What Year Is It?
Non-fiction26 total reviews
Comment from prettybluebirds
Excellent. This is so well written and funny as heck. I had to read it after I saw that it won the non-fiction writing contest. Now I see why you won. Congratulations.
reply by the author on 27-Feb-2016
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Excellent. This is so well written and funny as heck. I had to read it after I saw that it won the non-fiction writing contest. Now I see why you won. Congratulations.
Comment Written 26-Feb-2016
reply by the author on 27-Feb-2016
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Thanks for the generous review and congratulations.
Steve
Comment from bob cullen
A splendid write. Just be grateful you haven't come across the year of the lawyer. I think in astrological terms that equates to cancer, the many handed crab. In Chinese it would be the year of the rat, for obvious reasons.
Car expenses are cruel, but an account from a lawyer, especially when acting on behalf of an anger fuelled by a relationship breakdown knows no limits.
You write well and you present your work in a style that is easy to read and understand
reply by the author on 27-Feb-2016
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A splendid write. Just be grateful you haven't come across the year of the lawyer. I think in astrological terms that equates to cancer, the many handed crab. In Chinese it would be the year of the rat, for obvious reasons.
Car expenses are cruel, but an account from a lawyer, especially when acting on behalf of an anger fuelled by a relationship breakdown knows no limits.
You write well and you present your work in a style that is easy to read and understand
Comment Written 25-Feb-2016
reply by the author on 27-Feb-2016
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Thanks, Bob.
Thankfully the year of the Lawyer is not something I have experienced for a long time..... a few other rats and crabs, maybe.
Steve
Comment from Contests
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2016
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 A contest winning entry! A seven star rating from the Contest Committee for posting the winning contest entry. |
Comment Written 24-Feb-2016
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2016
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Thank you!
Steve
Comment from Sasha
I enjoyed t his immensely and must apologize for laughing out loud several times. Terrific entry for this contest and I sincerely wish you all the best. Great work!
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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I enjoyed t his immensely and must apologize for laughing out loud several times. Terrific entry for this contest and I sincerely wish you all the best. Great work!
Comment Written 18-Feb-2016
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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Thanks, Sasha.
If you didn't laugh, you'd cry.
Steve
Comment from Adri7enne
That was a fun way to start a story about car expenses. I went through that kind of year in 2014, until I finally got rid of the car. It was costing me as much as buying a new one. When they start to cost that much to drive it's time to get rid of them.
I really enjoyed the read, Steve. You're very entertaining. Good luck in the contest!
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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That was a fun way to start a story about car expenses. I went through that kind of year in 2014, until I finally got rid of the car. It was costing me as much as buying a new one. When they start to cost that much to drive it's time to get rid of them.
I really enjoyed the read, Steve. You're very entertaining. Good luck in the contest!
Comment Written 18-Feb-2016
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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Thank you! If I'd knon at the start of the year, how much it was going to cost, I would have got rid of it!
Steve
Comment from Deborah Marie
Your contest entry caught this writer's eye; good luck in the contest. Just love the title, artwork and craftsmanship of your writing. A job well done. Thanks for sharing and keep 'em coming. God Bless, Deb
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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Your contest entry caught this writer's eye; good luck in the contest. Just love the title, artwork and craftsmanship of your writing. A job well done. Thanks for sharing and keep 'em coming. God Bless, Deb
Comment Written 18-Feb-2016
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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Thanks, Deb.
Not expecting to win anything on this side of the aisle, but this was fun.
Steve
Comment from Marvin Calloway
This is a humorous as well as a serious piece. There were many items to provoke ones thoughts. The political humor gave it a great start. Very interesting throughout. 5*
Typo: "calendar months. this would add" Capitalize This.
Marv
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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This is a humorous as well as a serious piece. There were many items to provoke ones thoughts. The political humor gave it a great start. Very interesting throughout. 5*
Typo: "calendar months. this would add" Capitalize This.
Marv
Comment Written 17-Feb-2016
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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Marvin, thanks for the kind words and the sharp eye.
Steve
Comment from bichonfrisegirl
Hahaha ... hilarious ... especially 'cause it's true!!! This is so well written. Honestly, the whole way through it I was saying to myself, "it's the year of dental work for me", so I really laughed out loud when I read your ending. I also have had two years in a row of 'special' (not so special!) condo assessment fees to the tune of $12,500. to dole out for balcony repair work on a relatively new (8 year old) condo building. You've gotta be kidding! Right?
This was SO creative and fun to read, Steve. I love how you introduced your subject matter by first talking about the Chinese Zodiac and then the western Zodiac. I cried with laughter at your paragraph about the remote refusing to work and how you basically tried to tell yourself that there could be an up-side to it ... so funny! Fave line: "and now I know why a remote is called that because of how far away it is from an average person's ability to pay for it" ... lol
It's extra funny because it really does happen this way in life. We are often hit with huge bills in clumps. I always say they come in groups of three. It's like you know that as soon as you book a vacation, you're gonna be punished for spending your money on something so frivolous. It's gonna come back and bite you in the ***.
Great job on this entertaining write, Steve! Good luck in the contest!
Connie
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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Hahaha ... hilarious ... especially 'cause it's true!!! This is so well written. Honestly, the whole way through it I was saying to myself, "it's the year of dental work for me", so I really laughed out loud when I read your ending. I also have had two years in a row of 'special' (not so special!) condo assessment fees to the tune of $12,500. to dole out for balcony repair work on a relatively new (8 year old) condo building. You've gotta be kidding! Right?
This was SO creative and fun to read, Steve. I love how you introduced your subject matter by first talking about the Chinese Zodiac and then the western Zodiac. I cried with laughter at your paragraph about the remote refusing to work and how you basically tried to tell yourself that there could be an up-side to it ... so funny! Fave line: "and now I know why a remote is called that because of how far away it is from an average person's ability to pay for it" ... lol
It's extra funny because it really does happen this way in life. We are often hit with huge bills in clumps. I always say they come in groups of three. It's like you know that as soon as you book a vacation, you're gonna be punished for spending your money on something so frivolous. It's gonna come back and bite you in the ***.
Great job on this entertaining write, Steve! Good luck in the contest!
Connie
Comment Written 17-Feb-2016
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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Connie, thanks for the great review, the six stars and for sharing some of your own hard luck tales.
We try to live on the smell of an oily rag because we have no regular income, so unexpected costs are always a shock - and these ones seemed to come one after the other...
Steve
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Those unexpected costs really do come one after another. It truly is a great shock when one isn't working full time. I do part time work and it seems that the expenses are always greater than the income. We have to laugh at it ... otherwise we'd cry! Here's hoping that next year is the year of the Lottery Win for us! :)
Comment from ciliverde
Loved this, Steve - SO funny :)
For me, 2015 was the year of the teeth, after paying for (a) an implant to replace one of two adult babyteeth and (b) Invisiline braces.
I could definitely relate to your year of the car, for a couple of reasons. My stepson indeed has learned about your "important message" the hard way. "When that little symbol that looks kinda like Aladdin's lamp starts flashing orange, or worse still, red, it doesn't mean drive carefully the last few miles home...it means stop the car right now and get someone knowledgeable to come and fix it." Yes, Gavin, it means STOP the car, call you dad, DO NOT try to drive home!!! That was one more car burned up.
I, myself, had a truck that stranded me in various inconvenient locations more than once. The AAA guy and I were on a first name basis - not good. The last time I blew a piston and was stranded 2.5 hrs from home in a two-horse town. I had to hitchhike to the town, which I hate doing, and call to beg a friend to come get me (no rental car place in that town).
Anyway, I LOVED this story, your sense of humor is wonderful. Thanks, too, for the nod to the Americans who might not know that a bonnet isn't always something prairie women wear :)
Carol
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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Loved this, Steve - SO funny :)
For me, 2015 was the year of the teeth, after paying for (a) an implant to replace one of two adult babyteeth and (b) Invisiline braces.
I could definitely relate to your year of the car, for a couple of reasons. My stepson indeed has learned about your "important message" the hard way. "When that little symbol that looks kinda like Aladdin's lamp starts flashing orange, or worse still, red, it doesn't mean drive carefully the last few miles home...it means stop the car right now and get someone knowledgeable to come and fix it." Yes, Gavin, it means STOP the car, call you dad, DO NOT try to drive home!!! That was one more car burned up.
I, myself, had a truck that stranded me in various inconvenient locations more than once. The AAA guy and I were on a first name basis - not good. The last time I blew a piston and was stranded 2.5 hrs from home in a two-horse town. I had to hitchhike to the town, which I hate doing, and call to beg a friend to come get me (no rental car place in that town).
Anyway, I LOVED this story, your sense of humor is wonderful. Thanks, too, for the nod to the Americans who might not know that a bonnet isn't always something prairie women wear :)
Carol
Comment Written 17-Feb-2016
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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Thanks, Carol.
I firmly believe that it doesn't matter what kind of car you buy - sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you get a lemon! I am irrationally happy when I see a Mercedes or BMW broken down or being towed while I chug past on my 20-year old no-name...
Steve
Comment from nancy_e_davis
It's always something Steve.Trouble comes in bunches and seems to hang around. Murphy's Law rules for the faint of heart and the faithless. Be sure to keep the faith and it will keep you. When a person has faith the car breaks down in the driveway not 50 miles from home. Great essay! xsx Nancy
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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It's always something Steve.Trouble comes in bunches and seems to hang around. Murphy's Law rules for the faint of heart and the faithless. Be sure to keep the faith and it will keep you. When a person has faith the car breaks down in the driveway not 50 miles from home. Great essay! xsx Nancy
Comment Written 17-Feb-2016
reply by the author on 18-Feb-2016
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Thanks, Nancy.
Actually, there was some good luck involved in a few of these incidents - like when I broke down away from home and my mother-in-law was visiting so could come and pick me up...
Steve
