Today, I randomly opened Circumstances of Childhood to page 177 and pointed to the page with my eyes closed. Under my finger is the word ‘recognized.’ Our prompt.
This post ran on October 28th, 2019. I think it still may have some merit.
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Top Ten Things Not to Say in a Text
10 If you are texting, do not say, “Will you marry me?” If you do, at best, your intended battery has failed. At worst, your reply will be a short and sweet “Kiss off.” (You see, Jayyed, marriage is a serious thing. Your casual approach does not instill confidence that you would make the right partner.)
9 If you are texting, do not say “yes” to Tiny, the WWF champ, when he wants to buy you a couple of rounds. If you do, at best, Tiny won’t be able to find you. At worst, when you meet Tiny at the gym, you suddenly understand that he wasn’t talking about drinks. (Well, here you are, Jedd. I would lie back during the rounds and try not to break any bones.)
8 If you are texting, do not tell someone a family member has passed. If you do, at best, your server will be down. At worst, the news will not be taken well. (So now you are responsible for another mental breakdown, Jedidiah. It’s no wonder they are not speaking to you anymore.)
7 If you are texting, do not tell someone you are breaking up with them. If you do, at best, they didn’t like you anyway. At worst, you now have a lifelong enemy. (Way to go, Jennis. This could have gone so much better face-to-face. How did that boiling bunny get on your stove anyway?)
6 If you are texting, do not answer the text and photo that asks, “How do I look in this?” If you do, at best, you’ll say, “Great.” At worst, you’ll try and be helpful. (Admitting that hat looked ridiculous has just earned you a cold night in the dog house, Jensen. You see, that was the favorite pick.)
5 If you are texting, do not send an “I’m mad at you” text. If you do, at best, the recipient has turned off their phone. At worst, the recipient will become very defensive. (So how are you going to patch this up, Jeremias? You weren’t all that angry in the first place, and now you have WWIII on your hands.)
4 If you are texting, do not ask, “What do you like about me?” If you do, at best, the response will be something you like. At worst, the answer will be something like, “You have a great personality.” (What did you expect, Jerett? This is not the kind of question to put in a text. You are lucky you didn’t get a compliment on your deodorant.)
3 If you are texting, do not ask where the relationship is going. If you do, at best, the recipient will call you. At worst, you might get a reply like, “To Milwaukee.” (Well, I guess you could have predicted that response, Jerico. What did you want the person to say in a text message? HUH? Dope.)
2 If you are texting, do not send a message with the words “I love you” for the very first time. If you do, at best, the recipient will think you are drunk. At worst, the recipient will get the idea you cannot face commitment in person. (That was a lousy idea, Jerren. Let’s hope an in-person statement will undo the damage. You are a bit of a clod, though.)
1 If you are texting, don’t send a message that has drama around it, like, “Where were you last night?”. If you do, at best, the recipient will delete it. At worst, you’ll get a response that you hate. ( “I was out with Bill” is something you didn’t expect, huh, Jerrick? I guess that will learn ya.)
Waiting on the nectar that sustains all life. I’m not sure why it is taking so long, but to investigate, a fork is put into play to remove the inspection hatch plate. All seems normal until it appears the start button has not been pushed. This demonstrates the need for the glorious liquid before doing anything important.
Once started, the coffee is delivered post haste. The first sip suggests that a little time travel might be welcome this morning. The clock is set for October 4th, 1924. The location is Washington, D.C., and the duration is an hour. The plunger pulled finds us in President’s Park, south of State Place Northwest, between 17th Street Northwest and West Executive Avenue Northwest.
Monument in 2008
We are here at the dedication of the First Division Monument. The Monument commemorates those who died while serving in the 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army during World War I and subsequent wars. We arrive in time to hear Calvin Coolidge’s comments, which include dedication and speaking out against the Geneva Protocol, which would mandate all countries to seek arbitration of disputes in a world court.
The Monument inscribes 5,516 names of fallen heroes from WWI and over 7,000 additional names from subsequent wars. As Calvin wraps up his comments, our alarm goes off, and we land softly on the sofa. A text from Linda Hill comes in and reads:
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “fork.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!
“Yeah, I agree. That Geneva Protocol sounded like a good idea.”
“It did require countries to give up their ability to formulate their own response to aggression by another. It also allowed countries not signing up to do as they please. Long story short, no one was buying the concept.”
“I noticed you did October 4th when this is the 5th.”
“October 4th in 1924 was a Saturday, so I thought I would keep it the same day.”
“You really plan this stuff out well.”
“Sometimes, I reach a fork in the road. To the right is too much information. To the left, not enough. I have to choose the best course.”
“Yeah, I think the best course is the cocktail hour. Even beats the appetizer.”
The analysis of health records of more than 120,000 adults in the UK with an average age of 57 found that people who are happy with their lives are significantly less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke.
They were also less likely to develop coronary artery disease, suffer a heart attack or heart failure, or have a stroke than those with lower levels of well-being, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers suggest that a holistic approach to life that includes regular physical activities, social activities, and/or stress management techniques is an effective way to enhance personal well-being.
The study found that, compared to adults with a low sense of well-being, the overall risk of developing cardiovascular disease was 10% to 21%—being lower for people with the highest well-being scores.
Compared to adults with a low sense of well-being, people with the highest well-being scores had a 44% lower risk of coronary artery disease, a 45% lower risk of stroke, a 51% lower risk of heart failure, and a 56% lower risk of heart attack.
“Our findings support a holistic approach to health care, where enhancing a person’s mental and emotional well-being is considered an integral part of preventing heart disease and stroke,” said study senior author Professor Wen Sun of the University of Science and Technology of China.
“Health care professionals might consider including strategies to improve life satisfaction and happiness as part of routine care, such as recommending regular physical activities, social activities or stress management techniques as effective ways to enhance personal well-being.”
It is well-known that life satisfaction, or well-being, can increase mental health.
But, until now, the influence of well-being on cardiovascular health was less clear.
After reviewing questionnaires from more than 120,000 participants in the UK Biobank database, the Chinese research team assessed well-being related to satisfaction with family, friendships, health, finances, and general happiness.
They analyzed the potential connection of well-being with the development of four major cardiovascular diseases: coronary heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.
The study also examined the impact of well-being on lifestyle factors and inflammatory markers.
“These results underscore the profound impact that emotional and psychological health can have on physical well-being, shedding light on intricate biological mechanisms that were not fully appreciated before,” Professor Sun said.
“They add to the growing body of data that psychological health can impact cardiovascular risk,” said Professor Glenn Levine of Baylor College of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, said of the findings. “Much of the focus on psychological health has understandably been on negative factors such as depression and stress.”
“This study emphasizes the importance of positive psychological health, including the more global factor of a person’s sense of well-being.”
The good news in this article is that we can control our physical health through our mental health. Today’s JohnKu talks about mind over matter. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
“Tempest had an elongated soft palate that, if not taken care of, would cause problems later. She will be able to breathe better and not have issues with gagging later in life.”
“Is she going to be okay?”
“Yes. She is a little sleepy from the anesthesia.”
“Come on, Dad. Give it to me straight. She doesn’t look okay.”
“This is perfectly normal. Her body needs to rest, and traces of the anesthesia cause her to be sleepy.”
“I guess I’ve never seen her so still. When can she play?”
“Her recovery time is going to be at least three days. Playing will be based on how she feels after that.”
“Three days? How are we going to keep her quiet for three days?”
“For one, you can help by not engaging in any incidences of ruckus.”
“I can do that. You must know, though, that she’s the one who usually starts it.”
“I do know that, but you’ll be a big sister and not engage even if she tries.”
“Okay, I will do my best.”
“That’s all we can ask.”
“I must admit I like her as an awake panther better.”
“It won’t be long, Twiggy. She’ll be attacking you before you know it.”
I am happy to have Craig Boyack on my blog today. Craig is a very creative writer who has written some of the best speculative fiction books. His stories are unique, and his characters are likable and memorable.
Craig is here today to talk about his latest book. So Craig, the post is yours.
Thanks for the invitation, John. It’s been a while since I did any serious promotion, but it is nice to get out.
I have a new book called Tracks of Infinity. This one involves the search for proof that we are not alone in this universe.
My main character is Jenny Hughes. She was a very young military widow, and was left alone with a new infant. Jenny being a baby faced blonde had its advantages, and she scored a job as an on-camera news reporter.
When the story opens, Jenny is pushing 40. Her station got a directive to get more diverse, and award bonus points to applicants who could make their on-screen presence younger at the same time.
Jenny experiments with Botox, Spanks, teeth whitening, push up bras, and more to stay in the game.
After twenty years of reporting, it isn’t like she has much of a marketable skill set. Her editor takes pity and offers her a different position.
Her dream of one day becoming an investigative journalist dies hard. This station focuses on flash and gossip more than real news. Now she’s off camera completely.
The new job comes with a shared secretary. Jenny learns the basement is full of old news stories, most of them gathered up by mergers and acquisitions over the decades.
With all this upheaval, her now adult son is failing at college. Cody is a good kid, but needs a science credit. Somehow he wound up in a geology class. After a night of opening old manila envelopes and scouring for stories, she decided to give up and help Cody by making a drive in the country. It was Cody who chose the location of one of the long-forgotten news stories to work on his science project.
What Jenny and Cody discover is nothing short of amazing. They may have solid proof of extraterrestrial visitors to Earth. If only she had a mentor who knew how to assemble a story like this.
Turns out she finds one, but he is difficult to work with. I’ll save that for another post.
During all this, Cody finds a new girlfriend. She isn’t exactly Jenny’s kind of people, and that adds another bit of stress to her routine.
I wanted to get all the troubles and issues of the modern world out there for your fans. Jenny is an interesting character and is doing the best she can in the modern world. I hope your readers can relate to her. They might not have the same issues, but my hope is that Jenny is a relatable character to guide them through this story.
Blurb:
Jenny’s life is in upheaval. Her only child, Cody, is getting on with his young adult life, and has a girlfriend Jenny is unsure of. Her career at the news station is in jeopardy in a push to get more diverse and younger at the same time.
She wants to be an investigative reporter, but it seems they’ve been relegated to the Stone Age. Gossip, celebrities, and local interest is the order of the day.
In desperation, she accepts an off-camera job to retain her paycheck at all. This is when she discovers that mergers and acquisitions over the decades have left the station with a long history of old news tales in the basement. Could a cold case be something she could focus on in her spare time?
She and her son glean through ancient manila envelopes to find something of interest. Cody needs to make a drive in the country to pass college geology, and decides they might as well go to the location in one of the old stories. Mother and son make a day of it.
What they discover isn’t something either of them expected. Who can she turn to for help and guidance in the dying art of investigative journalism? Will Jenny be able to market a story like this at all? Who are the strange thugs that seem to be tracking their every move, and what are they up to?
The answers to these questions and more are revealed in Tracks of Infinity.
I randomly opened the book His Revenge to page 109. Without looking, I pointed to the page, and the closest word to my finger was a tie between hot and water, so I used both.
This post ran on April 1, 2019. Since there are still birthdays to consider, I hope it is useful now.
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If your significant other is having a birthday, there are things that you should not do. Yesterday was my significant other’s birthday, except for one thing: I managed to avoid the other stuff on the list.
10 If your significant other is having a birthday, do not take a lot of time writing a Ten Things Not to Do list. If you do, at best, there is still time for other activities. At worst, you will run out of time to celebrate the birthday. (Now you are in deep yogurt, Ghoukas. What happened to the cake, presents, and good wishes? You better pray for understanding.)
9 If your significant other is having a birthday, do not go to the gym with Tiny, the WWF wrestling champ. If you do, at best, you’ll only have sore muscles from sparring with him. At worst, Tiny will show you his latest helicopter spin and drop maneuver. (Hard to celebrate from the ER, huh, Giancarlo? Don’t worry; someone will call and let your significant other know you won’t attend the party.)
8 If your significant other is having a birthday, do not think a packet of beef jerky from the convenience store is the perfect gift. If you do, at best, your significant other will take it as a joke. At worst, you’ll be dining alone tonight. (That beef jerky helps cover the taste of the crow, Gili. Better luck next year.)
7 If your significant other is having a birthday, don’t forget to cancel your participation in the weekly bowling event. If you do forget, at best, you’ll stay home. At worst, you’ll go to the event and suffer dire consequences. (Did no one ever tell you about life choices, Gilvaethwy? You now must live with the results of your neglect. Please remember it was Fido’s house before you moved in.)
6 If your significant other is having a birthday, do not think going to your favorite place is the best experience for a birthday. If you do, at best, none of the usual crowd are there. At worst, your bowling team members and the local motorcycle club are having a beer-chugging contest. (You could have made a reservation at a beautiful place, Giovany. But no, your significant other is being cheered on as she downs a quart bong. Tomorrow is not going to be a good day for you.)
5 If your significant other is having a birthday, do not expect a home-cooked meal instead of dinner out. If you do, at best, you’ll get cold cuts. At worst, your significant other will cook something and leave it with a note telling you a restaurant visit was expected. (It looks like your significant other and a bunch of friends are having more fun than you, Girvin.)
4 If your significant other is having a birthday, do not offer to bake a cake unless you know what you are doing. If you do, at best, you can still have time to call the bakery. At worst, the suggestion will be made to use your masterpiece as a doorstop. (Never knew frosting would get that hard, did you, Glaucus? Maybe NASA would like to know about your formula.)
3 If your significant other is having a birthday, do not buy a card with a message that is obviously not a natural expression of your feelings. If you do, at best, your significant other will get a chuckle. At worst, the inscription, “Roses are red, Violets are blue, I want to run away, How about you?” will be taken the wrong way. (You were talking about a trip together, Gobrwy. What the heck are you doing in court?)
2 If your significant other is having a birthday, do not give a gift you know is unsuitable. If you do, at best, you might be able to keep it. At worst, you might be wearing it. (They say to give a gift you would like to receive, Godric. I’m not sure your significant other had a cordless weed trimmer in mind as the perfect gift.)
1 If your significant other is having a birthday, do not invite guests who your significant other does not know to the celebration. If you do, at best, some new friendships will be made. At worst, you will get no kudos for the uncomfortable feeling your significant other will have in a room filled with strangers. (It seemed like a good idea at the time, Gofraidh. You better get over there. It looks like your significant other and your boss are having some kind of argument.)
Today, we are going to explore the neighborhood and check out what some consider trash. Is there treasure? You can decide. We are catered by Arlo Grey of Austin. Or entertainment is Mary Heather Hickman.
