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 |   Blog Challenge And Other Tidbits |
| An opinion or two...or three or four... |
PROMPT March 30th Congratulations on making it to the last day of the competition! What was your favorite prompt from the last month? What was the most rewarding aspect of participating in the competition? And so...we've come to the end. It's time to say goodbye for a short time. But it's not forever. We're writers after all! And write we will. Each day we'll take to paper and pen or pencil, ore even computer and keyboard. Whichever way, we'll think and dream and conjure all the creative juices we have as we put words to paper...or computer. We'll encourage each other as we go. We'll celebrate the highs and the lows and everything in between. We'll look back for lessons learned and we'll look forward for inspiration. And wherever we are in space and time, and all around the world, we can come home to the place we know best - writing.com. Thanks to all of you for the enjoyable journey. As always I got to know each of you a little deeper. I made some new friends along the way. And I had time to myself for some serious thought. Well, mostly serious. Collin made his debut and he's someone I plan to carry into the next challenge and the next and the next. Who knows? Collin might write his own story...well, I think he's doing that now. Each prompt affected me differently...either silly, or serious, or even emotional. Some very deep thought came out of some of the prompts. And a very happy journey came out of others. All of them made me think. Most of them changed me in a subtle way. My favorite? I think it's the prompt that challenged us to use four or five words in our blog. That was certainly a lot of fun. Come to think of it...that's where Collin made his debut... I enjoyed reading other blogs. Wise words all around. Honest, raw opinion. Heartfelt, deep emotion. Everyone is so different and it was tremendous fun getting to know everyone through their words. Everyone take care for now and I'm hoping to see each of you in the next challenge. So long. |
PROMPT March 29th Do you write like you talk? Blogging is inherently personal and therefore leaves a lot of room for your unique voice. How do you show your reader your personality through your writing? I think I've always written like I speak. It's a good thing my mom forced me to take typing in school, because I type pretty fast, and that was the only way to keep up with my brain. I used to get so frustrated when my brain would fly ahead and my fingers were two sentences behind. Sometimes I would just throw my hands up in the air and "let it rest" as I called it. Then one day someone gave a little personal recorder and told me to talk into that, then write what I'd said. It was totally eye-opening. I learned exactly how I speak. I was aware of all my "California Colloquialisms". And I was acutely aware of my vocabulary. I ws shocked to learn that I spoke a lot of "geek speak". But I persisted and wrote what I said. Then I started to finesse all of that. I learned to speak more eloquently and that translated to writing a little more eloquently. The best part was that it slowed my brain down just enough for my fingers to keep up. Eventually I found myself easily writing or typing as my brain lingered on a thought. Now that doesn't mean it's easy for me. No siree! It still takes a lot work and effort. But as long as I'm writing and writing everyday then I can keep up my skills and enhance them along the way. Because there's still so much to learn! So yes, I write like I speak. And sadly I sometimes get into trouble for it. Oh well, it is what it is and I am who I am. Just me. |
PROMPT March 28th Write about something positive. What is something good that’s happened in your world recently? Share a smile, share a laugh, share a success. Spouse is a man of certain likes. He likes what he likes and he loves what he loves. A couple of years ago he fell absolutely in love with something quite unexpected. We were at the grocery store and I asked him to get some butter while I picked up fruit, vegetables, olives and mayo. You know, the ordinary everyday stuff. He took off to examine the dairy case and shortly thereafter he came skipping back to our cart with his prize. Yes, he was practically skipping. Goofball. Anyway he held up his prize and pointed to it with a huge smile on his face. "Look! Just look what I found!" I peered at the little blocks in his hand. Kerry Gold Butter. Irish butter. I shrugged and agreed to try it. Well...it was delicious and Spouse fell absolutely in love with Kerry Gold Butter. Now it's all he brings home. Refuses to eat anything else. I'm on board with the Kerry Gold and I don't mind spending a little extra for it. But lately, it's hard to find. In fact, a lot of grocery items have been hard to find during this pandemic. Supplies and other food items just haven't made it to the shelves. And Spouse is so sad about that. He's been searching for his beloved Kerry Gold and hasn't found any. He practically cries as the current block shrinks in size. He just can't believe he'll run out of Kerry Gold and have to eat domestic butter again. For shame! What is the world coming to? How could he possible exist with Kerry Gold? Yes, he can be a drama queen sometimes. But there's hope! Costco has started opening an hour early for seniors on Tuesdays and Thursdays. That made Spouse so happy! He could shop early and get his beloved butter! So...on Wednesday evening he set his alarm, which he hasn't done in a year since he retired. He fell asleep with a smile on his face. And when the alarm rang on Thursday morning he jumped out of bed, which he never does, and jumped in the car, headed for Costco. Well...he came home dejected...no Kerry Gold in sight. I really felt bad for him. But I also laughed because I don't think it's so bad to enjoy a little bit of domestic butter. But he was pouting. Pouting! Over butter! Oh for crying out loud. But that all changed last night. Our door bell rang late in the evening. Not a great sign since people don't usually come to our door so late. We thought something was wrong or someone needed help. Spouse opened the door and there on the mat was a little package wrapped up with a bow. He brought the package in and started laughing and a HUGE smile crossed his face. His eyes lit up and even twinkled as he showed me the package. Two blocks of Kerry Gold! Yes, a good friend dropped of two blocks of his beloved butter. What an amazing friend! Spouse was so happy. For him, it was probably the greatest thing that happened this past week. It's funny because today when he opened the fridge and saw his Kerry Gold he sighed a happy sigh. For him the world is a little bit better. Better with butter. Kerry Gold that is. |
PROMPT March 27th Someone shared the poem “The Trough” by Judy Brown with me today and I want to pass it on to you. I found it incredibly comforting during this time of global crisis. In your entry today, write about how the poem makes you feel, or write a poem of your own. The Trough Judy Brown There is a trough in waves, a low spot where horizon disappears and only sky and water are our company. And there we lose our way unless we rest, knowing the wave will bring us to its crest again. There we may drown if we let fear hold us in its grip and shake us side to side, and leave us flailing, torn, disoriented. But if we rest there in the trough, in silence, being in the low part of the wave, keeping our energy and noticing the shape of things, the flow, then time alone will bring us to another place where we can see horizon, see land again, regain our sense of where we are, and where we need to swim. So...this is a lovely poem. The words are beautiful. But sad to say, it does not move me one way or the other. I respect the fact that it does, in fact, move people. And I respect the fact that it provides comfort. And I respect the fact that a bigger, better, more creative brain than mine put these words to paper. But at the end of the day, I am not a fan of poetry. Yes, I've written some poetry, and yes, I even won an award for a couple of them. But it's definitely not the type of writing that brings me pleasure...only stress. For whatever reason, poetry stresses me out. And because I don't need more stress right now, I will respectfully and humbly pass on this prompt. Just not for me. |
PROMPT March 26th Fill in the blanks in this sentence and expand on it in your entry: I think people spend too much time ________ when they could be _________. Gosh, today I'm tired because I haven't slept well in a few days. I'm annoyed at the neighbors behind us because they are SO LOUD and NOISY. I'm frustrated with my networking group because they are complaining about ZOOM. And I'm just plain cranky. I think I finally hit the wall with this virus and having to shelter in place. Lock down. That's what it really is. Anyway...I'm feeling out of sorts and I honestly hope I don't offend anyone...so here goes... I think people spend too much time JUDGING others when they could be PRACTICING KINDNESS AND COMPASSION. Sadly, it seems our society has grown comfortable criticizing and judging everyone else. Some of the things I hear lately: "Those people have horrible children. Don't they know how to discipline them?" "Holy cow that's a huge woman! She should try fasting." "You shouldn't do this...or that." "That guy looks like a slob. Doesn't he have a job?" "It's not fair. Those people don't need that much." And a whole lot more. Everyone is so quick to look at someone else. Wouldn't it be nice if they took a look in the mirror? People don't realize that they don't see themselves as other people see them. And they walk through life thinking nothing of their hurtful, and sometimes cruel actions and words. And that includes everyone. Even me. I'm at fault too. So I believe it's time to stop judging and reach out with a kind word and a message of understanding and support. Although each of us is trying to make it in this new world of COVID-19 we need to remind ourselves that we don't know exactly what someone else is struggling with. Understanding and support can go a long, long way. Let's all be nicer. Mostly me. |
PROMPT March 25th I need your help to fill the Challenge War Chest! In your entry today, write at least three prompts you’d like to see used in future rounds of the 30DBC. Then, choose one of your own (or one from someone else if you aren’t the first to post) to write your entry on. Time to fill the War Chest! Prompity prompt prompt prompt. Here goes: 1. We all have characters from books or stories we love. Take one of those beloved characters and turn them into a villain. Write something about their nastiest deeds. 2. An alien has invited you to dinner. What's on the menu? 3. Everyone likes to get creative with pet names. Make a list of 5 names you've given your beloved pets. I don't remember a time when my household, childhood or adult, didn't have a pet. Dog, cat, hamster, bird, fish, and anything else that found it's way into our house. And I'm one of those people that brings home every stray thing out there. I remember one time as a kid, I brought home a dog I found in my friend's neighborhood. Remembering that I had just been scolded about bringing home strays, I decided I could sneak the dog into the house. I figured it could live in my closet, and I could smuggle food and water into the closet. I thought I had it all worked out. So...I brought the dog home...and...as you may have guessed my parents caught on right away. So it was the dog house for me! Luckily my mom had seen the dog before and knew where it lived. She returned the dog to a very relieved and happy family. I'm still like that. We always have a dog or a cat...or whatever else. Good thing my husband likes pets! And every pet needs a name, right? We always make a game out of names. We toss crazy stuff back and forth until something "just sounds right". Some of our best names include: 1. Fitzroy Gigglebottom - our tabby cat 2. Maximillian Von Snausage - our boston terrier 3. Jasper Aloysius - our other boston terrier 4. Regis Philbin - our teacup toy poodle 5. Cheddah - an orange tabby cat I loved dearly, and yes, my handle here on writing.com Of course there have been other names in the past. And there will be new names in the future. It's a game we will always play. |
PROMPT March 24th Start your blog with these words: “Five years from now...” FIVE YEARS FROM NOW. That's what the envelope said. It was crumpled and somewhat dusty. Collin found it stuffed at the back of his sock drawer. Not that Collin ever wore socks. But he was doing some organizing (which Collin rarely did) and found the envelope. "Hmmff," he snorted and rubbed under his nose with one gnarly finger, and tapped his cheek with one nasty nail. "Hmmff," he snorted again and this time little droplets of spit landed on the envelope, staining it in a few conspicuous places. Collin had forgotten about the envelope. Well, he hadn't really forgotten. He'd pushed it out of his mind. He really wanted nothing to do with the envelope. It contained...well! Let's just say what it DIDN'T contain. There was no new spell, or tick, or trap. No mischief. No mayhem. No, there wasn't anything good in that envelope. Not by Collin's count anyway. Collin flipped the envelope over. The sealing wax was still taut with the big red "C" he'd stamped into the wax. Collin's beady little black eyes peered at the seal and his fuzzy little nose crinkled as he considered what to do with the envelope. He sat for a long time, peering at the dastardly thing, doing his best to convince himself to just throw the thing out. Get it out of his drawer and out of his house and out of his sight! "Just throw it away," his logical brain told him. "Read it anyway," his curious brain coaxed him. Yes, he sat quite a long time...through lunch...and afternoon tea. It was QUITE a long time. But Collin being Collin made his choice. Not that Collin ever made a GOOD choice. And this time it was no exception. It was definitely a BAD choice. Collin pushed a raggedy lock of hair out of his crunched up face, and with one nasty fingernail he broke the seal of the wax. Gingerly, for Collin anyway, he pulled out the one piece of paper the envelope held. It was a soft brown and a little crackly. He unfolded the note... And there, written in sepia ink with a flourish of scrolls was a letter. HIS letter. One he'd written to the love of his life. Collin remembered this letter. He remembered the happiness and joy he felt as he penned each word. He remembered the hope he felt that his love would be returned. And Collin also remembered...that sadly...that love wasn't returned. In fact, the only thing that was returned was his letter. THIS letter. The one he sealed in an envelope and marked FIVE YEARS FROM NOW. At the time it was Collin's intent to keep going. To never give up. To try again in the future. Back then it was Collin's hope, but now it seemed like such silliness. Why would he try again? Well, love is what it is. In fact, he did try again. And again. Every five years for the past 100 years he tried. And each time the letter was returned he'd mark the envelope FIVE YEARS FROM NOW and stuff it in his drawer. Funny that he found it today. Collin scratched his nose again with one nasty fingernail. Exactly what was the date? The calendar was across the room and he squinted his beady little black eyes to see the date. Well, lo and behold, it was time. Time to deliver the letter again. His heart brightened. His face brightened. And he stood taller than ever before. He raced to find a new envelope, one that wasn't so dusty and crumpled. He raced to find the sealing wax and the stamp with a "C". And once the letter was safely sealed again, he race out the door to the darkest part of the forest in the oldest part of the land to the little hut at the farthest edge of the forest to gingerly deliver the letter again. Because maybe this time, his love would be returned. |
PROMPT March 23rd What is the best way to spend a rainy afternoon? What to do on a rainy afternoon? That's easy! As soon as drops start to splash on the windows or hit the pavement I jump - yes, literally jump- into rain mode. Honestly I get excited when it rains. Living in Northern California means that we haven't seen a lot of rain this year. Or any year for that matter. It's sun, sun, sun. Beautiful weather, yes, but it would be so nice to get some rain. Anyway, back to rain mode. I have a list of favorite things to do: 1. Curl up with a good book (mystery, of course) and a cup of hot tea. 2. Snuggle in bed with a warm blanket, the dog, the cat, and of course the hubby. 3. Cook a hug pot of soup that simmers on the stove for most of the day. 4. Bake cookies and muffins and whatever else suits my fancy. 5. Grab an umbrella and go out for a walk just to savor the heavenly smell of the rain. 6. And the mostest bestest favorite is to retreat to my craft room. There's always something going on in there. For me, the rain is an opportunity to retreat. To think deep. To wash away the old and start fresh again. For me, a rainy afternoon is always welcome. |
PROMPT March 22nd Write a letter to your younger self. Tell them about something or someone they should be wary of as they move through life and about a specific event they should look forward to. Dear Mary, I realize you are moving from childhood to adulthood; virtually on the brink of becoming a young woman in charge of yourself and your life. I also realize how eager you are to start your adult life and experience everything you can. And I also know how the beach and the ocean draw you to a deeper sense of self. Steady, my dear, your instincts are good. But I warn you and I also urge you to: #1. Do not, under any circumstances whatsoever accept a date from the blond and tanned sailor from North Island.. He's a liar and a cheat. He will put you and your family in danger. His deep dark secret is that he wasn't really discharged from the Navy. He's actually AWOL. And this could be terrible for your family. Especially your father, who is a high-ranking Air Force Officer. He could actually be court-martialed for harboring a deserter. Yes, I said it. Deserter. He is NOT the love of your life, and he will drop you like a hot rock. He'll flee to Florida, back into a life of drinking, cheating, and even stealing. He will amount to exactly zero. HE IS NOT FOR YOU. #2. Remember your roots. Always. Your family will tear themselves apart. And it will be over silly things. You'll understand when you get there. And even though they will hurt you and practically disown you, they will eventually realize their error. It's important that you remember that at the end of the day they are your family. You must make peace, even though it shouldn't be up to you. Be the peacemaker. You're the only one who can. #3. And finally...something truly awful. My dear, you must prepare yourself for the thing your mother dreaded most. Fire will strike. And it will take everything from your childhood. Your memories will be the only thing you have left. And when it's over, go and say goodbye. Even though your roots will be gone, you will understand the freedom of saying goodbye and cherishing the fine and wonderful memories you have of Paradise. Yes, my dear, it will be devastating, but you will emerge stronger and your soul will pull you to other places and other times filled with happiness. And so, dearest Mary, as you embark on your new life as a beautiful, intelligent woman, ready to conquer the world, please remember there will always be hardship. There will always be conflict. And there will always be tragedy. BUT there will be happiness and joy. There will be laughter and smiles. There will be absolute love and you will be blessed. You have so much to give. And the world has so much to return. Walk boldly and stay strong. You will be loved. With love always, Your Future Self |
PROMPT March 21st Write about good things that can come out of a bad situation. If you have an example from personal experience, please share! Collin sat all crunched up in his favorite chair. Well, it wasn't really his favorite, it was the only chair he had. So he guessed that made it his favorite. The gloomy sky with the dark clouds full of rain and the frosty air all around made him gloomy too. And a little nostalgic. Collin hated when he was feeling nostalgic because it made him face his past. And in the last 300 years there was a lot to face! He tightened his bony fingers around the chipped little cup that held some strong tea and a splash of cream. One nasty fungus-covered nail tapped the rim of his cup. Thinking, thinking, thinking, he was lost in a blase (pretend there's an accent aigu over the "e") moment of nostalgia. Depressing as it was he was trying to find something good, even great, in the past 300 years. Tapping, tapping, tapping, he stared out the foggy window. Suddenly his eye caught something. He leaned into the window, closed one eye, and fixed his other eye on a fuzzy little creature caught in a glistening sticky web. A bumble bee. "Nasty little thing," Collin grumbled. "Hateful litte creature," he grumbled some more. Collin had every right to grumble. At least that's what he thought. Because he'd been a victim of a hateful creature such as the one caught in the web. It happened when he was a spittin' wee mite, oh, about 200 or maybe even 250 years ago. And on a bright spring day under some billowous clouds in a field full of nothing but flowers, a mighty big bumble bee landed on his scrawny little arm and settled in the fuzz covering his upper arm. Collin was mesmerized by the thing. Everything on it seemed to move and vibrate. And it's tiny little stinger did a funny little dance, swaying from one side to the other. And...OUCH! That horrid thing landed it's tiny stinger right into the flesh of Collin's arm! It hurt like the dickens! And Collin cried out in pain. And then...the swelling began...his arm got bigger and bigger. And Collin felt sicker and sicker. Turning greener than green, Collin made his way to his hut and his bed. There he stayed...for the next several weeks. The swelling grew to a red pussy mess. His fought to keep the nausea at bay. And the pain was...well, by Collin's recollection, it was excrutiating. So, yes, Collin had every right to grumble about the bumble bee now caught in the web outside his window. And grumble he did. As he sat watching the little thing fight he picked up the only spoon he had, all tarnished and grimy. He dipped his spoon into the small pot of honey he stole from the family next door and stirred some of the sweet luscious goo into his tea. Mindlessly he stirred as he stared out the window. And then...well in Collin's world it was something rather unexpected. Maybe even a miracle. Collin tasted the sweet lovely tea and realized having honey was like having gold. Liquid gold. Maybe even a necessity. How could he ever drink tea again if there was no honey? And there'd be no honey if there were no bees! No bees like the one caught in the web. And just like that Collin had a change of heart. He had to act fast! He ran out the door. No coat. No boots. No nothing. Just naked old Collin! Ugly and hairy, but hell-bent on saving that bee! Collin raced to the web and ran his gnarly finger around the web to loosen the bee. He cupped the poor creature in his scaly palm and pushed as much of the web away as possible. And with some spit and a push the bee buzzed from his hand and flew off on a jagged little path. Collin let one scrawny arm fall at his side, and with the other he waved a jolly good salute in the direction of the bee. Collin realized he'd done a good deed. A bad situation turned into good. It wasn't a trick or a trap or even a spell. It was simply a good deed, and Collin's first. Collin tried hard not to smile. He tried to grumble and complain and gripe. But he couldn't. So he gave in and spent the rest of the day with a smile on his creepy little face. |
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