It is Friday again, and we are so grateful that we didn’t miss it. Today is also Good News Friyay, and we have two stories.
The first story is about the preliminary test of the Boyan Slat ‘Jenny’ Ocean clean-up system.
Photo courtesy of The Ocean Cleanup
Boyan Slat’s team removed 20,000 pounds of plastic debris from one of the significant “plastic islands” in the Pacific on the first trial of his System 002 nicknamed “Jenny.” It is a system where two boats pull a u-shaped collection device. (pictured) “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch can now be cleaned,” announced Dutch entrepreneur Boyan Slat, the wunderkind inventor who’s spent a decade inventing systems for waterborne litter collection. This means the 1.4 trillion pieces of plastic down to 1mm in size can be removed from the oceans by 2040.
Photo courtesy of the Ocean Cleanup
A shot of the plastic picked up. See any of your stuff in there?
Our second story is just plain good news for one person Randy Bachman of The Guess Who and Bauchman Turner Overdrive. Of course, we can all feel good about one guy who heard the story of Randy having his guitar stolen out of his hotel room and searched the world till he found it.
Photo courtesy of Randy Bachman
William Long is a fan of Bachman’s and he heard that Randy had worked long and hard as a kid to buy the $400.00 1957 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins model in Western Orange. The guitar was stolen in 1976 and Long did some internet work and found it in Tokoyo Japan. Long reached out to Bachman who in turn had his Japanese daughter-in-law contact the current owner. The owner was more than pleased to return the guitar to Bachman if a replacement could be found. Bachman went to work and found one that was made at the same time on the same bench. This was out of the 40 Gretsch’s known to exist. An exchange is being arranged. The good news of this story is someone cared enough to look for the guitar and another cared enough to return it to it’s original owner.
Today’s JohnKu talks about helping each other. I hope you have a grand weekend.
“Using this photo 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 list was originally posted on October 18th, 2015. I think I might still be helpful.
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This list is inspired by going through some boxes recently and coming across some unusual things. Of course, most of what follows is made up, so I didn’t have these experiences. I would ask the Wall Street Journal to fact-check entirely before using this story.
Top Ten Things Not to do with Stuff You Find
10 If you find an unopened box, don’t open it. If you do, at best, you might find someone’s old toss-outs or laundry. At worst, you may find the remains of last year’s Thanksgiving dinner that was supposed to be thrown out. (You still can’t get the image out of your brain)
9 If you find a lawnmower at the side of the road, do not pick it up. If you do, at best, you will find out why it was thrown away. At worst, you will put it in a garage sale only to have the original owner accuse you of theft. (How he knew it was his is anyone’s guess)
8 If you find a lamp that has washed up on the beach, do not rub it. If you do, at best, it will turn out to be made in China. At worst, you will be given three wishes by a fierce-looking genie, and you won’t get it right. (You thought you would be clever when you asked for a million bucks and now have a deer-feed bill that won’t quit)
7 If you find what you think is a treasure chest in your backyard, leave it where it is. If you don’t, at best, you will find it full of smelly dirt. At worst, it will have things inside carrying a Blackbeard curse. (Go ahead and try to spend those doubloons before your hand falls off)
6 If you find what looks like a bomb in your garage, run away. If you don’t, at best, it is only a handmade school project. At worst, old man Jones finally made good on his threat to” blow you to kingdom come.” (Suddenly you remember he used to work for a demolition company)
5 If you find a set of golf clubs at a garage sale, don’t buy ’em. If you do, at best, you will find they weren’t worth what you paid for them, even if it was only a dollar. At worst, once you take up the game, you will find out why they were for sale in the first place. (How’s that high blood pressure medicine working for you?)
4 If you find a washer on the curb of your neighborhood, leave it there. If you don’t, at best, you will only be successful in relocating it to your curb. At worst, you will spend the time and trouble to hook it up only to find the spin, and the empty cycle doesn’t work. (Soaking wet clothes weigh a ton. Right?)
3 If you find a strange object with colored lights in the woods behind your house, call the police. If you don’t, at best, it is only your neighbor testing the outdoor Christmas tree lights. At worst, you will be asked to join the expedition to a funny place where they will run experiments on you and then send you back. (You say no one believes your story? Really?)
2 If you find a note on the kitchen table, pretend not to see it. If you don’t, at best, it is an old shopping list. At worst, it is a goodbye note with the name of a lawyer at the bottom who is now your only contact. (And you thought being nice was something you didn’t have to do)
1 If you find a large, five-toed animal footprint in the yard, call animal control. If you don’t, at best, it is nothing but the neighbor’s new dog. At worst, it is the long-lost Yeti-like drooling, smelly, hairy thing that is now taking up residence in your shed and suddenly has a thing for you. (Just smile, and maybe it will go away).
Today we are going to a big event in Lakeway. The Hills County Club golf course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and opened in 1981. The course has undergone a major renovation led by the Jack Nicklaus team and is now ready for play. The ribbon-cutting ceremony and the official opening are what we are going to visit. Our brunch is being catered by Le Politique of Austin. Our entertainment is Linda Ronstadt.
Menu
CROQUE MONSIEUR Griddled ham & comté cheese sandwich, sauce mornay, dijon+ add a fried egg
STEAK FRITES 10oz grilled Texas ribeye, red wine herb butter, fries, sauce béarnaise (
Play Yellow is a children’s charity established by Jack Nicklaus to benefit Dell’s Children’s Medical Center in Austin and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Florida. The Hills Country Club has taken on Play Yellow as its charity.
The ribbon-cutting scissors.
Speeches by the Club President and a video featuring Jack Nicklaus.
Tom Kite, (left) a former US Open winner, will hit the ceremonial first ball off the first tee.
Cutting the ribbon on the first tee. A group of the club officer and Tom Kite.
Tom’s shot. You can see the ball just off the clubhead beginning its rise to the fairway.
Also on the agenda was a putting contest that offered a $25,000 first prize to the winner and $25,000 to Play Yellow for sinking a 150-yard putt. Unfortunately, none of the four finalists made it. The second prize was for closest to the pin.
A photo was taken with a waterfall backdrop back when the course was new. All Masters Tournament winners – Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Charles Cootie, and Ben Crenshaw.
The waterfall today.
I hope you enjoyed our outing now. Sit back and enjoy the brunch and music. I hope you have a wonderful week.
If I could find the time, I planned to go to the Home Depot and pick up some stain for the fence. The sad thing was I became so involved in a story that the day got away from me. I was writing a story about a guy wanting to buy a new motorcycle. He was very excited to be going to the motorcycle shop to pick out the new bike. He knew he wanted one in black but was unsure if he wished to use chrome or black trim. His friends all voted for the chrome, but he thought it might be too much.
Finally, the time came for him to start out for his appointment with the sales clerk. For the occasion, he put on his black jeans and Harley t-shirt. He had never owned a Harley but felt the t-shirt might give him some credibility when talking to the clerk. Of course, he knew everything there was to know about Harleys. He had been saving for ten years and studied the bikes since he decided to buy one once he had the money.
Leaving his house and opening the door of his Ford Focus, he noticed a strange vehicle heading his way. It was nothing he had ever seen before on a main street. As the speeding machine got closer, he could make out that it was a giant steam roller that looked like it was out of control. When it jumped the curb and rolled over his Focus, he was left holding what was left of the door. The operator jumped down and thanked him for helping stop the out-of-control menace. The guy was still in shock but nodded to acknowledge the compliment. The operator then handed him an envelope and a card and told him to call the company and his car would be taken care of for sure. The operator walked away. The guy looked at the envelope and had a thought that his car was just as flat. He opened the envelope and here’s what was written on a piece of paper. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “if.” Start your post with the word “If.” Enjoy!
If you would like to enjoy go to Linda Hill’s blog and read how easy it is. Here is the link.
Hey, Friday, welcome back. It is so good to see you. We all could use a weekend, and I think you arrived just in time.
Today’s good news includes an animal story and an octogenarian story. Since I’m also an octogenarian, let’s do the animal story first, so at least we know we’ll get that one covered.
This is the story of a bull Elk and a couple of wildlife officers who cared.
About two years ago, a bull elk was spotted on a trail camera sporting a tire around its neck. It was evident that the tire posed no threat to the animal’s health, but since it could become entangled in the brush, it was decided to try and remove it. Four attempts were made over the period, and finally, last Saturday, officers Dawson Swanson and Scott Murdoch were successful in cornering the animal and removing the tire. Here is a video of the elk which led the officers to its location.
The saga of the bull elk with a tire around its neck is over. Thanks to the residents just south of Pine Junction on CR 126 for reporting its location, wildlife officers were able to free it of that tire Saturday.
The other good news story is about an 81-year-old music teacher who is suffering from dementia. Paul Harvey had taught music for 20 years, and before that, he was a composer and classical pianist. Five years ago, Paul began living in a memory care facility. Last September, he composed a two-minute piece using just four notes-F natural, A, D, and B natural. His son Nick posted Paul playing the composition on Twitter. The post went viral. Paul’s piece was recorded by the BBC Philharmonic orchestra and sold as a singe. The proceeds went to Alzheimer’s Society and Music for Dementia, which campaigns for music access for people with dementia.
Here is Paul playing his Four Notes piece. For the BBC Breakfast show. The first Twitter post by Nick Harvey will not play. Just skip to the second.
Paul was invited to conduct the BBC Philharmonic orchestra playing his Four Notes and an earlier composition named Where’s the Sunshine to mark the first anniversary of the recording. Here is a video with the whole story about Paul. His son reports that he is back with them while playing the piano.
Today’s JohnKu talks about hope and caring. I wish you all a beautiful 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 post originally ran on October 12th, 2015. Those with memories of an elephant might like it again. For the rest of us, I hope you enjoy it.
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The inspiration for this list is my latest effort to self-publish the next John J. Cannon story titled His Revenge. Since I had absolutely no experience in publishing, the journey was a long winding road marked by plenty of mistakes. I’m sure the trial and error method is not over yet, but here is some of what I learned. Don’t forget I’m a fiction writer, so some of these lessons have been enhanced with dubious facts to make them more exciting and hopefully humorous. I would, therefore, resist publishing this list on the Huffington Post. (hear that, Arianna?)
Top Ten Things Not to Do if You Decide to Self-Publish Your Book
10 If you decide to self-Publish your book, do not drink any alcoholic beverages four weeks before and two weeks after you hit the publish button. If you do, at best, those little things you forgot are not necessary. At worst, you find out after six weeks you submitted the wrong cover with the manuscript. (You know the one. It has “fiction” spelled “fuction”).
9 If you decide to self-publish your book, do not try to edit the manuscript yourself. If you do, at best, you will have a fool for an editor. At worst, your book will be featured on a blog with the lovely title of “The Poorest Written Books of the Year.” (You are so lucky to have the top position)
8 If you decide to self-publish your book, do not think you don’t need to know how to format the interior. If you do, at best, your readers will be treated to several blank lines. At worst, your book will resemble something created by a room full of monkeys on keyboards. (Yeah, it can be done, but that one page with only the word “then” on it took the cake)
7 If you decide to self-publish your book, do not think that the cute Crayola picture done by your youngest as the cover is relevant to the book. If you do, at best you will miss some sales due to the confusion. At worst, you will get some letters from outraged parents who thought the story of a mass murderer was for children. (Ah well, you can always refund the money)
6 If you decide to self-publish your book, do not think you don’t have to follow the instructions on the publishing site. If you do, at best, you will finally give in and start over following directions after wasting many hours. At worst, you will be locked out of the site for one hundred years. (Most places have no sense of humor when it comes to messing with their process).
5 If you decide to self-publish your book, do not think the various choices offered by the site are not significant enough to understand the differences. If you do, at best, you may end up with a book that does not make you happy. At worst, your book is so expensive to produce you have no royalty or room to promote. (You are independently wealthy, Right?).
4 If you decide to self-publish your book, do not think you don’t need to order a proof copy. If you do, at best, you will miss some of those messy little typos and double periods. At worst, you totally missed the fact that you mislabeled the chapter headings and now have two of each. (The reviewers will have so much fun pointing out the mirror effect).
3 If you decide to self-publish your book, do not rush the process. If you do, at best, there will be something overlooked, but no one will notice. At worst, you forgot to include the dedication that you already read aloud to the recipient. (Hard to convince the person you were sincere after this omission).
2 If you decide to self-publish your book, do not think you can skip the marketing. If you do, at best your family and friends will carry you for a couple of sales. At worst, you will be one of several hundred thousand books published simultaneously and will be entirely lost in the numbers. (You did expect to sell your beautiful book, right?)
1 If you decide to self-publish your book, do not lay awake at night worrying about possible mistakes instead of planning every detail. If you do, at best, you will feel out of control. At worst, you will have a lot to worry about since, without planning, mistakes will happen. (Even with planning, there could be some, Nobody’s perfect).
