comicfan

Would that depend on Santa's or your partner's definition of good?

Were you looking for something special under the tree?

Would he like rum balls and coquito?

I've always thought it was a personal choice. I can't say I have any, but my brother has an eagle across his shoulder, a castle the melts into a wizard on his left calf and a tiger on his right. He added a rose with my mother's date on his arm when she passed. The work on his body is beautiful and personal. The eagle celebrated his sobriety, the tiger was his nickname growing up, and the castle was when he finally was able to buy a home. The only time I don't like a tattoo is when it is poorly done or can be offensive.

It is official. This was the year without any Christmas spirit for me. Since I have gone to work in retail, life as I knew it was over. This year though work has pushed the idea of holiday over the edge. I worked 51 hours over six days. The store has been closing at eleven or midnight, and opened by seven am. There is a marked lack of customers but that hasn't stopped the non-sense. I listen as other stores this year have gone twenty four hours a day till Christmas eve, like Toys-R-Us and Walmart. My father didn't want the house decorated. There is no tree, no lights, and nothing other than Christmas music and the cards people have sent me to make me smile for the holidays. I've worked so much that the gifts I do have for people are in bags, on the floor, in my bedroom awaiting me to wrap them and mail them out. I have decided as long as the gifts are mailed for little Christmas (otherwise known as the Epiphany) on January 6th, I will be happy. Unfortunately between Dad's surgery in November, my back flaring up, strep throat, and wild work hours I still have gifts, wrapped and addressed to be mailed for birthdays that occurred in November. I am just totally out of it. I am off on Sunday and I have to go buy gifts for my father. No idea what I am getting him. I did order him a ring but that won't be here in time so got to get something for him to open. To everyone else, I hope your holiday is going better.

I've been doing a number of stories for different Anthologies and not getting much else out this year. I apologize. Been a bad year. However I have gone to work on a story that has been rattling around in my head. I have the first two chapters of what will probably be a six chapter story done. I am hoping to post the first chapter on Christmas. Consider it my gift to those of you who still enjoy getting a tale out me. Here is a part of the first chapter. Be warned not corrected, beta read, or edited. Just a sample of what you will be getting. Last Christmas They say that time is the great healer. It allows pains and regrets to fade away, for people to heal, and for life to move you forward. However, sometimes all time does is allow the wounds of life to fester, for time to stand still as heart freezes and turns cold. For Frank all the trouble began last year when his walls were broken down and life flowed in to overwhelm him. Frank pulled the hat down low over his ears, slipped on his gloves, and marched out into the cold autumn wind. The wind picked up the leaves and swirled them into flowing masses of slick brown, orange, and red waves that eventually began to stick together as the freezing November rain came pouring down. He moved slowly, his limp barely visible as he climbed into his battered old truck and started the engine. He sat letting the truck engine warm up before he turned the heat on, eased out of his driveway, and into the roadway. The silence of the cab was punctuated by the slap, slap, slap of the windshield wipers and the hiss of his car’s heater. Here the roads were empty, but he knew it wouldn’t be long till the roads were packed as people would be rushing out to get to early Black Friday sales. As Frank pulled up to the traffic light at his corner, he noticed the house on his left had already decorated for Christmas with colored lights and yard figures. “Damn idiots are just going to have a huge electric bill for all that,” he mumbled as he waited for the light to turn green and moved on into the main drag that would bring him to work. The last year had changed a lot of things in his life and Frank just wanted to work and be left alone. Just ahead he spied the entrance to the parking lot behind his business. He signaled, turned and was surprised to see the large lot was nearly full. He found a parking spot in the back corner, locked his truck up and made his way slowly to the store. He knew he wouldn’t have a huge rush of people but he hoped to draw a few in with his stuff. The idea of running a store where everything was handmade was rare and hard to do anymore. Frank made it to the back of the store and opened the door. The building was cold but he knew between the kiln and the lights the place would soon be toasty warm. He had a bunch of new plates ready to go, glazes done, and a pitcher as well. Now he would sit and carve out some new pieces out of wood. He had already carved two new crèches and a chess set. He hoped people would enjoy his take on the world of magic as he had created a chess board of good and evil, elves and ogres, castles and decrepit keeps, unicorns and Minotaurs. The stains and paints had done a lot to make the figures look spectacular. He hadn’t really been in the Christmas mood for a number of years. His parent’s health had taken a turn for the worst two years ago and he had lost them within weeks of each other. Then his brother, who had been in the Army for fifteen years, came home on leave to spend time with his wife and kids, only to be shot and killed by some twelve year old kid who wanted to get into a gang. His sister-in-law had fallen apart initially, but her desire to do right by her children forced her to pull herself together. That was great for the kids, however it meant she took a job that removed what little family he had left in his life and transferred them across the country. Then, of course, there was his accident.

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

cellophane

East London, South Africa

KEEPS Keep evading elves, policing Santa. ELVES

tease

Are you trying to say "that's all folks?"

A gift of time. There are some people I would love nothing more than to sit down and spend a little time with. Just been a rough one. Same question.

KEENS Ken's entire excitingly naughty Santa. SANTA

Can a wolf be a vegan?

etiquette

Well, we made it to another Friday. Did you miss me? I hope you all took the time to read and comment on the Anthology which went live last Thursday. However, it is now time for some new prompts. So consider these my gifts to you, open them and let the fun begin. Prompt 286 – Creative Tag – First Line “Is that really the gift you’re giving him?” Prompt 287 – Creative Tag – Holiday Special The malls are a mess, the people are surly, and your shopping list is beginning to look like a noose. However, everything is changed by the actions of one person and now your living your own holiday special. What happened and who is the one that changed your holiday. Anyway, two weeks ago I gave out two prompts and people seemed to jump all over the one about Wonderland. Who knew so many people would want to follow that sexy little rabbit? There were three really excellent entries and I wish I could spot light them all. However, Jaybird85 decided to use this as his first chapter of an ongoing story. (Alright, I'm biased. I like it when someone takes a prompt and runs with it.) Here is a sample of his first chapter. So what do you think? Curious about what else he might have written? I sure hope so. You can find his story and the other talented authors take on this topic here - http://www.gayauthors.org/forums/topic/38048-prompt-285-creative/#entry444815 And the other prompt also had someone take up the challenge and can be found here - http://www.gayauthors.org/forums/topic/38047-prompt-284-creative/ So there they are, my gifts to you and the gifts your fellow authors have created for your enjoyment. Don't forget to read, write, and review them all. Enjoy your holiday everyone. Stay safe. - Wayne

The thing I laugh about Russ is the fact he is on suspension, not fired.

Joann, it gets worse. They just found a video of him from 2010 stating that all abortion is wrong. It is going viral on youtube. Going to be interesting to see how this plays out. His daughter in laws said in two different interviews if something were to happen, the family would immediately quit the show rather than see themselves split apart and fight over the TV show. Guess we will see which is stronger, the family ties or the money they have been raking in.

error

CALLS "Chris ain't late," Lucy shouted. LINUS

When did the wolves become dog eat dog?

Okay, even living under a rock like I do I have heard of the show. Not the type of thing I sit down to watch, but then I barely watch much of anything on television lately.The show itself is centered around a family that was making nearly a million a year off their business. Now the father and founder of the group has gone on to have his say on what he feels about gays. That is his opinion, and I feel it is his right to have his say about how he feels. Whether right or wrong he is protected under the constitution. The outrage people are having over A&E dropping him from the show seems to be the issue. When you are the face of not only your own private company, but the face of a show on a network (don't care which one you want to look at) your opinion no longer is just yours but that of everything you represent - that includes your family, your company, the television show, and the channel that show is on. People no longer see just a person but the show and the network. A&E stepped in and attempted to prevent damage to both the network and the show. Say what you want but that family is making millions more from products and things due to the TV show Duck Dynasty then they did from just their ducks. Notice we don't hear his family saying they quit the show, or saying much of anything at all. However, everyone from the Tea Party to Mrs. Nobody has been all over Facebook and the news screaming at how his civil rights were trampled by A&E. At no time do you hear people screaming that this man might have destroyed a television series or done damage to the reputation of A&E which he is a face of. This is not the first time a person has spouted their beliefs to see it backfire and cost them something. Remember Charlie Sheen? Can anyone remember Miss California and her anti gay comments? What about Howard Stern being tossed off the air and going to satellite radio? I mean the lists for stupidity and what it has cost some people goes on and on. The fact is, people are human. The problem is these people represented more than just themselves, even if they refused to admit it. Freedom of speech is allowed, but just remember if you use it that you don't go spouting something that will disgrace you and the company you represent. That could end up costing you your job.

Loved him in a Lion in Winter. He was a great actor.

milky-way