Finishing the sentence XIX

An unfinished sentence of mine and responses it elicited in September 1988:

"Normal" is best defined as...

...the group that is the majority at that time--punks, skaters, etc. (Elizabeth M.)

...a term used to describe one who is no longer manifesting in character. (Jason F.)

...a state of mediocrity in which many people unfortunately live. (Will S.)

...terrible--allowing the opinions of others to take over you. (Kristin K.)

...an abstract thought to signify what everyone else thinks is right. (Mark R.)

...someone who is completely boring. (Greg H.)

Savoring the sunset

Considering that no two sunsets are exactly alike, it's advisable to appreciate them when you have the chance.  This was one of my favorites:

The sunset, as I photographed it on a Fall evening in 2005.

Finishing the sentence XVIII

Another one of my unfinished sentences and the responses I received in March 1989:

The best form of eye candy is...

...the beautiful harmony of the colors in a Monet painting. (Betsy B.)

...being in the south of Ireland in the mountains, looking down to the ocean, black cliffs, and patchwork of green fields. (Sarah B.)

...a paycheck with 12 figures. (Chris A.)

...someone making toffee. (Jason T.)

...a first bassoon part. (Anthea H.)

...a first trumpet part to a hot jazz/funk song with lots of ledger notes. (Alan E.)

...after one of those days when you start to doubt humanity's worth, you see someone dropping everything and helping someone else--even something as simple as seeing everyone pull over when an ambulance on a call goes by. (Rachel P.)

You might forget the definition, but...

...you can't say the teacher didn't tell you, at least in this instance.  During my world history class in high school, Mr. H. told the class about a person who acted as a de facto king of his country.  He wasn't actually the king but made decisions as though he was.

"That made him a de facto king," Mr. H. said.  "I'll write that word, de facto, on the board, so the next time you see it in an article, you can say, 'Hey, de facto!  I forget what that means.'"

Not every teacher would admit that most students only retain a small fraction of what they learn in class.

Finishing the sentence XVII

An unfinished sentence I wrote near the end of my high school days and some responses it received in May 1989:

The one topic, above all others, on which the masses should be fully educated is...

...the joy of being an individual and the inner feeling of accomplishment. (Jason M.)

...the incredible emotional power of Classical music. (Scott S.)

...the importance of forming your own opinions and being able (or courageous) enough to support them. (Kelley R.)

...the methods and policies of the government, or else it will fail to be a democracy. (Chris W.)

...the actual meaning of life, along with the fact that if you do stupid stuff like driving under the influence, you will never know your own meaning of life. (Scott B.)

...the joy of childbirth or the emotional value of a day in the sun! (Sarah G.)

...to care for and prevent hangnails. (Michelle T.)

...the exquisite, nurtured flavor of the famous Benjourno deep dish pizza! (Ben H.)

...the environment and the fact that all these other problems don't mean @#&* if there's no Earth for them to exist on. (Will S.)

Finishing the sentence XVI

Here's a look back at an unfinished sentence I wrote during my early college days and three responses it elicited in August 1989:

If a wise, old owl could speak English, I would want it to awaken the masses, proclaiming...

..."Make laws with logic, not emotion!" (Steve F.)

...the words to John Lennon's "Imagine," including the chorus and the weird noise before it twice. (Wendy W.)

..."Wonder!!  Wonder is the key.  If you still have a sense of wonder, you can do anything!" (Jennifer G.)

Footwear fit for a calico

March 2006: Rosie tries on slippers.

Many pet owners overlook the importance of finding proper footwear for their cats.  Actually, I've found it's best if cats make such decisions for themselves.  Family calico Rosie was always adept at finding shoes that worked for her.  Her tabby brother, Sammy, shares this quality.

Finishing the sentence XV

Tonight, I'm looking back at my high school days.  My time machine is set for March 1989, when I created the following unfinished sentence and received these responses:

One is a full-fledged actor only when...

...I think so! (Sarah G.)

...you lie. (Steve S.)

...the character becomes a part of the self, and for a brief moment, the two are indistinguishable. (Kristin H.)

...he/she need not use (an) American Express card to be recognized in major restaurant and hotel chains or has been turned down or dismissed from all other forms of employment. (Larrie K.)

...you finally know that it doesn't matter what the critics say because you know what kind of job you did. (Betsy B.)

"Your name is Bill, not All-Conquering Regal Overlord Czar King..."

During my years coordinating sports statistics for a data-gathering company, I sometimes had to correct data that coaches and their scorekeepers entered.  Once, I noticed that whoever entered a football team's roster had put in nicknames instead of real first names for certain players.  I tracked down the real first names and deleted the nicknames.  This may have disappointed some of the players, but it would have looked downright silly to have statistics appearing online and in newspapers under the names "Flash," "Shazam," and "Sugar Bear."

I think I made the right call.

The refreshing scent of Spring

For eight years, I was fortunate to live with one of Spring's most appealing scents--viburnum.  If you haven't seen it before, it looks like this:

Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, as this backyard photo from 2006 shows, but its scent is one of early April's highlights.  Seek it out, and take it in.

Finishing the sentence XIV

An unfinished sentence I created and the responses it elicited in 1992 and '93:

You know the movie will merit no higher than a one-star rating when...

 ...the opening scenes include a car chase and bar room brawl. (James M.)

...the opening scene is a dramatic landscape at dawn or sunset. (Randy R.)

...you can see microphones at the bottom of the screen. (Cathy N.)

...they don't actually drive cars.  They just have the screen moving. (Cindy D.)

...it has "Action!  Adventure!" in those big, blocky, swooping letters on its posters and ads. (Liz F.)

...the lead actor is a dirty Kleenex. (Becky B.)

...the best that can be said about it is it's destined to be the next cult classic. (Colin S.)

Finishing the sentence XIII

Another one of my unfinished sentences and its responses from May 1992:

When all is said and done...

...something new begins.  Thank God! (Roberta M.)

...someone from out of the blue says and does something completely new and different and restores my faith in the world. (Jonathan L.)

...Forget it.  It's never over.  The end is nothing, the road is all. (Michael M.)

...we all have room to grow. (Colin S.)

600 formerly brisk yards

During the annual physical fitness test in third grade, I ran the 600-yard walk/run in two minutes and five seconds.  It's strange to think that something I could do at age nine isn't something I could do now--unless bears were chasing me.

Finishing the sentence XII

An unfinished sentence I created and a sample of its responses from March 1993:

Look up at the stars.  If you're really perceptive, you'll see that they spell out this cryptic message...

..."Join us." (Kristen H.)

..."Forget it." (Laura W.)

..."Quit going for jerks!" and/or "Eat more roughage." (Liz F.)

...Summer--"Of you, by you, for you."
   Winter--"Puh-leez.  Gimme a break." (Michael M.)

..."Scream to the living.  Cry for the gone.  Laugh at the stars for the universe is one!" (Karen B.)

..."Ha! Ha! You fools! William Shakespeare is laughing at you.  He says, 'I just wrote those plays to make a few bucks! Messages? Ha!" (Becky B.)

..."Live long, work hard, play hard.  Give it your all.  Shine like we do until you die." (Tava S.)

A weather forecast for all occasions?

It always amuses me when a weather forecast includes the term "changeable skies."  Talk about going out on a limb...

Lawyer cats who would fight for you

2011: Sammy and Rosie.

I admired our brother-sister family cat duo, Sammy and Rosie, for starting their own law firm.  As the photo above indicates, they were serious cats who would pursue justice strenuously for their clients.

"Tasty, nutritionally barren chips, $0.99"

I was surprised to see the cash register readout on someone's Doritos purchase recently.  Instead of showing up on the register as "DORITOS," the display read, "SALTY SNACKS."  I suppose that sums up the product's essence as well as anything.

Finishing the sentence XI

Another unfinished sentence I created and its wide-ranging responses from October 1992:

A lone voice of reason cries out among a sea of static conformists.  Although the voice's proclamation is sensible and original, it will go largely unheeded.  The voice is saying...

..."Success is a journey, not a destination." (Nancy R.)

..."We fear honesty.  Therefore, we live among untruths.  I am honesty; heed my prayer." (Jenny L.)

..."Money is the cause of all evil, the cause of all suffering, and the harbinger of destructive behavior." (Paris A.)

..."In the realm of larger space, the difference 'twixt ants and us is nil.  The latest in this planet's line of biped mammals restrictively conceptualizes even the universe to produce contrast where, in effect, none exists.  The lesson?  Observe like the infant, without judgment." (Randy R.)

..."I'm the only one among you who will speak, so you'll follow me without realizing you're doing it." (Michael M.)

..."Same, same, same, same, same, same...Arby's is different!" (Aimee H.)

Not the most reliable modem, but...

A running joke from the late '90s at work: I'd have to send sports box scores via modem to one of our newspaper clients.  I'd ask a co-worker if he'd be able to send the data.  Each time, instead of sending it via modem, he'd imitate a modem by whistling and replicating the sound of static.  Each time, I'd respond, "For some reason, that didn't work.  The box scores didn't make it."

Admittedly, whistling and imitating static didn't get the box scores to their destination.  Still, when I think of images unique to the '90s, that co-worker's modem imitation often comes to mind.

Finishing the sentence X

Here's another unfinished sentence I created for my notebook, ROAM (Remnants Of Abstract Minds), and some of the responses I received in August 1992:

A nagging conscience is most annoying when...

...you're trying to read. (Michelle T.)

...the source of the nagging conscience is self-doubt. (Brian W.)

...the choices involved are a lesser-of-two-evils dilemma. (Paul I.)

...the person you've betrayed is being really, REALLY nice to you. (Jenni S.)

...What nagging conscience? (Michael M.)

An odd priority

Years ago, I worked at a telephone survey company.  One night, I was eliciting customers' opinions of a grocery store.  One respondent hesitated before responding.  Then, she said, "I think they should have continued the dark green motif throughout the store."

I turned the completed survey in to the night supervisor.  Upon reading that response, she said, "You get all the weird callers."

Perhaps...I wonder if that store ever made its walls greener as a result, though.

Finishing the sentence IX

Sometimes, the broadest unfinished sentences I created elicited the most wide-ranging answers.  Here's another early '90s excerpt from my notebook, ROAM (Remnants Of Abstract Minds):

Contrary to popular belief...

...physicians make less money than other professionals when compared on the basis of training and time commitment. (Errol K.)

...the world does revolve around money. (Melissa B.)

...Janet wasn't having a bad day. (Tina B.)

...the Can-Do Crew doesn't always do a good job. (Paul H.)

Finishing the sentence VIII

Another 1993 excerpt from my creative writing notebook, ROAM (Remnants Of Abstract Minds):

I feel most like passing an Olympic torch when...

...I make it up three flights of stairs without wheezing and coughing. (Melissa P.)

...I'm in a crowded elevator, and I can get away with it. (Aasim I.)

...I outwit someone who usually outwits everyone else--and people cheer. (Tava S.)

...the flame goes out.  Here, you take it. (Michael M.)

Surefire stress relief?

When life is getting you down, it's always comforting to retreat to your shoe box:

Sammy the cat did this several times in 2005 and found it relaxing.  His calico sister, Rosie, attempted it, as well, but seemed baffled by Sammy's routine:

At least, she gave it a chance.

An astute truism

One of my high school English teachers often taught her class in a helter skelter fashion, throwing out offbeat observations and seemingly random vocabulary words at us that she'd encountered in articles.  One moment I'll never forget: She showed me a poem a student in one of her other classes had written.  She said, "I think this is very good.  See what you think."  She never explained why she gave me the poem, but to this day, I think the author's premise is one of the most perceptive ones I've read.  The poem's title, as well as its refrain, was "Nobody Wants You 100% Of The Time."  Who could argue with that?

Wouldn't say that now II

During the brief time I worked at a record store during the '90s, I would occasionally say to a customer charging a purchase, "I'll run your credit card through our charge plate machine from the Renaissance."  Granted, the machine took a while to process a customer's credit card.  Nevertheless, if I were in that situation again, I wouldn't say that now.

A dose of perspective

Once, while standing in line to register for college classes, I thought, "Why is this taking so long?  Is another student being obstinate about getting into a particular class?  Are the computers running slower than usual?  What's going on here?"

When it was my turn to register, I was glad I'd kept those thoughts to myself.  As I handed my list of proposed classes over to the scheduler, I saw that he had hooks for hands.  Immediately, I thought, "If I'm ever tempted to vent about something trivial, I need to remember this moment."

Finishing the sentence VII

This was an unfinished sentence I created during my junior year of college:

Beyond the sky lies...

...the answers to our dreams, along with the appropriate questions. (Paul I.)

...cookies.  Sweet cookies... (Christina K.)

...lost left socks. (Eric E.)

...that strange dream I had last December. (Jenni S.)

...wedding receptions with open bars. (Katy W.)

...a color Crayola doesn't have. (Chip C.)

...a guy named Dave who has nothing better to do than ask you where other people are, people you really don't care about. (Neil S.)

Finishing the sentence VI

Another early '90s excerpt from my notebook, ROAM (Remnants Of Abstract Minds):

Having victory within one's grasp is most satisfying when...

...you're licking the fresh dripping blood off your knuckles. (David R.)

...another person who always has to be right is obviously faltering. (Jenni S.)

...you were never aware of the battle. (Katy W.)

Finishing the sentence V

Back to the early '90s for another one of my unfinished sentences:

The most constructive and profitable habit one could pursue on one's own time is...

...crock pot cookery. (Dan L.)

...sleeping.  You learn a lot of what your true feelings are when you dream. (Kristen H.)

...reading.  Yeah, that's it.  Reading... (Rachel N.)

...interrogating the people you meet.  The guy who sits next to you on the bus has a more compelliing story than the highest work of Dickens.  Your job is to find it. (Michael M.)

Finishing the sentence IV

I created the following unfinished sentence for my notebook, ROAM (Remnants Of Abstract Minds), in 1993.  Here are some of the responses it elicited that Spring:

An overly optimistic, idealistic children's story would most likely include the sentence...

..."The king was very generous; he made sure that everyone in the land had nice clothes, a house, and plenty to eat." (Liz F.)

..."And the children were happy because they realized that true happiness comes from love, not possessions." (Bill R.)

..."And you will never be lonely.  You will never be lonely." (Jennifer O.)

..."The dragon decided instead of roasting small children, he'd roast the weeds selectively out of the garden to help the royal gardener." (Laura W.)

..."Sara reached past the dragons into her box full of intentions and found it was full.  Lucky for her, so was her bag of motivation--the one she hid from the monsters under her bed." (Tava S.)

..."And together, they'll swing in the moonlight and snow, while cabaret tunes from the radio blow!!" (Amy S.)