Category Archives: Writing

Sam Part IV

Posted on by February 25, 2020

Before you begin,  here’s the Sam series, in order, with an important note about ballet in there:

Sam Part I,

Sam Part II,

Beauty and the Beast

Sam Part III

Sam Part IV (this one)

Fix You

 

So, the last time we saw Sam, he had just jumped out of my car, and the family was headed for Wit’s End Lane really fast. As an emergency measure, the psychiatrist prescribed a mood stabilizer, Risperdal, and we hoped for the best.

The results were sudden and stunning.

For the first time in a year, we saw our son. The funny little guy under all that anger, the creative thinker hidden under all the frustration.… Read the rest

Giselle

Posted on by February 25, 2020

The ballet down here really tries to use kids in its productions. It actively seeks ways to incorporate young people into its works. This summer, Caroline got to be in the cast of Giselle. There is a summer program for older kids (older than Caroline) and at the end of their run, they put on a show. But the ballet draws from its younger set, and Caroline was chosen to participate. She has been in the Nutcracker. She knows how to handle herself onstage, and she has an idea of what’s expected of her during ballet.

She came home from the dress rehearsal wailing, “I can’t be in the show if I don’t have eyeliner.”… Read the rest

Sunday Sins: Anna Karenina

Posted on by February 25, 2020

Sundays have been far too pious in this town of late. That means, yes ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for another edition of SUNDAY SIN. And what better book to save from itself than that bursting-with-lust tome Anna Karenina. None, methinks. With sexuality, women’s roles, and repression lying in the heart of this novel, its characters simply beg for some sexual healing from Eden Fantasys. Oh yes. This is sponsored content. But I think you know my integrity (which is utterly different from ‘purity’) is sound.

First, a brief plot rundown omitting many salient points for those of you who can’t handle Tolstoy.… Read the rest

Old man cactus

Posted on by February 25, 2020

Janine dusted under the cactus then settled it back on the windowsill. She turned to wipe the table, but whipped around when she heard a crunch. “Oh, damn.” The cactus glowered up at her from a pile of clay shards. She swept the pot’s remains into the trash and debated the future of her pointy little friend.

“You know, it’s been five years. That’s a long run for a plant in this house.” The cactus went on lowering from the floor. “I can’t rightly talk to you down there. You’ll have to come up to the table, at least.”

She got a potholder and moved the old man.… Read the rest

Guesting over at Wordslinger today

Posted on by February 25, 2020

Today I have another guest post to send you out to read. I’m visiting over at The Wordslinger’s homeland. I’ll get a direct link up soon, but I have to hit publish before I go spend my morning running around like a headless chicken. In the meantime, I do hope that Jim and his wife have welcomed their word slinging baby, little Ampersand (Sandy for short) into the world by now. Because I know what it’s like to be 9 months pregnant and just want it OVER.

Edit:

And! Jim and his wife have welcomed their new baby into the world.… Read the rest

Guest Posts With The Jester

Posted on by July 12, 2023

Last week, the very awesome Tricia at Raising Humans hosted me for a guest post about raising my little humans. I talked about some of our musical moments and, bonus, sang absurd children’s songs to be posted on the internet! And then I forgot. I completely FORGOT ABOUT IT. Friday was the first day of school for us, the post went live Thursday, and I submitted it towards the end of July, so my mind zipped it out of existence. So, please, if you haven’t already followed from one of my tweets or facebook posts, take a look at my post over on Tricia’s site.… Read the rest

The Power of Three

Posted on by February 25, 2020

Madame Julie used a card for a bookmark. “So you’re the fellow who won a reading at the poker game.” The young man nodded. “Sit.” She reached for her tarot deck and smiled.

 

Trifecta wants us to talk about one object with three uses this weekend. Come play with us. Or cross my palm with silver. Whichever.

… Read the rest

Down the Drain

Posted on by February 25, 2020

The toilet bubbled brown, its contents unshifted by two days of intermittent plunging.  Scott aimed his snake and cranked the handle. I stood by on flood detail. A rattle and a grunt. “That’s it.” He kept twisting. Nothing happened. He shook his head and began extruding the snake. I returned the mop to the laundry room. Visions of an epic plumber’s bill scrambled through my brain. But then, “Damn it, Sam!”

“You got it!?”

“It stuck on the end of the snake.”

Scott carried out the impaled, pink tentacled squishy ball. I threw it away. “Caroline’s going to be pissed.”

______________________________________

“Are we getting closer” took me back to an indent in flushing, though Scott’s big line, “I think I’m getting closer, I can feel the damned thing,” was lost in revision.… Read the rest

Tomorrow Tonight

Posted on by February 25, 2020

“Brangelina broke up again.” Nate adjusted himself on the barstool, but there wasn’t a comfortable position.

“When?” Charles, the bartender made a great show of drawing up a beer.

“It’ll break Wednesday.”

“Right.”

Charles moved away without ever meeting his patron’s eyes. This was important. It was his role as the front to take the magic knowledge to the bookies. All the bookies knew Charlie had a source. But nobody suspected drunk old Nate in the corner. Which was just exactly how both Charles and Nate wanted things to remain. Nate drank at this bar every night, and he made sure to leave sloppy drunk at least twice a week , or at least to look like it.… Read the rest

Beach Story

Posted on by February 25, 2020

I floated along the sandbar on my stomach, trolling the bottom with my fingers.

 “Mom I got one!” Caroline produced another sand dollar fragment, this one bigger than her hand but still nothing like a whole item.

“Good job, honey.” A bucket of similar selections sat on shore.

“I’m going to take it back and show Daddy.”

“I’ll come with you this time.” I turned in the water so my body faced in. We swam in to shore, where Scott buried his sunburned feet in the shallows and Sam dug an industrious hole of increasing proportions.

Scott asked, “Did you find the bed?”… Read the rest