I know when to expect a blast from the Union cannon--I see the men load it and hear the leader shout "Fire!" The Confederates take me by surprise; that makes the noise louder. So I start to watch the Confederate cannon very closely.
Boom! goes the Confederate cannon
Boom! replies the Union cannon.
Suddenly, cheers break out from the audience. I turn my head just in time to see the last unit of blue-coated soldiers go running down into the gully. The flag bearer stands tall, as Union troops kneel and fire. Snap, snap, snap. Smoke wafts around them.
The artillery can't deal with this. It's up to a few Confederate gunmen to hold the hill from the advance of Union troops. There's something very Western about the scene. The Confederates play a feisty group of bandits, the Union is the long arm of the law. As the blue-coats fire their riffles in unison, a Confederate falls. The audience Awws sympathetically.
Other stuff's going on, too. The cannons keep firing. Union soldiers sent out earlier are most likely conducting some awesome raid on the Confederate camp that I can't see at all. Some green-coated Union sharpshooters invade the gully itself but die before they reach the cannons. (I question the veracity of the term "sharpshooter.")
Mostly, though, I'm entranced by the drama taking place at the base of the hill. It's a shoot out! Even though the Confederates have the high ground, the Union's superior numbers prove to be too much. The Confederates drop like flies, until only a single soldier remains.
It looks like a firing squad. The Union blasts at the lone Confederate, smoke pouring forth from their riffles.
Fun fact! Do you know that the riffles in the Civil War were atrociously inaccurate? Why, only a few hours earlier, some of the Confederates told me that getting hit with a bullet was considered an act of divine providence--if a minie ball pierced your heart, God clearly meant you to die.
And so, despite the fact that the lone Confederate is maybe ten feet away, not one of the Union soldiers can bring him down. The Confederate gunman shoots a pistol into the thick of blue-coats. Same result; not one of the enemy dies. It's almost comical how close they stand and yet can't kill each other. This would be a good time for bayonets, but those are banned for safety reasons.
At last the valiant Confederate receives a shoulder wound. He holds his ground, but it's over. The Union soldiers shoot, and he falls into the dust. Now the Union soldiers are free to capture the cannon.
From the furthest edges of my vision, I see the porch of the schoolhouse. Union soldiers have taken it. They march to the Confederate cannon to join their brothers in claiming victory. The star-spangled banner flaps triumphantly in the wind.
Then, as if on cue, the dead soldiers rise zombie-like from the ground.
The audience applauds.
* * *
To Be Continued...
Disclaimer: All quotes are approximate.
Event: Civil War Re-Enactment
Date: Sunday, February 16, 2014
Location: Calico Ghost Town
 |
| Schoolhouse |
The yellow ropes are back. This time, Union soldiers occupy the upper road at the top of the main hill. Their cannons point across a gully, toward the Confederate cannon on a second hill, where the old schoolhouse stands. A Union soldier explains the ropes are for our own safety. The gunpowder's real, and it's dangerous.
"Why don't you use real bullets, too?" quips a member of the audience.
"We'd have a hard time recruiting new people," the soldier replies.
 |
| Union Cannon Faces Confederate Cannon |
I can't see the schoolhouse at all--one of the restaurants blocks it off. The best I can do is peer across the gully from cannon to cannon. The Union troops wait in lines, as the cannon is loaded. Warning is given. The cannon blasts. At the same time, a unit of Union soldiers breaks off from the main group and makes for the schoolhouse.
It takes me a minute to figure out why. The barrage of cannon fire gives the infantry cover. They can march more safely when everyone's distracted by the Boom! Sure enough, each time the Union cannons fire, another unit of foot soldiers take off.
 |
| Union Barrage |
The Confederates fire back. I don't know what kind of gunpowder they're sticking in, but their Booms! seems exponentially louder than the Union's. Maybe it's because I know when to expect a blast from the Union cannon--I see the men load it and hear the leader shout "Fire!" The Confederates take me by surprise; that makes the noise louder. So I start to watch the Confederate cannon very closely.
Boom! replies the Union cannon.
Suddenly, cheers break out from the audience. I turn my head just in time to see the last unit of blue-coated soldiers go running down into the gully. The flag bearer stands tall, as Union troops kneel and fire. Snap, snap, snap. Smoke wafts around them.
 |
| Charging Across the Gully |
The artillery can't deal with this. It's up to a few Confederate gunmen to hold the hill from the advance of Union troops. There's something very Western about the scene. The Confederates play a feisty group of bandits, the Union is the long arm of the law. As the blue-coats fire their riffles in unison, a Confederate falls. The audience Awws sympathetically.
Other stuff's going on, too. The cannons keep firing. Union soldiers sent out earlier are most likely conducting some awesome raid on the Confederate camp that I can't see at all. Some green-coated Union sharpshooters invade the gully itself but die before they reach the cannons. (I question the veracity of the term "sharpshooter.")
 |
| Fighting in the Gully: Confederates and Green Coat |
Mostly, though, I'm entranced by the drama taking place at the base of the hill. It's a shoot out! Even though the Confederates have the high ground, the Union's superior numbers prove to be too much. The Confederates drop like flies, until only a single soldier remains.
It looks like a firing squad. The Union blasts at the lone Confederate, smoke pouring forth from their riffles.
 |
| Last Stand |
And so, despite the fact that the lone Confederate is maybe ten feet away, not one of the Union soldiers can bring him down. The Confederate gunman shoots a pistol into the thick of blue-coats. Same result; not one of the enemy dies. It's almost comical how close they stand and yet can't kill each other. This would be a good time for bayonets, but those are banned for safety reasons.
At last the valiant Confederate receives a shoulder wound. He holds his ground, but it's over. The Union soldiers shoot, and he falls into the dust. Now the Union soldiers are free to capture the cannon.
 |
| Union Takes the Hill |
From the furthest edges of my vision, I see the porch of the schoolhouse. Union soldiers have taken it. They march to the Confederate cannon to join their brothers in claiming victory. The star-spangled banner flaps triumphantly in the wind.
Then, as if on cue, the dead soldiers rise zombie-like from the ground.
The audience applauds.
 |
| Confederate Cannon |
* * *
To Be Continued...
Disclaimer: All quotes are approximate.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Weekly Update: 3-7-14
Everyone procrastinates, right?
February ended and with it my winter semester. Spring brings new work, new goals. March is supposed to herald a month of short story writing. I also need to get serious about researching my credential and looking for a summer job. But my brain does not want to get with the program. It would rather obsess over Frozen and add new pins to my Pinterest account.
Why do we procrastinate?
I think I procrastinate, because I feel overwhelmed and anxious. Rather than face my mental fear, I run from it, escape into anything but the thing I must focus on. Weirdly enough, this causes my already weak multi-taking facilities to collapse entirely, narrowing in on the object of my obsession. But procrastination causes guilt, which boils up inside me like a simmering pot. When the guilt becomes greater than thew fear, then at last I snap back into action.
Can anything good come out of procrastination?
Weirdly enough, I've found a nugget of goodness can come from the experience. Some of my pinterest pictures got me thinking of my Three Floating Coffins story. I re-wrote two vital chapters and brainstormed most of the ending. Obsessing over Frozen inspired me to look up Hans Christian Anderson, author of "The Snow Queen." I ended up borrowing a whole slew of fairy tails from the library, along with books on symbols, in order to help inspire short stories.
That's the good thing about writing. Anything you do can be recycled into inspiration.
Travelogue: Civil War Re-Enactment, Part 6
Grant's Press Conference
Event: Civil War Re-Enactment
Date: Sunday, February 16, 2014
Location: Calico Ghost Town
On the main street stage, General U.S. Grant is having technical difficulties. The same electronic equipment that gives him access to the microphone also plays soft but distracting frontier music. Eventually, Grant just shuts it off, to the applause of the audience.
"I never did care for music," he says. "The military band wanted to know my favorite song, so they could play it during dinner. I told them I have two. One's 'Yankee Doodle.' And the other one isn't."
Grant is wearing a black coat with shiny buttons on it. It's a civilian frock with the military insignia's sewn on--a duster, like he saw Zachary Taylor wear. He's got a cigar in his hand; after being asked a question, he puts it to his mouth, pausing for reply. A man in the audience asks why he smokes cigars. Grant answers in this day and age everyone smokes.
But he's very ardent that doesn't drink. Not at this time, toward the end of the Civil War. (Though drinking did cause him disgrace earier in his military career.) Someone in the audience starts to press him on this matter. Here the impersonator breaks character and says that as a former Marine and someone who followed Grant since he was 8, he's convinced that General Grant could not have run a successful military campaign if he were drunk.
There are many other stories. Like the time Grant took his son to a hotel and no one knew who he was until he signed the guest book. Thereupon everyone made such a fuss that he couldn't eat. That same night there was a reception for his upcoming promotion, but someone forgot to invite. Someone whisked him away at the last minute. The room parted like the red sea when he arrived; they made him stand on a sofa so everyone could see him. Lincoln spoke to Grant afterwards and expressly told him not to give him his military plans, because Lincoln, by his own admittance, was a terrible gossip.
But my favorite vignette is brief and telling.
The Battle of Shiloh, 1862. The first day of fighting didn't go well. The Confederate general took Grant by surprise. The expected reinforcements didn't come in until later that evening. In the midst of all this chaos, Grant sat under a tree, whittling.
"We lost today," Sherman commented.
"Yep," Grant calmly replied. "We'll whip 'em tomorrow."
And they did.
* * *
To Be Continued...
Disclaimer: All quotes are approximate.
Event: Civil War Re-Enactment
Date: Sunday, February 16, 2014
Location: Calico Ghost Town
On the main street stage, General U.S. Grant is having technical difficulties. The same electronic equipment that gives him access to the microphone also plays soft but distracting frontier music. Eventually, Grant just shuts it off, to the applause of the audience.
 |
| Grant on Stage |
"I never did care for music," he says. "The military band wanted to know my favorite song, so they could play it during dinner. I told them I have two. One's 'Yankee Doodle.' And the other one isn't."
Grant is wearing a black coat with shiny buttons on it. It's a civilian frock with the military insignia's sewn on--a duster, like he saw Zachary Taylor wear. He's got a cigar in his hand; after being asked a question, he puts it to his mouth, pausing for reply. A man in the audience asks why he smokes cigars. Grant answers in this day and age everyone smokes.
But he's very ardent that doesn't drink. Not at this time, toward the end of the Civil War. (Though drinking did cause him disgrace earier in his military career.) Someone in the audience starts to press him on this matter. Here the impersonator breaks character and says that as a former Marine and someone who followed Grant since he was 8, he's convinced that General Grant could not have run a successful military campaign if he were drunk.
There are many other stories. Like the time Grant took his son to a hotel and no one knew who he was until he signed the guest book. Thereupon everyone made such a fuss that he couldn't eat. That same night there was a reception for his upcoming promotion, but someone forgot to invite. Someone whisked him away at the last minute. The room parted like the red sea when he arrived; they made him stand on a sofa so everyone could see him. Lincoln spoke to Grant afterwards and expressly told him not to give him his military plans, because Lincoln, by his own admittance, was a terrible gossip.
 |
| A Terrible Gossip |
But my favorite vignette is brief and telling.
The Battle of Shiloh, 1862. The first day of fighting didn't go well. The Confederate general took Grant by surprise. The expected reinforcements didn't come in until later that evening. In the midst of all this chaos, Grant sat under a tree, whittling.
"We lost today," Sherman commented.
"Yep," Grant calmly replied. "We'll whip 'em tomorrow."
And they did.
* * *
To Be Continued...
Disclaimer: All quotes are approximate.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Travelogue: Civil War Re-Enactment, Part 5
Intermission
Event: Civil War Re-Enactment
Date: Sunday, February 16, 2014
Location: Calico Ghost Town
Between the heat, the dust, and the gunpowder smoke, my throat's gotten pretty dry. It's around noon. Time for lunch!
Evidently, everyone else has the same idea. The Calico House Restaurant is crowded. A sign says to seat ourselves, so we do. A salt and pepper holder made from horseshoes sits on the blue checkered tablecloth. So does a complimentary bucket of peanuts. Families husk the peanuts and toss the shells on the hardwood floor.
My mom refuses to create a mess. She collects her shells in a neat pile on the table.
The menu includes such old West easting as pulled pork sandwich, BBQ beef sandwich, and a bowl of chili--each for under $10. But I already know what I want: a buffalo burger! Mostly I just want to add buffalo to the list of unusual foods I've eaten.
We order specialty house sodas--sarsaparilla and boysenberry--which come in large ice-filled mason jars. As I soothe my throat with the cool drinks, I look around. The restaurant is full of country charm. There are black and white photos, red walls, white window sills, and waitresses in costume.
Before I know it, the food's here. I chomp down on my burger. The buffalo is dry and tastes slightly different from beef in a way I can't quite identify. A few more bites, however, and that subtle difference is wiped clean off my palate. It just tastes like a hamburger after that.
We're just finishing up, when we hear the sounds of fiddles from outside. The band is playing on the front porch and people are line dancing on the street. I watch, for a minute, as they clap and twirl, tourists and cowboys, adults and children.
* * *
To Be Continued...
Event: Civil War Re-Enactment
Date: Sunday, February 16, 2014
Location: Calico Ghost Town
Between the heat, the dust, and the gunpowder smoke, my throat's gotten pretty dry. It's around noon. Time for lunch!
 |
| Cold Drinks and Peanuts |
Evidently, everyone else has the same idea. The Calico House Restaurant is crowded. A sign says to seat ourselves, so we do. A salt and pepper holder made from horseshoes sits on the blue checkered tablecloth. So does a complimentary bucket of peanuts. Families husk the peanuts and toss the shells on the hardwood floor.
My mom refuses to create a mess. She collects her shells in a neat pile on the table.
The menu includes such old West easting as pulled pork sandwich, BBQ beef sandwich, and a bowl of chili--each for under $10. But I already know what I want: a buffalo burger! Mostly I just want to add buffalo to the list of unusual foods I've eaten.
 |
| Buffalo Burger |
Before I know it, the food's here. I chomp down on my burger. The buffalo is dry and tastes slightly different from beef in a way I can't quite identify. A few more bites, however, and that subtle difference is wiped clean off my palate. It just tastes like a hamburger after that.
We're just finishing up, when we hear the sounds of fiddles from outside. The band is playing on the front porch and people are line dancing on the street. I watch, for a minute, as they clap and twirl, tourists and cowboys, adults and children.
 |
| Dancing in the Street |
* * *
To Be Continued...
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Travelogue: Civil War Re-Enactment, Part 4
Battle of the Ruins
Event: Civil War Re-Enactment
Date: Sunday, February 16, 2014
Location: Calico Ghost Town
I remember a comical episode from the First Battle of Bull Run and Manassas. It was summer of 1861, the war had just started, and confidence ran high that the Union would whip the rebels quick and go back to business as usual. The war was all so amusing that Northern picnickers sat in the fields behind the Union lines in order to watch the festivities. It grew less amusing when Union troops lost the battle and broke into a frenzied retreat. Thereupon the picnickers realized they were closer to the action than they liked, hauled up their baskets, and scrambled away before Union and Confederate troops alike trampled their beloved blankets.
That's sort of how I feel right now--like one of those picnickers eager to exploit the war for my own selfish entertainment. The scent of popcorn fills the air as bystanders claim their seats upon the rocks. I'm irritated because no matter where I go, I can't get a perfect view.
The Union troops occupy the ruins of Chinatown. I look at the maze of crumbled orange walls and my mind thinks "fort." The ruins are the battlements, the center stage is the inner keep, the log fence is the outer wall, and the stairs leading into the fort is the main front gate.
A Confederate cannon sits a few feet from my newly imagined gate. Unfortunately, I can barely see it, because a stupid tree blocks my view. I also wouldn't mind getting closer to the fence, so as to take better picture of the blue-uniformed soldiers, but no, a yellow rope cuts me off. At last I give up and find a nice rock to sit on.
I'm chatting with my dad about Pickett's Charge, when the blast of the Confederate cannon loudly announces the start of the battle. It sounds like a firecracker and makes me jump.
In response, a battalion of perhaps 12 Union soldiers form a line along the wall and open fire on the cannon. Their guns sound rather less fearsome. Sort of like snapping. White smoke discharges from their guns and wafts around them. I suddenly wonder if whoever coined the phrase "fog of war" meant it literally.
The cannon replies to the gunshots. BOOM. There's a pause as everyone reloads. The Union opens fire. Snap, snap, snap. Pause. BOOM. Pause. Snap, snap, snap. Pause. BOOM.
The snapping reminds me of the popcorn. But soon after I think it, the air begins to reek of rotten eggs, and I'm vividly reminded that one of the three main ingredients in gunpowder is sulfur--the other two being charcoal and potassium nitrate (saltpeter).
I can think about things like the ingredients in gunpowder, because the action thus far hasn't been gripping. The Confederate's frontal assault seems neither imaginative nor very well thought-out. A lone cannon to take out a fort? How do they possibly expect to--
"Get out, you Yankee Dogs."
My head snaps away from the tree--er, cannon. A gang of Confederate soldiers have emerged from out of nowhere behind the Union line, pinning the blue soldiers between their guns and the cannon. The taunt gives the Union troops time to pull into a defensive position. The rebels open fire. Snap, snap, snap. BOOM! I flinch as the cannon goes off again.
The Union soldiers back up against the wall. Suddenly shots ring from the distant hills. A couple Confederate gunman, like outlaws, open fire on the walled fortress. Now the Union is beset by three sides.
Somehow the cannon's moved up to the fortress while I was distracted by the gunmen. Wait! It's not just a cannon. There are Confederate troops as well. (Curse you tree for blocking my view!) The troops have breeched the gate and are climbing down the stairs. They're taking over the ruins! Union! Get your act together!
Everything's moving so quickly, even though none of the soldiers seem to rush. The Confederate troops who emerged from behind the Union line ("Get out, you Yankee Dogs!") march between the yellow rope and the fence, turn the curve, and make for the front gate stairs. They march--they don't run. Yet I can't keep track of the action. The blasts of gunpowder draw my attention from hills to cannon to Union line and back. People end up where they're not supposed to be. The fort is overrun.
The blue-coated soldiers fall back to the center stage. They're rallying around the Union flag. But it's too late. The Confederates have moved in. The Union gives ground and gives ground, until they're pushed out of the fort completely. A few last shots from the hills, and it's over.
The rebels hoist their flag in the center of the fort and stand in solemn attention. A lone bugle plays an anthem. The Confederates have won this round.
* * *
To Be Continued...
Disclaimer: All quotes are approximate.
Event: Civil War Re-Enactment
Date: Sunday, February 16, 2014
Location: Calico Ghost Town
I remember a comical episode from the First Battle of Bull Run and Manassas. It was summer of 1861, the war had just started, and confidence ran high that the Union would whip the rebels quick and go back to business as usual. The war was all so amusing that Northern picnickers sat in the fields behind the Union lines in order to watch the festivities. It grew less amusing when Union troops lost the battle and broke into a frenzied retreat. Thereupon the picnickers realized they were closer to the action than they liked, hauled up their baskets, and scrambled away before Union and Confederate troops alike trampled their beloved blankets.
That's sort of how I feel right now--like one of those picnickers eager to exploit the war for my own selfish entertainment. The scent of popcorn fills the air as bystanders claim their seats upon the rocks. I'm irritated because no matter where I go, I can't get a perfect view.
 |
| Ruins and Stage |
The Union troops occupy the ruins of Chinatown. I look at the maze of crumbled orange walls and my mind thinks "fort." The ruins are the battlements, the center stage is the inner keep, the log fence is the outer wall, and the stairs leading into the fort is the main front gate.
A Confederate cannon sits a few feet from my newly imagined gate. Unfortunately, I can barely see it, because a stupid tree blocks my view. I also wouldn't mind getting closer to the fence, so as to take better picture of the blue-uniformed soldiers, but no, a yellow rope cuts me off. At last I give up and find a nice rock to sit on.
 |
| Later I do get a good picture. BOOM! |
I'm chatting with my dad about Pickett's Charge, when the blast of the Confederate cannon loudly announces the start of the battle. It sounds like a firecracker and makes me jump.
In response, a battalion of perhaps 12 Union soldiers form a line along the wall and open fire on the cannon. Their guns sound rather less fearsome. Sort of like snapping. White smoke discharges from their guns and wafts around them. I suddenly wonder if whoever coined the phrase "fog of war" meant it literally.
The cannon replies to the gunshots. BOOM. There's a pause as everyone reloads. The Union opens fire. Snap, snap, snap. Pause. BOOM. Pause. Snap, snap, snap. Pause. BOOM.
 |
| Union Soldiers Open Fire |
I can think about things like the ingredients in gunpowder, because the action thus far hasn't been gripping. The Confederate's frontal assault seems neither imaginative nor very well thought-out. A lone cannon to take out a fort? How do they possibly expect to--
"Get out, you Yankee Dogs."
 |
| Confederates Emerge from Behind |
My head snaps away from the tree--er, cannon. A gang of Confederate soldiers have emerged from out of nowhere behind the Union line, pinning the blue soldiers between their guns and the cannon. The taunt gives the Union troops time to pull into a defensive position. The rebels open fire. Snap, snap, snap. BOOM! I flinch as the cannon goes off again.
The Union soldiers back up against the wall. Suddenly shots ring from the distant hills. A couple Confederate gunman, like outlaws, open fire on the walled fortress. Now the Union is beset by three sides.
Somehow the cannon's moved up to the fortress while I was distracted by the gunmen. Wait! It's not just a cannon. There are Confederate troops as well. (Curse you tree for blocking my view!) The troops have breeched the gate and are climbing down the stairs. They're taking over the ruins! Union! Get your act together!
 |
| Marching on the Gate |
Everything's moving so quickly, even though none of the soldiers seem to rush. The Confederate troops who emerged from behind the Union line ("Get out, you Yankee Dogs!") march between the yellow rope and the fence, turn the curve, and make for the front gate stairs. They march--they don't run. Yet I can't keep track of the action. The blasts of gunpowder draw my attention from hills to cannon to Union line and back. People end up where they're not supposed to be. The fort is overrun.
The blue-coated soldiers fall back to the center stage. They're rallying around the Union flag. But it's too late. The Confederates have moved in. The Union gives ground and gives ground, until they're pushed out of the fort completely. A few last shots from the hills, and it's over.
The rebels hoist their flag in the center of the fort and stand in solemn attention. A lone bugle plays an anthem. The Confederates have won this round.
 |
| Confederate Salute |
* * *
To Be Continued...
Disclaimer: All quotes are approximate.
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Travelogue: Civil War Re-Enactment, Part 3
A Soldier's Pack
Event: Civil War Re-Enactment
Date: Sunday, February 16, 2014
Location: Calico Ghost Town
My parents find the bayonet.
An old Confederate soldier holds the long metal shaft in his hand. He indicates the tepee-shaped tip, explains how when you stick a man through with it, the bayonet leaves an odd-shaped hole that a surgeon cannot easily stitch up. So the wound festers and the man dies. This is just one of the reasons why the bayonet was among most feared weapons in all the Civil War.
Also, it was very good for cooking meat.
The bayonet is one of many fun items arranged on the old soldier's table. There is a square-headed tooth brush with a bone handle, tooth cleaning powder in a round tin, soap, small white candles, little sacks of rice and beans, and a tin cup with ice water--though the ice is probably not historically accurate. Everything fits into the soldier's canvas bag, which is coated in tar. The tar keeps the rain from contaminating the goods.
 |
| Fun stuff in a Soldier's Pack |
I don't know how it happens, but suddenly I'm recruited into the Confederate army. The old soldier puts a gray wool coat on me. It's cotton-lined and not nearly as hot as it looks. But it is a bit heavy.
He has a blanket, too, which he's rolled up and twisted into an oval shape. Some soldiers carry their blankets on their backs. He prefers to loop it around his neck and demonstrates this tactic by sticking it on me. The blanket oval goes over my head and through one arm. It mildly chokes me. He says it will flatten over time and then sticks a musket in my hand.
 |
| In the Confederate Army |
The weight is beginning to add up. I'm not falling over or anything, but it is uncomfortable. The blanket oval reminds me of a harness.
"I feel like a pack horse," I comment.
The old Confederate lifts up his boot. A horseshoe is nailed into the heel.
Soldiers actually did this during the Civil War. The horseshoe broke up the ground and gave them better traction when marching over rough terrain.
We turn to the food. I see what looks like a very large, very fat saltine cracker.
I become excited. "Is that--?"
"Hardtack."
 |
| Hardtack. Image courtesy of New Boston Historical Society. |
Teeth Dullers. Worm Castles.
Way back in high school I read about this Civil War ration with horrific delight. A simple mixture of flour, salt, and water created this indestructible biscuit that soon became the bane of soldiers everywhere. And now I have the chance to eat it!
But first I must break off a piece, and that proves to be about as easy as ripping a rock. The darn thing will not crumble. At last the old soldier manages to chisel me off a morsel. I pop it in my mouth.
"Don't bite down," he warns.
I know. I let the hardtack soften in my spit. I'm surprised how quickly it dissolves. For all the mythos regarding the hardtack, it really just tastes like a saltine cracker.
Of course this hardtack is new. The soldier tells me his wife made it this weekend. In the Civil War, hardtack would last for months. Sometimes they'd acquire unexpected guests, which would wriggle out when the soldiers soaked the biscuit in their chicory "coffee."
"But I don't think the soldiers minded the worms," the old soldier tells me. "Extra protein."
I can't imagine anyone wanting to eat worms. But it's true the soldiers were in a perennial state of hunger, especially on the Confederate side.
 |
| Unlike the Impersonators |
At the time of the Civil War, one woman describing the Confederate soldiers noted the "gaunt starvation that looked from their cavernous eyes" and further remarked: "That they could march or fight at all seems incredible." (Grant, 201). Needless to say, after the battle, soldiers could often be found stripping supplies off the dead, friend and foe alike.
This brings me to the quiz portion of this blog.
Question: What's the number one thing that soldiers would look for when foraging off the battlefield? Is it:
a. money
b. food
c. ammunition
d. canteens
e. shoes
 |
| Confederate Camp |
* * *
To Be Continued...
Disclaimer: All quotes are approximate.
Additional Sources:
Grant, R. G. Warrior: A Visual History of the Fighting Man. DK Publishing: New York, 2010.
Harding, David (editor). Weapons: An International Encyclopedia from 5000 B.C. to 2000 A.D. Diagram Visual: New York, 1990.
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