Blogging Is Like A Flea Market

hells_kitchen_flea_market[1]Daily Prompt: Tagline

Often, our blogs have taglines. But what if humans did, too? What would your tagline be?

Maybe it’s just me (and it usually is), but isn’t blogging like going to a flea market and setting up your own booth.

At first you don’t know exactly how you fit in or if you have the right product for the flea market crowd. Soon you realize that all kinds of people come to flea markets. After a while others begin to accept you and before long you are on the circuit.

The items you bring to the flea market are a specialty that maybe doesn’t attract a lot of buyers. You search around and find out what others bring and what customers buy. You make adjustments, but with your own twists. Your specialty items are always tucked away just waiting for that special customer.

I went to a flea market and became intrigued with an old man was showing his granddaughter how to sell the products. He didn’t know I was listening, but he was passing on information that would help that young lady make a go of things.

“Have a story for everything. That way they are buying not only the item, but a story or memory with it. Let me show you.”

A customer came to his booth and looked at a sewing basket.

“I bought that for my wife about two years before she passed. She carried that thing everywhere. A woman needs something like that around the house. Ah, you should have seen her, just as cute as could be. It’s like a man with his favorite tool box.”

He sold it – for twice what it was worth. He got paid more for his stories than I do.

That old man’s tag line might read, “You’re not only buying an item your buying the story with it.” (Sure he sold junk, but the stories and effort were priceless.)

“Maybe It’s Just Me…”

Blogs are flea markets. Sometimes you spin a little yarn to sell what you’re really up to.

The point made is that everybody has their niche. I have always seen things a bit differently. What that means is that I’m not often right. I have often used this phrase, “Maybe it’s just me and it usually is.” It is a phrase born out of honest reflection and frustration. That would be my tag line.

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Filed under Daily Prompt, Essays

Fear Of Books (short fiction)

Arthur overcame his fear of books and heights.

Arthur overcame his fear of books and heights.

Daily Prompt: Might As Well Jump

What’s the biggest risk you’d like to take — but haven’t been able to? What would have to happen to make you comfortable taking it?

Arthur had been under the care of a psychologist, Dr. Benjamin Gordon for five years. Arthur was afraid of everything; people, bugs, dogs, cats, water, moving vehicles, and so on but his greatest fears were heights and flying.

He could not even watch a program or movie that had a scene inside an airplane.

He lived a tortured existence.

Under the care of Dr. Gordon Arthur was now enrolled at a local college. Dr. Gordon was able to treat his fear of books. Dr. Gordon told him that as long as he had books that they would help him overcome his fears. And it seemed to work. Everyplace Arthur went he carried his text books in his backpack. He visited parks, coffee shops, and was using public transportation rather than walking. He was now going to parks where people often brought their pets.

His progress was remarkable. Dr. Gordon was even preparing a paper on Arthur’s progress and was involved in a serious conversation with a publisher to write a book about his methods of overcoming fears and using Arthur’s story as the premise.

The day arrived for the culmination of Dr. Gordon’s work with Arthur. Arthur was about to parachute from a plane.

Dr. Gordon was an experienced parachutist and testified to Arthur that parachuting was essential to overcome many of his own phobias.

“If you do this one single act there is nothing for you to ever fear again. You will be a free man,” Dr. Gordon told Arthur sitting next to him on the small plane as it ascended.

Arthur was quite nervous. He patted his books in the backpack and smiled nervously at Dr. Gordon for assurance and courage.

The plane climbed for a few minutes. Arthur’s mouth was dry. Dr. Gordon continually assured him about the safety of parachuting and having confidence in his equipment and above all himself. “It’s safer than walking down a flight of stairs,” Dr. Gordon assured.

“We’re at four thousand feet,” the pilot said through the cockpit door. “Anytime you’re ready.”

“I can’t do this,” Arthur said.

“Sure you can,” Dr. Gordon said. “You’ve come too far to turn back now. You can do it!”

“I have to do it without thinking about it,” Arthur said. “Just go automatically through the motions as if I’ve done it all my life. It’s all second nature. No fear because I’ve done it before. Right Dr. Gordon? Just the way you told me.”

“That’s the spirit,” Dr. Gordon said. “You’ve got it!”

As Dr. Gordon moved forward to the cockpit to make certain of the drop zone Arthur quickly suited-up for the jump.

Dr. Gordon returned to find Arthur standing at the door of the plane with both hands firmly gripping the sides. At last he was about to face and overcome his fears.

Arthur looked at the miniature faraway world below and gulped.

“Do it Arthur!” Dr. Gordon said. “Free yourself.”

Arthur had a fearful smile. “Give me a nudge.”

“Just count to five and pull,“ Dr. Gordon said.

Arthur grabbed for his ripcord. It was the most freighting look ever seen on a man’s face. It was twisted in fear and doubt. Arthur tried to take a breath.

Dr. Gordon shoved Arthur.

Arthur tumbled from the plane. Dr. Gordon smiled and mumbled, “You have done it lad, you have done it.”

Dr. Gordon was pleased. He looked over at the Arthur’s empty seat and smiled. “He even did it without taking his books with him, such progress.” Dr. Gordon’s eyes widened. “That’s his parachute! He strapped on his backpack full of books!”

Dr. Gordon sat. He thought, ‘The books were always a crutch. I wonder if they helped this time? I see now why he had a fear of books; they are of little use when falling from a plane.’

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Bloggers with phobias:

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. Push me! | Icescreammama
  2. Quit My Job | Daily Prompt: Might As Well Jump | likereadingontrains
  3. Should I, or shouldn’t I? | Hope* the happy hugger
  4. Jumping into Marriage | Texan in Tokyo
  5. Daily Prompt: Might as well Jump | Books, Music and Movies : my best friends
  6. The Incredible Jumping Logan | It’s a wonderful F’N life
  7. Letting Go: Daily Prompt Might as Well Jump | BLUE BEAD PUBLICATIONS
  8. I’d risk my lifeblood | Right Down My Alley
  9. Leaping Over the Fear of Failure | Ramisa the Authoress
  10. Daily Prompt: Migh as well Jump « Mama Bear Musings
  11. Utter Lack of Ability | windandlaughter
  12. Daily Prompt: Might As Well Jump And Be Happy | Mindful Splatter
  13. Daily Prompt: Might As Well Jump – show us JUMP. | masadiso79′s Blog
  14. Might As Well Jump: A Leap of Faith | Mary Angelini Photography
  15. Jump! It can’t get any worse! | Nanuschka’s Blog
  16. Catherine B.’s Blog | High Risk, High Reward | Daily Prompt: Jump
  17. Jump Right In | Tony’s Texts
  18. Fear Of Books (short fiction) | The Jittery Goat
  19. Still doable | Spunky Wayfarer
  20. Sorta-Ginger | Gotta Start Sometime
  21. Jump | The Silver Lining of the Optimistic Pessimist
  22. IN MY FACE (what I should have done and didn’t) so might as well jump! | BORNTOBEAFAN
  23. Daily Prompt: I Took A Leap Of Faith | My Daily Prompt Blog
  24. Daily Prompt – The Deathly Jump | Create & Motivate!
  25. To Jump or Not to Jump | mobibrad
  26. might as well jump. | The Living Oils Project
  27. Daily Prompt: Free Write | One Starving Activist
  28. Almost, maybe | Relax…
  29. the PEEP SHOW: Daily Prompt | Might As Well Jump | the TRASH BASH
  30. Might As Well Jump! | New Visions
  31. Daily Prompt: Might As Well Jump | The Educated Illiterates
  32. Skydiving? Something Even Better/Daily Prompt: Might As Well Jump | moms to motorcycles
  33. Might as well jump | Geek Ergo Sum
  34. The contemplated jump | Rob’s Surf Report
  35. Donate | Vivir, que no es poco
  36. Risk | Heathernotes
  37. Jump! | Random Encounters of an Inquisitive Mind
  38. Might As Well Jump | The self sufficient single mother
  39. Stagnant in Staten Island [Daily Prompt: Might As Well Jump] | unknowinglee
  40. Daily Prompt: Might As Well Jump | Exploring Utah with MS and Apples
  41. Can I hear you say Jump | Thriving Pessimist…
  42. Risk taking and The Fear | Random Encounters of an Inquisitive Mind
  43. Afraid To Leap, Adoption and Fostering | Reclaiming My Narnia
  44. Daily Prompt: Might as Well Jump | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss
  45. Might As Well Jump | The Nameless One
  46. Breathing Underwater | hansolosvagina
  47. Daily Prompt: Might As Well Jump | iChristian
  48. Darling! You simply MUST read my screenplay! | The Cheeky Diva
  49. Risk | Lost in Adeline’s
  50. Daily Prompt: Might As Well Jump | Sonel’s Corner
  51. Daily Prompt: Might As Well Jump | Lazy Lily
  52. Daily Prompt: Might as well JUMP | Postcards from
  53. A COVENANT MADE | hastywords
  54. Just Leap . . . And The Net Appears | Spirit Lights The Way
  55. Daily Prompt: Might As Well Jump | Scribbling Gizmos
  56. Take That Jump! | Mind My Mind But…
  57. A REALLY AWFULLY JUMPY WHALE OF A TAIL | Colonialist’s Blog
  58. Interviews schminterviews | Bookmouse
  59. Dare I Take the Plunge? | The Office of Iguana Flats
  60. The Woes of a Pantaphobic | meanderedwanderings
  61. Might as well Jump. | Going New Places!
  62. Jump, Jump, Jump | clarior e tenebris

19 Comments

Filed under Daily Prompt, Short Stories

A Letter To An Indecisive Employee

Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out

Write a letter to the personality trait you like least, convincing it to shape up or ship out. Be as threatening, theatrical, or thoroughly charming as is necessary to get the job done.

Dear Evan A. Klue

Recently it has become apparent we must talk face to face. We must come to grips with a recurring and persistent problem.

I have an openings on Tuesday at 3:00 PM, Wednesday 9:15 AM, or Friday at 11:45 AM. I’ll leave the time up to you.

The subject matter is your ability or should I say your lack of ability to stick with a project and decisions you make. It is creating frustration among the team and I’ve come across several complaints not only from them but also our customers.

Last quarter we set a goal of 10% over the same previous quarter from last year or it may have been our best quarter we wanted to top. Either way, a week later I sent out a memo that reevaluated that figure to 7.7 % because I failed to factor-in our down-sizing. After considering the new project we were handed by corporate I found it necessary to again adjust downward our projection to 5.5%. You came in at the end of the quarter with a 6.1% increase, far below my last 12% memo. The increase was due to a carry-over from the previous quarter.

As you can easily see your performance drug our team effort down.

This may sound petty, but I think this characterizes the frustration I am experiencing with you. The first of the year corporate allocated funds for me to take my team out for lunch. I told the team they could order anything they wanted. If you recall you ordered fresh scallops. They were out of season. You than ordered the lobster tail and filet mignon. That took us over budget. I suggested the fajitas, but reminded you that may cause gas. I offered the onion burger platter, but also informed you about the big meeting in the afternoon with our best client; it would not be appropriate to have onion on your breath. At the last-minute you settled on pea soup. Your inability to stick to something is causing an uproar even in social settings.

I hope we can come to an understanding. This is not the way we do things at Decision Consultants Inc.

Very truly yours,

N. D. “Cy” Sevness

PS. Just got a note about the Friday appointment. That’s off the board; I got racquetball with Steve in accounting or golf with Curt in research. On second thought, let’s shoot for the week of the 22nd instead.

PSS. Why not handle it this way; just work on it.

Other bloggers with issues:

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. Everyone Shape Up or Ship Out | Geek Ergo Sum
  2. Dear Insecurity | Taking time, making time
  3. To the Unknown Cheerleader | Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | likereadingontrains
  4. Daily Prompt: Ugly | Postcards from
  5. Everything is going to be okay… | Hope* the happy hugger
  6. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out – show us UGLY. | masadiso79′s Blog
  7. Shape up or ship out sugar cravings | Now Have At It!
  8. Dear Mr. Fearful [Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out] | unknowinglee
  9. Who’s In Charge Here??? | Spirit Lights The Way
  10. A Letter To An Indecisive Employee | The Jittery Goat
  11. These Words for YOU | floatingsheep
  12. The Toothpaste Again | Lewis Cave
  13. Daily Prompt: Shape Up Or Ship Out, Mr. Anger | Creative Mysteries
  14. Yeah, I’m talkin’ to you | I Didn’t Just Wake Up This Morning with a Craving
  15. Daily Prompt; Shape Up or Ship Out | terry1954
  16. Daily Prompt: Ugly | Books, Music and Movies : my best friends
  17. Shape Up or Ship Out | The Nameless One
  18. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out « Mama Bear Musings
  19. Daily Prompt: There’s the door, now leave! | Thriving Pessimist…
  20. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | Musings&Rants
  21. Daily Prompt: Just Ship Out! | Musings&Rants
  22. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | writinglikeastoner
  23. Dear Depression | Random Obsession
  24. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | Exploring Utah with MS and Apples
  25. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | The Educated Illiterates
  26. a letter to myself (in a way) | thematticuskingdom
  27. It’s better to feel pain. | BORNTOBEAFAN
  28. Catherine B.’s Blog | Dear Doubt | Daily Prompt | Shape up or Ship Out
  29. Daily Prompt: Dear John Letter | My Daily Prompt Blog
  30. Mugshots are ugly |
  31. An End to Needless Worry | Required Writing
  32. Anxiety… | Haiku By Ku
  33. Shape up or ship out | Nanuschka’s Blog
  34. A Letter To My Inner Critic | Self-Help for Creatively Deprived
  35. Dear Mr.Impulsive | Everyday Adventures
  36. “What??” | Relax…
  37. It’s time to say farewell my friend Intensity | tornin2′s Blog
  38. Who is that? | That Socially Anxious Atheist Paranoid Gay
  39. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss
  40. Me, Ugly | clarior e tenebris
  41. Dear Laziness | Random, Assorted and Miscellaneous Thoughts
  42. Daily Prompt: Letter to CLIG (Can’t Let It Go) | Iam Who Iam
  43. When I freestyle, I lose … confidence (There’s a picture of New York) | Random Encounters of an Inquisitive Mind
  44. Internal memorandum to fear | A beetle with earrings
  45. Daily Prompt: Dear Impatience… | One Starving Activist
  46. Shape Up or Ship Out: Who Are We Today Then? | Khana’s Web
  47. Phonophobia, pick up all ready, will you?
  48. Letter to Stubborness (A Daily Post Response) | Maggie’s Writing
  49. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | I Work for a Jerk
  50. Act 3, Scene 1: Scent | Romance Without Words
  51. A jail without windows | Vivir, que no es poco
  52. The DAILY POST daily prompt: Temper, temper | a seriously writing woman
  53. Devil | The Optimist
  54. The Summer Ninjas are Coming, Little Lupie! | It’s a wonderful F’N life
  55. Sorry, I couldn’t understand… | Seven Lines
  56. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | Lines by Linda
  57. Dear Anxiety | mobibrad
  58. Quiet Little Voices | a former clarity
  59. Dear Laziness. « kiyudesu
  60. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship out | BLUE BEAD PUBLICATIONS
  61. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | The corner of my imagination
  62. Dear Vain Pain | meanderedwanderings
  63. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | Taking One Day At A Time
  64. Daily Prompt: Shape Up or Ship Out | New Lease–Same Hope
  65. Daily Prompt: Ugly | Morrighan’s Muse

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Filed under Essays

Peppermint Patti – Cool And Refreshing

Nick Patti, ready to be great.

Nick Patti, ready to be great.

Everyone is waiting for the Nick Patti era to begin. Where he actually stands in his development as a Division 1 quarterback only real game experience will tell. He has yet to take a college snap.

Although at this stage of his development he has earned the respect of his teammates being named Scout Team Player of the Year last year. That is a big one. That’s where he stands with one of the most successful college football programs in the nation.

Many said that he would replace Southwick last year when the Boise State offense was sputtering. I have no idea where anybody got the information that he was somehow better than Southwick. He was virtually unproven.

Many now figure he is the heir apparent to the Boise State football legacy.

Make no mistake about it, this guy is a great player. He has football instincts and leadership aptitude. He throws a really good ball, I mean really good ball. In addition he runs well. He’s crafty and slippery. He has everything it takes to be great in Division 1. He reminds me of Russell Wilson, but throws better.

While in high school he was considered one of the nations top high school quarterbacks.

He is the kind of quarterback that when the going gets tough he pulls off miracles.

He’s 5’10”. So what! I don’t think that means didly squat. That means the defense can’t read his eyes or find him. That means he ducks under the arms of 6’5” defensive linemen. That means he’s been called undersize most of his life and has chip on his shoulder – right where you want it.

He has under 4.6 speed. Not a blazer, but enough to outrun seven or eight guys on the other side of the ball. He is not afraid to take a hit or give one. It looks like he wants to punish anyone who tries to put him down. I see a lot of Tylenol in his future.

Enough was not seen of him in the Spring game to indicate anything. He left the game in the first half with an shoulder injury.

Will the four months from Spring to Fall drills mature him enough to take over the starting position? We can only be assured of one thing, the best man will be behind the center come August 31st.

At this point the indication is that there is a real struggle for the back-up position at quarterback with Grant Hedrick.

Nick Patti is like an uninvited guest – in a good way. He shows up you let him in. You soon find out he’s the life of the party. In fact, without him there would be no party. Soon you realize you’re glad you let him in. You don’t want him to leave. He moves in with you and the next thing you know you’re kids are calling him Daddy Nick. When the kids ask you to do something you tell them, “Go ask Daddy Nick.“ Once Patti gets in the game it’s going to be hard to imagine him with headsets and on the sidelines ever again.

Not this Peppermint Patty.

Not this Peppermint Patty.

Now go out and buy a York’s Peppermint Patty. Take a bite. Remember that burst of mint the first time Nick Patti trots onto the blue turf.

I’m buying a bag of those little Peppermint Patties and every time he tosses a touch down I’m having one; beer or not.

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Filed under Boise, Essays, Sports

“North by Northwestern;” Reality Without The Drama

The Hansen brothers and the Northwestern.

The Hansen brothers and the Northwestern.

Daily Prompt: Bookworm

Tell us about the last book you read (Why did you choose it? Would you recommend it?). To go further, write a post based on its subject matter.

Reality shows are about drama; drama over what is petty. They are a short course in bad manners, poor social skills, and lack of civility. It’s difficult for me to conceive anyone I know who would be upset that my nose job was medical or cosmetic.

A few years ago the hosts of a well known talk show were in a snit because one of the co-hosts had a surgical procedure to lose weight and did not inform them. “They felt betrayed,” because she kept the procedure a secret. (I can’t believe I’m writing about it.)

Just before the discussion about the ‘betrayal’ they were discussing national and world issues that actually guide the thinking of millions. Frankly, it is the audience who is betrayed – well maybe not. They may deserve each other.

Yet, I have to admit there is one reality program I really like and seldom miss; Deadliest Catch. Likely it is because I am a man. There is little doubt that there are ‘staged’ events, but not incredulous. You are not going to see an episode where two crab boat captains show up at the local watering hole wearing the same boots and a hissy fit ensues. Your will not see the season finale sit-down episode with Mike Rowe asking, “Junior, what were you thinking going into a bar with the same boots as Wild Bill?”

The program, to me, is the men, the boats, the sea, and the hard work.

My son sent the book North by Northwestern. It was the story of the Hansen family who own the Northwestern crab boat. It’s not a riveting book. It’s just a story of a hard working family. Their idea of higher education is a trade school. Love and passion, not emotions rule their lives. Loyalty is more than a word.

Their lives are not a show down with lawyers and publicists. It is with the sea and death or at the least injury. There is no room for hypocrisy in their world. The sea is exact. It is like invading any enemy’s land to find food for your family and escaping before he is aware. If you are caught, you are executed – period. Yet the Hansen family deal with it as if having the tires rotated or the furnace filter changed.

That’s not the last book I read, but it is the one that left me thinking the most.

Bloggers with worms, book worms that is:

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. The Radical Practice of Loving Everyone | Katherine’s Daughter
  2. Reading The Silmarillion a second, third, fourth time around | Geek Ergo Sum
  3. The Name of the Rose | Daily Prompt: Bookworm | likereadingontrains
  4. Daily Prompt – Bookworm | GlitterFlutterby
  5. Daily Prompt: Bookworm – show us WORDS. | masadiso79′s Blog
  6. Daily Prompt: Words | بيسان
  7. Daily Prompt: Bookworm « Mama Bear Musings
  8. Matthew Vett’s Development Blog
  9. The Golden Notebook, Not My Cup Of Tea On A Rainy Afternoon | Brush Strokes And Scribbled Thoughts
  10. “North by Northwestern;” Reality Without The Drama | The Jittery Goat
  11. Daily Prompt: Bookworm | Reveries of Forevers
  12. The Clean (Book)Plate Club | Spirit Lights The Way
  13. Daily Prompt: Bookworm | suzie81′s Blog
  14. Daily Prompt: Bookworm — Where books live … | SERENDIPITY
  15. Bargain Books Aren’t Always A Bargain | Spirit Lights The Way
  16. 13 Books That Changed My Life | Spirit Lights The Way
  17. The Forty Rules of Love – Daily Prompt – WORDS | The be-all and end-all
  18. reading Jest: David Foster Wallace & me | poetlandia
  19. City of Women | What?????
  20. In The Middle of A Casual Vacancy « Fly for Icarus
  21. Daily Prompt: Bookworm // 365 Day 141 | AmiLoo’s Photography
  22. Daily Prompt: Bookworm | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss
  23. Connection matter | Phelio a Random Post a Day
  24. Daily Prompts; Bookworm | terry1954
  25. “Inferno” – Dan Brown | windandlaughter
  26. What are words without pictures? | The Nameless One
  27. Daily Prompt: Bookworm | Edge of the Forest
  28. Daily Prompt: Bookworm | Completely Disappear
  29. Stop the Human Trafficking! | The Rider
  30. Daily Post: Book About a Couple of Chapters Missing From the Bible | Iam Who Iam
  31. “Wedding Night,” Sisterly Love, and Purple Sneakers | Nerd.Laugh.Love
  32. Daily Prompt: Words | Books, Music and Movies : my best friends
  33. Quiet… | Hope* the happy hugger
  34. The last book I read | Cultural Life
  35. Insanity! | Nanuschka’s Blog
  36. Bookworm | The self sufficient single mother
  37. “A Year of Biblical Womanhood” – Book Review and Banning Controversy | Breaking Moulds
  38. Daily Prompt: Hello Book It Has Been A While | My Daily Prompt Blog
  39. Blood Meridian: West Into Madness | djgarcia94
  40. Catherine B.’s Blog | Daily Prompt: Bookworm
  41. Asterix and the Big Fight – Book I read last | Seven Lines
  42. Guest Blogger: Most Beautiful Swami… | Haiku By Ku
  43. The Hero Dies In This One | a former clarity
  44. The Penn Is Mightier Than The Sword | Edward Hotspur
  45. The Paradise Room – Daily Prompt: Bookworm | Quirky Little Planet
  46. Staying in Focus: Daily Prompt: Bookworm | Staying in Focus
  47. W.O.R.D.S | charlottesville winter
  48. Words? | Dean’z Doodlez
  49. More than ‘Seven’ Years in Tibet. | Nomad Scribbles
  50. Daily Prompt: Bookworm | Postcards from
  51. Daily Prompt: Bookworm | Thriving Pessimist…
  52. Fantasy and laughs | Vivir, que no es poco
  53. The Reluctant Bookworm | mobibrad
  54. Daily Prompt: Bookworm | Exploring Utah with MS and Apples
  55. The Lovely Bones; A Lovely Read But Not Lightly Read. | sophie yapp
  56. Sharing the LOVE | thoughtsofrkh
  57. The Fall of Arthur: first thoughts | A beautiful ordinary.
  58. Bookworm: Spot “The Hobbit”! | Khana’s Web
  59. Daily Prompt: Unmapped Country | Morrighan’s Muse
  60. Daily Prompt: Bookworm | Treasa’s Ramblings
  61. A New Way to Think About Buying Yarn | Because I Love To Write
  62. Bookworm | Slow and steady
  63. Daily Prompt: Bookworm | literarysurfer
  64. Daily Post: daily photo prompt: WORDS | It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see – Thoreau
  65. Daily Prompt/You Had Me at Woof | BLUE BEAD PUBLICATIONS
  66. Daily Prompt: Bookworm| Thief of Thieves | Utter Rubbish

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Filed under Daily Prompt, Essays

Forever Rain (short fiction)

RainLake[1]Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain

Safe inside, toasty warm, while water pitter-patters on the roof… describe your perfect, rainy afternoon.

She knitted. I read. Two Queen Ann chairs faced the window separated by an end table with two cups of coffee. Beyond the window, rain as far as the imagination could carry.

It was a Fall rain. It sprinkled on the deck overlooking the small lake that lapped against its pilings. The gray sky did little to dull the brightness of the maples bordering the shores, red and yellow like a blazing fire. The rain was steady as a heart beat with little to no variation; small drops like the tears of God and angels endlessly splashing on the deck, lake, and roof. The sound was like an endless draw on a chorus of violins.

Behind us the crackle of a low fire in a stone fireplace, just enough to chase away the chill and dampness.

“How long did the weatherman say it was going to rain?” she said.

“Forever,” I said.

“They are getting more accurate at weather these days,” she said.

“I hope so,” I said.

Rainy day bloggers:

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. 50 Words: Rain II | Scant Words
  2. Watching weather raindrops | Now Have At It!
  3. Summer Wars | Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain | likereadingontrains
  4. Just Another Day in WA | It’s a wonderful F’N life
  5. No suit attired rain dancing for me, thank you. | thoughtsofrkh
  6. Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain « Mama Bear Musings
  7. Rain over me… | mcpw
  8. Perfect… | jaycee68
  9. A very hot day indeed | 2 times pink
  10. Insulated from the Rain | Practical Business
  11. Forever Rain (short fiction) | The Jittery Goat
  12. Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain | Edge of the Forest
  13. Daily Prompt: Rain | Postcards from
  14. Catherine B.’s Blog | Music and Movies | Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the rain
  15. Singin’ in the Rain: | Khana’s Web
  16. Daily Prompt: With You Here | The Bluebird of Happiness 幸福
  17. WordPress Daily Prompt | D. James Fortescue
  18. Twofer | Yea, verily
  19. Daily Post: Singin’ in the rain. | Nomad Scribbles
  20. Rain, rain, go away! |
  21. Raining | Tony’s Texts
  22. Morning Rain | Spunky Wayfarer
  23. Dancing in the rain | Nanuschka’s Blog
  24. Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss
  25. Daily Prompt: Rain | Books, Music and Movies : my best friends
  26. Daily Prompt: My Perfect Rainy Afternoon (yeah, right) | Iam Who Iam
  27. A Rainy Moment | Virginia Views
  28. Singing in the Rain… | The Rider
  29. Daily Prompt: Leaves, Raindrops, Friends | inkblots & blood clots
  30. Rainy Days… | Haiku By Ku
  31. Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain // 365 Day 140 | AmiLoo’s Photography
  32. Daily Prompt: Rainy Day | suzie81′s Blog
  33. Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain | The Educated Illiterates
  34. Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain | Stevie’s Words
  35. Daily Prompt: Tunes For The Rain | My Daily Prompt Blog
  36. My Rainy Retreat | The Local Lens
  37. Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain — Floating Leaves | SERENDIPITY
  38. Kids’ Joy | Rob’s Real Life
  39. A perfect rainy evening!! | amateurxpress
  40. My rainy day | tornin2′s Blog
  41. Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain | Basically Beyond Basic
  42. I’m singing and there is no rain (…) I’m happy again | Vivir, que no es poco
  43. Cozy and Rainy Afternoons | Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Happiness
  44. Ranthambore Rains | sakshidayal
  45. Singing In The Rain | The self sufficient single mother
  46. Bein’ the Rain | For the Archives
  47. Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain | My Tropical Home
  48. oblong | charlottesville winter
  49. Curled Up | Daily Prompt: Singin’ In The Rain | My Penned Creations
  50. Breathtakingly Alive | windandlaughter
  51. Rainy Day Commute | Twisted Muses
  52. Hello Again, Rain. | Lost in Adeline’s
  53. The Golden Notebook, Not My Cup Of Tea On A Rainy Afternoon | Brush Strokes And Scribbled Thoughts
  54. Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain | The corner of my imagination
  55. Daily Prompt : Rain | Hamburg und Mee(h)r
  56. Ninety Percent Chance of Showers | The Life Nomadik
  57. Could that be me in pink? | MindBlur
  58. Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain – show us RAIN. | masadiso79′s Blog
  59. The Rain Before Melancholy | Hasta Que mi Corazón Explote… | Until my Heart Explodes…
  60. Bedroom window #179 | Betty Generic
  61. Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain | Under the Monkey Tree
  62. the PEEP SHOW: Daily Prompt | Rain, that old chestnut… | the TRASH BASH
  63. Filter of Memory and Hope: Rain | marsowords
  64. Shh, The Kids Are Sleeping | Lewis Cave
  65. Daily Prompt: Singin’ in the Rain by michelle w. on June 15, 2013 | ruthrambles
  66. I WILL CATCH THE RAINDROPS « MY WALL
  67. The Daily Prompt: Singin’ In The Rain – And Watching Old, Scary Movies | Joseph Rathjen – Freelance Writing
  68. daily prompt: singing in the rain – without the singing | memoirs of an unremarkable man
  69. Daily Prompt: Rain | One Starving Activist
  70. November Rain | A Sign Of Life
  71. Rain? | Out of Bockenheim

 

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My First Search For God

Daily Prompt: In Good Faith

Describe a memory or encounter in which you considered your faith, religion, spirituality — or lack of — for the first time.

What follows is an excerpt from my novel The Summer or ‘62. The excerpt is autobiographical.

I was alone. I didn’t know for how long, but I think it was for some time. I went back to my room and leafed through volume ‘S’ of the World Book Encyclopedia. I was nearing the end of my quest to read the entire set of encyclopedias. I read about Spain. There was an aerial picture of a bull fighting arena in Cadiz. I imagined walking the streets of Cadiz. I heard music and polite people greeting me. That is where my royal Spanish parents lived who lost me at birth and I was taken to the United States by anti-Franco sympathizers for safety sake. I was not Rich Larson, but Juan Gomez. My room began to warm from the sun and no breeze was coming through the window. I decided to go to a place that was always cool and refreshing, a place to relax and dream – the meadow.

The meadow was a mile from our farm. About a hundred sheep grazed there in serenity. It was bordered on the west by interstate seventy-five, on the south by old state route twenty-five, to the north by State Road, and to the south by a farm. The meadow was sixty acres of low laying pasture good only for grazing. A stream split the meadow in half. Two creeks converged just before old state route twenty-five to form one and then passed under a bridge and into the meadow. The water moves fast until mid summer, then it slows to a trickle. The stream pours over rocks and lazily winds through the meadow. Two willows about a third of the way into the meadow forms an arch over the steam. It was cool there. It was a place where troubles are discharged and diluted into the waters and carried into a river and far away. Beneath the willows was shade. I once stayed there to shelter myself from the rain. One time I lay there and went to sleep. The willow branches hung so low they were like a drape that hid you from the rest of the world. On the hottest day it was cool beneath its shade. The sheep kept the grass trim like a manicured lawn of a royal estate. I thought of it as a kingdom and I the sovereign. I was a good king and it was a model land. There was not one inch of that meadow that needed change or improvement. It was perfect. Sheep have a way of gracing the landscape, they give it balance, completeness, and an acuity of security. Sheep can’t dwell in danger.

Beneath the willow I lay with my head resting against the trunk musing the activities of the previous evening. A cool breeze excited the small willow leaves and they shimmered and tinkled like tiny wind chimes. Flowing water from the stream splattered and trickled over smooth speckled rocks near my feet. A twig navigated the small rapids and floated hurriedly away until it lodged against a small patch of grass that stood alone like an island in the middle stream. In the distance was the occasional soothing bleat of gentle restful sheep. How will my Dad redeem himself? Will it be kind words? Will it be a gift? Never with an apology – never. Suddenly it came to me, two men in my life, one with the inability to say “Thank you” and the other with the inability to say “I’m sorry.” If I come to be known for any extraordinary measure in my life it will be for nothing if I am not known for saying “Thank you” and “I’m sorry.” But what about now? A cord has been severed – a sacred trust broken. How can I make sense of the dichotomy of thought in my mind. I know the man really loves me, but how can he act in such a shameful and repulsive manner? Is it evil? Even evil men have a huge capacity for compassion and love. Is it insanity? If so it can’t be helped, it is a disease of the mind. One thing is for certain, it is not normal. It is destructive. Why can’t he see what he is doing to Mom and me and change or just go away? I looked up through the maze of branches and caught an occasional peek of the sky as the breezes parted the tiny slivers of willow leaves. Clouds hypnotically floated by to places beyond the horizon. Can God see me? Is he looking down as I am looking up? Does he see my pain and sorrow.

“Dear God please help me,” I muttered and fell asleep.

Bloggers with faith:

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith – show us FAITH. | masadiso79′s Blog
  2. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith | The Educated Illiterates
  3. I don’t believe | Geek Ergo Sum
  4. Daily Prompt : In Good Faith / Iman | bambangpriantono
  5. Run. Wildly. Crazily. |
  6. Dad’s Flag Day | Misifusa’s Blog
  7. My First Search For God | The Jittery Goat
  8. The Day I lost my Faith, A Little | Things To Rave About
  9. The day I think I finally got it
  10. Daily Prompt: Faith | Books, Music and Movies : my best friends
  11. Faith… | ilargia64
  12. Keeping Faith Close at Hand | It’s a wonderful F’N life
  13. Faithfully Named | It’s a wonderful F’N life
  14. Daily Prompt: A Test Of Faith | My Daily Prompt Blog
  15. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith | The Blogging Path
  16. Daily Post daily photo prompt: faith | It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see – Thoreau
  17. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith | The Evolving Dad
  18. Deconverted: A Story of My Journey To Atheism | Eyes Through The Glass – A Blog About Asperger’s
  19. My Run-In with the Lord [Daily Prompt: In Good Faith] | unknowinglee
  20. Have a little faith! | Nanuschka’s Blog
  21. Daily Prompt: Growing Up Without Religion | Left to Write
  22. Under the Covers | Mixing Chicory
  23. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith « Gleaning the Nuggets
  24. I will never forget that… | Hope* the happy hugger
  25. Under the Covers | I Didn’t Just Wake Up This Morning with a Craving
  26. Sorta-Ginger | Firmly Agnostic
  27. I Cannot Believe in Miracles | The Mercenary Researcher
  28. The Ten Commandments | From Five to Fifty
  29. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss
  30. Lord, I Believe, Help Thou Mine Unbelief | Living the Whole
  31. How a Bullet Changed My Faith | Lewis Cave
  32. Sure of What We Do Not See | Nine Year Pregnancy
  33. Haiku By Ku
  34. A lady with wings, on a dark bridge | Relax…
  35. “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction.” -Richard Dawkins | Musings of a Muggle in Converse
  36. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith | Alastair’s Blog
  37. Daily Prompt: In God I trust | Thriving Pessimist…
  38. Daily Prompt: Faith | Postcards from
  39. For The Love Of Faith (Short Story) | Creative Mysteries
  40. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith | Completely Disappear
  41. St. Agnes Tower | Forest So Green
  42. Have a little bit of faith… | The Rider
  43. Daily Prompt: Lack of Faith in Everything (except . . . ) | Iam Who Iam
  44. Daily Prompt: Bad Things Don’t Happen for a Reason | Jane’s Journal
  45. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith – Letting Go | SERENDIPITY
  46. Hineni – “Here I am” | Icescreammama
  47. Grandma Has Landed | Icescreammama
  48. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith/My Testimony | Musings&Rants
  49. Tents, Faith and Scripture Memorization | D squared + J squared = Anderson
  50. Faith in Ireland | Daily Prompt: In Good Faith | Ireland, Multiple Sclerosis and Me
  51. Fighting hate | Vivir, que no es poco
  52. Fire and Fragrance | Prayers and Promises
  53. The Daily Post Daily Prompt: A Question of Faith | a seriously writing woman
  54. In Good Faith | The Nameless One
  55. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith | New Lease–Same Hope
  56. DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS | Standing Ovation, Seated
  57. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith | A Hedonistic Wander
  58. Losing My Religion, Finding My Truth | Compass & Quill
  59. Candle in the Darkness | Travellin’ Thru Rambles
  60. My Faith | A Teacher’s Blog
  61. A lack of faith or a leap of hope? | tornin2′s Blog
  62. You’ve Gotta Have Faith… Don’t You? | The Office of Iguana Flats
  63. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith | Someday I Will Learn
  64. Daily Prompt: Finding Faith | One Starving Activist
  65. The Long Bumpy Road to the Corners of Faith and Despair. | pandora’s island 2
  66. Picturing faith | eljaygee
  67. Whistling downwind | Tell Tale Therapy
  68. a Sufi’s take on faith | Following the trail of Ibn Battuta
  69. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith « Mama Bear Musings
  70. When did we last? | A garland of words
  71. In Good Faith: Discovering Hinduism | Khana’s Web
  72. Daily Prompt: In Good Faith | The Tarot Alchemist
  73. God Was There in That Psych Ward | tarpfrog
  74. In and Out of Faith | Brother Jon
  75. For The Faint Of Heart | Here’s My Heart & Here’s My Mouth

 

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The Person of the Year; And It Ain’t You

Time Magazine's 1938 Person of the Year. Likely nominated by Joseph Goebbels, but I want to know who voted for him?

Time Magazine’s 1938 Person of the Year. Likely nominated by Joseph Goebbels, but I want to know who voted for him?

Daily Prompt: Person of the Year

You’re asked to nominate someone for TIME’s Person of the Year. Who would it be, and why?

Time Magazine’s Person of the Year was born out of a time when people, in general, were gullible to think that such a designation meant something.

The designation today assumes people care. It really only indicates how out of touch with reality Time is with the world and the public.

A quick survey of past Person’s of the Year show a bias against women: only four woman and one of them was Wallis Simpson. I know, Wallis who?

Some were truly evil and despotic people; Hitler, Khrushchev, and Stalin. Stalin was so good they named him twice. Two were Presidents who disgraced the office, Nixon and Clinton. One was nominated and named for doing nothing other than winning an election; Obama. One was a general who was likely responsible for the death of hundreds of thousands while losing a war; Westmoreland. This is just a sampling. With the exception of a few, those selected were responsible for much bad, yet selected on the basis that, at least, the good outweighed the bad.

The whole Person of the Year thing is like the cutest couple contest in high school; give them another twenty years they’ll be fat, ugly, miserable, and nobody will be able to recognize them. It’s all high-school-Harry stuff.

I suppose to play along with this silly exercise I should nominate somebody. It’s a guy or a gal who gets up every morning, goes to work, and comes home. They pay their taxes, mow their lawns, feeds the birds, smiles at strangers, reads to their kids, pays their bills, charitable, kind, compassionate, doesn’t blast their stereo, looks out for their neighbor, doesn’t take what is not theirs, never marched in protest, obeys the laws, bathes frequently, doesn’t do anything to their body that nature or God had not intended, bends over to pick up litter, and doesn‘t think they‘re the center of the universe.

That leaves just me and you and you can’t vote, so there!

Just joking; my wife, my kids, my friends.

Bloggers of the year:

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. Not a people pleaser | A Teacher’s Blog
  2. Too Early to Decide | Daily Prompt: Person of the Year | likereadingontrains
  3. The Woman is not perfect | A Teacher’s Blog
  4. Riding on a Donkey – what for? | A Teacher’s Blog
  5. Madiba | Travellin’ Thru Rambles
  6. 159. Daily Prompt: Big | Sofie’s Diary
  7. BIG | thoughtsofrkh
  8. 50 Word: Person of the Year | Kristina Barry
  9. 50 Words: Person of the Year | Scant Words
  10. GES Person of the (mid) Year award | Geek Ergo Sum
  11. GES Person of the (mid) Year award – The Oblivious | Geek Ergo Sum
  12. Daily Prompt: Person Of The Year | iChristian
  13. I Nominate My Bezzie | Daily Prompt: Person of the Year | Words From The Desk Of An Insomniac
  14. A Person of the Year | Miss Pelican’s Perch
  15. Tata Madiba for Person of the Year | Nanuschka’s Blog
  16. Bassem Youseff: Person of the Year | بيسان
  17. Big and Awesome! | It’s a wonderful F’N life
  18. Daily Prompt: BIG | Postcards from
  19. The Person of the Year; And It Ain’t You | The Jittery Goat
  20. My person of the year is…. | Hope* the happy hugger
  21. DP – Person Of The Year | Life With Pink Princesses
  22. What Makes People Deserve Awards? | windandlaughter
  23. Dirty Laundry – [Daily Prompt: Person of the Year] | unknowinglee
  24. Daily Prompts: Person of the Year « Mama Bear Musings
  25. Daily Prompt: Parents of the Year | Thriving Pessimist…
  26. Daily prompt: BIG | It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see – Thoreau
  27. Foster Mama of the Year… | Haiku By Ku
  28. Donors | Spunky Wayfarer
  29. Daily Prompt: Big | HpWpBp
  30. Flying On Empty Thoughts | Daily Prompt: Person of the Year
  31. Teacher and Mother: A true person of the year | Lewis Cave
  32. Into The Distance | The Educated Illiterates
  33. Daily Prompt: Person of the Year | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss
  34. Daily Prompt: Big // 365 Day 138 | AmiLoo’s Photography
  35. Person of the year | March of the Gypsies
  36. Daily Prompt: Person of the Year | On My Front Porch
  37. Person of The Year | Tony’s Texts
  38. Daily Prompt: Meet Donald, the Ticket Tearer | Iam Who Iam
  39. Daily Prompt: Time Before Time | One Starving Activist
  40. Bigger, nothing. | Hasta Que mi Corazón Explote… | Until my Heart Explodes…
  41. His name is Bill W. | I Didn’t Just Wake Up This Morning with a Craving
  42. Jane or John Doe | Vivir, que no es poco
  43. I have the power | That Socially Anxious Atheist Paranoid Gay
  44. ARTIST OF THE YEAR? | Standing Ovation, Seated
  45. Person of the Year | Utter Rubbish
  46. Daily Prompt: Person Of The Year, Really Time? | My Daily Prompt Blog
  47. Daily Prompt: Person Of The Year | suzie81′s Blog
  48. “In Laurel & Hardy times,..” | Relax…
  49. Daily Prompt: Person of the Year – Josh Clark – designer of the c25k running programme | Slow and steady
  50. Daily Prompt: Person of the Year | Off The Beaten Path (Being Silly in the City)
  51. Daily Prompt: Person of the Year | The Tarot Alchemist
  52. WEEE Man | Life through a Lens
  53. Person of the Year: Big | Khana’s Web

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Take The Power And Shove It

There is definitely a gender bias here. There ought to be a law.

There is definitely a gender bias here. There ought to be a law.

Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power

You have the power to enact a single law. What would it be?

If you’ve come here to read about the one law that will make everyone love each other and get along, you may as well go someplace else.

This Daily Prompt likely comes from the expression after some aggravating circumstance, “There oughta be a law.”

Usually we have been personally inconvenienced. Enough people are personally inconvenienced and they get together. They frame a law and pass a law that benefits them, but harms, infringes, or impinges on the rights of others. Those people then do the same thing. Now you have dueling laws instead of banjos.

No, I’m not falling for this one, there are already plenty of laws. You’ve probably heard the expression locks are made to keep honest people out. Well, laws are made to restrict the rights of good people. Sure there are good laws. I don’t argue that, like 20 MPH in a school zone.

At one time abortions were illegal. It was a reflection of how a society, at large, viewed life and the potential of a human endeavor. The law was not only motivated by religious tenants, but reason and logic.

All the sudden everybody got smarter. Is it really a life? When does it become a life? Don’t I have the right to exercise the rights over my own body? Sex became a right with no responsibly or consequences. Evil men ran away from pregnant and destitute women so why not level the playing field.

(We have too many kids. Let’s get rid of speed limit signs in school zones. Let’s do it for future generations.)

Some laws are meant to level the playing field.

Laws meant to level the playing field often have a reverse effect. Many laws were enacted to assure equal rights for minorities and females. There are laws for affirmative action, hate crimes, school busing, and so on. The laws are well-intentioned, but all can produce a negative effect.

We now have reverse discrimination legal cases, where the plaintiff claims to have been passed over for a job because he is qualified and in the majority. It seems hardly fair to him. All the sudden the playing field is tilted.

Hate crimes are framed to additionally punish someone for a particular hatred one might display toward a race, religion, culture, or sexual orientation. I hope to never hit a car that has a rainbow sticker on it. “Your honor it is obvious Mr. Lewis was aiming for my clients car. At the same time the collision occurred he was listening to a right-wing talk show.”

I suppose school busing had benefits, but most were enjoyed by the companies that built school buses and it provided a bunch of part-time jobs. How many kids were picked up before dark, transported an hour and a half to a strange location, and dropped off back home just as the sun set?

Crooks like laws. It’s opportunity to make money. Every law makes money. It’s like a cash crop. It keeps lawyers, judges, and court personnel employed. It provides cash for government in the way of fines.

No, not me, I don’t want to make laws. I don’t want to be a part of a crime syndicate.

Drunk with power bloggers:

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. I Got 99 Problems and A Dick Ain’t One | That Girl Ryan
  2. New Law: Eliminate Smoking in Public Places | Spirituality, Inspiration, Poetry – SkillCode
  3. The stupid people act 2013 | Geek Ergo Sum
  4. Power Up ~ Let’s Write Your Success Story! | Misifusa’s Blog
  5. Follow the Rules! | Dean’z Wordz
  6. Daily Prompt: Rules | Serenity Sometimes
  7. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power « Mama Bear Musings
  8. You’ve got the power | Nanuschka’s Blog
  9. Rules of the Road (Ralley) | It’s a wonderful F’N life
  10. Four Days On, Three Days Off – [Daily Prompt: You've Got the Power] | unknowinglee
  11. Philippine Anti-Dynasty Law | Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power | likereadingontrains
  12. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power | بيسان
  13. Just stop it. It’s gross. And ******* annoying. | thoughtsofrkh
  14. Thinking should be a law | THE WORM IN MY APPLE
  15. Another Law? | Lewis Cave
  16. Take The Power And Shove It | The Jittery Goat
  17. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power #WW | Of Glass & Paper
  18. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power | LADYBOY PROMPT
  19. I have the power…. | Miss Pelican’s Perch
  20. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got The Power or Rules | Books, Music and Movies : my best friends
  21. Pursuant to… | Relax…
  22. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power | The Blogging Path
  23. We live in a “fine” city… an old joke |
  24. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss
  25. I am the Law! – CombatBabe
  26. Hazy Silhouette | The Educated Illiterates
  27. Daily Prompt: You’ve got the power | Blog of the imaginator
  28. PayTV just isn’t cricket. | Cyntech
  29. Keep the Testimonies | A Teacher’s Blog
  30. Hurrah Sanitation! | Make Melodies
  31. Stop the war – Blognovic’s Weblog
  32. Save My Cousins… | Haiku By Ku
  33. Poets Just Wanna Have Fun | Maggie’s Stories
  34. The law of… | Hope* the happy hugger
  35. Daily Prompt: A Single Law to Replace All Others | Iam Who Iam
  36. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power | writinglikeastoner
  37. Daily Prompt: You’ve got the Power | Thriving Pessimist…
  38. It’s getting kinda hectic | I Didn’t Just Wake Up This Morning with a Craving
  39. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power | On My Front Porch
  40. Kind of a Bum
  41. You’ve Got The Power: Power Back to the People | Mary Angelini Photography
  42. Kind of a law | Kind of a Bum
  43. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power – And I plan to keep it! | SERENDIPITY
  44. Daily Prompt: Rules | Postcards from
  45. The “Mind Your Own Business” Law | Joseph Rathjen – Freelance Writing
  46. Anything You Can Do, I Can Do | Here’s My Heart & Here’s My Mouth
  47. The Daily Prompt Becomes Promptless, Season 2 Episode 5: Gezelligheid is the Law of the Land | One Starving Activist
  48. The Ultimate Single Power | Manmatha Rasa
  49. Daily Prompt: The Birthday Freebies Law of 2013 | My Endless Rants & Ramblings
  50. There should only be one law… | The Rider
  51. Daily Prompt; You’ve Got The Power | terry1954
  52. Staying in Focus: Daily Prompt:You Have the Power/My Law | Staying in Focus
  53. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power | Basically Beyond Basic
  54. Great Intentions | Out of Bockenheim
  55. I don’t want to be a politician | Vivir, que no es poco
  56. Power is “You” : On Food Waste | Journey Called Life …
  57. You’ve Got the Power | The Nameless One
  58. The Power!! The Law of Positive Speaking… | The Abuse Expose’ with Secret Angel
  59. The Frog Prince | Taking One Day At A Time
  60. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got The Power | iChristian
  61. Daily Prompt: New Law In The USA (Maybe) | My Daily Prompt Blog
  62. Gadzooks! Shenanigans afoot! | hansolosvagina
  63. Daily Prompt: Make Me Smile Act 2013 | 21cats.
  64. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power | The Tarot Alchemist
  65. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power — The Gravity of the Situation | cinnwriterblog
  66. Where Do RulesCome From?: A Daily Post Response | Maggie’s Writing
  67. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got The Power // 365 Day 137 – Rules | AmiLoo’s Photography
  68. a woman’s life had rules | sarahscapes
  69. Daily Prompt: You’ve Got the Power | Exploring Utah with MS and Apples
  70. You’ve Got the Power | The Law Starts Here « Kakie’s Corner
  71. Rules at the Great Wall | Travel with Intent
  72. You’ve Got the Power: In The Service Of The State | Khana’s Web

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What Do Pigs Know That Humans Don’t?

Daily Prompt: Take Care

When you’re unwell, do you allow others to take care of you, or do you prefer to soldier on alone? What does it take for you to ask for help?

Animals sense danger. It is a built-in protection that allows for the survival of their species. Animals ignore the signs of dangers all the time. How often have we heard the expression, “The deer in the headlights look?”

Just as with animals humans are born quite innocent of the dangers around them. It takes training and care to raise a cub, a pup, a kitten, or child. Time is needed to instruct young ones of a species on how to deal with danger. For the animal kingdom it is mostly instinct, but for humans it is reason and logic.

Humans are the only species who will put themselves in harm’s way for the mere thrill. They know the possibilities and yet pursue danger. The entire theme park industry is built on that premise; to bring you as close to destruction as possible and snatch you from the jaws of death.

A guy ties a bungee cord to a bridge that spans a gorge. He ties two hundred pound weight to it and executes a practice drop. The cord stretches with the weight and comes twenty-five feet from the rocks three-hundred feet below.

He can’t wait to try it.

With the test jump complete he straps the cord around his ankles and heaves himself over the side of the bridge. The thrill is exhilarating. He is confident his one hundred and seventy-five pounds will allow for plenty of clearance. The cord stretches out. He comes to within thirty feet of the rocks. He thinks, ’Wow! What a rush.” He bounces a few times. As he does he has time to reflect on the joy of the experience and execution. He smiles not only because he cheated death, but he is smart.

Everything worked just as he had reasoned and calculated.

Soon the bouncing stops. Then he suddenly realizes a fatal flaw in his assessment of the entire escapade; he brought no one to reel him in or hoist him up.

“Hello! Hello! Can anyone hear me up there?”

The point is that asking for help and having it available should be a part of the contingency.

You seldom see a pig dangling alone from a bungee cord. They always have a spotter.

Other helpful bloggers:

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

  1. Listen to Your Own Body | Daily Prompt: Take Care | likereadingontrains
  2. Depression | From Five to Fifty
  3. Sick day | Geek Ergo Sum
  4. That Time I Got Hit By a Car in Bangkok | Paths Unwritten
  5. Take Care | Musings from a practical mystic
  6. Take My Hand | It’s a wonderful F’N life
  7. Loads of tea | Spunky Wayfarer
  8. S.O.S. | Misifusa’s Blog
  9. Get up, get dressed and go in. And if you still feel unwell later, call me. | thoughtsofrkh
  10. Take Care: Unwell but not Undefeated | Mary Angelini Photography
  11. Daily Prompt: Take Care | iChristian
  12. What Do Pigs Know That Humans Don’t? | The Jittery Goat
  13. Take Care! | Nanuschka’s Blog
  14. Daily Prompt: Taking Care Of Business | My Daily Prompt Blog
  15. Asking For Help | It’s My Box
  16. Take Care… (Daily Prompt) | The Rider
  17. Take Care | May Cause Irritation
  18. Daily Prompt: Take Care Of The Voices | Musings&Rants
  19. Baby Me : [Daily Prompt: Take Care] | unknowinglee
  20. Taking Care | TamBorgia’s NaNoWriMo
  21. Thanks, But I’d Rather Take Care Of It Myself | Creative Mysteries
  22. Daily Prompt: Take Care « Mama Bear Musings
  23. Got Your Back, Always | floatingsheep
  24. No Worries… | Haiku By Ku
  25. Soldier on alone… | Hope* the happy hugger
  26. Daily Prompt: Take Care | The Educated Illiterates
  27. Why I Hate Analgesics (But Love Being Sick) | windandlaughter
  28. “Catastrophy” | Multifarious meanderings
  29. Take Care | The Nameless One
  30. HELPING 15,000 PEOPLE | Standing Ovation, Seated
  31. Put the kettle on | hansolosvagina
  32. Taking care of ourselves | That Socially Anxious Atheist Paranoid Gay
  33. Daily Prompt: Take care | Thriving Pessimist…
  34. Lost the Battle, but will win the war | My Brain Lesion and Me
  35. Daily Prompt: Sickly Situations | Jane’s Journal
  36. Daily Prompt: Take Care | A Hedonistic Wander
  37. Daily prompt: Take Care | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss
  38. Daily Prompt: Take Care | My Infinite Balance
  39. Daily Prompt: Take Care | writinglikeastoner
  40. Addiction | Lewis Cave
  41. What does it take to ask for help? | tornin2′s Blog
  42. Daily Prompt: Um…Help? | One Starving Activist
  43. Daily Post Take Care | mountainmae
  44. Unwell | The Cutter Rambles
  45. Daily Prompt: Take Care « littlemisswordy
  46. Daily Prompt: Take Care | On My Front Porch
  47. Insignificant problems and moments of terrifying panic. | If Only…
  48. Daily Prompt: Steel City Skin | Running with Reality
  49. I am the mountain. | the usual bliss
  50. I don’t need your help… | A journey of faith…
  51. Daily Prompt: Take Care | Exploring Utah with MS and Apples
  52. Asking for Help when Sick or in a Bad Situation | Spirituality, Inspiration, Poetry – SkillCode
  53. Needing | Make Melodies
  54. Daily Prompt: Take Care New Lease – Same Hope | New Lease–Same Hope
  55. Take Care | A Valiant Journey « Kakie’s Corner
  56. Bitching In Private | Compass & Quill
  57. Daily Post: Bobby Black Takes Care of Business | Slam on the Brakes, Pull Over, Take the Picture
  58. Daily Prompt: Take Care | Under the Monkey Tree
  59. Pride | Daily Prompt: Take Care | Ireland, Multiple Sclerosis and Me
  60. Whatever was I thinking! | MindBlur
  61. Daily Prompt : Take Care – Small Battles | That Chick Piggy
  62. Take Care | White Hot Truth
  63. Popping With The Prompts | Grandma Says..
  64. Daily Prompt: Take Care – Doing the best we can with what we’ve got | SERENDIPITY
  65. “Not yet.” | Relax…
  66. Daily Prompt: Take Care | The Tarot Alchemist
  67. Daily Prompt: Take Care | Stevie’s Words
  68. DAILY PROMPT: MOTHER NEVER RETIRES | Diary of a mind
  69. Daily Prompt: Take Care | The Blogging Path
  70. Ailments, Maladies, Illnesses — Such Pretty Words For An Ugly Thing | A Sign Of Life
  71. Back to What I Was Doing Before That One Thing Happened | So I Went Undercover
  72. Daily Prompt ; Take Care | terry1954
  73. I Get By With A Little Help….. | Taking One Day At A Time
  74. DAILY PROMPT: Take Care – The Trash Man | CARPENTER’S QUILL

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