Happy Christmas Eve, everyone. LYF, I took a shot at the comp, but my entry fell apart. Overly complicated sci-fi about the same Christmas occurring over and over again. It was forced and not nearly sexy enough.

I hope everyone who celebrates is having a relaxed and joyful Christmas Eve. And for those of you who feel like Christmas is a slow walk through a haunted house (and Lord knows I've been there), be kind to yourself, and get through the day.

Have a wonderful new year, Rumpies. See you in the funny pages.

Quote by David_LeRoy

Good morning all.

Please forgive my recent absence. The holidays are difficult this year as this is the first I’ve had to face without Simmie with me. Its been hitting me a bit harder than I realized

I went out to buy my Thanksgiving dinner and I will prepare a meal, but making a meal for one seems pointless. Yet, I feel doing nothing would only darken my morass.

The holidays are going to be difficult and I wish I could travel back to ca to see my new great niece but alas I cannot.

I’m taking a few days away for myself. Hopefully I’ll be back to being myself once Thursday has passed.

Happy Thanksgiving to all, whether you live in the US or in the international sphere.

That sounds tough, David. Been there. Be kind to yourself. You don't have to acknowledge Thanksgiving if it feels wrong. I've ignored it more than once. Just get through the day.

Happy Thanksgiving all.

Prefer an emotional connection

Would you rather cook dinner or have it cooked for you?

Met in an elevator at work, had sex on the office couch

What city has been the most sexually active for you?

Aloe

What's the coolest gift you ever got?

Quote by JamesLlewellyn

But then, someone did say that American football embodies American culture:

Committee meetings interspersed with violence.

Now BASEBALL, OTOH!

(shrugs and wanders back to Kimmi's Korner)

I believe it was George Will who said that.

I hope everyone is well. I would love a coffee.

I can! My Dad bought a sailboat during his midlife crisis. Way better than a mistress or a sports car.

What's the coolest car you've ever driven?

Lots of experiences give me complete joy. Sex. Love. The night sky. Music. Reading. Writing. Lego. Pez.

What pisses you off on a daily basis?

Yes to both.

Have you ever been bitten by something venomous?

I'm starting a paranoid conspiracy novel about evil creeping into a small Iowa town via old technologies, like cassette tapes and VCRs and analog TV signals.

I'm a dyed in the wool go-with-the-flow kinda guy.

Do you jump out of bed in the morning or linger?

Here's another:

Some say the world will end in fucking,

Some say in dust.

From what I’ve tasted when I've gotten lucky

I hold with those who like to fuck-y.

But if I had to turn to rust,

I think I know enough of dust

To say that for destruction lust

Is also great

And would be a must.

- Bobby Frosty

Clever.

Those baby sharks are super cool, Kimmie. Enjoy the vaycay!

Yikes, Kat. Hope your mystery infection is solved. That sounds unpleasant and scary.

I have to stop drinking coffee at noon! Aaaaaaagghhh! I have a heart stress test tomorrow and have to have a 24 hour caffeine fast. We shall see if I survive. I can't eat chocolate either, but I ate a LOT this weekend, so we're good.

GREAT World Series, even if the wring team won. I feel ya, BJ fans. You deserved a win. No baseball for checks watch 142 days.

NO coffee please, and no candy. I'll have a freakin salad.

Quote by JamesLlewellyn

(wanders in, slumps onto th bar)

Well, FUCK!

There is no joy in Hogtown.

Next year won't be as magical. The Jays will lose about 7 of their players to free agency, potentially including Bo Bichette.

I won't rehash the game. I can't.

Get yer own coffee and tea. I'm gonna hide in Store Room #4.

I feel you. I was rooting hard for the BJs too. Bo Bichette is a baseball god, small g.

Also bummed baseball season is over for checks watch 145 days. Maybe the Mets will have a real team next year.

I hope everyone went out for half-price Halloween candy yesterday! We did!

Coffee please. Still trying to wake up, even after that extra hour of sleep.

Quote by PrincessC
What works for me: gardening - and I mean in the soil not the slang for weed although that’s fun too.

Gardening is slang for weed? Good to know.

I've struggled with it too, though it's been better lately. My two cents:

• Like many others said, walking really helps. Exercise, cool rocks to pick up, gets you out of your head.

• Writing. Every day. Let writing be the lens through which which you view the world.

• I watch a lot of baseball, which I find deeply calming in a way I cannot fully explain. That's probably just me, though.

• Let go of the bullshit. The people who hurt you, the lucky break you never got. Live in the present.

I just learned today that witches will allegedly record spells on cassette tapes and wrap the tape around personal objects to curse people.

So I figure there's a story in there somewhere.

Quote by techgoddess

Kat burglar...cute! LOL!

But the theft at the Louvre came after the wedding, so I'm in the clear! The necklace came as a set with matching earrings and a bracelet from Amazon. It was meant as a nod to the style of diamond necklace my daughter wore. She LOVED that! (And I loved spending way less on my jewelry than I did on hers...LOL).

You look lovely Kat. Congrats to you and your daughter.

Quote by JamesLlewellyn

Well! I wasn't sure that Jane was on the menu this morning, seeing as she was banned from Stock Room #4.

Interesting choice of goodies, that.

OK, so I've had two more rejections from major literary agencies who don't want to represent my father's autobiography.

At least I'm being rejected by the best.

I have a conference call with an agent this morning who has expressed interest in perhaps representing it, so I'll let you know how it goes.

Meanwhile, since Kimmi thinks I'm just a big softie, I'll grab a much of Red Rose and wander back to see if she's up to her proverbials in stink bugs. I'll ask Terrance to get after them. I'm sure he'll find them tasty – rather like garlic to humans!

Oh, and BTW, I have an entry that I'm pretty sure will make Kimmi's skin crawl – but then, she SAID she wanted horror, so horror I will bring!

As soon as I get a chance to write it, that is…

😈

Y'all take care out there, y'here?

If it makes you feel any better, Bear, I am shopping a book around and am on the big rejection merry-go-round myself. It ain’t for the faint of heart, this writing thing.

A coffee would be swell.

Quote by Milik_the_Red

I'll admit I don't recognize your handle but after looking at your work I'm going to assume I knew you as Verbal. and you better because I’m going to be extremely embarrassed if you’re not.

But thank you about the pups and it’s really good to see you again.

and if I have seen it and forgot, I’m just going to claim that I have CRS

Because I can’t remember shit about anything🤣🤣 it’s

Don't be embarrassed! It is me, Verbal. I changed my name for reasons not entirely clear to me, several years later. At any rate, good to see you again. Congrats on the Omnium!

I can't remember shit about anything either.

Hey Fuzzy! Nice to see you as well. Hey Kimmie, hey, James.

A coffee please, with a medicinal gummie dissolving lazily at the bottom of the cup.

How come no one told me there is a David Foster Wallace admirer writing at Lush these days?

Excellent story: https://www.lushstories.com/stories/straight-sex/infinite-minutiae

I hope everyone is well. Nice doggos, Milik. My apologies for not being around lately. I do have an idea for an erotic story, so maybe a comp will present itself that forces me to write it.

In the meantime, I'll be in a back booth with the paper and a coffee.

Quote by KimmiBeGood

Morning, Rumpies

Happy Birthday, David! 🎂😀

Congratulations, Bear! 😀

And if you are looking for a really good, short read, I suggest this one from Verbal on Moby Dick (not porn, btw) 🤣 Although Verbal writes great erotica, too!

https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/memoirs/riding-with-ishmael

Thanks for that Kimmi. I pop in once every couple months these days - so nice to see a mention!

Good luck on the book, James.

I predict I will be writing a little porn come the holiday season. It puts me in the mood.

hmmm...

This Side of Yes is a great title!

11 years.

My first story: https://www.lushstories.com/stories/exhibitionism/reflections-1

Quote by WannabeWordsmith

Intriguing. Thank you. Swear I tried that and it didn't come up earlier. Fat fingers, sorry.

I definitely tried using the search on amazon.co.uk for "serious moonlight jg cain" and the full collection didn't show up, only (most of) the individual stories did, except chapters 11 and 14, before the list was exhausted.

Yeah, I think due to explicit content it got put in the "dungeon" in England Canada's Amazon. You have to type in in exactly or use a link.

The first time these stories got put on Amazon they were not put in the dungeon. The right-ward tilt of the world continues.

Quote by WannabeWordsmith

In England?! I hope not, but I wouldn't put it past the government. I suspect this is Amazon being all territorial, as they treat countries as silos.

.com != .co.uk

Huh. I always thought you were Canadian.

This link doesn't work?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Serious-Moonlight-Collection-J-Cain-ebook/dp/B0DV5RNN5X

Quote by WannabeWordsmith

This title is not currently available in your area

😭

Must be a victim of that new 25% tariff on porn.

Last day. FREE eBOOK! Serious Moonlight: the Collection

He made his way down her body with hot glacial languor, biting her so that she could feel the sharp burn of the liquor where teeth met skin. The elegant white curve of her neck, then down to the meat of her tits. He lingered on each nipple, biting and pulling, letting the fire of the alcohol inflame her thickening flesh. He moved lower, trailing bourbon, letting a small pool form in her belly button before lapping it back up.

He raised himself onto his knees.

“I am on fire,” he told her.

“Don’t make a fuel of yourself,” she replied, and they both began laughing, pleased this ancient childhood joke still held its power. It did not break the mood, but enhanced it, all aspects part of a larger whole: sex, humor, intellect, emotion. It was one thing. It was all things.

https://www.amazon.com/Serious-Moonlight-Collection-J-Cain-ebook/dp/B0DV5RNN5X/

Quote by Seeker4

See highlighted in snip.

I can't replicate this when I go to Amazon. Is this in the author's pull-down from the Amazon page for the book? That typo is in none of the copy I entered. I think maybe it's computer-generated, based on my copy.

Thanks for the tip. Sorry the Shards didn't make a bigger impression.

https://www.amazon.com/Serious-Moonlight-Collection-J-Cain-ebook/dp/B0DV5RNN5X