New Tradition

Ok, so I was just remembering how I did Quotable Fridays, and I decided to come up with a new tradition. However, I'm having trouble letting go of that last one (despite the fact that it only lasted about two weeks) soooo, I'm going to start TWO new traditions! One is this...periodically, I'll have a quote at the bottom of my post (like I used to do) and if you know what it's from, say what it's from in your comment. The second tradition is this: I will write a short narrative and then go back and remove at least some of the following: verbs, adjectives, adverbs, nouns, etc. and have one of my family members fill them in (without seeing the story if course) and then I'll post it. So, here goes nothin'

Jim walked through the cool, blue forest, eating a weird, circular ice-cream cone. Beautifully he heard a yellow-orange sound in the distance. It sounded like a plaid CD. Freaked-out, he ran his ice-cream cone down and moved towards the sound. Finally, he came to a clearing in the barf-y forest. In the clearing he could see a crunchy girl and 1 million ligers. They were slicing her and she was gushing blood profusely. Jim intensely dropped down on his hamstrings and eyelids and began to fly towards the little girl. When he finally got there, he killed the ligers and picked up the girl.

"Are you okay?" asked Jim

"Ya, my grandma's house is just through those leaves, can you take me there?"

"Sure" replied Jim.

As he flipped along the path with her, he heard a fart behind him, turning around he saw that it was a graceful, horrifying unicorn. Slowly, he pulled out his huge, rosy ninja star and fought the unicorn off until it went away. After flying -1 miles, Jim saw a long fairy standing in their way. Summoning his icy board powers, Jim out-magicked (so what if that's not a word) the fairy and trampled it's tongue. They walked 21 more miles and Jim saw a uncomfortable, comfortable cottage.

"Is that you're grandma's house?" asked Jim.

"No, that's where all of the the demented centaurs live" replied the little girl

"What the crap is wrong with this unusual, striped forest?" thought Jim as an awkward, demented centaur emerged from the long grass. He fought the centaur combining his pretty strength and his icy-board powers to defeat the awkward centaur. After flying 35,000,000 miles, Jim saw a freaky looking cottage.

"What lives in that?" Jim asked, scared.

"My Grandma" replied the little girl.

And that is the story of how Jim saved the day in the slippery, dangerous forest.

Special thanks to Nate for his adjectives, adverbs, nouns and numbers.

If...

If there is a shortage of posts from now until school starts up again (or later). Blame it on this.





YAY!! :D

Christmas

Sorry to those who are expecting an addition to my story, I'm not in the mood today. Since it's Christmas, I'm going to do a survey I got from my dad (who got it from my cousin). However, because most of my answers will be similar to my dads, I'm going to do it twice, once by answering the questions in the form on the song title that comes up when I'm on shuffle, and once normally. (Sorry if that didn't make sense to you.) (Oh, and sorry if this doesn't really work out, I'm just giving it a shot)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? 7 Minutes in Heaven
2. Real tree or Artificial? Put Your Head on my Shoulder
3 . When do you put up the tree? Here (In Your Arms)
4. When do you take the tree down? The Power of Gold
5. Do you like eggnog? Anxious
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Angels We Have Heard on High
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Stuck To You
8. Hardest person to find a gift for? Nocturne
9 . Easiest person to find a gift for? God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? 52nd Street
11. Snow or Sunshine on Christmas morning? All Of Your Love
12 . Favorite Christmas movie? I'll Follow
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Song for the Asking
14 . Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Barbara Ann
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Come Fly With Me
16 . White lights or colored on tree? Cutlery
17. Favorite 3 Christmas songs? Eensie Weensie Spider, Sway, Please Come Home For Christmas (Weird, one of them actually was a Christmas song, I just don't like it that much)
18. What gets you into the holiday spirit quickly? The Christmas Tree
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Play the Game Tonight
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Big Man On Mulberry Street
21 . Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Roll With the Changes
22 . Most annoying thing about this time of year? Flake (Ok the truth is that the song that actually came up was "Brightly Beams our Fathers Mercy" a song I have sung by InsideOut, but it didn't seem right to put on this question.)
23 . Favorite ornament theme or color? Cling and Clatter
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Falling Over
25. Favorite Christmas memory? Blind Frail
26. What do you want for Christmas this year? Bridges
27. What Christmas-y thing would you like to keep all year round? Blind

Ok that didn't really work very well, but it took way too much work to just erase it all, so here goes the real one.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Whats the fun in a gift bag? You don't get to rip anything up, I thought that that was the whole idea, get out your anger because you didn't get what you wanted.
2. Real tree or Artificial? REAL! My parents want us to get an artificial one next year, but I'm going to get a real tree, or die trying.
3 . When do you put up the tree? ASAP after Thanksgiving
4. When do you take the tree down? NEVER! Well, I wish we never did anyway, something about the tree brings the Christmas spirit.
5. Do you like eggnog? HOW DO PEOLE NOT LIKE EGG NOG??? To quote my dad, "I wish there was some vital nutrient that you could only get from egg nog"
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Probably when we got a nintendo 64, I was convinced my parents would never get one.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? If I had time, I'd count them all, but it's got to be over 600.
8. Hardest person to find a gift for? I have yet to learn the art of Christmas shopping, pretty much everyone is hard for me.
9 . Easiest person to find a gift for? My brother matt, if it's wrapped, he likes it.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail.
11. Snow or Sunshine on Christmas morning? SNOW! (8) I'm dreaming of a white christmas (8)
12 . Favorite Christmas movie? Without a doubt, It's a Wonderful Life, although I do love Elf as well.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I can shop for 24 presents for 24 people in 24 minutes on Dec. 24th
14 . Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don't think I ever have.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Egg Nog, no question
16 . White lights or colored on tree? White
17. Favorite 3 Christmas songs? Just 3? The Gift (The King's Singers) Patapan and Farandole (The King's Singers) (It's a you-have-to-be-there kind of thing with that one) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (no preference of artist)
18. What gets you into the holiday spirit quickly? The Tree
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yep
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star, come on, it's symbolic
21 . Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One present on Christas Eve, the rest on Christmas, does anyone do it differently?
22 . Most annoying thing about this time of year? I have to agree with my dad on this one, that sappy song "Christmas Shoes" Blecht
23 . Favorite ornament theme or color? Rich, natural colors, none of this bright fluorescent (sp?) crap.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Stuffing.
25. Favorite Christmas memory? hmm Waking my parents to notify them that we had gotten a sled for Christmas (Elizabeth and I had snuck out to look at the presents. Consistently getting together with my cousin Alex every Christmas to try out our new stuff together.
26. What do you want for Christmas this year? A Wii (Pray hard, donations will be accepted)
27. What Christmas-y thing would you like to keep all year round? The spirit and the anticipation.

Sorry for the length, I tried to keep it interesting.

Trepidation Part 8

In case you haven't been able to tell, I've sorda been avoiding writing this next part because I don't want to ruin this story. I really like it, but I can't think of what to do with it. I've thrown in enough twists, I think it's about time to start the curve where questions will start being answered, not asked, (of course, I'm probably going to write this next part and solve nothing, and confuse everything, and there's really nothing wrong with that, as long as I can bring it all together in the end, which is my problem isn't it? hmm, maybe I should stop accepting the twists to just keep coming, maybe I need to have the attitude that I'm really just digging myself in a deeper hole, hmm....) Well anyway, bear with me, this could get interesting.

Later that night, Rick laid in his bed thinking,

"I'm no Jason Bourne, or Ben Gates," he thought, "This isn't going to be easy to figure out, I know that, but that doesn't mean that sitting and waiting for something to happen is going to help anything"

And with that thought, Rick lifted himself out of bed and slipped on a pair of jeans and the same black hoodie he had been wearing the night this had all started. He eased open his window as carefully as possible and lifted himself out. He was lucky, because he had his own room and he was in the basement. Once he was in the window well he gently eased his window shut, leaving it open just a titch (I don't really care if that's not a word).

He went through the back door into the garage and grabbed a shovel (oh man, that would be a sweet place to leave you all hanging, but I have only written like 2 paragraphs, and I want to see where this goes just as bad as you do). Quickly he crossed the street, trying to stay in the shadows as he headed toward the spot where he had seen the picture and the knife (holy crap, I've still got to work the knife in somehow, wow this is going to be fun).

It took him almost three hours, plus a lucky guess as to where he should start digging so that he would come right down on the two objects. His arms were burning, and he quickly shoveled the dirt back in. He had been careful to lift the newly-laid sod off so that he didn't destroy it, and now that he was done, he put it back over the dirt, which was about an inch below the grass around it. Once he was back in his room he turned on his reading lamp to get a better look at the objects. The knife was a fixed hunting knife, it was made by the "Buck Knife Company" as the handle specified. It felt fairly sharp to Rick, though he was no knife expert. It was clear to see, however, that it had been well taken care of through several years.

After just a few minutes of examining the knife, Rick turned his attention to the picture. The printout was clearly recent, more than he could say for the woman in the picture next to him. It was laminated, and the excess plastic had not been trimmed. There were bubbles in the lamination,

"Whoever laminated this must have been in a hurry." thought Rick,

He recognized the image of himself that had been photoshopped into the picture, it was of him on the first day of school.

"Wait a second, I posted that picture on my blog!" he thought, "That's where they must have gotten it! Man, you might as well call me Bourne, he's got nothin' on me!"

As he dwelt on this lightening thought for a moment he thought to look on the back of the picture. There were just two words written in scratchy handwriting:

Find him.

A question and some pictures

Who do you think Jane is?







This is one of the best soccer players in the world. Bonus points if you can name him. (Hint: He plays for Brazil nationally)




This is the best drummer in the world. His name is Neil Peart. Bonus points for anyone who can name what band he's from.












WOW! Super bonus points if you can name this guy, I don't know who he is.

Trepidation/Sidelines of a Cemetary Part 7

Ricks breathing became heavier as he walked endlessly around the cemetary, hoping against hope that the board had been at some other spot. As he rounded the corner on the south side of the cemetary he saw the man, the creepy guy, walking behind a tree. Rick quickly looked away, but glanced back every couple seconds to make sure the man stayed in that spot. The man hadn't seen Rick looking at him, and Rick quickly thought of what to do. He walked straight for the tree, acting as though he was still searching for the hole.

Just as he came within arms-length of the tree, he concentrated all his energy on hurling himself around the tree and hitting the man as hard as he could.

He was successful, he planted one right in the man's gut. The man was holding a baseball bat,

"Big suprise," thought Rick as he lunged again at the man, grabbing the bat and ripping it from his suprised enemy. He held up the bat threateningly and said,

"All right, now I want you to tell me everything" The man turned quickly on the spot and began to run. Rick swung at his legs, but missed horribly, he never was very good at baseball. He tossed the bat aside and gave chase. He caught up and tackled him from behind. This time he took no chances, putting the man in a tight headlock and bashing his face with his other hand.

"TELL ME EVERYTHING!" Rick screamed, giving him three good blows to the cheeks and chin. He stopped to allow the man to talk.

"I'm sorry," the man said, "I can't tell you anything"

Rick lifted his leg, threateningly over the man's man-parts.

"I'll do it," Rick warned, "I'm in control here"

"Ok, her name is Jane, and I laid the sod"

"Jane?" Rick thought, "What is he talking about"

As Rick thought, he loosened his grip just enough for the man to deliver a blow to Rick's diaphram which allowed him to escape. Rick tried to get up, but could not for several seconds.

When he did, the man was gone.

Trepidation Part 6

"Where were you?" asked Rick's mom.

"I went running," replied Rick,

"In this weather?"

"Ya, but it wasn't coming down quite as much when I went out" Rick said, rubbing his head and grimacing.

"What's the matter?" asked his mom

"I hit my head"

Rick's mother examined the back of his head and gasped at the size of the bump.

"Ya, it really hurts" said Rick.

"How did you fall?" asked his mom

"I tripped over the ball." said Rick

"This was from the pavement?"

"Ya."

"So you just went for a little run in the rain, huh?"

"Just like I always do."

"What is it with you and rain?" she said, more to herself than to him.

"Oh and mom, when I was running there was a freshly dug grave, but it had a piece of plywood over it, so I lifted it up-"

"YOU DID WHAT?"

"I just lifted it up to see if there was anything under it, and there was a knife."

"A knife?"

"Ya."

"Ok I think you've had enough fun teasing me for tonight, why don'-"

"No mom, I'm serious."

"Mmhmm, I know, now why don't you go shower and wait till your dad gets home to look at your head."

"Mom, I'm not lying."

"Just go, you're soaking wet."

The impact from the shower water hurt his head, and the water stung the bloody wound. He didn't use shampoo, figuring that if the water stung, fragrant soap was probably not going to feel like a fluffy pillow on his head either. Suddenly it worried him, when would he be able to wash his hair? Well, without immense pain at least. He got out and tenderly dried his head, thinking about what to do now. He hadn't lied, but he hadn't told the whole truth either. He went into his family room and turned on "Who's Line is it Anyway" and soon fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next day he awoke to the smell of eggs and bacon.

"Is there a better way to start off a day? Especially a Saturday." Rick thought, "Maybe I should set up a George Foreman in my room."

He pulled himself up the stairs, driven by the juicy aroma of the bacon. He got upstairs and dished himself up more than his fair-share of bacon and eggs.

"Thanks Dad" he said, hoping that his dad realized that he really was grateful for a good start to his day, especially after the day he had had yesterday.

He killed a couple hours by watching T.V. and surfing the internet. At about 11 o'clock he went upstairs into his living room and glanced out the window. It was still wet and lightly raining, and some city workers were there digging a grave somewhat near the hole he had visited yesterday.

"Perfect timing," he thought. He had been waiting for someone else to be in the cemetary, so there would be witnesses. He slipped on some sweats and the same hoodie he had been wearing yesterday. He quickly jogged around, so it didn't appear obvious. He jogged around the same way he had before, avoiding the neighbors fence this time though. As he approached the spot he saw that the plywood was gone. But not just the plywood, there was no hole, no fresh soil, just grass.

Nothing but grass.

Just FYI

I now have links on my posts, so you can see all the sections of my story if you click on the link "my story." So, uhh, ya! :)

Trepidation/The Antics and Adventures of Rick Rick Ricky, Ricky Raccoon Part 5

The ride was strange and his head throbbed. He thought about trying to keep track of how many turns they took and how long between each turn, but after a while he realized that according to the turns he was keeping track of, they were going in circles.

After what seemed like hours the car stopped and the man finally spoke,

"Get out" he said.

Rick took off the blindfold and saw that he was just a block away from his house.

"You could drive me the rest of the way if you wanted to." said Rick, trying to lighten the mood and make the guy happy.

"Ha.....Ha......Ha" the man mockingly laughed, "Just shut up and get out of the car"

"Sheesh, who peed in your cheerios?" Rick said as he jumped out of the car and ran off with his ball. He glanced back and saw that it was an old tan Acura Integra without a license plate.

It was late and the rain had really picked up. As Rick passed one of his neighbor's houses he glanced inside to look at their massive clock. 9:15.

"Wow, I must have been blacked out longer than I thought." Rick rubbed the back of his head and nearly fell from the excruciating pain. He couldn't remember ever going through that amount of pain. He glanced at his hand and saw that it was covered in blood.

"Oh man," Rick thought aloud, "I didn't realize that it was cut open" He wiped his hand on the wet grass and shoved his hands into the front pocket of his hoodie.

"What am I going to tell my parents?" he thought. As he approached the corner where his house was, he sat down on the curb and thought about what he could say. He didn't know if he really wanted to tell them. He figured it was the right thing to do, but it just didn't feel right.

"What would they even do anyway?" he thought, "I have no proof, no way to lead them anywhere, just a story, that's all, just a story."

Suggestions, Anyone?

Dear Reader,

I desperately need suggestions on a name for my story. The time to name this thrilling tale has long since past, and my canty ability to creatively name stories seems to be running dry at the moment (or maybe it's just cause I don't know where it's going). If I don't choose to use your idea, it's probably because it sucks. But don't feel bad, skills that I have are not given out like candy. After all, if we were all as creative as I, then no one would be creative at all.

Sincerely,
Josh "shua" Crowley