A Friend in need...?

Whoever says Friendship is easy has obviously never had a true friend!"

- Bronwyn Polson

I take my friendships seriously, and always will. A few of my friends have been friends since high school. In fact, I was browsing through some photos that I found in a box in the basement. I noticed a particular photo of a friend that I hadn’t seen since that photo was taken in 1975; he disappeared, as far as I knew.

When I saw that photo of him and his mother, I did a search on the good old Internet and found his name online. I sent him an email and about a month later I got an answer. He had left for New York to join a singing group, The Platters, and has been with them ever since. We have been talking ever since, reminiscing all of the things we did with our small group of friends way back in the late 60s and early 70s.

With the inception of the Internet and social media like MySpace, Facebook and the first network I joined, Black Planet, friends are a dime a dozen. Back when I joined MySpace, at its height, with me, I got up to a little over 1,000 friends, internet friends. Of course I didn’t know any of those folks. I came to the conclusion that people were just looking for other people to be friends just to boost their numbers.

Years later, I decided to drive across the country, I was going to two bowling tournament on both ends of the country. I put in a note, on MySpace, the direction I was going and where I would be during my drive so I could meet those who wanted to meet me. And those I met are now good friends.

This brings me to my story of friends. I have a friend; I sometimes think he is a friend, sometimes it’s too close to call. He and I have known each other since the 80s, because we worked together, in the same building, but different shifts. But, since there was only the two of us we worked overtime, on Saturdays, together. We did that for a good 10 years or so.

I like a lot about this friend of mine, easy going kind of guy. A short, stout, fireplug type of guy. He was fast to give out money to women he met, even though he was married, then brag to me about it. What stood out about him was that, as he would tell it, he stopped going to school when he was about 8 years old, living in Mississippi and moved in with an aunt, up north. During his life he learned to make money collecting junk and turning it in to cash.

Knowing him now, I would have to say, on paper, he might be worth three quarters of a million dollars, on paper. He complains about all the money he doesn’t have, but will go out and buy something, expensive, and tell me what he just purchased. I know he has five houses, here in Michigan and a couple in Mississippi, all of which he paid cash for. He has about 13 or more cars, quite a few new and a lot older classic models, including, which I would love to buy from him and restore myself, a 1931 Ford.

Anyway, on one of my trips to California, for a cancer seminar, and on my return I stopped at his place. I miscalculated the amount of money I had, because gasoline was over $4 a gallon, and was running out. I had about 1,000 miles left to go and figured I wasn’t going to make it home. So, I asked him and borrowed $100 to get home.

At that point in my life I knew I was going to run out of money sooner or later, as I had retired, a couple of years before, and I knew I would have to find a job or write and sell a book or something to get by. Consider, my 401 had crashed, lost my stocks and the cash I had helped save my house, leaving with no more reserves.

Things got worse for me in the year or so that followed and I had a hard time finding some extra to pay him back. Prior to that time, the loan, we had talked just about every day, just talked and I mean for at least an hour or so. He retired the year before I did and we kept in touch. After the loan he stopped calling and when I called he was busy or had something to do or whatever. The calls got shorter and then non-existent. For a whole year I hear nothing from him, not even a Christmas card, which was the first time I didn’t get one from him.

This past December I got a bonus from my former company, (a total surprise to me). So, I sent him a Christmas card with a C-note inside. I called him and told him to look for the letter I sent. Well, he got the card about Christmas time and he called to tell me he received it. Now, since he got the cash back he has called me at least 6 times. In fact, he called today and we talked for a good hour, general stuff. Go figure.

Never in my life have I ever wanted to take advantage of anyone, ever. That’s just not my way. Some friendships are hard and trust is even harder to get. I work hard to get both, sometimes I work way to hard and I have to say it can backfire, sometimes, especially if I am trying to make something work with a, let’s say, a girlfriend. But, that’s another story I’m about to write about.

I am glad we are chatting again. I guess the lesson I learned is; the richest man in the world is not the one who still has the first dollar he ever earned. It's the man who still has his best friend. Even better; it is better in times of need to have a friend rather than money.

...and the horse says I am a pain in the ass?

I know this sounds like I am beating dead horse to death, but, I still have a pain in my butt. The same pain I have had for a couple of weeks, and I just figured out why it still hurts and what I have to do to make it go away.

A couple of weeks ago I was exploring my new Blu-ray player and noticed a lot of junk they added to it so people can peruse the extensive junk for a greater viewing pleasure. So, I decided to check out their junk, for my viewing pleasure.

One of the things there is, How to do…things. One of those, how to do things, was exercise, specifically, running up and down the stairs. Well, since it has been snowing out, lately, I have been trying to figure out something to do to keep my figure in shape, (if round is a shape, then I am in perfect shape!). So, I watched it and got the idea, which is what I need to do on cold winter days.

I guessed I could have done this in my sleep, so I set my timer for 20 minutes and preceded to run up the stairs and

At a quick pace and walk back down, just like in the video. Eight minutes in, I was huffing and puffing and had to stop. I sat down and could not get back up. Well, that ended my running up and down the stairs for that week.

Anyway, I tried running the stairs again this weekend, this time I was going to only do 10 minutes and go a little slower. That is when I figured out where the pain in my butt came from. And it’s been hurting ever since, but really only when I sit down and remain seated for over, two minutes. But, the more I think about it that pain is more about what happened a few years ago.

Yes, I am in all kinds of pain, literally and figuratively. This pain, in my butt, kind of got started a little after June 2, 2009. That's the day, when I was playing softball and I was doing well. I had just gotten a single and was standing on first base, (who’s on first?). The person behind me hit a ground ball to the second baseman. I ran to second but the second baseman was standing in my path.

What I did was plant my foot, so I could spin out of his way, but, my foot stayed planted and as I turned I heard pop and felt the most excruciating pain in my hamstring muscle. I went down and grabbed my leg, and when I straightened it the pain kicked in. What made the whole scene, in my mind, as I rolled on the ground in pain, so funny, the guy came to me and tagged me out. He looked at me and said, “You’re out!” If I could have stood up I would have...

A few days later, my life of pain flashed before me. Being retired it kind of gave me pause to reflect on my, well, not really a painful life, considering...I was a rough and tumble kid. My brothers and I had the reputation of jumping from tall building, able to leap around playgrounds and look, up in the sky, sitting on rooftops, it’s the Green boys.

Yes, I remember doing a lot of crazy kid things, falling off of things, jumping from second story houses onto mattress’s, climbing flag poles and jumping from garage roof-tops to the next garage roof-top. Luckily I never broke anything. We did things like, having firecracker fights, pouring gasoline into sewers and ROTFLMAO at the results. Walking on the tops of fences, I fell once but bounced back up with no problem.

As a kid I don't remember ever getting hurt, not once, really bad. Oh I had scrapes and scratches and stuff like that, but never where there was the amount of pain I had on June 2, 2009! I do remember, as I grew older things started to fall off and I had to have surgery to repair or remove those body parts. But, the pain was not as intense, any of those times.

I do remember when I had my tonsils taken out; I think I was about 24 years old, at the time. Anyway, when I got home from the hospital, and no, I wasn't given any ice cream, and like an idiot I went out jogging the next day. I was in pain for a few days after that. Again, not a painful as that warm, and mild day in June of 2009.

Throughout my life, I have had seven, elective, surgeries. Well, one of them wasn't and that was the day I had my prostate out. I remember the pain of those days, but it still wasn't as bad as, well, you know, that day in June.

Pain is relative, absolutely. As I sit here typing I have a slight ping in my left butt cheek, my neck, my ear...I have had three ear infections January of 2010. This one is going away without antibiotics, this time, I am doing well, and it’s getting better, abet the pain, in the butt…

I just realized that I can't always be in pain. I did the pain thing, way back when, to get attention from women. And it worked. I can't do that now. That's because I used to and still do play a lot of sports. Still playing racquetball, softball, bowling, jogging, weight-lifting, and skiing. So, my muscles still twinge every now and then. My girlfriend, on the other hand has no sympathies for me at all, none what so ever. When I go over to her apartment, on Tuesday after racquetball, I am usually humped over, racked with pain, well, just a little. I usually take a Motrin and I am fine in the morning. And that usually last, the pain, until I get home. But, no sympathies from her. Now, she says I am just whining no matter how much pain I may be in. Geez!

I just decided that I would never be in pain, around her again. And, as I remember, when I was way younger, I use to meditate and got good at it to the point I was never in pain or for that matter, never sick. I would also think positive thoughts and “Voila” no pain.

I bet you didn't know, but I hadn't caught a cold in about 10 years until about 1993 or so, when I was talking to a youngster, about 5 or 6, and he sneezed right into my face! Buggers and all! The next week, on a ski trip to Vail I was sick as a guy with a cold! I was really bad for the first few days, but hey, lift tickets are expensive and I still got three days of skiing in.

Now that I think about it, I have had three colds since 1993 and two of them were in 2010. I have to get back into positive thoughts, especially for pain!

Ouch, I just felt a twinge of pain in my shoulder when I reached for my glass of water. Oh well, somebody is telling me something. I'd better listen! No pain is all gain!

Writing life

Sometimes I can’t believe some of the things I have done with my writing life over the years and never falling through on them. Case in point, 20 or so years ago I was a prolific writer, but as a reporter. This is where my degree is in, journalism. But, back in the day, I use to have these strange dreams; mostly all of it was science fiction.

In those dreams, this was, to me, it was like watching a movie. The next day I would write it down and then, later would outline it on a 3x5 card.

Since the first of last year I have been writing screenplays, mostly science fiction. And I have finished two and have started on my third, to which I am into 14 pages so far.

Yesterday I was taking my daily nap and I had a dream. I really didn’t think much about it. But today, as my nap started, that dream started again. This time I ran with it and tried to see what could become of it. After I woke up I tried to flesh out and see how much more I could move it along.

So, I got up and went to the computer and typed a two page synopsis of a possible script. I like it, so now I am, after I finish the current one, going to start on it, my forth.

Now, what does this have to do with the 3x5 index cards? Well, I remember that I had an index card box down in the basement, languishing somewhere collecting dust. So, I went into my spare office and found that box. Inside were quite a bit of ideas, children stories, when my children were younger and many, many other stories. And about 40 ideas for science fiction stories.

I went through them and see that I had some good story ideas but never did anything with them. I mean, I did have four finished short stories, and one finished novel, which had the dates of each finished chapter, starting at February 2, 1987. Then it was at 30,000 words. I finished it with about 60,000 words. I would love to add 40 more thousand word to it.

So now I have plenty of ideas to go on. As I had made a resolution, to write and get those stories published, this year, I now have plenty of work on. The main thing is to write! You can’t be a writer if you don’t write. And as I have written I have noticed that those dream movies have started again, just like way back in the 60s, 70s, and the 80s!

As I looked through my collection of idea cards I came across one card that I couldn’t believe I outlined. On it were several sentences. I had written; a man works for a government agency and is a spy. Then; a woman works for the government and is a spy. Both agencies want to kill them both. Interesting to say the least. I guess had I finished the entire story, I might have written a book and called it MR AND MRS SMITH.

Not saying that would have been the name of it, but my premise is the basis of that movie that came out in 2006 by that name. Of course anyone can have an idea and ideas are free.

Another thing that has helped is this blog that I have writing for on Mr. Fred Said and MySpace. I had another blog in 2005, but I think I only posted one blog there. Now, I kind of don’t know what to say here, but I will just kind of write about what has happened that day or week or anything special that I feel can or should write about... My life is truly dull so I can’t write about that.

But, as long as I am writing every day that will work for me in the long run. As a retiree I must do something. I have volunteered some time to the Prostate Cancer Coalition of Michigan. And I have been, the past few years, writing PSAs, public service ads and designing their flyers and brochures. This is part of that business that I started and also have to get moving on it.

As my business gets going, I am also planning to buy into a franchise. This is franchise is based in publishing. They help with the advertising, I just have to change the mast and they provide those Visa and MasterCard readers. Plus advice on getting my web site up and running, which I will get going...soon.

I guess the only thing I really have to work on, is the fact that I am still lazy when it come to proofreading. I have gone over a few of my blogs and noticed that I have passed over words, for instance, red for read. Simple stuff. Or I’m just way too lazy! I figure the more I write and the more I pay attention I will not have to worry about proofreading as much. But I still have to proofread everything just go get it right!

Aches and pains...

In a little less than a month from now I will be 58 years old! My son told me a couple of years ago that, when I was going to hit 55, he answered; “Awesome!” That kind of surprised me, to say the least. And the more I thought about it, it sounded right to me. I am wondering, now, if it’s as awesome as it was 3 years ago.

And the more I think about it, I don’t feel 58. I remember when I was younger I noticed that a lot of older people just looked and acted old. My father was one of those people. Now, I am not saying that old people are old just because they have a certain amount of age on them. Age is just a number (I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard this.)

I do remember that my father complained of so many aches and pains, this hurt, and that hurt. But I have done ten times the amount of things in, let’s say, the last four years than my father did in his life time! Of course I don’t know what he did as a youngster, or his early manhood. But, in my lifetime I have done a lot.

And yes, I do have those occasional aches and pains and I attribute those to all the things that I have done in my life and they are catching up with me, today. Early on, I played football, pitched in high school, even played racquetball in my early years, thanks to the YMCA being next door to my house. And of course, you have to participate in gym class, early on. Though, I played more Chess in my early years, I was still athletic.

And throughout my life I still played softball, and ran quite a bit. I would have to say, then, I was running about five miles a day. And I ran two half-marathons. I don’t run as often as I would like. I still love running, but the “old” body doesn’t like it. I am in the process of re-training myself to run again. As of about a month or so ago I could do a half a mile before I conked out. Not really from getting tired, winded, but since 2006, after retirement, (AR), I have been getting shin splints, not all the time but enough to know the pain.

But as of today and most of last week, it has been cold and slippery. It was about nine degrees this morning and I think it’s about 15 now. And my street is a sheet of ice! And I fell a couple of months ago on a sheet of ice! I will wait until some sort of thaw comes, during this global warming thing. Heck it’s supposed to rain tomorrow, then the temp will drop into the single digits on Wednesday.

And I mean painful shin splints! Hopefully by the spring and a new pair of running shoes, I will be running again, I will be walking until then. But, really, all my life I have played through the pain. That was just me. I can’t, couldn’t, wouldn’t let things get me down! I remember, some time ago, in my mid-twenties I had my tonsils removed. When I got home, the very next day I went out and ran. Of course, later I was so sick I was forced to bed rest. And that has happened to me often, during my life.

And, I guess, the worst was in 2006. That year I had my prostate removed. I was laid up for several weeks. I couldn’t really do anything, considering I had a catheter inserted for 10 days. After it was removed I did get up and around, but I also laid around more often than not. In August of that same year I had to have my knee repaired, because of one of those gym things I shouldn’t have done.

At the beginning of September, in 2006, bowling started and in October racquetball started. And I was as sure as heck I wasn't going to be left out. I remember feeling spent, but I participated anyway. By December, my elbow was hurting so bad I had to quit both bowling and racquetball and started therapy in January.

Aches and pains. They are a matter of life, I would have to say. I hear my oldest son complain more often than not about what is hurting him. More than my father did! And he’ll be 31 this year. To top it off, I have been hearing a lot of my generation complain of aches and pains. But I ain’t mad at em. Some pains are genetics and other are because of accidents. Hey, S*it happens.

Aches and pains. You know, as I sit here and type, I have a pain in my butt! Really, I do. The one thing I hated about my job, before I retired, was that I sat a lot, way too much and that hour to work and that two hour commute home didn’t help much at all. Now, my butt hurts when I sit, so I either have to stand or lay down when I watch TV.

But, I really can’t say that as fact. Think about it…what am I doing right now? I mean, though, I have been washing cloths, so I have to get up every now and then. But I have to do that or my butt talks to me!

Aches and pains…gosh, I remember, I was in the gym, as of 2006, for at least 4 hours a day. And to offset those pains I was taking about 800 milligrams of Motrin a day! But those were good pains. Pains that were telling me that I was doing something right with my body. Because it wasn’t like that every day. Some days I just felt downright great! Other days…ouch.

I have never really been out of touch with my body. Well, I guess that’s not really true. I have had my ups and downs. I remember when I got married, the second time, I was weighing about 155 pounds and bench pressing 300 pounds! By the end of that marriage I weighted in at 280!

Then, it was easy to take the weight off. Besides I was fasting four times a year for at least one week per fast. And during those fasts I was still running at least 2 miles a day! Now, my fasts have taken a turn. Not for the worst, but I can forget it if I want to work out. Heck, I get tired just going up the stairs when I am fasting. I usually feel good after the fast though. I just have to keep up as I did when I was younger.

Oh yeah…aches and pains. The list goes on. But, I play through them. I have to. I really don’t want moss to grow on my butt from lack of movement and I don’t mean bowel movement!

OUCH! I just got up to go to the bathroom and now my back is hurting! Too much sitting? Maybe…but I have to go on. No complaints here, kind of.

Yeah, 58 years old. Heck, it’s just a number. You are only as old as you think, etc… life has to go on…blab, blab, blab. I am guessing that there will be more aches and pains as I get older, I will have to learn to live with em, I guess though, and you can’t live without em! Go figure.

Racquetball anyone? I’ll race ya! Okay, how about a nice quiet game of chess, poker, anyone up to it, pains and all?

My book, my book, to finish or not to finish...

Today was one of those days, heck, a really beautiful kind of day. I figure that any day I wake up is a beautiful day. Funny thing about this day, though, this past weekend it rained and rained a lot, and got up to about 50 degrees. Now, today, it was something different, it snowed early this morning. I wanted to get out and do my two mile walk at 10 a.m. I knew I had to get out because I was getting edgy; I hadn’t been out since December 11 because it snowed and the snow stuck around until...this weekend rain.

The snow was fresh, meaning no one walked on it yet. But, when I got to the end of the block, it looked like a parade of footprints. Anyway, I did my walk and as I was a half a mile away, the sun came out. So, I figured that I would shovel the snow when I got back. To which I did. A couple of hours later, it snowed again.

Oh well, thank goodness I put salt down in a few places. Then, out of the blue, the sun came out again and the snow melted. That was about 6 hours ago, I haven’t looked out so I don’t really care right now, tomorrow is another day and I need the exercise.

A few of my, so-called resolutions was to eat right again, keep up the exercise and write and keep writing. Today is day ONE, of the eating right part. Okay so I am late, better late than never. It really helped when I was watching the news and they mentioned an app that you can record your dietary intake and exercise. I downloaded it, yesterday, and started using it today. It said I only need 2100 calories per day to lose one pound per week. I only ate about 1500 calories today, and that was fine. I still feel hungry, I mean really, really hungry, but I plan to get over that. I guess, when you write things down it really works. And there is an app for that.

The third “resolution”, I have been working on a screenplay for the last 6 months, but it was sitting there collecting dust. When I finished it I came to the conclusion that it’s too short. Only 79 pages, so I have been stuck on it for all of this time, I have to have more than 90 pages, 90 being the minimum. One of the things I am going to do is finish this screenplay and then, of course, start on my second. What popped into my head, yesterday, got me thinking. I had given my script to a couple of friends, one in California and he gave it to a couple of producers. He said they liked it, but that was over four years ago.

So, I am going to have to do something drastic and that is what got me thinking…Why don’t I finish it and put it up for auction on eBay? Starting price; $10,000. Then I can see what happens. Hey it’s a start, and I gotta start somewhere. If, and I mean, IF, that works out, I have finished another screenplay, short also, that one will be the next on up for auction.

In any case, I need to do some research and find an agent or a studio that can use my kind of script, Science fiction. I have a bunch of stories to finish, either as novels or scripts and the short stories are just sitting there, before me, ready to go.

This, this part of my blog, will help me transition into the story's. So, I am going to see how much of this blog I can write and keep it up.

I don’t make resolutions, notwithstanding, but I did, nonetheless. I decided I needed to get up off my butt and get my business up and moving this year. Last year I went out and got a lot of equipment, paper and some ink and was ready to go. This year I am going to get a web page and hopefully, my friend’s sister will help me with marketing. But, she has been giving me the run-around.

I also plan on buying into a franchise. A publishing franchise, it’s relatively inexpensive, but it’s an end to my means. And they help with the advertising, which is helpful! Of course that means the end of watching TV all day long and of course most of the night, too, sports notwithstanding! It’s been four days and I have stayed on course, kind of, with those silly resolutions. (Heck, I just say, do it? Hmmmmm, where have I heard that before??)

Anyway, nothing much is happening in my part of the world. My son called me today and told me he was going out to sea again, next week, this time for 60 days. Hitting all of the fun spots, south of the border and parts in-between. Gosh, sometimes I wish I had joined the Navy, way back when. But, then I would have missed out working like a slave, decking transmissions on the assembly line.