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My thoughts released; a mind set free |
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These pages contain my thoughts, from meandering ideas and persuasions to deep cerebrations and serious mentations. Why, for what purpose? To release my mind and set creativity free. Somewhere inside the constraints of my mind dwells a writer, a poet, an artist who paints with words. In here I release those constraints and set the artist free. Perhaps, lost somewhere in the depths of thought, is a story or a poem, waiting to be written. 
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| It's just dog-gone confusing sometimes and leaves me wondering what goes through their heads. Tonight I made Finnish Toast (French Toast made with Finnish Cardamon bread) for my dinner. Of course, the entire time I was making it, Max and Bellah were right under my feet waiting and hoping I'd drop something. We don't have a five-second rule, but instead it's the "if it hits the floor it's mine" rule (unless it's something that they can't eat, like a raisin. After I was done cooking, both of these knuckleheads sat and made puppy dog eyes at me while drooling and licking their chops. But another rule we have is they must wait until after we finish eating. With a stern, but loving tone I address them, "Hey you know the rules." They give one last, pleading and desperate glance with even bigger puppy dog eyes and then lay right on my feet to wait. After I finished eating I butter them each a slice and pour a little maple syrup on it, then cut it up into bite size pieces, then set their plates down for them. They sniff the food but don't eat. Instead they sit down and look at me with questioning eyes. Of course they love Finnish Toast as well as French Toast, especially with a bit of maple syrup on it. But usually my wife makes it. I'm feeling a bit insulted over the fact that they scarf hers down and won't eat mine. I coax them a bit, they sniff again, but won't eat. I pick up their plates, switch them and give them the others and they lick the plates clean, no hesitation what ever. Is there any difference? Absolutely none, except that it's the other dogs food. |
| I still have a great deal to do on my camper (HiLo) project and the weather is still great for working on it. Some days it's a warm, but mostly it's fifties or sixties, nice weather to work in. Besides, I have it sealed up pretty well and the furnace works great. So why am I not out there working on it? The answer is simply motivation, or the lack there of. That's the same answer for not doing a lot of things I should be getting done before it gets colder. Where has my motivation gone? How do I get it back? It seems to stem from having so much going on, so many interruptions, and so much disruption through the summer. It seems I've burnt out and am now struggling to get my mojo back. Perhaps it's fear that's robbing me of the will to take on these tasks. Not the fear of failing, but the fear that if I start something I'll be interrupted or disrupted shortly after I start. That has always been a problem for me; I tend to be the type that goes all out on my projects and despise having anything or anyone stop me from reaching the end of the task. Once I get going on something I want to see it through, but if something forces me to stop, it's hell to get back into it. I know I need to overcome this lack of motivation and consistent procrastination; maybe tomorrow. |
| Yesterday was a beautiful day at Maplewood State Park. It was sunny, with just a few wispy clouds decorating the pale blue sky. The temperature was in the mid-seventies with a nice gentle breeze. The ground was littered with colorful leaves, and many of the trees still displayed their vibrant autumn colors. It was my wife's birthday yesterday and my gift was a day spent driving and hiking through the park. Max, my Husky, turned two years old on Sunday, so it was also a birthday gift for him. After a wonderful, relaxing day we returned home for a relaxing dinner. I had put a chicken in the slow cooker, so dinner was ready when we got home. I know, a day in the park doesn't sound like much of a gift, but she loves the fall colors and spending time outdoors. It also kept her from working around the house, which she would have done since yesterday was her only day off until Friday. I took quite a few pictures to share:     |
| What season is it? Here in our part of Minnesota, we should be seeing the first onslaughts of winter or at least the freezing temperatures of late fall. But this year it's been warmer. I did winterize the campers already, and we have had two nights with hard frost, but other than that, it's been rather temperate and nice. Windy, but relatively nice with temperatures warm enough not to even need a sweatshirt during the day; like today being in the lower seventies. The downside is that the bugs are terrible as the temperature climbs, and they try to find food and shelter before the snow and cold arrive. Also, it's been very windy most days, and since we are in a dry period, it's always dusty outside. We had a pleasant spring, a very wet summer, and now a very dry fall. Today it's pretty calm out, sunny, and already seventy-five degrees out. So, since my beloved is off work today, we are taking the two dogs out to Maplewood State Park to enjoy the fall colors (many trees have already lost their leaves because of the wind, but we should still get to see a lot of colors). It's also her birthday, so after we return, I'll fix her a nice dinner, topping it off with cake and ice cream, and then a relaxing evening, possibly even a fire if she wants to sit out. This means I'll likely not be online much for the rest of the day, but I'll be back for a bit tomorrow. The title? Oh year, "Don't Fall" simply because it should be fall but the weather isn't going there, at least not yet. So, we had summer, then fall, and now we are in a short, but pleasant, don't fall. Hopefully, it will last well into what should be winter, or even till spring -- I wouldn't mind at all. |
| Yes, another entry. Why? First, I need to take a break from catching up in the Newsfeed, my email, and all that I have missed while I was absent. Secondly, I want to share a few things with you. Actually, I was pondering a few other things I missed during my time away. For instance, the twenty- fourth birthday bash. This makes me sad because it's a rather big deal. I do appreciate all of you, the site, and especially all that the The StoryMaster   and The StoryMistress  do for us.I also missed my own anniversary, which is a big deal. I want to thank all of you for your c-Notes, badges, wonderful messages, and everything else. It was very heartwarming to log back in and find so much from so many. Of course, I also missed interacting with everyone and many of the activities you've hosted. I was a bit upset when I discovered that Andre The Blog Monkey's Banana Bar was no longer open, although I understood why. I hope that one day Andre and his side-kick Brother Nature  will return.But, my absence was needed, I had a lot of things going on that demanded a great deal of my time, and I also had a great many distractions and problems that needed to get worked out. I had to step back and find my path, so to speak, so that I can get back to writing again. Writing is, and always has been a big part of who I am, but somewhere along the past few years, that part of me became lost. Somewhere I lost my muse, Halo, and with her a big part of who I am and I needed to reflect, make some changes, and find my way back. I am happy to say I've made progress and I'm once again on the right path. Here is a video that very much fits: |
| The title, yes fact or fiction, it fits the item because I was there and I still don't know if it's real or make-believe. I do know it's a rather long tale, perhaps enough for a book someday. But today is not that day, so here is a summary of what happened, or what may have happened; only the otters know for certain. It was just the other day; no not that day, the other one. Well, to me it was just the other day, here it was the other month! Anyway, it was a cool evening, drizzly and dark, when I noticed a deep blue light in the backyard. I stepped out to investigate and noticed it was shining down through the cloud cover, much like a giant blue flashlight. Because of the clouds, I couldn't see where it was emitting from so I stepped into the light. If you ever hear a voice that says, "Step into the light," don't do it! Anyway, I did and a tingly sensation swept over my entire body. One second I was standing in the yard among the fall leaves, the next me and the leaves began floating up into the light. As I drew closer I caught a glimpse of what looked like a giant, metallic fish. One of the rather large scales on the fish's belly was open and the light was coming from inside. The next thing I know, I'm inside the metallic fish, in a storage hold filled with autumn leaves! I tried to find an exit but was knocked over when the fish began ti rise vertically at a rather rapid speed. I think I passed out. When I woke, I was in a room with bright white lights and this big otter, standing on two legs, was looking down at me. I tried to sit up, but I was strapped down to the examination table and could not move. "Please relax. We mean you know harm." he turned and spoke to another otter standing off to the side, "Dare we release him?" I think the other otter nodded, I didn't hear anything. Then the one standing over me told me, "I'll release you if you give me your word you won't try to harm us, and will stay calm." I nodded and he, or maybe she, it's difficult to tell with six foot tall otters, unhooked the restraints so I could sit up. "Where am I? What's going on?" I had so many questions. "It's difficult to explain, but you are on a spacecraft and traveling through space to our home world." I let out a gasp. "You're aliens?" "Yes and no. We are otters, and we originally came from Earth. But the fur trappers where killing so many of our kind we feared we would become extinct, so some of us more advanced otters built a spacecraft and left in search of a safer planet. We return about once a decade in Earth years to make sure our species is still surviving." He, or she, was quiet for a few minutes while this all settled into my bewildered mind. "We also stop by to harvest." I was about to freak out! "You harvest humans? Are you going to dissect me? Do strange experiments on me?" "No, not humans, we harvest dead leaves. We have discovered a way to use in the process of converting lithium to dilithium crystal which we use foe fuel and energy needs both on this craft and on our home world. Our world is covered in water and has no trees." I let out a sigh of relief at hearing this. He, or she, went on, "I cannot tell you more, and you shouldn't even know about us. But, Allen is still an apprentice and messed up, the damage is done. We are returning you to your home and will be soon. But, there is a problem. Even though you have only been here for a couple of days, the time lapse on Earth will have been longer. I have to go back to the control module now, but Allen will stay here with until it's time to put you back." He, or she, and the other otter left. Shortly after another younger otter came in. "Sorry. I didn't mean to bring you aboard with the leaves, I wasn't watching as I should have, I was playing a game on my phone." I nodded, "It's okay, we all make mistakes, especially when we are still learning." Allen smiled, "When you get back, people are going to want to know what happened to you. I suggest you tell them the truth even though they won't believe you. For Otterkind, honesty is the biggest pillar of our existence. Therefore, we won't ask you to lie for us, and besides, by the look how you people drive, it's going to be a long, long time before you ever make it to our world." Allen and I talked the rest of the trip back, but he wouldn't provide many answers to my questions; I suppose he couldn't. He did offer me a fish, but I declined since it was still alive. After, he escorted me to a platform shaped like a circle with a spiral design upon it. He moved a series of levers on a console and the spiral began to glow blue and spin. The next thing I knew I was descending down from the clouded sky in a beam of blue light and then I passed out. I woke in my backyard, on the ground with my Husky Max licking my face. That's my story, believe it or not. As for me, I hope one day to visit again with Allen the alien otter... |
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I think I'd have to call a septic cleaner to flush out my brain after meeting Norb... I'd send you my muse, but I need it (?) more than you do right now. Best wishes for getting a good one!
