Michael Gates's Blog, page 66
August 18, 2013
Random Sequence
I backed off through the bushes and began to look around for Claggett. He was nowhere in sight. I didn't want to call him, because whoever lived in that hovel would surely hear me. After wandering around for a few minutes and still not seeing him, though, I decided to chance it. I yelled, "Claggett!" and instantly the forest birds stopped their twittering. There was no reply.
I began to have a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, like I'd just made a big mistake that there was no undoing.
--from "The Iron Box" (by me), originally published in 3 AM Magazine
I began to have a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach, like I'd just made a big mistake that there was no undoing.
--from "The Iron Box" (by me), originally published in 3 AM Magazine
August 15, 2013
Brain Dump
Each hearing file discards a sacked associate lecture with a frown during monthly integrity convictions. The chair has a disconnected buffer handle that pushes reserved persons into blogging accidents and passe video-accented evenings of abusive left-wing demonstrating. This formatting is a sort of kindly recursion of roof melt, a long-lasting river traveling though a doubtful autobiography, conveying a mystic, messy sigh. A band with forceful toes appears outgoing, posing as rejects with their reserved dynamic murder buckets. Impossible inaccuracy is then announced, as they capture stringent manifesto machines with solid equivalent price dodges. Next, hardy, obligatory pints are examined with reservations, owing to drastic expressions of overflowing torrents and terrorist scenarios. Such hallucinatory bombing is suitable for a parity schedule network, yes?
August 14, 2013
Photo of the Week
They call this shop The House of Spiritual Candles. I don't know what's so spiritual about an oversize rooster (seems more Freudian than Judeo-Christian), but this window intrigued me enough to step inside. The clerk tried to get me to buy a Jesus candle, but I opted for a Joan of Arc one instead.
Actually, I just made that up. I was merely a passer-by on a Jersey City street one recent evening, and snapped this photo using my eye-Phone. Click the pic for a closer view -- and perhaps to have a religious experience.
August 13, 2013
Word of the Day: sedulous
What's "the word I'm thinking of"? Today, it's....
sedulous [SEJ-uh-luss] (adjective)
Diligent; painstaking; industrious
"All of his sedulous efforts came to naught when a meteorite crashed through the roof."
sedulous [SEJ-uh-luss] (adjective)
Diligent; painstaking; industrious
"All of his sedulous efforts came to naught when a meteorite crashed through the roof."
August 12, 2013
Random Sequence
The wind was tearing at their breath now, and she began to shout: "Never mind. He was helping me to discover myself as an artist. God, that sounds so.... He was teaching me photography -- that's better."
"Uh huh," David said. They were at the door, and he was fumbling in his pocket under his coat. The sleet was stinging his face, and it seemed to take forever to fish the key out. He could feel her looking at him, but when he looked up, expecting to see impatience, she only looked sad.
--from "Long Lost" (by me), originally published in Think (UC Davis literary magazine)
"Uh huh," David said. They were at the door, and he was fumbling in his pocket under his coat. The sleet was stinging his face, and it seemed to take forever to fish the key out. He could feel her looking at him, but when he looked up, expecting to see impatience, she only looked sad.
--from "Long Lost" (by me), originally published in Think (UC Davis literary magazine)
August 11, 2013
Head Rattle
I.Why aren't girls ever named "Olive" anymore?
II.Unspoken summer BBQ and pool-party rule: only men and children actually get into the pool.
III.You can buy diapers for dogs now. What a wonderful world!
IV.Automobile brands used to have distinctive looks. Now they mostly look like variations on the same theme: vaguely cat-eye-shaped headlights and cat-eye-ish taillights; grills that grin. It's boring. I want a car that looks like this:
II.Unspoken summer BBQ and pool-party rule: only men and children actually get into the pool.
III.You can buy diapers for dogs now. What a wonderful world!
IV.Automobile brands used to have distinctive looks. Now they mostly look like variations on the same theme: vaguely cat-eye-shaped headlights and cat-eye-ish taillights; grills that grin. It's boring. I want a car that looks like this:
August 7, 2013
Link Mania: Tick, Tick, Tick...
A 10,000 Year Clock
The CEO of the company that owns the company I work for has donated at least $42 million to build a giant clock that will tick for 10,000 years deep inside a mountain in West Texas.
The CEO of the company that owns the company I work for has donated at least $42 million to build a giant clock that will tick for 10,000 years deep inside a mountain in West Texas.
August 6, 2013
Word of the Day
What's "the word I'm thinking of"? Today, it's....
spanghew [SPANG-hyoo] (verb)
To throw or jerk violently, to cause to fly into the air, to jump like a toad or frog
Damien enjoyed sneaking up behind Mildred, tapping her on the shoulder, and watching her spanghew.
spanghew [SPANG-hyoo] (verb)
To throw or jerk violently, to cause to fly into the air, to jump like a toad or frog
Damien enjoyed sneaking up behind Mildred, tapping her on the shoulder, and watching her spanghew.
August 5, 2013
Random Sequence
"Folks, we can't be one-hundred percent sure if all the landing gear is down," the pilot said. "It probably is. Indicator bulbs in the cockpit do burn out from time to time. But, as a precaution, we're going to make a low pass over the runway, and an observer on the ground will radio to tell us if all our wheels are down.... Don't be frightened by any fire trucks and flashing lights you may see on the ground. It's just a precaution." Wagstaff still had his head down. His lips seemed to be moving slightly, as if he were praying.
--from "Wagstaff's Dreams" (by me), originally published in The Square Table
--from "Wagstaff's Dreams" (by me), originally published in The Square Table
August 4, 2013
Much Ado about NOTHING
Do real men wear "lounge pants"?
In a clothing store I frequent, I see "lounge pants" on sale for men. These are plaid pants made of thin cotton fabric with draw-string waists. They look like pajama bottoms. Do any guys reading this actually wear these? My "lounge pants" are usually sweat pants (or "sweat" shorts in hot weather). That's what I wear to bed and for any lounging I do when I get up in the morning or am near bedtime. I don't really have a lot of leisure time, and don't feel the need to be specially attired for it when I do have it. And I've always thought that draw-string waists look very silly on men, unless they are yoga instructors or something.
But perhaps I'll buy some lounge pants. They're quite cheap, and maybe they'll inspire me to carve out more leisure time, somehow, from my 12-hour work days. I'll stop and smell the roses, wearing lounge pants.
In a clothing store I frequent, I see "lounge pants" on sale for men. These are plaid pants made of thin cotton fabric with draw-string waists. They look like pajama bottoms. Do any guys reading this actually wear these? My "lounge pants" are usually sweat pants (or "sweat" shorts in hot weather). That's what I wear to bed and for any lounging I do when I get up in the morning or am near bedtime. I don't really have a lot of leisure time, and don't feel the need to be specially attired for it when I do have it. And I've always thought that draw-string waists look very silly on men, unless they are yoga instructors or something.
But perhaps I'll buy some lounge pants. They're quite cheap, and maybe they'll inspire me to carve out more leisure time, somehow, from my 12-hour work days. I'll stop and smell the roses, wearing lounge pants.
