Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – Portrait

March 28, 2026March 27, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 67 Comments

The song Portrait of My Love plays over and over in my mind. It was the last song on my playlist last night and now haunts me today. A fresh, hot, aromatic cup of joe will chase it away. With hope, the two coffee selection is made on the machine touchscreen. The first sip moved the song to the background. The second brings up “I Like It Like That” by the Dave Clark Five. Feeling doomed, the hope is that the third will bring peace. No such luck as the Westminster chimes of the doorbell join the cacophony of Twiggy and Tempeste doing their best Hounds of Baskerville imitation. Two toys tossed into the soundproof room, and a slam of the door restores peace and harmony.

The monitor shows what appears to be Wile E. Coyote standing on the porch, holding an envelope and a large box marked ACME Vacuum Company. The conversation that ensued forced me(of course) to start the security shutdown process.

The SWAT team needs to be put on standby. A quick text to the leader confirms that status. Also, the flight of A-10 Warthogs must be diverted. Another call to the commander puts that worry to rest. The SEAL team needs to be called off, and a call to the leader makes that possible. The MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter hovering over the house is diverted. A call to the tow truck driver stops the deployment of an M1A1 Abrams Tank. The control panel simplifies the security system’s shutdown process. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the turret mortars disengaged, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gatling guns on safety, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, and the IEDs and shoulder-held rockets put away. The Proton torpedoes switched off. The gamma ray beams covered. The high-powered maser guns switched to standby, and the nanorobots were chained in the basement. The Klingons are called back, and the Targ is caged. Robbie’s Bot is sent to the basement. The Tasmanian Devil is directed to the food in his cage, and the door drops. The electronic jammer is kept active, given a situation with a robot not too long ago. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opened.

Wile hands me the envelope and clipboard, which I sign where indicated, and return the board. It is then that the unboxed vacuum is turned on, and my pockets are emptied. Lucky for me, all there is in them is a couple of dollars and some lint. Stepping back and slamming the front door ends the cleanout. These guys are like restaurants that add a 20% sevice charge to the bill without asking. Tipping must be mandatory these days.

Inside the envelope is a message from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “portrait.” Use it anyway you’d like. Have fun!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Lina’s post at: https://lindaghill.com/2026/03/27/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-march-28-2026/

“You certainly got taken to the cleaners.”

“Can you believe it?”

“Serves you right for not tipping all those other guys.”

“Come on. They are doing what they get paid for, delivering packages and letters.”

“You give the mail person a gift at Christmas.”

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“Showing gratitude for a year of good service.”

“Well, you could show gratitude for a day of service.”

“I just don’t see it.”

“Do you tip the pizza guy?”

“I get my own.”

“You are sounding like a portrait of a miser.”

“Maybe so. Speaking of miser, what great deal did you get on an Uber today?”

“It will be here shortly, but I have a couple of photos that the driver, Tom Okragly, sent. Here, take a look.”

“Wow, a 1936 Buick Roadmaster Convertible”

“Yeah, it’s a beaut.”

“What’s the catch?”

“It’s a small thing.”

“Okay, out with it.”

“We have to dress in period clothes and be in a movie.”

“That’s not so bad. Wait, I can see on your face there’s more.”

“The scene is where we get tied up, gagged, and thrown in the river.”

“What?”

“Yeah, a gangland execution. Don’t worry, there is a diver in the river to cut us free.”

“The river water must be freezing this time of year.”

“I think that may be why they couldn’t get anyone to do it. On the positive side, the ride is free.”

“That makes up for everything.”

“We are due in wardrobe in ten minutes.”

“I’ve never been in a movie before, so it may be fun. Besides, the VooDoos will taste great after.”

“I ordered a couple from Craft Catering for before.”

“Genius.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – “Yelling”

March 24, 2026March 23, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 52 Comments

Today I opened The Last Drive randomly to page 207. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word “yelling” was closest to my finger. That is our prompt today.

“Hey, hey, hey. What’s all the yelling?”

“Jimmy is not playing fair, Coach.”

“Tell me more, John.”

“We are having a game of hide and seek, and Jimmy does a short count.”

“Short count. What’s that?”

“He’s supposed to count to 100 by ones, but he does it by tens.”

“Did you guys state the rules up front?”

“Well, no. Everyone knows the rules, though. The way he counts is like counting to ten.”

“Jimmy is new here. Are you sure everyone knows the rules?”

“Hey Jimmy, do you know the rules?’

“Well, John, back home we always counted by tens.”

“See, John, everyone doesn’t know the rules.”

“Okay, Coach, my mistake. Tell me this, Jimmy, why do you count by tens?”

“All the kids I played with are very fast, so if we counted by ones, they would be miles away.”

“Fast? Who is faster than crows?”

“That’s just it. In the desert, all the guys are roadrunners. They are super fast.”

“You had no crows to play with?”

“None, Coach.”

“How about we count by ones. Is that okay, John? ”

“Sure. I can do that.”

“Okay, kids, back to playing.

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – “Passenger”

March 17, 2026March 16, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 45 Comments

Today I randomly opened Eternal Road – The final stop to page 165. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word closest to my finger is “passenger.” That is our prompt today.

“Here we are, YouTubers. This is the freight train switching yard in Peoria, Illinois, and boy, is it cold. Look, there’s someone who looks like they just got off one of the boxcars.”

“Sir, do you mind talking with me for a minute about your experience?”

“What are you recording?”

“I have a YouTube channel and am interviewing working folks around the country.”

“Okay, that sounds pretty harmless.”

“So where are you headed?”

“Trying to get to Florida.”

“You been hopping freights? Are you a hobo?”

“I prefer to call it a privileged passenger.”

“But you’ve been hopping freights.”

“Well, yes. I can’t afford the coach fare of a passenger train, and as you can see, the way I look would cause people concern.”

“Isn’t it dangerous hopping freight cars?”

“Not if you know what you are doing. For me, it’s pretty easy.”

“So why Florida?”

“Well, I have to eat, and opportunities up North get scarce when it gets cold.”

“So, you do outside work?”

“Yup. One hundred percent of the jobs I find are outdoors.”

“I can see why it would be better in Florida. You mentioned it was easy to hop freight trains. Mind sharing your secret?”

“I just hover over one of the cars and then slowly ease down for a perfect landing.”

“I’m surprised you can hang on.”

“See these talons. They grip anything. Plus, when I hunker down, I’m pretty much impervious to the wind.”

“It has been a pleasure talking to you. Mr. Ah.”

“My friends call me Victor.”

“It was great talking to you, Victor.”

“Likewise.”

“So there you have it. A discussion with Victor the Vulture. If you enjoyed the discussion, hit “like” below and we’ll see you next time.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt –

March 14, 2026March 13, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 36 Comments

A review of the menu on the coffee machine does nothing to change my mind. It’s going to be a double coffee in a 10 0z mug. That would be 8oz of the stuff that stops the low-caffeine alarm horn, and about 2oz of half-and-half. The button is pushed, and the aroma fills the air. The cup is ready, and the first sip puts out the fire of addiction. The second sip raises the Westminster chimes and is accompanied by the ear-bleeding warnings blasted out by the hounds of Baskerville, known as Twiggy and Tempeste. A quick toss of a bacon-flavored Bene bone for each into the soundproof room, followed by a door slam, brings peace back to the valley.

A quick check of the monitor shows a character who looks very much like Elmer Fudd standing on the porch, holding a letter. After a back-and-forth conversation about leaving the letter, it is clear that the door has to be opened. With a sigh, the shutdown process is begun.

The SWAT team needs to be put on standby. A quick text to the leader confirms that status. Also, the flight of A-10 Warthogs must be diverted. Another call to the commander puts that worry to rest. The SEAL team needs to be called off, and a call to the leader makes that possible. The MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter hovering over the house is diverted. A call to the tow truck driver stops the deployment of an M1A1 Abrams Tank. The control panel simplifies the shutdown process of the security system. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the turret mortars disengaged, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gatling guns on safety, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, and the IEDs and shoulder-held rockets put away. The Proton torpedoes switched off. The gamma ray beams covered. The high-powered maser guns switched to standby, and the nanorobots were chained in the basement. The Klingons are called back, and the Targ is caged. Robbie’s Bot is sent to the basement. The Tasmanian Devil is directed to the food in his cage, and the door drops. The electronic jammer is kept active, given a situation with a robot not too long ago. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opened.

The Elmer Fudd-looking guy hands me the envelope and the clipboard. When signed, I keep the letter and return the clipboard. The Elmer Fudd-looking guy has a shotgun and is casually pointing it at me. Reaching into my pocket and pulling out a five-dollar bill produces a smile on Fudd-like’s face. Rolling it up and stuffing it into one barrel of the shotgun causes Fudd-like to turn and walk away.

The envelope is from Linda Hill. There is a message inside which reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “review.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link https://lindaghill.com/2026/03/13/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-march-14-2026/

“That was scary.”

“What?”

“To give you a small review, that guy was pointing a shotgun at you.”

“I knew he wouldn’t use it.”

“How did you know that?”

“He was a cartoon character, and even if he did use it, it wouldn’t hurt.”

“You know, for some strange reason, that makes sense.”

“I gave him a tip cause he looked like he could use the money.”

“But again, he’s a cartoon character.”

“They have to live, too.”

“This conversation is giving me a headache.”

“I know the perfect cure. Did you call Uber?”

“Right over there.”

“Wow, a ’49 Chevy Deluxe Coupe.”

“With a little customization on the wheels.”

“I can’t wait to ride in that one.”

“Let’s get going.”

“What? No side trips?”

“Nope, he’s going to take us right there.”

“That’s amazing.”

“I thought you needed a hassle-free trip to the pub.”

“I appreciate that.”

“We have to hitchhike home, though.”

“Why’s that?”

“The driver has a car show to enter.”

“Can’t we call another Uber for home?”

“I wish I had thought of that.”

“Let’s go.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – “Document”

March 10, 2026March 9, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 44 Comments

Today, I randomly opened Detour on the Eternal Road to page 141. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word closest to my finger was “document.” This is our prompt.

“So what did they say?”

“I need a document from the doctor.”

“Document? What kind of document?”

“They won’t let me stay there until I get a complete bill of health.”

“You look healthy.”

“I know. The parents are pretty upset.”

“About what?”

“Well, they wanted me to go to camp, as you know.”

“You still can after the doctor’s visit.”

“That’s just it. The doctor can’t see me until next week.”

“So?”

“The camp starts this week.”

“Still, you can go to the next session.”

“That’s true, but the parents had planned to go on a trip while I was away.”

“Can’t they postpone a week?”

“I heard them say something about no refunds on the tickets.”

“Yeah, that does hit hard. You wanna come stay at my house?”

“You’d better ask your parents before the offer.”

“Nah. Here’s how we play it. We’ll go to my house, and I’ll look all excited to have you there.”

“What does that do?”

“My parents will feel sorry for you and let you stay until they can contact your parents. Once they do, hopefully, your parents will let mine know the fix they are in. My parents will offer to keep you. Problem solved.”

“Sounds great. Just one hitch.”

“What’s that?”

“How will they be able to contact my parents?”

“Your collar.”

“Huh?”

“Your phone number is on your collar. Now, let’s go.”

“You are a pal.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Distance”

March 7, 2026March 6, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 57 Comments

The distance to the coffee machine feels like a climb of Mount Everest. The low caffeine warning klaxons in my brain, accompanied by a flashing red sign that screams, “Warning, Will Robinson.” The machine finally gives up the coffee, and the first sip turns off all the warnings. As we know, the second sip will start a whole new problem with Westminster Chimes and the Hounds of Baskerville. The decision is made to put off the second sip in favor of watching the security monitor for an intruder. After a few minutes, it seems safe to take the second sip. The cacaphony of chimes and barking hits immediately. A big bone thrown into the soundproof room and a slam of the door put an end to the high-pitched, eardrum-destroying St Louis barking.

A look at the monitor shows the idiot who pushed the doorbell. It is the robot from Lost in Space. There is no question that the door needs to be opened. With a sigh and a chug of the rest of my coffee, the shutdown process begins.

The SWAT team needs to be put on standby. A quick text to the leader confirms that status. Also, the flight of A-10 Warthogs must be diverted. Another call to the commander puts that worry to rest. The SEAL team needs to be called off, and a call to the leader makes that possible. The MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter hovering over the house is diverted. A call to the tow truck driver stops the deployment of an M1A1 Abrams Tank. The control panel simplifies the shutdown process of the security system. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the turret mortars disengaged, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gatling guns on safety, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, and the IEDs and shoulder-held rockets put away. The Proton torpedoes switched off. The gamma ray beams covered. The high-powered maser guns switched to standby, and the nanorobots were chained in the basement. The Klingons are called back, and the Targ is caged. Robbie’s Bot is sent to the basement. The Tasmanian Devil is directed to the food in his cage, and the door drops. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opened.

“Attention, John Howell, there is an envelope here for you. Please sign where indicated.” The robot hands me a clipboard and an envelope. After signing and passing the board back, the robot says, “Thank you, John Howell. An appropriate tip for the service is five dollars.” “I have no cash,” is my response. “VENMO or PayPal are accepted, and I just read your account from your phone. Thank you for the tip.” With that, the robot turns and makes its way to the street. The door is shut, and the system is rearmed. Inside the envelope is a message from Linda Hill, which reads:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “distance.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2026/03/06/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-march-7-2026/

Distance by John W. Howell

“That robot certainly had the answer to your cash tip avoidance posture.”

“I was too close and should have kept my distance.”

“Huh?”

If I were further away it couldn’t have read my phone.”

“You sure about that?”

“No, but sounds good.”

“Is that five bucks going to break you?”

“No, but it is the principle. That robot had a job to do. Besides, what is it going to do with money?”

“Buy some three-in-one oil?”

“Very funny. Maybe I’ll ask Linda to send the prompt by FedEx next time.”

“I’m sure the pups will enjoy that.”

“I suppose I’ll just have to keep shelling out money to these delivery services.’

“Speaking of shelling out money, I save a bundle on Uber. It’s over there.”

“Okay, I can see a problem already.”

“What’s that?”

“We have to fight a fire on the way.”

“No, that would be ridiculous.”

“What then,”

“Nothing. They will take us right to the pub.”

“There has to be a catch.”

“Well, if there is an alarm, they will have to leave quickly, and so we will have to be ready to go at any moment.”

“Or we could call another Uber.”

“Brilliant. This is why you are running this blog.”

“OMG let’s go.”

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Smooth”

February 28, 2026February 27, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 51 Comments

A smooth Cappuccino is on the brain today. A light touch of the menu screen starts the delivery process. Milk, coffee, and then foam create the elixir that will quell the low caffeine warning buzzer in my head. One sip begins recovery. The second sip ushers in the jarring sound of the Westminster chimes, proving once again that no one can read the “Do not ring the doorbell” sign. A knuckle bone tossed into the soundproof room and a slam of the door ensure that Tempeste and Twiggy will not bark me to St. Louis.

With peace restored, the monitor shows a large sheepdog that looks like Sam and a Wolf that looks like Ralph. Skipping the usual dialogue about leaving whatever the dog is delivering, the security shutdown process is begun.

The SWAT team needs to be put on standby. A quick text to the leader confirms that status. Also, the flight of A-10 Warthogs must be diverted. Another call to the commander puts that worry to rest. The SEAL team needs to be called off, and a call to the leader makes that possible. The MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter hovering over the house is diverted. A call to the tow truck driver stops the deployment of an M1A1 Abrams Tank. The control panel simplifies the shutdown process of the security system. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the turret mortars disengaged, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gatling guns on safety, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, and the IEDs and shoulder-held rockets put away. The Proton torpedoes switched off. The gamma ray beams covered. The high-powered maser guns switched to standby, and the nanorobots were chained in the basement. The Klingons are called back, and the Targ is caged. Robbie’s Bot is sent to the basement. The Tasmanian Devil is directed to the food in his cage, and the door drops. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opened.

The sheepdog has an envelope and a clipboard, which he hands to the wolf, looking like Ralph. Ralph hands both to me and points to the place to sign. After signing and handing the clipboard back, the sheepdog grabs me and turns me upside down. Several coins and a few bills drop to the porch. The wolf picks up a couple, and Sam says, “We know how you are and thank you for your generous gift.” Placed upright, my next move is to pick up the remaining money and head indoors quickly.

The envelope is from Linda Hill. Inside is a message which reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “smooth.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2026/02/27/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-28-2026/

“I guess word got around on your tipping habits.”

“The method of forcing a tip wasn’t very smooth.”

“On the contrary. I thought it was perfect.”

“You have a warped sense of perfection.”

“Well, I’m sure they knew you were going to give them a platatude rather than hard cash.”

“Seems to me my tips are worth more than cash.”

“I wouldn’t take a poll on that if I were you.”

“Okay, let’s get on with the important stuff. Did you get an Uber?”

“Right over there.”

“Okay, so give me the bad news on the stops we have to make.”

“We only have to make one.”

“One? Hard to believe.”

“But there is a catch.”

“There is always a catch.”

“Yeah, we have to attend a funeral.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope.”

“Can’t we just drop the flowers and be on our way?”

“No, the funeral home’s flower car broke down, so we have to transport the flowers from the church to the cemetery. ”

“Which means we have to be there for the service.”

“Yup. You have a black suit?”

“I’m not changing.”

“Fine. I’m sure the family will find those fuchsia colored shorts very comforting.”

“Sheesch. I’ll go change.”

“Lose the Go Steelers t-shirt too.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – “Throat”

February 24, 2026February 23, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 54 Comments

Today I opened The Last Drive randomly to Page 243. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word closest to my finger is “throat.” That is our prompt today.

“What did you just do?”

” Gargle”

“Why?”

“I have a sore throat, and that makes it feel better.”

“What did you use?”

“Water.”

“Water? That’s not going to help.”

“Why not. It felt good.”

“You need something with some medicine in it.”

“The water was warm.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s going to help.”

“So what kind of medicine should I use?”

“Well, to start, I would get some saltwater and see if that helps.”

“That is easy enough. What if it doesn’t work?”

“Why don’t you try it first?”

“Yeah, I guess worrying about the ‘what ifs’ is a waste of time. You want to come with me?”

“Sure. I haven’t had breakfast yet, so I could do that while you are gargling with saltwater.”

“Good thing we live by the sea.”

“For a lot of reasons and not just your sore throat.”

“I’ve often wondered.”

“What?”

“What they say about our color.”

“What do they say?”

“We are pink cause we eat shrimp.”

“Yeah, that’s a good one. Can’t say if it’s true or not.” Here we are. Get to gargling.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – “Meetings”

February 17, 2026February 16, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 55 Comments

Today I opened Circumstances of Childhood randomly to page 159. With eyes closed, I pointed to the page, and the word closest to my finger is “meetings.” This is our prompt today.

“Why do we always have to have meetings?”

“Beats me. Maybe it’s so the boss has something to do.”

“That is pretty funny.”

“But close to the truth. When’s the last time you saw him do anything?”

“Productive, you mean?”

“Ha ha ha. I mean, just anything. Productive is too high a bar.”

“Let me think. Oh, I know. Remember when he invited us to go hunting?”

“Yeah, I remember. He crashed through the bush and scared all the game away for five miles.”

“That was some day for sure.”

“I think I was talking about doing something that didn’t mess things up.”

“I think you got me. I can’t remember a time when he didn’t mess things up.”

“So what is this meeting about?”

“Rumor is he is going to introduce a new strategy.”

“Strategy for what?”

“I’m not really sure. I just heard two guys talking.”

“So you must have heard more.”

“Well, it seems he thinks we lions ought to be the hunters and the lionesses ought to stay home.”

“You have got to be kidding me. That’s not going to work. He should know from that hunting trip.”

“Well, maybe it’s just a rumor.”

“I hope so. I’m not sure I could even catch anything. I can almost feel my stomach growling now.”

“Well, we will know in a minute. Here he comes.”

Stream of Conscious Saturday – Prompt – “Love”

February 14, 2026February 13, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 53 Comments

Staggering to the machine with the hope of relief that a hot cup of aromatic, steaming elixir will bring to quell the flashing neon sign behind my eyes that says in bright red, “Low Caffeine warning.” Red is also the color of Valentine’s Day, and that wish of love is certainly part of this post as soon as the coffee is ready.

Finally, the cup is filled, and the first sip begins the process of serenity. An interruption occurs in the form of the Westminster chime cacophony courtesy of some dope not reading the “Do Not Ring The Bell” sign. A couple of heart-shaped treats thrown into the soundproof room preserves the integrity of the windows and crystal, which would otherwise be in jeopardy from the bark to St Louis response of Igor’s Hounds. Slamming the door brings peace back to the valley.

A check of the monitor reveals a baby in diapers carrying an envelope and a bow. It must be Cupid or a very deranged delivery person. No need to go through the discussion about leaving the envelope, since the pattern is clear. With a sigh, the security shut-down process began.

The SWAT team needs to be put on standby. A quick text to the leader confirms that status. Also, the flight of A-10 Warthogs must be diverted. Another call to the commander puts that worry to rest. The SEAL team needs to be called off, and a call to the leader makes that possible. The MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter hovering over the house is diverted. A call to the tow truck driver stops the deployment of an M1A1 Abrams Tank. The control panel simplifies the shutdown process of the security system. The boiling oil vats are put on standby, the turret mortars disengaged, the Trebuchet on safety, the concertina wire rolled, the Claymore mines reset, the tower Gatling guns on safety, the moat net dropped, the alligators fed, and the IEDs and shoulder-held rockets put away. The Proton torpedoes switched off. The gamma ray beams covered. The high-powered maser guns switched to standby, and the nanorobots were chained in the basement. The Klingons are called back, and the Targ is caged. Robbie’s Bot is sent to the basement. The Tasmanian Devil is directed to the food in his cage, and the door drops. The locks on the door are thrown. And the door opened.

The first thing Cupid does is hand me the envelope and a clipboard, which is signed and returned. The second thing he does is shoot me with an arrow to the heart. Love blooms on the porch. Cupid got a ten-dollar tip (clever boy). Inside the envelope is a note from Linda Hill. It reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “love.” Use it any way you’d like. Have fun, and happy Valentine’s Day!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2026/02/13/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-feb-14-2026/

“Cupid, huh?”

“Yes, Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“Thank you, but please get that goofy look off your face.”

“I think it is the arrow.”

“Whatever it is, take it somewhere else.”

“A little afraid of brotherly love, I see.”

“It’s not the brotherly kind I’m worried about.”

“Oh, stop. I’m just filled with the day is all.”

“You should avoid those cupid myths.”

“He looked real.”

“Yeah. Like I look real.”