Upon introspection, I must acknowledge a rather contradictory relationship with the fantasy genre. Growing up, I wouldn’t have considered it as my preferred reading; yet there is no denying it formed a significant part of my literary repertoire. Some of my favorite series fell into the classification, such as The Prydain Chronicles, the Redwall series,…

The most insidious deceptions are intentionally misconstrued truths. Such falsehoods cannot be outright denied, lest the underlying reality be maligned in the process. Those of evil intent (both man and spirit) often exploit this by sabotaging the interpretation of important truths, so that understanding thereof becomes corrupted. The more vital the targeted truth, the more…

Miriam Elizabeth Rodriguez Martinez was a Mexican woman whose daughter was kidnapped and supposedly held for ransom by a cartel. Though Miriam paid the ransom, her daughter was not released, leading Miriam to conclude she was dead. Such situations were not uncommon for the area, and police investigation was rarely conclusive due to the widespread…

The New Year tends to incite reflection upon the events and changes of the year past, and with those reflections come resolutions of self-improvement based upon lingering discontent. Said resolutions are popularly focused on the erasure of bad habits or formulation of good ones, with especial focus on physicality (emotional behaviors do not lend themselves…

The past month and more has been characterized for me by a procession of illnesses, one after another, collectively inconveniencing the standard and unique responsibilities of the season. Extended cases of sickness usually incite one to consult a physician, in hopes of receiving some form of remedy to the situation. My own experiences with doctors…

Thanksgiving, among the most unambiguously labeled holidays, serves as a time of reflection upon the blessings granted unto us of God. While most focus on the family aspect, it finds its origins in more general community, initially being a commemoration of successful harvests shared amongst the populace. For the pilgrims of the colonial era, it…