Please watch this extended mind meld scene, utilizing clips from TOS to show what Kirk saw in the mind meld.

[youtube NWROQ1B6Onw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWROQ1B6Onw youtube]

"Meelo is chaotic"

Here in Oregon it's just recently became common knowledge that there's gonna be a very terrible earthquake in the area. NPR had a special report a week ago wondering how to get residents to take this new that seriously, because a lot of people are in denial that it's due to happen in our lifetimes. We populated the area long after the last big earthquake and never even knew it was really a threat, so we've become comfortable in our area and can't really fathom something like that happening in our neck of the woods. I'm trying really hard to wrap my own head around it, so I really relate to these villagers here. It's tough, especially if the news is being delivered by someone you don't know or trust. If a fourteen year old girl told me about the earthquake I'd mistrust her too.

Me too! That first section didn't use any names, just pronouns! Nothing to condemn a man over. I really wished it was going to be someone else, no matter how much my gut was telling me it was Ben. I even had a theory Frostpine's investigation would play a role. I just didn't want Daja to be so betrayed by someone. She didn't deserve it! How could Pierce do that to her? I fell for it, and this chapter was all the more gross for it because all my hopes were crushed by this disgusting man.

While dogs and cats are different creatures, we once had a dalmatian with a fairly severe heart murmur live 7 whole years past his expectancy. He died at 15, of natural old age causes. Still, sending all the good thoughts I can spare to you and your kitty!

I hated this part so much. When I first read the Doggy books, I only read the first two. It took me years to read Mastiff, and I'm not entirely sure why. Now I think some outside force was trying to protect me.

When I did read it, I picked up on all the little clues about Tunstall throughout the text. I didn't want it to be him (or any of them!!!) but I couldn't think of an alternative. Then I decided that Tamora Pierce would blindside me with some radical new outcome that I never would have predicted in a million years because it's Tammy and she does that.

But no.

I think I hate this section so much BECAUSE I was right. I'm not usually good at guessing how a book will end and I was really hoping to be absolutely wrong like I was every other time I tried to predict an ending. I didn't want this time to be the one time I was accurate.

Damnit Tunstall.

I didn't notice, but that's probably because I say it "herth." I didn't even realize people say it the other way! Wow.

I've got an Aussie too! He's gigantic, though, so he's mixed with something huge or other. I'm not sure what, because he was a stray intake at the shelter where I rescued him. His name is Charlie :D

Day I got him:


Trip to the wilderness:


Show day:

See, when I first watched this show, I always assumed that in the SPN universe there would, without a doubt, be angels or some equivalent. Not because it was likely with demons running around, but because things like Holy Water, Sacred Land, and Bible verses WORKED on demons and ghosts and the like. Without some higher power to make the blessings, well, "blessed," why would they have any affect on a demon? Without that Authority, the verses are just human fabrication, and I doubt demons would balk at phrases some priests came up with a few centuries ago.

In that regard, it didn't make sense to me that there might NOT be a god, or that Dean wouldn't believe in a god of some kind. His whole spiel about needing proof of something to believe in it really threw me for a loop because I kept thinking, "Your work is the proof! You've exorcized demons with bible verses! Holy Water burns them! How much more proof do you need?"

His reasoning that a god of any kind wouldn't allow Mary Winchester to die did resonate with me, though. A large part of why I don't believe has to do with inexcusably bad things happening to me or my family members. If god was out there why wouldn't he intervene? So I do appreciate this episode for what it is: an examination of faith and why someone would choose to believe. It's something very personal, and like Mark I almost envy anyone who has found that comfort.

I've seen my father cry quite a few times. He's a very emotional man, and he cries like a baby every time one of those Sarah McLachlan ads come on TV. Sometimes he cries when reading the newspaper. He definitely cried on both occasions when his parents died, and he bawled at their funerals.

My mother on the other hand, never cries. She's not unemotional, but she tends to have an upbeat, go with the flow, you can't change it once it happens kind of attitude. The one memory I have of her crying is still very startling to me, because I don't even know why she was crying.

I came home from a friend's house to find her at the dining table, sobbing. No one else was home. When I asked her what was wrong, she said, "Oh, a lot of grown up stuff," and asked me to let the dog outside. She was up and doing the dishes when I came back in a few moments later. I've never seen her cry since, not when her mom died, not when her dad was diagnoses with cancer, not when my older sister moved all the way across the world. She's a very strong woman, and I still live in fear of when I too will face that grown up thing that made her cry.

As for this chapter, I was glad to see Ursula go. She was terrifying! And I was so confused when she was defeated and there was still chapters left in the book. I thought maybe we would spend some time with our Narrator as an adult. THEN we got to the cliffhanger, and Gaiman manages to make this book even more terrifying. He's quite skilled at that.