But what I really meant to say in my last post was this: I really don’t have many regrets. And, as Benjamin Hoff said in The Tao of Pooh back in 1983, “What could have been is not necessarily would have been.” I am pretty keen on the person I am, and that includes all the mistakes I’ve made, the opportunities I’ve missed, and the wounds I’ve suffered, as well as the challenges I’ve overcome and the people I’ve loved. I mean, I could have studied the history and philosophy of science way back when, but I would not be the person I am today, so that’s okay by me.

So. No regrets.

So I finished my second story yesterday. It’s called “Breakfast at Carcosa”, and it’s a mashup of The King in Yellow (which I’ve not read in decades), and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which I’ve neither seen nor read in an even longer stretch of time. And it’s got a trans main character, whom I didn’t realize was trans until two-thirds through the story. It was interesting getting into her head. I will have to get some sensitivity readers, though, before I dare put this story into the world. Honestly, I knew there would be some elements of Robert W. Chambers, but the Truman Capote twist I wasn’t expecting.

Here’s my next prompt, this time with an actual photograph of the Story Engine cards I used. You read along the bottom of the string of cards, and in this case I get this prompt:

A soldier wants to stop the theft of a giant machine, but it will mean breaking a promise.

I already know how this story is going to go; it’s loosely inspired not just by the cards above but by a dream I had several months ago that’s been floating about my head ever since. Suffice to say I’ll probably need to do some fact-checking with my Episcopalian friends and find some nuns to run it past. The dodo picture above is a hint.

ALSO! I’ve decided to learn German. Why? you ask. Well, just because. I want to stretch my brain in different ways. I studied German a bit in college because a language was required for a liberal arts degree (did you know I studied philosophy? You should by now). I studied Spanish in high school, and I’m still a little conversant in that language; I also studied some French in junior high, and I can still recognize some written words. I have friends who speak German and I’m pretty sure they will be willing to help me out. Maybe someday I’ll even go to Germany where I will find that I won’t be able to communicate with anyone despite knowing the language. Such things happen.

I hope y’all have a pleasant day. Be excellent. Be kind.