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Happy thoughts. Sad thoughts. Interesting thoughts. Un-interesting thoughts. Come talk. |
| Ramblings of someone who likes to ramble. |
People Needing People Are The Luckiest People in the World In my personal life I don't think it is very important to surround talented, knowledgeable and/or fun people. That being said I can see where it could make a difference. A CEO of a company would not want to surround himself with those who had no knowledge of the company or business practices. A football player would want to make sure he surrounded himself with talented and knowledgeable people who know how to play the game. Government people would want to surround themselves with people who know about the world and had at least some expertise in the area of government. Teachers would want to surround themselves with other teachers who are talented, knowledgeable and fun, so they could learn from them and help keep each sane. Depending on what area of the world you are in, having people who know what you are going through because either they are going through it or have been through it and survived, is a positive thing. This is one of the reasons I joined Writing.com. I needed to be with and talk to people who could help me with the ups and downs of trying to get words on "paper". I learn from them and hopefully they can learn something from me. |
The Bus Students (and Santa!) transform school bus for teacher's daughter http://www.today.com/home/students-restore-old-school-bus-special-gift-teacher-s... Students got together at a highschool to help a favorite teacher give a surprise to her daughter. The daughter had asked for a School Bus for Christmas. An old bus was found and given a makeover by the students, who collected materials for donations by local businesses. With all we hear about the teen age population now days it is nice to find stories where teen's are still making a caring difference in this world. Here is a quote from the site: Howell said she hopes attention to her story will raise awareness that not all people with special needs look different. "Sometimes, we get people saying, 'Well, she looks like nothing wrong with her,' and our response is always, 'Well, what does depression look like? What does diabetes look like?'" she said. "Sometimes there are things going on that you can’t see on the outside. I hope this helps get the word out that there are a lot of special people out there that just want you to love them and not judge them." I look forward to her hopes and dreams coming true. |
Living and Eating Well So often nowadays we are looking for affordable housing. The housing tends to serve more than the purpose of a roof over our heads. There are houses which are living quarters and offices. Fortress are built to add safety, with thick walls, iron bars on the windows and multi locks on the doors. Two things many are worried about when planning to protect themselves and their families are shelter and food. To take care of this why not build a house that you can eat if a worst case scenario happens in your life. Below I have listed editable building materials along with their uses. This is by far not a complete list but hopefully it will get you started taking care life's hard knocks. Stay safe everyone. Materials: Walls and flooring: Wheat and rosemary = siding and roof Flour and Water = Mortar Sugarcane = infrastructure and shutters Rice paper = window treatments Furniture and Decorations: Sugarcane ribbing with grapevine woven seats Rugs and blankets: Woven alfalfa with rose peddles for color Food preparation: Cooking is done and served in dough made from various wheat's and other edible ingredients Plates and silverware are formed from hardtack Glasses are crystalline candy. Pest Control: Inside garden to attack "good" insects to fight bugs you don't want. Natural editable ingredients to keep bugs away: Examples... as cucumbers (ants), bread soaked with beer (cockroaches), lemon water (fleas), heated sage and rosemary (mosquitos), Bay leaves, cloves and eucalyptus (flies) Garden 'Mini' Insectary http://eartheasy.com/grow_garden_insectary.htm Natural Insect Pest Control http://eartheasy.com/live_natpest_control.htm |
I Saw Black and White First The first television I ever watched was in the 1950's. It of course had a black and white picture. I have made a list of some of the shows I watched when I was younger. I saw my first color program when I was about 13. We were invited to a friend of my grandparents to watch Walt Disney. I was fascinated. Not long after that my grandparents purchased a color television set. The most exciting program I ever saw was when John Glen's space launch was televised from Cape Canaveral. It started my love of space, like I'm sure it started so many other people thinking about it. I have gone back on the computer and looked at some of the older shows. I have also bought the box sets of CD's when I can find them. Favorite shows: Lost in Space Dark Shadows Combat Ed Sullivan My Friend Flick Rifleman Captain Kangaroo Mr. Ed The Mickey Mouse Club (Original) |
Around and Around, There's No Stopping It is going to be a very big month as far as writing goes. I feel I am finally over the blahs of coming down from all the holiday hustle and bustle. Of course, I have all of the marvelous craziness connected with the Rising Star Program. Connected with that we have a Music challenge, where we need to come up with a list of music that inspires our writing. This is going to be one of my favorite things to do. There are also reviews to do and some reading assignments. I have the New Horizons course I am taking on developing characters. The courses are college level but not that hard to do. There is all the help you could hope to want and everyone is really nice. I belong to The Novel Workshop. We review other writer's works who are part of the workshop. If you ever want to find a group of encouraging people to look at your work you need to join us. The comments are always helpful. I am presently helping another writer who took part in NaNoWriMo this year, edit their work. There are others who would love to get some feed back if you have the time. If I have the time, I'll jump into The Weekly Quickie Contest, where you only have so many words to see how heated you can make the tale. |
The Big "M" I went on the internet and found three slightly different definitions to "miracle". If I use dictionary.com as my reference, "an effect or extraordinary event in the physical world that surpasses all known human or natural powers and is ascribed to a supernatural cause" then the key words would be "all known". There are many things which have happened, which cannot be explained through science or just gained knowledge on how things work. Merriam-Webster.com tells us one definition of miracle is, "an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment". This would be used for example when the first car came into being. I read a newspaper report a long time ago about automotive history and it told me in the article that the car was considered a modern day miracle. The freedictionary.com site tells us a miracle can be defined as, "one that excites admiring awe; a wonderful or amazing event, act, person, or thing." It has added the word "person". The best idea I can come up here with is the "miracle of birth". When someone starts life in the womb and then is born, to me it is a miracle they even exists. I know there will be people out there that will think of this in a religious context. Every religion has their own "miracles". If you are raised in a certain religion those are the things you will describe as miracles. There are many things out there which have happen and cannot be explained, and maybe never will be. The biggest miracle I can think of would be Total World Peace. Dictionary.com www.dictionary.com/browse/miracle Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/miracle The Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/miracle |
Inked I think my non-animal "sprit animal" would have to be I hope and Ink Pen. It would be self-inking (never run dry), have a mind of its own (writing down fantastic ideas from my subconscious) and be able to change color depending on its mood. I know saying this is sort of a cop out, but I think all of the bloggers in this challenge should be ink pens. This way we could all enjoy ourselves, by sitting back and seeing what our subconscious' are trying to tell each other and we write down our words. (P.S. Sorry about the short blog everyone but it was a long night at work, and my brain feels like mush.) |
Rising with Rising Star This is one of the best things I have ever taken part in on WdC. The people trying to get through the Rising Star Challenge have helped to teach me I'm not alone when the words will just not come. They have taught and continue to teach me to just keep pushing forward. Not everything we write is going to last forever as the Great Epic of The Millennium. Writing, putting words out there, is what counts. We are teaching each other how to express ourselves and there are no condescending comments to pull each of us down. I have written for other places and been told point blank I should just stop trying. I don't have a very thick skin, although it is getting thicker, I think. Denouncements of others has sent me spinning, putting down my pen, closing my laptop, putting the written pages in a file cabinet and locking it. In Rising Stars Challenge I'm listening to the encouragement and unlocking the file cabinet, opening my laptop and picking up my pen. I hope all of you are pushing ahead also. Don't give up. Put the words out there. Someone wants to read them. I promise. |
Communion by amy-Very Very Busy Genres: Experience, Nature, Enviroment Short Story
This was a simple story and very well written. Sometimes it is hard to use this much personification in a story and have it work. I found myself feeling the emotions of the tree. There was fear as the tree tried to figure out what the human wanted. There was sadness as it mourned the loss of the other trees in the area. There was wonder as it slowly watched the girl move around it. There was happiness when the tree realized the girl was not there to hurt it. There was hope hope the girl's return. It was easy to picture the little girl's wonder as she stared at the magnificent height of the tall tree. She felt reverence as she lightly rubbed the bark. I'm thinking but not sure the girl took a picture of the stately tree. A lot of emotions and ideas were compacted into a very small space. |
Thinking While Not Thinking Trait: Spacey (Spacy) I have actually had some fun with this one. There has been times in my research on character traits, I have pretended to actually have the attribute. I must admit something here though. I have been accused of being Spacey even when I wasn't actively researching the idea. If you want to try it. Find a comfortable place to sit in the public eye. A park bench or a seat somewhere in the middle of a busy mall. Get comfortable. Now try and get as black an expression on your face as possible, staring at nothing in particular, a hint of a smile, lips slightly parted. You want to give the impression you are not really there in your head. Think of it as thinking about a really important part of writing, when you are trying to picture what the characters in your head are doing. Now pay attention to the people around you. For the most part you are going to be basically ignored. You may hear a few giggles and snickers. Someone might even come up to you and ask if you are alright. Just smile and nod. As far as the advantage this trait affords you, it gives you the chance to study mannerisms of people, without getting accused of staring. You can find traits you can add to your other characters. Hold a bag on your lap and you can hide a small notebook behind it, so you can jot down your thoughts and not forget them. ******************************************** Sara sat on the bench in the bustling mall. Her instructor, in her college writing class, had told the class to find and describe different traits of people. They were supposed to observe their family and friends and people on the street. Sara didn't have any family left and only a few friends. She agonized over the assignment. Shyness around new people had always been one of her downfalls. This was the last project of the class before the final and would count as one-third of her grade, so it was important she try and do as well as possible. She had come to the Mall in the hopes of getting her mind off of the assignment. Sitting and thinking got her one man who came up and asked if she was alright. Sara had told him she was, and received a smile and a nod before the man walked away. It occurred to her she had spaced out. Most of the people just walked by. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a couple teenagers snicker and point in her direction. At first she was embarrassed, but soon realized she was observing the patrons of the busy walkway. Sara dug into her over large bag and pulled out a small spiral notebook and pen, which she placed on her lap behind the bag. She put the dazed look back on her face. If anyone had looked into her eyes, which she kept partially downcast, they would have realized they were bright with wonder. Inwardly Sara smiled and gave herself a virtual fist pump. Everything was going to be fine. Spacey or Spacy: adj. informal Unaware of one's surroundings or in a state of euphoria, especially as a result of taking drugs English, Oxford Living Dictionaries https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/spacey Spaced-out: adj. Slang. 1. dazed or stupefied by narcotic drugs. 2. dreamily or eerily out of touch with reality; disoriented, forgetful, or dazed. The Free Dictionary by Farlex http://www.thefreedictionary.com/spaced-out |
Around and Over the Top It has been years since I visited anywhere which could even qualify as an amusement park. I remember one day I was driving along a main road in my home town and saw a Farris Wheel off in the distance. I headed there immediately. I am a sucker for a ride on a Farris Wheel. Riding to the top makes me feel breathless. With any luck I get stopped at the top and can see a great distance. It makes my soul feel free. I usually go alone, for two reasons. The first is because it is an empowering feeling like I'm flying. If someone else was there I would lose the effect. The second reason is if someone is with me they invariably want to rock the carriage. This is the one thing about Farris Wheels that terrifies me. Now I know in my head the machine has been checked and double checked and there is only a miniscule chance something would go wrong, like the bolts holding the carriage coming undone, but my heart and the rest of my body do not listen to my head. I have been known to buy several tickets and take a continuous ride if at all possible. Once the guy said I couldn't stay on, I had to get off, and get in line again if I wanted to go more than once. I did this three times. On the fourth and fifth time he just shook his head and let me stay on. It was a great day. |
| Creating a story using as many WDC emoticons as possible. Emotional Story A  and  sat at a  at under   eating   with their   . The  blew.    fell from  .    ed the  . watered the    and    .  made the and  . The blew the away. A   appeared making everyone  (A girl and boy sat at a picnic table at home under umbrellas eating cupcakes with their hands. The wind blew. Leaves fell from the trees. Rain clouds blocked the sun. Rain watered the flowers and mushrooms. Lightning made the girl and boy cry. The wind blew the clouds away. A rainbow appeared making everyone smile.) |
Today's Normal Is Tomorrows Old Fashion This is an interesting question. I think I would put a copy of the genealogical research I have done in the capsule. I would also put pictures of where I live. I would put a copy of a couple of my favorite books. There would be a letter, I would write, describing as normal of a week as I could come up with. I would want people to know what was considered normal now, because the way the world is changing, today's "normal" will be tomorrows "how-did-they-live-like-that?" question. Thousands of new things have come into being in the last fifty years. Cell phones, affordable computers for the general public, electronic everything and anything microwave ovens, and faster cars. There are pictures on the internet of things I used when I was growing up. I have asked my grandson to tell me what some of them are. He is just floored by the fact we didn't have cell phones and computers. |
The Old Has Stayed Old With Me I graduated high school in 1969. I was not part of the in crowd. Even though I had some friends (all older than me), I was an extreme introvert. Over the years I have forgotten probably every name of those in my class of 400 plus students. Needless to say I have not gone back to any of the High School Reunions which have been held over the years. For those who took part in all of the activities and have kept up with at least some of their fellow classmates, I think class reunions are a good thing to happen. It lets you catch up on how your friends are doing. Hopefully at least some of them are showing as much age as you think you are. Hopefully some of them tell the truth about how life has been treating them. I have seen pictures of various reunions and it looked like everyone was having a really good time. |
A Blogging We Will Go At this stage of my Blogging history, I only write for the contest. I hope to learn how to improve by blogging so someday in the not too distant future, I will be able to write for a particular audience. At the moment I'm not even sure what the characteristics of that audience will be. I have contemplated writing about how a novice gets and e-book self-published, how to do a certain craft I enjoy, how to find information and several other subjects. I would love to find a company who needs someone to talk about using their product and knowing how to blog to help sublimate my income, although I know it would not be a lot. I am in awe of people who can have successful blogs on the internet. I read those I run across and try and dissect them to see why they are so well respected and have a following. I also go to self-help sites when I can and see what advice I can pick up. One thing I have found is there is no hard and fast rule for a successful blog. There is an over whelming amount of advice on how to be successful, by successful writers. Each in their own way a bit different for others. |
Take Your Hands Away From the Table This question is not too hard.... anything chicken would have me sending a gun-toting whoever back outside to wait, until I was done. They would have a long wait, this I could guarantee. I am not sure why I love chicken so much but when given a choice it will always be my first pick off of a menu. At least once a week I cook for the whole week. Since it is only me, the food usually last ten or more days. I cook a pan of chicken legs, a pan of ribs, a steak, and a pan of fish. I divide all of it up into container with at least two sides and put it in the freezer, to take as lunches throughout the coming days. The chicken lunches are a bit sparse in the freezer because not a lot of it makes it that far. I am only lucky chicken is a relatively healthy food, or I would be in trouble with my doctor. Where I really run into a problem is if you add squash, twice-baked potatoes and French-apple pie with vanilla ice cream to the table. This would make a difficult meal to eat, because I would constantly be trying to figure out what I wanted to take a bite of next. |
Only Fourteen Days... Help We started off with breaking a New Year's resolution, And I told you how it wasn't my fault. Then we progressed to thinking with my fingers, Showing how my fingers could show some result. Day three pulled in some other body parts, Asking if the government could decide, What I did, how I did, when I did, Making most of us take a side. Day four sent us off on a trip of sorts, Thinking about the world and where we don't want to go. Day five has us thinking of traveling also, But only using our mind as a road. Day six decided to make us think sneaky thoughts, About how we would possibly cheat to get ahead. Day seven has us come up with a new New Year's resolution, I decided to tell how I would like to stay at home and learn instead. Day eight sent us looking at things on the net, Most of them showing how glad I am I don't have money. Day nine had us thinking how sometimes the worst can be the best, How we can learn from dark days and turn them sunny. Day ten had us thinking about how we are so stuck, With all the electronic gizmos we have around. Day eleven had us thinking of how we could fill in, All the time we could have if to the computer we weren't bound. Day twelve pulled us back onto the computer again, To see if we could organize things not related. Day thirteen had us back out in the real world, Having us admit our musical abilities might be highly over rated. Now we hit day fourteen which wants us to pull, All of this fun craziness together on one piece of paper. This was hard, because I file writing away in my brain, Because there is only so much room, and it's mentally safer. |
And the Beat Goes On, Somewhere I have tried, I really have, to learn to play several instruments. Started with the piano. Took lessons and actually could read the music of some of the simpler songs. My problem is I have no beat. If I haven't heard a song played before then I have no clue of what the tempo should be. It really gets confusing when you listen to music from two different artist trying to put their own spin on a song. Think about it. Each artist uses a different beat. It is just plain confusing, to someone like me. I even decided I wanted to learn how to play the drums. With my own money, being a pre-teen, didn't give me much, I purchased drum sticks, a drum-pad (which is a piece of leather pulled over a wood block about six inches in diameter) and bought a book guaranteed to teach anyone how to play the drums. Wrong! I was able to get some of the timing down, which was surprising to myself and those who listened day in and day out to me practicing and counting out the beats. The problems started when, the book started introducing the base peddle of the largest drum. I quickly found out I could not keep my hands going doing the correct beat and add my foot to the combination. I eventually decided the drums were not in my future. I've tried the organ, gaiter and recorder (flute), with no success. Now I'm not sure if you consider your lips as instruments, but I decided to stretch the point a bit and learn how to whistle. No go, can't carry a tune if I put it in a locked safe and carted it around. Let's see if I can get the extra points here: Distant Drums - 1963 - Roy Orbison, Green Tambourine - 1968 - The Lemon Pipers and Mr. Tambourine - 1965 - The Byrds |
| Prompt:I just spent the bulk of the evening reorganizing my WDC portfolio a little bit. I do it maybe once or twice a year. How often do you organize yours? How do you have yours set up? Are your folders arranged in any specific order? Guide us on a virtual walking tour of your port. Two Does Not Always Follow One I am not a great one for organizing. I figure if I can put it in some type of order so I can find what I'm looking for that is the best way. For each of the main parts of WdC I get into there is a folder. Examples would be 30 Day Blogging, Rising Stars, and Comma Sense Class. I also have a couple with my main works in them such as The Treasure of Richard Greene, The Forever Present and Club Live Wire. Since there are always things that defy any category, there are some general sections such as Short Stories, Poetry? (not real sure some of what I write actually classifies as decent poetry), Short Stories and Pieces of Stories. To me everything is organized. I have tried hard to label the sections so if someone does decide to stop by, they have a chance on figuring out what might be in the folder. If anyone wants to stop by, I am always open to any suggestions on how to improve what I have. I am the first one to admit just because the way I do it makes sense in my head, it may not make sense to anyone else. |
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