Photo by Chris Briggs on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper, suggesting to Phyllis’s son Todd and granddaughter Taylor on how they might spend Tuesday in Madison, said it was a toss-up between the Vilas Park Zoo and the Capitol where there will be a public hearing on establishing a hunting season …
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Testing #1
Kickass Suggests the Zoo
Kickass as Predator
Photo by Sebastian Pociecha on Unsplash Kickass, the doorstop dog, having retired as a shooting hunter, still acknowledges his predator identity and the complications that come with attempting to fit killing lesser creatures into the realm of “sport” and “fun” in a society that increasingly denies the source of hamburger. Regulatory decisions that should be made by ALL …
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The Couch Potato’s Guide to Old Hollywood: The Legacy of Jack Lemmon
Wire photo, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter Jack Lemmon really wasn’t one of your cool, macho sort of leading man actors. Instead, he typically played the everyday, normal, and, well, goofy kind of guy. Even though he was sometimes impatient, sometimes short-tempered (sort of a human Daffy Duck), he was usually a …
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Kickass Talks to Horses
Photo by Harry Peterson By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, passes along the keeper’s report of a last-day trout fishing excursion with Harry Peterson that included such extensive immersion in the rural Driftless landscape that communicating with the animals, both wild and domestic, came as naturally as it ever can for a species that …
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Highlights of The Pen in Hand Graphics: The Michael DiMilo Gallery
Volume I Artwork by Michael DiMilo Over the course of the last two and one-half years, The Pen in Hand Blog has been lucky enough to have obtained the services of free-lance artist Michael DiMilo as a contributor. While his unique style has provided a provocative and edgy feel to the blog, DiMilo’s pieces–obviously–stand alone …
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Kickass Gone Fishing
Photo by Greysen Johnson on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that keeper has gone through most of his long life using the “Gone Fishing” philosophy to deal with all manner of issues, everything from birth to death; and so, instead of packing for an upcoming move, he—the keeper looks forward to an overnight outing …
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Look Up in Anger
Artwork by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter Last week, a New York City restaurant hostess was physically assaulted by guests when she informed them that masks were required to enter the restaurant. On a recent weekend flight from Philadelphia to Miami, a Frontier Airlines passenger had to be taped to his seat after assaulting one …
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Kickass and 90-year-olds
Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper as he and all of those in the 90-year-old age group celebrate William Shatner’s 10-minute space ride. While it is comforting to acknowledge accomplishments by 90-year-olds, the reality of Shatner’s experience costing him a …
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Kickass and Phyllis Cancer Lunch
Photo by Bill Stokes By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper in applauding Phyllis and the multitudes like her who do not let their cancer battles dominate their lives. As she resumes a treatment regime following recovery from hip replacement surgery, Phyllis is back at her photo-artistry with an extensive exhibit in the …
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Kickass Makes a Move
Martyn Gorman / Newburgh: Return of the wild geese By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, joins the keeper in noting the constant creature movement across the globe, perhaps topped by the radio-tracked female pecchial hawk that spent 42 days flying 10,000 kilometers from South Africa to Finland, which helps put the upcoming move by the keeper …
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