Here are the latest photos of what my family and I have been doing. Plus some more non-40K fiction for the--what? Four of you?--who might give a flying crap:
Right here.
Full Version: kentonkilgore.com
Four, is it really that many? 
BTW, who was the hottie in Joseph? She can sing in my chorus anytime.....
BTW, who was the hottie in Joseph? She can sing in my chorus anytime.....
You mean the teenaged young lady in this photo?
Her name is Christina Carlucci: she just graduated from high school. She's going to major in theater, IIRC, at some college in NY (?). I've seen her in other musicals and she sings at our church. She even sang at Gov. O'Malley's inauguration. She's *extremely* talented, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if she turns into a very big star on Broadway or American Idol.
Her name is Christina Carlucci: she just graduated from high school. She's going to major in theater, IIRC, at some college in NY (?). I've seen her in other musicals and she sings at our church. She even sang at Gov. O'Malley's inauguration. She's *extremely* talented, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if she turns into a very big star on Broadway or American Idol.
Something I've written for my website. Expect to see it posted soon.
QUOTE
I Forget
A weird thing has happened to me. I have seemingly forgotten that one of my children has a disability.
If you’ve read “Lucky,” then you will know that when my daughter Ally Jane was born in 1999 with arthrogryposis, her condition—what it meant for her health, her abilities, and her future—were pretty much all I could think about when she was very young. But now that she’s gotten older—it’s August 2008 as I write this—I hardly notice that she has—and will always have, apparently—a handicap.
One reason, of course, is simple desensitization. I’ve lived with Ally for so long that I’ve stopped seeing her as strangers would. To me, she’s my daughter Ally, not a child with disabilities. I don’t remember when was the last time I explained her situation to someone. I’ve become blind.
Another reason is that she’s made so much progress. When, as an infant, she had her clubfeet corrected, the orthopedic surgeon thought that he was doing just so she could wear shoes: he had little faith that she would ever be able to stand or walk. Not only did she learn to do both, but she also learned to run, to jump, to skip, to dance, to swim, to ride horses. As a matter of fact, it was years of therapeutic horseback riding—administered by her therapist, Marco Belpario—that has built up her strength. When she started the program, she couldn’t walk very far or very long without tiring. Now, she walks most of the time when we go on all-day outings to amusement parks or the zoo. When she tires, I carry her on my shoulders, like a lot of dads do with their small children.
“Small” is the operative word. Because arthrogryposis limits bone and muscle growth, Ally is very small for her age: at the age of 9 ½, she stands just over three feet tall and is perhaps 42 pounds. I notice that she’s small, of course, but unless I stop and think about it, I never make the connection that it’s because of her disability. I just see her as a “little kid,” and I tend to still think of her as a “little kid”—even though she’s a tween. She’s starting fourth grade in the fall, and I remember fourth grade very well. She’s not so “little” any more, but it’s hard for me to remember that.
It’s not entirely possible to forget, of course. Every once in a while, something happens that reminds me of Ally’s condition. For example, this summer, she started taking showers, and at first, we had to wash her hair. With her limited shoulder and elbow mobility, it was difficult, at first, for her to do it herself. But she learned how. I help her get in and out of the tub, but I imagine that soon, I won’t have to do that, either: she’ll have learned how to get in and out safely.
The fears and worries that I had many years ago, when I wrote “Lucky,” have not come to pass. She dress herself, feeds herself, brushes her hair and teeth. She has lots of friends—to the best of my knowledge, no one makes fun of her or picks on her. The only jealousy she displays concerning her older, able-bodied sister is that Beth gets to stay up later than she does. Since she’s started school, she’s been close friends with a boy (Cade) in her class—it wouldn’t surprise me if they dated when they get older.
She goes to school on the “regular” bus, she was a Brownie Scout, she gets straight “A’s,” she loves to swim and climb trees and do art projects and go on rides whenever the carnival comes around. It’s only when I look at a photo that I notice that her knees and fingers don’t straighten all the way, or that her arms and legs are very thin. Other than that, I forget.
A weird thing has happened to me. I have seemingly forgotten that one of my children has a disability.
If you’ve read “Lucky,” then you will know that when my daughter Ally Jane was born in 1999 with arthrogryposis, her condition—what it meant for her health, her abilities, and her future—were pretty much all I could think about when she was very young. But now that she’s gotten older—it’s August 2008 as I write this—I hardly notice that she has—and will always have, apparently—a handicap.
One reason, of course, is simple desensitization. I’ve lived with Ally for so long that I’ve stopped seeing her as strangers would. To me, she’s my daughter Ally, not a child with disabilities. I don’t remember when was the last time I explained her situation to someone. I’ve become blind.
Another reason is that she’s made so much progress. When, as an infant, she had her clubfeet corrected, the orthopedic surgeon thought that he was doing just so she could wear shoes: he had little faith that she would ever be able to stand or walk. Not only did she learn to do both, but she also learned to run, to jump, to skip, to dance, to swim, to ride horses. As a matter of fact, it was years of therapeutic horseback riding—administered by her therapist, Marco Belpario—that has built up her strength. When she started the program, she couldn’t walk very far or very long without tiring. Now, she walks most of the time when we go on all-day outings to amusement parks or the zoo. When she tires, I carry her on my shoulders, like a lot of dads do with their small children.
“Small” is the operative word. Because arthrogryposis limits bone and muscle growth, Ally is very small for her age: at the age of 9 ½, she stands just over three feet tall and is perhaps 42 pounds. I notice that she’s small, of course, but unless I stop and think about it, I never make the connection that it’s because of her disability. I just see her as a “little kid,” and I tend to still think of her as a “little kid”—even though she’s a tween. She’s starting fourth grade in the fall, and I remember fourth grade very well. She’s not so “little” any more, but it’s hard for me to remember that.
It’s not entirely possible to forget, of course. Every once in a while, something happens that reminds me of Ally’s condition. For example, this summer, she started taking showers, and at first, we had to wash her hair. With her limited shoulder and elbow mobility, it was difficult, at first, for her to do it herself. But she learned how. I help her get in and out of the tub, but I imagine that soon, I won’t have to do that, either: she’ll have learned how to get in and out safely.
The fears and worries that I had many years ago, when I wrote “Lucky,” have not come to pass. She dress herself, feeds herself, brushes her hair and teeth. She has lots of friends—to the best of my knowledge, no one makes fun of her or picks on her. The only jealousy she displays concerning her older, able-bodied sister is that Beth gets to stay up later than she does. Since she’s started school, she’s been close friends with a boy (Cade) in her class—it wouldn’t surprise me if they dated when they get older.
She goes to school on the “regular” bus, she was a Brownie Scout, she gets straight “A’s,” she loves to swim and climb trees and do art projects and go on rides whenever the carnival comes around. It’s only when I look at a photo that I notice that her knees and fingers don’t straighten all the way, or that her arms and legs are very thin. Other than that, I forget.
That's beautiful. Very emotional, in a good, warm-feeling-inside sort of way.
I haven't read "Lucky", but I expect I will.
I haven't read "Lucky", but I expect I will.
Wow, a beautiful read Tigger. It has to be wonderful to know you're in that state, and none of the ones you must have fretted about when Ally was younger.
Wait, who are the four people?
Write some fantasy for teenage males, and I would be interested.
Ugh, those pictures of monuments in DC remind me of my terrible fieldtrip to DC where we tried to do so much we learned nothing and were exhausted. At least the monuments you guys went to see we spent at least 15 minutes at each.
Write some fantasy for teenage males, and I would be interested.
Ugh, those pictures of monuments in DC remind me of my terrible fieldtrip to DC where we tried to do so much we learned nothing and were exhausted. At least the monuments you guys went to see we spent at least 15 minutes at each.
[linky-link]The latest[/linky-link]
Very touching. Particularly that piece about the Ravens! 
Go Steelers!
Go Steelers!
QUOTE
Write some fantasy for teenage males, and I would be interested
Isn't that Penthouse Forum?
I really like the bit about your name. I shared it with my mentor teacher and she liked it too. It's nice to read some good writing.
Have you written any books already besides Dragontamers?
Nothing published, yet. In 6th grade, I wrote a 200-page, handwritten imitation of "Star Wars". Then I rewrote it (typed, this time) as a 150 page version more like "Battlestar Galactica" (the original series). Both versions were lame, but cut me some slack: I was what? 11? 12?
As a teenager, I started reading a lot of horror, especially Stephen King. I wrote a "haunted house" novel (about 200 pages) when I was 14 or 15. Again, crap. But you know, you learn.
In my last year of high school, I wrote (hand-wrote, actually) an ambitious but ultimately craptastic 200-page post-apocalypse novel. Very emo, before there was emo: think "Elric of Melnibone" meets "The Day After." I spent my first year in college rewriting that to make it slightly less craptastic.
While I was in college, I studied creative writing under Jack Salamanca, a fellow who writes similar to Hemingway and who had some success in the Sixties (one of his novels, "Lilith," was made into a movie with Warren Beatty). Salamanca is a canterkous old bastard, but he is a good teacher, and he taught me to be much more careful about my writing. I spent years--most of my 20's--trying to be "literary" and write a "magic realism" novel (a la Borges) about identity--who are you? What makes you "you"?--before giving up. It was just too hard.
"Dragontamer's Daughter" is much less ambitious. I'm just trying to write something my kids will like. I started it about four years ago, and wrote a much shorter version, in a generic fantasy setting. An agent that I submitted it to suggested I flesh it out, explore the characters more. I also decided to base it in an alternate Old West, to make it more distinct, and to draw upon things I learned as kid growing up in Arizona.
The primary audience, is, of course, female young adults. I wrote about 20 chapters and then realized I had some substantial things wrong, so I re-started it. Right now, I'm working on Chapter 23 of the "new version," (so I've written more than 40 chapters of this story, and I've only been able to re-use a few small parts of the previous version, and none at all of the original "generic-fantasy" version).
To be honest, I'm not that enthralled with how it's turning out. I think the pacing is very slow, there's not much action, and there's too much dialogue. I had an idea on how the subplot of the Dhyuzmanii invasion would tie in with the main plot, but now I'm not so sure the subplot is even necessary. In addition, I find writing fiction to be very hard work (writing about 40K is *much* easier), and it's difficult to motivate myself to work on it. But my kids like it, so I'll soldier on, and take a look at the whole thing once it's done and see what, if anything, to edit from there. I'm reminded of the business proverb that "everything looks like failure from the middle."
As a teenager, I started reading a lot of horror, especially Stephen King. I wrote a "haunted house" novel (about 200 pages) when I was 14 or 15. Again, crap. But you know, you learn.
In my last year of high school, I wrote (hand-wrote, actually) an ambitious but ultimately craptastic 200-page post-apocalypse novel. Very emo, before there was emo: think "Elric of Melnibone" meets "The Day After." I spent my first year in college rewriting that to make it slightly less craptastic.
While I was in college, I studied creative writing under Jack Salamanca, a fellow who writes similar to Hemingway and who had some success in the Sixties (one of his novels, "Lilith," was made into a movie with Warren Beatty). Salamanca is a canterkous old bastard, but he is a good teacher, and he taught me to be much more careful about my writing. I spent years--most of my 20's--trying to be "literary" and write a "magic realism" novel (a la Borges) about identity--who are you? What makes you "you"?--before giving up. It was just too hard.
"Dragontamer's Daughter" is much less ambitious. I'm just trying to write something my kids will like. I started it about four years ago, and wrote a much shorter version, in a generic fantasy setting. An agent that I submitted it to suggested I flesh it out, explore the characters more. I also decided to base it in an alternate Old West, to make it more distinct, and to draw upon things I learned as kid growing up in Arizona.
The primary audience, is, of course, female young adults. I wrote about 20 chapters and then realized I had some substantial things wrong, so I re-started it. Right now, I'm working on Chapter 23 of the "new version," (so I've written more than 40 chapters of this story, and I've only been able to re-use a few small parts of the previous version, and none at all of the original "generic-fantasy" version).
To be honest, I'm not that enthralled with how it's turning out. I think the pacing is very slow, there's not much action, and there's too much dialogue. I had an idea on how the subplot of the Dhyuzmanii invasion would tie in with the main plot, but now I'm not so sure the subplot is even necessary. In addition, I find writing fiction to be very hard work (writing about 40K is *much* easier), and it's difficult to motivate myself to work on it. But my kids like it, so I'll soldier on, and take a look at the whole thing once it's done and see what, if anything, to edit from there. I'm reminded of the business proverb that "everything looks like failure from the middle."
Don't be too hard on yourself, your first book isn't going to be the greatest. Plus, you're not a professional writer that writes books every day for a living.
Have you read many fantasy novels like Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, Eragon, Lloyd Alexander, TA Barron, Garth Nix, or dragonlance?
If you haven't, reading those fantasy books might help you with writing your own fantasy. Also, one decent series about a 12-13 year old girl as its main character was the Land of Elyon series. It was written by a middle-aged male, so reading that might actually inspire you or something.
I personally found the series a bit boring, but that's probably something to do with being the wrong gender and age.
Have you read many fantasy novels like Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, Eragon, Lloyd Alexander, TA Barron, Garth Nix, or dragonlance?
If you haven't, reading those fantasy books might help you with writing your own fantasy. Also, one decent series about a 12-13 year old girl as its main character was the Land of Elyon series. It was written by a middle-aged male, so reading that might actually inspire you or something.
I personally found the series a bit boring, but that's probably something to do with being the wrong gender and age.
That was a great dress. Classy and flattering at the same time, very nice.
What's the water like in DE in August? In Mass. it's colder than the Devil's heart. So cold that I can remember getting a headache when diving in.
What's the water like in DE in August? In Mass. it's colder than the Devil's heart. So cold that I can remember getting a headache when diving in.
The water was fine: cool, but not cold. The waves were plenty rough, though. I got slammed into the bottom a few times while bodysurfing.
Yep, nothing like being rubbed across the sand by a giant wave!
QUOTE (Cambyses @ Oct 13 2008, 02:53 PM) 
That was a great dress. Classy and flattering at the same time, very nice.
What's the water like in DE in August? In Mass. it's colder than the Devil's heart. So cold that I can remember getting a headache when diving in.
What's the water like in DE in August? In Mass. it's colder than the Devil's heart. So cold that I can remember getting a headache when diving in.
In Maine, it's eough to freeze your extremities off.
Where I live, the water never gets cold, but you'll get stung by jellyfish about twice every 15 minutes.
[link]The latest[/link]
If anyone needs a definition of fish-belly white, have 'em take a look at the guy in the yellow trunks. Oi! 
It looks like you guys had fun in the sun. Now start bundling up because the cold's a'comin'.
It looks like you guys had fun in the sun. Now start bundling up because the cold's a'comin'.
Nice use of suspense in the last sentence of chapter 21.
That's not the worst fistful of hairy belly I've seen...
That's not the worst fistful of hairy belly I've seen...
Wow. If Tigger gets banned from places for showing his sexy self off, then I deard to think how the rest of us will fare in the future!
On a side note, I got's a sister called Alice. And as the name is a little rare here (compared to Alison, which is kinda common) my attention always jerks when the name catches my eye in text.
On a side note, I got's a sister called Alice. And as the name is a little rare here (compared to Alison, which is kinda common) my attention always jerks when the name catches my eye in text.
And here's [linky]more.[/linky]
Your site said...
I clicked the thumbnails but then it said...
Seriously though, he looks like he thinks he's tough, that's good. And if Ally loves him than that's all that really matters, huh? Oh, and little dogs tend to be the longest lived, mazel tov!
QUOTE
Click on each thumbnail to see a larger version.
I clicked the thumbnails but then it said...
QUOTE
the dog ain't gettin' any bigger--deal with it.
I'm not sure what that means!Seriously though, he looks like he thinks he's tough, that's good. And if Ally loves him than that's all that really matters, huh? Oh, and little dogs tend to be the longest lived, mazel tov!
Ah, horseback riding. Always good for exercise.
Whataya mean? The horse is the only one sweating! 
[link]Where I went on my 20th anniversary.[/link]
QUOTE (Cambyses @ Nov 7 2008, 01:25 PM)
Whataya mean? The horse is the only one sweating!
Well, you also burn calories riding the horse just from riding it. It's strange, but you do...
Of course the horse is burning more calories than you.
It looks like you guys had a great time. It really reminded me of the Blue Mountains outside of Sydney, Australia--caves, haze, vistas, hiking...all of it.
Congrats on 20 years mi amico! You're a lucky man with a helluva family.
Congrats on 20 years mi amico! You're a lucky man with a helluva family.
Man, you were not far from my house!
Shenandoah Park/Skyline Drive is really nice, I might go up there this weekend. I've only done 2/3rds of Skyline Drive, one day I'll start at Front Royal and go south.
Great Pix, I'll have to take the family to Luray Caverns.
20 Years, Congratulations, in this day and age, that's quite an accomplishment.
Shenandoah Park/Skyline Drive is really nice, I might go up there this weekend. I've only done 2/3rds of Skyline Drive, one day I'll start at Front Royal and go south.
Great Pix, I'll have to take the family to Luray Caverns.
20 Years, Congratulations, in this day and age, that's quite an accomplishment.
I miss Virginia. A belated congratulations on your 20th too.
Great photographs, Tiger!
Great photographs, Tiger!
[link]Photos of us at the Steelers-Skins game.[/link]
Somebody looks happy to be watching football in that last picture.
Football is always good when your team is kicking the crap out of the other guys. Though seeing as how the Skins are my second-favorite team, it was kind of bittersweet. Would that we had been clobbering the Ravens at their stadium!
I love how that huge grin always comes out. She's a good kid.
That photo of you in 2005 looks like a guy from one of those World War One German Army shoots.
Hmmmm... It makes me think of the little time I have left in School.
Hmmmm... It makes me think of the little time I have left in School.
QUOTE
That photo of you in 2005 looks like a guy from one of those World War One German Army shoots
Not sure what you mean by that, or even which photo you're referring to.
BTW, I have some photos of my grandfather, when he was in WWII, which look like me in a Wehrmacht uniform. Maybe one day, I'll post those.I posted [link]this one[/link] for Gnome's benefit. He has a thing for Princess Jasmine.
QUOTE (Tiger Raja @ Jan 15 2009, 05:09 AM)
Not sure what you mean by that, or even which photo you're referring to.
This one. Doesn't look exactly like a German in a Wehrmacht uniform... but it still reminds me of one.
Wehrmacht picture! Wehrmacht picture!
Did you have any family who were in the Panzer Elite?
QUOTE
Did you have any family who were in the Panzer Elite?
No.
If you'd like to see photos of some people opening a bunch of Xmas presents that you didn't get, then [link]this[/link] is the link for you.
This photo (below) only reinforces questions about my masculinity.
This photo (below) only reinforces questions about my masculinity.
Photos of my daughter [link]Ally[/link] through the years
Nice Penguins jersey Tiger! I have one just like it, with Jaromir Jagr's number 68 on it. It is my second favorite jersey, next to my Calgary Flames one.
Yeah, I wear it a lot now that football season is over. Alas, my Pens are not doing well. Fortunately, I still have that bitchin' purple tiger skin on my Rock Band guitar.
Kenton, you know I love you like my own brother but you are, in fact, a dork. <sadly shakes head and wonders if an intervention can be staged>
QUOTE
Kenton, you know I love you like my own brother but you are, in fact, a dork.
I'm fine with that. To paraphrase Joe Walsh:
QUOTE
They say I'm dorky/
But I have a good time/
Life's been good to me so far......
But I have a good time/
Life's been good to me so far......
Keep doin' what you're doin' brother. It makes people smile.
QUOTE
It makes people smile.
QUOTE
"What, like I'm some kind of f***ing clown? Do I amuse you? Am I here for your amusement? Funny HOW?" 
From Goodfellas, for those who don't know....
But aren't we all a little "dorky"?
We buy, paint and play with little plastic/metal figures on a table. We write stories, fiction, "fluff" if you will about said little figures. We drive miles to actually play the game against other like minded people. We try out new games, silly games (munchkin or monsterpocalypse anyone?), serious historical games (axis and allies, flames of war), the odd games (robo rally), really weird ones (zombies?), and fantasy games. Then there are the truly "weird" ones, those that play live action role playing games, like Vampire:The Masquerade.
Then there are the computer gamers, pen and paper RPGers, MMORPGers (the sickest of the bunch IMHO ).
I say revel in your dorkiness! Let thy freak flag fly!!! (except near schools, they'll arrest you quite quickly) Shout it from the rooftops!
YES! I PLAY GAMES WITH LITTLE PLASTIC FIGURES AND CALL THEM MY ARMY! I HAVE WATCHED AND MEMORIZED THE STAR WARS MOVIES (only the original ones though)! I CAN MAKE THE VULCAN SIGN WITH MY HANDS! I AM A TREKKIE, NOT A TREKKER! I ACTUALLY LIKE TO WATCH HOCKEY ON TV, AND I CAN FOLLOW IT! I LIKE TO WATCH CARTOONS, ESPECIALLY ANIME!
Maybe I should seek some mental help...
We buy, paint and play with little plastic/metal figures on a table. We write stories, fiction, "fluff" if you will about said little figures. We drive miles to actually play the game against other like minded people. We try out new games, silly games (munchkin or monsterpocalypse anyone?), serious historical games (axis and allies, flames of war), the odd games (robo rally), really weird ones (zombies?), and fantasy games. Then there are the truly "weird" ones, those that play live action role playing games, like Vampire:The Masquerade.
Then there are the computer gamers, pen and paper RPGers, MMORPGers (the sickest of the bunch IMHO
). I say revel in your dorkiness! Let thy freak flag fly!!! (except near schools, they'll arrest you quite quickly) Shout it from the rooftops!
YES! I PLAY GAMES WITH LITTLE PLASTIC FIGURES AND CALL THEM MY ARMY! I HAVE WATCHED AND MEMORIZED THE STAR WARS MOVIES (only the original ones though)! I CAN MAKE THE VULCAN SIGN WITH MY HANDS! I AM A TREKKIE, NOT A TREKKER! I ACTUALLY LIKE TO WATCH HOCKEY ON TV, AND I CAN FOLLOW IT! I LIKE TO WATCH CARTOONS, ESPECIALLY ANIME!
Maybe I should seek some mental help...
Raja, you amuse the hell out of me.
That Orion cat though, is a little off...
That Orion cat though, is a little off...
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