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Guided by prompts from WDC blogging challenges... and of course, life |
HI! I'm Jenn - and I'm all over the place (well, at least my mind is). In this blog, I have attempted to gather my thoughts on things prompted/inspired by WDC blogging challenges from "Journalistic Intentions"  , "The Soundtrack of Your Life" , "Blogging Circle of Friends " , "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" and, well, LIFE.    |
| "Blogging Circle of Friends Prompt Forum" DAY 3194 August 12, 2021 Prompt: “TOO OFTEN WE UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A TOUCH, A SMILE, A KIND WORD, A LISTENING EAR, AN HONEST COMPLIMENT, OR THE SMALLEST ACT OF CARING, ALL OF WHICH HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO TURN A LIFE AROUND.” - Leo Buscaglia Discuss how you make a difference in someone's life as Mr. Buscaglia suggests. Today's prompt is a bit difficult because I am not one to toot my own horn, but I am going to give it a try in any event. Showing kindness is how I choose to live my life in general. I actually have to work at being indifferent toward people. But it isn't just people to which I choose to show kindness. I have seen plants flourish with a gentle touch and kind words as well. As far as animals are concerned, I suppose I am a bit like Dr. Doolittle. There are really no bad animals, just misunderstood ones and people who do not know how to react to them. Just like people, animals have their reasons for striking out at someone/something. I feel most comfortable around plants and animals as they are more predictable in their behavior and have no hidden motives. However, regardless of how anxious humans make me, I still strive to treat them with kindness, the way I would like to be treated in return. Leading a gentle life has allowed my eyes to open to perspectives which would never have been considered had I chosen to live in a self-centered state. Living this has its rewards for both me and those I am in contact with. You never know what a person is going through, but one thing is certain, kindness always helps situations, whether it is seen instantly or farther down the road of life. Happy writing. LeJenD'Poet - Just ME ** Image ID #2254180 Unavailable ** |
| Written for: "Blogging Circle of Friends " Day 3193: August 11, 2021 Prompt: Use these words in your blog entry: turtle, frog, dragonfly, pond, lily pad, and rain. It was a day in late spring like any other, the weather still heavily humid from the morning rain. The grass soaked our feet on the short walk from the truck down to the water. I was there to help my husband with a sprinkler job. But honestly, I just wanted a chance to get out of the house and enjoy a bit of nature. And I can never turn down a trip to this property, hidden in the woods as it is. If I owned it, I'd live there all the time rather than keeping it as a getaway home. The scene was beautiful. We were working on a pump situated on an old boat dock with worn, greying boards warped from years of weathering. Overlooking the spring fed pond and acreage was an elegant old southern mansion flanked by towering pecan trees. A trellis to the side supported a massive wisteria in full bloom, dipping down to touch the flagstones below. The lawn was as well manicured as one can get when sounders of wild hogs habitually come through rooting up the grass. Surrounding the boat dock were hundreds of lily pads under which small fish darted back and forth, shimmering when the sun glinted off their sides. Dragonflies hovered over the water in the dozens, pausing every so often to have a rest on one of the lily pads. A little flat-bottomed boat was tied to the dock and my husband knew by the look on my face that I was imagining how nice it would be to go rowing around in it. I sat, daydreaming instead of helping him. Once he finished getting the system ready for the rigor of summer use, he suggested we take a ride in the boat. I was overjoyed. Getting in was not as simple as I had imagined, as I'm not as agile as I once was. However, once we were both in, he paddled the boat around the perimeter of the large pond. Frogs were croaking from the shelter of willow trees and duck weeds and there were even more dragon flies than I could count. Larger fish were jumping farther out in the water, trying to catch the pond skimmers that floated on the surface. At one point, I spied a snake silently swimming by, a black ribbon creating faint waves atop the water. Turtles sunned lazily on floating logs everywhere around us. A large clump of soft rush on the shoreline rustled as if by a larger sized animal. We were in the country and animals of every kind are common. I was thinking it was probably a pig or deer coming to the water for a drink. Instead, after a little more rustling of the shoreline vegetation, an alligator appeared in a gap amongst the rush and slid down into the water, scattering turtles back into the relative safety of the pond and quieting the frogs for a time. At that point my husband, who is not as interested in large carnivorous reptiles as I, decided this was an opportune time to head back to the dock and load the equipment back into the truck. On the way back across the water, I could see that gator, watching the world with only his eyes and nose above the water. But I also was able to see some deer come to the edge to drink. It was a lovely day in the midst of my borrowed paradise. LeJenD'Poet - Just ME ** Image ID #2254180 Unavailable ** |
| Written For: "Blogging Circle of Friends Prompt Forum" 3192 August 10, 2021 Prompt: "We meet aliens every day who have something to give us. They come in the form of people with different opinions." - William Shatner What do you think? Have you met any aliens in the past month or so? Whoa man! Somethin' crazy is going on here! I've been watching UFO documentaries the last couple of days and now I'm asked to write about the critters here too. And don't get me started on Shatner. Been a fan since before I can remember. Want a giggle? Program your GPS to have Shatner's voice. Only one I find funnier is when Ozzy gives me directions. I'd love old Shatner to give my eulogy - or to read a selection of my poetry. That would be awesome. But seriously. Aliens. If we look at common definitions of alien, used as an adjective meaning "belonging to a foreign country or place" or as a noun meaning, "foreigner, especially one who is not a naturalized citizen of the country where they are living", then well, I live with one of those and have for the last twenty-odd years. My husband is Canadian, so he's an alien in his own right. People with different opinions... If defining aliens were that simple then I'd have to say I see them every day. Heck, I have one of those for a brother. And he is a bit, well, his own breed. But, in the common definition of alien, we see that thoughts that differ from our own could be considered alien to us. We aren't used to them, they aren't from our own heads, so they could be considered alien ways of thinking. I think that just because it is not familiar to us does not make it alien. Does it really matter what I think though? We all have different opinions about everything. My children seem alien to me half the time. Do aliens really exist? I don't know. And I'm perfectly fine not knowing. I don't see that knowledge changing my life, unless they have cures for all the conditions that our Earth doctors still haven't figured out how to cure. If that's the case, well then, bring them on! LeJenD'Poet - Just ME  |
| Written For: "Blogging Circle of Friends Prompt Forum" DAY 3189 August 7, 2021 Prompt: Write about your favorite movie or book for 2021. This is going to be a short one. Movies: I'm not big on going to the movies. All the ones I do watch are on Netflix so none of them are really "new". As far as my favorite? Well, I generally only put something on to watch as background noise at night as I am settling down to sleep, so I really can't say I've enjoyed any of the movies in full as I tend to fall asleep about thirty minutes into a show. Books: My current book readings consist of the Bible and a book titled Signature in the Cell written by Stephen Meyer and released in 2009. Signature is a book which states that there has to be intelligent design and purports that there is DNA evidence to prove it. It is definitely not what you would call light reading, as the book is heavy with scientific jargon and charts, and it reads like a long scientific article. However, it has been quite interesting so far, as he attempts to integrate two opposing views on how life came to be using both modern science (genetics) and the theory of intelligent design as taught in the Bible. Is there something there? He certainly seems to think so. He even has a second book that goes into even more scientific detail on the two topics. Is it worth the read? That's difficult to say, as it has taken me seven months to get one-third of the way through the book. It certainly isn't one of those books that is so good you can't put it down. But, I am not a quitter and will finish what I started before I begin my journey into another book. Next time it will probably be something a lot more entertaining. LeJenD'Poet - Just ME  |
| Written For "Blogging Circle of Friends " Day 3188 Aug. 6, 2021 Prompt: "Remember to be gentle with yourself and others. We are all children of chance, and none can say why some fields will blossom while others lay brown beneath the August sun." - Kent Nerburn. Write something this quote makes you feel. I like the reminder to be kind, not just to others, but to ourselves. The second line explains that we never know what is going on in the lives of others to cause them to be where they are or how they are. But we still affect people by our words and actions whether we realize it or not. Back when I was still teaching, I assigned my life science and biology students to perform an experiment to see how words and attention, or lack thereof, can affect the growth of plants. We had a control group, which only received basic attention: watering, lighting, etc. but the plants did not get spoken to in any way or touched by the students. The second group was placed into a different room where it received the basic attention however, the plants were spoken to negatively and I allowed students to place mean notes (such as I hate you) under those pots. Our positive group, placed in yet another room, were given the same general care but were also spoken to gently and lovingly and the students were instructed to caress the leaves and stems of the flowers. Positive and encouraging notes were placed underneath those flower pots as well. All plants received the same amount of water daily, the same lighting, and were in the same potting soil. How did it end? After the month-long experiment, all plants were brought into the classroom and examined next to each other. Those receiving the positive care (and words) were larger and had more blooms than those of the other groups. Those that received only basic care were average in height and had fewer blooms than those that were spoken to positively but they were more healthy than those that received negative attention. The final group, those that were spoken to negatively, were stunted, beginning to wilt, and had very few flowers. After studying the plants for a while, I asked my students what they learned from the experiment. One girl in my biology class spoke up saying, "Words really can hurt but they can also help. It depends on what we say." Another student said he didn't realize the damage that could be done by bullying people. They all thought the experiment would be a joke and wouldn't show us anything. Life proved them wrong. I drove home the point I was trying to make that if our words can do that to plants, imagine what it is doing to everyone we interact with. Maybe the kids got it, who knows. While I was blessed that year with a lot of really good kids, even they didn't realize the effects their words had on people and things. So, just be kind. To others and to yourself. Every part of ourselves, mental and physical, is interconnected - and words can either hurt or heal, just like actions. Choose them carefully. LeJenD'Poet - Just ME ** Image ID #2254180 Unavailable ** |
| Written For "Blogging Circle of Friends " DAY 3187 August 5, 2021 Write about your favorite thing to do in August. August is jammed full of birthdays and anniversaries in my family, so there is seldom a dull moment any longer. When I was young, my favorite thing to do during the month of August was go buy school clothes and supplies. I have always gotten excited about getting new pencils, erasers, and pens. But, hey, I've been writing as long as I can remember. I also loved to walk barefoot on the road that runs in front of my parents' house, popping tar bubbles with my toes and soaking up all of the stored heat with the soles of my feet. Growing up in a rural area (mostly farms and fields), I expect certain qualities for nature in August as well. Signs that tell me that Fall is on it's way. August in my life has traditionally been dry, hot, dusty. Along with September, the scent of dryness can be experienced, the smell is of grass turning to hay and the fresh dirt smell of fields being turned for the next season's planting. I am driven by my olfactory sense, so smells play an important role in my life and memories. This August, along with all of the birthdays and anniversaries, my husband and I have added in some tournaments. Disc golf. It's like ball golf only you throw frisbees (discs) at baskets instead of hitting balls at holes in the ground. After last year's chaos, we decided to live our lives to their fullest and get back to the things we love to do. Camping and fishing are next on my list. Maybe I'll remember to get fishing licenses for us next year... Do you have a favorite tradition to do in the summer/ winter depending on where you live that you look forward to every year? No traditions in particular to speak of any longer. When our girls were young, we would take them every year to the NARBC (North American Reptile Breeders Conference) in the fall and in the spring, we would all go to Scarborough Faire (one of Texas's Renaissance festivals). The girls and I would also watch the parades together every year on Thanksgiving until they grew up and left home. Our little family also has "holiday quirks" seeing as how my husband is Canadian. We celebrate both U.S. and Canadian holidays. Two Thanksgivings, a longer Christmas celebration (as we include Boxing Day), Memorial and Remembrance Day - you get the picture. And in July, well, instead of only celebrating the Fourth of July, we also celebrate Canada Day...and our wedding anniversary in on July fourth as well - oh! and the family reunion for my family, so we have a yearly week-long celebration. It started out as just another excuse to party, but grew in meaning after the first few years. LeJenD'Poet - Just plain ol' ME |
| Written For: "Journalistic Intentions" Prompt: June 8 of 8 - Doorways I Haven't Opened Having spent my youth travelling between different planes of being, I have seen my fair share of doorways and gates, and gone through more of them than I should have. In my limited time on this earth, I have found that some doorways weren't meant to be opened. I know, you're thinking, "It's a doorway, they're made to be opened." But, "Made to be" and "meant to be" are two totally different things. Think about it. Just because a doorway was made to opened, it doesn't mean that we want that door opened; you might find something behind said doorway that you wouldn't want to encounter. While some doorways lead to great and beautiful things, some lead to absolutely nothing - an absence of being, and others to horrors beyond our imagining. I'm sure most people think I'm tripping. Maybe I was for a few of my journeys but I've been sober for decades now, and I am still encountering new doorways. I have learned that usually, if there is a gatekeeper or doorkeeper, those passages are not intended to be explored. Be careful when choosing the doorways you open, some cannot be closed once they are opened. I could go on and on about the metaphysical aspects of astral travel and dreams, but I will not bore you all with such things, besides, many of you will just laugh it off as part of my insanity anyway. Maybe we'll find the doorway leading to space travel, maybe the next doorway mankind will open will be that of time. But I will leave you with this: the best doorways one can open are one's mind and heart. Happy Writing everyone! And whether or not I am sane, well that's in the mind's eye of the one perceiving the situation. Cheerios! LeJenD |
| Written For: "Journalistic Intentions" Prompt: June 7 of 8 - Oink Joint Rd. I had just moved to a different part of Texas and was driving around to get a feel for the area. Because my old radio settings were not coming through, I ran a scan on my radio in order to find a suitable radio station to pass the time as I was driving southbound on Interstate 35. I was somehow in the middle of nowhere even though I was on the highway. I love that about small towns. Anyway, the scan picked up a local classic rock station, so I left it there and continued about my drive. A few miles down the road I saw a sign for a Love's truck stop and decided it was a good time to refuel, as I was unfamiliar with the area and did not know when I would see another gas station again. I was also getting rather hungry and figured I would just grab a snack at the station. As I was pulling into the truck stop, the radio DJ excitedly announced, "We're broadcasting live from Oink Joint until 10:00 pm tonight! Come on by and see us, where you can get ice cold beer from tap and great food! Aaannnd tonight we have a special treat for you! Come and check out the live bands playing until close!" This piqued my interest as my stomach growled, reminding me of my hunger. Music, beer and food; a win-win-win situation. When I walked into the Love's, I saw the attendant, apparently bored, sitting on a stool behind the counter. He was a tall, bespectacled, lanky guy with long, stringy, dishwater blonde hair and light blue eyes. On his nametag it said "Chad". After I paid for my fuel, Chad asked if there was anything else he could help me with so I proceeded to ask him if he was familiar with Oink Joint - and told him about the advertisement I had just heard on the radio. Upon this, Chad's face lit up and his speech and body language became instantly enthusiastic. "Oh yeah! I go there after I get off work all the time! They have the best double chocolate stout on tap, man. And tonight my band is gonna close the house down. You should come and check us out! Band's name is Bowling Pin Whiskey, I think you'd like us." "Thanks," I said, "I'll consider it. What kind of music do you guys play anyway?" He responded, "Aww, you know, a little classic rock, some heavy metal covers, some stuff we wrote ourselves. Really, come check us out." "The food is awesome there too," he said as my stomach growled again. So I asked, "Where is this place, in case I decide to go out there?" "Just keep going down 35 for another mile or so and you'll see the sign on the right side of the highway. You can't miss it." At that moment, another employee of the gas station walked in. "Or, I'm about to clock out of work. You could follow me if you want," Chad said. Being an adventurous type, I agreed and followed his red 90's model mustang convertible down the road to this...bar. The sign for the bar was huge and well lit. It had a cartoon pig on it, smoking what looked like a joint. I took a moment to appreciate the word play of the sign before I entered the establishment. I guess Chad must've gone around to the back because he didn't go in through the entrance. It was dark and already somewhat smoky inside. The food smelled heavenly. I sat at a table close to the stage and asked to see a menu. I scanned the beer selection and found a few beers that suit my taste. I decided to try this double chocolate stout that Chad had said was so good. When the waitress came, I ordered my beer, a water, and a chicken fried steak plate with the usual sides. Then I settled in to listen to the local bands. The first band to play, Bubba Haze, was pretty good. Their guitarist reminded me of Stevie Ray Vaughn, and you could tell he loved playing. While they were playing, the waitress brought my order. The chicken fried steak could have rivaled my mom's and the stout really was good. A nice thick, dark, full flavored brew with a hint of dark chocolate in the aftertaste. The next to last band, a band called Fully Loaded, played mainly old country. I still enjoyed listening them, as that was the kind of music I grew up listening to. Finally, the last band of the night was announced, "Everyone put your hands together to welcome Bowling Pin Whiskey!" And there was Chad, carrying a bass guitar onto stage. A large guy with long dark brown hair sat at the drums and gave them a little sound check and this bald guy with a long beard wearing a Batman tee-shirt walked out with an electric guitar. And then they started to play. Wow! Chad was right on all accounts. I did enjoy their music! They were amazing! It seems as though my evening of driving around not only helped me get acquainted with the area, but also resulted in some new friends! And Oink Joint has turned into my new hangout as well! LeJenD |
| Orpheus's skill with both note and word were harkened far and wide. Yet Orpheus pined for Eurydice who died of viper's bite. He descended into the underworld to retrieve his lovely bride. But as Gods' wont, the cards were stacked and maenads end his plight. Post 6 of 8 for June "Journalistic Intentions" Prompt: Orpheus Descending LeJenD |
| Post 5 of 8 for June "Journalistic Intentions" Prompt: Insomnia is just another way to brand yourself "not normal". by Black Crisis   What exactly is "normal" in this day and age, where everyone tries to be more outlandish than the next person? The Merriam-Webster's dictionary states that normal, when used as an adjective, means "conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected." And when used as a noun, "the usual, average, or typical state or condition." So, what is the usual, average or typical? Is yours the same as mine? In recent times, it seems to be more the norm for people to have issues of some sort rather than to be without. How much has to be wrong with a person for others to label them as "not normal" anyway? Or is "normal" a term relative to the persons or group perceiving it? For most people, it would not be normal to live with chronic excruciating pain, but for people like myself, it is unfortunately our norm. Does normal change as our societies change or with differing societies? History tells us that it does. Approximately eighty-five years ago, public hangings were normal, whereas nowadays it is highly frowned upon (to say the least). The normal for people in upper North America is completely different than the normal of those in South America. Until we all begin to realize that normal is relative to the person or group perceiving the issue in question, the peoples of the world will continue to label and discriminate against those we deem as not normal. Personally, I think the word normal is over-used and often misunderstood. Then again, I am about as normal as a unicorn in a pond of sea cows. LeJenD'Poet - Just Tryin' to be ME. |
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Glad you're OK.
You're so right, they are definitely perceptive. They know when you need extra attention, and they know when to keep an eye out for you. They are definitely a blessing from God.