Literature
Thomas Franklin, New Fireside Contributor
Thomas Franklin and I became friends in 2006. He was an inpatient at a Substance Abuse Treatment Center where I served as a counselor. That program was a 21 day residential care. There was a stipend program at the Center. This allowed up to two clients to remain residents, receive free food, and free intensive […]
2Dec2017 | Gary Clark | 1 comment | Continued
Terror Pranks By Brothers
It was 1955. I remember because I was on the receiving end of an older brother prank. (I have said before that I come by my prank-ing personality honestly – this is an example). In previous posts I tried to explain my pranks on my younger brothers in a manner that most excuses my errant […]
31Dec2016 | Gary Clark | 2 comments | Continued
A 1964 Christmas Story
It was 1964. Life hadn’t been great. This particular year had been mostly a nightmare. My Mother and Stepfather had separated. Finances were next to non-existent. Me being able to attend school became a burden for my Mother. At only fifteen, I was resigned to possibly, never finishing high school. I was the oldest of, […]
12Dec2016 | Nancy Belle | 1 comment | Continued
thefiresidepost.com is Back On Line. Bluehost, SiteLock, and Malware
What a pain in the whazoo. Sorry for the down time folks. We are back on line. Here is the deal as I understand it. I am not a good wordpress site administrator. My son usually does that work but he actually has a real job so I have been taking care of updating our […]
1Dec2016 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on thefiresidepost.com is Back On Line. Bluehost, SiteLock, and Malware | Continued
Refried Beans In My Chili
OK – right up front, I am an anomaly. Just about every group of people that I run across eventually figures this out. This reality struck me yesterday when I was thinking about supper. Bored and not willing to invest the time in some cuisine of taste and health I rummaged around in my pantry, […]
22Jun2016 | Ohg Rea Tone | 2 comments | Continued
White Suits
Mark Twain enters my mind, Takes a seat, and I become his front porch. For a man with such great potential Of explosive wit and verbiage– He says nothing as he strikes A match… …And lights a fine Cuban cigar. The sun is shining brightly so That the white suit he so […]
21Jun2016 | Josh Clark | 1 comment | Continued
My Practicality
My practicality is a pesky little imp. Like a gremlin sabotaging my Creativity. My creativity rests in the bosom Of Mystery; And this fair lady–she always beckons. She pleads with me to embrace her, Ungrip the secure and chase her. And I start to run– But I find myself tethered. […]
9Jun2016 | Josh Clark | 3 comments | Continued
The Absurdy Of Private Humor
My friend has a girlfriend – she lives in another State. I assumed that refers to geography rather than a mindset. He told me that he called her and they talked for two hours. He called the next day and she reported that she is running out of minutes so she cannot talk again until […]
10Dec2014 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on The Absurdy Of Private Humor | Continued
A Fan’s Guide to Baseball Lingo
From a friend’s facebook post: Baseball Basics: Lingo A fan’s guide to commonly-used terms and phrases. ace — A team’s best starting pitcher. alley– The section of the outfield between the outfielders. Also “gap.” around the horn– A double play going from third base to second to first. backdoor slider — A pitch that appears […]
26Oct2014 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on A Fan’s Guide to Baseball Lingo | Continued
Why Bother With Grammar?
I write. But that does not mean that I write correctly. I am a college graduate, but that does not mean that I use proper grammar. I write intuitively – meaning that my sense of grammar drives my structure – and I am sometimes wrong. Any sophisticated endeavor requires both art and science. The late […]
4Dec2013 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on Why Bother With Grammar? | Continued
For Miranda, A Special Granddaughter
Billy Collins is an inspirational modern poet. There is some amusing irony in this particular Colbert episode with Collins. Collins speaks to writing out of a ‘persona’. The irony is his interviewer is Colbert – a man who lives his life in a persona separate from himself. But this post is not about Colbert or […]
2Nov2013 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on For Miranda, A Special Granddaughter | Continued
Corresponding With an Inmate in the Missouri Department of Corrections
Geez – corresponding with an inmate in the Missouri Department of Corrections can be very rewarding – and very frustrating. I am learning the rules as we go. My friend Joey is serving time for his fourth DWI. I do not dispute the sentence – DWI is a serious offense. Driving while intoxicated is responsible […]
1May2013 | Gary Clark | 1 comment | Continued
12 Step Sayings, One Day at a Time
The first book under the publishing imprint of The Fireside Post is now available on Amazon.com. Search Amazon books for “12 Step Sayings” to quickly find the book. Or click here Over 720 slogans and sayings from 12 Step Programs have been organized by date – from January 1 through December 31. Easy to understand, […]
16Apr2013 | Gary Clark | Comments Off on 12 Step Sayings, One Day at a Time | Continued
Atticus Finch Killed A Dog!
Is context important? Atticus Finch was a lawyer who defended a black man charged with raping a white woman. The locals were pretty angry with Atticus. And angry people will do just about anything to discredit the perceived source of their unhappiness. Imagine the headlines in the morning paper after Atticus shot the rabid dog. […]
10Apr2012 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Atticus Finch Killed A Dog! | Continued
Trayvon and Black on Black Violence
NOTE TO READERS: This post originally contained a racist cartoon image at the top right. Some found it offensive and we agreed. We removed the image and apologize for any hurt. The new picture is of HELL – which is where I am going if I don’t change my ways. I have a facebook friend, […]
27Mar2012 | Ohg Rea Tone | 2 comments | Continued
Recommended Reading – for Adolescents and Young Adults
High School Literature Teachers are really fascinating people. This past year I participated in a School District as an occasional Substitute Teacher. The most memorable and pleasant days were invested in High School Literature classes, where I substituted about ten days. These were memorable days because in every one of the classrooms there were perhaps […]
10Jun2011 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Recommended Reading – for Adolescents and Young Adults | Continued
Pride, Prejudice, Persuasion, Sense, and Sensibility
I have done Jane Austen a disservice. The post was on Romantic Literature as a modern value system. The post suggested that Jane Austen was very predictable – the good guy always gets the good girl, the fool marries the fool. When I wrote that post I had finished Pride and Prejudice and was about […]
9Jun2011 | Ohg Rea Tone | 2 comments | Continued
The Romantic Ideal – Flawed Thinking or Good Old Optimism?
The good guy gets the good girl – and conversely the good girl gets the good guy. Bad guys always lose. High moral standards, good character, hard work, and unwavering principles always find victory. Bad governments do not endure while noble governments prevail. The era of romantic literature has revisited modernity – with predictable disastrous […]
28May2011 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on The Romantic Ideal – Flawed Thinking or Good Old Optimism? | Continued
Let The Wild Man Out
I don’t mean to be chauvinistic – but this post is about men in particular. More specifically, how do boys become men? There are many ideas – participate in sports, become an Eagle Scout, join the military, go to college, get a job and get married and have children – these events will make men […]
28Feb2011 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Let The Wild Man Out | Continued
Faded Roses
A rose blooms. With depth of beauty representative of all of nature. Whether red or yellow, the fragrance enchants. Color does not matter – only purity of exquisite life. Fragrance to capture the soul of the most forlorn. Time passes, roses fade. The memory of the rose grants hope for the next season. Such is […]
5Jan2011 | Ohg Rea Tone | Comments Off on Faded Roses | Continued