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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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| MHA prompt: "What are your biggest personal strengths? How have those strengths helped you overcome difficult times? What strengths do you recognize in others that you'd like to see in yourself?" 1. Fostering Connections. I talk to everyone. I get people to talk to each other. This is especially important across cultural issues like race. Once-upon-a-time I had parties specifically aimed at bringing people together. I learned that food was important and getting people interacting! I used to have them about twice per month on Wednesdays. The regularity helped. I also had yearly barbeques dedicated to Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. In retrospect I could have done much better, but that I was doing it at all at a time that no one else even saw the issue (racism isn't a sexy issue) gives testimony that my effort was worthy of my time and money. 2. Engaged. Some folks would say that I'm distracted by everything and anything. But my interest in everything gives me a broad platform to stand on. I'm ecclectic when it comes to knowledge and people. I'm no master! But... I can weave these threads into stories or interesting conversations. I just need to do more not less. 3. Overcoming... what... I cannot impress on you how connections keep me sane nor how once severed they devastate me. My strengths did not help me much unless one considers how I was able to make new connections to help me survive. 4. Happiness. Other people seem to be happy. Whether it's from oblivion or discipline it doesn't matter. I have failed at self-obliviation. And discipline and I don't get along. It would be nice to be happy. 5. Calm. I marvel at those who face triumph and adversity calmly. It's like they are a placid lake that even a storm cannot disturb. Oh, to be unruffled. For:
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| "Did you sleep well?" "Yes? And you?" "Too many dreams." Kat looked tired. "You could rest you know." "And there would be more restless dreams." "Can I get you tea or soup?" Kat grinned. "You are learning from Cook." "I wish. He always seems to know." "He's an Empath. That's who he is." "Are all of his people like him?" Kat rumbled. "No. Many have the empathy of a stone. No offense to the Stone People though." Kat sucked in her breath. "I swear they know my thoughts. One gave me a crystal once..." "Me too! I suspect it's how they interact with the universe. They're very much home bodies." "At two tons each ... and that's a small one ... I should hope so. But like all sentient beings they want to know more and maybe the crystals help them explore, helps them to hear and see." We sat in silence until Kat began to nod. I went to get tea. Cook was asleep but I knew what Kat needed. I had observed and learned much. "Here." "Thank-you." As Kat lapped it all I went to get more. "You're an Empath." "No, I just watch Cook and we all know that unlike our dreams your dreams come true." Kat looked through me. "Sometimes they do. These dreams were muddled but persistent. Like a niggle that reminds me that I've forgotten something." Kat switched her tail. "I will ask Cook when he wakes up. He's not a dreamer but he's the strongest Empath on this ship, even stronger than 90210. You're becoming one." "I could..." "Already checked. She's taking a well deserved nap. There's nothing urgent. I'd know. No, this can wait. Thinking of the Stones reminds me that out there, there is a hidden world most don't take time to see. I'm patient." Kat looked more relaxed. "You look peaked. You should get some tea or soup for yourself. And bring me some more of this while you're up." Kat was definitely looking better. Prompt from:
The specimen we found is "Out there, there is a hidden world most don't take time to see." For:
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Reading like a poet allows one to learn from published poetry.
in which he quotes Robert Frost as saying "Poetry is made out of algebra and fire." |
| Undated entry: Some of the crew have gone to an intergalactic resort while our ship gets serviced. Not me. I'm an Engineer. No Wing. No Xeno. Nobody special. I get to work. Vacations are for others. Fortunately when we travel from star to star I just do maintenance and keep logs. My boss will tell me what to do in an emergency. I'm the crew no one notices. Except for Cook. Cook notices everything. He keeps his eye on me because of my past but says nothing. Only he knows how desparate I was when I got hired. Only he knows how sick. He'll keep an eye on me and who knows how many others while the others party. My partying days are over. My last vacation was almost my last... I'm better now... Almost. The hull needs a millimeter by millimeter inspection. All systems must be checked and rechecked. We have one week without interference from the others but we will take as long as it takes. The Commander is no fool. The Head Engineer has the final say. I'm glad that's not me. Cook adds something to my soup for my innards and nerves. I know it. He knows it. I am patient. It may take another year. From:
COVID-19 has been rampant. What, if anything, have you done for summer vacation? In real Life? Nothing. I don't have a car. I'm high risk and taking the pandemic seriously. Meanwhile, this heat is draining me. For:
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| A weekly blog that starts skinny on Saturday and fattens up by Tuesday and is ready for slaughter by Friday ... if not before. llllllllllllllllllllllllllllsummerlllllllllllllllll  llllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll  lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll  lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll  lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllll llllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll  lllllllllllllllll lllll lllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll ███████ PORTHOLE ███████ SUMMER/WINTER: AUGUST 2020 "O Lord my God! Assist Thy loved ones to be firm in Thy Faith, to walk in Thy ways, to be steadfast in Thy Cause. Give them Thy grace to withstand the onslaught of self and passion, to follow the light of divine guidance. Thou art the Powerful, the Gracious, the Self-Subsisting, the Bestower, the Compassionate, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful." -Abdu’l-Baha  MY THOUGHTSAugust 15: My blood pressure was low. I laid down. I have no energy. August 16: All periods have tribulations. This is ours/mine to overcome. August 17: I just want to sleep. 'Depression napping' isn't a good idea in the heat. August 18: Lavinia's death is on my mind. Knew it was coming but I'm a bit rattled. August 19: nothing August 20: Going through each pile is tedious, but I found some things. August 21: Still not sure why I have barely spoken to people at WdC or IRL this week.  WEATHERAugust 15: 32° hazy going down to 12; 31/27° all week in Dakar, Senegal. August 16: 32° 36/17, dry; 19° in Warsaw, Poland. 31/14 this week, and rain. August 17: 35° and a warm night to follow; 16° in Arusha, Tanzania. 27/15 all week. August 18: 28° and languid; 3° Katse Dam, Lesotho. Cold and very windy. 21/-7 this week. August 19: 32° and sticky, gloomy; 12° Saint Regis Mountain, NY, going down to 2. August 20: 26° and cloudy; 26° in Honolulu, 31/24 all week. August 21: 33° hot; 24° at midnight in Trondheim, Norway, det er ganske varmt.  IMAGESAugust 15: Vegetables and fruits, the orange glow of my 'Sinful' melon. Haze in an empty sky. August 16: Quiet. Peaceful. Gentle breeze. Banana-vanilla pudding. August 17: Doe with fawn. Heat. Glorious sunset of orange streaks in the north-west. August 18: Languid day. pictures of sunset. Mushroom pizza and harp music. August 19: Quiet walk. August 20: nothing August 21: blackened prairie where Mt. Sentinel burned. Smoky haze from other fires.  CONTESTSIt's increasingly obvious that I will NOT do all of these in any given month. Priorities are given to sporadic contest. Blink and I may have to wait 3 months! FICTION:  "No Dialogue Contest-CLOSED"  SS <700. No dialogue. B/E (no August yet) "Invalid Item" FF < 300 Flash Fiction Romance/Erotica by 7/14(Freedom) B/E "Before the showing (300 words) [139] (13.July.2020)" July 15-July 29: Non-Fiction (Food) "The Dialogue 500" SS <500. Covid-19in-progress "the certainty of water" "The Science Fiction Short Story Contest" SS <2000. August: heat {bitem:} "WEIRD TALES CONTEST " SS <1000, August: The phantom hand. CLOSED "Invalid Item" "Distorted Minds Contest" 4 prompt ss 500-5000 "Invalid Item" ss >4 font. AUG 15th "Letter to María Celeste [176] (coffee) [431 words]" "Invalid Item" Weekly horror <1500 ss: 1-8 Romance; 8-15 Supernatural; 22-29 POETRY:  "Stormy's poetry newsletter & contest" "Summer's storm [177]" By 8/8. "From the grave, a voice [237] (10 lines)" By 9/9 "Poetic Traditions Poetry Contest " <50. Old or new not awarded. Limited to 20. "Shadows and Light Poetry Contest" Round 86 to August 14th. Old or new. Free verse <40 "Smoke" "Shadows and Light Poetry Contest" Round 87 August 15th to September 14th.Old or new. Free verse <40 lines. 1 "Invalid Item" Round 76: triveni.  "Quepos in June [186]" 2 "Invalid Item" Round 77: landay. "Sunset of 2020 [189] (landay)" "Invalid Item" August New or old <50 lines "Invalid Item" <60. It's a dark month... State FairWhenever: "The Random Poetry Contest" September: "Verdant Poetry Contest - On Hiatus" Nature. Autumn. Form and words by Sept. 30.September: "The Humorous Poetry Contest" <15 Humor. Round 33. B/EClosed: "Write from the Heart - closed" Romance. 12-20 linesBOTH: "The Writer's Cramp" Daily noon-noon WDC = 10 a.m. MTT. Must be item. "The Taboo Words Contest ~ On Hiatus" Monthly. <750 <40 August - Cookout In progress: "What is this? [202]"  "Kittiara's Writing Contest" 1 ss, 1 poem. Theme: renewal  "Second Time Around ~ Birthday Special" Old non-winners! Got lots of those. Round 17: Aug 15th-Sept 14EITHER/OR: "Butter My Buns Contest" Erotica! <500 words, <15. August? "Inner Strength Contest " <1000 or poem August? "The PET NEWS CONTEST" SS <2500, P <40. August? NEITHER: "The 4 Controversies Contest" Opinionated non-fiction essay >1200. Round IX?VARIES: "The Contest Challenge" A contest of contests... every month. "The Bard's Hall Contest" SS <1000 GC+ August 31 Pet/human. "PET/HUMAN DIALOGUE" Needs to be s/s "Share Your Faith" "Journey Through Genres: Official Contest"  POULTRYTHREE DAYS A WEEK: "Invalid Item" by midnight WDC by: 17th  19th 21th  "Summer's storm [177]" *  "At Tussaud's [179] 24σ"  "But in the end, a passing thing [183.zm]"  "MLK coming down the tracks 1963 [182] 24σ"  "de Sade lives! [184] 24σ"  "Quepos in June [186]"  "In the year 2010 [190b] Chores [190a] 24σ"   "Draft Notice 1969 [192b] 24σ"  "Old enemies 24σ [194]" Boiling:  "this our fairy tale [175] a song"  "From the grave, a voice [237] (10 lines)"  "Sunset of 2020 [189] (landay)" Cracked: "Ombra mai fu" Not yet laid:     PORKDAILY: "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge"
"Turn, turn, turn ... on me [181] (698 words)" Baking: "Yokai 8/15" "Hemorrhoids " only-dialogue-July READING MOVIETIMEI can't focus on audio-visual! I need to finish one movie and find one that works for me. I have 200 to choose from. May need to go on-line and watch some East Asian love story serials.  LEARNING NORWEGIANNoW: 6KAMP , 6KAMP , 5E(67) , 6MP(g) . EDITING PHOTOS15: 2/14-17-fin, 16: 2/18 (Jiufen-fin), 17: 2/19, 18: 2/19-fin, 19: 2/20 (Jiufen), 20:  , 21: 2/20 (Ruifang). CHORES15: , 16: 20 min, 17: , 18: 30min, 19: 30 min+, 20: 30 min, 21: 15 min. OUT/WALK15: walk, 16: out, 17: out, 18: out, 19: walk, 20: , 21: out. MARKET  SENIOR CENTER  COFFEEHOUSEAugust 15th: got card from Mary in TX; chocolate-irish-cream milkshake At Butterfly Herbs; bought a small melon 'Sinful' $1.25. August 17th: sat with Laxmi, Dalton, and Bill. Pork and stuffing. August 19th: very late, very quiet walk for groceries. Ice cream on sale. August 21th: sat with Dalton, spoke with Willie. Beef something.  MY FORMER LIFEAugust, 1963: Floods! August 2018: Italy, Switzerland, Norway.  WATT'S GNUSBernie Sanders says Trump’s attacks on mail-in voting a ‘crisis for US democracy’ (Guardian) I concur.  WATT'S GNUS INTERNATIONALPolish nationalists and LGBT activists face off in Warsaw (Reuters) Erosion of human rights ... a backlash from traditionalists and nationalists. Mali’s President Resigns After Detention by Mutinous Soldiers (Bloomberg) Change comes without bloodshed.  OPINIONS"Homeless shit ... again and again. " closed SPACEBOOK quotes (you can guess context): BLOGVILLEReference to challenges, contest and prompts (not all appearing on the same week): BC: "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" (daily) (I'm not a member)BCOF: "Blogging Circle of Friends " using my Nlog (nature blog) "Nurture your Nature" and "Hoarfrosts from Hell" (daily)JAFBG: "JAFBG" (open rants)JI: "Journalistic Intentions" using my Blog "Enga mellom fjella" (8 blogs from 16 prompts) "June post. I'm finished. " 30DBC: "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" (July)MHA: "Invalid Item" weekly prompts starting June 14th. OP: "Invalid Item" using my Plog "L'aura del Campo" PP: "Promptly Poetry Challenge (2023-2024)" my Plog response to prompts as I missed the sign-up date. Real: "Welcome To My Reality Forum" 75 prompts August Prompts "REALITIES ... prompts and ideas" SB: "Space Blog" For August: 30dbcof is a combo of 30DBC and BCOF in my Tlog (travel blog): "On The Write Path" August 15 SB: "4517 62 SC hears a story... "Smitten with a kitten" [260]" August 15 30dbcof: "Misr (Garbage City [187])" picture of statue in Torino.August 16 30dbcof: "Ethiopia: Lelibela [188]" August 16 Real: "Reality! Chapter 1" closedAugust 17 30dbcof: "Blood and Urine (Arusha among the Maasai)" August 17 SB: "What's a vacation. (4157: exact stardate unknown)" August 18 30dbcof: "Lesotho" August 18 SB?: "logic and emotion" closed August 19 30dcof: "Ho joang? Lesotho - day 2" August 19 SB: "preachers and politicians" closedAugust 20 30dcof: "lesotho day 3 durban" closedAugust 20 SB: "Good friends stardate ?" closedAugust 21 30dcof: "Kaapstad, Suid Afrika" August 21 SB: "Brightness and color of stars" closedVisited this week so far and commented: Elisa the Bunny Stik  An insightful and funny entry: "Coronavirus Magazine" Beholden  Can we avoid cliches? I mentioned Taboo Word Contest.  Robert Waltz  Can blue-eyed folks hold their liquor better? Chris Breva  Do you trust preachers or politicians, both or neither. QueenNormaJeanGreeneggs&vegham  Lots of tomatoes, grasshoppers, a cat, a fawn? And heat. Lots of heat. Apondia  Having fun in a virtual hot air balloon?  And ghost ships? Charity Marie - <3  Missing her loving husband.  SandraLynn Team Florent! Is having a real good time with the virtual tour.Joy  do we over-react?bobturn two misfits Roy and Elvis and their monster-mom Gail. Future Mrs. B  The gray rock approach: do not act emotionally, narcissists are attracted to drama and they feed on that drama. Charlie ~ Really needs support from each and every one of us.  Veritas  How can one work with no direction nor support? 🌸 pwheeler - love joy peace  has advice on sleeping.  "Sleep Notes from Prevention Magazine " Trying to keep up on blogs. Not a great week, 15-20 is better.  Postcards:Received card from Mary in TX and postcard from Anne in WA. Statue in Museo Egizio in Torino, Italy, August 10, 2018. |
| "What IS this?" "Take it. Drink this. Jaafar will call me when you wake up." Apparently, Jindal's system couldn't handle last night. He may be a shapeshifter but getting sick is getting sick. Although, the consequences vary... "He's out." "Good." Gomo the Kla wasn't overly concerned. "Mo!a!e are better in stasis on trips like these. They really don't travel well. Too hard to keep their chosen form, health and sanity. Jindal took a risk." "Why?" I wanted to know why. "Because unlike others of his kind he takes risks." Everyone turned to Quip. "It's obvious. He took a risk to leave. Took risks to survive. Is taking a risk to return." "You sound like his number 1 fan." "Probably am. Better find his distant sister before he faces them all. Sure to be scorned by most." "How so?" "Few sapient beings love chaos. His world absolutely hates it. We are proof that exceptions exist. Each and every one of us." It was a difficult evening. Jaafar, Quip, Gomo and me took turns. 90210 was navigating and assured us that she'd give us fair warning. Jindal was to be delivered safe and sound. Kat hadn't woken up from her kat-nap so we weren't too worried until... "He's changing forms." Jaafar rushed in followed by me and Quip. "How can you tell, Gomo? "He's turning colors, perhaps you can't see. What do your ears suggest?" "Nothing so far." "He's changing size too." Quip added. "And his mind is swirling." "I was afraid of that," Jaafar spoke softly, "go tell 90210, Quip." When Quip left, Jaafar spoke to me and Gomo. "Jindal has a connection to Quip. Don't know why nor how, but Quip is right. We'll need some medical advice. Gomo?" "I'm no doctor; but, maintaining his form may be key. One less struggle." Phylym the psych came through the door. "Heard that. You're right. Everyone hold on to him as I give him this." By morning ... bleary eyed but hopeful we welcomed Jaafar's news, "He's awake." And just in time. We were approaching where Jindal needed to get off. We could only wish him well on the rest of his journey. From:
...and sounds like it would either cure you or kill you. What do you do if you wake up sick? IRL? Depends. I live alone so if I feel I may need to see someone I'll tell a neighbor, possibly Travis since Lavinia moved; although if it's before 2 a.m. I might knock on Bri's door. If I'm sick, especially these days, someone needs to know. Otherwise? Water, aspirin, rest. I don't do pain pills or narcotics. Thoom often tells the vamps  that 'it will either cure you or kill you' when she makes them take a garlic pill... or any of her concoctions. No one dares to ask whether any have died.For:
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| Jindal spoke, "When I go back I will face what I have to face." "What will happen?" "What will be will be. Sorry to speak in tautologies but there are too many outcomes to contemplate. I will say what I need to say and let it be." Jindal looked distant. As 90210 would later say, "as if he had stars in his eyes and galaxies behind them." "We all have gifts and would suffer if we lost them. What would Kat be without her Dreams, Cook without knowing which herb kills and which one cures. What if Quip went mute?" "It would kill me." "Or at least give us some needed peace and quiet." [laughter] "What would make a shapeshifter suffer most?" [silence] "What if I were frozen into a form decided by others. I would be beautiful of course but unable to truly express my emotions. Worthless for traveling. Impossible to pass unnoticed. Dismissed ... perhaps." "Would it kill you?" "No. No more than taming a wild beast." "Ouch." "But just like I must face what I must face in spite of some trepidation, so my people will be tempted to avoid reality as they have for thousands of years." "You'll be like Krishna." [soft murmurs] "No, but will I be able to bring about change if my form is frozen? Regardless it is time to show them that without character beauty is merely a rose without fragrance." On that note everyone began to eat. Kat merely smiled. When Jindal left us a few days later, Kat took me aside and whispered, "There never was any physical danger. But 'change' ... that is more promising and dangerous than anything we will ever meet in Space. I will nap now in peace." For:
Prompt: From
"Face what you must Face" "Krishna says – When you avoid what you must face in life, it becomes bigger than you and takes control over you." What do you think? |
| 90210: "I remember a ride from childhood. We went up and down and zigzagged and then tumbled round and round. I wanted more." Gomo the Kla: "Not me! I got sick but they made me do it again and again. It got better over time until training..." 90210: "Yes, I thought training would be 'fun' but it wasn't a joy to vomit after eating. Why did they do that to us?" Quip: "Emergencies don't happen at our convenience." Gomo and 90210 just glared at Quip. 90210: "So. you. en.joyed. it." [said with ice on her breath] Quip: "Nope. "Not one minute. But when it ended I realized that if I could tolerate swallowing everybody's vomit as it washed over me I could survive worse." Gomo: "Everybody's?" Quip: "Two Vulches and an Yxwoorm." Jindal laughed. I laughed. Quip just sat there non-plussed. Gomo turned a lovely shade of puke. 90210: 'So Jindal ... ever meet an Yxwoorm?" Jindal stared straight at Quip: "Been one." Now everyone laughed as Quip hurriedly excused himself. 90210: "That was cruel." Jindal: "But harmless and fun. Quip will 'survive'." Cook interrupted us with soup. Why always soup? He placed a blue bowl in front of Jindal and said: "Drink all of it and do not share. Medicine for you. Poison for them." Quip came back looking like he could use some soup. Jindal just said: "Want some?" Cook was there in a flash. "Don't touch Jindal's soup. Have this." A plate of crackers? We never quite understood how Cook operated. Most newbies gave up quick. When Jindal finished he spoke: "I have a story." Quip offered him a cracker... Jindal laughed. "No, you might need it. ... I had to travel across the Ice Planet. Most of the time we skated across the land. Frozen land but tranquil. ... One time though I needed to be in a form that may have pleased others but was uncomfortable for me. When the storm hit and we hit a bump that made us airborne ... I was in a somewhat compromised position. I would have changed forms right then but it would have destroyed my cover. I guard my secrets well." My four ears immediately perked up to attention. "I held on to my client, my form and the cabin as best I could. We spun round and round like water down a drain. And then ... ... we lost gravity. Floating and bumping and bruising wasn't part of the contract but the video screen lit up and what we saw was stunning. For a moment the sky and snow-clad ground reversed; we were on wings of wind upheld as if by feathers or skis, gliding as birds. We took advantage of the moment, thrilled at the sight, not even caring if we crashed. Later, counting my generous tip, I considered every ache and pain worth it. One can always clean up the mess later." Quip just nodded and offered Jindal his last cracker. From:
"For a moment the sky and snow-clad earth reverse; on wings of wind upheld fleet skiers glide as birds." Have you ever been snow or water skiing? Do you think you'd like to try? For:
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| A weekly blog that starts skinny on Saturday and fattens up by Tuesday and is ready for slaughter by Friday ... if not before. llllllllllllllllllllllllllllsummerlllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll ███████ PORTHOLE ███████ SUMMER/WINTER: AUGUST 2020 "A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding." - Baha'u'llah "Una lengua amable es el imán de los corazones de los hombres. Es el pan del espíritu, reviste las palabras de significado, es la fuente de la luz de la sabiduría y el entendimiento." - Baha'u'llah MY THOUGHTSAugust 8: Do I have the right to complain about the party outside my window at midnight? August 9: Misted the plants in the hallway. I need to shave off my beard. Dust to dust. August 10: Dull ... as if I have a headache. I'm going through the motions, feel abandoned. August 11: To learn a language use it everyday. Time and patience brings rewards. August 12: It's nice to have my table cleared off so I can use it. Much easier to type. August 13: I'm making progress around here in spite of my self. That must suffice. August 14: I know it's bad when I want to clean to avoid writing... WEATHERAugust 8: 24° pleasant, dry; 25° in Siem Reap, Cambodia. 32/24 and rainy all week. August 9: 26° and perfect; 21° in Cartago, Costa Rica. 23/17 all week with afternoon rain. August 10: 19° but going up to 32, dry; 26° in Pak Chong, Thailand. 31/23 and rainy all week. August 11: 23° but going up to 33; 29° in Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam. 31/26 and rainy all week. August 12: 21° and cloudy; 18° in Newark on Trent, UK must feel pleasant after the heat. August 13: 14° before noon; 27° in Sabetha, Kansas. August 14: 13° and may go as low as 6, high 28; 29° in Agra, UP, India 35/26 and rainy all week. IMAGESAugust 8: multi-colored gondolas in the river south channel, fireworks at night. August 9: didn't go out. Does scraping my feet while sitting in the tub count? (no pics) August 10: there was barely a sunset out there. Just a calm non-descript day. August 11: not bad. stayed in. geraniums moved. still blooming. August 12: macaroni and tuna in adobo. A friendly orange color point himalayan. August 13: twilight fading to night. Shadows of leaves made by lamplight. August 14: too busy to look.  peach, melon. CONTESTSIt's increasingly obvious that I will NOT do all of these in any given month. Priorities are given to sporadic contest. Blink and I may have to wait 3 months! FICTION: "No Dialogue Contest-CLOSED" SS <700. No dialogue. B/E (no August yet) "Invalid Item" FF < 300 Flash Fiction Romance/Erotica by 7/14(Freedom) B/E "Before the showing (300 words) [139] (13.July.2020)" July 15-July 29: Non-Fiction (Food) "The Dialogue 500" SS <500. Covid-19in-progress "the certainty of water" "The Science Fiction Short Story Contest" SS <2000. August: heat {bitem:} "WEIRD TALES CONTEST " SS <1000, August: The phantom hand. CLOSED "Invalid Item" "Distorted Minds Contest" 4 prompt ss 500-5000 "Invalid Item" ss >4 font. AUG 15th "Letter to María Celeste [176] (coffee) [431 words]" "Invalid Item" Weekly horror <1500 ss: 1-8 Romance; 8-15 Supernatural; 15-22; 22-29 POETRY: "Stormy's poetry newsletter & contest" "Summer's storm [177]" By 8/8. "From the grave, a voice [237] (10 lines)" By 9/9 "Poetic Traditions Poetry Contest " <50. Old or new not awarded. Limited to 20. "Shadows and Light Poetry Contest" Round 86 to August 14th. Old or new. Free verse <40 "Smoke" "Shadows and Light Poetry Contest" Round 87 August 15th to September 14th.Old or new. Free verse <40 lines. 1 "Invalid Item" Round 76: triveni. "Quepos in June [186]" 2 "Invalid Item" Round 77: "Invalid Item" August New or old <50 lines "Invalid Item" <60. It's a dark month... State FairWhenever: "The Random Poetry Contest" September: "Verdant Poetry Contest - On Hiatus" Nature. Autumn. Form and words by Sept. 30.September: "The Humorous Poetry Contest" <15 Humor. Round 33. B/EClosed: "Write from the Heart - closed" Romance. 12-20 linesBOTH: "The Writer's Cramp" Daily noon-noon WDC = 10 a.m. MTT. Must be item. "The Taboo Words Contest ~ On Hiatus" Monthly. <750 <40 August - Cookout In progress: "What is this? [202]" "Kittiara's Writing Contest" 1 ss, 1 poem. Theme: renewal "Second Time Around ~ Birthday Special" Old non-winners! Got lots of those. Round 17: Aug 15th-Sept 14EITHER/OR: "Butter My Buns Contest" Erotica! <500 words, <15. August? "Inner Strength Contest " <1000 or poem August? "The PET NEWS CONTEST" SS <2500, P <40. August? NEITHER: "The 4 Controversies Contest" Opinionated non-fiction essay >1200. Round IX?VARIES: "The Contest Challenge" A contest of contests... every month. "The Bard's Hall Contest" SS <1000 GC+ August 31 Pet/human. "PET/HUMAN DIALOGUE" Needs to be s/s "Share Your Faith" "Journey Through Genres: Official Contest" POULTRYTHREE DAYS A WEEK: "Invalid Item" by midnight WDC by: 10th 12th 14th "Summer's storm [177]" * "At Tussaud's [179] 24σ" "But in the end, a passing thing [183.zm]" "MLK coming down the tracks 1963 [182] 24σ" "de Sade lives! [184] 24σ" "Quepos in June [186]" Boiling: "this our fairy tale [175] a song" "From the grave, a voice [237] (10 lines)" Cracked: "Ombra mai fu" Not yet laid: PORKDAILY: "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge"
"Radish patch [178] (615 words)" Baking: "Yokai 8/15" "Turn, turn, turn ... on me [181] (698 words)" by 8/15"Hemorrhoids " only-dialogue-July READING MOVIETIMEI can't focus on audio-visual! I need to finish one movie and find one that works for me. I have 200 to choose from. May need to go on-line and watch some East Asian love story serials. LEARNING NORWEGIANNoW: 5KAMP , 5 Listening , 5KV , 5AE , 5M , 5P , 6KAMP . EDITING PHOTOS8: 2/16 (Kaohsiung), 9: 2/16 (Kaohsiung), 10: 2/16 (Kaohsiung-fin), 11: 2/17 (Taipei), 12: 2/17 (Taipei-fin), 13: 2/18 (taipei-fin), 14: 2/19-20 fin. CHORES8: 20 min, 9: , 10: 20 min, 11: 30 min, 12: 20 min, 13: 20 min, 14: 20 min. OUT/WALK8: walk, 9: , 10: out, 11: , 12: walk, 13: walk, 14: out. MARKET SENIOR CENTER COFFEEHOUSEAugust 8th: Stopped at N Higgins to get cantaloupe and peaches. Talked to McCormant; everyone fine. Chocolate-coconut shake at Butterfly Herbs. August 10th: Sat outside the Senior Center eating mac&cheese. August 14th: Ham and cheese sandwich. Chatted with Dalton, Laxmi and others. MY FORMER LIFEAugust 10, 2012: Day of the Writer in Costa Rica. August 11, 2012: Wrote "Future imperfect. "Mold will move"" August 11, 2018: Torino, Italy. WATT'S GNUSTeen wins transgender rights suit in federal court (NBC) 11th Circuit Florida for the win for Drew Adams. What Fauci says the U.S. really needs to reopen safely (National Geographic) Fauci being rational and common sensical. Postal Service Warns States It May Not Meet Mail-In Ballot Deadlines (NY Times) Because they can't plan and hire people just like they do at Christmas? WATT'S GNUS INTERNATIONALMauritius declares environmental emergency as shipwreck leaks tonnes of diesel and oil into the sea (CNN) France has agreed to help. Easy to forget how global these issues are. Azar arrives in Taiwan amid tensions with China (The Hill) Talk about covid-19? Too little, too late. Taiwan finalizes $62bn purchase of F-16 jets from Lockheed Martin (AFP) The country we do not recognize but use as a pawn to annoy China. OPINIONS"Homeless shit ... again and again. " closed SPACEBOOK quotes (you can guess context): BLOGVILLEReference to challenges, contest and prompts (not all appearing on the same week): BC: "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" (daily) (I'm not a member)BCOF: "Blogging Circle of Friends " using my Nlog (nature blog) "Nurture your Nature" and "Hoarfrosts from Hell" (daily)JAFBG: "JAFBG" (open rants)JI: "Journalistic Intentions" using my Blog "Enga mellom fjella" (8 blogs from 16 prompts) "June post. I'm finished. " 30DBC: "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" (July)MHA: "Invalid Item" weekly prompts starting June 14th. OP: "Invalid Item" using my Plog "L'aura del Campo" PP: "Promptly Poetry Challenge (2023-2024)" my Plog response to prompts as I missed the sign-up date. Real: "Welcome To My Reality Forum" 75 prompts August Prompts "REALITIES ... prompts and ideas" SB: "Space Blog" For August: 30dbcof is a combo of 30DBC and BCOF in my Tlog (travel blog): "On The Write Path" August 8 SB: "4157 55: My beautiful world is a paradise" August 8 30dbcof: "Perth on a bicycle? Not! " August 9: "Me and cleaning: the truce " (closed)August 9 30dbcof: "Siem Reap and Battambang" August 9 SB: "Blue Tower" closedAugust 10 SB: "4157 57: On wings of wind" August 10 30dbcof: "thailand" closedAugust 11 SB: "4157 58 Facing it" August 11 30dbcof: "Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam: "Lost to time" [182]" August 12 SB: "4157 59 The Morning, afternoon and evening after." August 12 30dbcof: "Islands in Ha Long Bay (caves, seafood, coins) " picture of Vrelo Caves in Makedonia.August 13 SB: "4157 60" closedAugust 13 30dbcof: "Bhutan" August 14 30dbcof: "Everything has a meaning in India (Agra, Delhi) " closedAugust 14 SB: "4157 61" closedVisited this week so far and commented: Sorji Only good news as job, writing, house-hunting coming along fine. Beholden Muses about the usefulness of various prompts.Robert Waltz Merit badge mini-contest re 'consciousness' till 8/11 midnight "Once More With Feeling" Chris Breva loves chocolate! So do I. Which is why I don't buy it often.He’s Brian K Compton wrote an absolutely beautiful poem: "Inspired By Yellow Dusk Tonight" Lyn's a sly fox  Just another C-day? A fierce warrior woman is defiant! QueenNormaJeanGreeneggs&vegham Cooler weather and grasshoppers. Small town drama. Eric Wharton  12 years = a Jovian cycle, by Jove! Eric is jovial. IceSkatingSugarCube  Could use some help in promoting her romance trilogy.    BlueMoon Mentions taking a hot air ballon ride.  I'm full of hot air, so maybe not! Prosperous Snow celebrating  Wrote a poem about Angor Wat and points out climbing up on ones knees. Apondia Linked some Cambodian instrumental music.  I linked some vocals of Sin Sisamuth. Charity Marie - <3 Is sounding so much better! Burdens lifted. SandraLynn Team Florent! Makes riding a bike sound like so much fun. "Mirth In Perth" Kit_Carmelite I made a long comment to an excellent essay on "Invalid Entry" .hullabaloo22 Managed to fit the line "the Dalmatian with the balls," into a poem. lizco252isback Is thrilled about Kamela! "Invalid Entry" and includes a video sowing why. Joy Would love to go hang gliding. Would you join her? Me? Terra firma. bobturn Writes a lot of HORROR. A short but great example: "Invalid Entry" Future Mrs. B To understand 'vaginismus' read "Love as a Change Agent" .Princess Megan Rose GOT Fox  "I have beautiful memories of friends and family." Scottiegazelle Has been missing due to gallstones! Excuses...StephBee - House Targaryen  A stunning doppelganger of a WW2 WREN photo dated 1941. "I Wish I was a Genealogist " L.A. Grawitch A very rainy birthday.  ridinghhood-p.boutilier  A happier poem than I can write at the moment. Charlie ~ Covering up for others takes its toll, even when you are 13. ⭐Princette♥PengthuluWrites  Has been dealing with depression napping. I can relate. 💙 Carly  Is taking photos on her virtual trip to Viet Nam. Richard ~ Shenanigans INC.  A bit of a rant about family and expectations.  Cappucine  Being a teacher with unenthusiastic students? Yeah. innerlight  Processing, always. "April Blog" Trying to keep up on blogs. Maybe 30 last week but 15-20 is a better goal. Postcards:Aug 8: Gary in NY Aug 8: Ann in WA Sunset coming down the old railroad tracks, August 3, 2010 at 21:00. |
| 4157 55 "My beautiful world is a paradise." Quip stopped talking as Jindal continued. "We shaped it as we shaped ourselves. We are our own fantasy. It was harder to shape it to please everyone." I sipped on my tea. I was time to listen. Even Quip got the cue. A miracle! "Sounds dreamy." Kat just purred low and slow. Nothing to interrupt this magic moment. "There were places as frigid or as warm as our forms could manage. Dry and wet. Plenty of mountains and water. A bit of everything for anyone to taste and test, a smörgåsbord of delights and dangers." Cook quietly put plates of this and that in front of us and sat next to me without a word. "I tried them all." While we ate the only sound was a very soft purr from Kat. She knew how to set the mood. "I was bored." Behind us, someone dropped a plate and someone else shouted (no need to repeat what...). This broke the reverie. "What bored you?" Quip asked. "It was tamed. Nothing wild would be allowed to exist. Not plants, not people, not even real live thoughts. Everything was a fantasy. Dream it and it shall be." Kat's ears perked at that. She knew how powerful dreams could be... and how limiting. "I left to experience worlds where my kind was not in control. It takes courage to survive in the chaotic wild. Even more when others seek to control." Cook slowly smiled, nodded at Kat and began to collect the plates. Jindal had touched nothing.
prompt: My beautiful world is a paradise. For:
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