Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)

What can we say. Summer has fled. Like grade school friends at the sound of cop cars howling towards the field where you thought there was an abandoned house. All the warm days that seemed like they would never end are being elbowed aside by a wind that is a total stranger. (Though there is something familiar about it now, how it lurks around corners in the afternoon, daring the sun to stay around a little longer. It pushes at the back of your legs and flips your collar like a sixth grade bully, mindless energy without a focus.)

Despite the seemingly-gloomy intro*, this is still the Ten Things of Thankful (TToT) bloghop. Kristi, our host, arranges the electrons, throws open the curtains and welcomes all who would join us.

So lets get started with our Grat List.

1) Una

2) Phyllis

3) Hypo-grat: Escape of Summer and, like the uncle your mother always referred to in a noticeably casual manner and your father frowned and kept it short with his silence, moving into the breezeway between the house and the garage for as long as it takes before Summer is ready to return.

4) Chapter 17 of the serial story, ‘The Case of the Missing Starr’ (Interesting thing. Feedback that I’ve been getting and feedback I’ve solicited indicates that everyone is enjoying the supporting characters. The MC, well, not that Ian Devereaux’s a bad character. He’s ok. And that’s the interesting part. He’s just ok.

(I’ll wait while the wisecracks and giggles die down. “Yes, Dyanne, I do realize that Ian’s the only First Person character in the book.” “Why, thank you, Mimi, I do believe that he just needs to get comfortable in the role.” “Jennifer? Very good insight, there are some ragged edges to our main character and he does have a certain propensity for keeping them out of sight.” “Lizzi... what a nice thing to say! I don’t doubt that he’s holding back, the better to highlight the supporting characters.” “Yeah, Denise you did see the glint of a bit of a darker side of Ian in this, Chapter 17 that was a little surprising.”)

5) As always, the Wakefield Doctrine. Not only does it provide insights that make some of the more incomprehensible actions and reactions of the people I interact with, more understandable, the Doctrine gives me a context and framework in which I might better understand myself. And as the old saying reminds us, “Can’t reconcile the inconsistency of others? Better stop at the nearest mirror, yo.”

6) The nearby-edness of the ocean. Totally not diminished by weather or the seasons. No such thing as a bad or un-inspiring time to be face to face with them waves and such. (Photo at top of post, Wawaloam Rd** earlier this week.)

7) Friend of the Doctrine, Cynthia and Denise of the Six Sentence Story bloghop for calling in last night on the Wakefield Doctrine Saturday Night Drive. Excellento

8) THIS SPACE AVAILABLE. If anyone is new or otherwise spends time here but has not reached the threshold of posting a post, this is the Open Mike (might be better called, the Open Keyboard) segment of our TToT. Got a single Grat Item that you’d like to try out? Totally send it in! (In the comments give us the item and preferred attribution and the next thing you’ll read’ll be, “And now, for the first time, lets have a warm TToT welcome to (YOUR NAME HERE)”!!)

9) something, something

10) Secret Rule 1.3

*  but, actually not. And for two very good reasons: the Book of Secret Rules (aka the Secret Book of Rules)

** no, really, that’s the name of the road

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