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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.

I've got 2 boys who are young adults.

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:

SEPTEMBER 2025:

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


SEPTEMBER 2025:

FORUM
Earn the Badge - CLOSED Open in new Window. (E)
You want it? Earn it. How? Complete these simple tasks and the badge is yours!
#2133333 by Purple Snowflakes 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 Open in new Window. (18+)
We're going to explore one unique place in each of the 50 states in alphabetical order.
#2342653 by Witchy 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 Open in new Window. (E)
Blogging event from September 1-7, 2025. CLOSED
#2277665 by WakeUpAndLive~snowflake wonder Author IconMail Icon
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~snowflake wonder Author IconMail Icon for hosting the contest!

OCTOBER 2024 & 2025 :

I participated in the
FORUM
13 Poetic Days of Halloween Contest 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Let your spooky poetry shine. Oct. 13th 12:01 am WDC time. - closes 11:59 pm WDC Oct 25th
#2328177 by Witchy 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 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 FrosTIGGY ☃️ 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
December 11, 2025 at 6:52pm
December 11, 2025 at 6:52pm
#1103469
I rarely get sick. I'm a firm believer in Zinc and take it pretty regularly but there's TWO things no amount of Zinc and prevent: A headache and a stomach ache.

So last night at work I got the stomach ache from HELL. Honestly, though, let's all it like was - I food poisoned!! *Sick*

My first break is at 11 pm and I usually have a little snack with my friend Araceli. The Menu: (and one of the offending items) 3 slices of Tri-tip, 6 grapes, Heinz 57 sauce and 2 cups of coffee. My $$ is on the Heinz 57 sauce. So I sit down and eat. Araceli wants me to take over her relief slip at 430. I'm game to do it. Not much work in the office. I tell her, "I got you covered."

At midnight the first wave hits - Mad rush to the bathroom. It was vile. But I think I got most of it out. I'm good, I think. But the stomach aches. I think I can manage. I tough it out until 215. I can't go on. My stomach's rumbling. I go home sick. Get home at 3 am and proceed to *Vomit* from 3 to 6 am.

Side note: Thankfully Araceli was able to go home at 430 and burn her time but I felt really bad.

At 9 am I ask my boys for water. Still got the body aches. Finally about 20 mins I get my water. Sigh... boys...

I try to get up and I can't. I'm too weak. I pass out my Earn the Badge from the Angel Army Lounge and go back to sleep another 3 hours. Got up around 1 and I'm doing better. Still achy and I need rest but I'm on the mend. Andy took Joey to school and got me bananas, saltines, and ginger ale and made me chicken noodle soup. I think when he realized I was really sick he kicked it into gear.

I know this may be a little TMI -- but hey -- it's something to write about it. *Laugh* I'm gonna get my Daily 5 in and then rest some more.

oh! oh!!

Wicked proud of this story:
STATIC
The Lighthouse Keeper's Secrets Open in new Window. (13+)
It's the 1930's, and Damian meets Esther for the first time.
#2350762 by SantaBee Author IconMail Icon


I won first place in the Lodestar contest!! I really worked hard on it. It's a prequel to
STATIC
The Lighthouse Keeper Open in new Window. (13+)
Audrina finds herself attracted to the unusual lighthouse keeper.
#1817642 by SantaBee Author IconMail Icon
and I really wanted to get into the meat and potatoes so I fleshed out a bit of backstory for Damian and Esther, researched the 1930's - the depression area, lighthouses, smuggling during prohibition and came up with a rough outline and honestly, I could have written MORE but I was limited to 5,000 words!! Can you imagine that!! Editing though - that's the hard part!! I can't catch my mistakes to save my life. Usually, I omit words and when I edit, the words I omitted, I still see there. My work beta reader retired and while she'd probably still it, there was no way I was getting it back in a timely manner. I must have re-read the story 3 times before I created it and submitted it and I still missed words. Sigh...

Well, I'm going to see what I can cook up in December, but I might be challenged due to the holiday rush! Wish me luck.
*Thought*  Comment   •   View 3 comments


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