Articles written by Martin J. Stephens

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About me - Martin J. Stephens

My passion for reading began at an early age, and by the time I reached 5th grade I was reading the likes of Mark Twain, Arthur C. Clark and J.R.R. Tolkein. This hunger for story, however, was not quenched, and I found myself often writing short stories and

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Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Love gone wrong: 1 of 155

The Balcony Coffee in hand, I sit alone. A gentle breeze lifts my spirits briefly. Aloft my thoughts spin and whirl, And settle on two stories above succinctly. I force my gaze to look away, To better places and better memories. For it is a sunny day, is it not? Life thrumming beneath the trees. A movement catches my eye, Cu...
Personal Finance > Budgets & Saving Cost management: Sticking to a budget: 1 of 36

Sticking to a Budget In the back of your medicine cabinet sits a bottle of large pills. They taste like iron, and often lodge side-ways in your esophagus when swallowed. Unpleasant, vitamins form a necessary part of life. What is on the label? "Vitamin B" - for Budget. Just as any athlete can tell you that vitamins are neces...
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Thoughts: 12 of 275

Baking Brain Cakes Smile that's phony, Self loathing Agony, groaning. Broken bones moaning. Ripped heart bleeding, Internal demons feeding, Lost love still needing, Self-pity seething. Flesh consuming, Anger still brooding, Violence blooming, Death is looming. Muscles straining, Heart that's breaking, Brain that's baking, Sm...
Personal Finance > Credit Cards Saving on credit card debt: 4 of 27

Credit cards can be a powerful tool, or a deadly one. Wielded correctly, they can boost your credit score. Used poorly, they can severely damage it. Why not avoid it altogether? For the average American, this is not an option. Buying a new car or house demand good credit - something that can be built by using one's credit ca...
Personal Finance > Managing Credit Do credit counseling services really help?: 6 of 27

Thinking of filing for bankruptcy? Leary of credit card counseling services? Here are a few points you may wish to consider before making your decision. Bankruptcy 1) To file for bankruptcy, you will first need to obtain the legal services of an attorney. Legal fees can be excessive, and in many cases it will take up to 6 mo...
Law & Justice > Lawyers & Legal Advice Wills and trusts: The proper way: 2 of 8

According to the National Center for Health and Statistics, 2,420,000 people die every year* in the United States. Roughly 40% of these are unexpected. How many of these people made proper provisions for their loved ones? Most people procrastinate making plans for their death, leaving it for old age, or terminal illness. Yet...
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Pain in life: 147 of 549

Silent Plea Thorny roses wrapped amid razor wire, Mirrors the thoughts twisting within my head. Eyes blazing with such great pain, As holes of fire awash in dread. The only feature that cracks my face, Is not smile, laughter or even mirth. A tortured sneer engulfs my lips, Cold and barren as the Edmund Fitzgerald. Such prett...
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Moments of clarity: 21 of 45

Amaia's Phantom Grip The sun shimmered on a breezy Miami Sunday afternoon, but Amaia didn't care about the weather; she was furious with her husband, Howard. She had seen him leave Victoria's house. What possible reason did he have to see his ex-wife? At home they fought and she left with her daughter in tow. A hundred miles...
Food & Drink > Recipes (Other) Drink recipes: The wet martini: 1 of 2

THE WET MARTINI One hot summer evening at a charity event, I sat at a table, staring at my very first martini a waiter placed before me. Small beads of water welled on the side of its wide mouth, which slowly coalesced and drizzled down the long stem. Two large olives sat suspended within the clear fluid, speared through the...
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Armageddon: 16 of 28

Isn't my name Adam? Blink. There it is again, The flash in the corner of my eye. I look carefully around, But see nothing in the sky. Blink. With crystal clarity, I see the after-image of one; White horseman galloping, Eyes fierce like the sun. He's gone. Blink. There it is again, But I think I now see a red, Horseman sword ...