Jack McDaniel.net

essays and stories


The Resurrection Of Wheat Field Jesus

From the category "Religion and Politics"
February 10, 2012

Wheat Field Jesus was crouched down along the side of Main Street, also known as interstate 70. It was, in fact, western Kansas – near the edge of Russell County. Wheat Field JesusWheat Field Jesus was peering over the tops of wheat stalks and wearily watching over Kansans in their pick–up trucks and Chevy Malibus.

I had to stop, if only briefly, to explain to Wheat Field Jesus that it wasn't safe for him here. A short while ago I had traveled this way and Wheat Field Jesus was missing. I was looking for Him, expecting Him, fearing the worst had finally happened. Perhaps I had just lost vigilance on my previous trip and slipped by Wheat Field Jesus. Perhaps He was hiding. Either way, I was compelled to warn Him.


It's a Tebow Halloween

From the category "People"

I'm wearing my Tebow jersey for halloween. When trick or treaters come to my door I'm going to throw candy over their heads, behind them, and into the ground.


Steve Jobs

From the category "People"
October 5, 2011

The world changes with each passing moment, sometimes for the better, too often for the worse. Yesterday, a leader who worked to make this a better place passed away. Steve Jobs was only 56 years old, but his impact on the world was tremendous.

Steve Jobs - Apple FounderWe all loved Steve Jobs for the incredible products Apple has given us over the years. He built the first computer that was actually fun. He made the machine our friend instead of something we had to use. For those of us in the creative arts he re-defined our professions and allowed us to go in directions that none of us could have ever believed possible just 25 years ago.


Welcome To Hell

From the category "Fiction"
January 13, 2012

DevilNote: The author can’t make claims to have actually been to Hell. He’s been through it, to be sure. But to land in the place, to spend time there and to get to know it is beyond his experience. So, most will, necessarily, consider this a work of fiction. As far as meeting the Devil is concerned, again, the author cannot claim this as fact. Though it must be said, he once met Rush Limbaugh and Dick Cheney, so that argument is still open. Wide open.


The Haunting of 26th

From the category "Religion and Politics"
August 27, 2011

Numbers haunt me. They always have. They take up real estate in my head and they burn synaptic pathways that never falter or weaken with age.

26thI can tell you that in 1976 I hit .427 for Norwood Sorrentos Baseball Club and that I didn’t commit a single error that season in center field. That same season Bob Crable, the former Notre Dame All-America and New York Jet stand out, embedded the number 500 in my head. At the time, Crable was playing for the Midland Cardinals baseball team in Cincinnati. He hit a ball so hard that by the time I chased it down and picked it up he was crossing home plate. The field we were playing on didn’t have a home-run fence. Crable didn’t need one. That ball traveled at least 500 feet before hitting a tree and coming to rest. It was too far to throw it back to the infield so I threw it to the kid in left field. As a number, I have nothing against 500. As a memory, 500 tastes like bile.