Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt “Is”

July 4, 2015July 3, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 26 Comments

Is it Stream of Consciousness Saturday time again? Yes, class, it is. This week the prompt is as described by Linda Hill “Use the word “is” to begin your post – bonus points for using it (as a word on its own or at the end of your final word, i.e. “metamorphosis”) at the end of your post as well.” If you would like to participate go to Linda’s site http://lindaghill.com/2015/07/03/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-july-415/. Here is my interpretation.

“Is the instruction quite clear to you?”

“Uh, I think it is.”

“Okay then tell me what your understanding is.”

“I’m required to use the word “is” in a post.”

“Nice so far. What else is expected to happen?”

“Um, I’m supposed to start the post with the word is.”

“Is that what you did?”

“Er, I think the question at the very beginning is what is required.”

“The question is again?”

“Is this Stream of Consciousness Saturday? It is way up top at the beginning.”

“Good I think you have what is required.”

“But one more thing is necessary.”

“Yeah, and what is that?”

Is is supposed to be the last word or part of the last word in the post.”

“Is that right?”

“Yes, it is.”

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

June 12, 2015June 10, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 28 Comments

This week was excellent weather wise. I got a chance to do some more painting (no Virginia not on canvas) on the porch. Maybe next week I’ll take a shot of the final result. I’m a little reluctant since you won’t be able to see the difference as I did not do a before. Ah well, I’ll see how it works out. My publisher and I agreed to go our separate ways. I think this will be best for the two of us. I think they have some different priorities. I have completed the John Cannon trilogy and would like to see the two other parts published before I kick. I now have the opportunity to query other publishers or self-publish. I will need to look at all the alternatives and then make a decision.

This week’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) is about patience. I learned to be patient since it took over a year to work out a solution. I hope you like it.

Action is what counts,

Unless some time needs be spent. . .

Patience is virtue.

Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF

June 5, 2015June 1, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 22 Comments

One more eight-hour day until the weekend. I think we can all do eight hours. I have been complaining about the weather for so long I do have to acknowledge when MN (Mother Nature) does a spectacular job. This week was glorious. Our temperature have been in the Highs in the upper eighties and plenty of sunshine. Made it very hard not to grab a chair and umbrella (and boat drink) and run out on responsibilities. I did stick to the right path and did not weaken. It was sure tempting though. This week JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) is about temptation. I hope you like it.

Keep production moving,

The correct path to success. . .

Till lured to more fun.

Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF

May 29, 2015May 26, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 24 Comments

Always nice that Friday has made it. (or I should say we made it to Friday) Eight hours and the weekend will be upon us. Hope everyone had a good work week. Mine was very productive. I finished some painting (no not artwork) that was needed. Having a house by the Gulf is like being on a boat. There are always little repairs that need attention. I noticed this week the UPS guy was punching our door bell and nothing was happening. It is time for the semi-annual de crusting of the button and a touch up of the contact points. The nice part is I know what to do to make it right. The house is always in need of paint. As you can imagine the salt spray makes Sherwin Williams uncover the house. (Their slogan is Cover the Earth). This week’s JohnKu (A term coined by Words4jp) is all about having a little bitter with the sweet. Hope you like it.

All that is good now,

May require effort to keep. . .

Lunch cannot be free.

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.

Friday JohnKu – AKA TGIF

May 8, 2015May 7, 2015 ~ John W. Howell ~ 33 Comments

Lovely Friday again. It has been a busy week. Among other events, I went to a poetry reading and tossed out a couple of short stories to an audience of four. Almost made me laugh that in a town of four thousand there are four people who are interested in the written arts. Two of the four were fellow writers so it was a fun night and brought to mind the idea that no matter how small the group writers will still read. The poor souls who were the only civilians in the audience had a good time as well. At least they laughed in the right places and clicked their thumbs when it was over. The reading took place beside a marina overlooking some beautiful boats, and I would call the scene peaceful. All in all, I didn’t care about the quantity of the audience it was the quality that mattered. Today’s JohnKu (a term coined by Words4jp) talks about quality. Hope you like it.

Quantity is good,

Until something needs fixing. . .

Quality shines through.