The red light and warning buzzer momentarily freezes my brain. The spots before my eyes are alternating with the red flashes to the point that being able to sort out the confusion was a longer process than necessary. Finally, the logic caught up with the visual effects of alternating red bursts. The coffee machine needed a descaling.
A fate almost matching a blue screen computer event sends the message to all points of the body – NO CAFFEINE. Reason eventually prevails, and a punch of the reset button yields one more ten-ounce cup of soothing syrup. “No more till the descale,” is the warning. Sure, sure is the thought. The event is to be forgotten for 24 more hours.
Taking a life-affirming sip of the foamy hot stuff almost causes a miss of the Ring Doorbell notification. Checking my phone shows a blurry figure obviously moving fast. Opening the front door presents a challenge. Rolling aside the chest of drawers, clicking off the deadbolts, disarming the pepper spray, unlocking the latch, removing the chains, lifting the heavy timber, and carefully moving the concertina wire, the door is ready to open.
It has to be done quickly since the creature could still be standing there. Quickly is as quickly does, and before me is a huge egg. It has lovely decorations and pastel colors. My nose tells me it is an Easter egg. The opposing mental noes try to tell me it could be a bomb. Resisting those negative thoughts, I knock on the egg with full confidence that it knows the intent of being here. The egg falls open, and inside is a lifetime supply of Jelly Bellys. There is also a note. It reads. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “nose/noes/knows.” Use one, use ’em all, bonus points if you use all three. Have fun!
If you want to have fun, visit Linda Hills’ blog and read how easy it is. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2022/04/15/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-16-2022/
Nose/Noes/Knows by John W. Howell © 2022
“So you got the bonus points?”
“Yup. Put them in my Bentley Turbo account.”
“Never heard of that.”
“A Bentley Turbo? You’re kidding.”
“No, not the car. The fact that you can redeem Linda Hill bonus points for a Bentley.”
“Have you heard of anyone saying I can’t?”
“Well…No. But that’s not the point.”
“What’s the point?”
“You thinking you can take something as worthless as a Linda Hill bonus and converting it to a $300,000 car.”
“I don’t see what you are getting at.”
“Those bonus points are made up. There’s no market for them.”
“Like bitcoin?”
“Huh?”
“Show me a bitcoin.”
“I can’t. They are digital units of exchange.”
“Uh-huh. You have any?”
“No, they are too expensive.”
“So, what makes you believe they exist?”
“There is an exchange. They are traded. Everyone knows that.”
“So if I tell you there is a Linda Hill Bonus Point Exchange, you’ll admit they have value?”
“Uh, I guess so, but my nose tells me you are making that up.”
“So I can get rid of your noes, call this number.”
“Why?”
“To speak to someone on the Linda Hill Bonus Point Exchange.”
“For heaven’s sake. Never mind. I believe you. It’s not worth the trouble. I’ll just humor your fantasy.”
“Suit yourself. I’m going to the bar.”
“Your turn to buy.”
“I have a bonus point.”
“What does that mean?”
“I’m going to buy our beer with a bonus point. I have to warn you, though.”
“About what?”
“One bonus point is worth 500 beers.”
“Can you get change?”
“Sadly no.”
“Oh my, what a dilemma. Whatever shall we do with 500 beers?”
“A believer.”
Fiction Favorites 
Can I just say, John, that the eyes see ayes, but the nose knows noes. Oh yes, and your point about bitcoin and, I would add, so-called NFTs of all flavours, is well made.
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I really don’t understand NFTs for sure. Thanks, Keith.
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I don’t understand NFTs either.
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We are all in the same boat.
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Except for the people making hundreds of thousands of dollars for an NFT of a trash can. https://www.creativebloq.com/news/nft-bin-sells-for-252k (I think P. T. Barnum would have something to say about this.)
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And some are born without a stick.
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Born without a stick?
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You know the think you hold onto to lick the sucker
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Doh! I grew up with “lollypops.”
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That is a good reason not to get my oh so subtle observation.
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😀
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😊
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It always strikes me as being the 21st century equivalent of owning a chunk of the moon’s surface (although if you Google ‘buy land on the moon’. you may be surprised by the number of possibilities claimed).
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See I think Mars is a better buy.
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But when I tried to follow a link to buy an acre of Mars, my protection software nearly had an apoplexy!
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I’m not surprised. Those Martians are a little on the sleazy side.
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👽👽👽
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😊
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Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thank you for sharing, Michael. 😊
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What an introduction. I can’t believe a coffee maker can generate so much excitement. 😉 The bitcoin thing is a very good explanation. Almost a philosophical treatise. 🙂 Thank you John! Happy Easter to you and yours!
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Happy Easter to you and yours, Michael.
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Good morning John I was going to visit you earlier but I was concerned about what strange characters I might meet at your door! I am on my way over now shall I meet you at the pub or your house… I have descaler in my bag.
As always John you have me laughing out loud! 💜☀️
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If you have a descaler, the house by all means. 🤣 Thanks, Willow.
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I’ll get my hat and coat 🤗
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Just a hat. It’s going to be 32 degrees C here today. 🥵
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Oh! Woo that’s amazing ….Just a hat….and maybe a summer dress don’t want to scare the neighbours! 😌
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Ha ha ha. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind. 😊
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Lol 🤣🤣🤣🤣
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😁
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“What do we do with 500 beers?” What is he nuts? That’s the trouble with people these days, John – no imagination!! Just think of the fun we could have….if we remembered it.
Be careful or the Easter penguin will take off with them….
https://pacificparatrooper.files.wordpress.com/2022/04/penquin.webp
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Ha ha ha. Enjoyed the Easter penguin, GP. No imagination indeed. 😁
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A lifetime supply of Jelly Belly’s sounds good to me. Good one, John. Happy Saturday!
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Me too. Happy Saturday to you, Jill *sung to the tune of Words by the Bee Gees
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You just might get that Bentley yet!
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Ha ha ha. I can always hope. 😁
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Jelly beans, beer, and a Bentley?! Good one, John. Only you could have thought this one up! 🤣 I hope you get to enjoy all three this weekend — in moderation, of course. Hugs….
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Yes. Moderation is my motto. I get zero Bentley, zero Jelly Bellys, and one Voo Doo Ranger. The paragon of moderation. Hugs. 😁
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🤣 I’ve a feeling Molly won on all counts.
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Pretty good feeling. 🤣
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You’ve been at this a long time, John. With interest rates moving up, you should have enough LGH bonus points to make a down payment. If not, find a bar that will let you open a tab and work off that BP a little at a time.
Great job on the prompt. Happy Easter.
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Thank you, Dan. Happy Easter to you and your family.
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500 beers can create a lot of friendships. Some people may even remember them the next morning.
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LOL. Good point.
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I keep expecting to see you drive by in that Bentley one day. Maybe you should assemble the parts you have and see if she’ll run.
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One valve stem and transmission shift knob isn’t going to do it I’m guessing. 😁
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Your imagination knows no bounds! I had to look up Jelly Belly, though I knew about the Bentley Turbo (an auto out of my league). Thanks for the Saturday morning smiles, John. Keep up the good work! 🙂
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Thank you, Tim. Sometimes I just can’t help myself. 🤣
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🙂
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From cryptic to crypto and back in time for happy hour. That’s a solid day’s work.
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Yes sir. A tip of my VooDoo Ranger to you.
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Salud.
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😊
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Awesome lead-in and post, John. Thanks for putting bitcoin (of which I still don’t comprehend) in context – it’s there, but it’s not. I much prefer the Linda Hill Bonus Point Exchange and beer, so I’ll stick with that and an Easter egg. Enjoy your Jelly Bellies and have a nice holiday!
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Happy Easter, Mary. I’m sticking with the bonus exchange myself. Tonight is VooDoo Ranger night.
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Feel free to have my share of IPA’s. I’ll stick to the porters and stouts. 🙂
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Of course you are refined. Not me. Give me a 9.5% ABV and I’m good.
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Santa, bentleys, bitcoins, and beer bonus points. I will stick with the first and the last. Those are more real than those other ephemerals. However I am open to civilized debate and personal preferences on those questionable choices … over three fingers that is.
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May take six to figure it all out.
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I will bring the jousting sticks… windmills beware.
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Good idea. I think I’ll beware too.
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I love a life time supply of jelly beans! Good one 🙂
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Yes. I would be like Scrooge McDuck and burrow through them.
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I hope your Bentley does not require the ever so scarce chip that other new cars seem to need. Try not to drink up all your bonus points, though. You might need them for a stylish new cap to wear if you are going to drive a Bentley.
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Yes good advice. Maybe I should buy the chip first.
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I do love the way your mind works!
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Thank you, Pamela.
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A fun SOC story, John. Do you have any jelly beans left? I heard they go good with lots and lots of beer! 🙂
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Ha ha ha. 500 bottles of beer is a lot. Thanks, Diana.
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500 bottles of beer on the bar
500 bottles of beer
Open 2 up
Guzzle ’em down
498 bottles of beer on the bar.
….. a few days later …
314 bottles of bear on the bar
314 bears
Some are pink
Some are blue
Where the heck
Are you 2?
Note:
I’ll spare you the entire song, but FYI – U2 is not adding any members to the band.
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🤣 Very fun, Resa. Great song. I think the ending would be there are two left and your intervention forbids you touching them.
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Intervention…NOOOOOO!
It was the pink and blue bears, wasn’t it?
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Yes. Plus drinking all that beer,
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It takes a clever writer to go from a giant easter egg filled with jelly beans to a Bentley Turbo to Bitcoins to beer. Well done (and very funny) Mr. Clever One. Happy Easter.
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The way you describe the transition it reminds me of a slinky going down the stairs. 🤣
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Yes!!! See, you are Mr. C. 🙂
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😁
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Lol! Most certainly, I am with you about the bitcoin, John. I think of it as Monopoly money. 🙂 Great response to the prompt!
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Thank you, Jan. 😊
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🎼Now I’m a believer! 🎶 Sing it! And nothing wrong with having a dream…
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Dreams are what makes living exciting. Especially when they come true. Thanks, Dale
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Could not agree more!
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