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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/profile/blog/joycag
by Joy
Rated: 18+ · Book · Experience · #2003843
Second blog -- answers to an ocean of prompts
Kathleen-613's creation for my blog

"Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself."
CHARLIE CHAPLIN


Blog City image small

Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet
confinement of your aloneness
to learn
anything or anyone
that does not bring you alive
is too small for you.

David Whyte


Marci's gift sig










This is my supplementary blog in which I will post entries written for prompts.
Previous ... -1- 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ... Next
May 9, 2024 at 11:16am
May 9, 2024 at 11:16am
#1070772
Prompt:
"Volunteers don't get paid, not because they're worthless but because they're priceless."
Write about this in your Blog entry today.


-----

First, if volunteers were to be paid, what they do wouldn't be called volunteering, would it! It would be paid work. So, the quote negates itself from that point of view. Still, volunteering does a lot of good to a community and to the volunteers themselves. From that angle, yes, volunteers are priceless.

Since we already know how much volunteers contribute to society, we can also weigh how much they contribute to themselves. Those benefits could be a sense of fulfillment, community connection, skill development, expanded social connections, personal growth, positive resume additions, possibly improved mental and physical health, and enhanced empathy and feelings of compassion, which already do and should exist within a volunteer.

Volunteers are also agents who contribute greatly to improve a society, by showing goodwill and adding their service. Their work can leave a positive influence on a community and the individual lives of people, to create a ripple effect of change for the better.





May 8, 2024 at 10:21am
May 8, 2024 at 10:21am
#1070717
Prompt: "Life takes you to unexpected places. Love brings you home." Melissa McClone Write about this in your Blog entry today.

------

I guess this quote is about the idea that we shouldn't fear life's uncertainties, but rather, we should embrace them as opportunities for growth and transformation. Dreams may be shattered and there may be a mess, but then, love empowers us to pick up the pieces and put them together again and be able to create even more beautiful dreams.

If we train ourselves to see through the lens of love, we discover that our scattered pieces are not lost, but rather, they are waiting to be found and embraced. When one of my sons was a baby, he would scatter the kiddie puzzles all over the place and laugh his head off, watching me pick those pieces up. For some reason, this quote reminded me of such moments.

In those moments, life, at times, feels like a scattered puzzle as we navigate through its twists and turns and moments of joy, sorrow, victory, and defeat. In these moments of chaos and uncertainty, love appears, emerges, or re-emerges as a guide and gathers the fragments and binds them together again.

This may be because life and love are intricately connected, each one shaping and enriching the other in meaningful ways. Whereas life has a mind of its own, love has the power to mend what is broken, to heal what is wounded, and to bring meaning to our scattered lives.


.
May 7, 2024 at 10:28am
May 7, 2024 at 10:28am
#1070654
Prompt:
When something goes right or wrong, do you ever say or think, "Did I do this to myself?” Or, is it always someone else's goodness or fault?


----

Of course! I am very sure I did that in the past, and possibly, I may be reverting to that kind of a behavior in the present, too, at least inside my thoughts.

Blaming others for good or bad is a human defense mechanism. It's easier to put the blame on someone else instead of myself. If I can't do something that I've planned to do, for example, I tend to blame, if not someone else, but something else, such as the weather or an illness or my impression of someone else's words or looks. The possibilities are endless.

Then, probably, we all do that, this wrongly blaming or praising of others, for a good reason or not, to protect our own self-image and avoid feelings of guilt and responsibility. I've noticed such behavior in myself and in others.

As to giving others the undue credit for one's successes or the good one has done, this may come about because we don't want to be seen as braggards and neither do we like to think of ourselves as braggards. For this type of a behavior, there may be other underlying motivations or the results from one's earlier upbringing and childhood.

It is unbelievable how much our upbringing plays a role in our view of the world and our own actions. A child who is always put down ends up feeling guilty for many things that happen, even if those things have nothing to do with that child's actions. On the other hand, a child who is always praised and never corrected can end up with a distorted view of his own reality.

Either way, the tendency to shift the blame or the kudos away from oneself unnecessarily can be detrimental to a person's own behavior and social interactions. Accepting responsibility for both successes and failures is essential for cultivating resilience, empathy, and self-awareness. Yet, once we are aware of our own behaviors, then there's hope that we can correct ourselves on our own. That's possibly the reason why we have been given a life of many years. *Wink*


.
May 6, 2024 at 11:32am
May 6, 2024 at 11:32am
#1070607
Prompt:
“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” Meister Eckhart
Where do you see this quote being most relevant in your life? In your family, home, work, or creativity?

-----

Where do I see this quote's relevance to my life? Just about in everything and everywhere and hopefully with everyone close to me. If I didn't take each day on its own value, I would be living in the past, wouldn't I!

This doesn't mean I'd throw the past out the window, either. My past or rather my past experiences have had great teaching value and I accept them with gratitude. On the other hand, I try not to dwell on them. This is because the present is the most valuable asset of the moment. Maybe because I'm old, I believe I have learned to live in the present moment, present day, present week. Life has also taught me, at this stage, not to make big future plans.

This "not making big future plans" has some comfort in them. It lets me off the hook and avoids tension and worry in my life and each morning becomes a fresh opportunity.

As for the fresh opportunity, I may not make long distance plans, but I make a plan or rather a to-do list for the day, which is adaptable should surprises pop up. Each day, then becomes manageable with my morning routine and at the end of the day, I write a list of things I was grateful for that day, which also means I am celebrating my progress.

.
May 4, 2024 at 1:08pm
May 4, 2024 at 1:08pm
#1070509
Prompt:
Let this quote inspire your entry today: “At last came the golden month of the wild folk — honey-sweet May, when the birds come back, and the flowers come out, and the air is full of the sunrise scents and songs of the dawning year.” — Samuel Scoville Jr.


------------

Note: *Rolling* I was aiming at a different idea, but what came out was a kiddie story. *Laugh*

Why Red Wouldn't Eat Rabbits

It was the golden month of May after all, amidst the song of birds and the fragrance of flowers. The curious young fox, named Red, looked around the ranch where she was born. She was all alone in the world now, after her entire family was gunned down by the ranch people. She had escaped because she was so little at the time that she wasn't even noticed. She had learned to survive alone, but was this what she wanted out of life? What if the people with the guns came after her, too?

She sensed that she shouldn't stay around here and besides, she was a curious fox and her insatiable want for adventure was beyond this environment, especially today as the first lights of this May morning shone over the forest that lay beyond.

Red felt a surge of excitement coursing through her veins, and with a playful leap, she bounded through the undergrowth, her russet fur catching the golden rays of the sun. Soon enough she was there by the forest away from the ranch.

She ventured deep into the forest. A few steps later, she met a group of rabbits having fun in a clearing adorned with blossoms. Weren't these food? No, Red thought, food doesn't have this type of a laughter tinkling like bells, filling the air with joy, although food filled the stomach. With a mischievous grin, Red joined the rabbits in their playful romp. Together, they chased butterflies through wildflowers and the forest echoed with their laughter.

When the sun reached much higher and cast deep shadows across the forest floor, Red and her rabbit friends took refuge beneath the canopy of trees. Above them, the leaves rustled in the gentle breeze and their whispered lullaby lulled them into a peaceful afternoon nap. In this moment of tranquility, surrounded by the beauty of nature, Red felt a profound sense of belonging.

Red learned from her rabbit friends that she could feed on berries and fruit and an occasional earthworm or two. Rabbits were now family and no good-looking young fox would eat her family, especially after discovering who she really was among these wild folk as the rabbits. For in the golden month of May, amidst the song of birds and under the canopy of trees, she had found this new home where other adventures were waiting to unfold with her new family.




.
May 3, 2024 at 12:38pm
May 3, 2024 at 12:38pm
#1070471
Prompt: Please use these fun words in your entry today: reactor, sorcery, reality, tension, nuances, patronize, and forfend,
(In case you're wondering forfend relates to some kind of real or pretended danger. Sometimes in comedic writing it appears as heaven forfend as a substitute for heaven forbid.) Have fun!

---------
note: This was fun! I think I used all the words.
Btw, I live about 15 miles away from a nuclear power plant. Heaven Forfend!


In a Nuclear Power Plant

science and magic blur and blend
as alchemy's new friend

not for people who *patronize,
but for seekers, bold and wise,
*Forfend! here *nuances bloom
with mortal spies, in this boom

for now rules *tension's dance
as *reality and fission prance
*sorcery beats the nuclear drum,
in the heart of *reactor's hum

science and magic blur and blend
as alchemy's new friend



May 2, 2024 at 12:35pm
May 2, 2024 at 12:35pm
#1070414
Prompt: "In every walk with nature, one receives far more he seeks." John Muir Write about this in your Blog entry today.

-------

How nice to walk in a forest, inside the woods, or on a not-too-crowded beach! I wish I were young enough to walk a long walk along a trail in the woods or on a long stretch of sand by the shore.

I used to go with my husband and others on such excursions, once upon a time. To begin with, those walks meant endless opportunities for learning about the environment, wildlife, and lots of fun, especially if we were walking with a group of friends.

To begin with, nature walks are easily accessible and affordable and they require minimal equipment. Then, they provide camaraderie and friendship, too.

Focusing on the sights, sounds, colors and sensations of the natural world promotes a sense of inner peace and gratitude for everyone on a walk. This, in turn, may boost the immune system due to breathing in the fresh air and being exposed to many other positive elements. It is said that walking in nature also helps one's sleep cycle and improves mood, energy, and fitness levels and overall well-being.

Since many writers, thinkers, and painters draw inspiration from nature, who wouldn't want to stimulate their minds and create new ideas!

As I said in the beginning paragraph, "I wish I were young enough to walk a long walk along a trail in the woods or on a long stretch of sand by the shore."



.
May 1, 2024 at 12:19pm
May 1, 2024 at 12:19pm
#1070363
Prompt: Be kind to everything that lives. Native American Proverbs Write about this in your Blog entry today.

---

Being kind to everything that lives goes far beyond altruism or moral duty. It's also knowing about and recognizing the interconnectedness of all life.

For example, some time ago, I ate an avocado but although its flesh was perfect, the large seed inside it had burst and was producing several roots. I thought, if this seed was something that wanted to live that much, it should be given a chance. So I planted it in a pot. In a few months, it outgrew its pot and became as tall as I am. My son, then, planted it outside, and now, I'm crossing my fingers for it to live. It seems not to like where it is and although we water and feed it, it looks sickly. I'll see how it goes.

I think being kind to everything alive has to do with our relationship with this planet. It means being good to animals, wild or domesticated, and conserving out natural resources.

Also, being kind to everything that lives has to do with our relationships with other humans. It means showing empathy, kindness, and respect for all people regardless of differences in culture, background, or beliefs.



-


May 1, 2024 at 12:14pm
May 1, 2024 at 12:14pm
#1070362

Prompt: What do you think a strange skill is? Have you ever met people with strange skills and what is the strangest skill you have, if you have any?


-----

I think a strange skill is one not many people have and didn't even think about developing something like myself.

The strangest skill I have seen in many people has to be talking about some topics and events with zero knowledge about them. Plus, they can also speak with conviction and confidence. I guess I may have to call it "winging it."

Then, there are people who can take apart a machine of any kind and then can put them together without a flaw. Piano tuners and those to fix them are one. My mother, also, used to say my father could take apart anything and put it back together again as he once did a very old radio, but he was an engineer and this probably had to do with that.

Michael Jackson's moonwalking is another one I can think of although I haven't seen it in real life, but I always wondered how he came up with that good sense of rhythm and balance.

I am sure there are many other strange skills such as moving one's eyes separately or twisting one's neck to the back of the body, but I haven't seen any one of them or neither did I meet someone who had one. My bad! Is it?



.


.
April 29, 2024 at 1:04pm
April 29, 2024 at 1:04pm
#1070115
Prompt: What are those things that make you smile every time you think about them?

--------

For me:
People! Family and Friends! My sons! My cat! But not necessarily in that order. Those ones I listed show up as pleasant surprises inside my thoughts and they often lead to smiles and happy feelings.

Acts of kindness also make my list but below people and animals. Acts of kindness need not be directed at me but just to see them take place makes me glad that in this world kind people (and kind cats) also exist.

Then comes nature's beauty such as ripples on the waters and the lines and white foam a ship leaves behind it as it sails. Sea gulls and the sound of oars when I'm in a small boat. The first buds on a new plant or the seeds hatching into tiny plants. The colors on the horizon as the sun sets...etc.

For other people, maybe...:
In addition to those I listed above for myself, some may feel happy and they may smile when they recall humorous moments, inside jokes, knowing they've achieved goals, unexpected surprises, and happy memories such as vacations, celebrations, and personal achievements. Although these things may also be pleasant for me, I don't necessarily remember and rejoice about those; although, in fact, they are very important in all our lives.

Isn't it nice though that we all have something to smile about?
April 27, 2024 at 1:28pm
April 27, 2024 at 1:28pm
#1069896
Prompt:
Let this quote inspire your writing: “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.” ― Anais Nin


----

There is such a thing as today's writing and writing that comes from that of retro-inspection. I think they call this retrospection, but retrospection, as a word, sort of bypasses or makes light of the meaning of the word inspection.

Without our past experiences, we wouldn't be who we are at the present. That is a given. In the same vein, if we are looking at the past to taste it again, I believe we do this to rejoice in it. Some of the most elegant and haunting writings attest to that.

Yet, there is that element of the past that has to do with mourning and re-living what was so sad. From my readings, I've come to understand that most writers like to mourn. More so, they mourn a loss. Most anyone who writes must have at least dealt with theme of loss once in a while, yours truly included. We writers love to live inside a wave of dread, sometimes in sheep's clothing. Why, I ask, is it because dread is easier to write about or is it because it gets more attention?

Some writers do re-taste personal tragedies, reframe things, people, or events, and then explore inside their reframed stuff. I wonder if there is any logic to these personal "mythologies." Not that, I haven't done it either. Maybe we do like "loss" better than "happy sunshine" or maybe writing about loss comes easier for most of us.

The biggest truth about loss is that it is lonely. It can also be personal, profound, and even terrible, deadly, and dreadful. For those reasons, this rehashing of "loss," exploring the insides of it, may have some advantage as it may light the way for or be a comfort to others who will lose or has lost someone or something dear to them. Recently, Joan Didion's “The Year of Magical Thinking” was a comfort to me as I found out that she felt, like me, her husband, who had recently died, would come back to use "his things" and she wouldn't give them away for a long time. With this and other incidents and feelings she put in words were familiar and comforting and I didn't feel as alone. No wonder they say misery loves company!

People also write about the past to remember happy experiences, such as childhood antics. This may be because reminding oneself of pleasant memories can bring back positive feelings tied to an original happy experience. This recall of happier times is a ploy therapists use on depressed people to improve their mood. As such, remembering positive autobiographical memories is intrinsically valuable for most of us. This must be why some of us recall the past by cutting out the unpleasant parts of it. In some instances, such as after a loss, capitalizing on the positive emotions can make us feel better while we reminisce about happy memories.

Thus, possibly, writing in itself may be considered as tasting life twice since life is composed of opposites or poles, such as bitter and sweet, ugly and beautiful, light and dark, and easy and difficult. That must be why, at times, when I am at a loss for words, I say, C'est la vie!



.
April 26, 2024 at 12:29pm
April 26, 2024 at 12:29pm
#1069793
Prompt:
Use these thoughts to write the worst structured poem you possibly can. Venting, ranting, or complaining about something, sickness or bodily dysfunction. Have fun!


===========


Phone Spam
(a haiku chain)

the phone rings just when
I'm busy in the bathroom
'a charity scam'?

just maybe some spam
"This is not a robo call
I've called you before

it is all the rage
we're in the digital age"
he may as well say

as if talk's an art
like bodily disfunctions
louder than a fart


.

April 25, 2024 at 11:39am
April 25, 2024 at 11:39am
#1069668
Prompt: "The world's favorite season is spring. All things seem possible in May. : Edwin Way Teale Write about this in your Blog entry today.

------

Spring does have a universal charm, doesn't it! It means birth, renewal, and hope for better, brighter days ahead. It is comforting to watch leafless trees go green again and the flowers bloom, encouraging a surge of creativity and inspiration in artists, poets, and writers.

As to the quote in the prompt, "All things seem possible in May," part of this idea is scary for the reason that the meaning in "all things" may contain negatives and even threats of danger. But I'm sure it wasn't what Edwin May Teale meant.

Instead of picking on the quote, I think I'll pick up where I left of in the first paragraph here. As to spring's encouragement, it isn't just the external world and the artsy people but something undergoes a transformation within everyone, as well. Most of us feel a sense of renewed vigor and purpose. No wonder most weddings take place in May and June as well as mothers' and fathers' days.

We humans do love fresh starts, extra chances for change, and to let go of the old and embrace the new. That is why May, in most places, is the time for planting new seeds and saplings. This is when we regain our confidence in the world, which is filled with infinite promise.,,good and bad. *Wink*



April 24, 2024 at 12:26pm
April 24, 2024 at 12:26pm
#1069580
Prompt: I know it's early but what are your summer plans? Write about this in your Blog entry today.

----

Sorry, but I don't have any specific summer plans. This may be because I'm old and also because whenever I make plans for any long-distance future, you can be sure I'd end up with disappointment or heartbreak much more often than not. So, I'm even hesitant to answer SMS's "Weekly Goals. Yes, you guessed it right. I don't like to disappoint myself. I can take disappointments from others much, much better. That's the weirdo me, here!

I can, however, write about summers and what they are good for. Summers come in with longer days, higher temperatures, and increased solar radiation in many parts of the world. Even so, summers help regulate the earth's climate. According to those who know, (Thanks, Google!) "During summer, the Earth's axial tilt causes the sun's rays to strike the Northern Hemisphere more directly, leading to longer daylight hours and increased solar radiation. This surplus of solar energy warms the surface of the Earth, influencing atmospheric circulation patterns and ocean currents."

Then, "Higher temperatures during summer accelerate the process of evaporation, causing water from oceans, lakes, and rivers to transform into water vapor and enter the atmosphere. This increased moisture in the air leads to the formation of clouds and eventually precipitation in the form of rain, which is crucial for replenishing freshwater sources, supporting plant growth, and sustaining ecosystems."

In addition, "Summer provides optimal conditions for photosynthesis, the process by which plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and glucose. The abundance of sunlight and warmth during this season promotes rapid plant growth, leading to increased vegetation cover on land. Plants act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in their biomass and soil. This process helps regulate atmospheric carbon levels, mitigating the impacts of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas concentrations."

Also, there's what they call the Albedo effect, which has to do with the polar regions absorbing solar radiation etc. Added to that are the weather patterns and atmospheric circulation that have to do with the high and low pressure systems, which our weather-casting news people always make a mess of. This has to do with the distribution of heat and cold, if I understood correctly.

And still, if I understood correctly, summers are much more than what we complain about here in Florida. They are among the weather agents of nature that play tricks on us.

Have a Happy Summer of 2024!



April 23, 2024 at 9:51am
April 23, 2024 at 9:51am
#1069482
Prompt: Magnetic People
Which kinds of people do you like be around of for any kind of a relationship? What kinds of descriptive details about them do you look for?


------

Most people first look for--in friendships or serious love relationships--charm, wit, and an engaging personality. I look for authenticity above everything.

People who are themselves in a crowd or as private people are very approachable for me. Granted, we all wear clothes, cover ourselves physically or emotionally in most ways so we won't get hurt, and mostly try to put our best foot forward among other people. All this, however, can still be done without harming one's authenticity. By this, I mean if a person acts as if a mountain climber while having discomfort climbing up stairs, he or she is not authentic.

Also, some confidence mixed with humility is attractive, too. Then, I like to see and meet people who can take life's ups and downs well enough and accept them as tests or as passing phases without too much complaining or breaking down or gloating over their small victories.

Too much of anything can be boring but I can take a person who is passionate about what they do or believe in. I like their enthusiasm and dedication for they carry a sense of purpose and excitement about them.

Empathy is a positive for me, as well. Empathetic persons have a unique ability to connect with others on a deeper level. When someone genuinely listens, understands, and cares about others' feelings, their presence has a lot of value.

It is in my nature to be drawn to all people, anyway. I think human beings are the most interesting creations and I like to watch them a lot. That must be why I was so drawn to literature and writing all my life. Although with some people, even if I wouldn't want a close relationship with them, I like to watch them and get to know why they act the way they act, although I may favor other traits that tend to attract me to people I wish to have as friends.


.
April 22, 2024 at 1:36pm
April 22, 2024 at 1:36pm
#1069408
Prompt: Journaling
Do you keep a daily journal? What do you write in it such as what happened to you during the day or what you are grateful for or your successes in writing or anything else? Why do you think a journal could be important for a writer?


-----

Yes, I actually keep three journals, all as physical notebooks, but not all of them can be called daily, except one. The one I write in daily is a small 4x6 inches but 250 pages thick. It is my gratefulness journal. I have so far filled three of those notebooks and I am about 1/3 along on the fourth one. Luckily they came as a six-pack from Amazon.

The other journal is a five-section spiral notebook where I write whatever I want, which usually means personal stuff. I have always used such notebooks for such personal ideas and events. Several of them I had to do away with when we moved, which I have regretted ever since.

The third notebook has more to do with finances and I don't really count it as a journal but something in which I jot down important stuff in case my old brain mixes up things.

In my everyday-gratefulness journal, I write each night and only on one page. This keeps my will to survive and my mood up. Sometimes, many pages in it are almost alike, but so be it. Gratefulness lets me embrace the flow of events and opportunities and see and appreciate negative or positive events and people with a lighter spirit.

In the second journal, I sometimes write daily, but I write in it whenever and whatever I want to write and as long as I wish to write. One entry could be ten pages long while another could be half a page. This journal is, in fact, a deeply personal practice, attached to no rules or specifics. Over time, when I turn the pages back, I find significant insights that might have passed me by at the time I had written them. This may be because I have no expectations or judgments when I write in this journal as I free myself from perfectionism. I am probably using stream of consciousness writing, in this one.

I heard that some people are more adventurous than me and they incorporate other forms of expression into their journals, such as sketching, doodling, collaging, or even pasting in mementos like ticket stubs and photos. I don't do those, but who knows, if I live long enough I might try them, too.

Over time, I think keeping a journal can become more than a personal thing for writers, for it may have its uses as ideas for stories, novels, and poems, although I have never checked into my journals for ideas. But it is possible that just savoring the everyday moments, sad or happy, subconsciously may produce ideas for strong pieces. At least, I hope they do.


.
April 20, 2024 at 1:48pm
April 20, 2024 at 1:48pm
#1069261
Prompt: " An old dog never learns new tricks."
It's a saying I've heard since I was a kid. Is it a truthful thing to say? Can us old dogs really not learn new tricks? or do we just not want to?

Write me a story, poem or rant about it, please!


-----------

In a place nestled among the trees
lived Joe, a dog old and wise and
with clouded eyes, spinning dreams.

Though years had etched memories and
lines, his spirit danced with youthful
flair in the rustling of the autumn air.

However, "As the clock ticks, an old dog
won't learn tricks," they said, but Joe
dreamt high with a twinkle in his eye.

Each day he rose with a hopeful heart
to play his part, to defy the norm,
to frolic and prance and find his form

with new energy, though his limbs creaked,
he stumbled, faltered but never despaired
with patience and grace, he dared and dared.

Resolve and grit became his guide, and
he mastered tricks "stay, stand, jump, fetch,
rollover, circle, and heel," with a feel.

As days went by, to the knowing eyes, Joe with
his doggy grin, showed the hope that cheers
are there to earn, since oldies can still learn.

------

Note: Joe was my NewFoundland puppy who lived to age sixteen, almost seventeen, although the vet had said he could only live to eleven. He passed away in 1992,


 
 ~
April 19, 2024 at 11:54am
April 19, 2024 at 11:54am
#1069188
Prompt: "There is creative reading as well as creative writing."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Define creative reading from your personal point of view?


---

Well, in the first place, most of us read creatively without realizing it. For example, when we first read Jane Eyre, didn't we form a picture in our minds about what she looked like and who she was? Then, didn't we fall for Rochester or wonder what Jane saw in this weird man? And didn't we resent Mrs. Fairfax and didn't we picture in our minds what Thornfield Hall looked like?

Yet, in the back of my mind, something tells me that being overly creative could be an insult to the author of the piece. How many writers are there among us who wouldn't resent the very many ways creative reading could distort their works?

My Jane Eyre example, for instance, still stays loyal enough to the author's point. As it could be considered "close reading" meaning, analyzing the nuances of word choices, literary devices, and uncovering the layers of meaning. Also readers may be making connections between the text and reacting to the events in the story by drawing parallels to their own lives.

Then, there's such a thing as interpreting the text in original ways, maybe by considering multiple perspectives and plot possibilities. Creative readers can also play with different ways of creating in different areas, such as other characters, events, themes, locations, and alternating scenarios and endings. This, I think is taking creative reading too far, as if re-writing and distorting the original story.

On the other hand, I have no objection to creative responses. It is okay to write a poem wondering about Mrs. Fairfax for example. Maybe even exploring new perspectives to write about, such as making Rochester a womanizer in a totally different story and hopefully by changing all the names. These types of reactions could mold readers into writers to unlock their insights, which in turn, could enrich their lives.


.
April 18, 2024 at 12:54pm
April 18, 2024 at 12:54pm
#1069070
Prompt: Is dreaming the same as planning? Write about this in your Blog entry today.

---------

No, I don't think dreaming and planning are the same, but one might lead to another, and at times, the two may work together to come up with spectacular results. For example, I might dream to fly like a bird, even if I don't have wings. Still somebody else, way back when, must have dreamed that very dream of flying like a bird also, which did lead to the invention of hang-gliders and airplanes and such.

Dreaming is a spontaneous, often subconscious process characterized by the imagination running free. Dreams can be vivid, surreal, and deeply personal, reflecting our desires, fears, and subconscious thoughts. They may often serve as a playground for exploring possibilities. Dreaming comes from the realm of our psyches where logic takes a bow and leaves, as dreams can be far-out personal, surreal, and vivid.

On the other hand, planning is a deliberately conscious activity for achieving specific goals or objectives. It requires rational thinking, foresight, and problem-solving abilities. It is grounded in reality and hard work, plus resources and do-ability. It sets clear objectives, and then, comes up with necessary steps and strategies. It turns the abstract into action and achievement.

Luckily for us, when the result of dreaming and planning agree to work together, we have inventions, better conditions, and easier lives. Still, the two are very different from each other and they shouldn't be confused as being the same or as being equals.


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April 17, 2024 at 12:28pm
April 17, 2024 at 12:28pm
#1068983
Prompt: Which could you live without? Your computer or your TV?

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This is not a tough question for me. I almost never watch TV anymore. As an aside, I just corrected my spelling of TV, which I had written as TB. I wonder if that was a psychological error. *Laugh*

Surely, this doesn't mean that, in the past, I didn't watch TV either. I did and a lot. But now, after I got used to the computer so much, TV became almost obsolete. And if I my internet, cell phone, and basic TV programs hadn't come in a bundle, I'd probably do away with the basic TV, which is mostly local channels that I turn on and watch the news, only while I eat supper.

Therefore, in a way, I'm already living without the TV, but I'd be lost without the computer as a connection to WdC, my friends, family, and other important areas of life. Of course, I should mention the negatives of the computer or rather the internet my computer is attached to. A downfall for the internet is the data-mining by companies. If done with good intentions and for the companies' own uses, I have no objection to it, but lately, data-mining schemes have become very powerful tools in the hands of the criminals who are committing some major crimes that the government is incapable to address.

Despite what we call cyber crimes, internet and computers in one form or another are here to stay. Then, at the end, it will not be just me and several others who are dumping the old friend TV. The dye is cast as a catching trend and there's no reversal for it.

I think, as much as the TV companies are resisting the new order, reversing the slide from the TV to the computer is inevitable where most TV watchers can now watch what they want on the internet, especially, because of the younger folk who have grown up with the internet and are so hands-on with anything that has to do with computer technology.



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