%%USERNAME%%    %%ACCWORDS%% %%ONOFF%% |
 |
Reading, Writing, Pondering: Big Life Themes, Literature, Contemporary/Historical Issues |
 Welcome to the 14th century, in a farflung outpost of the Holy Roman Empire, and a new Convent outpost of the terrrifically powerful Roman Catholic Church. Sound historically dull? Hopefully not so--for this is NOT an ordinary 14th Century Convent. Back after a six-year hiatus.... From NaNoWriMo historical Supernatural novels in Scotland, Michigan, South Alabama and historical horror in Standwood Station, GA-to the Phantom Northern Woods-to singlehandedly refighting the American Civil War-to exploring Social Justice and standing for First Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution-we deal out horror, Supernatural, Historical, fantasy, mystery, and more. We do not fear outspokeness. And always, always, always, We Do History. Find it here. We write it. We read it. We hold strong opinions. We orate. Meanwhile, whether we're writing or just reading, we love to rave about books and authors right here!  |
| If you could create your very own monster, what would it look like? What would it be called? What types of things would it do to scare people? Where does the monster live? Tell me everything there is to know about your monster. My immediate thought was of Dr. Victor Frankenstein's creation, but no. That's not going to fly. Too apparent. Of course, people are going to be frightened of something put together from spare parts. Also, humans are frightened and repulsed, unfortunately, by disfigurement (the Phantom of the Opera; Beauty and the Beast). So I'm taking my page from beloved author H. G. Wells (yes, I'm a fan). I'm going to choose a “power” or “gift” that I've always longed (since childhood) to possess, and a quality of Horror that is always my chief criterion when “judging” a Horror story or novel. INVISIBILITY Yes, you read that correctly. In an era and a culture in which Celebrity, Youth, “Beauty” (as judged by who knows what?), and “ME ME ME LOOK AT ME ME ME” is the rule, this individual desires, praises, and sometimes accomplishes, INVISIBILITY. Advantages: You can overhear others. You're not a target. You can sneak up on people. If you don't want a particular someone to see you, they won't. Escape. Now for Invisibility in Horror: those who are Antiques, like me, or those who are film buffs of 50's B-movies, like me, will remember the original “BLOB.” (1958) Remember that viewers (and characters-in-danger) never actually SAW The Blob, we only heard it (I'll never forget that sound); and what you can't see (humans are visual creatures, after all) is far more terrifying than watching, say, a skyscraper-size arachnid terrorizing a city. Okay, maybe not that example. INVISIBILITY Gotta Love It. Gotta Own It. |
| Hillary Clinton turns 70 today! Wish her a happy birthday (if you're so inclined) and write up a candidacy speech for your own head of government campaign. Happy Birthday, Mrs. Hillary. I am amazed to discover that you failed the D.C. Bar Exam way back when (I really had thought you too had been a Rhodes scholar. In another probability.) I express gratitude that you and others targeted by pipe bombs this week are still alive and flourishing. Politics is rough, and getting rougher. William Blake for Emperor of the Universe Stephen Hawking for Vice President of Research and Development I posted on October 21 that William Blake ought to be Emperor of the Universe. Still going with that one. Stephen Hawking I choose because he is the single highest I.Q. I can think of (in this era of increasing loss of intelligence and downplaying of intellect, I.Q., use of intelligence, education, and learning are really important to me—and always have been.) Now as for Candidacy Speeches: Please. Did Emperor Ming campaign? I think not. Since I have self-appointed Mr. Blake as Emperor of the Universe, no campaign speech is necessary. He just is. October 26 is National Pumpkin Day!!! I do love Pumpkins, Jack o' Lanterns. For decades I refused Pumpkin Pie, but I love the scent of Pumpkin. I get really excited along about September about the Concept of Pumpkin (think Plato) and one of my favourite scents purchased through my daughter the Scentsy Consultant is “Farmstand Pumpkin.” In honor of National Pumpkin Day [sound of resounding cheers and the clatter of Pumpkins knocking together to clap] I bring you some lovely Pumpkin tweets: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🎃Today is <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalPumpkinDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NationalPumpkinDay</a> 🎃 <a href="https://t.co/oGLhDltwu8">pic.twitter.com/oGLhDltwu8</a></p>— Never Forget 🙌 (@brideshead_girl) <a href="https://twitter.com/brideshead_girl/status/1055766708550594560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Apparently it is <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NationalPumpkinDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NationalPumpkinDay</a>, so we submit for your pleasure these amazing literary-themed pumpkin carvings, each one discovered becoming the new favourite... 🎃 <a href="https://t.co/czji5JpOuR">pic.twitter.com/czji5JpOuR</a></p>— Broadhursts Bookshop (@BroadhurstBooks) <a href="https://twitter.com/BroadhurstBooks/status/1055784721932795904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 26, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> |
| Today in History: The first football team formed in Sheffield, England. Make up your own sport and tell us how it's played. I call myself a writer, I've read voraciously all my long life, and I boast of my imagination. So I should be able to think something up, yes? But I admit, this one has me temporarily stumped. Sport? Sport? Oh, please. Yes, it is possible to render me speechless. This prompt just did. So....since I can't at the moment fantasise a “new” sport, I will discuss a fantasy sport. Thank you. (smile): Croquet as Alice knew it; or, Croquet in ALICE IN WONDERLAND. First of all, a brief history of the sport “as we know it”: supposedly originating in 17th century London, played in London's Pall Mall, and called “palle-maille.” Said to have spread almost as fast through the British Empire as the use of tobacco, croquet was also the first sport to practice equality of genders and to allow women to play as well as men. Croquet was played, in the snow, at the South Pole in 2005. It was played once at the 1900 Olympics, but poorly organised, and one of the winners never knew during his lifetime that he had won. Perhaps unfortunately, not enough croquet players exist to make it a contemporary Olympic sport. Alice must have been accustomed to regular English croquet, as she was an upper-tier child. But Wonderland (naturally) presented something quite different. Lewis Carroll tells us: “[Alice] had never seen such a curious croquet-ground in her life: it was all ridges and furrows: the croquet balls were live hedgehogs and the mallets live flamingoes, and the soldiers had to double themselves up and stand on their hands and feet, to make the arches.” Odd to Alice, I am certain; but you know, I'd kind of like to see that. (smile) |
October 4 Blogging Challenge October 4th Prompt: Write about a lesson you’ve learned the hard way. What lessons have not been learned the hard way? LOL. I think almost everything in my life has come to me via adversity or difficulty or at minimum, discomfort. Much of what I've learned is too personal and I don't feel at leisure to discuss. So let's see what I can discuss. What has come easily to me throughout my life are my love of reading and books, my love of education and learning (autodidactism as well as formal education), and my love of research and discovery (this is why I so love Mysteries). The difficult and painful lessons have often been in the area of interpersonal relations (in general), the matter of independence vs. dependence, and that old bugaboo, patience. Also the question of whether I ought to surrender certain dreams and decide I'm a) too old, or b) unable for whatever reason, or c) it's just not going to happen in this lifetime. Oddly, I've reached a Life Stage at which I am basically (as a whole) content, although I still have daily irritations, and expectations from others I would prefer not to have. But in the wide picture, I have reading, I am writing again, I try to keep a practice of thankfulness, which helps, and I am a much calmer individual than I was when younger. Certainly life circumstances have molded me in the Crucible, and sometimes in the Furnace of Affliction.  |
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
