My Cardboard Balcony

by Belinda Roddie The fates wove all of our lives into a pinstripe suit. And the Fat Man in the Sky wore it proudly with his black hat. He strode to his office in all his mortality-patterned glory before making calls to his wife. The fates sewed all of our dreams into a purple dress. And the Fat Man in the Sky's wife wore it to all her galas. She sipped her martinis and loved the compliments she received for the gown. "Just some patchwork of futile wishes," she'd say, and then she'd eat another olive. The fates embroidered all of our hopes onto a black cape. And the Brother of None let it billow behind him as he stood upon a white hill. All the elitists he hated lived below in the World That Continued To Turn, and so he draped himself in desires that may never be attained. And they were written out in golden thread. Always in golden thread. The fates stitched our memories into a satchel. And the satchel held pieces of silver for the Beggar. He was ...

Would you like to take a ride on the Mediterranean sea? On a motorboat for three, but just two is fine with me. We'll have a picnic on the beach and a personal jubilee. I have everything prepared; all you have to do is agree.

Wow. This was...this was a roller coaster of a week, people. I mean, there's legitimately no other way to describe it. I know it's a cliché...but it's an accurate cliché. Don't get me wrong, a lot of the week was wonderful. I celebrated the sixth anniversary of my first date with Arden and the third anniversary of my proposal to her (same day, obviously different year) - delicious sushi was eaten, and we got to spent some quality time together. I was able to collaborate and bond with both students and fellow teachers doing a super secret project*, and that was so fulfilling. I was able to find a lot more music to listen to, which I always enjoy, especially since most of it is of the Celtic, folksy variety. And in a matter of two nights, I adapted one of my short stories into a short film. Which is awesome. Picture of the title page below: So yeah, a lot of good stuff happened this week, and even now, I'm working on this introspection while staying at my in-la...

You Gotta Hit 'Em Real Hard by Belinda Roddie Dealing with inner demons? Try a baseball bat! It works.

No update on the OneWord website tonight. Happy Friday!

The Sparkles by Belinda Roddie The sparkles on her dress glittered and gleamed as she walked down the long spiral staircase, looking like something that I'd only dreamed of seeing in an unfamiliar place. She smiled at me, in my black vest and tails, and I felt my heart shudder in my chest at her beaming visage. I tried and failed to hide my glee, so I thought it was best to simply bask in the moment. Her mom took pictures of us, though her father hid in the living room, which made me quite calm, knowing he wouldn't act so bigoted on this special night. My date took my hand, the sparkles on her dress so bright and grand.

Perhaps only once a century, she emerges from the sea and leaves trails of saltwater on sidewalks and asphalt streets that normally never touch the ocean. Sometimes she slithers toward the closest drive-thru and orders a large milkshake and fries - never a burger. You can hear her slurping down her fast food close to the shore; even monsters of the deep get hungry.