Wednesday, January 31, 2018

My DQ Blizzard Bonanza! - Week 13

Has it really been 13 weeks?  It seems like yesterday when I won my DQ VIP card and started this Blizzard Bonanza.  Now I'm one-fourth of the way done.  Weird.

I am completely aware of how nuts it was to initiate this weekly ice cream blogging.  It will probably get repetitive as I draw nearer to the last 4 or 5  of the menu-listed Blizzards.  Yet, I plan to see this nuttiness through to the last red (or Golden) spoon! 


The Dipped Strawberry Blizzard was very good and surprising!  The name of this Blizzard says it all.  An initial strawberry wonderland soon transforms into a vanilla dream!  Bits of Ghirardelli chocolate makes this tasty transition as smooth as, well, ice cream. 

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind, ice cream words.

Freak Out, 
JLH

P.S.  In case you missed Week 12...
______________________
John L. Harmon is...
an indie author - viewAuthor.at/JohnLHarmon
He currently resides left of center in the state of Nebraska and has been visually impaired since December of 2016.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

My DQ Blizzard Bonanza! - Week 12

The beginning of this week brought me an extra free Blizzard, but I didn't want it and I couldn't return it.  All I can hope for is a speedy melting session, so I may forget trudging through above-the-knee deep snowdrifts and the seemingly endless scooping. 


After the Winter OlympicsNebraska-style, I decided I deserved something special.  So I put on my crown and called for my Golden Spoon, you buggering serf!


The Royal Reese's Brownie  Blizzard was seriously delicious!  This mixture of brownie chunks and peanut butter cups was even tastier than the regular, non-Royal Reese's Blizzard!  My tastebuds were pleased as the flavors danced on my tongue.  Now, if you'll excuse me. I must wave my Golden Spoon at the peasants below and make a royal proclamation, "Let me eat Brownie Blizzards!"

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind, ice cream words.

Freak Out, 
JLH

P.S.  In case you missed Week 11...
______________________
John L. Harmon is...
an indie author - viewAuthor.at/JohnLHarmon
He currently resides left of center in the state of Nebraska and has been visually impaired since December of 2016.

Friday, January 19, 2018

My DQ Blizzard Bonanza! - Week 11

It's been a long week in my New Year's Revolution, full of raw emotions, battered feelings, and a casualty or two.  Not literally, as in dead.  More like a change in what I'm willing to put up with and who I can count on. 

Even during this raging internal battle, the revolution continues full steam ahead.  The online home for my curious concoctions is slowly, but steadily, becoming a reality.  If 2018 has taught me anything, it's that I can be productive even when I'm down. 

Which brings me to this week's Blizzard.  I've been worried that I'm getting...dramatic sting...tired of Blizzards!  It feels like ever since I emulated that certain scene from When Harry Met Sally with the Turtle Pecan Cluster Blizzard, the proceeding ice cream treats have been...not so spellbinding.  So, I decided to go with something simple this week, holding no severe expectations, either way.


The Oreo Cookies Blizzard was really good.  I am not the hugest fan of Oreos, but I kept an open mind and scooped a red spoonful out. "Simply delicious!" is what I exclaimed, and I meant it on a couple of  levels.  The vanilla ice cream full of pulverized Oreos was delicious and direct.  This  uncomplicated confection was exactly what I needed after a long week. 

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind, ice cream words.

Freak Out, 
JLH

P.S.  In case you missed Week 10...
______________________
John L. Harmon is...
an indie author - viewAuthor.at/JohnLHarmon
He currently resides left of center in the state of Nebraska and has been visually impaired since December of 2016.

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

My Beautiful Abyss

Shimmering 
like a 
Moonlit 
Undulating 
oil spill 

Devouring 
the light 
attempting to 
Penetrate 
My perpetual  
darkness  

Standing  
motionless  
Staring into 
its swirling 
Depth 
Waiting for 
a sign 

Releasing 
your hand 
that was 
Never mine 
I plunge in 
as 
You wave 
good night 
__________________

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind words.

Freak Out, 
JLH
______________________
John L. Harmon is...
an indie author - viewAuthor.at/JohnLHarmon
He currently resides left of center in the state of Nebraska and has been visually impaired since December of 2016

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

My DQ Blizzard Bonanza! - Week 10

A long time ago at a Dairy Queen not so far away from my own...

BLIZZARD WARS
Episode X
THE RETURN OF THE FIRST FLAVOUR 

It was a young time for the freakboy and he was given the opportunity to try something he had never heard of...a DQ Blizzard.

Without missing a beat, he ordered the M&M'S Blizzard.  He liked ice cream and he liked those candy-coated chocolate bits, so the logic was sound.  The reality, however, was something else. 

He found the ice cream so thick and the M&M'S so frozen that he couldn't finish it.  Chalking it up as an ice cream learning lesson, the freakboy didn't order another Blizzard until 2017 when he discovered the tasty wonder of the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Has age changed this freakboy's taste?  Will he embrace the flavour he once discarded?


The M&M'S Blizzard was fine.  The ice cream wasn't as thick as it used to be.  Seriously, it was very soupy within minutes.  However, those candy-coated chocolate bits were as hard and frozen as ever.  Overall, much like The Last Jedi, I guess I'm glad I gave it a chance, but I don't care if I ever experience it again.

Thank you for reading or listening to my half-blind, ice cream words.

Freak Out, 
JLH

P.S.  In case you missed Week 9...
______________________
John L. Harmon is...
an indie author - viewAuthor.at/JohnLHarmon
He currently resides left of center in the state of Nebraska and has been visually impaired since December of 2016.

Saturday, January 6, 2018

My 2018 Truth

Sometimes life can seriously suck, but it's ok to feel not-so ok.

Just try not to let the negative be all your eyes can see.

Thank you for reading/listening to my half-blind words.

Freak Out, 
JLH

P.S. Are you hungry for words to make you think?  If so, dive into the blog of my online friend Gary and explore his reality...his truth...
______________________
John L. Harmon is...
an indie author - viewAuthor.at/JohnLHarmon
He currently resides left of center in the state of Nebraska and has been visually impaired since December of 2016.

Friday, January 5, 2018

My DQ Blizzard Bonanza! - Week 9

Happy New Year & Happy New Blizzard!  Well, new to me, and I wasn't certain if I was even going to get the chance to try it this week!

I initiated a Truffle Hunt on Wednesday, but was informed they were out of Truffles, but they would have some the next day.  I was totally bummed and a bit confused.  How could Dairy Queen run out of its Flavor of the Month on the 3rd day?

So, I went on a second Truffle Hunt on Thursday.  The clerk said they had Truffles, so I happily ordered it!  The clerk rang it up and punched my DQ VIP Card.  Suddenly, in a moment of pure suspense, the dessert clerk announced they didn't have any Truffles!  I immediately blurted out, "You've got to be kidding me!"  Thankfully, the regular clerk explained to the dessert clerk, and me, that the Truffle supply arrived late due to the holidays.  The dessert clerk checked and thankfully found the elusive Truffles.  I was super excited! 

Now for the punchline.

A cup of sweetness.

The Triple Truffle Blizzard was good.  The fudge, peanut butter and caramel were little bites of sweetness.  Sweetness being the operative word.  This particular Blizzard was a little too sweet for my taste.  Maybe it was the caramel or maybe I'm sweet enough already, but this will not be my favorite, even though it was good.

Thank you for reading my half-blind, ice cream words.

Freak Out, 
JLH

P.S.  In case you missed Week 8...
______________________
John L. Harmon is...
an indie author - viewAuthor.at/JohnLHarmon
He currently resides left of center in the state of Nebraska and has been visually impaired since December of 2016.

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

2018 (a New Year's Revolution)

Shed the brittle skin 
of my former year 
So I may begin  
without any fear 
-POEM FOR A NEW YEAR
~~~~~~~~~~
Last year is over and I persevered while educating myself on the subject of visually impaired me.

Now it's time to grab the New Year by its dropped ball and utilize what I've learned.

There are three projects I plan to accomplish this year.  They are as follows, with little explanation and definitely without estimated times of completion.

1.) Design a bent online home so my curious creative concoctions can live together in digital sin. 

2.) Self-publish an e-book and/or book collecting the best & worst of the short stories, so-called poetry and random ramblings from this blog between the years 2013-2016. 

3.) Write the sequel to Darkening Sturgeons that I conjured up last year. 

Can I achieve these creative goals this year?  Yes, I believe I am ready for the challenge and have sufficiently relearned the skills required to see them through to the end. 

Will I achieve these creative goals this year?  This kind of work may take longer than expected, especially with my diminished vision, so I can truly make no promises. 

There is also my continuing struggle with a most determined demon to consider.  I excel at allowing self-doubt to close doors, which is at the center of this New Year's Revolution.  I want 2018 to be about swinging doors wide open. 

A certain amount of self-doubt is healthy, because without it we would all be political leaders.  I just need to prevent that emotionally destructive demon from overwhelming me to the point where I slam the door shut on these burgeoning projects.  

So, here I am, middle-age and visually impaired, drawing a line in the mental sand in 2018.  On one side of the line is every negative feeling I have ever had about myself.  On the other side is me, standing firm, ready to do battle with any insidious, self-loathing feeling that dares to cross the line.  My weapon is everything I accomplished in 2017 despite my chunk of vision loss.

It will not be easy, but revolutions rarely are. Thankfully, I know there are friends & family standing behind me, willing to join the battle by lending an ear or a shoulder when needed. 

Thank you for reading my half-blind words, and have a revolutionary new year! 

Freak Out, 
JLH

P.S.  Do you suffer from Diva Deficiency Syndrome?  If so, please read the blog of my Twitter friend Dave, and then login to your fave music streaming service in the morning.
______________________
John L. Harmon is...
an indie author - viewAuthor.at/JohnLHarmon
He currently resides left of center in the state of Nebraska and has been visually impaired since December of 2016