PAIN
Pain? My wife says I am insensitive. I guess I am not as sensitive as most people. An indication of this is that I am continually doing inadvertent damage to myself: cutting fingers, or bumping into things. But I do heal fast. (more…)
A few years ago I was searching for a firm footing for my religious beliefs.
My 1953 Chevrolet pickup had died on me half way between Big Spring and Abilene, so I was standing in the hot sun beside the road with my thumb out. (more…)
How does a book get to the top of the “Best Seller” list?
It isn’t always because it is a good read. (more…)
GERMAN BRUTALITY
Readers of my novel, Amour et Vengeance, (Love & Revenge) have questioned my depiction of brutality by the German soldiers. Is it exaggerated or is it historically accurate?
I know immediately that these people have not read accounts of WW 2 and descriptions of what some German soldiers did during this time. (more…)
ENGINEER’S GUIDE TO
DIETING
Engineers don’t diet. At least not willingly.
It usually involves their POSSLQ. That’s an old acronym that is not in fashion anymore that meant your spouse or someone you were living with.
Anyway, my POSSLQ often goes on a diet when she thinks something makes her look fat. This is usually the latest diet in fashion. It’s always a new, different diet. But the new eating menu affects me, of course.
Now why don’t engineers diet? Because they are too organized, structured, focused. We have to be to produce dependable designs.
I’ll give you an example. (more…)
Hunting Alligators
The three of us, Ed Bennett, Brad Bishop and I, had gone to Jamaica during the Christmas vacation to “sell advertising” for The Yale Record, a magazine the editorial staff claimed was a humor magazine. They were producing a spring vacation edition. If we could convince the merchants in Kingston that half the Yale students would be coming to Jamaica, we might sell advertising.
Bennett stood in the back of a john boat holding the single shot rifle. This was the moment after five hours in the swamps of Jamaica we had anticipated. He had the rusty weapon aimed, most of the time, at the bobbing head of the alligator in the water. His sandy brown hair hung over his forehead and round cheeks. I couldn’t see how he would see to get a shot off. (more…)
ENGINEERS GUIDE TO
A HIGH SPEED TRAIN SYSTEM
Imagine a mag-lev train running from Chicago, to St. Louis, Oklahoma City, Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, finally looping down to Houston and then back to Chicago through those same cities. It would move at 300 miles an hour and never stop. (more…)
Engineer’s Guide to Wrist Watches
Everyone needs a wristwatch. That is, if they want to be on time.
I recently lost (misplaced, really) my wrist watch and began to notice that many of my responsible acquaintances weren’t wearing wrist watches.
I have never been late. I have totally forgotten to be somewhere, but never late. My mother is responsible for this. During my formative years, she decided that she was not going to be like her mother.
In her early thru teen age years, her mother would call upstairs in the morning. “It’s time to get up Roberta.” Then in five minutes, “Roberta, are you up?” Then, “Roberta, you need to come to breakfast.” Then, Roberta you are going to be late.” Finally, “Roberta, get down here, now.” (more…)
Engineer’s Guide to Firefighting
(or how to burn down your house)
My neighbor must have laughed all the way home after he saw me in my chain saw outfit. Over my ears I had two consume cups stuffed with socks held in place under my knit cap with duct tape.
I should have called a tree expert, but we were on a tight budget. Times had been tough.
We had a remnant of a Hackberry tree in front of the new house, actually old, just purchased. This ugly stump had to be removed. No problem. I rented a chain saw and set to work cutting it off at ground level. (more…)
|
Official Website of Author J. Fred Beckman |
Powered by WordPress The Aesthete theme by vatuma.com |
