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| >> Book >> Emotional >> ID #1457695 |   |
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Well, here I am. Today I start my blog. I've been thinking about it for a long time but I thought that since it was the first day of a month, I'd start something new. I almost put it off, but then I had an experience that made me want to get some feelings out so I decided to go ahead and start. Maybe it's a good thing that I write about it. Maybe it's not. One way or the other, though, I will get some feelings out and maybe I will feel better. |
| 12. Just a Little Hint For Bloggers... | ID #601888 |
| Posted: 8-14-2008 @ 9:03 am EDT Edited: 8-14-2008 @ 10:34 am EDT | |
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If you are ever writing a blog entry into the 'Quick Entry' form, don't, under any circumstances, even by mistake, click on 'Full Add Entry Form'. It will erase everything you already wrote rather than opening the full entry area and allowing you to add to what you've typed.
The story opens with a young woman in the grips of a recurring nightmare that has haunted her for fifteen years. The writer has done a good job taking you into the situation and the emotion, telling the story that surrounds the traumatic and tragic event that changed this character's life. Indirectly, this story reminded me that events such as the one described in this small flash fiction story happen far too often. That being the case, we often hear of them on the news, read of them in the papers, and forget that the people are actually real, not made up characters created for a good story. They are real, living, breathing human beings with feelings and lives that have, in many cases, been shattered by the thoughtless and senseless actions of another, changed forever in a split second and through no choice or fault of their own.
This item is a forum where you can purchase gift showers for yourself or for a friend. For as few as 1000 points you can get a port raid, c-notes, and more. If you know someone who could use a boost, a little shot of self-confidence, or just something special to bring them a smile, stop here today and see the joy you can spread to others! On another note, I received a very nice note from the author of the item I reviewed yesterday. Sometimes the notes I get from authors I've reviewed are better than getting reviews of my own items! Here's what she had to say: "Deborah this is the best, most comprehensive and most useful review I have ever been given on a piece of writing. Thank you for this excellent review and thanks too for telling me what you like (and don't like) about it just as your own personal preference as a reader-at-large." Well, that's what I have for you now. I'll be back with at least three more items later on today. Until then, read, rate, review, and write on! |
| 11. Still Scratchin' | ID #601824 |
| Posted: 8-13-2008 @ 9:14 pm EDT | |
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Poison ivy should be erradicated from the earth! That's my statement of the day.
It could use a little polishing but it was an intriguing concept in the horror/sci-fi category. I admit to not reading in this genre very often, but I've read other items by this author and really enjoyed them so I gave it a try. It's not a super-scary, send you running for the hills kind of horror story. It's more in the realm of an unexplained, weird event. Read it for yourself and see. Be sure to let the reader know you stopped by! I've got a lot more items lined up to read and review, but it takes a while to write a thorough review, so this is the only thing I've gotten done today. Come again soon... I will! |
| 10. Today I Read and Reviewed... | ID #601652 |
| Posted: 8-13-2008 @ 2:31 am EDT | |
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I started reading bright and early this morning and managed to read and review the following items. You might enjoy them, too, so have a look when you get a moment.
In this short story, a little girl comes to grips with the death of her father and sees a glimmer of hope in the relationship she has with her younger cousin. Although this story could be improved and expanded upon with the addition of some clarification and deeper emotion, it has a great style, good tone, and a nice message. I liked it.
I loved this story. It's well written and puts a new spin on an old song due to the memory it brings back to the main character. It has believable events, good descriptions, some nice dialogue, and a neat ending. Have a look and see what you think of it! |
| 9. The Poison Ivy Update | ID #601338 |
| Posted: 8-11-2008 @ 10:31 am EDT Edited: 8-11-2008 @ 10:32 am EDT | |
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UGH! Need I say more? I'm still blistered and scratching. New patches appear every few hours, it seems, and the old ones get redder and puffier. Guess I won't be going to the gym today. It itches more when I sweat and I don't think the pool water would do it any good.
It's a sweet patriotic story about a little girl watching for her beloved Grandpa to march in the July Fourth parade. The author did a great job conveying the little girl's excitement and anticipation, though he and I both thought it could have been much better with a word limit restricting his creativity. It is still a good piece of writing, though, with great emotion and description. I wrote a story this morning for the "The Writer's Cramp"  contest. This was today's challenge: Gather round for a story or poem that is sour or sweet, sliced or whole, but it must be about PICKLES! Pickled watermelon, pickled cucumbers, pickled pig’s feet, pickled beets -- what else can you toss in and pickle? I suppose you could find YOURSELF in a really, bad pickle. All stories are fair game as long as they’ve got a pickle!My entry is below. Stop by to read it and please leave a comment if you do. I'd love to know you visited.
I'm off to read and review. I'll leave a list of my progress later on this afternoon. Have a great day and stay away from poison ivy! |
| 8. Yuck! | ID #601182 |
| Posted: 8-10-2008 @ 12:24 pm EDT | |
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Poison ivy is the pits!
This short story has just under 1000 words and describes a young man's wait at the DMV. The writer does a great job drawing you into the scene and adds a bit of excitement at the end. Next I read:
This story is also about a waiting room experience, though much different than the previous one. Here, the person waiting thinks she knows everyone but turns out to be mistaken every time. I won't give away the exact setting as the author asks that you guess where she is at. After reading these stories about waiting rooms, I decided to write a little piece of my own detailing some of the reactions I got when I took my poison-ivy-covered self to the doctor the other day. You can read it at:
With that, I'm off. I'll be back soon to find more stories to distract me. Until then, I'll be trying not to scratch. |
| 7. Poison Something | ID #600840 |
| Posted: 8-8-2008 @ 10:17 am EDT Edited: 8-8-2008 @ 5:28 pm EDT | |
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I don't think anything is as miserable as poison ivy. Okay, that's my immediate perspective. Once the blistering, weeping rash and intense subcutaneous itching subside I'm sure I'll think of something more miserable than this, but at the moment, even my brain itches. At this point, a drug-induced coma would sound like a good idea; anything to stop the terrible itch! My 10:30am doctor's appointment can't arrive soon enough! In the meantime, I think I'll sit here and read a few things, write a couple of reviews, and blog about my efforts. |
| 6. OK, It's a Little Late | ID #600664 |
| Posted: 8-7-2008 @ 4:33 am EDT | |
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I was trying to get this entry ready yesterday but life happened. Better late than never. |
| 5. Something I Read Yesterday | ID #600549 |
| Posted: 8-6-2008 @ 12:08 pm EDT Edited: 8-6-2008 @ 12:09 pm EDT | |
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Well, I've decided that writing in my blog every day is going to take more effort. Writing every day I can do, but I will have to work at writing here everyday.
After reading and reviewing the poem I heard from the writer. We emailed back and forth a few times as I told her about the feelings and flashbacks the poem induced for me. I had been thinking of my mother-in-law. She passed away on August 5, 2004 and the poem called to mind conversations we had had and stories she would tell that kept me mesmerized and delighted. She often spoke of her childhood during the depression. One day her family got into their old car and took off from Missouri to California. They camped along the roadside at night. She'd tell of hearing the wolves howl at the moon as they crossed the expansive Southwest. She spoke of her amazement at the number of stars. She described her excitement at seeing a meteor shower for the first time. Everything they owned was in that car. Along the way, her step-father did odd jobs to earn food for the family and enough gasoline to get them to their next stop but the experiences she had nourished her imagination, provided food for thought and stories she would later tell her children, grandchildren, and me. They were traveling across the country to live with her great uncle, I believe. He was a rich oil tycoon and had room for them. They arrived in California and survived the depression, family in tact. She attended Shirley Temple's birthday party because her great uncle lived across the street and all of the neighborhood children were invited. She used to tell this story about sitting in the back seat with her older sister watching the countryside go by and seeing the trains pass in the distance with huge plumes of smoke blowing out their funnels, so puffy they looked like cotton candy. She spoke of driving across the plains during the drought and watching the dust devils turn to whirlwinds that spun rolling tumbleweeds into miniature tornadoes as they crossed the barren fields. She spoke of heat so strong it evaporated ponds and streams, picking up small fish and tadpoles which fell from the sky when it finally rained. I always thought she was joking but I've heard something about it recently, and it really happens! She spoke often of a baby sister who died in the hospital due to a nurse's clumsiness, although it was denied. "But a baby's head doesn't just cave in on its own," she would say. There was a sadness in her eyes for this sister she never had a chance to know. She'd say, "I wish they investigated such things then as they do today. She was the most beautiful baby and there was no reason for her death." The loss haunted her for the rest of her life. When my first daughter was born she cried and said she looked like her lost sister. Mom was a very special person. I miss her so much. It has been four years and I still pick up the phone thinking I will call and ask her something and then remember she is gone. She taught me how to be a loving and supportive wife, a gentle, caring, and nurturing mother, and an understanding, accepting, and neutral mother-in-law. She taught me to be strong while at the same time being soft; to uphold what is right without demeaning others or making them feel bad about themselves. I pray I only do her instruction justice in all aspects of my life. I wish I had told her more often how I felt. I keep a journal of all the things I wish I could ask her; things I wish she could have done with us; milestones and events she has missed. She was a truly kind and gentle soul who touched so many lives in unforgettable ways. I have one item about her in my port so far. I would be honored if you would read it in her memory this week.
Until you read again... |
| 4. Looking Back, I Did More Than I Thought | ID #600228 |
| Posted: 8-4-2008 @ 2:36 pm EDT Edited: 8-4-2008 @ 2:37 pm EDT | |
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I sat down here at my computer prepared to bore you with details of nothing intersting that I have done today when it dawned on me: It's not even 1pm yet, and I've actually accomplished quite a bit today. |
| 3. More Thoughts On A Hot Saturday | ID #599960 |
| Posted: 8-2-2008 @ 8:33 pm EDT | |
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It was indeed hot here in the Midwest US today; the heat index was over 100 and there was no breeze at all except that which blew from the air conditioning vents to cool the inside air. And yet, people mowed their yards, walked, jogged, bicycled, and did other outdoor activities. My son and I cut the yard yesterday and were dripping wet within minutes; today was even worse. Well, more power to them, I say.
In the hour since I got it finished three people have viewed it but no one has commented or rated it. I often wonder about the people who read my work. Who are they? Did they like what they read? Did they click by accident and leave before reading? Maybe they were bored or too busy to send a quick hello? I guess there could be all kinds of reasons for viewing an item and not leaving a comment; I know I have a few reasons of my own.  Okay, from now on I will try not to be a viewer only on any piece I open. Maybe I should keep a journal of items I read; that could be neat, and it would help me remember what I've seen, writers I have liked, etc. I think I'll do that, starting now. When I open someone's writing, I will always try to leave a comment even it isn't a full-blown review from beginning to end. I'll try to say something positive and encouraging and tell them what they did right. If I notice something that needs attention, I'll bring that up, too, but tactfully. I read an item earlier about how to write a good review. The author did an excellent job of expounding different points that she thought should be covered in a good review. I have to say I completely agreed with her as the points she mentioned are the same things I try to include in my reviews. I already sent her a review and she wrote back with a very nice reply. If you'd like to read this exceptional piece, I've included a link below.
I also read a wonderful story by a writer who does basketweaving. She does wonderful work and this particular item included three photos of baskets she made. A weaver or words and a weaver or reeds, and very talented in both endeavors.
I think that will do it for me today. Have a great evening and I'll try to write more here tomorrow. This blogging is kind of fun once you get started. If you read this and have a blog you'd like me to check out, drop me a line and I'll stop in for a visit. Until you read again ... |
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