Writing posts
Time Management Without A Magical Device On June 13, 1980, and interesting little movie called The Girl, The Gold Watch, And Everything debuted. It was based on a book of the same name by John D. MacDonald. The basic plot is a man (Robert Hays) inherits a watch from his uncle. The girl (Pam Dawber) enters his life around the same time and they begin to fall in love. To make things interesting, a gang of criminals keeps trying to…
Memorial Day– A Reminder Of Gratitude The Downjotter would like to take this opportunity to thank the many men and women who served this country and are no longer with us. To those who fell on the battlefield and those who lived to tell the tale but have since passed on, thank you. We also want to thank the families who suffered this most noble loss. May your strength be an example to us all.
Monster Needs A Face Shadows dance on the ancient stone walls of the castle with each flash of lightning. Torrents of rain soak the scientist’s ancestral home, seeking to wash it away before the evil within its womb tastes life. Struggling against the storm, yet drawing upon its power, equipment created from the mind of a madman hums. Blue electricity climbs and descends Jacob’s Ladder, building power then regulating its release into insulated copper wire. Charged chemicals flow hesitantly into…
Washing Machine Repairman I hate wasting money to replace something I could possibly repair myself. Thanks to being cheap—and YouTube—I can repair a Kia, a Nissan, an air conditioning unit, and a clothes dryer. In recent days, I have had to answer the call and become a washing machine repairman. Let me just say, taking a washing machine apart is easy; fixing it, not so much. Certain noises shouldn’t come from washing machines. When my wife went to investigate, she discovered the…
Wading Out To The Middle Of The Creek I was never a tall child growing up. The coordination necessary for sports was not something I had in abundance, so reading, writing, and drawing kept me busy. Despite that, I loved the outdoors (even if my required sunblock would have kept a vampire alive.) One of my favorite activities—not that I got to do it often—was wading in creeks and catching crawdads. I was 13—maybe 14—years old when ours and another…
Christmas Lists Weihnachtsmann. Pére Nöel. Sinterklaas. Shèngdàn lǎorén. Babbo Natale. Father Christmas. Saint Nicholas. Regardless of what you call him, Santa Claus will soon be coming to a chimney near you. The question is, of course, have you been naughty or nice? If you are like me, the answer is probably a little bit of both. I put a lot of effort into being a nice guy, but, sometimes, things just don’t go as planned. What we really want to…
“A Halloween Warning” By E. Lee Ball Forgive me, dear reader, for this intrusion into your time of solitude, but I fear the consequences would be dire if I did not do so. Although you are reading this in a place where you feel safe, the fact of the matter is much the opposite. In truth, your life is in peril, and to survive what is about to occur, you must place your trust in me and heed every word…
The Coming Of The Daikaiju Changes Everything “ The coming of the daikaiju changed everything, and it changed nothing. Problems were still problems, only now they came in a super-size. The fact that all you owned could be crushed beneath the heel of a radiated prehistoric behemoth didn’t change the fact that chores had to be done. Jube hated chores, so he put them off as long as possible. This morning, his mother had warned him of dire consequences if she…
Adventurer’s Gear An adventurer’s gear often determines whether he or she will live or die in the course of their exploits. If they are not properly prepared for climate, terrain, or certain obstacles that could arise, things won’t end well. No one heads into the mountains without warm clothing, proper footwear, portable shelter, or climbing gear. The same goes for the desert; light clothing, water, food, and shelter are a necessity. Whether you are skiing, hunting, scuba diving, or even…
Professional Vacationist If I could choose my dream job, I would choose to be a professional vacationist. I thoroughly enjoy traveling—going new places, experiencing new things, and meeting new people. While I don’t mind flying, driving from point A to point B offers a greater chance of discovery. In fact, several of the more interesting sights I have seen were due to wrong turns. One of the things I enjoy about reading is the numerous places books can take me. I…