Notes From The Flash Fiction Underground/June 14, 2012

Woman As Art

Earlier today the Old Soldier (that’s me) walked into Oakland to renew his books on ancient Greek History at the public library.  The weather was lovely (80 and sunny) and I decided to stop at Hemingway’s, a popular bar near the University of Pittsburgh.

The Old Soldier spent a lot of time in Hemingway’s when he was an undergrad and a grad student at Pitt some time around 1999 to 2006.

I walked into Hemingway’s around 11:30 a.m. and sat at the bar.  Lots of people came in to eat and drink lunch, but no one sat at the bar for nearly an hour.  I sat at the long bar by myself watching the televisions and jotting in my pocket notebook.

I love being retired, but sitting alone at the bar reminded me how easy it is to become isolated when you retire.

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Giant Eagle

Giant Eagle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My income is made up of social security, a pension from the Veterans Administration and a pension from Giant Eagle.

I don’t think I have to worry about my income from social security and the Veterans Administration, at least for the short-term.  I do have to worry about my pension from Giant Eagle; because most pensions from the private sector are built on financial instruments that are connected in some way to the global financial system.

So, if you are retired and you have a pension from the private sector, pay attention to what is going on in the Eurozone.  Your income may depend a lot on what happens in Europe. 

A Eurozone collapse will probably hurt you.

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If you write flash fiction, I want to see it.  The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette pays $10.00 for flash fiction.  The Old Soldier is looking for writers who can provide the Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette with a steady flow of quality flash fiction. 

Greece 2006 037 Temple of Hephaistos

Greece 2006 037 Temple of Hephaistos (Photo credit: davehighbury)

Send me literary and mainstream stories and stories about sex.  If you submit a story about sex, don’t think that a bunch of dirty words and people fucking is going to get you $10.00.  What you submit must be a short story.  The story must have priority.  And dirty words don’t impress me.

Previously published stories are okay, too.  Read and follow the guidelines.  The submissions tab is at the top of the page.  You will hear back from me in a few days.

Good luck!

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Read.  Study.  Write.  Submit.

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Notes From The Flash Fiction Underground (June 11, 2012)

Woman As Art

The morning started off with the police in my apartment building around 8:30 a.m. on my flood trying to calm down a women in her room who had some mental issues.  She had been screaming and constantly banging her door shut and I guess someone called the police.

She’s still on my floor.

But the morning improved after that.

I took a nostalgic walk down into the heart of Oakland where the campus of the University of Pittsburgh is.  I stopped at a bar named Hemingway’s.  I have not been in Hemingway’s in maybe two or three years.  Donna, the owner, was behind the bar.  We talked about the old times, when I was an undergraduate and then a graduate student at Pitt.  That was around eight years ago.  And I spent a lot of time at Hemingway’s in those days.

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Apartment building in Pittsburgh

Apartment building in Pittsburgh (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Well, the Old Soldier (I’m a Vietnam War Veteran) has already accepted a story from a new guest writer that will be published the first week of July.  The Pittsburgh Flash Fiction Gazette is a paying market.  So, if you are a writer get your submission in.  I publish poetry, non-fiction and flash fiction.  You do not have to write about sex.

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Read.  Study.  Write.  Submit.

*****

Click the follow button.  This magazine is free.

Blogging Again

I’m blogging again.  I’m going to try and post something every day. 

I’m in Oakland in Pittsburgh in Hemingway’s drinking with students from the University of Pittsburgh.  Blue Moon Beer is the big draft special for $1.50 for the day.  A soccer game is on three of the TVs and golf is on the fourth one.

I just came from the main branch of The Carnegie Library were I renewed my library card, picked up a tax form and checked out the tape of the movie Quo Vadis.

Now that I’ve taken early social security I may as well take advantage of everything that I’m entitled to.

America, is this a great nation or what.

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