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A new blog to contain answers to prompts |
Since my old blog "Everyday Canvas "  became overfilled, here's a new one. This new blog item will continue answering prompts, the same as the old one. Cool water cascading to low ground
To spread good will and hope all around.  |
| Prompt: Here's the question many of us are thinking, who ordered the polar vortex? Well, this is your moment to point fingers, cast blame or simply create the best story ever. Have fun. -------------- Inside a secret lab, a.k.a several bears' hiding place, Dr. Alien Terror tried to adjust his weather machine, which usually messed up the global temperatures, although this wasn't his intention. He only wanted to get revenge from a group of humans, his kind, who had made fun of his always changing political ideas. Now, Dr. Terror was hiding here with the bears so his reckless experiments destabilizing the globe wouldn't be detected. While Dr. Terror worked in his soundproof chamber, he kept eyeing the sleeping bears by the sides of the cave. Who knew what a bear could do, but then, bears were docile compared to the wars among his human pals, and also, the Emperor Polar Vortex, if he ever left his throne. Unfazed, however, Dr. Terror pushed another lever on his machine. "Owww!" He screeched as the lever jumped and hit him on the head. It was the wrong lever! Up to this moment, the Emperor, Polar Vortex, had been content to sit on his icy throne that swirled with bitter winds and the crazy cold, which for decades had remained undisturbed, but today, right now, something had suddenly changed. The Emperor instantly stood up as he watched the screen on a wall panel, the goings on in the world, where those tiny hapless creatures, humans, who always fought wars among themselves. An now that crazy doctor! Emperor Polar Vortex roared. "How dare he! How dare they!" After all, it had to be the Emperor to create havoc, and not the tiny humans, those stinky insects of the creation, and especially that Dr. Terror who had just sent an unasked signal that weakened the boundaries of the Emperor's domain. No wonder, it was only a reckless experiment, but how could he dare! The Emperor, Polar Vortex, roared again. "How dare you!" As the Emperor yelled, icy air, once trapped in the Arctic, spilled southward with record-breaking storms. Cities froze. Rivers iced. And the world shivered in terror of the Emperor Polar Vortex. Yet, little did people know that their terror was initiated by one of their kind, that bumbling idiot, Dr. Alien Terror. ----- And this news story, which is not the best story ever, as asked in the prompt, but maybe the worst, has been brought to you by another idiotic human, who calls herself, yours truly, and who sometimes wishes to hide in a bear's cave herself from the goings on in this crazy world and from her own stories. |
| Prompt: "The only journey is the journey within." Write about this quote in your Blog entry today. --------- I am guessing, with each one of us, this journey-within began when we were babies, when we wanted approval and was upset when we knew our caretakers were cross with us. I bet, at that time, the feelings we felt surprised and intrigued us and I guess that's when our journeys within started. As this journey within may have started in the beginning of a life, it is in reality a lifelong journey. Some spiritual groups and ideals make this 'journey-within' idea their main reason for their existence, like the Bhakti movement in India or those belief systems that throw around the buzzword "self-realization" a lot. Some liken the idea or rather the path of the journey to peeling away the layers of an onion, as when each layer is peeled, the person gets closer to the core, their true self. As much as I don't like to resemble an onion, I appreciate the simile. Simile or not, the journey takes us to knowing ourselves. With me, this journey truly began, more or less consciously at a young age, when my astute grandmother told me--as advice and not a punishment--to stop blaming others and go and stay alone in a room and think about what happened and try to see the incident from the others' points of view. It was must have been exactly at that instance I probably realized that there was something buried within me that needed some serious discovery. Now, what did this mean? This meant letting go of past baggage and finding acceptance, which became an enormous lifelong task. This, in essence, is a task for each person who wants to get to know herself or himself. This still means we'll always need to face all our old grudges, regrets, limiting beliefs, and those life experiences that keep haunting us. In this area, Carl Jung's shadow work impressed me greatly. It means keeping a private journal and answering some "shadow questions," which are all over the internet. Or asking oneself those questions, such as, "Why do I feel such disgust when I recall such incident, person, or event?" Or something like, "Why did I want people to approve me or my such and such an act?" This journey is not about striving for perfection but accepting imperfections, quirks, and flaws, as well as good points--ours and those of others. It isn't easy to do but letting go of negativity and forgiving others and ourselves is incredibly liberating. This takes courage. As to courage, courage isn't about fear or being fearless, but accepting the fear and moving ahead despite that fear. This journey is a dynamic process because we grow and evolve and try to learn not to panic when our path takes an unexpected good or bad turn. In a nutshell, the "journey within" means personal growth, self-awareness, introspection, and facing fears and successes with equal acceptance. Above all, it means living authentically, at least and foremost, within ourselves. |
| Prompt: Describe what home looks like for your Blog entry today. ----------- A home, to me, is a place that feels warm, inviting, and one that meets my needs. Most people pay so much attention to the façade of a home that they forget what goes on inside it. Surely, a manicured lawn, a well- kept building, and a welcoming front door or porch creates a first good impression on others. To me, however, what matters is in the inside, although I pay yearly the lawn people, pest control, pressure cleaners, and the like much more than I pay for the inside of my present home. The living space inside my home was created and kept up by my husband and me since the early 1990s and I still have almost the same furnishings, except for my bedroom, when five years ago I had its rug removed and had it tiled and refurnished for health reasons. In an average nice (!) home, bedrooms have soft lighting and calming colors and the bathrooms have good lighting and plenty of storage. Kitchens, unlike mine, are large and easy to maintain, and they can even have a dining nook or table. I. however, don't pay much attention to such details, nowadays. If those places are usable enough, that's okay by me, as long as I can keep my things, my books, computer and related devices, and I can relax and live quietly in what I call my home. Then, when all is said and done, a true home is where one lives with their loved ones, where its living arrangements meet everyone's needs. It's a place where people feel comfortable, safe, and at ease. |
| Prompt: Whether you are acquainted with them or not, who is the one person (in your opinion) who has recently done or is doing great things for you, for anyone else, or for the public? Would you want to thank them in some way? ----------- This is a difficult question to answer for me because so many people have done or are still doing great things for me. The problem is deciding between which of their deeds are good and which are great.  So, I'm going to generalize them rather than naming people. First in line are my family members who have had a great impact and a positive effect on my life. Then come my dear friends and some co-workers I was lucky to know once upon a time. As of today, say, during the 2010s and 2020s, I'm noticing several organizations, individuals, and companies that dedicate their works to improve the lives of all people. I appreciate them greatly. A few examples I can think of, I'll try to write about, again, in general. Most importantly, mental health awareness has been made much better due to the work of public figures and organizations. Especially, autism has come to the forefront, whereas during the 1960s, for the disabilities of an autistic child, parents' handling that child would be criticized, whereas even the word autism wasn't in the public domain, at that time. It was the mother who spoiled or the father who was distant, you name it! Then, the Covid pandemic during the recent few years has highlighted the important role of those who deal in public health and healthcare for everyone. Plus, as far as companies go, some, though not all, are showing a social responsibility. I only hope they do keep up their good works and are not discouraged by the economy or clueless rulers of countries and states. I'm guessing the very rapid advances in technology has also led to important improvements in our lives, even if they are difficult to keep up with and their negative sides can shock some of us who are not technologically adept, like yours truly. If I were out to thank everyone who I think has done something great for me and the public, I'd run out of time, but I do feel gratitude for their involvement in our lives and I think they are all fine advocates for the betterment of our lives. |
| Prompt: What do you like doing the most, these days? What do you not like? Does it make sense to hand off some of those things that you don’t like as much, if you have someone to hand them off to? ------------------ My answer is going to be so dull! As usual, I like reading and writing the most with a few twists into the mix. One of the twists is that my eyesight is not doing as well as it used to but it is only old age and I'm not going to go out of my way (i.e. get an operation or something of the kind) to fix it. So, at the moment, I'm depending more on listening to books, although the joy of actual reading one is lessened for me. I still like fooling around WdC and the internet some, and nowadays, I'm trying to write in my blog daily. I do write longhand into journals, too, which doesn't take much eye-work, so to speak. I used to like to fool around in the kitchen, but now that I only cook for me, I'm taking a whole lot of short cuts. My sons are very good in visiting me and I'm grateful for that, but they each have a different kind of diet and when they come, they cook for themselves. So when we are at the table, my two sons and me, there are three different kinds and ways of eating, such as a vegetarian almost vegan, muscle-builder with 90% meat, and me with my own mix of everything, and nobody passes the salt. I think passing the salt went away with the 1970s but I may be wrong. Then, of course there are those few people I like to connect with, although with the passing of time, most of my beloved friends and family are not here anymore. I miss them all, since there's something deeply human about wanting to connect, share stories, and simply be around the people I care about, but I still have a few friends and family I cherish and try to keep in touch regularly. Being with others I like is not the same as mindless entertainment. I still learn from them, as difficult as learning becomes in old age. When alone and not reading or writing, I also play word games on my pad, which does not take a toll on my eyes as the images are much larger and I wear special glasses for looking into the computer and such devices. This has become a blend of technology with leisure for me and after a few minutes of game playing I feel refreshed. About the things I don't like, I don't like loud noises, what's going on in the world as wars and misunderstandings and such, and not being able to do as much as I could do once upon a time. As far as doing goes, I don't have much to hand off to others because I like doing my stuff for myself. I guess this part of the question would interest the younger set who are still working out there in the world and are made to do jobs they don't like. The only thing I don't like to do is to see someone I like in trouble of any kind, and that would be something I wouldn't want to hand off to anyone else. |
| Prompt: On this day in 1820, Susan B. Anthony, a pioneer crusader for the women's suffrage movement in the United States, was born in Adams, Massachusetts. In Texas, there is a motion to ban women who do not have the same name as on their birth certificate will lose their voting rights. What do you know about Susan Anthony? How important is the suffrage movement to us today? ----------------- I think it wasn't Susan B. Anthony alone to start the women's movement, but before I get to that, I'll talk about today and the SAVE Act, a bill introduced by Chip Roy of Texas. The bill makes it very difficult for women to vote since women change their last names when they get married. Today, for many Americans a birth certificate used to be, and probably still is, enough proof. Now, in addition to the birth certificate, a government-issued photo ID is required. If the documents don't match, voters may have to produce additional documentation, which could be more difficult to vote where married women or other people who undergo legal name changes (i.e. adoption) are concerned. I can, however, see the reason behind such a bill since many illegals have creeped into the US systems, especially during the later years. On the other hand, married women, since their voting is made much more difficult, may just decide not to vote, thinking one vote (theirs) won't make a difference. But it does. Especially when the difficulty is on such a large scale. So this bill means at least 50% of the population will have difficulty with voting. As to Susan B. Anthony, although today, she gets all the applause and the fame, she wasn't alone. Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Amelia bloomer worked just as hard for the movement as well as many other nameless women. These women, to attract attention to their seeking of full citizenship, which was only granted to men before, wanted to use some symbolism to attract attention to their cause. So, one of their first symbols was a woman riding a bicycle in trousers, instead of staying home and doing the chores. Those trousers were called bloomers. That bloomer trick didn't work very well and soon the women dropped the idea. There were other symbols, too, but one of those later ones was the cat. That poor cat represented domestic women who sat by the hearth and took care of the home. Yet, symbols aside, their fight kept on. Then, since New York was the first state to give women the right to inherit and own property, the first convention of the women's movement was held in Seneca Falls in 1848. Other conventions and demonstrations followed and the movement went through several different stages during the following decades and World Wars, spreading the ideals not only for women but for all people worldwide. As of today, therefore, fights for women’s rights are connected to global human rights—for racial, immigrant, and labor rights--not only for women but for all people. Is it working? Maybe in US and England and several other countries, to some degree. But still, in several places in the world-- Afghanistan comes to mind--some people and especially women are not given the same rights as most other people. |
| Prompt: Legend says that one of the men, Valentine of Terni, wrote the first “valentine” greeting to a young girl while imprisoned. What do you do on Valentines Day for your loved ones? Bake a special dessert, send a card, call on the phone or maybe something else? --------- The way I see it, if you really love someone, every single day is a Valentine's Day. On the other hand, I also appreciate what Valentine of Terni (a.k.a St. Valentine) did to remind people that love overcomes all other negative feelings as he performed secret marriages against the ruling of the current Roman Emperor who thought marriage made people idle. It is probable that St. Valentine's getting beheaded was the result of this; also, it is true that love sometimes causes us to lose our heads, as well. I don't do much on Valentine's Day unless I'm in a celebratory mood. When my husband was with me, he brought me gifts and cards, and we went out to dinner on this day, and only because he liked to do something for me. In return, I usually made a dessert he liked because he had a sweet tooth. The funny thing is, little did my husband know that I never cared for eating out unless the place was at seaside with a view or something. After he passed away, I never went to a restaurant and neither did I get any take-out. I think one doesn't have to celebrate Valentine's day in order to love a special someone or love many or all people. Love is in the heart and not in the showing. Still, I appreciate the opportunity it provides for people to express their feelings; so, while they are expressing them, their relationships are strengthened. This day also encourages social connections and interactions, not only among couples but also among friends and family. What I don't like about Valentine's Day is that, since we are such fallible beings, we end up commercializing it, which takes away from the importance of the idea behind it. Still, it is an opportunity and an occasion to celebrate love in its many forms and it is very welcome into our lives. |
| Prompt: "The human heart has hidden treasures. In secret kept, in silence sealed. The thoughts, the hopes, the dreams, the pleasures. Whose charms were broken if revealed." Charlotte Brontë Write about this quote in your Blog entry today. --------- Thanks, Megan, for the quote and the prompt.  I love the phrase, "silence sealed." I love it because I think we need to keep to ourselves "what is the most valuable" and seal it in our hearts. Yes, the best and the most intimate parts of the heart contain that sealed silence as this phrase alone is Brontë's way of expressing that what is hidden is the most important. This is because we all carry a private world within each of us. Luckily for me, that private world does not make noise or show up unbidden at times; however, some people, for what I know, cannot keep anything secret, no matter how precious and how important it may be to them. For me, a hidden treasure gets its power since it is most beautiful when hidden, but its beauty is somehow tarnished when displayed. In my case, secret feelings, ambitions, and quiet joys like to stay unspoken partly because I shelter them from the world's judgment and interpretation. Do I feel lonely when I do this? I don't think so. This, of course, means some kind of a loneliness but not the type of loneliness I'd feel if I had no human contact. It is the kind of loneliness, I certainly cherish, maybe because some experiences are simply too personal, too nuanced, and too sacred to survive when put into words. After all, we all are on this journey of life and we might need some kept magic when our destination is reached. |
| Prompt: What does it mean to put your heart into something? Write about this in your Blog entry today/ ----- Today is my younger son's birthday. Every device I own has been reminding me of it. Like I'd forget. Like I wasn't the one giving birth. Well, I have to say technology really puts its heart into things! In fact, putting your heart into things means committing your entire self, emotionally, mentally, and physically. I think the new technology has developed such stuff much better than some people I know. It even has passion, dedication, and authenticity. And it is resilient. If you don't believe me, ask anything to any online research entity like Hyperwrite, Aria, or ChatGPT. They come up with answers much faster than I can reach to the keyboard. But that's not all. Thank them afterwards. Their "You're welcome," response is much more elaborate and heartfelt. The heart in machines or rather technology? It is almost there, I am warning you. Plus, their answers separate mediocrity from excellence or should I say elaboration, and their routine is finer than inspiration or obligation. As to those of us who put their hearts into things, remember all these people: Thomas Edison, Mother Teresa, Beethoven, MLK Jr., Van Gogh, Marie Curie, J.K.Rowling? Although they might have been totally exhausted at the end, they all put their hearts into their work, refusing to give up in the face of challenges, and their life stories are the most inspirational. Even when they failed temporarily, they must have felt a kind of fulfillment that came from knowing they gave their projects their all. This is because the heart doesn't measure success in recognition or numbers. Numbers or recognition? Just to think that, basically, the new ai technology is based on the binary code! And it still has depth and impact! Watch out my human friends, soon enough technology may be out to getting a bigger heart than all of us put together. |
| Prompt: "Difficult and meaningful will always bring more satisfaction than easy and meaningless." Maxime Legacé Do you agree with this quote? How about the combination of easy and meaningful? ------------ Yes, I agree with the quote; however, I'd personally prefer easy and meaningful over something hard and meaningful, anytime. Having said that, I am not the one to shy away from difficulties and I have done some difficult things in my life; however, I'd much prefer if they'd have been easier on me.  As to the last three words in the quote, easy and meaningless is just that. Meaningless. I've experienced that also. The problem with meaningless is that it doesn't teach anyone anything. The most positive side of difficult and meaningful life experiences is that they are usually our greatest teachers. That is if we can live through the painful, frustrating, and overwhelming times. Such experiences can shape character, resilience, and understanding. Among what we learn from difficult times and experiences, in my opinion, resilience takes the front seat. This is because resilience means inner strength and it shows us what we are capable of. Then, mostly, people develop empathy through difficult experiences, especially for others who are going through the same or similar experiences. For example, understanding the difficulties and heartbreak of parents who are trying to raise sick or autistic kids can sound far-out and unbelievable to parents to whom nature has given perfect children. On the other hand, parents of difficult kids can be much more understanding and empathetic toward other parents. Also, when we come out of a hardship, we tend to appreciate the good things and even the simplest things in life much more. After all, life teaches us the power of letting go, be it grudges, fears, or expectations. Since we have gone through some trying times, we have learned to accept things beyond our control and we can now move forward with better wisdom. |
| Prompt: Kitchen "The kitchen really is the castle itself. This is where we spend our happiest moments and where we find the joy of being a family." Mario Batali What are your feelings about your kitchen? And/or what is your kitchen like? --------- My now-kitchen is a long corridor in a large one-story house. In fact, it is the smallest of kitchens I've worked in. I don't know who'd put a small kitchen in a big house! In fact, the people who owned the house before us were members of a club and they always ate there, in the club. So the kitchen they kept stayed brand new. We liked this house because, at the time when we bought it, it was just my husband and I, after retirement, and I worked in this kitchen alone, which turned out to be quite efficient because I could reach to things just by twisting around without taking too many steps. As to "the kitchen being a castle itself," we had such a kitchen in Long Island, NY, when our sons were growing up. That kitchen was quite large and it had a dining table for eight people in the middle of it. We used that kitchen for just about anything, but mostly I cooked in it while we talked and joked. Even our kids brought their friends to sit at that table in the middle to tell me all about their escapades while I chopped food or stirred the pot. Then, during those wonderful times, my whole family ate the same meal with tiny adjustments for each person, mostly inside that kitchen, unless and if--on occasion--,we wanted to eat in the dining room. Well, no more! At this stage in my life, since I'm mostly the only permanent occupant of this last-house and since my kids' palates took diverse turns lately, gone are the "same-family-meal" days. Luckily, my sons visit me often. In fact, one of them stays a couple of months at a time. I'm so very blessed with that. When my sons are visiting, however, it is a circus. One son is a vegetarian on the edge of being a vegan. The other one is going to some gym and about 90% of his diet is animal based. And I don't have my husband around anymore to pull all of us together. So, we try to manage by taking turns cooking our own food in my now-corridor-like kitchen. Still, it is a good-enough life with a good-enough kitchen, be it corridor-like. As a Dan Fogelbird song says: "Down the ancient corridors through the gates of time, run the ghosts of dreams that we have left behind." |
| Prompt: Everyday starts a new adventure in your life. Write about this in your Blog entry today. -------- I'm glad I wake up alive and that in itself is an adventure. Then, going through my every-morning routine is another adventure in itself. This is because greatest adventures often aren't the big, planned experiences. Mostly, they're found in the small moments when I choose to see the world differently. If I wanted to add more zest to my morning routine, I would probably do things in a different order, but that's not me. I like stability a lot, although I know that small changes create new pathways in our brains and they make ordinary moments feel fresh. So each morning, I decide whether I make coffee or tea. This is enough change for me, as far as my morning routine goes. Yet, there are many other ways to come across adventures once the morning wears off. Finding about people I see every day, like the mailman, the overnight guest at the neighbor's, the clerk at the checkout counter can also be very interesting, and I'm always talking to people. People can be magical. People are huge adventures in themselves. Then, adventure also means finding out about things. Since I have studied several languages and some of those are not perfect (obviously!), I try to learn new words in any one language. I started this practice because I read that learning new languages, at least new words and usage of any one language, encourages the brain to stay alive and working, and at my age, I truly need a brain that knows how to work. Then, I also consider reading and writing to be huge adventures, in every single one of my days. In addition and just maybe, doing something spontaneous and interesting can trigger a different world-view, too. This means adventure isn't what I do but what I see; such as watching the cloud formations, the way the leaves on the trees wave in the breeze, how the white ibises fly and come down on the green in flocks, and the way the golfers play on the golf course in the back of the house, and how I smirk when I hear a curse or two when they are searching for a ball. Since I am basically a people-watcher, like most writers on WdC, this is so much fun for me! In the same vein, even walking to the mailbox to get my mail holds countless possibilities for mini adventures. I hope I'll always be brave enough to notice them. |
| Prompt: What is a significant life change you've recently experienced and how has it impacted your daily life? Write about this in your Blog entry today. -------- Each morning itself, when I wake up, is a tiny but significant life change. It is always surprising to find myself still alive and I'm thankful for that. Not that I expect for myself anything nasty or even splendid to happen to cause a major life change. Frankly speaking, I am done with any major life changes at this time. My husband's passing after our 54 years of marriage five years ago and my cat's sudden death in August 2024 were very significant in my life, and to this day, they still have a serious impact. Yet, life is good and I have my two wonderful sons and the things I do that keep me happy enough and occupied, too, and sometimes over-occupied, to boot. Then, any change, positive or negative, can have profound effects on us. Yet, we have to deal with their inevitability. In addition, while they can be challenging, changes also present opportunities for personal growth and transformation. It is true that, some negative life changes can affect our health and social relationships. The ability to find support and see these changes as stepping stones, however, can lead to understanding who we are and how we can overcome such difficulties and even become stronger in the process. So for now, I'm not expecting any serious, positive or negative life changes. But then, who knows what lies ahead in the future, as life has a way of keeping us on our toes, all the time. As such, each year, where I live, the hurricane season makes me jumpy enough, anyway! And that's more than enough excitement. |
| Prompt: "Celebrate every step you accomplish, even the baby steps because what's truly important is to continue moving towards your dreams." Write about this in your Blog entry today. ------------- I'm all for celebrating accomplishments. Such celebrations encourage us to live through the day and even through the harder times. As to moving toward dreams, to begin with, at my age, I don't dream much. Except, I don't want too many changes or anyone or anything rocking the boat with my status quo. I can, however, understand why taking things step by step can be important toward accomplishing any goal. Those steps can be baby steps if one is easily overwhelmed and loses focus. Otherwise, what's wrong with wide strides, if I know what I am doing? In the beginning of any project, tiny consistent actions may be the baby steps that the quote is pointing at. Such baby steps are helpful if one is doing something for the first time or learning how to go about it. So instead of being distracted and scared by the bigger picture, one's focus can be on every single small step until a habit on the subject is created. Also, with small steps, quick adjustments can be made without having to deal with much larger mistakes. This way, with small steps, one can build momentum and omit feeling overwhelmed. In any case, I don't believe there is any one certain route to handle a project. This is because we are each different people with different needs, likes, and dislikes. Then, each project itself has its own requirements and needs, too. So, as much as I appreciate the quote and the idea of baby steps, I'm not going to say that baby steps are crucial for everything. If they were, we would be walking, in real life, like babies, and that wouldn't get us anywhere all that easily. |
| Prompt: "China tea, the scent of hyacinths, wood fires and bowls of violets-that is my mental picture of an agreeable February afternoon." Constance Spry Write about this quote in your Blog entry today. ------ Well, where I live, on this February afternoon, I have the AC on since it's over 80 degrees outside. Also, I don't know much about Constance Spry's that specific February afternoon, but her words reminded me of my mother, who was a tea enthusiast, loved watching the flames from the logs in the fireplace, and violets were her favorite flowers. She called them the "shy ones" since the purple flowers hung on a bent stem, which was "neck" the way she said it. Then, her hyacinth perfume was also legendary since she had it produced specifically for her. Come to think of it, all this makes me wonder about myself. How could such an ordinary, simple, and with no specific needs and dependencies person like me turned out to be a daughter to such a fancy and a very beautiful woman like her! I guess nature has its weird moments, too. Then, I also wonder how Constance Spry ended up describing some of my mother's favorite stuff. So, I googled Constance Spry (1886-1960). It turns out that Constance Spry was a British Floral Designer and she had a floral school. "Her highest honor came when she was chosen to be the florist for Queen Elizabeth II's wedding and coronation." In her photos, the way she holds herself, her headdress, and smile are so like my mother's that it almost shocked me out of my wits. The one difference is, my mother was about 40 years younger than her. Here is Constance Spry: https://ciaodomenica.blogspot.com/2013/03/constance-spry.html Just maybe, I might be missing my mother, and when we miss someone, we see her in other people. |
| Prompt: Big-hearted People What makes a person lovable and with a big heart? Do you have such people in your life and what would your descriptions of them be like? ------------ If "with a big heart" means someone who loves everyone as they are--that is, without judgment or expectation and with total forgiveness--I don't know anyone like that. I mean everyone has a boiling point. Even God doesn't like trespassers, for what little I know. On the other hand, I came to know many fantastic people, some of them in my extended family, and they, too, could take only so much nasty stuff. To me, based on one of my uncles who I thought was a saint in disguise and lovable and big-hearted, such a person has to be authentic, first. This means, again to me, a person who has humility and no need for validation or recognition. Then, such a person is loyal, at least to his loved ones, and encouraging, while being positive and joyful. He also doesn't hold grudges and understands that all humans can and are bound to make mistakes. Thus, he forgives easily and encourages healing. Above all, he has resilience and is strong in hard times and lifts others up in every way he can. This is because he is endowed with empathy and understanding and is very generous with his time, love, and support. Better yet, he cares about others without expecting anything in return. This type of kindness in such a person is deeply ingrained in who he is. I should really say, "in who he was." Unfortunately, that uncle of mine passed away in 1990. I talked about him here, because while I was growing up, he became someone I wanted to emulate, at least a tiny bit; although, I knew then and I still believe now that he was inimitable and the "only" one of a kind. |
| Prompt: Groundhog "The groundhogs are pretty good at eluding. If somebody is trying to come after a ground hog, they go and they burrow." Jack Hanna Why do you think the groundhog inherited the duty of deciding the arrival of spring? Do you know of any people who make far-out predictions and then disappear from the view? ----- Who can blame the groundhog! He must only be joking! Plus, there is something poetic in his act. Kind of annoyingly poetic! This is what I could dig up on the subject, "The first recorded Groundhog Day observance was in 1886, but the first official Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania was in 1887." So, in addition to The groundhog's so-called poetic nature, there is some history buried in his antics. Each year the groundhog, a.k.a Phil, makes a daring prediction, which means stepping into the unknown, pulling out a guess, and offering it to the world, but then burrowing himself under the ground. I would, too, if some people took my words like prophecies and others like jokes. I think the magic of the groundhog is in his disappearing act and that he doesn't stay to defend his forecast, argue with skeptics, or insist in being correct...well, mostly that I know of. He says what he sees, then escapes. He doesn't get caught up in what others think. This reminds me of some online posts when someone puts down, writes about, predicts something far-out, stirs everyone's imagination or dread, then disappears. Such people do get some attention, don't they! The same as we the people giving those unreal online predictions the time of the day, without realizing that the real power isn't in being right all the time. It's in the mystery of knowing when to speak about issues that will get attention. As long as such people, like the Groundhog Phil, can stir everything up, write far-out predictions on social media, let the world keep guessing... and also, waste our time! |
| Prompt: WDC's calendar's prompt was for January --What expert do you wish come teach you what they know? Why? ------ What expert to teach me what I don't know? "Let me count the ways!"  Naturally for me, I don't know everything. That's a given. To reiterate, I lack knowledge in many things, but do I want to work with an expert at my age? No way! Though my rejection is not for my sake, but for the benefit of that poor expert. I can just imagine him or her talking to me through his or her teeth and saying, "Didn't we go over this, yesterday? How quickly you forgot!" Although people like me do require expert advice across several areas of life to make sure they do stay well, be safe. and keep their quality of life up to par. So far, I've been safe enough. Safe that I didn't endanger anyone else...yet! I guess I am well enough, too, if you don't count my nervous cardiologist's advices with his forcedly calm voice. Come to think of it, he's the one discovering this or that noise coming from my insides, while no such noise bothers me at all. As to my extra safety and quality of life, my two sons are on it. Yesterday, one of them noticed I was shuffling my feet while I walked. I told him it was the slippers that shuffled and not me. And Heaven Forbid, I should cough or sneeze. Both sons get on my case, forgetting that I'm highly allergic to environmental anything. So you see, I'm already surrounded by experts. Then, with all those experts around and at me already, why would I wish other experts bugging me or me bugging them! |
| What are your thoughts on the recent airplane and the helicopter in the DC area? Do you believe there are going to more of these tragedies or less? ---------- I'm so sorry this happened at all! I mean when a U.S. Army helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet collided in the air as the plane was trying to land in Washington. To the best of what I could find out, there were no survivors in the deadly collision above the icy waters of the Potomac River near Washington, DC. Imagine all those families who are in shock and grieving! Too many victims now, those dead from the crash and the alive ones who are the families and friends. I don't know if there'll be more or less of these tragedies again. Investigators have so far recovered the cockpit voice and flight data from the passenger jet, as well as the recording device from the helicopter. Also, as of today, they are keeping it hush hush. If they can learn something from this accident, maybe some of such tragedies can be evaded, but knowing a thing or two about human errors, a total relief from accidents like this may be impossible. Moreover, we have the addition of Ai, in the works, which is supposed to help us through stuff. Not that if anything goes wrong is Ai's fault. It is the fault of companies who do not understand the new technology and do not train their workers well enough. This makes me wonder how much of the mishandling of Ai or pilot error was involved in this airplane crash or any other accidents and mishaps. Just this morning, I had to handle such an Ai mishap with my internet and TV provider. Luckily, instead of having a nervous breakdown on their Ai phones, I went to their actual store to avoid the dread of wasting my time on the phone. It seems, things are okay now, but only so far, and I am not trusting Comcast or any other company, in whichever area of life they may be operating. This is because there's that too much of dependence and belief in technology, and I've had too many headaches in the recent year due to any one company mishandling Ai. Maybe, we should take a good look at ourselves and try to find out where we go wrong by using a fair insight, and not be blinded by any new technology or short-cuts to make things (!) easier. Maybe the helicopter operators, airplanes, and those who guide them from the towers and offices should step back and take a good look at themselves, before taking their easy shortcuts. |
| Prompt: "It isn't what we say or think that defines us but what we do." Jane Austen Write about this quote in your Blog entry today. --------- In my case, what I do, think, or say, usually are in the same stew, if I can help it. What I think is important for the way I view my own self. Then, what I do or say can become adapted to the situation and to the other people involved. I think the difference is in one's basic intentions and actions. In the long run, actions do speak louder than words. Some very eloquent speakers can tout kindness, fairness, and integrity, but if their actions contradict those values, their words can become useless. Also, people have to act on good intentions to make a difference and to be accountable for their behaviors. This also applies to us writers. Remember the power of showing rather than telling? The owner of the quote Jane Austen was a master of showing, both in her characters and in her writing style. She used action and behavior to define her characters rather than relying directly on her own statements. In Pride and Prejudice, for example, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy’s true natures are revealed not through what they say about themselves but through their choices and personal growth. Darcy, for instance, begins the novel as an arrogant and reserved person. Yet, he does pay off Wickham's debts to save Elizabeth's family from scandal. He also helps Jane and Bingley to reunite. These actions prove his integrity and love. Elizabeth's transformation, too, shows in her re-evaluation of her prejudices and she accepts Darcy for who he truly is. All these feats, Jane Austen accomplishes through irony, dialogue, and small but significant actions by her characters. Then, not just Pride and Prejudice but all her works prove that words alone are not enough both in real life or in putting together a good story. |
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