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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: What can be the five positive things to remember about your life or anything else in the world, for the next time you might be in a bad mood or facing a difficult situation? --- The positive things about my life can be my fantastic, extended family on my motherās side that inspired moral and spiritual behavior, a good marriage that lasted for 54 years, which would be in its 56th if my husband would still be here on earth, two sons, a good education that inspired and still inspires me to keep learning lifelong, and I thank my lucky stars that I was never in a war or inside a warzone. Now that Iāve counted my blessings about my personal life, I have so many more blessings to count about our planet. It is a beautiful planet, and I wouldnāt want to be anywhere else. I couldnāt be anyway. Chances are, I wouldnāt be able to breathe, in the first place. I am truly grateful for all the animals here, wild or tamed, and even the slithering snakes and alligators, although I wouldnāt dare go near them. I am also grateful for the variety of my own species, the humans here. I appreciate the conservatives among us who bring and insist on law and order as well as those who speak up and fight for positive change so things donāt get stale. And I especially favor children who are curious, alert, and ready to take on the world and raise it to a higher moral level that will also become very peaceful, comfortable, and livable.  For: "Space Blog" Prompt: From Seabreeze   ās "My Mind" --- Surely there is more to life than we see as this poet says in her beautiful poem, for we spend our entire lives to enjoy and experience as much of it as we can. While this poet has searched for her cave on a mountaintop, some of us hide our caves inside our souls. While we look for meaning outside in the world, we may also hide, when push comes to shove, inside our personal caves where our true meaning lives and comforts us. Our internal caves are not only sanctuaries but also, they are where we process the world, its ills and its beauty. Sometimes, when we raise our voices in song, or in arts, or in writing, we show a glimpse of that meaning to others. Those of us who are fans of all arts, we love the arts because we find something of ourselves in them, something we discovered in our very own caves, hiding deep down inside our selves. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: Our country is beginning to open up again. Are you planning on attending Memorial Day festivities like parades or picnics or fireworks? What's your feeling about public events at this time? --- Parades are fine, and I kind of favor the picnics, but not the fireworks because I know what that does to other species with sensitive ears. Plus, as pretty as they look, fireworks mess with the atmosphere and remind me of war and fighting, too. No wonder our dogs whimper and hide! Personally speaking, I am not planning on anything yet, because as much as we wish it gone, the pandemic is still here in the works, and even though I have been fully vaccinated, I donāt want to add to the othersā possible ill health by becoming a careless model of action. For: "Space Blog" Prompt: Vaishali ās "Lonely Times" discusses love and loneliness. Do you think there is someone for everyone? Why or why not?---- I like this poem because although it seems to touch the idea of a worldly love-relationship, it also includes the Higher Being in the works. With that, one can never go wrong. As to the prompt's question, there might be someone for everyone or not. I think the idea of such a coupling is not a must, and it is not fair when such an expectation by the public leads the way to a lot of misunderstanding and unhappy feelings by the individuals who feel alone. On the other hand, yes, I had someone very special in my life for 55 years. Now that heās gone, I thank God and my good fortune that he had been destined to be with me for such a long beautiful time. Not many have been that fortunate. Yet, what happens with some of us doesnāt mean that everyone has to have the same or similar relationships or that everyone is destined to find such a paradise on earth, so to speak. That might happen or not. Iād rather think everyone should be for everyone where friendships, understanding, and helping hands are concerned. After all, weāre in one world as one of the favored species in a wide-ranging, amazing creation. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: How do you feel about giving children nicknames? Do your children have a nickname? Is there a story behind the nickname? If not what's the strangest nickname you've heard? ---- I never thought about that. All I know is that some natives, for example American Indians call one another with names that fit the people for either the way they usually behave or pointing to an incident. For example, āhe that runs faster than the wind.ā I never gave my kids any nicknames, either. Except, when my husband and I wanted to talk behind their backs, we referred to them with nicknames only known to the two of us. That trick worked beautifully. Then, kids give nicknames to other kids, too. My older son used to call the younger one Appy and the younger one used to call the older one Googie. Lol! One thing comes to mind on nicknames. When I was young, a friend of the family used to call me NoshNosh, which has nothing to do with my name, and I have no idea what he meant by that. I didnāt mind it but it annoyed my mother to no end.  So if anyone wants to attach a nickname to a person, beware of their mother! For: "Space Blog" Prompt: Stormy Lady  ās "Invalid Item" , apoem about something every parent goes through: empty nest syndrome. What was it like for you? If you have no children, what do you think it would be like? --- Hahaha! Such fun those things that Stormy has detailed about child raising! I can certainly relate to just about every single one of her items as I, too, have done all that. Yet, the empty nest syndrome? We never had an empty nest because we flew the coup altogether. When my kids grew up and one was just about to start college and the other one had just graduated as a chemist and had started interning (working), retirement popped up for hubby and me. We decided to move to FL from NY, and the kids wanted to live on their own. The older one rented a flat and stayed in NY, and the younger one moved down with us to rent a place in Palm Beach because he wanted to attend college there. At the same time, we bought our present house about 45 miles north of the younger oneās place. It was a busy time because these things happened all at the same time, almost in a few months. I think the one who really felt any blow was my younger son, as he was 19 at the time. Yet, looking back, he says heās happy he began living on his own at an early age because he thinks he learned a lot more about life that way. He certainly has traveled and moved all over the country since then. Having said all this, both guys have always known that, should push come to shove, they are always welcome to take a room in their parentsā place. I guess, at the time, we all got too busy to feel that empty nest thing. Yet, now, I have only a cat to keep me company. Surely, I miss my family, but also, I love solitude. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: What film makes you happy? --- I am done with movies and Hollywood. They donāt make me happy. I donāt watch them and I donāt go to the movies anymore. Except for Disneyās The Beauty and the Beast. Only because it has to do with a main character Belle who loves to read and she sees the real person in a beast named Gaston. It is a very difficult achievement for anyone to see the real person in a beast. Then. aside from the main characters, who can forget Mrs. Potts, Lumiere, and Cogsworth who advises the Beast! Although this was a cartoon movie, its characterization made it a winner as all the characters were reflected as being unique and important. For: "Space Blog" Prompt: Dr Perry Ride in "Invalid Item" asks "To be or not to be?" What do you think?--- Nice poem. I was expecting a far-out Shakespearean philosophical piece. It sort of started that way, and then, it twisted into a relationship/romance plea, which was interesting in its own right. As to āto be or not to be,ā who am I to say? This having been created is not my problem, is it! My problem is to be the best being I can be within the limits Iāve been given. Although I doubt I am doing the job well enough, it isnāt for me to decide whether "to be" or "not to be." In any case, trying that would be something like heresy not only against one religion but, I think, all of them. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: "One glance at a book and you hear the voice of another person, perhaps someone dead for 1,000 years. To read is to voyage through time." Carl Sagan Do you agree with this quote? Write about this in your Blog entry today. --- I certainly do agree with the quote as I do hear the voice of the characters in most books, a bit depending on the talent and expertise of their authors. A protagonist or an antagonist with a good strong voice definitely draws in all the attention not only to themselves but the time, place, and the action of any book. In my opinion, this can happen only when the author feels like his or her characters, which sounds quite difficult to do but it is not, if you are a writer and you have perfected the voice of that character inside your head. Then, in a related matter, those who read audio books also add to the appreciation of the characters in a book. Recently, I listened to The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah, brought to sound by Julia Whelan. Her narration was so powerful that, to this minute, Julian Whelanās voice has become the main character Elsa Walcott Martinelliās voice inside my mind. Not to mention that the powerful storytelling and the exquisite plot also adds to the enjoyment of listening to a book. Some might argue that a well-written book impresses the reader on its own. Granted that it is so. Yet, when that book is turned into an audio book, the narrator's voice and style, and feeling and their telegraphing that feeling to the listeners are also very, very important. Although I prefer reading books from a Kindle or on their print version, recently Iāve been resorting to listening to them also, due to my aging eyesight. In Julia Whelanās case, this was not a bad decision, at all. She was a true Elsa Martinelli for me. For: "Space Blog" Prompt: From Angel ās "Why Are Frogs so Happy" Write about frogs today from this poem. --- What a cute, funny story with word plays yet! It would make even a sourpuss smile. Reading the poem brought an image into my mind. Just imagine a dinosaur-sized frog descending on our earth. Eeek! Frogs are carnivorous, folks, and we all would be their catch. Horror writers, take note! And forget about frog-legsā recipes, not that Iāve ever eaten any such thing, but whoād ever dare to catch a giant frog for its legs! |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: If you could converse with Mother Nature, what would you say? === I think, Dear Mother Nature, you have a personality disorder. As pretty and versatile as you are, you have a way of acting differently toward various regions. Canāt you be more even-tempered at least on this little planet earth? Look at the way you behave. Is this any way to be a mother? You froze up the arctic regions and made my area way too hot throughout the year only to throw hurricanes at it when a silly fancy or an urge strikes you. Then, look at the way you treat the places that are supposed to have all your four seasons. Your passages between their seasons with your scary temper tantrums can shame any mother into denying their motherhood. No wonder, living with such extremes of yours, us denizens of my planet act so weird all the time! Yet, I understand that we people have not been very nice to you either; still I suggest you learn to become milder and kinder to those who depend on you, and just maybe, go into an existential therapy of some kind. If you do that, next time I write to you, I promise to extol your beauty and your gifts of life to us, but for the time being, I am holding my breath and laying down my pen. For: "Space Blog" Lostwordsmith ās "Invalid Item" . What do you do to deal with summer heat?--- Summer heat? What summer heat? We have the summer heat year-round where I live with a few lucky breaks in between. Except in summer. Summers boil, sizzle, and grill us around here. Thank God for the AC, which may or may not work at times, especially when the humidity is high. This is a good poem, though. Exactly after my heart. I can especially relate to the line āthe faint scent of the rain,ā as yesterday, when I walked down the driveway to the mailbox, a sprinkle left tiny wet dots on me. Before I could sigh āwhat a relief,ā it stopped, and the drops on me and the mail evaporated before I could go back into the house. Even āthe faint scent of the rainā was history by then. And no, my driveway is not very long either But we take this oven of a place nevertheless, consoling ourselves we donāt have to shovel snow or freeze in winter when the temperature there hits below zero. Small comfort when we are frying under the hot sun, with the word summer being only a moniker. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: Have you ever written a mission statement for your life? If so, have you accomplished what you predicted. If you haven't, do you feel this might make you more accountable? --- No. I donāt think my life needed a mission statement because it is not a mission. It is a life, and it is my life. Missions are for those who are out to help the world or a part of it with the secret underlying wish to help themselves first. I think my upbringing and especially the fine values I learned from my extended family are a mission in total and in themselves, and they donāt need to be written down. Did I have a plan for my life in the beginning, though? Yes, however, that plan had to be revised several times over because it is life, and as they say when you make plans, karma laughs at you. In short, I didnāt write any statement for my life. The only statements I write are my daily to-do lists and they are doable. Well, most of the time. For: "Space Blog" Prompt: Sunny  ās "In The Heart" . What does your heart tell you?--- This is a nice, sincere poem that describes the authorās heart, which is a very beautiful heart, I think, and I so agree with the last line. āIn the heart tells who we are.ā But only if we have learned to read correctly and trust well that reading in our hearts. As to mine, my heart tries not to make me fall into the habit of trusting false feelings and lies, plus to look truth in the eye even if it is hard to take. Then, of course it tells me to focus on love the most, but the kind of love that some call agape and then, the love of God-- if and when I am lucky or destined enough to feel it. I donāt think what arises from the body and the hormones should be called love; although, most everyone--including me when I was in my teens and early twentiesāmake the mistake of thinking that as the real love. If that were the real love, would we have so many divorces and failed relationships? But then, to each her or his own! |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: "Books are a uniquly portable magic." Stephen King Write about this quote in your Blog entry today. --- Agreed. 100 % and then some. Where would I be in my life without books? I guess Iād survive, but barely. Books have been my constant companions ever since I was four, when I learned to read practically on my own as my mother had claimed. Books have been there for me throughout my life. When I need to fortify myself with knowledge, I resort to books. When I need to have a quiet time or entertainment, I pick a book I have stored somewhere in the house. When the going gets tough, I find solace in books. Books have the magic power of taking my attention away from the current problems. Also, books rarely --if ever-- die, go away, or get mad at you, and then leave you. They are constant, and they are there at my own beck and call. What could be better than that! For: "Space Blog" Prompt: "Invalid Item" in which laurafu  writes to her daughter in vitro. If you were an expectant mother, what would you say to your child?--- Sweet poem, written from the heart. I believe many mothers would relate to the authorās feelings. In my case, there is no "if" for expectancy, but I was an expectant mother three times, earlier. As much as I appreciate the sweet feelings in the poem, unlike the author of the poem, before they were born, I promised my kids and myself that Iād never lie to them about Santaās actions or any other unreal or fable-based stuff, and when I would tell them such stories, Iād make sure they were to be told that those stories were from imagination. And I did just that. It was well worth it, too. My kids now have their both feet set firmly on the ground. The only negative thing that came out of it was the resentment of another mother of a six-year-old who was my younger sonās classmate. She berated me for not letting the kid believe in fairy tales, since my son had told her daughter that Santa was supposed to be a nice guy, but he was imaginary, and Santa certainly was not Christ himself as that little girl had mixed up Santa and Christ as the same person. I told the mother what sheād tell her kids were her business, as what Iād tell mine were my business. I donāt know what she was aiming at. Should I go ask my kids for their forgiveness for not lying to them? I am not blaming any parent for letting their kids believe what they want them to believe, but it is their business, and my business is mine. Once youāre a mother, you meet all sorts of parents. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: If you had the chance, would you spend the day at the zoo with baby pandas? --- I love zoos. I would definitely spend a day at the zoo, possibly not only with baby pandas either. Talking about pandas, I like it when the zoos let the animals live in a habitat as close to nature as they can emulate. I think Smithsonian Zoo is trying to do that with the pandas. When I was a young child, I was taken to a zoo and watched three angry lions walk growling around a cage. The cage, probably as large as a living room, smelled terribly and even as a child, I began crying for the cruelty that the zoo inflicted on those beautiful animals. I donāt think we humans have a right to do that. I understand that sometimes we need to keep species of animals who are about to become extinct in order to save them, but still, the grounds they are kept in should be ample enough and as close as possible to their natural habitats. For: "Space Blog" Prompt: From Thaddeus Buxton Winthrop ās "Beneath Emerald Rainbows" --- Good poem except I didnāt get the phrase "emerald rainbows." If rainbows were emerald, which emerald is a green gem, they wouldnāt be rainbows. Other than that, I agree in not trying to find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. It just doesnāt work, does it! Then, instead of a windfall (not that I would reject it  ), thereās something to be said about work and work ethics. On top of making a living from work, we learn the value of contribution to the community while building and strengthening social, personal, and family bonds. This moves our lives in a better direction and lets us gain soft and hard skills to add to the meaning of living. Of course, the work we choose has to fit our personalities; otherwise, we wouldnāt be satisfied with the work; neither could we be as successful as we could be. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: A limo just arrived at your door for your use Where are you going? Who would you take with you? ---- I ask the limo driver to take me to the nearest interstellar station. I am taking nobody with me but my cat Noche, and only because sheās a weirdo of an old cat, and if it werenāt for me adopting him the last minute, sheād end up in a shelter where sheād be subject to all kinds of cruelty and name-calling by the other animals. You see, in the first place, I am not much into Limo-living, but this limo was available and I wanted to leave my car to my kids. But I digress. The Limo stops in front of a quaint-looking building, designed just so that it shouldnāt attract much attention, for quite a few people would want out of here and they would crowd the place. I knew about it only because a friend of mine who used to work in real estate had sold them this office. Anyhow, I thank the driver and hop down with the cat sitting on top of my head, as she likes high places, and in the first place, I donāt have much of a fancy hairdo. I enter the building and approach the person in the first desk and tell her I want out because another war is brewing in the Middle East, and who knows what will happen next, and Iāve had it with all the war hoopla on this planet. āNo worries,ā she says with a sweet smile. āWe certainly understand. In fact, some of our crew here are leaving also and for that very reason. One thing youāll appreciate though, your flight will be free due to your circumstances with that cat on your head. Now, let me seeā¦How aboutā¦ā āAlpha Centauri,ā I butt in, "I bet most any planet on Alpha Centauri will have me and my cat.ā āOh, thatās easy,ā she says. āIt's exactly where our crew is headed to. Youāre in good company. Please, sign under here!ā I take the pen she hands me, and just when I am signing, I feel a wetness on my neck. Not again! Noche has peed on my head! Oh well, cat pee on me or not, I am outa here. If you guys here on earth decide not to fight and not have any wars, Noche and I may consider returning. Remember the trick word here, āconsiderā! For: "Space Blog" Prompt: Rhoswen - Relentless Victory ās "Thanks to a Soldier" , a tribute to veterans. I don't know about you, but my hat is off to anybody who defends their country. What do you think?--- Good poem in appreciation of veterans. I bet most of us feel quite similarly for our veterans. Except, when our appreciation for the veterans is confined only to celebrations, parades, dinners, or balls, I think we shortchange our nationās heroes. Our true appreciation should show in serious legislation that would take much better care of their needs once they return home. As such, we should be electing government people who would make such legislation possible. Surely, my hat is off to the veterans who risked everything for the welfare of the motherland by especially ādefending,ā which is more palatable than the other illegitimate ideals such as conquering and taking hostages. After all, peace on earth is the ideal state. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: Have fun with these words in your entry today: adjourn, churn, burn, turn, yearn and fern. --- The meeting of the sheep on the farm was adjourned until further notice for the milk needed churning to turn it into butter, although this action burned the palms of the farmer whom the sheep loved dearly. The sheep, then, disbanded over the field, bypassing the soured fern growing on the sides of the property. The early spring shoots of grass they yearned for had toughened and yellowed under the hot summer sun. Still they chumped on whatever they could find. Their next meeting would have to be held inside the barn due to this scorching heat. --- Why a farm? I don't know! I am not even a farm girl! For: "Space Blog" Prompt: From HollyMerry ās "Invalid Item" a poem about loss. How do you deal with loss?--- The poem points to the pain the poet feels from the loss of her kitten. Truly, a petās death shakes up a person. It is not only the loss but the mourning for what might have been, had the death never happened. Loss leaves behind in its wake pain and emotional suffering, often extremely overwhelming. This bouts of pain and suffering are normal. The more significant the loss, the stronger the pain. This pain takes time. It is a good idea to understand oneās own pain in order to be able to deal with it. It is also important to let time do some healing, too. How do I deal with loss? With keeping to a to-do list every day and adding a lot of prayer to it, as I am still dealing with such pain although it has been more than a year that I lost the most important person in my life, which hurts more, I think, than the loss of a pet. I cannot really tell anyone how to feel or go through the mourning process because weāre all different, since the way I am --the way I can still manage the daily routine, work, and deal with whatever comes up-- shocks and surprises me all the time. I think I am stronger than I have ever given myself credit for. Itās said that the emotional symptoms of grief from loss are shock and disbelief, sadness, guilt, anger, and fear. Usually, they donāt follow a sequence but they get all mixed up. If the dealing of everyday life becomes too much to handle, it is a good idea to seek help, but that help has to fit the person suffering; otherwise, it may be more hurtful than helpful. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: Fantasy. Would you like to walk on the rings of Saturn? ---- Wouldnāt that be something the old me on a Saturn's ring! Yes, Iād like that very much, but not with this earthly body. Youād have to design me a new one. One that could step and stay on a Saturnian ring. A Saturnian body could be a start, though. Why not one-for-all type of a body that I can use while I traverse the universe? Since you came up with this prompt,  Megan, I bet you can accomplish that and then some.Talking about that āand-then-someā bit, while you are at it, you could design an interstellar bike to fit my new body. A bike that can also jump over black holes and sail through the galaxies. I donāt think this is too much to ask. Just think of the big business youād be starting. Youād be the richest lady in the universe and Forbes people would kiss the ground youād walk on. Now, how about that! š For: "Space Blog" Prompt: Fivesixer  has a picture from an x-ray where he broke his ankle. Have you ever had metal put in you? Write about metal implants.--- Sorry about Norbās broken ankle. I hope that was a long time ago and itās healed perfectly by now. As to metal implants, I donāt know much about them, but I know people who have them. I believe they work very well. Me and the implant? Not really a metal implant but Iād like new circuitry with magnets planted inside my brain, as its performance seems to be falling back somewhat. I have been reading up on neuroplasticity, and they are coming up with great finds. Unfortunately, those docs who write those books (like Dr. Ramachandran and Norman Doidge) only sensationalize the far-out cases. Wouldnāt it be great if my neurons fired faster and faster and connected properly? Maybe I could even write better. Heck, Iām all excited now. This writing better wish is worth going through the process of a new circuitry installment and even much more, with exaggeration. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: Write the words you need to hear right now. ----- Peace on Earth. No more wars. No more Covid or Pandemics. People respect one anotherās beliefs, ideas, and opinions everywhere. Then, after these things are accomplished, we can all accept life as it is. For: "Space Blog" Prompt: From THANKFUL SONALI Library Class!  ās "The Poet called Nature" --- Another beautiful poem about the poetry in nature, and I certainly agree with the premise of the poem. Yes, thereās poetry in nature, In fact, I imagine it was nature from the beginning that gave rise to poetry. Letās just look around us at the sandy beaches, the sensations of summer, the essence of sand, an animal mother defending her baby, woods at night, sunbeams playing peek-a-boo among the leaves of tall trees, the sounds of the owls, birds chirping, humming birds drinking nectar from the flowers of all colors and shapes, butterflies, rain, a snow scene with moon shining on it, other moonlit nights, forests, trees, oceans, storms, flags waving in the breeze, mountains, rivers, lakesā¦ The more I think, the more poetic things I can come up with. Even after all these things and then some, I believe people are the most poetic. When I think about it, what a glorious make-up people have in their outward shapes but mostly whatās inside them! Such an amazing creation is that human mind! It has the most striking, beautiful poetry and some truly intense drama. Nature has truly created a masterpiece that envelops everything sensational, amazing, stunning, scary, and so theatrically spectacular. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt āWhere we belong is often where we least expect to find ourselvesāa place that we may have willed ourselves to forget, but that the heart remembers forever.ā Emily Giffin, Where We Belong How many places have you felt you belonged? Write about them. ---- Places Iāve been in are more than self-evident and static backdrops, sets, or stages on which I happened to exist. See that I didnāt say āIāve been toā but I said, āIāve been in.ā This means one can visit many places but the sense of belonging happens with other elements rather than the city, country, suburbs, or wilderness backdrop. As such, Iāve been to many places in the USA, Europe, and the Near East. The one place I felt I really belonged to was the three-story, old clapboard house I grew up in. Then during my junior high and high school years, since both high-schools were in the same complex, I had thought I belonged there, as I had truly loved that school. Then the following year, when I attended the alumna meeting, the place felt like someone elseās school. I didnāt belong there anymore but to the university I was attending. Well, somewhat, I thought. I wasnāt going to be fooled again. Later on, when I went abroad to many places, while married after a while, I felt an affinity to many places, but I never felt I belonged with them. It is true that although a few places were inhospitable and the people in them I feared were out to get me, Iād say 99% of the places were nice and the people in them, usually, very friendly. Yet, I felt I belonged with my extended family sometimes, and my husband all the time, until he passed away. So, in my case, I think that sense of belonging has more to do with people than places. I guess, in my case, a place has to have beautiful people attached to it, rather than just the scenery and the topography. For: "Space Blog" Prompt: From A Cassandra. ās "Invalid Item" This is a beautiful poem describing cherry blossoms. My best experience of cherry blossoms happened a few decades ago when we visited Washington DC. I believe it was the first week of April, then. The view was something like light pink tufts of cotton covering the branches, exuding hope and happiness to the viewers, be it short-lived like the cherry-blossom season itself as the flowers disappear quickly giving way to fruit in the making. I heard this year and last, due to Covid, even though they let in a few people walk in, they put up a fence around the tidal basin and closed the roads leading to the tidal basin. Iāve also read about about the cherry blossom festival in Japan, but I doubt they could do any better than the USA in opening them to public during the last two years. Who knows, when Covid is history, maybe one day Iāll live to see the Japanās beautiful version of cherry blossoms, too.  |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" PromptāToo 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.ā Leo F. Buscaglia Who in your life gave you all the nice stuff Leo Buscaglia has talked about? Or if you wish, who can give all those things to anyone? How? Write about it. ---- Many people in my life gave me all that. I have been blessed with the most wonderful extended family. Mostly, it is the parentsā job to take care of those things, but when other people are added to it, the blessing is multiplied many times. I think in addition to family, school people like teachers and friends, too, can add to a growing personās life. Even neighbors and strangers can pitch in if we were to live in perfect societies. Unfortunately, however, this isnāt always the case, and if a young person doesnāt have good parents, family, or any outside help, that person will have only himself or herself to turn their life around. I think, when all is considered, each person should learn to stand on their own feet and realize that, especially if theyāre not a child anymore, they only have themselves to lean on to make the best life and future that they can for themselves. For: "Space Blog" Prompt: From Redtowrite ās "One Planet of Hope" --- Here is a beautiful poem on hope, which I agree with 100%. One thing that makes hope so wonderful is that it is accessible to anyone, regardless of nationality, creed, race, politics, and everything else that separates human beings. Yet, it isnāt enough to wait, wish, and hope for something to happen. We need to work toward what we hope would take place. Hope should invite more than a wish into it. If not, it is only a wall decoration inside our psyches. Hope should invite a list of possibilities that demand action on our part. Otherwise, reverting to what Emily Dickinson wrote, hope is only something in the sky with feathers that we cannot catch but can only watch from afar. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: There's dialogue and there are monologues. Dialogue is conversation between people whereas monologues tend to be one person speaking similar to a speech or a rant. Let's take this opportunity to discuss your name. What makes it unique? Is it a family name? Is there a story behind? Have fun, be engaging. --- I think Iāll tweak the question in the prompt a bit and have a conversation about names in general. The Bard: āWhatās in a name?ā. Me: āA whole human being,ā The Bard: āAll that glitters is not gold.ā Me: āGranted, if only for the reason that a personās name is not as important as who the person is inside, as argues your Juliet, Sir; however, it is a known fact that in our time, people live up to their names. Well, mostly.ā The Bard: āYou speak an infinite deal of nothing.ā Me: āIt is not the first time, Sir. My mother had similar ideas on that subject about me.ā The Bard: āWith mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.ā Me: āYou may laugh all you wish, Sir, but unfortunately, neither you nor her are here on earth, anymore. ā The Bard: āāTo die, to sleep - To sleep, perchance to dream - ay, there's the rubā¦ā Me: āThe rub is some of us do not like our names as they donāt fit us. Worse yet, out of spite, some people act as the opposites of their names. Yet, most everyone tries to live down or up to the names given to them, subconsciously or rather consciously speaking.ā The Bard: āConscience doth make cowards of us all.ā Me: āWith your permission, Sir. I tend to disagree. Conscience is the most importance part of a human being, I dare say.ā The Bard: āEt tu, Brute?ā Me: āSorry, Sir. I didnāt mean to lecture you. I may have stumbled there a bit. ā The Bard: āWisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.ā Me: āYou sure are very witty, but you have to admit that we humans should think twice when we name our children.ā The Bard: āGet thee to a nunnery! Better a witty fool, than a foolish wit.ā Me: āIt is all right, Sir. You can call me names if you wish. After all, you have called many a character many a nameā. The Bard: āBeautiful tyrant, feind angelical, dove feather raven, wolvish-ravening lamb! Despised substance of devinest show, just opposite to what thou justly seemest - A dammed saint, an honourable villain!ā Me: āIf those are the names with which you are calling me, Sir, Iām more than pleased. Iām delighted.ā The Bard: āFrailty, thy name is womanā¦ Than by destruction dwell in doubtful Joy.ā Me: āYou just uttered my name, Sir. Iām so honored!ā The Bard: āāAre you sureā¦That we are awake? It seems to meā¦ Some are born mad, some achieve madness, and some have madness thrust upon 'em ā¦āā Me: āTo quote you, sir, āI am one who loved not wisely but too well.āā The Bard: āAll's well that ends well.ā (Sir William S. exits the scene.) For: "Space Blog" Prompt: From victoryseekerās "Invalid Item" . Share a regret that you have. ---- I regret I had to hurt someoneās feelings by choosing someone else over him, but I had only enough space for one person in the drama of my lifetime. Yet, I am happy with my choice, and I didnāt let that regret hang on over me through the years, making it an imaginary alternate version of my life. Regrets can be the stuff of tragic fiction but they are not functional unless they can propel people onward and teach them not to make the same mistakes again. Intuitively speaking, my choice was not a mistake, but I still feel bad for hurting a very nice person. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" āAt last came the golden month of the wild folk-- honey-sweet May, when the birds come back, and the flowers come out, and the air is full of the sunrise scents and songs of the dawning year.ā ā Samuel Scoville Jr Use this quote to inspire your entry today. ==== Maybe, in Scovilleās story, that āgolden monthā of May came back for the bear family in a normal climate, but where I live, it came with a 94 degree heat. As its result, I had to go out early enough this morning for a few errands before the heat got to me. As such āthe merry month of Mayā has turned into the āscorching grillā for those of us who live somwhere way down south. Instead of the month of May, though, I am much more impressed by the bears and honey. Bears have many species just like us people, except I donāt think they kneel down to racism among them for they are intelligent, big, strong, and fast animals. And no wonder they like honey, the one delicious thing food item made by bees, flowers, and mother nature. Plus, among all other edibles, honey is the only one that doesnāt go bad, and thus, it doesnāt need refrigeration. Some insist on honeyās medicinal properties. Whether they are right or not, we all appreciate this golden liquid in a cup of tea to soothe colds, sore throats, and nerves. Now, how did I end up here from that merry month of May! Ask the bears. They are smart, and they like honey, too. For: "Space Blog" Prompt: From Lilli š§æ ā  "Only Love is Needed" Here is a beautiful, well-written poem of earthly love when one partner is so sweetly begging the other one to come around. The problem for me is I never liked begging, especially for love, as love is given freely but not as the result of cajoling, but I think, with poetry, anything goes.  Then, probably for being a realist, this word love, together with the many different meanings it suggests, has me in stitches. The same for the ditty āAll you need is love!ā No, you need many more things. You need: clothes, shelter, food, a commode when you need it, some money, family, friends, an occupation, a working mind, a belief system, and good will toward everyone. What is still the most surprising for me is when people mistake hormonal needs for love. Yet, weāre all fooled by this need as weāve been there in our younger years when we made that very mistake, and as a result, many separations and divorces keep on happening. To overcome this, a healthy love for life, for oneself, for others, for the creation and its Creator should be the answer. Many involvements we so haphazardly unite under the word āloveā should then gain some serious meaning. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: "The magic of the hill top is seeing her little books bought to life in the place where they were created." Peter Tasker --- This quote is about restoring Beatrix Potterās home, on a hilltop where she grew different kinds of plants and put her drawings of them in her books. When one looks carefully one can see about where each of her stories were created. Hereās a link: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/restoring-beatrix-potters-garden Wouldnāt it be nice if each authorās creations could be traced to the actual time and space where they were created? For: "Space Blog" Prompt: From Alexi 
--- This poem takes its flight into the air from a scared emotion, the fear of flying, but then, it branches into other feelings and thoughts some of which are the authorās privileged, internal musings. I donāt know. I never had such fears. In fact, I enjoy flying. Yet, I donāt read too much into it either. To me flying is just a convenient way of travel. Maybe I am not too much of an emotional person. Yet, there is this one time I canāt forget. The plane I was in was going to Tri-Cities Airport (TRI) in Blountville, TN. I was traveling alone and reading a book. When the pilot announced that we were there and about to land, I lifted my head from the book and saw the chains of blue mountains in layers, almost like blue mists. I gasped. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever set eyes upon. This was probably two and a half decades ago, and that view still lingers in my mind. I bet if people come up with taking photos of whatās in oneās mind, this would become a very vivid photograph. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt: They say we all have a book in us. Do you agree with this statement? --- I guess since everyone has a life, everyone can have a story to tell. How to approach it and revealing how much of oneās life could be among the challenges faced. Most of us, however, have several books in us. Except, they are hesitant to come out. For: "Space Blog" Prompt: From Lilli š§æ ā ās "Becoming a Writer in the Digital Age" --- I enjoyed college education greatly. And not for its parties, either. I enjoyed it for the subjects I studied. They showed me new avenues. Yes, college education teaches some things, but not everything, and this is where the author and I part ways. Learning to write and to read is a very personal thing. Thatās how we have so many ways of writing and so many different approaches to writing. The writing bit and even the choices we make in our reading is totally up to our very own and unique emotional and intellectual make-up. I understand this piece was contributed by someone else other than Lilli š§æ ā . So chances are my disagreement is with that someone else. Granted, I have no bones to pick with the way he approaches the business view of writing; however, that has never been my problem. My problem with most writers is that they adopt the business view, way before they hone in their skills and find a personal style of writing, and this brings down the art of writing and cheapens the appreciation of readers in general. Granted also when he says, āNobody is waiting for you. And you will never be ready.ā True. However, better to wait and get a few years of practice rather than dive head first into a muck. This is how I feel. |
| For "Blog City ~ Every Blogger's Paradise" Prompt āTrees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky.ā Khalil Gibran, Sand and Foam What do you think about this quote, and in what ways life is like a tree? --- Trees are like poetry in the way that a poem inspires and stays with us after weāve read it. Looking at a tree is like that, too. Who wouldnāt feel inspired, rejuvenated, and thankful for the existence of that tree after watching it and really noticing it? Trees inspire deep thoughts in people just like life, in being breathing and serene entities. Plus, their lives are longer than ours. They might even be wiser than we are since they have lived longer and experienced more. Trees are also like life in the way they can flourish even under the worst circumstances. They can also stretch upward and downward, establishing roots, something of a reminder of so many people and even other living beings. Then, have you ever watched a burned down forest giving off new shoots? If thatās not life, I donāt know what is. For: "Space Blog" Prompt: On Sharmelle'sThankfulExpressions  ās "The Barn Owl That Said Mooooo" --- Just the title alone is funny in this piece. On barns, however, I have little knowledge or experience. Having said that, I canāt forget the abandoned barn in a partially abandoned farm we visited during the mid-nineteen-eighties as part of a sightseeing trip. Somehow, its door made me sad enough to shed a tear or two. It was a heavy door, left half open, and it had lost some of its slats. The barn itself was crouching a bit forward like an old man with a bent-back, with its once red color turning brown. Yet, thereās a happy ending to this barn. My friend in that area wrote to tell me that the very barn that had made me sad was recovered, spruced up, and was being re-used as an arts and crafts workshop, mostly for making quilts. Now, when I think of this experience, instead of feeling sad, I feel recharged and happy, thinking thereās no end to the creativity and wisdom of our people, especially in that area. |
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