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 |    My random thoughts and reactions to my everyday life. The voices like a forum. |
| I do not know quite what happened or when , but my hubby and I now qualify for seniors' discounts at some venues. This creates a quandary; in order to save money, but not face, we have to admit to our age. HMMMM..... We definitely do not consider ourselves to be old. In this day and age ,when people as a whole are living longer and healthier lives why are 'young seniors', those in their fifties, like moi, considered 'old'?? It's so true that age is just a perception! "Maturity" is very objective/subjective, and I object! Whew, a few years have skittered by since I composed this biography block. Those "fifties" are in the rear view mirror and they are distant, fond memories. Oh, I do not plan to stop writing any time soon. |
| Blogging Circle of Friends DAY 3917 November 10, 2023 Prompt: “Can a mere song change a people's minds? I doubt that it is so. But a song can infiltrate your heart and the heart may change your mind.” ― Elvis Costello Do you agree or disagree with Costello? In a nut shell, yes, a song has the power to influence people. Over the years, many melodies have contributed to change. I shall present a few such notable songs. In 1967 Aretha Franklin belted out a powerful tune, Respect.' "R-e-s-p-e-c-t, find out what it means to me." Edwin Starr introduced an anti war protest song in 1970 'War'. "War what is it good for? Absolutely nothin'." John Lennon of The Beatles fame released a song in 1971 titled 'Imagine'. "I hope someday you'll join us / And the world will be as one." In 1984, Bob Geldorf and Midge Ure co-wrote a song as a response to the Ethiopian famine in an effort to raise relief funds. They titled their tune 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' They arranged to unite several British and Irish singers under the name Band Aid to sing the song in collaboration. "Feed the world." These are but a sampling of songs that have built empathy, inspired change, contributed to freedom and Civil Rights awareness. |
| Sent to members of "Blogging Circle of Friends " DAY 3916 November 9, 2023 Prompt: Are Humans wired for music? Are we born with our sense of music already instilled because of our parents during our time in the womb? What gives mere tones such a powerful effect on our emotions? Good question. Yes? I believe we are "wired for music". Our sense of hearing never relaxes. It is always alert and processing sounds. Music is usually pleasant-sounding, appealing, memorable. Words set to a melody become easier to remember such that a few notes conjure up those lyrics effortlessly. Years can pass without ever hearing a particular song, yet the moment we recognize familiar music we instantly recall the pairing of words. My parents preferred country music and as such I became indoctrinated by osmosis. I didn't choose the genre it lived in the same house. To this day I'm able to sing along to classic country whenever and wherever it materializes. At the moment I'm warbling, "Elijah was a wooden Indian standing by the door..." Oh, wait other lyrics are vying for my attention. "The crystal chandelier lights up the paintings on the wall..." Who doesn't understand the ominous notes that herald or prophesy imminent danger in a movie soundtrack? Cue the heavy, dark " da, da, da, da." You can be in another room preoccupied with a task and as soon as that music assaults your ears you know danger is afoot. You do not need to be watching the movie or following the plot. Run! Hide! Look out! Similarly the climax of a scene coincides with a crescendo of dramatic listen-to-me music. It's a swell, a wave. Why is music attuned to our emotions? Why do some mixes compel us to dance, move, clap, sing? I have no idea. It just does. Music speaks to us; think siren song. Spells may be woven. |
| Day 3915: November 8, 2023 Blogging Circle of Friends Prompt: Use these words in your blog entry: light, charm, glory, radiance, purpose, and wisdom. Where is the wisdom? Should I give it a think? Should I stand and ponder at this sunset's brink? Should I celebrate the glory of end-of-day light? Gasp in awe of radiance, reds, pinks, fierce-blazing bright? What is the purpose of this dazzling display? Am I to react to the charm flashed my way? I believe it's a reminder of promises met. Tomorrow will dawn with new wonders seeking respect. |
| Day 3914: November 7, 2023 Prompt: November is Peanut Butter Lovers Month: Write a story, poem, tribute, or rant about peanut butter. Do you have a favorite recipe that includes peanut butter? To p.b. or not to p.b. Why yes since you asked I like peanut butter. It's a great spread for toast, just the p.b. and absolutely no jam or jelly whatsoever. Oh wonderful, now an ear worm has burrowed into one ear and its musical loop is stuck on repeat. Enough! "Peanut, peanut butter, and jelly!" This unfortunate ditty assaulted me during one visit with my third grandgiggle and it's left a residual echo. "First you take the peanuts and you mash 'em, you mash 'em, you mash 'em, mash 'em ,mash 'em." Eventually the p.b. is spread, but then everything is repeated with berries. Yep, they too are mashed. If I dare to sing my own version of the 'lyrics' I suffer 'the look', the glare for my efforts. Often a wee hand finds its way to a jutting hip, or the arms curl into each other. Four-year olds are masters of body language. I may have belted out "you smash 'em" and a line or two of " peanut, peanut butter and yucky jelly." I may detest fruit spreads with or without peanut butter, but I like p.b. paired with chocolate. This is in my opinion a delicious pairing. "First you take the chocolate and you melt it, you melt it, melt it, melt it, melt it Then you take the p.b. and you dip it, you dip it, dip it, dip it, dip it." Of course, chocolate chips taste divine in peanut butter cookies and p.b. cups , ( think Reese's!) are fantastic in oatmeal cookies. Peanut butter and its delectable mate chocolate feature in many of the family's favourite Christmas treats. A new no-bake treat in our repertoire is easy to make. It melds many flavours together. Melt equal amounts of semi-sweet chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and butterscotch chips in a double boiler. I use one package of each. Remove from heat and stir in Rice Krispies cereal. Form into bite-sized balls and let the mixture set. May be refrigerated or kept at room temperature. Another requested treat is peanut butter fudge. Like all fudge it tempts the taste buds and disguises its calorie count. Yes, the recipe's claim is true. EASIEST PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE2 cups white sugarhalf a cup milk1 teaspoon vanillathree quarters of a cup peanut butterBring sugar and milk to a boil. Boil for 2 and a half minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Mix well. Pour into a square cake pan. Let cool and set. I suppose I've created a tribute to peanut butter. |
| Day 3913: November 6, 2023 Prompt: “Peering from some high window, at the gold of November sunset and feeling that if day has to become night, this is a beautiful way.” E. E. Cummings Let this quote inspire your blog entry about a November sunset. Just a minute. There's been a November sunset? Locally? If at least one has blazed a trail across the sky, I've missed it. Did I blink? Was I preoccupied? Could I have been totally lacking in the observation department?I am aware of nothing but rain and snow clouding the horizon so far this November. One word sums up this recent weather, grey. Wait, I could also describe it as gloomy the total opposite of sunny. Doesn't sunshine need to be present in order for it to slip into a glorious, brilliant, marvel-at-me sunset? Local early -riser-photographer types have posted amazing shots of recent sun rises showcasing vivid splashes of glowing red. This brings to mind the saying "red sky in morning sailors take warning." During my daily evening saunter about the village I lament the early mantle of darkness that heralds winter. I understand why natives refer to winter as the long night. |
| BCOF November 5th prompt: Write about self-care and what it means to you. Self-care means I matter. It means I strive to tend to my needs. It means I deserve pampering and self-respect. I recognize and acknowledge that I am not perfect and sometimes I struggle. There are times I will fail, fall flat, but I brush myself off and try again. I do not begrudge myself me time. Reading and writing are solitary pursuits that I enjoy. I bribe myself to walk and exercise. It's for my own good, move it or lose it. My knees may protest, but I am insistent. Self-care means I am better able to care for my family.With the respite of me time, I'm better equipped to deal with stress. |
| DAY 3911 November 04, 2023 Prompt: Write about a lesson you learned the hard way. Write about only one life lesson? That's a tad bit more doable than rehashing my entire life's library of lessons. The volumes would be worn and dusty. There are not enough words or hours for that. One lesson in particular is relentless. It hasn't finished with me yet. It stalks me. It mocks me. It reminds me I am at its mercy, prey to its whims. I am warily referring to almighty gravity. At this moment it's most likely staring over my shoulder biding its time to pounce. Any time is lesson time. Sure gravity prevents me from floating away and keeps my head out of the clouds. It does not however anchor my two feet to the ground. My gravity prefers to push, pull, drag me kicking and flailing. I am kept in perpetual unbalance, off-balance, swaying, treading in trepidation. Ambulating upright is not a right, an expectation. Perhaps gravity is suggesting I consider a career as a stuntwoman. Are all my falls meant to prove I can roll, weave, tumble with the best of them? Possibly I should look into becoming a living, breathing crash-test dummy. I don't require a simulator or computer cables/sensors. Wouldn't researchers appreciate a test subject able to transmit the universal okay signal, a thumbs up? I'd be willing to throw in an occasional utterance of "ta da." It's almost time for another lesson. Someday I will perfect the movement known as walking. |
| November 3rd, 2023. BCOF Prompt: Use 8 'fun' words: agile, loud, patrol, quarter, harm, squeeze, charter and seed.Out loud I'm thinkingMy brain gears clinkingWhat harm in thisA creative seed inklingTo squeeze out a rhymeAn agile word chimeA quarter beat miss In a blog-run clime With charter I balk barter, block, backtalk What harm in this?No patrol for shlock. |
| DAY 3909 November 02, 2023 What's special about November 2nd? What is special about November 2? Did you know it's International Project Management Day, National Men Make Dinner Day, International Stout Day, National Stress Awareness Day, and Dynamic Harmlessness Day. Pick one or maybe two and discuss them in your entry today. Have fun! National Stout Day, eh? And National Men Make Dinner Day, too? Two more glorious celebrations in the year's arsenal of extravaganzas. Oh wait, National Stress Awareness Day shares top billing as today's holiday de jour. Somehow I see them merging together, seamlessly. Picture my father an avid cook and devoted food fancier not one to turn away a refreshing glass of beer after a day toiling as a diesel mechanic. Why do I mention his hands-on career choice? To cook as he did meant ignoring the use of spoons and measuring gadgets such as delineated cups. To truly grasp a pinch of this and a handful of that he relied upon his black, grease-stained hands. He liked to feel as he kneaded and stirred with his stout, strong hands. His cooking style: recipe, shmecipe. He stoutly relied upon instinct. As long as his meals weren't charred they were edible. Too often he assuaged my initial misgivings with a wave of his hand and this proclamation. "It ( and it could and most likely would be anything ) will make you a hale and stout fellow with hair on your chest." Ah, geez, thanks Dad. Just what your eldest daughter yearns for, strength and body hair. Now I'm not dismissing his homestyle, hearty fare. I learned to appreciate his culinary creations after first attempting my childish objections. Really, did onion absolutely need to be in everything and why must our tongues scream for soothing water after an assault with fiery spices? We children endured the stout, determined, obstinate indoctrination. Now I cannot fathom much less consider cooking without onions and spices. I even brag about my stout, bulletproof stomach. My father embodies stout both as a beer fan and a proud, strong meal-cooking man. In his lifetime he also became stout of figure / physique. He was his own best guinea pig. Where does the stress awareness fit into this? Somebody and it wasn't dear ol' Dad had to clean up the kitchen. Do you have any inkling of how stout as in stubborn and sturdy spilled flour can be? It resists efforts to wipe it and it clings with a tenacious fierceness. It was almost enough to drive me to sample Dad's glass of stout. Almost, but not quite. Stout, beer, or ale, yuck! |
| Do I have a favourite author? Hmmm, I read many books and most I enjoy. For a quick read I turn to James Patterson and his co-writers. There are different lead characters and back stories. Oh, wait, he's the most prolific writer. I joke with the local librarian that JP needs an entire space for his own works. I like mysteries. The one author I admire and anticipate new books from is Canadian, Louise Penny. She has crafted a series based on a French-Canadian detective, Gamache. The fictional town she describes, Three Pines, glows with the quirks of its citizens. An elderly, curmudgeonly woman is unapologetically her in-your-face self. She writes lovely poetry yet is at her best abrasive. LP too is a murder mystery author. Gamache believes in the psychology of crimes. The why of who-done-it is worth the read. I recently discovered authors Harlan Cohen and Michael Connelly. Their characters are also compelling. |
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