Time (a short story)

He pushed his way through the clearly visible smoke and the not too large crowd. Followed closely by a comrade. Through a hatch which wasn't recognisable as such at first glance the two disappeared into the wall.

Through a knee-high spyhole she was watching their actions. Within minutes the first man opened the hatch from within and walked away -ignoring smokers, talkers and drinkers- to the adjacent room where one could clearly hear a party being in full swing.

In the body posture of an animal that is ready on all fours to contribute to the survival of the species she managed to report that the other man was still in the room on the other side of the wall, glancing around him as he waited.

Waited, with the impatiently anticipating attitude of someone who is at the agreed location but is suddenly unsure of the agreed time.

=======================================

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

Why I love Star Trek

In the made up world of Star Trek the human race has evolved beyond prejudice. Money is abolished, it's normal to have women in high positions and everyone works in their preferred work of expertise. An artist can fully devote his or her time to art, an engineer can be an engineer, writers write and all basic needs are met. Those who want more than just their basic needs are free to work to acquire more. Basically it's an utopia, a 'perfect' world. All major problems in the series basically only occur on other planets. 

As a teenager I failed to notice the problems that face(d) the crews of the different ships with the names 'Enterprise', 'Voyager', 'Discovery' and on the space station 'Deep Space Nine' are of course direct hints at problems we have been facing the last couple of decades: Aids ('Pa'nar Syndrom'), racism ('They are black on the right side of their face and we are black on the left side. That makes them inferior!'), inequality and so on.

'Should holograms that can think have the same rights as humans?' may sound as a strange question. But just think that a few decades ago women in 'our' world were considered beings who couldn't think for themselves and were therefore withheld the right to vote. Or to buy a house without written permission from her husband.

Star Trek is a philosophical exercise in what it would be like to live on a planet Earth where it doesn't matter what race or sex you are or identify as and handicapped people are simply considered people. For example: one of the most famous engineers (Geordie la Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation) was born blind and an entire episode revolves around a women in a wheelchair. 

In the Star Trek:Discovery series there are several lhgbti+-characters, mostly being portrayed by lhgbti+ actors. Who simply play crew members. Remember the first woman on tv in a high command position? That was in Star Trek. Remember the first televised kiss between a caucasian male and a woman of colour? That was in Star Trek.

Watching Star Trek is one of my favourite ways of escapism: a trip out of this current world of ours in which equal opportunities for everyone are not as common as we sometimes like to believe. 

Does everyone have the right to vote? In Belgium for instance voting right for women only exists since 1948. Can everyone marry the person they want? Homosexual people in The Netherlands only since 2001. Can everyone study what they want and where? The average yearly income of parents who have a son or daughter at Harvard is $450,000.

Can every child grow up without the fear of dying from starvation or being bombed or receive basic education and medical care? Absolutely not.

We have a long way to go. Until the day arrives we are a truly enlightned people, I simply live my life. And watch Star Trek.

Only thing is: there are so many Star Trek series (and more on their way!) that it's really hard to watch them all. If only we would live in a world in which all basic needs are met and I could spend all my time on my favourite passtimes: my family and friends, writing and watching Star Trek. 

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

Certain (a short story)

From the corner of his eye he saw her taking pictures of him and the people he had just met. 

She saw him looking and zoomed in.

He flirted with the camera but really with her. 

She lowered the device to show him she was smiling at him.

The dimple in her cheek deepened.

The little hat looked cute on her and it didn't look like she had dressed up. 

She didn't speak his native tongue and he didn't speak hers.

That didn't stop them from making advances.

A little later he had her number. But she didn't have his. 

A few weeks later he saw her again. 

In a dressing room she gave him a little kiss and then went to work.

With the taste of her lips on his he did what he had to do. 

Most lost the game that he played but he felt a winner even if he did lose sight of her.

One day he would see her again, of that he was certain.

===============================================

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

Sorting and labeling memes

Often when I come across a picture - and especially when it's posted without context - I can't help to come up with a caption. And often I think of a soundbite and search for a picture to go with it. Often that's a picture of a cat. I publish these 'memes' and 'lolcats' on social media and more than once someone send me a picture of their cat: 'Could you come up with a text to go with this picture?'

Here are a few examples:

I found this picture on a site that collects remarkable pictures, found on Google Maps and immediately thought of a famous movie.

I often wonder about economics, religion and politics and turn my thoughts into memes.

Also, I like to help people think for themselves to give them something to ponder.

Above is an example of a cat picture send to me with the challenge to come up with a caption.

I really enjoy doing this and collected quite a few of my lolcats on a Pinterest board. 

Then I discovered Imgflip: an easy online way to create memes. And lolcats. My collection is forever growing and via Imgflip my creations are easy to share on social media. 

However: there are so much now that I find it difficult to use them to respond to a message. Whether that is on Facebook, Twitter or in an app-conversation.

So I'm looking for a way to organise and label them. Thusfar without much luck. 

Is there an easy way to label and organise memes to easily use them when appropriate?

Your help is much appreciated!

And if you don't know of a way yourself, it would be very helpful if you could spread my question. Thank you!

======================================

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

The Floor (a short story)

As soon as he saw her he knew he wanted to see more of her. 

Not much later he joined the poets' collective that she was a member of 

and during meetings he would make sure to be sitting opposite her 

for the best view.

Sitting next to her was rather sweet as well 

for then he could smell the scent of her hair. 

Of that of her sweat on the nights she had been to the gym 

and had not taken the time to shower first.

He did not need words to describe his feelings for her, 

others could do that.

Within a year he shared a Paris hotel room with her. 

Where he awoke on the floor.

==========================================

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

The fun of Twitter

Twitter - like any form of social media - can be very addictive. To me it resembles the Cantina in Star Wars:

A lot of different individuals. All with their different tastes, their own wishes and backgrounds and all with different opinions on different matters. Sometimes funny, sometimes annoying. Sometimes educational and sometimes just plain dumb. Just like in an actual bar it's not always easy to choose a topic or a conversation partner: depending on the time of the day or week there are other occupants. And you cannot choose who they are. That's part of what makes it interesting. 

For me Twitter is an opportunity to learn. Facts, different ways of looking at things, learning to control myself and learning to choose wether or not to engage in conversation based on a single remark.

It's also a playground. And I like to play. 

Like this little Twitter game:

Post a picture of yourself as the leader of an underground organisation without downloading any new pictures. pic.twitter.com/ubohgrXCZP

— Terrence 'Wappiepedia' Weynschenk (@Terrebelius) August 7, 2021

Are you on Twitter? If so: what do you do there for fun?

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

Exchange (a short story)

Her appearance was even more beautiful than her name. When she spoke others were quiet.

Everything she did she did with conviction. And not just because it was her job.

For a moment he felt like the little boy he had been in school: pen in hand, sheet of paper in front of him and getting annoyed whenever anyone dared interrupt the teacher. He simply loved to hear her speak.

Not so much for what she had to say (although the information was useful enough) but for the way she said it. The tone of her voice, the movement of her hands and lips...

At the end of the evening he thanked her for her words and discovered they were of the same blood.

His reward was great:

Not only did he get her e-mail address but also her phone number.

Perhaps before long they would indulge in a dress exchange.

=============================================

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon

Preaching to the choir

'They preach hate and violence and take their supporting quotes from their holy book!'

Yes, they do:

Yes, there are religious zealots who are convinced that preaching (and unfortunately executing) violence is the best way to promote the 'peace' of their religion: pastors, imams, buddhist monks...

Now they have social media to spread their hatred and lies. Religious idiots take a quote from a holy book and simply lie about what their favourite deity mend by those words. 

According to some buddhists, killing a communist is not killing a human being.

According to some muslims, killing christians is not killing a human being.

According to some christians, killing homosexuals is not killing a human being.

These days it it not uncommon to spread the lie that muslims are terrorists. So when a muslim commits an act of violence it is considered a terrorist act. But when a non-muslim kills a bunch of people he is 'a troubled young man'. 

These days in America white supremacists commit more terrorist attacks than muslims. Unfortunately people react to that news with 'Yeah, but that's just a fact and not true.'

Now it's muslims who are given the blame for a lot that's wrong in the 'free, western, christian world.' But that group used to be jews. And that wasn't even so long ago.

Want to read (more of) my short stories? My author page: Terrence Weijnschenk at Amazon