Porthole

No one's valentine...

10 p.m. Already Valentines Day east of here, but I don't care. I truly have avoided most conventional holidays and this particular one is problematic.

I'll probably spend the day submitting an entry that's due to my remaining contest. I'll also read. Might see people; might not.

Earlier I met Roderick the Rabbit who was moving out (going back home). Saw Bri and Billie Jo. Looked out at the snow.

I'm no one's valentine so my expectations are low.

9:09 a.m. 5 degrees and 'warming' up. My computer lost my entry last night. This is part of what I wrote:

To Robert: "Oh, babe, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz...

February... so much easier to pronounce in French, Spanish, Norwegian...

By February, the days are lengthening. So... better for me than say mid-December. Remember, I grew up along the North Coast. Grey, cold, and praying for snow to brighten things up.

As for false positivity... my response shall remain unmentioned because it's unprintable. If it works for others ... so be it ... some folks need their pump primed before they smile. Mine comes natural and so does my scowl. Anyone who knows me knows how I'm feeling."

One main exception: poker. I never play poker but I'm good at it.

I finished this last night and posted:

STATIC

Stalactite [343]  (13+) I'll always love you till our calcite joins as one. I took photo in Vrelo, Makedonia. #2244266 by Kåre Enga in Montana

One more contest to go.

I'm on page 70 of my book and it isn't triggering me so I should finish today or tomorrow. Assassin's Mask by Sarah Zettel is a spy romp set in 1700s Britain at a time when French culture ruled. Easy read and that's what I need.

34. What are your hopes and dreams for 202021?

I love this prompt! Why? The typo makes it less boring. I mean... this question is always asked at the beginning of the year, dashed by spring, forgotten by summer, lamented come autumn, buried in early winter to merely haunt us again as a zombie prompt at the turning of the year; but... 202021...

There is no such thing.

In human history that's an unheard of extent of time. It's Minguo 110 in Taiwan (republic era); Reiwa 3 in Japan (emperor); 2564 in Thailand (Buddhist-solar); 1442 in Saudi Arabia (Islamic-lunar). It's 177 in the Baha'i calendar until the New Year on March 20.

So... 202021 is unfathomable in historic terms. Personally? If I were transported there:

1. Food. Gotta have food. Some would probably be familiar. Humans are fruit and grain eaters. I'd want to try something new.
2. Drink. Coffee may be passe but there'll be something potable.
3. Shelter. Whether it's a cave or not might demand some adjustment. Clothes depend on climate.
4. Communication. I will still want to connect. As a speaker of an ancient unintelligible language I'll have to start all over again. Whether it's grunts or implants remains to be seen.
5. Humans may not be the alpha-specie. What are alien hopes and dreams?

For other (tamer) prompts go to "Welcome To My Reality Forum" .

Just posted to my Newsfeed!

To Susan King: "I think it's [haiku] tantalizing because it's short. 2 hours of staring at the blue UFO then realizing it's a bug zapper (some of us are s.l.o.w...) then in a minute [thinking of L.L. Zern ]

blue UFO hovering —
my neighbor turns off
the bug zapper [345]

But like most forms... "anyone can write one" ...but so few do and those who make it their bad habit know that finding a good one is winning the lottery."

To Lance Convey: "I think my poetry speaks to me at times: "Nope. Don't wanna be a sonnet, free me from my chains!" ... in a snarky voice. But the next poem says: "Where's my rhythm, where's my rhymes; I said, where's my rolling rhythm, bad-ass rhymes." 😃

Last word from my Muse:

"RoSes R reD; vilets screem Blu.
Yr poultry stinKS; aN sew dew U."

7:16 p.m. 11 toasty degrees.

I posted a poem "My name's not Jack!"  and story "Climbing sweet briar [319] (601 words)"  to "Second Time Around ~ Birthday Special"  ... just in time. I frantically edited the poem and spent too much time trying to find a good story that 1. I had entered somewhere and 2. lost and 3. hadn't entered before. The ideal is an Honorable Mention.

I'm getting old... in the sense that I can't keep track of everything even if I make lists. Of course, part of the problem is simple: I'm prolific. I have piles of pooh. 💩

Me:

༼ ºل͟º ༽

3.719

9 p.m PS: Comment I sent to Mark in Wales: I got a message and an offer today. The message was from a friend in another country. The offer was to take me to pick up soup on sale. 🧡