To say I’ve had a fucked up summer seems a bit of an understatement.  If I were writing fiction, an editor would redline the sequence of events as over the top.  Here’s the rundown: 

Raven lost her job – well, walked out over some injustice and s… Read full post »

Dear Giant,

I saw a video today of a gay couple, two men, singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" to their daughter as they were trying to tuck her in.  The headline in the article was "Best Advertisement for Gay Marriage:  the Leffew Family."  Of course, it made me think of… Read full post »

Lyrics

Lyrics Read full post »

When I say we live in small town, I'm not kidding.  Let me relate a few "facts:"

1. There are 2.5 gas stations, and there are more churches than bars; there are 2 bars.

2.  There are 4 places you can sit down and eat -

     a.   Diner… Read full post »

"Owl, I never know what you're really thinking - you choose your words so carefully that don't feel like . . . I don't feel like I can trust what you say," Raven said.

I wasn't sure how to respond to that, which was just as well, since she continued.

"I… Read full post »

About a month ago, the Giant announced that he needed $10 to enter a 3-on-3 tournament with some of his friends from school.  Naturally, my ears perked up with this unexpected news; at 15, the Giant had never once expressed any interest in organized sports, and had only taken up weight/… Read full post »

“I need to talk to Catherine.”

I didn’t recognize the voice at first, but quickly realized that it must be Sandy, Catherine’s sister.  The catch in her voice meant something was going down.

“Sandy?  Give me a minute.  I think she/… Read full post »

"Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug."

This post is about nothing in particular, except that sometimes we OS'ers need to write.

I know I've been a little distant, lately, on OS.  I haven't been able to keep up with as much reading as I like to do, let alone… Read full post »

Dark clouds brooded above us as we waited for the bus, squeezing into the little porch of the Methodist church to avoid a strangely slashing wind punctuated with random spittle from the sky.  The walk had only been one block, but each gust smacked the hood of my raincoat with whatever/… Read full post »

If there is a deity, s/he has a sense of humor, irony, and poetry.  My brain nearly exploded yesterday, first because of the Iowa decision on gay marriage (I find myself cautiously optimistic), then because my buttons got pushed (you can read my post about that, if you want to). 

Late… Read full post »

I can’t write fluff today, because I’m brooding about recent events and a number of troubling comment threads. 

I can’t write serious today, because my thoughts are too jumbled.  I read, I comment, I smoke, I get some work done. 

I try to remember to ea… Read full post »

Dear Raven,

I know, this letter is belated - but what in our lives hasn't been a bit belated?  I wanted to do this in time for our actual anniversary - like, two weeks ago - but we had so much to do, and finally got around to spending some time… Read full post »

INSCRIBED WITH ALL FAITH AND AFFECTION
To all the little children: - The happy ones; and sad ones;
The sober and the silent ones; the boisterous and glad ones;
The good ones - Yes, the good ones, too; and all the lovely bad ones. 

~James Whitcomb Riley

“The ice-house and the bees!”

&ld… Read full post »

(photo from Palmyra Design)

Dear Dakini Dancer (for that is how I know you),

I write to you, at your passing, because I believe that you, now free, are reading each of these memorials, and feeling all of our love.  We are simply returning the favor, you know?  The sorrow… Read full post »

It’s not like I hadn’t had a few signs that I wasn’t one of the guys, hard as I tried to be.  If we played house, I wanted to be the dad (or the bad kid that needed to be spanked, but that’s probably another story).  I wanted grow up to/… Read full post »

If you're a fan of Mike Rowe, the guy on Dirty Jobs (Discovery Channel), and if you need a good laugh, AND if you've got a few minutes . . .

Mike Rowe started out on QVC.  Clearly, a little too smart for the job, though, as you'll see .… Read full post »

Homesick

(Rule) Sweet (Page).

There's no place like (Run).

(Plate) is where the heart is.

Keep the (work) fires burning.
 
Bring (the chickens come
(nothing to write
(drive the point) about)
to roost)
the bacon.

You can never go (until the cows come) again.

Be it ever so humble, there's… Read full post »

I had something else in mind to write about today.  

It is September 12, 2009.

Darcy Shaw on OS wrote "The ultimate astroturf project known as the 9/12 March on Washington will encompass all aspects of what's left of the Rep/… Read full post »

1. Who was your FIRST prom date?

Never did the prom thang.

2. Who was your FIRST love and do you still talk with him/her? 

Probably Stacy, though I wouldn't have admitted it at the time.  Last time I talked to her, it was extremely strained due to religious… Read full post »

And now for something completely different, in honor of the Pirate Wimmin's Revolution!

I'm not sure you can get absinthe in the US, although it's legal to possess.  A favorite of artists and writers, "the green fairy" has inspired creativity in some, and fear in others.  Per AbsintheO… Read full post »

Although not directly related to my last post, I think I've come across my million dollar business idea:

Rental Rubber Rooms.

I know, it sounds crazy, but that's exactly the point - let me explain:

How many times have you had one of those days, one of those weeks, one of… Read full post »

A few years ago, I had a dream in which I awoke on fire.  The fire was not fed by my flesh, but the burning was real.  I tried to stop, drop and roll - the flames continued.  I jumped into the shower, to no avail.  No one else was concerned… Read full post »

Since I was about 13 or 14, I have been taken with Nicaragua, the 2nd poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, dreaming often of visiting, and perhaps making a difference in that world, so different from ours in the US.  And it has been my privilege to visit twice - once/… Read full post »

So I'm sitting here, trying to get work done (the paid kind), and can't seem to get the train to leave the station.  I could blame it on the awesome OS writers and characters (which are admittedly a welcome distraction), but I'm a highly skilled time-waster and procrastinator of m/… Read full post »

You don’t think so?  Let’s talk.  We’re nice people.  We’re not out to hurt anyone.  We’re trying to live according to the principles we hold to be good and right.  I know it’s way too soon to say this, but the Torturers could have been you… Read full post »