Hi all. I've currently been under the weather, which severely impacts my ability to write. I know I promised you guys the second chapter of the Chronicles of Stanly Gudenuff, but please bare with me. I just do not feel like doing anything while I'm sick. But I promise to be back shortly. I did recently stumble upon this interesting artist, Lena Fayre. Give her song, "I Am Not a Man" a listen. Her voice to me is intoxicating. Maybe music does heal? I've posted a link to her video.
Skunk
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Gone fishing
Hello everyone. So, I will be posting a little less in the skunk journal for the time being. So probably two or three posts a week until the January timeframe. November is National Novel Writing Month, and I have decided to take part in it this year's, along with working on my English degree in the same month. I'll post here and there some excerpts from the novel, but between all of the writing I'll be doing, I'm going for exhaustion. Smelly World News will continue to be written on the weekends, and I'm trying to do at least two articles each day. Over time, I'll do more. But I hope you guys bare with me, and I really hope to make this a success. Thank you!
Monday, October 13, 2014
About the Author Part Deux
I hope everyone has had a great Monday. First, I would like to thank everyone who has paid any attention to my blog. 1,000 views in my first week is great to me. This leads me into my post for the day.
Growing up, my peers did not necessarily fancy being around me. I was teased, bullied, and had numerous objects pelted at me. Each object always hit it's mark. I learned quickly the best way to avoid those situations was to stay away from them. It's a lot easier to feel that way now towards those types of situations than it is as a child. When you're young, you just want friends. You want someone to share your rock collection with, to rides bikes with, to be partners with when it came to assignments in class. In elementary school, I didn't really have that experience, but I wish I could have. We moved around often, and the toll it takes mentally to make friends only to know you are going to lose them soon is very great as a child.
By junior high school, I was the new kid once again. I stick out like a sore thumb wherever I go, so I understand how image is important in middle school. I didn't feel confident in myself, and I didn't feel anyone would want to be seen hanging out with me. I was already in the mindset of not needing friends, and that as long as I had my intelligence, I could distract myself with my schoolwork, and just study a little more extra once I made it home. Well, my intelligence did something. It moved me up into what we called Advanced and AG classes. Once I moved there, I realized there were other kids who thought and acted the same way as I did. (Granted, I was 13 at the time, and I was just learning what friendship actually was.)
By the end of junior high, we were prepared to move yet again. I stayed a bit distant from my friends, only because this was a situation I have dealt with on more than one occasion. When it was time to go, I was ready to start over. With a new school year, new groups of people, and a new city, I was bound to meet at least one friend. And, I did. About a month or so after that, it's determined that city was not the right city, and we moved to another city. This place was completely out of my comfort zone, and I did not want to stay there any longer than I had to. So, we were put in private schooling for my high school years. For the most part, my schooling was self-paced, and the labs were the only things that were done at a specific time. I ended up finishing 3 years worth of high school in 1 and a half years. Once I finished, my teachers were not expecting me to have finished so quickly, and the person who was chosen for Valedictorian was bumped to Salutatorian (second best) while I took the highest GPA for my class.
Because I live life inside of the box, it allows me to focus on what I know and what I am comfortable with. The downside is I miss out on new experiences and actually having what most 20 year old people consider "a life." I am working on finding a median between the two. The last thing anyone should want is to wake up 30 or 40 years from now and wish they would have done something else or been someone else.
Growing up, my peers did not necessarily fancy being around me. I was teased, bullied, and had numerous objects pelted at me. Each object always hit it's mark. I learned quickly the best way to avoid those situations was to stay away from them. It's a lot easier to feel that way now towards those types of situations than it is as a child. When you're young, you just want friends. You want someone to share your rock collection with, to rides bikes with, to be partners with when it came to assignments in class. In elementary school, I didn't really have that experience, but I wish I could have. We moved around often, and the toll it takes mentally to make friends only to know you are going to lose them soon is very great as a child.
By junior high school, I was the new kid once again. I stick out like a sore thumb wherever I go, so I understand how image is important in middle school. I didn't feel confident in myself, and I didn't feel anyone would want to be seen hanging out with me. I was already in the mindset of not needing friends, and that as long as I had my intelligence, I could distract myself with my schoolwork, and just study a little more extra once I made it home. Well, my intelligence did something. It moved me up into what we called Advanced and AG classes. Once I moved there, I realized there were other kids who thought and acted the same way as I did. (Granted, I was 13 at the time, and I was just learning what friendship actually was.)
By the end of junior high, we were prepared to move yet again. I stayed a bit distant from my friends, only because this was a situation I have dealt with on more than one occasion. When it was time to go, I was ready to start over. With a new school year, new groups of people, and a new city, I was bound to meet at least one friend. And, I did. About a month or so after that, it's determined that city was not the right city, and we moved to another city. This place was completely out of my comfort zone, and I did not want to stay there any longer than I had to. So, we were put in private schooling for my high school years. For the most part, my schooling was self-paced, and the labs were the only things that were done at a specific time. I ended up finishing 3 years worth of high school in 1 and a half years. Once I finished, my teachers were not expecting me to have finished so quickly, and the person who was chosen for Valedictorian was bumped to Salutatorian (second best) while I took the highest GPA for my class.
Because I live life inside of the box, it allows me to focus on what I know and what I am comfortable with. The downside is I miss out on new experiences and actually having what most 20 year old people consider "a life." I am working on finding a median between the two. The last thing anyone should want is to wake up 30 or 40 years from now and wish they would have done something else or been someone else.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Karma?
Karma has a way of exposing even the darkest aspects of our lives. Negative deeds travel negative roads, and can only follow the path from which they began. It doesn't matter how long ago the situation occurred, everyone has a price to pay. Recently, Stephen Collins (Father and Pastor on Seventh Heaven) confided in his therapist about an instance where he exposed himself to a 10 year old girl. The conversation was recorded by his ex wife, and given to the authorities in connection to their divorce. Neither of them knew the information would go public. When you speak with a therapist, yes, everything you say is confidential. It does not leave the office. When you speak about harming yourself or others in the future, or you confess to any abuse or sexual acts towards a minor, that information is immediately sent to the authorities.
There are two ways to look at this story. Why is he being punished for an act he committed over two decades ago? He already tried apologizing to this woman, so why is it still an issue?
The other way is the way I believe in. You can apologize after doing something wrong all you want, but that is not your judgement for that deed. Being a child who has gone through that, no punishment will ever be enough. I also understand, however, people can and do change. Isolation from society is not the answer. Rehabilitation is. So do I think jail time us necessary? Yes. Do I think he needs rehabilitation time while he's there? Absolutely. It doesn't need to be some ridiculous life sentence or 103 years in prison or anything like that. I think 3 or 4 years with rehabilitation time included should be enough.
There are two ways to look at this story. Why is he being punished for an act he committed over two decades ago? He already tried apologizing to this woman, so why is it still an issue?
The other way is the way I believe in. You can apologize after doing something wrong all you want, but that is not your judgement for that deed. Being a child who has gone through that, no punishment will ever be enough. I also understand, however, people can and do change. Isolation from society is not the answer. Rehabilitation is. So do I think jail time us necessary? Yes. Do I think he needs rehabilitation time while he's there? Absolutely. It doesn't need to be some ridiculous life sentence or 103 years in prison or anything like that. I think 3 or 4 years with rehabilitation time included should be enough.
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Crossroads
In case you guys missed it, I published the first short story of The Chronicles of Stanly Gudenuff. If you haven't read it, you can read it here. I am hoping this Story line is popular among everyone that takes the time to read it. The first Volume will be giving a little introduction to each family, along with telling how each character plays a role in the series.
But I won't stop there. I would like to slowly introduce new short stories into my fan base, but I will only do that with the feedback I receive from you all. So if you lot have any suggestions on pieces, you can private message me on Facebook or Twitter and I will try to get that story out there for you guys. And now for my personal wisdom of the day.
We will all come to a crossroads in our life where we make a decision to please ourselves or please others. Yet, who said it has to be a choice between one or the other? For long time, I believed everything that happens has a reason. I refused to believe things happened "just because." But, sometimes that is the case. Some things have no reason at all. As humans, we don't need justification as to why we like or dislike someone. We just can. The hardest thing is for the opposite party to accept that. The trick is to not take it to heart. No one specifically dislikes someone for being a human being. There are just things in people that other people just do not necessarily like. There is nothing wrong with that. Everyone is not going to like everything. For instance, some people like general obnoxious humor, and some people don't. It's all about finding a balance in those types of situations. There will be many people that disagree with the type of person I am. As there will be people who disagree with you. People have a habit of turning humility into pride. If someone doesn't like you, that does not mean you should not be civil towards one another. Regardless of how two individuals, or even groups, feel towards each other, respect should come from both parties; because there is no greater level of dignity than that of being and accepting yourself and others for being themselves.
But I won't stop there. I would like to slowly introduce new short stories into my fan base, but I will only do that with the feedback I receive from you all. So if you lot have any suggestions on pieces, you can private message me on Facebook or Twitter and I will try to get that story out there for you guys. And now for my personal wisdom of the day.
We will all come to a crossroads in our life where we make a decision to please ourselves or please others. Yet, who said it has to be a choice between one or the other? For long time, I believed everything that happens has a reason. I refused to believe things happened "just because." But, sometimes that is the case. Some things have no reason at all. As humans, we don't need justification as to why we like or dislike someone. We just can. The hardest thing is for the opposite party to accept that. The trick is to not take it to heart. No one specifically dislikes someone for being a human being. There are just things in people that other people just do not necessarily like. There is nothing wrong with that. Everyone is not going to like everything. For instance, some people like general obnoxious humor, and some people don't. It's all about finding a balance in those types of situations. There will be many people that disagree with the type of person I am. As there will be people who disagree with you. People have a habit of turning humility into pride. If someone doesn't like you, that does not mean you should not be civil towards one another. Regardless of how two individuals, or even groups, feel towards each other, respect should come from both parties; because there is no greater level of dignity than that of being and accepting yourself and others for being themselves.
The Chronicles of Stanly Gudenuff Pt. 1: Tickets
Today is the big day. My family and I are going on a vacation my Mom had won from some scratch and sniff card she received from her job for her 37th birthday. Everything was going fine until, as usual, things weren't going the way Dad had planned.
"Stanly! Thomas! Why haven't you guys placed your luggage in the car yet?" Dad yells from down the hall.
"Give us a minute, Al! You only told us like 20 minutes ago!" Thomas yelled back.
Thomas can get away with things like that. He was adopted at years 2 of age. He's 14 now. Our parents love him. If I did that, I can say goodbye to this trip, and goodbye to this summer.
"Nice try, Thomas. Your Mother told you guys last night. Now hurry up! We've got to be on the road to to the airport in 4 hours!"
"Alyx, it only takes 2 hours to get there. Even with traffic, that's an additional 45 minutes. Relax."
"Liv, you know how I am about last minute. If you're on time, you're late. That's what we said in the Battalion."
My Dad always likes to bring up his 3 months at the Norwegian Military Academy. He says, "Stanly, my time at the Academy is where I learned to become a man."
I sarcastically comment back, "Dad, those 3 months must have been Hell for you. I sometimes don't understand how you managed to survive."
"Well Stan," Dad replies, "You are 16 now. Sooner or later, you're going to have your own battle. I can show and tell you my experiences, but you determine the man you want to become."
Sometimes my Dad surprises me with responses like that. Where were we? Oh yeah, packing. Thomas is definitely more of the carefree one of the family. He can pack 3 t-shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, and be fine. The only thing he packs more of is his art supplies. At least if he ever runs out of clothes, he can paint on a new outfit, I guess. He rushes downstairs to throw his suitcase into the back of Dad's truck.
"Whoa, Thom! Be careful! That's a Ford, not a Chevy." Dad exclaims.
"Yeah, then I probably just made it a little bit better!" Thomas snarks back.
Mom comes upstairs to check on me and my current situation with my packing. It's not that I'm slower than Thomas, I'm just more attentive when it comes to packing. The only thing I need is my camcorder and an outfit for each day.
"Hurry Stan." Mom says from the doorway. "You know how your Father is. Expect a big speech on how this relates to his time in the Battalion."
"Almost finished, mom." I assure her. "I just can't find the T-shirt."
"Oh." Mom giggles. "You mean "The" T-shirt? The one signed Hank Stanovich?"
Hank Stanovich was local Footballer back in our home country of Norway. I promised him I'd carry a signed T-shirt of his whenever we were away from our new home in the US on a vacation. I don't think it will mean much, seeing how he is only a Footballer during the Cup, but hey, keep hope alive right?
"Yes, mom. That one. I don't think it's in the laundry. I have never really worn it since we've been here. You know, I'm sure it can go one trip without being with us."
Suitcases are packed, we are all in the truck, and we are ready to go. We are about 30 minutes into the drive, when my mother poses a question.
"This may be deemed an unnecessary question,"
"Then don't ask." Dad butts in.
The look Mom gave Dad said everything he needed to hear for the rest of that conversation.
"Like I was saying, did anyone happen to pick up the tickets and itineraries from the kitchen table?"
I looked at Thomas, and Dad looked in the rear view mirror at me. The men in this truck became a deer in front of a truck. In the most unsafe manner as possible on the highway, dad came to an abrupt stop. Oddly, with no traffic in sight, he floors it over to the opposite side of the highway to rush back home.
"Alyx, yeah, let's not ever do that again." Mom says.
"What? Forget the materials we need? good idea." Dad says. Clearly confused.
"Besides that, what you just did on the highway was dangerous. Stanly is driving now. Be a good influence. And don't you dare turn this into a Battalion story."
"When I was in the Battalion..." Dad starts.
We all groan in agony. At least this trip isn't like the trip we took to Toronto. Dad's Battalion stories are what got us kicked out of The Molson Ampitheatre.
"When I was in the Battalion, one of the cadets had forgotten their navigation map. He stayed out there for three days."
"Dear, that was you, and you were only lost for 3 hours," mom abruptly corrects him.
So we make it back home. Mom runs into the house, grabs the tickets and itineraries, and we head to the airport. When we get there, we are graced by the smiling faces of our twin cousins Carly and Charly Von Eubensteuffer. Along with Aunt Heather and Uncle Michael. I say that with such enthusiasm.
So, this is the beginning of The Chronicles of Stanly Gudenuff. Still a few more families to be introduced, so stay tuned! Every Saturday morning a story will be posted. Thanks all!
"Stanly! Thomas! Why haven't you guys placed your luggage in the car yet?" Dad yells from down the hall.
"Give us a minute, Al! You only told us like 20 minutes ago!" Thomas yelled back.
Thomas can get away with things like that. He was adopted at years 2 of age. He's 14 now. Our parents love him. If I did that, I can say goodbye to this trip, and goodbye to this summer.
"Nice try, Thomas. Your Mother told you guys last night. Now hurry up! We've got to be on the road to to the airport in 4 hours!"
"Alyx, it only takes 2 hours to get there. Even with traffic, that's an additional 45 minutes. Relax."
"Liv, you know how I am about last minute. If you're on time, you're late. That's what we said in the Battalion."
My Dad always likes to bring up his 3 months at the Norwegian Military Academy. He says, "Stanly, my time at the Academy is where I learned to become a man."
I sarcastically comment back, "Dad, those 3 months must have been Hell for you. I sometimes don't understand how you managed to survive."
"Well Stan," Dad replies, "You are 16 now. Sooner or later, you're going to have your own battle. I can show and tell you my experiences, but you determine the man you want to become."
Sometimes my Dad surprises me with responses like that. Where were we? Oh yeah, packing. Thomas is definitely more of the carefree one of the family. He can pack 3 t-shirts, 2 pairs of shorts, and be fine. The only thing he packs more of is his art supplies. At least if he ever runs out of clothes, he can paint on a new outfit, I guess. He rushes downstairs to throw his suitcase into the back of Dad's truck.
"Whoa, Thom! Be careful! That's a Ford, not a Chevy." Dad exclaims.
"Yeah, then I probably just made it a little bit better!" Thomas snarks back.
Mom comes upstairs to check on me and my current situation with my packing. It's not that I'm slower than Thomas, I'm just more attentive when it comes to packing. The only thing I need is my camcorder and an outfit for each day.
"Hurry Stan." Mom says from the doorway. "You know how your Father is. Expect a big speech on how this relates to his time in the Battalion."
"Almost finished, mom." I assure her. "I just can't find the T-shirt."
"Oh." Mom giggles. "You mean "The" T-shirt? The one signed Hank Stanovich?"
Hank Stanovich was local Footballer back in our home country of Norway. I promised him I'd carry a signed T-shirt of his whenever we were away from our new home in the US on a vacation. I don't think it will mean much, seeing how he is only a Footballer during the Cup, but hey, keep hope alive right?
"Yes, mom. That one. I don't think it's in the laundry. I have never really worn it since we've been here. You know, I'm sure it can go one trip without being with us."
Suitcases are packed, we are all in the truck, and we are ready to go. We are about 30 minutes into the drive, when my mother poses a question.
"This may be deemed an unnecessary question,"
"Then don't ask." Dad butts in.
The look Mom gave Dad said everything he needed to hear for the rest of that conversation.
"Like I was saying, did anyone happen to pick up the tickets and itineraries from the kitchen table?"
I looked at Thomas, and Dad looked in the rear view mirror at me. The men in this truck became a deer in front of a truck. In the most unsafe manner as possible on the highway, dad came to an abrupt stop. Oddly, with no traffic in sight, he floors it over to the opposite side of the highway to rush back home.
"Alyx, yeah, let's not ever do that again." Mom says.
"What? Forget the materials we need? good idea." Dad says. Clearly confused.
"Besides that, what you just did on the highway was dangerous. Stanly is driving now. Be a good influence. And don't you dare turn this into a Battalion story."
"When I was in the Battalion..." Dad starts.
We all groan in agony. At least this trip isn't like the trip we took to Toronto. Dad's Battalion stories are what got us kicked out of The Molson Ampitheatre.
"When I was in the Battalion, one of the cadets had forgotten their navigation map. He stayed out there for three days."
"Dear, that was you, and you were only lost for 3 hours," mom abruptly corrects him.
So we make it back home. Mom runs into the house, grabs the tickets and itineraries, and we head to the airport. When we get there, we are graced by the smiling faces of our twin cousins Carly and Charly Von Eubensteuffer. Along with Aunt Heather and Uncle Michael. I say that with such enthusiasm.
So, this is the beginning of The Chronicles of Stanly Gudenuff. Still a few more families to be introduced, so stay tuned! Every Saturday morning a story will be posted. Thanks all!
Friday, October 10, 2014
Parallel
Reality,
If I didn't have to live here, I wouldn't
Sailing through the stars, stopping by the milky way to have a milkshake is what I'd do on Monday.
I'd dive through the the sky and soar through the ocean on that lovely Tuesday Morning.
Wednesday calls for a kamikaze dive through the Mauna Loa
Thursday will be the day I travel to Asgard, and speak with Odin himself.
I'll sit silence under the Bodhi tree with Siddhartha Gautama on Friday
I'll walk through the parted Red Sea with Moses on Saturday,
Just to make it back to my bed to walk with Jesus in my sleep on Sunday.
That is what I'd do if life were what I wanted it to be. But it's not, so be thankful for History. :)
Thank you guys for continuing to read my pieces. These are in no way, shape, or form from anyone but myself, but if you have something you'd like me to write a poem or short story on, I will more than happy to do that. Since I have started working again, I will be posting in the evenings Monday through Friday, And Mornings and Evenings on Saturdays and Sundays. Also, I will normally be posting only once a day, but I may post twice as well (only on weekdays. I will always post twice on Weekends). Thank you guys, once again!
If I didn't have to live here, I wouldn't
Sailing through the stars, stopping by the milky way to have a milkshake is what I'd do on Monday.
I'd dive through the the sky and soar through the ocean on that lovely Tuesday Morning.
Wednesday calls for a kamikaze dive through the Mauna Loa
Thursday will be the day I travel to Asgard, and speak with Odin himself.
I'll sit silence under the Bodhi tree with Siddhartha Gautama on Friday
I'll walk through the parted Red Sea with Moses on Saturday,
Just to make it back to my bed to walk with Jesus in my sleep on Sunday.
That is what I'd do if life were what I wanted it to be. But it's not, so be thankful for History. :)
Thank you guys for continuing to read my pieces. These are in no way, shape, or form from anyone but myself, but if you have something you'd like me to write a poem or short story on, I will more than happy to do that. Since I have started working again, I will be posting in the evenings Monday through Friday, And Mornings and Evenings on Saturdays and Sundays. Also, I will normally be posting only once a day, but I may post twice as well (only on weekdays. I will always post twice on Weekends). Thank you guys, once again!
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