Science fiction, fantasy, mystery and what-not
He’d been walking on a sidewalk, going up a hill, when a passing van’s music blasted him.
He knew that song — rock, yes — but his mind refused to give up the song’s title or the band’s name. Even more of the song was denied him. The same seven seconds kept swirling through his mental music stream.
It was going to tear up his mind. He needed to find enough to remember it or look it up. Based on his current rate of remembering, it’d probably be sometime on Friday or Saturday before he remembered.
Efloofzable (floofinition) Easily beguiled or manipulated by an animal.
In use: “Everyone knew Bonnie was so efloofzable; a doe-eyed look from her dog, a smile from her cat, or the brush of fur against her skin stopped everything else as she asked her fur friends what they wanted and how she could make them happy.”
If I could remember what I wanted to say –
It was something about the stuff in this drawer. It’s just –
I’ve never had any real use for this drawer. It was, you know…extra. So I started putting things in it. Odd stuff. All this was supposed to be temporary but a lot of it’s been in here for years. I don’t know what it’s all from. Screws leftover from things I installed. Never like to throw away screws. Never know when you’ll need a screw just like this one. Screwdriver, of course. I was looking for that. It’s supposed to be in my tool box. Or these pens. Old gum. Gum’s probably been in here ten years. Trident. My wife liked chewing it, so I kept some on hand for her. Don’t need it now. Cat toys. Don’t need that, either. Last cat I had was Jury. Big black cat. Sweetest animal you’ll ever meet. He died…how long ago was that? Shoelaces. A stone. I can almost remember why I kept this little stone. Look at it. Strange blue. Round, almost oval.
Everything in here was part of a moment. It all meant something to me when I put it in here. I can’t remember any of it.
I can’t even remember what it was that I wanted to tell you. I don’t even recall why I wanted to speak.
But there was something I wanted to say.
I just can’t remember. It feels like I should.
Mood: low-energy. Don’t know if that qualifies as ‘mood’. Feels like my batteries are blinking with a ‘recharge now’ message. Or maybe I just have the Wednesdays.
Yes, Wednesday, July 26, 2023, pulled into Ashlandia, where the skies are not cloudy today. Low was in the upper fifties this morning and the high will pull the numbers into the lower nineties. While the fires continue burning north, east, and south, and advisories warning us about our air quality is out, the sky is blue and the air is smoke free. If we can play keep away with the smoke, a lovely summer day will reward us.
After another dream invasion, I awoke thinking about dreams, my mind, and memories. Last night’s thinking about doors in my mind and event boundaries just before going to sleep probably contributed to that. The Neurons ended up plugging a 1967 song by The Amboy Dukes called “Journey to the Center of the Mind” into the morning mental music stream (trademark imagined). This song has a bit of prog to it — reminds me of several Moody Blues works — with a psychedelic edge. The lead guitarist knew his stuff. It’s a guy named Ted Nugent. I don’t usually share his work because I consider him repugnant. On a scale of one to ten, he goes to eleven. It’s about his interest in sex with thirteen year old girls and his comments about not every man being created equal. It’s not a question of his politics; he’s just hateful.
But we’re going with this music to satisfy Les Neurons (who just fired up “Satisfaction” by the Stones in the morning mental music stream). You be strong, safe, positive. Work it as best as you can, right?
Okay, my coffee is singing to me. Here’s the tune. Cheers
Agitfloof (floofinition) 1. An animal who displays irritating habits or behavior, or makes sounds which others find annoying.
In use: “The three new puppies were adorable, but the boy — who became known as Mephistopheles — was an agitfloof with huge energy bands, galloping and attacking when the others were sleeping, curious about everything going on, and generally getting into the middle of all activities, invited or not.”
2. Play objects or behavior designed to spur animal’s physical activity and thinking.
In use: “The mousebot — Phelps’ nickname for the toy — was agitfloof that sent a mechanized furry gray mouse racing out of its little gray plastic hill, leading the kittens on a chase for five minutes before ducking back into its plastic hidey hole to dock and recharge.”
Mood: confident
Let me introduce you to Tuesday, July 25, 2023. As befitting a day almost at but not quite the end, she’s sort of laid back and cool. Neighbors are out doing mysterio work around their houses, making noise, sometimes speaking. One neighbor isn’t seen, just manifesting his presence with sounds of activity. Might be repairing a space ship, for all I know.
Cool morning at 66 F in Ashlandia, where the business buildings are getting old, and the mountains have turned brown. Be 89 F for us today, before the sun carries its heat and light contributions away at 8:37 PM. A waxing crescent moon hung in the sky last night, picturesque against the stars, planets, satellites, and galaxies. A tranquil viewing experience for the hours when the heat finally leaves the air and cools us once again.
Three fires burn around Ashlandia. None are closer than an hour’s drive, but they’ve triangulated around our little valley; Bedrock burns to the north, Flat fire — the largest, oldest, and now four percent contained — burns in the east, and a new fire, Golden, burns in the west. It’s problematic for having fresh air daily.
The Neurons have a play-off between two songs going on in the morning mental music stream (trademark iffy). First is Delaney & Bonnie with “Never Ending Song of Love” from 1971. It’s a pleasant, heartfelt song with some interesting vocals. The other song is “Bring Me to Life” by Evanescence from 2003. “Bring Me to Life” combines hard rock with soft vocals with dramatic rapping, an interesting and sort of overwrought gothic juxtaposition of sounds and male and female voices. As the latter song is now more firmly in my head because I’m thinking more deeply about it, I’ll go with it for today’s theme music.
Here we go. Stay positive, be strong, move forward with confidence. Go ahead without me. I’ll catch up after I’ve had my coffee. Here’s the tune. Cheers
Michael Seidel, writer 