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dsullivan
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Interests: Writing short stories. Webmaster of Sullivan's Short Stories and Unearthly Tales. Collecting old music. Dogs. Hiking. Swimming.
Expertise: Writing and publishing short stories. Foriegn languages: Poor to fair Chinese Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Japanese.
Occupation: Retired US Army
Industry: Government
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
5/31/2004
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| Friday, 16 October 2009 Did you ever scramble out of bed early on a Saturday morning and creep down to the family room to watch your favorite cartoon before anyone else awoke? Did you ever memorize a jingle or theme song, and sing it so many times your parents wanted to pull their hair out? Did you have a favorite cartoon character whose photo was on everything, from your socks to your wall to your lunch box?
Everyone was a kid once. Take a walk down memory lane, release your inner child, and tell us about your favorite childhood cartoon memories. Or, if you didn't watch cartoons, tell us about your favorite childrens' storybook memories. It can be funny or serious, poetry or prose. We'll reminisce with you, we'll laugh with you, we'll cry with you... and hopefully we'll all be featured - with you!
When I was a kid, TV was still on the horizon. People talked about it, but nobody in our neighborhood had one. I grew up with the funny papers and comic books. I remember Mutt and Jeff, Wash Tubbs, Etta Kett, Our Boarding House (Maj Hoople), Out Our Way, Crabtree Corners (Abby and Slats), Popeye, and others. My favorite was Al Capp's Li'l Abner.
I couldn't wait for the daily paper to see what Li'l Abner would be up to next, and when Li'l Abner would follow the exploits of his favorite comic character, Fearless Fosdick, I would follow along with him. As far as I know, Fearless Fosdick was the only "comic strip within a comic strip."
I never really watched Saturday morning cartoons until I was in my twenties. I and a group of men ranging in age from about 20-30 would watch 'toons such as Huckleberry Hound, Dudley Do-right, Foghorn Leghorn, and Yogi Bear. I think Yogi was everybody's favorite.
You'd never guess who the men were: soldiers who were linguists in a military intelligence unit (Some born in Asia and Europe.) Every Saturday morning those who were off duty would go to the day-room to watch cartoons--while waiting for the college football games. Throughout an average day in the unit you'd hear cartoon-isms like "Hey hey heyyy, Boo Boo," and Snidely Whiplash's sneering laugh, "Ya ha haaa."
Kids of all ages love cartoons.
Click here to go back to Cartoon Craze on Featured-Grownups!
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| My latest novelette, "The Menorcans of Florida," has been published and is now available at Lulu publishing, and soon to be at Amazon.
The story takes place from 1768 to 1777, and is based on the 1,455 Menorcans who were recruited by wealthy Scotsman Dr. Andrew Turnbull as indentured servants to work his plantations in Florida. However, the Menorcans were to find that Florida, then still wild and unpopulated except for hostile Indians, was a hell-hole; it was hot, humid, and filled with malaria carrying mosquitos, alligators, and snakes.
Further, they were treated like slaves, not as servants. They lived in thatched huts, were not released from indenture at the appointed time, they were starved, beaten, and worked sunup to sundown seven days a week. During the nine years from the time they boarded ships at Menorca until they finally escaped from Turnbull, over half of them died.
The story centers around Miguel Ortegas, a teenage orphan boy who was recruited by Turnbull.
The time period was during British control of Florida, in between the two periods of Spanish control. Slavery was permitted in British Florida as well as its colonies to the north. Dr. Turnbull also had plantations in South Carolina, where he used African slaves.
The book has five short stories as well as the novelette. It's available at http://stores.lulu.com/dhsully
It will be available at Amazon in several weeks.
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| Thursday, 01 October 2009 Things have been rough all over lately. The economic downturn is a global event, which has affected all of us to some degree. This month's topic is about the struggling economy, and how it relates to you and your life.
How has the economic downturn affected you personally? What changes have you made in your life to save money, pinch pennies, stretch your dollars? What thrifty tips can you share (places to shop, coupons to use, places to eat, etc.)?
Here's what we've done:
We fired several of our house servants. We kept the chauffer, cook, gardener, and maid, but cut their salaries.
We traded the 80-foot yacht for a 60-footer. Uses less fuel.
We're getting rid of several Rolls Royces. Now the wife and I have only one each.
We're keeping our private jet, but cutting down on our trips to places like The Riviera and Monaco. Instead, we'll rough it occasionally and take the yacht to the Caribbean.
We broke down and bought one of those little plastic gizmos that squeeze all the toothpaste out of the tube.
Yes, things are tough all over.
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| Featured Grownups wants suggestions to perk up interest.
About the only idea I can come up with is to recycle some of the older topics, especially those that generated lots of interest. I see lots of new faces on FG lately, so some of the older topics should be new to many. I'm not really an old hand in FG myself, and would like to see some of the older topics that were aired before I joined.
The stats posted were a real puzzler, and I for one can't imagine what happened after the featured topic. Most participants seem to agree that they don't always find the topic of interest, and I agree. I will only respond to those topics that interest me. No topic will interest everyone, but the law of average says that there should be a considerable number of participants who are interested, no matter what the topic.
I agree with Baldmike about reciprocal posts. I'm usually late in posting (as I was on the last one,) and though I try to post on everyone's site, sometimes not even half reciprocate. Many will respond on their own site, which is OK, but like most of us, I like to see posting on my site.
If someone has posted something which is all Greek to you, or it just doesn't interest you, I think it's better to say "nice post" or something rather than make no response at all. Just my two cents.
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| FEATURED GROWNUPS TOPIC FOR SEPTEMBER
Tuesday, 01 September 2009 St. Augustine, Florida is my hometown. It's the oldest established city in the North American continent (not counting the island nations in the Caribbean area.) A couple of cities in Mexico dispute that. It was founded by Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez in 1565. Some of the original buildings (made of local coquina rock) still stand, and some have been restored. Some say that the atmosphere in the old part of the city is like that of some cities in Spain. Of all the buildings, the old Spanish fort (Castillo de San Marcos) is most interesting.
The city has grown like crazy in the past few decades, but the old part of the city has been preserved--no construction is permitted. Motor vehicles are banned also.
The climate, though not as tropical as that of South Florida, is comfortable. It has four seasons, but a short winter. Long, wide beaches are within a short driving distance--or a good hike.
There is a tidal river, the San Sebastion, and two more rivers, the Matanzas and the North, both of which are actually lagoons. On the far side of the Matanzas and North rivers are off shore islands.
The city offers great fishing, swimming, boating, sailing, surfing, and sightseeing. The night life ain't too bad.
I grew up there,and as a teen thought it was the dullest place on Earth. But don't all teens think that way?
The people who make up the core of the city's population are descendants of Minorcans, who came over in 1768 as white slaves of Dr. Andrew Turnbull, wealthy Scottish physician. These Minorcans have added their flavor to the city. For any who are interested, I just finished writing a novelette about their (and my) ancestors, called "The Menorcans of Florida."
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