Mike Kilgore

Flash 55-Spirit

2010-11-04T10:17:00.000-04:00

Spirit has the power to enlighten us. Why not be enlightened?
Spirit has the power to heal us.Why not be healed?
Spirit has the power to empower us. Why not be empowered?
Spirit has the power to grow us. Why not be bigger?
Spirit has the power to move us. Lets all get moving!

Hey old friends! I've started a bit of a new journey and I just started writing again. I have a new blog (if you like you can link from this one) I gotta tell you, I've missed all the posts and comments but its tough to make the time...Thanks for always being there and have a Kick Ass Life!

mhk

Friday Flash 55-Resolution

2010-01-22T08:15:00.000-05:00

He began to realize as he drew nearer the half century mark, that he was developing a certain similarity to the Pillsbury Dough Boy. He resolved to attack the problem and no time better than the New Year! Off to Gold's Gym for a one dollar sign up deal. Resolve is very highly over-rated!

Hi guys, sorry to have been absent for so long but life intrudes! The better half joined the gym to use the pool and talked me into it. Some years ago, I coached high school football, some baseball and was fairly active. Lately....not so much. There is a definte softening of the middle and things have gotten a lot heavier lately. I'm blaming gravity......So its off to the gym 3 times a week. Damn.....

Friday Flash 55-Enlightenment

2009-12-10T12:33:00.001-05:00

Trembling with anticipation, he held The Book of All Knowledge in his hands! He worked up some courage and opened the leather bound volumn to the first page. Unbelievably, the first page, like all the rest, was blank! He pondered this, perplexed. How could this be? Then with a smile he picked up his pen...

AND TO OUR BENEFACTOR AND INSPIRATION.........

YOU'RE ONE KICK-ASS LEADER!

Friday Flash 55-Endings

2009-12-03T10:52:00.000-05:00

He had struggled long and hard with it, but in the end, he knew that he had to. Surronded with negativity and performing tasks he wasn't proud of had taken their toll. He gave his notice and enrolled in the classes he had yearned to take. Growth is tough but at least he would sleep!

Friday Flash 55-The Path

2009-11-25T15:49:00.000-05:00

He continued to wander the forest in search of The Path. He knew it was here because he could feel it. He climbed a high hill and looked off in the distance. Seeeing nothing, he looked back and saw a long and winding path to his feet. He realized then that the world was his......

Friday Flash 55-Angels

2009-11-19T13:14:00.005-05:00

He was going through hell. Unbelievable traffic accident, son, daughter and wife all in different hospitals. All in serious condition. Questions without any real answers and facing a future uncertain. He needed rest to clear his mind, but where to find it? Then at last finding comfort and caring. Sometimes angels can wear clown suits.....

In 1995 my wife was broadsided at an intersection by a fully loaded tractor-trailer with my son and daughter. She was life-flighted to UPMC in Pittsburgh, my son was under observation in the local hospital and my daughter was in Todd Children's Hospital in Youngstown, OH. I was traveling about 120 miles daily trying to keep up with everyone. Todd's had a Ronald McDonald house attached and I spent one night there, my parents were there for several nights. These were some of THE kindest folks I ever met, in fact one lady made my Dad a chocolate cake! Today on my way to work I stopped at the McDonald's drive thru for breakfast and they were asking for a one dollar donation for RMH. I gave a bit more. If you're out, why not grab a Big Mac and leave an extra buck or two for these folks, they're well worth it.

Friday Flash 55-Meditation

2009-11-05T07:37:00.006-05:00

Having released his frustrations into the healing waters of the lake, he climbed a hill that sat high above the water. He sat cross-legged under a majestic old oak and watched a hawk glide majestically overhead. He closed his eyes, listened to the call of the hawk and accepted the energy of Spirit deeply.

Guess I'm getting a little more introspective of late. I recently started meditation and have hung around some new-agey types. Why these ancient beliefs are called new, I'll never know. I guess you're never to old to look in new directions....or old ones!

Friday Flash 55-Skipping Stones

2009-10-09T11:03:00.003-04:00

He walked down to the lakeshore, selected the flattest stones he could find and began skipping them across the surface of the water. He had always felt a sense of calmness and spiritual connection at the water's edge.He named each stone with a negative experience he had. When the stones were gone....he breathed.

Flash Fiction 55

2009-10-02T08:23:00.003-04:00

He said, "Baby, I'm tired and I don't want to work today."

She said, "Baby needs shoes."

He said, "Sugar, I hate going to that place."

She said, "We need groceries."

He said, "Lover, my boss is an idiot and blames me for everything!"

She said. "We need a new mattress"

So he left.....forever!

Its one of those slow, boring days at work, maybe that was my inspiration....such as it was! Happy TGIF everyone....

And, by the way, this is NOT autobiographical! Mrs. usually tries to get me to take days off...

Rain Changes-Friday 55

2009-08-28T09:14:00.005-04:00

The rain is falling, soft yet determined, washing the world around me and renewing it's purpose. Tomorrow will find everything changed-no matter its appearance. Change is oh so subtle and hard to detect, yet undeniable. Not necessarily for better or worse, but changed. I feel it raining on my soul, so softly yet determined......

Yes, I know, some very deep stuff! (yech) Oh well, I have missed all you fellow bloggers, but there has been some rain here. I'm not sure where everything is headed but I do know the direction has changed some. Maybe I'll be able to put it down here sometime.....

Is it Friday again??? Lets try a Flash in 55 words!

2009-02-27T08:11:00.003-05:00

I quickly undressed and got under the covers before she got into the room. Trying so hard to be really cool but having those nervous butterflies buzzing around in my stomach. We had just met and barely spoken but I hoped this would be great! 48 years old and I'm getting my first spa massage...

Caryn got me a massage treatment at a local spa for Valentine's Day this year so I gave it a whirl last night. She told me she hoped it would relax me. I told her it was VERY thoughtful...how many wives would gift their husband with a certificate that entitles them to go into a small room, get naked and have a strange woman rub oil on them! She may be reconsidering the wisdom of her gift.....

Friday Flash 55-A little whining!

2009-02-20T08:28:00.004-05:00

Up late again,
forgot to do the wash.
Find the cleanest pair and pull 'em on!
One advantage to being bald...

No time to eat.
Drive up window time.
Brilliant, best invention ever!
But the coffee sucks...

Working harder and longer.
Making less.
This is a tough business in tough times.
Where's MY freakin' bailout?

Happy Friday all! 55 words is all you need to play. No more-no less! Stop by G-mans if you want to play!

Friday Flash-in 55!

2009-02-12T08:08:00.005-05:00

I woke up and rolled towards the middle of the bed. She was facing away from me sleeping with a slow and steady breath. I cozied up and ran a hand along her silky smooth side and down across her hip. Gone for a while, but back now and familiar. I smiled and drifted off...

Admit it...you're never sure what will be here on Friday! Me neither......Happy Friday the 13th!

Friday Flash 55! Mirrors and Shadows

2009-02-04T08:04:00.007-05:00

The date stamped on the back is in 1923. The house is older than that, so the mirror on the medicine cabinet was something new, once. The reflection is poor, its tough to shave, even with all the lights on. Is it the age of the mirror or the shadows of reflections from the past....?

My wife and I moved into an old row home in a quaint section of town-this place has a REAL main street with small shops, small pubs and restaurants and no national or chain stores. The street is tree-lined and well maintained. The house is old but most of it has been updated-except the bathroom! It has an old claw foot tub, really bad linoleum on the floor....and a really cloudy mirror! Ah, well...happy Friday!

Friday flash 55-2 weeks in a row!

2009-01-29T14:07:00.005-05:00

"I want you to touch it there," she said in her sultry voice. God knows I wanted her to be happy with my performance. I didn't want to disappoint, but this is really new territory for me and, frankly, I'm a bit intimidated. I hope the AT&T saleslady can teach me to use this I-Phone!

Things to pass on...

2009-01-29T07:54:00.002-05:00

I wrote this at Writerscafe.org a while back-around the time Little Joe was born! It is kinda cheatin', but I can copy and paste with the best of them!

Miscellaneous thoughts

We all learn things as we journey through life. Being a little past the midpoint of mine, there are some things that I want to share. I have no credentials, no expertise beyond what anyone else has, so take these things for what they're worth. These are a few things I would tell my children...if they ever cared to listen!

1. Money Matters. I know there are people out there saying that it doesn't, but it does. Having money makes things easier. When you can live day to day without worrying how to pay the mortgage, fix the car or pay for dinner, its easier. It opens the world to you, allows you to enjoy life, travel, eat well and do all the things you enjoy. There is no nobility in poverty regardless of what the monks tell you.

2. Money isn't everything. Don't define yourself by the size of your bank account, house you live in, car you drive or who's fashions you wear. Those material things that people obsess over never truly improve your life, they just become shackles that restrain your creative and spiritual side. If you spend your life collecting the latest and greatest stuff, you will never be happy. They just keep making more of it.

3. Everything in moderation. Eating, drinking, smoking and sex are all okay, as long as you don't go overboard. Having a delicious meal is great-being a glutton will kill you young. Drinking is good for the soul-drunkeness will ruin your life. If you enjoy an occasional cigar, cigarette or pipe from time to time that's fine-the Surgeon General can tell you what 2-3 packs a day will do to you.There are few things more fulfilling than a great sex life-frequently jumping into bed with various random strangers cheapens you.

4. Always be reading something. Have a book that you are reading at all times. Fiction or non-fiction doesn't matter. If you read a book a day or it takes you two months to finish doesn't matter, just have something that you pick up and read. Reading is very different from watching a movie. In a movie you are seeing and experiencing the story as the director sees it. When you read, you create your own pictures. It's exercise for your mind.

5. Take a walk. No, this is not the exercise portion of this treatise. Just put on some comfortable shoes and walk through the city, countryside, your neighborhood or along the beach. Look and listen at life around you. Let your mind wander. This is even better when holding hands with someone you care about.

6. Spirituality is divine inspiration, religion is man made. I'm not telling you what to believe in and my children can attest to that. I apologize to all the hard core church goers out there, but religion is at best a poor attempt to explain a force that is unexplainable and at its worst a means to control a group of people. Be cautious when trusting proclamations made from the pulpit, they often spring from ulterior motivation. Don't be afraid to think for yourself, you are just as qualified as they are.

7. There are more things worth dying for than there are things worth killing for. Wouldn't it be a better world if everyone understood that? Seems simple to me but if you watch the nightly news, you'll see that it is becoming more and more difficult for people to grasp.

8. Work. Work is good for the soul. Accomplish something. It matters less what it is than that you do it well.

9. Play. Play is good for the soul. Have some fun. It matters less what it is than that you enjoy playing it.

10. Laugh. Laughter is good for the soul. Find things funny. It matters less what makes you laugh than that you find humor in life.

11. Love. Love is good for the soul. Spend time with someone you love. It matters less who it is than that you allow yourself to truly love them.

12. Live. Everybody says this, but what does it mean? Life isn't the big moments, the great vacations, the big house or the expensive car. Life is all the little moments strung together. The small joke with a friend or co-worker. The movie that made you laugh or cry. Telling that special someone something significant about your day. The night out with friends. Time spent alone in contemplation. If you only live for the big things, most of your life will be wasted.

This is my list, not of the most important things but of things to consider. All of us make our lives what they will be and you may not agree with me on any of this. That's okay with me. Hmmm...maybe that's #13.....

Friday Flash 55-1 day (3 weeks and 8 months) late!

2009-01-24T11:36:00.003-05:00

Life gets in the way, sometimes.
Old friends get neglected.
Old haunts are left abandoned.
Old joys are left unexperienced.
New thoughts left unrecorded.

Problems and concerns, relations foundering, profession iffy.
Changes in place and circumstance boggle the minds ability to think.
Time to slow it down some.

Yes, sometimes life gets in the way.....

Hey guys, its been a rough year! Sorry to be away so long-I just saw all the posts from my long ago last 55-thanks to all for the great comments! For those who asked-my grandson was born on June 11, 2008 healthy, happy and cute as hell!

Friday Flash 55

2008-05-08T21:52:00.005-04:00

I sit across from you gazing into your eyes. You glance back, almost shyly, with a look I endeavor to discern. Is it invitation or rejection? Should I advance or retreat? I slowly caress the rocket in my pocket, feeling its power. "All in", I announce, as I turn up my aces!

Told you I love poker!(For those of you that are not familiar with poker slang-a pair of aces are refered to as "pocket rockets")

mhk 5/8/08

Alas, neglect!

2008-05-06T11:50:00.007-04:00

How sad the neglected blog! My apologies to the blog and the two or three people who actually read it! I've been off playing a bit of poker and it seems to have become a bit of an obsession with me!

I believe I have fallen in love with "big slick", "pocket rockets" and "ducks"! I'm playing tournament poker three or four days a week and online the others. What is it with this worldwide phenom? Why are there so many people playing so often? I have to admit to a bit of addiction. There's something about sitting at a table trying to guess what other players have and what kind of hand you can make to go with the flop on the table that makes the blood boil! When I'm not playing, I'm reading about it or watching it on TV or replaying hands (both good and bad) in my head.

I'm lucky that there is a poker club (http://riverchasers.com/) that operates in this area. It is sponsored by several bars in the area and is free to play, offering cash prizes and the opportunity to play in qualifying tournaments to big (read: expensive) tournaments in Atlantic City. Caryn and I love to go out, have a few drinks and mingle with the other players.

What is truly amazing is the diverse group of people who play. We have gotten to know people we probably would never have associated with otherwise. Folks of varying socio-economic backrounds, ethnicities and age groups who all share a common love of this game.

Anyway, I guess I'm back and hope to post more regularly here and at Helium again. If you found some amusement here before, perhaps you will again. If you found it to be lame before....well, nuthin' new!

Friday Flash 55-The big news!

2007-10-04T20:25:00.001-04:00

I got married for the first time in December of 1979. In December of 1980 my wife graced me with a bright and precocious daughter. Over the years she excelled at academics and track-going to the State tourney 2 times. She graduated from Edinboro University in 2003-Summa Cum Laude. Come next June, she will be making me a Grandpa for the first time. I love ya, Jen.

This may not be my best 55-but it's true.

If you ask a man who's honest,
he'll say "I want a son".
Someone to carry on the name,
to play and go have fun.

As that man gets ever older,
and learns a thing or two,
and if still he's honest,
This is what he'll do:

Value the depth and grace of daughters...
True.

Jen, you've always made me proud. The good things I see in me, I see in you. Not so much with my bad qualities! Congrats to you and Matt.

Flash 55-On Saturday!

2007-09-29T06:22:00.000-04:00

Ok guys, its been a rough week-sometimes the personal life gets in the way of the creative life (Mrs. Mike says that the other way around!) Anyway-here goes...

I look into your eyes and see...
Great passion.

I look into your eyes and see...
My home.

I look into your eyes and see...
My life.

I look into your eyes and see...
All of me, living, dying, loving, children...and one giant pain in the ass!

Why don't we get drunk and screw?

(If you aren't aquainted with him-that's a Jimmy Buffet song and I'm a bit of a parrothead...)

Flash 55-some serious questions(now THAT'S a litle different for me!)

2007-09-21T19:51:00.000-04:00

What does it mean to "make a difference"? How does it affect your worth as a human being? Do you need support from those that are supposed to love and support you, and if they don't, does that worth diminish? I want to do a long post on this and I'm looking for your input.

A couple of slightly naughty limericks...

2007-09-15T20:52:00.000-04:00

There was an old man from Kent,
Who's manhood was quite oddly bent.
When out for a whirl,
Remarked a young girl,
"Now that is an oddly shaped tent!"

Or this variant if you prefer:

There was an old man from Kent,
Who's manhood was quite oddly bent.
Then said a young girl,
When he gave her a whirl,
I knew not if I was coming or went!

Missy told me she was going camping at Beaver Bend. I remarked that it sounded like a limerick to me. She didn't think that I could, but;

A young lady in need did intend,
To earn money she needed to send.
So she put on a show,
An internet video,
"My God,"said he,"how that Beaver could Bend!"

Feel free to post yours in the comments!

Friday Flash 55! Once more unto the breech...

2007-09-13T21:27:00.000-04:00

Joe liked working with people. He had a great style with customers and all loved him. He never failed to satisfy even the toughest customer. Sid came in and was impossible. Sid was unsatisfied no matter what Joe tried to do to help him. Joe punched Sid square in the nose. It felt really good!

I work with people all day, and every now and then, you meet this guy! My 55 is an ode to the fantasy all of us in a service profession have!

LEST WE FORGET: 9/11/2001

2007-09-11T22:10:00.000-04:00