Robert Gainey

ATTN: All Field Personnel, Southeast Division RE: Asset Designation Numbers As per my previous email, all field personnel submitting a new Type/ Categorization Report (TCR-1023-A) should remember to include the following information: - Date of Initial Contact - Location of Initial Contact - Number of Disparate Anomalies - Estimated Severity (See the Smith-Wyatt Standardization Bell Curve in SOP 110 for a refresher) - Number of Initial Casualties (If applicable) - Any additional pertinent information as needed. This should include an educated guess for asset category, origin and designation, as well as any intelligence gathered in the field relevant to future encounters. Please refer to the attached Asset Designation Number Form to refresh yourselves with the current formatting of finalized ADN. Do not distribute this email outside of the workplace. Regards, SA Diane Morris Dept. of Intangible Assets Southeast Division  

Apocalyptic Stories One of my favorite genres is fiction involving the end of the world. A macabre fascination about how individuals, societies, and entire nations behave in their death throes, as well as their rise from the ashes, drives me to seek out these types of novels. Here, I’ve included my favorites, but honestly it was a hard time paring them down to just ten. 1. On the Beach – Nevile Shute Top of the list for the sheer emotional reaction it forced upon me. On the Beach, set in a world where the nuclear war has already killed everyone north of the equator, follows the survivors of Australia and a handful of American naval personnel as they prepare for the inevitable. Unlike most of the other stories on this list, On the Beach doesn’t have much in the way of antagonists, action, adventure, or hope. What it does have is a very clear message about the horrors of modern wars, the legacy of power struggles, and what it means to die with dignity. I will never read this book a...

 We Are Not Plumbers A Comedy in PVC Parts In June, 2019, the stem wall was finished and it was time to begin slab prep. Before we could pour concrete, we needed to level out and compact the dirt, dig the interior footers, and get the drainage plumbing finished. Sounds pretty simple, right? After all, dirt and footers are simple enough to get right, just a matter of hard work. Well, what makes that hard work even easier? Heavy equipment. Through the miracle of "modern" technology, you don't need to throw out your back. Once levelled, the dirt inside the stem wall needed to have a few minor adjustments made to the height, which was accomplished by wheelbarrow and shovel. I cannot stress enough how heavy comrade sunshine is on days like this, but details matter when it comes to the foundation.  After the dirt's all pretty much in the right place, it's time for Mr. Compactor to come in and do its job. If you're unfamiliar with this little guy, it's essentiall...

In Spring of 2019 , my wife and I finished making preparations to build our dream home. Dream home is almost a cliché at this point, a real estate agent's catch phrase to get someone to buy into a neighborhood with white picket fences and an HOA. In our case, we'd spent three years designing the house from the ground up, paying off what we owed on the land itself and hammering out all the fine little details. Initially, we expected the project to take us about twelve months, as we were going to do the majority of the work ourselves. With us throughout the entire experience was my father, whose expertise in building construction made the entire thing possible. Along the way we received help from friends, my brothers, and various good people who did honest, quality work.  I've decided to do a sort of post-mortem for the whole house build. It was absolutely a unique experience, full of satisfaction and frustration. Now, as I sit in the study we built with our own hands I remai...

             I work as a professional firefighter, which puts me at the station for 24 hour shifts every third day. At my fire station, we’ve got 11-14 people working on a normal day, depending on students or guests or whatnot. Dinner gets cooked on a rotating schedule, so when it’s my turn to cook I want something that can feed plenty of people, reheat easily if everyone catches a run, and doesn’t taste like old sawdust. Today, we’re going to talk about the staple of firehouse meals: spaghetti.           Now, I know I’m going to offend somebody’s old nonna with my recipe, but it’s something that you can slap together in the morning and let cook all day. In the oven, on the stove, in the slow cooker, it all works out in the end. First, let’s have that ingredients list.           1 – 12oz Can Tomato Paste         ...

 Originally posted over on  Serena Synn's blog Serena Synn   Why Choosing Your Setting is Important   Setting is where the story’s at. Not just in the literal sense, but in that old Sam Cooke, 1960’s, “this looks fun, let’s stay a while” way. A bland setting is Van Gogh’s starry night painted all in beige. It’s cauliflower mashed potatoes. Maybe it can be overcome by great dialogue, interesting characters, a fun premise, but a truly memorable setting can elevate a story faster than any other element. After all, what are characters without a world to live in? What’s a conflict without stakes that matter? Isn’t that tender, romantic conversation made more special because you’re transported into that mountain cabin where the fireplace is crackling and the wood smoke fills the air? Even the most minimalist story builds a setting to transport the reader right into what’s happening. Take Hemmingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” as an example. While most of the s...

 As my first virtual blog runs to a close, I'll be sharing the guest posts, interviews, and other assorted oddities that came around as a result. First up is a character confession written for  Paranormalists  on July 5, 2021.   FROM THE DESK OF Diane Morris Special Agent Federal Bureau of Investigation Department of Intangible Assets, Southeast Division   June 10, [REDACTED] Attn: Director Jermaine LaFleur             I am writing today to follow up on my previous unanswered correspondence and to once again formally request a transfer from Field Operations to the relative safety of Logistics. As you are well aware, I have served as a field agent within the DIA for more than [REDACTED], and I feel my talents would be put to better use behind a desk, far away from any [REDACTED] who may, yet again, attempt to eat me. I might add that this is the [REDACTED] time within the past fiscal year I hav...