Life, etc.

Miles O'Neal

May 31, 20191 min read

A Tale of Two Thunderbirds

I saw Lynyrd Skynyrd on their first big tour, opening for the Who in Atlanta. Both bass players that night (Leon Wilkeson for LS and John En

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Miles O'Neal

Mar 8, 20192 min read

Nappy Headed Thing

Up to this point we were just two normal-looking customers awaiting service, but eventually we felt we had to take action. "Keep Austin

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Miles O'Neal

Mar 1, 20192 min read

My Brief Career as a Cartoonist

"It's a joke, son, Ah say, it's a JOKE!" (I remember hearing Foghorn Leghorn in my head, and having to argue myself out of

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Miles O'Neal

Feb 22, 20192 min read

Lost Stuff

All of us have lost, tossed, sold, or given away stuff over the years that we've later wished we hadn't. When I dropped out of college...

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Miles O'Neal

Feb 15, 20191 min read

Riffing on the Past That Wasn't There

You're at a vow renewal where your spouse knows the bride, but you know only your spouse and two people sitting on the bride's side. At...

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Miles O'Neal

Feb 8, 20193 min read

Love Your Libraries

I've read as far back as I can remember. During my teen years and most of my adult life, I read at least 2-3 books a week; during peak...

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Miles O'Neal

Feb 1, 20191 min read

Brazen Shore

On a brazen shore In southern Alabama Thousands of years ago Where false idols fell In a barren waste By a rocky cairn By a boat's dried...

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A Brief History of the TV Remote Control

Miles O'Neal

Jan 25, 20191 min read

A Brief History of the TV Remote Control

When I was a kid, I was the remote. I had to actually get up and walk all the way to the TV to change the volume or channel. Or stop it...

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Growing up Miles (T2 is for Train Trestle)

Miles O'Neal

Jan 18, 20194 min read

Growing up Miles (T2 is for Train Trestle)

"There's something about a train that needs watching. I think we forget that." -Neil Ellis Orts "In Soviet Russia, train watches you!"...

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Miles O'Neal

Jan 11, 20191 min read

Dedication Part 2

Twenty years or so ago, I was trying to get serious about writing. I wasn't getting anywhere, and experienced what we commonly call...

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Miles O'Neal

Jan 4, 20192 min read

Milestones vs Goals

I'm on author Dan Koboldt's email list. His new year's eve email included the nugget below based on something Tobias Buckell (another...

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Miles O'Neal

Dec 28, 20183 min read

Dedication Part 1

I had a number of influential teachers, but none more so for my writing than Ms. Marian Unger, my subversive high school senior year...

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Miles O'Neal

Dec 21, 20181 min read

Smile for the Cameras

A bass player acquaintance related a story of his band's drummer making silly faces at their new singer during rehearsal. The singer took...

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Miles O'Neal

Dec 7, 20181 min read

Stone Age Cartoons

A year or so ago, there was a Facebook chain post asking who your favorite childhood cartoon character was. When I was a kid we didn't...

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Miles O'Neal

Nov 30, 20181 min read

Even More Ado About Nothing

"Don't take life so serious, son ... It ain't no how permanent." -Porky Pine (Pogo comic strip) The same sentiment should apply to how we...

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Miles O'Neal

Jun 10, 20152 min read

The Reality of my Fantasy

A recent Sunday NY Times column Sunday Book Review titled "Between Books" by Ann Packer contained the following bit which I found...

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Miles O'Neal

May 18, 20151 min read

There is no box.

I used to say, "I've written pretty much everything but novels and romance. I can't write those." Then I accidentally (yes, really!)...

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