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I Already Been to Church

June 2, 2012 by kristalynn

If I go there again, it will be of my own free will. None of this it’ll be fun and just this once, and what’s one night of your life shenanigans. They called it a retreat, a sing-along campfire. It was church, plain and simple. I been to church and that was it. Maybe it was out in the woods, and there wasn’t no organ, and I didn’t recognize none of the hymns, but they was prayer and Bible quotin’, and in my book, that spells c-h-u-r-c-h.

Now, I got nothing against the Bible or prayer or any of that, understand. But I don’t go for tricking someone into a relationship with God. He gave us a brain and a choice and I aim to use them. But I’ll get there when I get there, and not because me and my buddies got liquored up on some pretty girls and ended up toasting marshmallows and being saved.

I went to church when I was a kid, and the pastor said if you asked Jesus to save you, you will go to heaven. So I asked — every night, as I wasn’t sure if it was a one shot deal or a repetition kind of thing. I didn’t get no answer, but I asked with all my heart, and I think God takes care of kids with a heart. So as far as I can tell, I already been saved.

It’s been a long time since then, and I can probably use a little more saving, if you know what I mean. But I know how to ask: I just ain’t ready yet. When I do ask I want to do it full-on like a kid, and my heart’s been otherwise occupied until now, which is why we met up with those girls in the first place.

Things didn’t work out quite how they planned. One of my buddies got out with his immorality intact. But the other one did get straight up converted, and as far as I can tell, it done him good. As for me, well I jumped feet first into marriage before and my wife left me, so I ain’t ready to jump feet first in with God.

I know a lot of Bible speakers will say God won’t leave me, and I reckon that’s true. But if so, he never left me from when I was a kid and he’ll take me back someday. Just like the prodigal son.

Some may say I better set things right, because I could be hit by a bus tomorrow. Well, if my time on earth is through, I guess I fulfilled my duties and so God already thinks me worthy of a spot in the afterlife. And if it’s all just about me choosing every day to thank God to be part of this world, well then it has to be my choice, don’t it?

So all’s I’m saying is don’t rush me. If I get born again, it will be ’cause of my own free will.

Posted in Original Fiction, Science & Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

Politically Untenable Suggestions

May 20, 2012 by kristalynn

On the 360-degree feedback for my annual evaluation at work, one person commented that sometimes I make “politically untenable” suggestions. I have been trying to figure out how to interpret that. Fifteen people provided feedback for the evaluation, and I don’t know which one said it, nor does it matter. What matters is why it was categorized as a criticism.

In my mind, “politically untenable” means that the opposing political powers-that-be or public have a stronger voice and more influence. My suggestions are always what I understand to be the right thing to do for the people we serve given the data available. So the opposition is either a legitimate difference of opinion about the right thing to do or different priorities and constituents and/or lack of information (willful or otherwise).

I think in all these situations, it’s not a bad thing to have the discourse and to get all the information and motives into the open. I have said before that I believe two people can have the same data and legitimately reach different conclusions. Sometimes you just have to pick one and get behind it. But if you never make sure that both sides have all the information, then I don’t think there can be a legitimate conclusion. And if no one ever speaks up because they’ll get shot down, then the bullies win.

My job is currently funded through a grant, so maybe I’ll have a job next year and maybe I won’t. I’m prepared for either situation. I’m not a political appointee or an elected official, so I don’t have to worry about getting votes. There is no more perfect position from which to make “politically untenable” suggestions.

So if I don’t say what needs to be said, then who will?

I think there is only one answer to this criticism on my evaluation. It’s the same one I gave when I was falsely accused of plagiarism in high school: Thank you.

Posted in Integrity, Politics & Government | Leave a Comment »

Animal Stories: Moose plus Music Soundtrack

May 13, 2012 by kristalynn

The fifth and final installment of the video and music preview series for Reflections and Tails was supposed to be about moose. However, it was surprisingly difficult to find moose videos that appropriately captured their essence in the story, and the genre of moose music is meager at best. So, I decided instead I would give you one short moose video and then let you in on my little game called “If They Made My Story into a Movie” and link to a few song clips from the imaginary soundtrack. Enjoy.

Moose Video

Soundtrack
I’m Still Here by Doc Holladay (give this a second to load)

Hard to Believe by David Cook (scroll down and click “Play All Samples”)

Stones Under Rushing Water by Needtobreathe (scroll down and click “Play All Samples”)

When You Come Back Down by Nickel Creek, sung by Susanne Gerry (click on the orange button)

Chase This Light by Jimmy Eat World (scroll down and click “Play All Samples”)

Posted in Light Menu, Original Fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Animal Stories: Book Cover Revealed and Wolves

May 4, 2012 by kristalynn


As promised, today we reveal the book cover!
Wolf

 
Of course today’s music and video hints are all about wolves. The secret is out; they have many sides. So, starting with the fairy tales we know by heart, I take you back to the big, bad wolf of childhood then to the fine line between the evil wolf of generations past and the pet you can trust with your baby. Every wolf was a baby once, too, who had to be taught how to howl. Watch the video of the Wolfman and the pup’s first lesson. Lastly, the music today is by The Voice by Celtic Woman Lisa Kelly . 
 
 Who’s Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?
 
 
The Trusted Pet 

Learning to Howl

Wolf Song by Celtic Woman Lisa Kelly

Click here for lyrics and more by Celtic Woman

When can I get this fabulous book of stories and art, you ask? The e-book release date is the end of May for all outlets, possibly sooner for Amazon.

Posted in Light Menu, Original Fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Animal Stories: Dads and Dude Ranches

April 28, 2012 by kristalynn

This third set of video hints about the upcoming e-book (title to be revealed in the next post) is about horses. Or rather, it is about a particular human experience with horses, namely the dude ranch. The first 25-second video shows the ranch that my family visited when I was in high school, and it pretty much sets the tone. The video below that is a scene from Return to Snowy River, which is both riveting and relevant to the story (except the part where he gets shot).  

Today’s music is by a group named The Dad Horse Experience. I don’t understand the music or the video or most of the words that the man is singing, but I find it weirdly compelling.

Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch

Return to Snowy River

Music by The Dad Horse Experience (Find out more about this one-man band here and here.)

Posted in Light Menu, Original Fiction | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Animal Stories: About Vampires?

April 19, 2012 by kristalynn


Post #2 in the video/music hint series is about vampires. Well, vampire bats, anyway. They are cute, they are delicate, they are misunderstood. Just watch the first video of a bat grooming his ears like a cat and feel the “awwww” well up inside you. If that doesn’t do it for you, watch the second video of the baby bat looking for his mother. (I’ll bet you didn’t know that vampire bats adopt orphans.) Then if you’re still not sold, listen to the metal mood music of an oldies hit cover by The Animals and contemplate the temperature of your cold, hard heart. 

Bat Paws for Grooming (link)
ARKive video - Common vampire bat grooming

 

Bats Have Babies Too, Y’know

 

 

 

Mood Music – Place of Skulls Version  vs. The Animals: “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”

 

Posted in Light Menu, Original Fiction | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Animal Stories: About Sheep

April 15, 2012 by kristalynn

I am excited to be working with an artist on an illustrated e-book of animal stories for grown-ups, to be released early this summer. Stay tuned for the title and the book cover, but in the meantime, the series of posts to follow will feature animal-related music and videos that hint, however obliquely, at the contents of the book.

So, today, we start with sheep. Because sheep are both serious and silly and have a centuries long relationship with people, I give you classical music paired with stunts by sheep and shepherds. Enjoy.

 

March of the Sheep by David Rozsa, an orchestral allegro. (Photo by Kázsmér Zsuzsanna)

 

Surfing Sheep

 

Extreme Sheep Herding

 

Now that I think of it, the sheep segment in the book will have nothing to do with surfing or marching and refers very little to shepherds either. So this wasn’t much of a hint at all.

 

Posted in Light Menu, Original Fiction | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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