tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-103580032024-03-23T11:18:01.808-07:00Gentleman WarthogGregory Worthington Hogg, The Gentleman Warthog, lives in the greater Bay Area (is there a lesser?), California. Widowed in 2018 and trying to figure out what 'Plan B' is.
And be aware that all of the events and people written about are real; however, the author is the product of an overactive imagination.
And perhaps, despite trying to be a Gentleman, I am just a warthog, underneath.GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.comBlogger364125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-14875662788093058402023-05-01T20:14:00.001-07:002023-05-01T20:14:28.250-07:00Poe’s portrait<p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal">A while ago, Kitten and I were at her parents’ house for
dinner and the subject of their Edgar Allan Poe portrait came up. The story
goes that back in 1929, Kitten’s grandfather saw it in pawn shop near the
camera store her worked at, in Baltimore. Grandfather liked the portrait so
much that he saved his money and eventually bought it. It has been in the
family ever since. It’s a little crackled, but I guess that happens.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Anyway, we decided to do some sleuthing on the web, but found
very little info. It seems that Poe did not pose for very many portraits, so
this is probably someone’s painting of Poe, based on some other portrait.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Nice little story for a portrait that’s about a hundred
years old.</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZVyaUhlbGSy3ahguZGEAdeG4XB6wdl3hBj9uuVGWU5IulNsGSyDTk1kf2WXw09RYDKVtSPKR416UbSoMvP9Xdq8kJgnPQp34AKQHkKX2Kk6j7TQGBJsHAnhkOp4Hu2wAroevHf2vu0XS2OrGkSIjhmmBLeekIbuv5eWiTmLpRAy1uJM3RLs/s1773/Edgar%20a%20poe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1773" data-original-width="1474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZVyaUhlbGSy3ahguZGEAdeG4XB6wdl3hBj9uuVGWU5IulNsGSyDTk1kf2WXw09RYDKVtSPKR416UbSoMvP9Xdq8kJgnPQp34AKQHkKX2Kk6j7TQGBJsHAnhkOp4Hu2wAroevHf2vu0XS2OrGkSIjhmmBLeekIbuv5eWiTmLpRAy1uJM3RLs/s320/Edgar%20a%20poe.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p></p>GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-52530254705620626322020-12-17T20:21:00.002-08:002020-12-17T20:21:52.048-08:00Baeshmunti - A Celebration of the Meregits peoples<p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Baeshmunti
Celebration of the Meregits peoples</p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">By G.W.H. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">There is a fertile valley in the
foothills of the Mere mountains, deep in the heart of the continent. It is
inhabited by the people known as the Meregits. Although their country has
changed names over the centuries, as borders shift, the people still call
themselves the Meregits.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">At the end of the year, in line
with the winter solstice, they have a very special new year’s celebration
called ‘Baeshmunti’. In the late afternoon, each family gathers for a special
feast. If there are people without family, a family will adopt them for the
celebration. It is considered quite an honor for a family to adopt a single
person for their celebration; as this shows their ability to welcome strangers.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">The feast is an elaborate affair
featuring a variety of special dishes. Besides several types of roasted root
vegetables, there is roasted young goat stuffed with fragrant herbs, small
river fish are sautéed in the berries of the Jarlow bush, made into a paste,
and served on unleavened bread made from the grains of an ancient breed of
wheat. A simple salad made from the wide, soft leaves of the Jarlow bush, wild
onions and a vinegar made from fermented grain. For dessert, they serve sour
fruit of the Fullallet tree, slathered with wild honey. All of these dishes are
served in large platters made from river turtle shells.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">At the end of the feast, and after
everything is cleaned up, the families lie on their sleeping mats and reminisce
about the past year and await sundown.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">At sundown, everyone strips naked
and takes up a ceremonial torch made from rushes soaked in animal fat. With lit
torches, they leave their houses and join the rest of the villagers as they
sing ancient songs. The songs tell of the people’s history, with new verses
added every year.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">The oldest and wisest woman of the
village leads the walk to the sacred mudflats along the river. If she is too
frail to walk, several young men are there to carry her, for it is a great
honor to do so. No one is left behind, from the oldest man, to the youngest
child.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">Once they reach the river, they
discard the burning rushes into small piles. These small piles light up the
riverbank in a soft light. Then, the people cover each other in the soft mud of
the riverbank. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">This is the part of the river
where the turtles come in the spring to mate and lay their eggs. The river
turtles, which grow as big a dinner plates, are protected in the springtime, as
the villagers know that overharvesting of the eggs and turtles can lead to dire
shortages in years to come.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">The mud signifies the troubles and
tribulations that all suffered during the year. It’s not just one’s own
troubles, but by putting mud on a friend or family member, one shares their
troubles with that person. They in turn, share their troubles with you.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">When everyone is sufficiently
covered, special fragment candles made of beeswax are lit. With the soft light
of the candles, the villagers parade back to the village square. Here, they
march around singing the songs of the new year. Songs full of the joys of the
past year, the troubles that they have surmounted and the hopes of an even
better year ahead.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">As the candles burn low, they all
march back to the river and wash themselves clean with special fragrant soaps.
This signifies the washing away of their troubles and transgressions from the
fading year. While still wet, they anoint themselves with the fragrant oil
extracted from the flowers and seeds of the Mar Mar tree.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">Clean and smelling sweetly, they
disperse back to their homes and sleeping mats for a well deserved sleep.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">In the morning, to welcome the new
year, they don new clothes, gather in a circle and exchange handmade gifts. A
special breakfast is served, made from fresh fruits and vegetables. This is to
signify the newness of the coming year. They also dine on a hot porridge made
from ancient grains, dried fruits, fragrant twigs, and crunchy, small animal
bones. This is to signify that all their lives are based on what has come
before and that their life is always built on the past.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-17989040823270794382020-12-16T19:12:00.000-08:002020-12-16T19:12:18.221-08:00Just a Touch<p> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</p><p class="MsoNormal">Touching things<br />
<br />
Sometimes, we have to write things down so that years later we can remind
ourselves of what happened. <br />
Back before the turn of the century, (Still love saying that just to confuse
people.) in ’98, I thought of a story about a guy, Reggie, who could touch
people. It ended up being a good story, if a little dark. ‘Just a Touch pt1’.<br />
When my friend, the lovely Miss T, read it; she said, ‘GW, how come you never
write a story about us?’ So I wrote the second story with her and Miss S. She
liked it, even though it did not portray her in a good light. ‘JT#2’<br />
In ’00 I thought of additional info on Reggie and got halfway through writing
JT#3 when I realized that it was crap and the facts were wrong; so I abandoned
it. (But wisely, did not throw it away.) Seventeen years later, ’15, I thought
of more details to explain my character Jamie Skinner. And to do it, I had to
add Billy McGregor. JT#4 aka Wicked Pissah. Now mind you, these are all little
five to seven page stories and they pretty well stand alone, mostly. <br />
So last summer, ‘18’, I reread the stories and realized I had to explain Billy!
Cake, I thought. Everything began to fill my head and get written down. It
flowed, unstoppable! It was one of those times where my muse parks her cute
little butt on my shoulder and begins whispering and giggling in my ear. I
wrote ten to fifteen pages in a few days, and then all the stories swirled in
my head and began to coalesce into one big story, all in the same universe. I
had to stop and do rewrites. Names, dates, ages, places, east coast, west
coast, foreshadowing, who was related to whom. And she was still whispering and
giggling in my ear! Then go back to Billy’s story and stopped when it got to
twenty four pages, and I wasn’t done!<br />
But I could stop it and fill in the middle, or not. By December, the whole
group meshed together nicely and I gave everything to older brother to review.<br />
And it dawned on me how I could take unfinished JT#3, remove the crap, and turn
it into Sally’s story and tie up some loose ends!<br />
And now I have five chapters and six will be Jamie’s story. Yeah, I seriously
need to tell her story! <br />
So, I was explaining chapter six to my brother and his daughter by saying ‘It
starts like this.’, and rattled off a paragraph off the top of my head. ‘No!’,
he said. That’s the prologue, just like you said it! Write that down and the
whole series starts with that paragraph. Then write chapter six. ’ My niece
agreed. So here is how the whole series starts. Can I now go back and tell
Jamie’s story? I’ve got to do her right. You do not want to face those
blue-gray eyes when she is angry! <br />
JUST A TOUCH<br />
Prologue<br />
By Greg W. Hogg<br />
©1-19-19<br />
<br />
Jamie Skinner sat at her favorite table in the back corner of an old mom and
pop coffee shop, just off Sixth Street in Berkeley. One reason she liked it was
because it was quiet and no one bothered you. The main reason was that it was
the only place in Berkeley that served a good cup of tea, she despised that
nasty brown stuff that most people drank.<br />
On her table, which sloped a little to her right, were some personal documents
to review. She set her pen down next to her tea, not bothering with the cap,
and picked up the thick mug of Keemun tea. She preferred this tea when she had
to think.<br />
As she closed her eyes and took a sip, enjoying the smoky aroma and the taste
of the tea, the pen, no longer held in place by the mug, began to roll.<br />
It picked up speed as it rolled and was almost to the end of the table when it
suddenly stopped. Jamie casually reached down with her right hand and picked up
the pen. As she put down the tea, the cap floated over to the pen and onto the
tip. She reached over with her left hand, and pushed the cap on. <br />
The sound of chairs scraping on the wooden floor caused her to open her eyes. A
couple had pulled up chairs and were sitting down at her table!<br />
“Mind if we join you?” The man asked as he sat. He was good looking, with a
nice, easy smile.<br />
“Please let us.” The woman said as she also sat down. She had a sweet smile and
Jamie immediately felt at ease.<br />
The man moved his right hand above her pen and the pen floated up into his
hand. He grasped it, turned the cap towards her, and part of the cap seemed to
get sliced off by nothing.<br />
“You should be more careful.” Reggie said, a look of concern on his face. “It’s
not safe to display what you can do, in public.”</p>
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-4369731315105376012019-02-19T20:02:00.004-08:002020-12-16T18:48:47.189-08:00And so the chapter ends<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Wonder-Girl and I first met Pip in June of 2003. I was sent
to Cebu City, in the Philippines, to help train our new call center personal. I
was to be there for two weeks and invited my sweetheart to come along. WG had
never been there, so she was game. (I would be neglectful if I did not mention
that my co-worker, the Daughter-Twin would also be there, from Boston.)</div>
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I found Pip to be a smart, personable young lady, with a
good sense of humor. (That she was quite attractive was just icing on the
cake.)</div>
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On our weekend there, Pip took us all to a resort for one
day, site seeing and shopping on the next day. We became friends.</div>
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And stayed friends through phone calls and emails. When Pip
left the company, we stayed in touch. </div>
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In 2008, on my last trip to the Philippines, I was able to
spend one night in Manila and Pip was nice enough <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to take me site seeing before my evening
flight home. Needless to say, I felt I was in her debt for her hospitality.</div>
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Fast forward to now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Several months ago, Pip mentioned that she would be in Los
Angeles for a week and we messaged back and forth about getting together for
dinner. When she realized how far from LA I lived, she said she would look into
flying into the Bay Area. I was too excited about the prospect of seeing my
friend and spending time with her. Like a said, she is smart and so much fun to
hang out with. She also seemed very excited with the prospect of hanging out
with her friend.</div>
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Seriously wanting to return her hospitality, when she
mentioned looking for an Airbnb to stay at, I offered my guest room and bath to
her. She would have done the same for me. I gave her that option and also
mentioned that if her company would not cover her flight down to LA, I have
lots of airline miles and I could cover her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And from the next day on, she never responded to me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No communication. Nothing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I see today that she is in Los Angeles.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Perhaps I was just too eager to see her? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Maybe she thought I was hoping for something more between us
that being friends? Oh sure, she is a very attractive woman and sure, I could
hope for something else; just like people in hell can hope for ice water. But come
on! This is the Warty we are talking about. Never has Pip ever said anything
about whether she thought I was attractive, never, ever. So why would expect
any change? That would never happen.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Four years ago, after I facilitate shipping her some attack
wing figures, she said. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I shall totally owe you big time! We shall be friends in
this life and the next!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3-31-2014</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nice sentiment, but I would have just been happy to remain
friends in this life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-43532816367484746702019-02-15T14:07:00.002-08:002022-12-01T20:00:36.936-08:00Cousin Becca and foreshadowingCurious to see what events transpire over the next year.<br />
<br />
My sometimes cousin Becca blew into town last weekend. Usually I’m warned by the Chemtrails that her broom leaves across the sky, but not this time. I got a text message from her to meet at our usual coffee shop. She looked pretty good, not too worse for wear. It's been five or so years, since I've seen her. I'm not sure what she's been doing, where she's been, or if she could even tell me; but that's the way Becca is.<br />
So after we got our coffee, she’s now drinking hers black, without all that extra crap she used to put in there, she led me to a table in the back. She still sparkled and was very upbeat. <br />
“So Uncle.” She said. “It looks as if your stocking didn't work.”<br />
“I don't stalk anyone! Well, outside of Qwirky Girl in L.A., but I just pretend because she likes the attention.<br />
“I didn't mean stalk, but stock, there's a difference.” <br />
“I don't stock people.” <br />
“I think we covered this years ago. Anyway, you did and it hasn't done you any good, has it?.”<br />
I sighed. “No it hasn't done me any good. Some I had carefully stocked away have slowly vanished, leaving only some marginal beauties.”<br />
“It's just like in your ‘Slice’ story uncle. And remember how Skinner never remembered meeting you?” She said with a bit of a sad look in her eyes. “Why did you expect it to be any different now that you're available?”<br />
“Well, one can always hope.”<br />
“Hope springs eternal and all that folderol!” She said. “But you know as well as I, that things aren't going to change. You’re the same person you were in the beginning, you're the same person now. They all look at you the same way. It was real nice when you were married. Widowed, the game changes. And except for the ones you don’t want to come a calling, they're going to slowly start to vanish because you know why Uncle Greg. You’re going to have to step off your front porch and search.”<br />“I was worried.” I said. “If you came back into town, what would happen between us.”<br />“Uncle, didn't you know that when you sent mom a copy of your story ‘A Darkness of Auntie’, that I would find it and read the story too? Come on! That’s what I do for a living! But I can understand how you got the wrong idea! At least mom finally told you the true story, how she was already pregnant with me at the time.”<br />“When did she tell you who your biological father is?”<br />“Oh, not long after her diagnoses. Dad had always been my dad, and always will be. But mom knew I needed to know all of the details. I was old enough by then.” She reached out and laid her hand on my arm. “It’s okay. Mom’s not your aunt, more like a ‘kissing aunt, if there is such a thing. Maybe I just wanted to be more than just a kissing cousin to you. <br />“I wondered, especially after I helped you dispose of that body. When you kissed me, but I was able to fend you off.”<br />“I wouldn't have done anything more because you were married. But I’ve always wanted to kiss you, ever since I was a teenager. And I knew we had to do something so the officer wouldn’t be suspicious about what we were doing on the road to Kirby Cove after midnight. And I knew I could get away with it.” She grinned mischievously. One can never trust my Becca. “It was really nice then, Uncle Greg; but now I know we wouldn’t work. We are vastly different.”<br />“Yes.” I answered, and smiled at her. It was nice that she had grown up and understood that long term relationships were based on more than just physical attractiveness.<br />“Soon you’ll step off your front porch. But you've got to be careful at the home office! You know whom I'm referring to. You could make a mistake, and it would be a lulu!”<br />“Yes I know who you're referring to. I just didn't know you knew about her.” <br />She smiled. “Well, I have my sources. You should be careful. You no longer have the ring to protect you.”<br />‘No I don't.’ I sadly thought to myself.<br />“It could be a big mistake!” Becca continued. <br />“Yes, and it might be a fun mistake, for a while.” <br />“Yes.” Becca answered. “She will probably try to get something started even though you're 3000 miles apart and you're rather long in the tooth.”<br />“Thanks for reminding me. You little witch!”<br />She smiled. “And yes it could be fun for you, Uncle. Something to pass the time, maybe a ‘meantime girl’, while you're at the home office? Because I think you're going to be there a number of times this year.<br />“Yes, a bunch of times.” I answered.<br />“But eventually it's going to go south, turn into a big mistake”.<br />“But it might be fun making a mistake. I’ve never made one.” I answered. <br />“Yes.” Becca sighed. “Unlike me, you've had an excellent record and you might think to yourself that you could at least have one mistake, but this one might be really big. The mistake could end two different ways. One, it could end abruptly and terribly, with a broken heart, or two. The other way it could be a mistake if it doesn't end and you end up years down the road realizing the mistake you have made.”<br />“This is interesting cousin Becca. Relationship advice coming from you.”<br />She sighed. “Yes, but I am good at it. I've left a trail of mistakes round the world.” <br />“Yes, that you have.”<br />“And speaking of cleaning up mistakes. When are you going to write our story, the story of the body?”<br />“You’re story. I just helped with the cleanup. You know, ‘Real friends help you move bodies’.”<br />She smiled wickedly. “And family helps you bury them.’ That makes us family!”<br />“I suppose I could write that at any time now.” I said. “I can obfuscate the information so no one could actually tell what the circumstances were.”<br />“Cool. Just call me if you need help with the details.”<br />“You know, if the cops ever find the body, I’ll have to marry you just so they can’t force us to testify against each other.”<br />“I know.” She said and she smiled wickedly.<br />That wicked smile still haunts me.<br /><br /><br />
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-36155423440421972332019-02-12T15:26:00.003-08:002020-12-16T19:07:54.571-08:00Her Red Crown<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">A good friend of mine, D, whom I have known, like, forever; was digging through his mental past, trying to remember details about someone who was once dear to him. Since my friend does not know the ways of the internet very well, and was getting nowhere with searching, I told him that I would bait a hook and drop it into the ether and see what we catch. (Yes, I know what you're going to say, perhaps you should use an ether-net? Alas, that would net too many false positives.)</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">All he could tell me was that<span> </span></span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">her name was Patty Brown</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">(Patricia)?</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Born about 1960</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Lived in Reno</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Worked at the Continental Lodge.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Had red hair, dimples and was super cute.</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;" /><div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKdWELz9e1WCCJ-rJazq8oFWeV9A5MxzncKtyZfGXxruKFChWHqwDdgPlN1NEOJJSsXI-i7AJ_FH1mLZ8diNJJKLzieeisRqKJXScuwtQ3U_TjEaVcEaQ0cT2dlKtJFHhdBsEZA/s1600/Patty+Brown.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="726" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKdWELz9e1WCCJ-rJazq8oFWeV9A5MxzncKtyZfGXxruKFChWHqwDdgPlN1NEOJJSsXI-i7AJ_FH1mLZ8diNJJKLzieeisRqKJXScuwtQ3U_TjEaVcEaQ0cT2dlKtJFHhdBsEZA/s320/Patty+Brown.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="312" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">11-2018 Update</div><div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; clear: both; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">We believe she went to Earl Wooster High, Class of 1977</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">In about 1978, she was dating a tall handsome brown haired guy. We think he was the guy with the Honda motorcycle.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">She worked at Sears for some time.<br />Her room mate was Lee Ann?</div>GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-60404423236210682652019-01-08T13:31:00.002-08:002019-02-12T15:36:09.462-08:00Fifty-Five word storyYeah, never gonna publish this one.
<br />
Just as the sun came up, she awoke. She snuggled closer and gave me a soft kiss.
"Don't tell your mom about us."<br />
I smiled and gently kissed her on her lips. "Don't tell your dad about us."<br />
She giggled and gave me squeeze.<br />
"What's so funny?" I asked<br />
"It's their bed."GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-70281246207149845662018-12-03T12:42:00.002-08:002019-02-15T14:52:21.096-08:00Pretty, or Prettier?Written 6-29-13<br />
<br />
My buddy back east works with two young women, whom I will call Pretty and Prettier. And it’s amusing comparing the two of them. From just the physical characteristics, one has a slightly prettier face and a more attractive body. When I first met the two, I noticed something about Prettier. She seemed less approachable, as if my Spidey-sense was telling me steer clear of her. In talking to her, there was an attitude that I found unattractive. Perhaps it was a little bit of arrogance in her demeanor, perhaps it was the way she talked about her boyfriend. Perhaps it was how she interacted with her co-workers that put me off.<br />
Regardless, Pretty was the nicer one and as I have gotten to know her through our conversations, I have found that she is a smart, personable young lady, one that I count as a work friend.<br />
So for me, Pretty has become, Prettiest.<br />
<br />
And here is the amusing part; my buddy told me that his wife, who has met both, is jealous of Prettier. I found this very amusing, for my buddy can’t stand Prettier and likes Pretty. Doubly amusing because his wife’s jealousy (like many people) is based only on looks.<br />
<br />
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-74396466039079309112018-11-30T14:55:00.003-08:002019-02-15T14:53:33.539-08:00October DreamOctober dream.<br />
11-1-1999<br />
<br />
(For Carol Skeggs)<br />
<br />
I saw her last night, again. She was different then who she is, but dreams are that way. Yes, she looked better then she probably looks in real life, doesn’t everyone look better in dreams? She was with the other one, and that was nice too. <br />
It was one of those dreams where people were the same, but the building we were in kept changing, as did the city. First we were in Boston, then someplace on the west coast that I knew, but not home. I knew who she was when I was standing in line, even if I didn’t recognize her. At some point she turned to me and said hi and we introduced ourselves. <br />
I won’t go into all of the details, because dreams are so hard to explain, but it was a good dream. It was especially nice to meet someone who I have always liked. Through emails and phone calls across the Atlantic, we always kept in touch. Business, but always some personal words between us.<br />
Ten years ago, after the earthquake, she asked if I was okay. After the riots in LA and SF, she asked if I was okay. When you are thousands of miles away, with an ocean between you, you don’t know how someone is affected. You just know that something happened in their area of the world.<br />
She was a sweetheart, that’s the impression that I always got. It’s not that other people in world that I talk to are not, it is just that she was always nice in her emails and phone calls.<br />
So, at the end of the dream, when she gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, it made me feel good. Good that I had finally met this person that I always liked. <br />
She no longer works for the company, I’ll never get to England; so it makes me feel good to have finally met her, if only in my dreams.<br />
<br />
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-48878166564977580522018-11-26T15:37:00.004-08:002023-05-06T12:28:38.893-07:00SPOOKY/SCARY3-26-99<br />
<br />
Spooky is<br />
When I came home from work, some weeks ago. As I entered the garage, Wonder Girl had papers strewn all over her worktable. She was scribbling madly and was obviously hard at work. <br />
“Don’t talk to me now! I’m on a roll. There is a baked potato in the oven.” And she bent back to work. <br />
I grabbed a beer from the fridge and was careful not to bump her. I knew what she was going through. Your mind is on your paper. Ideas are flowing and you don’t want to interrupt it. <br />
The dog glanced up at me as I entered the rest house. He had been fed and so dad getting home just wasn’t a big thing. After changing clothes, I started messing around in the kitchen. I ought to get dinner going, but wasn’t sure what to make. Let’s see, what goes with a baked potato.<br />
Fifteen minutes later, everything was set. I invited the dog outside, to play ball and we messed around for a while. <br />
Back inside, Wonder Girl was still in the garage. It was best to leave Wonder Girl alone until she got to a stopping point. I know that I like to be left alone when the ideas are flowing fast and furious.<br />
By six thirty, everything was ready. I had just placed the drinks on the table, when Wonder Girl came in. She gave me a big hug.<br />
“Thanks for letting me finish. I was on a roll and didn’t want to stop.”<br />
“No Problem, I know what it’s like.”<br />
“Thanks again. I think we’ll have some of that chicken sausage and maybe coleslaw, since we have the leftover dressing from last night.” I didn’t answer her, I just moved out of the way so she could see the sausages boiling on the stove. I then opened the fridge and showed her the coleslaw, dressed and ready.<br />
“Oh.” She said when she saw what I had prepared. “Kinda spooky, isn’t it?”<br />
<br />
Today, I decided to make chili for dinner. Wonder Girl was outside messing in the garden and the dog was keeping an eye on her. I got all the stuff out and began to fry the meat. Cut up this, dice that, and add it to the pot. A can of this and a can of that, dump them in. I grabbed the can of tomato paste, put the can opener on it and squeezed the handles.<br />
Thick, red stuff spurted out of the can as I puncture the lid, and I froze. A chill went down my spine as the B word came to mind. I stopped and looked at the can. It looked a little old, but I couldn’t tell from the numbers stamped on it. I tossed the can in the garbage and grabbed another. Similar numbers on it and when I punctured the lid, there was an evil hiss. That one joined it’s rotten cousin in the garbage and I grabbed the remaining three can from the cupboard. One had the same markings on it and it went into the trash. The last two cans looked newer and the date code stuff looked different. I took one of the cans and compared it to its five cousins in the hall closet. I knew the closet cousins were just bought two months ago. Thankfully, the numbers matched. I still had trepidation’s, as I opened the can, but there was no red spurt and no evil hiss. Dinner will be made tonight, and we can eat it.<br />
<br />
I don’t mind spooky, it really kind of fun; but I can do without scary, always<br />
<br />
<br />
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-31396346973056832262018-11-20T12:46:00.000-08:002019-02-15T14:55:43.936-08:00PervsWritten 2-5-99
<br />
“Sex! That’s all you men have on your minds.”<br />
“You say that like it is a bad thing.”<br />
“Well, we get so tired of it!”<br />
“Oh sure, you’re tired of it now. But what if you’re a 30 year old hottie with short blonde hair? You turn from the bar and see these two 17 year olds at a table by themselves, quietly having a drink. You’re not wondering what’s on their minds, you’re counting on it. Because you know all you have to do is walk over there, let them buy you a drink and you can take them both home with you. Then it’s suddenly okay, isn’t it? It’s even okay that you didn’t tell them you’re married and your husbands out of town. <br />
But that’s okay, until he comes home early and surprises you. But you didn’t think of that, as the boys do a mad scramble out the second floor window. <br />
You don’t think of how those two boys end up sitting for hours in the ER, waiting for their parents to come and get them. How they struggle to explain how one of them has a broken ankle, one a broken arm; or where their shirts and shoes are.<br />
Sure, you’re tired of it now, but at a different place and time, you expect it and to hell with the consequences!”<br />
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-66826347510790759002018-11-19T12:45:00.000-08:002019-02-15T15:38:51.738-08:00A gentleman’s quandaryWritten 5-20-13<br />
<br />
My buddy Jax works as a clerk for the local Police. Sometimes, during a large bust, he will work in the field helping catalog evidence and do the data entry. While he is doing this, he can see the criminals as they are brought in, in handcuffs, for questioning.<br />
Unlike when he is in the office, the officers here are in full gear, including bulletproof vests.<br />
Being the oddball that he is, he asked my opinion on how a gentleman should act when confronted with danger. Specifically, if the following situation arose.<br />
Some of the officers are petite, sweet young things. Now in a normal situation, if something goes wrong, as a gentleman, he knows he must stand between a young lady and danger.<br />
However, in this case, they are the only ones with the bulletproof vests on, not him. So logic dictates that he should duck behind one of them, knowing full well that Miss Manners would tell him that a Gentleman always protects the ladies.<br />
<br />
I am just glad that I will never be in his shoes.GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-22059508493703689762018-11-11T16:08:00.003-08:002019-02-15T14:58:15.117-08:00Tipping pointWritten 5-13-16
Written 5-13-16<br />
I like reading EOTW stories, movies and such; whether it’s the zombie apocalypse, or just a big meteor.<br />
But reading them makes me wonder, just what is the tipping point? <br />
Take a plague, for instance, at what mortality rate does society break down?<br />
We can easily recover from a local calamity, for there are always people elsewhere who can come in and help restore order. But what if it’s a disease that begins to kill off some portion of humanity everywhere?<br />
(Of course, we cannot count the Zombie Apocalypse, because it is always assumed that 100% of the people bitten become zombies. This is similar to the myth of vampirism and lycanthropy. Hmmm…that makes me wonder if anyone has ever done a zombie story where the bite is not 100% fatal? Because, as you know, with any disease, there is always some portion of the population that is resistant. But I digress.)<br />
<br />
Losing 30-60% of your population during the years of the Black Death may have reduced a countries population dramatically; but people were able to regroup and carry on. This is, I think, because there was not as much knowledge to lose back then.<br />
Today, there is so much specialized knowledge that we would be hard pressed to recover.<br />
<br />
Back then, if you lost your village blacksmith, you could go to the next village and use that blacksmith. Difficult and inconvenient, yes; but not the end of the world. Heck, you could always hitch your horse up to a bunch of thick branches lashed together, with a sharpened end, and still plow your fields.<br />
Today, if you lose a car factory, it’s not the end of the world; but what if you also lose the oil refineries, pipeline distribution, electricity to keep things moving, trucks and railroads to deliver all the pieces to the factory?<br />
You can’t just go to the next city, for they are facing the same troubles.<br />
<br />
So, at what point do the doctors get overwhelmed? When too many of them don’t show up to the hospital?<br />
When do the police not go on patrol because they are sick or do not want to get sick/?When do the guys running the dam or coal fired power plant not show up to work?<br />
How long before the electricity stops?<br />
<br />
If doctors become in short supply, what about the everyday sick and injured? You will still have car wrecks, women in labor, broken bones, etc. <br />
If the disease is killing 30%; if another 10-20% of people who would normally get help from a hospital are added to that; at what point does it all fall apart?<br />
<br />
We have so far to fall, compared to the farmers of 1350, that I don’t think it would take as high a percentage rate for everything to spiral out of control. I just wonder where the tipping point is.<br />
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-29793561174361572462018-11-08T09:30:00.003-08:002020-12-16T19:04:03.837-08:00Voyeur of the DamnedWritten 4-12-13<br />
<br />
Not long after I started my new job, my boss approached me with a project. Knowing full well that the task was not in the SOW, but (as she said) knowing that I’m a bit of a geek; she asked if I could look at the video surveillance system. Six months before, they had the old tape system replaced by a DVR and computer. Unfortunately, no one was trained on how to use it and they could not review past video.<br />
‘Could I please take a look at it?’<br />
<br />
Now you all know that I have trouble refusing the polite requests of a lady. Not to mention that I was curious as to how the system worked and I wanted to show off all the things I could do.<br />
<br />
None of that really mattered, for I had a nice ulterior motive to review the last six months of footage.<br />
We are on the top floor of a three story building. The two floors below us are used by another company.<br />
In talking to my coworkers, I learned that some time in the past, while they were watching the monitor; a young couple came up the emergency exit stairwell and had ‘urgent matters’ to attend to that obviously they could not wait until they got home.<br />
<br />
So of course, when my boss asked if I wanted to tinker with the surveillance system, I stepped up to the challenge.<br />
<br />
The nice thing about modern systems is that you can have the system scan for movement in a specific place and flag those scenes where something ‘happened.’ <br />
<br />
Unfortunately, it seems that the ‘incident’ with the young couple happened before the DVR was installed. Still, when I am chatting with one of the sweet-young-things downstairs, I can’t help but wondering what she would look like, pinned against a wall.<br />
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-12028531908019362712018-11-08T09:29:00.003-08:002020-12-16T19:01:15.831-08:00Gyre and Gimble in the WabeWritten 4-12-13 <br />
<br />
I think at times, she did gyre and gimble in the wabe.<br />
(or maybe, occasionally, she was all mimsy with the borogoves.)<br />
<br />
There are always incidents from our past, that when examined based on what we know now, just puzzle us more than before.<br />
Case in point, the friendship that I had with my High School English teacher.<br />
(Hmmm…that seems rather possessive? Maybe I should have said, ‘a HSE teacher’? but I digress.)<br />
I was sixteen, which all of you know is a time when teenagers (boys and girls) are suffering from hormone – clouded thought processes. <br />
Taking that into account, she was still a hot little number. Red hair, freckles (which I have always been drawn to for some unfathomable reason), pretty face, delicious rack, curvy hips, a wonderful smile and a nice laugh.<br />
Now I know what you’re going to say, ‘GW, any woman who would pay the slightest attention to you is a hottie’. Well, yes; but she was quite the looker.<br />
Anyway, she was just a summer school teacher, up from a small town in the San Joaquin valley. Perhaps she was just looking for a pal, but she invited me to her apartment one afternoon. It turned out that she lived about six blocks from my house.<br />
Gosh, but she was fun to talk to! We’d sit for hours, drinking coffee and shooting the breeze. <br />
Did I think about getting her in the sack? Of course! But she was a mid-twenties teacher. Despite my testosterone infused brain, I knew enough not to try anything. If I had, I knew that the friendship would have been over in a heartbeat. After all, what would a hottie like her want with a sixteen year old nerd? Absolutely nothing.<br />
<br />
And I was learning lots of things from an older woman. First off, she was being a little more honest with me that girls my age would have been. She did not have agendas like my peers.<br />
<br />
She talked about a trip to Las Vegas with one of her gay friends. The thing she likes was that they could have fun, go shopping, and the sex things didn’t hover over them. I found that interesting.<br />
<br />
She talked about growing up in a small town in the valley, where there wasn’t a lot to do. What I found most interesting was one statement she made about ‘being one of the few girls that did not graduate pregnant from high school.’ What I immediately took that to mean was, ‘I had sex like everyone else, but I was careful, or lucky.’<br />
Okay, she’s not a prude.<br />
<br />
You know, it’s just not a good idea for a woman to talk about sex with a teenage boy. He already has confused ideas and that just makes him think about it more.<br />
<br />
I remember another time, when we were discussing sex in literature (she was an English teacher!). She made a comment about it being pervasive. I disagreed and pointed out things like ‘Jabberwocky’ didn’t have sex.<br />
She looked at me, laughed and said; “Oh GW, what do you think he meant when he said, ‘And he took his vorpal blade and went snicker-snack’?”<br />
<br />
No one had ever talked to me like that, so up front. <br />
<br />
Obviously, she liked who I was; probably more than what I looked like. But maybe not. I like to think that she had as much self control as I did. I knew better than to make a move on her, and she knew much better than I, the consequences of making a move on me. At the time, it just seemed to me that she simply enjoyed my company. That could be the only explanation. (right?)<br />
<br />
There was another incident that puzzled me. <br />
Once, when I arrived for an afternoon visit, she had a couple of girl friends over. We all sat around a chatted, like usual; but I had the strange feeling that I was being evaluated.<br />
<br />
Looking back on that summer, I still think that it would have been glorious to be invited into her bed. But I also recognize that it would have altered the course of my life, possibly significantly. For I might not have paid attention to this little cutie in my Civics class, might not have been receptive to her attentions. That would have been a shame, for that young lady and I are still friends and always will be.<br />
And if certain links in the chain of events had been broken, I might never have met Wonder-Girl, and that would be a shame.<br />
<br />
I don’t talk about that summer much. Recent news reports indicate that it’s not that unusual for an older woman to have a liaison with a teenage boy. (I won’t say ‘seduce’, for we all know a woman of just moderate looks does not have to seduce, just be available.)<br />
So rather than try to explain that we had a friendship and nothing more; and spend days trying to deny what everyone thinks happened, I just stay quiet.<br />
<br />
Of course, I would love to sit down with her and ask her about our relationship, what was her motivation. But that would entail (creepy) web searches and maybe strange questions from her husband (assuming that she is still married).<br />
<br />
But I will leave you with a few facts to ponder.<br />
Within a year, I received an invitation to, and attended her wedding to a guy she had never mentioned.<br />
I discovered recently that she was a mid twenties hottie because I was able to verify that she was only seven years older than me. (Yes, the web is interesting place to search.)<br />
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-11213928872601554202018-11-07T09:42:00.003-08:002019-02-15T15:03:24.927-08:00Just Yesterday MorningWritten 3-27-13<br />
A long time ago, when I was just touched my twenties, I was discussing a certain sweet young thing with my buddy Jax.<br />
He got this far away look in his eyes and said, “I always wondered if she was a true blonde.”<br />
“She is.” I let slip before I had the sense to shut my mouth.<br />
“You dog!” he said. The tone of voice was a mix of admiration, because he would have jumped at the chance to jump her; surprise, because we all know I’m pretty average looking; and shock, because of the social taboos regarding what he thought we had done.<br />
“Her sister told me.” I lied with the conviction that would have passed a lie detector test.<br />
“Oh.” He said, his disappointment was palatable, for I knew he wanted to hear all of the wonderful details of what it was like, bedding that tasty morsel.<br />
<br />
I guess I should have told him the truth, that it was kind of dark; but that would have let the cat out of the bag and no way to get it back in. <br />
<br />
The truth of the strange circumstances that led to an incident that has puzzled me for decades.<br />
<br />
For it was just happenstance that while I was down in the area, just after the New Year, that I didn’t have a place to stay on my last night.<br />
“Hey.” She said. “My parents are out of town. You can stay there with me.”<br />
“Okay.”<br />
<br />
I didn’t think anything of it. We were friends from the neighborhood and I thought it was nice that she offered me a place, even if it was probably just a couch.<br />
<br />
Later that evening, just as I was slipping into the warm, comforting darkness of sleep, the door opened and she stepped into the room. Blonde on blonde in the pale moonlight, she stood there for a moment, then said; “Are you cold?”<br />
I suppose that at the age of nineteen, I still didn’t have a lot of sense, for I open the covers and said, “A little”.<br />
She climbed into her parents’ bed with me, kissed me on the cheek and said, “Do you want to watch me put my diaphragm in?”<br />
<br />
The next morning, nothing was said of what happened. Perhaps we were both embarrassed by what we had done, although part of me thinks that it was something we both had wanted. <br />
Perhaps we both knew there was something, but didn’t want to pursue what we felt might be forbidden. Best to let it die there, rather than keep it alive.<br />
<br />
I only saw her a few times, over the next ten years. Nothing was said until that last time, when I couldn’t stand her silence.<br />
“Do you remember that time?” I asked and explained what I meant.<br />
I could see her struggle as she tried to remember. “No, I don’t; but I did many things back then.”<br />
<br />
Crushed, I let it go.<br />
Occam’s razor; she was probably just cold and I was convenient.<br />
<br />
I heard, through the grapevine some years ago, that she had passed away. Cancer took her quickly and too early, leaving a widower and two small children. I felt bad for them, but at the same time, felt that maybe I had dodged a bullet. I have a very good life, not a complex one tied to strange in-laws.<br />
<br />
We sometimes wonder at what might have been. At least I know the outcome of one path that I never took. And I am glad I never went down that path.<br />
<br />
I’ve never told the real story to anyone except Skinner and I know she can be trusted to be quiet.<br />
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-65450034502303835172018-11-06T14:39:00.003-08:002019-02-15T15:05:11.800-08:00You don’t want to knowWritten 9-9-12<br />
<br />
A friend of mine has bemoaned what she sees as a grossly unfair situation. “Why, “ She asks, “Do men get more handsome as they get age, but women just get old?”<br />
<br />
I smiled to myself, knowing the answer, but not wanting to hurt her feelings. It’s very simple; Women’s attractiveness is largely based on their perceived ability to procreate, men’s on their perceived ability to procreate and, their ability to provide (food and security). So as (some) women age, they become less desirable in one aspect. Men, on the other hand might become less desirable in the procreation aspect, but are now perceived as better providers.<br />
Or maybe it’s because while Wonder-Girl has aged very well, you have not? <br />
<br />
I wondered about this at my last high school reunion. There were plenty of women who were cuties at 17, but now are not very attractive. Oh sure, some had hard lives, or too much sun and we will cut them some slack for that. What is interesting is how many have gone from attractive bodies to unattractive. More in the sense of the basic structure; a defined waist and nice hips. The waist has ballooned out and the basic structure is no longer appealing.<br />
Or maybe it is as my friend Varnish once observed, that the really hot chicks had a lot farther to fall. So the hotties are now average looking. And the average looking ones still look average.<br />
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-55369935684722863732018-11-06T14:38:00.000-08:002018-11-06T14:38:23.239-08:00A proper Gentleman Warthog and the Mrs.I came across this in a random place.
from 'The Elegant Beasts' by Leonard Lubin 1981
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhST27BR1g62MBuG4_Yg7fb01I6CU2yVhgVMr_ma2cMa4ywtAzo0Z4lLIbG8S0bv_qFi8on6o3anx4kp9EY33ituzZMLkb5owfCNBU243znV-C_pkJ72stHtdk9Yc9ppYhcl30bTA/s1600/elegant-beast-victorian+Leonard+Lubin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhST27BR1g62MBuG4_Yg7fb01I6CU2yVhgVMr_ma2cMa4ywtAzo0Z4lLIbG8S0bv_qFi8on6o3anx4kp9EY33ituzZMLkb5owfCNBU243znV-C_pkJ72stHtdk9Yc9ppYhcl30bTA/s320/elegant-beast-victorian+Leonard+Lubin.jpg" width="253" height="320" data-original-width="535" data-original-height="678" /></a></div>GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-72100958741069341822018-11-05T09:10:00.000-08:002019-02-15T15:06:14.620-08:00Can't prove a thingWritten 6-29-13<br />
<br />
And you can’t jump the tracks,<br />
You’re like cars on a cable.<br />
And life’s like an hourglass,<br />
Glued to a table.<br />
And no one can find the rewind,<br />
So just cradle your head in your hands.<br />
<br />
I know what you are thinking, ‘Oh Warty, you talk a good game, about sometimes preferring a plain chick over Miss Pretty-nice-tits, but when bush comes to shove, we know you will go for the cute one.”<br />
<br />
Yes, in a standard, walk up to a group of unknown women, sure I’ll start paying attention to the hottie first. After all, I am human. But the world changes after you get to know someone. I know I can never prove that, since I am no longer in The Game. <br />
And seriously, darlin, would you like me to walk up to you and say, ‘You know, you’re not very pretty, sort of plain looking and you seriously lack any discernible figure; but I would rather spend time with you that Miss Hottie over there.”<br />
Yes, you would be quite insulted, for no one likes to be told that they are not beautiful. <br />
<br />
But if some night, when you look at yourself in the mirror and admit to your self that you are average looking, or plain; maybe you will understand the left handed compliment.<br />
<br />
I can.<br />
<br />
Because I know what I see in the mirror. And I know what you will say, “But Warty, you’ve had girlfriends…”<br />
Yes, but despite what I thought of them, others have described them in unflattering terms like, ‘Well, she’s not very cute.’; ‘She’s not much to write home about.’; ‘ She’s okay looking.’; or the topper, “She wasn’t very pretty.”.<br />
<br />
So, I can only attract marginal looking women? Seems to be the case. I guess they figure it was okay for me to date plain women, because they match what I look like.<br />
<br />
Or when the blonde hottie could get nowhere with the handsome guy, she had second thoughts about me. (maybe it would have been okay to be chosen as ‘second best.’ Hey, at least you get chosen.) But I know now that I was lucky she was too late. My friend told her to back off, when she expressed interest in me. ‘He is already interested in someone else. You had your chance, but it is too late now.’ (I seriously dodged a bullet on that one!)<br />
<br />
Oh sure, there was that incident in that bar when I was eighteen, but at eleven o’clock and slim pickings at the bar, I guess I was better than nothing. And the double martini’s you were drinking sure must have clouded your judgment. I know, because the next morning, you sure couldn’t get rid of me fast enough.<br />
<br />
<br />
If I had an ounce of handsome, for every time a female coworkers said to me, ‘Your wife is so pretty, so nice; how did you ever end up with her?” (shut up bitch)<br />
Yes, that phrase got old in a hurry. But I had come to expect that. <br />
<br />
Are you so surprised when I tell you I am lucky? That WG let me hang around long enough to convince her that I was a nice guy and worth keeping around?<br />
<br />
But I have learned to accept this. So many women like me as a friend and that’s okay, since I am not in the game.<br />
<br />
And you may not believe me when I tell you, that if the ‘Cross Country’ scenario does ever happen and most of the people are wiped off the face of the earth and I am left alone. I will not search for Miss Hottie-wonder-tits; in fact I would seek to avoid her, despite the fact that she might live nearby. However, I would travel cross country to try and find Miss Not-much-too-look-at. <br />
<br />
And I would be successful. Since you know she would think, ‘Well, you are the last man on earth, so I guess my choices are few.’<br />
<br />
So I will continue to count myself as lucky that I found the woman I did. And that she is happy with her choice, as I am.<br />
<br />
And no, I can’t jump the track, my car is tied to a cable, my life is an hourglass, glued to the table.<br />
But…<br />
Who would ever want to find the rewind?<br />
Since I no longer have to cradle my head in my hands.<br />
<br />
And I can breathe.<br />
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-45064640328110544212018-11-04T07:37:00.002-08:002019-02-15T15:08:01.932-08:00San Miguel in Cebufrom 3-24-2012
Back in the day, San Miguel beer had these radio commercials where a guy would have some big adventure. Afterwards, he would have a San Miguel beer, which tasted good. Then he would say that every time he had a San Miguel it would remind him of that adventure.<br />
Flash forward to 2006.<br />
That weekend, my friends (eight rather attractive young women) in Cebu took me island hopping. Cruise around in a boat, view the lush little islands, swim in the warm sea and dive underwater and watch the fish. <br />
At lunchtime, they brought out the food. Roast pork, roast chicken, fresh mangos, pineapples, rice and more. As I sat down, Josie handed me a bag. “Here Dens, I brought you beer!”<br />
It was a San Miguel beer, it tasted good!<br />
<br />
Now every time I have a San Miguel beer I remember that day on the water and the eight delightful young ladies who shared it with me.<br />
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-32523375522041114472018-11-03T09:29:00.002-07:002018-11-03T09:29:57.656-07:00P-mail and tweetsWritten 2011
Back before the turn of the century, (I love using that phrase now!) a friend told me her dad said that when he walks the dog, the dog leaves pmail.
I thought it pretty funny, but now we have to update it with the times.
So Tommy leaves short little tweets, Molly leave pmail and both are adept at ‘dropping a blog’.
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-48432264228402119812018-11-02T19:51:00.003-07:002019-02-15T15:09:17.497-08:00Someday GirlWritten 7-24-2010<br />
Several years ago, when we were chatting with my late Aunt Obie, she told us this story. It was four years after her husband had passed away and she was chatting with a friend. Her friend told her that, if Obie had passed away first and after a suitable time, she would have asked Obie’s husband out. Because, she said, your husband was such a nice man.<br />
Obie thought this was quite a compliment that her friend felt that way. When you are in your eighties, it’s more about having a pleasant companion. <br />
<br />
My friend CG said a similar thing about a male friend of hers’. She said, “If he was twenty years younger, I’d marry him!” <br />
And her friend is a nice guy and they enjoy each other’s company.<br />
<br />
I have often wondered about some of my women friends. They are my friends primarily because I enjoy their company. Sure some of them are nice looking, but a number of them are quite average in looks. That’s okay because looks are not a friend criteria. <br />
<br />
I am sure that people, as they get older, wonder about ‘what ifs’. Any of you who have been married for decades and have amassed a collection of friends might sometimes wonder, ‘what if I was suddenly a widow, or widower?’ <br />
You might then think that some of your friends could be suitable companions. <br />
<br />
But there is a dark side to that. <br />
<br />
Like the play, ‘Same time next year’, where the man begs his long time mistress to marry him, now that he is a widower. For there is a local widow who is making moves on him. And if his long time paramour doesn’t marry him, he might just have to give in to the widow.<br />
What if you just want to keep your friends as friends? Do you crush their feelings when you tell them that you just don’t want to get ‘that friendly’ with them?<br />
Sure, that can be a tough call. <br />
<br />
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-33624601022632386912018-11-02T19:50:00.004-07:002018-11-02T19:50:46.919-07:00UpdateI have not be consistent with my posting, yet I have things written, just not posted. I think it's important that I post them now, since my life has been turned upside down.
Eight months ago, my Wonder-Girl and wife of almost 37 years, passed away.GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-977980395211417982018-10-22T13:18:00.002-07:002018-11-05T09:31:44.922-08:00Odd shiftThis is more than silly.
But last week, when Thirteen told me of her new job and that she would now be in the 1% of the 1% in this company, I felt my universe shift. I don't know what that means, but I feel something has changedGWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10358003.post-73271333882000605642017-02-20T09:26:00.002-08:002019-02-15T15:41:00.800-08:00Someday<b></b>
"Why are you always nice to me?" She asked.<br />
"Because someday you might wake up in a meadow, look at the odd plants and realize that you're on a strange world. With a faint memory of being poked and prodded by aliens going through your mind, you start to walk.
When you come across me, lying there unconscious you think; 'Well, I was hoping for someone better looking, but he was always nice to me.' And you drop the large rock you were carrying.
GWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07263013928859278554noreply@blogger.com0