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 |  My random thoughts and reactions to my everyday life. The voices like a forum. |
| I do not know quite what happened or when , but my hubby and I now qualify for seniors' discounts at some venues. This creates a quandary; in order to save money, but not face, we have to admit to our age. HMMMM..... We definitely do not consider ourselves to be old. In this day and age ,when people as a whole are living longer and healthier lives why are 'young seniors', those in their fifties, like moi, considered 'old'?? It's so true that age is just a perception! "Maturity" is very objective/subjective, and I object! Whew, a few years have skittered by since I composed this biography block. Those "fifties" are in the rear view mirror and they are distant, fond memories. Oh, I do not plan to stop writing any time soon. |
PROMPT: Fun Fact Friday! On this day in 1911, the first movie stuntman was hired as a stand-in for 'The Military Air Scout.' Tell us about a time in your life when maybe you could've benefited from having a stunt double... bonus points if you make me laugh! Where has my stunt double been hiding all of my life? For each and every accident, it would have been far less painful to have had someone else take the fall. Aren't professional stunt people taught how to fall convincingly with out actually injuring themselves? Don't they bundle up in protective gear such as vests, and safety harnesses? Don't they roll with the punches? It's not that I engage in high risk activities, or court dangerous death-defying sports. My stunts are of the simple, everyday variety: sitting, standing, walking, stair-climbing. In attempting each of these mediocre moves, I've hurt myself. I make no bones about my klutziness. I become my own subject in some of my writing.
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| Blogging Circle of Friends... 36-hour tour prompt...promote a place you know well... Ah, I'd like to introduce the beautiful Canadian province of Ontario. It is larger than some countries. In its southern'ish region is a city named for its fantastic natural wonder/ attraction, Niagara Falls. It is a roaring sight to behold. At Christmas, it is illuminated with coloured floodlights, and nearby twinkling light displays. In the summer, it is possible to board a boat known as The Maid of the Mist, and float up close and personal with the cascading waterfall. The last time I experienced this, it was a bit surreal. In my hooded plastic rain cape, I was splashed and jostled with several German tourists. Despite the constant stream of cold water, they struggled to snap selfies, and remain standing. It is also possible to explore the rock caves behind the waterfall. It is amazing to see the force of water, and the erosion it causes. Niagara Falls offers many wax museums, and another version of the Ripley's museum. Marineland is housed nearby, too. A supper and dinner theatre features a stage show known as 'Canada, Eh?' which spoofs all things Canadiana. I personally recommend the indoor water parks, super fun! Oh yes, a tour of a chocolate factory is a must. Who can resist Hershey's Kisses? The chocolate milkshake is to die for, yummy! I tried to bite the giant Kiss outside, but it was tougher than it looked. I did kiss a bright blue moose for good luck. Toronto is another bustling Ontario city. What doesn't it have? There are comedy clubs, supper theatres, Broadway stage productions, Cirque du Soleil, Blue Jays baseball, Maple Leaf hockey, Football and basketball franchises, pretty parks, a waterfront, Ripley's Aquarium, the Sky Dome, the Cn Tower,museums, world class dining, and more. Hopping on a ferry, one can travel to a nearby island to access a beach, an amusement park, and more. It certainly is never dull in this city. Recently, I viewed the Cirque production 'Luzia', and it was spectacular! The Toronto Zoo is wonderful. The indoor butterfly pavilion is amazing. I have visited all of these venues, and been entertained. There is nothing quite like walking under an archway comprised of sea water, and swimming sharks that is at Ripley's Aquarium. Movies and television shows are filmed all the time in Toronto. It is fascinating to stop and watch a film crew in action. I currently live near an immense national park known as Algonquin Park. There is a lumber museum. Wolf howls are organized in the evenings. Wow, to emit a howl, and then hear a wolf return its call is special. Canoeing and kayaking are breathtaking here. It is not uncommon to spot bears, wolves, raccoons, and moose. In August, the maple syrup season has passed, but several operations screen films of the syrup-making process, and offer maple syrup, maple sugar, maple butter, and treats. There are lodges for tourists within this park.The capitol of Canada is Ottawa. It is located in a scenic valley. It too has many museums to entice visitors. The Parliament Buildings are set in a park-like area. The gardens are beautiful. I first saw Ottawa during a grade school field trip. I still remember the War Museum, and The Museum of Natural Science. I've never seen such an abundance and rainbow of tulips anywhere, but Ottawa. There are many fascinating cities in Ontario, each with its own charm. The few I mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg. Come see and explore Ontario, eh? |
| PROMPT: The Wildcard Round! What book (or books) in your TBR (to be read) pile are you most looking forward to reading, and why? Is it just me, or are there never enough hours in a week to sit and devour even one anticipated book? Bah, life gets in the way. The everyday necessities intrude upon my reading time. When I begin the process, I want to finish it, quickly. Interruptions are not tolerated. I like to read all of a book in one sitting. I've never been a reader who is satisfied with a few pages digested here and there. I cannot read a few pages and then drift off to sleep. Reading has never relaxed me that much, and if I'm enjoying the unfolding story I cannot walk away from it either. I like to commit a full three hours or so to sit and read the book from cover to cover. If I take a book to bed, I stay up until its ending is revealed. If I read during the day, other things are ignored, and forgotten. I currently have many books awaiting my undivided attention. My son described a television commercial that intrigued him. In the clips, it's implied that a woman, who comes forward and offers information to the police, is not a witness, but a suspect to a murder. He has awaited the release of this movie, and I decided to purchase the novel. It appears to be a psychological thriller.Anyway, I shall soon read 'The Girl On The Train'. Yep, there is book-cover hype: "record-breaking phenomenon", and "#1New York Times Bestseller." I think I'm willing to read this book because of my son's interest. He rarely endorses anything. I suspect this story will surprise me like the movie with the tagline, "I see dead people." I never suspected that Bruce Willis' character was a dead person conversing with a living child. Oh, that was the film 'The Sixth Sense.' Another of my TBR books is 'Room' by Emma Donoghue. It is supposed to be narrated by its five-year old main character who doesn't understand that he and his mother are prisoners kept in one small room. In these limited circumstances, his mother teaches, loves, and protects him. How has she coped all these years in captivity? What if anything does he comprehend? I'm anticipating this is a story of human resilience. |
| Prompt: War Chest Wednesday! Of the seven themed days each week, which ones are your favourites and least favourites? If you could change one, what would you put in its place? I like the current themed blog topics. Each one challenges me, and I look forward to the surprise specifics.It's possible to write creatively for each and every one. Some days, such as Fun Fact Friday require a bit more research and preparation, all good things for writing. Do I have to pick a favourite? All the days of a week are a team.Okay, okay, if I had to choose just one, I prefer the Creation Saturday prompts.They are fun. Suggest a change ? Hmmm, thinking cap time... What about Memory Monday? Write about, or describe a personal memory invoked by a prompt, or an actual historic event that took place on a Monday, or that particular date. |
| Prompt: Talk Tuesday! Are your neighbours genuinely good people, or bad people? And please cite an example. Well.... I have known both wonderful, and dreadful neighbours. During my years of home ownership in a few different towns, I was blessed with friendly, helpful, considerate fellow citizens. They never hesitated to lend a hand, or stop to chat. Many would keep a watchful eye on my kids. One fantastic man, Ken, sprang into action one memorable day to rush my two-year old son and I to the hospital. Chris was the victim of a cat mauling, and Ken didn't so much as cringe dealing with a bleeding, wailing toddler and his anxious mother. Ken also loved to sit on his porch, and listen to my kids relate their stories. He acted as a surrogate grandfather. Years ago, I was greeted in my new neighbourhood and new home town as I was out and about strolling with my dogs. A friendly woman introduced herself, and then launched into a long tale explaining why dogs sniff each others butts when they meet. Hey, it was an amusing introduction! Anyway, the gist is that many moons ago, dogs attended a giant barn dance in which each canine was asked to remove their tail, and hang it by the door on a hook. This was done to prevent fighting and aggression. During the fun, a fire broke out, and the dogs were forced to leave the barn. In their haste, they grabbed whatever tail they could find. Now, after all these years, dogs greet each other and sniff tails/butts because they are still searching for their own long lost tails. This particular woman made a funny neighbour. All of this changed drastically when hubby and I downsized to an apartment several years ago in a small rural village located in the near North. We anticipated some adjustments since we hadn't shared common walls in a long time. We realized our neighbours would be close, but we chose to live in a building with only three units. Sigh! Our immediate impressions were not favourable nor did they improve. One especially exasperating neighbour was a stomper and a slammer. Most days, she ranted and raved, unprovoked. She sure had a spectacular door-slamming skill, a propensity she demonstrated repeatedly. When not slamming. she was stomping, up and down the stairs, and around her apartment. Yes, she seemed to have anger issues 'cause she was a screecher/screamer, too. Gradually, I learned she was a drug addict . Okay... she dealt with demons... I still laugh remembering a morning I was soaking in my bathtub. My 'deranged' neighbour stomped to my door, and proceeded to curse and threaten me from the hallway.This 'attack' was random and baseless. Eventually, the landlord successfully evicted her for eight months' non-payment of rent. I wish I could say the calibre improved.... A subsequent neighbour was a binge drinker who alternated between weeping at my door, and attempting to batter it down. One minute she was an intelligent , charming visitor, and the next she would ignore me, communicating via letters slipped under my door. My current neighbour has rarely set foot in her unit. Most of her tenancy has been spent as a 'guest' in a provincial jail. Apparently, she attacked a local doctor, so she was convicted on an assault charge. The third apartment has been rented as an office/lunch room/meeting place for a local government employment centre, so it is only occupied during business hours. They have been the best of my neighbours so far. |
| Prompt: Motivational Monday! Author T S. Eliot born on this day in 1888, once opined, " Where is all the knowledge we lost with information?" What do you think about that? Is it possible now, in this age of information so readily available at our fingertips, that we can have access to too much information at once, and not be able to gather as much from it? Are we ever at risk of knowing too much for our own good? And how much do you think is enough ( versus too much) when it comes to your own writing? With the advent of online search engines such as Google, it is easier than ever to access information about anything from anywhere. At the stroke of a few keys it is possible to find the schematics, and how-to for a bomb. Conceivably, anyone may build a bomb, but who then researches its dangers and drawbacks? It is something lethal especially in oblivious hands.Many of its components could cause a premature detonation, or accident. A little information without true knowledge and understanding isn't always a good thing. Knowledge derives from stud and practical application. Any one of us could read about a surgery,but successfully performing it is another matter entirely. There are so many variables. How many of us tap at our computer keyboards, but never use our machines to their full capacities? We understand the computer at a very basic level, but we are incapable of programming it. Glitches frustrate us. Actually, I would argue that we do not have to remember a great deal because we can find it so readily via computers. We no longer have to rely upon our memories and skill sets. When and if we need facts, they are available.It is only human to choose what interests and entertains us. Nowadays, we are inundated with information; facts, figures, hearsay,trivia. What is truth? What should we believe? It is possible to attain secrets, or jeopardize someone's privacy, or compromise a country's security. Manufactured items have protected patents.Bank accounts and credit are exclusive. Researching, studying, and learning can be positive. People benefit from shared knowledge. There is increased understanding, mutual aid, possibly peace. Personally, I don't believe that I have learned too much in, and for my writing. Writing is a growth process. I strive to improve. I refuse to share anything that is too personal, or considered off limits. I respect my subjects, and their privacy. |
| Prompt: The Sunday News! Pick a weird, funny, or interesting story from your local news and share it with us. Tell us how it makes you feel, what you think about it, or share a relatable story from your own life. Well, local news has been a wee bit bizarre lately. This particular weirdness happened early Wednesday morning, outside my kitchen window. Canoe and Garbage Truck Collide I was awakened by a sudden, screeching, crumpling sound, and a diesel engine rumbling. The idling engine didn't fade into the distance like it usually does on garbage pick-up morning. It lingered and resonated. Curious , I peeked out my kitchen window just as raised voices began an argument. A woman was waving her arms, yelling, "Didn't you see me backing up?" A man clad in a bright orange safety vest and steel-toed boots, shouted back, Lady, didn't you see or hear me? This is a huge truck. I have the right of way. This is a road." Gesturing to the bright red canoe hanging out over her pick-up truck's box, the woman screamed, "You broke my canoe. I was backing up. Why did you hit me?"Shaking his he,ad, the garbageman repeated, "You backed into me." Over the course of an hour, the female driver phoned for he supporters/reinforcements. They gathered 'round her in a protective circle. Each time someone new arrived, she'd point at the garbage truck, and claim it had cut her off as she backed up. She and her posse snapped plenty of pics of the damaged canoe. The garbageman had retreated to the cab of his rig. Finally, a police officer arrived, and the first thing he did was to tell the woman to wait her turn. Oh, she had tried to bend the ear of this officer first, even as he was climbing from his car. He explained that the garbageman had been delayed long enough, and he still had a route to visit. She was not happy, but she had sent for this peace officer. So, the garbage truck driver was interviewed, and sent on his way. In vain, the woman driver attempted to persuade the policeman that she had been wronged. She was still arguing, " He could see I was backing up, and he hit me. Look at my canoe." She didn't appear to be too pleased when she was given a piece of paper torn from a ticket book. She was consistent, and stubborn. She was sure the accident was not her fault. I can imagine the official report, and the insurance companies' skepticism. It may well be a first. How many canoe versus garbage truck collisions can there be? |
| September 24th prompt: Creation Saturday! Fill in both blanks with the same word to create your question, and then answer it. How _____ is too _____ ? Ah, so many words will fit in that sentence. Which one should I select? How clumsy is too clumsy? During my lifetime, I have struggled with this. There are the minor missteps, and the slight stumbles that occur frequently, but then there are the emergency room accidents. They are the ultimate results of clumsiness. Usually stubbing toes is nothing, a mere glancing blow. The resultant pain is intense, yet short-lived. The toes may bear bruises, but they are still functioning. A too clumsy scenario has three toes fractured, not once, not even twice, but three separate times in a span of four months. Only a too clumsy person fractures their greater toe while Christmas baking. Who knew cookies could cause bodily injury beyond the possibility of choking during an attempt to devour them? Burning a bulging pregnant belly with an iron while pressing clothes qualifies as too clumsy. My grandmother once broke her thumb by stepping on it as she climbed stairs. It cured her of using her hands to pull herself up the steps, and reinforced her use of the railing. It was too clumsy. Stepping onto the back of one of my flip flops, catapulting me out a door, surely is too clumsy. Becoming trapped under an over-turned rocking chair during a family game night must be deemed too clumsy.Descending basement steps by skimming and skipping each one ever faster and faster as if they were created from slippery ice , until you slam to a halt on a concrete floor , tearing ligaments and muscles, is too clumsy. Just the supposed-to-be-simple act of walking showcases my propensity for ' too clumsiness'. |
| Prompt: Fun Fact Friday! On this day in 1962, the classic outer space cartoon The Jetsons premiered on ABC TV. It was the first program on the network in colour. Please answer for me the all-important question surrounding this legendary television show. Why over fifty years later, do we still not have flying cars thatwe can fold up into briefcases? Whew, this is indeed a question to ponder. I agree, a flying car would be awesome! Just imagine the positive potential: hovering above parked vehicles and barriers, avoiding gridlock, easier access to areas, perhaps quicker travelling time, no skidding on ice or snow. Yeah, maybe no delays caused by road construction, or maintenance. I like the idea of not needing snow ploughs, or snow removal. But seriously, what has prevented the introduction of flying cars? It could be the manufacturing monopoly of the car makers. Is there a profit potential for them? What are the manufacturing costs? What materials would be needed to make this feasible? Do fossil fuel suppliers want to see vehicles that might not rely upon their gas, diesel, and oil? Would or could a new fuel be created for flying cars? What are the design specifications? Would the purchase price be exorbitant? So, besides the lack of technology, and the inherent costs for flying cars, there are still many gas-powered cars on our roads. There is an entire world built around and for this transportation. Flying cars require their own support system. Perhaps the current briefcases are to blame. They have not evolved, no bells and whistles. Does Samsonite need to step up? I think Q, the gadget guy supplying James Bond, might be the genius needed for this. The smallest cars currently available are the Smart car, and the Mini.Alas, they do not fold. What we need is the shrink ray from the movie, 'Honey I Shrunk the Kids'. Simple, right? Just reduce the size of the car, and make it small enough to shove into a briefcase. Will there ever be an actual flying car? Hey, anything is possible. Flight via airplanes and spaceships was once considered impossible. |
| Prompt: Tell us a little about your writing process. Is it all digital, done on a computer, laptop, tablet, or even your phone? Do you start by jotting a few notes, or lines on paper, or draw up an outline? Do you formulate your ideas into words as you're typing? Or are you still completely old school, writing everything out first completely by hand and then entering it into a word processing program? What works/doesn't work for you? Well , the short answer to all of the above is yes. I have employed all the methods mentioned, and I still mix and match. Each has its merits, and usefulness. Most of my blog entries are pecked out on my computer keyboard, or my tablet. I compose as I go along, but sometimes I do a bit of research and scrawl some notes on paper. During our recent virtual backpacking jaunt through Europe, I planned and plotted as if I was following an actual itinerary.Many of my flash fiction pieces are spontaneous, they materialize as I type. It is handy to be able to edit immediately by erasing words, or entire sentences.The WDC word count is an invaluable tool. For my poetry and short stories, I prefer to put pen to paper. I like the physical act of writing, although that is much too kind a descriptor of my chicken scratch. Sigh. I fear my penmanship is becoming too much like that of my father; the vowels are often incomprehensible. I like being able to rearrange paragraphs and words myself. I like seeing my thoughts materialize on paper. Paper needs no internet access, or electricity. It is portable and convenient. If I choose, paper can be folded and carried in a folder, or a bag, or a pocket. It can endure, and be easily shared. I have a notebook and a journal which I fill by my hand. I've always been a doodler/sketcher, too, so for this I need paper and pencil. Computers are fantastic for digital storage and quick access to my portfolio. I like being able to e-mail my writing to family and friends. My typing skills are not the best, and too frequently I misspell words because I inadvertently strike the wrong key, or I am too gentle with my strokes. With a pen, I am sure of my spelling. I really dislike spell check!! It does not humour me, or permit me to colour my writing with the words I choose. Only the American spelling is recognized, no Canadian version. My tricky tablet attempts to anticipate my words, and often replaces the words I know I already typed.There is a huge world of difference between 'commission', 'committee', 'community', or 'commiserate' for instance. The words I commit to paper do not disappear frustratingly into the vast, dark internet netherworld like some of my online writing.As with any man-made technology, computer malfunctions occur. Yep, I still like paper and pen. |
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