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 |   A blog to house my musings, curiosities, and fascinations. |
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When it came time for me to start blogging again, I found myself paralyzed. I was trapped by the belief that my blog had to be unique, that it had to have a defined theme, and that it had to be appealing to everyone. After some time scouring Google for advice, I realized that if all I did was worry and plan, I would spend forever worrying and planning and never get to writing. From that realization, I've decided to display my blog writing guidelines here for everyone to see, but especially for me to see when I come here to write. ~1~ Blog about what is appealing to YOU. Don't worry about anyone else. ~2~ Allow yourself to WRITE! Don't restrain yourself to one voice, one writing style, one genre, or one topic area. ~3~ Throw out the fear of maintaining a consistent theme. Blog about your passions, interests, fancies, inspirations, opinions, musings, curiosities, ramblings, and loves. ~4~ Explore, experiment, and have fun! So, this is my solution. A blog about anything and everything that sparks my interest.  The title is inspired by the quote at the bottom of this introduction. Everything you love, even for a short time, becomes part of you. Our experiences and perception of the world is colored by those things we love and have loved, whether those things are  or not. This blog will be a place to house those passions and curiosities. Please enjoy! "It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them, and every new dog who comes into my life gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are." -Anonymous ![Merit Badge in Aloha
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Only the most selfless, dedicated person would come up with an idea like an Aloha MB. But then, from all those things you do on WDC and we know you're doing out in the world, it's what we should have known you'd do. You've always been working to make things better and help people, animals, and places. Maybe the badge should have your picture so everyone knows a real example of Aloha.](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/group-Aloha-2171989_14.gif) Cover image by Jessica Woulfe
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Entry in the contest:
Syllables: 24 Lines: 5 Prompt Word: Ephemeral  our prints in the sand disappear in a rushed wave washed hush ephemeral as our journey through life  ~ ~ ~ |
| So, I've been feeling quite nostalgic today. With WDC celebrating its 18th birthday, my own age and the amount of time I've spent with this site over the years has really started to hit home. I really grew into adulthood with WDC, which is so crazy to think about. And with the release of the Achievement MBs, I started to think about my journey with this site and how far I've come since I first began wandering it's halls as a Newbie. On top of that, I've spent a fair bit of time reviewing newbies today, and it always amazes me how many people exist on this site, most of whom you've never heard of, but who are talented writers nonetheless. So I wanted to do a little thing today to remember my own days as a newbie and thank some of the people who helped me when I was first starting out. Like I've said before, I still have my entire WDC portfolio from before I reverted to a free account saved on my computer, so I'm actually able to go back and relive those memories as a newbie. Most interesting is my old blog. Dang... a lot of growth happened there. (Edited to say: I just spend three hours re-reading three years worth of entries there... and wow, I had referred to Elle - on hiatus  as a newbie blogger!   ) I found an entry from November of 2011, five months after I opened my account, thanking several of the first people I connected with on this site, and I'd like to share their names here again. Even though we've gone our separate ways, I thank you for welcoming me into this site and making it my second home.  Bookiemonster  - the first to introduce me to Scroll and a super kind pen pal.Emailman - reviewer extraordinaire! Beyond helpful and downright funny!~SilverMoon~  - lovely friend who used to send me 12 emails overnight thelostlover - very welcoming and fun to be around, not to mention a dedicated writer! And the ones who've closed their accounts: dreaming-muse - dedicated founder of the first group I joined on WDC and a generous soul jannie - a Goddess. 'Nuff said williampadgett - the first person to get me interested in blogging  So here's my plea for you. Take the time to review a newbie today and welcome them to our home. It made a huge difference for me knowing that someone was out there. The community is what made me become addicted to WDC. Special thank you as well to then Mods, ember_rain and ~A.J. Lyle~ for my very first reviews.  |
Entry in the contest:
Character Count: 140 I asked her to Netflix and Chill. She came, but left early. Was it the Elmo sheets or mom calling us to dinner? What's wrong? I'm only 37... ~~~ |
Entry in the contest:
Syllables: 18 (WDC 18th Birthday Celebration special rule) Lines: 4 Prompt Word: Balloon The start of school is a rogue water balloon after a truce - "Incoming!"   ~~~ |
Oh my gosh! I almost forgot to post today, it's been so hectic with all the birthday festivities going on!  I can't promise this post will be at all coherent since I'm 1.) sick with the flu, and 2.) completely tuckered out from all the partying! Here is a rundown of my day: 20 new Achievement MBs! A beautiful new Awardicon on this Blog Too many bots in Scroll This - "WDC Rides- Wonder Deluxe Carnival Rides"  This - "Invalid Item" This - "Angel-Witch Bingo! " This - "Angel Roulette Wings" This - "WDC Birthday Ice Cream Social 2018" This - "The Juice Junction- We're CLOSED!" This - "Question of the Day!" This - "The Great WDC Lucky Bag Giftaway!-CLOSED" Five reviews and a Trinket from here: "Anniversary Reviews" Some shiny new badges: ![Merit Badge in Consistent
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Congratulations on completing the August 2018 [Link To Item #1300076] challenge! *^*Delight*^* Thank you for all your reviews! ~ [Link To User timeandashes] on behalf of [Link To Item #power]](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Consistent.gif) ![Merit Badge in Appreciation
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Thank you for all the Anniversary Reviews you sent in August! I am always indebted to people like you, for you are the lifeblood of this small forum. Thank you!
Jim](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Appreciation-1985.gif) ![Merit Badge in Power MVP
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*^*Balloonp*^**^*Delight*^* YAY party girl! Here is your super badge from your generosity in [Link To Item #2164386] ! You rock with your super powers! Enjoy! *^*Heart*^*--- [Link To Item #power]](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/group-Power_MVP-1502123_12.gif) ![Merit Badge in House Martell
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Congratulations! We wanted to reward you for your outstanding participation in our 'Flash Review Event' for Martell warriors. We truly appreciate your efforts. Thank you! *^*Sun*^* ~Lornda, Maryann, & The [Link To Item #power]](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/group-House_Martell-2079761_12.gif) (OMG omg omg omg! House Martell Badge!!! {e:faint}) Annnnnnd..... My cryo-sleep in the "WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group" was broken and I finally woke from my slumber! I was graciously invited to be a captain Galactic Guardian again, and I was so so humbled and honored to be trusted like that. In between Scroll Elves and everything else today, I thought about my new Super Power that all new Super Power Reviewers woke up with on Planet Planitia: As the Guardian of Growth, Emily is able to feel the essence and emotion of plants, animals, and all living things. She can control the direction and speed of plant growth and communicate with animals of all kinds. Her presence brings a sense of calm and peace to those around her. In addition to her ability to commune with nature, she has a knack for communicating with young Guardians and seeks to promote their lifelong learning and self-empowerment. Her mission is to instill hope in current Guardians and preserve the health of the Earth for the Guardians of the future.  I'll see you all around!  -Emily I can't wait to see what SM and SMs have in store for tomorrow!  |
Entry in the contest:
Syllables: 24 Lines: 6 Prompt Word: Crescent a chaotic dance - arms strewn with shooting star lines ~ silver, maroon ~ and dead center a crescent moon ~ ~ ~ |
So, I got back to reviewing last night!  I feel like I haven't reviewed since I was a newbie, and for the longest time I couldn't understand why. I love reading and I have thoughts about the things I read, so you'd think it would be easy to put those thoughts down on "paper," right? I think I finally overcame my stumbling block last night, and I'm going to briefly explain it here for anyone else who has a problem with review motivation.I'm a perfectionist. Everyone who knows me knows that I don't like to leave things half done and would prefer if they were spotless. I also have a few OCD tendencies, which meant that before I took my hiatus from WDC when faced with a piece of writing to review, I became overwhelmed by every minute detail. I thought, What was the point of reviewing something if I don't express every single thought I have about the piece and point out every single grammatical error or issue with punctuation? Why leave a review at all if it would only help the writer be a little better, but not 100% better? And so, I didn't write a review at all, preferring to leave all those thoughts unsaid. At that time, giving 0% was better than not giving 100%. And then I left on hiatus. Something happened while I was away that I can't exactly put into words. I was in college, which may have helped me put my desires for perfection into perspective. I was an all or nothing kind of person, but I came to realize that it is sometimes not physically, mentally, or emotionally possible to give 100% all the time in everything. Perhaps I simply grew up. I don't know. Point is, I realized that giving feedback is important no matter how thorough it was. I don't think I perceived this change until I started writing reviews again. I stripped away my meticulously crafted review template and stuck to something simple and honest. I wrote how the piece made me feel and any small suggestions I could make to assist the writer, but I didn't dwell on writing "the perfect review." I could spend hours reading and re-reading a piece, picking out every minute error and making endless comments on structure etc, or, I could enjoy the act of reading and give feedback from my heart that wasn't cluttered by my own brain being too strict on myself. And then, something amazing happened. Reviewing was easy! (and fun! )I stayed up until 2:30am last night reading and reviewing without perceiving the passage of time. I felt good about my reviews and felt good to be jumping in to that part of the community again. Reviewing is such an integral part of WDC, but I believe we sometimes put too much emphasis and pressure on creating "the perfect review." Personally, I'm going to focus on making reviewing enjoyable for myself again, and in so doing, make my reviews enjoyable to receive as well.  PS: Thank you "Anniversary Reviews" by Aennaytte: Free & Wild in GoT  for being the catalyst for me to try reviewing again.   |
This is going to be a bit of a braggy post, so I apologize for that ! I'm feeling back in the swing of things, and I'm so pumped for the Birthday Celebration, so these are just a few updates on what I've been up to.  I added a few new things to my port:
I won a few things! "Buddy" won the "WDC Photo Contest" "Twilight Pulse" won the "Invalid Item" contest"Greenwillow Pass" won "The Writer's Cramp" I earned a few fancy decorations!  ![Merit Badge in Friendship
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For being a good friend all these years we have known each other. I cannot believe how long it has been already yet I am always able to talk to you.
So hopefully this small thank you will give you a smile and that no matter when and where we talk, we will always be friends!](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Friendship-650.gif) Hush up, Airplane1285 ! You DO deserve my thanks! I updated the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" forum and created "A Brief History of the 30DBC" to recognize the dedication of past and current hosts. I'm so excited to be a part of this group again as the bloggers who compete are such a cool gang! We'll lay low in September and then burst back onto the scene in October! Watch out   And last but not least, I submitted my paperwork to have my grad school tuition paid for by AmeriCorps!  Always a good day when I don't have to be more broke than I already am!  That's it for now! Take care, Emily |
Entry in the contest:
Syllables: 24 Lines: 4 Prompt Word: Zephyr salty zephyrs kiss my neck under tangerine sun and shifting shade I dream of love and lychee ~ ~ ~ |
Entry in the contest:
Syllables: 24 Lines: 4 Prompt Word: Sylvan  8/27/2018 Winning Entry! mist clings to silver spruce and night creatures scurry through sylvan shadows as the twilight pulse arrives ~ ~ ~ |
My mother majored in Art History in college and thus has lots of useful (and not so useful) art knowledge at her disposal. While dropping my sister at college, we came upon this empty display case on the wall that prompted a discussion of Contemporary Art, and what even makes something art in the first place? This spurred my own curiosity to explore this topic further and observe the "art" in everyday scenes. Everything has meaning if the viewer gives it meaning. And so, this blog post will be the first in potentially a series of posts exploring the artistic aspects of the world around us. I'm not an "art" aficionado, so please add your own interpretations in the comments below.  Contemporary Art - A Satire An ironic commentary on "art" in our modern word Piece One  The artist of this piece depicts the inaccessible. The piece represents that which is restricted and locked, yet, on display for public viewing. The softness of the carpeted background contrasts with the rigidity of the frame, leaving the viewer feeling unsettled and off-balanced. The lone tack holds nothing and is perceived at first to be useless. However, as the only item within the frame, the viewer is left pondering the deeper significance of its placement and color. While attempting to reason the purpose of the lone tack, the viewer comes to see themselves in the mirrored, reflective glass surface, and the true meaning of the piece becomes clear. The piece is a representation of the viewer themselves. They view a ghostly hologram of themselves in the surface of the piece and realize it is their very self that is restricted yet exhibited. The three-dimensional aspect of the piece allows it to come out toward the viewer, enhancing this effect. ~ ~ ~ Any other interpretations you can see in this piece? |
| I’ve taken on the role of “Dad” for my sister’s college orientation and move in weekend. I don’t know how my mom would do this without a helper. We’ve been lugging luggage and mail and boxes and furniture up and down stairs and walking miles across campus and making last minute runs to target. I’m unpacking and repacking boxes, talking to librarians, finding classrooms, and being my baby sister’s shoulder and guidance. There is a LOT happening and the campus is HUGE! My college was about a fourth the size, but I have the directional skills and experience to navigate it and problem solve. So naturally, as a “College Dad,” I stayed up almost all night worrying. She was alone at the dorm last night, and on her first trip alone to the bathroom, she locked herself out and called us at 11pm. I know it’s something she’ll have to learn on her own, but I’m really feeling what it’s like to be a parent.  Time to let her grow up. |
Entry in the contest:
Syllables: 24 Lines: 4 Prompt Word: Halcyon |
Good morning, WDC!  I arrived in LA yesterday to help my mom bring my baby sister to college. Wow. Did I really just say that? My sister is perpetually 12 years old in my mind. Whenever I think of her, I imagine a stubby toed, pudgy faced, shy child, but she is not that person any more. She’s grown up so much since I left for college myself, and I really wasn’t a part of that growth. It was as if each time I returned to Hawaii, she had another piercing, and then another tattoo. Another boyfriend, another therapist. Somewhere along the line, she stopped being my baby sister and became a woman with her own struggles and her own goals for her life. She wants to be an artist and a psychologist, two things I would never, never get anywhere near. We are so different, her and I, but like all sisters do, we have our own language still, and I cherish every visit we have together. I know she is moving on now and will have to make her own path just as I had to do, but I still want to protect her as if she were still that little girl in my imagination. This time when we met in LA and relaxed in the hotel before bed, she showed me her new nipple piercing and her new thigh tattoo. This is her fifth tattoo, and so far the others haven’t had any significant meaning, but she surprised me with this one. It’s a tribal design of a nene bird (the native Hawaiian goose, and state bird) with its wings representing the land and the sea. The tail is made up of three navigation stars and the body is the Kilauea volcano and Mauna Kea. There are also two smaller bird symbols on either wing that represent her and I flying away from HI. Dang, that’s powerful. I love her for all the things she does that I would never dream of doing, but I never expected this. I’m excited to bring her to college and hopefully impart some advice along the way, but I also know she’ll be just fine on her own.Love ya, sis! |
I got the job!! I really don't have much else to say, but know that I am beyond excited, beyond thrilled, beyond thankful, just ... beyond! Out of this galaxy ecstatic! There was a lot of work to get to this point. A lot of stress. A lot of pressure. My boyfriend told me a year ago that I would create a job for myself through GreenCorps, and I laughed. I did NOT believe him one bit. GreenCorps was supposed to give me experience so I could find a decent job or go back to school after, but instead, it allowed me to fill a gap and create a need to hire someone after I was gone. And of course, the most logical and knowledgeable person to fill that position would be the one who created it. I really hate tooting my own horn, but dayum! I did it! I did this for myself! And it feels so good! Off to LA now to get my sis settled in to college Much love! -Emily |
I just did something I haven't done in sooo long! I hand wrote two letters for "The Snail Mail Group" ! It's such a cool way to connect with friends offline, and brings me back to my pen pal days.  Also, I'm pretty excited to be working on updating/cleaning up my portfolio! Since my port reverted to free when I went on hiatus, it had been pretty slim and boring.  I think it's looking pretty good so far Still need to add some more writing samples and make some other tweaks, but all the cover images are fly  I've been taking advice from this guide: "PORTFOLIO STUDIO" Great for newbies and veterans alike! Anyway, that's all for now! Have a good night! -Emily |
| Happy Sunday, all! I've spent my morning re-reading several of the items that were nearly lost back when my account reverted to free and the port space to house those items was lost. Thankfully, WDC has a lovely feature to export your port, which I was able to do, so all my writings are still saved safely on my computer. It's really making me feel nostalgic. Sure, my writing was clunky back then, but I had some guts to write the things I did. I had this character in my head and she was infinitely more feisty and cunning than I am. Re-reading her stories and the crap she got herself into is real fun. Maybe I'll try to get a little folder set up for her on here. Anyway, while I was reading and trying to decide on a blog topic for today, I realized one thing has been constant from the time when I wrote about my pugnacious hero until now - my need to listen to music while I write. My tastes have changed over the years, but I have never been able to write with voices in the background. That includes the TV, music with lyrics, or people talking. Today I'm listening to: Music has a way of getting my fingers moving. If I try to write without music, my brain starts wandering and my fingers can't find the right words on the keyboard. Music helps calm my brain and keeps my muse focused Anyone else write with music? |
Entry in the contest:
Syllables: 24 Lines: 4 Prompt Word: Langour Under the salmon sun, limbs heavy with langour, the willow hangs still, ashes smoke-borne overhead. ~~ |
| I haven't had a long history with volunteering, but through my GreenCorps service, time was allotted to civic engagement, so I took the opportunity to become involved in something I had always admired from afar, but hadn't had the chance to be a part of. I am blessed to be able to volunteer every other Friday at a service dog training facility as a dog exerciser!  This particular place trains five types of service dogs - Hearing Assist, Mobility Assist, Autism Assist, Seizure Assist, and Diabetes Alert. The dogs are either raised from puppy-hood in volunteer's homes, or spent their puppy days in minimum security prisons where inmates can learn work and life skills through partnership with dogs in training. Then, the young adult dogs are brought to the training facility where they receive in-depth, targeted training and eventually choose their "major" based on what aspect of assistance they are good at. Dogs typically stay in the kennels at the training facility for 6-10 weeks while they are training and eventually get paired with their new humans and continue training in the home. But! While the dogs are in the kennels during this time, they need regular walks and interactions with humans other than the training staff. That's where volunteers like me come in. I spend about an hour and a half walking dogs-in-training, playing fetch, or just giving them some pets and attention every other Friday. I love it so much! It is right up my alley, and it is so fun to work with such well-trained dogs (they even push the handicap button on the door for me!) I'm interested in potentially taking on a larger volunteer role such as a puppy-raiser, or short term foster. Or, if particular dogs aren't confident in their assistance abilities, they can be "career changed" and adopted. This is something I may want to do as well, but there is a l-o-n-g waiting list. I could never see myself working full time at a place like this. I love animals, I love making a difference, but it just isn't for me career-wise. And to me, that is the beauty of volunteering. It is an opportunity to become a part of a community doing something you are passionate about, but not necessarily keen on spending your whole life doing. Especially for young people, volunteering is a way to explore career options and spend time doing good in your community without the pressure or timeline of an actual job. Aaaannd! Today is FRIDAY! So I'd better get going! Talk soon!  |
| Something great just happened! This is all moving so quickly for me, it's hard to wrap my mind around it! I'll try to explain as best I can. First things first - I received an email this morning at 2:18am. "Congratulations on your Admission!"        I'm going to be a student again! And I truly couldn't be happier! I am officially admitted to the Environmental Educator Certification program - a 10 credit, online, continuing education certification. Yippee!!! I'm over the moon and my thoughts are going a million miles an hour! One of the best mornings of my life. The courses are accelerated, and not the traditional format, so I was a little surprised to find that some courses were only a month long. Right now, I'm registered for three courses totaling 4 credits. When the course selections for summer and spring come out, I will have to choose more courses to complete the rest of the required credits. I'll be starting in September with a 2 month course called, "River Ecology" about the human, cultural, and natural influences on rivers. Then, in early October, I'll have a two day course called, "Nature Drawing and Journaling" about interdisciplinary ways to teach and learn about nature. And I'll finish the Fall Semester with a 1 month course called, "Discussing Environmental Issues" about how to communicate environmental issues effectively without alienating anyone. I. Am. So. Excited! This kind of stuff is right up my alley, and I am thrilled I am able to pursue it. I know I alluded to it in this post: "Where have I been and why did I leave?" , but I'm also expecting to hear back about the job I applied for. My supervisor will call on Aug. 21st. That position is called, "Public Outreach and Engagement Coordinator," but I realize that doesn't describe at all what the position would actually do. In short, the job would be the face of environmental education and engagement, creating outreach materials, attending events, hosting workshops, recruiting volunteers, and collaborating with other government agencies to further their natural resource outreach campaigns while maximizing efficiency. The position would be 30 hours a week, which is why I applied for the Environmental Educator Certificate, to fill the other 10 hours per week, boost my resume, and directly enhance my work-related knowledge. It seems everything is really going in the right direction.But that's not all. As an AmeriCorps program, GreenCorps offers an "Education Award" to members who complete their full service, which I did. The Award totals $5,815 and I can use it for education related expenses, such as paying off student loans, or attending school! So, that's exactly what I plan to do! It feels really good to finally be at the cusp of starting my career for real. GreenCorps paid a "living stipend" of approximately $5 an hour, but I didn't do it for the money (obviously). It was a gateway for me to get a head start in the career I want. Without GreenCorps, I wouldn't be qualified for the Public Outreach position. I would not have the opportunity to go back to school. I may be stuck doing something I'm not passionate about, struggling to make things work. But now, I've put in the work, and the rewards are finally showing themselves. I'm sure I'll have more updates in the coming weeks. For now, time to celebrate! Thanks for reading. Take care! PS: If any young people you know are interested in doing a year of service through AmeriCorps and need advice, send them my way! |
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