I'm a sunrise kinda gal

Sunrise in Cape Town

Sunrise or sunset? Sunrise. Definitely.



I mean, I'm almost never awake enough early enough to enjoy them, but they always have a way of making me feel fresher and more alive when I am. A day when you've seen the sun rise, feels like a good, purposeful day, right from the start. It feels like a day for accomplishments and productivity.



Sunsets are very pretty, but there's also this sense of loss and sorrow that comes with the lengthening shadows of the evening. The day is drawing to a close; there's so little time left to get anything done. Never enough time.



Watch the sun rise.

Have a full day.

And then,

when you've finished your tasks,

watch it fade away.

Phonebooth to Nowhere

Craft a story with no 'E's it said. 100 words. I can do that! Tougher than it looks. No 'L's was not so difficult.

Phone Booth

I look at my watch. Almost two. Nonchalant, I walk to a booth on my right. It is claustrophobicly small.

Nobody's looking.

Quickly I dial an odd combination. My surroundings slip away.

Slowly blinking, my sight adjusts. Bright light glints off of glossy, hard floors and walls. This room looks blank, no furnishings, no company.

“Uh... anybody around?” I ask, cautiously sitting up. My own murmurings simply drift back as I strain to find a hint of an occupant lurking.

Swoosh. What was that?! “Who is it?” I shout at nothing.

A shadow grabs my arm. Cold, so cold!

“Oh God! It said that combo was for a candy shop! Don't hurt m-- Aaarrgh!!”

Wind in the Grass: A Haiku of S

Pompous Pampas

Soothing, sibilant

sounds. Swaying stalks so slender.

Soft susurrations.

Texas Burger might not be healthy, but it's tasty

Try their poutine. Seriously!



They make all their fries fresh, on the spot. I don't mean, they get some pre-cut frozen things and throw them in the deep-fryer when you order. I mean, they take the potatoes, wash them, cut them up, and fry them for you. Right there.



If you are going there though, at least if you plan on getting the poutine, bring you appetite; the serving sizes are... generous. Better yet, bring a friend! Best: bring me! I'm always willing to help polish off an order of Texas Burger poutine!



I remember having some tasty breakfasts and burgers and the like there when I was a kid too, but it's all kind of faded and vague now. I don't get in there very often anymore - I think I've been once in the last two or three years - so, when I do get to go, it's poutine all the way!



The only thing that could make this dish any better is if the restaurant were located in Quebec. I mean, it's fantastic as is, but imagine how good it would be if they could get proper, fresh, salty, delicious, Quebec cheese curd, rather than just grated cheddar. Mmmm...

Insomnia's a b-- uh, the pits

Sleeping cougar

What haven't I done yet? Slept. Kinda difficult when I'm sneezing every few minutes and every time I lie down my nose clogs (more) and my sinuses feel like they're going to explode. Add that to the dull ache in my back and the general restlessness that's been plaguing me for the last week and you have the perfect recipe for a sleepless night!

Something to save for: Honeymoon in the tropics

Money, money, money. It seems no matter how much we have we always need more of it. Not that I would know, I've been pretty much broke for over a year now. But hey! Anyway, I generally don't feel like I need much. I'm happy and can get by on very little when I have to, but there are definitely some pricey items I wouldn't mind splurging on if I had the opportunity.

Welcome to the Jungle

Item no. 1: A honeymoon in the tropics!

Getting married in a couple of months and it would be really nice to be able to take a week-long honeymoon in Costa Rica or something.



Item the 2nd: Gadgets for my sweetie.

Would love to get him a nice new motherboard and CPU and/or a cool dive watch and/or a nice pair of warm-water flippers/fins and/or a good bike to replace the one that was stolen from him.



5! ...er, 3: SCUBA lessons.

Seeing as he's already certified, I'd love to get mine so we could dive together.



Fantastic number 4: Piece of mind for my parents.

If I somehow manage to save up/come into a lot of money, I'd really want to give a considerable sum to my parents so that they could relax and retire.



There are other little things of course, but those are more incidental. I think that's most of the big ones.

"Get the He** out!": A short story with no "L"s.

It was a dreary day in November. The air had started out crisp and fresh, with sunshine and a sweet breeze. Now the wind was brisk and frigid, the warmth had crept out of the sun, and great icy drops began to pour from the sky.



Mark rushed into the shop, newspaper guarding his head from the sudden shower. The shopkeeper raised his head as the buzzer sounded, eying the sodden man with some suspicion. The expression of annoyance on his face grew as Mark dried his damp boots on the rough mat by the door.



"Nice weather we're having now, isn't it?" he chimed at the sour face behind the counter.

The dour expression didn't change. The comment was recognized by a minute grunt as his focus dropped back to the work in front of him.

"Hey, uh, you got any of those new energy boosters?" he continued undeterred by the absence of enthusiasm. "Might be good on a day such as this."

"No."

"Oh," he frowned and examined his surroundings with more care. The interior was neither dim nor dirty, yet somehow gave a definite impression of being dingy. The shopkeeper had an array of strange objects spread out in front of him and seemed to be picking at something with a pair of tweezers.



Mark moved over to examine an intricate, carved figurine to his right and jumped as the tiny object became warm to the touch. "Aagrhh!" the item seemed to spring from his fingers as it grew red-hot. It bounced off the edge of the stand, skittered across the hard ground, making a surprising amount of noise, and crashed into the corner of the door frame before coming to rest - much diminished - as bits of the pretty thing had chipped off with every bounce and knock.



The shopkeeper started at the unexpected noise, jamming his tweezers into his precise work.

"You buffoon!" He roared. "You staggering, dirty idiot! Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to import those?! How much they cost?!"

"I--"

"Of course you don't! Ignorant man! Stupid, ignorant man! You come into my shop, disturb my work, track footprints in, and then... THEN! You destroy my merchandise! Get out!"

"I'm sorry. I can--"

"You've done enough! Get. Out!"

"You--" He stopped mid-sentence, "Fine, okay, I'm gone." He turned and put his hand on the door.

The shopkeeper grunted, "...take me weeks to get another... Just because of one incompetent man! I need to put a sign out front: 'No humans!'" He eased the tweezers from where they'd stuck with a bright, fuscia pincer and returned three eyes to his work as the fourth tracked a shaken and yet-damp Mark out into the street.