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 |   A terminal for all blogs coming in or going out. A view into my life. |
Started July 1st 2019 for contests, etc. as other blogs are filling up and have other purposes.  I'm starting a new blog because
I'll be linking to
I've started an appendix (I no longer have one personally) to keep track of my Space Cadet journals for Space Blog. It's a work constantly under construction. Mind the mess.
I needed to start a folder for contests as there are so many deadlines and details to remember.
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| O-2 46 cool crisp degrees at 7:47. I had to use the toilet and looked out the window. Peach puffs over Jumbo. I rarely seen the dawn. I sat by the window and took notes. I'm dealing with wax in my ears again and maybe dry scalp. I wonder whether or not this is seasonal. Anyhoo... I'm up. Convo at YCC: Kåre Enga > Moonlightcowboy • Calling Julia... she says Martin is still sleeping. I don't trust either... Could we get to the dreaded M storm? Moonlightcowboy > Kåre Enga • They’re all plum dreadful. Kåre Enga > Moonlightcowboy • Karl just kalled, wants to have a word with you... K has been relatively kwiet since Katrina... is it time? Seriously though, fishy fish can be beautiful. It's when land and humans get in the way that there are problems. It's almost 10. Time to do... something? Noon: so I took a shower and boiled and ate two hot dogs (with honey and yellow mustard). "Half of what I say is meaningless But I say it just to reach you, Julia Julia, Julia Ocean child calls me So I sing the song of love Julia Julia, seashell eyes Windy smile calls me So I sing the song of love Julia" Lyrics written and sung by John lennon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_(Beatles_song) (Eclipse Ep 8.1 07:59) Ayan to Akk: "Your face is warm, like a warm cup of coffee." KE: Your face, so warm, like a warm cup of coffee, invites me to sip the elixir of the morning, to kiss the break of day. Rewatched Eclipse and ViceVersa through Reactions by Javi (who lives in Orlando). It's only 9-ish and I'm  ... 56 outside. I keep the window open this time of year and a pot filled with water on the radiator.Earlier... was able to give 5 cans of food and two jars of pasta to Billie Joe. I think she still has meat. Hoping that Angie comes up with something by Thursday. Missing a nose-pad for one pair of my glasses. I looked but will need to get down on my hands and knees tomorrow. Thankfully I have two pair. Must pack masks. Laxmi has to wear one on her flight to Barcelona. O-1 It's after midnight... so...  oktober  .There are 5 farmers-market Saturdays in October... then it's over. I'll be able to go to the last one. Each day however = goodbye. 52 degrees at 10-ish. 40s in the forecast (for daily lows), no 80s. Autumn has arrived and our boilers are on (which means my window is open). I've regained weight, but I'll lose it when I travel. Cherry pastry $4. Honey pears (and a seckel) $4/lb. Got a bottle of watermelon-rhubarb kombucha. $3 Told everyone about trip to Thailand. Tootie recommends mango sticky rice. So I must. FB: Margaret recommends a massage. So I must. Scarlett's daughter-in-law is from Si Sa Ket in Isan. Slowly I get information, advice and support. Lundy wants to see me gone... but that's because he has seen how important traveling is for me. Pastry+milkshake = sugar high? Anyway, need to go home and eat. I have lots to eat. Home before the rain. Crossed the bridge. They are putting up the railings protecting pedestrians from falling into the river. They still have street lamps to install, but the progress is noticeable and welcome. Light rain and light breeze, 60 degrees (today's high?) at 5 pm. It will be a cool clear week. Lovely weather forecast. Montana defeats Idaho State 28-20 in spite of costly mistakes. ⌛ Finished ViceVersa 12 epidodes. Choose between work or love? Always choose love... in whatever universe you find yourself in, forever and ever, amen. For Steven and his contest: "Promote the contest at least every week and have fun with the prompt. You can do better than this: 1. Your seasons are mixed up and you're dressed like an egg or a bunny. You're a guest at the Penguin Palace... Down Under. Your host announces that there will be omelettes for breakfast and rabbit stew for supper. 2. Your birthday is the 24th or 25th of December and you're tired of sharing YOUR day with another, or worse it's the 26th and your name is Stefan. You're no martyr and tell everyone you're celebrating it this year at the end of October. But, alack, that weekend is booked at Beezlebub's Brew and the only date open is Monday evening, the 31st. You are warned that, like Cinderella, the party must end by midnight. 3. There was a witch sitting in the window. She looked lonely. You bought her and took her home. You were lonely too and spoke to her the whole month of October. She seemed to be a good listener, almost as if she could hear you. She was becoming more real every day. 4. Orange is not your color you remind me. Not neon, not sunset, not peach and most of all never pumpkin. It gives you nightmares. But I'm your therapist... I need to know why. 5. You love to bake and it's big-squash season. Which one will be sacrificed for supper? Will its friends hear of your plot before its too late? Do you suspect Buttercup, Butternut or Hubbard of betrayal? You haven't seen Acorn in awhile... These ideas are all available for anyone to "borrow".  Really.  "S30 44 degrees and cloudy this morning. It won't get warm. AQI is 11. Which is as good as it gets here. I need to rewatch Eclipse Ep. 8 1/4 as there's dialogue that would make a great prompt. I will buy groceries today. Need to recheck sales before I go. My mind isn't holding on to recent thoughts/memories.  Saw Laxmi. She's going to Barcelona and will be gone this October. I'll see her in December. Sat with Jamie. Her first question, "Did you buy your tickets." She's leaving next Friday for Tennessee. I'll see her before I leave. Plaques will be up on the 10th for the bridge commemoration. Saw them today. Extra lunch. I got vegetarian. Spoke with the Indian cook. Groceries: hot dogs on sale. Got ground pork. Frozen Mists: Chill crept into my bones, fingers first, toes next, ears and nose reddened and ready to fall off. The hills were dun colored, the valley a dull gold. Everything seen as if through dirty glass, darkly. The day mirrored my thoughts. The ones that niggled at the base of my neck, reminding me that I had forgotten something... something... September was dying across the land. Oktober was grinning. Old Man. Needs to be put down... "Not till November" he whispered back. The voice in my head faded out. Like so many thoughts... just beyond my reach on the other side of a dusty mirror that reflected nothing back. Echo? Nothing that the fog hadn't heard before and refused to pass on. Ideas frozen in time, stored in a locked box, key lost, where I put it — forgotten. The Mists of Tymes... that would be the title of my next work... if I could work it out. Ebola: Hug me till we die. Eclipse: You pass in front of my window to the world leaving me in shadow, a pale reflection seeking to warm you, warn you, like moonlight sifting though the pine on a cold January night. How long do I have to die in these shadows. My embers still glow but weaken. I crave the cold fire of your embrace, the stark sunlight caressing me face. Even zombies want to live again. To Tina: "I haven't been well. Other than my blog, my writing has been sidelined. I'll be back in October, but there's little reason for me to be here at WDC. If I could export my entire portfolio I would consider leaving. I go to Thailand in November. I will take pictures, write, send postcards. Few will notice, fewer will care. K." S29 It will stay cool 60s today with some rain and wind. 56 degrees at 9. Ian may be over Florida but it ain't over till it's over, Carolina. I'm awake but nursing my first coffee. No infused wisdom yet. Sat with Angie and Billie Jo. Shared melon and a peach. I told Angie how concerned I am about BJ and myself. I'm okay at the moment. Listening to calming music. Ate a pork sandwich. Sipping another coffee. I should cut back. May be contributing to the jitters.I chose my seats on Asiana: SEA-ICN 24C Aisle. It's a very long day flight with little to see until we fly over Japan. ICN-BKK 76D Aisle. 2nd tier, long flight after dark. Middle has 4 seats... if I get lucky... BKK-ICN 82A Window. 2nd tier, long flight after midnight. ICN-SEA 34H Aisle. Long 'sunset' flight. Upper cabin is quieter... they say. We'll see. I was very nervous because I didn't want to get assigned a seat. Usually I choose the aisle on long flights. Seat pitch is 32-33 on Airbus 350-900, 33 on 380-800. 18" shoulder. Inches matter. Seats may be hard, but Asiana is a classy airline. I wanted to fly ANA! The EVA flights were better, but I had stressed enough and decided to do what I did. I now have one month to straighten out other issues. Like... find my camera.   On YCC: "I don't know Miami nor the specific situation. However, as a born and bred Bills fan, I can vouch that the region responds to tragedy. Every so often we would get buried and blown away by a blizzard (Cat 1 winds with ice) and the community always came together. Very generous people. My specific group sent money to Darlington after Hugo. It wasn't much but it was personal." YCC re 'the cone': "An analogy is election polling. People want predictions to be 100% correct and depend on black/white distinctions. People crave certainty. But life is a myriad shades of grey. And sometimes 10% wins... like 10% of the time." Thailand: Holify e-sim; Bolt; ATMs use bank (bank hours?). S28th Iansday Following Ian. I suspect Patricia in Naples will be impacted, even if she left. Beautiful day here. I feel okay... but I'm not. Details at some future time. I bought a ticket to Thailand... not happy, but I have until tomorrow evening to cancel. I didn't buy seats... and that's an issue. Fortunately Asiana has legroom. S27 MattMo at YCC: Darwin smiles... 11 am here and 59 but warming. Will get hot. Felt good this morning. Kit'z Higher Ratings Contest - Second Place - August, 2022  "Oubliette" KohlRabi: "I was a keeper, they said. A real keeper, they said, as they put me in the Crisper and then forgot me." Very stressful trying to buy tickets. Time is running out and websites won't let me buy my preferred flights. I'm mourning by eating hummus. Feeling weak... must lay down in spite of it being too warm for a nap. Forgot it was Tuesday and my last chance for peaches... so out I went. Too late. They were sold out. Next year. I bought some small hard green pears. Just frustrated. I wanted to have this trip planned... maybe later tonight if I feel better. S26 At YaleClimateConnections re Hurricane Ian: HiWay: I fear the "now" culture and "prove it" culture may be problematic with this storm and getting people out of danger. Me: "Now" and "Prove it". Spoiled and skeptic, maybe ODD. I fear you may be right.  Montana 50 degrees at 9:09. Pleasant day forecast but my nerves still rattled. So I'll go to God's Waiting Room and see if I can work something out. Now? Shower and get ready for the day. I've had one cup  .Can't complete a sudoku = mental slipping. Sat with Kathy, Laxmi... Tried to work on flights... again... slippage. Fog eating = not good. 80 degrees at 5 pm. My take on Typhoon Noru: "Looks like it's a tad SW. DaNang would be on it's north and wet side. Mukdahan in Thailand is probably in its path. As is Suvannakhet, Laos. It should be in Suvannakhet early Thursday morning (Wednesday afternoon in the US). Forecast is strong south wind at 2 am. and strong NWN wind at 8 with a light breeze at 5 am." PeterTakesPictures @YCC: "Well this is all a bit too much for me, and I'm tired, so I'm off to bed. Hope I don't wake up to something super-grim and that surprise exclamations of "Dry air!" "Rapid weakening!" "Unexpected cold eddy current!" "Ian's mother-in-law's in Tampa and he's decided to head back out to sea!" greet me, or something. Still a few surprises left in this one, I'm sure." Speed Cubers: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/more-people-should-watch-this-surprisi... Leaving America: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-case-for-leaving-america-to-escape-racism/... LGBTQ: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/cuba-legalizes-same-sex-marriage-in-histori... Ukraine: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/top-diplomat-warns-russian-army-of-trojan-h... Racism: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/karens-and-beckys-put-on-the-spot-in-n... Theocracy: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/iranians-are-ready-for-a-different-approach... Inequity: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/what-i-want-brett-favre-to-know-about-poverty-... Pro Plastic?: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/why-bag-bans-are-nothing-but-absurd-virt... Julia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_(Beatles_song) LGBTQ & book bans: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/christian-woman-claiming-to-speak-for-god-and-... 6077 |
September 25  Drinking out of an orange "Social Worker" cup. Should give it to Angie. My cup emoji was facing the wrong way. I corrected it. I'm left-handed. Should start giving things away. I've thought about going through my canned food and offering duplicates to Billie Jo. I can pick up freebies in God's Waiting Room from time to time. How many cans of beans does one need at the end? (Later, I gave her three cans.) Everyone at YCC going nuts over Ian. He can't make up his mind and get his act together... Wannabe him-a-canes are sooooo fickle. There is other snews, but algorithms favor the hysterics of certain political buffoons. I have no legitimate reason to avoid my chores. I posted at YCC: "When we don't have him-a-canes, her-a-canes and them-a-canes swirling around the GOM bathtub I'll think of posting something about how disasters aren't just climate/weather driven. Poverty, politics, racism, xenophobia, urban-planning, zoning, education, ignorance... in other words PEOPLE create situations that are a major factor in who lives and who dies. BUT... plenty of folks here don't want to talk about that. However, when it calms down..." 66 degrees at 1:41, which is high noon in Missoula. Now after 10 pm. I haven't accomplished much. Nerves went and I'm still not doing too well. I'm having trouble doing Sudokus. Bills lost 19-21, dominated the game but made costly mistakes. It warmed up some, but now 57. I should try to stay awake for awhile.  24  44 degrees on a what will be a pleasant Homecoming day. Hot sugar-spice coffee in my Hawai'i cup this morn. I'm trying to get in the habit of using stuff. I have too much stuff. 8:27 ... need to fuel up before I go out. Need to write "Den Siste Hausten". I got yellow peaches and a chocolate-cinnamon milkshake. Bought a book placed in Cambodia. The slightest thing triggers my traumas. This isn't good. Part of me wants to crawl under a rock. But the day is bright and shiny and I can breathe well without the smoke. Ate spicy chicken. Montana won 53-16. Place is quiet. Wannabe him-a-cane Ian is spinning and Floridians are panicking. Typhoon Noru is Cat 5 and crashing into Manila, then VietNam and Thailand. Women are declared 'wombs' in Arizona according to an 1864 law. Gnus is unsettling. 56 degrees going on 11. Warm days and cool nights = perfect autumn weather. 23  42 and fog as I sip cold black liquid out of my lavender Piglet coffee cup. Plus cake, the breakfast choice of champions. It's 8:37. Lentil soup and chicken for lunch. Nice chat with Jamie. Picked up chicken and pork at grocery store (no ground pig). Puddles from yesterday. Wore my suede jacket as no rain forecast. 67 degrees at 4:50. Finished "21 วัน มีฉันมีเธอ | 21 Days Theory": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk7SEEXZtL4 It was light and short but watchable. 🌀 Fiona, Gaston, Hermine, Ian... Watched episode 7 of Eclipse. The OST: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVRzQhRf0Z0 22  50 degrees at 9 and raining... all day. SW breeze to boot. Very odd here but welcome. Gender roles... a bane of testing. Better for a counselor to ask teachers if they are paying attention. I am drinking out of my England mug this morning. 🏴 Sat with Billie Jo and Angie. Windows shut due to rain. Shared yellow watermelon. Sweet and juicy. 48 degrees at 2ish. Will rain through afternoon into the evening. Lunch: tuna fish sandwich. 48 degrees at 8 pm.  but tapering off in a couple hours then  tomorrow. It felt great writing in my journal by hand. It really helps. Baking chocolate cake with coffee-lavender. It's cool outside and my window is open so it won't get too toasty inside. A new WDC group has formed on facebook from former bloggers. We'll see.  My comments on YCC: "I spoke with aficionados of electric cars last Saturday. My answer was public transportation, bicycles, walking... not cars. I would add living closer to places where one eats, entertains, works. Rural Montanans don't grasp that idea. NewYorkers would." "My friend Laxmi would say "fewer people". My quiverful friends would disagree. Folks here would block immigrants, be they from Louisiana or Puerto Rico. I don't live in a heart-filled place. Long term? Stop abusing Mother Nature. Short term? Colonize the Moon? Turn the Sahara back into savannah?" "That's far too cynical for me. Humans can be kind and cooperative. By-the-way, not everything is black/white liberal/conservative. Plus, Americans do not have all the answers regardless of religious or political or traditional persuasion." 21  Ran out of instant coffee. Put grounds into cup instead of pot... *sigh* ...it's after 10 so I have no excuse. 56 degrees, 22 AQI and a stiff Hellgate breeze from the east. Sunny, but it'll rain later. Tomorrow is the equinox. Gasoline went up to $4.93/gallon; milk is now $8.50/2gal. Today is grocery day. I put pumpkin spice and some lavender in my coffee. I'm using my maroon cup. No ground pork, no chicken thighs.  Bought coffee, butter, cottage cheese (on sale). Scored pancake mix at the Center. Today's lunch was meatloaf. Must've been over 100 people. Birthday cake too.Sprinkles by 9 pm. I'm having a panic attack. Must be careful what I watch. Triggered. 20  52°F this morning. Promising to be a cool, dry, windy day. My coffee in a blue cup this morning is light and sweet with a dash of cardamom. Long live the King. Can we move on to other news now? I mean... I don't care what so-and-so wore to the funeral. Elizabeth Regina had a long productive life. Let her rest-in-peace. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/i-thought-wed-learned-nothing-from-the-pandemi... The Pandemic was devastating to me in many ways. I felt shut out, angry, abandoned. However... the idea that major catastrophes lead to re-evaluations rings my bell. 1974, 2003 come to mind. I survived... but did I? Both led to changes in how others perceived me as I slowly went through a metamorphosis... more like a bug's instar than a butterfly. The Thing-about-Towers-Tumbling is that not all survive the falling... or the sudden stop. My own calamities were personal, are personal. Yet I do share... but, no one has commented in this blog in a month. I gave up commenting in other blogs as a test... yep, no one noticed. I'm unhappy about the lack of community in Missoula. A safe-place for creative misfits became a cage guarded by mountains and inhabited by heartless people. And WDC became a ghost-town of everything shallow and silly. And many Americans have embraced fascism. Move? Move on? Where... the common denominator is ME... "To commit suicide in Buffalo is redundant". Which perhaps is one reason why I left years ago. We take our baggage with us wherever we go. God's Waiting Room. Didn't order lunch, but Kathy gave me a slice of pizza. Scored left-over goulash. I've transferred notes to my hand-written journal. Finished Spring. On page 5286. Now on to summer... Bought 4 collegiate ruled notebooks. Book 68 of my journal is purple and begins on the 22nd. Farmers Market tonight: nectarines, yellow watermelon, canary melon. Saw Jaffri, met Dani. Now 63 degrees at 6:45. Breezy. This week's forecast in Mahasarakham: H 85-88, L 74-75. Winds from the NE. Rain every day. Took a bath. It's been ages. My feet need to soak and my entire body appreciates it. Water wasn't very hot though. Fiona is now a Cat 4 hurricane just north of Turks & Caicos. 19  Cool 50° but hazy morning. AQI is 20 (lowest in quite awhile) so it's most likely low clouds or fog. I went to bed early, got up before midnight, back to bed. Slept? I'm fine... I think... but deeply depressed. Trying hard not to add to any drama here, there or anywhere. Meatballs on the menu today. Do I go but avoid people? Looking forward: Hellgate winds Wednesday followed by a rainy Thursday. We could use a long widespread rain. It's 9:27 and time to check the news as I nurse my coffee (black cup today )I've been following her-a-cane Fiona. Hugging Dominican Republic this morning. Augustine V at YCC: "probably busy with stupid storm that keeps dancing about like a tap dancer and moving slower than an old man cart at publix LOL but in seriously, probably going to later today. Euro isn't 100% sold on it so that might be the delay" My response: Sorry... but you made me laugh. Never took tap dancing but I've become that old man. Thanks for the making me smile. I've become old. It's not the age. Elizabeth II was never 'old'. Ancient, yes, even fragile towards the end, but never old. She seemed old because she harkened from a different era. Charles will move the clock forward a few minutes; but, youth won't be satisfied by grandpa-as-king. That said, the US Congress and WH is lead by those even older. I do wish some leaders in their 40s and 50s would take the reins... and reign. But regardless of biological age I want to see stability with growth not stagnation, not living in the past, and NOT mean-and-ugly (are you listening wannabe Saint de Santis?). Swedish meatballs on rice in God's Waiting Room. Sat with various folks. Wrote in my journal... up to June 12th... only 3 more months to go. Odd experience tonight. I don't think I've ever felt quite so unwelcome in the last 14 years in Missoula. Anyhoo. Buffalo Bills won 41-7 so I'm sure my family is happy. Gnus lynx: Abortion: https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/when-abortion-isnt-a-partisan-issue/ Montana trans rights: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/montana-to-allow-transgender-people-to-change-... Nebraska mothers denied: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/nebraska-judge-rules-against-same-sex-couples-... Malephobia: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/im-always-afraid-male-teacher-says-he-refused-... Black and gay and banned: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/author-speaks-out-as-his-book-becomes-one-of-t... “The problem is when you decide that your concerns about your own child should apply to everybody else's children,” she [Summer Lopez] added. Banned book is All Boys Aren't Blue by George M Johnson. Covid depression in minorities: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/black-and-brown-americans-had-higher-ra... Thailand cave rescue story: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/netflix-s-authentic-thai-cave-rescue-and-the-t... Boredom: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/boredom-is-a-warning-sign-heres-what-i... Retirement lifestyle: https://www.schwab.com/learn/story/which-retirement-lifestyle-is-right-you?cid=2... Solo traveling? https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/10-unexpected-destinations-for-solo-f... Going in a group or staying in a resort isn't going solo. Retire in Cincy or Wilmington? https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/retirement/the-no-1-best-city-to-retire-isnt-in-... Declutter: https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/home-and-garden/how-to-declutter-fast-10-sim... Travel tips: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tips/i-was-a-flight-attendant-for-10-years-here... I've been to 8: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/article/19-places-in-the-world-that-are-cheap-t... Banned book: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/girls-who-code-founder-speaks-out-after-pennsy... Tiny homes: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/realestate/do-tiny-homes-really-work-as-a-soluti... Holy War: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/russian-orthodox-church-argues-that-sacrifi... Covid peptides: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/new-discovery-can-kill-covid-with-hugs-...  |
18 septembre ... Montana 44 degrees at 8 am. but hazy. 46 AQI. Today is Wash-day. We'll see what gets done. Her-a-cane Fiona: landfalling as the high towers circle around each other like Hulk in a wrestling match or a two rooks in game of chess, the pawns in the middle windblown and wet. Who will wipe away the tears of Ponce? The Mona Passage keeps its wisdom close to itself while Hispaniola holds its breath ready to blow Fiona north, hoping for a mere scrape of a breeze, some showers. I did my wash. Met a 'hunk' from Butte. Very personable. Drank Dr. Pepper as a treat. Harvested (gleaned) three marigold flowers to dry as an herb for cooking. Now home with a pork sandwich. Shirts, linens, underwear hung up to dry. South  + = stormy. Smells fresher than before.  17 septembre ... Montana 47 degrees and 39 AQI at 9:30. Time for farmer's market. They had honeydew! Bought white peaches. Ate my cherry pastry on way to Butterfly Herbs. I should've brought my notebook. It's a bright breathable morning. I should be energized. I'm not yet.  ViceVersa episode 10 came out this morning, around 8 am. MDT. Today's color is pink. Last week it was midnight black. Need coffee = drinking coffee. Last night I was 'fog' eating. Just kept eating... now, after one cherry pastry am I experiencing a sugar low? I dunno. Finish up, go home? Said hello to Irina. Picked up buttercup squash from Johnsons. Interesting conversation with Holly, a protestor outside of market. Sat with Becky by her Tesla. At home... a tuna with mayo and terragon sandwich. Still binge eating. Found an unused red notebook I can use for autumn's journal. If I'm smart... I'll buy another with collegiate spacing. But... I have a notebook as a backup. Moved old journals and put them where they're supposed to be! This sorting is taking forever. I came across a bunch of maps, brochures, postcards from Taiwan. I could sit and use each one as a talisman and see what's spews forth. What should I call my upcoming travels? "Final Global Tour" sounds a bit overdone. But... it could very well be Sayonara... a long final gasp lasting 2-5 years. I try to be present but I find no joy in the present. 16 septembre ... Montana 56 AQI and 52 degrees. Summer is over but at last I can breathe. Very dry mouth this morning. Hmm... Went to market for eggs and oil. Bought eggs $3.49/dozen and a big bottle of cheap oil that won't go bad on me. I prefer olive oil but... Sat with Laxmi, Kathi, Monte, Phil, Dalton. Chatted with Myrtle. Stuffed pork... not great; but, dal was very good. 62 degrees at 2:30 and 65 AQI. We had rain. I saw puddles! I'm hungry. Just had raisin bran... still hungry. I'm flummoxed. Ate hummus on crackers. Lots of hummus, lots of crackers. 68° and 55 AQI at 6-ish. I'm enjoying this break. For most of a month it's either been heat or smoke. I really wanted to escape but felt trapped. I should stick to plans and leave anyway. To Starling re spelling and grammar critiques: "I tell English Lit majors that they critique literature while I create it. This attitude regarding proper language is still colonial in the sense that some groups are favored over others. James Joyce and Emily Dickinson were treated unkindly by people of their day, as was most any person-of-color. Those attitudes still hold sway in certain corners of Academia... but it's quite American to mock and put down others for something that isn't important, like the dress they wear or how they color their hair, even how they speak or express themselves. I would like to think that it's only young newbies who are uneducated or ignorant... but, alack, I'm your age and sadly it's common. "AQI of 43 at 8! I will be able to sleep better. ![Merit Badge in Don't Quit!
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I wanted to thank all my fans of [Link To Item #2109126] . Without your encouragement and support, this challenge wouldn't be the success it is today! Thank you! *^*Bighug*^*](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/Kudos-Don=t_Quit=33.gif) If Jodi only knew... 15 septembre ... Montana I took a damp cut-up sock and caressed the leaflets of the scheffleria. Not many, but it'll look better and breathe better (hopefully, the top layer is waxy). If I were to do a bit every day? Not likely. I am still going through boxes most every day. Little progess and no end in sight. I had a random thought about Peru. I visited there in 1974. Odd how stray memories bubbled up this morning. Arequipa, guarded by snow-capped Misti and the earthern bowls used for bathing in the monastery. Looking down at the soft green and greys of Macchu Picchu from the heights of Huayna Picchu. Pizarro's flesh rotting in a glass casket in Lima. One flash of seeing a man pee against a tree in the middle of Avenida Brasil... manjar blanco, inca cola, the stench of Cusco. If I let my thoughts wander what other images would rise from the recesses of my mind? Speaking of pee. 24 ounces overnight. I weigh less? Perhaps I'm properly hydrated and can drink less in the evenings? Time for coffee. It's a cool 50 degrees at 9ish, with an AQI of 134. Weak sun. Sat with Angie and Billie Jo. Shared cantaloupe. Ate porridge with butter and sugar; ate porridge with blackberry sause; ate porridge in tuna-mushroom soup. Still have some left. AQI still unhealthy at 130. Links: Montana, Trans sports rights: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/montana-judge-rules-transgender-sports-rule-un... Montana, Trans rights: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/montana-ban-on-changing-gender-on-birth-certif... Montana still denying Trans-rights: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-run-state-vows-to-ignore-judges-orde... Buffalo, racism: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/loved-ones-of-buffalo-massacre-victims-speak-o... Thailand, volunteering: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/how-to-retire-in-thailands-%e2%80%9crose-o... Taiwan, wai/ben-shengren: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/opinion-i-am-part-of-a-dying-breed-of-taiwa... QueerRights, Iowa: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/iowa-town-s-library-closes-after-almost-all-st... QueerRight, POC: https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/relationships/its-infuriating-how-fly-by-nig... Baha'i, Iran: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/iran-steps-up-bahai-persecution-with-wave-o... Ex-pats, Mexico: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/column-the-new-generation-of-smug-american-... Inner Child: https://www.facebook.com/stacylm/posts/pfbid02dkFSK2WrFm3nfMYwXCBe6gZK5YRpQZ48WN... HSP: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/are-you-truly-an-introvert%e2%80%a6-or... Color: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-colors-mean-in-other_b_9078674 Saturn: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/an-old-moon-of-saturn-might-have-put-a... Screed on Christianity: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/christianity-are-your-religious-beliefs-sim... AQI falling... now 81 which is okay. But... it's 8 pm. and I seldom shop at this hour. Do I dare hope for rain? It's 61 degrees and sprinkles are in the forecast but last time it barely wet the pavement. 14 septembre ... Montana Third complexity badge... ![Merit Badge in Complexity
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For the fascinating and different poetic form used in "A Hatchling".](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Complexity.gif) Complexity 49 degrees at 8:20. 167 AQI. Very depressing. Sun peeking out at 11:15 but 54 degrees and 169 AQI. 67 degrees and haze at 3. Another tooth fell out. No pain, no nothing. Coffee... isn't giving me energy nor helping with depression. Ate with Robin and Kathy at God's Waiting Room. Goulash. Now having a peach at home. Dylan borrowed my coffee grinder... such a soft knock. I'm grieving. It's been a rough year. And unless you've been reading my blog you don't know. I'm 'on hiatus' because I'm withdrawn. If no one wants to connect with me why bother? Smoke isn't helping. 13 septembre ... Montana Suzanne's birthday today.
I posted the above and got some response... and a purty yellow ribbon.  58 degrees at 8:43 and 172 AQI. The skies are deathly white but there's some hope for rain. did rain! A few drops  enough to wet the pavement but the skies are still ashy-white. Still 58 at 1 pm. Heat's gone. Summer may be over. AQI is 180? We need more rain. The cake... turned out more like a fudgy brownie. Very tasty. Gave a slice to Billie Jo. She gave me some rice and roast beast. I'm stymied and stuck. To JamesTaylor at YCC: "I suspect that some folks don't understand what you are saying. I'm all for the defeat of Putin... and no acquiescing and no appeasement... but... how to best get there is the challenge. US defeat of Japan is a good example of a successful resolution. Provoking China and the subsequent mess in Korea is just the opposite. WW1 lead to horrible consequences in Central Europe. WW2? Better. I'm not bloodthirsty. Neither are many Russians." 58 at 7-ish. Never warmed up to 70. AQI of 187 is brutal. It's been bad all day. Never went out. 52 at 11:30.  but... AQI 191? Not so cool. Ate some white corn, yellow peach, chocolate cake... a bit late for coffee... oh well. 12 septembre ... Montana I dreamt that I wasn't who I am. I had a group of friends (like I would if I grew up in Thailand) and I was at 'school', maybe a boarding school (that spoke English). My 4 groupies (that I didn't recognize) came to rescue me because I'd broken the rules. Truly, all I wanted to do was sleep. Must've been a waking dream because I don't remember dreams like others do. I daydream and if I don't write them down there disappear. Although nightmarish in a way I was more angry and curious than frightened. It wasn't a normal recurring nightmare. I don't know what year it was. I suspect I was out of time and place. I should be thankful for friends? Maybe brought on by the choke-smoke? IRL: 166 AQI and 48 degrees at 8. Not a great start to the day.  = more like a wall of white or a ceiling of death. Complexity There's an ominous orange glow in my room. When the sky turns to ash and the sun glows like an ember... On the internet: As the country remembers and honors those victims, the U.K. prepares to lay Queen Elizabeth II to rest. In light of both events, her words she penned in a letter to the American people in 2001 becomes even more touching today: “Grief is the price we pay for love.” Sat alone, but Monte, Kathi, Dalton and Laxmi joined me. I went because: it was close and I had to take out the trash. Meal was fine. I liked the broiled vegetables: b-sprouts, onion, carrot, potato. Bought sourdough baguette and hummus. Bernice's now has indoor seating and open till 6. Le Petit is only open till 4. It used to be 8 and 6. Sun has broken through the pall so it has warmed up to 77 at 3 pm. AQI still dangerous at 171. The Senior center is only 2 blocks away down the alley and Le Petit and Bernice's Bakery are on the way back on Myrtle Street. If I had to choose one memory to take with me through eternity? Hard to choose. I tend towards the bittersweet. To Kim re "Dancing in the Earthlight": "Thank you for reading and reviewing. And thanks for noting the spare descriptions. Personally, I try not to go overboard with describing how people look as I think their personalities are more important. Here, the narrator is clearly manic and not bound by rules whereas the companion isn't as clear other than a joyful red on red... and the cultural repercussions. I don't write Regency or Gothic Romance so I'm more keen on allowing the reader to use their imagination to visually connect the dots." 68 degrees going on 9 pm... so heat isn't an issue; never got as warm as predicted. AQI of 171 = bad, very bad. Monte and Michael both mentioned the AirQualityIndex today. People are aware... which is good. Cooked up a pound of goat meat. Added onions, rosemary and curry (garlic, ginger, cumin, pepper...) and glazed some with blackberry sauce. Quite lean. Didn't shrink much. Tasty. No complaint from me. No oil, no eggs? Substituted mayo and butter. Dark-Chocolate cake with lavender and coffee. Fact: I moved into the room next door on September 12th, 2008. It's been 14 years. |
Thailand:"Thailand planning 2022"  11 september 43 degrees and an AQI of 92 this morning. My skin, eyes, nose and throat complain. Lost an update to this entry. Chromebook issues => closing tabs. Poor connectivity. I'd like to pick up eggs and oil but I'm not venturing out until the air is breathable. Thought: could I write a sci-fi travel book? "One with the Rock" with a species that can swim through rock better than I swim through water (I float or sink; I do not swim.). It's a bit tricky and accidents do happen. Many choose to become 'one with the rock' when life is no longer has a viable path forward. Me? living in a place where stone walls don't keep anyone out would take some getting use to. Can wood be swam through? Can certain guards be set (fragrance, magnetic, electrical, chemical...)? If the species is no smarter than humans then ways to protect privacy and limit access will have been found... and ways to get around that protection as well. I'd have to go around, over, under and find a door. One way to keep me out would be 'no door' . Closing tabs: Zelenskyy's "Without You" speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl11Ek5oO20 Sexuality: https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/the-first-movie-to-use-the-word-homosexual... Travel: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/ive-been-on-110-cruises-here-are-6-of-my-f... Rights: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a-christian-school-in-florida-told-parents-tha... Religion: https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/relationships/dear-mormons-in-a-faith-crisis... Sexuality: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/woman-realises-she-s-gay-at-35-so-ditches-... Travel: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/the-best-villages-in-the-world-for-si... Travel: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/bordering-on-the-ridiculous-the-world... Movie trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN9sr5wVkik Travel: https://www.ana.co.jp/en/sg/japan-travel-planner/niigata/0000003.html To Roseille: "Yes, I like this. ... and water is 'midori' ... green? Do they use 'ao' for the light. I never asked when I visited... 7 years ago... already? Yes, I've heard of the internet cafes where one can spend the night. My friend Hiroki is in Europe these days. He somehow escaped. But Tokyo? Better in the rice-fields of Niigata bent over? Gazing at the clouds in the 'water mirrors'. It's a lovely piece." AQI over 150. The sky is white. As death descends from above to shroud us. (at 5-ish) 69 degrees at 8:30. It was forecast to reach 90; I doubt that it got up to 80. Thick haze all day long. AQI of 169 (unhealthy) at the moment. I need <100. It's so hard to unwrap myself of the unhappiness that has kept me warm for so long. 10 september 40 degrees at 7:43. Cold. Another tooth is loose. I'm not happy. In bed early so I was up during the night as well. Not feeling great. A quarter till noon and warming up. 58 degrees. Will be nice for the football game. South Dakota visits. I told Cathy Mae that I'm not doing well. There's nothing she can do but... kindness matters. Scored! a honeydew?  and a cantaloupe. A raspberry pastry, white corn and yellow peaches. And ground goat meat.  A bit shaky... not bad but I saw the waves in my coffee, the swirls from the cream... my future staring back at me, waving Fate's fickle finger.. What I posted at YCC: "Politics are relevant. The only major storm now is threatening Taiwan and possibly headed towards Shanghai. I can assure you that both countries are monitoring the weather. China has had a rough year weather-wise. And that's not mentioning covid. Climate change is highly political. As is whether or how we respond to weather diasasters. The War in Ukraine has affected the agriculture and shipping throughout the region. People starve during and after wars. And severe drought elsewhere has threatened the global food supply. Charles III may be more inclined to promote environmental awareness. In the USA there are those who oppose any alternatives to the fuel industry destroying everything. Politics is VERY relevant to climate and weather issues. To me, everything in interconnected." And: "I don't doubt the chaos that may come with climate change. Nor do I deny the effects of warming in certain areas. My degree is in Biology. I've lived in Costa Rica where farmers understand that they need to change crops due to the change in climatic conditions. Few deniers there. But... does an anti-science White American Suburbanite attending a MegaChurch every Sunday understand this? People-of-color are already suffering from decisions made my mostly Older White Men who belive in money and power. As long as Pakistanis are dying do they care? But how many scientists here and elsewhere think of it as only a rational scientific problem, denying how it's affected by cultural, religious, political issues like class and racism? Until the public (especially the Bible quoters) understands that they need Science I am pessimistic. One fault with the above... there's nothing positive mentioned. A warming moister weather pattern may promote a return to savannah in the Sahara and large parts of the north may become conducive to agriculture. But chaos... brings war due to migration and lack of food." And: "Beyond $$$ it's really hard to make people leave their comfort zone. I hang with old folks in God's Waiting Room. Many are just interested in being comfortable. Thinking hurts and so does making sacrifices or any change in thier behaviour. As for young people... those concerned feel stimied. Think how Greta is treated by Gen X. Yes, the party is over but like the movie Sixth Sense, some don't know that they're already dead. " Only 75 degrees at minutes before 5 pm. Still a lovely day. U Montana wins football game 24-7 over South Dakota. Does it matter? The locals are happier after a win.{c} I came across some drama here at WDC. I'm staying out of it because I don't have time to find out what's really going on. Plus, I'm 'on hiatus' to avoid drama. Others will have to negotiate or sort it out. Short discussion with Laxmi today about how the seniors we know are 'shallow'. It was nice to hear that from someone else. I feel that way here at WDC as well. 9/9 48 degrees at 10 with a forecast of cool temps and a brisk NE breeze. AQI is 58... a good sign. Even with the end of the Second Age of Elizabeth, Trump still garners headlines. Long live Charles III. Too much sleep? Coffee should help. A shower seems to have helped. Cool sunshine invading my space should help. The slant of the sun reaches in with his soothing tendrils, lights my shoulders, brightens the day for the flowers set back from the window that've waited for his return. Gasoline down to $3.89/gallon. Ate lunch alone and then joined friends. George gave me milk for lunch that I brought home so I could eat me raisin bran later. This evening I'll bake the pork I have marinating in beer. I don't drink alcohol but beer-batter and beer-brats come to mind. The alcohol will steam off while cooking. Baking three pieces (about one pound total) at 250°F. Turned the pieces over and put bacon on top. I find beer-smell nauseating but the fan is going. I used a local beer. Have no idea why I had a bottle of it. Very pleasant day here. Blue-ish skies and the air is breathable. 66 degrees at 3:03. 68°F at 5:15.  AQI 71.Pork is done. I ate some. Turned out okay but not as great as last time. Wrote some. I may be able to enter a couple contests this month. The Big One though... not even one comment or acknowledgement that I entered in July. So far, I'm not inspired by the quote, other than to vent about my 3rd semester in college... what a hoot that was! NOT. Maybe just venting and sharing will help even if it's not acknowledged. More stuff for Secondtime Around... Friends went to a free Japanese movie tonight. I'm not motivated to do anything. After Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNnGl_unNo8 KE: I've never died before, so I couldn't tell you what that would be like. And now that I'm dead I hesitate. No, there's nothing to fear; but... perhaps you should wait a while and live to the fullest until that moment comes. It comes to us all, y'know. There's comfort in that, and focusing on living each moment prepares us. One hint: take care of the mirror of your soul. Everything else is mere details and dross." An internet comment from a Christian: "I hope at some point in his training he received discipleship that would help him relate to his siblings in Christ in ways that are more biblical than Victorian, more Pauline than pornified and more Christ-like than cultural." 8 september 69 degrees at 10-ish. It'll only be in the 70s today. AQI of 72 is moderate but doable. Still hazy. Breakfast of the early-waker and late-raiser: chocolate cake and coffee. Interesting dream this morning. A gentle twist on a usual nightmare. I'm not doing well mentally. Pulled pork. Bought two lunches and shared with Angie and Billie Jo. 73 at 4-ish which is great! But very smoky and AQI over 150 = stay inside. Queen Elizabeth II dies (1926-2022). My mother almost outlived her (1922-2022). There has never been another British monarch in my lifetime. 7 september 61 at 8:10. AQI is 118 this morning = hazardous to sensitive groups. Today is grocery day... will I venture out? I wish... a lot of things. Catching up on the news. Orioles had a great game yesterday and Odor had the slide of the year. Gnus = same-o-same-o. Lasagna... but couldn't eat the gyro-kale soup. Broth was good. Sat with Merry and then Laxmi. Merry gave me cans of beans. Met Kent from Kansas who was working on one of the computers. Wish I were in Kansas.  Should I write a book of poetry for students of limnology? "Lotic: the non-erotic system of water running away from you in a stream." Got an old textbook of limnology down from the shelf.  "You! Yes, you, blowing smoke in my face, slashing the windows with merely a drop. False hope that I'll be able to breathe with your gift of a breeze. O wandering witchery. O west wind." Strong gusts blowing the dust around. My eyes sting. 88 degrees and 144 AQI just before 4 pm. Now 81 degrees at Ten till Six. AQI down to 93. Forecast to cool down tonight, tomorrow and Friday. Ventured out. 78 calm degrees and 74 AQI (moderate) at 7:30 pm. Market: Spent exactly $20. Got cake mix because I can bake with the cooler temps coming in. Plus... I'm having a craving for chocolate. Forgot to get oil but I bought 2 lb. of butter. In a better mood now.  6 september 52 degrees at 8 till 8 in the a.m. Very dry inside. Heavy haze. Says 90 AQI but it feels worse. Can't type this morning. Eyes hurt. After 2 days stuck inside I'm planning to get out if there's someplace to go. Went to bed early last night so I woke up very early and finally decided to get up. Meatloaf and very good green beans at God's Waiting Room. Sat with the usual suspects. Did more research on flights. 86 degrees at 3:40 but an AQI of 106. Not good. may be stuck at home. 5:05... an AQI of 139... def not going out. Means I can't get peaches. 🍑 AQI now 158. To explain to those who are scratching their head: this side of own closes early. There's basically nowhere to go after 6. Plus... if there were I'd have to walk there. Understand?There are times I just want to crawl under a rock. Saw Julian. Gave them Lavinia's copy of "This and every November" that she returned to me before she died. Plus, I was able to pay them for the sugar. 🤎 Gervic's Candle: I would weep for you if I could, wax melting, my luscious lavender filling the air. I would gladly give my life to light your way. Trim my wick! Find a match! I'm waiting to brighten your day. Inhale my fragrant gift. To Dobby at YCC re proper word for forecast/forecasted and AP style: "The problem is this: there are many Englishes around the world and grammarians can be gatekeepers for the elite (American or British or...). Corporate-speak is one such elite dialect as is legalese. Although useful for clarification, these dialects also are abused for power and control. For the rest of us communication is key. As a poet and writer I don't correct other people's honest efforts to connect." 5 september 140 AQI at 5 am, now 118 at 8. My nose, my mouth, my essence... parched. 53 degrees outside. Can't go outside. Very difficult to breathe. Nowhere to go on a day when many places are closed. The coughing and sneezing... Took a nap. Not bad, not good. Ate white-corn off the cob, white rice (paella-spiced) with brown oyster mushrooms, a white peach. Feeling okay. 81 degrees at 2:30. Nice, but AQI of 127... not healthy. AQI of 101 at 4:20. I was waiting for it to go below 100 to risk going out. 8:35 75 degrees and 35 AQI (good). I have door open, fan going. Expect it to cool off inside as temps will go down into the 50s. Hope smoke doesn't build back in. I've caught up with "ViceVersa". Latest episode was 'cloudy grey'. The choice of color does set a mood. Almost caught up with "Eclipse". Very edgy drama, dark with excellent acting. Added bacon and eggs to my left over rice. Wise choice. 68 degrees at 10 pm. Hopefully not so hard to sleep tonight. It's been a brutal end of summer. Gnus: "Then the Republican Senate Committee, in particular, has what I call a GOP problem: Georgia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania," he quipped." I thought this witty. |
| September week 1 "The Daily Poem" 7 daily poems. Did one."Charlie Chaplin Chews Chocolate Chutney" Did 6:Alliteration uh? about a book, alone alot, awake, a Wookiee awoke or not.  Sara shimmied out of her shift, shimmered in the moonshine's shadow as she shaped the shades into shields, showered the winter's night with starlight. Wednesday's willow-witch: when will the whale's whispers allay my woes and heal my wounds. Make me a Man, from the Muggle's mud, or a Monster from the Maggot's minions, Oh, Mighty One. Ibrahim of Iberia: an itch indicated injury, its indigo infestation invading my inner impotence, importance its illusion, its ichor imbuing ignorance, leaving me an idiot, irrelevant and illiterate, as any insane innocent can witness. Don't say ixnay. Oh, the irony. Ding, dong, dilly, dally, deep in the dells of Derry, dearie. Die in the depths of dearest Derry, oh delicious daring Dellie. THE BIG ONE "Quotation Inspiration: Official Contest" Quotation Inspiration Prompt for September 2022: "I've always loved the first day of school better than the last day of school. Firsts are best because they are beginnings." -- Jenny Han One young friend dead in an accident, one friend's father dead of old age. It went downhill from there. By the third week of the semester I had drowned my sorrows in a thousand page book and a roadtrip to Connecticut. I'd done well the previous semester. As and Bs and the promised C in Spanish. A roommate I liked a got along with. Now I had a roommate and dorm-mates who loathed me. I was so upset I flunked the first exam in my major. I wanted out. Should: Gervic's Candle: I would weep for you if I could, wax melting as vanilla filled the air with its luscious flare. I would gladly give my life to light your way. Trim my wick! Find a match! I'm waiting to brighten your day. Inhale my fragrance I waft your way. As my wax melts think of the gift of giving and how I longed to warm your night hugging/forgiving/living/sinning/beginning/stripping/shipping/sniffing/kissing/cuddling like the sun's halo/kiss/kissing warmed your day. "2022 Poetry" Piano (hitting the high note, the low note, your limitations now surpassed), plus wellness and improvement. "Into The Darkness " Death in the Key of C https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP5KWdyRpHM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qiaz1e2lNqo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLx6fnxQw_k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frxT2qB1POQ  ~~Image #2279787 Sharing Restricted~~ "Spirits at Lighthouses Contest - Closed" The Window Washer? Did they die? Does the spray wash them now?Ingrid, heir apparent to the House of Indiana admired the view of Lake Michigan. She imagined that it admired her, her unbraided hair, her wild laughter. She had no visitors, only a delivery service that came cloaked in darkness once a fortnight and left food by the dock, always scurrying away before she could ask who they were. When she heard the soft slap of the oars she hurried to get the food before the circling gulls had a chance. A prison is a prison, no matter how pretty the view. And it was a magnificent view in all 4 directions. At dusk and dawn she'd look at the sky and converse with the clouds. She wasn't crazy, just lonely. A cat or a crow would've been an excellent companions, even a ghost would do. If there were any they hadn't manifested themselves. Ingrid knew the melody of the seasons as winds played symphonies of stormy crescendos and calm interludes, as waves sprayed foam at the windows, decorated the eaves with icicles, erased her ennui. So she set aside some flour to bake a loaf of bread, then fished for her daily supper. She looked north toward Superior. Was her uncle snowed in yet? He too languished in a lighthouse, left to chat with the gulls. Were they as troublesome as these? Did the cackle? *** He came to her in a dream then rowed to the landing in a dinghy. It was a calm day, nary a gull in sight, the fish not biting. He was better than any fish she had seen in a long long while. A bit ragged but hungry enough, or polite enough, to not complain about the day-old rind of rye she offered him. Bread and water for a morsel of news. He was more interested in the weather. But, she insisted. He grunted about the cranky new king, the old cranky princess, the recent war. War? How could she see no signs? Ingrid insisted that he spill the beans or spend a night. He spilled one bean at a time for a week. When the delivery boat came there was no sign of his dinghy, no sign that anything was amiss. She'd put out the flag as usual and attached a note that she needed more flour... and salt, if they could... The next week they fished, tying the gutted fish by their tails, hanging them in pairs on a pole in a room as far away from theirs... yes, they were getting along as it were. And the windows sparkled as never before. *** A dinghy could row out as well as row in; but there was nowhere safe to go. So they decided to stay and make the best of it. She finally got a letter from her aunt crowing that her uncle had finally, fortunately died and that the new king had set her free! Ingrid shed a tear at her glee and vowed not to respond. The flour and salt kept coming, the boatswain even showed his face one day and a crew member showed her more. She wasn't interested. She had had bigger and better and her portruding belly vouched for that. She didn't dare let them see that. They delivery boys, as she called them, were being less careful. She wasn't fooled. She remembered their faces from long ago, and they weren't friends. So they were careful. Fishing on days away from the shore. Cleaning one window at a time. Managing the tiny garden and the plants harbored inside. The dried fish were reduced to flakes, fish guts thrown to the gulls or fed to the worms in the compost heap along with any seaweed they could gather. Soon... they would have three mouths to feed. If he could enjoy the making and she could endure the baking then both could figure out how to ensure the birthing. ... Tethys/Thalassa they named her, princess of her tiny kingdom empress of the waves *** 9 Years had passed and her parents passed too 7 as she looked out at the waves 9 and planted crops and fished the waters 6 gently tended their graves 9 months of ennui enduring the calm 6 thrilled by the ice storm's rage 9 She was the window-washers' daughter 6 trapped in her crystal cage *** "The Red Wheelbarrow Activity Forum" so much depends upon a red wheel barrow glazed with rain water beside the white chickens Him-a-cane while the thunder makers hang out north- north-east earl the nekkid swirl pirouettes ponders his uncertain / a Bolshoi debut. future YCC: arnldziffel > SoonerShawn "Earl the nekkid Swirl" If you must... blame arnldziffel > SoonerShawn: "Earl the naked swirl" Him-a-cane while the thunder makers hang out north- north-east earl the nekkid swirl pirouettes ponders his Bolshoi debut. Regarding Kay: 1858 revisited. Calling all moisture. Looks like future-Kay (special-Kay?) could become a monster in SoCal's break-fast bowl. As for Hinnamnor: In coming missile, loves kimchi and Russian dumplings, wouldn't mind some sushi, if you please, or Kuril caviar, isn't picky, shrugs off fur-coat bears. Apparently Hinnamnor is Lao ຮິນນາມນໍ. Still want to know what it means. (rock/water/horn?) Her-a-cane Fiona landfalling as the high towers circle around each other like Hulk in a wrestling match or a two rooks in game of chess, the pawns in the middle windblown and wet. Who will wipe away the tears of Ponce? The Mona Passage keeps its wisdom close (to itself) while Hispaniola holds its breath ready to blow Fiona north, hoping for a mere scrape of a breeze, perhaps some showers. No prompt: "SENIOR CENTER FORUM" "Kit's Higher Ratings Contest" "Poetic Traditions Poetry Contest " Birthday prompts I'll avoid "Barrel of Monkeys" "Blog Week Birthday Bastion" 22 lines 22++ words, 22 lies. "Lies I believed" To all those who tried to love me: Let me count the ways... 1 ... 18 ___ 19. After your silence the shunning began. 22. "Shadows and Light Poetry Contest" Mystery  "The Bard's Hall Contest" |
4 september  56 degrees at 08:30. Smoky-haze. Getting hard to breathe. AQI 126 = unhealthy. 138, 147, 154 on the zoomed in map... very unhealthy. YCC: arnldziffel > SoonerShawn "Earl the nekkid Swirl" Getting nothing done. I don't want to risk going out and I don't want to exert myself. Some sun has broken through the haze. Will temp soar? Ate spicy-mustard porkburger. Coffee... need more. I should buy sugar, but that means walking to the store. 10 pounds of sugar secured in 7 containers. Sweet...Apparently Hinnamnor is Lao ຮິນນາມນໍ. Still want to know what it means. (rock/water/horn) Got boxes to Alishka and made mac&cheese. Paid rent. 82 degrees at 7 pm. Bearable. 72 degrees and AQI of 121 at 9 pm. 3 september  62 degrees at 09:23. Chatter in the alley; haze over the valley. 77 at 12:30, the haze lifting. White peaches gone. Bought oyster mushrooms, cherry pastry, bacon brownie, one white corn cob. Now at Butterfly Herbs recovering from a chocolate-toffee milkshake. Saw Charlie! Lives in No Cal now. Picture from 2008!  91 degrees at 3 pm. I'm feeling weak so I'm going home. Sat with Lundy for awhile. Very good for me. "Remimagined Voyages" Portugal Reimagined. A Reimagined Me. All our yesterdays are fiction. At home: Ate but ttok a nap = fuzzy-headed. When I got up: Great chat with Birgit. Goodbye to Alishka who is moving out. Her sister Brianna is moving in. Montana won 47-0 over NorthWestern Louisiana. Orioles won, now 70 wins, 10 games over .500 and a couple games out of the wildcard position. 69 degrees at 23:30. Still smoky. 2 september  The college freshman were off to kindergarten when I moved here 14 years ago. I arrived in July 2008 and on September 13th moved into this building. 61 degrees at 09:30. They are working on the bridge, perhaps ready to pour concrete. Soon? UM plays its first football game tomorrow; could be toasty. Gasoline: 3.99/gal. 91 at 16:13. 93 degrees at 6-ish. No 100 But haze or smoke? Air quality is listed as 'moderate'. I picked up a couple masks today, wore one home just in case.Said good morning to Billie Jo and John. Door ajar to move the morning air through here. The industrial fan in the front landing's window is blowing in. That helps but no breeze; the flag hangs limp. Stroganoff for lunch; nearly choked on the meat, so I cut it up into smaller pieces. Size matters. Willie and Bill sat with me. Chatted with Jamie in the office. Cleaned off the table in case Julian visits! Maybe should put on some clothes? Short comment to tah2o: "I'm on hiatus but... glad to read this. I'm neither happy nor healthy so I'm trying to reach for the reset button. I want my joy back." Starting putting my blog notes in my journal. Short chat with Jay who wants to know more about my travels. 71 degrees at 11 pm. 1 september  65 degrees at 09:49. Will be warm today. Gasoline dropped to $3.99/gallon. Goals: Transfer on-line notes from May 18 onward to my journal. [started 9/2] Seriously make notes about Thailand flights and book a.s.a.p. [started 9/1] Check prices for 2-3-week trips to Europe and elsewhere. [started 9/1] Buy replacement Chromebook before trip. This one works but has a crack. Transcribe and assign numbers to jottings in my notepad. Stay off-line as much as possible. 88 degrees at 4:20. Not too bad. Spent much of the afternoon in the a/c of the Senior Center. I sat at the computer figuring out flights from here to Bangkok. We have no train and there's only one bus to Seattle that arrives in the early afternoon. Which would only be good if there's a late evening flight. otherwise I'm stuck in a city that's expensive to fly out of. There are cheap flights to Athens around $800 but if I want to fly Delta Comfort it's $1400. I shouldn't stress over costs. Lunch was 'gyro' with bok choy and grapes. The lemon-blueberry cupcakes were wonderful. Sat alone but joined Charles, then Laxmi joined us. Earlier, sat with Angie and Billie Jo and shared my Sinful melon. 6036 - 5973 = 63 views in August. 4 comments in this blog. A few elsewhere. One reason why I'm withdrawing from WDC. I need serious connections and this place only wants to party. 88 degrees at 6:06 pm. Tried to listen to Biden's speech but internet is iffy at this time in the evening. The major networks didn't carry it... so who cares? We'll see whether anyone is paying attention. Personally? I think he needs to be more direct, less wordy, and show fire when needed. But... I'm not a speech writer. Later: reading the text he appears much more direct than I thought. But... still not focused. He needs to give a direct address on women's rights, focused only on that one issue instead of diluting the message with anything else. Supper: ate a pork-burger with smoked Dutch cheese, melon and cottage cheese. Orioles shut out Cleveland today. They're doing okay. 66 degrees at 23:30. 31 august 59°F at 9:03. 100 forecast. Worn out from yesterday's hysteria. Still not resolved. Coffee. Today is Market Day. My response to RitaEvacuee at YCC re riots should Trump be indicted: "I don't think it has anything to do with 'law abiding'. That's law-and-order speak for oppression. It's only a riot when certain folks take to the streets. Drunk college kids 'celebrating' isn't considered a riot no matter how much they trash the town. In this specific case? Possible but not predictable. In the past, Trump has stoked the anger of his followers for his own personal means. Yes, like any uncontrolled flame, it could get out of control. How he handles this situation is key. So far? Not looking good." Travis sent a message. Reminds me how disconnected I am. Part of going on hiatus to reset and reconnect. On hiatus... kinda... I need to wrap up August; but, I'm pulling back in September. Sat with Kay at lunch. I may start sitting alone, waiting until someone approaches me. I don't always feel welcome... and I bore people. Yes, I can tell at times. Same here. Bought cottage cheese. Splurged on cinnamon bread. Prices on many basic items have gone up 50% from 2020. Food is a basic, not a luxury. Dining out is a luxury. Going to the fancy organic store is a luxury. Driving an SUV is a luxury. A few minutes to 3 and only 87°F. Gasoline is $4.09/gallon. Now 96 degrees at 6. I don't think we topped 100.Moved two unloved items to my p-log and deleted the items. Submitted "Strawberry Shortstop" [GC] to Kit'z contest.    Submitted "Full moon falling" [13+] to Lighthouse. 70°F at midnight. How cool will it get? Will I cool off? 30 august 62 degrees after midnight. Now 56 at 9 till 9. 90s forecast. I've decided that I should go on hiatus for September. Find other stuff to do. Will a shift of focus help? I dunno. https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/young-and-broke-10-cheap-places-world... Laos+, Viet Nam+, Romania*, Indonesia, Poland*, Mexico*, Nicaragua*, Colombia+, India+, Greek Islands. *been +on-my-list https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/article/how-not-to-be-an-%e2%80%9cugly%e2%80%9d... Interview with Mark Wolters. On Youtube. Pack: patience and kindness; only a carry-on to tavel light; timing to prevent missing connections. Recommends Rwanda+ and Brasil+. Advice: don't be a jerk. https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/tpgs-top-destinations-for-every-decad... My advice: do crazy while young; cruise or package when old; exotic when you can; cheap when you're outta money. The list: 20s Colombia+, Interrail, Viet Nam=; 30s French Polynesia, Slovenia*, Australia*; 40s Kenya+, Machu Picchu*, Costa Rica; 50s South Africa*, Montana, Japan*; 60s Santa Fe, European Rivers, Galapagos; 70s Alaska cruise+, USVI, Italy*. https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyletravel/15-travel-safety-tips-for-th... Don't totally agree. But: plan and tell folks where you're going. I strongly disagree with gps and tracking, rely upon kindness instead. Be AWARE and try to blend in. Bry came by and we went looking for camera, tablet charger, shaver charger ... to no avail. Then went to market and bought white peaches and Sinful (melon). Saw Kat and her family. Temp at 6-ish: 92°F. Contests... Reread and decide! Lighthouse "Full moon falling [63]" Shadow&Light "Well-worn copper [43]" Think... but no response "Gingerbread Man [39]" dialog drabble "One beat [47]" ??? "Boomerang [62]" GC "A worker mends the church's eaves [164.396] a poem" dialog "he must've left his leg somewhere else [56]" ??? "Strawberry shortcake (383 words)" Kitt GC "Strawberry shortstop" 66 degrees just before midnight. 29 august 55 degrees at 10. AQ of 18 (excellent). A bright crispy morning. Ten 100 degree days for 2022: 100 July 16 100 July 28 102 July 29 102 July 30 104 July 31 103 Aug 1 103 Aug 9 100 Aug 17 100 Aug 18 101 Aug 19 We may get there once more this week. I haven't been feeling well. Not ill enough to see a doctor but not up to snuff. On the Newsfeed: "I'm a news junky... but that's problematic these days. Scandalous headlines and opinion posing as news makes it difficult to sort out the chaff. Plus, algorithms promote nonsensical empty calories that UStatians prefer to consume. Worse than potatoes. As for research. Google anything and a commercial company will come up first. Back-in-the-day 'peach, pear, apple, banana' were fruits. Not now! Products are promoted over information. Plus, folks here and elsewhere want 100% truth and eshew the ambiguity of science for the certainty of ancient self-righteous traditions and the what-ifs and what-abouts of conspiracy. Drama wears me out. Ignorance leaves me frustrated. Intolerance (born of hatred and fear) gasping for breath." Chicken cordon bleu for lunch with steamed vegetables was very good. Sat with Doug and later with other friends. Now I need to slog through stuff at home. So much to do that it doesn't seem like progress. But... even a sloth or a snail gets to where they are going.  On the Newsfeed: "Quirky in speech, thought, deed can work. Severus Snape was interesting because of his story, the way he viewed the world, his known strengths, his hidden strengths, his deep distrust, dislikes and his one-true-love. Most Potter fans can visualize him even without the movies (great casting by-the-way) as he's one of the best developed characters. In contrast, the 4 Houses are not equally developed. We get the Story-Told-By-A-Griffindor with Slytherins cast as the villains and Ravenclaw too self-absorbed and above the fray. We Hufflepuffs (like me and Sonali) are forgotton except for Cedric who is developed a bit in the book but sidelined in the movie. Thankfully, there's Scamander. Characters are best when we 'know' them and care for them, even if they are the hero or villain." 83 degrees at 6 pm. Very tranquil day. Hopefully gets down to 50 and then not as warm as forecast tomorrow. Accomplishing so little. Put underwear in a drawyer, socks in a wicker basket. Cleaned some dusty bowls. Made bowties (pasta) with chopped egg, celery seed, paprika and mayo. Very quiet right now. Too quiet. I came across old writings and wrote "Down in the dumps" This cheered me up a bit: Complexity |
| 28 agosto 51 degrees at 9-ish. Typical for late August. August 28, 1963 "I have a Dream" Ate cake. Ate chicken. Making rice. Enough kitchen aromas for now. Today is Wash day. Have stuff set aside. No rush. Should be sunny and breezy and not hot today. Good day to clean. Important to write/post a new/old poem or story today. End of the month... 65 sunny puff-lambies-in-the-sky degrees at 12:12. Oh my bleating heart. Wash done. 62 degrees at 9:30. I don't think it got above 74 today. A two-day respite. KE: "Your opinion sit softly on my shoulder, sloughs off with the gentlest breeze." Thinking of folks who ghost us here. 55 degrees at midnight. G'nite. 27 agosto 59 cool degrees at 9 am. Market Day in Missoula. To QotD: "I avoided birthday parties by age 4. Refused to have one. I still avoid them. I will avoid the Birthday Bash here at WDC. Too much trauma, too much drama. I feel like a dog on the 4th of July. No thanks. Interestingly my fav number is 22. And my last party was a 'surprise' when I turned 22. Haven't had one since." Thoughts for 1st Chapter: Hug the ent but mind the thorns. We aren't triffids. I hug the Tree; the tree hugs back. 4 Kids: taking my elm to school "Elm and I". Cool partly cloudy day. Missed the melons and peaches. Irina was almost out of everything. Got a lemon pastry. Saw Nancy... as a vendor she's skipping the market until winter. I'm sitting in Butterfly Herbs after inhaling my peach-cardamom shake. Nancy came in so I shared my concern about my emotions. She's run away so she knows the feeling. Plus, she's my age. I also scored half her hummus sandwich as she insisted. Bought 15 sticks of incense for $1. 12 different scents including patchouli, sandlewood and rose. Shortest poem ever written? "How do I love thee, let me count the ways". __________ I'm not doing well emotionally. But how can anyone care if no one knows? Checked on flights to Phnom Penh, Saigon and Bangkok. Thai visas are now 45 days, so... time to book, plan and go! Write a 'pregunta', Bianca exclaims... maybe 8 lines set aflame? A red wasp? 70 degrees and breezy at 4 pm. Never did get hot. Folks at the Rootfest today are prolly happy. At times I felt as if 'pelos de gato' were caressing me. Less than a mist or a spray, just intermitant and very fine moisture. https://semanariouniversidad.com/opinion/espanol-de-costa-rica-baldazo-y-pelo-de... 58 degrees at 23:35. It's been cool for hours so it's getting cool inside in spite of me cooking: yellow butter cake with sesame seeds and chicken wrapped in bacon with blackberry sauce and onions. Tomorrow is Wash Day. Finished Vice Versa episode 7 (Sunset Orange). It's been a strange day of odd ups-and-downs. 26 agosto 76 degrees at 3:33. Bry came today but we didn't get much done (my fault). She comes back on Tuesday so I have the weekend to get ready. We did get things out of the closet. I didn't bother posting the Cramp yesterday "3 Brazilian haiku [179.72]" as I didn't feel like axing a bitem. Today the prompt is a clerihew, which is a humorous form. We'll see...Lunch was salisbury steak with mushrooms, which was very good. Later: popcorn. Sat with Laxmi, Ernie and Gayl (they used to run a hostel in town). Generated at https://theyfightcrime.org/ He's a witless playboy boxer who believes he can never love again. She's a vivacious psychic wrestler who don't take no shit from nobody. They fight crime! He's a globe-trotting arachnophobic jungle king for the 21st century. She's a sarcastic African-American museum curator in the witness protection scheme. They fight crime! He's a lonely dishevelled senator searching for his wife's true killer. She's a man-hating kleptomaniac pearl diver who can talk to animals. They fight crime! He's an old-fashioned moralistic vagrant living undercover at Ringling Bros. Circus. She's a high-kicking communist journalist with a song in her heart and a spring in her step. They fight crime! He's an old-fashioned Catholic rock star on a mission from God. She's a radical Bolivian nun looking for love in all the wrong places. They fight crime! "Take Joyce Carol Oates’s flash fiction story Widow’s First Year. The story reads, simply: “I kept myself alive.”" We need friends is the prompt at "Invalid Item" Thought: Nature would take care of plastic, eventually... Lots of plastic will be left behind, but nature will have plenty of time to adapt. Microbes that feed on plastic will likely develop. 80 degrees at the Vesper Hour. It that's the high then it's low. 63 degrees with 66% hummidty... almost midnight. Entered "Anatomy of a pochette [50]" into Brenpoet's Poetic Traditions.25 agosto 61 degrees this morning at 9. Cooled down nicely outside and we did have some showers. 🌋 No volcano activity today in Montana... that I know of. 79 degrees at 2 pm and clouds are gathering. Is it a thunderfest? Am I invited? We got sprinkles. 69 degrees at 9 o'clock. I took out one bag of garbage and sauntered across the river to the Thursday Night Out event in Caras Park. Wandered around and came back. At least I got out. Earlier I baked chicken with blackberry sauce and sesame seeds. Added the drippings to a cup of water, a half-cup of rice et voila... I wrote 3 Brazilian haikus. Not much but something. Orioles win 4/3 over ChiSox in 11. Stowers home run (his first) ties game in bottom of 9th after two outs.  $4.09/gal gasoline. 61 degrees at midnight! A comment I have a problem with: "If we wish for good things and are a Christian, God will be there for us." I won't say who, because it's a very common belief among Americans and widespread here at WDC. It's thoughts-and-prayers and not actions (see James 2:14–26). And it's exclusive like a gated community. https://www.theologyofwork.org/new-testament/general-epistles/james-faith-works/... https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/mind-and-soul/church-talk-i-question-religio... In response to Cubby's post: "I never wanted to be a writer. Seriously. I was happy to be a gardener and a reader. Something happened in '99 and I became one. In '03 I started a journal. Showed up here in '05. I basically agree with Stik. I have many interests. These days mostly traveling and writing. I've never had the sustained focus to edit, reedit, promote, submit, which is what is needed to be published and considered a professional writer. That said... advice is nice and support is wonderful; but, I write because I have to." Two responses to Neva: 1. "Any short writing... just write. I'm mostly amazed and sometimes amused where my pen takes me. Posted prompts may force me down neglected paths but I tend to just let my mind wander and voila! something emerges from the recesses of light or dark." 2. "I see the struggle with superstition and tradition presented in Thai TV programs all the time. In the US I see the fear of the unknown future in the adherence and devotion to the past. " 24 agosto 64 degrees at 7:37. The 15% chance of rain is washing the windows, rumbling in the alleys, swaying the locust trees with blustery blasts from the east. Woke me up. I opened the door to get this place aired out. Shopped. Remembered to get scrub pads. Bought eggs... not cheap. But Post Raisin Bran was on sale. 15:45: 83°F NE breezy @ 14 mph, showers forecast this evening?  Any day under 90 is a blessing. Wrote some doublets; need to write some more; want to write a good one. Practice doesn't always equal perfect or even progress. We'll see. "Doublets [179.70]" Posted on the Newsfeed and got some feedback. Going on 10 pm, 70 degrees. Ate corn-on-the-cob from Saturday. Not bad, but fresh is best. It's time to post for contests. If bitems are needed... old works don't necessarily fit if prompts are narrow. I haven't written to every form, every trope, every genre. Maybe I should, but with possibly 10,000 'titles' over 22 years I'm not exactly a newbie. 66°F going in midnight. Wet  and breezy. One stray click and lost over an hours worth of work... Views, reviews but no ribbons: 14 lines: 1561128 20 lines: 1561139 12 lines: 1572750 17 lines: 1703972 (has been submitted before) Last looked at, continue from here Book: 1563173 Views, no reviews: 12 lines: 1586507 Old poll: 1620097 23 agosto 61 sunny degrees at 09:40. I woke up earlier but slept in a bit. Bry came at 10 yesterday so I was up at 8. I sleep best in the morning. Weird waking dream but not threatening. Didn't sweat as much last night. Sometimes I'm drenched. Sweet coffee. My sister's birthday. To Jayne: "Good advice. Plus, I do need to make folders (an organizational trick). I have no clue where some things are stored. I cross-filed poems years ago but didn't keep it up. Because I usually write 365+ pieces/year (this is an 'off' year) and I've been here 17 years (writing for 23... since May '99) I have written over 7,000 during that time and over 10,000 total (a wild guess). It's why 'everything' is numbered and dated and have unique titles (I use all 30+ letters of the roman alphabet). No one cares but me, but it helps. I'd love to have a secretary (and an accountant and a house-keeper and a...). I have 10 reams of paper but no printer. If I printed stuff at the library I'd end up living there!" 87 at 5:05. Ate in God's Waiting Room. Chicken and quinoa was very good. Scored a bag of bacon. Sat with a couple I barely know. Took out money from the atm because it's my home bank. $10 bills. Orioles won; hanging in there. The dragonet/wyvern flames in the west, the glow captured by clouds scuddering east. What news of the hatchling will they bear? Written as a 'pi' but not about pie... "A hatchling... [69]" 72 @ midnight. Hoping it cools down. Still a tad warm inside for sleeping. 22 agosto 62° this morning. Sore... maybe due to lifting a box. My body just isn't very forgiving. Up date after Bry's visit... hope to move forward with decluttering. She's stronger than I am. 87°F at 14:10. if it stays under 90 for the daily high this week we'll be past the worse heat of the summer. Bry helped move some stuff to the dumpster. My back complained about every time I bent over. IT helps to have someone coming in. She'll be back on Friday at 10. By noon it's too hot to work in my place. Meatloaf and corn-on-the-cob for lunch. Chatted with various friends. To Tina [edited]: "Is the contest named yet? I make contests a 'favorite', but until it's on-line and open I can't do that. Have you found poets to review poetry yet, and story-tellers to review stories? I find it disheartening when contests don't have limits but the judges only award E-rated 'roses are red' or bible-school 'Jack and Jill'. I've read some very good traditional stuff... but if creativity or anything uncomfortable is going to be outright dismissed then many of us need to know upfront. Being 'open' around here [doesn't always translate into] accepting or tolerant. Project Axe: No r/r "Brown eyes [#28 Mark]" "This and every November [#4 Gary Mc]" "Final chords [#31 Myrt]" "Water lily [#33 Bonnie]" "Dental work [#25 José Enrique]" One r/r "Gypsy [#30]" (unpublished elsewhere)"Walk among these hills [#34 Kelly Hart]" "Blue iris [#26 Irene Blumen] " "In the barber's chair [#24 Malcolm]" "All things sweet and Hungarian [#22]" It's a pleasant 80°F at 18:30. Pleasant = as long as I don't exert myself. My pee was golden earlier, a sign of dehydration. I drink lots of water, tea, coffee. I sweat a lot too. I average two showers/day. 74°F at 8 pm after brief showers. Re a comment by huser:rinsoxy: "I do have these [old items mentioned above] stored in a book entry and I could make new book entries for each one if needed; but, many contests demand bitems. Also... some of these aren't too bad, and it would be nice to get feedback from WDC. When these came out I wasn't too concerned. It was a "NaNoWriMo" effort on my part and the writing, editing, choosing, and putting my own chapbook together was enough work. I did it, but 'marketing' here wasn't on my mind. Blogville was dead in 2013 and I don't believe there was a Newsfeed. Plus... I don't think WDC understood blended writing forms like prose-poems or haibun. Still don't. I could write a potential Pulitzer Prize piece and some folks would still be focused on word-count, line-count, contest rules, grammar, spelling, anything other than whether the actual writing was worthy of being read. |
| 21 August 74 at 11:23. Pleasant but will warm up. Folks at YCC are spazzing out over a doomcast 10 days out. Yes, there could be a major hurricane in the Antilles at end of August. The same ridge that's setting up that scenario could trap rain over the upper MidWest... no one seems to notice that. We see what affects us personally. I'm heating up cream of bacon soup. Threw in a can of chicken. Will add day-old pieces of bread. I'm good. 82 at 13:19. I'm fine as long as I don't do anything. It's hotter inside. 81 at 20:44. Moved a box or two... tea in the fridge. A couple visitors from Italy in the building. Bologna sandwich for sup. [66a] raw cat scratches / hug bleeding horizons — / incessant fan [66b] summer's river / saunters by — overhead / thunder rumbles [66c] somewhere else rain / quenches thirst — here, the vroom / of motorbikes Bianca mentioned Eesti haiku. I'm not convinced but why not? Posted: "From the window [66]" Absolutely worn out and listless. Maybe do one thing before bed? 20 August 66 degrees at 9 am. Market day. Will need a pastry to go with my cold coffee. Got peanut butter fudge, nut pastry, sweet white corn. He-talks-to-pears said that they'll be falling off the trees around September 15th. They're well behaved rose-hips-by-any-other-name. I forgot to check about melons. Almost done with my fire-and-ice milkshake. Nice chat with Lundy. Gary is no longer a teen-ager. Sorry, Gare. It happens... AQI 41 (good-moderate). There's a haze softening the view. Smoke? 81 degrees at noon. Water. Language question: is 'roaching' just another slang word for cheating? https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/love-sex/what-is-roaching-and-how-to-recogni... To Harlow: "I have difficulty sorting out the news from opinion pieces or bleached regurgitation. And the need to rename everything. Roaching? Means cheating. Quiet-quitting = making sure you have time for yourself (saying no to the job). When Kardashian's new line of tight-fitting jeans that demand a reduction of the camel-toe passes as news..." BCoF: With the colors of the rainbow let me speak my heart. With each hue of the eternal rose let me speak your name. Roses come in all colors except blue. But lavender will do. The fragrance of Angel Face will make a doubter fall in love. And Oklahoma's petals give a name to its deep red hue. A pink blush in front of a row house in early December once reminded me of my dearest friend and banished the blues of autumn faced with the onslaught of winter. Made into an entry: "December's petals [65]" 90 degrees at 5 but rain predicted this evening with wind and falling temps. Old poll: "How do you feel about your writing?" by Rasputin  Supper: microwaved sweet corn on the cob. Delicious. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/in-moscow-idaho-conservative-christian-reconst... https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a-christian-schoAol-in-florida-told-parents-th... 67 moist degrees at 11 pm. I heard thunder earlier and we did get a few drops. 19 August 71 degrees at 09:46. No respite. Priorities: , managed to take a shower before David, our janitor, gets busy. Barely slept. What traumas will be tip-toed around today? Too exhausted to actively react to anything. 94 degrees at 3-ish. Got up to 97 or so. To Whirl: "I'm stewing about incompetency... how people in power think that their money and position can make up for their lack of competency. Gotta let it go. Critical thinking is a real existential problem in the USA and elsewhere. Knowing 50% and assuming that you're right because the other person knows only 30% can lead to not asking questions to understand the entire picture. Lack of critical questioning/thinking is killing humanity and the biosphere they need in order to survive. Add in a dram, a dollop or a dumpster-load of incompetency stemming from 'power-and-wealth (or my PhD) makes me right regardless' and you have the memes of farmers laughing at city folks asking which end of the bull to milk. Because... *Rolleyes* ...people hold onto their ignorance even when faced with a different, but knowledgable, point-of-view that might reveal the underlying truth." 87 at almost 9. A cloud blocks the red anger eminating in the west. Its screams fade as sweat lingers. When I left yesterday for tomorrow I stopped here along the way. And this is how the dawn/beginning, the noon/zenith, the sunset/fading that now defines me. Red sketch across the sky/ending-of-the-day the sky-river's ripple headed elsewhere, a nowhere I've never visited but the one that beckons me to fly/soar today. As the untraveled/untrammeled path devoid of footsteps begs to guide me. I put one thought before the other and pray. This moment is mine and mine alone, along the lonely bay they say holds my heart gently as time/breath and seconds sway. I will enter tomorrow with gladness knowing that it too will become a memory of yesterday. [64] (19.august.2022) Posted in "Yesterday seems so close so far away [64]" 76 degrees at midnight. Another restless night of drink and pee and sweat. So hard to sleep. 18 August 70 degrees at 10. Will it reach 100? Uneasy rest overnight. Traumas replaying old tapes. I'll need to be careful today. To Harlow: "I don't trust those who sign up for the military or the police with a Rambo macho-mentality. Serve? I get that, but there are so many ways to serve without killing. Qualifications to teach children: You can be a vet who's blown someone away; but, don't be woke or black or gay. Brought to you by Saint deSantis and the Floridians (a new Christo-fascist dark-rock band)." 97 at 5:05. Ate bologna sandwich, tapioca pudding, garlic bread. Interesting Radiohead cover: Possibly for "Spirits at Lighthouses Contest - Closed" :The rain the fog the foto they took before the moon crashed life now snuffed or glass-embeded, mangled, the muffled cries that faded before the light returned to fossils found strewn among the frosted memories of long-forgotten folks that once drove headlong through fog and mist, much like us. Put in "Full moon falling [63]" My neighbor Jay has a pacemaker that was turned off and on today: wiped off, wiped on, wiped out. He was supposed to take a nap. I told I had taken a nap for him. We both looked like shit. 96 at 6:24... another toasty night ahead. The heat suffocates and wears me out. 77 at midnight. 32% humidity. Horrible. 17 August 68 degrees at 10. I was up late so I'm up late. or  .I'm going to move some boxes, shower and then go to the store. 93 degrees at 3:23. I walked from tree shade to tree shade... like jumping from puddle to puddle. I remembered to buy isopropyl alcohol and dish-washing (wish-washing = hoping someone will do it for me) liquid. My 'treat' was tapioca pudding. Bought more Mexican instant coffee. Vagina sculpturing: crafting the perfect camel toe. Labiaplasty by any name can cost $4,000. https://nypost.com/2022/08/16/designer-vagina-surgery-doubles-in-2022-thanks-to-... So you wanna look like Barbie Kardashian. Is your Ken-Ken gonna get a snip-snip or a walrus bone penile implant? Google 'baculum'. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baculum Boomerang: kind words wafted on the winds I sent your way, hoping that someday you would send them back... or pay them forward. Not everything returns like karma. But I wish in whispers, keep an ear to the ground, decipher every crack of lightning, the thunder's boom. There's room for you in my heart. I keep the light on just in case. Made into something. "Boomerang [62]" Stress: dress, tress, mess, less, watercress. Quiver: liver, river, sever, fivver, giver, never, waver. I'm not moving much. My excuse? It's 95 degrees, going on 5 pm. I detect more interactions here at WDC recently. Still 95 degrees at 7. I'm going through papers. Progress. Bry is back in town so maybe next week. This article is BULLSHIT! https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/10-best-hostels-for-a-stay-in-lisbon-... $34-200/night... did the writer ever stay in these places? If so... who was paying. September 13-15 prices are high. Terrace Lisbon is rated 7.7 and $23/n and is in Belem... which is not the center of Lisbon. Sant Jordi: 8.5 and $33/n in Arroios. Poet's Inn: 7.8 and $78/n in Penha de França. Be Lisbon Intendente: 8.7 and $26/n in Arroios. Green Heart Hostel: 8.1 and $37/n in Santo Antonio. Liberty Hostel: 7.7 and $77/n in Santo Antonio. Party Zone (Bairro Alto): 7.8 and $72/n in Misericordia. WOT patio: 7.8 and $42/n in Avenidas Novas. Hotel Petit Lusa: 9.1 and $100-200/n in Santa Maria Maior. Bluesock Hostels: 8.4 and $28/n in Santo Antonio. In contrast where I stayed for $25/n in April: The Independente: 8.7 and $43/n in Misericordia. My internet is frazzled... laters. 73 at midnight? Too hot to sleep inside. 16 August 64 degrees @ 10. It was a lovely night. ...but a lonely one. Not speaking to many people these days. 91 degrees @ 16:30... I'm wilted. I had lunch with Kathi, Dalton, Laxmi and Willie. Went downtown to check my mail. My new debit card had arrived so I went to the bank to activate it. Also got $2 bills and $1 coins. Spent some at Butterfly Herbs to get a cherry cookies-and-cream milkshake. Got free bread at Jimmy-John's subshop. Sitting in the shade is delightful. Doing anything is frightful. Received letter from plainsue. I should send some out. It's still 85 after 8:30. Sun is setting; hopefully it dips below 60 tonight. $4.19/gallon gas for a couple days now. I took a nap earlier because I felt lethargic. It didn't help. Supper: last of the pork roast. Note to self: next time... less spices, dilute vinegar. 71 degrees @ 11 pm. 15 August Mother's day in Costa Rica. 58°F at 8:30. Got to bed early last night? Up earlier than normal. If I'm smart... but I'm not... ...finish cleaning, book a trip, enter contests (and not wait till the final moment). It's not like I have any excuses. I'm doing better in spite of the heat and lethargy. Maybe I should put clothes on first? No snews that's new. MSN has similar algorithms to Spoosefake: what is trending and most popular. In depth? Important? Skrew that! I need to find a different website. Al Jezeera: elections in Kenya; economic issues in Afghanistan a year later; Saudi Aramco cash flow up; Muslim concerns in India; African footballers; UK bus drivers; Griner appeals; Suu Kyi charged again in Myanmar... not a word about u-know-hoo on the 'front page'. Separate page for Ukraine. Lead opinion: When covering Afghanistan, what matters is the people: Because they are the broken heart of this story; India democracy; Indonesia press freedoms. Now Breaking: William Rutu wins presidency in Kenya. MSN: you-know-who, drama, death, violence, click-bait. To Lilli: "Paul's response resonated with me: a cave not a cavern. I could live in the back room of a bookstore, where every mote of dust must tell its tale. I'm dealing with clutter at the moment and it's "difficult". At least I'm not acquiring anything... except boxes... and soon... When I lived in Costa Rica 10 years ago I was closer to being a minimalist. When I travel, I pack one roller-bag take-on and a backpack. I could travel with less, if truth be told. At least that's what the Resident Dust keeps telling me." Plume (prompt for Express it in Eight): a feather in my cap; a river flowing overhead; smoke signals sent from Idado... an upwelling of magma from my heart. Togldeblox at YCC re Putin: "his personality is also years ahead, to the negative, off the charts, creating new floors in the basement on a regular basis. may his real masculine character be not bent, but rent asunder by the talons of giant raptors." Augustine V suggested adding F22 before 'raptor'. I'm so glad I can comment there now.  —Did you hide the translator in your ear folds like I told you? —Yes, Dad #6. —What about your beautiful nose? *sigh* —Had to have it reduced just like you suggested, Mom #3. |
| 14 59 at 9-ish... which sounds better than it is. Little air flow in my room even with window open, fan on, and door ajar. 85 degrees at 3. I've only spoken to Billie Jo today while eating my spiced up mac&cheese. Back in 2016 I wrote about myself: "Born in the Eastern Great Lakes, a lover of gardens, a student of biology, a graduate of Kansas... where his hidden heart still beats. A lyrical voice struggling to capture in poetry and prose his sojourn in Costa Rica, his escape from the workforce, resurrection in Oklahoma. Drawn to Montana like Russian thistle, a global traveler in search of a place to call home." Reviewing my poetry/prose. Must find two to enter to contests today. But... it's proving to be an amusing read! Methodically going through blogs: "L'aura del Campo" : "Anatomy of a pochette [50]" An ovi... maybe for Trad Poetry?"Cherries before chores [48]" was rejected without comment. Not very strong, so no loss."One beat [47]" a likeable drabble... nowhere to send it. "Fruits of inaction [46]" could still enter in Shadows, maybe TYP."Starbucks, Anytown, USA [32]" not quite an ovi... but sunny in a way... Humor?"A dog in Uvalde [179.24]" serious 8 lines. Which contest? "Static [22] " promising but would need edit."'22 Dew Drop #13 Nature... "Paid for with your arrogance"" not bad, but..."'22 Dew Drop #9 "Oh. No." [18]" one-side of a convo... attitude showing.  "Hoarfrosts from Hell" : "Still Swedish" Great flow, could be turned into a poem for Shadows!"Enga mellom fjella" : "he must've left his leg somewhere else [56]" dialogue, short, could it be part of something bigger... horror? "Stranger in a stranger's land" entered in SoundVision."Dancing in the Earthlight [53]" I must've entered this... somewhere. The Big One?"Along the Po [52] [~530 words]" a bit vampish flash... horror?"Moonpies on Mars" with an edit could easily be entered somewhere."Teeth-of-the-lions [49] ~275 words" july entry to Schnujo."A dog with violet eyes [41] 285 words" no love *sad* could be edited and worked with"The hand that threw the brick stopped the train [38] 275w" ditto"For the love of a button [35] (284 words)" I really like this! So... submitted: "[to the arm] L4" to TYP and "Still Swedish" to Shadows.To Beholden re his entry "Greyhound" : "Well written. I met some real characters on buses and trains. Planes? Not as often as people tend to want to be left alone.They also tend to be poor. And the poor have stories beyond matching designer luggage. It's why I stay in hostels rather than hotels. The people I meet when alive will have memories of me long after my passing." 13  Market Day. 70 this morning. I need to take a shower and go. A bit listless. Goal: find something for Shadows&Light. Where are my notes... Snews: Rushdie... mixed emotions. 1. I think "Satanic Verses" was worse than a poor choice of words. 2. The fatwa was extreme, but an historically consistent reaction (see Tahirih). 3. Crossing international borders can create an international crisis. USA does this often. 4. Chautauqua Institute is a very peaceful place and it's disturbing for me personally as I've been there. 5. There is no excuse for the level of violence used against Rushdie. 11 am. I'm stuck to my chair. Huckleberry danish from Irina. Cricket-flour pumpkin-spice cookie from Ann  .Chocolate-lavender shake and coffee at BH. I felt much better after a great discussion with Charles. 5 pm. 91°F with 22% humidity. Not too bad. I'm home. A good travel article (family of 6): https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/article/how-to-plan-a-trip-to-europe/ar-AAZeK2I... Noe Kurtz on fb: "Don't be the bacon in someone's vegan soup." Posted. No response. Days are getting noticeably shorter. Forgot that Vice-Versa posts on Saturday. Watching episode 5 (winter white). It snows in Thailand... Tonight's meal was one potato... a big one. I commented to Jim: "In May '99 I met someone who unlocked my Muse. A magical moment in Michigan. Don't think I've ever been back except for a flight connection. I suspect something else was let loose as well. The next three years were turbulent. Not quite like your story... but magical moments never are." 12 62 degrees at 8-ish. 65 @ 9. 70 @ 10. Sweat all night. Miserable for sleeping. Shower before bedtime; shower when I get up. I should be happy that I'm losing a bit of 'water' weight. I keep hydrated. --- Willow watches as hot winds brush her long tresses, two blackbirds squawking at passersby, where stunted cattails stand stoic in defiance to this drought. Do yesterday's sorrows predict tomorrow's triumphs or more trials that erode our soul's grip on life's earthly plane, as eyes blink and lashes brush away its dying tears. [60] To Petra: "I cringed as the dishes winked at me... Cooked a pork roast in vinegar last night in spite of the 33 degree heat... a spicy lazy-man's sauerbraten. I cleaned up the dishes this morning." Maybe I should've written "I removed the evidence this morning." Sat with Merry for lunch; chatted with Jamie. Scored: white rice, brown rice, a box of farina. To Holly: "Well, Fox and Fascist both begin with F as does fake, faux and another four letter word." Only 90 degrees, just before 4. Toxic drama? Be boring. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/try-the-gray-rock-method-a-foolproof-t... 83 at 5 with a 15 NW mph . Quite refreshing. There have been a few stray drops. Empty promises/threats imho. 70 degrees at 21:30. To Stik re WDC activity: "It's been 7 TROUBLESOME years since Dave wrote these two wondrous lines: With petulant pout, some flatulent lout blew riveting rhapsody through his rectal flute. A response to some of your points: 1. Quite a few popular contests (like Taboo) are on hiatus due to lack of entries. Neither "Second Time Around" nor "Dark Dreamscape" are very narrow in scope. But many contests are as you note. Too narrow isn't good imho. Also: responsible hosts can make a huge difference. 2. My blog experience: 6002 views as of August 12 '22 5508 views as of January 1 '22 Less than 500 views in over 7 months, or about 2 views/day. 4908 on Aug 12 '21 3517 on Jan 1 '21 Almost 1,400 views in the same period, or about 6 views/day 2020 = 2,600/year or 7/day. 2008 (Different blog: August 13th 7204 - January 2nd 1587) = 5600 over a similar period as 2020/2021 or about 25/day. Blogging at WDC was very different in 2008. 3. Post-covid activity may be a factor as I noted on January 15th 2022. I wrote: My thoughts... I need to get out more and reconnect face-to-face. It looks like covid-omicron will become endemic like the flu. Very contagious but not so lethal. As the world comes to terms with that I suspect countries will open up. I will need to dream about traveling, do research, makes plans. Go! I have unfinished writing projects. I have unfinished business in my personal life. My on-line addiction has gotten in the way of living. It helped during the shutdown, but 2 years is far too long. I'm getting old in many ways and if movement = life, then I've been comatose. 2021 was the first year since 2006 that I didn't travel. This is only sustainable if I'm making funeral arrangements. 4. I'm not a fan of 'fun and games' but there's a very strong and active group that is. To me, that's not a focus on writing... just my opinion. " 11  70 degrees at 10 and warming. Little relief for some of us. My room is stuffy. Billie Jo kept her door ajar last night; it cooled off some but no air flow. Now 74 at 10:40 and 54% humidity. Tie me to a tree till I turn yellow, admire my slick hard topaz, stroke soft shades of mellow... Became a very bitter poem: "Draft of '72 [58]" 91 at four o'clock. Hopefully no warmer. 103 in the forecast... again. Mostly sat alone with my taco salad and chocolate cake today. I have cooking to do... but in this heat? Pork roast is in the oven. It's only 92 outside. Learning: "Truyên Kiêu," or the "Tale of Kiêu." This masterpiece, ranking with the greatest achievements of Asian and world literature, was written by Nguyen Du in the second decade of the nineteenth century. Link: https://johnpavlovitz.com/2022/04/10/a-funeral-for-my-christianity-2/?utm_campai... "It isn’t the Gospel. It isn’t Good News for the poor and marginalized. It isn’t the Prince of Peace. It isn’t the perfect love that casts out fear. It isn’t Jesus by any measure. It’s a toxic cocktail of power, control, fear, nationalism, and white privilege—and it looks much more like the bloated opulence of Rome than the early Church that resisted it. People have said that the MAGA Evangelical movement has hijacked Jesus but I don’t believe that’s true. They have hijacked the word Christian. Jesus is of no use to them." Reworking the lament of John Pavlovitz: The Church of Amerikkka: It isn't the Gospel. It isn’t Good News for the poor and marginalized. It isn’t the Prince of Peace. It isn’t the perfect love that casts out fear. It isn’t Jesus by any measure. It’s a toxic cocktail of power, control, fear, nationalism, and white privilege. And it's the platform we see in DeSantis' vision for Florida and the CMTA. Rain slashes the window panes. 65 degrees at 9 pm. 74 at 9:35. Temp rebounded a bit but it should cool off tonight... I hope.  10 74 degrees at 9-ish. Never cooled down. Miserable night for sleeping. AQ outside is good; dust inside is troublesome. Am I having an epiphany? An interesting approach about letting go of a relationship that will never be. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/erika-ettin-let-sleeping-ghosts-lie/ar-AA10woR... Pork roast, tuna and bologna were on 'sale'. Tuna casserole for lunch. Sat with Laxmi, Dalton, Willie, Monte. 84 and muggy at 2 pm. I understand how DJT feels violated. But the GOP's response is troubling. More concern about a white-man's property than a woman's right to her body. Only 76 at 7-ish... still 76 at 8-ish. Rain? I haven't seen any drops. 72 at 10 on-the-dot. That's midnight WDC time. No news. No rain. 09 64 degrees at 9, but a hot day forecast. Each day a day of ennui. But slowly... much better than last year when I was listless. 90 at 2 with 17% humididy... okay in the shade if you make like a sloth and don't move. Otherwise... 97 at 5. May not go triple digits! Did get up to 99 but falling now after 6. Saw Kathy, Bill, Don, Kathi, Dalton... chicken was tender today and so were the brussel sprouts. I brought my half-banana home. Do I trust the FBI? Not really. Do I trust Trump? Not really. Donald may have met his match. The FBI will not play his childish games. To QotD: "My mind is scattered. Which moment were you referring to? I'm commenting to Kittiara right now. I referred her to QotD as I feel that this website has been comatose. Frankly? I'm dreading the Birthday Bash. What I need is more writers willing to interact with reviews or comments. Merit badges have become almost meaningless in the last 2 years. I feel like I'm watching Oprah '97 at times... "and you get a car and you get a car and you..." But my needs =/= other writer's needs. My rant includes all case-colors. Lots of blue and purple cases that seldom interact. Why would a lowly black-case newbie bother when folks with brighter colors and 4 numbers after their name don't? And... what encouraged folks 15 years ago may be a barrier nowadays. Just like Elle told Kittiara... things have shifted. And although that's to be expected it's cause for concern for those of us who wonder "who moved my cheese". If I were a mod I'd be asking questions and seeking solutions...but I'm not and never will be. I can't take drama and as a marginalized minority am used to being on the outside looking in and having my suggestions pooh-poohed. Perhaps the SMs could do a real-life survey of young writers and find out what their needs are. Personally, I have no clue. But all social-media platforms have issues as demographics and priorities shift." It's not cooling down. 08 67°F 19°C at 10:30. Very pleasant. Will get windy later but not as hot as originally forecast (we hope). That said... if anyone starts a fire it'll burn the whole town down. To Schnujo: I suspect what you say about articles [selling products] is true. Maybe I should write something to prove the point... but good Regency Romance writers do it all the time. My poem (a cento woven from other poems) "Once in Iceland [169.105]" and short story "Á Ragnvadr (Ragnvadr's River)" take me and the reader to Iceland. I've never been there (except for the airport). Fortunately, I'm not selling anything. Even when I write about my travels I have nothing for sale. Which brings me to "The Best 10 places to ______." Usually based on party-hard, smooze with the glitteratti, least discomfort (crime, brown-skinned-people, don't-speak-English, restrictive laws); places everyone goes to or dreams about: London, Paris, Rome plus 7 more (including 2 "newly-found" places with excellent tourist bureaus). It's all very White-Middle-Class oriented... and tiresome. For products we used Consumer Reports growing up. For travel I use various guide-books. Then I decide for myself and share my experiences. Must've gone to bed early as I woke up early but didn't get up. I don't sleep well at home. I lay back down, but must say that my waking-dream was very pleasant and not to be shared here. "Strawberry Down" is all I'll mention. Strawberry Shortcake ▼ Brewed a mix of Kona and Ethiopian this morning. I'll go to God's Waiting Room for biscuits-and-gravy and ask whether anyone checked out over the weekend. Not likely, but one should be polite. A must-read: "Invalid Item" A toasty 86 at 2 pm. Sat with Merry and Ron, Charles and Laxmi. Nobody died over the weekend... that we know of. A note found while 'cleaning': De espanha: nem bom vento; nem bom casamento. 92 at 6 pm. Not moving much. Don't care much either. 91 at 7 and falling? 22 past the hour, my dears. My favorite time, any day, any hour. But, I've misplaced my glasses and can't be bothered to decipher your twitterings. Frankly, my dears, until I find my glasses I don't give a ____. 5989 |
 07 67 and the flag is limp. 11 am. Meanwhile at YCC: • DrCane1985: Two Rebellious Fishes later.... and Im gone. Jesus, take the wheel!! • TybeeTime - SavannahStorm: Jesus turned a little too much water into wine and needs a DD. The Tropics are a bit calm, so the weather/climate blog is slow. Wordle: 0/2/4/15/14/3 = 38 since I rebooted this chromebook. I had only missed once previously in 100+ tries. My goal isn't to make it in 3, but to avoid losing. Word #6 three times? i don't like losing. Today's word was a typical #4. I already had 4 letters, one in proper position. Thank you 'S'. Why I travel: before I enter God's Waiting Room to sit and rot... I choose to live. "I dance among the fireflies at twilight as Wednesday becomes Thursday." I need to work on this image. Thailand has colors for each day. sunday is red, Monday is yellow. Wednesday is green, then becomes grey in the evening, Thursday is orange. My colors are green and orange. Befittng a story, a poem and/or a song. I did minor cleaning in a corner I seldom get into. More stuff to throw out or wash. 85 at 5 pm. May not reach 90. In response to Adherrenium: "I wonder whether financing a year abroad to learn another culture and language would count...I mean... crowfunding crowdfunding seems to be common these days. Maybe Ivanka's daddy could supply the dough? I think not. He prolly still has his mother's first tuppence. She was Scot, y'know. Did you know you can live in Bangkok on $8,000/month or in Chiang Mai on a measely $2,000 ($537/month rent for 3 bedrooms). Thailand is "cheap". Oh... can you hear my sarcasm dripping? I'd settle for a one bedroom at much less in Isan. I find ex-pats and their priorities disturbing. But... if you know someone who has an extra $12k/year sitting around I know someone who would gladly invest it in himself (me) and share that experience with others." Krungtep (Bangkok) on a Quarter-million: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I11Z9udn38Y Chiang Mai on less: https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/how-to-retire-in-thailands-%e2%80%9crose-o... I did get a wash done. So, something today. 70 degrees at 22:00.  06 67 at 10 in the morning. Will warm up in the afternoon into the 80s. 75 at 5 in the afternoon. Apparently didn't get much above 80, if at all. Very pleasant day and it will cool down nicely before midnight. Blueberry pastry from Irina at market. Huckleberry-lime milkshake at Butterfly Herbs. Read some old flash fiction from 2019 I had printed out: dialogue, no dialogue and mixed. What to do with them? I forgot the butter yesterday when making mac&cheese (or did I?); anyhoo, added butter to the chicken I was simmering in the skillet with a can of cream of mushroom soup, black pepper, paprika, onion flakes. Very good. I posted my musings on the Newsfeed: "I forgot to add the butter to the mac-and-cheese yesterday; but, not-to-worry, I added it to the chicken today!" Sail sat there, turning her head to one side then the other trying to make sense of what I just said. And... that was the problem. It made no sense. She tried to understand everything that her literal mind couldn't cope with. She'd be rocking in her chair, thinking, and rethinking. For days, if I let her. I gave Kyle that look and he came bounding over. "Let's get Sail and go for a walk." Sail wouldn't budge until Kyle whacked her with his tail and slobbered all over her. Then she smiled and slowly gave me her hand. Today was August 6th. It was almost 22 years since she'd entered my life. What happens next? And why? That might depend on what you know about Sail and whether you think there's a medical, mental, physical, emotional issue that clarifies her actions and defines our relationship. I send kind thoughts to Cubby. Still camping? I missed '1st Chapter" last month and this is how I write when I enter her contests. By-the-way, the opening line is 100% true... the rest is absolute fiction." 60 degrees at 22:22. Oh my bleating heart!  05 55 calm degrees at 8 in the morning. 80 at 2:30 with a light breeze, "wispy cataracts cover the blue-eyed sky." Temps easing. We needed the break. Trees and flowers are thirsty. Not a drop in sight before Wednesday. Need to go through old poems and submit to appropriate contests. Need to clean out a corner of the kitchen today, clear off the table, go through a couple boxes. Situation in Taiwan is unnerving. There was a thought... a fleeting thought... but no worries... it's gone now. Ah... "A poem of little insight".  04 67 at 9. $4.29/gal gas. Fans blowing. Big contest is "what a character" and I'm not sure yet where to go with it. Some magic is small, like rotting vegetables turning into compost or personal, like your mother's ashes becoming a porcelain urn (the urn that's empty of ashes) [or your mother's ashes as a glaze, your father's mixed with clay = "Together Forever"]. But what is magic? I imagine twins, one injured or deformed. Would a uninformed magician presented with one and then the other be shocked to the point of a heart attack because they believe/disbelieve in magic? What happens to a faker when transported to a world that's magical. An 18th century Ben Franklin might cope with 21st century change but would a small town priest who's overworked? Not everyone is flexible enough to transform themselves. Transform... whether it's outer matching inner or inner matching outer (becoming the mask) there's a price to pay. What about sub-genres: western, slipstream (surrrealism),lgbtq, romance (romancing the urn?), children, immortality, sports, time travel, psychological, medical, utopia/dystopia, mystery. goth, thriller, AI, dark, historical, autobiography (real or imagined), ghosts, comedy, horror, Lovecraftian, occult (cult?), holiday, biopunk, cyberpunk, steampunk (silkpunk), inspirational, military, food! A link re genres: https://www.servicescape.com/blog/144-genres-and-subgenres-for-fiction-writing To Mary on fb: "I don't understand why Texans put up with horseshit and bullshit. I know they-all aren't illiterate." At 5 pm, 86 degrees with 18% humidity and a stiff westerly breeze. Not too bad. To Paul: "My brain = scrambled eggs. You wrote: "a Robin Hood type that gives all of his booty away to charities." I read: a Robin Hood type that gives all of his body parts away. Which begs the question... while he's alive? Eyes, a kidney, a slice of liver (hold the onions)???" 74 at 21:30. It's cooling down. Lovely sunset tonght but I didn't go down to the bridge to savor its reflection in the channel. Watched for awhile as it faded from copper to rust and wrote a serenade. Entered "Cherries before chores [48]" into Stormy's newsletter as deadline loomed. Need to take care of other deadlines soon.  03 62 and cool at 9 am. Time for market. Chocolate milk, ground pork and chicken thighs at Orange Food Farm. Picked up free canned mushroom soup and beef stew at Senior Center. Sat with Merry, Laxmi, David... 88 and breezy at 2:30. 13% humidity makes it bearable. What chore comes first? Note to Petra re Jamiroquai: "Funky acid-jazz! Not what I expected. A kool-kat-in-the-hat soft-shoeing across a sliding stage wasn't what I was prepared for. Very talented. Jay Kay is now 52. No idea of how old he is in this video."  02 80 degrees and freshening at 11-ish. The door to the fire escape is open and oh-what-a-difference! Hopefully it blows out the ennui along with the trapped heat. It's been a brutal week. Today may be cooler? And tonight 60. I went through pants (mostly jeans) last night and rolled them up and put them in a drawer today. Most were wearable. I'm eyeing the kitchen area. I think straightening that out and repositioning the table would be a worthy project. Bry had a family situation; so, not sure when she stop by this week. I'm leaving shortly to visit God's Outer Waiting Room. Ravioli beckons me. David may have a portable a/c for me! Tomorrow... $4.34/gallon gasoline. Slowly coming down. 86 degrees at 2:02 pm. Need to change clothes. Need to edit "The Winter Rose [295] (253words26lines)" and submit to Senior Forum. Important info on AI writing: "Becoming Obsolete" Only 85 degrees at 5. First Place in Round 9 of Journalistic Intentions  I told Stik: "Thank you for reading and recognizing my effort for JI. It's a difficult contest for me because at times I have trouble wrapping my brain around it. Oktober? As long as it isn't cliche Halloween... unless we get to turn those cliches on their pointy little heads. There are reasons why I like the Taboo Word Contest and Darleen's Dark Dreamscape. JI has the advantage that one gets to choose, which means one can also avoid specific prompts. The way 30dbc was structured for years left me angry at times or gasping for breath. Triggered my traumas?  I could use a non-home workspace but if I have to walk there in the heat it may not happen. Fewer options close-by then pre-covid. Much less in the evening. Hard to predict responses when one crosses cultural boundries. My friend Ronald from Costa Rica found out how different Hondurans and Guatemalans are culturally and I can vouch how utterly different Salvadoreans are from others in the region. Broad brush, I know; but, that's one way of interacting until one knows individuals. I don't trust Costa Ricans in general but I'd trust Alberth with my life. Enjoy your trip to South-of-Wisconsin, East-of-Iowa, West-of-Indiana and Thankfully-not-Misery." 67 degrees at 11 pm. There is hope... Orioles won. They are now 53-51. Last year they finished 52-110.  01 74 degrees at midnight and it's just not going down. I'll take a shower before I nod off but that only helps for awhile. I sweat profusely and I've been having nightmares. Managed to get two entries to contests done before the bell was rung: "Stranger in a stranger's land" and "Dancing in the Earthlight" . My chromebook was running out of juice. It's charged now. Today may hit 100... again. I have lots of cleaning to do but the heat may limit certain tasks. Bry comes in Tuesday morning. This daily blogging in one weekly post isn't working; but, nothing I have done has worked. Did Wordle in 5. I've only missed once in over 130 tries. My anxiety was high over the weekend. We shall see... 72 this morning; maybe it won't hit 100? Awarded  : "After oolong tea" (Round 9). Also won Journalistic Intentions (June).![Merit Badge in Test Your Poetry
[Click For More Info]
Heartiest congratulations on winning Round 9 of TYP!](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/group-Test_Your_Poetry-2254390_14.gif) 85 at noon-ish. I went to God's Waiting Room and parted with 2 books (37/100). Did not find my hat. I decided against death-by-salt (chili dogs w/ fritos). I'll eat cottage cheese with raspberries... at home. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/iran-steps-up-bahai-persecution-with-wave-o... 93 and at 5 pm. I commented to Kittiara: "Well... now I know where some of my 'scandalous' writings might fit. ["Kit's Higher Ratings Contest" ]I swear WDC can be a bunch of Catholic grade-school brats afraid of Sister Mary-Marcia of the Sobbing-Story (who secretly writes XGC porn... whatever...). And, yes, I know that sounds harsh. Vetter... I read up. He has 3 children and he's 35? I'd retire too. Fortunately can afford to. Vroom I played with cars in the dirt as a kid and went to the local speedway and even the Grand Prix. But... I hardly count... unless it's blowing dust going down a dirt road at 80 mph in my '60 Pontiac Catalina. Finding the car enthusiasts and biker-babes at WDC is hard-part #1. Getting them to write is #2. Share my faith... ["Share Your Faith" ] I really wanted to write to 'joy' but July was Panic-Attack '22. 'Love' doesn't quite inspire me... yet. I think of the line from Paul Simon's "April come she will": August, die she must. Maybe I could write to that."Cher: Is there Life after Love? Me: Is there Love after Life? To Kmac390 re aliens from the Pleiedes revisiting us: "I wish! But maybe they already have? Oops... now I see you said another. We humanoids don't do our homework diligently, do we... maybe we're just as deaf (or deafer) than the stones we stand on."5973 |
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