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 |   Second blog -- answers to an ocean of prompts |
 "Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself." CHARLIE CHAPLIN  Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet confinement of your aloneness to learn anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you. David Whyte        This is my supplementary blog in which I will post entries written for prompts. |
| Prompt: Feeling valued "The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated." William James What makes you feel appreciated? Can you describe a time when someone made you feel valued? ------------ I think feeling valued and appreciated is a fundamental human need. That must be why therapists, some time during their counseling, try to make their subjects appreciate their own selves and their personal successes. This can help build self-confidence and self-respect. In my case, what makes me feel appreciated could be a sincere thank you. Mostly, when I think about it, my sons both told me at different times that I was the best mother they ever knew and when I told them that I was the only mother they knew, they said they had noticed their friends' mothers, too, and my mothering surpassed everyone. Now, I believe their words has to be the highlight of my mothering experience. Then, my husband used to always say that I was the foundation and the framework of the family, which used to make me feel like a million bucks. I would answer him with a joking yell, "Timber!" Then, he'd say, "but a very special timber." The memory of his appreciation will always move me above all others. This makes me believe that when the appreciation comes from close family, it is the most valued in our hearts. Before I starting writing this, I read the two other blog entries on the same subject, and both my friends mentioned their immediate family. In my case, I shall always remember other people, too, who have appreciated me a very long time ago. For example, when a friend of my mother's was complaining about her daughter's ways and asking how my mother handled that kind of a situation, I had overheard my mother say, "Oh no, my daughter never does those things!" Now this wasn't a direct appreciation but I liked her answer even better, at that time. Not that I have been an all-around angel either!  Then, I also gloated (and still do), during the graduation oral exams, when my high school lit teacher bragged to the other examiners, "She is my best writer in the class." The same feeling of being valued came up again when I left academia and got married. I recall vividly one of the profs walked about on the corridor, yelling, "This idiot, throwing away a career for a ring on her finger! Idiot, idiot, idiot!" Yes, being called an idiot in this case had been a big honor. I cherish a few other such memories like this from my earlier life where others made me feel valued and part of a group. Still, lately, when I receive a meaningful gift in the mail that has nothing to do with my birthday or other celebratory days, I feel elated and recognized. Also a sincere "thank you!" is much appreciated by me. All this is because appreciation can come in many forms, from a simple "thank you" to a grand gesture. It might be expressed through words of affirmation, acts of kindness, thoughtful gifts, or even just a warm, genuine smile. Regardless of how it is conveyed, the impact of that appreciation can be very deep. It lifts my spirits and motivates me to continue on with my best efforts. . |
| Prompt: Starting and finishing “The secret is not following the right path, it's following that right path to the end. Don't quit, my friend, until you've arrived.” Toni Sorenson Have you ever started a project you didn't finish? Does it ever bother you NOT to finish things? ------------ Have I ever! And yes, not finishing something bothers me. I have a half-written novel which I lost interest in and stopped, and never went back. Thus, what the prompt says is correct. "Don't quit, my friend, until you've arrived.” So true! Once I quit with anything, I lose the incentive or the will to finish it. Yet, to be fair to myself, I usually finish most everything I start, be it a lousy finish. I do better if I have a structured approach and a half-cooked road map from the idea to the finish line. This makes me think about projects and the way to finishing them. I guess it should go something like this: Define clear objectives by setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals. Although this takes away from spontaneity by putting a lid on ad-lib improvisation, so be it! It's better to finish something, isn't it! Then, if need be, research and gather information relevant to the overall plan. If possible, a detailed plan, especially with non-fiction writing, would work very well. Then, a list or an outline or a timeline could also help with the overall structure. Identifying potential obstacles and developing contingency plans and being proactive to challenges might prevent setbacks in the project, too. Yet, adaptability is the key. Being flexible and adjusting the plan could be a crucial mindset toward the finish line. After the finish line, therefore, doing the editing or reassessing could improve the overall look of the project. Then, if it is a writing project, asking for reviews and gathering unbiased opinions could help with the final touches. This shouldn't be seen as something post-mortem. There is always room for improvement. Now that I've thought through a structured process, do you think I can follow my own advice? Between us, I feel like laughing out loud. . |
| Prompt: Four random sentences to have fun with today as you blog. Good luck trying to use them all. 1.Car safety systems have come a long way, but he was out to prove they could be outsmarted. 2.The golden retriever loved the fireworks each Fourth of July. 3.When nobody is around, the trees gossip about the people who have walked under them. 4.People who insist on picking their teeth with their elbows are so annoying! --------------- I like to take long walks with my golden retriever Max. These walks are what the doctor ordered first, and second, they help clear my mind from all the garbage that finds its way into it. This July 4th morning, again, when I held on to Max's leash and began walking, this thought hit me: People who insist on picking their teeth with their elbows are so annoying! Now, when was the last time I had seen anyone pick their teeth? Probably never. I thought maybe this idea was sent to me while we were walking under the trees. I guess when nobody is around, the trees gossip about the people who have walked under them. Then, they have fun with us poor walkers by sending weird thoughts in us. After all, some claim nowadays that there's such a thing as Quantum Mind Power. Really? Plus, just before this thought had hit me and when Max and I were leaving our street to walk through the trees, I had noticed the remains of an accident. Two cars had crashed and the two drivers were saying stuff with hand gestures. No police on the scene, yet. I was curious. So I stopped to watch the two drivers argue. One was saying apologetically, "I was on adaptive cruise control, but the curve speed warning didn't work. Neither did the Traction Control. So I took the problem into my own hands." What? I know nothing about how cars work; however, I could guess something or other about this guy, something like he was probably blaming his poor car for the accident. Nowadays, car safety systems have come a long way, but he was out to prove they could be outsmarted. Just maybe, he didn't let the car take over but interfered and, the accident happened. Still, I, too, would probably rush in myself, during such an emergency. Talk about cutting-edge technologies! Bah Humbug! My Max can sense things before they happen, and these trees also know better as does the dog. I touched the trunk of a tree and took a deep breath of the clean air. After our next few steps, Max's tail wagged excitedly and his ears perked with glee. He has always been such a peculiar dog. But then, I, too, heard the distant pops and crackles of fireworks. Well, believe me, you! Max barked excitedly, and that was when I knew exactly what was happening. Probably, some kids had started celebrating too early in the morning, and Max, the golden retriever, loved the fireworks each Fourth of July. Although some people find Max's love for fireworks amusing and endearing, I don't! As I knew when the colorful explosions would lit up the sky, he'd race toward those mesmerizing lights, with no regard to traffic or anything else. So, I pulled on Max's leash and began running around toward home. As I opened the front door to the house, I was breathless, but Max was jumping with excitement and panting just as much as I did. There would be no afternoon walk with Max today on this July 4th day. Luckily, I have a fenced-in backyard for him to use and dash around. |
| Prompt: “Groundhog found fog. New snows and blue toes. Fine and dandy for Valentine candy. Snow spittin'; if you're not mitten-smitten, you'll be frostbitten! By jing-y feels spring-y." ― The Old Farmer's Almanac Try your hand at a rhyming poem about February. Have fun! ======== Hahaha! Not that we have a snowy February where I live, but here's something rhyming. in my quiet world, all is still yet bare trees summon the chill, silent snowflakes touch my face in February’s frosty embrace, a leap year on display, Cupid’s arrow goes astray, lovers' hearts' start to sway, but chocolate kisses save the day shortest month, with days so few, a moment is like a morning dew, winter’s grip soon begins to ease, a hint of warmth leading the breeze. |
| Prompt: Were you happy or disappointed with the month of January 2024? ---------- Personally speaking, I am happy, for the moment, because my older son is staying with me until March. I also had a tough time this January with my cat getting sick. Luckily, after a two-day hospitalization, she's back home and doing better. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she stays well. Staying well all the time is not always possible for oldies like me and my cat. On a very large scale, this past January, our planet passed its closest to the sun. If it keeps doing this, I wouldn't be too eager to bask in that excess warmth, even if in the far future. On the somewhat plus side, our earth's global economy (they say!) is balanced in a broad fashion, although there are several serious ups and downs in between nations. If the money biz collapses, we're all cooked! Then, I am not very happy when so much conflict happens for this or that reason in our world. I especially don't want our USA involved in wars and fights that pop up, way far away from home. As much as those conflicts darken our moods and make our days much less pleasant, our country's involvement in them is disappointing and dangerous for us. I so wish we can keep our nose clean and not stick it into risky things overseas. Well, so much for January 2024. Let's hope February 2024 can be much better and more loving will surface in between the people and nations of the world. After all, it is the month with the Valentine's Day in it. |
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