May 17: Snore, Shaking It Off, Welcome

Awaking in the middle of a prodigiously tough snore, and sitting up in bed to get his thoughts together, Scrooge had no occasion to be told that the bell was again upon the stroke of One...

This will not be a post of great insight.  This will not be a post of great humor.  This will not be a post of great anything.  Like Scrooge in the above sentence, I find myself awake and trying to gather my thoughts together.  It's one of those mornings where sleep hangs on like a cheap wine.  At the moment, I could easily put my head down and go back to sleep, even though I've showered, dressed, and already completed several tasks.  I can feel the sleep sitting behind my eyes, pushing on them.  I'm having a hard time shaking this sleep hangover off.

I wasn't up any later than I usually am.  I didn't do anything especially taxing last night.  Yet, I'm having this out-of-body experience at the keyboard.  I sit staring at the screen for a full minute, caught mid-sentence, unsure what I was going to say.  I'm into my third paragraph, and all I'm focusing on...See, it just happened again.  I'm not sure how I was going to complete that thought.  I'm about read to throw in the towel, to use a bad sports metaphor.

Before I do throw the towel into the proverbial ring, I need to welcome the newest official follower of Saint Marty.  Welcome, Mrs. Katie.  I hope you find your time in the...OK, just had another brain hiccup.  I think what I was going to say is that I hope you find your time in the middle of my neuroses entertaining/amusing/not too annoying.

That's all I got this morning, folks.  Like Scrooge, I just woke up in the middle of a prodigiously tough snore.

Saint Marty just...lost his train of thought again...He will...Oh, screw it...

I know how he feels

September 10: Fall Back Festival, New Cartoon, Autumn

It has been a gorgeous autumn day.  Yes, folks, I said autumn.  We can no longer delude ourselves.  Summer is over.  We are in the second week of September.  The kids are back in school.  The leaves are changing colors.  A few mornings this past week, there was actually frost on my windshield.  Of course, that can happen mid-July in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, but you get the idea.  It's Fall.

Tomorrow afternoon, Mitchell United Methodist Church in Negaunee is having its Fall Back Festival.  That means we're setting up tables and chairs and grills in the parking lot, renting a bounce house for the kids, and playing live praise music for a few hours.  If you want some free hot dogs and pop (soda, for those of you from Wisconsin) and some really good tunes, show up.

I spent most of the afternoon looking over poetry for Passages North, the literary magazine I help edit.  I actually enjoyed it.  Just talking about poetry makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.  It's like drinking gin and tonics all day without having to worry about a designated driver or a hangover.

By the way, I would like to welcome the newest follower of Saint Marty.  My friend, Linda, became official in the last 24 hours.  I may make my goal of having ten followers by Christmas.  I'm just happy to know that people are actually reading what I write.

Well, I have a new cartoon for you this evening.  Hope it makes you laugh.  Please, stop by Mitchell UMC tomorrow afternoon.  Get some free food.  Say "hi" to the handsome guy with the halo playing keyboard in the band.  You don't have to become a member of the church.  There will be no preaching.  It's just about hot dogs, music, and fellowship.

Saint Marty promises.

Confessions of Saint Marty