Q: What size is Molly’s ring in The Beatles’ “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”?
Q: According to Kansas’ “Dust in the Wind,” what are the only things that last forever?
Q: In “Crocodile Rock,” with whom was Elton John having so much fun?
A: Twenty carats.
Desmond takes a trolley to the jeweler’s store,
Buys a twenty-carat golden ring (ring)
A: The earth and sky.
Now don’t hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky
A: Susie.
I remember when rock was young, me and Susie had so much fun
The Modern Playbook for Sponsorship & Cash Flow by Aaron Fraser The Action Sports Guide 2.0 by Aaron Fraser is a modern, no-nonsense playbook for athletes, creators, and enthusiasts in motorsports, powersports, and extreme sports. Designed for anyone passionate...
It’s summer, and I’m stretched out on a windowsill in my bedroom with the sunlight warming the fur on my back. It’s quiet except for the drone of traffic on the Henry Hudson Parkway and the occasional whir of a helicopter flying along the river.
I once shared this bedroom with my friend Gato-Hamen, the High Priest of Amun-Ra. He and I had fled ancient Egypt on his magic boat. It was only supposed to carry us to a foreign land, but it took us through time as well as space here to Elena’s house in twenty-first century New York City.
Elena’s late father had been a renowned Egyptologist, and she immediately recognized us as ancient Egyptians. She was surprised we were speaking English. We explained that the prayer which had launched the magic boat also gave us the power to speak the language wherever we arrived.
She was also surprised that I, a cat, could talk and walk like a man. That would be explained later. Overjoyed at the prospect of excitement in her life, she invited us to stay with her.
Now the High Priest shares her bedroom, and I share this one with their child, who’s the reincarnation of the Pharaoh I loved thousands of years ago. He’s on the floor, playing contentedly with his building blocks. It’s hard to believe he’s already a year old.
Elena is reading and keeping an eye on him. “Wrappa-Hamen, are you recharging?” she asks, as she always does when she sees me basking in the sun. “You lazy old cat!”
“Lazy, yes. Old, not yet,” I reply, too drowsy to say more.
Water is filling my ears.
“Useless beast. I should cut . . . tail. Drowning’s too good . . . you . . .”
Egyptians revere cats, but there are exceptions.
A week ago the brute snatched me from the streets, put me in a sack, and brought me on board to protect the load of grain he’s taking down the Nile to Waset.
Cats hunt rats, but there are exceptions.
Which the brute realized this morning. He picked me up by the scruff of my neck and threw me over the side.
If I never see a boat again it will be too soon . . .
I swim toward the river bank. Exhausted, I lie on the shore and let my fur dry in the warmth of the sun. Now that I’m free, I intend to resume roaming from village to village, seeing new things, meeting new cats, tasting new foods. But first I’ll eat the perch I caught during my swim.
I’m licking the smell of fish off my paws and face when I spot a pyramid in the far distance. I’ve heard a lot about them, but I’ve never seen one before.
I can’t take my eyes off it. It seems to be beckoning me.
It’s my destiny to go there!
Tail on high and a heart full of expectation, I begin walking.
It’s summer, and I’m stretched out on a windowsill in my bedroom with the sunlight warming the fur on my back. It’s quiet except for the drone of traffic on the Henry Hudson Parkway and the occasional whir of a helicopter flying along the river.
I once shared this bedroom with my friend Gato-Hamen, the High Priest of Amun-Ra. He and I had fled ancient Egypt on his magic boat. It was only supposed to carry us to a foreign land, but it took us through time as well as space here to Elena’s house in twenty-first century New York City.
Elena’s late father had been a renowned Egyptologist, and she immediately recognized us as ancient Egyptians. She was surprised we were speaking English. We explained that the prayer which had launched the magic boat also gave us the power to speak the language wherever we arrived.
She was also surprised that I, a cat, could talk and walk like a man. That would be explained later. Overjoyed at the prospect of excitement in her life, she invited us to stay with her.
Now the High Priest shares her bedroom, and I share this one with their child, who’s the reincarnation of the Pharaoh I loved thousands of years ago. He’s on the floor, playing contentedly with his building blocks. It’s hard to believe he’s already a year old.
Elena is reading and keeping an eye on him. “Wrappa-Hamen, are you recharging?” she asks, as she always does when she sees me basking in the sun. “You lazy old cat!”
“Lazy, yes. Old, not yet,” I reply, too drowsy to say more.
When I first met the Pharaoh, he was sixteen, and I was a stray tomcat. I’d wandered into in a looted tomb and was kicked by the Vizier, his uncle. I spat a cat amulet at him, hitting him on the forehead. He accused me of trying to kill him. The High Priest arrived and tried to reason with him.
Then it happened. I suddenly had human powers! I stood upright, walked over to the Vizier, and debated with him. The Pharaoh entered the tomb to hear me wise-cracking and laughed for the first time since his parents’ death. He took me to live with him at court, and we became inseparable.
A year later the Vizier poisoned him and accused me of the murder. He was going to put me to death when the High Priest rescued me. We fled Egypt on the magic boat and ended up in Elena’s living room . . .
“If you don’t define yourself, someone else will. One of the best and most important ways to manage or resolve conflicts within is by firt knowing who you are, where you stand, and to whom you belong. I call this self-identification… Ask yourself, What wreckage in my life must be cleared? Is it the bitterness of my divorce or the death of my soulmate? Is my debris covered with wrong decisions that led to unintended outcomes? Could my refusal to forgive have done more damage to me than to the person I resent and refuse to set free? Am I still holding on to past betrayals that hinder my ability to express and receive love? In every new relationship, do I bring with me unhealthy emotional baggage and wounds from my past? If your wreckage continues to define you, your desire to create and maintain a healthy atmosphere for productive change will be hindered, producing more unanswered questions. Questions like: Why can’t I reorganize my life and move beyond the devastation of my divorce? Why can’t I shift power struggles to cooperative problem-solving? If your questions are not understood, confronted, properly managed, or resolved, your past will continue to dictate your present and fill your future with many more questions and uncertainties. Instead of managing or mastering conflict, the conflict will manage or master you.”
Water is filling my ears.
“Useless beast. I should cut . . . tail. Drowning’s too good . . . you . . .”
Egyptians revere cats, but there are exceptions.
A week ago the brute snatched me from the streets, put me in a sack, and brought me on board to protect the load of grain he’s taking down the Nile to Waset.
Cats hunt rats, but there are exceptions.
Which the brute realized this morning. He picked me up by the scruff of my neck and threw me over the side.
If I never see a boat again it will be too soon . . .
I swim toward the river bank. Exhausted, I lie on the shore and let my fur dry in the warmth of the sun. Now that I’m free, I intend to resume roaming from village to village, seeing new things, meeting new cats, tasting new foods. But first I’ll eat the perch I caught during my swim.
I’m licking the smell of fish off my paws and face when I spot a pyramid in the far distance. I’ve heard a lot about them, but I’ve never seen one before.
I can’t take my eyes off it. It seems to be beckoning me.
It’s my destiny to go there!
Tail on high and a heart full of expectation, I begin walking.
After what seemed like hours of applause and praise accompanied by waves of light, Jesus quieted the crowd. “For your listening pleasure and enjoyment, here is My beloved son. The one and only Johnny Cashlesslove!”
The former rock star of Age Past walked onto the stage. At the center of the stage, he and the King embraced for a long time.
Jerome noticed how young—and vibrant—the man appeared. He couldn’t place it. Yes, he looked healthy and whole and even somewhat like his old young self. But more than that—What’s the right word? He looked—humble. There, in the embrace of the King, the singer looked content. Like nothing except the King’s embrace matters.
Johnny trembled. “You’re worth every possession, my King. Everything.”
Jesus expressed His love and how much He enjoyed Johnny’s music and lyrics. Most importantly, He loved Johnny for who he was—period.
Johnny again tried to express his gratefulness, but only meaningless babble came out.
Jesus laughed. “I know. I know. I can’t wait, son. You were meant to sing it for Me—not speak it. Grab your guitar and get going.”
Jerome smiled over at his cousin, Sam, and the rest of his friends. “Here we go.”
As applause filled the atmosphere, visible praise and light reverberation reached out and struck the musician. Instead of being absorbed by Johnny’s body, the light ricocheted toward Jesus and the throne of God.
“Hi, I’m Johnny Cashlesslove.” His famous introduction sounded clunky with the longer last name. Everyone still laughed and applauded.
Johnny sang some of the popular songs from Age Past. Many of the lyrics he’d penned were dark and depressing—matching his life at the time. At one point, Cashlesslove peered at God’s throne. “I felt you there with me during those difficult times.”
Near the end of the concert, he dismissed the band and stood alone with his guitar under a single spotlight in the middle of the Articomb stage. With head down and the world watching, he picked his guitar strings. Overcome with emotion, the singer lifted his head and turned toward Jesus.
“I did thousands of concerts in my career in front of millions of screaming fans.” His voice broke. “I’ve been waiting a long time to sing this song to the only audience I care about, the only audience that really matters—You.”
Facing King Jesus, whose throne sat in perfect symmetry with the throne of God, he played and sang a beautiful rendition of You Are So Beautiful to Me. No one familiar with his music in Age Past had heard an emotional performance like this—so elegant and heartfelt.
About Featured Book: Sold to the Silver Foxes by Laylah Snow I sold my soul to three devils in designer suits… For one entire month. It was either auctioning off my virginity to three billionaire brothers... Or risk losing my sister. I didn’t have to think twice. But...
About Featured Book: Brokenness and New Beginnings: A Story of Hope For Those Facing Separation and Divorce by Francis P. DeLellis A survivor of separation and divorce, Francis P. DeLellis opens his heart and all the pain it held for the world to see, with the hope of...
About Featured Book: My Brother's Best Friends by Natasha L. Black "There's zero chance of knowing who the father is. Identical triplets share almost identical DNA." The words slam into me like a freight train. Oh. Hell. How did I let this happen? After losing my job...
About Featured Book: Silver Fox Daddies by Liz Archer Three silver fox bikers. Two pink lines. One drunk voicemail. And zero clue who the daddy is. I’m a librarian. But one drunk voicemail later, I lost my v-card to three bikers twice my age. Now I’m pregnant… And the...
About Featured Book: Claimed by the Deputies by Kai Lesy One moment I’m alone, fantasizing about the grumpy silver-fox next door. The next, my vibrator explodes. Then... He. Shows. Up. Sheriff Lucas Riggs. My next-door neighbor with a hero complex and a jawline made...
About Featured Book: Dennis Gilfeather, Southpaw by Dennis Gilfeather Dennis Gilfeather a young Scottish pugilist who practices the noble art of boxing.... "There seemed to be a huge gaping hole inside of me. I wanted some answers but didn’t know where to look. I felt...
About Featured Book: Mind Unleashed: Mastering Your Mental Potential by Np Chambers Master the Inner Workings of Your Mind Are you ready to unlock the full potential of your mind and transform your life? Dive into a compelling journey of mental mastery with Mind...
About Featured Book: Shine a Light by Nicky Corcoran My book ‘Shine a Light’ is an updated version (Updated in May 2025). The paperback is written in English and is priced at £5.50. It is also available in kindle unlimited for free. ‘Shine A Light’ puts a spotlight on...
About Featured Book: His Son's Ex by K.C. Crowne Crashing my ex’s wedding was for closure… Until his plastic bride called me fat in front of everyone. Three hundred witnesses. Dead silence. That's when the Mafia king put her in her place. Dante Bellacino. Devil in an...
Tell us about yourself.: I teach marketing for people who hate marketing with a passion. As a translator by trade who built two highly successful businesses from the ground up, I love helping fellow introverts translate their natural qualities into marketing...