Science fiction, fantasy, mystery and what-not
Floofpestral (floofinition) – pertaining or relating to fields or open country where housepets like to roam.
In use: “The large field, bordered by a street, a creek, and two houses, became a floofpestral hangout on sunny days, especially for cats attracted to the birds and moles that frequented the field.”
In the 1960s, as far as I know, we came in America to have T.V. dinners. I remember the first time Mom brought a few home. She looked at the shiny, foil trays and asked, “Can this be any good?”
Thirty years ago, it was Tofu. Tofu was in everything or they were making it out of tofu. “What is it?” “It’s the miracle food, tofu!”
Tofu didn’t always lend itself to everything in the early days. I experienced some nasty, funky tofurkey on one ghastly Thanksgiving. But progress was made. Textures, appearance, and flavoring improved. Tofu came a looong way.
We shifted from white rice to brown rice. Fat-free and non-fat became the cry, but then people asked for a little fat. “Please, sir, may I have a little fat for flavor?” A little fat was added and pronounced low-fat. Sprouts and sprouted breads arose in favor. My wife, a vegan, then a vegetarian, and now a pescatarian, despises the sprouts, grumbling about them whenever they’re served to her on a salad or sandwich. Look out if it’s sprouted bread.
We’ve processed through other phases in the quest to be healthier. Plant-based and dairy-free cheeses arrived. Organic arose in favor. GMO free. Gluten-free. Kale jumped in there, making a brief splash on salads and as chips, and then, non-diary milks arose. They’d been around for a while, but suddenly things were being made of coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, rice milk. Soon the ice cream aisle exploded with non-diary frozen desserts. Then —
Greek yogurt!
Now we’ve come to the latest. Gentle people, I give you the cauliflower.
Yes, it’s the miracle food, cauliflower. Eat it raw. Roast it in the oven and eat it instead of french fries (or roasted brussies, or roasted kale chips.) It’s great as a pizza crust or a creamy soup. Why should potatoes have all the glory? Have mashed cauliflowers instead of mashed potatoes.
I’m sure someone somewhere is working on cauliflower wine and cauliflower ice cream. What comes next? will it be the beets?
No, too obvious. Plant-based meats are making a run, but I think something else is on the way.
Solyent green, anyone?
Many others question
what I do and why
they pour their negativity into my heart
the things they say could make me cry
were I a lessor person
and cared what they thought
these people whose dreams and emotions
are like toys that they bought
I do my thing no matter what
I do my thing no matter why
I do my thing through the pain
I do my thing in the rain
I do my thing and search for answers
I do my thing
and that’s just it
I do my thing
Floofcinity (floofinition) – the area near or surrounding a housepet.
In use: “Although nominally a lovely feline, Flash prefers to keep her floofcinity, including the streets, sidewalks, and yards, clear of people and animals, except her dear nan — and sometimes, even nan’s presence is questioned.”
Floofphony (floofinition) – consonance of sounds made by housepets via barking, mewing, purring, growling, hissing, yipping, chirping, and squeaking.
In use: “With his unexpected arrival home in the middle of the day because of the holiday, the dogs began a floofphony that the cats and bird joined.”
Floofjectory (floofinition) – a housepet’s path to chase a toy, another animal, or to be fed.
In use: “He knew from experience that the five cats’ floofjectories were intercept courses to cut him off, get around his legs, and rub against his calves and shins while meowing and purring until he changed directions and headed for their food.”
Floofcrum (floofinition) – a housepet that serves as a hinge or support
In use: “Though the collie was the eldest, she was the floofcrum upon which the housepet’s actions and behavior were leveraged, for she was the one the humans first greeted, the one who reminded them about feeding times, called for treats, and settled disputes among the other animals.”
Imfloofure (floofinition) – to enclose with housepets as if within walls.
In use: “When he settled on the sofa in the sunshine for a nap, the kittens and puppies joined him until their furry bodies imfloofured him. It was the best nap he’d ever known.”
Hey writers, hope you’re all doing well as this calendar year slides to the final days. Hope you remember that no matter what happened this year, you can go on and on and on, even when the days drag you down, people bury you for dead, and the routines become too much to endure. Have a mug of coffee, a cup of tea, a sip of wine, a quaff of beer, a piece of chocolate, meditate, read, exercise, walk, take deep breaths, do whatever you’ve found that helps you pick your ass up and put it down in a chair or bed or wherever you write, so you can stare down the blank space one more time, and let the words out. However you do it, you must do it, you must find the way to keep going, to keep trying, to write like crazy at least one more day. But whatever you do, and however you do it, always remember, if you’re using a computer, ensure you back up your work.
He’d dissolved his cloak of invisibility, and shredded his veils of anonymity.
He’d uninstalled his mute button, replacing it with an amplifier and speakers.
From now on, he’d seen and heard.
He just hoped he could stand the attention.
