As a silent observer in the classroom, I watch as children take construction toys and let their imagination carry them away. Their teacher peruses the aisles, looking at each creation and guessing what it may be. She comes suddenly upon one which she recognizes immediately.

"Is this a dinosaur?" she asks one red-haired child.

He nods his head proudly.

"Wow!" she exclaims. "I could tell right away. You did a fabulous job."

The child's eyes light up with nothing short of absolute wonder, and he gasps quietly. Though he uses no words, I can imagine what must be running through his mind: "Me? I did a good job? Rarely does anyone say that to me." He looks back down at his handiwork and cradles it with a special care. If before he thought his creation was acceptable, he now believed it was a masterpiece.

I ponder on how words affect us. Hardly ever does anyone assume you like them or approve of anything they do. If all else we forget and all else we lack, let us not neglect to pass on what we all possess if we dig deep enough: kindness. We may never know how much a simple compliment changes a person's life.

It wasn't exactly headlining news this week, but some new details were released about the new Jurassic World movie, including the official name (simply referred to as "Jurassic World 2" heretofore). Today, I'll be discussing some of the speculation going on about these new details. 

(photo cred: Entertainment Weekly)
The official Jurassic World Twitter account tweeted this teaser poster on June 22. As you can see, details are scant here, and we are left with a vague tagline for the movie: "Life finds a way." If your memory is a little rusty, this is a reference to Ian Malcolm's famous line from the original Jurassic Park movie, in which he speculates that the female dinos living in the park could produce offspring even with the absence of males. This quote was undoubtedly included in part as a reminder that Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) will be returning for the Jurassic World sequel after being absent for Jurassic Park III and the first Jurassic World movie. 

Nothing soothes the thoughts raging in my head than the gentle noise of rain pattering on my roof in the night. I ponder on how the world contains few noises that calm us. From blaring horns to barking dogs to shouting people, respite is hard to come by. We cry out for rest but receive none, until, like the quiet footsteps of Saint Nick, the rain comes and beckons us to rest.
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Yes, even though our night may be haunted with fearful dreams, when we awake, a golden sunrise glinting through the lingering raindrops on the grass awaits us. What a teacher nature is! When within us a terrible storm rages, let us remember the call she issues from the heavens: "Quiet your soul, dear, and drift away on the ocean of rest. And if you should wake, a glittering sunrise robed in Beauty shall come leaping over the hills."

Swedish furniture manufacturer IKEA has a reputation for its enormous stores and flat pack furniture. Despite the company's feat of cramming full size beds, armchairs, and filing cabinets into a little box, it clearly still feels as if it isn't doing enough to save space for you.

To them, the answer to solving this problem is to pretend like they're on Mars.

   Clouds: so often the most despised things of nature. When the heavens cloak themselves in grey, people look up to the sky, shake their heads, and mutter, "What a gloomy day." Does Nature have a heart, or does the sky have feelings? Is the rainfall the weeping of the heavens at such a disparaging remark? I know not, but one thing I do--I have looked with wonder at the clouds. Ah, how I love when they come somberly rolling in over a rolling green landscape to shield me from the sweltering sun. Oh, how my eyes sparkle when they strike the earth with a glittering staff of lightning, or when from their shadowy hearts a grumble of thunder emerges! And yes, how I relish when the patter of rain upon my roof comes in the night, lulling me gently to sleep. 
   Like clockwork, the clouds water the earth. They give us shade in a treeless land, with little acknowledgement. I urge you: do not despise the clouds. They are hard at work when we are not.

   Two major trailers dropped this weekend that caused a stir on the Internet: Star Wars: Battlefront II and Black Panther. As well-done as the Battlefront trailer was (and as much of a Star Wars fan as I am), in this blog post, I'll be focusing on the latter. 
   To provide a little bit of background, the Black Panther movie will pick up shortly after the events of Captain America: Civil War, in which Black Panther, whose real name is T'Challa, was first introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If you recall, T'Challa and his father T'Chaka come from the fictional, isolated African nation of Wakanda, of which T'Chaka is king. In a terrible turn of events, T'Challa's father is killed in a deadly bombing of a UN assembly in Austria, leaving the throne of Wakanda to his son. 
   T'Challa must now return to Wakanda to claim the kingship, but he's going to face some opposition from some rogue tribes. Check out the trailer below:

   Blesses and splashes! Martin Freeman and Andy Serkis face to face again! The first thing you notice in this trailer is that Wakanda is clearly not what it seems to be at first glance. In this African nation, barely known to outsiders, there seems to be a beautiful medley of traditional African culture and high-tech metropolises. It's also the home of rich deposits of the metal vibranium--a highly coveted metal, especially by Ulysses Klaue (Andy Serkis), for its extreme durability. It's the same stuff that Captain America's shield and Black Panther's suit are made out of.
   Despite Wakanda's utopian appearance, it clearly has some stability issues. T'Challa's claim to the throne is clearly not universally accepted, as we see the Black Panther struggling with numerous foes in the trailer. The main villain here is Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), an exile who clearly has problems with T'Challa and his father. 
   Even though Black Panther is quite the warrior himself, he does seek help to quell these challenges to his authority. Among them are the Dora Milaje, the entirely female royal bodyguards and special forces of Wakanda. As you saw in the trailer, they're bad to the bone. I personally can't wait to see some of their butt-kicking moves when the movie comes out.

(photo cred: The Verge)
   Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) will presumably play some role in his position as a CIA agent, but what his exact role will be remains unclear. In spite of his position in the CIA, he doesn't seem to know much about T'Challa's homeland. In the comics, Ross is more of a defender of Wakandan sovereignty, so we'll see if he takes that role on in the movie.
   What is your opinion on the trailer? Are you going to see the Black Panther movie when it releases on February 16th, 2018? Let me hear you in the comments below!

   I stare at a city skyline in the distance. There, people are hard at work and worried with the comings and goings of life. But I--I am far from them. Far from their chores and frantic work, far from their hustle and bustle. I lay down in a hammock not far from the shore. As I rock back and forth, I can barely imagine any other place than the beach that sights, sounds, smells, and feelings blend so ravishingly into one singular melody of nature. The cool, salt-tinged wind caresses my face, soothing, if only for a moment, my sunburnt face. I close my eyes under the shade of a sprawling oak tree. Its arms are strong yet old. Who knows what wonders, what people that ancient plant has seen with invisible eyes? Indeed, it has seen countless waves lap upon that shore. I listen to the swells of the water. Its shush reminds me to calm myself, to forget what may come tomorrow. For some, this rare song of the summertime may have merely physical effects. But for me, it is much deeper. Though the clamor of people in a nearby pool reaches my ears, the beach seems so pure and untouched, so deeply refreshing to the soul...
   People too often strike fear in my heart with their folly and short-sightedness. But give me thirty minutes where the sea meets the earth, and I shall return with more hope than ever.

   Yes, you read that title right. Over forty years after his death, a new book by J.R.R. Tolkien hit bookshelves on June 1st. Entitled Beren and Lùthien, this book chronicles the adventures of an immortal elf and her mortal lover:

   Here's the official synopsis:
   The tale of Beren and Lúthien was, or became, an essential element in the evolution of The Silmarillion, the myths and legends of the First Age of the World conceived by J.R.R. Tolkien. Returning from France and the battle of the Somme at the end of 1916, he wrote the tale in the following year.
   Essential to the story, and never changed, is the fate that shadowed the love of Beren and Lúthien: for Beren was a mortal man, but Lúthien was an immortal elf. Her father, a great elvish lord, in deep opposition to Beren, imposed on him an impossible task that he must perform before he might wed Lúthien. This is the kernel of the legend; and it leads to the supremely heroic attempt of Beren and Lúthien together to rob the greatest of all evil beings, Melkor, called Morgoth, the Black Enemy, of a Silmaril.
   "Looks great," I'm sure you're thinking, "but how is this possible if he's dead?" Well, one of the things I admire most about Tolkien is the breadth of his work. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are masterpieces of modern fantasy storytelling but are, in themselves, a small portion of the entirety of Tolkien's writings. Many stories written by Tolkien and compiled and edited by his son Christopher have been published in recent years, including The Silmarillion and The Children of Húrin. Both these tales record the detailed history of Middle-earth. 
   So what makes this story special, if it's just one of many Tolkien wrote? Here's four reasons why you should read Beren and Lùthien.
   (1) This story was deeply personal to J.R.R. Tolkien. For him, the story of Beren and Lùthien was a representation of the love he had for his wife, Edith. In fact, after she died, he had "Lùthien" carved under her name on her gravestone. When he died, "Beren" was carved under his name.
   (2) The manuscript has by and large been presented as Tolkien wrote it. Works such as The Silmarillion were compiled from a series of somewhat incoherent and unfinished writings by Tolkien after his death, but the description of Beren and Lùthien says, "In this book Christopher Tolkien has attempted to extract the story of Beren and Lúthien from the comprehensive work in which it was embedded; but that story was itself changing as it developed new associations within the larger history. To show something of the process whereby this legend of Middle-earth evolved over the years, he has told the story in his father's own words by giving, first, its original form, and then passages in prose and verse from later texts that illustrate the narrative as it changed. Presented together for the first time, they reveal aspects of the story, both in event and in narrative immediacy, that were afterwards lost." This fact alone makes it a must-read for Tolkien fans.
   (3) This story is crucial to the Middle-earth narrative as a whole. The events in Beren and Lùthien eventually (spoiler alert!) lead to the downfall of Morgoth, which causes Sauron, his most important servant, to flee to Middle-earth. Thus began Sauron's long reign of terror of the peoples of Middle-earth, eventually culminating in the events described in The Lord of the Rings.
   (4) The tale will feature some beautiful illustrations by Alan Lee, who also illustrated The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. If nothing else, you will surely appreciate the illustrations in this book. The front cover itself is a gorgeous representation of classic high fantasy art. I personally can't wait to see more of his illustrations once I get the book for myself (which, by the way, I already have my copy ordered to read after I finish The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis). 
   So, what do you think? Are you going to be ordering a copy of Beren and Lùthien? Let me hear your thoughts on the story in the comments!

   If we would, just for a moment, take off our headphones and still ourselves before the trees...
   A little bird take his stand on the ends of a spindly branch, as if he were a maestro in an orchestra pit. All creation seems to have gathered around--squirrels, trees, rabbits, and the deer all have assembled to hear what masterpiece the little birdie has composed. There is no ensemble or even sheet music. He puffs out his chest, extends his short wings, and releases his song into the air. The tree trunks resound with the sound of his joyous singing, and as he trills, his friends in the distance harmonize with him. The wind seems to stir, as if nature wishes to carry his song to every corner of the earth. 
   When I take my eyes off my laptop on my back porch, I, too, listen intently to his bold melody until it fades away, and everything once again becomes quiet. This--this is the song that composers envy. Though they may try, few may encapsulate the untouched beauty of the little bird's happy song.