Welcome to the blog for Prof. John Talbird's English 221 class. The purpose of this site is two-fold: 1) to continue the conversations we start in class (or to start conversations BEFORE we get to class) and 2) to practice our writing/reading on a weekly basis in an informal forum.

Saturday, April 30, 2016

Mr. Voice

Sheesh, Tanya's life is a mess.  The best thing in her life is her step-father.  Her mother was unstable, the best thing her mother for her was moving in with Claude.  Eventually Tanya's mother abandoned her.  This annoyed me, I guess being a mother myself I couldn't imagine leaving my child.  At least Claude stepped up and took care of Tanya as best he could.  All while Tanya learned to adjust and deal with difficult situations.

Unsafe at any speed

The character in this story seems like he's miserable.  His wife and daughter are nags. The only time he enjoys any part of his life is when hes alone and driving.  It's almost like a secret life where no one can tell him anything.  Out side of that he gets pushed and bossed around by everyone from his boss to his family.  I want more for him more than a car and an affair.

Mr. Voice

Having Mr. Voice be another random man that the main character's mother has got with made me think hat he was going to be a rude and awkward person for her. Not for the mother of ,course since they got married to each other. Expect the unexpected, right? He actually turned out to be the opposite. Described as a better parent than her own mother. I felt some kind of intense connection with the main character because she turned out way differently than her mother and despite what she always saw, she didn't grow up to be like her mother and I'm proud of that. It's like my mother and hers. My grandmother was one of those mothers who liked to whip their children for no reason back in the day. Closer to the end I felt like the narrator was actually the author in real life. It almost made me feel like she was telling her own true story when she mentioned of her simple and happy life, social and career wise. But the last paragraphs, bringing it back to the past closed the story and protected it from sounding like she was giving her personal life to the public in case if it were really a true life experience she is currently living.

Unsafe at any speed

I like how the narrator and a main character seem to be extremely observant but exaggerating and sarcastic in their descriptions of things going on as well as setting the scene and background.
   Obviously Theo wants a new vehicle.  He does not seem to be a big fan of his old caravan.  I understand what it's like not to have heat or AC in a vehicle but Theo seems to be just so defeated in the way he summons energy to curse his van.
     I'm glad he has a sense of humor and his descriptive ways of humorously tour thing himself while chastising his vehicle is funny and entertaining.
      I'm about at the halfway point in this reading and I'm hoping that the team doesn't turn to dark and tragic. My guard is up.
     In this story, if not an adulterer our "hero" gets the girl (but then he doesn't get the girl) and he gets the car, his "Eleanor" (Gone in 60 Seconds) but I kinda wanted him to get both.

PS the car part of the story is real:


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvair#

Friday, April 29, 2016

Unsafe at Any Speed

Oh I love this juicy story, everything was so wrong but somehow played out perfect. Things got pretty intense real quick and they rented a room. She was nervous about the cop and that part had me thinking that they were gonna get caught because of her behavior, but she though ahead of the game

Seriously back to the fact that they had sex...it made the story even juicer...and well his wife did cheat to...doesn't make it ok...but.....
so many twist and turns......

 i couldn't put the book down..i was thrilled the entire time
The Voice


So much going on. The descriptive details for each scene is well written. Breaks us out of that thinking that life is always perfect. What a good man Cluade was, taking in Tanya after her mom left.
It entails what a good fiction story should have - conflict

Unsafe at any speed

The way how the main character was being described, I felt that he basically had no life and that he was a person that wanted to live that way. At the end when he does have an affair with someone else I found the whole scene uncomfortable and especially how everything went wrong for him afterwards especially with the rain, gray clouds and dampness. I would like to know why this man doesn't seem to try to make his life more gfnner and happier. He just allows his own wife and daughter to step on him and make him feel more worse and more of a boring person.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Madame Lazarus

The story Madame Lazrus I found Very interesting and it was a breeze to read through. I like how the author really incorporated  the setting of the book throughout many parts of the story. I feel like it's culture had a lot to do with the story itself. In the beginning I was a little confused trying to figure out the identity of the main character of the story wether it was a male or female. Like once the ex wife came into the picture I felt thrown off because I knew the main character is with James who is a male. So I was wondering if the character happened to be a female with an ex wife or gay male. I'm mostly conceived that the main character is a gay male just because all the comparisons of old age are tied to a male. Like when speaking of the girl in the vet saying how much older in comparison to the grandfather of that girl. Or the man outside the hospital bent over even "older than I was ". Another part was when speaking of the guy who he first loved. " I was still very young , and it was a shock, because it was the first time I knew who I was. He was older then I, and he understood also- I could see that."
The. I wondered why would this character then marry a women after. I liked how the author doesn't really tell you directly of the characters identity it sort of takes you away from these pre conceived notions you have going into a story, and brings you into the reality of a story and its intentions. James is interesting it's like he pops in and out of the story, and initially the dog was meant to take his place. So when the dog dies it's like the tie was completely broken. The character wonders if it meant the same for Desi the housekeeper. The story leaves you with a deeper poop of truth in it. Like the conclusion gets you.
 "Don't leave me", I say
Desi looks up, surprised. Her eyes are red. The taxi is waiting, impatient. I think I will say everything now, I will speak of everything. There is not so much time.
"Please don't leave," I say.
The dogs death brings in the realization of death and how there is only the present moment . Another significant death was the boy dying, the first lover. The main character never speaks of this death. I wonder if that's what's implied when saying I will speak of everything. I find it funny how even as I am  writing this I am pretty much certain the character is a male, but not completely convinced because I can see how I refrain from stating he or she that much. Maybe that's part of the emotion which the story brings across a mystery of this character and unspoken secrets and feelings. So maybe if the author would have told us directly the gender of the character it would have taken away the mystery which the text sort of gives. When the doctor says Madame Lazarus I remembered us speaking of titles in class and there importance when it pertains to the story. Lazarus is a man raised from the dead by Jesus. So the dog was revived by the main character, and it being a girl the doctor gave it Madame Lazarus. The dogs death was like loosing someone close, seemed just as real as the death of a human. Never having a dog I could still feel the emotions of the character that's how powerful the scene made everything. 

Motherlode

Motherlode I found pretty interesting, the story seems a bit random at times. I felt like I was sort of in a daze but it makes sense as the plot of the story. The character  David seems like his life has never really felt significant or meaningful. So he's intrigued at Rays persona and actually wants to uncover more as the story unfolds. He's innocent but curious. Dave goes against his natural impulse to do what's right just so he could explore and add something into his life with more excitement. Finding himself on the verge of going back to the same boring cycle within his life he then decides to join Morsel and Ray. I don't even think he knew exactly what kid of illegal things they were doing and he preferred not to know. He kept what he did know a secret as well like why he was going to California, or how he knew ray didn't just have one dime left . The ending of the story did get me by surprise I wonder if Ray was shot. "He didn't feel a thing". The author leaves us wondering.

madame lazarus

This story takes you on an emotional roller coaster.  Told from the first person perspective has the reader emotionally attached.  I understood the characters feeling of living a double life and always having that emptiness. He was unable as a child to be with his true love publicly unable to enjoy their lives together.  When he finally is able to the man dies.  He never truly loves again until the dog.  this story just leads me to the saying life is too short.

Motherlode

The beginning of this story was slow.  It was a struggle for me to get through the first few pages.  But it slowly picks up and becomes slightly enjoyable.  The introduction of these questionable characters was the most entertaining for me.  Ray being the compulsive liar its only fitting that he plays off of the curiosity of David.  That was ultimately the most intriguing to me.  David's curiosity and desire for quick money pushed his common sense to the back burner.  "Curiosity Killed the Cat" and I'm pretty sure he was killed even though Thomas doesn't offer us the luxury of saying so.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Repost

Public Fiction Project

Hey all:

To meet this requirement, you can go to a fiction reading. Here are some listings:

http://www.bookforum.com/events/

And check out the Center for Fiction in Midtown:

http://www.centerforfiction.org/

They have frequent readings and even a literary magazine that you can submit to.

If you'd rather submit your fiction to a publication, I'd suggest Newpages.com:

http://www.newpages.com/magazines/literary-magazines

or Poets &Writers:

http://www.pw.org/literary_magazines

Nowadays, many mags will allow you to submit your stories via the internet. We'll talk more about submitting your fiction, and I'd be happy to speak one-on-one w/ you about this too.

Class Collaboration

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful woman. She was the most beautiful woman in all the land. Her beautiful long blonde hair, and her eyes that were Caribbean blue. She never realized her beauty, but everyone across the land did. She lived with her sister, who wasn’t that much older than her. Their parents had died a long time ago, when she was about 7 and her sister was 9 at the time. Her parents died when a huge wave came and swept the boat off to sea. Everyone across the land didn’t know  if they were dead or not. Everyone assumed they were dead because they had been missing at sea for almost 2 weeks, when everyone realized that something was wrong when they didn’t come back. That left her and her sister to fend for themselves. Then the sisters decided that they would start to prepare a life without them they did all the grown up things such as cooking and cleaning and growing food. As time went on the sisters noticed that they weren’t coming back and decided that it’s best to keep a memorial in their honor. On the day of  graduation of their honor. They decided to bring all the people they knew. Some people barged in the graduation like if it were some random party. All of a sudden drinks were being brought and loud music was played. The original people that were invited to the ceremony were shocked and didn’t know how to throw them out so they decided to party along with them. Chips were being tossed all around and eventually a glass broke and everything had been great until the glass was in someone’s arm or leg or something. There was just blood everywhere. But some people were too drunk or too high to notice. Someone had the balls to call the police though. And the red and blue lights of the police cars and the ambulance cut through the atmosphere like cake.  Ah, cake.  I can remember having my first piece over the dead body of the joker.  Robin stood by me as I spilled the crumbs of pistachio mint chai on the soulless course of my would be killer.  Robins dog watch and licked up any remains left on the jokers face.  His makeup getting on the dog until finally the dog turned on us and laughed like the joker. It was THE MASK. 

I did not like this alter ego.  No longer sweet and loveable this dog actually seems arrogant and malicious.  I feel like this dog is about to attack me.
As if this dog is just a killer in waiting. I wonder what has made this way. Bad time growing p at the pound? Not enough milk from his mama when he was born? Where could this creature have learned such two-faced behavior? It was as if I was facing a cartoon. How do you fight something that can flip an innocence switch and then bite my ankle I the same motion? I had to be strong. There had to be a way to be the good one and the bad one all at the same time. He needed to learn who was boss and I was going to teach him. I took him outside and pulled on his leash. He didn’t want to go by the tree, he wanted to go on the side of the pool. If you don’t want to obey I will throw you inside the pool. I tugged on his leash, we all knew I would never do that to him, it was a bluff. We walked to the front of the house where we came across a van that was never here before. Are they new in town? He started to bark toward the van, “ thay has a sense about these things”. I knew something was suspicious when we saw the curtain drawn back as soon as we laid eyes on the house. “ Well why do you send us the address so we can check the house ourselves said the missus”.” Madam I’m so sorry but you need  to be with an agent to see the house” said the agent. When she heard this her hopes were dashed. But then, driving home, she thought to herself: “What if I go back? What if I go back tonight when the moon is full, throw a brick through the window and climb in and slither across the floor, giving myself a tour. Do I really need an agent to show me the way?” And that’s what she did. When she arrived in the cute little suburban neighborhood, everyone seemed to be asleep at that time. She said I am going to explore this city at my own. She started walking and walking then  she saw that some houses still had left the light on in the rooms .She tough ‘if I get tired later on I am going to knock one of the house that still have the light on’’. She was remembering her pass  at the same time why she was thinking’’ why she was  doing that to be alone just to add more experiences in her life’’.

Exquisite Corpse (Christian's)

Once upon a time, there was a man, a painter, who the power to create living things from drawing them on a canvas. A few masterful strokes of his brush and birds would rip themselves from the canvas, taking flight towards the untouchable clouds, deer would gallop and grow and frogs would hop off and chase flies into the bushes beyond. This power caused the man to only want to draw animals, as man was the only creature so be selfish to make demands of him. “Draw this so may eat it.” “Draw this so we may ride it and use it.” Never wanting to use his power to gaze at their beauty naturally. They had to be used and that was something he couldn’t stand.
He couldn’t stand the fact that everyone could see what he could. He was selfish and greedy and he wanted them all for himself. Two beauties, their hair, skin, every curve of their silhouette. He yearned to have them all for himself. At any moment, for any reason, just all to himself. He had to do right and so this could not be. His powers has to be used for good and nothing else. He contemplated for a moment on what he could use his powers on in a good way that could get his revenge. Maybe I could burn down a forest to symbolize what man has done to the earth. Maybe flood the cities to so how we drown ourselves and society in tears we cause to each other. I know! I show my displeasure to man and now it must pay for its great offenses to the forest. The king of the forest made his displeasure known with humankind ; that he banished man and his descendants for all-time. But when the king wasn’t watching, humankind said, “That asshole, who died and made him king?” Well, actually, they didn’t all speak this in unison. One guy, Albert, said the words, and most of the rest of humankind nodded and harrumphed and said, “Yeah, that’s a good point.” After all, no one could remember how he came to be king. And the truth of the matter is that he signed up to be king on the internet and his first decree after the certificate arrived in the mail was to throw all his bad credential of been a bad student. He said what a waste of time . I wasted my own time. I have a future ahead of me, a future that I can only control. No one was going to control my future but me. So I decided to take a turn for the better. I wanted to be in control of my life and not waste my time. So I did. I changed my ways and at the moment my future was finally looking bright. Until, I came home one day and my mom said “You can’t make it, you’re just a waste of space.”  So I decided that I was tired of her judgement and would rather blow my brains out than to listen to her ridicule me at every turn. While having dinner she asked me “are you gay” I never herd that kind of question. I was so astonished. She think I am look like boy.? Just because I cut my hair short? Just because I like to wear sweatpants and hoodies? I clearly told her no. that was just my style. Then she looked at her plate and continued eating silently. I felt so uncomfortable that I had to leave the dinner table and marched into my room. I was not offended by the fact that she thought I was gay. I was just offended that she didn’t know me any better. It felt like I had slept through the knight so when I woke up and she was standing in my room I checked the clock. Only midnight. I had been asleep for about an hr.
 “what” I asked
She sighed, “look the truth is I was kind of hoping  you were gay because it would make this whole process easier”
“What process” she was confusing me.
“This whole coming out, that’s what you call it now right, coming out the closet”
“Im coming out, I want the world to know, I just can’t let go”
“Helen please if you stop now we can finally make it for breakfast at Mcdonalds”
“stop it Jeanine, you know it ends at 11am and we’ll never make it”
                No you idiot!!! McDonalds now has breakfast 24 hours a day!!!  Let’s go, I’m hungry…
I want my “sausage egg McMuffin” and my hash browns.
                After they ate, she admittedly thanked him saying that she was full and grateful that they ate.  Now fully rejuvenated they went on with their day.  It was a good thing that they were still able to get along so well.

  

Class Collaboration

Once upon a time there was a beautiful peasant girl name Sara whom longed for riches and beautiful things. She lived with her parents In a small cottage at the end of the village, she was the most beautiful girl in the village however she always dreamed of life outside the village with a handsome man unlike the ones she saw every day.one day her father left to go hunting and he never returned it has been some time now and the village decided to give him a burial. She always pictured her father still alive living happily with wealth and plenty food unlike what was available in the village. Sarah was a good girl she did all her chores and took care of her mother, she cooked she cleaned and she waited for better. One day a man on a horseback came riding into the village I feel very peaceful and wanted to run all over the village and picking up the flower and enjoy the grass smell, looking some birds and saw that they were relaxing in every branch of the trees. Until the quaking of the ground launched them into the sky. They shrieked and the children screamed in response. Mothers took off in the direction of the playground.   Come things had shifted and the slide had toppled over somewhere to the right a child could be heard calling for their mother, the play tube had been caved in by the rising dirt.  But then uncle billy came with his plane with that there uh thingy mah-jigga up on top of her spinning like a fancy wind blower with the blades ma used to put in front of grand papa to make the smell go away.

When he was younger he was such a powerful gentlemen.  It is a tragic shame to see him like this, in this condition.  I only wish he knew how we all felt about him.  We all held him in high esteem.  He was a great man and was very respected.  There is no dignity in his deteriorating health condition.  I wish there was more that I could do to make him more comfortable. It’s this helplessness that has me feeling constrained. I wish  I could just throw money at the problem but I haven’t even got the money to throw change into the fountain. I weigh the options. What options? What do I do? What do I say? He’s dying and yet everything I think of just turns to mush. I can’t go on. I won’t go on. Then it hits me. The potion is in my mother’s dungeon. She’s kept it locked up for years. Forbid me to go in there. But I had to save him and this was the only way. The potion contained water from the fountain of youth. It was discovered years ago by my great great great grandfather. When settlers discovered it, they began to kill people who went near it. When gold miners would stumble on the unholy land, the Indians would track down there camps to burn the flesh of the poor souls who walked the space. When the steel Mongols charging the plains like the brave warrior depicted in legends. How the world changed when brave warriors don’t any longer exist and the age of cowardice has arisen. Those were the days. Anyhoo, where was I? Oh, that’s right. Nowadays, we’re all wimps waiting around for some politician to cut our taxes and give us free education. Put I’ll tell you one thing: I never had nothing I didn’t work like a dog for. I remember working in the morning at the mayonnaise factory, getting in those big bins and scooping out the extra mayonnaise and putting it in those little paper cups you get at the fast food restaurants. They’d show up from White Castle every day before the lunch rush to get the little hamburger with onions only. The line was long that day and he tough “ I DO NOT WANT TO WAIT ON THIS LINE” He carried a gun just in case, but from one day to the next he became very dangerous with it. He grabbed the gun and held it to the cashier and said “I want my hamburgers and onion rings now!” he shouted. The woman started preparing his food. However little he knew that the people who worked in the back, used their cell phones to dial 9-1-1, the employees told them that there was a man with a gun and that there was no shots fired. But he is armed. The 9-1-1 operator sent police officers to the scene. When the police officers arrived to the scene the man was still armed. The police officers tried to approach him slowly but he then pointed the gun towards them. When the police officers finally got him to put the weapon down, they charged at him and put hand cuffs on him. The man was than arrested and incarcerated. 

EXQUISITE FREAKING CORPSE

Once upon a there was a place where all people and animals lived in harmony.  All food was left ripe for the pickings and much in abundance up in the aged trees. Everyone seemed happy but with happiness came sacrifice.  The animals. 
The animals were left behind with a neighbor.  The animals were not allowed in the new place we were going to live.  The family was off to start their new life which they mostly looked forward to but the new journey would begin without their beloved pets. 
How could they abandon them, they had been together with the creatures since they both were babies each depending on the other for some kind of companionship. Getting each other through the roughest of patches and the happiest of celebration.
But what would happen next? Someone had to be the adult. Someone had to grow up. Someone had to be needed while the other did the needing. It wouldn’t work any other way. It wouldn’t last any other way. He would do it, He would grow up and be the man that she needs and he won’t resent her for it. He promised himself that much. Promises were meant to be kept but they are sometimes broken in desperate times. Could he be held responsible for what had happened or feeling some sense of despair? I don’t what to do, I don’t know what to do. Lord if you can hear me please help. “God here, what can I do for you?” “God? Is it really you?” “No, I’m the fucking little man in your head. Of course, it’s God, you idiot. Now whadya want?” “Oh sorry, God, I’m just so depressed and thought that I might turn to you in my time of—“ “Wait a fucking second. You’re down in the dumps? That’s why you’re so crazy. She said please do not said that to me.
“You are crazy” I repeated. “You belong in a psychiatric unit.” How could one individual be so psychologically unstable and be able to walk the streets. However she found out that he was on medication and was taking the as prescribed that however didn’t take away her discomfort she still wanted to seek revenge for this crazy man whom was capable of doing more harm than good. The next day she decide to make sure he never waked the wise decision. She has to leave her boyfriend. She does not have to hesitate any moment. She has to look forward more higher her gal. he has cheated on her so many times before and this time she just couldn’t keep up with it, the first major reason why she now wanted to break up with him was to show him that she wasn’t dependent by him. So when she walked into the office, the first thing she did was sit on his desk and wait for him. She watched him smile and walk in her direction and triumph coursed through her veins as he approached. He leaned down to kiss her and she stopped him, its over, she murmured against his ear, I don’t need you, and I’m not even certain I want you anymore.  He stared and she waltzed away hips swaying to some tempo only she could keep. It was a rather calm few days, until deliveries of flowers and wine and apology notes filled her house. On day three he stopped at a diner and cried on his knees. And she had had enough.  So of course, they were still together, they figured this time they’d get a dog. That always brought people closer together, right?



Alicia Magana

Fruitful Constraints

One upon the time there was a little boy who wants to find out how to reach a star .one day he wake up early morning to  look at the sky .he saw the sky cover of shine stars and he said of then one day is going to be my. He send a balloon to touch the sky and he got sad because the balloon do not fly that far. He said to himself I am to try tomorrow morning something else. He when to the library to find out books of how to find an object that will make his dream come true.  When he went to do his research he found this most very rare but most beautiful watch. However, this wasn’t your ordinary watch. All it said in the book was that this watch was very rare but yet very powerful. He couldn’t and he wouldn’t stop until he found this very rare and powerful watch. He than began researching where you could find this most rare and powerful watch. The book was very vague, but it said you could find it down south. When they went to find the book they realized that they were on an adventure and decided to record it. While filming their journey they realized that they have found the place what they want to see before they came here. They did not know how closed is that location. It is very small world. We always look for very fun places to travel to but in this case we found the one place we really wanted to travel to. Suddenly when we got there we were reserved in a hotel. Cockroaches were the first thing in sight , fucking cockroaches. I bet you there was a bed bug or two mixed in, that’s okay, that’s cool ill just sleep in the car and be a beach bumb. There’s no way I could smell that bad if I rinse my pits in the ocean water. The salt would sterilize my stink or something, right? Whatever it doesn’t matter I’m about ninety-nine percent sure that I could find some sappy old man desperate for some kind of company with a clean enough house willing to take me in. Tell him I like my flowers edible.  My pillows as fluffed as towels and margaritas as sweet as stealing fake jewelry.


I deserved to be pampered and I definitely needed a break from the monotony of my reality.  A vacation!!!  That’s what I need a vacation.  Maybe I will book a cruise.  I will take a Caribbean cruise.  I’ve always wanted to go. The bahahmas. Cozumel. Those commericials make those places seem like true paradise and even if it is only for a day and island, paradise doesn’t seem like the worst place to spend considering my circumstances. Now all I had to do was figure out how to get the money…. I could always sell my blood… maybe a kidney. Even my sister if she had a price. I never liked her much anyway and seriously, I needed that money. Maybe I’d sell dope on the streets like my old man did. That didn’t get him much but a home in a coffin six feet under. I was better than that. I had to figure out another way. Although I know id be better than him if I tried it. I was always better than my old man. Even though he’d never admit it, he knew deep down that I was destined for greatness and as long as he was on my side he would benefit from it. I knew dealing drugs was dangerous but I had the perfect plan and the perfect people to take the game over SON!. Once I get ki ki and Da-wanda on the  cellie I got this hold thing on lock. You see all you got to do is listen to “Ten Crack Commandments” for my homie Biggie> First you got remember never get high on your own supply or was only get high on your own supply. Whichever, it don’t matter when you got the playbook in hand. Next step gots to to get the bulldogs on to the house son or my wifey gonna pitch a fit you feel me. As that was going on, both of my homies were outside arguing about who’s a better baller Michael or Lebron? Word, beeyotch, know what I mean and other vernacular of the urban variety. This, of course, is scoped by many in the media and elsewhere as racially coded, but let me assure you, this is a clean and tolerant and fully diverse story welcoming all and sundry. Please, come in, sit down, make yourself at home. 

Once Upon a Time...



Once upon a time there was a cat. He was a sickly sort of cat. He didn’t really eat much, mostly just drank water and picked his teeth. He was the kind of guy who would sleep six hours, get up for about thirty minutes and then sleep for another three hours, roll over and go back to sleep again. He lived downstairs from an eagle. Damn, that eagle was industrious. He was up at the crack of dawn, flying through the skies, killing rats and squirrels and sometimes even cats. For some reason he never tried to kill the downstairs cat, maybe because the cat was so skinny or maybe simply because he got used to him. The black cat got sick because the owner used to give to him dead birds. One night the black cat escaped because he hate his owner. However little did the owner know that the black cat would be back. This wasn’t just an ordinary black cat, but this was a black cat with a very special mind. The black cat knew that the owner would regret this.  The cat started to use his powers and started to torture the owned he would have things levitate in the house and have doors open and close, the owner thought there was a ghost in the house and was terrified he started to lose his mind and became paranoid and crazy. The cat found all this to be revenge of the owners bad treatment towards him, one day the cat decided to make things.  I think cat is very smart. And the owner did not know that. One night the owner was sleeping when the cat decided to stay awake all night and just watch him sleep. The cat felt like going outside but not like this so he decided to take off his suit. When he did, he stood about 6 feet tall. He quickly ran to his apartment and got his car keys and his ID. He felt like going to the movies alone. He found that very therapeutic. He was glad that he was a cat in the day and a man at night.  But the life of a man was proving to be exhausting.  He found himself wondering about money about a possible mate a woman? Maybe not.  A dog was in his future but not the kind you and I are accustomed to. The type with the swinging tail and tongue the falls out when it is not tired at all.  That is the type of dog I speak of.  i am in need of pepper with no salt.

He was energetic and loving.  My new best friend.  I only wish he could talk so I could not be talking to him all day with the same facial expression on his face no matter what I say. I  mean if I keep talking to him and somebody sees, does that make me crazy? Or imaginative? Which one seems more positive? Maybe I should ask him? Then again all I’ll get is that same blank expression and we’ll be right back at square one. I need more friends. Maybe one of the girlfriend variety. Girls like blank faces, right? Especially cuddly ones that can cover you in slobber from zero to sixty in no time flat. I needed one of those. One who was appreciative and grateful and knew how to love someone. Care for someone or something. I just wanted love and the more I thought of it the more I realized how pathetic I was. No one would want me. They just want the little ones. We’re all cute and cuddly when we’re tiny and fresh, but now that years have passed and I am just two years old, I look like a monster compared to them. The little one  with a spot on his eye came to me, his name was Rex. He was always a joyful pup who was always there to cheer me up.

“Whats wrong?” he asked

“Oh nothing”. Deep down I felt my heart break into little piece, I didn’t want him to see me like this, I didn’t want him to think I hated him for being the one thing in my life that made sense and now for leaving me. I should have known though, he was never that in to me. I used to have to do that thing he liked just to get a smile out of him. Now it seems my magical touch is losing power. Should I try something like say a kind word or make a big meal to feed his hunger? Well I need to try something to get his attention. Wait I got it how about a romantic getaway? I wondered. First I need to book everything and then surprise him when he comes home. How should I tell him in a sweet innocent way or a direct firm way I hope he likes it or it’s over between us.
Once upon a time, David and Soo wanted to have a baby. After they married they waited their won baby
about five years. Finally they have their own baby. Her name is sage. They did not know how much hard
to bringing up the baby. They need somebody’s help. They  are looking for someone who already knows how to take care of infants, like maybe a babysitter, but that became difficult for them since they were on vacation and no one near them spoke their language. They had to stay here for one whole month so they had no other choice but to watch youtube videos and see how other parents take care of their own children.  They had thought, watching you tube videos would prepare them for the coming of their first child. Oh, how they were wrong. Nothing could prepare them for the vomit the wailing the crying, their faces screamed make it stop.  Suddenly a pepto-bismol commercial appeared on the tellie.  It to my dismay interrupted the white fool of a president they call Bushe.  Vomit suddenly being cleaned with the power of pine-sol could finally allow my stomach to find it appetite.
As I regained my composure, I felt as if somebody was watching me from a distance.  I could see that there was a shadow of a large person watching me. I couldn’t believe someone was doing this to me? Why me? Why follow me? I had nothing of interest? Not enough money to seem attractive? And my body type couldn’t be someone’s preference? Unless the person following me didn’t care. Oh god what if they didn’t care? I start to panic more. To sweat more. How should I handle being pursued? Do I confront them first? Do I cower? Do I run? Do I faint? I don’t know. Fear has overtaken my sense of right and my fight or flight response has seemingly disappeared. I fainted. Felt my legs buckle and the next thing I noticed was the strong smell of rubbing alcohol held up to my nose in a sock that was drenched with it. “Wha.. What?”… I woke up tied to a bed, my clothes removed, I had a blind fold on but there was a slight visibility through the blind fold, but it was no use everything was dark. I can’t remember how I got here, its to fuzzy to remember the exact specifics of the night. First there was James then Bobby, Lavern and Stacy. Or was it Jim, Too many Guinness and jack Daniels made my mind wonder and 

Exquisite Corpse

It’s funny how sunsets have always been portrayed as red and gold. Very few enjoy the orange and pink. Personally I enjoyed that rapidly disappearing pink and lavender the rich blue and even richer purple. You know the twilight before night has truly crept in.  It was always beautiful, I watched it from my room every day for fifteen years. I watched it while my parents watched tv. I even watched it as the house burned down behind me. It added to anticipation of night. I enjoyed the calm before any storm; even if the only storm was night.  When the house burned down I hadn’t been too concerned. Material things never really mattered to me I still had twilight. It wasn’t until the fire was out and I was being ushered into a police car that I realized my parents had been inside and that they hadn’t come out.  But then in the midst of the smoke a shadow much bigger than a human could slightly be eyed.  It was my parents of course they lived.  I wiped my tears and awaited for them to come towards me, but then I heard someone crying.  It was something when I looked.

I looked back and that’s when I notice the blood.  It was as if a body had exploded. 
The crimson around me was as if I was playing with the paint bucket tool on my computer. Was this what bulls saw when they were at their angriest? All I know is that after the sight of the red hit me, the smell followed. Bodily fluids of all kinds began to expose and mix. To congeal. The smell of sulfur and feces making me dizzier than I ever expected. I can’t help but cough and stumble at the same time. But somehow my feet stay in place. The sight in my eyes has frozen me.
She undressed herself and I couldn’t do a thing. I couldn’t move a muscle. Except for the throbbing in between my legs. What a sight. I caught myself almost drool and I straightened up. I had to think of something. What was I going to do with this body that stood before me in its glory. All flesh, I slowly moved my hands from his chest down towards his penis. I looked up at him kissing his neck leading up to his ear turning his eyes . Just close enough to get his attention to notice my sweet touch. His heart and my heart were linked at that moment. Our souls were destined to be together like our previous selves. Nothing from this world or the next can stop us from reaching our fruition. We will crystalize in our true essences and join the great hereafter and so on and so forth. Know what I mean?
                Um, no, I would have to say that I do not know what you mean.
                Well we should have sex. Fornication. Maybe a little oral. Spanking too, if that’s your think. I draw the line at poop.
                Yabba-dabba-doo!
                Now you’re talking, big boy!

                Come on and give it to me, baby!  He said one more time ‘’give to me now’’. Maria said no why I have to give to you is not good. He started to get mad, and when he gets mad he starts to get violent. I wouldn’t hand it over to him. He grabbed my wrist. He was extremely strong, my arms were very petite. Just by him grabbing my wrist he could’ve broken it, causing another incident like last time. The last time, I ended up in the emergency room. We were having a disagreement like most couples do and well things started to get out of hand and he got physical. I don’t quite remember what the argument was about but I do remember one thing. He had beaten me so badly that I could barely open my mouth to even eat or talk. I looked at him and tried to open my mouth to ask him why he would hurt me this way but he just turned to me and said get out of my sight you look horrible. I wanted to call the police however I loved him and didn’t want any trouble I just curled up in bed and hoped things would get better if it didn’t I would just have to kill him. Please do not kill him. If you do that job. You are going to jail. You better to find out another way instead. Maybe you could hook up someone into doing it. Maybe he can be killed but not just by you. If someone else does it for you, it’s definitely not your responsibility. But will the guilt remain? That’s something that will have to take time into thinking to. Maybe it’s best that he stay alive for your own safe consciousness. But the anger still remained. Killing cannot be the answer then. You have to come up with a more clever idea. Like maybe making his life miserable? If only you could remember what he has done to cause you to feel this way towards him.  You should go out for a walk and take a deep breath. Don’t think it twice. Just go. What you should give thought to is the malicious plan you were trying to do to him. Because at the end regardless of the harm he did to you, you’re the one who will end up losing if you choose to kill him. 

Class Story

They did not live happily ever after, at least not together.  They each tried in their own way.  Day after day night after night.  They would make feeble attempts to save their marriage.  Not necessarily taking turns, but continuous efforts by both of them using their particular “skill sets” to enhance, entertain, feed or simply enjoy each other’s company. 
            Fancy meals were cooked.  Love notes were left in order to guide each other into a better mood with more positive outlooks on how the day would go. 

Their attempts just seemed to be wastes of air, time and space. Despite how they each felt, their hatred for one another beat out every positive emotion there could possibly be. Some happily ever this was supposed to be. But how could one escape such a fate, such a loveless circumstance without being the monster to the other. The fake smiling and laughing at each other could only last so long before they both snapped. Lucy would snap first. She had daydreamed about it countless times. Would she drive a knife through his heart? Or would she drive the knife through his rectum so he could feel the unending pain she once felt? She went to the kitchen bumping into every furniture on the way there, she felt his breathe just behind her so close it could snatch her life away. Run! Run! RUN! Is all she heard in her head, picturing herself as the jockey to her own body. Whipping her legs to just move in inch per minute faster to get away from the unknown attacker. Her heart racing with each moment and her thoughts moving like wind to think how to shake off this attacker. Wait, she finally realized she had pepper spray in her duffel bag. As the attacker came closer and closer the woman said “Hey, I have something for you.” The attacker, “Oh, I know you do, raising his knife in one hand, the gun in the other.” “Oh, right, you probably want my purse.” She handed it over and as he rummaged through it for bills of various denominations, she asked, shyly, “Don’t you want to know what I have for you?” “Huh? Oh right, yeah, what do you have for me?” (He might have said “duh”). I have a nice surprised waiting for you in the car go and get it. She reply why you do not “bring it to me here’’. I want you to go and get it for yourself. She opened up the car door and he pushed her from behind, violently. She fell into the car hitting her head on the steering wheel. She had hit her head so hard that she got knocked unconscious.  When she woke up she was in what looked to be an abandoned house there were no furniture and the wood floor was badly damaged. She got up and wiped her mouth only to feel it swollen and bloody. Immediate fear went through her body she go to her feet and ran to the door only to the door you can see before you escape here. Hurry up we don’t have enough time. Everybody follow me and we’ll run down to that tunnel. These creatures can appear in any moment. I also heard they’re increasing in size. Bigger than us humans. The children were fearing the worst, but we tried to stay as calm as possible to make sure that they would go screaming like maniacs. We hear the creatures sniffing. They probably sensed us already. We ran deeper into the cave as we could. Luckily they passed by so we were in the safe zone for now. Who knows if this is just a trick for them to wait for us to come out and snap, our heads get bitten off? Well, we had no choice, we had to go out sometime. Might as well go now. So we ran outside and they attacked, it was like some twisted rendition of the avatar. They were clearly the fire nation. We were not going to make it out of here alive. To my left some guy was smashing in his head with a baseball bat, to my right someone was literally smashing a baseball bat if you can catch my drift. Did that slide right by you? Did you get spilt between the two worlds? Okay, enough with my striking baseball jokes.  Some things you can let go dont’cha know.  Me brudda is from is half Jamaican half dragon tamer and you will respect the art brudda.  Now back to this fire bender you speak of.  Hes bald right? About 4ft tall and fights like the mightiest of hockey players.  His name is Bilbo baggins goes by the alias “LeprechaunY0M@amma69”.  If we don’t stop him he will find the gingerbread man. Oh look its bill cosby.

Group Writing

Once upon a time the lived a hobbit which lived in a humble hotel. You might want to ask why a hobbit would own a hotel ,well for the hobbits that are taking vacation from FAR FAR away which goes without saying is quite a trip. This particular hobbit’s name was henry, Henry the hobbit and a good natured hobbit with a very special problem. You see when henry the hobbit was pushed to the limit of his patience his demeanor would change. Happy humble Henry the hobbit would change into a tall fearsome warrior.  Could kill a man with a glance of his eyes.  Henry decided used his new found transformation and help his village. Years went by without seeing his home or loved ones. But when he returned to the village they were shocked with how erotic and manly he had become. Both girls and boys flirted with him. Wives toyed with leaving husbands and husbands asked him to go out for beers or to wrestle. But he didn’t have time for these silly games. Instead he had come back to fight the monster. He said no times for jokes. I am going to put an end to all this crazy things. I am sick and tired of all this bull shit. He took his car and leave the house. He left the house with an unknown destination. He didn’t know where he was going to go, but he knew he wanted to be anywhere but there. He started up the road. The road was unlike any other road he had seen though. It was extremely dark, no lights, no people. Just road and forest. He started second guessing that maybe he should go back, maybe he was wrong. However he decided to continue on his journey and make it an adventure to him what’s the worst that could happen driving through the forest. After driving for another hour he noticed a small cottage in the woods with smoke coming from the chimney and a light through the window. He thought to himself he should drive by or keep driving. After his car accident, he is very afraid to drive car. But car is same as shoe. The car is the same as shoe because once one learns how to tie their shoes, they are able to learn how to drive a car also. It’s like picturing learning how to drive a car first and then to tie your shoes. It’s practically the same thing. It can go in any order.  But since he did not know how to tie his shoe, he would drive a car. He waited until his other was asleep to sneak downstairs and pull her car keys off the stand. He had hid a phone book in the bushes earlier so he could minimize the amount of sound he made. He ran out lugging the phone book into the front seat climbed in and started the car. He tried repeatedly to start it but it just stuttered and all I could think of was timmy.  The horse on the other side of the house was my only escape.  Off went me and max to house where no one lived.  Horses were ruled by the almighty and he would not let me suffer too much longer.  I had to get out of here.

                I finally got the engine to start and the sound startled the horses off in the distance.  I had to honor Timmy. After a few more revs, I popped the ol girl into drive and sped off into the sunset, I wanted to chase it to the ends of the earth. For Timmy, it was all  I could. Drive until the gas was at it’s very emptiest. Not caring about the law, not caring about my own safety. I just had to drive. Drive as fast I could. As fast as the engine and wheels could take me. Hands gripped so tight against the wheel they couldn’t be pried off by any means. There was silence in the air. It felt like everything had stopped. There was no sound, no gravity and everything moved slowly. I was flying. Or at least is felt like that for a moment. I thought about Gracie and our life together, it was a tough time, but they were filled with the most beautiful memories. I felt the air getting thin, I couldn’t breathe but I enjoyed my last moments alive with absent panic, floating in the mid sky, stars all around me I could just imagine how my next life would be. Or would I even have one? I didn’t care much to think more of it, for I would find out soon enough. Suddenly I felt light, I could see my body right in front of me, and suddenly it disappeared. I tried to look at what was holding me up but there was no me, there were no arms or legs or face. I felt nothing. Out from a distance I saw a white light, My what a beautiful view I have.
introduction of this story is how David lives peacefully in his town. he was rancher for syndicate of cattle genetics in Oklahoma. He only knows that what he is doing for cattle . he was still twenties.but he astonishingly uneducated in every other way. he is pure country man. one day he had spend the night in Jordan at the Garfield Hotel.he met  his client at there and after unfortunate he met ray then his life is changed

Motherlode - in class

David is starting his day off peacefully.  His life which we learn is somewhat mundane and boring is about to become interrupted.  His life has routines that are normal for him.  His job is his career. His career is his business brand.  His business brings him all around this town as he has a lot of traveling that he does.  The townspeople know him.  He has a familiar face.

When David meets Ray he actually gets a bad feeling that I dismissed as "not a big deal".  As Ray's somewhat stalker like behavior became more and more creepy my guard started to go up.  I genuinely became more and more concerned for the outcome of this encounter.  I didn't think that David's safety was at first at risk.  I felt Ray would be a nuisance when they were still in the diner.  Who knew?

The vibe was uncomfortable but only at a level of, "maybe David made a mistake" unintentionally with this Man's (Ray's) Farm or cows.  When Ray followed him out of the diner, I knew it was getting worse.  The Gun ended my positive outlook.

Motherlode

     The tone in the beginning of the story sounded pretty much casual because David was going about his day getting ready and energized for his new day of work, which had to do with cattle breeding. Then this stranger follows him and David does not seem scared at all in this situation and I think it probably has to do with the way Ray, the stranger was threatening him. He wasn't really threatening him; only with his gun, other than that it was a moment to think of as being somewhat funny because Ray did not sound threatening and even though he wasn't trying to sound funny he did sound kind of silly. And the way David was handling this situation made things seem more calmer.

Motherlode- In class

The in the beginning he sets the stage in a very normal way, i felt like i was in a mid-west home town. That way you feel when you hear the line "where everyone knows your name". But very quick he introduces a this enigma of a character that is completely different from the rest. When the man starts to interact with him, suddenly I get that nervous feeling. I guess I felt just like David, why am i the only one noticing how different he is. The tone why he is actually holding David up is where to me the tone guess murky. He is doing a wrong to David but if feels strangely friendly.  
Motherlode

David wake up the morning so energetic to star the new day .He took a look in the mirror and was so proud of himself of what he was going to do that day.That day he met Ray at the cafe that change his life forever.

Motherloade class writing

Motherloade in my opinion is a great story at beginning of the story reminds of the old buddy comedic westerns like Duck, you sucker directed by Sergio Leone . David being the the central focus of story looking at the events through his eyes. Ray being sometimes the comedic relief and other times a tragic figure not knowing his background or how got to be where he's at. The scene that cracked me up was where ray is on the phone with morsel. Morsel gets at ray for not coming sooner to see her reminds me of an ex-girlfriend of mine.

motherlode



Thomas Mcguane creates a tone in my opinion of a slow panic at the beginning.  I guess he does that by not going into detail of how David must be feeling at certain moments like having the gun of Ray's on his stomach.  There wasnt much talk of fear, plans to escape, or people back home that will miss him if things were to go south.  The story intro seems to go pretty quick in the first few pages after starting off just at the speed limit, which mirrors the 2 hour car ride scene with David and Ray.