*blows the dust off the cover*

Hmm... what is this...

Oh... My once favorite literary retreat.

Well... since I'm in here, I may as well update.

The status of me is still quite the same. Sometimes I'm good, sometimes I'm bad. As it should be. Still grinding at the bit, still fixing the errant souls I come across. Still enjoying the elixir of youth. You know, same ol' same ol'.

My path doesn't often lead me this direction... so if I don't see ya in a while...
Enjoy this life as if it were your only.
Miss you all :)

In your imagination you wish you could walk through that door.
To be the first to battle the dawning waves of sunlight.
I can hear the yearning as if it were my own.

How simple it has become for you to give no regard to sanity.
To throw yourself at the mercy of each and any onslaught.
All for the sake of leading the way.

Where do you refill your courage deep into the wastelands of your mind?
Who but in your imagination can follow such quickened steps?
Are you even moving in the right direction anymore?

The sapling has left the comforts of of it's mother before the bloom.
The only thing it knows is to forge upward blindly in hope.
It needs not an imagination to understand its rite.

In all things I caution against such stupid acts of brazen bravado.
If you so choose to put yourself at the whim of the elements,
Join me there to frolic in the dayburst.
Your imagination and I have already taken up wings.

Born into an animal shelter, a little orange kitten was looking for someone to love him.  He knew that if only he could get someone's attention he'd make sure he'd be the best companion ever.

The thing is...the little orange kitten couldn't speak.  He'd open his mouth to say something to the lovely people looking into his cage, but just couldn't get a sound out.

For me, coming home and finding a new animal taking residence with me was nothing new.  In fact, I half expected regularly.  Don't get me wrong, I welcome the new additions, but being more practical than my girlfriend forced me to remind her on a daily basis that we didn't need anymore pets. 

The day I came home to find a little mute orange kitten was mixed with absolute joy and a roll of the eyes.  Realizing that the kitten had no voice, we named him accordingly, Mute.

As the kitten grew into a cat, he fulfilled his promise to always love the people that took him home.  He'd rush to the door to great me, and would even jump into my open arms.

A year later, down at me feet I heard a small squeek.  I looked down to find Mute staring back at me and again opened his mouth to let out a small pittyful mew.  He's finally found his voice, and it's a tiny kitten mew.

We nicknamed him Mutt from then on concidering his massive size and tendency to drool when he purred.  He was always up to playing and climbing or just hanging out with you.

Mute passed away two nights ago.  He was a great cat and loved us with all his big heart.
Rest in peace Mute, daddy loves you very much.

I took a walk today. 
I didn't even know
Which direction to go
When I closed the door.

I sat and prayed. 
My heart like a window
Hoping broken spirits dwindle
In the light of the stars.

I said I was sorry
For falling and failing to be
The person I know and see
Deep inside locked from the world.

I know that if we could live
On nothing but air and love alone
To name the space between us home
We'd live a thousand happy lives.

I heard your voice in my dreams
Followed its whisper to your embrace
Lying perfectly still just in case
I wake and realize you're not there.

I blow you kisses
From what seems so far away
And say I love you everyday
To feel you in the shadows of my heart.


*x-post in withhumanvoices. (Autumn's One Liner Challenge- "Broken spirits dwindle in the light")

Winter
Lily whitened
Washes, erases, resets
Forestalling the coming spring
Unwarmed



x-posted in withhumanvoices. ("Autumn's Cinquain Challenge")
My attempt at a Cinquain... this is the original edit, the one that is closer to being right.   :D

An oil tanker has completely destroyed a major freeway in the area... 

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/nwzchik/detail?blogid=32&entry_id=16003
"A tanker truck carrying 8,600 gallons of gasoline overturned and burst into flames - within minutes, a ramp connecting eastbound I-80 to eastbound I-580 collapsed."

Thankfully there were no deaths, and the only injury was to the truck driver.  

This whole scene brings me flashbacks of the volunteer work we did when a nearby freeway collapsed during the 89 earthquake.  That time was horrific... I would have rather not had to remember that.

Our Governator made all forms of public transport free today... but nobody went to work today, which made the roads eerily empty.

...I was under the impression that these fuel tanks were better equipped to contain such a disaster... I guess I was deadly wrong.  

If I were a man of coincidences... I'd have an answer to why I was so preoccupied by fire last night....

Just a quick poke in before I go to bed.  Yes I'm still alive.  And no I haven't been posting invisible, I haven't been posting at all.  I'm well enough.  I let time slip away from me again, and didn't realize it.  I hope you've all been well and life has been kind.

I'll pop in every once in awhile to keep things on track,   catch ya later

:)

A local radio station had a contest to win a Nintendo which resulted in a woman dying.  
I remember hearing about the contest last week, and thought to myself... "now that's irresponsible, someone's going to get hurt".  Being cynical as I am, I also remember thinking "well why don't they just have a contest to see who can stand in fire the longest?".  The contest was humorously named "Hold your wee for a Wii".  The object would be to see who could drink the most water before they had to go.

I know it's dangerous, but only because of a story I heard a few years back about a college fraternity initiation gone bad, as well as a general interest in things that could possibly kill me.  Hyponatremia, or water intoxication, is not very well known.  It's a danger that most people would never associate to water.  It goes against what most people are trained to believe.  I know I've played with the limit a few times, unaware of course.  When I used to work out intensely, I spent a great deal of time at the water cooler between sets.  I'd get near black outs and dizzy, and sometimes headaches.  I was told at that time that my electrolyte levels were probably too low, so I should drink only sports drinks.  I tried it, and it seemed to be much better.  I never associated the "stupid" people that killed themselves by drinking too much water with what I was doing.  I didn't think I was drinking that much water.  Well, apparently, you could possibly kill yourself by drinking 3 litters of water in one sitting (which I've done on numerous accounts).  Even more likely if you are diminishing your sodium levels by sweating.  And even more likely if you're not letting your body release the excess water that will dilute your blood.

The part about this story that I find deplorable is, given the circumstance of the contest, this poor mother of three is being laughed at.  It's easy to point the finger at her being "stupid", or blame the station for being irresponsible, or come up with the obvious "Dying for a Wii" jokes, or even the fact that her name is Jennifer Strange.  The bottom line is that most people wouldn't know you could die from it.  There is no lack of "common sense" because it is not "common" knowledge.  The story here should be of a loving mother that unknowingly went too far to bring joy to her three children.  The sadness of these children growing up without their mother because they wanted a video game should not be replaced by immature outsider's laughter.  Anyone that has had a child that wanted something badly understands the pressure to make that child happy.  One can't be blamed for going too far when too far doesn't feel that far, especially when it comes to making the love of your life happy.  If she knew she was going to die, she wouldn't have done it.

My deepest sympathies go out to the family.  I pray these children grow up knowing their mother's love. 

The merriest of Christmas joy to all!

Rain encouraged fur pelted creatures from their warm hiding places. On most days, staying dry would be the most desirable endeavor next to finding a meal. Prey and predator lined the edge of the clearing this day in a remarkable alliance. Wanting a closer look emboldened a timid rabbit to inch away from the tall trees and bushes that hid her from the world. A loud roll of thunder, that would normally send woodland creatures back into hiding, pulled the ears off of the back of the rabbit and drew every creature to full standing height as their heads gazed upwards. The sound was coming from a fiery ball of fog and steam descending from the sky.

autumneyes

withhumanvoices

Happy Thanksgiving!  Thank you for being the friends that you have been.  I am truly thankful for having such wonderful people around!

:D

Submitted for withhumanvoices's Novemeber reward challenge, a fictional autobiogry short story:


The Life of Death

Forgetting those dreams has become as probable as forgetting the color of this endless night.  It’s been many decades since those blissfully ignorant times.  I still look back on those precious years so that I won’t forget who I am, or who I was, to say it better.  The first night I suffered the dreams I woke in a cold sweat, panting and grasping the sheets to assure myself that I was indeed dreaming.  It was so real, so terrible.  

Fairytale

Like falling into the sky.  The wind races up the side of the building, striking me like some great bird of legend.  Feeling the gust in my eyes as I strain to look out into the world, I feel as if I'm finally home.  My loose unbuttoned dress shirt flailing behind me, gives me the wings to imagine joining that bird in flight.  I still can't believe how many years have passed.  The amount of time between moments seems so much longer now.  The last time I was here, I had the bravado of youth.  I had the world in my hands, and my heart in a iron box.  Now, I leave a few precious inches between me and the edge.  No longer able to lie to myself and say it was only a fairytale.  The harsh reality brings caution to my steps, holds together the glass shards around my heart.

Is it that I've tried far too many times to fly?  Is that what keeps me back?  The memory of sailing unburdened and careless starts to fade.  I pull my shirt closer to myself, halting the dance of wind around me.  How easy it has become to make myself believe that I'm better off away from here.  To justify the risk of life's edges as unnecessary.  The spiral of wind rubs its feline soul against me.  Longing to be held.  Bidding me home.  Emboldened and reassured, all I need do is take the step.  

My eyes were closed.  My arms were spread to the sides.  My hair and clothes were violent.  The smile on my face was deep and internal.  Even wakefulness could not make me forget, I was free.  If for just a moment, I was home.

In The Steel Mirror


I may be worried
I may be lost in my mind
but I'm told in passing
from time to time
They say the angels
they have their charge over thee
But for some reason
I feel they don't mean me

So battle me with your education
fight me with your elevation
Form your ranks to tell me I'm wrong

Show me the heart in your chest
Find the switch that ends this rest
Burn down these walls that come along

How can you convince my soul
that the lions have already fed
the wolves and vultures
in my head
I hear your pleading
Not to give up on me
even when I make you bleed
I know not
what I do
I awaken upon the aftermath
on the awful things
I've done to you

So battle me with your education
Fight me with your elevation
Form your ranks to tell me I'm wrong

Flow into me the start of a kiss
Bind these claws that cause all this
Curse this canvas and its bliss
Teach me the words of that lovely song

Erase the ruby shadow from my lips
Paint the walls and the evidence
Fill this candle and replace the wick
Show me the way
And I'll come along





*Submitted for "Autumn's picture challenge" and x-posted to withhumanvoices.

It's been a busy week... and with all the regular sleep that's been coming my way, I'm now sleepy when I don't want to be!

I don't have much access to the www this week, then Holloween , I'll have to catch up in bits. 

Anybody getting into costume?  Whatcha goin' be? Where'ya goin'?

Was It You

How is it I recall you from youth?
Is it that the moon is the serum,
the elixir of truth?
Have we waded in the ocean,
Was it our love at Innisfail?
Or was it another land, or another trail?

Your fire is deep in its brilliance.
Your eyes,
The mirror of my preference.
Shall it be I
to sing you an ode?
Define the words already told?

Wasted chances like smoke in the sky.
Soon I will be bolder, direct,
and maybe more wise.
The suns play with the stars,
A game of hide and seek.
Days retire, with volumes still left to speak.


A poem for a challenge in withhumanvoices 

A few bumper stickies I found interesting, funny, or just plain geektastic :D

withhumanvoices