memories

The Gentle Giant has Fallen

June 13, 2018 By Scott "Q" Marcus

James Hoff didn’t give up without a fight on anything.

So, when he told me that he was accepting hospice care, I knew he had given it everything he had.

“Jim” (which is what everyone who knew him called him) moved on last Sunday to whatever is next for his powerful, loving, large, expressive Spirit. He was 68. He was as large in life as he was in build, referencing his colossal stature as “five feet 17 inches.”

photograph courtesy of Mike Jones

To call him a “close friend” does not do justice to our relationship.

Although having moved to Texas several years ago, he remained my mentor, buddy, confidant, and sometime political sparring partner. He was the big brother I never had.

With the exception of direct family, Jim’s loss hits more harshly than any of the others I’ve written about over the last 14 years. Although relieved that he has been released of the suffering of his final months, I am saddened beyond words over the void left in many lives. Today the sun shines, yet light fails to penetrate. [Read more…]

Honoring Fathers

June 12, 2017 By Scott "Q" Marcus

In honor of Father’s Day this coming Sunday…

My first book (and my most popular book in terms of sales) is called “The Shade of a Tree is the Very Best there is.” I wrote it when my oldest son (now 33) was moving out on his own. I wanted him to have all the wisdom I could possibly impart on him. The book consists of 135 motivational quotes for all occasions. I’ve been flattered that some groups use it as a weekly lesson guide to start a conversation.

(Truth be told, I don’t know how good the advice was because he moved back in a few years later. ?)

Anyway…

Two pieces of advice from my book: [Read more…]

My Favorite Toy

September 23, 2015 By Scott "Q" Marcus

My parents told me they gave him to me as a Christmas present in 1955, in Detroit, Michigan in a two-story flat on Dexter Avenue.

I’ve seen the grainy 8MM movies, but of course, I don’t remember. After all, I was barely a year old, hardly old enough to know what was a “best friend,” let alone that he would be it.

At night, I’d hold him until I fell asleep; his very presence banishing monsters that lived under the bed and the shadow creatures in the closet. When wind against the windows caused the curtains to pulsate and the panes to howl a ghostly, eerie, wail, my little yellow buddy with the dark black eyes and furry body watched over me until the sandman cast his magic upon me. He shared my pillow, his yellow, foam, and fur body with plastic face peering over the blankets to protect me, long after I dozed.

I would drag him from Kevin’s to Joey’s to Victor’s during long vacations and hot muggy afternoons. He’d sit, floppy-necked, across from me on the kitchen table as I’d sip lemonade and draw with crayons. While I did homework, he rested, never complaining, near my pencil jar. And when no one was to be found and there was nothing to do but let my imagination take over, I covered him in aluminum foil, wrapped saran wrap around his head, suspended him from the ceiling light, and pretended he was an astronaut.

“Commander Puppy,” I said into my paper-cup microphone (adding the right amount of voice crackle to increase the realism), “This is Captain Scott. Over. Do you hear me? Over. Come in Commander. Over and out.”

Together, we spent hours; daylight until dark. January through December. Childhood through adolescence.

[Read more…]

Stay in the Present

July 7, 2014 By Scott "Q" Marcus

You are where you plant your feet.

When we get sad, we are focusing on the past. When we get frightened, we are focusing on the future.

To be happy, we must focus on the present; after all, it’s all we really have.

[Read more…]

Spontaneity: To Nurture Our Lives

October 29, 2013 By Featured Author

You wake up, switch the alarm off, stretch and stand to your feet.

You race down the stairs, inhaling the fresh, cooked breakfast. The wife has done it again! Today, however, something strange happens. Your car keys are missing. No recollection of where they could be. Then, thankfully, your wife finds them. Alright, you’re not going to be late for work. I mean come on, you’re never late.

You’re almost to work when the unexplainable happens, again. You make that usual right turn and enter bumper to bumper traffic. You take this street specifically to avoid traffic. And usually there is no traffic. Now you’re definitely going to be late!

You barely make it to work on time. Break time sneaks up on you and the only thing on your mind is the uninvited intrusions from earlier. You’re a person who values punctuality, organization and a special order. For your entire life you’ve painted every aspect of your life.

I ask you to not just read my words but allow them saturate within your mind and soul.

For the avid believers who feel they can literally shape their life any which way they want. No matter how perfectly you plan each day, hour, minute or moment, you cannot decide every aspect of your life. Take part and envision a day when everything went according to plan. Probably a great day I imagine. I love those days!

Marinate your mind with this question. Where does life’s spontaneous adventures originate? Unfortunately, they don’t originate from those perfectly planned days! You think Steve Job would have been a future tech prodigy if he hadn’t first been fired from Apple? Ruth Graves Wakefield had a bad day when she realized she ran out of the baking chocolate she used for her chocolate chip cookies. This spontaneously forced her to chop up Nestlé’s Semi-Sweet morsels. Thus, creating the chocolate chip cookies we have today. The spontaneity event of each day is what keeps the future an adventure. And those are the days that become stained memories for our hearts. Embrace the uninvited intrusions and you might just meet that right person or influence a positive change in somebody’s life.

Understand I’m not saying you shouldn’t keep a planner or an organizer.

No, pride the organization in your life! But do not allow yourself to think you have ALL control. If you knew each day from beginning, middle and end, I imagine you would grow quite bored. With my education still in progress and working a full time job and taking care of my son, I know I would certainly grow bored if I knew every aspect of my future! Yes, it’s scary and sometimes it’s dark. However, if you search with your heart there is always light in times of darkness.

Life is too fun to know its inner workings!

Today, something spontaneous will happen to you friend! Go ahead, smile at it!

Bad or good, it will change your life for the better!

About the author: My name is Anthony Johnson. I’m 23 years old. I have a son, who truly means the world to me. I’ve been writing for about ten years. It became a serious passion of mine about six years ago. I’ve done all types of unpublished writing such as; fictional short stories, poetry, inspirational and of course motivational pieces. My hobbies include running, biking or anything that will keep a sweat going for me! I’m also a huge advocate of board games with family and friends! I enjoy the simple pleasures of life. I consider myself a man/father trying to change the world one day at a time. What more could I actually ask for!?