writing

Play In Peace, Prince

/ Karina Pinella / 16 Comments

Prince
[Italicized stanzas are excerpts from Prince’s song, Purple Rain]

4/21/16 — The last day of Prince’s reign
He who gave us Purple Rain
And other hits that will never wane

I never meant to cause you any sorrow
I never meant to cause you any pain

Pioneer, legend, icon, genius
He even had a name that’s a hieroglyph
As cryptic as what stole his last breath

Constant music in the making
He set the tone and style for the taking
He’s always real, no room for faking

Honey, I know, I know
I know times are changing

A milestone maker in many stages,
He had a soundtrack for all the ages
His harmony is stronger than any steel cages

He’s a master in rock and blues
An impact in culture and people of any hue
He’s a melody maven through and through

It’s time we all reach out
For something new, that means you too

Prince and the Revolution
Prince and the N.P.G./The New Power Generation
Prince, you were always a sensation

Only want to see you
In the purple rain

The Yikes File: The Screamer

/ Karina Pinella / 13 Comments
creepy crawler

Image: Pixabay

“Barney!” Betsy screams, paralyzed by the sight of the eight-legged creature that appears to peer at her from the bathroom corner.

Betsy’s husband, Barney, runs inside the bathroom, where his wife is naked and dripping from getting out of the shower.

“I’m too afraid to get my towel. That thing is too close. Help!” Betsy screeches while rubbing her arms.

Barney is still eyeing Betsy. As a newlywed, he’s still in awe of how lucky he is to be married to such a voluptuous beauty. He quickly forgets why he was summoned. He strides over to Betsy, picks her up, and beds her down.

Caught off guard, but pleasantly so, Betsy too forgets about the spider, as they romp around the bed. As she closes into the moment of no return, her eyes flutter open and catch the dangling spider from the ceiling. She screams as if there is no tomorrow.

[Inspired by Lynn Thaler’s blog: Random Life Thoughts: Morning Visitor]

Vanity of the Taliban

/ Karina Pinella / 2 Comments
Taliban attack in Kabul

Images: Pixabay

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the ugliest of them all?”

[Condolences to those who lost their families and friends to the explosion in Kabul Tuesday morning on 4/19/16.]

The Watcher in the Wall by Owen Laukkanen (a book review)

/ Karina Pinella / 5 Comments

This is the fifth of a book series that features FBI Agent, Carla Windermere, who earned the nickname, Super Cop, because of her arrest record, among other reasons. She’s teamed up with Kirk Stevens, a state investigator, who at one time sat in a Minneapolis precinct in the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) division. In this installment, he is now sharing an office with Carla at an FBI office based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Continue reading →

Straighten Out

/ Karina Pinella / 19 Comments
Societal concerns

Image: Pixabay

[Inspired by current events and Straight Outta Compton*]

Back in the ‘80s came a rhapsody at rap city
Straight out of Compton.
Some black dudes introduced a new musicality;
They were inspired from their frustration,
Fighting strong with words
Wrapped in rhythmic chords.

Today their message from then still holds true
Though it’s not just them vs. the men in blue.
There’s more to it than injustices done by one homogenized group;
It’s really all about every one of us that makes this a vicious loop–
To a degree we all contribute our own social and mental ills;
We’re all paying the same big bills.

The list is long,
But it’s time we see all what’s wrong.
Face up to the fact that history can’t be undone,
But we dwell on it and create a rerun
As long as we stay with the same script.
The only difference is another rendition of rehashed bulls_ _ _.

Haves and have-nots are alike,
So one has a bigger bike.
Create your own success story
Instead of living in envy.
The root of all evil is not money,
It’s the lack of self-accountability.

Funny how it really is simple,
Just be responsible.
It is an individual call
But it starts within us all
To make a dent.
To our system that needs a bad re-invent.

*Straight Outta Compton is a movie about how rap music revolutionized the Hip-Hop culture.

Marguerite (a movie review)

/ Karina Pinella / 13 Comments

This French film stars award-winning French actress, Catherine Frot, who plays the title role, Marguerite. Loosely based on a real life New York heiress named Florence Foster Jenkins, Marguerite is both sad and funny. Set in France during the 1920s, the movie is about a wealthy woman who aspires to be an opera singer. She’s made herself the generous patroness of her town’s music club, which regularly features talented musicians and classical singers. She also inserts herself in the playbill and decimates the audience’s fine musical senses as she performs.
Continue reading →

Fat Cat

/ Karina Pinella / 18 Comments
best life ever

Image: Pixabay

Strolling down the street,
Looking dapper and well fed,
Smug with no cares,
You have food and a warm bed.
No hassle, no bill collectors.
Being a pampered cat can’t be beat.

Chicken Chop Soupy

/ Karina Pinella / 24 Comments

chicken chop soupy
This recipe is similar to the Americanized concept of Chop Suey; its name based on a province in China where it originated. The dish is simply whatever you have on hand or leftovers assembled in one dish. What I had in the kitchen were white and sweet potatoes and 1 ½ cups of cooked chopped chicken. And so, Chicken Chop Soupy was borne, or made (but not in China). Continue reading →