“It’s Friday Let’s ruckus.” “Okay Little One. I’ll count to five.”
The last Friday of 2019 has arrived. It is hard to believe that 51 of them have preceded this one. The good news is that there are now 52 more getting ready to be issued as soon as the new year turns over.
I hope you all are having or had a great holiday. I managed to keep to a timetable and am just about finished with the final edit before beta read on my WIP. I will be working on a blurb and will send out a call after the first of the year. The beta will be available in three formats, MOBI, ePub, and PDF.
The beta readers will have six weeks to return comments. Since the MS is about 305 pages, this should not be a burden. If you would like to read the story, which I’m tentatively naming The Eternal Road – the Final Stop, look for the announcement on Monday, January 6th.
Today’s John Ku talks about the New Year. I hope you have a great weekend.
“Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next Monday.”
This week marks the anniversary of the lighting of the first national Christmas tree on the White House grounds by Calvin Coolidge on Christmas Eve in 1923. The tree was a balsam fir from Vermont and stood 48 feet high. It was also the first time electricity was used to light the green and red bulbs. In the spirit of the season, we need to go there and take part in the ceremony. Don’t forget to pack this list. We don’t want any accidents in the time continuum.
Top Ten Things Not to do at the Lighting of the First National Christmas Tree in 1923.
10 If you go, do not start singing “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree.” If you do, at best, everyone will believe you were overserved with Wassel. At worst, you’ll raise questions about this thing calls “rock.” (Now you’ve done it, Julius. You are singing a song released in 1958 and trust me, brother, you are no Brenda Lee.)
9 If you go, do not ignore the warnings of Tiny, the WWF champ, to stay behind the ropes. If you do, at best, you’ll get a shove that will return you to behind the lines. At worst, Tiny, who missed his last five self-esteem group meetings, will take personal offense that you didn’t listen to him. (Don’t worry, Jamal. Tiny will tire of spinning you above his head and give you a toss. Good thing, there is snow on the ground. Oh, I didn’t see that rock where you landed. That had to have hurt.)
8 If you go, do not mess with the extension cord running from the White House to the tree. If you do, at best only the tree lights will go out. At worst, you will be the cause of the East Coast grid going down. (How embarrassing for Mr. Coolidge. Here he wanted to do something beautiful for the country, and instead, the population is shivering in their dark hovels on Christmas. I couldn’t have invented a more “Grinch stole Christmas” story if I tried, Jon. Thanks.)
7 If you go, do not take more than one sugar cookie. If you do, at best, some others will not want theirs. At worst, you will have eaten a cookie that would have marked the difference between a joyous Christmas and dismal for a sweet child. Wow another story, Joey. You are some muse.)
6 If you go, do not think you can join the Epiphany Church choir in singing Christmas carols. If you do, at best, the numbers will drown you out. At worst, you’ll take a solo part causing multiple shatterings of the White House Waterford crystal. (Talk about not being invited back next year, Jermaine. Mrs. Coolidge is in tears, and Calvin looks like he is going to explode.)
5 If you go, do not forget to take a gift. If you do, at best, no one will notice. At worse, Calvin will let you know that all the presents received are being given to the orphanage. (You might want to run down to the five and dime and pick something up, Jax. No, taking one from the plie just won’t cut it.)
4 If you go, do not remove one of the 2500 bulbs on the tree, thinking it would make a great souvenir. If you do, at best, no one will miss it. At worst, once you remove the bulb, the rest go dark. (This is 1923, Jeffery. Way before the invention of the parallel circuit light string where the others stay lit. )
3 If you go, do not forget to take off your wet boots before traipsing through the White House. If you do, at best, others will too. At worst, the head custodian of the White House will make sure you clean up the mess. (Also, Jefferson, the head custodian, is Tiny’s brother, Bigen. It looks like you will be mopping floors for a very long time.)
2 If you go, do not think you can take an ornament off the inside tree. If you do, at best security will let you put it back. At worst, you will be charged with attempting to steal government property. (Benjamin Harrison was the first to set up a tree in the White House in 1889. You just managed to grab one of the original ornaments, Jarrod. This just may be a capital crime. At least Calvin thinks so.)
1 If you go, do not bring out your “Save the Trees” protest sign. If you do, at best, you’ll get raised eyebrows. At worst, Calvin will ask the Marine Band to play some traveling music while the secret service escorts you to Pennsylvania Avenue. (Nothing like a grand exit, Jules. You certainly will be talked about, especially since you caught your trousers on the iron fence after being tossed over. The hit song Moon over Pennsylvania captured the moment.)
I thought it would be fun to stroll the neighborhood and take photos of some of the house decorations. Hope you enjoy it.
This house has a very eclectic display. If you look closely you can see so,me pumpkins and a silver skeleton on the porch. The knocked-out Santa and the dragon add to the festive nature of the display. Excuse the misty look of the photo but there was ,a little fog in the morning.
The same house had a drunk Frosty and what could only be described as a nuts snowman in a hammock between two palm trees.
I thought you might like the agave decorated.
Now into the night. Here is a simple display.
Luminara going up a driveway.
A prominent ole place with professionally installed lighting.
Multi-colored display.
Hard to see but a house with lights on the eves and Santa, a snowman, and elf by the curb.
Just a porch decorated.
Tree lights and Snoopy.
House ablaze with lights
House front decorated.
Combo trees and house.
Tress wrapped.
Eves hung with lights.
A beautiful display of trees.
I hope you enjoyed the display and wish you a very Happy Holiday Season.
It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again, and this week’s prompt requires a visit by Linda Hill. In her words, “Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “ingle.” Find a word that contains “ingle” and use it any way you’d like in your post. Have fun!” I love how she always throws in the “have fun” thingy.
“Santa Claus? Why are you saying Kris Kr— Oh, I’ll bet Linda Hill has you on a wild goose chase again.”
“It’s not a wild goose chase it’s words that have ‘ingle’ in them.”
“Hence ‘Kringle.”‘
“Yes. I had intended to put ingle words into my letter.”
“Oh, really? Is the letter done?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Will you read it to me?”
“Sure. Ahem
My Dear Mr. Kringle,
I have been very good this year. I can’t think of a single time where I was bad. Well, there was the time that I had too much Inglenook Chardonnay, but that was only a meaningless slip of judgment. You see, I was mingling with the wrong crowd, and the ringleader got me into a chardonnay chugging contest, and before I knew it, my toes began to tingle. By then, it was too late, and I was wingless, so to speak.
Besides that, I have tried my best to hang out a shingle of virtue. To that end, all I want for Christmas is a Bentley Turbo Convertable. I’m not fussy about the color, but a beautiful slate grey would be lovely. How does it sound?“
“If I were Kris I would leave you one jingle of a bell.”
“Aw come on. I deserve that car.”
“Sure you do. Like I deserve you or a case of the shingles.”
“It’s Friday, Lucy. Let’s play.” “Sure thing, Little One. Wait until I have my coffee.”
Here it is another Friday. It is Friday before Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa. It makes it a pretty important Friday for sure. It is that kind of Friday that makes you really nervous if you don’t have all the gifts bought and all the plans made. It is the kind of Friday that makes you wish you had started the holiday preparation a wee bit earlier….like October. Don’t forget there are 24 hours in a day and if you don’t need a lot of sleep, plenty of time to get everything done. Well, maybe not everything but enough, so no one will know you put off your preparations until the last second. Yeah, that’s what Friday feels like, the last second.
Todays, JohnKu talks about procrastination. I hope you have a delightful weekend getting everything done.
“Love the sun, Lucy. Must be Friday.” “Nope, Little Potato. It’s just Wednesday. The sun shines on Wednesday too.”
It is Wednesday Story Day again, and last week, we all got into a stir over the fact that Jerry the server was not answering his phone. Wentworth made it clear that Jerry was supposed to answer, and the mobile phone was going to voicemail after one ring. Wentworth, Larry, and Andrew are headed to the server break room to see if they can find Jerry. We might as well join them. Although the room is small, all one hundred of us can fit in. Let’s go.
“This is the breakroom, gentlemen.”
“Thanks, Went er, Sanford. I don’t see anyone here. Hey, look. Here’s the phone. Could this be Jerry’s phone?”
“Let me look. Ah yes. It sure looks like the model we issue the servers. I’ll have to check the number, though.”
“Looks like the battery has been taken out.”
“Yeah. No wonder it went to voicemail. Jerry has disabled the phone.”
“If, in fact, this is his phone.”
“I don’t see the battery anywhere.”
“So, detective, what should we do?”
“I’m thinking of going to his house. Do you have the address?”
“I do. It is in my office.”
“We’d appreciate your help.”
“No problem, detective. Follow me.”
***
“Slow down, Andrew. I think the apartment building is next.”
“How about I park here?”
“Yeah, this looks good. The number is 304. I’m assuming it is on the third floor.”
“Of course, it is. With our luck, the elevator will be out of order.”
“Have some faith Andrew. Let’s go in this door.”
“It does look like the entrance.”
“And lookie here. An elevator. Hit the up button, will you?”
“I’ve seen slower elevators, but I can’t remember when.”
“Here it is. Watch your step, old man.”
“You said the third floor. Right?”
“Yup. Boy, you are right. This is a slow one.”
“Here we are. You want to go first?”
“Sure, Andrew. After all, I have a gun.”
“I am guessing 304 is to the right.”
“Very good. Here it is. Oh, look. It has a doorbell.”
“Much better than pounding. Nice tone too.”
“I don’t hear anyone inside. Ring it again.”
“I still don’t hear anyone. Maybe pounding is the way to go. Open up, Jerry. This is the police.”
“Nice subtle touch, Larry.”
“I would say he’s not home.”
“Any way we can go in?”
“Not without a warrant unless we have probable cause.”
“Like a guy takes his battery out of his phone and is alluding the cops by laying low.”
“Let me try the door. An unlocked door could be a sign of forced entry.”
“Locked, huh?”
“Yup. Wait, I hear something. Jerry. Open the door.”
