Rated: 18+ · Book · Personal · #1051691

Life, Adventure, Family, Writing what else is there? Random thoughts.

WELCOME TO:

GEMINI RISING

Banner for my blog, "Gemini Rising"

*Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1*

UPDATED INTRO 30 JUNE 2025:

Just a little about me. I've been married for 33 years this past NOV and currently live in Southern California, but I grew up in New Hampshire.

Me visiting Space Camp 1993
me in my 20's

I've got 2 boys who are young adults.

The family waits in line to get on next to the Ship.

I work as a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. I enjoy my job a lot. Still. If you can believe that.

I love to write. Thankfully both of my boys achieved Eagle Scout. My Scouting days are over and I'm back to focusing on my writing.

I like to get out in nature, drink coffee and watch football.

Here's a little bio about my zodiac.

GEMINI: Gemini, the sign of the Twins, is dual-natured, elusive, complex and contradictory. On the one hand it produces the virtue of versatility, and on the other the vices of two-facedness and flightiness. The sign is linked with Mercury, the planet of childhood and youth, and its subjects tend to have the graces and faults of the young. When they are good, they are very attractive; when they are bad they are more the worse for being the charmers they are. Like children they are lively, and happy, if circumstances are right for them, or egocentric, imaginative and restless.

Their good qualities are attractive and come easily to them. They are affectionate, courteous, kind, generous, and thoughtful towards the poor and suffering - provided none of the activities resulting from expressing these traits interferes too greatly with their own lives and comforts.

Geminians can be successful in many walks of life though their general characteristics tend to make them unreliable. They are often skilled manipulators of language, in speech and writing, and may be: debaters, diplomats (though in politics they are more interested in theory than practice), orators, preachers (brilliant rather than profound), teachers, authors, poets, journalists, or lawyers.



BLOG ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

FEBRUARY 2026:

I participated in:
FORUM
The Soundtrack of Your Life  (18+)
Every February, you're invited to chronicle the music that has influenced your life!
#1970896 by Jeff Author IconMail Icon

this was a very different type of challenge for me and I enjoyed revisiting the soundtrack of my life. The blog earned the following merit badge:
Merit Badge in WDC Soundtrackers
[Click For More Info]

   Congratulations on successfully completing your 2026 playlist in the  [Link To Item #soyl]  challenge!

DECEMBER 2025:

I participated in:
FORUM
12 Poetic Days of Yuletide  (E)
12 different Poetry styles beginning December 21st- January 1st.
#2329171 by Witchy Yule Woman Author IconMail Icon

this was a great challenge and I would highly recommend it if comes up again for next year. The blog earned the following merit badge:
Merit Badge in Seasons Winter
[Click For More Info]

Congratulations on successfully completing 12 Poetic Days of Yule.

Enclosed is the bonus gps for trying the Terza Rima Sonnet successfully!

SEPTEMBER 2025:

FORUM
It's WDC- 25th Birthday  (E)
7 day Challenge to celebrate 25 years of this successful writer's haven.
#2343390 by Witchy Yule Woman Author IconMail Icon


Merit Badges collected and earned:
Merit Badge in Writing.Com Birthday
[Click For More Info]

Thanks for rockin' WDC's birthday with me.
*^*Heart*^* Lyn
Awardicon earned: The blog earned the Green 50K Awardicon for 1st Place.

SEPTEMBER 2025:

FORUM
Earn the Badge - CLOSED  (E)
You want it? Earn it. How? Complete these simple tasks and the badge is yours!
#2133333 by Purple Princess Author IconMail Icon


Merit Badges collected and earned from "Earn the Badge 2025"
Merit Badge in WdC Supportive Friend
[Click For More Info]

 Thank you for participating in  [Link To Item #2133333] . Congratulations on completing the September
2nd Daily Task. Merit Badge in Earn the Badge
[Click For More Info]

Thank you for your donation to  [Link To Item #2133333]  - from Purple Princess. Merit Badge in Music
[Click For More Info]

Thank you for participating in  [Link To Item #2133333] . Congratulations on completing the September
 3rd Daily Task. Merit Badge in Contests
[Click For More Info]

 Thank you for participating in  [Link To Item #2133333] . Congratulations on completing the September 1st daily task. Merit Badge in Growth
[Click For More Info]

Good job earning the Growth Merit Badge in  [Link To Item #2133333] Merit Badge in Word Searches
[Click For More Info]

Great job participating in  [Link To Item #2133333]  and completing the September 5th task. Merit Badge in Teamwork
[Click For More Info]

 Great job for picking a teammate and completing the September 6th Task at  [Link To Item #2133333]


SUMMER 2025:


FORUM
BCoF 's Virtual 50 State Bucket List  (18+)
We're going to explore one unique place in each of the 50 states in alphabetical order.
#2342653 by Witchy Yule Woman Author IconMail Icon


Merit Badges Collected from Virtual Blogging &Virtual Blogging Friends:
Merit Badge in Let Dreams Take Wing
[Click For More Info]

To my upcoming virtual traveling blog companion. Dream big and fly high! Merit Badge in Normal Is Boring
[Click For More Info]

here's to another week of creating adventures! Merit Badge in Blog Camping
[Click For More Info]

Thanks for completing  [Link To User elusive4lyn]  July 2025 blogging vacation!! Great job!! Merit Badge in Travel
[Click For More Info]

Woohoo! We’re halfway through! Merit Badge in BCoF 2
[Click For More Info]

Thank you for your participation in BCoF's 50 States Virtual Blogging adventure.

*^*Heart*^* Lyn Merit Badge in Endurance
[Click For More Info]

 51 days of blogging takes commitment, and you rocked it. 
 
*^*Heart*^* Lyn


SEPTEMBER 2024:

I participated in the
FORUM
Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2025  (E)
Blogging event from September 1-7, 2025. CLOSED
which was a big challenge for me due to my schedule, but I hunkered down and got it done. There's some great entries for the contest and the blog earned the following:

Merit Badge in Nonfiction
[Click For More Info]

Congrats on your Honorable Mention in Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2024

Big thanks to WakeUpAndLive~lifestyle change Author IconMail Icon for hosting the contest!

OCTOBER 2024 & 2025 :

I participated in the
FORUM
13 Poetic Days of Halloween Contest 2025  (E)
Let your spooky poetry shine. Oct. 13th 12:01 am WDC time. - closes 11:59 pm WDC Oct 25th
#2328177 by Witchy Yule Woman Author IconMail Icon
in 2024 which honestly was a big challenge for me considering my schedule, and again I hunkered down and did it! Update October 2025: I had so much participating in the challenge last year, I did it again for 2025 and successfully completed it. There's some great spooky poetry to be found in October and the blog earned the following merit badges:

Merit Badge in Halloween
[Click For More Info]

Congratulations on completing the 13 Poetic Days of Halloween. Merit Badge in Determination
[Click For More Info]

You rose to the poetry challenges in 12 Poetic Days of Halloween in grand style. Merit Badge in Ghost
[Click For More Info]

Thank you for your successful completion of 13 Poetic Days of Halloween *^*Heart*^* Lyn

Big Thanks to Witchy Yule Woman Author IconMail Icon for hosting the contest!

NOVEMBER 2025 :
Merit Badge in WdC Positive Influence
[Click For More Info]

  Thank you for all you do on WdC.  I appreciate your encouragement and support *^*Hearto*^*
from Tiggy Author IconMail Icon



Find me at:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

*Exclaim* WARNING *Exclaim*

I intend to be open, honest, and forthright. No topic is off limits from religion to you name it, I'm going there. If you think you might be offended...back up now - this blog isn't for you. For those who "dare" *Wink* check out the "Gemini Rising..."


Another Signature
AI Disclaimer: I hate AI. Writing is creative. Be creative. Don't be a bot. Do not use my creative writing to teach an AI bot to read. Thank you.

March 22, 2026 at 8:23pm
March 22, 2026 at 8:23pm
#1111279
Misc Thoughts again...

Since my youngest earned his Eagle Badge in Boy Scouts, which was February 2023, I've been able to be more active on Writing.com, but there was a period of time when I was just barely active, I would say from 2014 to about 2023. I got my newsletters done and judged the Bard's Hall, but I was not as active as I am now. In 2017, I participated in the Games of Thrones Activity hosted by Gaby Author IconMail Icon at the time and loved it. I was a Targaryen with Kiya back then. I enjoyed a bunch of the challenges and really worked hard during that activity, so imagine my surprise when I had time recently and was casually thumbing through the history of the Quills to discovered I was a best Portfolio nominee in 2017. I had no idea! It was a nice surprise. *BigSmile*

I need to work on my Veterans Group entry this month, but I haven't quite settled on a story. I was debating if I should do a sequel to
 
STATIC
The Visit  (13+)
A Hollywood Star visits the troops.
#2354806 by Steph O'Bee Author IconMail Icon
about Ann-Margret and her time presenting USO shows in Vietnam, If I should a short story on Rosie the Riveter since 3/21 was Rosie the Riveter day, a story about military working K-9's or just a poem about ... I dunno. I'm leaning story, but right now, in this moment, I'm a bit pooped from working 5 days straight and I need a bit of a mental break, that's why I'm think poem, but still my mind is drawing a blank and I have more story ideas.

Tonight I'm off, but I have Sunday bowling league so I'll be going to that. I'll miss next Sunday as I'll be in Vegas working the command post for the Division's Baker to Vegas Team. Looking forward to that experience! *MedalSilver*

I've been on the hunt for Challenge Coins and managed to get a couple that mean something to me. One that I picked up was a Baker to Vegas one that Van Nuys Division made. I use to do liaison work for that Division from 2003 to 2008 so I definitely wanted their challenge coin. I'll see if I can get a picture up. It's kinda cool. I hunted down Challenge coins for Van Nuys - their Divisional one, their 100th anniversary coin, and their Baker to Vegas coin. I got Topgana Division's Coin as I did liaison work for them from 2010 to 2014. I also the Polo Shirt Vendor's coin, and my old Divisional Commander's coin, and I got a Communications Division coin sold by the LAPD Historical Foundation. Now I need Pacific Division as I did liaison work for them form 2008-2010 and 2014 to present day. My husband gave me his Foothill coin.

My car got the check engine light on. My husband had a code reader so the best we can determine is that it's an oxygen sensor. He thought the sensor itself might have given out as opposed to stop working entirely, but I'll take it over to my mechanic first thing tomorrow to get it looked at. I want that car in tip top shape when I go to Vegas next Friday!

I did finish my book on Ann-Margret. The only book I could find was the one she wrote in 1994. I enjoyed reading the book very much and she did talk about her time doing her USO tour in 1966. I'll complete a product review a little later on this week.

Tomorrow, lots to do. Get the car checked out. Joey has his Design class. Then I have a cash overtime detail - Transit from 630 pm to 230 am. Then Tuesday is another busy day.

Anyhoo... I think after a good night's sleep tonight - during the night - the batteries will be fully recharged and I'll be ready to go!


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