Porthole

March First

31 degrees just before midnight.

Apparently they reneged on that 'promise' of 50 degrees this week. Fickle is all I can say, fickle.

Fish-shiitake soup ... nice mix.

Finished February contests in time but I gave up on 3 or 4.

This month is 30dbc, 8 entries for JI, and as many contests as I can stomach. We'll see. I also need to put my focus elsewhere.

2:22 a.m. Too tired to think, but I check my email anyways.

Nice way to begin March, 1st place.

STATIC

Crone and Sage [349]  (E) Old age isn't always a barrier to love #2244624 by Kåre เลียม Enga

Before 9 a.m. sunny and 22 degrees.

So bright... I may have to stay vertical.

In my inbox, 3rd place:

STATIC

In search of Iris  (ASR) "Yet golden-eyed in a dark blue dress, she squats in soft grass bereft." 12 lines rhyme. #1233286 by Kåre เลียม Enga

43 degrees and a tad too shiny at 3 p.m.

I did not win or place in one of the contests I entered. Which is fine. That's why the "Second Time Around ~ Birthday Special"  is so great. Round 20 opens March 15th. The clue to winning is choosing a strong poem/prose that did not place (honorable mention is okay; in fact, a great choice) or one that got rave reviews but didn't win, place, show. I won grand prize this past time and that's special imo. Hint: enter as many contests as you can; rejections should be expected; sometimes a writing isn't quite the judges cup of tea. But ... there are other contests.

So far for February (some were due on the 14th) 2 1st place; 2 3rd place; 4 dnp (did not place). So ... 8 of 16 resolved.

I walked to campus today and went into the UCC. Very few people there. Didn't see anyone I knew. The crown-of-thorns was blooming and the humungous fiddle leaf fig looked tip-top.

On the way back I looked for signs of spring. Saw tips of crocus and daffodils so there's hope.

44 degrees at 4 p.m. Time to open a window.

Later now, ate, window still open. I may be able to leave it open a crack tonight.

Book unnerved me. I think the fight scene triggered anxiety. I may need to factor that in before my next choice. I'm on page 114 of 214.


This week's agonizing goals:

Finish one book, start another. Kung Fu Avengers done, reading The Midwife's Tale.
Contact family.
Clean, because I don't want to.
Plan a trip. Found cheap flights: BKK,BOG 700, OSL 800, EZE 900, HND 1000.
Focus on Journalistic Intentions entries in my travel-log. Set up in "On The Write Path" 

March contests:

2nd Banana pancakes "Invalid Item"  Poem by mistake "Green pancakes [360]" , story "Sunday mornings, 1960 493 words [360b] " 
2nd 40 free verse by Mar 14 for "Shadows and Light Poetry Contest"  "I lean" 
Journalistic Intentions by March 15 in tlog. Pvt: "JI prompts for February by 3/2" 

1 "Takk for alt (When We Dead Awaken) [JI#1]" 
2 "Bread of Life (The Gluten Lie) [JI#2]" 
3 "Immigrant song [JI#3]" 
4 "And Bobo makes three (Invention of love) [JI#4]" 
5 "Shape of water [JI#5]" 
6 "Invisible lines (Battlefield Earth) [JI#6]" 
7 "Battle of Angels [JI#7]" 
8 "On the beach [JI#8]" 

DNP for "Stormy's poetry newsletter & contest"  in "Solo for moon and water" 
3rd Trad by 20th for "Poetic Traditions Poetry Contest "  "Plain cover jacket" 
Round 26 poem for ""Like a Song" Poetry Contest" 
SS pets for "The PET NEWS CONTEST" 
2 Limericks for "CLOSED - Lucky Limerick Contest" 
SS 500 dialogue Ides of March for "The Dialogue 500" 
4th Sharmelle's "Poetry Topic of the Month Contest"  #1 "Rain and tornadoes by March 31"  "Trailer Home in Teresita, 2004" 
DNP Sharmelle #2 "Shores of Lake Erie in Summer" 
Loot of the vamps "Invalid Item"  "Sally of the leeches 505 words"  "Dr. Hirudo, Therapist" 
Oriental Tanh-bauk "Invalid Item" 
Pantoum by 30th "Invalid Item" 
DNP Taboo "The Taboo Words Contest ~ On Hiatus"  SHAPES IN THE CLOUDS: white,fluffy,floating,rain,sun "Opera at midnight" 
Fantasy "Invalid Item"  snakes and leprecauns
Bard's Hall "The Bard's Hall Contest"  invisible conversation
HM for Verdent sweetbriar "Verdant Poetry Contest"  "Rainbows after the storm [19]"  "Rainbows after the storm " 
"Writing 4 Kids"  “Time’s fun when you’re eating flies.” – Kermit the Frog
DNP "Senior Center Forum"  "On Naw Ruz " 
WDC Short Shots "Short Shots: Official WDC Contest"  "Strawberry [12]"  "Strawberry" 

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