 The Marathon Florida Keys Journal
City of Marathon, Florida Keys, Paradise
Volume 11 † Issue 4 † April 2005
[In The Keys] [Guest Articles] [Internet Stuff] [Poetry Corner]
[Hockey Puck] [Twins of the Dark Star] [The Dull Stuff]
The Marathon Florida Keys Journal will contain all the old articles, but add a new focus locally in the Florida Keys. The lead article is Kitty Talk, because it simply is the most popular part of the magazine. Next will be a revamped In The Keys section that will lead off with some opinions and even some editorializing. We are always looking for interesting guest articles. We will continue to explore internet stuff, as well as highlight textual art, well, any art really. It is hard to believe that over 7000 folks visit our magazine monthly. And that figure keeps growing. We sincerely appreciate your visit and patronage. Please enjoy! Kitty Talk
These journals are dedicated to Kitty GreyCat's spirit. She is at RainBow Bridge now along with her human friends, Leo and Doris. We all loved you, Kitty! Click the cat graphic to visit her Memorial page. Kitty born June 6, 1982. Died July 9, 1997. Please use our email form linked below to make suggestions or offer praise. >^..^<  Ebony: Jammy, a very famous human bean friend, sent a link that is very interesting catwise. Here it is: http://www2.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,12878302~mode=flat I am the great Ebony, and I get around, I do! My favorite roost is on the back of an old office chair. I can watch my favorite human bean, brother to my old human bean. >^..^<
Abby: I like the guest chair. It is always cool and low to the floor. My favorite human bean is our old human bean's niece. As we get older, we have become more affectionate. Ebony likes to curl up on everyone's bed, but so do I. I stay with our old human bean mostly, because he needs watching. I meow at him over and over, because he is hard of hearing and doesn't pay attention much. >^..^<
Ebony: I also like catnip and dried cat food, which is the yummiest. I like getting treated special, because I am special. I still hunt a lot. I chased a big, fat, juicy lizard half way up an old tall tree near our porch. >^..^<
Abby: I not into trees much, but I do love when human beans come home with groceries. The plastic bags are for playing in, boxes too, but the paper sacks are even better, I meow. >^..^<
Ebony: I like to escape outside, when the human beans least expect it. I can dart out and between legs so very fast. When they do laundry, I escape. When they go inside and outside, I get out. The chase is most fun. >^..^<
Abby: Meow, I nose us cats meow about the same meows all the time, but those meows are very special meows. I think smelling bean's arm for the longest time is special fun too. >^..^<
Ebony: Abby, I really enjoyed when the lady human bean moved our leads so we could go rummaging under the trailer. But our old human bean come out and put our leads back, because we were making too much noise and having too much fun. Human bean doesn't like fun, I meow. >^..^<
Abby: Ebony, I like our human bean though. He lets us in when the rain, wind, thunder, and lightning come, because that stuff really scares me. I nose you scared too, even if you don't want to admit it. >^..^<
Ebony: I prefer more funnier pursuits like escaping through the little hole in the corner of the porch. Human beans have to come all the way around to chase me then. >^..^<
Abby: You full of escaping fun, you are, but I have used that route myself once or twice. I had a lot of fun, when our human bean's brother was filming me at night. The raccoons were out and about. One young one came a mite too close. I growled and growled my warning, but on it came. I snapped, hissed, and chased it off our porch area. It ran away quickly too. >^..^<
Ebony: I napped through most of that I think. I have to grow the fur back on my belly. One old flea got me scratching and licking crazily. Then human bean chased us around and put old yucky flea stuff on us. >^..^<
Abby: You was the one that got human bean to put nasty flea stuff on me. Bad Ebony! Bad human bean for thinking that I was nine instead of eight like I am. He was trying to make me older than I am. Bad bean! The bean was bad too when another thunder, lightning, and rain came and us cats had to hide to keep from getting wet. Well, that is all the meows for this month. All use beans and cats come back next month now. >^..^<
In The Keys
Rants & Raves: I resigned from the City of Marathon after almost five years of faithful service. If seniority doesn't matter, what was I doing for almost five years? While there are a great many good, hard-working people at city hall, there are a few who don't get it. There are a few staffers not serving the City Manager or the City well. The cornerstones of any successful enterprise are the customers and the employees. The customers are the citizens of Marathon. The employees are the understaffed, underpaid, overworked, under trained, and not actively retained group manning the city facilities. There is also the squeeze between what the citizens are willing to bear tax-wise and the level of service expected. These two things are opposed to each other. First, the few staffers who can't find ways to say yes and get things done for the citizens and fellow employees need to be released. Second, the rest need to be actively retained, before we lose them. Third, less work concentrating only on the top three priorities before moving onto the next set of priorities, more pay if possible, accommodating seniority with hours and days requested, more and better training, leadership training, a much better Human Resources Department, hiring people who are qualified, all would help alleviate the problems plaguing the City Manager in his effort to get the most from his staff. I hope to expound on all the above observations and ideas in a Free Press column soon. What's Happening! After all the cold, choppy, windy days, I finally got to go boating once again. I visited Molasses Key, John Sawyer Bank, and even Bullard Bank. After almost 13 years of having my fifth wheel travel trailer, I had to let it go in a voluntary repossession due to resigning my city job. Something had to give, and that was it. I had to buy a new microwave. After investigating all the different ones at KMart and Home Depot, I picked out a nice one on sale at Home Depot. I did my shopping online and saved money. That's always good. Miscellany: My truck was at Andy & Dave's Garage so long that I had to walk everywhere, which was actually good for me. Still, I had all kinds of friends stop along US1 to offer me rides. Another thing good for me was attending the Overseas Village Home Owners Association, both the board and the general membership meeting. I am attending those meetings as a Middle Keys Community Land Trust representative. I troubleshot a particularly difficult network problem recently. I asked some friends for help. I learned something too. That can't be all bad. Finally: Did you know that Virginia's state bird is the Northern Cardinal? The flower is the American Dogwood. The tree is the American Dogwood. The capital is Richmond. Statehood was granted June 28, 1788. Lastly, the Gallery Key West features an eclectic collection of art and furnishings. Local artists are the creators of this artwork. This Key West gallery is located at 824 Duval St. They are open daily 10-10. Their telephone number is 305-292-0046. Call for more details.
Internet Stuff
Here are the latest DVD films from http://www.NetFlix.com: Red Green: Stuffed and Mounted 3 is another compilation of different episodes of this Canadian television treasure. The comedy is never ending, including the duct tape. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow was campy, a bit dull, and only slightly entertaining. Collateral was intense, action-filled, and showed some gritty character. The Grudge was not linear, which made the film even scarier. I liked the Japanese flavor and setting. The idea that a great, horrible emotion can stain a house is unique. In The Terminal with Tom Hanks, his character gets stuck in an airport, because he no longer has a country due to some upheaval. This unusual film displays how one person can affect so many lives with persistence, patience, and even a loving attitude. The Village appears to be a horror movie. People try to isolate themselves from the world to protect their innocence, but their effort to isolate themselves is the true horror. The double-disc set for Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble: Live at Montreux 1982 & 1985: Disc 1 and Disc 2 showed classic blues music from a classical group. Even though they played very well in 1982, they were booed by some. In 1985 everything changed from their fame to the love showed by the fawning crowd. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason was funny, sexy, and well acted. I don’t ordinarily like romance comedies, but this one was very pleasant to watch. The next film to watch and review is the much-talked-about Ray about Ray Charles. Interesting websites we visited recently: Did you know that you can get your credit reports free? Go to  https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp. Some areas will get free credit reports later in the year. The website explains everything. An annual credit report check is critical to maintaining accurate records and the best credit rating that you deserve and have earned. There are a lot of website where you can apply for jobs right online. Home Depot at http://www.homedepot.com is one such place. The application is very strange though. If you need to prove your typing proficiency, go to http://www.TypingTest.com for a free test to email to a prospective employer. Our website statistics from http://www.XFireWeb.com show almost 31000 unique visitors with nearly 300000 hits for last month. http://www.PhotoWorks.com provides the interesting pictures you see here and throughout the website. Jak sent us a whacky link. Go see this highly unusual website: http://www.netdisaster.com/go.php?url=http://j4m33.suddenlaunch3.com/index.cgi&mode=ufo. Bruce Knevitt owns and operates a great mom-and-pop business called Marathon Computer, Inc. Their telephone number is 305-289-0472 with the fax number being 305-289-9212. Their address is 5160 Overseas Highway near 51st Street at Marathon, Florida. The website is http://www.marathoncomputers.com. Their email address is listed as bruce@marathoncomputers.com. Bruce can repair computers and provides sales of computer stuff too.
Poetry Corner
"Long Gone"
July 9, 2000
Stumbling through life
Tirelessly thinking that
Something was amiss
Yet never was really
Dreaming and joy
Living and young
We had what we
Thought we wanted
All along before us
Never knowing
All was not lost
Buried deep in life
Later, we are tricked
We think things
Dreadful and not so
We boldly wish
For things
As we want them
And not for
Things as they are
Now, we hope
In tears of joy
And anguish
For bygone years
Wishing one
More time
For a moment
Come and gone © 2005 L. E. Shaffer
Guest Articles
Stuff not written by us. As always everything is copyright of the author. Villa Blanca Cafe  My brother and I were looking for a place to eat that we haven't been to yet. We have been wanting to visit this establishment for a while. When I found out that my brother was buying, I immediately thought of Villa Blanca Cafe. That is my old black truck in the picture to the left.
The market side carries a wide assortment of items, mostly Cuban, but there is something for everyone. The place was clean and well lit. The atmosphere was airy, fresh, and welcoming. We met some friends. English and Spanish filled the air. This is a meeting place as well as a market. The best part of this business is the food. We ordered some Cuban sandwiches. I had chicken and my brother, beef. When the plates came out, I knew there was way too much food for me to eat. The food was excellent, and I stuffed myself. My brother who is a light eater ate all his sandwich as well. I thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance, the food, and the family owners/operators. The interior photo is right here. This fine place is located on US1 on the west side of Marathon at 2211 Overseas Highway. We highly recommend this local mom-and-pop business. This is why we came to the Florida Keys! © 2005 L. E. Shaffer Spartacus Again   I'd like to wish you and your family a wonderful St Patricks Day! May the (good!) luck of the Irish be with you! My very own forum. Best wishes and large purr-purrs from Spartacus. My Message Board! http://spacecat.suddenlaunch3.com
See Scotland through my eyes! http://spartacusscotland.4t.com
My homepage! http://spartacus.4t.com
My Fur and Fang Site! http://furandfang.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk
My Cats in Space Site! http://spacecat.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk Also, wishing you and your family a hopping Happy Easter! Purries from King Spartacus.
© 2005 Spartacus Group Novel
As an experiment for fun, we are writing a group novel at the world famous and so very special Area 52B forum. © 2005 L. E. Shaffer, Kim Young, Linda Hall The Family Vacation
Mother tottered down the walk on thin legs schooled into tiny steps by years of high heels, a cigarette dangling from the corner of her mouth. She looked up at the small porch where her three grown daughters and one of their spouses sat laughing and smoking. Daddy sat on the steps, grinning at his family's smoky laughter. His "You know that's bad for you's" were met with exhalations of "Oh, Daddy."
Mother's youngest grabbed her camera. "No, no, no, no, no!" Mother cried. "Don't take my picture!"
Laughing, the youngest snapped away.
Ken, middle daughter's husband, came striding around the corner, the youngest's husband at his heels. They had been doing the managerial rounds of the condo, making sure there were no beach towels hung on the balconies. A warm breeze, salty-sweet, blew from oceanward across the low dunes, carrying the sounds of waves and shouting children.
"Where are we going to eat?" Ken asked, lighting a cigarette.
"Tinney and David want to go to the Rex!"
Ken groaned. He hated Italian. "You can order fish, honey," his wife cajoled.
"Now, David and I are going to pay this time," Gay the oldest snapped. The others smiled and eyed each other with a `we'll believe it when we see it' look. Gay's David was famous for not picking up the check.
"What? What?" Mother attacked the discussion. "Where is this place? Do we really have to go out? We can just eat here, can't we?"
"Mother," said Pammy the middle one. "I've cooked and cooked. We want to go out. This is your vacation. The place isn't far."
Tinney and her David chuckled. The restaurant was a half-hour drive. "Don't tell Mom how far it is," Pammy had cautioned. "We'll never get her to go!"
"Oh, we're ready, we're going?" said Daddy as the others got up. Into the cars the eight of them piled, Tinney and her David with Pammy and Ken in Pammy's `Nazi tank', Mother and Daddy with Gay and her David in David's top-of-the-line Oldsmobile. Off they drove, down beachy highways, putting the ocean at their backs. Peering out the back window, Tinney and David spied as Mother shifted and complained in Gay's David's back seat. They laughed conspiratorially, Pammy sipping Diet Coke from a straw so her lipstick wouldn't smear.
At last they pulled into the gravel lot beside the low, lion-fronted building. Mother glowered at all of them, daggers flying from her eyes. "She growled the whole time," Gay's David confided, grinning.
They filed their sun-browned bodies through the door, herding disgruntled Mother ahead of them. The patriarch of the family-owned restaurant seated them at a large round table in the back. "Ooh, Pammy, is this really a good place?" Gay sniped. "It looks kind of tacky."
"The food's great!" Tinney averred, her husband smoothly fitting his assurances to hers.
"Oh, I don't know Pammy. In D.C..." the oldest continued her complaint.
"Gaysie, this isn't D.C. This is the beach," Pammy snapped. "Be happy."
Gay's David insisted on cocktails and ordered wine. Alcohol smoothed out Mother's mood, and she almost smiled. Fresh, crispy bread was set on the table, and after they'd ordered, "You can go to the salad bar," the waiter told them.
A large man was at the salad bar ahead of them. Carefully, artistically, he built his huge salad, going back and forth along the bar, making it just so. "Will you look at that?" Mother asked too loudly. "Look at that salad! How can anyone eat so much salad?"
"Shush," her children said, but she forged ahead. "Do you think that's all he's getting? What do you think, George?" She roped her husband into her monologue. "Do you think he's just getting salad? Have you ever seen anything like that?" Daddy grinned sheepishly.
"Mother, you're embarrassing us!" the youngest said. "He can hear you."
The man smiled grimly and left the bar.
Dinner proceeded with forced-cheerful toasts and exclamations of delighted surprise at the taste of the food from some quarters. Ken picked silently at his salmon. "Gee, Pammy, in D.C..." Gay complained.
"How is your salmon, honey?" Pammy asked, ignoring Gay.
"Not bad," he said. He was getting his enjoyment from his wife's crazy family. Presently, he engaged in his favorite sport of baiting Gay. She huffed and squeaked as he teased her. Her husband smiled secretly to himself, deep in his wine. Perhaps he found pleasure in hearing his wife being teased. Perhaps not. His deafening silence gave no indication.
At length the meal was over, Mother mellow-happy. Cheesecake was brought and shared. The waiter was snagged and a picture taken of the sated, burnt-nosed family. All eyed the check until Gay's David, trapped, picked it up.
Back they piled into the cars, Mother and Daddy in Gay and David's top-of-the-line Oldsmobile, Tinney and her David in Pammy's `Nazi tank'. Mother complained, out of habit, about the long drive back. Pammy and Ken and Tinney and her David, out of sight of Daddy's weary disapproval, lit cigarettes. "Next time," Pammy said, sipping her warm Diet Coke, "we'll leave Mother and Gay and David home, and just take Daddy." They laughed, conspiratorially, companionably, in agreement.
© 2005 Kimm Young Jaci Rae Jaci Rae has a new radio show that will help anyone who wants to make it in the entertainment and music industry as well as authors. She will have celebrity guests and heavy weights in the industry for interview every week. This worldwide broadcast takes place every Thursday at 8 PM Pacific Standard time. Be sure to tune in. To hear it live, go to: http://www.artistfirst.com/ You can send email during the show for Jaci and the guest to respond to live on air. © 2005 Jaci Rae
Hockey Puck
The NHL still sucks. The draft was cancelled, because the owners and players are still being obstinate about an agreement that would bring hockey back. I will still watch the games, when they come back. I am pissed, but I will still be a fan. I miss my Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. The NASCAR Nextel Cup racing at Mexico and Las Vegas was good. The Busch racing was enjoyable as well. Tiger Woods won the Ford Championship at Doral in Miami. I should have gone up there to watch from the gallery. No, the televised version is better in my opinion. The Miami Heat went on another winning tear, twelve games this time. I hope they win it all this year. It was especially nice when the Heat soundly defeated the Lakers. Venus Williams finally beat her sister, Serena, and it was at the NASDAQ-100 Open, but she lost in the semi-finals. Well, that's WTA tennis for you. The Florida Marlins have had a terrible preseason for a team that is supposed to win it all. I am interested at how well received the Washington Nationals will be in Washington D.C. There is talk that Rick might come back to the Dolphins. I am not sure that would suit either party or the fans for that matter. That's the roundup this month.
Twins of the Dark Star
Book One Tears from Ao and three poetry collections, Pages of Life, Visions of Life, and Moments of Life are available electronically at http://RunesofAo.com/aobp/. The Runes of Ao project, Book Two The Mountains of Ao novel currently in final edit, Book Three Twins of the Dark Star novel in early stages, and The Book of Kalian Mysticism poetry collection are works in progress. Also a collaboration with K. Young on a novella called Dragon Embers is now published on the fan site known as Runes of Ao.com.
The Dull Stuff
All opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of this magazine, company, or its advertisers. Inputs, email, suggestions, and letters to this journal are subject to approval by Ebony and Abby. Submittals may be edited for content and length and become the creative property for the one-time nonexclusive publication of: Shaffer Novels/Poetry Company
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PO Box 501833
Marathon FL 33050-1833
(305) 743-9648 voice/fax Internet URLs: www.RunesofAo.com
www.RunesofAo.com/roa/
www.RunesofAo.com/aobp/
www.RunesofAo.com/ebony/
www.RunesofAo.com/abby/ Publication date: March 28, 2005
Author: L. E. Shaffer
Company: Shaffer Novels/Poetry Company &
Shaffer Internet Publishing Company
© 1995 - 2008, 2009 L. E. SHAFFER
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