Jim Stitzel
Jack-of-All-Trades, Master of WordsExcerpts from Life
What’s In a Brand Name?
I just bought a new winter coat. I've needed one for a while, as I've pretty much worn all my others to rags. Hazards of farm living, I think -- everything gets worn out for farm work eventually. The coat I bought doubles as a farm coat and an office coat. When funds...
Google+
Here's the thing: I really want to like Google+, especially since Facebook insists on taking a crap all over its users when it comes to privacy and security. The trouble I'm having with Google+ right now, though, is the fact that its API is still only read-only. Now,...
OWS Makes a Point — and It’s Not Necesarily the One You Think
It's strange. The longer the Occupy movement goes on, the more we hear about police brutality, use of excessive force, and other acts of violence perpetuated, not by the protesters themselves, but by the various authority figures of the cities where these protests are...
Fiction
Memories Even of Memories
He dips his finger into the smoke, and it clings to his flesh like tar, even as tatters billow up and swirl around his hand. He lifts his hand to his face once more, inhaling the smoke in one long stream. He leans back, head tilted upward, euphoria making every nerve...
Smoke
He licks his lips in anticipation, ignoring the searing pain of his torn tongue and the coppery taste of blood in his mouth. Carefully he reaches forward with both hands and takes hold of the box, gripping the top four corners between his thumbs and forefingers. He...
Blood and Runes
He wastes no time. Already the moonlight has crept across the box, and if he misses this opportunity, it will be weeks before another presents itself. He slips his tongue between his teeth -- and bites down, hard, severing the flesh. He takes the torn tip of his...