Job Hunting

“Over 40% of our jobs are unfilled,” the HR guy said to me. “So you can pick and choose among the ones you’re qualified for.”

“Why are so many jobs unfilled?” I asked.

“Oh, you know, kids today don’t want to work.”

“You did notice that over a million people have died of COVID so far, right? Don’t you think that makes a difference?”

“Nah,” he said. “People are just lazy.”

“I see,” I paused. “I don’t think I want to work here either.” I got up and walked out.

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Best Vacation Ever

To have your best vacation ever do you have to spend thousands of dollars to visit some far away location? I remember being up in the mountains of New Mexico, far from any city lights and on a deserted highway. We pulled the car over and just looked at the millions of stars. It was the most restful and rejuvenating feeling – a real vacation. When you live in the city you forget the power of the stars.

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Summer memories

Remember summer when you were a kid? When a day seemed soooo long. Being inside looking at a screen hadn’t been invented yet. That meant being outside watching ants on the sidewalk and taking bike rides to the ice cream shop. That meant afternoons at the swimming pool. It meant helping hang laundry on an actual clothesline. It meant freedom. Things are less work than they used to be, but are they better?

Staying sane

I step outside,
The air is fresh,
There are strawberries for breakfast.

The sky is blue,
The doves offer encores,
It’s a good day to be alive.

Can I hold this moment,
This tiny thread of peace and joy,
In a world gone mad?

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The Best Of

Spring is coming on fast. It’s different everywhere. Here the wisteria and the lilacs and the forsythia all brighten up the place. The roadrunners make an appearance hurrying down the sidewalk. The wind blows so hard even a tiny spark can turn into a raging wildfire. But the best of spring is that it reminds you it’s good to be alive. It’s good to be outside in the sun where the air is fresh and the birds are singing. Wake up, world.

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The Dance

The Good Time Dance Hall had open sides and loud speakers. Very loud speakers. When it was time for a dance party in the village, the speakers attracted more than people to the party. If you were foolish enough to wander into the darkness you could see foxes, antelope, rabbits and maybe even a wolf or two dancing and prancing in a party of their own.

Most people didn’t know about the party crashers, but I did. I took my . . .

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What’s for breakfast?

“What’s for breakfast?” he asked. He strode into the kitchen fully dressed, briefcase in hand. The boys were at the counter eating what they always ate – cereal. Which he’d know if he ever paid the least bit of attention to anyone but himself.

“Belgian waffles with strawberries,” I answered.

“Ah, good,” he said. He grabbed the coffee I’d set out for him, gave me a peck on the cheek. “Have a good one,” he said, and he was gone.

Maybe I should increase the amount of slow acting poison I’m putting in his coffee. Faster is better.

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The Loud Speaker

Why are tiny people such loud speakers? They embarrass you in restaurants with their loud voices. They yell into the phone so you must move it away from your ear. They demand to be seen because they are shorter than all the normal speakers out there. “Hear me now!” they say in loud voices. “Hear me!”

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Ahem

Momma Maudie ran the family. She made up the rules and decided what everyone would do to help the family. Sometimes the littlest ones had ideas of their own. An “ahem” from Momma Maudie would shut them down fast. She gave me the job of finding out how we could get rich with cryptocurrency. I made her rich, but me too, and then I took off for Portugal and never looked back. So long, Momma Maudie!

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The Three Sisters

I have a tiny garden area on my patio. Is it enough room to plant the three sisters – corn, beans, and squash – in the spring? Will there be enough corn for it to pollinate? Will there be enough room for the squash to spread? And most important of all, will I feel more connected to the earth and the gift of food if my garden grows well?

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Image credit: Anna Juchnowicz, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons