Tag: thriller fiction

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Kreative Kue #65 by Keith Channing

~ John W. Howell ~ 29 Comments

Keith Channing puts out writing prompts in the form of photos. Here is what he says, “Using this photo as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; and either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithkreates@channing.fr before 6pm on 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 – pingbacks don’t seem to be working, and I haven’t yet figured out why.

Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries, with links to your own blog or website, next Monday.”

Here is the photo

 

My interpretation

Have One by John W. Howell ©2016

“How about you sir? Would you like one?”

“Um. I don’t know really. What d’ya say they were made of?”

“I didn’t say. These are the best there is on the planet.”

“Okay, I’ll bite. The best what on the planet?”

“Here little boy. You want one?”

“I have to wait for my dad. He said not to take anything from strangers.”

“I think that’s candy kid. This situation  is different. It’s lunch.”

“I still better wait.”

“How about you over there. You want one?”

“Like the other guy, I would like to know what they are.”

“These are hamburgers. You never saw a hamburger before?”

“No. Can’t say I have. Say where did you people come from after all?”

“We are from the government and we are here to help you.”

“We don’t need any help. We are doing fine.”

“How about a hamburger then.”

“What’s it made of?”

“Beef. Good ole government beef.”

“What’s beef?”

“You’re kidding right?”

“No ma’am. I never heard of it.”

“You know what a cow is?”

“Sure I do. They are our pets.”

“Beef is cow.”

“COW? dead cow? You want us to eat cow?”

“What is the matter with you? Everyone eats cow.”

“Not here we don’t. We play fetch with them, and they provide companionship.”

“Does everyone feel that way?”

“YES.”

“Well, Blanch it looks like another government feeding program has been planned to the finite detail of perfection. We sure have a lot of hamburgers to eat.”

“I like our uniforms, though. Don’t you?”

 

 

Tuesday Anything Possible – #RRBC Spotlight Author Tour with Mark Aberdeen

~ John W. Howell ~ 46 Comments

I am pleased to Welcome Mark Aberdeen the current Spotlight Author for Rave Reviews Book Club. He is on tour, and I am fortunate to have him stop by my place. If you would like to follow his tour you can go HERE to check the other stops. So Mark with no more delay tell us about your writing process.

 

 

Mark’s Writing Process – Patent Pending

By Mark Aberdeen

 

Writing isn’t my full-time job. In my day job I manage a bunch of engineers for a telecommunication’s company and it blocks off a good portion of my week. I also have a wife, house, three dogs, obligations and a honey-do list with a never-ending list of home repairs that need to be done. When I come up with a story idea, it can be very annoying. First, my characters don’t know how to shut up and go away. They nag me until I write it down. Let’s be clear, I’m not literally hearing voices, but there are stories that need to be told, and I’m the appointed one to tell them. It’s a responsibility I take very seriously and one I don’t take on lightly. It’s an obligation.

 

I know once I settle down to write, I have a difficult time stopping. My wife becomes temporarily widowed, my dogs bark at me as if I were a stranger entering our home, I stop for bathroom and coffee breaks, I’ve slept with my face in my keyboard, I’ve had to delete a thousand pages of the letter E, I emerge from my office, not unlike a groundhog on February 2nd jumping at shadows and clutching a manuscript in grubby, coffee-stained fist, desperate for a shower, human contact, vitamin D production from sunlight and new eyeglass prescription. My creative process takes no prisoners. I use the rest of the year to recover from it and convince my wife not to spend the insurance money. My process isn’t for everyone, but the point of it is a writer can’t write without doing the work. Some talk about writing, or think about writing, or contemplate writing; they have terrific ideas, but there’s no substitute for putting words to paper, or pixels to screens, or whatever the kids are doing these days. A writer writes…patent pending.

 

 

Knight and Dex

Excerpt

 

Snow settled over New London and covered the alley with a chilly blanket, which normally gave me a moment’s pause to reflect. I might have thought about tranquility, but there was nothing tranquil in the roundhouse kick I took to the face. Steam rose from crimson splatter as my blood hit the freshly fallen snow.

Minx’s claws flashed. I jumped back and narrowly avoided being torn open at the belly.

It was difficult to wax poetic while someone was doing their best to kill me.

Welcome to my life.

I swung my left fist. My intention wasn’t to connect with Minx’s jaw but to buy a precious second. The parry worked well enough and gave me the moment I needed to draw the pulse pistol from under my coat. I bellowed a triumphant, “Ha!”

My moment of glory was short-lived. Another kick connected with my right hand. The blow jarred the weapon loose, and it sailed into a snow bank. Powdery snow swallowed it whole. The thing about being unarmed, it felt a bit like being naked in a crowd. No way to cover my ass.

I gripped my stinging hand. “Shit.”

A powerful arm, furry and itchy and stiff as a crowbar, hooked me around the neck. Minx had gotten behind me, and the momentum of her attack tore my feet from the ground. I cartwheeled, forcing her to detach and spring back, but I landed face-down in a heap. The snow with all its apparent fluffiness did nothing to cushion my fall. The impact rattled my bones and lights danced across my vision, swirling in loopy rings.

All I needed was another concussion.

Strong hands grabbed me by the collar and belt. My stomach lurched as I was torn from the relative comfort of the ground and flipped onto my back like a flapjack. Minx pounced on top of me and pinned my arms to my sides with her powerful thighs. Normally, I approved of such positions, but she wasn’t Pink Panther, and this wasn’t foreplay. I feared she would crunch me like a walnut in a nutcracker. I gasped for precious air.

To any observer, it would appear as if I were unprepared for this fight. That observer would have been correct. I’d seen her running down the sidewalk and duck into this alley. She was up to something, and I’d interrupted her. Evidence suggested it was something she didn’t want the cops to know about. While my intent was to have a friendly chat with her, she’d decided to take our exchange in a different direction.

Minx had a reputation in underworld circles as an effective messenger. Our not-so-cozy encounter fell within the realm of her typical delivery method. While I didn’t feel like she took sadistic glee in her work, I thought she took pride in a job well done. I, on the other hand, found the work environment hostile, and already I was drawing up a complaint to her HR department.

Purchase Mark Aberdeen’s Dex Series here:

Dex Territory (Dex Territory Series Book 1)

TWB Press: http://www.twbpress.com/dexterritory.html

Amazon Link: http://amzn.com/B00R1JZVIE

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dex-territory-mark-aberdeen/1120906076?ean=9781936991860

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/dex-territory

Follow Mark Aberdeen

Website: http://www.markaberdeen.blogspot.com/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Aberdeen

Twitter handle: @Mark_Aberdeen

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dexterritorybook

 

 

 

 

Top Ten Things Not to leave in Your Car

~ John W. Howell ~ 52 Comments

 

 

The inspiration for this list came on a trip to Austin Texas a couple of weeks ago. Of course, I didn’t do any of these things, but they came to me while unloading the car. Also, I didn’t try to include kids and pets since there is nothing funny about a possible tragedy. I hope you enjoy.

Top Ten Things Not to Leave in Your Car

10 Do not leave a leftover Big Mac in your car. If you do, at best you will need to ride with the windows down for a week. At worst, you will have to call Terminix to get rid of your new insect passengers.(it was only there for a week after all)

9 Do not leave your phone in your car. If you do, at best the sun will give you a new look to your case. At worst, you will wish you had bought the insurance when you get your blob’s replacement price. (no one told you those things were so delicate did they?)

8 Do not leave your laundry in your car. If you do, at best those wrinkles will be permanent. At worst, those plastic bags will become part of your fabric. (You got a lot of compliments on the new look right?)

7 Do not leave your loaded gun in your car. (Texas after all) If you do, at best the temperature will remain below the flash point. At worst, your gun will go off and put a hole in the side of your car and the three others parked in a line parallel with yours. (It was going to be a quick run into the store right?)

6 Do not leave the twelve red roses in your car. If you do, at best the recipient will not notice a slight wilt. At worst, you will present someone with twelve stems and try to explain how $70.00 worth of blooms are on the floor of your car. ( Man the sun gets hot doesn’t it?)

5 Do not leave the first-grade birthday cupcakes in your car. If you do, at best you can tell the kids they are still warm from the oven. At worst, you will be trying to sell a new treat called cupcake crumble to gullible youth. (I’ll bet they don’t believe you. What do you think?)

4 Do not leave your keys in your car. If you do, at best the key man will only charge $75.00 to open the door. At worst, the local car thieves will be able to open your door for free, but you will never see the car again. (Sure it was an accident but still.)

3 Do not leave your suitcase in the car where it can be seen. At best,  no one will notice it on the backseat. At worst, whoever took out your back window figured you had thirty pounds of gold bars in that case. (Go figure. The window will only be $400.00)

2 Do not leave your half full coffee cup in the holder. If you do, at best when you return the coffee will be stale. At worst, you will take a sip and your lip will immediately blister from the 180-degree heat. (The melted handle should have been your hint.)

1 Do not leave your valuable CD  collection in your car.If you do, at best they may sound a little warped when you play them next. At worst, you will be the proud owner of  the largest stack of fused CDs (You can spend months trying to pry them apart.)

Sunday – Fifty-Two Views of the Gulf

~ John W. Howell ~ 34 Comments

Here is the first photo taken from my usual position.

 

As you can see there is a bunch of construction in the way. This part of the walkway will be a rest area (don’t laugh) with a bench. Here is where folks can take some time to look over the gulf and enjoy a sunrise or two. Since this view doesn’t show any of the Gulf I cheated and moved a little to the left.

 

Ahhh. That’s better. These posts will support the ramp that gradually slopes down to the beach. The weather is beautiful and unseasonably warm. The Gulf water temperature is 67 F which is about 10 degrees warmer that normal. The highs are in the mid-seventies and lows in the 60’s. All in all very pleasant.

Last week’s photo

 

Friday – John Ku – AKA – TGIF

~ John W. Howell ~ 33 Comments

 

 

Hello, Friday. Happy to see you. Boy, it seems like it has been a month since we last ran into each other. I think “ran into” is a bit of a misnomer. More like me standing here and you coming around like you do every week. No matter I’m pleased you finally made it. What took so long anyway? Was it the number of guest posts this week? Or maybe the number of radio shows I had to get ready? Might it have even been the amount of travel over the weekend? Well, whatever, here take this margarita. The important part is you made it. Put your feet up and tell me what you have been doing for the week. Oh, I see, you’ve had a tough time and all you want to do is relax. I understand. Maybe we can talk next time. Give me back that margarita. Today’s JohnKu talks about seeing old friends. Hope you like it.

Friends by John W. Howell © 2016

Missing an old friend,

Finally have time to talk. . .

Forgot what to say.

 

Thursday – A little Personal – Radio Interview with #RRBC’s Maggie Thom

~ John W. Howell ~ 13 Comments

 

 

I will be hosting an RRBC Rave Waves radio interview at 11:00 CST today with Maggie Thom, the talented author of “CAPTURED LIES” – Book One of the Caspian Wine Suspense/Thriller/Mystery Series. Join us as we explore this novel and become better acquainted with the author

Blurb:

She was kidnapped not once but twice… and now someone wants her dead because of it…
Her life was a lie!
Bailey knew her upbringing wasn’t normal, but she’s worked hard to stabilize her life. She finally has a good business, a stable home; her life is miles from that of her childhood. Then her mom suddenly dies, leaving a gaping hole and a discovery, that they may not even be related. If Guy, the private investigator is to be believed, her life was a lie. Growing up on the run has prepared Bailey for once again, fleeing to stay alive. Using the skills she learned on the street, Bailey travels back through a sketchy and dangerous past, to find answers. Dodging bullets, staying ahead of those who want her dead and convincing Guy she can do it alone, are making it difficult to uncover, not only the secrets of her mother’s past, but that of a family claiming she is theirs.
Everyone seems to have a story… but who’s telling the truth? And who wants her dead? To discover the truth,
she’ll have to untangle a web of deceit, lies, and secrets dating back over thirty years.

 

Bio

Award winning author, Maggie Thom, grew up in a house full of books and often made weekly trips to the library to get more. Reading was her go to when it was too cold outside to play. She started experimenting with writing at a young age, letting her imagination take her away on many adventures. Maggie has written everything from technical writing to nonfiction, to fiction for children, youth and adults, along with poems and short stories. She finally settled on her love of puzzles, mysteries, and roller coasters and now writes suspense/thrillers that will take you on one heck of a ride. Author of The Caspian Wine Series – Captured Lies and Deceitful Truths with Book 3 – Split Seconds – to be out late 2016. She has another published suspense/thriller, Tainted Waters (2013 Suspense/Thriller Book of the Year through Turning the Pages Magazine). Her latest novel, Deadly Ties, will be released spring 2016.
Maggie can be reached:

Twitter @maggiethom2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMaggieThom

Website: http://www.maggiethom.com/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/maggiethom2/

 

Wednesday – Story Day AKA Hump Day

~ John W. Howell ~ 38 Comments

 

Wednesday Storytime again and last week we left Ben and Doctor Wente alone. The doctor asked Ben if there was anything he needed to tell him. We need to get back there to see if Ben has the guts to tell the doctor what really happened. If he does, then maybe the doctor can help him.

“Anything I want to tell you?”
“Yes, that’s correct. You want to let me know how this wound really happened?”
“W-what. You don’t believe I was jumped by a gang?”
“No, Ben I don’t. There are too many inconsistencies.”
“Like what may I ask?”
“For one, you don’t get GSR and a burn on a shot that is not close to the wound.”
“GSR?”
“Man, don’t you watch any of the crime scene shows? Gun Shot Residue.”
“Oh. Maybe the shooter was height challenged.”
“Yeah, amusing.”
“What else?”
“People don’t often pass out from fright and wake up remembering noting including not being shot.”
“It does happen, though.”
“Maybe one time in a million. You are not convincing on that score. I’ll bet if the police did a GSR test on your hand it would show you to be the shooter. I think you shot yourself, Ben,”
“Any law against that?”
“Well no as long as the gun is properly registered.”
“Hmm, doc. I don’t know what to say. I’m pretty much damned if I say anything and damned if I don’t.”
“So why not go for the truth.”
“When are the police going to arrive?”
“I haven’t called yet. So no one is aware. I’ll have to call pretty soon, though.”
“Okay here’s the deal. I was cleaning my gun, and it went off. I don’t have a permit, and so I wanted just to get treated and then talk to the police and be gone.”
“Well, that’s a problem now. I won’t be able to lie for you. My report will be you shot yourself. Do you still have the gun?”
“It’s home. Also, I have no idea who had it before me. There’s more.”
“More? What do you mean more?”

The “100 THINGS WE ALL WONDER ABOUT NONNIE JULES” Blog Tour Day #4

~ John W. Howell ~ 96 Comments

 

I am very pleased to welcome Nonnie Jules President of Rave Reviews Book Club as part of her The 100 Things We All Wonder About Blog Tour. Nonnie has some special prizes for you.

GIVEAWAYS:
(2) $10 Amazon Gift Cards
(1) $5 Amazon Gift Card
(2) e-book copies of “THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE…”

ULTIMATE PRIZE GIVEAWAY #1:
Anyone who purchases a copy of “THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE…” “DAYDREAM’S DAUGHTER, NIGHTMARE’S FRIEND” or “IF ONLY THERE WAS MUSIC” and send to me a copy of the purchase receipt to nonniejules@gmail.com, and also leave a comment along the tour, will get their name entered into a drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card! One entry for each book that is purchased, whether in e-book or paperback format. Purchases must take place between 2/14/16 – 2/29/16. If you’ve already purchased all of my books, then feel free to gift a friend, just for the chance to win!!! Spend a little, and you could win a lot!!!

ULTIMATE PRIZE GIVEAWAY #2:
Anyone who reads and posts a review of “THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE…” “DAYDREAM’S DAUGHTER, NIGHTMARE’S FRIEND” or “IF ONLY THERE WAS MUSIC” and sends the link to their review to nonniejules@gmail.com, will get their name entered into a drawing for a $20 Amazon gift card! One entry for each book read and reviewed. Reviews must be posted between 2/16/16 – 3/15/16 to be placed into the drawing.

Nonnie has agreed to answer some questions about herself and the club so let’s get started.
Q: You are the well-respected President and Founder of the very successful RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB. Tell us why you founded the club and the vision you have for the club going forward?
A: John, that’s a great question and thank you so much for that compliment. Anytime you are referred to as being “well-respected,” I mean, that’s a tough act to follow, but I try my best. I initially founded RAVE REVIEWS BY NONNIE JULES as a way to offer readers an insight into “truthful” reviews. I had been reading so many reviews that were 4 and 5 star raves, that were pure trash (sorry, Bette Stevens) and I couldn’t believe it. I know that some say that “Just because I didn’t like it, doesn’t mean that it’s trash.” There is a word that I would insert here for those that say that and ARE reading pure trash but won’t say so, but I’m not going to use that word, as kids might be reading this interview. What I will say is this…there are some who are true connoisseurs of the written word, and they know when writing is good or bad, and then, there are the others. YES, I SAID THAT! And I didn’t stutter when I did, for those gasping because I had the nerve to say that. So, back to answering the question, I wanted to give those who were truly interested in honest reviews, a place to find those books, listed on my site.
Then, one day in December, I had a thought that I could take this concept a step further by offering a place where others could also feel safe in sharing “very truthful,” honest reviews. That’s when I went after those awesome supporters that I had connected with online (my initial board members: Bruce A. Borders, Shirley Harris-Slaughter, Lynette Creswellyn, Kathryn C. Treat, Beem Weeks, etc.), who I knew would be just as interested in helping authors get more honest reviews, as well as pushing support for others, as that was unimaginable at that time. Hence, we now have the wonderful RRBC!
The vision that I have for RRBC going forward, is to grow the base of supporters that we have now, the truly uber-supporters that we have, into a pool of support so large, that to be a “real” author, you will HAVE TO BE A MEMBER of RRBC. The other ideas that I have for the club, well, John, this question has already turned into a full-page book. I’d advise you all to stay tuned for more of the awesome things my mind cooks up late at night (when I should be sleeping), for RRBC!

Q: If you had to do it all over again what changes would you make in founding RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB?
A: If I had to do this all over again (and thank goodness I don’t!), I would have the wisdom to select a panel of board members from the beginning who were truly worthy of being called to serve the membership of this great club, and I would still have those same board members today, and some I do have. BUT, if I hadn’t kissed a few frogs along the way, as they say, then I wouldn’t have gotten the great group I’m blessed to work with today, like you, John!

Q: Thank you Nonnie. Although you are very busy, what gives you joy when you are not working?
A: I love what I do so much, I love feeling as if I’m being of service to others so much, as that’s not the norm, that question is hard to answer! Now, don’t get me wrong, I love downtime, even more-so now than ever, and I certainly don’t enjoy being overwhelmed, which at this moment I am, but I love my work. I also love my family dearly, because they give me the space to work, but when I’m not working (which is hardly ever), I enjoy writing; I enjoy reading; I enjoy exercising; I enjoy running on my treadmill while I catch up on my episodes of the Young & The Restless, which as of today, I’m on the episode from February 2. I’m not one of those who has to be out. I love my beautiful home. It’s peaceful and serene; most often it’s quiet these days, but honestly, if I didn’t have two of the busiest daughters in the world, I’d stay locked up in my home, writing, reading, and exercising while watching The Real Housewives of anything and Y&R!
Q: What is your personal motto and how did it become so?
A: John, I have so many and you can find most of them on my site at www.BooksByNonnie.wordpress.com (under Quotes by Nonnie). My personal favorite, which is being used all over the world by individuals and sites such as Shiny Quote, Best Quotes Library, Quoting.com, and organizations such as Spotlight Youth Theatre, AnonymousGood.org, and is also noted on a list of famous quotes with The Pope, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Ghandi, is “A tiny spark ignites a flame, just as a helping hand can do the same.” I live by that. I truly believe that for us to be successful, we have to push each other, stand on each other’s shoulders and lift each other up as we climb. Not the opposite.
You know, when I first started in this business, it was so hard trying to get others to help me, or even to answer questions for me. I guess they were all of the mindset that we had to be in competition with one another. But, that was OK, because a lot of what I learned, I taught myself. I remember wanting to go on a blog tour, and almost everyone that I asked turned me down. One even tipped into my DM on Twitter and said basically that I was new here, and it wasn’t appropriate for me to go around asking for help the way that I was. She said “I’ve been here a long time, and you have to pay your dues here before anyone will help you.” Basically, in her mind, I was a nobody, and no one knew my name so no one would help me. I thought “Really?” Well, a while ago, she applied for membership to RRBC, and of course, got her name on our roster, did nothing for anyone else, actually, we never heard from her since the day she joined, and then she left. The irony of that story is, I’m sure lots of folks know the name Nonnie Jules now, and for the life of me, even if I tried, I couldn’t recall her name to share it with you. We must all remember, the same faces you step on climbing to the top, are the same faces you’ll see on your way falling down. “There are only two classes of people, the movers and shakers and the sitters and takers” ~ Nonnie Jules original

Q: If you could grant your followers one gift, what would it be?
A: If I could grant my followers a gift, only one, it would be a lifetime of love, happiness and the feeling of joy that overwhelms you when you take the focus off you for a while and put it on someone else. Those would be my gifts, all wrapped up in one! Thanks so much for having me, John!
To follow Nonnie’s tour to get more of your questions answered, please visit her Blog Tour Page on the 4WillsPub site http://wp.me/P43s9i-FEw. Thanks for stopping by today and good luck on winning some of these great prizes!

CONTACT NONNIE VIA:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/nonniejules
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BooksByNonnie
Blogs: www.nonniewrites.wordpress.com , www.BooksByNonnie.wordpress.com & www.AskTheGoodMommy.wordpress.com

 

Nonnie’s Books

 

TRAILER:
“THE GOOD MOMMIES’ GUIDE TO RAISING (ALMOST) PERFECT DAUGHTERS,” https://youtu.be/zg15rptFN2g

 

 

“DAYDREAM’S DAUGHTER, NIGHTMARE’S FRIEND,”

TRAILER: https://youtu.be/qbUK3XQ5-dA

“SUGARCOATIN’ IS FOR CANDY & PACIFYIN’ IS FOR KIDS,”

TRAILER: https://youtu.be/fQBnt0wix88

“IF ONLY THERE WAS MUSIC,”

TRAILER: https://youtu.be/g2gNns8ZVFI

Top Ten Things Not to Talk About When Others Can Hear

~ John W. Howell ~ 47 Comments

 

This list is inspired by a weekend out-of-town and overhearing some of the darnedest things said by others.

Top Ten Things Not to Talk About When Others Can Hear

10. When others can hear you, do not ask your partner if they brought the money. If you do, at best we all know you’re okay to spend. At worst, the mugger behind you will love the confirmation you should be ripped off. (Could have whispered that one right?)

9 When others can hear you, do not ask a waiter if the food is good. If you do, at best he will tell you the truth, and you have no more information than when you arrived. At worst, he will tell you a lie, and you now have a choice to order or leave. (Gotta wonder why you came here in the first place)

8 When others can hear you, do not negatively comment on the neighborhood. If you do, at best everyone will ignore you. At worst, you will have offended Little Bubba, who just happens to be the POA president and local gang lord. (I guess that answers the question about your missing tires when you return to your car now on cement blocks)

7 When others can hear you, do not ask the butcher if he has any better cuts of meat. If you do, at best he will say that all his cuts are on display. At worst, he will be offended at the implication of poor quality and explain to everyone in line you are obviously not a judge of good meat. (Better than being chased around the store by a half-crazed man with butcher knife)

6 When others can hear you, do not discuss your plans for the evening. If you do, at best you’ll sound like an idiot. At worst, the local cat burglar who followed you here will make note of the hours of your absence from your house.

5 When others can hear you, do not complain about your neighbors. If you do, at best those that hear have no idea who you or your neighbors are. At Worst, those that hear are relatives of your neighbors and are now approaching you with malice in their eyes. (As a side note they are all members of the Dingle Brothers kickboxing team.)

4 When others can hear you, do not answer the question “how you doing?” with anything but “fine.” If you do, at best your story will sound a notch south of pathetic. At worst, you will come home to a ringing phone, and it will be your mother calling to find out what is the problem. (If it was that bad you should have told her. Right?)

3 When others can hear, do not try to impress them with your knowledge of anything. If you do, at best you will sound pompous. At worst, the person hearing you will be an expert in the area on which you are pontificating and be quick to point out how wrong you are. (Man, who was to know that guy was an oenophile?)

2 When others can hear you, do not try to get a better price on a car. if you do, at best the sales person will try to direct you to an office. At worst the sales person will announce loudly that the car is below cost now and can’t take one more penny off. (Imagine that. The price is $100.00 over the sticker.)

1 When others can hear you, do not try to talk the police officer out of a ticket. If you do, at best you have guaranteed the officer will write one up. At worst, you might be the cause of a call for backup and a charge of trying to bribe an officer. (Your offer of “Ten Bucks” for the Policeman’s Ball ticket was a little out of line.)

Sunday – Fifty-Two Views of the Gulf

~ John W. Howell ~ 30 Comments

IMG_1363

I have a confession to make. This week’s photo was taken on Friday Morning instead of Saturday. I am out-of-town and could not get a shot on Saturday morning. I am happy to report the weather is about the same. You can see that the walkover is beginning its movement to the beach. Those pieces of equipment are there to handle the wood and poles. Also, there are nine new poles that have been buried since my last photo on Thursday. The view of the Gulf is definitely obscured by the construction. The other item taking up the view is an RV that has been parked on the beach for a week. The police have not done anything and the thing should have been moved four days ago. Ah, the joys of having precious tourists squat wherever they want. Happy Valentine’s Day to all.

Last week’s photo

IMG_1351