30 Minus 2 Days of Writing
Day 22: “Compulsively”
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As time goes by, never forget the dreamers, the lovers who lack the understanding to endure the faithless rigors of lost certainty. Never forget our common capacity for triumph and songs, sorrows and sins, empathy and forgiveness.
The Station at the Edge of the Great Unknown
30 Minus 2 Days of Writing
Day 21: “Last Train”
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A man sits on a bench alone in an empty underground train platform. He sits in silence with none of the customary sounds around him of footsteps, conversations, and the chatter of station announcements crackling over the public announcement speakers. Occasionally, in regular intervals of minutes, a train rushes by the boarding dock in a rush of wind, rumbling echoes, and the metallic whine of dutiful machinery gliding across the rails.
The Ballad of Shudo
30 Minus 2 Days of Writing
Day 20: “The Other Shoe”
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We’ve all heard the stories about Bilbo Baggins and his storied nephew, Frodo. But there is a lesser-known hobbit named Shudo who once dared to defy the oppressive will of the Dark Lord, Sauron.
The Grand Promise of Little Things
30 Minus 2 Days of Writing
Day 19: “Little things”
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“I’m really no good at this.” I said, taking a step backward. I pushed my palms out and away from my chest as if I were being held at gunpoint.
Still she persisted. Crystal inched closer with her infant son held forward, beckoning me to grab hold of him as if she were offering a ball to a young child…
I Like to Be Here When I Can
30 Minus 2 Days of Writing
Day 18: “Home at last”
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Under the best of all circumstances, home is a place where you can hide away from all of the tiresome pettiness that mucks up the quality of your days. Yet no matter what you do, things rarely ever skew the way you’d like them to, and circumstances regularly fall somewhere outside the realm of ideal. Whenever I come home after a long day of work, for instance, all I want to do is take a seat, shed my stress, and enjoy my little haven away from the responsibilities and irritations of the outside world. Lately though, circumstances rarely afford me the opportunity to enjoy some peace and quiet at home without a constant stream of interruptions.
This Blogger’s Gone Paintballin’
Day 17: “Whatever, dude”
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Yeah, I know. I’m supposed to be writing something new and interesting for every day of February. Most days, I’ve tried my best, but I’m just not feeling it today. It’s a Sunday, and I’m tired of coming up with clever ways to repeat myself. One of the many hazards of living life as a creative person is repeating yourself one too many times. As a would-be writer, I am painfully aware of the fact that I only have so many “moves” in my arsenal of clever quips, awesome observations, and some other such alliterative phrases related to writing.
Winning Without Trying (Reposted)
30 Minus 2 Days of Writing
Day 16: “Music”
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Recently one weekend, while Diana and I were driving home after running some errands, we got into the usual argument over which radio station we were going to listen to. At some point, I relented and let Diana choose the music. Even though Diana eventually got her way, I’d still like to think I came out ahead during this particular exchange. This was the day that I won without even trying.
Shopping Bags and Domestic Spats
30 Minus 2 Days of Writing
Day 15: “Or else”
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There is a citywide ordinance in San Jose, California which bans retailers from issuing plastic carryout bags to customers. This requires shoppers in San Jose to either carry around reusable shopping bags, or to buy a recycled paper bag at each store for a token fee. While I appreciate the fact that San Jose is attempting to be environmentally responsible with this ordinance, I do have to point out that the plastic bag ban has resulted in a sharp increase of frustrating domestic spats.
A Fine Romance
30 Minus 2 Days of Writing
Day 14: “Where can I get a good blintz?”
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This is a love story borne of coffee, compassion, fatigue, and dry humor. There’s also something in there about blintzes.
The Last-Minute Best Man
30 Minus 2 Days of Writing
Day 13: “Unintended”
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Sometime around January 3rd of this year, my brother, J, gave me a call and asked me to be the Best Man at his wedding. He caught me by surprise with this request, but I considered it a high honor, so of course I accepted. J’s wedding was scheduled for the weekend of January 12th — and yet there he was, calling to invite me to play a huge roll in the proceedings with little more than a week’s notice. Prior to that phone call, J had told me that he and his fiancée were not planning to have traditional wedding parties filled with bridesmaids, groomsmen, and sentimental speeches. Stupidly, I believed him.