I usually run a Keith Channing prompt on Tuesday. Keith is off in the UK living in a motor home while getting ready to close on a new house. Needless to say, he has no time for prompts. So here is a finger point prompt. The idea is to open a book to a random page and point at the text. The word closest to your finger is the prompt. I chose the book, Circumstances of Childhood by that world-famous (cough) author John W. Howell. I opened it to a page and pointed. Before I knew what the word was, I took a photo of the process. The word is “preset.” Not the best, but I’ll give it a go.
Preset by John W. Howell © 2019
“About time, you woke up. I’ve been up for hours.”
“Why didn’t you just wake me?”
“I looked at your timer device, and it was preset for now.”
“Then why so upset?”
“I just want to make sure we are on course.”
“Why wouldn’t we be?”
“It’s a hundred-year journey. Anything can happen.”
“I think you need to relax. Did you make coffee?”
“Yes. Here’s your vacuum cup.”
“Thank you. Now let me look at the position calculator. Hmmm. Seems to be okay.”
“So how long until we reach our destination?”
“The calculator puts us in the outer band of the planet’s solar system. Looks like we should be there by dinner time. By the way anything to eat? I have a hundred-year appetite.”
“Yes. I prepared a wholesome, wake-up meal. Here is your vacuum tube.”
“Umm, this is good. Tastes like chicken and waffle.”
“I know I thought the same thing. I think we are going to enjoy our visit. There is more where that came from. This planet is full of these animals. It is like a renewable resource.”
“Okay, let me focus on the preset landing sequence.”
“I can help?”
“Yes, you can. Look at the control panel and just let me know the setting as I read the sequence.”
“Okay. I’m ready.”
“Preset destination?”
“On.”
“Preset speed?”
“Locked.”
Planet identification?”
“Third, from their sun.”
“Landing presets.”
“On.”
Okay, there is nothing we have to do for the next couple of hours but dream of getting out teeth into some of those tasty Earthlings.”
Fiction Favorites 
I think I need to take cover. Nice job, John!
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I’m sure a romance writer would be high on the delicious list, Jill. You better hide. 😁
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Ack! LOL!
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Ha haha.
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You picked a hard one this time, John, but you pulled through!!
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Thank you, GP.
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Oh! That was unexpected, to be sure. Well done, John, well done!
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Thank you, Jim. Glad you liked it.
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Chicken and waffles, huh? You have nothing to fear from anything with that wacky of a taste sense. If they come after you, hand them a roll of duct tape and tell them it’s a doughnut. 🙂
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Ha haha. That would work. Thank you, Greg.
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Be careful. These humans eat back.
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😁
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The ‘Master’ at work! Super! ♥♥
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Thanks 😁
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What a great challenge, John! You did a great job with “preset!” And, as always, loved the twist at the end!
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Thank you, Jan. 😀
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Yikes! Is this space-traveling duo a pair of cannibals, or are they, zombies??
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No they are your average aliens looking for a hot meal. 😁
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Good job, John. I hope they have the decency to cook me in a wine sauce.
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I think you deserve at least that, Dan. 😀
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Definitely not an easy word to land on! Weren’t tempted to include a part of that world-famous author’s story? 😉
Direct the aliens to the White House first, k? Maybe they’ll get their full of baloney and move on to the next planet…
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Ha ha ha. Good one, Dale.
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Ummm. Fill not full 😉 Then again, they do both work, right?
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Sort of……
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C’mon, gimme a break here!
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Oh, oh! Hope some of those presets fail, lol
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Yeah, Me too. Thanks, Jacquie.
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Uh-oh. Things are definitely not looking good for Terra firma. Nothing like being on a galactic menu. YIKES!!
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I like YIKES Mae. That is a great summary.
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🙂
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Yikes! We are on their dinner menu.
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Yup. Main course at that.
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Hahaha!
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I thought for sure you were writing something related to the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing. Wrong again! Human eating aliens…ugh! 😀
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Hey. Aliens have to eat too, you know.
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Methinks this is art imitating real life, what with the proposed storming of Area 51 by those Facebook peeps. LOL
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The bad news is that internet connections are patchy here in my sister-in-law’s parking lot, preventing me (coupled with the highest degree of inertia I’ve ever known) from doing pretty much anything.
The good news is that the contractual stuff is done on the house, and we can move in on Friday (at long last). I’m then back to France for three or four days at the end of the month delivering the camper to be sold.
The other good news is that Knight after Knight is pre-scheduled until well into August.
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Well, at least there is that. Good luck with everything. I continue to hold Tuesdays and will do “finger point” until you get back.
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Well done, John.
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😊
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Egads! I sure the next chapter has some Space Troppers from Earth taking those aliens out with a preset or two of their own! Nicely done, John!
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Thank you, Deborah. 😀
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My first thought was, It’s a Cookbook! Nicely done. John.
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Thanks, Rob.
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Hmm, Earthlings…
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Yes. earthlings like you.
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