A Nyte's Tale

Hello Again!

2012-02-03T13:55:00.003-06:00

HELLO AGAIN! It's been a while hasn't it? Well, you all will be happy to hear that this blog will be updated regularly again. Ahhhh....I can hear all the happy cheering screeching through the tangled web of Internet already. ;) Sorry it has been so long since I last posted, but the reinventing of oneself is a tedious and sometimes long process. Alas, we are back, and have emerged from the butterfly's cocoon and ready to write once more. Please feel free to leave me a kind message or idea of what you would like to hear/know from me, and I will try to provide some entertainment for all my readers.

Independent Glass and Glazing LLC

2011-08-14T18:22:00.005-05:00

New commercial and residential glass shop is now open in Collinsville/Owasso, Oklahoma:

Independent Glass and Glazing LLC
918-371-5100

Windows
Mirrors
Glass Table Tops
Aluminum and Glass Store Fronts
Storm Doors
Shower Glass and Doors
Door Closures and Hardware
Widow Screens
Public Restroom Partitions
Door and Window Repair

Contact Travis Nuytens at 918-371-5100 for all your residential or commercial glass needs.

(Note: not an auto glass repair shop.)

The Silhouettes of Arvada, Colorado

2011-06-08T21:54:00.003-05:00

Definition of a silhouette: A silhouette is the image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black.

Tonight on America’s Got Talent an amazing group of dancers performed in front of an audience of millions of viewers. They were so entertaining to watch and I admit…I was completely blown away. What a wonderful and unique idea for dancing. This was one of the most beautiful performances that I have ever seen. To those of you who did not have the enjoyment of watching their performance here is a link to view a snippet of this talented group of performers:
http://video.tvguide.com/Americas+Got+Talent/A+Beautiful+Silhouette/10284721?autoplay=true&partnerid=OVG

If you are interested in checking out their facebook page, you can click here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rocky-Mountain-Silhouettes/196913547015780?sk=wall

These great dancers are from Arvada, Colorado, and all I can say is good luck to you in Vegas. Wow!

The Robin Hood of Art - Banksy

2011-01-19T09:37:00.004-06:00

Banksy…what? Banksy the internationally known artist…uh…unknown artist, has a magnificent talent for sizzling the senses. His amazing works of art randomly appear upon buildings, walls and other things, cleverly created and exceptionally thought provoking. His stealthy work is quickly deposited with one eye on the canvas and one eye over his shoulder taking a cautious watch for authorities. Some say Banksy is a vandal, defacing public property with his graffiti. I say he’s a brilliant purveyor of visual stimuli. I admire his thoughts on advertising and feel this speaks volumes about today's talented artists being sucked into commercialism which cheapens their god given gift of creativity.

The thing I hate most about advertising is that it attracts all the bright, creative and ambitious young people, leaving us mainly with the slow and self-obsessed to become our artists. Modern art is a disaster area. Never in the field of human history has so much been used by so many to say so little. - Banksy

I would love to ask that if Banksy is ever in the area of Owasso Oklahoma, to please bless us with a wonderful work of art on our boring white water tower that is seated conveniently by the highway and would be viewed by thousands of people daily. ;)

Rewind: Savior

2010-08-21T10:46:00.002-05:00

Was it the blacktop road that made the night seem so dark or was it just her mood? Maybe it was the fact that she had been driving for hours and she was getting tired. Christine didn’t know which, but she did know that the further she drove away from her hometown, the darker her mood became. She didn’t want to move, but her employer hadn’t given her a choice…or maybe he actually did. The choices were to transfer or find another job, but quitting was not an option Christine could afford, so she boxed up her life and left her family and friends behind.

Christine looked at the clock on her dash for the thousandth time and sighed impatiently. “Three hours to go,” she mumbled to herself. Tired of listening to the same CD for the last few hours she switched the CD player to radio, but static was all she heard coming out of the speakers. Her favorite radio station was gone. She knew it wouldn’t reach this far out. It was just another reminder of all that was familiar to her was being left behind, and she couldn’t help the resentment that festered inside her heart. Christine told herself that it could have been worse because most of her coworkers had been laid off when the company closed the branch in her hometown. No…she was one of the lucky ones to still have her job.

She pushed the seek button on her car radio so she could find some music to help sooth her sour mood. Half watching the road and half watching the numbers scrolling through their search for a new radio station, Christine did not see the large carcass of mangled deer flesh that lay in the middle of the deserted highway. She glanced up to see the bloody mass to late, as she held her breath and slammed on the breaks. A split decision to jerk the wheel came from the sudden awareness that she was not going to stop before hitting the poor dead creature. The car veered to the right and slammed into a broken guard rail that sent it flipping in the air. For a brief second, Christine knew what was happening, but when her head shattered the side window, she knew no more. Her car came to rest on its top with all four wheels still spinning.

A rolling accumulation of odorless smoke billowed all around her as she sat up realizing she was on the ground. Her first reaction was to check herself for injury and she was amazed when she didn’t find a scratch or even a drop of blood. Christine stood up without any trouble and dusted herself off. “Wow! Amazing that nothing happened to me.” She said.

The area was blanketed with the darkness of night and as she looked around she couldn’t see anything in the black surroundings, not even her car. Christine was scared of being stranded in the middle of nowhere. She was determined to get back to her car or at least the road so she could get help. Wandering through the darkness, she began to think back to when she last saw a car on the road. It must have been almost an hour ago, but she was still unwavering in her pursuit to find her way out of this mess. She wasn’t even sure if she was walking in the right direction, but what else could she do?

Off in the distance she saw a small white glow. Not sure if it was a street light or possibly the headlights from her car, she began to walk towards the far-off brightness. In the opaque darkness, the light was like a symbol of hope…her way home. As Christine became closer to the light, she realized that it looked like a flashlight held by someone walking towards her. Relief flooded over her as she thought someone must have seen her crash and they were now here to help her.

Christine called out to the unknown person, “Hello! Can you please help me?”

A faint female voice answer back, “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine! Thank you for stopping to help me!” She happily called out to the voice. Christine also prayed silently to God, thanking him for keeping her from injury and for sending her a savior to help her.

Closer to the light, Christine could see the faint outline of the woman. Her long blond hair hung past her waist and was almost white. The flashlight made it to shimmer in the darkness faintly reflecting the light all around as if she wore a halo. The lovely woman was very slender and so tall that she towered over Christine, and to her this woman was the most beautiful sight in the world. The space between the two young women closed in, and Christine could see the relief in the woman’s eyes as she assessed Christine’s physical wellbeing. They stopped, face to face, and the woman smiled.

“I am glad to see you are okay. My name is Angela. Come on, the road is this way.” Her voice was soft and high pitched like a soft flute. Obediently, Christine walked next to Angela. They walked without speaking for a few seconds, and the silence between felt as heavy as the darkness.

“I don’t think your car is drivable.” Angela’s songlike voice broke through the quietness.
Christine was disappointed to hear that news. Considering she was fine and walking, she considered herself very lucky. “It’s replaceable,” was all Christine said.

Angela seemed determined to carry on their conversation as they walked. Maybe she was just trying to assess Christine’s mental awareness, to make sure there was no unseen head injury. “Your moving to a new place.”

Christine looked at her without answering, wondering how she knew.

Angela quickly explained, “Your boxes are scattered about with stuff that seemed like your personal belongings.”

“Yes, your right. My work transferred me, unfortunately.” Christine sadly responded.

“Really? Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. I think you will like the move. You’re going to a nice place to live with nice people too. You did the right thing, moving and all.” Angela sounded so sure of her statement, but Christine felt sure she was just trying to cheer her up. Suddenly, Angela stopped & looked at Christine. “Change is often scary, but it’s necessary if you are to grow as a person. Christine, you will be fine and someday you will look back and wonder why you didn’t go sooner.”

Christine stood looking at Angela through the heavy tears that filled her eyes. She wiped the tears away before they rolled down her cheeks, then turned and started walking again. Christine’s voice was low and harsh, “Well, I’m glad someone thinks so.”

Angela put her hand on Christine’s back, trying to comfort her, as they began walking again. This time Angela allowed Christine her silence as they quietly walked together for several minutes. Christine concentrated on the darkness ahead, trying to discern how far up ahead the road was. The only thing she could see was never ending blanket of night and she was beginning to doubt they were going in the right direction.

Suddenly Angela stopped. Christine turned back to her, “Why are you stopping? Are we lost?”

“No Christine, you are not lost, but you must go on without me now.” Angela said in a calm voice as she tenderly touched Christine’s cheek.

“Why?” Christine asked. Angela just smiled at her. Then something dawned on Christine, “How did you know my name?”

“Christine, please don’t worry about anything, you are doing just fine. You worry about moving away, but it will be okay. You made the right decision…you are on the right path. Please know that I am here keeping you safe, always.” Her soft tone sounded like music, as if she were singing the words to soothe Christine’s racing heart.

Christine opened her mouth to say something when suddenly she began to hear sirens off in the distance. They were a faint sound at first, but quickly they became louder and intrusive into the silent night. Christine looked around and it confused her to hear but not see what was making the noise. Her fear was mounting into almost a panic. She thought, ‘What is going on?’ Her head whipped around scanning the darkness still looking for the road. She turned back to Angela with fear in her eyes.

Angela stood there still smiling peacefully at her as she again put her hand on Christine’s cheek. “I need you to wake up now, help is here. Wake up, Christine. It will be alright…you’ll see.” Her voice faded away into just a tinkling sound of crystals. She dropped her hand from Christine’s cheek and stepped back. Christine watched Angela fade into a white hazy cloud and she swore she saw a pair of white feathery wings open as if to take flight just before she disappeared in the mist.

Christine stood alone in the darkness again. This time however she was acutely aware of the loud sounds all around her. She tried to put her hands over her ears to block out the offending noise of sirens and people shouting, but she suddenly realized that her arms were pinned to her side and pain shot through her body when she tried to move. Along with the intrusive sounds also came the pungent odor of gasoline and blood. She shut her eyes tightly, to block out the chaos, then began to cry. The fear rose inside her as she began to sob uncontrollably. She silently prayed to God to make it all go away.

Christine heard another voice, male this time, “You are going to be okay. You’ve been in an accident and you are injured, so please don’t try to move.”

Christine’s eyes shot open. Through her blurry vision she saw bright lights and several people standing over her. Sitting next to her, on the ground, was a handsome man holding her still. Through the excruciating pain of her injuries, Christine could feel his warmth keeping her safe from the cold that threatened to take over her. She was lying on the ground; something soft under her head, while next to her was her overturned car. Scattered around her were her belongings, her stuff she had brought with her in the move. Her world seemed to be strewn about, but she was still alive.

She tried to sit up but the man sitting next to her put his hand on her shoulder, “Please don’t move. The paramedics are almost here. They will help you.” He smiled down at her, trying to comfort her.

“Is it bad?” Christine said in a weak voice.

“It will be alright…you’ll see.” He replied softly.

Christine swore she heard the tinkling sound of crystal in his gentle voice; her guardian angel was still there.

Kelci Buss Performing at The Tulsa Spotlight Theater

2010-08-17T20:02:00.010-05:00

Looking for something different and entertaining to do this Friday night? Of course you are! Why not take the family out for an evening at the theater? The theater is a great idea, you say. Well...I’m glad you agree.

Kelci Buss will be performing, along with a variety of other artists, as a preshow act at The Tulsa Spotlight Theater this Friday night, August 20th, for a “Special Friday Performance Night”.

What is The Tulsa Spotlight Theater? Well...I’m glad you asked!

(Note: The following info taken from Tulsa Spotlight Theater website.)
Tulsa Spotlighters, Inc. is a non-profit charitable endeavor. We present the old fashioned melodrama "The Drunkard" and "The Olio" every Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.

Check out this YouTube spot on the Oklahoma Travel Net:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55m3lKbJ3Vc

For more info about The Tulsa Spotlight Theater, please visit their website: http://www.spotlighttheater.org/index.shtml

Clink the link to view the scheduled performers: http://www.spotlighttheater.org/olio_sched_aug.pdf

The Spotlight Theater location:
1381 Riverside Drive

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74127

Curtain Time 7:30 p.m.
For reservations call 587-5030

Make your reservations now. Remember, curtain opens at 7:30p.m. Come and show your support for Kelci!!! Hope to see you there!

Kelci Buss

2010-08-01T09:26:00.012-05:00

YouTube has become one of my favorite websites to explore lately when I'm taking a break from writing. There is a treasure trove of funny videos, movie clips, information, BUT most of all talented artists. One can spend hours wandering aimlessly through the massive amount of videos available just for the sake of entertainment, and it’s easy to lose oneself amongst it all. You make your way through unspecific goofy videos of people you don't even know or possibly a video clip of your favorite celebrity doing an interview on Letterman. Maybe you watch a cute baby cooing at the camera or a playful puppy frolicking in the backyard. You can spend days on YouTube...then one day you find something special.

This week I found a gifted singer named Kelci Buss, who is from my own home town! This pretty 14 year old has such a strong beautiful voice, and as talented as she is, I’m sure she will find success with her singing career. I will definitely be watching to see where her music takes her and keep you all posted. Please take a moment to listen to my favorite one (she does a great job here):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcO69vnV5OA&feature=youtube_gdata

This is a short video of a Christmas performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZzPgj0IGhc&feature=channel

Here is another video of Kelci last year singing the Star Spangled Banner, which is not an easy song to hit all the notes but she did a great job and sounds awesome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utGYVsHmg38

You can type Kelci Buss in the search box on YouTube to find more of her videos. Good luck Kelci!! :)

Drew Dawson Davis Fan

2010-07-10T15:24:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone,

I know I've told you all that I'm taking a break from Twitter, Facebook and blogging to put focus on finishing book #2 and #3, but I have to share with you another web gem. I stumbled upon a talented singer on YouTube one evening and his voice just blew me away. His name is Drew Dawson Davis. I was searching for music to help me feel one of the characters in my book, so I was looking for a particular song which just happened to be Garth Brook's Shameless. I know, I know, ew! It's country music. Whatever. :P Intrigued, I began checking out each of his videos and now I have listened to each of his posted videos repeatedly. They have become a musical muse for working on. If you get a chance, check him out (and no, not all of his music is country). Here is a link to Drew Dawson Davis "Shameless" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUdIbdb_hA0

Ciao for now!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

2010-03-05T10:26:00.001-06:00

Blog

2010-02-25T10:47:00.004-06:00

Hello readers! I am sharing a wonderful site I found today. The author of this blog is Melissa Johnson (pen name, Melissa Bryant). Melissa also has a book called The Duke's Angel which is available through Amazon or Lulu.com. She is a very sharp writer and I look forward to reading more of her work. I invite you to visit her blog as well and become enlightened. Here is the link: http://everythingofinteresttoaromancewriter.blogspot.com/

Quotes

2010-01-17T14:01:00.003-06:00

Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly. - Stephen R. Covey

I am patient with stupidity but not with those who are proud of it. - Edith Sitwell

Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely. - Buddha

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. - Unknown

Holiday Web Gems

2009-12-12T13:38:00.003-06:00

I would like to wish a Merry Christmas to all my readers. I hope everyone is having a safe and warm holiday. You all have a special place in my heart and I appreciate your continued visits to my blog. I try to entertain you in a variety of ways by writing short stories, passing along news and (my personal favorite blog posts) Web Gems. I hope you've enjoyed my writing throughout the past year. Please feel free to leave me a comment or send me an email to let me know your thoughts, ideas for stories, and/or websites you want me to check out. (You can even leave a complaint, if you feel the need to do so, but I won’t guarantee that I will listen to it.) ;) Today’s blog are more Web Gems, so gather the kids around the computer for this first link.

How about we start with something cute? Here is a video of a precious puppy trying to whistle. http://video.yahoo.com/watch/6544400/16989568 I think this dog may have a shot at Hollywood. What do you think?

This next website is aimed at some holiday humor. During this time of year beautiful Christmas lights adorn the roofs, trees and front yards of homes and businesses. My family likes to load up in the car and drive around to look at the lighted displays in our area. While most holiday displays are charmingly entertaining, there are those few exhibits that leave you pondering the question ”Why did they even bother?”. Here is a website that showcases these less than enjoyable front yards: http://www.uglychristmaslights.com/ . This website also accepts pictures, so this year as you go around looking at the splendor of glowing colors and yard ornaments, take your camera. Snap some shots of those pitiful displays and give them their 15 minutes of fame by posting them to the Ugly Christmas Lights website.

Here is a warning to pass along to your loved ones. Throughout the year, scammers are hard at work coming up with new ideas to take money and property from innocent people.During the holidays their efforts are even more diligent. Sadly the elderly are scammer’s favorite target and this is another scam aimed at them: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/FinancialPrivacy/beware-fake-grandkids-calling-for-cash.aspx . (I hope there’s a special place in hell for these dirt bag scammers.) I’ve always said that some people work harder just to get out of having to work at all. Imagine how productive these creative people would be if they actually went out and got a job and made money the honest way.

As we all know, this year was a bad year for the economy and I would like to end this blog with a request. I know we all have had to tighten our belts just to make ends meet, but I want to encourage you to make at least one small donation to a charity this Christmas. This year many charities have suffered a sharp drop in donations. If at all possible please make a small donation, any donation, that you can spare. It could even be a non monetary donation like giving blood, taking a box of clothes to the Salvation Army or just volunteering your time. Another idea is when someone asks you what you would like for Christmas; tell them to make a donation in your name to your/their favorite charity. One that we try to help out each year is Toys for Tots, because children should always have something to look forward to on Christmas morning. *<:)

Web Gems

2009-11-21T20:25:00.002-06:00

I love to find fun websites on the internet. Here are two sites I found this week. This first one is hilarious and someone could spend hours just reading through the funny, interesting, weird, disgusting, and sometimes “down right wtf were they thinking” text. This website is Txts Frm Lst Nght (Text From Last Night). Now I know we all have sent a text to someone that once we hit the “send” button we wished there was a “retrieve” button. This website showcases text messages sent that I am sure the sender wished they would not have sent. Lucky for us, the gracious recipient of the text message thought that the world would be a better place if they shared it with everyone. Not only does it exhibit the uncomfortable display of bad spelling, compromising situations and/or embarrassing circumstances, but you the reader also get a chance to reply and grade the text message. Talk about adding insult to injury, but it’s all in fun and (I hope) no one gets hurt. If you feel venturous here is the link: http://www.textsfromlastnight.com/ . If you feel really venturous…add some of your friend’s text messages for everyone to see.

This next website is a helpful one for those cooking this holiday. I love to cook and one of my favorite things to do is peruse recipes. So for all of you who are the cooks of your family get together, here is a helpful website for you! http://www.allrecipes.com/ There are many, many recipes on this website. Each recipe has a great picture of the finished product, a star rating, personal comments from people that have tried the recipe and a wine suggestion. It also has a printable shopping list which is a great feature. I found it to be a very helpful website and I’m sure you will too!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving. Also…if anyone has a suggestion they would like for me to check out on the internet or a short story idea for me, please feel free to contribute. I am open to any comments or suggestions. Have a great one!!! }i{

Michael Behenna - A travesty of justice.

2009-11-18T17:27:00.005-06:00

Here is a story of an Oklahoma soldier that has unjustly been convicted of murder. I am sharing this story that was originally emailed to me by a friend. As usual my curiosity into whether this story was real or just another email hoax got the better of me. Sadly it is not a hoax. I found a website called "Defend Michael" that verified everything I had read was true. Here is the link: http://defendmichael.wordpress.com I encourage you to visit the website and sign the petition to free Michael Behenna. Below is his story...

MILITARY PROSECUTORS WITHHOLD EVIDENCE; ARMY RANGER GOES TO PRISON FOR 25 YEARS FOR SHOOTING AL QAEDA OPERATIVE

The Story of Michael Behenna

On March 20th, 2009, Army Ranger 1st Lieutenant Michael Behenna was sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing Ali Mansur, a known Al Qaeda operative while serving in Iraq. Mansur was known to be a member of an Al Qaeda cell operating in the lieutenant’s area of operation and was suspected to have organized an attack on Lt. Behenna’s platoon in April 2008 which killed two U.S. soldiers and injured two more. Army intelligence ordered the release of Mansur and Lt. Behenna was ordered to return the terrorist to his home.

During the return of Mansur, Lt. Behenna again questioned the Al Qaeda member for information about other members of the terrorist cell, and financial supporters. During this interrogation, Mansur attacked Lt. Behenna, who killed the terrorist in self-defense. The government subsequently prosecuted Lt. Behenna for premeditated murder.

Not only is this a miscarriage of justice on the behalf of Lt. Behenna, who was acting to prevent further loss of life in his platoon, it is demoralizing to the U.S. troops who continue to fight on behalf of the freedom and security of our nation. Whether it is U.S. border patrol agents, members of the armed forces, or FBI agents, no individual who is serving on the frontlines in the War on Terror should be so blatantly mistreated.

We urgently need your help to correct this terrible wrong against a loyal and faithful soldier. Please contact your congressman and ask them to intervene on behalf of 1LT Behenna. Below is a brief recap of the relevant aspects of Lt. Behenna’s case.

September 2007: 1st Lieutenant Michael Behenna deployed to Iraq for his first combat experience.
April 21, 2008: Lt. Behenna’s platoon was attacked by Al Qaeda operatives. The attack resulted in death of two of Lt. Behenna’s platoon members, two Iraqi citizens, and wounded two additional soldiers under Lt. Behenna’s command.
May 5, 2008: Known terrorist Ali Mansur was detained at his home for suspected involvement in the attack on Lt. Behenna’s platoon.
May 16, 2008: Army Intelligence orders the release of Mansur. Lt. Behenna, who lost two members of his platoon just weeks earlier, was ordered to transport Mansur back to his home.
Lt. Behenna attempts a final interrogation of Mansur prior to his release.
During the interrogation, Behenna is attacked by Mansur and is forced to defend himself. During the altercation, the terrorist is killed. Lt. Behenna failed to properly report the incident.
July 2008: The U.S. Army charges Lt. Behenna with premeditated murder for the death of Al Qaeda operative and terrorist Ali Mansur.
February 23, 2009: Lt. Behenna’s trial begins.
Government and defense experts agree on the trajectory of the bullets killing Mansur
Prosecution expert Dr. Herbert MacDonnell initiated contact with defense attorneys explaining his agreement with the testimony of Lt. Behenna and his presentation to prosecutors supporting Lt. Behenna’s version of events.
Dr. MacDonnell is not called to testify in the case and instead is sent home. Just before leaving the courthouse he picks up his coat from the prosecution room and says to the three prosecutors (Megan Poirier, Jason Elbert, and Erwin Roberts), ‘The explanation that Lt Behenna just testified to was the exact same scenario I told you yesterday. Lt Behenna is telling the truth.’
Jack Zimmermann, defense counsel, asks prosecutors if they have any exculpatory evidence that should be provided to the defense (referring to Dr. MacDonnell’s demonstration). Prosecutors deny having any such evidence despite having been told by their own expert witness that Lt Behenna’s explanation was the only logical explanation.
Prosecutors withholding of this evidence allowed them to argue that Lt. Behenna executed Ali Mansur while seated when the forensic experts, including Dr. MacDonnell, agree that Ali was standing with his arms outstretched when shot.
Lt. Behenna is convicted of unpremeditated murder and assault by a military panel of seven officers, none of whom had combat experience.
Dr. MacDonnell contacts prosecution requesting that the information provided in his demonstration be given to the defense.
Prosecutors provide such information after a verdict was rendered, but prior to sentencing.
At the request of the presiding judge, Dr. MacDonnell provides his information to the court via telephone. The judge orders both sides in the case to file briefs relating to a possible mistrial
After reading the briefs the judge set an additional hearing and ordered additional briefs, including one from the defense requesting a new trial.

On March 20, the judge denied defense motions to declare a mistrial and to order a new trial
Lt. Behenna’s attorneys are appealing the verdict. Lt. Behenna is currently serving a 25-year sentence.

1st Lieutenant Michael Behenna was an excellent officer. He received his call to serve his country while attending the University of Central Oklahoma. He is from a family of public servants, his mother being an Assistant United States Attorney and his father a retired Special Agent with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. He has served the Army and the United States with honor and dignity. To sacrifice the life of this Oklahoma soldier over the death of a known terrorist, is a breech of faith with all who are serving our country.

(Please note that all of the above information is posted on the "Defend Michael" website.)

10th Annual Ator Cystic Fibrosis Craft Fair

2009-11-09T20:29:00.004-06:00

In loving memory of Haley Brooke Palmer

For Haley's story see the post below titled "Owasso's Brave Little Angel: Haley Brook Palmer"

Please come out Nov. 14th to support the fight to find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis from 9:00 to 4:00.

*Over 90 Booths*
*Full Concession*
*Dozens of Door Prizes*
*Photos With SantaAll For Kids Craft Booth*

For more information: http://owassocraftfair.blogspot.com/?spref=tw

All proceeds go to benefit the local Cystic Fibrosis Sooner Chapter. For more information go to: www.cff.org

Owasso's Brave Little Angel: Haley Brooke Palmer

2009-11-09T20:06:00.008-06:00

Haley Brooke Palmer was born Aug. 30, 1995, to Jennifer and Rich Palmer. She was only three months old when she was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that affects the lungs and digestive system.

As she grew, Haley was determined to face her disease head on. She took up to 60 pills, used numerous inhalers and had several breathing treatments EACH DAY. She knew what each pill did and had extensive knowledge of CF. This brave little angel became very dedicated in spreading awareness and raising money for Cystic Fibrosis research. With the help of family and friends, Haley raised over $120,000 for vital CF research in hopes of one day finding a cure. As ambassador for the Sooner Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Haley would speak at 10 to 15 events a year. Through these events she met other kids with CF and made many friends along the way.

During her precious time here she gave encouragement with her strength and positive attitude. Haley was an inspiration to us all. Even those who did not have the honor of meeting her personally still knew of her message. Every day, in the town of Owasso, you would see the message “Pray for Haley” and everyone knew exactly why we were praying. She stayed true to her mission regardless of the toll her disease was taking on her health. Her motto was "Footprints in history aren't made sitting down”. In her bedroom, she kept a board with a prayer list that reminded her to pray for them daily. Haley wouldn’t allow her condition keep her from doing things. She liked playing Wii with her little sister, Brenna, had a growing collection of Webkinz and loved to read chapter books. She played soccer and participated in gymnastics with a vigor that inspired those around her.

On October 2007, Haley suffered a major health setback and her lungs began to deteriorate rapidly. In May of 2008 Haley was flown to St. Louis Children's Hospital in Missouri to be reevaluated for a double lung transplant to see if she qualified. After all the testing was done her family and friends were thrilled to learn that she DID indeed qualify. Her future looked bright…but only for a brief moment. The following day, her doctors ordered CT scans of Haley’s head. The images were devastating. Her CT showed that the infection had moved to the brain and the transplant had to be put on "hold".

June 13th 2008, Haley Brooke Palmer lost her courageous battle against Cystic Fibrosis. Even though our loss is difficult to bear, we seek comfort in the knowledge that she is with our heavenly father and watching over us. She no longer suffers from her disease. In the time that she blessed our world and our lives, Haley made great strides in making people aware of this debilitating disease and reminded us all to cherish each day. She still remains in our memory and in our inspired hearts, while we continue her fight to find a cure.
As her family posted on her web journal: Fly, fly little wings......breathe easy sweet girl.

I so admire the grace of her mother, father and sister throughout this difficult time in their lives.

They continue on with the search for a cure, just as Haley would have wanted. To Haley Brooke Palmer: May your wings sparkle as brightly as your smile.

To read more about Haley, you can visit her web journal: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/haleypalmer/mystory

A touching video in honor of Haley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fc_JGSQle_c&feature=youtube_gdata

plus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGmOP_rPhfs&feature=related (More videos can be found on youtube.)

Please support finding a cure for Cystic Fibrosis by donating your time through volunteering or money for research. Find out how here: http://www.cff.org/

Web Gems

2009-11-07T12:47:00.006-06:00

I like finding interesting things on the internet. I have always admitted that I am a Google junkie; my friends lovingly call me the Google queen. Anytime anyone needs to find information about something, anything, they always come to me and within a few minutes they have what they were looking for. (Google should put me on their payroll. *cough cough* *hint hint*) Here are some cool things I found this week…

*There is a new search engine on the web now called “Leapfish” ( http://www.leapfish.com/ ). I checked it out and it seems pretty interesting. The page is real easy to read and the main page has news, celebrity news, videos, etc.; basically everything that Yahoo or MSN has to offer. When you use the search engine it is actually powered by not only Google, but also Yahoo and Bing. It’s like all the search engines in one convenient place and I like that. It also includes Flickr, Twitter and any other internet sites that pertain to what you are searching for. As for me, I will probably stick with my trusty ol’ Google, but Leapfish will definitely be added to my list of websites I like to use.

*Another site I found this week is Demand Media (http://www.demandmedia.com/ ). If you have a talent for writing and are looking for an excellent opportunity for work, you may want to check out Demand Media. I copied this directly from their website:

Demand Media™ is the leader in distributed social media powering 3 billion conversations every month.

Founded in 2006, Demand Media is led by executives with strong backgrounds in social media and technology. Our management team has extensive experience at globally recognized companies from MySpace to Yahoo!

Through Demand Studios, qualified writers, editors and filmmakers create valuable content and make money. On our media sites, millions of users engage through relevant content and passionate communities. Our products make it possible for thousands of businesses to grow by providing social media solutions that consumers really want.

Demand Media is well-capitalized and strategically positioned for both near and long term success. The company has raised more than $355 million dollars from tier-one investors, including Oak Investment Partners, Spectrum Equity Investors and Goldman Sachs.

For Passionate, Knowledgeable Individuals Demand Studios pays talented writers, filmmakers, editors and topical experts for creating and curating high-quality content for publication on one of the world’s largest and fastest growing online media networks. In joining our community, content contributors can generate income from their passions, from wherever and whenever they want.

Demand Studios makes it possible for qualified writers, editors and filmmakers to create valuable content, reach an audience of millions, and make money.

Sound interesting? Here is a link to the application form on their website:

https://www.demandstudios.com/application.html?role=Writer

*Twitter has become a huge powerhouse of networking, socializing, advertising and latest breaking news (even before the news channels report it). Now Amazon has gone and enlisted the help of their “Amazon associates” to help promote products from Amazon. They sent out an email to their associate members telling them about the latest company program called “Share with Twitter”. Participants are to use Twitter to tweet about products available and provide a link to the Amazon product. Then when someone on clicks the link (and also makes a purchase) the associate will earn referral fees payable through the Associates program. Neat promotional idea for Amazon but I wonder if this will prompt people to promote products, without any regard to whether the product is even worth purchasing, just to make money. I also wonder if, when people start promoting Amazon products, they will be perceived as “spam” on Twitter. Hmm…we will see.

Spam is beginning to be a problem on Twitter. Seasoned Twitterers are becoming suspicious of posts that sound spamish, which usually gets the poster deleted from a follow list and blocked. Sad thing is “spam” will probably be the downfall of Twitter. More and more people are getting tired of the cutsy crap (which is underlying spam) on Facebook. This has caused users to migrate from Facebook to Twitter. I hate to say that unless Twitter takes hold of these spammers, people will find another place to socialize. Then again it is only a matter of time until some new “social networking” site starts up and becomes the new must use website. Until that happens, Twitter on people! (Follow me on Twitter: @ajnyte )

*Now here is a guy with a simple idea at making good money. Jason Sadler came up with a genius idea to make companies pay him to wear their t-shirts. Okay so it’s not quite that simple, but almost. Here is what he told Reuters:

"I walk around, take photos, wear the shirt all day ... I blog about those photos, I put 'em up on Twitter, I change my Facebook profile ... and then I do a Youtube video. I made about $83,000 this year."

What the hell? $83,000! I must be doing something wrong because I wear t-shirts with logos all the time and don’t get paid for it. I also blog, use Twitter and Facebook every day, but yet…still don’t get paid for it. Well, good for you Jason. You found a niche, went with it and even found a way to make good money. If you are interested in Jason’s services or are just curious about how he started this business, here is his website: http://www.iwearyourshirt.com/

Here is a question I would like to ask these companies though…Why didn’t you just have one of your own employees wear the t-shirt and have your IT or advertising people blog, Twitter and Facebook about it instead of hiring an outside source to do so? Seems like promoting from within to me.

Unfamiliar Cont.

2009-11-03T19:49:00.001-06:00

The thunderstorm still rumbled outside but now was far off into the distance from Nicole’s house. Restless dreams troubled her as she tossed and turned. Suddenly there was another loud noise that jerked her awake. Sitting straight up, she stared wide eyed around the dark room with an unsettling feeling that she was being watched. Her lungs began to pain as she realized she had been holding her breath the whole time. She inhaled deeply and chided herself for being scared. Nicole reached over to pick up her phone to see what time it was; 2:18 a.m. Out loud she said, “This is going to be a long night.”

The radio was still on and softly playing music. She began to set her phone back down when she glanced at the window. There, for a whisper of a second, she saw a dark misty shape that resembled a shadowy face staring back at her. A loud scream escaped her throat as she jumped up and ran towards the hall, still clutching her phone in her hand. She dialed 911 as she slammed the bathroom door shut and locked it. Nicole tried to keep a calm quiet voice as she spoke to the operator. She begged the person to send help as soon as possible. The 911 operator immediately complied with her request and said that a patrol car would be there within minutes; then she asked her to stay on the line until they arrived. Nicole was all too happy to comply with the operator’s request feeling that she did not want to be left alone if there was a prowler outside. Several minutes passed by and Nicole was beginning to feel even more anxious and frightened. Her imagination was running wild with the thought that some trespasser was lurking around her house and possibly inside. To her it seemed forever for the police to show up, but eventually the operator informed her that the police were there and already looking around the property outside. Nicole heaved a sigh of relief to hear that she no longer was alone. The operator then instructed her to let the police officer inside. As soon as she saw the welcoming face of the police officer she allowed herself to relax. Once he checked on her well being, the policeman then searched the inside of the house. Nicole thanked the operator and turned the phone off. She turned the lights on inside the house while she waited anxiously for the officers to find the creep that had been staring into her window.

The officer came back to the living room, “Miss, we checked the property and it doesn’t look like anyone was out there. With all this rain the ground is muddy outside the window. If there was a prowler outside then there should have been obvious shoe prints in the mud around the windows. Which window did you see the person?”

“The back window in the living room.” Nicole pointed to the window where she saw the face.

Speaking into his police radio, “Sam, check the south window by the back door for footprints again.”

“Will do, Dan.” The other officer responded. A minute later, the other officer’s voice came over the radio, “Negative for foot prints. I think this one was a false alarm.”

Nicole could feel the heat rise in her cheeks as she looked down at the ground. She felt silly about being so scared and also guilty to have wasted the officer’s time. “I am sorry. I would have sworn there was someone outside the window tonight.”

“Don’t be sorry. You did the right thing by calling us. Don’t ever hesitate to call for help. You know the saying – better to be safe than sorry; especially when it comes to your safety and your life. If there really was a bad guy and you didn’t call, then what would have happened?” The officer put his hand on Nicole’s shoulder. “We would rather respond to a false alarm than to respond to a terrible crime or death because someone didn’t call for help.”

His words helped ease her guilt. When she looked up into his kind eyes and smiled; Nicole knew that he meant every word of what he said. Officer Dan also promised to stay in the area just in case there really was a perpetrator and she needed them to come back over. She thanked them for coming out and then watched as the patrol car pulled out of the driveway. With the door locked again, she made her way back to the couch. As she looked back at the window, she realized that the place where she set the couch put her directly in front of the window. When she sat back on the couch, her own reflection was there staring back at her. The lightening off in the distance must have casted just enough light to play tricks on her eyes, making her think that there was a person standing outside her window. Nicole shook her head and chuckled, blaming herself for scaring so easily tonight. Then, just to prove to herself that there was nothing to fear, she stood up and walked over to the window to look outside. Now that she got a closer look, she realized that if someone was outside the window earlier, there would have been obvious footprints left in the mud directly in front of the window. She did see some footprints, but she knew them to belong to the officer because they stepped off to the side of the window.

Nicole turned to go back to the couch when something else caught her eye. A small drip of water slid slowly down the window pane falling directly below a faint hand print. She stopped cold with the hair standing up on the back of her neck. She looked close at it, reaching out to touch the handprint then realized that the print wasn’t on the outside of the window; it was on the inside. Her mind raced for a justifiable explanation, but found nothing to explain how this handprint could have ended up on the inside of her window. As spooky as this was, she did not want to call the police back. Nicole forced herself to not dwell on the window anymore. Making her way back to the couch, she shut off the lights again. Determined not to let her imagination run wild, she climbed back under the covers and tried to go back to sleep.

Hours later, the glow on the horizon signaled that morning had finally come. Tired from her long sleepless night, Nicole pulled the covers over her head to block out the morning light. Now that she was no longer afraid of the dark, within minutes she had fallen into a deep asleep. Locked away in her dreams the morning passed by and turned into afternoon.

She wandered through a shadowy forest of dreams when a loud rapid knock at the door jolted her awake again. Nicole shot up off the couch, disoriented by her surroundings. It took several seconds for her to remember where she was when another quick knock sounded at the front door. She threw her blanket over the couch and ran to the door. Taking a peek outside, she saw a young handsome man, whom she didn’t recognize, waiting outside for her to answer.

“Who is it?” Nicole asked through the door.

“Hi Nicole my name is James Wheeler…Jimmy. My family owns this house. I am a relative of Thomas Wheeler, your landlord. I have just come by to check and make sure you made it through the storm without any problems.” The man answered.

“Oh! Hang on just a sec!” Embarrassed that she had been caught still sleeping in the afternoon, Nicole ran to the bathroom to fix her hair and rub some toothpaste on her teeth. The she ran back to the front door and opened it to find that the man, Jimmy, was gone.

Stepping out onto the porch she looked around for the guy. “Hello?!” She shouted.

“Back here!” He answered from the back yard.

Nicole closed the front door and made her way through the obstacle course of boxes. She opened the back door and stood just inside. “Sorry to have kept you waiting. I appreciate your checking on me. The storm was pretty bad last night, but I think I managed to survive.” She watched the young man as he looked over the back yard for any signs of storm damage. Nicole couldn’t help but notice how striking the man’s features were, as well has his strong build. His must have been about the same age as Nicole, but he seemed to have more of a boyish demeanor about him.

“Good! Glad to see you’re still in one piece. The house seems undamaged too. Is there anything I need to look at inside? All appliances seem to be okay, no leaks in the roof?” Jimmy asked while checking around the windows and under the eaves of the roof.

“No, everything is fine so far. If there is anything that needs fixing, I can see to it. I promised Mr. Wheeler… I mean, Thomas that I would fix what needs fixing for a break on the rent. Thanks for the offer though.” Nicole was confused to why a relative was offering to help with the house when she was the one responsible for any and all repairs. She still stood in the back doorway as Jimmy walked towards her. Satisfied with state of the house, he looked back at Nicole and smiled a dazzling boyish grin that added charm to his good looks. He climbed up the stairs and onto the back porch, and then stood directly in front of her as if he were waiting to be invited inside.

“I see. Well, if you ever need anything just let me know. I hate to intrude, but would you mind if I got a glass of water?” Jimmy stood over her and still smiling.

Nicole stammered, “Uh, sure. Come in.” She stepped back into the kitchen as Jimmy followed her inside. She reached into the cabinet and pulled out a glass. Once filled with water, she set the glass on the cabinet in front of him.

“Thank you! So, do you think you will stay long?” Jimmy asked.

“I will stay as long as Thomas will let me. I find that most landlords push me out the door once the repairs and fix ups are finished.” She answered honestly.

“Some say this place is haunted. Are you afraid of ghosts?” He chuckled as he asked the question.

“Haunted? I am not sure I believe in ghosts, although there were a few strange things last night.” She smiled back trying to make light of her eventful night. “I guess as long as the ghost is nice, then I don’t mind sharing the house,” She joked back.

“Oh I think he’s nice. Glad to hear you’re such a good sport.” He reached out and touched her shoulder. Nicole noticed that his touch was light as a feather but cold as ice. It sent chills up her neck and down her spine. The feel of it was so unexpected she stepped back out of reach. Jimmy had noticed her retreat and his smile turned into a frown.

“Well, it was nice meeting you. Hope you enjoy staying here. Tell Thomas I said ‘hi’.” Then he turned to walk back out the back door.

“It was nice meeting you too. Come back by in a few months and see the progress on the house. I think you will be surprised.” Nicole felt guilty for her reaction to his touch.

He turned back to her as he walked out the door. “What will you do to the house?” He asked with a tilt of his head.

“I think I will decorate it in a retro style, maybe something out of the 40’s or 50’s. I am not sure about the details yet though. I think I would like to bring it back to almost its original state but with a modern twist. What do you think?” She smiled at his curiosity and hoped that he liked her idea for the house.

“I love it. Ask Thomas for some pictures. That may help your planning and design.” Then with a wave he walked off and around the side of the house. Nicole ran to the front window to watch him leave, but oddly he never reappeared in the front yard.

Hours later, after a shower some lunch and more unpacking, Nicole heard another knock at the front door. Oddly, she hoped it was Jim again. He had been on her mind ever since he left. Stopping with her task, she quickly made her way to the front door again. Her shoulders dropped when she saw Thomas standing on the front porch.

She put her sweetest smile on her face as she swung the door open, “Hi Thomas!”

“Hello miss. Weather the storm last night okay?” His wrinkled leathery hand held out to greet her as she returned his hand shake. His skin felt almost as cold as Jimmy’s but Thomas’ had a heavy grip. Nicole stepped aside allowing Thomas to come inside. His eyes glanced around the box cluttered room. “Looks like you have your work cut out for you. Anything I can do to help?”

“No thank you Thomas. It will take a few days, but I will manage. What brings you by this evening?”

“I came to check on you after the storm last night.” He answered.

“Like I told Jimmy earlier, the house and I are fine. We made it through the storm without any problems. Thank you for your concern.” She was beginning to feel smothered by all the worried attention after last night’s storm.

“Who?” Thomas’ face fell, drained of what little color it normally had.

“Jimmy came by earlier to make sure everything was okay too. I’m sorry; he said he was a relative, so I thought it was okay to have him look around.” Nicole began to feel uneasy about the possibly Jimmy had mislead her into thinking it was okay for him to be there looking around the house. “He didn’t seem like he was any threat. He only looked around the back yard for any signs of damage. Oh, and I guess I did let him in to get a drink of water.” The thought of last night’s possible prowler came instantly to mind and she began to experience a strong sense of insecurity. The more she tried to explain the sicklier Thomas looked. “I’m sorry Thomas! I promise not to let anyone else in if it distresses you. I just thought…”

Thomas pulled his wallet out of his pocket and opened it to a set of pictures. “Did he look like this?” His trembling fingers fished out a cracked black and white photo. The picture was terribly faded but the face was unmistakably Jimmy’s.

“Yes, that’s him. So he is a relative? Was it okay to have him looking around?” She was confused by Thomas’ sudden reaction. Tears filled his eyes as he reached out, holding onto the door handle steadying himself. For a moment Nicole thought that Thomas may faint as she watched the emotions play across his face; his eyes overflowing with sadness while a smile hinted at the corner of his mouth. “Thomas, are you okay?” She quietly asked.

“Yes. That was my older brother who died during the first world war when I was still in school.” The old man then laughed at her reaction.

Short Story: Unfamiliar

2009-10-10T19:49:00.006-05:00

Thunder growled angrily overhead followed by flashes of lightening that illuminated the outside landscape for a brief second. The weather was brewing quickly making the air thick with moisture. Another rumble sounded as Nicole paused and glanced out a nearby window. Mentally she began to count, “one one-thousand, two one-thousand, three”. A bolt raced across the sky and through the ominous low clouds. The storm was closer. What a night for the weather to be tempestuous, she thought. Nicole knew this night was going to be a long sleepless one, which was fine with her since she had a lot to keep her busy.

Moving was always such a tedious chore. Nicole hated leaving her previous home, but the landlord raised the rent…again. The owner knew she couldn’t pay the higher amount; and when a tenant can’t pay rent what do they do? The only thing Nicole could do…move. This new place wasn’t so bad though. It actually had great potential, and with a little hard work, this place could become as nice as her last place and maybe even better.

Nicole had a knack for fixing things. She had a creative talent that could change an ugly trash heap into a stylish and elegant home. That was usually how she acquired cheap rent; with the promise to fix up a run down house and turn it into a classy dwelling. She sighed, maybe this time I won’t put as much effort into fixing it up though. She knew that was the reason why the landlord raised the rent on the last place, and why all her other landlords had raised the rent in the past. Her ability to turn the most decrepit homes into very elegant and livable places seemed to be a double edge sword. The owners saw the improvements that were made on the rent houses and realized they could make more money by renting the renovated place to another tenant. Next thing she knew, Nicole was boxing up her life again and moving out. But before she started packing to move, she would go through each room and take pictures for her portfolio. Adding along with the pictures were the cloth swatches and paint samples she used for each redecorated room. Every house had its own book. This last house made book number five.

While preparing to leave, Nicole would go out and find another house; one that was a real fixer upper. After finding her gem in the rough, she would make a deal with the landlord that she would fix the place up for a large break on the rent. It wasn’t hard to convince them of her ability after looking through the portfolio books that showcased her previous remodels. The landlord, of course, agreed to supply the material but Nicole would provide all of the labor. Although in Nicole’s eyes, it really didn’t feel like work because she loved fixing up the houses. It was sort of a hobby that formed out of necessity. She was surprised how many landlords were willing to take half off of the rent in exchange for house repairs and some sprucing up. Nicole’s main problem was she couldn’t just stop at fixing the broken plaster, repainting a room or stopping a leaky faucet. Once all the necessary repairs were made, she would continue to paint, then landscape, change lighting fixtures, put in new flooring, etc. After the fix ups were completed the houses, inside and out, looked like something you would see in Southern Living or Martha Stewart magazine. It wasn’t long before the landlords realized they were not getting enough rent and next thing Nicole knew…she was looking for a new place to live.

Nicole would pay the higher rent if she could, but the salary for a secretary wasn’t very much these days. She knew she worked harder than the other office personnel, but without a college degree, she just didn’t make the big bucks. Nicole’s family could not afford to send her to college. Instead she went straight into the workforce as an office assistant, and after a few years of doing nothing but filing and data entry, Nicole finally worked her way to secretary thanks to her boss, Elizabeth, who was a kind person and she was the one who originally hired Nicole straight out of high school. Elizabeth started her own interior design business after she finished college with a master’s degree in interior design. Not only was Elizabeth very business smart, she also has an eye for new talent. She encouraged Nicole to enroll in college so she could get a degree in design. She would say all the time, “Nicole, you have as much opportunity as talent, just as long as you are willing to work for it.” Elizabeth felt a common bond with Nicole because she too came from poor beginnings, which meant she also put herself through college. Nicole could not have asked for a better role model and she admired Elizabeth both as a mentor and a friend. After a few years of working with Elizabeth, and the other designers, Nicole started picking up a few tricks of the trade that helped her in fixing up the houses that she rented. Along with going to college for her degree, Nicole was also getting great hands on experience. Her talent and skill at transforming plain ugly places into works of beauty had become very impressive. The only downside to all of this was the fact that Nicole felt she was constantly moving from place to place. It seemed like a never ending vicious cycle.

Nicole was still deep in thought as she unpacked a box of kitchen dishes. One by one, she took out each dish, wiped them off and put them into the cupboard. A sharp clap of thunder startled her and she almost dropped the dish she had just taken out of the box. Again she mentally counted, “one one-thousand, two one-thousand”. It was getting closer. Now she wished she would have brought the television in, but Nicole left it out in the garage surrounded by other boxes. It probably wouldn’t pick up any news anyway because the cable service was not going to be installed until tomorrow or the next day, which was why she wasn’t too concerned about getting it hooked up earlier. The radio was turned on but the DJ only mentioned the weather every thirty minutes and when he did talk about the weather, he don’t give many details about the storm.

The window next to Nicole was opened to let the breeze cool the room. Today had been a breezy spring day. The wind whipped around in different directions all day, which told her that a storm was possibly going to blow in sometime this evening. The thick humid air even smelled like rain but she was too busy unloading boxes to care. Besides she loved spring storms, especially at night. As a kid, Nicole would sit by her window all night to watch the lightening as it lit up the night and feel the heavy rumble of thunder roll through the countryside. She would open her window to let the cooled stormy air and clean smell of the rain engulf my room. Many times she would wake up in the morning and find herself sitting by the window with her head resting on the window seal and her back aching from sleeping in such an awkward position all night. Most young children were frightened of the angry sound of clouds crashing into each other displaying their violence with flashes of light streaking through the sky. Nicole reveled in the awesome display of Mother Nature, as her majestic power rolled through cleansing the earth with her showers and waking up the spring flowers with her loud growling storms. It was like an awakening of the earth.

The box that had been full of dishes was now empty. Nicole threw it on the floor behind her then picked up the next one and set it on the counter. This one was full of pots and pans. Another thing she had become a pro at was moving. She told herself that if the interior decorating didn’t work out, she could always fall back on being a repair person or a mover, but both jobs seemed like too much work for being an everyday job. Nicole loathed packing boxes and unpacking boxes, so the idea of being a mover was almost sickening to her. That job option would be a last resort and only if she was actually about to become homeless. A repair person was also most likely out of the question because she felt certain a person needed some kind of certificate or degree to show they actually knew what they were doing before someone would allow them to do work around their house. Nicole’s experience in repair work came from watching her dad fix things. He was a repair guy who could fix just about anything, from a leak in the plumbing to a broken down refrigerator. When it came to fixing up her rent houses, if Nicole didn’t know how to fix something, she would call her dad and he tackled the job for her. He was proud of the work that she did on the houses and was willing to help her whenever she needed. He knew that even though he fixed the problem, Nicole was right there learning how to fix it for the next time that need of repair came up again in the future.

This house seemed to be in fairly good shape, but sometimes problems don’t come about until after new tenants have already moved in. Nicole knew the door going into the hall bath had a broken door handle and all of the rooms need a new coat of paint. The flooring was always bad in rent houses so she would put that first on her list of things to do. Previous tenants usually left the carpets so dirty it was useless to try and clean them, especially if they had indoor pets.

Outside the flashes of lightening mingled with the thunder now and rain began pouring down in heavy sheets. Nicole walked through the house to see if she could spot any leaks in the roof. Going through her mental checklist of each room, the house had three bedrooms, two baths, and a kitchen with a breakfast nook. There was also a formal dining room with French doors, a den and living room; then off towards the garage was a utility room. As she walked into each room, she examined the ceiling for tell tale water spots of a leaky roof. To her relief, there were no leaks in the roof. She had to admit she was surprised because older houses were notorious for leaky roofs. This aging house had been built back in the 1940’s. It was a cute cottage style house, which when it was built would have been for the upper class of society. Now days it was a more modest house for someone of lower income, like Nicole. She really liked the house and looked forward to seeing what she could do with the place. Most of the rent houses she lived in before were not so old, but they were in far worse shape than this one.

Nicole made her way back to the kitchen to continue unpacking. She grabbed the box that had her candles inside, just in case the electricity went out. She hoped she would not need the candles because the first night in a new house was creepy enough without having to stay in the dark. She opened the box and pulled out a few large candles then lit them. Nicole could did not set the on the windowsill because it was too windy, so instead she set them to the side of the window away from anything that could ignite. A flashlight was found in the same box so she pulled it out and checked the batteries. The flashlight worked so she set it on the counter beside where she was working.

Going back to unpacking the rest of the pots and pans, Nicole reached for the towel that she had used to wipe the pans. A crash of thunder sounded in timing with a bright flash of lightening. They both rattled the windows and lit up the yard outside. Nicole thought to herself, maybe I should get a pet. That way I wouldn’t feel so alone in a new place.

Seconds later another loud boom of thunder and bright light filled the room and the lights in the house went out. Nicole stood frozen and prayed that they would come back on, but after several seconds, she gave in to the notion that they may be off for a while. She was glad she lit the candles when she did. She wasn’t completely in the dark, but it was close enough. The flicker of light cast off by the candles threw eerie shadows that dance around the kitchen. Wide eyed she looked around the kitchen and watched them. Then she remembered the flashlight was nearby and she reached over to turn it on. Nicole held onto the flashlight like it was her only lifeline. She wondered if the power outage was just her house or if it was the whole block was affected. Gathering up her courage she walked towards the front of the house to look out the window. Weaving her way around boxes and dodging unseen obstacles on the floor that tried to trip her, she made it to the front of the house unscathed. As she peered out the window, she knew it wasn’t just her house that was in the dark but also the row of houses across the street had no lights on.

Just wonderful! Nicole thought sarcastically. Putting her packing on hold, she turned around and went to the couch. She sat there and thought in silence about her options in unpacking when it dawned on me…the radio was off. She had forgotten to put batteries in the radio, and so when the power went off so did the radio. She looked around the dark room and tried to read the markings on the boxes hoping to remember which one had the batteries packed in it. To her disappointment Nicole couldn’t remember which box they were in, so she sat there trying to decide if she wanted to call it a night and go to bed or wait it out and keep packing. The dark would make it difficult to unpack, but not impossible. Besides, what else was she going to do? Nicole knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep, so she might as well get back to work.

She stood up and meandered her way back to the kitchen. She had just rounded the corner when a door somewhere in the house slammed shut. The loud bang startled Nicole, who just about jumped out of her skin. She swung around with the flashlight in hand pointing it in the direction of the earsplitting sound. She shined it around the room trying to determine which door had caused the loud noise, but all the doors in the area were still opened. Scared, Nicole knew she needed to investigate and make sure everything was okay in the rest of the house, but she was too frightened to look around. Chiding herself for being such a chicken, she decided that she didn’t want to know which door it was until after the lights came back on. The dark house was too spooky to go inspect at the moment. She knew she was being silly. The only reason she felt scared was because of the houses unfamiliarity. Usually Nicole wasn’t easily scared but this house, being so old, it added to the daunting feeling of the unknown. The thunderstorm outside didn’t help the situation either. She turned around and ignored the slammed door for the time being and went back to unpacking the box.

The box was empty about five minutes later and she tossed it in the corner with the other empty ones, then picked up the next box that had the cookbooks she inherited from her grandmother. Her Grandmother Gracie (GeeGee for short) was a great cook and Nicole could spend hours looking through them. GeeGee had made notes about each recipe on just about every page, either adding a little something or taking out an ingredient and sometimes just marking out the whole thing with a big X.

As Nicole stood trying to decide which cupboard would be best to put them in, she heard another loud noise. She jerked her head towards the deep thud sound and shined the flashlight towards it to light the area. The noise sounded like it came from the living room. She moved the light beam around the room trying to determine what could have made the noise but just like before, she didn’t see anything that could have been the culprit. This noise wasn’t as loud as the slammed door but it was just as disturbing to her frazzled nerves. She decided that this time she wouldn’t ignore the noise. This time she went into the living room to investigate. Nicole walked over to the couch that sat in the middle of the mess of boxes. She spotted a box in the far corner that appeared to have fallen over onto its side. “Oh man!” Nicole cringed hoping that it did not have anything breakable in it. To justify why the box fell over, she told herself that apparently she was careless and had not set it securely on top of the box below. She climbed over the arm of the couch and then stepped over another small box on the floor to get to the box that had fallen. She shined the light on the words written on the side of the box. “Pictures”
Disappointed, Nicole said out loud, “Dang! I hope nothing broke!”

She turned the box back over and opened the lid. It was loaded with the pictures she hung on the wall, and every single one had glass that covered each pictures. Nicole pulled out each picture one by one while holding the flashlight under her chin. With relief, she let out a huge sigh. It seemed that all the pictures survived the fall without even a scratch. She gently laid them all back into the box and left the box on the floor this time, then turned and made her way back to the kitchen again. On her way there she shined the light on a box here and there to see if she could remember which one had the batteries inside. The storm still raged on outside and Nicole jumped at another loud clap of thunder followed by a streak of lightening. Almost to the kitchen she spotted a box that said “miscellaneous”. That’s it! Nicole stepped widely over a large box and bent down to open the miscellaneous one. She shuffled through the contents and found four large D batteries for the radio. Thank you Lord!

With the batteries in one hand and the flashlight in the other, Nicole stepped awkwardly over boxes and went to the radio. She pulled the cord out of the wall and turned the radio upside down. The battery cover came off easily and Nicole inserted the batteries. With the cover back on, she turned the radio upright again. She flipped the switch and the lights that illuminated the radio dial came on but the station she had listened to earlier now was nothing but static. Still happy that she had the radio was working again; Nicole turned the knob to tune in a radio station. She moved the tuner as slow as she could, she hoped to find some news or weather playing on one of the channels. There were static and screeches as the needle moved across the numbers painted on the face of the radio, then a faint voice came out of the speakers and she stopped to turn up the volume. An announcer was talking about the storms moving over the area and that “we should be out of the woods in about thirty to forty-five minutes depending on where you lived”. Nicole didn’t catch what area he was talking about, but she assumed that it had to be somewhere around her area since the storm were still overhead. She set the radio back down on the counter next to where she was working in the kitchen and turned back to the box of cookbooks. The announcer finished his up selling of the best furniture store in town and said “now back to the music”. Nicole wasn’t sure what station she had set the dial to, but she quickly figured out it was an oldies station when Elvis began to sing about his Blue Suede Shoes. Oldies were not her favorite choice of music, but for some reason in this old house it seemed like an appropriate station to have on the radio. Nicole hummed to the song since she didn’t know all the words, as she started stacking the books on the counter top. The song seemed to lighten the mood and helped her relax from her frightful mood.

While tossing the now empty box onto the others, a sudden inspiration came over her. Why not fix this house up in the retro style that was starting to take hold in the interior design world? Nicole had not tried to do anything retro and this house was perfect for something like that. A new challenge and a real learning experience too, plus another fabulous style to add to her portfolio. She was excited and wished she could get started right then, but she knew she needed to unpack everything first. Besides, her fabric swatches and design books were still packed out in the garage and there was no room to spread out to work either, but as soon as I had everything unpacked and put away she would get started on her idea. For now, Nicole would just jot down notes onto a scratch piece of paper, if any ideas came to mind.

The next song on the radio was obviously another song from the 1950’s, but she had never heard it before. She tried to listen to it for a minute but then decided that she had enough of going back into the past for now and turned the knob again. Nicole found the next radio station was soft rock and she decided that it would do for the time being. The song playing was one she remembered from when she was a teenager, but she couldn’t remember the name of the song. It was enough that she knew the song and could tolerate the genre of music on this channel. She liked fifties music, but at the moment she needed something familiar to help her feel more at home.
Nicole started on the next box that was full of cooking utensils. Picking a drawer, she unceremoniously dumped the entire contents in the drawer that she had lined earlier with contact paper. As she began to open the next box all the lights suddenly came back on. She sighed with relief and stopped unpacking for the moment. She still wanted to see which door had slammed shut and hopefully find out why it did so. Nicole figured that maybe since she had some of the windows opened that it was probably just a gust of wind that had blew the door shut. She walked around all the boxes and towards the hallway that led to the spare bedrooms and the hall bathroom. Around the corner and saw that the door to the room at the end of the hall was the one that slammed shut. She told herself she should have known that was the door because that was one of the windows she cracked opened to allow the breeze to travel all through the house. Nicole walked over and turned the handle on the shut door. The knob wouldn’t turn either way. She stepped back and looked at the handle again. There was no lock on the door because the only interior doors with locks were the bathrooms and the master bedroom. The only explanation for the knob not turning is that it was broken. I will have to add that to my list of fixes, she thought to herself. Standing there contemplating about how to get the door opened, she wasn’t sure what to do next. The hinges are on the inside, hmmm, she scratched her head trying to think of another way inside the room. Nicole reached out to jiggle the handle, but it was still stuck. Maybe the door was just jammed. She decided to try and use force to open the door, so she took a step back while still holding the door handle. With a strong shove forward at the same time she twisted the handle and the door flew open without any resistance. Nicole fell forward and onto the floor. Surprised that she ended up on the floor, she looked back at the door that stood there wide opened almost like it was mocking her. Unfazed Nicole stood up and walked up to the doorframe. As she looked it over she couldn’t see the signs of wood scrapping against wood, like what you’d see from a door rubbing against the doorframe. She tested the door by shutting it to see if it dragged anywhere on the frame, but to her amazement the door closed easily and opened easily without any sticking at all. Now Nicole was really stumped by why it was stuck when she first tried the door.

Not wanting to spend too much time contemplating about the door that was no longer having trouble, she looked around the room. The window was closed. Huh? I could have sworn I opened the window. If it was shut then why did the door slam shut? Nicole pondered. She walked over to the window and saw that the latch was locked. Now she was beginning to feel a little spooked. Knowing that psyching herself out on the first night in a new place was not a good thing, she forced herself to not dwell on the door and window anymore. So with a shrug of her shoulders, Nicole went back to the kitchen to unpack some more and get her mind off of what just happened.

She walked back into the kitchen and picked up the box that lay on the floor, then set the box on the counter and opened it. This box had glasses and mugs in it. She picked the cupboard next to the dish cupboard and began to wipe the glasses with a towel as she put each one on the shelf. Thunder sounded overhead again, but this one was a little quieter. Nicole hadn’t thought about the storm for a few minutes so she looked out the window and noticed that the rain had reduced to just a steady light rain. After the small rumble of thunder she did not see the lightening that usually followed. It looked like the area was on the backside of the storm now, and the weather had begun to calm down again. As Nicole grabbed the next glass out of the box, she stopped suddenly and turned towards the radio. The music that played loudly on the radio was ‘Rock Around the Clock’ by Bill Haley and His Comets. She looked at the dial and realized that it had moved back to the oldies radio station again.
Slowly Nicole set the glass back down and leaned over to the radio to make sure her eyes were not playing tricks on her. Sure enough, the dial marker had moved back to the previous station. Dang, am I imagining things? Maybe I was just getting tired or something. She turned the dial again to the soft rock station again, and stood there staring at the radio. She watched and waited for a few minutes to see if it moved back again. It did not budge at all. Nicole thought to herself, I must be going crazy or something. Maybe I should call it a night.

Nicole looked at her watch and realized that it was midnight. It had been a long day and she felt exhausted from the day of moving boxes and unpacking. She decided to call it a night and start fresh in the morning. She turned over the radio and took the batteries out so they wouldn’t wear out then carried the radio to the living room and set it on a box near the couch. She found an outlet on the wall nearby and plugged in the radio. The music playing on the radio was still the soft rock music station. Nicole hadn’t set her bed up yet, so tonight the couch would be her bed. No big deal, she was used to sleeping on the couch the first night anyway. She didn’t know why but it seemed like she was just more comfortable being in the living room on her first night in a different house. Maybe she was waiting for something to happen and by being on the couch she would be ready for it, or maybe in some unconscious way she needed to feel comfortable with the house before she actually settled in all the way. If she didn’t set up all the furniture or put my bed up, it would be easier to move again in the morning if she ended up not liking the house during the first night. Nicole knew this sounded strange, but it had sort of become a habit for her since she seemed to be moving so often.

A folded a blanket sat on the arm of the couch along with her pillow. Nicole knew where her pajamas were, but decided against changing into them. She was already wearing a pair of sweats and a large t-shirt, which was comfortable enough to sleep in. She spread the blanket out and stationed her pillow at the end of the couch. Nicole also set her cell phone next to the radio that was playing another song she recognized but couldn’t remember the name of from her teenage years. Once again she felt a little more at home and was settling in nicely to her new surroundings. The lights were still on throughout the house, so before lying down Nicole went around and turned them off one by one. As she walked back to the couch she made a path through a few boxes just in case she needed to find her way to the bathroom during the night. She went to the couch and snuggled under the covers then reached up and turned out the lamp that was next to the couch. As she lay back on her pillow she didn’t close her eyes right away. Looking around the dark room, that was still somewhat visible from the one streetlight outside, Nicole lay there thinking. She really did like this house, but the more time she spent here the more it felt…odd. She looked forward to getting started on decorating and fixing up the place. The elderly gentleman who rented her the house was the son of the original owner. He didn’t give her too much history on the place yet, but he promised to tell her more about the house once she was settled in. She looked forward to talking with him. Maybe she could ask if he had a few pictures of what it looked like back then. They could give her ideas to work with when she started remodeling. While deep in thought, Nicole didn’t realize that her eyes had begun to close...she never realized when she drifted off to sleep.

To be continued…

Loren's Song: Mom

2009-10-03T15:59:00.003-05:00

Here is another song from my friend Loren: http://twiturm.com/z2gn#

(I think this one is so pretty.)

Guest Blogger: Teresa Nuytens-Lay

2009-09-24T12:30:00.004-05:00

Attention 1990 Alumni

WOW! I cannot believe another 10 years has already flown by. Where does time go?

The reunion planning is, of course, in the very early stages. I am trying to update the 1990 alumni list with as much information as I can, before I disburse it to the committee members. Please send me your address, phone number and an email address, so I can update the list. As with all reunions, there will be a few missing classmates. If you can help us locate them, we would appreciate any information.

As for the reunion information, those with email will hear from us first (and most often) on the stages of the planning process. Emails will also include information to take advantage of any discounts for early registration etc. We hope to reserve a reunion date in September of 2010, so keep that month in mind when making future plans to attend the reunion.

I still need reliable committee members to help with planning (preferably in the Tulsa surrounding areas). If you would like to commit, please let me know as soon as possible. Any suggestions, ideas, or request for the reunion celebration would be greatly appreciated as well.

Thank you for all your time and help!

Teresa (Nuytens) Lay

(If you would like more info, or how to contact Teresa, please leave me a comment and I will get back with you about the details. Thanks Teresa, for being my guest blogger today!)

Quote

2009-09-24T09:07:00.002-05:00

"Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there." - Will Rogers

More Web Gems

2009-09-12T10:03:00.005-05:00

I was surfing the net this morning and found another amazing web gem. This kid has great imagination and talent! It's a wonderful tribute to MJ. Even if your not a fan of MJ, it is still enjoyable to watch. I hope you love it as much as I did. (Click "More Web Gems" at the beginning of this post to go directly to the video or you can copy and paste this link to your browser.)
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5854827/15317037

Want another one? Then take a look at this web gem:
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5771163/15113200 (You will have to copy and paste this link to your browser.)

:) Enjoy!!!

Website Gem

2009-09-01T18:13:00.002-05:00

Those of you (who know me well) know that I avoid Walmart as much as possible. Nothing against the store itself, but I have an aversion to crowded places, and the Walmart in my home town is a perfect example of a crowded place where people are normally rude and downright strange sometimes. I found a website today that sums all this up for your enjoyment. Trust me…I believe you will spend many hours laughing as you look through this website and probably be able to contribute a few pictures of things you have seen at Walmart too. So sit back and take a moment to have a good laugh by visiting: http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/?paged=2 . (You may have to copy and paste the link to your browser.) :D

Finally a new post!

2009-08-21T19:08:00.007-05:00

I must appologize to all my readers, for not posting anything new lately. I know it is dreadfully boring to see the same postings over and over. I do want to say 'thank you' to all my faithful readers for continuing to check back each week. To my newest blog follower in Houston: Welcome! AND to my wonderful long time blog followers in Austin, Michigan, California, Georgia, North Carolina, etc.: You guys rock!

As you all know, my favorite composer is Loren DiGiorgi. His music is beautiful and he loves to share it with everyone (as do I). Loren has made a YouTube video of his song "Stage 4". The song itself is very touching and the video suits the song quite well. I am sure you will enjoy it, so please take a moment to watch. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX1clj659F8

Now for another story:

A few weeks ago I (and my son) had the opportunity to attend a writers workshop that was hosted by Wizard Academy. I took vacaction from work, drove the family many hours down to Austin Texas, and checked into our room at the academy. We were thrilled about the young writers class. The evening before the class was to start, my son and I met Peter Nevland (who was leading this class) along with a few of the other attendees. Not sure how to take the comment, but Peter had already pointed me out as "the troublemaker" of the group (by which I hope he meant in a "lovably fun" sort of way). Peter is a funny, engergetic and full of life kind of guy. By the time my son and I retired to our room, needless to say, we were both even more excited about taking his class.

Later that night, I woke with a horrid illness (to put it mildly); then spent the next few hours in complete misery. I will not go into details for fear that I would probably lose a few readers, but whatever bug I had was worse than the flu. Sadly we missed the class. My son was a great sport about it all and he said there would be other classes we could take together. (He's such an optimist.)

If somehow by chance Peter Nevland ever reads this blog, I wanted to say that my son and I were really looking forward to his teachings. Hopefully we will be able to take one of his classes in the near future. Also, I wanted to say thanks to my Uncle Roy and Aunt Pennie for giving us the opportunity to attend the Wizard Academy.

If any of you have never visited the Wizard Academy website (shame on you) here is a link. https://wizardacademy.org/scripts/default.asp I encourage you to soak up the ambiance. If you are curious about Peter Nevland, here is a link to his website (which will take you to his other websites). He's a fascinating individual. http://www.peternevland.com/ ENJOY!!! :)