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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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"Invalid Item"  by queenkissy for "Space Blog" "One of our most basic human needs is to connect." After today, I agree! What do you think? Well, to connect in a forum there have to be members. Since this is focused on prayer and since WdC has many members who say that prayer is important to them... this should work; but without members commenting it can't provide connections. I've seen other almost-empty forums and even bloggers here do not seem to really want to interact. It's why I don't start a poetry forum. A lot of work. So, my advice... promote on various WDC pages... often, as once does not work. Personally, I approach prayer differently so this is not for me. But it could be for you and many others. A somewhat different type of connection for Journalistic Intentions. A flash fiction letter! "What's for dinner, Doc? [241] (298words)"  Dr. Brain Solid Waste Rd. Ricefields, LouisanaDear Doc, I sincerely hope your crawfish are growing well this year. I prayed at the shrine of Saint Tanisha that they would be as good as the ones we ate as children. Remember how she would make me share with you! Now I'm glad I did. At home, the frozen lakes saved their fish for others this past winter, but the wild rice is growing high now. After harvest you should come visit. Bring a parka. Saskatchewanians aren't quite as warm as the people of the bayou. We pond-people plan to change that. Big gathering this weekend to celebrate 10 years of exile. They're doing well. I prayed that my nose would heal before I saw you. Seems like it's always stuck in a book between pages. An ingrown hair almost did me in. I'd bring you the evidence but the clinic wanted to keep it. Longest one they'd ever seen. Now if they could take out what's growing in my brain. Which is why I'm traveling to see you. Nasty tumor. Wish it were just a rumor. It'll kill me of course if the gumbo I hope you'll serve me doesn't. If I die while feasting just bury me in the muck. I'm sure the crawfish are already plotting their revenge. Of course, if that's not possible, or inconvenient, the waste disposal plant will have to do. So do they still call you Brian-the-Brain? Oh, how we teased you. You got the last laugh. Nothing like a urologist who knows the real measure of things to set us all straight. I can hear Tanisha squealing about that even now. She was such a hoot. I miss her. So, get your nose out of your books and start cooking! I'll be there this evening. Gave the mailman this letter to personally deliver it. I invited her too. Nothing like crawfish to seal the bribe. See you at 7? Your friend Hairy (I'm bald now). For
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3,006 |
For
SusanFarmer  described "In the Midst of Tumult" as "Choosing a stillness moment even as everything around us convulses."I sit on my porch bird perches above my head tapping the gutter © Copyright 2020 SusanFarmer To critique this haiku: A specific bird/animal would be better imho. Big difference between crows, jay, sparrows or squirrel. There's no sense of season. "Huddled" or "freeze" would give a feeling of autumn, winter. When I lived in Kansas so would "red cardinal". Here "ospreys" = summer and "eagles" = winter but neither would be tapping the gutter. A flicker or other type of woodpecker would. It's very important to note that no emotion is added allowing the reader to enter the scene and add joy, sorrow or any emotion that's evoked. So maybe something like: I freeze on my porch flicker perched above my head tapping the gutter Space blog asks: "Everything around us is definitely convulsing with riots, COVID-19, the election, and soon, the holidays. What do you do to calm the insanity?" Short answer. Write, nap, visit friends. Not successfully. Notes: I don't celebrate the same holidays as most and I do NOT celebrate "Commercialism" so I couldn't care less. I just avoid certain stores (which I normally do anyways). The election has me on edge; I do not like being surrounded by chaos; homelessness was traumatic; this shit triggers it. Covid is keeping me at home which is not helping my mental/emotional stability. We have had peaceful protests here. I don't have television so 'riots' depends on who is defining the chaos; I personally get incensed when people equate protests and riots. Neither affect me much (friends, yes). Some prompts from "Welcome To My Reality Forum" may help to understand: 42. Who do you call to cheer you up? Once upon a time, a long time ago, I had many friends I could call. Kevin was my main pillar of support. But no longer. When no called me from 'back home' I switched to a local number but when my phone broke Verizon wasn't sympathetic so I ditched them after over 20 years and relied upon Messenger and Skype, eventually getting a Skype number (from back home again). But no one calls. And yes, that's depressing. With locals I was used to seeing them... no longer; gatherings in the Season of Covid are not like before. 18. If you were to run away where would you go? I've 'run away' before. Basically to places where no one knew me. Didn't totally work. Wherever I went my baggage came with me. BUT, I must say it lead to growth and change. I can't run back to the Past, but grasslands whisper to me; I'd love to live once more in the prairie. But, I've also thought of places I've traveled to that I really liked, like Portugal. 31. What can you do to feel more content with what you have? This came up this week as I had a chance to move to a place that would be much better for me in many ways. But it would also be much more expensive. My friend Travis said I could save my money by just improving my situation here and not move until my legs give out forcing me to move. At that point a small town in the prairies might be best! But should I stay here and travel... I can also rent for one month in Portugal or Serbia with the money I'd be saving. 3,005 |
For:
From: "Invalid Item" by J.L. O'Dell  The October 2nd Space Blog prompt: Write about nature, stars and fireflies in your Blog entry today. So... I'd rather write about the poem! 24 syllables is harder than it looks. One can break it down to 8/8/8 or 6/6/6/6 or 'almost a ballad' of 7/5/7/5 or an alexandrine couplet of 12/12, but it forces one to make choices regarding rhyme and rhythm. Free verse is fine but fitting any poetics into 24 syllables... like juxtaposition of images (it's longer than a haiku), alliteration, interesting rhythms (too short for limerick that needs 31-37), a image and response like tanka (17/14). A cinquain could be tweaked I suppose... 1/2/4/6/8/2/1 with an extra syllable at either end. Word choice is crucial. An occasional 'is' or 'the' may be needed but both add little or nothing to the image or narrative. To deconstruct this wonderful little poem. The prompt was 'gloaming'. Nature's Splendor The gloaming sky, stars twinkle bright. The fireflies respond, with their own night light. Nature’s magnificence. © Copyright 2020 J.L. O'Dell Overall: two 'the's doing nothing. The first is static; obvious, unless we're comparing two of them (in which case 'this' or 'these' works better); the second is superfluous as grammatically the plural doesn't need 'the'. I like the last line but it makes a better title. The first 4 lines are concrete so this last abstract line divides the poem into two parts 18/6 in the fashion of a tanka. If the last line is to be kept the title is superfluous and adds nothing. Where/when/why/how would correct this: "Sunday, September Seventh" (because ... alliteration), "The Dog-days of Pittsburg" (because ... fireflies are a summer event in Pennsylvania), "The day before the bomb fell" (Hiroshima was early August but hotaru (firefly) is June/July and evokes summer in Japanese culture/poetry), "50 years after the land was cleared" (because no habitat = no fireflies), "After breaking up with ..." (adds bittersweet). Line by line suggestion: 1. 'through gloaming skies' (plural = no need for 'the'; through gives a sense of movement) 2. as is 3. 'while' could easily replace 'the' but adds little. Adjectives like 'glowing' are redundant. A one syllable word for desparate, sex-crazed or hopeful? Mad/daft... don't apply. A movement like 'darting' would be nice... except fireflies seem 'lazy'. Using 'lightning bugs' solves the syllable dilemma; although, in my dialect we say fi-er-flies (which is contrary to the dictionary) and I prefer that word. 4. as is. 5. 'before twilight's demise' (more concrete) 'nature's magnificence' can then serve as a title or combined with where/when/how/why/with-whom give a long title. One way of putting this together: The walk home after breaking up Through gloaming skies, stars twinkle bright. Lightning bugs respond, with their own night light before twilight's demise. If 'lightning bugs' is used there are 5 'ight's. If 'fireflies' three 'ize's. Lots of tight rhymes regardless and 8-9 cases of assonance of the diphthong 'ai' (6 in the original). Anyhoo... rewriting' someone's poem is frowned upon in many circles, but critique groups sometimes do just that. In the era of the haiku masters, a master sliced and diced 'masterfully'. I just add my 2 cents. It's fine as is... and there are 100 different ways to improve it. I strongly suggest that others try out the 24 syllable contest:
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| My nerves have been shot. Could barely move yesterday. Did quite a bit of cleaning today. Had a friend over which helped. I haven't had anyone inside my place for over one year. They are working on the bridge so they need to inspect this building in the morning. Hence, the freak-out and cleaning. This afternoon another friend got ahold of me. There's a 1 1/2 bedroom available in a great location. Stopped by today and looked into the empty windows. Tomorrow (today) I will check the inside. It's twice as much space as here. BUT: It costs $500 more per month when everything is included. Utilities are separate while here they are included (better for my nerves here than there). 5 steps instead of 42 (much better). So much more space! I could have a cat and a garden! BUT: I wouldn't necessairly have the money to travel. And rent etc. would be 50% of my income. Yes, I have the money. Yes, I could do it but... a lease instead of the month-to-month I have had here for 12 years. Location is awesome. I can imagine myself there. Did I mention $500? As my one friend pointed out: I could free up space where I am by getting rid of stuff. If I needed a garden plot I could rent one as well. Cat? Why not? I'm conflicted. But... such a nice place... but... $500. 2,990 |
From: "Nutria Rodeo" by ♥Hooves♥  Friendship formed when our paths crossed. Write about a friendship. For
I've written about various friends over the years. Right now? I'm a recluse. As for the poem, I've made friends with cats and dogs... but never a nutria. Friendship. Travis will visit today to help me calm down. I have cleaning to do and I'm so overwhelmed I can barely move. My big accomplishment today? Finished an important short story. Boiled some mealy worms that were chewing on my spaghetti. I'm that close to comatose. I'm literally not coping so if anyone has bad news please wait until Saturday when I come up for air. |
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