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Rated: GC · Book · Personal · #1051691
It's about adventure! Life, Scouting, Family, writing what else is there?
WELCOME TO:

GEMINI RISING

Banner for my blog, "Gemini Rising"


*Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1*

UPDATED INTRO 25 OCT 2021:
Just a little about me. I've been married for 30 years in NOV this year!! and currently live in Southern California, but I grew up in New Hampshire.

I've got 2 boys in their teens.

I work as a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. I enjoy my job a lot.

I love to write, but since I've been so involved with the Boy Scouts program since 2015 (now Scouts BSA since girls were invited to come on board) I haven't written much. I hope to get back to more writing soon, as I'm scaling back my BSA commitment. Update on this: I was able to get out 2 stories that were previously published. The update/publishing is going slow.

I like to get out in nature, take walks around Castaic Lake, drink coffee and watch football.

Here's a little bi 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.

*Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1*


This is me. I am a Gemini. Pure, Raw, passionate.

The NEW focus of this blog is to share my adventures, book reviews, thoughts, opinions, and writing adventures from actual writing, writing/editing tips, marketing, research. I'll get there.

Another Signature

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

Previous GRATITIOUS Warning, that I decided to keep in case I post about something that might offend.

*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..."

Previous ... 3 4 5 6 -7- 8 9 10 11 12 ... Next
July 15, 2017 at 2:49pm
July 15, 2017 at 2:49pm
#915453
Popping in for a bit to share some adventures from the Strawberry Festival. It was held back in May, I want to say 20-21, but it's always the 3rd weekend of May. It's been a while, but I love to go every year. It's held in Oxnard, CA and every year the event keeps getting bigger. I remember the first year I went, (I want to say around 2004? 2005?) the arts and crafts were held on the grass at Oxnard College but now they shut down the adjacent street and hold the arts and crafts there. My, how things have changed!


This weekend the weather was great. It wasn't too hot, but then we went after work. We got there around 430 pm and closed the place down at 6. Tip: Go later on in the day. It wasn't as crowded during this time as it usually is, (as we've gone earlier in the past) and it was a lot cooler.


There are a ton of food booths. Of course, I'm a sucker for the garlic fries, but we got calamari and I split a Philly cheese steak with Andrew. Joe is picky so I'm sure we got him chicken nuggets. They also sell Strawberry nachos, Strawberry beer, and Strawberry tacos.

One of the first things we do when we get to the festival is buy Smoothies. Then we walked through the arts and craft area. Andrew and I picked up some fufu olive oils. After that we went to get something to eat. Joe went and jumped on the jumpers while Andrew and I ate.


One of the last things we do is buy chocolate strawberries, a poster, and a box of Strawberries. Every year the strawberries are always fresh and tasty. You never get a bad strawberry at the festival. They have shortcake making contests, too but never manage to find the time to go. Unfortunately, due to time, I missed visiting "Strawberry Shortcake" this year.


Sorry I'm late sharing my Strawberry adventures. If you'd up for a little Christmas in July check out my Christmas story, Mr. Christmas Elf. (I have a short here on WDC that inspired this 99 cent published short.) It will be going away at the end of August. Now is the time to get it! *BigSmile*

BLURB:

Jules' Christmas list is looking pretty pathetic. She needs a new muffler for her car and a hundred dollars for her root canal. Her niece is asking for an iPad, but all Jules can afford is a Barbie doll. The peppermint on the top? Her boyfriend dumps her in a text message.

Jules could use a little Christmas magic, so when Elvis pops up claiming that he was sent by Santa to fill her Christmas list, all she has to do is believe – in the magic the season has to offer.

AMAZON BUY LINK: http://a.co/3usLDDt

*NoteY* If you'd like to see this post with pictures you can visit my Romance Under the Moonlight Blog at: http://sgcardin.blogspot.com
July 14, 2017 at 5:07pm
July 14, 2017 at 5:07pm
#915394
While I enjoy blogging, it's been incredibly frustrating these past couple of months/years to find the time to blog. I'm a very busy girl in real life. I work as a 911 dispatcher for LAPD, and I'm big into Scouting. I have 2 boys, 15 and 10, and I'm the Cubmaster of their old cub pack. When I'm not doing either of those things, I'm doing housework or sleeping. It's been really hard for me to find time to write and I have 2 short stories I'm working on.

As a side note, Victory Tales Press, the publisher for my 99 cent stories is going out of business. All stories are coming down as of 1 SEP. The stories have been well received and I need to FIND THE TIME to work the publisher to get my rights and self publish. Another challenge. GRATUITOUS PLUG: If you like short story romance, sweet and some mainstream, now is the time to buy!!

You can find my stories on Amazon, B&N, Smashwords and Kobo from now until 31 AUG:
NIGHT OF MAGIC
JOURNEY OF THE HEART
ARROW THROUGH THE HEART
MR CHRISTMAS ELF
FEAST OF CANDLES
CHRISTMAS IN BAYEUX.

BUY NOW!! *Laugh* *BigSmile* *Dollar* *Dollar**Dollar*

**********

So I co-host the
FORUM
The Bard's Hall Contest  (13+)
MARCH on with an Acrostic poem!
#981150 by StephBee
with Ԝ€ß☆ԜiʈCH who is absolutely the BEST in the world and we just judged the Bard's Hall Contest. I have always loved judging the Blog contest, but it is a bit more time involved than regular entries because you have to go through the blogs and spend some time with them. You have to show them some love if you're a judge. Visiting these blogs reminded me how much I've always loved blogging and I said, "Steph, I gotta back to that."

*******

So I visited my blog and decided to show it some love. I think I need to start with updating my INTRODUCTION. It's an introduction, it's got a graphic, and I'd like to think it sets tone/mood/theme, but I've changed over the years and I need to switch up my Introduction. I'll be working on that in the upcoming days. The title won't change, because I'm still a Gemini and us Gemini are busy multi-tasking bee's but, I'll working on softening things up a little.

******
Also, I just got back from VACAY for 4 weeks and I was CAMPING. *Laugh* I've been to the Redwoods, Tahoe, Sequoias, and Boy Scout camp. I also caught up on my reading, which I was happy to do.


MY CAMPING READING LIST:

The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan
When you give a Duke a Diamond by Shana Galen
Smokin 17 by Janet Evanovich
Explosive 18 by Janet Evanovich.

It felt good to a read a ROMANCE again!

*********

Okay, so I hope to update my blog in the next couple of days and share my camping adventures with you, my son's scouting adventures, heck even my scouting adventures, and hopefully, if I get a chance to write something, that too.

*BigSmile* to all!
Steph B


June 9, 2017 at 1:33pm
June 9, 2017 at 1:33pm
#912843
Okay, it's been a while since I wrote. I admit it, I've been wicked busy!!

I'm trying to catch up with things and thankfully I have a few minutes. I'll try to tackle the fun stuff, but I promise the order won't make any sense.

BIRTHDAY
I celebrated another birthday on 6 JUN. And I'm not afraid to admit it: I'm 49. Even though I worked, my co-workers showered me with birthday love. I celebrated with a trip to Kabuki and last night I saw Wonder Woman - AWESOME MOVIE and then dinner at Buca diBeppo.

VACATION
So, I work as a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. It's an okay job. I don't dislike it, but dealing with the callers can be mentally draining. All I can say is please only call 911 if you have a real emergency. Everything else you can call the non emergency line in your area.

Anyhoo...looking forward to vacation. It starts on 11 JUN. My husband has planned for us to go camping all over California. 1st stop is Jedadiah Smith State Park near Crescent City to see the Redwoods. We'll be there for a week and then we're off to Tahoe for a week and then the Sierra's for a week. I think we'll be home around the 1st of July. 6-9 JUL I'll be a boy scout camp with my young son. My older son is going to Camp Emerald Bay on Catalina Island to be a counselor in training. It will be a great experience for him and I'll definitely miss him. My older son is my mini-me.

We went to Jedadiah Smith park last year. They have a ton of redwoods there. It's a nice place to visit.

READING
Just finished "The Handmaid's Tale." -- Good characterization, a bit skimpy on the world building, but disturbing to consider.
Currently working on Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard book 1. I have a ton of book reviews to drop. I managed to post reviews for The Lost Oracle which is by Rick Riodrian, but I have 3 more to do.

SCOUTING

I'm the Cubmaster of Pack 40 here in Santa Clarita. We just finished our "year." All my scouts advanced and we're starting our summertime program. We have about 55 scouts in the pack. Today we're off to Sky High Sports for some jumping and tomorrow is a hike.

My 2 boys are in boy scouts though. It's a long story. This past spring we've done a ton of camping and working on merit badges. My youngest boy has ADHD and can be quite a handful, but he did earn 4 merit badges- quite an accomplishment for him.

TV
Heck, I don't have time to watch TV. I usually History. I like American Pickers and Pawn Stars. I like the show Timeless and was glad to see it was renewed.

WRITING

I haven't written anything since "A Princess is Always Right" which came out in SEP 2015, I believe. I am working on 2 stories: One is a sweet paranormal romance involving a ghost called "Legend of the Lighthouse." it's about 1/2 done so I'm hoping to finish it on Vacation. The other is a more mainstream romance that takes place at Christmas time called "Water Lillies in Winter" and that's about 1/3 done so I hope to do some work on it while I'm on vacation. The rights to publish "The Green Rose" came back to me, so I was hoping to re-read and expand upon the world -- my goal is to dive deeper into the world building and the characters of the Green Rose. I'd like to tackle some of that while I'm vacation, too. We'll see how far I get. Since I got so involved with cub scouts, it's been hard to find the time to write.

I do write a poem or a 2K short on occasion to keep the skills up, but it's frustrating when I want to finish the stories I've already started.

BARD'S HALL

I cannot believe the Bard's Hall Contest
FORUM
The Bard's Hall Contest  (13+)
MARCH on with an Acrostic poem!
#981150 by StephBee
is 12 years old this month! I want to give a SHOUT OUT to Ԝ€ß☆ԜiʈCH for helping run the Bard's Hall. Without Gigie, the Hall would not have run this long and I really appreciate all she's done for keeping it and ME afloat. If you have a chance, swing on by and enter your blog in the annual blogging contest. *Smile*

To finish: Here's a list of 5 Vacation spots I'd love to go that I haven't been and 5 spots I've gone to and want to go back:

5 VACATION SPOTS I'D LOVE TO VISIT AND HAVEN'T:

1. London, England
2. Anywhere in Canada
3. Any Great Lake
4. St. Petersburg, Russia
5. Washington, DC

5 VACATION SPOTS I"D LOVE TO GO BACK TO:

1. Catalina Island, Avalon on the 4th of July
2. Sturbridge Village, MA -- cos I want my kids to see it
3. Boston, MA - cos I want my kids to see it
4. Paris, France
5. Anywhere in Germany, Berlin, Bavaria, Berchesgarten, Garmish, anywhere
January 11, 2017 at 2:01am
January 11, 2017 at 2:01am
#901883
THE BLURB:
The Giving Meadow is about a caterpillar who hatches from his egg in the middle of a meadow. As he travels through the meadow, he meets new friends who learn the value of sharing.

Today, I thought I'd share a little bit about the inspiration behind the story.

I go to Blessed Kateri Catholic Church (in Santa Clarita, CA) and from 2005-2012 I was involved in our "Little Church." Every year I helped to write the Easter play for the children. In 2009, "The Giving Meadow" was our Easter play.

I wrote it, I showed Vivian at 4RV. She's also a moderator at Writing.com and I wanted her feedback on the story. She offered it a contract! I was tickled pink. It was a nice, unexpected surprise. I can't thank Vivian (Gilbert Zabel, publisher, 4RV Publishing) for believing in the story and wanting to bring it to life.

"The Giving Meadow" is wonderfully illustrated by Stephen Macquignon. Stephen primarily works in the medium of pen and ink and color digitally. He has had the privilege to work with Director Michael Sporn of Michael Sporn Animation Inc. He is also a monthly contributor for Stories for Children's magazine.

Stephen's children's books with 4RV Publishing include Angeline Jellybean by Crystalee Calderwood and Colors by Dana Warren.

REVIEWS:

5 Stars, Midwest Book Review: "Colorful illustrations add just the right touch to this gentle heartwarming story about the transformative power of sharing."

5 Stars, N.A. Sharpe, Amazon Reviewer: "This heartwarming tale teaches life lessons of friendship, selflessness and sharing, caring, and kindness. Ms. Burkhart's charming tale is one little ones will want to hear over and over again and they will be enchanted by the adorable illustrations from the talented illustrator, Stephen Macquignon."

5 Stars, Connie Arnold, Amazon Reviewer: "This is a good book for helping young children learn about how caterpillars change as well as a gentle lesson about sharing and caring."

BUY LINKS:

AMAZON:https://amzn.com/B00J3FBY9Y

BARNES AND NOBLE:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-giving-meadow-stephanie-burkhart/1022481362?ean=9780982588697

4RV PUBLISHING:http://www.4rvpublishingcatalog.com/burkhart.php

STEPHANIE ON THE WEB:

BLOG:
http://sgcardin.blogspot.com

WEBSITE:
http://sgcardin.tripod.com

FACEBOOK:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1357922219

TWITTER:
http://twitter.com/StephBurkhart

STEPHANIE ON AMAZON:
http://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Burkhart/e/B003R00R5I/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_1

STEPHEN ON THE WEB:

BLOG:
http://stephen-sketch2color.blogspot.com/

WEBSITE
http://www.jacketflap.com/StephenM

STEPHEN ON AMAZON:



http://www.amazon.com/Stephen-Macquignon/e/B003K7NUVG/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0



Book Cover for Be Mused featuring my short story


A pic of me taken 2 years ago.
Logo for Writing.Com Moderators - small.



January 8, 2017 at 4:29am
January 8, 2017 at 4:29am
#901600
Book Review for: The Fate of the Tearling
Written by: Erika Johansen
Harper Collins Publishers
ISBN: 978-0-06-229042-7

I read: the hardback

5 Stars

Epic!!

Johansen pens a stunning conclusion to the Tearling series
with “The Fate of the Tearling.” Set in a dystopian future, the
Tearling is being attacked from all sides. Mortmesne threatens
invasion, the Arvath has hired mercenaries, and the Orphan
sets his vampiric children on an unsuspecting populace.

Kelsea Glynn, The Queen of the Tearling, finds herself in a
Mortmesne dungeon unable to protect her people from danger.
The Mace, her regent, is torn between saving her and protecting
the Tearling. A surprise alley, Evenly Raleigh, seeks out
Kelsea to bring peace to the Tearling and Mortmesne as the
Orphan grows in power.

As in “Invasion of the Tearling,” Kelsea continues to have
fugues due to the influence of her sapphires. This time she
discovers Katie Rice’s story and learns how Katie’s past has
helped to shape Kelsea’s Tearling. Secret after secret unravels
leaving Kelsea to reconcile past, present, and future. Can
Kelsea save the Tearling, or will her future crumble between
her fingers?

Johansen pens a thrilling end to the Tearling series. Her
writing style is easy to read. Plot, pacing, and
characterization are well balanced. Johansen’s ability to
make the Queen of Mortmesne a sympathetic character, and
the Orphan deliciously evil, deliver an excellent read. The
ending was hopeful, despite Kelsea’s personal losses, and I
thought the story came full circle as Carlin, who was such
an influential and haunting presence in Kelsea’s life, reached out
to Kelsea in the end.

I simply couldn’t put this book down. “The Fate of the
Tearling” will leave the reader breathless with every chapter
that is devoured.
July 14, 2016 at 8:35am
July 14, 2016 at 8:35am
#887380
I first heard about the Paleo diet in DEC 2014, and it sounded like it was something I could do. I like meat, fish, veggies and fruit, but eating Paleo isn't just about the food. It's a lifestyle change that makes a lot of sense to me.

The whole concept behind Paleo is that our bodies were designed to eat food which were consumed by early humans (aka cavemen). They include fruits, veggies, meats, seafood, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats including coconut, avocado, and olive oil.

The modern diet includes processed foods like grains, dairy, alcohol and starches. Our newfound diet is a result of our advances in agriculture. These foods should be avoided as our gut often finds them challenging to digest.

And there lies the issues! While modern foods are digestible, they don't help us out much. Our intestines (aka gut) have to work that much harder to break down the food and digest them.

When I'm good with my paleo menu, I notice a lot less bloating. I hate bloating, especially at this age. Keep in mind bloating is a sign of inflammation which is telling you that your gut is having a hard time digesting your food.

Finding foods and variety can be a challenge on modern schedules. Trust me, I'm on the go from 330 am to bedtime which is 8 pm. A good rule of thumb is the 85/15 % rule. Try to shoot for 85% of your diet to be paleo, 15% non paleo. This is a good way to transition to the diet too.

I try to keep the menu simple. B-Fast is usually Greek yogurt, bananas, or oatmeal. Lunch is meat and veggies, snacks: carrots, grapes and celery, and dinner is meat and veggies. I also drink water throughout the day. Paleo is a challenge for me because of my schedule, but I keep trying. There's so much to get into but not enough space.

Question: Does anyone have any thoughts about eating Paleo they'd like to share?
July 5, 2016 at 7:05am
July 5, 2016 at 7:05am
#886526
NOTE: Just sharing what's on my main blog with you all, a promo for my 99 cent story you can find on Amazon, Mr. Christmas Elf.

NOTE: Today is a busy day for me. I'm working today. Won't get home until 3-3:15. I have to pick up my older son at his 1st HS Freshman volleyball camp, take my younger son, Joe, for OT at 4 and then Joe has a speech eval at 5. When I get home, it's time to feed the kids and finish up reviewing blogs for my Bard's Hall Contest.

Tomorrow I'm off!! Yay!! Hope to post Bard's Hall's winners then and then pack for Webelos Resident Camp. I'm taking my son, Joe there and we won't be back in Saturday. I'm pooped allready. Enjoy this bit about Mr. Christmas Elf!

*****

Enjoy a little Christmas in July with Mr. Christmas Elf! Only 99 cents.

Book Cover for my 99 cent Christmas romance. Sweet


BLURB:
Jules' Christmas list is looking pretty pathetic. She needs a new muffler for her car and a hundred dollars for her root canal. Her niece is asking for an iPad, but all Jules can afford is a Barbie doll. The peppermint on the top? Her boyfriend dumps her in a text message.

Jules could use a little Christmas magic, so when Elvis pops up claiming that he was sent by Santa to fill her Christmas list, all she has to do is believe – in the magic the season has to offer.

ENJOY THIS EXCERPT:

Dad kissed me goodbye on my way out the door to catch the bus. Cold air chafed against my cheeks. Snow fell slowly in big fat flakes from puffy gray clouds. They took forever to melt against the glass. At least we were going to have a white Christmas.

The bus slid up to the stop near the coffee shop. I hustled out the door and rushed toward the store, noticing a guy reading the letters to Santa in the window. There were five minutes 'til opening. I didn't want to disappoint Joe again by being late, so I broke into a trot – and slipped on a hunk of ice. The sidewalk was coming up fast, but I fell into the arms of the letter reader.


He smiled one of the most adorable smiles I've ever seen and a cute little dimple popped out in his cheek. "You smell like peppermint," he said.

I opened my mouth, stammered like an idiot, and shut up. Mr. Dimple held me close. I didn't want to move. He owned a very solid body, with unkempt, curly, sandy blond hair that covered his ears and ice blue eyes that pierced my soul. I melted like a snowman in June.

"I'm Elvis."

"Hi, Elvis." I managed to squeak.

He chuckled and helped me to firm footing on the ground. "And you are?"

"Julie Erwin, but everyone calls me Jules."

"So, you're the one with the depressing Christmas list."

"Hey, I can't believe you're insulting me and we just met."

BUY LINKS:

AMAZON:
https://amzn.com/B01CLM0PIG

BARNES AND NOBLE:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mr-christmas-elf-stephanie-burkhart/1123503128?e...

KOBO:
https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/mr-christmas-elf

SMASHWORDS:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/620517
July 4, 2016 at 12:48pm
July 4, 2016 at 12:48pm
#886466
Wow! It's been a year since I poped in here. That's really a disgustingly long time isn't it?


UPDATE: Can't wait for Big Brother this year. Or has it started and I missed it? Damn real life!

I am still writing that story about the Lighthouse. I have no time in real life. I am getting closer to the ending though. Just need to find some time to do some typing and then I can do some writing. Sigh...

Well, it's the 4th.

Fireworks
I'm taking the boys to Hurricane Harbor to cool down. Last night we saw fireworks at Magic Mountain.

It's nice to have the holiday off so I can hang out on WDC for a bit. I love this place and miss it when I can't visit as frequently as I would like. I need to get going on my Angel Army forum for August for the Angel Army birthday. I have idea but now I have to apply it and work on creating my forum. but FIRST I need to finish judging my blog contest for the Bard's Hall. Hopefully I can put a dent in that today.

That said... enjoy these Fun Facts on the 4th of the July:


The United States is turning 240 years old this year! That's amazing. Here are some really cool facts about our nation and the 4th of July:


John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, 2 of our founding fathers, died on the same day - 4th July 1826. 50 years after the Declaration of Independence.

200 copies of the Declaration of Independence were drafted, but only 27 are accounted for.

Congress declared the 4th of July an official holiday - in 1870!

The Star Spangled Banner was inspired by the War of 1812. A poem put to music, it became the USA's official national anthem in 1931.

President Calvin Coolidge was born on the 4th of July - in 1872!


Benjamin Franklin was 70 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence.

Really?? 87% of American flags are made in China.

The Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper.

It's all about the Fireworks!
The 4th wouldn't be the 4th without fireworks. 97% of fireworks in the USA come from China.

My favorite place to celebrate the 4th of July is on Catalina Island. I love watching the fireworks explode over the bay. I also like seeing the golf cart parade. There's always a lot of variety. The USC marching band opens up the parade and plays in the casino in the evening. There's plenty of time to BBQ, too!

And the 4th wouldn't be the 4th without my Old Navy Flag Shirt.

The 4th is a fun holiday to celebrate the birth of a nation, but let's not forget how unique it is.


"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Have a great 4th and thanks for stopping by!


Question: What do you do to make the 4th special for you?

PS Follow my author facebook page at:https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor/
July 24, 2015 at 10:43am
July 24, 2015 at 10:43am
#855281
So I let another couple of days go by without writing and I'll be honest It's a busy week.

I don't even know where to start. News, Life, Work, I'm writing again, Big Brother.,,,! *Bigsmile*

#1 News
Fresh in my mind is the shooting in Louisiana. My thoughts and prayers go for those involved. News can be really depressing at times. Then there's the traffic stop in Texas where the lady is found hanging in her jail cell. That was a true tragedy all around. I work as a 911 dispatcher and let me tell you I heard it all. When I tell people I'm a 911 dispatcher they say, that must be a very stressful job. Can you tell me a story? I'll tell a story and they flinch and I've come to realize that most people really don't want to hear my 911 stories because they simply don't have the "stomach" too. It's all right. Not everyone can do my job. It is stressful and requires a high skill of multi tasking. Anyhoo...I've stopped telling stories. My point being...just about every aspect of police work is 'unpleasant.' Dealing with crime, civil disputes, and the mentally ill is challenging and it's a job we put faith and trust in to the police and even they have breaking points.

#2 Life
Busy, Busy, Busy. And too boot, I have to work a double shift today because we are so short. Sigh... My day off was Weds and I spent the day busy. In the morning it was tidy up the kitchen, sweep, mop and fold laundry. Then it was a Costo run, grocery store run, JC penny run, bath and body run, bought new birkenstocks, and took the boys to see Ant Man. I picked up patrol shirts for my cub scout den and took Joe to swim lessons. I'm pooped.

Writing.
I'm writing again!! This is a short story for the Victory Tales Press Paranormal/Autumn Anthology. It's about a lighthouse in Maine with a ghost. lol!! It feels good to write again. I just wish I had more time for it. You can also check out my Invisible Story for the Dialogue 500 here on WDC I recently wrote.

Big Brother
The boys and I like watching Big Brother. I can say I have a favorite player but I like the Liz/Julia twin twist and I loved Gronk's party week. Gronk was a big partier. The WackStreet Boys was pretty funny too. Jason is a hoot.

Who else enjoys watching Big Brother?



Book Cover for Be Mused featuring my short story


A pic of me taken 2 years ago.
Logo for Writing.Com Moderators - small.



July 17, 2015 at 4:10pm
July 17, 2015 at 4:10pm
#854633
Okay, I let a few days go by before I wrote again so I allow for something to happen.
#1 - We got some interesting pictures of Pluto. As far as I'm concerned, Pluto is a planet. Period. Give the little guy some respect. Can't wait to see more awesome pics of the planet.

#2 Scott Walker through his hat in the ring for President. Me? I try not to discuss politics because it's such hotbed of dissention. I'll tell you this: I'm a Reagan Democrat. I lean left, I lean right. I'm not an easy fit into Republican or Democrat. Let's leave it at that. I think the upcoming presidential race will be very interesting.

#3 Chattanooga, TN. My heart goes out to the marines' families.

#4 I saw a headline on Yahoo News were a 20 yr old was given 90K trust for college from her grandparents and she blew right through it. Now she owes 20K and has no idea no to pay it. When it was suggested she get a job, she scoffed at the idea. She finally broke down and asked her parents for a loan. They said no and they further said that unless she got a job they wouldn't co sign for a loan either. Finally, after 4 days, she reluctantly admitted she would have to find a job. Amazing!! I knew at the tender age of 14 that I would need to get a job and that I wasn't entitled to anything but what I earned. I've held jobs since I was 15. I'm 47 now.

#5 My sensory son is doing good in swim lessons and enjoying himself.

#6 I'm reading "Queen of the Tearling." AWESOME book!! It's the best book I've read in a while. *Smile*


The Pelican, cont...

The kid laughed as the pelican gagged on some flaming hot Cheetos. I shook my head in disgust. The kid must have been about three or four. Glancing over, I spied his family sitting around the picnic table stuffing their faces with freshly grilled steaks and corn.

The pelican trashed his head, squawked, and spit the mass of Cheetos on the ground. The kid stomped his feet, thrust his hand into the bag and threw a handful of fresh, hot Cheetos at the pelican. The bird stared at the boy and flapped his wings.

The kid stomped his feet. Again. Then he pointed to the Cheetos. The Pelican took one step forward, bent over, then stood. He shook his head and squawked. Guess he didn't like them. Too hot? Or greasy? Or both?

The kid pointed to the pelican, then to himself, then dipped his hand in the bag and shoved a handful of Cheetos into his mouth. His cheeks puffed out like golf balls. He chomped and chewed and a little bit of spittle dribbled out of the corner of his mouth. When he finished, the boy smiled and pointed at the Cheetos at the ground. "Eat!"


I wrote something this week!! Check it out:
 Invisible   (ASR)
A conversation between a man and his mirror.
#2049070 by StephBee

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