Bryan R..

Joined September 2018

118 stories

Bio

Husband. Father. Music and Youth Pastor. I enjoy writing as a hobby.

Stories (118)

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Once and No More
Francis Browne entered the First Class Dining Saloon on 'D' deck. A stringed quintet softly played "The Blue Danube Waltz ." Some couples danced while others dined on the exquisite and exotic foods reserved for the most privileged. Francis strolled happily to his table, greeting fellow diners along the way. Many of these smiling "welcomes" had gladly posed for photographs on the Promenade deck and had requested a tintype copy at his convenience. He still marveled that his uncle had given him a first class ticket. His Jesuit training and priestly pursuits would never provide such extravagance; dining with lawyers, bankers, and railroad magnates thrust him into a world truly not his own.
By Bryan R..5 years ago in Humans
A Return To Mayberry
When I was a child, my parents introduced me to the Andy Griffith Show. The show premiered in 1960, airing on CBS. It ran until 1968, rating as the number one watched show in its final year. I was born in 1971. I'm guessing the show meant little to me until the late 1970's. But, when I started watching the show, I found myself hooked. Here we are in 2021, and I still watch the show on a regular basis. Thankfully, Amazon Prime offers all seasons for free! I love the comedic chemistry between Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife. I love the Father/Son relationship between Andy and Opie. Characters like Goober, Gomer, and Floyd the Barber are legends in their own rites. The directors of the show assembled a cast of phenomenal actors and have reaped the benefits of audience approval for decades. I think one of the key reasons generations of people have loved the show is that we yearn for the world to be like Mayberry.
By Bryan R..5 years ago in Geeks
5 Things Not to Do with Your Stimulus Checks
I'm not a financial advisor. I don't personally dabble in the stock market. My retirement savings funnel into specified funds and I seldom make changes. I do occasionally listen to financial guru Dave Ramsey and have read his book Financial Peace, but that's the extent of my wealth building knowledge. However, I do know there are certain things you shouldn't do with your stimulus checks.
By Bryan R..5 years ago in Lifehack
Reasons Why You Won't Succeed on Vocal
I've written for Vocal for almost seven months, and not one day goes by that I don't see these questions asked by fellow writers: "How do I achieve Top Story status? When will I be featured on the front page?" Well, I've come to the conclusion that one can't possibly know the answer.
By Bryan R..5 years ago in Motivation
The 2021 Cicada Invasion
The cicadas are coming! The cicadas are coming! In the Book of Exodus, the God of Israel sent a plague of locusts upon the land of Egypt. These pests covered every tree and plant and ravaged the land by eating every thing that could be eaten. Though sometimes confused with locusts, the hordes of insects surfacing within the next month are not ravagers like the locusts but are relatively harmless cicadas.
By Bryan R..5 years ago in FYI
The Year of Teleportation: 2020
I would really like traveling if traveling wasn't involved. I made this statement to my family during our mini-vacation last week. Packing for 6 kids and two adults presents challenges. Loading everything up in a Tahoe with a limited amount of storage space takes time and creativity. Think old-school Tetris with luggage. Then, before departure, the age old struggle of who rides where ensues. When the wheels finally start to turn, there's a sigh of relief, but also dread at the thought of traveling only a few miles before someone needs to use the bathroom. So, the real hassle of travel, is the traveling. Once at the destination, the fun begins until it's time to pack up, load up, and return home. So, I would really like traveling if traveling wasn't involved.
By Bryan R..5 years ago in Futurism
If I Was the CEO of Vocal
I enjoy writing for Vocal. I signed up on February 2nd, 2021 lured in by a $20,000 prize for the top story of the Little Black Book Challenge. I also submitted and published my first story on February 2nd. I decided to jump in with both feet and attempt to make a little extra cash for my stories.
By Bryan R..5 years ago in Journal
Springfield Missouri's Snake Scare of 1953
In 1953, Springfield, MO experienced a reptilian invasion. That year, sixty-five thousand residents lived in the city limits, and between August and October, the citizens of the Queen City of the Ozarks, shared downtown with at least eleven Indian Cobras.
By Bryan R..5 years ago in FYI
Allergy Sufferers and the Global Pandemic
Allergy sufferers and pandemics don't go hand in hand. Every sneeze draws attention. Clearing the throat becomes a national emergency. Nose blowing draws scrutinizing eyes and death stares. The seasonal symptoms which trigger watery eyes and itchy throats now force people to stay home for fear of someone calling the Covid police.
By Bryan R..5 years ago in Humans
How to Cope with Tinnitus
I hate the word cope. Merriam Webster offers a couple of different definitions for cope. The first, is to deal with and attempt to overcome problems and difficulties —often used with with. The second, is to maintain a contest or combat usually on even terms or with success —used with with. Both definitions describe coping as battling with a certain difficulty or frustration. In my honest opinion, the word cope, offers little hope. It is not my intention to be discouraging, I'm just sharing the reality of my own experience. For instance, I am coping with tinnitus.
By Bryan R..5 years ago in FYI
A Branson MO Getaway
My family slipped away for a mini-vacation to Branson, MO. As I sit on our condo's balcony, overlooking one of Pointe Royale's fairways, I thought I'd share with you some of the highlights of our three day - two night excursion.
By Bryan R..5 years ago in Wander
No Womb for Abimael
Uncertain of his destination, brilliant light caressed the senses as the newcomer arrived. Much had happened in such a short period of time. In moments, he had been given a name, a home, and a place to be loved and belong. Darkness to light, he quietly mused.
By Bryan R..5 years ago in Futurism