My Cardboard Balcony

Aw, man, I was just getting back into the OneWord groove! Oh, well. Hopefully the site will be updated tomorrow.

by Belinda Roddie I watched as her sleeping form slowly moved up and down in time with her breathing. She was beyond beautiful. Her tangled hair lay in mossy, brown-blonde clumps against the pillow, her hand still gripping the fuzzy arm of a teddy bear that had belonged to her for many, many years. Her other arm was around me, stiff and insistent, her palm pressed almost compassionately against my chest. Anna had been completely blind for nearly two years now, and since then, she absolutely hated to sleep alone. I certainly was not against being beside her - after all, I needed her almost as much as she needed me, just for different reasons. When she wasn't dreaming, her eyes, though glazed with a faint fog like you were overlooking San Francisco from a ferry, were still a gorgeous green that captivated me every time I gazed into them. Whether or not she could do so, I know that Anna wanted to gaze back. I had become her caretaker when she had first started losing her sig...

Lonely fisherman on the sea, what does your face do when you think of me? Reel's off-kilter, rod's broken, too. Nothing much to catch in this spot of blue. Drifting by the boats going two by two, wondering what happened between me and you. Lonely fisherman on the sea, lost in the cold foam of reverie. Lost in the cold foam of memory. Lost in the cold foam of memory.

Tonight, I'm not going to use the Fourth of July as a shameless opportunity to analyze my role as an American in a world that is far from perfect. I'm not going to take a bunch of time and text in order to emphasize my appreciation for my country while also acknowledging its many problems. I'm not going to indulge too much in any remote patriotism, nor in any over-the-top cynicism regarding the nation where I reside. It's not necessary. And do you know why? Because it's late, I had an amazing day with my family, and I am now exhausted. Introspection, ironically, can wait for another day. Have a great night and a great weekend, everyone.

This is an untitled, unfinished novel that was technically left alone in late 2008. However, the last time it was modified and checked for errors was 2011, where upon I decided that the absurdity of the plot combined with the sloppy British research was too much for the story to continue. However, seeing as this is Whims of the Time Traveler, it's a perfect example of my first attempt at long fiction, so I've decided to unabashedly display it. Have fun. Untitled: Chapter Seven by Belinda Roddie Traveling through England with only a bag full of clothes and basic bathroom supplies, as well as about two hundred and thirty pounds in your pocket, is not a joy ride. While I may not have had to succumb to a pure survivalist’s strategy, I as well, as any other Brit, were aware of the consequences of simply wandering through such an expansive, populated country. There was no peaceful journey music, no fade-ins and fade-outs like in the cinema. Granted, I was lucky to do most of my...

The ham was in the oven, the firecrackers were set on the table, and I could faintly hear Sousa on the cheap radio that my uncle kept on the patio. It was hot, humid, and sticky, and I pushed the already short sleeves of my blue shirt up higher, exposing raw flesh yet to be chewed on by mosquitos. My mother handed me a sparkler, patting me on the shoulder. "Your father's favorite holiday," she reminded me. I rolled my eyes.

I Can't See Colors by Belinda Roddie I can't see colors - all is black and white. I'm not a dog, but still, I cannot tell if you're wearing a blue shirt or a bright green one. It's all gray to me, a gray Hell of dull shades, dull hues, dull tints, dull shadows of lifeless grass, sunlight, even ketchup bottles. I can't even see red, which blows, because I'm sure the color red is much cooler than all the others. When I kiss my girlfriend, I don't see pink in her lips. I can't compliment her on the long list of nail polish that she applies. Still, it's an exciting, fun world, despite the flat lack of all color for me. Fancy that.