Life in the fast lane--where's the on ramp?

By Pat_B - About Me - E-mail this page - Add to My Favorites - Add to Blog List - See other blogs in Journal

Monday, September 20, 2010

The Case of the Reluctant Roofer

Cops arrived before the nail gun had a chance to cool off. Lying dead as a doornail in the middle of his pathetic excuses was the head honcho of One-Day Shinglers, I.B. Lyin. And the prime suspect, Miss Gilda Lilly, was twisting a handkerchief in her hands as she leaned anxiously over the body, the... Sign in to see full entry.

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Sunday, September 19, 2010

My other life (in dreams) seems like so much more fun.

A group of us, a class of about a dozen, were on a trek, a five mile hike up a mountainous trail, across a bridge to a writer's retreat lodge. We were supposed to hear readings by a mysterious unnamed poet, but I was getting tired. I was almost ready to tell the others to go ahead, I'd catch 'em on... Sign in to see full entry.

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Saturday, September 18, 2010

Flu shots by gift card... and a house call by June

It was in red flashing letters on Walgreen's sign. Gift cards for flu shots, $29.95. On Wednesday morning I went to Walgreens to refill a prescription -- and there was June, happily chatting away with another customer while waiting for her flu shot. I gave the clerk the empty bottle and sat next to... Sign in to see full entry.

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Friday, September 17, 2010

Life imitates art, and writers' research.

Scheduled to meet last night: Martha, Vicki, Lynn, Alan, Chuck and Me. This is the last squad of writers who meet monthly at Borders. I sent out a reminder email last week: time to email out your latest 5 pages to the all of "reply all." Vicki had written count me in, I've already arranged time off... Sign in to see full entry.

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Thursday, September 16, 2010

Gone to Her Reward

Elizabeth was a fusspot child, nosy and opinionated even at the tender age of seven. Bitsy, her mother called her. "Bitsy," she'd say, "children should be seen and not heard. You could hurt people's feelings when you say things like that." But Elizabeth didn't stop. In seventh grade she was the one... Sign in to see full entry.

posted by Pat_B at 5:25 AM | add or view comments (3) | leave calling card | link to this | view only this entry

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

100-year-old Murder to be subject of my NaNoWriMo 2010

Earlier this summer as I typed stories for the Leclaire historic website, I came across a series of articles about a murder trial; a husband had killed his wife. This comes up so often on the news these days it's almost routine. But in those days, in this town, it was a big deal involving... Sign in to see full entry.

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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Tomorrow's my daughter's birthday.

She's got four grown sons, three grandchildren, and works as a speech therapist, rehab manager at a nursing home in Decatur. We're not in close contact these days, she's so busy, but I remember how it was when she was born, how much joy she brought to the family. I wrote this to her for her Sweet... Sign in to see full entry.

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Monday, September 13, 2010

"Voltaire’s Calligrapher" by Pablo De Santis

It’s a Harper Perennial to be released in October. If I were a beat-era writer, I’d say “Like, Man, this is one crazy tome!” If I were one of those lah-te-dah high-fallutin’ critics, I might say it’s an intriguing walk through a historical labyrinth... But since it’s just me, I’ll just say it is... Sign in to see full entry.

posted by Pat_B at 11:03 AM | add or view comments (3) | leave calling card | link to this | view only this entry

The Mountain Man

Fifty one years ago Herman James, a West Virginia Mountain man was drafted by the Army. On his first day in boot camp, the Army issued him a comb. That afternoon the Army barber sheared off all his hair On his second day, the Army issued him a tooth brush. That afternoon the Army dentist yanked... Sign in to see full entry.

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Sunday, September 12, 2010

At the Movies...

I used to love 'em. Dramas, thrillers, comedies, fantasies. I still remember lines from "Bambi" sixty years later, one of the Disney things mom let us go to. We could see a Saturday afternoon double feature, newsreels and a couple cartoons for a quarter in those days, and for another quarter we... Sign in to see full entry.

posted by Pat_B at 7:59 AM | add or view comments (3) | leave calling card | link to this | view only this entry

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Sometimes you have to write it down in order to learn what you really think about life, what it means, how to do what's best. Sometimes you need feedback from someone else to put things in perspective.

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