Memories. Ahhh Yes, Memories of My Life

Summer Activity? Year Round!

PROMPT July 13th

Write about your favorite summer activity.

         Favorite Summer Activity? What if I said I don't have one? I don't take vacations, yet I travel the country, and sometimes the world, for work. I get paid to do that, and they cover my expenses while I travel. A lot of times, it's like being on vacation. True, I work an eight hour day, but look at the benefits I get! My hotel room is paid. My flight to get there is paid. My meals are paid. Oh wait, there is that work thing.... Remember this saying though, "Give a man a job he loves, and he'll never work another day in his life." I've thought for a long time that Confucius said it, but there is some doubt about that (in today's world, of course it would be doubted). Anyway, I live that saying every day, and even work during a weekend at times!

         But if I'm pinned down to write about a 'real' favorite summer activity, I'd have to say it's something that you can do year round. Most of us do it, especially here on WDC. I absolutely LOVE to read! When I was a child/teen, it was not unusual for me to read 10 books a week. We're not talking about short books either. I know in high school, I read 'When Worlds Collide', and 'After Worlds Collide' five to seven times. I also loved reading about WWII, especially about the Navy (submarines especially). Is it any wonder I joined the Navy and served in submarines? Sadly, most of my reading is now done on line. I have a lifelong love of books, and own several old copies of books. None are worth a lot of money, none are first issue prints. Sadly, my prized possession is in a plastic bag to preserve it. It's a copy of Tarzan Of The Apes, printed in 1917. But the backing is (has) fallen apart, and some pages are loose. I really enjoy going to garage sales, and always go just to see what I can find in the way of old books. Another prized possession is a copy of the complete works of O'Henry'. I had two, so I gave one to a good friend.

         So yep, reading is, and has always been, a passion for me. Don't get me wrong, I played outside (and inside) with friends too, but if they came by, they usually had to pull me out of a book. Often, I lived in the story's I read. Science Fiction was my first genre to love. I've learned to love fiction in general, and as a young man, I found 'the Master of horror, Stephen King. My favorite authors changed over the years. As a young teen, Andre Norton and Edgar Rice Burroughs. Somewhere along the way, I found Marion Zimmer Bradley, Larry Niven, Philip Jose Farmer, Fred Saberhagen, Stephen King, and so many more. You want to have a good time in the summer, or any time of year? Get a copy of 'The Empire Of The East' by Fred Saberhagen. Once you read that, and meet 'Ardneh', read his 'Lost Swords' series, and marvel at the whole timeline he created. If I could write like that.... You get my drift.

         Side note here. I met Fred Saberhagen in Albuquerque while home on leave once. I purchased a copy of 'Empire Of The East' which he signed. Sometime later, I loaned it to a friend so they could enjoy it, and never got it back before leaving Hawaii. Broke my heart, and I still kick myself for loaning out in the first place.





Jim Dorrell