Category Archives: Non Fiction

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First Time Reading Tolkien

My introduction to Fantasy was the Belgariad by David Eddings and The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. It may surprise some that I’ve never been into Tolkien much. I’ve enjoyed the films, but I’ve never made much progress reading his work. I skipped right over Tolkien, and anytime I would try to go back and dive into his stories, I struggled to get into his voice. I would get about fifty pages in and stop. It was probably a bad idea to make my first time reading Tolkien be The Silmarillion. But I set a goal to try and get into his work this year. So here I am.

book on wooden surface near a candlelight- First time reading tolkien
Photo by Vincent M.A. Janssen on Pexels.com

My approach to reading Tolkien was to come at it from a student’s perspective, as if I’m studying the history of Fantasy.

One thing I didn’t realize, getting into this was that “The Silmarillion” is only a portion of the book. There are two Prologues, Ainulindalë, then the Valaquenta, and then you finally make it to the Quenta Silmarillion, which winds up being the bulk of the book. This story is “an account of the Elder Days or the First Age of the World.” I’ve learned that The Lord of the Rings takes place at the end of the Third Age, (I honestly didn’t know this) so basically this is the genesis story of how that land came to be. (I can hear a million Tolkien fans quietly laughing at my lack of knowledge.)

So far, I’m enjoying it. Although several podcasts and commentaries have helped. It makes me appreciate Tolkien a bit more, and gives me the desire to dive into more of his works. I’m only on Chapter Nine, but the story is unfolding fantastically.

In a few weeks, I’ll be recording a podcast with a friend of the Show, David Wright, for Geeky Dad’s Talk About Geeky Things. We will not be able to cover everything there is to discuss during that one episode. So, I’ll blog a few of my thoughts occasionally. Like I said, this is my first time reading Tolkien, and I’m enjoying it so far.

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My Wife, Her Bread, and Her Life

My wife grew up cooking. Her love for the kitchen began at a young age, shortly after her father and brother passed. Throughout our time over the last 20-something years, I’ve seen her take on the role of family chef.

My wife made biscuits

That love led her to culinary school, where she became a certified chef, to serve at a church on staff for fifteen years running food service, and now back home to her favorite place- the family kitchen. One would think that you would eventually burn out when you’ve used your gifts to serve people who were often ungrateful and, at times, undervalued you as a person.

Not so.

Growing up, my grandmother was my biggest hero. And I see a lot of my grandmother in my wife—someone who always puts her family’s needs, desires, and well-being above her own. Through February, my wife has set a personal goal not to buy bread products for the month and to bake it all. I loved this idea because her bread is always perfect and tastes much better than store-bought bread. The smell brings back memories of my grandmother working in the kitchen. And that’s a smell I want my kids to remember.

My wife made baguettes

We often need to remember that heroes and legacy aren’t those with big followings. Many of us seek to make significant impacts, be known, and change the world with one TikTok at a time. But that’s not how the world is changed.

I hope my children don’t see the YouTubers they enjoy as their heroes. I hope they see them as entertainment. I hope they remember the sacrifice and love their mother pours out over them, the little things, the small points in life that seem minor but have a lasting impact.

Because that is what a hero does.

For me, it was watching my grandmother make french toast with a fresh loaf of bread she had just baked.

I’ve learned that for my wife, her bread, and her life, are all about serving the ones she loves. That’s a lesson I, my kids, and I hope you, can learn.

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I’m a Slow Reader

Here is a little confession: I’m a Slow Reader. 

I always have been. I used to envy people who read quickly, devouring books in a single day or thick epic fantasy stories over a weekend. But it’s okay that I’m slow, and there are many reasons why. 

eyeglasses on opened book beside cup of coffee on table
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1) Time. With ADHD, I struggle to sit and stay focused for long periods. I get distracted easily, and the slightest thing can pull my mind away. 

2) I’m just slow. My average reading pace with proper comprehension is about 171 words per minute. Most people come in at around 250 words. That means if I read for a full hour, I can get through about 10,260 words. So a typical 100,000-word novel will take me about ten dedicated hours of reading time. 

3) Priority. I have a lot going on in life and wear many different hats. So sitting down to read is much more complicated than it was fifteen years ago. 

However, I’ve learned a few tricks to help me read more. 

1) I’ve learned to read in ten-minute chunks, which has helped. If I can carve about ten minutes here and ten minutes there, I’ve seen a vast improvement in the number of books I can consume. 

2) Audiobooks. I had to learn to listen to books. It didn’t come naturally. A great narrator can hold me for hours if need be. But I stress the “Great Narrator” part. I can consume more through audio than I used to. So I tend to devour them more now. I want publishing to get it together and learn to bundle ebooks and audio at a discounted price. They would make a fortune.  

3) Stop worrying about how much everyone else is reading. Reading isn’t a sport, it’s entertainment, it’s for enjoyment, it’s for disconnecting from an already chaotic world. I don’t need to keep up with everyone else. So, I don’t care if so and so has read ten more books than me this year. Good for them. 

I’m a slow reader. Maybe you are too. Guess what? That’s okay. Just dive in and learn to enjoy. 

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Mid-Week Rant: I Don’t Have to Enjoy What You Enjoy

Listen, I’m about to go on a Mid-week Rant: I don’t have to enjoy what you enjoy. And no, it’s about my friend Jason Joyner continuing to send me memes of Boise State beating the Sooners in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. That’s a different rant for a different day.

photo of the road
Photo by D0N MIL04K on Pexels.com

As an author, I’ve had my share of bad reviews. Heck, I’ve had many people, not like Iggy & Oz. Most of these are adults and/or other writers. They often leave an adult critique for a book that is basically Pulp for boys who hate to read. And guess what- Their criticism is mostly true. It ain’t literature, after all. It’s not pretty writing. 

Still, many people love Iggy & Oz, and that’s who I write for.

I had to learn this the hard way. I had to learn many of the things I enjoy in my life, other people will think is strange.  

Listen, every story, YouTube video, RPG, drawing, TikTok, painting, camping trip, vacation, IG post, reel, and even-prepped food, needs to be seasoned with your voice, heart, and difference. 

We live in a society that pushes generic living and removes the individualistic nature of many. 

Seth Godin is one of my go-to Bloggers every day. He wrote this recently.

Most people want you to make something cheap, write something short, share something funny, and fit in.

But the people you serve… they might want something else.

The few people you need to thrive in your work might want you to write something they’ll remember for a long time, or to take them on a journey that’s thrilling and challenging and unique.

Or perhaps these are the people that want to buy something that costs a lot but is worth more than it costs.

It’s okay to say, “it’s not for you,” to most people.

In fact, that’s the only way to do work that matters. 

This is my Mid-Week Rant: I Don’t Have to Enjoy What You Enjoy