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 |   A terminal for all blogs coming in or going out. A view into my life. |
Started July 1st 2019 for contests, etc. as other blogs are filling up and have other purposes.  I'm starting a new blog because
I'll be linking to
I've started an appendix (I no longer have one personally) to keep track of my Space Cadet journals for Space Blog. It's a work constantly under construction. Mind the mess.
I needed to start a folder for contests as there are so many deadlines and details to remember.
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| Another blue month (i.e. blogging every day) I am up for a Quill award ... which, along with a generous review by Nixie encouraged me to make a static item from a blog entry.
I hope folks will read and leave a reaction. I didn't feel any urge to edit it which is odd. Also odd is its rhyming pattern of abab... which somehow feels natural. It's 18 degrees at 10 minutes till 1 in the morning. This may be the coldest it gets all week as sunshine is predicted and temperatures above freezing both day and night. March will come in like a lamb. 2:33 a.m. Had internet issues but managed to get all my finished writings posted. One more day... *sigh* Noon, 27° and cloudy. Nothing done today. I should finish my coffee and eat. My one stick plant is blooming. Small yellow blooms along one branch. No idea why it's only a few flowers. They are usually covered with blooms each February. Onions are rooted and looking good. Need to plant and then use the greens. My neighbor's basil is still alive. The other plants in the hallway look fine. I've been watering. The increase in light should help. Spring may be on the horizon. With sunny 50s forecast this week some early risers might wake up. There's always a chance for buttercups on the equinox. Another Holly Jahangiri post on plagiarism: https://hollyjahangiri.medium.com/how-to-find-the-story-thieves-e7aaebb6607a 6 p.m. and 33 degrees at the edge of Twilight. Finished
A bit spicy! I didn't go ourt again today. But I did cook. I did take a shower before retiring to my bed early in the morning. I did chat with my neighbors. I want to read and catch up on other things but I must make sure my contest entries are posted and finished. |
11 p.m. It's 26 degrees but it's warm inside.  I was the first to sign up for "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS"  but that doesn't seem to have scared others away! I'm going to try a different approach. We'll see... nothing has worked well in the past. Needless to say, I'm not a groupie and definitely not popular. My given/received comment ratio is probably way over 3 to 1. It's too much like my family. I have to make the effort; they do not. That triggers traumas even when the prompts don't (and many do). Perhaps I'm being way too harsh. I hate 'reviewing'. One WDC member made an old-school comment about reviewing that reminded me of writing a book report. A published book is one thing but a poem that sucks is another. I give critiques like a cranky editor. So maybe it's balanced out. I get 'reviews' on items but give comments in blogs. Today will be a day of editing and posting. I now need to write or read. 1 a.m. and I'm very tired.  Just wrote over 600 words. If I'm diligent  I could get my narwhal narrative done before Sunday's deadline. Is it worth it? The only answer is that I doubt that anyone will steal my idea or come up with it on their own. As one of the master-class-writers put it (and I paraphrase), "Know what your character wants, then make them work for it." On that note, I'm yawning. 1 p.m. 31 degrees and flaky. Two sites to help with people stealing from you. https://www.talkwalker.com/free-social-media-monitoring-analytics-tools?fbclid=I... https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/?fbclid=IwAR3p4EzFEDg-8KpJSQL3kKZzao0EMkadReXtVB... This was our first month of trying something different in "Blogging Circle of Friends " . How did you do? What keeps you blogging or not blogging? What do you see your blog as... is it a writing warmup, a place to store memories, poems, prayers, daily events?My blogs are 'whatever'. I find daily prompts to be annoying more than helpful. There are great prompts that lead me to rant or write 500 words but basically they are a distraction from what I need to journal. 1. I have blogs for opinions, rants, poems, prose, news, nature, travel. This is my main blog. 2. I do fine if I just write what inspires me to write. Approaching it as an English Class task seldom works for me. 3. I tend not to blog when I travel. My photos tend to replace my hand-written journal and my blog. 4. All blogs are for writing warm-ups... as in jotting down thoughts. Two blogs I use to work on contest pieces before deciding to post as a static item. 5. Memories? Absolutely. It's why this entry has time and temp. My old blog entries from 15 years ago are priceless as they contain names, events, smells, thoughts, sounds, tastes... I read them and sometimes I'm back there. An intellectual or emotional rant seldom does that if it's not grounded in time and place. I don't know that any changes at BCoF impacted me as Blogville as I once knew it is dead. I suspect that March's "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" will confirm that. 7 p.m. 28 and clearing which is nice but I'm yawning? Gimme a break. My narwhals nudged me to 1700 words... more or less... I'll need to make an item, do the usual edits and spell-check, review the contest's requirements ... and write some more before dozing off. I really need to get as close to 2,500 as possible by noon tomorrow. More dialogue? More nuances, senses, action? Maybe a storm would help set the mood ... after-all the verge of war is unsettling to those in the know. I have 5 groups, a total of 10 character trying to negotiate. More tension? A skirmish? More ending maybe as they disperse. I don't want to muddle the beginning. Make the impending threat clearer? I had to create a mini-world to clear my mind earlier and I since I don't bother with that for flash fiction it took up precious time. I painfully understand why few folks here write 2,500 - 5,000 words for the category Short Story (2). Lots of work no glory. I'm far too lyrical and not a great story teller, so feel my pain! In other news, "Roses blush red / your heart bleeds black. In your pants, Stu / pid. put it back." Still not bad enough imho. Rhymes with Cupid: stupid, purtrid, id, cue, tepid, muted, rooted, suited ... Rhymes with love: glove, dove, above, guv, covet, 'nuff, puff, rough, wuv ... Rhymes with heart: fart, not-so-smart, dart, hart, mart, narc, park, part, tart ... I need to focus elsewhere for a bit then back to the grind. 3,770 |
| Damp and dreary. 32 degrees at 11:22 a.m. Only light snow overnight. 79% humidity. Lots of sunshine and dry days in the forecast. Might go up to 50 next week.  Wrting... supposed to write today. 1 p.m. Coffee consumed with a grilled cheese sandwich and cream of asparagus soup. This place is quiet at certain times of day. People are out and about or working. I told Billie Jo that the two of us were the Hotel's Ghosts. And we are. Neither of us get out much. Back to work. I made progrees, but there's much to do today. A bit of sun is streaming in to cheer me up. I told Beholden: "I have a travel list. Not a typical tourist bucket list. My list as a child was short: Norway, Japan, Kenya. I still need want to get to Kenya (and visit Uganda and Rwanda). These days I've wondered which country I'll drop dead in or worse ... which I'll never get to see as I wither away at home. Whither or wither  ."Working on: 1. working on flow
2. almost ready?
3. getting there
4. for the big contest
5. needs one last read
6. I need to find a replacement for this one "TEXT BOOK NEW LOVE [353]" It doesn't really slam Cupid.7. at least i know what i'm trying to say "i am behind the camera [358]" 5:15 p.m. and 30 outside... not that I've been outside... I have 3 stories left to write by Sunday midnight. I may or may not write them. . I commented to Norma Jean: I wasn't raised on country music. We had "Cool Water" but that's more Western. In the 80s, it was Reba McIntire with songs like "Does he love you" and I love Dolly's "Jolene". So "Cry, Cry, Cry" doesn't evoke my emotions like it does for you. I think of my father as I listen to Sons of the Pioneer. My father died 22 year ago today. (March 20, 1916 - February 26, 1999) Frankie Laine (High Noon, Ghostriders in the sky, They call the wind Maria) does a great version but I prefer this: |
| 24 degrees and cloudy. It's after 10 a.m. and I haven't finished my coffee. Interesting how the news has shifted. There's still plenty going on but without one individual on center stage, the news is almost normal. Plus... although covid-19 is still a serious threat, and the vaccination rollout has been a disaster, the numbers are pointing towards relief. Travel however... there have always been ways to get around restrictions but budget travelers like me can't afford a two week quarantine and any resulting fines. Wealthy? Fewer problems. But even for the wealthy, so many flight connections just aren't available. 2 p.m. and 33 degrees. I've had a couple coffees and a fish sandwich. I have to be careful while eating. My teeth are bad now, much worse than one year ago. Also, an ache in the jaw. I need new teeth. Today is the designated day that some writings must be finished. Don't get me started! I should be writing instead of answering the QOTD. What is the best way to train people to see the gradients in the world around them instead of just a simplistic “this is good, that is wrong” view of the world? I'm NOT an Absolutist. As a traveler and a photographer I can assert that there are many shades of grey. So why is this an issue? On/off, black/white, good/evil is simpler for many people. It's how they were raised. Certain religious and cultural groups are notorious in this regard, especially if they were taught that anything less than 100% perfection was unacceptable to their parents, family, community, even to God. I agree that this was a factor on January 6th, Paul  .But how to overcome it? Same as how to instill it. Teach those around you as best you can, as bobturn notes. And start making a lasting change by teaching the children as Jaeyne of the Free Fab Five  eloquently stated. Yes, I believe in core spritual beliefs; however, as opinionated as I am, I'm not willing to play God. What I didn't rant about was common black/white thinking found among specific religious cultural groups. I was raised among them. The only thing that kept them humble was their working-class status. They had no power other than to mock lesser human beings and to keep them out of the neighborhood. Recently, a certain someone understood that and manipulated their prejudices and fears stoking them to an angry resolve to act. So some did. But even in war... little is black/white. There is always kindness, tolerance, empathy and a slew of other virtues at the very worse of times. Just before the deadline.
I seek your forgiveness, your wrinkled skin, glaucous grey eyes that can barely see me, ears that ignore white lies, my rancid sighs. 3761 |
| Robert roused me with a list of 'best sandwiches'. I wrote: "I didn't care for the list. I get it that the author likes Jewish delis, reubens, Italian everything and German beef... but I still don't like these lists. 1. I'm from WNY not NYC so our foods always lose out to the City. We're tired of that s***. Visit the Polish markets, eat pierogies, go German and eat Beef-on-Weck, or cheesecake. Italian ... who do you think reinvented wings and made it a thing? Better, try pasta fagioli. Yes, one can find a knish but NYC must have better. We had more people in our county than all of Montana until up to a few years ago. Nuff, said. 2. Montana ... Pork John from Butte? Other than pasties from Anaconda or rocky-mountain-oysters at the Testicle Festival ... safe choice. We eat it here in Missoula but I'd just as soon have Kansas chicken livers. 3. Nebraska. One word: runza. Very Czech but eaten throughout the state. I've never heard of a deep-fried cheese sammich. 4. Iowa. Loose meat sandwich. Go to Maid-Rite in Marshalltown. 5. PA. A Philly steak and cheese is fine, as long as it comes with a slice of pie. Nowhere does pie better. Skip most of the States and go to one of the best multi-cultural cities of North America. Either Mexico City or Toronto will do. Yes, one can get a cheap taco pastor on the streets of CDMX but Mexicans eat everything and the various indigenous cultures know how to prepare them. T.O.? What cuisine of the world do you prefer? At least try a Salvadorean pupusa (chicharron stuffed tortilla) or go to Spadina Street for authentic Chinese. Hell, just skip NA and go to China. Even Taiwan has food from all of East and Southeast Asia and mainland China. " And a burger? Try pljeskavica in Serbia. It's after midnight here. 27 degrees and dropping. Snowing quite nicely. I should just go to sleep. 35 degrees at 2:45 p.m. and  . Bought cottage cheese because it was on sale. Plane tickets are on sale too... but I just can't risk it yet.  I checked bank balance. I have too much money saved up. The problem? After I was homeless and penniless (years ago) I became afraid of money. It had never been my friend to begin with. Now I really need to spend on 'toys' eg. a new computer. And when I travel I can afford either refundable tickets or more comfortable seating or an occasional private room. The problem? I need to convince myself that it's okay. I'm similar to someone who goes from work to cash their check at the bar. We both have an unhealthy relationship with money. So... once again... how much would it cost to take 6 2-month-long trips? How much 12 1-month long trips? (hint: more expensive.) I need to crunch numbers and then tell myself that it's okay to spend the extra money I have because I've spent 1 year sitting in two rooms. And I need to post raw numbers here or in my t-log so I can't avoid them. 6 p.m., the vesper hour, no bells ringing, just a drip of water. The days grow long and the alpenglow sits on slopes of tinted snow, a shade of tawny ... like a color-point Siamese ... but silent. I'm trying to write a 1 star poem, but I'm failing. I'm frustrated and my Muse is laughing. Maybe I should read? Teach him patience? I finished a short story "Traveling Teddy [355]" , wrote a short poem "To dream [354]" . |
| Toast A friend has been diagnosed with pancreatice cancer. Prognosis imho? Toast. My toaster had barely been warming the English muffins. I reset it. This morning I'm eating burnt toast slathered with butter to soften it. I did not burn my coffee. 33° at 10 a.m. and weak sun. I'm going to try to get out. If only to pick up milk. I'm reading a 1975 paperback, The Kung Fu Avengers. Light reading is still reading imho. I'm withholding certain misgivings for the moment. 574 trinkets collected to date. Not too bad. I did offer some in February but I'll need to make new ones. 36 degrees at 1:23 p.m. and sunny. Saw two friends. Picked up milk. It's $7/2 2% gallons here. Le Petit is open inside... but not for sitting down. Very frustrating. Sun and clouds up to their usual games playing tag at 4:25 p.m.; still 36 degrees. Worked on a short story for children. At 560 words it's about right, but I need to expand and edit. Limit is 1,000. I really want to know what reading level it is. A couple words may need to be replaced by something simpler. So... three pieces almost ready for posting. Almost... Need to be careful about time and deadlines. Chicken-mushroom-parmesan on a bun. A bit 'goopy' so I may need to serve what remains over rice. Soup can be eaten after the expiration date. I have 7 'old' cans that expired in 2020. I'll be having cream of asparagus next. Some of the new soups expire in 2023. I have 31 cans of soup. That will hold me for awhile. Quill nominations (I glanced at them today): "Pink [262]" (medium length poem - free verse) fine"April 23: a poem that contains an argument [48]" (medium length poem - structured) needs an edit or something"Być Gwiazdą (To be a star) (297w) [35]" (flash fiction) needs an edit "Five Simple Steps [177.11] (298 words)" (flash fiction) may be okay"Porthole" (blog) no comment3,755 |
| 41 degrees at 4:01 a.m. I finished another book. Liminal space that place that doesn't exist if you look at it, that transition, that threshold between realities. Child of a Rainless Year by Jane Lindskold explores that no-place that seems unreal but exists. I enjoyed the read and wanted to finish it before falling asleep. Supposed to rain. 40 degrees and dark skies at 8:50 a.m. People wonder why I don't submit my work ... it's expensive after awhile. Plus, it's emotionally difficult for me. Not the rejection ... other issues. But undocumented poets have it worse. Why didn't I know? This article explains: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/thanks-to-undocupoets-poets-don-t-need-papers-... Fell back into a restless nap. It's 1 p.m. and 44 degrees. I'm listless. This weeks Ghouls:  1. Finish as many challenges as possible and submit to contests. List them here:  2. Buy milk, soup, potatoes. Seem silly? Don't even want to leave my room. 3. Read. I'm catching up, so now's a good time to keep it going. Clashes with #1 & #2 though. 4. Catch up on washing clothes. 5. Open the windows! Air the place out. Burn incense. Something. It's a mix to keep me from drowning in black motes on bound white paper. I have no interest no energy. Is this lethargy? I'm listless. I should be checking into travel plans but until I get the vax I'm stuck here and even then... may have to call KLM to check on 'cancel' and 'covid-cancel' policies. I saw very cheap flights to Lisbon and Oslo. But... what guarantees? I'm temporarily deeply-depressed in a year of general-depression. Probably not-wise to listen to Reba. Memories of 1989 and Robert who adored Reba. I never knew exactly what happened (memory hole 87-89). Apparently he was bashed with a brick outside a bar and died two weeks later. I blame Bri. She offered a ride to the grocery store. 5 lbs potatoes, 12 cans of soup, buns, pork, mayo... It's raining! And yes, one window is open and a pot of water with spices is steaming on the stove. 39 degrees and steady at 6 p.m., so I may have to close the window before I go to bed. |
| 9:30 a.m. and 33 degrees and dreary. Me too. Shaved my beard off... most of it. My skin has 'issues' at times and needs a periodic airing out. Should be above freezing for a couple days. No blister yet where I burned myself. That's good news. Wrote a sonnet ... which is fine, but it doesn't seem appropiate for the contest I wrote it for. Contests aren't always clear about rating nor acceptable content. In this case my poem feels edgy in a way unsuitable for Hallmark-Christians or the LDS Relief Society. It's not E. But it doesn't sound nice to put it that way ... My daily life is usually E, but characters and poems aren't necessarily. Guess I'm still rebelling against some puritanical heritage from my maternal grandfather's family. 39 degrees at 2 p.m. Made a sammich out of grilled chicken thigh and hummus mixed with smoked ham. Sitting inside. Have seen some local birds. Nothing interesting, it's just that they are out after the Deep Freeze. Round 114 of "Crack Kraken's Code Contest [Round Over]" starts. If I can crack the third word I may be able to solve this quicker than last time. There are no repeat words, and only one two-letter and three-letter word each. So... if I make a good guess I might get lucky. Otherwise...Back to reading and dithering. Mostly dithering. 40 degrees at 4:54. blimprider is offering a course. The intro: "Invalid Item" Which got me thinking. I posted: Well... it's obvious that I need to read your book. Then imagine an alt-history with air-pirates. Is alcohol allowed as a fuel (like in sake)? I imagine a Taiwan freeing itself from Japan (WW2 didn't happen quite as we are told) ... kinda silkpunk meets steampunk without the dark dirty skies of coal (except from China). Since Taiwan has little oil, coal or gas the conversion to wind, solar, thermal, bio-waste would take place sooner or later (IRL... later *Sad*). It has plenty of water (fresh water can be seasonal) as it's an island. Of course I could just place it in Pittsburgh complete with black skies and the steam engine whistle (like in my childhood). The real issue is April. If I start to travel I won't have as much spare time. His book (placed in alt-historic Afrika):
Anna Marie Carlson  asks "Why are so many people talking about the world coming to an end?" I would make a quick two part answer. 1. They don't want to change or feel incapable of becoming the change they need to be. Ghandi's “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” demands work and, wanting to live nostalgically in the Past, feel they don't have to try. 2. Although found globally it's a very Western doctrine of believing in and praying for the End, absolving them of any responsibilty to improve Life in the here-and-now... because they are better than all the un-holy people who will perish. To me? It's a cop-out (they are either super-religious apocalyptic or believe in nothing i.e. nihilistic), but don't bother pointing that out. Since They (the religious ones) are the Only Ones who Know the Truth... why argue? |
| 1 a.m. and only 27 degrees. Toasty. Finished book #6, Mrs. Pollifax and the Lion Killer. I enjoyed it. Wasn't sure at the beginning. Light read. So now I can tackle something heavier? Hope so. My goal this weekend is to work on contest pieces and submit some. Definitely time for bed. 33 degrees at 11:47! Sunshine peeking out. Woke up to this: ![Merit Badge in Second Time Around II
[Click For More Info]
Hi [Link To User enga] ,
Congratulations! You won the Grand Prize in [Link To Item #2164876] with your brilliant poem, [Link To Item #2236559] .
Rachel](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/group-Second_Time_Around_II-2164963_13.gif) for
It's a tad purply.  Homemade lunch ... sunny ... at 2 p.m. I buttered two slices of cheap white bread. Sprinkled garlic-parsley on one, garlic-parsley-Italian-spices on the other. Cut into strips and toasted both sides. I'm dipping in homemade hummus I whipped up last night. Life is delicious, except... I burnt finger. I have an aloe plant but I'm expecting to see a blister. I need to be more careful. I've stated reading Child of a Rainless Year. This is book #7 of 52. So far, I really like it.  Some snow, some sun at 4 p.m. Revised an old poem. I think I actually improved it!
It's also in keeping with the color-of-the-day. Ate a pile of potato pancake with butter and brown sugar. 3,743 |
| 11 p.m. 27 degrees. Quiet. I finished Tracy White's How I Made It To Eighteen. Young and bulemic... breakdown... interesting read. She calls herself Stacy Black in this memoir... that too I find interesting. I will choose something totally different next. I've finished 5 books. Two of them short, but pages don't count. Like poetry. I need to read poetry slower. Each poem deserves to have its moment. Some deserve more moments than others. I need to be careful what I post here. This is not my rant blog nor is it my private journal. Just because no one comments doesn't men it's not being read... although... 33 views in a week = not being read. It's sad saggy blog. I hope to get one more piece of writing done and submitted today. That will help. I have 9 days left and lots of writing in front of me. Getting something done actually helps while I work on other things. I commented to Robert re life on Mars: "I like the idea of robots. But quantity matters. I'd like to see 100 mini-robots that can travel (roll) in any direction, get out of holes, over or around obstacles, that can be recharged by a weak sun. Even if half weren't functioning after a year, and half again in two years, there would still (hypothetically) be 3 scurrying after 5. Unless they are all going around in circles... or pausing to 'pee'... they could cover quite a bit of territory... if they were slow moving, say 1 km/day they could go over 300 km/yr or 1500 km after 5 years. And small is key. Like ants, they could teach us a lot. Many humans tend to think in macro terms when micro is where it's at. Bigfoot doesn't have a summerhome on Mars or Titan, but microbes might. Even on Earth, so much life is small and so much life seeks shelter in the cracks." Noon ... ish ... 33 degrees. I'm melting. I'm reading Mrs. Pollifax... light reading, short and sweet. I finished my second coffee so at least I'm awake ... ish. Not as bright today as yesterday. My last two posts on the Newsfeed have been ignored. *sigh* This blog is ignored *sigh*sigh*. My life is *s*s*s*s*s*s*s*s*s*s*s*s*s* You get the picture. Evening... in the garden of... My geraniums are blooming and the plant I barely rescued last October has a flowerhead developing. It should be red. No mail. I crossed the river to check. It was 38 degrees. Balmy. Wrote: "I lean [351]" I made my own hummus: crushed white sesame seeds, added lemon, lemon pepper, garlic with parsley, cooked chick peas and blended, adding olive/canola oil. |
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