For Real

December 18, 2023December 18, 2023 / animar64 / Leave a comment

WordPress Prompters asked us to describe a man ” who has positively impacted your life ” and I nearly died because that’s pretty bold of anyone to think that we ALL have a man- or a woman who has positively impacted our life.

The thing of it is, when you have had one or two people literally shred your life to bits it cheapens the best things that anyone has ever done for us.

That’s why counselors make bank right along with anyone who produces antidepressants or ‘natural’ remedies for depression.

But I will dig deep here because a challenge is a challenge and if I had to name a single man who did positively impacted my life it would be this man:

That’s right.

That is a picture of James T. Kirk.

Captain Kirk inspired me to think about the Universe and what could be in it, space travel and that anyone with a little pluck and guts could not only have great adventures- you could lead them too. Sure, you might get dinged up, you might get chased across the galaxy, but that was part of the adventure and there was a very good chance you would come out ahead in the deal.

So there you have it Word Press Prompters- the man who inspired me to ‘boldly go where no one has gone before ‘ never existed.

amm

And For One Night Only

December 12, 2023December 12, 2023 / animar64 / 1 Comment

WP Prompt: Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech?

December 31, 2017 ·
Dancing Statue, Pike Place Market

Let me tell you a little about my family.

We love to get up on stage and sing, or act or give speeches and anyone one of us who says that is not true is pulling your leg.

Swinging from my family tree are magicians, magician’s assistants, musicians and politicians too.

Some of them were born story tellers so for them anywhere is a stage for them and being a musician ( or a singer ) or being able to sit down and capture a room with a story or two are the most prized spots you can hold in my family.

When I say ‘ my family ‘ I am talking about both my Mom and Dad’s families and as I may have mentioned before they are as different as night and day in a lot of things, but that love of performing or creating is something that they have in common.

So I could give you my resume- I’ve been a musician, I’ve been in plays. I’ve written speeches and given them too and if I ever say, ” but I get so nervous every time I think about getting up in front of people or I publish a story on my blog-”

I’m pulling your leg.

amm

The Swinging Tree

November 1, 2023November 1, 2023 / animar64 / Leave a comment

Inspired by the Daily Prompt: What does it mean to be a kid at heart?

Artist: Jack Dawson

My Grandfather’s name is Finlay Chatburn and the one thing you need to know about him is this- He doesn’t look his age- he’s a kid at heart and I think that must be what keeps him so young looking and lively.

My Grandfather is the guy who puts up Halloween decorations and Christmas Decorations and buys the best fireworks for the 4th of July and New Years Eve. It’s not just that he decked his halls at the same time every year and through great block parties- but he did it with his favorite top hat festooned with little bones perched on top of his head.

When Grandpa cooled off in the evenings, he would sit on swing that he hung from the tree in his yard for my Mom and her little brother who died when he was just six years old.

Stanley was hit by a car on his way home from the store- it was Grandpa who found him on the side of the road on his way home from work that night.

That sort of thing can age a parent, but it didn’t age my Grandpa one bit.

Sometimes I watched Grandpa gently swung back and forth on the swing and at other times he just sat there twirling around like a leaf in a lazy stream.

One Halloween I was at Grandpa Finlay’s helping him string cheesecloth ghosts up in his cherry trees and I asked him if he was really a kid at heart, like everyone said.

” I’m only asking Grandpa because I can’t think of a single kid that would work this hard to hang decorations from about a zillion cherry trees.”

” That’s a fact, Jillana” he said as he pointed out that one of my ghosts wasn’t as secure on it’s branch as it could be “kids are not what you might call focused. Plus. I’ve had little hyperactive puppies with more attention to detail then a building full of little kids. ”

” So. Who do you think you are at heart? ” I asked.

Grandpa Finlay strolled over to his swing. He sat down. He pushed himself back and forth and he dragged the toe of his boot. ” I think at heart I’m just a ghost of a young man who spends a lot of time swinging from a tree. ”

I watched Grandpa swinging from his tree and I held that image of him- young looking and carefree for as long as I could and when I couldn’t hold that picture anymore I turned away from him and walked back into my Grandparent’s house with an cool icy breeze tickling at the back of my neck.