Photo by Brad Switzer on Unsplash
Kickass and Holiday Over-Eating
Attribution: Harry Pot / Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, passes along the keeper’s tips for watching your weight during the Thanksgiving week: *Do not apply makeup, deodorant or false eyelashes before stepping on the scale in the morning. Do, however, shave whatever you shave, clip your toe and …
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Breaking the Camel’s Back
Illustration by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far way, when my daughter was about seven years old, we took a trip to Disney World—sort of a prerequisite for parenthood then (and now, I suppose, too). It was everything I expected: hot, crowded, expensive, kitschy, and sticky sweet. …
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Kickass and Head Chopping
Attribution: Reuben R. Sallows, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, does his best to keep the keeper from stepping into the bottomless quicksand of life but was unable to deter him from preoccupation with the reality that in order for there to be a traditional Thanksgiving feast somebody has …
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Hospitality
The Pen in Hand Blog featuring Geoff Carter
Attribution: Jean Leon Gerome Ferris , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_First_Thanksgiving_Jean_Louis_Gerome_Ferris.png
Kickass and Hitler Thanksgiving
Attribution: Muhammad Mahdi Karim, GFDL, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, gives the floor to the keeper as he recalls the Thanksgiving feast at Grandma Helgeland’s when “Hitler” came to dinner. It was the concluding months of WW II and Hitler was the global monster that everyone hated. Hitler was also the …
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Kickass and Dead Battery
Attribution: Wtshymanski at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper has a message on this foggy morning for the student who parked in the lot next door and trotted off to classes leaving his/her vehicle lights on: “Dear driver: “No matter what happens in …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to the Movies: Review of “Anora”
Illustration by Michael DiMilo Sweet and Sour Dreams: Film Review of Anora ★★★★1/2 By Geoff Carter Seth Baker is a filmmaker whose singular focus on the forgotten, the misbegotten, and pariahs of society—specifically sex workers—addresses issues of class, dignity, and compassion. His movies Tangerine, The Florida Project, Red Rocket, and his newest, Anora, chronicle the discrimination and contempt …
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Kickass and Thanksgiving Bird Chants
Attribution: Marie-Lan Nguyen, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that the keeper has been approached by the National Order of Turkeys–“NOT,” to do something about the traditional Thanksgiving Day menu as well as the dispiriting grey-day November weather. Response from AI suggested eating sparrows for Thanksgiving feasting as …
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Kickass Talks to Deer Hunters
Attribution: English: NPS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, endorses the keeper’s message to Wisconsin deer hunters at 6:45 am on this opening morning of Nov. 23, 2024: “Deer hunters: “Good morning to one and all out there in the blaze orange brigade. It looks to be an overcast …
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Kickass Gets Ready for the Hunt
Attribution: National Archives at College Park , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper’s dilemma in waking up with the strong sensation that he must spend the day preparing for something, but it was not clear just what that was. Finally, it dawned on him that this was …
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Kickass and November 21, 2024
Attribution: NOAA Photo Library, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper burdened with a question as he views today’s cold, slush-covered wintery landscape: within the strict dictates of evolution was there a connection between the humans’ inclination to “hunt” which means tromping around in the snowy woods …
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