Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Starts with Mono”

~ John W. Howell ~ 68 Comments

A picture of a string with drops of water- the logo for SoCS

 

The only sound this morning is the dignified monotone of the coffee machine, indicating the cup is ready. Feeling mononucleosis-like exhaustion from the previous week’s mayhem, the cup offers the promise of relief. A few sips bring me to the point of recognizing the silence surrounding my inner sanctum.

As my interior monologue about the serenity of the place comes to a close, the intrusive sound of the Klaxon horn connected to the doorbell shatters the momentary peace. Twiggy and Lucy take up their Hounds of Baskerville impersonation while the security shutdown procedure is begun. A quick glance at the security camera screen shows the presence of a monolith on the front porch.

The claymore mines are disarmed. The tower machine guns are placed on standby. The boiling oil vat is secured. The moat net retracted. The concertina wire rolled back. The trebuchet secured. The gate lifted. The locks and deadbolts reset. The front door opened.

A tall box stands before me. An envelope with the words OPEN ME FIRST is taped to the front. Ripping it off and tearing it open reveals two messages. The first tells me to pull the handle marked OPEN on the box. The second is from Linda Hill and says Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “starts with mono.” Find a word that starts with “mono” and use it in your post. Enjoy!

If you want to enjoy go to Linda’s blog and read how simple it is. You will also find other idiots’ author’s versions of the prompt. Here is the link. https://lindaghill.com/2023/04/14/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-15-2023/

Starts with Mono by John W. Howell © 2023

“Another cliffhanger, huh?”

“Well, I needed a rest from that circus.”

“You ever get that tent taken away?”

“Yeah, but the elephant poop was a challenge.”

“That is a little too much information.”

“I suppose. I won’t go into the clown car mess then.”

“Yeah, please don’t. So, what’s going on with the box? ”

“Looks like we all will find out next week.”

“Schweinehund.”

“What’s that?”

“A friend used that word this week.”

“Okay then. I hope it wasn’t aimed at you.”

“No, he was talking about others.”

“Good. Not a compliment.”

“Do you know what it means?”

“It is an insult and can have several meanings.”

“Like what?”

“Fatherless child.”

“Bastard?”

“That and arse too.”

“Well, we can change the subject real soon.”

“I noticed you called me that.”

“Term of endearment for another cliffhanger.”

“Okay, what would you call a VooDoo Ranger?”

“Lifesaver.”

“Close enough. Uber on its way?”

“Ordered.”

“Outstanding.”

 

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay Good News

~ John W. Howell ~ 73 Comments
Dave Urban with William Getty

Today’s good news comes from the Good News Network. Here it is in its entirety.

A Trip to Delaware Hardware Store Turns into Life-Changing Moment

By

Andy Corbley

When Lowe’s employee Dave Urban came across the Getty family in the PVC aisle, he thought he would be helping them find the right fittings or something like that.

It was after he heard what was being built and who it was being built for that he took the time to do more than just help.

The Getty family was building parallel bars to help their son William practice walking.

“He was born very prematurely, just 23 weeks, so as a result, he has quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy, and one of our goals for William is to get him walking,” mom Jessica Getty told local news.

So inspired by young Will, Dave ended up spending half an hour cutting and fitting the PVC right there in the store, ensuring that everything was perfect to help Will get started finding his feet in the world.

“Then came the test. Will got up, out of his wheelchair, and grabbed hold of those bars. I think you saw that courageous smile of his. Sense of pride, ah, it keeps getting me,” Urban said, holding back tears.

The whole family saw how much it meant to Dave, and quickly made a lasting friend out of the man, who himself said the experience rewarded him “100 times back.”

The good news here is one man cares for others and takes the time to help. Today’s JohnKu talks about the highest form of giving.

Generosity by John W. Howell © 2023

When no one’s looking,

A good deed done selflessly . . .

Ranks as number one.

Here is the video.

 

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy, Lucy, and the Wildebeest

~ John W. Howell ~ 81 Comments

“What’s up, Little one?”

“Dad printed off a picture of a Wildebeest.”

“Okay. Why so glum?”

“I thought it was going to be an awesome monster.”

“Well, the Wildebeest is pretty fierce.”

“Looks like a skinny water buffalo.”

“Oh, come on. Did you see those razor-sharp horns?”

“Well, I suppose those could be pretty formidable. Let’s go out and find one.”

“I’ll take a stroll and see if I can lure one out.”

“You better be careful. I had a second look, and skinny translates into fast.”

“So far, nothing, Little One.”

“Go into the rocks. Maybe they lurk there.”

Okay, I’m headed that way. Keep your eyes open while I’m gone.”

“You don’t have to tell me. I’m a highly honed watchdog.”

“Hey, who put that flower here?”

“I can’t hear you.”

“Mmm, smells like cloves. Must be a dianthus.”

“Hey, Twiggy. There’s nothing here. Go around to the other side of the house. I thought I heard the sound of hooves.”

“Nothing here, Lucy. I don’t hear anything either.”

“The Wildebeest sniffs the air. She can detect a small animal upwind. Too soon to say if it is the puma. It will be only a matter of time until the battle takes place that will settle the territorial dispute forever.”

“Lucy, what are you doing?”

“Rehearsing, Little One. Just rehearsing.”

 

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – “We’ll”

~ John W. Howell ~ 68 Comments

The drill is to open a book at a random page and, without looking, point to the page. The word or words nearest the finger becomes the prompt. For example, I opened The Last Drive randomly to page 187, and my finger landed on the word ‘we’ll.’ So let’s see what can be done with that word.

We’ll by John W. Howell © 2023

“Done right, and we’ll rule the world.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Aren’t you tired of being under the boot of the man?”

“I try to stay out of the way.”

“Spoken like a true wimp.”

“No spoken like someone who has learned to not make trouble.”

“As I said, a wimp. Don’t you ever want to be in command?”

“Not in my nature. So what’s your plan?”

“We lay a trap.”

“A trap? What kind of trap.”

“I think we could set it up so we could have a pit dug when the man walks across the yard. He would fall in, and we’d have him.”

“How tall is the man?”

“I would say six feet or so.”

“So to hold him the pit would have to be more that that.”

“Yeah. Hmm that would be a pretty big hole.”

“That he wouldn’t notice?”

“We’d cover it.”

“Okay. Now not to be a spoil sport how tall are you?”

“Never measured.”

“My estimate is a quarter of an inch.”

“So?”

“You are planning a hole that is at least 240 times your size. What makes you think you can do this?”

“We are ants. We lift weights 100 times our own. Why not dig hundreds of times our size? I’ll organize a digging party.”

“I think you have been listening to Frank Sinatra too much. High hopes has noting to do with this reality. Besides as you dig the hole you don’t think the man will see it?”

“I suppose it would stand out.”

“And the minute he thought a bunch of ants were digging a hole he would spray the whole mess and kill us all.”

“Okay maybe not such a good plan.”

“Why not just torture him?”

“I’m listening.”

“Sneak into the house and take his sugar.”

“That would take an army.”

“Hello. Earth to dummkoph. What’s our name?”

“It could work. I’ll spred the word.”

“We’ll rule the house or at least the sugarbowl.”

Top Ten Things Not to Say to a Cocktail Party Guest

~ John W. Howell ~ 81 Comments
Photo by Antenna on Unsplash

 

This post originally ran on May 16th, 2016. Since cocktail parties are still going on, I think it will be helpful.

* * *

The inspiration for this list came after attending some parties recently. Although I’m not a psychologist, I can only surmise the individuals I happened to run into were behaving abnormally. In searching for truth, I Googled social disorders and came upon “Cocktail Party Guest,” and the explanation became clear. I hope you enjoy the list. If you are, at times, a cocktail party guest, know this list is with love.

Top Ten Things Not to Say to a Cocktail Party Guest

10 If you happen to talk to a cocktail party guest, do not say, ”How are you?” If you do at best, you will only have to stand for ten or so minutes for the rundown. At worst, you will be forced to take the person home with you since you are now forced into the position of Good Samaritan. (You had hoped they would say, “Fine,” like everyone else, didn’t you?)

9 If you happen to talk to a cocktail party guest, do not say you are a writer. If you do, at best, the person will tell you some stories they will write. At worst, you will be forced into a corner and have to tell the person they remind you of Ernest Hemingway. (Of course, maybe one of those stories will be your next novel)

8 If you happen to talk to a cocktail party guest, do not say anything about your last vacation. If you do, At best, you must attempt to get away after the second holiday story. At worst, you will watch your ice melt as you go on a verbal tour of all the continents. (Don’t you wish a trap door would open and drop you ten stories to the furnace room.)

7 If you happen to talk to a cocktail party guest, do not say, “What do you do?”. If you do, at best, they will try to convince you they own the city. At worst, they will be in the selling profession and won’t let you go until you sign up for a cleaning product pyramid scheme. (Wasn’t this the project you read about where all the company officers went to jail?)

6 If you happen to talk to a cocktail party guest, do not ask where they live. If you do, at best, they will assume you are trying to type their social/economic status. At worst, the person will believe you are a cat burglar and have designs on their jewels and money. (In each case, you didn’t get an answer, and the latter begs the question, did you enjoy the police escort home?)

5 If you happen to talk to a cocktail party guest, do not be the first to mention your kids. If you do, at best, the person has you outnumbered by a factor of two children. At worst, the person you are talking to has just returned from Washington, where they witnessed the President giving their child the Student of the Year award. (Man, it could not get any more humiliating than that, huh, Bunky?)

4 If you happen to talk to a cocktail party guest, do not raise a political point. If you do, at best, the person is a political science professor at the college, and you are in for a pretty long evening. At worst, the person is a member of a splinter group who has the destruction of the two-party system as a mission. (How do you feel going home with your very own AK 47 gift)

3 If you happen to talk to a cocktail guest, do not admit you know nothing about Doctor Who or Marvel Comic characters. If you do, at best, you will need to find someone else with which to talk. At worst, the person will take the next three hours to provide the background and in-depth synopsis of every episode or character. (Remember to relax your knees occasionally so you don’t pass out.)

2 If you happen to talk to a cocktail party guest, do not make a negative comment about the party. If you do, at best, the person will disagree and then tell the host. At worst, you will make your unfortunate comments to the unknown spouse of the host, who just happens to play golf once a week with your boss. (That meeting with the boss on Monday might be a bit tense, hey Bud?)

1 If you happen to talk to a cocktail guest, do not keep calling them by the wrong name. If you do, at best, the fourth correction will verify you are an idiot. At worst, unbeknownst to you, this person has been hired by the company you work for to come in and weed out the deadwood. (You may not be too old to find another job. Yeah, Right?)

Views of the Neighborhood – Lakeway Air Park Celebration of Alan Babin’s 20 Years of Life

~ John W. Howell ~ 65 Comments

Today we will visit Lakeway’s Air Park, where a celebration of Alan Babin’s 20 years of life takes place. It was 20 years ago the Army medic was severely wounded while saving others. If you want to read more about Alan, you can visit my post HERE.

We will have pancakes and sausage at the airpark, and our entertainment will be Lee Greenwood.

 

Picture of an old time school bus

So get on the bus and let’s go.

Here we are at the air park. The marker tells us we are in the right place.

The tables are ready for the pancake breakfast.

A tribute to Alan. Since he was a medic, he has the nickname “Doc.” Today, in addition to the open house and breakfast, Alan will be taken on a flight around Lake Travis escorted by a warbird.

Here is the plane that will take Alan on his ride. It is a 1973 BEECH C90

Incoming is the War bird that will escort Alan’s flight.

A taxi to position.

A 1949 NORTH AMERICAN T-6G was used as a trainer for naval aviators. Others have flown in for the occasion.

A 1943 Aircraft: Beechcraft D17A Staggerwing

A 1946 Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser with flotation.

1946 Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser without flotation.

A 1963 PIPER PA-18-135 with flotation.

A 2021 Vans RV-10

Folks looking at the plane that will take Alan on his flight.

The Producer caught a shot of the flight.

Well, that is the tour. So, let’s join the others and enjoy those pancakes while we listen to the music. I hope you have a great week.

 

 

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Starts with Gen.”

~ John W. Howell ~ 68 Comments

 

The blessed coffee machine generously gives up its treasure without nary a peep. Sipping the revitalizing fluid generates a lightning flash in the Morpheus stunned brain. It comes with the melodious and, if truth be known, ominous cords of the calliope. The circus must still be in the backyard.

Racing to the back confirms the worst case. The large tent is still in place and filled with what appear to be hundreds of spectators. Phil Harris’ electronic voice echoes throughout the interior space.” Ladies and Gentlemen and children of all ages. I now direct your attention to the center ring where our very own Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner will attempt on the high wire a feat that has never been attempted before.”

A hush comes over the crowd, and a lone spotlight picks up Wile E. Coyote precariously balanced on a bicycle high up in the tent’s rarified air on a taught wire. There is no net, so death-defying takes on a new meaning. He is holding a rocket from the ACME Bird Blasting Company. The Roadrunner is at the other end of the wire, and it appears that she intends to run straight at Wile while continuing to maintain balance.

The music reaches a crescendo, and the Roadrunner begins her run. Wile engages the rocket fuse and takes aim at the Roadrunner. As the distance closes, the rocket ignites, and Wile struggles to hold it for a last-minute adjustment. Unfortunately, he does so for a second too long as the afterburner kicks in, and the rocket and Wile punch through the tent ceiling and are last seen acting out the “Rockets Red Glare” lyrics from the Star Spangled Banner.

A “beep beep” causes me to jump two feet and realize the Roadrunner is behind me. Once turning, she hands me an envelope. Then, with another “beep beep,” she is gone. We all know the drill. It’s from Linda Hill. The message reads, Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “starts with gen.” Find a word that starts with “gen” and use it in your post. Have fun!

If you want to have fun, visit Linda’s blog and read how easy it is. While there, you can read some other posts with today’s prompt. Here’s the link. https://lindaghill.com/2023/04/07/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-april-8-2023/

Starts with Gen by John W. Howell © 2023

“Okay, I hope this is the last circus bit.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“I still don’t get it. This is your blog, yet you act like you are a victim of all these visitors.”

“I get that feeling sometimes.”

“What’s with your generation of writers anyway?”

“What do you mean?”

“You all talk about your characters going off and running the show.”

“It does occur once in a while.”

“What are you, a wimp? You have the keyboard, for heaven’s sake.”

“As a general rule, yes.”

“So what happens?”

“A writer allows a character to go in a certain direction, and then before long, it seems like the character is writing the scene.”

“Sound like hocus pocus.”

“That’s a generalization.”

“I’ll stick to things I can see.”

“Like what?”

“VooDoo Ranger.”

“You’re obsessed.”

“I prefer to say ‘genteel.’ Of course, maybe it’s genetic.”

“Let’s cut the ‘gen’ generation and get to the pub.”

“A genuine suggestion.”

“Quit it.”

“Uber is on the way.”

“Genial thought.”

“Now you quit it.”

 

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay Good News

~ John W. Howell ~ 70 Comments

 

Photo of Alan Babin during the community honor ceremony of his home – Photo courtesy of the Austin Statesman

Today’s good news is a local story about an American hero who lives here in Lakeway. Alan Babin was excited to become a Lakeway resident for many reasons, not the least of which is that he is able to leave his home independently in his wheelchair.

The Gary Sinise Foundation gave Babin and his family a smart home in 2018 adapted to his specific needs, a significant gift for the injured U.S. Army corporal who served as a medic in the 82nd Airborne Division. Due to the wounds he received 20 years ago, he has had to work hard to be able to do many everyday tasks.

On March 31st, the city declared it Alan Babin Day in honor of the 20th anniversary of surviving catastrophic wounds during his service in Iraq. Alan was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor and Purple Heart for his actions to save another. The proclamation issued by the city tells more of the story.

There was a unique open house at the airpark to honor Alan, and we will be visiting that open house on Sunday. The good news here is that a community cares about one of its own who sacrificed his own health and safety for another. Today’s JohnKu talks about honor. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Sacrifice by John W. Howell © 2023

Where do we find those,

Who are willing to give all . . .

To save another.

 

Thursday – A Little Personal – Lucy and Twiggy on the Hunt

~ John W. Howell ~ 68 Comments

“Okay, so we are on a hunt. What are we hunting for, Little One?”

“I was thinking it was time to get a new beast.”

“A new beast. Tired of being gored by the water buffalo?”

“Get your horns away from me. No, it’s just we need new prey.”

“Well, okay. Have any beast in mind?”

“I thought I heard a Wildebeest out there.”

“You gotta be kidding me. There are no Wildebeests in Texas.”

“There are water buffalo, I suppose.”

“Yeah, good point. Okay, so what was out there?”

“I’m not sure. Go have a look at the other side. I thought I heard something over there.”

“Sorry, kiddo. Only that pesky squirrel.”

“I would like to get my mouth around that pest for sure.”

“Yeah, good luck on that one. I think I would concentrate on the Wildebeest if I were you.”

“Makes sense. So you think a Wildebeest would make a good victim?”

“I guess it would. Who is going to play that part?”

“Let’s see. If I’m the puma, who do you think?”

“Not sure I have ever been a wildebeest before.”

“For heaven’s sake . How hard could it be? You played a buffalo, and a Wildebeest couldn’t be too much harder than that.”

“I’m going to call my agent before I can commit.”

“Life has just gotten too complex.”

The Last Drive ~ John W. Howell

~ John W. Howell ~ 41 Comments

Resa McConaghy is a talented designer with extensive experience designing Hollywood film costumes. She is also an accomplished photographer and writer. Her photographic concentration is on street murals; she has an amazing collection. Today, she honored me with a discussion and review of The Last Drive. To give her readers a sense of the story, Resa has designed six gowns for Sam, the principal character. A visit to Resa’s place will give you a view of the book and an experience you will want to repeat.

Resa's avatarArt Gowns

The sequel to “Eternal Road” once again has Sam and James traveling through time in a 1956 Oldsmobile.

Sam (Samantha) is an Angel Emissary. Her current mission: Find Ryan, a recent soul and his guide, Eddie. They have gone missing. Lucifer is suspect for their disappearance.  To aide her on the mission, she wrests James from his eternal home.

DISCLAIMER:  There are no gowns in this story, per se.

Resa – John, I drew Sam as her angel self. I mean, when she’s not out on missions, she would be in her angel wear. I hope you approve of the drawing. (I don’t see wings)

John – I love Sam’s Angel self. I think it is exactly what she would wear around the cloud so to speak. She doesn’t have wings so that was a good call.
Resa – To me, Sam is the star of the 2 books. I…

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