The Jittery Goat

May 17, 2013 · 7:26 am

Anything Guaranteed Is Not Appreciated – It Might Even Be Illegal

Maybe they should both have some sort of regulation.

Daily Prompt: Too Big To Fail

Tell us about something you would attempt if you were guaranteed not to fail (and tell us why you haven’t tried it yet).

This sounds like one of those, “If it sounds to good to be true…”

Every endeavor is always at the expense of another. Everything has a price tag. And if not on the price tag there are hidden expenses.

The question of the Daily Prompt suggests what am I willing to sacrifice for the sake of a longing, perhaps a selfish one at that.

Yet, the Prompt suggests success. Success is at it’s best relative. Success is normally attained at the expense of others. “Move over and let the big dog have his bone.” Is that really what I want for myself.? “Your father has had a tough day so let him be for a while.” Do I want others to appease me and live according to my needs?

This Daily Prompt reminds me of the three temptations of Jesus in the wilderness by the Devil. The last of the three temptations was all the kingdoms of the world. Jesus was offered something in return for something. Many view this event only as a allegory, but wow! If so, what a powerful one.

He was guaranteed success, but at the expense of his personal integrity and to do something morally repugnant to him. All Jesus had to do was an act of worship. Not to live his life in the worship of the Devil, but just a momentary lapse. (Matthew 4: 1-11)

I think about that in relationship with what I write. If one were guaranteed fame and fortune to write a novel that challenges my personal values would I do it? To me the answer is no. Writing is a revealing as well as an examination of self. It is an opportunity to share your moral center, your core values.

I recall several years ago talking with a young writer. The writer said they could write and explore anything because of being a writer. To me that is like saying I have the right to kill with impunity because I own a gun, taken a course, and can shoot well.

Many writers agree “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Should it not be as tightly regulated, if not by government than by personal and moral regulation? Some writers become nothing more than good ole boys shootin’ tin cans on the back forty wearing camouflage, and dinking Bud Light.

Anyway, even if you fire a gun into the air for the mere pleasure of doing so, it has possible deadly consequences.

Guaranteed success for me is not worth the peril to others or lapse of my own moral conviction. There is always a price tag, handling fees, and other hidden charges.

Bloggers too big to fail:

Trackbacks & Pingbacks

Adventure of a Lifetime | vicariously in love with you

Daily Prompt: Too Big To Fail « Mama Bear Musings

Inner Hotshot University! | Misifusa’s Blog

Madness and Motherhood | The Magic Black Book

Daily Prompt: Too Big To Fail | suzie81′s Blog

Dreaming Big | Travellin’ Thru Rambles

Daily Prompt: Too Big To Fail | On My Front Porch

Anything Guaranteed Is Not Appreciated – It Might Even Be Illegal | The Jittery Goat

To sail the Seven Seas | Nanuschka’s Blog

Too High | Flying On Empty Thoughts

Too Big to Fail | Matthew Vett’s Development Blog

I Spy With My Little Eye | HpWpBp

Too big to fail | Geek Ergo Sum

Daily Prompt: Too Big To Fail | Of Glass & Paper

Respone to Daily Prompt: Too Big to Fall | bullyingdontstandbystepup

The Quiet One | Electric Viola Dreams

Away from here… | Hope* the happy hugger

Smile | One Man Versus the World

Daily Prompt: Big Time | One Starving Activist

Daily Prompt: Too Big to Fail | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss

Daily Prompt: Move Over Here I Come | My Daily Prompt Blog

Quality of Life | Too Big to Fail | so i wrote

Have We Lost The Sense of Adventure? | Donbury Pond

Bigger than Life « Overcoming to Becoming

Backpacking… | Haiku By Ku

Too Big To Fail – The Best Movie of All Time | Khana’s Web

Life – A Poem About Failure and Success | Cozy Compulsions @ Midnight

Too big to fail. | artist. hippie. cali chick. chic. nerd. beach bum. fashionista.

Too Big To Fail | The Nameless One

Failure does not exist (but unicorns do) | The Small Girl Chronicles

Just As I Am | I Didn’t Just Wake Up This Morning with a Craving

Daily Prompt: Too Big To Fail | moms to motorcycles

I’d jump | Green and Ginger

Daily Prompt: Too Big To Fail | The Tarot Alchemist

Daily Post: Try, Try Again | A Sign Of Life

True story… | Relax…

Daily Prompt: Too Big To Fail | my stormless sky

What would I do if I could not fail? | Lesie’s World

If I Couldn’t Fail – Daily Post Response | Maggie’s Writing

Daily Prompt: Too big to fail, a dream | Ireland, Multiple Sclerosis and Me

10 Comments

Filed under Daily Prompt, Essays

Tagged as Bible, Jesus, morals, principles

May 16, 2013 · 7:28 am

Welcome Home Skip (Short fiction)

Daily Prompt: Memories For Sale

On a weekend road trip, far away from home, you stumble upon a garage sale in a neighborhood you’re passing through. Astonished, you find an object among the belongings for sale that you recognize. Tell us about it.

Welcome Home Skip

Skip moved away from home in Rochester, New York when he was eighteen. There was a bitter argument between he and his Dad. Words were said that should never have been said to a father, but they could not be taken back. He has lived with them for nearly forty years.

He never returned home after that argument. His father said he was an embarrassment to the family and would not amount to anything.

After that argument Skip joined the Army, spent a tour in Nam, went to college, married and raised a family. A few years ago he sold his medical supply company and retired to Loreto, Mexico on the Baja peninsula.

It was quiet existence. Much time was spent walking the beaches, backpacking in the hills, and fishing the Sea of Cortez with other retired friends.

Skip liked times alone, visiting garage sales and second-hand shops. He seldom bought anything, but he had an eye for good things and when something caught his eye he bought it.

There was an old house near the beach. The front yard was full of interesting furniture. This was his kind of place. A place where he could find a curious item or two; claim it for his own or resale for a profit. Although not needing the money he needed the rush of making a deal.

A chest caught his eye. An old chest with leather straps. It was exactly like the one his mother had. It used to sit at the foot of his parents’ bed.

He opened it. Inside was a shoe box. He picked up the shoe box and removed the lid.

Inside, a picture, a boy with his father. It was him and his Dad standing in front of the family car. It was fifty years old. ‘How could that be? He thought. ‘It’s over three thousand miles from home. How did that picture get here?‘ It seemed as if the blood left his heart and his knees weakened. He felt as if he could collapse.

An old man came out of the house. “I’ll make you a good deal on the chest. I moved down here twenty years ago and got the thin some things out.” As soon as the old man saw the picture in Skip’s hands he said, “The picture doesn’t go with it.”

“Is that you and your son?” Skip said.

“Oh, yes,” the old man said. “He’s a successful business man back in the states. I’m proud of that boy.”

“Do you see him often?” Skip said.

The old man hesitated and smiled. “No, I don’t.” The smile fell into sadness.

“Not good, eh,” Skip said.

“I said some things best never said,” the old man said.

“Yeah,” Skip said. “Me too.”

“I knew it was you, Skip” the old man said. “Welcome home.”

Garage sale bloggers:

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Filed under Daily Prompt, Short Stories

Tagged as Baja, Father, fiction, Mexico, short story, son

May 15, 2013 · 6:41 am

Andy Dufresne: The Shawshank Redemption – Up Close and Personal

Daily Prompt: The Interview

Interview your favorite fictional character.

I approach Andy sitting on a beach. He sits on the sand quietly gazing at the ocean’s waves bursting against the shore.

“Thanks for allowing me to chat with you for awhile, Mr. Dufresne,” I say.

Andy looks out at the Pacific horizon.

“You’re a hard man to find,” I say.

Andy watches the waves break.

“So how has life been in Zihautaneo?” I say.

Andy draws a circle in the sand.

“What did you think of Rita Heyworth’s last movie?”

Red, Andy’s former prison friend and now partner appears over my shoulder. “Do ya want me ta stick him with a shiv or just toss him around a bit?”

Andy stands and walks away. “What ever it takes to shut him up.”

Other interviewing bloggers:

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Filed under Daily Prompt, Essays

Tagged as Andy Dufresne, fiction, humor, movies, Shawshank Redemption

May 14, 2013 · 6:55 am

Dimples and Dreadlocks (Short Fiction)

Daily Prompt: Unconventional Love

Over the weekend, we explored different ways to love. Today, tell us about the most unconventional love in your life.

Virginia was black and Bucky was white. They were in the second grade. It was 1954.

Virginia was absent from school for two days. On the third day Bucky worried about Virginia. He thought about her all day. Her empty chair was no emptier than his heart. He missed her answers in class, her smile, her walk; her presence.

On his way home from school Bucky searched for pop bottles to cash-in at Sonny’s Grocery. He found five and cashed them in for ten cents. He bought two Mars Bars and ran to Virginia’s home.

He knocked and Virginia’s mother came to the door.

“Yes,” she said smiling.

“My name is Bucky,” he said. “I’m in Virginia’s class. Is she still sick?”

“She’s fine now,” she said. “She’ll be back in school tomorrow.”

“I got a candy bar for her,” Bucky said. “Can I give it to her. I got one for myself. Can we eat it together.”

Virginia’s mother smiled uncomfortably. She looked around as if being coerced into something illegal.

“Perhaps you should go home,” she said.

“Could you give Virginia the candy bar?” Bucky said.

Suddenly Virginia appeared at the door beside her mother. Her dreadlocks hung like bananas. Her dimpled smile that Bucky missed caused him to miss his breath.

“I got this for you,” Bucky said handing the candy bar to her.

Her delicate hand started to reach for it and stopped. She looked up at her mother. Her mother smiled and nodded. Virginia smiled and politely accepted the candy bar. “Thank you,” she said.

“Can I come in?” Bucky said.

“You better run along,” Virginia’s mother said looking around once again.

“They’re good with milk,” Bucky said. He smiled at Virginia and left.

Where their walk parts the hedges and meets the sidewalk that runs in front of Virginia’s home Bucky stopped and turned. Virginia stood in the front window. She brushed aside a dreadlock that hung on her cheek and waved. Bucky smiled and winked. Virginia winked and suddenly the dimple appeared.

Bucky ran home in love.

More unconventional bloggers:

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Filed under Daily Prompt, Short Stories

Tagged as fiction, love, prejudice, Race, short story, white black

May 13, 2013 · 7:43 am

Matt Paradis and Spencer Gerke; Keeping Boise State Focused and Centered

Matt Paradis, heads up center.

The first guy to handle the football on the offense is the most important, the center. Boise State has two really good ones, Matt Paradis and Spencer Gerke.

Paradis will be the likely starter.

A center is like a catcher on a baseball team. He calls out blocking assignments much in the same way the catcher moves infielders around. He has to know the play as well as the quarterback.

Spencer Gerke, can play any place on o-line; Mr. versatile.

Under the best of conditions a team should have their most experienced, smartest, and disciplined lineman at center. They must be absolutely fearless and tenacious. Matt Paradis is that man.

Spencer Gerke is no slouch. He can play anyplace on the offensive line. In fact there may be only a frog’s hair difference between the two. Gerke brings a lot of experience to the table. He has been productive at every offensive line position he’s played.

Both of these guys are Boise State. Nobody but Boise expressed interest in them. They both settle down to the line of scrimmage or over the ball with a point to be made; this ain’t no game film, this is me – thud!

These guys are Boise State, virtually unrecruited. Both from Idaho. They came to school, studied, and worked.

Matt Paradis is a former walk-on from Council, Idaho. Council is a small division school. Nobody (almost nobody) goes on to play football at a major program from schools that size. He’s a cowboy, raised on a ranch. The work day starts before you want it and ends two hours after your city-slicker counterpart drives home from happy-hour. He’s from an environment where there is nobody to fall back on or blame when the job’s not done.

Spencer Gerke comes from Boise. College recruiters don’t flock there to flatter the local talent. Yet, it is amazing how many good players from the Boise area come to BSU and have good careers. They come knowing that the real competition is not the other team, it’s the guy that has been recruited by BSU from California or Texas. Gerke hung in there. An offensive lineman’s attitude is to lock on to people and don’t let go until you hear the whistle at least twice.

Both men will bring leadership and stability to the other offensive lineman. Their example will spill over and infect the rest of the team. Guys like them are rare and tough as $3.99 steak.

The Three Wise Men

Daily Prompt: Fill In the Blank

Three people walk into a bar . . .

Three men walk into a bar (WordPress wants to remain gender unbiased so they said “people.”) They are dressed in brightly colored robes with jewels sown into the fabric. Each has a gift; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The bartender is stunned. “We have a drink named after you guys.”

“You must be mistaken,” The first man says. “We’re from the a Christmas play down the street. We hear that all the time.”

“No, no,” the bartender insisted. “We really have a drink named after you guys.”

“We are Mormons we didn’t come in here to drink,” the second man said. “We heard you had great sandwiches.”

“Do you mind if I get a picture of you guys?” the bartender said. “It will be a great gag. I can have it framed and hung on the wall.”

“Look if you persist, we’re leaving,” The first man said. “We don’t want attention drawn our way.”

“Look,” the bartender said. “You guys come in here practically dressed in drag and don’t expect some sort of attention!”

“You must get all sorts of strange people in here besides us,” the second man said.

“None like you three,” the bartender said.

“Are you going to serve us or not?” the first man said.

“I’ll tell you what,” the bartender said. “You eat free if I can take your picture.”

“That’s it!” the second man said. “We’re taking our business elsewhere.”

“It just goes to show,” the first man said. “How far society has sunk to name a drink after the three wise men from the Bible.”

“What!” the bartender said. “It’s your name tags; Tom Collins, Jack Daniels, and your buddy standin’ there like a Zombie with nutin’ ta say.”

More bar bloggers:

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Filed under Daily Prompt, Essays

Tagged as bar, bartender, drinks, humor, joke, mixed drinks, three wise men

May 12, 2013 · 7:15 am

My Mom Is 99; Top That!

Mom when she was a teenager. We might call this a glamor shot today. Mom wanted to be an actress.

Daily Prompt: Hi, Mom!

Today is Mother’s Day in the United States. Wherever in the world you are, write your mother a letter.

I’m not an observer or celebrator of Mother’s Day. Let’s be blunt; if one needs a reminder from a TV commercial, a greetings card company, florists, or The Country Buffet maybe things ain’t so good between you and Mom.

If I did something special for her on that day she would call me out on it. “Why can’t you be this nice to me all the time?”

I call her once a week. Sometimes she gets lost in her memories. She will confuse me with her brother who died over twenty years ago. We have the same first name.

I think a lot about Mom these days. She’s ninety-nine. Imagine that! She has outlived her husband, boyfriend, brothers, sister, all her cousins, friends, and two daughters. She’s buried I don’t know how many doctors that has told her to keep her cholesterol down and lose some weight.

She lived in a time before radio, TV, or any sort of communication as we know it today. Automobiles were rare. An airplane ride was a novelty. She was in high school when the Great Depression started. She was a part of that “greatest generation” where all work was honorable and to be on welfare or the public dole was a dishonor. If you didn’t have a job you looked until you found a job, any job.

That’s Mom holding me up. Taken in 1947 at 124 1/2 East Euclid Street, Lima, Ohio.

Mom was a retail clerk, had a laundry route, managed retail stores, worked in factories, cleaned homes, washed dishes, tended bars, and waited tables.

She still lives on her own. She works crossword puzzles every day and still watches soap operas.

Nearly two years ago I posted stories about her for an entire year. They are under the “Mom” category of the right sidebar.

Mother of all bloggers:

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Filed under Daily Prompt, Essays, Mom

Tagged as honesty, humor, job, Mom, Mother's Day, old age, welfare, work

May 11, 2013 · 7:16 am

Love Ain’t What It Used To Be

If we love only with our heart it is likely tomfoolery. Love requires most come for the intellect and have such meaning in our lives that it changes in a good way.

If we love only with our heart it is likely tomfoolery. Love requires that it must come from intellect also and have such meaning in our lives that it changes our life in a good way.

Daily Prompt: I Want to Know What Love Is

We each have many types of love relationships — parents, children, spouses, friends. And they’re not always with people; you may love an animal, or a place. Is there a single idea or definition that runs through all the varieties of “love”?

Yesterday’s Daily Prompt was to write about words that the meaning has changed or misused. I almost used the word “love.”

It has become overused so much it has become a dishonest word, a word to get something you don’t deserve. It has become a word for flattery and not sincerity.

It is confused with like, lust, sex, admire, wish, respect, friends, and so on. The word has been cheapened by overuse. A dictionary gives a plethora of definitions, not because the word is confusing, rather how it has been misused. Of all the words in the world that have been misused this is the poster word. It has become nothing more than the warm fuzzy feeling you get when things are good.

In the Bible at First Corinthians chapter 13 verses 4 – 7 a description of love is given as it is used in a particular context. It is a partial, yet, we see how serious and limited its use should be.

“Love is long-suffering and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, does not get puffed up, 　does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury.　It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.　It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

If a word had to be picked that binds or defines an aspect of “love” that without that word “love” would mean something else, it would have to be “loyalty.” If “loyalty” is not a part of the definition, the way you are using “love” is nothing more than a four letter word for “I’m blowing smoke up your wazoo.”

Bloggers and lovers:

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May 11 Daily Prompt: I Want To Know What Love Is | Nadeen’s Reading Corner

Change Without Prior Notice | Daily Prompt: I Want to Know What Love Is | likereadingontrains

Easy Answer « Sorta-Ginger

Daily Post: What is Love? | A Sign Of Life

Love (WordPress Daily Prompt) | Ireland, Multiple Sclerosis and Me

Unconditional Love? | Sam’s Online Journal

Ilya Fostiy. Is There a God? | Bright Moments Catcher

All is lie | Phelio a Random Post a Day

Love Is Like A Rock | Katherine’s Daughter

Love at its best, Love at its worst | the world behind the lens

Love is subjective: Feel it to define it. | Sofistikeyted

Love Ain’t What It Used To Be | The Jittery Goat

Daily Prompt: I Want to Know What Love Is | The Daily Post | The Blogging Path

Beloved | Spunky Wayfarer

Daily Prompt: I Want to Know What Love Is | On My Front Porch

Love is a beautiful song… and more… (Daily Prompt) | The Rider

723: Daily Prompt: I want to know what love is: “What love?” | SEVEN Hundred 50

DP: Sacrifice | Elizabeth Los

AwwwwSOME! | Relax…

Repost – Cinta… apa itu Cinta dan Siapa Cinta? | Jejak Langkah…

What Is Love? Daily Don’t Prompt Me! | Edward Hotspur

The Cracks in the Earth | the truth should be free

Daily Prompt; I Want to Know What Love is | terry1954

Love… | Haiku By Ku

Daily Prompt: Love IS | My Daily Prompt Blog

Sternberg on Love | Cozy Compulsions @ Midnight

Hollywood’s idea of “Love” | Film Vex

Daily Prompt: I Want to Know What Love Is — LOVE IS | SERENDIPITY

Love is… | The Nameless One

Daily Prompt: I want to know what love is. | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss

Daily Prompt: I Want to Know What Love Is | A Hedonistic Wander

Daily Prompt: I Want to Know What Love Is « Mama Bear Musings

I define “love” as simple as possible | không gian đa chiều [Z]

Lydablogger | What I Learned about Love

the UNCATEGORISED: Daily Prompt: I Want to Know What Love Is | the TRASH BASH

Daily Prompt: I Want to Know What Love Is/God Is Love… | Musings&Rants

Everyday Adventures | Daily Prompt: I Want to Know What Love Is

Daily Prompt : I want what love is | The Road 2 Cute Shoes

Daily Prompt: I want to know what love is… | thatissogoingonmyblog

What is love? (Baby, don’t hurt me~) | Rinse

The puzzlement of love | Hope* the happy hugger

Daily Prompt: I Want To Know What Love Is | suzie81′s Blog

I Wanna Know What Love Is… Daily Prompt | Walking the Widow’s Path

Daily Prompt: I Want to Know What Love Is. Dammit! | My Endless Rants & Ramblings

Questioning the Question: Philosophy, Love, and Marriage | Retrievals

(Daily Prompt) (Idea of Love) | liveuntil

One Man Versus Love | One Man Versus the World

Daily Prompt: I Want to Know What Love Is | The Tarot Alchemist

Love is… | My thought exactly…!

Tomorrow’s the Big Day | To Pursue Happiness

Daily Prompt: I Want to Know What Love Is | The corner of my imagination

17 Comments

Filed under Daily Prompt, Essays

Tagged as Bible, christianity, love, love relationships, religion, theology

May 10, 2013 · 7:23 am

Is is Is

Some words are nothing more than floozies, all dressed up and no place to go.

Daily Prompt: Morphing

Language evolves. The meaning of a word can shift over time as we use it differently — think of “cool,” “heavy,” or even “literally.”

Today, give a word an evolutionary push: give a common word a new meaning, explain it to us, and use it in the title of your post.

We depend of words. Words bind human society and endeavors together. They are precious and yet the meanings change. The meanings are changed by people who don’t want to live a life of truth; “It depends on what the meaning of is is.”

When a person starts a statement with, “Honestly…” I know it’s going to be a lie. They have already said that everything preceding “Honestly” is suspect and now the truth. “Honestly” has become a useless word. It has been used so often by liars it has been cheapened to the point an honest man can’t use it anymore. It’s like at one time only tough guys wore tattoos. Now every punk with a credit card and deflated self worth has one. The tough guys don’t have them anymore. The want-a-be has saturated the market.

When a person starts a sentence with “Basically…” it means the same as “Honestly.” They are telling me the truth is somewhere in what is said, but you have to find it for yourself. When I hear the word “Basically” I think, “Oh crap, I got to do some digging.”

“Basically, what you have here is a good car.” That means a whole lot of other stuff is wrong with it. Six months and six thousand dollars later you come to find out that “basically” meant the tires were new.

The more one writes the more they experience the power of words, either to convey truth or deceive. Truth is conveyed in straightforward unambiguous words. Lies are prefaced with qualifiers and meaningless ramblings. They are like cheap floozies drenched in a quart of two-dollar perfume.

While I’m at it I get a little irritated with the WordPress spellcheck. They make me feel like I’m a misogynist, racists, homophobic, xenophobic, anti-Semitic, crude, insensitive, chauvinistic pig with their biased language police alert. Yeah, I meant floozies!

More floozies:

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Ilya Fostiy. Food of the Gods | Bright Moments Catcher

That Literacy Slush Pile… | EW Brown

Daily Prompt: Morphing [people voice] | Nadeen’s Reading Corner

Daily Prompt: Swaggin has new meaning | My Daily Prompt Blog

Daily Prompt: Morphing – Camouflage Morphing « Mama Bear Musings

“Seaworthy!” | Relax…

Daily Prompt: Morphing ~ You Have Been Paged! | Of Glass & Paper

Is is Is | The Jittery Goat

Daily Prompt: Morphing | JUkk

The New Gen’s Talk | the world behind the lens

“Mental Illness” | PROOF OF GOD! …and other tragedies.

Gallus! | Random Encounters of an Inquisitive Mind

Morphed salad | Pigments of Life

Menopausal Morphing | Honey Did you See that?

Silly… | Haiku By Ku

Daily Prompt: Woggle/ling | Chronicles of an Anglo Swiss

Response to Daily Prompt: Morphing—Bully | bullyingdontstandbystepup

Fight, a Whole New Meaning | Heather D. Roberts

Define: Frown | Travellin’ Thru Rambles

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Quite Literally | The Nameless One

On Being Politically Correct | Cozy Compulsions @ Midnight

Daily Prompt: The New Normal | One Starving Activist

Daily Prompt: Morphing…SUP? | A Glimps of HOPE

Daily Prompt: Morphing | On My Front Porch

Blagging; For Starts « Overcoming to Becoming

Daily Prompt: Morphing/Poppin Tags… | Musings&Rants

Morphing language is so fetch! | Pinkpodster Ponders

Daily Prompt: Free | Cytherean Dreams

Off the record | Spunky Wayfarer

What’s the Ask Again? | The Write Geek

Daily Prompt: Morphing Spears | Lines by Linda

Daily Prompt: Morphing | The Tarot Alchemist

Daily Prompt: Morphing / N’uch or Nuch | Overcoming Bloglessness

Blog Morphing For Hire | The Curse of Future Tom

14 Comments

Filed under Daily Prompt, Essays

Tagged as honesty, humor, truth, words, writing

May 9, 2013 · 7:13 am

Diversity, That Starts With D And That Rhymes With T And That Stands For Trouble

Daily Prompt: Landscape

When you gaze out your window — real or figurative — do you see the forest first, or the trees?

My window from where I write faces the street. It’s a residential street.

When we first moved in two years ago I removed many small trees and bushes that seemed hideous and random. They blocked the view and gave our home an almost eerie look.

I see three homes from my window. Each family is diverse.

The home to my right is occupied by an instructor at a local trade school. He and his son (In his late twenties) have ATVs and Harleys. The hair on their heads is shaved. They very well could be neo Nazis. There are no swastikas to report, but I am on the lookout and would not be surprised if they spend their weekends going to survivalist’s camps for white supremacists.

The son causes the most noise. I thought about telling the father that he should tell his son to find his own place, find another neighborhood to make noise. Doesn’t he know it’s every parents obligation once a kid reaches eighteen to create a home environment that screams, “Get out on you own!” Or should it be, “Abschied!”

The home to my left is occupied by a family from Somalia. They have four children, only two are school age. They are a delight to watch while playing. They seem to run in circles a lot. The husband appears to be in the medical field. He comes home in scrubs.

I greet and wave at the wife when our paths cross. She wears brightly colored African garb.

It is likely they are Muslim. They don’t seem to mind so why should I. Yet, I watch for any signs of a Jihad.

The family across the street is Mexican. They have two boys. It looks as though they are middle school age. They have a baby less than a year old. They drive very nice cars. My wife and I wonder if they are drug traffickers.

Diversity is good until they all get together.

The neighborhood we moved from was quiet. One night in our old neighborhood a SWAT team visited the guy across the street from our home. He was a Muslim Mexican with a shaved head.

My job, as I see it, is to keep my neighbors across the street from getting together.