Skip to content

Standard Reader

Tag

Stories

Articles and publications tagged Stories across the Atmosphere.

22articles6publications

Articles

Publications

500 Words

500 WordsOct 1, 2026

#07 HOLLYWOOD EXTINCTION EVENT

The 7th story in a series.

Kerdchat

KerdchatSep 27, 2026

Taking Control: How do you make it all about your pleasure?

Last night was one of those perfect moments. After the kids were finally asleep and…

hello friend

hello friendAug 21, 2026

Thoughts on Island of the Blue Dolphins and The Call of the Wild

Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O'Dell, scared the shit out of me as a kid. The setting is often primal, wet, and chilly, the main character is isolated from everyone she’s ever known, and I was haunted by the image of her little brother being killed by the wild dogs that roamed the island, and the threat that they consistently present to her as each day turns to night. Only by recently revisiting the story was I able to appreciate its other dimensions and O'Dell's masterful storytelling. ...

storieswildness

JamesAug 15, 2026

Morning; walking; music

My first feelings outside this morning were of the chilly, refreshing autumn air; one for which I have been yearning for many days. I feel at home in cooler climates. [...]

JamesAug 14, 2026

Wearing a fetching red scarf, the fluffy librarian sits atop a shelf of books.Of the stacks and stacks of stories and tales resting beneath, he knows all.Edgar is a quiet, soft fellow — content contemplating closer to the clouds.He could recite any poem from Dickinson —or paint a portrait of the quietest, fullest Japanese coffee shop.Instead, he sits patiently, waiting for the moment when you reach out, asking “what should I read today?”With a smile always on his face, and without a spoken word, you realise he has a book all ready for you, under his two big, small paws.. [...]

JamesAug 13, 2026

Is this what “afterglow” means? The question came to me as I looked up at the sky twenty minutes or so after sunset. There is a faint orange colour on the horizon where the sun was. [...]

JamesAug 13, 2026

I was just in time to catch the moment when the sun started to recede behind the hills in the distance, a moment in which two birds flew together and danced into the night, in which there were the last flickers of the golden glow of Evening thinking through the window, in which I looked to see the colours of the rest of the sky and, when looking back, realise the sun has now set; its brilliant yellow glow becoming cooler with every passing minute.. [...]

JamesAug 11, 2026

Music; electricity

As I approached the top of one of the many long staircases from Cockburn Street to the Royal Mile, I felt an electricity in the air. The street was full; shows happening everywhere as part of the Edinburgh Fringe festival. [...]

JamesAug 10, 2026

Morning, sunrise

The horizon is painted with a cool, warm glow. The sun has not yet risen; the hills are its blanket. [...]

JamesAug 7, 2026

A few weeks ago, the phrase old faithful came to me. I thought that would be a good name for a ship! This evening, I decided to do something with the name. [...]

JamesAug 4, 2026

What if the musical memories of songs last played months ago were not held in the muscles, but in the heart – the passion coming through with every E that follows C? The occasional B, played at just the right moment, adds depth. I love the moment of getting into a song: when the notes flow and you’re enjoying the music – the moments when nothing seems to matter but the note you hear, and what note you are going to play next. [...]

JamesJul 26, 2026

I woke early — it has been warm lately. It is strange how you can find a burst of energy at 5am, but today it came, for I decided to organise my bookshelves, sorting what books I am ready to donate to the local charity shop.. [...]

JamesJul 25, 2026

I wrote the following while standing on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, listening to music and watching the world.. [...]

JamesJul 19, 2026

I close my eyes and listen to the church bells reverberate through the city — the air, the street, the park; the hearts.. [...]

JamesJul 14, 2026

The valley, almost invisible. The most intense degree of aerial perspective whitens the distance above the sun. [...]

JamesJul 5, 2026

You look up from your bed of grass flowers, opening your eyes to see the layers of branches grown by the trees in the grove that surrounds you. The blue sky peeks through the gaps between the leaves. [...]

JamesJul 4, 2026

Small wishes, II

I stood at the bus terminal today thinking that it was only a few weeks ago I had wished to go on a double decker bus. Today, it happened: a most delightful surprise.. [...]

JamesJun 21, 2026

I like to wish people a happy day, and so many of my conversations start with “Happy Sunday”, or similar. Today I was able to add an additional well-wish: “Happy Solstice!” As I write, it is 9pm and the sun is still radiating over the hills. [...]

JamesJun 7, 2026

The familiar sounds of the espresso machine never cease to calm me – the joy of the familiar, but also the potential of the variable: of sounds at new tones, of different cadences. Watching as the barista makes sure to stop pulling the espresso shot at 33 seconds — precision at every step.. [...]

JamesJun 5, 2026

One of my favourite parts of writing – and, by extension, blogging – is that I can document a moment: I can, in words, capture a little bit of a day.. [...]

JimGreyApr 10, 2026

I was feeling pretty good about my financial situation as I headed into the summer. I was paying down debt pretty powerfully and had built up some savings. But then August was expensive. I replaced my car’s transmission (and rented a car for two weeks while it was in the shop), needed to buy a new refrigerator, and had some unexpected legal, medical, and veterinary bills. Bam! Within a few weeks, my savings was gone and I had even gone a little more into debt. I know that everything that cost me...

The Fourteenth Unbounded Key

The Fourteenth Unbounded KeyNov 22, 2021

Anna, the First Spacetime Traveller

You've reached the end.