Wednesday Wickedness

Hi and welcome to Wednesday Wickedness. We are like other memes in that we will ask you ten questions each and every Wednesday. But our little "twist" is that each week we will pick a famous person and pick ten of their quotes. Each of our questions will be based on the quotes. Got it? Great! Let's begin this week's meme!

Today we picked Frank Sinatra. Here's Wednesday Wickedness!

1. “I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day.” How often do you drink alcohol?

My doctor actually wants me to drink a glass of red wine with dinner every day, but i have to say that it's not something that i actually seek out, and i do not imbibe as often as my doctor would like.  Growing up, i was made to take a sip of beer at night before going to sleep.  This along with having an alcoholic mother did not exactly endear me to drink.

2. “The best revenge is massive success.” Have you ever gloated or wanted to over success?

I confess i struggle with pride.  I have indeed gloated over various successes.  Most of them so insignificant that i wonder why i did.  However, God has a really good sense of humor, and i have found that when i have allowed myself to gloat, i am usually indeed bound for a fall.

3. “You gotta love livin', baby, 'cause dyin' is a pain in the [butt].” What do enjoy most about your life?

Wow, not a question i expected.  Right now, i think the thing i enjoy the most is my employment is less than 10 miles from my house.  This has given me a great deal of flexibility to take care of errands, or to help cover a doctor's appointment or whatever.

4. “I'm not one of those complicated, mixed-up cats. I'm not looking for the secret to life.... I just go on from day to day, taking what comes.” Do you ever over think a situation in your life?

I think i have a tendency to underthink things.  I really do not do well with too many "spinning plates".  I am not a multitasker, so when things come up my tendency is to make my best educated guess and go with it.  When i start to "over think" things my appetite and sleep patterns pretty much change immediately.

5. “I would like to be remembered as a man who had a wonderful time living life, a man who had good friends, fine family - and I don't think I could ask for anything more than that, actually.” Tell us about your best friend.

My Beloved is truly my best friend.  She knows about my weaknesses, my failings, and my down right bad attitudes.  She knows my bad choices.  Only God knows me better... and for some reason she chooses to stick with me and love me anyway.  She enjoys making my favorite meals and desserts.  She reminds me to take my meds, she challanges me to be a better man, a better father, a better husband, and a better friend.  I keep praying that she doesn't come to her senses.

6. “I like intelligent women. When you go out, it shouldn't be a staring contest.” How important is intelligence when picking (or having picked) a significant other to you?

My very first conversation with my Beloved was a two plus hour conversation on the Sovereignty of God.  She may not understand what i do for a living (IT stuff), she may not know much about the things i did in the National Guard, or my hobbies (Necromunda, MouseHunt, etc.).  She may not be all that good at Chess, but in many ways she is "wicked smart".  While i did not seek out a Valivictorian for a mate, i was not in search of a stereotypical "Barbi" either.

7. “I drink to the confusion of our enemies.” What's the closest situation that you've had to dealing with an enemy?
Maybe i am a bit niave, but i cannot recall the last time i've had to deal with an enemy.

8. “Orange is the happiest color.” What's your favorite color?
Blue, blue is my favorite color.  Hexadecimal value 0000FF blue.  I prefer it to have a slight neon hue to it as well.

9. “Dare to wear the foolish clown face.” Are you ever a clown?

I think a more accurate question for me is, " Are you ever a clown on purpose?"  My Beloved, most of my friends, even DS1 has the "sarcasm gene".  I do not.  Sometimes i can get a 'zinger', but most of the time i have that "whatintheworldareyoutalkingabout" look on my face.  However, i learned (and sometimes re-learn) when i was younger, that it is important to never take yourself too seriously.  Otherwise, you are just in for a lot of frustration in life.

10. “Don't get even, get mad.” Have you ever tried getting even?

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19, ESV)  For me, i have found that a thirst for vengence only distracts me.  It causes me to focus on the wrong priorities and the end result is that i am further behind.  It is better to focus on what i need to take care of, and it really does work out in the end.

This was my first participation in Wednesday Wickedness.  Janera, who is the originator of this meme, invited me to participate to help fill the void from Linda's Random Dozen.  To be honest... i was sceptical.  Quotes from celbrities?  Puhleeze.  But, i have to admit, i enjoyed how show worked the questions into the Celeb's quotes.  Although this entry is a little late for this week, i am already looking forward to next weeks entry.  I think i will give this one a go for a while 8)

Thank you again Janera for the invite!  \o

Whirlwind Ramblings

On Thursday of last week my Beloved received a phone call from the friend from whom we had originally arranged to rent a condo from at the beach.  She was telling us that "our" week had not rented (for her full price) and if we wanted we could still use it for the week.  A frantic bunch of phone calls later my Beloved and COWGIRL (re)arranged all of the appointments and other things that running a house involve and Viola!  I love the beach and all, but when there are eight people (2 adolescents, 1 preteen, 2 teenagers, 2 mothers, and 1 father) in a one bedroom condo... let's just say there is not much in the way of serenity. When i was picked up by my new employer though... a lot of things changed... like vacation.  I've lost all of my vacation sans 2 personal days for the first 6 months.  Then i start back at the beginning with only 2 weeks. 

Speaking of new work benefits... i may have a problem.  I have been taking Strattera to help me with my ADD.  Unfortunately my new Health Insurance has an unusually large deductible BEFORE they pay anything (other than for yearly preventative health appointments).  Well, Strattera is apparently VERY expensive and the type of reimbursement account i have set up to help me with the out of pocket expenses is the type that builds slowly and so i do not have enough money to pay for it.  As a test i have not been taking it since Friday (i know, you are not supposed to change the Rx, i.e. when to take it, etc., without consulting your doctor - yet another out of pocket cost) in order to see if i noticed any difference... unfortunately... i have.  I have been feeling a little 'loopy' from time to time AND i am noticing a lot more trouble keeping the "plates spinning".  Not doing well mentally in that regard.  This is affecting my work, which can affect my ability to provide for my family, not to mention in my relating to others.  All of this, with a negligible increase in my paychecks.  I am grateful that i even have a job to go to right now... but the vice is squeezing tighter and tighter.  Ever see that car commercial with the hamsters running on their wheels?

Speaking of rodents... for some reason i had a 'mental image' of how one might be able to get a picture of God's sovereignty and our (man's) free will.  Now, i know this is not a perfect representation, but it is what came to mind.  It's kind of like the old mice in a maze experiment.  Mice are sent to run the maze without any direct interference as to which direction to go etc.  Now, the scientist is in control of everything about the maze with the exceptions of making the mouse make any sort of decision.  The scientist puts in incentives, or can move walls at will, etc.  but the mouse is free to choose to accept the incentive or to take the new pathway etc.  This is an imperfect example of the relationship between God and man, but i feel it represents a decent enough parable to help my feeble mind.  While i am not some science experiment navigating for some piece of cheese, i am a finite creature that is unable to see the entire maze (which is all of creation by the way).  God has revealed Himself and His desire for a relationship to me (and to others) in various ways.  I do not always accept the "piece of cheese" or easier path.  And yet God does interjects and sometimes even manipulates the "maze" (i.e. like miracles, both seen'/etected and unseen/undetected), but at no point does He impose His will upon me to choose this or that.  In the end He allows me to make my choices, and receive the rewards/penalties.  This really is an over simplification, and can easily be twisted out of proportion.  But it works for me.

Speaking of Rodents... MouseHunt is getting a pretty major overhaul today.  Most of my readers will not know what MouseHunt is, or even care, but i will blather on anyway.  The "backbone" of the game is getting recoded, as well as the graphical interfaces.  This results in a pretty significant overhaul.  Anyone who has worked in IT, probably NOT on a game though, knows what this is like.  Basically it is the equivalent of taking your PC, erasing the hard drive and rewriting the operating system to get it to run the programs more efficiently. All the while of having (literally) 10's of thousands of users all clamering to know when are you going to be done, why can't i play the game, you guys suck - can't even upgrade your own system more efficently, etc.  Never mind that these guys have been working on improving the program, making it a better experience, for over a year AND they announced it in advance.  They told the users what to expect, how long it might be down, what they need to do in order to ensure there is a smooth transition, etc.  I've said it before, and i will say it again here, i am really enjoying this game!  It is a game where i have to solve problems in order to catch the prize mice, i do not HAVE to spend real world currency to play the game if i do not want to, other players are not constantly sabatoging my efforts to improve - not only that, there is a really good group of players helping many of the more Novice players - to include doling out advice AND "gold" to help them along.  You can play with a "team" of friends OR go solo.  I am enjoying this so much so, that i do not play any other games on facebook at this point - i just don't have the time anyway, so i might as well focus on a game that i can enjoy.

Who am i

• Parents divorced when i was 2ish ~ custody battle lasted until i was 10 when i got to choose (?!?)
• Suffered severe head trauma when i was very young, twice. This appears to continue to affect me (negligibly) still today
• Lived in 3 possibly 4 places before even starting kindergarten
• Was sent off to a near by Sunday School on a bus that went around our neighborhood, mom did not come with us
• Once shattered a glass bottle with my hand in a play ground
• Attended at least 3, maybe 4 Elementary Schools, 2 Middle Schools, 4 High Schools
• Had to repeat the 6th grade because i wanted to be in the same grade as my best friend at the time
• My best friend at the time became my friend only after i decked him because he called me "chicken"
• My mother remarried once, and was divorced 4 months later
• Her second husband was a bear of a man who spoke with his fists
• My brother and i stayed with a Christian family for a few weeks where all i remember is getting my first King James Bible, delivery newspapers, eating liver once (yuck!), and being baptised
• Severely sprained my ankle by pole vaulting down a hill
• Lived in 5 places and attended 3 different schools during the 9th grade
• The summer between 9th and 10th grade my brother and i were sent of to stay with our cousins as my mother no longer had a place to stay
• That summer was the best summer of my childhood and had a profound affect on the rest of my life
• Went to church with the mother of the guy my mom (and i) was living with
• Pastor asked me how i liked the service (i believe it was Methodist), my response was "i didn't like the wine" - she never took me to church again
• One of the cousins i spent that summer with was murdered a year and a half later
• Dropped out of High School half way through 12th grade because most of my tools from my auto-mechanic class were stollen- should never have passed 11th
• Except for the 2 years i lived with my father, and for the one or two years i went to a sitter's house during the week, i grew up a latchkey kid
• I learned to make macaroni and cheese, cinnamon toast, because my mother was rarely home before 9pm
• Attempted college twice before giving in to life's other demands
• I've broken my collar bone, and a bone in my right foot.  Both of these were easily avoidable
• I have scars on every limb, both earlobes, on my head and one eye brow
• I have torn muscles in both shoulders, and my left knee does not like stairs
• Apparently i cannot sleep deeply unless i have positive air pressure applied directly to my nose
• When i joined the National Guard it was not because i wanted to serve my country, i needed a job
• It took me almost six months of constant bothering of the recruiter to enlist
• My initial enlistment was for 3 years active reserve and 5 years inactive ready reserve
• I have three high points
• The first - getting to fire a live TOW missile
• Serving after Hurricane Katrine and Rita, and pretty much every other flood call out - I earned the Humanitarian Medal
• And when i was awarded the Honorable Order of St Barbara medal
• I retired after 22 years of service
• The Guard was the main reason i obtained my GED
• I was baptised at least once before i was born again (i was baptised after i was born again, during the winter of 1989-90)
• For several years i felt a tugging to go to church and "church shopped" by looking at the outside of the building, but i never attended a service
• While testing for green belt in Ta-Kwon Do i over heard a couple cancelling a Bible study, told them i was interested in attending, was invited to go to church with them
• What i experienced at church that Sunday - they were meeting in a High School Auditorium and not a formal building, it was already 85+ degrees outside (it was August) and just as hot inside (no AC that day), people were raising hands and clapping - there may have even been people dancing during the "singing part", the preacher was so passionate that he was actually shouting during parts of the sermon, it lasted over 2 hours
• I accepted Christ as my Savior the following Thursday only after one aborted attempt by a couple who were following up on my visitation card on Sunday night, and an almost aborted attempt that night
• I was baptised a few months later and i still remember the incredible joy i felt when i made that public confession and acknowledgement that i was dead in my sins and i am raised into new life with Christ
• I had a dream of entering a cave where people were diving off into an abyss, there was a 'shadow' of someone with me.  When Christ came to me and told me i didn't have to do that.  Both my 'shadow' and i left the cave into the sunshine - i later found out i had the dream about the same time as my Beloved
• I met my Beloved on a blind date with a roommate of hers

I am all of these things (and many, many more), and i am none of these things (and many, many more).  One can read this list, and all of the other meme questionnaires and still not really know me.  Such is true of anyone else we meet.  We only reveal what we want to reveal.  There is only One who knows us, even better than we know ourselves (because we can lie to ourselves, and actually do it convincingly).

Never assume when it comes to another person.  People are dynamic, they are complex, and you are only seeing a sliver of what there is to know.  While i know Christ and follow Him, my brother is a professing wycan priest.  We grew up in the same house, experienced the same things (except he actually completed high school and joined the Army to serve his country as an Airborne/Ranger).  If you were to look at my brother and i side by side sans the religion part of our lives, you would give the edge to him.  He did the right things, said the right things, and yet we are vastly different (as stated by many a soldier who has served with both of us).  We have some similar personality traits (fiercely loyal is one of them), but we are most definetely not the same.

And, never give up on anyone.  Years after we were married, my Beloved ran into an old co-worker.  The had worked together before she was a Christian.  She actually told her that she never witnessed to her because she thought she would never become a Christian!  Sometimes it's timing, sometimes it's the person, or the place, but in the end if God is prompting you to witness to someone you can do it.  Perhaps it's not right.  Maybe you do have to shake the dust of your feet and move on.  But never fail to show the compassion and love of Christ.  You never know how the Holy Spirit is going to nurture the seeds you leave behind.  I cannot count how many people, how much time, was invested in my life before my spirit responded to my Savior's call.  My Beloved took a while to respond as well.  She was introduced to the woman who would be instrumental in leading her to Christ in college.  There first interaction was when my Beloved introduced herself and announced that if she needed any alchohol she was of legal age and could get it for them.

God sees the end from the beginning.  He saw us completely before He laid the foundations of the Earth (young Earth, Old Earth, Evolution over millions of years or all in seven days), before Christ was born to a virgin girl, before He went to the cross, before He rose again, and before He ascended to Heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father and intercedes for you and me.  Never give up on your friends, your family, or yourself.

Sad Wednesday, well, not sad but lonely

Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee, and of Random Dozen meme fame, has decided to take a sabbatical from generated the random questions every week.  I can't say as i blame her.  it is hard work coming up with those questions every week, AND working, AND writing various articles for Christian Women, AND on top of all that she is a mom and wife.  Her plate is already very full so, while i am disappointed that i will not be able to do my (now) weekly ritual of answering a dozen random questions this week, i wish her well.  And may God bless her with a flood of creativity so she can get back to the questions as soon as possible!  8)

Last week i moved to a new area in MouseHunt.  Have i ever mentioned that i tried out a "new" game over on Facebook?  Unlike many of the other games there, you do not HAVE to have a gazillion friends to help you out, other people cannot come in and steal your resources, other people cannot attack you (but they can assist you).  It's just you against the 165 different kinds of mice (currently).  Each section of the game requires different strategies.  You have to fashion different kinds of traps with different kinds of cheese to lure your prey in.  You can craft a wide variety of new traps, bases as well as different kinds of cheese with various items you find, or create as well.  There are various clues you find along the way to help you out, as well as a really cooperative community of players.  As a new Hunter you are "commissioned" by the King to help reduce the Mouse population of his kingdom.  Novice hunters begin in the town of Gnawnia where you start with a very modest amount of gold in order to buy your first trap and set of bait.  Choices include a basic glue trap and the ever dependable spring trap.  You can start with the simple wooden base, or the more expensive target base.  Basic cheeses include Cheddar, Marble, Swiss, and Brie.  Later on, as you gain experience levels (you climb by catching mice, duh) you are able to travel further abroad and fashion new and improved traps.  For example, i am currently a "Master" level hunter and i have both a Force Field and a Sinister Portal Trap (one is 'Physical' and the other is a 'Shadow' type of trap), i have both explosive base and a dehydration base (which i fashioned later in the game).  I have a large inventory of cheeses which now include Radioactive Blue and some Gnarled Cheese.  I have other things in my inventory, but you get the idea by now.  I am currently hunting for an elusive mouse known as a 'Lycan'.  I have run out of components for the special 'moon' cheese, and so i am working towards getting more bait to return to his stomping grounds.  As i move on, another thing i really like about this game, is you do not have to be sitting at the keyboard to playplayplay.  One has to be patient, and just enjoy.  Makes me want to go and watch the movie Mouse Hunt again.  8)  Get me my Gouda!

The weekend was nice with me getting the grass cut (it was mocking me so i had to act), we also had to deal with another bout of lice.  DD3 had been critter free for six weeks (roughly) and they have one music thing where they are wearing nifty hats (that they are not allowed to bring home), and viola. 8(  I HATE lice.  So, we spent all day Saturday and Monday shampooing hair, stripping all of the beds, doing all of the laundry, spraying and then vacuuming all of the bedrooms AND i got the lawn in too.  My Beloved is diligent (i.e. paranoid) about critters and will perform random head checks on all of the kids throughout the year.  I must confess here, i did not handle it well.  I grew angry at now one in particular (in other words, at God) that my little girl had lice!  Again!  I latter confessed my sin to God and repented.  Lice in and of themselves really are not much more than an inconvenience.  I was railing at all of the work i was now going to have to do to help my Beloved get all of the additional things around the house in order so as to rid ourselves of these things.  In any event, we will be spending the next ten to fourteen days searching and searching, and cleaning and scrubbing, and spraying, and shampooing.

Dirk the Daring was rated as #49 of The 50 Greatest Video Characters of all Time list.  I remember when the Putt Putt Golf and Game arcade dropped Dragon's Lair games into the middle of their floor.  It was not a difficult game to pick up, but hard to master.  I loved the game so much i named my best character after him.  Pip Boy of Fallout fame came in at #46.  Most of the others i didn't recognize. 

Lately i have been thinking about the parable of the Ten Virgins:

Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.  For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.  As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.  But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’  Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’  But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’  And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’  But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’  Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (Matthew 25:1-13, ESV)

And

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.  Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’  But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business,  while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.  The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.  Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.  Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’  And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

“But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment.  And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.  Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’  For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:1-14, ESV)

People have been looking for the end times since Jesus ascended back into heaven some forty days after His resurrection.  I know no one knows "the day or the hour", but the Bible is pretty clear we are to be ready as if He is to return this day.  That is scary to me at times because i know there are some days when i am not looking towards heaven, i am not anxiously awaiting his return.  It is in these times i am grateful that His propitiation cleansed me from all sin and unrighteousness.  May God continue to grant me grace to discern areas in my own life that are not like His Son, and may He also continue to grant me the strength and grace to continue to work out my sanctification.  To hear "well done" on the final day, is my the highest goal in this life.

Music Monday - 20100531

I sometimes struggle to put something up for Music Monday, even though it is something i really like to do.  And when there is a holiday on Monday i usually do not bother putting one up, but now that i know how to schedule a posting in the future... no big deal!

I went with a patriotic choice for my selection today:

Star Spangled Banner

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

I spent 22 years being a "Citizen Soldier".  When i first joined it was not because i was patriotic, or because i wanted to fight for my country.  I needed a job, plain and simple.  It was only over time that i grew out of my adolescence and developed my appreciation for my country.  We are not perfect.  I know not everyone in the world does not want to live like we do, not everyone is jealous of our way of life.

For me it has been an appreciation of what our first National Guard units went through, and how our country has grown from over the past 400+ years.  The ideals of the forefathers of the late eighteenth century are solid, but since man is falable it has not been a perfect run since then (or now).

Only God knows how this "Great Experiment" will work, but it is a noble ideal in my opinion.  And one well worth fighting for.

My appreciateion goes for my fellow Airmen, Sailors, and Marines.  Please never lose a chance to say and give thanks for those who have fought and died for our country.  And while the Armed forces is our country's international defender/representor of our country, never forget those who serve our country domestically:  The Citizen Soldier, the Police, The Firemen, the EMT's, Unifromed Health Services, and many others that i fail to recall that serve us as a whole.

 

May America bless God, and may God continue to watch over and bless America.

Micro Fiction Monday - my first participation.

I told you not to wandering off like that. Do you know how many Dragon snatchers are out there? What would I have done if you had gone missing? Worried sick I would be! You only think of yourself!

But Papa, I was hungy, i just went down to town for a little snack. The Farmers have put their cows out to pasture. No one saw me.

That’s not the point! What if Sir Watkins had seen you! What then? Next thing you know these hills would be crawling with Knights! And with only one thing on their mind, and it would not be Princess Darla either!

Yes Papa.

There, there my boy. Papa still loves you, but next time you must allow me to cast the sleep spell on the town before you go out for a snack.

Your Turn!

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About Microfiction Monday

Microfiction means the shortest of short stories. Think Aesop's fables, comic strips, or even jokes: complete stories that can be told in under a minute. For this game, the limit is a tweetable 140 characters or fewer.

Every Sunday evening I'll post my own 'microfiction' inspired by a photo or illustration, and invite you to do the same. (If that degree of brevity scares you, feel free to use my own microfiction of the week as your first line instead, and spin something longer. )

You can leave your story in the comments here, or better yet, post on your own blog and leave your link in Mr. Linky.

Hate counting letters and spaces? Try Design 215's character counter, which will count for you as you type. Microsoft Word will count for you too, of course, as part of its word count feature under the 'Review' tab.

Photos will be from my own archives; illustrations are from Dover Publications' free clipart sample newsletter.

And finally, why 140? A whole new fiction market has arisen via mobile phone texting and Twitter, who limits 'tweets' to 140 characters including spaces and punctuation. It's fast, it's fiction, it's fun.

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This was my first foray into the "world" of Micro Fiction Monday's... i will see how well i do before i commit to doing it every week. 8)  Although, as you will see a little bit later... Music Monday's will still be a regular, albeit seperate, blog post on Mondays.

Happy Birthday!

As of tomorrow my Toyota Echo will be10 years old!  It has a little over 126k miles on and all but one of them has been under my ownership.  It has been a great little car and i am hoping it goes for at least another ten years.  When i bought it i had considered the Prius, but went with the Echo because it has a timing chain instead of a belt, it gets over 40mpg at times, and the battery technology was still too new for me to feel comfortable over the long haul at the time.  If i were making the choice today i would probably side with the Prius though ~ even with all of the troubles in the media of late.

Last night i had to do some work at the "widget factory".  it was the 4th time in the past two weeks i've had to come in at midnight, and it is wearing on the mind and body.  But that is not really what i want to talk about.  The season is moving on towards summer and last night was a beautiful demonstration of this.  I have grown up, and really lived most of my four plus decades, in the Washington D.C. area (this region is pretty big stretching from almost the Baltimore beltway down South to Fredericksburg, and from Annapolis all the way out to the foothills of the Blueridge Mountains).  I have many memories of Washington summers, hot, sticky, and powerful thunderstorms growing up.  Last night the air was still, but heavy with humidity.  The air had not cooled off all that much as of midnight so it felt really thick.  As i got ready to come in i could see the flashes of "heat lightning", even though the sky looked clear with the almost full moon in radiant display.  As i got into my car i could see the line of clouds that the lightning was flashing throughout.  While it didn't rain while i was on my way to and from work it was a magnificent display of the incredible power of summertime Thunderstorms.  I love thunderstorms.  I found myself missing being out in the wood line at night, sitting in a field chair, with my rain gear on of course, and just watching a storm come through.  Especially at night when the lightning flashes subtlety.

For whatever reason, it made me think of how man has learned to capture and use that power to some degree.  Some might claim we have mastered it, but i will not.  However, we can light up cities like Los Angeles or we can make pulses so fast and yet subtle (the power level equivilant of a barely noticable static shock) that we can use computers to display little characters and pictures on a screen from anywhere to anywhere ~ that has an internet connection ~ in the world.  And then we can turn these "virtual" images, into "hard copies" in print.  Amazing.

My Beloved and COWGIRL were coming through a thunderstorm from Johns Hopkins yesterday.  High winds, hail, all that.  She said that when they broke through the other side of the storm is was beautiful.  While i did not get the sense that this was a sign from God or anything, it is a beautiful real world representation of how our walk through this world is - even for those of us who do not face sever trials like cancer.  Our time here on Earth is but a poor reflection of what those who have their names in the Lamb's Book of Life will experience.  For whatever reason Tunnel by Third Day has been playing over and over in my mind today, so i thought i would share.

I hope everyone who comes by to visit the "dojo" has a restful, thoughtful, and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend.  God Bless.