Tag: writing

Boy! What’s that Sh** on your lip, dirt?

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My first day in the military

Describe a risk you took that you do not regret.

I was excited and a little nervous; despite all the warnings, I decided to strike out independently and join the military. Talking about risk, I have never been one who would blindly follow anyone. I’d seen Officer and a Gentleman; I knew I couldn’t stand someone yelling in my face. However, I had to do something with my life. The Madre had busted her butt, getting ready for manhood. Hanging out on the couch wasn’t on the curriculum.

Hell yeah, I’m to get to ride on a plane. This is going to be cool, turned into what have I got myself into? In about 15 minutes. No one said anything about the hazards of flying.

“The time of your life!” they said

“Travel the world!” they said

HA! Let me be clear: if traveling the world meant getting back on one of these things, I was to become the epitome of a couch potato. Okay, maybe not a couch potato; I was willing to do anything that didn’t involve flying.

Fortunately, there was a very nice woman who took pity. She helped through what I considered to be pending death. She talked about her family and where she goes. Before long, I had forgotten my fears and laughed at her stories. I even told a few of my own. Then we started our final approach.

I survived the first flight, and they put me on a twin-engine plane. This was my introduction to turbulence.

“Lord, I’m sorry. (Sniff, sniff), Can you see your way to forgiving me?” I begged

Crickets

“If you can’t …take me now, Lord, just take me now!” I begged

This became my mantra for the remainder of the flight. Since I’m writing this, you can figure out things turned out fine.

After a bus trip, I finally arrived at the military base. Now, I’m definitely nervous. The largest man I had seen in my life was standing under a dim light staring at me. I’m standing there holding everything I own in the world, regretting everything at that moment.

“Boy, what’s that shit on your lip, dirt?” He asked,

Well, that’s now me taking a huge risk that changed my life for the better. I have no regrets…

~thank you for reading~

Things that Happen in the Shadows

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The Shadow Journal

March 8, 2023

Truth or Happiness? Never both …

The first time I heard this phrase, I thought it fell into the hukum jazz people say. Yeah, but something about it grabbed hold of me. So, I sat down and let it speak. I felt ready with a pack of Luckies and a cup of java. I added a notebook and pen, just in case. Because you never know what will happen when you sift through fragments of random memories.

Taught to carefully example each fragment; I’m a dutiful student. I came up with the following:

The truth; the world is full of lies we are willing to accept.

Society acts as if we are okay when poverty is an addiction, and there’s rehab on every corner. Right next to the package store and across the street from the church.

On the bench at the bus stop was a man with a two-tone beard singing a melody of the Pretenders, Tom Petty, and ELO with a Gregory Issac flavor. A member of “the gap,” those who make too much money for benefits and not enough to live, stares straight into the madness of their existence.

Perhaps, Denial and Distraction are Huey Lewis’s new drug. Take a hearty dose of Denial, a familiar favorite, while waiting in line for the latest and greatest in distraction served happily in this free tablet.

~thank you for reading~

The thing that was supposed to be easy, but it’s not!

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Describe a decision you made in the past that helped you learn or grow.

A few months back, I was talked into something; if I had thought about I would have never done it. However, my lady has a way of getting me to do whatever. She simply shows me her elbows, and I’m putty.

She wanted me to increase my online presence. “It will be easy,” “Tweet a couple of things – make a couple of posts,” she said. Like I ordered a pizza with pineapples on one side or a cheeseburger with extra cheese. Though I was filled with skepticism, I relented. This time she gave me that enchanting gaze she used to get to kill a spider when we first met. Still putty. So I upped my Twitter game, regaining the followers I lost. I know this process is ridiculously simple, but it was only the beginning.

At the end of February, I breathed life into my blog and shifted things around on other sites. I discovered I needed to learn about marketing, SEO, trends, and all other things I didn’t believe mattered when working on a blog. As I researched blogging, most of the articles weren’t about writing. I found this to be odd, especially since some research was provided by writers.

This week marks just over sixty days of consistent blogging. I learned so much in the last 48 hours, not to mention the last 60 days. I can’t wait to see what adventures are in store. I’m having a wonderful time writing and growing as a writer and content creator. Man, it is hard work, yet very rewarding.

This has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Thank you, everyone, for reading!

Thanks, babe, for the nudge.

Images courtesy of Leroy Skalstad, Gerd Altmann. and webvilla from Pixabay . Collage by Mangus Khan

Sounding my poetic yelp!

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How do you use social media?

Lost within the traps of my mind
Crazy, because I placed them
to protect me from the madness

running from trap to trap
like, I’m hooked on pain
my screams melodic

Every line I write
another attempt to release
the pain coursing through me

SO…

I write the blues
because I lived them
facing the everlasting memories

Don’t think less of me
if all I can do is sit here and cry
without you, who am I supposed to me

My words come from my soul
of all the things I do wrong
this is the only thing you can’t deny

Do you remember me,
like I remember you?

The night you came to me
back when we were just friends
back when all we were was an unspoken desire

By the state of you
I had no idea where you had been
I had no idea what you needed

You leaned into me and started to cry
My love could comfort you
all you had to do was let me try

in Frustration

I silently scream

Now, I sound my poetic yelp!

~thank you for reading~

Polite

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POETRY

I’ve become painfully aware
of something

All this time
I thought
I knew
I believed

I was hilarious

NOPE
I’m not

People were laughing
by God

All this time
People laughing
Were just being

Polite

the bucket list

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What place in the world do you never want to visit? Why?

To me, this is a loaded question. Like there is just one place on this Earth, you would like to avoid. As if you randomly hear of a place and automatically decide never to travel there ever. Since I have traveled a great deal in my life, the question could be, where in the world you never want to visit again.

However, since that isn’t the question, I suppose I should act right and answer the question straight. HA! Anyone, who knows me, knows as an absolute certainty, except on the rarest occasions, I will not answer a writing prompt straight. Today is no exception.

So, here we are without any further preamble. I humbly present …

~the bucket list~

Places with strange names:

  • Topeka, Kansas – I don’t have a solid reason for this one other than I don’t like how they feel when I form them in my mouth. I’m saying aloud over and over right now. Just to make sure it wasn’t a strange occurrence that happens. Yep, I’m certain; still not happening.
  • Bone Gap Illinois – I’m unsure if this place still exists. It might have changed its name. As a child, we read the phone book. You read it right, “reading the phone book” presented hours of fun making fun of the strange names of people, companies, and towns. Who names their town that?
  • Jim Falls, Wisconsin – I stay away from this town simply because when I think of “Jim Falls,” “Where ?” Immediately pops into my mind. Then, ENTER the RABBIT HOLE. Then a seemingly endless list of questions forms in my head. “How is he?”, “What happened?”, “Has anyone fall-proofed his house?”Must I continue, or do you get the point?
  • Slidell, Louisiana – I knew a woman from there once. Yeaaahhh…NO!

Places that may have Cannibalism in their history:

Normally, this would be a thing, but I was planning a vacation with my lady, and she had a list of disqualifiers. Cannibalism was on the list. I can’t say this request is completely unreasonable. I’m a big guy. I have concerns. With a little googling, these names stuck out to me.

  • Cambodia
  • Liberia
  • Congo

Places with a large monkey population:

While you are shaking your head at my response. You know you heard of Planet of the Apes, both versions; don’t play with me. Monkeys like to throw things at people. I’ve been a person who enjoyed things being thrown at them. I know me; I don’t do animal cruelty. So, it’s just best I stay away. These places stood out.

  • Costa Rica
  • Brazil
  • Thailand

There you have it, my Top 3 of my bucket list of places not to go to ever.

There’s a Reason

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POETRY – INTROSPECTIVE

Every drop of a tear
There’s a reason
Whether you accept it
or understand it

Doesn’t Matter!

There’s a reason

Here’s the rub
The one who from
The tear falls

May not
Know or understand
Why?

But there’s a reason.

lifestyle

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POETRY – HUMOR

I put a whole lot of effort into
releasing the pain in my heart.
It was supposed to

Sooothe

me

I need to curb my addiction
Google is not a lifestyle

Disappointment

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POETRY – DAY 14 – NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

I know I turned out
to be a disappointment
I never intended to be

It’s a long list …

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What book could you read over and over again?

Several books fall into this category. For me, the requirements to reread a book are simple, but they seem to evolve each time I read it. It’s almost like the book in question casts a spell on me, or a post-hypnotic suggestion is cleverly placed within the crevasses of my mind. Whereby I become the book’s slave, hopelessly doing its bidding. Despite the throws of my addiction, I’ve narrowed the list to only a few, but I’ll try to speak about one. Please be mindful that I did say try in case I fail at this endeavor.

So, the book I can and have read on multiple occasions is “The Green Mile” by Stephen King. This book isn’t the only book I have read multiple times and would read again without provocation, but it isn’t my favorite in this category. However, I have several reasons why I reread this book, but I will only list the main ones.

What draws me to The Green Mile is the idea this could actually happen. To me, King outdid himself in telling this story. Its structure and style is some of his best work. The themes tackled in this novel moved me. Some are subtle, while others slap you in the face. Lastly, I think this novel is just damn good. If I said I read this novel five times, it would be low.

Who Won?

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POETRY – DAY 9 NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

I wake up sweaty and sour
Out of breath, like I’ve been fighting
in my sleep

I have…
with myself

I wonder who won?

Relevant

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POETRY – DAY 6 NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

I only ever wanted to be one thing.
Just one.

I never wanted to be rich
I never wanted to be famous

None of the standards to define us.
None of that really mattered to me

I only wanted one thing
Just one

to be
Relevant

Thank you for reading

Mango – Papaya

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POETRY – COMFORT & GRACE

I shudder from the warmth of my soul’s smile
The image of your beauty, permanently etched upon my mantle, 
The collision of your beauty (Inner & outer) emits a glow 
A glow with the radiance that will melt a Himalayan snow 

A sight:

never forgotten …

truly majestic…

I sigh from the comfort and security of your embrace 
A cleansing exhale with the contentment of knowing that I’m home 

In this moment, I know what it is like to be held 
In this moment, I know what it is like to be loved 

My soul screams these words 
Yet, my lips remain still 
Nay tremor, nor whisper 

I remain in the comfort of the way things are 
Instead of braving what could be 
I remain comfortable in the warmth of my fear.

Taken for Granted

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POETRY – LIFE LESSONS

There wasn’t a sound,
but the silence echoed.

I didn’t want believe it
how could she?

But the walls were bare
and halls empty

My regret not worth a dime
aloofness my crime
didn’t mean for this rhyme

it just kinda happened

Just kinda happened …

me

Taking her for granted.

Thank you for reading!

Musings — Dirty Sci-Fi Buddha

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I’ve concluded that arguing with negativity-oriented people–those who use creativity and rationale to consistently redirect focus back onto negativity–is a waste of time. Nothing you say or do will be good enough; the best you can do is temporarily quiet them with tangible results. Even then, they’ll eventually find a way to rationalize your efforts […]

Musings — Dirty Sci-Fi Buddha

Twilight, just before the dawn

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The leather of my gloves crinkles 
as I tighten the reins 
My steeds trot becomes a gallop
We begin traveling through time …

through space …

arriving at a place unfamiliar 
Yet, it felt so safe …

Shimmering through the shadows
I’m drawn to a presence…
My heart begins to pound as I see you laying there
behind a veil of lace ….

Resting so peaceful… so full of grace …
I remove my cloak and armor 
I sit down in a chair beside the bed
Closing my eyes, drifting into your dreams 

There we make beautiful, passionate love 
in the twilight, just before dawn …