tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10752825941140250462024-03-13T11:37:35.580-07:00A Line A DayThis blog is a continuous work in progress, fluidly charting my diverse interests and reflecting the far reaching range of my tastes. Frequent subjects of discussion include literature, sports, politics, pop culture and artistic motivation. You will find thoughtful essays and stream of consciousness rants, reviews of books written by others and the presentation of my own fiction - novel excerpts as well as short stories. What it is today may not be the case tomorrow. Welcome to A Line A Day.Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.comBlogger366125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-66296640668721186612024-03-04T11:04:00.000-08:002024-03-04T11:04:28.609-08:00Forgot I wrote this<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6RBAnHYn1rb-7A8uW5iOV0MLUo30IFjrBbM__g3bRALjmnshYTo2H0XVEeKhA0SsJaI197RIICrsc1-M-L5_5UPUqss5FhlXMFPpSTakyZ3lkMe-UVhMXwO58ooDQFhnmwDNW92k6iIDB5gGw5MDzL7QBsfOnsTO6J29jJSiVn3fq9p0HAywXE99muc/s640/buds%20of%20flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="639" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6RBAnHYn1rb-7A8uW5iOV0MLUo30IFjrBbM__g3bRALjmnshYTo2H0XVEeKhA0SsJaI197RIICrsc1-M-L5_5UPUqss5FhlXMFPpSTakyZ3lkMe-UVhMXwO58ooDQFhnmwDNW92k6iIDB5gGw5MDzL7QBsfOnsTO6J29jJSiVn3fq9p0HAywXE99muc/s320/buds%20of%20flower.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>In looking through my emails for something completely unrelated, I found this bit of flash fiction that I wrote for the heck of it. I re-read it and like the darned thing. So here you go.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>HIS NAME WAS BUD<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b>By Roy L. Pickering
Jr.</b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">His
name was Bud. He hated when random strangers addressed him as
"buddy", so close to accidentally guessing his actual name. Of
course, they did not know that his name was Bud, much less that it wasn't short
for Buddy. It was an abbreviation of “Rosebud” and his mother picked the name
from some old Black & White movie that he had never bothered to watch. He
didn't know if his mother had expected a girl or decided on Rosebud as her
child’s name regardless of gender. What mattered is that he could not very well
go around allowing himself to be called Rosebud, so for better or worse, Bud it
was.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It had mostly been for the
worse. Life had been hard and mean to him so far. His father had not bothered
to stick around long enough to find out that his mother would die giving birth
to him. This meant being raised by an aunt on his mother's side until he turned
5 and she turned and took him to an orphanage, done with being responsible for
the mistakes of others, family or not.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">At 18 he was officially
a man, out on his own, no direction or plan or clue as what to do next. Robbing
a convenience store seemed like as good of an idea as anything else. Next time,
if there was a next time, Bud would do a little more research to find out in
advance if the guy behind the counter was likely to have a gun back there, and if
he would be inclined to use it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Getting shot in the gut
hurt like hell because of course it did. Bud's big plan collapsed on itself and
now he had nothing better to do than to sit on the floor, press against the
rapidly leaking hole in his stomach, and wait to see if the cops or an ambulance
would arrive soon enough to do him any good.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Bud looked towards the
window for whoever might be coming to his rescue, but most of the view was
blocked by stuff for sale, and the bit of glass he could see was too filthy to
be transparent. His eyes were growing heavy, but he refused to let them close
for good reason and fixed his sight on a rack of DVD's. Maybe one of the movies
was the one his mom had picked his name from.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Wouldn't that be
something? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr00HQAQ0A9dglUMrhb4Omq52pIRx83T0fu33zRUV7-O20MOGNA-hAganzpdsplJWuvGRkjXIcz_2KbV6CKPCWKnnbWMDUcxiPQFJcRwpcDXmhscxnCmFz0PVuJrn8fTfGqt8R4Gf3Ou_gGAGSsrJS7bxkIq8s18AKj1li7Tcms4U8eiyjFTFXhw3gQds/s311/rosebud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="162" data-original-width="311" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr00HQAQ0A9dglUMrhb4Omq52pIRx83T0fu33zRUV7-O20MOGNA-hAganzpdsplJWuvGRkjXIcz_2KbV6CKPCWKnnbWMDUcxiPQFJcRwpcDXmhscxnCmFz0PVuJrn8fTfGqt8R4Gf3Ou_gGAGSsrJS7bxkIq8s18AKj1li7Tcms4U8eiyjFTFXhw3gQds/s1600/rosebud.jpg" width="311" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span><p></p><br /><p></p>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DCiuJ7r-qa4?si=IlW5kneQwE5oSMVl" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-85972608776259091012024-03-02T13:48:00.000-08:002024-03-02T13:48:08.306-08:00Mama's Boy - a short story<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmO9lEwkpTBDpSLIFLxHYC5mFfhNBruMMCbYH7PIKPENDcbfACSDJGCHT2rbtZ1t7wBHMqsXEPmFfnk_X654dMYbbm_FY-hJSUIlDpEx73MrNvXisI7CyEngoO6NDntE7pHn4AKjPs8TwzK2faoresj8ZJLCkv6nyPGYjFxybs7k4_EFSZW8b8NJsGzBM/s400/Mama's%20Boy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="400" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmO9lEwkpTBDpSLIFLxHYC5mFfhNBruMMCbYH7PIKPENDcbfACSDJGCHT2rbtZ1t7wBHMqsXEPmFfnk_X654dMYbbm_FY-hJSUIlDpEx73MrNvXisI7CyEngoO6NDntE7pHn4AKjPs8TwzK2faoresj8ZJLCkv6nyPGYjFxybs7k4_EFSZW8b8NJsGzBM/s320/Mama's%20Boy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>For a good many years this story along with one named <a href="https://lineaday.blogspot.com/2024/03/dialogue-short-story.html" target="_blank">Dialogue</a> were housed at a literary web site with the clever name of TimBookTu. That site is no more, so now for the first time ever here at A Line A Day I present my short story - Mama's Boy.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: center 3.25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">MAMA'S BOY</span></b><!--[if supportFields]><b
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
10.0pt;letter-spacing:-.15pt'><span style='mso-element:field-begin'></span>PRIVATE
</span></b><![endif]--><!--[if supportFields]><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;letter-spacing:
-.15pt'><span style='mso-element:field-end'></span></span></b><![endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: center 3.25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt; mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">BY
<a href="http://roypickering.weebly.com/" target="_blank">ROY L. PICKERING JR.</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt; mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">What would his mama say?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What would she think if she could see him
now, about to do what he was about to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She'd kick his butt good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Toss it
into the streets with no more hesitation than if he were the garbage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mother would be ashamed that he was her
son.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But she wasn't seeing this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And he didn't have a choice in the
matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had wanted to be down with
the Crypt more than anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he
was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That brought responsibilities along
with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lesson most stressed by his
mother was that you live up to your responsibilities, no matter what.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was how she had managed to raise half a
dozen kids in this neighborhood with no man around and done just fine.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ricky was the last of those children to
grow up, and the most difficult to get there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His older siblings had made Mama proud, graduating high school, getting
jobs with the city, marrying before kids were on the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They made things easy for their mother
because they bent to her overpowering will.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She had not been able to go six for six,
however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ricky fought with his mother
from day one, when he had to be forcibly removed from her womb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A clear omen of things to come.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When his mother commanded that he eat his
vegetables, Ricky screamed for candy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She told him to get to bed early, he wanted to watch late night talk
shows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she demanded he hit the
books, he read comics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She insisted he
clean up his act and stop getting detention, so he got himself expelled
instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His mother had dreamt the
impossible for all her children, that they go to college.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ricky was her last hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had not placed college very high on his
list of priorities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But at age thirteen,
he joined a gang.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That was six weeks ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since then, he had done a lot of things his
mother wouldn't approve of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had
consumed alcohol and ingested drugs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
had engaged in sex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ricky had robbed,
and fought, and hurt people foolish enough to resist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had hurt people who didn't resist at all.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>If there was anything in his mother
stronger than her will, it was the love she held for her children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ricky knew that despite the things he had
done in the past, she would forgive him. But after what he was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">about</i> to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn't think so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This crossed the line not even a mother's
love would venture beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Nevertheless, Ricky had chosen his path so
now had to walk it. He wasn't willing to travel the long, arduous road his
mother had tried to direct him towards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was in too much of a hurry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Out on these streets is where he would stake his claim, where he would
immediately be paid in full.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That's why Ricky was leaning against a
fence, waiting to fulfill his latest duty as a member of the Crypt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any moment now the guy would be coming home,
basketball in hand, cap turned backwards on his head, one pants leg rolled up
to his knee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Ricky would make his
first kill.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He patted the gun which was held securely
in the waist of his jeans, hidden from view by his overlapping shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ricky wondered what it would be like to kill
a person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What else was there to think
about at such a time?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Would he feel like more of a man, or
less?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would he feel regret and
remorse?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or only relief that he had
accomplished his mission?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would he like
it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would he like himself?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would he be able to do it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If so, would any of the other questions
matter?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There he was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ricky could set his watch by him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was alone as usual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun was down, the nearest streetlight
out, no witnesses to be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ricky moved closer. It was necessary to be
as quiet as possible, because if seen, his intentions would be instantly known.
But he couldn't be too far away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Missing
was not a luxury he could afford.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When his foot hit the discarded soda can, a
dozen car alarms and a marching band could not have made a more resounding
clamor. Surprise was no longer his ally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Neither was time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ricky raised his arm and fired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bullet harmlessly flew over the left
shoulder of its target, eventually imbedding itself in a wall of the tenement
building behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second bullet
released sunk deeply and with finality into soft flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its victim crumbled to the ground, his hands an
ineffective dam to hold back the flow of blood.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Did you see that?", a voice
asked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"He just smoked that
nigga."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Apparently, there had been people
around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ricky hadn't noticed them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who could blame him?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was new to this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Killing was a skill like any other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You had to practice to get good at it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doing it right, doing it perfect, wasn't easy
to achieve the first time out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Novices
tended to be sloppy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They made amateurish
mistakes like not observing witnesses; making unnecessary sounds that gave them
away; missing their first shot, which could turn out to be their only one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cause if your mark was wearing a piece
himself then he would get a chance, and you could end up lying on the ground
bleeding your life away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like Ricky
was.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He would never know what it was like to
kill a person, but he would learn how it felt to be killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Voices around him slowly growing softer, the
stars in the sky becoming fainter by the second.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pain, overwhelming at first, then fading
as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No chance to even be afraid,
for Ricky had allotted his precious remaining moments to asking himself a
question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The police would come, the news would
spread, the sordid tale would be told.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ricky Tate, thirteen-year-old gang banger, tried to pop someone and got
popped himself.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What would his mama say?</span><o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K48I6P-YIGQ?si=MpSuABTUfDqKn1VH" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-11414967393836454512024-03-02T08:54:00.000-08:002024-03-02T08:54:41.448-08:00DIALOGUE - a short story<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMc8TuvwXwLuGiXBKKKT2ihFhVSLxbWe7HwR08yB3Dz54Mem0eQ6wAJ3KlWIuwOu6k_sIwAH4zNGUQXFBz-YfJYdr4JDR8HCTvaVGtVIz6SoazGPGNAMqd0p7K_32dT2PcAM9WyFYI_cF7jZAngDR_XsXt_KMd3XXQ0aurOeAURC1XKWar3hyCMBeP8I/s564/yelling%20at%20each%20other.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="282" data-original-width="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMc8TuvwXwLuGiXBKKKT2ihFhVSLxbWe7HwR08yB3Dz54Mem0eQ6wAJ3KlWIuwOu6k_sIwAH4zNGUQXFBz-YfJYdr4JDR8HCTvaVGtVIz6SoazGPGNAMqd0p7K_32dT2PcAM9WyFYI_cF7jZAngDR_XsXt_KMd3XXQ0aurOeAURC1XKWar3hyCMBeP8I/s320/yelling%20at%20each%20other.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The short story that you will find below was written when I wore a much younger man's clothes. It explores in light-hearted fashion that purposely exhibits stereotypes, the vast divide between people of different demographics. And how this societal gap can perhaps be bridged if we would merely be willing to engage in open, non-confrontational <b><i>dialogue</i></b>.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcOfvzRgUpBQeFZsZIHYkg_fvODwItF6gc_D0QuecVBK0wh_wMZZ6Xwb2EKZoZfsegwfURoKmgUlDxBd8OrkcVX0dTxA54C68q_WkpRB0DcFnBoPTdt6iXHwbd0RBXBPGzEO0IgYVUyVmEoe3_ZtvvsZtjWDja9mcrriz3vS8W84J2KE0LeRtQA_b7z8/s612/biz%20man%20on%20subway.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="612" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcOfvzRgUpBQeFZsZIHYkg_fvODwItF6gc_D0QuecVBK0wh_wMZZ6Xwb2EKZoZfsegwfURoKmgUlDxBd8OrkcVX0dTxA54C68q_WkpRB0DcFnBoPTdt6iXHwbd0RBXBPGzEO0IgYVUyVmEoe3_ZtvvsZtjWDja9mcrriz3vS8W84J2KE0LeRtQA_b7z8/s320/biz%20man%20on%20subway.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiMbtj-LVhYdfczho-4BDMlShWn7f4qi5j-1jhm3IqRFSSIOCE59Zpzvw2XdjNg3dYesUM6gAZm3efRbEb-CPFt1fqjkWBxyFa0BRudRAWcdrOJfwX-vnZgZAN-rU3dgsm_LM1PGTn8zvwVOHszedIZSQhqonQkowLmyowToMEPh2g28jsL7tCr1dmkA/s980/Teenager-Train-New-York.jpg" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="980" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFiMbtj-LVhYdfczho-4BDMlShWn7f4qi5j-1jhm3IqRFSSIOCE59Zpzvw2XdjNg3dYesUM6gAZm3efRbEb-CPFt1fqjkWBxyFa0BRudRAWcdrOJfwX-vnZgZAN-rU3dgsm_LM1PGTn8zvwVOHszedIZSQhqonQkowLmyowToMEPh2g28jsL7tCr1dmkA/s320/Teenager-Train-New-York.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjib2tsfCKe2hRtJdv2OhF5X0grnp0ouuaYrT4k-Xw6jX_41oDgOCmsNAMWy4kKHCEq5E4teQlgv_cu6NX6HVJsUFBH6BsUiRr9x4quoN2EAO3l7-fAH9LMMwkfrzcbC1A1RTKeokd4zIek1zmG7-JkrH9XLI1EoNL2T6vHQ4puO0TwkSwVApQMOc00FBs/s1200/leopard%20print%20leggings-gal.webp" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjib2tsfCKe2hRtJdv2OhF5X0grnp0ouuaYrT4k-Xw6jX_41oDgOCmsNAMWy4kKHCEq5E4teQlgv_cu6NX6HVJsUFBH6BsUiRr9x4quoN2EAO3l7-fAH9LMMwkfrzcbC1A1RTKeokd4zIek1zmG7-JkrH9XLI1EoNL2T6vHQ4puO0TwkSwVApQMOc00FBs/s320/leopard%20print%20leggings-gal.webp" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: center 3.25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">DIALOGUE</span></b><!--[if supportFields]><b
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
10.0pt;line-height:200%;letter-spacing:-.15pt'><span style='mso-element:field-begin'></span>PRIVATE
</span></b><![endif]--><!--[if supportFields]><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal'><span style='font-size:16.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;line-height:
200%;letter-spacing:-.15pt'><span style='mso-element:field-end'></span></span></b><![endif]--><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: -0.15pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: center 3.25in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> <b>BY ROY L. PICKERING JR.</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> The subway train rumbled steadily onward,
an encapsulated mobile community beneath the city streets. At four o'clock in the morning, few
passengers were on board. The most
inhabited car was the one pulling up the rear which contained five people. Sleeping against each other in a corner was a
homeless, but nonetheless happily inebriated couple. Immersed in conversation was a casually clad
black youth of about 16, and a conservatively attired white man in his
thirties. The final member of the
rolling soiree was a blonde woman in her late twenties, decked out in party
gear of the ‘Bring Your Own’ variety, distractedly reading the latest romance
novel to top the NY Times Best Seller list.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Yo, check it out, Larry. Shorty is peeping you out. Don't let me hold you back now. I know you want a piece of that. Her body is boomin’."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "I don’t think so," said the
urban professional to his eager travel companion. “Attractive certainly, but I doubt we’d have
very much in common.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "You don't think so? Don't tell me you're a mo."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "A what?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "A faggot, a queer boy."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "I'm quite heterosexual, thank
you."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Then what's the problem?” asked the
young man, genuinely perplexed at Larry’s apathy. “You gots to think that honey is fine."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "She really isn't my type."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Not your type. Check out those titties. Those are fucking siliconed works of
art. And did you get a good look when
she walked in? That's one serious
bootie. Somewhere out there is a sista
wondering who the hell stole her ass."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> Larry cast a glance at the leopard print
tights that painted the woman's legs.
"She's a little too showy for me."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "I know what homegirl can show
me. Man would I wax that ass good. Now stop playing me. I refuse to believe you don't want to get up on
that."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "I guess I find her appealing in a
Staten Island sort of way," Larry conceded.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Damn straight you do. Now go over there and bust a Wall Street rap
on that fly honey."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "I'm not interested.” It seemed unnecessary to explain that he
didn’t actually work on Wall Street. The
kid’s characterization was clear enough.
“Why don't you talk to her?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "First of all, she's a bit too old for
me. More importantly, she doesn't strike
me as being into dark and lovely. You
know what I'm saying?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "I think so,” Larry said. “But you see, I have a barrier just as great
as you do."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Unless you're the lightest mulatto
brother I've ever seen, I don't know what you're talking about."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "You may have noticed that the
necklace she's wearing has a cross on it.
I happen to be Jewish."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "So, who gives a fuck?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "She very well might," Larry
answered, a feint trace of resignation in his voice caused by a long ago love
affair that ended for this very reason.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "I'm not saying you should step to the
girl and ask to meet her parents. Just
bullshit a little and get her digits.
Next week you take her out, spend a few bucks, and then butter that
biscuit. I thought you guys were smart."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "I resent that."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Resent what?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "The anti-Semitic tone of your last
comment."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "The what of my what?" <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Your statement was prejudicial
against Jewish people."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "By calling you smart? You’d rather be called an ignorant
nigger? Look Lar, I ain't got nothing
against Jews. Man you guys are
sensitive. You own half the money in the
goddamn world. What you got to complain
about?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "I got ... I mean, I<i>
have</i> just as much reason for complaint as you. Jewish people have been persecuted as much as
your race. More so even."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "You're talking out your ass now. You guys own all the movie studios, the
banks, the law firms. That don't sound
too much like suffering to me."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "You ever hear of the holocaust?”
Larry asked, his voice rising from the whisper they had been trying to maintain
as the conversation took on an unexpectedly political tone. “You ever read in the newspaper about what's
going on in Israel? The people there are
living in a war zone."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "You want to see a war zone? Come by my hood. Take a stroll through good old Harlem,
USA. And how about slavery?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "I'd take cotton picking over a
concentration camp any day."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "At least the holocaust ended. Cotton just got exchanged for welfare checks
and food stamps. Alright, enough of this
bullshit. Let's get back to the topic at hand.
Homegirl has been scoping you out since she sat down. You got the fly gear. Shorties be into that Brooks Brothers look
nowadays. It shows you got an important
job. It shows you have no shortage of
Benjamins." He noticed the
perplexed look that pass over Larry’s face and clarified. “Plenty of money.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "I happen to be involved in a serious
relationship. My girlfriend and I have
been together for three years."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "So?
You ain't down with OPP?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Am I down with Opie?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> The kid shook his head and suppressed a
laugh at Larry's ignorance. “Is your
girl as dope as this one here?" he re-phrased.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Is dope a good thing?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Yeah."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Not in such an obvious way,"
Larry confessed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "More importantly, is your girl here
right now?"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "No."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "So then there ain't nothing to it but
to do it."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Okay, enough of this badgering,"
said Larry testily. "Why don't you
go about the business you were conducting and leave me be."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Sure, Larry, no problem. I was getting off at this stop anyway. You like to work solo. I can understand that. Just take some good advice. Whatever you do, make sure to wear a jimmy
hat. That's a condom. These are
dangerous times we're living in."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> The knife being pressed against Larry's
back was removed. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "I'll take that phat watch you got on
too."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> Larry was somewhat puzzled over the
description of his rather thin timepiece but did as he was instructed. He grimaced as his hard-earned money went
into someone else's pocket but was pleasantly surprised when the wallet he had
handed over earlier was returned with his numerous credit cards still
contained. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Ordinarily I don't do this. But I like you, Larry. You're all right."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> The kid got up and stood by the doors as
the train pulled into the next station.
"Shalom, my brother," he said when the doors opened.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> "Keep the faith, homey," Larry
responded.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"> The
young bandit bounded off the train. Larry
watched after him for a moment, wondering how much his Rolex would go for
uptown. When he turned back, he noticed that he was being observed. The couple in the corner had awakened, or
rather, they no longer pretended to be asleep now that the crime they chose not
to witness was over with. Larry shrugged
his shoulders as if to say that he might very well have done the same thing had
the situation been reversed. Then he
straightened his tie, brushed back his hair, switched to a seat on the opposite
side of the car, and proceeded to introduce himself to the young woman without
a hint of the caution or trepidation he would typically experience. He would soon be exiting the train with no
money in his pockets, but perhaps he could even the score by obtaining a phone
number to fill the empty space.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; mso-hyphenate: none; tab-stops: -.5in;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;"><br /></span></p></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6duxrnikCn0?si=mcaFgP2rweJPN22E" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-74215785869106608942023-11-26T18:39:00.000-08:002023-11-26T18:39:04.445-08:00RITE OF PASSAGE - audio edition of short story<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1iZF3O67U2FMbpHNVjHiEhhl_nnhv_T6P90_UWpEMgnqNlOZxaqZMvaF5W7qprvf06KnSZkL_BypTmoaFoQTQOXKOY5g0gXZwkbk-EM9BsARq86Gd9p_cQZAxFta_p5RS_nTH0Vt4J2STxcPxxsl53Hee-I-HRmQKSZq-7NGBiyjNs9LFDKsD9VX394/s1437/pic%201.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1437" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1iZF3O67U2FMbpHNVjHiEhhl_nnhv_T6P90_UWpEMgnqNlOZxaqZMvaF5W7qprvf06KnSZkL_BypTmoaFoQTQOXKOY5g0gXZwkbk-EM9BsARq86Gd9p_cQZAxFta_p5RS_nTH0Vt4J2STxcPxxsl53Hee-I-HRmQKSZq-7NGBiyjNs9LFDKsD9VX394/s320/pic%201.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="http://roypickering.weebly.com/short-stories.html" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1543" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1xMzGpbuWp2MO5xen9jSKrcW2bAa8k18q5t4cWX6ZC2cziX3iPWqA8oRfiSa7zVeykO4y5ACQivTCQxYPyMZ1N779c7XyLV_8FQcA5SG0jAwdlsbaHhFfJuAlxY1VPEQNrTRH0IJIE7ZrLy4px-raMmZtaB9q5L75olPHqNohadoZIBA79jR43Wz1LLk/s320/pic%202.jpg" /></a></div>
If you wish to read my short story <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks/video/7305918940339866923?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7202777080341300782" target="_blank">RITE OF PASSAGE</a> - <a href="https://lineaday.blogspot.com/2013/02/rite-of-passage-short-story-sunday.html" target="_blank">head to this link</a> where you'll find the text version in another post at A Line A Day. <div><br /></div><div>Prefer to listen to it instead? Simply press the play button below and hear it read aloud / performed by <a href="https://www.erinrogerspickering.com/" target="_blank">Erin Rogers Pickering</a> and <a href="http://roypickering.weebly.com/" target="_blank">yours truly</a>. I plan to record readings of other short stories of mine in future posts. Perhaps I'll convince guest readers to help me out with some of them. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="60" mozallowfullscreen="true" src="https://archive.org/embed/05Track5_201405" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="500"></iframe> <div><br /></div><div>And here are some visuals to go along with the recording via TikTok.</div><div><blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks/video/7305918940339866923" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7305918940339866923" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="@mudhousebooks">@mudhousebooks</a> <p>TikTok made for Rite of Passage - a short story by Roy L. Pickering Jr.</p> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Finesse-6704975470514931714?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="♬ Finesse - Bruno Mars">♬ Finesse - Bruno Mars</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@roysbookreviews3479" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="2080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJaVrG1ozjVV2QynztqRQ51Ed8tvkduqaZm4mUmQsIX4IvudGhXQzacPgUX6AKHGQjq9de1J1BM88QkQMqIfZa7MCCWP0Wpnp23fVFI0LHCY5NcUor8R1iyre8jv5x7MjQWvn6hkk7ZgOjWytVGFugnluQb2fR4Nf3Zxdus5ufDIXMDtDHJWS4d5xOKA0/s320/pic%203.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_rrOOKPwLNfZijIDPOMNcw" target="_blank">HAPPY LISTENING</a> - <a href="https://youtu.be/lxpOAvkyGss?si=FyjNUB_cf3-kzB_B" target="_blank">HAPPY WATCHING</a> - <a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Roy-L.-Pickering-Jr/author/B002D13K0Q?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true">HAPPY READING</a> - <div><b><span style="font-size: large;">HAPPY LIFE</span></b><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0IgP3DrNtz/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div>Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-38969450613224146602023-11-05T09:41:00.002-08:002023-11-09T21:27:51.447-08:00Wrapping Up 2023<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMnFPmQzFudeMkZb0INUmInd_xgn0Ar4egaC2GBCFrilxZ4Mstk4ZOG5hESMXKpzpc2CxE_f14uQ5aOlRTEQcIZd5qnjXv9aDRxwUnrxnRMvOr53lMmhzWo1wyW46AXDxTF1dLpDnXxP1MmJVujCM1vGKEHXOlzlF5qezCshX_gkTBBKe8AosZJr0tfk/s1080/Giftwrapped.jpg" style="clear: left; display: block; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1017" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMnFPmQzFudeMkZb0INUmInd_xgn0Ar4egaC2GBCFrilxZ4Mstk4ZOG5hESMXKpzpc2CxE_f14uQ5aOlRTEQcIZd5qnjXv9aDRxwUnrxnRMvOr53lMmhzWo1wyW46AXDxTF1dLpDnXxP1MmJVujCM1vGKEHXOlzlF5qezCshX_gkTBBKe8AosZJr0tfk/s200/Giftwrapped.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvvd39_uR7SgIMOeCq8hNA7wYKKcYSv3aZwGFdhSGxx1mEYYa2EQyIBN65F_x-lfATmsttO_b1ZJH_2fmjWR_ec-fFwYxjjTMf9Tk_UXILZQblNcIrCWCflXThvf7PVB9qFC8LQOXWBEkFdjoXm2kSg76ifAZclon3fafgKa7AaOxOwDjOrOH3XZGt_M/s1080/Giftwrapped%202.jpg" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="961" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHvvd39_uR7SgIMOeCq8hNA7wYKKcYSv3aZwGFdhSGxx1mEYYa2EQyIBN65F_x-lfATmsttO_b1ZJH_2fmjWR_ec-fFwYxjjTMf9Tk_UXILZQblNcIrCWCflXThvf7PVB9qFC8LQOXWBEkFdjoXm2kSg76ifAZclon3fafgKa7AaOxOwDjOrOH3XZGt_M/s200/Giftwrapped%202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The year 2023 is drawing to a close and I'm doing what I can to wrap things up with literary flair. First up, I was contacted by Shepherd.com for the second time (<a href="https://shepherd.com/best-books/black-family-dynamics" target="_blank">here is my response on the first occasion</a>) and asked to share my <a href="https://shepherd.com/bboy/2023/f/roy-l-pickering-jr" target="_blank">3 favorite reads of the year</a>. I gave it some thought (as did many other authors and readers who also contributed) and shared my Top 3 to date. Since there are nearly two full months left to go in the year, I can't guarantee that another book won't bump a title from the 3 seated throne. The one I'm currently reading is certainly off to a promising start. But as of this blog post...
<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dSRfkduhMUYXJTO5YOB7y2qCRPE6yL2qNu76-P2c0q7evD2bZuW2Q3dYgZGdAy3xSxMs_ioQRXIjweIQpsXqg0lXbDdqAuIZkDczJXdHRmC4kHMZzMQjk-mfX6ouhOUoLuzRq_pc7k3zCmsjr1FnPoSX0vY9OuIZKZI3z1NKPNXzNcMkpTZ1mTf4qOY/s1589/Pic%201.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1589" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dSRfkduhMUYXJTO5YOB7y2qCRPE6yL2qNu76-P2c0q7evD2bZuW2Q3dYgZGdAy3xSxMs_ioQRXIjweIQpsXqg0lXbDdqAuIZkDczJXdHRmC4kHMZzMQjk-mfX6ouhOUoLuzRq_pc7k3zCmsjr1FnPoSX0vY9OuIZKZI3z1NKPNXzNcMkpTZ1mTf4qOY/s200/Pic%201.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3F1rNMwuTHAejS-_X68bxTWXA-0-MgHahOyDWG34gRAkKOLQWphM9F16lQiC5wMMaeRDlWqXnmilGoi49DiWQI3lX2Ha2Jr7Orx4txrkxo_zbNfSLQo1-RR2D36jVDgkxfHWyeoJGLrzBpOzYqAdxNPHX2a5VusOqR9WDiEf0L8aPOWZZhl2SFzicdCM/s1080/Pic%202.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="579" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3F1rNMwuTHAejS-_X68bxTWXA-0-MgHahOyDWG34gRAkKOLQWphM9F16lQiC5wMMaeRDlWqXnmilGoi49DiWQI3lX2Ha2Jr7Orx4txrkxo_zbNfSLQo1-RR2D36jVDgkxfHWyeoJGLrzBpOzYqAdxNPHX2a5VusOqR9WDiEf0L8aPOWZZhl2SFzicdCM/s320/Pic%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByvBKorpsF1ZbQVxQnEgl0Q-igLWtR8qtrXBSAF6Tn1LryxNUshbRhxRd74lrBGBCKwKWGF4J2UjOXv_O9NIgyOaAUhaq25P2b61LQdxMGvFQodIiFwYNnF7zXVuDXx4_I4I_fzU3moqBzqpHfCcvOmy3Qz2feTKQCPZ90w47xImZosnTmZCUCk4cUqI/s1984/Pic%203.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1984" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByvBKorpsF1ZbQVxQnEgl0Q-igLWtR8qtrXBSAF6Tn1LryxNUshbRhxRd74lrBGBCKwKWGF4J2UjOXv_O9NIgyOaAUhaq25P2b61LQdxMGvFQodIiFwYNnF7zXVuDXx4_I4I_fzU3moqBzqpHfCcvOmy3Qz2feTKQCPZ90w47xImZosnTmZCUCk4cUqI/s320/Pic%203.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div>
Each November over the past several years, I have heard buzz in book'ish social media circles about National Novel Writing Month - aka <b>NaNoWriMo</b>. One of the first novels that I reviewed for my booktube channel Roy's Book Reviews was <a href="https://youtu.be/LE8PrxNFEUI?si=XFYXCDD7_I9wqGL2" target="_blank">Water for Elephants</a>, a book that began its first draft as a NaNoMoWri project. Sara Gruen ended up getting a publishing deal out of it, and later came a movie adaptation. THE DREAM - right? Usually I don't partake in online (or offline) group writing projects. Writing by its nature is a solitary pursuit, and while I am a sociable enough fellow, when it comes to crafting tales I typically operate as a lone wolf. But since I happen to be currently working on the first draft of my third novel, I figured I would join the fellowship of writers participating in NaNoWriMo 2023 as a way to keep myself motivated and my pen (yes, I still write first drafts longhand) continuously moving.
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Another literary happening that I decided to participate in is the upcoming ALL BLACK BOOK AFFAIR sponsored by the <a href="https://beacons.ai/blackafbookclub" target="_blank">Black AF Bookclub</a>. A variety of writers from the full range of book genres/categories have chosen to make the Kindle editions of their books free or available at a discount on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Roy-L.-Pickering-Jr/author/B002D13K0Q?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. The authors will all be Black and so will the primary characters of the works of fiction. It's an #AllBlackBookAffair spotlighting Black Indie Authors and I am thrilled to have one of my books be part of the event. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjO02XAiS-fiQ7JiCaylyXwONJDs0WgsOl4sW83NmPqA2_xdzw7G9x6n3JH_u5C4CNUjKMJG1uuI5UHbjQ_vvfrYFwWMQqOyB9SRawlUK0k62-ys6q-J1oF8lGXfCXDPRTSU-wI7GZZARHhyk3YODwxf7104B7gW7pLqXJL0qlPEyFi2eiOA6R73Lsn8/s1280/black%20indie%20author.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="1280" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjO02XAiS-fiQ7JiCaylyXwONJDs0WgsOl4sW83NmPqA2_xdzw7G9x6n3JH_u5C4CNUjKMJG1uuI5UHbjQ_vvfrYFwWMQqOyB9SRawlUK0k62-ys6q-J1oF8lGXfCXDPRTSU-wI7GZZARHhyk3YODwxf7104B7gW7pLqXJL0qlPEyFi2eiOA6R73Lsn8/s320/black%20indie%20author.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Have you read many books by Black authors? If so, how many of them were indie authors? How many were male authors? Have you spread the love around across multiple genres? Here's a great opportunity to check off some of those boxes at little to no cost. Simply have your Kindle at the ready. Challenge yourselves to broaden horizons.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGQwTfyuK1AOXOGJQ_QCIVS5kLNVWntEguR4CyYwNdOjGUV9fSRGk4Zb04GcyyLy-exV4QBhJ1JDyMV-suChJwsamtPvb_FBAMPBGCeL7UQwm_vM5ZAt4Q3BucMkzugwwe6-SgbP1o6z0wpC1iMbNp_3NsPzQpNZyyRXca2KBW8g949kC55mR-JcjqTA/s1498/black%20men%20books.pdf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1498" data-original-width="912" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGQwTfyuK1AOXOGJQ_QCIVS5kLNVWntEguR4CyYwNdOjGUV9fSRGk4Zb04GcyyLy-exV4QBhJ1JDyMV-suChJwsamtPvb_FBAMPBGCeL7UQwm_vM5ZAt4Q3BucMkzugwwe6-SgbP1o6z0wpC1iMbNp_3NsPzQpNZyyRXca2KBW8g949kC55mR-JcjqTA/s320/black%20men%20books.pdf.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Matters-Convenience-Roy-Pickering-ebook/dp/B01MD2DIU6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1478969601&sr=" target="_blank">Kindle ed. of Matters of Convenience</a> will be <b><span style="color: red;">FREE December 18th to December 22nd</span></b>. Grab yourself a literary Christmas gift. Grab a whole bunch of them while you're at it. Say it loud - I read Black and I'm proud.<div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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display: block; float: left; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1069" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwLX55HnhzaVX3XRUm4SoHPHhtU-Ccyc3MwmLSk6VKyoCe9mtDsqrzfC162z3JWiW0mFvkKPHxWXwR1m24_-IbkDtyYHObmO3pVPr16JSKPvlE5A8P29wlOu-BgmHO19DwfgQ-5IRphB67J4h-ddEAbpf0_yjWs2JbD-0g93YvzTCK-vV75rGhmXSBao/s200/Pic%2010.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9k1kFjqsKotJnQxESBKY_iJjXrwOLHrvb2UlmR19gfc2RwgAe3VgCt9YSHk8RVGHh-8UjSeD2Vr3nmsQnokZ99qFCAe6z6oOQP1w_rnkoa6LUX9ZLthszCm0fzigVqq9dMRxY6WoZK2XAAr8y2Pv2e1n6OvCWsWGp2Q7S4IHpHKPMmtEmQdPGsgHj12w/s1080/Pic%2011.jpg" style="clear: right; display: block; float: right; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1080" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9k1kFjqsKotJnQxESBKY_iJjXrwOLHrvb2UlmR19gfc2RwgAe3VgCt9YSHk8RVGHh-8UjSeD2Vr3nmsQnokZ99qFCAe6z6oOQP1w_rnkoa6LUX9ZLthszCm0fzigVqq9dMRxY6WoZK2XAAr8y2Pv2e1n6OvCWsWGp2Q7S4IHpHKPMmtEmQdPGsgHj12w/s200/Pic%2011.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Any writer who has queried magazines or publishers or literary agents knows that the canned, informal responses that often come (I know, I know - they're VERY busy people who are inundated with submissions and simply don't have time for the personalized touch) can seem as if they were <a href="https://lineaday.blogspot.com/2023/08/questionably-artificial-dubious.html" target="_blank">auto-generated by AI programs</a> rather than human beings who actually took a few minutes to pay you any attention. But writers by necessity are resilient, and our thick skins sometimes yield hilarious results. For example...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOImp9zTVUw5JSyWNRhDZlE725CozwhqGdfkmpCae5vuQ0H4Fw0A8DhoM7iUY_-AgWB17fDjQsytrwBWe1yotU1yFd_PKZjRHVIK6H0zakqVS9QpeSPPR9xu2K1Ap-XQvbVxjLhgk4z8n3LRgdkD2l_EPdDp7-Q8oeLAk05_jrJXJh9uRKkOl2ru8PUw/s1080/pic%201.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="1080" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKOImp9zTVUw5JSyWNRhDZlE725CozwhqGdfkmpCae5vuQ0H4Fw0A8DhoM7iUY_-AgWB17fDjQsytrwBWe1yotU1yFd_PKZjRHVIK6H0zakqVS9QpeSPPR9xu2K1Ap-XQvbVxjLhgk4z8n3LRgdkD2l_EPdDp7-Q8oeLAk05_jrJXJh9uRKkOl2ru8PUw/s320/pic%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpcBHhBcvdd_HkWiKZrRBdZ7Dqt9TO4c1LIex01UPp24_0sEqMfHp9FJ-Sh_no4Y8ZLAvg49afwzd1zUOr3Fpt7h9pwG15SvoKqFQC1w76AQ9xWtWbq4hYthlmZc88M_eJtziv8vH6I89YtW05RqFtbe_sd-bvvdg06pzAFfeA0ofqgazajOO4PfUnMY/s1080/pic%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="1080" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPpcBHhBcvdd_HkWiKZrRBdZ7Dqt9TO4c1LIex01UPp24_0sEqMfHp9FJ-Sh_no4Y8ZLAvg49afwzd1zUOr3Fpt7h9pwG15SvoKqFQC1w76AQ9xWtWbq4hYthlmZc88M_eJtziv8vH6I89YtW05RqFtbe_sd-bvvdg06pzAFfeA0ofqgazajOO4PfUnMY/s320/pic%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcV6DQ8ZBUQ-s-jA-K5tBQRbUMh5xV0oZEMeODT_Fvyxj7pmcD2CoqmYaUqbEGYl-cvj1qboW1Icd6fB7g5syHIjMSZ_vaXCmRZrQfDMrZt3ZVx1bnjMAsfFuKD4gsnjFZQ9HxTmk89H4cAzfynDXl5eRHLwrejbGykyDlPWKLTTMvtkOs_2wFxs5LQY/s1080/pic%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="1080" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcV6DQ8ZBUQ-s-jA-K5tBQRbUMh5xV0oZEMeODT_Fvyxj7pmcD2CoqmYaUqbEGYl-cvj1qboW1Icd6fB7g5syHIjMSZ_vaXCmRZrQfDMrZt3ZVx1bnjMAsfFuKD4gsnjFZQ9HxTmk89H4cAzfynDXl5eRHLwrejbGykyDlPWKLTTMvtkOs_2wFxs5LQY/s320/pic%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhXADY0klx_oeWTDJPGcgVyVq1FZQMxda65BxzR3j9i7YVKNQootrEh7XUL_kmwLnkV2T2k9iZ3-JWEUhyphenhyphenp1Q4H4Niz6QWC6K4qNuDnwDuf8ZxUiHJR85DGVprewnrdtzi8I19Xo-aHievM-t1VStIcvOS2ee7lOff414E9Ja7P16ypcQfea1QAAtw2Q/s1305/pic%204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1305" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhXADY0klx_oeWTDJPGcgVyVq1FZQMxda65BxzR3j9i7YVKNQootrEh7XUL_kmwLnkV2T2k9iZ3-JWEUhyphenhyphenp1Q4H4Niz6QWC6K4qNuDnwDuf8ZxUiHJR85DGVprewnrdtzi8I19Xo-aHievM-t1VStIcvOS2ee7lOff414E9Ja7P16ypcQfea1QAAtw2Q/s320/pic%204.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttpMpk_Aax7BK3xP55cp8MTQ4d8UY-M-e9Ya0fk2JbKy203M_F5IccMf370SM2xv7LTA4z80ZUUq90vehChy29w7qKSvzSztIOE5z4mqkBJpSftrG2XraTKPsEOY9rvvs0Ir-mATZHVf1e2fkq-126-QrLrNty-TFkI_CDROMpJIK9A0Y2foWeNxgAZQ/s1080/pic%205.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="880" data-original-width="1080" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttpMpk_Aax7BK3xP55cp8MTQ4d8UY-M-e9Ya0fk2JbKy203M_F5IccMf370SM2xv7LTA4z80ZUUq90vehChy29w7qKSvzSztIOE5z4mqkBJpSftrG2XraTKPsEOY9rvvs0Ir-mATZHVf1e2fkq-126-QrLrNty-TFkI_CDROMpJIK9A0Y2foWeNxgAZQ/s320/pic%205.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I certainly was not going to be left out of the festivities. When life gives you lemons...it's lemonade time!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjJzELKWmzbbmMNXJzLIb9n4JsQ8TLIcmWTl5p3_1aQtcp722F3lkBsjj0D8F0yyFyZiM51qNa2tCx5HEpaSdwxb0zdmxfKhjz05bH0oyEu5IYsrHSx6UVSGZjNWkm4HEK4vlVXopcVdLhjjaunVUL2HIeQqUxq0Sdlpv0Kd_Prw-28QWDI7tI6aA4Pw/s1451/pic%206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1451" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjJzELKWmzbbmMNXJzLIb9n4JsQ8TLIcmWTl5p3_1aQtcp722F3lkBsjj0D8F0yyFyZiM51qNa2tCx5HEpaSdwxb0zdmxfKhjz05bH0oyEu5IYsrHSx6UVSGZjNWkm4HEK4vlVXopcVdLhjjaunVUL2HIeQqUxq0Sdlpv0Kd_Prw-28QWDI7tI6aA4Pw/s320/pic%206.jpg" width="238" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> *****</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Last but not least, I managed to land a fantastic interview with an extremely dashing author that you can find featured at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@roysbookreviews3479" target="_blank">Roy's Book Reviews</a> as well as below. Hope you enjoy it. Cheers, old sport (did you figure out that my Halloween costume this year was Jay Gatsby?).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lmUSgLW2KJK-eGsqkqwIXfIc07gg5fcg-X91Jn6yUv-NwnNk9iAxNziZgsPEieoa1hZa8aEI7eM9u1rMkK4GyrUtj3ZxIB3H-d8DNwNjwzHCB2SOSjska_O_YdnZFwQOF91r43ZG8bO6oeMWW78HOwUG0EENiONZuZ5E5zTkKTxmOGSkx84UhyGUXTg/s1080/Gatsby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="979" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6lmUSgLW2KJK-eGsqkqwIXfIc07gg5fcg-X91Jn6yUv-NwnNk9iAxNziZgsPEieoa1hZa8aEI7eM9u1rMkK4GyrUtj3ZxIB3H-d8DNwNjwzHCB2SOSjska_O_YdnZFwQOF91r43ZG8bO6oeMWW78HOwUG0EENiONZuZ5E5zTkKTxmOGSkx84UhyGUXTg/s320/Gatsby.jpg" width="290" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div>
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Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-48838470494488658362023-08-20T08:58:00.007-07:002023-10-21T13:14:37.831-07:00Questionably ARTIFICIAL - Dubious INTELLIGENCE<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHa-TRvqPdIuUJXaFlhZ6jBN957DWSQlNgC5tPZBfNkNctTHHF8ft3B8UMV0unBQ7ub-salMnB7_XxgpA2TJqIlVo6gykA2UjAcHQFyMMzdXFbpiw1HCRuZ7Lwvtx6rTgWqB6Iet_KJxUXIGnL1wb_cdpobc_30iUIdQhtKDOslQu49liL2bTNMWy5yHk/s1749/Ava%20of%20ex%20machine.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1749" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHa-TRvqPdIuUJXaFlhZ6jBN957DWSQlNgC5tPZBfNkNctTHHF8ft3B8UMV0unBQ7ub-salMnB7_XxgpA2TJqIlVo6gykA2UjAcHQFyMMzdXFbpiw1HCRuZ7Lwvtx6rTgWqB6Iet_KJxUXIGnL1wb_cdpobc_30iUIdQhtKDOslQu49liL2bTNMWy5yHk/s400/Ava%20of%20ex%20machine.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKRT-Ulsax67S9EopE16464VudpJAmyhYRqaepcNhnda77_c5ZmLccrzWtogIhi0CXFrS7bNVK1NqG9Wr_e7L1Q0YEg-qkdg1DPINrmRrjPBiTcQ43HIohKlvblDCqvOz-0za78drgkFejBWoxwmWO_t9hxGoJawskSiVseB2UtQ9CGhRz_OEJZzzGWc/s550/a-i-artificial-intelligence.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="550" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvKRT-Ulsax67S9EopE16464VudpJAmyhYRqaepcNhnda77_c5ZmLccrzWtogIhi0CXFrS7bNVK1NqG9Wr_e7L1Q0YEg-qkdg1DPINrmRrjPBiTcQ43HIohKlvblDCqvOz-0za78drgkFejBWoxwmWO_t9hxGoJawskSiVseB2UtQ9CGhRz_OEJZzzGWc/s320/a-i-artificial-intelligence.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">AI is a term that has been used for many years now, but what does it actually mean? In short, AI refers to the ability of machines to perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence.</p>— akreviews (@akreviewsblog) <a href="https://twitter.com/akreviewsblog/status/1595258105851699201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Pay your artists.<br />Pay your writers.<br />Pay your directors.<br />Pay your animators.<br />Pay your actors.<br />Pay your crew.<br />Pay your creatives. <br />Pay them.<br />Pay.<br />Them.</p>— Post Modern Art Podcast (@PostModArtPod) <a href="https://twitter.com/PostModArtPod/status/1679169130505682950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">authors, please stop using ai 'art' for your covers<br /><br />please<br />please<br />please<br />please<br />please <a href="https://t.co/vSe1awxG7l">pic.twitter.com/vSe1awxG7l</a></p>— Indie Book Spotlight (@BookSpotlight) <a href="https://twitter.com/BookSpotlight/status/1678426771828375552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WritingCommunity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WritingCommunity</a> WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT AI! It isn't that AI can write better books than a writer - it's that AI can produce a book we will be asked to "edit" for a fraction of an advance & don't own at the end. We need to stop this happening and we need to do that now. How? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AI</a> <a href="https://t.co/Z8YiLSL4AH">pic.twitter.com/Z8YiLSL4AH</a></p>— Cesca Major (@CescaMajor) <a href="https://twitter.com/CescaMajor/status/1655864787807379458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">AI in music so far is neither artificial nor intelligent - it’s using programmed computers to mask the theft of intellectual property, lyrics, written works in a digital fog - snake oil salesmen feigning Artificial Intelligence to exploit human stupidity - yet again!</p>— Brian J. Byrne (@Brian_J_Byrne) <a href="https://twitter.com/Brian_J_Byrne/status/1692077321891532806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">ai is just complicated plagiarism</p>— erin ✿ (@yamnaus) <a href="https://twitter.com/yamnaus/status/1691202836636323840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I had no idea that the first Artificial Intelligence in art came about in the 1960s. <a href="https://twitter.com/natashagural?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@natashagural</a> ponders the meaning of art at the intersection of technology and human experience. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Art?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Art</a><a href="https://t.co/rfiI7U0ZuG">https://t.co/rfiI7U0ZuG</a></p>— Michael Maiello (@MichaelMaiello) <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelMaiello/status/1691937517208019150?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">First it was art theft, then NFTs — now it's an artificial "intelligence" taking bits of people's skills, soul and sacrifice to create a PNG of a victorian maid with an improbable chest or straight up child porn.</p>— maza (@mazamuno) <a href="https://twitter.com/mazamuno/status/1585905886643748864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Artists can't have a single day with some peace... <br />At first, we had a lot of problems with plagiarism, and then came the NFT Art idea, and now the AI.<br />I DON'T HAVE MENTAL HEALTH TO BE ARTIST ANYMORE</p>— Bruna Aléxia 🎨COMMISSIONS OPEN🎨 (@blex_arts) <a href="https://twitter.com/blex_arts/status/1692338942987632824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">We should stop calling A/I artificial intelligence and should start calling it legalized plagiarism and theft software.<br /><br />That all this "A/I" really is and all it can do.</p>— The Nerdy Sasquatch 🇨🇦🏳️🌈🔞 (@NerdySasquatch) <a href="https://twitter.com/NerdySasquatch/status/1689311076817461248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I've written a piece on generative AI and how it is already affecting creative industries like commercial art and publishing, and the possible impact on children's books. This is a big one, because it's going to change . . . everything. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AI</a> <a href="https://t.co/JswtZRD2fg">https://t.co/JswtZRD2fg</a> <a href="https://t.co/dTe6kuLLzI">pic.twitter.com/dTe6kuLLzI</a></p>— Oisín McGann (@OisinMcGann) <a href="https://twitter.com/OisinMcGann/status/1677322921528705028?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">NEW: On Sunday, <a href="https://twitter.com/JaneFriedman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaneFriedman</a> discovered half a dozen books being sold under her name on Amazon that she never wrote. What happened next was any writer’s nightmare.<a href="https://t.co/dTo3sdP94I">https://t.co/dTo3sdP94I</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/thedailybeast?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thedailybeast</a></p>— Pilar Melendez (@pbmelendez) <a href="https://twitter.com/pbmelendez/status/1689000132203646977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Author Jane Friedman faced an unusual problem: Reverse plagiarism. However, it's becoming much more common and the industry is not ready.<a href="https://t.co/2PWirkwrHA">https://t.co/2PWirkwrHA</a><br /><br />H/T: <a href="https://twitter.com/JaneFriedman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaneFriedman</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorsGuild?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AuthorsGuild</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/amazon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Amazon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AmazonKDP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmazonKDP</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Plagiarism?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Plagiarism</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Copyright?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Copyright</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Amazon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Amazon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReversePlagiarism?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ReversePlagiarism</a></p>— Jonathan Bailey (@plagiarismtoday) <a href="https://twitter.com/plagiarismtoday/status/1689343514511835138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A brief update: After going back a few times with Amazon on this issue, I was notified the books would not be removed based on the information I provided. Since I do not own copyright in these AI works and since my name is not trademarked, I'm not sure what can be done. <a href="https://t.co/F5KuK4F36X">https://t.co/F5KuK4F36X</a></p>— Jane Friedman (@JaneFriedman) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaneFriedman/status/1688662730419429376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">More AI theft.<br />AI *can* be used to help people.<br />But why am I not surprised that the most popular uses are stealing people’s creative work, and eliminating paying jobs?<br />Greed. Greed. Greed. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/writing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#writing</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/reading?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#reading</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Amazon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Amazon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/publishing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#publishing</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/theft?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#theft</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/impersonation?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#impersonation</a> <a href="https://t.co/ascDb5xoQs">pic.twitter.com/ascDb5xoQs</a></p>— 𝓵𝓮𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓫𝓸𝓶𝓫𝓼🍋 (@lem0nb0mbs) <a href="https://twitter.com/lem0nb0mbs/status/1689420054650081280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A win for <a href="https://twitter.com/JaneFriedman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaneFriedman</a> and a warning to the rest of us about the scamming potential enabled by AI "writing" programs. <a href="https://t.co/23DsCNCEOV">https://t.co/23DsCNCEOV</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1689631475577098240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">AI plagiarism! coming events …casting their shadows…! <a href="https://twitter.com/AnushaSRao2?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnushaSRao2</a> <a href="https://t.co/iFENwViFGG">https://t.co/iFENwViFGG</a></p>— SunFire (@Srinathbki) <a href="https://twitter.com/Srinathbki/status/1691794458298175699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AI?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AI</a> doesn’t “emulate” films. It’s a computer program. It has no brain, no creativity. It can do nothing without the input of our past work. And then it can only spit out an amalgamation. It spits out nothing new. It has no creativity, no ideas, nothing new to say. <a href="https://t.co/DF8oWHZryZ">https://t.co/DF8oWHZryZ</a></p>— Justine Bateman (@JustineBateman) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustineBateman/status/1689815912793473024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">ChatGPT is not ‘artificial intelligence.’ It’s theft. | America Magazine<br />—<br />Agreed <a href="https://t.co/qPKFiRMUAB">https://t.co/qPKFiRMUAB</a></p>— Matt ‘Evidence-Based’ Jorgensen (@MattJorg4543446) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattJorg4543446/status/1658629510022205440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The rise of AI chatbots has sowed confusion and panic among educators who worry they are ill-equipped to incorporate the technology into their classes and fear a stark rise in plagiarism and reduced learning. <a href="https://t.co/Eu8eFDnECE">https://t.co/Eu8eFDnECE</a></p>— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) <a href="https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1690767437594087424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">AI "isn't plagiarism", right? <a href="https://t.co/OJyZSxGsjm">https://t.co/OJyZSxGsjm</a></p>— Article 3 BILL OF RIGHTS (@BorgoniaBorgy) <a href="https://twitter.com/BorgoniaBorgy/status/1691020875334868992?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I'm so disappointed, my college is using an AI program to help students improve their writing skills 🤓 and they have mentioned plagiarism prevention as one of its features 🤣</p>— Halo 👽 (@yohjipilled) <a href="https://twitter.com/yohjipilled/status/1691852421713256936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I’m furious that, with all the amazing possibilities AI could have, the minds behind LLMs settled on mass plagiarism, destroying creative jobs, and filling the internet with so much falsified sludge that it’s now unusable as a source of news.<br /><br />Support creators. Support humans.</p>— Johanna Taylor ✍️👻 (UPDATES ONLY) (@johannamation) <a href="https://twitter.com/johannamation/status/1692922058299126136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Good read from...Joseph Gordon-Levitt!? Interesting to think of AI as a technology that basically specializes in IP theft at scale. Packaging insights that synthesize data that ought to have attribution, and, somehow, payment <a href="https://t.co/cTEaAa8EqB">https://t.co/cTEaAa8EqB</a></p>— Van Jackson (@WonkVJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/WonkVJ/status/1691251144247652352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">As expected, plagiarism writ large. <br />Artificial intelligence is neither artificial nor intelligent, it is theft on a scale even government is incapable of. <br /><br /> <a href="https://t.co/e40PH4hlUK">https://t.co/e40PH4hlUK</a></p>— K. Z. Howell (@KZ_Howell) <a href="https://twitter.com/KZ_Howell/status/1693055533295489246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">After Backlash, Zoom Now Says It Won't Use Any Customer Content to Train AI Systems <a href="https://t.co/p4ZmuCKMoX">https://t.co/p4ZmuCKMoX</a></p>— Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1690027528038072320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">AI-Created Art Isn't Copyrightable, Judge Says In Ruling That Could Give Hollywood Studios Pause <a href="https://t.co/CHb57ef2PK">https://t.co/CHb57ef2PK</a></p>— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) <a href="https://twitter.com/THR/status/1692684930524791176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“AI is sexist” part gajillion and one:<br /><br />Took a selfie with friends at the Getty Museum. Friend liked the photo, wanted it to be zoomed out more, so asked Photoshop’s new AI feature to generate more content on all sides of the frame.<br /><br />It did that, but it also put me in a bikini. <a href="https://t.co/p6Cz6H13nZ">pic.twitter.com/p6Cz6H13nZ</a></p>— Katherine Long (@ByKLong) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByKLong/status/1692593216133161123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Maria Canals-Barrera, known for playing Selena Gomez's mom in "Wizards of Waverly Place," says she was "horrified" to see that someone had used AI to make a "crass" online video using her voice. <a href="https://t.co/NtqzsjVxRL">pic.twitter.com/NtqzsjVxRL</a></p>— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) <a href="https://twitter.com/APEntertainment/status/1693699494431556072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">If you look closer you’ll see that the avatar image is AI generated: <a href="https://t.co/9VNGy24hl8">pic.twitter.com/9VNGy24hl8</a></p>— Isaac Butler (he/him) (@parabasis) <a href="https://twitter.com/parabasis/status/1694330645198069908?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">This Instagram model makes $10 million a year.<br /><br />But she's not like all the other IG models.<br /><br />Lil Miquela posts pictures of herself to her 2 million followers everyday. But she doesn't exist in the real world.<br /><br />She's at the forefront of the growing artificial influencer movement -… <a href="https://t.co/rAR8IOyoe7">pic.twitter.com/rAR8IOyoe7</a></p>— Zain Kahn (@heykahn) <a href="https://twitter.com/heykahn/status/1687469193107812352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miquela">Miguela</a><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">AI-generated Drake and The Weeknd song ‘Heart On My Sleeve’ has been submitted for Grammy consideration.</span></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><br />Recording Academy CEO says “it’s absolutely eligible because it was written by a human.” <a href="https://t.co/PsLeI3rwCB">pic.twitter.com/PsLeI3rwCB</a></p>— Pop Base (@PopBase) <a href="https://twitter.com/PopBase/status/1699434568011387253?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Michael Chabon, David Henry Hwang, Other Writers Sue Meta AI Platform LLaMA For Copyright Infringement, Seek Class Action Status <a href="https://t.co/RqOx6mCzhZ">https://t.co/RqOx6mCzhZ</a></p>— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) <a href="https://twitter.com/DEADLINE/status/1701718535138144732?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="zxx"><a href="https://t.co/fMGaO6oDNo">https://t.co/fMGaO6oDNo</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1693290412922773889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="zxx"><a href="https://t.co/UFM5vlCdXy">https://t.co/UFM5vlCdXy</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1693290660315505120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-10520423248169739482023-07-04T21:47:00.001-07:002023-07-04T21:47:48.710-07:00Meet Marshall from MATTERS OF CONVENIENCE<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/Matters-of-Convenience-Audiobook/B0BS74VGZW?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1080" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvt1hc9YQjsbQVrM7xvApUrB3wu3USXsB3kb-X3PZPbOtSRKkX3_XRSuNjKuRXR7x_pA7Y0TRu5Y59jxOfmCERP5Nuv50LC38GQUVVCJ1ICHpWzHrZHpE-HjJ1W3ViizhrnB5CJoE16Ez4uD1cy6mXZgNxGevxpA3DzkVLcALwA47C5uJ2vT6A-53SQM/s320/Marshall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <b><span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692673989/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478969601&sr" target="_blank">Matters of Convenience</a></span></b><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Marshall’s legs were burning but he peddled no
less strenuously. He welcomed the pain because it
gave him something to dwell on besides his last
conversation with Audrey. Tangible hurt was
preferable to a metaphorical kick to the gut. Then
again, it mattered little what his preferences were. </p><p>It was ridiculous for him to be jealous, especially
since she had been kind enough to offer him a
consolation prize as she was twisting the dagger of
94
her indifference into his heart. Grudgingly he’d
allowed himself to be introduced to Sarah, found
her to be as attractive as promised, and had a lunch
date scheduled with her for the next day. He had
been on the look-out for a diversion from Audrey,
not expecting that she’d be the person to provide
one. She was a dear friend, love of his life, and
pimp supreme all rolled into one. Was it any
wonder that he was consumed by her? </p><p>Perhaps consumed was too strong a word. When
Audrey told him she was not interested in him
romantically six years earlier, he had been
disappointed but not devastated. As they began
spending time together as friends there was no
ulterior motive on his part. He enjoyed her
company for what it was. It took several months to
realize that he was enjoying it a little too much, that
he was harboring unreciprocated desire. He
considered making his feelings known, and if
rejected, the second time around he would have
walked away for good, sacrificing friendship for the
sake of his ego. But then Todd came along,
rendering any professions of love moot. Eventually
he grew accustomed to Todd’s presence without
ever taking much of a liking to him. He was far
from consumed by Audrey during those years, or so
he concluded as he took an unnecessarily sharp turn
on his bike, scarcely noticing as Brooklyn’s
Prospect Park whizzed by. </p><p>Thoughts of courting her resurfaced when she
and Todd broke up. He would give her sufficient
time and then express his feelings. Or would he?
After five years he would not be able to breezily
abandon their friendship. Sleepless nights were
95
spent wondering if he should keep quiet or go for
broke. She was free, as was he, it was now or
never. Yet he continued to procrastinate, to wait for
a moment that was assuredly perfect. </p><p>He had become a maestro at the waiting game.
That’s what he had been doing while she was
meeting some guy named James, waiting for her to
show up and crush him. She did everything short of
sending him an engraved invitation which read -
Enjoy your coffee and cookies until I finally show
up to make you feel like shit once more for old
time’s sake. </p><p>It was a stunning day, the sun at high beam as if
to highlight his despair. But why should he feel
badly, he asked himself for the hundredth time on
his mindless bicycle race against invisible demons
that could not be outpaced. He should have been
used to the fact that they were not meant to be
together. This James character had done him a
huge favor by showing up when he did, sparing him
the sting of rejection and the humiliation of
standing by idly. Audrey had found someone new.
She had moved on, would be giving happiness
another go. As her friend he should have been glad
for these things, especially since she was not the
only one presented with an opportunity. Thanks to
her intervention, he possessed one as well. Sarah
was possibly the woman he had been waiting for.
There was that cursed word again. Waiting. </p><p>Fuck waiting. Screw standing still. It was time
for a new plan of action. And he had at last
concocted one. For however long his legs and
lungs could stand, there was a single clear cut
mission for him to accomplish. He would peddle,
96
and peddle, and peddle as if his life depended on it.
If not his life, surely his sanity was at stake. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31847283-matters-of-convenience" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1080" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6WYquuPt65wznwIc4rxik0B_0VQgrqg2inRizB6n88O4iDjQC9NhicSSQsjrvrNvFN2_2eMVNwBBuZmY2WKl6KX5u15LLK9CPpojZwGcppICAklq6f306WecTwMgBROXRra_I9Vz_S0svnWKCA14MDWfynBZh-eOS42w0weB_3X5Lr8ePyM8lO67-_94/s320/bike%20ride.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><a href="https://lineaday.blogspot.com/2019/09/meet-audrey-from-matters-of-convenience.html" target="_blank">MEET AUDREY</a></p><p><a href="https://lineaday.blogspot.com/2023/07/meet-james-from-matters-of-convenience.html" target="_blank">MEET JAMES</a></p><p><br /></p>Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-75574514381516240822023-07-04T11:02:00.005-07:002023-07-13T14:52:39.851-07:00Meet James from MATTERS OF CONVENIENCE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/Matters-of-Convenience-Audiobook/B0BS74VGZW?action_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1442" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu6mHhE1IQ_aeMJ78KGXQ-83U86x0DdgPRLfa1lv3NfnqTfoO0Vki_gYBEPwbKZP9ZZfajXEIhd72nVUXXYuToGFpLZKGA-3-mG_bNOVBzE-bMAtNI1ECJqanKF57WWCEZPSHdSODqdRPBonQOmVQBjgnpb_c-odWhuBJkX4LYFrZrn7cUx9h6Yo0Nya8/s320/James%20from%20MOC.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> <span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31847283-matters-of-convenience" target="_blank">Excerpt from Matters of Convenience</a></span><br /><p><br /></p><p>James played back
phone messages received while he was out. The
first was from Sonya, confirming their date for later
that evening. He had met her a week earlier at a
friend’s party, drawn to her high cheekbones, black
hair that nearly reached down to her waist, and
large opal eyes. She came from a wealthy
Indonesian family, worked in corporate law, and
was not the most riveting conversationalist. Nor
did he relish the fact that she was a vegan. An ex-girlfriend of his had been committed to avoiding
meat and a number of other culinary categories at
all costs. The instructions she gave wait staff to
make certain her dish passed muster often took a
full five minutes to issue. This detracted from
James’ enjoyment of his own meal, which much to
Aisha’s dismay he preferred red blooded. </p><p>Sonya had as many minuses going for her as
pluses. Nevertheless, he elected to follow up on
what had been started when he crossed the room to
introduce himself to the exotic looking woman
bathing in moon beams shining through the patio
door. </p><p>Fantasizing about the best case scenario of his
upcoming date with Sonya was interrupted by the
second message. It was left by his brother Craig,
brief as usual, reminding him that he would be
dropping by at three o’clock. Glancing at his
watch, James saw that the appointed hour was
twenty minutes away. He knew why Craig had
16
invited himself over, for he had done it often
enough in the past, always with the same
motivation - to hit his little brother up for cash. </p><p>Craig was older by three years and less
responsible by as many decades. Refusing to suffer
the indignity of settling down at a stable job, he
opted to invest in one get rich quick scheme after
another. Whenever he was short of the necessary
capital, usually due to some team not covering the
spread, James was the preferred bank from which
he withdrew. Craig was good about paying him
back once his finances were back in the black. He
would promise that this would be the last time, for
his latest plan was foolproof and guaranteed to set
him up for life. When things failed to work out it
was disappointing, but to him, the risks he took
handily beat working nine to five for a living. </p><p>The final message was from his best friend who
had relocated to Santa Barbara about a year ago.
Their childhood was spent roaming the streets of
the Bronx together, and for almost as far back as he
could remember, Marcus had been talking about
heading out to California someday. His master plan
was to start his own hedge fund. Once it was up
and running and raking in serious money, he hoped
to bring James on board, reuniting the two
Musketeers. </p><p>James decided to wait until after his brother’s
visit to return the call. Shooting the breeze with
Marcus would put him in a great mood entering his
date with Sonya. </p><p>After pouring a snifter of brandy, he stood by the
windows that wrapped around his apartment. His
17
vantage point from the 30th floor placed a generous
portion of the city within sight. Once the sun went
down, countless lights transformed Manhattan into
a gigantic Christmas tree. </p><p>James had done well for himself career wise, and
his magazine layout worthy apartment with
photogenic view was just one of the perks of
success. He had always been dissatisfied with any
grade less than an A, with any game that did not
result in victory, with any goal, regardless of size
and urgency that failed to be achieved. Lately his
professional ascendancy felt stalled, frustration
mounting due to others being rewarded for inferior
results while his were overlooked. He was
compelled to wonder if he had gone as far as a
black man would be allowed to by his current
employer. It wasn’t as if he was one of many
African Americans who worked there. He stood
out like a drop of ink floating in a bucket of milk. </p><p>He was not predisposed to cast blame on racism
or any other ism for what failed to go his way.
Instead of making excuses, he refused to come up
short. This mindset had been instilled by strong
willed parents. They planted the seed and then
fostered his passion to excel by enrolling him in
private schools rather than poorly funded public
ones where it was easier to drift into bad habits. He
grew accustomed at an early age to environments
where his smooth brown complexion was darker
than the vast majority of his peers. He did not feel
uncomfortable in such settings, for he recognized
them as the places he needed to be. Nevertheless,
there was a part of him which could not help but
feel like a stranger in a strange land. He managed
18
to forget the differences between him and
classmates and colleagues for long stretches of
time, but inevitably, something or someone would
remind him that they did exist.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692673989/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478969601&sr" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcFKladKkVDPGaaJWXJQX8nCdwBrvfQ1XNSx_yPqy_oHaaXBPjEbrS10AuWiMpt8Zfx1UFWDSXqgpJU00bOHU3OWVCP3RqA_L6LOzkl6OnlPqBbHKNnvjLAmRLnvbT6kydkDoyl5qdXqsBiWqL9rx9p7qsWaji-nKBhuGxrZ1mFeXrYOceXCYv9Ytft7w/s320/MOC%20front%20cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p><a href="https://lineaday.blogspot.com/2019/09/meet-audrey-from-matters-of-convenience.html" target="_blank">MEET AUDREY</a></p><p><a href="http://lineaday.blogspot.com/2023/07/meet-marshall-from-matters-of.html" target="_blank">MEET MARSHALL</a></p><p><br /></p>Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-59288451252884414372023-05-22T15:26:00.007-07:002023-05-22T15:26:57.778-07:00A short story called Harry<p><span style="font-size: large;"> HARRY</span></p><div> A <a href="http://roypickering.weebly.com/short-stories.html" target="_blank">Short Story</a> by Roy L. Pickering Jr.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKdhKnZsPndMt07_6yQU0HYCZ8wUV8Or2rcdzIep5rYqDcOs-kbECLbXpdaQ6BQqLFW6JRg1YFu-d2VZteb2Z9CCEQFOcxkCpo5mjWfjW7cVrC3m-JkAGzfD9WL8oBMwbaGtaGtJMr0U9yUI78UVOcpwdaUFoDA_bsh7_ChdQeQJuWOB4viVMd3E4/s563/Harry%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="563" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgKdhKnZsPndMt07_6yQU0HYCZ8wUV8Or2rcdzIep5rYqDcOs-kbECLbXpdaQ6BQqLFW6JRg1YFu-d2VZteb2Z9CCEQFOcxkCpo5mjWfjW7cVrC3m-JkAGzfD9WL8oBMwbaGtaGtJMr0U9yUI78UVOcpwdaUFoDA_bsh7_ChdQeQJuWOB4viVMd3E4/s320/Harry%201.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>In the pre-dawn hours of a brisk December Day, Harry walked the streets of Brooklyn, New York. He traveled light, for he owned nothing but the tattered clothes he wore, the eight cents in his pocket, and a package carried in a plastic bag. Ordinarily he would have been snoring in Grand Central Station at this hour, or on the 2 train if insomnia necessitated that he be rocked to sleep. But not today. Though quite weary, Harry chose to put sweet dreams off for a while longer. He wanted to behold the world with clarity, see beyond the veil that keeps truth hidden from all but the wisest of men before the next time his eyes were closed.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Alley cats hollered songs of love from the confines of a vacant lot that served in alternating shifts as a playground, bathroom, and brothel. Harry was familiar with its utilitarian layout, for his footsteps had led him to the neighborhood of his childhood.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://youtu.be/iaQ9T5i9nyQ" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="649" data-original-width="571" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipr2HnkeoUjS0LtlMVXzzXpyrFRrS7Qr6QNIVIqsh2N3C6kV_uX_c-yiFgOf0u_TSJyabjSE2fBuPzbDTl4jSDA9zNdwd7ha44Iia3SXNFc0-KPofltUqQUZ4F6tZDldFghwNAszwoprmpTY_7ZO8TZpOEHidt5PB5sJQv7kjV8hRwE87_uH6PrWab/s320/0.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Those long ago days had been spent fighting a half dozen siblings over the insufficient room, nutrition and love provided for them. Their fathers were each different men who were just passing through. In exchange for either drugs or money to purchase drugs with, their mother gave what she had to give, a body she was poisoning one high at a time.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>By the age of thirteen, Harry had developed a taste of his own for altered states of mind. He needed to escape the wretchedness of his surroundings and nothing got him further away than crack cocaine. It transported him to a world filled with light and beauty, devoid of suffering.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The last time Harry saw his mother she lay huddled on the kitchen floor. For once her eyes did not reflect longing for the pipe of crystals she clutched onto, but for help. There was not enough time to get her that help had he tried. But Harry didn't try. It was plain that the drugs were finally accomplishing what they were meant to do. His mother’s anguish was coming to a merciless end. Harry simply waited to collect his inheritance from the palm of her hand.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>A year later he met Julie. She was a battered angel, sexually abused by her stepfather, as hooked on heroin as on oxygen. Yet in some impossible to put a finger on way, a part of her remained untouched by the evil that men do. When she learned she was pregnant, Julie decided to cleanse her body for the sake of the new life within her. She begged Harry to do the same, but he vigilantly remained a lost cause. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Rather than hanging around until he wreaked havoc in their lives, Julie vanished. Perhaps she said goodbye the last time he saw her, but Harry was in no condition to take notice. For a long while he expected her return, but eventually realized that she was gone for good. He had blown what was likely his last chance at love. He would never meet his child. As usual, he was able to smoke his blues away.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Not long after Julie's departure, Harry became an official resident of the streets. Too weak of body and mild of disposition to take money from others, he was left little choice but to beg for it. The purest scores of smack failed to ease the crushing weight of his degradation. For each coin placed in Harry's palm, a chunk of his pride was handed over. He was pawning his soul piece by piece at bargain basement rates.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Harry did not fare well as a beggar, for he sang no songs, told no jokes, nor had so much as a decent hard luck speech. Rather than attempting to entertain or to elicit sympathy, he would simply stand before subway passengers, hold out his coffee cup, and await donations. They came few and far between, barely sufficient to keep him alive, if not exactly living.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomkbF4d4hT_-u0jBhZMaXg11hqn9AzN-Y_qzvw5Qy5ivOZs6uoNGhCo36_bgFR5ipmLhA4f5HxU1WZLppbHmW1mr_q39CzVkGlxd4MgFOx7BeAvsrYpRZfSAp2dHoMWeNk1GRbNjNtz8F3q7CsKgkWXTx5n1ZgNizV-VPEzmBL-_bN_SJ3ayo5Vtg/s564/harry%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="564" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomkbF4d4hT_-u0jBhZMaXg11hqn9AzN-Y_qzvw5Qy5ivOZs6uoNGhCo36_bgFR5ipmLhA4f5HxU1WZLppbHmW1mr_q39CzVkGlxd4MgFOx7BeAvsrYpRZfSAp2dHoMWeNk1GRbNjNtz8F3q7CsKgkWXTx5n1ZgNizV-VPEzmBL-_bN_SJ3ayo5Vtg/s320/harry%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>His current tour was not undertaken for nostalgia's sake, but to reaffirm that his decision was the right one. A single joyful memory may have shattered his resolution. None came. The years of his life blended in recall into a single interminable day spent wondering where his next high or meal, in that order of preference, would come from.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Harry picked up a piece of glass that was reflecting light from a nearby street lamp. He sat on a curb and held the makeshift dagger over his wrist. All was settled. He would dispatch of an existence no longer worth the effort to preserve. This was not the first time such a fatalistic decision had been reached by him. But unlike the other occasions when it was no more than a vague concept rolled around his mind like a pair of dice, Harry was now determined to act upon it.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Three months earlier his friend Rico was stabbed while negotiating a freebie from a prostitute on tainted acid. The murder gave Harry a permanent distaste for blood spill, and also for forming attachments. Other homeless people were three dimensional reflections of everything that had gone wrong. When his only companions were artificially enhanced thoughts, it was possible to imagine that his misfortunes were merely temporary. But the passage of time discarded rather than judiciously spent made this illusion increasingly difficult to conjure. Drugs could still elevate his consciousness, but no longer transported him high enough to reach the plane where hope resided.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Rather than hope, what Harry sought was an ultimate form of amnesia. He wanted to erase all knowledge of who he was, who he had been, and what would undoubtedly become of him.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div>He flung the glass away. Cutting his wrist would be painful, messy, and time consuming. He might be found and saved by someone who didn’t know better. There had to be a better way.</div><div><br />Harry rose and continued on his journey. He wanted to be dead before sunrise, for the birth of a new day would needlessly delay the execution of his decision. Daylight brought with it too many distractions. The instinct for survival overpowered self-pity when the sun’s rays were in effect. It was only natural that his desire for ultimate sleep bloomed under the cover of night.</div><div> <br /> A car roared past at well over the speed limit, inspiring a plan. The Brooklyn Bridge wasn't very far away. He would walk halfway across and jump in front of the first car to come by. </div><div><br />Pleased with this resolution, Harry picked up his pace and was at the bridge in ten minutes. He positioned himself and waited for the vehicle of his demise to arrive. The Subaru which came first left Harry safe and sound. It wasn't going fast enough, he reasoned. The same went for the Oldsmobile, wood paneled station wagon, and Volkswagen which drove by after. The Mercedes would certainly have done the job, but Harry missed out because he was tightening his shoelaces as it passed. Finally a truck came rumbling over the bridge like a stampede of elephants. There would be no valid excuse to let this one go. He waited until exactly the right moment, then jumped. </div><div><br />A second later, Harry landed in the same spot he had been standing. He couldn't do it. The thought of meeting a fender head on for a goodnight kiss gave him the creeps. His heart and mind were ready to go, but his body possessed its own opinion on the matter. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Harry beheld the twinkling Manhattan skyline and could not deny that the view was breathtakingly beautiful. But life was not nearly so pretty as it appeared from the Brooklyn Bridge at three in the morning. He peered at the jet black water beneath him and realized it could grant him a perfect suicide, almost an artistic way to go. Certainly more picturesque than being smashed to scattered pieces. Harry wanted his body in one place when he died. The bottom of the East River was as good a location as any.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>He swung a leg over the railing. Hopefully the impact would at least knock him unconscious, if not kill him immediately. He had never learned to swim and couldn't think of a more horrifying way to perish than by drowning. The helplessness one must feel while sinking into murky depths had haunted him in nightmares since childhood. It still terrified him. This was the justification he gave himself for swinging his leg back to safe ground. The East River would have to do without him for a snack. It would not go completely unfed, for a nickel and three pennies fell from Harry's pants pocket and spiraled downwards like unanswered prayers.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Harry berated himself for his cowardice as he walked across the bridge. He hated the weakness of his body that made the allure of crack cocaine irresistible. He hated begging for survival. He hated the way he looked, and smelled, and felt. He abhorred when people viewed him with disgust, and even more when they looked through him as if he wasn't there. It infuriated Harry that so much of his misfortunes had been predestined, that he was given only one legitimate opportunity to change the fate allotted to him. Yet he knew that one chance is one more than some people get, so his anger was ultimately eclipsed by regret. He had begged for money and craved for drugs, but when the one thing which could have granted salvation was offered, Harry turned it down. Through the densest clouds of poisonous euphoria he had been able to see that he loved Julie. But love didn't seem all that important at the time. Now he knew better. He had learned that hate and anger could be enough to sustain someone, but regret did nothing but suck a person dry.</div><div><br />The temperature had dropped considerably since his venture got underway and a light snow now fell. By the time he reached the city it was howling about him, transforming the night from black to white. Harry didn't bother to head towards a subway station, for his legs felt as leaden as his spirits. Instead he entered the corpse of what had long ago been a small but lovingly maintained park, and lay in the first place not already claimed by a rat. He used the bag he had been lugging about as a pillow, its contents providing a fair cushion for his head. </div><div><br />Inside of the bag was a rag doll found in a dumpster about nine months earlier. One of her glass eyes was missing and nearly half of the stuffing had escaped from a rip that was now taped shut. The doll was intended as a present for his daughter, in case he managed to find her. His search had not been an active one, but one never knew who might be bumped into on the streets of New York City. </div><div><br />Earlier that day, he had scribbled Julie’s name onto a piece of paper and placed it in the bag along with the doll. In the event of the death he was resolved to bring about, Harry hoped his gift might somehow find the way to its intended recipient. </div><div><br />As he always did before going to sleep, Harry tried to envision Julie and their child. Once again he failed, for his daughter he had never seen and Julie's face he could scarcely remember.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Instead he saw his mother, her body and soul ravaged beyond repair, her eyes containing only a spark of humanity. But sometimes a mere spark can initiate a conflagration. After years of mercilessly pushing herself to a point inches away from death, in his mother’s last moments it was apparent that she wanted to redeem herself, to turn around and face the painful familiar rather than risk the unknown. But she didn't have the strength to turn around. More often than not, a spark ignites no more than a millisecond of illumination.</div><div><br />“I hate her, Julie,” Harry had once said, back during a time when he had not yet abandoned the desire to make something of his life. “We were nothing more to her than the amount of government assistance she got for each of us. She kept getting pregnant so she could keep getting high. She popped us out and then we had to fend for ourselves.”</div><div><br />“You’ve got to let your anger go, baby.”</div><div><br />“Why should I?”</div><div><br />“You’re going to be a parent yourself soon. If you don’t forgive your mother, you won’t be able to care for your child.”</div><div><br />“I won’t have any trouble taking care of our kid. I love our baby already, because the baby is coming from you.”</div><div><br />“I still say you have to clear the hate from your heart to make room for some love.”</div><div><br />“I love you and our baby plenty.”</div><div><br />“I know you do, Harry. But you must also love yourself. You got to at least try.”</div><div><br />“Shit, Julie. Ever since you quit getting high you been talking like a shrink. A shrink who keeps changing the subject. I was talking about my mother, and nothing can fix the way I feel about her.”</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>“But look at all she gave you, honey.”</div><div><br />“All she gave me? Are you out of your friggin’ mind? Have you not heard a word I’ve said?”</div><div><br />“I’ve heard you, Harry. But nothing you said, nothing she did changes the fact that she gave you life.”</div><div><br />“So?”</div><div><br />“So that means she gave you a chance.”</div><div><br />“So?”</div><div><br />“So use it.” </div><div> <br />Harry had proven to be a failure at both living and dying. His sole consolation lay in the fact that at least there was always tomorrow. He would have to find either the courage to kill himself, or a reason not to. As long as the sun rose each morning, both remained distinct possibilities. This thought made his sleep a peaceful one as the snow lay a natural blanket over him and he dreamt of days stitched with promise, devoid of pain.</div><div><br />The sun did indeed rise that morning. Birds sang, cocks crew, alarm clocks sounded and rush hour officially began. None of this disturbed Harry's slumber, for the frost had made his dream come true. And though in life he wore the guise of a beggar, in death he was as stately as a king. </div></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5kBTMUpJzZ1b5CJIOK_yBFfPjfL06ER-dIOzfWVYKh9EM8kTay5WxobqIolRWi2h_EXSpvWse03rDwWg1vhoPgtPbkO9393SI_cfnmN2iPgolF7LJge5kdPXRez4vuzqOg-fPB_34xPkx09pELYD3_yC9S-Wd81KwaM9EMHqu7EbBVFFSP8RomfS/s420/kings%20bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="420" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5kBTMUpJzZ1b5CJIOK_yBFfPjfL06ER-dIOzfWVYKh9EM8kTay5WxobqIolRWi2h_EXSpvWse03rDwWg1vhoPgtPbkO9393SI_cfnmN2iPgolF7LJge5kdPXRez4vuzqOg-fPB_34xPkx09pELYD3_yC9S-Wd81KwaM9EMHqu7EbBVFFSP8RomfS/s320/kings%20bed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br /><div> THE END</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>On a cheerier note, happy NBA retirement to Carmelo Anthony. It was a pleasure to watch you hoop brilliantly for my beloved New York Knicks.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
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Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-45904782707568597592023-04-26T21:24:00.006-07:002023-04-29T07:43:56.721-07:00Quite The Week<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfeMlTyoOynVqDR5s0YiUDiN-OOtx9xteo53EjKfeMTexmsoRmPeow1vE-jNV0xL-hpJ4YV5ykRxNsVUxHLAp6lpscLg5eyZrD57VwyEYLpy1lM-wC9UfauhHM63r-086JxjAW6In0vIhaHny-Kz_3IuxKoF6IH97e3Xp8zBlqTfb0m3NYZx9Ws8r/s1024/This-Weeks-Events.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfeMlTyoOynVqDR5s0YiUDiN-OOtx9xteo53EjKfeMTexmsoRmPeow1vE-jNV0xL-hpJ4YV5ykRxNsVUxHLAp6lpscLg5eyZrD57VwyEYLpy1lM-wC9UfauhHM63r-086JxjAW6In0vIhaHny-Kz_3IuxKoF6IH97e3Xp8zBlqTfb0m3NYZx9Ws8r/s320/This-Weeks-Events.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrhXdorro-i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrhXdorro-i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; 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line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrhXdorro-i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="qme"> <a href="https://t.co/DYfxSjlgic">pic.twitter.com/DYfxSjlgic</a></p>— 🎱XJ🎱 (@XJ_7379) <a href="https://twitter.com/XJ_7379/status/1651400431472373760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrcTjdxL2EQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hessss hereeeee <a href="https://t.co/7n2Tvaxvbt">pic.twitter.com/7n2Tvaxvbt</a></p>— Will Parkinson (@Willpa11) <a href="https://twitter.com/Willpa11/status/1651221794479644679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tucker Carlson got dropped by Fox "News"? <a href="https://t.co/k4bIbnKxyM">pic.twitter.com/k4bIbnKxyM</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1650529601305686016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">It's been a terrible run, Tucker.<a href="https://t.co/7CCXFCUE1V">pic.twitter.com/7CCXFCUE1V</a></p>— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProjectLincoln/status/1651428458822619136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">🚨 MASSIVE BREAKING: Mike Pence testified TODAY before the federal grand jury in the special counsel's probe into January 6th. This comes soon after an appeals court DENIED Trump's attempt to block Pence's testimony. <a href="https://t.co/Rad9BZoDDz">pic.twitter.com/Rad9BZoDDz</a></p>— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) <a href="https://twitter.com/MeidasTouch/status/1651695718778941443?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Egyptian lawyer sues Netflix for casting Black woman as Cleopatra <a href="https://t.co/h3yI3hPZbO">https://t.co/h3yI3hPZbO</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1650229469280444416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anyone turned off by calls for social justice should go away and stay away. Who the hell rejects a sport they supposedly love because of some slogans on the baseline that can easily be ignored?</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1649770232473419777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I can't believe that Phil Jackson refused to watch <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBA</a> basketball any more just because Cleopatra is being played by a Black woman in a Netflix movie.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1650232046021750786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="qme"> <a href="https://t.co/3Cn2zdL23w">pic.twitter.com/3Cn2zdL23w</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1650489135675703299?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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height: 0px; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); transform: translateY(16px); width: 0px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; transform: translateY(-4px); width: 16px;"></div> <div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 0px; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); width: 0px;"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrdnYbhrcpR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Having never paid a price here on earth for her evil. But rumor has it that a place for that awaits below. <a href="https://t.co/A0KcYivHtz">https://t.co/A0KcYivHtz</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1651623308620701715?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: A Black Quarterback By Any Other Name Would Be <a href="https://t.co/DsRlDLFKS8">https://t.co/DsRlDLFKS8</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1651711258247196673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Doug Williams, Shack Harris and a whole lot of other black QBs who built the foundation have to be overwhelmed with pride right now. Three of the top four picks are black quarterbacks.</p>— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) <a href="https://twitter.com/wyche89/status/1651748720042704896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">With Aaron Rodgers to the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jets?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jets</a> FINALLY made official, I will now check out some mock drafts.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1650692955731116033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrloJChrDB1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-25101774582064520052023-01-15T11:14:00.005-08:002023-02-26T06:28:52.326-08:00MATTERS OF CONVENIENCE: Audio book publication - Press Release<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/B0BS74VGZW/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-336563&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_336563_rh_us" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="2412" data-original-width="2412" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2eNg88t7BmsU28ymZlDyPGi1NVjgWx3lCsfrhCKJxKj90aQuK8n3cYiIqEdR39vOgmoAavuduu6UJ8xIQr3bDDnnp63VvXiE3_XKpNlOtI8MHqVCu5eHo_hdkM5cT2J2jzw_zcZMmc717TGbos9G4xuyfyhA11vjpmmA2JMpfPO4d1RO1U9AKcC0/s320/MattersofConvenienceRoyLPickeringJr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>I decided that the time had come to make one of my books available in a format other than the written word displayed on paper or screen page. So I took the plunge, was fortunate enough to find a wonderful narrator to work with, and published </span><a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/B0BS74VGZW/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-336563&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_336563_rh_us" target="_blank">Matters of Convenience: audio book edition</a><span>. It is available for purchase from </span><a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/B0BS74VGZW/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-336563&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_336563_rh_us" target="_blank">Amazon / Audible</a><span> - and wherever else the fantastic ACX program allows consumers of audio books to find great books.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dhCttXkpoxc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I'm hoping to hear from book listeners just as I love to get feedback from my readers. Let me know what you think of the story, the writing, and the reading performed by Mati H. Fuller. You can do so at <a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/B0BS74VGZW/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-336563&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_336563_rh_us" target="_blank">Amazon or Audible</a> or on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31847283-matters-of-convenience">GoodReads</a>. Feel free to reach out to me directly by commenting on this blog post or dropping me a line on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PatchesOfGrey/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> or <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/roylpickering_author/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks" target="_blank">TikTok</a>. I love to hear from people who have chosen to immerse themselves in one of <a href="http://roypickering.weebly.com/short-stories.html">my stories</a>. A writer/book is nothing without you readers/listeners.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">If you have a blog or web site of your own where book reviews are featured, regardless of the size of your audience, feel free to reach out because I have some promo codes <a href="https://www.audible.com/pd/B0BS74VGZW/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-336563&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_336563_rh_us" target="_blank">for US</a> as well as <a href="https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0BS74M117/?source_code=AUKFrDlWS02231890H6-BK-ACX0-336563&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_336563_rh_uk" target="_blank">UK usage</a>. They will allow you to download the audio edition of Matters of Convenience for free. Or if you're shy, rather than contacting me simply <span style="color: red;"><a href="https://www.freeaudiobookcodes.com/book/c0d31533-5c06-4c1b-8bb4-1829ad177be5" target="_blank">stop by this site to obtain a promo code</a></span>. Giving copies away in exchange for receipt (hopefully) of impartial reviews seems like a fair deal to me. My goal isn't to get rich, though I won't complain if that happens. It's to reach as many <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/authorofpatches/books-worth-reading/">book lovers</a> as possible.</span></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITVxCCwFImuIzxasLAtyEb_cxIkDvWPiJzeoxPBw7X2sCjBZDOpuIf53PtXX_ug-9jINKeVD6Jbgo30yXqwdt-joO58eM5xjQffBpq0i_iiRZeMx7SHg9UPD61W5oYUtTtsF8bepNgfUKoC2gWu8KXR0wff2WUfyQfNqrJInScewFtZcdvkKrF0X2/s4624/20221125_225852_3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4624" data-original-width="2084" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITVxCCwFImuIzxasLAtyEb_cxIkDvWPiJzeoxPBw7X2sCjBZDOpuIf53PtXX_ug-9jINKeVD6Jbgo30yXqwdt-joO58eM5xjQffBpq0i_iiRZeMx7SHg9UPD61W5oYUtTtsF8bepNgfUKoC2gWu8KXR0wff2WUfyQfNqrJInScewFtZcdvkKrF0X2/s320/20221125_225852_3.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>
<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks/video/7188585840392539434" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7188585840392539434" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="@mudhousebooks">@mudhousebooks</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/nowavailable?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="nowavailable">#NowAvailable</a> - If you review <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/audiobooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="audiobooks">#audiobooks</a> and would like a promo code for a free download - just holla at me. <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/booktok?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="booktok">#booktok</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/mattersofconvenience?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="mattersofconvenience">#MattersOfConvenience</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/amazon?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="amazon">#Amazon</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/audible?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="audible">#Audible</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/audibletok?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="audibletok">#audibletok</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/audiobook?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="audiobook">#audiobook</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/indieauthor?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="indieauthor">#indieauthor</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/indieauthorsoftiktok?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="indieauthorsoftiktok">#indieauthorsoftiktok</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/indieauthorsofbooktok?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="indieauthorsofbooktok">#indieauthorsofbooktok</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/CUFF-IT-7125598551698049025?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="♬ CUFF IT - Beyoncé">♬ CUFF IT - Beyoncé</a></section></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>On an unrelated note, time sure does fly................</p><p><br /></p> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ylgAaoEghIQ" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
<iframe allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="352" loading="lazy" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/track/5VIPLv4pYGJm0ywK16qCq7?utm_source=generator" style="border-radius: 12px;" width="100%"></iframe>Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-30889983901888426152022-12-19T19:14:00.001-08:002022-12-21T10:09:29.776-08:00DEAR GOOGLE - a short story<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07qLSbhq5fUvw8B8A6_CI7lxL2jL96Y67o5ykwJakK8dJY1xwQEeHa4Ju8j4gxI6iYLRUhlOA64QYAx4WH8FrYlMdoDeqjMRZfXo2wRXpXkLA36Gl-vu9DUn8KSGmmWMYQwUiryyUI9ROlfiAwM33rtxB6NVD3D1QLHdB9-9uiodn9Np-yrdzre6t/s600/dear-google1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="600" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07qLSbhq5fUvw8B8A6_CI7lxL2jL96Y67o5ykwJakK8dJY1xwQEeHa4Ju8j4gxI6iYLRUhlOA64QYAx4WH8FrYlMdoDeqjMRZfXo2wRXpXkLA36Gl-vu9DUn8KSGmmWMYQwUiryyUI9ROlfiAwM33rtxB6NVD3D1QLHdB9-9uiodn9Np-yrdzre6t/s320/dear-google1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">By <a href="http://roypickering.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Roy L. Pickering Jr.</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The day I met my father it snowed from early
morning until sunset. I worried that my
mother would change her mind if the snow made it difficult to drive. But the salt trucks enabled our trip to be
taken despite the flurries, and she kept her word. She always keeps her word.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0zCUxwKK9he8w8h5_WUFFolBvS2k0XNHlfbY3w12YClq4df5_BNk9sm1mPupEJtZO3SRBUqWIu0tchJW1YOKGv_6fpo6vYlC50REWyfN9I_2VmyJZI628Vy724F68puTrIoamtKJQk3-cGcKUOG_T7GmpzJNURX7T6lCTQG7KfxUWE_Gc95aEOhg/s400/snow%20in%20mapelwood.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="317" data-original-width="400" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE0zCUxwKK9he8w8h5_WUFFolBvS2k0XNHlfbY3w12YClq4df5_BNk9sm1mPupEJtZO3SRBUqWIu0tchJW1YOKGv_6fpo6vYlC50REWyfN9I_2VmyJZI628Vy724F68puTrIoamtKJQk3-cGcKUOG_T7GmpzJNURX7T6lCTQG7KfxUWE_Gc95aEOhg/s320/snow%20in%20mapelwood.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">People had begun putting up lights and a wide variety of
decorations on their front lawns to celebrate the Christmas season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was particularly fond of the giant
inflatable characters recognizable from my favorite holiday cartoons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two years earlier when my mother was
temporarily out of work and could not afford the presents I had asked Santa
Claus to bring, she confessed that he was only make believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no man from the North Pole who gave
well behaved children whatever they desired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The gifts I received were purchased with the money my mother worked hard
to earn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could tell she would have
preferred for me to believe in Santa Claus a little longer, but there was no
way to avoid disappointing me in one way or another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was not too young to understand that she
often sacrificed in order to provide for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was obvious that she loved me very much, enough for two people, the
mother who took care of my needs and the father who was little more than a
rumor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is, until the day I finally
met him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was nervous and excited and frightened and thrilled about
the idea of my first encounter with my father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My mother rarely spoke of him, other than when I raised the
subject.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On those occasions she would
pause for a few seconds before responding to my queries, unless they were the
kind that could be answered without judgment, such as how tall was he, or did
he wear glasses like I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
no photographs of him in our house, so I would imagine what I thought he might
look like, then run to my mother for confirmation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said I most strongly resembled my father
when throwing a temper tantrum, but I did not do that very often.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When replying to questions of personal opinion, I could tell
that my mother was being selective with her words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She did not have many nice things to say, but
did her best not to speak poorly of him either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes I saw anger in her eyes, other times sadness, but she was
usually able to keep these feelings from her voice.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It did not take long to sum up all that I knew of my father
up until the day I set eyes on him at last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had been told that he was usually out of work and low on cash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mother did not receive money from him for
my well being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my nine years she had
given me four gifts that were said to be from him – a football, a basketball, a
baseball bat, and a Playstation video game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I cherished each one of these items because they were seen as proof that
he loved me, and that one day we would be together like a father and son are
supposed to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I did not receive a
Playstation game system for my birthday, rendering the last of my father’s
gifts of little practical use, my mother was treated to one of my infrequent
tantrums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sports stuff caused less
trouble, although I much preferred to draw superheroes or watch dinosaur movies
than play sports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is something my
father would have known if he was around, or at least bothered to ask about my
interests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite such evidence that he
did not bother to find out much about me, I continued to inquire about him,
adding to my collection of information bit by bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I knew that he and my mother dated for six months, a period during
which she was unknowingly pregnant for half that time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her announcement of my pending arrival
hastened the end of their frail relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His various other girlfriends had been unhappily tolerated by my mother,
but the news that he would soon become a father was unacceptable to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like to pretend that the vegetables on my
dinner plate are pieces of chocolate in order to make my way through them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It almost works sometimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps my father pretended that my mother
and I belonged to a vivid dream that he could put behind him when the sun was
out.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Some men are not comfortable around babies, according to my
mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a notion I could sort
of understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Babies frequently cry and
they’re pretty much helpless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can’t
walk or talk very well, they need to be fed and dressed and cleaned up after.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Babies are a great deal of work, especially
to someone who prefers to avoid having a job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As I grew older and my curiosity about the ways of the world grew
stronger, I wondered with increasing frequency why my father did not visit me
now that I was big.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mother was either
unwilling or unable to answer this question for me, and although I prayed like
I was taught to in Sunday school, I did not learn what I wanted to know that
way either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a last resort I took the
inadvertent suggestion of my best friend Pedro, who happens to be the smartest
kid in our class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told me that
whenever he was trying to figure something out that nobody he asked knew, he would
go online and enter the appropriate search words into Google.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since he lives with both of his parents plus
three older brothers and four older sisters, Pedro has plenty of resources to
go through before heading to the internet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My own set of circumstances being far different, at first opportunity I went
on my mother’s computer and tried to discover why my father continued to remain
at a distance from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I received a
number of hits that appeared promising and printed out several web pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, reading through them led to nothing
fruitful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or so I thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three day later my mother sprung an enormous
surprise on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would be taking a
trip to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on">Connecticut</st1:state></st1:place>
the following weekend to pay my father a visit.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I eventually learned that my mother spotted the pages I had
printed out, reviewed, and tossed in a waste paper basket with much frustration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She realized what it was I had been trying to
find out through my Google search.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was not the Santa Claus I once wrote letters to, the God I routinely prayed to,
or the internet I had desperately surfed that came through for me in the
end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Years later I would ask my mother
if my impatient desire to meet my father had hurt her feelings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told me not to be foolish, that of course
she understood my longing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was for
that reason that she went against her instincts and took me on a long car ride
as whiteness descended around us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
would come to learn that this was the most difficult decision my mother ever
made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would also understand one day
that innocence is precious first and foremost because it can only be lost once.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He took his time answering the doorbell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feared he had changed his mind about
meeting me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each second passed slower
than the one to precede it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stared so
hard at the door that it was a wonder I did not succeed in looking straight
through it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then suddenly it opened and
there he stood before me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have nearly every word my father spoke to me that day
committed to memory, which is not really saying much, because as it would turn
out, he did not have a great deal to say.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Your mother says you wanted to meet me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well here I am, in the flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you want to know, boy?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I wasn’t quite ready to talk yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was too much information for me to take
in all at once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of launching an
immediate interrogation, I scanned the small studio apartment for clues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought that his home might tell me a
little about who he was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">His furniture consisted of a shabby sofa with stuffing
spilling out of it and a coffee table that tilted to the right side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the coffee table lay a scattered
collection of porn magazines, three long needles like you might find in a
doctor’s office, and an overflowing ashtray.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His television was playing with the sound barely audible and the picture
obscured by bars of static.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The show
being broadcast appeared to be an old episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Friends</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next to the sofa,
which I assumed doubled as his bed, an aquarium stood on a rusty stand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a goldfish bowl at home on my
nightstand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our first common interest
seemed to have been found, but it did not strike me as being a worthy
conversation starter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was because
my father’s ten gallon tank was half filled with greenish brown water, and four
dead fish floated on top of the muck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Several half eaten Happy Meals from McDonalds were littered
about in every direction there was to turn, some of the remnants being dined on
by cockroaches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The room stunk like I
imagined Hell must smell like in the summer when the air conditioning wasn’t
working.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“You gonna say anything or what?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I had envision that he would have an athletic build on
account of the sports related gifts he had sent me, but he was exceptionally
skinny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wore a snug fitting tank top
and loose pair of jeans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His arms were
tracked with markings that I correctly guessed to have come from the carelessly
placed needles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mother would later
explain that he regularly poisoned himself with heroin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently the drug made him incapable of
staying hungry long enough to finish a Happy Meal.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“You momma has gotten her act cleaned up,” he said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But ooh boy, back in the day she sure knew
how to have a good time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How about
giving me some sugar for old time sake, Natalie?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“You will not kiss, or touch, or hit me ever again,
Jarvis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do I make myself clear?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Yeah, I got it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Can’t blame me for trying though.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With his attention focused on my mother for the moment, I
allowed himself a long hard look at his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The shape of his mouth reminded me of my own when I stared in a
mirror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As far as I could tell, this was
all I owed him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seemed unnecessary to
be grateful for such an arbitrary trait, and with this realization, my
curiosity evaporated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I now knew
everything I needed to know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was
responsible for my existence, but this had become irrelevant to me.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Merry Christmas, sir.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Can we go home now, Mom?”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Yes, we certainly can.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">After waiting nine years to take a road trip of over two
hours, we left my father after a mere five minutes spent in his presence,
returning to the blanket of white that would accompany us home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have not seen him since, nor have I had any
desire to. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as I understood that the
seemingly unending snowfall would eventually cease and melt away completely in
time, I also realized as I stared out the car window that the things a boy
chooses to believe will not all become what he accepts to be true as a man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am sixteen now, and in three weeks I will become a
father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does not take much to become
a father, as I have learned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Considerably more effort has been required on my part to handle the
stress of the situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet Jasmine and
I have managed to remain together and grow closer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I first laid eyes on her sitting at a
window booth in Burger King, my father having permanently turned me off of
McDonalds, I sensed she would change my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My mother has always told me to trust my instincts, and on that day they
were dead on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Perhaps Jasmine and I will get married someday, but we’re
taking one hurdle at a time, with diaper changing about to become the next one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have not made the future any easier for
myself, but nonetheless, I do believe that I’m prepared for whatever lies
ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mother has educated me well
about what it takes to be a decent and responsible man, and that should take me
pretty far in this world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As much as I
have learned from her up until now, I know there is still much she has to teach
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will absorb her lessons faithfully
and pass them down to my son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
strikes me as being a solid plan.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I learned a great deal from my father as well, and it took
hardly any time at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He showed me during
his brief presence in my life what not to become, even though it was what I
came from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the remainder of my life
I will have no trouble remembering in perfect detail the day I met my father,
for it was also the day that I decided to let him go.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><p></p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">R.I.P. legend. Before I switched to rooting for the perpetual underdog <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jets?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jets</a> - it seemed the only teams to choose from were either America's team Cowboys, the blue collar Steelers, or the Raiders if you fancied yourself a rebel. I chose the Steel Curtain b/c of guys like Franco. <a href="https://t.co/T5b1A1Xnk2">https://t.co/T5b1A1Xnk2</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1605621700904726528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-81548357907226827822022-10-24T18:37:00.002-07:002022-10-25T20:42:02.219-07:00Shepherd.com <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEST8CThcVHKrgX-4mkrAtFcBZjOWgJK4Lf5xDbdu7cqRx9DD_77_-CCatUQgV497LNeJLBplqo4bwnp2tVomBDCRiFGnq4tlLRV_VGNf2ZaOw4tmr2vxpGhZ3vlqM-oNgyqM0Qm0m6SjJZ1L5tHqd_b3GbeoW--RbOBVEI2w-uAu_tFgsjB9qCazr/s240/Shepherd.com_logo.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="240" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEST8CThcVHKrgX-4mkrAtFcBZjOWgJK4Lf5xDbdu7cqRx9DD_77_-CCatUQgV497LNeJLBplqo4bwnp2tVomBDCRiFGnq4tlLRV_VGNf2ZaOw4tmr2vxpGhZ3vlqM-oNgyqM0Qm0m6SjJZ1L5tHqd_b3GbeoW--RbOBVEI2w-uAu_tFgsjB9qCazr/s1600/Shepherd.com_logo.png" width="240" /></a></div>I was approached by the fine folks at <a href="http://Shepherd.com">Shepherd.com</a> to put together a list of books exemplifying a theme of my choosing. Honored to be asked, I gave it my best shot. Understood was that my list would be in excellent company, since as you'll see if you peruse this fantastic web site, there are many excellent book compilations at Shepherd to examine. For example, there's this collection put together by Shannon Gibney on <a href="https://shepherd.com/best-books/ya-and-mg-about-the-black-experience">The best YA and MG books about the Black experience</a>. <p></p><p>After a good deal of contemplation I decided on a subject that I am frequently drawn to read as well as write about, and then I selected a group of novels that explore it in a most compelling fashion. It was not my intention to select only books by women, but just happened to work out that way. Now you can read my thoughts on five novels I categorized as:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://shepherd.com/best-books/black-family-dynamics" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="1080" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjhCL3Zf2qAe89sVr7usx67ppYQdxSRFLczmDipobikPu5pvMHuqgUrcYCDYpRDdC6NLozFyrXpTQn9FhmVHUB9jDBSpMpwHWLscGKp6Zwq86iQdUf3qUQV5DT8ICLA3nea-hvTp3is3__UM90VGkwHWViS9Hslx2W0HMXoVQSoTTVeQeKRV5oe4x/s320/Black%20Family%20Dynamics.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #0f1419;">Have you read </span><span style="color: #800180;">The Mothers</span><span style="color: #0f1419;"> (Brit Bennett) or </span><span style="color: #800180;">Silver Sparrow</span><span style="color: #0f1419;"> (Tayari Jones) or </span><span style="color: #800180;">The Star Side of Bird Hill</span><span style="color: #0f1419;"> (Naomi Jackson) or </span><span style="color: #800180;">The Girl Who Fell from the Sky</span><span style="color: #0f1419;"> (Heidi W. Durrow) or</span><span style="color: #800180;"> Breath, Eyes, Memory</span><span style="color: #0f1419;"> (Edwidge Danticat) yet? Do you agree with my take that they are among<span style="font-size: 20px;"> </span></span><b style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://shepherd.com/best-books/black-family-dynamics" target="_blank">The best novels about Black family dynamics</a></span></b><span style="color: #0f1419; font-size: 20px;">? </span><span style="color: #0f1419;">Perhaps you have some alternate/additional suggestions? If so I'd love to hear your thoughts either here or at Shepherd.com. </span></span></p><p><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #0f1419;">Be sure to stop by Shepherd.com, check out some of the wonderful book lists, and perhaps you'll be inspired to make lists of your own. </span></span></p><p><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #0f1419;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Roy-L.-Pickering-Jr/e/B002D13K0Q%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUmlR1Q8MmbNLkRo9y2aU3kXTXw5IaxgAj8IHokv3Ysa59wrFVX7Bi-yT_zy02qT1liEslTnGS17yemBMXvCiswHqbayMS4WwZa2WWG2S79QCmmeskZmGsKwozxBNubY4cxgyWAvGotGscAS47QcGYucNdwOiJBLWNZE3k0VhCY1z0puuQPHslQQt/s320/bookshelf.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><span style="color: #0f1419;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span style="color: #0f1419; white-space: pre-wrap;">p.s - Below you will find not just any old video from my booktube channel <a href="https://youtu.be/lxpOAvkyGss" target="_blank">Roy's Book Reviews</a>, but </span><b style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;">my 100th video!!!</span></b></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rXy4gl1_K7Q" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> <div><br /></div><div> <a href="http://roypickering.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Happy Reading!</a> And groovy listening.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qZ6L9zkjNkY" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-45892105829023723592022-09-09T19:29:00.001-07:002022-09-20T16:02:47.773-07:00Farewell Summer - Hello Autumn<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOY82wk3Foyx2FkSlhQQIfkGY20Lzjxc8yfjRO3EjMva98nVTdr3N4TmG0nm2Zio8qtKvGUYTCgS1KAWufMp9kHhTys-RnsMbFKY9-WJ6Q7RvkgMQ597XVNbqwNkD1aCPp1psuF_RcHKA14sYOoPR7DYRE4ynfMZZsVUIXcSBqMTmPH-QBifyPnfE/s1535/Screenshot_20220909-182151_Instagram.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="1041" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXOY82wk3Foyx2FkSlhQQIfkGY20Lzjxc8yfjRO3EjMva98nVTdr3N4TmG0nm2Zio8qtKvGUYTCgS1KAWufMp9kHhTys-RnsMbFKY9-WJ6Q7RvkgMQ597XVNbqwNkD1aCPp1psuF_RcHKA14sYOoPR7DYRE4ynfMZZsVUIXcSBqMTmPH-QBifyPnfE/s400/Screenshot_20220909-182151_Instagram.jpg" /></a></div>
<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks/video/7138435779994373419" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7138435779994373419" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="@mudhousebooks">@mudhousebooks</a> Matters of Convenience will be <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/free?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="free">#Free</a> in <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/kindle?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="kindle">#Kindle</a> format at <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/amazon?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="amazon">#Amazon</a> for 1 week in mid-September. Consider it a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/backtoschool?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="backtoschool">#backtoschool</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/giveaway?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="giveaway">#giveaway</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Give-It-Away-6704951557080745985?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="♬ Give It Away - Red Hot Chili Peppers">♬ Give It Away - Red Hot Chili Peppers</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks/video/7131064112355888427" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7131064112355888427" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="@mudhousebooks">@mudhousebooks</a> <p>The Absolutely Amazing Adventures of Ava Appelsawse - available at Amazon</p> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-7131064117112326958?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - Roy">♬ original sound - Roy</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<b>Thanks for everything, Serena! Including your form of graciousness.</b>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: DOUBLE FAULT - a short story <br /> <a href="https://t.co/SgTVHgbiZu">https://t.co/SgTVHgbiZu</a> <a href="https://t.co/FTmcdnuecq">pic.twitter.com/FTmcdnuecq</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1565903002048806914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="qst">1 of 1 <a href="https://t.co/41WMierFWN">https://t.co/41WMierFWN</a></p>— AlexisOhanian7️⃣7️⃣6️⃣ (@alexisohanian) <a href="https://twitter.com/alexisohanian/status/1565861410424463361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I was pretty disappointed after this loss. But my coach told me to save this photo because “one day that girl will win a lot of Grand Slams.” <br /><br />I am glad I listened. Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Serena?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Serena</a> for a lifetime of inspiration. 🐐 <a href="https://t.co/uU1QSf8OQ9">pic.twitter.com/uU1QSf8OQ9</a></p>— Rhiannon Potkey (@RPotkey) <a href="https://twitter.com/RPotkey/status/1565888443342798850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Margaret Court: “Serena Williams has never admired me”<br /><br />Explain this then… <a href="https://t.co/9SOG9xNx2l">pic.twitter.com/9SOG9xNx2l</a></p>— 💔 (@kvitovaserena) <a href="https://twitter.com/kvitovaserena/status/1567146865376002053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<b>Took long enough but happy to see arrival of this day.</b>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Barack and Michelle Obama receive a standing ovation upon returning to the White House for their official portrait unveiling.<br /><br />Donald Trump refused to hold the ceremony for the Obamas while he was president. <a href="https://t.co/wNBoG2rlgH">pic.twitter.com/wNBoG2rlgH</a></p>— The Recount (@therecount) <a href="https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1567573682406539267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Portraits unveiled <a href="https://t.co/I1WzvWxIui">pic.twitter.com/I1WzvWxIui</a></p>— Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1567575234789736450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="qst">LFG <a href="https://t.co/zcmlg6DjUO">https://t.co/zcmlg6DjUO</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1566484652361121792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets <a href="https://t.co/7KYLK4npcL">https://t.co/7KYLK4npcL</a> <a href="https://t.co/C7ZHuNphkw">pic.twitter.com/C7ZHuNphkw</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1567566822378979328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="art">😆😂😂🤣🤣🤣 <a href="https://t.co/m3IqdOgF6U">https://t.co/m3IqdOgF6U</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1567321493461209088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://t.co/TYyXk8IG7o">https://t.co/TYyXk8IG7o</a><br /><br />R.I P.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1567930563054428162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Heavy is the head that wears the crown</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1567931076928045061?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">choose your fighter <a href="https://t.co/lnWehaPVAW">pic.twitter.com/lnWehaPVAW</a></p>— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) <a href="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1568238992457441281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Irish and Black Twitter roasting Queen Elizabeth: <a href="https://t.co/dVrT6AhfYi">pic.twitter.com/dVrT6AhfYi</a></p>— Jack Russell (@JolietJack) <a href="https://twitter.com/JolietJack/status/1567952942380236801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">How to be a writer: <br /><br />1. Write<br /><br />Follow me for more free tips!</p>— Elizabeth C. Wagner (@ElizCWagner) <a href="https://twitter.com/ElizCWagner/status/1568295946165063684?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Writer: I'm actually pretty good at this writing thing<br /><br />*Reads someone else's writing*<br /><br />Writer: I am garbage</p>— Alexander Pennington (@Authoralexp) <a href="https://twitter.com/Authoralexp/status/1566274461342777344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und">Art</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1568293057103282176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: Ode to the Library <a href="https://t.co/452WtJDSIv">https://t.co/452WtJDSIv</a> <a href="https://t.co/NGclbiiMqq">pic.twitter.com/NGclbiiMqq</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1566472588355948545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Writing, because no one listens.</p>— 𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘦. (@boundlesshopes) <a href="https://twitter.com/boundlesshopes/status/1566535533157060608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Amazon offered my wife a book they thought she 'might be interested in'<br /><br />It was my autobiography</p>— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnCleese/status/1566802629799329793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">My favorite thing about the book is that it feels like a book. It feels like a real, you know, go to the bookstore novel, book. You know the reason why you go, to read a book from a bookstore.</p>— Jen (@mouthyjen) <a href="https://twitter.com/mouthyjen/status/1567153214947991553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I just saw a TikTok video where a reader was debating if she should rate a book less because a character had a THOUGHT that offended the reader.<br /><br />For those of us in the business of writing about the ugly parts of human behavior, this is what we're up against. <br />😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭</p>— Zoje Stage (@zooshka) <a href="https://twitter.com/zooshka/status/1566913546046390277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">In this vein, I’d like to remind you guys that (per the recent figures from the Penguin/DoJ case) many indie authors are outselling their trad pub counterparts. It’s not a competition, but the idea that indie/self-pub books are somehow ‘lesser’ is just unfounded snobbery ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/DsKnduhGYH">https://t.co/DsKnduhGYH</a></p>— Zola (@jadechurch_) <a href="https://twitter.com/jadechurch_/status/1566782516765175808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I don't know if it's goofier to tell writers they can't write characters who aren't identical to them (you're a CIS white dude so better not write that Black lesbian character) or to tell makers of fantasy worlds that no made up creatures can have melanin. What I do know is that <a href="https://t.co/GMcuCtch2H">https://t.co/GMcuCtch2H</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1567600224222199808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
whatever you tell creatives will be largely ignored by them. After all, what's the point of being a creator if the art you make must be dictated by the silly whims of others? <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/52890275/multicultural-little-mermaid-modern?click_key=9903d1ad5e98f4cd6717508135f2695fbd8fe5b4%3A52890275&click_sum=b46c3a86&ref=shop_home_active_26" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirIp1I7FoHla5aN4blnAFpe7TKPhtiTOTfFBqM9pE0bK_peNsMXikA-gnu7V6LXhgJbzH78C3Rj4TurZt3pMPx34rExcRBCiH9OzSayPq75RbRrWvMXeWkzcGd66Gki8_2h8PyBO-xKZpimvuwwlEbADRNtFDBhpBx5oHan2xKvFJRYcQQpdFxBGFn/s320/image.jpg" width="233" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/52890275/multicultural-little-mermaid-modern?click_key=9903d1ad5e98f4cd6717508135f2695fbd8fe5b4%3A52890275&click_sum=b46c3a86&ref=shop_home_active_26" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcycaGQU3RmNNXe33TVGDt43ABAHWOnHHNPVmzKlCdpAsyrk3FWTcGjkdZc9GF6kTJkB8Hjgbn_N5Zu5NigeLdQ7eCDSRlB1i7AJ7qOYSzlZMhXwnVKiIumOcR6qY4lMbHuihVpzYnPbiYVF6X18hsdgrk4rouhJ9OKLypCQ5LvRKNM5TDFDpyfSL8/s320/Screenshot_20220920-101125_Instagram.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
<b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Matters-Convenience-Roy-Pickering-ebook/dp/B01MD2DIU6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1478969601&sr=" target="_blank">MATTERS OF CONVENIENCE</a></b>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kindle edition will be FREE at Amazon from 9/12 to 9/16 <a href="https://t.co/QpQm8XNNxL">https://t.co/QpQm8XNNxL</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1561421926257504256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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</div></div>Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-51633823605375518922022-06-22T20:05:00.005-07:002022-11-12T11:39:36.111-08:00BookTok<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITPa3wgeL8Q7769pewOQWa-3zW8lqnIbZIYD6RwxUHMaGI5Po99Oj4mOIznZ5cMVzPpxydQjURuIqsFgNgJVfLgLjIryQnFj3h98n8RFL05wgqg-hWrCGh3QewJeEeTfwY9ejMnVw_0xe0ywKimKmfdA0FK4vBlRL6XO0MQ2_Nz3iNLVrmTRDr1oK/s1000/hellotiktok.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiITPa3wgeL8Q7769pewOQWa-3zW8lqnIbZIYD6RwxUHMaGI5Po99Oj4mOIznZ5cMVzPpxydQjURuIqsFgNgJVfLgLjIryQnFj3h98n8RFL05wgqg-hWrCGh3QewJeEeTfwY9ejMnVw_0xe0ywKimKmfdA0FK4vBlRL6XO0MQ2_Nz3iNLVrmTRDr1oK/s320/hellotiktok.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqrqEYBGimb5AaftqZCgL_wiZuk9_eEOAKUA5GQtv9Ph0AqSG0r8pFgabgkdAnVUu6d2BU-1ymHSldXH_JR0BqYxbGum3J6T4-kFiSG5_2scF5q-pE5RaItbZptDPlENpVEfMNCp9PqehMBw4bU7NRZITUpMDeJLVFS0-OEllsqs87wtqpYcnXtGK/s474/booktok.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXqrqEYBGimb5AaftqZCgL_wiZuk9_eEOAKUA5GQtv9Ph0AqSG0r8pFgabgkdAnVUu6d2BU-1ymHSldXH_JR0BqYxbGum3J6T4-kFiSG5_2scF5q-pE5RaItbZptDPlENpVEfMNCp9PqehMBw4bU7NRZITUpMDeJLVFS0-OEllsqs87wtqpYcnXtGK/s320/booktok.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>My newest social media obsession is TikTok. I avoided it for the longest because I didn't see the point of an endless stream of super short videos. I still don't. The pointlessness is the point. So now along with countless videos of zits being popped, young women shaking their money makers, snippets from stand-up comedians, silly gag reels and whatever else is on there, you'll also find some <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks" target="_blank">non-prize winning videos of mine</a>. They are all book related for starters, which puts <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks">my account</a> in the esteemed subset of BookTok. I don't think I'll branch out much beyond that, but one never knows. They don't feature me trying to be entertaining. Not yet anyway. If you wish to see videos that I star in you'll need to head on over to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChxTtsj-XYu3cWqkT0iCXNg" target="_blank">Roy's Book Reviews</a> on YouTube. My BookTok videos are... You know what - rather than me trying to explain them it would be easier if you just checked a couple out. See below for some examples. Enjoy the show!</p><p><br /></p>
<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks/video/7115025162101165358" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7115025162101165358" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="@mudhousebooks">@mudhousebooks</a> Stop by my <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/booktube?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="booktube">#booktube</a> channel to hear my thoughts on a diverse selection of books. <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/roysbookreviews?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="roysbookreviews">#RoysBookReviews</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Levitating-6863575934839031810?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="♬ Levitating - Dua Lipa">♬ Levitating - Dua Lipa</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks/video/7120625720065445166" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7120625720065445166" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="@mudhousebooks">@mudhousebooks</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/booktok?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="booktok">#BookTok</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/bookworm?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="bookworm">#bookworm</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/My-Favorite-Mistake-6929521669094508546?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="♬ My Favorite Mistake - Sheryl Crow">♬ My Favorite Mistake - Sheryl Crow</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks/video/7146032838477991210" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7146032838477991210" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="@mudhousebooks">@mudhousebooks</a> Somehow somewhere at some time a bunch of great books have been banned by someone. Make it make sense. Here are some of my favorite <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/bannedbooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="bannedbooks">#bannedbooks</a> - <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/booktok?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="booktok">#booktok</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Make-No-Sense-6753139912091895809?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="♬ Make No Sense - YoungBoy Never Broke Again">♬ Make No Sense - YoungBoy Never Broke Again</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks/video/7146984961281690922" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7146984961281690922" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="@mudhousebooks">@mudhousebooks</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/booktok?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="booktok">#BookTok</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/firstlines?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="firstlines">#FirstLines</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Start-Me-Up-6875753482960259074?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="♬ Start Me Up - The Rolling Clones featuring Jimmy Lee">♬ Start Me Up - The Rolling Clones featuring Jimmy Lee</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks/video/7152650629956013355" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7152650629956013355" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="@mudhousebooks">@mudhousebooks</a> <p>So let it be written, so let it be read </p> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Lightning-6751523894701590529?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="♬ Lightning - St4bility">♬ Lightning - St4bility</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks/video/7107377362144382254" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7107377362144382254" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="@mudhousebooks">@mudhousebooks</a> <p>Quotations from Matters of Convenience, Patches of Grey, and Feeding the Squirrels - by Roy L. Pickering Jr.</p> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/No-Ordinary-Love-6696414928703588354?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="♬ No Ordinary Love - Sade">♬ No Ordinary Love - Sade</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks/video/7117065054901538091" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7117065054901538091" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="@mudhousebooks">@mudhousebooks</a> <p>Words from books by Roy L. Pickering Jr.</p> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Bad-Habits-6974011130414893058?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="♬ Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran">♬ Bad Habits - Ed Sheeran</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks/video/7158473202346511662" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="7158473202346511662" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;"> <section> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mudhousebooks?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="@mudhousebooks">@mudhousebooks</a> Check out what I had to say about 5 great books at Shepherd.com. Actually 6 with Patches of Grey included. Happy reading! <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/booktok?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="booktok">#booktok</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Baby-I'm-a-Star-6704946411349215233?refer=embed" target="_blank" title="♬ Baby I'm a Star - Prince">♬ Baby I'm a Star - Prince</a> </section> </blockquote> <script async="" src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><br /></p></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Unfortunately some bad often comes along with the good. If you thought nothing negative could result from BookTok, you thought wrong.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/booktok?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#booktok</a> ! Returning Kindle eBooks after reading them so you can get them for free HURTS INDIE AUTHORS, NOT AMAZON. Please, stop doing it. This is our living and Amazon will ban us for too many returns. You're hurting us. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TikTok?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TikTok</a> <a href="https://t.co/05DEQVaoX0">https://t.co/05DEQVaoX0</a></p>— Lana Amore (@LanaAmoreTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/LanaAmoreTweets/status/1539039037503176706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Supposedly there was a TikTok trend on Booktok that explained ebook returns as a 'money saving hack'. Maybe someone should do a TikTok about how they are hurting indie authors, many whom depend on this money to live on, many who are women, POC and disabled.</p>— Lana Amore (@LanaAmoreTweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/LanaAmoreTweets/status/1539026918225453056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">To those returning ebooks AFTER reading them (and fuck the booktok/booktubers promoting this) - you are hurting real people. Authors LOSE money when you do this. Go to the library or buy the damn book.<br /><br />For people who think this sucks, please sign the petition or contact Amazon. <a href="https://t.co/9uByjW91f2">https://t.co/9uByjW91f2</a></p>— Sarah is spooky 🦇 (they/them) (@sarahisspooky) <a href="https://twitter.com/sarahisspooky/status/1519693090696712198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is a trending hashtag because apparently it's a thing that needs to be said. So I'll say it too. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopStealingFromAuthors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopStealingFromAuthors</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1539047272473821186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">If you want to help, there is a petition you can sign.<a href="https://t.co/vJx3LYbtw2">https://t.co/vJx3LYbtw2</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopStealingFromAuthors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopStealingFromAuthors</a></p>— C.B. Powell (@CBPowell95) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBPowell95/status/1538995413688139778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 20, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Books are among the least expensive forms of entertainment, by far the one that gives you the most bang for your buck. Plus they are easy to get for no cost at all. There's this place I know of that's just handing them out, though they do want them returned after you've read them <a href="https://t.co/XTyaZB3TA1">pic.twitter.com/XTyaZB3TA1</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1539048852287893504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: Ode to the Library <a href="https://t.co/452WtJDSIv">https://t.co/452WtJDSIv</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1539049864553799682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">One extremely simple way to do this is to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopStealingFromAuthors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopStealingFromAuthors</a> <a href="https://t.co/Os7Rza8PmS">https://t.co/Os7Rza8PmS</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1539255183456215041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: Bookish Tweets and Book Reviews <a href="https://t.co/DmbpcRVZkl">https://t.co/DmbpcRVZkl</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopStealingFromAuthors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopStealingFromAuthors</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1539238949960425473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: BUY BOOKS or else BYE BOOKS <a href="https://t.co/2mUzkeVzJA">https://t.co/2mUzkeVzJA</a> <br /><br />And <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopStealingFromAuthors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopStealingFromAuthors</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1539237264752099328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: THE CASE FOR BOOK REVIEWS <a href="https://t.co/9CpUmNyf9u">https://t.co/9CpUmNyf9u</a> <br /><br />p s. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopStealingFromAuthors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopStealingFromAuthors</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1539235357916643330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: Read Endlessly...Review Mercifully...Read Some More & <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopStealingFromAuthors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopStealingFromAuthors</a> <a href="https://t.co/rtqLCGmP89">https://t.co/rtqLCGmP89</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1539234683157893120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 21, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">In light of everything that’s happening with the return policy, I made a meme! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WritingCommunity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WritingCommunity</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/author?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#author</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BookTwitter?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BookTwitter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AuthorsOfTwitter?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AuthorsOfTwitter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopStealingFromAuthors?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopStealingFromAuthors</a> <a href="https://t.co/bROTEstzKO">pic.twitter.com/bROTEstzKO</a></p>— Alex Arch (@AlexArch_author) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexArch_author/status/1539606422803054595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">One of my favorite things about being an avid reader is from time to time learning brand new words. <a href="https://t.co/yA0b0jCV6l">https://t.co/yA0b0jCV6l</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1539610859529555969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2022</a></blockquote><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgW5hz1rNlEWw-2Z3zoNitDtXbUZuVT3BfjhbY79ObpQJ3keUDW2zzOaWTNJ2CddJohYfxjy_9UPyp7kViI0rdXJCbjdouCmGCoTP3O4F5BMape8vUFqGZZYOKO0_hHxekpjvHWd8kkyBUU543waqDwau2qdbrmNINyU3xO5E7TjLrB4SPMIwOt_Um/s960/booktok%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgW5hz1rNlEWw-2Z3zoNitDtXbUZuVT3BfjhbY79ObpQJ3keUDW2zzOaWTNJ2CddJohYfxjy_9UPyp7kViI0rdXJCbjdouCmGCoTP3O4F5BMape8vUFqGZZYOKO0_hHxekpjvHWd8kkyBUU543waqDwau2qdbrmNINyU3xO5E7TjLrB4SPMIwOt_Um/s320/booktok%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RS_20g7YSnzZ0ZU7Rlh96cKOGkTiPrjjEaf5mleOGMjr7CaAfey_Jola-UZGNXwDs9dJQd98B1p3AUrWOJkfc5Gh42O7rG4sI4lxR78c7d14PtaGvp68Z5R0c9f-Kh7lElg9NJA6_EyUHMrqxGFSIniLbzmkQVd69cUOftDlDWto_Npa2hBFIis1/s960/MadeMeBuyIt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RS_20g7YSnzZ0ZU7Rlh96cKOGkTiPrjjEaf5mleOGMjr7CaAfey_Jola-UZGNXwDs9dJQd98B1p3AUrWOJkfc5Gh42O7rG4sI4lxR78c7d14PtaGvp68Z5R0c9f-Kh7lElg9NJA6_EyUHMrqxGFSIniLbzmkQVd69cUOftDlDWto_Npa2hBFIis1/s320/MadeMeBuyIt.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-78575570397618659332022-05-11T17:35:00.001-07:002022-05-12T05:57:09.055-07:00Roe vs Wade down for the count?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdG9a6kq17yIxAo2zhoXyTtMOTeyJW8Cg_GAt35fp0sVm4og7bq6qh7aCQdo9CO2K0W4WzwuuSs9-o1NBWrUt5ZEyNOytVGOhWTDQxI0YLj8LvfvLCv2FMKke1-tPxRkQNnrNIBcsG264tyrJrxr3NSkIla3sPviWQCuRulSBxVgp4ma48baQkU-d/s1280/Roe-Wade_signs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1280" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdG9a6kq17yIxAo2zhoXyTtMOTeyJW8Cg_GAt35fp0sVm4og7bq6qh7aCQdo9CO2K0W4WzwuuSs9-o1NBWrUt5ZEyNOytVGOhWTDQxI0YLj8LvfvLCv2FMKke1-tPxRkQNnrNIBcsG264tyrJrxr3NSkIla3sPviWQCuRulSBxVgp4ma48baQkU-d/s320/Roe-Wade_signs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKBHB34UiipYzkGxUb1tLxr0SDnKMR8mC_h-FeO-GjAGO4_Ep7-CEFftzl2SCnmQvtPFpCh42bp1Y7veJCRTYiIsU-ZiKJpkSmca4hS35zUgiVCkAcv9_wMMZAUZ5UpUEePnaQ0DdDu1C4T-PD9RI7zQfV6HwpmB9jKf8Dgc4HUeuHUsBgBBzNsVL/s1200/roe-v-wade.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKBHB34UiipYzkGxUb1tLxr0SDnKMR8mC_h-FeO-GjAGO4_Ep7-CEFftzl2SCnmQvtPFpCh42bp1Y7veJCRTYiIsU-ZiKJpkSmca4hS35zUgiVCkAcv9_wMMZAUZ5UpUEePnaQ0DdDu1C4T-PD9RI7zQfV6HwpmB9jKf8Dgc4HUeuHUsBgBBzNsVL/s320/roe-v-wade.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://t.co/2P1yvIcoC7">pic.twitter.com/2P1yvIcoC7</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521300924836294657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">roe v wade going down during the gilded age themed met gala ... whew</p>— morgan sung (@morgan_sung) <a href="https://twitter.com/morgan_sung/status/1521295166711156737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">First ever woman VP of the United States in place and the Supreme Court plotting to overturn Roe v Wade happening at the same time. One step up, ten steps back.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521328632307896322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">the reaction of an institution confident that it is reflecting the will of the people <a href="https://t.co/3oogitLsfF">https://t.co/3oogitLsfF</a></p>— 𝒦𝒾𝓉 𝒟𝓊𝒸𝓀𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓉𝒽 (@cgduckworth) <a href="https://twitter.com/cgduckworth/status/1521307453006266369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Chief Justice Roberts statement: <a href="https://t.co/00nBx8cUk8">pic.twitter.com/00nBx8cUk8</a></p>— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) <a href="https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/1521510784299323394?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">SMDH - Make America the 17th century again. And here I was thinking that they only wanted to go back as far as the 1950's. <a href="https://t.co/fkYAcZVmta">https://t.co/fkYAcZVmta</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521544342418116609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Supreme Court won’t force you to wear a mask in a pandemic — but it’ll force you to bear a child.</p>— Tristan Snell (@TristanSnell) <a href="https://twitter.com/TristanSnell/status/1521364718413307904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">George W. Bush and Donald Trump both lost the popular vote and appointed five of these judges who will shape American life (and, on climate, life on Earth) for decades. Some democracy.</p>— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) <a href="https://twitter.com/brhodes/status/1521351416161308672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The 1973 Roe decision was decided 7-2 and written by a Nixon appointee. The 1987 Casey decision upholding Roe was written by a Reagan appointee on a Court w/ 8 justices appointed by GOP presidents.<br /><br />Rejecting Roe as “egregiously wrong” 50 yrs later = a radical, political act.</p>— Jeff Yarbro (@yarbro) <a href="https://twitter.com/yarbro/status/1521306133645955072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fact check: Post detailing 9 things women couldn't do before 1971 is mostly right <a href="https://t.co/XFa1LWkmW4">https://t.co/XFa1LWkmW4</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/USATODAY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@usatoday</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1523760004893122560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">BREAKING: Elon Musk buys the US Supreme Court from the GOP.</p>— Hoodlum 🇺🇸 (@NotHoodlum) <a href="https://twitter.com/NotHoodlum/status/1523434266490597376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The scene in front of Chief Justice John Roberts’ house <a href="https://t.co/vJVxxFoMNO">pic.twitter.com/vJVxxFoMNO</a></p>— Douglas Blair (@DouglasKBlair) <a href="https://twitter.com/DouglasKBlair/status/1523088909760024576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Is it wrong to protest outside Brett Kavanaugh's home?</p>— Nathan Mackenzie Brown 🇺🇸 🇺🇦 (@NathanMackBrown) <a href="https://twitter.com/NathanMackBrown/status/1523667366491701248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">their own bodies has been too subtly delivered over the past several decades. Message needs to be more blatantly delivered. Standing right outside someone's house should make it pretty plain.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1523674056586711041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">if kavanaugh doesn’t like the pro abortion protests outside his house, he can simply drive or relocate to a different state. right?</p>— joshua (@jdgtranen) <a href="https://twitter.com/jdgtranen/status/1523371203062206464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I'm weary of the accuracy of random polls but this one does seem about right.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1523698166943543296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is not only possible but it's probable.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GOPHandmaidsTale?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GOPHandmaidsTale</a> <a href="https://t.co/e6lUqvEW2h">https://t.co/e6lUqvEW2h</a></p>— 🖕🏻Aunt Crabby Calls Bullshit 🖕🏻 (@DearAuntCrabby) <a href="https://twitter.com/DearAuntCrabby/status/1523771189876846592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://t.co/d2i0ovKFvZ">https://t.co/d2i0ovKFvZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/EqcJMvjOaE">pic.twitter.com/EqcJMvjOaE</a></p>— Iron Spike (@Iron_Spike) <a href="https://twitter.com/Iron_Spike/status/1523921940976709632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Police in Maine sure must have a LOT of idle time on hand.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1524385907213836288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Can you imagine her rendering judgement to inflict pain and hardship on millions of Americans because she had sold out to the highest bidder?</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1524464046203936771?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: Murders and Riots and Misdemeanors <a href="https://t.co/nob7scRy6b">https://t.co/nob7scRy6b</a> <br /><br />Make your voices heard. Try not to break stuff while doing so.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1523696832689278981?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I know a lady who thought that bullying the government to overturn a free and fair election, which a small minority along with her desired, was a good idea. Pro Choice sentiment on the other hand is supported by a large majority state to state.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1524524635089424384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"> <a href="https://t.co/YbRwS9N4mu">pic.twitter.com/YbRwS9N4mu</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521319470723215360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Many of the same idiots will use "gas prices went too high" as their reason for allowing even more damage to be done rather than supporting Biden's efforts to do as much damage control as possible. <a href="https://t.co/A02ZGmbsp0">https://t.co/A02ZGmbsp0</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521320409563549696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Unfortunately it's the ones who might actually vote for candidates who aren't trying to gut their rights that most often falsely believe their votes don't count. Those who are in favor of gutting rights (excluding the one to bear arms) always make it to the voting booth.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521480508605095936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Supreme Court has never seen fit to make it illegal to buy a rapid fire weapon and bring it wherever to do whatever, but Roe v Wade had to be assaulted.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521329945275944960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">What will they overturn next? If not already, at what point would them turning back the clock become a YOU problem?</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521330571124879361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Rich people will be unaffected. Girls from families of means will get illegal, safe abortions. Thank goodness that they'll be unbothered by SCOTUS reversals. As for everyone else - oh well.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521335824767401989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The fact that Clarence Thomas, a dude who is married to one of the Jan. 6 organizers/cheerleaders, is still allowed to be on the Supreme Court and vote on matters that affect millions of American lives. Could this system be more broken?</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521347140538224641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The fact that a nominee to the SCOTUS wasn't even voted on because the POTUS only had 11 months of his term to serve, yet another candidate now sits on the court after being crammed in while votes had already been cast in the election that would boot the nominator of that judge</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521474421520752640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">If you're talking about "the audacity of the leak of sacred documents" rather than what the leaked document revealed that the Supreme Court plans to rule, to overturn after 50 years, I'll assume you're a conservative republican who wants to swing the focus away from what matters.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521478889238839297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">If you didn't think you had enough of a reason to vote, maybe you feel differently now. If you were hoping that plenty of those people weren't going to bother to vote, you're probably upset that the leak did its intended job which was to wake people the F up before it's too late.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521494601814654987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The irony, if that's the right word, is that Trump could care less about Roe v Wade or most of the other steps of progress that the GOP is trying to undo. He's just the vehicle that the GOP rode to get to their agenda in exchange for the power & unflagging support they gave him.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521506756303728641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">He doesn't need to be currently in office for this to apply. Trump isn't just a person. The name is synonymous with a movement to strip people of fundamental rights and return us to a less enlightened time.<br /><br />A Line A Day: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopTrump?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StopTrump</a> - Before it's too late <a href="https://t.co/cdCuq1AiTB">https://t.co/cdCuq1AiTB</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521499131512074240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">There are villains to be found in this story if that's what you're looking for. RBG ain't one of them.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521577799936524288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">LIARS!!!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LyingGOP?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LyingGOP</a> <a href="https://t.co/nPo9pC6sGL">pic.twitter.com/nPo9pC6sGL</a></p>— Captain Jordy (@meidasjordy) <a href="https://twitter.com/meidasjordy/status/1521684366228959233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">They do and say whatever it takes to ascend to power. And when this proves to be legally problematic, they claim not to recall what they said and did. The playbook is pathetically simple and somehow effective because the system is set up to allow it to be.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521846851716239360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">It’s revenge politics, and the cruelty, not the policy, is the point. <a href="https://t.co/eN8aN55tFG">https://t.co/eN8aN55tFG</a></p>— S.E. Cupp (@secupp) <a href="https://twitter.com/secupp/status/1521545721916362757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Women having brains and being allowed to use them has become a problem per Matt Gaetz and his ilk.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521920465429831680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Women: when did you realize you had become over-educated?</p>— Esther C, MD, Fellow Gamer (@choo_ek) <a href="https://twitter.com/choo_ek/status/1521981705044709376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sooo…it appears the Supreme Court believes their opinions have a fundamental right to privacy…</p>— Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) <a href="https://twitter.com/jonstewart/status/1521535699475845121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Vaginas should be password protected</p>— Mad_Hatter_Mommy!!! (@MadHatterMommy) <a href="https://twitter.com/MadHatterMommy/status/1522124646614994944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I'm fascinated by the seemingly default assumption (made and propagated on the extreme right) that this is their country and the rest of us have to comply.</p>— Jennifer Mercieca (@jenmercieca) <a href="https://twitter.com/jenmercieca/status/1522220313206874115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I don't get is why the onus is 100% on the woman when there typically is male involvement in conception. Sperm donor man should at minimum have to sign a contract guaranteeing financial and time commitment (up to potential full time parenting) in order to criminalize abortion.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1522281811485016064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Feels like this has been largely overlooked, but Alito's draft Supreme Court opinion on abortion uses the phrase "domestic supply of infants." It's real, on page 34. DOMESTIC SUPPLY OF INFANTS. <a href="https://t.co/VuQWTJ4NHd">pic.twitter.com/VuQWTJ4NHd</a></p>— Brandon Friedman (@BFriedmanDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/BFriedmanDC/status/1522576662218649602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Domestic supply of infants" aka White American babies is not a phrase that should ever be used in a supply and demand discussion.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1524490047386492928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Abortion would immediately become illegal in at least 13 states if the Supreme Court were to overturn Roe v. Wade:<br /><br />Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.</p>— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) <a href="https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1521306111692972033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">49-51, Senate Dems fall 11 votes shy of breaking a Republican-led filibuster to advance bill on abortion rights. Manchin the lone Democratic NO vote. No Republicans voted in the affirmative.</p>— Manu Raju (@mkraju) <a href="https://twitter.com/mkraju/status/1524485732257128450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">President Biden: "To protect the right to choose, voters need to elect more pro-choice senators this November, and return a pro-choice majority to the House. If they do, Congress can pass this bill in January, and put it on my desk, so I can sign it into law."</p>— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) <a href="https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1524488385557057542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The House has already passed Roe v. Wade into law. To also pass it in the Senate we'd need to expand our majority by two seats in order to work around Manchin and Sinema and exempt it from the filibuster. So that's our marching orders for midterms: flip at least two Senate seats.</p>— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/PalmerReport/status/1521316062721044480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Have you ever had a Constitutional right taken away from you?</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521353436494766081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So many fancy criticisms have been lobbed at the leaked Alito opinion’s deep historical errors and subtle legal flaws that it’d be easy to overlook something basic: whoever wrote it thinks they’re really smart — but their work turns out to be just plain dumb from start to finish</p>— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) <a href="https://twitter.com/tribelaw/status/1524600750025883648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Guess I’m begrudgingly voting for Dems in the mid terms</p>— AcellarW (@acellarW) <a href="https://twitter.com/acellarW/status/1524490211194982401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">They certainly do. <a href="https://t.co/iaQXOwWxJH">https://t.co/iaQXOwWxJH</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1521311839417741316?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0692673989/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478969601&sr" target="_blank">Matters of Convenience</a>Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-57389866263647351802022-01-26T15:23:00.002-08:002022-02-01T12:24:34.610-08:00Strike Three for Barry Bonds<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJJFZICA7bL9eXkmP6ELMAi8TShM6dTbksN2gJSyQyxQ9GR7i_TkdFr4Ui07uq3UCaIUVtS6uw8_R1mosaA2uhwycYTwKL3zl_g27d_anLmL8y_NVwSbvegT7ZfgDUFCnvb3SZUa4saUBnss7ej1ZB9p-rv_44Hkri2sN7nvW9w1HDW4dZ-a-zI9x0=s728" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="455" data-original-width="728" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJJFZICA7bL9eXkmP6ELMAi8TShM6dTbksN2gJSyQyxQ9GR7i_TkdFr4Ui07uq3UCaIUVtS6uw8_R1mosaA2uhwycYTwKL3zl_g27d_anLmL8y_NVwSbvegT7ZfgDUFCnvb3SZUa4saUBnss7ej1ZB9p-rv_44Hkri2sN7nvW9w1HDW4dZ-a-zI9x0=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1gEqWxu1yo0hshABbBc8_KHgGsnr3f4cgN24A9uIGHo3vaA9H3ZunQj6w-Put15Nqcofkj_W8NadH2WZc8jbpcMjiI510SmHeUwBkRkOQsbHza4XCrN7NSHLlaXnkfcXduLjySUUepfKTF3OCstUx2cBRVzbcN8jDCZMObCn4iT-hOzpTx_p1TIfG=s326" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="155" data-original-width="326" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg1gEqWxu1yo0hshABbBc8_KHgGsnr3f4cgN24A9uIGHo3vaA9H3ZunQj6w-Put15Nqcofkj_W8NadH2WZc8jbpcMjiI510SmHeUwBkRkOQsbHza4XCrN7NSHLlaXnkfcXduLjySUUepfKTF3OCstUx2cBRVzbcN8jDCZMObCn4iT-hOzpTx_p1TIfG=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">BREAKING: David Ortiz was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first turn on the ballot, while Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were denied entry in their final year under consideration amid suspicions they used performance-enhancing drugs. <a href="https://t.co/CNdcXcJZpc">https://t.co/CNdcXcJZpc</a></p>— The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1486119568032641035?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">RT if Barry Bonds (<a href="https://twitter.com/BarryBonds?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BarryBonds</a>) belongs in Baseball Hall of Fame <br /><br />🐐: <a href="https://t.co/tyVthktpvi">https://t.co/tyVthktpvi</a> <a href="https://t.co/4Aw9vJ45wx">pic.twitter.com/4Aw9vJ45wx</a></p>— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) <a href="https://twitter.com/SInow/status/1486125524959199235?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">So many current and ex players tweeting about Barry Bonds being a Hall of Famer. It’s recognized within the game. He had 494 HR and 1,405 RBI prior to the year 2000, which is when he supposedly began using PEDs. You can’t tell the story of baseball without Barry Bonds.</p>— Will Middlebrooks (@middlebrooks) <a href="https://twitter.com/middlebrooks/status/1486062224171016196?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Okay. So what rules do you want changed? What (if anything) should keep a player out of the HOF even though his accomplishments on the field warrant induction. Not that what does/doesn't warrant induction is 100% obvious to begin with. In large part it's a popularity contest.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486376506943287296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I could not agree with this statement more, especially since EVERY OTHER COMMERCIAL on TV these days is for legally betting on sports from the comfort of your own phone. As for Clemens & Bonds, they cheated the game so I'm fine with keeping them out of the HOF for however long. <a href="https://t.co/jh54BHJRuw">https://t.co/jh54BHJRuw</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1485980642924011524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I think it's obvious that Pete Rose should be in the HOF. His gambling was not performing enhancing. But based on antiquated MLB rules voters have every right to keep him out. I agree that some induction rules should be tweaked, but I'm not the one in power to tweak them.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486377377437569026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Via A Line A Day: By any other name he would still be PETE ROSE<a href="https://t.co/kL93l35dys">https://t.co/kL93l35dys</a> <a href="https://t.co/AwOUy8ydjr">https://t.co/AwOUy8ydjr</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1485980878123773955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">As for Barry Bonds, one of the greatest we ever got to watch play the game of baseball, remember when he was just "one swing away" yet we didn't even care any more? <a href="https://t.co/LSCVAWjQSw">https://t.co/LSCVAWjQSw</a> IMAGINE how heralded he would be had he never cheated the game: <a href="https://t.co/EAF7Pd5i75">https://t.co/EAF7Pd5i75</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1485981810853040130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Personally, I don't think seditionists belong in the Baseball Hall of Fame. I'd put the juicers and gamblers in first. <a href="https://t.co/TBMgW3WIbo">https://t.co/TBMgW3WIbo</a></p>— Tom Watson (@tomwatson) <a href="https://twitter.com/tomwatson/status/1485989577194151937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Personally, I don't think seditionists should have statues erected in their honor, especially using money from tax payers. But seditionists/bigots/xenophobes/sexists/& all other manner of unpleasant people are capable of being good at stuff. Schilling was very good at baseball. <a href="https://t.co/y324tJpmq5">https://t.co/y324tJpmq5</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486011089640906760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">If you don't like Curt Schilling personally, I get it & agree with your stance. Go to his induction day and boo him if you want. But his play on the field was sufficiently impressive that he deserves the opportunity to make that speech imho. But not before Pete Rose. He goes 1st.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486012718578642953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">No Hall of Fame for Barry Bonds but at least he had this day. A Line A Day: He's not one away any more <a href="https://t.co/q91Eo4ojpV">https://t.co/q91Eo4ojpV</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486127517941522436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://t.co/8jcop4O5fd">https://t.co/8jcop4O5fd</a> <a href="https://t.co/yU1m2KkkND">pic.twitter.com/yU1m2KkkND</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486345880919756811?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Trying to make sense of it won't get you far. But yes, this is a valid point. If you declare someone to be a cheater because they juiced or messed with the ball or the bat or whatever, then any records they broke via cheating should be stricken. Not in HOF b/c stats don't count. <a href="https://t.co/BQcta2TdRk">https://t.co/BQcta2TdRk</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486351623588917257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">That's true. He could have become a muscle bound guy who struck out all time. Instead they couldn't get the ball past him. Steroids don't improve hand eye coordination. They probably helped him recover from fatigue/injury faster & maybe turned some deep fly balls from outs to HRs</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486365036436205581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">by those who vote players into the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MLB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MLB</a> Hall of Fame (or refrain from doing so)? Not really, especially since Barry Bonds was less than charming to them. In baseball as in life and even Twitter, likability goes a long way as does the opposite.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486372010200600579?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Barry Bonds at this stage was the Mike Tyson in his prime of baseball. Opponents were shook from him just walking up to the plate. <a href="https://t.co/24qRqVb1hc">https://t.co/24qRqVb1hc</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486179933793705985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">If you only counted Barry Bonds stats from prior to him putting on quite a few pounds of juiced muscle, he had a Hall of Fame worthy career. If he went from mediocre to great, that's 1 thing. He went from amazing to superhuman and lost credit for the amazing portion of his career</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486181730700648450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">If the stats still count then eligibility for HOF induction shouldn't be affected. Keeping players out for moral reasons is ridiculous. It isn't Heaven, it's the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MLB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MLB</a> Hall of Fame. You either get in because your play was good enough or you don't get in because it wasn't. No gray.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486352142726307841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">So what's fair for someone like Barry Bonds (Trump s/b jailed, enough about him)? He got caught. He wasn't kicked out of the league. He continued to be paid well for his services. His records count. BUT he wasn't inducted into the HOF? If that too harsh, not enough, just right?</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486368522355814400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Or do we just stick with RULES ARE RULES? Break them & you pay the price. End of story. Unless this alienates your fan base so much that it starts affecting your pockets. Then perhaps you rewrite some of those <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MLB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MLB</a> rules. Even the holy Constitution needed Amendments.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486369976340656134?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Barry Bonds, did steroids, kind of a dick: no hall of fame <br /><br />Alex Rodriguez, did steroids, kind of a dick: no hall of fame <br /><br />Roger Clemens, did steroids, kind of a dick: no hall of fame <br /><br />David Ortiz, did steroids, likable dude: 1st ballot Hall of Fame<br /><br />Lesson: do roids, be nice</p>— Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) <a href="https://twitter.com/jtylerconway/status/1485984442590060556?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">David Ortiz gets the call to the Hall of Fame <a href="https://t.co/HSRbBRoU63">pic.twitter.com/HSRbBRoU63</a></p>— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) <a href="https://twitter.com/BaseballQuotes1/status/1486119168013475844?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">MLB players should start their own Hall of Fame. ‘Players only’ vote.</p>— Gary Sheffield Jr. (@GarysheffieldJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/GarysheffieldJr/status/1486033975457959937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">You know who the one person is that I never hear complaining about Barry Bonds not being in the Hall of Fame? Barry Bonds. I haven't see so much as a single think piece or peep out of him on the subject. I guess he's a Que Será, Será kind of guy.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486418555847516166?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here's a POV on Barry Bonds becoming a Hall of Famer that ISN'T dominating my timeline. <a href="https://t.co/B7JA5KJLI8">https://t.co/B7JA5KJLI8</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1486418945783513090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2022</a></blockquote><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjr-7tszCAJHGIsdQcUYYVmbOPVG8L1W-HhyWPhJd7wZZiDS1tr4uvgZLw61mGTCN4BWRg2yJVg3oiM31PVWvu-8P6nhZZEIwiSV35wazKjoTH8XA8gkrivSNgQV5KzrBqs6gu9Xl8l9ky_VLRc6y9YdoVxa-t4RaLFMhXUI9evYaO6k0yexkXB6Qnp=s4624" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3468" data-original-width="4624" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjr-7tszCAJHGIsdQcUYYVmbOPVG8L1W-HhyWPhJd7wZZiDS1tr4uvgZLw61mGTCN4BWRg2yJVg3oiM31PVWvu-8P6nhZZEIwiSV35wazKjoTH8XA8gkrivSNgQV5KzrBqs6gu9Xl8l9ky_VLRc6y9YdoVxa-t4RaLFMhXUI9evYaO6k0yexkXB6Qnp=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <div><br /></div><div>Switching briefly to another sport, two NFL quarterbacks that I'm pretty sure will be in their own league's Hall of Fame retired after their final games this season. Both of them made it to the playoffs in their final season but not quite to another Super Bowl. One of them had <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/authorofpatches/unstoppable-on-their-best-days-athletes/" target="_blank">such a remarkable career</a> that I wouldn't be surprised if they made his image into a league logo someday. <a href="https://lineaday.blogspot.com/2010/04/big-but-not-bright-ben.html" target="_blank">I wrote a blog post about the other guy once.</a> Both of them, the latter in particular, <a href="http://lineaday.blogspot.com/2009/10/j-e-t-s-jets-jets-jets.html" target="_blank">stood in the way of my Jets winning a championship (in the seasons that they were actually halfway decent) time and time again.</a> No hard feelings though. Bon Voyage Ben and Tom!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lineaday.blogspot.com/2010/04/big-but-not-bright-ben.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1666" data-original-width="2500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3Dyqe1dhoX20JEzD6iSqZRJs-tN5aqvpgpTktdieVGKo8jhHtV-J2pvnqvpM325zKJdZbRBeI0bvmDaJAIbS5oonpxYS0ozkzBKEEmV8aiC9KFdNZAQYhE4RNIxKp599r0pNslKg3uoNp34lQDShQvAwt9vE8kTY33jSAKVN7wv_0mNX8E82FbnOE=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_sDGmrMCvrOdlS3tBkQn0EXm6x5hklpyO2X4uOH7f-NNBMyiXZL0U3en3xBeSX7tkcjJc85atBsJCMNeXlCH-bwSuCvPEJ-vmdYbjMTyf3b4unTx5rfnDH-VO1fTgUjD3gCWwZyqUuc6N7I6dKbFdHdxqbSx99_LmQRuS7Tq5BV16Z3RPrkUWujVt=s1400" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1400" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_sDGmrMCvrOdlS3tBkQn0EXm6x5hklpyO2X4uOH7f-NNBMyiXZL0U3en3xBeSX7tkcjJc85atBsJCMNeXlCH-bwSuCvPEJ-vmdYbjMTyf3b4unTx5rfnDH-VO1fTgUjD3gCWwZyqUuc6N7I6dKbFdHdxqbSx99_LmQRuS7Tq5BV16Z3RPrkUWujVt=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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</div>Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-22955471562330887722021-11-10T20:33:00.002-08:002021-11-14T07:06:22.478-08:00CRY ME A RIVER<p> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kAYUHYATeJs/YYyPHHHbEmI/AAAAAAAAEnw/knJvzvWnUZkSfE1eJTbLEwukg4V1OwMmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s860/kyle%2Brittenhouse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="860" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kAYUHYATeJs/YYyPHHHbEmI/AAAAAAAAEnw/knJvzvWnUZkSfE1eJTbLEwukg4V1OwMmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/kyle%2Brittenhouse.jpg" width="320" /></a></p><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3hzgmmmh1S0/YYyPMUsH5eI/AAAAAAAAEn0/Xdtc3u8ZIdUj4UdXWuakF7XztVJ6AJoQACLcBGAsYHQ/s960/crybaby.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3hzgmmmh1S0/YYyPMUsH5eI/AAAAAAAAEn0/Xdtc3u8ZIdUj4UdXWuakF7XztVJ6AJoQACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/crybaby.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I'm just about resigned to Kyle Rittenhouse being acquitted, largely based on behavior of the judge. I just hope that somehow, even with an acquittal, the message gets sent that playing urban cowboy whenever/wherever you hear that a protest is going down IS NOT ACCEPTABLE BY LAW.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1458638189174964227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">fired on an attacker when they supposedly feared for their life. Should it be a crime to purposely put yourself in harm's way with intent to shoot your way out of it the moment you decide it's necessary? I think so. Others do not for some reason.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1458466563879849987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">He became the aggressor when he left his house with a loaded weapon to head to where he could find people that he disagrees with. Everyone who leaves their homes with a loaded weapon unnecessarily looking for trouble is the aggressor. He's not a cop, or soldier, or security guard</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1458154336647778307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">What if those 3 people chasing Kyle had not gone there, one brought a pistol with him. You can do biased what if’s all day because there’s nearly infinite possibilities but it’s irrelevant at this point.</p>— Jerry Johnson (@JerryJo60482346) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryJo60482346/status/1458167255129366544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Depends on why they're carrying & where they're carrying to? Most of the time aggressor wouldn't apply since the gun presumably is being carried for protection in case of emergency, or else to/from a gun range or hunting locale. Not to go looking for marchers/rioters to mess with</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1458157987332300810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Correct. Because he had no cause to be there in the first place. And if he did insist on going there and play acting the role of bad ass, he should have done so unstrapped.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1458159124789727234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">More or less correct. He went there with a gun. He was looking for a reason to use it. In that kind of environment it was inevitable that sooner or later he would find a reason.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1458160325002473476?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Yes, that would be another form of aggression and anyone caught smashing windows, setting things on fire, stuff like that should also be arrested & prosecuted. But I do think assault on property is WAY less terrible than deadly assault on human lives.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1458158447330004997?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KyleRittenhouse?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KyleRittenhouse</a> - As Rittenhouse begins to describe Rosenbaum running toward him, he breaks down on the stand. The judge had to call for a 10 min break. <a href="https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetwork?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LawCrimeNetwork</a> <a href="https://t.co/ThClSE8JpJ">pic.twitter.com/ThClSE8JpJ</a></p>— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) <a href="https://twitter.com/cathyrusson/status/1458470303747964928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">This kid was MUCH more composed shooting people than talking about it afterwards. If being asked why you killed folks makes you weepy, maybe don't strap up and travel to another state searching for trouble. Maybe stay the F home, Netflix & chill, nobody dies. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KyleRittenhouse?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KyleRittenhouse</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1458470521939636238?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anybody else out there better at fake crying than Kyle Rittenhouse? <a href="https://t.co/7epmQe0SVM">pic.twitter.com/7epmQe0SVM</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1458553495406186502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Yep.... he was so scared ...oh wait...here he is celebrating , wearing his ( Special Shirt ) <a href="https://t.co/ud0EdcCoZV">pic.twitter.com/ud0EdcCoZV</a></p>— JM (@JimmyMazzie) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimmyMazzie/status/1458472278543458308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Rittenhouse was there to provide 'medical support' except to the people he killed or maimed. He left them to die. Make it make sense.</p>— Jeffrey Wright (@jfreewright) <a href="https://twitter.com/jfreewright/status/1458568674093187077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Rittenhouse judge ‘constantly interferes’ in the prosecution: ex-federal prosecutor <a href="https://t.co/6ZYM4pakKl">https://t.co/6ZYM4pakKl</a></p>— Raw Story (@RawStory) <a href="https://twitter.com/RawStory/status/1458492219040600075?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Judge is totally against the prosecutor / prosecution's case. If somehow he obtains a guilty verdict from the jury in spite of the judge's disdain, the judge will surely give this kid as little time in jail as legally permissible. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KyleRittenhouseTrial?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KyleRittenhouseTrial</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1458489151796531204?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Yes. WTAF.<br /><br />"This is a long-held opinion of mine, which very few judges, I guess, share with me. I think the word victim is a loaded, loaded word," Judge Bruce Schroeder said.<a href="https://t.co/RIl2QbS4VS">https://t.co/RIl2QbS4VS</a></p>— Gnomon Chronicles (@GnomonChronicl1) <a href="https://twitter.com/GnomonChronicl1/status/1458590110920892419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Two of whom died" is the new "victims" per judge who has no intention of allowing a fair trial.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1453789445463883778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">looking for trouble. This should not be difficult to understand. Protecting your house or business from robbers, or yourself from a mugging or raoe attempt, THAT'S self defense. Going on a road trip with a rifle to pretend you're a national guardsman is looking for opportunity to</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1453938405121814530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Being shot/killed by someone who had no business being there with a gun looking for trouble makes you a VICTIM of unnecessary violence.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1453940537522749441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Evil always has a fan base, I guess.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1392502950514282502?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="es">Gun Control - <a href="https://t.co/przwGrIUXs">https://t.co/przwGrIUXs</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1458484935740768258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The prosecutor catches Rittenhouse in another lie <a href="https://t.co/BE335UCnnI">pic.twitter.com/BE335UCnnI</a></p>— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) <a href="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1458554752799760390?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Can you help me understand, Mr. Rittenhouse, why Gaige Grosskreutz, with a pistol in his hand, is a threat to kill you, but you, with an AR-15 pointed at him, is not a threat to kill him at this moment?" <a href="https://t.co/McsWac1mkT">pic.twitter.com/McsWac1mkT</a></p>— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) <a href="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1458558543766999046?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-3320693092964994152021-11-07T09:34:00.003-08:002021-11-14T07:05:23.575-08:00Covid versus Sports<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x4YF1rdrO_Y/YYf_Rg_yrhI/AAAAAAAAEl4/ORpvCkDwpLcsNVmNPjeumKa9U5F1Y8FDQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Corona-Sports.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x4YF1rdrO_Y/YYf_Rg_yrhI/AAAAAAAAEl4/ORpvCkDwpLcsNVmNPjeumKa9U5F1Y8FDQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Corona-Sports.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>The emergence of Covid caused quite the dilemma for pro sports leagues. How could the desire to maximize public safety mesh with the desire to make maximum money? Somehow they pulled it off. The NBA came up with a "bubble" playoff system, keeping basketball players on teams that qualified for the postseason in isolation from the rest of the world. Cardboard cut outs and recorded crowd noise took the place of a live audience. Home court advantage ceased to be a thing. But the games could still be played and televised, which meant advertisers could spend money on commercials that aired during the games, which meant that plenty of revenue could still be generated. Somehow they made it all the way to the crowning of a new champion. Somehow it turned out not to be the patched together for instant greatness Brooklyn Nets, or the LeBron James will never convince enough people that he's greater than Michael Jordan led Los Angeles Lakers, but rather, the small market, old school process of drafting well and team chemistry improving sufficiently over time to win a title Milwaukee Bucks. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vZueJHryxuY/YYf_k4KlgWI/AAAAAAAAEmg/y4TLNmNAVF8_0n-e1SYUVt6pNR2uXAtiwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/covid%2Bsports.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vZueJHryxuY/YYf_k4KlgWI/AAAAAAAAEmg/y4TLNmNAVF8_0n-e1SYUVt6pNR2uXAtiwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/covid%2Bsports.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>When it was time for the NFL to figure out how to deal with Covid for an entire season, they faced a daunting challenge and did a respectable job of being up to it. There was no bubble, but once again home field advantage was rendered obsolete with piped in crowd noise and cardboard cut out fans. Since football games are played outdoors in huge stadiums, a limited number of fans were allowed to attend in person. The rest of us watched on TV or some other screen. Players were given the opportunity to opt out of the season. Some chose to do so, most decided to play, the season rumbled on to conclusion with Tom Brady somehow winning yet another Super Bowl ring - this time in Tampa Bay, Florida of all places.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JsUlG9i3Xww/YYf_2nwit2I/AAAAAAAAEm4/6OkySiyCsuIO9MOIWNHBoPOfd4VS1a3wACLcBGAsYHQ/s800/COVID19_Sports.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" height="214" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JsUlG9i3Xww/YYf_2nwit2I/AAAAAAAAEm4/6OkySiyCsuIO9MOIWNHBoPOfd4VS1a3wACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/COVID19_Sports.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>All of the various other sports that are performed for profit and watched for entertainment (plus profit for those who gamble and guess correctly more often than not) took the necessary measures to at least give the illusion that athletes and fans alike were being protected from exposure to Covid while the games played on. After being postponed for a year, the Summer Olympic games were played. The challenge of continuing sports in the era of Covid was met head on with admirable work done in the name of commerce and entertaining distraction from real world problems.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dz1D4PhyjMM/YYgAPx9rFII/AAAAAAAAEnU/yNcBMJy05WU4QMbP1hjMzXbH0QVtuU8ZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Sports_Covid.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1600" height="134" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Dz1D4PhyjMM/YYgAPx9rFII/AAAAAAAAEnU/yNcBMJy05WU4QMbP1hjMzXbH0QVtuU8ZQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Sports_Covid.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>It wasn't until we were offered hope in the form of vaccines that make it far less likely (though not impossible) to catch Covid, and make Covid much less likely to be fatal, that things got complicated. For some reason that I can't quite comprehend, it morphed from a public safety issue to a political one. Anti maskers smoothly transitioned to becoming anti-vaxxers. No more bubble. No more cardboard cut outs. 100% fan attendance allowed. No restrictions for anyone who wants to participate as either a player or an in-person fan, provided that you're Covid free, vaccinated, and willing to offer proof of vaccination status. Depending on the sport one plays, the city that sport is played in, and one's willingness to trust the science that is reducing a pandemic to mere nuisance, things got a lot more complicated. High profile athletes such as Kyrie Irving and Aaron Rodgers have been unwilling to follow new rules and play ball. And so here we are at the intersection of pro sports and politics and freedom loving social issues. It doesn't matter who you think is in the right and who you believe is dead wrong. The end result is a big mess. Perhaps Kyrie and Aaron now have a greater appreciation for what Colin Kaepernick went through because he chose to kneel in protest while a song that he found to be hypocritical was played at the start of every game. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TCE9GOUBLpo/YYgAzpHtE2I/AAAAAAAAEno/SdfNG0OWNuc10MSHYXjY3yXQiqVUHQ5GQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/kyrie%2Band%2Baaron.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TCE9GOUBLpo/YYgAzpHtE2I/AAAAAAAAEno/SdfNG0OWNuc10MSHYXjY3yXQiqVUHQ5GQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/kyrie%2Band%2Baaron.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Everyone should stand up (or kneel down) for what he/she believes in. There will be people who agree with your stance and those who do not. In the end, the opinion of the person in the mirror is the one of primary consequence. <a href="http://lineaday.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-greatest-life-fully-lived.html" target="_blank">Muhammad Ali</a> did not want to participate in a war against people he did not consider to be his enemy, and for that his title was taken until he went out and took it back. <a href="http://lineaday.blogspot.com/2016/08/colin-kaepernick-sits-this-one-out.html" target="_blank">Colin Kaepernick</a> wanted greater spotlight on police brutality, and for that he was willing to sacrifice the remainder of his career as an athlete in exchange for one as a social justice warrior. Kyrie Irving and Aaron Rodgers apparently are rather wary of needles. Whatever, bruh. Choose your hill. Fight on it at your own peril. Keep your Covid germs to yourself.</p><p><br /></p><p> ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"I'm not an anti-vaxx, flat-earther.. I have an allergy to an ingredient that's in the mRNA vaccines. I found a long term immunization protocol to protect myself & I'm very proud of the research that went into that" ~<a href="https://twitter.com/AaronRodgers12?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AaronRodgers12</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PatMcAfeeShowLIVE?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PatMcAfeeShowLIVE</a> <a href="https://t.co/FDMmI5rZmO">pic.twitter.com/FDMmI5rZmO</a></p>— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow/status/1456674131446013955?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I feel like the word "research" no longer has any real meaning in 2021. It's like "canceled" and "woke" and other terms that now mean whatever the person saying them decides that they mean at that particular moment.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1456675776095457286?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">was lying. Since Kyrie didn't lie, he understandably got yelled at for his honesty. Also, Covid rules about football (outdoor sport) and basketball (indoor sport) are very different. Depending on the city you play for, and Kyrie happens to play in strict NYC, not being vaccinated</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1456638070938345483?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">play a season unvaccinated. It's necessary to go through a bunch more hoops than players who are vaccinated, but so long as you keep testing negative you can keep practicing and playing in any football stadium. WE believed he was vaccinated b/c he said he was "immunized" which he</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1456639616686116865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">So unless I'm missing something, I'm not sure why Stephen A or anyone else is being scolded for inappropriate disproportionate reactions. We know only what we know until we know different.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1456640449163190287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Aside from his borrowing Dr. King's quote for his convenience, it's one thing to write "MLK" for the sake of fitting in the space of a tweet. When speaking, feel free to actually say the man's name. I'll even give you a pass for leaving out "Doctor" or "Reverend". <a href="https://t.co/PMvoEJSs9U">https://t.co/PMvoEJSs9U</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1456688489647517697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Powerful. Reminds me of how the marches in Selma began after MLK got some advice from Joe Rogan <a href="https://t.co/3Aj5QgE0R2">https://t.co/3Aj5QgE0R2</a></p>— sreekar (@sreekyshooter) <a href="https://twitter.com/sreekyshooter/status/1456683987422773249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://t.co/4fn1cib9cu">https://t.co/4fn1cib9cu</a> <a href="https://t.co/m0kYwRJuSx">pic.twitter.com/m0kYwRJuSx</a></p>— profloumoore (@loumoore12) <a href="https://twitter.com/loumoore12/status/1456682453410664453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">MLK meant whatever you personally wanted him to mean to justify whatever f'd up thing you did or plan on doing. It's in the Bible.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1456683402225197060?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Aaron Rodgers out here making Kyrie look like Cornel West</p>— David Dennis Jr. (@DavidDTSS) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidDTSS/status/1456682589431943178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The second guy coming off even dumber than the first guy doesn't make the first guy any less dumb. This quote comes straight from the US Constitution. You can look it up. But if you can't find it, that's on you.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1456683845374423043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Aaron Rodgers says the "woke mob" is trying to "cancel" him. He's also taking "invermectin" and "consulting" with Joe Rogan. On the issue of "canceling", Colin Kaepernick sends his regards.</p>— Don Lewis (@DonLew87) <a href="https://twitter.com/DonLew87/status/1456695791448465412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Few people realize that doing this is just as effective against Covid as any silly vaccine. <a href="https://t.co/m8EvMBNH6W">pic.twitter.com/m8EvMBNH6W</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1456693336010526725?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Just when I thought Kanye’s interview was going to be the wildest of the weekend, Rodgers came through and said hold my vaccine. Bruh, he didn’t just go there. He bought a condo there.</p>— Justin Tinsley (@JustinTinsley) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTinsley/status/1456679511513255937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Aaron Rodgers probably was thisclose to admitting he didn’t get vaccinated because it carries the mark of the beast.</p>— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) <a href="https://twitter.com/jemelehill/status/1456686996596793349?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Is Aaron Rodgers trying to prove that COVID is fake or that CTE is real?</p>— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheDailyShow/status/1456685682999668748?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Clearly the new QB of the Packers should be LeVar Burton <a href="https://t.co/03xekR6Omg">https://t.co/03xekR6Omg</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1456704203410313216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Literally they are laughing at him but trying not to actually burst out laughing. <a href="https://t.co/bJCTxdrJX0">https://t.co/bJCTxdrJX0</a></p>— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) <a href="https://twitter.com/soledadobrien/status/1456704276345073664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Aaron Rodgers literally dropped:<br /><br />✔️woke mob <br />✔️cancel culture<br />✔️I’m not an anti-vaxx flat earther<br />✔️I did my own research <br />✔️sterility and fertility <br /><br />…in one sitdown interview.</p>— KimberLEY A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByKimberleyA/status/1456673491244175366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Aaron Rodgers knew the COVID rules. If he didn't want to follow them, he should have just retired. If he still doesn't like the COVID rules, he should just retire now.</p>— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/1456691330189512711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">It's a big muddled mess.<a href="https://t.co/oYbTjEiy0D">https://t.co/oYbTjEiy0D</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1456710395138383877?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">On CNN, NYC Mayor-elect Eric Adams says city isn’t going to change vaccine mandate, which means Kyrie Irving can’t return to BKN unless he gets COVID vaccine. Adams reiterates belief that NBA & Irving will ‘come to a resolution.’ But it isn’t an NBA rule. <a href="https://t.co/XMa9BsBiyK">pic.twitter.com/XMa9BsBiyK</a></p>— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) <a href="https://twitter.com/IanBegley/status/1456825183482826755?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFL</a> has always had an unbalanced crime and punishment formula. <a href="https://t.co/3s8S0A0sAn">https://t.co/3s8S0A0sAn</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1457422943001235458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oh1IWNHApkE" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-37218338476701815532021-10-25T10:52:00.010-07:002023-10-02T19:07:31.358-07:00HALLOWEEN<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pCagkOrxJyU/YXbft_LZQhI/AAAAAAAAEkM/lgn9kGBuMMgkVxzX7xgejIDU-EN-LeW-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s600/book%2Bmonster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="577" data-original-width="600" height="308" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pCagkOrxJyU/YXbft_LZQhI/AAAAAAAAEkM/lgn9kGBuMMgkVxzX7xgejIDU-EN-LeW-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/book%2Bmonster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>I could not love Halloween to any greater degree than I do. I could try - but I would fail.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">What books shall rise to the top of your tbr pile for Halloween reading this year? <a href="https://t.co/9gmwwSSxNA">https://t.co/9gmwwSSxNA</a> 📚📚 <a href="https://t.co/F2bd8neuJG">pic.twitter.com/F2bd8neuJG</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1452625526892466178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
The Axeman by Ray Celestin / NOS4A2 by Joe Hill / The Ruins by Scott B. Smith
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://t.co/oBvirwfe3K">https://t.co/oBvirwfe3K</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1448336846036078593?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Neil Gaiman's American Gods & The Ocean at the End of the Lane
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://t.co/lpEiOEYYI0">https://t.co/lpEiOEYYI0</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1448374409581015040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">On the trail of Count Dracula<a href="https://t.co/i5RPNugVe6">https://t.co/i5RPNugVe6</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1448423364880646144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">You can't get any creepier in choice of protagonists than Hitler and Satan. <a href="https://t.co/FXdYzAh1w5">https://t.co/FXdYzAh1w5</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1448437840547926018?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Track down the 3 known copies of a Satanic text, determine which one is the original copy, summon Lucifer with it and become all powerful. <a href="https://t.co/KvKz64zyu2">https://t.co/KvKz64zyu2</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1448646102865965073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Not only creepy...but this meticulously reseached book is based on true events.<a href="https://t.co/Xyzg3V2V5b">https://t.co/Xyzg3V2V5b</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1448461698822725634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Many young kids love scary stories so long as they aren't TOO SCARY. Here's a gem read aloud.<a href="https://t.co/mVdOrjfFgw">https://t.co/mVdOrjfFgw</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1448405737126907905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I feature all sorts of books at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoysBookReviews?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoysBookReviews</a> - even a coloring book on one occasion. But not just any coloring book. Trick or Treat?<a href="https://t.co/7Nn90AFuPR">https://t.co/7Nn90AFuPR</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1448316977739599872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><div><br /></div><u>
AND NOW FOR SOME SHORT STORIES PENNED BY ME</u> <div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"> <a href="http://lineaday.blogspot.com/2009/10/short-story-xv.html" target="_blank">Haunted</a></span></div><div><br href="" /></div> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1452656623466450952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2021</a></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://lineaday.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-television-shortstory.html" target="_blank">The Television</a></span> </p> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: THE TELEVISION - A <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SHORTSTORY?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SHORTSTORY</a> <a href="https://t.co/Bu2gLCmd9Y">https://t.co/Bu2gLCmd9Y</a> <a href="https://t.co/Jcf4CaoaH2">pic.twitter.com/Jcf4CaoaH2</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1452649022863380485?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="es"><br /></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20050406074447/www.entropicdesires.com/the_elevator_ride_2.htm" target="_blank">The Elevator Ride</a></span> </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="es">The Elevator Ride - a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/shortstory?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#shortstory</a> <a href="https://t.co/f4Z9YLBhHM">pic.twitter.com/f4Z9YLBhHM</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1452645521995321349?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">
And now for a leisurely boat ride down the River Styx</span>.<div><br />
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CTU-77vHElm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CTU-77vHElm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"><div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0px;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0px auto 12px; width: 50px;"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px;"></div> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); width: 12.5px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top: 2px solid transparent; 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line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CTU-77vHElm/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">
WHAT'S YOUR PREFERENCE? TRICK OR TREAT?
</span><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nWPx8SQg370/YXbubTOiw4I/AAAAAAAAEkU/3EjHlucSdmgLrP0ieBao3_QoI2_TUJODwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Creepy%2BDude.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nWPx8SQg370/YXbubTOiw4I/AAAAAAAAEkU/3EjHlucSdmgLrP0ieBao3_QoI2_TUJODwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Creepy%2BDude.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T0pUkSZ078k/YXbubULBlxI/AAAAAAAAEkY/TOIvf5L5KfgGqN-XczLi6DLTtRid2SCLgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Haunted%2BHouse.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T0pUkSZ078k/YXbubULBlxI/AAAAAAAAEkY/TOIvf5L5KfgGqN-XczLi6DLTtRid2SCLgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Haunted%2BHouse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gzA3sMWi_Nk/YXbubUKmC1I/AAAAAAAAEkc/8UZv02Wmc0ovZu8Z0CH-6BddpltV4nvVACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/My%2BScary%2BHome.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gzA3sMWi_Nk/YXbubUKmC1I/AAAAAAAAEkc/8UZv02Wmc0ovZu8Z0CH-6BddpltV4nvVACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/My%2BScary%2BHome.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TLzPXyLTTl0/YXbubjXQAXI/AAAAAAAAEkg/g-Qidg63Viwr3FNrY6WzgOPHb1HntptzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Skeleton%2BLady.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TLzPXyLTTl0/YXbubjXQAXI/AAAAAAAAEkg/g-Qidg63Viwr3FNrY6WzgOPHb1HntptzQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Skeleton%2BLady.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Oh look - it's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HV8HTPK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_kZwSFb7P9VSR5" target="_blank">Ava Appelsawse</a>!</span><br /><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HV8HTPK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_kZwSFb7P9VSR5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1080" height="316" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-49i1ZA_IdSs/YXbyc8oPSqI/AAAAAAAAEkw/ATReMcP08ys5s5vgCe64mivI6PLQauQZgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Ava%2BA%2Bpumpkins.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Check out the skilled hands of the illustrator of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HV8HTPK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_kZwSFb7P9VSR5" target="_blank">The Absolutely Amazing Adventures of Ava Appelsawse</a></span></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OkAaMMCNHrI/YXbyc_9YxYI/AAAAAAAAEk4/bCHyTG0PcH4Ic0fDl6qOmy53qof4DGDXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Boney%2BHands.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1080" height="319" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OkAaMMCNHrI/YXbyc_9YxYI/AAAAAAAAEk4/bCHyTG0PcH4Ic0fDl6qOmy53qof4DGDXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Boney%2BHands.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">My author portrait may be in need of a good dusting</span></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uCLEzvQky4E/YXbyc2UtTYI/AAAAAAAAEk0/u3iTB6g42TA-_6KFN8EWJ6EcRkO5Y_7AgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Cobwebs%2Bon%2BPortrait.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1080" height="316" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uCLEzvQky4E/YXbyc2UtTYI/AAAAAAAAEk0/u3iTB6g42TA-_6KFN8EWJ6EcRkO5Y_7AgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Cobwebs%2Bon%2BPortrait.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Who likes to play with dolls?</span></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HHZThhnAVFY/YXbydJFZ-fI/AAAAAAAAEk8/B0FSGVEj-yI6ucGgNDgMaFis6jgGYc4_ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Creepy%2BDolls%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1062" data-original-width="1080" height="315" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HHZThhnAVFY/YXbydJFZ-fI/AAAAAAAAEk8/B0FSGVEj-yI6ucGgNDgMaFis6jgGYc4_ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Creepy%2BDolls%2B2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-paKYgdsjqYs/YXbydvF8icI/AAAAAAAAElA/tW8GaF6ektcMfspyTRrX69_IUrUqLK4eACLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Creepy%2BDolls.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1080" height="318" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-paKYgdsjqYs/YXbydvF8icI/AAAAAAAAElA/tW8GaF6ektcMfspyTRrX69_IUrUqLK4eACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Creepy%2BDolls.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>I tried to kiss and make up</span></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ps0XKoyPlVg/YXbyd5cPaeI/AAAAAAAAElE/ZSgxpGWp6XUb-VWqAzOTnKP4YCq6j-w3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1324/Kissy%2BSkull.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1324" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ps0XKoyPlVg/YXbyd5cPaeI/AAAAAAAAElE/ZSgxpGWp6XUb-VWqAzOTnKP4YCq6j-w3QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Kissy%2BSkull.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I don't think my apology was accepted</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rXokbBA5CZs/YXbye4ydJ-I/AAAAAAAAElM/JidQYCw-aTUoWCD9Dx3XBjTY7FrpgeKNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1346/Scary%2BSkull.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rXokbBA5CZs/YXbye4ydJ-I/AAAAAAAAElM/JidQYCw-aTUoWCD9Dx3XBjTY7FrpgeKNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Scary%2BSkull.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Be wary of what may be found in that Mystery Meat Taco</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W1lVRatfZIo/YXbyfO5G5nI/AAAAAAAAElQ/yI9J5YcsdJU9CAzFo0Pvl5Kf4lfp35FPwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Taco%2BDog.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="819" data-original-width="1080" height="243" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W1lVRatfZIo/YXbyfO5G5nI/AAAAAAAAElQ/yI9J5YcsdJU9CAzFo0Pvl5Kf4lfp35FPwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Taco%2BDog.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">See how high she flies - She's got the moon in her eyes</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UtFuWy14zc8/YXbyfnUvINI/AAAAAAAAElU/IFPH8A792KoDTHCcqrkHE_bHUzZL1RH2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Witchy%2BWoman.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1080" height="316" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UtFuWy14zc8/YXbyfnUvINI/AAAAAAAAElU/IFPH8A792KoDTHCcqrkHE_bHUzZL1RH2QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Witchy%2BWoman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;">Somebody was a big fan of being posed for photo ops.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2IytK87ogR8/YXb1iZ3Nz-I/AAAAAAAAElo/d3MW-lcz_VAzktkcuSqLTpiRCGrzFL9VACLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Scarecrow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1080" height="318" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2IytK87ogR8/YXb1iZ3Nz-I/AAAAAAAAElo/d3MW-lcz_VAzktkcuSqLTpiRCGrzFL9VACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Scarecrow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, "Nimbus Sans L", Arial, "Liberation Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 19.2px; font-weight: 700; text-align: center;">Expelliarmus</span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://youtu.be/-jeP5lQPvxw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="2400" height="144" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DH1t6FgwHes/YX7GYR5281I/AAAAAAAAElw/N18bxSxAokgojxrR1KGsxmW4w_xOEnzsACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Potter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/authorofpatches/halloween/" target="_blank">Halloween theme imagery</a><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/authorofpatches/halloween/" target="_blank"> bookmarked at Pinterest</a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxtHXtRrIyb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxtHXtRrIyb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; 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line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxtK553OBAP/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-89981998680050840882021-10-12T20:36:00.003-07:002021-11-14T07:04:09.880-08:00Jon Gruden Fails Email-101<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBzTTKePWRU/YWZHOkjb5FI/AAAAAAAAEkA/0mpArpkUces1ubTSCPzQDIKsGzQ86wI9gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1440/gruden.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="936" data-original-width="1440" height="208" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBzTTKePWRU/YWZHOkjb5FI/AAAAAAAAEkA/0mpArpkUces1ubTSCPzQDIKsGzQ86wI9gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/gruden.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Gruden has the right to be a jerk. We have the right to approve or disapprove of his beliefs. Raiders have the right to ask for resignation or else for nothing more than an insincere public apology while continuing to employ him. Maybe the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFL</a> could punish in some way, maybe not</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447933270235263017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">In other words, nobody had their rights trampled upon. There was no injustice. Gruden did what he did, eventually it came to light, and his boss chose to cut ties rather than deal with the PR nightmare that would be sure to follow if he remained on the sideline. End of story.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447933896524550161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Michael Vick is trending but Jon Gruden's situation has absolutely nothing to do with Vick's no matter how far one stretches to equate them. <a href="https://t.co/xRexmnNaJ3">https://t.co/xRexmnNaJ3</a> <a href="https://t.co/mk7xMm3zwS">https://t.co/mk7xMm3zwS</a> <a href="https://t.co/XkehZVRGvu">https://t.co/XkehZVRGvu</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447937217905762305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">As for comparisons to the plight of Colin Kaepernick, all we've learned is that Jon Gruden did not approve of his kneeling to protest injustice. We already know (unless you're an ass) that Kaep isn't treasonous & that his heart was in the right place. <a href="https://t.co/EbPiEKzhKn">https://t.co/EbPiEKzhKn</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447938235640987650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I do feel that after the blatant blackballing of Colin Kaepernick dragged on unreasonably long, plus the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFL</a> settled with him monetarily & probably quite generously, fighting injustice replaced a return to pro football as Kaep's top priority. So be it. <a href="https://t.co/Gd6rnsmleW">https://t.co/Gd6rnsmleW</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447941768671109127?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">What struck me about the Gruden emails was the casualness -- so comfortable with the language and attitudes of misogyny, racism & homophobia that he and cronies put it in writing over years. That tells us plenty about the culture in which he was operating. <a href="https://t.co/zQrop2ptE1">https://t.co/zQrop2ptE1</a></p>— Judy Battista (@judybattista) <a href="https://twitter.com/judybattista/status/1447898864284053508?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is real? I guess they released the milder stuff first and will keep unloading emails until finally getting around to the ones where he admits to being the true Zodiac Killer. <a href="https://t.co/DbgtN7SCFu">https://t.co/DbgtN7SCFu</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447968170296360962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Surely Urban Meyer has had large bouquets of flowers sent to Kyrie Irving and Jon Gruden.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447954609557942275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">They'll form a partnership with a Black Icon like Jay-Z. Oh no wait, been there done that already.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447945651237576712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">You want a serious answer rather than an unserious NFL / Jay-Z partnership <a href="https://t.co/5VLdIB5JdZ">https://t.co/5VLdIB5JdZ</a> ? Maybe the Rooney Rule will be looked at again with aim to give it more muscle. <a href="https://t.co/RHirSkIf6R">https://t.co/RHirSkIf6R</a> Or maybe more flags thrown for N-word usage <a href="https://t.co/koueqq6Uyc">https://t.co/koueqq6Uyc</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447949658404401158?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Rather than shedding light on attitudes and actions of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFL</a> owners, GM's and coaches - the league might prefer that we focus on important stuff like personalized jerseys. Remember this mess? The NFL's Naughty Words List: <a href="https://t.co/FrqGsPG1II">https://t.co/FrqGsPG1II</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447951701709832195?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I think we all grasp Gruden's political leanings by this point.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1448123520085598208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Lesson: Keep your pettiness offline. Just because you can delete old emails, tweets, facebook posts, what have you, doesn't mean they can' come back at any moment to bite you on the ass.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447911684669165568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">He made a hashtag <a href="https://t.co/3HgVlUWON7">https://t.co/3HgVlUWON7</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447768919079587840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: CANCEL CULTURE <a href="https://t.co/boajhofX1z">https://t.co/boajhofX1z</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447909911304839174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cops continuing to kill unarmed Black people for suspicious non-Whiteness is what did that. Gruden's just gravy.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447744868768440322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The story did indeed continue to play out. <a href="https://t.co/wEDytVUtl0">https://t.co/wEDytVUtl0</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447757710494162950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Probably not. But if they do, if their friendships with Gruden are stronger than their disapproval of his a-hole emails, so be it. I wasn't surprised they said he never acted racist directly in front of them b/c they're black & bigots usually do that sh*t in secret.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447934635535749129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">NFL coaches deleting emails from their hotmail accounts right now <a href="https://t.co/0vJJwJhhXh">pic.twitter.com/0vJJwJhhXh</a></p>— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) <a href="https://twitter.com/KingJosiah54/status/1447726326933118976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Turns out the problem was with Gruden's emails, not Hillary Clinton's.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447743131840098305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The NFL does not intend to publicly release any written materials related to the investigation into the Washington Football Team, per <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkMaske?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MarkMaske</a>.<br /><br />So an 11-month investigation involving hundreds of witnesses and 650,000+ emails led us to Jon Gruden's awful emails. Nothing on WSH.</p>— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) <a href="https://twitter.com/MySportsUpdate/status/1448023844414009348?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“Somebody wanted Gruden gone…it’s very weird there was a mission to make sure he was no longer in the NFL” <a href="https://t.co/I8NKyWEpNd">pic.twitter.com/I8NKyWEpNd</a></p>— Raider Nation Boston (@RaiderNationBOS) <a href="https://twitter.com/RaiderNationBOS/status/1447958957683843074?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Attorneys for 40 former Washington Football Team employees released a statement, calling it “truly outrageous … the only person to be held accountable and lose their job is the coach of the Las Vegas Raiders” and calling for the NFL to release full findings of the investigation. <a href="https://t.co/MlgzWA2uMc">pic.twitter.com/MlgzWA2uMc</a></p>— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/status/1448069722478727171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Bruce Allen emails include Adam Schefter sending Allen an unpublished story during the 2011 lockout and asking if anything "should be added, changed, tweaked." <a href="https://t.co/6yVnMctGu4">https://t.co/6yVnMctGu4</a></p>— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/1448240446900162563?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jon Gruden and Adam Schefter out here catching ricochet shots for an investigation into...Dan Snyder. People forget that.</p>— Isaac (@WorldofIsaac) <a href="https://twitter.com/WorldofIsaac/status/1448269340441255938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Everyone in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFL</a> has skeletons in their closet, except of course for Dan Snyder. Line A Day: I'm not Mr. PC... <a href="https://t.co/ZFb0PsDvX7">https://t.co/ZFb0PsDvX7</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1448100373856669697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is a good point. The NFL basically announced they have a massive trove of blackmail against half the league and will use it against anyone who wrongs them. That's... neither good nor healthy. <a href="https://t.co/m7Y5IZxgz6">https://t.co/m7Y5IZxgz6</a></p>— Jason J. Voorhees (@BayAreaData) <a href="https://twitter.com/BayAreaData/status/1447990456655269891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFL</a> has always had trouble fairly dispensing justice. Many are complaining that they've welcomed criminals back to play in the league but Gruden got booted for emails. Cry me a river. Gruden will be just fine. But you can't lead men that you've insulted with your ignorance.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1448111971656781826?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: When Sports and Social Issues Collide <a href="https://t.co/xpgYIoAxJm">https://t.co/xpgYIoAxJm</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447921144607264781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"> <a href="https://t.co/TzByw4TtF9">pic.twitter.com/TzByw4TtF9</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1447728690830381056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Statement below from Jon Gruden’s attorney, Adam Hosmer-Henner, who filed the complaint Thursday in Clark County, Nevada court. Gruden is seeking damages on seven claims, as well as punitive damages and attorneys’ fees. <a href="https://t.co/FsRocrutd2">pic.twitter.com/FsRocrutd2</a></p>— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomPelissero/status/1459254082036801542?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fFCepA6jAbg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-65894594280970388192021-07-04T14:25:00.006-07:002021-09-21T09:10:40.833-07:00Read Endlessly...Review Mercifully...Read Some More<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--PiIuPgyzoc/YOIhlBhsVfI/AAAAAAAAEdA/dt0I0PKW_y81cVmA5hXV7UEpFntvwer6QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/BookTube%2Bphoto.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--PiIuPgyzoc/YOIhlBhsVfI/AAAAAAAAEdA/dt0I0PKW_y81cVmA5hXV7UEpFntvwer6QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/BookTube%2Bphoto.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OHwNQrWwm7o/YOIh1JdisQI/AAAAAAAAEdQ/s7hNxy6ZWNEL8ydAzFcZQsEISD5nJmThQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1189/Screenshot_2_Instagram.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OHwNQrWwm7o/YOIh1JdisQI/AAAAAAAAEdQ/s7hNxy6ZWNEL8ydAzFcZQsEISD5nJmThQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_2_Instagram.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDjRKKlZX1g/YOIiXYXJdBI/AAAAAAAAEdw/iKsIzkcrqskXBvUIKlTF8jt2B_x8cpIBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Screenshot_20210704-154918_Instagram_2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="913" data-original-width="1080" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDjRKKlZX1g/YOIiXYXJdBI/AAAAAAAAEdw/iKsIzkcrqskXBvUIKlTF8jt2B_x8cpIBgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_20210704-154918_Instagram_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>
<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RkKgjPHrD04/YUoC1qrkgfI/AAAAAAAAEjo/5EfDX0DWHoE7ElPrNsoGK2268HI_2q4fwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Editors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1070" data-original-width="1080" height="317" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RkKgjPHrD04/YUoC1qrkgfI/AAAAAAAAEjo/5EfDX0DWHoE7ElPrNsoGK2268HI_2q4fwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Editors.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">When a book defines you. <a href="https://t.co/4Mb7jSxK4Q">pic.twitter.com/4Mb7jSxK4Q</a></p>— No Context Brits (@NoContextBrits) <a href="https://twitter.com/NoContextBrits/status/1411778579248074756?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://t.co/SQh5zLDrsn">https://t.co/SQh5zLDrsn</a> <a href="https://t.co/b9G9F2aTJg">pic.twitter.com/b9G9F2aTJg</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1410617957424635929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">My wife just got online screamed at by some lunatic for simply asking if other readers found the early pages of a certain book to be disjointed, & did anyone push through and find that it gets better. Book community keeps getting weirder. The readers, the authors: all going nuts. <a href="https://t.co/eO44tJhg9M">https://t.co/eO44tJhg9M</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1411004259047464962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">People taking things that are being offered for free is not how theft works. But it is literally how little libraries are supposed to work. Books in, books out, books in, books out - rinse & repeat. <a href="https://t.co/SyW3yin7JM">https://t.co/SyW3yin7JM</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1411040045495197699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://t.co/62VkpU6bly">pic.twitter.com/62VkpU6bly</a></p>— estel imane (@REGINAVGEORGE) <a href="https://twitter.com/REGINAVGEORGE/status/1410957732170153988?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://t.co/axO0JLeRf6">https://t.co/axO0JLeRf6</a> <br /><br />My star ratings system for book reviews explained <a href="https://t.co/KMbp9jiMlB">pic.twitter.com/KMbp9jiMlB</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1410269562365489152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2021</a></blockquote><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TMHdTkxH8z0/YOIkC_kzvNI/AAAAAAAAEew/8RRVcXdebWohMmiq5BPSoj0a3Qu84xLkQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1130/Screenshot_5_Instagram.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TMHdTkxH8z0/YOIkC_kzvNI/AAAAAAAAEew/8RRVcXdebWohMmiq5BPSoj0a3Qu84xLkQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_5_Instagram.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Jl8-orecRk/YOIk6Nli4hI/AAAAAAAAEfw/PVVqfVhkfWogIj6vugLRhwCW1CiNlZq4QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Screenshot_1_Instagram.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="1080" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4Jl8-orecRk/YOIk6Nli4hI/AAAAAAAAEfw/PVVqfVhkfWogIj6vugLRhwCW1CiNlZq4QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_1_Instagram.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JCkk5yzUl8k/YOIlHdyqnMI/AAAAAAAAEgc/GksodAutpGoWv2Zwgk-q_Z2iWUEy-bkfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1134/Screenshot_6_Inststagram.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JCkk5yzUl8k/YOIlHdyqnMI/AAAAAAAAEgc/GksodAutpGoWv2Zwgk-q_Z2iWUEy-bkfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_6_Inststagram.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y5IiqZGu8As/YOIlTMvGFvI/AAAAAAAAEg4/_Q-_WoJczQohN-bRfhWPyd7hXMQ9CDmIQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/Screenshot_3_Instagram.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1080" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y5IiqZGu8As/YOIlTMvGFvI/AAAAAAAAEg4/_Q-_WoJczQohN-bRfhWPyd7hXMQ9CDmIQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Screenshot_3_Instagram.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">When is speed reading going to become an Olympic event? Based on the book total claims I frequently spy, there are quite a few elite readthletes out there.</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1411771565453291522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"> <a href="https://t.co/9DuW32Eepa">pic.twitter.com/9DuW32Eepa</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1439436816336228354?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">I suggest getting your book'ish holiday gift shopping done early this year.<a href="https://t.co/YsRGgpR487">https://t.co/YsRGgpR487</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1438222518570078210?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://t.co/qnt3fn8kGG">https://t.co/qnt3fn8kGG</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1438222889174585344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Don't wait too long to do your holiday gift book buying this year. Things are tight in the print industry. You snooze, you lose. <a href="https://t.co/QPysmjoBmu">https://t.co/QPysmjoBmu</a> <a href="https://t.co/1LMyJxLFPA">pic.twitter.com/1LMyJxLFPA</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1439257810852851713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: BOOKSTAGRAM <a href="https://t.co/V2OELOM3ts">https://t.co/V2OELOM3ts</a> <a href="https://t.co/dk9BBelAos">pic.twitter.com/dk9BBelAos</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1439408963976564742?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 19, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is an enchanting and beautifully told story that children will love. What is so impressive about The Absolutely Amazing Adventures of Ava Applesawse by Roy L. Pickering Jr. is the economy of style with which the story is written. <a href="https://t.co/NdAllMnr8x">pic.twitter.com/NdAllMnr8x</a></p>— Nigel Tetley (@n_tetley) <a href="https://twitter.com/n_tetley/status/1404028498856054787?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-76927962761227682852021-06-02T11:35:00.003-07:002021-06-02T11:53:44.545-07:00Post Apocalyptic Living<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sutN2H7Mp_o/YLfMnmFgFzI/AAAAAAAAEbw/SGDJObCbDsUrE8kR1g3XqwJlvWg6vtgQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/post%2Bapocalyptic.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sutN2H7Mp_o/YLfMnmFgFzI/AAAAAAAAEbw/SGDJObCbDsUrE8kR1g3XqwJlvWg6vtgQwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/post%2Bapocalyptic.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>
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<p><br /></p><p>Unofficial Summer has been kick-started with Memorial Day weekend. Perhaps like myself you scored a BBQ invite and actually got to see old friends and make new acquaintances with people willing to stand within 6 feet and not a mask in sight. The pandemic may not be quite 100% over with, but signs are popping up everywhere that a return to normalcy is underway. Those of you with kids may have found summer camps will be in operation. Perhaps your local pool has announced that they plan to be open. Restaurant dining is a thing again for those not inclined to enjoy home cooking for every single meal. When you go shopping you're still likely to see mostly masked faces. Or at least you are if you live in my neck of the woods in NJ, USA. But for the most part it's a precaution and habit not yet kicked rather than the following of mandatory instructions. In short, free at last - free at last - Thank God Almighty. If you're vaccinated (because you're not a conspiracy theorist who believes the government is using Covid vaccines to control us) then you are likely feeling quite liberated these days. We're experiencing a modern day Juneteenth.</p><p>So what are planning to do with your new found freedom? Embark on more traveling? Do more socializing? Check more things off your bucket lists? Continue with <a href="http://lineaday.blogspot.com/2020/03/hang-in-there-well-get-through-this.html" target="_blank">hobbies you took up when holed up inside</a> (sure you have not grown sick of puzzles)? Become more generous with dispensing your hugs? All of the above?
</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_6LyJdghkx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_6LyJdghkx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; 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line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B_6LyJdghkx/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Perhaps you were you a content introvert before Covid-19 came along, found that a global pandemic didn't alter your lifestyle too much and perhaps even provided some benefits (feel free to work from home indefinitely!). If so, those of you who live somewhere with cold weather winters must still be happy about the arrival of summer regardless of the degree to which it alters your routine. Most especially if you are blessed with central air. Most most especially if you are a teacher or a student with central air and a whole lot more leisure time on the near horizon.</p><p>Introvert or extrovert or somewhere in between - are you intrigued by recent spacey developments which hint that the truth is out there?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qy15EUebVPg/YLfTpudQUKI/AAAAAAAAEb4/fLvIrA0q7_oJXMUEbJO74rcUaBrKuPpeACLcBGAsYHQ/s275/ufo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qy15EUebVPg/YLfTpudQUKI/AAAAAAAAEb4/fLvIrA0q7_oJXMUEbJO74rcUaBrKuPpeACLcBGAsYHQ/s0/ufo.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>Did any of my blog readers who happen to be fellow writers manage to get out <a href="http://lineaday.blogspot.com/2021/01/all-things-ava-appelsawse.html" target="_blank">a whole pandemic book</a> like I did (humble brag)? I published my first children's book in 2020 and am deep into draft #1 of novel #3 and am going to pat myself on the back and keep patting until my books make me filthy rich.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPoKXMpr1yg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPoKXMpr1yg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0px;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0px auto 12px; width: 50px;"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; 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line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPoKXMpr1yg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Roy Pickering (@roylpickering_author)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<p></p><p><br /></p><p>Whether you're planning to change everything about your life or not a single thing - what's on your post-pandemic agenda? Not to be overly nosy. By this question I of course mostly want to know - <a href="http://lineaday.blogspot.com/2012/05/summer-reading-plans.html" target="_blank">WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING TO READ?</a></p><p><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kKRSFi2JL24" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-19803495666946065632021-04-13T07:13:00.006-07:002021-04-15T14:11:16.273-07:00Lawless and Orderless<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YKmpHvOzlxE" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Can it really be SO DIFFICULT to come up with a set of policies that best guarantee the public safety without pride or prejudice? Surely there are level headed, non-controversial even, solutions to the overabundance of people who are "mistakenly" killed by police officers. Obviously it's a dangerous job because it requires dealing with the criminal element. But they seem to be making it far more difficult than it needs to be, routinely perceiving law abiding citizens as threats and promptly turning them into corpses. And far too often than anyone should be comfortable with, those unarmed, law abiding citizens who end up being killed by a cop despite not being a threat to anyone happen to be African American. We can do better. We must do better. The alternative is anarchy. The alternative, eventually, inevitably, is Civil War.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">On the corner of Grand and Lafayette, an artist has compiled an astounding and heartbreaking list of the Black and Brown victims of police brutality. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/toomanynames?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#toomanynames</a> <a href="https://t.co/SjPS73zirs">pic.twitter.com/SjPS73zirs</a></p>— The Lower Eastside Girls Club (@girlsclubny) <a href="https://twitter.com/girlsclubny/status/1301505222502539264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">When will it stop? When will we make it stop? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DaunteWright?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DaunteWright</a> <a href="https://t.co/4xPiKPR8nX">pic.twitter.com/4xPiKPR8nX</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1381782468034969606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">100% a lie but incredible that their chosen line of defense is, "we cannot competently operate firearms." <a href="https://t.co/mpDbnEAt2j">https://t.co/mpDbnEAt2j</a></p>— RealJackEason (@realJackEason) <a href="https://twitter.com/realJackEason/status/1381662938671484932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Why is anyone against stronger gun regulations when people who are actually trained/employed to properly use them when absolutely necessary often don't seem to know what the hell they're doing? But we should want guns in the hand of any idiot who thinks the 2nd Amendment is cool? <a href="https://t.co/3xNikeSvq6">https://t.co/3xNikeSvq6</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1381682910768594953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Maybe, (hear me out now, people) a cop's gun and a cop's taser should be kept in completely different areas and also feel quite different to the touch so it isn't so easy to mistake one for the other. Some mistakes (if that's what happened) should be made very difficult to make. <a href="https://t.co/c71delDA9P">https://t.co/c71delDA9P</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1381675663954997251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">BREAKING: Police officer responsible for pepper spraying Army Lt. Caron Nazario on December 5, 2020 has been fired. <a href="https://t.co/c6i0TkpCsC">pic.twitter.com/c6i0TkpCsC</a></p>— Eric Cox (@EricCoxTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricCoxTV/status/1381430832238317568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hold up! They pepper sprayed a US soldier who was IN UNIFORM?</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1381667964877963265?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Being a cop is obviously a hard job. But it can't be THAT HARD. Can't an IQ test be administered to weed out pure simpletons? If we can't keep out all of the bigots can we at least keep out all of the morons?</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1381669599255625731?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">We simply do not need armed police officers to respond to traffic violations.</p>— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) <a href="https://twitter.com/SawyerHackett/status/1381675249394139149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">White supremacy is expecting Black calm during a traffic stop beneath police violence's deadly spectre, but making every excuse for officers who "overreact."</p>— Rev. Jacqui Lewis, PhD (@RevJacquiLewis) <a href="https://twitter.com/RevJacquiLewis/status/1381675686021173249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">My takeaway from the most recent scary, terrible thing to happen during a traffic stop is the same as it's always been. <br /><br />There's no good reason to have 90% of traffic stops in a world where the police can run your tags and text a ticket to the owner of the car.</p>— Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASFleischman/status/1381069385218068480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Of course police should stop people who are driving dangerously, and, yes, of course they should do it when the plate appears to be missing. <br /><br />But if traffic stops are so dangerous for police officers that they are immediately pulling their firearms, we should lessen that danger</p>— Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASFleischman/status/1381069480068063236?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">And if it's not actually all that dangerous, and a lot of the talk about danger is really just a pretext to do a lot of warrantless searches?<br /><br />An even better reason to limit the practice as much as we can.</p>— Andrew Fleischman (@ASFleischman) <a href="https://twitter.com/ASFleischman/status/1381069637966835720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">When I did a ride along, every single traffic stop was pretextual. Basically, we followed cars that the officer wanted to stop until they did something that allowed him to stop them.</p>— Matthew Bruckner (@Prof_Bruckner) <a href="https://twitter.com/Prof_Bruckner/status/1381232289561128963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Glad Virginia has taken steps to stop this type of police activity. <a href="https://t.co/rAcfUQvL4I">https://t.co/rAcfUQvL4I</a></p>— 😷KeepWearingAMask😷 (@Jody537LN) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jody537LN/status/1381263403210182661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">With all these wonderful solutions --- won't it be harder to hunt the black people? <a href="https://t.co/9G4j7jbvgP">pic.twitter.com/9G4j7jbvgP</a></p>— BLACK CONSERVATIVE (@blackrepublican) <a href="https://twitter.com/blackrepublican/status/1381400966726041601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Line A Day: FIRST DAY ON THE JOB <a href="https://t.co/Es4sfxvKCT">https://t.co/Es4sfxvKCT</a> <a href="https://t.co/u4Qid6mWtU">pic.twitter.com/u4Qid6mWtU</a></p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1381679711814836231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Brooklyn center police are flying a blue line flag outside the station right now <a href="https://t.co/07i9IezVNP">pic.twitter.com/07i9IezVNP</a></p>— Andy Mannix (@AndrewMannix) <a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewMannix/status/1381658210378088448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Breaking: Kim Potter, identified as the officer who fatally shot Daunte Wright, has resigned from her position "effectively immediately" on Tuesday, Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott said in a statement. <a href="https://t.co/gGoMzSi4FY">https://t.co/gGoMzSi4FY</a></p>— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) <a href="https://twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/1382023276939993088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DaunteWright?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DaunteWright</a>’s father speaks out: "I can't accept that – a mistake, that doesn't even sound right. This officer has been on the force for 26 years. I can't accept that."<a href="https://t.co/P9FRnpM3jQ">pic.twitter.com/P9FRnpM3jQ</a></p>— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Phil_Lewis_/status/1382002284876431362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Derek Chauvin had better be convicted, because if not, it's going to get real ugly. I haven't been following the trial because I saw no need. This is as open & shut a case as has ever been. A cop can fire a gun by accident, but not kneel on someone's neck for 9 minutes by mistake</p>— Roy L. Pickering Jr. (@AuthorofPatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorofPatches/status/1381375231852445699?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2021</a></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>
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R.I.P. Adam Toledo. Gone way too soon. A child taken from us for no reason that seems reasonable to me. </p><p> </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">UPDATE: Chicago has released bodycam video of the police killing of 13-year-old <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AdamToledo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AdamToledo</a>:<br /><br />▪️ The video shows Adam had his hands up when police opened fire, killing him.<br />▪️ Cook County now says prosecutor made an error when they said Adam was holding a gun. <a href="https://t.co/dC5tyMpgO9">pic.twitter.com/dC5tyMpgO9</a></p>— AJ+ (@ajplus) <a href="https://twitter.com/ajplus/status/1382787596556894209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-size: 14px;">Enough is enough. I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. Far too many hashtagged names. Far too many Lives of Color needlessly lost.</span><br /><br /><br />
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A08ocOSpQnc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1075282594114025046.post-38250956926528274352021-02-21T14:29:00.006-08:002021-03-14T08:12:04.060-07:00BOOK GIVEAWAYS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7M6S9ugq96o/YDLdaNiisQI/AAAAAAAAEZY/9jpCzaSr5dw2tvBpUYJ4tp8pY38DyQEEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s350/free-books.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="350" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7M6S9ugq96o/YDLdaNiisQI/AAAAAAAAEZY/9jpCzaSr5dw2tvBpUYJ4tp8pY38DyQEEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/free-books.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F9qVwByAok4/YDLdaKwl4mI/AAAAAAAAEZU/VuqoE-bixfA-ah8zQfPEh-NnYk7SDEMJwCLcBGAsYHQ/s226/kindle-img.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="184" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F9qVwByAok4/YDLdaKwl4mI/AAAAAAAAEZU/VuqoE-bixfA-ah8zQfPEh-NnYk7SDEMJwCLcBGAsYHQ/s0/kindle-img.png" /></a></div><br /><p>For five days, from <b>March 19th to March 23rd</b>, the Kindle edition of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Patches-Grey-Roy-Pickering-Jr-ebook/dp/B0039PU9X6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=" target="_blank">PATCHES OF GREY</a> will be FREE at Amazon.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V5U-r8XXVrE/YDLbhoED-VI/AAAAAAAAEZA/J3Fh9QNEXVYN6rmDb70fBUNKdnDs2MYMACLcBGAsYHQ/s720/Mood%2BBoard%2BPatches%2Bof%2Bgrey.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V5U-r8XXVrE/YDLbhoED-VI/AAAAAAAAEZA/J3Fh9QNEXVYN6rmDb70fBUNKdnDs2MYMACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Mood%2BBoard%2BPatches%2Bof%2Bgrey.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VLCSoFUOtz0/YDLYDcrTC6I/AAAAAAAAEX0/ur2X0E31JJUd2CVf5vHnYTK8yBKzAcbmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Patches%2Bquote%2B2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VLCSoFUOtz0/YDLYDcrTC6I/AAAAAAAAEX0/ur2X0E31JJUd2CVf5vHnYTK8yBKzAcbmwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Patches%2Bquote%2B2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qHQmFr-nXJw/YDLYDv93wJI/AAAAAAAAEX8/nRnTl_tP37cLRGj4TN-WpQlIw1I0MpI5ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Patches%2Bquote%2Bfountain.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qHQmFr-nXJw/YDLYDv93wJI/AAAAAAAAEX8/nRnTl_tP37cLRGj4TN-WpQlIw1I0MpI5ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Patches%2Bquote%2Bfountain.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Cssm_5P2Bc/YDLYDk8p62I/AAAAAAAAEX4/AM9eQ4xvBU8Ab1WxPZg35gJInBoQ3fATwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Patches%2Bquote.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Cssm_5P2Bc/YDLYDk8p62I/AAAAAAAAEX4/AM9eQ4xvBU8Ab1WxPZg35gJInBoQ3fATwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Patches%2Bquote.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>From<b> March 14th to March 18th</b>, the Kindle edition of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Matters-Convenience-Roy-Pickering-ebook/dp/B01MD2DIU6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1478969601&sr=" target="_blank">MATTERS OF CONVENIENCE</a> will be FREE at Amazon.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vRQcXkIYOfo/YDLbveABsZI/AAAAAAAAEZE/hmNY8-nd58MnYraarcnFAEyRj6TWh4IPwCLcBGAsYHQ/s360/MOC%2Bcover%2Banimated.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="225" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vRQcXkIYOfo/YDLbveABsZI/AAAAAAAAEZE/hmNY8-nd58MnYraarcnFAEyRj6TWh4IPwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/MOC%2Bcover%2Banimated.gif" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0MA6iEkJHCs/YDLYaJgfqtI/AAAAAAAAEYY/v5aHWvYgD40aZY2KZyWKBPcbhzYUnBv8wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Matters%2Bquote%2BKayak.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0MA6iEkJHCs/YDLYaJgfqtI/AAAAAAAAEYY/v5aHWvYgD40aZY2KZyWKBPcbhzYUnBv8wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Matters%2Bquote%2BKayak.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rlz8s_Lq3e4/YDLYZ5LwsgI/AAAAAAAAEYM/QUH5JiJgtM8rWozdKxRiIPbqsspCSKULQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/MOC%2Bquote%2B2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rlz8s_Lq3e4/YDLYZ5LwsgI/AAAAAAAAEYM/QUH5JiJgtM8rWozdKxRiIPbqsspCSKULQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/MOC%2Bquote%2B2.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g98z83ScHGs/YDLYZ3eCFMI/AAAAAAAAEYQ/YePN7M-fceQn7QuiJZtzFa09MXXZ1fmywCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/MOC%2Bquote%2BSailboats.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g98z83ScHGs/YDLYZ3eCFMI/AAAAAAAAEYQ/YePN7M-fceQn7QuiJZtzFa09MXXZ1fmywCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/MOC%2Bquote%2BSailboats.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_JJhXRhAV70/YDLYZ8OHd6I/AAAAAAAAEYU/3G9DAFQC9nYS3L7YDxUE6wpsZL5gZL7JACLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/MOC%2Bquote.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_JJhXRhAV70/YDLYZ8OHd6I/AAAAAAAAEYU/3G9DAFQC9nYS3L7YDxUE6wpsZL5gZL7JACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/MOC%2Bquote.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p>You can check out my novella <a href="https://youtu.be/x1yYkCuiaj0" target="_blank">FEEDING THE SQUIRRELS</a> for free either here at <a href="http://lineaday.blogspot.com/2013/02/feeding-squirrels-novella-serialized.html" target="_blank">A Line A Day</a> or else at <a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/authorofpatches" target="_blank">Wattpad</a> any time you want.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h7rBttA0aCc/YDLZBCB9GqI/AAAAAAAAEYs/uYGcXMOQG1IulOiNz4bvrH7NPPq2a7EawCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/FeedingtheSqurrelsPickering.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1125" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h7rBttA0aCc/YDLZBCB9GqI/AAAAAAAAEYs/uYGcXMOQG1IulOiNz4bvrH7NPPq2a7EawCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/FeedingtheSqurrelsPickering.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>As for <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HV8HTPK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_kZwSFb7P9VSR5" target="_blank">THE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING ADVENTURES OF AVA APPELSAWSE</a>, no giveaway is on tap for it just yet. But I highly recommend buying a copy and putting it into the hands of a child that you love who loves to read or be read to.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w04KJZ_XwhI/YDLZwVjxh9I/AAAAAAAAEY0/I4QNnfZo2xUK43tciFWEhdGl-EkzQyWfQCLcBGAsYHQ/s666/AA.Front.cover_WEB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="446" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w04KJZ_XwhI/YDLZwVjxh9I/AAAAAAAAEY0/I4QNnfZo2xUK43tciFWEhdGl-EkzQyWfQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/AA.Front.cover_WEB.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bz0J_VYHZCk/YDLh9tYCcLI/AAAAAAAAEZo/NhZD7de5tzI6XxBz6-6ikKm415wHy5gOgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1066/AA%2Bquote%2BFairy_Tales_Reader.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1033" data-original-width="1066" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bz0J_VYHZCk/YDLh9tYCcLI/AAAAAAAAEZo/NhZD7de5tzI6XxBz6-6ikKm415wHy5gOgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/AA%2Bquote%2BFairy_Tales_Reader.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="color: red;">Those of you who choose to take advantage and add this zero expense content to your Kindles - reviews on Amazon, GoodReads, your blogs, your booktube channels, and anywhere else you happen to spread the good word about books you have enjoyed would be greatly appreciated</span>.</div><br /><p>CREDITS: The paintings found in this post are the work of <a href="http://www.erinrogerspickering.com/" target="_blank">Erin Rogers Pickering</a>. The photographs were taken by <a href="http://roypickering.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Roy L. Pickering Jr.</a></p><p><br /></p>
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rRfHQC6wHOs" width="560"></iframe>Roy L. Pickering Jr.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09581170146910148391noreply@blogger.com0