Friday AKA -TGIF

February 13, 2015September 20, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 19 Comments

Friday is here and with it comes Valentine’s Day Eve. Yup, that is right the night before Valentine’s Day. (the fact that it is Friday the thirteenth shouldn’t bother anyone) Hope everyone has planned something special for that someone special. If not then the someone special may turn up as someone not so special, after all. The best way to keep that someone special is to present them with a thought about how much they mean to you. Not just in words but also in actions. You know the old-fashioned stuff. Open a door, help carries the groceries, help out with the household chores, cook an excellent meal, rent an extraordinary movie, send the kids to grandmas. And you men out there could do the same for your lady. If all else fails maybe my JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) would be of some help in the romance department. Go ahead and use it. If it helps just send me a comment and I’ll be happy. Here it is (and you can put your name on it as well)

Single they knew not,

To love with no holding back . . .

Together as one.

Friday TGIF – AKA JohnKu

February 6, 2015January 31, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 24 Comments

This has been a busy week. Here in South Texas we are beginning to feel the spring weather move in. We get some wild fluctuations in temperatures from the day to the nighttime, but this is normal for the spring. We are always glad to see the daytime temperatures move into the seventies. This is the forecast for the weekend so we will hope it comes true. Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) is a reflection of anticipating the spring. Hope you like it.

Comes in lion-like,

Settles like an elephant. . .

Becomes a soft lamb.

Friday JohnKu – TGIF

January 30, 2015September 20, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 27 Comments

TGIF. Only eight more hours until the weekend. I am looking forward to kicking back on Sunday to join the rest of America in the feast of St. NFL. It seems a little sacrilegious to refer to the NFL as a saint, but I couldn’t think of anything any more clever than that. We all know that some NFL players are anything but saints. We also all know all of the New Orleans Saints aren’t saints either. So the unfortunate reference to St. NFL can only be explained by the fact that I am an idiot. Notwithstanding (love that phrase) the fact I’m still looking forward to the game. I also enjoy the commercials and observing how completely overdone the halftime show turns out to be. Every year gets even more outrageous. This year my wife and I are staying home and fixing a spread for ourselves. It will include everything that we would not get caught dead eating in public. (Where did the idea of getting caught dead doing anything in public come from?) I’ll give you a hint of what we are having. We will concentrate on the four food groups, chips, cheese, dip, and salsa. We might even throw in a vegetable or two (like jalapenos and olives). Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) is about overdoing things in the name of sport. I hope you like it.

Sunday arrival,

Is spent eating way too much. . .

Sleep rolls to punish.

Friday – JohnKu – TGIF

January 9, 2015September 20, 2021 ~ John W. Howell ~ 23 Comments

Friday again and I must say after the holiday last week this Friday seemed to take forever to get here. I don’t think it is my imagination since for whatever reason I really did only work three days last week. I took off New Year’s day to watch the Baylor Bears lose to Michigan State. The funny thing was I graduated from Michigan State and was rooting for the Bears. I should explain. My daughter went to Baylor graduating in 2011 and I guess I wanted to cheer on the place where I spent the most money. I remember when I attended Michigan Stare the cost was $186.00 a term (three terms in the year) for tuition. I think my daughter’s cable bill was higher than that. I won’t go into the obvious relative comparison data like a gallon of gas was nineteen cents just suffice it to say I followed the money on this one. Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) talks to how post vacation weeks are a pain. Hope you like it.

Full week, no time off,

Is unfair labor practice . . .

After holiday.

Friday TGIF JohnKu

December 26, 2014December 20, 2014 ~ John W. Howell ~ 8 Comments

Friday has made it again. This week seemed like it was super fast. I guess having the holidays off for most of you kept it moving along. Being the day after Christmas the main focus today is the return of all those wonderful presents you received from well-meaning folks. Sure bright green is supposed to lift your mood but not in a sweater. Yes, footed pajamas with a back door and bear motif are very comforting when you are ten years old (thanks, Aunt Helen) but now need to go back. That aftershave that knocks people off their feet and is guaranteed to lure the beautiful to your neck has no room in your current repertoire especially if you have forgotten what is expected when a beautiful person is on your neck. So it goes. All the wonderful sentiments are intact. The gifts which were to communicate them gotta go. Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) talks about this process. I hope you enjoy.

Evidence of love,

Opened and scattered around. . .

Triage done on each.

Friday JohnKu – TGIF

December 5, 2014June 26, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 25 Comments

This week has been really busy and next looks to be the same. I was really honored to be a part of the Sally Ember Ed.D interview show on Changes. If you missed it you can go to this link on You Tub and catch up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZRG5j5fHuo

We are deeply into the Christmas shopping season again. I don’t know about you, but this year I am really out of ideas. Not sure what I’m going to do since I usually have a good idea of what to get by this time each year. I think I’m going to have to consult with some extra-terrestrial something to come up with an idea. I used to have jewelry ideas, but my wife has placed me on a budget which has the effect of making a jewelry selection somewhat more challenging. It seems the higher end stuff gets a better reception than a shark tooth on a string (you think?).

So this week’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) has captured the angst and terror of finding the right gift. It is titled I’m Going to Die. Hope you like it.

Uneasy stalks the day,

Terror chills fill the darkness . . .

No gift idea.

Friday JohnKu – TGIF

November 28, 2014June 26, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 17 Comments

This is Black Friday and I’m spending it hunched over my keyboard as I do so many other days (like 365 of them). I sort of miss the trampling, fighting, hair pulling and dented fenders of yore. You see, on the island where I live we have an event called Shop Around Port Aransas. It takes about an hour to visit all the stores and in reality the bargains are not really designed for the normal gift giving season.

For example at the IGA, bacon is $2.69 a pack. I know I wouldn’t mind getting some gift wrapped bacon, but to give as a gift not so much. Another example would be waist-high waders now 50% off. The populations of men who live here already have waders so what is the point? I guess the tourists might find this a novelty item. I can see someone from San Antonio opening his gift and getting a pair of twenty pound vulcanized rubber waders. The joy in the eyes is indescribable. The gun shop is running a special on duck calls which makes me want to rush right down there and stock up (not). How many duck calls does one person need? So, all in all around here, Black Friday is pretty mild. Today’s John Ku ( a term coined by Words4jp) is a symbolic nod to the rest of the world’s happiness today. The title is (of course) Black Friday.

Day breaks as always,

Anticipation is strong . . .

In scoring, a steal.

TGIF Friday Haiku

November 14, 2014June 26, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 26 Comments

Friday time again. Looks like we might actually make it to the end of the week. This week has been one of amazing rain. I think it started last Friday and has been off and on for the whole week. We also had a cold front move in so we have been under the gun chill wise. I think the temperature got to eighty degrees only once this week. For us weak island dwellers, this is a real cold snap. It is pretty funny seeing the brave tourist types from up nawth walking down the beach with shorts and short sleeve shirts while we natives look like we are living on an ice flow. This week’s JohnKu (a Term coined by Words4jp) looks at the weather.

Sunny days always,

Until the Earth tries tilting. . .

Then, paradise lost.

Friday JohnKu

November 7, 2014June 26, 2024 ~ John W. Howell ~ 11 Comments

Friday at last. This week I had the occasion to walk on the beach and see some of the greatest sun flashes in the surf. I tried to take a video, but it didn’t turn out well since I kept getting the sun in the picture which caused the image to blaze out of focus. I grabbed my trusty iPhone and at least got a picture. The flashes looked like an ocean full of paparazzi all taking photo of the shore. I know this picture doesn’t do the scene justice but hopefully you can get an idea. Today’s JohnKu (A term coined by Words4jp) is about the scene. The title is Flash. I hope you like it and have a great weekend. Here’s your margarita. Don’t get caught at work. Okay?

Sun striking water,

Making a display of fire . . .

Hard to believe real.

Friday JohnKU- AKA- TGIF

October 31, 2014October 24, 2014 ~ John W. Howell ~ 25 Comments

Wonderful Friday. Such a nice day. Only eight more hours and we can kick back and enjoy the fruits of our labor. I really like lime as a fruit of labor. You can squeeze it, add it to agave distillate juice with some orange liqueur and agave nectar. Toss it into a shaker and shake till ice-cold. Pour into a mason jar, add a slice of lime. Put your feet up while on the veranda and tell the world how much you have earned this little gem. I only have about 1000 words until I can do that later today. Hope you all have a good weekend. I didn’t forget the JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp). It is called rest. Hope you like it.

Rest only sneaks in,

After working long and hard . . .

Never stays too long.