Don’t Tread on Me
I’ve actually had more time to write lately. I’ve also had the motivation, which is even better. Now, I don’t think I’ll ever get back to the 2,000 words a day of Book 1, but I’m pretty happy with my pace lately (~800 words a day).
Anyway, I started a long blog post a couple of days ago, but it was more rant than post. It was about politics, but it wasn’t what you’d think.
Not surprisingly, lots of people think they understand my politics. They seize upon one thing or another and try to pigeonhole me as a Conservative (with a capital C). Unfortunately, they’re wrong, but I’ll admit that I’m a bit difficult to categorize, and I do come across as a complete jingoist sometimes.
On some things, I actually am conservative. For obvious reasons, I’m a strong supporter of the military and the use of force. It’s an inseparable part of politics, after all. (I’m Clausewitzian like that.) Walking softly and carrying a big stick is fine, as far as it goes, but no one respects the big stick if you’re too afraid to use it.
On other things, like fiscal policy, I’m definitely conservative. I understand that we need a certain amount of welfare spending, but we don’t need a nanny state where no one is allowed to suffer. I don’t suffer because I work for a living. The Declaration of Independence says you have an inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness, but it doesn’t say anything about delivery.
On entitlement programs, I’m wholeheartedly conservative. Social Security isn’t an excuse for Baby Boomers to live like grasshoppers and trust that the rest of us ants will pay for their lack of planning. My parents and in-laws live good lives because they worked hard, planned, and saved. I’m sorry for all the people who didn’t, but that’s too bad. It’s not my responsibility to pay for your lifestyle, and I resent that you mortgaged my future to do it.
I’m also a big supporter of the Second Amendment. Responsible gun ownership is an individual right, enshrined with my right to free speech (and my right to keep soldiers out of my house, for what it’s worth). Besides, guns aren’t dangerous—people are. You want to ban dangerous people? Go ahead and try.
But that’s about where my conservatism ends.
Believe it or not, I’m a social liberal straight out of the Moral Majority’s worst nightmares. I mean, c’mon, folks, look what I do for entertainment—I write porn! Did you think I was some kind of Evangelical Republican nutjob? Seriously?
For instance, I’m actively pro-choice. I’m a member of Planned Parenthood, for Darwin’s sake! I’m also a member of the ACLU, although I wish they’d support all the civil liberties in the Constitution (the dipshit anti-gun Liberal Elites run the ACLU, although I keep paying my dues).
I also support gay marriage, and I’m definitely in the minority there. Call it whatever you like, but marriage is just a civil contract, where two parties agree to share benefits and obligations. Simple. And if gay people want it, I say let ‘em have it. (The same with gay adoption. It’s hard enough for kids to get one parent to love them, much less two!)
On other issues, I’m far less mainstream. I support legalizing all recreational drugs. Regulate ‘em, tax ‘em, and sell ‘em to any adult who wants ‘em. You want to smoke pot in the privacy of your own home? Be my guest. Snort lines of coke with your friends? Have a blast! The whole “war on drugs” is actually a war on people being stupid. Let ‘em be stupid if they want to. I won’t pay for their medical care or rehabilitation, but it’s their right to kill themselves however they want.
And, not surprisingly, I’m a big advocate of sexual freedom. If two consenting adults want to do something in private, we shouldn’t make laws that say this hole is okay but that other one isn’t. A hole is a hole, folks, and consenting adults should be able to decide which ones they enjoy and which they don’t.
Last but not least, I fall completely outside the mainstream in my religious beliefs—I’m not a Christian. I’m not anything else, mind you, but I don’t believe in heaven or hell or Almighty God. I’m not an atheist, either, since I think it’s pretty stupid to say God doesn’t exist. I just don’t feel the need for religion in my life. I’ve tried several of them, but I keep coming back to me—in other words, I’m responsible for my spiritual well-being.
And so we reach the one common thread through all of my politics: I believe in personal responsibility. If you want to live hard, die young, and leave a good-looking corpse, more power to you. But don’t expect me to pick up the pieces. That’s what being an adult is about: you take responsibility for your own actions. Period. Full stop. The end.
So, like I said, I don’t fit the mold of Conservative. I’m not a Liberal, either. And I don’t make a good Libertarian, because I’m too pragmatic. I’m… unique, I guess.
Anyway, that’s probably enough politics for now. On to the story update!
I finished Ch15 a couple of days ago, and sent it to my alpha reader. He came back with some good comments, and I have a firm idea of where I’m going with Ch16. The toughest part of the story is over, as far as I’m concerned. I still have a lot of writing, but the depressing parts are safely behind me.
I want to see how much buffer I can build up over the next couple of weeks. Maybe I’ll even finish Ch16 before I put Ch14 into the pipeline for publication. In any event, I want to publish Ch14 before Thanksgiving. By then, the election will be over, and I won’t feel the need to remind people that I’m not a Conservative.
- Nick
Comments
82 Responses to “Don’t Tread on Me”
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Nick – Thanks for the update about your part of the world – Good to hear you’ve had some writing time. I think I speak for most of us here in thanking you for your efforts and we’re looking forward to the next chapter, whenever that may happen.
On the political side – I don’t think you’re all alone there – My conservative and liberal friends can’t just figure me out, oh well. Ok, I’m kind of a free range kind of guy, sort of – depending upon the subject I’m all over the place… It feels good to drink of my own brew.
Again Thanks – Achim
Amusingly, we’re not as far apart as one might think. I’m not particularly pro-military and the second amendment issues are low on my importance level. Probably the biggest area where we differ is that I’m more willing to have ‘entitlement’ programs to support kids. And I really do mean kids directly and not just writing checks to their parents. It’s pretty clear to me that a lot of our social ills would go away if more people reached adulthood with a minimal education, nutritional background, and ability to stay away from abusive adults. Unfortunately, the pragmatics of implementing the programs I would like to see are far more difficult than writing checks, and bureacracies are far better at writing checks (or just screwing things up entirely).
Which is ultimately my political stripe–pragmatism. What pissed me off about the welfare state spawned by Johnson was *it didn’t work.* Same with the War on Drugs. If we all agree that snorting coke is a Bad Thing–well, we’ve certainly managed to stop it, haven’t we? We’re just repeating Prohibition without the Constitutional Amendment.
But the Right and the Left are filled with idealogues. The Right’s had the power recently, which means I’ve been supporting the Left. Maybe that’ll switch again in a few years if/when the Religious Right stops owning the Republican Party.
Anyway–hope the writing goes well. Maybe some day I’ll have time to do some of my own.
Well said, Nick! I’m mostly in agreement with you, except that I think universal health care is something this country really needs right now. But only because we’re already paying the price for people who don’t have it. Emergency rooms aren’t allowed to turn patients away for inability to pay…the government eats that cost. It would be cheaper to pay for those people to have quality PREVENTATIVE care. Also, we really need to figure out a way to not punish the CHILDREN of idiots. Speaking as someone who was raised on welfare and foodstamps until the state took me away from my mother, something is definitely needed to make sure kids aren’t trying to do homework by candle-light and aren’t eating ramen noodles for weeks at a time. But you’re right, the government shouldn’t reward people who won’t work. A big problem, though, is that people tend to think that there actually is equality of opportunity in America, and there really isn’t. It’s easy to become successful if your parents fed, clothed and educated you. Not so much when you’re trying to live on ramen noodles, don’t have a winter coat, and your parents are too blitzed out on crack and who knows what else to even notice if you get up and go to school. And even if you DO go to school, if your school is literally falling down around your ears (I’ve seen schools like that in Cleveland), your teachers are substandard, and you have to have a satellite police station IN your school, it’s hard to get an education. And it’s hard to be successful in the country without an education.
*Steps off soapbox*
Can’t wait for the next chapter, Nick! I’m kind of excited for this election cycle to be over, too, and I’m a political science major.
Wow. I think I’m going to steal your “pursuit of happiness” line, but I’ll make sure never to use it in publication, and give credit where credit is due when it is used lol. I’ve thought(once again, not original on my part, but can’t remember where I heard it) that along with the Bill of RIGHTS, there should be a corresponding Bill of RESPONSIBILITIES. For instance, a person has the right to carry a gun, but the responsibility not to set up a red flag of buying an arsenal that would keep the Vatican safe.
Personal responsibility is what it’s all about, I agree whole-heartedly there. That’s why I opened my Roth IRA at age 29. And we don’t need our government to further impede Social Darwinism. The laws of this country no longer allows nature to weed out the weak, and especially the stupid. That’s as far as the soapbox will go on this end.
Nick, as always I enjoy your story, your writing, and I especially enjoyed this insight on your views. Now let’s just get this election over so I can get my mailbox and my television back.
Nick, you are not alone by any means.
I’m in a similar situation in that I’m young enough to be liberal in many things- my best friend wants to marry his boyfriend, my ex wife aborted the love child she had that lead to our separation, and I’m very comfortable in my atheist belief (oxymoron there?).
But growing up in the military makes me conservative in the same things you are. Growing up that way and having to work my ass off for what I have now only makes that conservative belief all the stronger. I own guns and hunt, follow the military closely, and can’t stand to see welfare mothers pumping out more meal tickets.
Sometime my attitude bites me in the ass such as with the refugees of Katrina. I lived in Louisiana for 8 years and listened to the experts constantly warning about the potential disaster just waiting to happen. I also knew the type of people that would be impacted an knew for a fact that whatever did happen, it wouldn’t be enough for them. They’d only take more and more like they were entitled to the world on a platter. Ask me if I was surprised when at the processing location here in DFW thousands of bottles of alcohol and hundreds of weapons were found in their baggage followed days later by the “poor me, I couldn’t bring any clothes with me” cry for donations.
Okay, that’s enough from this military brat. Sorry to rant Nick. Keep up the great work.
Good news about the writing, Nick, for all of your voracious readers!
Hmmm. The People’s Popular Front for the Liberation of Responsibility, perhaps? Long overdue, as well. No party here in the UK fits me, either – your views and mine differ, but not by so much as might be thought. Just promise me not to become a martyr to The Cause…
Weird…
Your outlook mirrors my own. Maybe you have an evil twin. If so, it could be me. Unfortunately, if the upcoming election goes as predicted, people like you and I are in for at least two rough years.
Glad to hear you’ve found more time to write. I know that can be a problem. Life tends to interfere in some creative pursuits, as I well know. Like everyone else, I’m looking forward to future chapters. Good things are worth waiting for, so take your time.
-Rote
You sound an awful lot like a libertarian Nick, not the Libertarian party type, because the party seems to be made out of any odd candidate who couldn’t get support anywhere else, but a classic definition type libertarian. That’s the closest to what I believe in as well, and it’s a little tough to pick candidates for me because of it. There are simply so many asinine things each party supports in my opinion that I can rarely get behind a politician from either side. I feel like a slacker for not voting, but I don’t because I can’t vote for a person I kinda sorta agree with on some stuff some of the time. That’s not strong enough to gain the level of approval a vote represents.
Nick,
You’re not all that unique… I agreed with just about everything you said above (with the exception of the abortion issue… that I disagree with you on. For an example of why, you know that comment you made about mortgaging someone’s future to make up for your bad decisions? I see abortion as doing the same thing.)
By the way, thanks for all the hard work over the last few years–your stories are extremely well written and a joy to read.
I have to agree with Shaggydog, you sound like a classic libertarian. I would classify myself as a conservative libertarian. Like you I am pro military and a fiscal conservative. Otherwise, I am a “what goes on in your bedroom is not my worry.” My thoughts on marriage are this; The state should get out of the marriage business. In a perfect world, there shouldn’t even be a fee or paperwork requirement, but if you want to establish a civil relationship, then you should be able to do that with whomever and as many as you would like. If you would like to be “married” then after you get the whole civil document business done, you can go to your religious leader/establishment and have your marriage.
As for the ACLU, when they start supporting all challenges that are out there to our civil rights then they can have my money.
Chuck
I hear you, Nick. I’ve been describing myself as an independent who is fiscally conservative yet socially liberal for years. It makes no sense to me that the government should take my hard-earned cash to support those who will not work for their own (though I do agree with previous comments about the need to help children who are simply unable to improve their own situations), or even to pay for programs that I will never use. Nor is it logical to me that that same government should be telling people how to live their private sex lives. And I’m right there with you on believing in the importance/necessity of personal responsibility. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Also, I was really glad to see the new gallery of “Gracie” put on in the Extras section. Not only is that model on of the most gorgeous yet, but since I’ve also been secretly hoping Paul will hook up with his top-of-the-class rival sometime, it’s great to have a face (and body) to go with that potential plotline.
Glad to hear your writing proceeds apace. Keep up the great work!
Best,
Spitfire
We agree on some things Nick and disagree on others, hardly suprising being as you are over there in the US and me here on the Scottish Islands. But shit if we all thought the same things about life, it sure would be damn boring.
Really good to get an update on how life is going with you, get worried sometimes that the numpties and wazzocks get so bad that you think “Fuck it” and dump the whole project.
Anyway good to hear the writing is still going, keep your pecker up your election will be over soon and sanity can decend once more.
Hello My Friend
From another independant thinker.
I believe your problem, like mine, is that we decide (or believe) on each subject based on the FACTS that are available for the subject at hand. For those with a “herd” mentality they will never understand that a discussion on welfare is not a discusssion on abortion or discrimination or war or global warming.
To us most all discussions, whether internal or public, can be independant. That takes objective thinking at depth most either can not or will not do.
One thing I enjoy about you “rants” is that even if I don’t agree with you on the subject of your rant it is without injections of un-necessary garbage that would only cloud the discussion at hand.
Take Care,
Write On (sic)
Spitfire, i’m on board with you.
mmmm, Bijou
(what, was i supposed to say i’m here for the politics?)
Hey Nick and the rest of you independent thinkers out there. Maybe the time is not too far away to build a new party. I find myself in a similar camp of being fiscally conservative, and socially liberal, and finding some comfort in the principles of Libertarianism, if not the candidates of their party.
I think the financial crisis we are in now will get much worse before it gets better. It will last much longer than almost anyone thinks right now. And it is beyond the capability of the government to solve the problems without making things worse and creating tons of unintended negative consequences. I think that O’Bama will win, and get stuck with these problems, and that it will get so bad that the Democratic Party will become stigmatized for generations just like the Repulicans were stigmatized in the South after the Civil War. There is a real chance the Democratic Party will go the way of the Whigs (who? – right). This is not said out of any particular malice towards the Democrats. I have voted for them many times (and not, other times). It is just my view of the merciless actions of the engine of history. It is the wrong time to be in control of both the Executive and Legislative branches at the onset of a Depression. And then to appear ineffective in solving the crisis. The last Depression was not resolved by the actions of FDR or Congress. It was WWII that ended deflation by creating new demand for manufactured goods, and reducing the labor pool by getting potential workers into the military.
So when politics as usual fails dramatically, there may be opportunities for pragmatic people who are willing to take responsibility for themselves, and make a smaller role for government. How about the Party for Personal Responsibility?
Nick, I think that you and Robert Heinlein might have had a lot in common in your philosophies.
Funny thing about political beliefs, no one is strictly “conservative” except those judgemental, narrow-minded, so-called “christians” who won’t think for themselves; and no one is purely liberal cuz we all believe in a strong military and, to one degree or another, fiscal conservatism. I for one am a strong believer in state’s rights, and think it was a mistake to keep the South in the Union, but I also think that some forms of abortion are just wrong. So, don’t pigeonhole me either.
Good to hear from you Nick, miss your posting.
Nick, I agree with everything but the religion part. I’m Christian, but I still read porn. We’re not all trying to control what everyone else does in their bedroom. If God had intended for sex to be only “missionary” then that would be the only possibility. I am definitely a pro-responsibility person. Just a note about the current financial crisis, in case you haven’t seen it already, Congress is looking to change the rules around 401(k)s. It looks like they have found their “plan” for fixing social security. http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/25/83/58.php
Thanks for the great writing. Glad to hear that things are going well.
-Will
I find it sad how you can spend $1000 per year and household on a war, and still have a significant portion of your populace living illegally (at least 8%) and/or below the poverty threshold (12%). Wars are always about money or influence so I hope that the US will get back what they invested so your domestic politics can once again get some attention.
Legalization of drugs I’m not so sure about; heroin is not something I wish upon the stupidest of my enemies.
I think we should start our own party or kick out all the moral majority nutjobs that have taken over the Republican party.
I have a lot of Conservative friends and they all gawk at me when in one breath I tell them I am for a strong military and for less taxes but in the next breath I am telling them gay marriage is just fine with me and I could not give a flying fuck about abortion.
I talked to the Libertarian party but I could not come to terms with their position on the war on terror.
Nick,
You’ve described the Pragmatist Centrist party to a T. Never heard of it? That’s because we haven’t founded it. About time we should, though.
Less than 15% of “Republicans” actually support most of the crap the party billows forth.
Less than 20% of “Democrats” support the various anal-wind that emerges from its leaders.
That leaves over 65% of the people in this country that are properly Centrists. Add Pragmatic thinking to the mix and you end up with a very powerful political position.
Keep thinking!
Orb
Wow, lots of people agree with Nick…
I like people who think for themselves of just following the sheep. That’s frustrating when it seems like most people don’t want to bother with having their own thoughts.
Anyways my thoughts -
1. if somebody is dieing then whoever is nearby better be doing all they can to save them. w/o judgments on what the person did. (a person is dieing thats whats important) and if that person is in the ER then we will be spending a lot of money. You might willing to stand by and do nothing. But others will not be. Its this having a heart for a fellow human being thing. It can be a pain but it is what it is. Far better to spend money on prevention rather then trying to fix something that is broken.
2. in order to have wealthy people you have to have poor people. Thats fact. Put a wealthy person on an island without anybody. How wealthy are they? Point is, people ARE wealthy because they are standing on the backs of the less wealthy. I wish I could find a better way to say that…
3. Guns. I’m not sure how hard I would have to hit somebody over the head with a frying pan to kill them. But i’m sure its a lot harder then pulling a trigger. Guns ARE way more dangerous. They allow 11 year-olds to accidentally kill themselves. Can you accidentlly kill somebody with a sword? yes. but it would be a bit harder to do.
Does that mean I think we should ban guns? no. That does mean I want it way more difficult to get a gun then it is now? yes.
Great story. take your time. i always enjoy it. and don’t mind waiting for a better story. I’m one of those silent fans i’m sure you have a lot of…
Nick:
Not surprisingly, there are quite of few like-minded folks that like reading your work (not really a Muppet News Flash, when I think about it). I was reading down your list, thinking “Yeah, yeah, yeah, maybe, yeah,” etc. About religion, I think Robert Heinlein stated my beliefs best: I’m a relaxed agnostic. I don’t know who or what is turning the crank of the universe; I’m just glad they don’t stop.
Please keep up the great work!
Nick, I just wanted to say that you’re one of the first people I’ve read whose political stance is consistent with one ideal. In your case, you abide by personal freedoms. The major contradiction in both major parties right now is that the republicans typically believe in economic freedom with social restrictions while the democrats supposedly support social freedoms with economic restrictions. While I don’t agree with you on many points, thank you for being consistent and non-hypocritical. I don’t think you’re hard to label-the current labeling system just sucks. Keep writing.
-John
hey nick good to hear from you, i respect your opinion about the political, i am not american i have lived all over the world in mostly europe and australia and. the second ammendment” which allows you to bare arms, is the reason why those stupid people can kill other people, remove the means and you’ll avoid the end, yes there is a lot of stupid people out there i know that, but the point is the majority of the world now is stupid people, or run by stupid people, if the government eliminated the method of destorying lives then lives wouldnt be destroyed so easily, you seem like a resonable guy and i like that you have your opinion and dont follow the “sheep” that is how i am also, anyways enough ranting and thanks for the update cant wait to see what paul gets up to back at college
Hi Nick,
Thanks for keeping us up to date with progress and politics! Speaking as a Brit I’ll be glad when the election is all over too, how is it you guys can make it last for 6 months? Just hope whoever you end up with makes a good job of it, there’s no guarantees with anything anymore!
Looking forward to the next installment of Paul
Jon
@Darden,
The rich are only that way because somebody somewhere was smart/lucky enough to make that money. And your gun control view is flawed, in that it’s stil ridiculously easy for criminals to get guns illegally. Meanwhile, I have to go on a waiting list to buy a hunting rifle. Yes, it’s tragic every time a child blows himself away accidentally, but is that the guns fault? Hardly! Instead of blaming the tool, blame the parent who did not properly educate their child on how to be safe. My father was a card carrying member of the NRA for the latter part of his life, and I ALWAYS knew proper safety procedure when we went out target shooting. He kept the guns hidden or locked, and I knew better than to go find them and fool around with them.
“And I don’t make a good Libertarian, because I’m too pragmatic. I’m… unique, I guess.”
Funny you sound like a libertarian to me. A pragmatic libertarian hawk.
Now, you may not want to be a “proper noun” Libertarian (by which I mean a member of the Libertarian Party), but you are definitely a libertarian in the ‘adjective’ sense (Okay, that usage is probably more like a noun. Forgive me my grammatical sins.)
I would encourage you to be a “proper noun” Libertarian. We need more pragmatists in the L.P.
A lot of nice and lofty ideals here. Point is you guys have no real choices, you have a 2 party system so most of the time you dont choose the best person but you dont vote for the worst one.
hmmmm I think you may have been largly influenced by Hienliens Professor De la Paz charactor when it comes to your personal politics. Keep up the good work, I am eagerly awaiting the next installment. I do get worried that you may have given up or that something has happened to you when there are long breaks between updates.I try to exercise patience and remind myself that you are probably trying to maintain the very high standard that you have always achieved in the past. Besides that I have taken the time to reread books 1,2&3 to refresh a few thing in my memory. Thanks for great work so far and I am looking foreward to you sharing your future work with us.
Nick,
glad to see you are still functioning and rational, and happy to hear the words are coming easier for you.
thanks for providing some daily entertainment with this site.
\\/
It is a nice surprise to see that soo many share the political beliefs I do. And there is a name for a government that provides for the national defense, have minor taxes, run prisons, provide police and fire personnel, and run the courts. That name is Minarchism.
Minarchism to Save America 2012!
- Anon
I’ve always felt that an armed society is a polite society, personally, assuming (and this is a BIG assumption) that people are properly schooled in firearms safety.
I think my two favorite bumper stickers on the issue are:
1) Gun control means using both hands.
2) Guns kill people like spoons made Kirstie Alley fat.
A little personal responsibility goes a loooong way.
Nick,
Thanks for your update. I think this Freezoner Christian Mystic (me) is with you on religion. Politics too, mostly (I disagree on the drugs bit, but that’s my personal thing). Definitely in agreement on sexual freedom and gay marriage.
Hope your work continues to proceed smooth. I look forward to Chapter 15.
PS- Thanks for posting the Gracie pics. I think Wren has a contender for hottest SC brunette.
Just a quote from Kathleen Parker (posted on Slate today):
In a recent Zogby poll, 59 percent of respondents described themselves as “fiscally conservative and socially liberal.”
So where the heck is our party, if we’re 60% of the country?
be287m
Ed:
At the risk of being sarcastic, they don’t appear to know what Newt Gingrich knew in 1994 – organize a list of priorities that people understand and want, then get candidates who will work for that agenda and they will get elected.
I am waiting to see what the new president’s economic staff come up with as solutions, and what Congress will approve. Looks more and more like “open wallet, remove cash, repeat”. Not the way to fix all the problems with the economy, but certainly looks like a handout to me.
man goes to his congressman and says “it hurts wheni do this” (opens his wallet and pulls out cash)
congressman replies “tough shit bitch”
Being an Independent (sometimes a bit more conservative in thought and action, other times a bit more liberal), I agree mostly with your personal stands. I strongly believe that persons should be responsible for their own actions, and necessarily reap the rewards or suffer the consequences of such. I believe in tort reform wherein persons won’t be able to make party(ies) pay for the stupid actions or mistakes by others. I believe that history has shown that it is against human nature for everyone to get along and live in peace; therefore, a strong military and a responsible local police force is necessary. I believe in freedom of thought and responsible expression, freedom of choice, and freedom to take advantage of opportunities to their fullest. I also believe that failure to take advantage of opportunites one must bear the consequences of such inaction and not expect others to provide benefits (the ant versus grasshopper).
Having said all that, I can hardly wait for Chapters 14, 15, and 16. Everytime I think I know where the story is going, it often goes in a different direction. You’re making me analyze every twist and turn; thus, making it far more enjoyable than most novels. Than ks.
Just out of curiosity, could you spend a bit more time writing porn, and less time blogging.
Time is precious and we aren’t getting any younger.
@Lian
You cock.
@Alan
LOL!
(I agree with you, though – most of us want the story ‘right’ rather than ‘right now’)
HAHA go Lian!!!!!!!!
is nick alive? lol just joking eagerly awaiting installment im sure it wil be great when it comes but are you alive?
Of course he’s alive – someone changes the picture of the day.
Patience grasshopper
G’day Nick,
Well, you shock me. Not a word about human organ donation!
For me, I think that everyone has the responsibility to allow their dead body to be harvested for the benefit of others. If you do not want your body parts donated, sign a formal declaration to state you are not a spare parts depot.
The above policy would certainly reduce the “black” market for body parts.
Interesting take on life you have there sport!
I really like your writing because it shows imagination beyond the daily business of staying alive, and it’s provoking enough to make me ask, “What if I’d done x instead of y when I was a smart-arse 18 year-old?” “Can I do it now?” Stops brain rust at any rate.
I’m currently doing Commercial Pilot Land theory and finishing off the MEI — both great ways to stop mental laziness and also to hang out with many young and middle-aged dude(ess)s. Such a mixed group, and so socially and ethnically diverse…
I did the guns bit in SVN (2 tours in the infantry) and this business of actually defending yourself/family by shooting/killing is a tad overrated. Sounds good, but I’ve seen a church social worker talk down a crack-head with nothing more than calm words and a Bible in her handbag. Much less messy than being covered in the back-spray of body fluids when you actually shoot someone at close range. And the smell
.
Ask any paramedic or police — it takes days to get the smell off. TV and movies lie about shooting deaths, just like the 55-shot automatics the hero hardly never re-loads…
But the basic problem for all of us is this. If we demand greater self-reliance from the have-nots then they are just going to get more determined to get theirs from us — it’s human nature (see Nigeria/Congo/Somalia). We may not it, but sharing some of our stuff with others usually leads to less fighting.
Enjoy!
Nick
Thanks for the curveball. I think this is one of the most interesting chapters – Paul’s darker side coming to the front of his psyche. I enjoyed it immensely.
Big D
Wow thanks for this tour de force of a chapter!
Nick,
Ditto what Ep Olu said, amazing chapter, and you’re right, it wasn’t easy to read.
Thank you.
Marc
woe, woe, woe, nick loved the chapter it was expected because of how u started this book with trip and ren living together but woe, obviously they become friends but when and how is what i cant wait to find out. great work, i now realise the frustrated wait was really worth it in the end. lol it sucks we have to wait for the next chapter lol. and i’m thinking i no wat kreistie said that paul didnt hear, not sure but just speculation i wont say here in case im right
keep it up man
Awesome chapter, Nick! Probably my favorite of the book thus far. Extremely FRUSTRATING because I’ll now be on the edge of my seat until the next installment, but it will be well worth the wait…just as this chapter was. I’m glad we got to see Paul’s darker side. It was scary how realistic all of Nick’s thoughts were. I know that when I’ve been in similar situations, I fantasize about the pain I can bring upon those who hurt me.
Again, GREAT chapter!!!
Jeez. good chapter. Don’t want to see the train wreck happening. Joska’s wife that he slept with?
Haven’t read the chapter yet, but from the comments here it sounds good.
Belated happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
wow, i must’ve read a different chapter than everyone else. we waited three months for such a short chapter? by the time i read it i had completely forgotten all about trip, wren and everyone else.
obviously christy broke up with simon, wren and trip got together, paul will eventually use gracie as a crutch to get out of the slump and then unceremoniously dump her ass when he finds out about christy; go to trip and wren’s wedding, see christy, fall for her, marry her and spend the rest of eternity fucking all three of them.
i’ll be back in another three months to see if _maybe_ there’s a new chapter.
at yeah; dude your a dick. we all got frustrated with the wait so did i and yeah it was a short chapter but did you ever consider maybe nick made it short in order to get it to us quicker? i have complained about the slow pace of posting so have other people but for god sake give the man a break, the wait was intended to give him a buffer so he can be updating us more frequently, think before you speak you dickhead
I’m with james on this one: “yeah,” thanks so much for clogging up this comment stream with your self-important complaining opinion–which, I might point out, no one asked you for. (I swear, it’s people like you that ruin books and movies for everyone else with your know-it-all negativity.) So you don’t like how short this chapter was or how long it takes to update: so what? We’re all waiting together here. Try thinking of someone besides yourself for a change. Throwing your bitterness (and your high-handed plotline predictions) on Nick and on us only makes you sound like a peevish child who can’t wait to say “I told you so!” just to make people pay attention to him. If you don’t like the story, read something else; if you can’t respect Nick’s writing process enough to wait patiently and appreciate what he does write, go somewhere else; no matter what you do, please either grow up or shut up. Preferably both.
Spitfire
Also, for the record: Nick, this was a great chapter, both in spite of and because of how frustrating it was. I can’t wait to see how Paul gets out of this one (though already knowing he somehow does is comforting). Thanks for updating, and take your time buffering.
what the hell spitfire said it all.
thanks Nick
i have just thought of something but i dont know if it can be done or whether you would want it to be done but since the wait is frustrating and dickheads like “yeah” seem to think that this writing business is piss easy why not perhaps let readers submit what they think will be in the next chapter by writing our own chapter, it gives us something to read in the meantime and it will shut the dickheads up leaving nick to not worrie about the windgers on this site and get on with his work at his pace. like i said maybe it cant be done but it’s an idea
Oh Yippee! It’s a ‘Write your own ending’ contest… Hmmm… let’s see. Paul gets a nasty disease from his weeklong fuck-em-all adventure. His treacherous organ withers up and falls off, leaving him undesirable to anyone, let alone Gina, Kendall, Wren, or Christy…
OK, someone else take it from here…
J
Unbelievable or not? The majority of the comments to this blog entry are in agreement. If only we had a candidate that we could vote for. Oh wait… we did – Ron Paul. However, Ron Paul could not achieve what I hoped for and far too many politicians gave him a laugh. We are libertarians for certain. The Libertarian party is definitely a joke. Someone needs to sort this mess out at the top level.
You sir are an independant. It is refreshing to hear other people actually think and not follow like sheep.
Hello:
I have been reading Summer Camp for the past many many months, and all of a sudden, it isn’t listed in SOL!
Today I read your blog of October, and I would like to know how I can finish your great novel and find out what happens to Paul.
I am on pins and needles, and find myself being left at the computer (instead of the altar).
Please help.
Gaspass
Hey Nick, Just dropping by to say hi and hope you have a good holiday. On a side note i loved the last chapter.
I see what you mean by it was hard to write, but everyone has to go through moments like that in there life.
Jay
Dear Nick,
As one of your other dear readers put it, stop getting off on the “emotional handjob” that precedes my post, so that we can give ourselves an actual handjob. You are lazier than a second-semester senior, and when you are not being compared to other erotica “authors”, an even worse writer. Get off your high horse and all those other cliches, and post Chapter 15 already. I’ll be collecting social security at this rate before the final chapter is posted.
Oh, and be sure to get really, really angry at me and threaten me over the internet. That’ll work REAL well. Seriously, you take criticism worse than a spoiled four year-old. You’re not crafting works to be considered for the Nobel Prize, so I’m pretty sure that little bit of extra editing that you feel is necessary is not.
And I’m not sorry if this makes you extremely irate. If anything, it was worth it.
You’re useless, and there’s better free porn out there.
Again, make sure to get really angry, or just ignore this completely.
BUT WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T POST CHAPTER 15!!!!! THAT WOULD BE AWFUL!
-Go fuck yourself
John, when you start paying for Nicks work then you have a right to bitch and complain ok?
Until then I suggest that as you are obviously such a great judge of good writing, you go get off your arse and write something yourself and give us all a chance to hassle you about fracking deadlines.
Some people want the world on a plate and still not leave a tip!
Oh, for fuck’s sake, here we go again.
John, you need to learn the difference between criticism and just plain bitching. You are clearly doing the latter. It shows a lack of maturity that suggests that you may not be old enough to visit this site in the first place. We all want the next chapter, but we are not all bitching about it. Grow up.
And for the record:
Thank you Nick for your hard work. Most of your readers appreciate it. Please remember that people like “John” are a small minority.
Nick-
Make sure to ignore the ego-stroking ‘tards who followed my previous post.
At this point, I’ve become to divested from the whole Summer Camp series that my main complaint is Nick’s attitude towards the “bitchers.” I frankly don’t care at this point whether or not he posts the chapter, I just want him to realize that the quality of his writing, his buffer, and his moronic fans do not matter.
Ah, I love the smell of anger in the morning.
For your information, somebodyslapthefuckwits, it is not immature to express anger and frustration, especially when such a display is necessary amid a sea of tranquility and subservience. So go slap yourself.
-Yours truly
And just in case somebody hounds me for improper use of English, please replace “At this point, I’ve become to divested from…” with “At this point, I’ve become too divested from…”
I stand behind my comments. To suggest that any of us are entitled to Nick’s work is absurd. We all want the next chapter, but most of us know that it will come eventually. So we wait.
The tone of John’s original post clearly shows that he feels a sense of entitlement. Upon reflection, I realize now that he is clearly seeking attention. I hope he enjoyed it, because I will feed his ego no more. John is not Nick’s first fuckwit, and he will not be the last.
Nick, don’t let the fuckwits get you down. As I said before, they are but a few of your readers and do not speak for most of us. Then again…you know that already.
BLARGH!! I am mad I am not getting free stuff at the rate/frequency I want to! I was never taught patience or courtesy by my parents! I like to turn my speakers in my really loud and roll down the windows for no other reason than to let people know what music I listen to. I prefer to slightly inconvenience people in public restrooms by picking the middle urinal when all three are open!
Oh yes, did I mention I’m a 12-year-old dipshit?
Gee, and I thought they’d canceled “Romper Room” years ago…
Hope you and your family had a good Christmas and New Year’s, Nick. Also hope you haven’t fallen off the planet or run off to join the circus.
@John
And I thought Lian was a Cock. You take the prize. Fuck off you utter waste of space.
Here I was stopping by for an update… I guess I got one of sorts. Another fuck wit trying a little psychology to get Nick to post. Anyone besides John think it will work? Nick will post when he is ready. There are other authors that I enjoy reading that haven’t posted in a couple of years. One in particular has to great stories hanging. While I don’t check as often anymore I still check on them from time to time. So to John and all the others that swear they are never coming back or just don’t care, all I can say is prove it by not coming back. And when you do hope about posting that you were wrong.
All the best to Nick and everyone else that is waiting…
Go John Go, Woot, Woot..
Nick said chapter 14 was hard to write…??. I finally read it a couple weeks ago, lol…
Actually all I have read of Book 4 is Ch. 1, 2, 3 and the beginings of 2 or 3 others.. then a couple weeks ago my curiosity got the best of me so I read ch. 14.
LOL, big deal.. I think WE have ALL read the first 3 books and most may have read the first part of book 4.. My Point?? It’s coming
We all know that Trip and Wrin are going to be together in the end…. so it was just a matter of when the would hook up. Chapter 14 wasn’t the least bit depressing for me. I already knew they would be together. … Now for the depressing part..
Book 3 had some real depressing stuff, for instance when Gina broke up with Paul, but yet Nick was pushing out a chapter ever couple of weeks.
Might I suggest… just Scrap Summer Camp and Book 4. Press the Delete key on Ch. 15 and what ever is left of Ch. 16. 2 key strokes and it is done.
Leave it as “Incomplete and Inactive”.
Take a year or 2 vaction from writing to get in the “Mood” again then restart it or do something else.
IMHO.. If you do the vaction thing and decide to start it up after a well deserved vacation. We will see the end of Book 4 a lot sooner than struggling to write 100 words every month or so.
If not, well, we still mostly know where the story is going. Only 2 questions remain to be answered, everyone has an opinion. We can write the rest in “our own heads”.
Levon
I don’t think Chapter 14 was hard to write because of what happened between Wren and Trip, but rather because Paul goes into such a self-destructive downward spiral. As an author who’s invested a lot of time and emotion into a character, I’d imagine it’s tough to write that character being such a little bitch as Paul is being write now, and to do it in such a way that it seems a natural and/or plausible reaction.
I think if you guys have not worked out why writing parts of Summer Camp have not been really hard for Nick then you have not come to realise where the source material has come from ….
Oh bugger! Make that “Really hard” not “Not really hard” …
Sheesh Sunday is not a good day for consistant typing and thinking.
Go Nick Go
I’m a little late to this party. There are some things I’d like to comment on, anyway.
From chris on October 29th, 2008 1:41 am:
“… i am not american i have lived all over the world in mostly europe and australia and. the second ammendment” which allows you to bare arms, is the reason why those stupid people can kill other people, remove the means and you’ll avoid the end, yes there is a lot of stupid people out there i know that, but the point is the majority of the world now is stupid people, or run by stupid people, if the government eliminated the method of destorying lives then lives wouldnt be destroyed so easily …”
How odd. I had no idea that wearing short sleeve shirts was a constitutionally protected right.
As to destroying lives, in the UK, depending on which Home Office reports you choose to use, there are 2300 or 3992.8 violent crimes per 100,000 population (2005–2006). In the shoot’em up, bare armed, and arms bearing US, per the FBI, there are 469.2 violent crimes per 100,000 population (2005).
In peaceful, arms restricted England, the average Brit is five times as likely to be assaulted, battered, invaded, and otherwise violently victimized than the Yank in the wild and woolly US.
From Nick’s blog:
“The Declaration of Independence says you have an inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness, but it doesn’t say anything about delivery.”
I have read, but cannot cite,that in the usage of the day, pursuit equals career, and happiness equals choice. That would be we each have the right to choose the avocation or career to follow. This contrasted greatly with England, where one could not just “set up shop” without having been born to it in property or guild legacy.
cheers,
gary