Thursday – A little Personal

April 2, 2015April 1, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 30 Comments

Today a little personal leads me to a wonderful place Austin Boxer Rescue

My wife is a volunteer, and there are times when we need to keep a Boxer temporarily. I would like you to meet Winston, he stayed with us until my wife took him to San Antonio yesterday to join Austin Boxer Rescue, the rescue organization for adoption. He was at the Corpus Christi animal shelter after found abandoned in an apartment with his sister. The shelter estimates he and his sister were in the apartment for thirty days with minimal food and water. He is a sweet happy boy, I hope he gets a home quickly.

The poor guy came without a collar so he has to wear one of Lucy’s. (our rescue Boxer) I guess pink goes with brindle okay. He is hunting something in our backyard by the cardboard palm. (could be a ferocious weed)

Here is Winston trying to decide which toy to choose. (I would go for the horseshoe Winston) As a side note, the water skis and floats in the background spooked him since he has never been near them before. He got used to them as well as walking on the beach with the rest of the crew.

He thinks he hears something like the sound of kibble falling from the measure into his bowl a hundred feet away.

Here is his usual place which is not uncommon for most Boxers. They love a good couch.

It is sometimes troubling to witness abject cruelty and I suppose my wife and I see more than most. I hope everyone with a conscience would take a stand and have zero tolerance for the ignorant belief that animals are somehow inferior to humans and don’t deserve love and care. Thanks for the visit.

Wednesday Story Day – AKA Hump Day

April 1, 2015March 29, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 91 Comments

Wednesday Story Day again. This post is the second week of the new story involving Charlotte and Bob. As you will recall Charlotte agreed to mentor Bob because he was the child of a college roommate. Bob wants to become a world-famous author and has some peculiar habits that might pose a challenge to Charlotte. When we left them last week, Charlotte suggested Bob should get his manuscript typed up, and he told her he didn’t want to have it typed. Let’s return to see how she handles this predicament.

“Why don’t you want to have it typed up Bob?”

“Well, like I said my hand has been in the creation of the work and typing is a reduction of that work to black and white. There is no teardrop stain, squiggle in the handwriting to show emotion. None of that character comes through.”

“Hmm I think I understand what you are saying but let me ask you a question.”

“Okay shoot.”

“Why did Gutenberg invent the printing press?”

“So that books could be printed.”

“And why is that important?”

“Well, I suppose handwritten books might take a long time to reproduce.”

“And what is wrong with that problem?”

“Not many books would be available to read.”

“So you see your handwritten book would give you only one copy.”

“I’m not saying the book shouldn’t be in print.”

“What are you saying then?”

“The publisher should love me enough to read the written word and then convert it to a printed book.”

“Bob. Are you sure you are from this planet?”

“I guess you don’t agree.”

“Let’s forget this discussion and get into the story. Let’s see the title is My Struggles. Where have I heard that before? Okay, you start off the first chapter with the line ‘It’s a dark and stormy night.’”

“Yeah, isn’t it great?”

“Oh, my gosh.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible

March 31, 2015March 29, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 18 Comments

Hey, I just wanted to take a moment to remind all you beautiful people to look over to the right on the sidebar. There is some interesting stuff over there and if you hang out in the reader you just might not have seen it for a while. Yes, I have a book for sale and there is a sample. Also, there are some nice folks who visit often and some badges that are worth a peek.

Thank you.

Top Ten Things Not to do When Taking Family Photos

March 30, 2015March 29, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 35 Comments

This list was inspired by looking at a number of photos that have been posted on-line recently.

Top Ten Things Not to Do When Taking Family Photos

10 If you are taking family photos, do not forget the background. If you do, at best you might have a stray person in the shot. At worst, you may have the perfect family park photo with a lovely backdrop of the trash receptacle.

9 If you are taking family photos, do not ignore what each person has in their hand. If you do, at best you’ll take photos which catch a bunch of red Solos. At worse, you may get a fine shot of everyone with red Solos as well as Uncle Jeff and his smoked turkey leg.

8 If you are taking family photos, do not let anyone pose without a shirt. If you do, at best you have to hope your family is well toned. At worst, you will have photos of family members who resemble a gathering of a Yeti clan or a convention of the Michelin Man actor’s league.

7 If you are taking family photos, do not let the camera shake. If you do, at best your photos will be blurry. At worst the photos will all make your family appear as if they are having severe withdrawal from controlled substances.

6 If you are taking family photos, tell a joke and don’t just command everyone to smile. If you do, at best your family will look artificial in appearance. At worst, you will have captured what will be interpreted by outsiders is living proof zombies exist.

5 If you are taking family photos, do not take this occasion to introduce some creative photo techniques you have always wanted to try. If you do, at best your family will not understand what you have done. At worst, you will have created a set of photos that your family will insist be burned in front of them and possession of the memory stick which they will destroy in front of you.

4 If you are taking family photos, do not try to take photos late into the party. If you do, at best everyone will appear tired in the pictures. At worst, you will find it more difficult to get pictures without tongues sticking out and two fingers behind every head.

3 If you are taking family photos, do not pose members in an unflattering way. If you do, at best you might hurt some feelings. At worst, Aunt Malva and Uncle George will seek an injunction to have the photos kept from public view. Especially that one where they are comparing the size of their bellies.

2 If you are taking family photos, do not over serve yourself. If you do, at best you will take some pictures that aren’t useable. At worst, you will capture some subjects in unusual poses which you think are fine but they want to kill you for possession of them.

1 If you are taking family photos, do not keep everyone waiting while you set the camera and the lights and the self-timer. If you do, at best your photo will show some of the tension. At worst you‘ll have a photo where it appears someone has just opened a large container of Limburger cheese.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Naught/Knot/Not

March 28, 2015March 27, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 29 Comments

It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday again. Linda Hill has come up with a prompt that should be fun. The prompt is Naught/Knot/Not and can individually used or all three together. If you would like to join in the pain fun go here to learn more. http://lindaghill.com/2015/03/27/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-march-2815/

SOC Badge by: Doobster at Mindful Digressions

Naught/Knot/Not by John W. Howell © 2105

“What is that thing?”

“It’s a rope. You can see that can’t you?”

“Because of its color I thought it might have been a snake.”

“Colored? Oh, I see the green and brown.”

“Yes. So what are you doing with that rope?”

“It’s not just any old rope either.”

“Oh yeah. What makes it out of the ordinary.”

“Not out of the ordinary amazingly special.”

“I give up. What makes it so special?”

“No matter how you do it the rope can’t be tied in a knot.”

“That’s nonsense. Give it to me.”

“Here you are. Try making a knot.”

“Look I have made a triple bowline-on-a-bite with two half hitches.”

“You sure? Give it a shake.”

“Wow, look at that. The knot fell right out. There is no knot.”

“I told you. Want to try again?”

“No that was my best shot. Here take it back. What do you call that kind of rope anyway?”

“It’s called a Naught Knot Not rope.”

“Who in the hell named it that name?”

“Look up top at the intro. Who do you think?”

“Linda right?”

“Right.”

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF

March 27, 2015March 23, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 21 Comments

Finally, the good weather is here for us locals. It is still forecasted to rain over the weekend, but the week has been fabulous. The beach is vacant, and you can move around in town. We will venture out to our favorite places again and enjoy the surroundings. The next big deal will be Memorial Day, and hopefully this little curse I bought from the medicine man will continue to serve up inclement weather over that holiday as well. Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) is about home and what it means.

Always welcome there,

Bringing burdens and troubles. . .

Eased, refreshed now go.

#Rave Reviews Book Club Recruitment Day.

March 26, 2015March 25, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 27 Comments

Today is Recruitment day for Rave Reviews Book Club. I can’t say enough good things about the club and can only hope if you would like to receive the kind of support I have received you will consider joining.

The club is made up of like-minded authors who believe it is in their best interests to help each other promote the books we have all worked so hard to bring to life. There are a number of ways this help is available:

In addition to having their books listed on the club website each member is eligible for the following:

Every week each member is given a tweet with their handle and a nice word – twice.

Each Tuesday the entire membership is invited to tweet a member who is the #PUSHTUESDAY honoree.

Each week a member is chosen as Member of the Week and receives tweets all week and a website listing.

Each month a member is chosen Member of the Month and is tweeted all month and listed on the website,

Each month three members are chosen as Book of the Month and for the entire month they are recognized and listed on the website. Members are encouraged to buy and review the Books of the Month so you can imagine how sales and reviews go up substantially

Twice a month a member is chosen as Spotlight Author and is feted with a Spotlight Tour that reaches thousands of readers through guest spots on popular members blogs. In addition, the Spotlight Author is interviewed by club President Nonnie Jules on her popular “Who’s on the Shelf” feature.

The #RRBC hashtag is available whenever an author member would like the rest of the membership to support a tweet. In addition there numerous contests drawings and ways an author can help others and get help in return. You also meet some terrific people.

All of this is available for only $25.00 per year.

If this sounds like a program, you could see beneficial to you go to the website and tell them John W. Howell sent you. Also, you can vote on the best blog in support of recruitment day. Go here and vote http://wp.me/P49Fi9-GG Thanks

Thursday – A Little Personal

March 26, 2015March 25, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 19 Comments

This week’s personal item started as a trip to the library and then moved from there. Our town has a library, and it is a very nice one. In fact, they are very helpful folks there. During the winter, when all the Northerners come down here to escape the cold the use of the library expands twenty-fold. I have always wondered how this kind of increase does not cripple library operations. There is an organization called Friends of the Library who does a great job of fundraising with special book sales. Although I must say the staff never allows the overcrowding to reduce their friendliness or courtesy. Here is a picture of the front of the building.

You may wonder about those little boats (green and blue) in front of the building They are cement and are depictions of a watercraft called a Farley boat. These are for the yard and made in honor of the Farley Boat Works. There are a number of them all over town. I think one day I will do a pictorial of just the Farley yard boats. The Farley Boat Works was a Port Aransas original and manufactured fishing boats from 1915 until the mid-seventies.

The works is now a museum where a limited numbers of boats are in production. The picture above shows how it looks today.

Here is a picture from in 1936 of President Roosevelt and a Farley boat and an unlucky Tarpon. Port Aransas used to be the Tarpon capital of the US. The great Texas drought in the fifties brought the building of dams to preserve water had an effect on freshwater spawning for the Tarpon. Also, runoff from fertilizers altered the coastal waters and overfishing spelled the end of Tarpon fishing in Port Aransas.

I got lost in the story of the Farley Boat works and the Tarpon. I was going to let you know My GRL is in the library and here is a picture of her sitting in the New Books section. (You have to look close to find the little blue cover and yes I pulled her out of the alphabetical by the author arrangement for the picture. I did put her back after ) Thanks to the Port Aransas Library staff for putting up with my foolishness.

Wednesday Story Day – AKA – Hump Day

March 25, 2015March 22, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 24 Comments

Last week was the conclusion of the Frank and Billy saga. Although it looked bad for the duo, there was a last-minute trick a la Bob Newhart finale where I pulled a dream sequence to save the boys from certain destruction. Maybe some day we will see Frank and Billy again but this week we have a brand new cast of characters. The first character is named Bob, and he wants to be a published writer. The second character is Bob’s mentor named (you guessed it) Jane. The reason the names are a little like a primary reader is so we don’t all get lost in the dialog and can concentrate on the story. Okay, okay, I’ll change the mentors name to Charlotte. There everybody happy? So the opening scene has Bob in Charlotte’s office, and this is their first session together. I give you Bob and Charlotte. Hope you enjoy.

“So what is the first thing I need to do to get published Charlotte er I can call you Charlotte right?”

“Yes, Bob Charlotte is fine. You have finished your manuscript?”

“Yes, I have it’s right here.”

“Let me look at it.”

“Sure here. Watch out it’s pretty heavy.”

“Did you print this from your computer?”

“Not exactly. I wrote it by hand.”

“You’re kidding me. Let me see this. Oh my gosh, this is all in cursive writing.”

“Yeah, I don’t feel comfortable working with a computer on my books.”

“Why not for heaven’s sake?”

“I don’t think the true value of the work comes through. You know the pain, the angst, the struggle.”

“You don’t think working with a computer would ease a little of that for you?”

“Yes, but then how will a publisher know of my journey.”

“A publisher doesn’t give a crap about your journey. They want to be able to read the work and evaluate whether or not it is commercially viable.”

“I have a problem with that word.”

“Which word?”

“Commercially. I am an artist, after all.”

“And you want to be published.”.

“Yes, of course.”

“I agreed to mentor you only because your mother and I were roommates in college. I have to tell you I’m not sure you are ready.”

“Aw don’t say that. What do I need to do?”

“Besides get this manuscript typed?”

“I don’t want to have it typed.”

“Oh, my gosh.”

Tuesday – Anything is Possible

March 24, 2015March 22, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 18 Comments

I just have to do a wrap up on spring break. For two solid weeks it rained was cold and miserable. Here is a picture taken Saturday on the beach. Saturday is the traditional last day for breakers. They have to go back to school and are usually gone by Sunday morning (hangovers and all).

As you can see from the photo, it looks like they all called it quits early. I guess one can stand wet and cold only so long. (yes that is rain and clouds) There isn’t enough beer in the universe to keep the party fueled in spite of the weather we have been experiencing.

To add insult to injury on Sunday at about three o’clock spring arrive on the island. The afternoon was hot and lovely. The picture above was taken at the same time as the Saturday photo only twenty-four hours later.

Maybe next year kids.