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About This Author
My name is Joy, and I love to write.
Why poetry, here? Because poetry uplifts its writer, and if she is lucky enough, her readers, too. Around us, so many objects abound to write about. Once a poet starts with a smallest, most trivial object, he shall discover that his pen will spill out what is most delicate or most majestic hidden inside him. Since the classics sometimes dealt with lofty subjects with a lofty language, a person with poetry in his soul may incline to emulate that. That is understandable. Poetry does that to a person: it enlarges the soul and gives it wings. Yet, to really soar, a poet needs to take off from the ground.
 
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Everyday Canvas
"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.
August 31, 2024 at 1:00pm August 31, 2024 at 1:00pm
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Prompt:
Use these words in your entry today: refer, sandwich, rebellion, river, reproduce, competence, elegant, conservation, and shock.
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By the River's Edge
by the *river's edge,
a *shock to my senses,
and in a fleeting trance,
a *rebellion grows, inside,
as if it knows, perchance,
my *sandwich of time will
be eaten soon, to fulfill
a soothsayer's prediction
yet, the moon will shine, still
so I *refer to *elegant nature
and *conservation's dance,
for the two can *reproduce
life with *competence
and thrills, and for now,
in my view, nothing's askew
by the *river's edge.
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August 30, 2024 at 11:36am August 30, 2024 at 11:36am
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Prompt:
In today's environment I'm told hate, emotionalism and frustration are everyday norms, or are they? Some people simply accept these actions of others and other people challenge the behavior. Which are you and why? What do you think will make a difference?
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To begin with, I'm not anyone's circus trainer with a whip in my hand. This is because I'm of the opinion that every individual has the right to their own personal preferences and conduct. People have their own separate opinions, even though someone else would do the opposite.
Everyone has the right to feeling and acting a certain way or liking a certain thing, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the world should feel the same way. Having said that, if the actions of people are dangerous to others or harmful to themselves, I try to mention it to them in mild words and in a mild manner. This depends on the action, however.
It's okay to correct somebody, but only if the correction isn't over something minor. Being corrected often results in an amount of embarrassment, both for the person and the one who's trying to correct everything that comes their way, in this world, which seems to be already mixed-up.
When my children were small, I did correct them often, and now, they both think (according to what both of them recently told me) that I was the best mother ever. One's own kids is a different story than one's friends, acquaintances, and neighbors. We are responsible for our children and who they are turning into, while they are small and underage.
After my sons became older and much wiser, I only tell them my opinion if they ask for it. If I see something wrong, I let them figure it out themselves, mostly. If they don't, then I either imply my opinion or mention the problem in mild words.
My stance is one of respect for any human being. It is not one of acceptance of bad behavior. Also, I do respect others' personalities and their own efforts in correcting their own behavior.
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August 29, 2024 at 12:46pm August 29, 2024 at 12:46pm
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Prompt:
"The cyclone derives it's power from a calm center. So does a person."
Norman Vincent Peale
Write about this quote in your Blog entry today.
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A cyclone? I'm actually more used to tornadoes. These two, cyclones and tornadoes, may look alike and have the same formation but the difference is tornadoes are unpredictable and smaller in size while cyclones form over ocean waters, when warm, and they are more predictable. As for me, I have flown over oceans but never sailed one, Thank God!
A cyclone and a tornado, both, have calm centers, and into that center, probes are left and airplanes carrying those probes fly over them. As such, I've always felt for the people who flew those planes. Then, some people who act like cyclones can create chaos and leave ruins and damage behind them. That's when everyone ducks for cover.
And that is why I wouldn't trust that calm center too much, either, because sometimes life feels like we're living inside a cyclone, like with charismatic and inspirational people who appear to be very calm. Under their surface, however, many tensions build and they may erupt, catching them and other people off-guard. I guess, this may be exactly how the real cyclones can gain their fury, too.
On the other hand, a calm center should be the aim for stability and good communications with others. Open and truthful communication among people prevents misunderstandings, builds trust, encourages collaboration. Provided that a person with a calm center makes sure to never blow up...
If only we, as people, could learn to stick with our calm centers!
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August 28, 2024 at 4:03pm August 28, 2024 at 4:03pm
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Prompt: "The world can live as one."
A line from John Lennon's song "Imagine". Write about this in your Blog entry today.
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I've loved this song from the very start. I think I first heard it during the very early nineteen seventies. It is said that not John Lennon but his wife Yoko Ono wrote the lyrics. At the time, I didn't know that. Then, when John Lennon's personal problems was made public, I was disappointed. It felt like hypocrisy to me.
Still, we human beings are complicated. People do make mistakes a lot, but we can also change. I hope John Lennon did.
As to the quote from the song, is it really doable? As old as I am, I waited for the world to be one and work as one for a very long time. Just look at the troubles and wars all over now. Not only people cannot agree on anything but also the countries and nations are at odds with one another. Is this the world the song Imagine is talking about?
You know the answer. Yes, the song is a musical wish of peace, unity, and hope for the world, and it's probably the best song ever, but still, my heart breaks for the wishful thinking in it that may never become the truth of us all.
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August 27, 2024 at 12:18pm August 27, 2024 at 12:18pm
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Prompt: Rumors
What do you think about rumors? Do you tend to believe them, maybe sometimes? And have you ever tried to track down the source of a rumor about you or someone close to you?
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I think rumors are especially harmful if believable and if the atmosphere around a rumor supports it. Truth is, there's no good or easy way to fight a rumor. Yes, people and companies in business can be more transparent and communicate more clearly with people in general, and they can also take legal action. If the rumor, however, is once believed, it leaves a doubt behind it, even after it is proven to be false.
This is because rumors, especially when based on incomplete or non-existing information, can be very hurtful. Their idea can lead to speculation and conjecture, and if the rumor targets certain people, it not only harms those people but also others around them.
Rumors play on people's emotions and spread rapidly. Unfortunately, once a rumor starts, it can take a sensational and a believable life of its own, with each retelling twisting the details every which way. Such rumors can damage reputations, create division among people, and incite fear and panic. Even in business, a rumor can affect stock prices, the trust of the consumers, and overall image of a brand or a public person.
If so, why do people start rumors, then? The motivations can vary from malice to attention-seeking or by people who genuinely believe the information to be true, even if it's not.
Then very rarely, some silly people start rumors on purpose with good(!) intentions. Such a terrible thing happened to me when I was 21 and in college after my degree. The person who started the rumor, on purpose, was my mother's second cousin who lived a block away from us. She thought a person who was a friend of the family and I would make a good couple and she started a rumor that we were engaged. There was no basis to this rumor whatsoever!
Suddenly, my entire extended family was gossiping about me and that person. I wouldn't have heard about it unless, until my best friend and cousin hadn't scolded me for not telling her such an important news. I immediately told her that there was no such thing. She said, "But I heard it from a very reliable source." "What do you mean," I growled. "Do you mean I'm myself not a reliable source to you?" "But everybody is talking about it!"
Anyway, after that she did believe me, possibly with some doubt. Still, I appreciate her coming to me with that question and alerting me. A few months later, another member of the family came to me with such a question, also.
I was so mad and so disappointed in my family for gossiping about me because I sensed, at the time, malice in that rumor. I had loved my extended family even much more than I loved my parents, and I decided to go far away from them, and I did so, later, when I got the chance.
Unfortunately, I only learned about who had started the rumor, years later, after I had married my husband. My mother told me the truth about her cousin who had started the rumor, only because my mother felt embarrassed by my evasion of the family. She knew about the rumor's background much earlier, she said, but she was afraid to tell me because she knew I would go pick a fight with her cousin, while her cousin had all the good intentions in the world. Good intentions, my foot!
I also learned, from another source, that one of my uncles had given a good and long lecture (i.e. scolding) to the rumor-starter. After that, all went back to its original, sweet form of a relationship between me and my extended family, and I was only evasive to that rumor-starter cousin of my mother's.
This is why I never believe any rumors, even if, and especially if, it is in the popular news, newspapers, or online. As they say, "Live and Learn!",
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August 26, 2024 at 10:13am August 26, 2024 at 10:13am
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Prompt: Inspiration
Where does your inspiration for writing about real life come from: Your home, family, friends, news media and maybe popular stories and crimes or what?
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Inspiration for writing about real life? Frankly speaking, it may come from just about anywhere for most good writers.
In my case, for this blog, it mainly comes from what a prompt suggests, since recently, I've only been posting online what I write in my blog, which doesn't mean that it is the only thing I write. I have grown more fond of writing in notebooks with a pen, after finding out that scammers go into writers' stuff, especially personal blogs online, to do their illegal things. I'm, therefore, very careful not to give away too much information about myself in my blog.
Coming back to where I get my inspiration, it usually has to do with personal experiences especially unexpected encounters, memory and nostalgia, and a desire to understand a certain point or area, since I add a little bit of research in what I write.
My subjects could be about social and cultural issues, historical and present events and/or literary works, my own observations of how people and other things in life are, and to a degree, some personal experiences. Then, mostly, I have to feel something about the subject. This is because for us human beings, emotions are powerful motivators.
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August 24, 2024 at 11:07am August 24, 2024 at 11:07am
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Prompt: Corn
Melanie Gideon says,: “It's August, and the fields are high with corn.” What is your favorite corn recipe? Is it something you prepare regularly or on special occasions?
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When I was much younger, I used to love to gnaw at a corn-on-the-cob. Not anymore. A kernel's outside skin, I think it's called a pericarp, has a tendency to stick to teeth, which is so annoying to me, but I still like the taste. Nowadays, I only use corn that is included in the mixed-veggies bag as a part of a stew.
On the other hand, a cornfield, usually found in Midwest and rarely in other places, with fruit hanging from its green stalks, is a beautiful sight. My uncle was an agricultural engineer. He always said, 'By raising corn you make the soil unusable.' That is probably why corn fields shift their location from year to year even in the same farm, especially when the organic farming is the aim.
Yet, the sight of such a field is inspiring since cornfields have cultural significance because they are often associated with rural life. In novels, stories, poetry, and movies, cornfields can evoke feelings of nostalgia, mystery, or even fear, as in the case of horror stories set among the towering stalks. It’s no wonder Stephen King seems to have a thing for corn and cornfields. Remember Children of the Corn?
Here is a poem about corn by John Greenleaf Whittier (And boy! He had a lot to say about corn):
Corn Song
by John Greenleaf Whittier
Heap high the farmer's wintry hoard!
Heap high the golden corn!
No richer gift has Autumn poured
From out her lavish horn!
Let other lands, exulting, glean
The apple from the pine,
The orange from its glossy green,
The cluster from the vine;
We better love the hardy gift
Our rugged vales bestow,
To cheer us, when the storm shall drift
Our harvest fields with snow.
Through vales of grass and meads of flowers
Our plows their furrows made,
While on the hills the sun and showers
Of changeful April played.
We dropped the seed o'er hill and plain,
Beneath the sun of May,
And frightened from our sprouting grain
The robber crows away.
All through the long, bright days of June,
Its leaves grew green and fair,
And waved in hot midsummer's noon
Its soft and yellow hair.
And now, with Autumn's moonlit eves,
Its harvest time has come;
We pluck away the frosted leaves
And bear the treasure home.
There, richer than the fabled gift
Apollo showered of old,
Fair hands the broken grain shall sift,
And knead its meal of gold.
Let vapid idlers loll in silk,
Around their costly board;
Give us the bowl of samp and milk,
By homespun beauty poured!
Where'er the wide old kitchen hearth
Sends up its smoky curls,
Who will not thank the kindly earth
And bless our farmer girls!
Then shame on all the proud and vain,
Whose folly laughs to scorn
The blessing of our hardy grain,
Our wealth of golden corn!
Let earth withhold her goodly root;
Let mildew blight the rye,
Give to the worm the orchard's fruit,
The wheat field to the fly:
But let the good old crop adorn
The hills our fathers trod;
Still let us, for his golden corn,
Send up our thanks to God!
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August 23, 2024 at 11:13am August 23, 2024 at 11:13am
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Prompt:
Please, use these words in your entry today : favor, item, create, stubborn, trustee, drain, landowner, finance and oil.
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Mrs. Henderson opened her kitchen door in the morning and watched the rolling hills surrounding her town. Then, her eyes stayed fixed on the vast and only fields in between the rocky hills. She was the town *trustee and *oil was discovered under those fields.
Where *finance was the issue, so much good could come from that oil to her town, which was on the brink of bankruptcy. Unfortunately, it had taken a month to try to even talk about it with the *stubborn *landowner of those fields, Mr. H. Grayson. All Grayson had to agree to was to sell those lands so the town could *create an oil refinery on them. Yet, Grayson saw that land as more than an *item to be traded, not even for profit.
Mrs. Henderson felt hopeless and *drained as Grayson's last words of rejection rang in her ears. "You people don't seem to understand. My land is not an item to be traded. It's my legacy! As a kid, I used to play ball on that land."
Mrs. Henderson suddenly perked up. Grayson's words had just given her another idea. She would approach him in a different way now and she hoped that would work. So she went back inside and readied herself by putting on her best business suit and even practicing her best smile at the mirror. Then, half an hour later, she knocked on Grayson's door.
She was offered a seat in the living room by Grayson's maid, and a few minutes later, Grayson showed up.
"Didn't I tell you people my last word on this issue?"
Mrs. Henderson arose, offering her hand with a smile. "Mr. Grayson, may I call you Harold, and please, do call me Judy. I've only come to ask you a *favor, Harold."
"All right, say your peace," said Grayson.
"Yes, it is about the land and the oil. But since you said something about your legacy that last time we talked, how about if we name the refinery and those fields as Grayson Fields and Grayson Refinery? That would be the greatest legacy you could leave to the generations after you, with your name possibly to be remembered even decades or centuries later, if only you would agree to sell that land to the town."
Grayson was taken aback. "Let me think about this," he stuttered. "In a day or two, I'll let you know, Mrs. Henderson, I mean, Judy."
Harold Grayson thought long and hard for a day and he decided to agree, not because of the money he would be receiving but because he had finally understood what his impact would be on his beloved town. In addition, he decided to accept only half the amount the town had offered him and the other half would be his donation to the project. He felt so much lighter and happier after his decision, and especially years after, when the refinery was built and his town thrived.
Sometimes, the greatest favor you can do is for later generations, those others you may never meet.
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August 22, 2024 at 12:44pm August 22, 2024 at 12:44pm
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Prompt:
By the dark of the moon.
Write about this in your Blog entry today.
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The Dark of the Moon
when the night whispers low
a silence in which soft shadows
glow, a moment so frail and
the world wears its veil
by the dark of the moon,
why death came so soon and
her tiny body took flight
and wind swayed to cradle
my cat in tender display
by the dark of the moon
She's gone suddenly to find
the truths she seeked in
this mixed-up world, with a life
so unique, inside the stillness
of night and the dark of the moon
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For Noche -RIP- (March 2008-08/17/2024)
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August 21, 2024 at 11:11am August 21, 2024 at 11:11am
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Prompt:
"Everyone needs something to believe in."
Write about this in your Blog entry today.
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Oh well, I know several nice people who say they believe in nothing. I guess they might be believing in their own non-belief system, and that point of view is what they need to survive; therefore, they validate the quote.
The quote itself, "everyone needs something to believe in" captures a few sides of the human nature: our need for purpose, meaning, and faith. This show in all areas of life, such as religion, philosophy, personal ideals, relationships, and ambitions.
Even doing a simple task like typing this entry needs my trust in my laptop, in my typing with floating fingers that often hit a wrong key, and in my somewhat askew writing know-how. For example, while writing this, I am looking for a sense of direction to ground my ideas and feelings toward answering the quote. So what if I hit a wrong key, every now and then! I still keep at it. This is because belief has to do with motivation and hope. With most better writers, it might also show some human goodness, pursuit of knowledge, and a potential for growth.
Then, through belief, we create connections and communities, such as Writing.com and my dear writing friends. Such bonds arise from shared hobbies, life styles, and the feel of belonging to a group of like-minded people. This adds another side, a social connection one, to a belief system.
Belief, therefore, in any form or shape, is vital for human experience. In my case, it inspires, anchors, and pushes me forward in my search for meaning and fulfillment.
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August 20, 2024 at 10:22am August 20, 2024 at 10:22am
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Prompt: Repetition
What do you think about events, people, knowledge and thoughts that keep repeating themselves? Are they ever useful to you?
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Repetition is annoying. Even my own repetition annoys me when I have to do the same thing over and over. Sometimes I forget that I did something and start doing it all over again, and then, I get mad at myself.
The same goes for other people who keep repeating the same woes, the same stories, the same everything, but then, I always think, this is because they are old like me and they can forget, even if I'm so annoyed.
My annoyance could be because of how our brains work. Brains like new stuff and the same old stuff causes a sensory overload. Just imagine listening to the sound of a leaky faucet until the plumber arrives. That's when we think, "Thank god for plumbers!"
Then, like with anything else, repetition means being stuck in the same place, forever. This can lead to mental fatigue and a sense of being trapped in the same place. Our minds and our selves need stimulation to keep up our sanity and interest in our surroundings. This is because of repetition's oppression, making us feel powerless.
And I hope I haven't repeated myself while writing this entry.  |
August 19, 2024 at 11:36am August 19, 2024 at 11:36am
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Prompt: Influence
Which kinds of people are the most influential in life? And what or who has had the most influence on you and are you okay with this influence?
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The way I see it, influence is the ability or, let's say, capacity to impress other people so they can adapt to their lives.
The most influential people in my life were my uncles and aunt, and later on, my high school lit teacher. These people always influenced me toward the right direction, a direction they thought would make me happier and better adjusted. These influential people also had empathy and understanding and they were authentic in their ways as well as being very ethical. I'm glad I took their advice, tried to live up to their unshaken belief in me, and followed their examples.
I'm sure some other people must have influenced me in a negative way, however without wanting to or on purpose. Those, I have either forgiven or have forgotten about.
What was in common in people who influenced me in a positive way? They all had clarity of purpose and positive behavior. They were consistent in actions and beliefs. They were also very effective communicators. One of my uncles kept telling me stories about the people in our family who had lived before my time and especially those he had met.
Yet, they didn't hesitate to show how vulnerable they each could be as human beings. Because of all those qualities and others I may have forgotten to mention, they were real people as they inspired and motivated me to act positively and to try to do the best in my life. Their effect on me lasted my whole lifetime. I'm so grateful for that.
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August 17, 2024 at 1:24pm August 17, 2024 at 1:24pm
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Prompt: Food
Write a poem or a story about food that has significance to you.
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I'm not a picky eater; however, in old age, I'm more conscious of what I eat. So I don't eat out anymore, unless I have to. I cook my every meal myself and I like it that way. At least, I know what goes in it.
On the other hand, I didn't always know how to cook, until I met my mother-in-law, and may she rest in peace, she took her time with me and showed me the basics. My mother also didn't cook since we had other people doing the job, always, and those people, while I grew up, used to shoo me out of the kitchen, telling me I'd smell of food. Luckily again, much earlier, our Home-Ec teacher, Miss Crain, also had taught us the very basics, but my real cooking skills come from my mother-in-law.
One food that has significance to me are the mug-cakes I make in a mug in the microwave. I can do many different varieties of such cakes and they are probably much healthier than any store-bought cake since I make the batter out of scratch and use a lot of different fruits at the bottom of the mug. On top, I add a couple of teaspoons of batter. Sometimes, I add chocolate or cinnamon to the mix also. Since I have the batter already pre-made and stored in jars in the fridge, a mug-cake only takes one and a half to two minutes to bake, in the microwave. This way, I have my cake and eat it, too.
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 On a very sad note, this morning at six, my cat Noche, very suddenly, went to the cat heaven.
She wasn't sick or anything last night. She came to bed, talked to me as she always did, and she was sleeping next to me. At six in the morning, I woke up to her gagging. I said, "Noche, are you ok?" She, then, jumped on the floor and lay dead with her mouth foaming.
I got in touch with my son on the phone, immediately. After making arrangements with the animal hospital that I always took Noche for checkups or whatnot, my son and I drove her there to be cremated. They said she had passed away from a sudden heart attack. She was sixteen, going into seventeen in the fall. In cat years, this is equal to 82, they said.
I'm still in a daze but thank God for my son Al, if he hadn't come right over early in the morning and taken over, I would have been lost.
Noche was/is my last pet. I can't have any others at my age. I'd die of worry about such an animal's future, should something happen to me. I had adopted Noche because she was unwanted, declawed, and couldn't get along with other pets. She wouldn't make it even in a no-kill shelter. I think she was quite comfortable and happy with me and that's the thought that'll keep me going today.
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August 16, 2024 at 11:12am August 16, 2024 at 11:12am
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Prompt: Alphabet Poem
An alphabet poem is similar to an acrostic but instead of writing the name of the poem down the side, write the alphabet and use each letter of the first word of each line to tell a story about yourself. 26 lines about you.... have fun!
Saving My Today
Almost there, my eyes open
Before I rise up, alive,
Come rain or shine
Day of mine
Excited to see you in
Full bloom
Guess I'll refrain from
Horsing around but groom
Inside my bedroom
Joy-ously, as if I'm in
Kindergarten, under the dome
Loving every second, every
Minute of my home
Not because I'm made
Of flesh and blood, but
Perhaps words and lines
Quickly put together
Reasonably or not, to
Save my today for
Tomorrow I may not be
Up and around and
Very alive with words
While the best is now and
X marks my forever
You'll see, for soon, I'll be
Zooming from Alpha to Omega.
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August 15, 2024 at 11:24am August 15, 2024 at 11:24am
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Prompt:
"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." Write about this in your Blog entry today.
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This is so true. I guess, it must be because a dog thinks they are in the same family with their humans. Science says, however, this is because, on a biological level, dogs and their owners both experience a release of oxytocin, known as the love hormone.
It must also be because dogs are social animals and have a pack mentality. One proof in my life to this came from my uncle's dog, Rocky. At the time I was in my preteens and the dog took me as his playmate. Now, my uncle and aunt lived at another city in those days, and each time, Rocky knew I was on the phone, only because my aunt held the phone to his ear and I talked to him, he became very happy and excited and they told me he began running in circles around their place. Rocky was also a very sensitive dog. When my grandfather passed away, we found the dog holding one of his shoes in his paws, with tears in his eyes. And no, in no shape or form, I'm making this up. My whole family, then, witnessed this.
Years later, when my husband and I got a Newfoundland, Joe, the same happy-devotion thing happened; plus, Joe was the friendliest-ever dog in my experience. Because he was so huge, when he was outside the door and roamed the yard, people became afraid of his size. Little they knew that Joe would not only befriend them and invite them in, but also offer them coffee and cake if he could.
Experts say that dogs see their owners as the leaders of their pack and they offer a strong sense of loyalty and devotion, but I felt the same loyalty and devotion in my son's dog, a Chesapeake Bay retriever, toward me and to other members of the family, although, unlike Joe, this dog never took to strangers.
Luckily for me, I always had very positive experiences with dogs. I think, through some complex interplay of evolution, biology, and emotional bonding, they have become connected to us much more strongly than other kinds of pets, and the lifelong emotional bond we form with them is truly special.
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August 14, 2024 at 12:19pm August 14, 2024 at 12:19pm
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Prompt:
"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way."
Write about this in your Blog entry today.
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Surely, "the way" is the most important factor in this quote. The thing is, "the way" changes from situation to situation and, in the business world, from company to company. One of my sons, although he always works in the same kind of business as a leader, each time he changes a company, the company bigwigs require that he attend a hands-on learning period or even a seminar of some kind. I think this is a very astute approach toward the betterment of any company.
This shows accountability and decisiveness as good leaders hold themselves and their team responsible for just about everything, to insure the best possible outcomes. A good leader, in fact, inspires and motivates people working under him or her, by applauding successes and pointing to possible improvements and delegates tasks appropriately to trustworthy workers. In doing that, the good leader, himself or herself shows that they, too, are adaptable and resilient as well as being flexible when necessary.
Then, integrity and ethical behavior and vision and strategic thinking are all very important, too. An honest, transparent, fair, and always ethical leaders easily earn the respect and loyalty of their co-workers because their strategies lead to positive work environments.
To wrap it up, a good leader can and should guide everyone toward a shared success with a blend of vision, understanding and integrity. In fact, this is "the way" what the quote is talking about.
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August 13, 2024 at 12:18pm August 13, 2024 at 12:18pm
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Prompt: Chair
Pick a chair, any kind of chair in the room where you are now sitting.
What is the history of the chair? Where does it come from? What stories could it tell?
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The real history of the chair, for what little I know, goes back to ancient Egyptians. It's said that they did invent the chair for inside their dwellings and for the elite only.
Yet, the chair I pick to write about has a history of only about thirty-plus years. When my late husband and I moved to Florida in 1992, we decided not to bring the old furniture but buy new ones here, since the cost, more or less, came to the same thing. Still, we brought some things, anyway.
The chair I am going to write about is a Florida-bought one. It is a Lazy-Boy chair. In fact, it is two chairs that used to stay side by side with an end table in between them. They were for my husband and me. After him, since I couldn't stand to sit there alone, I put his chair across the room near the bookshelves, and my chair now stands alone, by the porch doors, from where I can watch the golf course and the backyard. I also read there and sip my tea. It is a relaxing place with lots to offer to me, especially when I'm tired.
Since the seat of this chair is too wide, I added a large pillow to it, on which the cat sits sometimes. Then, the cat also sits on top of the chair and its arms, too. I guess, she appreciates every part of this chair more than I can. Still, this chair is not only for relaxation, but also, sometimes, I take phone calls and messages while sitting in it.
During the medieval times, chairs were often heavy and ornately carved for they served as thrones or seats of honor. Not this recliner, I'm talking about. It is generously padded with a beige colored surface and it is big. Surprisingly enough, despite its hugeness, I can easily pull it to clean under and behind it.
Luckily, as it had been in the times of the ancient Egyptians, chairs nowadays are not only for the elite. For that, I'm thankful because I enjoy sitting in this chair a lot.
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August 12, 2024 at 1:12pm August 12, 2024 at 1:12pm
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Prompt: Shoes
What kind of shoes do you mostly wear? If you could go out now and buy a new pair of shoes, what would you choose?
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On my podiatrist's advice, I wear Sketchers now, but I have many other shoes that I look at longingly every now and then. One of these days, I guess I'll get rid of them. I like my Sketchers sneakers because their brand has come a long way over the years and their products can easily compare and even surpass the more famed and expensive brands. This is according to what my podiatrist said. So any new pair that I choose will be a pair of Sketcher's sneakers.
In fact, mostly, my shoes are Sketchers' sneakers. The one I favor is pure black. It goes under anything else I wear. Then, I have a better pair that is black and turquoise, but the turquoise color about it makes those shoes rarely usable for that color clashes with most of my outfits, although I like those shoes' fit much better.
The process of choosing shoes is highly personal and can vary widely from person to person. While some prioritize comfort and functionality, others may focus more on style and brand. In my old age, now, I'll go with comfort, anytime. Since where I live, climate and environment basically stay the same, I don't need boots or waterproof shoes. My change of shoes is from those that I wear when going out of the house to what I wear inside the house. So, I have orthopedic slippers, not that I need them so badly but only because they are so comfortable, although they look, well, orthopedic.
When I was much younger, style and looks greatly influenced my shoe choices. Not anymore! I now go for proper support and the ease of upkeep. In other words, function outdoes everything else.
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August 9, 2024 at 11:47am August 9, 2024 at 11:47am
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Prompt:
“People are messy. They are defined not only by what they've done, but by what they could have done, under different circumstances, molded as much by their regrets as their actions, choices they stand by and those they wish they could undo. Of course, there's no going back - time only moves forward - but people can change."
Victoria Schwab
Let this quote inspire your entry today.
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Could have, would have, should have! So useless, isn't it! Regretting something already done is in vain and it may even hurt the psyche of the person who keeps regretting and beating himself or herself up for not doing or doing something. Isn't it, therefore, a much better idea to just learn from a mistake or from a time badly spent and move on?
Talking about myself, being defined by what I could have done can be a praise in disguise of a blame, since it honors the potential within me and within each of us, while it recognizes the paths I didn't choose are as much a part of me as the ones I have walked. It moves me to think, "God, I did have potential, didn't I!" So existential, I'd say.
Too many forks on the road, and we regret the one we've taken? We had to choose, didn't we!
In writing, we are usually introduced to that unchosen path with the "what if" question. The answers to "what if" are mostly about the understanding of the human condition and the richness of our complex inner lives.
As such, our identities are not static but they evolve continually. We all are much more than our deeds and past decisions. Yes, we have potential. All of us. But who says we have to use it to its limits? Then, isn't our potential limitless, also?
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August 8, 2024 at 12:13pm August 8, 2024 at 12:13pm
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Prompt:
If you were an Olympic Athlete, which event would you be in?
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None, because I could or would never be an athlete to begin with. In fact, I get tired when I walk from one end of my house to the other, more than ten times. Then, I don't like the idea of any kind of a competition at all, where someone loses.
Also at this stage in my life, I'm not too much into Olympics, especially this year, because it is made to become a political side-taking instead of a friendly competition.
Since the prompt question of today has to do with the Olympics, here are a few facts about them.
 The first Olympic games were hosted in Olympia, Greece, in 776 BC.
The first modern Olympic games tool place in 1896, which included 9 sports.
These are the colors of the Olympic rings: Blue, yellow, black, green and red. They represent the five inhabited parts of the world.
So far, 23 countries hosted the Olympics. This year is Paris's third time.
The IOC (International Olympic Committee) organizes the the Olympic games. IOC's headquarters is located in Lausanne.
I guess this should do it for me, today.
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