Mark Stratton's Blog: AGGASPLETCH, page 14

Today Brings the Sads

This past weekend, I posted the following to my Facebook page:

I’m far more afraid of Ignorance than I am of having my beliefs challenged.

What gave be the sads from the post is that of all the people who reponded or clicked the “like” thumb, not a one of them attended the same church that I do. I come from a church tradition where questioning is part of the fabric, where taking the pastors message at face value isn’t expected (even though it happens a lot), where questioning what is taught is...

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

It seems it’s been something like forever since I actually posted anything here. Pardon the dust whilst I clean up a bit. Sorry this assignment is late, but I’m just gonna quote John Belushi in his role as Joliet Jake as he shucks and jives to avoid getting perforated by an angry Carrie Fisher,

“No I didn’t. Honest… I ran out of gas. I, I had a flat tire. I didn’t have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn’t come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my...

What’s On My Mind and a Plea for Help

Cancer sucks. There isn’t any other way to adequately describe it; it sucks. Metaphorically andphysically, it sucks. It drains your soul if you let it and it attacks your body with a relentlessness that is hard to fathom. Again, Cancer Sucks.

I’ve lost loved ones to cancer. My beloved Grandmother five years ago. Both of my wonderful In-Laws died of cancer. I tell you, I really lucked out when I found Elaine. Not only was she a great catch, but her folks were (and remain) special people to me....

Free Poetry

I’ve a terrific friend and poet, Heather Grace Stewart by name, who hails from Canada and she has published several poetry collections. One of which, “Where the Butterflies Go” is not only one of my personal favorites, but is available for the Kindle and you can get a copy of this fine collection for your Kindle or Kindle App enabled device (there are apps for roughly a bazillion platforms and devices so no excuses) for Free. As in, no cash, dinero, money, moolah, samolians, clams, bucks, coi...

The Laura Burhenn Interview (The Mynabirds)

Today, we have Laura Burhenn of Saddle Creek Records “The Mynabirds” stopping by to provide her thoughts on life and the creative process. For me, this is a REALLY BIG DEAL. I have been mesmerized by her voice since I discovered Georgie James a few years ago. That appreciation for her voice and music deepened with the release of The Mynabirds “What We Lose in the Fire We Gain in the Flood” and today the second album “Generals” is to be released (I’m buying mine at lunch time!). While these qu...

The Wife Has Died – A Poem

The house across the street looks as it did before

Yet it is now changed. For the wife has died.

And the lights blaze searching for her

And the family gathers to hang on

To her. The lightning bug flashes of her.

To each other. Grasping for a touch, a sign,

Of her.

But she’s died.

Where it happened

The husband stands,

stoic tears water where

she died, where flowers

will not grow. A car passes unaware.

The driver unaware of why the husband

Stands there, goes on his way. The husband

Returns to the house, his f...

New Music I’m Enjoying and You Can Too!

I’ve loved music as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories center around songs, where I was when I heard them and sometimes smells. Whenever I hear Carole King sing anything from “Tapestry” I’m six years old again, in the back of my parents car hearing the music from a small transistor radio on the dashboard.

Many of my peers still listen to the same music or bands they listened to as we were growing up. That’s fine so far as that goes, but I really enjoy discovering newartists....

Moving

I mentioned in Saturday’s post of awesome that we were moving. If you haven’t read that, I encourage you to do so. It’s a prime example of how not to make a blog post when you are tired and don’t bother to proof-read before you hit publish. I amaze myself with my stupid sometimes.

So, to the moving news; We were told a month or so ago by the people who own the house we live in that they intend to sell it. They have a couple of kids that are near or at college age and they would like some tuiti...

Surreality, with a chance of Weird in today’s forecast…

It started with a cat licking my forehead. Well, she started licking my fingers then moved to my forehead. In a pattern as well, marching her freakishly gritty tongue across the expanse at the top of my face like she was on an exfoliating mission or something. I sat up before she stared grooming my hair or something. Hairballs are bad enough, skinballs and my hair puked up by a cat would be too much.

I dressed, kissed my wife goodbye and went to Steak ‘n Shake. I go there most Saturday’s for b...

James Brush and his Writing Space

James Brush is no stranger to these pages. He was my first interview victim a few months ago. I’ve asked him to return and provide us a glimpse at his writing space and he graciously agreed. This is a fascinating look behind the curtain and I’m pleased to share it with you.

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My dad made this desk for me when we lived in the Philippines when I was a kid. He made one just like it for my brother, and I’m no longer sure if this is mine or his. It seems my brother’s pet rabb...