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A book of postings made in my Blog City |
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My Community of Blog City is a sea of knowledge for me to grow from. |
| Prompt: What does "Heaven On Earth" mean to you? "Heaven On Earth" is a phrase I have used often, myself. To me it is the top of the top, best of the best, or as close to one's idea of paradise as humanly possible. For example; A sunny, warm day spent socializing with my family while outside soaking up the sun and listen to good music in the background and having no interruptions all day long - would be "Heaven on Earth". The feeling that comes over me every time my husband puts his arms around me (regardless if we are fighting or not) - that is "Heaven On Earth". A White Castle burger (the original real ones not the frozen store bought) - is a taste of "Heaven on Earth". Listen to children's' heartfelt sincere laughter while outside playing - is a sound of "Heaven of Earth". The heart warming fuzzy emotional feeling of honor that I get when my teenagers rank me top of anything to their peers - one of the feelings of "Heaven on Earth". When I put a new pair of precisely prescribed glasses and see everything so clearly and crisply detailed - "Heaven on Earth". Anything and everything that gives you even the smallest glimpse of your personal idea of paradise, is "Heaven of Earth". Which naturally means that it is different for each person, just our fingerprints are only ours so is our "Heaven on Earth". Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
Let's have some fun and write a skit... "Tonight, on the news was a story about a man clearly identified on the video footage of buying the winning lottery ticket. The problem is, he lost the ticket and cannot claim the money." Prompt: Write keep this skit lively and funny with dialogue that has the cadence of real-life speech. I can't wait to see what tale you weave! Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| "Times are bad. Children no longer obey their parents and everyone is writing a book." Cicero 43 BCE BCOF: The more things change, the more they stay the same. Do you agree or disagree? Do you think everyone is writing these days- a book, short stories, poetry or memoirs as Cicero indicates. Does this impact us as writers ourselves? Are we one of Cicero's everyone's? What's make us different? Blog City Prompt: In this time with the internet so easily accessible, how do you determine what is worth reading when it is so easy for people to publish whatever? What criteria is important to you when you read online articles, stories? Alright ladies & gentlemen hold on to your seats, while I may not be blowing your mind I am about to give all that reading this an ear full. Talk about needing a editor. WOW! Yes it is true that times are bad, yet now worse than any other time in history. What makes an era seem is worse than before is the advancement in technology and media. Ever decade sense the start of time has its "worse ever" time. The reality is that is actually only history repeating itself. The difference is in how it is done and how many know about it. Due the advance of technology the means in which we attack each other is different, but no more or less harmful than the ways they did it In the past. It seems as if more people are affected only because due the advances in the media more are finding out about it quicker. The truth is that it has always affected the same amount of people it just took longer in the past. Please don't misunderstand me, I approve of all the advances in both areas. In my opinion the good is just as potent as the bad. The good spreads faster, quicker and to more people. The real trick of it is putting it to proper use. "Children no longer obey their parents..." ? Are you kidding me?! They never did, unless they were actually parented. Again the times suffer from the dark being brought into the light. Teen pregnancy, young crimes, disobeatance all of it has always been here. Depending on which era you are looking at will determine how you find it; teen girls joining a convent for a year or so, young kids forming "gangs" (which painted their opinions of structures and stayed out late), or "troubles teens" that harmed other and themselves because adults refused to believe kids over adults and left them no way out of bad situations. It has always been here. We are slowing evolving to understanding that all have a voice and should be listen to but still manage to misuse the knowledge. "...everyone is writing a book". Good Havens it is about time. On this one I do believe it is close to the truth. Thankfully due to the advances and access to recourses it does in fact seem like everyone is writing these days. I for one am all for it and hope to see it grow until it as expected and accepted as drinking water is. In my personal opinion knowing that everyone is writing will cause those dedicated to their craft to strive even harder for that "stand above the rest" excellence, will allow those that would not be heard under current standards to be heard and most importantly with inspire more creativity. As we all know you take a group of people (say 10), have the witness and experience the exact same sinoreo and get 10 different stories. Each person is seeing it though different eyes with different back rounds in regards to what they are witnessing. Even if they have the exact same back round you are still more likely than not to get different stories of the same moments. In summary I do believe "the more things change the more they stay the same". I agree that is dose seem everyone is writing something and I personally believe that is helping the entire industry. For those who are devoted to the craft it gives us the incentive to strive harder, for those just putting their words out there it is creating more jobs for editors and publishers. As for how you are able to weed though what is worth reading and what is not, that is a personal choice. Although we all have our preferences, I would recommend reading things that are from a totally different area especially the ones that you might deem unworthy to be published. Why read what you normally would pass on? Reading what you feel is unworthy can help you to evaluate your own writing, giving you a new way of seeing things, keep you up with what the readers of today consider readable or just you take mental notes of what another could add to that area. Thank you for the prompt and for all those that took the time to listen to my side of the subject. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
Prompt: Clouds “Clouds are thoughts without words.” Mark Strand What do clouds mean to you? Clouds are the fluffy shapes of the cotton in the sky. Developed to inspire our imagination. They can be shapes, faces, objects, or a variety of other things. Which also come in a range of colors; from soft white to cruel dark gray and everything in between. They tell stories, remind us of the past, give way to the hopes of the future, and aid us in seeing the beauty of the moment. Clouds are the perches the angels use to over see the function of the cosmos and send what guidance is needed exactly when it is needed. Clouds are the fuel for which our glorious ball in space uses to thrive and grow and encourage the cycle of life to all life forms. Clouds are in deed a vas spectrum of thoughts without even using the faintest of whispers. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| Prompt: What would you put in this year's time capsule to channel the essence of our current moment for future generations? This is an easy one. My time capsule would be like an time wrap of its own. A walkman with a cassette tape strapped to a cd player strapped to a ipod nano, all with the same album. A 36 mega pixel digital camera slide show shown on the ipod nano or a Polaroid picture displaying me next to a tube TV complete with bunny ears wrapped in tin foil that had knobs for channel changing & a display of me using a 35mm camera to take a shot of a 80" digital HD TV that had the screen vibrating from the built in surround sound bass. An answering machine that used 2 tapes (1 for the greeting and the other for the messages left) strapped to a smart phone with a voice message left on it that said: "To whomever opens this time capsule, Always remember what inventions came before so that you recognize the greatness of the ones you have now and to remind you that life did go on before them. Sincerely a Lady from the pass that has dreams of the future." Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| Prompt: You have entered the house of your favorite author. You find a copy of their latest book. It is about you! Do you open it and read it? Are you brave enough to read how your story ends? What do you do? I am in the working den of thee one and only James Patterson. No lie, I am about to be face to face with the brilliant writer of the Maximum Ride saga! You should see all the material he has. He really does keep up with what his readers want. OMG! He is actually logged on to his face book page. It actually goes to him, not his PR people. Hell, even I don't get to meet him, to actually be able to look around his work area is worth it. He has every book he has ever written in order of their release to the public...His sucky Alex Cross murder mystery series, the break he took to write Lake House (the 1st book to introduce Max to the world), more Alex clutter, and even the "trying to hard" witchcraft stuff, and the sad last max novel. I wish all his fans could see this. His work den really does look like a stereo typical busy office. Except for the overly simple table with his old school type writer his uses for his original drafts. NO way!!! Hold the press, ladies & gentlemen we have a new manuscript. Shall we take a look? I think we shall. Holly sh...It is about me! I am one of the main charters! If you never hear from me again know I have died a blissfully happy individual, James Patterson has written a Maximum Ride novel with your truly as one of the main charters. I have found the garden of Eden and it has me as a main charter of the best written saga to ever hit the shelves for mass production. Oh my goodness, I can't even read it. I will however be asking for a copy & autograph before I leave. My of my I need to sit and process this all. Ladies & Gentlemen this is Taz reminding you that if I actually die, it will be due to the fact no day to come can ever compare to this day. As if it isn't perfect enough to cause angels to sing in glory, in about 10 minutes I will get to actually meet and interview the great James Patterson. Can anyone think of more bliss filled event? Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| Prompt: What is your opinion on the idea of competition? Is competition a good thing or a bad thing, and does it promote progress at all? It all depends on the level of the competition. I believe like anything else it needs to be in moderation. I am not a completive person by nature, but I know plenty that are. In fact I live with 2 of them. My son and husband can get so worked up it is challenging to be around them. That competitiveness has helped them, but I would like to see it put aside sometimes. Like when we are doing stuff as a family. It takes the fun out it for me and has been known to turn each of them ugly too. I get having goals and wanting to improve, and I am there when they need a cheer leader to encourage them, I bring them up when things go south and praise them when things go in their favor. It is just a bit much sometimes when they loose their sportsman ship, get moody, and forget to support others that are trying to have fun or improve themselves. Which is exactly what happens when we practice as a family. I am in no way good at sports, yet no matter how much I improve I get no praise. They are always seeking out what I have done wrong and need to work on, forgetting that I do it for fun. In fact even I mention that they bet me (in hopes of bring it around to fun again) I get a list of what they did wrong or slapped in the face with the fact that beating me is no great feat. Like I said before I get that I am not competitive as they are but that is no excuse for rude & ugly. Yes, I do believe competitiveness can be good and helpful. As long as it is used to set & achive goals, to improve oneself, or to add a bit of challenge to an activity. However, I also believe it needs to be done in moderations. If it makes a person forget common courtesies to point of ugliness or robs a person of a portion of their life like the heartless parents that force the youngest of children to waste away their childhood practicing and participating in pageants that have no additive for life..than it is too much. That is my perception of the subject. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| Prompt: Madeleine L'Engle said, "Slowly, slowly I am learning to listen to the book, in the same way I try to listen in prayer. If the book tells me to do something completely unexpected, I heed it; the book is usually right." What do you think she meant? Listen and Heed to the book , is actually quit easy for me to explain. I have been known to do it myself. For me it when I write a story but when I reading it I go on a different path. My 1st drafts are always my own thoughts and takes on where a story should go (usually done in pen). When I read it to ensure it is ready to start the drafting process (putting it on my flash for easy access)it sometimes take my mind away from what is actually on the pages. I have been known to rewrite several different virgins of the same story and other times I will add or delete entire chapters. It all depends on how it goes. It is not the actual editing part of it. Which of course is the fixing of grammar, spelling, re-arranging of paragraphs or chapters already written. It is a much different thing. The story its self becomes an entity all of its own (which is a way to know you have skill). It will than tell you what path it wants to take, how long or short it want to be, sometimes it will even tell you how simple or complex it want to be. It is our jobs as writers to aid it in accomplishing it goals. For without the assistance of a good writer a story is merrily words on a page, the writer breathes life into the pages and so the words can have depth. That is how you get a story. That is my take on the phrase. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| What do you understand about this universe of ours that few others realize? I do not know much about out universe and what I do know I am sure the most already know. However, I will let you in on a bit of what I believe in when it comes to our universe. The cosmic flow. The cosmic flow is about the planets, the moon and how their movements effects us. Most know that the moon affects our tides, but I believe it also affect the comic mood in general. The quarter moon, having certain planets in my sector of the cosmos (my house or my part of the crab's section of the Zodiac) and that each one represents current emotions. Depending on what planet is in my house and what quarter the moon is on will determine what will be affected the most in my life. This is my belief. Some say it is all superstation, some say it is scientifically true, all I know is that I look at any given part of my life over the years and know what peaked refer to the chat and see that the planets and moon cycles coincide exactly with it. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| Let's have a bit of flash fiction...short story of no more than 50 words. Our topic is a hair cut or style gone awry. Did the stylist give you the wrong dye, or was talking on the phone and took a hunk out of your hair. Maybe the razor slipped and you now have a huge bald spot. Let's see what you can come up with. I went into a salon which displayed a rainbow of colored hair on a each head of a couple laying in the grass under a clear blue sky. To me they looked happy and I figured it meant they could do any color, so it would be the place to get the strawberry blond I was looking for. Plus the caption on the bottom said "If you can image it we can match it". If anyone could do it this was probable the place. Right? I walk through the door and it makes this charming chime that instantly reminded me fairy tales. The nervousness disappeared and I strolled up to the counter confident that I had made the right choose. Being that no one was at the counter I called out for assistance; "Hello, do you take walk-ins?" It was a few moments before I got any response, even when I did it was just a voice from the back somewhere. "Any salon worth its price takes walk-ins. It is free PR." she said in a cheerful voice. "I'll be right there. Just finishing up here." 2 Ladies (at least I think they were ladies) walked out of the back room. One had a apron over her clothes, clear plastic gloves and the hem of a black skirt peeking out of the bottom of the apron. Her make-up reminded me of a Horror Picture Show and her blond hair was a bit more yellow than blond, which clashed but she was young and I know I was rebellious than too. The other lady had bright purple hair with royal blue highlights (which looked surprisingly good). She was dressed in a blue/purple tie-dyed shirt and faded black jeans. No make-up that I noticed right away, but her face reminded me of poresaline. Picture Show lady just walked right by me didn't even acknowledge me until she was at the door. She stood there with the door opened, "You getting your hair colored?" she asked. I could tell she had more to say and with the nerves returning thought of just walking out but decided against it. "Was thinking about it." "That is way cool! Wish even just one of my parents was that cool. Your grandkids must think you rock." and with that she out the door. Odd, she didn't look young enough to be my granddaughter? What I am saying? I am not that old! Oh hell yeah hair is getting colored TODAY! "Hello there, I am AquaJean. The owner and stylist on duty tonight. What can I do for you?" "Well AquaJean, I want to get ready of this gray. I am barely 30 and it makes me look 60." "I'll say. No offense meant but it dose give the grandma vibe." "what are we thinking?" "I was think strawberry blond. Maybe a touch more red than blond?" "Wow, that sounds like a great idea!" she seemed over joyed as she came around the counter and examined my hair right there on the spot. "Your hair will take the color well. I don't even need to pre treat it. You must care for your hair well. Regular salon visits?" "No, actually this is the first time in 10 years." " I am honored. Let's get started." We went to the chair and she brushed out my hair, turned me away from the mirror so she use the table as her staging area. After a few more questions it seemed we had agreed on the perfect blond to copper combo to achieve what I was after and she went to work. She made her mixtures and applied to my hair and set me under the hair dryer claiming it would allow the color to set faster, The shop got busier and busier till finally I started getting too warm for comfort. "AquaJean! How long do I stay under here?" I shouted to be sure she could hear me over all the noise. "It never turned off?!" she rushed over and turned off the dryer. " I am so sorry dear. This visit is free." She grabbed another stylist from the back to finish the client she had been working on and washed my hair. "Cool. Doesn't look like the color was damaged any." she finished drying my hair with the hand held hair dryer at the sink (as all the chairs were full). "You be sure to tell everyone where you got it done." She hands me her business card and tells about the web site I can go to for comments or to schedule the follow up in about 3 months, says her fell wells and starts in on another client. I get the car and immediately grab my brush to brush out my hair, how I want it. I look in the rearview mirror and just stare. My hair is RED! I am talking bright, ripe strawberry red with very few wisps of sunshine yellow. I looked like a freaking walking strawberry! I rush in the salon. "What the fuck did you do to my hair!" Everyone freezes and AquaJean looks shocked, "We said Strawberry blond and agreed to go more red than blond?" I pick up a magazine find a picture of strawberry blond and yell "This is strawberry blond! Not this (pointing to my head)!" "No dear, that is natural blond with light amber lowlights." I could tell by her face and body language I was not winning this one and she didn't charge me so what ground did I have? I left the salon attempting to come to terms with the fact I was going to spend the next 3 months looking like an overgrown strawberry was eating my head. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| Prompt: What items do you put on your walls? Posters, pictures? I am curious. My house is mostly done to my husbands décor ideas. He has these hideous eskimo faces up over the kitchen entry way, wonderful northern lights paintings his grandparents did on the main wall of the living room, various decorative candle holders up around the other walls of the living room, and the smallest wall we have turned into a photo gallery of family and friends. With the exception of the eskimo faces it is very nicely done, but than again I can't stand those hideous things. The hallway walls are done up with a very distinct man décor. Swords from "Lord of the Ring", wolves and other masculine animals of that nature. Still nicely done, but very clearly done by my husband and our son. The kitchen if fairly bare; a few classy pot holders hung by the stove, a family heirloom plate from my husbands side of the family and a handful of magnets on the fridge of mine. The bedrooms are bare. There is a small decorative shelf with picture of our son & one of just us, and a mirror on either side of the bed in our room. Our son has the dream catcher my husband made me in his and that is it for the bedrooms. The bathroom is too small for wall hangings, so we use decorative holder & towels to make it feel cozy and welcoming. Pretty basic type décor. Nothing fancy, are walls are as simply as we are, but still give off that classy look. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| Prompt: Take a quote from your favorite movie. This is the title of your prompt. Write it. It in the first few scenes of Titanic. Rose is on the investing vessel with the research team and starts to tell her personal account of when the Titanic sank. "It has been 84 years..." she starts out and one of the crewmen misunderstands and try to set her at ease. "It's ok. Take your time, anything you can remember will be helpful." "Do you want to hear this story or not Mr. (I forget his name)?" Rose proves that just because she is older is no reason to count her out of the game. I love that part of the movie. The movie is one of my favorites, but those few lines always stay with me. I have always thought that people dismiss the elderly much, much too fast. They hold 1st accounts of history. They were there, they lived it. How much closer can you get to the past? I love to get elders talking about the past. It makes it so real for me. Be it a mere 30years ago when I was alive but not yet aware or over 45 years ago when I was not even a possibility yet. Regardless if it a simple 1st account of life in an untouched town that wasn't affected by anything or an account of the 1st released bomb at Pearl Harbor from a than 10 year old girl who watched in wonder as the it fell though the sky and missed the beach by splashing in the water on the other side of roped off swimming area for the locals. When I listen to and watch the story teller, it transport me to that exact moment in time. No matter how detailed the account is or isn't. If I watch the story teller any gaps are filled with the range of emotions dancing across the face of the story teller. I have always believed that real history is inside our elders, who could teach us so much more about life. All we have to do is have the courage to face humanities mortality and give credit to those who have survived though the test of time itself. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| Prompt: Utopia and Dystopia are imagined worlds in which humanity lives in the worst possible or best possible conditions. If you were to write about either, which one would you choose and what would your version of that world look like? I find this to be an interesting topic. As a writer I would not see it as a choose. To me it would be one in the same, being 2 sides of the same coin. Perhaps that is just the journalist coming out, but do we not need balance? If you are to only write about good than you have no stories, no news, no history, basically no reason for writing. No matter the genre you write for a little of both sides must be in it. Even when writing for children; while the story maybe up beat or lessen learning you still must have the bad to complement the good or the wrong to enhance the right. Either way you still wind up with both sides in the writing. I do not see how you could have one without the other. In order to have bliss you must have something to compare it to. How can one say utopia is or dystopia is? Only by indicating that it is their perception of it. After all lets face it what one would find divine another may very well find utter miserable{{/c} If I were to describe Utopia in terms of a relationship: A couple that thinks alike, with the same goals and needs, matching timelines, and matching foundations of basic reason and moral standards. Which in my option sounds rather dull. If you see all issues the same than there is no need for communications or collaboration. To me it would seem that we had humanized the colon concept. If I were to describe Dystopia in terms of a relationship: A couple that is as different as night and day attempting to co-exist. Which of course is doomed to fail. Once again the need for compromise and communication is needed to make existence work. Proof that Utopia and Dystopia are fictional. No matter how you look at it; factual, emotional, scientific, romantically, or realistic. it is not possible for either to exist. It is only extremist that put stock in such things. It is like saying one has all the education, there is always more to learn. Utopia in terms of weather: Would be mid range all the time. How would that be possible? You need the cold to make the heat, wet to make dry, dark to make light, and so fourth. That is why it is called the weather cycle. Dystopia in terms of weather: Would be the worst of conditions. Yet, if we had always had the worst of conditions there would be no life forms to be aware of it how would if be? Utopia planet: A planet that provides what is needed when it is needed and regenerates itself when nectary. Although, I will admit I have seen lifestyles that come extremely close to the above defining, it is still not precisely right. If we live off a land that provides only as needed and regenerates as needed than what is the purpose for life forms? It would be its own entity with and therefore would not see other life forms as unnecessary and not provide? Dystopia planet: A planet which offers nothing and withstands nothing. While some would say we are rapidly approaching this very defining ourselves, it is still not exact. A plant which would not allow growth and was unstable would not have life and therefore would not be known. We could go on just about forever with this back and forth. I believe I have shown my opinion on this subject. They are fictional words which writers use as description words such as fast or slow. They are 2 sides to the same coin, and I do not believe you can write about either of them without writing about both of them. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| I easily come to mind when talking about complete powder coverage, K-9 team competitions, or when talking of black gold. Have you figured it out yet? Clear your head and see what pops into your head with these suggestions; Free annual check? Dancing night rainbows? Only matched by Texas? Alaska, that is who I am. The only state that completely covers itself from border to border in ice & snow, have a pipeline from running almost the entire length of the state filled with oil, delighting it's residents with the aurora borealis and Permanent Fund Dividend checks, and only Texas comes close to even matching my size. I am Alaska, the last frontier. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| Prompt: What makes a writer a writer in your view? And accordingly, do you agree with this quote by Junot Diaz? “You see, in my view a writer is a writer not because she writes well and easily, because she has amazing talent, because everything she does is golden. In my view a writer is a writer because even when there is no hope, even when nothing you do shows any sign of promise, you keep writing anyway.” I believe this is a very good statement. I have actually never heard it better summed up. A writer to me is someone that does just that writes. An author is someone who is published, be it locally or nationally, but published none the less. I myself am somewhere in between. I am a writer by my definition because I write all the time about everything. What I share is stuff that I believe is good enough to evoke some type of response. It may be a vision of the story or simply a feeling, and if it is really good it will envoke conversation. If what I have shared invokes something than I have done good. Now, as most that share their work, I would love to be published someday but even if I am never published I can still rate the success of a piece. How? You may ask. It is not by about interest in wanting to put a piece into print, but how it is received by those I choose to share it with. The pieces that I consider my best work are not all good reads to me, but they were received well and inquired about. For example, I once wrote a short story about a young couple very much in love that the day to day weight of life had over taking their lives. The women was a do it all type; raising her children, attending school functions, working full time, basic home maintaining stuff, you know a real 'leave it to beav' type of the modern day. The man was a go with the flow type; attending what function he could, fixed things around the house, working full time, helping out with the kids but no real plan or direction laid out. About a year after upgrading to a large enough condo to fit their family size the man started realize the couple never made time for them, so he started inventing time for the couple to just be a couple. Problem was he was the only one aware that was the reason for these time slots cut into the days. Things would come up or arguments would develop that got in the way. Finally, Finally the perfect set up happened all on its own and the couple reconnected and agreed to make it a regular thing. It saved their marriage just in time. Well, it was not only well received by the couple I wrote it for but they had suggested it to other who come ask me to read it. Over the years it has invoked a wide range of things from mere conversations to actions. Even though I do not believe it to be part of better writing, I do consider it to be part of my better work due to what it has invoked in others. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| Prompt: When was the last time someone told you that they were proud of you? It has been so long sense someone actually recited those words to me, I'm even sure when it has. Somewhere in my childhood I think. Wait, don't go getting all sappy just yet. Allow me to explain a thing or two. Once I do I know you'll see like I do, that this not a horriable thing. Just a nibble size disappoint that is dismissed just as quickly as it is realized. My father was the only one in my childhood too ever tell me he was proud of me. In those days he was the only that mattered to me being how he was the one at home with us kids, so it was all good. Unfortunately he passed when I was a mere 10 years old taking with him that constantan reminder that what I did mattered to someone. My mother was not in touch with her emotions in the home setting, which is ironic seeing how she one of the most loved and compassionate nurses I have ever known. Her nurturing skills with us kids stopped at providing a roof and the means to get care for ourselves. I ran wild with my grief for the next 10 or so years, but not quit letting it consume me because while my mother worked to hide from her grief, I was left tending to the toddler in the house and getting him though to High school. I was around 16 or so before I heard anyone express pride in me, and even then it wasn't directed at me. My boyfriend at the time was telling his father how proud he was of me for taking all that I did and still remaining a good person. My boyfriend claimed people needed to realized all that I had done and do every day was a far greater task given the age I was. He never did say it directly to me over the following 10 years we were together. In fact the very 1st time he told me directly that I was doing a good job and that he would support any discussion I made, was nearly 1.5 years after we had split. A report of neglect had been filed against me on our son's behalf, knowing it would be found to be false I had decided to move out of state when the investigation was over. It was in fact found unjustified and due to other findings Child Protective Services filed a lawsuit against the person who filed the report for "attempting to use a federal office to intimidate and collect personal revenge on an innocent family". I decided after all that I was not about to give the satisfaction of appearing to run, so I stayed in state. My son's father and I are still very close friend, in fact his children from his pervious relationship still to this day refer to me as their step-mom. Even though they were never asked to call me step mom and they all lived with and were raised by their real mother. It is a great honor for me know that I have such an impact on someone's life like that. Their mother and I are friends, I have been invited to the weddings, births all the major and not so major events in their lives. Their cousins have even said, "It just isn't complete without both the mothers here." and instead of being offended their mother agrees with it. What a honor to be that important to a family that could have just as easily put me out of their minds. As an adult I have herd things like; "It is so impressive what you have done", "I would have been able to do what you did at (whatever age)", "That says so much about you as person" and "You have so much that you offer so many", but the words "I am proud of you" are never actually uttered. Which I would enjoy to hear just as much as the next person, but given what is said and how I am treated it is acceptable that I have not actually heard them sense I was a child. Know how good it felt when my daddy said it to me I make a point of letting my hear it when ever it is justified regardless of the age, because unlike far too many adults believe...there is no age limit on the importance of hearing a sincerely complement from someone you value. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| It was a dark and stormy night. What happened? The sky was black and starless, even the dull quarter moon was barely visable. The rain thundered down to the ground like iron curtains, rumbling the earth to its core and narrowing line of sight to only an arms length at best. The forest floor evolving into an Olympic deep pool before his eyes. Trever uses his 9 volt flashlight desperately looking for a hint of possible shelter as he spotted the large tree with a full conapey of foliage. He scurries under the tree, shutters his whole body to shed what he can of the ocean that flowing over his body. Trevor notices the ground immediately surrounding the roots is merely moist . He sits with his back up aginst the trunk, his knees pulled all the up to his chin utilizing the in an attempt to maximum his shutter from elements. Trevor examines the contents of his emerancy bag which was the only thing he was able to rescue from his mobile office as it sunk into the aybis that was once know as the frontage road. He found 3 long matches sealed in a water tight pouch with an emerancy blanket, 2 flares, a bottle of water and the bag its self was made of burlap. He figured he was set he could just wait out the storm . He tucked everything back in the bag determined to make his few supplies get him though the night. Unfortunately as nature often will, things got worse before there was any sight of getting better. The wind visits starting as a slight whisper adding just enough misture to sooth the stacic in the air. Quickly entinsified to riddle the iron water curtains full of wholes and simulating a pack of wolves celebrating a good hunt. He dips into his pouch which is although given how completely drentched it was stringing clay toco would be more accerate. He discovered the only things useable were inside the water tight pouch. He wrapped the blanket over his body and attempts to start a small fire for warmth. Trevor pulls out the matches to light some of the sticks laying around, he was teased as the storm would only allow 1 stay lit but even the debre laying around was too wet to catch fire. All he could do was sit out the dark stormy night, sitting atop of the hill, curled up under the large wrapped in a reflective blanket hoping it ends soon. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
| Prompt: What does being human mean to you? What constitutes an example of being human? To me being human is owning the fact that we are imperfect. Each and everyone of us. We all have different strength and weakness, the level of each range according to uncountless contributing factors and the ways we compensate for them varies just as differently. In the end not a singal one of us is perfect, although we are always striving for perfection though out our lives. It is said to be "Human" nature to need one another. I think it is just nature in general. Look at any animal herd. They care each other, they strive for positive attention but will settle for negative, and they teach each other. I think the "human" element is the need for validation. We as humans feed off serving some purpose. We need have a reason for being, and we need to be validated for the feelings we have. Compassion is not shared among the animal world. Many will leave the sick or weak in despair, they no long benefit the herd so they disposed of. Humans nurture our sick and weak until the bitter end. We validate each others existence and in turn give purpose to those of us remaining. Our relationships are just as complicated as we have emotional needs must be meet in every case. The level of the relationship does not matter (friends, mate, family) each has its own set of emotional needs to feed. In the animal world once a young is considered grown it is on its own to branch off and develop its own herd and rarely do the original mingle with the new set (of coarse there exception to every rule). Humans hold tight to each generation. Our elders are mingled with our youngest and everywhere in between. Humans make mistakes though out our lives. In fact we use them as judgment scales in most cases. If a person seems perfect they are fake, a situation has no flaw humans are cynical and suspicious of it, a plan covers every aspect there is a hidden agenda and if a relationship looks perfect we examine closer knowing there is secretes being hid. Perfect is not human, regardless of one beliefs religion or otherwise that is the one constant. How we deal with those mistakes is what defines us. By character, by relationship, by work it all defines who we are and the perception we portray to others. To me what constitutes an example of being human is the ability to recognize all of the above and take it all into account when rationalizing out a situations. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
This is Monday's prompt: Prompt: Anais Nin said: “Something is always born of excess: great art was born of great terrors, great loneliness, great inhibitions, instabilities, and it always balances them.” Do you think emotional excess is necessary for creativity and writing? Do you think emotional excess is necessary for creativity and writing? I never really thought about before. I suppose emotional excess is needed. Like all true artiest, emotions is what defines us. Has there been a good artist which was not driving by their emotions? When ever someone is hyper sensitive and it is brought up that person is an artist, does it not serve as an explanation? I know for me it is extremely true. I have had a rough life, with many ups and downs all of which drove me to grab pen & paper. It matters not if it is outwardly emotional event such as a death or an inner emotional issue such as receiving a letter from a dear friend that I lost contact with years ago, they all drive me to write. For a writer to be good at their craft the writer must be able to tap into deep emotional levels in order to grab hold of the reader. It is irrelevant to what genera the writer is aiming at, in order to catch the readers attention you must be able to connect with the reader. For those that write stories the writer must be able to connect to feelings of the each character in order to set the sense, produce the proper dialog, and create/solve the core plot of the story. For those that write poetry it is even more important to be in touch with emotions as they have a faction of lines for the writer to bond with the reader and produce a connection. Yes, I do believe emotional excess is needed for creativity and writing. As a wise person once said; Out of the ashes of despair will emerge a greatness like no other. Taz Embracing & Feeding the writing addiction |
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I don't know anyone with a home phone now. I like the idea of passing along a message to future generations through voicemail.