Book Review 1001 More Ways To Be Romantic by Gregory J.P. Godek

Don't wait for Valentine's Day to be romantic. The Book "1001 More Ways To Be Romantic" by Gregory J.P. Godek is a sequel to the popular "1001 ways to be romantic" and  gives hundreds more imaginative hints for the romantically challenged.

Some of the tips are more elaborate (and expensive) then others. For instance romantic hint number 1038 suggests hypnosis to help your partner become a better lover.

1001 More Ways To Be Romantic is the perfect gift for your preoccupied partner or buy it together and read it in bed. (That's my romantic tip.)

       Please send your stories, articles, jokes, artwork,ads,and events to: dragonfly6160@yahoo.com and I will publish them in this blog.

Trip To Port Orchard

Yesterday, I took a trip to Port Orchard portorchard.net. Port Orchard is a  fairly old (incorporated 1890), but growing community about a mile across Sinclair Inlet from the city of Bremerton, Washington. bremerton.com My means of transportation was an old boat named "The Carlisle II".

 The Carlisle II is one of the few remaining boats of "The Mosquito Fleet." The Mosquito Fleet at one time consisted of hundreds of small boats that took passengers and cargo all over The Puget Sound. Highways, cars, and other means of land transportation made the Mosquito Fleet unprofitable and most of the boats are gone now, but the Carlisle II and a few other old timers still make the Bremerton-Port Orchard run about every half hour. The cost is a two dollars  for an adult one-way ticket.

Book Review- "The Odessa File" by Frederic Forsyth

Like other Frederic Forsyth novels, "The Odessa File" is a mixture of fact and fiction that can be confusing at times.

The story begins in 1963 West Germany when 29 year old reporter Peter Miller is given the personal diary of a holocaust survivor who has just committed suicide. The diary chronicles the World War Two atrocities of the commander of the Riga Ghetto in Latvia: Eduard Roschmann. (Eduard Roschman was an actual Nazi war criminal but Forsyth uses him in a fictional scenario for his novel which is part of the confusion that I referred to earlier.)

For his own reasons, Peter Miller decides to track Roschmann down. The hunt takes Miller to the UK, Austria, and all across West Germany.

Eventually, Miller comes into contact with a group of holocaust victims that hunt and kill Nazi criminals and attempt to use him to infiltrate a shadowy group known as "Odessa". (Odessa was an actual organization created by wanted Nazis to aid  their escape from the allies after World War Two.) At the same time, the reporter is being pursued by an asassin hired by Odessa to silence him. There is also a  timely sub-plot involving Isreal's attempt to stop Odessa from helping Egypt aquire long-range ballistic missles.

 I enjoyed reading The Odessa File. The writing is fast-paced and there are plenty of surprises.

Mouth And Foot Painting Artists.

I recently received a letter from a group that I had never heard of before. The Mouth And Foot  Painting Artists is an organization of artists who are unable to use their hands to paint due to injury,disease,or birth defects.

As the title of the group indicates, the artists hold painting instruments in their mouths or with their feet to create amazing works of art.http://www.mfpausa.com/

Angela Wambui

Over the weekend, I met Angela Wambui (Miss Kenya-USA). http://www.myafricaisbeautiful.org/. Ms. Wambui is a charming and intelligent young woman who is trying to raise awareness about the famine and refugee crisis in east Africa.

Send Me Your Ideas!!

To my readers: Please send your ideas, stories (true or not), jokes, photos, articles, opinions, and advice to: dragonfly6160@yahoo.com and I will put it in this Blog. Thanks

Drug Addiction

Yesterday, I found two syringes on the sidewalk of the Warren avenue bridge that connects east and west Bremerton. It is no secret that Bremerton has a serious drug problem.Recently, there was a proposal to open a Methadone clinic downtown, but the city council voted it down. I have never really understood addiction. If any of my readers have any thoughts on the subject, please write me @ dragonfly6160@yahoo.com and I will put your responses in my blog. Thanks.

Book Review- "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson

Lydia Worthen is the teenage heroine of the young adult novel "Lyddie"  by Katherine Paterson.

  Sometime in the middle of the 19th century, Lydia's unstable mother sells her and her brother Charlie into servitude in order to pay off her absent husbands debts (a common practice at the time.) At first Lyddie goes to work for an innkeeper, but is discharged after she leaves to visit her family's farm.

Lyddie then travels to Lowell, Massachusetts and finds work in a textile mill. The work is long and hard, but Lyddie becomes adept at it. Most of the mill workers are young women and a few of them attempt to organize and protest the harsh working conditions, but the mill owners allow very little dissent.

During her time at the mill, Lyddie teaches herself to read and grows from a girl into a young woman. The author, Katherine Paterson has a quick and easy style and young readers will keep turning the pages as they learn about the beginnings of the Labor and Women's movements.

Turn Off The TV.

One evening after dinner, when I was about nine or ten years old ,my Mother announced that she was turning off the TV and we were going to do something different. I threw a fit, but my Mother was firm and until bedtime we played games. It was a fun night and I remember it more than all of the TV programs I watched when I was a kid. My Mother never repeated the no TV night, but I wish that she had. It is more important to spend time with the ones you love then to waste your life sitting in front of a lighted screen. So stop reading my blog and go do something with your family.

Hitchhiker

About five years ago, I was taking a Saturday drive to Des Moines.(Des Moines,Washington is a small town on the Puget Sound about fifteen miles south of Seattle.)As I was about to enter the town, I noticed a young woman hitchhiking on the side of the road. I know that it can be dangerous, but I stopped and the young woman got in.

 The young woman spoke very fast and I learned that she was a prostitute,( although she never propositioned me.) I dropped her off at a cheap motel on Highway 99. I wish I could have done something for her and I still wonder what became of her.

Bremerton Clean Up Day

On Saturday, I volunteered for the annual Bremerton city clean-up. Legal Bremerton residents were given the oportunity to drop off their non-hazardous waste trash at the designated collection spot. In this case, it was at Evergreen Park near downtown Bremerton. We volunteers quickly filled up several dumpsters with all manner of junk including at least one kitchen sink. Along the way, I rescued a tree frog that was stranded in the back of an SUV and fed some hungry Seagulls the remains of my lunch. At the end of the day, I smelled like the city dump, but I had a good time.

Power Scooter Breakdown

Not long after my unintentional panhandling, I noticed a young woman attempting to push a power scooter with an elderly man in the seat up a slight incline. I ran over to help and it turned out that the battery on the scooter had been drained of power and needed to be recharged and the young woman was trying to get the man and his scooter back home.

I decided to help her and together we were able to push the  unpowered scooter and the man up the slight rise. It was a relief to get to the top. Eventually the scooter's owner was able to maneuver the scooter to his house.

Strange Encounter 7

Today, I was sitting on a curb in front of a deserted building  in East Bremerton (apparently looking miserable) when a small car with two women pulled up. Through the open window, the driver offered me five one dollar bills and said "Maybe this will put a smile on your face." I told the woman "no thank you" and walked away.

Grand Theft Corn

As I was walking home with my prized collection of aluminum cans and smelling of  old beer and energy drinks I stopped to talk with a man who was watering a small patch of corn stalks. I asked the man if he had found any  ripe corn cobs yet. He said that he had, but that someone had stolen it. I suggested that a Squirrel or a Raccoon might have taken it, but he is convinced that it was a human corn burglar.

Aluminum Cans

When I was a kid, picking up bottles or cans for extra money was fun and fairly easy. As an adult, picking up Aluminum cans to get some money to buy some minutes on your cell phone is hard and humiliating. I can just see the pity in people's eyes as they watch the unfortunate loser who has been reduced to collecting other people's trash from the side of the road. The next time that I really need some money, I am considering something a little less embarrassing like making a sign and begging for money.

7 Billion People

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/overpopulation/7_billion_and_counting/index.html '


    Help to distribute Free Condoms.

Jellyfish

Today I was walking along the bay near the shipyard when I spotted a large Jellyfish being pushed against the rocky shore by the tide.

I went down to the water and gently pushed the Jellyfish into open water with a stick, but the tide once again pushed the Jellyfish back to the shore. I suppose when the tide goes out it will take the Jellyfish with it. The Jellyfish has almost no control over its destiny.

Humans like to think that we have some control over our destiny. It is true that we can move ourselves from place to place, but  we really have no control over where the Earth goes. The Earth is constantly traveling through space and we have no choice but to go along. So maybe there is not as much difference between ourselves and the Jellyfish as we would like to believe.

Water Pipe Leak

Today, as I was walking near the Warren Avenue Bridge which connects east and west Bremerton I noticed a leak in a large water pipe that runs under the bridge. I went to city hall and reported the leak to the public works department. Hopefully I saved the city a bit of trouble.

Sunday Volunteering

http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/aug/28/with-pruners-rakes-and-mops-silverdale-church-to/  On Sunday, I helped a church group clean up a neighborhood near downtown Bremerton. The idea was to show God's love in a tangible way to people. I am not especially religious, but it was a   good day, and I met several interesting people including an ex-Navy man who told me about his old ship: "The USS Maddox." The USS Maddox was severely damaged by Kamakaze planes during World War Two and was also one of the U.S. ships involved in the Gulf Of Tonkin Incident. The Gulf Of Tonkin Incident was one of the triggers for America's long and senseless war in Vietnam.

Obama Goes All Out For Dirty Banker Deal | Common Dreams

Obama Goes All Out For Dirty Banker Deal Common Dreams

Corporate America

One of the most accurate satires of modern corporate America is when Jennifer Aniston's waitress character in the hilarious film "The Office" argues with her manger about how many "flourishes" she should ghave on her uniform.

Apparently, It is not enough  when America's working poor  efficiently perform the tasks of their low-wage jobs, corporate America also demands that they pretend to be blissfully happy when they are doing them.

A Wise Man

Years ago, the news program "60 Minutes" interviewed the new leader of a country in Africa ( Unfortunately, I don't remember which one). The former rebel leader had worn a pistol in a boot holster, but when he became the leader of his nation, he replaced the pistol with a writing pen. I wish every leader could be as wise as this man.

Book Review- "The Crossing" by Howard Fast

"The Crossing" by Howard Fast is the inspirational true story of how General George washington brought the Continental Army back from the brink of collapse during the American Revolution.

In 1776, after several bloody defeats at the hands of the British army and their Hessian mercenary allies, the American rebel force under the command of George Washington was in tatters.

Thousands of Washington's troops were wounded, sick, hungry, and lacking decent clothing. There was no money to pay the troops and the rate of desertion was high.

To save his army, Washington devised a bold  plan to cross the icy Delaware River on the evening of December 25 and attack the Hessian Garrison that was stationed in Trenton, New Jersey.

The actual battle did not come off as planned, but it was still a smashing victory and probably saved the American Revolution.

For those who think that the United States is in decline because of our current economic problems, I would advise them to read "The Crossing" by Howard Fast.

America’s Rampant Inequality Impossible to Deny | Common Dreams

America’s Rampant Inequality Impossible to Deny Common Dreams

  My Comment: The massive wealth inequality in the United States is a direct result of the Reagan and Bush tax cuts for the super rich.

How Safe Are You? What Almost $8 Trillion in National Security Spending Bought You | Common Dreams

How Safe Are You? What Almost $8 Trillion in National Security Spending Bought You Common Dreams



  My Comment: Just imagine what could have been bought with the money wasted on pointless wars and unnecessary military spending.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Daily-Reminder-to-Click-.html?soid=1103615757410&aid=70FORgX6G-A

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Daily-Reminder-to-Click-.html?soid=1103615757410&aid=70FORgX6G-A

Habitat for Humanity Advocacy:

Habitat for Humanity Advocacy:

BART Pulls a Mubarak in San Francisco; Shuts Cell Phone Service to Impede Protest | Common Dreams

BART Pulls a Mubarak in San Francisco; Shuts Cell Phone Service to Impede Protest Common Dreams


        My Comment: The loss of freedom begins when ordinary people accept the premise that government has the right to limit or stop peaceful protests.

Book Review- "Love Comes Softly" by Janette Oke

"Love Comes Softly" by Janette Oke begins with young pioneers Martha "Marty" and her husband Clem traveling west in a covered wagon sometime in the late 1800s. When Clem is killed in an accident,  a pregnant Marty finds herself stranded in the midwest with no way to get back home.

Widower Clark comes to the rescue with a proposition. If Marty will consent to a platonic marriage with him and take care of his daughter Missie, then Clark would pay for Marty's trip home in the spring.

A modern reader might wonder why it would be necessary for Marty and Clark to be married in order for Marty and Clark to live in the same house. Today, a man and woman living together is more or less accepted by society, but a 100 years ago it was a much different story.

At first, Marty deeply resents the arrangement while she grieves for her dead husband, but slowly she comes to appreciate Clark as a kind and gentle man and a hard worker.

From the title, "Love Comes Softly" it is not hard for the reader to guess the ending. Still, I very much enjoyed the story of two people overcoming grief and falling in love.

Book Review- "James Dean-A Short Life" by Venable Herndon

If actor James Dean (Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden, and Giant) had lived, he would have been eighty years old in 2011. It is hard to imagine James Dean at eighty. Can one still be a "Rebel Without a Cause" at eighty years old?

Because he was so talented, it is likely that Dean would have adapted himself to changing times and getting older, but we will never know because he was killed in a car wreck in 1955 at the age of 24.

"James Dean- A Short Life" by Venable Herndon is a pretty good biography of those 24 years.

Book Review "Soldier X" by Don Wulffson

"Soldier X" by Don Wulffson is a fictionalized account of actual events that occurred during World War Two. In 1944, 16 year old Erik Brandt is drafted into a desperate German army that is losing ground on all fronts.

Along with several other boy soldiers, Erik is sent to the Russian Front to defend a German outpost that is under siege by the Russian army. Erik's position is overrun by the Russians and he finds himself trapped behind enemy lines. Erik learns that the Russians are not taking any prisoners so he switches uniforms with a dead Russian soldier. In the Red army uniform, Erik is wounded by a German officer and is then sent to a Russian army hospital. Erik uses a knowledge of the Russian language to continue to pretend to be a Russian soldier.

After the hospital is attacked by the Germans, Erik and a Russian  nurse named "Tamara" are pushed by the tides of war into numerous dangerous situations while they attempt to get to Switzerland.

Soldier X is an exciting story of a little known chapter of World War Two. Since there are graphic descriptions of  combat and wounded soldiers , It might be helpful for a teacher or other adult to explain some of the events in the book to younger readers.

Young Sailor

A few days ago, I noticed a sailor with a cast on her foot trying to get through the door of a mini-mart that I was just entering. I held the door open for her and I was struck at how very young she was. I am so grateful for the American young people that sacrifice so much to serve their country and I wish that we had leaders with the wisdom to be damn careful before putting our soldiers in harms way.

Strange Encounter Six

Today, I visited Bremerton's Forest Ridge Park, which in my opinion is Bremerton's best park. As I was walking down a driveway in the park, I noticed a car that had the engine running, but there was apparently no driver or passenger in the vehicle.

  Of course I thought that was very odd, but I decided to give it some time in case there was a perfectly logical explanation. I walked a short distance and then after a couple of minutes I returned to the car (which was still running) and found a young man fully reclined in the drivers seat. I knocked on the window and asked him if he was all right. The young man indicated that he was. I contemplated whether I should call the police to be sure,but decided not to. I hope that I did the right thing. Later on, I noticed the car was gone.

 The following is an excerpt from an article that appeared in the July 26, 2011 edition of the Kitsap Sun:
Federal housing grants for Kitsap County have decreased between 10 percent and 16 percent over the past year, with more cuts expected in 2012. Between 2009 and 2013, Kitsap's programs serving the homeless will have shrunk by 47 percent, equaling a loss of approximately $490,000 a year, according to local social service providers.

Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/jul/26/public-comment-on-special-levy-for-the-homeless/##ixzz1TS05ul7l      

 

 

Republicans claim that government spends too much money. When we have veterans and families living on the streets, government is not spending nearly enough.

Blessed Are The Merciful

Today, I met a young lady named Rachel who is involved in an interesting project. Rachel and a group of other young people from her church are spending a week living on the streets in an attempt to bring attention to poverty and homelessness in America.

The young people are being supervised by an adult from the church during the week so that they will remain safe. Rachel seemed sincere in wanting to help and I hope that she and her friends do indeed bring some attention to the often ignored people that are trying to survive on the streets.

The USS John C. Stennis

Today, I watched the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis depart from the Bremerton Naval Shipyard. The John C. Stennis is an awesome display of engineering and a good example of what the United States can build.

The Stennis is going on a 7 month deployment overseas. I hope that the entire crew returns home safely to their families when the mission is over.

This summer be a part of something BIG

This summer be a part of something BIG

Take Action | World Food Program USA

Take Action World Food Program USA

Good Quotes

The following are a couple of quotes I came across on the web.I think they are worth repeating.



"Only when the last tree has been cut down; Only when the last river has been poisoned; Only when the last fish has been caught; Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten."

(Native American proverb)



"We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not yet learned the simple art of living together as brothers." (Martin Luther King)







Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/sewage-plant-fire-befouls-nys-hudson-and-harlem-rivers.html#ixzz1T1v8ab5y

Domestic Violence

When I walking home this evening, a car with a male driver and a woman in the passenger seat approached me on the road next to the sidewalk. For a couple of seconds, the woman glanced at me. The male driver's reaction to this everyday occurrence was to grab the woman by the hair and pull her head back.

In my opinion, anyone that would have such a violent  reaction to an innocent look between strangers is dangerous. I pray that the woman in the car gets away from this jerk before he seriously hurts her.

Courage Under Fire.

In one of Bremerton's parks there are two actual anti-aircraft gun platforms from a World War Two era ship. Each platform was operated by two gunners.

For a few moments, I tried to imagine what it must have been like during a battle with the guns blasting away and your shipmates depending on you to destroy the enemy aircraft before they could damage or sink the ship.

It must have taken tremendous courage for the gunners to stay at their posts while enemy planes beared down at them at 400 miles an hour.

What is that noise?

For the past few days, a regular pounding noise has been coming from the Naval Shipyard. In my imagination, I see a giant pounding a huge nail. I am curious as hell as to what the actual cause is.

Guard Dogs

The other day, I passed a home that had two Pit Bulls chained in the backyard. A sign on the fence warned of guard dogs. A dog should never spend  its life being chained up and used as a dubious means of security.

Urban Sprawl

I grew up in a suburb of Seattle called Federal Way.Federal Way is named after an old highway that runs through town. In the 1980s, there was a movement to change the name of Federal Way to "Evergreen". Even then the idea was ludicrous given the urban-sprawl look of Federal Way.

In the early 1970s, the developers had not yet been given free rein to do as they please and Federal Way still had a few charms left. One of the most interesting attractions was a cluster of gothic-style buildings called "Olde European Square".

A few small shops were spread around a commons area and a sweeping outside stairwell led to a skating rink on the second floor of one of the buildings.

Roller skating was one of my favorite activities when I was a kid. It took  multiple bruises before I learned how to skate, but after that I went to the rink nearly every week.

On a night that I will always remember, I held hands with a girl I liked as we slowly skated around the rink.

The skating rink was closed in the late 1970s, but the gothic buildings remained until the 1990s when they were torn down and replaced with an electronic appliance store.

Crude Language

I am no prude, but yesterday I was walking in my neighborhood when  I heard a woman who was outside in a yard using some of the most vulgar language imaginable. When did it become ok for people to use  such crude language in a public area?

Tuesday Events

Last Tuesday(7-12) as I was walking downtown a Great Dane that weighed about as much as I do ran towards me barking loudly. For a few seconds, I thought I was going to be eaten. Then the dog's owner called the dog back. I wish that dog owners would teach their canine to behave BEFORE they let them run loose and frighten or injure an innocent person.

Later on in the day, I performed three hours of community service in order to pay for a parking ticket that I received a month ago. My fellow inmates on the chain gang were doing time for shoplifting,domestic violence, and a traffic infraction.

We spent a few hours cleaning up a park in a section of Bremerton called "Manette" and removing weeds from a sidewalk in east Bremerton. And so my debt to society is paid.

Strange Encounter Five.

Just before the Warren Avenue Bridge in Bremerton I passed a young man who was carrying a large golf club and was walking a Pit Bull. I suppose if one security method failed he could fall back on the other.

Smoking in Bremerton

For whatever reason, Bremerton has an excessive number of smokers. Everywhere I go in the city, I smell cigarette smoke and cigarette butts litter the sidewalks. Someone once told be that Bremerton residents smoke so much because of the bad weather, but Bremerton's weather is no better or worse than other Puget Sound cities.

 My own feeling is that the cigarette plague is related to the Naval Base that gave Bremerton life. Because of the machismo nature of military life, smoking might seem daring and exciting.I wish every smoker could see how nasty,dirty, and inconsiderate tobacco use actually is.

US Cost of War at Least $3.7 Trillion and Counting | Common Dreams

US Cost of War at Least $3.7 Trillion and Counting Common Dreams

Book Review- The Contender by Robert Lipsyte

Alfred Brooks is an African-American young man living in late 1960s Harlem who has dropped out of high school and is facing a bleak future.

On one side, Alfred is being pressured by an emerging civil rights movement to "make something of himself." On the other side is, the temptation to fall into crime and drugs like his best friend James has.

After being beaten by street thugs, Alfred visits a neighborhood gym and decides to become a boxer. Robert Lipsyte does an excellent job of capturing the sights and sounds of late 1960's Harlem and the characters and dialogue are  real.

Alfred never becomes a great boxer, but he does learn some valuable lessons about life.

Day Of Caring

http://www.unitedwaykitsap.org/  Yesterday, I volunteered to help the Kitsap County United Way move its furniture and other office equipment to another section of their building while their main office space is being remodeled.

The work was hard, but I had fun and met some interesting people.All of the volunteers were treated to lunch at the new  Bremerton Bar And Grill  We dined in the "Safe Room". The building where the Bremerton Bar And Grill is now housed was formerly a bank and the banks vault has been converted into a dining area. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bremerton-Bar-and-Grill/172901399409566?v=wall

Book Review-Comes The Blind Fury by John Saul

"Comes the Blind Fury" by John Saul is a somewhat scary ghost story from 1980.

Plagued by the guilt of losing a young patient, Doctor Calvin Pendleton, his pregnant wife June and their  adopted daughter Michelle move from Boston to the small coastal town of Paradise Point.

Their new home comes complete with a spooky graveyard and a vengeful childs ghost. A century before, a blind child that lived in the Pendleton's new home died in a fall after she was taunted by other children. When Michelle is crippled in an accident, the ghost makes contact with her and the ghost uses Michelle to carry out her vengeance.

It is unclear why the ghost decides to murder children in the present for something that happened a century before,  but there are some creepy moments if you can overlook the holes in the narrative.

Book Review- Bless The Beasts & Children

"Bless The Beasts & Children" by Glendon Swarthout is an early 1970s novel about a group of misfit children who identify with the plight of a group of doomed buffalo and try to save them.

Cotton, Lally1,Lally2,Goodenow,Shecker, and Teft are self-described "dings" who are banished to an Arizona boys camp by affluent,self-absorbed parents.

The boys eventually end up as "bedwetters" the very bottom of the camp's social structure. Led by their leader Cotton, the boys try to redeem themselves by saving a herd of buffalo that going to be culled by hunters.

Bless The Beasts & Children is a good time capsule of a period when young Americans cared about something beyond the latest electronic gadget.

Crow Attack

Every morning when I walk to breakfast, there is a crow that swoops down and flies a few inches over my head. I can actually feel the wind created by  the crow's wings. I assume that the crow is attempting to protect a nest somewhere, but I can't help thinking of that scene from the film "The Omen."

Strange Encounter four

For the past three days, I have encountered one of my room-mates in very different areas of town. I am pretty sure that he's not stalking me.

Some years ago, I used to run into this guy I worked with as a teen about once a year. Eventually, I forgot his name, but I would still see him about once a year. It became a little awkward talking old times with someone whos name I no longer remembered. About 25 years ago, I stopped seeing my old work mate and I haven't seen him since. Sometimes I wonder why we encounter certain people. Is it destiny or pure chance?



Tell me about your strange enounter. Write to Craig @ dragonfly6160@yahoo.com

Strange encounter three

Yesterday,I was sitting on a bench at one of Bremerton's parks when a young man approached me and asked "Is my time up?" I told him that I didn't know what he meant by the question.

He then went on to talk about the various stages of life and again he asked "Is my time up?" I asked the man how old he was and he held up two fingers on one hand and three fingers on the other hand. Not understanding I said "five?" and he said "no, twenty three" I told him that he had plenty of time left.

The odd question made me uneasy, and I decided that it was best that I move on.

The Great Recession

Today, I walked by several unsold new homes. The yards were covered with weeds and it appeared that the developer has just given up trying to sell them. A sad reminder of the devastation of The Great Recession.

Relay For Life

http://www.relayforlifeofbremerton.org/  For those that live in the Bremerton, Kitsap County area of Washington State, The American Cancer Society will be having a relay for life at  Central Kitsap High School track June 25th & 26th, 2011 from noon to noon.

            Email-mailto:Email-bremertonckrfl@gmail.com

The Thought Police Cometh

http://www.care2.com/news/go/2824234

Short Story- The Artist

At one time, Steven Long was the toast of the Seattle art scene then his wife Bess died and his once light and joyful works became dark and foreboding. Galleries no longer wanted to showcase his work and art critics ignored him.

Steven decided that a retreat might be a good idea. When Steven and Bess were newlyweds, thay spent the first six months of their marriage building a cabin on Orcas Island. It was one of the happiest times of his life. Now Bess was gone and all he felt like doing was painting monsters.

Steven took his sailboat to the island. A cold wet drizzle followed him all the way. It had been years since he had been to the cottage and the interior was musty with decay. Steven was tired after the miserable voyage and fell asleep in an old recliner in front of a cold fireplace.

The next day, Sandy, an old friend and neighbor came to visit. "I thought that was your boat at the dock" Sandy said when Steven opened the door. Steven invited his old friend in. "I'm sorry it smells so bad in here. I am going to start cleaning it up today" he told Sandy. "Can I help?" Sandy asked. Steven shrugged. "If  you like. It's not a very pleasant job." Sandy smiled "I don't mind. It's good to spend time with an old friend" "Steven felt a little of his depression leave him. "Yes It is." he agreed.

Sandy left later that evening and the cottage smelled almost clean. In the morning, Steven set up a canvas and began mixing up the reds and blacks. A sudden beam of sunlight pierced  through a kitchen window and Steven remembered Bess running on the beach when they were first married.  Bess would have hated the dark turn his art had taken. Steven put away the red and black and began mixing blue and yellow. For the first time in years, he felt at peace.


                                    Craig Zimmerman

Short Story- The Ghost of the Yukon Joy

Deena had been shocked to learn the week before that she had inherited her Uncle's house on Orcas Island. Deena had loved her Uncle Robert dearly, but she never imagined that he would leave her his home.

The old house stood on a bluff overlooking the Puget Sound. The house was over one hundred years old and it was said that a steamboat captain was the original owner.

For the time being, Deena would have to keep her job at the bank in Tacoma, but her long-term plan was to convert the  house to a bed and breakfast.

A month after her Uncle's funeral, Deena decided to clean up the old house. Deena accumulated an amazing collection of junk during her cleaning and planned for a garage sale.

During the sale, an older woman approached her and held out her hand. "I'm Laura, your next door neighbor." the woman smiled. Deena shook her hand "I'm Uncle Robert's niece" Laura
nodded."We met when you were a little girl." but I wasn't sure that you remembered."  Deena shook her head "I'm sorry I don't. I wish that we had visited the island more."  Laura looked at the house. "I knew Robert for more then thirty years, but I only saw him a few times a year.That's just the way he was."

Laura abruptly changed the subject. "Have you seen the ghost ship?" she asked Deena. "Ghost ship?" Deena asked. Laura smiled, "a hundred years ago, the steamship "Yukon Joy" went down in these waters.The legend goes that the ship appears to those who are doomed." Deena shivered. "Is that true?" Laura grew serious for a moment. "My father saw the ship when I was a little girl. not long after he was killed in an accident." Laura shook her head, "I'm sorry, I don't know why I brought that up. Just an old woman rambling about the past." Deena suddenly felt sorry for Laura. She was probably very lonely now that one of her friends had died.

"How about if we have lunch tomorrow?" Deena asked. The tragedy of the past left Laura's face. "That would be very nice. I better be going now." Deena watched the old woman walk to her distant home.

 Deena made several hundred dollars at the garage sale. She decided to place it in an envelope in her Uncle's desk before she took it to the bank on Monday. When Deena opened the main drawer, she found a book that she hadn't noticed before. The book was her Uncle's journal. Deena flipped through it and found that most of the entries were about weather and other mundane topics. The last entry was different:  As usual Uncle Robert recorded the weather and then this: " I saw the ship last night." Her Uncle died a few days  after that last entry.

Deena refused to believe in superstitious nonsense, but a feeling of dread would not leave her. To make things worse, a heavy rain began before she left on the ferry to go back home.

All that week, rain pelted the Puget Sound region and it was still storming when Deena returned to the island the next Saturday. Deena stayed indoors all day reading and went to bed early. The rain woke Deena and she got up and walked to the window overlooking the sound. A ship was making its way past the island. Deena looked closer. The ship was an old-fashioned steamer and it was transparent! Suddenly, Deena felt the house move and heard a cracking noise. A few moments later, the movement was more violent. Something was terribly wrong and Deena knew that she had to get out.

Deena just made it outside, when the heavily saturated foundation gave way and the house began to slide down the hill to the sound. Deena looked to the sound and watched the ghost steamer slowly fade away.

A Lesson In Life

                    A  Lesson In Life

                    by Sara Burke  March, 2011


            "Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of good or bad luck. Illness,injury, love, loss, moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occurr to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, if they be events, illness, or relationships, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere.

 If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them. For they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to who you open your heart to.

 If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because they are teaching you to love and open your heart and eyes to things you would have never seen or felt without them.

  Make everyday count. Appreciate every moment. And take from it everything that you possibly can. For you may never be able to experience it again.

  Talk to people you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Hold your head up. Because you have every right to tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself. For if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you either.

 You can make of your life anything you wish.Create your own life and then go out and live it."

Armed Forces Parade

Today, I attended the annual Bremerton Armed Forces Parade and I have to say that I enjoyed it very much and I learned to appreciate our armed forces a little more. The sight of an elderly World War Two veteran marching in the parade while carrying an oxygen bottle touched me deeply.

 In addition to the military exhibits, there were also a grab-bag of other themes including a group that advocates for the mentally ill. The school marching bands were great. The dedication and hard work that these kids put in for their performance gives me great hope for the future. One remarkable young girl was doing gymnastic moves on the hard pavement.

The weather was a little dreary, but the crowd was large and there was a great deal of cheerful interaction between spectators and the marchers.

In some ways, Hometown parades are a reflection of America, and judging from today, I would say that we are doing ok.

Book Review- Damnation Alley by Roger Zelazny

The setting for "Damnation Alley" by Roger Zelazny is a shattered America about 40 years after a nuclear war. A few communities on the east coast and in Calfornia survive, but the vast interior  is a wasteland of vicious motorcycle gangs, monsters, and radiation called "Damnation Alley"

The aftermath of the nuclear war created violent storms that make communication and normal travel between the coasts impossible. An outbreak of plague in Boston compels the city's government to send several armored "cars" to California in a plea for medicine to treat the plague.

In response, California plans to send three of the armored cars filled with medicine cross-country to Boston. One of the drivers recruited for the task is former Hells Angel and convicted killer Hell Tanner. (yes, that's his real name). In exchange for a complete pardon, Tanner agrees to drive.

As a character, Hell Tanner is a mixture of sudden violence and brutality, kindness and mercy and deep philosophical insights. During the long trek through Damnation Alley, Tanner transforms from an amoral thug into a man capable of great heroism.

Book Review- "A Homespun Regency Christmas"

http://us.penguingroup.com/ I don't generally care for romance stories, but I do like "A Homespun regency Christmas" which features a collection of four stories set in the  19th century British Isles during the Christmas season.

In the first story, "An Object of Charity" by Carla Kelly, a British Navy captain falls in love with an unexpected visitor.

 Elizabeth Fitzhollis desperately tries to save her crumbling family estate in "The Wexford Carol" by Emma Jensen and falls in love in the process. The Wexford Carol has a sweet Irish charm and is my favorite of the four stories.

"Mistletoe and Folly" by Sandra Heath is well-crafted but a little too superficial in my opinion. I suppose that as a male, I am not the target audience, but I was annoyed that the author chose to describe the dress of every character. I am sure that there were some well-dressed aristocrats in 19th century London, but there were also thousands of hungry Londoners dressed in rags.

 The plot of Mistletoe and Folly also includes a double-crossing former friend and an amoral new fiance'

 "Once Upon A Midnight Clear" by Amanda McCabe is a sweet story about the healing power of love. Antoinette is the beautiful daughter of a freed Jamaican slave who falls in love with a former British Navy Captain physically and emotionally scarred by war.

Short Story- The Siren Of The Sound

The following is a short story that I just wrote.: "Tim watched the Seabirds with envy. It was just two years ago that he had run on that beach. He could run for miles and not get tired.

Tim turned away from the window. He should never have come here at all. His parents thought it would help his "recovery" if he spent some time at the family's vacation home on Orcas Island.They even hired a physical therapist to work with him. The question was: how does one recover from a missing leg?

After Tim graduated from high school he was full of patriotic fervor and he joined the army. A year later a roadside bomb in Iraq took away whatever naive patriotism that he had left.

A light knock on the door downstairs brought Tim out of his dark thoughts. That would be his physical therapist Julie. Tim gathered his crutches for the trip downstairs. A slight mis-step and Tim crashed down the stairs.

Upon hearing the noise, Julie came in and helped him up. Tim was not seriously hurt, but he was angry. In the old days, he could run those stairs without thinking. "you were lucky"Julie told him. "yeah lucky" Tim repeated bitterly. "How about we skip the PT, and go into town and get something to eat" Julie suggested. Tim nodded. "I need to get out of here."

Dinner did little to brighten Tim's mood and he immediately went to bed when Julie took him home. Tim dreamed that he was watching the water as he often did, but this time it was different. A beautiful woman rose from the water and floated toward him. The woman touched his leg and he was healed. He had two legs again. It was all so real, but in the morning, he was still crippled.

 Tim told Julie about the dream. "It is not unusual for people with injuries like yours to have dreams like that." Julie said in her best clinical voice. That night, Tim dreamed of the woman again, but this time she spoke to him. "I can give you anything you wish." she whispered in his ear. Tim decided not to mention the dream to Julie. she might think that he was losing it.

The third night, the woman came to him again. This time the woman wanted Tim to follow him.Tim got out of bed and went outside. He did not feel the cold and continued to follow the woman to the shore. Tim began to wade into the surf, the freezing water did not bother him.

 Tim heard a voice behind him, he ignored it and continued to follow the beautiful woman deeper into the water. The voice on the shore became more urgent and Tim stopped for a moment. It was Julie yelling at him. What was she doing here? Tim looked toward the beautiful woman floating above the water and back at Julie.

Time began wading back toward shore. When he stepped on the beach, Julie hugged him and looked in his eyes with a serious look. "Suicide is not the answer, Tim." Tim looked out at the dark water, "I was not trying to commit suicide. She was going to heal me"

Sara Burke

Sara Burke was a Bremerton resident who was murdered on May 3, 2011. She was only 19 years old. A fund has been set up for Sara's family at US Bank branches. Please give if you can.

Book Review- Up Periscope by Robb White

I love a good submarine story and "Up Periscope" by Robb White is one of my favorites. Underwater Demolitions Specialist Lieutenant Ken Braden (Junior Grade) is given a top secret mission to find a Japanese code on a Pacific island during World War Two. Unfortunately for Lt. Braden, the commander of the submarine that is transporting him to the Japanese-held island refuses to perform the necessary maneuvers that will enable Braden to complete his mission successfully.

Up Periscope gives a good description of life aboard a World War Two US Navy attack submarine. All of the characters are well-drawn with real human strengths and weaknesses. The petulant, and uncompromising commander of the submarine is especially convincing. There is also plenty of underwater action and suspense. Up Periscope is suitable for older kids and adults. The following is a passage from Up Periscope: "Ken watched the red second hand on the bulkhead clock moving along with a steady , irritating nervousness. When it reached twelve the minute hand jumped forward. It was now ten minutes past one o'clock in the morning. Suddenly, with no warning, no preparation, there was a loud, hard, metallic CLICK. Ken looked at the others in the conning tower. Every face changed, grew suddenly older, more serious. He couldn't help saying it, although his lips were stiff. "What's that?"

  Pat Malone just looked at him with somber eyes. Then it came.

  WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM WHAM."

Book Review- Night Gallery by Rod serling

Several years after The Twilight Zone TV series ended. Rod Serling tried another anthology TV series called "Night Gallery." Before each episode of Night Gallery, Mr. Serling would present a painting based on the upcoming story.

Night Gallery was not as successful as The Twilight Zone, but some of the stories are very good.I believe that there are at least two collections of stories based on the Night Gallery series. The first volume  contains six stories, all by Rod Serling. All of the stories are very good, but three are exceptional.

In "Make Me Laugh" unfunny stand-up comedian Jackie Slater wants more than anything to make people laugh and his wish comes true, but there is a terrible catch.

"Clean Kills and Other Trophies"  features a sadistic father who one day pushes his son too far.

The best story of the collection is "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar."  Middle-Aged Salesman Randy Lane is tired and alone and longs to return to the joy of his youth.

Rod Serling's writing in the Night Gallery stories should not be confused with his relatively innocuous introductions to The Twilight Zone. Rod Serling's uncensored writing is painfully honest and at times very touching.  The following is a pasage from the story "Make Me Laugh":  "Jackie looked around the room. His smile was a suspended, crooked thing- like a billboard that had slipped. And he waddled around, back and forth, holding on to the microphone, slapping the back of his hands together, grunting like a seal. Oh, God, why didn't they laugh? And even as he probed for the next gag, the cheapness of the place rose up in front of his eyes in waves. It was as if the entire world was Myron's Mecca, and the giggling broad, the two loaded Teamsters, the bored bartender, and the former Pacific fleet champion sitting at the bar were his own private ghosts, hired to haunt him through eternity."

Events Of The Day

http://www.pugetsoundnavymuseum.org/  This morning, I visited the Puget Sound Navy Museum which is located not far from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The navy museum has various exhibits that illustrate the history of the naval shipyard and its contributions to recent and past history. There are also interactive exhibits for children and adults. Admission is free, but you can make a contribution if you wish.

As I was walking home, I helped a young woman change a tire on her Jeep. I enjoyed the chance to help someone, as I have been helped by strangers many times.

The poem "Mother" by L.C. McCollum

   The following is a poem by L.C. McCollum called  "Mother"

 "At close of spring day in Sable. I sat in my room all alone, And the sun was slowly sinking, As my thots turned back to home.

 Thots of my dear lonely mother, And how much was hers to bear,Then again in my fancy I'd see her, In an old and familar chair.

Always a-thinking of me,and constantly praying too, Slowly it then dawned on me, Of all that she had been through.

The long endless nights of waiting, And those anxious days of pain, The wishing, hoping and praying, For my safe returning again,

 As skies went tinting blue and gold, I knelt in reverent prayer, Blessing the mothers of all men, God's Heroes, waiting "Back There."

           My first poem dedicated to my truest friend, "My Mother."

Short Story- A Good Secretary by Craig Zimmerman

From the deck of her new cottage on Orcas Island, Caroline looked at the deep blue water of the Puget Sound with wonder. She had been lucky to get the cottage for such a reasonable price. Of course sCaroline would still have to keep her tiny apartment in Seattle for work, but on the weekends the cottage would be home.

Unknown to Caroline, a creature with blood red eyes watched her and clicked its claws in anger.

On the following Monday, Caroline resumed her job as a legal secretary for a large Seattle law firm. While she was sitting at her desk, Tony Rubin, one of the firms newest attorneys came up behind her. "How about we take my boat up to your new cottage." he whispered in her ear. Caroline knew that Tony was a skirt-chaser, but it would be fun to go to the cottage by boat instead of the ferry so she agreed.

Tony turned out to be an expert sailor and his sailboat efficiently  cut through the water of the sound. Caroline lay on the deck in a red bikini. She had no interest in being Tony's next conquest, but the weekend might be fun and the office gossips would have plenty to talk about on Monday.

After several hours of sailing, Tony maneuvered his sailboat next to the small dock on the rocky beach below Caroline's cottage. The creature watched the sailboat arrive and hate filled it's crimson eyes.

After a terrific Salmon dinner, Tony made his move and Caroline had to set him straight. "Lets just be friends this weekend." she told him firmly. Tony looked a little hurt,but he agreed.For the rest of the evening,they played Scrabble and Caroline easily won. Around midnight, they retired to separate bedrooms.

Sometime in the night, Caroline awoke to the sound of splintering wood. She quickly put on a robe and ran into the living room. A huge crab was attacking Tony.Caroline grabbed a fireplace poker and hit the massive crab. Nothing happened. Tony was desperately trying to keep away from the deadly claws.Suddenly, Caroline had an idea and  she ran into the bathroom. Caroline returned with a can of disinfectant and sprayed some of the liquid in the creature's eyes. The huge crab immediately backed away from Tony and headed for the smashed door. Caroline sprayed the creature once more and the animal fled into the night. Later, they heard splashung noises as the crab went back into the sound.

Fortunately, Tony was not seriously hurt. "What the hell was that thing" he asked "It looked like a giant crab. I have heard of some species that large, but I didn't think we had any. It must have thought we were invading it's territory"

"When I graduated law school my father told me that an attorney is nothing without a good secretary. Tony said" Caroline smiled, "does this mean  I get a raise?"she asked innocently

Book Review- Man Against Tomorrow edited by William F. Nolan

"Man Against Tomorrow" edited by William F. Nolan is my favorite science fiction anthology with stories written by some of the masters of the genre including Ray Bradbury, Kris Neville, and William F. Nolan.

One of the best stories of the collection is also the shortest in length. "The Room" by Ray Russell is about a future not far removed from our own in which people are constantly bombarded with advertising.

"After The Sirens" by Hugh Hood is a terrifying real-time depiction of a nuclear attack.

"The Freeway" by George Clayton Johnson is one man's rebellion against a sterile, controlled, and mechanized society. The following passage is from The Freeway:   "He looked at the automobiles flowing past him in a great tide and listened to the drum of engines on the still desert air. The reflected light from the sun-dazzled doors and fenders hammered at his eyes. Damn them, he thought, I don't need any of them! Setting his shoulders, he turned away, into the desert. The freeway dwindled behind him; the hurrying cars vanished into hot silence. Only the waiting land surrounded him now. Ahead, behind, to either side.
  Arthur C. Danyluk moved out to face the enemy."



 "Nobody Starves"  is a satire in which a man finds himself  hopelessly entangled in an uncaring,tone-deaf government bureacracy.

 In my opinion, Man Against Tomorrow, is one of the most thought-provoking and entertaining collections you will ever read.

Favorite places-Wilbur, Washington

wilburwa.com    The town of Wilbur,Washington is located on old highway 2 in Lincoln County about 70 miles west of Spokane. Wilbur is one of those genuinely, friendly small towns that you  don't see very  much of anymore.So much of America has been franchised that one city looks just like another.If you are tired of endless look-alike strip malls and tourist traps, travel to Wilbur and have a nice breakfast at Doxie's Dine IN and then take a walk in the desert. The desert of eastern Washington is a place of rare beauty and you will see many bird species as well as other wildlife species.

Strange Encounter Two

This afternoon when I went to the john in a Bremerton park, I found a teen-age boy and girl having an animated conversation inside the bathroom. The boy was annoyed that I had interrupted his little chat. The girl was embarassed and quickly left. Later, the couple asked me to sell them a couple of cigarettes. (I don't smoke). Then they asked if they could use my cell phone for a local call. I agreed  they could for a dollar.And so ended strange encounter number two.

Osama Bin Laden

I expected to be more thrilled that Osama Bin Laden has finally been brought to justice. I think my reaction has been dulled by the lies,scandals,corruption and the manipulation of genuine patriotism by cynical politicians and media figures trying to inflate their own profits or standing by talking tough about Bin Laden. In the hunt for Bin Laden thousands of innocent people in Iraq,Afghanistan and elsewhere have been killed and innocent Americans and others have been subjected to unconstitutional intrusions,spying,interrogations,torture,and imprisonment. I think I am also cynical because of a persistent economic downturn and unemployment that was caused in part by the enormous military spending and general government lawlessness that occurred after 9-11.

The victims of 9-11 and their families have finally received a measure of justice, but the cost has been damn high.

Science Fiction Story "The Helper"

From his monitor on the central ship, Arthur watched the  woman stumble through the brutal heat of one of earth's arid regions. "The human female will die without assistance" Arthur told the commander. The commander turned his pig-like head toward the monitor. The commander's voice was like a growl. "We are only here to study. You will do nothing to help the human." Arthur had always hated the hog-like creatures that held him and other humans captive on their home world, but never more then now. Arthur had watched the woman struggle for three days. She was brave, and he felt something for her.

"In the next solar day, I will be taking one of the scout ships and examining other land masses. You will remain here." The commander ordered Arthur. Arthur made the decision that he would help the human female when the commander departed, but he would have to be careful. The commander could kill him on a whim and no one would question it.

When the commander had left, Arthur put the mother ship in automatic orbit and took the other scout ship down to the earth's surface. Arthur landed the ship in a clearing not far from the woman's last location and hiked through the blazing heat until he found her. The woman had collapsed. Arthur picked her up and took her back to the scout ship. He then gave her an IV mixture of fluids, electrolytes,and basic nourishment. After several hours, she awoke.

After looking around for several moments, the woman focused on Arthur. "Where am I?" she asked him weakly. "This is going to be a little hard for you to understand." Arthur began. I found you in the desert, and you are now in my space craft." What is a space craft?" The woman asked. "Before I answer, can I ask your name?"  "Elizabeth Morgan"  Arthur hesitated, "Elizabeth", do you know anything about the stars and planets?" "I learned a little when I went to teachers college." she answered. Arthur was relieved "Good, the ship that we are in now can travel to the stars and the planets that orbit them." Elizabeth put a hand to her head. "Such a thing is not possible."

Arthur tried again, "Long ago, the creatures that built this space ship,traveled to earth, captured some people and took them to their home world. I am one of the descendents from that original group. The creatures that enslaved us are hideous beasts called "The Kuu." The Kuu have returned to earth, but we humans do not know the reason." "Where is this beast that you speak of now." Elizabeth asked. "The commander has taken another  scout ship like this one to explore other land masses. I must return to the main ship as soon as possible. If the commander found out that I helped you he would kill us both."

Elizabeth tried to rise, and Arthur went to help. "I will leave you food, water and a map. You are not far from civilization." While Arthur led Elizabeth to the air lock the ship's communicator came to life. Arthur panicked, "The commander has returned, we must leave this area immediately." A few minutes after leaving the ship, Arthur watched the commander's scout ship descend to the surface. "The Kuu are expert hunters,the commander will find us." "Can you fight it?" Elizabeth asked. Arthur shook his head. "I have no weapons." Elizabeth thought for a moment "My husband's rifle." Arthur could see the commander now, the beast was tracking them. "Where is it?" Arthur asked. "I think I had it when I fainted." Arthur scanned the desert, grabbed Elizabeth's hand and together they ran to the spot where he found her.

 They found the rifle laying in the dirt. Arthur picked it up, it was hot and he dropped it. "How does it work?" he asked Elizabeth. Before she could answer an explosion destroyed an outcropping of rocks behind them. "The commander has found us." Arthur shouted. Elizabeth picked up the rifle from the ground and pointed it at the approaching Kuu commander.Elizabeth fired the rifle. The Kuu staggered and tried to raise it's weapon. Elizabeth fired again and the beast fell. The Kuu did not rise again and Arthur went over to the body. It was dead.

Arthur took the Kuu's weapon and returned to Elizabeth.  Arthur destroyed the two scout ships with the Kuu's weapon. "Now we must bury the body." Together they dragged the Kuu's heavy body to a small hill and covered it with rocks. "What will happen now?" Elizabeth asked. "Other Kuu will come looking for the commander and me."  "You will need someone that can shoot." Elizabeth said with a slight smile. Arthur looked at the beautiful woman that he had fallen in love with and could not argue.



                                   Craig Zimmerman

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

 The following is one of my favorite poems:  The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe


                                                                                                                                                Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,


Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -

Only this, and nothing more.'



Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow

From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -

Nameless here for evermore.



And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating

`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -

Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -

This it is, and nothing more,'



Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;

But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,

And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -

Darkness there, and nothing more.



Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;

But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,

And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'

Merely this and nothing more.



Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.

`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;

Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -

Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -

'Tis the wind and nothing more!'



Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,

In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.

Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;

But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -

Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -

Perched, and sat, and nothing more.



Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.

Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'



Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,

Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;

For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -

Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,

With such name as `Nevermore.'



But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.

Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -

Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -

On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'

Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'



Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,

`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,

Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster

Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -

Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore

Of "Never-nevermore."'



But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore

Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'



This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing

To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining

On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,

But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,

She shall press, ah, nevermore!



Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer

Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.

`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee

Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!

Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'



`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -

Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -

On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -

Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'



`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!

By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -

Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,

It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -

Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?'

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'



`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -

`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!

Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'

Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'



And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,

And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

Shall be lifted - nevermore!

Science Fiction Story- "Fetch"

The following is a science fiction story that I just wrote. It is called "Fetch".                                                                                     
Tom threw the tennis ball deep into the woods and watched his Black Lab Ralph chase after it. With Ralph, there was no need to shout the traditional "fetch."

 Ralph returned a few moments later, but instead of the tennis ball Ralph held a short metallic,shaft in his mouth. Tom took the object from Ralph's jaws and examined it. The object was about a foot long and about 4 inches around. Tom noticed a slight glow to the object and a vibration was noticeable.

As Tom was examining the object, a panel opened up at one end where only smooth metal had been before.The panel contained several rows of buttons with some sort of writing beneath each button. Tom put the shaft on the grass and the panel receded. There was no trace that the panel had ever been there.Tom picked up the object  and the panel opened again.

Cautiously, Tom pressed one of the buttons. A colored, three-dimensional map of a solar-system appeared above the object. Tom pressed another button and a map of a different solar system appeared.

This kind of technology was way beyond anything Tom had ever heard of and he decided to take the object to the police. Tom let Ralph jump in the  car first and then he sat down and turned the ignition key. Nothing happened. Suddenly, a very tall man with a strange-looking creature on a leash approached.

The stranger put forth his hand and the metallic object floated up and rested on his palm. "My dog has been searching for his stick on the red planet for several days."Apparently, some kind of technical problem sent it to your world."The man said in a pleasant musical tone. The stranger pressed a button on the "stick" and a map of earth's solar system appeared. The tall man touched the image of Jupiter and the object vanished. A moment later,the stranger pressed several buttons  on his arm and he and his dog disappeared as well.




                              

Royalty

I don't understand Americans that are interested in  the activities of european royals. One of the smartest things that the American founding fathers did was to leave all that monarchy nonsense back in europe. There is nothing more anti-American then a system in which certain people  inherit power just because they belong to a particular family or marry the right person.

Book Review- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

I suppose that spring is an odd time to be reading "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, but such a wonderful novel should not be confined to the Christmas season. A Christmas Carol is one of the most successful novels of all time. It has been made into films,plays, and even a musical. The characters have become part of the cultural lexicon.

The actual novel is only 68 pages long and it is well worth spending a few hours reading it, or better yet  read A Christmas Carol to your kids.

Help, I've fallen

This morning, I was walking along the shore when I slipped on a rock and fell. I hurt my hand and have a small lump on my head, but otherwise I am ok. All those years of walking in the mountains and I rarely fell. Who knew that walking on the beach could be so hazardous.

All Quiet On The Western Front

I recently re-read one of my favorite novels, "All Quiet On The Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque and was reminded of the power of the book. The following is a passage from the book that everyone should read. " Gradually a few of us venture to stand up. And I am given crutches to hobble around on. But I do not make much use of them; I cannot bear Albert's gaze as I move about the room. His eyes always follow me with such a strange look. So I sometimes escape to the corridor;-there I can move about more freely.

On the next floor below are the abdominal and spine  cases, head wounds and double amputations. On the right side of the wing are the jaw wounds, gas cases,nose,ear,and neck wounds. On the left the blind and the lung wounds,pelvis wounds, wounds in the joints,wounds in the testicles,wounds in the intestines. Here a man realizes for the first time how many places that a man can get hit.

 Two fellows die of tetanus. Their skin turns pale, their limbs stiffen,at last only their eyes live- stubbornly. Many of the wounded have their shattered limbs hanging free in the air from a gallows; underneath the wound a basin is placed into which the pus drips. Every two or three hours the vessel is emptied. Other men lie in stretching bandages with heavy weights hanging from the end of the bed. I see intestine wounds that are constantly full of excreta. The surgeons clerk shows me X-ray photographs of completely smashed hip-bones,knees,and shoulders.

A man cannot realize that above such shattered bodies there are still human faces in which life goes its daily round. And this is only one hospital,one single station; there are hundreds of thousands in Germany, hundreds of thousands in France, hundreds of thousands in Russia. How senseless is everything that can be written,done,or thought,when such things are possible. It must all be kies and of no account when the culture of of a thousand years could not prevent this stream of blood being poured out,these torture-chambers in their hundreds of thousands. A hospital alone shows what war is."

Salvation Army

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/   A couple of weeks ago, I was in a very tough situation and the Salvation Army center in downtown Bremerton really helped me. For those who are able, please consider making a donation to the Salvation Army. Thank you


                      Craig Zimmerman

Book Review- The Ox-Bow Incident

I previously reviewed the film version of the novel  "The Ox-Bow Incident" it seems only fitting that I also review the novel that the film is based on.  The Ox-Bow Incident by Walter Van Tilburg Clark is about mob justice in the old west, but it could just as well be set in any time period or location.

 Because The Ox-Bow Incident was first published in 1940 many people assumed that the author was thinking of fascism in europe and Japan, but the truth is, Mr. Clark was thinking of America.

The United States has a long and shameful history of lynching and mob rule. What comes to my mind was the rush to go to war with Iraq after 9-11. The American people supported an invasion of Iraq based on very thin evidence.

For some reason, humans are inclined to choose violence first even when there are other alternatives.

America and Class

Years ago, I read a short story about a young girl who leaves home for the first time in order to become a servant girl. The story was written in the early 20th century when knowing ones station in life was quite important and if you didn't know your place in society you would be quickly reminded of it. The moral of the story was that the servant girl should have realized that her mission in life was to serve the wealthy class and that  she should be satisfied with it.



One might think that class and position are relics from another age, but I disagree. Since the financial collapse of three years ago, it is the middle and working class that has suffered the most by far. The bankers and wealthy investors lobbied their friends in congress to provide a safe landing and to make sure that no one was prosecuted.



Now Americans are told by this same investor class that the debt is too high and that everyone must "sacrifice". I have no doubt that there will be sacrifice, but it will not be borne by everyone. The wealthy class will not have to sacrifice a damn thing.