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Showing posts from 2016

Dogs and Cats Living Together

Recently, we took in a cat. I know what you're thinking, a cat in the house of Daleville Dan? I mean, he's not known for being friendly with cats, And what about the dog named Muffin who is known in these parts as "The Cat Slayer?" Well, we simply had to take in this cat as it was already a member of the family. The cat is named Sir Purssalot, and he is my granddaughter's best friend in the whole wide world. You see, my daughter and her family recently moved into a new apartment that does not accept pets. Since we adopted the cat for our granddaughter on her Birthday, we simply could not allow the little sweetie to go to some strange home. All this leads to the heart of this post--dogs and cats are strange, and even stranger when living together. Since the cat is something new, our dog follows him all over the house, trying to sniff, or even lick at him. As soon as the cat turns around though, the dog runs away as if scared. Meanwhile, the cat has its own pe

The Last Haiku

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Well the month of September is now (mostly) behind us. This means that my thirty-day haiku-a-day challenge is coming to an end. Does this mean I'm done with haikus forever? Certainly not, but I will limit this display of gross negligence and incompetence in the writing arts to the occasional attempt. So, I felt it fitting to post a haiku about my last haiku for this momentous occasion. I've posted quite a few haikus about haikus in this month. I can affirmatively say that this exercise has helped in getting me to write something each day. I think all writers eventually succumb to writer's block but the reason vary. My reasons are more about self-doubt that anything else. Anyway, here's the last haiku post of the month.

Daily Haiku-Ransom

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Uh, I have no explanation for today's haiku. It just came to me.

Daily Haiku-Coffee

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When I was younger, I was not a coffee drinker. I guess one might have called me a "teetotaler" in those days. Although, I think that the title "Tea Drinker" might have been more accurate since the aforementioned is one who never drinks alcohol. While I preferred tea over coffee in those days, I certainly did not shy away from the gin and tonic or, in desperate times, rum and coke. Anyway, somewhere along the line, I took a liking to coffee, and now I've joined the masses of coffee zombies clutching their cups of hot java every morning.

Daily Haiku-Debate

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After suffering through the Presidential debate last night I found myself trying desperately to wash the dark stench out of my soul. In fact, recovery has been a long time coming and today, while at work, I still found myself occasionally becoming suddenly overwhelmed with a strange desire to vomit. So, as a form of therapy, I included my thoughts in today's haiku.

Daily Haiku-The NonHaiku

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Today's haiku brought to you by a coworker of mine. A few days ago, I was late in posting my daily haiku. Since there was no haiku to read yet, he created a haiku about there being no haiku. Strange, but if you let your mind slip into the profane and bizarre for just a moment, it will all make sense.

Daily Haiku

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Today's haiku is for my daughter and her family as they are moving this week. The house is in shambles and the kids start at a new school on Monday. I can empathize-I've been there.

Daily Haiku

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Today's haiku celebrates a milestone in my month-long haiku adventure. I suppose that, after next week, I'll have to start posting regular articles on my blog again.  My first blog article will probably be about my experience writing a haiku a day for the month of September.

Daily Haiku-Birthday

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Today, I would like to extend my wishes for the best of days. Happy Birthday to my wife, friend, and partner for the last twenty-nine years. I wish for her and eternity of health and happiness. That said, today's haiku was written exclusively for my wife. In hindsight, I really should have typed it as my left-handedness detracted from the perfection I was trying to create with a fountain pen. Left-handed people out there-you know what I'm talking about. Try as I might, I just could not get a clean copy, so you'll just have to deal with the smears and smudges.

Daily Haiku

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Today's haiku is all about computers. Okay, for some of you younger folks, you probably have no problem with computers whatsoever. Computers are probably an integral part of your life - unnoticed, unseen, and unobtrusive. Well, this is not the case for us older... erm, I mean wiser, folks. So, here's a haiku about computers and how I feel when they don't work for me.

Daily Haiku-Prosenator

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I am currently in the process of turning an old Royal Companion Typewriter into the... wait for it... Purple Prosenator! Yes, this typewriter will allow its owner to write the most fluffy, purple prose the world has ever seen. No more will a character simply walk across the room. Rather they will flow like a river, destined for its end. Bosoms will heave... All hair will flow as if in a constant wind... Features will be chiseled... Swords will be sheathed.

Daily Haiku-Gun Control

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Daily Haiku. My thoughts on gun control in America.

Daily Haiku - Monosyllablic

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Today's Haiku was provided by Bill Cagle--a coworker. Looks like I found a new literary friend.

Daily Haiku - Western

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I was recently flipping through the channels on television, trying to avoid the news, and came across one of the last of the westerns featuring Clint Eastwood. I love those old Spaghetti Westerns and watch them every chance I get. Anyway, the movie was called "Unforgiven" and it prompted this little haiku.

Daily Haiku - Wind

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Today's Haiku. Enjoy.

Daily Haiku - Wheels

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Today's haiku is all about the open road and freedom that is often found on the iron horse.

Daily Haiku - Flying

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My haiku for today is about flying. I do not think I quite captured the essence of the feeling of breaking the surrey bonds of Earth but I'm posting it anyway. Enjoy:

Daily Haiku - Nature

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Today's haiku is about nature and my typical experience in it. Or is this my experience everywhere? I don't know... I have a very sarcastic sense of humor. Anyway, enjoy.

Daily Haiku - Wine

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Last weekend my wife invited a friend to our home to do teacher stuff. Together, they built something like dioramas out of plaster of paris. Inside, they put little dinosaur footprints that will be covered with sand. Later, Kindergartners will use little brushes to clean away the sand and "discover" the prints or fossils. But that's not important. What is important is that, while doing this, they indulged in the comforts of wine. Anyway, her friend asked me to write a haiku about wine. I choose to be even more specific and make it about her favorite wine-Pinot Grigio. Here goes:

Daily Haiku - River

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In the Japanese tradition, the haiku normally brings up a very general or broad subject and this subject is often related to nature in some way. Water is one of the primary elements needed for life so here is a haiku about a river winding its way to the ocean.

Daily Haiku

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Sunday seems like a good day to post a haiku about religion. This is a very general haiku since it is difficult to delve into as deep a subject as religion in such a short format.

Daily Haiku - Bug

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If you do not like profanity, avoid this haiku. What am I saying? Those not approving of my occasional profanities stopped following me years ago. This haiku was created through an actual event. I really did see a bug-a spider, to be forthright. I think it might have been a black widow. I just know that it found itself a comfortable home in my chicken coop. Anyway, here it is: Okay, the spider shown in the picture is a wolf spider. They are big and formidable and carry hundreds of little wolf spider babies around on their backs. Plus, I like the name. The spider in the chicken coop did not really bite me on the leg. P.S. Before you go gettin' your panties all up in a bunch, I know that a spider is not technically a bug. Neither is a spider an insect - rather, it is an arachnid, which is in classification of its own... but that's none of my business.

Daily Haiku - Mayberry

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On my way to my writers group meeting this Monday, I stopped into the golden arches for a drink. While I was waiting, I couldn't help noticing their television was set on some station that played classic family shows. So, while I waited in line and watched the Andy Griffith show in black and white, this Haiku popped into my head. Enjoy.

Political Haiku

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Since we are in the midst of a heated election cycle, I thought, why not post a political haiku. Don't worry. It's not a rant and I'm not asking you to vote for a particular candidate. I'm disparaging all politicians equally.

Daily Haiku - Clouds

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My daily haiku poem. Today, about clouds.

Daily Haiku

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I grew up along the shores of the Puget Sound in Washington. The thing that pulls me back to that time are memories of fishing along the rocky shores, exploring, or just walking, and smelling the briny scent and seeing the sea foam along the shore. So, in perusing through those memories, I must include a sense (of the scent, if you will) of the triggers of some of my fond memories. Today's haiku: Beach

Haiku for Labor Day

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In celebration of Labor Day (at least here in the United States) I thought today's haiku should be about the holiday. So, here goes...

Haiku - Enlightenment V2

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Here's an alternate version of the haiku posted yesterday. Only the first line remains the same.

Sunday Excerpt 24

Leonidas squinted against a harsh stream of early morning sunlight out the window of his car. Rising from the low lying haze was the skyline of Atlanta. The same light reflected brilliantly off the angular glass buildings of the metropolis, making them appear to sparkle like ocean waves in the distance. He took the exit into the center of town, and the Five Points Metro Station. He had no real plan in place to find Alexis outside of casing the bus station, and expanding his search from there. He wasn't even sure what he would do when he found her. He just knew, given the condition of his father, it wouldn't be long before he would step into the rightful position of pack Alpha; the position every male in his family held since coming to America in the early eighteen hundreds. When he became pack Alpha, that prissy little bitch, Alexis, would be his... or he'd cast her out of the pack, or kill her. Regardless, she'd have no need for a mate if she couldn't submit to hi

Haiku-Enlightenment

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A haiku of enlightenment. Had a couple of options with this one so I'll post an alternate version tomorrow. Oops. Just realized that the second line actually has eight syllables instead of seven. Well, when reading, just leave out the word "so" and all will be right with the world again.

Haiku Love poem... Of Sorts

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I must get better at expressing love in a haiku. It is a rather challenging endeavor to express something of this depth in such a contracted format. Well, I'm no Haiku Master but I'm getting better. Enjoy.

Sunrise Haiku

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I'm departing from my normal method of delivery and am going for something more rustic, personal. Here's a haiku about sunrise. Enjoy.

Haiku about a Haiku

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Today, I am posting a haiku about writing a haiku. How's that for irony, or is is coincidence, or juxtaposition? Maybe my daily haiku will become deeper, more meaningful as I get the hang of this style of poetry. Anyway, here it is for your reading pleasure.

Daily Haiku

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So, I've decided to test the waters and try to create a new Haiku every day until further notice.  A grand undertaking considering my history with consistent blogging. I thought it appropriate that my first effort should be about typewriters and in typecast form. Here goes:

Sunday Excerpt 23

The excerpt today begins a new chapter. New characters will be introduced in the coming weeks. "I see you like to ride in class," Alexis said jokingly, as Frost opened the passenger-side door of his truck for her. The door springs creaked and something made a sort of metallic popping noise as he forced it open. "Hey, don't knock it," he said. "It gets me from A to B." She crawled into the middle of the bench seat and Becky sat beside her. Frost jumped in the driver's side and shut the door with a hollow thump. They drove the short distance down South Boulevard to an all-night diner, the light from the big yellow square-lettered sign diffused through the truck's dirty windshield as they pulled into a parking spot. Frost ran ahead and held the door open for them. "Such a gentleman," Becky said, as the two girls tried to squeeze through the door at the same time. "It's just the way my momma raised me," Frost sa

The Non-Post Post

Working on something now. Sorry to be so anti-social but sometimes life just gets in the way of posting on my blog. Hold on folks, I'll be back in the world soon.

Sunday Excerpt 22

Sam was washing glasses, trying to keep up with the busy night, when Knuckles left his table and came to the bar, leaning over it and motioning him close. "Who's the new girl?" "That's Paulina, our new waitress," Sam said, already suspecting Knuckles' motivation. "Why, did you have a problem with her?" "No," Knuckles snorted. "No problem at all. In fact, I'd like to see more of her." "What do you mean?" Sam knew exactly what he meant, and he didn't like it one bit. "I mean, can she dance?" "I didn't hire her to dance," Sam said. "I need a good waitress, and she's the best I've had in here in a long time." "Why don't you take that stick of a girl, Becky, and put her on the floor taking orders, and put Paulina on the stage." Knuckles gestured toward Paulina, making a sweeping motion toward the stage. "That woman's got some meat on

Pearls of Wisdom

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Photo Credit:  http://www.teachtoinspire.wordpress.com W as looking through some of my writing today. I sometimes peruse old stuff or tap away at one of my old manual typewriters for inspiration. Anyway, I came across some quickly written poems and realized some of them were not that bad. At some point in the recent past I had this flash of a dream to be a street poet. Okay, so my poetry is rather terrible but I do have the ability to whip out a quip rather quickly on one of my old crotchety typewriters. Who knows, maybe one day I'll decide to show up at some local event with a little table and chair, and sell poems while you wait. I imagine (in fact, I've already purchased some small frames) that I would have a long line waiting to buy a quick poem using a customer's subject or prompt. I set out to practice this and came up with some decent work and some truly terrible words I destroyed immediately. I gave myself a subject and five minutes to come up with a s

A Bit of Europe in a Small Town

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I was out and about in Daleville the other day at lunchtime and found this new restaurant. Well, if you want to be technical, it is an imbiss or schnell imbiss, which is a fast serve restaurant in Germany. I suppose an imbiss might be more similar to a street vendor in New York City than an establishment like Mcdonald's. As many of you know, I occasionally post about this small town of Daleville. Now you know, it is not a fictional town at all, rather a small community just outside a military post. Yes, Daleville Dan is often talking about real situations-good or bad-although fictionalized. Anyway, since I've spent some time in Germany (stationed on two separate occasions while serving in the military) I have some experience with German street cuisine. This new establishment gave me a sense of authenticity while inside and brought back fond memories of stopping for a quick bite while shopping in some quaint German town. I remember looking forward to Wednesdays when the

Sunday Excerpt 21

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As soon as Frost walked into the Pink Pony, he saw Knuckles and a few of his thugs, sitting at a table in front of the stage. Knuckles had his hand raised, waving it in the air, as he nodded an "over here" look to the waitress at the bar. Frost immediately recognized her. She was the woman he'd rescued from Lefty the night before, although she had made it clear to him, she didn't see it that way. He'd thought about her, off and on, all day. Not obsessive thoughts, just little snippets of how she looked, standing in the dark alley the night before. He could have sworn he'd seen a flash of light in her eyes, like the reflection in a dog's eyes at night. No, he wasn't obsessed, just intrigued. Nevertheless, he had to get those thoughts out of his mind, stay focused, especially with his biggest skip ever sitting at a table right in front of him. He found a seat near the door, sat down, and watched as the woman he met last night brought a round of drin