To travel past the planets we must go

Our hearts and minds our interest do show

The void is where we'll find our destiny

Its rocks and stars and space where we must be

For answers we will travel high and low

Not near the speed of light we will be slow

The radiation will be our great foe

But there's so much that we have yet to see

To travel past the planets we must go

Within our gardens we see ideas grow

But on the cosmic winds is where they blow

Though tied to Earth we all wish to be free

And learn what will be our identity

So within spaceships we bring hearts in tow

To travel past the planets we must go

[Keeping with genre poetry for the moment, I offer up this rondeau as a birthday wish.]

                    One week After the Contest (Present Day) 2:00 pm

         Chief of the Prose Police Department (PPD) Andrew Regin and Sheriff Brittney Sowards still haven’t figured out what happened to everyone. The superintendent, the principal, the vice principal, several teachers and students, and the owner of the biggest newspaper in the country, Harry Situation were all still missing. The school board had found a temporary superintendent. Two teachers had been promoted to acting principal and acting vice principal and substitute teachers filled in for the teachers that were missing. Prose High continued as if those missing had never gone or worked at that school in the first place. The same couldn’t be said of the families for those missing, of course. Just as Chief Regin had predicted news of the investigation had taken off like a rocket. The entire world knew of the investigation. World leaders had called current President of Twain Hawkish Underdog to give their condolences for the missing victims.

         “There is a national debate currently undergoing cross the nation about whether the investigation should be handed over the F.B.I. or stay in the hands of the local police. The Conservative Party, believing in state’s right, thought the investigation should stay in the hands of the local police as they knew the community best. They encouraged Attorney General Andi Lutz and F.B.I. Director Blood for Ink to stay out of the local police’s way. The Liberal Party, of course, took the opposite position. They believe the vast resources of the F.BI would greatly increase the chance that the missing victims returned home safe and sound. And finally, the Centrist Party is suggesting that the F.B.I and the local police work together on the investigation. I’m Magenta Mage and you're watching Easter Bunny News! We will be back with more news after this commercial break.”

         Sheriff Brittney Sowards watched as multi color easter eggs flew across the television screen before it went black. A second later the commercials started. “Great”, she thought sarcastically “Even on this, Congress finds a way to be gridlocked.” Sheriff Sowards was at the police station looking at the t.v.. Any moment now Mayor Blair Logan’s press conference would start. She was finally about to weigh in on this debate. Sheriff Sowards secretly hoped it would end this stupid debate once and for all.

My dog Darl loved to chase

anything on two or more wheels.

Cars, trucks, vans, and motorbikes,

and carts that carried meals.

He'd take off like a rocket

if he saw tires rolling past.

There'd be no point chasing him.

He'd be running too fast.

Then, one rainy day he was

in pursuit of a city bus.

The bus turned. Darl did not.

Boy, that driver could cuss!

I'm aware such a tragedy

is an event not unheard of,

but at least my dear dog Darl

died doing what he loved.

I've seen my college roommate's name in the newspaper dozens of times. After all, he is a journalist. I'm proud to be able to say that I know him, but I'm most proud that our names will appear together in the paper later this year; that is, assuming he accepts my offer to be my best man.

He and I had become quick friends. One day he asked if he could give me a survey interview for a class project; I agreed. The first few questions were softballs, and then he turned to me and said, “Were you ever bullied during high school?”

Without thinking, I responded, “A lot of kids thought I was gay and they called me a fag.” He stared up from his computer with a look that read as sympathetic. I’d been debating if I should tell him I was gay, and now was as good a time as any.

“And they were right.”

As he probed into my story, I found myself telling him everything about those days of being harassed. He was a consummate professional about the whole thing, and my fear soon subsided into relief as he guaranteed me that our friendship would never change. After the interview, he headed off to the library to submit his assignment while I sat on my bed and cried tears of joy.

He came into our room later that week beaming. A story he had written was just chosen for the next day’s edition of our campus newspaper, so we celebrated with a dinner on the town. When the papers were delivered to the rack in the lounge the next morning, we both raced over and grabbed a copy. As I read his article, I started to realize that parts of it sounded familiar. And then I saw my name. My first name, right there in the paper, and my story of being bullied for being gay.

At first, I was fuming mad at my roommate for his lack of integrity. All of my other new friends at the university knew that we lived together, so when they saw the article, I started getting a slew of texts from them; all were positive, thank goodness. One of those friends had a connection to the campus LGBT center and hooked me up with a part-time staff position. This made me feel better, and though my anger toned down, my relationship with my roommate was still rocky.

That is until he, unbeknownst to him, helped me come out to my family. Worried that I couldn’t face them directly, I brought home letters over the holidays, and in each one, I included a copy of the article that I had saved. They were moved by his beautiful words and told me as much. I really had no choice but to tell him that I fully forgave him after that. When I get married, I want him there. Not as a reporter, but as my best friend.

don't you dare

mock me

for being small

when you're 

the one who 

cut me

down to size.

Firetrucks are red

Police cars are blue

I lit your house on fire

wee woo wee woo

I've already made a post about this yesterday, and I previously stated that there wasn't enough material for it to feature as a full Harry Situation Review. But then I thought, fuck it, let's go over it again; only this time let's explore even further.

In case you haven't heard, what's new this week is a new video that's been sweeping the web. If you haven't checked it out by now here's a link to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2REkk9SCRn0

Now to the review!

In A Heartbeat is a short animated film made by a pair of college students, Beth David and Esteban Bravo. The story centers around a closeted boy (to my understanding is named Sherwin) who runs the risk of being outed by his own heart after it pops out of his chest to chase down the boy (who is named Jonathan) of his dreams.

The video was uploaded online on Monday and has since received over 10 million views. Holy crap. And I can see why.

Let's talk about the big positive: the animation. These are some talented people because the animation is really, friggin' good. I mean it's like Pixar level good. The details on the characters, the backgrounds, the foregrounds, everything is good.

There's no voice acting or voice over, that's another positive to the video. The video is strictly told through actions and expressions. It doesn't need dialogue or exposition. The story tells itself (if that makes sense).

If there's one thing that I can describe about this is that it is a very moving video, emotionally anyway. This is about a boy who is afraid to admit his feelings for another, and worse he's afraid of being judged by everyone. There's a lot of symbolism that comes into play as the video progresses, and I thought that it handled everything fairly well. I think a lot of people can definitely relate to this.

Ultimately the message is the heart wants what the heart wants. You shouldn't be afraid to follow it. If people are going to judge you, then really that's their problem. I'm not gay but I definitely understand how it feels to be different from everybody else. I think that's the other message the video is trying to get through too. That it is okay to be different, which it totally is.

Now I mentioned in the last post that there were some commenters that said when they watched it they cried. I didn't. I watched this 3 times. I don't know. Crocodile tears, maybe. But I will say that it does tug at the heartstrings, especially at the end.

That's really all I've got to say about this new hit video. It's got wonderful animation, some funny slapstick, and some down to earth heartfelt moments that left me smiling in the end. 

Check it out some time, and see if your heart pops out too!

No grading scale needed. Final Grade: A+

So that's my thoughts/review of In A Heartbeat. Have you seen the video by now? What were your thoughts? Please be kind, leave a like and comment, and check back later tonight as I post my review for the long waited The Dark Tower.

#harrysituationreviews #lgbt #animation #shortfilm #AGrade

Perhaps no it was the smoke!

The drama and screen of mystery,

Undoubtedly draws its allure.

But nay, it isn’t the beauty

Nor reputation accompanying it.

Wasn’t it then sacred Time!

The seeming deft concentration,

That suggests a real timeout.

So hard to steal a moment

Of reflection with an empty hand…

"Bran, you've got to stop questioning the Master like that during training!"

Bran slumped onto his pillow. "I know but I see how those threads weave together, the shapes they form. I know those spells can be improved and I will improve them."

"Just, please be careful. Please?"

"I'm always careful, you should know me better than that."

Extreme sadness in his eyes, the wizard watched the conversation play out five more times before sealing the room away forever.

"Fools. They never listen."