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 |   Second blog -- answers to an ocean of prompts |
 "Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself." CHARLIE CHAPLIN  Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet confinement of your aloneness to learn anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you. David Whyte        This is my supplementary blog in which I will post entries written for prompts. |
For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise"  Prompt: “Literature was born on the day when a boy came crying ‘wolf, wolf’ and there was no wolf behind him. That the poor little fellow because he lied too often was finally eaten up by a real beast is quite incidental. But here is what is important. Between the wolf in the tall grass and the wolf in the tall story there is a shimmering go-between. That go-between, that prism, is the art of literature,” says Vladimir Nabokov. From your own personal point of view, what is literature to you? --- Literature may be any written work for most but the way I see it, literature is something that leaves a lasting effect on me or at least some effect. It may have been written at one time or another, but also it may be spoken, such as in audiobooks or even speeches. Martin Luther King’s “I have a Dream” and Ronald Reagan’s Brandenburg Gate speeches, for example. Yes, they were rhetorical but they moved us, didn’t they? Then, there are the works written for stage and film, some of which I consider great literature. The beauty of literature is that it emerges from the interior of the human head and heart, which are infinite. Of course, crappy stuff can emerge, too. I should know about that since I’ve produced some myself and keep doing it. The music in the lines of poetry, the sounds and meanings of words working together, unseating the prose from its throne even when fractured and dissonant, is literature, too. Be it prose, poetry, fiction, or non-fiction, to call a piece of work literature, it must be universal and at the same time deeply personal. It has to be fluid with identity, dealing with a fundamental human situation, metamorphosis, or a bit of transformation. As to fiction, it can be realistic or imagined. I make no distinction between genres or the literary general fiction. Neither do I have any prejudices as to language, form, or length when it comes to literature, even in the work of a newbie writer who is an author in the making. What I don’t consider decent writing, let alone literature, is this whirlpool of disinformation some of the media has sunk to recently, during these most trying times. Over such pieces, I’ll take the worse pieces of WdC members who are at least trying and working very hard to produce something halfway acceptable. Then, I also think some of the work here is also truly stunning and high quality.  For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: From Charity Marie - <3  ’s "Ordinary Heroes" Heroes. Write about heroes, fictional or real. {size} --- A hero to me is someone who acts courageously when faced with a difficult problem. People who perform heroic acts at the drop of a hat without realizing what they are doing are not heroes, in my estimation. For example, if you see a little child on the path of a gunfire and you run to grab her and get her to safety, you are a hero. But if you are cowering behind a crate when gunfire erupts and a little child comes near you to hide with you, you are not a hero. Talking of today’s problems, healthcare workers who face this Covid 19 threat are heroes. But healthcare workers who quit their jobs because of the Covid 19 threat are cowards, not that I blame them or anything, but in every profession and calling some danger exists. Those who can’t face that danger shouldn’t be in such a profession. Other kinds of heroes can be the policemen, firefighters, parents who raise children alone and with no help from anyone, people working in labs to find cures or to explore, people who try to help the homeless and the unfortunate, etc. In short, to be a hero, a person has to have some moral brilliance and has to show it. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: Tell us about your writing space. Where do you write your blog posts? ==== When we first moved to our house, I took a separate room to write in and my late husband had his study, but we weren’t seeing much of each other. So, we decided to unite in the family room, into which we put small desks and simple bookshelves for our immediate needs. After him, I am still writing in the family room. On the three bookshelves against the wall are my reference books and a few favorites only. My desk holds my notebooks, both empty and half-full, and a few magazines. My laptop used to be on the desk, but about two years ago, I bought a stand so I could write or surf the web standing up. Cute, right? But that standing up writing biz, unfortunately, never happens. Well, almost never. Instead I have cranked up my desk chair. On the wall, to the right of me, hangs a large framed collage of family photos, for my emotional comfort. Under that frame, on the half-size bookshelf next to me I have a desk lamp, which is rarely used, unless there is no other light in the room. This is where I write my blog posts and, at the moment, I am not standing up…as usual. For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: “Chewbecca and I traveled to a new planet” from Lostwordsmith  ’s "Invalid Item" Read the above item. Happy endings were real and wishes came true. Write about this from a child's view. ==== For showing us the way to this poignant and beautiful poem, I am really grateful to you,  Megan. I think, however, the poem is much more than a child’s view, as sweet and happy a child’s view we might assume may be.It is also very difficult for me to take such a child’s view at this late point in my life. If I tried, I would sound fake. It may just be that I am too linear and literal. Plus, I don’t think all children share a happy outlook on life. Being an only child, overprotected and always under adult supervision, I certainly wasn’t happy all the time, and I knew that not all my wishes came true. So, instead, let me write about the poem. As Walt Whitman said, “We convince by our presence,” I think this is a poem that convinces by its presence. First, its construction is superb. Subject, style, content, and form are interconnected. Then, it has its own particular music. The poet’s unique voice is there, and it sings. Diction--although seemingly simple but it is not-- and the imagery--so poetic in a charming way--unite splendidly. All in all, it left me in a poetic fairy dust.  |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: Write an anecdote. According to Merriam-Webster.com an anecedote comes from the Greek word anekdota, which means unpublished. It is defined as a short short story concerning a funny or interesting occurrence or event. ==== The year 2020 is like a killer bee’s menacing, unpredictable stab…Although a bee sting may look powerless, considering what 2020 has been when compared to the good old days This is exactly what I and my kids talked about when they came for a visit yesterday. We all agreed upon the fact that this year’s sting has been (and is) so bad that we fear the good old days will soon be forgotten just like the old fairy tales of lore that are forgotten. So, here is a fairy story. While every fairy thought that the nasty fairy among them was bewitched and now, she was dead and they were safe, the nasty fairy wasn’t dead. During the ceremony after Beauty’s birth, when the fairies bestowed gifts upon the newborn, the nasty fairy emerged to announce that Beauty would die from a tiny prick (like that of the killer bee’s). While everyone was shaken and terrified, another fairy came forth to adapt the old fairy’s spell to Beauty's sleeping for a hundred years. And you know the rest. Same with 2020, the nasty fairy'spell and the killer bee of our lives. I am quite sure we’ll get through the stings of it without half the world’s population going six-feet below the ground. Except none of us would want to sleep under its spell for a hundred years. And now,I want to ask what happened? Who cursed us? ----- Note--As much as this entry may not qualify to be considered an anecdote, this is what came out when I sat down to write. So, sorry prompt! Another day, another time. For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: From "What happens to the Dreams?" [E] by Sharmelle's Expressions  Where do our dreams lead us? Don't chase your dreams, live them! Use this line in your Blog entry today. === Although I have several dreams each night, I don’t dwell on them. In fact, I don’t dwell on any kind of dreams, maybe because I never wished nor attempted to stand the on podium of a superhero, saint, or goddess. Granted that goal setting—-much better if done loosely--can make people work toward a destination, but this is as long as those goals are attainable. For the reason that dreams can be far-away, impossible things. Plus, aren’t dreams a form of enduring reality? Or maybe dreams are our way of challenging reality, testing, and contesting it. As if flying in a night dream without wings, without falling, without demise, while altering the rules of the natural world. What about when we wake up from any one kind of a so-called dream? Won’t that be our real fall? Therefore, “Don't chase your dreams, live them,” is a bogus saying in my point of view. So, I think maybe it is a good idea to wake up, look around at where we are, and take it from there. |
| For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: From "Rice" "No one single person is truly represented by any political party." What do you think? Is a person truly represented by a political party? --- Although I hate to talk about my political views, I agree with the quote because my ideas can be both liberal and conservative, depending on the issues. Unfortunately, in our time, tribalism has become the norm for political parties. I hear this is the same, not only in the USA but in most other countries around the world, also. The mindless affiliations, polarization, and gridlock are preventing the citizens from finding a common ground. Thus, exist enormous social and political challenges heightened by Covid-19. The glue that holds people together is also being undone by foreign forces and money, which is using racial undertones and other divisive undercurrents, which lead to feuds worse than blood feuds and unjust and untrue accusations on both sides. As to where I am, I worry that we are losing our respect for our Constitution as foreign voices are hurling themselves into the heartland to ask for changes in the Constitution, the one thing which has held us together through time. When a country loses its respect for its elemental laws due to the factions’ impositions, it fragments under the power of these extremists. Surely, as we progress, we can change, but we can do it within our laws and not lawlessness that is being coerced on our country. Needless to say, I am deeply disappointed in our parties. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt “Cats are dangerous companions for writers because cat-watching is a near-perfect method of writing avoidance,” says Dan Greenburg. What other excuses like cats make your mind wander and take you away from your writing? ----- Excuses? Let me count the ways. The fact is, I prefer reading to writing. So, reading is A number one. I feel richer and illumined while reading, while writing is excavation. It is digging into yourself, your brain, the hidden parts of your psyche, and all that you have gathered as know-how in your life. It is hard work. No wonder some prefer cat-watching. Aside from reading, my methods of avoidance include: • Housework: It needs to be done, doesn’t it? • Sewing, mending, clearing out the closets, etc. • Plants. Although I don’t have too many, at least not as many as I had when I was much younger. Since they are scattered in the house and back and front yards, they can take a good amount of time. • Of Microsoft’s Word games, Word Twister • Mahjong (2 different kinds) • Solitaire but not too much. This can get boring and annoying. So I probably play only one game a day. The fact is, I don’t consciously avoid writing. I think this happens because I like doing other things, too. On the other hand, I have a couple of novels unfinished, a slew of others only in the first draft, and a whole bunch of other writings that need organization, plus a lot of ideas that need to be attended to. And yet….. Well, go figure!  For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: From Lostwordsmith  ’s "Invalid Item" "Not all those who wander are lost".What do you think this means? Analyze and report. ---- I am rather hesitant to answer this question. I am not a goal-oriented person and not a good example to other writers. Believe it or not, I did start my adult years as a strictly goal-oriented woman, but life has a way of distracting a person, and for good reasons, too. Mine were family and kids, travel, a slight switch in my vocation, plus other ever-changing hobbies and things. However, these excuses are not entirely correct. Strict goals feel sinister and demanding to me, and being a half-cooked perfectionist, I make myself miserable trying to meet them. This is one of the reasons, I stay away from the “weekly goals” thing on Newsfeed here in WdC, which is very useful to most writers. I think, maybe I am an organized wanderer, while I like being spontaneous within reason. Spontaneity lets me find meaning in all things, and not because I am an aimless nomad, uncertain of direction. Mostly, I am rather curious about life and wandering can cause me to come upon unplanned yet interesting avenues. I just don’t like to plan my every move, and this doesn’t mean I don’t make any plans. It means I make plans loosely so my life has some bit of organization, while I keep my plans adaptable unless I have promised others to do something at a certain time. In that case, I am strict with myself. This is only because I can’t expect others to wander along with me. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt “We may be totally unaware that many of the challenges in our lives are not our issues. They are our parents’ issues,” says Shirley Rose in her book, Integration: Heal past Trauma and Prevent Future Trauma. Which kinds of issues in one’s life can be their parents’ issues? Do you ever find yourself thinking, this isn’t me but my parent? ----- It is easy to blame one’s problems on their parents, but blaming doesn’t help. Knowing the source of the problem does. The way I see it, although abuse and mistreatment can put a heavy burden on a person’s psyche, it isn’t always the abuse or the mistreatment by a parent that may cause some of the people’s problems. Parents may do a wonderful job in their parenting, yet some issues may still originate or have something to do with the parents' own unexplored or ignored problems. For example, if you had a wonderful mother who was also a neat freak and you as an adult, cannot fall asleep at night, thinking of the armchair you did not place just-so after sweeping under it, your neat-freak problem is coming from your mother. This is because children learn by imitating and a good portion of that imitating, they may think, is coming from their own selves and not from anyone else. Some of the issues that may relate to parents in some way may have to do with: • Which kinds of people we can tolerate and which kinds we can’t • Money matters: Are we a big spender or are we thrifty, and does this have anything to do with our parents’ behavior with money? Do we think money is dirty or money is to be spent as soon as it is made and it doesn’t matter if we owe someone or some institution? • The way we are with our own children: Are we knowingly or unknowingly passing on our parents’ expectations from us to our children? Watch out for your language, here. How many times did you catch yourself saying exactly what your parent used to tell you? • The way we are with our work ethics or housekeeping and other areas: Watch out for stuff that is becoming a problem for you. Having said all this, it doesn’t mean that all our actions, thoughts, and beliefs are our subconscious imitations of our parents. A good portion of those, we derive from our own life experiences. Then, on the positive side, some imitations of our parents can be very useful if we have trusted and believed in their astuteness and knowledge. Such parents are a joy to imitate, but if you think you are having a problem with any of your behaviors, it is a good idea to think of its source. After all, parents are people, too. For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: What will life be like 5 years from now? I have no idea. I am not even sure I’ll be around then or any of my friends or relatives will be either. This is because life is tricky and we never know what’s going to hit us next. I am hoping, however, this Covid-19 will be something of the past and no other virus or epidemic like it will hit this planet again. On the medical front, I believe some serious advancements will be made in the studies of the human brain and hopefully Alzheimer’s and Dementia will have some positive treatments, if they are not totally eliminated. I think more inventions are in the horizon, too. One of them could be, crossing my fingers, free internet for the entire planet. Also, again crossing my fingers, world hunger will be eliminated, and even by a farther chance, people will stop warring and fighting. We may take some steps in exploring the solar system, as well, which I don’t see how it will benefit us, but as a general rule, I believe in exploring because you never know what you’ll find. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: July 4th! Here in the US, this is Independence Day. Tell us what independence means to you. ---- Independence means sovereignty for countries and autonomy for any one person or a group of people. Both mean having the ability of making one’s or the group’s own decisions. In the case of autonomy, a group can still be allied with a larger group or country, while their internal affairs are their own business. As much as I like the term independence, however, I ask if a person can be totally independent on the personal scale. The answer is no. We do depend on one another to live in this world. We all do different things and we are trained to do different things; so, some kind of a give-and-take cannot be avoided. Still, on some level, we all like to do what we wish to do and are able to do on our own. For example, once a child learns how to feed herself with a spoon, a parent’s intervention is one intervention too many. The same criteria can be applied to individuals, the state, or the country. To me, independence, above all, means the ability to think for myself and express myself freely, as long as I don’t step on other people’s freedoms. Unfortunately, it is not accepted as such by some people, therefore leading to vandalism, theft, and violence. Still to me, independence is being able to do what I want with my time and money, but is it possible? Yesterday, I spent six hours on the phone by being sent from one computerized answering machine of my health insurance company to another, circling about, and at the end being sent to the first number I dialed. No kidding! The answer was there and it took two minutes for a representative to clarify it. Go figure! I think, at least until really capable robots are invented, if the companies could man their phones properly instead of letting computers do the work, wouldn’t we all be freer? Since I am an older person and, recently, I have seen others in residential places for the elderly, the idea of independence has translated into assisted autonomy for each individual who needed help due to health concerns and changing mobility. This means a person’s wish to stay independent does not go hand in hand with their capabilities. For the sake of honoring any one person’s independence, letting an older person in on their care gives them a feeling of empowerment and may add more ease into the practice of their care. Therefore, independence is a complicated concept because it has different meanings at different levels and for different people. For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: From Emily  ’s "A Piece Of My Heart" "When it came time for me to start blogging again, I found myself paralyzed. I was trapped by the belief that my blog had to be unique, that it had to have a defined theme, and that it had to be appealing to everyone. After some time, scouring Google for advice, I realized that if all I did was worry and plan, I would spend forever worrying and planning and never get to writing." Analyze and report. What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? ----- One great rule I learned is that if you want to write anything, you sit down and write it, regardless of any rules. Rules can always be applied later. I have word files and paper books in which I have written whatever comes, freeflow, and it is my favorite kind of writing. The way I see it, blogging is the newest form of journaling, and a blog is what you wish it to be. I especially like the freedoms I can take with it. Having said that, I understand one does need to plan only if they have an assignment and a deadline to write a piece. Yet, a blog piece is not such an assignment. It is what one thinks offhand about a subject, any subject. Granted, when we first began blogging, I didn’t know what it was, and I did do some research like Emily . I believe the year was 2003. I found out that most of the popular blogs on the web were subject-oriented, as the bloggers wanted to have readers and followers. Luckily, I am not a very ambitious person and I like to do what I like to do when I like to do it, even though I have a few different book items here in WdC on specific subjects. After I started my first blog with the idea of penning pieces on the craft of writing, a friend who isn’t on this site anymore invited me to blog with the Blog City. Thus, my writing blog turned into a prompt-answering blog. After some entries to it, I thought I should have a separate book item just for writing to prompts. So, the blog I am writing in now was born, and it has proven itself to be the most fun to write in because the prompts are varied as they are given by several different people. As a general personal rule, I don’t answer to very many prompts in one entry because I have a big mouth which transfers itself into what my fingers on the keyboard can transcribe. I also like to write more than a paragraph or two on a subject. For that reason, in the past, I had refused to subscribe to other blogging groups, and I have only been writing for the Blog City alone until the Space Blog came about. When Chris graciously offered an invitation, I figured writing for two prompts wouldn’t take too much time at this point in my life, and I can always let a day or two pass by without me blogging. So, here it is, me doing my thing. I hope everyone is enjoying their blogging like I do mine. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: What are your plans for the 4th of July with all that is happening? ----- I have no other plans than to wear a tee-shirt that has a print in front of it that hails the USA. Then, no more parades or concerts this year, which we will all miss, and as to the fireworks, I stopped being a fan of those a very long time ago when I saw and heard the cries and howls of all the pets in our neighborhood while our trembling New Foundland (rip) took refuge in between my legs. We all need a celebrating this year, though, especially yours truly, but we can't necessarily celebrate the same way we did in the past. Like my shirt, it might be flags and red, white, blue colors everywhere. Then, lanterns or Christmas lights maybe. Flowers would help, too, although I like flowering plants in pots or on the ground. Cut flowers turn me off somehow. Then maybe we can all have a bring-your-own-food party over the internet. For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: "Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?" Henry David Thoreau Write about this quote in your Blog entry today. ---- This is such a beautiful quote. I think it goes along the lines of a quote I cut off from a periodical and pasted on my desk that says, “According to some psychiatrists you are sane whenever you are able to take somebody else’s point of view. It’s supposedly that simple.” Of course, Thoreau said it more poetically, but the idea is about the same. Although it is easy and quite common to forget that our own point of view is not the only way, looking at a situation from another person’s or all others’ viewpoints helps us develop a better perspective, a multi-dimensional one. It also aids us in communicating with others in a better, kinder, and more civilized way. This shift in focus is difficult because we may think or sense that we are absolutely sure we are right, and if we see things from another point of view, we may have to give up our own. And nobody wants to lose ground due to the inborn or inbred sense of resistance that assures us our standing place in this world. Then, when someone sees things differently, we might consider that person’s reasons and the events in their life that might have resulted in their way of assessing things. Surely, the same goes for ourselves. Why am I looking at this situation this way? Is this stance coming from my self-interest and/or religious, parental, or educational training? When we question ourselves often as well as other people this way, we are bound to become better people who create harmony wherever we go in this world. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: An island rose from the sea. What happens next? === During the last month of 2019, ash and lava spewed into the ocean after a tiny island rose from an underwater volcano. Then, the lava that had scattered about solidified into rock forming a second ring around the island. When the scientists and the natives neared the island in their kayaks, they saw vegetation forming on the island, and they noticed what they thought was mud in its middle was a moving mass. The natives refused, then, to take the scientists further within the newly formed ring, as their myths had warned them about the rising of a winged god from the sea. So, they watched the moving mud from their kayaks. As the natives’ myth had promised, sure enough, two large wings emerged from the mud. “It is a dinosaur,” said someone when the head and the body became visible. “It is our god!” chanted the natives. “It is Archaeopteryx, the original bird,” said a scientist. “Not that original,” corrected the chief scientist. “Archaeopteryx is the transition between dinosaurs and modern birds. Unfortunately, the atmosphere of the earth is not conducive to his species anymore.” “Maybe it is here because the atmosphere is already changing,” another scientist, whose preoccupation was the climate change, surmised. “No, no, no,” cried the natives. “You don’t understand. It is a sign of trouble. It is a sign of the times.” The Archaeopteryx bird, now in its full form, hopped off the island and stood on the rocks of the ring around the island. “Hahaha!” It sang. “I’m the harbinger of something.” “A talking bird?” The chief scientist was flabbergasted. “We must let the authorities. This must be investigated.” “No need,” answered the Archaeopteryx. “I arose to warn you.” “To warn us of what?” Another scientist asked. Archaeopteryx spread its wings wide and cackled. “2020 is very near. Beware! Be very wary!” ------ Note: So this ended up as a 2020 joke. Sorry! This is what you get from an unbridled imagination, if you ask me to imagine stuff. For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: Thrive. Grow. Inspire. Uplift. Use these words in your Blog entry today. ---- It is said that some people survive chaos and even grow. Then, others thrive in chaos, because chaos is all they know. Whichever way I look at it, I see that the world needs our happiness. Happiness in one person uplifts the others and inspires imitations, eventually becoming widespread. So, what, if those things we hoped would happen didn’t happen! Get a cup of coffee or tea and sip, waiting what’s in for you as a surprise instead of what you hoped for. You never know, it may be even better than what you hoped for. Even if it’s worse, ponder over its quality of surprise or shock. Then, walk away from what is negative as everything in this life fades quickly, everything: the colors of the sunset, the blooms on the rosebushes, even our blindness to the ethereal quality of our days. Look around and be happy even if the beauty only stays in dreams. There’s always something, even a tiny thing, to be happy about. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: "What we believe to be the motives of our conduct are usually but the pretexts for it." Miguel de Unamuno What are your thoughts on self-deception? What do you think it is, and do you or others do it often? ----- Self-deception is when we lie to ourselves even when the evidence is to the contrary. It is a deep and complicated psychological force, and it is, in certain cases, useful, but mostly, it may prove to be harmful. I think we do it quite often, even those of us who purport to being absolutely sane and well-adjusted. From childhood on, we either have or are later given by our environment a positivity bias, which means we tend to look at ourselves from a more positive stance. Almost any lie we tell ourselves is based on this stance. For example: “My partner only has eyes for me.” “I am the best student in the whole class.” “My son/daughter wouldn’t hit another kid. He/she wasn’t brought up that way.” Etc. Surely, the opposite of this, however rare, can be true. When children are made to see themselves in a negative way, this too ends up in later self-deception. “I’ll never pass this test.” “I’ll never succeed.” “Any partner will reject me. What is there to like about me?” “I may lose my job any day, now.” Etc. For some people, self-deception is a habit out of control, which leads to more lies to cover up the earlier ones. “Of course, my partner loved and liked me. Other people tricked him into leaving me.” “My daughter was only there with the other kids, not knowing they were going to vandalize the store. It is the other kids, not her.” The way I see it, a little self-deception isn’t unhealthy since it lets us live through an unpleasant moment or two, but a lot of it is extremely unhealthy and can cause dire results. The fact is, we all deceive ourselves in tiny ways occasionally, and that may even be helpful. For example, I know someone who doesn’t like her everyday photos even if they are normal but not flattering. On the other hand, her flattering photos do make it to Facebook. If by mistake, she’s in one of my photos that is normal but not flattering, I hide that photo from her, so she doesn't get upset. Having said that, very recently, during my husband’s serious illness, I made myself believe that he’d recover and come home, even though the medical people as well as others tried to tell me it wasn’t so. He passed away and never came home again. But I think my self-deception made me live through those horrible months. Somehow, I probably sensed all along that it was the end for him but couldn’t face it emotionally. In a way, when I look back, I do appreciate my hopeful stance then. It made me live through it. For: "Space Blog Group" From Lilli 🧿 ☕  ’s blog "Yes, we are family, but..." /"Who really understands why two people from the same home turn out so differently?" What do you think makes people from the same family turn out so differently? ----- You’re telling me! I have two sons who are the exact opposites of each other, to the degree that one is an extreme liberal and the other is a staunch conservative. One is a loner, the other’s a people-person. One is a vegetarian, the other is a lover of all food. It is the same way with every other thing, as well. I think it is in the genes affected by later influences, but my two kids were opposites from birth on. So, to tell you the truth, I don’t really know. Only as a far-fetched speculation, I might say that maybe they each wanted to be special in their own ways; however, I sense there is a lot more to it than that because they can't help who they are, themselves. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven-- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Since it is so, spiritually speaking, why do you think our planet now has this Covid 19 pandemic? --- Some religions and spiritual thinkers have framed the pandemic as a ‘punishment from God while some scientists think nature is punishing us for our unnatural lifestyle. I think they are both singing the same song. Natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and epidemics are in the make-up of our planet. With all those, we have to be careful and vigilant. The second we lose our vigilance, we suffer. I never thought of God as a punishing deity or idea. If anything, God is the most loving teacher and the gentlest in His teaching style. Certainly, He forgives our small discretions, but when those discretions grow bigger and involve others, we’d better be very careful. As for the nature of this planet, nature is not always a benevolent entity, one we wish to believe to be kind, and by the same token, I don’t think everything natural is good for you. Try eating a poisonous mushroom. It is natural, isn’t it? Our planet’s nature has its own laws and carelessly stepping on them delivers dire results. I think this is what happened with Covid-19. It is just that we have to face the results of our missteps and always be on the alert, so we don’t become a means to the suffering of other people and this planet. For that end, God uses nature show us the results of our actions. ------- * Note—I neither like nor want to openly discuss religion or beliefs in a site where all kinds of believers and non-believers abound, but this prompt came about from what I heard from many people, in that they blamed the Creator for the pandemic; in the least, they blamed Him for not stopping it. So here's my two cents on it. For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: From Shadow Prowler-Spreading Love  ’s "Invalid Item" "The news media are NOT your friends." Do you agree or disagree? Why? ---- First, the news media people are neither my friends, nor should they be. They are only expected to tell the truth and not interpret it. That interpretation should be left to me and to those who are willing to give the media a shot. In that, the news media in its totality has failed. Journalism is a dignified profession, one we used to look up to. Not anymore, because today’s media has contaminated it. On the other hand, what the news media does nowadays does not make it an enemy either. The news media is made up of selfish people who only watch for their ends and not the honor of the profession. Their biases and perspectives only favor their ratings and what they can glean as fame for themselves. As such, they have gathered massive power and influence that lies around like dynamite. I certainly hope, in time, as with everything, the corporate and political worlds' urging and dominating the media will eventually succumb to the law of attraction and gravitate toward the truth and integrity of clean journalism. |
Prompt: from Robert Waltz  ’s "The Sky Was Never the Limit" Do you think today's science fiction ▼ is tomorrow's science facts? ---- In the somewhat distant past of our world, several imagined fiction stories have become realities; on the other hand, countless other such stories have been proven to be false. Among those that came to be true, off the top of my head, I can think of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (submarines and other undersea vehicles), Space Odyssey (I-Pad and cellphones), and The Land Ironclads (tanks), plus a few more by H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, and other authors. When I look at the ones that came true, however, I find that almost all of them had to do with our planet earth. It is easier to imagine stuff about a place or thing one somewhat has an inkling of; therefore, I am not so sure about fiction that deals with parallel universes or other galaxies or even blackholes that are not really known to us. Then, some of that fiction may come true because the human imagination is boundless like the universe. I think, however, most of it will be only entertainment or just plain absurdity because too much of today's science fiction tends to be outlandish. On the other hand, science fiction--because it shapes the public’s understanding--can become the most important genre if it were to concentrate on ideas that might change our lives, such as bio-technology and other technologies. After all, to the best of today's knowledge, none of us can live long enough to witness the life in other galaxies and universes. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" "Imagination is not something we merely do in our spare moments, an idle act but the very faculty that makes us who we are. Think about people that deny the existence of dragons are often eaten by dragons. From Within."`~ David Naimon Discuss this quote. --- I am not sure I agree with this quote 100%; although, I may be misinterpreting it. To me reality is more important if we are wise enough to see it. As far as dragons go, that may be paranoia. If the dragon is a reality, its existence cannot be denied, can it? On the other hand, imagination should not be taken as being an unreality, as it only points to a distant possibility that hasn't taken form, yet. Still, the result of taking imagination as reality would fill up millions more asylums than that are already in existence. On the plus side, if imagination has the power that may allow us to deal with harsh realities, such as trauma or abuse, then it has a place in our lives. It also has a place in all arts. Without imagination, most genres of literature wouldn’t exist, as imagination opens up the thinking to new experiences and fantasies and calms down our worries. Imagination has an unquestionable role in teaching and entertainment. If it didn’t, there would be neither inventions that benefit us nor fiction, poetry, or stage arts. Through such media, we see our hidden sides, feelings, and emotions acted out to be observed and hopefully accepted. Imagination can be very useful that way, in digging out the ideas, feelings, and emotions buried within our deeper selves. For: "Space Blog Group" From Steve adding writing to ntbk.  ’s "Invalid Item" He said "Give me a wall and I'll write on it." What would you write on a blank wall? --- This made me grin as I pictured myself writing on a wall and getting arrested for defacing and adding graffiti to a purported to be a pristine city. It also reminded me of my kids--when they were little--, crayons, and the walls in our house. Taking the prompt seriously, though, what would I write on a wall? Let me see: “World peace!” “Clean after yourselves in every way possible.” “Be kind to others; that is all living and non-living things.” “Laugh a lot! Don’t ever be like the drama queens and kings! They are annoying to no end.” “Take time each day to evaluate yourself. Seeing the wrong in yourself may prevent the resurfacing of that wrong.” Although I said “you” in most of those items, which I wrote on my imaginary wall, they mostly point to me, except that of the drama queens, which I hope I am not one. There exists a lot more that I could tell myself, but right now, I needed moments to write, not centuries. It is a good thing, at least, that I wrote these; after all, who needs to feel like Belshazzar after his feast! I doubt there will ever be a Daniel around to point to me my downfall with a prediction of a calamity. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: Give us a taste of summer – either through a recipe, or a memory or story that expresses summer to you. --- I first went to Maine in the middle of the winter when the snow was probably twenty feet high and we drove into a college through snow tunnels. If I am recalling correctly it was the Colby College, near which we stayed less than a week in a small motel where the people had a very difficult time heating the place. I recall the housemaid complaining and me staying inside the room in my NY coat. Then, we went to Maine several years later for a midsummer vacation. The story was so totally different. Although we drove around Maine and I adored the vast distances and the beautiful vista, we stayed more in Portland. Not to mention the great weather, the waterfront, lobsters, boutiques, lighthouses, ferry boats running to islands, and believe it or not, several Irish pubs. Then, there were the museums and a couple of military forts from World War II. Most of all, I recall the freshness of the air, and somewhat easier summer temperatures. Although I now live in Florida, where it is summer--mostly scorching--practically year-round, when I think of a best summer location, Maine takes the top place on the front row. For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: From Adeline ’s "Jessica's Gift" ."In the final analysis, having a dream is often more pleasurable than attaining it." What do you think? Do you agree? Why or why not? --- I am not sure about this. Although having a dream means all excitement and a boost for life in the beginning, when it is over either with winning or, worse yet, with losing, I am not the kind of person who can take it well. Maybe I don’t like to get excited for nothing, but then, I can’t talk for anyone else either. The positive in having a dream is that it gives a person something to live for, especially if that person is depressed or not feeling quite himself or herself at the moment. The negative is when the dream ends, especially with an undesirable result. Then, it may be damaging and harmful to the person. The best, I think, is having a dream but with injecting our reservations into it. Such as, my utmost dream is world peace, but I can also see the impossibility of it, given all the present data. When and if world peace should happen, I’d die or live happily. If it doesn’t, then I am still in status quo, although nothing’s gained. In short, I think dreams are okay, but only if a safety valve is attached to them. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: "Books are the bees which carry the pollen from one mind to another." James Russell Lowe Use this quote in your Blog entry today. ---- I would probably start this entry by saying, “Watch what you are reading for you may be getting influenced by it,” but who knows what’s in a book unless one reads it? Even in our day when we find introductions, excerpts, and reviews of books online, there may still be things left out. Still, it is up to us to heed or not what it is we are reading, if we are careful, especially in this day and age when fake news abounds everywhere, no matter whose side we may be on. Then, from the positive point of view, reading books is the most effective way of learning something and expanding our minds, which means the books have an impact on the way we see things. I think ignorance can cost us more than we can ever imagine. Some books entertain; others give us a deepened view of the human psyche; and still others raise our cultural intelligence. A caveat here: not all books will do that. We need to be on the alert with what we read and to what we expose our minds. After all, we are social animals and we are influenced in a good or bad way with what we put ourselves in contact with. Since we are human beings, we usually have zero understanding of the intrinsic values and we are influence by contextual clues that hide in what we read. As in everything, with books too, the wisdom in choosing and the external influences that may affect our choices are things we must be careful with. As the quote says, books are like bees carrying pollen, and some of that pollen can give us allergies and make us sick. For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: Write about a conversation you had with a person on a plane or on a train. ----- I can’t recall any one conversation on a plane, (I usually fly or used to, considering the constrictions of these times), and in the past, I had many conversations with other travelers but a big bulk of it was just chit-chat, nothing to recall. Usually, the person sitting next to me started that chitchat complaining or commenting about something like the service or the entertainment system. Also, I always had a book with me even before e-readers surfaced. I am neither interested in the in-flight entertainment system nor in any movies. Yet, one unusual event comes to mind, which happened probably more than 25 years ago. We were being flown by the company that hired my husband, and they graciously put us in first class. On the take-off, sitting next to my right, of all people, was Paul Simon. Of course, I recognized him, but I only smiled and nodded and he returned the same compliment to me. That was it between us, but the hostess, as soon as we took flight, went undeniably nuts. She was so excited and was so full of the praise of the man that, I bet, she made him absolutely uncomfortable. Then, she said to me, “Isn’t he the most wonderful, the most talented? You know that, don’t you?” “Yes, of course,” I said. My husband just looked and didn't say anything. I bet he, too, was uncomfortable, inside his mind siding with Paul Simon. I would say more in the composer's defense, but I was worried that she might poison my drink or something. So, I smiled a fake smile and shut up. When we landed in Atlanta, the singer left the plane to continue on to wherever he was going and we stayed inside until we reached the West Palm Beach airport. Now, I am a big fan of Paul Simon, and Sounds of Silence is my all-time favorite song, but although singers and artists appreciate the applause when they are on stage, they mostly like to be left alone in a private situation. I guess some people just can’t leave the famous and the gifted alone while they are living their personal lives How did I recognize Paul Simon? When we were first sitting down, I first saw the loafers he wore, like the ones he usually wore on stage. I said to myself, “I know those shoes.” Funny, isn’t it! |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: Do you think a novel influences change in society? Do you think Harper Lee’s, To Kill A Mockingbird,or any other novel you know of ever achieved such a change? --- I do, although not every novel can initiate a change. To see a novel’s influence on society, one only needs to view the past. Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beacher Stowe did transform views on slavery as did the Animal Farm by George Orwell about government and politics. The same can be said for Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front for influencing our perspective on wars. When the readers feel empathy and understanding for the characters in a story, they identify with them and begin consciously or subconsciously to apply their situation to the present-day’s events and problems. Novels also let us connect with other people and cultures. Although some of those may not be life-changing in terms of their content, they may entertain or humor us and let us see the other cultures through their dramas and stories, and thus, make them acceptable and familiar to us. Although we can’t quantify or even qualify the degree the novels influence us, just the reading evolution that is going on today says something about their significance. The fact is, fiction like all arts is important, and it should be acknowledged as an entity tattooing its print on society. For: "Space Blog Group" Todays star is: bobturn from planet:"Invalid Item" "Sometimes the loneliest place is in a crowd." Do you get lonely in crowds? Why or why not? --- It depends on the crowd. However rare, there were crowds that made me feel lonely. Usually, I am fine with any crowd, and I may even flourish in a crowd I am not much familiar with. But then, I also am never lonely when alone, either. It is normal to feel lonely or as if not belonging within a crowd if the people in it have formed a clique and do not, honestly, welcome me among them. Worse yet, I not only feel lonely but also annoyed and angry if the members of the crowd like to pick on me for anything, like for being a brunette (yes, that has happened), or for not being rich or as poor as them, or for being too tall, too short, too thin, too fat, or for my beliefs and their difference with their belief systems—the list may be endless. Many years ago, I made friends with a group of women from another culture whose language I didn’t know. When we met in someone’s home, these wonderful women took it upon themselves to designate a person to sit with me and to translate what they were saying, should they by mistake forget to talk in English. Now, this was one crowd I never felt lonely in. In fact, in hindsight, I think they were much better than the crowd I grew up in. To wrap it up, I believe that it is not me who feels lonely in a crowd, but a certain crowd itself that makes me feel lonely. I think, for anyone, feeling lonely in all kinds of crowds and without a good reason may point to an unmet emotional need or a psychological problem, in which case that need or problem needs addressing immediately. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" : Prompt: Taking off from the saying, ““you only get one chance to make a first impression” logic, why, do you think, a first impression, a first line in an article, or the first paragraph of chapter in a book can be the most important? === In everyday life, I am wary of first impressions, since they may provide a basis for relationships. It is a good idea to wait in forming opinions about a person or a relationship before arriving at a strict opinion, sometimes due to a pre-formed concept, such as, “He has blue eyes. Blue-eyed people are said to be shifty.” Yet, life proves the opposite. Most people depend on first impressions. That is why counselors tell people to dress up properly for interviews. This is because people who hire people or let them into viewing important work, due to their time constraints, have to rely on their first impressions. The same goes for a first line in an article or the first chapter of paragraph of a book. If non-fiction, in a first chapter, I look for how focused the writing is, and if it’s easy to understand. I stopped reading a few books because, throughout a whole first chapter or several pages, the authors tried to boast about their competence and experience in writing about that subject (which shows lack of self-confidence, btw), instead of talking about the subject right away. In fiction, it is how enticing the opening is and how memorable yet sincere it sounds. Is the first sentence or first paragraph awaken a curiosity to see what will come next? Do actions fit the scene? Is there a word or words that define a character’s motive? These questions and similar others do define if the book will be bought, borrowed, or given any attention. Then, as a personal quirk, I don’t like to see a badly formed sentence as to the grammar and usage, right away. If the story is good and I am enjoying it, I don’t mind a little something amiss later on, although any error anywhere can be annoying and can disturb my concentration. For: "Space Blog Group" Today's prompt comes from the star Samberine Everose  The sample is "a mother knows best" The prompt: Do you think a mother knows best? --- No, because mothers are human like everyone else, and that idea depends on who the mother is. There are truly rotten mothers in life. Then, there are those mothers, although meaning well and loving their children, they push them toward actions that clash with their children’s personalities, sometimes with dire results. A truly good mother will let her children, especially adult children, decide for themselves, at least, most of the time. Even on instances when mother “knows best” due to her knowledge, experience, and good sense, letting her children make their own mistakes is the best way of mothering, with the exception that if a child is about to jump off a cliff--literally or metaphorically--, a mother’s intervention is vital. |
| For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: Memories are good to have whether they are good or bad. Let's write about memories. ==== The word ‘memories’ brings back to my mind the song from Cats and the day we took our ten and thirteen-year-old children to see it on Broadway because it was the rage of the day. The play had already been a hit in England and had just started showing on Broadway . The year was, if I remember correctly, 1982. Now, all of that was a long time ago, wasn’t it? The play was mesmerizing, and the actress who sang memories, her acting, voice, and singing, were out of this world. “Midnight. Not a sound from the pavement.” On the stage comes the flashing lights, and the Jellicle cats emerge singing to celebrate themselves, some bragging, others playful. Old and wise Deuteronomy is their leader and Macavity is the villain who scares every cat. Grizabella is the outcast cat who wants to be a part of the clan and who sings memories for the first time. But she has left once and is not being let back in because she is old, poor, and scraggly now. The other cats treat her badly and none of them touch her. She disappears into the dark of the night. Macavity comes in with the idea of kidnapping Deutoronomy, then causes an electrical short, letting the place go dark, and there’s a fight between the Jellicle cats and Macavity’s gang. Toward the end of the show, Deutoronomy shows up with his magic as it is the time to make a choice of a cat for him among all cats, as that chosen cat can be reborn into a new Jellicle life. Grizabella appears and sings her song “memories” again about how things used to be for her. Now the cats accept her as she is the one to go to heaven and come back to be reborn. The play, which meant to be a fun thing originally, meant more than that to the New York audiences. We treated it as if it were a spiritual manifesto, which later caused one of my kids to sign up for voice lessons. The other one took to guitar playing and eventually became a fan of Heavy Metal, although nowadays he has given that up and is into Spanish guitar and sometimes listens to elevator music with his wife. My husband shook it off immediately, saying, “It is only a show,” but it made me attend and take in all the way into my heart every Andrew Lloyd Weber musical. That is what true art does to a person who may be highly liable to be impressed by sweet sounds...and cats, too. |
| For "Blog City Prompt Forum" Prompt: What are your plans for the weekend? ---- I don’t have specific plans for anything. I have usually a general idea, though. This weekend, it will be a little of this and a little of that. Those little things mean reading, probably writing a review, a book review, fooling around on the web--on WdC and possibly on YouTube, some housework, a bit of cooking and gardening, and maybe a trip to buy groceries. I can’t do much else with this Covid19 thing going on. Our governor is opening up stuff a bit prematurely, I think, because the cases are rising and not ebbing in our area. So, I try to go out as few times as I can. Plus, who wants to look like a bandit with the mask on, meaning to hold up people and stores? But my not making extensive plans is not only for this situation, though. It is my lifetime habit. I usually have an inkling of what I’ll do, but that is not cut in stone, either. This is because anytime I made a decent plan in my life, all those plans were aborted by the “fickle finger of fate.” Being wary of that finger, I am trying to keep my old self free from disappointment. For: "Space Blog Group" Today’s prompt comes from lezismore-moreislez The planet is "100 words in a story processor " The prompt is “Twice upon a time?” I exclaimed. ---- Twice upon a time? Well, I think that is what God or Creation or Fate does when we don’t learn what we need to learn. It is like repeating a year in school, which Thank God, never happened to me. I think if it did, I’d die of self-recrimination. On the other hand, there is one twice-upon-a-time puzzle in my life that I am unable to solve. I live in the hurricane zone; in fact, in an area which is most likely to get hit according to those who study the weather stuff. In 2004, our city was hit twice by two hurricanes, named Frances and Jeanne. Actually, in that year, our state was hit by four hurricanes: Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne. But the two that came directly on us took us by two weeks apart. Frances was the worst because it lasted 36 hours. Then, two weeks later we got Jeanne, a much stronger hurricane, but it lasted about six hours and grounded what was left standing, which in our case, meant the porch area and an out building. Luckily, nothing happened to the main house except some surface getting dirtied up. Now, what was it that those two hurricanes were trying to teach us? I still haven’t figured that one out, yet. All of us who went through those hurricanes never left the area, and each summer with the end of June, the hurricane season starts to end in mid-November. Maybe we Floridians are all daredevils, and maybe the entire humankind is a fearless one since more and more people are migrating here from all over the country. Go figure! |
| "Blog City Prompt Forum" Prompt: Discuss this quote “There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.” ― Laurell K. Hamilton --- Emotional wounds are similar to physical wounds, in that they look like they’ve healed but they scar over. They leave their mark. If we don’t treat them properly and with the care that they deserve, they continue causing problems for us, or worse, they may reopen just like a deep cut that was never stitched right. Such wounds come from the past, and they have the strength to glue themselves inside our subconscious, so they can pop up with the least hint of a trigger. A majority of these wounds have to do with our self-esteem. The others have to do with our suppressed independence or lack of affection. Especially those ones dragged into the present from our childhood can cause tricky and negative situations, so much so that healing them may require professional help. We can, however, help ourselves to some degree by discovering and accepting the pain through some kind of a grieving process. We can also omit long periods of isolation, so we don’t embrace our victimhood, self-blame, and bitterness. Delving into some kind of a creative activity to take a break from the pain can help by giving us temporary respite. Then, those of us lucky enough who have learned from our wounds and have become wiser and more resilient can move on and continue living in a new direction. After all, it is up to us to allow or reject any emotional pain that can hold us back. For: "Space Blog Group" Prompt: from the star system Sophy  The planet is "Losing Your Voice" The prompt is "What would you do if you lost your voice? --- Losing voice can be frustrating especially when it is physical, but the medical profession probably can cure that. Since I have never lost my physical voice, I have little to fall back on when it comes to defining its terror. In the emotional and spiritual sense, losing one’s voice can be even worse. It happens when you try to express yourself and are met with punishment, ridicule, silence, or callousness. More often than not, like most emotional ills, losing this kind of a voice goes back to childhood. When someone steals your voice from you like an ignorant parent or an overly strict teacher at an early age, it is likely that you’ll either shut down totally or imitate and absorb someone else’s voice. This absorbing another’s voice is a dangerous thing to do because it may push you say or scream thoughts, ideas, and slogans that do not belong with your real thinking or moral stance. What is so important is that your true friends in life will always appreciate your true voice, rather than what you parrot. Any friend or community that encourages you to talk in your own voice and even lets you make mistakes during the process is a helpful one. You have to own your voice because it is the most important one, no matter what the present, popular voices may be saying. |
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