They Need Your Vote, Josh

If you're new to this blog, or just to this particular topic I am writing a blog called On Dark Rhoads™. It is the fictional account of Joshua Rhoads and the haunting of his house. It is more than that though. One aspect of the fictional world Joshua lives in is a fictional political party running the country. Another aspect to consider is Joshua is psychic and does not know it yet. Now, this is what I'm dealing with...

Another decision point has come up in the Joshua's journey. I essentially have to make the decision before the fork in the road appears. Some interesting links have been brought to my attention that afforded some new tweaks to the still forming setting. Some of them have come up in TechStop™ and others may make their way into there. They are not a part of the horror, but at the same time they do add to it and certainly many of them are not nice for people like Joshua. There is nothing to stop me from doing one thing in Joshua's stories and another in the game, but I would like to have that cohesion. So here is the decision to be made. There is the aforementioned political party with sinister intentions. Is it more compelling for Joshua to be aligned with them and learn of the dark side and reject it or to be opposed to them in the first place?

It may be something of a cliché to be party to the party and then learn the error of his ways. They can only be visibly sinister to a small degree or otherwise they would not have the power and influence that they do. At the same time I do not believe there is some dark core pulling the strings but that it is more a matter of an overall dark outlook. Furthermore I intend for them to be the way they are for the good of others. It's not an intentional malevolence and they are not aware of the amount of harm they are creating or the hatred they foster. It's not about any particularly bigotry either--except for political party opposition bigotry where one party despises the other so thoroughly and thoughtlessly--at least not initially until events of other natures start them down that path. It is not a matter then for Joshua to just be readily aware of their malevolence.

At the same time this party is hard line on a number of subjects, which draws a certain amount of ire from different factions, and a general disgruntlement from people who align themselves with the other parties. The drama is a little less starting on the side of right and removes added dimensions such as guilt over Joshua's former affiliations, and anger at first having indirectly been duped and then becoming victim to their burgeoning malice. There is nothing to stop Joshua's affiliation with the opposition party from having its own turmoil, including the party siding with the malevolent one on the topic of people like Joshua. Here what seemed right is no better, but has the option of it being possible to sway their opinion to a more moderate stance and embrace the approaching sea change for everyone's benefit.

Mood: harried.
Music: Trumpets Of Jericho by Bruce Dickinson and Death on Two Legs by Queen.

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I Am Sinister

Or perhaps sinistral is more technically correct for what I am talking about here. Not only that I've but I've been accused of being evil, clumsy, out of accord, feminine, a betrayer, cheater, and a southpaw. Confused yet? Some of the more sly out there know what I am talking about. Some of the people who are just like me know it too. I am left-handed. All of these things and more have been ascribed to left-handed people in the past. It's may be by sheer luck that I live in the modern day where we are no long exorcised from the populace or beaten into conformity.

Growing up left-handed posed only a few challenges for me as far as I can recall. I didn't have difficulty learning to print and write, though I always did, and always will, drag the side of my hand along everything I write. I just can't hold it up out of the way and still be legible. The biggest difficulty I had was with tying my shoes. No right-handed person could teach me. Thankfully I grew up in the prevalence of shoes held together/tight by Velcro. When I had a teacher in the fourth grade that was left-handed he taught me how to tie my shoes in like five minutes. It was quite hilarious.

Back to history and the maligned nature of the left, one of the bits of information that seemed both funny and could be put to use, is the idea of the "evil" religions that follow The Left Hand Path. "Left-hand-path religions are concentrated on individualism, free thought, intelligence and outstanding abilities and gifts." according to "The Historicity of the term Left Hand Path" by Vexen Crabtree. This of course plays into the positive ideas of left-handedness. Those considerations are that we are more creative, more visually oriented, and think in a way that we can multitask, and problem solve by looking at the overall problem rather than having to piece it together one step at a time like the right-handed. Of course such "improvements" on the human brain probably led to a fair share of the view that we are all sinister and to be mistrusted. Oh well.

Mood: flustered.
Music: For The Greater Good Of God by Iron Maiden and The March of the Black Queen by Queen.

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