Carnival of The Storytellers 10th Edition

Welcome to edition number 10 of The Carnival of Storytellers.

This edition was fun to work. A few of the posts brought out strong reactions and made the task this week much more fun.

If you are a regular reader you might be interested to know that Elvis D's latest entry was booted for gratuitous sex and language, and several more were not included due to bouts of stupidity and boringness (is that a word?).

Read on and enjoy the posts that made the cut!

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I found this post interesting even though I could not understand about 20% of it due to frequent use of a language I cant understand. Sometimes Toe is kind enough to roughly interpret, most other times you just gotta go with the flow and guess what the words mean. She presents Matabungkay, Part 1 (the Journey) posted at kurokuroatbp, saying, "Story of my childhood days when the family would go to the beach on a jeepney."






Here’s a slightly unusual post for a carnival- TherapyDoc presents Courage posted at Everyone Needs Therapy, saying, "Extraordinary Comebacks--I had to review the book. Would it inspire you? More than therapy? Maybe yes, maybe no." So she gets a free book in hopes it will be read and commented on, it does AND lands in a blog carnival, and all she gets is the free book? TherapyDoc- I am a marketing, sales and product development consultant, and it seems to me you’re selling yourself short here. Get the publisher to agree to give you points on sales or something!

In this next post, Alfa King writes eloquently about the dangers “journalists” are facing abroad. While I in NO way want “journalists” to be harmed, I can’t get over the fact that I don’t trust anyone who claims to be a “journalist.” Especially when “journalists” claim to be unbiased and always report things exactly as they happened without any filter or slant. I would attribute that ability to Jesus, but beyond Him, everyone has an angle. He presents Reporters and Journalists, beware posted at Alfa King Memories.





Excellent post! I really enjoyed this, and was transported back many years to those exciting childhood kickball games. They seemed so important then- the whole world revolved around the game. Each recess we SPRINTED to the field in order to maximize the time for the game. travis simpson presents On Kindergarten, Kickball & the Absence of Cynicism posted at Symbolscape.





Very well-written and funny post about the madness of being male. Totally dug it. There was a comment to the post that mentioned the age-old complaint from women that men never put the toilet seat back down. Women think that is being inconsiderate. I ask you, if women are so considerate, why don’t they lift the toilet seat back up for us men? Brent Diggs presents The Ominous Comma » Hormone Poisoning posted at The Ominous Comma, saying, "I carefully concealed story about my wife and I surrounded by a scientifical mocumentary"

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Surmounting Marriage posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog. Two posts in a row that go straight to the heart of the matter: the battle of the sexes. Is there anything more fun to talk about and dive into then the beauty and humor of how women and men are different? To truly appreciate it one must admit to the faults and frailties of one’s own sex and not just claim and cling to the strengths. We are ALL wonderfully designed and made, and need each other to navigate life.

An occasional mild profanity almost kept this out, but it is such fun reading I couldn’t leave it homeless. Rickey Henderson presents posted at Riding with Rickey, saying, "Oh you're gonna love this story... its a doozy."






Samir Bharadwaj presents How to anti-crash a wedding in 5 easy steps - a case study posted at SamirBharadwaj.com. I decided to include this post even thought I couldn’t get through it all. I sort of lost interest about 3 paragraphs in. If you read through it, leave a comment to let us all know if we should too :)

I too have a deep love and respect for those that have worn the suit of armor to protect and serve our great nation. There has never been, and will likely never be another- United States of America. Jack Yoest presents Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery posted at Yoest.com, saying, "Every time we’ve made the left turn onto Eisenhower Drive, and passed through the imposing brick gates of Arlington National Cemetery, I’ve been overwhelmed with emotion. Family members of those buried at Arlington National Cemetery are given a special pass and may drive onto the Hallowed Grounds to visit the grave of their loved one. It’s an enormous honor which makes me feel humbled."





Interesting. One of the benefits of running this carnival is…its mine. I am absolute ruler. I decide what gets in and what doesn’t. I also get to have a somewhat one-sided argument about the posts. Sure, someone can leave a comment, but then again, I can always delete it. So anyway, here is my take on this post. I believe Vera Nadine is either lying or deluded. She is either trying so hard to be important or fit in this world, or she is hearing voices and seeing things that are either imagined or evil. I find it absolutely amazing people believe in this stuff and yet think the concept of one true God, and his Holy Spirit and Son made man to save us is preposterous. It makes my head spin. She presents Medium Adventures: The Geisha Girl posted at Vera Nadine - Discovering true hope through the magic of spirit, saying, "A spirit psychic details her encounter with the spirit of a Geisha Girl."





Awesome! While I in no way celebrate the needless killing of creatures, surely this gent had a right to strike out and end the life of this pesky critter. I know from experience. Last year I had to BB-gun murder a bird that had taken up residence between the stone and wood of my house, clicking and chirping constantly a mere 6 inches from my favorite family room chair. It was a true single shot, and instant death. travis simpson on the other hand needed two shots. He presents Cock Blocking posted at Symbolscape.

*****C*A*R*N*I*V*A*L***OF***T*H*E***S*T*O*R*Y*T*E*L*L*E*R*S*****

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of the storytellers using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.






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Carnival of The Storytellers 9th Edition

I have noticed that The Carnival of the Storytellers is like most blog carnivals- you have good editions, and not-so-good editions.

The difference is simply the balance of posts being compelling and interesting versus just ok. This edition I am placing in the 'better than average' column.

Of the 17 posts submitted for this edition, I only chose 9 to include.

Of those 9, I would say 3 rank as very good.

I have chosen my three- would be interested to know your three favorites as well. Enjoy.

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Yes! This post is brilliant! Though I do not agree with all that Jon and his terrible mother espouse (you can pick those things up while wading through the sarcastic humor), Jon certainly did a wonderful job of praising his mother in a very creative and fun way. Bravo. Jon Swift presents My Mother Is a Terrible Person posted at Jon Swift, saying, "I know Mother's Day is usually a time when one says nice things about one's mother, but I must be honest: My mother is a terrible person."

Amanda Rose wrote a wonderful post about drive and purpose, and the roles they play in our mental health. That dime-store analysis is totally mine, and I am most certainly not certified or credentialed to publish that sort of analysis treading onto the sacred ground of proper therapists. I do, however, own this blog and carnival, so there. Amanda presents Rugged Mountain Woman, Back from Hiatus posted at Rebuild from Depression Blog.

OK- this is amazing. I love blogs about real-life, but it is hard to write these types of blogs and make them interesting on a regular basis. Truth is, not enough interesting things happen in life to sustain a daily blog. Most lives anyway. Once in a while, from out of the blue (literally in this case), life throws us something truly interesting. Stephanie certainly had an interesting event occur that altered the events of her day, and her dinner plans. Check out Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood: CRASH! posted at Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood.

Although this post certainly fits in the "Real Life" category the author submitted it in, after reading I decided to place it in the Mystery category. It truly is a mystery. And a fun read- a glimpse into a room far more revealing and private than the bedroom- the family kitchen. TherapyDoc presents Going Home, Part One posted at Everyone Needs Therapy, saying, "Going home to the 'rents is a set up for certain disasters."

Elvis is back! And made it in through the creative use of words that aren't quite profane, but allude to the profane. Well done Elvis D. He presents The Quiet Bar posted at 365fiction, an interesting short tale about an intriguing and beautiful woman just back from her husband's funeral.

A touching story of a man that seeks to bless all those around him. Inside his heart is obviously heavy for those around them- asking God to bless and care for strangers on the tube in London. It reminds me of a wonderful quote from C.S. Lewis commenting on those that impact earth and those on it by focusing on Heaven and higher things: "If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade, all left their mark on Earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth "thrown in": aim at earth and you will get neither. Damian (EnglishBard) presents The holy man on the train. posted at be the change - tread the path.

This past Sunday our pastor wrapped up a series on tough questions. The last question was 'Why Does God Allow Bad Things To Happen?' I won't go into the details of the great message, but it came to mind right away after reading Patricia's Make the Most of Every Moment: Lessons from the Terminal Illness That Wasn't posted at Patricia.

A brief post meant to inspire during the depths of tedium, practice and preparation. Dianne M. Buxton presents Persisting Through Tedium to Success posted at manifestingsuccess.

Struggled with how to categorize this post. It's not actually a story, and certainly not a fantasy. It's more of an observation of fantasy and adventure stories and the idea hero and companion/sidekick. A fairly interesting read. I would put this one on the "if I have a bit more time to read another post" list. Vijayendra Mohanty presents The sword and horse package posted at M Y P A J A M A . C O M, saying, "An essay on one of the most done-to-death storybook motifs."

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That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of the storytellers using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Carnival of The Storytellers 8th Edition

Hey there Storytellers and Storyreaders-

It's time for edition number 8 at the old Carnival of the Storytellers, and this issue is sure to...to...well, it's actually not sure to do anything.

I must admit I was a bit disappointed with the number and content of the submissions. Am I being too negative? I don't think so...just brutally and non-diplomatically honest.

Here we go....

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From here on out, whenever I have a bad day and think it can’t get worse, I will come back to my blog and read this post by Kara-Leah Masina. Although it ends in a better place than it started, she hasn’t yet reached the happy ending. Check out How to survive near-drowning in an ocean of tears posted at K-L Masina.






Hueina Su presents Life Balance Lessons: 7 Keys to Avoid Burnout posted at Intensive Care for the Nurturer's Soul, saying, "Burnout could greatly impact a person's physical & emotional health, relationships, work, and everyone related to him/her. When you are burned out, you can't function at your best, and everyone you care about suffer with you. It's not difficult to see that there is much at stake. Here are some proactive steps you can take today to prevent (or overcome) Nurturing Burnout."





Corner Scribe writes about her earliest recollection of writing a story. I remember mine- I was in fourth grade and I started a book called “The Band” about four childhood friends that made it big in a rock band. Coincidentally, about that time I had discovered and fell-in love with The Beatles. Hmm. Read Write about your FIRST TIME posted at cornerscribe.com.





This really should be classified under Humor- very funny. Stephanie bares all about when she bared all for a recent massage. Fortunately for her the massage therapist didn’t gasp or cry out. That would have been a bit embarrassing. Can relaxation and embarrassment coexist? posted at Adventures in the 100 Acre Wood.


I must admit- once on a dare I spent an entire evening at a club in Chicago with my friend Achim sporting a British accent. I was amazed at how I was treated. It probably helped that the people I was talking to were a bit altered by adult beverages. Arun goes WAY further than I did and almost gets sucked in to living a lie. He presents Arun Hangs Out With/Cons the Real World/Road Rules Cast posted at Arun is bringing you...Your Daily Remedy, saying, "My Fun yet deceiving encounter with the cast of MTV's "Road Rules" last weekend!"






I have never been a big Ernest Hemmingway fan. In fact, I’m not even a little Hemmingway fan. I tried to read one of his books years ago in school, and the last thing I remember was poking a hot iron in my eye to get out of having to read it and write a report. Al Nye gives us a work of fiction by Hemmingway I thoroughly enjoyed. A first. He presents Greatest Short Story Ever Written -- Just 6 Words posted at Al Nye The Lawyer Guy.


I really struggled with the introduction to this next submission. I tried hard. Really hard. I want to say something nice here but I just can’t find the words, and Jorge seems like such a nice guy and a dedicated father. But, alas, I must honestly give my opinion. This is the worst children’s story I have ever read in my entire life. It was so bad, it was actually fun to read. Sort of. Sorry Jorge. Cowie the Dog posted at Stories From Papi, saying, "The adventure of losing a dog."


*****C*A*R*N*I*V*A*L***OF***T*H*E***S*T*O*R*Y*T*E*L*L*E*R*S*****


That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of the storytellers using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.






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Carnival of The Storytellers 7th Edition

Welcome to the 7th edition of The Carnival of the Storytellers. I am starting out this morning writing the editorial introductions to these fine posts on a cold spring morning. Global Warming is failing us here in the South. Late frost this year has ruined some of our vegetation, cancelled softball games, and yesterday it was snowing on the way to church. On April 15th! In Nashville!

There is a fine batch of reading this week and I am hopeful you will spend some time perusing this editions offerings. Enjoy.

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I greatly enjoy stories that center on a character’s tipping point. That point when the character recognizes that conflict is inevitable, and sets their mind and body to action determined to overcome. Beverly Robertson presents Orange Aid posted at murmuring trees, saying, "This story won the First Friday contest over at Wildbird on the Fly. It is loosely based on fact."

A great post by Karen Shanley! A glimpse into a personal relationship that has implications for us all. It reminded me of something I heard yesterday- a woman was explaining how a friend had recently visited and while chatting over coffee talked about how she is so sad and depressed. After listening to her friend go on and on the woman realized that her friend had said “I” about a hundred times. I am sad. I am depressed. I feel this way. I feel that way. I am lacking direction. I am lacking fulfillment. I. I. I. In Argue for Your Limitations and They?re Yours, Karen lives out exactly what this woman I heard yesterday said is necessary to avoid “I” problems. Dive in and pour yourself into somebody. Serve them. Help them. Teach them. Care for them. By doing this, you end up serving, helping, teaching and caring for yourself in the end.

Elvis D is back to his old self. 3 submissions, 2 banned for sex and language (C’mon Elvis! Get creative! Try to express yourself and tell great stories without them.). One story made it in. Congrats. It is a fairly interesting read about a young boy that dies at the age of 3 and is able to keep an eye on his living family. Check out 365Fiction » Beyond posted at 365fiction.

Don West presents Tale of a 10-Year Old Sniper posted at Idle Minutes, saying, "Bravery, challenge, drama, you'll find it all in this humorous, real-life account a boy soldier in 1968." I have decided to break my own rule. Some minor language issues here, so you kids out there (especially mine) skip this one. Everyone else- fun reading. Memories of my own childhood soldiering came to mind immediately.

Madeleine Begun Kane doesn’t fail us- a funny story awaits you called False Alarm posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog. It brought back a long lost memory for me of getting stranded at a vacation spot.

This next post reinforced one of the reasons I blog. I have always loved the concept of journaling- in fact, I have quite a collection of journals. Nice leather bound books with luscious paper awaiting the careful and methodical application of a fine fountain pen pouring out thoughts, ideas and memories. Problem is I never get around to writing in them. But they sure look nice on my bookshelf. My blog has become my true journal. Something that has the potential to last until the final days of the world. What an amazing concept. Damaria Senne presents Tell me a story about my past posted at African tales in progress, saying, "This article is about how stories about past childhood antics give children a sense of history and stronger appreciation of their parents/grandparents. As an African, feel it's important that Africans their own stories in their own words, rather than letting others say who they are and where they fit in the global community."

A fine family story brought to life by Jasia. She presents First Time Driving posted at Creative Gene, saying, "This is a true story of Lucy's first attempt at driving. She got much better with time ;-)"

Wow. One of parents greatest fears come to life. I can’t imagine what I would feel if this happened to me, but I know what I would do- exactly what Jenny Blackburn did in Absolutely Bananas: Scary posted at Absolutely Bananas, saying, "Sometimes life provides the most intense drama; this is my story."

hellojed presents It's never too late posted at It Had Better Be Good, saying, "How I finally took the step from dreaming of being a writer to actually starting my novel."

Interesting. Walks The Edge presents Summer of Dragonflies posted at walkstheedge.com, and in it she proclaims two very unconventional thoughts. One- she has learned a great deal from a dragonfly. Two- she is her own savior. As for number one, I tend to want to learn from thinking, caring and loving beings- not insects. As for number two, I wonder how she would have fared as her own savior should she have been the one to encounter the trouble Jenny Blackburn did in her story above.

Dizzy. I figured out that’s what I really feel after reading a post from TherapyDoc. In the past I had said that I couldn’t understand half of what she wrote, and that maybe I was too stupid to get it. I realize now that the problem is that I have lived too long in the south. I used to think and speak fast as a northerner. I have been in Nashville for 12 years now and my mind and tongue have slowed to Nashville speed. TherapyDoc thinks and talks/writes too fast for me. I cant keep up, and after I read a post from her I feel dizzy. Check out When the Little Things Go Wrong posted at Everyone needs therapy? Lessons from a family therapist, saying, "When your kids grow up and leave home, then come back, life can be really challenging. Therapydoc recommends staying relativistic, pardon the pun." See? Even her description of the post she wrote makes me dizzy.

This is a new section added to the Carnival of the Storytellers. It’s for those posts that are in no way a story, nor could they be confused for one, but that somehow I still find mildly interesting.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Brain Essay Contest for High School Students posted at SharpBrains, saying, "Let's spread the word of this Essay Contest on Learning and the Brain for high-school students!"

Alex Shalman presents How To Rebound Your Goals posted at Self Help.

PicktheBrain presents How to Write Something Worth Reading posted at Pick the Brain.

*****C*A*R*N*I*V*A*L***OF***T*H*E***S*T*O*R*Y*T*E*L*L*E*R*S*****

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of the storytellers using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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Carnival of The Storytellers 4th Edition

Welcome to the 4th edition of Carnival of the Storytellers.

Spring is around the corner. It’s the time storytellers love. It reloads the story file for another year. No more cold days and nights indoors- instead, its time for barbecues, walks, water, outdoor sports and parties. The things that bring about a higher volume of human contact, and thus, more chances for conversations and observations that provoke learning, new thoughts and ideas, and new stories.

One of those things for me is softball. I coach several girls teams and spring will be spent on various softball fields with friends, parents, and players- precious girls discovering that if they apply themselves they can do great things. Each of the past few years I have head-coached or assisted on three different teams, and played in a co-ed league. This year, with my 5 year old girl starting up, I will be bringing a pup tent and porta-potty with me to the fields.

This carnival is a bit shorter than I had hoped. This is mainly due to people that can’t seem to express themselves without various profanities. I did not include their posts- a surprisingly high number. Creativity and care applied to writing removes almost any need to use profanity except when quoting. And even then, that’s because the speaker being quoted doesn’t care to be purposeful in expressing themselves. It’s a damn shame.


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Karen Shanley details one of those precious nighttime conversations with a child- when they seem to be the most open and honest, ready to question, to learn, to understand, ready to pour out what they are really thinking about or what concerns or scares them. Im not sure if they are 100% into the resulting conversations, or just happy to have tricked me into biting the hook and putting off bedtime a few more minutes. In The Steering Wheel posted at Karen Shanley, an incredible past experience is shared between mother and child that is very well written and captivating . A great truth is laid bare in the story- faith, family and life itself is freedom, and treasure can often times weigh down.

Linda Freedman presents Saying Goodbye posted at Everyone needs therapy? Lessons from a family therapist, saying, "Not everyone has the luxury of taking vacations that leave them feeling "vacated." This doc tells about getting more than she bargained for when she went down to Miami in January."

I have always heard that life is fragile. It hangs on a thread inches away from its nemesis- death. There is another side of life though- a squall of will- a burning desire to do everything and anything possible to sustain itself. Barbra Sundquist presents one small example of just that. Growth Happens, Even In Less-Than-Ideal Conditions posted at WelcomeJoy.com shows that even when forgotten and neglected, life goes on, or at least desparately tries to.






Years ago I worked in a womens shoe store as a manager. I don’t think I have ever been presented with so many fascinating and strange people and situations as I did while there. Sometime soon I will document a few of these on my blog now that I sit here and recall them. 100 Words presents Plates of Meat posted at The Centurion Diaries, and describes how he became a funny story that is now, no doubt, told amongst the staff of a shoe store he recently visited.

Tim Frazier thinks he wrote a post about about a funny adventure he had doing what men do best- trying to do things themselves. In 4Fraziers - TimBlog » The Great Capacitor Explosion - er, Explosions posted at TimBlog, what he really wrote about is what men most often hate to admit- their wives have an intuition that can save men time, money, worry, and in some cases, our lives.






Watching children watch the world is one of my favorite pastimes. To see them almost overwhelmed by the wonder and beauty is so much fun- it rekindles a lost excitement and passion for what grown ups often take for granted. Mama Duck presents Where all the fish were Nemo…. posted at Lil Duck Duck, detailing the wonder her little one had in experiencing the vast undersea world.






Not seen this one before- a love affair, and a Valentines Day note to the beloved, all based on an imaginary relationship. Interesting, and a bit unsettling. Reading it, you want it to be about a real woman in love with her man. It turns out to be true in a way- a creepy way. Nneka presents My Not-So-Secret Love Affair posted at Balanced Life Center, saying, "A story about my love affair with blogging."






Brad Bits placed this post in the carnival under the category of “fiction.” After reading it, I sure hope it is. There is something dark and desperate about the story. It’s a long read, but somehow it keeps you hooked- for me, because I kept reading hoping that this wasn’t true. Brad's Bits: I sleepwalk, posted at Brad's Bits: Stories of slacking in corporate America, is descrbed by the writer as a "Sad and weird story about sleepwalking." Let’s hope it’s a story. How could anyone desire to be a mindless unconscious animal over a thinking and conscious human being? It kind of holds your attention the same way roadkill does as you're driving by. No offense Brad.

*****C*A*R*N*I*V*A*L***OF***T*H*E***S*T*O*R*Y*T*E*L*L*E*R*S*****

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of the Storytellers using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.






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Carnival of The Storytellers 3rd Edition

Welcome to the 3rd edition of Carnival of the Storytellers.

Well…it seemed like a good idea. “Hey- maybe I should have people submit stories about how they met their significant other for the next Carnival…”

I had a few nice folks follow instructions, but others not so much. That’s okay, but I must tell those that did not do what was requested that I will be reducing your grade one full level, and you will NOT, under any circumstances, be allowed to participate in the class party at the end of the Carnival.

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I am a big believer in a world that is about 5% coincidence and 95% intelligent design. Too many things line up to bring about change and action to be chalked up to galactic accidents. Local Girl came within minutes of possibly never meeting her future husband- all because she just didn’t feel up to a night out. Check out Finally Found Prince Charming posted at Local Girl to get the full story. I would bet though, that if she wouldn’t have met him that night, it most likely would have happened another. They are meant to be together, and something as minor as a night of wanting to stay home and relax couldn’t possibly derail true love.

Kathy Maister, the wedding crasher, met her future husband in Meeting David posted at Kathy Maister's startcooking.com. Being a wedding-crasher doesn’t just get you a fun and free party- sometimes it can get you a brand new mate. I have crashed a few weddings in my time- there is just something so fun about walking in and immediately being able to have raucous laughter and conversation with people you absolutely don't know, while they ply you with fine food and drink.

I will wrap up this special section of the Carnival with my own short recounting of how I met Michelle, after which we will move on to the trouble makers that didn’t follow instructions.

I met Michelle just before Thanksgiving Day 1982 when I was 16 years old. Our family had just moved to the area, and the church we were attending (The Gaithersburg Church of the Nazarene) had a fun tradition. A certain family that attended there would invite anyone over for Thanksgiving dinner that didn't have other plans or family in town. It was insane. A house full of adults wandering around the upper floors of a big house with plates of turkey and dressing, while everyone under 18 was in the basement playing ping-pong, pool and other assorted games. I wandered down to the basement not knowing anybody, and started the ritual work of trying to make friends, fit in, and not look like a loner goofball. Shortly after making the rounds in that massive basement, I spotted an attractive young lady looking to be about my age, and made my move. “Hey there- what’s your name?” I chatted her up and really liked her. After a few minutes of conversation she mentioned that she was 13 years old and in the 8th grade. Yikes! At 16, if you realize the person you are attracted to is more than a year younger you instantly feel sick to your stomach and put the brakes on. “So…umm…do you have an older sister by any chance?” I said with a grin, seeking to end the conversation. “Yes- I do. Her name is Michelle and she’s right over there.”


And now for the class clowns…




I found this next post to be very interesting. An exhaustively detailed and accurate recounting of the history of Valentines Day- Jarod Kearney’s Romance in a Mass-Produced Envelope: The History of Valentine's Day posted at Jarod's Forge. It is so historically accurate and dead-on that is should be uploaded to Wikipedia.







Adam presents us with a rather distrurbing parable of life and death incarnate. I tried my best to read the message within the story, but either I just don’t get it, or I am in total disagreement with what I think the message is. And now, a random parable of my own making posted at Sophistpundit, seems to say to me that there isn’t anything worth laying your life down for. I just don’t agree. Maybe I am missing the point. What do you think?

Jarod Kearney makes his second appearance of the carnival with a fun short story based in ancient and modern day Rome. I loved it- not only do I dig fiction mixed with history, I love to read about Rome and the ancient Roman empire. A fun and quick read. Check out A Historical Short-Story: "The Mechanism" posted at Jarod's Forge







I enjoy learning about any kind of history, and reading about historical places, people and events. This includes the history all around us- generations before that walked the same places we do now. In Tim Abbott’s post, Now and Then at Walking the Berkshires, he takes a photo of his grandparents home from the same location and angle as one taken 60 years prior and talks about all that has changed over the years.

Suldog’s story Solomon The Milkman posted at Suldog-O-Rama, is awesome. It describes his paternal grandfather's adventures as a temporary Jew in a neighborhood in Boston many years ago. It’s shorter than Id like it to be, but a very fun read. I think its got the right stuff to turn into a “inspired by a true story” book with lots of funny possibilities for an nice Irish gent in the midst of his Jewish customers. I can picture in my mind Zero Mostel dancing around with a milk jug in his hand singing "If I Were A Rich Man" in a thick Irish accent. Now that's entertainment.







I enjoy original ideas and concepts, and this blog and the post submitted would most certainly fit into the “original” folder. flic presents Institutionalized but not forgotten posted at American Center for Surreal and Paranoid Life. It is the sad story of a man enduring the consequences of a psychological disorder, who decides he wants to write childrens stories, the first of which is found at the link at the bottom of the post. An interesting and intriguing read.

Sarah Winfrey presents 55 ways young couples can save money for their wedding posted at Wisebread. This is for any readers that will score big this Valentines and have a wedding in the near future. It is a very detailed post with tons of information for young couples. So much so, that after reading through it, I am more thankful than ever that those days are past for me.

Karen Lynch describes so well that life happens while your busy doing other things…it is not something that finally arrives when you are done getting everything squared away. Her post The Joy and the Journey posted at LivethePower are private thoughts laid bare- about the joy of thinking, planning, doing and sharing. It reminded me of two quotes I like: “To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labor.”-Robert Louis Stevenson, and “One day in retrospect the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.”- Sigmund Freud (In my humble opinion, one of the few wise things Mr. Freud ever said).


*****C*A*R*N*I*V*A*L***OF***T*H*E***S*T*O*R*Y*T*E*L*L*E*R*S*****


That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of the Storytellers using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.






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Carnival of The Storytellers 2nd Edition

Here we are at the Carnival of the Storytellers 2nd Edition, and I am pleased at the increase in submissions.

My goal for the first edition was to get 5, and while technically I met that number, I had to eliminate one due to some very graphic language and had to throw in one of my own to get to a final count of 4. This edition my goal was 10 and I got 12 without having to pull out one of my own. Cool!

I hope you enjoy the work of these fine bloggers- be sure to stop by and leave a comment.

*****C*A*R*N*I*V*A*L***OF***T*H*E***S*T*O*R*Y*T*E*L*L*E*R*S*****

I love to read things that make me think. That challenge me. That point out inconsistencies and problems in my life that maybe I hadn’t noticed before (or more likely, noticed and then quickly forgot). Charles H. Green's Trust, Freedom and Resentment posted at Trust Matters is a great post that reminds us that we can- we must- control anger. Anger is always a choice, and one that more often than not brings no life or benefit to it's owner. His post is reflective and though provoking, and he set's it up by asking this simple rhetorical question: "Trust requires the ability to get outside oneself. Why do I find that so hard to do?"

Andrea Dickson opens the kimono in a brutally honest soul searching way. A twenty-something struggling with growing up and the challenges that cause us all to ponder our long term financial security. Read her post Bourgeoisie Guilt: Can I Conquer My Vanity for the Sake of My Sanity? posted at Wisebread, and have fun- I enjoyed her writing style. I do have two pieces of advice for Andrea, even though she didn’t ask for any: 1) Check out http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/ - it is one of the best free sites around for building wealth and making good financial decisions. A friend of mine writes it, and he's not out to get anything from his readers except their respect. 2) Marry your boyfriend. From the brief description you gave, I predict he will be a millionaire in less than 10 years. If he doesn’t propose to you, then you go ahead and ask him. Trust me.

CabSav presents What do you do if you know the novel you are writing is already out-of-date? posted at A novel idea. So- it seems I've found someone else that thinks out loud through their typing. Get inside CabSav's head by reading his short post as he ponders how he should either save or kill his online novel.

I loved this post! Madeleine Begun Kane talked about heading down the river in a ‘tube’ in Tubing Blues posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog. As a man, husband of a wife that does not enjoy life-threatening activities, and a dad of four girls, I can empathize with her husband and totally understand why he egged Madeline into the journey. The hope- the big payoff- is if at the end, at least a couple members of the family had a good time and want to do it again- the wife is the key of course. Too bad for Madeleine's husband. I'm not sure he is aware that nevermore will he head down the rapids with his wife.

Just this morning someone mentioned a quote to me that ties in with Karen Lynch's presentation If You Can Breathe You Can Do Anything. He said "encouragement is the oxygen of the soul." Karen has jumped into a long lost hobby thanks to her child, and is finding a new passion that you can tell she is quite excited about. Posted at LivethePower.

Everywhere around us are people that could inspire and challenge us if we just took the time to ask them about their life and their most challenging or rewarding experiences. Nael C. Robes in Women who inspire me - part 2 posted at Another Door Opens finds just such a person right in her own family – her grandmother.

Dr. Jane Chin presents What Moves Us posted at Jane Chin PhD, saying, "We do not always know what moves people. This is why it is important to share what you are inspired to share, even when in retrospect you wonder how what you wrote would make any difference." In the post, Jane says "Ignore your assumptions and your self doubt when it comes to sharing your creativity with others." That reminded me of a friend who took up oil painting a few years back. She had never done anything like it before. And I will admit now, the first few months she did it and showed off her work, I didn’t think she should have picked it up. Now, years later, her work is wonderful. Great colors, shapes, concepts. What would have happened if she wasn’t brave enough to have opened up and shared her creativity?

Karen Shanley's story of her relationship with her father is incredibly touching. So much of who we are, what we believe, what we think about our own value and abilities stems from our relationship with our father. In Painting the Air posted at Karen Shanley, she gives us a glimpse into her personal life, her father's heart, and how well-chosen words backed by actions can give a child a foundation that enables them to change the world- or simply change another's life. The only thing bad I can say about her post is that it's just one more pressure point to add to the arguments from my four daughters to get a dog. Ugh.

This next post is a very well written exploration of the power of the mind to limit us. I do think Craig Harper should connect with Karen Shanley and Karen Lynch (see their posts above)- they might provide some good positive stories to counter the sad one's he presents in Beliefs posted at Renovate your life with Craig. He says "We handicap ourselves if we're not regularly re-assessing all, or some, of our beliefs. Don't believe something just because your dad did. Maybe your dad was wrong! Too many people struggle through life, crippled by their destructive beliefs and self-imposed (totally unnecessary) limitations." Proof again of the power of parents to build up or tear down their children.

Maureen presents Marching to the Internet · Empty Nest posted at Empty Nest, saying, "How the youth of two generations changed society." I enjoyed reading her post, and respect her opinion, but I don't agree with her at all. But that's ok- it's cool to have differing opinions expressed, and I encourage you to stop by and check out what's on her mind.

Laura Young presents More on Life Purpose: Sometimes You Leave Clues posted at Dragon Slayer, saying, "Ever wonder what your purpose is and who you really are? Me too. Seems I'm always the last to know but if I look at the stories I tell in my photography, my poetry and even how I ate soup as a kid, the clues are everywhere!"

Mark A. Rayner presents Fiction Fridays: Any Port in a Storm posted at the skwib. It's a creepy and very violent tale of Sam and his wife Linda, and how their life was dramatically changed over drinks while sitting at a quiet neighborhood Irish Pub.


That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Carnival of the Storytellers using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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