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O'siyo Oginalii Tsilugi - Hello friends - Welcome - to My first blog. A place to share. |
 Dream Catchers An ancient Chippewa tradition The dream net has been made For many generations Where spirit dreams have played. Hung above the cradle board, Or in the lodge up high, The dream net catches bad dreams, While the good dreams slip on by. Bad dreams become entangled Among the sinew thread. Good dreams slip through the center hole, While you dream upon your bed. This is an ancient legend, Since dreams will never cease, Hang this dream net above your bed, Dream on, an be at peace.  |
| For Blogging Circle of Friends: Day 3723: May 1, 2023 Prompt: WDC May Calendar prompt: What is your proudest accomplishment this year?  Finishing all of my radiation and chemo treatments and surviving Cancer. Kristina |
| Hello, It has been a very long time since I posted anything here. I am going to try and remedy that and keep regular posting. I am not sure of the theme that I will follow, but I'm sure I will find something. I am working on 2 current stories right now. One for adults, well...18+ Judicial Panel and the other Untitled at the moment a children's chapter book. The latter is still in the "pretty rough" stage. What I need to do is avoid my own pitfall of not having a narrow enough scope. I always try to have too many things going on because they sound good, then I end up with an unfinished story hunting for something to write.   Anyway, I am looking forward to writing the chapter book. I think it going to be a total blast to write. It is going to be an all talking forest animals during the time of Robin Hood set in England. Did you know that a in England there is a forest called The Queen's Wood and is part a an ancient Forest called The Forest Middlesex? . Interesting huh! Well that is it for now. Kristina |
| Hello, It's been awhile since I posted, but I couldn't pass tonight up. This is a very good prompt, especially during these quarantined, trying times. Like everyone else, my mind is constantly turning with thoughts. I think all day, go to bed, "thinking" awake up, "thinking" and even dream, "thinking." But for this prompt: Da y 2748: May 26, 2020 Prompt: As May draws to an end, my thoughts turn to ____________ and ________________. My first two answers I want to apply is "my writing" and "my character arcs." I am learning how to structure and the importance of Arcs. Fascinating! I am working on a Novel - keeping myself sane. I could go on and on filling in the blanks: freedom, money, seeing the MD, what to watch on T.V., Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, etc. Well that's it for me, for now. Kristina |
 HAPPY THANKSGIVING Good evening, Well, here it is Thursday, November 27, 2019. The night before Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving has always been my second favorite day of the whole year, Christmas being my favorite, but my most favorite meal to cook. I guess that's because my mom taught me how to make it special like she did, the house smell so good, the food taste magnificent and the family feel so close. I have many things in my life to be thankful for, so many that it would take several entries just to list them. The past few days I have been working on some research in order for me to make an attempt to write a fantasy novel. I am really excited and it is another thing to add to my long list of items. However, I do have to mention here and now. I am truly grateful for Wdc and the community that dwells within. This site and all you people have pulled me through thick and thin and many ups and downs. I wish to take this opportunity to say thank you. Have a Happy and a Wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Kristina |
Do you have any pets? Share a funny story about them. Well, I still have my five little rug rats….ooops (I whispered that) I mean body guards.  Out of the five, PJ and Teddy think that I am their personal pillow at night, and I think that they think they own my bed. It doesn't matter what side of the bed I sleep on--they take it over. Then there is Molly, she verbally greets me every morning; saying good morning and trying to talk me out of anything that she can. Through what sounds like AH WOOOO WHOOOO AH WHOOO WHOOO WHOOOOO. Smokey and Jacko just sit back and go with the flow. They won't go outside unless I go too and beat me to the door when I stand up to come back in. They watch every move I make and follow me where ever I go, even the bathroom.  I do keep entertained so, who needs a movie? Kristina |
| Hi and welcome to my Blog. When I started writing, years ago, I had no idea that there was a lot to write a well-written story. I thought that an idea would pop into my head, seep out onto the keyboard and appear onto the paper. I struggled through many years before realizing that in order to become a better writer, one must learn all that one can learn about--Writing. I began researching things that I didn't know and the things that I didn't have a firm, clear understanding of. This brings me to my blog. I decided to put my research here not only for myself, but to share with those who may be interested. My first topic is on Themes. Themes More than one theme can and most often does exist in a story. To make good use of a theme an author must create an emotional connection that attracts readers to the characters. By hooking the reader into the character’s journey, he/shes hooks into two elements: (1) the theme itself, and(2) the thematic statement the author makes about the theme. Just what is a theme anyway? Theme is defined as a central topic discussed in a literary work. On its own a theme makes no statement. It doesn’t come out and hit you up side the head and announce its arrival, rather it is an idea that has been highlighted throughout the book. It has to have a theme statement. A theme statement is considered a novel’s message. It is the stance an author takes on his/her book’s predominant theme. Remember that the theme is rooted in the character flaws or objects that keep him/her from achieving their goals, and the thematic statement unfolds naturally as a result of the character’s internal arc. You, as the author, needs to know is how the character changes or doesn’t change as the result of the story’ events. Take a look at the main character and ask yourself these five questions: (1) Who is my character at the beginning of the story? (2) What are their flaws, and what holds them back from happiness or fulfillment? (3) How do the events of my story shape my character for the better or worse? (4) Does my character overcome his/her flaws and/or the obstacles that stands in their way? How so? (5) Who has my character become at the end of the story? Theme is something you determine on your own. No two people will pick up on the same theme (if your book has more than one) and interpret it the exact same way. Key Terms to Remember: (1) Theme: : A central topic discussed in a literary work. An idea highlighted throughout a story. It is also defined by symbols or a motif that keeps appearing and reappearing throughout the work. (More on Symbols and Motifs later) (2) Thematic Statement:Is the stance the author takes on the predominate theme and is considered the novel’s message. (3) Moral: The lesson that the reader is suppose to learn from the plot’s conclusion. (4) Plot:Is the action that takes place within the course of the narrative. (5) Symbolism: The use of a particular object or image to represent a larger idea. (6) Motif: A motif can be expressed by a collection of related symbols. An element or idea that repeats itself throughout that piece of literature. It is closely related to a theme but is more of a supporting role to the theme than a theme itself. Common Themes in Literature: (1) Judgment: A character is judged for being different or wrong doing, whether the infraction is real or just perceived as wrongdoing by others. (2) Survival: A character must overcome countless odds just to live another day. (3) Peace and War: Characters are gripped in the turmoil of conflict while hoping for days of peace to come or reminiscing about the good life before the war. Characters experience the build-up of a gradual understanding that war is tragic and not noble. (4) Love: Sometimes intertwined with other themes. (5) Heroism: Whether false heroism or true heroic act = conflicting values. (6) Good and evil: The coexistence of good and evil is often found along side war, judgement and love. (7) Circle of Life/Life and Death: Life begins at birth and ends with death. The realization that death is inevitable no matter what. Make sure every day is lived to the full, because life is so temporary One only achieves wisdom moments before death Death is nothing to be feared Good behavior will always be rewarded Good behavior is no guarantee of reward (8) Suffering: The existence of physical and internal suffering. Suffering is often intertwined with other themes. (9) Deception: Is all about keeping secrets from others. It can be physical or social. (10) Coming of age: Growing up is not easy. Children and young adults mature through various events and learn valuable life lessons in the process. Other Common Themes: Themes connected with Human Relationships: Parents are flawed and great damage to their children Parents should not sacrifice all for their children Old men will always be betrayed by their young wives Loyal friends should be valued, but are often tested to the extreme Themes connected to man’s Relationship with Nature: People are destroying the environment People stubbornly attempt to over-power nature Love of nature is a spiritual enlightenment Nature is indifferent to the needs of man Man is part of nature Rites of Passage: Some trial or obstacle must be overcome in order to reach maturity Some people never grow up entirely, we retain childish flaws Adulthood is often arrived at due to a random crisis Alienation: Someone is isolated because he is too sensitive to deal with society effectively The world is a callous place and it would be better to withdraw from it Self-protection is a barrier to love References: “Ten Common Themes” by Grace Fleming: ThoughtCo “How To Build a Powerful Theme for Your Story” by Kristen Kiefer; Free online course: “Creating Complex Characters” by Kristen Kiefer through Scrivener.com “Theme” WDC Newsletter edited by Mavis Moog November 22. 2006 Next week's (Thursday) entry will be on "Thematic Statements." If you have any comments or wish to add any information please contact me. I would love to have your input. |
Hi to all who may read this.  It has been a long time since I have added anything to my blog. I am just so excited to start pulling myself up out of the pool of quick sand that I thought I was in since my husband's death 3 years ago. I know that he would be angry if I didn't take advantage of the opportunities that lay before me. Scarymaster blessed me with a 30 day extension to pay my dues so I wouldn't lose this site and continue my writing. I am also in a course for copywriting, and will make my final payment next month. I also have been offered a position at the State Hospital - Atascadero, CA. I have been tied with exams and I have one more to take. I also needed to reinstate my nursing license. Though I am retired - you bet I am going take advantage. It has been a busy past two months and another busy two months ahead.Happy Thanksgiving To All Kristina |
Day 1403 - September 17, 2016 by Kristina ~ (43) Hee! Hee! wait until you see my answer! Prompt: How did the very first cake and dinner that you ever made turn out? Kristina Well...I was a newly married seventeen-year-old on the other side of the world on Guam Island. Mommy wasn't around for quick-fix-it suggestions. It was my husband's birthday. I made his cake and it came out perfect until the frosting came along. Toothpicks? Who ever heard of toothpicks holding two layers together—not me! Well the top layer cracked down the middle. Bingo! I'll just glue it together with more frosting--right? Wrong! The more I put on it—the worse it got. Then I made his favorite--Pizza. That thing, you couldn't even chisel out of the pan. He was so gracious that night even though I cried my eyes out. I have come a long ways since then. Kristina |
Day 1402 September 16, 2016 Jack London said,"You can't wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club." Do you agree or disagree? What inspires you the most? Well...I don't totally agree. I do think that the underlining theme of his message was; inspiration won't just drop in your lap, but that you do need to go out, and let it seep into your mind; perhaps not with a club. Inspiration be found anywhere, and in anything. The tweet of a bird, the bark of a dog, the rise of a full moon, a rainy day, an excoriating hot day, a book, a movie, a t.v. show, an era from the past, a walk in the park, the sound of a motor boat, and the list goes on and on. I think what inspires me the most is all of the above, and what ever else happens to wonder through my mind. |
| Well...today has been a sad...sad...day for me and millions of other Americans. I have been glued to the news ever since 4:30am. I listened to the thousands of names of those that died that horrible day. They read each and every one of them at the time the planes hit the WTC, the Pentagon and Flight 93 went down. I was in tears all morning. Now...I must put myself back into the present. I am doing well with my business. I am too late to take advantage of the Business Conferences that are taking place, but I am aiming for those next year. Then there those in LA and SF to consider. Kristina |
| Prompt: Where were you 15 years ago tomorrow, 9/11? Kristina I can still see the images of that horrific day. I don't think I will ever forget them. I was at work. I was assigned to work the lab. In the middle of spinning some blood my co-workers and the entire lab became frozen and all movement stopped. We hovered around the television witnessing the impact of Flight 93 and the crumbling of the first tower. The second plane seem to come out of nowhere and the second tower began to crumble. I take solace in the fact that WE have rebuilt. THEY can try to take us out but it won't work. Kristina |
| Day 1393: September 7, 2016 Prompt words: research, civilization, hill, drunk, expansion, aftertaste. Have fun. Be Creative. Totally Fictional Sociology! OMG Sociology! How I hate Sociology! Not so much the topic but the teacher! Friday he announced a mini term paper due the following Monday. He assigned each student a different topic, then he came to me. He pulled his glasses down on his nose and gave me a smirk. My topic was different classes of people. I smacked my forehead and thought Where in the hell am I going to find enough information on different classes of people to fit into a mini term paper? I knew this was going to take some extensive research. I began. It didn't take me long to figure out that civilization was too vast a subject and would take severe cutting. So I thought, and I thought. Bingo! It came to me. They were not going to come to me—I had to find them. Okay...where? I thought and thought. Bingo! Out of my comfort zone...Right? Where do a lot people go...to relax and let their true personalities come out? The local bar...Right? Okay...I set myself up for that. I arrived and found it rather deserted and thought that I had picked a bad day, but I had two more days to complete the assignment. After two beers and the arrival of a friend, I began to feel good and theexpansion of my own true personality. OOOPS! By the end of the night, I was giggling and dancing. When I got home, again I was faced with my topic and one less day to complete it. The aftertaste wasn't so great then. Kristina |
| Whew! I am taking two days off. Starting tomorrow; I plan on recharging my blog and reorganizing my writing room. I am taking a course in copywriting, and I want to continue my work on my novel. I've a lot on my plate, but it is digestible. If anyone else is a copywriter or kicking around the prospects; I would love to hear from you. Kristina |
| http://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/wellness/6-creepy-things-you-never-knew-about... Let's discuss nightmares. Do you have them? What do you think is the reason you do? What's the scariest one you've ever had? Well...I'm not sure mine will qualify. I have a major nightmare every time I open my eyes. I won't discuss having to face my son, his wife, his 3 kids and the condition of my house. Then I face the fact of two candidates competing to run this country, and in my opinion, neither are fit. I am to the point where I want to move big time. Can I have a small house on a lake? Kristina |
| Day 1359: August 4th, 2016 The prompt for today is: If you were to live under the ocean, what would you look like? What would you eat? Who or what would you interact with? Paint a picture of your life under the ocean. OOOOHHHH! I would be a mermaid. I would have all the powers to keep all my marine life friends safe. I would dine only on plant life. The powers that I would have would allow me to interact with human life for short periods of time by my fins turning to legs. I don't want much huh! Kristina |
| DAY 1358: August 3, 2016 Prompt: I took a short walk around my neighborhood and saw... Tell me what your or your character saw. A memory that I wish I could forget. I live in a quiet neighborhood and not much ever happens here. Sometimes when sleep eludes me; I get up and take a short walk to clear my mind or sort out a hump in a story that has me stumped. To barrow some of George Orwell's lines, the clock was striking twelve but that night it should have been striking thirteen. There is a slight hill before my house and a van came barreling up over it at full speed, flew over the top and hit and split the bed of my husband's truck, which rammed into and split my Firebird which rammed into my son's Thunderbird and pushed my husbands Pontiac up onto the sidewalk and into the neighbor's yard. Her Van laid upside down in the middle of the street and the driver was running away down the street. It was a mess. Her brother, an attorney, brought her back. It eventually got cleared up but not until our insurance company sent her our check and had to cut us a new one.—I don't remember what day it was then but it wouldn't surprise me if was Friday the thirteenth. Kristina |
| http://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/restaurantsandnews/mcdonalds-is-making-a-m... Let's talk about fast food. McDonald's is making changes again, are these changes enough for you to be a regular customer? How important are fast food chains like McDonald's Burger King, Wendy's to your eating habits? How frequently do you indulge? If not what kind of quick option do you use? I am not too fond over fast foods. McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, and Taco Bell work to sort of turn me off. (cost to much) I do, however, like an occasional combination pizza from Tony's. I don't go out to eat much, but when I do; I like to treat myself to the fish & chips at The Sizzler. I actually prefer BBQ at home, and I have that a lot. I hope, wholeheartedly, that the changes that McDonalds make, help them to taste like a real hamburger. Kristina |
| Day 1354 - Thrill Seekers Amusement parks can be found everywhere. Are you fond of them and if so, what is your favorite ride and why? This may sound odd but I am not fond of rides at all. The only ride that I do like is the Tilt-A-Whirl. I like the spinning and the fact that it is down low. When I was a kid I had the day lights scared out me on the Ferris Wheel and the Roller Coaster by my brothers and to this day cannot tolerate heights. The fair (especially the rodeo and the animals) and Disneyland ( watching the faces of the children light up) is more my speed. My kids are planning to go to Magic Mountain and asked me to go. I quickly remember the several chapters that needs my immediate attention. Kristina |
| I kind of take it that Sunday is more or less a free day. I have had a very busy week, I finally ended my jury duty on Friday afternoon, been trying to catch up on my outline of my story, (it is materializing nicely) and still researching my own question for Friday night about businesses. I have talked with Amy because I too have been researching the copywriting business. I also have talked with Fyn. My son and his wife were cleaning out and going through her grandmothers things. She came across several, well written stories for children by her great-grandmother and beautifully illustrated by her aunt both of whom are deceased now. I have started the beginnings of the process for Fyn to evaluate them for submission for my son and his wife. We are all very excited. Well, back to the drawing board for me. Kristina |
| Day 1335: July 21, 2016 I got shiny new crutches yesterday that I have to use for 7 weeks, and I have a big batting, plaster, Ace wrap, and tape covered lower left leg. Interesting story, really, but I will leave that for my blog. But I want to hear of a time YOU were on crutches or were in a cast/splint. How did you injure yourself? Were you a kid or an adult? Can you laugh about it now that it's in the past (unless it is something you're still going through, in which case how are you coping?) If you've never been injured this way, what do you attribute that to? Hi, well I have never been on crutches but I have been in a cast. My landlord, about four years ago at the time, had the kid that lived behind me dig a ditch that I was promised that the water company was to take care of for a water line. He neglected to tell me or put up any warnings. I came out carrying a blanket, didn't see it and down I went, shattered my left shoulder to point that I had to have a complete shoulder replacement done. Nah...I don't laugh because I can use my arm from my hand to my elbow but I cannot raise my arm to shoulder height or above my head. I compensate by bending over to comb my hair and do all my reaching with my right arm. I did, however, one heck of a lawyer. Kristina |
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