For this piece, I used two characters from my novel, but it's not an excerpt. It was inspired by an actual tomato plant in a large hanging cage. Similar to the one shown . . . but bigger and . . . well . . . slightly demonic looking. The Tomato Plant As promised to … Continue reading The Tomato Plant [Extended Version]
Tag: Discernment
"So, what did the doctor tell you this morning," he asked his wife, struggling to hide an ugly scowl on his thin, dark features. A sudden wave of sadness filled her mind as a single tear tried to fall from one tired eye, but didn't. The room seemed unnaturally quiet as the woman prepared to … Continue reading Causing Pain, That Other, Ugly Coping Skill
I want to take a few minutes to say "Good Morning" to those individuals who've struggled with loved ones addicted to drugs or alcohol. The people who have the love and patience to stand by the addicts' side throughout their battle with addiction. So often, we (bloggers) write about the pain and suffering of the … Continue reading Good Morning To Anyone Damaged By Those Who Are Damaged!
For Generations, the Dam has been deteriorating. Beneath the surface, dark forces have worked incessantly. Every conceivable weakness has been manipulated and exploited. Nobody has been spared. Fueled by an agenda of madness, time and pressure have been weaponized into something that is never silent, never sleeping, always speaking, and forever casting its craft upon … Continue reading The Dam Is Breaking, An Analogy, Edited & Remastered
When I launched this website three years ago, my early writings were emotional rantings, free of unnecessary roadblocks such as editing and the use of acceptable grammar. I remember an early comment referring to my ability to compress multiple paragraphs into one great paragraph. Or was it one giant run-on sentence? Now I can't remember. … Continue reading Seeing The Path
[Thoughts] Now in mid-June, I cannot help but look back at how much has transpired since I wrote this piece. Sober is still power! [Original Post] Twenty-four hours after moving to Texas, I interviewed for and secured employment. This was five weeks ago. During those five weeks, I've had the opportunity to drive and operate … Continue reading Achievement & Avoiding Entanglement [Re-Post]
Pictured; What do you see? For the past 20 years, I've been laboring on a project that few would spend time doing. I've been learning how to turn down the area of my brain that controls discernment. Yes, working at not seeing more than I have to see. Please hang in there. I'm not kidding. … Continue reading Snapshots
We had pretzels this morning before Palm Sunday Mass at the Co-Cathedral of The Sacred Heart [pictured]. Possibly unknown to much of the population, pretzels have deep-rooted religious symbolism. [Food & Wine Magazine] The pretzel's origins date back at least over 1500 years. While the New York Times reported that a fifth-century illuminated manuscript in … Continue reading Pretzels For Breakfast
Much like everyone, my life has been a rollercoaster of good, bad, pain, love, loss, birth, death, coping, and recovery. Recovery and preparation for what's coming next. Everything we survive prepares us for something else. Well, that's the idea, anyway. Once again, I don't believe my pain is special. Simply put, it's my pain. One … Continue reading Restarting The Journals
[Original Post] We've had the Craigslist Killer. Uber and Lyft assaults. Taxicab Crimes and Assaults. The 1970s Tylenol Poisonings. Hopefully, we won't have a Door Dash Pubic Hair Terrorist! Joseph Shanklin March 8, 2022 [Edit & Update] I posted this in March, hours after having an overpowering feeling that Food Delivery Drivers are mishandling the … Continue reading Coming Soon? Food Delivery Terror? [Edit & Re-Post]
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