Friday JohnKu Tribute to Nine-One-One

September 11, 2015September 10, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 28 Comments

Today is one of those, “Where were you when?” days. September 11th for all those born after 2001 is a day that may or may not have some significance. For the rest of us who were alive and old enough to understand, today marks an anniversary of an unprovoked attack on our and the world citizens. The images of that day are clear to me, and my wish is never to witness a similar day again. I still feel for the families of those taken and know the day will be most difficult for them. My JohnKu today is a tribute to all who remember and were touched by Nine-One-One.

Peaceful September,

Perfect Robin’s egg blue sky . . .

Taken by death wings.

Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF

August 28, 2015August 26, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 27 Comments

Friday again. Boy what a week in the financial market. It was one for the record books and not at all enjoyable. I now realize why I don’t like to go to Las Vegas and put my hard-earned money down and watch it being swept away. It sucks when money disappears. (Okay, okay it’s on paper and not real money) I hope everyone who is determined to continue the carnage in the stock market has a nice weekend. Maybe then they will come to work Monday with the idea of buying instead of selling. I for one decided to sit this whole mess out. I don’t need to sell stocks and so maybe when the time comes when I do the market will return to normal. Either that or maybe I can take up collecting aluminum cans. Heaven knows there are enough left on the beach. This week’s JohnKu talks about concern around money. Hope you like it.

As the worry stops,

And life becomes easier. . .

The Dow interrupts.

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF

August 14, 2015August 13, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 22 Comments

Friday YAY. Yes, I’m glad it is here. I spent most of the week working on the various cover submissions for the second book in the John Cannon Trilogy titled His Revenge. It is a daunting task in that I had four designers competing for the business. They came up with over 60 designs, and I must say all the artists were good. I will withhold final judgment on the service until I have the finished product. So far I have been pleased with the results. As a reminder, you can still vote for the cover that you think works by going to this link. http://99designs.com/book-cover-design/vote-uyatn3

I will say one designer took me to a final design and then had to change it because he was not authorized to use the graphic he presented. That was not forgivable as far as I’m concerned. Total time waste. The design was great and in the final four, and then it disappeared and he substituted another. This week’s JohnKu is about honesty. I hope you like it.

Believing the words,

Based on the integrity. . .

At last finding none.

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF

July 31, 2015July 27, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 25 Comments

Looks like we made it to Friday. I think we should take a moment and give ourselves a pat on the back. Ready, set pat, pat, pat. There how good does that feel? We should remember that we still have an eight hour or so day away from the magic of Friday night (weekend eve).

This week has been a long one. I was busy all weekend with a conference and it just seems like work after a while. (Duh. You are a writer attending a writer’s conference). It seems nice to have a weekend home and I’m looking forward to it. This week’s JohnKu reflects on home. I hope you like it.

Great to get away,

To meet erudite authors. . .

Home is comforting.

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF

July 10, 2015July 8, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 28 Comments

Friday is here again. This week seemed long since most of us had a short week last week. Not sure how many had Monday off but, for the most part, last Friday was the holiday, so we had to pay the piper this week. We are in the middle of the summer months and can feel the temperature rising. Of course, we grumble when it’s cold, so it seems prudent to grumble about the heat. We have the same privilege now on the fact that the rain has subsided. We can now complain about how dry it is becoming. Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) discusses the fickle nature of the human condition.

Content in our life,

Having everything the same. . .

Until there’s a change.

Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF

July 3, 2015July 1, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 22 Comments

Friday has arrived and with it all kinds of people on vacation since most places are taking the fourth holiday today. There is no need to go on about the fact that we are all glad it’s Friday since there are only eight more hours to the weekend. Heck, the weekend is here and it’s a long one. There is plenty of time to get into the rest mode. For those of you lucky enough to have Monday off you have plenty of time to get into the comatose mode. I can hardly believe it is July already. The year is half over and it is going by really fast. I have to wish you all a Happy Fourth of July and hopefully a safe one at that. Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) is about the holiday

So many years now,

Our freedoms have been preserved. . .

Celebrate the birth.

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.

Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF

June 19, 2015June 15, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 23 Comments

Friday is here, and we all are glad to welcome the day as the gateway to the weekend. It is a great day in the week since it is Saturday eve. Only a few more hours and the hard work for this week can be behind us. That is unless you are one of those souls who can’t let it go for a couple of days. We all know who you are. If you are not working, you think your foot will fall off or something. You are a group of obsessive overachievers I have to excuse myself from this group even though I never stop working.I’m a writer, and we know writers are allowed to obsess over the never-ending task of writing. For the rest of you there seems to be some logic in taking some time off. Go ahead, remove your shoes and lay that computer down. After all, none of you will be on your deathbed saying,”my only regret is I couldn’t work more.” Today is the first day of the rest of your life (where the hell did that come from?), and you need to get started on a new objective to smell roses. I realize you can’t just stop. The withdrawal might be harsh enough to kill you. Maybe you can take baby steps. Try this

1. Put down the notebook and phone.

2. Go outside. (Yes outside with all the heat and bugs)

3. Find a flower. (You’ll recognize it by the fact it is in the ground)

4. Lean over and inhale through your nose like you are in a Pilates class.

5. Run quickly back into the house and congratulate yourself on completing the first rose smelling exercise. Next time we will try to find a rose.

Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) is about smelling the roses.

Work is a blessing,

For the purpose fulfilling. . .

But not as a life.

Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF

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

Looks like Friday is here. At least the beginning of Friday is here. Only about eight more hours until the weekend. Today is the last Friday before the milestone marking the beginning of summer Memorial Day. This year Memorial Day is a little earlier than usual due to the last Monday of May being the 25th. I have always had a thought that Memorial Day is on the 30th (or thereabouts). So summer is a little early this year. Hey, I’m not going to complain after the winter that we all have had. Today’s JohnKu ( a term coined by Words4jp) is a celebration of the transition of the seasons.

Spring blowing salty,

A welcome change from winter. . .

Nothing like summer.

Friday JohnKU – AKA TGIF

May 15, 2015May 15, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 29 Comments

Friday and the rain is still coming down. I have to turn to something more uplifting that a continuous weather report. Let see, maybe I can look forward to the weekend and do something fun. I have a writer’s group meeting on Saturday, and that is always fun. I guess I will try to ignore the weather and look forward to the meeting. Of course, the roads have to be clear since I need to take a ferry and drive about a half hour to get there. The effort required to attend brings to mind the question of how much trouble does one endure to do something you like to do? In my case, the ferry ride is usually a fifteen minute wait both ways. In the summer, it can be as high as an hour. The drive after the ferry is twenty-five minutes. The meeting is two hours long so on average I travel two hours for a two-hour meeting. Since I love to attend and read my stuff and get some spot on advice, I would probably do it even if the travel times were longer. Am I crazy? Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) is all about what we will put up with to do what we love. I hope you enjoy. Pain for Pleasure by John W. Howell © 2015 Investment’s the name, Applied to the pain endured. . . For the sake of love.