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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.

Me visiting Space Camp 1993
me in my 20's

I've got 2 boys who are young adults.

The family waits in line to get on next to the Ship.

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:

DECEMBER 2025:

I participated in:
FORUM
12 Poetic Days of Yuletide Open in new Window. (E)
12 different Poetry styles beginning December 21st- January 1st.
#2329171 by Witchy Yule Woman Author IconMail Icon

this was a great challenge and I would highly recommend it if comes up again for next year. The blog earned the following merit badge:
Merit Badge in Seasons Winter [Click For More Info] Congratulations on successfully completing 12 Poetic Days of Yule. Enclosed is the bonus gps for trying the Terza Rima Sonnet successfully!

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 Yule Woman Author IconMail Icon


Merit Badges collected and earned:
Merit Badge in Writing.Com Birthday [Click For More Info] Thanks for rockin' WDC's birthday with me. *^*Heart*^* Lyn
Awardicon earned: The blog earned the Green 50K Awardicon for 1st Place.

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 Princess 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 Yule 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
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~lifestyle change 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 Yule 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 Yule 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 Tiggy 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
February 20, 2026 at 5:24am
February 20, 2026 at 5:24am
#1108849
Written for:
FORUM
The Soundtrack of Your Life Open in new Window. (18+)
Every February, you're invited to chronicle the music that has influenced your life!
#1970896 by Jeff Author IconMail Icon


#15 - 1980's Sounds - Blue Oyster Cult


I first heard Blue Oyster Cult when I was in 9th grade. It was 1981 and I was in art class. Elise and I were freshman so we sat at our own table, but Robert, the Junior, sat next to us and he listened to Blue Oyster Cult. They had an album out, "Fire of Unknown Origin," and "Burin for You" was the big hit. He told us all about BOC, and often listened to "Don't Fear the Reaper."

Elise and I were impressed that Robert would give us any attention at all being freshman. Ah, but art class was my introduction to Blue Oyster Cult. They had been a band big in the 70's and were now coming into the 1980's. I liked the heavier, "rock-ier" beat and I thought "Don't Fear the Reaper," was an awesome song. And that cowbell! For Christmas 1981, I even played one of my newly acquired BOC albums for my 70 year old Aunt Mary. She owed me. I watched soap operas with her.

Don't Fear the Reaper had that "Romeo and Juliet" vibe that appealed to my impressionable 9th grade heart. Burnin for You was just a jam. It wasn't until years later did I discover it was written about ah, cough, sexually transmitted diseases. My 3rd favorite BOC song was "Astronomy." It starts of slow, has almost an ethereal moon-like quality to it but ends fast and hard. I just loved cranking Astronomy full blast and singing at the top of my lungs in my car, "ASTRONOMY!!"

Blue Oyster Cult is my dirty little musical band secret. I will always love them and I will remember 9th grade art class because of them.

Note: Sadly, the video for Astronomy sucks in my humble opinion.

In 1987 Blue Oyster Cult played a club in Munster, Germany and I can't remember the how or why but I was there. I think I went with the Commo guys. There was a mix of American guys & gals. My Rock heroes, Blue Oyster Cult were playing in Munster, Germany and I actually got to see them! When the band was done playing we got an opportunity to meet them. I think they were impressed to see Americans. We were impressed to see them. We were the only ones waiting for them after the show. I remember we met them and had a nice talk.

After going through BOC's video collection on YouTube, most of their videos suck. Burnin for You was a song for the MTV generation, but even that video sucks. Here's BOC performing Don't Fear the Reaper Live.


DON'T FEAR THE REAPER
Blue Oyster Cult

*Thought*  Comment


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