By Brett Matthew West
Some of you may have noticed my conspicuous absence from posting anything on FanStory for the last several days. No, the turmoil in the White House has not ceased. That is still an amazingly entertaining circus. Nor has my bread-and-butter, Cody Schroder, run out of his enthralling antics. My always active muse has not died and I am not out of ideas to creatively pen, especially since I make my living as a Freelance Writer.
It is in that arena a certain newspaper awaits my newest article with baited breath. The one I owe them pertaining to a particularly gruesome murder that recently occurred here in Nashville. A trial I attended mostly so I could construct this said article.
That being stated, and since they intend to publish my accounting manyana, I better make haste, get it completed, and send the story sailing along on its merry little way. My failure to do so may well result in not being offered any further work from them. Which would be a shame. That publication has been a mainstay of my freelancing for several years now.
The reason I have not written anything recently has to do with one simple fact. I have been in way too much agony to write.
My youngster, Danny, would refer to it as a major "Ouchie!"
Unfortunately, he would be right on the money with his comment, too. It has indeed been a major pain. One of the worst I can honestly say I have ever experienced, except for perhaps the broken shoulder I suffered numerous years ago. But, that is another story to be told later.
This particular nightmare began on Friday, March 24, 2017. The funny thing is I do not remember doing anything to bring the problem on. I woke up that morning, and spent the whole day, in torturous distress!!! I did not go to a doctor because I do not do doctors well.
What's that old saying, "Physician heal thyself."
Day time Saturday, March 25, 2017, I was completely pain free so I took Danny to a festival. Of course, we enjoyed ourselves tremendously. We even ate at one of our favorite restaurants, then returned home from another fun-filled Dad-Son bonding experience. We attempt to have as many of those as we can. The little monkeys grow up way too fast, don't they?
That night was a completely different story in a mighty big way!!! The pain set in, grabbed a hold of me and did not turn me loose...for eight harrowing days! Like I said, I do not do doctors well. So, during that time, I figured I could treat myself as well as any of them could. WRONG!!!
Yesterday, I finally broke down and attended one of those Urgent Care places. I could not tolerate any more of the throbbing ache. I could not walk without agony. I could not sleep no matter what position I laid in. And, worst of all, I could see the frieghtened look on Danny's face growing more so with each passing day.
I learned a new word yesterday. "Indomethacin". This is the medication the doctor prescribed for my ailment. I will tell you what it is used for shortly. First, allow me to relate that I knew there were no broken bones in my tender right foot or ankle. How did I know this during the eight days of intense agony I experienced? I could walk on the foot...barely mind you, but, I could lumber about on it.
I explained to the doctor what was occurring. He instructed me to sit down and remove my shoes. No problem. I much prefer to walk around barefooted. It was then he began to examine my right ankle. He looked up at me and informed me the problem was not a broken bone, or ligament damage. However, he did not like the massive swelling he immediately noticed upon looking at my foot.
I suppose like any doctor worth his salt would have done he ordered x-rays. A series of five pretty pictures to be snapped. I was led into the room where the facility performs this particular service and the x-rays were produced. Apparently, the doctor did not like the quality of those x-rays and decided to have all five of them retaken. So, they were.
This involved a repeat trip back on the table, more futzing around with my aching ankle to get it positioned just right, and each x-ray once again retaken. The second set of x-rays confirmed what I already knew. There were no broken bones.
The end result of the entire experience was a word I never thought I would ever hear. GOUT!!!
For those of you who may have previously suffered this "wonderful" encounter, believe me, I can feel your pain! Now, I will tell you my past history has been to take any medication a doctor has prescribed to me and immediately flush it down the toilet once I arrived back home. Not only do I not do doctors well, I am also a very bad patient.
However, this time has been different. Like a very good little boy, and because I have a Blue Eyes of my own at home who has been worried sick about his Daddy, I actually took the dosage prescribed for me yesterday and will continue to do so for the next ten days. There is nothing like the pleased smile on a youngster's face to let you know when you've done well.
Because I had never heard of such a critter before in my life as "Indomethacin," I did what I always do in a situation like that. I googled the word and found out it is one of the most frequently prescribed medications for gout. To me, that was a point in the doctor's favor and another reason I consumed the first pill.
Then, I googled gout. I am somewhat familiar with this ailment that is typically caused by a buildup of uric acid in the blood. I suppose the five vials of blood his nurse extracted out of my right arm will confirm this factor. What I did not realize is that feasting on meat, seafood, and any type of liquid where sugar has been added can be other contributors to gout.
I suppose until I am over this ailment, I will become somewhat of a vegetarian. I will also have to eliminate seafood, a main staple of my diet, especially shrimp, clams on the half-shell, and fish, from my dietary intake.
However, as I see it, my biggest problem during this time will be no sweet tea until this gout stuff disappears. Not counting water, sweet tea is all I drink. I can truthfully tell you I have not consumed an alcoholic drink of any type in eighteen years. Back in my drinking days my all-time favorite was a pina colada with a shot of Jack Daniels whiskey poured into the middle of it. Talk about a sweet and sour taste! No, I do not miss it one bit.
When I am writing, I always have an ice cold glass of tea sitting on my work desk in front of me. This is from the time I awake in the morning until the time I go to bed at night. So much for the one little pleasure I allow myself in that realm...at least, for now.
Will keep you posted on how this gout nonsense and I get along. I don't imagine it will be very well at all! In the meantime:
Welcome to My Extremely B-O-R-I-N-G Life!
| Author Notes |
A look inside the life I live...it is not always a pretty picture.
A Boy and His Dog, by bd shutterspeed, selected to complement my tale of woe. So, thanks bd shutterspeed, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my tale. |
By Brett Matthew West
In perusing the newspaper this morning I read an article that absolutely warms my heart. By lethal injection, the state of Arkansas is set to execute seven cold-blooded, callous, murderers over the course of eleven days beginning on the day after Easter in the year of our Lord 2017. Certainly cause for a celebration!
Please do not be a Bleeding-Heart Liberal and try to tell me liquidating the condemned is wrong or that it does not serve a deterrent. In my book, capital punishment is intended to perform two main functions and there has never been one execution that has not achieved these dual purposes: eliminate another monster from the face of the earth and provide justice to the victim's relatives. What more could be asked for?
I would be extremely prone to tell you my exact feelings on the subject of executions. That is simply however the butcher slays their victim is the exact method of execution that should be carried out against them. I do not believe that a convicted cutthroat should be allowed to inhabit a prison cell for ANY length of time. I staunchly believe that imminently, upon being convicted of this heinous crime, the assassin should be executed without delay!
The Cummins Unit in Gould, Arkansas will be the scene of these executions on April 17, 20, 24, and 27, 2017. By law, Arkansas requires that at least six witnesses who do not know the victim, or the doomed, attend every execution. If I could take an eleven day vacation, and volunteer to be a witness for each one of these executions, I would do so in a heartbeat.
Just imagine the wealth, depth, and breadth of writing that could emerge from these executions! The sky is the limit, and the inscriptions would only be limited to the talents, skills, and abilities of the writer. Hey, may as well get something positive out of the executions of these animals who have all exhausted their appeals and now wait one at a time for that final gurney ride.
Most of them have sat on Death Row for more than twenty years starting as early as 1989. That is WAY too long! Where are the same years they allowed their victims to live before murdering them? In total, these seven barbarians slaughtered eleven victims. Now, it is their turn to experience the same fate!
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson stated, "This action is necessary to fulfill the requirement of the law. It is also important to bring closure to the victims' families." His words ring so true!
The bottom line is that if you take somebody else's life you better be prepared to lose yours. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, not since Texas, in May and June of 1997, has any state properly carried out the law and executed this many condemned villains in such a short period of time. During that time span, Texas exterminated eight abnormalities.
Arkansas's last execution occurred on November 28, 2005. Opponents of the death penalty are once again squawking that these executions could cause the condemned "unnecessary suffering." To that I ask, where was the monsters' concern for the "unnecessary suffering" they put their victims, and the relatives of their victims, through? Give me a freaking break on that lame excuse so many condemned attempt to claim.
As of this writing, there are thirty-four condemned murderers on Death Row in Arkansas. A state with one of the lowest populations of Death Row inmates in the United States. Taking into account these seven executions, in just a few short days that number will be reduced by seven, leaving twenty-seven prisoners awaiting what is certainly their much deserved fate. Additionally, seventy-one percent of Arkansas' citizenry supports the death penalty.
An example of one of the condemned prisoners is the demon known as Kenneth Williams. Like the other six, his story is simply stated as: In 1998, Williams impenitently murdered a college cheerleader. After being confined to the Cummins Unit he proceeded to escape. On a Sunday, while doing nothing more than tending his yard two miles outside of Cummins, Williams broke in to the home of Cecil Boren. He stole Boren's guns and shot him to death for no reason whatsoever before driving off in Boren's pickup truck. And, Bleeding-Heart Liberals wish to try to convince me that executing a monster such as Kenneth Williams is wrong?
I will end this posting in the words of Cecil Boren's widow Genie, who stated, "We've been ready a long time. If this doesn't happen now, who knows, I may be dead without seeing justice."
That ladies and gentlemen, is the true audacity of allowing condemned, cold-blooded monsters, who snatch out the lives of their innocent victims, to languish inside a prison cell for years on end before they receive their just deserts. It is also why I am so adamant in my beliefs about the Death Penalty and the proper manner in which the law of the land should be carried out.
| Author Notes |
This article states my firm beliefs in the Death Penalty.
The Great Escape in B&W, by MoonWillow, selected to complement my article. So, thanks MoonWillow, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my article. |
By Brett Matthew West
As I rapidly begin to approach the ripe old age of becoming eligible for Medicaid and Medicare, like so many countless others, I begin to ponder if these programs will be there when they are truly needed? I mean, Medicaid, a sleeping giant of the United States health care program that neither Democrats nor Republicans desire touching, contains these five elements:
-costs shared between the federal government and state governments on a roughly sixty-forty split
-based on the number of beneficiaries, approximately sixty-eight million recipients in all, Medicaid is the single largest health insurance program
-debate focused mainly on private insurance subsidized through health exchanges, the program's expansion, and more liberal eligibility requirements, the Affordable Care Act has resulted in about eleven million more people gaining insurance coverage
-nearly three-fourths of Medicaid's participants are children and young adults. However, they only account for thirty-three percent of the costs associated with the program
-the disabled makes up the other quarter of Medicaid's recipients, but they also represent two-thirds of the program's costs. Quite a disproportion. Note that most of the expenses for the disabled are for long-term care, as well as nursing homes, that Medicaid does not cover
Over the course of the next thirteen years the Census Bureau projects that the percentage of Americans, eighty-five-years-old and older will rise to nine million people. Many of them will require nursing home care.
As The Donald's proposed budget for 2018 depicts, spending on the elderly for such programs as Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security outweighs non-elderly spending. These leaves States to cover more of these expenses than they already are, which, no doubt, will eliminate available money for such things as parks, schools, police, roads, and lower taxes.
Medicaid's entitlement assures all who qualify for the program will receive its funds. This amounts to approximately one-fifth of the general revenues of most states according to Robin Rudowitz of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. According to their website, this Menio Park, California-based non-profit organization is highly recognized in the medical profession and provides the "most up-to-date and accurate information on health policy."
One possible alternative to these costs borne by the States is to transfer the costs of Medicaid's long-term care for the elderly to the federal government and merge Medicaid and Medicare together.
Another solution may be to allow the States to assume all of the costs of Medicaid for children and younger adults. One snag with this scenario is that States may have to surrender federal money received for schools, and trim other federal grants they receive, to do so.
These tactics would result in a swap meet of every federal dollar spent on elderly long-term care being matched by the States in lower spending on medical care for children and younger adults. For States, this spending would then become no longer tied to demographic changes.
As long as the federal trend remains bleeding the States for the costs of Medicaid, the expenses of the program will continue to be shouldered by the States instead of split into an even more viable option. Will Medicaid be there when it is really needed? What do you honestly believe?
I, myself, wonder?
| Author Notes |
As the American population continues to grow older each year, Medicaid's continued availability appears to be dwindling more with each new day.
Will Medicaid become as extinct as Plateosaurus Gracilis, the dinosaur depicted with this article? Thanks Sean T Phelan for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my article. |
By Brett Matthew West
Recently, I pulled out an antique piece of penmanship. Honestly, I can not tell you how old the writing was. Your guess is as good as mine! It was one of the first pieces of practice I ever drafted.
I remembered on several other instances, when I extracted it from off the junk heap where I maintained the scrap, I quickly returned it to where I thought would be its eternal resting place.
Entitled "Drako" this exercise in futility, and placing words on paper, was simply not my cup of tea. A cliche, I know. But, how else can you adaquately express that contemplation? I mean, I am not, nor have I ever been, into ninjas, shoguns, or the comparable. Why I fashioned this inscription, I can not say for sure? Beats me!
After I established this piece, I knew I would never do anything with it, except conceivably File Thirteen the prose into the nearest trash receptacle. Where it should have been processed a long time ago. For some unspecified reason, I never did.
Upon a whim, and after I developed a wild hair, a little birdie whispered in my ear telling me, "You might as well achieve something constructive out of the miniscule effort you placed into producing this project."
I decided a tiny little contest here on FanStory was relevant. Therefore, I created one I called "Begin This Story." I further decided that for this contest, I would allow any type of genre, except for poetry, as long as the story began with the two sentences "Blackness, sinister and foreboding, saturated the icy cold dawn. The roaring wind cascaded deep into the isolated valley."
Since my contest ended, and I will return to those results momentarily, I have noticed the FanStory Contest Committee has created another contest they call "The Enjoyment of Eating!" In their contest they are allowing the same thing, with the minor exception of accepting poetry as a genre for their contest as well.
I have been a member of FanStory for marginally more than two years. Since joining this site, I have never scrutinized the Contest Committee permitting that to occur. Additionally, I wasn't totally sure they would allow my contest to stand as I created it with the stipulation included.
I surmise I should say, "Glad to be of service to you Contest Committee. My pleasure!"
I shall return back to the results of my contest now. To my utter amusement, six fellow FanStorians entered my contest. Even more surprising to me, "Drako" finished in third place. I had to chuckle because I am not sure I would have placed the importation in that lofty a position myself.
To those of you who voted for "Drako," I say a reverberating, "Thank you very much!"
I was pleased to witness six of the seven entries terminated in the Top Three. One entry won the contest. Two entries settled into second place. Three others, including "Drako," were voted into a tie for third place. So, I suppose something positive resulted from my writing "Drako" after all.
That just goes to show, you never know what might become of a piece of literature. What you consider garbage may, in reality, speak to another person. A text will only display its true value when somebody else reads it.
On a more pleasurable note, I believe I will escort my boy Danny to a Dog Expo he has been beseeching me for two weeks to attend. To a bow-wow-loving, ten-year-old youngster like him, who aspires to be a veterinarian when he is grown up, that is big stuff. I can perceive this yearning in the gentle manner in which Danny always interacts with animals.
Perhaps, I may transcribe a small expose on that adventure to inform you on how it turns out? I never know when the spirit, or my not always quite-so-friendly muse, may move me. As exemplified by "Drako," and considering some of the insane notions I come up to write about from time to time, you would think I had a balloon farm on Mars...inspired by the proper prompting, my communications can be immeasurably way out in deep space!
All I can say is, "Write on!"
| Author Notes |
File Thirteen is a military expression meaning to throw trash away.
Contemplating a little contest I recently created on FanStory. Three Balloons, by ftbtaxman, selected to complement my writing. So, thanks ftbtaxman, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my writing. |
By Brett Matthew West
It has been awhile since I bent your ear with a few hundred words about my escapades as a Freelance Writer. So, allow me to start by informing you that one of the distinct pleasures I have often enjoyed over the years is to occasionally visit Greece and some of its many astonishing islands.
Over the course of my numerous trips abroad, I find the Greek Islands to be beautiful places to tour. Confidentially, there are about six thousand of them. Two hundred and twenty-seven of these havens are inhabited.
It wasn't four months ago I last sojourned to the small Saronic Island of Hydra to cover a Greek theatre festival. Previously, I have introduced Danny, my ten-year-old son, to the readers of this series in earlier editions I have posted here on FanStory. My sometimes traveling partner desperately desired to wander with me on this particular trip as he has never set either one of his most frequently bare feet in Greece.
Because of school commitments, and to me nothing is more important than Danny's education, he could not accompany me. Fortunately, for both of us, I have another trip to Mykonos planned for this summer. I do intend to carry my little towhead with me on that expedition when I depart. But, do me the small favor of not telling Danny. I want the announcement to be a surprise for the boy.
Well known for its car-free environment, Hydra is located in the Aegean Sea, between the Saronic Gulf and the Argolic Gulf. Except for trash removal trucks, motorized vehicles are not permitted on the island. Hydra also provides one small village with a crescent-shaped harbor. Other tiny hamlets include Kaminia, Episkopi, Palamidas, Vlychos, Molos, and Mandraki.
Water taxis are the primary means of movement between Hydra's harbor, its pristine beaches, and its popular tavernas. Donkeys, strong and sturdy, are the main method of transporting cargo from one location to another on the island. Each donkey carrying goods has a human pooper-scooper that tags along behind the beast of burden maintaining Hydra's sanitary cleanliness.
The 1957 motion picture known as Boy On A Dolphin, that starred Sophia Loren, and was her English-speaking debut film, cast Hydra onto the international stage. However, that was not the only motion picture that has been filmed on the isle. Others include Boat Trip and Fugitive Pieces.
The 1960s witnessed several famous celebrities transform Hydra into a popular retreat. Among them was the Canadian Songwriter Leonard Cohen, who, inspired by observing one, composed his popular tune "Bird On A Wire" while residing on the refuge. He also wrote "So Long, Marianne," and others there.
Visitors to Hydra can expect to get easily lost on the steep, stone streets of the island because very few addresses and street names are labeled. This lends to more intrigue and enjoyment on the sanctuary. Hydra's economy has been, and remains, based on the sea. The number of extravagant yachts one is prone to observe docked in the water surrounding Hydra testifies to that fact.
Full of a long history, Hydra has produced many influential aristocrats, military heroes, and political leaders of the Greek world. Tourists may also encounter a number of small museums and cafes along their trek. Local swimming spots, one of the most popular activities on the island, include the beaches at Kaminia Castello, Vlyches, and Mandraki Bay. A short boat cruise will carry you to the beaches on Agios Nikolaos and Bisti.
For those who partake in the consumption of alcoholic substances, ouzo and honey-drenched baklava, a tasty pastry, make you want to toss your working itinerary into the Aegean Sea and while away the peace and quiet found on Greece's carefree little secret.
As they say, "Come on down!"
| Author Notes |
If you enjoyed reading this article why not consider becoming a fan? That way you will be sure to receive all the ramblings I provide to FanStory. Many members already are.
Being an Ass, by Eileen0204, selected to complement my article. So, thanks Eileen0204, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my article. |
By Brett Matthew West
Monday, August 21, 2017. Highlight that date on your calendar so you do not forget. No, this is not a Doomsday prophecy story, or a Chicken Little "The sky is falling!" account. Nor is it a Dean Kuch Horror tale. We all know how exceedingly well he crafts them. Ladies and gentlemen, if you will kindly provide me your undivided attention, I will prove to you that this is reality.
The aforementioned date is when this natural event will transpire from approximately 10:15am Pacific Time to about 2:49pm Eastern Standard Time. Those residing within a sixty to seventy-mile wide path, from Oregon to South Carolina, will experience this wonderful occurrence as the moon moves in front of the sun and daylight becomes darkness.
Where will this phenomenon happen? Totality of the eclipse will be featured in broad sections of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Corners of Iowa, Kansas, Georgia, and North Carolina will display these effects as well.
The Grand Tetons in Wyoming, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennesssee, and the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina are expecting record-breaking crowds of eclipse chasers for this wondrous demonstration of nature. Several other National Parks will be good observation points, too. Or, you can always climb the nearest mountain to participate in this glorious happening. But, no falling off the top of the mountain permitted. "Look out below!"
Imagine an eclipse as a sunset, instantly followed by the sunrise. In other words, an incredibly short night! Another element of a total eclipse of the sun may be a three-hundred-and-sixty degree darkness. The sounds of nature sharpen. Roosters crow. Birds turn silent, and foraging animals stop eating to seek safety shelters.
In the case of bad weather, this eclipse can be witnessed from a tall vantage location. Also, the expected driest portion of the path of this eclipse will be from Eastern Oregon to Western Nebraska.
Those who reside in, or near, Casper, Wyoming, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Carbondale, Illinois, Jefferson City, Missouri, Columbia, South Carolina, and Sylva, North Carolina will be celebrating this eclipse with specially planned events. So, what are these "specially planned events" you may deem to wonder? Well:
-an "Eclipse Con" festival, complete with tailgate parties and concerts, is featured for those living between Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Carbondale, Illinois. This area expects more than 50,000 attendees for the eclipse, which is estimated to last all of 2 minutes and 40 seconds in that area
-in Oregon's Ochoco National Forest there will be music, theater, yoga...yes, yoga, and art installations for the more than 20,000 people expected
-situated in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the Hotel Jackson will present an "eclipse concierge" to assist their guests in planning $699.00-a-night stays. That's $699.00-a-night, folks!
-Jefferson City, Missouri plans a "Dark Side Of The Moon" Pink Floyd Tribute Band concert. Pink Floyd was a popular Rock Band of the 1970s. Dark Side Of The Moon was their commercial breakthrough record. The one that placed them on the musical map, so to speak
-Sylva, North Carolina will host a "Moonlight Madness" Run
-the South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra will perform a "Star Wars Musiclipse"
-the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is getting in on this rare occasion by developing an online weather map along the route of the eclipse
-and, here in good ole Music City USA, the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel will furnish eclipse-viewing glasses. They will also equip all participants with an Uber gift card, bar credit, and a commemorative T-shirt memorializing the occasion. Who could ask for anything more?
Other vicinities along the passage of the eclipse are planning their own unique events as well.
Eclipse Notes:
1. The rays of the sun cannot harm your eyes if they are blocked by the moon.
2. A dangerous period of time to stare directly at the sun is immediately before, or instantaneously after, the eclipse happens. Even if it appears to be dark.
3. The retinas of the eyes can be damaged by the sun, so wearing sunglasses in this eclipse is pointless.
4. It is best to view the eclipse through cameras and telescopes with proper filters.
5. At a minimum, eclipse glasses should be worn.
6. To make your own eclipse glasses use paper filters with your regularly worn ones.
Now, do you believe me when I tell you the sun is going to disappear? Have I ever misled you before? But, no turning into a werewolf and howling at the moon allowed!
Until next time.
This has been another chapter in My Extremely B-O-R-I-N-G! Life.
| Author Notes |
On Monday, August 21, 2017, the sun will disappear as a total eclipse occurs from Oregon to South Carolina.
Enjoy viewing the eclipse, but, do take precautions while participating in this rare phenomenon. Werewolf, by SCHATZLING, selected to complement my article. So, thanks SCHATZLING, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my article. |
By Brett Matthew West
Knowing I am a Freelance Writer by trade, a college English Professor acquaintance of mine invited me to address his class at Belmont University here in Nashville. The subject he asked me to consider was "prose and fiction are the exact same thing." In turn, that led me to conduct a survey of the FanStory universe on the aforementioned topic. Who claims this site is not interactive? Poppycock!
I received several interesting responses from FanStorians regarding the statement I presented. Some of my favorites were:
"Prose is written in complete sentences rather than poetry."
"Fiction represents only a very small part of the millions of words of prose spewed out daily."
and
"Prose and fiction CAN be the same if the characters and/or the story being told is made up."
I would like to thank all those who responded to my survey. Your reviews are always very much appreciated.
However, if somebody told me that prose and fiction are the exact same thing, I would politely look them squarely in the eye, smile broadly, and elaborate by saying, "You are wrong as rain on a Springtime picnic, Scooter!" There is a significant dissimilarity between the two of them.
Here is what I told that class of matriculators:
Originating from the Latin idiom of "prosa oratio," which interpretes into "direct speech," prose maintains a natural flow of speech. In other words, prose is a display of language that illustrates a grammatical structure. There are at least four different variances of prose. These consists of:
nonfictional prose - characteristically appearing in essays, autobiographies, and biographies, nonfictional prose is literature mostly based on fact, although it may also contain rudiments of fiction. Other forms of nonfictional prose include writing intended to instruct, as well as religious, political, philosophical, and moral inscriptions. An inordinate degree of the author's presence is another key component of nonfictional prose.
prose poem - considered a separate genre from prose and poetry, the prose poem is a hybrid that is written as prose, not verse, and reads as poetry. Prose poems do not contain line breaks, but incorporate prose's narrative and objective presentation of truth. Prose poems also use poetry's compression, repetition, fragmentation, rhyme, metaphor, symbols, and figures of speech. A good example of prose poetry is the Japanese Haibun. This form of poetry combines prose and haiku together to construct the poem.
.
polyphonic prose - rhythmically free, polyphonic prose keys on assonance, the juxtaposition of similar vowel sounds in nearby words without the repetition of consonants. Polyphonic prose also exploits a heavy dose of alliteration, the repeated sound of the first letter of multiple words. The stressed syllables in a phrase, alliteration manipulates a rhythm to make the reader feel a certain mood or emotion. Alliteration is commonly applied in music, advertisements, comic strips, and television programs.
prose fiction - adapts everyday cultural conversational language, as well as narration, metaphors, and expositions to tell the tale and trigger emotional responses from readers. Prose fiction focuses on how people talk in regular, and often, regional dialects, and on how they act in various situations. Prose fiction may incorporate real facts and people into the storyline, but it relies mainly on the writer's vivid imagination, rather than known reality, to tell the story. Futuristic fiction is a good example of prose fiction.
Usually word count determines what category prose fiction fits into. For example, flash fiction comprises 1,000 words or less, short stories enclose no more than 7,000 words, novellas accommodate between 10,000 and 60,000 words, and novels embody more than 60,000 words. Prose fiction may also be categorized by style, such as historical, social, or romance. Subcategories of prose fiction include thriller, mystery, fantasy, comedy, and drama.
Dialog heavy, a prose fiction story can be told in first, second, or third-person narration. Universal themes that readers can relate to are another major element of prose fiction. These may involve the main character learning from their mistakes or their need for friendship. Universal themes make the character much more believable.
On the other hand, possessing creative invention, and some degree of believability, fiction is literature that uses prose forms to tell imaginative stories about people and events that are not real. Except as a literary narrative, fiction does not refer to a specific genre. Open to the reader's interpretation of what is presented, novels, plays, fables, myths, short stories, novellas, and narrative poetry may all be classified as common works of fictional literature.
Realism is another special form of fiction. This is fiction that involves a real world time and location, and whose events depicted in the story could feasibly happen in a real life environment.
Now you know the significant dissimilarities between prose and fiction, and that they are definitely not the exact same thing.
Until the next time.
This has been another chapter in My Extremely B-O-R-I-N-G Life!
| Author Notes |
A major literary misconception is that prose and fiction are the exact same thing.
Are they? Really? I very seriously doubt I would agree with that assessment. Pomp And Circumstance, by VMarguarite, selected to complement my article. So, thanks VMarguarite, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my article. |
By Brett Matthew West
One pleasure I derive from this site is that from time to time fellow FanStorians ask me to write a Feature Article on a particular subject. Sharing a common interest in Country music, I readily agreed to write this requested posting. All who know my writing on FanStory know that my first love in penmanship will always remain Country music. As a Freelance Writer, I have covered the topic for many years. I still do.
The Top Ten Country Music Artists for the decade 2000 to 2010 is a perpetual Who's Who of the most popular music in American history. It is also diversified by many different styles. Based on such things as total number of albums sold, largest money-making tours, and awards won, these ratings are based on several of the Country Music industry's largest statistics keepers, such as Billboard Magazine. So, let's see who they were.
10. Tricia Yearwood is best know for her song "She's In Love With The Boy," Tricia Yearwood's strong, confident, music is full of vulnerability in young women as told from a female's point of view. Awards she has won include Top New Female Vocalist, Top Female Vocalist, Album of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Favorite New Country Music Artist, Best Female Country Vocal Performance, and Best Country Collaboration With Vocals.
Tricia Yearwood's discography includes Tricia Yearwood, Hearts In Armor, The Song Remembers When, The Sweetest Gift , Thinking About You, Everybody Knows, Home For The Holidays, Where Your Road Leads, Real Live Woman, Inside Out, Jasper County, Heaven, Heartaches, and The Power Of Love. She has also recorded a songbook known as A Collection Of Hits.
9. Shania Twain is the only female Country Musician to have three albums certified Diamond, which means the album sold more then ten million copies. Shania Twain's "Come On Over" album is the best selling album of all time by a female Performer in Country music. Altogether, she has sold more then eighty-five million albums. Awards won include five Grammy Awards and twenty-seven BMI Songwriter Awards.
Major Shania Twain Hits including You're Still The One, Don't Be Stupid, Honey, I'm Home, That Don't Impress Me Much, and From This Moment On, kept her Come On Over album on the charts for two years and helped it to sell more than thirty-four million copies.
Shania Twain's discography includes Up!, Come On Over, The Woman In Me, Shania Twain, The Complete Limelight Sessions, and Greatest Hits.
8. Martina McBride - originally a Neo-Traditionalist, Martina McBride is best known for her inspirational-style ballads about women and children, her big voice, her amazing soprano range, and her crossover sound. Martina McBride has had five Number One Singles, sold more than fourteen million albums, and won awards for Music Video of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, Female Video of the Year, Top Female Vocalist, and Favorite Female Country Artist.
Some of Martina McBride's top songs include A Broken Wing, Wrong Again, Whatever You Say, Concrete Angel, When God-Fearing Women Get The Blues, Where Would You Be, and the Classic anthem Independence Day.
Martina McBride's discography includes Shine, Waking Up Laughing, Timeless, Martina, Greatest Hits, Emotion, White Christmas, Evolution, Wild Angels, The Way That I Am, and The Time Has Come.
7. Rascal Flatts - the top selling Artist of 2006, Rascal Flatts shows were heavy on special effects, pyro-techniques, and laser lights. Other awards the band won during the 2000s included Top New Vocal Duo or Group, the Horizon Award, Top Vocal Group, the Flameworthy Video Music Award, the AMA Favorite Country Band, the People's Choice Award For Favorite Song From A Movie, Favorite Country Song, Group Video of the Year, the Humanitarian Award, and Song of the Year.
Rascal Flatts Number One Country Songs include These Days, Mayberry, Bless The Broken Road, Fast Cars And Freedom, What Hurts The Most, My Wish, Stand, I'm Moving On, Take Me There, Here, and Here Comes Goodbye.
6. Tim McGraw - sold more than forty million units and had eleven consecutive albums debut at Number One on the Billboard Albums Chart. Additionally, he had twenty-one Number One songs and three Country Songs of the Year. His Soul2Soul II Tour with Faith Hill was the highest grossing tour in Country Music history and one of the Top Five tours among all musical genres. Awards won by Tim McGraw included Vocal Collaboration, Male Vocalist, Male Artist of the Year, Favorite Male Country Artist, Best Country Album, Single of the Year, Most Inspiring Video, Best Male Country Vocal Performance, Album of the Year, and Three Grammy Awards.
Trademark Hit Songs for Tim McGraw include Don't Take The Girl, Indian Outlaw, Something Like That, It's Your Love, I Like It, and Live Like You Were Dying.
Tim McGraw's discography includes Greatest Hits, Set This Circus Down, Tim McGraw And The Dancehall Doctors, Let It Go, Southern Voice, and Live Like You Were Dying.
This is Part One of this article. Next time, I will post the Top Five Country Music Artists of the decade 2000 to 2010. In the interim, just for the fun of it, see if you can figure them out for yourself. If you are a real connoisseur of Country music they should be easy to detect.
| Author Notes |
Garth Brooks not included in this listing because from 2002 to 2005 he was a retired Country Musician. Everyone knows he has sold more Solo albums in the United States than any other Performer. However, this article spotlights the Top Ten Country Musicians who were active throughout the decade 2000 to 2010.
If you enjoyed this article why not become a fan, if you are not one already. Many FanStories already are and continuously tell me how much they enjoy my ramblings. I like brutally honest reviews. If you think my writing SUCKS! tell me that you think it SUCKS! and why you believe that way. Also, if you enjoy my writings, tell me that too. You will not hurt my feelings either way. As a Freelance Writer, I promise you I have heard a whole lot worse out in the real world. Guitar in Case, by Lillia, selected to complement my article. So, thanks Lillia, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my article. |
By Brett Matthew West
I watched the shadow cross the barroom floor. The reprobate sneered at me. I swung a hard right jab, one I knew would knock the fire out of that stalker! My punch landed...in the middle of the wall. My hand broken!
Still, that vile specter taunted me. My response? A left hook. The result? My cut hand required seven stitches. Through the cracked mirror the aberration glared into my bloodshot peepers.
A hand grabbed me by the nape of the neck and my denims. Unceremoniously, he flung me out the dive. He was HUGE!
Do you know what the shadow was?
| Author Notes |
NOTES:
For the potlatch, I was limited to no more than 98 - 102 words maximum. However, I wanted to include these notes I thought were important for explaining this story. Please do not permit them to become the focal point of the posting. This is a true story. Back in the day, I was no slouch when it came to consuming alcoholic libations. A pina colada, with a shot of Jack Daniels whiskey poured into the middle of it, was my preferred drink of choice. Talk about a sweet and sour concoction. It was very addicting for me. Thankfully, I have not touched a single drop of alcohol, of any kind, for eighteen years now. But, that is another story left to be told. Although this was not the first time I ever tied one on, it is a happening I will never forget. Now my liquid intake is limited to water, unsweetened iced tea, black cherry juice, and V-8. Probably the most painful experience of this whole ordeal were the six weeks my right hand was in a cast and I could not write anything. Me? Not be able to write! Perish the thought! As you can well imagine that was quite a sobering, and an excruciatingly torturous, time for me. ************************************************************************************* ************************************************************************************* ENDING: I like brutally honest responses. If you think my writing SUCKS! tell me you think it SUCKS! and why you believe that. If you enjoy my writing tell me that too. Either way, you are not going to hurt my feelings. If you enjoy my ramblings, why not become a fan? Many FanStorians already are and continuously tell me how much they enjoy my postings. Cheers, by Mr Jones, selected to complement my little story. So, thanks Mr Jones, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my little story. (I would have placed a period after "Mr" but he did not, so I am typing his name exactly as he did. The omission of a period in this position is intentionally done for that reason.) |
By Brett Matthew West
Demographics consistently bear out the fact that the most inept drivers on the road today are Seniors. Let's face this truth like grownup adults, shall we?
I can hear Seniors raising cane now, screaming at the top of their ample lungs for all the world to hear, "WHAT!" and "I DON'T WANNA ACT LIKE A GROWNUP ADULT ABOUT THAT COMMENT!"
However, statistics tell the story and paint the picture crystal clearly. Additionally, one in five drivers out there burning up the highways of this country are motorists aged 65 or older. That number will only increase as Baby Boomers mature like fine cheddar cheese.
Many stakeholders in the automotive industry desire making driving more convenient, and safer, for all motorists. This includes the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Federal Highway Administration, vehicle manufacturers, and car dealerships across the United States. Technological advances appear to be the focal point of these improvements.
Relying on radar, light detection, and camera technologies, advancements in automatic braking systems, forward collision warning systems, and collision avoidance systems are some of the newest innovations in car making. These alert drivers when they approach stopped, or slow-moving, vehicles.
They can also trigger automatic braking in an emergency situation. Car makers want this feature to become standard equipment on all cars by 2022. Some, like Toyota, already use this technology on their 2017 models.
Further progressions cited include adaptive headlights that adjust to lighting conditions, lane departure warning systems, blind spot detection systems and backup video cameras that are required to become standard on all 2018 models. Built-in, voice-activated, navigation that relies on GPS, or global positioning systems, to display maps and provide turn-by-turn driving directions is another feature soon to be found on all cars.
Training Seniors on how to use these new technologies, as well as the salespeople selling these vehicles, is becoming more commonplace at car dealerships around the country. Expectations of these technologies are designed to allow drivers, particularly Seniors, more freedom in driving their vehicles, and empowering them to be safer when they get behind the wheel to drive their cars.
Replacing Compact Disc players, computer flash drives, and Bluetooths, are increasingly becoming more of the wave for hands-free entertainment in newer model vehicles.
The theory being employed by the automotive industry is that making driving safer for Seniors actually improves driving for all vehicle operators. Their goal appears to be if roads can talk to cars there will be a future when vehicle drivers will no longer be required.
In September 2016, the National Highway Safety Administration issued guidelines on driverless vehicles by stating, "Whether through technology that corrects for human mistakes, or through technology that takes over the full driving responsibility, automated driving innovations could dramatically decrease the number of crashes tied to human choices and behavior."
| Author Notes |
Is it possible to improve the driving abilities of Seniors?
Will advancements in car manufacturing make driving safer for motorists or are they simply another way for car manufacturers to jack up the prices of automobiles? On the break of Dawn, by cleo85, selected to complement my article. So, thanks Cleo85, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my article. |
By Brett Matthew West
Some of the most enjoyable aspects for me as a Freelance Writer are the travel articles I have penned, and sold to various publications, over the years. I have also had the privilege of traveling to many places I never otherwise would have gone. Here is one from just a few short weeks ago I thought I would share with my FanStory readers. So, enjoy!
Although the city may lack the polished flamboyance of Santa Fe, and Taos' western elegance, Albuquerque possesses sophistication that is hard to beat. Located 5,312 feet high in the rose-colored desert region of New Mexico, its Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo heritages provide the town a unique combination of offerings for tourists to treasure.
Albuquerque's mix of neighborhoods is eclectic, from the fashionable and commercial Nob Hill, to the historic Downtown portion of the city that contains the memorable KiMo Theater. This name means mountain lion. There are also more than eight hundred public art works displayed throughout the Duke City.
The Southwestern Brewing and Ice Company is the only commercial property from the 1800s still remaining in the Downtown area. Additionally, a section of the popular Route 66 runs through Albuquerque, a town that produces a burgeoning brewery scene. One of the largest in the Western United States. Featured in this arena is Shyla Sheppard's Bow and Arrow. The only brewery owned by a Native American squaw.
For television enthusists, Albuquerque boasts the Grove Cafeteria and Market. This diner has been featured in the series known as "Breaking Bad". The program's prequel, "Better Call Saul," was also set in this locale.
Begun in 1793 by an Order of Franciscan Monks, Albuquerque's oldest church is known as San Felipe de Neri. This church can be found in the north side of the Old Town section. The Gathering of Nations Pow Wow, which happened to be the world's largest joining of Native American and indigenous people, was recently held in Albuquerque. (My reason for trekking to Albuquerque to write this article. I am half Seminole Indian, on my paternal side.)
This three day occasion featured 3,000 Native American singers and dancers. There were also representatives from 700 Native American, Canadian, and Latin American Indian tribes at this celebration. Moreover, several contestants vying to be named Miss Indian World, participated in the ceremonies, as did 800 Native American artisans displaying their wares.
Changing horses for a moment, chiles are the special ingredients of Albuquerque cuisine and New Mexico dishes. When it comes to chiles it's all about Christmas, a mix of assorted red and green varieties of these delicacies. Many of these treats are famously scorching to the palates brave enough to consume them.
Albuquerque is also the home of several popular restaurants that accentuate Green Chile Cheeseburgers. Among them are the Los Pablanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm. Created in the Spanish hacienda style, and one of the Southwestern United States' most historic properties, this establishment is situated on twenty-five acres of lavender fields and magnificent cottonwood trees.
Containing several English gardens, and possessing its own honey-making beehives, the Los Pablanoes Historic Inn and Organic Farm is one of the preferred destinations along the Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail. This popular pathway begins in Abiquiu, the starting point of the Old Spanish Trail leading from northern New Mexico to southern California, and ends in Zuni Pueblo. The Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail provides more than one hundred chophouses that feature these phenominal culinary works of art.
Zuni Pueblo can be found along the Trails of the Ancients Byway. This New Mexico roadway travels through many prehistoric archeological and geological Native American sites. Other popular restaurants in Albuquerque that serve the Green Chile Cheeseburger include the Tablao Flamenco at the Hotel Albuquerque, MAS - Tapas Y Vino at the Andaluz Hotel, and the Great American Diner. This cafeteria's Laguna Burger won the New Mexico State Fair's 2016 Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge.
However, the fast-food chain known as Blake's Lotaburger, was the announced winner of the 2016 "Best Green Chile Cheeseburger Award". In 2009, they also won the title of "Best Green Chile Cheeseburger in the World," as presented by the National Geographic Magazine.
Another unique destination in this region of New Mexico is Sky City. Nestled on top of a 367-foot tall, sheer-walled, sandstone bluff, Sky City is sixty miles west of Albuquerque. This mesa contains the three small villages, estimated to be more than 2,000 years old, that constitute the Acoma Pueblo. The pueblo remains one of the oldest continuously operating communities in North America.
Painter Georgia O'Keeffe, who is highly regarded as the "Mother of American Modernism," and famed photographer Ansel Adams, who was best known for his black and white photographs of the American West, used this pueblo locale for some of their most notable artistic creations.
Acoma Pueblo also offers the San Estevan del Rey Mission that was fabricated between 1629 and 1641. This church is one of the finest extant examples of the hybrid Spanish Colonial and Puebloan architecture style. The Sky City Cultural Center, and the Haak'u Museum, are other popular features of the Acoma Pueblo.
Albuquerque does indeed provide many opportunities to go Native. These are but a few you will find on your journey there.
| Author Notes |
Scars of the Apache, by Mr Jones, selected to complement my article.
So, thanks Mr Jones, for the use of your picture. It goes so nicely with my article. NOTE: "Mr Jones" is how he listed his name on FanArt, so that is how I presented it here. Normally, there would be a period following "Mr", however, he did not use one and neither did I. This is not a typo. |
|
You've read it - now go back to FanStory.com to comment on each chapter and show your thanks to the author! |
| © Copyright 2015 Brett Matthew West All rights reserved. Brett Matthew West has granted FanStory.com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work. |
© 2015 FanStory.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Privacy Statement