Stories - FD Thornton

The family I grew up in was not rich but we were comfortable. We lived the middle class dream. Dad had a stable factory job, mom worked at home, they had a reasonable mortgage, two cars, two sons, a daughter, a cat, and a dog; we couldn’t get more average American.   But today while more Americans are working than ever before, they depend on Snap, WIC, SSI, and subsidized healthcare just to get by; while the CEO’s and businesses Americans work for make record salaries and ever higher corporate profits. What’s wrong with this picture? I have nothing against businesses and corporations making a profit; hell, if they don’t then we’d all be up shit creek. The question I ask is what is fair? Several years back I worked out a business plan for a technology business. Within that plan I had worked out how the business wouldn’t be just a trickle down compensation for hourly paid the employees. Instead the vested employees or partners would share in the profit making a...

Remember Me? That damn blinking cursor, flashing at me, mocking me, as if to say, " So what you gonna come up with this time, Einstein? " Ugh! I hate that thing, but at least it beats that damn paperclip. Thanks, Microsoft. (Here's a link in case you've forgotten Clippy .) Anyway, I've been busy editing my upcoming book, so taking time to create new stuff has not exactly at the forefront of my mind. It's not that I don't want to, it's that at times you just don't have anything to say.  Like I said, when I started typing there was nothing in front of me but a blank screen and a blinking cursor. Great! Now I'm repeating myself. Anywho, being stuck is nothing new, especially for me. For many years I struggled with the fact that I was smarter and better than where I was in life. In fact when someone would ask what I did for a living, I would say, "I'm a monkey with a flashlight" . Now I know we all got to make a living and somet...

Good morning. Before I get "Knee Deep in the Hoopla", I thought I'd clear my head and let you know how things are going. Before I've spoken about my family and how they have been the glue that has held my sanity together. The perceived fact that my wife and kids were so dependent on me to "keep it together" was the anchor that kept me going all these years.   But time has passed and the kids are grown and creating their own lives. All that's left are my wife and special needs son. But in reality, other than keeping the lights on, they do pretty well on their own. So you may ask, what is your point?   Maybe it's to say, it okay to do things for you. Believe it or not I sometimes feel guilty talking about myself all the time. To be honest, the way the world is I find that I have fewer and fewer true friends. You know the kind, the ones you can pour your heart out too. It's not that my friends don't care, it's simply because...

This is a departure from my usual postings, So please allow me to deliver a special message to my birthday girl.   Granny and our Granddaughter I’m sure that many of you that know me personally know the story of me and my wife Lisa. We met way before we were married; in fact my parents attended her father’s church when I was about 16 years old. If you do the Math that makes Lisa around 12 years old around that time. What I remember of her back then was she was just a skinny, friendly kid no self-respecting 16 year old would give the time of day too or at least should. Well time passes and her family moved on and my family moved on, so over the years Lisa and her family became just a pleasant memory. Over the years I grew up, moved out, and got married. The next few years were interesting to say the least, my then bride and I like most lost individuals grew to hate each other, so we divorced. For a little while I moved back in with my grandmother (the div...

My neighbors - FD Thornton As you may know, I do my damnedest to be honest and positive with everything I write. I figured out a long time ago, the world can be a hateful place. So instead of pouring more fuel on that fire, why not spread a more honest and positive message about life. Life is all about ups and downs so focusing too much on one or the other can really screw you up. I'm an admitted news junkie, but lately, while not wanting to put my head in the sand; I'm nearly ready to block EVER news channel on my TV. I want the facts about the issue, not your opinion. The 24 hour news cycle, to create more viewership and Ad dollars, pumps in so many unconfirmed facts and opinion. That once the facts are confirmed, their viewers are so worked up, they're either stocking up bunkers or taking up arms against otherwise innocent lives.  Let's awake up people. While the world looks to be "going to hell in a hand basket", things can still be changed. It...

For the past number of months I have been working on a book dealing with my early childhood. I would work on it for a while then shelve it, then work on it up again only to put it back on the shelf. While this may be a normal process for other writers, for me I tend to work in short bursts. Quickly losing focus on whatever idea I shelved. So for now that project sits in a file on the back of my hard drive hoping I won’t forget it.  As I mentioned before many I have more than my share of flaws, among them is losing focus. It doesn't hurt when I'm producing short pieces like this one. But when I seek to produce a larger work like a novel, I think you can see the problem. The thing is if you want something bad enough, you work to overcome whatever roadblocks you face to achieve that desired goal. While I have put this into practice on a number of occasions, it never hurts to remind yourself it’s a never ending process. Here’s the trick though, plans are never set...

Image from mindbodycoach.org Please note, while I was first typing away at this post, my computer suddenly decided to delete the entire thing. So the post you are reading right now is as much as I remembered. The rest I just make-up as I went along. Sorry. Good morning. Getting up every night between 2 or 3 am is bad enough. Taking an hour or more to fall back asleep is another. I realize that I'm not getting any younger and I understand some of the medication I take makes me "pee" a lot . So I've nearly forgotten what it's like to sleep a 8 solid hours. But enough about me how are you? It's ironic after all this time dealing with anxiety that it still haunts the back of my mind, even now. I mean, I don't deal with the classic panic symptoms like I used to. But that doesn't stop my mind from chasing every phantom pain that crosses my body.  In writing about my Panic and Anxiety issues, I often wonder if some of you just don't ask yo...

On social media earlier, I mentioned having empathy for others. That a lot of the time, we tend to be too fixated on our own problems. I know this can be true for me considering my health issues. But the thing I try to do is be proactive in the community of individuals like myself. Other than trying to be a little less selfish with my time and energy; I found that by giving back, I actually receive back in kind.   Many of us have become so focused on me, myself, and I; that we end up either only giving lip service to the needs of others. Or we just refuse to empathize with the needs of others at all. I know time is precious and your livelihood depends on you getting stuff done. All I’m asking is while you’re working on your own needs; make time to see the real world around you. You may be surprised.   It is my desire with these posting to help you become a better you. To help you work more effectively and to be a happier more satisfied person. My belief is that by givin...

Yesterday was kind of a rough day, I woke up really early and plain just didn’t feel very good. So I ended up spending most of the day fussing with my wife (who wasn’t feeling her best either) and just being lazy (which may have been her valid reason for fuzzing). The only thing I did do before burying my head under the covers was write a small post on a therapy site I go to.  Thankfully though, I awoke this morning “feeling” a lot better. Instead of just getting up and starting our routines, my wife and I made some alone time, to reminding each other of why we’ve stuck it out for 30 years. Then we got up and started our day.   Thinking about this reminds of a bunch of my friends and acquaintances who when faced with the same situation, would either fight it through some affirmation ritual or load up on cans of Red Bull. This is fine I suppose, it’s just that it never seemed to work for me; besides Red Bull tastes like shit.   For a really long time I would punish...

It's been a few days since I last posted. To be honest, it's not that I've been too busy. As you well know, it's been a hell of a week here in the good o’ USA. So I decided to just chill and see where my thoughts take me. One thing I've noticed myself doing is becoming glued to my TV, Smartphone, and computer watching and reading all the latest goings on. It's taken me to the point where it has kept me up at night. It's not so much that I feel the anxiety and stress; but I see the signs: the obsession, the restlessness, etc... So I guess you could say I needed a break from all the "crazy". So this weekend I've decided to devote myself to meditating and writing positive, honest messages on my blog and website. If for nothing else to spread a positive the message that; if we work on ourselves first, then maybe we can then work on the world around us.  When searching for answers to my anxiety issues, a few years ago I stumbl...