(Repost) Bronco Billy and the 25th law of power

When we were young, we were taught how to act, and told how to behave. The opinions of our peers decided what we would do, who we would date, and how successful our life could be. For those of us who never left our home town, these demands have become forged as the tightest shackles that bind us to the demands and needs of others.

However, once we leave that environment, we find ourselves in a new place with new friends and a new life. We are thus given and provided the opportunity to reconstruct our life. We are provided with the chance for us to define our life for ourselves. We can break forth through the limits placed on us by others.

Not only is this desirable, but it is often necessary. For true growth, and to be the most that you can be, comes from you defining how you will live, and under which terms that you will define your life.

The 25th Law of power

Law 25 
Re-Create Yourself 

Do not accept the roles that society foists on you. Re-create yourself by forging a new identity, one that commands attention and never bores the audience. Be the master of your own image rather than letting others define it for you. Incorporate dramatic devices into your public gestures and actions – your power will be enhanced and your character will seem larger than life.

The book “The 48 Laws of Power” is a classic work that defines methods and techniques by which a person may obtain power. Power can be defined many ways. It might be money, sex, relationships, ownership, control, or as pure military might.

The book goes into great detail on this subject, providing multiple examples that illustrate each technique.

One of the laws, or techniques, of power is the ability to recreate your life on your terms. This is law #25. Indeed, it is a powerful technique. For unless you have lived a charmed life, humans need to grow and expand beyond themselves. We are like a snake that sheds it’s skin, or a caterpillar who undergoes chrysalis to become a butterfly. We need to constantly strive, adapt and grow. For that is how we obtain experience.

For example motivational speaker Les Brown was classified as developmentally disabled. He was told that the best he could do was to become a janitor or a field laborer. Yet, he refused to believe that. With everyone of his classmates laughing at him, and most teachers shaking their head in sorry distain, we went ahead and forged a new life for himself.

He took on a new role; a better role as a motivational speaker.

Or consider, another radio talk show host; Rush Limbaugh. Always controversial, and bombastic, he was constantly hired and fired from jobs. No one wanted to touch him. We was considered a “wild card” and uncontrollable. Yet, by honing his abilities, and working on his strengths, he preserved and became a very famous and a very rich talk show host.

Often times, we need to move away from the thoughts, ideas, concepts of what other people think of us. Do you want to be treated as a successful businessman and not the class clown? Then you need to move away from your school mates. Do you want to be considered to be a brilliant scientist? Then you need to move away from people who call you a “book worm with no common sense”. Do you want to become a suave and sophisticated “ladies man”? Then, you need to remove yourself from the women who make fun of you and who don’t appreciate you qualities.

Now, you shouldn’t become confused. It is often more than just moving away geographically. You have to learn and hone the skills that you desire. If you want to become a “world renowned doctor”, you will need to study and cultivate your presence globally. If you want to be a “Ladies Man”, you will need to hone your relationship skills, and work on your presentation. If you want to live the life on your terms, you will have to work at it.

Have a Dream

We all need an objective. This is something that we can visualize and conceptualize. It is something that we can embrace as a target and an ideal that we can achieve.

"Bronco Billy McCoy: I've got a special message for you little pardners out there. I want you to finish your oatmeal at breakfast and do as your mom and pa tell you because they know best. Don't ever tell a lie and say your prayers at night before you go to bed. And as our friends south of the border say, 'Adios, amigos.' "

Have a Plan

Without a roadmap we are just lost in the wilderness. We need a plan to follow with a set goal to achieve. So set a goal. Describe the person who you want to be. Go into great detail. List what you want to be and what you don’t want to be.

Indian snake dance. — In the movie “Bronco Billy” all the members of his travelling fair were misfits. They were shoe salesmen, draft dodgers, and losers, who decided to step outside of their world and become something different. Here is a man who wanted to be an Indian chief.

You don’t need to use Microsoft Project to generate a plan, but you do need to take active steps. Get a notebook. It is cheap. Do not rely on your computer or cell phone to do this task. They are full of distractions. Go old school.

One cheap notebook. One pen (or pencil).

That notebook is your roadmap. Title it what ever you want, but in short it should be about one thing and one thing only; who you want to be.

Also note that it is going to be a journey. Right now you are NOT ready to be who you want to be. Some changes will be necessary. Indeed, you will need to change some things. Additionally, you will need to learn some things, and prepare some things as well. You will need to plan it out.

You can be who you want to be. — This rule applies to both men and women. It is not gender specific. In the movie “Bronco Billy”, a sad and unhappy, but filthy rich socialite ends up transforming her life into HER idea of what she wants.

For instance, using the “Ladies Man” example above, you will need to read books on how to seduce. You will need to subscribe to websites, forums and feeds with like minded people. You will need to establish goals and a training program. The training program will not only be about learning new things, but it will also be about unlearning old bad habits.

You will need to do daily positive affirmations. These are sentences that you repeat to yourself over and over to undo the programming that you have endured over the years. For instance;

I am calm, cool, and collected.
I am always happy, smart, know what to say.
I am lucky.
I dress right, my hair is perfect, and I know how to handle myself.

Positive affirmations need to be written down, and repeated daily. They work. Let them do their magic.

Work your plan

Once you map out your goal and how to get there; do it. In life, it is better to be 60% ready than wait forever to be 100% ready. You need to learn the basics and then plan on “faking it until you make it”. Close your eyes and make it happen.

Trust me, you won’t die.

"Bronco Billy McCoy: Now look! I don't take kindly to kids playin' hooky from school. I think every kid in America ought to go to school... at least up to the eighth grade. 

Young kid: We don't go to school today, Bronco Billy. It's Saturday! 
"

You will experience hurtles and problems. So what? That is life. For instance, let’s suppose your dream is to move to Bangkok, Thailand and become a go-go bar owner. It is obtainable, but it will be a lot of work. You might need to break your plan into smaller bite-sized bites and then work those pieces.

Let’s suppose your dream is to become a sheep rancher in New Zealand. It is possible, but you will need to know some basics about sheep herding, and you will need to work on the immigration paperwork.

Troubles for Bronco Billy and friends. — In the pursuit of our dreams there will be setbacks and troubles. However, they will never end your dream. It will just put it aside for a spell. Do not give up. Never give up. Never, and I do mean NEVER let ANYONE ever steal or take your dream away from you.

No matter what you do, you will need to have a plan that not only covers the physical changes that you need and want to bring about, but also covers the emotional and behavioral ones as well. But you know what? You can do it, because it is in YOUR nature.

You do not need a machine to make the world-line switch. You can do this on your own.

It gets easier over time…

"Lorraine Running Water: Do you understand what Bronco Billy and the wild west show are all about? You can be anything you want. All you have to do is go out and become it! "

The longer you work towards your dream, the easier it becomes. You always become what you think about. But actuating your thoughts with physical and tangible actions you will be able to achieve your dreams, and trust me you will be amazed how successful you will become.

Bronco Billy on stage. — You can achieve your dreams. You only need to have a plan. Keep it simple and direct and work it relentlessly. It is the one thing for you and you alone. Never let anyone steal it away from you.

When I was planning on moving to China, I studied Chinese. I had no one to practice with. I had no one to listen to. So I did it on my own, while the people around me snickered and made fun of me. You will overcome the nay-Sayers and losers. You just follow your dream and stick with your plan.

Don’t let anyone steal that from under you.

Other Sources

In the movie “Bedazzled“, a man who is helplessly in love, signs away his soul for a change to spend life with the girl of his dreams. The devil gives him six opportunities to remake himself (all, of course, with a devilish twist). The point in the movie is that you can remake yourself to obtain objectives, but that there will be a tradeoff in the process.

I won’t go so far as to say that you cannot change because it will have undesirable effects. But, I will say that what ever the image that you want to become… make sure that it is an extension of WHO YOU ARE inside.

Choose — Only you can choose who you will be? Scenes are from the movie “Bedazzled”.

Conclusion

"Antoinette Lilly: Are you for real?
 
Bronco Billy McCoy: I'm who I want to be."

The movie “Bronco Billy” is a full embodiment of the lessons of Law #25 of the “48 Laws of Power”. All of the members within his little band of entertainers were redirecting their lives toward their dreams. While it is only a Hollywood movie, and received moderate praise by the “geniuses” in Hollywood, the lessons are important and valid.

It certainly deserves a second look. Especially today with the way things are in the world today.

Don’t give up.

You can recreate your own life in the form that you want it to be in. If you are tired and exhausted in living the life as it is today, you can exit it. You are not tied to anything. You really aren’t. You can bail.

Set a goal.
Make a Plan.
Follow the Plan.
Implement it.

Live your dream. Do not let anyone stop you.

Bronco Billy is living his dream. — Be like Bronco Billy. Live your dream. You don’t have to be a poor shoe salesman in New York city. You can recreate your life into something that appeals to you. Don’t be afraid. Follow your dream.

Takeaways

The 25th Law of the 48 Laws of Power suggests that we can create the life that we want to live. We should not accept the life that others want us to live.
This is attainable.
To achieve this dream, we need to set a goal, learn, and work towards that goal.
The movie “Bronco Billy” is all about the 25th Law of Power.
By watching the movie, you get a very good understanding of what the 25th Law of Power is and how it can be applied to your life.

FAQ

Q: Is my dream achievable, even if it sounds crazy or unobtainable?
A: Yes. However, it does need to be realistic. You cannot dream about being a turtle. However, you can dream about being a caretaker for turtles in Bora Bora.

Q: My spouse thinks it is a waste of time to pursue any dreams. What do I do?
A: This is a common problem. You have a choice. You can either enlist your spouse to share in your dream, or you will be forced to follow the dream without them. In any event, if you are forbidden to live your dream… that is not a life, no matter how anyone else tries to rationalize it.

via GIPHY

Q: How can I find the time to do all that I need to do to obtain my dream?
A: If you do not find the time, your dream will never materialize.

Q: Where can I find the movie “Bronco Billy”?
A: Try Netflix or any decent torrent site. Torrents are free, and most movies can be downloaded in a few days. Rare movies might take weeks.

Bronco Billy and Lilly. — Life is too short to be unhappy. It is like a bowl of cold chili. It is up to you to make it the best best life that is possible. You need to set your foot down and take command of your life. Make your dreams happen.

Posts Regarding Life and Contentment

Here are some other similar posts on this venue. If you enjoyed this post, you might like these posts as well. These posts tend to discuss growing up in America. Often, I like to compare my life in America with the society within communist China. As there are some really stark differences between the two.

Excuses that we use that keep us enslaved.

Stories that Inspired Me

Here are reprints in full text of stories that inspired me, but that are nearly impossible to find in China. I place them here as sort of a personal library that I can use for inspiration. The reader is welcome to come and enjoy a read or two as well.

Articles & Links

You can start reading the articles by going HERE.
You can visit the Index Page HERE to explore by article subject.
You can also ask the author some questions. You can go HERE to find out how to go about this.
You can find out more about the author HERE.
If you have concerns or complaints, you can go HERE.
If you want to make a donation, you can go HERE.

Notes

Composed, edited, SEO checked and released. 27JUN18.
Corrections. 27JUN18.

It seems we’ve been visited by a very particular food critic! Did you plan a themed forage?

Today, I want to talk about the relics of our childhood.

Well, not mine specifically, but rather that of my grandfather. This was my paternal grandfather, my father’s father. Oh, and he’s “passed on”. He’s moved to the “other side”, and it’s a natural thing. It happened to him, and then to my father, and soon enough to me. It’s part of life.

And when we go, well we leave behind relics.

My grandfather died in the early 1970’s. He was a smoker, and that combined with a poisonous gas attack in France during world war I resulted in complications that eventually resulted in his death. And I, being a kid, well that was a bit traumatizing to me.

He passed on some clocks to me.

A gorgeous mantle clock with a bronze statue was given to me as my inheritance.

Maybe something like this, only with a man fighting a lion with his bare hands instead of the guy sitting there.

I wanted to keep it in my bedroom, but my father “felt” that it was too nice to “keep locked up in my room”, and instead he placed it in the family living room. And there it sat decade after decade.

Time passed.

I attended university, but the clock stayed with my mother.
I got married, but the clock stayed with my mother.
I got remarried, and then divorced, but the clock stayed with my mother…

And eventually, my mother passed on. And it was time to divide her assets.

And “my” clock; the gift from my paternal grandfather. Well, I didn’t get it. Instead a more aggressive sibling took it, claimed it was “public domain” and carted it off. Right in front of my father, who was just dumbfounded by the aggressive belligerence, and absolute lack of traditional family protocol… he was really taken aback. To tell you the truth.

You see, my grandfather’s wishes were not followed. I did not get the gift that he wanted me to get. And that failure rested clearly and cleanly on my clueless father.

My sibling who aggressively seized it, completely ignored whatever emotional or traditional attachments so that they could sell it on eBay at a personal profit.

And that is exactly what he did.

Some highest bidder paid for that item as a “thing”, totally stripped of what ever emotional entanglements that were associated with it.

And me… well, I know the influence of these actions, and the interruptions in quantum state flow and the resulting mechanisms that they set into motion.

Good or bad, right or wrong, the relics that we ignore, contribute to the life that we experience.

It’s not all unrelated. They are the direct states of your daily affairs.

Today…

Can you tell me a true story that no one will ever believe? I believe.

In my late twenties, I traveled alone to Pakistan.

The destination was a mountainous region called Hunza. You can’t go by train, just by bus.

So, the unbelievable story is that all the people in Pakistan were kind and gentle.

Before I went to Pakistan, I had a strange image of myself, but when I did, I realized it.

I go into the cafeteria and order curry. When I finished eating and was about to pay the money, the unknown guest I was sharing the table with said, ”I’ll pay for you.”. This happened often.

On a long bus trip, we got off at a service area-like location, and a male passenger from somewhere invited us to come over and have a chai with us.

Also, there were irregular bus services around Hunza, so I hitchhiked there. No money was asked for, and when I tried to pay it, it was refused.

One time Runkle stopped, carried me. During small talk with the driver, I learned that if Japanese people think that building a house is status, then that in Pakistan it is a car, and this used rankle is worth 7 million yen. I was surprised. Because the monetary value was completely different.

By the way, a Pakistani meal of curry cost about 40 yen. At the time, I was driving a MarkⅡQualis, which cost 2.5 million yen new.

As I was standing at a bus stop where buses weren’t coming, I was kind enough to say, ”Hey, Japani, there’s no bus coming, so please stay at my house today.”.

I don’t know what I’ll find out about Pakistan in just two weeks, but you guys in Pakistan were nice and helpful.

I sometimes talk about Pakistan in class, but neither my students nor teachers believe me.

He wanted to say goodbye

What is the cruelest way to get fired?

I once worked for a serious jerk and he fired someone on Monday. He knew they had a drive of over an hour to get to work, so he let them come in, waited until they got their coffee, got settled and turned on their terminal and then called them in.

He fired them, told them he’d give them 5 minutes to make any statement they cared to make and then leave. He also pointed out that yes, he’d calculated in the one extra day (Monday itself) he had to pay them to make it legal to call them in … but … just 4 hours, the state’s “minimum call.”

Later on the company changed policy to all firings are on Thursday (pay day, so we’d have your check waiting already). Even then, this guy was a d**k about it. The guideline was that you were supposed to call the person in before lunch — say around 10:30 — and let them go. However, they were paid for the whole day, so this guy would wait until 15 minutes before the end of the person’s shift and tell them then.

He’s the primary reason behind why HR finally took over the function and took it out of individual managers’ hands as to when notices are given.

I once had a choice of either accepting a transfer or being let go. This was sprung on the day before Christmas Eve (12/23). I’d get to go to the company Christmas lunch and then go home if I agreed to the the transfer.

If not, I’d have to work until the normal 3:30 on 12/24, could not go to the lunch and would be done as of the end of the day. I was told this just before I went home on 12/23 and that my answer was due at 8:00 AM the following morning.

Worst case I ever heard of was an SOB who fired an accounting assistant out of the blue. They were on a production in Canada (Toronto area) and this guy called her in, fired her and told her to leave the production office immediately. That would be bad enough until he went on to say:

– he’d called the hotel and canceled her room. The production would pay only up to last night. So it looked like she had just about 10 minutes to make the 30 minute drive to the hotel to avoid another (expensive) charge on her own bill.

– he’d also immediately informed the Canadian government that she was fired, thereby revoking her work visa. She had just 24 hours, starting about an hour ago, to leave the country. And lots of luck with that, because …

– … since she didn’t complete her assignment, he’d canceled her airline ticket.

– not that it would matter, given that the hotel would probably hold her passport anyway with new charges on her bill.

Fortunately, a sympathetic manager at the hotel didn’t charge her even though she was almost an hour late. He also didn’t hold her passport, since she didn’t owe anything. She called her boyfriend … the hotel was allowing her to hang out in the lobby … but there they hit a snag.

He didn’t have the money for a ticket from Toronto to LA and there was some red tape involved too. She’d have to go to the international area of the Toronto airport and wait until he could scrape up the money and go through all the hoops the airline wanted.

Finally, another hotel staffer came up with an idea. She could afford a bus to Buffalo, NY. That would get her across the border legally and it was only about a 5 hour trip. From there, the boyfriend could get a less expensive and no international red tape involved ticket home.

Orange Pistachio Date Bread

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Ingredients

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup orange juice
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup coarsely chopped shelled pistachios

Instructions

Place a rack in the lower third of oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.
Mix the all-purpose flour, wheat flour, baking powder and salt together in one bowl.
In another bowl, mix the milk, orange juice, zest and vanilla extract.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Beat in the eggs.
Gradually beat in the flour mixture and milk mixture using low speed or by hand, alternating in 3 parts. Stop when the batter has just come together; do not over-beat.
Fold in the dates and pistachios.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 70 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.
Unmold and set loaf on rack to cool completely.

Notes

Can be stored well wrapped and refrigerated for 2 days before serving.

How does a liquor manufacturer that makes 12 year old scotch stay in business for the first 11 years?

A few years ago my wife and I went on a tour of Irish distilleries which we both quite enjoyed. One of the places on the tour was a brand that had gone out of business several decades earlier but an investment group had purchased the name and was reviving the brand.

I asked the same question.

“If you’ve only been distilling again for a few years, how are you selling 12 year already?”

The tour guide explained that the company was actually buying 10 year old aged whisky from competitors at a discount, storing it in used wooden barrels purchased from American whisky distilleries (like Jack Daniels) and shipped to Ireland for this express purpose, and after just one or two years on the shelf is able to produce a “12 year” or “21 year” premium product.

They get the discount by manufacturing far more raw whiskey than they need themselves, and providing the excess raw mash to the people who sell them the aged product. This keeps their employees busy, keeps a limited income stream going, and builds the name. All the while, they are putting their own product into the ageing warehouses so they will only have to do the “swapsies” trick for ten years or so.

The investment group understands this is needed and have set aside funds to cover the shortfalls until they can stand on their own, but it takes a lot less money with this method than just sitting on your product for a dozen years with no sales and not building brand recognition in that time.

Don’t Look

Written in response to: “People have gathered to witness a once-in-a-lifetime natural phenomenon, but what happens next is not what they expected.“

C.N. Jung

Funny Teens & Young Adult Drama

“I say there’s nothing dangerous about it… can’t be worse than looking into the sun. All that happens when you do that is you get a little burn and some eye floaters.”The two boys sat outside Kenny’s house. They reclined in lawn chairs, seated around a crackling bonfire. Kenny took a drag from his cigarette.He squinted at Bobby, who’d brought forth this new strand of conversation. “You sayin’ lookin’ at the eclipse can’t be worse than lookin’ at the sun?”Bobby took a gulp from his beer can—one of the six that Kenny had taken from his pa’s liquor cabinet.“Yup. That’s what I think, man.” He said, confidently.Kenny scratched his chin. “Ain’t the eclipse supposed to be worse?”

“Yeah.” Bobby finished off the can and threw it behind him. “But they just sayin’ that.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Kenny snorted. Twin wisps of smoke sprayed from his nostrils and engulfed his head in a dense cloud. “Figures. People are such sissies.”

Bobby nodded enthusiastically. “Sure are. Man! Think about how some losers our age waste their lives goin’ to college when they could be enjoyin’ the freedom of bein’ outta school for good.”

“Exactly. Parents wouldn’t care so long as they were paying their way. Like me. I work part time at Pa’s retail store, and in turn,” Kenny jerked his head to the cabin behind him. “Free digs.”

“Yup.” Bobby picked up another can from the six-pack.

Kenny eyed the sky above their heads. It was a clear and cloudless Saturday morning.

The eclipse was supposed to be visible by midday, around 3:00 PM, as his ma had told him earlier.

Kenny pointed his cigarette at the sky. “Eclipse will be out in a few hours… Hey, I got me an idea, Bob.”

Bobby perked up. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Kenny stood up. “Here, take my phone and get ready, man. We’re gonna show them sissies all across this doggone country how a real man handles an eclipse.”

***

Kenny stood in the middle of the yard, with his back to the woods. His house was in the middle of nowhere.

Which made for great hunting growing up. Deer would walk right into the yard, and Pa would shoot at them from out of the windows…until a cop showed up and said he couldn’t do that because the neighbors way down the road were finding bullets on their porch from shots gone wild.

Them neighbors were sissies, scared of a few bullet shells.

“Ready?” Kenny chirped, his gaze darting to the captivating eclipse shimmering in his peripheral vision—as fierce and mesmerizing as a cosmic firework.

But it’s like Pa says—nothing to be afraid of but fear itself. Pssh, scared of the moon? As if, Kenny mused to himself, a smirk playing on his lips.

“I’m ready! Man, oh, man! We gonna go viral with this crap!” Bobby boasted, striking a pose that he probably thought looked cool: Kenny’s iPhone 8 in hand. Despite its camera being the technological equivalent of a potato, it wasn’t about the quality—it was the sheer audacity of their stunt that would have folks spamming the replay button on Kenny’s YouTube channel, ‘Don’t be a Wimp 2023’. This was digital gold; they could feel it.

Kenny closed his eyes, then opened them. “Okay, here it goes. You filming?”

Bobby blinked, confusion painting his face. “Uh, how does one tell, exactly?”

“For the love of—hit the red button, Einstein!” Kenny couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

“Oh. Okay.” Bobby held up a thumbs-up. “Got it!”

Kenny took a deep breath. He put on a smile. “Alrighty, folks! My name is Kenny Lessar of Huston, Texas. Today I’m gonna be looking straight at the eclipse for ten minutes straight! Just to prove to all you cowards at home that there’s nothing to be afraid of.” Kenny grinned. “Watch.”

He craned his neck, locking eyes with the eclipse that seemed to stare back like a giant, cosmic cat eye, full of mystery and silent challenge. Kenny hadn’t been staring for even a few seconds when his eyes began to prickle. He fought to keep from squinting.

“See! See!” Bobby was jumping up and down. “Nothing to it! Right, Kenny?”

“R-Right…”

A few minutes passed. Bobby kept spitting out words. He sounded like his Pa when the man would do commentary for the rodeos in town. Kenny was beginning to feel like one of them bull riders, struggling to stay steady while Bobby mewled on about how great he was.

“Kenny here ain’t no pansy. He ain’t scared of no moon! Ha!”

“Kenny knows he’s the man!”

“He-.”

“Bobby…How much…how much longer?”

“Two minutes. Man, oh, man! We’ll have to send a copy of this video to NASA! They’ll feel real dumb about all them warnings they put out.”

“Uh huh, yeahâ€¦ Bobby, how much?”

“And we’ll show your ma, Kenny! And we’ll show all our college buddies how worthless their dang degrees are-.”

“Bobby-.”

“And-.”

“BOBBY! HOW MUCH?!”

“Oh. None. It’s been ten minutes.” Bobby laughed happily. “You can stop, if you want to.”

Kenny lowered his head. He blinked hard. His vision was coated in splotches of fog, and black dots danced from one corner of his eyes to the other. He blinked and rubbed at them, but it did no good.

Kenny’s heart started racing. “Bobby, man! I can’t see!”

Bobby frowned. “Uh, Kenny. I stopped recording. You don’t have to act like anything happened.”

“I’m not acting!” Kenny squealed. He pressed the palms of his hands to his eyes, but it just made the mess that was his eyesight even worse.

“Man…you gotta be actin’…right?”

“No!” Kenny’s stomach lurched as he realized the gravity of what he’d just done. His eyes were screwed up! Bad. “I’m blind, Bobby! I can’t see.”

“Uh…well, it’ll probably go away. Right?”

“I don’t know, man!” Kenny swallowed. He stumbled over to Bobby. “Give me my phone!”

“Why?”

“Cause I’m seeing what the hell NASA says about this!”

Do barracks bunnies actually exist in the army?

Unfortunately. Yes.

I guess everyone has their thing. Barracks bunnies, badge bunnies, the whole bad boy thing.

That always made me wonder. WTF?

I got lucky. We had many soldiers that were in their thirties. Married with kids. In the military for ten years. 1977. Long seperations due to war. Moving base to base. Thousands of miles from their parents and siblings. That’s a very hard and nomadic life for those women. Good decent loyal women.

Then we had barracks bunnies. WTF?

So as a 17 year old soldier I had examples of both extremes right in front of me.

Why a woman would ever choose that was beyond me.

There were bars that soldiers frequented. They were loaded with local girls looking for a young soldier.

Drill SGT Webb taught us this.

“ You are my babies. When little sugar britches downtown gets a look at you she is going to lose it. I know in this enlightened age you won’t believe this. The area around this base is economically impoverished. You are their ticket out of here. It’s either you or working 20 hours a week at the Speedy Mart out on the highway for the rest of their life.”

I thought he was bullshitting. As soon as we got off base they swarmed us. Promises of a future and of undying love.

Later I was stationed in a booming high priced area. Some women just had a thing for soldiers.

I got there right before lots of soldiers were finishing their enlistment. Barracks bunnies all hooked up with soldiers. Then all those soldiers left. Went home. Those barracks bunnies found a new one right away. Same faces every weekend. Different guy. I saw it over and over. Don’t ask me why they didn’t like the local guys.

So yeah. They exist. NSA. Go figure.

MAGA In Shock:$100 Can’t Even Buy Groceries Anymore

A timeshare should be a good idea. How did they get turned in to such a rip off where you can’t even give them away?

It has always been nonsense. It has never been a good thing – It has merely been a sales pitch with the ironclad contract.

Well, just consider this.

You buy a week and you own a week of sun – This sounds inexpensive and shrewd – good culture.

In fact, however, the building isn’t yours and the sand isn’t yours. Mean.

This means that you owe the person or entity an obligation or debt – A mean business of maintenance fees, a stupid ugly thing – A thing that keeps coming back and only goes up.

The walls grow old and pool water needs chlorine.

The lobby needs a bad painting, but that ain’t important – you pay, your kids will pay, forever.

There’s like no way out of this junk – This is the brilliance of the con, you can’t pitch this – Why purchase your used week when the salesman can deliver a new one coupled with free golf?

Do you intend to sell it in the market?

This is a mythical location.

The same sharks who run it built a perfect trap-This is no vacation. Life sentence-perhaps, for your wallet.

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Sir Whiskerton and the Case of the Picnic Predicament

Ah, dear reader, return with me to the tail end of a glorious summer. The sky was a vast, untroubled blue, the air warm but laced with the first, faint promise of autumn coolness. It was, in short, a perfect day for a picnic. This particular ambition had been planted in the farmer’s mind by none other than Fisherman Finn, who had spun a tale of a “Picnic of Perfect Harmony” he’d once enjoyed on a mythical lakeshore, where the sandwiches were always crisp and the lemonade never spilled.

Inspired, the farmer, with a heart full of uncharacteristic boldness, had invited Martha for a picnic on the sunny hill that lay between their two farms. And Martha, to his delight and terror, had said yes.

The Best-Laid Plans of Mice and Monkeys

The farmer had spent the morning in a flurry of preparation. He had carefully, if clumsily, packed a basket. Or, he thought he had. Unbeknownst to him, a whirlwind of simian mischief had passed through his kitchen. Banjo the Monkey, seeing the unattended basket as a prime opportunity for a snack swap, had made his move.

“Ooh, shiny! And tasty!” Banjo had chattered to himself, replacing the farmer’s carefully assembled cheese sandwiches and apple slices with his own gourmet selections: a handful of acorns, a slightly bruised but singularly magnificent banana, and a glittering collection of bottle caps he’d been hoarding. “The humans will love it! A feast fit for a king… of the jungle!”

Meanwhile, Martha was preparing her own contribution. She had baked a beautiful, golden-brown loaf of sunflower seed bread, its warm, yeasty scent filling her kitchen. She laid it carefully in her own wicker basket atop a charming red-and-white checkered tablecloth. Turning her back for just a moment to fetch a jar of her famous blackberry preserves, she was unaware of a furry, silent shadow. In a flash, Banjo swooped in, snatched the warm loaf, and vanished into the rafters, leaving only a trail of crumbs.

The Hill of Hope and Horror

The scene on the hill was idyllic. Martha had spread the red-and-white cloth on the soft grass. The farmer arrived, his heart pounding, holding his basket behind his back like a secret treasure.

“I brought the lunch,” he said, his voice a little too loud.

“And I brought the setting,” Martha replied with a warm smile, gesturing to the cloth. “And… well, I thought I brought the bread.” She peeked into her own basket and her face fell. “That’s odd. It’s gone.”

The farmer saw his chance to be the hero. “Not to worry! I’ve got plenty,” he declared, presenting his basket with a flourish.

He lifted the lid. His triumphant smile froze, then shattered. He stared, uncomprehending, at the pile of nuts, the lone banana, and the glinting heap of bottle caps. The color drained from his face. It was a catastrophe. A monkey-made mockery of his romantic ambitions.

“I… I don’t…” he stammered, utterly mortified. “There were sandwiches… I swear…”

But Martha didn’t gasp or look disappointed. She leaned forward, peered into the basket, and then a sound escaped her—a soft, bubbling laugh that grew into a full, joyful peal of laughter that echoed across the hill.

“Oh, George!” she managed, wiping a tear from her eye. “It seems we’ve been visited by a very particular food critic! Did you plan a themed forage?”

Her laughter wasn’t mocking; it was infectious, dissolving his horror into bewildered relief. The situation was so absurd it circled back to being wonderful.

“How about we forage for our lunch?” Martha suggested, her eyes twinkling. “I saw blackberry bushes down the slope, and I know a patch of blueberries just on the other side of this hill.”

A Feast of Simpler Things

And so, the picnic became an adventure. They spent a blissful hour wandering the sun-dappled hillside, their fingers and lips stained purple with sweet, ripe berries. They shared the single banana, breaking it in half with a quiet ceremony that felt more intimate than any five-course meal. The farmer, shedding his embarrassment, pointed out a cardinal’s nest; Martha showed him a patch of wild mint. They talked and laughed, the missing bread and phantom sandwiches completely forgotten.

From a nearby thicket, a chorus of farm animals watched, their own well-intentioned plan in ruins. They had assembled a perfect backup basket, complete with daisy chains and a miniature quiche from Chef Remy’s latest (successful) experiment.

“He had the perfect excuse to hold her hand and he made it about safety?” Rufus whined, his tail drooping as he watched the farmer help Martha over a fallen log on their way back. The farmer’s hand had firmly held hers for the few crucial seconds it took her to cross, letting go the moment her feet were safe on the other side. “I would’ve pretended to fall in the creek! Twice!”
“It was a textbook hand-hold opportunity,” Porkchop agreed around a mouthful of the backup quiche he’d decided to sample. “Wasted. Totally wasted.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Bessie the Cow mused. “It was very respectful. Very zen. He was fully present in the moment of assisting a fellow being.”
Doris scoffed. “Respectful? Zen? He needs to be present in the moment of romance!”

The Lingering Feeling

As the sun began to dip lower, casting long, golden shadows, the farmer and Martha returned to the red-and-white cloth. They sat in a comfortable silence, sated on sunshine and wild fruit. The empty baskets were a testament not to a failed plan, but to a spontaneous success.

The farmer’s hand, the one that had held hers, still tingled with the memory of her touch. Martha, looking out over the patchwork of their two farms stretching out below, smiled a soft, private smile. The feeling of his strong, calloused hand enveloping hers had been brief, but it lingered, a warm and pleasant ghost of a touch.

From my vantage point on a sun-warmed rock, I observed it all.

“You see,” I remarked to Ditto, who was attempting to balance a bottle cap on his nose. “The most memorable feasts are not the ones we plan, but the ones we discover. And the grandest gestures are often the simplest, most honest ones.”

Ditto, for a wonder, didn’t echo. He just looked at the contented couple on the hill, the bottle cap falling forgotten into the grass, and purred.

The End

Moral: The best adventures and the sweetest connections often bloom from the ruins of our best-laid plans.

Best Lines:

“It seems we’ve been visited by a very particular food critic! Did you plan a themed forage?” – Martha
“He had the perfect excuse to hold her hand and he made it about safety? I would’ve pretended to fall in the creek! Twice!” – Rufus the Dog
“The most memorable feasts are not the ones we plan, but the ones we discover.” – Sir Whiskerton

Post-Credit Scene:
Later that evening, Banjo the Monkey is found swinging from the farmhouse porch rafters, wearing the farmer’s best hat and looking decidedly queasy, a single crust of Martha’ stolen sunflower seed bread still clutched in his paw.

Key Jokes:

The stark contrast between the farmer’s intended picnic and Banjo’s idea of a “feast.”
The animals’ elaborate backup plan and their frustration at the farmer’s “wasted” hand-holding opportunity.
Banjo’s immediate and karmic indigestion from eating an entire loaf of fresh-baked bread.

Starring:

Sir Whiskerton (The Poetic Narrator)
The Farmer & Martha (The Foraging Duo)
Banjo the Monkey (The Chaotic Caterer)
Rufus, Porkchop, Doris & Bessie (The Critical Backup Brigade)
Ditto (The Silent Apprentice)

P.S.
Remember, if your picnic basket is full of bottle caps, don’t despair. It just means your story is going to be a lot more interesting—and your hands might just end up holding something better than a sandwich.

What are some examples of extremely clever problem solving in the software development world?

In 1983, this guy was a computer programmer at Lucasfilm.

He was optimizing a real time animation program and wanted to “unroll” a loop in C. This is a way to optimize code by reducing the number of times the computer has to check if the loop can be ended.

This was the original loop:

send(to, from, count)

{

do { /* count > 0 assumed */

*to = *from++;

} while(–count > 0);

}

Normally, a loop is unrolled by dividing the loops by a number and copying the code within the loop that many times. So, something that loops 64 times would loop 8 times with the code repeated 8 times, eliminating 56 times that the program has to check if the loop is complete like this:

send(to, from, count)

{

do {

*to = *from++;

*to = *from++;

*to = *from++;

*to = *from++;

*to = *from++;

*to = *from++;

*to = *from++;

*to = *from++;

} while (–n > 0);

}

The problem was that he didn’t know ahead of time how many times it would loop, so he couldn’t be guaranteed an even division. This would normally be handled with two loops, one like the above code and one for the remainder. He wanted it more compact and even more optimized though, so he drew on his experience with assembly, looked at the spec for the switch statement in C and realized he could mix a loop and a case statement to do this:

send(to, from, count)

{

switch (count % 8) {

case 0: do { *to = *from++;

case 7: *to = *from++;

case 6: *to = *from++;

case 5: *to = *from++;

case 4: *to = *from++;

case 3: *to = *from++;

case 2: *to = *from++;

case 1: *to = *from++;

} while (–n > 0);

}

}

His name is Tom Duff, and that brilliant block of code is known as Duff’s device. When I was first learning C, a senior developer told me about it and explained it to me. I was so impressed, that I scoured my code for a loop to unroll and successfully implemented it.

Granted, my code was fast enough and it didn’t make much of a difference in performance, but I was able to say I used Duff’s device. Yes, it was premature optimization, but I didn’t care. It was Duff’s flippin’ device!

Edit:

I’ve had a few people suggest edits to change “*to” to “*to++”. The samples of the original code and the Duff’s device (first and last samples) are taken verbatim from Tom Duff’s 1983 email to Ron Gomes, Dennis Ritchie, and Rob Pike.

https://swtch.com/duffs-device/td-1983.txt

It was copying from an array to a programmed IO data register, which is why it’s “*to” instead of “*to++”.

Pictures

Why is it said that the world will officially enter the “G2 era” after the conclusion of the China-U.S. summit on October 30?

China is unlikely to entertain the idea of “G2.”

From what I’ve seen on the Chinese internet, most netizens are unhappy about it, feeling that Trump is treating China like a child.

Over 2,300 years ago, during the Warring States period, the two most powerful states in China were Qin and Qi.

Qin said to Qi, “Let’s rule the world together!” (a kind of ancient “G2”).

The ruler of Qi agreed.

At that time, the other states already hated and feared Qin, but outwardly showed obedience due to its military might.

When they saw Qi willing to form a “G2” with Qin, these potential anti-Qin allies were deeply disappointed—especially since there was still the Zhou king (the equivalent of a “United Nations”) to whom all the states were nominally loyal.

The Warring States period was a bit like today’s world.

In truth, whether in Europe, Japan and South Korea, the Middle East, South America, or Africa—many people are dissatisfied with the United States deep down.

It’s just that not every country is as powerful as Russia; most have no choice but to swallow their anger.

So if the U.S. proposes some sort of “G2” and China smiles happily—wouldn’t that be foolish?

To put it bluntly, according to traditional Chinese philosophy, China should pursue the 王道 kingly way of benevolence and righteousness, and is willing to share.

Concepts like the “community with a shared future for mankind” and the “Belt and Road Initiative” are modern expressions of this “kingly way.”

If China were to join the so-called G2, it would imply that China intends to follow 霸道 a hegemonic path based on strength, much like the United States.

Throughout history, numerous hegemonic powers have risen and fallen one after another.

I believe China has grown weary of this cycle and hopes to forge a new path.

“`

By the way, this might be the greatest difference in mindset between Eastern and Western peoples.

Take Lithuania, or more recently Poland and the Netherlands — they keep provoking China.

Chinese netizens’ reaction is always the same: astonishment!

How dare they?

Do they not understand what it means for a nation to be annihilated? For its language to be erased? For its DNA to vanish without a trace?

When I think about it carefully — perhaps they truly don’t know. They’ve never lived through 500 years of warring states, or 1,500 years of ceaseless bloodshed.

These small countries are like spoiled children of Western civilization. It’s best not to use Western logic to understand the Eastern mind.

Emerald Nightfall

Written in response to: “People have gathered to witness a once-in-a-lifetime natural phenomenon, but what happens next is not what they expected.“

George Georgerfrost@gmail.com

Contemporary Fiction Science Fiction

You can tell when it’s coming. Sunset brings on a strange vibration even that the sylvan creatures feel. The birds change the mood of their twilight songs to a more somber melody. We hillfolk know all the signs of this rare phenomenon that is coming at night fall when the clouds float like ancient spirits and a wave of rich emerald bathes the rocky landscape.It is the night of their return and woe to those who do not heed the coming of the Emerald Nightfall. Some of the creatures start to howl or screech at the sagging full moon. Smaller creatures, often prey, scurry into the brush for safety as the sky is engulfed in the swirling emerald kaleidoscope. The wind begins to blow rocking the higher branches and boughs of the pines sounding like an oncoming train.Let me warn you of what may come and take heed, take shelter, but, pray, do not let the garish green misty light fall upon your being, because the stain, like Cain’s blood will never wash off.I have lived here in this cabin for nearly thirty years after my wife died in labor giving birth to a son I would never get to know. It was on an Emerald Nightfall. Back then I did not fully understand the impact of the transcendental power that came with this occurrence, but seeing Sarah slip away wrapped in a bloody sheet with my son Isaac in her arms, I came to fear and respect the powers of the unknown.There are those among us who are in communication with those powers and they warn us to be on guard lest our souls be taken as ransom. Their stories of the horrible magic that comes with an Emerald Nightfall is enough to make a believer of a hardened man like myself.My name is Moses Stearns and I have lived long enough to witness two Emerald Nightfalls, this will be my third. I felt the wind pick up earlier this afternoon while I was fishing in the stream near my cabin for dinner. The clouds started forming and I knew it was coming. Shadows start deepening and pulling free from the things they are shadowing for.”We’d bes’ be gettin’ on, Brigadier.” I utter to my black Labrador as I pack my tackle box. Even the gurgling water seems to be casting strange reflections as it cascades by.As I stated before, I came up to these hills in North Carolina after burying my wife and son in some forgotten cemetery in Raleigh. I never saw no reason to go back. The past has always brought me nothing but pain and grief. Up here in the Great Smoky Mountains, I have found a temporary place in this world with my homemade squeezins and doing odd jobs here and there. I need very little as it is and I keep my cash buried in mason jars out back. I’ve lost track of just how much I got stashed there, but it don’t really matter to me anyway.

“Emerald Nightfall comin'” I waved to Chester as I continued on to my cabin. He just nods and closes the door.

Chester has lived his whole life up here. He knows. He told me the green mist came from some evil cult that used to have human sacrifices in the deep woods. Chester said they used to put chemicals in the flames to make it burn green. I’m not much on superstitions, but all I know is the Emerald Nightfall reached where I was living with Sarah and I saw what it did. After that, I didn’t want to tangle with the evil that went with it.

I heard what all them professors and doctors of astrology had to say about it and it all sounds like gibberish to me. I heard one of them spouting off about it. The television station we were watching put his name followed by PhD at the bottom of the screen.

“Hey Mo, come look at this.” Sarah pointed to the screen as she rubbed her round belly, “He’s talking about some phenomenon that is supposed to happen tonight.”

“Sounds like hooey to me.” I shook my head as I walked out of the room.

How was supposed to know she would have trouble sleeping and her leg cramps made her get out of bed. How was I supposed to know she’d go outside for her walk? How was I supposed to know that the emerald light would cover her and the baby? How was I supposed to know what that would do to her until she woke up a few hours later screaming out for me? And when I found her on the sofa, she reached out for me, but it was too late.

Hemorrhage is a terrible word or so I learned that night.

Dr. van Dyke told me, “Moses, there was nothing you could have done to save the baby or her.”

He put his hand on my shoulder as I sobbed over Sarah and the baby.

Franita D’Aramatang stopped by a day after their funerals. She was dressed in black and wore a black turban with a gold star in the center. She started speaking in this strange language as she burned this incense as she waved the smoke all around the room where Sarah died, “Spirits release the soul of Sarah and Isaac Stearns.”

I stood there awestruck, unable to move as Franita continued her ceremonial ritual. When I looked at her dark face, all I could see were just the whites of her eyes. She began to shake convulsively that made me wonder just whose side she was on.

I didn’t wonder for long as her head turned completely around on her neck. The devil had walked into my home, but then she told me that they were safe. Her words of assurement sounded like a child’s prayer filled with hope and faith; two things I have been short most of my life.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Why do you ask? You called me.” Her eyes burned into mine.

“I did not call you.” I shook my head.

“Your inner voice told me to come.” She tilted her head as if I was mistaken.

When she left, I made up my mind that I had to leave. Franita D’Aramatang had waken the spirits that would never sleep again.

The second time the Emerald Nightfall came, I locked the doors and windows. There wasn’t enough protection to keep any probing spirits out, but while they rattled my windows, none dared to intrude my cabin. I guess I dud not have anything they wanted. I did hear some stories from my neighbor Chester, that some people were sucked into the emerald mist, never to be seen again. Listening to him ramble on made me very uneasy as I helped him repair his fence.

“The Quigley’s had some of them cult folk in their family, but the cult disbanded before you moved up here.” He rubbed the back of his neck with his kerchief, “I suspect if there are any of ’em, they are pretty aged by now or dying off for sure.”

“We’d better get this fence repaired before the Emerald Nightfall sets in.” I searched the sky, but it was still blue and innocent.

As I peered up at the sky, I saw green lines streaking across the sky. The crickets were silent. The birds sang a somber tune like something they would play at a funeral, my Sarah’s funeral. I remember the sad melody played on a bugle and bagpipe as they lowered her casket into the open grave.

I would sit on my porch as the sun began to set peacefully between the gnarled old pines. Shadows began to dance free just like they had the other two times.

My neighbor on the south side, Elmer Quigley sauntered over wearing a smile with a couple of gaps. He tipped his straw hat and nodded,”Moses, ready for the Emerald Nightfall?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” I answered without relinquishing my chair, “Care to join me for a spell.”

“I might til the twilight.” He sat without the grace of an older man. Most folks guess his age was just a might over seventy, but when I looked into his gray lifeless eyes, I knew he is well past eighty. My mama said the eyes don’t lie and I do believe this is a hard truth. Searching his overall pockets for his pack of Lucky Strikes, he managed to Pull out a cigarette and light his stick match on a rough patch in his clothing. His gray focused on the tree lined horizon. “Been some time since our last one.”

“What, the Emerald Nightfall?”

“Yeah, that’s what most folks around here call it.” He sat back and blew a thick cloud of smoke.

“Yeah, and what do You call it?”

“Hunter’s Moon.” He smiled a crooked smile and winked.

“What’s a Hunter’s moon, Elmer?”

“Used to be a signal that the members was supposed to find a victim for the sacrificial rite.” His smug expression made me leery as I sat there watching the sky covered with this eerie blanket. He shrugged, “We always managed to find someone until Judge Orcutt put a stop to, as he called it, ‘our barbaric ritualistic rites.’ But we found other ways to keep our practice from being swept away by this bureaucratic nonsense.”

“How did you manage that?” I asked as he began moving like a serpent.

“We went underground.” His shrug was so nonchalant it made my blood run cold. “We wrote in an invented language. Can you imagine people inventing a language just so those in authority wouldn’t have a clue about what you are saying. You must understand that language can be used as a weapon. How sublime. What we speak, the words we use, can be as lethal as a bullet fired from a gun.”

His laugh echoed in the empty woods surrounding my cabin. Suddenly, I felt trapped. All the years I lived here, I felt the freedom of being my own man. Final judgment would not come until my name was called, but here I was trapped like a critter in one of my snares. His smile, his mild, self assuming manner was casting a spell on me.

Elmer rose to his naked feet, tossed his Cigarette butt into the tall grass and said, “I reckon I bes’ be headed on. Glad we talked.”

His eyes raked over me and I swallowed and said, “Yup, I see the sky startin’ to turn.”

“It always amazes me when the transition is taking place. It’s as if the world starts rotating the other way. Counterclockwise. Time begins to regress. The creatures of the woods are silenced in reverence and for just a moment you regain what has been lost. When Death is knocking on our door, we refuse to answer. We refuse to answer.” His dark eyes raked me over again before he tipped his hat and went on his merry way.

He was gone, no longer a threat or nuisance. I would go inside and let this Emerald Nightfall pass. I got myself into bed and dreams came quickly.

We were holding hands in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. We were so much in love, just like all the rest. We were so much in love we could not wait so we dropped out of college and moved in together. Time did not fit into our plans. We were both compulsive and sure that we could live on love. We ended up getting married when Sarah found she was pregnant. Our life would begin in a domestic paradise. But reality plays a harsh game and soon we realized we were in for a rough road ahead, still we felt young and strong enough to overcome whatever came our way.

I wrapped myself in this dream like a warm blanket and did not want to wake from it.

“Moses!” The wind shrieked, waking me from my dream. My head became an echo chamber as the wind rattled the recesses of my mind. I did not answer, because I knew this was a trap.

“Moses, come here quickly, I need you!” The disembodied voice continued to shriek outside my door. Suddenly I felt transported back to that horrible night when I first encountered the Emerald Nightfall. Had I passed through some vortex of which I could not escape, I could not free myself from? The memory. That wretched memory was with me again.

It was her voice. I reached over to her side of the bed, but she was gone. Where was she?

“Moses. something is wrong. Help me…”

Her voice began to fade and weaken.

I called out for her, the dream still vivid in my mind. I could not help her. It was too late.

But what if I could? What if this Emerald Nightfall would let me transcend time and do what I could not do back then? I would do anything. Anything to have her back.

“I am here.” Her voice was pleading in pain.

I remember how I had promised her that I would protect her, but all of my promises became like sand slipping through my hands. No matter how quickly I moved my feet, it felt like I was running in quicksand. When I held her, I could feel her slipping away.

What can I do Sarah?

“Open the door and you will find me.”

Colors flashed through the windows.

I could feel the walls vibrate. Any second I would be on my way to Oz with Brigadier in tow instead of Toto.

It felt as though I was climbing a steep mountain pass as I struggled to reach the door. Brigadier let out a warning bark, but I tugged on the door handle with all my strength. Once the door was open there was the green mist staring at me like a specter.

“Sarah!” I called out in the howling wind, but there was no answer.

Once again I was a fool to my desire and earnest prayers. She was not there. The green mist covered me as Brigadier stood in the doorway barking furiously as I was sucked into the Emerald Nightfall.

“Moses, is that you?” The voice was as soft as any I had ever heard. When the emerald mist cleared there was Sarah standing there as beautiful as I could remember.

“It is I.” I puffed out my chest in my false bravado.

She embraced me. I could feel her hands and arms wrapped around me.

“I missed you so much.” I whispered in her ear.

“I missed you, too.” She kissed me on the cheek. I felt the warmth of her lips pressed against my skin. I had waited a long time, a very long time.

I doubt few of us will remember our autopsy, but I remember it clearly as the coroner poked around my inners with his scalpel before writing down “Death by Affixation” and signing the document.

“It was a terrible fire.” Elmer put his hands in his pockets when the coroner walked into the waiting area.

“Damn shame.” The coroner sighed. “I have heard some strange stories about the Emerald Nightfall, but I never heard it starting a fire like it did.”

“No sir, it was a log that rolled out of the fireplace.” Elmer confirmed.

“Still, sorry for the loss.” The coroner reached out to pat Elmer on the back.

“Oh, I wouldn’t be grieving too much. I got this feeling that all is well with Moses.” Elmer nodded as he turned to leave. He couldn’t have been more right about that.

Orange Salad with Onions and Olives

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 large oranges, pared and thinly sliced
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 large onion, thinly sliced
8 Greek olives, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of ground red pepper

Instructions

Arrange orange slices on lettuce; top with onion and olives.
Shake remaining ingredients in tightly covered container; drizzle over salad.

What is the quickest way to ruin your life?

Quickest ways to ruin your life :-

I. Experimenting with ANY narcotic substance at a PARTY – Just DON’T. I have told my young friends in our startup, that if they even sniff a drug, I will inform the cops 😁

II. Smoking – Just don’t smoke. If you are tense, watch porn and have a natural release, run, use the treadmill, do push ups, meditate JUST DON’T SMOKE

III. Drive Drunk — Absolutely NO. Even if you had 50 ml of Beer, GET A TAXI. Not even if home is 100 meters away.

Without drink, an Accident is an Accident

With drink it’s MANSLAUGHTER all the way!!

IV. Have an affair with a Colleague AT ANY COST – No affairs with Co workers. No Sunday party specials (I have been finding out a lot of IT Jargon in Bangalore these days😁😁😁). Relationship is OK, complicated but OK. Affair is an absolute No No. It won’t end well.

V. Too much Debt – Ensure your Non Mortgage Debt is no more than 10 times monthly salary. You earn ₹2 LPM, make sure your total non mortgage debt (Car Loan, Personal Loan, Credit Card) is no more than ₹ 20 Lakh if you don’t have a home loan and 7 1/2 times (₹15 Lakh) if you have a home loan.

VI. Submitting Fake Documents for Employment – This is a major minus. You can do this if you are talented and HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE. Without talent, doing this is absolutely BAD.

Especially for GOI Jobs

VII. Writing a cheque without Balance – Dont. Dont write a cheque UNLESS YOU HAVE BALANCE. Even if you expect money, just don’t. Say NO to signed blank cheques also.

VIII. Touch or Lay a finger on ANY KID who isnt YOUR SON,DAUGHTER OR GRANDSON OR GRANDDAUGHTER – Just don’t. Neighbors kid, Friends Kid, Nephew, Niece. Be friendly, affectionate but DON’T TOUCH even on the CHEEKS

IX. Dump your Girlfriend after a live in relationship – In India, if you have had sex in a proper relationship, you marry the girl and Don’t dump her. SHE CAN DUMP YOU. That’s absolutely ok.

So ensure SHE IS THE ONE before plunging in.

Otherwise DON’T PLUNGE IN and WAIT

X Drive yourself in a Hill Station – Best to get an experienced driver than drive yourself in a hill station like Tirupati Or Tirumala Or Darjeeling.

They might not ruin your life in 99% cases but in 1% cases, they absolutely do.

An innocent touch of the cheek of a 6 yr old with a foolish over protective mother = 5 years POCSCO charges and humiliation

A Simple “It’s just 2 Km, let me drive drunk” = Accident + Dead Teenager + 5–7 years finished + ₹25–30 Lakh payment

A Simple “Let’s drive ourselves from Jalpaigudi to Darjeeling” = Truck Accident

A Simple “Let’s submit a fake GMAT score. After all who is gonna check” = Possible Police Case + Blacklist

Dont take the Risk

Unless you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO

For instance, if you find your GF is a psycho after a five month live in, RUN and damn the consequences 😆

If your wife looks ordinary and your colleague looks extremely Hot – STILL DONT EVER HAVE AN AFFAIR AND CHANGE YOUR JOB OR WATCH CHINNA VEEDU AGAIN ON SUNDAY

Glad to see that you stuck your nose out of the foxhole! -MM

Last year in Q1, BYD sold a few hundred EV cars in South Korea. Korean auto makers sold ~70,000+ This…

In one of my imagine story, I don't know will it happn, that the USA will divide, then Montana, Wyoming,…

Hi again MM ! It's been a while for me here but great work as always ☺️

What my gut instincts (symbiote and cracked AI's caused by said symbiote) is telling me right now is that despite…

The 25th Law of power

Have a Dream

Have a Plan

Work your plan

It gets easier over time…

Other Sources

Conclusion

Takeaways

FAQ

Posts Regarding Life and Contentment

More Posts about Life

Stories that Inspired Me

Articles & Links

Notes

Can you tell me a true story that no one will ever believe? I believe.

What is the cruelest way to get fired?

How does a liquor manufacturer that makes 12 year old scotch stay in business for the first 11 years?

Do barracks bunnies actually exist in the army?

MAGA In Shock:$100 Can’t Even Buy Groceries Anymore

A timeshare should be a good idea. How did they get turned in to such a rip off where you can’t even give them away?

Sir Whiskerton and the Case of the Picnic Predicament

The Best-Laid Plans of Mice and Monkeys

The Hill of Hope and Horror

A Feast of Simpler Things

The Lingering Feeling

The End

What are some examples of extremely clever problem solving in the software development world?

Pictures

Why is it said that the world will officially enter the “G2 era” after the conclusion of the China-U.S. summit on October 30?

Orange Salad with Onions and Olives

Ingredients

Instructions

Quickest ways to ruin your life :-