Bill W

It's a nice idea to set up a scholarship, but that usually requires huge amounts of money for just one four-year scholarship, since college is so expensive. That amount would multiply if you awarded it over successive years, and I'm not sure we'll generate that kind of money from the sale of the baseball cards. Thanks for the input.

I don't remember if any of the chapters had actually lined up with the current calendar before, but it's possible. I think the Halloween contest where they dressed up at cheerleaders was close to being concurrent with the actual date. I could have, but I've been working on future chapters and didn't think about editing in that information. Hopefully, there won't be a delay before the next chapter is posted. 🫰 Thanks for your feedback.

Chapter 32– An Interesting First Few Weeks. When we woke up on Monday, we got ready to go to the dining hall for breakfast before we went to the dog park. It had snowed overnight, so there was a fresh coating of the white stuff on the ground, and it was also the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. When we were at the dining hall, we were surprised when we ran into the guys that we were going to watch the final game of the college football playoff game with. After all, there were no classes an

This is an emotionally moving tale, and it will definitely touch you on an emotional level. The main character is a young boy whose parents are divorced and he lives with his mother, but then when he is eleven, the person who has been so good to him and he's counted on for everything up to that point is suddenly unavailable. What does he do and how will he react, because the situation only gets worse as he enters high school. I found this a very emotionally gripping story, and my heart ached for Josh, but there was far too much information lacking that would help me understand what and why this was happening. Read this short story for yourself and see what you think of this tale.

A very moving story and I could feel Josh's emotional pain, once he told his mother that he was gay. As others have stated, I was left wondering why his mother acted that way toward him, after being so supportive throughout his early life. I also didn't understand why his mother wanted to cook Thanksgiving dinner and then didn't want to sit down and eat it with him, when Josh had stayed to be with her on Thanksgiving, rather than be with his dad and paternal grandparents. Her coldness and refusal to eat dinner with him caused Josh to lose his appetite as well, and in turn the wonderful meal she fixed went to waste. It's difficult to rationalize how this happened on a day when you're expected to give thanks for the good things in your life, but obviously by that point, Josh didn't feel that he had anything to be thankful for. What a shame. And then when his father suddenly started to show an interest in his son at a time when Josh was struggling with his emotional baggage, it made me wonder where this concerned Dad had been for most of Josh's life. It didn't seem as if he regularly spent time with Josh, and Josh said he only saw his dad when he and his mom went to his paternal grandparent's house for a visit. It was good that he was finally around when Josh was at his lowest point, but where the hell had he been before that. Apparently, he had been emotionally and physically absent as well, but then the roles suddenly were reversed when Josh's mom became the one who became emotionally distant. I felt Josh's pain, but I was struggling to understand the reasons that each of his parents acted as they had during a good portion of Josh's life.

The word precision comes from Latin praecīsiō (a noun of action meaning "a cutting off"), derived from praecīdere (to cut off, shorten"), combining prae- (before) and -cidere (to cut), linked to an older idea of being "cut short" or "abrupt". It eventually made it way to English via Medieval Latin praecisus (abrupt, cut off) and Old French précision, to mean exactness, accuracy, or a careful cutting off of the unnecessary to get to the exact point. According to the Oxford English Dictiionary (OED), the noun precision first appeared in English in the early 1500s, with the earliest recorded use found in the writings of Thomas More in 1529. While "precision" is primarily known as a noun, it is also listed as an adjective (referring to "of, pertaining to, or characterized by precision"). The adjective and adverb precise appeared in English during the Middle English period (1150-1500) in 1392. Examples of the noun "precision" used in a sentence: "I admire the precision of her work." "Now even more airshow fans will be able to see the precision aerobatics." "But then I have these ridiculous plans that need to be executed with exact precision." "They would have had to smuggle in the precision machine tools necessary for new centrifuges." "Nielsen, the company that measures TV ratings, prides itself on the precision of its calculations." "Lack of both accuracy and precision becomes more problematic in malformed hearts when cardiac structures are hypoplastic." Examples of the adjective "precise" used in a sentence: Scientific/Technical: "The telescope allows for precise tracking of distant galaxies." Describing Actions: "The chef made a precise incision in the garnish." Describing Language: "She chose her words with precise clarity to avoid misinterpretation." Describing Timing: "They arrived at the precise hour for the secret meeting." Describing Tools/Work: "The new drill performs a precise bore every time."

The word intent comes from Latin intentus, meaning "a stretching out" or "aim", derived from intendere ("to stretch toward", "to aim"), combining in- ("toward") and tendere ("to stretch"). It entered Middle English via Old French (entent/entente) and evolved from the literal idea of stretching oneself toward something to the figurative sense of directing one's mind or purpose toward a goal or action, a meaning present in Latin but solidified in English usage. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun intent was first used in English during the Middle English period (1150-1500), with the earliest evidence dating back to around 1225 in the Ancrene Riwle. The OED records the earliest evidence for the noun intent from around 1225. The earliest use of the verb intent is recorded in the Middle English period, with evidence from before 1300 in Cursor Mundi. Other related words are intention (noun), first recorded in 1340, and intent (adjective), with the earliest evidence is from 1606. Examples of "intent" used in a sentence: "The intent of the law is to protect consumers." "He was charged with assault with intent to kill." "Steve Fain said the union's intent is not to strike but to get a fair agreement." "With an intent stare, she gazed into the flames, seeming to go into a trance." "She thinks I'm trying to make things difficult for her, but that's not my intent." "Both these teams have got a lot better in recent times, but the visitors always seemed intent on getting ahead of themselves here."

Is that the fruit or handsome young man variety?

Let me introduce myself. I'm Bill and your host for this weeks episode of "I've Got a Secret". Our first guest is Steve, a.k.a. wildone, and each of you will get to ask Steve one question. This will continue until someone can guess the secret that Steve is currently concealing. I will begin by asking Steve the first question. "Does this secret involve a female member of Gay Authors?"

The word cadence comes from Latin cadere ("to fall"), via Italian cadenza, meaning "a falling". This refers to the descending melodic or vocal line that concludes a musical phrase or sentence. It entered English in the late 14th century, initially describing rhythm in poetry and speech, then expanding to music for rhythmic flow and resolution. It also gave rise to related words like chance, cascade, cadaver, and accident. According to the OED, the first recorded use of "cadence" in English was around 1384, appearing in Geoffrey Chaucer's House of Fame, referring to the rhythm or flow of verse and prose before it came to mean musical endings in the 17th century. Another source cites the evolutions of the word's meaning as follows: Late 14th Century: Flow of rhythm in poetry/verse (a "fall" in voice). In the 1590s to a musical conclusion/resolution of chords, rhythmic beat. Then in the 17th century to the modern usage as rhythmic flow, beat, or a concluding musical phrase. And later it broadened out to any rhythmic movement, even appearing as a business term for regular scheduling. Examples of "cadence" used in a sentence: "He speaks with a soft Southern cadence." "The oars moved back and forth in a smooth cadence." "But at the end of March, the cadence moved to twice a week." "You'll do better if you try to vary your cadence during the run," "The most efficient cadence is between 90 and 110 RPMs," she explained. "At that point, Timmy got up and started clapping in a slow rhythmic cadence."

The word clarity comes from Middle English clarite, clerte (brightness, radiance, glory), derived from Old French clarté (clarity, brightness). It untimately comes from the Latin claritas, meaning "brightness" or "clearness", which itself stems from Latin clarus meaning "clear" or "bright". It entered English around the 14th century, initially meaning radiance or glory, with its modern sense of "clearness of thought or expression" developing by the 15th century, connecting to the root concept of being easily seen, heard, or understood. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the noun "clarity" in English is from around 1380. The evidence comes from the writing of John Wyclif, a theologian, philosopher, and religious reformer. The original English senses of the word related to "brightness, radiance; glory, splendor," with the modern meaning of "clearness" (of color, judgment, style, etc.) appearing from the mid-15th century. Examples of "clarity" used in a sentence: "The essays are edited for clarity." "I added some notes for the sake of clarity" "The clarity of the photographs was amazing." "There is a lack of clarity in many legal documents." "The sharpness and clarity of the images is pleasing to the eye." "He marveled at the clarity of the thermal image in front of him." "I'm looking for greater clarity about what is expected of our students. "Later we tried real leaves and they gave great clarity of texture and lines."

The word "succulent" comes from the Latin word sucus (or succus), meaning "juice" or "sap", reflecting the plants fleshy, water storing tissues. From Late Latin sūculentus (juicy), it entered English around the early 1600s, first describing juicy things and later, by 1825, referring specifically to water-storing plants. In slang, "succulent" means something is "incredibly juicy", "rich", "flavorable", or "highly desirable". It is often used humorously or enthusiastically for food (like a "succulent burger") but also to describe things that are rich in interest or pleasure, like "succulent gossip" or a "succulent plot," extending the literal meaning of "full of juice" to be full of enjoyment or appeal. The word succulent was first used in English in 1601, according to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). The earliest known usage is in a translation by the translator Philemon Holland. Examples of the word "succulent" in a sentence: "In very succulent plants the cells form a compact mass, and those in the center are often colorless." "The leaves should be cut frequently so as to obtain them tender and succulent." "From this time till spring keep succulent plants almost without water." "The Rack of Lamb is cooked by the chef to be succulent with caponata and sweet potatoes." "The meal ends with a succulent dessert and cocktails."

The word ruthless combines the Middle English noun ruth (meaning "pity, compassion, or sorrow") with the suffix -less (meaning "without") creating the literal sense of "without pity" or "merciless", originating in the 14th century from the verb rue ("to grieve", "feel regret", or "be distressed"). While ruth itself (meaning mercy/sorrow) and its antonym ruthful (compassionate/pitiful) are now rare, ruthless vividly describes a lack of empathy. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "ruthless" first appeared in Middle English (1150–1500), with the earliest known use dating to around 1330. Examples of "ruthless" used in a sentence: "He has a ruthless determination to succeed." "The way she behaved towards him was utterly ruthless." "In Iran, all dissent is being crushed with ruthless cruelty." "The U.S.S.R. was ruthless even by the standards of the time" "We'll have to be ruthless if we want to make this company more efficient." "The late newspaper tycoon is condemned for his ruthless treatment of employees."

Thanks, Danilo, and you will find out if the robbers are caught, and is so what there fate is.

Yes, it would be a shame if the sheriff's department or state police don't follow up on Mac's tip about the burglars, and it will be a blow to all of the guys that had been involved in the stakeout, not just Mac, if no action is taken. Yes, Devin and Mac will be watching the college football playoff game with the guys they watched the CSU football games with, but since they don't have a horse in the race, so to speak, maybe they just want to watch a good college football game. That's like asking who the Manchester United fans would root for if Arsenal and Chelsea were playing in the Premier League final. Do you really cheer for another team if your team isn't involved? Of if you're a diehard Kansas City Chief's fan and the Super Bowl is between the Buffalo Bills and the Seattle Seahawks? 😞

Mac might not how been seriously injured, but I wonder how painful it would be to have an owl's talons dig into your flesh. I'm fairly certain that it would be worse than getting scratched by a woman with long fingernails. Preston is an interesting character, but I wonder how much he's truly observed or picked up on.

Recalcitrant comes from Latin, literally meaning "kicking back" or "kicking with the heel", from re- (back) + calcitrare (to kick), which itself comes from calx (genitive calcis😞 (heel). The word entered English via French in the late 18th/early 19th century, describing someone stubbornly resistant to authority, like a horse kicking at its rider, and by extension, a disobedient person. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word "recalcitrant" first appeared in English in the late 1700s, with the earliest known use in 1797, in writings by an "English Lady", notes this OED entry. It came from French (récalcitrant) and via Latin and was used in English as a French word before becoming fully naturalized. It was Initially used to describe stubborn animals, but was later applied to people that refused to submit, or were disobedient, or stubborn. Examples of "recalcitrant" used in a sentence: "Everyday I see casual violence meted out on recalcitrant toddlers." "For the recalcitrant, reformers might propose a variety of modest steps." "The town bully was a stiff-necked recalcitrant and all-around troublemaker." "The teacher was assigned to deal with a class of recalcitrant fifteen-year-old students." "She has compared recalcitrant education officials to children who need to be disciplined." "There wasn't any doubt it displeased Napoleon that Mme de Stael should show herself recalcitrant to his influence."

I can assure you that the thief didn't see an early copy of this chapter, but he's obviously paranoid, and probably with good reason, especially if he's already got a lengthy rap sheet. A third strike could put him away for a very long time, maybe even for the rest of his life. Preston, however, is a different story. He has a very good power of observation, since he's noticed such minor details as when Mac was pretending to be Devin but wore his own clothes, not Devin's clothes. That's a very minor trait to focus in on, and he's noticed other minor details as well. We're still waiting to discover if his observation skills will become a major problem.

Chapter 31– Getting Ready for Class to Start I glided as much as possible as I followed the thieves’ SUV, because it not only took less energy, but it was also less painful. If you don’t comprehend what I’m referring to, whenever I’m forced to flap my wings, it causes me a great deal of pain. It’s due to the fact that whenever I flap my wings it pulls on the skin and muscles around the areas where the barn owl’s talons had dug into my back. Therefore, the fewer times I do that, the less

The word "intrepid" comes from Latin, combining the negative prefix in- ("not") with trepidus ("fearful, alarmed, trembling"), essentially meaning "not trembling" or "fearless". It entered English via the French word intrépide. It describes someone courageous, bold, and undaunted by danger. It shares roots with trepidation, meaning fear or anxiety. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "intrepid" was first used in English in the late 1600s, with OED's earliest evidence coming from a 1697 translation by John Dryden. Some synonyms are fearless, courageous, dauntless, or valiant, Examples of "intrepid" used in a sentence: "Super heroes are intrepid in their struggle for truth and justice." "Feeling particularly intrepid, we decided to have a climbing lesson." "Luckily, we have some brave and intrepid reviewers who are willing to take a stand." "Despite such warnings, one intrepid fan who did make the journey was quite impressed." "If you're feeling intrepid, the rugged interior of the park also offers challenging hikes and cycling." "We applaud the intrepid aviator that did this, although the actual details are yet to be confirmed."

When I'm feeling blah, I try to find the happies and uplifting songs I can remember. Examples are "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys, "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night, or "Good Day Sunshine" and "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" by the Beatles, to name a few. Yes, it might be considered old man music, but it makes me feel better! 🥰

The word "discordant" comes from Latin discordans, meaning "disagreeing", evolving from discordare ("to disagree") and discors ("discordant"), which combines dis- ("apart" or "in two") and cor ("heart"). It entered English in the late 14th century via Old French descorder: "to fail to agree, clash"., describing things that conflict, clash, or are harsh to the ear, stemming from a core sense of hearts or minds being apart and in disagreement. It entered Middle English as discordaunt in the late 1300s, meaning "conflicting in nature or kind, contradictory". It was originally used for "opinions" or "people in disagreement". The meaning expanded to describe "sounds that are harsh or jarring" (dissonant). It is used in geology for "unconformable rock layers" and it's used in medicine, it describes "a lack of agreement" (e.g., in transplantation). The Oxford English Dictionary indicates that the adjective "discordant" was first used in English before 1393. The earliest OED evidence comes from the writing of poet John Gower. Other sources also place its first known use in the late 14th century, deriving from the Old French descordant. The OED provides historical coverage of the word, showing its use in various contexts over time, including its musical sense of "inharmonious" "not in accord or harmony", "at variance", "contradictory", or "dissonant" (for sounds).from around 1400. It is closely related to the noun "discord" ("disagreement, strife"). Examples of "discordant" used in a sentence: "The only discordant note was a dead cow stinking up the trail." "He shut his eyes and prepared himself for the discordant sounds." "The sounds of bombs, guns, and engines all mingled in discordant harmony." "The musical voice was now a harsh discordant tone that echoed around him." "She has the difficult task of bringing together a number of discordant elements." "Its voice grows harsh, and discordant, sounding more like two people talking at once." "But even among the top ranks, there were discordant views about how we should move forward." "At first, the sound was discordant, a mixture of yells and whistles and the general chaos of the crowd."

There might be a cure for that.

Probably Tuesday or Wednesday.

A compelling and intriguing short story where Lee Wilson draws on one of his recurring characters, Detective Gennaro Saggio, now P.I. Saggio. Saggio is contacted by a potential client who believes he's a target of a serial killer. As Gennaro delves into this case, he discovers that the man is apparently correct and discovers the engrossing details of this case. To find out these details for yourself, you'll have to click on the link and read this riveting tale.