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The Inner VoiceKen McCreless (1,685) ![]() ![]() Ken McCreless ![]() http://www.kenmccreless.com Janine, the Harley-Davidson Super Glide Custom Time MachinePosted Sunday, November 15, 2009 (4 days 22 hours ago.) Viewed 269 times. Greetings Fellow Travelers ... I thought it was going to be just another awesome ride, but Janine had other ideas. I went through my usual pre-ride procedures, checking oil, tires, tire pressure, etc. I tugged on my fingerless gloves, my spooky do-rag, then my helmet- nothing unusual. I fired up that sweet v-twin motor and headed out. I went down my favorite path, on the backside of the ship channel. My mind went down memory lane, scenes of working on board a Russian grain ship flooding my mind. I felt compelled to take a road that I had never taken before. This one took me to the future, which I'll tell you about later. A few days later, on another great ride, I was yet again teleported to the past. Ignoring the threat of rain, I rode out to the island. It seemed I was not in control of my bike anymore; my muse had taken over. This is where I ended up. Many years ago, when I was a teenager, my brother Billy and I would go fishing all the time. We even bought a boat together at one point. Before the boat, however, we did a lot of fishing in the surf. My sister-in-law at the time wanted to spend a few days with her grandmother in the Texas Hill Country, so my brother and I drove her there. It was around 11 pm or so when we arrived, but we had already made plans to drive back and go surf fishing south of Malaquite Beach on Padre Island. And we did exactly that! Park Road 22 Park Road 22 leads to Malaquite Beach and the Padre Island National Seashore. The road runs down the center of the island, past Malaquite, then turns and dead ends on the beach. After going south for a few miles you'll see a "4 wheel drive only past this point" sign. At one time during my younger years I had a Ford F250 with 4 wheel drive. We had a blast! 2 areas where the fishing is legendary, both well south of the sign, are Big Shell and Little Shell, named for the accumulation of shells found there. My brother and I made it past these two areas and never actually fished. We were having too much fun wheelin'! To the Future! On another ride, after enjoying the sights and goings on at the ship channel, I made my way through the town of Portland. Riding out Moore Ave, after leaving the city limits, I found myself in the middle of a wind farm. Dozens of gigantic wind generators were scattered everywhere. I stopped the bike to get a picture, and a better look, when I was struck with a sense of majesty, a feeling that I was in another world. The big blades turned so quietly you might not know they were there if you were not looking right at them. Riding further along I came across a patch where the shadows of the spinning blades crossed the road. I felt as if I were being sent back to my own time, me and my bike flying through some sort of cosmic worm hole or event horizon that led back to my world. What a truly incredible journey! Stay tuned for more adventures, courtesy of Janine, the Super Glide Time Machine! Permalink Comments (26) Doin' the Chest Pain Shuffle II- The Quest for an Informative Sleep StudyPosted Thursday, November 12, 2009 (8 days 17 hours ago.) Viewed 101 times. Greetings Fellow Travelers ... When last we spoke I was waiting for the E.D. Doc to tell me what what. He basically told me what I already knew. The RN asked me if I was going back to work! No, I said, I'm going home. And that is exactly what I did. I was able to see my doctor the next afternoon and she ordered a bunch of tests and a sleep study. I had known that such a procedure was in my future for some time now, but was NOT looking forward to it. I mean, how can I possibly sleep with all that @#;! stuck to me and KNOWING I'm being watched? I showed up at the appointed time, 745 pm, and was shown to my room. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice it was. Everything appeared as if it were brand new and the technician was very good at making me feel at ease even while glueing electrodes to my head. Two more went on my chest and one on my left leg as well. A stretchy band was wrapped around my chest and abdomen and I was ready. All of this is done to record my vitals along with brain activity during all phases of sleep, and to document any movements. A doctor will read the data and give a recommendation to to my doctor. The camera aimed at the bed was a bit disturbing at first, but only for a moment. Soon, I forgot it was there. I got a book out of my backpack and settled in. My plan was to read until I was so sleepy I could not stay awake. It did not work out that way. Even though I had gotten up early that morning and had not taken a nap, I was certain I would have to read myself to sleep. After about 15 minutes or so I could read no more, so I turned the TV on. After surfing for a few minutes I landed on Americas Funniest Videos on WGN Chicago. Even that did not bring on the ZZZs, so, I turned off both the TV and the light and tried going to sleep. It was maybe 10 or 15 minutes before I finally knocked out. That's pretty much normal for me, though. The technician woke me up to fix one of the leads a couple of times, and I had my usual "wake up" frequency- it has been many years since I've had a full nights sleep. What surprised me was that I could sleep at all! I've yet to hear the results, but I strongly suspect that there is a CPAP , (Constant Positive Airway Pressure), unit in my near future. As a Respiratory Therapist I can tell you they work. And that's where I stand, not having a definitive diagnosis but knowing that stress is a major player in my health issues. My caffeine intake is a shell of its former self and I am using deep breathing exercises as well. More importantly, I have informed my director that January 30th 2010 will be my last shift as a Respiratory Therapist. I feel better already! Permalink Comments (14) Doin' the Chest Pain Shuffle!Posted Tuesday, November 03, 2009 (17 days 15 hours ago.) Viewed 1,563 times. Greetings Fellow Travelers ... Yes, indeed. Once again I am sitting in the ED, waiting. This is the second time in as many weeks that I have started my shift as usual, and ended up here- with chest pain and a ridiculously high blood pressure. And, once again, I am dealing with a Nitro headache. In between ED visits I have seen a doctor, gotten back on meds for BP, picked up a new script for anxiety, and had a treadmill stress test. As yet I have no real answer. So, I am doing the one thing that always makes me feel better. Writing. It's a little weird. I am using my Blackberry, which I have used before to submit articles, even with "Wall-to-Wall.". This is my first time writing with wires attached to me, however. Why "Chest Pain Shuffle?" Why not? Right now I can't think of a better phrase to describe what I'm going through. And, at this moment, I don't know what is yet to come. The nitro patch is doing its job- my BP is down. Still waiting for the Dr. Was it the Little River Band that sang "Time for a Cool Change?" "I know that's it's time for a cool change.". Indeed, it is. More later. Permalink Comments (42) Wall-to-WallPosted Wednesday, October 28, 2009 (22 days 19 hours ago.) Viewed 255 times. "This is too easy," he said. His notation was simple. John M, followed by two small x's. "Outcome: done." Tap, tap, tap. "Share." Moments later, a response. "Yes, I would love to meet you. Anywhere you like and I'll bring the beer!". Tap, tap, tap. "Share.". "Done. See you there!" Cracking his girlfriends password was also too easy. She used the same one for most everything. Six hours later and he was at it again. The morning would bring a snow storm and horrific media attention to his heinous and seemingly random kills. It would not take them too long to make the Facebook connection, but, when they did, he would be three states away, spending her cash. She would be with him too, just in case he needed a hostage; gone now but back in the morning with her stuff and her money- unless ... Naaahhh!! She would never think him clever enough to get past her internet security. "Bing!" New notification. Doug Saunders? Wants to be friends? "Sure, Doug-ee, we'll be GREAT friends. I'll line you up right next to John Morgan. I've got just enough room in the trunk for you, Mister man!" Bing! Bing! Bing! He was beginning to feel overwhelmed. It was not easy to admit, but, she was much more popular than he had feared. He wanted to be the only man in her life by the time the two of them struck out in the morning. However, his grand plan was hatched when he thought there was three others, at most. Bing! Bing! Bing! When would it end? Bing! Bing! Bing! He could take no more. As the bings kept coming, he turned off the computer, grabbed his pistol and went through the kitchen door to the garage, took his place next to John Morgan, then joined him in eternity. The pizza guy just kept ringing the door bell. Bing! Bing! Bing! Permalink Comments (39) Thread- part IIIPosted Sunday, October 18, 2009 (33 days 4 hours ago.) Viewed 356 times. III
There was never any hound dog with a keener sense of smell than what Jack enjoyed. It was a matter of minutes before he was back on her trail. She was home now. Her parents had died years ago, leaving her to raise herself. That was how she had come to find the cloth. When the EMS crew carried her parents away they had been dead for over six weeks. It was their advanced state of decay that had prompted the disposal of the very cloth she now wore. Jack stood outside her door, arrogant and clueless. She knew he was there, and why he was there. She also knew that his time was over. With a wave of his hand the door blew apart and he entered. She stood silent as he approached her, her calmness causing him to pause. A surge of familiarity coursed through his body, weakening his knees so that he stumbled backwards trying to stay on his feet. In the single most undignified moment in his centuries of living, Jack fell, landed on his butt and stayed there. Jack was in trouble. Who was she? How did such a wilting flower become so powerful? He rolled to his left just in time to avoid a direct hit from a woman who not only was not a high school student, but could fly. She crashed into the wall next to the gaping hole where the front door used to be, laughing as studs splintered and wallpaper burst into flames. " What is this? You forgot me, Jack? Shame on you!" He must have, he had no idea who his "prey" could possibly be. She was laughing again. It was a sound that made a man sick to his stomach, a man who has been feasting on human flesh for over 400 years, a man whose taste for blood seemed to have no end. Now he knew what a fish felt like right before hitting the red hot skillet. Jack managed to stand up, with help from a sturdy roll top desk that had escaped destruction. It took a full minute before his eyes stopped spinning long enough to focus. Then he saw her. She was about 15 feet away, her feet 6 inches off the floor. There had never a moment of fear in Jack, but now he seemed to be made of it. It got worse when he saw her shoes. They were his mothers. " Who are you, then," he said, trying to regain some sense of dignity, "why are wearing my mothers shoes?" " Because she gave them to me, when she told me how to destroy you." Not 2 hours ago he had been looking forward to her torture, dismemberment, and death. Now, Jack just wanted out. The fire was now eating through the living room, growing by the second. Jack decided to leave any way he could. He found his escape blocked, not by fire, but by the bracelet that had fused his wrist with the desk. The bracelet itself had changed into a solid piece, tight enough to cut circulation from his hand. Then it cut his hand off completely. Jack screamed as the blood poured from his wrist, but was silenced by the shrinking necklace, one single sharpened tooth tearing into his throat. He was dying. Jack, the Grand Leader of the BloodLust Group was dying. His substitute, the one who did the killing, was standing in front of him, enjoying every minute. She was no longer wearing the dress. It had been replaced by an outfit that might be worn by the COO of a large cosmetics company. She chuckled when she saw the dismay on his face. The dress, the old ragged dress, was finished; burned and tattered. She reached down and pulled a thread loose and held it up for Jack to see.
"Strong thread, right Jack? Strong enough to make a necklace and bracelet with, wouldn't you say?"
Jack felt his necklace tighten in response.
As the fire continued to destroy the house around him, Jack learned how it was her parents he had destroyed to gain house leadership, how his own mother had grieved over the treachery of her son, and how she knew he had to be exterminated. The last words Jack would ever hear, as his head separated from his body, were these: " And I'll have a beautiful mantle built, just for your ugly head!" Six months later, She walked into the Group headquarters and smiled. " Hello Jack! Had another great party tonight, you should have been there!" Jack had no response whatsoever. Permalink Comments (16) |
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