With my growing number of blogs (I stand at 5 now), and my various projects geared to saving myself and the world (both with questionable odds for success), I have found myself actually struggling to find time to do everything I want to do. My life always seems to be one of extremes … all or nothing. And in the irony that is life, I never have the needs meet the resources. I have plenty of time on my hands, I don’t have the energy or materials needed to do the many projects I theoretically want to do. Or the opposite  I have the energy, motivation and resources, I don’t have the time.

If there is a creator guiding this game, it sure has a big sense of humor.

This is basically a long-winded way of saying that now that I actually WANT to work on my “books”, I have not managed to find the time to do it. So today I took a stand. Actually I took a seat. I stayed away from social media. Put on some good music. And somehow managed to avoid the rest of the world trying to get my attention and actually got a couple thousand words out … in BOTH manuscripts. One new chapter done in each, and an idea where both stories are going again.

I actually feel proud of myself! Woohoo!

If I manage to have a few days like this every week, I might actually finish one of them in THIS lifetime!

Updated stats:

• RAYSON’S story
• Previous word count:    71375
• Chapter:     21 
• Current word count:      72397
• Chapter:      21 Finished

• GUSTY’S story
• Previous word count:     26569
• Chapter:      19 Finished     
• Current word count:      27724
• Chapter:      20 Finished

and my creation …

Most people who live in the land of Tootone are quite content. Their lives are very easy, very clear-cut. Decisions are usually very simple, so no stress. But a few of the Tootonians, those who live on the border of the land known as Argeebee, have learned something about discontentment. Aregeebee is just on the other side of the River Ranebeau, and those who live near that river can see how different that land is. It is not uncommon to see Tootonians looking across the Ranebeau, sometimes with looks of wonder or even longing.

But few ever cross it.

Yesterday, you have done by me well.
You have taught me much more than I can tell.
I hate to say goodby, it is really true.
But now beckons, and the future does too.
Some say parting is such sweet sorrow,
but that still leaves joy for welcoming tomorrow.
The past is truly past, and so it will always remain.
But that does not mean we remember it in disdain.
It has shaped our now; as it always will,
Yet we must keep eyes for the future still.
Yesterday, you have done by me well.
You have taught me much more than I can tell.

This “poem” was inspired by this week’s 100 Word Challenge for Grownups. The prompt was

…parting is such sweet sorrow….

For those of you swinging by from the 100WCGU, feel free to stop reading now, since this is really what you are looking for. But I am once again doing a two for one, and am going to explore the thoughts behind the poem a little bit more. For the brave among you  … keep reading!

Change is part of life. This is a simple fact. But somehow it becomes more evident for people at this time of year, as life reemerges from its “dormant” state,  getting a fresh start, almost as if attempting to wipe away the shadows of yesterday. The pattern is never-ending … birth, aging, death. Yet each new rendition of the pattern is slightly different. It is not a precise mechanized process, but rather art being repeated over and over, with each new work somehow different from the last. Many would halt the process, or worse yet try to reverse it. That is basically fear of the unknown. But those who truly value life in all its glory will embrace it, and even do what they can to add to the art.

Lately, though it seems that the world is in a tight conflict between those who embrace the change that is inherent in life, and those who refuse to accept it. So in a way this post is an homage to those who choose to embrace life. And taking an opportunity to do a little shameless plugging Many of those close to me are heeding the call, and so many people I know are stepping out of their comfort zone and basically reaching for the stars (me included). There is no way that I could list even a fraction of the people I know doing this right now, but I can do a shout out for a few, and maybe they will get some benefit from my hurrah.

For one, my sister has taken a leap of faith into her future, which includes stepping her blog up to HER blog, domain and all. I know many of you have followed her for several years now, but I wanted to help spread the word that she has moved. Check out her new manifestation of creativity. I have two more bogs I want to point out, and on the surface it looks like I am just promoting myself. While I am involved with both of them, the truth is I am trying to get them noticed more for what they represent than because my name is attached. One is more than a blog, but an attempt at creating a movement. I have mentioned PAX Nation before. Yes I came up with the idea, but my intent has always been to make it into some sort of group effort … hopefully something that will grow and take form without NEEDING my input. So if you think humanity is moving in the wrong direction, and want to maybe try to guide it towards life again, maybe you might want to take a look.

My final shout out is two a new project I am doing with my blogging brother Mark (many of you know him as The Idiot). We have undertaken a journey for self growth that somehow has manifested into an attempt for two middle-aged Idiots to maybe make a little difference in the world. For more details, take a look at our joint website, Two Hiking Idiots. Again, I am not doing this to promote myself or the blog itself, but we are trying to raise as much money as we can for as many charities as we can in the process of our little endeavor, so would love if anyone feels they can contribute.

Frankly there are many people I wish I could shout out about right now. It seems this season change has become the anthem of many. Which is a truly wonderful thing. For the individuals and the world at large. So despite my “selfish plugs”, I want to be sure to give the honor do to all these days who are embracing a better future. Kudos to all of you. Every little bit counts!

We seem to have run out of scheduled apocalypses for the moment, unless we count the pending zombie apocalypse that seems to be the new wave of entertainment (again). Zombies have become the new vampire even! But I contend that once again we have missed all the apocalyptic fun, because the zombie apocalypse has already taken place. We are surrounded by the buggers, and they munch on our brains on a regular basis. They just have mastered the art of camouflage, a little fact missed by all the mythology. We call them by all sorts of names, not even realizing that they are actually zombies. For example: corporations, politicians, insurance companies, wall street, media.

Think about it. What is a zombie? I soulless monster intent on feeding on the living, with a taste for mushing brains. Replace zombie with any of the words above, and the definition holds! Sorry folks. It’s too late. The zombies have already taken over. There is no fighting it.

Kind of takes all the fun out of the future, knowing the world has gone and ended without us even noticing it. Ah well, maybe next time around.

Is Y a consonant? Know not I.
Or perhaps a vowel it passes by?
It is both, one can not deny.
Of letters it is the ver-Macgy.

Without Y, no gym go I,
An there would be no You to be with shy.
Without Y no shine could be shiny,
And no whine could be whiny.

So thank you thank you letter Y.
You make the time go faster by.
How about you and you and I,
A big cheer for Y let’s cry!

…the hairs on my arms stood up…

On the surface ripe for a horror story or such, but have ya met me? So here is my bit o’ nonsense. Hope you enjoy!

Annabelle knew how to handle asses. His vanity prevented him from seeing that NO ONE could actually make his hair look good. There was no call for that kind of abuse. She called her grandmother.

Tony thought the package was a gift from his imagined list of admirers. The hair gel smelled very nice, and would no doubt enhance his magnificent mane. He wasted no time trying it out.

The doctor guffawed, “Then what Tony?”
“My skull started to tingle, and then the hairs on my arms stood up. Then on my legs. Before I knew it, THIS!”
“We will need some large scissors nurse!”

A random coconut for your pleasure … again.

Words are a curious invention. One would think that the first word for fire would be something like “ffffffftOW!”  So how did that end up turning into “fire”. So many words really just don’t make any kind of sense from a purely aural perspective. But then again, many words (especially in English) don’t make much sense from ANY perspective! The confusion gets even more advanced when words start taking on colloquial meanings that are frequently far from their standard meaning. That is a result of cultural usage that are often obscured by the very culture it started in. How do these words come into being? For that matter, if one person was the originator, how does it become widespread enough to actually become part of the language?

I have decided to randomly create a word of my own. Seeing as I am on X in the A to Z challenge (a few days late again) my word is an X word. The word itself is not original, but my twist of meaning is. I am officially designating one who has chutzpah; one who has the nerve to do what others will not under similar circumstances, as a Xylocarp. Or maybe xylocarpic. For example one might say: “Dude, did you REALLY just do that? You are xylocarpic!” with an appropriate surfer accent.

See if you can guess what the word means without looking it up. Plenty of clues on this post

With so much proof of wonder, how is it that there even exists such a thing as a closed mind?

Belief is the ultimate driving force of the human mind. How we act, the choices we make, the dreams we have, the goals we strive for … these are all defined by the beliefs we have. This means that the bounds of our universe are defined but what we are willing to believe. If we set limits on our ability to believe  we are also setting limits on our universe. Why would anyone actually CHOOSE to do that?

That is the only thing I find truly unbelievable.

The universe is vast, if we are willing to let it be. Or it can be a closed in box. That is solely by our choice. Why would someone choose to live inside a box? That is hard to understand for those who choose the vastness. Is it fear of the unknown? Maybe it is just the preference for comfort. Never having to go outside of well-known bounds certainly does take the risk out of life. Yet without risk we can not really know the true rewards for facing the risks.

Maybe that explains the fear of the vastness. But some don’t even want to acknowledge it even exists. That truly confounds me. To live so completely in a box that we can’t even IMAGINE anything beyond it truly boggles my mind. I personally find it difficult to even visit such a box for too long. But I guess it can’t be both ways. One cannot both seek the vastness, and feel comfort in the box. Fear is the guide there. Do we choose to face the fear, or hide from it?

Words are amazing tools. They can plant ideas, or they can crush them flat. The can set boundaries, and with the very next words break them away. Words have the power to lift spirits … or break them. Yes words are a very useful, and dangerous, tool.

But like anything, words have their limitations. Words can be used to describe love, but nobody who has never experienced it can truly understand the words. Wet means nothing until you have been immersed in water. By the same token. light has no meaning to someone who has only experienced darkness, not matter the words used. And how does one describe outside to someone who has lived forever inside? Thus words, like any tool of power, have great strength and great risk.  If we use words to expand the mind; use them as keys and gateways to the universe, then they are wonderful. However if we let the words define the universe; not allowing the universe to expand beyond the limitations of those words … that way lies stagnation.

Don’t use words as an excuse. Don’t be confined by their limitations. Let words be the key to believing the unbelievable. Let words open the door to the vastness that awaits. Fear is only a word. Don’t let it contain you. Live! Expand! Explore! Think!

The first man to begin at said beginning was known as The First, odd as that may sound. Of course that is just a name, seeing as the beginning was arbitrarily picked so The First may not have really been the first. But that is neither here nor there. And certainly not now or then.

The extremely odd thing about this tale, is nobody is really clear on what The First was supposed to be the first AT. But there is no doubt that he was known as The First, and he was the first to do whatever it was he did at the beginning we chose to be The Beginning.

Now The First made such an impression doing whatever it is he did, that a whole series of people decided to follow his lead and do the same thing. Unfortunate, those who decided to be second, third , fourth … all the way up to the umpteenth were so involved with following The First that none bothered documenting what everyone was actually doing, so we still do know what The Beginning was the beginning of. To recap, The First was the first to begin at The Beginning, though he may not actually have been the first and The Beginning may not have actually been the beginning. And many followed.

Now that we are caught up, we are clearly nearing an end, though it might not be The End. But since we are not actually clear what was being done at The Beginning, it is difficult to know when the story ends. So to be on the safe side, we will call The End the end.

The End.