A Ruff Life (a story I wrote a while back)

A while back, I wrote a (mostly) fiction piece about puppy play.  I reveal quite a bit about myself in it, as the "dream sequence" is 100 percent true.  Mostly ripped from a journal entry.  I hope you enjoy it.

~~~~~

I stretch awake, slowly opening my eyes to greet the morning sun. The alarm is going off, but He isn't waking up. I pounce and lick his face, nibbling at His ears when I come to them.

“Right, Scamp. I'm up, pup! Calm down!” He shouts, trying to sound firm and commanding through fits of laughter.

The sleep begins to clear from His head as He reaches over to hit the snooze button on the alarm clock.

“Daddy needs five more minutes, Scamp,” He explains, staring into my eyes. He then starts giving me lots of head rubs and scratches; my snooze button.

I calm down and lay my head on His chest, licking absently. I softly nuzzle and cuddle as close as possible without climbing completely on top of Him.

“Woof, aruff!” I bark softly, happy for more cuddle time.

We lay there, Daddy and pup, enjoying what time we have left before the day has to start. I almost fall back asleep as the alarm goes off again. I whimper as Daddy starts to get out of bed.

“No reason to be sad, Scamp. You've been a good pup, so no kennel today. But I had better not come home to a mess today!” He quipped as He walks out of the bedroom. He whistles for me; I come running. He is standing near the door with my leash. Daddy clicks my leash on and removes my tail. We walk outside for me to do my business; morning walkies. I pull against my leash, eager to see if there is anything new in the garden, but Daddy holds firm. Not wanting to spend all day in the kennel, I do my business and pad back towards the door, stopping only once to roll around in the crisp morning air.

“Good pup,” Daddy gushes as He rubs me all over to get the sticks and grass off. He opens the door, hangs up the leash, and calls me into the bathroom for a bath. He draws the water and removes my mitts and collar, helping my into the tub. He then washes me up, towels me off, and replaces my mitts, collar, and tail.

“Somebody is being an extra good pup today,” He remarks.

I tilt my head and look around for the other pup.

“No, silly! It's you!” He laughs as He ruffles my still damp mo-hawk

I jump up, putting my paws on his shoulders and licking his face all over. He smirks and rubs my chest.

“Breakfast time, Scamp. Who's hungry?” He asks as He turns and walks from the bathroom.

I give myself a final shake-dry for good measure and follow my Owner into the kitchen where He is making breakfast.

He sits at the table and begins to eat. I whimper and nuzzle at His legs.

“Oh, Scamp! Forgot all about you!” He teases before putting my bowl on the floor at His feet.

I wag happily and eat, making a bit of a mess. When we have finished, Daddy cleans me up and gives me lots of belly rubs.

While He is getting ready for work, I playfully hinder Him by laying on his shoe so He can't find it.

He makes a show of trying to locate it his missing shoe, knowing exactly where it is. Daddy ALWAYS seems to know.

I whimper as He grabs his keys and starts for the door.

“Now Scamp, somebody has to pay for all of your toys and treats, right?” He explains.

I whimper softly and give Him puppy eyes in a last ditch effort to get Him to stay home.

He ruffles my mo-hawk It almost seems like He is about to forget all about work when He slips out the door, locking it behind Himself.

I scratch at the door for a little bit. I then circle three times and lay in my puppy bed, drifting back to sleep. That's when the dream came again...

.....

Two years ago...

Shivering, not from the cold (as it was June), but from fear of what had been. What was. What could be. I sat locked in the closet of the abandoned apartment I had been squatting in; no power and no water. Desperate texts to all of my friends, “Hey lol, sup? Wanna hang?” Concealing the pain of my real voice in the deceptively upbeat words.

“I just need human contact,” I moaned pitifully into the closet door, “Someone to hold me close and tell me everything is going to be OK.”

That's where life had taken me. My mother had kicked me out of the house that I was paying most of the bills at, simply because I lost my job. I spent a little bit of time (about three weeks) living out of a '96 Nissan Sentra on the streets of Downtown Nashville. At first I had try to make the most of it; a new adventure. But the danger and fear had definitely outweighed the fun. Most nights spent parked outside a 24 hour adult novelty store; my sanctuary and bathroom. Propositioned multiple times for sex for cash; surprised with myself when I started to consider accepting. That's when I decided to seek a more permanent shelter. A shelter which came in the form of an apartment that a friend was moving out of without notice.

As I sat in the closet, dark thoughts started to enter my head. I shook my head and body fitfully, trying to clear the thoughts away. That's when a surprising sound broke the eerie silence. I howled mournfully, a soul splitting sound.

I jumped, shocked at what had just escaped my lips. This was new. I had always had some dog-like qualities. Loyal, trusting, loving, and friendly; me to a “T”. At Dungeons & Dragons sessions with my friends, if I got too hyper, they would pet me to get me to shut up. I had always left decision making up to other people, following them around like a lost puppy and eating whatever was set in front of me. I had never slept better than when somebody was scratching my head (especially behind the ears). But this, the howling, was definitely new.

I heard the neighbors in the adjacent apartment bang on the wall and was tempted to howl again, just for the attention. Logic told me not to.

Slightly calmed down and just the smallest bit more at peace, I slipped into a fitful sleep and dreamed of being a dog; running through a field without a care in the world.

.....

I shoot awake, startled by something. Daddy was laying with me, stroking me and looking worried.

“Scamp, you were whining and kicking in your sleep, pup. The dream again?” He asks, concern flooding his voice.

I nod and whimper, nuzzling into his chest.

He grabs my head and stares into my eyes lovingly. At that moment a feeling of warmth and safety fills me up, chasing away the remnants of the dream. I look back up at him adoringly.

That's when I am thankful for everything that has happened in my life. The happiness and sorrow has made me who I am and brought me where I am.

Where I am is exactly where I'm supposed to be.

~~~~~

CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is always welcome.

TTFN, ta ta for now!

Pup on a Train! Addendum!

Well, I had the 30 minute layover in New York City.  I've never been to New York City.  Of course this meant I had to leave the station and explore, even if only a little bit.  It was a bit of a trek, as Pennsylvania Station is freaking HUGE!  But I made it outside into the cold, crisp air.  I walked a bit until I was directly in front of Madison Square Gardens and lit a cigarette.  I was enjoying myself, so I wanted to call one of my friends and tell them.  She put me on speaker phone, and I got to say hi to everybody and tell them about my adventure.

An awesome tranny walked up to me asking if she could buy a cigarette.  She gave me a dollar in quarters and proceeded to make me laugh for like 5 minutes.  Then, 6 different scalpers tried to sell me Knicks tickets.  I tried to explain to them that I was broke and about to get on a train, but that didn't seem to help.

"Come on, man, you know they ain't gettin' any cheaper inside!  I gotta feed my family, dude!"

"I get that, but I have like a dollar in quarters that a tranny just paid me for a cigarette."

"Oh, a'ight.  Can I buy a smoke off you?"

Once that was all said and done, I trekked back into the train station just as they announced which track my train was boarding at.  I know it was only a half hour in New York City, but the 10 minutes I spent on the NYC streets was one of the most interesting 10 minutes I've had in a while.

Now I am back on the train.  For bonus points, it's a refurbished business class car.  Free upgrade!  No complimentary snacks or beverages though.  This has certainly been an experience, and I'm not even in Philly yet!  What adventures await me now?

TTFN, ta ta for now!

Pup on a Train!

"Enough is enough!  I've had it with this motherfucking pup on this motherfucking train!"

No, but seriously.  As I type this, I am on a train headed for a short layover in NYC and then on to Philly to visit friends.  This is my first time on a train, and I have to say that Amtrak is pretty nice.  It beats the hell out of Greyhound, that's for sure.  I was worried it would be a hassle, but train travel is definitely my favorite mode of long range transportation now.  Well, other than driving myself.

The seats are comfortable, and there is room to breathe.  I was lucky enough to get a seat to myself, though, honestly, there aren't that many people on the train.  And there is a food car!  I thought the food car was a thing of an era long forgotten, but there is a "Cafe Car" on the train!  It's like 6 bucks for a hamburger and I have zero money, but it's nice to know that it's there.

I always romanticized train travel.  I think it's my addiction to steampunk.  I saw myself sipping brandy from a snifter, dressed in my finery, discussing Professor Something-Or-Other's latest invention (which I always assumed would be a steam powered hat rack) with a handsome gentleman who seems less interested in the story and more interested in me.  Then we would close the car doors, pull the shades, and...  Well, let's just say that I read one too many of my mother's romance novels when I broke my ankle in 2006.

It's not a private car setup (like the Hogwarts Express), which makes me have a bit of a sad.  But I can live with this.  In case it wasn't obvious due to the fact that I am posting this from the train, it also has Wi-Fi.  And outlets so that my computer doesn't go dead and leave me trapped on the train with no escape into the outside world of social media.  I have a small bottle of pink lemonade that I brought from home, so I have a feeling that by the time I get where I'm going I will be quite hungry and thirsty.  And in need of nicotine.  But, I digress.  All in all, I can't complain about this adventure.

New experiences, new places, and new friends await me.  Who knows where I will end up next?  Now, if you will excuse me, that handsomely dressed gentleman just invited me for brandy in his private car.  I get the feeling I've seen him somewhere before...  Is that a steam powered hat rack?!?!

TTFN, ta ta for now!

Projects in the works.

I'm sorry it has been a while since I have updated everyone, or posted any fun new information.  I've been working on a few projects and trying to get a bit of stuff done.  I've been working on a ballad.  I know.  I'm awesome.  It's a steampunk themed ballad with treasure, pirates, and romance.  It's coming along nicely, and I should be able to post the finished product soon.  Want to know the best part?  A British singer/composer friend of mine is helping me make a rough cut of it!  I should be able to post the lyrics, and then eventually the song!  That has always been a dream of mine.  To hear something I've written put to music.  Well, something other than a punk song.  Those are too easy lol.

I've been trying to keep my mind busy because I have a lot going on.  I'm mentally preparing for a move to a couple of very good friends in Tennessee.  I haven't seen them in nearly a year, and I'm looking forward to seeing all of my friends in Tennessee.  I might even be able to make it to Ides of March (Dagorhir event in March).  That would be a great coming home party.

I will be putting more informative things and more personal things up here, but I am also going to be a bit disheveled for the next few weeks.  Bear with me, as I go through these changes.  I know you won't leave me, my adoring readers, and I will do my best to make this blog worth your while.

TTFN, ta ta for now!

Steampunk. All the history, twice the goggles!

I have a great many interests. They range wildly from video games, reading, classic TV, LARP, D&D, and even cooking. Every once in a while, we find a subculture that speaks to us. I'm lucky enough to belong to a good deal of them. One of my favorite subcultures (if you couldn't infer from the title of the post) is steampunk. Steampunk has a lot of definitions. Steampunk, as defined by wikipedia, is "a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United States—that incorporates elements of either science fiction or fantasy. Works of steampunk often feature anachronistic technology, or futuristic innovations as Victorians might have envisioned them, based on a Victorian perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, art, etc. This technology includes such fictional machines as those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or the contemporary authors Philip Pullman, Scott Westerfeld and China Mieville. Other examples of steampunk contain alternative history-style presentations of such technology as lighter-than-air airships, analog computers, or such digital mechanical computers as Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace's Analytical engine. Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded by individual artisans into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical "steampunk" style, and a number of visual and musical artists have been described as steampunk."

Purist steampunks will often tell you that if you don't do things exactly their way, you can get the hell off of their airship.  I take a much more "broad spectrum" approach to my steampunk ideals.  An anachronistic history of Victorian England can be viewed as many things.  As it didn't actually happen that way, who is to say that certain elements the purists deem "unfit" might not have become created and implemented (to a degree which would actually make sense within the confines of the genre)?  By this, I mean that if it could reasonably be seen as a technological or sociological advancement which could be achieved with the levels of technology already present in the genre, go for it.  The biggest thing that I see happening (which I somewhat agree with the purists about) is the integration of cyberpunk into steampunk settings.  I have no quarrel with the cyberpunks (as it is another genre that catches my fancy), but I wouldn't mix Star Trek (science fiction) with Dagorhir (medieval fantasy combat).

The sound of ticking clockwork is quite often the first thing that people will think of when they hear the word "steampunk".  Clockwork does play an important role.  Mechanized carriages, clockwork dolls, even artificial life can be common themes within the genre.  Another aspect (which does not ALWAYS have to be incorporated) is the airship.  Most often a form of dirigible, the airship opens up the steampunk genre to one of my favorite aspects of the subculture; airship pirates!  Most often painted as the romantic brigand (and protagonist of the story), the airship pirate is a steampunk Robin Hood.  This isn't to say that you don't get your Blackbeards, simply that the pirate seems to be one of the archetypes of the genre that people relate to and sympathize with.

The dress style of steampunk should normally fit with the Victorian (or sometimes Edwardian) setting.  Now, this, one might think, could limit your wardrobe choices.  Most people don't realize that the clothing of these eras was as vast and varying as our own fashion world today.  Each class had it's own wardrobe, with variations therein.  Certain professions had a recognizable uniform.  Even people wearing the same basic outfit could differentiate themselves with accessories of wildly ranging complexity and style.  The same applies for steampunk.  Another complaint that many steampunks have is that those new to the genre think that everything HAS to be brown.  Yes, colors existed in Victorian times.  Now, you shouldn't make a brocade doublet in neon pink, but use colors (within reason).

The music, literature, fashion, and everything else associated with steampunk draws me in like the smell of oil burning on the moving parts of my airship's engine.  It is a fun hobby and, due to the increasing popularity, a widespread art form.  You can find steampunk things on almost any website that sells things.  One of my favorites is etsy.  On etsy, you can find the craftsmanship of artisans all over the world.  On the other hand, etsy can sometimes offer "steampunk" objects which are not even close to fitting within the genre.  A lot of people have tried to cash in on the growing popularity of the genre by painting things copper and gluing a gear or two to them.  This does not a steampunk object make.  If you have the time and patience to wade through to find the better things, etsy is well worth your while.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post, but my airship is about to leave without me.  Blasted crew thinks they can leave their captain behind?  We'll see who's laughing when I put the mechanical spiders that I bought in London in each and every one of their bunks.

TTFN, ta ta for now.