Articles written by Gary Mcdonald

What is Helium

About me - Gary Mcdonald

I'm a veteran of corporate America having survived many job challenges and power struggles. "The Man" always won and I learned my lesson. I'm now a submissive little soldier who follows orders, mostly. I've written two non-fiction books neither of which have

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Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Family memories: 2 of 127
Chopley Splinters was an odd dude. He was the only neighbor living northwest of our shack up at the headwaters of the Miscanimba River which flows out of the Appalachian Mountains. His wood cabin was 1 or 2 miles up the side of a mountain. There's no road just tall grass, wild flowers, and lots of oaks, hickories, and maples.... More..
Jobs & Careers > Getting Ahead How to impress your boss: 3 of 19
There are many ways to impress your boss. The first way is to arrive at work on time every day, without exception. This establishes your interest in the job and communicates without words a positive attitude and a sense of responsible dedication. There are no substitutes for these qualities. Any boss would be happy to have su... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Why we can't just have world peace: 7 of 40
World peace is an idealism. Ideally the world's peoples could learn to live and work together peacefully. But this is a simplification because there are obstacles to such an idealistic state of being. This article could go on ad infinitum about reasons for the lack of peace but I will identify 4 broad sweeping issues that cur... More..
Entertainment > Musical Instruments Where to buy a good guitar: 3 of 17
Here's an idea. Don't buy a guitar from a shoe store. That's like buying a chicken dinner in a fish place. You can do it but you may be disappointed with the results. A good place from which to conduct a market survey on guitars would be the World Wide Web.Google up "buying a good guitar" and you will discover "joetheguitarma... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Christian Beliefs & Culture The significance of being a Christian: 4 of 19
The "call" to Christianity is not for the weak hearted. It means denying yourself and following Jesus Christ. It's all about following the teachings of Jesus. This means implementing his ideals all of which run against the grain of our current modern culture. It's not a call to popularity, it's a call to service. One of the b... More..
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: Growing old: 37 of 130
I was born in 1943 right in the middle of World War II. You know, it's what all the talking heads call the "Good War". Okay now let me get this straight. War is good for exactly who and what? Perhaps it's the boon of arms manufacturers, ammunition suppliers, coffin makers, ration manufacturers and the like. For the common ord... More..
Arts & Humanities > Literary Themes & Ideas The art of flash fiction: 8 of 21
Flash fiction is a very challenging genre to master. Some publications define flash fiction as a complete story, which includes the story elements of setting, characters, conflict and resolution, not to exceed 55 words. Others will set the word limit at 99 words. Still others will be more liberal and allow 500 to 1,000 words.... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Spiritual Insights Appreciating the little things: 11 of 28
Somebody said that God is in the little things. If you've ever watched the sun set, or looked into a baby's face, or been loved by a pet you know what this statement means. The little things of life are packed with meaning. A friendly handshake and a smile says that you are welcome. A good welcome carries with it respect and ... More..
Other Why humans need pain: 46 of 112
Pain is defined as physical hurt, ache, suffering, agony, discomfort, irritation, tenderness, and so forth. Pain is a single universal phenomena that is experienced by virtually every human being. Pain is unpleasant and vilified as something bad and to be avoided at all costs. Children are taught how to avoid pain by not runn... More..
Arts & Humanities > Literary Themes & Ideas Writing trends: Exploring the popularity of self-help books: 4 of 9
The term "self-help" refers to self guided improvement. Self-reliance is a deeply held value that pulses through America's cultural fabric like a beating heart. The interest in helping oneself is a cherished value in the United States. Back in the pioneer times the only help available for many on the frontier was that which w... More..