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One Writer's journey |
  One writer's journey through life and blogging as I try to rebuild a writing routine. Hopefully I will succeed, since, after all, "everything in life is writable about."   |
Prompt: Sound Effects Some say that chefs invented potato chips for their sound effects. Can you think of other sound effects that enrich our lives? My heart melts whenever I hear my cats purr. They're happy. For Dusty, it's whenever he's getting cuddles, belly rubs, scritches, you name it. His brother, Mungojerrie, has become more willing to allow us to touch him these last three years, despite spending his entire life with us. He has become delighted when we pet him or give him head scritches--when he is in the mood for it, that is. Otherwise he swats at us. Music is so enriching. I'm not going to narrow that down, because the type of music is different for each individual. Even the instruments used. The sound of moving water, from a pond to a stream, to a river, to the beach, is so soothing. I could sit there and listen all day. |
How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes. ~ Maya Angelou It is Memorial Day here in the United States - the day we honor and remember those military men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and the cause of freedom. Every time my siblings and I visit the cemetery where our mom is buried, I make a point to take a moment at some, if not all, of the headstones that mark military service. While I don’t know if any of them made the ultimate sacrifice, I am still grateful for their service. I saw a graphic on Facebook once that explained the difference between Armed Forces Day, Veterans Day, and Memorial Day. Armed Forces Day honors those in the military who are still serving, Veterans Day honors those who have hung up their uniforms, and Memorial Day honors those who didn’t get the chance. That honestly helps a lot. As far as I can remember, my family never celebrated Memorial Day. Or at least, we never made a big deal out of it. Now that I understand what Memorial Day is, I don’t know why we never celebrated. My paternal grandfather and his brother both served in the military, both during WWII, I believe. Maybe because we didn’t have any family who made that ultimate sacrifice? In the future, though, I want to start doing something to honor fallen soldiers on Memorial Day. |
| It’s the last day of April. How has the month gone by so fast? Each week, it’s like Monday and Tuesday go somewhat slow, then—blink—it’s Friday. Maybe it also went by fast because I’ve felt like I’m in a holding pattern as I wait to know when apartment renovations will finish—or when they’re ready to get to ours—and the rent will raise. I kept meaning to call around to other apartments around town, looking for one within my budget that’s pet friendly (the most important part). I’d best be sure to do that this week. I do not want to have the stress of rent I can no longer afford. I wanted to start trying to write again every weekday this quarter. Just five minutes at a time. You’d think I’d be able to manage that. But no. All of three times in April. How hard can it be to write for five minutes? Maybe I should blog the five minutes at a time? I’m also going to try the Story A Day May challenge. I’m not sure if I’m actually going to write an entire story every day in May, but I want to at least get that daily habit going. I have stories I want to tell. Hm… as I write this, I also wonder if I should share one song I listen to each day—just share it at the end of a post. |
Song: Change Your Mind Artist: Baylee Littrell Baylee loved sharing the songs he wrote for his albums with his grandmother before deciding whether to add them to his next album. "Change Your Mind" was the last song he played for her before she passed away, and she loved it. So it made sense to him that it would be the first single off his new album EP: Vol. 1, released September 2022. I love how Baylee's grandmother was such a big part of his life. He has told stories of growing up around his grandparents, listening to their older country music, and how much that had influenced his life. Now that my Granny has passed, I realize how much I don't know about her. She wasn't part of my life for the first seventeen years, and even after we moved to Arkansas where she lived, we still didn't spend much time together. I don't know what music she liked, what movies she liked. I do know she loved reading Westerns, which she may have gotten from her mother. I recall reading something in great-grandma Grace's journal about Zane Gray, an author of Western novels. Don't let time get away from you. Learn those stories. |
| Prompt: Write about Groundhog Day for your Blog entry today. I was in a Writing for Children class at university about nine years ago. Our professor had brought it a stack of newspapers and explained how some story ideas could come from newspaper articles or headlines. We were to spend about fifteen minutes or so skimming through articles until we found something that inspired us, then spend the rest of the time brainstorming a story idea. I don't recall how many papers I skimmed through before I found the article on Punxsutawney Phil. I don't even remember what newspaper it was. As best I can remember, which isn't that well thanks to it being so many years ago, local meteorologists had already worked with Phil's handler on the decision between more winter or an early spring. I sat there and just blinked. Punxsutawney Phil's a fake? Oh, sure, I knew it was ridiculous to actually look to a groundhog for predicting weather patterns six weeks ahead. But wouldn't you know it--that triggered a story idea. Sci-fi possibly. A former soldier travels around at the behest of the government, giving speeches and other appearances, some to dedicate memorial sites to his fallen teammates. My main characters, two teens maybe (age hadn't been decided yet in brainstorming), want to speak to him. One of them has a brother/relative on the team this soldier lost. The other just admires him like crazy. They eventually discover, though, that this person isn't the soldier at all. He's just the face--a spokesperson for the soldier himself. The real soldier is living somewhere quiet and private and doesn't want anything to do with public speaking. He slips in quietly during the memorial dedications, though. ... actually, some of that came to me just now as well. I hadn't touched this story idea since that class. Now I wonder if I should. |
| Prompt: How was January for you? Write about this in your Blog entry today. “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” – Anne Bradstreet January was a long year that second half of the month. While I've gotten used to the idea that I now need to take blood pressure medication for the rest of my life, I've had days where I've almost forgotten to check my blood pressure. January was also determined not to go without some icky winter weather, sending a mix of sleet and snow across the state. But I'm also working toward bettering my businesses. (Which reminds me that I need to make a quick video for my customers after this.) I have goals to reach, a supportive team, and supportive customers. I didn't hit the writing goal I wanted to. I'll try again, as well as try something else. We celebrated a birthday this month (my brother), as well as grieved at my Granny's passing just last week. Her memorial gathering is this Saturday, and I'm praying that I'll be well enough to go. I've been battling a terrible cold this past week, so I'm worried it might not be safe to go. I wanted to make Granny's favorite oatmeal raisin cookies for the occasion. |
"The Me I'm Meant to Be" by Howie D I can barely breathe And my heart just skipped a beat Hands are shaking Feel like breaking out But I don't know Which way to go I don't know how it took me so long to listen to this song. Howie D's album Which One Am I? was released in 2019, and I've still somehow only listened to maybe three tracks on it, including this one. Still, I love the message of the song. I could play it safe But I've been down that road before And even though i am afraid I could give it a try Change up my game Open that door It's okay to be afraid. But how will I reach my dreams, how will I find the me I'm meant to be, unless I face that fear and be willing to change? I gotta make my own mind up 'Cause all of my time's up I gotta trust I'll find my way One foot in front of the other One way or another Today could be the day I find the me The me I'm meant to be This song has been kind of an inspiration for me this past year, especially since July when I joined a new DS company as a Brand Ambassador. I feel a greater chance to dream, a greater possibility of reaching some of my dreams now. An eagle doesn't ask if he can fly He spreads his wings and takes to the sky He don't need a reason why So why should I? I could take a chance I could risk it all Climb the mountain top and jump to fall Listen to the voice inside And like the eagle Let the wind be my guide I gotta make my own mind up 'Cause all of my time's up I gotta trust I'll find my way One foot in front of the other One way or another Today could be the day I gotta make my own mind up 'Cause all of my time's up I gotta trust I'll find my way One foot in front of the other One way or another Today could be the day I find the me The me I'm meant to be Maybe this year I will be one step closer to the me I'm meant to be. What goals and dreams will I accomplish this year? How close will I get? |
| As you scan the bookshelf, you'll notice two copies of Pride & Prejudice. From the sticky notes peeking out from the pages, you realize the copy on the far right side of the shelf is the real one. The real one? Yes. Tugging on the copy on the far left, it only moves an inch or so before you hear a click. The bookshelf swings inward (no, the doorway was not trapped). A set of stairs leads upward. Lights run along the edges of the stairs. There's also a lamp on the wall on the way up that looks like a d20. I'm not leaving anyone in darkness as they climb. You think I'm crazy? You might hear music as you climb. Most likely pop or country, if it's not Christmas time. |
| Blog City Prompt Forum: How do you respond to change? And what about the change in the year numbers such as from 2022 to 2023? Can it become annoying or confusing? I’d like to think that I’m adaptable, that I can handle change. I know there are certain things that I fight changing—habits I need to break or change, new ones I really need to introduce. I’m trying to change and rebuild my writing habit so I can finish a draft this year. But I’ve barely done any work into that. I’m working through Mary Robinette Kowal’s 30-day writing challenge  . Day 1 - write one sentence; day 2, write 2 sentences; and so on. It’s January 9th and I’ve made it through Day 3. I’m going to keep going—Mary Robinette encourages that—until I actually reach writing 30 sentences on whatever “day 30” will end up being.A new year brings change too. Changing from 2022 to 2023 hasn’t been a big change for me, no major difficulties in writing the year (yet). Maybe because I’ve been so ready for 2022 to be over that I’m happy that 2023 is here at long last. |
| When you think of Wolf Moon, what image crosses your mind? Wolf moon makes me think of the dozen stencils of howling wolves that my sister found on Amazon and added to the cut. She loves wolves. I should probably make her something wolf. A hat, a cardigan or sweater, maybe some socks. Apparently there was something called a wolf moon this month. I've never heard of it, so maybe it's time to go do some research. Maybe that will new inspire a new story idea. I mean, wolves really are fascinating and beautiful creatures. I've seen images on the internet explaining how a pack travels together. The strongest are in the front and back to protect the weaker ones in the middle - always looking out for danger. Who's in your "wolf pack"? |
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I've decided I need to put on music until the thunderstorms roll in. I prefer the patter of rain... or silence; but, I can't totally control either (I share this place). 
