Attribution: Tuntematon, Valkoisen talon valokuvaajat (01/20/1977 – 01/20/1981), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter President of the United States, master diplomat, naval officer, and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Jimmy Carter was also a man who lived in the same Plains, Georgia ranch home he had bought as a young man, who …
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Month:December 2024
Kickass Goodbye to Jimmy
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper joining the world to bid adieu to Jimmy and to recall one more time the wonderful experience of floating down the Mississippi on the Delta Queen for three days with Jimmy and Roselyn during Jimmy’s POTUS time. The opportunity to swap …
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The Pen in Hand’s Guide to the Movies: Ringing in the New Year
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash By Geoff Carter We’re almost there. We only have one more day of 2024 to endure. It’s been a year of firsts. Some we would like to celebrate, others not so much. But New Year’s Eve is a time to look forward to fresh starts and renewed aspirations. It’s a time of hope …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Film Review of “Queer”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo A Man in Need : Film Review of Queer ★★★1/2 By Geoff Carter William S. Burroughs was one of the giants of the Beat Generation, helping to define the disaffection of an entire generation. This alienation was reflected in his body of literary work as well as the recent film adaptation …
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Kickass and Grandchildren
Attribution: Eric Ward, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, notes the keeper’s inability to deal with the fact that his first grandchild was born 50 years ago when Katie came into the world as a flawless “19-incher,” the keeper at the time being heavily into trout fishing and its …
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Kickass and Dead Butt
Attribution: Missouri State Archives, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, passes along the keeper’s delight in finally getting a diagnosis for the troublesome malady that has obviously plagued him throughout his life–“The dead butt syndrome,” or “gluteal amnesia” to the physical therapists. The dead butt syndrome is brought on …
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Kickass and Bird Talk
Attribution: Alan D. Wilson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper calling up his special abilities to communicate with all creatures and passing along comments from some of the birds regarding the recent presidential proclamation making the Bald Eagle the official national bird. *Turkey–“We have Thanksgiving nailed …
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Kickass and Kevin’s Game
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that as part of Xmas entertainment at the keeper and Phyllis’s Vista West place there was a “game” introduced by Phyllis’s son Kevin in which each player antes up $10 with the kitty then triple wrapped and taped and retaped in a cardboard …
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Fear of Flying
Attribution: Suikotei, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter The Christmas holidays are here. Millions of people will be taking to the air, the roads, and even the rail to get home for Christmas, and they will be dealing with all the frustrations, vagaries, and disappointments of travel. Things are changing at the airport—and …
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Kickass and Christmas Memories
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, pauses on this Christmas Day to paw through a few memories with the keeper. The keeper goes first: A cold backseat ride in a rattling old Model A Ford through a brittle, star-lite night from Grandma and Grandma Helgeland’s farmhouse, after lutefisk and lefse …
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Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah from The Pen in Hand Blog!!
Attribution: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Happy Holidays and a Safe and Prosperous New Year to All!!
Kickass and Santa’s Note
Attribution: Jon Sullivan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper finding the following note in the chimney ashes: “Dear Bill and Phyllis: As you already know I will not be coming down your chimney this year as I have put my name on the transfer portal and …
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