Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “VIS”

July 25, 2015July 25, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 17 Comments

Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again and this week’s prompt is “VIS.” Linda Hill in her graciousness has allowed us to use VIS any way we want. For more information about this painful, exciting prompt go here. http://lindaghill.com/2015/07/24/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-july-2515/

All VISITORS MUST CHECK IN said the sign on the receptionist’s desk. Vincent stopped and waited for the young lady to acknowledge him.

“Yes, sir. May I help you?”

“Yes, you may. I’m here to see Mr. Viscount.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“I represent VIS Racing and yes I do.”

“Yes sir please sign in and I will call his assistant.”

“Thank you.”

“Sir?”

“Yes.”

“Mr. Viscount is in the visual studio and cannot be disturbed.”

“But I have an appointment for ten o’clock.”

“I understand, but his assistant said he has a concern with the stock price of VIS vis-a-vis other industrials.”

“What is VIS?”

“Vangard Industrials.”

“They’re my competition. Why is he so concerned?”

“I would say he stands to lose a lot of money and if so his partner as well.”

“Partner? How come?”

“The partner goes where the Visa card goes, and Mr. Vincent might be broke enough to lose his.”

“Do you have the partner’s phone number?”

Top Ten Thing Not to Do if You Live at a Vacation Destination

July 20, 2015July 21, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 78 Comments

This list has been inspired by observing the interaction between vacationers and locals at some vacation destinations in which I have found myself as a resident. Hope you like it.

Top Ten Things Not to do If You Live in a Vacation Destination

10 If you live in a vacation destination, do not honk your horn at the drivers who habitually go ten miles below the speed limit. If you do, at best they will go even slower. At worst, you may find yourself on the receiving end of a very frustrated lost out of towner with a car full of kids and someone asking “if we should have stopped and asked directions.” (And they might just have their semi-automatic weapon collection along for the ride.)

9 If you live in a vacation destination, do not put off grocery shopping until the end of the week. If you do, at best you will be able to check out before your ice cream is liquefied. At worst, you will have spent three hours fighting out of towners for items on your list only to find you lost a majority of the battles. (And the last six-pack of beer went to an immense guy named Tiny. ( At least that’s what the tattoo you read on the fingers of his fist said before you passed out.)

8 If you live in a vacation destination, do not drive your car downtown between Thursday and Sunday night. If you do at best, your round trip will be several hours. At worst, you will be forced to sleep overnight in your car since you parked in the only spot available only to find all the streets have been closed to traffic until dawn (And you didn’t bring a toothbrush,)

7 If you live in a vacation destination, do not plan to have dinner out from May 30^th until September 2^nd. If you do, at best you will be disappointed with the quality and service. At worst, you will be served hours after you order and will receive a meal lower than fast food quality and priced like Michelin Four Star. (And you ran out of things to talk about an hour before.)

6 If you live in a vacation destination, do not look forward to a peaceful summer. If you do at best, you will finally give up and stay inside. At worst, you will become known to the police as “that crank with no sense of humor.” (And even get a busy signal on a 911 call).

5 If you live in a vacation destination, do not think by being rude to the visitors somehow they will never come back. If you do, at best you will receive some rudeness in return. At worst, you may just be rude to the wrong person and end up looking like a raccoon. (Tough to explain as well)

4 If you live in a vacation destination, do not think everyone picks up after themselves. If you do, at best you will become disillusioned quickly. At worst, you will find yourself explaining to the police why you are threatening out of towners with a litter pick up stick. (And they have their Tasers at the ready)

3 If you live in a vacation destination, do not even think of going to the Dairy Queen. If you do, at best all your cones will look like shakes. At worst, your blood pressure will hit overdrive as you watch the two clerks try to handle one hundred customers. (And you wonder why management is surprised by a rush of business during vacation time)

2 If you live in a vacation destination, do not give anyone permission to park in your driveway just for a moment. If you do, at best you will not be able to get out for a few hours. At worst, you will have the vacationers in your driveway for two weeks. (And the car is locked)

1 If you live in a vacation destination, do not casually mention the idea people should visit. If you at best you will only get a few who will take you up on your “offer.” At worst, you will have a houseful of permanent residents, and you’ll be lucky if you even know them. (And they remind you of being out of beer.)

Thursday – A Little Personal #RRBC RAVE WAVES BROADCAST

July 16, 2015July 11, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 12 Comments

Today at 11:00 CDT I am guest hosting Rave Reviews Book Club’s RAVE WAVES: BRING ON THE SPOTLIGHT, where, I will be joined by current Rave Reviews Book Club Spotlight Author Gwen Plano. We will discuss her book Letting Go Into Perfect Love, Discovering the Extraordinary After Abuse. Join us as we explore this book, and become better acquainted with author

Click cover to go to Amazon

You can listen to the show by clicking here http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ravereviewsbookclub

We’d love to hear from you with your comments and questions on Twitter by using the #RRBCBringOnTheSpotlight hashtag. You may follow along on Twitter by typing the #RRBCBringOnTheSpotlight hashtag into Twitter’s search box in the top right hand corner of your Twitter page, and then clicking on the “LIVE” feed.

See you there

Thursday – A Little Personal

July 9, 2015July 7, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 50 Comments

For the last year, I have not been able to talk or write about the day our beloved Silky Terrier took her walk over the Rainbow Bridge. I’m not too sure I can write about it now, but it is time to move from avoiding the memories of that day to remembering the fun and good times we shared.

Coco was with us for seven years and was a rescue found on the streets of San Antonio. she was estimated to be five years old when we found her. (or she found us) My wife was visiting the local shelter and came upon Coco looking very sad in a cage with another dog. This is her sad look which we found out after adopting her she could put on in a second.

She came home to us and gave us many hours of laughter and like most terriers was in charge of the household which included two cats, two dogs, and two humans.

One of her favorite things to do (among many) was to go in the yard and the minute you turned your back slip through the fence to visit the neighbor. Here is a shot just before the slip. In fact, you can see the leg position getting ready for a turn toward the fence.

and after

For some reason, she liked the neighbor’s lawn even though she had ne of her own. Another favorite of hers was to play with the bigger dogs and to act as the mediator when the cats started an argument. We called her Barney Fife due to her effectiveness in maintaining law and order. Here is a photo of her blended family and Coco taking a break. (but just barely)

This last photo is of Coco deciding not to leave the beach. She loved to walk and when it was time to go home she more or less would invoke a sit-down strike and it was up to us to wait until she finished looking at the water.

We all miss her and know she had a wonderful life and enjoyed it to the fullest as we enjoyed her. Rest well little one.

Thursday – A Little Personal

July 2, 2015June 30, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 40 Comments

Thursday is the time to do a post that has some meaning to me and will hopefully not bore you to death. Today I’m posting a status of my self-installed screening on my screen porch to appeal to my DIY muse Dan Antion. Dan is always interested in this kind of stuff, and I also am interested when he shows us some of his skill. (you should go to his blog No Facilities by clicking on his name) So without any delay let’s go to a before photo.

You can see the screening is installed on the outside of the porch railing and is in need of repair. Since I’m an older person, it is now difficult to go on a ladder knowing the twenty some odd foot fall will be my last. Also, these screens are made of aluminum, and the salt air dissolves them and they let go where the screw attaches them to the wood.

Here is the after.

What has happened is all the screens were removed and then a new vinyl system installed. The screening was moved to the inside so that whenever they need repair this old person can do it without risking a broken hip (or worse).

This final shot gives you an idea what the system looks like from the inside. The screen, the base, and the cap (that white strip) are all made of vinyl and should last a number of years (or until the hurricane) whichever comes first. The shot is a little dark because the screening material is solar blocking. Hoped you weren’t too bored but I am very pleased with the results

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF

June 26, 2015June 25, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 31 Comments

Friday is here, and I don’t know about you but when anyone mentions Friday it makes me smile. Friday carries with it some anticipation of the beauty of Saturday. You know the beauty of relaxation, rest, recharge, time with family, not having to answer to anyone. Friday has the personality of a liberator. The day itself must be completed before freedom can be assured. Knowing Friday has arrived makes the certainty of liberation a little more probable. Of course, there is always the potential for having to work Saturday yet the mention of Friday conger feelings of looking forward to what follows. This week’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) talks about weekend freedom. I hope you like it.

Freedom by John W. Howell

Still walking uphill,

Monday to Thursday until . . .

Friday sets us free.

First Post Challenge

June 22, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 21 Comments

I have been nominated by Charles Yallowitz for a fun project. It is called First Post Challenge. The idea is to list your first post as a ping back to the original and then nominate five other bloggers to do the same.

So here is my first post on Fiction Favorites. I was pleased to see it got two likes. Probably by the only two who read the piece. It was about Kurt Vonnegut my hero.

Here are my five:

Thursday – A Little Personal

June 18, 2015June 15, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 23 Comments

One of the side benefits of tropical storms besides the rain is the opportunity to see some fine rainbows. This picture was taken on Monday in the morning looking West. The real downpour had not begun, but this rainbow made an appearance along with some pretty wild-looking clouds.

I had to throw in a picture of my bike from last week’s ride. I was about four miles from home, and the sprocket mechanism gave way. In the photo, it looks like the chain came off but it was much worse. On top of having to walk the four miles back home I also had to spend hard-earned royalties on a new sprocket assembly. The picture below gives you the new view. All that shiny stuff is nickel plated to try to hold off rusting.

Thursday – A Little Personal

May 28, 2015May 26, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 21 Comments

Last week Dan Antion on his blog No Facilities ran a lovely post where he pictured and described the Enfield Connecticut Town Hall. You can visit the post here. I commented on how nice the town hall was and Dan asked to see a picture of the city hall here in Port Aransas Texas. I thought that was an excellent idea even though our city hall looks nothing like his. Still the idea is a good one and maybe could start a movement where we all post a picture of our town hall.

So Dan, here is our city hall. It does look like something you would see on an island.

I decided while I was out in the sun (Man the sun felt good )taking pictures of the town hall I would go ahead and take one of the Civic Center. Notice that fish. It is a Tarpon, and the statue commemorates the Port Aransas Centennial in 1986.

As long as I had a photo of the Civic Center I decided to let you see the police station and courthouse. The police station and courthouse are not places you want to visit. ( Let’s just say there is always plenty of parking around these two.)

The Civic Center sign pretty much sums up what the people think about visitors, Welcome to Port Aransas

Top Ten Things Not to do While Visiting a Bar

May 25, 2015May 24, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 36 Comments

This list was inspired by listening to stories related by our house guests who had made the bar scene during the Memorial Day Weekend. All of these are hearsay and not a matter of personal experiences. I hope you enjoy.

Ten Things Not to do While Visiting a Bar

10 If you are visiting a bar, do not stand too close to someone expecting them to talk to you. If you do, at best they will move away. At worst, you might be surprised to find yourself an unwilling volunteer for a jujitsu demonstration with you as the victim.

9 If you are visiting a bar, do not order a flaming drink for any reason. If you do, at best you will confirm your narcissistic tendencies. At worst your concoction will catch the back bar on fire, and the four-alarm fire department cost will put your credit card into default.

8 If you are visiting a bar, do not join others in doing shots. If you do at best, you will fall unconscious. At worst, you will be on your feet but engaged in behavior that your will not recall at your trial.

7 If you are visiting a bar, do not get up on the karaoke stage for any reason. If you do, At best you will be coerced into singing a song that you have never heard of before. At worst, you will be idiot enough to tackle Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody and to attempt to sing all the parts.

6 if you are visiting a bar, do not join a discussion about sports if you don’t know anything about sports. If you do, at best your companions will have proof that you are an idiot. At worst, Beefcake Muldoon the guy who’s facts you were challenging will finally have had enough and provide you with your solo flying lesson. (That landing will be pretty rough)

5 If you are visiting a bar, do not insist that the band play your song. If you do, at best the band will ignore you totally. At worst, the huge guy with the word SECURITY on his back will be helping you to the exit to the amusement of the patrons and joy of the band.

4 If you are visiting a bar, do not take drinks and not offer to buy a round. If you do, at best you will soon be drinking alone. At worst, your companions will shame you into buying a drink and suddenly being surprised that the round includes a drink for everyone in the bar as arranged by your former friends.

3 If you are visiting a bar, do not challenge the house champion to a game to impress others. If you do, at best you will be beaten so badly that all those who you wanted to impress think you are an idiot. At worst, you will get into several double or nothing bets that will end up with you no longer having a car.

2 If you are visiting a bar, do not send back a plate of food o matter how bad. If you do, at best those who you are with will wonder why you had the poor judgement to order food in a bar in the first place. At worst, you plate will return from the kitchen with some additional ingredients courtesy of the night cook and his dog.

1 If you are visiting a bar, do not accept the pickled egg eating challenge. If you do, at best you will be finished for the night. At worst, you will be feeling the physical effects of too many pickled eggs for the next week including sleeping alone in the yard.