Bill W

The ancient Egyptian gods have generations too, just like our families, and they aren't immune to family squabbles. In this particular short story, two of the younger generation have pulled a prank that has gone terribly amiss, much to the consternation of the older generations. They immediately attempt to have one of their own set things right, and it also involves a Pharaoh whose name you might recognize. To discover what the prank involved and which Pharaoh was included, you'll have to read this delightful tale.

An interesting follow-up to your first story about the ancient Egyptian gods. This one included a prank not pulled by Anubis or Horus, and it had greater ramifications for all of the gods and for all of Egypt. Nice job of pulling King Tut into the mix as well. Much enjoyed.

Reticent comes from Latin reticent- ‘remaining silent’, from the verb reticere, from re- (expressing intensive force) + tacere ‘be silent’. The adjective reticent first appeared in 1825 in a description of someone as “quiet, retired, and reticent in the writing of J. Quincy.” By 1875, however, as Merriam-Webster explains, “instead of just describing those who are reluctant to speak, it was being used to describe those who are just plain reluctant.” Taciturn and reticent are both words that describe someone who is quiet or reserved, but taciturn can also imply unsociability, while reticent can imply reluctance to speak. Examples of reticent used in a sentence: "She is so reticent about her achievements". "He was always very reticent about his wound". "Most of the students were reticent about answering questions". "At first she was reticent, but later she relaxed and was more forthcoming". "His reticence about his past made them very suspicious". "She had overcome her usual reticence and talked about their married life". "She was reticent about her plans for the future".

If you were fascinated by the stories of the ancient Egyptian gods when you were in school, or possibly you gained an interest in them from watching a show on TV, then you might want to read this story. It is a highly unusual and irreverent take on the private lives of some of the gods, and it makes some of them act more like rebellious and horny teenagers than the deities they are supposed to represent.

An interesting take of the ancient Egyptian gods. I found it very imaginative and irreverent take on how they acted behind the scenes of daily life.

I found this short story to be a highly unusual, yet satisfying romance. Matthew has become an orphan when his parents were killed in an automobile accident, which also left him with some disabilities. He is sent to live with an aunt and uncle that he hadn't even known had existed, and this leads to a remarkable and interesting tale based on ancient religious beliefs and a bit of paranormal intrigue wrapped in a modern setting.

Val, you never cease to amaze me. What a lovely blending of Puritanical and Druidic beliefs to tie it into a romantic love story. Matthew lost his parents in the accident, which disabled him and eventually cost him his first love. Then, he is sent to live with an aunt and uncle he'd never heard of and hadn't met. At school he's ostracized by by everyone at school, only to be warned away from the boy by his aunt and uncle. Then, he later comes to learn that his parents were members of the Cooke and Smith families, thus making Isaiah and him cousins. I do have one question though. Matthew is a Cooke, because his father was a Cooke, and if his father and aunt were brother and sister, how is she still a Cooke? Wouldn't she have taken her husband's name, since the Puritan were a Patriarchal society, or did somewhere along the line did they switch to becoming a Matriarchal society? Just wondering. Anyway, thurougly enjoyed this story, but with the mentioning of Samhain, I was beginning to think this story might be better around Halloween. Oh, and I'm wondering about the use of German by the markwarden. If their roots are Druidic, I would think they would be more inclined to use a Celtic language, such as Breton, Cornish, Irish, Scottish, Gaelic, Manx, or Welsh. Just curious.

I finished reading Aditus' story Voli Me Tangere, and when I went to post a comment, I was able to type it into the comment box, but when I clicked on the "add comment" box, nothing happened. I was able to write a review for the story without a problem, so I don't understand why it wouldn't accept my comment. Can anyone explain what went wrong?

What would you do or how would you feel if you lived in a world where the men and women lived in different hemispheres and we're only allowed to interact on the solstices every year? The women would raise male children until they reached a certain age, and then the male child would be forced to leave their birthmother and live in the male hemisphere, with almost no interaction with their birthmother from that point forward. And what would happen if fighting breaks out between the two sexes, which the gods have forbidden? Will the gods punish the combatants in order to keep the peace? If you wish to find out what happens in this short story, then take the time to read it and find out. What happens may surprise you.

Interesting prompts. The last handwritten letter I recieved was from an Aunt a few years ago, artistically written in her flawless cursive handwriting.

Solace is a 13th century borrowing from Latin by way of Anglo-French solas (noun), solacier (verb). Its Latin ancestor solari means “to console.” (Solari itself is from the Greek word hilaros, meaning “cheerful”—also source, of course, of hilarious.) The earliest known use of the noun solace is in the Middle English period (1150—1500). OED's earliest evidence for solace is from around 1290, in South English Legendary. Examples of solace in a sentence. "I found solace in writing when my father died three years ago". "They are friends and have given me good solace in times of need". "Music was a great solace to me". "He sought solace in the whiskey bottle"."She turned to Rob for solace". "We can take solace in the fact that he has said that he will not rush into making a decision". "Many people get their greatest solace from gardening". "In times of grief and loss, art speaks the compelling language of solace". "These days, Jones finds solace singing in his church choir".

If you like a good romance that isn't hurried and builds slowly, then this short story might be for you. The characters are well developed and flashed out, the storyline is interesting with plenty of mystery, drama, and excitement. You'll also discover there are a few twists that will garner a reaction from you, either it's a smile or a grimace. And don't let the fact that this is a western deter you, because I'm sure you'll find the story interesting enough and the dialogue a quaint and humorous look at the way some of your ancestors may have talked, especially if they lived in rural east coast locations or out west. Give the story a try, and I'm sure you'll find it worth the effort.

I loved this story, Gary. Great characters, wonderful storyline, and plenty of action, just not the intimate kind. I can see Cooper and Wiley moving to Wiley's little ranch, and when Cooper gets his inheritence from his mother's father, they can expand the ranch to something a bit more substantial. I can see them living a long and happy life, with Cholo studding many foals from the three mares and producing fine and highly desirable colts. I can also see that Wiley will want to find revenge on Cooper's father for two reasons: for the way the old man had treated and abused his son, plus for send the killers after Cletus. In a way, I hope he kills the bastard. 😲 By the way, have you written a follow-up to this story? If you have, I want to read it. I'd be interested in finding out how you took Cooper and Wiley forward from this story. No matter what you do, I'm sure I'd love it.

I wish I could be rejuvenated. I wouldn't mind being 21 or 25 again.

Rejuvenate originated as a combination of the prefix re-, which means "again," with a Latin term that also gave us the words juvenile and junior—juvenis, meaning "young, + the suffix ate, which generally means "to cause to become" or "to act as,". It's also suggested by obsolete French rejeunir. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first known use of the word "rejuvenate" in English was around the mid-18th century, with the earliest recorded evidence appearing in 1742 in a translation by John Kelly, writer. Examples of rejuvenate in a sentence: "The spa treatment rejuvenated me". "The government has green-lit the rejuvenation of a further 170 parks and playgrounds in a five-year project". "The rejuvenation of the company is now in safe hands". "The rejuvenation has helped the passing game open up the playbook". "The promise of spring draws thoughts of hope and rejuvenation". "The most severe rejuvenation pruning is to cut a shrub nearly to the ground". "The rejuvenation of the old buildings had been undone in a flash". "The effect can be tremendous, with benefits including rejuvenation of microorganisms". "The football field, the park and the houses surrounding it have been rejuvenated". "A vacation is supposed to be filled with fun, rejuvenation and relaxation".

The term heuristic originates from the Greek verb heurísko, which means to discover or find out heuriskein (find). To Latin heuristicus to English heuristic in late 18th century. Heuristic describes a rule or a method that comes from experience and helps you think through things, like the process of elimination, or the process of trial and error. You can think of a heuristic as a shortcut. Heuristics are mental shortcuts that people use to make decisions and solve problems. Examples of heuristics include: Availability heuristic: Overestimating the likelihood of an event because it's memorable. For example, overestimating the chance of being robbed after reading a news report about robberies in your city. Anchoring and adjustment: Starting with a target number and adjusting it until you reach an acceptable value. Intuition heuristic: Relying on gut feelings or intuition instead of a more thorough analysis. Recognition heuristic: Using a brand or product that you recognize over a lesser-known brand. Representativeness heuristic: Making a biased judgment based on stereotypes. For example, thinking someone is a lawyer because they're wearing a suit and tie. Affect heuristic: Using emotions and feelings to make a judgment when you don't have time to think more deeply. Satisficing: Making "good enough" decisions instead of perfect ones.

I'll stick with "fear of long words". It's easier. 🤪

If you like unusual Christmas stories and Romances that are unconventional, contain many surprises, and that leave you feeling good, then this superb short story if for you. And by the time you finish reading it, not only will you have an entirely new perspective about blizzards, but you'll find yourself singing "Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!"

Gary, I loved this. So many unexpected twists and turns, and a great example about why you should presume things about others, because you may be waaay off base. The way it ended was perfect. All the box needed was a Christmas Tree and some mistletoe. It seems this not only means Clint and Rory's problems are solved, but they solved Benoit's problem as well. Everyone wins. Thanks for a wonderful Christmas story.

They are going back to look for treasure first and then they'll spend time with their parents. Sorry, I screwed up.

Cebu City in the Philippines is on the beach, but I guess there could be a mountain peak somewhere in the area. It sounds like an interesting place to visit.

I think you'll have to keep reading and make up your own mind about Gramps intention when he said that. 😲

I'm glad this Alpine Slide was better and I hope they either upgraded the one at Action Park or closed it. I saw there was a documentary that named Action Park as the world's most dangerous and insane amusement theme park. I also discovered it is now called Mountain Creek Water Park.

Yes, we all needed a little downtime after the last chapter.