Last Man Standing
The Final Season
Mike Baxter, the senior executive and director of marketing for OUTDOOR MAN, a outdoor sporting goods store in Denver, Colorado.
Mike Baxter is joined in this family comedy-drama by his wife and three daughters. Two of the daughters are married. The youngest is in the military.
The Baxter family are a family rooting in traditional American values while on-the-fringes they are involved in outside coalitions.
A FUN watch!
Written for Movie Critiques.
Me and Meatloaf
It’s just me and Meatloaf. He goes with me wherever I go. We’ve been roommates for the last three years. Meatloaf was a rescue cat. And ‘Yes’… I did crochet both of our scarves.
My mother’s go-to relaxation skill was crocheting. She and I would work on projects together while waiting for my father to get off stage. He was a stuntman for Universal Studios.
I am still very ‘crafty’ because of my mother’s influences. I suspect that I got into body -sculpting building because of my dad.
I have been to all fifty states in the United States and every U.S. territory. I have also traveled to 112 different countries.
I am employed by the U.S. Marines as a consultant. Much of my work is classified, so I will not be a huge fan of “Honey, how was your day?”
My job has many perks; one of them is the ability to travel- a lot! As a military consultant, my flights are hassle-free and Meatloaf and accompany me… no questions asked. (In case you were wondering.)
Five things I enjoy:
Yes, I know that is SIX. I am also a (modest) overachiever.
If I sound interesting, swipe me.
Written for Writer’s Digest Flash Fiction February Challenges: Challenge #18 Today’s prompt is to write someone’s online dating profile.
The Perfect PB&J Sandwich
Have you ever made a mess all over the front of your shirt while eating your delicious peanut butter and jelly sandwich?
Has the bread from your beloved sandwich ever been so soggy that the jelly gooed-out, getting all over your fingers and then you wiped them on your pants without a thought?
Let me explain to you how to fix these calamitous situations.
Step One
Collect your ingredients and place them on the counter.
Step Two
Spread peanut butter on one side of the bread. DO THIS TO BOTH SLICES!
As you compete the spreading of the peanut butter, place each slice, DRY SIDE DOWN, on the plate.
Be as generous as you desire with the peanut butter. It’s your sandwich.
FYI: With peanut butter on both slices, the jelly cannot seep through and soggy-up your bread!
Step Three
Select the slice of bread which you would like to bless with your jelly. Just do it. As you have competed the task of spreading your jelly, gently invert the slice and place it upon the twin brother (or sister) awaiting to complete your sandwich.
Step Four
Firmly grasping your knife (by the handle, please!) cut your sandwich into its desires shapes.
FYI: I prefer the crisscross method. (This gives me FOUR small sandwiches to eat.)
Step Five
If you have crisscross-cut your sandwich, like me, place the bottom triangle in first. Then its sides. Then the top.
Step Six
Zip it!
Step Seven
Once you have completed the skill work necessary for this new-and-improved, never-soggy, never messy peanut butter and jelly class, send me an signed affidavit stating your success, I will gladly send you a graduation certificate.
FYI: Don’t do Step Seven. There will not be a certificate awaiting you in the mail. Get real!
Written for Writer’s Digest Flash Fiction February Challenges: Challenge #17 Today’s prompt is to write a second-person how-to.
My Mom’s New Friend
“Any bites yet?”
“Nope.”
“Well, sunset is a great time for the fish to change their minds and come up to grab a tasty worm.”
He was trying so hard. My mom was so happy with him.
I was too, mostly. Except for days like this.
I wanted to tell him I had plenty of bits. The mosquitos were feasting on my legs.
I wanted to ask ‘If the fish are nibbling so great at sunset, why have we already been here five hours!’ But I wasn’t going to say a word.
Mom was happy. Happier than she had been for a long time.
I was happy… mostly… just not today.
So I kept my mouth shut.
Dragging his three-legged chair over, Jeff sat down. “Bring your line in. Let’s check the bait.”
Reluctantly, I did.
“Wow!” he exclaimed, “they’ve munched that old worm to bits. Let’s put on another.”
I reached in to lift out another night crawler. These things are so disgusting. I hope my squeamishness doesn’t show on my face. Bravely, I threaded its head- I guess that’s its head- and wrapped its body around my hook twice. Just like Jeff had shown me. Then I hooked its other end firmly in place.
I cast.
Pleased my bobber landed midway in the lake, I relaxed.
Jeff had done likewise as he was watching me… casting downwind so that our lines wouldn’t cross.
“You gotta dance your line a little. Make’em think that old bugger is alive.” As he showed me how to dance better I watched his bobber jump slightly out of the water and land. He did that several times. “Now, you give it a try.”
I tried.
“Almost,” he said. “Use more wrist action. Pretend you are a gunfighter in one of your X-box games and just give your rod a swift draw.”
I did.
“Great. Now a little slower, but be jerky with it,” he continued. “Prefec…..”
I screamed. “My bobber…. My bobber… It’s gone. Something’s got it!”
“Easy. … Easy.” Jeff had laid down his rod and was right by side. “Reel him in slowly. Keep the line tight.”
I tried. The bobber was busy going downstream.
“You’ve got a bigg’n.” he said. He sounded as excited as I felt. “Just keep the line tight and slowly wind him in.”
I was shaking all over.
Maybe the day wasn’t going to turn out so bad after all.
Written for Writer’s Digest Flash Fiction February Challenges: Challenge #16 Today’s prompt is to write about boring becoming something exciting.
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (My Two Favorite Characters)
What better way to end and begin a New Year than relaxing and enjoying a StarWars marathon.
This time, as I watched these classics, I began noticing the wide array of character personalities that George Lucas created for his acclaimed series.
I thought you might enjoy a few of my StarWar-deian academic endeavors…
My two favorite characters from Solo: A Star Wars Story are the Ewoks and the Jabba the Hutt.
Facts about the Ewoks You My (or May Not) Know
You have to love these fierce teddy bears!
FYI: Thanks you Wookieepedia for your assistance in honing my knowledge of the many beings from Star Wars.
Facts about Jabba the Hutt You My (or May Not) Know
FYI: Thanks you Wookieepedia for your assistance in honing my knowledge of the many beings from Star Wars.
Written for Movie Critiques.
The Edge
Catherine Coulter
FBI agent Ford “”Mac”” MacDouglas seeks to find out the truth about the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ surrounding the unexpected ‘attempted suidide’ of his sister, Jilly Barlett. Jilly seems to have purposefully drove her white Porsche off a cliff. MacDouglas find the possibility that his sister wanting to commit suicide impossible to believe.
He visits the small town where his sister and husband live and is suddenly caught in even stranger events. While hospitalized, immediately after awakening from a four-day coma, his sister runs away. There are hints that Jilly and her husband are drug-dealers. And then, a local town librarian is tied up knowing far too much about the mysteries.
A fun FBI Thriller read.
Written for The New York Times Best Sellers.
So, How Long Can You Hold Your Breath?
The three of them collapsed on the grassy incline.
Jenny smiled. “I told you, girls can do anything boys can do.” Her face was aglow as she was only beginning to gloat about her second place finish.
Aaron had known Jenny was fast. She was the headstriker on the girls’ soccer squad. He had been confident he could beat her in the mile, but he had warned Jeremy that maybe he should keep the time on this trash-talking event.
Jeremy had held tight to his pride. He refused to not compete.
Aaron had thought that he was the most competitive person ever, until he had been assigned as a roommate to Jeremy last year. The two of then were a dangerous match. They competed for grades in classes. They competed in sports. They competed in food-eating competitions. They held nothing sacred.
That was how they had met Jenny… on a dare.
Aaron had accepted a dare to get Jenny’s digits. Jeremy had given him three minutes to accomplish the digit-acquisition deed. At stake had been fifteen wind-sprints after the next basketball practice. The dare had been a public dare- in front of the entire basketball team; to not accept the challenge was unthinkable.
It had turned out to have been far easier than he could have hopes. He did not think that there was any real chance at succeeding in this digit-acquisition, so instead of trying to charm his way through the task, he was completely up front. He told Jenny of the challenge. And how competitive he was. And simply begged.
She found it hilarious. Surprisingly, she had four younger brothers who were always doing stupid things like this. She traded her digits for the right to watch Jeremy run the wind sprints.
Since then, the three of them had been inseparable.
Jeremy was still panting from his third place finish. “Alright,” he said. “A double-or-nothing challenge. I accept that you beat me in the race, but I bet I can hold my breath longer than you.”
“Jeremy…” I tried to intervene.
“No!” he said firmly. “This is no big deal. We had the same contest with three of the freshman in the hall last night. We’ll just have a new one tonight.” He paused smiling. There was an evil glimmer in his eyes. “That is… If you’re up to it.”
Thank God for Jenny’s four brothers. “Before I say ‘yes’,” she said, “Tell me all the rules.”
Written for Writer’s Digest Flash Fiction February Challenges: Challenge #15 Today’s prompt is to write someone who needs to take a deep breath.
ALL CREATION
Psalm 66:4
Translucent glories
As far as mere eye can see
Serene vibrancy
Beauty’s power transcendent
Calling me to honor Thee.
Written for FanStory Contest- A Tanka. Tanka is a five line Japanese poem. This type of poetry often follows a specific syllable count (5/7/5/7/7).
Hush Hush
Stuart Woods
Stone Barrington is at it again. An enemy from Barrington’s past (seemingly with connections to the Russian Mob) wants him dead.
Somehow, Barrington’s home in New York City has been infiltrated. His computer has been compromised. All his ‘data’ … even his encrypted communications with the President and the C.I.A.
A new agent, Rocky, is placed in Barrington’s company to keep him safe.
If you have enjoyed reading the adventures of Stone Barrington in previous books, this one is a winner.
Written for The New York Times Best Sellers.
SHARE YOUR WORLD 2-22-2021
Hosted by Melanie B Cee
Have you ever ‘butt dialed” someone? (‘butt dialed’ means have you ever made a phone call that you weren’t aware of making, because the buttons on the phone got pushed by your sitting on them (in your pocket) OR having something in your handbag press against them?)
I have a hard enough time dialing the correct number with my clumsy fingers….
If you were given 1000 acres of land, what would you do with it?
Call the Bonanza theme song conductor and have him compose a song just for me!
What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen on-line recently?
Sorry, I really don’t browse online for funny videos. I don’t even watch them if others sent them to me. I am such a scrooge when it comes to online humor.
Have you ever eaten something off the floor? ‘5 second’ rule applies or not (the ‘5 second rule’ is that if you pick up the dropped food within a set time frame, it’s still ‘clean’ and you can safely eat it)?
Are you kidding me… I sometimes have to race the dog for … … NO! I never have eaten food of the floor.
Written for SHARE YOUR WORLD 2-22-2021.
